Big Friday roundup

The Middle East.

The very real limits of collective mourning.

Russia's corner is of its own making.

African migrants risk their lives because their lives are at risk anyway.

Widodo wins.

Foreign policy has always been unpredictable and crisis-driven.

We have to keep saying this, but PUA philosopy is as incorrect-wrong as it is scary-wrong: the way women dress, etc., is not about you.

On the topic of "wrong": #womenagainstfeminism. See also Sean Carroll's take:
Sometimes it's frustrating when people don't understand science. Then I see a tag #WomenAgainstFeminism and realize my job is easy.
— Sean Carroll (@seanmcarroll) July 21, 2014

Whither carbon capture.

One way of reducing crop waste is eating crops rather than feeding them (to livestock).

No-kill milk is more humane, but even more environmentally destructive. But few things are as environmentally destructive as beef.

There were always mixed feelings about investing in space.

GMO labeling is simply about transparency and respecting people's right to know about their food.

Language gives us tools for politely requesting and demanding.

I have mixed feelings about "what not to say" lists. Really, it depends on the list (and you'll note that some of the items are contradictory, which reinforces the point that it mostly comes down to the individual person). An adoptive-mom friend of mine loved the "what not to say to adoptive parents" video, if not the list; it resonated because people say that $hit. I've rolled my eyes at that STFU-parents' link to the "what not to say to new parents," which included "how is your wife doing?" as a no-no (with a snarky "how the f* do you think"-ish reply). I mean, c'mon. I've recently struggled with what to say to two friends, one whose father has been ill and one who, herself, has been badly injured. It's kind-of good to be aware of what kind of statements are considered unhelpful, even though they're not obviously so. In the latter case, I've almost been apologizing for reassuring this friend, and I've made it clear that I'm not questioning or invalidating her own reactions, but I'm just trying to help her take the long view, because all she can see now are the struggles of early recovery. So lists like that *can* be helpful, but some are just not that valid.