Do Plants Die Out Of Spite? And Other Pressing Emotional Queries.

Sweethearts, it’s Tuesday and my coffee is extra yummy today, so let’s all count our wee victories and jump right on in to the unique hellscape that is 2022.

TO THE INTERWEBS

• One major problem with viewing current humanitarian disasters from an historical lens is that every thinks they’d be the one to step up and fight back, consequences be damned, because everyone assumes they’d be the hero. The reality is that the vast majority of people do not upend their lives and put their personal liberty and freedom on the line for justice. Which is why we should be even more impressed by the editor at Channel One in Russia who ran into frame during a broadcast to protest the invasion of Ukraine, decrying Russian propaganda: Employee bursts onto live Russian state TV to denounce war: ‘They are lying to you here’ (Washington Post). Prior to this, she’d recorded a video expressing her shame having worked at the station and “allowed the lies to be said on the TV screens.” Her name is Marina Ovsyannikova, and she was immediately arrested and now cannot be found. 

• You gotta love when a politician’s local newspaper savagely comes at them for their craven idiocy, like this Winston-Salem Journal editorial that ends with “They would do better to elect a representative who addresses those issues rather than one who repeats Russian talking points and distracts them with culture wars”: Our view: Cawthorn is deplorable (And yes, I am aware in this the year of our Flying Spaghetti Monster 2022, “comes at them” entails “plainly stating facts that are valuable for local voters” but you know what, we’ll take it where we can.)

• And staying on the local news train, Texas politicians are starting to refer to books they want removed from schools and libraries—many of which focus on LGBT issues—“pornography”. So the Chron called these 28 politicians up and asked them for the definition of pornography. Only four responded: We asked Texas Republicans banning books to define 'pornography.' Here's what they told us.

• Thank you Emily McCombs for sharing how her pandemic weight gain has impacted her return-to-work: I Gained 70 Pounds During COVID. Here's What Happened On My First Day Back In The Office. (HuffPost) 

• And finally, whomever of you fabulous humans sent me this, can you remind me so I can thank you once again?
  

  Ariadne 🦋 @Ariadne_Reviews

  I cannot believe none of you told me there was a Chihuahua doing Swan Lake at Crufts. #Crufts

Be kind to yourself today: drink some water, text someone you love, take a moment to take a deep breath.

xoxo Amy