Quickies
Quickies: Banned books, gender in politics, and Science Babe
- The most banned and challenged books of 2014 – The ALA notes, “attempts to remove books by authors of color and books with themes about issues concerning communities of color are disproportionately challenged and banned.”
- Male politicians always play up their gender in their races. Hillary Clinton can, too – “Clinton already focuses on her identity as a grandmother in her new campaign bio, and reminds us that she declared “human rights are women’s rights” and that she was the “first woman Senator from New York”. She should tout those gender-specific accomplishments because, when it’s suited the status quo, much of the American public has been more than happy to focus on Clinton’s gender.”
- Edgy blogger sensation SciBabe takes the lab coat off science – “…the Science Babes of the world — youth, overblown outrage, dirty jokes and all — might help forge a new relationship between their field and the public, which for so long has viewed scientists as alien beings in lab coats.” From Amy.
- Oklahoma pushes Bibles in public schools – “Oklahoma’s attorney general is helping public schools give students “religious literature,” despite an atheist group’s threat to sue if schools keep allowing the Gideons to hand out Bibles.” From Ray.
- Cute Animal Friday! From Lisa, a webcam of a mother bear and her three cubs (who were all snoozing in a pile when I checked).
Featured image by Flickr user Anirvan
Momma bear was nursing when I visited the site. She was lolling her head, and f you didn’t see the cub you would think she was masturbating. She really looked like she was coming! That oxytocin is good stuff. If anyone ever bottles it, they’ll make a mint. At least until it’s banned, of course.
Uh… They do bottle it. It’s one of the most widely abused pharmaceutical drugs.
How does that happen? Isn’t it something that’s prescription only for pregnant women? Pregnant women seem like the least likely group to spawn a new recreational drug. It’s not like people can just fake being pregnant to get a prescription, and without any regular users it’s hard to see where the black market would come from.
Oh, you’re right. I got it mixed up with the much more prescribed Oxycodone, sometimes branded Oxycontin. My mistake
Oxytocin also known as Pitocin injection. Used to induce labor also good for stopping postpartum hemorrhage…