Saturday, July 25, 2020

RIP 
Fleetwood Mac blues guitarist Peter Green dies at 73 
UPDATED

FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, April 7, 2001, British rock and blues guitarist Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, backstage before performing with his own band, Peter Green's Splinter Group, at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, in New York. Lawyers representing the family of Peter Green, say in a statement Saturday July 25, 2020, that he has died, aged 73. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, FILE)





LONDON (AP) — Peter Green, the dexterous blues guitarist who led the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac in a career shortened by psychedelic drugs and mental illness, has died at 73.

A law firm representing his family, Swan Turton, announced the death in a statement Saturday. It said he died “peacefully in his sleep″ this weekend. A further statement will be issued in the coming days.

Green, to some listeners, was the best of the British blues guitarists of the 1960s. B.B. King once said Green “has the sweetest tone I ever heard. He was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.”

Green also made a mark as a composer with “Albatross,” and as a songwriter with “Oh Well” and “Black Magic Woman.”

e crashed out of the band in 1971. Even so, Mick Fleetwood said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2017 that Green deserves the lion’s share of the credit for the band’s success.

“Peter was asked why did he call the band Fleetwood Mac. He said, ‘Well, you know I thought maybe I’d move on at some point and I wanted Mick and John (McVie) to have a band.’ End of story, explaining how generous he was,” said Fleetwood, who described Green as a standout in an era of great guitar work.

Indeed, Green was so fundamental to the band that in its early days it was called Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac.

FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, April 7, 2001, British rock and blues guitarist Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, performing with his own band, Peter Green's Splinter Group, at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, in New York. Lawyers representing the family of Peter Green, say in a statement Saturday July 25, 2020, that he has died, aged 73. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, FILE)


Peter Allen Greenbaum was born on Oct. 29, 1946, in London. The gift of a cheap guitar put the 10-year-old Green on a musical path.

He was barely out of his teens when he got his first big break in 1966, replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers — initially for just a week in 1965 after Clapton abruptly took off for a Greek holiday. Clapton quit for good soon after and Green was in.

In the Bluesbreakers he was reunited with Mick Fleetwood, a former colleague in Peter B’s Looners. Mayall added bass player McVie soon after.

The three departed the next year, forming the core of the band initially billed as “Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac featuring (guitarist) Jeremy Spencer.”

Fleetwood Mac made its debut at the British Blues and Jazz festival in the summer of 1967, which led to a recording contract, then an eponymous first album in February 1968. The album, which included “Long Grey Mare” and three other songs by Green, stayed on the British charts for 13 months.


FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, April 7, 2001, British rock and blues guitarist Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, warms up backstage before performing with his own band, Peter Green's Splinter Group, at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, in New York. Lawyers representing the family of Peter Green, say in a statement Saturday July 25, 2020, that he has died, aged 73. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, FILE)


The band’s early albums were heavy blues-rock affairs marked by Green’s fluid, evocative guitar style and gravelly vocals. Notable singles included “Oh Well” and the Latin-flavored “Black Magic Woman,” later a hit for Carlos Santana.

But as the band flourished, Green became increasingly erratic, even paranoid. Drugs played a part in his unraveling.

On a tour in California, Green became acquainted with Augustus Owsley Stanley III, notorious supplier of powerful LSD to the The Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey, the anti-hero of Tom Wolfe’s book “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.”

“He was taking a lot of acid and mescaline around the same time his illness began manifesting itself more and more,” Fleetwood said in 2015. “We were oblivious as to what schizophrenia was back in those days but we knew something was amiss.

REALLY I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THE LEAD SINGER FOR PINK FLOYD WAS SCHIZOPHRENIC SINCE THE SEVENTIES 

“Green Manalishi,” Green’s last single for the band, reflected his distress.

In an interview with Johnny Black for Mojo magazine, Green said: “I was dreaming I was dead and I couldn’t move, so I fought my way back into my body. I woke up and looked around. It was very dark and I found myself writing a song. It was about money; ‘The Green Manalishi’ is money.”

In some of his last appearances with the band, he wore a monk’s robe and a crucifix. Fearing that he had too much money, he tried to persuade other band members to give their earnings to charities.

Green left Fleetwood Mac for good in 1971.



FILE - In this file photo dated Monday, Jan. 12, 1998 Members of Fleetwood Mac hold their awards after the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in New York. From left, are: Peter Green; John McVie; Stevie Nicks; Christine McVie; Mick Fleetwood; and Lindsey Buckingham. Lawyers representing the family of Peter Green, say in a statement Saturday July 25, 2020, that he has died, aged 73. (AP Photo/Adam Nadel, FILE)


In his absence, the band’s new line-up, including Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, gained enormous success with a more pop-tinged sound.

Green was confined in a mental hospital in 1977 after an incident with his manager. Testimony in court said Green had asked for money and then threatened to shoot out the windows of the manager’s office.

Green was released later in the year, and married Jane Samuels, a Canadian, in 1978. They had a daughter, Rosebud, and divorced the following year. Green also has a son, Liam Firlej.

Green returned to performing in the 1990s with the Peter Green Splinter Group.

In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other past and present members of Fleetwood Mac.

___


THIS IS A POSTHUMOUS OBIT

AP writer Bob Barr died in 2018.



FOR ME THIS IS THEIR BEST GREEN ALBUM 
"THEN PLAY ON" IT IS THEIR SECOND ALBUM 1969

Fleetwood Mac "Then Play On" (1969) - Full Album - 


Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac Co-Founder, Dies at 73


















Peter Green
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Peter Green, guitarist and co-founder of rock band Fleetwood Mac, photographed circa 1968.


Peter Green, the influential blues rock guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, has died. He was 73.
The musician's death was confirmed by his family members in a statement shared with the BBC.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. A further statement will be provided in the coming days," the statement reads.
Born in London in 1946, Green began his career as a teenager in 1965 as the guitarist for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, where he replaced Eric Clapton. Two years later, Green teamed up with drummer Mick Fleetwood to form Fleetwood Mac. The two later recruited John McVie on bass.
Under Green's direction, the early incarnation of Fleetwood Mac released three albums, starting with its 1968 self-titled debut, followed by Mr. Wonderful (1968) and Then Play On (1969).
During his time in the group, Green penned such popular songs as "Albatross," "Man of the World," "Oh Well" and "Black Magic Woman," which later became a hit for Santana.
Green left Fleetwood Mac in 1970 and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, forcing him to seek treatment in psychiatric hospitals.
Fleetwood Mac later went on to achieve major success with the new lineup of Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Green continued to release music following his departure from Fleetwood Mac, including his 1970 solo debut, The End of the Game. Because of his mental illness, however, the guitarist wouldn't release another solo album until 1979. His last solo release was 1983's Kolors.
During the 1990s, Green teamed up with guitarist Nigel Watson and drummer Cozy Powell to form Peter Green Splinter Group, releasing numerous albums in the late '90s and early 2000s.
In 1998, Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with seven other past and present other members of Fleetwood Mac.
In February, Mick Fleetwood organized an all-star tribute to the early years of Fleetwood Mac with Green, featuring performances by Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Steven Tyler and many other.
“The concert is a celebration of those early blues days where we all began, and it’s important to recognize the profound impact Peter and the early Fleetwood Mac had on the world of music,” Fleetwood explained in a statement. “Peter was my greatest mentor and it gives me such joy to pay tribute to his incredible talent. I am honored to be sharing the stage with some of the many artists Peter has inspired over the years and who share my great respect for this remarkable musician.”
Following news of Green's death, tributes came pouring in from artists like Peter Frampton, Geezer Butler, Winston Marshall and many more. See their posts below.
 OPENING OF FLEETWOOD MAC LIVE 
WITH BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
WRITTEN BY PETER GREEN MADE FAMOUS BY SANTANA 1971












Peter Green: Fleetwood Mac co-founder dies aged 73

Green co-founded band with Mick Fleetwood in 1967 and was behind a string of hits









 Peter Green: Fleetwood Mac co-founder dies aged 73 – video obituary

Tributes have been paid to Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green after he died “peacefully in his sleep” aged 73.
A statement from Swan Turton solicitors, acting on behalf of his family, said: “It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. A further statement will be provided in the coming days.”
Green, the influential blues rock guitarist from Bethnal Green, east London, formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood in London in 1967. The following year the group released an eponymous debut also known as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, gaining widespread acclaim and reaching number four in the charts.
Mr Wonderful was released in the same year, without receiving the same plaudits, before Then Play On in 1969, which reached number six in the UK. However, Green then left following a final performance in 1970 amid mental health issues, saying he left the music business “for my freedom” after writing much-loved tracks Albatross, Man of the World and Oh Well.









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He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent time in hospital undergoing therapy during the mid-1970s, later admitting he may have embarked on too many LSD trips. But he returned to performing in the 1990s, following a reported period in various jobs including as a gravedigger and a petrol-pump attendant.










Green was among the eight members of the band – along with Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Christine McVie, Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer – who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Earlier this year, artists including Fleetwood, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and guitarists Jonny Lang and Andy Fairweather Low performed at the London Palladium during a gig celebrating the early years of Fleetwood Mac and its founder, Green.
In a testament to his influence on the British blues movement, legendary guitarist BB King once said of Green: “He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.”
Green also performed in the band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, recording notable track The Supernatural which Mojo magazine later placed as third in a 1995 list of outstanding guitar tracks.









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Rolling Stone magazine ranked Green at number 58 in its all-time list of the 100 greatest guitarists, describing him as “Britain’s most progressive blues guitarist” in the late 1960s who took listeners on a melodic adventure.
Whitesnake’s David Coverdale said Green was an artist he “truly loved and admired”.
He tweeted: “From the first time I heard him ... I supported the original Fleetwood Mac at Redcar Jazz Club when I was in a local band … He was a breathtaking singer, guitarist and composer... I know who I will be listening to today ... RIP.”



















Musician Peter Frampton tweeted: “Most sadly have lost one of the most tasteful guitar players ever I have always been a huge admirer of the great Peter Green may he rest in peace.”
Mumford and Sons guitarist Winston Marshall tweeted: “RIP Peter Green. [Greatest of all time]. Man of the world, oh well, albatross, need your love so bad. Some of my favourites songs and performances of all time. Thank you for the music.”
Yusuf/Cat Stevens tweeted: “God bless the ineffable Peter Green, one of the unsung heroes of musical integrity, innovation and spirit. When I heard he left Fleetwood Mac in 1970 to get a real life and donate his wealth to charity, he became something of a model


PETER GREEN & John Mayall Bluesbreakers 21 FULL LIVE TRACKS Compilation



Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac ~ Live At The Paris Cinema London 1970 Part 1






FLEETWOOD MAC - LIVE 1970

PETER GREEN - GTR/VOX/FENDER 6 BASS/PERCUSSION
DANNY KIRWAN - GTR/VOX JOHN McVIE - BASS MICK FLEETWOOD - DRUMS SET LIST - 1.BLACK MAGIC WOMAN 2.JUMPING AT SHADOWS 3.LIKE IT THIS WAY 4.ONLY YOU 5.THE GREEN MANALISHI 6.WORLD IN HARMONY 7.OH WELL 8.RATTLESNAKE SHAKE

Journalism has been criminalised': Zimbabwean reporter denied bail

Hopewell Chin’ono is in jail awaiting trial on charges he rejects of inciting violence
Hopewell Chin’ono at Harare magistrates courts on 22 July. The UN is concerned his arrest is part of a clampdown on human rights in Zimbabwe. Photograph: Aaron Ufumeli/EPA

Jason Burke Africa correspondent and Nyasha Chingono in Harare
Published on Fri 24 Jul 2020

A prominent investigative journalist in Zimbabwe has said the struggle against corruption in the country must continue as he was sent back to prison to await trial on charges of incitement of public violence.

Hopewell Chin’ono, an internationally respected reporter, recently published documents raising concerns that powerful individuals in Zimbabwe were profiting from multimillion-dollar deals for essential supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The 49-year-old was arrested earlier this week and has been held in police or prison cells since. Authorities accuse him of promoting planned protests against corruption in government on 31 July, which police say will turn violent.

Chin’ono denies the charges against him and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Hopwell Chin’ono gets out of a prison van as he arrives at Harare magistrates courts on Thursday. Photograph: Aaron Ufumeli/EPA

During a hearing on Friday in Harare, the capital, magistrates said they had denied Chin’ono bail as a preventative measure to stop the journalist reoffending before the planned rally.


Chin’ono, 49, will return to court on 7 August. Supporters are concerned that he will be exposed to Covid-19, which is spreading in Zimbabwe’s prisons.

“I’m OK, I’m fine … Basically, this means journalism has been criminalised. The struggle against corruption should continue. People should not stop, they should carry on,” Chin’ono said on leaving the court.

Lawyers for the journalist said they would appeal against the decision.

“We disagree with the magistrate ruling and his findings. He did not engage in particular with the evidence laid before him by the investigating officer who admitted there was nothing in the tweets that formed the basis of the charge to incite violence. We will be appealing against the ruling,” Doug Coltart, a member of Chin’ono’s legal counsel, told the Guardian.

During the cross-examination, the police’s lead investigating officer admitted that there was nothing in Chin’ono’s tweets that suggested incitement of public violence.

Earlier in the day, Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader, also was denied bail for the same offence.

“The state fears that if he is released on bail, there is going to be demonstrations. The state alleges that he has incited the nation to demonstrate against corruption and they fear that if he is admitted to bail the demonstrations will continue on July 31,” his lawyer, Moses Nkomo, said.

The bail hearing had been repeatedly delayed after authorities announced a new lockdown to stem the rapid spread of Covid-19, forbidding all movement around Harare and any large meetings. Only essential workers and tasks are exempt.

The arrest of the two men prompted a strong reaction from human rights campaigners and western powers. The United Nations expressed concern that the Covid-19 pandemic was being used as a pretext to clamp down on fundamental human rights.

“Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognised human rights,” it said.

The British embassy in Harare has repeatedly urged authorities to follow the rule of law and uphold media freedoms and freedom of speech.

Amnesty International said the arrests were “designed to intimidate and send a chilling message to journalists, whistleblowers and activists who draw attention to matters of public interest in Zimbabwe”.

It is unclear how much impact the response will have on Zimbabwe’s leaders, who are preoccupied by internal rivalries. The government has been criticised for failing to deal with corruption at a time when the country is in desperate need of an international bailout package to save its economy from collapse.

Zimbabwe is also facing a looming health crisis as Covid-19 cases – currently totalling 1,611 confirmed infections – increase. Nurses are on strike to demand better salaries, personal protective equipment and better working conditions.

As the economic situation has deteriorated there has been a surge in repression in recent months, and a series of abductions of government critics. Many detainees have been assaulted, humiliated or threatened and several have been told not to criticise the government.

Nick Mangwana, Zimbabwe’s secretary for information, said on Twitter on Monday that “no profession [is] above the law”.

“Journalists are not above the law. Lawyers are not above the law. Doctors and nurses are not above the law. Politicians and bankers are not above the law. Anyone suspected to have committed a crime should be subjected to due process,” he said.

It was not clear if the tweet was connected to the detention of Chin’ono and Ngarivhume or a reference to recent arrests for corruption in Zimbabwe.

The health minister, Obadiah Moyo, was charged last month in connection with the awarding of a $60m (£47m) contract to a company that allegedly sold Covid-19 supplies to the government at inflated prices.
Hungarian journalists resign en masse after claims of political interference

Firing of editor-in-chief at Hungary’s biggest independent news outlet sparks protest
Staff at index.hu prepare to walk out of the newsroom on Friday after submitting their resignations in the wake of the dismissal of the editor-in-chief Szabolcs Dull on Wednesday. Photograph: Bődey János/Index

Shaun Walker in Budapest
Published on Fri 24 Jul 2020

The editorial board and dozens of journalists at Hungary’s biggest independent news outlet have resigned, two days after its editor-in-chief was fired amid claims of political interference.

More than 70 of roughly 90 editorial staff at index.hu, including all the desk editors, walked out of the newsroom on Friday after submitting their resignations in the wake of Szabolcs Dull’s dismissal earlier this week.

“A red line was crossed,” said deputy editor Veronika Munk, of the decision to resign.

The departing journalists published an open letter on the outlet’s website in Hungarian and English. “The editorial board deemed that the conditions for independent operation are no longer in place and have initiated the termination of their employment,” it said.

Munk, who has worked for the outlet for 18 years since joining as an intern while still a student, said many journalists were in tears as they left the newsroom for the last time on Friday.

Index was considered the last major independent outlet in Hungary, which is ranked the second worst country in the EU for media freedom by Reporters Without Borders. During the past decade of rule by the far-right prime minister, Viktor Orbán, the media landscape has gradually contracted, as numerous outlets were bought out by pro-government figures or closed down.

Speaking on a visit to Portugal on Friday, Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, said claims that government interference was behind the turmoil at Index were “untrue accusations”, while the company’s chief executive László Bodolai has insisted that there is no external interference in the outlet’s editorial line.

Munk said the editorial staff had asked Bodolai to reinstate Dull in a number of meetings in recent days. “He repeatedly said no. He said it’s a personal decision but I don’t think it’s the real reason,” she said.

A pro-government businessman acquired a stake in Index’s holding company earlier this year, and a month ago the website sent out a warning to followers that its editorial independence was at risk. “Index is a mighty fortress that they want to blow up,” said Dull, in a farewell speech to the newsroom after his firing on Wednesday.

Having taken the difficult decision to leave their jobs in a global economic downturn and in Hungary’s bleak environment for independent media, the former Index journalists are already thinking about how they could reconstitute the project.

“We are starting to think about what can happen next. We don’t have a complete plan but we would like to stay together. We know it’s going to be really hard in this media environment in Hungary,” Munk said.

The situation at Index comes in the same week that Orbán was able to water down plans by a number of EU countries to link the future disbursal of EU funds to rule of law conditions, and drew criticism from some European politicians.

“I expressed big concerns about the situation in media in general in Hungary, and also specifically the situation in Index,” VÄ›ra Jourová, the vice president of the European Commission, said on Thursday.

A protest march in support of media freedom was planned for Friday evening in Budapest.
AOC represents the future of America: women who refuse to be silenced

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez elegantly eviscerated Republican congressman Ted Yoho on the House floor this week

Arwa Mahdawi Sat 25 Jul 2020


Bitches get things done

Hello? Police? I’d like to report a murder. On Thursday Republican congressman Ted Yoho was elegantly eviscerated by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the House floor. In just under 10 minutes, the New York congresswoman made Yoho look like the yahoo he is, and delivered a searing indictment of structural sexism. Do watch the full speech if you haven’t already – it’s a masterclass in responding to misogyny.

Some quick context: on Monday Yoho confronted AOC on the steps of the US Capitol, calling the congresswoman “disgusting” for talking about how poverty can drive crime. As the pair parted, Yoho called Ocasio-Cortez a “fucking bitch”.

Ocasio-Cortez delivers powerful speech after Republican's sexist remarks

While Yoho’s insults were overheard by a reporter, he insists he never made them. On Wednesday, Yoho told the House that he apologized for the abruptness of the conversation he’d had with his “colleague from New York” (he didn’t even give Ocasio-Cortez the courtesy of addressing her by name) but that the words attributed to him had been misconstrued. Yoho also noted that he has been “married for 45 years” and has two daughters so was “cognizant” of his language. As we all know, it is impossible for married men with daughters to be sexist. Just look at Harvey Weinstein and Brett Kavanaugh. Just look at Donald Trump!

Some media reports characterized Yoho’s sneering speech as an “apology”. It very clearly wasn’t: it was an assertion of power that followed a familiar pattern. First came the gaslighting, the insistence his behaviour had been “misconstrued.” Then came the self-righteous justification. “I cannot apologize for my passion,” he declared with a smirk on his face. The subtext to his little speech: What are you going to do?


As Ocasio-Cortez noted on Thursday, at first she wasn’t going to do anything. After wryly tweeting “b*tches get stuff done” on Tuesday, she was ready to be done with the situation. You get used to dehumanizing behaviour when you’re a woman, you get desensitized to it. You don’t report abuse or harassment because nobody is going to take you seriously. You ignore the guy shouting obscenities at you on the street because you’re afraid for your personal safety. You ignore sexist comments from a colleague because you’re worried about your professional security. This is one of the most insidious things about patriarchy – it takes the fight out of you. You let things go.

But, after Yoho’s non-apology, Ocasio-Cortez decided not to let this go. As she explained in her speech, she’s encountered language like Yoho’s a million times before. “[T]his is not new, and that is the problem. This issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture … accepting of violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power that supports that.” She went on to criticize Yoho for using his daughters as a shield; “I am someone’s daughter too.”

It wasn’t just the content of Ocasio-Cortez’s speech that was powerful, it was the way she delivered it. There was a carefully controlled fury in her voice that every woman will be familiar with. “I cannot apologize for my passion,” Yoho declared; as a man he doesn’t have to. When Brett Kavanaugh threw a temper tantrum in front of the Senate judiciary committee, Donald Trump Jr praised his “tone.” Men like Kavanaugh and Yoho are not penalized for their “passion”; they’re not penalized for showing their emotion. Women are. Show too much emotion and you’re “hysterical”, you’re “crazy”, you’re a “nasty woman”. And so you learn to control your fury, to modulate your emotion. You learn to apologize for your passion.

But no matter how measured you are, no matter how reasonable, it’s never enough. A New York Times article about Ocasio-Cortez’s speech cynically noted the congresswoman “excels at using her detractors to amplify her own political brand”. Instead of analyzing the cultural norms that allow men like Yoho to belittle women with impunity, it cast Ocasio-Cortez as a disruptive opportunist. A woman standing up for her dignity is reduced to “brand-building”. The article is a perfect example of what Ocasio-Cortez was referring to when she talked about Yoho’s actions being supported by an “entire structure of power”.

That structure of power, it’s important to note, encompasses race and gender. The only thing that irritates men like Yoho more than an outspoken woman is an outspoken woman who also has the temerity not to be white. “I cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family and my country,” Yoho told the House. The subtext of that, of course, is that women like Ocasio-Cortez do not belong in “his” country. As Ocasio-Cortez pointed out in her speech, it’s a sentiment she hears a lot: “The president of the United States last year told me to go home to another country, with the implication that I don’t even belong in America.”

Guess what? Ocasio-Cortez isn’t going anywhere. She represents the future of America: women who refuse to be silenced, refuse to “know their place”, and refuse to apologize for their passion.


Play Video
2:26 Ocasio-Cortez speaks about 'culture of violence against women' after Republican's insults – video


Los Angeles has a new woman’s soccer team


Provisionally called Angel City it will be the 11th franchise to play in the National Women’s Soccer League and its owners include Natalie Portman and Alexis Olympia – the two-year-old daughter of Serena Williams.

Susan Orlean delightfully explains her drunken viral Twitter threadLast week Orlean, a highly regarded staff writer for the New Yorker, got drunk and sent some very amusing tweets about foals and fennel seeds. “The next day, I was surprised by the content,” Orlean told the Washington Post. “I read them as new works of literature that I had not read before.”

How the media helped enable the anti-feminist lawyer accused of murder


Earlier this month a federal judge’s son was shot dead. The chief suspect, found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot on Monday, is Roy Den Hollander, an attorney known for bringing lawsuits over perceived infringements of men’s rights. As the Atlantic notes, Den Hollander was once something of a mini-celebrity: “For years, the media metabolized his misogyny as an amusement. The stories about him are scattered around the internet, reminders of how reluctant many were to see his hatred as a threat. He treated sexism as a spectator sport. And media outlets, for a long time, gave him his arena.”

Bacardi's 'lady vodka': the latest in a long line of depressing gendered products
Arwa Mahdawi

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Hallmark will now feature LGBTQ stories in Christmas movies
Don we now our gay apparel/ Troll the ancient Christmas carol/ Hallmark is entering the 21st century / Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!


The week in pup-riarchyDogs can sniff out the coronavirus after just a few days of training, according to a study by a German veterinary university. So are clinics going to start replacing those horrible nose swabs with golden retrievers? Probably not – however the Chilean police are already training “bio-detector” dogs and plan on deploying them to busy public spaces soon.
 Finally, some pawsitive news.