How progressive Democrats gained power in the New Mexico state legislature, replacing some plutocratist Democrats.

They had to fight against identity politics. If you choose which candidate to support based on matters of identity, you are asking to be manipulated.

A professor of linguistics explains how (and perhaps why) the US has converted racial slurs into taboos that can't be mentioned, not even to discuss them.

I agree that overt racist attitudes should be "ridiculed and socially punished in general society"; it is wrong to make racial slurs against anyone.

However, that is no reason to put taboos on them. I am opposed to putting taboos on any words, for any reason, because they gratuitously tie society in knots. When the taboo is on a racial slur, it prevents discussion of racism, and famous anti-racist statements cannot be quoted.

The same hypersensitivity does its harmful work when students seeing a picture of George Washington with slaves are "triggered," and lose the ability to think and speak about the significance of the fact that Washington owned slaves.

Pesticides are harming the animals that turn dirt into soil, including earthworms and insects.

This is very dangerous.

The Burmese military killed several dissidents with a mail bomb.

France has decided to sell Egypt more fighter-bombers. There are points in that message that seem like bullshit, but I don't understand what's really behind them.

I don't see that human rights are a direct concern regarding fighter jets. The Egyptian military regime is highly repressive, but I don't think fighter jets are very apt, or necessary, for attacking protesters, journalists or bloggers.

I also don't see how terrorism relates to sale of fighter jets. Egypt does have a problem with domestic terrorists, but I don't see how fighter jets are very useful against them.