Friday photo/link dump

Part of an ongoing series.

Politics
White Lady Heckles Michelle Obama — What Happens Next is Something Black Women Know All Too Well Speaking of women not being allowed to stand up for themselves. Compound gender with race, and OMG, JUST STOP IT, PEOPLE. Seriously.

When interviewed after being escorted out of the fundraiser, Sturtz said of the First Lady, “She came right down in my face. I was taken aback.” Interesting. Sturtz assumed that because the First Lady is supposed to be the embodiment of grace and cool, that she should stand at her lectern and silently endure what she felt was blatant disrespect. Instead, Michelle Obama decided that she had had enough and instead of shouting from across the room, spoke to Sturtz face-to-face and demanded respect. I can’t help but think that if Hillary Clinton or Laura Bush had done the same, that we would all be nodding our heads in support of the First Lady defining how she wishes to be treated.

Representatives knock Sen. Saxby Chambliss' comments on sexual assault Rape culture, what?

Chambliss, R-Georgia, said: "Gee whiz -- the hormone level created by nature sets in place the possibility for these types of things to occur." 

Republican Rep. Mike Turner, co-chairman of the military sexual assault prevention caucus, issued a statement saying criminals, not hormones, cause sexual assaults.

Cabbage Patch doll on a lease.
(I swear we only used that toddler leash, like, once and it was a long time ago.)

  

BTW, what the heck is wrong with Texas?! Jury Acquits Texas Man Who Shot and Killed Craigslist Escort Who Wouldn't Have Sex With Him She was paralyzed and then died seven months later and a jury said it's no big deal because, that's how we roll in Texas?

The Texas law that allows people to use deadly force to recover property during a nighttime theft...

Out of Prison, Winfrey Struggles Despite Acquittal They took her from her one-year-old baby because of lazy forensics, kept her in prison for almost seven years, then were just like, j/k. And let her go without any compensation, "sorry, my bad," or anything. I couldn't even finish it, it made me so upset.

“I really thought I was going to go into the courthouse and tell the judge that I didn't do this,” she said. “I really thought I was fixin’ to go home that day.” But Winfrey was taken to jail, where she said she would curl up each night on her metal bunk, clinging to a T-shirt stuffed with clothes, trying to replicate the sensation of holding her baby.

this is Junebug as a puppy. I'm not gonan lie,
I just didn't take a lot of pictures this week. It happens sometimes.

Religion
Christians & Masturbation: Seven Perspectives You guys. This happened. By popular demand. In other words, because people (not just any people, but people who are reading a smart and interesting blog) are like REALLY needing to know, "Is it okay with Jesus if I touch my private parts?" Here's a better question: "Is it a little weird if someone can't make a single, stupid decision on their own?!" Not to mention the brilliant point made by @mslooola: 

The responses were interesting. I hesitate to even quote them though, as I worry that it could appear that I'm endorsing a position and therefore implying that the baby Jesus has any sort of vested interest in this sort of thing.
The One Where I Get Into Grad School, Part I For those of you who aren't familiar with Emily Maynard (not the Bachelorette), the grad school she got into is seminary. So, if you are worried about the precarious place of my soul (as I most identify with this piece of part of her journey), here's some hope.

I couldn't do it anymore. It was time to say the truth aloud: “God, if you are who I've been told, and if you really act the way I thought you acted, I can obey, sure,” I thought. “But I can never, ever, love you. If you’re different that everything I've been taught about you, prove it. If not, I’m done.” ...It was a very matter of fact statement for someone whose soul now apparently sat in a precarious place, but I was so exhausted by years of cognitive dissonance that I didn't really care. When you are giving up your belief, the faith of your childhood and your family, blasphemy is kind of the whole point. 

Hannah when she was about Maggie's age.
Gives me hope Maggie's hair will grow too.

Parenting

Working Harder Isn't The Answer; It's The Problem Interesting article about the 24-7 expectations created by technology and corporate culture.

Working mothers are not the problem nor are working fathers.  The problem in our corporate culture.

If you've lived a life where holidays are a nuisance, where you've missed your favorite uncle’s funeral and your children’s childhoods, in a culture that conflates manly heroism with long hours, it’s going to take more than a few regressions to convince you it wasn't really necessary, after all, for your work to devour you. -Joan C. Williams, Professor of Law and Founding Director of the Center of WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of Law

Also, here is a bunch of confusing and seemingly conflicting stuff I ready about breastfeeding this week. I think the take home message is: if you can make it work, high five! if not: no big deal.

MRI Study: Breastfeeding Boosts Babies' Brain Growth

The study made use of specialized, baby-friendly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the brain growth in a sample of children under the age of 4. The research found that by age 2, babies who had been breastfed exclusively for at least three months had enhanced development in key parts of the brain compared to children who were fed formula exclusively or who were fed a combination of formula and breastmilk. The extra growth was most pronounced in parts of the brain associated with language, emotional function, and cognition, the research showed.

Formula-Feeding Linked to Metabolic Stress and Increased Risk of Later Disease

Evidence from research suggests that infants fed formula, rather than breast milk, experience metabolic stress that could play a part in the long-recognized link between formula-feeding and an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other conditions in adult life.

World Health Organization: no long term benefits to breastfeeding

In industrialized societies, the benefits of breastfeeding are small and short term. That’s why there is no reason for any mother who chooses bottlefeeding to feel guilty. Breast milk is not “liquid gold.” It’s just milk and confers a few small, short term benefits across populations compared to infant formula.

this was from our last trip to Sea World.
I think it is time to go back!!