I picked that up reading books.

Fringe blog..fanart, quotes, some spoilers, wild theories, general Peter Bishop/Fringe appreciation. Polivia/Benchwarmer positive.
nationalgeographicdaily: Sunset, South AfricaPhoto: Giampiero Torello Aaaahhhhh peaceful.

nationalgeographicdaily:

Sunset, South Africa
Photo: Giampiero Torello

Aaaahhhhh peaceful.

latimes: The colorful house opposing the Westboro BaptistsThe Westboro Baptist Church has become synonymous with hate-filled and derogatory language, with publicity-grabbing stunts protesting everything from gay marriages, Catholicism to military funerals - making them an open target for activist Aaron Jackson. Jackson, looking at the area surrounding the church, was shocked to discover that there were houses for sale right across the street, prompting him to create an “Equality House,” which will  serve in direct contrast to the church’s message, and house a new anti-bullying initiative. From veteran Mike McKessor, who painted the house: “Every neighbor that I encountered was so happy, and everybody was smiling when they go by,” McKessor said, with a chuckle. “It was on a busy street, and everybody slowed down and took pictures. I’m not exaggerating. Dang near every car stopped and said, ‘Good job! Good job!’ … I’ve never had people so happy for painting a house.” Read more about the story behind the house on Nation Now. Photo: Planting Peace Wonderful!

latimes:

The colorful house opposing the Westboro Baptists

The Westboro Baptist Church has become synonymous with hate-filled and derogatory language, with publicity-grabbing stunts protesting everything from gay marriages, Catholicism to military funerals - making them an open target for activist Aaron Jackson.

Jackson, looking at the area surrounding the church, was shocked to discover that there were houses for sale right across the street, prompting him to create an “Equality House,” which will  serve in direct contrast to the church’s message, and house a new anti-bullying initiative.

From veteran Mike McKessor, who painted the house:

“Every neighbor that I encountered was so happy, and everybody was smiling when they go by,” McKessor said, with a chuckle. “It was on a busy street, and everybody slowed down and took pictures. I’m not exaggerating. Dang near every car stopped and said, ‘Good job! Good job!’ … I’ve never had people so happy for painting a house.”

Read more about the story behind the house on Nation Now.

Photo: Planting Peace

Wonderful!

latimes:

Polar bears remain a threatened species

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided to keep polar bears protected by broad federal measures Friday,

The court rejected the argument that the 25,000 remaining polar bears, most of which live in relatively stable populations, were perfectly fine without “threatened species” status. But many scientists worry that the effects of climate change on the Arctic climate could prove dangerous for the remaining bears.

And it looks like polar bears may remain on that list for the foreseeable future, according to Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity.

“So for practical purposes, the listing of the polar bear is final, and really no longer under any serious threat from these challenges.”

Read more about the court’s decision here, via Nation Now.

Photos: Jeon Heon-Kyun, Koen Van Weel / EPA, Sven Hoppe / Associated Press

Wonderful.  Now we need to work on really saving them.

theatlantic: The Best Photos of 2012 A man walks inside of the crumbling oval skeleton of the House of the Bulgarian Communist Party on mount Buzludzha in central Bulgaria on March 14, 2012. [Image: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images] We’re not the only ones who think this was pulled straight out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, right?

theatlantic:

The Best Photos of 2012

A man walks inside of the crumbling oval skeleton of the House of the Bulgarian Communist Party on mount Buzludzha in central Bulgaria on March 14, 2012.

[Image: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images]

We’re not the only ones who think this was pulled straight out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, right?

Love letter, shmove letter

“It may not be a happy place or a great place, but it will be an ending,” says Jackson

Josh in the NYdaily news on Fringe’s ending

Reassuring (not).

I’m now seeing S5 not so much as canon, but as Wyman’s fanfic, and as such, free to hope that if there is a movie, it’s done by Pinkner perhaps, or (my wish) Orci & Kurtzman.

Or at least that Wyman stops mainlining twitter & reviews by people he’s given cameo roles to, and thinks about what he’s doing to our favorite characters and the show’s rep.

latimes: Little-known fact: The Marines are working to protect the Agassiz’s desert tortoise, a species vulnerable to extinction. The base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., includes five acres dedicated to a Desert Tortoise Head-Start Facility, where 500 hatchlings are being cared and protected from predators (namely ravens, which feed on juvenile tortoises whose shells are still soft). More than 90% of Marines who deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan came to Twentynine Palms for several weeks of grueling training known as Mojave Viper. And every one of them received a video lecture about the tortoise’s threatened status under the federal Endangered Species Act. Troops were warned to halt all training and notify the range master the moment a tortoise is spotted. Marines are also ordered to make the base less hospitable to ravens by picking up food litter and making sure trash cans have lids that are “raven-proof.” Anti-raven pamphlets titled “Invasion of the Tortoise Snatchers” are handed out. More tortoise photos for your viewing pleasure here. Photo: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

latimes:

Little-known fact: The Marines are working to protect the Agassiz’s desert tortoise, a species vulnerable to extinction. The base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., includes five acres dedicated to a Desert Tortoise Head-Start Facility, where 500 hatchlings are being cared and protected from predators (namely ravens, which feed on juvenile tortoises whose shells are still soft).

More than 90% of Marines who deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan came to Twentynine Palms for several weeks of grueling training known as Mojave Viper. And every one of them received a video lecture about the tortoise’s threatened status under the federal Endangered Species Act. Troops were warned to halt all training and notify the range master the moment a tortoise is spotted.

Marines are also ordered to make the base less hospitable to ravens by picking up food litter and making sure trash cans have lids that are “raven-proof.” Anti-raven pamphlets titled “Invasion of the Tortoise Snatchers” are handed out.

More tortoise photos for your viewing pleasure here.

Photo: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

One more reason to love the Walker theatlantic: Why a Fancy Art Museum Is Curating a Collection of Cat Videos The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art museum in Minneapolis, widely considered one of the country’s premier art institutions. The Walker is known for both experimentation and quality; it was the first museum, for example, to exhibit the work of Franky Gehry and Chuck Close and Joseph Cornell. Tonight, the Walker will host its latest experiment in experimental art: a film festival. Featuring cat videos.  Yep: cat videos. Nyan Cat, for one. “Cat Mom Hugs Baby Kitten,” for another. And — my personal favorite — “Henri 2, Paw de Deux.” Read more. [Image: Walker Art Center]

One more reason to love the Walker

theatlantic:

Why a Fancy Art Museum Is Curating a Collection of Cat Videos

The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art museum in Minneapolis, widely considered one of the country’s premier art institutions. The Walker is known for both experimentation and quality; it was the first museum, for example, to exhibit the work of Franky Gehry and Chuck Close and Joseph Cornell. Tonight, the Walker will host its latest experiment in experimental art: a film festival. Featuring cat videos. 

Yep: cat videos. Nyan Cat, for one. “Cat Mom Hugs Baby Kitten,” for another. And — my personal favorite — “Henri 2, Paw de Deux.”

Read more. [Image: Walker Art Center]

I have the right to objectively define pregnancy from rape as rare. I have the right to determine separate legitimate rape from all those instances when you were in need of encouragement, wearing a red dress or otherwise asking for it. I have the right to manufacture scientific theories about your body — theories which reinforce my power. If the body doesn’t ‘shut that whole thing down’ then clearly you weren’t raped, and there’s no need to talk about an abortion. And even if I am wrong on every count, I still have the right to dictate the terms of your body and the remaining days of your life.

All of my rationales range from the totally subjective to the outright mythical. But I am the sovereign of the female body. On my word rumor becomes science, and the destruction of your life is repackaged as the defense of someone else’s.

theatlantic: Julian Assange Granted Asylum by Ecuador  Protesters gathered outside the embassy this morning — some in support of Assange and Wikileaks; but many merely to support the idea that Ecuador’s sovereignty should not be messed with. They were also waiting with members of the press for the formal decision by Ecuadorean foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, who has just announced that Assange will be granted asylum in their country. Patiño stated that Assange’s fears of persecution are real and that once in Sweden he could be extradited to the United States where he “would not have a fair trial” and “his human rights would not be respected.” Read more. [Image: Reuters/Ki Price]

theatlantic:

Julian Assange Granted Asylum by Ecuador 

Protesters gathered outside the embassy this morning — some in support of Assange and Wikileaks; but many merely to support the idea that Ecuador’s sovereignty should not be messed with. They were also waiting with members of the press for the formal decision by Ecuadorean foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, who has just announced that Assange will be granted asylum in their country. Patiño stated that Assange’s fears of persecution are real and that once in Sweden he could be extradited to the United States where he “would not have a fair trial” and “his human rights would not be respected.”

Read more. [Image: Reuters/Ki Price]

Ooh! Can’t wait!!

Movie-style trailer for ‘Brave New World’