The Good

Elizabeth Goodyear outlived all her family and friends, but in the last seven years she made more, a host of twentysomethings who read to her and brought her chocolates. Hurrah for the human spirit and community! (Via.)

Renee Martin talks about the many ways in which this photo of a young Muslim woman in New York is beautiful.

Here is a helpful way to think about tax brackets, which really matters when we talk about tax breaks and who is affected.

The Bad

Senator DeMint of South Carolina outright says what a lot of people seem to believe (judging by their voting records): Gay people and unmarried women living in sin shouldn’t be teachers. Think of the children, etc. Dear lord.

Sady Doyle breaks down a loathsome editorial. I like her point about “I might be a jerk but” being an opener to a despicable comment that you can’t argue with, because hey, he already admitted he’s a jerk; no need to rub it in! It’s kind of like how “no offense, but” always precedes something really offensive.

Greg Sargent explains to the White House why all their moaning about the left’s “whining” is not only unhelpful but inaccurate besides.

US Border Patrol agents are charged with rape and assault of undocumented immigrants. I like poster Cara’s question: “How can we expect Border Patrol agents to reasonably respect the human rights of undocumented (or even suspected undocumented) immigrants when the denial of their humanity is the name of the game?”

For anyone who thinks we can always trust law enforcement to pursue justice, read this article about how BIA agents lied, saying they’d caught a serial rapist when they knew they hadn’t. It’s not just your department budget or reputation that suffers when you don’t genuinely close a case, it’s the women who  men continue to rape.

The Silly

My favorite part of this photo is that it is the same pose teenage girls use at the beach. Check out the whole slideshow of the European Beard And Moustache Championship.

Another slideshow — this one of some delightful gender-bending.

How do you improve that slightly blurry vacation shot of you and your friends at the bar? Stick in an explosion and some fire with the Bayifier (playing on the explosiosity of Michael Bay films)! My Christmas party just got even better:

Wishing you a Very Michael Bay Xmas