In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

In 2002, having spent more than three years in one residence for the first time in my life, I got called for jury duty. I show up on time, ready to serve. When we get to the voir dire, the lawyer says to me, “I see you’re an astrophysicist. What’s that?” I answer, “Astrophysics is the laws of physics, applied to the universe—the Big Bang, black holes, that sort of thing.” Then he asks, “What do you teach at Princeton?” and I say, “I teach a class on the evaluation of evidence and the relative unreliability of eyewitness testimony.” Five minutes later, I’m on the street.

A few years later, jury duty again. The judge states that the defendant is charged with possession of 1,700 milligrams of cocaine. It was found on his body, he was arrested, and he is now on trial. This time, after the Q&A is over, the judge asks us whether there are any questions we’d like to ask the court, and I say, “Yes, Your Honor. Why did you say he was in possession of 1,700 milligrams of cocaine? That equals 1.7 grams. The ‘thousand’ cancels with the ‘milli-’ and you get 1.7 grams, which is less than the weight of a dime.” Again I’m out on the street.

Neil deGrasse Tyson (via we-are-star-stuff)

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

Quick, what’s the most common reason for hospitalization in America? And what’s the most common surgical procedure? If you answered heart attack, appendicitis, cancer, diabetes, car crashes, and any of their associated surgical remedies, you’d be wrong, because the most common cause for hospitalization isn’t a disease or even an injury. It’s childbirth. And the most common surgical procedure is C-section.

Take away the incentives for too many c-sections | Crosscut.com (via robot-heart-politics)

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[telvi1]

I want this to go viral

[blackgirlwhiteboylove]

One of many slanderous untruths corporate media likes to portray about Black America. Please reblog.

[arqueete]

I asked my mom if she thought more college-aged black men were in college or in jail and she responded, “Oh, definitely in jail.” I read her these stats and she was surprised. This is a good campaign.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

If you don’t want to be called a racist, here are a few simple rules you can follow, even if right now you can’t understand what they’re for. I was going to get all bloggy and explain each one, but I decided not to, because everyone needs to figure this stuff out on their own.

Don’t use the N-word. Just don’t.

Don’t complain about not being allowed to use the N-word.

Don’t say “I’m not a racist.”

Don’t explain why you’re not a racist.

If someone calls you a racist, use these words exactly, “I’m sorry I offended you. I won’t do it again.”

Do not vary from the script. Don’t insert the word “if” at any point.

Don’t explain to people of color why something is not racist.

Don’t explain racism to people of color.

Don’t tell anyone, ever, that they are being oversensitive.

Don’t deny or dismiss someone’s experiences just because they don’t match your own.

Don’t dominate the conversation.

Listen twice as much as you speak.

Calling people out on racism is painful, unrewarding work. Don’t mistake it for someone’s hobby.

Don’t use phrases like “you people” or “that noise about racism” (example from recent kerfuffle). Always be respectful.

Be willing to learn and change.

Instead of arguing on the internet, go read some books about the civil rights movement.

Don’t make the conversation about you and your own hurt.

Don’t try to turn things around and say that calling out racism is itself racist. That’s bullshit.

Remember that if you oppose people who are protesting racism, you have just aligned yourself with White Supremicists and Neo-Nazis. Congratulations. Don’t like your new allies? Then make a better choice.

http://www.catherineshaffer.com/index.php/2012/03/29/why-are-people-calling-me-a-racist/ (via muddypetticoats)

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

• *black people with guns*
• white people: criminal thugs!!!!!!
• *arab people with guns*
• white people: terrorists!!!!!!!
• *white people with guns*
• white people: well you know, that's our second amendment right. so...

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

policymic.com

Meet the Woman Who Prevented a Mass School Shooting Yesterday

[exaggeratedsimplicity]

In Tuesday’s terrifying incident in which a man carrying a rifle and other weapons entered an Atlanta elementary school, Antoinette Tuff helped convince the gunman to surrender.

More people need to hear about this!

[inothernews]

Hero.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[sandandglass]

Jessica Williams proposes applying New York’s Stop and Frisk policy to Wall Street bankers. 

[nonnegative]

love her.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[littlecatlady]

Made rebloggable by request.

Here are the links used in the image, in order, if you wanna check my sources:

• http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/05/opinion/garcia-illegal-immigrants
• http://www.boston.com/news/nation/gallery/240108_citizenship_quiz/
• http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/immigrationnaturalizatio/a/About-The-Test-For-Us-Citizenship.htm

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[queerandpresentdanger]

I like how people act like you can’t be racist and sleep with a person of color as if misogynists don’t sleep with women all the time

[yallknuckleheadasses]

[kyssthis16]

WELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

[thevictoriaa]

BOOM

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[sandandglass]

Chart Source 1

Chart Source 2

“That red line is corporate profits since 1970. The blue line is labor’s share of income. As you can see, corporate profits are skyrocketing while labor’s share of those profits is falling. This is a big part of the reason that median wages are stagnating even as the economy grows and the wealthy become ever more fabulously rich."

[stfuconservatives]

John Oliver’s segment about this was fantastic.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[questionall]

Senator Elizabeth Warren reveals how Sallie Mae is accessing taxpayer subsidized credit (.35% interest) then lending it to students at an interest rate 25 to 40 times higher. http://bit.ly/17Pah8S

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[repmarktakano]

A draft letter by Republican members to Speaker Boehner is circulating congress looking for cosigners.  I thought I’d offer my edits to the author before they submitted their final version… Still not signing it.

[motherjones]

Welp, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) is on Tumblr.

[In fact, I fear I am a jack-of-all-trades.]

[down-sizing]

Let’s remember, Jesus was a Jewish man of color, born homeless to an unwed teenager, who spent his formative years as an illegal immigrant before returning to his home country to hang out with twelve men, prostitutes, and socially untouchable tax collectors while he taught a radical social doctrine of equality, love, and forgiveness that included paying taxes, free healthcare, and the sharing of resources within a community.

[twerklockandwatson]

YES