You don’t like links? Too bad.

Social Justice

  * [NYC crime declines after NYPD switch to less aggressive policing](http://massappeal.com/nyc-crime-declines-after-nypd-switch-to-less-aggressive-policing/) -- Imagine that!
  * [PA man fired for racist tirade at anti-fracking protests says his comments were "stupid"](http://www.phillyvoice.com/pa-man-fired-over-racist-tirade-anti-fracking-protest/) -- Well, at least we're in agreement.
  * [Here's another sign the era of mass incarceration is slowly coming to an end](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/01/01/the-era-of-mass-incarceration-is-unwinding/) -- Things I did not know: the rate of incarceration in the US has been (slowly) declining for seven straight years.

Israel/Palestine

  * [The great betrayal: American Jews stay silent as Israeli democracy withers](http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.695351) -- A topic that I just plain refuse to write about here, so go read this.

Politics

  * [Thought experiment: what if Trump carried New York?](http://hotair.com/archives/2016/01/04/thought-experiment-what-if-trump-carried-new-york/) -- Highly unlikely (to say the least), but an interesting hypothetical.
  * [In the year of Trump, the joke was on us](http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-year-the-trump-laughter-died-20151229) -- It sure was. It sure was.
  * [Illinois considers allowing recall attempts of Chicago mayor](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/midwest/ct-rahm-emanuel-recall-attempt-20160103-story.html) -- Rahm Emanuel is a scumbag and I would not be the least bit sorry to see him go.

Economics

  * [When the boss says, "don't tell your coworkers how much you get paid"](http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/when-the-boss-says-dont-tell-your-coworkers-how-much-you-get-paid/374467/) -- This is illegal, by the way, and done mainly so employers can pit employees against each other and prevent effective bargaining for higher wages.
  * [Paul Graham is still asking to be eaten](https://medium.com/@girlziplocked/paul-graham-is-still-asking-to-be-eaten-5f021c0c0650#.sju5l9x4o) -- A critique of a dumb rich guy saying dumb rich guy things.

Film

  * [Rey is missing from new _Star Wars_ Monopoly, and this is becoming a real problem](http://io9.gizmodo.com/rey-is-missing-from-new-star-wars-monopoly-and-this-is-1751001963?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow) -- Seriously. Why is one of the stars of the movie (_the_ star, depending on how you look at it) consistently left out of the merchandising? I hate to think it's because she's a woman, but one is left with few other conclusions to draw.
  * [Men's rights activists group reports they have cost _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_ $4.2 million](http://legionofleia.com/2016/01/mens-rights-activist-group-reports-they-have-cost-star-wars-the-force-awakens-4-2-million/) -- A whole four million dollars, guys! Disney is hurting!

Terrorism

  * [Oregon "terrorists" don't plan siege very well, put out plea for snacks and supplies](http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/oregon-terrorists-dont-plan-siege-very-well-put-out-plea-for-snacks-and-supplies--ZJglh9sRjx) -- OK, putting them in this category is just me being cheeky.
  * [Timeline: land use and the "patriots"](https://www.splcenter.org/timeline-land-use-and-patriots) -- Tracing the history of rural insurrection in the United States.