NY Times: House of Commons brings legal same-sex marriage one step closer to reality in England and Wales. More Info:

shortformblog:

The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Britain, indicating that the bill is assured of passage as it moves through further legislative stages.

But in a major setback for Prime Minister David Cameron, who championed the bill, it appeared that more than half of the lawmakers in his Conservative Party voted against the measure or abstained.

The bill is now headed to the House of Lords, where it can be slowed by the filibuster and other such delaying tactics, but is widely expected to pass in the end thanks to overwhelming public support for the measure. Prime Minister Cameron has said he hopes to have the law in full effect by this summer.

This is what modern conservatism should look like. Equality should not be a political position, it should be understood as something that applies to everyone. 

Wonderful step in the right direction, I hope the House of Lords doesn’t screw this up.

With Republicans in Congress still intent on pursuing a strategy similar to the failed one adopted by the Brits, this is a story that needs trumpeting. Austerity policies are self-defeating: they cripple growth and reduce tax revenues. The only way to bring down the U.S. government’s deficit in a sustainable manner, and put the nation’s finances on a firmer footing, is to keep the economy growing.
John Cassidy on the U.K.’s official confirmation that austerity policies don’t work: http://nyr.kr/WMwJnY (via newyorker)

(via newyorker)

thedailywhat: Tottenham Riots News Round-Up: Riots erupted in the North London area of Tottenham last night, ostensibly over the recent shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police near Tottenham Hale station. Duggan was reportedly a target of an ongoing police investigation into gun crime in London’s black communities, and was shot after allegedly firing on a Specialist Firearms Command officer with an illegal handgun. A protest march organized by family and friends of Duggan turned violent after a rumor that police officers assaulted a teenage girl caused longstanding tensions to boil over. Many shops were looted and vehicles were set on fire, including two police cars and a double-decker bus. Several buildings sustained heavy damage after being petrol bombed by the rioters. Duggan’s family said they did not condone the actions of the rioters and his brother asked that they refrain from “mak[ing] this about my brother’s life.” When all was said and done, 55 people had been arrested, 29 were injured (26 officers and 3 others) and the London Fire Brigade had put out a total of 49 fires. All injured persons have since been released from hospital; the arrested remain in custody under various charges. The Met has launched an investigation into the riot, and are asking anyone with information on those involved to get in touch. Police are also warning locals against “ill-informed speculation” posted on social networking sites concerning nascent riot activity taking place tonight in other parts of London. Additional rioting was reported in Wood Green and Enfield Town, where youths reportedly smashed store windows and attacked a police car. More photos here; video below: [guardian / bbc: 1,2 / reuters / msnbc / independent / photo: ap via huffpo.] This is absolutely terrifying. I don’t know what I’d do if my neighborhood suddenly went up in flames like this.
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thedailywhat:

Tottenham Riots News Round-Up: Riots erupted in the North London area of Tottenham last night, ostensibly over the recent shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police near Tottenham Hale station.

Duggan was reportedly a target of an ongoing police investigation into gun crime in London’s black communities, and was shot after allegedly firing on a Specialist Firearms Command officer with an illegal handgun.

A protest march organized by family and friends of Duggan turned violent after a rumor that police officers assaulted a teenage girl caused longstanding tensions to boil over. Many shops were looted and vehicles were set on fire, including two police cars and a double-decker bus. Several buildings sustained heavy damage after being petrol bombed by the rioters.

Duggan’s family said they did not condone the actions of the rioters and his brother asked that they refrain from “mak[ing] this about my brother’s life.”

When all was said and done, 55 people had been arrested, 29 were injured (26 officers and 3 others) and the London Fire Brigade had put out a total of 49 fires. All injured persons have since been released from hospital; the arrested remain in custody under various charges.

The Met has launched an investigation into the riot, and are asking anyone with information on those involved to get in touch. Police are also warning locals against “ill-informed speculation” posted on social networking sites concerning nascent riot activity taking place tonight in other parts of London. Additional rioting was reported in Wood Green and Enfield Town, where youths reportedly smashed store windows and attacked a police car.

More photos here; video below:

[guardian / bbc: 1,2 / reuters / msnbc / independent / photo: ap via huffpo.]

This is absolutely terrifying. I don’t know what I’d do if my neighborhood suddenly went up in flames like this.

This is my FAVORITE candy! They’re called Maltesers.  They’re like Whoppers, but they don’t taste like Whoppers. Whoppers taste fucking awful. They’re British, and whichever company owns them doesn’t distribute them in the United States, so they’re super expensive here and fucking hard to find, considering it’s the kind of candy you should be able to find in the typical drugstore. Any store that has it probably has a lot of imported food (like the Space Market or Tea & Sympathy, where I can also get some of my favorite childhood biscuits and drinks too!) (Fun fact: In case you haven’t realized by now, I’m English).
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This is my FAVORITE candy! They’re called Maltesers. 

They’re like Whoppers, but they don’t taste like Whoppers. Whoppers taste fucking awful.

They’re British, and whichever company owns them doesn’t distribute them in the United States, so they’re super expensive here and fucking hard to find, considering it’s the kind of candy you should be able to find in the typical drugstore. Any store that has it probably has a lot of imported food (like the Space Market or Tea & Sympathy, where I can also get some of my favorite childhood biscuits and drinks too!)

(Fun fact: In case you haven’t realized by now, I’m English).

(via deadlyaphrodite)