nprfreshair:

Fred Kaplan tells Dave Davies about one of the challenges General Petraeus faced in Afghanistan:

The problem was, by his own admission, he knew nothing about Afghanistan. He’d been in Iraq three times. He knew that place well. He comes in and what’s in his mind is Iraq. So his aides would say, “You know, we have a problem here,” and he would say …. “Well, you know, we did this in Mosul,” or “What worked in Anbar was this … .” I was told that in a meeting with President Karzai once, Karzai laid out a problem and [Petraeus] said, “Well, you know, in Baghdad we did it like this …” to the president of Afghanistan. And the aide who was with Petraeus in the room — who had been both in Afghanistan and Iraq — when they were walking out he said, “You know, it might be an interesting intellectual experiment for you to not even think about Iraq.” and Petraeus said, “I’m working on it.”

Image by E_T 2008 via Flickr

alloutorg:

Signal boost! The debate over marriage equality in France has reached a breaking point and we’re so close to 200,000 supporters signed on to defend the rights of all citizens and love, everywhere. The opposition thinks they have the most people marching with them, but let’s prove them wrong.

Sign and share!

http://www.allout.org/egalite_maintenant

guardian:

Out100: the world’s most inspirational gay people - in pictures

Each year, Out magazine celebrates the world’s most inspirational gay figures with a series of brilliant portraits. From the first marriage on a military base to Elton John’s campaigning work, editor-in-chief Aaron Hicklin picks some of his favourites

Photo: Military couple, M Sharkey

guardian:

The Hitler home movies: how Eva Braun documented the dictator’s private life

Sharp focus: Eva Braun, Hitler’s lover, whom he married the day before their suicide, at his fortified chalet, Berchtesgaden, in the Bavarian Alps. Photograph: Getty Images

Photo gallery of same-sex couples applying for marriage licenses in Vancouver, WA. Marriage equality was voted as legal in the recent elections. 

good:

UPS Stops Donating to Boy Scouts Because Ban on Gay Scouts and Leaders

Props to UPS Foundation for standing against discrimination. The UPS Foundation seeks to support organizations that are in alignment with our focus areas, guidelines, and non-discrimination policy. UPS and The UPS Foundation do not discriminate against any person or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable law, as well as other categories protected by UPS and The UPS Foundation in our own policies.

Thanks, Kuzie

humanrightswatch:

Colombia: Ensure Perpetrators Prosecuted for Rape, Domestic Violence

Human Rights Watch interviewed 80 displaced women and girls, nearly all of whom were victims of rape or domestic violence. One displaced woman was raped five times over the course of a decade; her sister was also raped, along with her sister’s 5-year-old daughter. What can be done: http://www.hrw.org/node/111387#recs

Photo: A home in the rural area of Municipality San Carlos Antioquia abandoned by persons displaced by violence, with graffiti of a woman’s body left by armed groups.  © 2011 Jesús Abad Colorado L.

peace—now:

Nov. 13:

Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada arrives back at his home after being released on bail in London, England.

Qatada got a last minute appeal on Monday against his deportation from Britain to Jordan to face terrorism charges. His bail conditions include a 16-hour curfew around his home.

(Photo: Andrew Winning, Reuters)

(via )

peace—now:

Nov. 14:

A riot police officer and a police dog run past a fire set by protesters during a general strike against austerity measures in Lisbon, Portugal.

(Photo: Francisco Seco, Associated Press)

(via )