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West Africa steams over jollof rice war

Anisa Subedar & Iqbal Ahmed BBC
Jollof rice is a dish hugely popular in countries such as Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cameroon. Somehow, Mark Zuckerberg got into the fray about which country's recipe is best.

Leaving the Fortresses: Between Class Internationalism and Nativist Social Democracy

Gareth Dale Viewpoint Magazine
The left often falls victim to the myth that globalization and migration pose big threats to jobs and wages. This is a mistake. International migration is high, but not significantly so. And the idea that labor market competition can be overcome by raising borders, defending the “nation,” and excluding immigrants is a Sozialismus der dummen Kerle [a socialism of chumps, of numpties]. New movements must challenge the left's stubborn embrace of the "national."

Outlander Introduces Slavery Into Its Narrative So Claire & Jamie Can Make Heart Eyes in Jamaica

Princess Weekes The MarySue
The moral of the story is “don’t tell stories about these big topics if you can’t do it well.” And by “well,” I don’t mean create a post-racial utopia. I mean have the ability to give that story its own weight and importance beyond what it does for your two white leads. I mean the very least you can do is not make Jamie and Claire white saviors. At the very least. But that isn’t possible because they are the people this story is about.

The Geometry Vanishes

Jason England Cosmos
Magicians have long taken advantage of obscure mathematical principles in creating interesting puzzles and illusions.

Red Velvet

Chicago Shakespeare Theater / Stage and Cinema.com
London’s Theatre Royal in the mid-1800s. Edmund Kean, the greatest Shakespearean actor of his age, collapses on stage while performing the lead in Othello. He is replaced by a young, black actor, Ira Aldridge—a first for the role on London’s West End. As a bill in Parliament promoting the abolition of slavery sends shock waves through the streets, how will London react to his performance?

GOP Tax Plan Is Igniting a Movement for a Moral Economy

Sarah Anderson Other Words
On December 4, prominent faith leaders announced plans for one of the largest waves of civil disobedience in U.S. history. Dubbed the “Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival,” this effort will mark the 50th anniversary of a similar initiative in 1968 that was undercut by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Daniel Ellsberg: Nuclear War Planning in USA

Amy Goodman, Juan Conzalez, Daniel Ellsberg Democracy Now!
Few know Ellsberg was also a Pentagon and White House consultant who drafted plans for nuclear war. His new book, published Tuesday, is titled “The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner.”

The Election Is Being Stolen

Dana Frank, Parker Asmann Jacobin
A lot of the good English language coverage of Honduras has stemmed from the murder of renowned environmental rights activist Berta Cáceres in May of 2016. Her assassination reverberated around the world and led to a tremendous amount of education about not only the corruption within the Honduran government, but also the role of Honduran military and elites in allegedly committing her assassination.

Why Are US Farmers Killing Themselves at a Record Rate

Debbie Weingarten The Guardian
The suicide rate for US farmers is more than double that of military veterans, and according to a recent 17 state study, the suicide rate for people working in agriculture is nearly five times higher that in the general population. And that might be an underestimation. Since 2013, net farm income for US farmers has declined 50% and the 2017 median farm income is projected to be negative $1,325. Former farmer Debbie Weingarten gives an insider’s perspective on farm life.