jackpowerx:

socialismartnature:

This is sooooo fucked. Capitalism, you suck!

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On Tuesday, Angelina Jolie wrote an emotional op-ed for The New York Times about her decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. Jolie’s decision came after she underwent genetic testing that indicated she was a carrier of certain genes that put her at a greater risk for developing aggressive breast cancer. Detecting these genes—known as BRCA1 and BRCA2—can be a crucial first step in preventing breast and ovarian cancers for women who have a family history of those diseases. But you’re gonna need some serious Jolie-bucks to find out if you’ve got the faulty genes.

Things that exist inside of your body are usually, you know, yours. But the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes actually “belong” to a company called Myriad Genetics, which patented the genes in the late 1990s—truly the salad days of creepy science. Myriad didn’t patent the testing procedure or the method of extraction, but the genes themselves. These patents allow the company to control research on BRCA1 and BRCA2, set the price of the testing, and locations of their labs. Jolie herself points out that steps must be taken to ensure that all women have access to genetic testing, since at the moment it’s totally cost-prohibitive for those women who are not Angelina Jolie. Because that gilded billiards room in the party yacht isn’t going to pay for itself, Myriad charges anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 for the test.

Last fiscal quarter, Myriad raked in $126 million dollars from genetic testing for breast cancer (85% of their total revenue!). Jolie’s piece on her genetic testing and subsequent surgery was a windfall for the company—Myriad can finally swap out the 4-ply for one hundred dollar bills in the executive bathrooms. (And it’s not just Myriad. About 20% of our genes have already been patented, potentially creating financial impediments for those whose diseases might be prevented through genetic testing.) It’s just like your conservative Uncle Larry always says, “Let private enterprise provide life-saving medical services, because I fucking hate poor people and women!” CAPITALISM GUITAR RIFF!

There’s a supreme court case pending to decide whether human genes can be patented. The logic is so convoluted you’d need a kaleidoscope to see it clearly.

All told, this, once again, comes down to the Profit Motive, that money is the only - the ONLY - thing that motivates people to do anything.

This whole thing sickens me.

This is so disgusting and repulsive and out of control. 

porcupussy:

I honestly believe you can judge a person’s character by their feelings about glitter.

Me and my entire glam-rock themed kickball team would heartily agree. 

throughkaleidscopeeyes:

M.I.A. by Romain Gavras for Jalouse.

Goddess. 

For a while it wasn’t that bad.  My short short hair and winter gear were enough to make me invisible to the more brazen assholes.  It usually manifested in the occasional car horn, which I can ignore, especially with headphones on.  But my headphones are broken. 

I went for a run the other day.  It was warm.  I wore a tank top and my running pants.  One car honked loudly, choosing to do so when they were right beside me as they pulled up to a red light, scaring the fucking daylights out of me.  Running is one of the few releases in my worthless fucking life, and this dickwad thought it would be cute to scare me out of my zone.  I waved my middle finger in the air as I sprinted through the intersection.

Later, as I ran through the park, fucking two dudes decided it would be suave as shit to 1) lick his lips and nod at me as I passed (he was staring me down, not looking in my eyes. So it wasn’t a greeting), and 2) look me up and down and say “Mmm fine day to go for a jog huh?” 

And I replied, without thinking, “Fine day for you to shut the fuck up.” 

Part of me felt bad immediately.  That dude wasn’t aware of how needlessly aggravating my hour of exercise had been.  

But a moment later I didn’t feel bad at all.  

rtamerica:

A group of farm laborers who chose to seek shelter from the suffocating smoke of a California wildfire last week were terminated for taking a break.

Fuck you very much, capitalism. 

makingsenseofthenonsense:

More pieces by artist Heather Ault. You can learn more about 4000 Years for Choice, and check out much more of Heather’s awesome artwork here.

bluandorange:

monetizeyourcat:

dancepunksnotdead:

You know, the one that gives housewives/full-time mothers a pension— wages for housework?

It’s ONLY A HUGE VICTORY FOR FEMINISM, SOCIALISM, AND WOMEN OF COLOR. Not a big deal or anything. Tumblr is mysteriously silent about this.

http://rabble.ca/columnists/2013/05/venezuelas-new-labour-law-best-mothers-day-gift

holy shit!

fucking COOL

The girl on the left, Somana, is a wonderful, courageous girl who was kidnapped and sold to a brothel at 14. The brothel gouged out her eye as punishment when she complained. After we wrote about her, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited her on a trip to Cambodia—and the visit reverberated through the Cambodian bureaucracy. The message was that maybe these girls matter after all, if America cares about them.

“maybe these girls matter after all, if America cares about them.” 

Ohh this is so unsettling. (to put it mildly) 

Metal. 

andruchrisst:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/91475213/biker-jacket-goth-gothic-punk-studs

Chrisst gives a classic jackets his signature look. Team it with everything for instant It girl status.

That some awesome Mad Max shit right there.