The CIA is rebranding as a rational, progressive arm of the US state. And some liberals are buying it.

The Central Intelligence Agency used to be the “bad guy.” After the coup in Chile and Operation Phoenix in Vietnam; after spying on and repressing the antiwar movement; after secret mind-control experiments and bizarre assassination plots, the agency became liberals’ ultimate bogeyman.

Since then, the CIA has rebranded: now home to nerdy liberals like Edward Snowden or true-hearted defenders of democracy like Joe Wilson, the liberal public sees it as an important balance to war-mongers from Dick Cheney to Donald Trump. The revelation that Russian operatives apparently provided Wikileaks with the Podesta e-mails cemented the CIA’s new image. Langley valiantly tried to warn voters that the election had been hijacked, but petty politics got in the way. Now some liberals are pinning their hopes for an electoral mulligan on the intelligence community’s ability to discredit Trump.

This fantasy comes from liberals’ desire to ostentatiously distance themselves from Russia’s increasingly belligerent foreign policy and to displace the blame for Clinton’s surprising, but deserved, loss. But make no mistake, liberals: despite its new image, the CIA is not your friend.

Source: The CIA Is Not Your Friend | Jacobin

Is the must-have Christmas toy of 2016 not all it’s cracked up to be? Sarah and Nick Galego swear that the Hatchimal they bought for their 6-year-old is cursing in its sleep.

“I’m pretty sure it says ‘F–k me’” the Victoria, Canada–based dad told CTV Vancouver Island News on Wednesday, December 28, just days after his son, Fred, opened the interactive egg that hatches into a furry animal. Added Sarah: “We’re not going to return it … it’s pretty funny!”

From: Parents Claim Their Hatchimals Have Been Saying ‘F–k Me’ – Us Weekly

In 2009 there was this violent event in my life (knives! Cops! Oh my!) that left me with some PTSD bullshit and triggered a mental health crisis. I spent months playing it down and pretending like I was fine and everyone, including my family, seemed to believe me but in reality I was falling apart and truly unwell. After months of that I woke up one day and was crying in my apartment in LA and for some reason thought “I don’t want to be like this anymore” and I called Carrie. I hadn’t seen her in years. I wasn’t even sure the fucking number would work. It went to voice mail. I left a message that didn’t say much. “Hey Carrie, this is Ben Dreyfuss. Richard’s son. I was hoping you could give me a call when you get a chance.” I might not have said “help me help me” but my cracking-voice probably did. I was crying in the back of a Beverly Hills Cab when she called me back and I let it all pour out and she asked me if I was currently medicated and I confessed I was not and she said “I’ve been there and I get it, but right now you need to be medicated.” And she told me what anti-psychotics she was on and forced me to direct the cab to a therapist.

It was a very kind act that however small set me on a very good road. A few days later I saw her and by that point was ashamed of how whatever I’d been but she had none of it and made me feel much better.

From: How To Be Crazy The Right Way – Medium