Friday News Bites: #NotOneMore Campaign, Reading Rainbow Return + More

In a week filled with misogyny and gun-related sadness, about which our own Coco wrote about brilliantly, I’m going to mainly direct your attention to other stories happening around the world this week.

First though, let’s read what the father of one victim from the UCSB shootings has to say:

[Richard] Martinez wrapped up the statements from parents, asking the crowd to stand and shout “so loud they will hear you in Washington. Say it with me, ‘Not one more!’” The stadium thundered as the members of the crowd repeatedly shouted, clapped and stamped their feet on the metal bleachers. He repeated his call for people to send postcards to politicians but acknowledged that a Twitter ­campaign using the hashtag ­#NotOneMore might be more in keeping with the college crowd.

Also, let us remind ourselves again that this was hardly an isolated incident, as just hours after the tragedy in Santa Barbara, another California man — this time in Stockton — attempted to shoot three women after they refused to have sex with him. The women were able to escape.

At Everytown.org, you can add your name to the list of postcards that will be sent to state Congresspeople and governors with the message “Not One More.”

In other government news:

The White House Counsel is investigating how the name of an undercover CIA official in Afghanistan became public. Call me cynical, but I doubt this happened “accidentally.”

Brian Williams at NBC News conducted an extended interview with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden about the effect he feels he had on U.S. counter-terrorism and surveillance policy, among other topics.

The next U.S. Census will count same-sex married couples as families, as marriage equality laws are making headway around the country.

Not governmental, but interesting: A new study conducted in Israel and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that gay dads’ brains show activity that mimics both new mothers and new fathers.

And now The Arts:

If you had not heard by now, writer and teacher Maya Angelou has died at the age of 86. She will be deeply missed.

LeVar Burton wants to bring back Reading Rainbow, and there’s a Kickstarter well under way. I still know the theme song to that show.

Another interesting Kickstarter: Dear Sugar – An Animated Short Film, which still has a significant dollar amount to raise before reaching its goal. Remember that I called Cheryl Strayed’s Dear Sugar “full of magic and wisdom.”

We’ve got a new Daredevil, and he’s lovely. Charlie Cox will play the lead in Marvel’s first Netflix-based television show.

And Google decided to do some mild jiggery-pokery with their logo.

Finally:

“Coating on Willis Tower Skydeck’s Ledge Cracks Under Tourists.” (Auto-loading video)

See you next time, friends.