Future Tidbit: Seed Vault

Occasionally a few humans show a glimpse of rational, benevolent, long-term planning on behalf of those who will come after us: in this case, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.  It is exactly what it sounds like. 

Edited to add: while I'm on this topic, there are christmas-light recycling programs that you can mail your old light strings to.  Because I am avoiding other work this morning, I finally boxed up my no-longer-lighting old incandescent light strings and will mail them off the next time I pass the post office.

Enthusiastic Consent for Everyone, Jade Empire Style

The computer game Jade Empire has several possible romance paths.  Having played two so far, I want to note that

• A hetero romance video sequence for the deciding-we-like-and-trust-each-other-enough-for-fun-sexytimes*-and-heck-we-may-all-die-in-battle-tomorrow moment finishes with a kiss: the theatrically classic, one-person-bent-over backwards-kiss:
  

• But a lesbian romance fades to black before we actually get to the kiss.  So, good for the programmers to include this romance option, but...what happened?  Threatened by our freedom-to think-as-they-think-loving American censors, or just not brave enough to keep going?  

I am happy to report that the good people of the internet have totally got this one, and there is a fix: http://www.nexusmods.com/jadeempire/mods/4/?

I am sad that policing number and gender of persons involved is still more important socially than enthusiastic consent by all involved, birth control, disease protection, bodily autonomy, trust, or respect.


*Link goes to Scarleteen, an inclusive and comprehensive sex education site.  Possibly not safe for work.