Only built for internet linx

1. I am beyond excited for the U.S. release of Girlhood, a tender treatment of black girlhood and friendship, subjects that are rarely touched on in film. At a time when black children aren't even seen as such, the assertion that we have boyhoods and girlhoods is a welcome one. 
2. Actually, the entire film line-up for the Pan-African Film Festival looks promising.
3. Over 9 billion served! 
4. As a black woman who's been buying APC for over ten years now, Jean Touitou's "Last Niggas in Paris" stunt was truly upsetting. The whole thing was idiotic and misguided - you pay homage to a friend by plastering a word that, historically, has been a vehicle for so much mental, emotional, and physical pain when used by people who look like you? NAH, T. Not to mention the use of the word "ghetto" which automatically makes my eye twitch whenever I see or hear it. Thankfully Timberland (why can't I type that without typing "Timbaland" first) felt some type of way too - they've cut ties with APC.
5. A friend and I have been discussing the marked increase in the number of tents set up by homeless people outside of boundaries of the unofficial "tent cities" that are set up on the eastern edge of Downtown Los Angeles, a trend that makes sense considering the city's attempts at "cleaning up" downtown through its Healthy Streets initiative. The systematic dispersal of Downtown L.A.'s homeless population under the guise of "cleaning the streets" (not to mention the implementation of other measures, such as cutting down shade trees and installing sprinkler systems in parks) and other ways cities across America have been criminalizing homelessness or at least making an already difficult situation worse is why I was so surprised to read that Seattle's mayor has proposed a series of tent encampments for the city's homeless population. While tent cities are in no way a long-term solution for homelessness, it's (depressingly) refreshing to see a city leader address the issue in a way that resists both criminalization and dehumanization and opens the door for outreach and permanent solutions. We'll see were this leads, though.
6. If you, apparently like many in America, are suffering from "compassion fatigue" and can't stand to read about homelessness (maybe get the fuck off of my blog if so TBH), here's a bunch of words about potatoes for your heartless ass. 
7. Hitler be like, "America taught me" 
8. "Inglewood isn't what you think it is" - OOH SAY IT ONE MORE TIME FOR THE FOLKS IN THE BACK
9. Russians aren't flocking to couture shows like they used to. I wonder why? 
10. Code-switching, and the whiteness of public radio voice (TW: the article contains a photo of Ira Glass, whose smirk is triggering to me, at least).
11. EDIT: There is some good news re: homelessness in Los Angeles - the VA building in Westwood is finally moving towards offering permanent housing for struggling veterans after years of bullshitting: "It calls for the VA to develop by mid-February a strategy and action plan for homeless vets in the region that fundamentally shifts the approach at West L.A. Instead of insisting that vets undergo treatment for their illnesses and addictions before moving into long-term housing, the agency will put them into housing first — a model that's proved to be far more effective at getting the homeless off the streets. The VA also agreed to finalize a new master plan for the West L.A. campus by mid-October, paying particular attention to the needs of homeless vets for permanent supportive housing." HYFR