We hope all our readers are safe. Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones–and with the millions who were affected by Hurricane Sandy and will continue to be in the coming days. Posting might be a little slow today as many of our East coast bloggers lost power last night. In the meantime, here are some things to read. Add your links in the comments.

This scary image compares Irene and Sandy.

W. Kamau Bell Hits examines ‘What’s So Wrong With a Little Cat Calling?’

Scientists have developed an HIV test that is ten times more sensitive and significantly less expensive than existing methods.

Newt Gingrich wants women to just “get over” Richard Mourdock’s “God intended” pregnancies resulting from rape.

The Supreme Court declined to look  at the case was Personhood Oklahoma v. Barber. The Supreme Court would have reviewed  the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s striking down  a proposed “personhood” amendment that woud have given state constitutional protections to human embryos starting at conception.

Thomas Friedman, yes, that Thomas Friedman, lays out the hypocrisy of the “Pro Life” movement.

Thank God. I mean, literally, you can thank god for bringing on Hurricane Sandy. Of course god isn’t just some sadistic schmuck, wreaking havoc for the sake of it. He’s trying to wake us up to a danger that is infinitely greater than any natural disaster you could imagine: homosexuality. I can’t take credit for this insight into god’s motives. It comes from author and Chaplain John McTernan, who also moonlights as a meteorological analyst.

During Hurricane Isaac,  McTernan hypothesized, “It could be that God is putting an end to this city and its wickedness,” since “New Orleans is still hosting Southern Decadence with open homosexuality manifesting in the streets of the city.” And he warned “Let’s all watch this ...

If you read Feministing, it’s almost certain that you’ve heard of Melissa McEwan. More likely, you read her blog religiously. Melissa is the founder and editor-in-chief of Shakesville, an award-winning progressive feminist blog centered around US politics and culture. Originally named Shakespeare’s Sister, the blog was started in 2004 when “George Bush started pissing her off.” She writes about everything from race, politics, pop culture and, one of my personal favorites, fat positivity. She’s an inspirational writer and one of the main pioneers in the feminist blogging explosion that created blogs like the one you’re reading.

She is also a founder and editor at Flyover Feminism, and her work has appeared at The Guardian‘s “Comment is ...