Antarctica, amnesia, and Afghanistan

"Moms and dads like Elliott's - parents who aren't ashamed of their gay children, parents who love and support their gay children for who they are, parents who want their gay children to be safe and happy and treated equally - used to be the exception. Not anymore. We are winning."
(Courtesy mizunakat.)

THURSDAY NEWS:
* Reading into the criminal convictions of 23 CIA agents in Italy. Good read.
* 'Afghanistan's arrow and the cycle of imperial hubris.'
* Election day analyzes: like the man said, it's the economy, stupid. Also, what we can learn from the Virginia turnover. DailyKos sees a different wake-up call for Democrats. And Howard Kurtz on what the press missed in New York.
* A quick guide to the new version of online populism.
* Peeking at the hidden world under Antarctica's ice.
* "Sex is one of the major triggers for the baffling medical condition called transient global amnesia."
* Whoah. Visiting a religious theme park.