Friday Links 8/11

Firstly, thank you for helping me reach 60 followers! I’m very touched that people enjoy reading this blog enough to submit to a never-ending influx of post notifications.
Also I’m picking up my Visa today. And maybe finishing up my tour of the Greater Boston area vegan pizza scene (i.e., three restaurants).

Also also, I may have broken my toe this morning. This has been a summer full of walking into things and burning myself on heating elements. And cooking, but I guess that goes with the heating element part.

So what else is new?

My Favorite Arabic and Muslim Names

I read this article from the New York Times today about how China is prohibiting certain traditionally Muslim names from being used in the western region of Xinjiang, home to more than 10 million Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority group.

This list of banned named, straightforwardly entitled “List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names” is part of an effort to “curb religious fervor” and combat what officials describe as religious extremism.  Other efforts have included bans on long beards and veils in public places.