I am reading some encouraging stuff about Notre Dame, assuming the sources can be trusted.

Because the spire was being restored, 16 bronze statues that were there were removed a couple of weeks ago and are safe.

What they identify as "the sacred objects" are safe, which I think means artwork and treasures from the interior.

The main structure of the cathedral, including the two towers, is safe.

Or, what megan said, though since she doesn't have to run things through Google Translate, I feel like that's cheating.

For those who may be reading on the fire in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque tonight (yes, at the same time as Notre Dame): it was only one room, and all is well now. Minor damage, but woah, the timing.

What they identify as "the sacred objects" are safe, which I think means artwork and treasures from the interior.

I had thought they meant the relics (there are/were two or three in the spire), but I'm not positive. I had to stop watching. It was making me so sad.

Yeah, I would assume "sacred objects" would be relics of saints and any consecrated host, not artwork.

I'm hearing all artwork has been saved, but haven't been able to confirm.

I'm hearing mixed things on the three main windows.

Macron just spoke and vowed to rebuild.

I'm not sure why Notre Dame is upsetting me so much, I don't have a personal connection to it. It's just one of those places that is supposed to be permanently there and suddenly it's not.

And now I'm sad about the Mosque, both that it's happening and that I hadn't heard about it anywhere else.

Thank you DCP for getting me past my enormous blind spot with my taxes! Now I just have to click the button to actually file and agree to pay this ridiculous amount. My federal rate went up by half a percentage point, which must mean I'm not part of the middle class, right, because the middle class is supposed to be better off after the tax changes. Right? Isn't that the story?

It's the withholding shenanigans that are really biting me on the ass right now, though. Oh well, fixed for next year, what can you do.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, had a lovely official message reminding people that they should draw strength from the city's motto, Fluctuat nec mergitur (roughly, it is tossed by the waves but does not sink).

Does anyone here follow Man in the Hoody's account on Twitter? He offered a new perspective point for hard days on the job: [link]

if ur having a bad day at work at least ur not the dude that fucked up and accidentally burned down notre dame

As far as I know they still don't know how the fire started, but construction could have been a cause. Anyhow, that kind of spoke to me.

I've thought about that several times today too, Cindy. Like how do you live with having caused that level of damage.