This week in The Slacktiverse, May 28/29 2011

The Blogaround

This week Ana Mardoll posted a new entry on her blog:
Twilight: Cultural Osmosis, Mind Control, and Shameless Self-Promotion
As Edward argues fruitlessly with a tired receptionist, come help us decide if the Meyer vampires really have supernatural powers of mind control or if any notion of “glamour” within the fan interpretations is really just the result of cultural osmosis from other popular works of vampire fiction! Also enjoy a shameless self-promoting plug for a Slactivist article that most of you have already read!

In a post made the eve of Harold Camping's predicted May 21 rapture and apocalypse countdown, L. David Wheeler ponders why the mockery — even though he's heartily joined in — has made him a touch uneasy ...

This week mmy posted 2 more reviews of murder mysteries written in the early decades of the last century; Anthony Berkeley's The Poisoned Chocolates Case and Francis Iles' Before the Fact.

This week Literata reviewed The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk et al.

Laiima writes: This week posted about how I learned that respecting my own needs is a way of speaking truth to power and that I think the world needs better friendships. Have you hugged a bacterium today? Maybe you should!

Aaaaaaaaaaargh writes: I have a post discussing the meaning of "fundamentalist" and "evangelical" and why I don't want to give up the second one as a personal descriptor (Genesis), thoughts on some parents challenging a compulsory "religious ethics and culture" class in Quebec (Religious education and the public school–thoughts on the Quebec case), and another weigh-in on the Harold Camping/Rapture mess (The world won’t end today…and that’s a bit of a tragedy).

Trigger Warnings: may be triggering for people who have had bad experiences around childbirth.

Coleslaw writes: "Honey" is an account of my experience with an obstetrician who called his patients "dear", "honey" and other endearments instead of by name.

The former conservative blogger writes: This week I shared some of my favorite Christian blogs; wrote 2 pieces on Harold Camping's failed rapture predictions (The Man from Mars goes out at night, eating cars and More Rapturey goodness); wrote a piece on Christian privilege and fisked a Question and Answer portion of a fundamentalist blog.

Storiteller finished off her coverage of participating in the 300 mile Climate Ride from NYC to DC, with reflections on community activism, lobbying Congress, the Amish, ziplines, and pedaling up lots and lots of hills. Each post chronicles a different section: Day 2; from Princeton to Valley Forge, PA, Day 3; from Valley Forge to Amish country, Day 4; from Amish country to Baltimore horse country, Day 5; ending on Capital Hill, and Post-Ride Day 6 in Washington D.C..

Last week Ana Mardoll posted an entry on her blog:
Trigger Warnings: Violence
Twilight: Preventing Workplace Violence
It’s time for a yearly refresher training as we explore the many social boundaries being crossed in Bella Swan’s Biology II class. Will Mr. Banner and the other students react constructively to Edward’s sixty uncomfortable minutes of hostile glares, flexing muscles, and open hatred towards another student? Come help us explore how to prevent violence rather than tolerate it!

In case you missed this

Bloomberg's New York City budget cuts have already resulted in the a moratorium on the buying of new books and will soon result in the closure of many branches, staff layoffs and shortened hours: Queens Libraries Stopped Buying New Books in December; Funding cuts closing book on all 62 branches in Queens Library

TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence against gay people, police/legal authority mistreatment of gay people

Jarred writes: In other news, if you're gay (or presumably any QUILTBAG individual) and show concern for the lack of supervision your neighbor's kids are receiving, you might end up regretting it.

Saudi Authorities have extended the detention of the Manal al-Shari who was arrested by the religious police after posting a video of her a driving a car.

 

Things you can do

Donate here to help Syrian activists with crucial needs to stay safe in the face of crackdowns and to build their movement.

One of buildings that was destroyed when wildfires swept through Slave Lake (Alberta, Canada) was that community's library. Details as to how and where to send books to help rebuild the collection are included in the post Rebuilding the Library at Slave Lake on James Bow's website.

Anyone who would like to help the people who have lost so much Joplin and other American communities hit by natural disasters can do so online through the Red Cross. Detailed information about what materials and volunteer skills are needed are included in the article, How to Help.

hf writes: You may remember the story about Damon Fowler, the graduating student who told his high school that having a prayer at graduation would break the law. Since the school district seems to have openly broken the law anyway, I figured his parents would be laughing all the way to the bank. I figured the school district would send the kid to college.
In fact, Damon Fowler's parents have kicked him out. You can find a scholarship fund for him here.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

The Board Administration Team
(hapax, Kit Whitfield and mmy)

Comments

[hapax]

I really look forward to this post each week, especially to the blogaround.

Even though I don't often comment, I love to read the variety of interests, depth of insight, and plain good writing this community produces.

[Kit Whitfield]

Likewise! The blogs really are a treat.

[Caryb]

@Coleslaw: I'm reading the rest of your post now, and it is fantastic, but I'd like to point out "has an un-bought and un-bossed attitude" as one of my new favorite turns of phrase. Very well put!

[Mike Timonin]

I've posted the library stuff on my book blog: http://guy-who-reads.blogspot.com/

I might mention that I've been posting a running review of Izzy's serial novel on Wednesdays.

[Coleslaw]

@Cary b,
I cannot take credit for that phrase. It was coined by activist Shirley Chisholm as the title of her autobiography.

[Coleslaw]

Oh, and thanks.

[hf]

Sorry if this seems like the wrong place, but I've got another possible action. Remember that Damon Fowler guy who told his high school that having a prayer at graduation would break the law? Since the school district seems to have openly broken the law anyway, I figured his parents would be laughing all the way to the bank. I figured the school district would send the kid to college.

In fact, the useless excrement-maker machines who called themselves Damon Fowler's parents have kicked him out. You can find a scholarship fund for him here.

[Kish]

Yeargh. And, of course, the Tim LaHayes of the world see Damon Fowler having said anything at all as "Christians being persecuted," and the actions of Mitzi Quinn and the unnamed female student as heroic.

[Mmy]

@hf: Sorry if this seems like the wrong place, but I've got another possible action.

I added it to this week's post and next week's as well.