Irregular Business
The atheist round table is very nearly ready to go. Unfortunately hapax's computer has died on her, so we can't set a definite date until we know when the manufacturer will be sending a new one, but it's in the works. So if it's delayed a bit, don't worry, it's nothing political, just computers going phut.
We're just waiting for a few final confirmations. Would all contributors please check their e-mails in case we've sent you a question?
Regular Business
The Blogaround
Storiteller continues the chronicles of her trip to Peru, covering the time spent in the deep rainforest. On Day 7, she visited a remote oxbow lake with a population of tropical birds, monkeys, and curious giant river otters. On Day 8, she encountered the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and the world's weirdest cousin of a horse, the tapir. On Day 9, she watched pairs of macaws, which are surprisingly conservative relationship-wise for the animal kingdom, and fulfilled a childhood dream of visiting a canopy platform.
Kit Whitfield continues her analyses of famous first sentences. This week: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
This week Ana Mardoll posted:
Twilight Themes: Unconditional Love
(Content Note: Cheating in Relationships, Imprinting on Children)
As many of you are no doubt aware, the tabloids exploded this week over the news that Robert Pattinson (the actor who plays Edward Cullen in Twilight) left his shared home with Kristen Stewart (the actress who plays Bella in Twilight) after a "cheating scandal".
Twilight Themes: Unconditional Love
(Content Note: Cheating in Relationships, Imprinting on Children)
As many of you are no doubt aware, the tabloids exploded this week over the news that Robert Pattinson (the actor who plays Edward Cullen in Twilight) left his shared home with Kristen Stewart (the actress who plays Bella in Twilight) after a "cheating scandal".
This week Ana Mardoll posted:
Deconstruction: Consent 101
(Content Note: Rape, Love Spells, Non-Consensual Drugging, 'Humorous' Swearing (YMMV) )
Every so often, I forget that what seems perfectly obvious to me is not perfectly obvious to everyone else on the planet. So here are my feelings about consent. These feelings seems like pretty basic Feminism 101 to me, but here they are anyway.
Deconstruction: Consent 101
(Content Note: Rape, Love Spells, Non-Consensual Drugging, 'Humorous' Swearing (YMMV) )
Every so often, I forget that what seems perfectly obvious to me is not perfectly obvious to everyone else on the planet. So here are my feelings about consent. These feelings seems like pretty basic Feminism 101 to me, but here they are anyway.
This week Ana Mardoll posted:
Animation: Tarzan
It's strange to watch something like this -- something that plays the Tarzan story straight -- and then watch George of the Jungle, which is far more comedic and yet manages to be more serious. Same Disney label, two years prior, and with a heroine that talks in a baby-talk cadence most of the movie... and yet it ended up being more friendly to women and people of color than this movie.
Animation: Tarzan
It's strange to watch something like this -- something that plays the Tarzan story straight -- and then watch George of the Jungle, which is far more comedic and yet manages to be more serious. Same Disney label, two years prior, and with a heroine that talks in a baby-talk cadence most of the movie... and yet it ended up being more friendly to women and people of color than this movie.
chris the cynic reports: This week I wrote that I've lost touch with the point of this(Content Note: depressive thought), and how slim the odds of things working out well seem to be (Content Note: depressive thoughts, financial distress). On the plus side, I rewrote a bit of Twilight introducing Edith and Ben's version of Alice.
This week TRiG posted: Oxford University Changes its Dress Code to make life easier for trans* students. The subfusc (formal dress for exams) requirements now make no mention of gender.
A short collection of links about Sexism at Hacker Conferences.
And some excerpts from Niel Gaiman's interview of Terry Pratchett.
A short collection of links about Sexism at Hacker Conferences.
And some excerpts from Niel Gaiman's interview of Terry Pratchett.
Coleslaw writes: My first post of the week was Supposed to Be a Different Post, but I skipped the sermon on Relationship Training to watch the US men's basketball team win gold medals. Speaking of relationships, hubby and I went to see Hope Springs. The Sting of a yellow jacket reminded hubby once again that we don't really own our back yard. And what with murder, drugs,and disasters both natural and man-made dominating the local news for the past few weeks, it is Sinking In that I live in an interesting place.
Michael Mock (of Mock Ramblings) writes: Flooding the bathroom was not my finest moment. Being evil isn't as easy as it sounds, even in a video game. Some poor soul found my blog while doing a search on Why Atheism Is Better. Meanwhile, in the mad science lab: Mutant Alien Pseudo-Ants. And, finally, a Weird Post-Apocalyptic Dream which probably says important things about who I am as a person.
I've also set a time, date (October 13), and location for the North Dallas Gathering, which is open to anyone who wants to attend.
I've also set a time, date (October 13), and location for the North Dallas Gathering, which is open to anyone who wants to attend.
Last week Laura Heron wrote: I only had two blog posts this week:
The Perilous ha-ha and the Peril of the iamb - poets beware!
Last week Ana Mardoll posted:
Twilight: A Healthy Dose Of Fear
(Content Note: Abusive Relationships, Rape, Examples of Misogynist/Ableist/Harmful Language)
Edward has issues with anger and ableism and trust and intimacy and everything else with Bella because, fundamentally, he does not respect Bella. He claims to love her, and the narrative says I'm supposed to believe him, but he doesn't respect her even a bit.
Twilight: A Healthy Dose Of Fear
(Content Note: Abusive Relationships, Rape, Examples of Misogynist/Ableist/Harmful Language)
Edward has issues with anger and ableism and trust and intimacy and everything else with Bella because, fundamentally, he does not respect Bella. He claims to love her, and the narrative says I'm supposed to believe him, but he doesn't respect her even a bit.
Last week Ana Mardoll posted:
Deconstruction: Can't, Shouldn't, Won't
(Content Note: Surgery, Disabilities, Food Intolerances, Fat Shaming, Diet Industries, Rape)
The more I think on it, the more I feel like the American myth of Individualism and Freedom and Capitalism and Choice only really applies to heterosexual cowboys who choose to eat danger, shit bullets, and ride off into pretty sunsets on pretty horses with prettier women clutching prettily at them. But it's important to remember that if there's only one choice, if this "choice" is the only valid one for us to make, then we don't value Choice at all.
Deconstruction: Can't, Shouldn't, Won't
(Content Note: Surgery, Disabilities, Food Intolerances, Fat Shaming, Diet Industries, Rape)
The more I think on it, the more I feel like the American myth of Individualism and Freedom and Capitalism and Choice only really applies to heterosexual cowboys who choose to eat danger, shit bullets, and ride off into pretty sunsets on pretty horses with prettier women clutching prettily at them. But it's important to remember that if there's only one choice, if this "choice" is the only valid one for us to make, then we don't value Choice at all.
In case you missed this
From The Vancouver Sun:
In a historic vote, the United Church of Canada has elected its first openly gay moderator.
After six ballots and nearly eight hours of voting at the church’s 41st general council in Ottawa Thursday, Rev. Gary Paterson emerged from a record field of 15 candidates to win the top job at Canada’s largest Protestant church. He is thought to be the first openly gay person to head any mainstream Christian denomination. [Vancouver reverend elected United Church of Canada's first openly gay moderator, August 16 2012]
In a historic vote, the United Church of Canada has elected its first openly gay moderator.
After six ballots and nearly eight hours of voting at the church’s 41st general council in Ottawa Thursday, Rev. Gary Paterson emerged from a record field of 15 candidates to win the top job at Canada’s largest Protestant church. He is thought to be the first openly gay person to head any mainstream Christian denomination. [Vancouver reverend elected United Church of Canada's first openly gay moderator, August 16 2012]
Michael Mock (of Mock Ramblings) writes: I've also set a time, date (October 13), and location for the North Dallas Gathering, which is open to anyone who wants to attend.
--Co-authored by the Slacktiverse Community
The Slacktiverse is a community blog. Content reflects the individual opinions of the contributors. We welcome disagreement in the comment threads, and invite anyone who wishes to present an alternative interpretation of a situation to write and submit a post.
TBAT, can you add my updates? I didn't update until very late last night and then was busy this morning. Thanks!
Storiteller continues the chronicles of her trip to Peru, covering the time spent in the deep rainforest. On Day 7, she visited a remote oxbow lake with a population of tropical birds, monkeys, and curious giant river otters. On Day 8, she encountered the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and the world's weirdest cousin of a horse, the tapir. On Day 9, she watched pairs of macaws, which are surprisingly conservative relationship-wise for the animal kingdom, and fulfilled a childhood dream of visiting a canopy platform.
Posted by: storiteller | Aug 19, 2012 at 05:27 PM
@storiteller: Done!
Posted by: The Board Administration Team | Aug 19, 2012 at 05:36 PM