This week in The Slacktiverse, August 11/12 2012

The Blogaround

This 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.

This 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.

Leum reports: I received a pamphlet from a local church, this is the letter I sent in response.

Michael Mock reports: This week in Mock Ramblings, I started a new short story called The Caffeine Apocalypse. The Deranged Cultist checked in with Reflections on Reunions and Extended Families and Reflections on Shopping. Oh, and I'm extremely grateful to my kids for letting us sleep in on Sunday.

Coleslaw writes: When it comes to witty conversation, hubby and I are not Nick and Nora Charles. In Short, this is more what it sounds like around our house. So One Afternoon back when I was working, some of my little clients and I had a great time at a chicken restaurant. No, not that chicken restaurant. I have been sitting through our pastor's sermon series on Relationship Training, and I have a few thoughts. (Content notice - one of her points, which I do discuss, has to do with mind reading, and I know that has been brought up in the past as an issue.)

Storiteller continued with her travel narrative of her recent trip to Peru. On Day 4, she experienced Peruvian culture first hand, from ancient pre-Incan ruins to modern-day celebrations with elaborate costumes and dances. (Content Note: Drowning, outdoor deaths, body horror insects.) On Day 5, they descend into the highland, and then the lowland rainforest, where they spot preening jungle birds and curious monkeys. On Day 6, they travel down the Manu River to the protected reserve, home of giant river otters, collectively-living spiders, and parasitic trees.

chris the cynic reports: This week I wrote a .hack//Sign post finishing off episode 3 , in the process also discussing what happened at the end of Episode 2. And I wrote a Deus Ex post about the introduction cinematic and the characters of Bob Page and Walton Simons.

Last week Ana Mardoll posted:
Twilight: My Beloved Asshole and Me
(Content Note: Abusive Relationships)
This is an abusive relationship because -- once again -- Bella is covertly burying her needs. Edward, the boy of her dreams, then aggressively explains how he needs complete access to Bella's thoughts, so Bella immediately becomes a study in how to wipe any "inappropriate" thoughts and feelings from her language, body language, and facial expressions in order to make Edward happy.

Last week Ana Mardoll posted:
Narnia: When The Narrative Is Stacked Against You
(Content Note: Abuse (Emotional / Family / Physical / Religious)
"Susan was the worst."
Let's just linger on that one for a moment.

In case you missed this

Now Brinker, the public face of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is stepping down as CEO, about six months after the organization's hotly debated decision to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood for breast screenings. The move to withdraw the funding was quickly reversed after an onslaught of criticism but ended up stirring anger on both sides of the abortion debate. (Content Note: Discussion of cancer) [From Komen founder to step down as chief executive, CBS News, August 8 2012.]

This week in a New York Times time article (For Women in Street Stops, Deeper Humiliation, August 6 2012) Wendy Ruderman wrote about the special feelings of harassment and humiliation felt by women who are stopped and searched by New York City police officers as part of the stop-and-frisk policy of that city. (Strong Trigger Warning: Sexual harassment, violation of personal space, racist culture, rape culture, racial profiling.)

--Co-authored by the Slacktiverse Community

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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.

Comments

[LauraHeron2]

And again: i miss the deadline due to head being in dissertation land.

I only had two blog posts this week:
The Perilous ha-ha
http://dictionaryofperil.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/the-perilous-ha-ha/

and the Peril of the iamb - poets beware!
http://dictionaryofperil.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/the-peril-of-the-iamb-poets-beware/

I am particularly proud of the iamb one because it is really difficult to make a metrical foot in poetry perilous. Also, if you know me and my husband, the haha story is basically us.

Finally, cos you guys are knowledgeable about stuff, does anyone know of any magical grimoires etc. that would have been in used in the early 1800s? I am basing my novel demons on the lessor key of solomon, i think, but its a bit anachronistic (although I do have a nice handwave) so other suggestions would be helpful. I need demonology above all. Thanks!

[Froborr]

Possibly not what you're looking for, but worth a shot?

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Demonology%20--%20Early%20works%20to%201800

[Steve Morrison]

Is "Augst" like August with extra angst?

[LauraHeron2]

Thanks Froborr!

[Marc Mielke]

Former Conservative appears to be offline. Is this a mistake or a permanent thing?

[cjmr]

According to FC's FB post in the wee hours of the morning, it is a permanent thing.

[Slactivite]

I am the slactivite who reported having gonorrhea a couple of weeks back. Since some of you were good enough to send good thoughts, I thought you might like to know the course of antibiotics have done the trick and the re-test came back negative. Thanks again for the good wishes.

[Mmy]

@slactivite: That is good medical news and I hope life in general is treating you well these days.

[Kit Whitfield]

Briefly emerging from the shadows to second mmy: delighted to hear you're better, and I hope you're feeling better about yourself as well. :-)

[Timothy (TRiG)]

It's good to hear that, Slactkivite.

TRiG.

[Lonespark]

OMG yay! Slactivite, that is great news!!! So happy for you!

[hapax]

@Slactivite, I join in the chorus of "yays!"

[chris the cynic]

So, there is such a thing as good news.

Good to hear Slacktivite, and thanks for the update.

Yay!

[Lonespark]

Guys,
How do I write a cover letter to apply for a job at a place where I already have a job? (Specifically, I am applying to be a building substitute at the school where I am already a per-diem substitute treated as an independent contractor.)

Presumably they are already aware of my education and previous/not-them experience. Do I need to repeat it? Or is it important to specifically talk about what I've learned from working there? Or what?