Kinda barely here, and linkety-linkety catch-up.
I'm behind on LJ, facebook, life in general... That's what I get for sleeping for a week straight, basically. I've been flaring since early last week; missed two days of work, and dragged my ass in today because getting paid is good. At least the random hives are finally gone. That was three days of un-fun. *grumpgrump* I'm doing better and slowly getting caught up, though.
Linkety catchup:
Widow commissions nude sculpture of herself to lie by her husband's grave (somewhat non-worksafe; stone nudity)
Creepy poster from London Transport
She Bop: Masturbation in YA Lit -- I entirely agree that this is a topic worth addressing; I've known too many people who went through needless shame and stress over the topic, even in relatively recent years.
Ridiculous caution signs
McCain's DADT Support Letter Signed By A Bunch Of Dead Guys
Awesome Charles Addams exhibit in NY; wish I could see it!
Mo'Nique On Her Open Marriage: 'That's Not A Deal-Breaker'
Preventive Mastectomy does not improve 5-year survival rates for most breast cancer survivors
Profile of a College Rapist -- some important perspective on repeat offenders.
Cuccinelli asks colleges to rescind policies protecting gay state employees
Vatican hit by gay sex scandal: Vatican chorister sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for papal gentleman-in-waiting Oh, the schadenfreude!
Quick Hit Update: Utah miscarriage criminalization bill withdrawn -- only withdrawn temporarily, and there are still concerns about what it will make felonious when it returns, so worth reading, rather than just cheering about.
Outing Abortion, From Town Halls to Twitter
A Florida woman tweeting her abortion is trying to take the shame out of the procedure. It's a high-tech twist on an evolving mission, one that's had limited success.
Mexico City becomes the third American capital city to offer marriage equality
Lesbians in South Africa Being Raped to “Cure” Them of Sexual Orientation
Our Cruel Legacy in Iraq: Birth Defects in Fallujah’s Children
U.S. Home Births Rise And It's Not Because of Ricki Lake -- I wish they'd addressed more about the safety trade-offs between home and hospital births. It's not as simple as "better safe than sorry -- do it in a hospital"; being in a hospital for birth is excellent and life-saving in some circumstances, but can also directly lead to negative outcomes (up to and including death) as a result of unnecessary interventions and other fundamentally iatrogenic issues. The way the relative risks work out varies from woman to woman, and I'm vehemently in favor of both options being available.
In which firecat is bemused by bad evolutionary "biology".
Relatedly, how to do lousy science: Controversy Grows over Study Claiming Liberals and Atheists Are Smarter
Survey help needed -- This is coming via Misia from Heather Corinna. Good folks. Trustworthy. Particularly noteworthy: "She would like the study to show as diverse an array of people as possible, especially since so often media representations or cultural conversations about casual sex are usually only about heterosexual white women or about gay men. She particularly wants to be sure LGBT people, people of color, those over 45 and social conservatives are adequately represented, so please share this link with your networks after you take the survey yourself, especially if your networks include people in any or all of those groups."
OK, that's all for now. I'm about halfway through my email.
Linkety catchup:
Widow commissions nude sculpture of herself to lie by her husband's grave (somewhat non-worksafe; stone nudity)
Creepy poster from London Transport
She Bop: Masturbation in YA Lit -- I entirely agree that this is a topic worth addressing; I've known too many people who went through needless shame and stress over the topic, even in relatively recent years.
Ridiculous caution signs
McCain's DADT Support Letter Signed By A Bunch Of Dead Guys
Awesome Charles Addams exhibit in NY; wish I could see it!
Mo'Nique On Her Open Marriage: 'That's Not A Deal-Breaker'
Preventive Mastectomy does not improve 5-year survival rates for most breast cancer survivors
Profile of a College Rapist -- some important perspective on repeat offenders.
Cuccinelli asks colleges to rescind policies protecting gay state employees
Vatican hit by gay sex scandal: Vatican chorister sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for papal gentleman-in-waiting Oh, the schadenfreude!
Quick Hit Update: Utah miscarriage criminalization bill withdrawn -- only withdrawn temporarily, and there are still concerns about what it will make felonious when it returns, so worth reading, rather than just cheering about.
Outing Abortion, From Town Halls to Twitter
A Florida woman tweeting her abortion is trying to take the shame out of the procedure. It's a high-tech twist on an evolving mission, one that's had limited success.
Mexico City becomes the third American capital city to offer marriage equality
Lesbians in South Africa Being Raped to “Cure” Them of Sexual Orientation
Our Cruel Legacy in Iraq: Birth Defects in Fallujah’s Children
U.S. Home Births Rise And It's Not Because of Ricki Lake -- I wish they'd addressed more about the safety trade-offs between home and hospital births. It's not as simple as "better safe than sorry -- do it in a hospital"; being in a hospital for birth is excellent and life-saving in some circumstances, but can also directly lead to negative outcomes (up to and including death) as a result of unnecessary interventions and other fundamentally iatrogenic issues. The way the relative risks work out varies from woman to woman, and I'm vehemently in favor of both options being available.
In which firecat is bemused by bad evolutionary "biology".
Relatedly, how to do lousy science: Controversy Grows over Study Claiming Liberals and Atheists Are Smarter
Survey help needed -- This is coming via Misia from Heather Corinna. Good folks. Trustworthy. Particularly noteworthy: "She would like the study to show as diverse an array of people as possible, especially since so often media representations or cultural conversations about casual sex are usually only about heterosexual white women or about gay men. She particularly wants to be sure LGBT people, people of color, those over 45 and social conservatives are adequately represented, so please share this link with your networks after you take the survey yourself, especially if your networks include people in any or all of those groups."
OK, that's all for now. I'm about halfway through my email.