Nico

"The film never takes the time to consider how little thought Khan would’ve given to killing Pike, a..."

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:02:32 -0400

“The film never takes the time to consider how little thought Khan would’ve given to killing Pike, a disabled person. Khan likely believes that all disabled people deserve to die for the good of humanity. Hell, he probably had an extermination program against disabled people during his heyday. By ignoring Khan’s eugenicist ableism, the film loses a good deal of the moral complexity found in Star Trek.

We never see Admiral Marcus weigh the options of aligning with a genocidal murderer in the name of Federation security. If Khan advised him to implement a eugenics policy to save the Federation, would Marcus do it? Who would Marcus kill to protect the many? Would he go for Pike, one of his own officers?

We also never see Kirk truly consider the ethical implications of teaming up with Khan for the infiltration of Marcus’ starship. Is Kirk just as bad as Marcus now? By partnering with a man who would want Pike exterminated, does Kirk betray his memory? Is stopping Marcus worth the risk of Khan escaping and conquering Earth again?

But none of these kind of questions get asked in the film because the J.J. Abrams version of Star Trek is more interested in gunfights and girls in their underwear than the hard questions that need to be debated to build a better future for life on this planet and far beyond.”

- Star Trek Into Darkness: Able-Bodied Angst and Abrams’ Anti-Intellectualism (via spacecrip)

I wonder if they would have had time to do all that? Although it seems to me they did cut parts out of the movie.

(via geekgalsrock)

Isn’t the point of the show and the movies to spark the discussions within ourselves, not to have the discussions for us?

(via am-i-soup-or-beauty)

While the Star Trek franchise most definitely encourages discussion amongst fans, one of the trademarks of the shows and films is the characters debating whether they have the right to take a certain action or if they have the ethical responsibility to behave in a certain fashion.

See: “The Menagerie,” which is one long debate about whether breaking Federation law is permissible if it is on a perceived mission of mercy. Or “The Measure of a Man,” which is another long debate about what constitutes a person. Or “Who Watches the Watchers?” where Picard does one of his classically trained monologues about religion vs. secularism. Or “In the Pale Moonlight,” where Sisko and Garak tackle whether murder can be justified to save countless lives in the Dominion War.

(via spacecrip)

"Why is there very little utility to women’s clothing? Why don’t we get pockets which actually open?..."

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:01:11 -0400

“

Why is there very little utility to women’s clothing? Why don’t we get pockets which actually open? Why do we have to put up with the ‘false pockets’ that are frequently sewn onto women’s jackets and pants to give visual interest without ruining the ‘line’ of the garment? Why, when pockets are actually present, are they so rarely large, stable, or loose enough to accommodate a phone or a wallet? And why, given this is the case, do women go on to cop so much flack for carrying handbags around with them?

Oh wait. Is this one of those double standards which we feminists are always going on about; one of those innocuous little things which everybody just accepts because it is the norm?

Women carry handbags. It is known.

But why? I have watched my male friends get ready to go out. They slip their wallet into one pocket, their keys into another, their phone into a third pocket, and some of them even still have spare pockets large enough to carry a novel for the journey. Those of my friends who wear women’s clothes, though, face an entirely different situation. If they are wearing the right jeans or jacket, they may have up to two usable pockets (not at all guaranteed). However, in most cases they won’t have any pockets at all. Utility and style rarely meet in women’s fashion, so they grab a bag.

Contrary to all the jokes, most women don’t ‘have’ to leave the house with everything they pack in their day-to-day handbag. Most of the items in a woman’s everyday handbag are in there because, if she’s going to have to carry it anyway, she might as well make it worth her while. Excuse us for making use of the one useful item we find in our wardrobes.

”

- Kara, “The Feminist and the Handbag” (via athenasaurus)

Oh lord, don’t get me started on this. This is a little thing that highlights a big equality problem between men and women. We need the same supplies as men to do the same job. When I stocked shelves it was impossible to find pants that would hold my wallet, my box knife, my badge, my keys, my gloves (I worked dairy/frozen) and my phone. I actually ended up not carrying my wallet or keys at all. Fuck if I’m carrying a purse *ever* but that certainly wouldn’t have helped on the job.

My husband? He holds all of that plus his insulin, packets of honey in case his blood sugar drops (or a vial of glucose tablets), glucometer, headphones, markers, and pencils. With plenty of room to spare. I’ve even seen him slip paperback books into empty pockets.

When we bought sweatpants together so we could start working out? I had zero pockets. He had four. Four. When we wanted some boots for added protection working around 1.5-ton pallets and slippery surfaces, he was able to go to the nearest store and buy steel-toed, non-shock, no-slip boots in his size, no problem. I had to look online to find mine. Because women don’t work dangerous jobs. I hate shopping for clothes in general, but when it has to be online it really sucks because you never know if they will actually fit or be decent quality. Especially because, guess what, women’s sizes are far less standardized than men’s.

I’m going to guess this is all some remnant from the “women should be in the kitchen, not out in the world doing practical things” days that has held over and made it harder for us to…you know, do practical things, even nowadays. If I ever end up working a job like that again, I’ll probably just buy men’s pants and hem them for my 5-foot-tall frame, because I deserve the same supplies for my job that men do. And no, I don’t care if the men’s jeans don’t highlight the curve of my ass superbly. Do they hold up under tough conditions? Do they carry what I need carried? Practicality and efficiency only in my wardrobe, please.

(via solluxisms)

I remember watching I think it was Project Runway and the contestants had to design a new uniform for female postal workers. The one designer put utilitarian pockets on her design, and the judges yelled at her for it. They said something about it not being flattering, because you know, the key part of any uniform is not that it works for the job, but that it shows off your body in the best light possible.

(via jetpuffedmarshmallowsandsunburns)

cleromancy: how often on a daily basis do you wonder if you’re One Of Those Annoying People Who...

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:48:12 -0400

cleromancy:

how often on a daily basis do you wonder if you’re One Of Those Annoying People Who Cant Take A Hint and people only respond to you bc they feel obligated

… I think someone spilled Patchouli oil or something in this hotel room. Thankfully, I...

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:50:30 -0400

… I think someone spilled Patchouli oil or something in this hotel room. Thankfully, I don’t mind that particular scent *too* much but. PATCHOULI ROOM.

John Green's tumblr • Will hankgames be affected by Nintendo’s recent announcement claiming ad revenue generated by fanvids on youtube?

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:25:42 -0400

John Green's tumblr • Will hankgames be affected by Nintendo’s recent announcement claiming ad revenue generated by fanvids on youtube?:

wilwheaton:

John Green:

Nintendo’s announcement (and YouTube’s acquiescence) is a disaster. It hurts Nintendo, and it hurts the independent creators who through their Let’s Play videos create a unique and valuable experience of a game.

I completely agree. Nintendo is being greedy, stupid, and shortsighted. Nintendo makes money by making great games and systems to play them. YouTube makes money by selling advertising and nurturing an environment where creators can share their creations.

YouTube is, unsurprisingly, being cowardly and not supporting the content creators who have made it worth billions. YouTube is, once again, on the wrong side of an issue with regard to its users and creators.

prongsmydeer: Plot twist: The next companion is a normal girl/boy who only dies once in their...

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:05:01 -0400

prongsmydeer:

Plot twist: The next companion is a normal girl/boy who only dies once in their lifetime and has no remarkable back story but he thinks they’re wonderful because they are human and the Doctor needs reminding that you don’t need to be a mystery to be remarkable.

miss-nerdgasmz: What ship do you think I’m the child of? #oH FUCKING YES #PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE I’M...

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:02:43 -0400

miss-nerdgasmz:

What ship do you think I’m the child of?

#oH FUCKING YES #PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE I’M SO CURIOUS #CROSSOVERS COUNT BTW LIKE IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A STANDARD SHIP OR ANYTHING#WHICHEVER PEOPLE YOU THINK MADE ME

"I myself have been idiotically told that I write “awful” books because the people in them are..."

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:57:02 -0400

“I myself have been idiotically told that I write “awful” books because the people in them are unpleasant. Intelligent readers do not confuse the quality of a book with the moral rectitude of the characters. For those who want goodigoodiness, there are some Victorian good-girl religious novels that would suit them fine.”

- Margaret Atwood on “likable” characters. Clearly this is a topic on which many authors have a lot of pent up rage. (via bennettmadison)

ianthe: friendlycloud: hitlervevo: why the fuck cant we text the police lets say there is a...

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:49:42 -0400

ianthe:

friendlycloud:

hitlervevo:

why the fuck cant we text the police

lets say there is a murderer in ur house and you’re hiding behind your sofa and you do have your phone with you but you can’t call the police because the murderer might hear you

Relevant

i suggested this when i was really drunk once and everyone laughed at me but i still think its fuckin genius of course right after that i said “lets call 911 and tell them about my idea” so

So, UM. Already a thing in some communities- it’s an accessibility thing for Deaf and HoH peeps. Unfortunately, MOST call centers aren’t accessible to text messages. But it is coming peeps!

An Iowa 911 Call Center is the First to Accept Text Messages

Text-to-911 program to launch next year (written in 2012)

911 text messaging service coming in 2014

However, before you go “yes I’m going to try this next emergency!” check to make sure your area has it. I thought I saw something saying Vermont does but I’m not sure. A lot of places that don’t seem to have plans to role it out in the next 2-5 years. :)

confusedtree: In all seriousness Idris Elba as the 12th Doctor would be a great casting choice...

Mon, 20 May 2013 03:39:59 -0400

confusedtree:

In all seriousness Idris Elba as the 12th Doctor would be a great casting choice because he’d kill it and we’d get to find out just exactly how many anglophiles are also gigantic racists

Bad and good news

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:25:24 -0400

The bad first, then the good, then what they mean to each other.

Bad: As some of you know, my family members are my primary support folks. I have a hard time with my executive functioning enough to need support in the house keeping. I’ve had life threatening medical issues because of lack of support in the past.

More relevantly, though, is that because of my difficulties with hypermobility and joint damage, I can’t carry my laundry up and down the stairs or down the block to the laundry without accidentally injuring myself. I’ve tried. So I need family members to help out.

My sister and I were supposed to take care of this Saturday after she picked up her fiancee. But once he got picked up, suddenly she had to push it to Sunday afternoon. But she never showed, never called. I didn’t have clean clothing enough, and I leave at 8 am.

My mother came to pick up my dog, as the dog stays with my mother when I travel. She ended up driving me, the laundry bag, and a cart down to the laundry. I did the laundry and loaded it into the cart, and managed to wheel it up to the porch. I texted my sister to see if she’d at least come by to help me get it upstairs and the cart onto the porch.

That was at 9pm. It is after 1 am. I don’t know how I’ll get things packed in time for my trip.

Good: This year, I applied for the adult autism waiver for my state. My request was small, but would have a big impact on my life: around 4hr/week, primarily to help me keep my house safe and myself taken care of even on bad weeks. Additionally, respite type things- rides and escort to community events, for example.

In my state, I’m otherwise not eligible for services. My IQ is too high, and as ridiculous as we all know those tests are, that is how the determine things. It is an ID not a DD system. It took a lot to get the Bureau of Autism Services in place, as well as these waivers.

(There are other people with other DDs, some with extensive care needs, who have to either take the tests without appropriate supports- AAC for example- or go without support because of how they test when supported appropriately. They might have CP, or FAS, or any number of other Diagnosis that are recognized as developmental disabilities, but that might or might not include intellectual disabilities.)

In any case, the Autism waiver is a thing in my state. There’s a list of interest- so officially there’s no waiting list, but that’s just semantics. It’s not a short list. And my support needs are modest compared to some others who might need support in more extensive ways. I had a colleague in the advocacy world tell me that it was next to impossible that I’d get it, at least not any time soon.

He was wrong. We are still trying to figure out how it will work, but I was approved.

Good and Bad together: The plan was to pay family members as staff to do the support work. This is permissible with this particular set of funding. But… My sister is so inconsistent, I’m not sure how I feel about relying on her even WITH money to pay her with. I’m terribly worried- I was very direct with her about how I couldn’t put this off any longer, that I’d be leaving at 8am. I was also very explicit about what the needs are. And still, her fiancee’s band was more important than taking me down, and her friends more important than helping me get my things upstairs.

How am I supposed to trust someone to be a reliable paid support for more time out of the week when something with so short a time spend as carrying bags up a set of stairs is impossible to get her to do?

FYI: If you spill krazy glue on your hands, TOOTH PASTE works. Put some on the impacted area and...

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:08:21 -0400

FYI: If you spill krazy glue on your hands, TOOTH PASTE works. Put some on the impacted area and rub. Micro-abrasives are sensitive enough to not make your skin raw, but are awesome at getting that stuff off of you.

thebergeronprocess said: He’s 25 and like “I will only talk to you if you are financially...

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:03:08 -0400

thebergeronprocess said: He’s 25 and like “I will only talk to you if you are financially independent or have a plan to become that way” like wow okay good to know people = $$$$!!!!

WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED. Seriously, the more time goes on the more my opinion on libertarians shifts from “unsettling” towards “WTF who are these people? The “nice guys” of poli sci?” :-/

thebergeronprocess said: Ugh, tell me about it—I was able to find that this one guy was a...

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:59:41 -0400

thebergeronprocess said: Ugh, tell me about it—I was able to find that this one guy was a libertarian who actually calls money “jewgolds” and won’t apologize for it. like WOW NO THANK YOU.

UGH UGH UGH. The fuck.

Oh OK Cupid people...

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:57:15 -0400

I don’t care how liberal, hot, and/or geeky you are, if you answer the canned questions about

~ trans* peeps in a way that discredits their gender/say bigoted shit about them

~ people with ID in a way that indicates they shouldn’t have the same rights

~ race and ethnicity in a way that demonstrates your bigotry

~ MH stuff in a way that indicates you are an ass about it

~ sexual minorities in a way that highlights your bigotry

You won’t get any interest from me. Seriously. WTF.

Had a sad because a Stargate geek was looking interesting until I went into the canned questions section. Sadly, those questions are useful tools to sort out people’s ish.

Listening to some Kathy Reichs books from the library while I bake and what not. I should also cook,...

Sat, 18 May 2013 21:10:34 -0400

Listening to some Kathy Reichs books from the library while I bake and what not. I should also cook, but right now I’m all “it’s so hoooottttt out….”

Dopamine and Oxytocin levels higher than usual. That’s my guess.

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:04:06 -0400

Dopamine and Oxytocin levels higher than usual. That’s my guess.

Sabina England: the deaf muslim Punk playwright

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:51:15 -0400

Sabina England: the deaf muslim Punk playwright:

so-treu:

deafmuslimpunx:

Sabina England is a filmmaker and theatre artist who has been featured in local and national…

check out my Facebook “fan page” and please “like” me. Be sure to click on ‘GET NOTIFICATIONS’ to stay updated and get my posts. Facebook keeps spamming me to pay $$$ to promote my posts. Thank you for your support!!

this lady is amazing, forreal

hinoneko: initiala: A little girl in my 4th grade class came up to me after recess and said, “I...

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:17:11 -0400

hinoneko:

initiala:

A little girl in my 4th grade class came up to me after recess and said, “I got married at recess!” and I said “Oh? I didn’t know anyone was ordained under the age of twelve.” and she asked me what ordained meant and I explained and then she said “Oh, well, no, my wife and I were married by the slide, but we’ll be happy together anyway.”

So apparently on school playgrounds, slides are already legalizing same-sex marriage.

they warned us it would be a slippery slope

… It’s sad that I am more well read on certain aspects of biblical literacy than some...

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:33 -0400

… It’s sad that I am more well read on certain aspects of biblical literacy than some ministers. WTF.

If you are going to try and (mis)use your holy book to shame LGB peeps, at least use the stories that are actually about that, even if your argument is total bull shit.

PS: THe letters to the editor in my local paper are either hilarious or sad depending on how cynical you are.

PPS: I’m sure he’d come up with another easy to misconstrue bible story to shit on trans peeps, but he didn’t today so.