What would Tiananmen Tank Man Do?
I don’t think he’d watch the Olympics. Of course I can’t know this, because we don’t know who he was, whether he is still alive, or whether he would actually be an enormous fan of the Olympics right now.
Still, I am not watching these Olympics, simply because I can’t square my conscience with supporting the regime’s propaganda exercise.
I’m enjoying “Barrayar” right now, from Lois McMaster Bujold, and I thought I’d share an excerpt. Bujold is a keen observer of human interactions, and readers with complicated medical problems might relate to some of this.
Commander Cordelia Naismith (also known as Lady Vorkosigan), a former Betan military commander, is in a doctor’s office on Barrayar. She is being checked out after a series of traumatic experiences.
Very simple this week, although you can spice it up by reading the question above in a very suggestive tone of voice if you like.
I’m halfway through the fantasy Wicked! (The True Story of the Wicked Witch of the West), revisiting an anthology of Australian SF writers speculating on the future of work in light of recent industrial relations reforms, and also halfway through
Gomez is an actor I’ve enjoyed watching for some time, and when I read that she had chosen to play Katharine in a new RSC staging of The Taming of the Shrew I wondered why on earth she had agreed to be in that monstrously misogynist play, whose enduring popularity relies solely on the comedy fireworks in the early scenes between Petruchio and Kate, and the ability of the Kate to gloss over the humiliations she receives. I was disappointed by the idea that Gomez’s glorious abilities in physical comedy were going to be used simply to mask the horror of Katherine’s annihilation yet again. I should have had more faith.
When you’ve had enough of dressing your newborn in leopard-print high-heeled shoes for shits and giggles, what’s next?
Well, why not start on your dog? If it’s a boy dog, of course, you’ve already got your Neuticles Ultra Plus (now with Epididymis!). But if it’s a girl dog, the Etsy Pampered Pooch Boutique has just the thing for those moments when you’re mortified by blundersome passersby asking “Is it a boy dog or a girl dog?” Avoid those gender-neutral faux-pas and announce your pooch’s vulva-possession to the whole world. Just because she’s spayed doesn’t mean she can’t be feminine.
This guest post is from Hoydenizen Raelene of Sydney.
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Hi there, hoydens. Here is a true story for you:
Today’s sea otter is from Jim M. Goldstein.
There’s a bukkit caption here waiting to happen, I think
The Evolution of Dance. Amazing routine.
Find more memes you missed back in the ancient days of Internets yore at the Internet Memes Timeline. There’s explanations for the ones you see around all the time, and even use, but may not know their origins.
I’ve just made my twitter feed public. Username lauredhel.
There’s nothing particularly exciting there – I’ll probably mostly be dropping in URLs I’ve encountered that I’d like to share. You’re welcome to join me. If you’re planning a Follow, please drop a note in this thread with your username.
Update: I protected my Twitter feed again a while back. Hoydenizens are welcome to drop me a follow request. Please don’t re-tweet
The Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony is about to start.
In all the protests about Tibet and about internet censorship (important issues both), there is an enormous humanitarian crisis in China at risk of getting pushed into the background. That crisis is the systematised, legalised, horrific violence against women and girls.
Through Olympics time, I’m planning to post roundups and linkdumps on a series of these topics. Be warned – they’re all likely to contain triggers.
First up: forced abortion.
Hoyden About Town 