tiny-ish update

This place is a ghost town on the weekends, but I thought I'd make a small post anyway.

My dad got more MST3K through Netflix, so we'll be taking in Final Justice later today. I'm pretty sure I've not seen that one.

Also, I'm fairly sure I caused myself hypothermia yesterday, so despite the sunshine I think I will be staying in today. (I'm fighting the sniffles besides.)

I made it my goal to finish gleaning email addresses of all of the editors, managing editors & feature editors to which to send the press release I mentioned earlier by the end of the weekend. As far as I can tell, I'm about halfway there. The task is more tedious than I would have imagined. Still, I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The side effect of the above task is that I'm discovering that Michigan has some interesting & odd names for towns. I like Fruitport. Descriptive & to-the-point.

(no subject)

Antimatter Trapped For the First Time (thanks, eposia)

Pope Benedict 'condones condom use in some cases' -- "In a book due to be published on Tuesday, he said they could reduce the risk of infection with HIV, such as for a prostitute." I am amazed & bemused that it took prostitution to get the Vatican to approve condom use.

Placenta 'has key role' in determining pregnancy length -- I have some issues with the language at the end. Striving for nutrients is not a "war", it's a contest. The placenta is not a "battleground". Words mean for a reason.

The Untold Story of Queen Aliquippa (thanks, johanna_hypatia)

my letter to the BBC

Dear Editors:

I regard the BBC highly as a standard for international news. I visit your website frequently, about five times a week. I especially enjoy the science & health news, as many stories are not covered here in the United States.

While reading your recent article "Placenta 'has key role' in determining pregnancy length" by Neil Bowdler, I was struck by some of the phrasing Mr. Bowdler used as description. For example, near the end of his article, he states, "Scientists have long seen the organ as a battleground where mother and child compete for nutrients." Later, he uses the term "war" when describing mice before turning to a more neutral term "contest" for humans.

As a feminist, I am alert to such use of language in stories regarding womens' issues such as pay rates and education--sometimes it is us vs. them. However, to see this connotation in the context of pregnancy, where the mother and child complement each other, is dismaying at best.

I hope that care is taken with each use of each word you and your journalists employ.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

poison pen

Hmm. Had an idea to write a poem using a word (or words) that I normally would not come across in a poem.

This might be dangerous. Well, they always say write as though to risk something.

inspired by South Park

Why are races run widdershins?