The Twitters are abuzz today about Amazon’s new “Kindle Worlds” program, in which people are allowed to write and then sell through Amazon their fan fiction for certain properties owned by Alloy Entertainment, including Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little…
I recommend you read the linked post (at Scalzi’s Whatever) if you’re considering using this new publishing platform. tl;dr: you’re going to get screwed if you do.
(via restlesswander-r)
So, in the middle of everything today, we ran across a hellaciously distressed momma mallard and a bunch of her baby ducks that had fallen down a sewer grate. Another guy was already trying to fish them out, so my friend and I called animal control before we tried to fish the rest of them out. When Animal Control got there, we had all of them out and the mother duck quacking very happily. I was surprised - none of us got snapped at or hurt. I was even holding onto a bag at one point that had all of them in it and she just watched me.
I love how the duck is perched on the guy’s butt
I’M SO HAPPY
The duck on his butt tho
Best :D
“I’m not moving until all my babies are out, young man!”
May 19, 2013
Mike Jeffries
c/o Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch Campus
6301 Fitch Path
New Albany, Ohio 43054Hey Mike,I know you’ve been flooded with mail regarding your comments on sizeism, but I wanted to take a second to write you about a project I’ve been working on.As a preface: Your opinion isn’t shocking; millions share the same sentiment. You’ve used your wealth and public platform to echo what many already say. However, it’s important you know that regardless of the numbers on your tax forms, your comments don’t stop anyone from being who they are; the world is progressing in inclusive ways whether you deem it cool or not. The only thing you’ve done through your comments (about thin being beautiful and only offering XL and XXL in your stores for men) is reinforced the unoriginal concept that fat women are social failures, valueless, and undesirable. Your apology doesn’t change this.But oddly enough, that’s not all you have done. You have also created an incredible opportunity for social change.Never in our culture do we see sexy photo shoots with short, fat, unconventional models paired with not short, not fat, professional models. To put it in your words: “unpopular kids” with “cool kids”. It’s socially acceptable for same to be paired with same, but never are contrasting bodies positively mixed in the world of advertisement. The juxtaposition of uncommonly paired bodies is visually jarring, and, even though I wish it didn’t, it causes viewers to feel uncomfortable. This is largely attributed to companies like yours that perpetuate the thought that fat women are not beautiful. This is inaccurate, but if someone were to look through your infamous catalog, they wouldn’t believe me.I’ve enclosed some images for your consideration. Please let me know what you think.A note: I didn’t take these pictures to show that the male model found me attractive, or the photographer found me photogenic, or to prove that you’re an ostentatious dick. Rather, I was inspired by the opportunity to show that I am secure in my skin and to flaunt this by using the controversial platform that you created. I challenge the separation of attractive and fat, and I assert that they are compatible regardless of what you believe. Not only do I know that I’m sexy, but I also have the confidence to pose nude in ways you don’t dare. You’re are more than welcome to prove me wrong by posing shirtless with a hot fat chick; it would thrill me to see such a shoot.I’m sure you didn’t intend for this to be the outcome, but in many ways you are kind of brilliant. Not only are you a marketing genius (brand exclusivity really is a profitable move) but you also accidentally created an opportunity to challenge our current social construct. My hope is that the combination of these contrasting bodies will someday be as ubiquitous as the socially accepted ideal.Ever so sincerely,
JesP.S. If you would like to offer me a “substantial amount” to stop wearing your brand so my association won’t “cause significant damage to your image”, don’t hesitate to email me. I respect you as a business man, and my agent and I would be happy to contribute in furthering your established success.P.P.S. You should know your Large t-shirt comfortably fits a size 22. You might want to work on that.
(via naamahdarling)
It’s weird how in animals seeing ribs/collar&hip bones is considered sick or even abusive, but in people that’s considered beautiful.
This may have just changed my life.
Wow
(via deduction019)
Let me tell you something about today. Today was the hottest day of the year in New Jersey, I woke up sweating despite air conditioning because it was 95 degrees. Now, i did what any logical person would do and I put on my favorite pair of shorts so i wouldn’t be sweating throughout the day.
Even in my shorts i was sweating my balls off but I went through half of my day as normal, no boys stared at my ass or tried to grope me in public yet when i went to the the cafeteria a teacher told me to go to the office because he finds my shorts inappropriate. I head down to the office to find a group of girls wearing shorts and skirts sitting in a small room in the office, we where all ordered to call our parents or to change into the clothes they had offered us from the school store. These items of clothing included sweatpants and a large heavy sweatshirt. I obviously refused to where those because it was 95 degrees and when you are sweating the key to cool down is NOT to put on more clothes. They told me I would have to stay in that room the whole day if it came down to it.
I was able to leave the office when my friend gave me a pair of yoga pants. The man who made me go down to the office brought down several other girls as I was leaving, at this point they didn’t care how long the shorts where they just sent everyone who was wearing a pair down. They warned me that if I put my shorts back on they would right me up.
I put them back on anyway because just walking down the hallway in those yoga pants made me faint, dizzy,and extremely hot. Thats the main issue, it is hot enough for people to pass out in school but to the school system they would rather a girl suffer from a heat stroke then to have a boy become turned on. My shorts don’t say “COme fuck me in the middle of class” they say,”Its warm out”
The sexualizing of innocent students is not okay
Risking students health is not okay
and tHE LACK OF FEMINISM IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL NEVER BE OKAY
Today was literally horrible
I hate our school so much
hahaha what the actual fuck
OH NO
FEMALE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE LOWER LIMBS
NOBODY KNEW THIS!!!!
We did this bit in the fucking Edwardian era when women wore split skirts for the first time to ride bicycles. Can we maybe not do it again? Now?
(via naamahdarling)
The picture shows a female red squirrel adopting an orphan baby from an abandoned nest. Although squirrels rarely interact, they learn who their nearby relatives are by hearing their unique calls. If they fail to hear a relative’s calls for a few days, they may investigate and rescue orphans.
Photo: J. W. Taylor
In which squirrels are more efficient at social services than the US government.
SQUIRRELS DUDE.
(via tenhoursinthelab)
Click on this, play with the checkboxes and scroll around the page, you will not regret it.
Hubble stared at a tiny patch of sky for twenty-three days straight to produce this beautiful image of thousands of galaxies, some of which are 13.2 billion years old. This is the “deepest” image of the sky to date, known as the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field.
Dr Stephen Wilkins (Uni of Sussex, UK) has merged all the images taken of XDF with different telescopes, and has catalogued the luminosities (a measure of brightness), redshift (a measure of distance, the higher the number the further away the galaxy is) and spectral energy distributions (energy signatures across all colours of light) for each galaxy.
Enjoy!
An opportunity here to look into the depths of the Universe with Hubble and see a deep field image in multiple wavelengths. The cataloguing and ease of use is very impressive.
Have a look!
The question why I would LET Willow cut her hair. First the LET must be challenged. This is a world where women, girls are constantly reminded that they don’t belong to themselves; that their bodies are not their own, nor their power or self determination. I made a promise to endow my little girl with the power to always know that her body, spirit and her mind are HER domain. Willow cut her hair because her beauty, her value, her worth is not measured by the length of her hair. It’s also a statement that claims that even little girls have the RIGHT to own themselves and should not be a slave to even their mother’s deepest insecurities, hopes and desires. Even little girls should not be a slave to the preconceived ideas of what a culture believes a little girl should be.
Jada Pinkett Smith (via chubby-bunnies)(Source: princesslilitu, via naamahdarling)
So my mom and I have been working the same waitress job for 5-6 years now. She had been waitressing years before, but this is recently. Anyway, about… 15 minutes ago this guy she waited on left and told her to take care. Just that. Prior to this she had talked to him about Italy. Her people are from Florence, this and that, and she said she’s never been. She’s got 8 years of art education and she’s working a waitress job. It’s pretty… Sad and disappointing, I guess. Her and my father divorced 6 years ago and she hasn’t had a real job ever. Just been stuck in a small town she’s not from.
This man who we have never seen before tipped her 1000 dollars for a trip to Italy. Walked out, not another word.
…you know. Just when I start to lose faith in humanity….Hm.
And as a follow-up to Dobri Dobrev’s charitable donations from his begging, there’s this.
They’re two sides of the coin that says “can you afford to do this?” around the edge but “why not do it anyway?” on head and tail.
And of course there’ll be people who’ll want to know why this wasn’t given to some more worthy cause, or a charity, or, or, or… It’s because the man who did this wanted to do this, not that. But I bet he does that, too, with just the same lack of fuss. Which is why it isn’t noticed.
And I bet that’s the way he prefers it.
Want a really good reason to dislike Facebook?
Activists are pressuring companies to boycott Facebook over its content promoting violence against women (like above).
sick
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)
I recently purchased a silk robe and was delighted to find it had pockets! I knew then that a woman had designed it because only a woman would understand the need to have a place to stash our toys and condoms. - kingarthurscat
(via kingarthurscat)
And a mobile device to read our porn with.
(via talesfromthespockside)
(Source: blonde-cyborg, via talesfromthespockside)
“As soon as teenage girls start to profess love for something, everyone else becomes totally dismissive of it. Teenage girls are open season for the cruelest bullying that our society can dream up. Everyone’s vicious to them. They’re vicious to each other. Hell, they’re even vicious to themselves. It’s terrible.
“So if teenage girls have something that they love, isn’t that a good thing? Isn’t it better for them to find some words they believe in, words like the ‘fire-proof and fearless’ lyrics that Jacqui wrote? Isn’t it better for them to put those words on their arm in a tattoo than for them to cut gashes in that same skin? Shouldn’t we be grateful when teenage girls love our work? Shouldn’t that be a fucking honor?
“It’s used as the cheapest, easiest test of crap, isn’t it? If teenage girls love a movie, a book, a band, then it’s immediately classified as mediocre shit. Well, I’m not going to stand for that. Someone needs to treat them like they’re precious, and if nobody else is ready to step up, I guess it’s up to us to put them on the path to recognizing that about themselves.”
a character from The Devil’s Mixtape. (via valjeans)
Every now and then, something comes along on your dash that opens your eyes and makes you question assumptions you didn’t even realize you were making.
This former teenage girl fell in love with Rush, RPGs, Russian literature, ancient history, sci fi flicks, and Led Zeppelin. I’d say she had pretty good taste. So why have I always defaulted to marginalizing or dismissing the tastes of other teenage girls? Why have I always counted the large teenage female presence in fandom as a black mark against it, or at least something that needs to be explained or surmounted for older fans to participate or engage? Why have I assumed that teenage girls as a whole are incapable of critical analysis or meaningful engagement with the same media that I enjoy, when it was the critical analysis and meaningful engagement of a teenage girl that got me into much of the same media I enjoy now?
Wow. Talk about not even recognizing the patriarchy at work.
(via sabrea)
seriously, this just made me feel like a fucking asshole, which is always a sign that i’ve learned something important.
(via methodistcoloringbook)
I think I like the commentary above more than even the quote itself. It’s cool when just a quote can make people really rethink their positions.
(via feministdisney)
Reblogging again because I just had this conversation with a student-worker this week. I pointed out some of the stuff mentioned in this (she’s 20) and got to watch her have the “…oh, fuck. That’s right.” realization that I had when I read this the first time. It illustrated to me how ingrained the practice of dismissing teenage girls feelings and choices and right to love things is. I got to watch a 20-year-old woman forgive herself for loving something… and immediately realize that forgiveness was bullshit because she was completely allowed to love things in the first place.
(via bitchwhoyoukiddin)
(Source: psychetimelapse, via bitchwhoyoukiddin)
“Lessons from creative citizens: How to win at the Internet
Sci-fi author Diane Duane (Star Trek, Young Wizards), Simon Indelicate (The Indelicates) and bassist Steve Lawson will be talking about the creative ways they have developed successful artistic careers in the digital age.”…Looking forward to this!
A Glasgow nightclub has installed a two-way mirror which allows male revellers in private booths to spy on unsuspecting women as they visit the toilet! With no notification or signage anywhere in the venue many female club goers have been left feeling embarrassed and used. Although they do briefly show the mirrors in a promo video, the club has been quickly deleting comments and posts on their social media from club goers trying to alert others to the situation. This is pretty much illegal and hugley violates privacy. Thank you The Shimmy Club for giving us a shiny, new, creative and cool take on objectification.
article herei’m never leaving my house again, this world is just too fucked up.
WHAT!?
gross gross gross gross gross
Good morning disgusting.
Remember ladies:
- “No space, leave the place” (fingernail test)
- A two way mirror must be set INTO the wall, not placed on top of it.
- If you rap/knock against the mirror, one installed onto a wall (a normal mirror) will make a dull sound, because there’s something behind it. A two-way will have more reverberation.
- Use the flashlight on your phone to shine on the mirror, if it’s a two-way, you’ll be able to see into the other room.
- You can also shield your eyes and see in if you lean up against the glass.
- The room being viewed will have to be brightly lit (10x brighter than the room looking in), so if you’re in a typical dimly lit club bathroom, you’re ok.
boosting the fuck out of this
also this is their not even apology. idk what to call it.
how fucking gross
Vile.
Ugh ugh ugh! How have they not been sued??
Bitches have no sense of humor. Jeez.
*fucking eyeroll*
And they seriously don’t see the problem with it.
Please share for those who might need it, or pass it along however you can. This is a list of all the places opening up housing for displaced families after today’s tragedies in Moore, OK..
Amy Elliot, chief administrative officer of the Okla. office of the chief medical examiner says 20 of the confirmed fatalities are children:
The Oklahoma City Red Cross will open shelters as first responders assess damage. The organization says in the immediate aftermath, the best way to help is to donate at RedCross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999.
The Salvation Army has mobilized a number of emergency relief services in Oklahoma, including Moore, to dispense food, hydration and emotional support to first responders and survivors. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation via phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
(via naamahdarling)
