1. Don't Be An Asshat ( Read more... )

A strangely serious one, given my title.

the rally effect of the bin Laden death

A phrase I came across while reading about polling in the US Presidential election, and specifically Obama approval ratings. The phrase just chilled me: the horrific idea that one can measurably demonstrate a rise in approval ratings from having taken a life ( Read more... )

See, here's the thing: for me, skepticism includes the right/duty to inquire into beliefs that are irrational and, worse, self-defeating, the latter as a priority ( Read more... )

I composed these, all three, in a rush recently, about four hours before I was due to perform them at a local event (for reasons of scanty Internet anonymity, I'm not linking to it). Yeah, I write better when the deadline's in sight. They're all Shakespearean sonnets, because frankly those are the easiest, involving three quatrains (abab cdcd efef ( Read more... )

I was just reading this, linked from the Wednesday Blogaround at Shakesville, and it really reached me. Note that this link from which I've taken the quotation is about gender-related issues, childhood bullying, and the like; be aware of your own emotional state before reading, if those are concerns for you. Supporting Gender Variance Every Day I ( Read more... )

Just re-watching some old episodes here, including one of my favourites, Turn Left. And two things struck me, about Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. Now, I know that there are fervent camps on either side of the divide, but I'll admit, I'm agnostic about the whole thing. I think they each have their strengths and their weaknesses. There are ( Read more... )

I'm not going to drop links, you can find them easily enough. The areas where it started? They're the areas I lived in, when we lived in London back in the day ( Read more... )

Marvel has announced that the Ultimate Spider-Man will be Miles Morales, a Black and Latino youth, in the wake of the death of Peter Parker in the Ultimate continuity ( Read more... )

That's me. Just a tease.

Or rather, that's this post. I have some writing plans afoot, oh yes my dearies I do, I seem to be moving back into a "writing is okay with my depression hurray" part of my cycle again.

Watch this space.

...given the name of my blog, but I don't view "immigrant" as a slur ( Read more... )