Too Much Going On – Short Links

I have a lot going on today and for the next couple of weeks plus it being Monday makes me feel even more stressed and out-of control so for today’s post I have a list of short links that I thought y’all would find interesting and can read instead of my insightful commentary 😉

Whose Feminism? over at Racialicious by Guest Contributor Thea Lim where she discusses her feelings of anger and betrayal toward some of the white feminist blogosphere and grassroots movements that ignore any discussion of race. I think it puts into words what a lot of Women of Color are feeling right now toward the feminist movement.

Oregon Public Broadcasting has the first in a series on Umatilla women, their tradition of root gathering and the threats to this tradition. Anna King actually talks to women of the Nation instead of talking at them which makes this a much more rounded article than the usual ones on Native folks.

A woman in Canada shaves her head to raise money for a Cancer org and finds herself fired from her waitressing job. This is all about this man (and the patriarchy itself) trying to control women’s appearances. It such bullshit and I’m glad the community is up in arms about it but – and perhaps this is just me being cynical – but I wonder would they be half as up in arms if this was her personal choice and not about raising money for Cancer?

Worried about angry white women voting for McCain? Well you probably shouldn’t be. Jill over at Feministe breaks down the point lead that Obama holds over McCain in regards to women overall. But as most of us know the media’s never really cared for any women but white middle-class ones and among that group McCain is beating Obama (but only by the small margin of 6 points).

An experimental new Alzheimer’s drug/treatment may stop the build up of protiens that damage brain cells.

Homophobic judge in Spain forced to marry gay couple after years of putting off performing any marriages between folks of the same sex.

Guest Contributor Alex Alvarez has two recent posts over at Racialicious that are really eye-opening. First, New Study Shows that Latino Teens Are Pregnant Suicidal Junkies where Alex questions who they consider Latina/o and how they decided it which is an important factor that’s not been brought up. Secondly, Our Genes Don’t Match with “Brown Pride” Clothing discusses the conflation of the term Latina/o with the chola/o subculture in the media and with clothing marketed to the Latina/o community in particular.

Finally on an environmental note, the first beaver dam in England in over 800 years.

Two Things

I’m still beaming about my acceptance into grad school and can’t really talk about it other than a very loud squeal and pumping my fist into the air repeatedly. So on to other things:

1) Botanical Architecture! Take a look at a building in Seoul, South Korea that has foliage covering both the internal and external walls. Although the city boy in me fears the bugs that might be rampant in such a structure the secret science freak within thinks it’s pretty super cool.

2) The Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop is now accepting applications. It is:

Launch Pad is a NASA-funded education/public outreach effort supplementing Mike Brotherton’s space-based astronomical research.  Our budget allows us to provide a workshop that is essentially free to participants.  Our primary goal is to teach writers of all types about modern science, specifically astronomy, and in turn reach their audiences.  We hope to both educate the public and reach the next generation of scientists. Therefore selection will be based in part on audience size as demonstrated through print runs, downloads, or sales figures when available.  Secondary considerations will include the content and potential of applicant work — to what extent science in general and astronomy in particular are likely to be a significant factor in their future publications.  Applicants should address these points when they apply.  Several slots will be reserved for the strongest minority/female applicants who may have additional promise in reaching groups less represented in both the physical sciences and hard science fiction.

I would apply but seeing as it’s right in the middle of Clarion and I’m still waiting to hear from them I’m going to hold off until next year. But I do recommend anyone interested to apply, it sounds pretty damn cool and it’s run by NASA. C’mon who could pass up the chance to grill some NASA scientists on what they really found on the moon? And what planet are the grey men at Area 51 really from?