A few links ad pictures of fun

Foxy fun - foxes realise they are on a trampoline

I have a rant about the NHS coming up... but maybe I won't bother. depends on how angry I remain.

Body balance

Does anyone know where I can find a listing of the movements for Body Balance #57?  It's a gym class, mix of pilates and yoga. I've found the tracklist but not the moves and I can't remember all the things in the release.

I'll explain why... I am a member of a local gym and have been going to the balance classes, but I've just had to freeze my membership because my boyfriend got knocked off his bike last week and is in hospital with a broken pelvis and broken collarbone.  Thankfully, that's all that's wrong with him - no internal injuries and no head injuries.  But because of this, I'm spending all my spare time at the hospital, and when he comes out i'll be spending my mornings and evenings looking after him till he's properly mobile again (he'll be on crutches for several weeks). So no time for the gym.  So I want to do the Balance routine at home so I don't seize up.  But with my crap memory, combined with all the stress, I can't remember what movements go where.


edit: of course, fuck knows when i'm gonna get the time to do this, what with going back to work on tuesday and spending evenings at the hospital, then finding time to eat as well.

edit 2: why does our local hospital have such piss poor lighting?   it's got those horrible glaring bulbs.  i'm stressed enough with the boyfriend being stuck in there, let alone getting headeaches induced by bad lighting.  I just want him home. :(

Super Sexy Saturday

*fans self*

This is by Mike Mayhew.  Oh my.  Arthur.


*fans self*

50 things to do before you’re 11 and ¾

So The National Trust is a UK charity that specialises in restoring and preserving historical buildings and gardens.  It might do more than that, but that's what I know about them.  Anyway, it seems to be common knowledge that kids don;t spend as much time outdoors as they used to, so the National Trust came up with a list of 50 things to do before you’re 11 and ¾.

I like lists.  I thought I'd go through and see what I'd done!  With commentary, of course.  Turns out that I've done 38 out of 50.  Not bad eh?  I found the list on the parents part of their website here: https://www.50things.org.uk/parents-area.aspx

The few that were missing I found from a google search.

What I'd like to know, is how many of this stuff you guys have done, and if there's a difference between folk who grew up in the UK, and folk who grew up elsewhere.  I guess climate of your country will make a difference to some of them.  Anyway, have a read and let me know.

1.Climb a tree

Yes – although as I’m a coward I am easily scared by the threat of falling.  My boyfriend is much better at this than me.  And still likes climbing trees. And scaffolding.  And anything he shouldn't!

2. Roll down a really big hill

Yes – mind the cowpats though.  And the rocks.

 

3. Camp out in the wild

Yes – I’m not a fan. I went with the girl guides and also on one family camping tree to the bay of biscay in France. That wasn’t exactly in the wild, though we did find a big fat hedgehog under the tent, and a huge jellyfish washed up on the beach.  In fact that jellyfish is what scared me from going in the sea for the next 10 years or so.

4. Build a den

Yes – although a lot of these were done in the house with chairs, the sofa and a duvet cover.  I used to love that  I've also done this as an adult. It's still fun.

 

5. Skim a stone
Yes - but I never got the hang of it.  I probably gave up after a few goes.

6. Run around in the rain
Yep!  This is also fun as a teenager.

7. Fly a kite

My Dad loved doing this with us.  We always had problems untangling the kite strings.

 

8. Catch a fish with a net

Done that in Ireland.  It was on a fish farm so it wasn’t exactly difficult.  I remember having to bash the fish in the head to kill it then taking it home and cooking it.  One of them excreted a lot of poo when my mum was cleaning it.  Gross..

I think the national trust wants you to catch the fish then put it back in the water.

9. Eat an apple straight from a tree

Very much so. And pears.  My dad grew the best pears.  At their best when they are slightly under-ripe.

10. Play conkers

Yes.  But I never really saw the point.

 

11. Throw some snow

Yes. But the coldness of the snow meant I have never enjoyed snowball fights.  Making snow angels, now that’s far more fun.

 

12. Hunt for treasure on the beach

I still do this now!

 

13. Make a mud pie

I remember doing this as a very young child.

14. Dam a stream

Yes - this is so much fun!  It was never anything spectacular.  Just little dams.  But still fun.

 

15. Go sledging

I’ve done this twice in my life. Once as a young teenager, where another sledge knocked into me and left me winded.  It was my first experience of being winded and I found it very interesting, in a detached sort of way. I remember thinking so this is hat winded means! This is how it feels not to be able to breathe!

The second time I went was at university, and it was awesome.

 

16. Bury someone in the sand

Not done this, not seriously.  I’ve buried feet in the sand plenty of times.  That’s really pleasurable.

17. Set up a snail race

I think I may have watched snail race, but I’ve never set one up. I dislike snails.  They are marginally above slugs on my scale of things to be afeard of.

 

18. Balance on a fallen tree

I ADORE playing on trees.  Even as an adult.  Especially as an adult.

19. Swing on a rope swing

Not sure if did this as a kid.  I may have been too fearful.  I’ve done it as an adult though.  Much fun was had.

 

20. Make a mud slide

Nooooo.... not sure what this means actually.

21. Eat blackberries growing in the wild

Yepski!  It’s a good idea to make sure they are ripe, otherwise they are sour tasting and will give you bad guts.

22. Take a look inside a tree

Hmm.  Not sure about this one.  I think I always wanted to, but there was a dearth of hollow trees wherever I looked.

23. Visit an island

This is where My memories get confused.  I could say yes, but I may just have placed scenes from the hounds of the morrigan or various Enid Blyton books into my memory.

24. Feel like you're flying in the wind
Oh yes.  I'd be surprised if anyone who goes outside ever has never experienced this.


25. Make a grass trumpet
Erm, again, I'm not sure what this means.  I've tried to whistle on grass.  Never got the hang of that.

26. Hunt for fossils and bones

Yes.  Not found any though.

27. Watch the sun wake up

I highly doubt this. I have never been a morning person.  From about 15 upwards I could stay up all night and watch the sun rise, but I always found it very boring.  Sunset is much more interesting.

28. Climb a huge hill

I expect so.  No specific memories come to mind, but we did have some good walks on the Yorkshire moors when I was young.  I climbed up Arthur’s seat in Edinburgh as an adult, when on a hen party a few years ago.

29. Get behind a waterfall

Like number 23, I have no idea if I’ve done this or if I’m just filching scenes from books and films.

 

30. Feed a bird from your hand 
Sadly no.  As an adult yes! I've fed the swans near our house. In my new house I hope to tame a robin!

31. Hunt for bugs
Of course.

32. Find some frogspawn

Yes.  In my primary school’s pond there was frogspawn. We all got taken out o look at it.  I remember touching it and being grossed out by the slimy nature of it.

33. Catch a butterfly in a net

Nope.

 

34. Track wild animals
If this means successfully, then no.  If it means  tried to, without any actual knowledge, then of course!

35. Discover what's in a pond

Probably.  I expect when poking at frogspawn we also looked at the other pondlife.

36. Call an owl

Unfortunately no.  But  if my house move goes well I’ll be living next to some woods, so maybe then eh?

37. Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool

I remember looking at rock pools, but always being disappointed there weren’t exciting things in there.  I felt like Enid Blyton books had lied to me. 

38. Bring up a butterfly

No. But I want to now.

39. Catch a crab

Erm... I’m really not sure...

40. Go on a nature walk at night

I cannot recall if I’ve ever done this.

41. Plant it, grow it, eat it

My dad did.  He tried to get me interested in gardening.  It didn't work.  Does that count?  Oh hang on, I may have grown some cress once.

42. Go wild swimming

I think so.  Probably before I saw the massive jellyfish on the beach in France.

 

43. Go rafting

I remember building a raft on a school trip.  I don’t think we ever got on it though.

 

44. Light a fire without matches

I remember trying to do this.  Possibly using the rubbing sticks together vigorously method.  Possibly at Girl Guides.  I don’t think it worked.

 

45. Find your way with a map and a compass

Yep!  At Girl Guides, or a school trip.  Or both, perhaps.

 

46. Try bouldering

I don’t think I know what this is.

 

47. Cook on a campfire

Yes,  At guide camping trips. And at Reading festival as an adult. I hated it.  Still do.

 

48. Try abseiling

Yes, on a school trip to Wales.  I was missing a contact lens, I was scared of heights, but after I’d gone over the edge I loved it. I would like to do it again.

 

49. Find a geocache

As an adult I did this.  I think was aged about 23.

50. Canoe down a river

Yes,  I was probably terrified (I was terrified of a lot of things).  I did it on the school trip to Wales.

So, what do you reckon?  how many of these have you done?

Just two little tattoos (a crosspost)

A friend of mine recently wrote an excellent post on tattoos, bodily autonomy and parental control, in response to an article on the Guardian which was full of overblown hysterics regarding one mother's reactions to her son's tattoo.  I'm crossposting it here, because it's such a good, considered, well thought out response.

-----------------------

As I am in my mid-twenties, and find myself part of a very similar situation, I wanted to respond directly to Tess Morgan’s recent article in the Guardian. And just as I know her hysterical reaction is not indicative of all mothers, I do not assume to speak for anyone other than myself. I also hesitate to make this too-specifically about my own situation as, unlike Tess - only crudely hidden with a pseudonym, I don’t want to step on the toes of anyone else’s privacy. I hope I can paint reactions with broad enough brushstrokes.

Tess’ article reads like a (somewhat overblown) itinerary of my own parents’ reactions to my two tattoos. And although I was reasonably unaware of how revulsed they were by the idea of tattoos before getting inked, it sounds like her son and I had similar experiences.

One key difference is that I am female - usually I would make no issue of this, but Tess explains why her associations of men with tattoos are so strong, and so abhorrent. And this is something that fascinates me. This level of prejudice, from someone claiming to be liberal, is typical of the Guardian reading hypocrisy. It seems her deepest fear is that her son will instantly become (or at least be seen as) a thug with a dog on a chain. This boy is clearly more intelligent and open-minded than his mother. What a terrible advert for middle-class sneering. ‘On a chain!!’

In my case, I am a woman. Largely speaking we are a society absent of older women with tattoos. If they have them, we do not see them. There are likely to be few women currently in their seventies with tattoos. I want to see these taboos broken. I want to be part of changing what women are allowed to explore and expose. Tess realises her reaction may just be what older women feel. I want these prudish expectations of women to evaporate. I no more want to be objectified by a middle-aged woman than I do by any man. The only thing I can do is fight by refusing to cover, for others, the markings I have chosen.


image taken by Tom Cops

When imagining my body at seventy, my parents think I will regret my (carefully considered) choices. But there is something beautiful and freeing in trusting yourself, trusting that, whether or not fashions change and you no longer like the aesthetic you chose, that picture is now a part of your fabric. It has become as familiar and pleasing as any part of your body. You have lived with it for nearly as long. My tattoos were developed with people I love, during some of the best experiences of my life, and even if my relationship to those people were to change, what better reminder of the possibilities of human interaction?

Tess assumes tattoos are fashionable, but that is not right, they are a culture in themselves. And whereas they historically told the world ‘I am part of this specific thing’, with symbols to delineate denominations, they now say whatever an individual chooses.

Tess’ images of death and repeated reference to the fact her son ‘couldn’t have done anything to hurt me more’ are utterly ridiculous and I’m sure only push her level-headed sounding son further away. He has done nothing to her. When he makes any other decision I’m sure he doesn’t have to consider his parents’ judgement, because until that point he has obviously received excesses of unconditional love, reinforcing his every thought.

It seems prejudice is nearly all of what this reaction comes down to. But if a tattoo is going to change how someone thinks of me, well then it is a good way of filtering out the idiots before I get emotionally involved with them. If someone had a problem with what I chose to wear, I would not change for them, as it is a big part of who I am. My parents would not want me to. I had hoped they would see this in that light.


image via

As in the case of Tess’ son, my tattoos are easily covered for working situations, so they will never stop me from achieving the high-powered jobs parents think their children want. And surely a tattoo is an indication of the self-belief and arrogance you need to reach the top of any career chain.
My parents always want me to feel sure of myself, comfortable in my own skin. And despite their limitless faith in me and praise, I am as full of doubt and self-deprecation as everyone else. Getting my two tattoos signalled the first time I had felt certain of anything, the first time I confidently made a decision that benefited and affected only me. I naturally satellite my movements around others, my views are occasionally malleable and open to debate. I spend a lot of time agonising over this. It’s something I’m intensely aware of and something I want to change. I felt immensely happy when, contrary to this trait, I evolved the certainty to add something to myself. Something I would glimpse in the mirror, something for and about myself, and the few people involved in their conception.

It soon transpired the tattoos were not only affecting me, they were affecting my parents even more. The idea that a parent has the kind of connection Tess describes to the body of their child is disturbing. It makes me never want to have children. To assume any kind of authority over someone else’s body, whether or not they started life in your womb or testicles, is not right. Even if that authority originates in love and devotion.

It is my body. It is my body. And just in case it hasn’t sunk in, it is my body. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith said a brilliant thing about their daughter Willow:
“We let Willow cut her hair. When you have a little girl, it’s like how can you teach her that you’re in control of her body? If I teach her that I’m in charge of whether or not she can touch her hair, she’s going to replace me with some other man when she goes out in the world. She can’t cut my hair but that’s her hair. She has got to have command of her body. So when she goes out into the world, she’s going out with a command that it is hers.”

(This should be a picture of Willow Pinkett Smith but the image won't copy over.  Please go to Grace's original post to view it)
image via

When Tess hazards that her son gave her no thought when getting the tattoo, she is right. She says he ‘took a meat cleaver to my apron strings’, but what would be a better sign of a loving, empathetic, motherly connection than to accept her son for whatever decisions he makes, whatever he chooses to wear, be or paint himself with? Even if this turns out to be a mistake, for god’s sake support him in that too. You clearly want to be involved.

If anything, Tess has untied the strings with her own hyperbolic rage and petty childish response to snobbish prejudice.

I have still never regretted my tattoos for a single second. But the only thing that has made me feel any unease has been my parents. I am hoping that Tess will do as her son says, re-examine her prejudices and, to put it bluntly, chill the fuck out. My parents have.


--------------------

Wonderfully put Grace.  Questions about parent/child bodily autonomy have been at the forefront of my mind recently, as my sister had her first child 5 months ago.  My mother has got very protective and controlling about myself, my sister and her new granddaughter since then, and I think it's all tied up with feelings of ownership that she's got over us.  Obviously, this makes me very uncomfortable.  So, this post is very timely for me.


I do not have any tattoos, but I do have piercings, I've written about them here.

Please, teach basic science

“First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview posted Sunday. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

From here.

A Republican Senate Nominee said that. You'd think he's be fairly bright.  He should know better.  Man, if you're gonna oppose abortion please use facts to back up your views, not made up science.

Super Silly Sunday

This was doing the rounds on twitter recently.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha!

Super Sexy Saturday

I was gonan do just one post, but heck, when I searched images of Black Canary, loads came up, so let's make today's post a Canary spectacular.  Of course, quite a few images of just Dinah are porn or just bad, or they are her doing heroic stuff.  I don't really want the heroic stuff, b/c when she's being heroic my main thought is she's heroic, not sexy.  So I've included a few images of her with Ollie as well.  Enjoy!

 (The above is by Paolo Rivera)

Super Sexy Saturday

It's the original cover to Superman/Batman 40.  I don't think I've used it before.  It caused an outcry when first released on t'internet and the final cover was this image instead.  I think the final one is boring.

I love this image.  Bekka is the goddess of lust, this suits that.  I don't think it's sexist at all.  I don't think it demeans her or demeans Bruce.  I just think it's a fabulous, hot image.

Jericho

I'm reading pre crisis Teen Titans and the treatment of jericho is getting me really cross.

He doesn't get internal narrative boxes. He gets description boxes telling us what he's thinking, but they are not thoughts.  everybody else gets internal narrative, but not Joe.  he is silenced in all ways possible.
This is a problem because he is mute.  He isn't deaf, his hearing is absolutely fine, but he can't speak so he uses American sign language to communicate (when the rest of his team can be bothered to learn it that is).  So because he can't verbally speak and the rest of the team can't understand him, we never get to hear what it's in his head either.  which is bullshit. he's not an empty vessel just because no other bugger can understand him.

F'rinstance, if he got an internal narrative box here I bet he's be saying something like 'ye gods that woman's soul self is horrendous what the fuck just happened I'm in a lot of pain.  you bloody arseholes why can't you understand me dammit you bunch of selfish buggers'.

and the phrase' searching for concepts no sign language was designed to convey' irks me no end. a) it wasn't designed, b) sign languages can convey concepts of soul searching horror very well thank you, c) a better way to describe his feeling would be to say something like 'searching for concepts no human being ever thought to convey'.


Lazy fucking writing.

Batman Friday!

So I wore a Bat belt buckle to work a few months back, and it was a Friday, so I decided every Friday is Batman Friday.

Since then I've been encouraging people to tell me their favourite Batman, Bat family, or Bat mammal related anecdotes and stories.

It makes Friday much more fun!  A few weeks ago I tweeted a link to an RSPB blog post comparing Batman and Spider-man (including nifty action figures).

Got any?


Here's some twitter folks came up with:

@AlexanderLyons - http://bit.ly/M9CXv5 Steph slaps The Douche Knight in the faaaace...

@Kapellusch - My Dad loves Batman. He used to tell me Batman stories instead of Fairy Tales.

‏@KorvarTheFox - I think my favourite Batman story is him versus the Hyperclan in Justice League. Even if that led to bad BatGod stories. #batmanfriday

Not sure who gave me this one, but it's a real life Batman - http://fb.me/24pDfzDny

@cwena - I saw Batman Live, and I saw Batman's boot guard fall off. It was inspiring how he carried on fighting crime

My personal contribution is that when I'm at body combat gym classes, I secretly pretend I'm a bat ninja.  Or I used to at least.  Now I normally concentrate on not falling over.


Then there's stories too:
Superhero economics: Bat vs Spider.
Batman princess
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/who-is-the-route-29-batman-this-guy/2012/03/28/gIQA8nPjgS_blog.html


So come one, tell me your Batman Friday stories.  If you tweet it use the #batmanfriday hashtag so I can find it :)

Have a great day everybody :)

Super Silly Sunday

GIANT COLUMN OF SKULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SKULLS!!!!

(new teen titans, vol 1, issue 29)


SKULLS!!!

Super Sexy Saturday

Hell yes.

Found from this website: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2012/07/20/feature-fanart-friday-dc-comics-edition
Credited to this other site: http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28521226

I'm wary about putting women in these super sexy posts because I think they'll contribute to general objectification. hmm.  maybe I should just look harder for better images?

Batman vs Avengers

Here's an interesting article on the difference between Batman: the Dark Knight and Avengers Assemble.  It's all about how optimism and cynicsm are treated in those movies.  It's good. It's thought provoking and it's written with a love for the characters.  Go read.

ASN August update

(Am in a rush so can't check the formatting of this - hope it goes up ok)   Extra! Extra! Read all about it! ASN helps to change the abortion debate   Welcome to your ASN eBulletin. July was an exciting month for Abortion Support Network! The All Ireland Pro-Choice Rally helped raise awareness of the issue. ASN’s standing order campaign reaches its target – now onto the next one! If you have the time and desire to make a direct impact on a woman’s life, ASN is seeking a volunteer 'phone coordinator.   Pro-Choice activism in Ireland ASN in the news Standing Order Campaign Women we’ve helped 'Phoner needed International abortion activism  Ireland’s pro-choice community takes a stand If you are reading this, it will come as no surprise that Ireland’s abortion laws are amongst the strictest in the world. Recently, both Ireland and Northern Ireland have been plastered with anti-abortion billboards, and the pro-choice community decided to fight back with a rally to counter the anti-abortion “vigil” held annually in Belfast. You can see a video of the event here. BIG HUGE THANKS to the organisers of the All Ireland Rally for Choice who raised £187 / €250 for ASN! Thanks also to Pro-Choice Belfast and Choice Ireland for their donations. Two weeks after the pro-choice counter rally in Belfast, ASN volunteers Nick B and Anne Q attended a pro-choice planning meeting in Dublin on 28 July. Organised by key pro-choice campaigners and activists, the meeting was timed to follow the rally and to precede the ‘expert’ report in response to the ABC case ruling, expected in October 2012. For more information about activism in Ireland, go here. Looking for a way to quickly inform your friends about the situation for women in Ireland who need an abortion? Check out this video from the Irish Family Planning Association (ifpa). ASN in the news The events in Ireland have brought media coverage of ASN, including: The University Times, 4 July 2012 “Is there always a better answer?” The Guardian, 6 July 2012 “More Irish women seeking help for abortions, says charity” (“says charity” – that’s us!!) Il Journal, 7 July 2012 “Andare all'estero per abortire/Going Abroad for Abortions”   The Irish Times, 17 July 2012 “Abortion and the Cash Crux”  The Irish Examiner, 24 July 2012 “Restrictions hit poor women first”  We also came across this piece that ran in the Irish Examiner in June: The Irish Examiner, 15 June 2012 “Women cannot afford abortion in Britain” Can we point out how completely awesome it is that so much media coverage is highlighting the economic injustice of criminalising abortion! Big thanks also to Emma Campbell  for allowing the Irish Times to use her photos of ASN volunteers Mara and Ann. Emma is the writer and photographer who created "When they put their hand out like scales", a beautiful and powerful book about the journey of women from Ireland to England for abortions that includes photos of and quotes from a few of ASN’s volunteers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Just over a year ago, ASN launched our Standing Order campaign with the hope of reaching £1,000 per month in regular income. As of today, we are at £1001 per month! (minus PayPal fees for those donating that way, but let’s not split hairs). Thank you, thank you, thank you! Feel like you’re missing out on the joy each month of knowing your donation will go directly to helping women travel and pay privately to access a safe legal abortion? Info' on how to donate (and fill out a gift aid form) can be found here. Please be sure to let us know if you make a donation so we know who you are and can thank you! Women we’ve heard from   In July, ASN heard from 27 women seeking assistance, including: A young woman who was so afraid of anyone overhearing her conversation with us that she requested all contact be via email. A mother of two who become pregnant after getting a contraceptive implant. A young woman living at home, whose family financial difficulties are such that they had recently sold the family car to cover food and other costs. Emails from women: “I am worried about the possibility that I am pregnant but will not be certain for another week and a half as I am not home at the moment but I just want to have all the information now so I can deal with this as safely and quickly as possible. I have found your site so wonderful and you have no idea what it means as an Irish person to know that you are committed to helping us.” “I am in receipt of social welfare and I am in bad debt with my credit union and I cannot ask them for any loans. When I told the man I was in a relationship he said he was not responsible and left me alone. I feel very depressed and I am certain I cannot have this baby as [I have young children] and I am financially in a very bad place and another child is not what my family or I need. I have very little support or family to help me and I could not approach them for help. I wonder if you could get in touch with me.” We thank these women and men for allowing us to share their stories. The women we don’t fund Every month, ASN receives calls and emails from women in a variety of circumstances.  Many of these women, after our initial contact with them, never get back in touch with us. In these cases, we have no way of knowing if these women decided to continue their pregnancies, if they were able to access an abortion without our assistance, or, our fear, that circumstances – an abusive partner, a lack of childcare, the inability to obtain a visa in time – kept them from travelling. These are the women who haunt us. Wanted: ASN 'Phone Coordinator   These case studies, which we shorten and strip of identifying details, can’t capture how lost, angry, overwhelmed or scared some of the women who contact us sometimes are. ASN is contacted by women who have never booked tickets online, women without credit cards, women who think they can raise a certain amount of money but call us last minute to let us know they have far less, women without passports, women who have health problems that make abortion in a clinic setting impossible, women who think they are at one gestation and arrive to find they are in a higher price bracket. The 'phone is the link between women in difficult circumstances and the funding and information that can help them. Do you live in London and have a cool head, a calm 'phone manner and the ability to return 'phone calls and emails within 24-48 hours? You might make an excellent ASN phone coordinator. 'Phoners take the 'phone for one scheduled week every five to six weeks and are trained and supported throughout their shifts. Email ASN if interested. Can’t be a 'phoner but have a couch and live near a clinic? We are looking for hosts who live within an easy commute of London’s Richmond, Ealing, Streatham or Brixton clinics as well as hosts based close to the clinics in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and Liverpool. Have a spare room, pull out sofa, or air mattress and the desire to host a woman in need? Get in touch! International Day to Decriminalise Abortion   28 September is the International Day to Decriminalise Abortion. In our next eBulletin we hope to have more information about activities happening in London around the day (hopefully involving ASN volunteers!) but in the meantime, you can learn more about the campaign  or sign up for updates. What will you be doing? Spotlight on the National Network of Abortion Funds   Speaking of work being done internationally to fight for abortion justice, we’d like to take our hats off to the National Network of Abortion Funds. While 93 NNAF funds are US-based, ASN is one of just four international funds under the NNAF umbrella. Check out this super cool poster showing why “Abortion Funds Rule!” and check out the larger work that you, as an ASN supporter, are a part of. *** Thank you again for all your support. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to provide accommodation, financial assistance, and confidential, non-judgemental information to the women in difficult circumstances who have contacted us. Website:www.abortionsupport.org.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbortionSupport Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AbortionSupportNetwork

Wonder Woman Wednesday

Taken from this CBR thread.  There's tons of good Wonder Woman pics there.  Check them out.

Kelly Sue De Connick gets accosted and persuaded to write the mash up of all mash ups

(Intro - Kelly Sue DeConnick is at Heroes Con and a small girl child named Winter comes up to her table).

"Next, Winter declared that she and I should make a book together. That I would write and she would draw and it would be about NINJAS. And also zombies. And cheerleaders.
[.....]
I asked Winter to make me a list of 10 things she wants to draw.  I got this reply:

The main story idea from Winter is that of a Ninja Princess and her
Cheerleader Friends joining forces with vampire ninjas to fight zombie
ninjas from invading her kingdom.

The princess also has a superhero friend named Rock, a female rock
star with pink and blonde hair who uses guitars, drum kits, flutes,
clarinets and an amp in battle.

Her other favorite things to draw include:
Kittens especially ninja kittens
Puppies
Wolves
Robots
Fairies
Good & Evil witches

 I will endeavor to work in Winter’s 10 favorite things to draw, and thus, 1 panel at a time, we will put together our Ninja Princess Zombie Rockstar mini-comic, which we will then run off punkzine style and sell at Heroes, with all proceeds going to Winter’s college fund."

Is this brilliant or a disaster waiting to happen?

But wait! It's a participatory project! (egads)

Over the next 10 months Kelly Sue will tweet a panel description with the hashtag #winterstale.  The you get to draw it and tweet the picture.  The entires will be reposted on WintersTales.tumblr.com.
As Kelly Sue says, "If all goes well, you can make your own Ninja Princess Zombie Rockstar minicomics which you may sell for your own college funds or swap with us and others for free"

Egads.

Still. Could be fun.

if you like Ninja Princess Zombie Rockstar (possibly with added kittens).

(Kelly Sue's twitter account https://twitter.com/kellysue/)

Chris Brown music review

I approve.

It's not that I think people should never be allowed to move on from their crimes, it's not that I think people's artistics products can only be consumed if you like them as people as well, it's that he did a truly awful thing when he beat Rhianna, and most of the music industry seems to be ignoring it.  When women are routinely abused by their partners, and blamed for it, I think the music industry should be doing something.  So whenever I see a review like this, I am pleased that someone is saying domestic violence is wrong.  Don't give money to someone who beat up his girlfriend - he's a disgusting human being.

Cosplay help needed

I want to make some Wonder Woman style wrist cuffs for Thought Bubble this year.  Does anyone have any idea how I can make them?  or have you seen anywhere I cna can buy plain silver bracers? I've been looking on ebay and I can purchase ready made ones, with the red star on them, for £40, but tbh that's a bit much and I don't want them with the red star. I want plain silver cuffs.

I'm also wondering how I could make the tiara, but that's not so much of a problem, b/c I can easily buy that.

Help?

EDIT - or if I bought a black catsuit (for a Donna Troy outfit) how could I get sparkles onto it?  woudl just throwing a ton of glitter on work at all?

Super Sexy Saturday

Lughnasa!

Today is Lughnasa, or Lammas as some call it.  It's the time of the first harvest and is named for the Irish sun and light God Lugh.  Lugh is also the God or artisans, smiths and craftsmen, and so shares attributes with Brigid, celebrated at Imbolc in February, and Athena, Greek God of weaving, wisdom and strategy.  I finished my decorations last night, and I'm pleased with them (especially as I managed to incorporate some sewing).

Symbols for Lughnasa are poppies, apricots, apples, nuts and grain.  In my display I also have bees and fish and birds, and candles, for the light.  I have just finished a minor feast of toast and marmalade, followed by cheese and biscuits.  I shall have my proper celebration on Friday I think, as I am out tomorrow night, same as tonight.  I was able to have apricots and nectarines in my morning porridge though.

There's a poem by Robert Burns, well, collected by Robert Burns as it's an old folk song, about John Barleycorn, who personifies the season.  Here it is:

There was three kings into the east,
Three kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.

They took a plough and plough'd him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.

But the cheerful Spring came kindly on'
And show'rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris'd them all.

The sultry suns of Summer came,
And he grew thick and strong:
His head weel arm'd wi pointed spears,
That no one should him wrong.

The sober Autumn enter'd mild,
When he grew wan and pale;
His bendin joints and drooping head
Show'd he began to fail.

His colour sicken'd more and more,
He faded into age;
And then his enemies began
To show their deadly rage.

They've taen a weapon, long and sharp,
And cut him by the knee;
They ty'd him fast upon a cart,
Like a rogue for forgerie.

They laid him down upon his back,
And cudgell'd him full sore.
They hung him up before the storm,
And turn'd him o'er and o'er.

They filled up a darksome pit
With water to the brim,
They heav'd in John Barleycorn-
There, let him sink or swim!

They laid him upon the floor,
To work him farther woe;
And still, as signs of life appear'd,
They toss'd him to and fro.

They wasted o'er a scorching flame
The marrow of his bones;
But a miller us'd him worst of all,
For he crush'd him between two atones.

And they hae taen his very hero blood
And drank it round and round;
And still the more and more they drank,
Their joy did more abound.

John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
Of noble enterprise;
For if you do but taste his blood,
'Twill make your courage rise.

'Twill make a man forget his woe;
'Twill heighten all his joy:
'Twill make the widow's heart to sing,
Tho the tear were in her eye.

Then let us toast John Barleycorn,
Each man a glass in hand;
And may his great posterity
Ne'er fail in old Scotland!


I hope you all enjoy the day .  Go get some fresh fruit, some seasonal vegetables and make a delicious feast.
May your cupboards and bellies be ever full!

Wonder Woman Wednesday

Breathtaking.
Found on this blog: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2012/07/20/feature-fanart-friday-dc-comics-edition
Credited to this site: http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=27306975

Now to hunt down a composite image of all the Amazon Gods seen thus far in the new 52.  I'm loving their design.