sundries

54 years ago today Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.

Today is also World AIDS Day. Everything xtricks says about the impact of AIDS on our global society is true. Meanwhile, South African President Zuma (a source of controversy on a pretty large number of issues), seems to be addressing the AIDS crisis there, a significant break from the delusional and deadly policies of the previous president, Thabo Mbeki.

An image of West Point cadets reading while waiting for President Obama to speak. I note that the cadet in the far right of the picture is reading Gates of Fire, which, in its final pages makes the assertion that's worth the entire book, which is that the opposite of love is fear.

I'm getting really sick of this world where we just redefine words and decide facts aren't facts because we don't like them. When you show up to a party uninvited, that's called crashing, whether you like it or not. This is true even if the party is at the White House and you are an aspiring reality TV star.

Did you guys see Maziar Bahari on the Daily Show last night? Riveting stuff. For those of you who don't know Bahari is a Newsweek journalist who was recently released from prison in Iran. Part of what landed him there was participating in a Daily Show segment.

The Land That Never Was: A New York Times photo essay on Dubai.

When it comes to finding a job, a college degree doesn't close the race gap.

My book on Amazon is currently listed with a 3 - 5 week ship time, which means you won't get it before Christmas. This shouldn't be the case, and we're working to fix it. However, if you need a copy for the holidays, you can also contact me directly or order from B&N.

Actors, now older, pose as the characters they once were. via fortysevenbteg.

The Berlin Wall has fallen but a forbidden zone lingers in the minds of deer.

Also in Deer News: One has apparently swum to Governors Island and is now in the process of being rescued.

I have received fabric swatches from Duchess Clothier for new shirts. This process mostly highlights how persnickety I am. I like the plum, but maybe the color is a little too bright. I like the more subdued plum, but I don't like the slight sheen to the cross-hatched pattern on it that only I would probably notice. I like the french blue, god do I like the french blue, but the fabric itself is so fine and delicate, and I never think of french blue that way (geez, I wonder why). I like the green and grey stripey thing, but how would I wear it? Not with a suit surely, I'd look like one of my old Italian relatives. Open at the nick with just slacks and maybe a waistcoat? Yeah, that would probably be awesome.... but really? Hrrrrr. Then there's the blue and white stripe, which in my head is way too casual for a suit unless I do it with white cuffs and collar, which would make a beautiful shirt, but yuck, so Wall Street. And then there's the white with the progressive blue pinstripes, and the swatch is just too small for me to tell. Really, the only thing I know is that I hate the red. I should just ask Seyta what she thinks. The peach pinstripe she steered me too last time was the one I was the least sure about and is now the one I like the most.

I've been having a lot of unpleasant dreams lately, all about pretty real-world things all involving my friends. In the end, we all always come out of the bad situation okay, but this is getting annoying. It's more real-world processing than I'm interested in remembering. Throw in stuff about fencing and Doctor Who fandom, and I'm apparently Working Out Some Issues.

Wow, someone just made a funny at me in email about the Warsaw pact. *Blink* My life is a bit odd.

a good you can do

britgeekgrrl's husband has been battling cancer for a couple of years now. Sadly, that battle is almost over and sooner than was expected. If you've ever lost a loved-one you know that death-related expenses can be massive, even when choosing the most affordable and simple options, as is the case here. Cremation and associated costs are expected to run about $1,400 and it's just not in a budget that thought the timeline on this was going to run for several more months. As kshandra notes in her own post on the subject, we're "also hoping to cover Johanna's day-to-day expenses for a while as she sadly does not qualify for Family Medical Leave Act coverage and only has about 45 hours of PTO available to her at work."

I've known britgeekgrrl online for years and have met her at cons (she is a costumer and, as I put it, of the Whoniverse (a fandom, it's worth noting, that has led to a lot of discussions around here about the connection between death and hope)), although I've never had the pleasure of meeting her husband. I've watched her struggle with the little bullshit life deals all of us and figure it out, and then, sadly have to rise to this particular set of events with dignity and focus in conditions where it would be hard for anyone to have either.

There's not much we can really do for other people, and all of us wind up with our own set of circumstances, but I really believe -- I have to believe -- that there's service and value each in seeing people in, through, and out of this life, even if we don't have children, even if we never have to tend to a loved-one near the end.

So this is me asking for a favor, not just because britgeekgrrl and her husband need your help so that the end of their time together isn't focused on funereal financial worries, but because in a awful situation this is a good you can do even if death is not just a tragic thing, but an ordinary thing.

So, if you've got and money to spare, and I know many of us don't in this economy and this season, please PayPal a little bit to johanna_mead@yahoo.com Please select Gift (under Personal) under transaction to reduce the Paypal fee situation. Boosting the signal is also welcome.

I would very much like her to be able to stop worrying about the financial aspect of at least the cremation today, and I believe we can make that happen.

ETA: britgeekgrrl reports that the cremation and related expenses have been covered by everyone's generosity. Additional donations she's received will also allow her to bring in home nursing aides to make this easier on both her and Alex. THANK YOU, INTERNETS.

(no subject)

Thank you to everyone who helped out britgeekgrrl earlier today. You helped to take her mind off on a practical worry in a terrible time.

Unfortunately, her husband, dancingshaman, passed away earlier this evening. Please keep them in your thoughts.

And please in your own lives, say what you have to say, and live how you need to live. It may be a too often repeated sentiment, but stuff like this brings home, at least to me that some things shouldn't be procrastinated.