I recently got into a bit of a fight on the internet over Social Justice blogs and erasure. Long story short, a blogger that I respect (much as we may disagree) argued that Social Justice blogs and sites that don’t talk about the issues of disabled people are inherently bigots because they contribute to erasure. Which, valid point seeing as most SJ blogs and articles focus more on LGBTQ issues, race issues, and feminist ones, without inclusion of disabilities. Read the rest at Issues of Humanity.
Fear: Diving phobias
When you first hit the water, either taking the Great Leap off the back of a dive boat or rolling backward off a dinghy, that first moment is breathtaking. You are simultaneously awed by the experience and terrified by the simple logic of ‘I cannot breathe’- even if you are currently breathing! For some people, that fear is an all-consuming vacuum of terror, something that forces them out of the water and maybe out of diving all together. Read the rest in DIVER Magazine: volume 39, issue 2 or online at DiverMag.com.
Elder Scrolls Online is a Fan’s MMO Dream Come True
Elder Scrolls Online officially launches in June of this year, on both computers and consoles. This past weekend, I was part of the beta stress-test for the North American server and unlike previous beta tests, I’m finally able to talk about my experience playing ESO so far. Read the rest at BleedingCool.
Startup makes battery that may solve energy crisis
Aquion, a startup tech company, has developed a new kind of battery that just might make solar power a sustainable option for long term use. The company is now sending out batteries for customer evaluation and has finished installing its first commercial-scale production line. Read the rest at examiner.com.
‘Blurred Lines’ Goes From Sexist Song to Feminist Play
“Blurred Lines” is no longer just the name of a hit song. The National Theatre in London is now host to a play of the same name, which was created by Nick Payne and Carrie Cracknell and includes poetry by Michaela Coel. It is essential to note, however, that neither Payne nor Cracknell are entirely responsible for the play, as it was “devised” by the Company and then scripted by Payne. Read the rest at TheBlot.
Bleeding Cool’s Best Comic Panels of 2013
“This year, we asked our Bleeding Cool writers to contribute their picks for the Best Comic Panels of 2013, and the votes are in. From the serious and thought-provoking to the wild and raucous expressions comics are more than capable of, our writers selected the moments that defined the medium this year for them. The composite picture really does suggest that 2013 has been a year like no other in comics, and that’s setting the bar high for 2014. Here are the best comic panels of 2013:” – Hanna Means Shannon on BleedingCool.
Bitcoin: Currency of the Future?
There have been several attempts at creating an online-only currency, but they’ve never really taken off. The oldest electronic currency was e-gold, which took off in 1996 but is no longer an active currency. Digital Monetary Trust, 1999’s attempt, is similarly offline. To be fair, Ripple, Ven, Litecoin, Peercoin and Namecoin are all still around. Even if you’ve never heard of them. Bitcoin, however, has taken off in a big way recently. Read the rest at TheBlot.
Related articles
- The Bitcoin Buzz (buzzonomics.wordpress.com)
- Bitcoin-Litecoin Ratio Returns to Historic Norm, Peercoin Climbs 200% (bitcoinvancouver.ca)
- Bored with Bitcoin? Here’s 3 cryptocurrency alternatives (siliconangle.com)
- Bitcoin faces many rivals in virtual currencies (boston.com)
- Bitcoin breaks the bank at $1,000, but its not the only cryptocurrency making waves (siliconangle.com)
Asexy and Who Cares?
This week is Asexual Awareness Week, I keep seeing posts on the internet, mostlyTumblr, about how a lot of Asexuals felt like they were “broken” before they learned of the more clinical term, and of the supportive online community. The Asexual Visibility campaign has been gaining a lot of traction. Seems like every few weeks there’s another article somewhere about it. Which is cool. More people knowing about it means fewer people think that they’re “broken”. Trust me, I’ve been there and it sucks. Read the rest at Issues of Humanity.
Related articles
- Asexual Identification, Masochism, and Self-Harm (theacetheist.wordpress.com)
- A (very) brief guide to asexuality (theconfusedramblingsofasociallyawkwardteen.wordpress.com)
- How to Throw an Awesome Asexual Coming Out Party (dontkidnaptheprincess.wordpress.com)
- I Am Not Your Sex Cheerleader (asexualagenda.wordpress.com)
Crowdfunding: How To Sell Your Dreams
When it comes to getting new work out there, it has traditionally been a painful process. Have a book? Gotta get an agent, and then you have to find a publisher willing to take you on. Have an invention you want to mass-market? Good luck finding a company willing to work with you and not just steam-roll over your idea.
The world has always been a place for corporations. Entrepreneurs and small-time companies barely make a profit and always have a small audience.
The Internet, of course, has changed all that. You can now crowdfund everything. It started with Kickstarter, which was mostly a way for artists to get funding for projects no sane company would ever touch. They were too risky. But lately, even start-up tech companies have begun to use the crowdsourcing model, either by crowdsourcing their investors or crowdfunding the R&D. Read the rest at TheBlot.
Related articles
- Crowdfunding Site Launches for the Female Entrepreneur (blogs.wsj.com)
- SEC eyes rules for ‘crowdfunded’ startups (timesleader.com)
- Crowdfunding Better for Selling Products Than Stock (usnews.com)
- Crowdfunding for startups closer to reality (mercurynews.com)
Crowd sourcing guidelines
The following is a blog post by John Burman about theCrowdfunding Your Vision: How to Achieve the Results You Want panel at 2013’s New York Comic Con. While the focus was on comics, the panel did a good job of being as broad as possible, because all the advice can easily be adapted for any purpose. Read the rest at examiner.com
Related articles
- Crowdfunding the arts in South Africa (bbc.co.uk)
- Crowdfunding Writing: Your Opinion Needed (nicecuppatae.com)
- Crowdfunding When Sales is Not Enough! (projecteve.com)
- Crowdfunding comes to the RSA (rsanw.wordpress.com)
Madeline Ricchiuto 