Assuming the letters are from the web site author's family, the author is also an artist, a good one. His family and family background is very familiar to me -- New England, active, do-gooder-y, Unitarian.

The ranty stuff is part of this person, a sometimes wacky/funny part, but it is not all of this person.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:38 PM on July 8, 2008

You're right, I was focusing on the family letters under "Eva Braun." There is some connection between Vivian and Kevin (the artist, and the Kevin in the family letters), but you're right the site author is Vivian.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 12:07 AM on July 9, 2008

The state can create criminal sanctions to address the situation in which an assault upon a pregnant woman harms or kills the fetus without us getting all freaked out about it conflicting with abortion rights. The crime is the criminal assault upon a pregnant woman -- the crime can be enhanced (if the state wants to) when the assault creates a particular harm.

Me, I think the fetus is a *kind* of life, and of course abortion ends that. But whether there is fetal life... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:39 PM on July 2, 2008

But by the '80s, the decline was beginning to look like a rout. Football had surpassed baseball as America's true national pastime. And basketball, burdened by 20-point blowouts and matador defense, fell upon a brilliant marketing strategy: selling the sport as a constellation of individual stars, a sweaty version of the Emmys.

Not coincidentally, it was also a time when black men began deserting their families in droves.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 5:29 PM on June 13, 2008

Great post. "The question of marriage" as a concept (straight or gay) -- Western society has been struggling with this one for generations.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:06 AM on June 7, 2008

Thank you -- I will definitely use the literature links.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 3:40 AM on June 2, 2008

Weird -- I got 10 out of 10 correct. NOT the intended outcome, I'm sure.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 10:03 AM on May 19, 2008

How sad, awful. "Everybody knew he was exceptional at an early age," she said. "It's heartbreaking to think that the life he had in front of him is gone."
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:04 AM on May 10, 2008

Heh, 2or3whiskeysodas, I'm an AYS alum myself. I was, ahem, VERY well informed on birth control and STD prevention, but I do remember some painfully awkward 'let's rap about masturbation'-type sessions.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 5:18 PM on April 27, 2008

I heard Jon Eisenberg speak at an Impact Fund event last year -- fascinating, mind-blowing story.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:12 PM on April 26, 2008

The military cemetary emblems are interesting. My father was very happy to arrange (ahead of time, like any good Yankee) for a UU symbol on his grave marker. Adding the Wiccan symbol took a lawsuit. (A survey found 1,800 Wiccans in the Air Force -- who knew??)
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2008

What a sad sign. I'm glad it's posted.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:43 AM on April 13, 2008

There wasn't a good answer here, once SF was the site for this event. Hindsight is 20-20, but SF should have refused to be the site back when.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 10:16 PM on April 9, 2008

I don't get this trend -- aren't people getting ingrown hairs and fucked up and infected follicles from all of this waxing and shaving in sensitive areas? (Yes, one can laser, but I hate to mention that in a thread about wacky parents de-hairing their 8-year-old children.)
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:56 PM on April 4, 2008

Wow -- there are serious constitutional violations in that subpoena. I'm particularly offended by the request for communications between Seidel and various other web sites and advocacy groups.

* * * * *

In NAACP v. Alabama, 357 U.S. 449 (1958), the NAACP challenged a state court’s discovery order requiring it to produce membership lists and other organizational documents, “claim[ing] that the production order in the state litigation... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:19 PM on April 4, 2008

Thanks for this post. I guess I'm in the minority here as even in context I still find Wright offensive.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:59 AM on March 27, 2008

That's a pretty mild "diss" on Jon Stewart. (People are up in arms about that? (Sensitive much?) )
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:07 AM on March 25, 2008

Ugh, I was always stuck at home on a Saturday night, in the New Hampshire suburbs, bored out of my scull. I was 14, 15, ish. Old enough to know that somewhere, cool people were doing something interesting. I remember that feeling of dread -- there would be a coupla okay sit-coms sometimes between 8 and 9, and then it was just bad to worse for the rest of the evening. And No Where to Go, Ever!!! I'd go to the kitchen and make brownies just to do something. And I'd swear I wouldn't watch,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 12:40 PM on March 23, 2008

Did anyone link to this yet? Time-eating link to TV schedules from the 1940s to the present.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 12:42 PM on March 23, 2008

Very funny. I love this quote: "Well, that’s the problem with screw-ups … you never know what to wear."
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 6:58 PM on March 20, 2008

Hey, this post scared me! I'm a huge Jean Ritchie fan.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 1:12 PM on March 2, 2008

I think of John Yoo every time I toss the latest Boalt Hall solicitation for money into the trash.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:15 PM on January 26, 2008

Yawn -- I don't get it. (Having strange, intrusive, uncomfortable medical procedures is pretty much a given for most women.)
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 5:55 PM on January 22, 2008

“Childbirth is worse, guys.”
Well, yeah. But to be fair, women are, y’know, designed to give birth.

Isn't there this whole series of recent articles about how women's bodies are actually poorly designed for childbirth?

As to the dolphins, now I have strange mens-rights-y slogans in my mind -- Demand Special Circulatory Refrigeration Now!
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:55 PM on January 23, 2008

Great site, thanks.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:02 AM on January 20, 2008

I saw the Matthews-Hillary exchange. To me it seemed like a two-way street, with Hillary starting the teasing. I could be wrong.

I watch Hardball semi-regularly, and I've never thought that Matthews was sexist, or that he hates Hillary. He actually seems like a pretty nice guy. (Ducks.)
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:21 PM on January 10, 2008

Hilarious -- I thoroughly enjoyed it!

True confession -- for years I have had a crush on "11. Harvey Levin," based on People's Court and CourtTV. I know it's wrong, I know TMZ is wrong, but I still heart him.

Harvey!!!! Doncha want to date an age-appropriate San Francisco lawyer??? I'm smart, you're smart, call meeeeee!!!
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:21 PM on December 28, 2007

"Doncha want to date an age-appropriate San Francisco lawyer???"

I'm pretty sure the correct answer to this question is either "No" or "Hell no"


Helloooooo -- I'm right here! (Sheeesh. Good thing I'm not sensitive.)
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:29 PM on December 28, 2007

I hate lawyers, too. Except for me and Harvey Levin. (Drifts into daydream ... )
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:52 PM on December 28, 2007

I think it's cute. (Sorry, that's probably the worst insult ever.)

Next week I'll be in Mendocino in a place with a hot tub. Does Trophy want to come?
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:47 AM on December 20, 2007

Previously (buy handmade pledge).
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:15 PM on December 16, 2007

There is -- padraigin is part of it.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:31 PM on December 16, 2007

Previously (ravelry).
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:34 PM on December 16, 2007

these pics from craft mag are awesome.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:46 PM on December 16, 2007

Sorry, that latest link is subscriber only -- though it let (nonsubscriber) me in from here.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:50 PM on December 16, 2007

Of course, to make this work, you have to plan (and edit) your fake edits in a separate document, perhaps story boards, for humorous-est effect.

I like the Dear John or any kind of apology email.

I am so sorry

--erase erase erase--

I am deeply troubled

--delete delete delete--

-pause-

Mistakes were made.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:37 PM on December 14, 2007

This cracks me up. Someone funnier than I should write the asking someone out fuzzmail email.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:57 AM on December 16, 2007

As several commenters have noted, what is the alternative?

I'm a (white) foster parent to (nonwhite) foster kids. If I could wave a magic wand, I would go back in time and have someone -- of any race -- adopt and raise my older foster child, an 18-year-old black-native boy with a chronically addicted mother and who has been in foster care since he was 3 years old, and has had more than 40 placements. He's been with me two years, longer than anywhere else.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 7:38 PM on December 11, 2007

One reform is to make sure that adopted kids in the US can find their birth parents in other countries. Did anyone link the recent NYT magazine story on this yet?
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:01 PM on December 11, 2007

My sister (who I referenced above) does extensive work on supporting positive change in Guatamala (the home country of her adopted child). She works with Guatamalan artisans to sell their work in the US and receive a better rate of pay. Recently she arranged for the artisans to receive cookstoves. She raises money for the orphanage where her child lived. She brings educational materials to the orphanage every year. She is active with other US adoptive parents who adopted from Guatamala.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:30 AM on December 12, 2007

My extended family includes adopted children, bio children, and foster children. For each child, it's all been important and relevant -- the "nature"/genetics/physical appearance, the early life experiences, the nurture, all of it. I tend to think the the nurture part is the most important, but my experience is that all of the factors make up the package of who the person is.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:26 PM on December 12, 2007

Very cool. I like the ones on her front page, too.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:09 AM on December 7, 2007

I don't get it I like The Big Bang Theory.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:16 PM on December 5, 2007

I lurve the NYT archives. The other day I went back and read the entire paper for that day, 100 years ago. Although the writing style was different, it was amazing how much was the same as a newspaper today -- story about financial scandal; story about the harms of alcohol and tobacco; story about whether prayer should be in public school; story about cost overruns at the current public works project; "human interest" story re colorful character (my day it was a guy who was walking... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:42 AM on December 2, 2007

Here's the other 1970s thing going around (purportedly from J.C. Penney catalog).
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 8:55 PM on November 29, 2007

I am underwhelmed by the data supporting mammograms. But I generally keep my mouth shut because people tend to freak out if you say anything negative about mammograms. I think it would be difficult to be a medical leader trying to get a real discussion going about these screening issues.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 9:53 AM on November 29, 2007

Ooookay -- the allegations are not limited to Charney walking around in underwear -- that was one fact alleged among many. SO -- all the hypotheticals about dress codes and women bosses in lingerie and pilgrim outfits and flag togas are fine, but are not analogous to the actual lawsuit that was filed.
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 2:29 PM on November 24, 2007

if the underwear part of the American Apparel issue actually is or isn't sexual harassment?

Universal but accurate lawyer response -- it all depends. Wearing only underwear as the boss is unusual, and is a very bad sign if you're the defense lawyer in a sex harassment suit. But in and of itself that one fact doesn't answer the question. There's no way to say, "wearing only underwear equals unlawful sex harassment."... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:09 PM on November 24, 2007

does intent figure in to it at all?

Good question. Sex harassment is categorized as an "intentional"* type of employment discrimination. In practice, however, the courts don't really spend that much time on intent (in the way that most people use that word). It's enough that the conduct be "based on sex" -- a subjective intent to offend or harass is not required. And, because of the nature of many of the facts in sex... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 12:12 AM on November 25, 2007

the ease which some equate any action which could be construed as 'sexual' to be sexual harassment gets my blood up some

I'm with you there -- that kind of simple conflation can mix up harmful conduct with not-harmful conduct, and can create a backlash against sex harassment claims generally. In practice, it's s tricky. Lots of times the sexual conduct is the tool or weapon being used to advance the pattern of harassment. The law tries to manage... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 11:08 AM on November 25, 2007