cblj_backup | (no subject)

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways To Give:

wldcatsprstr_14 is facing eviction in the new year, and needs help with moving/rental costs; they've just got a new job but have no savings built up. You can read about it at their journal or visit the ChipIn here.

subluxate linked to a post searching for foster homes and/or donations for boarding for

snowcoma's cats in Seattle. She's currently having trouble finding housing and needs a safe place for her kitties.

subluxate also linked to a fundraiser for veterinary bills for

ashbet's cat, who has some severe health issues they're still sorting out.

faevii linked to the Worldbuilders fundraiser initiated by Patrick Rothfuss -- when you give to the Heifer Project through his Team Heifer link, you're entered to win cool donated swag!

myemmie linked to a kickstarter for Saint Harridan, a startup company that's hoping to make suits. They have a particularly queer-friendly and especially trans-friendly attitude and seem to be very much worth the support.

Help For Free:

fiwen1010 linked to an article about Mes Aynak, one of the world's great archeological sites, which is about to be destroyed due to open-cast copper mining. The article is very informative and has links to petitions asking for protection for the site and a kickstarter for a documentary about it.

Eleanor is selling ethical and eco-friendly products through Wikaniko, a site that sells all kinds of green products -- bath, body, home -- through local distributors. There is also a 'Green Room' of eco-minded games to play.
greenercleaner.wikaniko.com

Megan, a grad student in linguistics, is conducting a study on English-speaking learners of Russian. If your first language is English and you're learning or you speak Russian, check out her study!

News To Know:

light_of_summer linked to 40 Moms, a website offering holiday messages of love and acceptance to any LGBTQ young people who need them. It's just posts about parents offering their stories and support to queer kids -- though I'm sure a lot of adults would like to read them too.

Adam let me know his company is hiring for an entry-level (or recent grad) content creation specialist based in Massachusetts. They're looking for someone who's comfortable in the white collar world, who's an engaging and quick writer, and who's willing and eager to learn the industry they'll be covering. Adam is Cafe, so you know he's good people!

Just For Fun:

ruisseau linked to pictures of math word ornaments they made that people can draw inspiration from. I did this myself several years ago, and just went back and updated my post, so you can find my word ornaments, with links to download templates, here.

Jan linked to Sock Puppet Theatre's outrageous re-creation of a YouTube wank: STOP KILLING YOUR PETS.

em_kay4 linked to an awesome story about some Chicago coyotes who appear to be Cubs fans...

Anon linked to a video that's making the rounds, Dumb Ways to Die -- I think it's a great concept, though the video was visually a bit much for me (it's all cartoon violence, nothing particularly gristly) and its in-my-opinion much more awesome companion piece (I can't tell which is parodying the other) Cool Things To Find.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can always post items for my attention in comments here (or on any post) or email me at copperbadge at gmail dot com. If you're not sure how to proceed, here is a little more about what I do and how you can help (or ask for help!). Remember, brevity is the soul of RFM.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Cool Things to Find" is a parody of "Dumb Ways to Die" which was commissioned by the Metro as a safety video. I love the theme for both (and I keep humming them all day long), but damn that snake on the eye freaks me out every time O_o.

Yeah I've seen Dumb Ways to Die in the last few days, along with the New Zealand Air LotR safety video... makes me want to go to Australia :D

I want to go to Australia and NZ so bad! And then I remember how many things can you kill you there and I lose the urge =D

All the poisonous stuff is in Aus. NZ is totally safe! And also seriously as beautiful as you expect in the photos.

And Air New Zealand is the cat's pajamas. (They don't even have to pay me to say that.)

There is nothing very deadly in Melbourne. Tasmania, afaik, is totally deadly-things free if you're human.

Melbourne has redbacks and whitetails and whatnot. Not common, true, and iirc not deadly (merely excruciating), but they're there.

There are snakes along the rivers and railway lines, too, though you'd probably be okay in the city centre.

...Probably.

;o)

jimhines is doing a fundraiser for the Aicardi Syndrome Foundation (http://www.aicardisyndrome.org/site/). The more he raises the more cover poses (http://www.jimchines.com/2012/01/striking-a-pose/) he'll do.

Nice! I can totally RFM.

There's an Indiegogo running until the end of the month over here: http://www.indiegogo.com/DrinkSavvy?c=home

The problem is that date rape drugs are odorless, colorless, and tasteless once they’re in your drink. We all know not to leave our drinks unattended, but the reality is it’s impossible to keep an eye on your drink all night. So what’s the solution? With the help of Dr. John MacDonald, a professor of chemistry at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and with the help of Contract Researching Organizations, DrinkSavvy is developing material that will immediately change color to warn you if a drug is slipped into your drink.

Sounds pretty cool.

I will totally RFM!

Though part of me also wants to add "The other solution being don't rape people."

Well, yes, but failing the ability to make other people not be rapists, this is still pretty neat.

Yeah, that's why I can't bring myself to be too snarky. It really is cool, and a great way to keep people safe.

Man, I understand that they obviously have to keep it under wraps till release, but I want to know how that works so bad.

NO KIDDING OMG. I have been looking at that before&after picture of one of the possible materials and going BUT HOW DID YOU DO THATTTTT

Although having taken some classes with Professor MacDonald, I'm pretty sure it's awesome. (Awesome: incredibly scientific word.)

Thanks for the heads up Adam (and Sam), I have a friend who's been stuck in that just-graduated-with-writing-degree period applying to the content creation position. She's really excited about it; I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her!

Edited 2012-12-04 18:04 (UTC)

Cinerisstrange on tumblr has recently become homeless. She tried to move in temporarily with her family but they threatened her and kicked her out her for being into fandom and cosplay, and her local friends either won't or can't help (more information here: http://cinerisstrange.tumblr.com/post/37261693749/i-am-now-homeless). She makes Sherlockian and Whovian wristbands (which, if ordered, will be shipped when she's in a stable situation) and also has a donate button, all at this link: http://cinerisstrange.yolasite.com/.

Erm, didn't realize the website didn't have pictures, so: pictures of the wristbands are here: http://cinerisstrange.tumblr.com/post/31737006669/whovian-and-sherlockian-wristbands-silpada-sterling

Thanks! I'm filing it for next week's RFM.

Thanks so much!