Non-Fiction, a Boxed Set, & More

Apr. 24th, 2026 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The One You Can’t Forget

RECOMMENDEDThe One You Can’t Forget by Roni Loren is $1.99 and a KDD! I love this series and highly recommend any of the books in it. However, please be warned that it deals with the aftermath of a school shooting.

Most days Rebecca Lindt feels like an imposter…

The world admires her as a survivor. But that impression would crumble if people knew her secret. She didn’t deserve to be the one who got away. But nothing can change the past, so she’s thrown herself into her work. She can’t dwell if she never slows down.

Wes Garrett is trying to get back on his feet after losing his dream restaurant, his money, and half his damn mind in a vicious divorce. But when he intervenes in a mugging and saves Rebecca―the attorney who helped his ex ruin him―his simple life gets complicated.

Their attraction is inconvenient and neither wants more than a fling. But when Rebecca’s secret is put at risk, both discover they could lose everything, including what they never realized they needed: each other

She laughed and kissed him. This morning she’d melted down. But somehow this man had her laughing and turned on only a few hours later. Everything inside her felt buoyed.

She felt…light. 

She’d forgotten what that felt like.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women

The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women by Rosalie Gilbert is $2.99 and another KDD! I mentioned this non-fiction in a previous Get Rec’d. I love a niche history deep dive.

A “wickedly entertaining, informative and thought-provoking” look at romance, courtship, and other intimacies behind closed Medieval doors (Dr. Markus Kerr, PhD, MDR).

Were medieval women slaves to their husband’s desires, jealously secured in a chastity belt in his absence? Was sex a duty or could it be a pleasure? Did a woman have a say about her own female sexuality, body, and who did or didn’t get up close and personal with it? No. And yes. It’s complicated.

The intimate lives of medieval women were as complex as for modern women. They loved and lost, hoped and schemed, were lifted up and cast down. They were hopeful and lovelorn. Some had it forced upon them, others made aphrodisiacs and dressed for success. Some were chaste and some were lusty. Having sex was complicated. Not having sex, was even more so.

Inside The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women, a fascinating book about life during medieval times, you will discover tantalizing true stories about medieval women and a myriad of historical facts. Learn about:

  • The true experiences of women from all classes, including women who made history
  • The dos and don’ts in the bedroom
  • Sexy foods and how to have them
  • All you need to know for your wedding night, and well as insider medical advice
  • How to get pregnant (and how not to), and more

“Quite compelling and hilariously funny. I have been chuckling out loud and my husband says he thinks he ought to read it if it’s such a tonic. God forbid!” —Susanna Newstead, author of the Savernake Novels

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Change of Plans

Change of Plans by Dylan Newton is $1.99! This is book three in the Matthew Brothers series and features a hero with a below‑the‑knee amputation and a chef heroine raising her three nieces. I’ve heard good things about Newton’s contemporaries, but they seem to fly under the radar.

In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.

When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.

It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.

When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Kitty Norville Box Set: Books 1-3

Kitty Norville Box Set by Carrie Vaugn is $6.99! This set collects books 1-3 in the urban fantasy series. Did any of you read these books? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Kitty Norville isn’t just a radio DJ, she’s a werewolf and despite her best efforts, keeping that a secret is harder than you would expect in this bind-up of three complete books that are “fresh, hip, [and] fantastic” (L. A. Banks, author of the Vampire Huntress Legends series).

KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it’s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew.

KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen, but when she’s invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of the country’s supernaturals, her face gets plastered all over national TV. Before long Kitty’s inherited a brand-new set of friends and enemies. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone’s itching for a fight — and she’s about to be caught in the middle.

KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY: After getting caught turning into a wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. When werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O’Farrell, Kitty’s lawyer, slung over his shoulder, and a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

[syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed

Posted by john (the hubby of Jen)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Thanks to Jasmine T., Desi E., Tina M., Jodi F., & Pam C. for always recovering enough to come back tomorrow.

*****

P.S. Sorry for the fowl content. Let me make it up to you with something cuter:

Disney's Tangled "The Snuggly Duckling" Tee

My favorite thing about this shirt is how you can randomly point at people and shriek, "RUFFIANS!" Lots more colors and cuts at the link.

******

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Still waiting, politicians

Apr. 24th, 2026 03:18 pm
loganberrybunny: Election rosette (Rosette)
[personal profile] loganberrybunny
Public

It all feels very February 2020 right now. There's a massive crisis in Asia, its effects are getting closer, we know they're going to hit us soon, we're past the point at which we can avoid them... and everyone is carrying on basically as normal. In politicians' cases, doubtless because they're scared of having to tell voters that at least some Things They Want To Do will soon become unaffordable at best and impossible at worst.

No party has the easy solutions all politicians love – because, as in 2020, there aren't any. And also as in 2020, the longer those who are supposed to be governing the UK on our behalf leave it before dropping the pretence, the harder it will be when the wave actually breaks over us. We'll probably even have some parallel to that absurd "last weekend down the pub" that just preceded lockdown. I'm not looking forward to it.

Friday Videos Love Vintage Videos

Apr. 24th, 2026 10:00 am
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Posted by SB Sarah

An image of a VHS cassette with a label that reads FRIDAY VIDEOS Smart Bitches Ep. 21 against a pink crosshatch backgroundHappy Friday!

I have been watching a lot of old, excuse me, vintage You Tube videos.

I still quote these all the TIME.

And I miss the period of time when a new Homestar Runner update was Very Exciting. Internet cartoon shows – done originally, I think, in Adobe Flash?

Oh, Flash. You were everywhere.

Haaaanyway. Remember these?

I did NOT expect that to be so…prescient.

And of course, this 23 (?) year old moment:

I know someone who, about a week or so after this video appeared, ordered a birthday cake for a co-worker that said, “HAPPY BURNINATOR TROGDOR” and the number of times they had to spell it out for the poor bakery clerk was significant.

Can you imagine? This bakery person has been elbows deep in rolls and cookies for hours, and here comes the weirdest cake writing assignment ever.

Happy Friday! May your Le Naps be wonderful, and your burnination effective!

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Posted by SB Sarah

Joie de Livres logo: a side profile of two arches like the pages of an open book viewed from the side, with Joie de Livres in white inside the book image. Below it says romance fantasy sci fi and horreur Thanks for Geoffroy in the podcast Patreon (merci, Geoffrey!) my guest this week is Claire Trottier, owner of Joie de Livres, a romance and speculative fiction bookshop in Montreal, Canada. Hi Neighbors!

We’re going to talk about:

  • Opening a romance and speculative fiction book store
  • Wealth disparity!
  • Seeing the world premiere of episode 1 of Heated Rivalry at the Image+National queer film festival in Montreal
  • The effect of Heated Rivalry on Joie de Livres

Then we trade book recs and you get the scoop on the big event happening at Joie de Livres this September.

Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

You can find Joie de Livres at their website, and on Instagram @joie.de.libres.mtl!

Claire Trottier is on IG as @docreads and @clairetrottier_.

We also mentioned:

Music: purple-planet.com

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

Thanks to our sponsors:

More ways to sponsor:

Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!


Podcast Sponsor

Support for this episode comes from The Awkward Agenda, an open-door romance featuring friends-to-lovers, found family, and pirate cosplay, from author Beth Morton.

Cali Barton is sick of playing a background character in her own life. Her plan to rock the world at her new job falls flat after she overhears her co-workers gossiping about her for being standoffish and her boss decides to coach her on her “approachability.” Turns out that for Cali, being quiet and thoughtful somehow translates to “wrong.”

Enter Simon Goldberg, her upstairs neighbor. While Cali spent her childhood flying under the radar, Simon’s Tourette syndrome taught him to roll with the punches. Simon believed he had made peace with his diagnosis. But when the company publishing his graphic novel wants him to go on tour to promote his work, Simon is panicked at the prospect. Television appearances? He’ll either make a fool of himself or become, ewww, an “inspiring story.”

When Simon comes across Cali, he offers to help her dismantle her social anxiety by taking her on a tour of the kind of awkward experiences she’s avoided. Helping her makes him realize just how closed off his own life has become, and having someone to laugh with makes opening up far easier. They learn to see one another for who they really are – but trusting themselves doesn’t come easy, and letting go is the hardest trick of all.

Reviewers are raving about the quiet depth of this romance:

“The emotional core of the book rests in the small moments: shared laughter after something mortifying, quiet late-night conversations, the realization that someone is choosing you—not because you’re polished, but because you’re you.

This is a romance about reclaiming your narrative. About realizing you were never a background character. And about how love can be the safest place to practice being seen.

It’s soft, hopeful, and quietly empowering.”

And one reader said, “I wish I had a bigger audience so I could tell more people about this book. It feels criminally under-reviewed. I’m really hoping it gets the attention it deserves, because it truly is fantastic.”

The Awkward Agenda by Beth Morton is available now digitally in Kindle Unlimited, and in print from retailers everywhere.

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.
austin_dern: Inspired by Krazy Kat, of kourse. (Default)
[personal profile] austin_dern

Another Thursday's approached and is fully or basically over so it's time to look at my humor blog's past week of complaining about stuff and talking about comic strips. Here's what you could have seen there:


When last we left Idlewild we were approaching the Wild Mouse. And how's that working out?

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Here we are by the station and you can see, the cars are mice! Whiskers and big ears and everything. Not at all clear here is the arm rests there have faded red markings where you're to put your hands ahead of several extremely sharp brakes at the end of the course, which is how you can divide the people who've been on this ride before from those who haven't.


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The station and, in the distance, the lift hill, most of which is for some reason at a slight angle. Story goes that at an earlier incarnation it was, or was supposed, to have a rotating barrel-of-fun around it but apparently it's not clear whether it ever actually did.


P1120664.jpeg

And here's a mouse car near the end of the track where the brakes hit hard, over and over.


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Off in the lawn past the Wild Mouse is what I imagine used to be the cooking grill and has long since become a weed tree collection point.


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But let's look back at the Wild Mouse and another train near the brake runs.


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Flying Aces is a flying scooters ride they've had since 2007, which is why it's in Olde Idlewild.


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Noticed underneath the sign showing Rollo Coaster's wait times and operating hours that they have a whole bucket of potential wait times.


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Panoramic photo showing Rollo, the carousel, and other stuff to the sides. Flying Aces is off to the left of the picture.


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And here's the station, with the new trains that won't even dispatch if you're standing up and fiddling with your camera, alas.


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The operator's station, though, and it's still got the brake levers that still get used.


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Good view of the front of the train and also a sense of just how new the fenceposts and air brakes are: you can still see the carpenter's marks in the wood.


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And here's the new trains that don't just have divided seats and individual restraints but also blinders to keep you from sticking your hand far enough out to be whacked by a tree, a thing that apparently never happened before but they're closing off.


Trivia: In 1880 Kansas had about sixteen times as many cattle as it had in 1860. Nebraska had thirty times. Source: Food In History, Reay Tannahill.

Currently Reading: Archaeology, May/June 2026, Editor Jarrett A Lobell. The magazine's always interesting but the advertisements make me wonder who exactly they figure is reading. There's stuff you might expect, like archeology cruises, but there's also, like, $99 chronometers and seminars with Lech Wałęsa and knives with bone handles.

Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost

Apr. 25th, 2026 11:10 pm
conuly: (Default)
[personal profile] conuly
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.


************************************


Link

A pleasant St George's Day

Apr. 23rd, 2026 11:43 pm
loganberrybunny: Drawing of my lapine character's face by Eliki (Default)
[personal profile] loganberrybunny
Public

Leominster Priory
Click for a larger, sharper image

In true English style, I didn't do anything thrilling to celebrate St George's Day. I do acknowledge it, and I find the largely online phenomenon of actively avoiding knowing it's today slightly weird, but I don't do much in the way of actual commemmoration. I went to Leominster, which is a nice place for ambling around in the kind of superb spring weather we had today. Brunch in the Flying Dutchman, then off around the town. Quite a few shops, the Priory churchyard (seen above), Coffee #1 as I had a voucher, then a cold drink in the Duke's Head beer garden before heading home. A very low-stress day, which was precisely what I needed. :)

Dukes, Hockey Romance, & More

Apr. 23rd, 2026 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Starter Villain

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is $4.99! I thought we ran a review of this one, but perhaps I’m just getting mixed up with Carrie mentioning she was reading it. Have you read this one?

Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Making a Play

Making a Play by Victoria Denault is $1.99! This is a hockey romance set in a small, isolated town. Some readers mentioned that the last quarter of the book seems rather abrupt, while many loved the “former crush” trope of the plot. This is book two in the Hometown Players series.

He’ll do whatever it takes to win—on and off the ice.

Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL—and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight—and from women—and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It’s the perfect plan… until he reconnects with Rose.

Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She’s ready for passion, romance—and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she’s finally ready to prove she’s not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn’t do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he’s really got a shot at her heart then he’s not just playing to win. He’s playing for keeps.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Dukes Are Forever

Dukes Are Forever by Anna Harrington is $1.99! This is a historical romance with what seems to be an enemies to lovers plot. It’s the first book in the Secret Life of Scoundrels series. Some readers found the heroine a bit TSTL, but others really loved the hero and his quest for revenge.

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE
Battlefields and barrooms hold much more interest for Edward Westover, Duke of Strathmore, than a little girl’s fondness for dolls and lace. When he takes possession of his enemy’s estate, everything that villain held dear-including his daughter-belongs to Edward. Hire a governess, arrange a dowry, give a few reassurances, and be off on his way-that’s Edward’s plan. But he’s in for the shock of his life. For his new ward is a beautiful, impetuous, and utterly irresistible woman . . .

. . . AND WAR
Kate Benton is stunned. Who is this arrogant, infuriating man who’s invited himself into her home and taken over her life? Her vow: to do everything in her power to convince him to leave her-and Brambly House-alone. Yet as chilly days melt into sultry nights, Kate sees glimpses of kindness underneath Edward’s cool façade . . . and a passionate nature that takes her breath away. There’s so much she doesn’t know about this man. But does she dare trust this devilish duke with her heart?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Useless Etymology

Useless Etymology by Jess Zaffaris is $1.99! Calling all my word nerds! This non-fiction title may be of interest to you, especially if you like word facts or adding more to your random knowledge bank.

Did you know that an “astronaut” is literally a “star sailor,” that a thesaurus is, in fact, a “treasure trove” of words, and that someone who is “sinister” is actually just “left-handed”?

Have you ever wondered why English isn’t considered a Romance language if 60% of our
words are Latin-derived?

Did Shakespeare really invent 1,700 words, and if not, why the heck do we say that he did?

Why is the English language stuffed with so many synonyms?

Let’s be real: English can seem pretty bonkers. And, well, sometimes it is. But through thorough thought and a pinch of curiosity, method can be found within the madness of our modern tongue-even within the disparate pronunciation of the words “through,” “thorough,” and “thought.”

Derived from Germanic, Romance, Hellenic, Semitic, African and Native American languages, English contains multitudes. It has been (and continues to be) transformed by war and conquest, art and literature, science and technology, love and hate, wit and whim.

Useless Etymology takes readers on a time-traveling adventure to unlock the beauty, wonder, and absurdity within our everyday words, how they came to be, and the unexpected ways their origins weave a global, cross-cultural labyrinth of meaning.

Filled with fun facts and delightful discoveries, this is an enlightening read for anyone who wants to know more about why the English language works the way that it does.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Big Day, Big Wrecks

Apr. 23rd, 2026 01:00 pm
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Posted by Jen

By popular demand, here are a few more Inspiration vs Perspiration Wedding Wrecks. And shame on you all for finding them so funny.

What was ordered:

 

What was received:

Fortunately Christine C. reports the the bride and family had a great sense of humor about this Wreck, and even dubbed it the "bamPOO" cake. Heheh.

 

Ordered:

 

And received:

Uh, since the cake itself leaves me speechless, I'm going to comment on the background. Hey Jessica M., is that Chewbacca through the window? I mean, given the Han Solo & Leia topper, I was wondering if Chewie was the ring-bearer or something.

 

And lastly, ordered:

 

Aaaand received:

You have to wonder if that swipe was a result of the bride fainting at the sight of it, don't you? Still, I guess she should count her blessings: imagine if the wreckerator had been asked to write something on it!

*****

P.S. Here's a giggle for my coffee-loving friends:

"My Four Moods" Dragon Tee

:D
It comes in both Men's & Women's cuts, plus a bunch more colors.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll
p+B11 is aneutronic (although the side-reactions aren't) and B11 is comparatively abundant in the Earth's crust.

A novel approach to proton-boron 11 fusion.

Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks

Apr. 23rd, 2026 08:46 am
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[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


What transformed Cheradenine Zakalwe into the superlative Special Circumstances asset he is today?

Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Carrie S

NB: originally this post was published under Sarah’s byline. This post is by CarrieS.


On May 1, you can fight fascism by staying home with a good book. A coalition of organizations across the country is calling for a general strike. This strike calls for no school, no work, and no shopping.

May Day Strong is made up of a coalition including but not limited to Indivisible, 50501, Sunrise Movement, and MoveOn. Many of the coalitions joining May Day Strong are local, so in addition to visiting the May Day Strong website, you should also keep an eye on your local groups.

White letters on red background say "workers over billionaires, May Day, together we stand, maydaystrong.org

In addition to withdrawing your labor and your commerce, you can join your community to make the strike even more visible. There will be a lot of demonstrations around the country and local sources are often the best places to get information about them. Because this is a one-day strike, it’s important to be as visible as possible and demonstrate just how many workers, students, and shoppers are on the side of democracy.

black letters on yellow background say SAY NO: No school. No work. No Shopping. Friday May 1, 2026

Here’s what the strike demands (taken from the main webpage):

  • That we tax the rich so our families, not their fortunes, come first,
  • No ICE. No war. No private army serving authoritarian power.
  • Expand democracy. Hands off our vote.

How is this relevant to the SBTB community? In addition to the fact that we support the causes that this strike promotes, strikes are an important part of feminist history. Women have been crucial in the success of the labor movement in the U.S.A., as leaders, strikers, volunteers, and educators. Here a just a few examples:

  • I’ve previously written about Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers Association.
  • Our Kickass Woman coming up in May will be Emma Tenayuca, a Mexican-American woman from Texas, who led a strike of 12,000 pecan shellers in 1938.
  • The Mink Brigade was the name given to wealthy society women who supported the
    Black and white photo of Lucy Parsons, a dark-skinned woman in a striped dress with curly black hair
    Lucy Parsons

    garment workers’ strikes in the early 1900’s. By marching and picketing along with workers, they lent prestige and respectability to the cause, and their presence tended to reduce violence from police.

  • Lucy Parsons led a march of 80,000 people in 1886 in the first May Day Parade. Among other causes, she championed the 8-hour workday.
  • Ai-jen Poo has been organizing domestic workers since 1996 and is currently the president of National Domestic Workers Alliance and the director of Caring Across Generations. Domestic workers had been considered too difficult to organize, making Ai-jen Poo’s success all the more remarkable.
  • My personal favorite, Emma Goldman, was a Russian Jewish immigrant who was described as “The most dangerous woman in America.” Despite dedicating her life to her work, she always prioritized joy. She is credited as saying, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution,” but what she actually said was:

    I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy. . . If it meant that, I did not want it.

The Zinn Education Project has a wonderful list of women in the U.S.A. labor movement. You can also find stories of women in the labor movement at the National Park Service website.

I’m closing with my favorite version of “Bread and Roses,” performed by Judy Collins and choir. In 1911, Helen Todd, a suffragist and labor rights activist, used the phrase “Bread and roses” in one of her speeches:

Not at once; but woman is the mothering element in the world and her vote will go toward helping forward the time when life’s Bread, which is home, shelter and security, and the Roses of life, music, education, nature and books, shall be the heritage of every child that is born in the country, in the government of which she has a voice.

Black and white photo of woman in a white blouse standing behind a podium and speaking
Rose Schneiderman

Rose Schneiderman, a remarkable woman who was born in Poland, came to America as a child, and campaigned for suffrage as well as improved safety condition for workers, used the phrase in her speeches, including this one from 1912:

What the woman who labors wants is the right to live, not simply exist — the right to life as the rich woman has the right to life, and the sun and music and art. You have nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to have also. The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too. Help, you women of privilege, give her the ballot to fight with.

In 1911, James Oppenheim wrote a poem inspired by the slogan. Mimi Farina set to music in 1974. The song will forever be associated with the Lawrence Textile Strike, also known as the Bread and Roses Strike, of 1912. This strike was largely organized and conducted by women, who, along with children, made up the majority of the workforce in the mills.

 

Women have always been crucial to the success of strikes in America and worldwide. Why stop now? On May 1, protest, march, or stay home and read, but if you are able, join the strike.

No work, no school, and no shopping: by ceasing these three actions, we honor our past and our future.

 

 

austin_dern: Inspired by Krazy Kat, of kourse. (Default)
[personal profile] austin_dern

I think I mentioned finding the goldfish pond's pump wasn't working, when we tried turning it on for the season. Doing something about it right away was too annoying, so we put it off to this Sunday, when it was too cold and windy to do anything. Tuesday after work, though, that was warm and sunny and we shouldn't put it off forever.

Incredibly, we didn't think to try plugging the pond filter in first and see if it was still broken. Instead we went straight to pulling the pump out of the volcanic-rock-filled milk crate that houses it, and discovered the box was a little too far out in the water to grab from shore. What could I do? I put my bathing suit on and waded out into the early spring pond that turned out to not be so horribly cold as we feared.

With the hose taken off we could test and see the pump was working, nice and strong. So, the hose is clogged, right? I was ready to leave it at ``find a new hose'' but [profile] bunny_hugger thought we should see whether water was getting through to the filter at the top of the pond. It was hard getting the hose off, but her instincts were right: the water was getting through the pump fine. So, was it getting into the filter?

Only way to know was to open it up, which is how I learned the filter has a Mason-jar-like lid of a ring and a flat top and a hundred million ants crawling over it. Also a bunch of worms and other bugs, some of which [profile] bunny_hugger was glad to not see. We got the intake nozzle off and [profile] bunny_hugger cleaned out what seemed to not be a particularly clogged up nozzle. But when reconnected for a test run, the water poured right on through.

So what exactly changed? Well, whatever was clogging up the nozzle must have got loose when [profile] bunny_hugger started messing with it, and she had exactly the right impulses about what to do next. Also now I've learned just what's inside the pond filter --- I didn't have a particularly clear idea before --- and we've got a nice little waterfall for the several goldfish that chose to winter over inside the pond. They certainly appreciate that.


Now to Idlewild pictures and something always to be appreciated: a roller coaster! Not Rollo.

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It's the Wild Mouse, which I don't think had this sign last time we visited.


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The sign was a bit ominous in suggesting the ride wouldn't be running, but we could see that it was and, of course, it was already July 2025 by the time we visited. It did mean we were looking forward to the ride in the best state we'd be likely to get.


P1120642.jpeg

It's true; this Wild Mouse started in the venerable Wiener Prater, where it was known as (cough) Speeedy Gonzales. Also it was only built there in 1985; the sign always led me to think it was older than that. After two years in Viena it moved to Alton Towers as the Alton Mouse, and five years after that came to Idlewild.


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For those looking to build a replica in Roller Coaster Tycoon here's a view of much of the ride.


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The sign explains the ride and what to expect. I'm not sure that it is Idlewild's most thrilling ride, since Rollo Coaster is a really good layout hugging the ground and going thrillingly close to the trees. But, you know, de gustibus and all that jazz.


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Another view of the coaster, from closer to the launch platform, and do you see what I do in the train car being loaded? Don't worry, there'll be more to reveal the particular delight here.


Trivia: After receiving its colonial Charter (in 1663) Rhode Island established a civil holiday with each newly-inaugurated governor --- responsible for safekeeping the document during his tenure --- bringing the box the Charter had been shipped from England in out to public viewing, then opening the box, showing the Charter to all, and reading it in full to the assembled free voters of the colony. Source: Rhode Island: A History, William G McLoughlin. McLoughlin doesn't say just when this becan the tradition, but notes the parallels to the sacred status later bestowed on the US Constitution. He also doesn't say when the tradition ended but probably 1842, after the Dorr Rebellion when the Charter was finally replaced with a Constitution.

Currently Reading: Archaeology, May/June 2026, Editor Jarrett A Lobell.

New watch battery

Apr. 22nd, 2026 09:33 pm
loganberrybunny: Drawing of my lapine character's face by Eliki (Default)
[personal profile] loganberrybunny
Public

I went to Timpson today to get my watch battery replaced. I have a lifetime replacement card for that, so it didn't cost me anything. Then I went and had a cup of tea in McDonald's, and noticed that they've bumped their spend level for a free hot drink from 1,500 points (£15) to 2,000 points (£20). Ouch. Might be going to Greggs a bit more from now on when I'm somewhere without a Spoons!

Bundle of Holding: Voidrunner's Codex

Apr. 22nd, 2026 03:28 pm
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


The complete Voidrunner's Codex Full Digital Box Set, the spacefaring expansion from EN Publishing for the Level Up! tabletop roleplaying game and Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition.

Bundle of Holding: Voidrunner's Codex

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