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FAN: Thanks for being the woman who showed me that science wasn’t just for boys. In fact, I think one of the greatest gifts of the X-Files is that the lead male character is irrational and nonsensical. It has been done since, especially in the genre, but it was the first show I saw that challenged those roles. So, no questions, just plain old thanks from a long time fan and (now) woman of science. GILLIAN ANDERSON: There’s a lot of women who have come to me and told me they have gone into some form of science because of Scully, which I think is really cool. Thank you.

In a Reddit AMA to mark the 20th anniversary of The X-Files, Gillian Anderson reflects on how the show encouraged women to pursue science. Pair with how, a century earlier, astronomer Maria Mitchell pioneered women’s science education. (via explore-blog)

geostationary

A friend's first novel

#tassika lloyd #novel #writing

talented10th

Got really close to the bullseye.

Black beer

#bierhalle

theparisreview

“I like to write when I feel spiteful. It is like having a good sneeze.” ―D. H. Lawrence, letter to Cynthia Asquith, 1913

The New Negro

So far this anthology is wonderful.

A Satyr sculpture, Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York, NY.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc at the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, 2013 - Washington D.C.

Liberty Bell - Philadelphia, PA.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT quote inside the American Museum of Natural History - New York, NY.

Astoria Park - Queens, NY

Memorial, again.

Korean War Memorial - Kissena Park, Queens, NY

thetangential

Young people know how to vote—they turned out in pretty good numbers to elect Obama. Why, then, don’t they take the time to make their voices heard about local issues that matter to them—like whether there’s a bike lane on the nearby artery, or whether Buffalo Wild Wings will be allowed to set up shop in the old video store building?

There are barriers to local participation in local politics that probably don’t need to be there. Much of local politics revolves around meetings—what if we found the resources to put those meetings online, to post transcripts and live-tweets? What if there was opportunity for real-time online comment? That wouldn’t be free, but think about the rewards that investment might reap in terms of increased participation.

Young people and newcomers know they can participate in local politics, but they sometimes get mixed messages about that. For example, my colleague Sheila Regan recently tried to caucus for the first time, and found the process inaccessible and frustrating. That was true for her, and it was true for the dozen East African immigrants who arrived late and were subject to a debate over whether they should be allowed in. Responses to Sheila’s column about the subject told her to be part of the solution and get involved—but what if she doesn’t have time to be an organizer? What if she just wanted to make her voice heard in the political process? Accessibility should be a base-level priority for our political system.

Of course, not everyone agrees with me about that: there’s a school of thought that says that civic participation should be hard, that you should have to show a photo ID and wait in line and go to city council meetings and take time to educate yourself if you want the privilege of having a voice in our democracy. If that’s how you feel, then just ignore everything above: if you want a local political system that presents serious barriers to participation by people who aren’t the usual suspects (that is, disproportionately wealthy, older, and white), then congratulations, you already have it.

read the rest: Young People and Newcomers Need to Get Involved in Local Politics—Here’s How to Help Them

Balcony view from a W 46th st restaurant.

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