Link Log for June 1

Today, like yesterday, I'm using a feeble little Dell Inspiron XP laptop that doesn't have enough memory to open any of the big, cookie-intensive web sites I often visit. The Blaze? Not a chance (although I see Dave Urbanski's got an interesting close-up story about Komodo Dragons there). This computer won't even open Scott Adams' blog; it barely managed Lloyd Marcus's. Google +, where I normally find most of the most plus-worthy pictures in these logs? No way. Well, guys, yourall's loss is the smaller, humbler blogs' gain in whatever extra traffic these Link Logs send anybody...Today's topics: Communication, Music, Pictures,Writing.

Communication 

I had to laugh...the asterisks alone made this computer try to censor this inoffensive blog post about words.

https://corallevang.wordpress.com/2015/05/20/can-you-h-me/

Maybe the well-intentioned word Coral Levang discusses seems like a "bad word" to some people because it's so often misused...as in "Obamacare helps poor people get medical insurance" when any poor person who's given the matter any thought at all wants to lower the cost of medical care by reducing dependence on insurance schemes. Or maybe it's because, just as the euphemistic use of what was meant to be a more accurate and helpful word, "retarded," turned "retarded" into a substitute for "stoopid" in U.S. elementary schools, the euphemistic use of "X needs help" (as a serious suggestion) turned into a substitute for "X is crazy" (as all-purpose verbal abuse).

According to this link shared by Elizabeth Barrette, "James St. James" finds that lots of people relate to "him" differently because they see "him" as a man rather than a woman. "He" has the same body type, and doesn't think "he" is calmer or angrier, smarter or dumber, or even a great deal older; "he" just finds that "his" social life goes more smoothly when he's stereotyped as male. To what extent does this reflect male privilege, and to what extent does it reflect the unique personality of James St. James? I don't want to know. I've always enjoyed being a girl...maybe I'd rather not know it if I would have enjoyed being a guy even more.

http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/male-privilege-trans-men/

Music 

Lloyd Marcus says hello to Baltimore (again):

https://www.reverbnation.com/c/fr5/artist_700364?eid=A700364_26220598_53315195&fsc=0de8c729817

Pictures 

Coral Levang shares a beautifully detailed dandelion and a gorgeous parade-float sun face.

https://corallevang.wordpress.com/2015/05/31/summer-is-around-the-corner/

Writing 

Neil Gaiman posted something on his blog yesterday. It used to be a simple, straightforward blog I could read on this computer. No more. Anyway, fans of his may want to read:

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2015/05/drawing-undrawable-explanation-from.html