Links - 28th January 2020 (1)

Dominatrix specializes in turning ‘white, right-wing men’ into socialists - "for Reba Maybury, a 27-year-old political science professor and professional dominatrix, the larger problem is a historical power imbalance that she’s now working to correct in a unique fashion.A socialist of mixed-race background, Maybury, who also goes by the name Mistress Rebecca, says that she had “always been fascinated by sex and notions of shame around sexuality,” particularly in regard to fetishes... For many of her clientele, who are almost exclusively white right-wing men because she finds herself unable “to be even fictionally cruel to any other type of man,” that fetish is serving a powerful woman. Maybury derives her pleasure comes from forcing those men to see the contradiction between their love of powerful women and their support for political parties that actively work to limit women’s rights and empowerment."
This isn't parody
Presumably there isn't any contradiction in feminist women with rape fantasies

The pleasure revolution: the sex women really want - "In these post #MeToo days, when sex is often presented as immoral, dangerous or potentially illegal, female pleasure has, according to Theobald, become politically important. “Anger is not going to get us anywhere,” she says, which is why she is calling for a pleasure revolution. “The first sexual revolution,” she says, “was about male desire. Back in the 1970s men were still asking if women had orgasms and if they did, who cares? #MeToo was about men imposing their pleasure on women. The pleasure revolution is about women asserting their own pleasure.”In her book, a sort of Thelma and Louise meets Eat Pray Love road trip across the States, Theobald seeks out America’s first wave of sex-positive feminist legends from the 1970s and 80s in a bid to chart a new path to sexual pleasure for herself, following the break-up of a 10-year relationship. “My usual relationship pattern was to get bored with the sex, cheat, get found out, cause chaos,” she says. “So I thought I’d be open and talk about how I needed to go off and find my desire again.”... Computer scientist and Goldsmiths University lecturer Dr Kate Devlin sees a similar bias in favour of male sexual gratification in the sex tech industry... Harmony sex robots, from California-based Realdoll, are rolling off the production line: perfectly sculpted plastic women. All aimed at men.  “We have this idea of a perfect artificial lover and it tends to be a very sexy woman, a femme fatale, and that’s kind of rubbish,” says Devlin, who generates ideas that appeal to women, ideas that are more sensuous, intimate and personal. “There has been talk of bringing out a male version of a sex robot, but that’s still in its infancy and, to be honest, I can’t really see the appeal – especially for women.”... It’s only recently we’re starting to hear about female sexual dysfunctions, says Moyle... All masculinity, when we look at it from a historical point of view, is to dominate women"
I like how cheating on your partner and causing chaos is men's fault
Apparently the fact that there're so many types of vibrator around and that there're sex robots for men but not for women (because women don't want them) shows that there's a bias in favor of male sexual gratification
The same people who claim we're only just starting to hear about female sexual dysfunction likely excoriate talk about "frigid" women and take it as proof that sexism is as old as history
Apparently gay men didn't exist historically (the queer theorists might have something to say about that)

Photographers, Instagrammers - Stop Being So Damn Selfish and Disrespectful - "What does it take to push a farmer to this point?The point where, fed up of thousands of disrespectful photographers, wannabe “influencers” and narcissistic tourists, they feel the only way to get them to stop damaging their business and property, is to damage those people’s photographs?I guess those visiting the lavender fields of Valensole, Provence – in the south of France, just found out...
What I found, however, was truly shocking:
    Cars dumped, strewn all along the roadside, blocking traffic with people darting in and out across the road.
    Mobile wardrobes (with 5-6 outfit changes) being transported into the farmer’s private land for a fashion “shoot”.
    Photographers with step-ladders to get higher up, trampling and crushing the rows of lavender which had been cared for all year.
    People picking (yes, another word for stealing) huge bunches of lavender from the farmer’s fields for their photoshoot, and ultimately, to take home.
And all this occurring INSIDE the fence that the land owner had clearly erected to keep people out...
These weren’t people wanting to enjoy the view – or even capture the scenery to share and enjoy well into the future with friends. These are people so obsessed with their own sense of self-importance for the sake of a few instant “likes” on their social media profile that they find it perfectly acceptable to trespass, steal, disrespect the workers and their land – all in the name of “influencing”...
The lavender fields of Provence, “that Wanaka tree” in New Zealand, Iceland’s amazing glaciers, the ancient temple of Angkor Wat – we’re trashing the wonderful world that’s our temporary home for the sake of what? A few virtual “likes” from strangers who couldn’t care less about you mere seconds after scrolling up by a few pixels on a tiny screen."

Abuse In Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2 - "What do a talking raccoon, baby tree, cybernetically enhanced assassin, dancing space captain, and a blue criminal with a metal mohawk have in common? They’re all victims of abuse in Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2... no one is more abusive in Volume 2 than Drax. And not just to Mantis. He calls Rocket a rodent, Gamora a whore, Groot a dumb tree, and makes up words just so he can argue with Starlord. In the case of Drax, abuse is the only way he knows how to show love... perhaps, it is all just a way of making his death easier. Everything Drax loved is gone. Taken from him. And he further separates himself from those he calls family with insults and abuse. He only seems most joyous when he is courting death. He willingly leaps into the mouth of an interdimensional monster, dangles himself through the breached hull of a crashing spaceship, and seems indifferent as he is swallowed alive by the very planet he’s standing on. He isn’t willing to risk anyone else’s life. He doesn’t think twice before holding Mantis above him as he sinks into the planet’s soil and he demands to know where Starlord is even as the planet dissolves around him. Yet his own life seems damn dispensable, as if he’s hoping to rejoin the family he lost... In the most touching scene in the film, Yondu sacrifices himself to carry Starlord to safety. He accepts that his own pain was never an excuse to hurt others, that what he did to Starlord and the other children was wrong, and he gives his life in atonement.  This theme of forgiveness and love carries through for the rest of the film, saving each character.  Ego, who is unable to acknowledge that he did anything wrong, crumbles to dust."

Shots fired suspect, 'I don't like white people in my hood' - "Devonta Allen, 18, faces four counts of felonious assault... Allen turned himself in Monday night. He had an audiotaped statement admitting to shooting at the victims. However, he said they were armed and fired at him first.  Police say the video and statements from the victims and witnesses contradict Allen's claims."
If it'd been the other way around...

Border Force banned from using X-rays to seek out migrant stowaways - "Britain’s border guards can no long use X-rays to examine lorries they believe may contain illegal immigrants while exiting French ports, it has been claimed.Lucy Moreton from the Immigration Services Union said French authorities had banned the devices, which take around an hour to scan each vehicle, on health and safety grounds.She said: The French will not allow us to use them for looking for illegals. They only allow us to use scanners to search for contraband, not people.’... This is not the first time The UK’s border agency has been prevented from using X-ray technology on vehicles.  In 2008 it was reported that French authorities had written to British immigration officials to inform them they would have to obtain illegal migrants’ written permission before proceeding with such a search."

Essex truck deaths: Three more arrested after 39 victims found in container -- live updates - "Four people have been arrested this week in connection with the deaths of 39 people found in a container at the back of the truck, at an industrial park in Grays, Essex...
When asked by CNN about the possibility of Chinese citizens being illegally trafficked, the question was rebuffed by the spokesperson.  "Chinese people have gained an unprecedented level of gratefulness, safeness, fulfillment and happiness over the past, over the past seven decades," Hua replied.  "If you look around the globe you will find more and more foreign friends wishing to work, study and holiday in China even more they hope live in China for a long time, so I think this is not an appropriate question for you to raise here.""
If only they had X-rays...

Houston bans “evil and sleazy” sex-robot brothel - "Houston could have become a real-life Westworld, but instead the city council has unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that effectively blocks a proposed “sex robot brothel” from opening.The brothel was supposed to be the first U.S. showroom of the try-before-you-buy Canadian love doll company KinkySdollS, which already has a location in the much more free-thinking city of Toronto. Since the human-like dolls can cost more than $3,000 each, the company seems to think it’s only polite to let potential customers try them on for size.Houston locals were not thrilled by the prospect of turning their fair city into a robotic Wild Wild West. According to USA Today, prior to the council’s vote, a petition opposed to the robot sex business had more than 13,000 signatures. Residents testified that the brothel was “crooked, evil and sleazy,” according to FOX 26 News, and would “tear families apart,” which says something about Houston families and their predilections."

Swedish feminists demand a ban on sex robots because they dehumanise women just like pornography - "Feminist groups in Sweden have called for a ban on 'dangerous' sex robots because they encourage men to treat women's bodies as objects and could lead to violence against real women and girls... The groups believe that the increasingly lifelike dolls and robots are posing a threat to the safety of women as they are not programmed with the ability to say 'no' to men's demands... Using new technology to create lifelike 'women' in doll and robot form is justifying slavery by dehumanising women, claimed the groups... With automated brothels, with no human prostitutes, now open in neighbouring Denmark and Finland, the feminist groups have called for Swedish authorities to make it hard for the brothels to open."
Even though there're no women involved. And that we know that porn reduces sex crime, so sex robots will have an even bigger effect
This all just goes to show that all these measures to ""protect" women" are really about controlling male sexuality - women dislike porn, prostitutes and sluts for the same reason

KLIM Fusion review: Quality in-ear gaming headphones for $20 - "The KLIM Fusion in-ear headset can pull double duty — it's great for gaming, but you can also use it for everyday use. The design isn't ridiculous, they work with both PCs and phones, they're solidly build, and best of all the headset only costs $20!... There's also a five-year warranty, such is KLIM's commitment to the quality of its products."

Domestic worker denied entry at SCC: Private clubs’ rules are ‘discriminatory’, ‘archaic’, some say - "Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) said that it is “discriminatory” and “elitist” to prohibit people from entering the club because of their social status. "This is outright discrimination. They should be given equal rights as other guests of club members”... “The rule is there in some clubs to make sure that the clubs don't get overcrowded and to prevent the misuse of facilities. What if every member has his or her own domestic helper in the club? The place may become overcrowded and members might not be able to properly enjoy the facilities and amenities. Will this then be fair to members who pay an exorbitant fee for the club membership?”Ms Phua added that in the open market, people are paying “hundreds of thousands” for memberships to private clubs such as SCC and the Singapore Island Country Club. She also said that not all clubs have this rule because each club serves “different purposes".“For example, the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) allows domestic helpers because it has more local members, and is (regarded to be) a place for family activities… these clubs tend to have swimming pools (as well), so it would make sense to allow maids.“Whereas for a club like SCC, where most of the members go for business networking, the members prefer a quiet environment. You seldom see children around and so, it would also make sense if maids are not allowed (entry).”... Other clubs in Singapore, such as The Tanglin Club, also have such similar rules.It is the same at The British Club, except that domestic workers are allowed in when attending a function organised by the club for them. Its spokesperson explained that the bylaws are in place for reasons related to the possibility of overcrowding... The spokesperson added that club members are regularly surveyed on this bylaw, and “an overwhelming majority support the policy”. The British Club’s membership base comprises 51 nationalities including Singaporeans."
Presumably if a maid applied for membership, she wouldn't be denied membership. And how likely is it that a club member would bring in his maid as a guest - rather than as a maid to take care of children?

Student kicked out of class for saying there are only two genders is now expelled - "The Scottish student who was suspended from school for posting a video showing him disagreeing with his teacher who insisted that there are more than two genders has now been expelled... A GoFundMe appeal, which was set up for Murray earlier this week to help cover his expenses as he searches for a new school, was shut down two days later by the popular crowdfunding site.   “So GoFundMe has cancelled the campaign and also banned my account. I have not been given any reason other than I violated the terms somehow,” tweeted I,Hpocrite. “All donations were refunded.”"
"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize."

Parlez-vous le "Franponais" ? - "Il est en effet de bon goût, au Japon, d'utiliser des mots français dans des domaines relatifs à l'image de la France, comme la mode,la pâtisserie, la crêperie, les cafés, la restauration ou la coiffure."

Legendary S’pore hawker who made charcoal-toasted bread & home-made kaya passes away - "In it, long-time patron Ng Kwok Hua talked about how Seng had, after his cancer diagnosis, imparted the art of brewing coffee and preparing toasts to his son.His wife also had to constantly reassure him that the stall would be in good hands."