We all have a friend who makes more jokes than the rest about beer-o'clock, brings cocktail fixings to the office holiday potluck, and maybe has a “drink of the season.” (Bonus points if they’ve created a signature drink and named it after themselves.) If you don’t have that friend, you might be that friend. For your favorite happy-hour gossip, your partner in crime for cooking and sipping, or the friend who needs "a little something" to get them through the seasonal frenzy, here are a few merry, boozy, and bright ideas that are still thoughtful.
This week has unfortunately been filled with tragedy. When we weren't reading the news, we were reading up on some of this week's other big issues. Here's what we found:
Though mental illness is no laughing matter, it's something that certain comedians must deal with. This write-up is about the relationship between the two. [Splitsider]
4. We value the environment and show it in both our design and our business practices.
Back in 2010, both Julie (our Executive Director) and Sara Stroo (our publishing intern at the time) thoroughly reviewed our firm commitment to environmentally friendlier business practices here at Bitch Media—and what you can do to encourage them (hint: subscribe or donate, rather than buying on the newsstand!).
Honestly, not much has changed since then. We’re still on the newsstand. Middlemen still hold key sales information close to their vests—making it all but impossible to make timely, strategic (environmentally friendly!) distribution choices. Across the board, 65% of magazines from the newsstand still go unsold and are systematically destroyed—wasting the petroleum it takes to print them and get them there—and our precious resources as an independent, nonprofit feminist media organization.
The holidays are a time for reflecting on cherished memories. For some people, this means recalling special moments with loved ones and celebrating past accomplishments. For me, it means wallowing in all of the pop culture I liked when I was a kid. Remember the Claymation Christmas Celebration? Or the time you got that She-Ra action figure? Sure you do. And if the friends and family on your gift list this year are like the rest of the Internet (and me) in their nostalgia for times recently gone by, here are some gift ideas, sorted by type. Fire up the Betamaxmas and let's do this!
We've got boat loads for you to dig into this week. From Willow Smith and Tavi Gevinson to dating customs and some organizations well worth your time, this week's On Our Radar is jam-packed! Read on...
• Katherine Cross's long read on why abuse in the gaming (and by extension, internet) culture happens, and why that paradigm is starting to shift ("Game Changer"). • Seth Kershner's take on the Navy's new interest in young women in STEM fields ("Navy Steals"). • Marianne Kirby's long read on why the new trend of urban homesteading isn't new at all ("Co-opting the Coop"). • A Q&A Victoria Law and China Martens, the editors of Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind: Concrete Ways to Support Families in Social Justice ("Family Practice"). • Andi Zeisler's profile on Marianne Wex, a German artist whose work on gender and space is finally finding a larger audience ("Wide Stance").
Throughout 2012, the mainstream media has given you dozens of examples of why the need to amplify feminist voices is more crucial than ever, and independent, nonprofit Bitch Media has been doing that work for 17 years and counting. Now, here are ten reasons of our own to support Bitch Media:
The holidays are a time for reflecting on cherished memories. For some people, this means recalling special moments with loved ones and celebrating past accomplishments. For me, it means wallowing in all of the pop culture I liked when I was a kid. Remember the 
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