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Zuska is the kick-ass alter-ego of Suzanne E Franks. When not dispensing Zuska's wisdom, Suzanne can often be found gardening, reading, or having one of her thrice-weekly migraines.
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Of course you want to read great women-and-science related blogs. Where to find them? Try the great blogrolls at:
- Sciencewomen
- Scientiae
- Women in Science
At Women in Science, the blogs are categorized by background of the blogger and/or blog topic. You'll also want to read the Scientiae carnivals - you'll frequently discover new and interesting blogs that way. You could check outLet's All Have A Party! for a list of birthdays of notable women in science and engineering - additions courtesy of Penny! Thanks, Penny! Or, you could visit Women in Science and check the nifty calendar widget there, courtesy of the Google calendar created by Miss Prism!
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19 Questions With Zuska
The place where I come from...is a small town. Coalfields of the Appalachian Mountains
You will be wanting to read my excellent essay, 'Suzy the Computer' vs. 'Dr. Sexy': What's a Geek Girl to Do When She Wants to Get Laid? in She's Such a Geek! Women Write About Science, Technology, and Other Nerdy Stuff.
If you have not yet figured out why you shoud not be using terms like "hard science" and "soft skills", then you absolutely need to read Telling Stories About Engineering: Group Dynamics and Resistance to Diversity in NWSA Journal v. 16 No. 1, 2004 (Re)Gendering Science Fields.
You should also read They Blinded Me With Science: Misuse and Misunderstanding of Biological Theory, an excellent critique of Thornhill and Palmer's nonsense about rape as an evolutionary strategy. You can find it in Burack and Josephson's must-read tome, Fundamental Differences: Feminists Talk Back to Social Conservatives.

Support the Mautner Project for Lesbians With Cancer! "The Mautner Project improves the health of lesbians, bisexual, and transgender women who partner with women, and their families, through advocacy, education, research, and direct service. [The Mautner Project envisions] a healthcare system that is guided by social justice and responsive to the needs of all people."
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November 24, 2009
Category: Feminist Foremothers
Part of my socialization into the world of science and engineering was, of course, the worship of great and important historical figures in the professions who, naturally, just happened to all be white males. This socialization was an informal, even...
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 2:09 PM • 60 Comments •
November 23, 2009
Category: Burns My Shorts
It's that time of year again - the time when I begin to contemplate swimsuits, and curse under my breath. You see, the last several years, Mr. Z and I have sworn off birthday, anniversary, and Christmas gifts for each...
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Posted by Zuska at 4:34 PM • 36 Comments •
November 20, 2009
Category: Tales From The Coal Patch
When my mother was a little girl, my grandfather would drive her - almost all the way - to the dentist in Point Marion, PA. They would stop and park on the Greene County side of this bridge, and walk...
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Posted by Zuska at 5:22 PM • 8 Comments •
November 19, 2009
Category: Stereotypes We Know And Love
Alas, there is no answer sheet, except the one provided by your own pre-existing (mis)conceptions and biases. Enjoy.
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 9:40 PM • 25 Comments •
November 14, 2009
Category: Apologists for the Oppressors
It's not nice to be an apologist for the oppressor and beg the feminists for help with your personal needs at the same time.
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 11:33 PM • 75 Comments •
Category: Isn't It Ironic?
While this convoluted script riddled with plot holes begs you to suspend disbelief in quantities you didn't even know you possessed, even the crazy writers knew that nobody was going to buy a climactic scene in which Daddy begs Mommy to shoot him for the sake of the kid.
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 10:09 PM • 12 Comments •
November 11, 2009
Category: Daily Struggles
I spent part of today visiting with an elderly relative who fought in the Korean War. That time in his life was clearly on his mind, as, when I stopped in to see him, he had been looking over some...
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Posted by Zuska at 11:43 PM • 5 Comments •
November 10, 2009
Category: Female Science Administrator Sez...
It's just that she is tired, oh so very tired, of banging her head against the giant wall built of Nice Guys Who Just Don't Get It - The Nice Guy Knuckleheads who believe with all the faith that a creationist believes in an Intelligent Designer that Science is a Meritocracy.
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 5:32 PM • 10 Comments •
November 6, 2009
Category: Blog I Am Reading Today
A thousand years ago, when I was a graduate student, we often used to grumble and joke amongst ourselves about the "sacred priesthood of science".
Read on »
Posted by Zuska at 6:55 PM • 56 Comments •