Odds & Sods 'n Stuff & a New Blog to Explore & a 'Truth is Stranger than Fiction' Thingy

The builders are in today so as I can't get much done on volume 2 (not that it needs much doing to it now) I thought I might as well do some work on the blog. First of all; one or two folk have emailed asking about various implements. Mention has particularly been made of the Martinet and the switch. While perusing the 'Web for a good example of the former I came across this charming little Paula Meadows / Lynne Paula Russel sketch and a new blog (or at least, new to me) called Beauty and the Birch (click pic or blog name to visit). As is quite rightly stated on that blog; the Martinet is a 'whip-like instrument incorporating a number of thin leather straps' favored by French girl's schools. It is not something mentioned in INSTITUTIONALISED volume 1 (click for preview / blurb) but does make in appearance in volume 2, introduced by the secure psychiatric wing, experimental psychology unit's new 'school room' mistress - but there applied to the soles of a girl's feet and the palms of her hands (she keeps a heavy leather strap handy for the buttocks). Where I use the word 'switch' I mean of course the riding switch or crop although it can be taken to mean any thin flexible rod, typically used for corporal punishment of the birching type.

Now for another little bit of 'truth' being stranger than fiction: this being from the New york Times (Hope you can read it ok - just click on it to make it bigger). An eighteen year old chained in a seated position for two weeks? Hand cuffs and shackles biting into her, rubbing raw the flesh for two weeks? Far, far too cruel - it is what straight jackets are just made for. A nice comfy straight jacket, all safe and sound, soft padded medical restraints around the ankles, a nice warm padded floor and equally padded walls to lean against, spoon-fed at meal times, placed on a bed pan as necessary or kept in diapers and plastic knickers - with such care there would be no reason not to extend her detention to three weeks or even to a month or so.

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Perhaps even provide her with company; have her join a young lady already a couple of weeks into her treatment - a snapshot or glimpse of her own future self, so to speak, just to give her an idea of what to expect. No talking, mind - oh no, that would never do! And we don't want her muttering to herself, either, do we? I,d favour plain old fashioned good discipline at this point, but a ball gag, better, a baby pacifier, could be applied or perhaps an elctro-shock collar of the type used to train dogs not to bark.

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And the real punishment? Well that would just be that gentle, tinkling little nursery rhyme or lullaby, playing over and over and over - not loud, just there in the background, in the deathly silence and just above the gentle rhythmic hiss of her own breathing and the occasional creak of canvas and leather and rustling of plastic pants. Playing over and over and over 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Of course one could choose to stop it after a while, perhaps remove the pacifier or other such restraint - it can always be restarted if she speaks. Or on the other hand it could just be restarted anyway, at random intervals and associated with electric shock - just a mild jolt - to set up neurosis / superstitious behaviour in the subject, A useful approach, that - should one require some way to extend a young lady's residence: perhaps an inheritance is at stake or the control of the family business, perhaps she has seen something she shouldn't or perhaps it simply suits someones whim to see her kept under an exploitative regime of strict discipline for its own sake. (Now, where have you come across some of those ideas before - yes, that's right! INSTITUTIONALISED volume 1)