The evil that men, not aliens, do

I've been distracted from posting lately-- distracted by several things, among them reading Sherlock Holmes fanfic published in hard copy by pro writers. You know what seems to be really popular in this specialized sub-sub-sub-genre? Crossovers with other characters and real historical figures from the time of the original Holmes stories. And you know what the most popular crossover appears to be? Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper. Thinking back, I realize that lots of writers who use Victorian settings or themes like to put their own spin on the Ripper murders. And that can go into uncomfortable territory because the Ripper murders were real murders that actually happened, and happened to women at the very bottom of their country's socioeconomic scale, at that.

( Paragraph of Doom about disturbing themes below the cut )