I'm closing on my new home and moving on Monday. My life is currently packed away in small boxes. I'm trying to get a couch delivered, and my building and the delivery company are refusing to compromise on times. I went to a wake last night, and I'm going to a wedding tonight. I just had to run an errand for one of our directors that's apparently too good to go to Kinko's, and when I emerged from picking up his posters, my car was gone. So was the truck that was blocking the sign stating that the metered space I was in is a tow zone on street cleaning Fridays. It cost me $160 and two hours to get my car out of impound, and when I walked to my car, there was a $50 ticket on it for a street cleaning violation.
Then, upon returning, the director notices a barely perceptible line on the poster; he wants it reprinted. He calls Kinko's and asks while I'm at lunch if they'll do it. Sure, they've got the file, all he has to do is email them the name of the poster. He gets the email address, has the name of the poster... and asks me to handle it.
I'm so fucking seriously glad I'm leaving early today.
Anyway, like I said, the big move is on Monday. Shakespeare's Sister has kindly agreed to fill in for me while I'm without computer, so be polite little boys and girls. I'll see you all sometime next week! If my head doesn't explode.
No Wonder I'm Losing My Hair
Name that Cult Movie- The Answering
Here there be answers!
1. "What is this, a freak-out?"- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: Hey, this version had anachronisms in it, too! Uttered by the apparently pretty hip Violet Beauregarde.
2. "Well, again, I didn't mean to throw a damper. Believe me that's the last thing I'd like to throw. I don't want to throw anything at all really. But when folks are horribly mutilated, I feel it's my job to tell others. We take our horrible mutilations seriously up in these parts."
"I'm sure you do. Honey, the Ranger's just doing his job."
"Of course he is. I'm sorry Ranger Brad. I guess all this talk of horrible mutilation has me on edge."
"That's all right Dr. Armstrong. This horrible mutilation has a whole lot of people on a whole lot of edges."- The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra: I was surprised to see all the love for this movie! This was an indie '04 film that spoofed B-flicks of the 1950's, and they did an amazing job. If you have an affection for movies like this, I highly recommend renting it.
3. "As the cars roar into Pennsylvania, the cradle of liberty, it seems apparent that our citizens are staying off the streets, which may make scoring particularly difficult, even with this year's rule changes. To recap those revisions: women are still worth 10 points more than men in all age brackets, but teenagers now rack up 40 points, and toddlers under 12 now rate a big 70 points. The big score: anyone, any sex, over 75 years old has been upped to 100 points."- Death Race 2000: Directed by the late, great Paul Bartel. It's the year 2000, and the mysterious "Mr. President" has created the Transcontinental Road race to keep his starving proles distracted. In this high speed car race, you're rewarded not only for time and speed, but also for how many pedestrians you take out along the way. The future of Spike TV.
4. "Daddy! You have got to come and get me... I'm at Betty's Bakery and we've got homicidal baked goods after us!"- The Gingerdead Man: Killer gingerbread man movie. Uh, don't waste your time. Gary Busey's the only thing this movie has going for it, and he's in it all of two minutes.
5. "How you doing back there, Ivan?"
(In Russian) "If I still had legs, I'd kick your ass!"
"Could you hold this guy for a while? He is so negative."- Hellboy: Okay, so it was a big, dumb Hollywood 'splosions movie with a lot of problems. But it was a big, dumb Hollywood 'splosions movie with a lot of problems that was also a hell of a lot of fun. Ron Perlman simply can do no wrong.
6. "She disintegrated perfectly, but never reappeared."
"Where's she gone?"
"Into space... a stream of cat atoms... It'd be funny if life weren't so sacred."- The Fly: The original, with Vincent Price, bitches! I'm really tempted to start using this quote around pro-life zealots, just to be annoying.
7. (reading)"Iterociter incorporating planetary generator. Iterociter with voltarator. With astroscope."
"Here's something my wife could use in the house. An 'iterociter incorporating an electron sorter.'"
"Oh, she'd probably gain 20 pounds while it did all the work for her."- This Island Earth: God, I love sexist 50's sci-fi dialogue. A classic on its own, made into a double classic when it was the subject of the barbs in MST3K: The Movie. Rent either one, or both! I particularly liked Ryan's observation in comments:
What's not mentioned is that the interociter is powered by the sexual tension between lead scientist Cal and his assistant Joe.Heh.
8. "No one wishes to see a man dance!"- Orgy of the Dead: How very, very, hetero. Ed Wood's "nekkid ladies dancing" masterpiece, made even more wonderful by the incoherent (and probably drunk) presence of Criswell as... The Emperor! The Mummy! The Wolfman! Beefcake! Cheesecake! Lounge music! Oh, my cup runneth over.
9. "Flag on the moon, how did it get there?"- The Beast of Yucca Flats: Wow... deep. Everyone's pal, Tor Johnson (Tor!), "plays" a brilliant scientist turned into a rampaging monster by nuclear radiation, who beats everyone up. Written and directed by Coleman Francis, who is well known and feared by fans of MST3K.
10. "You sucked out her brains?"
"Yeah. Right through her mouth."
"Is she dead?"
(laughs) "Of course she's dead... what, are you kidding?"- Brain Damage: A sick little horror flick with a great sense of humor that's also a ton of fun. A worm-like parasite named "Aylmer" escapes from an elderly couple that is keeping it trapped in the bathtub, and hitches a ride with dopey Rick. Rick, needless to say, isn't amused, until he gets a hit of the hallucinogenic, euphoric drug that Aylmer injects directly into his brain. Nuttiness (and gore) ensues! Adding to the fun (and insanity) is that Aylmer is voiced by the "Cool Ghoul," Zacherley! Well worth a rental, especially since it was recently released in a slick special edition DVD.
Thanks for playing! Now, let's all go to the lobby... let's all go to the lobby... let's all go to the lobby, and get ourselves a treat!
(Sorry this cross-post is late...)
Blogswarm: Katrina
King Cranky suggested that this coming Monday, we blogswarm to call attention to the one-year anniversary of Katrina. Bush is warning against paying attention to it, because of course it not only reminds people about his administration’s catastrophically inept response, but also highlights how fall short reconstruction efforts have fallen. The job of clearing debris still hasn’t been finished a year later. Tens of thousands of families still live in “temporary” housing a year later. Decisions about rebuilding and improving flood defenses have not been made a year later. And all Bush can do is make speeches and visit NOLA for photo-ops, while offering up “bureaucratic hurdles” as an excuse as to why things are still so fucked up a year later.
The administration just wants to get through to the fifth anniversary of September 11, which they'll turn into a celebration of their supposed stupendous successes against terrorism, and blow right by the first anniversary of Katrina. Let’s not let them.
King Cranky: “With the anniversary of Katrina upon us, it's time to reflect on what we all saw happen in the storms aftermath with New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Lonely deaths, an unbelievably inefficient governmental response, especially at the federal level, destruction of lives, hopes, and dreams, and an exodus of victims unable to return to their homes. All the damage and deaths that occurred needn't have happened, not without a major helping of massive corruption at all levels of government. The corruption continues, as does the administration's shameful neglect of restoring the region. The people failed by our government deserve no less than a call for remembrance and accountability, and neither do we as taxpayers and citizens.”
So, this Monday, let’s remember and hold them accountable. If you blog it, email me your link and I’ll do a round-up. A lot of flashlights all pointed in one place can become a spotlight.
The woman who wasn't there?
It is said of Dracula that he casts no shadow. The same is apparently true of Jean Schmidt, bizarro Republican House rep from the Buckeye State and purported marathon athlete. Nathan Noy, a would-be write-in candidate for the office held by Schmidt, argues that a photo at Schmidt's web site showing her finishing the 1993 Columbus marathon (in 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 6 seconds, no less) is a fraud. First: the image itself, in which Schmidt (wearing a "Reelect Schmidt" shirt and smiling winningly into the camera) defies our understanding of light and optics by casting no shadow of her own. Of course, the use of Photoshop to doctor the picture and insert Schmidt where she hadn't been would explain a great deal...but you be the judge:
In addition to the disturbing absence of Schmidt-induced shade, Noy says that a newspaper account of the top finishers in that race - which you'd think should have included Schmidt based on both the time clock in the photo and the "fifth female 40-44" plaque also represented on her web site) - did not list Schmidt at all. Noy has filed a complaint with Ohio election officials, who are looking into the matter. It's against the law in Ohio to publish false statements in support of your election effort.
This matter of Jean Schmidt casting no shadow where she really should may not be a one-off. Looking at yet another race image on the Schmidt biography web page - the center image, taken somewhere in Clermont County - shows the putative race participant again feeling no obligation to cast a shadow (unlike other racers).
(Cross-posted.)
Friday Cat Blogging
Olivia runs at her full throttle and the daily race around the house begins.
Tils in a quieter moment.
Livs being calm for two blissful seconds.
Mary on the Half Shell
The Holy Appearances are coming fast and furious these days:
CHICAGO — A suburban woman said on Thursday that she has seen the image of the Virgin Mary on one of her pet turtles.
Shirley McVane, of Burbank, said she saw the image on the bottom of her turtle, who is also named Mary, NBC5's Sharon Wright reported. McVane said she considers herself a religious woman, with pictures and statues adorning her house. McVane also has another turtle named Joseph. The two turtles were named for the Virgin Mary and her husband, Joseph.
Mary makes a lot of appearances in the Windy City. “In July 2001, people reported seeing an image of the Virgin Mary in a tree. A year later, people came to a West Chicago grove, struck by an image of Our Lady of Guadeloupe. Last April, on a wall of a viaduct under the Kennedy Expressway, people said they saw an image of the Virgin Mary.” And of course Jesus stopped by East Chicago not long ago, too.
Holy folks Gone Wild on ultrasounds, chocolate, dying plants, sheet metal, trees, more trees, wardrobes, water stains, grilled cheese sandwiches, potato chips, plates of pasta, drywall, fish, and more fish.
Badvertising
I need to complain about an advertisement that’s driving me apeshit.
A guy’s sitting watching football (or basketball, wev) on his bigscreen TV (which is the product being advertised), and the channel keeps flipping over to ice skating. He flips it back with his remote, only to have it flip back. He looks out his window, and across the alley separating two apartment buildings, he sees through her window a beautiful woman with a matching TV, on which she’s watching the ice skating. She smiles, and he smiles back, less annoyed now—until the channel flips again. He swivels around to look at her, but she’s gone and the TV is off. He leans to the side a bit, and, as we share his viewpoint, the window of the apartment next to hers is revealed. Standing there is a man in a bright purple shirt (behind him: a matching TV tuned into the ice skating), who gives football guy a come-hither look and wriggles his remote at him.
The ad, could, at this point, go one of two ways.
Our straight guy could be a cheeky devil and grin impishly while using his remote to change the gay guy’s TV to football, then they share a good-natured laugh before they both turn their TV’s back to what they want to watch.
Or: Our straight guy could whip around like he’s just witnessed a murder, slink down into his chair with a mortified look, and then appear close to vomiting.
Guess which way the ad goes?
I’m so intensely irritated by this advert—which I’ve only seen running on ESPN, of course—that I can’t even remember what the company is. (I think it’s Panasonic. I asked Mr. Shakes if he remembered, and he replied, “Actually, I doon’t. I’m always too busy looking at you to see your ootrage.” Ha.) Every single time I see it, it just leaves me fuming. Three seconds difference at its end, and the ad wouldn’t be a perfect exercise in homophobia, but a clever reversal on its intended audience’s expectations. Lame gay joke vs. sophisticated twist. That the advertiser offers the lame joke is not only an overt insult to gays, but a covert insult to straight men, who are implied to be homophobic fuckwits—and the suggestion is that, certainly, they should be.
Because gay neighbors will shove their remotes right up your ass if you’re not careful! Mwah ha ha ha!
Ugh.
Question of the Day
What's your favorite romantic comedy?
And no grousing about how you hate every romantic comedy ever! Lots of people claim to hate romantic comedies, but that's usually when they're only thinking about Maid in Manhattan or similar crap that stitches some lame comedic(ish) gags over a retelling of the Cinderella story.
There are genuinely funny romantic comedies, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin (I know, Fritz, drunk driving isn't funny!—I swear I don't think it is, even though I love that film) or Fever Pitch (I'm kind of thinking more of the original, although the American remake was pretty decent, too), and if you really give it a good think, I bet there's a romantic comedy somewhere, throughout the entire history of film, that you really enjoy, even if you think you hate every last one of them.
Even if we’re just doing the horizontal mambo in the dark…
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN has reportedly split from his wife of 20 years, PATTI SCIALFA, and started a new relationship with a 9/11 widow. Friends of the rocker claim Springsteen and Scialfa have separated in secret, after he fell for a redhead he met when he organised September 11th telethon, America: A Tribute To Heroes. A source tells the New York Post newspaper, "They're separated, but everyone has been sworn to secrecy. We're not supposed to talk about it." Although Springsteen enjoyed a recent vacation with Scialfa and their three children, he has been spotted near his New Jersey home with the mystery woman. Scialfa's mother VICTORIA tells the newspaper, "I don't know anything about it; I don't want to talk about it." A rep for the singer has refused to comment.OMG—a Bush-hating, Hollyweird limousine liberal leaving his wife for a 9/11 widow? My only question is whether Ann Coulter will able to stop flicking her bean long enough to type out an appropriately vitriolic screed for her next column.
(Via Dlisted.)
Because Books Make You Gay
Webster Central School District officials have removed a gay-themed book from a summer reading list for high school students after receiving complaints from parents.The assistant superintendent, Ellen Agostinelli, pulled the book after she “got some telephone calls from parents complaining about the book,” although she won’t say how many. She also said that she read the book and has “some questions about it, as well,” but won’t say what those questions are. Instead, she just stated, “I’m not going to get into this.”
The book, Rainbow Boys, by Alex Sanchez, which was released in 2001, is about gay teen life. It won the International Reading Association's 2003 Young Adults' Choice award, and the American Library Association selected it as a Best Book for Young Adults.
Mind you, the summer reading list isn’t required in full. It’s a selection of books from which students must read two books over the summer vacation. So, concerned parents could just tell their children not to read that one book, but that’s never good enough, of course. The book has to be removed from the reading list entirely.
And, honestly, I guess this is a good thing. I mean, my life has been so tumultuous with all the reading I do. I’ve been turned into all different races and religions. I’ve been turned into a man a bunch of times. Not to mention a dog, a horse, a bear, a lion, a rat of NIMH…just about every animal you can imagine. I became retarded after reading Flowers for Algernon, then autistic after reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. I’ve contracted all sorts of diseases from the pages of books—leukemia, AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis—some of which aren’t even contagious unless you read about them. For awhile, Geek Love turned me into an albino dwarf, then Big Fish turned me into a giant. I finally just had to stop reading altogether.
Books would be really cool if only you could just read them, and maybe, like, empathize with the characters without forcibly being turned into something you’re not.
Oh well. Maybe someday.
Thursday Name That Cult Movie Game!
My goodness gracious me, I haven't done one of these in a long time. Here we go; leave your guesses in comments. Remember, every time you cheat with the IMDB, a snow baby gets diaper rash!
1. "What is this, a freak-out?"
2. "Well, again, I didn't mean to throw a damper. Believe me that's the last thing I'd like to throw. I don't want to throw anything at all really. But when folks are horribly mutilated, I feel it's my job to tell others. We take our horrible mutilations seriously up in these parts."
"I'm sure you do. Honey, the Ranger's just doing his job."
"Of course he is. I'm sorry Ranger Brad. I guess all this talk of horrible mutilation has me on edge."
"That's all right Dr. Armstrong. This horrible mutilation has a whole lot of people on a whole lot of edges."
3. "As the cars roar into Pennsylvania, the cradle of liberty, it seems apparent that our citizens are staying off the streets, which may make scoring particularly difficult, even with this year's rule changes. To recap those revisions: women are still worth 10 points more than men in all age brackets, but teenagers now rack up 40 points, and toddlers under 12 now rate a big 70 points. The big score: anyone, any sex, over 75 years old has been upped to 100 points."
4. "Daddy! You have got to come and get me... I'm at Betty's Bakery and we've got homicidal baked goods after us!"
5. "How you doing back there, Ivan?"
(In Russian) "If I still had legs, I'd kick your ass!"
"Could you hold this guy for a while? He is so negative."
6. "She disintegrated perfectly, but never reappeared."
"Where's she gone?"
"Into space... a stream of cat atoms... It'd be funny if life weren't so sacred."
7. (reading)"Iterociter incorporating planetary generator. Iterociter with voltarator. With astroscope."
"Here's something my wife could use in the house. An 'iterociter incorporating an electron sorter.'"
"Oh, she'd probably gain 20 pounds while it did all the work for her."
8. "No one wishes to see a man dance!"
9. "Flag on the moon, how did it get there?"
10. "You sucked out her brains?"
"Yeah. Right through her mouth."
"Is she dead?"
(laughs) "Of course she's dead... what, are you kidding?"
(Plan cross-post from Outer Space)
Caption This Photo
President Bush smiles as he departs the White House, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006,
for a weekend trip to Kennebunkport, Maine. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Please help...
...DraftGore2008 if you can spare it. They're really doing good work over there, not just trying to let Gore know we want and need him, but also covering issues of importance to him and many of the people who support him.
If you don't have the ability to contribute financially, passing the word about their blog, their work, and their call for donations would also, I'm certain, be greatly appreciated.
Note to US: It’s 2006.
Nine black children attending Red River Elementary School were directed last week to the back of the school bus by a white driver who designated the front seats for white children.Utah (via The Angry Fag):
A state senator responsible for some of Utah's most anti-gay legislation is under fire for saying that the landmark court case that ended state-sanctioned segregation is wrong.What world do these people live in? And, more imporantly, how can we permanently separate it from ours?
…During the radio interview host Tom Grover noted that courts historically have been used by minority groups "to ensure [their] rights are protected."
"I don't know of an example where the minority is being jeopardized by legislative action," [Chris Buttars (R)] replied.
Grover then brought up the Kansas desegregation case that resulted in the busing of black students to white schools and vice versa.
"I think Brown v. Board of Education is wrong to begin with," Buttars shot back.
When Grover attempted to press him on the reply Buttars refused to be more specific, saying only "one day call me again and we'll take a half hour on that one."
Baby’s First Blog
Recently, Mama Shakes has, in cleaning out various parts of Parental Manor, unearthed some rather amusing stuff from my childhood, like, as I mentioned in comments, a first- (or second-) grade essay called “My Mom is Sexey,” featuring the memorable couplet: [Mama Shakes] is her name / And loving is her game. Apparently, I was suffering under the misapprehension that my mother was a prostitute.
She also found an old diary that had been a Christmas present from her and my dad, which I began on January 1, 1984. The last entry is March 19, and it had gotten pretty sporadic around February 5, but the solid month of sharing my thoughts at age 9 provided me with no small amount of amusement when I just re-read it at age 32. The funniest thing was seeing my adult personality already taking shape. Here are some of my favorite entries, in their entirety, with the original spelling and punctuation. See if you can find where I might reference “a case of the vapors” or the need for a fainting couch, if only my vocabulary had been a bit more sophisticated!
January 3, 1984: It's 7:15pm. Today was a good day. It was back to school day though. And I haven't done my homework! Oh boy. Gotta go. Get back to ya later. PS. My homework assignment was Math, p. 130.
January 11, 1984: Today was fun. Before bed we watched a show about monkeys. It was good.
January 15, 1984: Today was a good day. I found out Webster is really 12 years old. I can't believe it! He's only 40 inches tall! His older brother was 40 in. tall until he got in the middle of 9th grade! I also watched Knight Rider tonight. It was stupid, and about people getting killed (what else), and sex (between Michael & Lorin), and jewelry. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb! See ya tomorrow.
January 17, 1984: Today was a good day. As I—oops, I forgot to tell you, I quit Girl Scouts. Well anyway, David, he gets hurt every single day in school. I just about fainted when I heard the news today. HE DIDN’T GET HURT! I couldn’t believe it. I think I’ll talk to ya later. See ya. P.S. [My little sister Bug’s] first front tooth came out today.
January 18, 1984: Today was nice. Like yesterday, though, a miracle happened. Ha! A miracle at Central School. I never! Whoo. Well anyway, here’s the other miracle. Me, Amy, Sarah, Jennie, all of us were ready. Usually (see Jan. 5) Jennie is late or both Sarah and Jennie are late. Neither of us, Amy and I, are ever late! Well, maybe once in a blue moon! But otherwise, never! I couldn’t believe it today! After school, it was the talk of the day.
January 20, 1984: Today after school was fun trading stickers with Mrs. Martinsen. I got some good stickers and gave her some good ones. Today I also wrote a story so stupid, I threw it away. So as you can tell, a day is never quite perfect. In PE today, I went against Marci in Steal the Bacon. We were number 8. I smeared her. Our team won of course. Marci was a brat in gym to Jennifer today. When I find out where she lives, I'll smear her face in!
January 25, 1984: Today was a good day. I played “Star Wars.” It’s the darkside and the, I guess, lightside. You know, stormtroopers and Luke Skywalker’s side. I was on the Darkside. I think tomorrow I might play on the Lightside.
Total Geek.
Progress in Baghdad?
General John Abizaid told the media that there has been "great progress on the security front" in Baghdad thanks to the new clampdown involving increased US troops. Recent numbers seem to bear him out. Though the initial two week period of the new security initiative showed an appalling Iraqi casualty count of 256 slain (combined civilian and security personnel, based on numbers compiled by the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count), the following two weeks saw that count drop to 143. That compares a little favorably to the 154 slain during the first two weeks of the previous "new" security crackdown which was later determined to be a failure.
This improvement came about because of the infusion of thousands of additional American military personnel into the capital city. Whether the apparent success or the numbers required to bring it about can be maintained is a matter of conjecture. In the meantime, the door has been opened for the call-up of thousands of retired Marines through the Individual Ready Reserve - tapping into the military's "rainy-day fund," as it were. Additionally, it remains to be seen whether the increased security in Baghdad will come at a cost of greater insurgent activity, and attendant civilian casualties, elsewhere in the country.
One thing is apparent: the president is dialing down talk of "progress" in Iraq these days.
(Cross-posted.)
How About if We All Just Seal Ourselves in Plastic?
Would satisfy you sex hating, fetus worshipping, "I'll tell you what you can and can't do with your body" hysterical wingnuts? Because the end of this article just makes me insane.
FDA Eases Limits on Morning-After Pill
Attention wingnuts. This is GOOD news.
WASHINGTON - Women may buy the morning-after pill without a prescription — but only with proof they're 18 or older, federal health officials decided Thursday. The Food and Drug Administration ruling culminated a contentious three-year effort to ease access to the emergency contraceptive.Of course, increasing promiscuity. It's always about people fucking. This should be one of those rare instances where both sides of the debate are in agreement. Is it really that difficult for these "opponents" to understand that increasing access to birth control will actually reduce the number of abortions?
Girls 17 and younger still will need a doctor's note to buy the pills, called Plan B, the FDA told manufacturer Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.
The compromise decision is a partial victory for women's advocacy and medical groups which say eliminating sales restrictions could cut in half the nation's 3 million annual unplanned pregnancies. Opponents have argued that wider access could increase promiscuity.
But no, that's not good enough. It's never good enough. They will not be happy until sex ceases. No one, anywhere, can touch anyone ever again, unless it's for the purpose of making bebbuhs. And I'm sure they're working on that one, too.
But opponent Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, said Plan B's wider availability could give women a false sense of security, since it isn't as effective as regular birth control. Wright also worries that adult men who have sex with minor girls could force the pills upon them.What is it with these wingnuts that they always have to go to the most extreme, bizarre scenario when they are opposing something? As if, without the pill, sexual deviance doesn't exist. As if "adult men who have sex with minor girls forcing the pills upon them" is somehow worse than the man forcing himself upon them. Here's another hysterical reaction:
Drs. Galson and Woodcock both said in their own depositions and public statements that scientific considerations drove their decisions. One memorandum that has since been made public states that Dr. Woodcock told agency employees that she feared that Plan B could take on “ ‘urban legend’ status that would lead adolescents to form sex-based cults.”I can't believe these lunatics are actually taken seriously when decisions are made that can affect the lives and health of others.
(Hey, how about a nice cross-post punch?)
Allen Apologizes
And it was only a matter of mere weeks before he did it, the little charmer.
Virginia Sen. George Allen apologized directly to S.R. Sidarth yesterday, telling the 20-year-old Democratic campaign staffer that he was sorry for offending him with remarks that have generated nationwide criticism for being racially insensitive.Because they won’t print “Are you fucking kidding me with that shit?! Fuck no, it wasn’t sincere.” in the Washington Post.
…Sidarth said Allen told him that the apology was "from his heart."
…Sidarth, who had been assigned by the Webb campaign to follow Allen on a swing through Southwest Virginia, said he asked Allen why it took him so long to apologize personally.
Allen said he had expected to see Sidarth on the campaign trail again and had wanted to apologize in person, Sidarth and Wadhams said.
"I still have some questions about why it took so long, but, yes, he did the right thing," Sidarth said. Asked whether he thought the apology was sincere, Sidarth declined to comment.
You know, Allen might have an easier time convincing people his apology is “from his heart” if his campaign manager wasn’t issuing memos blaming the media, pundits, Democrats, liberal groups, and Moveon.org for his boss’ racist outburst, and if his campaign wasn’t “pursuing a two-pronged strategy aimed at convincing some voters that Allen is sorry while motivating his base with attacks against liberals and the media.” When you denigrate someone with a racist slur and then claim persecution, any apology for the slur is, uh, undermined rather significantly.
You do, however, definitively prove you’re made of strong conservative stuff.
