23% approval rating, breaking his own record low.
Don't worry, Conservatives: That bounce is coming any day now...
Bush Bounce
23% approval rating, breaking his own record low.
Don't worry, Conservatives: That bounce is coming any day now...
How to Get Completely Side-Tracked
Yesterday, there was an amazing thing that happened in my town, and it became a perfect excuse for me to fiddle about with my camera and editing program (instead of *ahem*working*ahem*).
Anyway -- I think you'll agree that it was worth taking a moment or two to have my breath taken:
Updated: If you'd like a still for your screen-saver or desktop, there's a full-size photo here: Circumhorizontal arc.
[Cross-posted at Teh Portly Dyke
On acting white…
Crossposted from AngryBlackBitch.com.
Just to add my two cents...
I can not stand it when people refer to a person’s manner of speech as “talking white” or their ways as “acting white”.
Black is not a monolith and we do not all think, act, talk, eat, pray, fuck, sing, dance, vote or manifest anger the exact same motherfucking way.
If a black person is running for office that does not automatically mean that she or he is going to make affirmative action, poverty and pay-day loan scams the foundation of their platform. For the record – black America is also complex and there are a lot of policy issues that impact the lives of a majority of black people, which include but are not limited to poverty, affirmative action and pay-day loan scams.
Pause…breath in and then exhale…continue.
All people running for office…any office...should be expected to build a platform that addresses the needs of the people they wish to serve.
Black candidates…being human (gasp!) and therefore people (shock and awe!!)…should be held to that same standard.
That isn’t acting white…speeches about the shit are not examples of talking white…and this bitch is going to move past anger into some serious rage if one more motherfucker insults me and mine through the assertion that only white people discuss the economy, healthcare, the war and international diplomacy.
Ralph Nader ought to be ashamed of himself for high-jacking legitimate important policy issues and telling the American people that those are black issues.
He ought to be ashamed of himself for putting forth the notion that a black person isn’t fully black if they don’t act like he expects them to and society has instructed them to.
And he should have checked himself before he wrecked himself by jumping onto the ‘I can say this ig’nant, insulting and racially stereotyping bullshit because I’ve spent years channeling my white guilt into black people issues!’ platform with Geraldine Ferarro and the rest of the I’m-not-a-bigot-I-just-play-one-on-t.v. crowd that lurks within all political parties.
For the record, this is an example of a race card this bitch is familiar with…the one that has so-called allies maintaining low expectations and out-dated assumptions that they dress up in the language of the Civil Rights Era but which are actually built on a foundation of bigotry that’s been masquerading as tolerance far too long.
I leave you with the words of the fantabulous Aretha Franklin…
Let's go back, let's go back, let's go way on back when
I didn't even know you, you came to me and too much you wouldn't take
I ain't no psychiatrist, I ain't no doctor with degree
It don't take too much high IQ's to see what you're doing to me
You better think
Think
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Yeah, think
Think, think
Let your mind go, let yourself be free
Oh freedom…freedom…freedom…
Yeah,
Freedom!
Tablespoons and Teaspoons
I love the Jolie-Pitts.
You might have already noticed (here or here or here or here or here or here or here or here…) that I find them eminently diggable—and, more than that, interesting, which has infinitely less to do with their stardom itself than what they choose to do with it.
Long ago, they traded in their teaspoons for big honking tablespoons, and they know how to work 'em—to the tune of $1 million this week alone.
The Jolie-Pitt Foundation has given $500,000 to three groups in [Iraq] which will provide aid for some 5,700 children, said the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which is co-chaired by Jolie. Money will pay for basic necessities, including books and supplies to help send Iraqi children to school. Aid will also go to refugee kids, and to school rehabilitation programs.What this article doesn't mention is that Jolie is not just the co-chair of EPCC; she also co-founded it last year. It also doesn't note that the $500,000 going to Iraq includes aid for women, as well as children, via "Women for Women International; The International Rescue Committee; and NineMillion.org, part of the United National High Commissioner for Refugees. In all, 5,700 Iraqi children and 300 women will benefit."
The foundation also gave $500,000 to help children in the United States who have a military parent killed in Iraq, or who are separated from a parent stationed in the country. The donation for U.S. kids will go to the Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program, which will provide educational tutors and counseling to 2,500 kids.
"We hope to encourage others to give to these great organizations," said Brad Pitt.Teaspoons: Donate to Women for Women International. Donate to the International Rescue Committee. Donate to NineMillion.org. Donate to the Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program. Donate to the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.
Comment Is Free: America
The Guardian's blog, Comment is free, to which I've been fortunate to contribute, has launched a sister site of sorts, dedicated to American politics, Comment is free America. Richard Adams explains Cif America's raison d'être here, and you can find Cif America here (it's also on Shakesville's News & Aggregators Blogroll in the sidebar, for easy reference).
There's always good stuff going on over there, so be sure to check it out!
Question of the Day
I was shopping at a record store that I hadn't been to in, oh, at least six years today. I was rather pleased that they had a copy of the re-release of The Residents' quirky, controversially-titled ambient masterpiece, "Eskimo." I picked it up and was listening to it in the car on the way home, and it suddenly hit me that I couldn't remember the last time I bought a CD. I mean, I buy lots of music, but lately it's all digital downloads (or vinyl LPs). This was partially because my CD collection is rather gargantuan and ridiculous, and we don't have the room; partially because with the demise of Tower Records (sob) and the closing of the Chicago Virgin Megastore, there really aren't any large back-catalog record stores in Chicago anymore. Trying to find anything unusual at Best Buy is a fool's errand. So, I've been downloading.* (Curl up and die, music industry!) It was rather weird to actually have liner notes again. I love liner notes.
So, Shakers, what's the last actual CD you purchased?
(*The greatest record store in the world is still Dusty Groove, where I buy all of my music now.)
BOOBZZZ!!!!!
As you may recall, Monday's Quote of the Day was one of John McCain's "most trusted political advisers," Charlie Black, noting that a terrorist attack on US soil before the election would be "a big advantage" to McCain.
This morning, on the Dennis Miller's radio show (Dennis Miller still has a show?!), former top McCain strategist Mike Murphy helpfully explained Black's gaffe:
MURPHY: Well, he's an old friend of mine, so I'll defend him. I don't know what happened. I think there must have been tremendous reporter cleavage involved or something.For the record, the reporter who wrote the story for Fortune magazine whence the quote came is a dude named David Whitford. No word on whether he has mind-addlingly gorgeous cleavage.
MILLER: hahahahahahaha
MURPHY: Charlie got off his focus, he's a good guy, he's apologized for it.
The Eighth Circle
Submitted without comment: This story, about a video game titled The Torture Game 2, which is pretty much just what the name says it is: "A computer game in which you, the player, are asked to do horrible, unspeakable, and totally sick, sick, sick things to a defenseless man-like person tied up in some dark room from which he has absolutely no hope of escape." Discuss.
(H/T to LMB.)
Assvertising
On Monday, I linked to Lauredhel's post about the LG Stalkerphone (not it's official brand name, heh), and then last night I saw this advert for another one of LG's phones:
First of all, I should mention that I didn't even know the people in the advert are famous until I looked it up on YouTube, so whatever their personas and reputations may be, it's all lost on me.
I almost found this spot diggable. I hate the premise—she's talking about something important to her, so he gets bored and distracted by other women walking by—but I was thought it was surprisingly awesome when she texted him, totally busting his rude ass. Of course, then I expected her to get up and walk away; instead, it disintegrates into the old boys will be boys routine. Gah. Ruined!
It reminds me of that Panasonic advert which could have been cool, if only it hadn't been afraid to be.
Assvertising: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine.
Pregnant With Meaning
I've got a new piece up at The Guardian's Comment is Free about the 17 Gloucester girls who are pregnant and the ensuing national hand-wringing about them:
As ever, pundits have wondered about what role the media might have played, suggesting popular movies like Juno and Knocked Up were inspiring teen pregnancies, much as the classic Molly Ringwald vehicle For Keeps? and the lesser John Hughes triumph She's Having a Baby did in the late 1980s. I vividly recall when a friend told me she was pregnant our sophomore year of high school, making her the 35th pregnancy in our class that year, and I asked whether it was Ringwald or Elizabeth McGovern she was trying to emulate. She told me, "We just got carried away and forgot the condom," teaching me an important lesson about teenagers, the media and pregnancy. Oh, and forgetting condoms.Read the whole thing here.
Obama Racism/Muslim/Unpatriotic/Scary Black Dude Watch, #61
Ralph Nader really needs to STFU edition:
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to "talk white" and appealing to "white guilt" during his run for the White House.There's a lot of stuff there, and I'm not sure exactly where to begin, but let me start with Obama's platform. He has not spoken as vociferously about poverty as I would have liked; one of the primary reasons I was drawn to John Edwards is because poverty was central to his campaign, especially the relationship between poverty and corporatization. But, Nader's claim that Obama doesn't have a detailed platform addressing issues of poverty is flatly wrong—and he has entire sections specifically dedicated to Urban and Rural policy at his website.
…"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader said. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards."
…Asked to clarify whether he thought Obama does try to "talk white," Nader said: "Of course."
"I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law," Nader said. "Haven't heard a thing."
"We are obviously disappointed with these very backward-looking remarks," Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said.
Similarly, his positions on Civil Rights are easily located—and one of the areas in which I feel he was stronger than any of the other candidates in the race is on drug sentencing and prison reform and programs to reduce recidivism via access to opportunity. That he had (IMO) the most developed and progressive policy on this subject might have been a zany coincidence, but, more likely, it's because he is a black man, part of the demographic most disproportionately affected by sentencing minimums and long-term incarcerations lacking educational and vocational rehabilitative opportunities.
Suffice it to say, Ralph necessarily had to leave a few things out to make his point, such as it is.
Now, all that said, I want to quote Shaker JMonkey, who gets the hat tip for sending this via email (along with Shaker Misiale, in comments):
It's pretty rich, I think, that Nader believes "the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor ...."Indeed. Or any other group, for that matter. If nothing else, it's indicative of limited thinking about the scope of diversity in America and wholly ignores intersectionality. What would Nader say if Obama were also gay? Would marriage equality then trump poverty? Or perhaps the passage of ENDA should be priority #1? Or maybe he'd have to give equal time to gay rights and poverty? What if we were talking about Barbara Obama, black lesbian, instead? (Hold your snorts that this country's ready for a black lesbian president and just go with me here.) How could Barbara Obama give equal time to poverty, marriage equality, and reproductive freedom…?
So black candidates must have poverty as their No. 1 issue? Really? No choice in the matter? And white candidates, they have free range to choose their political priorities?
Good thing we've got Nader around to tell African American politicians what their priorities should be.
(I care a lot about poverty as an issue, but I do bristle at any ethnic group being told what their political issues should be.)
I suppose Ralph Nader would helpfully tell her what her priority should be.
Grumble.
There's this weird notion among some self-identified progressives that people of color, women, LGBTQs, the disabled, etc. (and all people reflecting intersectionalities thereof) should live up to some particular ideal, without a trace of irony that the ideal is as much a stereotype as its pernicious opposite. (Not to mention just as arbitrary.)
A few times lately, I've seen (very legitimate) complaints about Nancy Pelosi's leadership contain sore-thumb phrases about her being a woman, that, rather than attributing her failures to her womanhood, express dismay that a woman would fail in such a way. Well, duh. She's a human being. It was all men who had expressed this notion, almost as if they felt hornswaggled, like they'd been promised better from women.
That, like Nader's horseshit, is just demonstrative of a fundamental lack of understanding and belief in actual equality. Actual equality means that, despite the real and tangible benefits of diversity (some of which are symbolic and inspirational and some of which are associated with people generally being more inclined to champion issues personal to them), we aren't meant to hold individual people crashing the gates to some arbitrary construction of what People Who Look Like Them Are Supposed To Be.
Actual equality means recognizing and respecting that Barack Obama is prioritizing what Barack Obama, the autonomous person, wants to prioritize.
-----------------
Obama Racism/Muslim/Unpatriotic/Scary Black Dude Watch: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, Thirty-Three, Thirty-Four, Thirty-Five, Thirty-Six, Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One, Forty-Two, Forty-Three, Forty-Four, Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Forty-Seven, Forty-Eight, Forty-Nine, Fifty, Fifty-One, Fifty-Two, Fifty-Three, Fifty-Four, Fifty-Five, Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven, Fifty-Eight, Fifty-Nine, Sixty.
Muppets + Peaches = F*ck the Pain Away
This is so hilarious and bizarre that I had to post it here, hoping someone else would see the humor in it.
It is basically a clip of the Muppets, or more specifically Miss Piggy, lipsynching to the Peaches song "Fuck the Pain Away" (some may recognize it from Lost in Translation, if you are not familiar with Peaches herself).
Obviously NSFW.
Wednesday Blogaround
What's the frequency, Shakers?
Recommended Reading:
Redd Turtle: Time for that Booster Shot
Pam: Ohio: 'Christian' woman's 'Obama is a baby killing Arab' smear
Phil: Bad Optics?
Melissa: Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Meg Ryan
Echidne: Who Would Have Thought?
Mannion: Alas and alack for us, lawyers and pharisees, hypocrites that we are...
Leave your links in comments...
New Zealand Herald column on LaVena Johnson
The New Zealand Herald has published an article on LaVena Johnson, written by contributing columnist Tracey Barnett who interviewed LaVena’s parents, John and Linda:
“I’m telling you there is no pain like it - there is no pain like it in this world. My daughter, the way they took her and what they did to her - it’s inhuman. I did not believe my daughter was placed among a group of predators. They treated her like an animal … ” Linda Johnson said, then added quietly: “And she was fighting for this country.”
The article looks beyond the particulars of LaVena’s death in Iraq to the wider issue of sexual assault in the military.
This is no single aberrant case. John Johnson has discovered far more stories that have matched his daughter’s than he ever wanted to know. Ten other families of “suicide” female soldiers have contacted him. The common thread among them - rape.
Meet today’s US military - sign up for the armed services and become almost one in three women who are raped or sexually assaulted by their own colleagues, according to Department of Defence statistics. Not exactly the kind of recruitment slogan that fills empty boots.
Barnett’s article is also posted at her own weblog - currently in the Recent category, and after this week to be categorized under Politics. Many thanks to the columnist for bringing LaVena’s story to the headers of the Herald.
Note: The promised video from the Black & Green panel discussion on LaVena will appear…soon! Having some issues processing it, but I’ll resolve those as quickly as possible.
(Cross-posted here and there.)
FISA Update
Senators Russ Feingold and Chris Dodd have promised to filibuster telecom immunity in the compromise legislation designed to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):
This is a deeply flawed bill, which does nothing more than offer retroactive immunity by another name. We strongly urge our colleagues to reject this so-called 'compromise' legislation and oppose any efforts to consider this bill in its current form. We will oppose efforts to end debate on this bill as long as it provides retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies that may have participated in the President's warrantless wiretapping program, and as long as it fails to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans.Right fucking on.
If the Senate does proceed to this legislation, our immediate response will be to offer an amendment that strips the retroactive immunity provision out of the bill. We hope our colleagues will join us in supporting Americans' civil liberties by opposing retroactive immunity and rejecting this so-called 'compromise' legislation.
You can see video (and read a transcript) of Dodd's speech on the floor of the Senate yesterday here: "I am here today to say that I will not and cannot support this legislation. It goes against everything I have stood for—everything this body ought to stand for."
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will co-sponsor and support their efforts.
Increasingly, Obama's position looks at odds with his own party. Not good.
Helpful!
Lipstick and "high-heeled shoes that make tapping sounds" have reportedly been banned in Kota Baru, Malaysia to "prevent rape" and "protect the women's dignity and morals."
This is fantabulous idea—because, as we all know from our history books, there was no rape until lipstick and high heels were invented.
And, I don't know about you other gals, but I've always felt my dignity was most vibrant when my self-expression was being denied.
[H/T to Shaker Steph.]
Hillary Sexism Watch, #108
by Shaker Veronica—a woman trying to navigate and understand the intersection between being a feminist, a mom, and a Latina. Veronica always wears her seat belt as does her husband. You can find her blogging at Viva La Feminista, Work It, Mom! and Chicago Parent.
Hillary Clinton crying is so funny! Especially on your birthday...
Monday night I strolled into the Starbucks/B&N at the DePaul Center in downtown Chicago, and on my way to buy some cupcakes for a meeting (sue me, I forgot to stop at a real bakery) I spotted a greeting card. Yes this one.
Are you kidding me?
Of course I had to stop and find out what occasion would a crying (note drawn in tears) Hillary Clinton be appropriate for? Your birthday, idiot!
And if you can't read the inside of the card it says:"It's your birthday and everyone's a little CHOKED UP about it."
You really gotta love that one incident, where a woman who has a reputation as a ball-buster and seems to make Maggie Thatcher warm & cuddly gets choked up, now stamps her as a cry baby. 35 years of working on women's rights and this is what she gets.
Forgive me for not flipping the card over and seeing who makes this card so we can flip them off.
(Cross-posted.)
Hillary Sexism Watch: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, Thirty-Three, Thirty-Four, Thirty-Five, Thirty-Six, Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One, Forty-Two, Forty-Three, Forty-Four, Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Forty-Seven, Forty-Eight, Forty-Nine, Fifty, Fifty-One, Fifty-Two, Fifty-Three, Fifty-Four, Fifty-Five, Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven, Fifty-Eight, Fifty-Nine, Sixty, Sixty-One, Sixty-Two, Sixty-Three, Sixty-Four, Sixty-Five, Sixty-Six, Sixty-Seven, Sixty-Eight, Sixty-Nine, Seventy, Seventy-One, Seventy-Two, Seventy-Three, Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five, Seventy-Six, Seventy-Seven, Seventy-Eight, Seventy-Nine, Eighty, Eighty-One, Eighty-Two, Eighty-Three, Eighty-Four, Eighty-Five, Eighty Six, Eighty-Seven, Eighty-Eight, Eighty-Nine, Ninety, Ninety-One, Ninety-Two, Ninety-Three, Ninety-Four, Ninety-Five, Ninety-Six, Ninety-Seven, Ninety-Eight, Ninety-Nine, One Hundred, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107.
Dr. Dobson's Fables
James Dobson accuses Barack Obama of distorting the bible.
“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology,” Mr. Dobson said Tuesday in one of the regular radio broadcasts for the group he leads, Focus on the Family.Referring to the book of Leviticus, those practices include stoning people for planting different crops next to each other. Dr. Dobson says those laws have been made irrelevant by the New Testament, yet oddly enough, the imprecations against homosexuality in the same book in the Old Testament are left intact and are used as weapons by people like James Dobson to demonize an entire class of citizens and deny them their Constitutional rights of equal justice under the law. And he has the chutzpah to accuse Barack Obama of having a "fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution." Hey, he's the one who said "fruitcake."
“He’s some kind of biblical authority?” Mr. Dobson also asked.
Mr. Dobson’s remarks focused on a June 28, 2006, speech in which Mr. Obama, in Washington, mentioned passages from the Bible that he suggested were in conflict with present-day practices.
As Fallenmonk notes, Dr. Dobson mocks Barack Obama's interpretation of the bible by questioning his theological bona fides. It turns out that James Dobson's scholarship in the bible is probably just as deep as any other lay person who's read that cobbled-together collection of myths, fables, and poetry:
I am not a reverend. I’m not a minister. I’m not a theologian. I’m not an evangelist. I’m a psychologist. I have a Ph.D. in Child Development from the University of Southern California.Which means he has as much authority to speak out on the bible as I do, seeing as how I have a Ph.D. in playwriting and dramatic criticism from the University of Colorado. Actually, I'm probably better equipped to do it since I actually took classes and wrote papers on interpreting Elizabethan literature such as Shakespeare and the King James version of the bible. So why haven't I parlayed that degree into a multi-million dollar operation to fleece the gullible, the foolish, and the weak? Because of all the things I read in the bible, the one that stuck with me was Christ's admonishment to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I guess Dr. Dobson missed that one.
(Cross-posted.)
