My friend Matt stages a protest at the Olympics: "Two American activists from the New York-based Students for a Free Tibet unfurled the Tibetan flag among the spectators at the equestrian stadium in Hong Kong's suburban Sha Tin district." Matt and his fellow protester Brianna were removed and banned from the event, but aren't being held or deported. Says Matt via email: "We were silent while holding the flag and within about 15 seconds security was on us, taking the flag down and moving us out of the stadium with a sheet draped over our heads. As that was happening Brianna and I calmly started speaking about what we were doing and why we were acting for Tibet during the Olympics. The protest was nonviolent and the security that removed us were not abusive in any way. We were escorted out of the stadium and informed that we had broken the House Rules at the Olympics by conducting a political demonstration. We were expelled from the stadium, but never detained by HK police and never arrested. … We're now back in our hotel, safe and sound." Right on.
Shaker Tracy sends this article about the guy behind "Colorado's proposed Amendment 48, the so-called Human Life Amendment, a controversial mandate that seeks to confer constitutional rights to fertilized human eggs." Charming.
Shaker Oddjob recommends this interview with out philanthropist, businessman, and Congressional hopeful Jared Polis.
Shaker Lena emails to let us know that part the Westboro Church (aka the Phelps cult) burned and, naturally, Patriarch Fred blames judges and gays: "You won't be surprised the Phelps clan picketed the firefighers who showed up to put out the blaze. Their next-door neighbor thinks the Phelps set it themselves to scare her out. But of course [Fred] is claiming it's a hate crime... Unfortunately, I don't have any violins tiny enough. Maybe it's a sign from God that God hates bigots."
Shaker Meg sends along this item about Australian doctors warning against the "designer vagina" craze. This shit makes me want to start the Betty Ford Feminazi Cooter Center for Rehabilitation, to help women considering such knuckleheadery begin their journey down the road to recovery from the debilitating effects of The Patriarchy. Anyone who even considers surgery to get a "designer vagina" needs an intervention.
And for the baseballies among us, Iain sent this interesting article about closers.
From the Mailbag
On the radio…
I had the pleasure of going on NPR’s Tell Me More with Michel Martin this morning to discuss the speculation over whether Clinton supporters are seeking some sort of catharsis at the convention. I had to wake up at the crack of dawn to get my South City ass across town to KWMU-FM in time for the 6:45am interview so I was left hoping I made some kind of sense (wince).
I even broke my personal role and listened to it and, as always, I hate the sound of my voice and thought of a bunch of things to say now that the interview is over.
Sigh.
Mayhap I should have had that extra cup of coffee?
Pause…make note to self about proper coffee consumption prior to radio interviews…continue.
Anyhoo, Michel Martin also took on the story of PFC LaVena Johnson’s death in Iraq, which was ruled a suicide even though evidence points to sexual assault and murder. PFC Johnson’s father is interviewed in the segment…check it out here!
Random YouTubery: 5 Years Time
Here's the deal: I heard this as a soundtrack to a Saturn car commercial and had to find out who wrote it because I can't get this song out of my head and I love it and there you go.
And it's a nice feel-good summery song for our summer.
The Lost Weekend
If you're curious to know what the weekend was like with Liss and Spudsy staying at Château Deeky, you just need to watch the following video. It, more than anything, captures perfectly the early-August zeitgeist of rum-drunk conversation, late night dinners, and the nine-thousandth variation of "lol your (insert sophomoric joke here)."
I had a great weekend, you two. Come back soon.
Quote of the Day
"The Olympics are pretty gay. Have you seen the opening ceremonies? Makes Cirque de Soleil look like a John Wayne movie. It's become so feminized. We have to find out that the javelin thrower is fighting diabetes and he was brought up in an orphanage."—Bill Maher, reminding us that he can't even get through a single interview without insulting gays and women.
And, if you'll notice, men—who evidently lack the capacity for empathy, compassion, and interest in other human beings.
Saturday YouTubery
I'm not a huge Coldplay fan but I just love this song:
I first heard it quite a while back in the midst of my Tudor immersion (though I don't think it's supposed to be about that particular time in history) and it really stuck to me. I love songs that tell a story like this one does.
Bunsen's Balderdash!
My friends, I approach you today with my whiskers a-quivering with outrage. My faithful airships yeoman, Bruce, was perusing his favorite web-sites on the visual-teletype and brought my attention to an outrageous electronic-newsey regarding progress in so-called "stem cell research." Hear me now, faithful readers, I declare with the full authority of the Agency for Environmental Fortitude behind my broad shoulders that no good shall come from this scientific skullduggery! I invite you, dear reader, to observe this hobo's hash of wasted precious time.
I ask you, what madness is this? Our men of science should be laboring 'neath the lamps late into the evening developing new superweapons with which to defeat the Kaiser and the accursed Turks. Our airships, though mighty, are no match for the brass elephant-guns wielded by the enemy! Rather than doing their duty for Land and Country, these scientific lollygaggers sit about like Lawrence Lazypants, observing cells squirming about in a tin. Bosh! How dare these dribblelipped wastrels bother with this nonsense when there are horrific afflictions befalling red-blooded American patriarchs with women depending on them and homes full of hungry mouths? The monthly expenditures in smelling salts and lavender water alone are enough to send a man to the poor house; small wonder with such newsies as these causing attacks of the vapors 'round-the-clock! It is my fervent desire that my grandchildren shall never have to suffer the debilitating effects of such afflictions as Penny Farthing Knee, Ocular Monocle-Spasm, Pantaloon Fever, Magillicutty's Syndrome, Whistler's Nostril, Gentleman's Deflation, Whooping Moustache, and Wind.
NEW YORK - Harvard scientists say they have created stems cells for 10 genetic disorders, which will allow researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab dish.
I demand that our men of science drop these playground skittles antics and get down to the business of serious science. Dash it all, there are men out there suffering from the Ragtime Pox, how long must they be on the rack?
(phfft)
From the New York Times:
Rejecting a prosecution request for a severe sentence, a panel of military officers sentenced the convicted former driver for Osama bin Laden to five and a half years in prison on Thursday. The sentence means that the first detainee convicted after a war crimes trial here could complete his punishment by the end of this year.To paraphrase Lawrence & Lee in Inherit the Wind, "The mighty War on Terror War Crimes trial explodes with the pale puff of a wet firecracker."
Of course, this is not the end of it, and the Pentagon and the White House will ignore the sentence and keep Hamdan in Gitmo for as long as they want because he's considered an "enemy combatant."
The military judge, Capt. Keith J. Allred of the Navy, had already said that he planned to give the driver, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, credit for at least the 61 months he has been held since being charged, out of more than six years in all. That would bring Mr. Hamdan to the end of his criminal sentence in five months. After that his fate is unclear, because the Bush administration says that it can hold detainees here until the end of the war on terror.But the reason they'd do that has nothing to do with Hamdan's role in the events of September 11, 2001 or anything else to do with terrorism. It's revenge, plain and simple, for making a mockery of the Bush administration and their execution of their war on terror. At each turn in the case against Mr. Hamdan they've been rebuked, including losing at the Supreme Court, and now that they've managed to pull off this military tribunal, the first U.S. war crimes trial since Nuremberg, they were expecting Spencer Tracy and got Judge Wapner instead.
The Bush administration is trying to put the best face on it by saying that such a light sentence means that Mr. Hamdan got a fair trial. That's really their way of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. What's really too bad is that they blew their wad on this small-fry catch, so when they catch a real bad guy -- someone who actually had something to do with the attacks, like, oh, say Osama bin Laden -- and put him on trial, they'll have to do better than this popcorn fart.
(Cross-posted.)
Random YouTubery: Rocket Man
Question of the Day
Easy but fun QoTD for today! What did you have (or are you having) for dinner today?
For us: I cut up steak into pieces, which I currently have marinating in a shallot vinaigrette. They're patiently waiting to be skewered into kabobs along w/cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and onion chunks. Oh and paired with grilled corn on the cob! A perfect summer dinner. :-)
But that is not all! There is a sweet siren song calling to me....
Peach cobbler! But, alas, I must wait for dessert time.
SYTYCD: Finale!
Whooooo! What did you think?! At some point, I'd like Mary to scream so loud Nigel's head explodes, even as much as that screaming grates on my nerves. Anyway! My favorite routine of the night (and there were many good ones!):
Amazing!
Like I said though, there were many great routines last night:
Josh and Katee's lyrical routine choreographed by Wade Robson. I thought it was a nice routine for them and that it was nice to see an original couple together at the end. This was probably my second favorite of the night.
Jive! I thought it was fun and looked exhausting. Though I understand what Nigel was saying to a degree, I don't blame them for being tired by that point and Nigel's comments were sniping.
I admit, when I heard "foxtrot", I was like "yikes!". But they did it!
Mia is back for the final four's group routine:
Actually, I liked it. But the costumes for Katee and Courtney? Long sleeves? Ugh, they had to be burning hot.
Another crazy girlfriend routine? They danced it well, of course, but seriously people...WTF?
The one routine I felt was more "eh" than "wow" was Katee and Courtney's Broadway routine (by Tyce DiOrio):
Not that it was "bad" but just that there was something missing from it for me.
The solos were great as well and I enjoyed the interviews with Cat (who is the best host ever, IMO). I honestly don't know between Katee, Joshua, and Twitch. I don't think Courtney is as popular as the other three, honestly. I like her but I don't think she'll win. So! What did you think? Who do you think will win?
Gone Fishin'
Paul the Spud and I are going on a little road trip for a few days, so I won't be around very much through the weekend. I'll be checking email occasionally. Seeya, Shakers!
