This is my "Really?" of the day.
What's yours?
Ugh with the True Blood Imagery Again
[Trigger warning for sexualized violence.]
The new cover of Rolling Stone, which is [trigger warning for violent imagery] viewable here, features Alexander Skarsgård, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Moyer, all three naked, all three bathed in blood splatter. The accompany text reads: "TRUE BLOOD: They're hot. They're sexy. They're undead."
And, again, I wonder why it is that graphic images of violence aren't supposed to count (no less, are supposed to be "sexy") when they feature vampires.
If I were a more cynical person (the author raises her eyebrow and purses her lips), I would suggest that the great thing about the current vampire trend is how you can get away with all sorts of inappropriate content you couldn't otherwise, any criticism of which can be summarily dismissed with: "It's about vampires. Vampires aren't even real. What are you—stupid or something? Christ, what a hysteric."
I've heard that about me.
Most recently, as I've been informed by ONE BILLION emailers that I am both stupid and hysterical for objecting to a joke about rape, because don't I even realize that the joke was about A MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE raping someone?!
That's really meant to cover all manner of sins these days, innit?
Today's Edition of "Conniving and Sinister"
See Deeky's archive of all previous Conniving & Sinister strips here.
[In which Liss reimagines the long-running comic "Frank & Ernest," about two old straight white guys "telling it like it is," as a fat feminist white woman (Liss) and a biracial queerbait (Deeky) telling it like it actually is from their perspectives. Hilarity ensues.]
Quote of the Day
“You want rich people because that’s what creates jobs. If you punish people, they won’t expand or create jobs.”- Rand Paul, giving his totes awesome plan for taking care of Kentucky's drug problem. Aid rich people.
Atlas sneered.
Uhhh..
...Really?
Wow, where to begin, GOProud? With your host? I guess a party for gay conservatives isn't a party unless you're spending $250 (or $2500 for a sponsorship!) to listen to someone calling you a fag. (You do realize that Coulter really, really hates you, yes? Oh. Obviously not.) "Our gays are more macho than their straights?" Nothing like using homophobia to
I don't know what's more ridiculous, this ad and event, or the first sentence of your mission:
GOProud represents gay conservatives and their allies.Allies? Where? I'd be very, very interested to see any actual gay allies in the GOP.
I see comments are closed on your announcements page. That's a shame. I was very interested to see the "ally" response to this event. But I'm sure I can look at the comments here and get a good idea.
P.S. Judy Garland had talent.
No, seriously, explain to me how the fuck Ann Coulter is the "right wing Judy Garland."
(Via. Warning, lots of gay jokes in link and comments.)
Daily Dose o' Cute
Summer Makeover Edition!
Dougie, whose fur is quite long and wavy, just got a short, chic cut for the hot weather:
"You should rub my belly now."
"Please?"
"Pleeeeease?!"
Image descriptions: there are three photos--in the first, our tri-color (black, white, and brown) Cavalier King Charles spaniel is regally at rest on a brown leather couch. In the second, his face is turned full at the camera, and his eyes look a bit plaintive. In the third image, he has rolled back a bit to display his belly for rubbing.
Assvertising
For the Key Biscayne's Academy of Martial Arts RDCA:
It's hard to see but by the logo it says, simply: "karate lessons".
Because karate lessons are the solution if your little boy likes make-up and playing in heels, amirite?
According to this post at Queerty, the ad agency responded apologetically after a veritable shitstorm of publicity and criticism:
Created by Zubi Ad Agency, the ads were never intended for circulation, the company says, and were never approved by their client, the Academy Of Martial Arts RDCA in Key Biscayne, Florida. "The ads in question were posted by an individual that works at our agency on a site that creatives use to share ideas and get comments from others in their line of work," says COO Joe Zubizarreta, who's likely referring to sites like Ads Of The World, to BP. "The art director who developed them told me that he had posted this campaign as well as three others to get feedback from other creatives as to their opinions of the work."Ok then.
But creativity aside, the company isn't standing by them: "We want you to know that we don't condone this action and we are taking steps to make sure something like this never happens again. I apologize to you and anyone else that may have thought we knowingly allowed these ads to leave the agency. These ads were never produced nor would they have seen the light of day had they come across my desk. The creator of these ads is very apologetic and never intended to offend anyone however, we as the owners, understand that they can be considered offensive and would not under any circumstances have ever let them ever be produced."
[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, 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, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113]
Finally
[Image of an old back-page magazine ad advertising a free! booklet under the headline YOU CAN HAVE A HE-MAN VOICE.]
At long last I can ditch this nelly, simpering homo voce and get me a real, he-man voice. With a great voice, comes great power. Just like Spider-Man said. Plus, I've always wanted to sound like Dolph Lundgren. "I vill breek you."
[Cross-posted.]
So What I Wanna Know Is...
If the Tea Party folks are so goddamned concerned about honoring the Constitution, and protecting the Constitution, and rocking the Constitution to sleep at night while planting gentle kisses on its forehead, why aren't they arranging noisy counter-protests against the shrieking hordes of right wingers protesting the proposed Park51 community center* in Manhattan??
It couldn't be that they only give a shit about the Constitution when it's protecting their interests, and are perfectly happy to ignore it when they're attacking what they don't like, could it?
It couldn't be that they're so completely or willfully uninformed that they don't realize there's already a mosque near this "hallowed ground," could it?
It couldn't be that they recognize a convenient political football when they see one, could it?
It couldn't be that they really are simply lying, racist bigots, could it?
It couldn't be that the tea party and the mosque protesters are one and the same, could it?
Naaaaaaaaaah.
*(Earlier, in my haste to post, I mistakenly referred to Park51 as a mosque. It is not a mosque, it is a community center. There are future plans for a mosque in the building, but this just adds to show how this "mosque protest" is bullshit. Thanks to Misty for the link.)
Blog Note
I've got some more family/personal stuff to attend to this morning, but I expect to be back this afternoon. See you later.
(Requisite reminder we're down a mod when I'm not here, so play nice!)
Prop 8 Update
Shit:
A federal appeals court has extended a stay on same-sex marriages in California until it decides whether a ban on such unions is constitutional.The Ninth Circuit panel, comprised of Judges Edward Leavy, Michael Hawkins, and Sidney Thomas, has requested briefs to filed next month, with the appeal to be heard in December. It will likely be a different panel who judges the appeal than these three.
It is just the latest turn in a protracted legal battle over Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban.
The ruling, issued by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, came less than a week after a federal district judge, Vaughn R. Walker, lifted a stay he had imposed to allow proponents of the ban to argue why same-sex marriages should not proceed. On Aug. 4, Judge Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional.
Even when lifting his stay on Thursday, Judge Walker allowed six days for the Ninth Circuit to review his ruling. That left many gay and lesbian couples and their supporters hopeful that same-sex marriages would resume Wednesday at 5 p.m., when Judge Walker’s stay would have expired.
That will not happen. Now, such weddings will not resume until, at least, the appeals court decides the case. And perhaps not until it is decided by the United States Supreme Court, where it seems to be headed.
Actual Headline
Police: Mel Gibson was 'a gentleman' after Malibu crash.
Don't worry: He's fine!
But you know you're a world-class a-hole when your being a decent person to emergency responders after you crash your Maserati is headline news.
"Police were shocked to discover Gibson in a vaguely reasonable mood, not screaming racist and misogynist epithets at everyone within earshot."
Hmmm.
"Kids love the pole,” studio owner Tammy Morris told the Ottawa Citizen. “If anything, it's hard to get them off it because they're such naturals." Morris says the focus of their pole dance instruction is fitness and technique, not stripping. Though the studio’s Exotic Dance and Lap Dance classes have strict age requirements, kids can sign up for the rest of Tantra’s classes as long as they have signed permission from a parent.
What are your totally-not-about-sexiness-all-about-fitness classes open to children (as young as five) called again? Oh, that's right: Bellylicious, Sexy Flexy, Pussycat Dawls, and Promiscuous Girls.
Yeah. No.
Here's What You Need To Do
Waste hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on gas, take a month out of your life, and write a message that can only be "read" on google earth urging people towards a mediocre writer. Puzzle people questioning this action by stating that reading Ayn Rand’s writing would give the world a "more optimistic" view of the future. Because Rand is totes known for her optimism.
Add this note at the bottom of your half-finished page:
"If you click on the above link(s) and buy a product(s) at Amazon.com, the owner of this site will earn a commission."
Huh. Teabaggers have way too much time on their hands.
OMGWTFLOL WHUT?!
Under the truly absurd headline "Keeping up with the girls," LA Times columnist Meghan Daum laments "the notion that girls are entering puberty at earlier ages than in the past," only to use it as a launching pad for one of the most hilarious "what about the menz?!" of all time.
Let's consider for a moment the effect on boys. It can't possibly be good. As if boys in elementary and middle school didn't already have enough ways to compare themselves unfavorably to girls — scholastic achievement, verbal skills and social prowess, not to mention handwriting and knowledge about horses — this trend toward precocious sexual development just may be the final nail in the coffin of male domination.Yes, I absolutely agree. While addressing girls' precocious sexual development—and the inextricably linked sexualization and objectification that comes with the developing female body in this culture, not to mention the potential medical issues that are associated with early onset puberty and the psychological trauma of bullying to which many girls who develop early are subjected by siblings and peers—let us take a moment to centralize boys' self-esteem.
Or so it may seem to an ordinary 8-year-old boy, who may view these girls not only in the way boys traditionally have — as bossy, slightly alien carriers of cooties — but as something even more terrifying: women.
...[A]s we go about the essential business of dealing with this situation for girls, and how to stop it, perhaps it's worth extending some sympathy toward boys. In a world in which it's already so easy to feel diminished by the achievements of girls, this widening gulf in physical maturity just might have the effect of kicking them while they're down.
Call me zany, but I don't think eight-year-old boys are owed the right to feel secure about maintaining "male domination," anyway.
Bonus points to Ms. Daum for OH NOES OBESITY CRISIS! fearmongering, too.
[H/T to Shaker trishka.]
Today's Edition of "Conniving and Sinister"
See Deeky's archive of all previous Conniving & Sinister strips here.
[In which Liss reimagines the long-running comic "Frank & Ernest," about two old straight white guys "telling it like it is," as a fat feminist white woman (Liss) and a biracial queerbait (Deeky) telling it like it actually is from their perspectives. Hilarity ensues.]
