By a vote of 65-31, the United States Senate has repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell.
This is one more step forward for equal rights in America.
Don't Ask Don't Tell Is Hereby Repealed
The Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
Daily Dose o' Cute
So last Thursday, this 8 week-old kitten (General Burnside, after the sideburn guy) moved in with us. Our daughter loves him. A lot:
[A picture of our daughter hugging Burnie, quite possibly to the point of discomfort.]
They play together. A lot:
[Sideways video of our daughter and Burnie playing with yarn and a scratching post. The audio is mostly our daughter saying a lot of things, mostly inaudable things, at a very high pitch and volume.]
Still shots below the fold...
Before:
[General Burnside sees some yarn...]
After:
[...and he attacks!]
In case my parents are reading (and are observant), why yes, that is the hand puppet shaped like a urine-filled specimen cup that we totes stole from your place. You'll be getting it (and your mouse) back soon.
[I can't make this shit up.]
Silly Men!
by Shaker BrianWS
So, Liss sends me this email this morning with the subject line "OMG LOLOLOLOLOL."
At first, I was thinking, "OMG please let there be an awesome Top Chef GIF in here." But, alas, it was not.
It was, however, actually something much, MUCH better: This.
(For those uninterested in clicking through, it's an article at CNN headlined "Men and their holiday shopping battle," by Bradley Gallo. And, yes, it is as terrible as it sounds.)
My first thought was, "Wow, there is an awful lot of bullshit in here to unpack," because it's a heterocentrist piece of trash in so many delicious ways. First off, naturally there's no discussion in this article about how gay men shop, but we already know the reason why that is. Gay men get their own articles, which are always completely different from this one—high style, fine clothing, expensive wine, ULTRA-GAY RESORTS BEWARE THEY ARE COMING FOR YOUR TOWN! The entire article is about how "men," period, can't shop, hate shopping, and are just too fucking stupid to be able to successfully complete, much less enjoy, such a womanly pursuit like shopping. That is, as long as they're straight men, implying once again that gay men aren't "real men."
I'll let Liss's email unpack the other portion of it. "This article is just another perfect example of how the patriarchy is the greatest enemy of men, because 'dudez are bumbling numpties who can't even buy Crimbo pressies without shitting on their own shoes' isn't exactly a classic feminist trope, ahem."
I don't really have anything to add to that bit of hilarity, especially because I have no fucking clue what several words in there even mean.
Anyway, as I've become particularly fond of doing recently, I've just got to point out a couple of my favorite parts of the article. I mean I seriously HAVE to, they're that good. A Mix CD of my favorites below.
"They come in with a list -- they don't want to get the wrong thing -- they bring in a bottle or a ripped page of a magazine," Rodriguez said. Men are always asking her, "are you sure this is the one? Are you sure?"
"Are you sure this is the one?" I don't know about you, but this one really encompasses the entire article quite well. A straight man comes in holding the fucking page of a magazine with the product's picture on it, holds the actual product in his other hand, and needs a kind ladyperson to help him solve a particularly gnarly visual puzzle about whether two things that look exactly alike are the same thing. "Hey, I know that I'm looking for this bottle of Celine Dion's Belong perfume like I have in this picture, and though this bottle in my hand is the same size, says 'Celine Dion Belong' on it, and looks exactly the same, can you just do a quick double-check for me to make sure I'm not gonna royally screw this one up and accidentally buy a bottle of antacids instead of perfume?"
What a weird little anecdote about stupid men and their stupid inability to shop.
"I tell women up front that I don't celebrate holidays," and Wilson only buys a gift that he knows his girl is willing to match in cost on a gift for him.
I wonder how many dudes he had to go through interviews with before this article got finished. Like he'd ask a guy how he felt about shopping and he'd say "Eh, it's not my favorite, but I don't mind it that much."
Nope. Not a big enough douchebag; let's ask someone else! "It's one of my least favorite things in the entire world and to be perfectly honest, I would rather spend an entire week locked in a small room with Newt Gingrich than do this shit." Nope. Not a big enough douchebag—come on world, aren't there ANY TOTAL ASSHOLES IN THIS MALL????
Then he found that guy. "She's only buying me Call of Duty: Black Ops and the headset for Xbox so I can talk to my broskis while we're fucking launching grenades and shit into each other online. Seriously, have you seen that fucking game? Nah, really, babe, it's unreal, you should test it out sometime or get it for your boyfriend. Oh, how much does that cost? Eh, maybe a hundo when you add it all up, so I was like fuck that necklace she keeps talking about, I'm getting her socks with ponies on them, and some Neutrogena face lotion, and chocolate, maybe a Julia Roberts DVD or something, you know, shit ladies like, but only up to $98, not a penny more!"
But some men are romantics and they treat the process with care. Sohaib Ansari is 24 years old and originally from Pakistan. The love of his life has just finished her exams back in their home country. He wants to surprise her with a gift.
OMGWTFWHUT?!! "Ansari knows that females love jewelry." Of course they do. And pink shit. And babies. And pictures of babies dressed in pink wearing lots of jewelry.
Ansari knows that females love jewelry. "It means something. It makes them pretty. It makes them beautiful," he said. He is looking for that one piece to pop out and make the decision for him. "This is my first time buying for her so it has to be special."
"It makes them pretty." Seriously, Shakers, I love mocking articles like this, and this line may have actually broken my will. It makes them pretty? No, pal, it makes you an asshole. Does he bother with any real knowledge of whether the love of his life actually loves jewelry, or is he just assuming that she does because women are pink, baby, jewelry robots programmed from birth to serve his gender stereotypes?
I hope she hates his gift and tells him she'd rather he'd have bought her a football.
And finally…
What if a man has to handle this completely on their own?
Shakers, this is not a world I want to live in. I'm going to go sleep this one off.
Meanwhile...
...in the third war we're totally not fighting, three US missile attacks in the Khyber tribal region of Pakistan reportedly killed "killed 54 alleged militants."
Less newsworthy, naturally, than the already barely audible news of the third war we're fighting: "Human rights groups say there are significant numbers of civilian casualties in the attacks."
There have been "more than 100 missile attacks this year inside Pakistan," but: "US officials do not acknowledge firing the missiles, much less comment on who they are targeting. It is impossible to independently report on the aftermath of the attacks because outsiders are not allowed to visit the tribal regions."
Pope Picks Fight in Honor of World Day of Peace
[Trigger Warning: Christian Supremacy]
The World Day of Peace is almost upon us. Well, actually the International Day of Peace was September 21st, but the Catholic World Day of Peace is January 1. So much for peace and goodwill. (Although in fairness, the Catholic Church came up with the gimmick first.)
Anyhow, yesterday Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech in honor of peace, where he talked about how Christians are totally winning the Oppression Olympics, and how the rest of the world (like me?) needs to make haste with the peace.
Oh! And he said that religious intolerance was an affront to God. So that was kinda interesting.
"At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution on account of its faith. Many Christians experience daily affronts and often live in fear because of their pursuit of truth, their faith in Jesus Christ and their heartfelt plea for respect for religious freedom. This situation is unacceptable, since it represents an insult to God and to human dignity; furthermore, it is a threat to security and peace, and an obstacle to the achievement of authentic and integral human development."...and of course, there's...
"A freedom which is hostile or indifferent to God becomes self-negating and does not guarantee full respect for others." [emphasis mine]Happy World Peace Day. There's cake and ice cream in the basement, but it's reserved for believers in the one true God.
Wooo! Peace Day!!!! Woo! Woo. woo.
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround is brought to you by Shaxco, makers of the BieberMeter, for all your snow-measuring needs.
Kate Harding: [TW discussion of sexual violence] Some Shit I’m Sick of Hearing Regarding Rape and Assange
Diane Glosson: e-Textile Workshop Sells Out at the Record Breaking Grace Hopper Celebration 2010
Ladysquires: How Not to Write About Disability in Your College Application
abby jean at FWD/Forward: Training Is Important
Arturo R. Garcia: Thor Losers: ‘Christian’ Group Aghast at Idris Elba's Godliness
Brian Switek: Geminiraptor Helps Set Utah Dinosaur Record
cuppycake at Border House: 1UP’s “20 Worst Cosplayers” feature practices fat-shaming
smitten kitchen: roasted chestnut cookies
Some reading about White Nose Syndrome in bats, an epidemic I have mentioned here before:
Pamela Black: Agency Plans to Save Bats from White-nose Syndrome
Brandon Keim in Wired: The Desperate Battle Against Killer Bat Plague
From the USGS: Tattered Wings: Bats Grounded by White-Nose Syndrome’s Lethal Effects on Life-Support Functions of Wings
Share your links in comments.
Latest Assange Rape Apologist: Julian Assange
[Trigger warning for sexual assault; rape apology.]
Julian Assange gets in on the discredit-Assange's-accusers act:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Friday that the sexual misconduct charges against him are little more than an effort to discredit him and his organization.Not for nothing, but the allegations made by the two women were published some time ago. Of course, I realize it's totally unfashionable, especially among rape apologists, to consider women's eyewitness statements about their own sexual assaults "evidence."
"This has been a very successful smear campaign so far, but I think its days are numbered and people are starting to wonder, is what is claimed really true and if it is true, where is the evidence?," Assange told NBC's Today show. "Why has no evidence been provided even to me and my defense attorneys?"
Anyway, special congratulations to Michael Moore for sounding exactly like a man accused of rape discrediting the women who accused him.
Quote of the Day
[Trigger warning for racism.]
Norse mythology gets multi-cultural remake in upcoming movie titled "Thor," Marvel studios. It's not enough that Marvel attacks conservatives values, now mythological Gods must be re-invented with black skin.—The "radical and racist" hate group Council of Conservative Citizens [via], in a post on their website urging a boycott of the upcoming film and proving that, if nothing else, white people uniquely have to themselves the habit of pooping their pants about a fictional character in a story about a dude with a magical hammer not being white.
It seems that Marvel Studios believes that white people should have nothing that is unique to themselves. An upcoming movie, based on the comic book Thor, will give the Aesir an insulting multi-cultural make-over. One of the Gods will be played by Hip Hop DJ Elba.
This is so the worst thing you're going to read all day.
Actual Headline: It's a Great Time to Be Rich.
Actual Subhead: "If the tax cuts become law, the next two years will be the best in living memory for many wealthy Americans to shield their income and fortunes."
Actual Intro:
A bonanza of new and extended tax benefits could make it as easy as ever for the rich to stay that way.Exactly what I'd have hoped from a Democratic Congressional majority and a Democratic presidential administration: A climate that is extremely favorable for wealthy families.
Under legislation approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, Dec. 15, and now moving on to the House, savvy wealthy Americans would be able to capitalize on an environment in which their tax rates on income and investments remain at historic lows. Also, new rules would make it possible to pass on fortunes to heirs with less fuss and lower taxes than all but a brief period of the past 80 years. It's a far cry from the 70 percent bite the federal government took out of the largest incomes and estates as recently as 1980.
"The climate we'll have after this legislation is extremely favorable for wealthy families," says Jeffrey Cooper, a professor at Quinnipiac University School of Law and a former estate planner who has studied the history of U.S. tax law.
Newsflash: It snows a lot in Upstate New York
Syracuse has already received over 69 inches of snow this December. As our local newspaper helpfully points out, that's enough to cover Justin Bieber.
That's right, over one Bieber of snow has fallen on the City of Syracuse this month.
Oh, it's so on. Your move, Albany.
For those of you who are curious, the snowiest winter on record in Syracuse was 1992-1993, when the city saw just under three Biebers of snow.
Morning Thoughts on #mooreandme
[Trigger warning for sexual violence.]
Michael Moore still has not addressed the fact that he blatantly misrepresented the allegations against Julian Assange. My pal Tom Watson pretty well sums it up thus: "The silence of @MMFlint on the #mooreandme controversy is deeply disappointing and frankly, rank anti-feminism."
Moore is no champion of the little guy if "guy" is literal. And he's no progressive if he's not a feminist. You can't claim to be a man of the people if you don't give a flying fuck about half the population.
Oh, but Julian Assange is doing IMPORTANT WORK, he argues. Well, Sady Doyle and I and the other people who are criticizing Moore for rape apologism in defense of a man doing IMPORTANT WORK are doing important work, too. Of course, Julian Assange is doing Very Important Business for "people," while we're just doing boring old ladybusiness.
This entire episode has been a textbook example of a dude auditing the veracity of rape allegations using how much he likes the person accused as the primary basis for his Totally Objective Observations. Which is, truly, one of the most basic forms of rape apologism there is.
"Well, I totes hate rape, and I like Julian Assange, so therefore he cannot be a rapist!"
What's that brand of il(logic) called again...?
Oh right. Bullshit.
#mooreandme
Two-Party System
Spinelessness and Obstructionism: "Senate Democrats abruptly abandoned an omnibus budget bill for the coming year, pushing major spending decisions into the next Congress and giving Republicans immense new leverage to confront President Barack Obama's priorities."
Meanwhile... "Congress at midnight Thursday approved an $801 billion package of tax cuts and $57 billion for extended unemployment insurance. ...Administration officials said Mr. Obama would sign the package into law on Friday."
Barack Obama said he's change the way Washington works. And he has.
It's more broken than ever.
Texting! With Liss and Deeky!
Liss: [sends picture]
Deeky: LOL! Your dog is such a goofball!
Liss: He's the greatest. I love his goofballery to pieces, lol. He's so awesome that I didn't even WANT a dog and I adore him!
Deeky: No shit! You were so wevs about getting a dog. "But Iain really wants one..."
Liss: I know, right? LOL. And now I'm all "Hells yeah I'm goin' to the dog park in the pissing sleet! ANYTHING 4 DUDZ!" What a sucker!
Deeky: Chump!
Liss: LOL! Too true!
This is so the worst thing you're going to read all day.
[Trigger warning for sexual violence and rape apologia.]
Time's really hitting 'em out of the park lately:
Foreign visitors to Stockholm's lively bar scene might be struck by the assertiveness of the nation's women — the typical Swedish female seems to have no qualms about approaching men to start a conversation or initiate a romantic encounter. To Swedish feminists, that confidence is just one part of the country's wider effort to promote women's rights. "The whole society now expects women to be as forward with their sexual will as men. That, after all, is part of achieving gender equality," explains Karine Arakelian, chairwoman of Terrafem, a shelter organization for abused women.I can't decide which part of that I like best: The implication that non-assertive women don't have "the freedom to dictate their sexual encounters," or the implication that assertive women (and, by extension, the feminism that creates them) are responsible for rape.
But despite having the freedom to dictate their sexual encounters, Swedish women face a troubling fact: Sweden has by far the highest incidence of reported rapes in Europe, and one of the lowest conviction rates in the developed world.
[H/T to Amanda Hess, via Twitter.]
Daily Dose o' Cute
My nephew and I took a camera along this morning on one of the dogs' walks.
Me with Sir Doug. Photo by N.
Image description: a black/white/brown tricolor Cavalier King Charles spaniel on a lawn with bushes and a person in the background.
N. with Dexter. Photo by SKM
Image description: A Blenheim (light auburn-and-white) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel held by a person in a turquoise-and-black triangle-patterned sweatshirt.
