New York Times: GOP Newcomers Set Out to Undo Obama Victories.
Happy New Year.
Open Thread
Hosted by party poppers. Let the "poppers" jokes begin!
This week's open threads have been brought to you by New Years Eve.
Happy New Year!
Well, 2010 was a helluva year, wasn't it? I can't say I'm sad to see the back of it. But you know what I always say: Onward, Shakers! We must always remember that when our teaspooning arms start to hurt, it's just the muscles gettin' bigger!
The Radical Gay Secular Feminazi Cooter Agenda isn't going to promulgate itself, people.
The New Year's Eve Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
Thanks for a great year, Shakers.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gies a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
for auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Random YouTubery: CATS! And DOGS!
"Behind every great kitten, lies another kitten."
DOGS!
"Will be ridiculously cute for treats."
[Video Descriptions: 1. Three kittens lie in a heap taking a nap. A hand reaches in and removes the middle kitten revealing a hidden fourth kitten underneath, who's lying on hir back with paws in air, purring like a lawnmower. 2. A Pedigree dogfood commercial that features dogs jumping for treats and licking their lips in slow-motion. Note: Posting of this advert isn't an endorsement of Pedigree products, which I don't use and with which I'm not familiar.]
Daily Dose of Cute
Matilda, sunning.
Olivia, nose-licking.
Sophie, stretching.
Dudley, sitting.
Tweet of the Day
BaltimorePolice: 3:30pm today, 3201 Boston Street. Penny the dog will thank Officers from the Marine unit for rescuing her last night from the Harbor.
(More on the story here.)
Oh Dear
[Trigger warning for fat hatred, weight loss talk, heterocentrism.]
Behold an advert for the upcoming CW television series "Shedding for the Wedding," in which couples compete to lose weight for their nuptials. Hosted by recent loser-of-weight actress Sara Rue.
Voiceover (over images of couples competing in physical challenges like racing while carrying wedding cakes): Wednesday, February 23rd, from the executive producer of "The Biggest Loser"...It's when she announces her weight loss and holds up her ring. UGH. Love belongs to thin people! Gross.
Cut to Rue being interviewed: "Shedding for the Wedding" is about couples trying to get in shape for their fantasy dream wedding.
Cut to female contestant getting fitted for wedding gown: I feel really nice!
Cut back to Rue: I know what these contestants are gonna go through. I lost 50 pounds and (holds up hand to reveal diamond engagement ring) I'm engaged!
Cut to couple in matching costumes looking at each other. Him: Love you. Her: I love you.
Cut back to Rue: I can only imagine what a bond these couples are gonna have.
Voiceover (over graphic of scale with one pink footprint and one blue footprint, which morphs into wedding cake): "Shedding for the Wedding." Wednesday, February 23rd, on the CW.
The Porn King with a Heart of Gold
[Trigger warning for sexual coercion, exploitation, dehumanization.]
HistGeek_1 emails (which I am publishing with his permission):
I just found this article and it made me wretch and I thought this was something that the brilliant minds of Shakesville should discuss. In effect, Nadya Suleman (disappeared as "Octomom" in the title) may see her mortgage sold to "porn kingpin" Steve Hirsch. Here's the really sick part: "Hirsch told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he's not trying to pressure Suleman into porn, but he would use her housing woes to start a conversation that brings her to work for Vivid."For further perspective, Hirsch has already made repeated offers to Suleman, for as much as $1 million, to appear in one of his porn videos, and she has repeatedly declined. So this guy's already been harassing her to try to coerce her to do porn for him, and now he's trying to buy her mortgage for leverage.
Seriously, that is some fucked up shit right there.
Which, naturally, he denies: "There'd be no pressure on her. We're not looking to foreclose on the note, but if nothing else it would give us opportunity to meet with her. She's made it clear she doesn't want to do an adult movie. Maybe there are other things we could do that she would be interested in."
Sure. Just out of the goodness of the porn king's heart, I guess.
This is the culture in which we live: A woman is being publicly coerced to do pornography, and it's not a national outrage, but fodder for a casual wire item which culminates in a rehashing of her financial situation, thus implicitly suggesting the porn king is doing her a favor by offering her exploitative work she doesn't want in exchange for not foreclosing on her house.
Why, he's practically a hero.
[Commenting Guidelines: Nadya Suleman's reproductive choices are none of our business, not up for debate, and off-topic for this thread or any other.]
So...
...the wacky weather continues in NWI. We're apparently seeing out 2010 with a thunderstorm.
Zuh?
Question of the Day
Will you be making any New Year resolutions?
I never make New Year resolutions, because I know myself well enough to acknowledge I only do what I need to do when I'm ready to do it, and arbitrary dates don't help me get there any damn faster, lol.
Facts About Women
Jay Herrod knows some facts about women that he'd like to share with other men, who may or may not know these facts about women:
Here are some things men may or may not know about women, which are: Number One! Women may forgive, BUT never forget. Number Two! Start giving a woman, say, flowers too often, and she will think a man is up to something. Number Three! The only way a man can win an argument with a woman is when she lets him. Number Four! Women talk just as dirty as men. Number Five! All women have a set pattern; figure it out, and a man can figure her out. Number Six! During courtship, a woman will let a man chase her to be sure he wants her. Number Seven! Not all blonde-haired women are dumb and stupid. Number Eight! Women are just as smart as men. Number Nine! A man cannot hide something from a woman in her house, because she knows when something has been moved and is out of place. Number Ten! Most women hate to be ignored.If you like what you've heard, you'll be thrilled to hear that Jay Herrod has announced his candidacy for US president.
Now I have a question no woman I have asked has been able to answer: Why do women wear pretty underwear and bras under their clothes no one can see?
That's it! This is Jay Herrod. Thank ya.
[Via.]
Question for the Gamers
Read this headline: Brazil to build 'underwater cities' to drill for oil.
Can I see a show of hands for how many of you immediately thought of what's below the fold?
Image Description: Screen grab from the video game Bioshock.
This Would Be Even More Exciting If the US Had Socialized Healthcare
...thus insuring (or at least making more likely) that everyone would have equal access to it:
Two US companies this year broke new ground by winning regulatory approval to start the first experiments using embryonic stem cells on humans [with] spinal cord injury and blindness.Neat. I'm totes gonna keep a spare kidney in the glovebox of my flying car.
The potent but hotly debated cells can transform into nearly any cell in the human body, opening a path toward eliminating such ills as Parkinson's disease, paralysis, diabetes, heart disease, and maybe even [aging].
...[Bob Lanza, chief scientist at Advanced Cell Technology] said the advances, while they still face rigorous testing, offer promise toward treating a host of diseases, and could one day eliminate the need for amputation of limbs, blood transfusions and transplants from strangers.
"Some time in the future, perhaps in the lifetime of most of your readers, you'll get in an accident and lose a kidney and they will take a skin cell and just grow you up a new organ," said Lanza. "That field is just roaring ahead."
(I also look forward to the day when we can get an article about medical advances without ableist language. Wheeeee!)
