Magazine 60: "Don Quichotte"
Two Facts
1. David Brooks thinks Mitch Daniels should run for president because he has been an excellent governor for Indiana and would make an excellent president for the nation.
2. He is wrong.
Of course Daniels "spoke of the program he started that provides health insurance for low-income residents" and touted it as a success, because he is a privatizing machine and his program "successfully" managed to privatize Medicaid. But Healthy Indiana is not a success for Indiana's low-income uninsured residents, nor Indiana's healthcare providers: "There is no evidence that Healthy Indiana beneficiaries are getting better care than Medicaid beneficiaries. However, the care they are receiving costs more, and leaves less for reimbursing uncompensated care for the remaining 95 percent of the uninsured." Whoooooooops.
And naturally Daniels proudly "spoke of...the education program that will give scholarships to students in failing schools so they can choose another." And while he talks a good game about how students from low-income families should have the same chance to attend a private school as students from wealthy families (as if a scholarship program for some poor kids really levels the playing field), the Indiana Coalition for Public Education has quite rightly noted that "taxpayer money shouldn't be directed to private schools, which can deny admission to certain students." The proposal thus stands to "reverse the state's progress on desegregation efforts."
Mitch Daniels' policies are consistently rooted in the conservative pipedream (which Brooks sooooooo loves) that there's no such thing as institutional bias and everyone can achieve precisely the same things if only they work hard enough. Just give poor people the same opportunities, and failure can thus be regarded as unassailable evidence of laziness.
Except: Shitty healthcare they can't afford and competition for education vouchers that favor low-income students who come from home environments that already give them a good chance of success, despite poverty, does not the same opportunities as wealth provides make.
Especially when rerouting tax dollars to private institutions that may select for existing biases means marginalized students may end up with the choice between shitty private schools and a shitty public school system. Swell.
Further marginalization of the already marginalized is, of course, not a bug but a feature, despite anything Governor Daniels may say that sounds like he gives a shit about anyone but straight white men who work for corporations that make hefty campaign contributions.
But that's not something the believers in BOOTSTRAPS! will ever concede.
Know Who Stinks?
The "maverick" John McCain.
I may have mentioned my contempt for the gentleman from Arizona once or twice before.
[H/T to Spudsy.]
Good Morning! Here Is an Adorable Picture of James Franco Taking a Nap with Two Kittens!
James Franco tweeted this picture yesterday, and lots of people saw it, and lots of people reposted it, and then everyone in the multiverse sent it to me, because James Franco, and thanks to each and every one of you.
Question of the Day
Earlier this afternoon, when I was walking Dudley, he sniffed out a broken eggshell in the grass by the side of the road and gently picked it up in his mouth. "Dudley, no, ucky," I said. "Leave it." He did not leave it. Instead he looked up at me in the most hilarious fashion, 3/4 of an empty eggshell delicately balanced in his mouth. Looks what I gots!
I stuck my finger between his jaws, behind the egg, and cracked the shell, sending the pieces forward out of his mouth. His expression was priceless as his open jaw slowly closed: Whoa, Two-Legs. How'd you disappear my egg like that?!
It's so funny when I do something and the cats or dog look at me like I'm MAGICAL, lol.
When was the last time you mystified your pet/s (or other animal/s) with MAGIC?
Photo of the Day
Hawaii Senator Clayton Hee (see also) playfully gives Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie a kiss on the head before he signs the Hawaii Civil Unions bill into law at a ceremony held in Washington Place Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 in Honolulu. Hawaii Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, right, looks on. [AP Photo]Yay, Hawaii!
Woot!
Per the AP: Maryland Senate approves legislation to grant same-sex couples full marriage rights.
Yay, Maryland!
UR liberul media? Is very much not so.
[Trigger warning for hostility to agency]
Yesterday, my family went down to the local Federal office building to protest the proposed elimination of Title X funding. I'm not very good with counting, but I'm guessing there were between 100-200 of us "Standing With Planned Parenthood." It was as fun as such events tend to be. Our daughter finally got to use my whistle outdoors (which, if she's reading, I'll remind her is the appropriate place for such antics).
There were also around 10 counter-protesters. BTW, my (not)favorite sign: "Men Regret Lost Fatherhood" Indeed! Reproductive health care: What about the menz!
The media was also present. Here's my synopsis of their coverage:
Time Warner Cable News: "Debate for funding over Planned Parenthood." Here's a quote from some lady (whom 15 seconds and access to Google tells me is the Director of Community Affairs and Public Policy at the local Planned Parenthood, and honestly, it would've been 10 seconds if I could type today). Now here's five paragraphs about our Congresswoman, and a reminder that there's an election in two years. Oh yay! A horse race! I wonder who will win!
CNYCentral (The CBS, NBC, and CW news outlet-- thanks FCC!): "Rallies for and against Planned Parenthood." Blah blah blah both sides, blah.
WYSR (Syracuse's ABC Affilate): "Rally protests Congress' cut of Planned Parenthood funding." Better, but uh...
[A Planned Parenthood supporter] acknowledged that Planned Parenthood is an abortion provider...And? And?!?
The Syracuse Post-Standard: Look, this rally was, like, three blocks from our offices. Do you expect us to walk three blocks in twenty degree weather? Fuck that. Did you hear about Melo? Lots of other men are playing basketball, too!
I get it. Two Sides! sells. And I understand how amazing it is that a past spokeswoman for Operation Rescue would, when elected to Congress, turn out to be anti-choice (about as amazing as the fact that "salt potatoes", a local favorite are potatoes cooked in salt). But seriously, there was (by Syracuse standards) a pretty decent rally, and at least half the coverage was about how "some people" disagreed with the protesters? How about the media reporting on the accuracy of Planned Parenthood's talking points. It could be whole investigative thingy, where shockingly, the media could confirm that cutting Title X funding would hurt millions of women. Now there's a story! :chomps on cigar:
Today in Rape Culture
[Trigger warning for rape, rape apologia, and victim blaming]
[TW] Winnipeg Free Press under the succinct headline "Rape victim 'inviting,' so no jail":
A convicted rapist will not go to jail because a Manitoba judge says the victim sent signals that "sex was in the air" through her suggestive attire and flirtatious conduct on the night of the attack.
Queen's Bench Justice Robert Dewar called [convicted rapist Kenneth] Rhodes a "clumsy Don Juan" who may have misunderstood what the victim wanted when he forced intercourse along a darkened highway outside Thompson in 2006.
Rhodes and a friend met the 26-year-old woman and her girlfriend earlier that night outside a bar under what the judge called "inviting circumstances." Dewar specifically noted the women were wearing tube tops with no bra, high heels and plenty of makeup.
"Don Juan"? I see what you're doing there. To hell with that.
I'd say the whole "forced intercourse" thing indicates that the rapist knew damn well what the victim wanted, namely, to not have "sex" with him. Which is exactly what makes Mr. Rhodes' actions rape, not sex. Which is exactly why the court convicted Mr. Rhodes of rape. Because he's a rapist.
But, since we've all heard stories like this over and over and over and over again, I'm sure the rapist was a nice guy, and this rape wasn't really, like, you know, "rape rape." I'm sure it was some sort of magical no-big-deal, not-really-rape/"gray rape" that totally exists (except for how it absolutely doesn't).
Judge Dewar? Do enlighten us with your oh-so-novel arguments.
Dewar said the case was not "typical" of ones the courts often see and shouldn't be viewed as a precedent.
"There is a different quality to this case than many sexual assaults," he said. "Not all guilty people are morally culpable to the same level. This difference is not to be reflected in conviction. It can be reflected in sentencing. Protection of society is not advanced one iota by putting Mr. Rhodes in jail."
The judge clearly isn't making some sort of argument about the general efficacy of prisons in keeping society safe-- he's talking about the particular case of Mr. Rhodes (who, if you recall, is a rapist). While it doesn't fucking matter, Mr. Rhodes is not, to my knowledge, a particularly atypical rapist, which also means that there's a pretty decent chance that he'll commit rape yet again. If he was in prison for three years, that'd be three years during which, at the very least, he wouldn't be able to rape someone who's not in prison. So I'm not sure how iotas come into the discussion here.
Oh! Rapists in Manitoba also now know that there's an even greater chance that they'll be able to rape women and face little or no consequences. And! Women in Manitoba also have yet another reason to believe that the criminal justice system will ridicule them for coming forward and accusing their rapist-- even in those rare instances where the court finds said rapist guilty. Which is all my long-winded way of saying: What the fucking fuck?!?
Alas, permit me to talk about the victim's manner of dress.
First, I don't give a damn how the victim was dressed. Lots of people wear lots of clothes for lots of reasons. Just because someone is wearing heels and makeup and a tube top (or whatever), does not automatically mean that ze is looking to get laid. Example: I am wearing heels and no bra (alas, no tube top today) as I write this, and yet I'm mostly looking to finish this post and then to grade some papers-- teh sexy, it is very much not.
Second, I don't give a damn if the victim was looking to get laid. As Liss pointed out [TW] several years ago, it is possible for a person to send a signal that ze's looking for sex, while simultaneously maintaining hir autonomy in the matter of if, when, how, and with whom such sex may take place.
Consent is not merely a mythical concept when one chooses to make it so in violation of other peoples' autonomy. In other words, there is no excuse for rape. Ever.
Via @KateHarding (in turn, via @JessicaValenti)
Daily Dose of Cute
It actually snowed last night! This caused the usual reactions...
Quote of the Day
"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation." --Michael Steel, John Boehner's spokesman, showing off his intellectual dishonesty and unmitigated temerity by saying that in response to the statement released by Attorney General Eric Holder regarding DOMA and the Obama administration's review.
I hearby release this Official Response to his response:
Dear John,
You first.
Also? Fuck you.
No love,
Me.
Get Out Your Keytars!
Because it's on like Donkey Kong! To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, Rock Band is releasing Buckner & Garcia's opus Pac-Man Fever. In its entirety. In addition to the title track, the album (which went gold, according to the RIAA) includes clever video game-themed ditties like "Froggy's Lament" and "Ode to a Centipede". Awesome. Huh?
Pre-order yours today. Or not. Maybe this is all a hoax. It could be a hoax!
Jumping on the Morally Reprobate Bandwagon
I'm sure you haven't forgotten that South Dakota recently had a bill that would, in effect, legalize the murder of health care providers who perform abortions. That bill was also recently shelved.
Now Iowa and Nebraska are now introducing or resurrecting similar--and worse--legislation.
From Iowa:
Two bills sponsored by Iowa House Republicans could have significant public safety consequences, and perhaps the most unnerving of those potential outcomes would be the justifiable use of deadly force against abortion or family planning providers.
When the two pieces of legislation are combined they create a situation where a fertilized egg would be considered a person, and allow for the public execution of those who would threaten such a person.
If passed into law, the two bills — House File 7 and House File 153 — would offer an unprecedented defense opportunity to individuals who stand accused of killing such providers, according to a former prosecutor and law professor at the University of Kansas, and are something that might have very well led to a different outcome in the Kansas trial of the man who shot Dr. George Tiller in a church foyer.
[...]
Currently, abortion is also settled law in Iowa. But House File 153, sponsored by 28 Republicans, challenges it. Under that bill, the state would be mandated to recognize and protect “life” from the moment of conception until “natural death” with the full force of the law and state and federal constitutions. Essentially, the bill declares that from the moment a male sperm and a female ovum join to create a fertilized egg that a person exists.
House File 7, which has been sponsored by 29 GOP House members, seeks to expand state law regarding use of reasonable force, including deadly force. Current state laws provide that citizens are not required to retreat from their dwelling or place of business if they or a third party are threatened. The proposal would significantly expand this to state that citizens are not required to retreat from “any place at which the person has a right to be present,” and that in such instances, the citizen has the right to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect himself or a third party from serious injury or death or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.
From Nebraska:
The legislation, LB 232, was introduced by state Sen. Mark Christensen, a devout Christian and die-hard abortion foe who is opposed to the procedure even in the case of rape. Unlike its South Dakota counterpart, which would have allowed only a pregnant woman, her husband, her parents, or her children to commit "justifiable homicide" in defense of her fetus, the Nebraska bill would apply to any third party.Really, I don't even know what to say at this point. It's just so fucked up.
"In short, this bill authorizes and protects vigilantes, and that's something that's unprecedented in our society," Melissa Grant of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland told the Nebraska legislature's judiciary committee on Wednesday. Specifically, she warned, it could be used to target Planned Parenthood's patients and personnel. Also testifying in opposition to the bill was David Baker, the deputy chief executive officer of the Omaha police department, who said, "We share the same fears...that this could be used to incite violence against abortion providers."
James Franco Is Working His Way through the Criterion Collection, No Doy Of Course He Is.
If you're not a film nerd and don't know what the Criterion Collection is, you can read more about it here, but, basically, all you need to know is that it's a giant film collection of notable works published in uncut editions approved by the directors.
I'm pretty much in love with the Criterion Collection, even though, by the nature of its medium, it reflects many of the biases of the industry. In actuality, the Criterion Collection is probably better than the industry overall for inclusion of directors from marginalized classes. But I digress.
Know who else loves the Criterion Collection? Of course you do.
James Franco is "making [his] way through them all," because he is James Franco. What—did you think James Franco was only going to watch PART of this enormous film collection? You're so weird.
Anyway, here is James Franco's Top 1O, which is actually a Top 15, because James Franco.
[Thank you Stephanie for the heads-up, who blames me for turning her into a jamesfrancophile.]
Thursday Blogaround
Because I forgot to do one yesterday (whooooooooooops), so I'll do one today instead of tomorrow.
Akimbo: Three Action Steps to Counteract the GOP Attack on Women's Health
Renee: Bill Maher is THE WORST [Trigger warning for rape culture, misogyny, racism]
Stephanie: Best Picture Nominee Review Series: 2011 Roundup
Andy: Mother Sues Florida School District After Teacher Mocks Her Gay Son, Compelling Him to Leave School [TW for homophobia]
Tigtog: LIBERATE
Mike: Profiting from Hunger: The JPMorgan Edition
Melissa: A New Low: Bad Teacher
Leave your links in comments...
Assvertising, Part 132 in an Ongoing Series
[Trigger warning for stalking, rape culture, ableism.]
I saw this advert a few weeks ago and meant to write about it, but I couldn't remember what company it was (so much for their advert being effective, lulz). Coincidentally, however, after seeing my post about Dove, Mama Shakes emailed to ask if I'd seen this one, and she fortunately remembered it was a (previous offender) Virgin Mobile commercial.
[Creepy, ominous music. Nighttime. A young, blond white woman sits in a tree outside the window of a house, in which sits a young white man. She is clutching a mobile phone.]Okay, there's so much wrong with this piece of shit, I don't even know where to begin, so let's just start with the obvious: "Our product makes stalking SO EASY!" is a loathsome campaign.
Woman, getting increasingly manic throughout: Brad and I just had the best first date. I think he's the one! And now, with my Android-powered phone from Virgin Mobile, I can email the pics I took to my mom, and, with unlimited data and web, I can go through his Flickr stream to make sure I'm hotter than his exes, follow his Twitter feed to see if he's mentioned me yet—I can even watch his Foursquare check-ins for patterns! It's only $25 a month. That's CRAZY, right?!
[She makes "crazy" face; lightning strikes. Text onscreen in b-movie horror font: "Go CRAZY on Android." She grins "crazily" and pants; lightning flashes and the music mimics the theme from Psycho.]
Stalking is not funny. Making the stalker a woman and her victim a man does not make stalking funny. Suggesting that female stalkers are harmless and men can't be hurt by them does not make stalking funny. It does, however, stand to tacitly discourage men from reporting being stalked, because it's somehow "unmanly" to think a woman is capable of hurting them.
Mental illness is not funny. Stalking, of which most violent perpetrators are men targeting women, is also not generally associated with mental illness, but entitlement and patriarchal narratives of ownership, foundational to the rape culture of which stalking is an inextricable part. In cases where stalking is associated with mental illness: Still not funny.
Virgin Mobile USA is a property of Sprint Nextel, who assert to be "committed to the belief that we all share in the responsibility to conduct our businesses in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. We base this on the premise that a company is much more than the products and services it sells; the effect a company has on the environment, the people and the communities it serves reflects the company's dedication to being not only a good business, but to being a good corporate citizen."
They also have a Human Rights Policy in which they claim to be "committed to improving the lives of customers. ... Through technology, Sprint can provide customers with advanced tools to enhance their lifestyles, improve work/life balance and protect their loved ones."
LOL FOREVER.
You know, Sprint is a widely-held stock and I'll bet lots of Shakers have Sprint shares in their retirement accounts. If you're a Sprint shareholder, maybe you'd like to contact them and let them know that you'll be divesting yourself of shares in companies that promote stalking via their advertising.
The Overton Window: Chapter Thirty-Eight
You remember Bailey and Kearns, don't you? They made wine coolers back in the Eighties, right? No, Bailey and Kearns did not make wine coolers. Well, I suppose maybe they could have made wine coolers. It's possible. What the pair did in their free time is not discussed. Which is weird, since so much unnecessary stuff is discussed.
Bailey, internet patriot, and Kearns, undercover (or maybe not) agent, are still trying to deliver their fake (or maybe not) bomb to Elmer and his gang. Hopefully, they'll get that done soon. There's only 50 pages left. We've been through 85% of the novel, and at some point the author is going to have to relent and introduce a plot. Typically this is done early in a book. Typically books are written by competent authors.
Now, before you get your hopes up, let me just put it out there, nothing happens in this chapter.
There is the requisite driving, and since the chapter features Bailey, a whole lot of talking. Swell.
The pair stop at a gas station, somewhere. Bailey notes ominous headlines on a newspaper. "NATIONWIDE TERROR ALERT STATUS ELEVATED ONCE MORE" and "DHS CHIEF: INTEL CONFIRMS 'CREDIBLE THREAT' FOR WESTERN U.S." Oh, goodness, what's the threat? I hope it's not a bomb!
Bailey looked up into the corner and saw a dusty security camera looking back down at him. Even out here, he thought, on the outskirts of civilization, some backward distant cousin of Big Brother is still watching.First of all, someone does not understand the concept of Big Brother. Secondly, is Beck pro-shoplifting? Is Beck saying Small Business Owners, the backbone of the Free Market, shouldn't protect their businesses from sniveling little thieves?
Danny becomes thoughtful, and he and Kearns head back out to wherever they're going. In the van Danny asks about the heightened alert level. (What level is it at now anyway? Purple?) "What are you getting at?" the agent asks.
Thanks, Kearns. You shouldn't encourage him.
Danny then proceeds to blather on about various dildobrained conspiracy theories relating to the London Underground bombings of 2005. It boils down to this: It was an inside job by Scotland Yard. I think. And there is something about a double agent named Haroon Rashid Aswat trying to set up an al-Qaeda camp in Oregon. Maybe this is faction again. Though, I hope, for Scotland Yard's sake, this is simply more bullshit.
Mohamed Atta, mastermind behind the September 11th attacks, was also known as Mohamed Mohamed el-Amir. And...
Wait for it...
el-Amir = Elmer!
Umm... Okay.
"Mohamed Atta is dead," Kearns dutifully notes. Danny explains:
"Yeah? So is Osama bin Laden, but that doesn't stop him from putting out a tape every six months. And I'm not even saying it's a real live Islamo-fascist behind any of this, but making it look that way will make the story that much scarier when something happens."Osama bin Laden is dead? Or was that sarcasm? Or another conspiracy theory? I don't know.
"In English, el-Amir translates to 'the general.' It could be a code word. Atta used el-Amir back then in 2001, and this guy's using it now. If this whole thing is part of some false-flag operation—if they're really trying to bring this war back home — they need a new boogeyman right here on U.S. soil, and they need to connect him to past events and to the patriot movement so they can demonize the resistance."Oh, okay. That clears that up. Elmer is code. For something. And a patriot resistance something something.
Really, by this point, I'd hope things would be clearer. But no. Everything is as murky as a wet fart. I really thought I had some sense of what was going on here. But now even I am confused. Fortunately, at this point Bailey shuts up.
Top Chef Open Thread
[Image from last night's episode: Marcel and Tiffany do some chef shit.]
Last night's episode will be discussed in detail, so if you haven't seen it, and don't want any spoilers, move along...
