64%: The percentage of USians in the latest Gallup poll who are "worried that the Republican plan for reducing the federal budget deficit" will, in the long-term, "take away needed protections for the poor and disadvantaged."
And they are 100% right to be concerned.
Number of the Day
No Doy He Is
Professor James Franco, who has received by my count approximately 37 different degrees in various creative arts in the last nine months, will continue his education in Houston because James Franco.
James Franco has won a spot in a University of Houston creative writing program.James Franco, who recently received a PhD in Ambition from The Universe, is also currently developing his own autobiographical cartoon series for PBS, SpongeBrain CollegePants. TRUE FACT!
The university confirms that the actor nominated for the 2010 Academy Award for best actor in "127 Hours" has been accepted for the school's doctoral program in literature and creative writing. Creative writing program director James Kastely tells the Houston Chronicle that Franco plans to enroll in September 2012.
[H/T to everyone in the multiverse, and thanks to each and every one of you!]
Daily Dose of Cute
As promised, here are some pix of Dudley and his BFF Van, who is the dog-in-residence at Blogginz Manor, at MamaBlogz's birthday party earlier this month.
The two of them are sooooooo cute together: Van is just this adorbz snub-nosed wrinkled tank, and Dudley is so the opposite. They are truly the Laurel and Hardy of dogs. They ran around the backyard together, play-bowing at each other and making dramatic snorty noises, and, inside, Dudley was rolling onto his back and pawing up at Van, who dodged between Dudley's gangly legs to give him belleh nudges with his big wrinkly nose. At dinnertime, they kept switching bowls. "What do you have over here? Oh! It's the same thing I had over there! NOM NOM NOM."
Van is such a good boy and such a gracious host. He even shared his toys and bed with Dudley. And Dudley is such a good boy and a perfectly behaved guest; he was even polite as could be with the Top Catz of Blogginz Manor!
The Market Has Spoken
And the market has said "Thanks, but no thanks" to Atlas Shrugged: Part 1.
In its second week of release, the critically panned adaptation of Ayn Rand's objectivist wank fantasy expanded from 300 to 465 theaters. And saw a significant drop in per-screen averages. Opening weekend brought in an average of $5600 per screen, for about $1.5M in receipts. That, I am told, is respectable for an indie film.
This weekend saw $1900 per screen, landing in 18th place. (Down from 14th last week.) That's a drop of over 60%, while in about 50% more theaters. Whoops!
Now, Randians everywhere are going Battlefield Earth, blaming the liberal media for trying to torpedo the film. Because liberal film critics "can't stand free markets." Which doesn't really make any sense. I mean, I'm not Joe Hollywood, so maybe I'm wrong, but don't those liberal critics rely on that free market for their livelihood? Or are Roger Ebert and Peter Travers hoping that someday all movie admission will be free? I guess they'd still need film critics if all movies were free. I dunno. Personally I don't think anyone should have to pay to see Fast and Furious Five, because it looks like garbage. That's not really the same thing, is it?
No word yet on how many theaters Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 will be in next week, if any. I suspect though, that this will be in Red Box sooner rather than later. And while we're on the subject, just because you're using Red Box (and you know who you are) does not give you license to park in the fucking fire lane at the grocery store! Knock it off!
Also, failure to recoup its $15M budget puts the sequels in jeopardy. Maybe Glenn Beck can have some sort of pledge drive. Oh, wait, he's been cancelled. Sorry. p.s. Pledge drives are Socialist. Nevermind.
Law Drama
No, it's not a new David E Kelley show. This is some real life dramaz right here. So remember a week or so ago, Boehner & cohorts lawyered up to defend the indefensible DOMA?
Right. Well, on Monday the firm, King & Spaulding, withdrew from the case.
"Today the firm filed a motion to withdraw from its engagement to represent the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the House of Representatives on the constitutional issues regarding Section III of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act," King & Spalding chairman Robert D. Hays, Jr. said in a statement. "Last week we worked diligently through the process required for withdrawal."So that seems like a good thing, right? The lawyer Boehner hired, Paul Clement, decided to up and resign from the firm (after 20 years) and join a new firm (one that, interestingly, has people from the Bush years working there) to keep on being the GOP's lawyer on this.
“In reviewing this assignment further, I determined that the process used for vetting this engagement was inadequate," he continued. "Ultimately I am responsible for any mistakes that occurred and apologize for the challenges this may have created."
In his resignation letter, Clement said:
And, of course, Boehner is very pleased:
Brendan Buck, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), said House leadership were pleased that Clement would still be representing the House. "The Speaker is disappointed in the firm’s decision and its careless disregard for its responsibilities to the House in this constitutional matter," said Buck in a statement. "At the same time, Mr. Clement has demonstrated legal integrity, and we are grateful for his decision to continue representing the House. This move will ensure the constitutionality of this law is appropriately determined by the courts, rather than by the President unilaterally."I wonder if they will still be paying $520/hr--from taxpayer funds--to promote bigotry. Priorities!
Nah, That Can't Be It
So, I'm reading this GQ article about baseball wonderboy Derek Jeter, who famously dates famous women and also has the reputation of being a Very Nice Guy, and I find this passage:
Even those people whose job it is to dig up dirt on celebrities can only shake their heads in amazement. "Derek Jeter could be a guru," says Richard Johnson, the Los Angeles bureau chief of The Daily and legendary former editor of the New York Post's gossip column, Page Six. "There's never been any kiss-and-tell stuff where a girl breaks up with Jeter and then says what a creep he is. I don't know how he avoids it. He must have some sort of vetting process—maybe he makes them fill out a questionnaire or has a psychological profile done. He's incredible."Yes, what a mystery! Whatever he's doing, it's definitely not treating women with decency and respect, because that's just ABSURD!
Now, Richard Johnson is a [TW] world-class asshole, but Seth Mnookin is an asshole for including that shit in his piece, and the editors of GQ are assholes for printing that shit in their gentlemen's mag. And every dude who read it and shook his head and wondered what Jeter's secret could possibly be is an asshole, too.
And I'll note once again that it's feminists who have the reputation as man-haters, but it isn't me who can read about a man who's supposed to be a decent guy and not even consider the possibility that he is reputed to be a decent guy because he's actually a decent guy.
Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime
The Cult: "Fire Woman"
TMNS Trivia: Deeky appears in this video, watch closely!
All In
[Trigger warning for violence, transphobia, transphobic hate crime, racism.]
Last week, Chrissy Lee Polis, a woman who is trans, was viciously attacked and beaten at a McDonald's in the Baltimore suburbs after she used the women's bathroom. Her attackers were two teenage young women, ages 14 and 18.
Polis is physically okay, despite the attack having triggered a seizure. Her attackers will be charged: The elder may face hate crimes charges. And should, in my estimation.
Here, you can see Polis address what the attack against her means for members of the whole community, how such vicious hatred reverberates. Which is, of course, the very raison d'être for a hate crime designation.
The details of the attack, including the video that was taken by a McDonald's employee and uploaded almost immediately to the internet, are available at Bilerico. Alex has a follow-up here, which includes responses from McDonald's, who has fired the employee who filmed and uploaded the attack and calls the incident "reprehensible."
I almost don't know where to begin discussion of this incident. It's so terrible—and yet to be shocked by a crime of this nature against a trans woman is a privilege. I am horrified and I am profoundly sad and I am angry—because this shit doesn't happen in a void. I am relieved that Polis is physically okay, but my heart hurts for the lingering psychological effects she may experience. And I ache for members of the trans* community, and their loved ones, who have yet another pointed reminder of the hatred and fear felt by so many cis people, socialized in a trans*-hostile culture that rigidly forces people into a gender binary and lazily relies on gender essentialism and arbitrarily privileges cisgenderedness.
And I am depressed that, because Polis is white and her attackers are black, white racists are using this incident to engage in despicable racism—which is, whether effectively or intentionally, just a way of silencing discussion of cis privilege.
And I am pleased that the police are taking this case seriously, and that much of the media reporting of the incident is actually decent and respectful, and that the local community is rallying around Polis, and that she has so much online support, and that McDonald's was unequivocal in denouncing the violence against her, all of which ought to be givens but unfortunately aren't.
And I am listening hard to the reminder, care of the elderly cis woman who stepped into the attack to try to help Polis, and who got a black eye herself for her trouble, standing between Polis and her attackers while Polis wrapped her arms around the stranger's leg, the importance of being All In.
And I am listening hard to the same reminder, provided by her attackers—and their tacit admonishment to be an active ally every day, to prevent shit like this from happening in the first place.
[H/Ts to Shakers Kay, Reba, and Lila.]
Paul 4 Prez
Joining his BFFs Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Willard Romney, and Rick Santorum, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, progenitor of the Toast of the Tea Party Rand Paul and the face that launched 1,000 2 tons of unconstitutional gold coins, will reportedly announce the formation of a presidential exploratory committee in Iowa today.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul (R) will announce he is forming a presidential exploratory committee on Tuesday in Iowa, the congressman said Monday.Awesome. Can't wait to hear who will be helping him not win this time.
The two-time presidential candidate is scheduled to make his announcement during a press conference in the state capital of Des Moines at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. During the press conference, Paul will also name members of his campaign's Iowa leadership team, according to a source close to the congressman.
What I Did on My Summer Vacation Long Weekend
Nothing! And it was everything I'd hoped it would be!
I might be a little slow today, as I've got loads of email to catch up on, and tons of awesome news to read, like Rep. Allen West (R-Eally?!) calling feminists "women that have been neutering American men and bringing us to the point of this incredible weakness," and Pat Robertson saying that the "far-left" supports abortion rights because if straight married women abort their babies, it puts lesbians "on a level playing field." Sure. Yep. Very rational. You got us, Pat. We're busted.
"Welcome back!"—The News.
Signal Boost
My Twitter feed is abuzz with news from Consumer Traveler. Apparently today is the last day to comment on a proposed broad expansion of the application some* people will need to fill out in order to request a U.S. passport:
The U.S. Department of State is proposing a new Biographical Questionnaire for some passport applicants: The proposed new Form DS-5513 asks for all addresses since birth; lifetime employment history including employers’ and supervisors names, addresses, and telephone numbers; personal details of all siblings; mother’s address one year prior to your birth; any “religious ceremony” around the time of birth; and a variety of other information. According to the proposed form, “failure to provide the information requested may result in … the denial of your U.S. passport application.”
Wow. I'm mostly speechless.
You may submit your comments here until Midnight Eastern/11 Central tonight.
*To my knowledge, the State Department hasn't yet spelled out who would be subjected to the new application.
--
ETA: FYI, the text of my comment to the DoS is below the fold
I have several concerns about the Department of State's proposed Information Collection: DS–5513, Biographical Questionnaire for U.S. Passport, 1405–XXXX.
This form erases the reality of the many people who do not have one mother and one father. While form DS-11 includes two entries for “Mother/Father/Parent”, the proposed DS-5513 includes entries for “Father” and “Mother.”
It is not entirely clear who will be required to complete the proposed application, as the methodology for determining what constitutes citizenship or identity evidence that is of “questionable authenticity” is ill-defined. Given the apparent broad discretion the federal government and its employees will have in making this assessment, there exists the significant potential for government agents to require this application in a discriminatory manner.
It is unrealistic to expect all applicants to have access to all of the information the proposed form requires. As an example, while I was present at my daughter's birth, I do not have (and would be hard-pressed to recreate) a list of the dozen or so physicians present at the time.
The relationship between the totality of information form DS-5513 requires and passport eligibility is unclear.
For some individuals (e.g., persons who have undergone gender transition), providing the contact information for all former employers could be dangerous, should the Department of State choose to contact these employers to discuss the applicant's case.
Thus, not only is there a significant opening for the federal government and its agents to use this proposed form in order to harass, intimidate, and otherwise discriminate against passport applicants, the use of the new form could unintentionally endanger the safety of said applicants.
I urge you to reconsider your proposal.
Cordially,
Kate Forbes, Ph.D.
Open Thread
Hosted by Captain Underpants.
This week's open threads have been brought to you by pop culture captains.
The Virtual Pub Is Open
The contributors, mods, and I are all taking a long weekend, starting this evening. There will be daily Open Threads, on which we'll be checking periodically, but otherwise we're all taking a break. We'll be back full-time next Tuesday. See you then!
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay. Skadoodlies.]
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
