"Look out weekend 'cause, here I come, because weekends were made for fun." — Debbie Deb, giving fair warning to the weekend and explaining her motives for the move. I could not agree more.
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by Shaxco, makers of Nigel Tufnel Amps. They go up to eleven!
Deeky: It's Here!
Deeky: Sleepy Jack Is Sleepy
Deeky: Who Let the Dogs Out?
Deeky: Finding Jack
Deeky: Just FYI
Leave your links in comments...
It's Here!
Finally! After decades of waiting! It seemed like this day would never come but it has! Atlas Shrugged: Part I: Shrug Like There's No Tomorrow is now available on DVD!
Official Atlas Shrugged Movie DVD
Get your copy at the Official Www.atlasshruggedpart1.com Website for only $19.95! ("In stock. Order now for immediate delivery.") Or, get it at Amazon for $15.49 (Free market!) or download it for $3.99 (48 hour rental, free market, too!) or $14.99 (own it forever (i.e. until your harddrive crashes!)!). Or Qwikster it! Sorry, it isn't on Redbox yet (the market has spoken!)
It's also on Blu-ray in case you want to see the special effects in super high definition on your 97" plasma TV. (I thought plasma came from blood. They're not making these TVs out of blood are they?! "Personhood!") Oddly, the Blu-ray version doesn't seem to be available on the film's website. (Free market?) But that's okay, they make it up to you.
With this!:
Official Atlas Shrugged DVD: Collector's 4 DVD Box Set
For the collectors! If you collect Atlas Shrugged DVDs, this is the must have Atlas Shrugged DVD this season! Some of the exciting features in this set:
Each DVD contains the FULL Theatrical Release of ATLAS SHRUGGED Part I which opened in limited release nationwide April 15th, 2011 (Whut?)
"I am John Galt." fan video compilation (35:06) (35:06!)
"The John Galt Theme" slideshow (3:17) (Hawt!)
"The World of Atlas Shrugged" audio program (MP3 and ROM) (ROM? Huh?)
"Welcome" from FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe (Fun!)
Barbara Branden on the Passion of Ayn Rand (Also fun!)
Exclusive footage from the April 14th premiere (Not fun!)
And if that's not enough, it comes in three (three!) separate editions! One with an actual film cel (recycling!) for $139.95 (a fool and his money!) and another with a film cell plus an autograph from someone (be surprised!) for $179.95! (Paypal not accepted.)
Just in time for Christmas! (Also, Santa: so NOT the Randian ideal. Those kids didn't earn those Legos!) Shake the invisble hand of the free market and get yours today.
Question of the Day
So now that Brett Ratner is out as producer of the Oscars, and Eddie Murphy, the star of Ratner's new film, has dropped out of the hosting gig: Who should host the Oscars?
Should anyone be inclined to answer, "Who cares?", I'll kindly request setting aside the apathy in favor of acknowledging that the Oscars are watched live by millions of people globally, and more than a billion consume coverage of the event of some kind. Legitimate arguments about the Oscars being self-indulgent, exploitative, reliant on and promotive of kyriarchal narratives, and boring aside, who is chosen to host matters—especially when it's not another straight white cis dude.
I'll throw my vote to Aisha Tyler, who is not only hilarious but a seriously underrated TV presenter. (Does anyone else remember when she hosted Talk Soup?) Runner-Up: Cat Deeley.
Quote of the Day
[Trigger warning for misogyny.]
"Ew, gross! Who the hell does this ugly bitch think she's fooling?"—Contributor MP at the website of the Herman Cain PAC, referring to Karen Kraushaar, one of the women who received a settlement in the 1990s after alleging that Cain sexually harassed her.
Because of course "ugly bitches" can't be sexually harassed. Gee, where have I heard that before...?
Here is a screenshot, in case they ever have the decency to take it down and the indecency to do so without acknowledgment that it ever happened.
[H/T to Lauri Apple.]
For Immediate Release
A bunch of people have asked me if I have any thoughts on Brett Ratner and his stupid misogyny and gross homophobia.
Yes, I do: He seems like a real asshole.
An Observation
All day, I've been waiting to hear how the "people" for whom Mississippi 26 had been written—fertilized eggs—reacted to the news that the cruel voters of Mississippi had denied them their personhood.
I'm still waiting. I'm thinking that might be because they're not actually people.
Mutual Rescue
by Shaker BrianWS
I've always wanted a greyhound for as long as I can remember. When I was finishing college at Portland State University in Oregon, I volunteered time with a greyhound rescue group there, but I wasn't ready for a dog at that point in my life. After several years of winding my way around the country, and finally settling back in the Chicago area, I knew I was ready for a dog.
I met Dudley for the first time when I went to visit Liss for a lazy afternoon last spring, and I can confirm that, at that point, it was ALL over for me being without a dog. I work at home in a job that leaves my summer really busy (and frequently takes me to work events outside of the home) and my winter/spring the complete opposite where I'm home all the time—so the transition period of fall was the perfect time to bring home a canine companion. Near the end of my busy season of work, I went to the annual picnic for American Greyhound with Liss, the rescue from which she and Iain had adopted Dudz, so I could meet the dogs available for adoption.
I had my heart set on getting a black female greyhound. Doing research on the website before the picnic (i.e. endlessly mooning over dog pictures), I fell in love with a black female greyhound. I checked her page daily to see if she had been adopted yet, and, much to my dismay (for me) and happiness (for her), she was soon adopted. But I was just SURE that I wanted to bring a black female greyhound home with me. I even had this brilliant plan to name my new female dog Paget (after Paget Brewster from Criminal Minds). I kept checking the website.
Fun With Site Meter
So yesterday I noticed that someone came to Shakesville by searching for:
I wasn't sure I even wanted to know what that was about but I googled it anyway and, yes, we are up there as a google hit when you look for that particular phrase (note: I did not find an actual sex position called a "pastrami sandwich", though apparently a "reuben" is one according to that font of wisdom, Urban Dictionary). Excellent.
Currently the top five searches bringing people to Shakesville are:
1. shakesville
2. how to fuck
3. scarlett johansson naked
4. shakespeare's sister
5. gay sex
[Previously in Fun with Site Meter: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven]
Autumn
There is a fierce autumn wind blowing here, whipping the dwindling leaves from their branches with petulant truculence. On one side of its bellicose gusts is the fading warmth of summer; on the other, the ominous chill of the coming winter. It blows dark silver clouds across the sky so quickly that a stormy darkness yields to bright amber sunlight and comes back again in a moment, giving time the unnatural feeling of a time-lapse film.
The wind creates a cacophony of sound: Rustling leaves, crackling branches, flags ripping away from the polls that hold them, the sound of great numbers of trees swaying like a skyborne tide, its own whoosh of portent.
I throw open the windows to let in the tempestuous air. The cats race to the windows and press their faces against the screens; the dogs lift their heads and their noses twitch, their eyes grow wide as if in recognition of a forgotten part of an ancient self. The air fills their lungs and possesses them. They are beyond frisky: For a moment, they are wild, just like the air.
[Video Description: Scenes of trees in the wind from around my garden, this morning. Set to Yann Tiersen's "La Corde."]
Wednesday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by autumn.
Recommended Reading:
Kaimipono: [TW for misogyny and harassment] Harassment, Male Privilege, and Jokes That Women Just Don't Get
Vanessa: Planned Parenthood Launches Campaign Targeting 2012 Candidates
Andy: Highlights of Hillary Clinton's AIDS Speech at the NIH (Video + Transcript)
Alissa: Church-Backed Abortion Bill Sparks Protest in Russia
Richard: [TW for fatphobia] The Term "Obesity Epidemic" Is Unjustified and a Harmful Scare Tactic
Mimi: [TW for misogyny; objectification; symbolic disembodiment] No Comment: PETA Doesn't Want You to Wear Your Own Hair, Either
Lady T: Why Watch Romantic Comedies?
RIP Heavy D: See Arturo and Renee.
And here is a very cool picture of a cat batting a mouse, which I recommend not clicking through to view if you are disturbed by images of the violence of natural catdom. (Note: The red on the cat's paw is a leaf.)
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
This is a real thing in the world.
[Image Description: Screen capture of item for sale in the Obama 2012 store: A $20 mug with an image of the president on one side, and an image of his birth certificate on the other. The product description reads: "There's really no way to make the birth certificate conspiracy completely go away, so we might as well laugh at it—and make sure as many people as possible are in on the joke. Get your Made in the USA mug today."]
LOL FOREVER. Well played, President Obama and Team. Well played indeed.
Related Reading: Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
[H/T to @bluegal.]
Occupy Everywhere & Economic News Round-Up
David Crosby, left, and Graham Nash perform at the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011 in New York. [AP Photo]The Atlantic—Occupy Wall Street Gets Its Generators Back: "Occupy Wall Street got its confiscated generators back on Tuesday after its legal team pressed the Fire Department of New York to release them. The machines were picked up from the New York City Fire Academy at Randall's Island by the Wikileaks truck, which has been stationed next to Zuccotti Park since the protest's inception. The vehicle with the generator on board made its way back to Zuccotti Park hours before a planned concert by Graham Nash and David Crosby."
The Guardian—Occupy protesters plan 300-mile march from NYC to Washington:
A group of Occupy protesters plan to march nearly 300 miles from New York to Washington DC in a bid to end tax cuts which they say benefit the richest 1% of Americans.In US domestic news...
The group will set off from Occupy Wall Street on Wednesday and walk 20 miles a day en route to the capital, their arrival planned to coincide with the Congressional deficit reduction super-committee meeting on 23 November.
Protesters will pass through other occupations during the course of the 'Occupy the highway' action, which they say will encourage people in rural communities to get involved in the movement.
AP—Ohio Voters Reject Republican-Backed Union Limits: "The state's new collective bargaining law was defeated Tuesday after an expensive union-backed campaign that pitted firefighters, police officers and teachers against the Republican establishment. In a political blow to GOP Gov. John Kasich, voters handily rejected the law, which would have limited the bargaining abilities of 350,000 unionized public workers."
Reuters—Fannie Mae taps $7.8 billion from Treasury, loss widens: "Fannie Mae, the biggest source of money for U.S. home loans, on Tuesday said it needed a further $7.8 billion in federal aid to stay afloat as a shaky housing market widened its third-quarter loss to $5.1 billion. The government-controlled firm also attributed the deeper cash drain to losses on derivatives used to hedge its exposure to interest-rate swings and on expenses related to home loans made prior to the 2008 financial collapse. In the year-earlier quarter it had a loss of a $1.3 billion. Fannie Mae has now drawn $112.6 billion in bailout funds from the Treasury Department since being seized by the government in 2008 as mortgage losses mounted, and it has returned $17.2 billion to taxpayers in the form of dividends."
Think Progress—GOP Rep. Joe Walsh Melts Down, Screams at Constituents: 'Don't Blame Banks!…I Am Tired of Hearing That Crap!': "[D]uring a recent meeting with constituents in his Chicago-area suburban district, Walsh lost his cool when several attendees asked about why banks have so much power in government. At one point, Walsh even threatened to eject a man who asked Walsh about the revolving door of bank lobbyists infiltrating Congress and financial regulatory agencies. Walsh at one point screamed, 'Don't blame the banks … this pisses me off!' After several constituents accurately pointed out that bank lobbyists occupy key positions within Congress, the SEC, and other oversight bodies that are supposed to supervise bank practices, Walsh began sticking his finger close to his constituents' faces, yelling, 'Quiet for a minute or I'll have to ask you to leave!'"
CNN Money—2012 candidates slip on Econ 101: "America's Econ 101 professors say...the candidates continue to offer ideas and policies that wouldn't pass muster in their classes—populated by 18 year-old college students. ... Michele Bachmann promised to bring back $2 gas. Tim Pawlenty suggested sustained 5% GDP growth was a realistic target. Rick Perry would balance the budget with lower tax revenues. ... Stephen Golub, who is teaching Econ 101 at Swarthmore College this semester, said some of the ideas floated by Presidential candidates would earn a failing grade in his class. 'I think it's grossly irresponsible what they are saying,' Golub said, [adding that candidates are 'promising things that are impossible to deliver or make little sense']."
Washington Post—Republicans offer tax deal to break debt impasse; Democrats dismiss it: "Congressional Republicans have for the first time retreated from their hard-line stance against new taxes, offering to raise federal tax collections by nearly $300 billion over the next decade as part of a plan to tame the national debt. But Democrats rejected the offer Tuesday—along with the notion that Republicans had made a significant concession that could end the long-standing political impasse—leaving a special debt-reduction committee far from compromise with less than two weeks until its Thanksgiving deadline." What a refreshing surprise! Good job, Dems!
And in Eurozone news...
The Guardian—Greece's squabbling politicians fail to pick new prime minister: "The struggle to appoint a new prime minister at the helm of an interim coalition government in Athens dragged on as squabbling politicians darted across the capital in frantic negotiation while EU leaders looked on nervously. ... The unexpected length of the negotiations combined with their fractious nature, despite the looming threat of bankruptcy, raised fears over the ability of Greece's sparring politicians to forge consensus at all. In a nation so bitterly divided by left and right, where memories of brutal civil war and military dictatorship still run deep, coalition governments are almost non-existent. Attempting to douse concerns of political instability exacerbating the debt-stricken country's economic plight, officials insisted that the appointment of a new prime minister was 'very close'."
New York Times—Crisis in Italy Deepens, as Bond Yields Hit Record Highs: "Italy's financial crisis deepened on Wednesday despite a pledge by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign once Parliament passes austerity measures demanded by the European Union. ... Mr. Berlusconi, cornered by world markets and humiliated by a parliamentary setback, appeared to have become the most prominent victim of the broader European debt crisis. But his decision did not remove wide uncertainty about Italy's ability to tackle the crisis, and some analysts said the prospect of a protracted period of political wrangling could exert further pressure for a quicker exit from the impasse."
CNBC—IMF Chief Warns World Economy Risks 'Lost Decade': "Christine Lagarde told a financial forum in Beijing that European plans to bolster a rescue package for Greece were a 'step in the right direction', but that the outlook for the world economy remained dangerous and uncertain. ... 'Our sense is that if we do not act boldly and if we do not act together, the economy around the world runs the risk of downward spiral of uncertainty, financial instability and potential collapse of global demand... we could run the risk of what some commentators are already calling the lost decade.'"
The Guardian—The emergence of the Frankfurt Group has turned back the democratic clock: "The European Union has always had problems with democracy, a messy process that can interfere with the grand designs of people at the top who know best. When Ireland voted no to the Nice Treaty, it was told to come up with the right result in a second ballot. The European Central Bank wields immense power, but nobody knows how the unelected members of its governing council vote because no minutes of meetings are published. That said, the latest phase of Europe's sovereign debt crisis has exposed the quite flagrant contempt for voters, the people who are going to bear the full weight of the austerity programmes being cooked up by the political elites."
