A third installment in The Hangover franchise could begin shooting as early as next year! And if you're one of the many people asking themselves CAN THE MAGIC OF A BUNCH OF STRAIGHT WHITE DUDES GETTING BLACK-OUT DRUNK AND DOING STUPID, HURTFUL, AND FREQUENTLY CRIMINAL THINGS BE RECREATED A THIRD TIME?! don't you worry your pretty little head, because it definitely can. This time in LA.
Good job, film industry! You are THE BEST.
[H/T to @scatx.]
According to the latest CNN/TIME/ORC poll, if the Republican presidential primary were held today, 48% of the registered Republicans likely to vote in the Florida primary would support Newt Gingrich. The next closest contender is Mitt Romney, with only 25%. Yikes.
Gingrich also leads Romney in Iowa (33% to 20%) and in South Carolina (43% to 20%), while Romney leads Gingrich in New Hampshire (35% to 26%).
No candidate gets more than 50% support anywhere. In fact, the only response that gets more than 50% anywhere is "might change mind." Oof.
Which makes Gallup's latest poll findings thoroughly unsurprising: Republicans Less Enthusiastic About Voting in 2012. "Republicans' enthusiasm about voting in the election for president next year has decreased, with 49% of Republicans and independents who lean Republican now saying they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting, down from 58% in September. This narrows the gap between them and Democrats, 44% of whom are more enthusiastic than usual, essentially the same as in September."
The lack of enthusiasm isn't difficult to understand when frontrunner Mitt Romney is asked to comment on the Eurozone crisis and says shit like this: "Europe is capable of solving Europe's problems. I actually think that—I mean, I'm not an economist by training, but what limited understanding of the economy I have suggests it's very difficult to cobble together Greece, Ireland, Italy and Germany with the same monetary policy and highly disparate fiscal policies. I don't know how they hold it together." (Emphasis mine.)
Definitely the guy you want to elect in the middle of an economic crisis is the one who says he's got a "limited understanding of the economy," for sure.
At least we know it's a "limited understanding of the economy" that's behind Romney's also saying shit like this:
[President Obama] seeks to replace our merit-based society with an entitlement society. In an entitlement society, everyone receives the same or similar rewards, regardless of education, effort and willingness to take risk. That which is earned by some is redistributed to the others. And the only people to enjoy truly disproportionate rewards are the people who do the redistributing — the government.Whooooooooooooooooops that is not even close to reality, sir.
Entitlement societies are praised in academic circles, far removed from the reality of a competitive world. Opportunity is replaced by the certainty that everyone in an entitlement society will enjoy nearly the same rewards. But there is another certainty: They will be poor.
In an entitlement society, the invigorating pursuit of happiness is replaced by the deadening reality that there is no prospect of a better tomorrow.
What is your favorite animated film?
I'm not a huge animated film buff, so my reservoir of potential answers is a lot narrower than other film genres. Of the ones I've seen, my favorite is probably The Last Unicorn, which strongly resonated with me when I was an awkward pre-feminist 8-year-old, and resonates with me still.
Honorable mention to Pixar's A Bug's Life, which features one of my favorite lines of dialogue of all time: The Fly, disgusted with the shitty quality of the Flea Circus at which he's in attendance, departs with the line: "I only got twenty-four hours to live, and I ain't gonna waste it here." Brilliant.
If you are one of the many Shakers who loves food shows, whether just straight-up cooking shows or cooking competitions (or both), share in this thread what the best tip (or tips) you've ever gotten from a cooking show is.
I've gotten a lot of great tips over the years, but my absolute favorite has to be crushing garlic cloves with the side of your knife to separate the garlic from its skin. Works a million times better than a garlic press!
(Here's a demonstration, if you don't know what I mean.)
[Trigger warning for violence.]
After 30 years, prosecutors in Philadelphia have begrudgingly dropped their campaign to execute Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former Black Panther who was convicted of killing white police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1982. Abu-Jamal, who is now 58, and continues to maintain his innocence, will instead spend the rest of his life in prison.
Jorge Rivas has more here.
For those who are familiar with this case, which spawned the "Free Mumia" movement, the fervor with which the execution of Abu-Jamal has been pursued over the years makes this decision really rather extraordinary.
[Trigger warning for homophobia and Christian Supremacy.]
I'm pretty sure if someone had asked me to predict what Pat Robertson's response would be to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's landmark LGBTQI rights speech, I would've guessed pretty much exactly this, minus one Thomas Jefferson (mis)quote, and plus one deeply misguided rendition of Dolly Parton's "Straight Talk."
Isn't it appalling that the United States of America would try to enforce the acceptance of homosexuality on other nations, but at the same time we would not force them to take care of their religious minorities and they would permit discrimination and persecution of Christians? What kind of a country have we got? You know, there is a god in heaven and he is just. Thomas Jefferson: "I tremble when I remember that god is just." He is just; he is not going to allow this kind of thing to go on forever. This country cannot continue to violate god's principles and to make a mockery of his laws and think we're going to get away with it. And when the blow comes, it's going to be horrible.That's what she said.
14: The number of years in prison to which former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced today, after making one last plea for leniency and telling the court, "I am unbelievably sorry."
Blago, who was convicted of 18 counts of corruption charges, including "attempting to sell or trade an appointment to fill the US Senate seat left vacant by the election of President Barack Obama," will "have to surrender Feb. 16. Under federal sentencing rules, Blagojevich will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence, or just under 12 years in prison, at a minimum."
Whooooooooooooops.
Ohio! There are two issues in Ohio. First, the a senate committee will have the first public hearings (1pm EST) on HB 125, aka the "heartbeat bill".
The Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Scott Oelslager, R- North Canton, will hear from the bill’s sponsor, proponents and interested parties today. Typically, opponents also are given a chance to weigh in on legislation, but no other hearing has been scheduled at this point.That doesn't sound suspicious at all. Sounds like totally balanced government, right there. Sure.
Oelslager also chaired a special committee appointed by Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, that has been privately reviewing the legislation, which passed the House in June.
Health Policy Committee members on Wednesday sent to the full Senate two bills that would require health insurance policies sold on the MiHealth Marketplace website or in insurance markets to not cover abortions unless women buy an additional rider on their policies.The leader of MI "Right to Life" supports this, of course, because he says: "abortion is a social decision, not health care." Of course you say things like that! Of course you do.
Madison - A hearing is slated for Dec. 13 on a bill that would prevent women from receiving drugs that induce abortions unless a doctor gives them a physical exam and is in the same room when they receive the drugs.Supporters of this are very determined that women should not get a consult via webcam. Supporters of this are very determined to make as many hurdles possible.
[...]
The legislation would also require doctors to speak with women seeking abortions out of the presence of others to determine whether they were coerced into getting abortions.
Senate Bill 5 looks to legally define humans as persons from the moment of fertilization and implantation. It is similar to Mississippi’s personhood bill, which was defeated 58 percent to 42 percent on Nov. 8.Intro'ing a bullshit bill that's similar to another that was shot down earlier this year totally doesn't sound like a colossal waste of time at all!
Williams’ attempt to pass comparable legislation earlier in the year was killed by a voice vote on the Senate floor.
In an interview with Mobile news station WKRG on Nov. 9, Williams said he believes personhood legislation is important to Alabamians.
“Number one, I think that this is a matter of state’s rights, that we can do this,” Williams said. “I think that this is something that Alabamians would want.”
he South Dakota Attorney General's office says a federal appeals court has agreed to rehear a case dealing with a 2005 South Dakota abortion law.The suicide bit? A lie (.pdf).
[...]
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says the full 11-member court will rehear arguments related to the suicide advisory in January.
Plan B ruling: FDA says it wanted to ease restrictions, was overruled by Obama administration:
In a rare public split within the federal government, the Health and Human Services Department overruled a decision by the Food and Drug Administration to make [Plan B, aka the morning-after pill] available to anyone of any age without a restriction.There is literally nothing I can say that I haven't already said dozens of times before. This is yet another incredible disappointment.
In a statement, FDA Administrator Margaret Hamburg said she had decided the medication could be used safely by [people] of all age. But she added that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had rejected the move.
"I agree ... there is adequate and reasonable, well-supported, and science-based evidence that Plan B One-Step is safe and effective and should be approved for nonprescription use for all [people] of child-bearing potential," Hamburg said.
"However, this morning I received a memorandum from the Secretary of Health and Human Services invoking her authority under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to execute its provisions and stating that she does not agree with the Agency's decision to allow the marketing of Plan B One-Step nonprescription for all [people] of child-bearing potential," she said.
The surprising decision is a stunning blow to some doctors, health advocates, family-planning activists, members of Congress and others to help women prevent unwanted pregnancies.
So, I watch a lot of cooking shows. Especially various cooking competitions, like Chopped, Iron Chef, The Next Iron Chef, 24 Hour Restaurant War, Chef Hunter, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Top Chef Just Desserts, and Top Chef We're Just Fucking with You Now. And one of the things I've noticed (I am such a good noticer of things!) is that a lot of the male chefs—who outnumber the female chefs by probably at least 2-1 across all these shows, especially when you include all the chef judges—tell really cool stories about how they were inspired to be culinary artists by their mothers and/or grandmothers.
So many awesome stories about mama's signature greens and nonna's homemade gnocchi!
And then many of these same male chefs with the terrific stories about their female influences turn around and treat their female colleagues with sneering contempt, without a trace of irony.
Evidently, women are meant to cook exclusively for free to inspire men, who then go cook professionally for lots of money.
If they're talented they're lucky their grannies passed on the best recipes.
I guess a woman's place is in the kitchen, unless and until a man decides he wants to be there.
This blogaround brought to you by pencil cases.
Recommended Reading:
Julie: [TW for rape culture and imagery; victim-blaming] PA Liquor Control Board to Teens: Rape Is Your Fault, and Your Friends' Fault!
Andy: [TW for homophobia] Rick Perry Attacks Gays in the Military, Obama's 'War on Religion' in New Ad
Shark-fu: Pondering the Newtonian Revival
Fannie: [TW for body policing, violence, medical malfeasance, misogyny, racism] Involuntary Procedures and Local Power
L Boogie: [TW for rape culture] Fanon, Alienation, and Sexual Harassment
Michelle: [TW for discussion of eating and hunger] How Does Hunger Feel?
Chally: [TW for injury and objectification] The Humbling of a Pretty Girl
This piece for Shameless magazine, in recognition of Canada's National Day of Remembrance, was written by a member of the Shakesville community who prefers to remain anonymous: [TW for violence and rape culture] National Day of Remembrance and Action of Violence Against Women in Canada.
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
[Trigger warning for misogyny, LGB-phobia, and transphobia]
Remember Bosom Buddies? It was this awesome show about two dudes who dressed up as chicks so that they could live in this cheap building for ladies. The show's title was pretty funny too, in that bosom is another word for tit.
Anyhow, Sara Rue and the CW have a great idea for a new show. Basically, it's just ripping off Bosom Buddies, only with a twist! Two (totes real, cissexual) ladies will pretend to be lesbians so that they can live together in New York City, because that's totally how things work in The City. Plus, the ladies will so get the perks of being domestic partners in a state that allows gay marriage.
I can't wait for the awkward second episode when one of the ladies has to explain to a really hot guy that even though she's a lady who (pretends she) likes other ladies, she (also) likes dudes! That's so strange! How do the writers presumably come up with this stuff?
Don't worry though, the entire purpose of the show is to empower real lesbians, in that it will show their plight or some such bullshit.
(Also, "faux-lesbian" is the greatest term ever. From now on, I'm referring to myself as "nouveau-lesbian." I love French shit.)
Speaking of bosoms, ABC's got a great new show coming up. It's about two dudes who pretend to be chicks so they can get a job, because that's totally how things work in the world.
I can't wait for the awkward second episode when one of the "ladies" has to explain to a really hot chick that he's a (pretend) lady who likes other ladies! That's so strange! How do the writers presumably come up with this stuff?
Don't worry though, the entire purpose of the show is to empower real ladies, in that it will show their plight or some such bullshit (e.g., when you are a lady, you can get a job easily!). Some people might claim the show is transphobic, but since these guys are dudes pretending to be ladies, it's clearly not about trans* people, in that trans* people want The Surgery or some such nonsense.
Now I've you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy a TiVo. They still make TiVo, right?
LULZ: Gingrich or Romney: McCain prepares to play kingmaker. Ooh, I bet no one can wait to hear who McCain endorses! If he's as good at picking nominees as he is at picking running mates, we should DEFINITELY listen to his advice.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a landmark speech on LGBT rights yesterday, in which she reasserted that LGBT rights are human rights and cemented the fight against discrimination toward LGBT people as a plank of US foreign policy, pledging to use diplomacy and dedicating $3 million in foreign aid to help expand LGBT rights globally.
This, Shakers, is a politician who keeps her campaign promises, even when she doesn't win the election.
It is a remarkable and moving (if imperfect) speech, and I can't even begin to choose what I would excerpt (I encourage you to watch/read the whole thing), but this is pretty good: "When any part of humanity is sidelined, the rest of us cannot sit on the sidelines. ... When we see denials and abuses of human rights and fail to act, that sends the message to those deniers and abusers that they won't suffer any consequences for their actions, and so they carry on. But when we do act, we send a powerful moral message. ... To people of all nations, I say supporting human rights is your responsibility too. ... The actions you take, the ideals that you advocate, can determine whether human rights flourish where you are."
So much blub.
In an email, which I am quoting with his permission, Shaker GoldFishy said: "THIS is the speech that Obama needs to give. THIS is the speech that my governor needs to give. THIS is the speech that any fair-minded leader with a platform should give. THIS is the speech that can change the world. A failure to lead doesn't mean that leadership doesn't happen—it just happens at the hands of someone else, probably with less than ideal goals."
Secretary Clinton reminds us we all have the ability to lead.
