Hosted by Various Artists.
The Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
How to End the Week
You need to go no further than a post dedicated to famous paintings improved by cats. Below is my personal favorite.
Quote of the Day
"In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists!" — Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council going all Bib Fortuna over the news that software developer Bioware will allow same-sex relationships in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
See also.
Number of the Day
Zero: The number of shits I give about any defense of Ron Paul that tries to argue he didn't know full well what the content was of the racist newsletters that bore his name and signature.
I will say again: Does anyone seriously think that radical feminist literature could have been distributed under his name by an organization with which he was affiliated without his knowledge?
That's rhetorical.
And it puts paid to the lie that he was an innocent bystander to the distribution of that racist swill.
If You've Got Some Time...
The Shelter Pet Project, about which I've written before (but with which I'm not affiliated in any way), shared this great pet adoption ad today:
Video Description: Pet adoption ad for a black lab named Patrick, aka Agent K9, done in the style of a secret agent movie trailer, complete with music that wouldn't be out of place in a Bond or Mission: Impossible film. Patrick, the ad tells us, is "on his most extraordinary mission yet...finding his forever home."
It's a really great ad, both funny and touching, and, as I was watching it, I was thinking how very lucky Patrick is to have someone with the time and talent to make that video on his behalf, since good marketing helps find homes for shelter and rescue pets. Even if it's just a great photograph.
Zelly, the quiet little shelter dog who didn't even have a name, had little hope of finding a home—a dark mutt with dark eyes in a dark corner of a sad place. She was hard to see in her cage; she had no picture on a website, not even a shitty one; she certainly had no engaging video encouraging potential adopters to see what she might look like as part of their family. No one paid her any attention that day except me.
But maybe they would have, if they'd first seen the sorts of photos and videos I post of her now, through which all sorts of people have fallen for her. (And oh how she deserves their affection!)
So, hey, if you've got some free time, a teaspoon itching to be used, and some basic photography and/or video skills, consider heading over to your local shelter or rescue to see if you can help save some lives, by showing what valuable lives they really are.
[Previously: Greyhound Rescue, Number of the Day.]
Daily Dose of Cute
Today, Matilda's mobile groomer came to the house to give her a bath and trim her grody butt, since Tils can't be bothered to clean herself and would sooner destroy my soul than let me do it. She is now in her favorite corner of the loft, pouting and gazing upon the rest of us with haughty disdain.
In other words: Situation Normal.
The Parks and Rec Open Thread
Ron Swanson, at his favorite restaurant in Pawnee.
By popular demand, here it is: The Parks and Recreation Open Thread! Yay! I am so excited to talk about Parks and Rec with other parksnrecheadz! Woo!
There are more spoilers herein than there is love for Li'l Sebastian in Pawnee. Which is A LOT, as I don't have to tell you.
I totes loved this episode silly, and I'm probably not as embarrassed as I should be to tell you that I blubbed my face off when April gave Chris the tickets, and there were three of them. You did it to me again, Parks and Rec!
Also: Hurt fingy!
VOTE KNOPE!
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by cheese.
Recommended Reading:
Shark-fu: Targets [Content Note: The link at this post discusses violent imagery.]
Brian: Do Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo Really Care? Do We? [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of worker exploitation and abuse.]
Avedon: But if the Democratic leadership is manifestly unliberal, as it certainly is, why would we want to defend them?
Tami: The Assumptions Behind the 'Black Marriage Crisis'
Adrienne: Complicating the 2010 US Census Native Data
Jim: By Axing Public Parks, Politicos Are Stealing the People's Property
Eric: Our Dog Giselle [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of animal neglect and illness.]
TDW: World's Longest-Running Experiment
Andy: 130 Years of Global Warming, Mapped
Lastly, Elle shares a mean scalloped potatoes recipe. Yum!
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Texting! With Liss and Deeky!
Yesterday, I changed my Twitter avatar from an image of a "shift" typewriter key to a picture of me. I realized as soon as I'd changed it that it made me harder to spot, among a sea of similar avatars, so I was going to have to change it again. But before I could, Deeky texted me this morning to register a complaint about it.
My new avatar.
Primarily Horrendo
[Content Note: This post contains discussion of disablism and of the Mormon practice of nonconsensual posthumous baptism.]
"I will keel you!"
So, the Republicans had ANOTHER DEBATE! last night, because, little known fact, standing in front of cameras with 6,000 CNN logos behind you has been found to extend life. Each of these men will live to be at least 200 years old.
Anyway! Mitt Romney went after Newt Gingrich like a full-tilt miffed machine, and delivered the world-class snippiness that only a wealthy white dude who's ordered chocolate chip cookies (effortlessly winning the Republican Primary) but gets served oatmeal raisin cookies (having to work for it) can produce. My favorite line of the evening was: "I spent 25 years in business. If I had a business executive come to me and say they wanted to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, I'd say, 'You're fired.' The idea that corporate America wants to go off to the moon and build a colony there, it may be a big idea but it's not a good idea." BURN!
He has a point, though. Corporate America doesn't even want to maintain the colonies here, so it doesn't seem very likely they'll want to build one on the moon.
"Inconceivably, we have even less interest in the moon than in Detroit."—Big Business.
If you want more Funtime Debate Action, Richard Adams' live coverage can be read here. It is, as usual, very enjoyable!
Back on the campaign trail, the Republican Establishment, who's decided Mitt Romney looks pretty good after all if Newt Gingrich is the only other viable option, has decided on its "Fuck Newt" strategy, and it's a doozy: Newt Gingrich is crazy.
The Romney campaign is sending out a print ad that seeks to "rais[e] doubts about Newt Gingrich's 'emotional stability'," and dog whistles cuckoo by calling him, in big block letters, ERRATIC and RECKLESS.
(The main picture of Gingrich, viewable at the link, is also cropped to make maximum hay of the fact that he is fat: "Look at the double chin on this guy!")
Elder GOP statesman and Viagra spokesboner, Bob Dole, who endorsed Romney, is doubling-down with the implications that Gingrich isn't of sound mind, releasing one of the most scathing statements against a member of one's own party I can recall. In the statement, Dole says that Gingrich's ideas as Speaker were "off the wall," and suggests Gingrich himself doesn't even understand why he does things. The statement is brutally honest about Gingrich's ethics problems, ego, and poisonous unpopularity, but there's definitely a troubling undercurrent of "bro be crazy!" running through it.
Meanwhile, on the "Fuck Romney" train, there's more natter about one of the more curious aspects of Mormonism—the practice of posthumous baptism, which is something Romney has said he's done. It's a controversial practice for several legitimate reasons, not just because it's "weird." It's an anti-Semitic practice for one, in habit if not design, as Jewish cemeteries are frequent targets for posthumous baptism, despite repeated requests by Jewish leaders to cease and desist.
I also find it really objectionable that Mitt Romney doesn't consider deeply problematic what is ultimately an issue of consent. Look, I don't believe that performing some ritual over a grave makes a blinking bit of difference in determining where some allegedly sentient soul that vacated the buried body spends its eternal retirement. But Mitt Romney does. He believes that person went into the ground with one belief, and he can change their infinite destiny for them. And he believes he has the right to do that. Which is pretty fucked up.
And it doesn't leave me with a whole lot of confidence that a President Mitt Romney would be very sensitive to other issues of consent that matter in the here and now.
That's something worth asking about. But won't be, because we live in a rape culture, where hostility to consent is the norm.
Also because how could they possibly make room for a question on such a SILLY TOPIC, ha ha, when there are only like 3,000 debates left?!
Moving on...
Something something Ron Paul.
Rick Santorum is still hanging in there, I guess because he believes he actually has a shot at becoming either the nominee and/or the nominee's veep choice? Oof, Rick Santorum. You do not have a shot at either of these things.
In totally unrelated news, ahem, a new study has found that "there is reason to believe that strict right-wing ideology might appeal to those who have trouble grasping the complexity of the world." Huh. Shocking.
In all seriousness, the study was examining correlation between IQ and prejudice, suggesting conservatism and prejudice is an innate intelligence issue. But we should all know by now that IQ tests don't meaningfully measure any kind of comprehensive intelligence. The issue underlying the appeal of right-wing ideology is intellectual curiosity, or the lack thereof, which is really not contingent on what's measured with IQ tests.
There are subcultures that actively discourage intellectual curiosity, by demonizing science, by romanticizing segregationist small-town life, by sneering at people perceived to be elite or over-educated, by framing education as the enemy of faith, by embracing isolationism. Even rape culture narratives are embedded with disincentives against adventure: Don't leave the safety of your home, neighborhood, town, county, state, nation because there are nefarious strangers waiting to get you! And for god's sake don't use the internet!
All of these things conspire to create a mind seized with fear, afraid to be curious. Curiosity is necessary for empathy, and empathy necessary for progressive positions.
Conservatives are not unintelligent by nature; they're incurious by design.
That's an important distinction.
Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short.
[Photo via.]
Question of the Day
Which is your favorite Ewok movie? Caravan of Courage or The Battle For Endor?
I'd go with The Battle For Endor, because Wilford Brimley is in it. So, no doy. Also, check out this awesome poster:
See also.
Film Corner! Moses Time
Hey, remember when I wrote about all those Bible-inspired movies that various Hollywood muckety-mucks had in their pipelines of totally unoriginal material that definitely needs to be put on the big screen...? Well, GOOD NEWS: Steven Spielberg is closing in on a commitment to direct an epic about Moses for Warner Bros.
With a working title of Gods And Kings, what's envisioned is "a movie like a Braveheart-ish version of the Moses story," an insider tells us. "Him coming down the river, being adopted, leaving his home, forming an army, and getting the Ten Commandments." ... But this film is as far from a remake of the Cecile B. DeMille-directed epic as you can get even though they cover similar ground. Instead Warner Bros wants Spielberg to direct it with the gritty reality of Saving Private Ryan, which is considered a masterpiece redefining battle movies. "There have been glossy versions of the Moses story but this would be a real warrior story," an insider tells us.Perfect.
The only question now is who should play this Braveheart-like Moses. Can't be Mel Gibson, since he's busy making his movie about the story of Hanukkah. Oh, and also, he's a raging anti-Semite!
In the well-established tradition of casting the whitest white man who ever whited to play any Biblical character, I'm going to predict Sir Sam Worthington to be cast as Moses.
Fantasy Casting: Jeff Goldblum.
LOL!
Igor at Think Progress: Romney Steps Up Culture War; Claims Obama Is Waging 'An Assault on Religion'.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA SNORT!
Yes, everywhere I look there is evidence we are about to become a godless society, like: Our Christian president, our last Christian president, their almost exclusively Christian administrations who relentlessly pander to conservative and/or moderate Christians, the almost totally Christian Supreme Court, an almost entirely Christian Congress who start each session with a prayer, the millions and millions of other American Christians whose day of worship is still respected in various state laws across the country (like in Indiana, where you still can't shop for a car or buy booze on a Sunday), whose views are reflected in various federal laws (like denying same-sex couples the right of marriage in order to protect its "sanctity"), whose holidays are also national holidays, whose holy book must be sworn on in state and federal courts, and whose churches are not required to pay taxes, guaranteed freedom of religion, money that says "In God We Trust," a pledge of allegiance that describes us as "one nation under God," television networks who will accept advertising from conservative religious groups but not liberal political groups, schools who are incorporating a religious belief into science classes, conscience clauses for pharmacists and healthcare providers, religion-based residential communities being built, religious museums and amusement parks springing up all over the country, religious leaders being given diplomatic immunity, faith-based initiatives being federally funded, and our national media being constantly embroiled in a debate about in which god the president believes.
We are on the precipice, people!
*clunk*
You Know...
...what I'm really tired of reading about? Some famous dude who's having all kinds of angst because his famous wife is more famous than he is.
If I had a dollar for every time I've read the construction, "He was the more famous of the two when they met, and now his career is on the wane while her star has continued to rise," I would have lots of dollars!
I'm sure in my history of reading things, I've read the reverse—wife can't take being eclipsed by husband's career. But I sure can't remember it.
(That is not, by the way, an invitation to offer up exceptions to the rule. I'm just making the point that it is, indeed, an exception to the rule. The very, very annoying rule.)
I'm not primarily directing my ire at the dudes about whom this is written, since who knows if it's even true, though it gets printed like it is; I know lots of straight/bi men whose wives are more well-known and/or make more money than they do who are super proud of their wives and not remotely threatened by a career disparity that doesn't conform to retrofuck notions of gender (im)balance.
A few famous dudes end up in "she's trouncing me!" stories, however, because they've said as much themselves in interviews, matter-of-factly, like, Of course it pisses me off and makes me feel small and kills my boner that my wife/girlfriend is more successful than I am. Have you not noticed that I am a man?
But it's more just that this shit gets printed at all, and the fact that it's still so easy for so many people to believe, in the year 2012, that OBVIOUSLY any man would be emasculated by a wife who surpasses him in any demonstrable way.
Oh, pardon me—not any demonstrable way. Straight/bi women are still allowed to be better than their husbands at "female" tasks, like changing diapers or cleaning the house. We're just not allowed to be better than our husbands at Man Stuff, like a career.
Daily Dose of Cute
Dudley, as I may have mentioned once or twice or three thousand times, is a lazy git. The other night, he was lying on the loveseat, and Zelda wanted to play tug-o-war with him, but instead of getting up off his lazy ass to play with her, he stayed put, trying to play with her from his repose, while she valiantly struggled to convince him to get with the program.
(Set to a section of William Shatner's original self-authored track, "Struggle." Which, by the way, is amazing.)
Video Description: Zelly carries a long, stuffing-free plushy skunk in her mouth over to Dudley, who's lying on the loveseat. He takes the opposite end in his mouth and they wrestle with it, Zelly pulling backwards to try to get him off the couch. He drops the end. She picks it up and offers it back to him. Rinse. Repeat. She tries spinning in a circle. Another circle. Offers him the skunk again. She drops it and they nuzzle. She picks it up again. Circle. Offer. He takes it. He wrestles with her half-heartedly. Drops it. She offers it again. He licks himself disinterestedly, then flops over. He paws at her; she sneaks underneath his paw and gives herself butt-scratches using his lazy paws. (Hilarious.) Then she drops the skunk and walks away. "Welp, at least I got some butt-scratches out of the deal!"
Continuing on the theme of laziness, this is what I discovered when I walked upstairs into the loft last night:
He literally will not move ANYTHING that is in his way when he wants to lie somewhere. There was once a piece of paper, a single looseleaf piece of notepaper, lying on the downstairs loveseat, and instead of moving it, he sat in front of the loveseat and whined like the giant baby that he is until I got up and moved it for him.
Meanwhile, here's Zelly this morning, looking cute as she surveys the yard to make sure the homestead is safe from wind-caught plastic bags, squirrels, and other ne'er-do-wells.
Truly, I will never get over the irresistible cuteness of those Dorito ears. NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!
