Hosted by pizza.
Question of the Day
What is your favorite fictional holiday?
(And, yes, Valentine's Day counts, lol. Because barf.)
I'm sure it goes without saying that mine is Galentine's Day, followed closely by Festivus (which is only sorta fake). In case you need it, here's a list of fictional holidays to get you started.
Happy Galentine's Day, to all my ladies.
On Whitney Houston
I am seeing a colossal amount of reprehensible garbage being written about Whitney Houston—and, although I am too jaded to be surprised, I am nonetheless discouraged, again, by the lack of empathy and the evidently irresistible urge to judge.
What bothers me most are the vicious, snarling, sanctimonious proclamations about her being "a crackhead," or various other sneering epithets used in the service of casting her drug use as moral failing, a weakness of character.
We don't even know why Whitney Houston died yet, but that's of no consequence to the victim-blaming vultures who pick over the (literal) carcasses of fallen celebrities on rancorous fault-finding missions designed with the uncomplicated objective of self-elevation via smug superiority.
So it is assumed to be drugs, and we are exhorted to ignore that addiction is a disease, not a personal flaw.
Whitney Houston's ability to manage her disease may have been a flaw, but that is a judgment I would never make on someone who experiences a level of fame, a lack of privacy, an amount of pressure, and an assumption that one's life is public property that most of us will never experience and cannot really imagine in any accurate detail. It's easy to say what we'd do differently in the same position, but I don't really think any of us can know that.
I don't really think any of us can know how the circumstances of international fame would affect us, or change us.
There is no substance to arguments about how she shouldn't have been famous, if she couldn't handle it; or she should have left the limelight altogether, if she couldn't survive in its glare. One can't know, not really, what it means to become famous, what it will demand. One can't reseal that genie.
And what does one do when one has a voice like Whitney's, a talent of that magnitude, and fame is an unavoidable effect of the career that maximizes one's personal potential? What does one do when one's gift is incompatible with obscurity, even if one's constitution is incompatible with renown?
It is not as simple as do it or don't do it. Few things are.
The public discourse doesn't favor nuance, and it encourages judgment. I can't abide either. Even with the comparatively miniscule bit of notoriety I have from my work, I am frankly amazed there are famous people who DON'T flame out. The amount of pressure, the entitled demands, the ad hominem attacks, the utter disrespect for boundaries, and the sheer grotesque creepiness one suffers in exchange for a public life is extraordinary, and all the good will in the world can't undo the simultaneous damage. I can't begin to imagine what Whitney went through in her life, the shit she had to process to which vanishingly few people can relate. There's no way I will judge her.
And at last there is just this: If one's mourning is contingent on how someone died, that says something about the mourner, not the deceased.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAbarrrrrf
Gallup—Santorum Surges to Tie Romney: "Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are now statistically tied for the lead in Republican registered voters' preferences for the 2012 GOP nomination—32% to 30%, respectively. Newt Gingrich, who led the field as recently as late January, is now third, favored by 16%, while Ron Paul's support has dwindled to 8%, the lowest level yet seen for him in 2012."
OMG, Republicans. This is ludicrous, even for you.
RICK SANTORUM?! Come on.
Photo of the Day
![Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum delivers remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Marriott Wardman Park February 10, 2012 in Washington, DC. [Getty Images]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/shakespeares_sister/shakes4/x610-9.jpg "Oh pointy hands, oh pointy pointy / Anoint my head, anointy-nointy.")
A Song For You, By Which I Mean Me
Flula, with a little help from his friends Flula and Flula, wrote a song specifically for me and now I feel so special! The words go a little something like this:
Hey you, you are so nice and great and cute and handsome and prettyNow I don't feel so bad about not having a boyfriend. Thanks, Flula!
Yeah!
So I did write this love song for you and only you
Specifically for you
Specifically!
Here we go
Oh, you!
I love to kiss you because you are the perfect height for kissing which is
(garbled)'s interest
Oh, you!
I love it when you do thing to me you know what I'm talking about
Oh yeah!
So I won't say it
Shhh!
And you!
I love that your name rhymes with my favorite word which is
(Garbled)
Oh you!
I know your favorite book
(Garbled)
your favorite food
(Garbled)
And your favorite day of the week which is
(Garbled)-day!
Oh yes, you, I know everything about you
Everything
I can be so specific
Yeah!
I just want to scream your name
Because I know your name, you know
But I want to hear you scream your name and I will listen
So when I say Oh, you say your name
Ready? Okay
Oh!
Say your name
Oh!
Say your name I can't hear you
Oh!
Say your name out loud
Oh!
Yeah
Oh, that was nice
Now it is my turn to say your name
Let's do it
(Cut to black)
Oh no! We just did lose our power! I cannot say your name now
This is so sad and a big surprise
Next time I'm gonna scream your name out loud!
Yeah!
Dance!
Same-Sex Marriage State of the Union
Reuters: "Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire signed legislation on Monday to legalize gay marriage, putting the state on track to become the seventh in the nation to recognize same-sex matrimony."
Gregoire, a Democrat and a Catholic, signed the measure to raucous applause at a statehouse ceremony in Olympia, declaring, "This is a very proud moment. ... I'm proud of who and what we are as a state."Blah blah snore.
But the measure, which won final approval from state lawmakers last Wednesday, cannot take effect before early June, following a standard enactment period that runs until 90 days after the end of Washington's legislative session.
Opponents of the Washington measure have vowed to seek its repeal at the polls in November.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the state Senate has "passed a bill that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, in the face of Republican Governor Chris Christie's promise to veto it."
The Senate voted 24-16 in favor of the measure, sending it to the Assembly, which plans to consider it Feb. 16. Democrats, who control both houses of the Legislature, have made gay marriage a priority for 2012, two years after they failed to pass a similar bill supported by then-Governor Jon Corzine.Sure, because there's nothing totally reprehensible about giving a privileged majority the opportunity to vote on the rights of a marginalized minority. Ahem.
Christie, 49, opposes same-sex marriage and wants voters to decide the issue in a referendum.
In any case, even if it does come up for a vote, a new Rutgers poll has found 54% of New Jersey voters in support of same-sex marriage, so phhbbbbt.
And in Illinois, where civil unions were smoothly passed into law by the legislature last year, "three legislators [have] filed what they call the 'Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act' [which] would eliminate the part of state law that now explicitly prohibits gay marriages and would offer same-sex couples the marriage rights now exclusively available to heterosexual couples. The measure also says religious groups will be free to decide which marriages they will perform."
Because of the way the population is distributed in the US, over 40% of USians now live in a state in which some form of legal partnership is recognized by the state. Feel the homomentum!
Number of the Day
[Content Note: Violence; rape culture; misogyny.]
Zero: The number of Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, "the 1994 law at the center of the nation's efforts to combat domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking."
Republicans failed to support the renewal even though:
1. "The law's renewal has strong backing from law enforcement and groups that work with victims, and earlier reauthorizations of the law, in 2000 and 2005, passed Congress with strong support from both sides of the aisle."
2. "The bill includes smart improvements aimed, for example, at encouraging effective enforcement of protective orders and reducing the national backlog of untested rape kits."
Why?
The main sticking points seemed to be language in the bill to ensure that victims are not denied services because they are gay or transgender and a provision that would modestly expand the availability of special visas for undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic violence—a necessary step to encourage those victims to come forward.So take note: Republicans prioritize homophobia, transphobia, and hatred of undocumented workers over protecting people from stalking, sexual violence, and/or domestic violence.
Luckily, the Democratically-controlled Senate has a majority in the Senate Judiciary Committee and thus was the bill passed out of committee for a vote, but, for the first time in almost 20 years, VAWA may struggle to get 60 votes of support.
Welcome to the Feminist Backlash.
Monday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by blue corn tortilla chips.
Recommended Reading:
andreana: 'It's Not Right'...On Whitney Houston, Black Women, and Loss
Pam: North Carolina: Race to the Ballot Comes to Durham—the Bull Fight Against Amendment One [Content Note: Homophobia.]
Andy: Washington Governor Chris Gregoire to Sign Marriage Equality into Law Today
Alvin: NOM's Maggie Gallagher caught lying on MSNBC [Content Note: Homophobia.]
Atrios: What's, Uh, The Point? [Content Note: Reproductive Rights.]
Amber: 2012 NAACP Image Awards Nominations
Jshoep: The Forty-Fifth Down Under Feminists Carnival
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime
Whitney Houston: "I Will Always Love You"
"I Will Always Love You" spent 14 weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, a record at the time. The single became Houston's longest run at number one. It debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Houston's tenth number one hit a mere two weeks later.
Houston's single sold approximately 400,000 copies in its second week on the summit, making it the best-selling song in a single week. It broke its own record in the following three weeks, peaking at 632,000 copies the week of December 27, 1992. "I Will Always Love You" was certified 4× Platinum in the U.S. for shipments of over 4 million copies by the RIAA on January 12, 1993, making Houston the first female artist with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history. According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of 2009, the single sold 4,591,000 copies in the U.S. alone.
The song was international success, peaking at number one of the singles charts in almost every country. In the United Kingdom, the single sold over 1,450,000 copies. It was certified Platinum for shipments of over 500,000 copies by the BVMI in Germany. In Japan, "I Will Always Love You" sold over 810,000 copies, staying for 27 weeks on the charts, and became the best-selling single by a foreign female artist.
"I Will Always Love You" won the Record of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. During the Grammy Award telecast, the Record of the Year award was presented to Houston by composer Dolly Parton, along with David Foster. The single topped the 1993 Billboard Hot 100 Single and Hot R&B Single year-end chart simultaneously, becoming the first single by a female artist and the second overall to achieve that feat. In addition, it received Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B Single awards at the 21st American Music Awards, which was the first record by a solo female artist to win both categories, and the third overall in AMA history.
How awesome is that?
Give Them an Inch...
Well, it's a good thing President Obama made that concession on birth control in order to mollify conservatives, because they're definitely satisfied now and will not try to exploit the president's willingness to treat women's healthcare as a negotiable item.
Whooooooooooooooooops just kidding!
The Republican battle against the President Obama's new birth-control mandate will continue until the policy is reversed, the top GOP senator warned Sunday.The argument is this: If an explicitly religious employer gets an exemption, why shouldn't an employer who isn't explicitly religious but personally holds the same religious beliefs?
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Obama's rule requiring employer-based healthcare plans – even those sponsored by faith-based groups – to cover contraception infringes on the religious freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. The Kentucky Republican vowed to fight the policy until the White House "backs down."
"In this country the government doesn't get to tell you or your organization what your religious views are – and they could well be minority views – but the Bill of Rights is designed to protect the minority from the will of the majority," McConnell said on CBS's "Face the Nation."
"So this issue will not go away until the administration simply backs down. They don't have the authority … to tell someone in this country, or some organization in this country, what their religious beliefs are. Therein lies the problem."
That question is fundamentally dishonest, because not all religious employers are exempt. (A Catholic church is, but a Catholic hospital isn't.) That distinction is, however, easy to elide in a soundbite. And the president's concession probably made it easier for the mendacious fucks trying to turn this into an issue of religious freedom.
I know there are people of good will who disagree with me, who believe that Obama effectively took religion off the table. I understand and respect that position, though I do disagree with it. It is my estimation that the concession only would have taken religion off the table in a nation with an opposition party who plays fair and a responsible media. We have neither.
To my enduring despair.
I feel like the president is still governing the country he wishes we had, instead of the one we actually have. He keeps counting on appeals to conservatives' better nature, despite the cavernous void of evidence that they have one.
ADELE!!! Or: The Grammys Thread
Singer Adele holds her six Grammy Awards at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 12, 2012. Soul singer Adele triumphed in her return to music's stage on Sunday, scooping up six Grammys and winning every category in which she was nominated including album of the year for "21" and best record with "Rolling In the Deep." [Reuters Pictures]I may have mentioned once or twice or three thousand times that I love Adele. Also: Iain loves Adele. We are an Adele-loving household! So we watched the Grammys last night, because ADELE.
Not only did she clean up, winning six Grammys, but her live performance of "Rolling in the Deep" was amazing. AMAZING. I could watch that all day, I really could.
I will NEVER not want to hear "Rolling in the Deep." Or any other song from 21. It's inconceivable how many times I can hear those tracks and never tire of them. Adele is magic!
Anyway! There were lots of great performances by great ladies last night. Jennifer Hudson's tribute to Whitney Houston was incredibly moving and beautiful. Her strength in getting through that song was tremendous.
Loved Rihanna's performances, solo and with Coldplay. Her voice is just incredible. Even Katy Perry's "Take THAT, Russell Brand!" performance was unusually enjoyable! "I married a boy, and I hated it!" Nicki Minaj went full-out Madonna with a Catholic exorcism bit about which I'm sure Bill Donohue is furiously typing up a press release right now. I had no idea what the hell was going on (#old), but I would listen to Nicki Minaj desecrate the phone book. Do not believe what the newspapers tell you: The most offensive performance of the night was Taylor Swift's banjo number for which she and her band were dressed up in Depression-era garb. Ha ha NOPE.
True Fact: "Rhinestone Cowboy" is one of Iain's favorite songs, and we sing various things to each other to the tune of "Rhinestone Cowboy" all the time. Usually dirty things, when we're not even doing dirty stuff. Riding you like a horse with a star-spangled dil-l-do! Whoa-oh-oh! While we're cleaning the house on a Saturday morning. I'm sorry, Glen Campbell! It's actually because we like you!
So, anyway, we loved the Glen Campbell tribute, and getting to see Glen Campbell perform "Rhinestone Cowboy" live, for maybe the last time (on television, anyway). And I loved how Glen threw in "and cowgirls!" at the end. Very sweet.
Not sweet [content note: violence]: Chris Brown. Gross, Chris Brown. Gross, The Grammys. Gross, everyone. I really did almost barf when Chris Brown and R. Kelly were both up for a Grammy in the same category. I said to Iain, "Will it be the guy who beat up a woman, or the guy who peed on a woman?" It was the guy who beat up a woman.
Other than that: LL Cool J was a good host. I continue to be perplexed that very few people find "Lady Antebellum" an inappropriate band name. Bruce Springsteen has still got it. Paul McCartney was also there!
But mostly: ADELE!
Primarily Terrible
Angry Pointer of the Month, February 2012
Mitt Romney is BACK ON TOP, y'all! After a brief detour down Santorum Avenue on his journey to a big-time national concession speech, Romney won BOTH the Maine Caucus AND the all-important CPAC Straw Poll. Congratulations, Mitt Romney! You have been found to be the least barfiest by the most numbers of people in two more contests! GOOD FOR YOU!
Because there is no one who's better at stomping on sour grapes to make whine, Rick Santorum accused Romney of rigging the straw poll by paying the conference entry fee for supporters who attended just to vote for Romney. Romney's camp sorta-denied the allegation by calling Santorum a liar (whoooooooooops that is not really a denial!), but I say they should be demanding to know why Rick Santorum has a problem with FREE SPEECH! Is Rick Santorum suggesting that Mitt Romney should not be allowed to exercise his FREE SPEECH by giving FREE SPEECH to people so that they will come vote for him?! THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY! Except for elections! Which must be bought by the richest FREE SPEECHIFIERS! So shut up, Rick Santorum! You free speech hater!
Not to be outdone by Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, who was putting all his eggs in Maine's basket, did a little whining of his own about the Maine Caucus results: "Rep. Ron Paul is not conceding the GOP's Maine caucuses, which state party officials and major networks called Saturday for rival Mitt Romney. With 84% of precincts reporting, Romney has 39% to Paul's 36%, and Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster declared Romney the winner Saturday night, following a week-long series of caucuses. But in Washington County, where Paul had expected to perform well, the caucus was postponed until Feb. 18 due to an unexpected snowstorm."
"Yeah, well, it shouldn't have been TOO unexpected."—Mother Nature. Who is pro-choice, FYI.
Ron Paul was so enraged, he reportedly destroyed at least two hundred balloons in a Hulkian rampage.
Just kidding! Of course Ron Paul didn't really destroy 200 balloons. It was more like a million.
Next Stops: Arizona and Michigan!
Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short.
Sunday Shuffle
If I fail, if I succeed,
At least I live as I believe!
No matter what they take from me,
They can't take away my dignity.
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of...
And I wish to you joy,
And happiness...
But above all this,
I wish you love...
Whitney: (to announcer) I love you darling, thank you.
(to audience) My, my, my. Well, well. You all look like you're having a ball. Because this evening is about kids--and music--I just have to do this next song. It's just a requirement. You know, it's all about love. And, to me, music and love are the same things really. So if our kids grow up with music in their lives then there is no question that they will always, always be loved.
All right! (cues song start)
Open Thread
This week's open threads have been brought to you by awesome ice sculptures.
RIP Whitney Houston
Singer and actress Whitney Houston died today, from as yet unknown, or at least unreported, causes. She was 48.
I am so desperately sad about this news. Her eponymously titled 1985 breakout album was one of the first cassettes I ever owned, and I used to listen to it over and over and over on my purple boombox in my bedroom, dancing and singing along into my hairbrush.
When I was in the middle school choir, my best friend and I performed Whitney Houston songs at every annual Solo & Ensemble competition. We didn't even remotely do them justice, but we just loved her so much. Blub.
My sincerest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. My thanks to Whitney Houston for all the amazing music.
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!
