[Content note: terrorism, violence, mortality, homphobia, misogyny, racism]
News and Stuff:
Breaking: Police say a man has taken a hostage in a Pittsburgh high rise building and claims to have a bomb.
It turns out Chick-fil-A's promise not to support anti-gay groups may have been a lie. Whoops!
Herman Cain says he would have a substantial lead over President Barack Obama if Republicans had made him their nominee. Whoops! You suck, Republican Party!
Mortality data shows that life spans for some of the least educated Americans are shrinking. The reasons for the decline remain unclear, but among the possible culprits: a spike in prescription drug overdoses, increased rates of smoking, and a lack health insurance in this demographic.
Here is the first full trailer from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Go, nerds!
A Swedish medical team has transplanted uteruses from two women in their 50s to their daughters. Meanwhile, an Indiana group is recruiting women willing to undergo womb transplants in the U.S.
I kind of love that gay scuba diving is a thing.
Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg) told reporters that he fully backs President Barack Obama in his bid for re-election.
Sunday, September 23rd is Bi Visibility Day.
Want to watch Vision Quest starring Matthew Modine? Good news! The entire thing is on Youtube!
A group of Filipino nurses who were mocked for their accents and ordered to speak "English only" won a nearly $1-million settlement against a Central California hospital where they worked.
Juvenile joke of the day: Mitt Romney enjoys watersports. *giggle* Why, yes, I am twelve.
The cover of the latest issue of National Review features an altered DNC photo to make it appear that delegates are waving "abortion" signs. In fact, the signs read "Forward."
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3. Beverly Hills Chihuahua THREE! What the hell is wrong with the world?!
Does your penis feel smaller? Penises are 10% smaller now. Someone studied this! And who is to blame? Feminazis, no doy. So says Rush Limbaugh.
Here is a video of a pig rescuing a baby goat. Yay, piggy!
In The News
Top Five
Here is your topic: Top Five Favorite Books You First Read as a Child. Go!
(For the purposes of this question, let's define "as a child" to mean before the age of 12.)
Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.
This is a real thing in the world.
[Content Note: Eliminationist violence; exploitation.]
Shaker lupinella12 emailed me a heads-up about a Groupon "Deal of the Day" that was offered for Orlando, Florida this week: A concealed-weapons permit course being offered in Sanford, Florida—where Trayvon Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman.
Lest anyone get the impression that the course is being offered to make sure such a heinous crime would not be repeated, the description for the course offers instruction for "marksmen of all skill levels with professional, hands-on training. Lessons in handling weapons front-end courses and are followed by proper shooting techniques and an inspirational talk with Annie Oakley's ghost." The course culminates with "application for concealed weapon permit."
And, let's just say that the course really does "emphasize responsibility while teaching students how to carry, handle, and shoot a gun," and isn't in the business of training vigilantes. That still leaves the issue of its being offered in Sanford, and Groupon's incredible decision to feature it as a "Deal of the Day." Gross.
Note the accompanying image: A handgun with a single, upright bullet.
Note the map, pinpointing the location in Sanford, FL.
Tweet at Groupon here. Comment on their Facebook page here.
HA HA WOW
Mitt Romney does not think people are entitled to food. I just wanted to remind you of that fact before sharing with you the news that Ann Romney does think that Mitt Romney is entitled to the presidency, to campaign for it free of criticism, and for your gratitude, you ungrateful serfs.
During an interview early this evening with Radio Iowa, Mrs. Romney directly addressed her fellow Republicans who've criticized her husband.She added some delightfully shitty commentary on her contempt for the press, which is always a good idea when your spouse is running for national office:
"Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring," she said. "This is hard and, you know, it's an important thing that we're doing right now and it's an important election and it is time for all Americans to realize how significant this election is and how lucky we are to have someone with Mitt's qualifications and experience and know-how to be able to have the opportunity to run this country."
"It's nonsense and the chattering class…you hear it and then you just let it go right by," she told Radio Iowa. “Honestly, at this point, I'm not surprised by anything."Ha ha well that makes two of us, Ann Romney! Anything else you'd like to add, maybe about how beautiful your gold-plated car elevator is, or about how women who aren't mothers are garbage, or maybe something hilariously ironic after your stream of entitled haughtiness and your husband's sneering contempt for half of the US?
"The real measure of a person is not how much money we make, but how we live our lives," she said.PERFECT!
Question of the Day
What dish are you going to bring to the Shakesville potluck?
You know, imagining we're going to have one that everyone can magically attend.
Photo of the Day
From the Telegraph's Pictures of the Day for 20 September 2012: Jack the English Pointer gives Lauren Rowe a drink from a water fountain on the first day of Spring in Brisbane, Australia. [Newspix / Rex Features]Girl's Best Friend.
Today in Let Them Eat Bootstraps
Jamelle Bouie, with further evidence of how Mitt Romney's 47% comment was right in line with mainstream conservative philosophy, i.e. bullshit fantasies about bootstraps used to justify all manner of ignorant and bigoted thinking:
If you want a sense of what motivates the politicians and activists who push for voter identification laws, look no further than this quote from Pennsylvania State Representative Darryl Metcalfe:I particularly like Metcalfe's "legitimate voter" line. Legitimate presidential birth certificates. Legitimate rape. Legitimate voters. Conservatives are obsessed with "legitimacy," which, like "tradition," is a concept used to reinforce the idea that the most privileged among us are the only objective arbiters of who should and can be allowed to participate in the shaping of this nation.
I don't believe any legitimate voter that actually wants to exercise that right and takes on the according responsibility that goes with that right to secure their photo ID will be disenfranchised. As Mitt Romney said, 47% of the people that are living off the public dole, living off their neighbors' hard work, and we have a lot of people out there that are too lazy to get up and get out there and get the ID they need. If individuals are too lazy, the state can't fix that.As always, it's worth noting the extent to which the "47%" meme has penetrated the right-wing consciousness. It's why Romney immediately doubled-down on the statement; he's echoing many conservatives when he says that Obama's supporters are people who won't "take responsibility for their lives."
Jesus Resurrected
Hey, remember Touchdown Jesus (or, as I liked to call him, Quicksand Jesus)?
As you may recall, two years ago, Touchdown Jesus got hit by lightning and burned to a crisp. Whooooooooooops! Far from taking that as a sign that Big Daddy was displeased with members of his flock spending a quarter of a million dollars building heretical icons while people languish in poverty, hunger, and illness, the Solid Rock Church has rebuilt Giant Jesus—and he is bigger and better than ever! TAKE THAT, GOD!
Goodbye Quicksand Jesus! Hello WannaHug Jesus!
CNN's actual headline on its piece for this story: Jesus: He's Back! And He Wants a Hug! LOL! Yes, yes he does.
Now, it's true that I am a filthy, soulless atheist, and thus I have no business telling Christians on what they should be spending their money, but I firmly believe that if you're a megachurch with a few hundred thousand dollars lying around, and you can't find any poor, hungry, ill, or otherwise needy people to give it to, then a giant statue of a golden calf is really a better way to go. I'M JUST SAYING.
Quote of the Day
"The fact that I like to make characters doesn't mean that I like to watch my characters being made, my performance. I can't even watch that fucking nose, that fucking voice, those ridiculous eyes. I can't handle that. But when I'm doing it, I don't see my nose or hear my voice; it's like there's something stronger, bigger than that. And I need to express it."—Actor Javier Bardem, on not being able to watch his own films.
From this GQ cover story on Bardem, who is one of my favorite actors. I don't know a lot about him; he sounds like a very interesting guy.
Something Beautiful: Cape Cod Whale Watching
Recently, all residents of Chez Cowboy, including Lord Alfie, took a road trip up to Cape Cod for a lovely week of relaxation and especially fantastic weather.
On the best weather day of the week, Space Cowgirl and I decided to book a 3-hour whale watching expedition. As neither of us has ever been on a whale watch, our expectations were extremely low. In my mind, I was going to enjoy a nice boat ride on the water on a great day, and maybe I would see a tail fin a couple of miles away.
As is shown in this first video below, not only did we encounter several whales, but they were curious enough to hang out with us right next to the boat!
[Video Description: Scenes of whales breaching very near the side of the boat.]
Not to be outdone by our initial graceful visitors, another group decided to check us out, followed by a flipper slapping dance (similar, but unrelated to the fish slapping dance)!
[Video Description: Scenes of whales breaching and slapping the water with their fins.]
In The News
[Content note for racism, misogyny, violence, homophobia]
News and whatnot:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said yesterday that she believed the Supreme Court would address the Defense of Marriage Act when they reconvene for the fall.
Romney's campaign appears to be having money trouble. Whoops! Could be worse, could be monkey trouble.
Some racist douchebag in Austin has lynched an empty chair in his yard.
Here's an old video of supergenius Craig T. Nelson bouncing around the internet today where he says "I've been on foodstamps and welfare, anybody help me out? No."
An Iranian cleric was pummelled by a "badly covered" woman after he got mouthy with her. Whoops!
Krautrock: Here is Can performing "Dizzy Dizzy" on TV circa 1977.
Australia's Parliament has overwhelmingly rejected a proposed marriage equality bill.
Patrick Stewart does not like waiting for the cable guy either.
So, there's this terrible gay slasher film from the 1980s called City in Panic. Here is the opening scene from the film. Why would a director do this? WHY?!
Paris Hilton is kind of a douchebag: "Gay guys are the horniest people in the world. They're disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS." Nice.
Tim Pawlenty quit as co-chair of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign on Thursday to become one of Wall Street's top lobbyists in Washington. Of course he did!
A puppy playing with a lemon!
Support for Marriage Equality in the NFL
by Shaker GoldFishy
I live in Minnesota, which happens to be the home state of the Vikings football team, which happens to be the team of one Chris Kluwe, who happens to be standing near the center of a "controversy" around the audacity of a current NFL player, Brendon Ayanbadejo (of the Baltimore Ravens), who has been vehemently defending marriage equality.
After Ayanbadejo was publicly called out by a state legislator to zip it and keep out of the debate over marriage equality (seriously, are we STILL debating this?), Kluwe penned a now-famous open letter defending his colleague's words and principles. It was both passionate and profane. And I LOVED it.
So while Kluwe has been standing on and fortifying his soap box (through several follow-up blog posts and interviews), I just want to give him a hug (if he wants one) and thank him for being decent. He's noticed that a lot of people feel this way, and he says he finds it "depressing":
I use the word depressing because for that many people to thank us for showing basic empathy, to thank us for recognizing that they are human beings just like everyone else, means that so many other people have not. What that says about our society makes me ill just to think about, and it means that we are failing the American dream.What I love even more than what he and Brendon Ayanbadejo have said is that they keep saying it. On ESPN, in the papers, in local tv interviews, on NPR, and probably lots of other places I am not aware of. And the NFL commissioner, their team managers and owners — as well as many of their fellow players — are supporting them and their right to speak out.
I see this all as a sign of promise, hope, and the chance that another average person, a struggling youth, or maybe even my dad might someday figure out that I and so many of my LGBTQ peers simply want access to the same basic rights as our friends and neighbors. Both Minnesota and Maryland are facing ballot measures to limit marriage via state constitutional amendments this fall. [Note/Update: Thanks to commenters who pointed out the ballot issue in Maryland regards whether to affirm marriage equality, and that it's not a constitutional amendment, but rather a statewide vote on a statute.] I hold out hope that these NFL players are helping the cause, bringing awareness and support from a few of their fans.
And so, in Minnesota, Chris Kluwe just won a new fan. The same way that the repeal of DADT helped me to feel more connected to an institution that I'd once been a part of 20 years ago, I now find that Chris Kluwe's words help me to feel welcomed, invited... valued. It's refreshing, and I'll cheer him on any chance I get.
There's a lot more at this link; I encourage you to check it out.
Daily Dose of Cute
The fans of interspecies cuddling are IN LUCK today!
Last night, Olivia was sitting on my lap and Dudley was lying beside me. Olivia was slowly flicking her tail in the contented manner of cats, and it was sweeping into Dudley's face. He reached out and ever so gently wrapped his paws around it, holding it in place, but leaving her the ability to flick the end of her tail.
Video Description: Dudley holds Livsy's tail in place with his paws while she sits contentedly on my lap. The Rachel Maddow Show can be heard in the background.
I died of the cute one million times.
Today in Mitt Romney Is Terrible
Here is some of today's news about how terrible Mitt Romney is...
David Corn for Mother Jones—Romney's Video-Debunking Claim Is Debunked:
The Romney campaign was clearly implying the whole video was rubbish. But there's a slight problem. Politico's Dylan Byers, the source for the debunking charge, quickly noted that he had done no such thing. He wrote:Bizarre—and, of course, totally par for the course for the toxic stew of mendacity and incompetency that is the Mitt Romney campaign.
there is nothing in my report that "debunks" the video....Nevertheless, some Romney backers have cried foul and managed to turn this into a dispute they can use to raise questions about the secret Romney tape.
But don't take my word. Here's more from Byers:
More mysterious still, is why the Romney campaign wants to debunk a video containing remarks that the candidate doubled-down on in a follow-up press conference.Slate's Dave Weigel has weighed in as well:
By calling the whole tape "debunked" and "selectively edited," the campaign's hewing closer to the Breitbart.com argument -- the real story is liberal media-Obama collusion. And the result is a sort of paradox, in which Romney stands by what he said in a video that you can't trust.It was bizarre.
Rachel Streitfeld for CNN—Romney Promises to 'Help the 100%': "Mitt Romney renewed his outreach to Latino voters Wednesday in a wide-ranging and, at times, pointed Q&A session, declaring he would be president for 'the 100%' as he sought to regain his footing in the race to the White House. ... Romney did receive immediate criticism online during the forum, however, for once referring to people in the country illegally as 'illegal aliens'."
Ezra Klein for Bloomberg—What Mitt Romney Doesn't Get About Responsibility: "Still, for my money, the worst of Romney's comments were these: 'My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.' When he said this, Romney didn't just write off half the country behind closed doors. He also confirmed the worst suspicions about who he is: an entitled rich guy with no understanding of how people who aren't rich actually live."
For inexplicable reasons, the Romney campaign has decided that the best way to restore Mitt Romney's image as a detestable, out-of-touch, garbage-spewing machine is by sending him out even more to talk "about how his ideas will help regular Americans who remain deeply suspicious of him." Welp, that sounds like a perfect plan!
Poll Time: Democratic Enthusiasm Swells in the Swing States, Nationally. "Overall, 59% of swing-state voters now highly enthusiastic, up from 46% in June."
"Thanks, Mitt Romney!"—President Barack Obama.
In related news, Paul Ryan is terrible, too!
And finally! This is the worst movie I've ever seen. TWO THUMBS DOWN.
"Mitt Romney and the Infinite Sadness"
Video Description: A montage of scenes of Mitt Romney being an awkward jackass on the campaign trail, in interviews, and on chat shows. Among his buffoonery: He stumbles over a question about his Biblical beliefs; he insults various women; he talks unconvincingly about his broad musical tastes; he says absurd shit like, "I live for laughter" and "I actually like jokes as well as things that are sort of fun; my sons like spontaneous humor, not jokes, but I like it all!"; he tries to make a $10,000 bet with Rick Perry at a debate; he says, "I'm running for office, for pete's sake—I can't have illegals!"
Essentially, he's a social trainwreck, and it's evidently because he is constantly trying to figure out the "best" answer to give, rather than the honest answer. That, plus the fact that he's so privileged he has no perspective on how unfathomably cruel he is.
Comparing these clips to the eloquent and confident Romney in the 47% video, where he's really saying what he feels, rather than trying to offer political answers to even the most basic questions, really underscores what a dishonest, opportunistic, pandering fucko he is.
Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short.
Fifty Shades of Goldberg: 8. SOCIAL DARWINISM
Am I the only one left still reading this piece of crap?
I've been away for a while, but Goldberg has made it worth my time. Not only is Chapter Eight ostensibly about evo-pysch, but he also mentions Nazis in the second sentence. Wow.
This is the chapter where Goldberg defends the libertarian ideas folks often criticize as "Social Darwinism" on the grounds that "Social Darwinism" is something of a misnomer:
Not only was there no self-declared school of Social Darwinists among academics and intellectuals, the alleged benefactor had little to no interest in the subject whatsoever.No shit, professor? It's almost as if "Social Darwinism" is a derogatory term critics use to deride a set of beliefs. I mean, Harvard doesn't have a Department of Racism (at least in name), but that doesn't exactly mean that shit hasn't gone down in Cambridge.
As someone with a doctorate in biology and an undergraduate degree in the history of science-- THIS-- CHAPTER-- WOW.
When you think about it, the idea that businessmen were inspired by a then novel biological theory should not have even passed the smell test.I agree with Goldberg, in that I don't think a lot of businessmen were sitting around reading Darwin when they suddenly realized that oppressing the populace was a profitable endeavor. Also, I'm pretty sure
No, being aware of Darwin is not the same as understanding the theory of evolution by natural selection. Science never operates in a vacuum, nor does industry. Chicago has a whole Museum of Science and Industry thing going on. (It has a boat-- BUILT BY NAZIS!) If there's one period where science, industry, and popular culture hung out together, it was the industrial revolution. You'd have to be a pretty shitty student to argue that the whole "burning coal (with science!) will set us free" thing wasn't one of the big memes of the time.*
Goldberg ostensibly wrote this chapter because libruls are constantly "cheating in the war of ideas" by yelling down perfectly good philosophies of wealth with cries of "Social Darwinism." He feels the same way about people critics derided as "robber barons."
Obviously, Goldberg chooses the steel industry as proof that libertarianism is awesome. Andrew Carnegie was poor before he was rich, and then he built a bunch of libraries (TRUE FACTS!). Henry Clay Frick was rich, and then he had a bunch of people killed (INCONVENIENT TRUTH!). During Carnegie's time, the Monongahela Valley was literally paradise on earth (especially Homestead) (NOT ENTIRELY TRUE!).
Blah blah blah whatever. The important thing to remember is that Milton Friedman won a Nobel Prize because Darwin is a liar. Or something.
Oh! Jonah Goldberg also really hates the University of Wisconsin, because NEWSFLASH! back in the day "progressivism" often involved eugenics. IN YOUR FACE, [CHARLES] VAN HISE HALL! Seriously, why do I have to walk through a classroom to get to the Math Library? Who does that shit? Liberal Fascists, that's who.
--
*Industrialist Ryan Gosling says coal dust might stain his lungs, but you'll never stain his heart.
The Unbearable Lightness of Blogging, Part Two
Back in April, I noted the usability issues I had with the new Blogger interface. At that time, it was possible to revert to the old dashboard, which I did.
This morning, Google has forced me into the new interface, which is still almost exactly as difficult to navigate as it was in April. Most of the accessibility problems people raised in comments are still there.
Google calls Blogger's new interface "A clean, sleek interface designed for a streamlined blogging experience," but because they didn't listen to people with visual and/or information processing disorders about how unnecessarily difficult the layout is to navigate for us, their "clean, sleek interface" has not "streamlined" my blogging experience, but made it a total nightmare.
And now I'm stuck with it. As is everyone else who has difficulty with the new design.
Google claims that they prioritize accessibility, including for "those with disabilities," but months ago, people raised flags about accessibility issues with Blogger's new platform, and Google's response seems to be, "Sucks to be you."
Google doesn't even include Blogger in their "How to use accessibility features" section, which I suppose is because they don't offer any accessibility features for Blogger users. It's hard to agree Google has a meaningful commitment to accessibility when they make their blogging platform inaccessible to users and offer us no alternatives.
I have made my living using Blogger for years. And now Google has made my work infinitely more difficult and stressful, for a redesign that doesn't even significantly change function. That doesn't feel like a commitment to accessibility to me.
Top Five
Here is your topic: Top Five Most Sentimental Items in Your Home. Go!
Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.
