What is/was for dinner?
Tuna melts and carrots here. Kind of a weird one, I guess, lol.
Question of the Day
Thursday Is the Best Day
Because it's Parks and Rec night! If you are, like me, an incorrigible parksnrechead, then please enjoy this picture of Leslie and Ben making out with balloon versions of each other in anticipation of tonight's episode!
[H/T to Fuck Yeah Parks and Rec!]
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Violence; victim-blaming.]
"Make better decisions."—Fox News Host and former Bush administration White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, offering advice to women who are victims of violence.
At Think Progress, Annie-Rose explains: "Perino made the comment on Fox New's 'The Five,' in the middle of a discussion of Kansas City Chiefs Line Backer Javon Belcher, who murdered [Kasandra Perkins, his girlfriend] before killing himself over the weekend. While her co-hosts were discussing the merits of female gun ownership as a way to avoid violence against women, Perino was quick to blame women themselves for being victims."
Perino: I think it skirts the issue that women are victims of violence all the time–Charming.
Co-host: They should have guns!
Perino: Well, maybe, or make better decisions.
Photo of the Day
From the Telegraph's Pictures of the Day for 6 December 2012: A rare sundog is seen in the sky above Burqin County, Xinjiang Autonomous Region in western China. A sundog is an atmospheric phenomenon caused by ice crystals in the sky, resulting in bright spots of light, often in a luminous ring or halo on either side of the sun. [HAP/Rex Features]
Good News
FMF News—Textbooks in Saudi Arabia Feature Photographs of Women: "For the first time in the history of public education in Saudi Arabia, new textbooks will feature photographs of women. The textbooks, designed for third year high school English students, feature a woman as a nurse about to give someone an injection. In the photograph, she is wearing a headscarf and a surgical mask. The photograph is also accompanied by an exercise asking students to discuss men and women's changing involvement in traditional jobs. The textbooks also picture a woman in a science lab."
That's amazing. I'm so thrilled for the women and girls of Saudi Arabia!
Talk about why we need feminism.
* * *
Because threads about feminist progress (or the lack thereof) in Arabic countries have this tendency to quickly devolve into clusterfucks of Othering, I want to encourage readers to consider the ways in which misogyny works in (the broadly and inexactly named) Western culture the same way it works in Saudi Arabia.
Like, for instance: Might we be able to draw a parallel between the invisibility of female forms in public textbooks and the invisibility of female forms in public signage?
It's not so easy to condescendingly dismiss as irrevocably backwards a culture in which one sees similarities to one's own.
Heads-Up, Freaks and Geeks
If you loved the tragically short-lived series Freaks and Geeks, pay attention: Judd Apatow (who has never made anything remotely this wonderful since) is guest-editing Vanity Fair this month, and the issue contains an amazing F&G reunion.
Part One: 2 Good 2 Be 4Gotten: An Oral History of Freaks and Geeks. "Judd Apatow, creator Paul Feig, and cast members including Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and James Franco tell Robert Lloyd what made the show both great and doomed."
Part Two: Paul Feig on What Would've Happened to Every Character in Freaks and Geeks' Lost Second Season.
Part Three: Fun Times at McKinley High. Unseen images from the set of F&G.
Part Four: Class Reunion. Photos of the cast today.
Here's the best one (totally objective assessment) from the last gallery, in case anyone doesn't feel like clicking through to find it:
What—did you think I wouldn't say the picture of James Franco in costume as Daniel wasn't the best one? You're so weird.
* * *
There are some reasons that F&G should have lost its shine for me: Much of Apatow's subsequent work has not merely failed to live up to the promise and heart of F&G, but has been profoundly contemptible. Seth Rogen, who I adored in F&G, has come to be known in this space Rape Apologist #1. Etc. But F&G continues, somehow, to hold a special and untarnished place in my heart. I mean: Lindsay. And Sam. And Bill—dear Bill. And the Carlos the Dwarf scene, which will forever be one of my favorite television moments ever.
Because James Franco.
Video Description: The geeks sit around in the AV room; Daniel (a cool older guy, played by James Franco) is with them. As they plan an evening of Dungeons and Dragons, Harris suddenly invites Daniel to join them, shocking the other geeks. Daniel is dubious, but curious. A couple of the geeks kind of terrifyingly discourage him, but Sam tells him about the dancing sword and encourages him by talking up how fun it is. Daniel agrees to come.
Cut to them getting ready to play at the dining room table at Sam's house that night. Daniel rolls for his character and draws a dwarf. He's disappointed, but they explain that dwarves are cool characters, so he relents. "All right, fine, I'll be a dwarf," he says. "But my name is...Carlos."
"Carlos the Dwarf?" asks Bill.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that, Gorthon?" says Daniel.
Montage of the guys all playing and having fun. Cut to Daniel winning the game. Harris congratulations him on finishing his first D&D campaign. The guys applaud him. "Thanks, guys," he says. "You want to do this again tomorrow night?" Daniel goes to get himself a drink, and the guys wonder if Daniel is turning into a geek, or if they're turning into cool guys, and they agree that they're turning into cool guys.
Daily Dose of Cute
A tale of doggy friendship, set to Yann Tierson's "Yellow."
Text Onscreen: "Dudley and Zelda: BFFs." Video of Dudley the Greyhound and Zelda the Black-and-Tan Mutt standing in the garden; Zelly playbows at Dudley. Cut to Dudz and Zelly in the garden in winter, in loads of fluffy white snow. Zelly spins to get Dudley to chase her. Dudz fakes her out and takes off; she chases him across the garden to the back patio, where they reconvene and go for a stroll together. Cut to the two of them wrestling in the garden in autumn, leaping and play-biting at each other and chasing each other around. Cut to Dudz chasing Zelly through the garden in the spring; as he catches her, she does a barrel roll to evade him. They run, and then Dudley breaks to shake himself off. Zelly waits patiently, then spins to engage him in a chase again.
Cut to the dogs playing tug-o-war with a plushy toy indoors. Zelly gets it away from Dudz, then offers it back to him again so the game can continue. Cut to the dogs bursting out the back door like a shot into the garden. Cut to Zelly grabbing a plushy lobster and bringing it over to the big pillow where Dudley is lying, and lying down beside him. Cut to Dudley digging in the garden; Zelly sniffs at the hole, leaps playfully at Dudz, then runs in a big circle, coming back to further investigate the hole he's dug. Cut to more dramatic chasing through the garden in early winter. So many waggy tails! Cut to Dudz splayed out in the grass in summer, with Zelly keeping guard in front of him. Cut to the dogs lying on the sofa together, looking at me with their sweet faces. The end.
Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
[Content note: gun violence, death, misogyny, violence against women, disableism]
Today, 6 December, marks the 23rd anniversary of a tragic event: the deaths of 14 women attending l’École Polytechnique in Montreal, killed by a man seeking revenge on "feminists." As Status of Women Canada puts it: "They died because they were women."
As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.Today, I remember by name: Geneviève Bergeron (b. 1968), civil engineering student; Hélène Colgan (b. 1966), mechanical engineering student; Nathalie Croteau (b.1966), mechanical engineering student; Barbara Daigneault (b.1967), mechanical engineering student; Anne-Marie Edward (b.1968), chemical engineering student; Maud Haviernick (b.1960), materials engineering student; Maryse Laganière (b. 1964), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique’s finance department; Maryse Leclair (b.1966), materials engineering student; Anne-Marie Lemay (b. 1967), mechanical engineering student; Sonia Pelletier (b.1961), mechanical engineering student; Michèle Richard (b. 1968), materials engineering student; Annie St-Arneault (b.1966), mechanical engineering student; Annie Turcotte (b.1969), materials engineering student; and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (b. 1958), nursing student.
I also remember many other women who have lost their lives to gender-related violence, and countless others who face violence or threats on a day-to-day basis.
This also seems like an appropriate time to renew my own conviction in the fight for gender equity, to remind the world that tragedies like the Montreal Massacre have a context of deep-seated societal misogyny and antifeminist backlash. The perpetrator of the Montreal massacre was not a "lone crazy"; his loathesome beliefs found ample reinforcement in the anti-feminism and woman-hatred of the world around him. Countering that hatred, with whatever teaspoons I have, is surely some of the most important work I can do.
Please feel free to share your own remembrances, reactions, or convictions in comments below.
In The News
[Content note: homophobia]
Thor's Day News and Information:
Washington has given out its first same-sex marriage licence to a lesbian couple of 35 years. Awesome. Totally awesome.
Olive Garden suffering from some bad PR after the company made anti-Obamacare comments. Whoops!
Homophobic douchebag and senator from South Carolina Jim DeMint announced he will step down to become president of the Heritage Foundation. ("Public service is for suckers!" — Jesus.)
Someone is building a life-size version of the Millennium Falcon.
Long-time Shaker Broce makes the news. (It's a terrible story, though.) But you can help!
Mexico's Supreme Court strikes down gay marriage ban.
49% of GOP voters think ACORN stole the election for President Obama. 27% think it was leprechauns. 14% blame unicorns. 8% are undecided.
The perfect gift for the Bruce Lee fan in your life.
Astronomy! Black Marble Earth captured by NASA satellite.
More News from the Conservative Legislation Lab
Indiana's Republican Garbage Governor Mitch Daniels is leaving office, which, given the colossal nightmare that his tenure has been, you'd think would be good news. But his successor is Republican Mike Pence, who has made a national name for himself while serving in the US House of Representatives by being an extremist dirtbag who supports wars but not abortion and says things like "A nation that will not stand for life will not stand for long" without a trace of irony.
What this means is that Indiana, my state, will continue to serve as a conservative legislation lab for the rest of the nation. We have been out front on privatization of infrastructure (like our toll road, the tolls on which are now triple what they used to be), on voter ID laws, on school vouchers, on disallowing public employees from collectively bargaining with the state, on defunding Planned Parenthood, and a host of other conservative policies that use Hoosiers as guinea pigs before being rolled out across the nation.
So, if you want to know what's coming down the pipeline, keep your eyes on Indiana.
All of which is a preface to the extraordinary news that the Indiana State Board of Education voted 9-2 yesterday "to change Indiana's teacher licensing rules by creating a new 'adjunct teacher permit,' allowing any bachelor's degree holder with a 3.0 grade point average — and who can pass a subject test — to immediately teach that subject in an Indiana classroom."
Got a bachelor's degree? Get good grades in college? Congratulations, you're now eligible to teach in an Indiana middle or high school — no special teacher training, student teaching or experience necessary.Well, that sounds GREAT! Who needs to deal with superfluous crap like "child development" when working with kids? Way to cut through the bureaucratic bullshit, Indiana!
...The adjunct permit creates a different route to the classroom than the traditional "practitioner" license, which requires training in child development, child psychology and how to run a classroom — along with student teaching and additional in-school internship requirements.
Two of my oldest friends, who are both public school teachers in Indiana, reacted with what I can only describe as totally valid and understandable horror at this news last night. A, who is a special education teacher, observed: "ALL the classes I took in college prepared me for my job." He was someone who worked with adults with psychological disabilities before going back to school to become a special educator, and, despite his background, he wasn't ready to walk into a classroom as a special education teacher without specialized training.
He is an amazing teacher, whose students adore him, and without taking anything away from his innate talents, part of his success is certainly due to his training.
Students deserve to have qualified and well-trained teachers. But this state doesn't think so.
In fact, the Republican-controlled state legislature doesn't give a tiny infinitesimal fuck about students. All it cares about is justifying its previous garbage policies around defunding education, driving down teaching salaries, union-busting, and school vouchers. The quicker they can hasten the demise of public education, while blaming it on the teachers' union and resistance to privatization, the better to usher in ever more extreme policies.
This is the end-game of Republicans who love to hate the Department of Education—consigning public education to the dustbin of history and turning even the most rudimentary education into a privilege.
Seen
As you may recall, our neighborhood church regularly features great church signs like "Weed 'em and reap!" and "Man's way is a hopeless end. God's way is an endless hope." and "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil. It has no point." Ya know, little friendly reminders that my life is worthless garbage and I will be viciously slaughtered by an angry god one day—that sort of thing.
Anyway. Iain snapped this photo of their latest endeavor while he was out walking the dogs last night:
You know your neighborhood church is THE BEST neighborhood church when it spells Christian incorrectly.
Obviously, I am a full-tilt typo machine, so I understand it's an easy mistake to make, but it's been up for several days now. Apparently none of the Christains have noticed.
And, frankly, given the regular messaging about how my imperfect life is meaningless shit, I don't feel too bad about having a titter. I'm already going to hell, anyhow.
So I'm told.
Top Five
Here is your topic: Top Five Things You Miss About Being a Kid. 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.
What I'm Listening To
Alicia Keys singing the Gummi Bears Theme on Jimmy Fallon
I saw this when it first aired last week (or the week before, whenever it was), and I have listened to it like a million times since, because it is so awesome.
About Time
On the one hand, I pretty much don't care what Time magazine has to say about anything.
On the other hand, Time magazine named Parks and Recreation the best show of the year.
I'LL GIVE YOU THIS ONE, TIME!
"We did it!"
Quote of the Day
"I am very much against [raising the Medicare eligibility age], and I think most of my members are. I don't see any reason why that should be in any agreement."—House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, throwing some shade at one of the many bullshit proposals being bandied about during the absurdist theater that is the "Fiscal Cliff debate."
The hat tip goes to Atrios, who says, "Good for Pelosi. Raising the eligibility age doesn't save much public money, and I'd bet that it actually would increase health care costs overall (public+private). It's a stupid horrible idea. Which is why Villagers love it."
There is no idea too terrible for the Beltway media not to love!
Discussion Thread: Why We Need Feminism
[Content Note: Rape culture.]
Earlier today, the comedian Wendy Liebman, whom I follow on Twitter, retweeted this from singer and activist Chely Wright:
Something to think about twitter.com/chelywright/st…
— Chely Wright (@chelywright) November 30, 2012
If you can't see the image, it's a photo of a young white woman holding up a handwritten sign reading: "I need feminism because my university teaches 'How to Avoid Getting Raped' instead of 'Don't Rape' at freshmen orientation."
It made me think of all the reasons I need feminism, which is simultaneously overwhelming (which is my positive spin on "discouraging") and empowering.
So now I put it to you: Why do you need feminism?
In The News
[Content Note: Homophobia, misogyny.]
News For Krampusnacht:
Check out this neat gender-neutral Swedish Toys 'R' Us catalog.
Also: A New Jersey teen is petitioning Hasbro to dump its gender-specific marketing for Easy Bake Ovens.
Jazz artist Dave Brubeck died today at age 91. He is perhaps best known for his performance of "Take Five."
Gay marriage bill passes first vote in Colombia.
Meanwhile, Marco Rubio says homosexuality is a sin but he doesn't judge. Thanks, Marco Rubio!
December is Butthole Appreciation Month! Spread the love!
The Senate has approved the National Defense Authorization Act without the anti-gay provisions implemented by the House.
I feel this can't be said enough: 49% of GOP voters say they think that ACORN stole the election for President Obama.
A fracking chemical used in US has been linked to organ damage.
WTF, Doritos?
