I just saw a link at CNN reading: "What will be pope's legacy?" and I thought it said: "What will be poop's legacy?"
Please feel welcome to imagine in comments what poop's legacy will be.
Important Announcement
Breaking News
It is no secret that young voters tilt left on social issues like immigration and gay rights. But these students, and dozens of other young people interviewed here last week, give voice to a trend that is surprising pollsters and jangling the nerves of Republicans. On a central philosophical question of the day — the size and scope of the federal government — a clear majority of young people embraces President Obama's notion that it can be a constructive force, a point he intends to make in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.In other words, young people are smart enough to realize you can't succeed in a country that's one big pothole.
"Young people absolutely believe that there's a role for government," said Matt Singer, a founder of Forward Montana, a left-leaning though officially nonpartisan group that seeks to engage young people in politics. "At the same time, this is not a generation of socialists. They are highly entrepreneurial, and know that some of what it takes to create an environment where they can do their own exciting, creative things is having basic systems that work."
Whooooooooops, Republicans! Bad news for you!
Good news for the rest of us.
Programming Note
FYI: The Downton Abbey Open Thread will be run tomorrow. I've only gotten through the first hour (!) myself, and I'm guessing a few regulars might need the extra day to watch before discussion. So don't worry—I haven't forgotten! Tune in tomorrow for all the latest shenanigans of Lord Whoops & Co.!
Monday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by potatoes.
Recommended Reading:
Susana: How Etsy Increased Its Number of Female Engineers by a Multiple of Four in One Year
Mattie: Decolonize Me [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of racism and identity policing.]
Paul: Chris Christie's Weight Isn't a Big Issue [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of fat bias and body policing.]
Andy: Founder of Support Group for LGBT Military Partners to Sit with Michelle Obama at State of the Union Address
Jamilah: Obama Plans Chicago Speech to Address Gun Violence
Anna: The Feministing Five: Melissa Silverstein and Kathryn Kolbert
Maria: Santorum for Pope
And Ana has smart things to say on the demoralizing toll of nitpicking and how commenters can help keep online spaces safe for their managers and contributors, as well as each other.
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Aggressive
Actual Politico Headline: President Obama's State of the Union: Aggressive.
Not bold. Not uncompromising. Not forward, which was his campaign slogan. Not audacious, which would have referenced his famous book.
Aggressive.
On the basis that he's less inclined to try to build bipartisan bridges only to have the Republican Party set fire to them.
Which, you know, doesn't strike me so much as aggressive as reasonable.
And long overdue.
Now, partly this is problematic because it plays into narratives of the Angry Black President, which are gross because they are untrue and further because even if President Obama were a demonstrably angry guy, well, fucking right he's got a lot of shit about which to be angry, starting with the reflexively obstructionist roadblock to progress or even basic functional government that is the Republican Party, and anger is a human emotion to which our President is entitled, in spite of racist narratives that seek to deny African Americans access to the full spectrum of emotional expression in one of the most basic forms of rank dehumanization.
Righteous anger is not always aggressive anger.
Secondly, this is problematic because it is emblematic of the double-standard the media routinely employs in its treatment of Republican and Democratic Presidents. Former President George W. Bush, who belligerently disgorged objectively aggressive pronouncements centered around being "with us or against us" and other tribalistic, anti-diplomatic frames, was favorably described by the press (for most of his presidency) as a bold visionary or equivalent garbage, and almost never described as "aggressive," despite overseeing an aggressive foreign policy, an aggressive expansion of executive powers, an aggressive disregard for the rule of law, aggressive Congressional spending, and other assorted aggressive jackassery.
So maybe cool it with the "aggressive" about Obama's forthcoming State of the Union speech, Politico. Is what I'm saying.
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Gun violence.]
"We have a strong agenda coming up for next year, but of course a lot of that's going to be delayed as the Connecticut Effect has to go through the process."—NRA Lobbyist and former Wisconsin state senator Bob Welch (R), explaining at the NRA's Wisconsin State Convention this weekend that the NRA will "resume its push to weaken the nation's gun laws" just as soon as everyone gets over the Newtown school shooting.
Rage seethe boil.
An Observation
I am still watching (and still loving) Elementary, and last week's episode was particularly good, with Watson (Lucy Liu) actually calling out Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) on his misogyny, using the actual word misogyny. SO GREAT.
Which is especially cool since it's a hugely popular show, and CBS really believes in it, choosing an episode of Elementary to air directly after the Superbowl.
Anyway. I enjoy watching the show (though it not perfect), and, besides that, I find the show's success extremely validating, given the number of times I have argued that remakes of beloved, classic material can work with characters other than the straight white males with which they have typically been written, only to be shouted down with caterwauling about CANON!
The next time someone gives me guff about suggesting that, say, Rosario Dawson would be my choice for an Indiana Jones reboot, I will have only two words for them in reply: Lucy Liu.
In The News
[Content note: homophobia, gun violence]
Monday Mornings:
The City of Los Angeles has put up $1 million in reward money for helping to catching Christopher Jordan Dorner.
A doctor has designed an app to predict the size of a man's erect penis. It's called the Predicktor, obviously.
Superman hates fags: DC Comics is hiring noted homophobe Orson Scott Card to write a new Superman series. (FYI.)
Ohio Mayor Mary McAngus resigns after repeatedly calling gay police officer "queer". Buh bye!
Mike Piazza, New York catcher, is definitely not gay.
I found a homemade anti-gay Chick tract the other day. Sadly, there were no drawings.
A prisoner who tried to smuggle a phone into jail by hiding it in his rectum was betrayed when his butt started ringing. Should've put it on vibrate.
Arctic expert predicts the final collapse of sea ice within four years. We're done for.
The Walking Thread
"Something something rousing speech! You should definitely listen to me because I have excellent judgment! Just look at my taste in men, which is pretty much PERFECT!"
(Spoilers are lurching around undeadly herein. CN: Violence.)
The Walking Dead returned last night, and I hope everyone enjoyed this excellent episode that was definitely up to the usual standards of this great show which, if anything, is almost TOO GOOD.
We picked up right where we left off, with Daryl and Merle facing off against one another—brother to fucking brother, y'all!—in Unpleasantville: Beyond Thunderdome! It was cool how I already knew that Daryl was going to be okay, because of the huge spoiler that revealed he would be okay. Where did I see that stupid huge spoiler again...? OH RIGHT AT THE END OF THE LAST EPISODE.
Anyway. Daryl and Merle manage to save themselves with the cunning use of flailing, with an assist from their pals in Grimes Gang 1.0. They all run away, and the sun rises instantly, and Merle can't STFU, even though literally everyone tells him to STFU. In a rare moment of good decision-making, Grimes pistolwhips him, and we get a moment of peace from the constant stream of garbage that pours out Merle's mouth hole.
Daryl uses that moment to inform Grimes Gang 1.0 that he's going to run off into the woods with Merle, prompting Grimes to say the most sensible thing he has ever said: "What about Carol?" Daryl responds that she'll understand, because sure, Carol has only lost every single person important to her, so she's like an Old Hand at understanding things.
Things immediately go back to normal, as Grimes immediately starts being shitty to Michonne, whose capacity to murder the fuck out of everything in sight with her katana is incapacitated every time she's near Grimes. He's like Kryptonite. Except wayyyyyyy more annoying.
Glenn takes out some aggression on a zombie skull (which looks like "zombie skunk" in my handwritten notes, and how cool would that be?), and starts looking at Maggie like she's broken garbage because she was sexually assaulted by Governor
Meanwhile, back in Unpleasantville, there is UNREST! An Unpleasantvillager is bitten by a walker, and everyone stands around wondering what to do. Governor Cyclops strides out of his lair and shoots the dude in the head, then strides back to his lair. And I LOL FOREVER. This show is a comedy, right? This show is definitely a comedy.
Andrea follows Governor Cyclops back to his lair and demands accountability, talking to him like he might be a reasonable human being instead of a ridiculous garbage monster, because Andrea is the most nonsensical character ever written for a major television series. And I'm literally including every character on Dexter in that assessment, so.
Back at Grimes Jail, Carl the Hat is reigning with a tiny, imperious fist. His hat has fused to his head and is strangling his brain. He keeps Tyreese and Sasha and Two White Dudes locked up, leaving their fate to the Solomon-like wisdom of his father. And by Solomon-like, obviously I mean that he will probably propose cutting his baby in half at some point.
Speaking of which, Traveling Grimes Gang 1.0 finally returns to Grimes Jail, and they are reunited with Carl the Hat, Pegleg Pershel, Carol, Teenage Blond Girl, and the baby, who starts screaming instantly upon being placed in Grimes' arms. PERFECT ASSESSMENT, BABY! They should make her their new leader immediately.
Meanwhile, back in Unpleasantville, Andrea gives a shitty peptalk to the townies. And they are all very stupid, so they are super impressed.
Back at Grimes Jail, Hershel gives shitty peptalks to Glenn and Maggie. Shut up, Hershel. Your soft, pleading voice is making me want to throw myself down a zombie well! JUST SHUT UP!
Grimes Gang has a confab about how they're a black guy down, so Grimes decides to interview Tyreese for the position. The interview is, however, interrupted by Lori's ghost, who appears to be wearing a Vera Wang wedding gown. Grimes is obviously losing what little of his fucking mind there is left to lose, which should probably suggest to the Grimes Gang that continuing to follow this screwball is MAYBE NOT THE BEST IDEA, but instead they will probably determine that he is a wizard and follow him EVEN HARDER.
The Ricktatorship is itself like a zombie. It will never die unless you smash its head into oblivion with a shovel. And by "its head," I mean Grimes. And by "smash it into oblivion with a shovel," I mean smash him into oblivion with a shovel.
And elect that baby!
Discuss.
The Pope Is Resigning
Welp, looks like the Pope is putting on his red shoes and dancing on outta here:
Citing advanced years and infirmity, Pope Benedict XVI stunned the Roman Catholic world on Monday by saying that he would resign on Feb. 28 after less than eight years in office, the first pope to do so in six centuries.It's not totally unprecedented, but it's extremely rare for a Pope to resign.
After examining his conscience "before God," he said in a statement that reverberated around the world on the Internet and on social media, "I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise" of his position as head of the world's one billion Roman Catholics.
..."In today's world," the pope said, "subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of St. Peter and proclaim the gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me."
"For this reason," he continued, "and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom, I declare that I renounce the ministry of bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter."
I mean, given Pope Benedict's positions on, well, everything, I can't say I'll miss his stirring speeches on how basically everyone who isn't a straight white cis Catholic male is garbage. Maybe next time, we'll get a progressive lady pope!
HA HA JUST KIDDING.
* * *
UPDATE: You can read the Pope's resignation statement in its entirety here. And Igor at Think Progress has some thoughts on Pope Benedict's legacy here.
Today in Who Cares
CBS—Cheney blasts "second-rate" Obama nominees:
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Saturday night that President Barack Obama has jeopardized U.S. national security by nominating substandard candidates for key cabinet posts and by degrading the U.S. military.Well. They can't all be Michael "Heckuva Job Brownie" Brown.
"The performance now of Barack Obama as he staffs up the national security team for the second term is dismal," Cheney said in comments to about 300 members of the Wyoming Republican Party.
Cheney, a Wyoming native, said it was vital to the nation's national security that "good folks" hold the positions of secretary of state, CIA director and secretary of defense.
"Frankly, what he has appointed are second-rate people," he said.
Open Thread
This week's open threads have been brought to you by ducks.
Quack!
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!
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Fat bias.]
"The way he acted lately I don't think so. He wasn't very nice to me."—Dr. Connie Mariano, the doctor who has never examined New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yet publicly stated he's a "time bomb" waiting to go off because he's fat, on whether she would support Christie if he ran for president in 2016.
LOL FOREVER.
Poor dear. Governor Christie wasn't very nice to her, in response to her public concern trolling of his health, body policing, and fat-shaming.
