Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
For my second post, Safety.
self-defense nightstand
January 28th, 2009 · 10 Comments
The nightstand that quickly converts to a club & buckler shield, for the purposes of self-defense. Just another thing to help you sleep soundly in the big city.
I want one!
http://www.thefunctionkey.com/2009/01/self-defense-nightstand/
For my first post, I become existential.
WHO AM I?
by Demetri MartinFEBRUARY 28, 2011
Who am I? That is a simple question, yet it is one without a simple answer. I am many things—and I am one thing. But I am not a thing that is just lying around somewhere, like a pen, or a toaster, or a housewife. That is for sure. I am much more than that. I am a living, breathing thing, a thing that can draw with a pen and toast with a toaster and chat with a housewife, who is sitting on a couch eating toast. And still, I am much more.
I am a man.
And I am a former baby and a future skeleton, and I am a distant future pile of dust. I am also a Gemini, who is on the cusp.
I am “brother” and I am “son” and I am “father” (but just according to one person, who does not have any proof but still won’t seem to let it go). Either way, I am moving very soon and not letting her know about it. I am asking you to keep that between us.
I am trustworthy and loyal, but at the same time I am no Boy Scout. No, I am certainly not. I am quite the opposite, in fact. And by opposite I do not mean Girl Scout. No. I mean Man Scout. And by that I do not mean Scout Leader. In fact, I am not affiliated with the Scouts at all. Let’s just forget about the Scouts and Scouting altogether, O.K.?
I am concepts and thoughts and feelings and outfits. And I am each of these all at once, unless I am in the shower. Then I am not outfits, because that would be uncomfortable.
To some I am known as Chief. And these are usually people who work in Radio Shack or try to sell me shoes. To others I am known as Buddy. These are people who dwell in bars and wonder if I’ve got a problem or what it is that I am “looking at.” And to still others, who are in that same bar, standing just off to the side, I am “Get Him!”
I am he and I am him. I am this and I am that. And I am, from time to time, Roberta, if I am in a chat room.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2011/02/28/110228sh_shouts_martin#ixzz1F7f0svku
Thursday, February 24, 2011
virginia, your government. woof.
The Maryland Senate on Wednesday advanced the same-sex marriage bill on a preliminary vote of 25 to 22. A final Senate vote on the measure, which is likely to mirror the preliminary vote, has been scheduled for Thursday.
Some opponents have threatened a filibuster, but Senate leaders say they are confident they have the votes to end debate.
If the bill passes the Senate, it moves to the House, traditionally the more liberal chamber on social policy. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) has said he will sign the bill.
washpo.
meanwhile, on the other side of the beltway....
Advocates for tighter restrictions on abortion clinics are starting a last-minute push to get the long-sought measure through the Virginia Senate before the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment on Saturday.
The Virginia House of Delegates added an amendment to a bill this week to reclassify as hospitals abortion clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions per month. Abortion facilities are currently regulated as outpatient clinics, similar to the way oral or cosmetic surgery centers are regulated.....
Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, pointed out that regulations for hospitals include, for example, having hallways that are wide enough for two gurneys to pass each other.
According to NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, first-trimester abortion providers in Virginia already adhere to regulations from the Board of Health Professions and the Board of Medicine........
Gov. Bob McDonnell supports the amendment, spokesman Tucker Martin said.
"He encourages the Senate to approve this common-sense measure that will ensure all outpatient surgical centers are treated the same, in order to ensure the health and safety of our citizens," Martin said.
Washington Examiner
Some opponents have threatened a filibuster, but Senate leaders say they are confident they have the votes to end debate.
If the bill passes the Senate, it moves to the House, traditionally the more liberal chamber on social policy. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) has said he will sign the bill.
washpo.
meanwhile, on the other side of the beltway....
Advocates for tighter restrictions on abortion clinics are starting a last-minute push to get the long-sought measure through the Virginia Senate before the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment on Saturday.
The Virginia House of Delegates added an amendment to a bill this week to reclassify as hospitals abortion clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions per month. Abortion facilities are currently regulated as outpatient clinics, similar to the way oral or cosmetic surgery centers are regulated.....
Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, pointed out that regulations for hospitals include, for example, having hallways that are wide enough for two gurneys to pass each other.
According to NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, first-trimester abortion providers in Virginia already adhere to regulations from the Board of Health Professions and the Board of Medicine........
Gov. Bob McDonnell supports the amendment, spokesman Tucker Martin said.
"He encourages the Senate to approve this common-sense measure that will ensure all outpatient surgical centers are treated the same, in order to ensure the health and safety of our citizens," Martin said.
Washington Examiner
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
hell yes.
excerpt from the official DOJ statement:
After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President’s determination.
Consequently, the Department will not defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA as applied to same-sex married couples in the two cases filed in the Second Circuit. We will, however, remain parties to the cases and continue to represent the interests of the United States throughout the litigation. I have informed Members of Congress of this decision, so Members who wish to defend the statute may pursue that option. The Department will also work closely with the courts to ensure that Congress has a full and fair opportunity to participate in pending litigation.
Furthermore, pursuant to the President ’ s instructions, and upon further notification to Congress, I will instruct Department attorneys to advise courts in other pending DOMA litigation of the President's and my conclusions that a heightened standard should apply, that Section 3 is unconstitutional under that standard and that the Department will cease defense of Section 3.
The Department has a longstanding practice of defending the constitutionality of duly-enacted statutes if reasonable arguments can be made in their defense. At the same time, the Department in the past has declined to defend statutes despite the availability of professionally responsible arguments, in part because – as here – the Department does not consider every such argument to be a “reasonable” one. Moreover, the Department has declined to defend a statute in cases, like this one, where the President has concluded that the statute is unconstitutional.
this is why i voted for you big guy.
After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President’s determination.
Consequently, the Department will not defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA as applied to same-sex married couples in the two cases filed in the Second Circuit. We will, however, remain parties to the cases and continue to represent the interests of the United States throughout the litigation. I have informed Members of Congress of this decision, so Members who wish to defend the statute may pursue that option. The Department will also work closely with the courts to ensure that Congress has a full and fair opportunity to participate in pending litigation.
Furthermore, pursuant to the President ’ s instructions, and upon further notification to Congress, I will instruct Department attorneys to advise courts in other pending DOMA litigation of the President's and my conclusions that a heightened standard should apply, that Section 3 is unconstitutional under that standard and that the Department will cease defense of Section 3.
The Department has a longstanding practice of defending the constitutionality of duly-enacted statutes if reasonable arguments can be made in their defense. At the same time, the Department in the past has declined to defend statutes despite the availability of professionally responsible arguments, in part because – as here – the Department does not consider every such argument to be a “reasonable” one. Moreover, the Department has declined to defend a statute in cases, like this one, where the President has concluded that the statute is unconstitutional.
this is why i voted for you big guy.
and now for some relatively good news.
The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it will no longer defend the constitutionality of the federal government's ban on recognizing same-sex marriages, a rare legal reversal and the latest in a series of political victories for gay rights activists.
The Justice Department had appealed the decision of a federal judge in Massachusetts who struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in July, saying it was obligated to defend federal statutes. The 1996 law defines marriage from the federal perspective as between a man and a woman, which means same-sex married couples are denied access to marriage-based federal benefits.
In an extraordinary change, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said Wednesday that he and President Obama had determined - after an extensive review - that the law's key section is unconstitutional. "Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute" in court, Holder said in a statement.
washingtonpost.
The Justice Department had appealed the decision of a federal judge in Massachusetts who struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in July, saying it was obligated to defend federal statutes. The 1996 law defines marriage from the federal perspective as between a man and a woman, which means same-sex married couples are denied access to marriage-based federal benefits.
In an extraordinary change, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said Wednesday that he and President Obama had determined - after an extensive review - that the law's key section is unconstitutional. "Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute" in court, Holder said in a statement.
washingtonpost.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
i think this may be my long lost child.
tell me you don't want to high five the fuck out of this girl.
It had to be The Onion to finally point this out
"It's absolutely mortifying to suddenly realize that the man you had long credited as a champion of fiscal conservatism actually tripled the national debt and signed the largest peacetime tax hike in U.S. history," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, adding that he was ashamed to learn that the man he once called his hero stood by silently while the AIDS epidemic exploded. "Frankly, I can't even believe that fucker had the balls to call himself a conservative."- Embarrassed Republicans Admit They've Been Thinking Of Eisenhower Whole Time They've Been Praising Reagan
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
c-span at its finest.
via feministing.
gwen moore is such a badass.
More personal testimony from Rep. Jackie Speier (CA): Mr. Chairman, I had really planned to speak about something else, but the gentleman from New Jersey has just put my stomach in knots, because I’m one of those women he spoke about just now.
I had a procedure at 17 weeks, pregnant with a child that had moved from the vagina into the cervix, and that procedure that you just talked about was a procedure that I endured. I lost the baby. But for you to stand on this floor and to suggest as you have that somehow this is a procedure that is either welcomed or done cavalierly or done without any thought is preposterous. To think that we are here tonight debating this issue, when the American people if they are listening are scratching their heads and wondering: What does this have to do with me getting a job? What does this have to do with reducing the deficit? And the answer is: Nothing at all.
There is a vendetta against Planned Parenthood and it was played out in this room tonight. Planned Parenthood has a right to operate. Planned Parenthood has a right to provide services for family planning. Planned Parenthood has a right to offer abortions. The last time I checked, abortions were legal in this country.
Now, you may not like Planned Parenthood. So be it. There are many on our side of the aisle that don’t like Halliburton, and Halliburton is responsible for extortion, for bribery, for 10 cases of misconduct in the Federal database for a $7 billion sole source contract. But do you see us over here filing amendments to wipe out funding for Halliburton? No. Because, frankly, that would be irresponsible.
gwen moore is such a badass.
More personal testimony from Rep. Jackie Speier (CA): Mr. Chairman, I had really planned to speak about something else, but the gentleman from New Jersey has just put my stomach in knots, because I’m one of those women he spoke about just now.
I had a procedure at 17 weeks, pregnant with a child that had moved from the vagina into the cervix, and that procedure that you just talked about was a procedure that I endured. I lost the baby. But for you to stand on this floor and to suggest as you have that somehow this is a procedure that is either welcomed or done cavalierly or done without any thought is preposterous. To think that we are here tonight debating this issue, when the American people if they are listening are scratching their heads and wondering: What does this have to do with me getting a job? What does this have to do with reducing the deficit? And the answer is: Nothing at all.
There is a vendetta against Planned Parenthood and it was played out in this room tonight. Planned Parenthood has a right to operate. Planned Parenthood has a right to provide services for family planning. Planned Parenthood has a right to offer abortions. The last time I checked, abortions were legal in this country.
Now, you may not like Planned Parenthood. So be it. There are many on our side of the aisle that don’t like Halliburton, and Halliburton is responsible for extortion, for bribery, for 10 cases of misconduct in the Federal database for a $7 billion sole source contract. But do you see us over here filing amendments to wipe out funding for Halliburton? No. Because, frankly, that would be irresponsible.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
our resident rockstar sister has her own youtube channel.
you heard it at the whimsicalknickknackshop first!
and just so you know, baby jangle, that means we discovered you. not that we expect any sort of monetary compensation, we just ask that your debut album be titled "the adventures of grumblecakes in the whimsical knickknack shop: a story of ecstasy and poor bladder control".
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Am I reading the Twitter right? Did Esperanza Spalding kill Justin Bieber in an arcade fire? So sad.Betty F*ckin' White
Encouraging
At CPAC, white supremacist Jamie Kelso tried to spread his brand of scientific racism. These fine young conservatives weren't having any of it. They weren't making any the arguments I would have made, but it's still encouraging to see people on the right who are cool with making more me's.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
This kid once gave me a CD, told me he was the next Justin Bieber, I took the CD and frisbee'd the fuck out of it.-Mos Def
Saturday, February 12, 2011
bring it, pelosi!
from this article in the post:
Pelosi -- who promised a huge fight against House Republicans over the issue in the days ahead -- didn't hold back one bit, claiming the new legislative push by Republicans "disrespects the judgment of American women."
"I don't know if they ever give that a thought," she added.
Pelosi described the GOP push as the "most radical assault" on women's reproductive rights "in our lifetimes." And she was equally blunt in her assessment of right-wing assaults on family planning.
"They are at a different philosophical place," she said, characterizing their view as: "all engagement has to result in a child." Pelosi noted that contraception and family planning is "not consistent with their belief that it's all about procreation."
.....
Pelosi acknowledged that Dems could not stop Republicans from passing their anti-abortion agenda through the House. But she said it was crucial that pro-choice forces and Dems kick up enough noise to ensure that it dies in the Senate: "We have to make this issue too hot to handle."
Pelosi added that the unreconcilable philosophical differences between Republicans and Dems on abortion left Dems no choice but to adopt a scorched-earth approach to the war ahead. "We don't have a set of shared values," she said. "We have to fight this out in the public domain, so when we move to the Senate it has no popular support."
(side note: i'm pretty sure its irreconcilable...but i'm also pretty sure that neither the post nor tbd proof read any of their articles)
Pelosi -- who promised a huge fight against House Republicans over the issue in the days ahead -- didn't hold back one bit, claiming the new legislative push by Republicans "disrespects the judgment of American women."
"I don't know if they ever give that a thought," she added.
Pelosi described the GOP push as the "most radical assault" on women's reproductive rights "in our lifetimes." And she was equally blunt in her assessment of right-wing assaults on family planning.
"They are at a different philosophical place," she said, characterizing their view as: "all engagement has to result in a child." Pelosi noted that contraception and family planning is "not consistent with their belief that it's all about procreation."
.....
Pelosi acknowledged that Dems could not stop Republicans from passing their anti-abortion agenda through the House. But she said it was crucial that pro-choice forces and Dems kick up enough noise to ensure that it dies in the Senate: "We have to make this issue too hot to handle."
Pelosi added that the unreconcilable philosophical differences between Republicans and Dems on abortion left Dems no choice but to adopt a scorched-earth approach to the war ahead. "We don't have a set of shared values," she said. "We have to fight this out in the public domain, so when we move to the Senate it has no popular support."
(side note: i'm pretty sure its irreconcilable...but i'm also pretty sure that neither the post nor tbd proof read any of their articles)
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
and this, friends, is why there is no room for compromise....
...because we aren't even having the same fucking conversation.
two separate quotes from the same article:
"We're not going to stand by and watch while reproductive rights are threatened and women's health is jeopardized again in this country," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "We are not going back in history."
"This legislation is really about whether the role of America's government is to continue to fund a practice that takes the lives of over one million little Americans every year," said Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., chairman of the Judicicary subcommittee overseeing the bill to make the Hyde amendment permanent at a hearing today.
and if you haven't been paying attention, here's some context:
Not only would the bill that seeks to make permanent the Hyde amendment forbid public funding of abortion, she said, "it tells women they can't use their private money to purchase insurance that covers a full range of health care. It punishes women and businesses with a tax hike — a tax hike — if they wish to keep or buy insurance that covers the full range of reproductive health care."
two separate quotes from the same article:
"We're not going to stand by and watch while reproductive rights are threatened and women's health is jeopardized again in this country," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "We are not going back in history."
"This legislation is really about whether the role of America's government is to continue to fund a practice that takes the lives of over one million little Americans every year," said Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., chairman of the Judicicary subcommittee overseeing the bill to make the Hyde amendment permanent at a hearing today.
and if you haven't been paying attention, here's some context:
Not only would the bill that seeks to make permanent the Hyde amendment forbid public funding of abortion, she said, "it tells women they can't use their private money to purchase insurance that covers a full range of health care. It punishes women and businesses with a tax hike — a tax hike — if they wish to keep or buy insurance that covers the full range of reproductive health care."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
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