Discussion Thread: The Terrible Bargain

In The News

Tom Hardy and a Puppy Visit Sapo National Park

Todd Akin Breaks His Legendary Silence on What a Heinous Rape-Apologist Shithead He Is

Question of the Day

LegisLaughter Corner

Silence & Military Sexual Assault: A Survivor Story

Headline of the Day

Question of the Day

We have done that one before, although not for any lengthy while: Should you possess the fortune of the respected singer/songwriter/lyricist offering to compose/sing an audio lesson only for you, by whom would that provide be produced?If hearing impaired Shakers, or other people, would rather answer what poet they'd made a decision to write a poem only for them, don't hesitate to modify.

Friday Blogaround

This blogaround introduced for you by snow.Suggested Reading through:Angry Asian Guy: Sunil Tripathi continues to be missing. And isn't a bombing suspect. [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of violence and racism.]Julianne: The Publish-Boston Islamophobic Hate Crimes Have Started [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of violence, harassment, and racism.]Deepak: Being Brown following the Boston Explosive device Blast [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of violence and racism.]Fannie: Comprehending the Energy of Whitened Maleness [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of violence, racism, and male privilege.]Trudy: Whitened Males Who Talk about Whitened PrivilegeTami: Leaning All The While Black [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of misogyny and whitened- and sophistication privilege.]Angus: Yesterday's Senate Gun Control Election Being More Undemocratic Of Computer AppearedZack: Boy Scouts Propose Permitting Gay Scouts, Although Not Gay Scout Leaders [Content Note: The publish only at that link includes discussion of homophobia.]Here, take a look at some pictures of baby closes! [My because of Amadi for passing along that link.]Leave your links and suggestions in comments...

Garbage Treasures: Now With More Ed Hardy!

Since you may recall, Deeky collects and saves useless garbage like we are beyond Thunderdome and useless garbage has become a kind of currency and he's a garbageaire. Then, rather than tossing it away, he throws bits of his fancy detritus collection into an envelope and pays money to ship it in my experience, after which I insert them in plastic treasure chests and set them by the curb each week to become collected through the "treasure guy," who buries them in the "treasure dump" for me personally for safe keeping.Although not before you take an image from the bounty to ensure that I'm able to publish it, natch.[Click to embiggen.]Counter-clockwise from top left: The packaging itself, a shiny vibrant red-colored envelope having a sparkly sticker of the tween boy who I'm able to only assume is part of One Direction some useful educational materials written by John Stossel a pamphlet on "How you can Pray the Rosary," that will clearly are available in very helpful a "Growing Pains" buying and selling card featuring "Jeremy Burns as Ben Seaver" a burned copy from the conservative film Last Ounce of Courage which Deeks has handwritten Clearly a burned copy from the Sean Penn film This Should Be the area (that we CANNOT WAIT To Look At) which Deeks has handwritten Obviously a burned copy of (things i am speculating may be the remake of) Red-colored Beginning (that we can't wait not to WATCH) which Deeks has handwritten NO DOY along with a packet of orange-flavored Erectile dysfunction Sturdy Energy Stays: "All Day Long Energy 3-Pack. Pour on tongue."LOL FOREVER.

In The News

[Content note: Racism, homophobia]Thursday Morning News:Repetition. Louie Gohmert (R-epugnant) cautioned Wednesday that "radical Islamists" are now being "educated to behave like Hispanic[s]" and mix the U.S.-Mexico border. Whut?The Chapel of Scotland will debate permitting gay ministers to have sexual intercourse.Jeremy Irons: Still a douche.The earth's biggest gay club is opening in Vegas.An Islamabad court purchased the arrest of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on charges of unlawfully detaining a large number of idol judges during energy.Research indicates that Tylenol might help to reduce existential angst. If only I'd learn about this decades ago!The ultimate season of Breaking Bad will premier August eleventh.

Daily Dose of Cute

It is a bird... it is a plane... it's SUPERZELLY!Y'all, this dog is really fucking cute 24 hrs each day, I do not even get sound advice. [Full Disclosure: I actually do really get sound advice. Offer her All Of The SNUGGLES FOREVER!]I just read a critique of Shakesville a very long time ago, which centered eyerolling about how exactly I constantly publish pictures of "that ugly dog." It's hung beside me, not since i care if a person does not think Zelda is cute, but since the othering of Large Black Dogs is really a Factor on the planet, which devalues their lives. It's area of the reason why Zelly was on dying row whenever we met her.I actually do discuss how cute Zelly happens because I really like her, but additionally since i value her. (And since I valued the 3 all-black felines who've resided their lives beside me, and all sorts of-black felines are judged with a similar prejudice.) I've come across this ugly dog settle into her new existence in ways which makes our way of life better I've come across her manage her anxiety about other dogs to welcome going to dogs into her home I've come across her be gentle with children barely taller than she's with grown ups who have been frightened of large and/or black dogs. She's brave and indomitable, and she or he jogs my memory to become happy every single day since it is Each Day!She's an excellent dog, along with a superdog, and i'm the conveyer of her teaspoon. * * *Of course, please feel welcome and urged to talk about pix from the fuzzy, feathered, or scaly people of ones own in comments.

Dog Wants a Kitty

by Shaker BrianWS, who might be a full-time contributor at some point according to our next trip to The Oracle with Neo. FINGERS Entered!Well, here goes my day...because I am totally likely to watch this another hundred occasions.Owner (male voice off-camera): Hey hey hey, remember the way you wanted a kitten?Dog (a black and whitened hound mix, trotting around backwards and forwards while watching unseen cameraperson located on a couch, making silly faces and woofing and stuff, nevertheless its sounds happen to be changed using the voice-over): Yep.Owner: I visited your pet store today.Dog: Not a way.Proprietor: Yep, Used to do.Canine: (thirstily walking) Well seriously, let us go. I wish to see!Owner: Hold on, keep the collar on. You desired a woman?Canine: Yeah!Owner: A tabby?Dog: Yeah, you heard right! (jumps up in mid-air) Oh, It's surprising it, you have us a cat! (looks around)...Where's she? Is, is she out here?Owner: Wait, wait you did not allow me to finish. And So I visited your pet store and that i checked out the snakes.Dog: Snakes? Oh. Blech! I am gonna go right here.Owner: Well, I did not acquire one.Canine: Okay, um....Owner: No, no, i quickly went and that i required a glance around, right, and that i checked out the, uh, guinea pigs. Guess what happens guinea pigs are, right?Dog: Yeah.(dog is constantly on the jerk along and say "yeah" among each animal around the owner's list)Owner: Yeah, I checked out the rodents, gerbils, parrots, newts, hamsters, cats –Dog: (interrupts) Oh oh, there you have it! This is where you stopped because that is what you are gonna get me, a...Owner: And also the hermit crabs.Dog: (tosses mind around) OH Seriously!Proprietor: Are you able to calm lower now?Dog: You best get us a kitten or I am gonna chew this couch's arms quickly!Proprietor: Oh, you'll, huh?Dog: Now let me know what are you doing!Proprietor: Visited your pet store.Dog: Yeah.Owner: Saw the turtles –Dog: OH Seriously!(kitten meows without anyone's knowledge)Dog: What...was...that?Owner: Well, i'll just tell ya. You listening?Dog: Yeah.Owner: I visited your pet store. There have been shelter cats. And So I selected one up.(text onscreen states "pets require a friend to speak toInch)Dog: Oh, not a way! You have us a cat! Yeah! Oh! Oh! Oh! Exactly what does she seem like? Exactly what does she seem like?Proprietor: You wanna visit her?Dog: Um, yes. Yeah! Let us go!(Owner stacks up and follows dog in to the next room because the screen fades to black, the kitten mews and also the dog states thirstily: "OH!")

Sunday Shuffle

Maroon5, Sunday MorningHow in regards to you?

RIP Republican Celebrity Task Force

Aww, the Republican Celebrity Task Pressure is not going to take place. Sadface.The Republican National Committee is meeting now within the most touristy a part of Tinseltown, but it is apparent the "Celebrity Task Pressure" suggested by last month's "autopsy" report is not going to take place.The suggested task pressure was probably the most mocked of 219 suggestions from the five-member committee assigned with considering why the party worked out so poorly this year.InchThe Party is viewed as old and detached from popular culture," the audience stated. "Establish an RNC Celebrity Task Pressure of personas within the entertainment industry for hosting occasions for that RNC and permit contributor to sign up in entertainment occasions in an effort to attract more youthful voters."...There's a made the decision insufficient star energy in the committee's four-day spring meeting regardless of the locale. Still, the schedule nevertheless searched for to take advantage of the Hollywood setting. The 168 people were built with a dinner reception Thursday evening in the Rupert Murdoch-controlled Fox Galleries. Their guest loudspeakers were a California condition assemblywoman, popular talk radio host Hugh Hewitt and former Repetition. Allen West (R-Fla.)."Oblivion," the brand new sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman, opened Wednesday in a theater next to your accommodation hosting the meeting.Ripley's "Surprisingly" museum and also the Hollywood Wax Museum are nearby, too. Multiple party leaders joked – anonymously – that individuals are metaphors for that condition from the party.LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Daily Dose of Cute

DudleyIf I am within the family room when Iain pulls in to the front yard at night, I whisper within the most quiet voice possible, "Daddy's home," and, wherever they're in the home, the dogs come RACING! in to the room, LEAP! on the loveseat, and stare frantically the front window, quivering readily because he walks up the road to the leading door.The only real reason Zelly is not within this picture happens because, once he will get from the vehicle, she RACES! in to the office to seize certainly one of her plushy toys to toss gleefully in to the air as he comes with the door. "YAY! It Is A DAY! And Also The DADSY IS HOME!"* * *Of course, please feel welcome and urged to talk about pix from the fuzzy, feathered, or scaly people of ones own in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

Since today is National Pet Day, here are a few of my personal favorite pix of five furry citizens of Shakes Manor, from your earliest girl Matilda (age 11) to the youngest girl Zelda (est. age 4):MatildaOliviaSophieDudleyZelda&hearts &hearts &hearts

Evening in America 2.0

Iain Thomson in the Register--ACLU documents shows free use of emails for IRS tax police:Using the US Tax Day under per week away, the ACLU has launched a not-very-comforting Freedom of knowledge Act request return in the Irs (IRS) showing precisely how easy it's for that tax agency to see individuals online communications with no court-released warrant. [...]A 2010 presentation in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel mentioned that "fourth Amendment Doesn't Safeguard Emails Saved on Server" which internet customers must have "No Privacy Expectation." Underneath the current rules, if the email continues to be opened up or maybe it's a lot more than 180 days old, then those who check whether you have been bad or good in your tax statements have no need for a warrant for full access.I am uncomfortable with any one of this, such as the pervasive attitude the only individuals who would not be confident with this must therefore be responsible for something they are attempting to hide.I, like lots of others, use my email in an effort to store considerable amounts of knowledge which i might need to access while abroad. Learning that this post is considered "non-private" basically since it is saved within the cloud is extremely troubling in my experience, and carries lots of problematic implications by using it.

Empathy! How the fudge does it work?

[Content Note: Ciscentrism transphobia. Part Two within an ongoing series.]Going for a page in the Saxby Chambliss Playbook (the WORST playbook!), Congressman Paul Broun (R-GA) described his opposition to insurance-covered trans* health care by saying he isn't trans* and does not require it, why should other people?"I'd rather not purchase a sex change operation," Broun stated a week ago inside a speech against Obamacare, "I am uninterested. I love as being a boy." So trans males! The most concise way I'm able to think about to underline everything that's wrong with Broun's fundamental misunderstanding of gender identity and shifting.This cavernous insufficient empathy, this colossally unaware centering of self and universalizing of a person's own perspective and experience, does not even make as being a decent individual possible, believe it or not a good public servant inside a representative democracy. Diverse constituencies don't send individuals to D.C. to legislate based on personal need. That this type of huge number of chosen reps don't appear to know this fundamental principle is definitely an tremendously more monumental problem given the possible lack of diversity in Congress along multiple axes of marginalization.

Question of the Day

What's your preferred accessory? Any particular item, or perhaps a category (ring, scarf, etc.)—however you'd rather interpret the issue.

Sunday Shuffle

Silversun Pick-ups, The PitAnd you?

Open Thread

Grass

Late Night, Bourbon Street

by Shaker BrianWS, who might be a full-time contributor at some point, based on numerous mysterious factors which i cannot reveal without tearing apart the world at its very seams. Sorry![Content Note: Misogyny hostility to consent harassment.]I visited New Orleans the very first time a week ago for any business travel. It had been my very first time there, also it really was awesome to determine areas of New Orleans I'd only seen before on tv. The initial culture from the town is incredible and sophisticated, but that's an entire other publish. What I am covering today could, and does, happen in several places.I had been on Bourbon Street one evening, my second time in a bar having a house band so excellent I needed to return. I had been having a work friend, another whitened guy, and that we were contacted with a roving bartenders, a youthful whitened lady. She'd contacted us the prior evening, too, on occasions making some sexually suggestive moves using the test-tube shots she was hawking.Jovially, I designed a joke towards the effect of, "I am talking about, you are really adorable, but you are totally woofing in the wrong tree here!"She place the test tubes in the tray, chuckled, and leaned to let me know, "I am just doing the things that work!InchI simply checked out her for any second as my brain processed that admission, and she or he continued, saying, "The men on Bourbon St. expect some thing. They do not simply want a shot—even whether it's in the lovliest lady in here. They would like to hug you or touch you or cause you to do individuals types of things if they are thinking about buying one of your stuff.InchI informed her, "That's so fucking gross. I am so sorry."And she or he stated, "I understand, but I have had a 3-year-old daughter, and that i get $24 for each tray of those shots I sell, and also the more I actually do that, the faster they're going. That's the only goal in my experience.InchShe was around for any couple of minutes and talked within the excellent house band. Throughout that conversation, the job persona she needed to affect to earn a living fell away. The lady I had been now talking with had a completely different demeanor—the self-protective mask had fallen away and here only agreed to be an individual attempting to pay the bills. She was kind. She was funny. She was candid around. She did not owe us that, but she offered it anyway. And That I really loved the individual she tell me, a bit, for the reason that noisy bar.What stored echoing within my mind were her words, "the men on Bourbon St. expect some thing,Inch and that i understood it wasn't just here on Bourbon St. that males "expected some thing.InchBut it is the incorrect type of expecting more.Inside a culture that routinely objectifies women, as well as in which each and every little bit of casual misogyny aims to strengthen the concept that just as being a lady is not enough, the men on Bourbon St. needed more. Plus they felt titled into it. They believed titled to demand use of a ladies body when they were going to buy, something which clearly would not be an expected area of the purchase were it a guy selling the merchandise.That is the issue. When the wisest, most effective women are routinely told what related to their physiques with a patriarchal and misogynist culture (Stop running for that Whitened House now! Now run for that Whitened House!), it leaves someone like our roving bartenders nothing more than two options.She will grudgingly offer something more—a touch, a hug, use of her body—and become unattainable her tray of products to males who're only interested in the manner her performance will surprise them, as opposed to the goods she's really selling, or she will won't pander to some neighborhood culture (present in many communities) where misogyny rules, sell less products, and go back home with less cash to consider proper care of her daughter, to consider proper care of herself, to supply food and shelter.She find the former, and that i could hear in her own voice the way in which she'd resigned herself to doing something she did not wish to accomplish, however the only factor that mattered to her was getting enough money in the finish from the evening, the finish each week, the finish from the month, to consider proper care of the most crucial part of her existence. I left the bar angry that evening. Angry away from the option she'd made, but in the options she'd been offered—the options which are produced by males inside a culture which has trained them in a lot of ways in which a ladies is not her very own, but something intended for their satisfaction. Angry the distinction between earning money and never earning money for the reason that atmosphere all came lower as to whether she was prepared to stroke the egos of drunk males, and suggestively accompany their groping, their touching, their requirements, all within the title of promoting alcohol.I do not begrudge her the option she made. And That I don't judge her for which makes it.I'm angry that they was handed no truly significant choice to begin with.[Related Reading through: Why I am Professional-Choice, and My Boyfriend Is, Too.]

Twitter Recommends...

' ' no.An average miss, Twitter!

Whooooooooooops!

[Content Note: Kyriarchy.]This is amusing whether it were not so terrible:How are whitened male managers doing if this involves diversity? Great! A minimum of that is what the whitened male managers stated inside a recent survey.Exactly what do the non-whitened, non-male managers think? Less upbeat....Requested to rate the variety effectiveness among whitened male leaders within their companies, 45 percent of whitened males gave an optimistic rating. Among ladies and people of color, only 21 percent agreed. Wide gaps were also based in the thought of whitened men's capabilities to teach and enhance the performance of diverse employees (33 points difference) build strong, diverse teams (36 points) promote diverse talent on merit (36 points) and can include diverse voices in making decisions (40 points.)That's a a significant disparity!The framework from the disparity within this piece is quite amazing, too:But based on the study, it isn't entirely the responsibility of whitened male managers. What we should have here, it claims, is failure to speak....[Whitened male leaders] do great if this involves being sincere, laptop computer stated, but are unsuccessful if this involves saying the things they think. A lot of fear that any critique or discussion of race or gender will probably have them in danger, so that they cure it entirely.' ' that's certainly my knowledge about ten years of employed in Corporate America—my (cis, straight) whitened male bosses were TOO Sincere. These were SO SCARED to criticize individuals who did not share their rights. Their overwhelming respect for all of us would be a real problem.To quote my friend Pam: *blink*[H/T to Shaker Brunocerous.]

In The News

[Content Note: Homophobia, guns, gun culture.]What What!:The NRA continues to be worst factor within the world.Jane Nebel Henson, co-creator from the Muppets, died yesterday.An Italian researcher states vaccines are what get people to gay.Rutgers has fired a coach to get caught on video as being a bully.

Elsewhere on the Internetz...

This dipshit mixes up Melissa McEwen—who is: 1. Not me 2. The writer from the Search Gather Love and Paleo Drama—and me, then attempts to retrofit a publish by which he initially credited certainly one of McEwen's posts me, creating this fucking mess of nonsensical gibberish with a picture of me stolen from another person's Facebook account.Reading through is prime!And So I tweeted at Richard Nikoley, the writer of the amazing publish, to be able to tell him he's clownhair for brainz also to tell him he doesn't have my permission to make use of that image.. @rnikoley Hey, bozo: @melissamcewen and that i won't be the same person. Your edited publish is garbage. I've absolutely nothing to do w/ Paleodrama.&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) April 2, 2013. @rnikoley Also: You don't have my permission to make use of my image. Unless of course you utilize that one: twitter.com/Shakestweetz/s…&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) April 2, 2013[The look is of me flipping from the camera.]Mr. Nikoley responded by saying which i lack reading through comprehension, which basically had an issue with his posting the image, I ought to go track of Google, having a connect to a picture look for my title. . . @rnikoley I'm taking up along with you. You released the photo. I'm suggesting you don't have my permission. You gonna ignore that?&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) April 2, 2013. @rnikoley I know the image continues to be published elsewhere. However I am suggesting that you don't have my permission to publish it.&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) April 2, 2013. @rnikoley Your ethical position is: Another person published it w/o permission, to ensure that means I'm able to too? Awesome. Awesome ethics, bro.&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) April 2, 2013That's as he blocked me, lol.So, essentially, this fucking dingaling can't differentiate between two women having a similar title (hey, we are all a monolith anyway, right?), tries—badly—to cover his tracks, leaving in the picture of me he doesn't have my accept to use, despite the fact that I literally do not have anything related to your blog publish that he's taking problem.Anyway.One thing I really like about people reposting this photo of use is it's always supported by commentary how I am body fat and there's lots of embedded/implied shit about how exactly I ought to be super embarrassed with this photo because I am noticeably body fat and creating a funny face mid-storytelling. Uh, not a chance. I am within my favie Atari shirt getting fun at Deeks' house. I virtually like it. I see that picture and don't forget an excellent day that ended with Deeky and me remaining up almost through the night getting a collapsing conversation about significant things. Deeky and that i were already buddies, but which was certainly one of individuals days which changes the form of the friendship into something ever better and grander of computer was yesterday.Which was each day, each day spent with Deeky and Spudsy, a couple of my personal favorite people on earth, by which I had been filled with passion for them and felt loved back.No quantity of by using their picture to try and shame or hate me is ever going to change that.It's mine. Regardless of who steals it.[Related Reading through: Adventures in Blogging, Part Wev.]

Open Thread

A wheat ear cent

Programming Note

We are all likely to have a recuperative lengthy weekend, beginning today. You will see a pub tonight, and you will see daily open threads, which we'll moderate, but no new content until next Tuesday.I really hope everybody includes a nice weekend. Help you soon!