Month: November 2011

Adrastos, Television4 Comments

Sunday Morning Video: Sideshow Babies- History Detectives

Peter Adrastos Athas

A recent episode ofBoardwalk Empire showed an incubator baby place on the, uh, boardwalk. That, in turn, made me think of this swell segment fromHistory Detectives as reported by the fabulous Tulane alum, Elyse Luray: http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf WatchSideshow Babies on PBS. See more fromHistory Detectives. Continue reading Sunday Morning Video: Sideshow Babies- History Detectives

Doc, Political Crack1 Comment

Premature Elect-ulation

OK, so then this happened: One of Scott Walker’s backers filed paperwork Friday to seek a recall of the governor. Oh, don’t worry. It’s not a story of remorse or a change of heart. It’s just another Machiavellian machination in a long string of malicious maneuvers. By filing the recall petition, David Brandt gave Walker an 11-day head start to his fundraising efforts. Democrats had made it loud and clear they planned to launch their recall on Nov. 15. According to state law, as soon as the first official recall petition is received, Walker can start raising an unlimited amount … Continue reading Premature Elect-ulation

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Immoral Values, Malakatude5 Comments

Malaka Of The Week: Shorter University

Peter Adrastos Athas

It’s institutional malakatude time again. Until recently, I’d never heard of Shorter University, which is the long and, uh short of it.It’s obviously not the most enlightened school: Shorter University, a Christian Baptist school in Rome, Ga., is forcing its 200 employees to sign a statement declaring that they reject homosexuality. Anyone who doesn’t sign the pledge risks losing their jobs. Atlanta’sWSBTV reports that employees who sign the “personal lifestyle pledge” also must reject premarital sex and adultery, and other behavior the school deems to violate the Bible’s teachings. The statement also bans drug use and drinking alcohol in the … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: Shorter University

Do Something, Doc, Economy, Political Crack4 Comments

Guns + Penises + Anti-Recall Measures = JOBS!

In his inaugural address, Governor Deadeyes repeated to the point of laughability that Wisconsin was “open for business.” The importance of jobs could not be understated. In fact, if you played a drinking game with his speeches, you’d be better off taking “times Walker is on camera” than “jobs” for your drinking cue. In calling a special session of the legislature, Walker promised that he would “focus like a laser” on jobs. Apparently, lasers must first do other things before they can hit that jobs target. Over the past few months, the legislature, which is controlled by Walker’s own party, … Continue reading Guns + Penises + Anti-Recall Measures = JOBS!

Athenae, Immoral Values, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

In Vitro vs. Plan B

Drum describes something he thinks is a conundrum of some kind: Life, Haley is suggesting, begins not at fertilization, for some reason, but only at conception — which means what? Implantation in the uterus? But if that’s the case, then the Plan B emergency contraceptive should be fine and dandy, shouldn’t it? But the anti-abortion crowd hates Plan B. And they’re OK with in vitro fertilization. Even by their standards, does this make any sense? It’s actually pretty simple. Demonizing women who are trying to get pregnant plays a whole lot differently than demonizing women who don’t want a baby. … Continue reading In Vitro vs. Plan B

Athenae, Film, Television17 Comments

Jean-Luc Picard Is the Good Kind of French, Apparently

I’m sorry, after years of hearing about how John Kerry would have been a terrible president because he is some kind of Parisian fairy, I am now staggered to learn that one of conservatism’s archetypes of manliness isJean-Luc Picard. (Otherwise known as my second TV crush, after Hawkeye Pierce. Is there an equal opposite to cradle-robber? Because whatever that is, I’ve always been it. When I was 13 I had a thing for Adam onAll My Children, Adam who was old enough to be my mother’s grandfather. WTF, subconscious?) Let’s get back to Frenchy McBaldness. Picard, okay, read books, drank … Continue reading Jean-Luc Picard Is the Good Kind of French, Apparently

Adrastos, Economy, Fog Of History, Political Crack3 Comments

The Papandreou Family Business

Peter Adrastos Athas

Greeks love to be the center of attention. It was the main reason they fought so hard to get the 2004 Summer Olympics, which is one of the reasons the country is in such desperate straits right now. The situation there is so fluid that Prime Minister Papandreou has cancelled the referendum he announced just the other day. I understand that Sarko and Merkel hit the ceiling when it was sprung on them. Rumor has it that they heard from the media, which wouldn’t surprise me. Greek politicians are known for being devious and sneaky. Greek culture centers on food … Continue reading The Papandreou Family Business

Michael F4 Comments

Two Wild and Crazy Guys

FromAlbum4 So, RickI’m-Just-Wild–No Really: WILD–About-Syrup Perry and Herman “Foxes” Cain went frombrotherly love tosibling rivalry in just a couple of weeks (according to the Cain campaign. I still think it was Karl Rove who exposed Herm’s wild side.) Meanwhile, the presumed beneficiary — Romney — still reminds me of a creepier version of Bob Dobbs fromThe Church of the Subgenius. Maybe Mitt’s finally caught a bit of slack. Continue reading Two Wild and Crazy Guys

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes, Economy8 Comments

So There Was a Strike in Oakland Today

Photo by Oakland99er. They’ve shut down the port. I feel like we’ve been talking in circles for years. Part of the reason I have such affection for the protesters nationwide is that tell me what else, I mean, honestly. People elected Democrats to end the war and the war went on. People want the rich taxed and the rich get their taxes cut. Everybody knows the right thing to do and nobody’s doing it and this has been the case for years. We say, every year, as it gets dark and cold, that maybe this year it won’t be so … Continue reading So There Was a Strike in Oakland Today

Athenae, Diary, Economy9 Comments

Trick or Treat

So I live in a big building with narrow walkways and usually on Halloween the trick-or-treaters go right by. There are big houses full of candy around the corner, after all. And usually Mr. A and I are on the road during trick-or-treating, but last year we happened to be home and saw all the costumes from our windows, and felt wistful that we missed out on the fun of seeing neighbors and passing out treats. And then I read this, and my head almost exploded: We had more kids at our door than we ever had in Oak Park! … Continue reading Trick or Treat

Adrastos, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks6 Comments

Party on, Rick?

Peter Adrastos Athas

I assume most of you have seen parts ofRick Perry’s legendary Cornerstone speech by now.To say Gov Package Check was loose during that New Hampshire appearance is an understatement. There’s been a lot of speculation as to whether Perry was drunk or had been mixing painkillers and booze. I thought he acted like he wasone toke over the line myself. The irony is that I kinda like *that* Rick Perry: he was still a winger but he was likable in a goofy stoner kinda way. I particularly liked the bit where he hugged the maple syrup at the end of … Continue reading Party on, Rick?

On Wisconsin3 Comments

Editor of The Progressive, 17 others arrested for using cameras or holding signs

Arrests of spectators using cameras or silently holding signs in the gallery of the WI Assembly has been ongoing in past weeks. Yesterday 18 were arrested including the editor of The Progressive magazine as part of a “Concealed Camera Day” protest.From The Progressive: Then law enforcement began to haul people out for silently holding signs or taking pictures with their cameras. The Progressive’s own Matt Rothschild was arrested for taking a picture of these arrests being made. A total of eighteen people were arrested and ticketed for offenses that will likely be thrown out in court. People feel so strongly … Continue reading Editor of The Progressive, 17 others arrested for using cameras or holding signs

Athenae, Economy6 Comments

The Things We Can’t Afford

It gets cold here. I suppose all the homeless people should just bootstrap themselves to somewhere warm: While the 50-plus inches of snow we may receive will inconvenience a lot of us and perhaps drain the city’s snow removal coffers, if you live on the street, the freezing temperatures and blizzard conditions won’t be just another snow day. They’re life-threatening. The 2012 budget passed by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn earlier this yearcuts funding for homeless prevention services by 52 percent, eliminating $4.7 million for shelters, emergency housing and transportation. Homeless advocates are fighting for that … Continue reading The Things We Can’t Afford

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks6 Comments

Bush Flack Sick Over How Republicans Are Assholes

Michael Gerson cannot believewhat total bags of fuck Republican presidential candidates can be: Bachmann is not just making a political point but a moral argument. She asserts that children — who have committed no crime themselves — should be denied assistance because of the legal status of their parents. Her point is made without qualification. It doesn’t matter whether the children of illegal immigrants are hungry or sick. This standard rules out everything from emergency room treatment to elementary school education to prenatal care for the unborn. Bachmann’s pro-life convictions, evidently, only apply to children covered by a green card. … Continue reading Bush Flack Sick Over How Republicans Are Assholes