Shakesville

Holy Shite!

2008-10-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

The chaplain to the London Stock Exchange, Rev Peter Mullen wrote on his blog:

'Let us make it obligatory for homosexuals to have their backsides tattooed with the slogan SODOMY CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH and their chins with FELLATIO KILLS.' (Daily Mail)

Mullen claims SATIRE and that some of his bestest friends "are of that persuasion."

Sure. And Fuck Off!

(Cross-posted)

Below 10,000

2008-10-06T15:17:00.006-05:00

Global markets plunged. The Dow Jones plunged today to finally close at 9955. At one point it was down over 800 points. Any Shaker Economy Wonks care to tell us how fucked we really are?

In other news, Citi, Wells Fargo and Wachovia agreed to a litigation standstill to decide Wachovia's fate.

Time for DRINKS!

Blockhead

2008-10-06T14:53:00.000-05:00

I almost never have writer's block (as you might have noticed), but I'm having a mighty case of it today. Nothing wants to come out in anything more than about 10-sentence bursts, and even that's like pulling teeth.

So please enjoy some lovely photos of flowers and kittens, while I take my camera in search of unicorns and rainbows…

Shaker Kate217, who is truly one of the most generous people alive, sent me a stunning bouquet for our blogiversary. The pictures don't even do it justice; my entire office smells like flowers.

(Little voice from stage right: "For moi?")

Snapshots of Catitude Around Shakes Manor:

Matilda: I'm not looking at you.

Olivia: Yawwwwwwwwwn. *wink*

Sophie: Zzzzzzzz *snuggle* zzzzzzzzz.

I Feel a Little Depression Coming On

2008-10-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

To coincide with a big depression.

I've just been talking to Iain about what the markets are doing, and reading whatever I can get my hands on, and I don't know what to say, really. It ain't pretty.

Financial markets took a bleak view of the future Monday, seeing contagion in a credit crisis that threatens to cascade through economies globally despite government efforts to provide relief. The Dow Jones industrials skidded more than 500 points and fell below 10,000 for the first time in four years, while the credit markets remained under strain.

Investors around the world have come to the sobering realization that the Bush administration's $700 billion rescue plan won't work quickly to unfreeze the credit markets. Global banks, hobbled by wrong-way bets on mortgage securities, remain starved for cash as credit has dried up.

That has sent stocks spiraling downward in the U.S., Europe and Asia… The selling was so extreme that only 98 stocks rose on the NYSE -- and 3,114 dropped.

The best course of action, of course, is for investors to not panic. So what is everyone doing? Panicking, naturally.

And there's nothing we can do about it. (Except try to remain calm ourselves.) Just put on your seatbelts and hold on, Shakers. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Btw: Remember how Bush was going to be the "CEO president?" Good times.

I bet nobody in the entire world is more pissed when they look at the current value of their accounts than Al Gore.

McCain Meltdown

2008-10-06T13:11:00.001-05:00

The Mavericks^TM aren't cutting Medicare, they swear; they're just going to "reform payment policies," wevthefuck that means, and "eliminate fraud."

How about they do us all a favor and start by eliminating the fraud that is the McCain-Palin economic policy?

But He's On Vacation!

2008-10-06T12:44:00.008-05:00

President Bush was in TEXAS for a weekend getaway, but that damn economy keeps ruining things.

Here is the most honorable leader with his words of wisdom and the importance of helping the little people.

Transcript below:

THE PRESIDENT: We're glad to be here in San Antonio. I've just had a very illuminating conversation with small business owners here. We have a car dealer, a automobile repair shop, a restauranteurs -- two restauranteurs. And it's clear that these small business owners are dealing with the effects of a credit crunch. And by that I mean that they're having trouble getting money to be able to continue to either expand their business or to be able to -- money to help their consumers be able to buy their products. And it's -- and I told them one of the reasons why, you know, I was so strongly for this rescue package was inherent in the strategy of the rescue package is to free up credit, is to get money moving.

And it's going to take a while. I signed the bill on -- last week, but it's going to take a while to get in place a program that, one, is effective; two, that doesn't waste taxpayers' money -- we don't want to rush into this situation and not have the program be effective. It's going to take a while to restore confidence in the financial system. But one thing people can be certain of is that the bill I signed is a big step toward solving this problem.

A lot of people here in Texas and around the country are not pleased with the government having to take the steps they took. Their question is, I pay my bills, I pay my mortgage, why -- why are you helping Wall Street. And the answer is because had we not done anything, people like the folks behind me would be a lot worse off. We'll make sure, as time goes on, this doesn't happen again. In the meantime, we got to solve the problem. And that's why people sent me to Washington, D.C. When you see a problem, put a team together and solve it.

And I want to thank you all for your time. I'm glad to be back here in Texas. I miss my friends in Texas. I am -- you know, people say, are you looking forward to coming home. Yes, I'm looking forward to living here, but in the meantime, it looks like I'm going to have a lot of work to do between today and when the new President takes office. But Laura and I are glad to be with our friends and thank you for your time. Thank you all very much.

Senator Obama's Keating Economics

2008-10-06T12:22:00.004-05:00

Here is the 13 minute video the Obama campaign released to coincide with the Keating Economics website about Senator McCain and the Keating Five.

You can also download a higher quality version (Quicktime mov file) from the website.

Monday Blogaround

2008-10-06T11:10:00.002-05:00

Sock it to me, Shakers!

Recommended Reading:

Jessica: Dear Abby: Women Should Pay for Birth Control

Bitty: One More Thing Sarah Palin and I Do Not Have in Common

Jon: Ask Facebook to De-Friend Ted Ullyot!

Maha: Serious

Phil: Kitty City: Population, Eight

And a Happy Belated Blogiversary to the Hoydens!

Leave your links in comments...

Crash Bandicoot

2008-10-06T10:58:00.004-05:00

Two years ago—maybe even two months ago—I don't believe we ever would have seen a story like this one in the LA Times, or any other mainstream publication, about John McCain's less than glorious career as a navy pilot, connecting it to his "temperament problem" that is increasingly becoming, as it should, an issue in this campaign.

Looks like that strategy of blaming the media—his former "base"—for every problem in his campaign isn't working out so well.

What scares me (and yet lacks utterly the capacity to surprise me) is the idea that if McCain hadn't turned on the media with his guns blazing, I never would have had the chance or reason to write this post. If and when Obama gets into office, I'm going to polish up a special teaspoon just for haranguing his administration about reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.

Our Economy is a Contagion!

2008-10-06T10:58:00.003-05:00

Breaking news caption from CNBC.

News from Shakes Manor

2008-10-06T10:23:00.000-05:00

The Scotsman helps celebrate Shakesville's Fourth Blogiversary with a touching card:

lol your hallmark greeting
(Evidently, Sophie has to work her way into every picture I take now.)

To truly appreciate the emotional impact of this moving card, you need to know it has a coloring challenge on the back: "Coloring Fun! Color the 4 in your favorite colors!"

Upon opening it, and after I was done crying with laughter, I said: "I'm totally blogging that."

And Iain said, "I totally know that."

Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

2008-10-06T09:19:00.000-05:00

Goof Troop

Read These Now as Fatty Foods Offer Comfort

2008-10-06T09:11:00.007-05:00

"Recession" fears hammer global markets. FEARS? (CNBC) (NY) Or maybe it's just shaky or "wobbly?" UGH!

A district court judge sets a hearing concerning Citi's "exclusivity agreement" with Wachovia. Over the weekend, Citi acquired an injunction to halt negotiations between Wells Fargo and Wachovia. Wells Fargo's bid is a straight-forward purchase of Wachovia with no government assurances. Citi's bid only buys the banking operations and then the government buys a big hunk of the debt. That is in simplistic terms and economics is definitely not my strong suit, but which bid sounds better for the taxpayers? See AB's comment below for more and this Washington Post article. Yay for Shaker Economy Wonks!

As I compile these, the Dow is down over 380 pts and below 10,000. CRIKES! It is returning to 1999 levels. Update:-547 as of 10:45 am.

I am not feeling very light-hearted this morning and I am grumpy bastard in the mornings anyway, but I think today will definitely require the Hamburger Fatty Melt: a hamburger between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

Obama debuts a website, Keating Economics, about McCain's involvement with the collapse of banks in the late 80s, early 90s and its significance now.

I am too entranced with CNBC at the moment. Hopefully, I will be better about the morning readings tomorrow.

Grammar Patrol

2008-10-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

This one goes into the file marked "E-mail I deleted after laughing out loud." The subject header of a spam that I got read:

Information For: School District Porfessionals

They were selling mortgages, not English grammar textbooks. Whew.

Amazing Race Open Thread

2008-10-05T18:50:00.002-05:00

lol your racing

Feel free to join the fun whenever, but keep in mind the thread may become spoilerific, especially for Shakers in later time zones.

Six Years Ago...

2008-10-05T15:04:00.002-05:00

Aaron Sorkin wrote this episode of The West Wing in 2002.

Obviously the YouTube poster took it upon him or herself to add the last 15 seconds much later. I doubt Mr. Sorkin had any idea what was to come.

Or did he?

Sunday Book Club

2008-10-05T14:44:00.004-05:00

A few Shakers have requested a weekly book club, with its own open thread every week, and, because when the Shakers ask, the Shakers receive, here it is!

Well, technically, this is just the introduction. It will begin in earnest next Sunday, and our first book (because it was central to the discussion that prompted the request for the book club) is Susan Faludi's Backlash. So, if you'd like to participate, dig out your copy (or get one here) and I'll open a discussion thread next Sunday.

Since this is a brand new feature, we'll see how it goes next week; maybe we'll stretch out one book over a couple of weeks or maybe we'll choose a new book each week... We can make adjustments as we go.

In the meantime, enjoy Backlash. See you here next Sunday.

Quote of the Day

2008-10-05T14:22:00.001-05:00

"There's a place in hell reserved for women who don't support other women."—Sarah Palin, claiming she was quoting former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, though Albright's actual quote, in a twist of irony too awesome for words, is actually: "There's a place in hell reserved for women who don't help other women."

I just don't think I can even put into words the bitter, amused, angry, cynically satisfied, laugh-sob feeling I've got at the idea of an anti-choice woman, who doesn't give a fuck about protecting women from domestic and sexual assault and charges rape victims for their own rape kits, just for a start, misquoting Albright's quote about women who don't help other women and twisting it to imply that women who don't support her candidacy are going to hell. It's sort of a lightheady-inducing furydelight. I want to punch things and swoon while giggling maniacally in equal measure.

lol your ironic clusterfucktastrophied misquote

Video here.

Obama Racism/Muslim/Unpatriotic/Scary Black Dude Watch, Parts 88-90

2008-10-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a weekend for the Obama RMUSBD Watch.

#88: Sarah Palin accuses Obama of cavorting with terrorists:

"We see America as the greatest force for good in this world," Palin said at a fund-raising event in Colorado, adding, "Our opponent though, is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."

Palin made similar comments later at a rally in Carson, California.

Palin was referring to Obama's association with Bill Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, "which was involved in several bombings in the early 1970s, including the Pentagon and the Capitol." The two have met, but, as the article in Friday's New York Times about Obama's relationship with Ayers, which Palin cited as her source, concluded, "the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8'." Reading is fundamental, Governor Palin.

Palin also said that Obama "is not a man who sees America like you and I see America," which even the AP is questioning as a dog whistle: "Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false image of a black presidential nominee 'palling around' with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white audience that he doesn't see their America?" Yes. See Parts 1-87 in this series. Kthxbai.

#89: Treasurer of the Buchanan County (Virginia) Republican Party and representative on McCain's Virginia Leadership Team, Bobby May, pens column "joking" about the changes a President Obama would make, including:

hire the rapper Ludacris to paint the White House black (a reference to a pro-Obama song by Ludacris), and divert more foreign aid to Africa so "the Obama family there can skim enough to allow them to free their goats and live the American Dream." He joked that Obama would replace the 50 stars on the U.S. flag "with a star and crescent logo," an Islamic symbol, and that his policy on drugs would be to "raise taxes to pay for Obama's inner-city political base."

…[May] said his column reflected his views alone, and he denied it was racist.

Of course he did.

#90: Florida teacher is reprimanded after anti-Obama racist commentary:

According to parents and students in Greg Howard's seventh-grade social studies class, Howard on Friday, Sept. 26 asked the class a question regarding Obama's call for change, and proceeded to write out what the letters C-H-A-N-G-E stood for.

"She told me that he wrote on the board 'Can You Help A (expletive) Get Elected,' and then laughed about it," said Shelia Christian, a mother of one of Howard's students.

Jackson County Superintendent Danny Sims said that description of this incident was "pretty accurate."

Sims said Howard apparently repeated the action in more than one class, having made the comment in "a couple of periods."

What. An. Asshole.

You know, sometimes I really despair for this country when I spend so much of my time writing about stuff like this—but then I remind myself that in spite of all the stuff like this, which is hell and gone more ubiquitous than even a 90-part series suggests, Obama is still leading by 7 points. And then I just smile. Because the future is on our side. It always is.

[H/Ts to Shakers Monalisa, Monica, and Kathy. Obama Racism/Muslim/Unpatriotic/Scary Black Dude Watch: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, Thirty-Three, Thirty-Four, Thirty-Five, Thirty-Six, Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One, Forty-Two, Forty-Three, Forty-Four, Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Forty-Seven, Forty-Eight, Forty-Nine, Fifty, Fifty-One, Fifty-Two, Fifty-Three, Fifty-Four, Fifty-Five, Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven, Fifty-Eight, Fifty-Nine, Sixty, Sixty-One, Sixty-Two, Sixty-Three, Sixty-Four, Sixty-Five, Sixty-Six, Sixty-Seven, Sixty-Eight, Sixty-Nine, Seventy, Seventy-One, Seventy-Two, Seventy-Three, Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five, Seventy-Six, Seventy-Seven, Seventy-Eight, Seventy-Nine, Eighty, Eighty-One, Eighty-Two, Eighty-Three, Eighty-Four, Eighty-Five, Eighty-Six, Eighty-Seven.]

Happy Fourth Blogiversary to Us!

2008-10-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

Four years ago today, young bones groaned and Shakesville was born.

It was originally christened as Shakespeare's Sister, which was not an allusion to delusions of grandeur, but the name of one of my favorite Smiths' songs, which contains a line that stuck me—and strikes me still—as being beautifully apposite to my feelings about blogging: "I thought that if you had / An acoustic guitar / Then it meant that you were / A protest singer." Whatever clever old Mozza actually intended with that lyric, it suggests to me something about authenticity; having the accessories and tools of someone who does something meaningful doesn't make you someone who does something meaningful. Calling this blog Shakespeare's Sister was meant to remind me, always, that I started it to try to make some kind of difference in this world and that only what I put into it could make it so.

And then there was the Virginia Woolf essay, "A Room of One's Own," from whence Mozza nicked the name; I borrowed it, too, because I am the heir of all the Shakespeare's Sisters before me, who carved out rooms of their own, tiny pieces of space and time, in which they formed the habit of freedom and mustered the courage to write exactly what they thought. I took up their legacy with breathless gratitude and compelling need, and I created a room of my own, built of 1s and 0s, where I try to honor them, as best I can.

When other writers joined me in this space, and a community started to grow up around this blog, Shakespeare's Sister, which was also my handle when I started in anonymity, seemed too small somehow, and so we became Shakesville. Some days Shakesville feels intimate and small and very still, like a gathering in a zen garden, and some days it feels so big and busy and wild that I feel like I'm losing my grip. Sometimes it's like a retreat, and sometimes things get so contentious that I retreat before I lose my everloving mind. It is a frequently inspiring, occasionally disappointing space, populated with brilliant and hilarious people and trolls who want to agitate them, and regularly amuse them. (lol your fat.) Often, it's all these things at once. I am regularly amazed by what a complex and vibrant and consternating and awesome community Shakesville really is.

I've never believed that blogs will change the world, but I do believe most fervently that even a single blog has the capacity to change the world for individual people in big and small ways, can turn people on to and connect them with a global community, offer a much-needed laugh on a bad day, provide support and validation from like-minded people, open its readers' minds to new ideas and persuade them to let go of prejudices and give them a new way of understanding and loving themselves. I do believe in teaspoons. I believe most passionately in teaspoons. I'm happy and grateful to have found people who believe in them, too.

The Shakers are a great lot. That's about the long and the short of it. Thank you, everyone.

I'm going to continue to try to make this a space you enjoy visiting. I'm going to fuck up and disappoint you and piss you off once in a while, but I am, still, just a grrl with a metaphorical guitar who knows it takes more to be a folk singer, fumbling to find her place and her voice. I don't know what the hell I'm doing most of the time, so we're all pretty lucky when it seems like I do.

Thanks to the other contributors, for everything you put on the page and everything you do for me behind the scenes.

And thanks to my beloved Iain, who first suggested I start this blog, and who makes Shakesville possible in every conceivable way.

Onward…

The Pulpit Is For Preaching

2008-10-05T09:50:00.003-05:00

An editorial in The Toledo Blade on political endorsements as a part of a sermon.

NEARLY three dozen pastors in churches in 22 states stuck their toes across the line separating issue advocacy from endorsement of specific candidates a week ago today. Fortunately, their attempt to spark a court battle in hopes of overturning rules prohibiting political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship likely will fail.

They took part in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" at the urging of the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group based in Arizona that believes the 1954 law that made it illegal for tax-exempt organizations to publicly support or oppose political candidates is unconstitutional.

Why, indeed, should not ministers, priests, rabbis, mullahs, and other religious leaders speak from their pulpits to urge their flocks to support specific candidates? Doesn't the First Amendment protect speech absolutely?

As a matter of fact, the First Amendment does prohibit Congress from making any law "abridging the freedom of speech." But it has also long been recognized that government can treat political and nonpolitical speech differently, limiting the former in ways that it cannot the latter.

Pastors are not being denied the right to endorse candidates. They can take part in whatever political activity they wish outside their churches. They're not even being denied the right to endorse from the pulpit. Instead, limits on politicking from the pulpit are a precondition for maintaining tax-exempt status. Donations to religious organizations are tax deductible, political donations are not.

The purpose of the 1954 law was to prevent religious donors from deducting political donations from their taxes. If they give up their tax-exempt status, religious leaders can use their sermons to endorse anyone they choose, but they are not inclined to do that.

The current restrictions are hardly odious. Pastors can make plain their religious positions on social and moral issues; but they must stop short of naming names.

That is what groups such as ADF want at least Christian churches to be able to do. ADF believes congregants are both stupid and easily influenced by authority figures. It's less clear whether they'd want mullahs and rabbis doing the same thing.

[...]

U.S. religious leaders have a long, positive history of political activism. They also serve the vital functions of promoting voter registration and providing voter information. They can do so, in part, precisely because they honor the line that separates issue advocacy and partisan politics.

As the Rev. Eric Williams, a United Church of Christ minister in Ohio wrote, according to the Washington Post, "The role of the church … and of its religious leaders is to stand apart from government, to prophetically speak truth to power, and to encourage a national dialogue that transcends the divisiveness of electoral politics and preserves for every citizen our 'first liberty.'"

Amen to that.

It's also ironic that these pastors, who demand equal rights to speak out about political matters and say that the tax laws restrict their rights as citizens, have no problem whatsoever in supporting laws and Constitutional amendments that restrict the rights of members of their own congregation who happen to be gay or lesbian.

Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.

Can't leave for a minute!

2008-10-05T09:25:00.002-05:00

I stepped out last night for a couple of hours, and when I came back, a very odd scene was presented to me. There was some kind of liquid on the floor, in a circular pattern, and my dog, Junebug, was barking from somewhere in the back. I followed the barking to the bathroom, where she was locked in. There were splinters all over from her either clawing or chewing at the door, and muddy footprints in the tub, over the floor and on the toilet seat (I suppose she thought she was going to die of thirst in there).

It's a small bathroom, and I supposed that she had gotten herself in there and shut the door on herself. But I couldn't figure out the liquid -- or, for that matter, why Junebug would have gone into the bathroom in such a rush that she locked herself in. She's afraid of thunder, and will run into the bathroom or closet in such an event, but there hadn't been any thunder.

And then there was the matter of the liquid on the floor. At first I thought she'd peed, which would have been weird since a) she's well housebroken and b) she'd been out shortly before I'd gone out. Plus, it wasn't in a puddle; it was sprayed, almost in a circle, with a dry spot in the middle. Even if she'd peed while circling around, it wouldn't look like that.

Then I turned on the overhead lights and heard sizzling and popping, so much I shut them off again. And that's when I noticed the fire sprinkler, right near the lights.

I called my building manager to see if there had been a fire, and it turned out that they'd flushed the air out of the radiators to prepare to turn them on for the season of eyeball-shriveling heat that runs from early October until April or May. I guess the fire sprinklers are on the same line, and Junebug must have been sitting right underneath the one that went off. Undoubtedly, she got a good scare and ran in the back, trapping herself.

Poor thing. Lucky for her, I got back soon after.

From the Mailbag

2008-10-04T11:35:00.001-05:00

I got a typical Nigerian scam e-mail last night:

From: Mrs. Cana Williams [mailto:cana.williams@rocketmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2008 3:16 AM
To: mustangbobby [at] barkbarkwoofwoof [dot] com
Subject: Investment Assistance

Attention Sir,

My name is Mrs. Cana Williams, l am writing you from UK. l am a South African citizen. With all due respects, your info was reliably introduced to me. I will like to invest in your country but I don't know you very well or anybody that will be willing to help me if l should be able to come over there, that is my reason of contacting you to know if you will be of assistance.

Do you have investment experience, what areas are you personally suggesting?. I want to invest in a profitable business in your country. My money is available in Europe. l want to invest this money in Asia or Europe. If you can handle it then let me know so that we shall plan/discuss how to move the money to you in your country. 10% of the total funds is yours for your assistance. (Non-negotiable)

Waiting to hear from you for further information.

Best regards,
Mrs. Cana Williams

I drafted a reply:

Dear Mrs. Williams:

I suggest you contact Mr. Henry Paulson. He can be reached at http://www.ustreas.gov/

Good luck.

Mustang Bobby

Anything I can do to help a country in need.

A Message From Sarah Palin

2008-10-04T10:58:00.002-05:00

The Virtual Pub Is Open

2008-10-03T23:59:00.000-05:00

TFIF, Shakers!

Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!