Uppity-Negro.com

As I show, once again, why I don't work in advertising.

So here's the deal: many, many comics creators (hit the graphic for a list, among other things) will be working a table at San Diego Comic Con International (July 22 to 25 in an undisclosed location, possibly somewhere in Southern California) registering voters.

Saw the campaign mentioned, and swiped the graphic, at/from Lea Hernandez' LiveJournal, which also has that additional information thing the kids are all into these days. And I should stop overusing that expression "the kids are all into these days" at some point.

All of which text was just to flow properly around the graphic, since blockquotes don't offset for some reason. Most likely my sorely lacking HTML skills. And on preview, I see it didn't work. Damn it all. Well, guess I could mention the National Mail Voter Registration Form, linked at the site, which "is the one document that allows you to register to vote from anywhere in the United States." You can run your own off, if you have Adobe Acrobat (and don't we all? Remember seeing an absurdly high penetration percentage for that thing, along with Flash . . . which finally released version 7 for Linux a few days back. . . and ok, that's as much rambling as I'm capable of. I give up.) From the site:

"We Want YOUR Autograph" is a voter registration drive for San Diego Comic Con International from July 22-25, 2004.

We already have booth space (not enough room to say all the thanks for that) and a list of comics creators (at right) that will be participating in the "draft" for new voters. This will be a NON-PARTISAN effort... we want ALL POV's repped at the table even though no politicizing will be allowed AT the booth. Got an hour or two available at the con? Know others who might have "an hour or two available at the con"? Please e-mail us and let us know!

In the weeks to come this website will have updates for the convention as well as voter registration news, commentary from the world of comicbooks, etc... We will be sending out an official press release in the not too distant future announcing the site. Any reporting and coverage is appreciated!

I figure "any coverage" includes "in an entry on a personal web site with an unfortunate URL/name, on the Monday of a three day weekend." But perhaps someone that people actually listen to will pick this up and run with it.

Besides, everyone here is already registered, so there's hardly any reason for us to care about a registration drive, right?

Me, I live in Cook County, so it hardly matters if I either register or actually go to the polls. My vote's already taken care of.

As are those of my late grandparents. . .

Posted by Aaron at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

You know, some people would tie their ongoing shameless plugging of erotica websites into the fact that May Is National Masturbation Month.

At Good Vibrations, we know that sexual pleasure is a birthright and that masturbation is a powerful source of sexual gratification. Since practically everyone masturbates, but few people talk about it, we created National Masturbation Month, a month-long celebration recognizing the many ways we can pleasure ourselves. This year our theme is "Party of One!" Pamper yourself, enjoy your own company, take yourself out on the town -- even if you stay home to do it!

Be thankful.

I won't even mention that you only have two days left. I'm just that cool.

Noticed this a while ago in a column by Annalee Newitz, but declined to say anything.

In the "we're not sure we're part of the United States" Bay Area, we like to enjoy a little masturbation with our free speech. Politics should feel good! That's why Carol Queen and Robert Lawrence, founders of the nonprofit Center for Sex and Culture, are hosting a public Masturbate-a-thon May 15. All proceeds from the event – which is set up like a walkathon, with sponsors donating a certain amount for each masturbator – benefit the center, which is raising money for a permanent space.

I'm still declining, in fact.

Posted by Aaron at 6:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A film that I only saw because Gaiman mentioned a Strange Little Girl piano-playing singer/songwriter in the letter column of Sandman a zillion years ago. See what you miss from only getting the trades, and Vertigo's policy of not running the things anymore?

Well, not really, but I read about it on RDT because Tori had a song or two on the soundtrack, and I don't think I would have bought Little Earthquakes or joined the list if not for. . . never mind.

Added We Can't Tell Reality From Fantasy ("A Blog, A Fantasy Computer Game, and A Bunch of Hot Chicks Telling It Like It Is.") to the links list, albeit with some confusion as to an appropriate BtVS-themed nickname, after seeing the site in the referrer list. Currently right above the prettiness that is yano's current design, actually. Remind me to annoy her about actually reviewing Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men once she's settled down a bit. Or as much as she ever does.

Speaking of hot chicks, I'm going to be even more obnoxious about insisting that people subscribe to either Tristan's or Heather's, or both if you have that much disposable income for that sort of thing, for the duration. Lengthy, pseudo-intellectual justification regarding support for independent artists and shattering taboos about publicly acknowledging paying for one of the few supposedly profitable industries* on the Interweb upon request, but since I doubt anyone wants to read same any more than I feel like typing (not writing, typing) the thing, let's just take it as read that I've made a winning argument tying (guardedly) pro-pornographic (third wave) feminism(s) into intellectual property rights/artistic control and move on from there, all right?

No, I haven't had enough coffee this morning. Why do you ask?

* Except, of course, as independent artists, neither of them are part of that industry, and there's a qualitative difference in the work itself owing in part to the creative control resulting from . . sorry, said I'd only type that if someone asked for it.

Posted by Aaron at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

Not that I'm not interested in the Gary Groth interview at Suicide Girls -- it's about the Peanuts/Charles Schulz collections, not about H*rl*n *ll*s*n, thank Jebus -- but found the linked The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- HHGG Interview with writer Karey KirkPatrick a better read. But that's me.

Each time we tried to clarify the [Infinite Improbability Drive], we'd look through the script and say, "It's in there, isn't it?" By lunch, we moved from coffee to wine and the I.I.D. concept was gaining clarity. By late afternoon when we moved from wine to more wine, we had deduced that we were, in fact, brilliant and that the script was flawless. So we decided to go with the "less is more" theory and left the script alone. And then we had more wine.

Because that's a damn fine writing/brainstorming process.

As the title of this entry possibly fails to make clear, it's not so much an interview, really, as there's no second party there asking questions. Which might be for the best, as someone completely unfamiliar with HitchHiker's Guide would do a horrible job, and someone overly familiar with the minutia of the various versions would do an equally, but vastly different, horrible job.

Unless it was Neil Gaiman,but I'm not sure he does interviews anymore. From that side of the mike, anyway.

Posted by Aaron at 7:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And shit.

Despite having a cold, I decided to wash the dreads.

I hate hair dryers. So I have wet dreads. And will for the rest of the afternoon, most likely.

Not sure if I should use the opportunity to perfect my Wet Dread-Fu, a savage fighting technique which involves blinding your opponent with an unexpected deluge, then slapping him or her upside the head with, essentially, a damp, heavy mop. Works better with cowrie shells in the hair, but I only had the one, and it finally worked its way out ages ago. . .

Yes, this is taught at the Tendo Dojo, as part of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling, in case you were wondering.

Also tempted to take the Personality Disorder Test linked over at The GhettoFabuous Jessica's place, but prefer for my disorders to remain a matter of speculation.

For similar reasons, I'm going to take TranceJen of the Redwoods' advice and not sign up with Nerve.com.

No point, really, as I'm already doing a perfectly good job of ignoring Orkut and Friendster, and possibly LiveJournal.

Do people use LiveJournal for finding dates? This somehow strikes me as a Very Bad Idea Indeed.

Yes, I'm rambling pointlessly. Cold. Also, wet dreads. It's possible the moisture and several extra pounds on top of my head are doing bad shit to my brain.

Update: Yeah, yeah, whatever.

Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN (who, by the way, are dead)

Now I am alone.
O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!
Is it not monstrous that this player here,
But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,
Could force his soul so to his own conceit
That from her working all his visage wann'd,
Tears in his eyes, distraction in's aspect,
A broken voice, and his whole function suiting
With forms to his conceit? and all for nothing!

-- Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2, if you were wondering.

Posted by Aaron at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The Search:

http://www.google.com/search?q=hrie%40yahoo.com

The Suggestion:

Try putting the email address into the blacklist. Should work like a charm. The only problem of course is that the person can easily change email addresses in which case, you're only playing whack-a-mole.

[. . .] I'm not sure that you need to, but you may want to escape the email address like user\@yahoo.com.

The Blacklist Entry:

hrie\@yahoo.com # The Problem Child

The Result:

Comment Submission Error

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

Your comment could not be submitted due to questionable content: hrie@yahoo.com

And it's all good.

Different IP addy and, ah, client for his or her entries, usually, but the same ol' email address. Easy enough to circumvent, and no doubt will be if enough MT-Blacklist users make that addition, but in the meantime?

Peace, quiet and no annoying adverts.

Posted by Aaron at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

That's The Iron Horse in Northampton, MA. Mentioned a bit ago that The Innocence Mission was playing there the 29th, but as it happens, the following day you can see Mindy Smith:

As a contemporary singer-songwriter determined to record her music in a style that suits her self-written songs, Smith figured she ’d start her recording career quietly and work to build it slowly. She didn’t expect to make a big, attention- grabbing splash right away. She certainly didn’t expect to gain exposure on late-night talk shows and cable music specials before her debut album came out.

But every once in a while the arrival of a remarkable talent gets the reception it deserves. Before releasing her debut album, One Moment More, Smith had already performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She appeared with a list of superstars on the Lifetime Network’s Women Rock special. She had a video in top rotation on CMT. And she had the lead-off single on the acclaimed Dolly Parton tribute album, Just Because I’m a Woman, which also had contributions from Norah Jones, Sinéad O ’Connor, Melissa Etheridge, Alison Krauss and others. "My head ’s spinning," Smith says. "It ’s all been so far beyond my expectations. It’s been unbelievable,really. I feel blessed."

That's from the press kit. I don't write that glowingly about nobody.

Well, except Tristan.

And Abigail.

And. . . ok, maybe I do. I should work on that. I have a rep to maintain, after all.

Any road up, for the quite reasonable price of $7.99 US, you can download Mindy's cd in convenient mp3 or ogg format from Audio Lunchbox, but only until June 1st. Actually, you can download any album for $7.99 until June 1st, but I got hers on the strength of Come to Jesus, after hearing it on WXRT a few days back.

Anybody see her a SXSW back in March? I should pay more attention to these things.

Posted by Aaron at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This, according to an email I just got from Ikea, announcing their Sven's Summer Sail. Wouldn't Truth in Advertising laws demand they actually say, "Some products don't require assembly, and we provide a convenient list, because it's really quite short"?

Oh, and Sin Cities residents, mark the date:

IKEA Twin Cities - Opening July 14th, 2004!

I'd have a "Write James Lileks' Inevitable Column About His Visit to Ikea with His Adorable Daughter Who Is So Fucking Fucking Adorable, Gnat" contest, but isn't there already enough cringeworthy prose on the Interweb?

Besides, I no longer think satirizing him, or most of the warbloggers, is actually possible. Unless you're The Mighty Reason Man, that is.

Just as a matter of interest, seeing as there is an election coming up that my black ass might, possibly, be allowed to actually vote in, anyone out there remember what Bush's platform was way back when? You know, goals, agenda, plan for the country, that sort of thing? I realize that Everything Changed on The Day Everything Changed, but we were advised to get back to (Bloomington-) Normal, yes? So, what did the unelected, semi-literate frat boy say he was going to do, and how much of that was accomplished?

Just curious. It ain't like I would vote for his dumb ass. Or bother pretending to have the slightest respect for anyone who did, or plans to.

Not speaking of politics -- that was just insults up there -- haven't watched, listened to or read a transcript of Gore's speech. And feel oddly unmotivated to do so.

This may be related to the whole going out like a punk thing.

In fact, given a two-party system, where one party is actively hostile to me and mine, and the other ain't up to "expending political capitol" defending us. . . kind'a hard to work up any enthusiasm for the process.

Which isn't to say I won't (try to) vote for Kerry come November, just that it ain't so much a vote for Kerry as much as. . .

Fuckit.

Posted by Aaron at 7:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Ah. Last Friday of the month. Meaning Free-For-All Friday. I knew that.

I just, um, wanted to start late. To make up for all those times I started like a day early. Yes, that will do. . .

http://www.uppity-negro.com/cgi-uppity-negro/mt.cgi

• Username: guest
• Password: guest

Off to drown my sorrows in cold medicine. Washed down with vodka. Behave yourselves.

Update: Oh, right, your participants for the (remains of the) day:

Yes, yet more offsite javascript-y goodness. I go now.

Posted by Aaron at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Teen Titans!
From their tower they. . .

Never mind.

Moved the referrer script out of the previous (or next, depending on your point of view) entry into the sidebar-y thingee. Renders fine for me in Firefox and Opera in Linux, in 800 x 600; anyone having problems?

Anyone not using IE, that is. Fuck IE.

Which I can't test in Linux anymore, after deleting Crossover Office and freeing up nearly 200 MB better spent on illegally-downloaded mp3s and pornography.

You have to have your priorities correct, you know?

Anyway, I find lists like that useful when I visit other sites, since if I like the one I'm reading, odds are I'll also like a site what links to it. For those who, like me, suck at the whole reciprocal thing.

And again I ask, any questions? Comments?

Posted by Aaron at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Update 5/28: And now it's working. I give up.

<script language="Javascript" src="http://www.truefresco.org/referrers_adult.js"> </script>

That's the "Adult Content" version of trueFresco.org's referrer tracking JavaScript thingee, which I saw being used at languagehat. Er, the normal version, not the one for those of us whose:

site/page displays links pointing to an adult(porn) website.

Which, y'know, I kind'a do. From a certain point of view.

Not sure about re-adding this -- there's already tons of links, the page is a bit busy, there's a couple external graphics already slowing things down -- so, it's up for testing now.

Update: And the script/output is now sitting uncomfortably in the middle sidebar column thingee. Yes, the green has got to go. . .

Not sure about adding this to the sidebar; there's the issue of pulling data off yet another server, slowing down the page load, plus I really don't like using someone else's space/bandwidth, even when they offer such, and there's already two lists of links, one of which is (again) external, plus there's editing the results so they're shorter or wrap properly. . .

Coffee. I think I shall have more coffee.

Update: Playing with style/div code from Posted by Aaron at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, according to the Browser Share Stats, nearly 80% of the people reading this site are using Internet Explorer.

Only a madman would tell 80% of his audience to go fuck themselves.

Luckily, this is not an issue.

Ain't saying you have to use Firefox, neither.

You don't even have to use a graphical browser, in fact.

Which means you wouldn't see the preceeding button, true. . .

Also true, this place should, supposedly, be Viewable With Any Browser. Where Netscape 4.x doesn't fall under the category of "browser," but does anyone want to debate that point?

Point being, I wonder how many people use IE because, after trying the alternatives, they found that it best met their needs, and how many are using it because it never crossed their minds that alternatives exist.

Or I'm just cranky.

Cranky is always a possibility.

Posted by Aaron at 9:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Good, I'd rather not make fun of her when she's around to read it. She's taller than me. As is most of the population of the Greater Chicagoland Area, another reason I like visiting Mitsuwa. But I digress.

And had to buy her smokes when we went to dinner last night, but that's neither here nor there. . .

Absolutely nothing to say today. Everyone knows about the new Get Your War On, after all. Am bookmarking some right-wing claims that any criticism of the President marks one as hating America, so if Kerry wins, I can toss that back in their faces if they even look like they're going to say something critical.

Bought some comics yesterday, and am still surprised at not paying tax on them. Stupid Minnesota. No idea how Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men will read to someone unfamiliar with the characters, and the same goes for Brian Michael Bendis' Secret War, both of which I liked, anyway. Grant Morrison's Seaguy, on the other hand, can be enjoyed by everyone equally. If you're high drunk in the proper, receptive state of mind.

What else, what else? Um, Famous Authors Series bobble-head dolls?

Didn't think so.

Posted by Aaron at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The SHREK@HOME thing, that is. Saw it again at boingboing this morning, while in Windows listening to Air America; can't get their stream to work with Real for Linux, for some reason. Installed the FightAIDS@Home client, the screensaver kicked in causing Windows to fall down go boom, and in disgust I went back to Linux. Which doesn't currently have a FightAIDS@Home client, so I tried installing the Windows one using Crossover Office, and. . . yeah.

Currently running Folding@Home instead:

Our goal: to understand protein folding, protein aggregation, and related diseases

What does Folding@Home do? Folding@Home is a distributed computing project which studies protein folding, misfolding, aggregation, and related diseases. We use novel computational methods and large scale distributed computing, to simulate timescales thousands to millions of times longer than previously achieved. This has allowed us to simulate folding for the first time, and to now direct our approach to examine folding related disease.

And having a look at Project Gutenberg's Distributed Proofreaders, which isn't quite the same thing, except for the distributed model, if ya squint a little. . .

Anyway, if you're trapped in Windows, poor bastard, I'd suggest the program up top as a nice way for your computer to while away the cycles that you're not doing anything. But that's just me.

Readers are very, very strongly advised to refrain from mentioning S*T*@h*m* in comments.

No, those sorts of warning never work. . . take that shit someplace else, I know about it, I ain't interested, and my opinion of you will fall a wee bit if I find out you are. That clear enough?

Hell, given a choice between that and the Shrek thing, I'd go for the movie. . .

Luckily, it ain't between those two (the latter, in fact, is just an idle notion at the moment), and many, many more projects are listed at the Internet-based Distributed Computing Projects page.

Including that one thing you do not want to mention here.

Posted by Aaron at 12:15 PM | Permalink

Noticed at Gapers Block:

June 06, 2004
Up All Night: Adventures in Lesbian Sex
Join editor Rachel Kramer Bussel and writer GirlyNYC for some very naughty and very true bedtime stories from the anthology Up All Night: Adventures in Lesbian Sex, recently published by Alyson. At Early To Bed, 5232 N. Sheridan Rd.

Guess the space could work for a reading; in the latest email, Searah mentioned new bookshel-- never mind.

She also mentions:

Thong Harness $48
If you want a hassle-free harness, check out out new Thong Harness. Recommended by one of our staff members who swears by it, this non-leather, g-string style harness has adjustable elastic sides and no buckles to contend with!
(very long product URL hidden)

I really should stop signing up for these mailing lists. . .

Apropos of less than usual, any Chi types going to the Gapers Block Memorial Day Gathering on Friday? Know TranceJen is going to be off camping (yes, I laughed too, and yes, that's very rude, please stop it). . .

Update: This Machine Kills Typos. After having created them in the first place.

Posted by Aaron at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Haven't seen the trailer (in theaters, anyway) for the next Spike Lee Joint, She Hate Me. According to the usually accurate Internet Movie Database:

Plot Outline: Fired from his job for exposing corrupt business practices, a former biotech executive turns to impregnating wealthy lesbians for profit.

So, um, yeah.

On the other hand, Monica Bellucci.

And Lonette McKee, who don't get nearly enough work, but neither does Ossie Davis. The danger of being a classically trained -- or just talented -- Negro actor or actress. Unless you want to work with one or more of the Wayans brothers, who are neither. . .

Want to know more? No, I'm not sure I do either, but there's a bit of an interview with Spike Lee at MovieWeb:

AP: So you’re making this new movie, something with lesbians...

Lee: No no no no no. It’s called ‘She Hate Me.’ It’s coming out this summer on Sony Classics, starring Anthony Mackie — he was the young brother battling Eminem at the end of “8 Mile” — Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Woody Harrelson, John Turturro, Brian Dennehy. Q-Tip’s in it. It’s about a young African-American who gets involved in some shady things and gets set up at his company and he’s fired. Because of his predicament he puts his morals and values aside and starts a business impregnating lesbians who want to have kids.

AP: Personally impregnating them?

Lee: It depends. Any way you want it. Artificial insemination or the real thing, $10,000 each. In a month he impregnates 19 women.

AP: How far into the movie before you get to that point?

Lee: That’s the first 10 minutes (big laughter). Nah, I’m joking. But really, it’s a comedy.

Uh huh. . .

I have a bad feeling about this.

Guess I could wait until I've seen the movie before commenting, but then I couldn't join those fun-filled discussions of Fahrenheit 9/11 either. . .

Are the (*snicker*) hardcore SF fans annoyed about I, Robot? Because that would make me feel better.

I'd have a look, but I'm afraid I'd get. . . whateverthefuck they have all over me.

Posted by Aaron at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

It's just a wee bit too wide to fit the current design, I'm afraid.

Towel Day - May 25th

A tribute to Douglas Adams
1952 - 2001

You sass that hoopy Douglas Adams? Now there's a frood who knew where his towel was. You are invited to join your fellow hitchhikers in mourning the loss of the late great one. Join in on towel day to show your appreciation for the humor and insight that Douglas Adams brought to all our lives.

Completely forgotten, because of teh suck, but noticed at Twin Cities Babelogue. Guess I could see if infocombot has HHGttG or Bureaucracy available. . .

Update: Yes, Hitchhiker's Guide is available. It should work if you just click the infocombot link and send the pre-filled message "hitchhikers_guide," if I managed to do the GoIm thingee correctly.

Everyone does remember how to get the babel fish, yes?

Posted by Aaron at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Right, adding things to the list o'links and considering removing things I haven't read in ages. Considering and rejecting, mostly, as there's noting quite like delinking drama to liven up the day, and I like my days un-livened, thank you very much.

Not sure why I hadn't added Enjoy and Exciting! before this, seeing as Keidra is one of the few other bloggers, black or otherwise, I've actually met. The suckiness, probably. Yeah, I blame the suckiness.

She mentions the not-there-yet This Is Grand, which anyone thinking of visiting Our Fair City and relying on public transportation during their stay. . . probably shouldn't read. Much hilarity for the rest of us, looks like.

Think I only added the Barack Obama 2004 Campaign Weblog because all the cool kids were doing it, and I didn't want to be left out.

berrystained, by frequent comment-post-y-person Susan, I added ages ago, but didn't mention because, again, teh suck.

Someone want to remind me to add Ms. Magazine's blog when it's back up? Thanks, you're sweet.

Oh, and Media Matters, and the snark suppression medication I'm on doesn't allow me to say anything more about that. Be thankful.

And I'm certain I'm forgetting something. It's not rude. It's suck. If that makes a difference.

Posted by Aaron at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

For our intelligence warns us that he intends to steal your Overthruster. If he should attempt this, we will have no choice but to disrupt world-wide electronic communications, and fire a particle beam weapon from your airspace to Smolensk, in the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics.

Amazing how quickly films become dated. Ok, not that quickly, I guess; The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension was released way the hell back in 1984. . .

For comparison, Tristan and The GhettoFabulous Jessica would have been, like, 4.

I think I shall refrain from cyberstalking either of them henceforth, as looking at it in those terms makes me feel icky.

Mentioned a while back that I was going to make more connections to the African-American community online. Yes, I did. No, I don't have a link handy, but if you can't trust me, who can you tru-- Fine. I give you my word as a Negro. If you're quite finished. . .

Joined the Blackfolk Community on LiveJournal, which quotes A different view on Cosby:

Based on a report in The Washington Post that Cosby mocked the language of poor blacks and blamed them for dragging down the rest of society, I chided Cosby for his harsh views and even called him a "curmudgeon."

So when the phone rang and it was none other than Cosby on the other end of the line, frankly, I was pretty intimidated.

That didn't last long.

"Mr. Kane? First, what I want to say is this is not an argument, this is a discussion."

For the next hour, I had a wide-ranging discussion with one of the most famous and successful entertainers in America.

And towards the end:

But I do think my column Thursday did a disservice to Cosby by not presenting all of his comments in context.

The lack of rancor and Negro infighting would be astonishing (X-Men! By Joss Whedon and Planetary artist John Cassaday! Shipping this week!), if everything you know about Black folk you learned watching Good Times, which is why I've been avoiding the right-wing response to Cosby's statements.

I also, perhaps foolishly, changed my membership to actually receive email from the Afrofuturism group, as opposed to stopping by every few months, desperately trying to play catch-up, failing, and forgetting the place exists. Lather, rinse, repeat.

And I'd stumbled upon (not using Stumble Upon, don't even have the toolbar installed in Firefox at the mo') a fairly intelligent, interesting discussion thread on a blog I'd never heard of before a few weeks back, and which I'd meant to bookmark, and of course forgot about completely. So I may be doing another guided tour of black blogs in the near future, this time trying to keep in mind that these are actual people I'm reading and possibly writing about, who may see any comments I make, positive or (far more likely) negative, and try to comport myself accordingly.

And shit.

Perhaps I'll also find someone to cyberstalk without feeling icky about the entire process, although I suppose that "stalk" bit at the end of the word indicates that a certain degree of ickyness is inherent to the. . . why the fuck am I writing like this?

Posted by Aaron at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

So much wrongness. There seems no end to the wrongness. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, there's several thousand bits of wrongness hither and yon.

To the East, there's Washington's Other W Twins, Wonkette and Washingtonienne.

Here on the Third Coast, no-cute-nickname Shylo Bisnett and Wendy McClure are American Girls Gone Wild:

We were on a mission to go to American Girl Place. Why? Because American Girl dolls are creepy. They're the most desperately aspirational little moppets that a parent can hope to buy for their young Dakota or Bayleigh. American Girl dolls cost approximately as much as an eighth of good weed, and you can expect to pay as much for their outfits as you do for your own at Old Navy.

Or you can read about Wendy's Seven Homeschooled Children, by clicking her name above. Or not. "Not" might be a better choice.

And out on the Left Coast, Pornblography has. . . right, that's just a link to the Warning page. Perhaps that's for the best.

Yes, this entry could be much, much better, but then you'd spend time here instead of hitting the links. Waste of your time, that. Aren't you curious which of them the title quote is from?

np: A review(ish) of the 1954 Godzilla on Morning Edition.

This weekend: The Gapers Block Memorial Day Gathering, Friday at 8 at Danny's Tavern. Not sure if I'm going or not. . .

Posted by Aaron at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'd just like to point out that I'm not nearly geek enough to have conversations like this. In public. On this site. Much.

The lovely and talented, if perpetually running on L.S.T. Abigail Garner appeared in a story on NPR's Morning Edition this, um, morning. Edition.

Studies on Children of Gay Couples Spark Controversy

The best interest of children is at the center of the debate over gay marriage. Some scientific studies show no developmental differences between children raised by heterosexual and homosexual parents. But critics charge these studies are conducted to support the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. NPR's Joseph Shapiro reports.

Which sounds a bit like the recent Fucking White Oppressor piece by Mona Charen, Are children of gay parents worse off?

Are children raised by gay parents worse off than other children? As same sex couples line up for marriage licenses in Massachusetts, the question achieves greater urgency.

Biblarz and Stacey examined 21 studies of "lesbigay" couples' children compared with heterosexual parents' children. While all of the researchers had claimed to find "no difference" in outcomes between the two groups, Biblarz and Stacey disagree. There are statistically significant differences in gender identity, sexual experimentation and promiscuity. The authors are quick to add that these observed differences do not alarm them. They are happy to embrace a variety of family forms. And if gay parenting means more gay offspring, the authors are not alarmed by this.

First, not surprisingly, both boys and girls raised by homosexuals are far more likely to tell researchers that they have experimented with or considered homosexuality themselves. This is no shock. The research further shows that daughters raised by lesbians tend to have a larger number of sexual partners from puberty to adulthood than children in ordinary homes. It also, quite interestingly, shows that boys raised by lesbians have fewer sexual encounters than boys raised by heterosexual parents.

Which I noticed at Pandagon; what, you think I actually read TownHall.com on a regular basis?

The NPR story, depending on your point of view, is either more fair and balanced, not totally insane, or displays the bias prevalent in theliberalmedia.

If your point of view is the latter, I have no idea whatsoever why you're reading this site.

Don't feel you have to tell me.

Update. Via Instapundit.

VIRGINIA POSTREL has a column on gay marriage in The Boston Globe.

Yes, that's the entire entry. Brevity is the soul of. . . something. From that column:

THE BAD NEWS for newlywed Massachusetts gays and lesbians is that, under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government won't recognize their marriages.

The good news is that by staying "single" in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service, they could save a lot on taxes.

I had to stop at that point.

Perhaps I'll go back to the piece later.

I mean, she might say something to change my initial impression of her.

She might, for example, point out that African slaves not only had their travel expenses to the Americas paid, they also didn't have to pay sales tax on their own sale, or tarriffs on their importation.

Posted by Aaron at 6:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"I associate [negative attributes x] with [group y]. You, a member of [group y], lack [negative atttributes x] and/or possess [possitive attributes z]. So, you aren't really a member of [group y]!"

Needs work, I think. Includes <sneer quotes>straight-acting</sneer quotes> gay men, femmes, Negroes unlike those Bill Cosby described a few days back, Christians (why yes, I have caught myself on the brink of saying something as appalling stupid as, "I didn't think you were a Christian, you're so open-minded and intelligent!"), probably other people/situations that are slipping my sievelike mind at the moment. . .

Further to the Cos tip, the thing about that, or similar/comparable statements by Chris Rock, is that the speaker and (Negro) audience realize perfectly well that the statements don't apply to all Negroes. The white conservatives who jump on the stuff, more often than not in my experience, don't.

This often leads to the fun-filled interaction where one of 'em treats me like I am one of those people. And, upon realizing their mistake,then make matters oh so much worse by attempting to bond over the incident.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were one of those people."

How the fuck are you supposed to respond to that? I mean, I know, by then going off on a rant about those people and allowing the bonding experience. Because, really, bonding with racist fuckheads is always the high point of a day.

Anyway, any suggestions? Questions? Comments?

Posted by Aaron at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

How much of this story do you even want to read?

News > Indianz.com: Hospital denies sending Native fetus through mail

A hospital in Ontario, Canada, says the package a Native mother received in the mail is not the fetus of her miscarried baby.

I'll be honest. I barely got past the headline.

This isn't a good approach to take. I know this. I also know that several of the other stories at Indianz.com deserve to be heard. As much as anything deserves hearing, anyway.

But I still can't bring myself to click on USA Today: DOI investigating BIA prison abuse (5/21), for example, or Fighter jet crashes on Tohono O'odham Reservation (5/21), or. . . you get the idea.

On the other other hand, I wasn't able to come up with a coherent -- even for me -- response to some photos someone had posted a while back, when the Abu Ghraib story first broke, of some coalition (read: US) troops giving frisbees to Iraqi youth.

It was linked quite a bit by people on the right, as an example of the sorts of stories the liberal, America-hating media didn't tell.

I mean, sure, good news for a change so people don't think the entire rest of the planet is a non-stop chamber of horrors, all well and good, but how many fucking frisbees does it take to equal someone getting a chem light shoved up their ass is what I'm wondering.

See? Incoherent.

Shorter entry: One "Aw shit" wipes out a dozen "Attaboys."

Discuss.

Or don't.

Posted by Aaron at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (1)

So it crosses my mind, after a bit of searching to find out if there's a new Finder trade either out or in the works, to put the question to some of the comics professionals who tend to lurk hereabouts. Or the more informed fans. I'm flexible.

And haven't read Mystery Date yet, which link goes to a glowing review at artbomb.net. They also have a bio of Carla Speed McNeil, if you're wondering what I'm on about.

And the blog has a brief mention of the upcoming Persepolis 2 and Birth of a Nation books, if those are more your tastes.

I mentioned this not being a comics blog, yes?

I can do politics. Sort of. I mean, reading In Iraq, the Job Opportunity of a Lifetime reminded me of why enthusiastic young white conservatives shouldn't be allowed to leave the U.S. without adult supervision, let alone being put in charge of rebuilding a country.

The next day, wearing flak jackets and helmets, Ledeen and Greco went to visit Raghad in the hospital. As they moved to embrace Raghad -- who was covered with cuts and bruises and had lost hearing in one ear -- the mother of another injured woman told them to leave, saying they should have never come, that it wasn't safe.

"It's okay," Ledeen told her.

"It's not okay, little girl," the woman snapped back. It was only then that Ledeen understood the mother wasn't worried about her safety. She was concerned about the Iraqi women who, as workers for the CPA, were seen by insurgents as collaborators.

It is good to see that sometimes smacking 'em like that has the desired effect -- making them realize that they are not, in fact, the center of/only thing of value in the Universe. Never works when I do it, but I might be smacking too hard. . . That article was linked at Eschaton, by the way. And there's probably lots to say about the Presidential Material? entry at A Small Victory that doesn't include charges of blatant hypocricy, but I admit to blanking.

Apparently, when news of Bush's bike spill made its way to Kerry yesterday, he said to reporters "Did the training wheels fall off?"

You want this petty, childish man as your president?

Wait, got it. *Ahem* "Which petty, childish man were you talking about, dear?"

No, that's no good. . .

Update: Oh, fine.

Been thinking about white skin privilege and how it totally fucks with how you see the world ever since that little disagreement with Gray several months back. Well, actually longer, but that was when it went from background speculation to overt, effnic, "Bitch, you seriously needs to back the fuck off right the fuck now" pissiness. Think part of the problem is that even white people willing to grant that such exists -- which most likely excludes the conservative children in Iraq -- generally take great pains to immediately point out how it certainly doesn't apply to them, they're down with the brown people, et fucking cetera.

There's no effective way to explain to someone, calmly, slowly, and using very small words, that yeah, it kind'a does. Well you can, God knows I've tried, but it doesn't work. Does succeed in bringing their internalized racism up to the surface, but since they're also not willing to admit that that's what it is. . .

Fuckit.

And this is why I avoid the politics more often than not these days.

Posted by Aaron at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

From WILL in beautiful(?) Urbana, IL for PRI, Public Radio International, it's Classically Black:

The close relationship that developed between [Roger] Cooper and [William] Warfield planted the seeds for Classically Black, a series Cooper has produced about classically trained African American musicians. "I loved to talk to him about the early days and about the musicians he knew," says Cooper. "I thought it would be great if everyone could hear his stories."

[. . .] Cooper says he sees the programs as a kind of long-term outreach project. "Hopefully, we'll get more black people interested in classical music," he says. Often, people aren't aware of the contributions of African American musicians. "I have degrees in music and I didn't hear about them. You don't learn about black composers in music history classes," says Cooper, who has completed coursework for a doctorate in voice performance and literature at the U of I. In the past, little radio programming was available about classical music of black composers and musicians, says Cooper. "There was a need for it that wasn't being met. More is available now, and maybe we've had something to do with that."

Artists featured include Leontyne Price (which program I'm listening to now. Well of course she attended Juilliard. Didn't we all?), Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson. . .

Can I mention him without mentioning his politics? This isn't a political entry. You can tell. There's no swearing.

S'weird, I know the names, I've heard a bit of the music, but you could fill several libraries with what I don't know about. . . well, anything, really, but especially the personal and professional lives of these performers. Unfortunately (for me), since the program airs on WILL FM (the [we'll say classical for shorthand, even if that is inaccurate, I know, shaddap] classical station), some background knowledge is assumed that, um, I ain't got. I thought Puccini was some fancy I-talian shoemaker.

Update: My bad, Grammy Award winner Trina Shoemaker worked with The Moon Seven Times. One of the members of M7x was Henry Frayne. The program Classics of the Phonograph: Great Recordings of the Past on WILL is hosted by John Frayne, who if I remember a'right is Henry's dad.

You might be wondering what this has to do with anything.

Nothin'

Just thought I'd mention it.

Posted by Aaron at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet.
Johnny said, "Devil just come on back if you ever want to try again,
"I done told you once you son of a gun I'm the best there's ever been! "

Can I just say that the leaks and counter-leaks and raids and what-not in/involving Iraq, the ones that kind'a point towards open hostility between different factions of our government, are just a wee bit worrying since there is this group called Al Qaeda out there that's sort-of dedicated to our destruction and all? And the whole Iraq deal has been a massive distraction from dealing with them?

Unless groups in the gov'mint that I don't know about are doing things I don't want to know about while going about preventing attacks and dismantling the group, in which case, um, that's probably the best way to go about it, actually.

Meanwhile, in that one country we pre-emtively invaded for no particular reason, Baghdad Burning/River writes:

I always enjoy a good Chalabi interview. His answers to questions are always so completely antagonistic to Iraqi public opinion that the whole thing makes a delightful show- rather like a vicious Chihuahua in the midst of a dozen bulldogs. There were several amusing moments during the interview. He kept waving around his arms and made numerous flourishing movements with his hands to emphasize some key points. A few interesting things I noted about the interview: he was suddenly using the word 'occupation'. During past interviews, he would never use the word 'occupation'. He used to insist on calling the invading army et al. 'coalition' and the whole fiasco was persistently labeled a 'liberation' by him and his cronies.

Hope he's enjoyed his brief return to the place, because it sounds like he's about to get run out the place again. If he's lucky.

Had lunch at the local(ish) Cosi with The GhettoFabulous Jessica. She disrespected their bar, which, as a lush, I suppose she has some credibility to do, but still. . . never mind.

We did decide (which may be too strong a word) to go to the local(ish) Ren Faire. The mere fact that neither of us knows when it is or where it's held means nothing.

She has the hat.

I'll. . . wear one of the less obnoxious black t-shirts, I suppose.

Posted by Aaron at 6:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

I suppose if I try placing that appalling L*ttl* M*ss H**t*rs contest in some sort of cultural context with prepubescent beauty contests or the trend towards sexualization of children, I'll be accused of supporting terrorism. Or child pornography. Or being a Michael Jackson fan. Or something even worse.

So instead I'll just mention that this is like every other instance when the blogosphere (n!sdctp!) starts breaking their fucking arms patting themselves on the back, and makes me pretty happy that I'm not one of them.

If you don't have the slightest idea what I'm babbling about. . . be happy.

I do wonder why, if everyone is annoyed with having to sprinkle troll-resistant pixie dust on themselves before saying anything (e.g., "Even though Iraqis are better off with Saddam Hussein. . ." or "Although the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib are horrifying. . ."), they don't just tell the trolls to shut the fuck up. Seems to work for me.

Despite the troll-resistant pixie dust of that first paragraph.

There's also a reason for the lack of links in this entry.

Try to guess what that might be.

Posted by Aaron at 9:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As it turns out, there are people dedicated to preserving the right of a nigga to get a table dance. From jon's mind, by way of Skippy the Bush Kanga, but in the local-for-me Sun-Times, Fearful strip clubs register voters to oust President Bush:

Strip club owners are putting a little bada-bing in the presidential campaign by asking patrons to turn their eyes away from the stage for a moment to fill out a voter registration form -- and then vote against President Bush.

''It's not to say our industry loves John Kerry or anything like that,'' said Dave Manack, associate publisher of E.D. Publications, which publishes Exotic Dancer magazine. ''But George Bush, if he's re-elected, it could be very damaging to our industry.''

Amazing, how many agree with the statement that John Kerry Is A Douchebag But I'm Voting For Him Anyway. Dot com.

Not all are convinced, alas:

On a recent night at the Isabella Queen, Christopher Ness, a 35-year-old patron, filled out a registration form. But he said if he goes to the polls in November, he'll probably vote Republican.

''I like the way it is right now,'' Ness said.

Demonstrating that voter registration isn't enough, there also has to be voter education on the issues. Well, anyone else want to set up tables at strip clubs to explain the impact of Ashcroft's crackdown on. . . do you ever find yourself unable to finish typing or saying a sentence? Keeps happening to me. I should have that looked at.

Want to know more? Wait, stupid question. There's the apparently-not-updated-recently Sex Workers' International Media Watch page, I suppose, although that's the employees, not the owners, but that gets into all sorts of discussion of labor issues and. . . yep, doing it again. See also: Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver, if you're worried about having to flee north should bad come to worse and God the Supreme Court the electorate put Bush and company back in the White House come the fall. Can't get The International Union of Sex Workers site to load, for some reason. . .

While we're not on the subject, how often d'you think Daze Reader and a small victory find common cause? No, really, I'm curious, never given the matter much thought myself.

[Introduced by California Congressman Duncan Hunter (R), H.B. 4239, also called the "Parents’ Empowerment Act,"] allows compensatory damages starting at no less than $10,000 for any instance in which a minor is exposed to “harmful to minors” entertainment products. The bill also allows that punitive damages and reasonable fees may be awarded to the prevailing party at the discretion of the court. The bill also seeks to strengthen the current test courts utilize in determining what is obscene material by providing a separate definition of obscenity specifically for children. It is an affirmative defense to action under this bill if a parent or guardian of the minor owned the material.

From the write-up/press release at Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Perhaps comics stores, in Cali and elsewhere, could also encourage their patrons to get out and vote?

Do I want to think about the number of comics shops nationwide versus the number of strip clubs?

Think there's much crossover in patrons?

Should I have stopped typing a long time ago?

Know-what-I'm-sayin'? You-know-what-I'm-talkin'-about?
The type of bitch that turn the party out.
I met a bitch named Dynasty wit'
so much back, she made a blind man see.
What's really happenin'?
Too many clothes, not enough booty slappin'.
Now, I don't need romance.
All I need to know is CAN A NIGGA GET A TABLE DANCE?!

("SHAKE IT UP! SHAKE IT UP! WOO! SHAKE THAT THANG!")
CAN A NIGGA GET A TABLE DANCE?!
("SHAKE IT UP! SHAKE IT UP! WOO! SHAKE THAT...")

Sorry, sorry, sorry. . . Management does not approve of misogynist lyrics in hip-hop, or the use of such terms generally.

Unless, you know, the bitch deserve it.

Sorry, sorry. . .

And yes, I know it's stretching things to include the links to the sex workers' sites. But if you want to explain why, feel free.

Posted by Aaron at 7:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Of course, the person who said that was involved in a low level sex scandal, so, y'know, consider the source.

And the site, namely Wonkette: WASHINGTONIENNE SPEAKS!! WONKETTE EXCLUSIVE!! MUST CREDIT WONKETTE!! THE WASHINGTONIENNE INTERVIEW!! (and you have to love that title):

Wonkette: I wanted to ask you if you had any advice for other young women starting out in Washington.
Washingtonienne: [Laughs] I think any advice I have should be self-evident from my blog.
Wonkette: What about, "Don't keep a blog about your sex life?"
Washingtonienne: Ha! I think everyone should keep a blog about their sex life, because people should be responsible for the shit they pull.

Which reminds me,

* * Paragraph deleted by emergency self-preservation system * *

. . . I really should uninstall that thing. Anyway, more details, including her real name (um, Washingtonienne's, not Wonkette's), and all like that there, in the link.

I'm not supposed to be outraged about any of this for any reason, right? It's very hard to tell these days.

Would it be tasteless to suggest that if Chandra Levy had kept a blog, she'd probably. . . yes, yes I do believe it would. Never mind.

Posted by Aaron at 6:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

But I feel the need for a prayer.

np: Lisa Germano, Geek the Girl, if you don't catch the reference. And if so, you're probably reading the wrong web site.

Further expanding on this point:

Tori Amos, Welcome to Sunny Florida. Own it today on DVD!

Sugar high. Sorry.

If you're not looking to lay out cash, free Innocence Mission for download at Amazon.com Music. Where it's been for quite some time, but I only noticed it today, because I suck.

Note to the Irresistably Cute Lisa: They're playing Northampton on May 29th, if you'll be there then.

Also on the tour tip, the trigger-happy mother fuckin' Cowboy Junkies will be playing Skyline Stage at Navy Pier on July 18th. Click the name of the band for yet more dates, but you'll have to scroll down a bit if you don't live in Far Far Away. Like Germany. Or Belgium. Or the Netherlands. Or Canada.

And if you don't want to leave home, we gots somethin' for that.

Gretchen Wilson will be featured on the following TV shows:

• Wed. 5/26: Gretchen will perform on CBS' "ACM Awards"
• Wed. 6/2: Gretchen will perform "Redneck Woman" on The Today Show. Please check your local listings.

This is not a music blog, by the bye.

Posted by Aaron at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Evil super-genius Cobb issues a summons to the greatest Black conservative minds blogtopia (y!sctp!) has to offer!

La Shawn Barber!

Darmon Thornton!

Baldilocks!

Some other mother fuckers I ain't never heard of!

Together, they form the greatest threat to keeping a straight face since Team Rocket