Well folks, it's been an awful week for the WoM (War on Minorities). Like many of you, after the grand jury failed to indict Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson because of prosecutorial misconduct, I have had strong feelings at times of sadness, anger, helplessness, and frustration.
So I just couldn't bring myself to look at any more bad news. For the most part tonight we present the lighter side of the War on Women; some positive progress, some parody, and at least one misogynist who figuratively shot himself in the foot. Enjoy!
One more shout-out to Denise Oliver Velez's excellent article on campus assault, Roofies, rape, and 'It's On Us'. The "It's On Us" campaign is being promoted by the White House here and at itsonus.org. Since date rape often occurs when someone has been rendered helpless either through too much alcohol or a variety of drugs, people are being encouraged to keep watch over each other at parties, and if you see anything suspicious, speak up. Recently, Barely Political (a comedy YouTube channel) produced their own video in New York City:
Several instructive college videos have been created, so please consider watching more of them on YouTube when you have time.
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As reported by our own Leslie Salzillo, Battered Victim Marissa Alexander Accepts Plea Deal. On the one hand disappointing. On the other hand if she hadn't accepted the deal she was facing a possible 60-year prison sentence. Instead, she was sentenced to time served (1030 days) plus 65 more days, so she'll be out early next year, then on probation. It's a relief.
Looking toward the future, please keep in mind that if you are in a fear-for-your-life situation, you did not fire a warning shot. You fired in self defense, but missed. In this case, a warning shot was considered proof that she was not seriously in fear for her life. So remember, you did not fire a warning shot. You might also say "I thought he was charging at me," and compare him to Hulk Hogan.
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According to The Feminist Majority Blog, The City of Louisville [KY] Has Overwhelmingly Approved a CEDAW Resolution. Since I live in Lexington, KY, I am particularly pleased with this announcement. CEDAW is the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. The resolution commits the city to promote health and safety, and to provide equal opportunities. For more information, please see the article at Feminist Majority Blog above. In general, Lexington and Louisville are oases of blue in a desert of red.
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In a move that is not exploitative at all, Kim Kardashian's rump is being used to teach students in an SAT prep class run by Catalyst Press, according to Huffington Post.
The company's excuse: They don't want these classes to be boring. OK, but meanwhile, while the young men are learning, what are the young women supposed to be doing?
So as a public service, I hereby provide test questions for Catalyst Press to use in association with the Kim Kardashian questions. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. My apologies for not knowing how to make a pi symbol or superscript or angles. The image is a screen shot so a little blurry. But I'm sure Catalyst Press can entice the celebrity to pose.
1. The celebrity package on the left has an area of 36pi and is divided into 6 congruent regions. What is the perimeter of one of these regions? (Note: The area of a celebrity package is pi*r2. At least of
this celebrity package.)
2. If the radius of the Bieber on the left is 12 and the area of the gemmed,
ahem, feature is 48pi, what is the measure of the interior angle of sector POW?
3. If a magazine editor were to Photoshop the package on the left so that its diameter were doubled in length vertically, what would be the resulting ratio of the
new region's area to the original region's area? (Not that a magazine editor would ever do such a thing, of course.)
HuffPo treated this as just an amusing little item. Well sure, I'm amused. Nothing could go wrong here:
* Studies have shown that students learn better and retain material better in long-term memory when sexually aroused, according to The Young Turks. How far are we willing to go in that direction? What's next, stroke them?
* After encouraging young men and women to think with their lower brains while studying, does anyone think that the next time these young people are walking the halls in high school, they might spend more than a little too much time watching their classmates' rumps and packages? We are much better served admiring the whole person. We are not a collection of body parts.
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On Thursday, I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I didn't look at the news today, just have some thoughts. Isn't it past time that we eliminated the holiday stereotype of "men drink and watch football while women work in the kitchen"? Guys, if you hosted with your significant other, I hope you took on half the work load. If not, I hope you will consider switching roles on Christmas.
(Parenthetically, I would also like to eliminate the concept of "helping out" around the house. Guys, if you co-inhabit a home, I would suggest that you don't "help out". Do half. On your own initiative. Don't wait for us to tell you what to do. If you've ever lived on your own, or observed carefully, then you know what needs to be done.
And if I find someone taking this sentence out of context, "Guys, if you co-inhabit a home, I would suggest that you don't 'help out,'" I'm going to slap them with my spatula.)
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Pastor Paul Chappell of the Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster, California, seems to have a problem with women, as posted on YouTube on November 14 of this year. I did a little research and found his Bible quotation to be particularly interesting. To provide the complete context, I will publish a longer companion piece next week that will provide my transcription of his entire speech. You probably don't want to watch it, he's awfully arrogant and condescending. But here was the most interesting part to me. After the misogynistic Pastor rails against "impure" women, he quotes Titus 1:15:
To the pure all things are pure, but under them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Well, it turns out that in context, Titus 1:15 isn't actually referring to sexuality at all, it's referring to church leaders! Much like him! My translation does not use the word "impure," in fact, but "corrupt". This is part of a letter from Saint Paul to Titus; Paul says of corrupt church leaders that they are:
full of meaningless talk and deception,... teaching things they ought not to teach... for the sake of dishonest gain,... liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons,... detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.
The above is from Titus 1:10-16. Not a word about "impurity" in the context of sexuality. It's these church leaders of whom Titus 1:15 says, "their mind and conscience is defiled".
Be careful of the context of what you quote, Pastor. It might come back to bite you.
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Action Items: If you haven't yet, please sign the pledge at itsonus.org to speak up regarding sexual assault.
For more information regarding sexual assault, go to notalone.gov to find helpful resources in your area, including advocacy services, student groups, LGBT resources, disability resources, immigration resources, prevention programs, and so on.
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If you are looking for feminist gifts for your favorite women, try the Feminist Majority Foundation store. For your budding feminist, they even have a feminist onesie that is the cutest:
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And finally, given the Economic WoE (War on Everyone), some of our Kossacks have struggled this year. Ann and Sara R at Winglion Quilts are seeking customers for their quilts and pootie and poochie pads. I bought a couple petite pootie pads for my cats, and they are amazing! On the day they arrived, I put them on a high shelf by the front door, and within seconds one cat ran up from a far chair in the living room, the other cat ran down from upstairs. Both had their noses in the air, eagerly sniffing. I went upstairs to put the pads in my bedroom closet to save for Christmas, but the cats followed closely on my heels, and at the top of the stairs yowling broke out! So I gave up on the Christmas idea and gave them for Thanksgiving instead. The pads are just the right size for my cats, and that catnip is powerful stuff! So if you're looking for a Christmas present for your pets, pootie and/or poochie pads may be just the thing. Oreo and Ginger give them 5 stars.
NOTE: You might want to consider having a catless friend hold onto your pootie pads until Christmas, if you really want to save them until Christmas Day!
See http://communityquiltproject.com/... or http://www.dailykos.com/... for more information.
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The ongoing fundraiser for TiaRachel is winding down. Kossacks have donated about $5500 of the $7000 we have been looking for to provide her some financial stability for a little while. We weren't scheduled to write on this subject, but felt it was worthy. She has had multiple health problems, but is doing everything she can to support herself. She is looking for valid work-at-home suggestions. Please let her know if you have any suggestions. And please consider one more little donation. They'll add up. We're almost there! There have been several diaries on this subject if you are interested, as detailed below. Thank you, warm-hearted Kossacks!
Please Help TiaRachel
If you've never used PayPal to send money to anyone, it is really simple.
- Go to PayPal.com. You do not have to have an account to send money.
- Click Send Money to Family and Friends.
- Enter TiaRachel's email address (which is tiarachelgordon@gmail.com) and amount you are sending. The sender's name is visible to the recipient
- If you'd rather send a check in the mail, you can Kosmail TiaRachel to get her mailing address.
Diary Schedule - All Times Are Eastern
Friday, Nov 14th: So. Um. I need some help. by TiaRachel. This was the plea for help posted by Tia. We are trying to raise $7,000.00 to allow Tia a stable financial future. Please help her as much as possible.
Saturday, Nov 15th: There, but for the Grace.... An Appeal for Help, with a Match by Dallasdoc.
Sunday, Nov 16th: Aji for TiaRachel: When There Aren't Enough Spoons In the World: Helping a Friend Dig Out by Aji (posted on her behalf by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse).
Monday, Nov 17th: We Are Family...We Take Care of Our Own by JoanMar.
Tuesday, Nov 18th: Kossack Caring: Empathy for TiaRachel by side pocket.
Wednesday, Nov 19th: So, Um, TiaRachel Still Needs Our Help by ericlewis0.
Thursday, Nov 20th: Do You Get By With A Little Help From Your Friends? by bobswern.
Saturday, Nov 22nd: Appealing to our Better Angels: Fundraising for TiaRachel by tmservo433.
Sunday, Nov 23rd: I Don't Ask This, But I Need Your Help by slinkerwink.
Tuesday, Nov 25th: Giving Thanks and Paying it Forward: Helping TiaRachel by Avilyn.
Thursday, Nov 27th: TBD by Kitsap River. Note: This is the last scheduled diary in this fundraiser. However, I will post the final diary on Sunday, Nov 30th between 1:00 and 3:00 Eastern time. (JekyllnHyde)
Please tip/rec these diaries and republish to your Daily Kos Groups. Link to your Facebook pages. Tweet to your friends. Many thanks on behalf of the entire fundraising team.
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And last but not least, a reward for those of you who read to the end: A LMRO moment. That's laughin mah rump off, for the uninitiated; we don't say a$$ in the South. A lesbian takes on Viagra and Viagra loses: