tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52296952024-03-07T16:24:05.469-05:00Way of wordsThis is your brain. This is your brain on The Liz. Any questions?The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.comBlogger472125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-57988901426137763112008-10-12T11:00:00.004-04:002008-10-12T11:03:20.257-04:00<b>Hineh bah.</b> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/10/12/israel.violence/index.html">This</a> is not in the spirit of Yom Kippur, Israel! Didn't you learn anything from atoning? Akko is one of the only places where Jews and Arabs live in harmony. Can we please not ruin that? You make it really hard to be a Zionist when you do this kind of crap.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-66401059719584724352008-09-28T10:53:00.002-04:002008-09-28T10:56:12.907-04:00<b>Watch me makeup my mind instead of my face.</b> Yet more reasons to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html?ex=1380168000&en=55d5068f872b1830&ei=5124&partner=facebook&exprod=facebook">despise </a>Palin and feel insulted by McCain's choice of her as running mate.<br /><br />I think McCain thought that all us Clinton supporters would go "Oh man, she has a uterus! I'm voting for McCain now!" Did he honestly think we wouldn't find out about her politics? Or is she really just a sexy appeasement for the religious right?The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-2397274553260952722008-07-31T10:24:00.003-04:002008-07-31T10:37:48.659-04:00<b>Hit me with your best shot.</b> Big news for Muslim women...maybe.<br /><br />Apparently there's a new trend in <a href="http://jezebel.com/5030992/hijab-chic-how-to-wear-the-headscarf-for-fall<br />">hijab styling</a>, with blogs and YouTube videos advising pious Muslim women on different means of styling their head scarves. To me, this indicates an emphasis on individualism and self-expression, which is definitely positive. However, Muslim women are still trying to individualize a symbol of patriarchy. Nevertheless, progress is progress.<br /><br />Except when it's clearly not. Iraqi women are literally exploding through the glass ceiling as the newest recruits in al-Qaeda's army of <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article4426139.ece">suicide bombers</a>. There have been 24 female suicide bombers since January, and I'm sure the numbers will continue to rise. Part of the woman bomber's appeal is that it is unacceptable for a man to perform a full-body search on a woman, and traditional robes are bulky enough to hide quite a stash of weaponry.<br /><br />But perhaps the most insidious detail in this story is the means of recruitment. Al-Qaeda operatives marry and allow the wife to be dishonored in some way, such as allowing another man to rape her. Consequently, she must end her life to end the disgrace she has brought upon her family. I cannot even wrap my head around this one.<br /><br />In every military conflict, women are cannon fodder. Except in this case, women have become the cannon.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-5708030757760200342008-06-24T15:55:00.004-04:002008-06-24T16:27:39.854-04:00<b>She wants the luxury of her own life.</b> I've blogged about this <a href="http://abeth05.blogspot.com/2008/01/if-you-were-suspicious-all-that-shit-is.html">before</a>, but since nobody listens to me, I'll try again.<br /><br />Brandeis University released a new <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/22/where_have_all_the_men_gone/?page=full#">study</a>, "Gender Imbalance in American Jewish Life," claiming that in non-Orthodox settings, "American Jewish boys and men have fewer connections to Jews and Judaism in almost every venue and in every age, from school-age children through the adult years....Contemporary liberal American Judaism, although supposedly egalitarian, is visibly and substantially feminized."<br /><br />Feminized? Apparently the ladies are taking over! In the Reform movement, the largest Jewish religious movement in America, Women outnumber men in seminaries, youth groups, summer programs, and prayer services. <br /><br />And you should be worried! The Brandeis study argues that "men's decreased interest in Jews and Judaism walks hand in hand with apathy toward creating Jewish households and raising Jewish children." No more Jewish babies! Because the women are taking over!<br /><br />But fear not! Here come the men-only Brotherhoods, men-only barbecues, dare-devil birthright israel trips, and man-centric Passover Haggadahs. Because HaShem knows that the traditional Passover Hagaddah is really misandry run amok.<br /><br />Personally, I think you can blame assimilation and the break down of the insular Jewish community for the alleged disappearance of men from the Jewish community. Ideal American manhood is not compatible with stereotypical of Jewish manhood. Who wants to be the nebbishy, wimpy Jewish Other when you can be the wealthy, handsome, sexy American Man who gets to fuck the hot shiksah (think <i>Portnoy's Complaint</i> here). Jewish men don't want to maintain a connection to Judaism, and because Judaism is passed down through the woman, marrying a non-Jew is the ultimate rejection of Judaism. <br /><br />American Jewish women, on the other hand, are embracing their new and hard-won role in the Jewish community. Gone are the days when Jewish women could be cook and wet nurse but nothing more. American Jewish women don't have to sit behind a mehitzah anymore, and you can't make them! <br /><br />Says Brandeis: "Some suggest that in the Western world, spirituality, especially in more liberal denominations, has become associated with femininity. Others believe that men are reluctant to join organizations unless they can play leadership roles, and with the entry of large numbers of women into synagogue life, there are fewer such opportunities for men." <br /><br />The fact of the matter is that there is no inherent gender bias in Judaism. The second class citizenship of women in Judaism has everything to do with culture and nothing to do with religious prescription. Stop blaming women for your religious community not looking the way you want it to when, frankly, every sociologist with his (or her) PhD can tell you that women have always been the key sustainers of religious devotion in times of strife. The sooner men realize that women are not usurping their throne, the happier we'll all be.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-31760361117855115932008-06-20T16:09:00.003-04:002008-06-20T16:30:46.479-04:00<b>Does that mean my body must always be a source of pain?</b> While the image of First Lady as the pinnacle of American womanhood is nothing new, this re-packaging of Michelle Obama is really pissing me off. The Obama campaign is doing an image makeover on her to make sure she doesn't appear Like Hillary. She co-hosted "The View" and graced the cover of "Us Weekly" doing her best soccer mom impression. Says a <a href="http://jezebel.com/5017575/this-week-in-tabloids-why-barack-loves-michelle-angelina-is-anxious-or-adopting">friend</a>: <blockquote><br />"[Michelle] is not the least bit interested in being a co-president or participating in policy decisions…Her first priority as a first lady would be that the girls are OK, and to continue to be the outstanding mother that she is."</blockquote> This would be nauseating without the article's headline of "Why Barak loves her." Why? Because she shops at Target, why else? You didn't think it had to do with her <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/us/politics/18michelle.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=michelle%20obama&st=nyt&scp=3">accomplishments</a>, her intelligence, or her moxie, did you?<br /><br />Of course, the campaign has to wrap her up in traditional gender roles precisely because of her talent. A smart, outspoken, accomplished woman is bad enough, but one who is not only African American but who actively embraces her heritage is downright frightening. Consequently, they "soften" her, "maternalize" her, and basically white-wash her. And I do mean "white." She's coming off as a regular June Cleaver with her pearls and her carpool.<br /><br />In the context of this election cycle, this development is particularly upsetting. Democratic voters were given the option of the most accomplished black presidential candidate ever to campaign or the most accomplished woman presidential candidate ever to campaign. For better or worse, the black man won. But a truckload of sexism accompanies that progressive victory. If the progress of one group of people comes at the expense of another, is it really a success?The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-16420069309431465532008-06-01T20:31:00.001-04:002008-06-20T16:40:06.924-04:00<b>Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry.</b> Today in Disgraced Politician (Celebrity) Sightings:<br /><br />Eliot Spitzer in Central Park! With special guest star Silda Wall Spitzer! Oh man, was I sitting on a pylon at the right time. I guess Spitzer had just completed a run, and his wife had come to meet him in the park because he was in work out gear and she was dressed for a beach day at the Hamptons. They weren't touching (she actually had her hands in her pockets. Burn!), but they were deep in discussion. My goodness she is a waif, but a waif with style!The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-9962833474902008812008-05-29T11:49:00.003-04:002008-05-29T12:00:05.793-04:00<b>Flex our muscles show them we’re stronger than the rest.</b> I don't know about you, but I love these peek-inside-the-Bush-administration tell-alls by ex-Bush cronies that keep coming out. They make me feel quite vindicated. Former Press Secretary Scott McClellan's is a real <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2192266">treat</a>. <br /><br />Doesn't this <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121198457525625977.html?mod=Politics-and-Policy">excerpt</a> remind you of a certain Democratic golden boy we all know and love?<br /><br /><blockquote>Ironically, much of Bush's campaign rhetoric (in 1999-2000) had been aimed at distancing himself from the excesses of Clinton's permanent campaign style of governing. The implicit meaning of Bush's words was that he would bring an end to the perpetual politicking and deep partisan divisions it created. Although Washington could not get enough of the permanent campaign, voters were seemingly eager to move beyond it.<br /><br />Bush emphasized this sentiment during the campaign. He would "change the tone in Washington." He would be "a uniter, not a divider." He would "restore honor and dignity to the White House." He would govern based on what was right, not what the polls said. He would, in short, replace the cynicism of the 1990s with a new era of civility, decency, and hope.</blockquote><br />Yes, we can!The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-64187963500692880922008-05-09T15:46:00.000-04:002008-05-16T15:57:51.820-04:00<b>Give my regards to Broadway.</b> Today in Celebrity Sightings, Broadway Edition:<br /><br />A two-day spotting. Everyone's using mass transit in the rain, even the Broadway babies.<br /><br />First off, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0551908/">Andrea Martin</a> of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and <a href="http://www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com/">"He was...MY BOYFRIEND!"</a> fame, walking through Grand Central. Everyone is so tiny in person, but she had a great head of hair. Those were some gorgeous highlights, let me tell you.<br /><br />Second, while waiting for the subway at 34th Street, whom did I spy but <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454236/">Richard Kind</a>. You may remember him from "Mad About You" and "Sin City." He's also appeared in a few Broadway shows, notably "The Producers" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." This is the second time I've seen him wandering around midtown. My goodness the man is pale.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-73051536008971063602008-04-25T21:05:00.006-04:002008-04-25T21:09:35.409-04:00<b>Where's your head at.</b> Seriously, Bush Administration. Tax rebates just ain't gonna cut it.<br /><br /><a href="http://dieselsweeties.com/archive/1997"><img src="http://dieselsweeties.com/hstrips/0/1/9/9/01997.png" border=0></a><br />see more <a href="http://dieselsweeties.com">hipster robot webcomics and pixel t-shirts</a>The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-39211148094255582652008-04-16T14:53:00.002-04:002008-04-16T14:58:12.273-04:00<b>Like sex on the beaches.</b> How the heck did I miss <a href="http://www.cakeandcunnilingus.com/">this</a>? A day celebrating two of my favorite things, and I wasn't paying attention! I guess I have to wait until next year. Boo. I hate waiting.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Link NSFW</span>The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-74079223699658472042008-04-16T10:03:00.003-04:002008-04-16T10:28:06.140-04:00<b>If I'm to run the future, you've got to let the old world go.</b> Women in the United States consider the fact 16% of Congress is female (11% less than female representation in the Afghan parliament) proof that we have achieved gender equity? We really are a bunch of stupid, complacent bitches in that case. If you need Hillary Clinton's <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/46011/">campaign</a> to remind you that sexism still exists in this country, I don't think we can be friends. <br /><br />Wake up, ladies! Women outnumber men in the Spanish cabinet 9 to 8, and Spain's defense minister is seven months <a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1730927,00.html">pregnant</a>. You're still patting yourselves on the back because a measly 16% of Congressional representation is female? Women make up <a href="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_S0101&-ds_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_&-redoLog=false">over half</a> the population of this country. Gender equity my ass.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-45417049388634477442008-04-11T16:57:00.004-04:002008-04-11T17:01:11.142-04:00<b>Start talking trash and I'll come with my Smith & Wesson.</b> I always knew that <a href="http://facebook.com">Facebook</a> was a threat to morality, but it turns out it's also a threat to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/11/israel.facebook.ap/index.html">national security</a>.<br /><br />Online networking. Don't play that game.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-73573418283596552032008-04-10T11:33:00.005-04:002008-04-13T19:30:07.647-04:00<b>I'm coming slow but speeding.</b> I must be pretty desperate if I get excited every time I come across a tidbit where some hard line Christian zealot takes a moderate--or, <i>gasp</i>, even liberal--stance on a hot-button issue. But I think this <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/130710">Newsweek</a> article is actually promising:<br /><br /><blockquote>[Kansan megachurch pastor Adam] Hamilton wants pro-choice and pro-life advocates to join forces to reduce the number of abortions and he enumerates seven areas where they could find common ground. Let both sides agree that adequate information about birth control can help prevent pregnancy, he says. And let both sides agree that the longer a pregnancy progresses, the more morally problematic an abortion becomes.</blockquote><br />I agree! I happily agree! Let's do this!<br /><br />Then, of course, I find out that my tribesmen are joining the hard line Christian zealot stance on a hot-button issue, and I get all depressed again. A pro-abstinence <a href="http://jwablog.jwa.org/node/128">website</a> for Jewish teens claiming condoms don't work? For shame, Orthodox Union, for <b>shame</b>.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-20739561103628243362008-04-10T09:10:00.003-04:002008-04-11T17:08:52.128-04:00<b>Don't cut out my paper heart.</b> Two things got me through first semester of my senior year of college: My friend Ike (Hi, Ike!) and Stone Temple Pilots. I think I was too young and oblivious in the early '90s to realize that STP got a lot of flack for not being as cool as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but Scott Weiland's howling on "Tripping on a Whole in a Paper Cup" really made me feel better when I was down. It's sort of a odd choice for comfort, but it worked for me. <br /><br />I just read a fabulous piece about the <a href="http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/stone_temple_pilots_theyre">enduring awesomeness of STP</a>, and I had to share it with you. Steve Hyden doesn't mention this, but the video for "Sour Girl," in my opinion, is really powerful. Weiland's eyes at sunrise? Swoon! Also, that song scares the crap out of me. But that's another story.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JZB_QdjUrOE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JZB_QdjUrOE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-68966236819637142362008-04-09T14:21:00.005-04:002008-04-09T14:26:29.966-04:00<b>In my Barbie world.</b> Ugh, I think part of me just died after reading <a href="http://www.phillymag.com/articles/pretty_babies/page1">this</a>. Read up to the third paragraph on the first page, and you'll see why.<br /><br />Have we as a society learned nothing from JonBenet Ramsey? Let your children be <i>children</i>, you freaks!The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-41259340444436550292008-04-09T09:11:00.001-04:002008-04-09T09:15:09.372-04:00<b>What you wish for won't come true.</b> For the record, my quarterlife crisis won me a scholarship. Booyah!<br /><br />Other people aren't so <a href="http://www.avclub.com/content/hater/what_to_call_your_dull_trivial">lucky</a>.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-7371856456885141422008-04-02T15:44:00.001-04:002008-04-03T15:57:35.894-04:00<b>In her kiss, I taste the revolution.</b> I don't usually like to bestow more attention on these sorts of hate-mongers than is absolutely necessary, but this recent <a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200804010009?f=h_latest">Rush Limbaugh</a> ramble is absolutely priceless:<br /><br /><blockquote>"You have to understand the mindset of a lot of these feminists and women...These women have paid their dues. They've been married two or three times; they've had two or three abortions; they've done everything that feminism asked them to do. They have cut men out of their lives; they have devoted themselves to causes and careers. And this — the candidacy of Hillary Clinton — is the culmination of all of these women's efforts."</blockquote><br />I can't even be bothered to criticize this. It's just too damn funny.<br /><br /><a href="http://jezebel.com/375225/rush-limbaugh-women-love-hillary-because-theyve-had-two-or-three-abortions">Jezebel</a> gives an equally good ramble in response, citing their "audacious hope that, one day, we can get past this silly paradigm you created in your head when some feminist didn't want to sleep with you because she had 'cut men out of her life.'" It's a little too easy to say that men hate feminists because feminists won't sleep with them, but wouldn't it be fantastic if that's all it was about? All you had to do was go back in time and get Susan B. Anthony to marry that random dude she rejected and <i>Voila!</i> Women would have gotten the vote 40 years earlier (We can't blame Elizabeth Cady Stanton for this because she was married. Also, I'm pretty sure she did not have two or three abortions).The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-51089096035491873582008-03-31T09:09:00.003-04:002008-04-12T00:13:20.636-04:00<b>I was a long time coming.</b> It's my blog's five year anniversary! <br /><br />Talk about committment. Jeez.<br /><br />I haven't decided yet how I want to "celebrate," so check back here for updates on this "momentous" occasion.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-54431902924346630552008-03-20T11:16:00.003-04:002008-03-20T11:44:32.251-04:00<b>That just my baby daddy.</b> You don't get a lot of marriage advocacy going on these days outside of the Religious Right, but here's a controversial suggestion from <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2185944/">Emily Yoffe</a>: Get married, then have babies. Wow! <br /><br />The rate of out-of-wedlock births among women 23 to 29 is now higher than the teen pregnancy rate. Yoffe argues that women who find themselves pregnant and don't marry the father are putting themselves and their children at a disadvantage both economically and psychologically. Part of what contributes to this problem is the lack of foresight and committment displayed by both men and women. Some of it is a class issue: College-educated men and women are significantly less likely to get divorced than their high school-educated peers. <br /><br />I would take this a step further and say that a big part of this problem is that people do not use <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/05/health/05abort.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">contraception</a>. Whether it's because of a lack of affordable and available family planning services, lack of proper sex education, or discouragment from their social and religious communities, women aren't choosing to protect themselves. Consequently, the rate of unplanned pregnancies among poor women rose 44% from 1994 to 2001.<br /><br />The problem isn't that people aren't getting married. The problem is that people won't buy condoms. Honestly, I know they're not so comfortable, but it's so much cheaper to buy a bunch of condoms than to raise a kid.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-48862981783233619602008-03-19T13:08:00.003-04:002008-03-19T13:35:11.161-04:00<b>It's freezing in the corner of my mind.</b> There's been a lot of man-hating going on in the wake of the Spitzer scandal. It seems like every woman who writes a blog or talks to you at the gym has used this as an opportunity to spew some serious anti-man vitriol. Really, I think that the Spitzer scandal is just a catalyst for releasing women's pent-up romantic anger. Of course, women are also upset because the governor of New York committed a crime and everything that entails, but there's a personal level to it as well. <br /><br />To speak in generalities, I think that women look at Silda Spitzer and see themselves in past relationships: They were deceived, mistreated, taken for granted, and in some cases cheated on while they stood by being loving and supportive. Case in point: Silda is a phenomenally talented and beautiful woman, and her husband chose to fuck uneducated whores from New Jersey. To most women, this simply does not make sense. Most talented women who have been treated like doormats by men find their lovers' actions incomprehensible, and Spitzer's decisions are no exception. Modern women posses all the characteristics that are socially valued in men--intelligence, education, ambition, earning potential--as well as the feminine virtues of beauty and warmth, AND YET this sort of shit happens.<br /><br />I do think that men are the problem. Most of the women I know have managed to find a balance between the masculine and feminine virtues, yet men seem more laddish than ever. You can say that our society is hopelessly Puritanical, and that's why Spitzer's shenanigans are being so derided, but I disagree. I think that women simply refuse to accept this sort of behavior anymore and are more vocal about their shock and disgust. Or maybe women simply haven't learned to accept that men are callous and selfish creatures who will always disappoint them and treat them like trash.<br /><br />Here's where you go <a href="http://jezebel.com/368884/jezebel-presents-the-seven-dudely-sins">wrong</a>, boys. It's time to grow up.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-87762764005831704712008-03-07T13:47:00.002-05:002008-03-07T13:58:30.842-05:00<b>They don't know it but I'm here to stay.</b> In your face, crappy Lilith <a href="http://abeth05.blogspot.com/2008/02/it-takes-strong-man-to-stand-by-strong.html">article</a>! According to a new Elle/msnbc.com <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23413243/">study</a> (my college mentor helped with the research. Pride!), men don't care if their wives make more money. In fact, just 12 percent of men surveyed said they'd mind if their wife earned more than they do, and in general men seemed happy to share the breadwinner role. Furthermore, of the approximately 75 percent of men whose wives did work, only 5 percent wished she was at home because they are "irritated by a wife who is frequently bored or boring."<br /><br />Huzzah for womanity! I feel there is hope for us smart, ambitious ladies afterall!The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-82183095915929725852008-02-28T12:14:00.003-05:002008-03-07T14:00:11.722-05:00<b>Waste me.</b> The Guardian has a really interesting/disturbing <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/27/ukcrime?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews">commentary</a> about "misogyny psychosis"--the violent, psychopathic hatred of women. Apparently Britain's been experiencing a rash of vomit-inducing violent crimes against women. This goes beyond domestic violence or rape. This is scary Jack the Ripper shit. Even more disturbing and upsetting than the individual acts of violence is the fact that friends, co-workers, lovers, even the police, knew what these guys were up to and did NOTHING. Makes you want to enact that Good Samaritan law from the last episode of "Seinfeld," doesn't it?<br /><br />Who needs a drink?The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-44284402197486981972008-02-26T22:09:00.000-05:002008-02-26T22:13:13.052-05:00<b>Now that the love is gone.</b> Do guys really talk like this? And if so, why haven't I met any who do?<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ERV4yNtSntY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ERV4yNtSntY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-918987196654432842008-02-26T20:17:00.006-05:002008-02-26T20:45:28.243-05:00<b>She didn't want to, he had his way.</b> Let's all give Israel a hearty round of applause. You let your president get away with <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/26/israel.president/index.html">rape</a>. Good for you, Israeli government. Have cigar.<br /><br />I spent a lot of time and energy while in Israel working with the <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3511393,00.html">organizations</a> trying to combat this disgusting plea bargain, so I'm especially angry. Thankfully, I'm not <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3511559,00.html">alone</a> in that. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMRcMT3DuDTPsBYkzOJ5Irr4cqfpekZ91epJO7UenCwg404R-1oQ4FRpY9X3d0GPwW6JiJQ7M2eVzw_FJFhHHQcrnCeQxscUtN9sPHHi9KV2L5nsuGUsYdCY0GGqX6dvwKJp4/s1600-h/DSCN1057.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMRcMT3DuDTPsBYkzOJ5Irr4cqfpekZ91epJO7UenCwg404R-1oQ4FRpY9X3d0GPwW6JiJQ7M2eVzw_FJFhHHQcrnCeQxscUtN9sPHHi9KV2L5nsuGUsYdCY0GGqX6dvwKJp4/s200/DSCN1057.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171468721767334178" /></a>For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll spell it out for you: Imagine that George Bush raped his secretary while president, plus a few other women while he was governor of Texas. They can't prove that he raped the other women, but they have a really good case against him about his secretary. However, under the law, while president, Bush cannot be charged with any criminal action. So he sits around the White House greeting foreign dignitaries and living off your tax dollars in the lap of luxury while Congress debates whether or not he should be impeached; they decide against this. Eventually, Bush resigns and charges in the rape case are brought against him. Meanwhile, the secretary is being subjected to the most disgusting, brutal, and insulting investigation imaginable, being forced to answer questions right down to the minute detail of her sexual proclivities. The Attorney General decides to plea bargain the case, and all Bush has to do is admit that he acted inappropriately and probably committed a few acts of sexual harassment. He will serve no jail time, and he still gets to keep his personal driver and assistant and probably his security detail (paid for with your tax dollars, of course), but he has to give up his pension (they have socialized health care in Israel, so we'll take that out of the equation). The country attends protest rallies in record numbers, and the Supreme Court weighs in on the validity of the plea bargain. In the end, Bush gets away with it and all he has to do is pay his secretary $14,000.<br /><br />If you do not think this is a complete abomination, you have no soul.The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229695.post-84713055463345248672008-02-26T16:33:00.002-05:002008-02-26T16:49:57.881-05:00<b>Candelabra's lighted.</b> All my misanthropy and disillusionment neatly and articulately presented, courtesy of <a href="http://www.austenquotes.com/">Ms. Austen</a>: <br /><blockquote>"There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense."<br />-<i>Pride & Prejudice</i>, Volume 2, Chapter 1</blockquote><br />It is amazing how little human nature changes. I've finally gotten around to reading <i>Emma</i>, and though the circumstances and social conventions are different, the reactions, motivations, and emotions exhibited by the central characters are completely relatable. You'd hope that human beings would have matured by now, but apparently not. Instead, we've just gotten rid of all the social graces and made the subtext the text. In other words, you can say any disgusting thing you want to anyone, especially on the Internet, and you won't be shunned from polite society because polite society no longer exists (no matter what "Vogue" or "New York" or the British aristocracy would have you believe). I'm glad I am not required to wear a corset, but does that mean we all have to talk like sailors?The Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700550898481356872noreply@blogger.com0