May 1, 2015

The Avengers’ Black Widow Problem: How Marvel Slut-Shamed Their Most Badass Superheroine

The thing nobody wants to admit about Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, and the Great Superhero Slut-Shaming of 2015 is that, PR crisis aside, the BroVengers were right.

Not for calling Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow a “slut” and a “whore” in the most casually offensive way possible; Renner also managed to sneak in a “prosthetic leg” comment that earned him a side of ableist complaints to go with those heaping cries of sexism. What was lost in the outrage over their feminist-baiting fratty misogyny is that Avengers: Age of Ultron’s macho twosome hit the nail on the head regarding Marvel’s persistent problem with women.

Namely, that even Marvel’s most badass female characters keep getting exploited—and utterly wasted—just to prop up the men around them. And it’s Marvel that keeps fortifying that glass ceiling.

In 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe films thus far, strong female co-leads have only appeared in larger ensemble team-ups, primarily as lethal and emotionally impenetrable femme fatales who double as love interests (shout out to Guardians of the Galaxy’s Gamora).

Meanwhile, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America have fronted multiple stand-alones as complex superheroes with their own extended individual journeys to explore, but it’ll be another nine movies before Marvel finally rolls the dice on its first female-led superhero movie.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/28/the-avengers-black-widow-problem-how-marvel-slut-shamed-their-most-badass-superheroine.html

April 30, 2015

Rumsfeld: Looting is transition to freedom

WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- U.S. forces should not be blamed for the lawlessness and looting in Baghdad as it is a natural consequence of the transition from a dictatorship to a free country, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Friday at the Pentagon.

"The task we've got ahead of us now is an awkward one ... It's untidy. And freedom's untidy. And free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things. And that's what's going to happen here," Rumsfeld said.

"And for suddenly the biggest problem in the world to be looting is really notable."

Rumsfeld said he believes time will take care of the problem in Baghdad, as it seems to have in the southern cities of Umm Qasr and Basra, where looting has largely abated and the streets are back under relative control.


http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2003/04/11/Rumsfeld-Looting-is-transition-to-freedom/63821050097983/

April 28, 2015

Mother beats son for participating in Baltimore riots (VIDEO)

April 28, 2015

UK Election: Labour faces wipeout in Scotland.

Labour is facing electoral wipeout in Scotland as the SNP is on course to win 48 seats, one of the world's most respected pollsters has forecast.

Nate Silver, a US statistician who rose to fame after correctly predicting the outcome of the last two US presidential elections, said that no party will hold a majority in Britain after the vote May 7.

He said that the Conservatives are likely to have the most seats with 283, while Labour will be on 270, the SNP on 48, the Liberal Democrats on 24 and the DUP eight.

Ukip, he suggested will have just one seat while other parties will win 16 seats between them.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/11566965/Labour-faces-wipeout-at-hands-of-SNP-and-Ukip-will-have-just-one-MP-pollster-Nate-Silver-says.html

April 28, 2015

Fire hoses being cut?

I'm waiting for the first DUer to justify that.

April 26, 2015

Surprise, surprise. Jenner interview was all about promoting a reality show.

A new chapter has begun for Bruce Jenner. The Olympic Gold Medal winner and E! reality star will soon embark on a public journey of his transition to a woman, as he takes strides towards living the life that is more true to himself in an all new E! docuseries premiering in July.

In a public release statement on April 24 from E!, the entertainment network announced the July 26 premiere date for the upcoming documentary series detailing Bruce Jenner’s transition from a man to a woman. The new reality series will be the second for the Olympian who has starred on the E! show Keeping Up With The Kardashians for nearly eight years, but it will be the first to detail the next chapter of his life. Bruce hopes people maintain an open mind and with the positive response seen by celebrities after his tell-all interview last night, that hope could be fulfilled.

In the new documentary series, cameras will follow Bruce on the road to his new life as a transgender woman. A life he says that he was meant to live. In a recent interview with Diane Sawyer, Bruce opened up for the first time, and last time as a man, about coming to this decision to do the docuseries, particularly how Keeping Up With The Kardashians played a role.


http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Bruce-Jenner-Reality-Series-Has-Release-Date-71520.html

April 25, 2015

Looking for a good science fiction book.

And by book, I mean BOOK. I don't read from screens. Any suggestions?

April 25, 2015

Anti-vaxxers compare childhood immunization to rape

In an atmosphere where anti-vaxx activists are only slightly more popular than polio but are considerably less popular than the measles, now comes another shrill blast from an anti-vaxx group which has compared immunizing children to rape.

Yes, they went there.

The Australian Vaccination Skeptics Network (AVSNI) posted a graphic to their Facebook page on Wednesday — since taken down — with an ALL CAP headline reading: “FORCED PENETRATION.”


http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/anti-vaxxers-go-there-now-theyre-comparing-childhood-immunization-to-rpe/

April 25, 2015

Bill Maher: If you’re on a safari to kill elephants and the elephant kills you instead… ‘good’

He then turned to professional big game hunter Ian Gibson who was trampled to death last week by an elephant he hoped to bag as a trophy.

“If you make your living stalking and killing innocent animals, as professional game hunter Ian Gibson did, ” Maher said. “And you’re leading a safari to kill elephants, as Ian Gibson was, and during that safari an elephant tramples you to death… good.”

Maher made note of the late “staunch Republican” Larry Upright (“Yes, Larry Upright”) whose family wrote in his obituary “The family respectfully requests that you do not vote for Hillary Clinton.”

Saying the family honored Upright with ” a moment of Fox News on mute,” Maher added, “You know what, Larry? If you think it’s funny to campaign against Hillary Clinton in your obituary, I think it’s funny that your name is ‘Upright’ and you’re dead.”


http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/bill-maher-if-youre-on-a-safari-to-kill-elephants-and-the-elephant-kills-you-instead-good/

April 25, 2015

When I read something like this, I want to reach for my belt.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A University of Florida fraternity expelled three of its members Friday after allegations that they hurled insults and spat at a group of disabled military veterans at a Panama City resort.

Zeta Beta Tau Executive Director Laurence Bolotin said that the group made the expulsions after finding that its members had behaved inappropriately.

"I am deeply saddened that the actions of our members ruined this special event and failed to show the respect our military and their families so deserve," Bolotin said.

The incident occurred while the fraternity and veterans with the Warrior Beach Retreat were at the Laketown Wharf Resort last weekend. The veterans were there for an annual retreat meant to honor their service, and the fraternityhad a social function.

Linda Cope, founder of the warrior group, says the frat members were drunk and insulted the veterans and stole their flags.

........


One letter to Fuchs described students spitting on veterans, throwing beer bottles over a balcony and ripping flags off their cars.


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/florida-fraternity-members-expelled-insulting-disabled-veterans