I had to write this for a class on Politics and Civil Rights. We were supposed to write "observations" and not "opinions," but as I go to an art school where gen eds are geared toward border-line retards, I figured I'd just been an asshole about it.

Vice-Presidential Debates 2008:  Observations
The Vice Presidential Debates of 2008 were sure to be momentous.  Unlike previous elections, the VP debates gained more attention than ever before, due to the unlikely choosing of the young, inexperienced, female Sarah Palin as Republican VP candidate in an election people are choosing to make a battle of sexism vs. racism.  When pitched against Joe Biden, a talented debater with even more senate experience than Palin’s running-mate, John McCain, millions of Americans tuned in to see what would happen – if Palin’s charisma could compensate for her previous slip-ups with the media.
 
The debates, and the after effects, ended up being largely uninteresting – like the rest of Palin’s time in the spotlight, her supporters were charmed by her inadequacy, and chalked up her ignoring of debate rules in deferring questions and changing subjects as her being stubborn and independently minded. At best, Palin’s performance could be described as unprepared.  “When Gwen Ifill asked a question Palin did not have a notecard answer for--whether she agreed with Vice President Cheney's egregiously overreaching interpretation of the constitutional role of the vice president--the answer was ladled up straight from the Palin linguistic smorgasbord”  (Hirshman). 
 
 I had been looking forward to the debates just as much as anyone else hungry for the downfall of Sarah Palin.  But it’s pretty hard to define a “downfall” when the competitor disregards rules and regulations completely, despite the fact that both the Republican and Democratic camps agreed on a less challenging debate platform for the vice presidential nominees.  Palin at one point blatant stated, “I may not answer the questions the way that either the moderator or you [Joe Biden] want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people” (Times), the pinnacle of her image as a straight-talking fellow American rather than a conventional politician.  Forget the fact that Palin has plenty of time to talk straight to the American people on her own time at rallies, during interviews, etc. – one must cover one’s own ass if she plans on winning, especially when she has no idea how to do anything but spew lines off note cards about energy plans and health care and tax reform. 
 
Palin gets credit where it’s due – she didn’t make herself look like a complete idiot, and her outfit was fit for the red carpet, and apparently to many reputable news sources, that’s enough to make you the declared winner.  What I find disheartening is that many who praise her for her charm on camera are obviously not listening to what she’s actually saying; she actually winked while talking about her track record of reform.  It may have been cute when talking about moose hunting and beauty pageants, but not when trying to set your muddled past straight to the American people.  That’s just plain fishy.
 
I personally find it astonishing and sickening that people are scratching their heads over who the winner of the debate could possibly be, when if this had been a debate team competition in high school, Palin would have been obliterated by her coaches for appearing uninformed about both the subject matter of the debate and disrespectful of the format and the rules.  Perhaps it’s a testament to American audiences – an attractive woman is always more entertaining to watch than a white-haired man getting choked up about his son-away-at-war, but when the attractive woman isn’t parading around stage in a bikini and a crown and is instead trying to argue why she deserves to be a heartbeat away from running the country, one must stop and wonder if this country is even worth saving in the first place.
 
611 words
Works Cited
Hirshman, Linda. "Sarah Palin, Mean Girl." The Nation. 3 Oct. 2008..
Times. "Vice-Presidential Debate Transcripts." 2 Oct. 2008. New York Times. .

6/4/2008, 1:38 p.m. EDT The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Thieves seeking copper to sell as scrap may have stolen an 8-foot statue of Jesus Christ off a cross in Detroit. Problem is, it's made of plaster.

The Rev. Barry Randolph says the statue at the Church of the Messiah is a green color and looks like copper. The church has made a public plea for help.

It's unclear when the statue was snatched. A parishioner noticed it missing recently, and a small piece of plaster was found nearby.

Source

6/4/2008, 1:38 p.m. EDT The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Thieves seeking copper to sell as scrap may have stolen an 8-foot statue of Jesus Christ off a cross in Detroit. Problem is, it's made of plaster.

The Rev. Barry Randolph says the statue at the Church of the Messiah is a green color and looks like copper. The church has made a public plea for help.

It's unclear when the statue was snatched. A parishioner noticed it missing recently, and a small piece of plaster was found nearby.

Source

SAO PAULO, Brazil - A Roman Catholic priest who floated off under hundreds of helium party balloons was missing Monday off the southern coast of Brazil.
Rev. Adelir
Antonio de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday afternoon, wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute.

He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.
Gallas said by telephone that the priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in
Paranagua, Brazil's second-largest port for agricultural products.

Rescuers in helicopters and small fishing boats were searching off the coast of Santa Catarina state, where pieces of balloons were found.

In a campaign where demographics seem to be destiny, one of the most striking factors is the segregation of voters by age. In state after state, older voters have formed a core constituency for Mrs. Clinton, who is 60, while younger voters have coalesced around Mr. Obama, who is 46. Age has been one of the most consistent indicators of how someone might vote — more than sex, more than income, more than education. Only race is a stronger predictor of voting than age, and then only if a voter is black, not if he or she is white. Age is likely to play a particularly strong role in the Democratic primary Tuesday in Pennsylvania. The outmigration of young people has left the state with the second-highest proportion of people over 65 in the country, after Florida. Fifty-eight percent of registered Democrats are older than 45, a consistent dividing line in the race. ...According to exit polls conducted by Edison/Mitofsky in the states that have voted so far, 57 percent of voters 65 and older have supported Mrs. Clinton and 36 percent have supported Mr. Obama. Most of the Clinton voters say they want a candidate with experience. Of voters age 30 and younger, 59 percent have supported Mr. Obama and 38 percent have supported Mrs. Clinton. Most of Mr. Obama’s supporters say they want change. ...“If I was in my 20s, maybe I’d support Obama,” said Germaine Donahue, 64, who lives in Sullivan County, in northeastern Pennsylvania, and helps run a cleaning service. “But life tempers you. I’m with Hillary.”

Source.

Reactions to small dick! Date: 2008-03-04, 2:52PM CST I have a very small penis. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've come to terms with it and now I've even found someone who will date me in spite of it. Nevertheless, the moment when I expose myself has always provided a bit of consternation and some interest moments. At the suggestion of some others on other board, I'm posting a few anecdotes based on this experience. Enjoy. From a blonde who was chewing gum at the time..."So, I mean, is this it???" "Yikes, Andrea said you were small but...wow!" From another girl, holding it between her index finger and thumb, "Why don't you just use your hand." I had just gone home with a girl who provided some 420 fun, "Wow...I hope you know how to eat this cooch!" From a girl who gave me oral, "Well at least there's no chance I'll gag!" Doggystyle and balls deep, "C'mon baby, you can do it!" From a sweet girl with a complete look of shock, "Well, it makes your balls look really big." "Oh, cute. It's like a little button!" "Do you think it'll ever get any bigger?" "Do you mind if I just rub it for a while?" And after I came, "Wow, I never thought something so small would make such a mess!" From the drunk girls... "You've got to be kidding me! Can I take a picture of that!?!?" Giggling..."I've seen small cocks before but goddam" "Sorry, but this is just f'ing pointless!" As soon as I lowered my pants, "You poor thing!" After sex and cuddling, "I should hook you up with my friend Stacy. She was saying that small dicks don't bother her." Mean drunk girl, "I seriously think this is the size of a paperclip. I mean one of those bigger ones." She actually got a paperclip out of her purse and compared. On breaking up.. "Good luck ever finding someone who wants that pindick." "I'm telling every single one of my friends that you have a three inch cock. Keep fucking whining and I won't even exaggerate that much!" "I lied. It is by FAR the smallest fucking cock I've ever seen." When I found out she was cheating and demanded the truth, "Oh my God, you sniveling little fuck. Because his cock is long and fat and I can actually feel it slide into me."

A while ago some fuck on the internet created Muxtape, a website where you register a URL and then upload up to 11 tracks to share with friends and other users. The website has proven to be a marvelous creation -- I've been able to send my own muxtape to my friends (and turn them on to some new music), share it on facebook and myspace, and through AIM conversations. Last night, I was playing DJ at a party (with a macbook -- nothing too serious) and decided to bring up a few muxtapes. It was awesome! In an age where music sharing has become integral to socializing and accessible from any computer, the muxtape is a great idea that lives up to its expectations.

My muxtape: HTTP://FAT.MUXTAPE.COM

Current Tracks (you can listen to all of these right now!):

1. Jamie Lidell - Wait for Me
2. She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay?
3. Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
4. Pavement - Folk Jam
5. Josh Rouse - Pittsburgh
6. Enemigo - Rotten
7. Stephen Malkmus - Ballad of a Thin Man (Bob Dylan cover from "I'm Not There" soundtrack)
8. New Buffalo - The Cemetery (Architecture in Helsinki remix)
9. M. Ward - Vincent O'Brien
10. The Mountain Goats - Lovecraft in Brooklyn

What have you been listening to lately? Make your own and share it!

This article is great for many reasons:

I'm not going to say who's playing top or bottom in that statement, but feminism and porn have been like Crisco and condoms for decades, and feminist positions (ahem) on porn are diverse. They often boil down to the notions that porn is degrading to women, abusive, encourages rape and violence against women, and reinforces sexual domination, coercion and humiliation of women. ... Except for all the cool-headed women currently identifying as feminist and doing sex work and loving porn, like Young, Nina Hartley (nina.com), Carol Queen, Susie Bright (susiebright.blogs.com/), all the women behind Spread magazine, plus oodles more.

...The whole notion that a girl can get off watching porn, be in it, make it, and view sex work as positive — and be feminist — remains confusing for many. Women like Young have their politics about women and sex down pat; meanwhile ever-increasing thousands of women watch and enjoy all kinds of porn for personal gratification. Not because their boyfriends read an article in Maxim that gave them 10 easy steps to convince her to watch "I've Never Done This Before No. 48." Because women get off on explicit sexual imagery, and there's not only data and studies to back that statement, but hoards of girls with vibrators in one hand and a mouse in the other voting with each click on RedTube.com or Fleshbot.com. The privacy of the Internet has changed how we women enjoy and consume our sex toys — and porn is one of those toys, thank you very much. And we totally know who we're exploiting when we watch gay male porn. Um, the gay male feminists, of course.

...Let's not forget: Most mainstream porn is generally racist and sexist; it's full of sex acts people don't actually do when they really get off, and crazy-unsafe behavior. It's supposed to be fantasy, but much of mainstream porn plays on viewer's assumptions that sex is bad and shameful — the male "raincoater" slinking into porn stores is actually, sadly, the target consumer for mainstream porn. The attitudes are prevalent, but just as dated as Jay Leno making fun of gay people.

Seeing these porno-geezers headed to die off like the dinosaurs and the DVD, the Feminist Porn Awards wanted to participate in the growing popularity of sex-positive, non-formula porn. ... But "sex-positive" and "feminist" are catchphrases that might make it seem like a shy, soft-focus film fest. Quite the opposite, ma'am: Take one look at edgy, hardcore winners like "Bondage Boob Tube," local dyke and trans flick "In Search of the Wild Kingdom" and mainstream winners like Vivid Video's "Jenna Jameson is the Masseuse" and Tristan Taormino's "Chemistry" (also Vivid Video), and it's a range of diversity in sex acts from the extreme to the whimsical, explicit and sublime.

No doubt it's been a long, drawn-out battle between established writer, director, and actor Woody Allen and those that epitomize "kitsch," but it has finally materialized into a lawsuit against American Apparel, for "blatant misappropriation and commercial use of Allen's image." Hey hipsters, here's a protip: How about asking for permission before using an image from someone's film and pasting above it "WOODY ALLEN IS OUR SPIRITUAL LEADER" and finding out if he endorses your shit to begin with? According to Defamer.com, Allen is suing for $10mil, and is offended and pissed off.

A wave of violence against emo kids is spreading across Mexico, with the music fans being attacked by mobs in the street, and further threats of large-scale attacks in Tijuana during the forthcoming Feria de San Marcos, the annual national fair. The attacks are reportedly coming from metal, punk and rockabilly music fans who dislike the emo look and attitude, according to LA Weekly’s Daniel Hernandez. On March 7 around 800 young people in the city of Querataro amassed against emos in the city resulting in many violent attacks, and a week later a similar incident occurred in Mexico City. Emos in both cities responded to the attacks by marching peacefully through the center of the cities. Meanwhile, Chile is also seeing a wave of violence against emo, with TV station Chilevision showing an attack on a group of PokEMOns by skinheads. Emo’s in Chile are known as PokEMOns.