Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Hell Hath No Fury Like Kate on a Good Day
If Jon Gosselin thought life with his wicked wife sucked before, he should be weight testing the beams in his new house right about now. It seems that the affair rumors between the tortured dad of eight and husband of the maniacal Kate Gosselin who belittles and tortures him on basic cable for cash and housing, are heating up.
I am amazed that this guy could find the thirty minutes away from mommy dearest and the camera crews to bang one out with the twenty-three year-old teacher. Then again, I guess he didn't! As I'm sure Kate is reminding him continuously, he can't even cheat right!
ALL THE DIRT HERE

In what we are sure will be a continuing series, we proudly present the first installment of 'Glenn Beck Has Lost His Fucking Mind.'
In this episode Glenn blubbers over our crumbling empire at the hands of the Obama administration.
Dick Cheney: How'd He Do?
Dick Cheney has been making the rounds lately defending the Bush legacy (don't laugh yet) and assuring us that our new President has made us all less safe. A look back on Cheney's proclamations from the past should make all of us feel better.
VIDEO HERE
Miss California: Gays Made Her Do it
When Carrie Prejean spoke against gay marriage during the Miss America competition, she said it was the "biblically correct" thing to do. So presumably Miss California found scripture to justify this shirtless picture.
MORE HERE
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Huggable Evangelical
By Nicholas Kristof
Sad word today from Washington that Richard Cizik, who helped lead the evangelical Christian movement away from the culture wars and gay-bashing to tackle global poverty and climate change, has been pushed out of his job. Rich had headed the Washington office of the National Association of Evangelicals, and for many years he had played a critical role in the rebranding of evangelicals.
A few years ago I wrote a column headlined “Hug an Evangelical,” about the way evangelicals were now tackling humanitarian issues like AIDS, Darfur, poverty and religious repression. That column was all about people like Rich who were using the political power of evangelicals to get the White House to pay attention to Sudan, AIDS and malaria. Most liberals are still so distrustful of conservative Christians that they don’t appreciate the significance of that shift, but it’s huge.
Travel through Cambodia, and you see child brothels closed because evangelical groups hounded the U.S. and Cambodian governments to get them shut. Visit southern Africa, and you see people who are alive today only because evangelicals nagged President Bush into launching PEPFAR, his AIDS initiative. And while it’s true that some PEPFAR money has been squandered on abstinence-only programs, that’s only a small piece of the pie (30 percent of prevention funding, or about 10 percent of the overall total). And if we’re going to make further progress on issues that I care deeply about, it will be because of coalitions between bleeding-heart liberals and bleeding-heart evangelicals.
Rich’s downfall came in an interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air, when he said he favored civil unions for gay couples. More conservative evangelicals already regarded him with great suspicion, and that was the last straw. He resigned. I realize that a defense in The New York Times will only confirm the judgment of many conservative Christians that he should have been ousted long ago. But he was a bridge-builder whose legacy is people alive today in remote villages, who would otherwise be dead of AIDS or malaria — and another part of his legacy is the respect that some liberals like myself have for the National Association of Evangelicals. I hope that someone like the Rev. Rick Warren can find a way to use Rich as a new ideological bridge so that left and right can cooperate to accomplish more in the humanitarian arena.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Powell Slams Palin, Limbaugh
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell took aim at Sarah Palin and the Republican party's emphasis on small-town values during an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakharia that will air this Sunday.
Powell also says that we should rethink its "don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuals in the military. And he tells Republicans that they should stop listening to Rush Limbaugh:
"Can we continue to listen to Rush Limbaugh?" Powell asked. "Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?"
As noted by Think Progress, Powell says:
Gov. Palin, to some extent, pushed the party more to the right, and I think she had something of a polarizing effect when she talked about how small town values are good. Well, most of us don't live in small towns. And I was raised in the South Bronx, and there's nothing wrong with my value system from the South Bronx.
And when they came to Virginia and said the southern part of Virginia is good and the northern part of Virginia is bad. The only problem with that is there are more votes in the northern part of Virginia than there are in the southern part of Virginia, so that doesn't work.
Frustrated Writer Frustrated by Being a Writer
By Owen Thomas
Every wannabe author has this fantasy of what the job is like. This fantasy usually involves writing. Ha! Ben Chadwick, a programmer with an MFA in creative fiction, has called out for help on Craigslist.
Specifically, he wants someone to work for $80 to $100 a week to market his oeuvre. He has a day job, so no time to waste "sticking his tongue into the greasy gears of the publishing machine," as he puts it. The sad thing is, with the state of the media job market, I don't think he'll have any trouble finding someone to do the work:
Slightly published fiction MFA seeking literary assistant for sending out manuscripts (short stories, mostly, as well as novel queries and maybe other stuff) to appropriate publications. The assistant would research publications, track submissions, stuff envelopes, perform some light editing, and offer criticism.
The ideal candidate would have an MFA or a BA in English/Creative Writing, some editing experience, and extensive knowledge of the literary publishing "market". It would certainly help if you have similar tastes to my own, and especially if you like my writing. (Please do not view this Craigslist post as a sample.) You MUST be located in the New York City area.
I expect this would take up about 6-8 hours per week. Pay would be $80-$100/week depending on experience. The rate is negotiable. I am readily willing to compensate for superior quality work and dedication. I would also happily critique and edit some fiction, essays, resumes, applications, etc. for you. Most of the work could be done from home. We would meet up once every week or two and you could hand me a stack of envelopes awaiting my signature. Please note, there would almost certainly be weeks without work (meaning no pay, either). Alternative arrangement suggestions are welcome. I will cover mailing costs and I might even buy you some falafel. I'm already worried that you're not getting enough to eat on your measly wage.
I will be realistic about what I'm offering here. This obviously wouldn't work as a primary job. For someone working part-time or interning already, however, it could contribute some booze money or help defray rent. I am not a slave-driver, and there is potential that this could be a long-term partnership if it works out. This would be good training for a future literary agent. And someday I will write you a recommendation that will make Jesus jealous. Hell, I'm tempted to apply for this myself.
About the author: Mr. X received his MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from George Mason University a couple years ago and has been busy paying the rent ever since. He also holds a BA in Archaeology from the University of Virginia. His tastes are primarily modern/post-modern/international. Italo Calvino, Julio Cortazar, Thomas Pynchon, J.G. Ballard, William Gibson, Haruki Murakami, David Foster Wallace, Jack Kerouac, Robert Coover, Nathanael West, Kurt Vonnegut, John dos Passos. He works in the financial sector (tick-tock) and rides the MTA home to Queens.
Basically, Mr. X has a complete apathy/loathing for the submissions process itself, and not enough free time, either, because of his day job. He has written some worthy short stories but hates sticking his tongue into the greasy gears of the publishing machine, and he never has enough stamps anyway. So, he has been sitting on some good work for several years and would like to see it get printed — and write more.
Oh, and how did I know Mr. X was Ben Chadwick? The academic credentials he presented made finding his LinkedIn profile a snap. Turns out Chadwick has first-hand experience in poorly paid publishing work: He worked as a "slave" for La Cucina Italiana, a magazine, before finding work in financial services.
Oh, and? Chadwick and I attended the same school in northern Virginia, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, five years apart. Ben, look me up at the next reunion. I'll share some writing tips. For free.
Brits Starting to Make Americans Look Graceful as Suicide is Broadcast on UK Reality Show
So much for the diminutive British! The assisted suicide of an American named Craig Ewert was broadcast on a British reality show Wednesday immediately casting all Americans addicted to homegrown brain-drain reality programing in a more positive light.
Ewert's death was recorded at a Swiss clinic by a film crew in 2006 and had been shown on Swiss television previoulsy.
MORE HERE