July 2008

1. Sastre Wins Tour de France, Does anyone notice? The Tour is got a lot of ground to make up without Lance.
2. Beijing is hiding it’s mess! If your property isn’t pretty enough the government is coming through with a bulldozer and knocking it down. If you refuse to move, then a wall will be erected in front of your business to hide it from the tourists’ view.
   

   “A veil of green plastic netting”

   “surrounded by a 10-foot-tall brick wall”

   “the city razed the poor Tianqiao neighborhood and transformed it with shopping malls, wider streets and subdivisions…The wall did not go up easily…After a brief shoving match, a little demonstration unfolded…Mr. Song hung three Chinese flags from the trunks of trees — and three white flags emblazoned with the 2008 Olympic logo. A migrant worker climbed a ladder and stuck up a poster that said, “Need Human Rights!!!”

   Last Tuesday, Ms. Sun, 57, sat alone in the dining room of the restaurant, surrounded by her cats. Festive paper lanterns hung in the dining room, which smelled of cat litter and decay. It was 4 p.m., and Ms. Sun was still in her pajamas.

   “I don’t really want to oppose the government,” she said, breaking into tears. “For those of us who have lived through the Cultural Revolution, this life is like heaven.”

   The city has bullied her to leave. One night last year, a bulldozer slammed into the building. Neighbors are paid to keep watch over her, and they notify the police when she has guests. Ms. Sun said officials pressed her doctor into refusing to give her care.

   Her building is falling apart. The government, for the sake of appearances, has put up scaffolding with green netting around it. As the runners pass her home in August, it will be easy for spectators to miss the posters, begging for help, taped to the door.

   China makes me sad.

3. There was a funeral the other day in the Midtown offices of Hachette, the book publisher, to mourn the passing of what it called a “dear friend.”Do any of you still use, or even own cassette tapes?
4. McCain says he could support 16-month Iraq timetable. What a flip-flopping douche.
5. What if your boss used this search string to see if you were hireable:
   

   “[First name of a candidate]! and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm!”

   Well that’s what the Justice Department used. A non-political department has been deeply entrenched by Bush and the Republican agenda. What an utter failure! Our current administration is such a joke.

Nike pulls ads. Statement from ESPN:

“Nike is strongly opposed to discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation. The advertisement in question is based purely upon a common insight from within the game of basketball — the athletic feat of dunking on the opposition, and is not intended to be offensive. However, after listening to concerns expressed around specific executions, we have decided to drop them from the campaign to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace.

Nike has a strong record of support for diversity and is proud to have been honored with a 100 percent score over several consecutive years in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index.” [source]

Finally. [my source was towleroad]

Also, my blog received it first hate comment today. Does that mean I’m doing something right? If someone took the time to actually comment, lol.

I approved the comment. LOL. It makes me smile.

Are these Nike ads homophobic?

Let me know what you think.

In my opinion, yes, they are. They perpetuate the idea of male closeness as being something bad. Yes, I get that even if the athletes were gay, having sweaty balls slapped on your forehead wouldn’t be the most pleasant thing. However, the designer is exploiting the fact that many straight men in the sports world find it gross to even touch another man.

It may not be blatant homophobia, such as the Snickers ads. here & here. The second is pretty much gay-bashing.

The Nike ads are subtle jabs.

Freedom of speech is freedom of speech, and there isn’t much we can do about that. However, no more Nikes for me. Oh, wait… I’ve never purchased Nikes in my life. Crisis averted.

Blog Links regarding Nike ads: The Gay Recluse, Towle Road.

On another note, Here are some bullet links that aren’t related.
+ Comic about McCain.
+ Janet Jackson Boob has been Freed.
- 14% of LBGT will vote for McCain. What the FUCK!?
+ My new desktop at work. I might actually make my own like this. It’s a great idea.
+ Backyard Torch. WANT.
+ Pretty Fire Extinguisher. WANT.
- Just say NO to another Stimulus Check.