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Thursday, July 31, 2003
Rebecca posts campus-specific material
Jeers to the capus servers that rendered BearFacts and the online Schedule of Classes inaccessable for at least five hours yesterday evening. My TeleBears appointment was last night, and I foolishly forgot to write down the course control numbers for the classes I wanted, and since the Stuent Store was long-closed I couldn't purchase a paper catalog. Thus I had to wait until this morning to sign up for my courses. Luckilly, my Fall schedule includes courses like Inderdisciplinary Studies Field Major Department 100B (Introduction to Social Theory and Cultural Analysis) and Inderdepartmental Studies 145C (Multicultural Europe). Ya know, classes that never get past 75% capacity. Classes that render graduates unable to find jobs or friends. Classes that the Heuristic Squelch makes fun of.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend (or should I say Rebeccommend?) that all of my readers who are in any way funny or clever submit material to my fine magazine. submit@squelched.com. Our first issue will be handed out on Monday, August 25th, and we're accepting material until about August 17th. Become immortalized on paper and the web.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 8:56 AM
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Tuesday, July 29, 2003
My newest outrage
Since when did Plen-T-Paks switch from having 17 sticks to having 15 sticks? That's an 11.8% decrease. Will bottled sodas contain 17.65 FL OZ in the near future? Are we on the verge of 5.29-packs of beer? Will AM-PM convenience stores around the nation only be open 21.18 hours a day? What is this epidemic?
On a political note, my vote for Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 goes to Dennis Kucinich. A thorough perusal of his views and record proves that he is indeed The Progressive Choice for next year's election. Unlike many other candidates' web pages, his site contains a laundry list of issues and Kucinich's stance on each one (this format is also popular for Green candidates, probably because an unwarranted air of confusion surrounds their platform); there is nothing ambiguous about this man's politics, which no doubt contributes to the impossibility of him earning the Democrats' nomination.
I personally will not have the opportunity to vote for my new pal Dennis. I'm registered Green, which means I can't participate in the Democratic primaries. Luckilly, I would vote for Kucinich, a guaranteed failing candidate, anyway, so no matter what I'm "throwing my vote away." Such is the life of the unpragmatic bleeding-heart.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 1:45 PM
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Monday, July 28, 2003
Scratching my head
I oppose the death penalty in all forms for all crimes for all criminals. So I don't think the accused in this story, if guilty, should be put to death no matter what. However I'm a tad confused as to why hate crimes don't qualify as "special circumstances" that would warrant the strictest of punishments. Again, the comparison of hate crimes to rape is drawn in this case because rape is a special circumstance under which the death penalty applies. I would like to understand the reasoning behind a lesser sentence to criminals motivated at least in part by hate.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 2:24 PM
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Thursday, July 24, 2003
Recall this, stupid article about conservatism that, fee increase this, gay bishops that, blah blah blah
Alright, no time for sissy talk right now. My comments are still broken, I have too much homework, and my nine-to-five job is both annoying and unfulfilling, so I'm in a general mood of pissed-offedness. Out of my way, all of you!
A. Let's all be sure to wake up nice and early on November 10 so we can kick out Gray Davis and bring in some other schmuck who isn't going to do any better a job, especially with only half a term. In the meantime, let's refuse to raise taxes so we can keep cutting state jobs and conservation projects and raising student fees. Here here, state legislators!
B. Isn't one of the aspects of conservatism of which its members are so proud an adherence to tried and true values and a reluctance to change? (That's why it's called conservatism.) Isn't it also true that a hallmark of modern conservatism is to allow a free market (both economic and social) in which some will prosper and others will fail, which will inherently lead to inequality? It's a dumb article with unfair and misguided comparisons, but that's no reason to disregard everything in it. Or instead of griping, you should make a counter article in which you describe all liberals as communists who want to destroy freedom and harken in the decline of respectable morals as we know them. I'm in the mood for a laugh.
C. I'm 25-30% really ticked off about our fee increases, and I wish the people in charge would prioritize affordable education over keeping sales taxes where they are. But, I'm really not going to begrudge a fellow student receiveing that much more financial aid if his or her parents honestly can't afford the fee increase. It would be nice if I also qualified for any financial help at all, but I do recognize that my parents make almost $90,000 a year, and, while my parents couldn't begin to ever even try to think about considering helping me out (what with the credit card debt, not owning a home, my mom paying for grad school, etc.), I certainly have it a lot better than most kids in California. I'm especially lucky enough to have parents who somehow made me excited about learning and who raised me to have really awesome grammar. Even when we were quite poor, I always had access to knowledge and academic support, which is much more than most poor students can say.
D. Religious folks, or at least the ones who use their faith as leverage to discriminate, kinda freak me out.
I think the most important lesson that can be learned in all this mess is that you should visit cameltoe.org. It's good fun for the whole family.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 10:34 PM
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Wednesday, July 23, 2003
In the land of the blind, the man with comments is king
If I could somehow, with the help of God or a Dreamworks movie producer, go back in my life and make one decision differently, I would have chosen a comment server other than KlinkFamily. Honestly, what's the point of making incendiary remarks on your blog if there isn't the potential to be rubuked?
In the meantime, you should watch this riveting movie trailer. It's about a tough-as-nails high school football coach with a heart of gold who gives a boy a second chance. As he changes this boy's life, however, the coach must first grapple with his own problems at home, including a budding teenage daughter who knows her father better as a coach than as a role model. With a cameo from John Leguizamo as the sassy no-nonsense latino maid. (No, I made that last one up.)
I'm not giving up on this movie. Just you wait and see.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 10:45 AM
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Monday, July 21, 2003
Entertainment Wrap-Up
First, if you weren't there for Elvis Costello, you are so totally square. It was a great show, even if he did try to slip some new crap into the set. He didn't clutter up the show with aimless between-song banter or cheap entreaties for applause like asking "Anyone here from Berkeley?" The show reminded me of what a versitle and solid songwriter he is, and how completely lame most other music is.
Even if Elvis is the king of cool, however, none of his style or talent has rubbed off onto his fans. The audience was comprised almost entirely of yuppie hipsters, who, behind their horn-rimmed glasses and imported leather shoes, harbor a penchant for some of the worst dancing I've seen in my score of years on this planet. The most common move among men is to keep one's feet planted firmly on the ground, then bend at the waist, shaking one's hips back and forth like a jackknife; moving in alignment with the rhythm of the music is optional. For ladies, the most popular dance technique is to, again, keep one's feet stationary, then raise semi-clenched fists above the waist (shoulders for a more rockin' tune), elbows bent, and subtly gyrate one's hips; yet again, paying mind to the beat of the song is not required. For added effect, many of the dancers chose to don a facial expression of sincere enjoyment, usually expressed by biting one's lower lip and slightly squinting one's eyes. Fun was had by all, including me, who opted for a more subdued head-bob, accompanied by the occasional foot-tap.
Also on Saturday, I surprised myself by paying $7 (plus an additional $7 for my boyfriend) to see "Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl." Normally I avoid action movies like the plague, but perhaps the lure of Johnny Depp's calculating eyes and Orlando Bloom's boyish good looks were too much to resist. I was sincerely shocked at how much I enjoyed it. The formula for success was that the film didn't rely on its special effects to keep it interesting; the plot was very compelling, and the acting was both comical and believable. Anachronistic one-liners were also kept to a minimum, which is good because the main source of my reluctance to see it in the first place was the line, "You like pain? Try wearing a corset," as delivered by the leading belle and included in all the film's previews. This isn't to say, however, that the action sequences weren't exciting as all get-out. C'mon! It's skeltons! Fighting with swords! And there's a little pirate monkey that's used to maximum effect. You should go see it. I give "Pirates" an A-.
Prior to the movie, we were treated to some previews from the upcoming movie season. First was "Radio" starring Ed Harris as a high school football coach and Cuba Gooding Jr. as the mentally challenged but lovable black boy who first divides then unites a small southern community in the 1950s. A black guy portraying a retarded dude? Battling two ends of society's adversity with no weapon but his heart, and still triumphing? I smell Oscar. The Academy loves that crap. The actor's recent appearance alongside Horatio Sanz in the stereotype-driven farse "Boat Trip" may be enough to weigh him down, though. The highlight of "Radio" ought to be Cuba's fake teeth.
From the Disney cartoon factory will come "Brother Bear," a tale of a Inuit hunter being transformed into a bear and then joining the very same wildlife community as the bears he had previously killed. Along the way, he befriends an orphaned cub whos parents had been slaughtered by humans. Bonds will be made and lessons will be learned. Most importantly, five more Phil Collins tunes will be introduced into the soundtrack market. I am personally a bit confused as to why a children's movie would cast a negative shadow on hunting by the native Americans; the native people are renouned for their ability to use every last piece of the animals such that nothing is wasted. From my understanding, traditional native American hunting displayed only the highest respect for the environment and the animals on whom they depend for survival. Maybe these should be the values that Disney promotes. Maybe a better movie would feature a modern American farmer who is transformed into a female chicken, who in turn is confined to a battery cage, sits in her own waste, has her beak and claws chopped off, and whose sons are thrown into garbage bags to die because they are unfit to lay eggs. Yeah, tackle THAT one, Disney.
Finally, on the blockbuster horizon is "The Haunted Mansion" starring Eddie Murphy. (Perhaps next season will yield "Big Thunder Mountain," or some other movie derived from a Disneyland ride not yet immortalized in film.) The plot is that Eddie and his family inherit a big house, with the lone caveat being that it's inhabited by ghosts and gouls and spirits and other spookey characters from the beyond; wacky mix-ups and hilarious hijinks will ensue. I predict it will ential two hours of Eddie Murphy looking incredulous.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 1:27 PM
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Saturday, July 19, 2003
1) Pledge results
2) Where you should be tonight
3) Further proof that I'd make a swell politician
1) My faithful readers tacked 376 hits onto my site between Sunday at 8:35pm and Friday at midnight. (At around noon on Monday when I was still promising de-robing, I was on track to get about 570...I know who my real fans are.) That means I owe the California Patriot $5.64, with which I'm hoping they can purchase a sense of decency.
In the meantime, I hope I didn't accidentily imply to my readers that the Heuristic Squelch is in any way affiliated with this site or my own obnoxious political beliefs. In fact, I'd venture to guess that I am the most, well, vehemently political staff member. There's an informal and unspoken guideline at the magazine to stay semi-apolitical. However, we do our best to mock stupidity, no matter what its source.
2) At the Elvis Costello concert at the Greek Theatre, of course. Be there or be square.
3) Though name-calling isn't my argument artillery of choice, I have a forbidable arsenal of other immature ways in which to make my point and make my party members look like total dopes. (Read here.)
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 8:44 AM
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Thursday, July 17, 2003
Republicans: bad for humans, worse for animals
In midst of a 103.3 degree fever the other day, I was lying on the couch watching C-SPAN2's coverage of the House votes on the Department of Agriculture Fiscal Year 2004 Budget. (I wish I could say that I only view House votes on C-SPAN2 when I am seriously ill, but it's a common occurance for me, regardless of my health status.) The first amendment to the budget that I saw them voting on was one that would designate $800,000 to enforce anti-animal fighting (cock-fighting, for example) legislation. (Keep in mind that the entire Agriculture budget for 2004 is $77.5 billion, so $800k isn't forcing the government to break open its piggy banks just yet.) Though the amendment did pass thanks to strong Democratic support, the Republican representatives voted against it, about 150 to 70. Which constituency are the Republicans trying to impress? The powerful dog-fighting lobby of Minnesota?
The Republicans successfully helped to defeat an amendment that would prohibit human consumption of "downed" meat, the common term for meat produced from animals who were unable to stand on their own at the time of their slaughter. The right's vote was about 170 to 50 in opposition to the bill, which ended up being rejected by the House by a margin of three votes. This amendment is aimed to protect both animals and humans. If a cow cannot stand on his own, it's most likely that he is diseased or that his legs are broken, both of which are indications of abuse or unhealthy living conditions. (And I don't need to remind you that most animals farmed for their meat and byproducts are abused and live in disgusting quarters.) Humans are better off eating meat that was made from an animal in good health, that could stand on its own. (I, of course, would argue that humans are better off eating no meat at all, but that's a different matter.) This amendment would encourage farmers to take more precautions against disease and injuries, lest they lose profit on an animal who cannot stand. My colleague Kevin Deenihan also speculated that this amendment would encourage cows to not stand up.
These votes did not outrage me so much because they will have an enormous impact on the well-being of all the world's little creatures (after all, it's only the House), but because these votes were indicative of the disregard Republicans have for regulation, even if such regulation will help alleviate animal (and human) suffering. They prioritize freedom of commerce over the health of the nation. The short-term over the long-term.
On a lighter note, by Grandpa Stan Brown sent me this email and accompanying photo yesterday:
Hi Rebecca:
Speaking of nudity we thought it would be good fun to send you a
picture of yourself (all of you) as a baby, but could only come up
with such a picture of Jennifer. [My older sister] Fearing we would be labeled
pedophiles if we sent it, how about a real picture of Stan and Ruth
Brown? Attached.
We got a kick out of your references to your grandparents - and
the internet photos.
Love, G'pa B.
They're a pair of very good sports. Now you can really see where I get my good looks, and good sense of humor.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 9:37 AM
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Monday, July 14, 2003
The jig is up
How is it after weeks of getting 25-45 hits per day that today I suddenly rack up 170 before 8pm? Perhaps "rack" is the operative word. So for all you love-starved Patriot writers who are sitting in your darkened bedroom pressing F5 twenty times an hour in hopes of collecting both some funds and some fleshy visages, I have some bad news. A higher authority has stepped into this stripping matter. Namely, my loving boyfriend, whom I had yet to consult when making my initial pledge, has asked me to take it back. Not that I'm not an independent woman, but for the sake of our relationship, I need to apologize and rescind yesterday's offer. (He'd do the same for me.) Next time I promise to bare my soul and my legs to the Cal campus, I'll be sure that the man to whom that information is soley privy approves first.
But pledge number two is standing.
As is pledge number three. Bring it on, Chris.
In the mean time, I have a really nasty flu, repleat with the shakes, a fever, the chills, and inability to mentally function at my full capacity. I'll keep you posted.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 8:00 PM
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Sunday, July 13, 2003
Pure laziness
Why no posting from me? Have I been busy saving the world? No, not quite. First, I've been spending hours in the photo lab developing and printing myself to an early death, or prematurely aged hands at least; the photo chemicals are a formidable threat to my lungs and are scortching the baby-soft skin on my dainty fingers.
Also, I've been investing more than several minutes trying to defend myself on Angry Clam. He and his ideological partners are in a huff over Lawrence v. Texas. While a few of my adversaries contend that gay sex/marriage is a violation of the Biblical/moral sanctity of marriage, the majority are complaining that this Supreme Court decision is an example of the Federal government usurping powers that should belong to the state. I disagree on both accounts. A good portion of the comments I've posted on Clam are, in my opinion, well-written, clear, and are undoubtedly very good representations of my beliefs. To be perfectly honest, I do to an extent concede that my expectations of the Federal Government go beyond what is strictly and explicitly delegated in the Constituion (I'm a loose constructionist, I guess). I admit that I believe the government has a compelling interest in providing for equal rights, and thus is allowed to enforce this decision. (I sort of apologize to anyone who agrees with me that Lawrence v. Texas was a step in the right direction, but strongly disagrees with my defence of its legality.) I also think that I'm pretty good at taking shit from others. No pouting or anything! The added bonus is that I use the phrase "[The Supreme Court] decided that I get to have a penis in my butt." If that isn't commendable journalism, I don't know what is.
More importantly, mark your calendars: the first Heuristic Squelch issue of the new school year will arrive in your eager palms on Monday, August 25, 2003 at exactly 10:00am (or whenever one of the editors can drag his ass out of bed). I feel so strongly about the success of my magazine (and/or failure my blog), that I am making a pledge of honor and trust today. I pledge that if I can tally 300 hits between now and midnight this Friday (I have 2968 as of this posting, so that's a total of 3268 hits by that date and time), I will distribute the Heuristic Squelch on the opening day wearing nothing but my underwear, a smile, and maybe some flip-flops. (See, I told you I'd keep the nudity, even if my Gradma Ruth and Grandpa Stan are reading.)
And while I'm at it, I'll make another pledge. I'm so crazy! For every hit I receive between now and Friday at midnight, I'll donate one and a half shiney pennies to the California Patriot. Maybe with the extra five bucks they can hire a decent graphics artist. That's how little faith I have in my readers.
Update 11:19pm: Here is one more pledge to society. (I'm on a role.) If Chris Mathews can soundly defeat Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in a best-of-five Atlasphere challenge, I will personally comsume Tucker Carlson's best bow tie.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 8:35 PM
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Friday, July 11, 2003
Be careful what you wish for
I was very sincerely hoping that various members of my extended family would become regular readers of CalJunket. It seems, however, that my only familial fans are my grandparents Stan and Ruth Brown. They sent me an email today informing me that I would be far more qualified to sit as California governor than Gray Davis. They are quite a hoot, are very quick and sharp for anyone, let alone senior citizens, are in good health and active, and have been married for upwards of 55 years (wow!). I'm very pleased that they take the time to read my little musings.
My only concern is, now that my grandparents are reading, I may need to censor myself. Not to say that they aren't a pair of modern, open-minded Americans. It's just that I feel a little silly using naughty words if Grandma and Grandpa are tuning in. But I'm keeping the nudity.
I don't have access to any photos of my grandfolks here in Berkeley, but I did find these on Google Image Search:
This is a picture of chef Stanley Brown.
And this here is singer Ruth Brown.
You can tell where I get my good looks.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 1:04 PM
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Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Let's all do our part, and save a few bucks in the meantime
I suppose it's bad to encourage Californians to conserve resources and reduce personal spending in the midst of our "crisis." But, as I'm so often fond of saying, the economic shits come and go, but our planet is here to stay, so I've compiled a list of ways to reduce consumption of resources at home and in the office. Best of all, I think all my ideas are both simple and easy. Like a good hair color in a box.
1. Ditch paper towels. Alrighty, I suppose it's pretty nerdy to walk around with a dish cloth at your side. But if something spills on your kitchen table, give a reusable towel a try instead of tree-eating paper ones. (I've learned to carry around a cloth towel with me at all times because the photo lab very intelligently does not stock paper towels, and it's not a good idea to rub your chemical-soaked hands on your adorable stretch [96% cotton, 4% spandex] jeans.)
2. BYO Bag. At the grocery store or student store or drug store or pet store, bring along a canvas bag, your backpack, or re-use a grocery bag. Most establishments will even give you a five cent discount for using your own bags. Ooohhhhh! That's enough to buy a Bazooka Joe.
3. Read the Squelch. Okay, I admit this in itself won't do squat to conserve resources. But, after you are done enjoying the latest issue of irreverant and clever hilarity as dished out by Cal's most talented and physically attractive writers, and of course if you don't save one copy of every issue for archival purposes, recycle the magazine, pass it along to a friend (especially a friend who doesn't go to Cal or who's under 18), or give it back to us (just slide it under our door on the third floor of Eschleman).
4. Shop at thrift stores. This is a swell way to not directly consume resources or feed sweat shops. (You can argue there's an indirect demand created. But only very indirectly.) Plus the styles are always original and less expensive. If you shop at a non-profit thrift store like the Goodwill or St. Vincent de Paul's (on San Pablo & University), you're helping to give people jobs and support humanitarian efforts.
5. Only wash your hair every other day. Or every other week, if that's your game. I'm not saying cut off showering altogether, but washing your hair half as often will help greatly reduce your water consumption. You'll save some money on your gas and water bill, plus spend half as much on shampoo and conditioner. And let's not forget that everyone looks 15% more sultry and mysterious when he or she sports a slightly greasey 'do.
6. Scratch paper! This one is especially good at the workplace. I have a nice 9 to 5 (or 10 to 3:30, or 12 to 5, depending) in a non-profit office, and you wouldn't believe how much paper these tools use each day. People writing each other useless notes on Post-Its when they could just as easily communicate it with their voice. I like it when I get a piece of paper, and there's a big Post-It on it that says "5 copies," and the person giving it to me usually also tells me to make 5 copies. What a waste! And if you must write a note, you can do it on scratch paper; just dig through the recycle bin in your office to reap bounties of prefectly re-usable copy paper that's only been spoiled on one side. Also make double-sided copies whenever you can.
7. Cut back on the meat. Vegetarianism and veganism are about more than just animal rights; it also just so happens that the average American onmnivore diet requires eleven (!!!) times the water, chemicals, fertilizer, transport and other resources than your average vegan diet. That's because when you eat an animal (or an animal's byproducts) you are also necessitating the production of all the grain that the lil' pig or chicken or cow or monkey ate. You loose 90% of the food energy in plants when you feed them to animals and turn them into meat. Pretty inefficient. Anyhow, you don't even need to give up meat or milk or eggs completely; like all conservation efforts, just doing a little at a time adds up to big results. Plus you'll help lower your cholesterol, and lower your chances of colon cancer and heart disease. Everybody wins! (Excpet the pig farmers.)
Alright, I hope you find my suggestions easy and fun. God speed, all you little-bit-at-a-time conservationists in the world!
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 10:22 PM
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Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Recall the Recallers
Also, Vote Brown this November
So it seems that the Davis recall vote is inevitable. What an enormous waste of money and resources. First, "Rescue California" has raised $1.5 million just to raise the signatures, plus let's not forget that the election itself will cost California taxpayers $30 million.
Apparantly the Davis recall effort picked up steam when he tripled the car tax. So let's see here. There's a $38 billion deficit (and that is, of course, over two years, not one), and we really don't want to raise taxes. So, genuis Republicans, what are we going to do? We could raise sales tax half a cent per dollar, which in the short-term would piss rich people off because they have to shell out an additional $5,000 for every million dollars spent (boo hoo), but in the long run would help clear up our deficit and generate more money for education and public safety. Or we could fire some more police officers and teachers, which in the short-term would save some money, but in the long-run would cost society several-fold, both in intangible and monetary ways.
I'll be careful not to generalize here, but it seems that Republican legislation consistently prioritizes the short-term over the long-term. It's a battle between right this second and thirty years down the road, and immediacy always wins. Deficit? Let's cut essential programs like education and public safety so I don't have to give up a few hundered dollars on car fees. When my house gets broken into because fewer police officers are on the street and at-risk kids didn't get the educations they deserved, the last thing I'll be worried about is half a cent for every dollar. (Not to say that petty thieves are "victims" of society - of course everyone has the opportunity to choose an honest life - but the more education a kid gets, the less likely he is to steal a TV.) The envirionment? Well, while dumping waste into the Everglades may destroy an entire habitat and hundreds of species in twenty years' time, forcing sugar producers to take care of their waste responsibly would cost them extra, which would in turn make the products I consume slightly more expensive. And god forbit I have to pay an extra tenth of a cent for a box of Hershey bars.
Anyhow, back to Davis. I might actually suport a recall if I thought that anyone else could do a better job at this point. Perhaps Davis made some mistakes during this term and last, but now that the deficit is in place, what can anyone else do to "fix" it? What would anyone else do that would be better than what Davis wants to do. For god's sake, cutting programs isn't the answer, and needlessly kicking out Davis certainly isn't either.
If in fact us liberals are forced to choose a new governor this November, I have a few suggestions as to who would be the best successor:
Conan O'Brian. He'd have to relocate Late Night to northern California, but then maybe I'd finally have the means to see a taping. Also, I think it's about time that humor be injected into our drab government. Imagine an "If they mated" between Barbara Boxer and Willie Brown. Hilarity is the only logical outcome.
Strom Thurmond's corpse. He'd make the Democratic party look vibrant and fresh-smelling in comparison. Hey, he'd probably be better at balancing the budget than Arnie.
Me. I'm young, charming, athletic, and I have a genuine interest in improving the lives of all Californians. I also got a 1490 on my SATs, and if anything the College Board tells me is true, the SATs are an accurate indication of my ability to succeed in life.
On a less gubernatorial note, check out these pictures that I took for my Visual Studies 181 course.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 2:30 PM
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Sunday, July 06, 2003
May the Fourth be With You
How was everyone's Independence Day weekend? Mine was swell. My boyfriend David and I went down to my great uncle's place Tarzana (just north of LA) to hang out with my family. Uncle Art gave us some his his own brand of beer (Hollywood Blond - as found in Southern California) for the road. Then David and I went to San Louis Obispo and enjoyed some the natural beauty of that area's national parks and beaches. Today we watched "Overboard" (starring Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn in a movie that really lives up to its name - I counted at least five instances of people falling overboard during the course of the film), went to a beach and saw sea lions, and drove home. The most exciting part was that I drove at least 150 miles on the way back to the Bay. I don't yet have my license, so driving is still an exhilirating experience.
Anyhow, folks, nothing new to discuss (except how stupid the Davis recall effort is, how California taxes need to be raised, how loving freedom doesn't preclude you from criticizing your government, and of course how "inalienable" freedoms are never safe unless consistently fought for), but I hope everyone had a great and safe weekend.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 10:08 PM
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Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Oooh, anal and oral sex.....the Supreme Court finally got exciting.
So two-thirds of a primarily conservative Supreme Court said that sodomy and oral sex cannot be outlawed, not just bewteen two partners of the same sex but between any two people. (In four states, the previous law made homosexual oral/anal sex illegal, while in nine states plus Puerto Rico even heterosexual "deviance" was outlawed.) Cheers, says I.
I wish I could say I believed this was a larger watershed event for gay rights. I wish it could be discussed in the same breath as the Fourteenth Amendment or even Brown v. The Board of Education. But I'll take what I can get, with the caveat, of course, that I won't be satisfied until gay (and otherwise sexually- or gender-ambiguous) Americans are allowed to live (and marry and inherit and adopt) to the same degree as heterosexual Americans.
My hope is that this decision will play a role in slowly changing society's general attitude towards sexual non-conformity. Certainly Americans do not directly correlate their opinions with the law. But I also believe that the law and the prevailing attitudes of the populace are mutually constituative; that is, the cultural climate influences law-makers at the same time that citizens use legality as a vague yardstick by which to measure the acceptability of an act. For example, though in 1955 an enormous number of Americans hated the idea of mixed-race classrooms, there was a palpable exigence in a large part of society calling for legislative civil rights; the culture had shifted significantly since Plessy v. Ferguson, and it was now receptive and even clamoring for institutional equality. The Supreme Court, though certainly a select sub-group, is both composed of members of mass society and atune to the cultural climate, and their decisions are inextricable from the shifting opinions of American society. Further, for example, once "separate but equal" was officially (legally) defined as unconstitutional (and therefore immoral), this gave strength to and perpetuated the cultural viability of racial equality; those arguing against equality could no longer site federal law to support their ideology. Another example of law influencing culture (and vice versa) is the California public smoking laws. Many of us now have been raised in a culture where smoking is simply not acceptable in restaurants and bars by law, and this in turn strongly influences our attitudes about smoking in general; it has been legally established that smoking is unhealthy and downright nasty, so this ideology infiltrates popular opinion regardless of law. My hope is that because the Supreme Court has made the right to consentual sexual interactions among adult homosexuals inaliable, that mass culture will follow.
Wow. A husband couldn't legally poke his wife in the butt in South Carolina until last week. Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Utah, or Virginia, either.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 3:59 PM
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Tuesday, July 01, 2003
The Ultimate Fan
I saw a fellow today with the Journey scarab (as seen on the cover of their hit album "Arrival") finely tattooed on the back of his right calf.
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I was thinking of getting Steve Perry tatted onto my right butt cheek. He's dreamy.
posted by Rebecca C. Brown at 3:24 PM
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