Friday Random Ten and Cat Blogging - "Today I Learned What Poutine Is"

Oh god. Poutine. Some weird Canadian fries with cheese curds and gravy. I had a heart attack just hearing about it.

ANYWAY. Ten songs, at random:

1. Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire
2. The Decemberists - California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade
3. The Beatles - Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4. Cibo Matto - Know Your Chicken
5. Flogging Molly - Factory Girls
6. Dropkick Murphys - In the Streets of London
7. They Might Be Giants - Violin
8. Barenaked Ladies - Jane
9. Modest Mouse - The Good Times Are Killing Me
10. DeVotchKa - You Love Me

The kitties are very clever. They recently learned how to open my bedroom door, and when they'd decided I'd slept enough, would come for me. So I started locking the door. But apparently the lock on my door is terrible, because they've figured out how to open it anyway, by throwing themselves against the door until it comes open. I miss sleeping in on weekends.

Audrey will come for you in your sleep.

Here is a man who knows what he's doing.

from Pandagon.

McCain gets Barack-rolled

See, this is what happens when you use a green background. People can have all kinds of fun with it.

Our future Vice President.

Give 'em hell, Joe.

Friday Random Ten and Cat Blogging - "Aware of All Internet Traditions"

Meet the kitties:


That's Sally on the left, and Audrey on the right.

Sally is the quiet one. She is also very cuddly, but doesn't like other people very much. Her hobbies include hiding and knocking over the water dish.

Audrey is the opposite of Sally. She doesn't like to be held, but gets her attention in other ways, like putting herself in front of what you're doing, or getting tangled up in your feet when you walk. Her hobbies include biting toes and exploring the refrigerator.

And now, the random ten:

1. Hooverphonic - Human Interest
2. The Pillows - My Foot
3. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
4. Benny Goodman - April in Paris
5. OK Go - Get Over It
6. Simon & Garfunkel - For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her
7. Barenaked Ladies - Blame It On Me
8. Cake - Mexico
9. The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
10. The Decemberists - The Gymnast, High Above the Ground

I avoided watching the last night of the Republican convention last night in the interest of keeping my blood pressure at normal levels. I had originally planned to start this blog after the conventions were over, but with all that was going on with Sarah Palin over the weekend I couldn't wait.

The Daily Show is the best for news.

Here's Jon Stewart with clips of Republican talking heads complaining about sexist treatment of Sarah Palin, along with other clips of them giving the exact same shit to other women in politics, like Hillary Clinton.

West Wing - "Is this a hazing?"

Here's a West Wing clip, because immersing myself in politics always makes me want to watch the show. This is one of my favourite scenes.

Black holes!

Hurray for black holes!

You don't get to do this.

It wasn't hard for me to pin down my biggest problem with the whole Sarah Palin situation. I have any number of issues with the woman herself, as a candidate. Hopelessly unqualified, anti-choice, anti-gay, engaging in abuses of power, and a liar. But the biggest problem I have is with the way the Republicans are handling it.

From Politico:

Said McCain adviser Carly Fiorina: “Because of Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the presidency and the treatment she received, American women are more highly tuned than ever to recognize and decry sexism in all its forms. They will not tolerate sexist treatment of Gov. Palin.”

Also, Lindsey Graham:

“Would a man be asked this question? Probably not,” the South Carolina Republican said in an interview with Politico.

“Did anybody ask [Democratic vice presidential nominee] Joe Biden [similar questions] when his tragedy hit him?”

No. The Republican party has spent years - decades - making sexist attacks on Democratic women and calling it good politics, calling us whiners when we object to it. They do not get to suddenly decide to use this for themselves. They don't get to appropriate the language of choice and feminism when they're the ones who fight the hardest against us.

I would love it if this were a genuine change. If, overnight, the Republicans did a 180 and realised that sexism is real, that women can be judged on more than the state of their family, and that we really do have the right to decide what to do with every part of our own bodies, that would be amazing. But that's not what's happening here. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised at it - that they're turning our language back on us when it's politically expedient - but just because I'm not surprised doesn't mean I'm any less angry.

Peggy Noonan: Palin pick is "bullshit".

I love this. Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy were on MSNBC with Chuck Todd today. After their segment was over, they kept talking about Sarah Palin. And the mike was hot. Hot like a hot thing. I've seen this all over the interwebs, and the traditional media has picked it up too.

As giddy as I have been over watching the Republican party implode over the weekend, I know it is important not to get overconfident. Karl Rove is still working for McCain (well, probably it's the other way around), they've stolen elections before, and we still have the expectations game with Palin - what if she hits it out of the park with her speech tonight? After all, as a great woman once said, if the whole thing is she can't tie her shoelaces and it turns out she can, then that is the ball game. I mean, it's a pretty big what-if, but it's there. Hubris isn't good for anyone.

That aside, I'm feeling better about our chances now, with this election, than I have in a long time.

I love the Large Hadron Collider, I really do.

Maybe not as much as these guys, though.

Welcome to Rose City Riot!

I have been yelled at for not having a political blog. Since I don't enjoy being yelled at, here is Rose City Riot. This blog will be about progressive politics (natch), both local and national, focusing in particular on feminism and the religious right.

I am a native Oregonian, and a Portland resident for the past ten years, except for a brief jaunt out to Germany. I came back, though, and I'll be here until the volcanoes and earthquakes come for me. I've had an interest in politics since I started watching the West Wing, and it became more serious after the 2004 elections. I spend entirely too much time online, but when I'm away from the computer, I can be found riding my bike on the waterfront, reading almost any kind of book, or trying to knit.

Since I am aware of all internet traditions, you can expect to find the usual Friday things here, when I remember them. Hopefully they will not constitute my only posts.