Indiana
updated
11:02 a.m.
Shaker Radelica sent me this article in the Boston Globe about a study done by researchers at West Point and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, British Columbia, Michigan, and Washington universities, who found that "white males got higher customer satisfaction ratings than women or people of color, whether they were doctors, university bookstore employees, or staffers at a golf course." I don't know the d...
Shakespeare's Sister - 10:30 a.m.
Left display window: mannequins in Diesel underwear (and one with a hat, one wearing bow tie, and the other sporting a bandana), and the slogan -- EQUALITY IS THE BOTTOM LINE. Continue reading "Wait -- is it my imagination, or is Saks Fifth Avenue satirizing the gay marriage assimilation agenda?"... ...
bilerico.com - 10:29 a.m.
Former US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara has died at age 93. Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of Vietnam and spent the rest of his life wrestling with the war's moral consequences, died early Monday at his home in Washington, the Associated Press reported, citing his wife, Diana. He was 93, a...
Shakespeare's Sister - 9:44 a.m.
Good morning (unless it isn't where you are), and welcome to a new feature at Shakesville: Bread and Teaspoons. ( Edit : this week only, feel free to comment with, well, y'know, comments. After that, we'll try and keep it to just directly-relevant comments.) What's the idea, you're asking? Well, I'm gonna tell you. Consider this one as in honour of the US' Independence Day, in hopes of helpin...
Shakespeare's Sister - 9:44 a.m.
GLSEN has created a web form to thank the Education Department for appointing Kevin Jennings as the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education for the Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. I posted about how the FRC started a campaign against Jennings this past week, going so far as to take a full page ad out in the Washington Examiner full of misleading quotations from Jen...
bilerico.com - 9:44 a.m.
Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski in Away We Go Directed by: Sam Mendes / Written by: Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida Talking about what this movie isn't seems somehow more appropriate: It is not a Man-Child Makes Good film, although it is a little bit about growing up. It is not a pregnancy/baby film, although it is a little bit about expecting a baby. It is not a romantic comedy, although i...
Shakespeare's Sister - 8:29 a.m.
That's the message from the Times this morning, which looks at a trio of region politicos who are reportedly looking to stoke the rumor mill over their potential candidacies in 2012. Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez has been patrolling the Hoosier state in recent weeks in search of community leaders willing to talk to him about who should be the next governor. [...] Hammond Mayor ...
Blue Indiana - 8:28 a.m.
A women-only pharmacy -- according to reports , possibly the first of its kind in North America -- is opening in Vancouver on Tuesday. This pharmacy is designed to offer a comfortable, open environment, woman-specific information and non-judgmental counseling. They are also planning to add a "resource centre behind Lu's to get more health information from volunteers and peruse the library, whi...
bilerico.com - 8:28 a.m.
Shaker Liiiz (pictured far right) What the hell is with that disapproving look on your face? What the hell are you trying to do, escape?? What the hell are they drinking??? What the hell???? [See also: Deeky , Liss , evilsciencechick , katecontinued , ClumsyKisses and Mistress Sparkletoes .] ...
Shakespeare's Sister - 7:30 a.m.
We've reported about queer behavior in the animal kingdom previously on Bilerico ( gay penguins ! more gay penguins ! even more gay penguins ! still even more gay penguins !), so I don't know how we missed this bombshell of an announcement from the scientific community last month: same-sex behavior can be found in nearly all - all! - species in the animal kingdom! That's right! While...
bilerico.com - 7:29 a.m.
"We found something in each other that made us happy and kept the dark side of existence a little farther away from our demanding, difficult lives. We only had a short time together, enough time to begin to hope that things could progress and life could change from loneliness to love, and then he was murdered by two fellow soldiers. Stolen away from his family, friends and me. You never know when...
bilerico.com - 4:59 a.m.
Reggie, a puppet monkey, corners people on the street to ask them about their heterosexuality. Brings things into perspective for a majority who's not used to justifying themselves and their heterosexual practices. This short was part of the award-winning block of shorts entitled "Mike's Shorts". These shorts won the Best Script/Writing Award at the 2008 Cottage Grove Regional Film ...
bilerico.com - 4:19 a.m.
Last week, the four of us laid our friend Bob to rest in the memorial park where three generations of his family are buried. He had just turned 73, and wanted his bones to be buried beside those of a beloved grandfather, rather than the parents who cold-shouldered him after he came out. Tyler, Adam and David, who are gay male associates of mine, had tended Bob during his final weeks of dying from...
bilerico.com - Sun 2:48 p.m.
Well, since she got quite a bit of coverage on this site, Sarah Palin's resignation deserves at least a mention. Her speech is after the jump, which makes so little sense it's fun to watch. It won't be long before someone autotunes Palin's speech. Personally, I'm not buying any of the main theories about why she's quitting other than the money she could be making on speaking tours. Sure, th...
bilerico.com - Sun 2:03 p.m.
Letters to the editor | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind. Are some of these people on drugs or something? What else would explain their complete lack of anything resembling logic? ...
Left-Hand Play - Sun 12:29 p.m. - 7 clicks 
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) signed a bill yesterday that allows same-sex couples to register as domestic partners and thus gain certain rights like hospital visitation and survivor benefits. As an erstwhile Cheesehead, who met my now-spouse while we were both graduate students at UW-Madison, this comes as happy news. Wisconsin is, in fact, the first state to offer such benefits after enacti...
bilerico.com - Sun 12:29 p.m. - 4 clicks
We have nothing to fear but fear itself. North Korea is only flexing muscles, and we have all needed to unflex them. The head of the U.S. Pacific Command said there is no reason for people in Hawaii to be concerned with North Korea’s missile launches. The reassurance came after reports that North Korea fired at least [...]...
Manfredeye - Sun 10:25 a.m.
The folks at CollegeHumor have created a brilliantly witty and well-shot short parody of West Side Story , updated for the information age. For example, "I Feel Pretty" becomes a bouncy number about Twitter ("I'm on Twitter/I'm on Twitter"), while "Maria" morphs into "Pandora," which extols the virtues of the popular music site. Most notable, perhaps, is the "America" parody. While two gir...
bilerico.com - Sun 10:25 a.m.
Okay, so maybe that's being a little too... dramatic. (I know, I know. You're all stunned that I'd be overly dramatic... grins) After I posted about our upcoming redesign, Alex left a comment saying he hoped I'd finally change my user icon from the one with my little dog Fritz. I did; I picked a photo of me thinking about a blog post I was writing, turned it black and white, and didn't t...
bilerico.com - Sun 10:25 a.m.
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bilerico.com - Sun 8:07 a.m.
click to enlarge As with most of you, I sat in shock watching the train wreck yesterday. Sarah Palin stood on her lawn and resigned as Governor of Alaska. As hard as I tried, I looked deeply into the background behind Palin and failed to see Russia, but I digress. I am one of those who thinks Palin is going to run for President. She mentioned how she wanted to change things form the outs...
bilerico.com - Sun 8:07 a.m.
A special edition of Radio Shakesville has been released from the vault and is now available for download. It can be had by visiting here or via iTunes here . A complete list of songs used in this show is here . ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Sun 6:41 a.m.
Davey Wavey tells us how to find a boyfriend. I've already got one, but if Davey wants one, I'm willing to be generous. He's cute as a button and seems rather grounded. ...
bilerico.com - Sun 6:41 a.m.
"There is a big divide between rural and urban India, and it is by no means an exaggeration to say that the Indian public opinion is overwhelmingly against homosexuality. To court popular support, it is possible that some blatantly anti-gay laws might be enacted. Same-sex marriage and adoption might well be proscribed. "Such possibilities notwithstanding, the High Court judgement is a step in ...
bilerico.com - Sun 4:46 a.m.
I first posted this here last year, and I thought it was worth repeating. When I was a kid I was very outgoing in putting up displays for the holidays -- Memorial Day, Christmas, the Fourth of July -- I liked the flags, the lights, the stuff. It was cool to make a big splash. But as I grew up I grew out of it, and today I don't go much for things like that. I don't have a flag to fly on nati...
Shakespeare's Sister - Sat 3:51 p.m.
South Korea reports that the North has fired 7 scud missiles off the east coast. This comes two days after the 4 test missiles. This is surely a violation of U.N. resolutions and an apparent message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said three missiles were fired [...]...
Manfredeye - Sat 6:58 a.m.
I'm out in the wilderness, enjoying a weekend of familial bliss and pure Americana. Here's to hoping that your holiday weekend is wonderful -- despite likely being wet. Regular scheduled programming will return tomorrow. ...
Blue Indiana - Sat 6:58 a.m.
The Indiana Senate Democrats launched a new video today touting everything they've done this year to support military service members and public safety officials. One of the super awesome laws they passed this year was HEA 1258; it allows motorists with a former POW specialty license plate to park in a metered space without cost or length of time limitations. Here's a fun game! ...
bilerico.com - Sat 6:58 a.m.
"No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots." --Barbara Ehrenreich ...
bilerico.com - Sat 6:58 a.m.
What a week for the Bilerico sites this has been! First we were named one of the Advocate's "Top Political Blogs" and then we c elebrated our second birthday with news of an upcoming redesign . Let us know what you like and don't like about the site so we can incorporate your suggestions! While you're waiting for new posts to start again after the holiday, here's the best posts from this wee...
bilerico.com - Fri 4:01 p.m.
Pauly Shore, who I'm fairly certain found his way back from the wilds of oblivion by following the scent of this post , just showed up back in civilization in order to consult with an attorney about suing Sacha Baron Cohen for, I shit you not, allegedly stealing Shore's idea of adopting an African baby as a plot device. (No word on whether Shore will also be suing Madonna.) In any case, this st...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 3:44 p.m.
Happy Fookin' Fourth (Observed), Shakers! Belly up to the bar, and name your poison! Shaxco's Michael Bay Brand Super-Sparklers (Now with Extra Sparks!) are available for purchase behind the bar. ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 3:44 p.m.
In the last few years, the rightwing Christian supremacist brigade, who used to refer (and often still do) to America as a "Christian" nation, has taken instead to referring to America as a "Judeo-Christian" nation and waxing nostalgic about its "Judeo-Christian" traditions. Partly that's a reflection of the rightwing's special interest in Israel, from the neocons' regard for it as an important M...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 2:20 p.m.
UPDATE: Moving this to the top of the page for a bit. New commentary below. CNN : "Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska's chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010." Embedded video from CNN Video [Transcript below.] My quick and immediate thoughts: The framing here is laughable. First of a...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 2:20 p.m.
There's been a lot of pop on the site lately, so I'm putting up a punk video from SF-based band Tribe 8. Here's "Femme Bitch Top," and a web ad musicians Lynn Breedlove and Leslie Mah put together to oppose Prop 8 is after the jump. Continue reading "Queer music Friday - Tribe 8"... ...
bilerico.com - Fri 2:20 p.m.
ETA: There's a good analysis of a similar topic at City of Ladies from a few weeks back. A lot changed on September 11, 2001. It is, I think, fair to wonder, in the idle speculation sense, whether the world would be a different place if the President of the US had been a different person, but that's not where I'm going today. After 9/11, Bush and his handlers walked a very strange line, twis...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 1:03 p.m.
Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008, is stepping down from her elected job as Alaska’s governor. She will not be finishing her term and will not run for re-election. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will take over. ...
Manfredeye - Fri 1:03 p.m.
This blogaround brought to you by Shaxco, makers of Michael Bay Brand Super-Sparklers, now with extra sparks. Recommended Reading: Meowser: OK, D00d Nation, THIS Is What I Want From You Kevin: Nuns Gone Wild! Renee: The Convenience of "Super Crip" Clio Bluestocking: Abolition as a Self-Help Movement Lauredhel: Whitewashed! Tracey: When "Sexism" is a Dirty Word Shayera: Part of...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 9:14 a.m.
Cheney orchestrated public response to Plame leak: A document filed in federal court this week by the Justice Department offers new evidence that former vice president Richard B. Cheney helped steer the Bush administration's public response to the disclosure of Valerie Plame Wilson's employment by the CIA and that he was at the center of many related administration deliberations. ...A list of ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Fri 8:38 a.m.
Given the below post ... What's your favorite movie featuring dancing? This could mean a musical, or it could be a movie whose central theme is dance, like Girls Just Want to Have Fun or Stomp the Yard . ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 4:24 p.m.
This week in Chicago, the Sears Tower opened a series of glass balconies suspended 1,353 feet in the air and hovering four feet out from the 103rd floor Skydeck. I can't wait to go visit these stinking things! I'm even willing to sit through the required "Blah Blah Chicago Blah" movie to which visitors are subjected before hitting the Skydeck for 'em. If you're scared of heights, I sincerel...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 2:34 p.m.
"No one noted all the white chicks covering Laura Bush." — Washington Post reporter Robin Givhan , a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and African-American woman, to Howard Kurtz, who, despite noting in his piece that "no one raises questions when an Irish American male reporter covers a pol named Murphy," nonetheless wonders: "Are [African-American female] reporters inadvertently invested in [Mich...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 2:08 p.m.
The Mo Train stops in Allegheny County, PA : Twenty years after its county seat of Pittsburgh passed a similar law, Allegheny County is banning discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation. The Allegheny County Council passed such a bill by a vote of 8-6 on Wednesday night. County Executive Dan Onorato says he will sign it. The bill contains an exemption for fraternal, ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 1:29 p.m.
by Shaker Ali_K As progressives and progressives in training, we see a lot of shit in the world that most people seem to be blind to. It can be incredibly frustrating, but every so often we happen across someone who just gets it . Maybe it's someone we don't expect to get it, maybe it's someone who consistently (or almost consistently) gets it but it's still refreshing to see every time (the...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 12:57 p.m.
Old Yeller Dog Food Old Yeller , as you may recall, is a film that ends, quite memorably (in fact, it's arguably the one thing everyone knows about the movie), with the titular canine going rabid and being gunned down by his weeping lad of an owner. And this is supposed to sell pet food how? ...
Shakespeare's Sister - Thu 12:57 p.m.
With Mike Pence seemingly convinced that he's going to personally save the Republican Party, it's worth remembering some of the reasons that the Republican Party was summarily rejected by voters last year. Namely, Mike Pence. ...
Blue Indiana - Thu 9:21 a.m. - 7 clicks
All of this excitement at the legislature, and we're not even in an election year. Kind of makes you wonder what next year will be like, eh? One hint of what's to come can be found in the statements made by Governor Mitch Daniels yesterday, as he seemed to lay the groundwork for a renewed fight over local government reform. "I hope we make more forward progress next year," he said. "We'll be b...
Blue Indiana - Thu 9:21 a.m. - 5 clicks
US and South Korean troops are currently on high alert after the North said it was no longer bound by the truce that ended the Korean war in 1953. The hardline North, under President Kim Jong-il, has threatened military action against the South after Seoul’s decision to join a US-led security initiative under which North Korean [...]...
Manfredeye - Thu 6:21 a.m.
State Sen. Marlin Stutzman is currently the only Republican candidate in the not-so-crowded field looking to take on Senator Evan Bayh next year. And if the fundraising pitch he made via email last night is any indication, he's going to be fun to watch over the next year or so. Here are some of my favorite snippets: Senator Bayh's votes for the banking bailout, against the nomination of Supreme C...
Blue Indiana - Wed 11:22 a.m. - 7 clicks
At 5am EST, an earthquake registering 6.7. An earthquake with a 6.7 magnitude is capable of causing significant damage, especially in areas of poor construction. However the distance of the quake from major populations and its depth 38 kilometers or 36 miles means its is unlikely to have caused much damage. There are no official reports [...]...
Manfredeye - Wed 9:05 a.m.
This time we get a story from Jeff Parrott of the South Bend Tribune , who looks at the potential candidacy of city controller Catherine Fanello. Fanello, a Democrat who was a Vanderburgh County commissioner from 2001 through 2004, said she is considering a run for secretary of state, an office now held by Republican Todd Rokita. The office next comes up for election in November 2010, but Rokit...
Blue Indiana - Tue 9:22 a.m. - 6 clicks
With the news of a budget compromise came news of an apparently agreed-upon fix for the fiscal woes of the Capitol Improvement Board. And once again, it looks like Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard didn't get anything he wanted. State lawmakers late Monday ignored Mayor Greg Ballard's calls for fewer spending cuts for the Capital Improvement Board and granted him only one of the three tax increase...
Blue Indiana - Tue 9:22 a.m. - 7 clicks
President of what, you ask? Yeah, he's just that delusional : Indiana Republican Mike Pence, a rising leader in the U.S. House who has been mentioned as a presidential prospect, plans to visit Iowa on July 24, state GOP leaders said Monday. Pence is the House Republican Conference chairman, the third-ranking member of the minority caucus. He plans to visit the Cedar Rapids area, although details...
Blue Indiana - Tue 9:22 a.m. - 7 clicks
With all parties involve striking a positive tone on the likelihood of an afternoon or early evening vote on the so-called compromise budget proposal, details have emerged on the major concessions both sides offered up to get a workable deal on the table. Niki Kelly of the Journal Gazette fills us in . Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said the two sides agreed to put a...
Blue Indiana - Tue 9:22 a.m. - 3 clicks
The House gaveled in for just a few moments earlier, and will be in recess until six-o-clock while caucuses commence and negotiations continue behind closed doors. For as dark and dreary as reports were over the weekend, today's slow leak of information seems positively cheery. Legislators have agreed on the parameters of a new state budget but are still negotiating over the details, including h...
Blue Indiana - Mon 3:24 p.m.
Taken from the KFA Forum. Official Webpage of The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Rodong Sinmun (“Newspaper of the workers”) is a North Korean newspaper and the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, published by the Rodong News Agency. Pyongyang, June 28 (KCNA) — It was none other [...]...
Manfredeye - Jun 29
Via South Bend Tribune columnist Jack Colwell, we get his take on state treasurer Richard Mourdock: Alas, that Hoosier politician who is a real clunker when it comes to saving automotive jobs can't be junked in the program. The clunker is Indiana's state treasurer, Richard Mourdock. Both Donnelly and Upton point out that the treasurer's effort to kill the bankruptcy transaction that is bringi...
Blue Indiana - Jun 29 - 6 clicks
I went looking for the definitive statement on where Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard stands over the controversial bail-out of the city's Capitol Improvement Board. Thirty minutes later, I was so dizzy I had to sit down. As it stands, Greg Ballard has managed to turn one of the most visible, powerful public offices in the state into one of the weakest, most irrelevant positions of power we've eve...
Blue Indiana - Jun 29 - 4 clicks
Mitch Roob helped push the "modernization" of our Family and Social Services Administration, funneling millions toward the company he worked for prior to joining Mitch Daniels' team. After months of struggle and failure, he was promoted by the Guv to his current position as the head of Indiana's Economic Development Corporation. But the more things change, the more they stay the same : "If you...
Blue Indiana - Jun 29 - 5 clicks
Make no mistakes: the shutdown of our state government is not an issue to be taken lightly or brushed off as irrelevant. It would have a huge impact on the lives of thousands across the state, and send the political atmosphere in Indiana toward total toxicity. That being said, am I the only one a little disgusted to see Governor Mitch Daniels touring the state with blame-fingers pointing wildly a...
Blue Indiana - Jun 29 - 6 clicks
In lieu of the July 4 2009 missile launch, being aimed towards Hawaii, we should be justified in boarding that ship. Scary but I think I agree with John McCain! Board it and find out what is going on! From what the past tells us no matter what the United States does North Korea claims its [...]...
Manfredeye - Jun 26
There's a lot going on right now in the state and elsewhere. Some say the General Assembly is hurtling toward a government shutdown. I've seen snippets from the latest Indiana Legislative Insight -- a really indispensable publication -- and Ed Feigenbaum seems to be striking a more hopeful tone. Regardless, there certainly are a lot of unknowns. On top of that, Mark Sanford looks to have been ...
Blue Indiana - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
From USAToday: No bail for blogger accused of threatening judges U.S. Magistrate Michael Shipp said Hal Turner, 47, of North Bergen, N.J., is a danger to the community and ordered him transferred to Illinois, the AP writes. The FBI arrested Turner, a former U.S. Marine, yesterday at his home. At today's court hearing, federal prosecutors revealed that agents found 200 rounds of ammunition, inc...
Left-Hand Play - Jun 25
I never was a huge fan, but enjoyed most of his music if not his life choices. My favorite album was 1979's "Off the Wall". My favorite track from that album was the critically panned one you see below: ...
Left in Aboite - Jun 25
On Fox, Mark Sanford "(D)" holds press conference | Media Matters for America But remember, it's a mistake, a one-time thing, and how DARE we say it's a coordinated effort no matter how many times it happens. ...
Left-Hand Play - Jun 25
