Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Politics / Homo Obama: Some Federal Employees Are More Equal Than Others
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Bet you can't guess which. The straight ones.
President Obama will sign a presidential memorandum on Wednesday to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, administration officials said Tuesday evening, but he will stop short of pledging full health insurance coverage.
Could the Obama administration possibly be ANY MORE incompetent when it comes to gay issues? Let it leak that you're going "extend federal benefits" to the partners of gay federal employees, hope that this move mollifies furious gay rights organizations and activists still reeling from your DOMA betrayal, and THEN announce that—sorry!—the package of benefits doesn't include the single most important work-related benefit: health insurance.
I'm speechless.
UPDATE: I'm reacting in real time, as I read this story at the NYT and analysis on the blogs. Guess what? It's not an executive order, it's just a "presidential memorandum," which means this directive expires when Obama leaves office. Such fierce advocacy. So brave. And the package was pulled together not because the Obama administration had a secret plan all along to protect and expand the rights of gays and lesbians. Nope. The whole thing was hastily pulled together to save the DNC's big gay fundraiser next week. That's it. The White House admits to the NYT that this isn't about principal. It's damage control:
But administration officials said the timing of the announcement was intended to help contain the growing furor among gay rights groups. Several gay donors withdrew their sponsorship of a Democratic National Committee fund-raising event next week, where Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to speak.
Says Pam:
This administration, the Congress and the DNC need to see the LGBT ATM shut down. NOW. That June 26 LGBT DNC fundraiser is toast. No one is buying a partner benefit plan that doesn't include health insurance, for god's sake.
As Keshmeshi helpfully points out in comments, Obama can't extend health care benefits to federal employees himself:
Mr. Obama will be weighing in for the first time on one of the most delicate social and political issues of the day: whether the government must provide benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. While he will announce a list of benefits, officials said, they are not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which could require legislation to achieve.
Which brings us back to sheer insulting incompetence of this idiot maneuver. Why announce a bold plan and an Oval Office signing ceremony for a something-or-other that will "extend federal benefits" to the partners of gay employees... when that package does not include the only workplace benefit that most people can name off the tops of their fucking heads: health insurance? This is your big gesture to mollify your gay critics? This is designed to calm the waters in the wake of your DOMA betrayal? When I wrote earlier tonight that the federal benefits Obama is extending "are by no means trivial," I was naturally operating under the assumption that these benefits would include health insurance. They do not. What benefits will federal employees enjoy the day after tomorrow anyway? Discounted entrance fees to our national parks?
And will Obama send legislation up to Capitol Hill to extend HEALTH BENEFITS to the partners of gay federal employees? The same president who talked such good game—"all that's required is leadership"—on ending DADT and has done fuck all since taking office? The same president who said "I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples" and then turned around and argued that the states could ban gay marriage to save money? That guy is going to get legislation through Congress awarding health benefits to gay couples? I kinda doubt it, don't you?
This is worse than insulting. This is outrageous, another slap in the face, salt in the wound left by last week's DOMA betrayal. Fuck the Obama administration. That DNC fundraiser next week has to be shut down.
Tech / International Shirky on Iran
Posted by Anthony Hecht on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Last month, Clay Shirky gave a talk (embedded below) at the TED@State conference titled "How cellphones, Twitter, Facebook can make history".
His thesis is that the moment we're living through is "the largest increase in expressive capability in human history." The rise of the Internet, and more importantly the rise of the social Internet, has completely transformed the way humans communicate. Media is no longer expensive, local, and the domain of a few people with access to printing presses or television transmitters - it's now cheap, instant, global, and anybody can do it. The same equipment you use to consume media is now capable of producing it. This, Shirky argues—and I can't imagine how anyone would disagree—is HUGE. Absolutely revolutionary.
Shirky's talk wasn't supposed to be posted quite yet, but given what's going on in Iran, TED put it up early, along with a Q&A with Shirky in which he discusses how the events in Iran are a perfect example of this communication and social revolution.
"This is it. The big one. This is the first revolution that has been catapulted onto a global stage and transformed by social media."
City White Lights
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:45 PM
The orange cast on many Seattle streets at night will shift to a white glow over the next six years as the city replaces streetlamps with new LED fixtures. Mayor Greg Nickels announced a plan yesterday to use federal stimulus funds to begin replacing 40,000 of the high-pressure-sodium bulbs with the light-emitting diodes to save money and energy.
“They would save about nine million kilowatt hours and about $408,000 a year,” says Seattle City Light spokesman Scott Thomsen. The power saved would be roughly equivalent to 750 single-family houses, which, he says, use about 12,000 kilowatt hours a year.
Funding to kick start the program comes from a $6.1 million stimulus grant to reduce energy use, including weatherizing buildings and installing energy-efficient products. Of that money, $1 million will go toward the streetlamp program next year, assuming the Department of Energy approves the expenditure this summer. In all, the new streetlamps will cost about $20 million.
The city is already testing several different brands of LEDs in several blocks of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. “People describe it as a little brighter, a little whiter,” says Mike Mann, director for the city’s office of sustainability.
Seattle City Light maintains approximately 84,000 street lights, including 20,000 outside the city limits.
Photo via alykat on Flickr.
Politics / Homo Baldwin and Polis Release Statements on DOMA Brief
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Neither openly-gay congressperson indicates any intention—yet—of pulling out of the DNC's big gay fundraiser next week. Rep. Tammy Baldwin's statement is short and supine:
Last week the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of DOMA. I was profoundly disappointed by this action, particularly coming from this administration. I still take President Obama at his word that he is committed to the repeal of DOMA. I also recognize that he cannot do it alone. Congress has the responsibility on its shoulders to pass legislation that would give the opportunity to the President to keep his word and ensure that all married people, including those in same-sex marriages, enjoy the same rights under federal law.
Rep. Jared Polis's statement is long and furious—and he's pissed at Obama:
I was shocked and disappointed to learn that President Obama chose to defend DOMA in federal court, especially given his campaign promise to call for a full repeal of DOMA. My sadness turned to outrage when I read the Justice Department’s brief that not only defended this hurtful law but seemed to embrace it. Comparing my loving relationship with my partner, Marlon, to incest was unconscionable coming from a president who has called for change.Since this filing, I have called on the President to issue a statement or give any sign that would clarify his position and am disappointed in his lack of reply.
I am a proud Democrat, as are many in the GLBT community, and I believe we must hold our leaders accountable. The Obama Administration made a HUGE mistake in the DOMA brief. If they keep making mistakes like this, they risk losing the support of the GLBT community forever, although I do not believe we are at that point yet.
President Obama needs to honor his promise to repeal this law and end its needlessly divisive and harmful impact on our nation. I again call on him to work with us in Congress to help pass legislation, ending this hateful and divisive law.
As the New York Times editorialized yesterday, “busy calendars and political expediency are no excuse for making one group of Americans wait any longer for equal rights.”
Barney?
Politics / Homo Obama Reaches For Low-Hanging Fruit
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:07 PM
UPDATE: Please see this post.
Politico reports that some sort of vague civil-rights-something-or-other suddenly appeared on Obama's schedule for tomorrow night.
As liberal criticism of the president's inaction on gay rights escalates, a cryptic event appears on the president's Wednesday schedule... "In the evening, the President will deliver brief remarks and sign a Presidential Memorandum regarding federal benefits and non-discrimination in the Oval Office. This event is pooled press."
Obama may be about to extend domestic-partnership benefits to gay and lesbian federal employees. Obamapologists will point to this as proof that he is so moving on his gay rights agenda. Don't fall for it. These benefits are by no means trivial... if you're part of the 2% of the population that works for the federal government and part of the 3% of that 2% who are gay or lesbian. [The benefits are trivial indeed. Please see this post.] But this does not amount to action on any of the eight promises Obama's made to the gay and lesbian community. Politico reported yesterday that the administration was looking around for something it could do, anything, to stem the rising tide of anger that was/is threatening to derail the DNC's big gay fundraiser next week. This may be that something.
It's not good enough. It's not action on any of Obama's eight promises to the gay community. You want to mollify the angry homos, Obama? Suspend enforcement of DADT.
And remember yesterday's attempt to mollify angry queers? The hate-crimes legislation? Harry Reid held a big press conference... promised immediate action... it got a lot of attention... going to move on the bill this week... and they're already stalling.
UPDATE: It's official:
President Obama will announce tomorrow that he is extending federal benefits to include unmarried domestic partners of federal workers, including same-sex partners, White House officials said tonight. Obama will sign an executive order implementing the change in the Oval Office, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid upstaging the president's announcement....The action will come as welcome news to gay-rights activists, who have voiced loud disappointment with Obama's handling of several issues important to their community.... Most recently, the Justice Department argued in court that the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal benefits to same-sex married couples, should be upheld. Gay-rights groups were infuriated by the administration's linkage of same-sex marriages to marriages between cousins or of an underage girl.
Politics Dow Responds
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Susan Hutchison, running for King County Executive, held her campaign kick-off this morning, as Erica reported. Considering the former KIRO anchor has been an elusive candidate—dodging forums, avoiding interviews, and very briefly outlining four positions on her website—everyone was eager to hear her elaborate on plans for the county. In a nutshell, she decried a government that “gets in the way with burdensome taxes,” she proposed pushing the state to restructure its business and occupation taxes, and she expressed support for “all” transportation.
But King County Council Member Dow Constantine, who is running against Hutchison, responded to her at a press conference on the corner of 1st Avenue and Battery Street this afternoon. He maintained a line of attack that she is a Republican candidate trying to dodge the issues.
“It is a bit of a gimmick. The county is not in charge of the B&O tax,” Constantine said after the news conference. She is “attempting to take attention away from the fact that she doesn’t know anything about the government or how to run it.”
The state sets such taxes, and while the county should lobby the legislature to overhaul taxes, Constantine said, cutting that revenue is only half the solution. Hutchison’s proposal would “cut $110 million from the state budget that is already almost $9 billion in the hole,” he said. (He noted his work on the county council lobbying the state legislature to study alternative taxing structures, which would be kinder to small businesses.) “The problem with the business tax is for real. Our state’s business tax system is horribly regressive,“ he added.
I was especially interested in Constantine’s take on transportation—as I got to the press conference late because I was stuck in traffic. Hutchison this morning said she was "a supporter of the entire transportation system. I'm always asked, what [transportation] mode do you support? I support all of them." (Which is concerning because elected officials can’t support all things, especially those who, like Hutchison, want to trim the government’s budget.)
“She doesn’t now what [the transportation modes] all are is the problem,” Constantine said. He said the county needs to prioritize “high-capacity transit,” such as buses and rail to connecting to Seattle’s older neighborhoods and suburbs building dense urban centers. Specifically he wants to extend light rail to Everett, Tacoma, Burien, West Seattle, and Issaquah. We need a county executive focused on “providing services needed for the county to survive, not tired Republican anti-government bashing,” he said.
Tech / International Something (Less Easy) You Can Do
Posted by Jonathan Golob on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 5:29 PM
After changing your Twitter settings, consider set up a censor-defying proxy server.
A proxy server is a way to get around some of the simpler, but effective, internet censoring techniques. If the Iranian government is forcing their internet service providers to block direct access to twitter, by setting up a proxy server on your computer here in the US that can access twitter, an Iranian protester could connect to your computer instead (getting around the censoring) and then to twitter.
There is a constant need for new proxies, as the sensors can go around and cut off access to each new one that pops up.
The Austin Heap blog has directions for setting up a proxy on Redhat/Fedora Linux or Windows. (UPDATED: Here are directions for a Mac.)
A heartbreaking comment from this blog tells you how important this is:
i’m in tehran. i’ve been combing the net for the past 24 hrs trying to find some proxies that are still open with no luck. i’m the sales rep for a major canadian satellite networking equipment company and until yesterday had unfiltered internet over an illegal VSAT terminal that i was sharing with a bunch of people here. the client providing me with the terminal got scared and pulled the plug. we really do need these proxies to get free access to info - keeping in mind satellite tv signals are blocked by massive rf noise generated by goverment at great financial and health costs. only if those morons operating these noise stations knew what they’re doing to themselves…
i’ll post the proxy addresses on some farsi sites for the people who really need them. sincere thanks to all of you, not only for the effective help you’re providing, but most importantly: for not looking the other way.
If this doesn't make a lick of sense to you, you probably aren't the right person to be setting up a proxy. But, to the IT professionals who read slog: This is a way to use your nerdy skills for good.
TV / Books / Teh Internets Your Afternoon Entertainment
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Super Punch posted some great early Jim Henson-made commercials for Wilkins Coffee. Some of them are incredibly violent, and if you watch them in a row like this, they seem to become really weird commentary on commercials.
Super Punch also links to some other Jim Henson juvenilia. You should check it out. A few of these commercials are on display at the E.M.P.'s Muppet exhibit right now, too.
If Muppets aren't your thing, perhaps you'll enjoy Friday's episode of Dinosaur Comics, which is one of the most clever webcomics I've seen in a long time.
International Something You Can Do
Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:54 PM
In our comments, and in comments on other blogs, a number of people have been asking what they can do from here in the U.S. to help the Iranian protesters. Here's a small, easy thing that's being requested by Iranians who are using Twitter to organize:
Help hide Iranian protesters: change your Twitter location to Tehran, time to +3:30 GMT.
The idea is to confuse the Iranian authorities. If every Twitter user in the world is suddenly based in Tehran, that means a lot more accounts for Iranian security operatives to comb through as they try to figure out who to track down and threaten—or worse. (And hey, if even old Birch can figure out how to switch his Twitter location, surely you can too.)
Arts A Quick Thought About Nothing
Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:28 PM
There was a time in philosophy when everything was broken down into primary qualities and secondary qualities (Quentin Meillassoux opens his book After Infinitude on this very subject). Primary qualities were things that made up an object; secondary qualities were those that were produced by the encounter of one object with another. Let's picture that one object is a human and the other is a flame. When the human encounters that object, they are burned. This burning is not in the flame, nor is it in the human; it is in the encounter between the two. This quality is secondary. Even being hot is not in the flame. The flame can only be hot if it encounters something else. A primary quality is non-relational. Number, for example, does not require a relation, nor extension.
There is, admittedly, a whole movement of thought—indeed, the dominant movement since Kant—that is convinced that all things require a relation to exist, correlationism, because how can anything, even number, exist without an observer. Yet, we know there are places in time and space that exist without relationships or encounters—once, before the explosion of the star whose dust is our sun and us, there was simply nothing where I'm now (on a seat in the office), and, if the open universe theory is correct, or if the big crunch theory is correct, there will also be in the future nothing where I am at this moment.
What I find most fascinating about the mind is it can imagine such places and things in primary terms—a lonely piece of ice drifting through space five billion years ago, the terrific density a neutron star that is a billion years away from now. And yet the mind knows these things can never be seen or exist for it in any possible away. A big part of our real is wholly imcompossible.
International More on Iran
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:11 PM
1. A dispatch posted on Nico Pitney's blog (not possible to verify, nor very difficult to believe):
I only want to speak about what I have witnessed. I am a medical student. There was chaos last night at the trauma section in one of our main hospitals. Although by decree, all riot-related injuries were supposed to be sent to military hospitals, all other hospitals were filled to the rim. Last night, nine people died at our hospital and another 28 had gunshot wounds. All hospital employees were crying till dawn.
They (government) removed the dead bodies on back of trucks, before we were even able to get their names or other information. What can you even say to the people who don't even respect the dead. No one was allowed to speak to the wounded or get any information from them. This morning the faculty and the students protested by gathering at the lobby of the hospital where they were confronted by plain cloths anti-riot militia, who in turn closed off the hospital and imprisoned the staff. The extent of injuries are so grave, that despite being one of the most staffed emergency rooms, they've asked everyone to stay and help—I'm sure it will even be worst tonight.
What can anyone say in face of all these atrocities? What can you say to the family of the 13 year old boy who died from gunshots and whose dead body then disappeared?
2. One of the Grand Ayatollahs (there are only around 30 living today) has officially questioned the election results and endorsed peaceful protest:
This was the greatest occasion for the government’s officials to bond with their people.But unfortunately, they used it in the worst way possible. Declaring results that no one in their right mind can believe, and despite all the evidence of crafted results, and to counter people protestations, in front of the eyes of the same nation who carried the weight of a revolution and 8 years of war, in front of the eyes of local and foreign reporters, attacked the children of the people with astonishing violence. And now they are attempting a purge, arresting intellectuals, political opponents and Scientifics.
This comes a few days after another Grand Ayatollah condemned election-rigging as a mortal sin and tried to issue a fatwa prohibiting his followers from working for an Ahmedinejad government. As the NYT wrote yesterday, Khameni doesn't have great respect from all the Ayatollah and that "even his strong links to the powerful Revolutionary Guards—long his insurance policy—may not be decisive as the confrontation in Iran unfolds."
The demonstrations are shredding Khameni's mandate from below. If the Ayatollah's keep peeling off, it'll shred his mandate from around the middle. If only Allah would throw a lightning bolt his way, it'd shred his mandate from above and that would be that.
3. And Janet Afary, over at the NYT, says it's all about the ladies:
The presence of Zahrad Rahnavard, the wife of Mir Hussein Moussavi, was a significant factor in the election. Mr. Moussavi, who is not a very charismatic speaker and had left politics nearly 20 years ago, saw his prospects for victory increase when his wife joined him in the campaign. The well-publicized picture of them holding hands was not merely symbolic.
During the campaign, both spoke out for greater women’s rights, which is an issue that resonates with Iranian voters. Her presence also encouraged other candidates to campaign with their wives, the first time this has happened since the 1979 revolution.
Ms. Rahnavard was a leftist long before she became an Islamist, and in that sense she and her husband are different from the more conservative rightist Islamists.
Photos from Flickr.
Politics Glenn Beckwatch: The Truth and Glenn Beck
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Glenn Beck has fucked with the wrong people now! No, not Democrats; I'm talking about Greg Hoover.
Who's Greg Hoover, you ask? Why, he's the 9/11 Truther who's suing Glenn Beck for defamation of character:
An East Coast 9/11 truth activist is preparing to file a defamation lawsuit against TV / radio personality, Glenn Beck, the producers of the Glenn Beck Program, and the Fox News Channel.Specifically, Greg Hoover will be suing the above-described defendants in Federal Court for Beck’s having repeatedly broadcast statements characterizing those who question the government’s official version of the events of 9/11 as, “anarchists,” “terrorists” and as persons denying the Holocaust.
It's funny; I think I mischaracterized Glenn Beck. I really would've figured that he was all about 9/11 Truth. You can donate to the Greg Hoover legal fund here.
News / ??!! And Now, Some Good News....
Posted by Megan Seling on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Puppy survives after accidentally being flushed down toilet!
A week-old British puppy is safe and sound after being accidentally flushed down the toilet by his 4-year-old master.The tiny cocker spaniel was rescued by an employee of a drainage company after being trapped in a sewage pipe for close to four hours, according to two British dailies. Firefighters and the RSPCA had failed at their attempts to free the pup.
Daniel Blair, 4, had been trying to give the muddy dog a bath, after his twin brother Nicky took the young pup for a walk in the garden of their Middlesex home.
(Via Daily News)
Drugs America's Next Pot Model
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:14 PM
The State of Rhode Island will oversee the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana. Here's part of an email I just received from the Marijuana Policy Project:
In landslide votes of 68-0 and 35-3, the Rhode Island General Assembly today overrode Gov. Donald Carcieri's (R) veto of legislation to allow the licensed, regulated sale of marijuana to seriously ill patients. Rhode Island will now become only the second state (after New Mexico) to license and regulate medical marijuana dispensing.
What happens in Rhode Island could eventually happen in every state... if the Obama Administration lets it. As far as the federal government is concerned, there are zero allowances for pot farms, distribution networks, and packaging operations—regardless of a state legislature's vote or how sick the pot users are. They could crush this program like a soda can. But if they stand back, choosing not to prosecute Rhode Island and New Mexico, it's a tacit endorsement of letting those states establish mechanisms for distributing legal medical marijuana. That model can then be adopted by other states, such as California, which is considering a ballot measure to regulate pot for recreational users.
Books / Money / Nerd The Great Comic Book Crash of '09
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:11 PM
According to ICv2, comic book sales took a dive in May, down almost 20% from the year before. Graphic novel sales fell 13%. If you add April into the mix, comic sales are down 7% over last year and graphic novel sales 10% over the same period.
This is especially odd because Free Comic Book Day, which is the event that's supposed to bring all sorts of new bodies into comic book shops, was in May this year. Reportedly the local shops did really well for FCBD. For the most part, the comics industry has been considered recession-proof compared to the rest of the publishing industry, due to diehard fans who are addicted to the serialized monthly product.
Food Carrot Highway = Trail of Tears
Posted by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:00 PM
It's official, after watching this instructional video, I now hate carrots. Entitled "The Carrot Highway" it contains four things that have ruined carrots for everyone forever: 1) Balding/mulleted dude in a hippie vest rapping, 2) unhappy children, 3) Cassidy, who is obviously super hot, but hides it underneath the bulkiest sweatshirt ever (otherwise I would totally do her), and 4) Poor Nigel! (Who wears even a baggier sweatshirt! What the fuck is going on here with the sweatshirts?? Ack! Ack! I'm tasting carrots! Pa-tooie!!)
Tips to Everything is Terrible!
Politics / News Today In Traditional Marriage
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:54 PM
U.S. Sen. John Ensign (R-Nevada) confirms that he had an extramarital affair with a campaign staffer. The staffer was also married. Ensign voted to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage and voted in favor of a ban on adoptions by same-sex couples.
City / News / Theater Washington Hall: Saved
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Two years ago, we wrote about poor old Washington Hall (and poor old Oddfellows Hall and poor old Eagles Aerie #1):
A mile and a half south, in an office on the corner of 14th Avenue and East Fir Street, Charles Adams is sitting in his office in Washington Hall, waiting to talk to a developer. Adams is a lawyer, a wearer of suits and signet rings, and he presides over the Sons of Haiti, an African-American Masonic lodge. A few of the younger Sons, some with dreadlocks, sit quietly. They're waiting for Mark Blatter, a developer from Historic Seattle, to discuss the sale of Washington Hall.The Hall is a dilapidated building with a dignified history. W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in its theater and Count Basie played there, as did Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, and Jimi Hendrix.
It was built as a community center by a Danish brotherhood, with meeting halls and one-room apartments for new immigrants. In 1973, the Danes sold the building to the Sons of Haiti, who kept the building active, leasing to tenants like On the Boards. But the Sons have grown too small for Washington Hall and let it fall into disrepair. Now there are missing windows, pigeon shit on the inside, and, on the outside, soft green columns of moss and ferns growing up the brick toward the leaky roof. A few people still cling to their one-room apartments; an Ethiopian church rents the drafty theater.
For awhile, it looked like 4Culture and Historic Seattle would buy the building from the Sons of Haiti. Then it looked like the Sons were going to sell to a developer who'd probably tear it down.
Today, 4Culture and Historic Seattle announced that they've won, and bought the building for $1,500,000. The old girl needs a lot of work—a lot of work—but she'll be a hardscrabble looker when she's done, a beauty queen from Seattle's brick-and-timber days.
It will, eventually, become a rehearsal and performance space. (Others who performed there not listed above: Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, and Spalding Grey.)
Good news.
Chow Two Reviewed Restaurants Respond
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:41 PM
...and they are both being awfully good sports.
This week, David Schmader wrote about Madison Valley vegetarian standby Cafe Flora, finding the dining-room renovation a little heavy-handed ("cluttered and goofy, like the set of a farm-themed children's television show") and the food and service not quite consistently top-notch. Cafe Flora responds:
I wanted to send you over a quick thank-you for your review today. It has been 9 years since Cafe Flora has been reviewed and we are pleased the Stranger revisited us. While it would have been ideal to have had everything be a stunning success- we want you to know we are absolutely taking your criticisms to heart and we may possibly tweak a few things per your suggestion. Coincidentally, we had planned to replace both the porcini risotto and the artichoke croquettes with the introduction of our seasonal summer menu beginning June 29th.
There were a few inaccuracies that we wanted to bring to your attention that may be corrected in the online version of the review*.
• The bread from the French dip is actually from Columbia City Bakery — not from Essential Baking.
• While Janine Doran has been with Cafe Flora 15 years, she has not held the position of executive chef for 15 years.
• The risotto was made with Arborio rice, not brown rice.Also, I am not sure if you had a chance to make it in to try our brunch, desserts or new cocktail program. Our cocktail and happy hour program are fairly new (cocktails are a first for Cafe Flora) but our brunch is very popular and our vegan and gluten-free desserts are outstanding.
Again- thanks for your input.
And last month, I wrote about the new brunch at Madison Valley fine-dining standby Rover's, finding the atmosphere literally stuffy, the service harried, and (among other unimpressive food) the omelet herniated. Rover's chef/maestro/famous-hat-wearer responds:
I’m sorry you had such a negative brunch experience at Rover’s. I’m sorry when anyone has a negative experience at Rover’s. Brunch is a new thing for us, but that’s no excuse for the shortcomings you described. Our aim is to always serve guests wonderful, memorable meals.
For 22 years, I’ve worked to maintain the highest standards at Rover’s. This means sourcing the absolute best ingredients, preserving local fruits and vegetables at the peak of their growing season for our pantry, and curing many of the meats we serve in-house. Unfortunately, there are still some off moments that prove we are human, and very unfortunately, you happened to be on the receiving end of such when you visited. We acknowledged that at the time by not charging you for your eggs or your crepe.**If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years in business, it’s that one can never rest on past successes—a chef is only as good as his or her last omelet. For that reason, we’re always working to innovate and improve. So, thank you for your critique—please know that we took your comments to heart.
Sincerely,
Thierry Rautureau
The Chef in The Hat!!!
* The online version has been corrected, a note to that effect has been made, and Mr. Schmader has been chastised.
**True, and I should've noted that specifically in the review (even though brunch for two still came to $56 for two people, including two $12 bloody Marys). There's more discussion of that over here.
International Persian Pleasures
Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:32 PM
With all of this Iranian heaviness...
Money / Teh Internets MyWhatnow?
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:31 PM
MySpace is cutting their workforce by almost 30%. Friendster was unavailable for comment.
Media They Still Make Popular Science?
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:16 PM
The new issue of Popular Science has the world's "first interactive 3-D "augmented reality" magazine cover."
How does it work? Just head over to popsci.com/imagination, launch the viewer window, and hold the cover of the magazine up to your computer's webcam — you'll see a 3-D landscape dotted with wind turbines pop off the page; by blowing into your computer's microphone, you can even make the turbines spin faster.
This sort of thing has appeared on Slog before (I can't locate the specific post), but I believe this is the first mass-market application of the technology. I still can't see exactly what it's good for except being cool.
Politics / Homo Civil Disobedience: A Proposal
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Longtime gay activist Cleve Jones is leading the charge for the "National Equality March," a gay march on Washington called for October 11 of this year. Many folks are opposed—there's not enough time to organize a march, Congress isn't in session that week, marches don't accomplish much, a march eats up resources and energy—and Queerty has a good point/counterpoint interview/argument with Cleve. I'm officially agnostic: if people want to march, they can march.
But I have suggestion for an ongoing, smaller-scale action that would have a larger impact than a one-off "march" through an empty city. My idea would need fewer than a 1000 people to succeed—730 to be exact—and it wouldn't be over in a day. It would go on, day-in, day-out, every day, for a year. Hell, it could go on indefinitely. It involves civil disobedience and the 730 volunteers would have to be willing to get arrested. People who are unable to participate could make donations to help cover the expenses—legal expenses and travel expenses—of those who can.
Here's the idea: one gay or lesbian couple—a couple currently denied their rights under DOMA—shows up at the entrance to the White House grounds. A different couple every day. They ask to speak to the president about DOMA. They're refused. They sit down. They refuse to leave. They're arrested, carried away by the police. Couples would be recruited from all over the country, demonstrating that gay marriage isn't just an issue in liberal California or godless New England, and the media in each couple's home city and state would be notified in advance of their arrest. The occasional famous couple—Rosie and Kelli? Ellen and Portia?—would participate to pull in celeb media. But most of the couples who come to D.C. to get arrested would be average folks. The couples would need support, legal and logistical, and we would need someone to organize media outreach and maintain a website. The website would include a photo and profile of each couple that comes to D.C. to get arrested, collect all the press, and be used to recruit couples willing to travel to D.C. and get arrested.
The action would be small scale—it would be human scale—and it would go on and on and on. It would demonstrate better than another gay march just how seriously we take this issue: we take it seriously that we're willing to travel to D.C. and get arrested. It wouldn't be a one-day event that the White House could ignore or bluff its way through with some lame statement about its "commitment" to ending DOMA. The couples would keep coming. Every day an arrest. Drip, drip, drip. Members of the White House press corps would see couples getting arrested every day on their way to work. Gibbs would be forced to address DOMA on a near-daily basis. The president would be asked about the issue again and again.
My boyfriend—who doesn't do demonstrations (or interviews or photos or anything public)—is so upset about the DOMA brief that he's willing to go to D.C. and get arrested. So am I. We can't be the only couple that feels this way.
Two-Block Radius / Nepotism Night Light
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 1:44 PM
My brother took this photo of Cal Anderson Park, which is practically inside our office—so posting it is a double conflict of interest—but it's so damn cool. Click the pic for a larger version.
Politics / Homo HRC Pulls Out
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 1:40 PM
The Human Rights Campaign has announced that it is pulling out of the DNC's gay fundraiser—as has former top Clinton aide Richard Socarides. And the editor of the Washington Blade, the capitol's gay newspaper, is planning to send a reporter to the event to "record guests as they enter the gay fundraiser."
Hello? Barney? Tammy? Jared?
Most Commented on Slog
-
WTF? by Dan Savage
-
Your Wife Died Alone... by Dan Savage
-
Meanwhile in Vancouver by Dan Savage
-
Is Your Teen Out of Control... And Smoking Hot? by Dan Savage
-
PETA vs. Thanksgiving by Dan Savage
-
Health at Every Size by Dan Savage
-
The Cost (and Fear) of Dying by Anthony Hecht
-
The Democrats Have 60 Votes in the Senate for Health Care Reform by Jonathan Golob
-
Boy-Nerds Offended by Cootie-Ridden "Girl" Movie by Paul Constant
-
SL Letter of the Day: Hot For Twinks by Dan Savage
RSS
Facebook
Twitter