Saturday, June 27, 2009
Religion WSJ: Why Sunday Schools Closing
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Soccer games and secularism are to blame, writes 
Politics / Homo The White House Can't Pick and Choose What Laws to Enforce
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Except when it can.
The White House has decided to ignore certain provisions in the new war spending bill that the administration considers unconstitutional. Obama isn't challenging the law in court, he's not asking Congress to change the law. He's just going to ignore it. Take it away John:
Remember, President Obama won't even do what is legally in his power to do with regards to providing gay federal employees health benefits, opposing DOMA in court, or issuing a stop-loss order to halt the two-a-day discharge of gay US service members—all things that are legally in the president's power to do under US law. Team Obama's logic? The law is the law, and they won't challenge US law, lest they look like the lawless Bush administration that preceded them. But when it comes to outright ignoring US law, claiming the law is unconstitutional and not even going to court to prove their case, then the Obama team is happy to ignore the law—provided the law has nothing to do with those pesky homosexuals and their inconvenient human rights.
But, hey, the DNC raised a $1 million* last week at their big gay fundraiser, so... we're good, right?
* I'll believe it when I see the financial reports. So far we've only heard that number from an unnamed "DNC source," someone who would be interested in tamping down the controversy and convincing people that only a handful of crazy bloggers were pissed about the DOMA brief. There were 180 people at the fundraiser and tickets were $1000 a piece and not everyone paid to attend. Some people paid more than $1000, but for 180 people to raise $1 million dollars the average attendee would have to have donated more than $5,500. Doable, sure, but I want to see the financial reports.
Stranger Suggests Today The Stranger Suggests
Posted by The Stranger on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Gay
Dyke March
If tomorrow's Pride Parade is the cantankerous, glitzy, older queen of gay culture, the Dyke March is the parade's grittier, more political—and more sober—sister. Since the early 1990s, the march has snaked through the streets of Capitol Hill on the evening before the parade. Afterward, lesbian nights explode in bars around town, including Girl4GIRL at Club Motor, Hot Flash (for women 36 and over) at the War Room and Neighbours, Cherry at Re-bar, and the beer garden at Wildrose, Seattle's lesbian mecca. (Rally from 5–7 pm, Seattle Central Community College Plaza, Broadway and Pine, march at 7 pm.)
DOMINIC HOLDENBooks Reading Today
Posted by Paul Constant on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Two great events today.
But first, Patricia K. Batta reads at Seattle Mystery Book Shop at 2 this afternoon. What Did You Do Before Dying? is about an "amateur sleuth" from Bellevue who happens across a dead body while sketching in the wilderness.
At Third Place Books tonight, the authors of the romance fiction fan-blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books discuss their love of the genre and their new book, Beyond Heaving Bosoms.
And Beth Taylor, who is a Quaker, writes about losing her older brother in The Plain Language of Love and Loss at Elliott Bay Book Company tonight.
Also today, up at the Panama Hotel Cafe, Todd Shimoda reads from his beautiful new novel Oh! A Mystery of Mono No Aware. I wrote about it in the books section this week:
The main character of Oh!, a young American named Zack Hana, travels to Japan to solve three mysteries: He is trying to uncover the secret story of his grandfather's youth, he wants to discover why he's wrapped in a shroud of apathy, and he's searching for one true instance of mono no aware, an old, possibly extinct Japanese term that, according to a character in Oh!, defines a moment that is "not sentimental or symbolic but rather a true feeling that floats calmly throughout the mind and body. It's what we feel when we experience something that makes us cry 'oh!'" Not all of these mysteries will be solved.
More, it's a gorgeous book by local publisher Chin Music Press, and they deserve your support.
And at Elliott Bay this afternoon, Mishna Wolff reads from I'm Down, her memoir about growing up in the Rainier Valley. It's a funny story about being born white to a white father who thinks he's black. Here is a preview of the book for you to read:
(Important note: That's not the real cover of the book.) I'd advise you to hit up the Wolff reading and then wander up to the ID for the Shimoda reading. And then you'll still have time to head out tonight and get plastered before 10 pm. What more could you ask out of a Saturday?
The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here. And if you're planning on staying in and you're looking for personalized book recommendations, feel free to tell me the books you like and ask me what to read next over at Questionland.
News The Morning News
Posted by Unpaid Intern on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Michael Jackson: Still dead.
And Still: A point of controversy.
And Lest We Forget: He's so popular he nearly broke the internet.
In Other News: House passes climate bill limiting greenhouse gases.
Won't Somebody Think Of The Children?: China blocks some internet access.
Iran Isn't the Only Country With A Crisis In Democracy: Honduras closer to possible coup.
Talk About Surprising: Study suggest users prefer Bing to Google, but won't switch over.
Washington Loves Pot: 20,000 plants found in Pacific County.
Drug War Policy Gets A Shake-up: In Afghanistan.
An Early Clip Of The Jackson 5 On Television Before They Were Megastars:
Crime Shooting In Sodo, Street Fights in Greenwood
Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 12:26 AM
A 43-year-old man was rushed to Harborview just before midnight tonight with a gunshot wound to the abdomen after he was shot near the intersection of Airport Way S and S Atlantic Street.
Police are also looking for a man who was spotted running along the freeway near S Dearborn Street, but It's still unclear whether the two incidents are related.
UPDATE: Police say the man died in surgery at Harborview this morning.
According to police, as many as five shots were fired near South Royal Brougham Way and Airport Way S. The shooting victim—who, police say, was in his fifties—was shot in an area of "the Jungle," a heavily wooded area near I-5.
Police say the shooting may have stemmed from an argument between the victim and another person who lives in the Jungle.
Police called in the King County Sheriff's helicopter and sent out K9 units, but officers were able to locate the suspects.
Homicide detectives are handling the investigation.
In a separate incident in Greenwood last night, police were called to a large party in 7900 block of Greenwood Ave N after receiving reports about several brawls in the area. At the scene, police say, promoters of a private party told offices the party was "out of control."
According to SPD's blog, "officers found approximately 350 patrons crammed into the room and the music being turned off. The DJ’s were broadcasting a desire to end the party and pleading with patrons to leave."
As the large crowd left the party, police received reports of shots being fired in the area and a number of fights broke out in the crowd.
Police finally broke up the melee and were unable to locate any shooting victims.
Most Commented on Slog
-
WTF? by Dan Savage
-
PETA vs. Thanksgiving 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
-
Health at Every Size by Dan Savage
-
Boy-Nerds Offended by Cootie-Ridden "Girl" Movie by Paul Constant
-
The Cost (and Fear) of Dying by Anthony Hecht
-
The Democrats Have 60 Votes in the Senate for Health Care Reform by Jonathan Golob
-
SL Letter of the Day: Hot For Twinks by Dan Savage
RSS
Facebook
Twitter