Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Hump Lynn Shelton: I'll Make a Film For HUMP—On One Condition...
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Earlier today I issued this challenge to Lynn Shelton...
The Stranger's annual amateur-and-locally-produced porn festival—HUMP!—inspired you to make the film that's making you famous. We're thrilled for you, of course, but it seems to us that you owe HUMP! some love. The genius that is Humpday is entirely your doing, of course, and all artistic credit goes to your and your remarkable cast. But... no HUMP!, no Humpday, am I right? So your friends at the Stranger are challenging you to make a film for HUMP! Nothing to onerous, nothing feature-length, nothing that forces your actors or the characters they're playing to take stock of their lives. Just something cute and sexy and funny and under five minutes. HUMP! gave you so much. Give somethin' back to HUMP!, Lynn.
Lynn responded to my challenge with one of her own...
Okay Dan, I'll make you a deal: I'll make a movie for HUMP! if you will drag your ass to one of the screenings of my feature this weekend (matinee, evening, any time you like) at the conveniently located Harvard Exit. With ten of your closest friends.Seriously.
A) I really want to you to see my movie and then to find out what you think of it (the film would not exist without The Stranger... not just because of HUMP! but also because of the education that your paper has given me over the years on the sex positive, polyamorous not-so-sub-culture of this town, which plays a huge part in the film, not to mention all of the musings about sexual mores and sexual politics and the ridigity/fluidity of sexual boundaries that your column has given me cause to ponder over);
B) The more butts I can get into seats this opening weekend the more the likelihood that this film will open in some multiplex in Podunk, U.S.A. (which feeds into my evil plan to treat the crowd that thinks they're in for "The Hangover II" to the hangover cure: an anti-misogynistic, anti-homophobic bromantic comedy...)
Cheers (and thanks),
Lynn
You're on, Lynn. Unfortunately I can't see Humpday this weekend—prior out-of-town commitment—but that doesn't mean I can't get butts into seats: I'm buying ten tickets to the Friday night screening at Harvard Exit and giving them away on Slog on Friday. Stay tuned for details. And Sloggers & HUMPers: Do your part to get a HUMP submission out of Shelton and Shelton's Humpday into multiplexes in Podunk, U.S.A.: Go see Humpday this weekend at the Harvard Exit! And take ten friends! Do it for HUMP and for the kids in Podunk!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Crime Officer-Involved Shooting in the Central District
Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 8:18 PM
A Seattle police officer has been placed on administrative leave after opening fire on the driver of a car in the Central District earlier this evening who, police say, attempted to run the officer over.
Officers spotted a white Lexus near 20th Ave S and S Jackson Street at about 5:30 p.m. and discovered that the plates did not match the car. Police have not said why officers were checking the plates.
Officers approached the car and attempted to contact four men inside the Lexus who, police say, were "uncooperative." According to police, the driver peeled out and tried to run over the officers. One officer then opened fire on the driver.
The Lexus headed southbound on Jackson street, until all four men ditched the car near 18th and Jackson. The men fled on foot and, police say, one of them dropped a loaded handgun in the street. The unoccupied Lexus continued to roll down Jackson Street until it collided with a patrol car.
Police have arrested three of the men and are looking for the fourth. One of the men in custody, police say, sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. The men will be booked into the King County Jail for investigation of assault on an officer.
History / Drunk Internet, I Could Kiss You on the Mouth.
Posted by Lindy West on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 5:55 PM
It has come to my attention that on the 4th of July—among many other questionable behaviors—I performed an impromptu "Rap of the Presidents" in front of 4,500 strangers.
We "sang" "Rap of the Presidents" in my elementary school "choir," and in the intervening years it's stuck with me like a tattoo. A brain tattoo. One that comes in handy at bar trivia. Few things are as funny as "Rap of the Presidents," and few things delight so heartily at a patriotic BBQ. But, all these years, I've only been able to remember it through Franklin Pierce!! What the FORK happens after Franklin Pierce!? Long have I lived in fear of someone asking me, "Who was right before Rutherford B. Hayes?" or "Who was our twentieth presidential dude?"
I was stuck.
Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce...
Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce...
Zachary Taylor, Millard Filmore, Franklin Pierce WHAAAAAT!?!?!?!?!?!?
A few years ago—back when the internet was smaller than it is now—I Googled the shit out of "Rap of the Presidents" and got exactly nowhere. But today, with the "memory" of my 4th of July "performance" on my mind, I decided to try again. And yo! A search for "andrew jackson was the seventh in line and martin van buren followed andy's time" returned PRESIDENTIAL RAPPING GOLD. Get ready. (Also, FUCKING CLICK HERE and you can listen to a fully-produced version in all its creepy, culty amazingness—"with more contemporary rhythm tracks and sizzling new horn lines"!!!)
Full text of "Rap of the Presidents"—including what happens after Franklin Pierce—after the jump.
City New Rules for Pike/Pine
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 5:20 PM
After nearly a year of community meetings, public hearings, and studies, it would have been great to see the city council pass legislation last Monday that accomplished what the council set out to do: protect the older buildings of the Pike/Pine neighborhood as shelters for arts uses and nightlife. But after some developers balked (don’t hurt the value of my land!) and the law department squealed (we can’t limit the footprint of behemoth buildings!), the council passed a watered-down bill.
The Problems That Will Be Solved: Consider the QFC building on Broadway that faces Pike Street—a strip of shallow storefronts that house a Subway and an AT&T store on one block-long strip. What, no tanning salon? It’s upstairs. This sort of development conflicts with the auto-row warehouse architecture that defines the neighborhood. The new rules require that the face of a building can’t run more than a half-block along Pike or Pine Streets (no more imposing block-long buildings), nor could businesses use backlit awning signs or illuminated box signs (like every national chain retailer). This is good.
The Problem That Won’t Be Solved: Buildings over 75 years old—multi-story masonry warehouses and venerable auto-showrooms that are home to bars, galleries, an independent businesses—should be protected from demolition or being unrecognizably altered. The legislation was intended to do that, but the incentives are weak. Developers who incorporate a building over 75 years old into a new building are eligible for 10 additional feet of height (one extra floor) on the new structure. Developer Liz Dunn, who specializes in saving historic buildings, says that overall the bill was “a solid first step,” but she quickly adds that it delivers little incentive to save an old building from demolition. The cost of integrating an old building may be more expensive than the benefit of one extra floor, she says. Or a developer may only retain a couple walls of the façade rather than keeping the structure intact. “Then it won’t be successful in preserving character, which is the whole point,” she says. Dunn believes the council should enact a program that allows owners of short old buildings to sell unused height to developers who want more height in other areas (Rasmussen said city council staff is looking into it and he says more legislation is on the way). Dunn also believes that some of the finer older buildings should simply be sheltered from demolition. Chip Wall, a member of the Pike Pine Urban Neighborhood Council says, "It's not a smashing success but it's not a negative development overall."
The Other Problem: The Polyclinic lobbied hard to use the site of an 89-year old building on the corner of Broadway and East Union Street to expand its medical facilities. Neighbors including Dunn successfully pushed the city council to change rules for a parking lot that the Polyclinic owns nearby—outside the Pike/Pine preservation boundaries—so the Polyclinic could build there instead. But the council also amended the old-building’s zoning to match the Polyclinic’s (to allow six-story buildings). In other words, the City Council gave the polyclinic two sites instead of the one it needed and now risks losing an old building that neighbors fought to save. "That completely defeats the purpose," says Dunn. "A lot of people worked really hard with council to get other site to work for the Polyclinic." But Rasmussen says that the compromise—giving the Polyclinic both sites—was necessary to include a larger portion of the neighborhood in the preservation area. He says City Council Member Tim Burgess "had an amendment in his hip pocket" that would have shrunk the overall area of the preservation district.
Politics Unreal America
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Most Americans live in cities. But you won't find what's "representative of America" in big American cities. Because "real Americans" live in small towns and agree with Sarah Palin on "key issues."
MSNBC is the liberal cable news outfit, right?
City It's Only Funny Till Someone Uses It
Posted by David Schmader on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 4:33 PM
"Hello Stranger," writes Slog tipper Cole. "On Saturday I was walking along 15th by my high school and found this. Hooray for Ballard shenanigans."
Thank you, Cole.
Film You Should See Capricorn One
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Because I enjoyed Moon so much, I've been going back and watching a lot of the 70's sci-fi films that influenced it, which has led me, finally, to Capricorn One. It's not strictly science-fiction—all the science fiction takes place before the movie even starts, with the creation of a rocket ship that could, in theory, reach Mars. But the ship doesn't work, and the government goes about faking a Mars landing (because the American people are too cynical as it is).
It's a very 1970s film. Elliott Gould is the cynical reporter trying to uncover the truth, Sam Waterston is the wise-cracking funnyman astronaut, and James Brolin is the headband-wearing morally compromised hero. And as a time capsule, it's fairly amazing. Between watching O.J. Simpson feign moral outrage and Telly Savales's weird, hilarious cameo, the movie can occasionally seem like a stereotypical kitschy 70s outing.
Holy shit was this an enjoyable movie, though. Capricorn One works as a comedy, a conspiracy thriller, and an action movie. They quite literally don't make movies like this anymore, and that's an awful thing. I wish every summer movie packed in thrills like this (I can just see the director saying "This isn't enough: We need a rattlesnake!") and told a fairly complex story with such ecnomy and style. You should rent it or watch it instantly on Netflix; you won't be disappointed.
Visual Art Grahamses: Rock Is Hard
Posted by Jen Graves on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 4:19 PM
I took that picture of the artist Dan Graham during the press preview for his first U.S. retrospective a few weeks back, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in NY. The picture was taken while WNYC was making this video (which stars several of the writers I was in the International Writers' Institute with, especially in the lipstick chamber, which I found weird and dumb):
Later, Roberta Smith of the New York Times said just about everything I'd need to say about Graham after seeing the show, especially that
Mr. Graham’s most profound embrace of American culture — perhaps his most profound work, period — is “Rock My Religion,” a 55-minute video from 1982-84 that has earned him a cult following in the music world. Building a idiosyncratic argument that rock music belongs to an American tradition of ecstatic, collective experience linked to the religious singing and dancing of the Shakers, the piece gives the fullest picture of Mr. Graham’s talent for language, his eccentric way of thinking and his reverence for history.
Here's a 9-minute clip from "Rock My Religion" on YouTube, starting off with footage of Minor ThreatBlack Flag and moving to Patti Smith.
The best part about seeing Graham, which you can't tell from the photograph I took, is that he was wearing a Rodney Graham "Rock Is Hard" T-shirt. Rodney Graham is the awesome Canadian artist whose 2005 retrospective organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery (the lame VAG web site doesn't have a good page for it, so here's its page at ICA Philly) made me fall flat in love.
Graham, in addition to his conceptual video-photographic-sculptural works, has been making music for decades.
"Rock Is Hard" is the name of an album he put out in 2005, but here's a classic video of the Canadian art-rock band uj3rk5 (you jerks!) in rehearsal years ago.
A party thrown by Dan Graham and Rodney Graham would be the best possible party.
Visual Art Currently Holding
Posted by Jen Graves on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 3:32 PM
Brent Sommerhauser's sculpture Holding (2008) is one of those one-off works of art set up like a machine; it's too clever for its own good, but it somehow works anyway. This one is a desk with a fan on the wall above it. The rotating fan blows in such a way that a piece of paper on the desktop rises every few seconds to a pair of disembodied folded hands resting on the desk. The hands are made of carved pencils, so the motion of the paper hitting the hands creates a primitive drawing.
At Greg Kucera.
Savage Love Savage Love Letter of the Day
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 3:30 PM
I just wanted to say thank you for printing my question, and for your great advice. When I went to the Stranger's website and saw my question it was perfect timing as I had already set up a meeting with the ex the following day, so I just brought a copy of our local alternative paper and handed it to him. "This is what I wanted to ask you." He thought it was so awesome he said he's going to frame the column! He also agreed quite readily to participate. He wants to hang out with my boyfriend and I once or twice so he can get to know him better and feel more comfortable, but it shouldn't be too long of a wait. We're all three really excited about it.I've always been a big fan of your column and almost always agree with your perspectives. Honesty is important in a relationship and I don't think long-term monogamy is very realistic. So many advice columnists and therapists still think of non-monogamy as this big taboo, and I think a lot of people would have healthier, longer-lived relationships if they could simply embrace the idea that variety can be a good thing.
Anyway, I don't want to prattle on too much because I know you have a lot of emails to read through. I just wanted to thank you on behalf of all three of us, and I'll definitely let you know how it turns out. :)
Need Some Abuse
Thanks for lovely note, NSA, and I'll pass your thoughts about non-monogamy and healthy relationships to a good friend of mine who believes that only men are ever interested in variety. He needs to know that women like you exist.
Crime Last Seen
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 3:29 PM
After seeing her for the last time...
...Steven McNair entered the other eternity, the other and darker "world without end."
She was born in Iran. She entered America in 2002. She began dating a famous American six months ago. She and the famous American were found dead three days ago. It is wrong to separate their bloody collision with the other cracks and crises of the unstable global system. The collisions of globalization are to us what car crashes were to the period of J. G. Ballard.
There must be a moment last month that contains Steve McNair watching the demonstrations that rocked Iran after the presidential elections. In this moment, he sees on a plasma screen the green sea of marching people, the robo cops beating back protesters, the leaders giving speeches and threats. He sees all of this without thinking for one second that somehow his fate, his end here Nashville, is linked to these troubling events in Tehran.
Books If You Like (Almost) Free Books
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Much in the way that we give away free advance reader's copies of books at Slogs Happy, Stephen Elliott is providing free advance copies of his upcoming memoir The Adderall Diaries. He explains:
Loosely based on the Hans Reiser murder trial, the book will be published in September, but if you send an email to adderall@therumpus.net I might send you an advance copy.Here’s the hitch: if I mail you a book I’ll also email you the address of the next person to send it to. You have a week to read it, then you have to send your copy to the next address. First class postage is $3.07. So this is not totally free...In your email please include your address and a little bit about yourself. Priority given to people who are verifiably real.
You can read more about the lending program here. It's a pretty smart way for an author to get the word out about his book. Elliott estimates that he can accommodate 500 people in the program.
Politics The News Reaches the Bunker
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 2:50 PM
This is over the top and unfair and the GOP can't be compared to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in any, you know, substantive way...
...but still: it's pretty fucking funny.
Books My Favorite Blog Today
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Forget about that retail blog; that's so two days ago. My new favorite blog comes from Slog Tipper Jessica, who writes:
Constant, have you seen this blog? It’s funny and strangely not bitter.
The "this blog" in question is called The Intern ("The straight dope on publishing from publishing's most fearsome figure—THE INTERN"). I had not seen it before and Jessica is right. It's amazing.
The Intern (who calls herself INTERN, which is a tad annoying, but you get used to it) does do a great job of writing about being in publishing without hitting all the cynical Gawker points. Important blog posts include why it is awful to run into a boss when your boyfriend is dressed as a bear, how the publishing business really deals with manuscripts, and Hot Publishing Trendz. Here are several:
Hot tips fresh from the past 5-6 editorial and pub board meetings:-Vampires are IN.
-"me"-related books are OUT. ("it isn't all about you any more! now it's about "us"!)
-Twelve-step book are IN
-superfoods are on their way OUT.
-simplicity and simple living are IN
Do the math people. We're looking for twelve-step programs to help vampires get over their narcissism, using a diet rich in white bread and peanut butter, while living in straw-bale houses.
Thanks, Jessica, for the tip.
Chow / Teh Internets No Rest for the Vegan
Posted by David Schmader on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Ambitious L.A. vegans suspect several area restaurants of lying about their veganism, and commence a campaign of after-hours dumpster diving and laboratory tests to determine the truth.
MetaFilter lays out the whole story.
Money shot from vegan blogger Quarrygirl, showing how a dumpster outside an allegedly vegan restaurant clearly contains a bag of buttermilk pancake mix:
Full story here.
Politics / Homo Scathing New Republic Editorial
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 2:01 PM
The editors of The New Republic pound Barack Obama on gay rights:
During the campaign, Obama said all the right things (well, almost all—like most national politicians, he wouldn't endorse same-sex marriage). He invoked the importance of winning "equality" and "dignity" and "respect" for gays and lesbians. Now he is president. And one of the perks of being president is that you get to lead. But, when it comes to gay issues, leading does not seem to interest this White House.... [Perhaps] stung by growing outrage within the gay community, Obama signed a memorandum giving same-sex partners of federal employees some, but not all, of the benefits enjoyed by heterosexual spouses. (Notably missing: health care.) At the signing ceremony, Obama explained that he was prevented from going further by existing law. Then he pledged to try to get the law changed. This is all well and good. But if Obama thinks that these scraps can make up for the otherwise dismal record he is accumulating on gay issues, then he is quite mistaken.In all of this, nothing is more infuriating than Obama's refusal to act on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It is true that the issue affects a relatively small number of gays and lesbians. But discrimination in our armed forces carries a potent symbolism: It tells an entire class of people that the country is not interested in their service. And it would be an easy problem to fix. As Nathaniel Frank argued at TNR Online last month, Obama may need Congress's approval to officially repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but he has the legal authority to tell the Pentagon to stop enforcing the policy via executive order. He could do it tomorrow. As for the political risks: Obama should look at some polls. Unlike same-sex marriage, the question of whether gays should serve openly in the military is no longer a particularly controversial issue. According to Gallup, 69 percent of Americans believe gays should be able to serve openly. To put that number in perspective, it is 25 points higher than the percentage of Americans who endorse Obama's handling of health care, 19 points higher than the percentage who currently support the war in Afghanistan, and 18 points higher than the percentage who approve of the administration's economic policies. Obama is not afraid to push health care reform, send more troops to Afghanistan, or stand by his stimulus program—nor should he be. But why, when it comes to the far less controversial cause of gays serving in the military, is he apparently willing to punt?
And so, the Pentagon continues to expel gay troops. The Defense of Marriage Act continues to wreak havoc on the lives of gay families. And we fail to perceive "equality" or "dignity" or "respect" in any of this.
Read the whole thing here.
Books A New Take on Serial Novels
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 1:21 PM
I've been thinking a lot about serialized novels, and how the idea of serialization could be easily applied to the internet. Apparently, Shya Scanlon has been thinking the same thing because he's about to serialize his new novel Forecast in 42 chapters. Here is what author Brian Evenson has to say about Forecast:
In FORECAST, Scanlon invokes an absurd not-too-distant future that nonetheless seems altogether too believable and real. Tipping its hat to authors like Stacey Levine, China Miéville and Jonathan Lethem, Scanlon’s novel is part SF, part noir, part road narrative and part love story. Whether speaking about an effete talking dog, an underground edu-musement park or the convoluted heartbreak of a man deep in love with the woman he’s been trained to watch, Shya Scanlon’s is a new and vital voice in fabulist fiction.
Evenson is a talented writer, and those three names he mentioned to reference Forecast are some kind of great fabulist holy trinity. And here's the great part of Forecast's serialization: Starting July 16th, the book will be serialized across 42 different blogs and web journals. The story will stretch from the very popular (Kottke and HTMLGiant) to the semi-popular-but-should-be-even-more-popular(Monkeybicycle) to the personal (The Man Who Couldn't Blog). Each chapter will link forward to the next chapter and back to the previous chapter. This is a great way to use the internet's connectivity to serialize something in a way that wouldn't have been possible before.
International Good News from Iran
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM
From the WSJ:
Some members of Iran's powerful clerical class are stepping up their antigovernment protests over Iran's election in defiance of the country's supreme leader, bringing potential aid to opposition figures as the regime is increasingly labeling them foreign-sponsored traitors.An influential group of religious scholars seen as politically neutral during the presidential election called the country's highest election arbiter, the Guardian Council, biased, and said the June 12 election was "invalid." Earlier, it had endorsed the official result that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated Mir Houssein Mousavi and other challengers by a wide margin.
The group, with no government role, has little practical ability to change the election outcome. But its new posture may carry moral weight with Iranians after security forces have quashed street protests and jailed hundreds of opposition supporters. It highlights a growing unease among Iran's scholarly ruling class about the direction of the country, and questions the theological underpinning of the Islamic Republic: that the supreme leader and the institutions under him are infallible.
Yes, the metaphor is historically and culturally and theologically jagged, but in broad strokes—once the cardinals stop believing the pope speaks ex cathedra, goodbye divine right of kings (and divine anointings masquerading as sham elections) and hello reform and revolution.
UPDATE
The strike is on. (I mean, the Iranians, not the Israelis.)
Chow Free Chocolate! The Finalists....
Posted by Megan Seling on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Last week I announced that Slog had two tickets to this weekend's Seattle Chocolate Salon, where 30+ local and national chocolatiers gather to share their goods. Tickets are $20 (advance) and they give you access to sample as much chocolate as you'd like. YUM! To enter, all you had to do was say (in 50 words or less) why you deserved the pair of passes.
We got a whole heap of entries, and here's the cream of the crop. Now it's up to you, Slog readers, to choose who should go. I can't decide. I'm a Gemini and therefore worthless in the decision-making process. Vote below and the winner as of 10 am tomorrow morning will be the winner of the passes!
Thanks to all who entered, and good luck to you finalists!
#1
I'm a 20 year old gay virgin who was obese, and is now uncomfortably skinnyfat. I'm in debt paying for a degree in fine art, which is hugely dependent on personal passion. If smashing decadence into my face with an obligated friend can't grant me passion, I am forever lost.
#2
My love of chocolate can be summed up in three words: 180 Cadbury eggs. That's how many I bought after Easter one year. Find someone who can top that, and I will graciously accept that he or she deserves these tickets more than I do. I humbly thank you for your consideration.
#3
Last night I polished off the last of the nasty root-beer flavored popsicles that my roommate discarded in the freezer from the variety pack. I didn’t like it, but I did it. Save me from myself. With chocolates.
#4
Today I sprained my back unloading *paper towels* at work. I can't be expected to be too eloquent with all the vicodin and muscle relaxants I'm on right now so I'll just let the drugs do the talking: chocolate = awesome and I could use a day full of free awesomeness.
#5
I feel that this particular unlimited supply of chocolate is my personal destiny. Something about Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates resonates deeply within me; it is as if this organization and I are fellow-travelers in a sense far more profound than mere time and space.
#6
I was allergic to chocolate as a kid. Then I grew up and my allergy suddenly disappeared. Chocolate is therefore, to me, synonymous with adult privilege. Attending this festival would be like voting, drinking, having sex, and then blowing up enemies on the field of battle.
#7
I have been married for nearly three decades to someone for whom chocolate is the very worst of the sinful indulgences one can encounter. In our house we have nothing but organic, locally-grown, fairly-traded food. Every grain is a whole grain. We are desperate! Help us!
Chow If You've Ever Dreamed of Being a Competitive Eater...
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:22 PM
...tonight's your chance. On the heels of Joey Chestnut's third consecutive win at Nathan's annual hot dog eating contest, Ballard restaurant/bar Tigertail is hosting a hot dog eating contest. (Stranger readers have given Tigertail an overwhelmingly average three star rating; reviews seem to go straight from one to five stars. There's very little compromise here, it seems.) From Tigertail's blog: [Everything (sic)]
you come in and pay your $10 and get a chance to win $100.00 in local gift certificates, all the hot dogs you can handle, a commemorative tshirt, and a couple of beers. there is no better deal anywhere and best of all - all the proceeds benefit PAWS.
Before you ask, I am not competing. I have retired from the world of competitive eating. But I can tell you from experience that if you've ever wanted to try competitive eating, you totally should.
And if you're going to compete and you want my advice, here it is: If you've eaten breakfast, stop eating for the rest of the day. If you haven't eaten, eat a small bowl of cereal right now. Then drink as much water as you can to stretch your stomach out. Stop drinking water two hours before the competition. During the competition, dip the buns in water before you chew, and break the hot dogs in half and eat both halves at once (this is called "The Solomon Method"). Get into a rhythm and try to drown everything else out. Don't overstuff your mouth—pace yourself. Relax. Everything will be fine.
(Thanks to Slog tipper Lara for the tip.)
Economy The Price of Silence
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Zimfood is website that helps Zimbabweans in the richest parts of world "provide for and support friends and family" in one of the poorest parts of the world. "We cut out the middle man, delivering goods to the doorstep of the people you want to provide for, in a very efficient and timely manner." Though the service is a part of the new, global economy, the products offered on the website are a part of the colonial world of Rhodesia. For example:
OtherCandles 6 pack super wax 1
Matches 10 pack 1
Shoe polish nugget or kiwi 200g 1
But how can one not admire the simplicity of this type shopping—colonial shopping. There is none of the frenzy and diversity of an American supermarket. The whole business of buying comes down to a can of this thing or a tube of that stuff. Life is less dense. The temperature of a transaction is very cool. A store is not the site of anxiety or tension. A product is universal. If you want toothpaste, there is only one type of toothpaste to meet that want. And so the want is not confused or complicated by choices and a variety of prices. In the colonial shop, prices lose their ability to communicate. The chatter of the commodities seizes. The noise of Hayekian market is muted. We can shop in peace, we can pass over a product in silence.
Video of the Day Lunchtime Quickie
Posted by Kelly O on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Dog bites man, and also dog-owner in her hoo-hoo. The good stuff starts at 1:34. Good thing that dog isn't a pit bull.
Politics / News Out-of-Control Teabaggers Choke GOP Pols
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Enviro Today in Gross
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:06 PM
A few weeks ago, I visited a young couple with kids who live on Bainbrige Island. The kids wanted to go to the beach and the parents said no—there had been a small sewage leak and the Bainbridge beaches on the south end of the island were quarantined for a couple of days. But soon enough they'd all be back to splashing in the water.
Uh, no.
From Slog tipper Todd:
Hi,
It's been six weeks since the Bainbridge Island sewage leak. I've been sailing every weekend since then between Alki and Edmonds, waiting for it to disappear. But it's not. There are GIGANTIC areas out there that are absolutely disgusting. I'm talking square miles, strung out in long lines. Some places are so thick you can practically walk on it. It's horrible what we do to the Sound—that which makes Seattle so wonderful. I've attached a picture of a small area I took yesterday. There is so much of it I didn't bother taking more pictures. If you want to see it take a ferry ride to Bainbridge, or hop on a boat an look off of West Point—off Discovery. It's there that I saw the monster sludge. An area that could be a square mile in size, just strung out.Here are some questions that would be good to have answered in an article:
Is there a danger of touching this stuff?
How often does this happen?
How does it affect sea life? In particular sea lions and seals.
How long will it take to disappear?
What are we doing to make sure this doesn't happen again?
An arial picture of the monster sludge would have a nice impact.Thanks!
Todd Phillips
A story in the Kitsap Sun answers some of these questions. They are not encouraging:
In its conclusion, the study noted that the Wing Point pipe "is subject to corrosive soil and corrosion is proceeding. It is likely additional failures will occur over time."Replacing the pipes was recommended as an "eventual" remedy, but the study did not specify when work should happen.
"The results were inconclusive and did not direct immediate action," Assistant Public Works Director Lance Newkirk said.
Upgrading will cost a lot of money the city doesn't have. Hit hard by sharply declining revenues, the city recently laid off several workers and cut back on many services and projects. Federal funding for city infrastructure isn't what it was when the ailing pipes were installed.
"Since the late 1970s, we have seen huge reductions in federal spending for water and sewer, placing much of the burden on small local governments, like ourselves," Franz said, adding that 30 years ago federal funding accounted for 75 percent of all new water and sewer construction. Today it is about 5 percent.
Todd's truly disgusting photo—probably safe for work, but not safe for life—is beneath the jump.
News Help End the HIV Travel Ban
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 12:05 PM
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