“It started with a heads up in the Virginia Quarterly Review by Waldo Jaquith, who said he’d been sent a review copy of the book, which pubs on July 7, and ‘discovered almost a dozen passages that are reproduced nearly verbatim from uncredited sources…. Most of the passages, but not all, come from Wikipedia.’ It’s a thorough job, even including thumbnails comparing texts side-by-side.”
Chris Anderson whacked by long tail, by Dennis Johnson, Moby Lives, June 24, 2009

Does this attribution make me look fat?

Y’know, this would be funny if it were remotely funny at all. Fuck.

I was missing this:

I can’t believe Disney made this. It has Elvis songs in it. It’s brilliant. I can’t believe Disney made it. Why don’t they make more like it? They could change the world for the better with stuff like this.

Oh well. I’ll always have Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, and the king of the swingers, Louie Prima. And now I have Lilo and Stitch: Elvis, surfing and “Pudge controls the weather.” Oh Margaret! Disney, ya bastards, I can’t even hate you properly anymore.

“Basically, the firm got voters to sign an unrelated petition, and then asked them to sign on a line right below ‘for confirmation.’ The ‘confirmation’ line was, of course, actually a voter registration card. YPM would then fill out the card, switching them to GOP so they would pocket the $5. This scheme was repeated in at least Riverside County, perhaps in more locations as well. YPM had used the scheme throughout Florida before getting themselves kicked out.”

~snip~

“The charge will get him a bit of probation time, but the bigger charge of slamming is yet to be prosecuted. It’s not clear what the holdup on that case, and whether there will be such a prosecution. However, the evidence is rather stark, as an LA Times random sample found that of 46 people they contacted, 37 were misled into the voter registration change.”
Marc Jacoby Pleads Guilty to Voter Fraud, by Brian Leubitz, Calitics, June 18, 2009

Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk etc.

“It’s Japan Day here on Bitterwallet, which means we’ve got this story and possibly another one later on that heralds from the alien world of Pachinko, the original Hole In The Wall (minus Dale Winton) and vending machines filled with schoolgirl knickers.

“Here are a couple of ads for Space Shower TV, Japan’s largest cable/satellite music channel. The first one is utterly, utterly, UTTERLY off the map and as we can’t describe it, we’re not even going to bother trying. Just watch it.

“Meanwhile, the second ad is just your typical tale of war and peace among inanimate objects in an everyday kitchen. Watch it also. Then watch the first one again. But not in the three hours that immediately precede your bedtime. That might not be so good for you.”
Commercial Break: Maybe the most deranged ad we’ve ever seen, by Andy Dawson, Bitter Wallet, June 18, 2009

Bitter Wallet is fast becoming my favorite “fun” blog.

“Here in California, Sam Farr, Bob Filner, Diane Watson, Pete Stark, Mike Thompson, John Tierney, Linda Sanchez, Mike Honda, Grace Napolitano, Jackie Speier, George Miller and Zoe Lofgren have all taken bold antiwar positions in the past. If you live in any of these districts, call, announce yourself as a constituent and tell them you support them voting no tomorrow. Leave a message if the office is closed (which it almost certainly is).

“Sam Farr (202) 225-2861
“Bob Filner (202) 225-8045
“Diane Watson (202) 225-7084
“Pete Stark (202) 225-5065
“Mike Thompson (202) 225-3311
“John Tierney (202) 225-8020
“Linda Sanchez (202) 225-6676
“Mike Honda (202) 225-2631
“Grace Napolitano (202) 225-5256
“Jackie Speier (202) 225-3531
“George Miller (202) 225-3201
“Zoe Lofgren (202) 225-3072

“And of course, Lynn Woolsey, Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee have been outstanding leaders in the caucus on war-related issues over the years, even back when being progressive on foreign policy was like screaming in the wilderness. If any of these are your Representative, call today and tell them how important it is that they cast their votes against the supplemental when they vote on Tuesday.

“Lynn Woolsey (202) 225-5161
“Maxine Waters (202) 225-2201
“Barbara Lee (202) 225-2661″
State blogs coordinating to stop passage of the war supplemental, by Leighton Woodhouse, Calitics, June 15, 2009

Barbara Lee was the only No vote on the Patriot Act in 2001. So if she’s saying say No to the War Supplemental, it’s a NO GO for sure. I have very few heroes, but Barbara Lee is in the top three.

“The bargains are all direct from the forums at HotUKDeals, although we overheard some bloke going on about them while we were snorting up some A-grade Columbian off a model’s back in Tizer’s nightclub in Nuneaton at 1.45am this morning. Raaarrrrgggh!”
HotUKDeals Of The Day – Monday 15th June, by Andy Dawson, Bitterwallet, June 15, 2009

Raaarrrrgggh! Fanboys, take note.

I mean, I hope it’s just that the Lakers won and the world isn’t ending. Or something. Great, now there’s sirens. Laker fans, you assholes, the LAPD have real crimes to deal with instead of your crazy-ass behavior.

Update: Now I’m really pissed off:

“At the Holy Grail, a vintage sneakers store around the block from Staples Center, owner Richard Torres appeared exhausted from staying up all night after revelers ransacked his shop after the Lakers’ victory.

“Torres was watching the Lakers’ game Sunday night at his father’s house in Corona when he saw images of the civil unrest on the TV news. He recognized the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Flower Street, where his store is located. Torres and his girlfriend, who works as the manager, jumped into their car and headed downtown.

“About fifteen minutes later, their security company called, saying the store alarm had been triggered. When they arrived less than an hour after the game had ended, shoe boxes were scattered all over the block. Some shoes had been lit on fire and thrown down the street.

“Torres and his girlfriend entered through the back door and saw the storage room all but empty. Fewer than 20 pairs of shoes were left out of the 800 pairs they had in stock. The floor was littered with receipts, price tags, tissue paper and crumpled-up shoe boxes.

“Torres’ eyes grew teary at the sight. Neighbors told them the revelers had gone to the back of the store, and pulled and pulled at the white metal door until it broke open, all the while chanting: “We want shoes, we want shoes.” Glass display cases had been shattered. Two computers, cash, sunglasses and hats were also looted.”
Owner of looted sneakers store surveys post-Lakers-victory damage, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, June 15, 2009

and

“After the Lakers’ victory Sunday night, fans swarmed into the convenience store at a Shell gas station on Grand Avenue and Olympic Boulevard and started shouting: ‘Free soda! Free soda!’

“The rowdy crowd of about 20 young men, many wearing Lakers apparel, entered the store about 10:20 p.m. and started grabbing bottles of water, chips, candy, chocolate and six-packs of soda off the shelves, said 27-year-old employee German Bonilla.

“They loaded their arms with whatever they could grab and threw other items on the floor. They were gone less than five minutes later, Bonilla said. Bottles were shattered and cans of soda exploded on the floor. Bananas were trampled on, creating a sticky mess. A cashier in the store tried to tell the young men to leave and usher them out the door, but was unsuccessful.”
Looters raid a gas station store after Lakers’ win, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, June 15, 2009

I’d rather my tax dollars go for the riot squad to protect the people and property downtown when the Lakers win and there’s a Laker riot than pay for this stupid “victory” parade thing. Oh, and by the way, eight LAPD officers were injured last night, so the LAPD probably isn’t in the greatest mood right now. And if they bust some heads at the “victory” parade, this will be the first, and hopefully last, time I won’t mind very much. Have fun on Wednesday, Laker fans. Yeah.

I like my city better when the Lakers lose. Sorry, that’s just the way I feel about it.

The Human Cost of Cuts – Linnea’s Story, Budget Blog, June 10, 2009

There has to be a better way to “save” California than letting this young woman die. There just has to be a better way.

Now this:

(via)

I think the hairless pussy was a little overkill. And I think the line about “tulips on a mound” could be misconstrued as well.

You know, I don’t remember commercials about shaving your pubic hair on TV prior to 1987 when I quit watching TV. Of course, now I’m watching commercials on the internet, which is pretty odd if you think about it. Oh never mind.

“The victim’s father, Nel Rasmussen, told LAPD homicide detectives about the alleged confrontation and others in the months before the slaying, but he was rebuffed and told by the investigators “repeatedly that he was watching too much TV,” attorney John C. Taylor said today.

“Police have not responded to the family’s claims.”
LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus allegedly threatened victim in slaying case, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, June 10, 2009

Why are people such idiots? And then some of them have guns, never mind the badge and uniform. Sigh.

By the way, no man is worth doing time for, even if it seems like it at the time, a week later, you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. Really.

“‘They tasted like Cheetos but with legs,’ said Brenda Llamas, a 13-year-old trumpet player from Pacoima Middle School.

“With proposed state budget cuts threatening to strip schools of much-needed cash, music students in the San Fernando Valley have shown they’re not willing to leave anything to chance. Saturday was no exception as five middle school bands squared off in the first Battle of the Bands Family Music Festival at Sutter Middle School in Winnetka.

“Jazz bands, concert bands, rock bands and orchestras took the stage in button-up vests and bow ties for a chance to honk, strum and strike their way to victory. The prize was a big one, considering that some schools might receive as little as $200 in spending cash next year. First place would bring $2,500 (second place $750) to buy instruments, sheet music and supplies.”
Music students hold a noteworthy fundraiser in the San Fernando Valley. Youths battle it out onstage to help their cash-strapped schools, by Esmeralda Bermudez, LA Times, June 7, 2009

Ow, it’s tough you have to subsidize your own High School music education. But go, kids, go! You’re undaunted and I’m impressed!

(via Furies Publishing)

I’ve always loved this show. Rest in peace, David, you were brilliant in “The Long Riders,” too.

Well, thank you, all those clicks added up to almost $100! And then Google pulled their ads for some obscure reason and now the Furies won’t ever get that money your diligent clicks to Google’s advertisers made for them. This is very sad.

What is even SADDER is that the Furies are very clever women who were planning to spend that first $100 on cute little marketing thingys like bookmarks, bookplates, whatnot. What is totally TRAGIC about this is that these Furies know cute, like CUTE, like, Lawdy, do they know CUTE. So, now, not only do they not get their first start-up $100 to make some cute marketing things, we, World, will not be able to get any of these cute marketing things. And all because of Google Legree.

However, the Furies still have a donation button on their website. It’s tastefully at the bottom of the left sidebar. If any of you fine people who read this blog could toss them a few bucks, like more than $5, I’m sure they’d send you some cute Furies swag when they get enough dosh to make some. This is also a good deed: these are very brave women to even be thinking about starting a business, let alone one as risky as comics, in this economy. They’re taking it slow, so the Google shenanigans is a big-ish set back.

Also, if you could spread the word about the Furies Fundraiser, I’d be much obliged.

Wheeeee! America’s best Christian (TM) on YouTube!

(via)

Wherever you are, if it’s in English, I need it.

“I managed to take 2 photos before I was caught and unable to take
the piece de resistance of parking tard photos:

“Owner: Can I help you?
“Me: Is this your truck?
“Owner: Yes.
“Me: You’re taking up 4 compact spots.
“Owner: Well it is a big truck.
“Me: There are other non-compact spots to park in.
“Owner: Sorry to ruin your day.

“My thoughts after that were that ‘no, you didn’t ruin my day’ and
‘you’re going on teh interwebs about to be famous on LA Metblogs.’”
Parking Tards! Our readers are hunting for you too, by Sean Bonner, LA Metroblogs, June 1st, 2009

Un-fucking-real. Arrogant and stupid squared. FOUR COMPACT CAR SPACES FOR ONE GAS GUZZLER!!! W.T.F! A photo of the back of his truck after the jump (scroll to the end).

Okay, I’m going to try their scripty goodness beta thingy. Hope it doesn’t break the internets.

Well, this kind of works. Will be nice when it really works. All this cutting and pasting and typing wears me out. Whew!

“Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry and Jean Nouvel are among architects singled out by US-based organisation Human Rights Watch for the ‘abuse and severe exploitation’ of construction labourers occurring on their projects at Abu Dhabi’s luxury Saadiyat Island development.

“In an 80-page report published last week, entitled The Island of Happiness: Exploitation of Migrant Workers on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Human Rights Watch found that, despite slow improvements in timely payment of wages and labour conditions, abuses such as passport withholding and fines are still occurring.

“Under government developer the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Saadiyat Island (‘Happiness Island’ in Arabic) is being developed into a £17 billion tourism and cultural centre, comprising a Nouvel-designed Louvre, a Guggenheim by Gehry, Foster + Partners’ Sheikh Zayed National Museum and Hadid’s Performing Arts Centre, all yet to be completed.

“Human Rights Watch called on the architects, and institutions such as the Guggenheim and the Louvre, to obtain enforceable contractual guarantees that construction companies will protect workers’ fundamental human rights.”
Darkening Dubai. Architects named in human rights row, by Christopher Sell, Lebbeus Woods, 28 May, 2009

“In the short-term, expenditure reductions in any of these programs (CalWORKS, etc.) have significant implications for the state economy. The multiplier effects for these programs are found to range between 1.05 and 1.44, meaning that output and employment resulting from human services program expenditures are greater than the expenditures alone would suggest.

“In particular, In-Home Supportive Services are found to provide in excess of a 40 percent boost to the local economy. The multipliers for CalWORKs and Food Stamps are also significant and comparable at 1.34 and 1.37, respectively. Other programs, those that provide primarily services and less in the way of cash benefits, are found to have a smaller multiplier effect. The importance of these services, however, should not be diminished by the smaller multipliers that were found. This report discusses the likelihood that service reductions in many of these programs may result in the following: a higher incidence of homelessness, poverty, malnutrition, substance abuse, violence, and negative health outcomes for toddlers and infants. Aside from the toll these harmful circumstances have on the individuals involved, a higher incidence of these maladies produces not only higher economic costs today, but in the future as well. This suggests another sort of multiplier that ought to be included in the analysis – the indirect effect of reducing the demand for services tomorrow by providing them today.

“Finally, many of these programs are funded by federal in addition to state expenditures. These federal dollars are often only available as matching funds to state expenditures. The effect of matching funds was found to raise the multiplier for some state spending as high as 7.35. With matching funds, $1 in state spending translates into between roughly $3 and $5 in total spending on most of these programs. The effect on output and employment, and on the economic stimulus effect of state spending on these programs, is thus significantly magnified.”
SPENDING ON COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA: AN EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS (pdf), By Jon Haveman, Ph.D., Beacon Economics, Eric O’N. Fisher, Ph. D., California Polytechnic State University, Fannie Tseng, Ph.D., Berkeley Policy Associates, Presented to Child and Family Policy Institute of California, March 17, 2009 (via, which has more links and is a faster read)

$1 CA dollar can, with matching funds, turn into up to $5 spent in grocery stores, doctors, public transit, etc. in California. I’m not very good at math either, so bear with me:

$1M = $5M, so $500K = $2.5M, $0.50 = $2.50, but $0 = $0, which is what I think the heartless bastard rightwingnuts in California ultimately want. Don’t any of those people have businesses, homes or investments in California? Or, y’know, humanity? Because sinking the whole State to gratify some sick fear and loathing of children, disease and poverty seems pretty crazy to me.

So, really, the only reason Arnold is going after these programs is because they have no powerful advocates. And he’s a heartless bastard placating heartless bastards.

“KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) – A Kansas doctor who was a controversial provider of so-called ‘late-term’ abortions was shot and killed at his church on Sunday, local media reported.

“The Wichita Eagle newspaper reported that 67-year-old George Tiller, a longtime target of anti-abortion activists, was shot to death as he walked into services at Reformation Lutheran Church.

“Police are searching for a white male who fled the scene after shooting Tiller with a handgun, local media reported.”

~snip~

“Tiller’s clinic in Wichita has been the site of mass protests by anti-abortion groups and was bombed in 1985. Tiller was shot and wounded by an abortion opponent in 1993.”
Kansas abortion doctor shot dead at church: report, Reporting by Cynthia Osterman, editing by Anthony Boadle, Reuters, May 31, 2009 (also of note)

Don’t like somebody? Shoot ‘em! It’s the way we live now!

“Consider this partial list of the governor’s proposed cuts to health and humans services:

· Elimination of the CalWORKs program;
· Elimination of the Healthy Families Program;
· Eliminating certain Medi-Cal state-only programs;
· Elimination of community based services programs at the Department of Aging;
· Eliminate State funding for Community Care Licensing;
· Elimination of remaining General Fund for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health;
· Elimination of funding for community clinic programs, such as Rural Health Services and the Seasonal and Agricultural and Migratory work programs;
· Elimination of funding for drug treatment programs established by the voters through Proposition 36;
· Reducing in-home supportive services eligibility and care provider pay;
· Reducing funding for foster care rates; and
· Reducing SSI/SSP monthly payments benefiting the aged and disabled to the minimum allowed under federal law.

“All of us know someone who will be affected by these cuts. This is not just a matter of balancing the state’s books. For some Californians, it is a matter of life and death.

“A society in crisis should not throw women, children, and seniors overboard first.”
Impact of Governor’s Proposed Health and Human Services Cuts, Budget Blog, by Assemblymember Noreen Evans, May 27, 2009 (also see Noreen Explains the Budget Crisis)

I think what you mean, Assemblymember Evans, is that a civilized society in crisis should not throw women, children, and seniors-who-didn’t-buy-their-home-in-the-1950-70s overboard first. We’re talking about California, not, y’know, something civilized.

By the way, when you run for higher office, Noreen, I’m sending you some money.

“Howard received the assignment of leading the U.S. Navy’s counter-piracy task force just three days before the Maersk Alabama was attacked by Somalia pirates.”

~snip~

“Howard is the first of her 1982 U.S. Naval Academy class to reach the rank of admiral. In 1999, Howard became the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Rushmore.”
Ship commanded by Black woman admiral rescued Maersk Alabama captain, by James Wright, AFRO Staff Writer, April 30, 2009

This is the first I’ve heard of this (via) and if this is the first you’ve heard of it, please pass it on. We should know who our real heroes are.

Civil marriage is what is says it is: civil marriage. Not spiritual marriage. They’re different. Vive la difference. It’s part of the freedom of religion we all love so much in the country. Civil institutions are (generally) free of religious governance and (largely) religious institutions enjoy the protection of the law that allows them to believe and worship as they please as long as they aren’t breaking any laws. Gay CIVIL Marriage does not force any sect to recognize or sanctify any marriage between any two people. Prop 8, however, forbids religious leaders from signing a marriage license for two men or two women. Talk about the state curtailing religious freedom in a big way. Well, there you have it!

“Diane Buchanan was also sentenced to four years’ probation. The judge said Buchanan showed no remorse and she was fortunate the victim did not suffer more severe injuries and die.

“Deputy Dist. Atty. Natalie Adomian said that despite her conviction on three felony assault charges Buchanan she never apologized.

“Lawyers for Buchanan told the court she dedicated her life to helping children and her community and was destroyed by the case. In May 2005, Buchanan lost her cellphone at the Sylmar juvenile hall. Another boy at the facility said the victim had flushed the phone down the toilet.

“Prosecutors alleged that Buchanan opened the victim’s cell door and let in five boys to attack the youth. Buchanan did not report the incident or seek medical help for the victim.

“She later found her cellphone in her car, authorities said.”
Former juvenile hall guard sentenced to year in jail, by Richard Winton, LA Times, May 27, 2009

Over a fucking cell phone. This is a very sick woman. What does she do when something serious happens?

Here’s the TOS. Not a word about what kind of “disturbing” content they reserve the right not to print. Jerks.

(via [and I don't want to know where she finds them])

Prop 8…fuck.

“Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, Chair of the Budget Committee, spells out slowly for everyone the structural problems and false assertions about the California budget process.”

(via)

“But the California precedent still has me rattled. Who would have thought that America’s largest state, a state whose economy is larger than that of all but a few nations, could so easily become a banana republic?”

But, Paaaaauuuuuuulllll! It’s not a banana republic! It’s a Libertarian Paradise!

Me, I think it’s more of a dystopia.

And they could probably use the tourist dollars.

(via)