The internet is hard to control. Trying to censor or remove something on the net usually backfires and draws more attention to it than it would have ever have gotten in the first place.
Sometimes doing nothing is the best way to keep a secret. The California Coastal Records Project's picture of Barbra Streisand's house, that led Ms. Streisand to unsuccessfully sue photographer Kenneth Adelman for privacy concerns.
Now with the latest leaked documents from the Pentagon, courtesy of WikiLeaks, the U.S. Government is acting like a diva throwing a temper tantrum, causing more harm than good in its attempts to stop the documents from being read or discussed.
One of the more hilarious aspects of the leaked documents are cables showing world leaders talking to each other like catty schoolgirls. If our nations leaders are sincere about ending bullying in schools, maybe they should stop acting like bullies in their political affairs.
Anxiety over WikiLeaks is making CNN act like Perez Hilton
Speaking of gossip, more on Mommie Dearest Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin, whom comedian Kathy Griffin calls the White Precious.
Lady Gaga and other celebrities are back from the dead.
Hanging out with Rahm Emanuel at the World of Chocolate.
Lance Bass pulls a Nomi Malone as he replaces his ex-Reichen Lehmkul+ in the Off Off Broadway musical he got fired from because he couldn’t sing.
Banned for life from The Smithsonian?
New Facebook Profiles
And change the channel from Judge Judy to C-Span, the Prop 8 Marriage Equality saga continues with opening arguments.
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Comments
Kristen’s one of my favorite regular guests now! I totally remember that Family Matters/Step By Step crossover!
I think the publication of Wikileaks about such sensitive data from US diplomats was wrong. In case of the Iraq war files there was a benefit, to inform the public about what really happened in Iraq, about a war which is unjustified and wrong. Thereagainst the recent publication had just one goal, to ridicule the US.
I think as long as Wikileaks publish information about someone or an institution/company which did not act according to the law or something which was unjustified then the publication has a benefit for the society and could be valuable. Otherwise Wikileaks just don’t respect privacy and a society without privacy is a totalitarian society. That’s why the German economic minister compared Wikileaks with the former East German secret service “Stasi” (state security office).
Moreover Wikileas and its supporters seem to be quite radical as the recent attacks on websites from Mastercard and Visa show.
Also, after an informal poll of my feminist-identified friends, I have to disagree with Lily Tomlin’s estimation of “douche” or “douchebag” as a sexist insult. It may have begun as a hur-hur-smelly-vadge reference among unenlightened men, but seeing as how the marketing of douche was based on patriarchal thinking about what makes a woman’s body suitable for use (hello, Lysol ads from the ’20s!), and how science has proven that vaginal irrigation is largely unnecessary, even unhealthy and irritating, I think it’s reasonable to claim it for wide use as a term to describe unnecessary and irritating behavior.
So to sum up, “douche” isn’t bad because it’s female-oriented, it’s bad because it’s bad for women! Like “clitoridectomy” or “unequal pay”!
I would ‘t take anything a comedian says too seriously.
I wouldn’t have, if I hadn’t heard similar complaints about douche-as-insult from other feminists. We do really seem to have problems with humor as a movement.
I don’t know what Snopes article you guys were looking at, but according to Snopes, the Arby’s gel/liquid meat thing is a total lie lol
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/arbys.asp
Someone told us that, I never really believed it. Seemed too extraordinary. But it’s fun to talk about.
It was in a parallel universe, where meat is liquid and milk is solid.
And.. as a feminist, I can understand both sides of the “douche(bag)” argument. Personally, I don’t like calling anyone “douches”, because I do associate it with the perception with vaginas being icky, although I can definitely understand how a lot of feminists have personally changed the connotation of the word, into saying that douches are useless. However, since I feel that definition of the slang term requires a little asterisk when you say it because not everyone thinks of this definition when they use the term, I don’t think that the general meaning of the word has changed, so I prefer to sidestep the word entirely and not use it at all. There are way better insults out there anyway
Oh the best insults are the most original ones, of course! A friend of mine called someone a “dog-pronger” once and I still can’t hear the word “prong” without thinking of it and laughing.
Can I say how much I enjoy reading all your comments Ms. Seawall?
But of course you can, Mr. Fernós! I enjoy you saying so
It’s really funny how this cleansing device has become synonymous with smug, dumb and arrogant people. What’s next? Scrub brush, mop, or broom going to become an insult too?
What would be the new meaning of a loofah? I could see that becoming an insult. Looo-fah. Say it, it’s a funny word.
http://www.salon.com/news/2004/10/13/o_reilly
Oh, the loofah already had its day of infamy: didn’t you hear about Bill O’Reilly’s drunk-dialling sexual harassment lawsuit in 2004? Click the link for transcription of the incident, it’s funny.
Even more reason!