A nice homage to one of my favorite writers, Italo Calvino. While you’re at it, get off the computer and read a real book — I’d recommend “If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler.” But, as the author of this piece says, “Italo Calvino never wrote a bad book,” so whatever you pick will probably be good.
Amanda posts about two EC ads that have the Concerned (anti-)Women for America all aflutter. I don’t like the ads either, but for different reasons, and I’m curious to see what other people think. Weigh in over there.
I was supposed to go to the opening of this macabre exhibit last night, but cancelled at the last minute so that I could stay home and study. Good to know that it might be questionable for reasons other than its display of dead bodies.
Women are still being killed in Juarez, and the Mexican government doesn’t seem too interested in doing anything about it. NOW has gotten involved, and is demanding justice for these women. via Feministing.
Echidne on stupid, smug women (emphasis on the women). Read the comment thread. It’s interesting how many times she’s told, “Lighten up, Steve is on our side” — as if it’s somehow unfair to call out sexism when we see it from people who are otherwise our ideological allies. Other comments range from the just plain stupid (“you don’t like his language, wake up and realize what kind of world we’re living in. you don’t have to use it yourself, but you can be acceptant of it as appropriate for the subject matter being dealt with”) to the downright hostile (” Does your ass look fat on this blog? I dunno. Now get me a beer and shut up”).
Perhaps the most inane take yet on Heidi Fleiss’ “stud farm.”
Heidi’s Stud Farm, a house of prostitution where men will cater to women, will surely engender much press coverage and gnashing of feminist teeth.
Gnashing of feminist teeth? I have a feeling it’ll be the right-wingers who are more upset about this one. Although certainly feminists are interested.
It’s hard to resist the clever punch lines. Why not call it “The Cuddle Farm” or “Heidi’s House of Endless Conversations About Where the Relationship Is Going”?
…because women are incapable of having sex just for physical pleasure. And even when women pay for sex, they’re looking for a relationship. Men, on the other hand, are heartless clods who feel no emotional attachment during sex, ever, and have to be hog-tied and dragged into a relationship.
To be fair, the writer recognizes that maybe that isn’t the case. But then…
But if women can pay for sex at a high-end, celebrity-owned resort — think of it as Canyon Ranch without those strenuous hikes — we’ve got more than a political movement, we’ve got the Official Headquarters of Equality.
If the epitome of “equality” is the ability for both genders to pay for sex, find me a new movement.
New Idea Guy says, “Both sides of the Roe debate are disingenuous!”