The Magnetic Fields' Realism

  
Today, The Magnetic Fields released their ninth album Realism. "Autuer" Stephin Merrit said, "the way we were thinking about it initially was as an opposite to Distortion - distortion meaning lie." With no drums and crystal clear recording, it is a stark contrast to their fuzzy 2008 album. The songs are more reminiscent of 69 Love Songs. They evoke feelings of nostalgia, wit, and charm. It is definitely going to be a must-have in 2010.

Watch Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson talk about the album.

"You Must Be Out of Your Mind", "We Are Having a Hootenanny", and "Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree" from Realism and "I Don't Want to Get Over You" from 69 Love Songs.

  
  

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Today's Viewing Pleasure: Music Video Mashups

I was just flipping through YouTube the last couple of days when I came across these gems. Take a gander and watch these fine mash-up videos.

  
  
  

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Take THAT Pat Robertson

Thanks to the internet and the fact that Pat Robertson just can't ever shut up in front of the camera, the public gets to see, and see again, how truly horrific and unChristian he is. His recent comments about Haiti's pact with the devil have ignited a slew of commentators from multiple places. Gathered below is an assortment of people's critiques, rants, and responses to his comments.

Rachel Maddow gives an update about Pat Robertson's comments:



Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph responds to Pat Robertson's comments on The Rachel Maddow Show:



From "The 'Devil' Writes Pat Robertson a Letter" published in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I'm all over that action.

But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.

Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"?

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.

You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.

Best, Satan

LILY COYLE, MINNEAPOLIS

Keith Olberman's Special Comment on Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh:



From Slacktavist, Dear Pat Robertson, STFU:

But it's worse than that. He's not just contradicting some bit of scriptural arcana here, he's cutting to the core of Christianity and setting himself in direct opposition to it. When Jesus stood to read in the synagogue he looked over the whole of the scriptures and selected the one thing he wanted to say out of all that he might have read and he read this as his motto, his mission statement, the signature and standard of his ministry and its meaning:

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 

because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Pat Robertson reverses every line of that. He perverts it into its opposite. His words, therefore, were not just "stupid" -- as White House spokesman Robert Gibbs rightly called them. They were anathema, blasphemy, an abomination.

Continue reading here.

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Comedy Round-up

  
There's a lot going on in the world this week -- the earthquake in Haiti, Prop. 8 Trial, a 19.9 billion budget shortfall in California, just to name a few. So I thought it a needed comedy break might be in order. Here are a couple of videos to tickle your funny bone.

Sometimes you just need to learn a new language.



I love it when things explode! It's even funnier when they are cure.



Because sometimes a rooster is better than Metallica.

Just in case you ever wondered about He Man.



Potty mouths, jesus, and santa clause always make a good butt of a joke.

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Giving Locally in Haiti

Haiti's recent 7.0 magnitude earthquake has moved people to give. The Red Cross has already raised over $800,000 through a text message campaign, and a groundswell of support waves through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. As we globally address this latest tragedy, it is important to learn from past natural disaster relief. Large charitable organizations, like the Red Cross, have their place, but giving to local organizations who share a history and connection to the community in need is crucial.

Local Bay Area activists, Victoria Welle and Yas Ahmed, have identified a few local charities that come highly recommended by their grassroots community.

Yas Ahmed recommends Haitian-led organizations Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (contact: 718/735-4660 or Lambi Fund of Haiti.

Victoria Welle recommends Partners in Health, Haiti Relief Fund, and Yéle Haiti (founded by Wyclef Jean). UPDATE: The Smoking Gun is reporting that Yéle Haiti is coming under scrutiny for their tax records and what appears to be over $400,000 paid to Wyclef Jean and his business partner. Read the article here.

Victoria encourages giving to local non-governmental organizations because, "They can better establish a partnership model of disaster relief, instead of a dependency model in which residents have to rely on outsiders for assistance (and will often have little or no say in what that assistance will be)."

For more information on Haiti relief efforts, check out Victoria's blog (hasta la) Victoria or Mashable's "Haiti Earthquake Relief: 9 Ways to Help Now".

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San Francisco Makes History for Women's Film

    
Women's Film Institute is hosting a Networking Mixer this Thursday, January 14th form 7pm to 9pm for film fans, filmmakers and artists at Ninth Street Independent Film Center in San Francisco. This exciting event brings together everyone from writers to producers to visual artists to musicians and more in a creative space to explore and connect. And this isn't for women only. It is meant for the entire community.

This is all leading up to the Sixth Annual San Francisco International Women's Film Festival, presented by Women's Film Institute. Scarlett Shepard, founder of the festival, is a filmmaker and community educator at heart. The Networking Mixer provides a fun forum to educate the public about the upcoming festival as well as allows participants to promote their own work. This is part of a larger strategy to get more women in film.

Shepard started the SFWFF in 2004 while she was a student at San Francisco State University because, not only was there lack of women filmmakers, the history and contributions of women in film were being overlooked. "I felt that the lack of women in film was really detrimental to our stories and our voices. It wasn't just that we were invisible. It is like there is violence there when we aren't heard and omitted."

Shepard responded to the lack of women's presence behind the camera by creating the SFWFF. "I have been an activist since I was little," said Shepard. "I come from a line of strong women." It was this upbringing that made her uniquely prepared to tackle this challenge. "It isn't easy," she said, "being flexible is key."

Over the years, Shepard has also learned the simple rule that "starting early is key". This event is part of that plan by getting people connected to each other and to the Women's Film Institute. Thus, when the 80 short films and 3-5 longer features are announced at the end of January or beginning of February 2010 there is a community willing to help promote the festival. "Volunteers,donations or funding support from film lovers and the arts community, and word of mouth are the lifeblood of our festival," said Shepard.

The goal of the SFWFF is not just producing a high quality film festival. Shepard acknowledges that the lack of women behind the camera is not the only issue. There is a lack of curriculum available for colleges and universities to teach about women in film. Shepard said, "I believe professors and staff  need to create a curriculum that is more inclusive to women by celebrating their achievements in cinema just as they do with our great grandfather's of cinema."

The production of a film festival and it subsequent awards in filmmaking elevate the women filmmakers and make it easier for them to garner funding for future projects. And it helps create a richer history of women in film; a history that demands to be taught within colleges and universities.

The San Francisco International Women's Film Festival runs April 5 -11, 2010 in venues across the Bay Area including The Roxie Theater. Over 800 films have been submitted from around the world.

Ninth Street Independent Film Center is located 145 9th Street in San Francisco, CA.

For more history on women in film, check out Reel Women: Pioneers of the Cinema 1896 to the Present by Ally Acker and Shooting Women, a documentary by Alexis Krasilovsky.

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UPDATE: Prop 8 Trial Broadcast DELAYED by US Superior Court

This just in! According to The Washington Post, the Supreme Court issued a ruling temporarily overturning federal Judge Vaughn R. Walker's decision to allow delayed taping of the Prop. 8 trial on YouTube. Opponents claim fear of discrimination and harassment as the reason to not televise the trial and asked the Supreme Court to intervene.

The Courage Campaign gathered over 130,000 signatures last week urging Judge Walker to televise the proceeding, and he responded with a commitment to broadcast the trial via YouTube. In his ruling, he made it clear that the only cameras allowed in the courtroom would be the already installed courtroom cameras that already tape proceedings. These tapes would then be uploaded at regular intervals to YouTube providing the public a rare opportunity to see inside the trial.

This achievement was viewed as a large victory for supporters of marriage equality. It would allow the marriage equality community to see the arguments being made by opponents of marriage equality and help inform further action if the trial turns out in favor of upholding Prop. 8. Additionally, it would show the larger public what exactly the debate is on both sides. Not allowing cameras into the proceedings, keeps the arguments limited to second hand accounts thus dulling the impact of both sides' arguments.

The stay issued by the Supreme Court is only valid until Wednesday allowing justices further time to consider the impact of a televised, albeit delayed broadcast, trial.

The full The Washington Post article is here. 

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UPDATE: YouTube Channel Televising Prop 8 Trial

  
Today, the YouTube channel that will be televising the Prop 8 Trial starting Monday, January 11, 2010 was launched. This is a very crucial step in bringing transparency to civil rights cases. You can view the delayed feed here.

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Rachel Maddow Corrects Some Ms Information about Obama Appointee Simpson

  
I saw this last night on The Rachel Maddow Show. She put into words exactly what I was thinking.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And then their's this piece of excellent news...

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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ACT's 100th Birthday Celebration - Saturday, Jan. 9

    

American Conservatory Theater turns 100 years old this weekend, and they are opening up their space for a free day-long celebration including backstage tours, prize drawings, and performances. Additionally, guests will be able to buy tickets to any performance Phedre for only $19.10. This is a free event for the whole family.

Visit ACT's website for more information.

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UPDATE: Courage Campaign STILL Needs Your Signature

Courage Campaign is getting close to reaching their 100,000 signatures mark by Friday at 9:00am. They are collecting signatures to demonstrate strong public support for televising the Prop. 8 Trial to Judge Vaughn Walker. Currently, a ruling has been made to televise the trial on delay through YouTube. The trial will not be televised by media organizations for live broadcast.

Courage Campaign issued the following statement after the ruling:

"This decision is NOT final: Judge Walker is leaving the public comment period open until Friday, pending a ruling on his decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

"While we are pleased that the trial may be on a delayed broadcast via YouTube at least, our call for full transparency -- a televised broadcast that network news and cable channels can pick up live, as it happens -- has not been met.

"And, it's entirely possible that the 9th Circuit Appeals Court may overrule Judge Walker's ruling, shutting down all broadcasting -- even a delayed daily YouTube broadcast. Lawyers representing supporters of Prop. 8 have already opposed broadcasting the trial in any form whatsoever and are likely to fight Walker's ruling."

Become one of the 100,000 by signing the petition.

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Too Much A Queer Marathon - Sunday, Jan. 10 - 2pm to Midnight

  
Mama Calizo's Voice Factory is being transformed for Keith Hennessy's Too Much a Queer Marathon. It is a mixture of excitement, innovation, community, and chaos as paint flies, rooms get clean, and performers rehearse. Everyone is pitching in to make sure everything is ready for what is bound to be a whirlwind flurry of performances and art from queers the Bay over.

Too Much will feature performances by Vivvyanne ForeverMORE, Keith Hennessy, Annie Danger, and many, many more. It runs from 2pm until midnight on Sunday, January 10, 2010. Mama Calizo's Voice Factory is located at 1519 Mission Street in San Francisco.

For more information visit Circo Zero.

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Box Turtle Bulletin's Video of Scott Lively in Uganda

  
This is an important video to watch not in that "feel good" kind of way, but in a "I had to see it to believe it" sort of way. It demonstrates exactly what the LGBTQ community is and has been up against for centuries. Sir Ian McKellen said it best, "I increasingly see organized religion as actually my enemy. They treat me as their enemy. Not all Christians, of course. Not all Jews, not all Muslims. But the leaders. . . . Why should I take the judgment of a declared celibate about my sexual needs? He's basing his judgment on laws that would fit life in the Bronze Age. So if I'm lost to God, organized religion is to blame." (From a November 2009 interview in the LA Times.)



For more in-depth reporting on Uganda's "Kill the gays bill", visit Box Turtle Bulletin.

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Courage Campaign: Televise the Trial

 
The battle for the legality of Prop 8 is heating up before it even starts. Currently, Judge Walker is asking the public to comment on whether or not to televise the trial. The pro-Prop. 8 side doesn't want the trial to air preferring to keep their prejudice, discrimination, and hate a secret from the public fearing truth shall see the light of day. The anti-Prop. 8 crew wants everything aired.

Courage Campaign is currently trying to recruit signatures and comments to ensure that trial does go public. Do your part and express your comments  by signing their petition here.

More history on California's Proposition 8, click here (links to Towleroad).

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7th Annual Intergenerational Writers Lab Applications Announced

  
Kearny Street Workshop, Intersection for the Arts, and AMATE: Women Painting Stories announced that applications for their 7th Annual Intergenerational Writers Lab yesterday via Twitter. The goal of the Writers Lab is to provide emerging writers with supports and opportunities to take their craft to another level. This includes eight workshops, performing works publicly, and creating a community of writing peers. Writers Lab instructors include Lorna Dee Cervantes, Leticia Hernandez, and Ben Fong‐Torres.

Applications are now being accepted for the Writers Lab. The application deadline is February 19, 2010 at 5pm. Writers Lab dates are April 3 - May 22, 2010. Twelve students will be accepted into the program. Applications include a writing sample, a description of why applicant wants to be a part of the program, and a $10 submission fee. Cost for the program is $425. Scholarships are available.

Find more information and the application here.

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Anarchonda: Oxymoron

   
Anna Conda (aka Glendon Hyde), candidate for District 6 supervisor, maintains a blog called Anarchonda where she chronicles stories and politics from the finge. She is hoping to make it big in San Francisco politics by championing the voices of the overlooked, underserved, and marginalized.


Recently, she wrote an opinion piece titled "Oxymoron" detailing the disparities be left wing activism and conservative activism ala Tea Party Baggers. She calls us to action demanding that we stand up for what we believe in and take to the streets. Her voice is one of courage in the midst of a swirling pool of mindlessness, consumption, and apathy.

This is a must read for anyone interested in hearing from something other than their own head and fear. It is a message of hope.

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The richest country in the world has about 3.5 million US residents (about 1% of the population) [correction: according to the Census, the population of the USA is approximately 308 million making it approximately 4.5% of the global population], ...statistics for homeless families are even graver -- 52% were turned down by homeless shelters. Change means stepping up a war and paying more money to Huge Insurance Corporations so that the rich can get richer. Moderate means Right Leaning. Right is using fascist scare tactics to pass unconstitutional laws in favor of bigotry and hate and having very little resistance from the liberal media. Nor any opposition from politicians who are hired by the people to take care of the people. More people know who Kim Kardashian is than who the Vice President is and we can't find funding for schools. Texas; since they buy the most books for schools; gets to help right history for our countries public school system. No wonder we are all as fucking stupid as George Bush!

Continue reading here.

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Bay Area healthy food manufacturer embraces green philosophy

 
Reporter Jason Wyman wrote this article for The Western Edition's January 2010 newspaper. To read the entire article, click on the title.

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Bay Area healthy food manufacturer embraces green philosophy
The history of the Kyoto Protocol – an internationally legally binding agreement between 37 industrialized countries and the European community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – began over a decade ago when most countries joined an international treaty known as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC. The goal was “to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increase are inevitable.”

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Seven Tepees helps build higher education foundation for youth

   
Reporter Jason Wyman wrote this article for The Western Edition's January 2010 newspaper. To read the whole article, click the title.

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Seven Tepees helps build higher education foundation for youth
San Francisco Unified School District’s high school curricular program has been an amalgamation of bits and pieces and was defined by the individual schools themselves. This left a gap between what was taught in high school and what was needed to enter a four-year university.

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