Update: Caledonia Flyer Incident

Our woman on the street, Lis K., noted that the bands' label's flyer posted online is about as offensive as "Letter of the Day" on Sesame Street. Apparently, Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records isn't posting the minstrel version. The flyer posted on Cars Can Be Blue's MySpace page is offensive as all hell, but is (a) for a show on March 5th and (b) appears to depict the two members of the band about to do an abortion at home. The "Friends' Comments" section mentions the protest, but no update as to how it went.

Also, last night, another watchful reader sent me a text about an impromtu protest happening at the Caledonia at the time that the show started yesterday (9 p.m. or so). I didn't hear back from him last night or this morning about how it went. Did anyone see any protests or anything going down in or around the Caledonia? Has anyone been talking about the controversy?

Cheap Ways to Generate Buzz and Horribly Offend People

The Caledonia Lounge is a venue here in Athens, perhaps best known for its hipster rock, cheap beer, and sticky floors. It's also not really known as being the popular hangout of lots of Black people of certain nights. This is probably why.

Images of minstrelsy to get more people to come to your shows aren't okay. They're just hateful. And no amount of "it's a joke," "you don't understand irony," or any other excuses will make it okay. From the perspective of the Black law student walking around Athens and seeing one of these flyers posted, it's just a reminder that some people don't get the effect that images like these have. It's also a reminder that some of us aren't welcome around here and not just on the frattastic (read: all white and undergrad) side of town. It doesn't make me want to come to your show. It just makes me wonder how many smiling, hip people that I meet in seemingly more diverse and friendly bars like Max Canada, Flicker, the Mercury Lounge, and Little Kings would be perfectly fine if the place looked like General Beauregard's--and hell, may not even notice the shift--but pride themselves on being more aware of their white privilege and the existence of racism than the average '01 graduate of Auburn's Delta Sigma Phi. Remember that scandal?

So thanks for making me feel like a target again, hipsters. 'Cause it's not weird enough going to bars with my friends and having to keep white men's hands out of my afro anyway.

- A bit dated, but Racialicious has a brief write up on "hipster racism", featuring a short segment on everyone's favorite almost-pornagrapher, Dov Charney.
- Another old article from Brainwashed, written in the wake of the
"Kill Whitey" parties of '05.

Dr. Pasty Love #3

- Associated Press follows up on the birth control in public school debate, revealing the results of a recent poll whereby 67% of respondents support giving contraceptives to kids in public schools.
- Fox News weighs in on the issue of cupcakes being banned in public schools but not condoms, which prompts an interesting debate of which one is more fun.
- This just in: Using sex as an advertising technique doesn't go so well in China, due to a perceived rise in "unhealthy" trends in sex and sexual attitudes. The first targets of the government's latest crackdown have been TV and radio shows, not the porn websites and sex shops. Additionally, the Chinese government has begun broadcasting a new show called "National Models of Virtue".
- Donny Miller, a self-proclaimed crusader to end world ignorance, just released a new erotic coloring book of the U.S. Constitution.
- And it turns out that Viagra and other ED drugs may cause hearing loss.

Lifestyle of the Washed-Up and Overweight

In the wake of the news that Britney's album will debut at #1 next week, here's a story about the pop princess' monthly spending habits.

Public Service Announcement: Mac Users Should Watch Out For Malware When Surfing For Porn

In news that will put a new spin on those Mac vs. PC commercials, it has been reported that the world's first Trojan malware designed to attack Mac computers has been discovered. So far, the virus, which disguises itself as a video plug-in needed for porn downloads, has only been spotted on a number of sites.

God Hates America, so we hate on you

A certain church from Kansas has become relatively famous for picketing funerals of people they find offensive.

That article was pretty disturbing, as they're proud of the $11 million lawsuit brought against them for the act.

Not to be outdone, they’re going to "attend" the funerals of the 7 college kids that died last week in a North Carolina beach house fire.

Their statement in defense of the protest: "You - America - raised your children to party at beach houses like a bunch of animals and have the nerve to act surprised when God rewards you for that folly! The 7 students that God burned to death in a North Carolina beach house are the harbinger of the wrath of God that will pour out upon this nation."

Update: Check out Fred Phelps' wikipedia article. He started out as a civil rights attorney, was disbarred for committing perjury, and then went on to found Westboro. Also, he is apparently anti-Swedish.

Media Circus surrounds official battle between Good and Evil

In reading some election news, I was struck with the idea that it is quite possible that winning a presidential election is based on who can outwit the press and end up coming out looking best, regardless of actual political belief and vision.

For example, Hillary was lambasted for her performance at the debate the other night, making her have to scramble for good press. This blog intrudes on a phone conversation from her campaign recognizing their strategy.

I'm just curious as to how this person got access to the phone call, but that's not important to my point. Overall, not only is a vast financial backing necessary for a good campaign, but inevitably trying to get people to say the fewest bad things about you (never mind the ultimate goal of getting people to say GOOD things about you) is paramount.

Barack Obama found his way into the media circus as well, being criticized for criticizing Hillary. Though to this point Obama has been the good guy for the most part, he's damned if he doesn't join in on the Hillary-bashing, because he won't be viewed as cut-throat enough for the presidency; however, if he does criticize her, then — as he is in this article — he goes against his nice-guy image.

My question is, then, does the media perpetuate (or even create) political feuding? Clearly there is tension between candidates, but do they have to play it up because they know the media will breathe down their necks if they don't, and will they lose publicity if they don't play this game? The answer to all of these questions, of course, is yes, but I think they're interesting points to ponder nonetheless.

Ryan Adams doesn't like you. Should he have to?

As one of the most prolific musicians of the 2000s, Ryan Adams has been through a lot — kicking coke, heroin and booze in the last year or so; releasing 9 albums (not including a box set soon to come out with 5 unreleased albums from this time); as well as maintaining relationships with his relatively new band The Cardinals (getting together circa 2004), which is likely a task as he has always been known to be slightly difficult to get along with.

Well, here's a lengthy, yet riveting profile of Adams in Decatur, GA-based Paste Magazine. Adams has always been a great interview wherever I've seen him speak, and this article does not disappoint.

Most of The Quail's editors went to see Adams at The Fox Theater in Atlanta a few weeks ago, and were left with a slightly bitter pill afterward. Though I think we'd all agree that the music, for the most part, was quite excellent, Adams' stage presence left something to be desired.

The first half of the show was fantastic, and then he mumbled something into the microphone and left. We were too far away to hear if he had actually denoted it would be an intermission, so there was much confusion throughout the theater, and many people left at that time.

When he returned, the energy from the first set seemed to have lost its luster, and on top of that, Adams spent most of his time engaging in antagonistic banter with a heckler. He didn't encore, which was fine by me because I find encores to be contrived more often than not, but with the second "set" (of about 6 songs) was lackadaisical, and I would have been happier had he just left after the first half of the show.

Anyhow, Adams addresses his feelings about stage performance in the article, and though he is a unique talent, he can come off as a world-class prick. I don't think this is any groundbreaking statement, because a lot of people feel this way about him, but I want to raise the question: what do we expect from musicians as performing artists?

He addresses the way he approaches live shows:

“Just from having been a person in my 20s who partied,” Adams says, “I can identify with the Bud Light crowd—the rock drunks who go to shows just to be wasted. I hear them, and I don’t really feel bad for them, because they’re on their own trip. [But] when we play live, we’re trying to find some possibility of transporting to another emotional zone, and that’s just not in some people’s vocabulary. Maybe somebody is in the audience who just listened to Rock N Roll, or just listened to Heartbreaker, and they come to the show and they’re like, ‘Why is it so dark?’ It’s like, ‘Oh my God, rent a Bergman film you f— head! Light and Shadow!’” But sometimes it’s hard to think through that because those are people, and they need something, too.”

Judge for yourself how you feel about this, but I for one, as a musician, can identify with him. I simply enjoy playing with my band, and I like performing live; however, I find myself easily annoyed with the "traditional" rock crowd, one who expects you to do the same things as every other band.

Adams continues by clarifying: “People might take this the wrong way, but the minute I start considering them, I lose my job. The only way the art I make is gonna be good for anybody else is if I keep it between me and the canvas and what hits the canvas.”

Again, I hear him 100%. However, for many (if not most) in the Atlanta audience, the art he made wasn't terribly good when compared to the breadth of incredible recording he has released over the past decade. Resulting from his show and his general attitude about performing, I'll probably never go see him again. I will, however, continue to enjoy thoroughly everything he records, because it's some of the best music I've ever heard.

This brings me to the bottom line, which is something I struggle with as a musician: people expect performing artists to be "theirs," and the show to cater to their every need. I understand this is a result of the emotional high we can all receive from being at a great concert, and some bands/musicians are better than others at evoking these feelings.

In the end, I am with Adams: I think the performer should be allowed to perform however he/she/they wish. I'm not mad at him for playing a show disappointing to me; I just probably won't see him again. But, as a performing artist — where most of a musician's livelihood is made — where is the line between doing it for yourself and engaging with the audience? Should it matter?

News for Nerds

- Euclid says "There are an infinite number of Prime Numbers." This representation is even cooler.
- Remember that rash of stories about the Fed injecting cash into the markets? That's still happening.
- GM sells millions of cars a year, but apparently one key.
- Lasers are cool:this one breaks up the proteins that make up virus "shells".
- More grainy pictures of everyone's favorite apocryphal hominid.

How Many Words is a Picture of Words Worth?

In other tattoo news, this is freaking sweet:

Click to enlarge the image.

Colbert is Crushed, Georgia to be Spared

The Democratic Party in South Carolina has rejected Stephen Colbert's bid to appear on ballot for the Democratic Primary. Although he was by far my favorite candidate, this may be a good thing for he residents of Georgia.

The Dangers of the Internet

As my father always said: "If something sounds to good to be true, it usually is."
Such sage advice notwithstanding, I am praying to gods I don't believe in that this story is true.

Back into the Kitchen, Ladies

Catalyst, an organization that studies the attitudes and actions of and about working women, just released a new report about women, leadership, and stereotypes. In the New York Times' effort to print all the news that fits, it turns out that women in the workplace still face sexism. Even when they ask for more money, women are typically paid less than men, even when they reflect similar personality traits to their male counterparts and do the same work.

Upsetting, Isn't It? There Is Hope--Or At Least News.

To learn more about Invisible Children, click here.

In the meantime, here are a few links:
- Emmanuel Jai, a Sudanese former child soldier who turned to music as a way out, just finished up a brief tour in the U.S., with one more date in the U.K. before the end of the year.
- Radio Netherlands just did a brief segment on Ishmael Beah, a Sierra Leonese former child soldier turned writer.
- UNICEF has an article on the "Go to School" Initiative, whereby child soldiers in rural Southern Sudan are encouraged to trade small arms for schoolbooks and attend the newly constructed schools in places like the Deng Nhial area, which was torn by civil war.
- UNICEF also has an article on what readjustment to normal life is like for the average child solider and details the many problems that they encounter.
- And despite the many reasons that one may wholly dislike Fall Out Boy**, All Africa has a report on their decision to donate their cash to Invisible Children, fly to Uganda, and film your average, ordinary pop-punk video about a young couple in love...set in the Gulu Township of Uganda. Enjoy.


**That's right, Greg. I said "Fall Out Boy" on the Quail.

How to Save a Life and Avoid Wet, Drunk, Well-Fed Swedes

The World Cancer Research Fund just released a new report identifying certain lifestyle patterns with increased risk of 6 types of cancer. Things to avoid include:
1) Weight gain
2) Belly fat -- though Slate recently mentioned that ab-etching may be possible, albeit aesthetically unpleasing
3) Processed meat (e.g. bacon)
4) Red meat
5) Alcohol
6) Failure to exercise regularly

While limiting the above makes it higly unlikely that you'll dance in a fountain with Anita Ekberg, it makes for good living.

Too Much Science, Too Few Jobs

BusinessWeek debunks the science education myth based on the Urban Institute's latest report. More science, math, engineering, et. al. students graduate from the American higher education system than are needed in the market.

Dura Lex Sed Lex

Cravath, Swaine, and Moore, one of the nation's largest and most prestigious corporate transaction and antitrust firms, has recently announced a special one-time bonus for all of its associates: somewhere in the range of $10-50K. This, of course, is in addition to the annual end-of-year bonuses means that a brand new Cravather, an associate who graduated and passed the bar in 2006 will be reporting an average of $205,000 on this year's income taxes. What does this mean for the rest of the helots--I mean, associates--in the Manhattan legal community? Everyone's getting a bonus to stay competitive with Cravath and to ensure that the associates don't start jumping ship to go to CSM. What are the Cravath associates doing with the extra money? Maybe going to off to pick up more teenage girls, then pay their mother for the sex, and get off with time served.

In related news, law schools are changing their curricula to be more real-world oriented.

Of Montreal at the 40 Watt

Of Montreal. Athens, GA. Halloween. Kevin Barnes dressed as Tobias Funke. Yeah, it was pretty much the greatest show I've seen all year. The band played nearly all of the 'party' songs from their last two albums, and capped it off with an encore featuring at least 3 Prince songs. It was amazing. If you don't believe me, just check out these videos:

She's a Rejector


Do the jump for more: --->

Gawker's Book Bombs

Gawker Media's book - The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media - has sold just 242 copies in its first month on shelves. Maybe they it is time to consider a title change.

Has the US Defeated Al-Qaida in Iraq?

Michael Yon, a former member of US Special Forces and current citizen journalist in Iraq, files a report claiming that Al-Qaida can no longer count on the local populace to protect them from justice; apparently, their strategy of brutally killing innocent civilians has backfired.

While you are at Michael's site, I recommend that you take a look at some of the other reports he has filed; I especially enjoyed his series on the US attack on Baqubah earlier this year.

Vista Still Sucks

While this guy was apparently expecting major upgrades to Vista, I have seen this movie before; Microsoft is willing to just throw this crappy release out there and let it flop around until they can get the next version out. [SEE Windows ME]

In the meantime, for the rest of you who were, like me, dumb enough to buy a computer with Vista on it, here's a handy resource of open source software for Vista. And you could always switch to Linux.

Is Waterboarding Torture?

I think the answer to that question is yes. While the policy makers may quibble over definitions, former soldiers seem to be in agreement. Malcolm Nance at the Small Wars Journal makes no bones about it, and Revolutionary War Hero and 2008 Presidential Candidate John McCain, a former POW himself, is in agreement.

From what I can understand, waterboarding is not "simulating drowning", but is in fact actually drowning the victim, but allowing them to draw in enough oxygen to keep them conscious. It's close enough to killing someone that the Army and the CIA have a doctor and a psychologist on-hand, as well as specially trained "strap-in, strap-out" teams in case removal from the waterboard to administer medical assistance is necessary.

We, the citizens of the United States of America, are faced with a serious moral dilemma. The "War on Terror" has thrown us into a conflict with an enemy that will resort to anything to destroy us. We know they have no compuction about torturing, maiming, and murdering; we know they have no regard for the distinction between military personnel and civilians. Their hatred for us drives them single-mindedly to anything they can use to their advantage. Faced with such a foe, how long can we hold the moral high ground? And at what cost?

Dr. Pasty Love #2

Isn't that little guy adorable? Well, chlamydia isn't.

STIs are today's top topic in Dr. Pasty Love, as a National Survey of Family Growth report recently revealed that one in 10 men has concurrent sex partners, substantially increasing the odds of STI-transmission. Yikes.

In brighter news, Wabi Sabi Productions is releasing a documentary titled "Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm", which recounts the history of vibrators. Did you know that vibrators were initially used as a cure of hysteria in women during the eighteenth century? (Because we all know that orgasms make women stop screaming.) The documentary also covers the shift in the mid-twentieth century from vibrators being seen as a medical devices to sex toys and the attendant shift in social attitudes to see vibrators as taboo and illicit in some states, e.g. Alabama and Texas.

And concluding our Dr. Pasty segment today is a story about cutbacks in the quality of modern air travel. Singapore Air, which features bottomless free champagne and double beds in first class for its Airbus A380s, is now asking its passengers to refrain from generating their own in-flight entertainment during longer flights.

Zucker Claims Jobs Is One Rotten Apple

In a talk at Syracuse University this week, Jeff Zucker, President and CEO of international entertainment conglomerate NBC Universal, claimed not only that Apple killed the music business, but is on its way to killing videos and television shows. Zucker also revealed his deep dissatisfaction with Apple's decision not to let NBC in on some of the profits from the sale of iPods, claiming that without the content provided by corporations like NBC, the iPod would be worthless.

Lots of News and nothing to say

Along many different lines, here are a few links to chew on for the next couple hours:

- Australian Rules Football may be coming to a city near you. Where its global marketing might succeed where the NFL's has not.

- Is the U.S. behind on developing its technology for this series of tubes we call the internets?

- Atlanta Airport steps into the water conservation effort. Though I hate saying "better late than never," because this should have happened long ago, it's better late than never.

- Slate's take on the deplorable state of Sports Illustrated. Lots of thought-provoking insight into current sports media.

Smart Car USA! I'm all over it.

When I returned from Europe, I mentioned my deep infatuation with the Smart Car, which, at the time was not available in the U.S.


Well, apparently now it is. Here's a classic video demonstrating its deceiving spaciousness by fitting NBA player Udonis Haslem into it.



Haslem, just for reference, currently plays for the Miami Heat and is a former Florida basketball star famous for once throwing a basketball at a UGA fan’s head during warm-ups. I saw it happen, and it hit the kid dead-on from about 40 feet. Though I didn’t like him at the time; it’s still pretty awesome.

Anyhow, I know the car’s a glorified scooter, but this is still pretty awesome.

Well done, bored programmer

I've got a bunch of quick hits today, and this is the second Nintendo-related post in a row; I guess I'm feeling nerdy.

However, this is really not about Nintendo, but more about a creative programmer who made up a nifty representation of the Rockies' postseason, which was a fine display of solid baseball until they reached the World Series, only to be waxed mercilessly by the Red Sox.

Anyhow, enjoy the video!

An Homage to a Living Legend

Happy late morning from The Pasty Quail! It appears that we're a little slow on the uptake today, due to the fact that 3/4 of the pastiness attended a ridiculously awesome Of Montreal show at the 40 Watt in Athens last night, of which Greg will have many killer videos later today.

Anyhow, this post has no rhyme or reason with regards to that or to anything, but I just thought I'd give a little plug to ol' Mario and friends, who have 3 of the top 10 selling console video games of all time.

Even though many of these other games are much more new school, violent, and more akin to the style of video games true “gamers” really enjoy, I was happy to see the Mario games up there, culminating with one from the original Nintendo, to which I gave a nice little tribute recently.

The New Pornographers at the Variety Playhouse

On Tuesday night the New Pornographers put on a little show at the Variety Playhouse and a few members of the Quail were lucky enough to be in attendance.

I have to admit, I found the band members themselves to be a little off-putting. They put on several 'fake' arguments throughout the show in a clear nod to their reputation in the media (it has been said that they don't like each other very much), but I definitely sensed some actual tension there. Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer) only appeared on stage when one of his songs was being played, and often had to be coaxed by the crowd and other members of the band into showing his face at all.

They have a weird dynamic, no doubt. However, it seems to work, as the music was excellent. I have 4, yes 4, videos for you to enjoy this afternoon. First up is 'Unguided' from their latest album - Challengers:



Do the jump for more: --->

Political Analysts Jumping the Gun? Never.

In a similar manner to what I've been discussing pretty regularly for the past couple weeks, here's an article gently suggesting that the religious vote is not inconsequential for the 2008 election, but only has yet to surface strongly.

Aptly stated, the author Rob Boston explains:

“The election is more than a year off. Although inside-the-Beltway political junkies obsess over every new poll and twist in the horse race, the fact remains that most Americans aren't yet engaged. This includes many Religious Right activists. With the Republican field wide open, it's not surprising that religious conservatives are lining up behind different candidates. The same pattern held true in 1988, 1996 and 2000.”

So, he says, let's be more careful about proclaiming the death of extremely significant political movements.

I'm in complete agreement on this, and my view on Boston's article is that, as one example, the upcoming President will have to address the xenophobic issues currently affecting our nation (see terrorism and immigration, to start). Thus, a uniform, dogmatic "Americanism" as suggested by such religious groups may in fact become more enticing to some. With the intensely evangelical nature of its agenda, I can't imagine the Religious Right would back down from such an opportunity to speak its mind on the subject. In other words, don't pin them down for the count before they've entered the fight.

More Fallout From the Dumbledore Scandal

All those guys who got giant tattoos of the fictional character's face on their back have some 'splainin to do.

Public Service Announcement: Safety First

In the event of a zombie apocalypse this Halloween, click here.

More Halloween-related stuff (though loosely related)

Sadly, the Quail has to bring this news today, a day when candy consumption is so highly celebrated in this country. In Japan today, and for many days forward, the subject of sweet, delicious, non-expired candy will be a sore one.

Simply, two major Japanese candy companies have been lit up for fraud. One of them committed your standard infractions, you know, out-of-date milk for cream puffs, falsifying expiration dates on cookies, that kind of stuff.

The other, which just celebrated its 300th (!) anniversary, had been doing business the same way since 1707 until the 1970s. It previously had made its goods fresh every day, but in the last 30 years, has been reusing 90% of its unsold goods.

“In the minds of most Japanese, the products were associated with happy times, birthdays or days when their fathers returned from a business trip bearing sweets, said Akira Shimizu, an economics professor and expert on product brands at Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo.

‘In that sense, there is a strong feeling that these happy episodes are being denied,’ Shimizu said of the scandals. ‘It's as if the sunny days were all rotten after all.’”

Happy Halloween!! Now give us your money.

It just so happens that the state of Iowa has decided to begin taxing pumpkins, just in time to reap the benefits of decorative pumpkin distributors.


Understand that I emphasize decorative because the new tax only applies to pumpkins not intended for consumption. Take that, holiday commercialization!! (although, now that I think about it, it seems that people could take advantage of this and say they were selling them for "pumpkin pie")

Anyway, take this with a grain of salt, because I don't make enough money to dislike taxes, but according to the interesting stat below, I can see why Iowa would want to do this:

"Nationally, U.S. pumpkin sales in 2006 were valued at $101.3 million, with 90 percent of the country's pumpkins grown within a 90-mile radius of Peoria, Ill."

With Peoria just down the road a spell from Iowa, the state just want to make a quick buck. However, jacking up taxes on the stressed American farmer might not be the best way to do this. Then again, I'm not an economist. I'd love some weigh-ins from my friends more knowledgeable in this regard.

10 Items (+1) on Bitches, Snitches, AIDS Awareness, and Angry Papists

- Ludacris is slated to perform at Nelson Mandela's 46664 AIDS Benefit Concert.
- Since Britney Spears has been out of the news for the last twenty-seven seconds, a new tabloid controversy has arisen. Beef: Britney Spears v. the Catholic Church based on the photos included with her album. "Blackout" features some promo photos of a scantily clad Spears in and around the vestibule of a church, which got the Catholic League all pissy.
- Damon Dash talks about American Gangster and why snitches get stitches.
- Multimillionaire Kanye West bitches about the cost of BK value meals.
- URB discusses the music, madness, and growing mystery around Lauryn Hill.
- Nikki Sixx takes on D.C., and MacLean's goes along for the ride.
- Are Dre & Em back?
- The Libertines release a "Best Of" album...you know, the best of both their albums.
- Trent Reznor goes all Radiohead on us.
- Vibe interviews The Cool Kids, young, hot producers fresh out of Chicago who are opening for M.I.A.
- And a new biography of Madonna, "Madonna: Like an Icon," alleges that Mrs. Ritchie once tried to get pregnant by Tupac.

Jon Stewart, ruling as per usual

Here's a clip from a recent Daily Show, with Jon Stewart making up for lost time after a week off by filling us all in on the California wildfire crisis:



Though the whole clip pushes 8 minutes, it's worth your time. He begins by railing on other media types; CNN using the story as a promo for its “Planet in Peril” program was good, but Fox News suggesting ideas to terrorists was even better.

Further along, around the 4 minute mark, Schwarzenegger shows Geraldo a dog in the midst of discussing the crisis, saying that it's good for the "big and little dogs to get along." What?

Finally, Stewart brings it all home, taking charge toward the Capitol.

Enjoy!!

Didn't Your Mother Ever Tell You...?

A Los Angeles pre-teen admits that he accidentally that destroyed 38,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes by playing by playing with matches. The DA hasn't decided whether to pursue criminal action against the kid.

So I pose to you, dear reader, what should happen to the little genius?

Poverty + Substandard Education = Economic Crisis

CBS News reports that the majority of students enrolled in public schools in 15 southern states come from low-income backgrounds, which may not be a problem if states weren't also failing to make sure these students graduate, go on to college, and falling right back in to the cycle of poverty. Why does this equal an economic crisis for the Southland? Low income students are less likely to be prepared for starting school, more likely to be held back a grade, less likely to graduate, do not perform as well as their richer counterparts on standard state/national exams. This is only made worse by the fact that publich schools in Southern states spend about half the amount per student than schools in other regions.

For more information, check out The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Business Wire, or PBA Online.

Goulet's Final Exit

Robert Goulet passed away yesterday from complications of pulmonary fibrosis.

Dr. Pasty Love or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Write an Almost Safe for Work Sex Column

A recent editorial meeting revealed one gaping absence in our coverage of everything from Arts to TV; there's not enough sex on the Quail. So in our bid to be all the news that's fit to blog, cheers to Pasty's first ever sex column.



Sex and Art:
* Is burlesque a form of exploitation or a form of social critique done by ladies with nice legs? The Guardian has your answers, along with a gratuitous photo of Dita von Teese.
* Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stevens of LoveArtLab held a "kiss-in" (a part of their Extreme Kissing Workshop) in London last month to bring the sexy back to first base. Tristan Taormino--yes, that Tristan Taormino--has the scoop.

Sex and the Law:
* Under Alabama law, the sale and distribution of recreational sex toys is still illegal. However, sex toys purchased for "medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial or law enforcement purposes" are still ace.
* And some genius is being sued for what can be politely termed alleged "sex toy fraud" for his actions in Second Life. Apparently, sex toys in Second Life may be considered intellectual property.

Sex and the Environment:
* Are you having green sex? Plenty Mag has tips on how to reduce your environmental impact while getting it on, Umbra Frisk has advice on everything from vegan condoms to eco-friendly mood lighting, and Dr. Petra has advice on making sure your solo sex and toy use is ethical.

And Today in Kink:
* Yes, you can get arrested for sex with a bicycle, but only in the UK.
* Violet Blue has a Top 10 list of lesbian vampire flicks.
* And while it's always awkward to run into your ex on the street or in a bar, it's probably more awkward to find your ex and his new "suspending" buddies on MySpace. Jennifer Cacicio of the NYT's "Modern Love" column documents the shock and awe of it all.

All about Iran or "The World War III" Post

- Chicago Sun-Times speculates on why Iran thinks the U.S. won't attack.
- Candidates split on the Iran policy with Republicans talking diplomacy and then bombs, and Democrats going the diplomacy, sanctions, and international support route.
- Kucinich questions Bush's "mental health" after that World War III comment.
- Speaking of World War III, Tehran Times puts its two dinar in.
- And OneElf tries to start some beef by asking Greg if he thinks Iran having a nuke would signal World War III, and if so, wants to borrow $5 to invest in war bonds.

We Got News

- A suicide bomber struck within 1 mile of Pakistan's President Musharraf today; tensions on the rise in embattled nation (NY Times)
- The Supreme Court will decide whether damages stemming from the Exxon-Valdez disaster were too high (Washington Post)
- The Romney campaign is scoring big in key primary states, New Hampshire and Iowa (CNN)
- Writer's strike in Hollywood threatens new TV season and upcoming movie slate (CNN)
- T.I. has been released from prison, but remains under house arrest following arrest on gun charges (Voice of America)

Iran Preparing For War

The British paper, the Telegraph, is reporting that Iranian President Ahmadinejad has begun a campaign to promote political hardliners to key government positions ahead of a possible war with the US. From the article:

"Western diplomats have also been alarmed by the appointment of General Mohammad Ali Jafari, who took part in the storming of the US Embassy in Teheran in 1979, as head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, one of the most powerful institutions in Iran."

In likely related news, the Iranian military is praising suicide bombing as a right and just method of attack on the enemy. From the CNN:

"'If necessary, we will use the element of martyrdom-seeking and we will become people of Ashura,' Fars quoted Gen. Ali Fadavi as saying. Ashura refers to the day marking the death of Imam Hussein, Prophet Mohammed's grandson, who is revered by Shiite Muslims."

I'm not sure that hell exists, but if it does I hope there is an especially terrible place reserved for people of authority that encourage their poor and uneducated followers to strap on explosive vests and kill innocent by-standers.

Colbert Promises to Crush Georgia if Elected

In a speech on Sunday at the University of South Carolina, 'fake' presidential candidate Stephen Colbert promised to crush the state of Georgia. His alarming rhetoric included statements such as this:

"'Our peaches are more numerous than Georgia's,' he said. 'They are more juiciful.'"

If he is serious about his promise to destroy our beloved state, and I have no doubt that he is, lets hope he doesn't speak with a certain football coach that happens to reside in South Carolina.

The Funniest Thing You Will See All Day

Please check out this CNN video on the Huffington Post of a Cheerleader getting trampled by an entire football team. You won't regret it.

And Then This Happened . . .

In an effort to bring you the latest news from the Athens area, we have this report from North Campus -



A truck that is part of the construction crew outside of the Dean Rusk Center nearly tipped over!! We will bring you exciting updates as they come in.

(Thanks to Anne Cox via KP)

Clear Channel Gets Sued

Okay, so this story isn't about Ticketmaster, but rather one of the other ends of that mass media Lernaean Hydra: Clear Channel Communications.

Last Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen V. Wilson certified the class action status of five lawsuits in the name of concert-goers in areas across the United States. The plaintiffs in these suits allege that Clear Channel participated in predatory pricing, constitutes a monopoly in violation of the Sherman Act, "used its market dominance in anticompetitive activities that unfairly increased ticket prices for consumers, and coerced artists to use Clear Channel for concert promotion".

For those of you legal dorks curious about who constitutes a member of the class, class certification now extends to Plaintiffs who bought concert tickets through Defendant Clear Channel to shows performed by co-Defendants Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Elvis Costello and The Who in the Chicago, Denver, New England, New York/New Jersey, and Southern California regions between June 19, 1998 and today.

Radiohead Inspires Trends or $1 Paste!

In a nod to Radiohead's "Pay What You Want" scheme and for a limited time only, Paste Magazine is now allowing subscribers to pay what they want for eleven months of the mag and the monthly free CD, with the lowest price being $1 total.

NewsFlash: Disneyland patrons are fat

The original Disney park, often neglected out there in California, is meeting popular demand and redesigning its rides in order to meet the weight requirements of the ever-growing American population, beginning with It's a Small World.

It's my personal opinion that this ride should just be fire-bombed and something else put in its place, as the general public ideally would have that infuriating song stricken from its collective unconscious, a benefit to future generations across the board. However, that's not the case, and Disney — if nothing else — knows its audience, and by audience I mean how to make lots of money.

FEMA Loves to Fake It

The video above is a recording of FEMA's Deputy Administrator Vice Admiral Harvey E. Johnson giving a press conference where no real reporters were present. Everyone asking questions in this video works for FEMA's Pubilc Affairs Department.

In response to the controversy, the Department of Homeland Security has "placed letters of reprimand into the personnel files" of FEMA employees involved in the scam. DHS also sent letters home to FEMA staffers' mothers and issued a round of in-school suspensions for all.

Insert Howard Hughes Reference Here

Robert T. Bigelow, owner and operator of Bigelow Aerospace, is trying to create the world's (universe's?) first privately owned space station. This space station is to be rented out like terrestrial commercial real estate for research, training, and space tourism. The best part? The space station is a gigantic, inflatable living environment, not entirely dissimilar from the bouncy castle seen above, made of Kevlar and capable of being inflated in space.

Think I'm kidding? Two prototypes have already been launched and are readily circling the globe, and Bigelow has pledged another $400M for the project.

No As for Washington Firms

Stanford Law students are now giving diversity recruitment report cards to potential employers based on how many female, minority, and gay attorneys work for the firm.

Want to see the rankings?

Stan Lee Is Rolling Over in His Bed

There's a new 12 Step Program in town: Superheroes Anonymous. Attendees included Directions Man, Street Hero, the Cleanser, and Red Justice.

The Water Issue: Still an Issue

The weather here is absolutely gorgeous. I enjoy it a little cold, so this morning when I strapped on my socks, shoes, sweatshirt and stocking hat to walk to school, I was invigorated. On top of that there's nothing to fear, because the high will be in the mid-60s.

This trend looks to carry forth for the next 10 days, at least, which will be gloriously pleasant, but hopefully not so pleasant that we forget about the issue at hand: even when it's not hot, a drought is just as devastating.

Here's an article from last week denoting the myriad problems on the horizon pending we actually run out of water. It’s nice that we had some rain last week, but, we have to remember that this is a recurring and consistent problem, which will not go away even if we have consistent rain through the winter. I’m not sure if I’ve had the chance to go off on the city of Atlanta and state of Georgia's "planning," but I will again: it’s pretty damn ridiculous that a city with no zoning restrictions at all and relatively nice (read: warm) weather didn’t see 4 million people coming, especially after the first 2 million moved in.

Really, though, what happens when actually run out of water? Easy! We pump water from other states?

That seems a dubious solution. Not only will that create more strain on other water supplies, effectively dispersing the problem instead of solving it, as this article discusses, we're not the only one's feeling the heat from this.

I’m not usually a fatalist, but I’m pretty sure we’re fucked. And I can’t say that I’m holier than thou; I’m having plenty of trouble remembering to conserve water due to my usual habits. Though I never thought myself specifically wasteful, I now notice EVERY time I leave water running, which is more often than I'd like.

In that way, we’re certainly responsible, and though we’ve been raised to feel like we should trust our government officials to inform us when something goes awry — in this case, like completely running out of water — I can't use that as an excuse. Yeah, I’m pissed — I wish someone would have mentioned it, because even if I personally had been conserving water my entire life, the rest of society functions in the manner above, trusting its government. (and I do think we should be able to)

Maybe this is the inevitable decline of America-at-large’s honeymoon phase with capitalism. When other people don’t have money or resources, it’s difficult to notice when you do. No matter how much money you have, you’ll notice when there’s no water.

Although, when those people notice they don’t have water, they’ll just take their money somewhere else, and Atlanta, for one, will have blown all that money it spent on development in the past few years, basically spiraling it into economic demise.

This reminds me of that Futurama episode, when (from Wikipedia): “Atlanta moved offshore [to the Atlantic Ocean] in an effort to boost tourism and become a bigger Delta hub. The city overdeveloped and its excess weight caused it to sink to the bottom. Everyone that stayed with the city evolved into merpeople, with the assistance of leaking caffeine from Atlanta's Coca-Cola plant.”

Hey, at least we’d have water, then.

Jesus Loves Britney, this I know. . .

Because a church in Lexington, Kentucky tells her so! A local there church currently is sending Britney letters encouraging her that Jesus still loves her and there is time for redemption.

You know, I could be really cynical and ask "how much does this really help?" And I'd be right, in that it probably won't help at all. However, on a sliding scale, it probably is more useful than assholes like me just yapping about her all the time.

Slate is its own ombudsman

In my Slate Extravaganza last week, I posted an article written by an economist regarding "what Al Gore doesn't understand about climate change."

This week, Slate's Joseph Romm explains, in response to Steven Landsburg's article on Gore, what economists neglect when discussing this issue. (and probably many others as well)

I'm not sure where I fall on either of these positions, maybe to the left, right, somewhere in the middle, or at some random outlying point (probably the latter). However, I do respect Slate for publishing articles counterintuitive to what they previously have posted. This is nothing new for them, but just another reason they have some of the best reading on the web.

Two Notes About Election 2008

First, John Edwards has learned nothing from Walter Mondale. Promising to raise taxes is no way to get elected president.

Second, MySpace and MTV are hosting a series of presidential debates over MySpace IM, their brand-new Instant Messaging client. This is a pretty slick idea; the use of presidential candidates to market something other than themselves is nothing short of brilliant. And opening the forum of political debate to a wider audience than Jim Lehrer is probably a good thing.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thing as it goes on; having watched some of the videos from John Edwards' appearance a month ago, it looks like they really will put these candidates on the spot a little bit.

New Video from Mikey Mel and the JD's

It has taken some time, and for that I sincerely apologize. Without further delay, here is international* sensation Mikey Mel and the JD's performing their new hit song, "Rejection Letter":


Follow the jump for the B-side, "High School All Over Again".

*- Mikey Mel and the JD's had some fans studying abroad in England earlier this year.

The 2008 Olympics, Again

Slate ran an article on a topic we touched on recently.

Pasty Quail: 1, Slate: 50+.

Schwarzenegger: Marijuana is a leaf, not a drug

I posted about big Arnold's relationship with Bush on Friday, which marks the absolute first time I've made any political judgment (though it was less of a judgment and more of a comment) on his campaign as Governor of California.

Well, the very next workday for me, here he is again, delivering inspiring messages against the War on Drugs. Of course, he says none of this directly; however, he does mention that "A politician’s job is to do what’s best for the people and to improve the country, the economy, the environment. Why should I care if a politician takes sleeping pills every night so long as he can do his job?"


This makes me wonder what his rulings on medical, eventually decriminalized, and eventually legal marijuana will be, for example. Regardless, he seems to view the prospect of a responsible adult utilizing drugs that may or may not harm him or her (that decision is up to the user) in the privacy of the home as inconsequential to public policy.

Catholics at a political impasse for '08

While the religious rhetoric surrounding the 2008 election is not so strong a factor as it was last time around, there still is much to be said about certain groups that always vote a certain way regarding certain issues, such as the Catholics unable to dogmatically budge on abortion.

With respect to those crazy Catholics, the religion of my heritage and upbringing, Reuters has compiled a snapshot of its political situation heading into 2008's showdown on the Potomac.

The main focus of the article, however, is not how the Catholics plan to vote in 2008, but rather on the intra-sect squabbles on how to treat Catholic politicians who support views that are anti-Vatican, i.e., on whether or not to serve Communion to candidates that are pro-choice. Interestingly, though, King Pope Benedict says there are understandable political reasons to vote for a pro-choice candidate, so that's all right for the masses. I think this all makes sense in a roundabout way, but it has to be confusing for the devout Catholic.

Shopping for God. . .

. . . is the name of the new book mentioned in this blog, which as the post itself aptly states, doesn't propose new theories but approaches them in new ways.

Basically, the idea that a perfect form of Christian capitalism is on its way up (or has been up for a while) is not surprising (see picture for indication thereof). However, the book sounds pretty interesting in itself, and just to plug my own interests, it might be something I need to pick up for my academic research.

Anyhow, enjoy thinking about the impending evangelical takeover this fine Monday morning. Although, to be honest, I don't see this movement as much of a takeover: as the book seems to describe, it's just giving the people what they want.

Dawgs Win 42-30 Over Reptiles

As some of you may have noticed undoubtedly noticed, I was out of town this weekend, attending the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville, Florida. And for the second time since I have been a student here at UGA, the Dawgs pulled out the victory. The celebration at left occurred after the Dawgs scored for the first time; Coach Mark Richt said after the game that he had threatened to make everybody on the team run if they did not get a celebration penalty after the touchdown. This is a marked difference from last year, when CMR had assigned places for every unit on the team, and no-one was allowed to move around on the sidelines.

Matt Stafford went 11/18 for 217 yards and 3 TD's; he did throw an early INT that was returned for a Gator score. Knowshon Moreno ran for 188 yards on 33 carries and punched in 3 TD's of his own. The Georgia D looked solid, holding the Gators to 107 yards on the ground, including a 13-rush, -15 yard (yes, negative 15 yards) performance by Tim "I Can't Believe People Thought I Would Win the Heisman" Tebow. The majority of the Gators' rush yards came from super-freak WR Percy Harvin, who had 10 carries for 97 yards. The Worldwide Leader has an error-filled article about the game; compare the scoring summary on the left to the text of the article and see how many inconsistencies you can come up with.

So Dawg fans, remember whatever voodoo curses you muttered in the direction of Gainesville, and save those socks and boxers. Superstition may be hokey and old-fashioned, but I'll be damned if that drive back from J-ville isn't half as long after a win.

Event Announcement: DT Is on the Way

Trump University is coming to Atlanta, November 10th-12th.

Believe It Or Not: Fred Thompson Once Had A Real Job

The L.A. Times has been running a series on defining moments in our presidential candidates pre-campaign careers. Yesterday's feature was on Fred Thompson's 1969-1972 incarnation as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, fighting corruption and racketeering among Tennessee moonshiners. Seriously.

Movie Review

Subtle differences between publications...

The "New Yorker" reviews "American Gangster."
Rather than interviewing the real Frank Lucas or Nicky Barnes, "New York Magazine" lets them interview themselves and talk shop about dealing.

"American Gangster" will be playing nationwide starting November 2nd.

More Depressing News about Babies or OneElf Does Nancy Grace

Remember a few years back when that Missouri woman kidnapped a pregnant woman, cut the fetus out of her body, left her for dead, and took her baby home? She was found guilty of kidnapping resulting in death last week and may be facing the death penalty.

Kathryn McCoy, a 19 year-old sophomore at Kentucky's Bellarmine University, was charged with infanticide on Friday. McCoy is accused of concealing her pregnancy, giving birth in a bathroom, and allowing her baby to drown in one of the toilets in her dorm. The child's body was found in McCoy's gym bag last week, prompting her roommate to ask, "What the @#$k?"

Who are these women?

Curse of the Bambino, My Ass

An Open Letter to Babe Ruth:

What happened to making every man, woman, and child in Boston apologize to your grave before the Sox could win? Did you go drinking with the ghosts of Mickey Mantle and Rodney Dangerfield again?

Love,
A Fan of "The Sandlot"

Big Entertainment Conglomerate Hates Babies

Universal Music Group is presently fighting a lawsuit against Pennsylvania mother Stephanie Lenz for posting a 30-second clip of her 18 month-old boy shaking it to Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" on Youtube.

When forced to remove the video of her son from YouTube, Lenz filed a civil lawsuit against UMG Publishing for violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. UMG Publishing has filed a motion to dismiss the complaint.