Where are all the women?

I noticed something while watching the news this morning as the anchors ran through the catalogue of anti-American protests going on in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen and Sudan.

In all the reels of footage they were showing of the rioters, I didn't see a single female face amongst the crowds.

Mohammed Abu Zaid/AP Photo                           Egypt

AFP/Getty Images                                            Libya

Hassene Dridi/AP                                       Tunisia

AP Photo                                                     Yemen

Reuters                                                Sudan

There must be some women who share the anti-American sentiments on display. But they are noticeably absent or at least underrepresented in the mob violence.

This is very different from the pro-democracy protests of the Arab Spring that we saw last year where men and women, Christian and Muslim stood shoulder to shoulder in Tahrir Square. 

CNN

And, this very different from the crowds of counter-protesters that have been gathering in Libya.

Esam Al-Fetori/Reuters

Sociologically, this is interesting to me. Statistically, there are fewer female serial killers, fewer female suicide bombers, and historically, far fewer murderous female world leaders.

Personally, I'm far less likely to lend credibility to a mass movement until I see both sides of the human race represented.

I don't have the answers to the Middle East problem -- I don't know anyone who does -- but I know that when we find one, women will be in the mix.

Context...doesn't matter

Look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something—there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business—you didn’t build that.

Here's why the context of the "you didn't build that" comment doesn't help Pres. Obama.
If the "that" he was referring to was the business you've got -- a grammatically sound interpretation of the remark -- it shows, at best, economic ignorance and, at worst, hostility towards free market capitalism.

But let's give him the benefit of the doubt and concede that it was just a grammatical error; let's accept that he was referring to roads, infrastructure, the American system, etc. Under that interpretation, it shows that Pres. Obama believes that we the people don't own an investment in our own government. We didn't lay the asphalt, fire the steel, or teach the leaders of tomorrow (even though some of us actually DID do that), so we didn't build it. Government put it all in motion (except for those handful that actually DID those things); we just paid for it. 

When was the last time Pres. Obama, or any member of Congress, pulled out a wallet and said, "This school construction project? Yeah, that's on me," and then picked up a hardhat and went to work? The government doesn't do these things unless they can stick us with the bill. So, while maybe we didn't physically build it (except, again, for those people who had a direct hand in it), our financial contribution to it is reduced to nothing, and government gets all the credit.

Let's finally put all this equivocating aside. People have a right to be incensed with the president for saying, "you didn't build that," because no matter how you slice it, it's damned insulting.

It's hard out there for a pimp

The California Supreme Court has decided that the state law that criminalizes encouraging someone to go into prostitution also prohibits you from suggesting prostitutes "expand their business opportunities."

In other words, all hos are bound to a state-imposed non-compete clause.

Official opinion: here.

America's Yo-Yo Diet

This economy is rebounding like a champ.

Half of last month's new jobs came from a single employer:

McDonald's.

pen·al·ty • noun /ˈpenltē/

President Obama's Solicitor General finally spoke truth this week about the administration's healthcare reform law when he suggested that people who wanted to avoid the mandate could do so by choosing to earn less money.

Let that sink in for a moment.

"It’s a penalty on earning a certain amount of income and self insuring."

Solicitor General Neal Kumar Katyal defending the healthcare mandate

Just so we're clear, the government's STATED aim here is to discourage people from helping themselves as they would by seeking higher education and well-paying jobs, and choosing insurance plans that fit their needs and the needs of their families.

Are you pissed off yet?

Topsy Turvy World

Dear Westboro Baptist "Church":

What does it say about your organization when the KKK has the moral high ground?

"It's the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech," said Dennis LaBonte, the self-described "Imperial Wizard" of the KKK group that he said he formed several years ago.

Who needs a drink?

It's science!

Science just wouldn't be complete without a study

on Jell-O wrestling in the South Pole.

I wonder which members of the appropriations committees

volunteered themselves or their interns as test subjects.

Also granted National Science Foundation dollars (i.e., your taxes):

YouTube rap video

Robot hoedown and rodeo

Shrimp. On. Treadmills.

*Bonus points to the reader who can send me a link to the YouTube rap video.

Do you feel me?

The Texas legislature caved under federal pressure and pulled their anti-groping bill.

The bill, HB1937 would have made it a crime for security personnel to touch a person's private areas without probable cause, effectively putting a stop to the invasive -- and offensive -- TSA pat downs in Texas airports.

The Department of Justice responded by threatening

to shut down flights to and from the state.

The epitaph on the Fourth Amendment will read:

All I wanted was a little probable cause.

The Daily Special 9.13.10

Greetings and glad tidings! I was told today that I looked beautiful which boosted my confidence and prompted me to make a mental note that daily showering and mascara are good investments. Such is the life of a law student -- my standards of beauty and socially acceptable hygiene are so low after two years that a swipe of lip gloss transforms me back to a mildly attractive human being.

• In that vein, check out this self-esteem booster. "Does this J.D. make my ass look fat?"

• The U.S. will ban mouthy teenagers, but drug mules are still OK.

• Space Aliens v. The Pope -- It's all fun and games until God starts smiting you.

• Democrats putting their midterm hopes in...Justin Bieber?

• SkyNet is coming.

Is it the hair or the dress?

Oh, Lordy! Elton John told Britain's Sun that Jesus was gay.

Pass the popcorn, the holy wars are about to start.

The New Leash Kids

Photo Credit: Quirky China News/Rex Features

China's answer to the leash kids.

Yes, he's chained to a pole.

Chained.

To a pole.

The Real Sunset Strip

Credit: Ann Johansson for The New York Times

The Sunset Strip is my home away from home out here in L.A. The New York Times ran a fantastic article this week on Nic Adler, The Roxy and the revitalization of the music scene on the Strip.

Also, I recently discovered a UStream show called The Real Sunset Strip hosted by Lauren Scheff and The Hawk, which is the next best thing to actually being there. Tonight, Mark McGrath, Nylon Pink, Purple Melon (check them out at High Voltage Sunday!), Anyshka, David Faustino (Bud from "Married with Children"), and Lacey from VH1's "Rock of Love" stopped by for a chat.

Check it out Saturday nights from 10PM to midnight.

And, keep up with all these awesome Strip people on Twitter,

God's gift to the computer-bound.

Nic Adler

The Roxy

The Real Sunset Strip

High Voltage

We live in two different worlds

Everyone knows that China has tight reins on the internet that their citizens see, but most don't realize that the contrast between our internet and theirs is so stark.

Do a search on the U.S. version of Google Images for "Tiananmen," and this is the first result you get.

Do a search on the Chinese version of Google Images for "Tiananmen," and this is the first result you get.

Further search through the Chinese results turns up no images similar to the ones we in America would find.

Understandably, the Chinese government may be embarrassed by the images of the massacre, as most governments would be of their shameful pasts. But do do a quick search for "American slavery" and you'll come up with some pretty honest and harrowing images.

Ain't Democracy great?

I'm Too Sexy

Snuggies showed up on the catwalk at New York Fashion Week.

I weep for this nation.

Say You're Sorry

Ahhh, Interwebz! You have endlessly creative lovers.

One of them slapped together this gem: "The Kanye West Apology Generator."

P.S. How much do I love that Taylor Swift towers over him in that pic? THIS much!

The Daily Special 9.4.09

Happy Friday, everyone!

• Congratulations to "Paul" who swam from Catalina to Palos Verdes overnight! I admire this guy because I've wanted to get into marathon swimming for a while.

• I'd been seeing this mentioned a lot, so my curiosity took over and I was thoroughly squicked. Uhm...yay for the environment, but no. Just...no.

• Speaking of idiotic products...I now know just what to get that special guy for his birthday.

• Give it up for the Sunset Strip! Who's with me for the StripCrawl on Tuesday night?

• Aaaand, this is what I'll be watching all weekend. Love me some Ari Gold.

The Daily Special 9.3.09

• Some people are just too special for words. I weep for the youth of America.

• And then when they get to college, this is what they pay for. I really shouldn't knock it. I totally would have wasted an elective on the class.

• But, then I would probably have ended up like this guy.

• Or the dude who wasted his herb on a fundraiser.

• I'm really hoping to end up like these women, though. RAWR!

Shit My Dad Says

The LA Times did a nice profile of Justin Halpern, the guy behind the Twitter page "Shit My Dad Says" who posts quotes from his hilarious, cranky, retired father. Follow Justin @shitmydadsays.

The Daily Special 9.2.09

• I saw this article about a pantless man harassing a horse (yes, I said pantless and horse), and all I could think of was that disturbing indie doc Zoo.

• Speaking of not sexy...

• Well, it takes a village, doesn't it?

• Just in case you wanted to know: milk drinking started around 7,500 years ago in Central Europe. True facts.

• I don't understand a word in this video, but I know when to laugh in any language.

LA County Fires

Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via New York Times

Check out Brandon Riza's site for a time lapse video of the LA County wildfires.