Democrats for...democracy

So, this happened tonight at the second night of the Democratic National Committee's convention in Charlotte, NC.



To put it all into context, there was a lot of hullaballoo about the fact that the DNC's platform, voted on and passed on the first night of the convention, differed greatly from the 2008 platform in leaving out "God" in a section where God was previously acknowledged and on the matter of Israel's security -- one of the U.S.'s strongest allies.

The language that was voted on included a declaration that Jerusalem "is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths." Such language was in the 2008 platform, but the 2012 platform only made reference to a "commitment to Israel's security."

Also, it included a call for a government that "gives everyone willing to work hard the change to make the most of their God-given potential." 

As you can see, they did not have their ducks in line when they took that vote. The change required 2/3 approval by all delegates. Anthony Villaraigosa (mayor of Los Angeles and convention chair) looked almost as if he was trying to convey a *hint, hint, wink, wink* to the crowd as he repeated his call for the votes not once, but twice before making a wholly indefensible decision that the "ayes" had it.

Reports coming in from Twitter suggested either that the "nos" were in the majority or that the vote was too close to call. Some delegates are even questioning whether a quorum was present to make the vote official.

Had the party any integrity, Villaraigosa would have admitted that it was too close to call and requested a roll call vote. Because the party's platform is meant to be represent the guiding principles under which all party members will campaign. What goes into that platform matters most to grassroots political organizations. The delegates who represent party politics on the local level are bound to defend that platform to the people they engage, for better or worse.

The message the Democrats sent tonight was not just about their views or contentions on foreign policy or religion, though they are...interesting, I suspect, to many. In fact, I would say those revelations are subservient to a greater issue. 

No, the greater Voila! moment was the one where convention watchers across the country witnessed a political party's attitude toward the value of a vote.

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.

Californians: Bypass Doom

Bring me tasty brains, er, tacos

There's a great little taco shack down the street from my apartment where I love to indulge my cravings for fire-roasted, seasoned banana peppers and my obsession of heaping fresh pico de gallo on anything and everything. Tonight was Taco Tuesday, and the joint was jumping.

Much to my surprise, there was an attractive new cook slinging the tortillas (thank you very much, Arizona) with whom I locked eyes upon entering. My crippling shyness forced me to quickly look away lest I be caught ogling someone a few rungs higher than I on the attractiveness ladder.

But then from deep within, -- probably from the more extroverted twin I absorbed in utero -- I mustered up some self-confidence (cajones, since I was at a taco stand) and decided to return his gaze.

So, dear reader, I looked him in the eye. And smiled.

He quickly looked back down at his tortillas.

Dejected, I took my carnitas, my peppers, and my vat of pico de gallo back to my little apartment down the street...

...Where I caught sight of myself in the mirror and remembered that I woke up looking like an extra from Dawn of the Dead.

Mmmm...pico de gallo...on brains.

The ways we amuse ourselves

Two questions:

1) What would you do with yourself if stranded at the airport for 10 hours?

2) How big of a laugh do you think airport security got watching this chick?

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.

Modern foot-binding for Suri Cruise

The 3-year-old can't run away if she's in heels.

I'm Too Sexy

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

I weep for this nation.

Friday Round-Up

This has been a week from hell, which is why The Daily Special suddenly was not so daily nor special. So, I bring to you my Friday Round-Up -- a bunch of things I might have posted had I been joyfully assing around in class rather than making my school earn every penny of its outrageous tuition. Enjoy!

• Head over to The Top 13 Albums Project and submit your nominations for the top 13 albums of the decade. I will be posting my list here soon for you all to consider and copy. DEADLINE is October 2!

• I have a naughty habit of going to great lengths to get TinySpecialFriend (she loves little people/midgets, whichever you prefer) to crack up in our Evidence class. The effort came back to bite me in the ass this week when I found this little DIY gadget on the interwebz and we both had our heads on the desks crying with silent laughter, trying not to get caught. It's what you get for the guy who has everything...including foreskin.

• For anyone looking to stock up on unique deadly weapons, I direct you to a list of 7 items you won't believe are actually legal.

• Emails From Crazy People is a great site, but I just came across this gem of a "Not A Stalker" letter, and it reminds me a little of Dimitri, the perfect guy and his phone message. These guys know how to charm a lady.

• This Durex commercial was banned in Europe. I just love the squeaky sound effects.

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!

Power Tripping

I don't trust our government to efficiently screw in a light bulb, so I certainly don't think it should have anything to do with policing the internet. But that's just what Congress wants to allow the president to do.

The President. One man. With the power to control our access to information and communication. Think it'll never happen?

S.773 drafted by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.

First and foremost, I want to know exactly what constitutes a "cybersecurity emergency." I can not think of a single doomsday scenario that would justify turning any region of the United States into Burma, even temporarily.

This is bad news.

No. Just...no.

This news about a Kings of Leon remix album just makes me want to punch babies.

P.S. Follow Paste Magazine on Twitter @PASTEmagazine.

New Take On Getting Fried

Get your chicke...er, marijuana. Read the story behind this KFC in Palms, CA.

Movie News: Machete!

We got a fake teaser in those 70s-era Grindhouse trailers before Planet Terror, but now it's becoming reality. Robert Rodriguez has been working on his script for Machete and it looks like Robert De Niro and...Lindsay Lohan (WTF?) will be starring. I'm willing to overlook La Lohan because I'm betting she gets hacked and slashed after showing her ta-tas. And, I have a deep abiding love for Danny Trujo.

The Daily Special 8.12.09

• Ding DONG! Is your unexpected visitor wearing pants?

• At about 10AM, my neighbour took his domestic dispute to the front lawn and started dropping F-bombs like he was battling SkyNet.

• This is what happens when idiots get funding.

• Speaking of stupid products, weren't we all thinking this when the Snuggie hit the market?

• Even better -- The Snugger.

Nanny State 911

I was absolutely bowled over by this article coming out of the UK's Daily Express about the government expanding its use of "sin bins" for 20,000 of England's families enrolled in Family Intervention Projects.

Sin bins are private homes subject to closed circuit television monitoring to ensure kids are being raised right (sent to school, properly fed and disciplined). Parents and children sign a behaviour contract with the British government, and the government, in turn hopes/thinks the extra attention will reduce the number of kids getting involved in random delinquency and hard crime.

Aside from the obvious comparisons to Orwell's 1984 and the implications from such a widespread invasion of privacy, this is really just a by product of today's voyeuristic culture combined with the pervasive political apathy.

Imagine that. Britain, which has more CCTVs watching its people than the whole of Europe, has decided to take reality TV for the government employees to a whole new level. It's like the Dr. Phil House without the free counseling at the end of the rainbow.

Can't wait until they decide to make it pay per view to make some money off it.

These private eyes are watchin' you...B