Random awesomeness

Came across this song on someone else's iTunes at work. Not sure why it struck me so hard today, but I am kind of loving it.

W stands for wanker!

Bush threatens to veto equal pay for women.

If you don't know what the Paycheck Fairness Act is, check it out here. This is what Bush wants to do away with.

Well, at least I never voted for that asshole.

Hat tip: Shakespeare's Sister.

All shook up

We had ourselves a little earthquake today...well, not so little. It was actually the biggest one I've experienced since moving here. I was at work when it started. At first, I thought the guys I sit with were fucking around and pushing the table that our computers are on. Then I realized that the lights hanging from the ceiling were swaying back and forth. A couple of things fell off their shelves. Our building stands on pylons, so we swayed and bounced like we were in a boat on choppy water for about 20 seconds. I thought I was going to puke, so I got up out of my chair and started pacing. When the shaking stopped, I walked to the outside deck to call my dad.

It was quite a shaker...even the natives were rattled. Never fear, your favorite blogger is still in one piece!

I'll update soon, but until then, enjoy this little gem I found through Jezebel.

Friday awesomeness

Hat tip: Jezebel.

Bigger, fuller, bouncier*: Ginger hosts the 61st Carnival of Feminists

STEP RIGHT UP and git' yer feminism, kids! We got all kinds o' feminism here. We got radical feminism! We got second wave feminism! We got third wave feminism! We got pro-feminist men! We got religious feminists! We got sex worker feminists! We got ever' kinda feminist, 'cause as all feminists know, we ain't no monolithic group that's gotta agree on ever' damn thang. There's room for ever'body at this here booth, so step right up and claim yer prize!

Man, my accent sucks. Aw, hell, just read!

AIN'T NOTHIN' GOIN' ON BUT THE 'RENTS

SnarkScribe gets the party started with a post about how mothers worry about their daughters' marital status (no matter what that may be).

And you said that in front of my daughters?!! is a must-read by Deborah of In a strange land.

Do you think you're Pretty Every Day?

Romeo Vitelli of Providentia gives us all a lesson in severely twisted family dynamics.

In her post Shades of Home, Hobo Stripper reminisces about a conversation with her very practical, tough-as-nails mom.

Alankrita of Real Virtuality takes on the burden of being female.

Renee of Womanist Musings asks, Whose Children Count?

One day, we decide to grow up. Amazing.



ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, I CAN DO BETTER

Anybody who loves to travel needs to read this post! Shaula of Your Mileage May Vary congratulates the publishers of a new women's travel magazine called Galavanting.

In a post called He Blinded Me with (Title IX and) Science, Rose O'Malley of Womenstake.org discusses the compliance reviews that are now taking place in science and engineering programs.

As someone who works in Hollywood, I've had to deal with the fact that the industry isn't exactly female-centric (or even female-friendly, sometimes). I recently became addicted to the insightful and informative Women & Hollywood blog. Melissa contributed a wonderful post called Mamma Mia - Feminist Creative Power on Film.

Lynne asks, Where Have All The Movie Actresses Gone?

Veronica from Moms On Issues wrote a very educational post about sexist country clubs.

In sports news, Veronica from Viva La Feminista deals with gender essentialism here.

Daily Dalia asks, what's up with the "woman firefighter" label, anyway?



IF YOU'RE ADVERTISING, YOU MUST BE SELLING

In a post called On Ownership, Sage of Persephone's Box waxes philosophical about bodily integrity.

Interrobang made me cringe - and laugh out loud - with a post called The "Harass Me" Sign Musta Been Lit Again.

In her post Bloke Coke, Rachel of A Second Thought explains why she's had it up to here with soft drink advertising.

The Pinup Blog offers some perfect examples of what Rachel's talking about. Possibly NSFW - post contains some nudity.

It's the Attack of the Vintage Movie Poster!

Andrea, a fantastic young writer who blogs at The Nerd, contributes Who's to Blame? Proof positive that the next wave will handle itself just fine.

How it ought to be is a thought-provoking post by Grace, a blogger that I recently discovered during a bout of insomniac websurfing. This blog is very NSFW - not because of its content, but because you'll get sucked in and your boss will fire you for slacking! Some people write with such honest feeling that you can't stop reading. BTW, happy birthday, Grace!



DICKLESS?!

Before the Kyle Payne bomb dropped, I thought that this would be an ironically funny title for a section that was supposed to deal with men's contributions to the feminist movement. Are men welcome, and to what point? What are the pros and cons of being a profeminist man? Well, 'Paynegate' happened, and now "Dickless" has taken on a whole new meaning. I wish I had a greater variety of topics, but the issues of male allies, trust and betrayal are important. So here's some perspective on it, from both men and women alike.

Hugo Schwyzer has some thoughts on men, accountability, and the lesson of Kyle Payne.

Physioprof also has a few choice words for Payne in his post, Wackaloon Male Feminist Sex Criminal.

Belledame from Fetch Me My Axe has really been keeping on top of 'Paynegate' - here's a thorough post rife with good linkage.

Marcella at abyss2hope has a bit more faith in men than Kathleen Parker does.

Finally, because the bepenised section of this Carnival is a little light, some Joss Whedon goodness:




COULD YOU PLEASE STOP BREATHING MY AIR?

Lisa Kansas of PunkAss Blog gets a standing ovation for this post, which is my personal favorite of this Carnival: NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN TERMS OF MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER, YOU'RE WRONG! Rinse, repeat. Got that, girls?!

Ain't I A Woman? YES.

Renegade Evolution has a small request. Sex work is a very polarizing topic among feminists, and sex workers need to be a part of that discussion. You may agree with her, or you may not, but she'll make you think. You should also check out her post on vanilla privilege.

Lost Clown from Angry for a Reason takes on internalized sexism in this post.

Fannie has something important to say about The (White Man's) "Making of America."

Debbie from body impolitic would love it if people would stop blaming the activists, already.

Aputhebird discusses the intersection of gender, caste and class.



IT'S NOT FUN, BUT IT'S FUNNY!

Mad Kane says, Wham! Bam! No Thank You, Phil Gramm!

LOL Feminist talks about a study that measured the impact of sexist humor.

MissPrism questions the alarmist name of a common product line.

Liz of Library Tavern is the last feminist standing against rape jokes.

Could somebody please help me pull the homing beacon out of my ass?

Finally, if you haven't heard this yet, you need to. Just don't eat while you're listening, because you'll choke to death laughing! Thanks to Ashley, one of my readers, for sending it in.



ARE YOU THERE, GODDESS? IT'S ME, GINGER.

Christian Feminist of A Christian Feminist Journey contemplates God's desire for liberation from oppression in this post.

Hobo Stripper has a conversation with God in the titty bar.

Adam of Daylight Atheism reviews Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book, Infidel.

Finally, I'd like to direct everybody's attention to a fairly new blog called Adolescence By Day. It's wonderfully written by R. Skye...who just graduated the 8th grade. I read a couple of posts before I realized how young she is, and just about fell out of my chair. I suppose the name of her blog should have tipped me off, but I'm a bit dim at the end of a workday. I put her in my 'faith' section because it just felt right...I suppose I had more of it at her age. Give R. Skye a visit and lend your support!



MEN ARE FROM EARTH, WOMEN ARE FROM EARTH

Lisa Kansas of PunkAss Blog tells a harrowing personal account of childhood sexual bullying. It's a poignant illustration of gender role indoctrination.

In Refuse Thy Name??, Sally from Jump Off The Bridge writes about how annoying it is that men never have to think about changing their names when they marry.

Speaking of marriage, earlgreyrooibos has some commentary on that.

Genevieve just wants somebody to wake her up when it's all over, and I don't blame her!

Finally, Professorwhatif wonders what would change if we gave up the "top model" paradigm.


Ullaí mná!
Well done, everyone! I said that I wanted this Carnival to be bigger and badder than the last one, and it sure is, thanks to all the amazing bloggers who contributed. I really hope I didn't forget anybody - please forgive me if I did. Every submission that I got was sterling, and I tried to include each one.

I hope you enjoyed reading - now you'll have to spend days and days updating your blogrolls! That was my plan all along! Insert evil laughter here!

Don't forget me, now. Come back and visit!

*Why yes, the post title is a spoof of the South Park movie. Aren't you smart!
Cartoons courtesy of some_ecards.

The next Carnival of Feminists will be hosted at Rage Against the Man-chine.

Psych!

So sorry to those of you who clocked in today because you thought the Carnival of Feminists went up. I briefly posted it last night to do a final check of how it looked, then took it down. It will be up tomorrow, and it's a biggie, so check back!

Cartoon courtesy of xkcd.

Sarah Haskins wants you to feed your f#*@ing family!

Hat tip: Feministing.

For the millionth time

Can't we do better than this?

Leave the dolphins out of it!

Somebody Googled "funny red head all you bitches want to flog my dolphin" and my blog was at the top of the results page.

Uh, Number One?! Yay.

For the last time, I haven't got much back there!

Regular readers already know that I have a magic ass. I'm sure you'll all be happy to read that its powers are as strong as ever!

Saturday night, I went to GLOW '08 with my friends Liz and Melissa. After wandering the beach and pier of Santa Monica, pushing our way through the million people who had shown up to this dusk-till-dawn festival, we made our way down Ocean Avenue to my car.

We stopped at the corner of Ocean and Wilshire to wait for the light to change. I was immediately approached by a tall, skinny, greasy, completely high homeless dude who stopped about two paces in front of me, blocking my way. He stared, smirking.

All three of us ladies took a step back in unison.

"Why?!" I exclaimed out loud, throwing up my hands as I turned away. I truly have no explanation for these incidents, unless I have a Loser Homing Beaon implanted in one of my butt cheeks. There I was, surrounded by younger, more toned, more exposed females, but I'm the one this guy comes after. I was not in the mood. It was one in the morning; I was tired and uninterested in being polite. I retreated behind my friends. CHANGE, light!! Goddam, this is the longest traffic light in history.

Unwashed Weirdo took another step forward. Melissa backed up so fast that she bumped into me.

The light finally changed, and we quickly skirted around UW into the intersection.

"Good evening, Bootylicious," he said as I passed him.

You see, good people, I'm not single because I can't attract men. My onion is a homing beacon for some choice specimens. It's just that those specimens aren't clean. Or sober. Or sane.

Lord of the dance

This is the best way to start the week that I can think of.

TGIF

Found this online today, and loved it. I copied and pasted it as I found it. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

'Havent you seen her'?! They all say
'The redheaded woman with the sexy sway'
'Yes Ive seen her' one man cries
'the ultimate enigma with large blue eyes'
'she made me catch my breath' one man speaks.
'Ive dreamt of women like her in my sleep'
Then in she walks, all eyes upon her.
They all want to speak to her, but no-one dares.
Her copper locks glisten in the light.
Her milky skin glows like the moon at night.
She owns the room but unaware
of the reaction she causes or the lengthly stares.
Men want her, women want to be her.
They all want the woman with the fiery red hair!

by Victoria - a fellow redhead

My crush on Kristin Schaal keeps growing.

I get it, society - women who have passed their sell-by date (which is around 21 at this point, I think), should not be sexual beings. The stupid "cougar" label is something I've had to deal with from the occasional young ignoramus patriarchy peddler, and I'm only in my thirties! Thankfully, Kristin Schaal takes the whole concept to task on The Daily Show. Happy Friday!


Hat Tip: Gawker.

Hot Pockets!

Readers, I'm busy putting the next Carnival of Feminists together. In the meantime, I'll be putting up little posts, and maybe another installment of Ginger Revealed.

Enjoy some Jim Gaffigan today!

Time for some campaignin'

The entire year's political landscape in one itty bitty cartoon!

Hat tip: Pandagon.

"I know I was supposed to be wiser, but it didn't happen for me."

Michael Caine talks about his film career.

My favorite quote: "I always meet people who are living as though it's a rehearsal, and the show's going to be later. And I feel like saying, 'This is the show! This is it!"

What a guy.

Oof.

We've all been there, kids. Click for full size.

Hat tip: xkcd.

The story that won't end

Another female soldier murdered, probably by her husband. He's charged with arson, her body was found in the remains of a brush fire nearby. Evidence shows that her body was burned before the brush fire was set.

This is how I'm starting my week? I wish I'd stayed in bed.

UPDATE: The husband has officially been charged with murder.

Call for submissions

Once again, I am beyond thrilled to be serving as a host for the Carnival of Feminists! My previous hosting gig was a blast, and I'm hoping to top it, with your help. Here are the categories I'd like to see addressed this time around:

Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But the 'Rents:
How parents, siblings and partners affect our views of our bodies, our self-worth, our abilities, our sexuality and our feminism.

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better:
Gender essentialism and the idea that certain things come 'naturally' to the sexes.

If You're Advertising, You Must Be Selling:
Sexuality and the media. Being branded in a certain way because of how you look. The benefits and repercussions of conforming (and not conforming) to traditional interpretations of sexuality.

Dickless?
It's my personal belief that feminism necessarily involves men, but not everyone agrees. How fully should men be welcomed into feminist spaces? Can men truly be feminists? What are the benefits and difficulties of being a pro-feminist man? What men have influenced your views and experiences of feminism?

Could You Please Stop Breathing My Air?
Jockeying for position in the public sphere (work, politics, just walking down the street).

It's Not Fun, But It's Funny!
Yes, feminists have a sense of humor.

Are You There, Goddess? It's Me, Ginger.
Faith and feminism.

Men Are From Earth, Women Are From Earth:
How gender-based rules make dating, mating and relating difficult.

Don't worry too much about writing specifically for any of these topics; I'll file your post under whichever is appropriate, and I'll create a "Miscellaneous" category if it's needed.

The Carnival will be posted on July 23, so please get your entries to me by July 20. Submit your entries by using the carnival submission form, or email me directly. Step up to the plate, kids! I can't do this without you.

UPDATE: a couple of possible contributors have asked whether they can submit something they've already written. Of course you can! You don't have to write something just for the Carnival. Send me whatever you'd like to share, and I'll put it under whichever category I think is appropriate. If you'd like an example of how this works, click here.

Hat tip: Image courtesy of McMillan Digital Art.

Indignities

"Tell me if you think this is weird."

Gotta love it when a conversation starts like that right out of the gate. First off, if you hear that statement, whatever the asker says or does next is going to be weird. You have been warned!

In this particular instance, my former roommate C.C. and I were chilling one night at home. She was doing her homework at the dining room table, while I lay on the floor, reading a magazine.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, rolling over onto my back.

"Brad does this weird thing when we have sex. It's this strange position...I'm not sure what he's trying to do."

"Oh." C.C. is a wonderful girl that I normally had a lot of time for, but I really, really did not need to hear such things. Brad was a regular visitor in our home; how was I supposed to keep a straight face when he was around? "Well, maybe you should talk to him about it."

"I need you to tell me if it's weird."

I raised an eyebrow. "If you think it's weird, then it is, because you're the one doing it."

"No, really. Let me show you." Before I could move, she had straddled me on the floor so that she could demonstrate Brad's unique sexual skills. I braced myself. After a minute or so of grabbing, bouncing and grinding, she dismounted.

"Come on," she said, "that's weird, right?"

It was, but not quite as weird as being humped by your roommate on your living room floor.

She's a wonder

Kristin Schaal discusses the sexism that surfaced during the primaries - a hilarious clip from The Daily Show.


Hat tip: The Comic's Comic.