Comic Books and Prop 8

I didn't even know that MTV had a real website, or that it would be like this, but I found this neato article today on MTV.com.

Out and Proud: Five Comic Book Characters Who'd Oppose Prop 8

"California’s Supreme Court upheld the state’s “Proposition 8″ ban on same-sex marriage yesterday, fanning the flames of what’s sure to be an ongoing debate in the state and the nation as a whole. In light of this event, we’ve decided to look at some of superheroes who are out, proud and feel no shame in how they live their lives — and who’d be most affected by legislation like Proposition 8."

I think that everyone should appose Prop 8, but I love it when comic book characters get in the mix. Its nice to see and hear celebrities like Drew Barrymore get out there and support equal rights, even though I don't necessarily believe celebrity support will change peoples minds. I do like what Drew told Free Speech Radio News, though, that:

"♫ [Prop 8] literally is illogical and cruel and is absolutely unnecessary."

I think equality is the fight of the little guy, the average American, and you know, the superhero. The MTV article lists Northstar (who had an AIDS related storyline) and Batwoman (my best girl) among others. If those comic book characters stand up for LGBT rights, I certainly can stand up for Superhero rights!

Photo courtesy of DC Comics

A Hidden Conservative Agenda?

I heart history, culture, animals, space, technology and the environment. Where can I learn about all of these things at once on the interweb? My new favorite site LiveScience.com. It’s kind of like mentalfloss for the even geekier reader. Aside from articles about dinosaurs and immortality, the think that interests me most about the site is that a majority of the comments on each post are a debate about science and religion. Weird, right? At first I was really weirded out about how many people were talking about whether Jesus should have been on the "Top Ten Immortals" list alongside Peter Pan and Dracula. I was a little worried that maybe I was being faked out and that the site which appears to me to be a fun science site was maybe actually full of coded subliminal religious messages and I didn't notice! Maybe I was tricked! Scientists are liberal, right? Scientists are usually atheists, right? I wanted to do a little hunting for clues about LiveScience religious affiliation, but I just came across readers who are pissed that the web site clearly falls on the side of the atheists. I'm always afraid that I'm being swayed secretly by a conservative agenda (and I don't mean Fox News, I mean secretly conservative, not blatantly). Does anyone read this site? Does it appear to be tricking me?

Are There Housewives in DC?

Although I typically speak out against reality TV, there are a few shows that I take a little pleasure in watching. I like Project Runway and Top Chef because they are about talents and artistry on some level. I also like a couple reality shows that are not about talent or artistry. Ok. I'll admit it--I like the Real Housewives Series. My favorite is NYC, but the newest one in New Jersey has been pretty awesome thus far.

And now, aren't I lucky, there are doing a season in DC. From the DCist:

"The producers were looking for a "range of women in DC, from young up-and-comers (determined staffers, aspiring politicians, fearless journalists, and fledgling socialites) to the real powerbrokers on the Hill (commanding congresswomen, sassy socialites and dymanic divas in charge)."

I don't really know what it is about the housewives that I like. Maybe that the shows are about women and although some of them are bitchy and backstabbing and embarrassing, some of them are successful and tough and kind of real. I can't even imagine the DC Housewives, especially because women here work, so the show will be a little different than the others. Either way, I can't wait!

Organ Donation Fail

Thanks to Feministing for posting this incredible image from an Organ Donation Campaign:


If you cant read the text, it says "Becoming a donor is probably your only chance to get inside her."

Are you kidding me? I can't help but be offended. Why on earth would an organ donation campaign resort to this kind of disgusting angle? Full article here.

This Animal is Not a Toy

Whats next, people hitting each other in the head with frying pans?

"PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police say a high school student is facing charges for using a biology class snake as a jump rope.

Police say the incident happened Monday at Taylor Allderdice High School, according to KDKA-TV.

Police aren't identifying the 17-year-old suspect because he's being charged in juvenile court. The boy will be charged with theft and cruelty to animals.

The animal survived the ordeal and was being examined by a veterinarian.

Pittsburgh Public School officials on Tuesday were not immediately able to say what kind of snake it was." via Fox News

People should be charged more often with cruelty to animals -- you know its going on all the time. As a side note, that Neanderthal Michael Vick just got out of prison. And no, he shouldn't be allowed to play football.

A Magical Breakfasty World

There are two kinds of people in the world, those who love breakfast food and those who don't. I have an undying love for breakfast food, which I've mentioned once before, but I have never tried a McGriddle. Something about it makes me feel a little uncomfortable -- the combination of egg and meat and pancake belongs together, yet somehow feels wrong when smashed into a genetically altered sammich.

Recently, a friend of mine told me about some folks who love a McGriddle even more than i love a McMuffin. People who love it so much they write about it. That's right, there is a McGriddle Fan Fiction site out there.

Some folks not in the writing/creepy obsession with movies or celebrities communities might not be totally aware of what Fan Fiction is. For a real definition we turn to Wikipedia: "Fan fiction (alternately referred to as fanfiction, fanfic, FF, or fic) is a broadly-defined term used to describe stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator." A FanFic story might include a love affair between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, or maybe the characters from Lord of The Rings transported into the future to save the world from evil republican warlords. I don't know if either of those story lines have actually been written, but clearly I have a previously undiscovered talent here.

So, read (or write) some McGriddle Fanfic, or some Lord of the Rings Fan Fiction, some Major League Baseball FacFic, or some Twilight FanFic, and get lost in a magical world!

Nervous Blogger Update!

I know. I'm a huge disappointment to all my fan(s). I haven't been blogging lately and for this I have a variety of excuses (none of them particularly good). I am officially out of school now, so having much more free time is supposed to make me a better blogger and a better gym-goer. At this point, nothing. The now-healing herniated disc in my back has kept me away from running and the senioritis/post thesis crash has kept me from everything else. But, I'm back. I'm making my move.

Here's some new stuff:

I'm back into dinosaurs again--sorely wishing I had chosen a different career path and that I was currently on my hands and knees in a dusty region of Argentina digging for a tooth or a claw of some prehistoric beast. All I can really do about this sadness is learn more. Sunday I spent the day at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. It was just awesome. This photo here is of the MegaShark mouth -hes the ancestor of the modern Great White Shark and the star of the upcoming film MegaShark Vs. Giant Octopus. So rad.

I also picked up a book called The Bone Museum: Travels in the Lost Worlds of Dinosaurs and Birds by the fabulous Wayne Grady. Its more a book about history, literature and travel than it is about dinosaurs--but those happen to be my three favorite things. I also wrote a great profile about a local DC dinosaur expert. If you are interested in publishing it in your critically acclaimed magazine please let me know. On a fossil note, this is really cool.

I'm also back into Bob Dylan. Greatest Website Ever. Something about the combination of my affection for Bob Dylan and Dinosaurs makes me feel like I'm actually reverting to 7th grade. Thats Ok--I liked 7th Grade, and Bob Dylan is forever cool.

As for writing, I'm going to try to get back into this here bloggy. I've also just started Twitttering. (Can that word even be made a gerund?) You can find me on there, in really short form, as JScribe, which is apparently also the name of a software development kit. Oh well. I'm way wittier than a software development kit. I've also recently joined up with Examiner.com to be the new LGBT Issues Examiner. I'll be writing about LGBT and related issues as they connect to DC. I'll be linking those pieces (as they come) to Twitter, mostly, but they'll be out there on the interweb for all to read.

As for running? No plan yet. Anyone know a good 5k/8k in DC I can get my rear in gear for?