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Since it’s almost the new year I thought I’d promote the NYC Sex Bloggers Calendar again. Haven’t gotten yours yet? You can do that here. Mine goes on the wall tomorrow.
Thanks again to Diva and Tess for all the work they put into it!
Posted by Vixen as Sexy Sensations at 11:19 PM CST
From the Sun Times:
Obama signs repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
“Declaring that members of the military will no longer be asked to lie, President Barack Obama fulfilled a campaign promise Wednesday and signed a landmark law repealing the ban on gay men and women serving openly in the armed services.
(snip)
The service chiefs must complete implementation plans before lifting the old policy — and they must certify to lawmakers that it won’t damage combat readiness, as critics charge.
But the signing ceremony was a breakthrough moment for the nation’s gay community, the military and for Obama himself. The president vowed during his 2008 campaign to repeal the law and faced pressure from liberals who complained he was not acting swiftly enough.”
I’m surprised by this. I really didn’t think it was going to happen. Yay for gay rights!
—
From Natural News:
Why focus on health freedom? Because our future is worth protecting, says Health Ranger
“With the passage of the recent Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA will be moving forward with so-called Codex Alimentarius harmonization. It’s written right into the bill text (http://www.naturalnews.com/030863_f…). This law also requires the FDA to set up enforcement offices in foreign nations to run a global food safety scheme that will try to pasteurize, irradiate or fumigate virtually all foods entering the United States. This is an effort to kill these foods and destroy most of their nutritive qualities. “Safety” is just the excuse to sterilize your food.
This same law also gives the FDA authority to inspect and shut down backyard gardeners, small local famers, small greenhouse operations, people who sell items at the farmers’ market, and so on. No, these groups are not automatically exempt from the bill as was claimed by bill proponents: They must “apply” to be granted exemption by the FDA — a process requiring them to produce tax returns, safety documentation and a pile of paperwork that the FDA can choose to declare “insufficient.”"
This law upsets me so much. It’s really my last straw voting wise. I’m not voting for my Democrat representative next time because they voted for this. This is a freaky ass, scary bill. I eat organic and worry about the future of my food sources and about the local farmers I buy from.
—
From NOLA:
Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues to foul 168 miles of Louisiana coastline
“There are 113 miles of Louisiana coastline under active cleanup, with another 55 miles awaiting approval to start the cleanup process, according to SCAT statistics. Teams have finished cleaning almost 72 miles to levels where oil is no longer observable or where no further treatment is necessary.
But that’s not the whole story for the state’s coastline. According to SCAT statistics, there’s another 2,846 miles of beach and wetland areas where oil was once found but is no longer observable or is not treatable.”
The BP oil spill isn’t as getting as much press as it was earlier this year. I remember when news stories were saying the spill was going to take “decades” to clean up. If that’s the case then it should certainly stay in the news.
Posted by Vixen as News at 11:24 PM CST
“I’m proud to be your toilet.”
-regular client
Posted by Vixen as Quote Book at 5:33 PM CST
From this gallery. I was going to go with a sexy Xmas picture but the boots in this pic are way better.
Posted by Vixen as Sexy Sensations at 10:12 PM CST
Since Ghastly’s Ghastly Comic has sadly faded I’ve been searching for a new web comic. (You can still scroll through his archives though!) I think I’ve found it-Hyperbole and a Half. It’s hilarious and often I’ll laugh so hard I cry. Her Christmas comic The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas was awesome! I don’t want to ruin the plot so I’ll just say it’s super funny.
My favorite strip so far is This is Why I’ll Never be an Adult. I find myself quoting her “Going to the motherfucking bank like an adult” often.
Posted by Vixen as Musings at 11:13 PM CST
From the Christmas Resistance site:
“Join the Christmas Resistance Movement!
The growing CHRISTMAS RESISTANCE MOVEMENT is joined in solidarity against the Shopping Season. For every 100 automatons who call you “Scrooge,” there’s a sparkly-eyed CHRISTMAS RESISTOR who supports YOU in NOT BUYING INTO THE HOLIDAY HYSTERIA.
Together, we boycott Christmas Shopping, Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, and every variety of Christmas Crap. We refuse to support the Holiday Industry. We show our love for friends and family by giving our time and care, not by purchasing consumer goods. We maintain the integrity of giving by giving spontaneously and from our hearts, rather than during a specified season.
You are not alone. Together, we can RESIST CHRISTMAS!”
And don’t forget about Buy Nothing Christmas! I only trade presents with two friends-neither of whom celebrate Christmas so that makes it funny. Both friends prefer DIY and funky gifts so it’s easier to afford too. It may be too late to back out of presents this year but why not in 2011?
Posted by Vixen as Activism at 6:51 PM CST
From the Washington Post:
In a rarity, both lunar eclipse and winter solstice to occur Tuesday
“There are not many days like Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Take it from people who know - astronomers. There was maybe one day like this Tuesday in the past 2,000 years.
On Tuesday morning, astronomers say, there will be - or depending on when this is read, was - a total eclipse of the moon. And on the very same day, the winter solstice arrives.”
I’ve been running in and out looking at the moon. As a Pagan I’m so excited about this special occurrence. It feels so magical tonight! It seems to have started early too. My friend A called and said “go outside it’s starting”. I wasn’t expecting anything to happen until another hour or so. I love how people get excited over eclipses-I know I do!
Posted by Vixen as Musings at 11:58 PM CST
At this year’s International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers 2010 event we again lit candles to remember our fallen sisters and brothers in sex work.
Seeing the line of candles made me tear up. But it wasn’t all sad. The feeling of community was so strong. The speeches were inspiring. We are making a difference. Yes, progress is slow-there were 39 sex worker murders this year, prostitution is still illegal in many, many parts of the world and sex workers are still discriminated against. But in places around the world people were able to light candles to remember the fallen. More media coverage was positive. Check out this great NBC coverage on the NYC vigil from Waking Vixen’s blog. I want to see more coverage like that!
Like last year each attendee picked names to read aloud.
The names I got:
Leslie Brown in Chicago, US age 30
killed January 11, 2010 by Murderer Michael Johnson
Nicole Piacentini in Philadelphia, US age 35
killed November 13, 2010
Jackeline Wambui in Thika, Kenya age 25
killed January 24, 1010 by serial killer Philip Onyancha
Last year all three of the names I chose were killed by the same man. Since these women were murdered by different killers I will split them up into different blog posts.
Did you go to a Red Umbrella Day event? If so send me an email-I’d love to hear about it.
Posted by Vixen as Activism, Sex Workers at 8:41 PM CST
Tonight I went to a Red Umbrella Day event. It was very touching. I love the feeling of community at these events. I feel inspired and ready to change the world! Will post my thoughts soon.
Posted by Vixen as Activism, Sex Workers at 11:06 PM CST
Sera told me about Dateline’s recent special called Somebody’s Daughter. The permalink seemed a bit funny so if it doesn’t work just go to Dateline’s main page and search for “Somebody’s Daughter”. From Dateline-”A sinister force seemed to be snatching women off the streets of Albuquerque. Josh Mankiewicz reports from New Mexico.”
Dateline did a two hour special on the West Mesa murders in New Mexico. The episode turned out to be pretty good. It wasn’t perfect but after the Spitzer scandal I was prepared for worse.
First off I was impressed they devoted two hours to the murders. When I first heard about it I had expected a twenty minute piece. The story starts with Ida Lopez a police officer assigned to the missing persons area after coming back from sick leave. They cover the bones being discovered and then matched up to missing women who were street prostitutes. One of the victim’s family is also interviewed.
The title “Somebody’s Daughter” was perfect. Because the bottom line is these victims meant something to someone. They were loved by people still alive today. They were daughters, sisters and mothers to people who miss them and grieve for them.
Several moments stood out for me. There was a moment when the reporter asked Ida Lopez about how some believe prostitutes are not as important as other people. Lopez responded that everyone is equal to God and everyone counts. It was refreshing to hear a police officer say that prostitutes count.
One of the victim’s father Dan Valdez at one point says “If you don’t have faith in your law enforcement to treat every crime equally then what do you have?” I thought this was a tellingly question. For several months Valdez patrolled street corners himself looking for his lost daughter. And that’s what you do have. When the police can’t or won’t help, average citizens have to do it themselves.
Another moment that really made me tear up was when the journalist was talking about the monthly vigils held by the victims families. Seeing their makeshift memorial was so sad.
One part that particularly irked me was when the reporter said that in this area “drug addiction and prostitution literally go hand in hand”. It’s true that some prostitutes are drug addicts but not all of them are. The prostitutes I’m friends with do the work for many reasons but none of them do it because of a drug addiction. Sweeping statements like that do nothing to advance sex worker rights.
In the past week there’s been some developments in the case. You can read about that here. I recommend the watching this special also.
Posted by Vixen as News, Sex Workers at 10:30 PM CST
“Yea, I think I know what an erection is.”
-me
Posted by Vixen as Quote Book at 11:25 PM CST
From this gallery. It looks like she’s in the middle of doing the cat pose to me.
Posted by Vixen as Sexy Sensations at 11:20 PM CST
From SF Gate:
Transgender woman says DMV clerk warned of hell
“A few days after Amber Yust visited the Department of Motor Vehicles in San Francisco to register her sex change from male to female, she got a letter at home from the DMV employee who had handled her application.
Homosexual acts, he informed her, were “an abomination that leads to hell.”
The same day, Yust said, a DVD arrived from a fundamentalist church warning of eternal damnation for anyone “possessed by demons” of homosexuality. The DMV employee’s letter had referred her to the church’s website as a source of “critical information for your salvation.”
(snip)
The letter she received four days later was filled with biblical condemnations of homosexuality, including the passage in Leviticus that says two men who have sex “must be put to death,” and implored Yust to change her mind about her sex change.
This is so incredibly offensive I don’t even know what to type. But more than that the church letter sounds like a death threat to me. The article states that this isn’t the DMV employee’s first time saying homophobic comments to customers. Why does this person still work there?
—
From IndyPosted:
Stripper Mobile Cruises Vegas Strip to Make Christmas Donations
“Ho Ho Hoes, the stripper mobile is back. This year, however, Deja Vu traded the barely covering bikinis for Santa outfits, and the stripper mobile delivered bikes and toys to Southern Nevada, a non-profit that group that assists the poor.
Last year’s stripper mobile was much more adult themed. The car was basically a moving cage that had strippers pole dancing inside. But after a few complaints about safety, Deja Vu agreed to tone it down this year, and change their focus to charity.”
Certain news items just stick in my brain and I find myself checking for updates. The Stripper Mobile is one of them. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just funny that a moving vehicle has dancing strippers inside it. It’s just seems so absurdest and comical all at the same time. Very slick move on their part this year.
—
From AVN:
Venezuela: Online Porn After Midnight Only… Or Else
“Yet another country is planning to censor the internet, this time with twist. A bill introduced in the Venezuelan parliament Thursday by Vice President Elias Jaua would, among other things, “prohibit messages [from being sent] that create alarm in the population, ignore public authorities, incite violence and use subliminal messages,” according to Bloomberg.
Inexplicably, however, the bill would also seek to impose time restrictions on adult content available on the internet. Specifically, adult fare would be allowed only after midnight, bringing it in line with TV and radio, according to Reuters. There is no explanation how such a requirement would be applied, because on its face such a time restriction on internet content would be impossible. Apparently, the Venezuelan government believes that the internet is no different than radio and television.”
I don’t like any news article that starts with “yet another country is planning to censor the internet”. Stories like that don’t bode well.
—
From Bound Not Gagged:
Community Forum for Adult Film/Web Porn Performers
“St. James Infirmary is hosting a community forum for Adult Film/Web Porn Performers of all genders/orientations to discuss the recent closure of Adult Industry Medical (AIM), re-regulation of CA Occupational Health and Safety laws relating to the Adult Film Industry and next steps to promoting a rights-based approach for Porn Performers. All performers are welcome to join us.
(snip)
We’re concerned that performers are being under- and mis-represented in these discussions and that it is critical for a diverse range of workers to come together to establish a unified voice to advocate for a rights-based approach to regulation.”
The workers that will be regulated should definitely have a say in the regulations. More information at the link above.
Posted by Vixen as News, Sex Workers at 11:13 PM CST
From What Really Happened:
Feast in Time of Plague: Wall Street Art of Sucking Money
“I am re-linking this video to make a point. The Wall Street CEOs are not acting like bankers, They are acting (and spending) like drug lords!”
The title links to the actual YouTube video. I couldn’t find the WRH permalink. If this video doesn’t make you’re blood boil watch it again until it does.
—
From Natural News:
U.S. war veterans being killed with high-dose psychiatric drugs
“Questions are being raised over whether a widely prescribed anti-psychotic drug may be contributing to the deaths of traumatized U.S. war veterans.
Among those who recently died while taking AstraZeneca’s blockbuster drug Seroquel are Marine corporals Andrew White and Chad Oligschlaeger. Both were being given multiple drugs, including Seroquel, for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both died in their sleep.”
I know a couple of vets that believe the VA tried to kill them. More attention should be paid to how the military treats veterans after they return home from war. Often it’s not a pretty tale.
—
From Prison Planet:
Taiwanese Animators Take On TSA Patdowns
“Taiwanese animators have taken on the recent uproar over the TSA’s patdown policy in a new comedy short mocking the TSA and Michael Chertoff, among others.
The video, equipped with subtitles, shows just how ridiculous the conversation is getting over American air travel.”
This is from last month but it’s still funny.
—
From Huster Magazine:
Coincidences or Conspiracies?
“Beltway muckraker Wayne Madsen charts the dubious demises of the dynasty’s enemies.
What are the odds that an appreciable number of people who had opposed the Bush administrations or knew too much about the Bush family’s shady past all suffered mysterious deaths, most of them ruled suicides? Of course, lists of suspicious deaths have been produced before as a way to tie past Presidents to the untimely demises of their enemies. Right-wingers compiled a rather questionable list in order to tarnish President Bill Clinton. However, given the sordid past of George H.W. “Poppy” Bush, the number of baffling deaths of people who threatened to expose corruption by him and his sons (including George W.) is remarkable and may be more than coincidental.
Some individuals made front-page headlines when they died (notably Senator Paul Wellstone, ex-CIA Director William Colby and Enron’s Cliff Baxter), while others remain largely unknown to the general public.”
It’s always good to review these kinds of lists. There’s a lot of suspicious activity in the link above. Though I disagree about the Clinton list-some of the deaths on that list seemed plausible to me. A trail of bodies doesn’t follow party lines.
Posted by Vixen as News at 9:37 PM CST
