Shit that Pissed me Off – 4/22
An Open Letter from a Conservative Jerkwad to Strong Female Characters
This was posted back in March but I only found it this week. I’m sorry – I was slacking.
Basically, this is a crazy religious screed about why Rey is a terrible character because women are weaker than men (the Bible says so) and any time a woman kicks some ass (especially superior male ass), it’s lazy storytelling. It happens all the time. Except for nearly every fucking movie ever made.
Hey everyone! A man is here to save the day! How original!
He doesn’t just have a problem with Rey, mind you. He’s also got problems with Furiosa, Ripley, and pretty much every other female character who wasn’t in need of rescuing by a man.
When he is talking about the obvious physical differences between most men and most women, you could almost give him a pass. Then he says this:
It’s not just a matter of small bodies versus big bodies. Women are the weaker sex because they’re more timid and emotionally vulnerable and tender-hearted than men. God made them that way.
Oh, I get it. You suddenly got a degree in psychology by reading the Bible. Women are more timid? How can they be when they have to put up with bullshit like this every day?
I’m sick of the “God created women to be this way don’t blame me it’s in the Bible/Koran/whatever the fuck religious book I happen to read” argument. Talk about lazy storytelling.
Shit that Pissed me Off – 3/25
Microsoft Hired a Bunch of Models in Skimpy Schoolgirl Outfits for an Industry Party
Before I go on my traditional mini rant, let me begin by saying the head of Xbox games, who sponsored the party, and the head of Microsoft both came out saying, in effect, “holy shit was that a horrible decision and we feel like complete assholes and while we can’t actually say we are going to fire whoever put this party together, we are totally going to fire whoever put this party together.”
So I don’t want to pile too much abuse on a company that seems to recognize how stupid it was to host a women in gaming panel on the same day they hired some sexy Catholic schoolgirls to encourage gamer nerds to dance.
I will, however, heap abuse on whoever actually decided to hire the sexy Catholic schoolgirls.
Because what in the hell were they thinking? In a time when their industry is under heavy fire for not really giving a shit about women gamers, they decided it’d be a good time to blatantly not give a shit about women gamers.
I did a Google search for “woman gamer” and found this image. The internet is a strange and wonderful place.
They could have hired ripped dudes to dress up as Italian plumbers for a little gender balance and it still would have been a dumb PR move but probably wouldn’t have resulted in quite the uproar they are currently experiencing.
I realize the return on investment may have seemed lower given gaming is still very much a male dominated industry but when you are throwing thousands of dollars at a dance party for gamers, you may have already been making poor investment choices.
Maybe if it had been a Dance Dance Revolution party for gamers…
PS: After reading this article, I do think it’s important to address the dancers. They were doing a job for which they were hired. There is nothing wrong with that.
Shit that Pissed me off – 3/18
Reporter Arrested at Trump Rally For…Doing his Job
This is the kind of thing that happens when your front-runner is a racist asshole*. Thing start to get out of hand.
Am I happy that counter protests turned violent at a Trump rally this week? No. I don’t know if anyone knows who threw the first punch but the point is that nonviolent protest should, ideally, remain nonviolent.
As soon as things get violent, it doesn’t matter who started it. People get hurt.
Note also some of the things that Trump supporters have shouted at this Reporter, who is Indian. Things like “Go Back to Iraq!”
It is possible that the statement was misinterpreted and he was being courted by a travel agent.
Trump is the kind of polarizing figure who tells people it is OK to judge people because their skin is the wrong color. He tells people it is OK to punch someone because they don’t like what Trump has to say.
And look – I know the Republican party is freaking out over the possibility of Trump being their flag bearer but they need to realize that they created this monster. The rhetoric of their party that includes people talking about “legitimate rape” and “religious freedom” is a rhetoric of intolerance that completely undermines any rhetoric about smaller government.
This guy is dangerous. And so are his followers.
Shit That Pissed me Off – 3/4
Cheryl Tiegs Thinks a Plus Sized Model is “Unhealthy”
I don’t know what is more bothersome, the fact Tiegs chose to say this at all or the fact she supported her claim by saying she heard it from Dr. Oz. You know – the same Dr. Oz who regularly supports miracle cures and herbal remedies that don’t work.
He seems like the definitive source to use when discussing a healthy weight. Or health in general.
Speaking as a diabetic, I am well aware that excess weight can be unhealthy. I understand that while fat shaming is a thing and needs to be avoided, there is also a need to talk about the fact that weighing too much can be unhealthy.
Not that I would suggest for a even moment that her weight comes anywhere close to qualifying as “too much.”
But the amount of weight Tiegs carries around (not very much) can also be unhealthy.
When a public figure starts talking about who weighs too much, it makes a difference. Especially to young women who are being told all sorts of things about what their body should look like.
Now I personally don’t have a problem with my doctor telling me I could stand to lose a few pounds because he knows my medical history and makes recommendations meant to improve my overall health. If Cheryl Tiegs showed up and started to talk to me about how much weight I needed to lose, I’d be less inclined to give a shit.
So please, Cheryl, shut up about what other women should weigh. Leave that kind of unsolicited medical advice to Dr. Oz.
The Problem with Daisy
I finally watched The Hateful Eight this week and as much as I love Westerns and as much as I love Quentin Tarantino, I have a problem with the movie. As I began to consider things, it became clear I have a problem with the last three Tarantino films and they are all basically the same problem.
This problem involves spoilers. So read with caution.
Shit that Pissed me Off – 1/29
School Principal Forces a Girl onto her Knees Because of School Dress Policy
It feels like just last week I was writing about young women being subjected to draconian dress policies. Oh wait – it was just last week. It’s like this sort of thing happens to young women all the time!
Gosh, I wonder what that does to their body image and self-esteem?
Who cares, right? What’s important is that those young ladies remember that modesty is their best option in life. It’s for their own good. Young boys can’t be trusted. If your skirt doesn’t touch the ground when you are kneeling, it is too short!
Yeah, curvy Barbie! You’d better GO HOME AND CHANGE!
I really do understand the need for certain dress codes in schools. At issue here, though, is not the idea of a dress code but rather the idea that young women are shamed for showing off (what is deemed to be) too much of their bodies while young men do not face the same stigma.
In this case, the principal defended the action by pointing out boys had been sent home for wearing ripped jeans.
Did he make them kneel so he could measure the size of the holes?
Shit that Pissed me off – 1/22
Insider Reports Indicate Disney Marketers Didn’t Think Rey Would be Very Popular
Even though Rey was the lead in The Force Awakens, inside reports suggest that the prevailing opinion was that kids (specifically boys) wouldn’t be interested. Also, apparently girls don’t play with action figures or some stupid shit like that.
They decided that what they really needed was a whole lot of Kylo Ren stuff.
Now don’t get me wrong – Kylo Ren is a great character. I love his conflicted nature and his violent mood swings. He is one of the most dangerous villains I think the Star Wars universe has ever created.
Yes, including Darth Vader.
But the heart of the film is Rey. If you don’t have confidence that kids are going to identify with her and want toys that represent her, why the fuck are you making merchandise for the film?
Come with me! I hear there’s a sale on Kylo Ren merchandise!
I mean, if your expectation of the hero is that low, your expectation of the rest of the film has to be lower, doesn’t it?
What’s embarrassing is this conversation has been going on for years. The public has been saying “we want toys featuring the women in these movies” and every time a new film comes out, the response seems to be “well, we didn’t know!”
When in realty, they just didn’t care.
Shit that Pissed me Off – 1/8
With Christmas and January 1st falling on Fridays, I’ve been a bit backlogged on this column. That means this week might feature more anger than usual. If you are a regular reader, I’m sorry for the time off.
A Couple of Prosperity Preachers Spend Some Time Justifying Their Private Jets
The sheer amount of privilege these guys exhibit when they talk about how difficult it is for them to fly coach is remarkable. What is frightening, though, is some of the points they make are completely fair. I hate that.
Imagine you are a super popular preacher who has to travel all over the country. Imagine you are flying somewhere new almost every day. If you had to fly commercial air the whole time, it would be a lot less convenient.
What if god loses your luggage?
I mean, you’d get all the first class upgrades and I’m pretty sure whoever is bringing you in to speak would be paying for your ticket but it would still be less convenient. If you schedule yourself that tightly, it would likely be very difficult to get everywhere you needed to go with commercial airlines. You might have to cut back on your appearances or something. Which would be a damn shame.
Thing is, they are getting luxury jets paid for by convincing poor people to give them money. Lots and lots of money. And they have conversations with god on their planes (not kidding – watch the video) in which god apparently tells them that they should want a better plane.
Which means it is time to fleece the poor people again!
Shit that Pissed me Off – 11/13
A Bunch A Few Christians are Pissed about a Coffee Cup
Starbucks has unveiled their holiday coffee cup design and it is boring. It is literally a red cup. Their marketing team has covered up the fact they apparently chose not to hire a graphic designer this year by saying the plain red cup allows people to assign their own holiday story to the cup.
Which, I have to tell you, is one of the dumbest marketing ideas ever. A coffee cup is not a tabula rasa and I sincerely doubt the next Pulitzer prize will have anything to do with the color red or coffee.
A few Christians (a very few) have decided, however, that this cup represents the first salvo in this year’s War on Christmas (TM)!
How dare Starbucks fail to emblazon their cups with snowflakes or snowmen as in years past? Snow, of course, being one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas the world over.
Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas!
One only has to do a little digging to discover that Starbucks still sells gift cards that say Merry Christmas and they still sell Christmas Blend coffee and they still sell fucking advent calendars!
If Starbucks is engaged in the War on Christmas (TM), they are clearly not fully committed to the fight.
This whole story, by the way, is amazing. You have Bristol Palin saying it is a conspiracy by the left to make the Christian right look dumb.
You have the guy who started the thing looking like an idiot when he defends his bullshit opinion.
And, of course, you have Starbucks. They have made so much money off of this “controversy,” they must be hoping it goes on for a least another couple of months.
Shit that Pissed Me Off – 11/6
What the Fuck is Wrong with you, Houston?
Houston voters repealing an LGBT rights ordinance was only one of several shit results from Tuesday’s election.
What’s that? You didn’t know there was an election on Tuesday?
That’s because it was an off year and even though city councils and school boards have a lot more impact on our day to day life, most of us can’t be bothered to get off of our asses and take the ten minutes required to go to our polling place and cast a vote. Call it twenty minutes if you actually want to do some research before you get there.
I don’t know anything about the candidates! If only there was something that could allow me to locate that information quickly and efficiently!
In Houston, they had passed an ordinance protecting the rights of the LGBT community and a bunch of paranoid, prude, fuckwits turned the debate into a question about whether or not you wanted your daughter to be in the same bathroom with a trans woman.
By putting it on the ballot in an off year, they ensured they could get a whole bunch of other paranoid, prude, fuckwits to the polls to make sure trans women used the men’s room because that’s where they belong! Also trans men have to keep using the ladies room but something tells me nobody is nearly as concerned about that.
Here’s a lesson to every apathetic voter everywhere – the people who show up can get things done. And in Houston, the people who showed up told the trans community to go fuck itself while a whole bunch of other people stayed home and figured they weren’t trans so who gives a shit.
In Afghanistan, They Stoned a Woman to Death for Adultery
They dug a hole in the ground and men threw rocks at her head until she died.
Because she had been forced into a loveless marriage and tried to escape with another man. No word on what happened to the man. I’m betting he’s still alive because fuck women.
For every guy who complains about feminism, there is a story like this one that points out women worldwide have to deal with shit guys simply don’t. Not only that, but if a woman breaks the rules society places upon them, a bunch of guys literally get to throw rocks at her head.
This isn’t a metaphor.
A bunch of men decided she deserved to die for being in love with a man she hadn’t been forced to marry and then another bunch of men willingly killed her.
So, dear men trying to convince me that your life is tough too and why doesn’t anyone respect you for all your sacrifices, you need to shut the fuck up.
Here’s a Meme that Pissed me Off!
I love this one because it is filled with half truths and also makes a whole bunch of bullshit assumptions. Shall we begin?
All right Mrs. Smug self righteous defender of the underpaid military, let’s start with the obvious.
Even if the military is underpaid, and while they get health care, lodging, food, and other benefits a McDonald’s hourly employee does not, I still agree that they are not paid well, that doesn’t mean a McDonald’s employee is not also underpaid.
Wages aren’t a continuum where you decide how important a job is to you personally (because it’s all about you) and then decide how much that person should be paid relative to the amount someone else with a different job should be paid.
And seriously person who probably doesn’t flip burgers for a living, the value you place on flipping burgers really shows how much of an elitist jackass you are. I’m willing to bet you don’t want to flip burgers. I know I don’t want that job. It sucks. So before you decry people for being unskilled labor, you need to think about the fact that you wouldn’t flip burgers for any amount of money. They could pay you $100,000 a year and you still wouldn’t want to stand over a hot griddle for 40 hours a week listening to entitled fucks (like you) telling you that you are overpaid and I said NO ketchup (or catsup) you illiterate idiot! OF COURSE I want fries with that!
You know the other thing about the military? When most people enter the military, they are also unskilled labor! The military spends a lot of time and money training them to be skilled labor.
So how about we all stop judging people for wanting to be paid more. Because everyone wants to be paid more. I’ll bet judgy mcjudgerton Facebook lady also wants to be paid more for what she does. And she’d probably think some lawyer was a jackass if he posted some bullshit Facebook update about how she doesn’t deserve a raise.
In all honesty though, I’m not really annoyed at elitist Facebook lady. I’m annoyed at all the people who shared her post because they don’t get it either.
A Small Town in Missouri is Totally Punishing a Young Woman Because she was Raped by a Guy they Like
Everyone says Darren Paden is a great guy.
He’s a great guy who raped a girl at least 200 times starting when she was five years old. Sounds like a pillar of the community.
So while folks in Dearborn, MO are totally bummed that this guy is about to go to jail forever (after a guilty plea), they are pretty annoyed at the girl who accused him. She recently was turned down for an apartment because she was repeatedly raped by this great guy.
We can’t have rape victims here! You’d just attract sexual predators!
They say his confession was coerced. The poor guy was forced to admit to serial rape by this horrible seventeen year old girl who will never lead a truly normal life. Clearly she had it out for him.
Look, I knew a guy who did this sort of thing once. Everyone said he was a great guy.
He wasn’t. He raped a kid. And he went to jail. Just like this asshole.
Did You Hear the One about the Rock Star Who Can’t Record an Album
I’m not a big fan of Ke$ha. I’m not into her music. But you know what? She ought to be able to record an album if she wants. And apparently, she would really like to record an album.
Why can’t she?
Because her contract states that she can’t record an album without Dr. Luke (holy fuck music people and their “cool” names) and he apparently has been sexually harassing her for years. So she’d really rather record her album with – you know – someone who isn’t a toad.
What???? I said “toad,” not “frog!”
It seems fair but a contract is a contract and that means endless litigation just so she doesn’t have to be around a sleaze. Which also means she hasn’t put out a new album in three years in an industry where you need to keep producing work or face irrelevancy and endless casino concerts.
Now I don’t know anything about her contract or about whether or not she was actually sexually harassed (she almost certainly was) but seriously, it sucks that her career is stuck in the courts. Someone should get this shit settled because artists should be allowed to make art.
Grail Diary 