August 28, 2008
Live, From Golden, Colo., It's Al-Jazeera

The locals get their feathers in a ruffle when Al-Jazeera, the Arabic news outlet that has become synonymous with the voice of terrorism and radical Islam to many Americans (for whatever innocuous reason — the fact that they broadcast in Arabic would be incriminating enough for many, I’m sure). They protest the fact that a local bar owner allowed the news crew in to film how the average American would view and respond to the coverage of the Democratic National Convention. I wonder if they realized they would end up covering how the average American views and responds to them. Hint: it involves printint t-shirts with such clever quips as, “Islam sucks.”

Buffalo Rose owner Murray Martinez, a biker himself with long hair and a chin beard, folded his arms across his chest. “They think I’m bringing in terrorists to launch a jihad in the little town of Golden,” he scoffed.

What many don’t realize is that because Al-Jazeera is broadcast by satellite, it has allowed many in the Middle East to experience news that isn’t censored by strict Islamic governments and is known for airing controversial news and opinions about Middle Eastern governments that usually try to keep criticism firmly silenced. Much of the controversy surrounding American opinion of Al-Jazeera has to do with false reporting by American media outlets (Fox News in particular) and a belief that simply by airing videos made by terrorists, Al-Jazeera must be supporting terrorism rather than just reporting what they’re saying.

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In which I don't know how to function without my boyfriend.

Trying to get ready in the morning without Kellen here is like being six and trying to get ready for school without your mom there to lord over you, telling you to eat your pop tart, turn off the TV and go brush your teeth! You’re going to miss the bus!

I need to leave in 20 minutes, and I haven’t brushed my teeth or taken a shower. Blah. Kellen is out of town, and my schedule is all out of sorts. I don’t know what I’m going to do when he goes back to school. Probably be late a lot and show up to work with cheerios still dribbling down my chin.

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verbadjectivenoun: smaran: Indian pigments Wikipedia: Picture of the dayPigments for sale at a market stall in Goa, India. Many pigments used in manufacturing and the visual arts are dry colourants, ground into a fine powder. This powder is then added to a vehicle or matrix, a relatively neutral or colorless material that acts as a binder, before it is applied. Unlike a dye, a pigment generally is insoluble.

verbadjectivenoun:

smaran:

Indian pigments

Wikipedia: Picture of the day
Pigments for sale at a market stall in Goa, India. Many pigments used in manufacturing and the visual arts are dry colourants, ground into a fine powder. This powder is then added to a vehicle or matrix, a relatively neutral or colorless material that acts as a binder, before it is applied. Unlike a dye, a pigment generally is insoluble.
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sarahchristine: fusioned: My daily Abercrombie e-mail update had this shirt in it and I kinda want it. Wait another 2 minutes before judging me. Thanks. I want one too! It goes against my NO-ABERCROMBIE-EVER rule though. I used to work there … evil, evil company. I’m sort of scared. Did Abercrombie really just come out with a shirt that more or less states word for word my political philosophy? I don’t know whether I should be impressed by Abercrombie or re-evaluating my political positions.

sarahchristine:

fusioned:

My daily Abercrombie e-mail update had this shirt in it and I kinda want it. Wait another 2 minutes before judging me. Thanks.

I want one too! It goes against my NO-ABERCROMBIE-EVER rule though. I used to work there … evil, evil company.

I’m sort of scared. Did Abercrombie really just come out with a shirt that more or less states word for word my political philosophy? I don’t know whether I should be impressed by Abercrombie or re-evaluating my political positions.

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julyshewillfly:Witnesses to Dr. King’s Dream See a New Hope - NYTimes.com
julyshewillfly:Witnesses to Dr. King’s Dream See a New Hope - NYTimes.com
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Want to know how to catch a man of quality?

Dante Moore has the answers for you. He says if you want a man of quality, you should cook, be skinny, dress nicely (even while cleaning), and be prepared to please your man however he likes. Of course, don’t expect him to repay your servitude with romance, acts of kindness, gifts, fidelity or respect. He is a man of quality. If you don’t give him what he wants, “ten broads around the corner will.”

Personally, I think someone needs to re-educate Mr. Moore on how to pick up a woman of quality. No wonder he’s never been in love. He’s been looking for a prostitute/maid/mommy, not a partner.

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“ You reach a point,” she wrote me once, “where you cannot cry anymore, and you look around you at people your own age, and they’re not crying either. Something has been taken. And they are emptier. And they are grateful.
Lorrie Moore, “What is Seized” from Self-Help: Stories (via lookuplookup)
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7 Little Habits That Can Change Your Life, and How to Form Them
somethingchanged:(via azspot)
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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Bebe - Siempre me quedará

I found this song by accident while on a spring break road trip during college. It was the only station that would come in where we were, somewhere on the highway that winds its way from Ft. Davis to Balmorhea, Texas. For about a year, I didn’t know either the name of the song (the reception was too bad to distinguish much more than the melody — no words) or who sang it. Then by happy accident, I found it again through a friend, who loved the artist, a year later. I love it, and every time I hear it, I think of that road trip, that friend, and how the best music often (almost always, really) comes to you only by luck.

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“ The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists. Its president denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave, it is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat.

Barack Obama, Context Included: Obama on Iran | Newsweek Politics: Conventions | Newsweek.com

If someone wants to tell you what Barack Obama believes about Iran, share this quote with them. Ask them if they prefer to believe Barack Obama’s actual words, or the McCain team’s careful editing.

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