*dies*

OMG, DONE with answering comments for Big Bang. Note to self: Do NOT let yourself get so far behind! Now I just need to go answer all the comments to entries I posted since Big Bang. *dies some more*

I've also now passed the 4000 entries mark. My birthday with to iconis was post #4000. O_O

Who'd'a thunk there'd be a day when I would hit 4000? Not me...

And now I think I'm going to go take a nap. I ended up not going to bed until nearly 5a this morning, and Matthew and Avery woke me up at 9:25 with all the noise they were making. I was NOT a happy camper.

Is it just me who finds this creepy?

In Pursuit of Teen Purity

The pictures are bad enough -- the one at the top of the article has (presumably) two fathers and two daughters, and one "couple" are in what seriously looks like a couple-y pose. *shudder*

The whole thing is creepy, in my opinion, but this passage from the article just creeps me the fuck out (bolding is mine):

When Kylie was 13, her parents took her on a hike in Lake Tahoe, Calif. "We discussed what it means to be a teenager in today's world," she says. They gave her a charm for her bracelet--a lock in the shape of a heart. Her father has the key. "On my wedding day, he'll give it to my husband," she explains. "It's a symbol of my father giving up the covering of my heart, protecting me, since it means my husband is now the protector. He becomes like the shield to my heart, to love me as I'm supposed to be loved."

In theory, I get the idea behind the Purity Balls. But why isn't anyone addressing this with boys, too? Why isn't anyone getting all the kids together and saying "hey, you know what? You don't have to have sex, or (whatever, fill in the blank). Just be kids, have a good time growing up."

Honestly, I think the whole focus on 'purity' is more than a little weird (and not a little Victorian. Or, y'know, medieval.). If people want their daughters to be pure, well. Let's get rid of "french maid" halloween costumes for *children*. Or crop tops. Or shorts, etc., that have words written across the butt, or the other myriad of girls' fashions that seem determined to flaunt and exploit children and teens' sexuality.

And for God's sake, include the boys, too!

I guess it's my night to be offended by the WORLD:

By way of mecurtin:

On July 16, Michael Savage, conservative radio talk show host, claimed that autism is "[a] fraud, a racket. ... I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' "

That's the summary. Click on the link for all the assholish goodness.

mecurtin thinks he should be nomiated for Scum of the World. I think I agree. Either that, or burn him in effigy. I'm not particular, at this point.

The most effective way to demand that this scumsucker be yanked is to call whatever station is broadcasting him in your area. Media Matters has links to help you find your station, though it isn't complete -- AFAICT Savage is still heard on WNTP AM-990 in the Philadelphia area. Be as polite as possible -- it's going to take a lot of deep breathing on my part.

Also, a great article from Louise at Pam's House Blend about her autistic child. In case you think Savage is a lone nutjob, read the part at the end where a relative told them, you [parents] are the only people responsible for that (Jean's autism), the consequences of your actions and denials that have made your daughter the person she is today. I DO NOT wish that upon any parent. Scum spreads.