friday random ten

fire up your IPOD, MP3 or other digital music player, set it to random or shuffle and list the first ten songs.

"Cultural Elite Sign-Up Sheet" - New Bomb Turks
"Glad to See You Go" - Ramones
"Love Gone Wrong" - Glass Eye
"Gotta Keep Moving" - Sue Foley
"Anarchy in the U.K." - Sex Pistols
"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)" - Ramones
"Lookin' After No. 1" - Boomtown Rats
"FunFunFun" - This Microwave World
"the Saxaphone Song" - Kate Bush
"Slide Machine" - 13th Floor Elevators

friday elfgirl blogging

elfgirl 

Yea for the Nays

On the Confirmation of Alberto R. Gonzales to be Attorney General:

Do I support torture?
Akaka (D-HI), Nay
Bayh (D-IN), Nay
Biden (D-DE), Nay
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Nay
Carper (D-DE), Nay
Clinton (D-NY), Nay
Corzine (D-NJ), Nay
Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Durbin (D-IL), Nay
Feingold (D-WI), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Jeffords (I-VT), Nay
Johnson (D-SD), Nay
Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Kohl (D-WI), Nay
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lincoln (D-AR), Nay
Mikulski (D-MD), Nay
Murray (D-WA), Nay
Obama (D-IL), Nay
Reed (D-RI), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Nay
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Wyden (D-OR), Nay

Fuck Yea! I support torture!
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Allard (R-CO), Yea
Allen (R-VA), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Not Voting
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burns (R-MT), Not Voting
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Chafee (R-RI), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Not Voting
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
DeWine (R-OH), Yea
Dole (R-NC), Yea
Domenici (R-NM), Yea
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Frist (R-TN), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Not Voting
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea (thanks to the rude pundit)
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Santorum (R-PA), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Sununu (R-NH), Yea
Talent (R-MO), Yea
Thomas (R-WY), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Warner (R-VA), Yea

Ethics. Schmethics.

House Republican leaders tightened their control over the ethics committee yesterday by ousting its independent-minded chairman, appointing a replacement who is close to them and adding two new members who donated to the legal defense fund of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

Republican officials have spent months taking steps to ensure DeLay's political survival in case he is indicted by a Texas grand jury investigating political fundraising, and House leadership aides said they needed to have the ethics committee controlled by lawmakers they can trust.

Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.), who clashed with DeLay so often that they barely spoke and was considered wayward by other leaders, was replaced yesterday with Rep. Richard Hastings (R-Wash.). Hastings has carried out other sensitive leadership assignments and is known as a favorite of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who made the decision.

Hefley said in an interview yesterday that he believes he was removed because he was too independent. He said there is "a bad perception out there that there was a purge in the committee and that people were put in that would protect our side of the aisle better than I did."

"Nobody should be there to protect anybody," he said. "They should be there to protect the integrity of the institution."

The replacement of Hefley is the latest in a series of actions by GOP leaders to crack down on a rebellious ethics committee that posed a threat to DeLay and other Republicans.

Free Beer Opportunities

My friend Sherry will soon be publishing the 9th annual edition of Free Beer Opportunities. Here is a preview of some of the happenings at this years SXSW:

Thursday, March 17th
Sound on Sound Record Store

Starting at 7:00pm
Tuxedo Killers (hopefully)
Video Screams
Those Peabodys
The Gris-Gris


Friday, March 18th
Beerland FREE Day Shows (no wristband required)

Golden Boys (hopefully)
Nervous Exits (hopefully)
Kodiaks
Shop Fronts (NYC)
Detonations (NOLA)
Winks

Friday, March 18th
Beerland SXSW ‘Official’ Showcase:

Starting at 8:00pm
Clorox Girls
Functional Blackouts
Black Lips
Tyrades
Little Killers
Mistreaters
MOTO
and (get this shit) GUITAR WOLF!

Saturday, March 19th
Beerland FREE Day Shows (no wristband required)

CHICAGO WILL KILL YOU!

Night Terrors
Krunchies
Headache City
Functional Blackouts
Vee Dee
MOTO

Saturday, March 19th
Sound on Sound Record Store – FREE Show!

Starting at 7:00pm
Ape Shits
Clorox Girls
Observers
Tyrades


Sunday, March 20th
Beerland FREE Day Shows (no wristband required):

Starting at 2:00pm
Tokyo Nights (Penny, Tom & Kan’s new band!) (hopefully)
Pat Todd (Lazy Cowgirls) & the RankOutsiders
Miss Alex White (I HOPE!)
Observers (I think they leave to finish their tour, so maybe not)

tags: sxsw, austin, punk rock

Mad Rollin' Dolls first bout photos

The Mad Rollin' Dolls have some pics of their sold out first bout up on their site.

The Reservoir Dolls edged out the Quad Squad and the Unholy Rollers skated past the Psycho Kitties.

Photos of the bout here.

"Hurt In A Skirt".

support your local rollergirl

tags: roller derby, rollergirls, madison

Rollerball 2004 Awards

The Austin based banked track Lonestar Rollergirls announce the winners of their Rollerball 2004 Awards:

2004 League MVP: Gun Smoka
Best Blocker: Varuca Assault
Best Pivot: Cherry Chainsaw
Best Jammer: Smarty Pants
Big Guns (Biceps): General Lee Feisty
Crowd Favorite: Sister Mary Jane
Most Dedicated: Chola
J-Lo Award: Hades Lady
Best Rookie: Sparky
Purple Heart: Mz. Behavin'
Best Bruise: Scarlett O'Terror
Most Feared: Cherry Chainsaw
Most Team Spirit: Chola
Drama Queen: Gold Digger
Velveeta Queen: Smarty Pants
Best Tattoo: Witch Baby
Best Sponsor: Headhunter's
Best Production Person: Ayman
Best Man o' the Derby: Ayman
Best Band: Honky
Most Improved: Peachy Mean
Bloody Mary Award: Eva Knievel
Team Manager Award: Detroit Dolly
Best Take Out/Fight: Cherry/Gun Smoka
Unsung Hero Award: Venis Envy and Honey Homicide
Rollerball Queen and king: Horrorshow and Nathan

The first Lonestar Rollergirl bout of the season is Sunday, February 13th.

The All Scar Army will skate against last years Calvello Cup winners the Holy Rollers.

Sunday, Feb. 13. Doors at 6 pm. Tickets are $10.

The Thunderdome (618 Tillery, Austin, Tx)

support your local rollergirl

tags: roller derby, rollergirls, austin, lonestar

Spacecity Rollergirls seek webmaster

The Spacecity Rollergirls are on the hunt for a talented webmaster/ designer to volunteer to launch their website.

If you possess outlandish creative qualities and would like to be a part of Houston's first all girl roller derby league experience- please send work history with samples to
wndywoo AT yahoo DOT com

support your local rollergirl

tags: roller derby, rollergirls, spacecity

Rocky Mountain Rollergirls set date for first bout

The Rocky Mountain Rollergirls have just launched their web site.

They plan to skate their first bout on Saturday, April 30th.

Please check out the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls web site for team rosters and schedule updates.

support your local rollergirl

tags:roller derby, rollergirls, rocky mountain

SOTU Drinking Game

Enter Dana Hork's 2005 State of the Union Predictions Quiz/Drinking Game and win some nifty prizes.

Preznit Bush’s "speech" is on Wednesday, February 2nd @ 9pm EST
Contest submission deadline — Wednesday, February 2nd @ 8pm EST
Self Medication deadline - Wednesday, February 2nd@ 7pm EST

(via pissed off patricia at BlondeSense)

Guantanamo Tribunals Unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that the Guantanamo military tribunals for terrorism suspects are unconstitutional.

In a setback for the Bush administration, U.S. District Judge Joyce Hens Green also ruled the prisoners at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba have constitutional protections under the law.

"The court concludes that the petitioners have stated valid claims under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and that the procedures implemented by the government to confirm that the petitioners are 'enemy combatants' subject to indefinite detention violate the petitioners' rights to due process of law," Green wrote.

More than 540 suspects are being held at Guantanamo after being detained during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and in other operations in the U.S. "war against terrorism." They are al Qaeda suspects and accused Taliban fighters.

Bush administration attorneys argued the prisoners have no constitutional rights and their lawsuits, challenging the conditions of their confinement and seeking their release, must be dismissed.

The tribunals, formally called a military commission, at the base were authorized by President Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but have been criticized by human rights groups as being fundamentally unfair to defendants.

Study: Abstinence-only message ineffective

DALLAS — Abstinence-only programs like those promoted by the Bush administration don't seem to be working on teenagers in the president's home state, according to a state-sponsored study by Texas A&M University researchers.

The ongoing study, the first evaluation of the abstinence programs across the state, found that students in almost all high school grades were more sexually active after undergoing abstinence education.

Researchers don't believe the programs encouraged teenagers to have sex, only that the abstinence messages did not interfere with customary trends among adolescents.

"We didn't find what many would like for us to find," said A&M researcher Buzz Pruitt, who met with state health authorities last week to discuss the data.

[snip]

The federal government will spend $131 million this year on various abstinence-only education programs — $30 million more than was spent in 2004. But many public health experts are concerned that no one really knows what the government is buying.

"We're using a bunch of programs, and we don't know what their effectiveness is," said Mike Young of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Young and his colleagues have developed a curriculum called Sex Can Wait, which is one of the few abstinence programs that has documented at least a short-term influence on teenage behavior.

Among the findings in the Texas study: About 23 percent of the ninth-grade girls in the study already had sexual intercourse before they received any abstinence education, a figure below the national average.

After taking an abstinence course, the number among those same girls rose to 28 percent, a level closer to that of their peers across the state.

Buried in the Austin American-Statesman (subcription required)

"Kitties aren't too hard to catch and they make a tasty snack."

The Mad Rollin' Dolls will skate their first bout of the season tonight. The Wisconsin State Journal has a preview:

The Unholy Rollers have a vampire theme and the most girlie-girl outfits: crushed red velvet minis, with black lipstick and fishnets to highlight their undead appearance. An Unholy Roller named Juicy Momma smacked her lips in anticipation of tonight's bout with the kitties, saying, "Kitties aren't too hard to catch and they make a tasty snack."

Their opponents, the Psycho Kitties, favor gray and bubble- gum pink outfits. In keeping with their theme of being escaped mental patients, the Kitties mascots are Dr. Rock and his assistant, Nurse Velveteen.

"I will be medicating the Kitties," Dr. Rock promised. "When they get out of line, a little Thorazine usually brings them around."

The biggest grudge battle seems to be between Pam Demonium, of the Reservoir Dolls, and Predator, the dreadlocked captain of the Quad Squad.

"We're really good friends away from the rink," said Pam Demonium, "but when I see her out there it makes my blood boil. Sometimes they have to pull us apart!"

Look for some nasty skating between the Dolls, who dress in black ties and white shirts, in homage to the jewel thieves of the 1992 Quentin Tarantino film, "Reservoir Dogs," and the Quad Squad, which has flashy silver and green costumes that make them look like super heroes gone bad.

Sunday, January 30th at Fast Forward Skate Center in Madison, WI. Doors open at 6:30, bout starts at 7:00. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Please check out the Mad Rollin' Dolls web site for more info.

support your local rollergirl

tags: roller derby, rollergirls, madison