I’m still bummed that the New York State Senate voted on Wednesday not to permit gay marriage in the state (although New York still recognizes as spouses gay couples who marry in one of the states where it is legal), but it’s still worth watching state senator Diane Savino’s floor speech. I really don’t understand how anybody could listen to that and still be against gay marriage.
How does he strike the right note to make these PSAs work both as straightforward “don’t be stupid” advice to teens, and subtle self-mockery? I don’t understand!! Anyway, the PSAs are amazing. The next time I’m tempted to text a photo of my junk to somebody, I will remember this and think again.
I love the way French people think. What other nation could give us posthumous weddings? I wonder: does she immediately get to call herself a widow, or is there some sort of waiting period?
Okay, so the less said about the results of last night’s NJ gubernatorial (I do love that word, though) election, the better. But in a followup to something I mentioned last month, Keith Bardwell, that loser justice of the peace who refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple, has resigned his post. The couple that he refused to give the license to, Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay, are still going forward with a federal lawsuit that they brought against Bardwell.
It seems like so much of what I read in the news is negative or at least not terribly encouraging, so I really enjoyed reading this article on Michelle Bachelet, the president of Chile. I know almost nothing about Chile, but Bachelet’s approval rating is over 70%, up from a low of 35% in 2006. She saved money wisely and was able to not only shield her country during the economic downturn, but also to place Chile in a position where its sovereign funds gained money during the global crisis. She didn’t get the job by being the widow of a dead politician; moreover, she’s agnostic and a single mother in a heavily Catholic country. I love it when the underdog succeeds.
There are no words for how awesome last night’s Brandi Carlile concert was. I had the time of my life! Brandi Carlile is such an energetic, dynamic, amazing performer. She is sex on a stage, people. She performed at Atlanta’s Tabernacle, a former church that makes for an awesome venue. Her opening act was Amy Ray, of Indigo Girls fame. If Ms. Ray’s music is anything to go by, she is not a happy camper.
Brandi Carlile with her opening act and friend, Amy Ray
Brandi Carlile got the concert started by performing an acoustic version of “Oh Dear.” She had been at the Tabernacle before as an opening act, and said that she’d always wanted to try something. Although 2500 women immediately prepared to take off their tops, what Carlile wanted was to perform a song completely acoustically. Awesomeness ensued.
What awesomeness looks like when it's ensuing.
If I’d had any idea how great it was going to be (which I should have, as that was definitely her third or fourth song of the show, and I’d already realized how gifted of a performer she is), I would have recorded the whole thing. As it was, I got the second half of the song with my phone, which I promise not to curse again ever, or until it once again stops ringing, giving me text messages, or showing my emails (whichever happens first). The sad thing that the sound on this is 1000000 better than the sound on the HD videos that my little camera takes.
As a followup to my previous post about the possible closing of the Free Library of Philadelphia, I am pleased to pass along that the library will remain open! The Pennsylvania State Senate passed a bill that will allow the library to remain open, and keep 3,000 city employees from being laid off. I love it when people come together to do good like this!
I saw the Beautifiul Small Machines on Tuesday night. They were at Ella Lounge, in the venue’s tiny basement, which was filled with smoke (machine-made, not from cigarettes). We walked in on the tail end of the previous set, which featured a DJ on a MacBook Pro and some guy on a guitar. Pass. One couple was even playing with a light saber-ish thingie that looked cute in the smoke, but kind of made people freak when the beam landed on them. When it landed on me I waved, and the girl scowled. Who knows what that means?
BSM’s set was great. The band seemed to be having a great time, although Bree Sharp got really emotional and said that she thought it would be her last show with the band, which was also going to be getting some new members. What does this mean? She wasn’t clear, and the band’s web sites aren’t elaborating. Bummer!
On Wednesday, I saw Ingrid Michaelson. She was fabulous! I’ve gotten over my confusion from this past summer, and have decided that Jason Mraz is definitely my favorite singer; still, she’s a close second. In my mind, Ingrid Michaelson is actually the female Mraz. She’s a great singer with an amazing voice, she’s funny, she a little hippie-ish, and she talks incessantly between songs. I wasn’t in the mood to be expansive and open-minded and did not end up seeing the opening acts, but she performed for a really long time and I was more than pleased with the quality and amount of music I heard last night.
Also, funnily enough, after I said last week that I wouldn’t recognize former Project Runway contestants if I passed them in the street, who did I pass on the street but Nicholas! Granted, he’s part of the current crop of designers, so I see his mug every week, but it still cracks me up. Look at the power of my mind! Here’s another one: I wouldn’t recognize a million dollars if it landed in my bank account. Okay, universe, it’s your turn again.
I know that The Daily Mail is often called the Daily Fail, and it’s not hard to see why; the writing is sort of awful, and reminiscent of New York’s tabloid papers (The Daily News, The Post, & Newsday). Still, I think that British newspapers are just not afraid to write the most ridiculous things. That’s a gift.
A gift to me.
This particular article, entitled You’re Not Intelligent Enough to Marry, Bride Told, is so awesome that I will present it almost without comment. And all I’m going to do is give you my favorite excerpt from it:
“Mr McDougall claims Miss Robertson’s learning difficulties are not severe. ‘It’s true she is not very academic,’ he said. ‘But she is nowhere near as stupid as social services are making out.”
Love it! Although it does suck royally that this woman, who they seem to trust with a child, isn’t deemed fit to decide to marry. Boo to that.
It’s no secret that I love Tim Gunn. Like, love. He’s the best. And now a whole new group, comic book readers, will get a chance to love Tim Gunn, too. Enter Loaded Gunn, a comic book series where Tim Gunn rescues the world from horrible clothes. Tim Gunn is the best sport ever: “Most superheroes are fighting the same thing — good vs. evil — but who’s taking on crimes against fashion? Me!”
Awesome, Government/Law, Politics, Things I like | Nicole | 
December 5, 2009 2:19 am | 
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