rantz by lantz

I'm sporty. I'm bloggy. But I'm more than that too.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Funny headline of the day.

Kevin Durant, quite probably the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player, called out on the front page of The Oklahoman sports section with this lovely headline - Mr. Unreliable.

Dear Mr. Durant, I hope you drop (at least) 50 on the Memphis Grizzlies en route to a big Game 6 win tonight, so maybe they can amend tomorrow's headline to x out the "Un" portion of this statement.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

April 19 ... Will always be a very personal day for me to remember what one man did to one building in Oklahoma City in 1995 ... To remember how that one man, and one building affected the entire state - and nation ... To remember lives lost, and lives saved ... To remember OklaHOMEa Today as I enjoyed a day in San Francisco with a friend, she persuaded me to stop in Grace Cathedral to see the art installation soon to be closing. Those ribbons hanging from the rafters each have a wish for the world written on them. As I found myself drawn to a pew to spend time in remembrance I lifted my gaze, my heart, my prayers, my wishes upward ... hoping that something would linger on those ribbons before being sent out into the universe.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Apartment rent prices jumped nearly 10 percent in the Bay Area during the first quarter of 2014 compared to the previous year and have now reached record levels, averaging more than $2,000 a month, the Mercury News$ reports. Rents in Oakland soared 12.3 percent and now average $2,187. The average in San Francisco is $3,057. Overall, the average in Alameda County is 1,814, and in Contra Costa County, it’s $1,544. Economists warn that if rent prices continue to skyrocket, they could choke off the Bay Area’s economic recovery.

East Bay Express

(If anyone has been wondering how I ended up living in a random warehouse farther out from the city ... this is a lot of it.)

[rantzbylantz-blog]

On Juror B37

"What were the lawyers, especially the prosecutors, thinking when they seated her? Why didn’t prosecutors use one of their peremptory challenges to nix her? She’s contrarian, she raised serious ontological doubts about the nature of truth-seeking, and she was only ever truly animated on the subject of rescue birds. Both lawyers were visibly cowed by her." - in Slate's "Why did they let her on the Zimmerman jury?"

Quite obviously, after watching her voire dire on Gawker, I'm not sure the prosecutors were thinking when they let her on the jury ... because ... just wow.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

I am an ally. #MarriageEquality #EqualRights #SF #Castro

[rantzbylantz-blog]

#IStandWithWendy

Do I live in Texas? No. Were my specific rights compromised? No. But the fact that the Texas legislature negated a umpteenth hour filibuster compromises a lot. With the past-midnight vote after a filibuster watched online en masse, not only did the Texas legislature compromise their own rules and regulations, but they compromised my rights as a woman in America.

To be frank, if the very unthinkable (I'm in my late 30s and without a significant other) happened and I became faced with a decision of choice, I don't know what I would do. But the point is, it would be my choice. Texas practically took that away in one fell swoop of the too-late vote. Now we wait and watch - not only to see if the vote itself is upheld, but also to see what state is next to try to emulate Texas' tactics on a woman (or anyone) standing up for human rights.

Thank you, Wendy Davis, a woman who became a single mother at 19. Thank you, Wendy Davis, for making your own choice. Thank you, Wendy Davis, for standing up for human rights - for women's rights.

I saw you, and I stand with you. Wholeheartedly. #IStandWithWendy

[rantzbylantz-blog]

I typed out a whole post - a touchy feely smarmy number about suicide today. Why, you ask? Because one year ago today, I was hurtling my car down the 101 and into the middle of San Francisco to help navigate the crazy, surreal and devastating landscape that suicide leaves behind. 

I deleted said post, because .... well, I don't know why. But in my first post back in the Tumblrsphere in seven months, I just want you all to know - short and sweet - there is help, there is hope. And if you need help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. Don't leave someone else to have to blindly steer through the path of sudden loss.

Call someone, call anyone if you need assistance. You - and your life - are worth it. 

[motherjones]

This — called a “seriously ugly and false anti-Obama ad” by one reporter — is running in newspapers in four battleground states. It’s funded by the “Government Is Not God” PAC. Never heard of them? Allow us to introduce you.

[timekiller-s-deactivated2018032]

Click over to read the article at MoJo.

This is not really related, but still fits here kind of since it involves newspapers and propaganda:

The Oklahoman ran an insert called “Obama: The Man Behind the Image” in its Sunday editions this past weekend that was a tabloid from the Washington Examiner (which, like The Oklahoman, is owned by right-wing activist Phil Anschutz) which, while perhaps not quite as extreme as the above GINGPAC advert, did repeat many of the memes and untruths in the right-wing infosphere related to President Obama. Some readers complained (judging by Disqus comments, which ARE NOT a good barometer, generally speaking) that it was passed off as “news” and not “opinion” or “editorial.” What it was was pure right-wing propaganda designed to denigrate President Obama.

What I can’t figure out is why Anschutz would go ahead and put such an insert in a newspaper in a well-established Red state. It isn’t like Oklahoma is a battleground state, like Ohio or Florida. Also, The Oklahoman is widely circulated throughout the state, and its Sunday editions the most circulated of all, which guaranteed an audience for this little piece of crap: Obama Derangement Syndrome Porn, if you will, to get an already right-wing base riled up even more.

One other thing: The Oklahoman’s editorials have taken on a much nastier tone towards President Obama, and towards liberals and Democrats in general, in the year or so since Anschutz took control of the paper from the Gaylord Family.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Stay classy, election mongers.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Dear Prague ...

I am so disgusted that you would withhold your valedictorian's diploma from her because she said the word "hell" instead of the pre-approved "heck" in her speech.

National linkage | Local linkage 

First, your mascot is a damn Red Devil. Where exactly does he live??

Second, I get that you're in the Bible Belt and all, but you've got to be shitting me. Do you expel people for cursing? Is saying hell outlawed a la dancing in Elmore City, Okla., pre-1980? [Yes. The town that loosely inspired Footloose was also an Okie thing.] How about movies, books, magazines, sermons, other chatter with cursing in it? Banned in your town? I'm guessing not.

Thirdly, do you know the definition of your pre-approved "heck" as it were? Mirriam-Webster defines it as .... ready? .... hell. So.... the inference is fine, just not the actual word?  

Fourth, have you ever fucking heard of the first amendment? You know, the free speech part? Juuuuust checking.

Also, let's think about this contextually. And really, in the context of "how the hell do I know" what I want do do when I grow up, I would say there are a lot of us that have that very thought on the regular. She didn't tell you to "go to Hell." Maybe then I'd at least see some sort of minute point on this and your request for an apology. Maybe. But no.

And you just told her about this diploma denial last week for a speech made in May? A week before the 4.0 student is slated to start college as she came to the office to pick up said diploma? For the word hell? Which apparently no one seemed bothered by but the school powers that be? Screw you.

This is utter bullshit. And by my blatant, obvious and very much intentional pottymouthedness, you bet your ass I'm glad I didn't go to school in Prague. Oh yeah...and while we're talking about your town name...you say it wrong. Way wrong.

And to you, Kaitlin Nootbaar - good for you for not apologizing. And good luck in college. 

[puckchk]

“Rape is rape. And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me. So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn’t have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women.”

- President Obama (via puckchk)

Mark this down as one reason why I will not be voting for any politicians who try to control MY anatomy.

[stufficareabout-blog]

Gabby represented our country at the Olympic games and won the highest honor in her sport, all before her 17th birthday, and we’re focusing on edges. Is our culture really that superficial and mean? Gabby shouldn’t have to worry about edges that might frizz up as she competes on the world stage and brings home first place. Her priority isn’t the hair salon; it’s living out her dreams, which she has done successfully. How many of her hair critics can say that?

From Really? Gabby Douglas Wins A Gold Medal and People Are Criticizing Her Hair? via Vibe.

Dear Haters: Seriously? Just stop. Now.

Ridiculous.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

When I was young, I wanted to be like Sally K. Ride. I wanted to blast into outer space and use the robotic arm to deploy a satellite or be on the end of the robotic arm as a spacewalker. 

So much so, that I - along with the world - wept for days when the Challenger exploded with two females aboard for the first time. So much so, that I fulfilled one of my dreams to go to Space Camp when I was in sixth grade, where my assigned job was a payload specialist performing science experiments and deploying satellites in our simulated mission.

So much so, that when I was in college, I used to tell people I wanted to be a singing astronaut (just ask my sorority sister who mocked the hell out of me). So much so, that even today when I look up at the moon and stars I still dream of being up there in the heavens.

While I'm no astronaut, I did follow in Sally Ride's footsteps on some level. Through her pioneering role as the first American woman in space she encouraged and inspired me to be first, to be inquisitive, to be a dreamer, to be a school nerd, to be a stargazer.

Rest in peace, Ms. Ride. Thank you for shining bright in the night sky as you zoomed around out space. Thank you for prompting young girls to dream big. Thank you for being a trailblazer and an inspiration.

[puckchk]

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Sigh.

[shortformblog]

Presenting the coolest food truck we have ever seen. Former baseball scout Jon Darsky had to ditch the food truck-standard step-van in favor of a Caterpillar truck when designing Del Popolo — his 33,000 pound wood-burning brick pizza oven on wheels. Now, he can be found roaming the streets of San Francisco, serving pizza prepared the way it was meant to be! Want to grab a slice? Keep up with Darsky’s current whereabouts on Twitter or Facebook.

[motherjones]

Whoa.

[rantzbylantz-blog]

I want to find this food truck!

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Escape

Last month, as I awoke startled to the phone vibrating under my pillow I heard words I never anticipated. Through sobs and barely coherent, my aunt's shaky voice pleaded with me to come right away. 

Jason killed himself.

Jason escaped his earthly haunts by removing himself from his earthly body. As the minutes, hours, days, weeks pass by I process - sometimes by doing, sometimes by reflecting - on my life, on his life, on everyone's life and choice to live. 

As I process, as I grieve, I implore all who are contemplating this very act - there is help. There is hope. Make the call. Find an alternative escape, one rung of the ladder at a time.

1-800-273-TALK National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

[tballardbrown]

It’s hard to believe I could feel any worse about the horrific situation at Penn State and the allegations against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. But when the trial opened yesterday, to my dismay, matters became even more personal.

Jerry Sandusky trial: I wish I’d paid more attention to one young man’s pain - Hard Hits with LaVar Arrington - The Washington Post (via tballardbrown)

[rantzbylantz-blog]

Sportswriters gone bad: racism & sexism FTW

< jessrant >

Dear sports people in the media that seem think your position entitles you to be pompous, racist, sexist, arrogant, jerkoffs -

I don't like you. I don't like to read your stuff. And you are most definitely not as cool as you think you are. 

This week, I've seen at least two cases of utter ridiculousness. The first involved a twitter buddy of mine and a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, Joe Cowley. Cowley made an ass of himself all over the twitters, in the name of "satire" (or so I've heard). Sir. You need to look up the definition of satire if you think that's what you're doing. Cuz.....

At least Cowley's tweets did not go through the editorial process. But apparently, some editors are ok with things like racism, right New York Post?

Today, Phil Mushnack's column on the Brooklyn Nets went so far and beyond that I'll just let some of his words speak for themselves.

Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N------s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B----hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!

That's really what you want to write about the Nets and their new black & white unis designed by co-owner Jay-Z (which I happened to dig, fwiw)? Ummmm...you sir, are out of touch. And ridiculous. And disgusting. And to the editors that let this column through untouched, how the h--- does that happen??

I had a recent conversation about the fact that some men in sports media (both mainstream and in the blogosphere) have started to seemingly take the entitled stance that this type of work is edgy or hip or just plain funny and totally acceptable.

Well if this is your take on your wordsmithing, you've most certainly lost my respect. And you've lost at least this pair of eyes on your work.

< / rant >