More Free Speech in Farragut Square

The usual parade of activists, strivers and malcontents that regularly inhabit the corner of 17th and K Streets were joined this afternoon by Falun Gong pamphleteers and, in an intersting twist, costumed re-enactors pantomiming an organ harvesting by the Chinese government:



They seem to have plentiful funds for printing and demonstrating, which helps them makes them a pretty persuasive case. Lucky for them they aren't trying to persuade anyone to vote for or against a candidate for public office in the United States.



UPDATE: Drudge links to a story claiming that President Hu Jintao tried to convince President Bush to endorse the Chinese government's label of the Falun Gong as "an evil cult" which should be banned. I can't imagine how he could think he would get a sitting American president to single out a particular religious sect for government scorn, oppression and violence. Unthinkable.

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Televisa Apologia

James Morris takes on the TV-hating snobs in the pages on The Wilson Quarterly.

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Brazen Wildlife in the Virginia Suburbs

I used to be very happy living in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Now, however, thanks to the Washington Post, I am terrified. Today's weekend section has an article on the scourge of coyotes in exclusive communities, with the classic 50s sci-fi ivasion title "Among Us." Yes, if you move to the exurbs which, until a few years ago were forest, you just might encounter some wildlife. Watch out especially for the creepy, beady-eyed file-photo close-up.

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Drinking Gatorade Well is a Valuable Skill

Not wanting to break the sexually suggestive / body parts related theme of the last few posts, here's a carefully reasoned analysis from Basketbawful (via Cruel) of the Great Gatorade Conspiracy.

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Is Your Ass Scientifically Perfect?

Is Your Ass Scientifically Perfect?

Wonder no more, because a group of British scientists have come up with the definitive equation for bootyliciousness.

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Los Amantes Latinos

A commenter on Flickr alerted me to an interesting post-script to one of the signs at Monday's immigration rally. Here's the picture as I posted it:



But what's that at the bottom?



"LATIN MEN'S...WE ARE GOOD LOVERS TOO. ASK GRINGAS"

Yikes - it's a nativist's worst nightmare. Not only are they taking your jobs, they're screwing your women as well! Something must be done immediately. Thanks to sdjerabek for noticing.

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Pixelated Boobs and Naked Babies

The Onion's pop culture blog takes on FCC indecency fines. Did you know PBS was fined $15,000 for letting musicians reference "The Cocksucker Blues," or that Smithers getting assaulted by strippers was not deemed "patently offensive"?

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Oprah: My Hero

Oprah Winfrey: Wealth "is a good thing."

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Flags Across Latinoamerica

Coverage of yesterday's massive immigration rights protest / immigration reform rally available at the Washington Post and Houston Chronicle. The event was distinguished by a welcome lack of petulant college kids protesting on their parent's dime during spring break and an abundance of families. Never have so many adorable kids worked so hard to change immigration laws in the U.S. Nothing warms the heart like a 2-year old girl shouting "Si se puede" at the top of her tiny lungs.

Again, the 95-photo series from the event is here.

The Washington Post's photo gallery is here.

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Si Se Puede!

Photos from the immigration rally this afternoon in DC are up.

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An Afternon of Photographology in DC

Ahead of tomorrow afternon's immigration reform protests on the Mall, I decided to take the new Nikon D50 on a test run and hunt for some memorable images. I found a few, but hopefully the morrow will yield more dramatic photos. I am offically resurrecting my protest photo-blogging mojo for one and all. See a classic Scam-load of photos from 2003 here.

As a taste, we have the Capitol framed by the stage of this afternon's pre-protest rally on the Mall (click for larger image):



















Imagine also what that sainted building would look like framed by an 18-wheeler given a National Park Police permit:



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Congressional Jargon is a Point of Personal Privilege

Just when I start thinking I'm too inside-the-beltway, I get en email like this reminding me how mainstream my sensibilities are.

Republican Cloakroom Hotline:
Because Republican Senators have been blocked from offering -- and getting votes on -- amendments, Senators Frist, Martinez, Hagel, McCain, Specter, Graham and McConnell will be voting NO on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to commit w/an amendment this morning. If all time is used, that vote will occur at approximately 9:45 am.

OK everybody, remember: that's a no vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to commit with an amendment. Everybody clear?

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Almost Famous

The celebrity-obsessed Megan sent me this story about Thandie Newton (she was in Crash, in case you were wondering) writing to Tom Cruise and other stars in order to get them to reduce their carbon footprint and stop driving SUVs (as if any of these people have driven themselves anywhere in years). My response:

Someone is severely overestimating their celebrity value. Memo to Thandie Newton: you have to actually be famous before you can start lecturing your (box office) betters in print. Everyone knows Hollywood celebrities are going to be whiny, but please, at least actually be a celebrity first.

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Hot for Jihad, Part Deux

The hilarious and dead-on Mark Steyn has a great column in the Chicago Sun-Times on why we need a rhetoric for the War on Terror that can go the distance.

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