I looked up the Atlanta Eagle raid [link], and I'm baffled that one of the officers allegedly said something about complaints from the neighborhood. The neighbors on that stretch of Ponce consist mostly of hookers and their customers.

The raid at the gay bar in Fort Worth was a)on the anniversary of Stonewall b)started because a cop peering through the fence saw guys in thongs sitting on a picnic table smoking until the owner whispered to one of them who then went inside (I don't need to mention that this place had dancers, right?) c) had patrons arrested (indeed one was slammed to the ground so hard he suffered serious head trauma) because the officers were advanced on sexually.

I had always used "I think my head is going to explode" as hyperbole...until then.

Hee--Gingrich ‘Inadvertently’ Names Porn Company ‘Entrepreneur of The Year’ For Stimulating The Economy

This week, Allison Vivas of Pink Visual received a fax from Newt Gingrich’s American Solutions for Winning the Future (ASWF) group, informing her that she’s been chosen for a 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year award by his Business Defense and Advisory Council. From the letter obtained by ThinkProgress:

Newt would like to arrange a private dinner with you at the historic Capitol Hill Club on the evening of October 7, 2009 in Washington. You’ll dine privately with Newt at this exclusive venue and he’ll take the occasion to present you with your well deserved award and have your photo taken together.

This tremendous honor is a testament to your success in building your business and recognition of the risks you take to create jobs and stimulate the economy. As an award winner, you’ll be on the ground floor as Newt and his Council begin the work to turn this country around. … Newt is looking forward to hearing your ideas on getting the economy moving again and getting your feedback on his plans over dinner.

Pink Visual is a porn DVD superstore — not the type of company you’d expect Gingrich would want stimulating the economy. ThinkProgress contacted Gingrich aide Joe Gaylord, who sent the faxed letter to Vivas, but we didn’t receive a response. An ASWF representative reportedly called Pink Visual this morning saying it had “inadvertently” sent the fax to Vivas and was retracting the honor. Pink Visual’s marketing coordinator Q Boyer didn’t buy the excuse:

“Allison was disappointed to receive a call this morning from an ASWF representative stating that the fax had been sent to her ‘inadvertently,’” Boyer told AVN.com. “We’re not entirely clear on how one ‘inadvertently’ sends a fax to the right person at the correct fax number, so our sense is that this is damage control on the part of a group that is having second thoughts about either recognizing the excellent work of a porn company entrepreneur in light of their own conservative political and social orientation, or having second thoughts about their promotional methodology and communication protocols.”

Curse you, Barb, and your thoughtless footwear linkage.

Y'know, if it makes you feel any better, I'm weeping right along with you, because those really ARE lovely and no way will I be owning them either.

You know, Barb, if you're moving north you WILL need boots.

Of a grody gay bar?

When the OWNER of the bar says "On that yucky floor!" you know it's bad. My boots STUCK to the floor when I was dancing there last month. Lay down in it? Just shoot me.

And, this turned up in the paper a while ago. Shows just how EVIL someone can be.

(fyi, login from Bugmenot is screwjob at mailinator.com and bugmenot)

I have capital letters now! I feel grown up.

I know the judge in question, and she's a sharp cookie. I'm surprised that this happened in her courtroom.

Timelies all!

Bleh. Nova decided to start meowing at 1 am. (Luckily she stopped soon after, so we could go back to sleep) It's been raining all day, and I have a bit of a sore throat.

Who put the Monday in my Friday?

I'm surprised that this happened in her courtroom.

I honestly can't feel any anger towards the judge - I WANT to, but...well, signatures as "proof of understanding, consent, or intent" are so 150-years-ago. How is any legal jurisdiction supposed to be able to prove that forgery ISN'T occurring? Hire an army of handwriting experts?

Absolutely horrible that it happened, and 99% of my empathy is reserved for the victim - but that judge is going to have some harsh eyes glaring at her for a while now, too.