Vintage Ad of the Day

Exciting lives of fencing aside, at least we know floor-scrubbing still for women.

Not just Fail. Super Fail.

(Via FailBlog)

Vintage Ad of the Day

I'm confused. Which is the object, here?

Linkfest!

Feministing: AP nominates two horses for "Female Athlete of the Year"

The Hathor Legacy: Gendered Holiday Expectations?

Jezebel: Your Boyfriend Sucks: The Worst Fictional Dudes of the Decade

f-bomb: The Prince is Safe Now

Racism Review: "The Blind Side": Sandra Bullock, White Women & Racism

Vintage Ad of the Day: Christmas Edition

Did anyone else get their dream gift for Christmas?

12 Days of Christmas Memories

Last year, I counted down the days to Christmas with clips from 12 of my favorite Christmas specials. I dropped the ball on doing this again 12 days before Christmas, so as a special treat, here they all are today! Happy Holidays, everyone!

Day One: A Claymation Christmas (1987)



Day 2: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)



Day 3: A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)



Day 4: Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)



Day 5: ALF's Special Christmas (1987)



Day 6: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)



Day 7: A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)



Day 8: A Garfield Christmas Special (1987)



Day 9: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)



Day 10: Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952)



Day 11: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)



Day 12: Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (1988)

Vintage Ad of the Day

Because women don't understand technology, and need it "explained" to them:

Feminist Flashback: "The First Feminist Slasher Film" on Degrassi High

It's not every day you hear the word "feminism" this many times on a TV show without poking fun at it. And in 1990, after a decade of backlash.

Enjoy:

One Little Star

Just found out from Shakesville that Alaina Reed Hall, who played Olivia on Sesame Street, has just passed away after a battle of breast cancer. I have to say the news made me tear up immediately, and I went straight for this song from Follow That Bird:

Linkfest!

The Angry Black Woman: Picture Yourself

The F-Word Blog: Setting Boundaries in 15 Words or Less

Muslimah Media Watch: Tavakoli’s Triumph: Scores in Chadors

Sociological Images: Gender, Technology, and Toys R Us

Shakesville: Army Gets Tough on Pregnancy

copyranter: After Six put the "yes" in polyester.
(This was going to be a Vintage Ad of the Day, but copyranter beat me to it, and with a priceless title.)

Two Posts on Disney's The Princess and the Frog:

Racialicious: Open Thread: The Princess and the Frog

Feministing: The Princess and the Frog: A Feminist Fairytale



And, finally, Chocolate Cake. From EpiCute: The Cute Food Blog:

Erasure and The Problem With Christmas Cards

This is my first Christmas as half of a married couple, which means that the majority of the Christmas cards coming to our house are addressed like this:

"Mr. and Mrs. Daniel [Last Name]"

This is something I've written about before, and the way it makes me feel is still exactly the same. After getting the mail one day this past week, I started a text message conversation about it with Katie:

Me: I just think it's such a tasteless tradition to address people that way.

Katie: I'll bet the people doing it think the opposite, if that helps.

I'm sure she's right, and the last thing I want to do is seem ungrateful for getting Christmas cards from our friends and family, but I can't help feeling sort of like Maude does in the first minute of this clip:



Maude: I want to be me, Walter. I want my own identity!

Walter: You want your own identity? I'll give you your own identity. Here! Your button for the convention. Now, please. Stop being a pain in the fedlock.

Maude: (looking at nametag) "Hello. My name is Mrs. Walter Findley." Mrs. Walter Findley. Walter! How come your button doesn't say "Hello, I'm Mr. Maude Findley?!"

Walter: Because that's not who I am!

Maude: (waving nametag) And this, Walter, is not who I am, either.

Linkfest!

The Gay Gamer: What is it with Nintendo's inability to animate skirts?

IEEE Spectrum: Math Quiz: Why Do Men Predominate?: (Via Feminist Philosophers)

Professor What If...?: What if Santa brings out the fat-haters?

stuff white people do: enjoy white-guilt redemption fantasies

Awards Daily: 2009: Women Owned the Movies

Vintage Ad of the Day

What weirds me out almost as much as the giant super-imposed man-face is that the copy in this ad makes absolutely no mention of it. The male gaze at its ever-present best.

Vintage Ad of the Day

"Empire Grenadier speakers blend with any decor."



Even when your "decor" consists entirely of naked woman!

Soda: Then and Now

Then: "A Light Refreshment"



Now: LIQUID FAT!!!

Linkfest!

Fat a Lot of Good: fat photography

The Hathor Legacy: Two and a Half Men, Men, Men, Men, Manly Men

Sociological Images: A Sociology of Dirt

Jezebel: Photoshop Horrors Hall of Shame: 2000-2009

Diary of an Anxious Black Woman: Moving Yet Sloppy Portrayal of a Harlem Girl: My Review of Precious (Spoilers)
(This post is a couple of weeks old, but it's new to me and too good not to include.)

When "Too Much Treble" is Thinly Veiled Code for "Too Girly"

I caught NBC's a capella singing group competition "The Sing Off" for the first time last night, and this group was totally my favorite:



I loved this performance and was totally won over by this kick-ass all-female group, which is totally rare in a capella, only to be surprised and saddened when the judges told them they really needed to work on their low end, and that their performance was "too treble". Especially since the judges seemed to completely flip over the all-male groups that may have had lower voices but were all over the place and less in tune.

Now, as a flute player and a soprano who majored in music in college and got a music degree before moving into Women's Studies, I have my fair share of experience in the music world, and I am all too familiar with the hierarchy set up in most musical ensembles in which lower voices are always, always favored over higher ones. The idea at work, which does have some musical validity, is that the lower voices (bass voices in a choir, low brass in a wind band, basses in an orchestra, etc.) provide a tonal foundation to the sound and make it seem fuller and more resonant. I'm down with that. I get it.

The problem with this is that, more often than not, those higher voices in musical groups are disproportionately sung or played by female musicians, which, when coupled with the higher sounds of the voices and instruments themselves, contributes to a culture within the music world in which higher instruments/voices are coded "female" and are therefore devalued, and lower instruments/voieces are coded male and are therefore celebrated.

This leads to a climate in which female singers are told that they are "a dime a dozen" and that there are always too many flutes, and that brass bands and brass choirs are distinguished, percussion ensembles are awesome, and flute choirs and woodwind ensembles are a joke.

I have so much more I could say about this and so many more examples of how this plays out in the music world, but I just had to put it out there that there is a whole lot of subtext to telling an all-female singing group that they sound "too treble".

Linkfest!

Bitch Blog: I'll have a blue Christmas without you (making my doctor's appointments for me)

Women & Hollywood: Cross-Post: An Open Letter from One of Your 51 Perecent by Ashley Van Buren

Bits & Pieces: Ne dis jamais jamais
(a lovely post from one of my favorite scrapbookers)

Aprons and Toolbelts

Apparently, the people we bought just bought our house from were the Mail-Order Catalog Queen and King of Central Ohio, because our mailbox is stuffed with them daily, giving us the opportunity to peruse them and consider purchasing everything from American Girl dolls, to fruit baskets, to hunting gear. Yesterday's catalog came from a company called epersonalizedgifts, and flipping through the "gifts for kids" section, I noticed all sorts of crap like this:



See what they did there? Clever trick. It's pretty much the exact same product, sold at the exact same price, only the pink version (the one with the girl's name stitched on it) is a "crayon apron" and the bright blue and red version (intended for boys) is a "crayon tool belt".

Seriously, people? Is this really necessary? Will it really damage a little boy that much to call his little crayon apron an apron? Does a little girl really require hers to be pink and have some ruching?

I call bullshit.

And another thing, catalog! If you're going to market a diaper bag to a male parent, you don't need to call him "Mr. Mom", implying that there's something inherently mother-(i.e. woman)-ly about carrying one. You can call him Dad.

Vintage Ad of the Day

The best comment on this ad at the Vintage Ads LJ Community:

60% creamier than a T-bone? How creamy is that? None creamy, that's how much.

Also enjoyable:

What the hell size scoop do these people have?

New York Senator Diane Savino speaks on the Marriage Equality bill:

My friend Erin shared this awesome video today on Google Reader:



I commented that the only thing that bothered me about it was that there wasn't thunderous applause every time she made an obvious point. Instead, there was only nervous laughter at her jokes.

Vintage Ad of the Day

For when you want a whole poolful of men leering at you:

Vintage Ad of the Day

My friend Colleen shared this on Google Reader recently, and I believe the only word for it is "EWWWWW!"

Vintage Ad of the Day

Forget the Nipple Bra. How about an inflatable one you blow up with a straw?

As Seen on GraphJam:

Vintage Ad of the Day

If it's "for men only", why does she get to use it?!

Cleveland, Akron and Summit County Pass Inclusive Municipal Non-Discrimination Ordinances

Go, Ohio! As reported by Equality Ohio:

Last night, Cleveland City Council voted 21 - 0 to protect against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on gender identity and expression. Akron voted 10 - 2 to do the same based on both sexual orientation and gender identity and Summit County voted 11 - 1 to pass a countywide ordinance protecting against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Thanks to all the advocates and coalitions who have worked long and hard to see these much needed protections finally included in municipal law!

We encourage Cleveland, Akron and Summit County citizens to thank their councilpersons. You can find Cleveland councilpersons' contact information at www.clevelandcitycouncil.org. Akron councilpersons' contact information at http://www.akroncitycouncil.org/Find_your_Councilperson/ and Summit County councilpersons' contact information at http://www.co.summit.oh.us/council/index.htm

If You Care About Ending Sexual Assault, Girlcott Method Products

If this didn't already guarantee that I will never, ever buy a Method product, then this sure as hell does.

Despicable.

Mr. Fox: Not So Fantastic for Girls

I went to a sneak preview of Fantastic Mr. Fox last night, and I watched it from three different points of view, all of which are probably too intertwined in my own consciousness/psyche/whatever to really separate, but for the purposes of this post, I'm going to pull them apart. I viewed this film:

1. As a lover, since childhood, of every single thing ever written by the amazing and wonderful Roald Dahl,

2. As a longtime fan of Wes Anderson, which I've been ever since Katie introduced me to Bottle Rocket back in the 90s, and

3. As a feminist.

If I was only the first two, I might be inclined to say this is one of my new favorite movies of all time. It is delightful, adorable, whimsical, hilarious, creative, and the perfect amount of weird. It is so incredibly Roald Dahl and so incredibly Wes Anderson at the same time that the fangirl in me wants to do cartwheels over it.

But, I'm also a feminist. And especially after just spending the last two weeks teaching college undergrads in my Women's Studies 101 class all about the representation of female characters in pop culture, hitting on everything from The Smurfette Principle to the Bechdel Test, I can't help but be a little devastated that this movie completely and utterly 100% drops the ball when it comes to female characters. If you go see it, you'll know what I mean. It's just disappointment after disappointment, and when there's a tiny glimmer of hope in one or two spots, the rug is immediately pulled out from under any possibility of redemption.

I guess Dahl is partly to blame, since the original book didn't have much in the way of female characters, either. But if you look at his body of work, plenty of his stories have interesting and adventurous female characters. (Matilda and the BFG are two of my favorites.) I'm more disappointed that Anderson, in building an entire full-length feature around a short children's story and in interpreting and developing Dahl's characters and creating characters of his own, didn't think give a second thought to girls. What's funny is that if this had been one of Anderson's regular live-action films, I wouldn't have been surprised or let down by its failure to inspire my inner-feminist. I never necessarily expect that from him. But you know as well as I do that this film is different, because unlike Rushmore and unlike The Darjeeling Limited, children are inevitably going to see this movie.

There were lots and lots of kids at the sneak preview, and I'm sure there will be lots of lots of kids who will see this movie, and even though everyone seems to think that ANIMATION = CHILDREN'S FILM, if I had kids, I wouldn't let them see it. It's not good for girls, who will be disappointed yet again that they only get to see themselves as housewives, caregivers, and love interests, and it's not good for boys either, for whom it will be reinforced that action and adventure are for them only.

Vintage Ad(s) of the Day: Secretary Edition

When Female Vulnerability is the Best Way to Sell a Message

Via AdFreak, a commercial in which "pervy scrubbing bubbles" watch you bathe:



This ad caused me severe discomfort. And not in the "I'm so convinced not to spray soapy chemicals in my shower, now" way, but in the "I am so fucking pissed they had the nerve to prey on women's vulnerability to the oppressive male gaze to try to sell me a product way".

Quote of the Day:

"Men who genuinely love women fantasize about being smothered in sofa-sized breasts and pillowed in marshmallow thighs. Pert is okay but pneumatic is heaven. Not for them the bite-size morsel. They revel in handfuls, fistfuls, and armfuls of lusty lady. Of course, millions of men don't like women very much. They only tolerate us emaciated, depilated, and deodorized. Men who count your calories and stand over you with a stopwatch while you do sit-ups invariably claim to be doing it for your own good. Baloney! They're simply closet woman-haters -- flesh-fearing, fat-baiting misogynists. They don't lust for me. The repugnance is mutual."
--Vanessa Feltz, "Who Says Fat Isn't Sexy?" Redbook (of all places!) December, 1993

(quoted in Revolting Bodies? The Struggle to Redefine Fat Identity by the amazing Kathleen LeBesco)

Vintage Ad of the Day

Text reads:

A cigar brings out the caveman in you.

There's a man-size feeling of power in smoking a cigar. Because cigars give you a psychological lift along with flavor and satisfaction. You needn't inhale to enjoy them . . . and no other pleasure so great costs so little. Try a few cigars today and . . .Get that good cigar feeling!

Umm, yeah. So only men can smoke cigars. And when they do, they become "cavemen", in which "cavemen" means men in business suits with clubs and women dressed in animal prints at their feet.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Perfect for when your culture makes you wear restrictive dresses and deems it inappropriate for you to ever open your legs!



Text reads:

BLESS DE SOTO

for making seats that let you step out like a lady!

What a relief to step out, instead of having to crawl out, of your car. No more hiked up skirts. No more popping runs. The '59 De Soto's new Sports Swivel Seats let anyone -- tall or short -- slip in and out in one easy motion.

Being a woman, you'll appreciate De Soto interiors, too. They're as smartly styled as your own living room. And everyone will like De Soto's magnificent ride... roominess... and power. See the fashion leader of the year at your De Soto dealer's today. Try the new swivel seats yourself!

Vintage Ad of the Day

The pants that will hold up, even if women are glaring at your head and chewing on your knee:



Text reads:

Yes, the PFL (Pressed for Life) finish on your Harris slacks will keep them neat and natural at all time . . . no matter how strenuous the "action" . . . The easy-care fabric, of course, is 65% DACRON polyester and 35% combed cotton, a power-packed combination for durability and good looks. Popularly priced at 7.00 - 10.00 at leading men's and boy's stores.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KATIE!

A birthday cake for the bestest best friend a girl could ever have:


(I added the candles myself with my mad Photoshop MS Paint skillz.)

Oh, okay. You can also have some .gifs (Get it?!):

LOVE YOU!

"Save Like it's 1492"

Get it? It's a Columbus Day sale at Staples! Where you can "Discover a world of savings!" just like Columbus "discovered" a new world that was already "discovered" and inhabited by people! Thanks, Staples!

Fun with Suffrage: School House Rock Edition

Who takes a charter bus to a casino, anyway?

Since Ohio voters are about to decide whether or not to allow casinos into our state, I keep seeing this commercial, which uses some interesting maneuvers to try to make casinos seem less scary to folks who don't want that nasty gambling riff-raff around their homes and families:



The subtext: See?! Friendly, college-educated white women like to go to casinos! Casinos are friendly and fun for all! Whee!

Vintage Ad of the Day

No comment.

I need one of these!

To protect the daily apple I throw into my bookbag on the way out the door.



Aren't they pretty?

(Via Red Velvet Art.)

Race and GraphJam

Because apparently, the average person could never be Japanese.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Text reads:

"You're a Dear, Thoughtful Husband!-

"You're always seeking some way to make my work lighter and easier. And this Rid-Jid Ironing Table will help wonderfully. I've wanted one for months. It not only makes my Christmas happy but my ironing will never be a task any more.

"And it's so strong, and so convenient. It can't creep or crawl, and never has to be lifted to put on and take off circular garments."

When Two Women = All Women

Overheard on TV:

Jay Leno: (To Julia Louis-Dreyfus) You and my wife have something in common. You both love to travel. Women love to travel!

Ummm, right.

Amen, GraphJam. Amen.

(Found here.)

Not Quite Dead

So, my month-long absence from blogging was totally unplanned. And what with school starting back up and preparing to move, it probably would have been a lot longer, but I made the mistake of telling my best friend just today that I would start blogging again when she finally decided to unleash her newest blog upon the world. And since she has already fulfilled her end of the bargain, here I am.

Visit www.lostandlonelyleftovers.com and feast your eyes on some "delectable dishes, callously discarded". (And don't forget to keep your cameras ready to capture abandoned food photos of your own to submit.)

Feeling the Illinoise

I'll be off to Chicago to visit the in-laws through next week, so expect no blogging until next Thursday at the earliest. To fill the void in the meantime, you should be visiting my best friend Katie's blogs (here, here, and here) and clicking on ALL of her pages and ads in order to thank her for surprising me with (drumroll):

www.unapologeticallyfemale.com!

Best. Unbirthday present. Ever.

You don't have to update any bookmarks or feeds just yet, since the "unapologeticallyfemale.blogspot.com" address redirects to the new one. I'll let you know if I ever overcome my laziness and make the big switch.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Evidence that the marketers of Axe aren't doing anything new or original:



Text reads:

Brace yourself! She's giving up!

Mennen Skin Bracer has the fragrance that can tame any dame -- even pretty Miss Mennen! It comes on manly... goes on cool, soothing, refreshing. Mennen Skin Bracer is more than just a good fragrance. It's a great feeling. If you want to be right on Target, try Mennen. Mennen's got what women want!

If one more "financial expert" tells me to just cut out my daily latte, I'm going to scream.

I mean, I know Starbucks is popular, but geez. Do they really think everyone in the world goes there every day? I already get by on two, maybe three lattes a year. Does that mean I should be a millionaire?

Feminist Singalong: "Sister Suffragette"

The Problem with "Man Caves"

Since Dan and I have been house-hunting this summer, we've been spending more time than usual lingering on channels like HDTV and the DIY Network, which means that I've been seeing lots of commercials for the DIY show Man Caves:

Guys need an exclusive space to hang out in their homes -- a refuge where they can enjoy what they love, whether it's a soundproofed basement used as a rock 'n' roll lounge and adorned with limited edition guitars; a room where diehard ski fans can chill out with a roaring fireplace and alpine atmosphere; or a lush golf-lover's paradise, featuring a state-of-the-art virtual reality driving range, media center and top-notch equipment storage space. Because DIY Network understands there's an environment for every guy that makes him feel fulfilled, we recruited licensed contractor Jason Cameron and former NFL great Tony "The Goose" Siragusa to offer amazing ideas for the ultimate Man Caves. In each episode of this awesome DIY Network series, Jason and The Goose create a man cave solely for one lucky guy, plus offer ideas and expert do-it-yourself instruction to help homeowners everywhere construct their own personal hangouts.

Here are a couple of tastes of what the show has to offer:






The concept of a man cave in a home is a sexist concept in itself. Born from the "Men are from Mars" school of thought that men need their own special space to flee their nagging mates and decompress by watching sports, playing poker, drinking beer, and smoking cigars, its perceived necessity derives from the traditional notion that the home (and all the work within it) is entirely the woman's domain.

One of the reasons I find this show disappointing is that I'm usually so impressed with how gender-friendly DIY-themed home improvement shows tend to be. Do you ever notice how many of these shows portray female carpenters and contractors and designers doing things that many girls are never socialized or encouraged to learn to do? And they are typically shown with such little fanfare that it sends the message that women doing this work is nothing out of the ordinary at all, and that just about anyone can take on the tasks they demonstrate.

This show, however, reinforces the idea that men and women are separate species or exist on entirely different planets, and that they therefore have different needs, different interests, and different roles to play. It also operates covertly under the assumption that all of this is somehow natural and not a product of our culture and socialization. And even though this type of entertainment is incredibly popular (see the numerous relationship advice books and magazine articles and the countless "Battle of the Sexes"-themed games, quizzes, reality shows), I find it pretty lazy and irresponsible.

Thank you, toymakers. No, really. Thanks a lot.

Little girls everywhere, upon visiting the beach for the first time:

"But my globe taught me the ocean was pink! No fair. I wanna go home and play Barbies!"

Via Feminist Philosphers, who have been on fire lately when it comes to calling out unnecessarily gendered products.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Apparently, the "sexy librarian" look has been popular a lot longer than I thought. Here, it's being used to sell Hanes' stockings:



Text reads:

You can read about women who are unforgettable, disarming, and a not-so-quiet sensation,

or, become one by wearing new MYSTRECE. If you dipped your legs in liquid chiffon, you'd get the fit, the look, the utter cling of MYSTRECE. And for pennies more, you get that Hanes exclusive: No run can grow past the nude heel and demi toe.

Don't ask me what it is about clingy stockings that makes a woman "disarming" or a "sensation", because I don't really get it either.

(Via)

T Mobile customers apparently don't care what kind of phone servive they use.

All they know is that they find Catherine Zeta Jones wildly attractive. And that's good enough for them.

G4 Special Promotes Gaming Boys Club

I had the supreme misfortune to catch this special on G4 over the weekend and found myself unable to look away from the train wreck. Nothing sends the message that video games are a "Boys Only" club like this shit:



It's not that I mean any disrespect to the women who take these jobs, (if anything, the TV special shows some of the realities of what they really have to put up with at trade shows) but it completely amazes me that the practice of "booth babes" is an accepted and encouraged part of the video game industry. The fact that marketers can so overtly and unabashedly use women's bodies to promote and sell their products to men who surely know that most of these women have little to no interest in gaming or in talking to and taking pictures with them just doesn't make any logical sense to me. The whole institution, including the fact that they are so eagerly referred to as "booth babes", seems so archaically sexist -- like it doesn't even belong in this century.

Men's disproportionate involvement in gaming culture really is a vicious cycle. Industry leaders can claim all they want that women just aren't interested in gaming, but as long as they write mostly male-centric games, patronize women when they do condescend to write games for them, and sexually objectify them at every possible opportunity, they will continue to alienate them.

Or maybe we should just turn the tables. How about this? The next time I go to a mostly female-attended convention, like, say, a scrapbooking and crafts expo, I fully expect and demand scantily clad male "eye candy" to feign interest in the latest paper design, coquettishly demo the cutting tools, pose for pictures, and give me free swag.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Text reads:

The less you spend on a car, the more you can spend on other things.

This car gets up to 40 miles to the gallon. Up to 75 miles an hour. Overhead cam engine, rack and pinion steering, 4-speed synchromesh transmission, power-assisted front disc brakes, front bucket seats, radial tires, tachometer, racing mirror. All standard equipment.

Oh, it doesn't have automatic transmission, air conditioning, and a 400-horsepower engine. But which would you rather have? Automatic transmission, air conditioning, and a 400-horsepower engine?

Or Michelle and Tammy and Alison?

The Honda Coupe. $1735. It makes a lot of sense.

You know, what pisses me off the most about this one is that until I read the small print, I actually thought this ad was targeted at female car-buyers, by sending the message that if they went for a cheaper car, they could buy themselves things like ski equipment, tennis rackets, and cowboy hats. The thought of this impressed me even more when I saw the technical language being used to describe the car, making me think for a second that Honda actually gave their female customers credit for being able to understand their product.

And then I got to the last line, which revealed Honda's real message that women are not only not the purchasers of vehicles, but that they themselves are the "things" to be purchased.

Vintage Ad of the Day

More tanning oil:



Small text reads:

You've seen the women of St. Tropez. They're sleek and exciting, and when they walk into the cafe at 10 o'clock at night, the whole cafe puts down its wine and stops to stare.

Well, their tan can be your tan. With Bain de Soliel. Its unique French formula is lush and rich, and you can get it in Dark Creme or Lotion for fast, dark tanning. White Creme for graceful, more controlled tanning. And new Super Filter for extra sunscreen protection.

Then, after your day in the sun, smooth on Apres le Soleil. The moisturizers will help keep your St. Tropez tan rich and even. For extra days. And extra nights.

I don't know. I would think a whole cafe stopping what they're doing to stare at you wouldn't necessarily be a good thing. And does this really happen for all the women of St. Tropez?

Benefiber: Making Fiber Sexy

Seriously, what is with this commercial? It's fiber.


"The clear, tasteless fiber that helps restore your body's natural digestive balance, while helping rid your body... of poop toxins."

Vintage Ad of the Day

Coppertone tanning lotion in three different formulas for "fair", "normal" or "dark " skin, in which all three -- including "normal" and "dark" -- refer to the skin belonging to white people. That's funny, considering that the text reads, "Whoever you are, you'll get a beautiful tan and beautiful skin."

But I don't need to tell you about the problematic nature of tanning culture.


(Via)

More Movie Fail

Pardon all the Gilmore Girls references, but what the hell is happening to Rory's former boyfriends?! First, I find out that Jess is playing a character named "Rick Rape" in this nonsense, and now, Logan has taken on the role of Tucker Max in I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell:



Seriously, what gives? At least Dean is starring in good, wholesome entertainment. It's no wonder my mom always liked him best.



Other reactions to this horrible excuse for a film:
Shakesville: Wow
Tiger Beatdown: What's Your Tucker Max Personality Type?

And for some local interest for central Ohio readers, read all about the protest against Tucker Max's appearance at The Ohio State University that went down this past spring:
The Lantern: Dozens of students protest Tucker Max

Linkfest!

As always, link it up in the comments.

Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage: Ever thought of adopting your partner?
-LGBT history holds a creative (although problematic) alternative to marriage.

What About Our Daughters: Action Oriented Citizens Place Billboards About Missing Black Women
-a brilliant activist-response to the lack of media coverage of missing women and girls of color, but it will need donations to continue

Adventures of a Young Feminist: Women in Home Security Commercials
-Advertising offers piece of mind for women, but don't men need security systems, too?

abyss2hope: Carnival Against Sexual Violence 75

Feminist Philosophers: Kleenex for men
-You just can't make this stuff up.

Whose Planet Is It Anyway? Rex Reed Spouts Disgusting Bigotry
-Screw Rex Reed. I happen to think Adam looks like a lovely movie.

DAMSEL: Tanning Beds Cause Cancer, Study Shows
-So is the answer to rush out and buy spray tanning products, or should we quit buying into the idea that tans are necessary?

Feministing: Girls Rock (Stephanie/Green Day Edition)
-Getting to go up on stage to play with the band was always a fantasy of mine while I was busy learning to play Megadeth songs in junior high, so this Stephanie chick is pretty much my new hero.

I may avoid going to the movies just so I don't have to sit through this trailer again:

Okay, so I generally like Kyra Sedgewick, Michael C. Hall, and Milo Ventimiglia, but this movie looks like such a huge, horrible, steaming pile of indulgent mindlessness:



If you're not already sufficiently repulsed, IMDb reveals that Ventimiglia's character is named "Rick Rape".

Vintage Ad of the Day

Text reads:

MADAME ROWLEY'S TOILET MASK.

The following are the claims made for Madame Rowley's Toilet Mask, and the grounds on which it is recommended to ladies for Beautifying, Bleaching, and Preserving the Complexion:

FIRST - The mask is Soft and Flexible in form, and can be Easily Applied and Worn without Discomfort or Inconvenience.

SECOND - It is durable, and does not dissolve or come asunder, but holds its original mask shape.

THIRD - It has been Analyzed by Eminent Scientists and Chemical Experts, and pronounced Perfectly Pure and Harmless.

FOURTH - With ordinary care the Mask will last for years, and its VALUABLE PROPERTIES Never Become Impaired.

FIFTH - The MASK is protected by letters-patent, and is the only Genuine article of the kind.

SIXTH - It is recommended by Eminent Physicians and Scientific Men as a SUBSTITUTE FOR INJURIOUS COSMETICS.

Seventh - The Mask is a Natural Beautifier, for Bleaching and Preserving the Skin and Removing Complexional Imperfections.

COMPLEXION BLEMISHES May be hidden imperfectly by cosmetics and powders, but can only be removed permanently by the Toilet Mask. By its use every kind of spots, impurities, roughness, etc., will vanish from the skin, leaving it soft, clear, brilliant, and beautiful. It is harmless, costs little, and saves its user money. It prevents and removes wrinkles, and is both a complexion preserver and beautifier. Famous society ladies, actresses, belles, etc., use it.

(Via)

Ponyo

Anytime someone brings up the dearth of good female characters in animated films, I always feel a little sad that more people don't know about Hayao Miyazaki. Girls are front and center in so many of his films, showing strength and courage and curiosity and wisdom and adventurousness -- basically, he knows how to portray girls as multi-dimensional people. Here's the trailer for the U.S. release of his latest offering, Ponyo:

@ Yahoo! Video

Dan and I both agreed the trailer seemed a little over-Disneyfied, and the heavy use of the Disney voice guy made us feel like we were aboard Disney's Magical Express, but we're excited all the same.

Vintage Ad of the Day

Text reads:

Vibra-Bra: the bra that helps make it possible to go without one!

Very few women are lucky enough to have the firm, perfect figure. And today's fashions call for no bra. (In some cases no tops.)

The women of Europe discovered the answer with the Vibra-Bra Method. And now it's available to the women of America. Developed in Switzerland, manufactured in the United States to fine American technical standards, Vibra-Bra is an electric vibrator for the bust that with its unique program, gives strength and vitality to weak and frail breasts. It firms and tones. Aids circulation and tightens loose muscles. Vibrating action eases tension, relaxes and smooths.

Totally safe, tested and approved by leading authorities. Just put it on and relax. Read, sew, watch television because you can wear it anywhere. It works on one absolutely safe battery.

Daily treatments using the Vibra-Bra program will bring new elasticity to tired tissues and flaccid ligaments which support the bust. Helping you to regain (or retain) youthful fitness and fullness. You may never have to wear a bra again.

Vita-Bra guaranteed for one year against any defects of manufacture or materials.

Send the coupon below with your check for only $9.95. And get in shape for the no-bra look.

Vintage Ad of the Day

The small print reads:

One look at this modern hostess' silhouette and you can just about guess the kind of thing she keeps in that refrigerator.

You'd know it must be stocked with the lighter, less filling foods that make up the diet of the world's most attractive people today.

That's how they keep those slender waistlines. How they stay so younger-looking year after year. Why they feel so good, so fit for all the activities, all the fun modern living has to offer.

And it is to suit their modern taste that today's Pepsi-Cola is reduced in calories. Never heavy, never too sweet, it refreshes without filling.

Have a Pepsi, the modern, the light refreshment.

This ad creates a weird "us and them" vibe. Like we're looking into a world of young, thin, "modern", glamorous people who have cats and consider Pepsi food.