Ladies, Start Your Engines!
Posted on May 23, 2008
Filed Under Sports, Women | 1 Comment
Women have not been taken seriously in most forms of racing, one of them being the open-wheel IndyCar series. The world of auto racing has always been, and continues to be, dominated by men but, this Sunday, Danica Patrick could change all that.
Danica Patrick is a petite and an attractive 26-year-old woman who began racing go karts at a young age. She moved on to open-wheel racing in Europe where she was discovered by former Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, who gave her the opportunity to join his Indy Racing League.
This year on April 20th, Patrick won at Twin Ring Motegi in the Indy Japan 300 becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race, joining the ranks of drag racer Shirley Muldowney, who won three NHRA Top Fuel Championships as a “first female” winner in the top tier of American motorsports. Patrick took the Indy Japan 300 after the race leaders were forced to pit for fuel in the final laps. She finished 5.8594 seconds ahead of the Brazilian pole-sitter Helio Castroneves on the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Twin Ring Motegi oval.
The pressure is on! If she wins this Sunday, she will be making history as the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500.
Several male drivers have made negative comments about Patrick’s ability as a woman, to race successfully. In May 2006, after Danica appeared on ESPN SportsCenter’s Budweiser Hot Seat, Richard Petty stated, “I just don’t think it’s a sport for women, and so far, it’s proved out. It’s really not. It’s good for them to come in. It gives us a lot of publicity, it gives them publicity. But as far as being a real true racer, making a living out of it, it’s kind of tough.” Yeah right. Ladies start your engines!!
Catch the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday 12 noon on ABC
McCain and Ellen Clash over Gay Marriage
Posted on May 22, 2008
Filed Under Gay/Lesbian, News, Politics, Women | Comments Off on McCain and Ellen Clash over Gay Marriage
John McCain and Ellen DeGeneres debate same-sex marriage today on Ellen’s TV talk show.
In the pre-recorded appearance, McCain repeats his position that while he opposes gay marriage, he believes same-sex couples should be allowed to enter into legal agreements for insurance and other purposes. He tells Ellen that he knows “we have a respectful disagreement on that issue.”
DeGeneres, who announced last week that she and her partner plan to marry, tells the candidate that “we are all the same people, all of us. You’re no different than I am. Our love is the same. … When someone says, ‘You can have a contract, and you’ll still have insurance, and you’ll get all that,’ it sounds to me like saying, ‘Well, you can sit there, you just can’t sit there.’ ” McCain says DeGeneres expresses her position “in a very eloquent fashion. We just have a disagreement. And I, along with many, many others, wish you every happiness.” To which DeGeneres quips “So, you’ll walk me down the aisle? Is that what you’re saying?” McCain’s response: “Touché.”
watch clip
Multi-Party System is Way Overdue in America
Posted on May 21, 2008
Filed Under Elections 2008, Politics, Women | Comments Off on Multi-Party System is Way Overdue in America
Clinton wins Kentucky — overwhelmingly. Every time Obama and McCain supporters declare the numbers game over, an undeniable wave of support for Clinton breaks. The salaried media says people are tired of this. I find it incredibly refreshing. People are finally speaking out, through their votes. Not for Obama. But for the bigger dream of Change. The two-party system of Democrats and Republicans no longer fits. America is a nation with over 304 million people who must continue to seek representation between two political machines that are directly plugged into Capitalist, Patriarchal, Christian traditions. We are a nation with multiple voices, visions, brains, hearts, and souls. And we are in dire need of MORE political choices, MORE candidates. THIS is change.
A couple days ago, Arianna Huffington wrote a memorably lucid post, shockingly supportive of Clinton’s run for president and its monumental implications:
“[Clinton] has…forever demolished the question mark hovering over the issue many (wrongly, in my opinion) have felt would be a woman candidate’s biggest weakness: the ability to be seen as a plausible commander-in-chief.
It is to her great credit that very shortly into the ’08 race, when you saw Clinton on television, you didn’t think, “Oh, there’s the woman running for president.” That is no small feat for a woman trying to break into a male-dominated arena. So the next time a woman — or two or three — runs for president, it won’t be seen as a novelty act. Because Hillary certainly wasn’t.
Personally, I’d love to see a presidential race in November that allows us to choose between Clinton, Obama, McCain, and Paul. That is not going to happen. But it will. As Arianna writes, the rules of the game have changed:
“Campaigning in Pennsylvania in early April, Clinton compared herself to Philadelphia icon Rocky Balboa. “Let me tell you something,” she said. “When it comes to finishing the fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up.”
The comparison was meant to reinforce her image as a tireless warrior — but it was more accurate and prescient than she intended. Because Rocky actually lost his initial fight with Apollo Creed. After 15 punishing and bloody rounds, he was satisfied just to have gone the distance.
…Even though Rocky didn’t win, he was ultimately seen as a triumphant figure. And that’s how Hillary will be seen too…Hers will have been a game-changing defeat.”
Unlike Arianna (and while we still face a two-party race), I’m not ready to submit to Obama as the democratic nominee. Clinton is still in the ring. So I’m holding out for change.
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