This election season, the Romney/Ryan campaign has engaged in everything from subtle manipulation to all-out, balls-to-the-wall fuckery of a previously unseen caliber. I’ve enjoyed following the Romney/Ryan campaign as an act of political absurdist theater, or a long sketch comedy show about someone who wishes they got paid more to be a douchebag.via Autostraddle — Lest We Forget: Five Of The Most Recently Reported Reasons Romney and Ryan Suck
(via autostraddle)
![Fortress America: How the U.S. Designs its Embassies
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo is an unusual building.
For one thing, as you can see in the center photo above, it’s over 10 stories high — most embassies are much shorter. For another, it’s right in the middle of downtown Cairo, in a posh area called Garden City, a stone’s throw from the Nile and a short walk from Tahrir Square.
On normal days, this prominent location underscores that the U.S. is an engaged and important presence in Egyptian affairs. This past week, it made the building a quickly accessible assembly point for protesters and the site of a violent stand-off.
Issues like these are the subject of serious debate in the world of embassy design, where architects try to construct buildings that will, in good times and bad, represent American values while they withstand the force of bombs. For the people who build embassies, that’s a difficult balance, and one that has shifted many times in the last few decades between two competing schools of thought: isolation and civic engagement.
Read more. [Images: State Department/SOM]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mai3iiAZxt1qcokc4o1_500.jpg)
Fortress America: How the U.S. Designs its Embassies
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo is an unusual building.
For one thing, as you can see in the center photo above, it’s over 10 stories high — most embassies are much shorter. For another, it’s right in the middle of downtown Cairo, in a posh area called Garden City, a stone’s throw from the Nile and a short walk from Tahrir Square.
On normal days, this prominent location underscores that the U.S. is an engaged and important presence in Egyptian affairs. This past week, it made the building a quickly accessible assembly point for protesters and the site of a violent stand-off.
Issues like these are the subject of serious debate in the world of embassy design, where architects try to construct buildings that will, in good times and bad, represent American values while they withstand the force of bombs. For the people who build embassies, that’s a difficult balance, and one that has shifted many times in the last few decades between two competing schools of thought: isolation and civic engagement.
Read more. [Images: State Department/SOM]
The thing I like about this feature from 1942 is the hint that Triceratops are doing their part for the defense of America.
(via postcardsfromspace)
All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.Harvey Milk
(via amayathepapaya)
We were detained at the airport as always. For 1 1/2 hours. It was nice. It always happens when I come to America. Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself I take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom. They (immigration officials) always ask me how tall I am, and I always lie and say 5 feet 10 inches. Next time I am going to get more adventurous. (If they ask me) ‘What color are you,’ I am going to say white.
Bollywood superstar SHAH RUKH KHAN, addressing a group of students at Yale University. Khan was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers for more than an hour at White Plains Airport in Westchester County, NY.
In 2009, Khan — who is Muslim — had also been detained by federal officials at Newark Airport while on his way to promote a film… about racial profiling of Muslims after 9/11.
American embassy officials in New Delhi issued an apology; U.S. CBP officials wouldn’t discuss the case, because, you know, why discuss racial profiling if you don’t have to?
You should have to.
The report, called the U.S. Education Reform and National Security report, argues for treating education as a national-security issue, noting that deficiencies in areas like foreign languages hold back America’s capacity to produce soldiers, diplomats and spies. It calls for increased standards, accountability and school choice — charter schools and vouchers — to increase America’s international educational standing.
Does this mean we’ll spend over a trillion dollars on education over the next decade?
Schools Report: Failing To Prepare Students Hurts National Security, Prosperity
Amber Weiss, physician assistant, and Sharon Papo, social worker, with Skyler, 11-month-old
So you two were already married before today?
Sharon: We got married on June 17, 2008, the first day we could be legally wed in San Francisco. We came to New York to celebrate liberty and justice.And how did you celebrate?
We passed out eight-inch Statue of Liberties that had rainbow sashes, rainbow lollipops, and little cards that said “Congratulations … Thank you for being love warriors … ”What was the response?
At first people thought we were trying to sell them something. But I think they were very touched that we were just here to celebrate. I was surprised there weren’t more Statue of Liberties walking around. It felt like an important part of all this.Want more? Meet the newlyweds!
(via vertebraiding)
