A Model Election Model

BANGOR — Gubernatorial candidate Libby Mitchell ended a recent hourlong evening appearance before the local gay community the same way she ends nearly every campaign event on her schedule. She did not ask her audience members for their vote, their volunteer time, or as much money as they were able to spare.

Instead, she wanted exactly $5, no more, no less, payable only by a certified financial document. Checks could be written not to her campaign fund but to a government account in Augusta. Those who wanted to pay with cash could purchase a prepaid post office money order from a stack Mitchell keeps in her gray leather purse. more

New Show - Brad And The Badunkadunk

Download the Show Here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_March_28_2010.mp3

This week, we feature special guest Jenna, chanteuse and sex educator.  We talk about both. What should we be teaching our kids about sex?  It's Passover, children!  Oy!  It appears that Dave works with members of the Klan.

Music:

The Informants - Crime Scene Queen
Mike Painter and The Family Shakers - El Diablos Smelly Shoes
The Baseball Project - All Future And No Past
Seth Swirsky - Baseball

There's new gear at our store!  http://www.cafepress.com/bedasso
 

New Gear!!!

We whipped up a new logo and slapped it on some stuff. Buy it and show everyone your love for The Stuart Bedasso Show!

Sex Toy Review - Love Lipstick Vibe

I am not sure I would call myself an aficionado of vibrators, but I've tried my share with a fair amount of success.  In that, I mean that a better than average orgasm would follow the use of the vibrating adult toy.  The Love Lipstick Vibe was most definitely a success story as well.  Hooray for female orgasms!  

The Love Lipstick Vibe is  a pocket sized vibrator that looks like a tube of lipstick.  You take it out of it's velveteen pouch, take off the cap, and the movement of twisting the "lipstick" up is what turn the vibrator on with varying speeds as it's turned.  It's not overly noisy, but it would probably be heard through the bathroom door at your in-law's when you need to sneak away for a "quick one."   All in all, it does the job and will travel indiscreetly.  It would be a great gift for the one who travels, especially if it could involve phone sex as well.  Yes, please.

-Melyssa

Book Review - Contesting Patriotism

Contesting Patriotism: Culture, Power, and Strategy in the Peace Movement,
By Lynne Woehrle, Patrick Coy & Gregory Maney
Publisher: Rowman & Littlfield, Inc. 
Hardcover 2008 / Paperpack 2009

This is basically a college class text.  The book explains research done on the communication styles and techniques used by Peace Movement Organizations (PMO’s).  The events focused on are instances of US acts of aggression or incidents that were excuses for such aggression: the Gulf War, daily bombing of Iraq in 1988, Kosovo, 9/11 and the current Iraq War.  There are numerous examples of PMO’s strategies in dealing with the government’s actions.

The book starts off by going through definitions and explanations of the usage of four kinds of oppositional knowledge (against mainstream propaganda):

1. Create Oppositional Knowledge – the authors acknowledge that putting general oppositional knowledge into the public discussion is not overly effective, but that it does chip away at the dominant culture.
2. Critical-Interpretive Oppositional Knowledge – explains alternate meanings rather than outright contradict dominant discourse.
3. Radical-Envisioning Oppositional Knowledge – ways to describe the characteristics of and how to achieve a radical democratic future.
4. Transformative-Oppositional Culture – shows how grassroots democracy / public action can change society.

The next section of the book explains the two ways of using these kinds of Oppositional Knowledge; to challenge hegemony or to harness hegemony.  They authors discuss the pros and cons of trying to do both and argue that the PMO’s use of both have been situational. 

The next three chapters exhibit PMO’s use of Oppositional Knowledge in the context of:

• Using & defending against emotions.
• Religion
• Race, class & gender

It is the last part of the book that I found to be the most disappointing.  I was hoping for the authors to tie all of this up and give ideas on what SHOULD be done.  The title of this section even alludes to the present and future.  But the authors’ suggestions were few. 

I’m not saying that this book is a waste of time, just the opposite.  But it is really necessary for the following groups of people:

1. Any students in the classes that the authors use the book in.
2. Leaders and want-to-be leaders in PMO’s.
3. Leaders and want-to-be leaders in ANY progressive organization and any level.  There are some concepts and definitions that would help any leader in a progressive organization. 

But there are some weaknesses that bugged me while reading this book.  Well, maybe “weakness” isn’t the right word.  There were things I really wanted the authors to address, but didn’t.

*I know this is the publisher’s fault, but the title of the book is misleading.  Yes, I can make the connection, but the phrase “Contesting Patriotism” isn’t an accurate reflection of the focus of the book.  I actually asked to review the book based on the title and an interview I heard with Patrick Coy.

*I didn’t see the connection between the research and the analysis presented.  I may have missed it and if I did then it should have been expanded.  There seems to be an assumption that this relatively large number of PMO’s made conscious decisions to situationally change rhetorical tactics.  They don’t claim this to be done in conjunction with one another, but there’s no discussion on how this many of PMO’s reacted in a way that is explained by the authors’ definitions of Oppositional Knowledge and strategies against hegemony.

*This may not be the purpose of the work, but there is little that addresses the effectiveness of the techniques used by the PMO’s.  There is a little mention of the difficulty people with alternative viewpoints have in talking to the mainstream, but more analysis on the effectiveness of what these PMO’s did would make a more interesting and useful read to me.

*Connected to this, due to the complicity of the mainstream media and other corporate entities, the book needs to look more into the effect of these on what PMO’s did and their effectiveness.

What should happen next?
Either the authors or someone else should take the explanations in the first part of the book with examples from the second part of the book with the research in appendacies and create an easy-to-use primer on organizing for the peace movement and/or any progressive issue.  There are some works that address this, but not while using this research.  In fact, that should be the main purpose of the research of Woehrle, Coy & Maney.   

-Dave

New Show - Brandon Is Gay

Download the Show Here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_March_21_2010.mp3

Melyssa puts Brandon in the closet and Dave outs him. Empire Labs is our new hero. If you're not going to buy our stuff, buy theirs. The Backyard Mongooses should be taken out and shot. Seriously. Melyssa's bringing the sexy on date night. Get out your beach towels, boys. The great weight loss competition at work heats up. Dave reviews the book, Contesting Patriotism. Hear the review on the show or go to the website to see the written, more complete, non-drunk version.

Music:

Milton Wright - Get No Lovin' Tonight
Chumbawamba - Dance, Idiot, Dance
Joe Bonamassa - Steal Your Heart Away
The Chieftians ft. Ry Cooder - La Iguana

Sex Toy Review - Vibrating Panties

The vibrating panty come in a satin satchel, complete with adjustable panty, egg shaped 3-speed vibrator with antennae, remote control, and two batteries. The vibrator fits nicely in a small pouch in the front of the panty. In my opinion, the vibrating panty is great for one night of fun, but not necessarily in bed. Sure, it would be perfectly fine to use in a traditional way, and some may even get-off with the speed set to high. However, I would recommend the big-guns for that and designate the vibrating panty to the simply “fun” category. As an example: put the panty on and hand the remote to your partner before going to a party. He/she can turn you on and off at will. The vibrator is quiet enough not to be noticed in a noisy area. It tickles more than seriously stimulates, so the two of you can have a secret laugh. Come prepared with the extra battery because it doesn’t last that long. I would give the vibrating panty one enthusiastic thumbs up and suggest it as a great gift for a gal with a sense of humor.  -Cousin Jill


[Ed Note: the audio review of this is hilarious!  Check it out here.]

New Show - Rhymes With Nantucket

Download the Show Here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_March_14_2010.mp3

We are family! The clan gets together for a podcast you won't forget. Nina Alvarez does a phone interview about 4X1 Haiti campaign. Ten dollars for some amazing poetry and to help kids in Haiti. Basically, you're a douchebag if you don't get a book. We also learn what "handling" in postage and handling means. The Vagina Monologues is finally over. Dave may never be the same again. Sex Toy Reviews! Melyssa and Cousin Jill (a different Jill) review the Lipstick Vibe and Vibrating Panties. You will NOT be disappointed. Aunt Marcy puts her two cents in as well...in a good way.

Music:

Brenda and the Tabulations - Who's Loving You
Them Crooked Vultures - Caligulove
Venice Gas House Trolley - Brain Cells Are Invisible
The Wet Spots - I'd Like To Come

Go to http://readrilke.com/4x1forhaiti to buy Nina's book and help Haitian kids!

All The Ladies In The House

Holy Crap!  It's a Sausage Fest in California!

New Show - Bacon Porter And Other Bad Ideas

Download the Show Here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_March_7_2010.mp3

Adam and Brian from Keglines are back for another round. This week, it's all about the Irish or at least that's the intention. Get three guys and a bunch of beer in the room and there tends to be a lot of distractions. Dave's new housewarming gift is a big hit. Make sure you go to www.stuartbedasso.com to see them. We play music from the only band that practices in a dildo factory. Can you figure out which one? Hint: It rhymes with Bellatest.

Music:

Vellarest - Burnside Bender
Gil-Scot Heron - I'm New Here
Too Much Joy - King of Beers
Gang Starr - Beyond Comprehension

New Show - The Vagina Show

Download the Show Here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bedasso/TSBS_February_28_2010.mp3

This week, Stephanie and Patty from this year's Vagina Monologues joins us to talk about the show, their roles in it and other stuff about the Vag.  Rochester Peeps: don't forget about this year's Vagina Monologues, Saturday, March 13th.  Proceeds go to help the Rochester Rape Crisis Center and to stop rape in the Congo.  Great show for a great cause.  You can get tickets online at http://www.ppaction.org/ppnys/events/tvm_tickets/details.tcl  We also get a live update on the Hawaiian Tsunami watch by our own Jill, live via cel phone! Sounds like Jill's had some magic...uh...beer.

Music:

Stag Party in London - Rim Ram Roo
Matisse - She Bop
Primus - Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
XTC - Pink Thing
The Wet Spots - Labia Limbo
Ed McMahon - Thank Heaven For Little Girls