Theo's Pic Dump

A nice photo roundup, at Theo Spark's.

Jennifer Delacruz's Sunny Hot Sunday Forecast

Today's forecast, from last night, with the lovely Ms. Jennifer.

At ABC News 10 San Diego:

Paul Krugman: 'Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies'!

It thought this was a Photoshop at first, but no. It's a legit headline at NYT.

(See Memeorandum.)

Michelle tweeted:

Every unhinged Krugman column, every week #EvergreenNYTOpedHeadlines==> pic.twitter.com/TbhHVsNW1I

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) October 15, 2017

Rose McGowan, Brave

She's got a book coming out next year, and this is one I definitely want to read. She's a fascinating woman.

At Amazon, Rose McGowan, Brave.

"My life, as you will read, has taken me from one cult to another. BRAVE is the story of how I fought my way out of these cults and reclaimed my life. I want to help you do the same." - Rose McGowan

A revealing memoir and empowering manifesto from one of the most provocative voices of our generation—millennial icon; star of the hit television show Charmed; indie hero; lead actress, musician; award-winning director; and feminist whistleblowing badass Rose McGowan.

Rose was born in one cult and came of age in another, more visible cult: Hollywood. Born and raised in the Italian chapter of the Children of God, she escaped through a cornfield at night, moved to the states, and ran away at thirteen. She lived a transient punk lifestyle on and off the streets until she was "discovered" on a curb in Los Angeles and became one of Hollywood’s most desired actresses overnight.

In a strange world where she was constantly on display, fame soon became a personal nightmare of constant exposure and sexualization. Rose escaped in the world of her mind, something she had done as a child, and into high profile relationships. Every detail of her personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently sexist industry emerged with every script, role, public appearance, and magazine cover. The Hollywood machine packaged her as a sexualized bombshell, hi-jacking her image and identity and marketing them for their profit.

They expected Rose to be silent and cooperative and to stay the path. Instead, she rebelled and asserted her true identity and voice. She re-emerged unscripted, courageous, victorious, angry, smart, fierce, unapologetic, controversial, and real as f*ck.

BRAVE is her raw, honest, and poignant memoir/manifesto—a no-holds-barred, pull-no-punches account of the rise of a star, fearless activist, and unstoppable force for change who is determined to expose the truth about the entertainment industry, dismantle the concept of fame, shine a light on a multi-billion-dollar business built on systemic misogyny, and empower people everywhere to wake up and be BRAVE.

Sofia Coppola See-Through

She's an attractive woman, I've always thought.

At Taxi Driver, "Sofia Coppola No Bra in See-Through Gown."

BONUS: "Marnie Simpson Braless in See-Through Black Dress."

Feminist Attorney Lisa Bloom 'Regrets' Representing Harvey Weinstein

Now she regrets it? Don't they all. Total shame. Total, complete, epic shame on this woman.

Now that it's all blown up, Lisa Bloom wishes she hadn't defended Harvey Weinstein. https://t.co/DHcKAunD1h

— Byron York (@ByronYork) October 14, 2017

Breaking: Lisa Bloom, who calls self "fighter for justice," tried to secretly undermine women speaking re Weinstein. https://t.co/yXbUk0R3sf pic.twitter.com/9mxAy7NXug

— jodikantor (@jodikantor) October 7, 2017

We are too angry with each other as a nation. The most I've seen in my 56 years. I hope I will always remember this experience and be kind.

— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) October 10, 2017

Nice Bikini

Seen on Twitter:

@buquet1000 @Stacey_poolefan @teo_campa @rubberdom @LoveLucyP pic.twitter.com/LeUZxSfma1

— @catch34 (@CatchHD) October 11, 2017

Rams Players Have 'Anthem Fatigue'

You think?

Following-up, "Roger Goodell Won't Require Players Stand for National Anthem."

Here's Lindsey Thiry, on Twitter:

Talked to a couple of players in the Rams locker room who said "Anthem fatigue" has set in, that the message has been lost, and that the focus should shift to football.

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) October 11, 2017

Roger Goodell Won't Require Players Stand for National Anthem

What a disgrace.

Goodell's a coward and the league will to lose out. I quit watching the NFL. I watched one Rams game to give the league a chance, but I'd rather watch baseball and college football. Pfft.

At Instapundit, "HE CHOSE…POORLY: NFL Commissioner Caves to Players, Will Not Require Standing for Anthem."

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The Stunning, Rapid Crash of Hollywood Rapist Harvey Weinstein

It was rapid alright, but what's so stunning is that he was able to assault, harass, and rape women for so long.

At LAT, "Harvey Weinstein went from power player to pariah in less than a week. Here's how it happened":

Harvey Weinstein went from power player to pariah in less than a week. Here's how it happened https://t.co/QOap7J8D9H pic.twitter.com/nEKvbAX3EH

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 13, 2017

Has there ever been a faster fall than that of independent film kingpin Harvey Weinstein? For years, rumors of sexual impropriety and harassment dogged him but his power in Hollywood appeared to render him unassailable. Through Miramax Films and the Weinstein Co. he won countless awards while turning actors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck and filmmakers such as Michael Moore and Quentin Tarantino into household names. At the Oscars, he was thanked more often than God.

Then in one fell swoop the “open secret” of his abuses became secret no longer. The New York Times and the New Yorker broke stories in which more than a dozen women detailed behavior that ranged from harassment to rape. Dozens of actresses and other Hollywood insiders quickly joined the chorus of allegations while numerous celebrities and politicians reacted to the scandal. Here’s a complete rundown of the developments:

MARCH 31, 2015
Unnamed model accuses Weinstein of sexual assault

A sexual assault complaint is filed against Weinstein in New York City. The alleged victim is a 22-year-old Italian model, whose name was not given at the time but was later revealed to be Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. The claim alleges that Weinstein groped her at the Tribeca Film Center after they had been in a meeting.

OCT. 6, 2015
Ashley Judd accuses an unnamed mogul of sexual harassment

The actress reveals that at the time she was making the 1997 film “Kiss the Girls” she was sexually harassed by someone she calls one of the industry’s “most famous, admired-slash-reviled bosses.” Judd alleges that he pressured her to join him in his hotel room and ultimately asked her to watch him take a shower. Two years later, Judd names the mogul.

OCT. 13, 2016
Rose McGowan refers to an unnamed film distributor as a ‘rapist’

Responding to a trending hashtag #WhyWomenDontReport, the actress — who appeared in Weinstein projects including “Scream” and “Grindhouse” — makes the accusation without using any names, although it later comes to light that it was intended for Weinstein.

OCT. 4, 2017
Weinstein lawyers up in anticipation of stories

Word leaks out that the New Yorker and the New York Times are preparing stories about Weinstein’s alleged misconduct when it becomes public that he has hired a virtual army of lawyers and crisis managers to fight the reports. The team includes attorney David Boies, the controversial Lisa Bloom (also the daughter of Gloria Allred), and Charles Harder, who famously won Hulk Hogan’s invasion of privacy trial case against the Gawker website. Weinstein preemptively denies any accusations, telling the Hollywood Reporter, "The story sounds so good, I want to buy the movie rights."

OCT. 5, 2017
The New York Times publishes its report

Hollywood is shaken when the New York Times report is published, stating that Weinstein has had a long history of sexual misconduct over the last two decades and has settled eight separate alleged sexual harassment cases. Among the numerous actresses and employees involved in the allegations are Judd, who names Weinstein as her attacker, and McGowan.

Weinstein announces a leave of absence

After issuing a statement reading, in part, “I so respect all women and regret what happened,” Weinstein announced he’d be taking a leave of absence from the Weinstein Co. effective immediately.

Hollywood begins to respond

Performers, news anchors and creative types, including Lena Dunham, Gretchen Carlson, Jenni Konner, Jake Tapper and others, begin to take to social media to condemn Weinstein, although his most famous collaborators and political allies largely remain silent. McGowan tweets without using his name...

More.

I admire Rose McGowan, but a lot of the other women coming forward are part of the problem. Hollywood hypocrites. Ashley Judd? Give me a break, pfft.

Rose McGowan Escaped a Polygamy Cult When She Was Nine-Years-Old

Man, this woman's got a history.

I really like her, although while she claims she's ambiguous about being sexualized by Hollywood, no one forces you to pose nearly nude on the cover of Rolling Stone?

In any case, she's a good lady in my book. It takes a lot of courage to speak out, and it's a considerable risk, since she signed a nondisclosure agreement with Weinstein. (No doubt he'll be having lots of lawsuits to be dealing with, and I'd bet by this point Ms. Rose just doesn't give a fuck either way.)

At the Los Angeles Times, "No one took Rose McGowan’s claims seriously. Now everyone is listening":

Well before the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke, Rose McGowan was already, in her words, a “feminist whistleblowing badass.”

For months, the actress had warned of a powerful Hollywood figure who had allegedly raped her. She railed against a casting call that asked her to wear a tight tank top “that shows off cleavage (push up bras encouraged).” She was subsequently dropped by her talent agency, and tweeted: “I just got fired by my wussy acting agent because I spoke up.”

Few people took notice. Many dismissed them as the rantings of an actress relegated to the fringes of Hollywood. Now, in the wake of Weinstein’s spectacular fall from grace, everyone is listening to Rose McGowan.

As multiple women have come forward with stories of sexual assault and harassment by the embattled studio head, McGowan has emerged as the fiery voice and unexpected heroine of a movement that has swept beyond Weinstein and beyond the entertainment industry.

In a series of sharply worded tweets, she has targeted other powerful media figures, circulated a petition calling on the Weinstein Co. to dissolve its board and urged women to speak up and fight back against sexual harassment.

“All of you Hollywood 'A-list' golden boys are LIARS,” she tweeted Tuesday.

“You lie,” she told Ben Affleck, alleging that the actor had known about Weinstein’s behavior for years. She attacked NBC, which quoted Weinstein saying he hoped for a second chance, for “being complicit in rape culture.” She demanded that Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, whose Amazon Studios has worked with Weinstein, “stop funding rapists, alleged pedo[phile]s and sexual harassers.”

Her crusade has resonated with women, who have used the hashtag #ROSEARMY to share their own stories online.

“She's been raising this red flag for a long time,” said Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and co-executive director of women’s advocacy group UltraViolet. “Everything about this story, every positive thing that will come of it, is a direct result of Rose and the other survivors being willing to come forward.”

Actress Stephanie Allynne, who stars on the Amazon show “One Mississippi,” said McGowan’s “energy and approach speaks to my soul.”

“I’m so with her,” she said. “It’s not a bunch of safe, well-constructed statements that are just a snoozefest — it’s anger, passion and justice. I love how she is naming names.”

Those who know McGowan, 44, described her as a strong-willed, passionate individual unafraid of authority or the status quo.

“She has one of the strongest voices I know,” Alyssa Milano, who co-starred with McGowan on the WB series “Charmed,” told The Times. “I am so proud of the resolve and leadership Rose has shown throughout this vile situation.”

McGowan declined to be interviewed, but in a 2015 Buzzfeed profile, she said: “I was born with a fist up.”

She was, in fact, born into an unconventional situation: Her parents were members of the polygamous Children of God cult, and McGowan was raised in the cult’s Italy chapter until escaping through a cornfield when she was 9. After moving to the U.S., she ran away at 13 and lived a transient punk lifestyle until she was “discovered” on a curb in Los Angeles.

McGowan is perhaps best known as the petite, raven-haired actress who played Paige Matthews for five seasons on “Charmed,” which ended in 2006. She made waves in 1998 when she wore one of the most memorable red carpet outfits ever to the MTV VMAs: a barely-there beaded dress with a leopard G-string. Her boyfriend at the time, goth rocker Marilyn Manson, coordinated with a shiny leopard-print suit.

Still, she struggled with that seductive image. In her upcoming memoir, “Brave,” McGowan details her life as a young Hollywood starlet grappling with the “personal nightmare of constant exposure.”

“The Hollywood machine packaged her as a sexualized bombshell, hijacking her image and identity and marketing them for their profit,” according to publisher HarperOne. “Hollywood expected Rose to be silent and cooperative and to stay the path. Instead, she rebelled and asserted her true identity and voice.”

That voice is finally being heard. McGowan has received an outpouring of support and admiration in the entertainment industry, including from Jessica Chastain, Mark Ruffalo, Lena Dunham and Amber Tamblyn, who tweeted: “I see you. We all do.”

In a follow-up interview with The Times, Tamblyn said, “Now that we have collectively spoken, we can never go back.”

McGowan even sparked a 24-hour Twitter boycott among women and a slew of celebrities on Friday, after the microblogging platform temporarily suspended her account the day before for violating its rules. Twitter later explained that the suspension was because McGowan had tweeted someone’s phone number.

Within a few hours, McGowan’s account was reinstated and she continued her rapid-fire tweets, a move that UltraViolet’s Thomas called “strategically valuable.”

I've the bold and italics above.

More here.

Orhan Pamuk, Snow

A winner of the Nobel Prize in literature.

At Amazon, Orhan Pamuk, Snow.

An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness of American Literary Prose

It's B.R. Myers, at the Atlantic, from 2001, "A Reader's Manifesto."

I found it interesting in that he skewers Cormac McCarthy as one of his targets of bloated prose.

But frankly, I rather enjoyed Blood Meridian. It's a cool book, heh.

Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Never Caught

I'm surprised I'm just finding out about this book just now. It came out in February.

At Amazon, Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge.

Kate Upton Irresistibles (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.

Lisa Kennedy Montgomery: Gwyneth Paltrow Is a 'Complicit Fraud' in #HarveyWeinstein Allegations (VIDEO)

It's Kennedy, at Fox Business channel, via Instapundit, "MOST OF THEM ARE. IT’S A ROTTEN SYSTEM FULL OF ROTTEN PEOPLE: Gwyneth Paltrow is a ‘complicit fraud’ in Weinstein allegations: Kennedy. And deep down, they know it, which is why they try so hard to posture as morally superior."

The YouTube video is here. Maybe Weinstein will get some "jail-style justice," heh: "Harvey Weinstein will hopefully end up in jail: Kennedy."

.@KennedyNation How many victims were minted while actors and politicians all sat on their manicured hands with their mouths sewn shut? pic.twitter.com/E002wpAUFA

— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) October 12, 2017

Heh: NBC/BuzzFeed-Style Journalism

From Stephen Green, at Instapundit, "JOURNALISM, NBC/BUZZFEED-STYLE: “Controversy Framing” and the “SQUIRREL! Distraction,” Explained."

Shop Today

Thanks for your support everybody!

It's a challenge to keep this blog humming during the teaching semester, but I appreciate the readership, and if you're shopping through my Amazon links, a big hearty thanks once again.

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Lissy Cunningham in White

Here she is from 2015, "Rule 5 Sunday."

And on Twitter in September:

Some a little more innocent but #peachy 🤣🍑💋#blonde #model pic.twitter.com/AjBWF1dBp4

— Lissy (@LissyC5) September 29, 2017