Saturday, August 11, 2012

Riot Grrrls

Vladimir Putin is, to put it simply, a badass. He's a former KGB agent, an imposing physical presence, a man who cultivates an intensity and mien of intimidation. His Wikipedia entry suggests that he flies military jets, engages in martial arts, tranquilizes tigers and polar bears, rides motor bikes, drives race cars, shoots darts at whales, scuba dives, and plays ice hockey, not necessarily all at the same time. (For Dave, I note that I had Putin's visage in my head as I imagined how Sokolov looked in Neal Stephenson's REAMDE.)

And yet, with all that, like men from time immemorial, he finds himself confounded and at least a little bit scared of the indomitable passion of a group of unreasonable women. (Unreasonable used in the most approving manner, in this case.)

Pussy Riot are a punk band/performance art collective made up of ten or so women, a group whose made it their business to protest the current state of Russian political affairs, bringing them into direct conflict with Putin - a type of conflict his typically direct style seems somewhat ill-equipped to manage, at least from the perspective of public relations.

Several members of the band were arrested in March after a particularly provocative performance at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Their subsequent harsh treatment at the hands of the state has made them a cause celebre, with human rights activists, governments, and the obligatory posturing Madonnas and Bjorks of the world standing in solidarity.


And so on the one hand we have the the patriarchy heavy handedly enforcing its hegemony, while women once again appear to be the saner and more patient sex. As it was in the beginning, so shall it be for a while longer.

Still think I prefer the Sex Pistols, though.


In case your Russian is a bit rusty, here are the lyrics:

 St. Maria, Virgin, Drive away Putin
Drive away! Drive away Putin!
(end chorus)

Black robe, golden epaulettes
All parishioners are crawling and bowing
The ghost of freedom is in heaven
Gay pride sent to Siberia in chains

The head of the KGB is their chief saint
Leads protesters to prison under escort
In order not to offend the Holy
Women have to give birth and to love

Holy shit, shit, Lord's shit!
Holy shit, shit, Lord's shit!

(Chorus)
St. Maria, Virgin, become a feminist
Become a feminist, Become a feminist
(end chorus)

Church praises the rotten dictators
The cross-bearer procession of black limousines
In school you are going to meet with a teacher-preacher
Go to class - bring him money!

Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin
Bitch, you better believed in God
Belt of the Virgin is no substitute for mass-meetings
In protest of our Ever-Virgin Mary!

(Chorus)
St. Maria, Virgin, Drive away Putin
Drive away! Drive away Putin!
(end chorus)

72 comments:

zman said...

Rhythmic gymnasts are cool.

rob said...

hanging with tr again, zman?

zman said...

Alas no. zwoman went to meet zsister-in-law at the finish line to help scrape the sewage off of her. I am hanging with zson.

Danimal said...

Z....# of siz?

zman said...

Dunno. Currently #318 woman according to zwoman.

zman said...

Norway has some outstanding handballing ladies.

Danimal said...

Bib#

zman said...

She eats without a bib.

zman said...

I think it's 524.

rob said...

danimal's zstalking

Danimal said...

So I take it you are not tracking her. Caring and interested brother that you are.
I see that a NYC triathlon has claimed yet another life.

zman said...

+It is indeed 524. She's my zsister-in-law. zsister would only enter a triathlon of drinking.

Clarence said...

Putin. heh heh

Clarence said...

And Rob, you already know this: if you want real punk rock, the Pistols were the flash, but the only band that mattered was The Clash.

Danimal said...

rain coming down like a cow peeing on a flat rock. which means direct tv is out. during pga coverage. was already surly.

rob said...

pga is suspended, danimal. because they heard you couldn't watch.

rob said...

and clarence, for my money, the clash are far beyond just punk.

Dave said...

best punk band ever is "the minutemen."

sentence of dave is google #1 for the phrase "water polo is boring."

zman said...

Johnathan Stewart got $22.5 million in guaranteed money?!? Barnwell will have a field day with this.

TR said...

Stewart is 100% of Comedy Central's cache.

This song is terrible. I think they were jailed for failing sonically.

Sex Pistols are not good. Clash is very good.

Danimal may care that I'm playing Arrowhead in Denver tomorrow. I may get to see the Aurora theater on my way from the airport to the course.

Check in with you all next week. I may have a review of Shotgun Willie's in Denver. Google it.

T.J. said...

TR has been drinking.

As have I.

Game on, fuckers.

T.J. said...

Just did an hour beer and bacon tasting...4 bacon dishes, 4 Flying Dog beers. Good times.

T.J. said...

good lord the wife has some horrendous Katherine Heigl movie on and even the earphones can't keep the suck out of my ear

Mr KQ said...

1990 USA Rugby Final Four National Championships held in Denver. Our hotel in walking distance of Shotgun Willie's. Old Blues of CA score a 79th minute try against us to complete a huge comeback win.

I blame Willie. And Krystal. And Candi.

T.J. said...

the google image search for TR's recommendation are, um, interesting...

zman said...

TR must be drunk because he texted me that he thinks my wife is pretty. Which is nice of him to say. za-in-law is done I think.

zman said...

Which is not to say that my wife isn't pretty (love you if you're reading this) but its not a normal text to get from a male friend.

Danimal said...

long day out there....good for her.

TR said...

It was a joke, in that it came from my wife's phone. Long story. Short version is Pig Roast in Chatham in September.

rob said...

tr actually thinks zwife is a pig? that's not very cool.

zman said...

A pretty pig though.

rob said...

cute little porker, indeed

Mark said...

You guys have been busy today. I'm about to start drinking so hopefully I can contribute.

zman said...

Qiu is pronounced "choo"?

zman said...

I'm convinced that all Olympic events where judges give out scores are fixed.

zman said...

Eli and Deion are fairies?

T.J. said...

Chad Johnson...ugh...

Mark said...

I've felt that way about most judged Olympic events since Roy Jones Jr. got jobbed in Seoul in '88.

zman said...

Cadillacs are suddenly interesting.

zman said...

As ate Russian high jumpers.

zman said...

I need to get a lipstick kiss mark tattooed on my neck.

Mark said...

Just don't get it covered up like Kenyon did.

Mark said...

I am highly tattooed. They are covered during my workday. I met with a woman yesterday who had a blatant neck tattoo showing and didn't seem to care in any way that is was visible. Not gonna lie, it threw for a minute.

zman said...

Someone should tell Bill Bennett that presidential elections are decided on a state-by-state basis.

mayhugh said...

Early on the Spanish are crushing the US men in the swarthiness category.

USA defense is pillowy soft right now, a lot of running by ball fakes and missed rebounds. But it doesn't hurt that they are shooting the lights out.

rob said...

why are we losing? this is unacceptable.

zman said...

Swarthiness is underrated. Ibaka doesn't sound like a Spanish to me.

mayhugh said...

Marc Gasol has 4 fouls. With 5:30 left in the second quarter.

Danimal said...

Anyone know what the line on this game was?

mayhugh said...

Spain is also winning in fouling. US is weathering it nicely. i like their composure so far.

mayhugh said...

CBS says the line is 21.

mayhugh said...

This game is being officiated very differently from every other game in this tournament.

rob said...

the line was 21? that's preposterous. spain is good and reasonably deep.

mayhugh said...

http://www.cbssports.com/olympics/blog/eye-on-olympics/19777929/team-usa-favored-by-21-points-over-spain-in-gold-medal-match

Spain is averaging in the 70's, US averaging over 100 for the Games. I think that was all the analysis that was performed.

Danimal said...

Kevin Love's free throw trajectory is that of a Tiger 3-wood stinger. Amirightamirightoramiright?

zman said...

Alexi Schved!

zman said...

I accidentally killed one of my shrubberies whilst spraying poison ivy killing spray. Ironically, the poison ivy continues to thrive.

mayhugh said...

Love has been the biggest asset in the first half for the US. Spain is not turning the ball over; if they can sustain that this game is going to be tight till the end.

Danimal said...

Props to our guys for not going absolutely apeshit after that flagrant call.

mayhugh said...

More irritating Spaniard: Rudy Fernandez or Juan Carlos Navarro?

zman said...

Doc's barber was not prepared for an HD close up interview.

Danimal said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GiWIbEI6GU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Some halftime entertainment for ya....always makes me laugh.

rob said...

give the ball to durant, melo!

mayhugh said...

US/Chris Paul hulking up.

mayhugh said...

Fuck you Rudy Fernandez.

mayhugh said...

Seriously though, Rudy is the master of killing USA momentum with deliberate fouls.

Danimal said...

I heart Chris Paul

mayhugh said...

USA made that last 45 seconds interesting.

zman said...

69th comment.

Mark said...

I too heart Chris Paul. He was great in the 4th.

Danimal said...

Rachel Maddow is angry

rob said...

stupid new post up. feel free to use it to comment on the pga.