August 1, 2013

McConnell trailing Alison Lundergan Grimes in poll:

@TheAtlanticPOL: Mitch McConnell trailing Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, 45-44
<snip>
Assuming McConnell knocks off Bevin, however, he'll face a second challenge from Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Kentucky secretary of state. A poll by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, conducted for the liberal Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America and out this morning, suggests Grimes will give McConnell a run for his money. Not only is the senator's approval underwater, he also trails Grimes head-to-head:

That follows on previous polls that showed a tight race, though previous ones have never shown her leading. In April, PPP found McConnell leading Grimes 45-41, while a late May poll by the same firm found them tied up at 45. PPP had a stellar record in 2012, despite their partisan affiliation. On the other hand, it's well within the margin of error, and a Republican firm found McConnell up eight points, 48-40, just last week.

But this is the first poll since Grimes' official campaign launch. Her soft launch was widely derided -- when she announced she would run, Grimes didn't even have a website -- but she held a formal event to jump into the race Wednesday.

Back on July 1, Nate Silver examined the race and found McConnell a favorite but not a slam dunk for reelection. But Grimes has the potential to be a formidable candidate, as Dave Catanese pointed out here earlier this month. Though she's only run for office once, she upset a Democratic incumbent and sailed to victory, and her father is a powerhouse in state circles -- and a friend of Bill Clinton's. Poll numbers like this only reinforce how serious McConnell's challenge is.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/08/a-new-poll-suggests-trouble-for-mitch-mcconnell/278257/

Extremely early, but good not to start from way behind.

August 1, 2013

Introducing the first gay couple married in Minnesota:

http://hypervocal.com/news/2013/marriage-minnesota/

@SladeHV: Introducing the FIRST gay couple to be married in Minnesota
Rhode Island and Minnesota officially became the 12th and 13th U.S. states to usher in the Era of Marriage Equality. In Minnesota, adorable and wonderful weddings began just after the stroke of midnight. In Rhode Island, couples had to wait until city offices opened at 8:30 am.

Cathy ten Broeke, right, and Margaret Miles, left, were the first couple to be married, seen here with their five-year-old son Louie. They were married by Reverend James Gertmenian, left, and Mayor R.T. Rybak at the Minneapolis Freedom to Marry Celebration and Weddings.

August 1, 2013

"I would like to retain 'fart in your general direction'"

In August of 1974, eight months prior to its cinema release, a preview screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail—a painfully funny parody of the legend of King Arthur and the Python team’s second feature film—was attended by a member of the British Board of Film Classification, Tony Kerpel, who was there to offer some feedback in relation to its eventual rating. After the credits had rolled, an informal chat took place between Kerpel and one of the film's producers, Mark Forstater, which resulted in this highly amusing letter being sent to fellow producer Michael White a few days later—its subject: dialogue cuts.

Transcript follows.

(Source: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Book), via Jason Permenter; Image above via.)

Transcript
PYTHON (MONTY) PICUTRES LTD
Registered Address: 20 Fitzroy Square, London W1P6BB
Registered Number 1138069 England

August 5th, 1974.

Dear Mike,

The Censor's representative, Tony Kerpel, came along to Friday's screening at Twickenham and he gave us his opinion of the film's probable certificate.

He thinks the film will be AA, but it would be possible, given some dialogue cuts, to make the film an A rating, which would increase the audience. (AA is 14 and over, and A is 5 - 14).

For an 'A' we would have to:

Lose as many shits as possible
Take Jesus Christ out, if possible
Lose "I fart in your general direction"
Lose "the oral sex"
Lose "oh, fuck off"
Lose "We make castanets out of your testicles"

I would like to get back to the Censor and agree to lose the shits, take the odd Jesus Christ out and lose Oh fuck off, but to retain 'fart in your general direction', 'castanets of your testicles' and 'oral sex' and ask him for an 'A' rating on that basis.

Please let me know as soon as possible your attitude to this.

Yours sincerely,
(Signed)
Mark Forstater
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/10/i-would-like-to-retain-fart-in-your.html

Ha!