if i was an author

and i was invited to this festival and i knew they were banning certain books I WOULDN'T GO. period

well then let's be honest I WOULDN'T GO TO DUBAI for any reason any time (but that's not my point)

Geraldine Bedell's novel banned in Dubai because of gay character
Jack Malvern

A book festival in the Middle East that claims to celebrate the “world of books in all its infinite variety” has banned a British author because her novel contains references to homosexuality.

The first International Festival of Literature in Dubai has attracted dozens of world-class authors, including Margaret Atwood and Louis de Bernières, with promises that it will be relaxed, vibrant and diverse. One author has found otherwise.

Geraldine Bedell's book The Gulf Between Us was greeted with enthusiasm by organisers because of its setting in the Middle East, but the mood changed swiftly when they discovered a gay character.

Isobel Abulhoul, director of the festival, wrote to Ms Bedell to tell her that she was not invited. “I do not want our festival remembered for the launch of a controversial book,” she wrote. “If we launched the book and a journalist happened to read it, then you could imagine the political fallout that would follow.” ........

oh and fuck "sir" ranulph fiennes too

.............Sir Ranulph Fiennes said the festival organisers were merely being practical. “I think that if anybody out there wants to establish a festival of some sort, they would be rather stupid to offend the locals in any way.” .........

last palin story (TODAY that is)

yup, just for today. like i mentioned yesterday (or was that today?) i am going to do EVERYTHING within my power to expose this steamin' pile. i don't think mccain could have made a WORSE pick. really, i don't.


When Mayor, Palin Tried to Ban Books From Public Library
Posted by Staff, People For the American Way Foundation

Editor's note: The following is a press release from People For the American Way.

Time Magazine today reports that Alaska Governor, and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, attempted to ban books from her local library as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and then threatened to fire the librarian who stood up to her for not giving "full support" to the mayor. People For the American Way president Kathryn Kolbert issued the following statement:

People can disagree about a lot of things, but censorship is completely beyond the pale. Our democracy was founded on the belief that government shouldn’t tell people what kinds of books to read or what kind of beliefs to hold. No one with that kind of history should be anywhere near the White House. Sarah Palin needs to clarify her stance on freedom of speech immediately, and John McCain needs to explain why he chose a running mate with so little regard for the Constitution........

(please please please click the link above "to ban books" link. it's the complete time magazine article and WELL worth it)