Essays, Interviews, Observations, Pop Culture, Stories, and other Dodginess

Posts from the “Satire” Category

WXRT pens “Christmas China Girl”

Posted on December 20, 2013

Because David Bowie wouldn’t do it Chicago’s WXRT-FM/93.1 can’t get enough of the China Girl. The song was released by David Bowie on his 1983 smash hit album “Let’s Dance” and reached No. 2 on the U.K. singles chart and No. 10 on Billboard. Since then it’s become the most widely played song on “Chicago’s Finest Rock,” sometimes airing three times per hour. During the last few years, however, ‘XRT has encountered a problem – during its seasonal “Holiday Nights” in which the station plays all Yule tunes every night of the 12 days leading up to Christmas –  hours worth of music were devoid of “China Girl.” The station tried to convince Bowie to pen a holiday version of the song, but his…

United Arab Emirates Changes Rape Law

Posted on July 22, 2013

“It could have been worse. She could have claimed she was raped by a bottle of alcohol” – United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan The United Arab Emirates has changed its rape law in the wake of a high profile case involving a Norwegian woman’s sexual assault claim in a Dubai hotel. Previously, the law stated rapists can only be convicted if either the perpetrator confesses or if four adult Muslim males witnessed the crime. Under the new law a rapist can be convicted if he confesses or the crime is witnessed by two adult Muslim males, a monkey, and “a guy in a wizard’s hat.” Marte Deborah Dalelv was recently pardoned after being sentenced to 16 months in…

In Indiana, Boom Go the Fireworks!

Posted on June 20, 2013

The city of Gary has announced that all vacant buildings will be used to sell fireworks. Some will operate through July 4 while others will remain open year-round. In other news, neighboring Hobart says its opening a new fireworks store on Route 30 inside one of its existing fireworks stores. “Hoosiers were calling for this,” said Hobart spokesman Dan Trillo. The Indiana General Assembly just convened an emergency session where it will allow all liquor stores, closed on Sundays by law, to be open on Sunday strictly to sell fireworks. “No Miller Lite for you, but feel free to purchase Cherry Bombs, Roman Candles and shells,” state Sen. Randolph Gerry said. Indiana is embracing itself as the Fireworks State. Back to Gary, the city…