NY Post

An army of models, carousers and beautiful creatures of the night is being lined up for a lavish private masquerade ball for a Saudi prince at the Top of the Standard tonight. Sources tell us, “There will be a big birthday party for the Saudi prince, and they are closing out the entire Boom Boom Room for him. Casting calls went out to modeling agencies, particularly asking for the most beautiful Russian girls.” Among the 400 guests expected at the Meatpacking District bash — listed as a costume party “hosted by Saud” with a “black-tie dress code recommended but not mandatory” — are Justin Timberlake, Swizz Beatz and Usher. Along with the fancy invite, guests are also given a helpful history of masquerade balls (which is sure to be avidly digested by the models). It reads, “Masquerade balls were costumed public festivities that were particularly popular in Venice. They were generally elaborate dances held for members of the upper classes . . . Masquerade balls became common throughout mainland Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. A Swiss count is credited with having introduced the Venetian fashion of a semipublic masquerade ball to London in the 18th century, with the first being held at Haymarket Opera House. Throughout the century the dances became popular, both in England, then colonial America.” Meanwhile, we’re told a large young Saudi contingent has gathered at the Plaza Hotel in preparation for tonight’s big bash.

Atrios

Comfort
12,000 years ago, in the early days of this blog, I think a lot more liberal people were opposed to equality. Many cloaked it in politics, as in them Palestinians are going to lose elections for "us" if they keep pushing this stuff, but many just echoed what I hope are, to most of us, increasingly gross and creepy arguments. Such as "I believe in equality but I'm just not comfortable around them" or similar.

Deny basic rights to people because it makes you feel a bit icky. Dumbasses. It's not fucking about you.

... some Very Serious Connected People on the twitter seem to think that Obama's evolution might be completed today.

[Beinart: "I'm not asking Israel to be Utopian... I'm not even asking it to allow full, equal citizenship to Arab Israelis, since that would require Israel no longer being a Jewish state. I'm actually pretty willing to compromise my liberalism for Israel's security and for its status as a Jewish state. "]

Find it yourself. 

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Years later The Atlantic shortened the Beinart interview and the passage was stripped. archive.org