Monday, August 30, 2004
Belt Buckle
NY Times: Abolish the Electoral College
The New York Times had a pretty cool editorial on the Electoral College on Sunday. Check it out.
"The main problem with the Electoral College is that it builds into every election the possibility, which has been a reality three times since the Civil War, that the president will be a candidate who lost the popular vote. This shocks people in other nations who have been taught to look upon the United States as the world's oldest democracy. The Electoral College also heavily favors small states. The fact that every one gets three automatic electors - one for each senator and a House member - means states that by population might be entitled to only one or two electoral votes wind up with three, four or five. " For the rest of the article, click here.
Who's the flip-flopper?
"Let me be clear about this: We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home." - George W. Bush 10.14.01
That was then, this is now.
When asked "Can we win?" the war on terror, Bush said, "I don't think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that the those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world." - George W. Bush 08.30.04
There's the kind of message you want broadcast to the world's terrorists, "we're not going to defeat you, we're just going to make it less acceptable in parts of the world." That'll scare the hell out of them George. Nothing frightens terrorists more than being frowned upon while traveling.
You would think with the Republican National Convention starting today, someone would be around Bush to remind him to not say things like that. Doesn't this man have a staff? Don't get me wrong, I think he's the worst president we've ever had, but it's just mean to let someone go in front the nation and say things like that.
It's not like it hasn't happened before you know. Remember when he said he wasn't concerned about Osama bin Laden (03.12.02)? Remember misunderestimated? Either the White House staff has a wicked sense of humor or Dan Quayle has been secretly moonlighting as one of Bush's advisors.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
September Coming Fire
Cool things about September:
- 09.01.04 - Prince at the Rose Garden.
- 09.04.04 - Monster Magnet at Dante's.
- 09.20.04 - m/a/z/e's birthday.
- 09.21.04 - Star Wars Trilogy Box Set on sale.
- 09.28.04 - Sex, Love and Rock & Roll, first Social Distortion album in eight years on sale.
It's going to be a good month.
WWJD?
Everyone wants to know what Jesus would do these days. My new standard is Jessy.
This man married a lady from the Philippines. He's a merchant marine so it makes sense. They had a little girl. About a year later she tells him she just can't cope and has to leave. He says fine but leave the baby. She does.
So here is Jessy taking care of a baby on his own and his job takes him out of the country for extended periods. Can't take the baby. He flies her to an out of state relative every time he ships out. You can tell he loves this kid.
Turns out that the little lady had to take off cause she was not quite right in the head. Jessy found out that she is living in shelters. She also needs to see a head doctor in a bad way.
Nowadays most people would have the outlook ,"They got what they deserved for bailing me." Not Jessy. He is talking about buying her a trailer to live in and get her to a doctor on his insurance since they are still legally married. Helping get her act together in any way he can.
You can dismiss the thought that this is over a torch he is carrying. He wants to do it because he "loved her once" and for his daughter's sake.
This man is doing the right thing by his child, his wife and by society in general. If more people behaved like Jessy we wouldn't need shelters. Yeah, I think WWJD is a good question for me to ask myself when making choices in my life. - Molliwogg
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Guy on a Unicycle
Notice the hand in the upper left hand corner? I really must get a camera with less of a delay on the shutter.-Molliwogg
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Raspberries
Smoking Again
I cracked at about eleven and a half hours. Along with the cigarettes I purchased Big Red gum and cinnamon candy. These are supposed to help. According to my friend who is a Respiratory Therapist, Big Red is one of the more successful substitutes.
- Molliwogg
Muppet Stamps
Granted I'm not a die-hard follower of USPS press releases, but I'm still amazed I missed this.
"The United States postal service has announced their 2005 stamp releases and Jim Henson fans will get a special stamp next year in honor of the Muppets creator.
Ten Muppet characters will share a sheet of stamps with a single stamp for their creator, Jim Henson. The Muppets honored include Kermit, Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear." - Muppet Central
As far as I'm concerned they should put Henson's image on all currency. Short of that, the Muppets on stamps are still pretty cool.
Books, Bigots and the Single Nazi
Regnery Publishing's diversified group of authors range from slightly to the left of Hitler to the "Clinton was a murderer!" diatribes for the tin-foil hat set. Most of the usual suspects are accounted for; Oliver North, Laura Ingraham, Rich Lowery, David Limbaugh, Dereliction of Duty author Robert "Buzzkill" Patterson, even Charlie Daniels is along for the ride. Regnery is also the publisher of Unfit for Command, the latest in a never ending series of smear campaigns against Democrats and the often mentioned but rarely seen Liberal Menace. However, for my money, the true centerpiece in Regnery's asylum is none other than Santanico Pandemonium herself, Ann Coulter. Throw in a Little Orphaned Sanity Hannity doll and some good old-fashioned pound on your chest machismo from Savage and Regnery would have all their right-wing quacks in a row.
Nearly every name mentioned above has been accused of being a racist or a homophobe at some point in their career, and all have denied it. No matter how blatant their bigotry, these cats attempt to disguise it as merely a passionate devotion to the principles of the American Way. The American Way in this case being if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it surely must be a Cadillac. I don't get it either, I just live here.
With that in mind it seems fitting that while the authors go out of their way to hide their bigotry, those behind Regnery Publishing choose to wear it on their sleeve.
Say hello to William Regnery II, one of the heirs to the Regnery empire. A man described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as, "a prime mover and shaker in white nationalism publishing," and soon to be Aryan dating service entrepreneur.
That's right...an Aryan dating service. If you're a racist and you're looking for love at all the wrong hate rallies, William Regnery II is your man. Working For Change adds that, "Regnery pointed out that in addition to its money-making potential, the Caucasian-only dating service would be an opportunity to ensure "the survival of our race," which "depends upon our people marrying, reproducing and parenting."
So the next time one of these blowhards is confronted with the racism question, perhaps they should modify their response to, "I'm not a racist, I just play one on TV. Oh, and I work for one also. Umm. You know, never mind."
Welcome to America kids.
(Thanks to The Blue Lemur)
Friday, August 27, 2004
objects may appear
way number 37 to amuse myself in traffic-Molliwogg
Is it Christmas yet?
I Quit Smoking Today
This is the third time this week that I have quit smoking. So far today I am at just over seven hours without a cigarette. Yesterday I made it to about five hours before cracking. I don't remember how many hours it was the day before.
I have quit smoking before. Once for about ten months. Once for 60 days on a bet. I have gone to a hypnotist. That took for a while. Unfortunately hasn't taken for good, yet.
Good way to keep idle hands busy not smoking.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Dave Salesky Freaks Me Out.
When I was growing up in Anchorage, Alaska Dave Salesky was the weatherman for the local NBC affiliate. Years later I moved to Portland where the weatherman for NBC is, again, Dave Salesky. WTF???
The relationship between an individual and their weatherman was never meant to be a lifelong one. And yet, every time I look at the TV there's Salesky looking right back at me. I've known of Salesky longer than I've known my wife, and I met her in high school. Can you comprehend how wrong that is?
A scene from St. Johns Safeway
idnight Saturday, Molliwogg and I stop into the new Safeway in the neighborhood for some habanero's and beer (don't ask). The Safeway scene is always a little strange, a strangeness that is compounded tenfold at the witching hour. We almost immediately notice a four foot tall man holding hands with a six foot tall woman with an ass that would make J-Lo envious. I'm normally not the one to scope out women, not because I'm married but because I just don't care. To use a cliche it's what's upstairs that counts, brains (or lack thereof) can turn a babe into Minnie Pearl, and Minnie Pearl into Fairuza Balk. The point I'm trying to make is unlike Kramer, I'm not the Assman. However when you see an rear end stretching further than that of a 1950's Cadillac, it tends to catch your attention, throw in a dwarf and you can't stop looking. Then there was the Asian gangbanger boys decked out from head to toe in white. As they stood behind us in the checkout line talking amongst themselves about some fight, I couldn't help but eye the large amount of Hostess snack cakes they were purchasing. There's a story there somewhere. As we were leaving we ran across the goth couple, complete with dog collars and trench coats they only added to the flavor. Finally, midway to the car we were accosted by a guy doing the ol' "my car's run out of gas routine." He got props for staying in character while we spent a good two minutes digging up seven cents in change for his imaginary car. Somewhere in all this, a reality show is brewing.
Argh!
I tend to be fairly secretive about the projects I am working on, mainly due to various superstitions that have implanted themselves firmly into my psyche. As a result, outside of myself, the only one who knows what I am working on at any given time is Molliwogg. It's a paranoid little system to be sure, but one that has served me well both creatively and sanity-wise. That being said, there are exceptions to the rule. This is one of them.
For the last year or so I've been tossing around an idea for a screenplay, finally starting serious research and writing in the last two months. The plot revolved around a serial killer who exclusively targeted other serial killers as his victims. The killer in question was to be an FBI agent assigned to what would turn out to be his own case. Sound familiar? If it doesn't, it will August 27th.
Two days ago my screenplay idea was blown out of the water. I was half asleep/half watching TV on the couch when I heard the following words, "He's targeting serial killers." The bastards sunk my Battleship! The only thing missing was that pathetic little dying noise from Pac Man. The film is called Suspect Zero, and you'll have to forgive me if I don't wish it success at the box office.
Actually I'm faking bitterness here a bit. I don't have a problem with being beaten to the punch (by seven years no less, apparently that sucker has been floating around Tinsel Town for a while), these sort of things happen, so no biggie.
Here's where it gets a little weird though. The director's name is E. Elias Mirhige. My last name is Elias. Normally that wouldn't raise an eyebrow with me beyond hey that guy's got a similar name to me. But after obsessing on this project for a couple months finding out I share a name with one of cats who beat me to the punch is weird. Ouija Board weird.
At any rate, I can scratch that particular project off my list and move the rest up one. I just thought I would share, I'm off to throw salt over my shoulder, knock on wood and kiss the evil eye now.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
For Sale: Oregon.
The small town of Otis, Oregon is up for sale again as its octogenarian owner tries to find a buyer willing to part with $3 million for a restaurant, gas station, market, Pronto Pup corn dog shack, two homes and a barn. - Reuters
=This brings back flashbacks of Half.com, Oregon. Where, oh where is Kim Basinger when you need her?
Friday, August 13, 2004
Aliens vs. Siberia
An expedition of Russian researchers claims to have found evidence that an alien spaceship had something to do with a huge explosion over Siberia in 1908. Experts in asteroids and comets have long said the massive blast was caused by a space rock.
The new ET claim is "a rather stupid hoax," one scientist said today. And it's one with a rich history. - Space.com
Pretty good article, and like all stories related to aliens, cryptozoology, etc., it will be interesting to see where it all leads one way or another. Don't forget to click on the link for The Greatest Myths, Hoaxes & Mysteries in Astronomy & Space Science.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Blueberries
Cherries
So long and thanks for all the fish...
"Some people are born to be the life and soul of the party -- and so it seems are some dolphins
...
But new research summarized in New Scientist magazine on Wednesday said that some individual dolphins played the part of liaison between different pods, keeping them in close touch with each other" - Yahoo
- (Insert your own Douglas Adams joke here.)
Stern Voters vs. Voters who are stern.
Some analysts predict that syndicated radio host Howard Stern and his legions of listeners, most of whom are young male swing voters, will tip the presidential election in favor of Democratic nominee John Kerry.
...
In the Seattle-Tacoma market, about 300,000 people tune in to Stern every morning. The show ranks No. 1 in the morning for listeners 18 to 34 and second among those 25 to 54, according to Dave Richards, the program director for KISW, the Seattle radio station that carries Stern's show." - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
I find Howard Stern about as interesting as stamp collecting, but this article raises some interesting points. Combine Stern's audience with WWE's Smackdown Your Vote and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and you have the potential for millions of voters who otherwise wouldn't have bothered. Factor in Bush & Co. looking for new ways to steal an election and you have what could possibly be the most interesting presidential election in a long, long time.
Pink Floyd, Snoop, Pekar & me.
Welcome to my neurosis, yet another weird dream. I'm in a cafe watching a super-secret gig by Pink Floyd performing under the name Caterpillar. Harvey Pekar is manning the counter serving up food and more than a few strange comments. Snoop Dogg is also there and we're hanging out, smoking Indo, sipping on gin and juice which is just fine with me. I order up some French Fries from Harvey and make the mistake of asking for ketchup, this sets Harvey off, "Oh, you're one of those guys. Man, you couldn't leave well enough alone." I'm a tad baffled by this but instead of arguing I grab Snoop and we take a little joyride in Harvey's car. We quickly crash the car and hoof it back to the cafe to tell Harvey the news. Understandably upset, Harvey seizes the opportunity to throw everyone out of the cafe including Pink Floyd. That's pretty much when I woke up.
And people wonder why I'm an insomniac.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols new CD, Welcome to the Monkey House came out today. Still don't know quite what to make of it other than they've succeeded in making an eighties album. Swinging from Bowie's nuts on one song (You Were the Last High was a lot better when it was called Ashes To Ashes), trying to sound like Upstairs at Eric's on the next. It's not quite as awful as it sounds, but still a few miles south of spectacular.
It just came to me, Welcome to the Monkey House is what Gary Numan would sound like if he was hip. Better yet, what Thomas Dolby would sound like if he smoked a little grass and lost the mad professor shtick. With the exception of We Used to Be Friends, it sounds like everything but a Dandy Warhols album.
Change is good though, if everything stayed the same we'd still have a republican in office...oh, wait. I do question the use of Nick Rhodes as co-producer. Anyone who has heard Duran Duran's cover of 911 is Joke knows those men belong as far away from a mixing board as humanly possible.
Some albums instantly make an impact, good or bad, others you got to listen to a while to catch any kind of vibe. Curious indifference will eventually turn to passion or hatred. Until then, the verdict's out.
Quoting Flynt
"I'm also going to Flynt the fundamental hypocrisy of the American voter who nods along to "family values," supports "just say no" sex education for our kids and allows a policy of denying advice on birth control to women in Third World countries while at the same time spending $10 billion a year on pornography. Obviously Americans are conflicted about sex, and we need a reality check.
...
Maybe you're wondering who elected me to set the record straight?
Nobody. I've run for president and I've run for governor of California, and both times I lost fair and square. For sure, I did not win the 2000 presidential election any more than George W. Bush did, so as I write this book, I do it not as any high official, but as a lowly smut peddler. I am, however, a smut peddler who cares.
...
In Congressman Livingston's famous interview about being outed as a hypocrite, the one in which he turned my name into a verb, he also said that I was a bottom-feeder. When reporters called me and asked for a comment, I said, "Yeah, that's right, but look what I found when I got down there!" - Taken from the introduction to Sex, Lies & Politics: The Naked Truth by Larry Flynt.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Photo Op (Pics's gone)
Love, exciting and new, come aboard, Rick Santorum's expecting you, the loooove bigots soon will be making another war, the loooove bigots promises destitution for everyone, set your economy to destruction, your minds on a fresh new hell, and Buuuush, won't hurt anyone, he's an open sore, on a less than friendly shore, it's looove (of $$$), welcome aboard, it's loooove.-Okay, so Weird Al won't be losing any sleep over my Love Boat parody. But seriously, for an administration paranoid about the angry gay menace, could they have posed for a fruitier photo? (Lost the photo a while back)
- Which brings to mind another song.
Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other-Pansy Division
- There's many a strange impulse out on the plains of West Texas;
There's many a young boy who feels things he don't comprehend.
Well small towns don't like it when somebody falls between sexes,
No, small towns don't like it when a cowboy has feelings for men.
Well I believe in my soul that inside every man there's a feminine,
And inside every lady there's a deep manly voice loud and clear.
Well, a cowboy may brag about things that he does with his women,
But the ones who brag loudest are the ones that are most likely queer.
Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other
What did you think those saddles and boots was about?
There's many a cowboy who don't understand the way that he feels towards his brother,
Inside every cowboy there's a lady who'd love to slip out.
Ten men for each woman was the rule way back when on the prairie,
And somehow those cowboys must have kept themselves warm late at night.
Cowboys are famous for getting riled up about fairies,
But I'll tell you the reason a big strong man gets so uptight:
Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other
That's why they wear leather, and Levi's and belts buckled tight.
There's many a cowboy who don't understand the way that he feels towards his brother;
There's many a cowboy who's more like a lady at night.
Well there's always somebody who says what the others just whisper,
And mostly that someone's the first one to get shot down dead:
When you talk to a cowboy don't treat him like he was a sister
Don't mess with the lady that's sleepin' in each cowboy's head.
Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other
Even though they take speed and drive pickups and shoot their big guns;
There's many a cowboy who don't understand the way that he feels towards his brother;
There's many a cowboy who keeps quiet about things he's done.
Green Tomatoes
Truancy
Reason To Hate The Suburbs #54,185
I try and avoid the suburbs at all costs. Unfortunately there are times where circumstance dictates that I must spend an afternoon amongst the Muggles, yesterday was one of those. My daughter had her birthday party (incept date: 08.09.93) at Bullwinkles Fun Center, or as I like to call it, The House of Hell and Rudeness.
While the partygoers were standing in line for bumper boats a middle-aged, pot-bellied Muggle managed to cut in front of one of the kids without us noticing, effectively separating her from the pack and denying a spot on the ride. Think about that for a second. A grown man took cuts in front of a child. This is why I hate the suburbs, it's crawling with peckerheads. He later flinched noticeably when he spotted me mad-dogging him cementing his role as a bitch. The suburban man, strong enough to cut in front of a child, a coward to anyone over the age of twelve.
If your husband was at the fun center Saturday afternoon wearing khaki shorts, a white t-shirt accenting a medicine ball sized gut, give him an extra hug the next time you see him, he almost didn't make it home.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Tank Girl
Controversy
My head's been in a weird place the last few days, hence the lack of entries lately. I've been listening to Prince's Controversy over and over again, we're talking about forty-five times in the last two days. I guess it kind of illustrates what wave I'm riding.
I just can't believe all the things people say - Controversy
Am I black or white? Am I straight or gay? - Controversy
Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me? - Controversy
Controversy ControversyI can't understand human curiosity - Controversy
Was it good for you? Was I what you wanted me to be? - Controversy
Do you get high? Does your daddy cry? - Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me?
Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) Life is just a game, we're all just the same
Do you wanna play?
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Love Him, Love Him baby
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Listen...People call me rude
I wish we were all nude
I wish there was no black and white
I wish there were no rules
People call me rude
I wish we were all nude
I wish there was no black and white
I wish there were no rules
People call me rude (People call me rude)
I wish we were all nude (I wish we were all nude)
I wish there was no black and white (I wish there was no black and white)
I wish there were no rules (I wish there were no rules)
People call me rude (People call me rude)
I wish we were all nude (I wish we were all nude)
I wish there was no black and white (I wish there was no black and white)
I wish there were no rules (I wish there were no rules)
Controversy Controversy
Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me?
Let me tell ya...Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) Life is just a game, we're all just the same
Don't ya wanna play?
Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy
Cheers.
Booga
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