HYPERBOLE UNLEASHED!

Finally, it's official

2009-01-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

Not only a devil, but an asshole for not blogging in 2008.

You are The Devil

Materiality. Material Force. Material temptation; sometimes obsession

The Devil is often a great card for business success; hard work and ambition.

Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. This is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remember that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

A humble holiday greeting...

2007-12-25T13:58:00.000-08:00

..or, Walking With Pneumonia.

The last 2 weeks have been absolutely miserable for me, as I have been fighting off walking pneumonia. I haven't seen anyone other than my mom or my doctor since Dec. 14, when the sickness finally put me down for the count. Last week found me vomiting and strangling in my own mucus for the moments of consciousness I am able to recall, in addition to other horrors that are just plain best left to your imagination. Nothing makes you grateful for what you have like having to struggle to breathe, eat, or sit up. And if this did not serve as a reminder of how blessed I am, this year has seen a couple of my closer friends go away. Whit, my son Ben's stepfather, and the truest example of what a good Christian is supposed to be that I ever met, passed away in June, way too early, at 46. And one of my oldest friends betrayed me in an unforgivable manner in November. So this illness and the impermanence of life once again makes me want to say to you, my friends...

Thank you. For being part of my life. For being part of what drives me to continue drawing breath, and eating for that matter. I have said it many times before, even many times in this blog: my friends are my crowning glory, my saving grace. I know my own talent plays a part, but to put it simply: without you, I wouldn't be very much.

I hope this season brings you all of the peace humanity yearns for.

Dumping time

2007-05-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

All right, it's been a while. There's lots to discuss, but no time to do so. So, I am offering incomplete, unpublished entries at a discount, today, 2 for 1, or in Marvel parlance, 2-in-1.

I figure they're better off online incomplete than sitting waiting for me to find the time to complete them. Remember that they were written some time ago, and my mindset could be radically different now. If you have any questions, just ask!

Spielberg's year of evil opposites, from 2/07/06

I got to see WAR OF THE WORLDS and MUNICH over the course of the Christmas, 2005 weekend: and events in both movies mirror the events in the current headlines so much that a blog entry couldn't have been avoided. Since this past weekend, I have been pondering Spielburg's work, and what it has meant to me personally, and the world.

The reason I have spent a good part of my adult life pursuing dreams of becoming a filmmaker is because of Steven Spielberg. I saw JAWS about 10 times from 1975 to 1980: it made me want to make movies!

Me, and every third schlub you see walking around Hollywood scrutinizing daylight. No, not a terribly original idea, 'JAWS made me want to make movies.' But JAWS would lead me into a much greater love of cinema, so as a result I tried to see everything I could, and also take in as much about movies as I was able to. I was lucky to be exposed to ERASERHEAD at the age of 16, it too is a film that made me not only want to make movies, but make them is such a way as to challenge the viewer...heady thoughts at 16, and I wouldn't even be able to articulate them until I was in my thirties.

So, 2005 was Spielberg's year of evil opposites. He has always treated extraterrestrial charaters as peaceful or benign: WAR OF THE WORLDS gives us trying aliens as malicious. His heart didn't seem in it, and as a result, it's one of my least favorite Spielberg movies.

2005 brought us WAR OF THE WORLDS and MUNICH in the same way 1993 brought us the popcorn entertainment of JURASSIC PARK, and the end of the year would bring Spielberg's best movie to that date: SCHINDLER'S LIST, about a list that meant continued life if your name was on it, as the movie itself famously states, "The list is life." SCHINDLER'S LIST brought Spielberg the Oscar that COLOR PURPLE really should have earned him. MUNICH, concerning a list of people that are to be assassinated for their role in the murders of the Israeli atheletes at the Munich olympic games, is his best movie since JAWS. I also think that it's the best movie of 2005, despite how much I loved BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.

{editorial interruption: I love MUNICH, but I end up loving BROKEBACK even more.}

Spielberg has become our director of conscience. I am certainly not the first to say this.

{sorry, that's it. Remember, you receive this at a discount}

This one is meatier, and I am so sorry that I couldn't finish it. From 2/9/06, although I started it in November of '05, and worked on it through February.

Frying My Bacon In the Canadian Hot Seat

I'm sorry, the post you are about to read has been building since late October. A lot of it was written in mid-November. I had a writing set-back (odd how those become writing fodder), but here it is, I hope you enjoy it.

Hello, remember me? I probably don't deserve it...

But my latest romance-induced hiatus is at an end...2005 was a year of incredible, unique experiences...some have hurt, but I am grateful for them all...if I could change anything...I wouldn't. I'll provide you with a little more insight soon...but my former republican-love muffin figures into the post, due to some of the conversation...

{editorial note: you've already gotten most of that insight, in a previous post}

My most recent daliance suggested that I have mixed up too much of my personal info with the political content that I cannot help but be compelled to write, here in this blog. Well, hold onto your hats, 'cause here comes a very strange souffle of those exact ingredients. I won't turn this into a weight loss journal, but that's part of this story. I am poorly grafting a weight loss memoir onto a treatise on international politics, mixed with a thick green marbling of travel journal. Prepare yourself for Suck Souffle, and the strange ingredients will be the poorer for the odd juxtapositions.

From October 14 - 16, 2005, I was in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. My hosts were kind enough to join in a birthday tribute to me, Renard and Eric, the Evil Trio, back in January, when Alex and Natasha flew from there to join us here, in LA's South Bay. (It's Alex and 'Tasha in the pic from January of 2005) We had dinner at Outlaws Steakhouse, and in pictures of me, it is obvious that I weighed more than I ever have. (Here's where the personal info comes in, duh. No, no one said anything to me, I could see it in the pictures, and on the scale, which read 330 lbs.) More on that later. I had the tri-tip. Alex and 'Tasha stayed a couple of days, and I got to join them and Renard and Loren in a little siteseeing, taking in the new Disney concert hall and the new Catholic cathedral.

Months pass, and I remember that Alex's birthday is in October, so over the summer I begin preliminary talks with Alex and Renard about going out to British Columbia to return Alex's favor. Despite warning Renard that he is amazingly lucky, and despite that the insight proved sage, I was the only one that got to go to British Columbia.

Alex picked me up in Victoria, B.C. Victoria is charming, has a great little personality, and seemed to be constructing itself anew every other block. Alex and I ate at a place that was fairly bustling with a wait staff who's friendliness bordered on cheeky. We then headed to the Canadian equivalent of a combination Home Depot/Pep Boys, and despite the size of this place, it felt friendlier than even the smallest of its American corporate counterparts.

We headed for the ferry that would take us to Salt Spring Island. What a wonderful sense of isolation, getting on a boat to go to an island. You've seen the pictures from the ferry. The city Alex lives and works in is very small, and I may be wrong, but I don't think that I saw a single American corporation doing business on the island. It is a warm, quaint place to my sensibilites. I loved it there, and would love to spend more time there.

Alex's home was designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright protogee, and again, in the pictures you see some of the odd touches associated with Wright. GREAT pad! At one point, Alex put on a CD celebrating great Canadian songwriters, eventually coming to "A Case of You," a beautiful version by kd lang. The album made me realize (I don't know why) that some of the critics that are most on point about America are Canadian..."Rockin' in the Free World" by Neal Young and Leonard Cohen's later works come to mind...

On Saturday night, I got to take part in a birthday party for Alex. In so doing, my mission was complete. I hopped the first ferry...

Yuk yuk yuk

Alex and 'Tasha have a very interesting array of friends, all of whom were very friendly. In certain occasions, the veneer of friendship would be exposed as a little thin before the evening was over, but it never wore through. It was great to talk at length again to Christine Arnet, Alex's sister, whom I hadn't seen since April of 1987. Moments like that make me glad for my long memory. I cannot possibly recall every name from that night, but I greatly enjoyed their company. It reminded me of my visit to Toronto back in 1987, which was one of the more memorable experiences of my life. I had a sense best described by the concept of the little bee girl in the "No Rain" video by Blind Melon: I had found a concentration of people like me.

Memory has failed me in terms of exactly how many people were there. But everyone had a great time. After dinner, tobacco smokers congregated on the patio/balcony. I hung inside, mainly because I am not so crazy about smoke...tobacco smoke...

But I headed out to the patio that I might produce some smoke with my lungs. It felt like as soon as I sat down, everyone left at the party jumped on me because I was the only citizen of the world's worst country. I distictly remember at least five people looking in my direction, and talking, heatedly, about what the USA does that pisses them off. I know it sounds unfriendly, but I totally understand their perspective. It makes me wish that the people that are setting the terrible policies could have been there with us. After all, I am almost completely sympathetic to what everyone was complaining about. The person who really needed to hear it was my then-girlfriend, the unthinking supporter of the uncaring administration...

They complained like you would expect someone to complain at the end of a long customer service line. They had no way to vent these ideas in a way that they thought would have any impact; and then they had an opportunity to tell a citizen of the USA what they thought, especially how our economic policies are hurting Canada. I'd probably do the same thing in their position. Except, unfortunately for them, they were preaching to the choir.

I remember Katrina coming up, then less than 7 weeks in the past, and I remember distinctly a question: "Aren't you ashamed?" Of course I am ashamed of the reaction. But I am not ashamed of my own reaction, because I know I did everything I could to kick Bush back to Crawford...

A lovely woman named Memry was keen to ply me with her opinions on the US's lawmaking, and I was eager to hear her issues. It turned out that she didn't have the firmest grasp of American lawmaking. She was angry about how 'easy' it is to make laws in this country.

I must say that I was very touched when the conversation shifted to the greatness of America. Everyone agreed that the greatest thing about America is its ethnic diversity; not only that we have significant ethnic diversity, but that in a world where people live side by side prepared to kill each other over disagreements in a shared religion, America's ethnicities dwell side by side in a comparitively shocking peace. I agree with that assessment, but I see a day in the not too distant future where the entire world loses that, because too many immigrants to America failed to assimilate more completely. We can only live in and enjoy such peace if we all see ourselves as Americans...but what happens when we can't even talk to each other?

{the end}

Hope you like! Actually, I did a pretty good job on the Canadian visit. Just left out some opinions expressed by Memry's boyfriend...anyone that can fill in any blanks on that night are very welcome to! Hint, hint...

The Best Movie of 2006?

2007-02-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

Click the link.

I sat in a darkened cinema for what must have been nine and a half hours yesterday, not counting food- or herb-related breaks. AMC had all five best picture nominees showing the day before the Academy Awards are handed out. $30 got me admission to

Babel

The Queen

The Departed

Letters From Iwo Jima,

and

Little Miss Sunshine,

plus all of the fucking popcorn I could force down my gullet (I ended up eating one entire bag, during BABEL), a 32 oz. beverage (had one the whole day, Mr. Pipp), and the company of about 300 - 400 other people also interested in what the best films of 2006 are supposed to be. And since 2006 was not my best year for movie-attendance, I missed all but LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. I left after LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA ended, so I only got 4 movies and a shitload of junk food for my dollars...

...dollars rarely better spent! I loved getting 4 must-see movies into my brain in one day! Not that there wasn't any downside, three movies may be my limit for one day. LETTERS deserved more attention than I was able to sum up by the time it ran. My back is screaming this morning. I ate 14 pounds of crap, and only released about 2 pounds of it back into the environment (what, are my arms filled with popcorn and Mr Pibb now?)...

I guess I enjoyed a day of mass consumtion.

But it was great for comparing nominees.

BABEL was touching, much less of a downer than I had heard described. In fact, it may have been a bit overly sentimental at points. But it did evoke tears, as it tried to demonstrate that despite the things that separate us, we cannot escape the connection our shared humanity provides us. I don't know if mixing up the narrative worked to the effect the filmmakers intended.

THE QUEEN ends up being the movie among the Best Picture nominees that I liked best (but not my favorite film of 2006, which you know if you clicked the link). The acting, the writing, the cinematography are all exceptional, and the movie had a higher humor quotient that I expected. Helen Mirren will earn the best actress Oscar, there's little doubt, and she deserves it. The word that comes to my mind to describe her performance is effortless. This movie, LETTERS, and my choice for best film all have deep in their hearts the theme of duty, especially attending to duty after you've been defeated...

THE DEPARTED was a very entertaining, and well-acted. I really enjoyed the movie's sense of humor, rather twisted. The movie did not blow me away. I expect that DEPARTED will get best picture tonight, which isn't terribly problematic for me since the movie I liked best isn't nominated in the Best Picture catagory anyway (it did get an Best Director nomination, but we already know that Scorsese will be getting Best Director tonight for RAGING BULL and GOOD FELLAS); and I enjoyed DEPARTED plenty. I liked the nod to CAPE FEAR when Billy is doing those push-ups in his jail cell, ala Max Cady...

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA shows you the Japanese perspective on the Battle of Iwo Jima, a battle that we see the American perspective on in director Clint Eastwood's first release of 2006, and this film's companion, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. Didn't see it! Can't compare it! But if you did see it, you may realize watching LETTERS that you are now rooting for the other side. I am surprised that there haven't been any outcries calling Eastwood an "enemy sympathizer" They'd be utterly wrong, of course, but since when has that stopped someone with that point of view from speaking out? Humanity is well served by our own attempts to understand the people we don't agree with, so for that reason alone, LETTERS is one of the best films of 2006. I was getting pretty cranky and grumpy by the time this movie ended, so I may need to watch it again. This time, I won't watch it until after I've seen FLAGS. One thing I need to add is that I was a little disappointed at the effects showing the American forces arriving and landing at Iwo Jima. It looked like CALL OF DUTY to me.

I exited after the credits of LETTERS finished. I did not stay to see LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, because as in the case of UNITED 93, I watched it on DVD some weeks back. I thought it had funny moments, and the cast is exceptional, but ultimately I thought the movie was overrated, and I think it suffered for being labeled a comedy. I think it's a family drama with a lot of dark comedy. I may have enjoyed it more if that was I was expecting.

Another note I have to make: DREAMGIRLS is pretty much as good as any of the nominees...and Bill Condon was royally screwed, because it looks like he directed 2 of 2006's Oscar-winning supporting performances, not to mention one of the best films of the year.

And for my favorite movie of the year, UNITED 93? Well, I have to start by saying that anyone that is making a film related to the events of 9/11, has this huge built in advantage: American's shared memory of the events. Those images and sounds have so much power built into them, that there's a large responsibility attached to the handling of that subject matter. This is acknowledged in the choice of Oliver Stone to make not a political movie about 9/11, but a movie about one of its major rescue events. So the documentary-style approach of Paul Greengrass is perfect for the movie he has ultimately fashioned. For example, I recognized only one actor in this movie, Denny Dillon, she of DREAM ON. A result of his approach is a realistic day-to-day feeling of UNITED 93, until the days terrible events start playing themselves out. Because the actors are not recognizable, a second viewing of this movie is recommended. There's a lot I could say about this movie, but I just want to say this:

See it, no matter how you might dread the experience. If for no other reason, to see a great dramatization of America's very first response to the threat of Islamic terrorism. It is a fitting tribute.

Watch it again, because while the documenary approach annonymizing the characters works to the movie's benefit, a second watching helped me better understand the storyline.

BURRRPPP! Ahh, there goes some more Mr Pibb...

Back In The Saddle Again

2007-01-29T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, obviously there's much to talk about, the first thing being the nation's sudden return to rationality. I have been saying for months that this past election would demonstrate whether or not we still live in a representative democracy. Given the overwhelming results of this year's elections, my faith has been significantly restored. However, it's for nothing if the Dems do not fix the elections posthaste.

But also of note is this personal development: I am now employed full-time as an assistant video editor, after working freelance for 3 months. (This in part explains the months of blog-silence) I am joining the staff of an advertising agency, their A/V division that creates film trailers and commercials for movies. I am tremendously grateful to Loren, who went to work for the same place earlier this year, and opened a door for me to attain the position I now occupy. I am also grateful to Scott for the opportunity he's giving me. Just as I was mentally embracing the prospect of aquiring work by finding it piecemeal, a permanent job was offered to me. Again, embracing the void in leaving IKEA has done nothing but pay huge dividends.

But let me return to the bigger metaphoric saddle: America won big November 7th. American women won, as the opponents of choice are stopped dead, so for now the tide is finally turned back after years of legislative abridgement. Those making the minimum wage are about to see their earning power increase, the people most likely to inject their capital into the economy. So they win, and we win too, because this move alone, I predict, will ensure a strong economy for the Dems facing reelection in 2008, for the party hoping to take back the White House. Progressive values are back in vogue, after more than 25 years of legislative roll-backs. I mean, I liked Bill Clinton and all, but his signing of welfare reform is part of why poverty has increased since 2001. He was a 'lite' Republican, in my opinion. The pendulum has changed direction, and moderation is another big winner. Taxes are a big winner, because the Dems won despite the President using the bully pulpit to frighten America with the prospect of rampant tax increases, freeing their agenda to levy whatever tax increases they see fit. Thanks George! I personally hope we see a rollback of corporate tax loopholes, and ending offshore tax shelters. Bush should stand before both houses of Congress and admit: "The era of big government is back." In all seriousness, the only personal tax increases I think we'll see will be related to rolling back Bush's treasury-bankrupting tax breaks of the early 2000's...

But the job ahead is enormous, and for the sake of the country, the Democrats must succeed. Could they/would they fail? They certainly have before. The difference this time is that the entire nation is counting on them, not just Democrats or Liberals like myself (I may have already mentioned in this venue that I became a member of the Green Party on the day Clinton signed welfare reform). We know this from the polls indicating that the country doesn't feel that they are doing ENOUGH to extricate us from Iraq. We need election, ethics, and minimum wage reform, done from a perspective that puts the middle class and its values and needs first, and that's just the beginning...

Civil War II?

2006-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Well well well...all I can say is thank god that our President is a uniter and not a divider, otherwise I might have caught a bullet on a bright September morning, instead of this note! Lookie what some poor coward left on the vehicle I am borrowing. Click either pic for a bigger version.

It was left on Sheri's car at the medical building where my mom's doctor is located. Actual size is about 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, it's a little hard to read, so here's exactly what it says...

"It's hard to tell whether you're ignorant or just another terrorist out to destroy America.

I'll pray for you."

It needs to be pointed out I am using a friend's car, a friend who is even more progressive than me, and her bumper stickers demonstrate this. And I don't bandy the word "coward" about, and I intend to prove this person has earned it on multiple levels, by dissecting the living fuck out of the fan mail.

"It's hard to tell if..."

No duh, because you are basing your opinion of me on bumper stickers on a car that isn't mine. It would be like me judging your own ignorance on this note you left behind...actually, poor analogy, since I am sure that the frightened little person that left this frightened little missive behind actually wrote it and composed it. Well, at least you are just ignorant, and not a terrorist. Sure I agree with most of the bumper stickers, but maybe you've heard the term "Don't judge a terrorist by his bumper stickers?" And by the way, America, what are we going to do about the terrorist's horrifying use of terror bumper stickers? That has to be the greatest threat to our security, the terror novelty bumper sticker...I hope Sheri didn't get too many paper cuts applying these stickers!

"...America." (underlined)

I might have missed the point if you had failed to underline UUhhhhhhh-merica...(thanks Mike Judge)

"I'll pray for you."

You're praying for a terrorist's success? Did 9/11 teach you anything? My, you must be scared if you are that turned around. Or are you praying to God that he take me out on the 405 freeway? You need to pray for yourself, for the following: that God grants you the requisite testicles to live everyday in this country, that He/She/It provides you with enough cojones to actually enjoy the freedom our Constitution grants us (and that you apparently are willing to forgo to prevent a plane from crashing into you) and finally enough intestinal fortitude to issue your complaints directly to my fat face.

Oh yeah, thanks for praying for me. You are clearly my spiritual superior. But can you find it in your heart to forgive Liberal-Pinko-Commie me? Jesus would approve, or so I hear. Don't forget, despite the color of my skin, and the content of my character, I'm an Uhhh-merican too. Somehow the God you worship seems less forgiving than Jesus.

The events I describe occurred on September 18, 2006.

This incident begs the question: will the civil war we've created in Iraq lead to the second American Civil War?

The Republicans are doing everything in their power to prevent their coming loss of political power and status. What they are doing with their rhetoric is creating 2 kinds of people in the US: people that recognize that freedom is worth some risk, and those that are walking around crapping their pants a couple of times a day. Another frightened woman called into Ed Schultz the other day demanding: "What are the Democrats going to do to keep us SAFE?!?" Poor woman; she must live every minute in the fear that terrorists created on 9/11 and that the Bush administration and their supporters have milked for political benefit. And the person that left the note is reacting directly to the things that have been issued from the mouths of people like Bush and Cheney themselves as I see it. Because I think Dubya and his policies suck, a fellow American sees me as an enemy. Does it get any more divided than that? How long before we are at each other's throats?

I feel less and less sympathy for their ilk. To live in freedom requires a bravery. A bravery that is strangled by the promises of safety by the Bushies. Any complaint such as the woman I heard on the radio should be met resoundingly by words from Poor Richard's Almanac, something I and others have quoted more than once:

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Did ol' Ben Franklin himself write this? Probably not, but he did edit the Richard's Almanac, and found enough wisdom in it to decide to include it in the almanac. It is to this day associated with Franklin, suggesting something about the wisdom of his including it. Hopefully our own wisdom allows us to recognize that our freedom has a price. We must take measures to secure our safety, of course, but there are lines that should not be crossed. Otherwise, what are we really protecting?

Giving up freedom here and our moral standing abroad seems like an ass-backwards stance on securing the homeland to me. I am for taking decisive preemptive action where the evidence clearly states that's what's called for, but how can we ever trust this administration after the shoddy intelligence effort on Iraq? It's pretty obvious to me that our actual reasons for invading have yet to be publicly acknowledged.

Too many tangents. Sorry for that.

The Missing One

2006-09-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Today should have been Colleen Compher's fortieth birthday.

We lost her to a heroin overdose in April of 1996, meaning her body would never see the ravages of time and diet that our thirties, forties, etc. have brought to those that survive her. She was my friend, my good friend. Some of my friends were fortunate enough to get even closer to her than I was, but here I speak of things that I know of only a little. These friends know her better than I did. I just consider myself lucky to have known her the time that I did, for she was a rare individual who's outside beauty matched most of what was inside.

What sticks me in the heart to this day was that it seemed like H was a demon she had slain. I hate heroin, it's toll in my life and our culture has been too fucking significant. I've never done it, and I never will; I hope anyone not recognizing the wisdom of these words will just take my word for it. Because of my vicarious experiences with it, any news of someone familiar to me taking it is like hearing that same someone has received a death sentence. It becomes a matter of time. For Colleen, I reckon it was probably around 13 - 14 years. I am sure some eyes that see these words may be able to correct any error I may have made in regards to time frame; I'm sure you see my point.

I met her at Eric Shaeffer's house in 1984, along with Monique White. Colleen was dating Rainier, my friend Renard's brother. I didn't really get to know Colleen until a little later, when Renard, Andrea and I had a place in Torrance. She would move to Toronto at least once in the 1980's; we remained in fairly close contact after her eventual return and up until the time of her death. Not close enough for me to have been aware of her return to heroin, but I doubt I could have done anything even if I knew.

I am just really sorry that she got caught up in it.

I love and miss you Colleen.

Cheney endorses Lamont!

2006-08-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Back to politics, you knew it couldn't be too long...

Click the link for the pot calling the kettle black...

Imagine if you will, a new sitcom, called "Lieberman and Lamont," and it has the same theme song and setting as "Sanford and Son." The Senator and his upstart opponent sell junk to people that buy junk, and Lieberman spends a lot of time saying things to Ned (and his supporters) like "Lamont! You big dummy!" and Lieberman staggers around grabbing his chest saying things like "Daschle! I'm comin' to join you honey!"

Dick Cheney had this to say regarding Ned Lamont's primary defeat of Joe Lieberman:

"The thing that's partly disturbing about it is the fact that, [from] the standpoint of our adversaries, if you will, in this conflict, and the al-Qaeda types, they clearly are betting on the proposition that ultimately they can break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."

Sure, you think he's saying that a vote for Lamont is a vote for Al-Qaeda, when the actual reasons for Lieberman's defeat are largely policies Cheney has championed, and Lieberman's fawning support of same. But this isn't English. It's Cheney-speak, if you will. It can never be taken at face value.

Other examples of Cheney-speak:

From the very floor of the U.S. Senate, directed to Senator Patrick Leahy:

"Go fuck yourself."

His deft sense of decorum should be an inspiration to all Americans...

About the Iraqi insurrection, now poised to drop Iraq into full-fledged civil war, in a famous statement made in June of 2005:

"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency."

Speaking to the VFW convention in August, 2002, pre-Iraqi invasion (can you say it with me? It's become such a classic):

"Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us."

To John Edwards, America, and the world, at the VP debate, 2004:

"The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight." (video subsequently proved otherwise)

MEET THE PRESS, September 2003:

"Since I left Halliburton to become George Bush's vice president, I've severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interests. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven't had now, for over three years." Cheney received money from Halliburton in 2001 and 2002 (Cheney's own financial disclosure sheets, ummm, disclose this). He received more from Halliburton in 2001 than he received payment from U.S. for being VP.

Okay. I've demonstrated that for some reason Cheney says things that do not jibe with the reality (Unreality? Borrowing a page from Dubya-speak?) he's describing. You cannot take the first quote I listed as anything other than a hearty recommendation for Connecticut to vote Lamont.

The question remaining is, is EVERYTHING he utters neo-con bullshit, or does ACTUAL reality ever escape his lips? After a daunting search...

On his five deferments from military service in his youth, from 1989:

"I had other priorities in the '60s than military service."

His Vice Presidential service record shows the truth in these words, and that some things never change. Military service and those who serve is about as important to him as protecting this country from the radical Islamists he's helping create.

His next true quote will be something along the lines of: "BOO!"

Should Connecticut support Lieberman? Well, just look at the list of liberal luminaries suggesting you do so...

Dubya
Cheney
Bill O'Reilly
Ann Coulter
Sean Hannity

Yeah, these are the people to listen to when it comes to liberal politics...they care so much about our cause...the cause being America herself, not the richest 1%...

That was not Cheney-speak, it was sarcasm...

Wait a sec..sarcasm...an explanation for Cheney-speak? Hmmmnn...no. The things Cheney says are not funny at all, in any context...

As long as Liberals let the so-called right define our party, we lose, period. Let them pull their hair out over sending a real Democrat to the Senate, and losing an ally that is on the wrong side of the aisle, not to mention the wrong side of the issue. There will be less hair for them to pull out election night.

And now, let the accusations of anti-semitism begin! My great-grand-pa, Jewish immigrant Jacob Rosenstein, would be verklempt.

Joker!

2006-08-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

Been too damn long, but here's a bite-sized entry...

Official word has come down that Heath Ledger will be cast as the Joker in the sequel to BATMAN BEGINS, titled THE DARK KNIGHT. Summer 2005 featured extended discussions of how good the new Batman movie would be compared to FANTASTIC FOUR, and the thing (no pun) that stuck out to me was a significant difference in the quality of the casts.

FF had Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Jessica Alba and Julian McMahon. Actors of talent to be sure, if a bit underexposed. And for the most part, they did well, with Chiklis and Evans shining. Stars of BATMAN BEGINS: Christain Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy. You get a sense that this cast could turn around and do an adaptation of Shakespeare the next day. The FF cast has to remind one more of FX than the Bard...

Most of the cast of BEGINS returns for DARK KNIGHT; add to this mix an actor that first got my attention playing the son of Billy Bob Thornton's character in MONSTER'S BALL. Ang Lee thought that the same performance demonstrated what he wanted to see in Ennis Del Mar for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. To me, Ledger's performance in BROKEBACK towered over everything else I saw last year, and demonstrated to me that he is one of our best actors of any age. For him to be cast as the Joker demonstrates one thing:

THE COMIC GEEK IS GOD!

Because you're sleeping too well at night

2006-06-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

How our missile defense...isn't. Hit the link.

By the way, did you already know about this? I did. All previous reports I saw about the Bush administration's so-called attempt at 'Star Wars' have mentioned their having to fudge the tests in order to get the desired results, which means that they only work during tests, and even then not always...

Isn't it too bad we don't have a fortune to throw at the problem...like $300+ billion...where would we even get an amount of money that large?

Speaking of money for our defense: in case you've forgotten, the $8.8 billion that the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority (led by Paul Bremer, they ran Iraq before handing over the 'sovereignty') lost in 2004 has yet to be accounted for, or even investigated by our own lawmakers! People are complaining about Katrina abuses, and they should, but the first thing out of their mouth should be about that missing $8.8 billion.

What could we do about North Korea with just $8.8 billion available? What could we do about education, shoring up dilapidated levies across the entire country, improving homeland defense? How much interoperability does $8.8 billion buy inside the actual homeland? Is it enough for EVERY state, or just the red states?

It's so easily ignored because it's a tiny fraction of the amount of money and blood we are pouring into the sand there.

What could our progeny have done with the $300+ billion we are spending for the Iraq occupation?

Or, to put it another way, shouldn't $300 billion have bought us a lot more good will? We're heading in the opposite direction. We can pay LOTS less to have the entire world hate us. I know it. We're Americans, dammit! All we have to do to have foreigners hate us is just...show up!

Hey, maybe this is the impetus Bush needs to discover diplomacy. It shouldn't be the default option, but better late than never? Knock wood...

Some of you are asking...why?

2006-05-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, reasons to impeach Dubya:

(I could cite 4 or 5 from memory)

1. Wiretapping inside the United States without a warrant

2. Misrepresenting the facts and failing to investigate the discrepancies leading up to the invasion of Iraq

3. Refuting the Geneva Conventions

4. Extraordinary rendition

5. Responsibility as Commander-in-Chief for wrongful acts and illegal orders committed by officers and other staff under his command; in particular for encouraging, seeking justifications for, and failure to thoroughly investigate the torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib and other prisons.

6. The alleged responsibility of the George W. Bush administration in the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina

7. Handling of the Yellowcake forgery and the subsequent Plame affair.

8. Abuse of power

And for their utter disregard for our Constitution, humanity's crowning political accomplishment, I want to see Dubya and his cabal spend some time as inmates at Abu Ghraib. But is that punishment? Also, someone should be punished for setting science back in this great country.

Ace has a big weekend! (or) Stephen Colbert, Superstar!

2006-05-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Truthiness to power!

On Saturday night, Stephen Colbert (host of "Colbert Report" and former long-time Daily Show correspondent) used the forum given to him at the White House Correspondents Association's annual dinner to rip Bush a new one. He did it in the fawning tones of the ultra right-wing, Bush-supporting persona he employs as host of his "Report." I know all of the left wing blogs are on top of this, but there was a particular moment of genius that I haven't heard reflected back yet:

"Now, I know there's some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in 'reality.' And reality has a well-known liberal bias."

That last sentence is worthy of Twain. I am sure we'll see it again.

By the way, is it me, or is Valerie Plame hot? Sorry, I hope that wasn't too Larry King-ish...

And, as if shattering Dubya's reality bubble wasn't enough attention for a Saturday night, he was also co-host of SNL's Robert Smigel retrospective of cartoons, in his Ace of the "Ambiguously Gay Duo" character. Steve Karel played Gary, of course. Ace introduced me to the semi-homo-erotic joy of Colbert. I didn't know he was Ace when he debuted on the Daily Show roundabout 1998; I thought he had weird- and slightly creepy-looking eyes...

I've since learned he is a former RPG-er! The homo-erotic love grows...

You broke it, you fix it (assuming you are able, which is so huge an assumption, I can't make it)

2006-04-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

In other words, despite how desperately the ENTIRE Bush family doesn't want to see it, FEMA needs to be remade. And if Bush can't do, it's because he can't do, not because it can't be done.

Reports in the last 2 days assess responsibiltiy for the poor reaction to Katrina. One report says that FEMA is so badly fucked up, it needs to be ditched. Both more or less agree with something I've been saying since the first time I saw people sitting on roofs in New Orleans on TV: the calvary, the guys on horses with guns and trumpets, who ride over the hill after you've fired your last bullet, is a national entity. There isn't a state calvalry, or a local one. When local resources are swamped, who is supposed to come to the rescue? The reports say: the Feds...

(The video showing Bush receiving word of the seriousness of the impending hurricane also points up the Feds' special responsibility, not lived up to)

That isn't to say that there is no local or state responsibility. There is. But considering that this admin was in place on 9/11, and campaigned on their ability to keep you safe...

And Bush, not anyone on the state or local level, sent most of the Louisiana National Guard away from Louisiana to guard our nation...in Iraq...

Kids, why do we let the Bush clique have the keys to the government? You all know FEMA worked fine for Bill Clinton. It worked when Clinton was there, and now a Senate panel wants to dismantle it, not saying it in so many words, but it worked in 2001, and now it doesn't. What a shock! The first Bush admin found similar advice; thankfully FEMA was in Clinton's hands for the Northridge earthquake of January 17th, 1994 (my 29th birthday!).

Say whatever you want. The Bush admin broke FEMA. The Bush family should not be charge of the country in a time of national disaster (and by extension, shouldn't be in charge of the country). Just one of HW's bete noirs was his FEMA's response to Andrew, and Dubya will have Katrina hanging around his neck for...well, I guess the rest of American History. In between these shrubs, Clinton appointed an actual disaster management specialist! Holy Christ what a fucking idea! Instead of paying back hacks with political appointments, Clinton actually hired competent people to do the job.

I don't know, it may take me some time to get my head around this concept.

What has become of James Lee Witt? Okay, that's silly. Bush wouldn't reappoint one of Clinton's better appointments in an election year...he has too many hacks to pay back...

The FRONTLINE episode you can link to was repeated last week. Their findings fairly match the new government reports on Katrina; this FRONTLINE is 4 months old...

Scandal fatigue; cleaning out my closet

2006-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Above, Sorrow and John succumb to news that another Conservative is going to jail...

Well, obviously, since the last time I posted, the Bush Presidency has continued to self-destruct. I could pound away at my laptop for hours on the topic, but there are other things for me to write about, with not enough time to write about them, plus Bush is doing all of the heavy work now...the headlines being so much more articulate than little ol' me...

Democratic Congressman John Conyers, who has been fighting the good fight a long time, may have undone a lot of his good work by misusing his congressional staff as nannies and go-fers.. If the allegations prove true, he needs to face the music just as anyone in the circumstance should...we'll see how this pans out. If it's true, it's despicable. But I bet the Republican-lead House Ethics committee meets over this one, chop-chop!

As some of you know from email, I began a massive clean-out project in February...it continues! I am cleaning out my closet, literally, not figuratively, so I am not sorry, Momma. I have thrown quite a bit of stuff out, and gotten rid of furniture I once thought I'd own forever. Now I am into the nitty-gritty, the file after file of stuff that is largely being thrown out, but cannot be tossed out wholesale for fear of losing something important...as a result, with the exception of the bookcases, my place looks as messy as ever, the reduction of crap coming mainly from eliminating things that have been hidden, heretofore. The advantage is that while all of my crap is in plain site, as I organize it; it has open storage to return to, this time as its permanent home. And it's leaving wide expanses of open real estate in it's wake!

And I trade that activity day-to-day with editing EWPM down...still currently logging all of the footage, some 14 hours...happy to report the footage holds up better than I hoped!

But I am edging closer and closer to a real adult home! Then I can do lots of adult stuff in it! Like...

Well, hopefully, my pad will be ready for an adult just as my psyche evolves to take advantage of my reorganized faculties...

Dubya of Arabia

2006-02-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

Can you hear the swelling, dramatic music? George Dubya, now openly clad in Arabian garb, the need for ruse over, stands surveying the Arabian penninsula, from the vantage of the highest dune he could scamper over...thinking of new ways to empower Arabs that need no such help...

Yes yes, you think this is just a cheap joke...but here's something that I noticed. The least articulate world leader was suddenly making like George Plimpton when defending the merits of the ports deal with the company out of the United Arab Emirates yesterday. And if that wasn't enough, he threatened his rubber-stamp Congress with a veto (which will be his first if he ends up against a wall, and he's walking briskly towards there right now) if they should dare try to fix this. Why? IT MEANS A LOT TO HIM. It means more to him than the first Presidential debate, where he was clearly irritated by the event, why should he debate Kerry when he was going to win the election anyway? It means more to him than the capture of Osama Bin Laden...Well, his sloppy intellectual technique now leaves him revealed for the cynical, greedy bastard he is, and now we have a clear idea of how important the UAE interests are to him. Thanks, Dubya, for once studying up on an issue before you had to talk about it...

If something is important to Dubya, his "speaking game" goes way up, as does a before-now unknown concern for legislation...we see it with the UAE deal, we saw it when he CUT A VACATION SHORT! to sign legislation over the body of Terry Schiavo (who's more important? Schiavo, or the Gulf Coast?)...but don't worry, if we are hit by something like Katrina again, we know where to find you, relaxing on your ranch...making out with wealthy Saudi's...

I can understand loyalty to party, but to this guy? And he is probably the nicest member of his cadre...

I'd probably like him a lot better if I had oil to sell to this country...or maybe if I was an oil-rich Arab...or a lonely member of the Saudi royal family...or if I was brain-dead! Aha! A possible explanation!

It's time to face facts!

2006-02-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

Cheney shot his lawyer friend to diminish news of his authorizing Scooter Libby to out Valerie Plame...he's a traitor, and maybe a drunken hunter as well...nearly killing someone takes a lot of heat off of the other bad news...

Cheney said today that it was the worst day of his life. I'm sorry, but you had a fucked week Mr. VP! Which day are you talking about? The shooting, or the news that Scooter's "superiors" (obviously not a word that would apply to those 2 men) told him to get Joe Wilson by outing his wife (who we've learned this week was working on the WMD's of the Iran's regime...not too important...)

Anyone reading these words care to argue against the notion that Cheney feels that he's above the law? More evidence from this fiasco...

By the way, he cannot handle a shotgun: it's time for America to take away the keys to the nuclear arsenal from Mr. Five Deferments. Clearly, he shouldn't be around munitions of any type...

Can you imagine him going to nuke Iran, and he nukes the U.K. instead?

I did my level best to keep him and the rest of Bush's posse on a ranch in Texas for every weekend since late January of last year...and I didn't do enough, clearly...

Clinton never shot anyone...with birdshot, at any rate!

Cry havok...

2006-02-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

...and let slip the blogs of war.

Hiya...

You'd think that I am ignoring my blog...

But that isn't the case! I just can't write fast enough, and don't have enough time...

Anyway, three long-in-the-works entries are coming...one of them will be my biggest entry ever, about last October's trip to Canada...another about Steven Spielberg's 2005...

Coming as soon as I have thrown away half of my stuff! Thanks to Helen Buttigieg...(click the title)

'Shut the Fuck Up, 2005,' goes to...

2006-01-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

...TOM CRUISE!

For deigning to lecture Brooke Shields on post-partum depression and her treatment options; Matt Laurer on his "glibness;" and all of America on why they shouldn't get right in the head!

We can now re-define glib to mean "movie star that thinks he's knows better than you and your doctors, and ventures to demonstrate it in front of as many people as possible."

In addition to him "shutting the fuck up" regarding psychiatry and pharmaceuticals, I don't ever care to hear another word about how he feels about Stepford bride, I mean Katie Holmes!

Second place goes to Tom DeLay, for reasons which will be revealed in a courtroom in Texas over the next few months...

Third place? Me!

George W. Orwell 2 (C)

2005-12-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

From CNN:

Bush: 'I have no greater responsibility than to protect our people'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A text of President Bush's radio address on Saturday, as released by the White House:

As president, I took an oath to defend the Constitution, and I have no greater responsibility than to protect our people, our freedom, and our way of life.
On September the 11th, 2001, our freedom and way of life came under attack by brutal enemies who killed nearly 3,000 innocent Americans. We're fighting these enemies across the world. Yet in this first war of the 21st century, one of the most critical battlefronts is the home front. And since September the 11th, we've been on the offensive against the terrorists plotting within our borders.
One of the first actions we took to protect America after our nation was attacked was to ask Congress to pass the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act tore down the legal and bureaucratic wall that kept law enforcement and intelligence authorities from sharing vital information about terrorist threats. And the Patriot Act allowed federal investigators to pursue terrorists with tools they already used against other criminals.
Congress passed this law with a large, bipartisan majority, including a vote of 98-1 in the United States Senate.
Since then, America's law enforcement personnel have used this critical law to prosecute terrorist operatives and supporters, and to break up terrorist cells in New York, Oregon, Virginia, California, Texas and Ohio. The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do: It has protected American liberty and saved American lives.
Yet key provisions of this law are set to expire in two weeks. The terrorist threat to our country will not expire in two weeks. The terrorists want to attack America again, and inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th.
Congress has a responsibility to ensure that law enforcement and intelligence officials have the tools they need to protect the American people.
The House of Representatives passed reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Yet a minority of senators filibustered to block the renewal of the Patriot Act when it came up for a vote yesterday. That decision is irresponsible, and it endangers the lives of our citizens. The senators who are filibustering must stop their delaying tactics, and the Senate must vote to reauthorize the Patriot Act. In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment.
To fight the war on terror, I am using authority vested in me by Congress, including the Joint Authorization for Use of Military Force, which passed overwhelmingly in the first week after September the 11th. I'm also using constitutional authority vested in me as commander in chief.
In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations.
Before we intercept these communications, the government must have information that establishes a clear link to these terrorist networks. This is a highly classified program that is crucial to our national security. Its purpose is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks against the United States, our friends and allies.
Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports, after being improperly provided to news organizations. As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk. Revealing classified information is illegal, alerts our enemies, and endangers our country.
As the 9/11 commission pointed out, it was clear that terrorists inside the United States were communicating with terrorists abroad before the September the 11th attacks, and the commission criticized our nation's inability to uncover links between terrorists here at home and terrorists abroad.
Two of the terrorist hijackers who flew a jet into the Pentagon -- Nawaf al-Hamzi and Khalid al-Mihdar, communicated while they were in the United States to other members of al Qaeda who were overseas. But we didn't know they were here, until it was too late.
The authorization I gave the National Security Agency after September the 11th helped address that problem in a way that is fully consistent with my constitutional responsibilities and authorities. The activities I have authorized make it more likely that killers like these 9/11 hijackers will be identified and located in time. And the activities conducted under this authorization have helped detect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.
The activities I authorized are reviewed approximately every 45 days. Each review is based on a fresh intelligence assessment of terrorist threats to the continuity of our government and the threat of catastrophic damage to our homeland.
During each assessment, previous activities under the authorization are reviewed. The review includes approval by our nation's top legal officials, including the attorney general and the counsel to the president. I have reauthorized this program more than 30 times since the September the 11th attacks, and I intend to do so for as long as our nation faces a continuing threat from al Qaeda and related groups.
The NSA's activities under this authorization are thoroughly reviewed by the Justice Department and NSA's top legal officials, including NSA's general counsel and inspector general. Leaders in Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times on this authorization and the activities conducted under it. Intelligence officials involved in this activity also receive extensive training to ensure they perform their duties consistent with the letter and intent of the authorization.
This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power under our laws and Constitution to protect them and their civil liberties. And that is exactly what I will continue to do, so long as I'm the president of the United States.
Thank you.
-----------------

History refresher for you: we FOUGHT the Cold War to AVOID living under these kind of practices. Y'all signed on for Soviet tactics? And I guess I have to mention that this is another case of Bush lying directly to us, about something so much more important that the President's peccadillos...we were told that these unusually aggressive, intrusive techniques were reserved for foreign terrorists...

I have said it before in a blog entry; an expression credited to Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac: those who trade freedom for security deserve neither. I'll take my chances with the terrorists; stay the FUCK out of my private life. That's way more precious than my security; which is largely my responsibilty anyway!

I guess I should just close all of my blog entries these days with "This is not America..."

Joanie's 40

2005-12-13T00:19:00.000-08:00

I swear what follows is the truth, the best as I remember it. I admit that there's no way I can inform you as to what the hell I am like in a relationship. I admit that it's a natural tendency to try to make yourself look better than you actually looked in the circumstance. I'll try to keep that to a minimum...I also readily acknowledge that what follows is, in its entirety, my opinion. You can sort the shit from the shinola yourself.

Today is Joanie's 40th birthday.

I probably won't talk to her, but I am sending along a card. We haven't really spoken since she kicked me out of her life, once again, too predictably. There isn't much for me to say to her. The things that I love about her disappear when she stops loving me, and begging for mercy is like begging summer to stick around permanently.

You ask yourself, why do I do this? Why do I put my neck on the chopping block? Why do I always try to kick the god-damned football she proffers?

The answer is simple. I am motivated by love. Twue wuv.

Why do I seemingly become a fool?

For the first time, I was able to forgive her for what went before. Somehow this also taught me how to not cling to her as obsessively as I once did. Since all the bad stuff about me was suddenly in a place that wasn't beyond my control, how could we go wrong this time?

Because my development wasn't matched in kind. Sure, she developed, but it was professionally, not personally. If anything, she's worse today than I have ever known her to be. Obviously, I have a skewed view, as I get to see a months long performance; then that character disappears from view.

Which isn't to say that I am the picture of mental health...I'm not. But I am very aware of exactly where I have "developmental opportunities," to use the obfuscating quality of the retail patois...and because I am aware of my flaws, I can easily forgive her flaws...

Unfortunately, one of those flaws that she is unable to feel compassion...at least when it comes to me. I am sure if you ask her sister, she'd say that Joanie was very compassionate. It's just that I never got to see it, or benefit from it...she sets the bar very high for me, higher than she herself is able to attain...and is unforgivng when I can't meet her expectations.

I promised I would detail this one day...I can't see a better opportunity ever opening up...

I first saw Joanie at the hot dog stand, that was open opposite the Sound Place, a tiny retail esablishment that lived off of the larger Federated Group electronics store in the Old Town Mall, Torrance, California. It was the summer of 1986. She was wearing this incredibly dramatic outfit, highlighted by a gold sash wrapped around her ass...I was transfixed...but I was taken...

I worked at the Sound Place, as an assistant manager. I left the Federated Group to go to work there. I would eventually return, and in the interim, Joanie was hired into the video rentals section...when I came back, I was no longer with Andrea, but I was a new father. I took every opportunity to chat Joanie up...and she seemed as taken with me as I was with her.

Seemed!

I'll never forget the mad kisses we exchanged behind the dumpster in Old Town's rear parking lot, our very first kisses (kisses as passionate exchanged as recently as the day she ended it)...our first dates...the smell of her breath...first demanding every moment of my time, then vanishing for days...insisting on demonstrations of affection that grew increasingly difficult to pull off (demands made as recently as--)...all night spent in my Dodge Colt in a restaurant parking lot, spending most of it discussing eloping...tears of laughter and insanity from both of us...insisting that I couldn't love her because she didn't love herself. This statement was renewed the night I returned from B.C. Her statement was untrue. It would have been true for her to state: "Because I don't love myself, I can't love you." A very harsh lesson, one which thankfully stings less with time and repeated exposure.

I could not live without her. I have felt that way more than once, but it's been over over a dozen years now. Routines became such a damned distraction from her company. No one had ever owned my heart the way she did then, the fall and winter of 1986/'87. She would own it in similar fashion again; but sadly, not ever permanently...

I moved into her house in January of 1987. I lived there until I elected to move out, upon another break-up, in July of 1988...there was a smattering of love, a lot of yelling and feigning hate, some passionate and occasionally furtive sex...but mainly a lot of yelling...I used to think her longing for me fueled her hatred. Based on what she's shown me, it's actually based on REAL hatred.

We would get together and separate more times than I care to admit, and on some occasions I truly regret. The last real one was in 1998, just as her ex Phil was getting ready to leave So. Cal. for more familiar environs for him on the East Coast. I had a sense that she was grabbing on to me because he was leaving. When she ended that go-round, I had closure for the first time. The only way I could possibly make her happy would be to fundamentally alter my personality. I could not do it.

We traded emails and even went out a couple of times last year; we seemed to be circling each other for another go 'round, but when she informed me that her ex was going to be staying with her more frequently than she previously had said, I just assumed she was back with him. I turned out to be wrong, even if leaving then probably spared me some pain.

I was fine on my own. Sure, I have had my share of romantic misadventures this year, but that's all in a day's work. It goes with the territory. I told her she doesn't do well in captivity. She paints a picture describing her love for me, as we fall into an open relationship. I let her convince me that she wants the same things I do; my fondness becomes the love I once knew for her, tempered of course by our history; and by my embracing the idea of impermanence in the last few years. Then, she sets the painting on fire, proving the Buddhists correct yet again. Of course, after the picture's turned to ash, the love brings pain. The pain is tempered by the fact that I was in love with something that either didn't really exist, or didn't belong in my possession anyway. I will always go after love if it means I won't be hurting someone else...it's the best way to live, madly in love...

I will not settle for less than that. I am already happy in this existence. There's someone out there that can appreciate what I have to offer. Until then, I party on...with the very best of friends, and some amazing lovers...

Friends that yell at me for giving her more chances, but then back off and give me room to make my own mistakes...

I am buoyed up and out of any depression that may rear its head by the knowledge of the love and support I enjoy in this world. By this standard, I am one of the wealthiest men alive. I am thankful for all of the blessings I receive.

I think its what keeps drawing her back to me...like a moth to a flame. Or Charlie Brown to his next field goal attempt. All he needs is a more reliable holder.

The late late FANTASTIC FOUR review

2005-12-04T02:10:00.000-08:00

Well what do you know? In time for the DVD release! Ha ha!

I have been waiting for a FANTASTIC FOUR movie since I was probably 5 years old; or maybe not, but I know the FF has been an important part of my life for almost as long as my memory goes back. The fact that my son Ben is named Ben is not a coincidence. I have been casting an FF movie in my head since at least 1978...

There are some wacky coincidences too: Tim Story grew up next door to my good friend Jahn Evans, so I have actually had the pleasure of meeting Tim twice, and on one occasion (talk about thrills) we got to chat about the movie, and the comic, and the coming sequel! It definitely feels like some kind of fate, having such a close personal connection to the man that would direct the first real FF movie.

My make-up/effects industry younger brother spent about 3 months helping with the Thing's costume/suit/make-up. I saw the Thing's outfit and Doom's outfit way back in January, at Spectral Motion in the valley.

I have a handful of pop culture heroes...the Thing...John Belushi...Jerome "Curley" Howard...

Michael Chiklis has now played all of these men...

Okay, so me and the FF go way back. One thing this movie demonstrated was that there are a LOT of people like me! Thousands! Below us, and more numerous, are people that read other comics growing up, X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, etc. and are tangentially aware of the FF, because of appearances in the comics they read, or maybe they picked up a bunch of comic titles, and FF was among them. And below them (and more numerous still) are the people who when asked if they know who the Fantastic Four are, reply: "Is that the rock man and the fire guy?" I began reading FF after seeing the cartoon in 1969: the first FF I read was #95. I read FF off and on until I was about ten; I began picking up other titles when I was thirteen...at one point, I was buying on a regular basis the following:

FF
Marvel 2-In-1 (starring da ever-lovin' blue-eyed T'ing)
Spider-Man
Avengers
Thor
Captain America
X-Men
Incredible Hulk
Justice League of America
New Teen Titans
(DC titles didn't do much for me until Frank Miller created DARK KNIGHT RETURNS)

Okay, I digress...I know the FF. The point is made! (I just threw my hands up in the "Touchdown" gesture) Suffice it to say, I am very sympathetic to the material.

The movie itself can easily be described as Comic Book Movie 101; the origin of the Fantastic Four is the first thing we see. Reed Richards and Ben Grimm need to go into high earth orbit to conduct an experiment, and they convince industrialist (and school "chum") Victor Von Doom to let Reed use Doom's space station and space shuttle in exchange for 75% of the profits any such research might generate, as well as Doom himself overseeing the mission, along with his assistant Susan Storm and her brother, pilot Johnny Storm. The research is related to a "cosmic storm," (Stan Lee's wild, impossible, unexplained physics of the universe come to mind), that Richards hopes to meet out in space. When it arrives unexpectedly, all five are bathed in the cosmic rays. Under quarantine back on earth, it's obvious the storm has affected them physically. (spoiler!) They've acquired super powers! They were ordinary people, but now they are MR. FANTASTIC! THE THING! THE HUMAN TORCH! THE INVISIBLE WOMAN! The world will never again be the same!

I have got to stop reading so much god-damned Stan Lee!!!!!

Uh, oh yeah, almost forgot...Doom is now burdened with a small metallic scar, and is beginning to develop Electro's powers...the idea of Doom joining their challenge of the unknown comes by way of Marvel's Ultimate Fantastic Four series...where Doom is a rich industrialist ala Lex Luthor, and is named Von Damne.

Ben can't deal with turning into the Thing, and in the worst storytelling of the movie, escapes his quarantine to return to his wife. It was just a little hard to figure out exactly how Ben got back to NYC...

Yeah, that kind of sucked, as did a wife who a) doesn't exist in the comics; b) dresses incredibly inappropriately for the streets of Manhattan; and c) demonstrates all of the loyalty of a Fillipina spinster. The only good Ben's cinematic wife provides is a moment of heartbreak when, after rejecting him because he has turned into the Thing, she throws her wedding ring at him. He reaches for it...and can't pick it up because he can't really manipulate his new hands. I thought that was a very nice touch. Some may have seen it as comic...

The ring toss culminates a scene where we see the FF use their new powers in public for the first time, even though they still don't really know a lot about them. This scene worked pretty well for me, but to me the lack of budget showed here, with Reed's powers given short shrift. I am very happy about the success of this movie; in large part because I can't wait for Reed to be done better...

I won't detail the entire plot. I will talk a little bit about what worked, and what didn't.

What didn't:

When the movie was over, I realized that the best, most exciting moments were telegraphed in previews for months before the movie came out. They used all of the best moments of the movie in the trailer, and as a result, the dramatic impact was reduced some for me. Some of the effects were spectacular, I just wish they saved up a little bit more. Also, I liked the Thing's appearance, but I most definitely miss the brow ridge. It is so iconic. I saw designs of the Thing that included the brow ridge, and I understand why they didn't use any of them. Maybe if they had more time to design?

I didn't care for Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. She looked fine, but after the first viewing I thought it was a bad performance. A second viewing made me feel a little bit differently. Ultimately, she read the lines okay, but she never became Sue Storm. I should add that Alba isn't entirely responsible, as her character development was another casualty of the tight deadline, and an under-developed script...

Doom. No, it wasn't. But it could be! He gets back to Latveria, his mom (a gypsy practitioner of black magic) takes him back in, and as he's recuperating, she's eliminating the men that stand between Doom and the throne of Latveria...

Anyway, I thought that Julian McMahon did very well as Doom, except in the moment or 2 where he looked uncannily like Kevin Spacey. I have no problem with the actor, this was very good casting. It's the writing of his character that needs a lot of help. This wasn't the Dr. Doom that FF fans love to hate, this was Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn and the Marvel characters Electro and Colossus jammed painfully into one character...

It was evident that the movie had to make concessions to budget and schedule. The biggest impact was on Reed's character. It just felt to me like they avoided showing him stretch if they could. When I think of various depictions of his character in the comics, I think of a Reed who uses his super-power almost as if he's always possessed it; a natural part of him. For example, I love seeing him stretch in the employ of his scientific pursuits, it suggests a lot about his intellect. And this is supposed to be the world's smartest guy...we didn't get that so much from this movie. He was a little too ineffectual for my tastes. But, again, a sequel is coming...

What did work:

Okay, how best to put this? It was a fun movie! I enjoyed the experience of watching it. The tone was perfect. Despite my enumerating what was wrong with it, FF didn't suck so badly that it was unenjoyable. It was very enjoyable! I saw it 3 times, and liked it more with each viewing.

Chiklis brought Benjamin Jacob Grimm and The Thing to life, Chris Evan also did a nice job of imagining Johnny Storm. Their chemistry was nicely matched to their comic book role models, and was also hilarious! Their chemistry was perfect, and helped make FF so enjoyable. Chemistry is one of the best things about FANTASTIC FOUR. I was disappointed by the depiction of Reed; mainly due to his character being under developed. Ioan Griffith is a good actor, and man, he looks for all the world like he was torn off of a page of Walter Simonson's FF run.

The Human Torch's story arc: I loved the character's slowly getting better at using his power. It was also good writing, and saved money on the effect...and the effect was dead-on...I really worried when I was heard that the Torch might not "flame on" completely. Oops! Spoiler!

It's successful enough to warrant a sequel!

Bottom line? I probably loved it so much because I love the material...I am probably being too forgiving of the end result...

Bring on...FANTASTIC TWO? FANTASTIC FOUR TWO? PART 2? How about 4X2?

Ruin and rage

2005-09-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

How safe do you feel now?

I was just wondering if those that voted Bush last November feel very safe at this moment, after viewing the events of last week in New Orleans.

I would like you to compare the response to Katrina to the responses to any one of the four hurricanes that pounded Florida last (election) year. Shouldn't they be really fucking good at responding to hurricanes by now? I didn't get that sense last week, watching people beg for help in the flooded streets of one of America's greatest cities.

What do we owe Louisiana? Complete restoration, not just rebuilding. New Orleans gave the world jazz; the country owes Louisiana a whole hell of a lot better than what it saw after Katrina. Louisiana deserves at least as much as Iraq. How dare they suggest they shouldn't rebuild New Orleans when the spending frenzy that is the War in Iraq is several times more expensive than it would be to put New Orleans not just back to normal, but to right, where hurricanes won't be able to wipe our cultural heritage from the face of the earth. The neocons got Iraq, their most coveted possession. WE'RE KEEPING NEW ORLEANS, you rapacious, cynical mother fuckers...

The citizens of New Orleans deserved better than a 48 hour waiting period. They deserve better than a man who knows more about horses than responding to emergency events.

I have been to New Orleans several times in my life, and it was like no other city I've ever encountered...the people, the music, the food...the prospect of that magical place now just being a part of memory is unfathomable.

The issue may well come down to the competency of Michael Brown, FEMA chair. But if Brown is incompetent, what does that make the man that appointed him? Campaign slogan for 2006: CRONYISM KILLS.

But I cannot help think of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, when Lawrence against all likelihood takes a city by coming in over the desert, knowing that all of this city's weapons were pointing at the ocean, because they didn't think anyone would survive a desert crossing. Bush's coven reorganized things so heavily in favor of reacting to a terrorist attack that they have destroyed their own ability to rule because they couldn't react to a deadly natural disaster.

Now the heat is on Liberals, they need to articulate their platform for 2006, a key piece of which will be the impeachment of Dubya (it ain't gonna happen with the Republicans in charge!). The Republicans impeached Clinton over a private matter; this shit cannot stand. Nobody died as a result of Clinton's peccadilloes.

-------------------------
Related by blood but not by topic, a piece of trivial dreck hanging out on one of my dendrites. Today is the 18th anniversary of Bush the Elder confusing today with Pearl Harbor Day during one of his debates with Michael Dukakis.

George W. Orwell (TM)

2005-08-21T01:11:00.000-07:00

Click the link to learn why Dubya cannot answer Cindy Sheehan's question; face to face, or even as a multiple choice.

Shedding unreality, are we? What the hell is this, Lidsville? That studio that HR Pufnshit called home?

From the article:

"What we expected to achieve was never realistic given the timetable or what unfolded on the ground," said a senior official involved in policy since the 2003 invasion. "We are in a process of absorbing the factors of the situation we're in and shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."

What the FUCK?!? I'd love to know who said this...

Can we get a couple of follow-up questions?

"What we expected to achieve was never realistic given the timetable or what unfolded on the ground."

Follow up:

So, you rushed unprepared, unplanned, into this shit and now it's FUBAR? Is that a reasonable 'interpretation' of that sentence? By the way, why are we 'interpreting' senior officials? Is this supposed to be 'communication?'

"We are in a process of absorbing the factors of the situation we're in and shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."

I will need several follow-up's for this one.

Please define 'unreality.' Or is 'UNdefine' more appropriate? I wouldn't want to be construed as double-plus-UN-good.

Would that 'unreality' be, oh, say, the assumption that there were WMP's stockpiled in Iraq?

Is 'unreality' what you get when the intelligence is fixed around policy?

The lies of the Bush administration have a new name. Unreality. It should come to define Dubya as the expression 'Camelot' defined JFK's presidency.

C'mon, I want to hear it. How can you not be upset by, at a minimum, the incredible hubris exhibited here? If this doesn't upset you, either you are a lot more world-weary than I am or you put politics in front of country.

I heart Cindy Sheehan

2005-08-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

In her courageous stance, a genius unexpected.

Her vigil ended today due to her mother's stroke. The events around this made me come to a potentially frightening realization.

I think Dubya is mistaking the Devil's work for communion with Jesus Christ.

A scenario...

Bush is kneeling at his bed, praying before hitting the hay. That would make it 7:30 pm local time. He can hear the protesters, but cannot see them. He prays to Jesus...

"Please help me out with this very hard work, this difficult situation.

Satan causes Cindy's mom to stroke.

Dubya: "HALLELUJA!!"

Her attempt to reach the President is like watching Dubya stand in acid. Every moment he ignores her, he is diminished. Her brilliance is that she reflects Dubya's arrogance & stubborness for all the world to see. Like Aikido, where you use your opponent's momentum as a weapon against them. She's everything he pretends to be. Stoic, brave, articulate. And of course, she possesses a moral authority that Dubya can only look up at and admire from afar.

It's a pity that she's not completely correct. I do not agree that we should abondon Iraq. We can't. As bad as things are now, it will definitely be worse if we just walk away. We need significantly better leadership...

White House Conversation, earlier today...

2005-07-13T19:35:00.000-07:00

What did Karl Rove say to George W. Bush?

"I'm fired."

The Over-empowerment Project

2005-06-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it's time to dip back into solipsism...

I am all for people standing up for their rights. No one should have their rights, feelings, what-have-you, stepped on. It's particularly galling when someone weaker has difficulty standing up for themselves.

Did you know that there's an upper limit? Really! I recently learned this the hard way.

You hit the limit when you are empowering yourself to the Nth degree; and the only thing that matters is YOU! You have reached the point of over-empowerment when things like fairness, basic human decency and love fall by the wayside in favor of "I'M RIGHT, MOTHERFUCKA; FUCK ALL Y'ALL!!"

It must stop right at the border of "good-for-me" and "good-for-everybody." Why? Think about it! That's where you cross the line from "good for me" to "bad for everybody..."

Yeah, I hurt. I'll get over it.

Back, by demand

2005-06-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, time for a question that should stir some debate. That is, if anyone is still reading...

I was reading this article from www.truthout.org (click the title); and a big question returned to my mind. Actually, it's a deeply disturbing article that raises LOTS of questions. But one came up in my mind out of a tangent...and now that I have a blog, what a great place to air it!

How could a practicing Christian become part of the military, or even perform a duty as a peace officer?

I am no Christian. I am closer to the Jewish faith, but in all honesty, it's more of a cultural connection than a religious one. I mean, I can't say for certain that there ISN'T more than one god (monotheism being Judaism's great gift to the world, the "invisible man in the sky," as Gore Vidal puts it) . I also can't state with conviction that religion does more good than harm in this world. In fact, I think I like the idea that each one of us in direct connection to the god force; and therefore part of god, and therefore...

That aside, my understanding of the Christ's teachings is, in essence, that he wants us to love each other. Love thy neighbor. Forgive them when they transgress. How can a follower of these principles bear arms against his neighbor? Is it something about the definition of neighbor?

I understand more easily the Jewish desire to be militant, since Jews nearly ceased to exist just sixty-some years back. Is the Christian willingness based on something in the Old Testament?

Obviously, most of our armed forces and peace officers are Christians of some stripe...

And I mean no disrespect. I am genuinely curious. Am I wrong to think that martial actions are the antithesis of Christ's teachings?

A terrible anniversary

2005-04-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

On April 6th of last year, I had no blog to place thoughts like these. It was a year ago today that my circle of friends and the whole wide world lost Stephan X. De leon to a fucked up, stupid traffic accident. I know that I wanted to write a few words about it, but here we are, a year later. I comment not so much from accurate memory, more from the toll, and what the ensuing time has felt like.

I met Stephan at a wrestling event at the Sports Arena in 1985, he (and Loren) were dressed in Rowdy Roddy Piper mode, both in kilts. Piper wrestled Hulk Hogan that night. I remember after meeting Stephan that I had met the living incarnation of Bugs Bunny, mainly because at one point later, he leaned over and appeared to kiss Nico on the lips, slipping his hand between his mouth and Nico's to prevent actual mouth to mouth contact. For his part, Nico played it beautifully, coming out of the moment spitting and sputtering madly.

It's easy to look back and ask, my god, how could a force like Stephan be long for this world? He was one of the most fearless people I knew, an inspiration to just about anyone that spent 5 minutes talking to him. He had the same infectious enthusiasm for my crappy-ass drawings and his co-worker's crappy music, as he did for the multiple projects he juggled. And compared to the previous examples, his projects were larger in magnitude and also much more accomplished. I have trouble sometimes maintaining excitment for my own projects, but Stephan was a cheerleader for anyone that he respected, and anyone he loved. I am fortunate to have enjoyed his love, as a brother, and as a fellow artist. It's been easy to convince myself in retrospect that all of that drive must have meant that he could only be here for so long.

I have to mention a couple of things here that are Stephan-related, my brightest memories of him:

I mentioned the night I met him, and that Nico-kiss.

The night of my son's first birthday party, and Stephan and Loren traded wearing a SuperStar Destroyer mask and shirt. One of them asked me to get pictures of each of them in the full SuperStar Destroyer get-up, standing next to the other, so that they had photographic evidence that allowed each of them to deny being the SuperStar Destroyer. (Loren and the S.D. in one pic, Stephan and the SD in another pic: this proved neither man was the SD)

Holloween night, 1987 at Joanie's house (where I lived and threw several parties), a group including Stephan, Nico, Loren and I happened upon Joanie and several girlfriends who were attempting to conduct a seance. Well, unfortunately for Joanie's group, I got wind of her plans before she knew who was with me, so I took advantage of this fact. Before we walked into the house, I instructed Stephan to stay near the door, count to 60, and then start pounding the wall with his knee, once every 20 seconds or so. Leaving Stephan at the front door, we walked into the candle-lit living room, where Joanie (who hated me at this point) and her friends were seated around a ouija board. She introduced her friends around. On cue, there came a loud, dull THUMP from the front door area. I turned my head, and with all of the malice I could muster, I said "What the hell was THAT?!?" This was probably the most successful prank I have ever pulled, because with Stephan's second thump, I saw raw fear in every set of eyes that was not in on the gag, and one girl, Suzy (I was told later) almost wet herself. I laughed for days, Joanie's hatred for me probably never ever burned hotter. Jesus, it's STILL funny!

June, 1988. Joanie's place for my graduation party (from 'Camino): I normally slept in the living room, but we partied until 3 am or so, and then Renard, Loren and Stephan passed out around me in the living room. I had trouble falling asleep, but as I was drifting off, a sound, a horrible sound began coming from Stephan. He was snoring. LOUDLY. He was 15 to 20 feet away from me on another sofa, but it was so loud that I couldn't get to sleep! I don't think it's possible for humans to snore that loudly. I stumbled over Renard's unconscious body to get to Stephan. I shook him violently, and he finally opened his eyes. I yelled "YOU'RE SNORING TOO LOUDLY, STEPHAN!" He looked at me like he didn't recognize me, and said some equivalent of "Pshaw," and fell back to sleep. I ran back to my sofa bed, and tried to fall asleep before he started snoring again.

I have to mention the homosexual pickup attempt I endured at the Gauntlet, a gay/leather bar in Hollywood that Foreign Object played in 1996. I was shooting super 8 film (it was too dark, as it turned out), and I became aware of this little guy, Bill Oddie (of the Goodies) -looking character. He wouldn't take his eyes off of me; I was afraid to look around the room at one point. His outfit was hilarious: jeans, sneakers, and because he was at the Gauntlet, a leather shirt. When Foreign Object finished their set, the little guy came up to me, scratched my chest hairs like a cat and said "RRRrrrroooowwwwwwww!" (Why can't women be this forward?)

I last saw Stephan in June of 2002; the same night as a party at Nico's, where I would also see Nico's auntie Arlene for the last time in life. Before the Garage show, I finally got to ask Stephan if he was interested in acting in Ed Wood Jr. Post-Mortem. He expressed strong interest; but of course I couldn't have known that night that we wouldn't shoot in time to take advantage of his interest. I don't see how he would have had time to help, given all of the demands on his time. Knowing Stephan as I did, I am certain that if I gave him a time and location, he'd have shown up.

I look at the outpouring of grief and love for the man, today online and in my memory of the days and weeks that followed. I get angry because the words and ideas all seem like such cliches in the face of what he was in reality. But I understand, because here I am doing the same damn thing. I love you, Stephan. I feel your spirit whenever I am reaching for something that's just out of reach.

This is FTN

2005-04-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Feeding Tube News. You give me 22 minutes, and I'll give you the Feeding Tube world.

With all of the Feeding Tube News, here's your anchor, Thomas Shea.

Thank you, um...me. Where to begin? At the top. Pope John Paul II was outfitted this week with a feeding tube located in his nostril, due to his body's lack of ability to keep food down. The Pope's health took a turn for the worse before Vatican officials realized that this Pope eats food through his mouth. At this hour, the Pontiff clings to life.

The man won't give up.

In other unusually large Feeding Tube News, the shell of the woman that was once Terry Schiavo was finally allowed to slip from this existance, 13 days after doctors removed her feeding tube per court orders. Tom DeLay has allegedly asked the Texas National Guard to arrest and detain for questioning God. DeLay is reportedly angered by God's "jumping the gun," to use a beloved Texas phrase. God claimed Schiavo's immortal soul, preventing DeLay, who is ammoral, from fomenting any appearance of morality that might arise from his stance regarding Shiavo. Most Americans are profoundly offended by DeLay's actions; his followers passionately defend him.

In case there is EVER a question, I want everyone to know the following: if a cat scan of my brain ever resembles the cat scan of Terry Schivo's brain, please kill me. I will be no better than a Venus Flytrap. Use morphine, or a bullet.

Does this count as a living will?

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING FTN!

Sometimes stories write themselves

2005-04-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I know it's a cliche.

I was walking from my car to the office I work in. In the middle of the driveway leading down to my office was a perfectly good banana. I figured someone dropped it on the way into their work. I realized that it seemed pretty strategically placed for someone to have just dropped it there, plus, that was not a safe place to be walking in the parking garage anyway. Then:

I forgot about it.

Until I returned to my car for lunch. The banana was gone! Completely, in other words, no indication of a damp squish ending that banana's existance. Then:

I forgot about it. Until I went to bed that night.

I couldn't help thinking of the fate of the banana. Did someone just pick it up and toss it? Or, better would be if someone ate it. THEN, ZZzzzzzzzzz...

I went into work the following morning. I got out of my car. I saw something shiny fall outside of the parking garage, so I walked over to the wall of the structure to look for it. Nothing.

THEN:

Oh my god...If I hadn't gone to look out of the parking garage, I wouldn't have seen it! It was in front of one of the cars near mine.

A black phallic object.

"Lyin' in the highway."

It was the banana. It was black, obviously, because it was dead. I was so saddened...

Then I forgot about it.

Dodgers: start your engines!

2005-03-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Dodger baseball is back! At least, it looks like the Dodgers, the uniforms are remarkably similar to the team that won the western division of the National League in 2004...they lost the name on the back.

The Dodgers facelift began shortly after their new GM Paul DePodesta traded a couple of highly regarded prospects for Milton Bradley (the first name in "game"), the Cleveland Native American Caricatures' troubled centerfielder. Yes, he was a hot-head, but when one of the league's finest citizens (Shawn Green) is patrolling right field, how much damage could he do?

It continued with last season's enormous trade deadline deal that sent Paul LoDuca, Juan Encarnacion and Guillermo Mota to the Florida Marlins for Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi and a pitching prospect. The deal went bust with the nerve injury to Penny's pitching arm. If Penny doesn't recover, that trade is their worst since sending Mike Piazza packing...to the Marlins!

And the nose was lopped clean off of the Dodger's face by getting rid of upright citizen Shawn Green, baseball's true MVP Adrien Beltre, and the heart of last season's team, Jose Lima. Now devoid of features, the Dodgers face was reassembled with Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew and World Series pitching phenom Derek Lowe. I think the patient lost a lot of blue blood in the process.

I will say this. If Penny recovers, the Dodger have the most effective pitchers from the last TWO World Series in their starting rototion: Lowe won all of three of Boston's clinching post season series games (not bad under pressure), and Penny won 2 games in the '03 World Series. IF the Dodgers can make the playoffs (still an open question); their pitching is exactly where I would want it to be (contingent on the health of said Penny); with 2 top line starters. Gotta think it would take the...oh yeah, Dodgers, deep into October baseball.

I will follow the Dodgers in '05: I have no idea how well they will do. Too many "fuckin' imponderables," as Al Swearingen would say. The improvements to the starting rotation stand to counter the degradation of offense and defense, IF Penny's recovery is 100%. But I am so disappointed by the loss of Shawn Green. I see Beltre's departure as largely of his own, and his agent's making. But Green made it easy to root for the Dodgers. He now makes me want to root for the Diamondbacks, his new team. Everyone seemed to think that getting rid of him was a great baseball move. Those people are not considering the imponderables...

More thoughts on Green. In 2002, he hit 49 home runs. Green CLEARLY doesn't abuse steroids...what if he did? I am glad that steroids will be leaving the game. Subtract the roid factor, and Green is Ruthian compared to the guys that were juicing at that time (Bonds, Sosa, Giambi, etc.). Thanks, Shawn, for the memories! And LA is a little bit better place thanks to you being such a mensch.

A lull in the blogosphere...

2005-03-09T19:40:00.000-08:00

There seems to be a reluctance to blog lately...

I sometimes get overwhelmed by the scope of what I want to say. I sit down to blog, and where is that vision?

I wanted to relay something that happened to me of late...without a volcanic overflow of hostility...

Lesson learned, or maybe confirmed: never date women with children...

I know it sounds harsh, but more than one experience has earned me the right to express it, with some vehemence. Details? See "Down with Love."

Actually, this should be said. If you are young, and thinking about getting pregnant, don't! EVERYONE will regret it after the breakup/divorce. Who is everyone? You, your mate, your kids, and ALL the lovers you and your mate might have down the line. Something to really think about huh! I know I wasn't thinking of all of the women I would date after I turned 25 when Ben came into the world...

Maybe someone can learn from someone else's bad experiences. Unfortunately, it eluded me.

In defeat, Liberals have found a leader, and their testicles

2005-02-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

Well, better late than never I guess.

Dr. Howard Dean asked the Dems to cough, and he found their balls. That's twice in the last 14 months.

I see his strong to resistance to the Iraq war as being the key to the change in the Democrats starting with the tone of John Kerry's presidential campaign, and continuing through the unexpected resistance to the appointments of Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales. Anyone calling this a race issue is seriously misjudging that resistance. It's also to call that opposition baseless, which it isn't, if you are listening to it. Historically, some of the Republicans' greatest victories have come not at their own accomplishments but at the defeat of Democratic initiatives (such as Clinton's attempt at healthcare reform in 1994); the Dems have finally figured out what it means to be an opposition party. The Dems rolled over for Bush for three years. Thank god they finally understand "opposition."

By the way, speaking of trying to call the opposition to Gonzales' and Rice's appointments racist, chew on this. Rice had to go out and answer for her boss, who seems to have no compunctions about not answering questions directed right at him, leaving the opposition party to go and find proxies to answer for him. That's some leader. That's not even a MAN. I hope Truman's famous sign is nowhere in sight. Please try to tell me that isn't the height of chickenshit!

Howard Dean stands poised to become the leader of the Democratic National Commitee on Saturday. Dean taught the political world how to use the internet to raise grassroots support, both funding and volunteers. He's also responsible for handing a set of balls to John Kerry, to use to challenge Bush's administration of the war on terror, and especially in Iraq. Kerry would have needed a lot more than 70,000 more votes in Ohio to become President last November without them.

But, to me, the most important aspect of Dean's chairmanship of the DNC is something no one else has suggested. It may never be suggested, I just may be turning into Pollyanna over here. Dean can take his knowledge of raising the volunteers and the cash of the grassroots to eliminate the need for any other donations. It could be a party TRULY for the people because it will be put into office ENTIRELY by the people. Can you even imagine a party that owes NOTHING to corporate interests, or isn't beholden to trial lawyers (we need them, god love 'em), or unions? THIS prospect is the reason I supported Nader in 1996 and 2000. A Democratic party true to the needs of the people would be able to bring about historic reform in our country especially as regards the power of corporations. Think on this. If you agree, let's help Dr. Dean out! Also, he needs to hear this idea from a lot of people.

I see Dean as a Liberal answer to Karl Rove. And don't they need one! John Kerry has already pledged a million of his campaign dollars to support Dean's efforts. May not be the last time, because I could get behind Kerry again. I am not saying that's exactly what will happen, but it would not be hard for me to get behind a Kerry candidacy in 2008.

MoveOn.org polled its members for a series of questions to pose to the candidates for chair of the DNC. Dean's support coalesced so quickly behind him that they never got to ask the questions of the other potential candidates. I include the questions and his answers here for your perusal.

------------------------------
Top 5 questions from MoveOn members
and Howard Dean's responses
------------------------------

1) What will you do to insure that all voters, in each state, have access to a universally transparent, accountable voting system?
-- Sylvia S Pinyan, retired teacher
(January 27, 2005; Winston Salem, NC)

If elected Chair of the DNC, I intend to work with Members of Congress, the state Democratic parties, secretaries of state, the Democratic Governors' Association, other stakeholders, and the grassroots to ensure that every legitimate voter -- regardless of their political affiliation -- is able to vote and have their vote counted. We must address the obstacles that some voters in some locations faced this past November, like inadequate numbers of voting machines at certain polling locations, faulty electronic voting machines, and voting rolls that failed to include some properly registered voters' names. And critically, we must take steps to ensure the verifiability of all electronic voting. For instance, we need to use the referendum process (in states that allow this) to ban unverifiable voting machines and to protect voters from partisan secretaries of state.

2) What would be your list of 'ideals,' things the Democratic Party stands for and will fight for?
-- Tom Peters, commercial fisherman
(January 26, 2005; Eureka, CA)

Whether you call them ideals or moral values, there are a number of basic principles that I believe the Democratic Party should stand up and fight for. Here are a few: a livable wage is a moral value. Affordable health care is a moral value. A decent education is a moral value. A common sense foreign policy is a moral value. A healthy environment is a moral value. The feeling of community that comes from full participation in our democracy is a moral value. It is a moral value to make sure that we do not saddle our children and grandchildren with our debt.

3) What will be your strategy for sending the message that a progressive agenda is as much about "moral values" as is the Republican agenda, ie: that economic justice and equality, tolerance, civil rights and environmental protection are ethical and moral matters?
-- Anna Schwartz, physician
(January 26, 2005; Hastings-on-Hudson, NY)

I believe that there are no red states or blue states, just American states. And I am confident that Americans will vote for Democrats in Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Montana and all over the Untied States if we show up, knock on their doors, introduce ourselves, and tell them what we stand for. But we will not win by being "Republican-lite" -- Democrats must have the courage of our convictions. Every chance we get, Democrats need to stand up for what we believe in, frame the debate, and call for reform. Each time that we do this we drive home the point that our progressive agenda is right where the majority of Americans are. Because Democrats -- not Republicans -- are the party of fiscal responsibility, economic responsibility, social responsibility, civic responsibility, personal responsibility, and moral responsibility.

4) What is your plan for creating an effective Democratic message machine to clearly and powerfully present our point of view?
-- Lynn O'Connell, advertising
(January 26, 2005; Alexandria, VA)

I am running for DNC Chair because I want to reform the Democratic Party and make it a truly national party. Improving the Democrat's message machine will be critical to our success. To drive home the point that we are where the majority of Americans are on the issues, we have to better integrate national and state party operations -- the success of the former depends directly on the success of the latter. Two, taking a bottom-up approach to the development of the Party's message, we need to set core principles that define the Democratic Party and what we stand for. Three, the Party must take advantage of cutting-edge Internet technology to fundraise, organize, and communicate with our supporters. And four, we must strengthen our political institutions and leadership institutes to promote our leaders and our ideas. All of this won't be easy and it won't happen overnight. It will require exceptional cooperation between the National Party and the State Parties, unprecedented use of the grassroots, unparalleled message discipline, and significant financial support. But taking the White House and Congress and every other office back from George Bush and the Republicans will make all of our time and effort worth it.

5) Many people like myself were energized during the 2004 presidential election. I volunteered to canvas neighborhoods and I made phone calls for democratic candidates. I made my first financial contributions for a political cause. How are you going to keep people like me involved? Do you want to keep people like me involved?
-- Lisa Scerbo, photographer
(January 26, 2005; Mechanicville, NY)

It was new supporters like you that were one of the bright spots in the last election cycle. If I am elected DNC Chair, we intend to make the Democratic Party a truly national party by becoming competitive in every race, in every district, in every state and territory. We need you and other grassroots volunteers to stay involved -- our vision won't become a reality without your help. And we will keep you involved by building on our grassroots successes, expanding community-building initiatives like Meetup, and getting ordinary people to run for office. It is time we support all Democrats carrying the message of reform.

Down with Love

2005-01-28T16:09:00.000-08:00

The most forbidden topic of blogging...

...your own love life/relationship!

Gee, I wonder why?

Makes me think an anonymous blog with true stories has possibilites...to be able to write whatever you want, without fear of upsetting people...how freeing...

They probably already exist...

Observations of a fat man

2005-01-27T23:33:00.000-08:00

One in an occasional continuing series!

Sizzler ad, featuring their new Shrimp Cocktail offer. Seen it? The guy is running on the beach towards a man in a giant shrimp outfit. Well, before tonight, the shrimp's tail curled up under the man, forming an obscene phallus which the guy we first saw in the restaurant is running towards. Tonight, the same ad has a new costume, where the tail curls behind. I guess they agreed with my assessment!

Why do so many fast-food drive throughs install windows they never use? Several Carl's Jr.s have windows painted over. The local McDonald's only uses 2 of the 3 windows they have. To continue listing examples would only serve to further embarrass myself by expressing exactly HOW familiar I am with such matters...

Brings to mind my time working at Bob's Big Boy, where they had one window. Summer, 1988, a very miserable time for me! HA HA HA! My time there gave me the experience of severely overcooking at least 6 Big Boy hamburgers. So well done were they, that each patty was really a thin, little, charred hockey puck, and certain to be "boomerangs" in my mind, I had to send them out that way to buy time.

Not one ever came back!

By the way people: Woody's is gone, soon to be replaced by an IHOP.

James at 40

2005-01-17T23:40:00.000-08:00

Or, for the solipsists out there, welcome to Year 40.

Yep, it only took me 25 years to get from 15 to 40...

The title is a reference to a show that I was pretty fond of as a 12- and 13-year-old: "James at 15," and in it's final season, "James at 16." It was a coming of age show. If your main character is supposed to be 15, it HAS to be a coming of age show. I think this show may have sparked my interest in photography.

Despite it's best efforts, it didn't help me get laid. For me, that episode would have to be called "James at 19." It is probably because I was only 12 when the show arrived in 1977. (That means that the fictional James was actually forty in 2002) That is also the year my family tried to move to Lewiston, Idaho. We failed and landed in Tujunga, California in December of 1977...we were there, on Valmont, for 4 years. I dropped out of 9th grade in 1980, and didn't go back to school until I arrived at El Camino in the summer of 1983. By 1981 we were living in motels full-time, having spent weeks at motels from June of 1981 until early 1982, stopping in Eagle Rock, Santa Monica, and El Segundo. We spent months at a place in Manhattan Beach.

I started working at Woody's, and for the first time in my life, began choosing what my life was going to be like. I struggle to this day with the residue of the chaos of my childhood.

I met Andrea at Woody's in 1984, and the result is my son, Thomas Benjamin, born July 4th, 1986. Andrea moved with Ben to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1988, and to Baton Rouge in 1990.

I worked at the Federated Group from 1984 until 1987. I met Joanie there in late 1986. I will save further comment for now on that. I worked at El Camino, was supposed to go to UCLA in 1987, but there was no money. Worked at Grantree in 1989, went to work for Walser's in 1990. Lived in Torrance, Canoga Park, Redondo Beach, Corona, Long Beach, and Torrance again in that time period.

In July of 1985, after at least 7 or 8 attempts dating back to February of 1983, I finally got stoned on marijuana. I knew I was affected because I saw the outlines of turtles dancing in the stucco living room ceiling of the place Andrea and I shared with Renard on Eastwood in Torrance.

Met Susan working at Walser's. Moved to Lomita, got hired in the signroom of IKEA Carson, November, 1992. The 1994 Northridge quake displaced my mom, so now she lives with me. Moved to South Redondo Beach in 1994, and saw the dawn of a long stretch of stability. I left the signroom in 1997, went to sales, went into management, then went into hibernation. Moved out of Redondo in 2002 to accomodate Ben moving in with me for the last 2 years of high school.

In 1995, John Whisler and I were inspired to create ED WOOD, JR.: POST-MORTEM. This is a long, involved, and still evolving story, so more on that later also. But between IKEA's considerable development of me as a manager, and putting the movie together with John from scratch, I amassed some amazing experiences that tell me that anything I want to do is in relatively easy reach.

In 1995, I got to direct a 3 1/2 minute video for IKEA Carson, and in 1996, I got to direct a 17-minute long take on "A Christmas Carol." These experiences were invaluable, and I owe Wolfgang for them!

What is forty like? It's like 39, plus one...my body feels like 60, but my mind feels like 20, or 25...One thing I like is that I am getting a sense of history, the kind of perspective you can only attain by, say, paying close attention to seven presidential elections. Or having a direct perspective on things that are more than 5 years in the past, or 10 years, or 15 years, etc.

I have friendships that began before I was twenty, and some that are not that old, but feel like it; those are the most valuable things to me today. Few are like us, and I hope we can be in regular contact for the rest of our lives.

Bush: "Social Security is in crisis." US: "Uh, sure, and Saddam had WMD's..."

2005-01-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

I'll semi-quote Bush himself here: "Fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me." (I know he TRIED to ejaculate that old adage once, but something different came out)

Most projections estimate Social Security will not be able to keep paying full benefits after 2042, and SS itself thinks that 2052 is more likely. Problem? Well, I will be 77 in 2042, God willing, so it MIGHT be bad if I start to receive only 70% of my benefits...

BUT, the problem is so far down the line that the "fix" doesn't need to be an hit to the budget of 2 trillion dollars (over the course of 10 years). It requires either a 13% cut in benefits now, OR, a 2 - 3 % increase in the payroll tax! At least, based on the numbers I've seen. Even if my numbers are not exact, we have 37 years to manifest a solution. We need to get way more out of 2 trillion dollars than merely adding private accounts.

Bush wants private accounts. I am not necessarily against this idea, but every projection regarding the cost of what he wants I've seen is 2 trillion bucks over 10 years. Setting up private accounts does NOT have to be this expensive, and its just weird for someone who CALLS himself a conservative to champion such a budget-busting tactic.

By the way, John Kerry was right, that private accounts could have a catastrophic effect, if this is done incorrectly.

I've heard a conspiracy theory that Bush's ACTUAL political goal is the bankruptcy of the US treasury. It seems wild, until you evaluate how fiscally irresponsible the Bush administration has been. Tax cuts in a time of war is an historic first.

Bush is calling it a "crisis" because it allows him to accomplish major Republican goals regarding the administration of Social Security (starting with the personal accounts), and it also helps him avoid dealing with the REAL crisis.

I bet we could all say this together. Our most pressing issue is health care. Duh. It was Clinton's first priority. At least Kerry talked about trying to fix it.

Water, falling from the sky

2005-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:00

I love all of the rain we are having. Today, I drove home for lunch, and driving back, El Segundo felt more like the Bay area or Baton Rouge. There was no rain, then there was a little rain, then no rain, then a cloudburst. I hope it ends our drought. Hearing thunder the other day REALLY made it feel like Louisiana.

The best part is that this is the most massive attack on LA's crinkly patina of blood, sweat, tears, snot, oil and vehicular residue, feces and urine since 1998. Our next sunny day should be spectacular.

Except for where there is massive flooding.

But, assuming I don't experience any flooding, I am going to enjoy this weather while it lasts.

The Death Aquatic

2004-12-29T01:48:00.000-08:00

Before you get pissed at my lack of taste, click the title. It's a reminder that while this weekend's tsunami disaster was probably the worst incident of its kind in recorded history, it could have been worse!

Vetting Curiosity

2004-12-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Vetting: to examine carefully. The process also of investigating a potential job applicant or political appointee's background to ensure you are not hiring Bozo the Clown, or Bernard Kerik.

Curiosity: a desire to learn or know...

2 words that came into into my consciousness in the last year, due to their frequently repeated use about Dubya lacking in both respects.

I had never heard the word "vetting" before I saw a headline to the effect of "Kerik's nomination failing raises questions about Bush's vetting process." Sumpin like that. Since then, I have seen the word hundreds of times, and always in relation to a Bush failing.

Like an article examining who vetted the State of the Union address that we now know to have contained at least ONE glaring inaccuracy, and using the word "inaccuracy" is being charitable on my part. That "inaccuracy" has cost over a thousand American lives, and will cost us over 200 billion of our tax dollars. Before it's over, Iraq may pay by falling into civil war.

And why the Bernie Kerik vetting process failed to turn up info that could have been aquired on Google about him. WAS there a vetting process for him? My understanding is that Dubya took Rudy Giuliani at his word...

By the way, in case you were not aware, the person responsible for vetting Kerik is our next Attorney General.

You get a sense that Dubya isn't too...inquisitive.

But we already knew that, didn't we?

Faith, misplaced, is not a virtue.

Saving us from Private Ryan

2004-11-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Bush administration lost the wrong Powell.

Questions... Is today a day in November of 2004, or 1904? Is this the United States of America, purported home and champion of freedom?

Then why are media companies, and their frightened leaders, deciding what we watch?

Why are we catering to such a small section of our population when it comes to what we can and cannot watch? Didn't their TV's come with remotes? Turn it off, and read the Bible? Sorry, I was overcome by a fit of rationality. If you don't want your children to be exposed to violence, sex or profanity on TV, why aren't you actually parenting them? That is parenthood. It's up to YOU to protect their innocent eyes from lessons they're not ready to learn, like how war is hell, and sometimes, late at night, people are naked.

Why are you limiting everyone else's choice just because you can't control your children? Adults have a right to enjoy adult entertainment now and again. It's up to an adult to make his own choice, and not support material they might find objectionable. Handy tool in this endeavor: the remote!

Please, the trend away from freedom is antithetical to America...

Gold + Silver = Red State Blues

2004-11-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

Or, the tyranny of the lonely.

What the FUCK happened?

It's like, no matter how many Democrats turned out, the Republicans would have won. Maybe I am seeing things through blue-state-tainted lenses-es.

I would liked to have addressed the election earlier, but I was waylaid by a post-election cold. I'm sure the end of the election cycle had me at a nexus of nadirs; physical, emotional, political, etc. So, here is my epic account of 28 hours in the desert of Nevada, trying to change who is running things.

I went to Nevada for Election day, in order to get out the vote. I was supposed to go into Las Vegas on Friday or Saturday, but America Coming Together flat-out forgot my fat ass. So, I didn't leave for Sin City until early Monday afternoon. We got in around 7 pm, Nov. 1st. I drove in with some very nice people, a couple of women who were a few years older than me, and 2 men, both younger than me. Kara, Joyce, Monk, Gary and me! The trip was what you'd expect from a Kerry-van. Lots of political discussion. I missed out on some travel discussion due to semi-consciousness. I had a spirited discussion with Kara about Nader's influence on the election of 2000 and Nader's role in it.

Okay, it was closer to a fight.

Once at the tent that the people of ACT set up, we met Andy, a 26 year-old rabbinical student. In the dirty Days Inn we stayed at on Fremont, downtown Las Vegas, I shared a 2 bed-place with Andy, Monk & Gary. They were all in their mid-twenties, and that makes me feel hopeful, that it isn't only people over 40 that are politically active. I have to add that the work they did was gruelling, walking all day, starting at 8 am, and not ending until after 8 pm because of how long the lines were to vote. I will also admit that I got a sense out of some of the younger volunteers that they were along for the ride. AWESOME! Thanks very much for helping us.

While Andy studied, Monk, Gary and I hit the Fremont Experience, ate prime rib for six bucks (at some place with a San Francisco theme and a very nice waitress named "crystal" but she spelled it differently). I dropped a dollar-fitty in slot machines that returned nothing. Monk dropped a quarter, and won $1.25. We tried to hit a strip place, but they had a 2-drink minimum, and we ALL balked at it! I was carded, which absolutely astonished me. We went home, we were all comatose by 11.

I had what they called "Leader-training," which meant that I was supposed to lead a group of canvassers in the field, but they were aware that I cannot be on my feet all day. I got up too early election day, because they asked "leaders" to be there early. I felt very much an afterthought. I didn't get somewhere where I could do something constructive until about 9 am, when I got to ACT's phone bank. I was there until about 6 pm, when I tried to get back to the big tent to find a way home. I wish I could have contributed more; I ended up talking to (either directly or by message) 200 Nevadans about voting. ACT did great, important work. Unfortunately, the group's inexperience showed through by missing opportunities that tighter organization would have exploited. I know that me being there for 4 days instead of 1 and a half wouldn't have swayed Nevada to become a blue state; but I wasn't the only one standing around.

There was a kind of rally in the tent after everyone gathered together; when we separated, Kerry was ahead in Nevada, and Pennsylvania had been called for him. Also, the main organizer, said something to the effect of "Tonight for the first time in history gold plus silver will equal BLUE!!!" That drove everyone into a frenzy that I didn't share. My mood had been dark all day, and I knew it was too early to celebrate so wildly...

Andy was driving a rental van back to California that night, so I rode in with him. My heart sank when I heard that NPR was calling Florida for Bush; that was when I realized how things would go that night, although I continued to hope against hope.

I hit my own bed at 3 am Wednesday morning, November 3rd. Kerry conceeded defeat 5 hours later.

He may have repeated Gore's biggest mistake of 2000.

Stating the obvious: JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT

2004-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

And how I will vote this Election Day.

My votes are just that, my votes. I may not be able to convincingly argue for or against a particular issue. That, of course, won't stop me from telling you what I intend to do.

I am writing Friday night; we had the reappearance of Osama earlier today, I guess he was sick of Bush and Kerry getting all of the face time. I am currently waiting for info on my Vegas trip. Pondering what we as Americans are capable of doing to each other over our political beliefs. Wondering if I will be shot in Vegas, and will it be because I am getting out the vote? Or because someone misunderstands my inquiry about "green?"

WHAT'S UP with the moderated message of Bin Laden? I would have expected more virulent anti-American rhetoric. Who is helped/hurt by this message? I think it cuts both ways. His reappearance helps and hurts both candidates. I wonder if that has something to do with Bin Laden's unusually conciliatory video.

Dr. Evil and Bigfoot will be announcing their endorsements shortly.

I am just going right down the ballot.

President and Vice President:
John Kerry and John Edwards

You can go back and look at earlier entries for deeper insight into why I am voting for Kerry, this is already going to be a very long entry. John Kerry is an American hero a couple of times over in my humble opinion. His record speaks very directly to my own values, and his stance towards Iraq & Afghanistan I think is the only way this country can possibly go. Then there's the conduct of the current occupant of the White House. I will leave that to the news.

A shockingly honest Conservative endorsement for Kerry:
http://www.amconmag.com/2004_11_08/cover1.html

US Senator:
Barbara Boxer

US Representative:
Jane Harman

Member of the State Assembly:
Mike Gordon

Judicial

Office 18: Pat Campbell

Office 29: Lori Jones

Office 52: John C. Gutierrez

Office 53: David Lopez

Office 69: Donna Groman

State Measures: Here's where the fun starts.

Measure 1A: Yes, AND NO ON 65
This will protect local tax dollars.

59: Yes. Sunshine measure.

60: Yes

60A: Yes

61: Yes. Builds up children's hospitals, and plunges us into more debt.

62: No

63: YES! A chance to improve our Mental Health Care Facilities and stick it to the rich at the same time.

64: NO! FUCK NO! Unless you want to limit your own ability to sue a business for damages.

65: NO! And yes on 1A. Even the people behind this one suggest a "No" vote.

66: This was an exceedingly tough call. I had to weigh the chance to fix an overly punitive measure versus letting people out of jail. If this fails, "3 Strikes" may never be corrected. If it passes, it might put potentially dangerous criminals on the street. I live with the threat of earthquakes everyday, plus they will be making sentences longer for child molesters, so I voted for freedom! Yes. I suggest you get more information, to make a very informed choice. I am weighing this issue even at this moment.

67: Raise cell phone bills to improve emergency medical facilities (we've lost seven in last year, with more closures on the way)? YES.

68: Would extend gambling to non-Indian property: NO.

69: No. Government collect DNA samples? Sound familiar? Sounds like a great crime-fighting idea, but if you are innocent you might not be able to get your sample back...and then they'll give it to Mark Fuhrman. And yer screwed!

70: No. 99 years is too long.

71: YES. I'll gladly put my children and the poor into more debt if it means bringing the state of the art of stem cell research to California. We benefit from the research itself, and we attract the top minds in the world to us. And I heard Bill Clinton say that it will bring Christopher Reeve back to life.

72: I'm voting yes. We have so many needs in terms of health care, that this proposition will get slapped like a band-aid onto the bleeding wound that it has become. It doesn't do enough, but it's something. It doesn't impact businesses with more than 50 employees until 2007.

County measure A: Voting no, but you may want to research the issue more deeply. It reminds me of someone charging a pizza because they have no money. This type of stuff shouldn't be addressed in this manner.

Water replenishment district: Robert E. Katherman (a toss-up).

Thanks for tuning in, I hope it helped, or at least provided something for the mind to chew on...

Beware the October Surprise!

2004-10-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

Click the link, to be prepared.

I have been wanting to do an "October Surprise" entry for about 2 months, and I can feel the pressure build with every day that goes by this month. This link, and others, is waaaaay ahead of me, and now I realize the possibility of an OS is probably a little reduced by how obvious it would appear. But, that's never stopped Karl "Win at any Cost" Rove.

What's an "October Surprise?" Well, if you still haven't figured it out, it refers to an upcoming event that will guarantee Dubya's re-election. The most obvious example would be the sudden capture of Osama Bin Laden. Finding his body would probably provide a similar effect. Some sort of terrorist attack could also provide Dubya the kind of jolt his candidacy needs. I live next to LAX, and I think about the opinion expressed that Al Qaeda never gives up on a target (LAX was the destination of the explosives found trying to be smuggled into Washington State from Vancouver, BC, by an Al Qaeda member in 1999) as I ponder what form the October Surprise will take.

I remember the term "October Surprise" being used in conjunction with the 1980 Presidential Election, when the Republicans are said to have reached a secret deal with the Iranians to prevent the release of the hostages being held in Iran until such a point as it would not impact the election. The truth of this event is unproven. The site you reach by clicking has more insight.

Here is another AWESOME October Surprise resource:
http://www.nametheoctobersurprise.com/

This administration rules through fear. They think we'll happily trade our freedom for our safety. They are right, we are a bunch of cowards. FREEDOM ISN'T FREE; I know it's a cliche, but it is also appropriate. "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety," a statement attributed to Benjamin Franklin, is most apt, and I concur wholeheartedly.

Freedom is not only not free, it is PRICELESS, and not easily aquired. We've NEVER gotten more freedom without a fight, and and its not easily reaquired once surrendered. It's the unifying American value. Bush says things like "Freedom is on the march," and "They hate us for our freedom." If we extend the Patriot Act, he'll be halting freedom in our own country, and at the same time, taking away some of the reasons they hate us. At last a pro-active approach! If our own freedom has been reduced by the terrorist attacks, does that mean that Al Qaeda has won or lost? If Bush wins, we will deserve what follows. Just think of how this administration will behave if they should actually, cleanly, win this election.

I will be in Las Vegas on Election Day, hoping to provide a surprise to the Republican power structure.

A Political Nightmare

2004-10-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Or: TRS: Flip-Flopper

It's time for me to talk about the Ralph Nader factor.

If you click the link, you'll learn of the connection between funders of the Swift Boat Veterans & my former favorite presidential candidate, Ralph Nader.

I voted for Ralph in 1996, and again in 2000. I pestered a lot of you with e-mails encouraging you to consider voting for him. I still believe in what he tried to do, and I don't regret backing him back then for an instant. In fact, I was looking forward to his continued efforts to build the Green Party this year. Al Gore never won my vote. You can blame Nader for Gore's defeat, but Nader was one of many factors, the first of which is the fact that Gore failed to carry his home state: if he hadn't fallen so far out of touch with the people of Tennessee, the people that sent him to the Senate in the first place, he would be president today. And do you think that there were 600 or more Cuban Floridians still pissed off about Elian Gonzales? Remember him? Like I said, many factors, and most of them weren't actually INCREASING the level of political discussion in this country. When they counted all of the votes in Florida after the Supreme Court selected Bush, Gore had the most votes in the state! This isn't Nader's fault.

But, why am I not supporting him now? Well, obviously, I am a wishy-washy flip-flopper!

Actually, in a way, I do still support him. In the sense that I feel like he should be in the debates, and should be on the ballot. I know it might mean the difference between a Bush victory and a Kerry victory, but Nader's candidacy is legitimate. He raises some of the most valid questions being raised on the campaign trail. Do I want him on the ballot? I know it would eliminate some confusion if he wasn't, but yes, if he earns a place on the ballot, then he's earned a place on the ballot. Conversations to the contrary, to me, border on unAmerican! You can't extend democracy by limiting choice this way. Ever hear of a write-in candidate? We can vote for just about ANYBODY. Certain friends of mine acted as if my vote BELONGED to Al Gore in 2000! Sorry, it's gotta be earned.

But in '96 and '00, Nader was building the Green Party. It was about creating a GENUINE third political party in this country. If Nader represented the Green Party this year, I WOULD BE VOTING FOR HIM!

But, it appears that Nader's strategy has bitten him in the ass. All he can really do now is spoil a Kerry victory, and is not contributing to the discourse in a substantially constructive way. I rankled at suggestions in 2000 that his candidacy was about his ego, because it wasn't. We were party-building.

By abandoning the Greens, Nader shows that this largely IS about his ego. The worse thing about this is that he's undermining the issues he (and I) champion. His ideas are regularly held up to redicule, and Republicans are just licking their chops at any success he will enjoy, because they see it as insuring Bush's victory. Hence, the backers of the Swift Boat Veterans for... are providing Nader's campaign with cash.

I see this presumption as a fallacy. It may prove true, yes, but consider the following, if there's a large Nader turn-out:

A) Nader's voters are NOT strictly left-wingers. 40% of Nader's votes would have gone to Gore, but 20% would've gone to Bush, and the rest would not have voted at all.

B) If 80% of Nader's voters are left-wing, and 40% would not vote otherwise, the left stands to gain in ALL of the other elected offices, state and national! The Republicans could lose their hold on the Senate and Congress if there's a big enough Nader turn-out.

While Nader's campaign could help the Democrats, his candidacy does hurt John Kerry more than Dubya. But that isn't why I am voting for Kerry.

I'm voting for Kerry because he has earned my vote. I am also voting for him because I agree with almost everything he says, especially regarding the work we have to do in Afghanistan, and Iraq. That's if he has a chance to do ANYTHING about Iraq, as it may fall into chaos before he gets the chance to even takes his oath of office...

I'd talk more about JK, but I already have, and I have more yet to say. But, later.

Dodgers: done.

2004-10-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

BIRGing time.

Baseball is one of my oldest passions. It began the day Steve Garvey came to my second grade class at Franklin Elementary; I would have to guestimate this to be in the winter of 1972/73. History tells me that he was at that time a young first baseman waiting for a chance to play every day for the Dodgers (Wes Parker casts a long shadow, still the only LA Dodger to hit for the cycle). Memory reminds me that he responded to that opportunity in 1974, by becoming the first write-in candidate to win an all star ballot; he was that All Star game's Most Valuable Player, and by being the National League's MVP that year. The Dodgers also appeared in the World Series that year, the first year where I followed the team at all...

So I start watching the Dodgers in 1974, and they make the World Series in '74, '77, and 1978. They lost to the A's in '74, and the Yankees beat them in 2 of the best series in memory in 1977 & '78.

With that kind of success, it isn't hard to understand how a fan could become spoiled.

So, I grow up, and fall away from baseball a little bit. I remember the Dodgers playing the Houston Astros in a one game playoff for the National League West. I don't remember the exact date, but the game was on the radio inside Hollywood Toy & Costume, that early October day, 1980.

What do the Dodgers do? They have an even MORE successful decade. They win the 1981 & 1988 World Series. Between these championships, I come back to a point where I am following them daily. They are considered among the most successful sports franchises of the 1980's. Kirk Gibson's home run in the 9th inning famously propelled the Dodgers into that championship, and provided a glimmer of light in an otherwise bleak time for me personally. Can you say "Warner Gardens Motel?"

Things have been rather dark since then. Dodgers went to the playoffs twice in the 1990's, & both times they were swept out (Cincinnati in '95 and At-fucking-lanta in '96), and nothing since!

Until this season. Let's see, the Dodgers last made the playoffs in 1996, Peter O'Malley's last year as owner of the team. Fucks, excuse me, Fox owns them through 2003...and they return to the playoffs in 2004. Hmmmnnn.

The Dodgers have 1 Adrian Beltre, the St. Louis Cardinals have 3. As a result, the Bums were crushed by the Cards, 3 games to one.

But, for the first time in years, "Wait 'til next year" has some meaning in it. It's nice to be able to say "Go Dodgers!" without an asterisk next to it.

"This race is tight as a tick!"

2004-09-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Remember Bill Clinton's ejaculation, er, sorry, not the best word there; EXCLAMATION, from the 2000 campaign?

Click the title! If you click a state, it shows what happens if the other candidate should win that state.

How did YOU think Kerry was doing? Unless you're paying incredible attention, I bet you had a sense that JK was falling further and further behind...

I spent a couple of hours yesterday, chasing down polls. It seems to me that the media is trying to bury John Kerry, while the polls all seem to say what they did in 2000: it's too close to call! Here's some even better news: all of the polls JUST YESTERDAY showed Kerry behind to one degree or another: if you haven't already, click the title!!

Unless something that I can't perceive of happens, I predict that the 2004 presidential election will end EXACTLY as the 2000 election did: the people of this country will want Dubya to go back to Crawford, but by hook or by (like 2000) crook, Bush will somehow end up remaining as President!

I am headed to the streets in such an event. I hope I am not alone.

Here's more electoral college following, for your info...

http://www.electoral-vote.com/index.html
http://www.race2004.net/

Both of these polls show Bush ahead. Yesterday, all 3 polls showed Kerry much farther behind! This race can be won: but not with apathy. ALSO important: all three of these polls put Bush ahead in Ohio, and according to today's USA Today poll, Kerry has a five point lead. USA Today said Bush had a 5 point lead on Sept. 8.

Today, if you are not ACTIVELY supporting Kerry, you are helping return Bush to a position he doesn't belong in.

If we all pull in the same direction just for a few minutes, we'll move the world.

FANTASTIC news about my brother!

2004-09-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Clicking the title takes you to the website of my baby bro, John Shea.

John reported for work this morning at his newest gig, SPECTRAL MOTION. That's right, he'll be putting time in on FANTASTIC FOUR; he's helping to put the ever-lovin', blue-eyed THING together!

I could go on about how synchronicitous (that's probably not a word) this seems, but I think you can do that on your own.

I am very happy to post an entry that is happy! Happy!

Big smiles!

A Thousand Points of Light...extinguished

2004-09-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

Clicking the title will take you to a page put up by the New York Times (sent to me by MoveOn.org), for which I am grateful. It may require you to subscribe, but it's free...and worth much more than the price.

55 or so points of light lit up last night's vigil for the fallen soldiers. MoveOn.org named the date, and Sheri Myers gathered us together, at the southwest corner of Mar Vista park. She called for a simple and dignified observance with no speeches or announcements, and we almost succeeded in respecting both of those wishes. It's easy for tempers to flair, or at least I know mine does when I think of the human price of this war. It's also easy to hurt for our fallen military personnel; but the cost to the Iraqi people is estimated to be ten or more times our cost.

When it became obvious that Dubya was going to war in Iraq (and it was obvious as early as September of '01), I was one of many Americans who thought: "Okay, you go after Saddam, but God help you if all they find are Pepsi bottles & toe nail clippings." God help you, and us, Dubya. When you look into the eyes of the service people killed in Iraq, (almost all of them pictured, click the title) these soldiers being some of our country's finest young men & women, do you see what I see? I see a person, and an individual's family, and that family's community, all devastated by their death. Multiplied by one thousand. I see our country with blinders on, covering not just peripheral, but all vision. I see a thousand points of light, extinguished, all for a regime change. How can America think that getting Saddam out of Iraq was worth this price?

It may have been worth it IF:

We were removing an imminent threat, which we were assured existed.

Or if Dubya hadn't had a hard-on for Iraq since about 1994.

Or if Dubya didn't win the presidency on a Supreme Court decision, that turned out to favor the loser of the election.

Or if he hadn't just finally admitted to his administration's "miscalculations" (how many of those thousand lives paid for those "boo-boos"? Boo-boos like dismissing the Iraqi army, sending men home to promptly join insurgent movements. I'm not sure Dubya acknowledges this as a "miscalculation." To me it has the feel of "severe error"). I of course know that some of these things you only learn when you go to war, BUT THAT'S WHY THE BAR IS SO FUCKING HIGH TO GO TO WAR!

Sorry, WAS so fucking high.

Or if the hubris of Dubya's administration hadn't lead directly to the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

NO, not Abu Garump. I feel like Bob Dole when this topic comes up: why doesn't America recognize that Bush's and our country's moral authority is GONE, not just weakened, but now non-existant thanks to the conduct of many at Abu Ghraib? That this "miscalculation" may mean the difference between success & failure in Iraq? As Dole put it, where's the outrage? Abu boo-boo, indeed. If you don't think Bush is a liar, go back and listen to him say late last year that the tortue rooms and rape rooms of Saddam were gone. Sorry, they're not gone, they're just under new management!

What kills me the most is that when we finally went into Iraq, I remember the prevailing attitude being, "okay, but if there's no WMD's, you're busted." That isn't what the polls are saying today. Bush's cabal act as if they are beyond punishment. Well, if Bush wins (re-elected is not really accurate), we are REWARDING the sons-a-bitches (and Condie Rice as well).

Our soldiers have paid enough. We need them more here; sadly, we're stuck. Once again hubris is to blame. We can't leave until Iraq is stable, and that looks like something we are moving closer to, doesn't it? It's time for Bush to pay for his mistakes, acknowledged or not, with his job. If Kerry takes the right steps upon taking office, he could regain our moral authority.

The next person I hear DARE state that Bush has brought respectibility and decorum back to the presidency, gets 3 things from me. 1) a lecture explaining that it is less moral to lie the nation about a war, than it is to lie to the nation about a blow job; 2) a local sex worker to provide them with their first blow job, in case they still don't understand, & 3) my boot, made for postal workers to wear in the snow, instep-deep up their ass.

I Pass for Peter Jackson

2004-08-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

Now, for a more diary-like entry.

A reminder that when you click the link, you are NOT looking at a picture of me. I no longer have hair.

American Cinematech's Egyptian Theater has my ass-prints deep in one of their seats after 3 movies there last night. I PASS FOR HUMAN (2003), directed by Cinematech-insider Chris D., and Lynn Margulies (editor, producer, and noted ex of Andy Kaufman) screened at 7, and a double bill of Peter Jackson's first 2 features, MEET THE FEEBLES (1989) & BAD TASTE (1987) followed.

I had to run to the valley to aquire something, but I won't complain about the commute here. Plus, complaining about traffic in LA is like complaining about sunshine here; the traffic is also omnipresent. Anyway, I left my brother's in Sherman Oaks just before 6:30 pm to try to make the 7:00 pm showing on Hollywood Blvd. HA! I got there just as the opening credits were finishing.

I won't do a full-blown review here. I'd say it might be worth a video rental. It's about how dead junkies haunt current junkies from the after-life...AND it featured music by a band that played with FOREIGN OBJECT at the Garage the last night I saw Stephan perform, THE HANGMEN. Their music was perfect for this movie, and I must admit a deep and abiding affection for the bass player I saw perform with them in June of 2002.

Jackson's MEET THE FEEBLES cannot be easily explained, but here's a shot: what if the Muppet Show had a tell-all, non-politically correct, no taboo respected documentary made about it? It's an incredible piece of imagination, but not for the faint of heart. There's a scene that to me recalls the end of PINK FLAMINGOS...

Wait. Here's one sentence to describe it. Animals acting like people acting like animals.

MTF's desire to gross out it's audience is carried over from BAD TASTE, which was a cool exercise in DIY horror, it kind of feels like Jackson's version of EVIL DEAD. Unlike Sam Raimi's movie, Jackson plays 2 huge roles. And in one of those roles, imagine the love child of THE GOODIES Bill Oddie and WWE's Mick Foley as an alien invader..

What will make this entry more diary-like is the admission that last night, I wasn't as aware of the empty-nest blues...I could feel the upside of bachelorhood returning!

Observations in traffic

2004-08-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today, commuting south on Bundy in Santa Monica, around 5:30 pm...

Sorry, Ataki, if I am borrowing a motif of yours, but it was a weird one.

Two older guys, 50 - 60 years old. Southwest corner of Bundy & Venice, I think it was. They were having their own little anti-Bush rally. One guy had a salt-and-pepper beard (mostly salt), and it looked like in order to dry the beard, he would stick a fork into an electrical outlet. His sign read "Bush is a lying sack of shit." This was so hilarious to me, that I couldn't read the sign the other guy, skinny and bald, was holding. Something about the bald skinny guy reminded me of an engineer.

"Sir!"

A big blond in an even bigger car, an expedition, I think. She needed directions to the 405. I gave them to her, and warned her about how bad the traffic would be. She wondered if she should stick to the side streets, to which I said "It depends on how far you're going."

Long pause.

"All the way! Thanks!" And she sped off...

A woman madly gesticulating behind the wheel of her car; exchanging attempts to explain what she needed with the urgent offering of the middle finger of each hand, directed all at the car ahead of her. Through her strange digital patois, I think she was trying to communicate the following:

"You need to move forward so that I can turn right!" "Fuck you! Move it! Aw, what an idiot you are! Fuck you! Fuck you!" (left hand) "Fuck you!"

Now would be the time to click the title.

All of this and more, before I hit the 10 freeway. After that, it was a routine commute home!

My folding chair creaked a little tonight.

What's Wrong With dubya

2004-08-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Click the alliterative title...

Why has Bush got to go? Okay, I will list here, one good reason. If he is wins, he puts a small percentage of our country in charge of the rest of us. That group is the Bible-is-literal-word-of-God crowd. What's the most urgent issue facing this country RIGHT NOW? There more answers to that question than there will be people that read these words! But, YOU pick...

Our security

Bad economic policy

Improving schools

Fixing the environment

homelessness/urban decay/social security/giant radioactive monsters coming out of the ocean to destroy us...

...and on and on.

What's on Bush's mind more than anything else?

GAY MARRIAGE!

Weapons of mass distraction.

Why is gay marriage so important to Dubya? Because that's what matters to the ultra-conservative (and some not-so-conservative) Christians. Why should these people have so much power? Are YOU comfortable with the amount of power they currently yield? Should our Attorney General give a FUCK if statues behind him in photos have bare breasts? Sheesh! What is this guy, Taliban? He can't look at a REPRESENTATION of a nude woman without dropping both hands to cover his pee-pee?

Create your own similar sentence about Michael Powell, head of the FCC.

But, REALLY, why do they have so much power?

Because we don't participate.

We have a democracy; but it's like having a bike you never ride. It doesn't sustain itself. The right-wing Christians have ALREADY gotten what they wanted in President Bush. They elected him in 2000, and they will in 2004 if we let them.

Okay, they SORT OF elected him.

To me, as much energy as possible should be directed in 2 ways: voter registration in the swing states (remember Florida 2000) and voter turnout election day...

Sorry, but it looks like I've found something that I can just RIFF on!

So you wanna know about John Kerry?

2004-08-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

The Democratic National Convention ended in Boston on Thursday of last week. This gave the country a glimpse at the man who should, and hopefully will, be president. Of course, the "should and hopefully will" designation can be applied to so many when you think of what Dubya and his cabal have done to the country.

At any rate, I haven't been this enthusiastic about a Democratic candidate since Clinton ran the first time. I voted for Ralph Nader in '96 (I was pissed at Clinton for signing the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, I have been a member of the Green Party ever since the day it was signed), and 2000.

Of course, in 2000, I thought "Wow, a decent showing for Nader will show this country that his message is viable, maybe we can get meaningful campaign finance reform enacted, help get our democracy back from the multinational corporations that really run things." Today I think: "Gee, our country is about to plunge into a flaming abyss, and its Dubya's abyss, not James Cameron's." At least Cameron's Abyss would be a little more entertaining. When you think about it, someone able to tie his own shoes should be able to beat Bush. The Democrats haved chosen a real American hero to run against a guy who 1) still can't prove he fulfilled his National Guard duty, and 2) when he TRIES to prove he did his duty, he reveals a connection to public enemy number one, Osama bin Laden (and STILL fails to prove he showed up for his duty!). How? You're going to have to shell out the dough to see FAHRENHEIT 9/11 for the answer to that one.

BUT: an excellent overview of Kerry's life and career are available if you click the title of this post. It will take you to a summary of Kerry's career compiled by the people that would know him best, the Boston Globe. THIS IS BY NO MEANS A PUFF PIECE. Read it!

This year, PUT ME DOWN FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS! I don't care what you call it anymore, Bush has got to go!

Another World

2004-08-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

I will try to not always reference the distant past in this here blog; but I am doing so again this Sunday morning. Thanks to Carl Sagan, I have a very deep interest in and respect for science; the Voyager probes that took such amazing images of Jupiter & Saturn in 1979 - 1981 helped cement this interest/respect.

Well, people, human exploration is once again at Saturn's door. Click on the title of this post to see the images being relayed from the Cassini-Huygens probe; the probe is providing images that make the Voyager images look like the product of a 110 camera. Plus, Another World is the name of a comic book shop in Eagle Rock (on Colorado Bl., before you get into Pasadena) that I frequented as a mispent youth. I also got to see the likes of Ray Bradbury, George Takei (ha HA), and Roy Thomas read ficton there (the comic shop, not Saturn). Hello Mr. & Mrs. Costa!

There are a ton of images at the Cassini-Huygens site; but as you look them over, imagine each one as a vantage from a space station. HEY! We RIGHT NOW have a little robot orbiting Saturn. 2 robots are currently surveying Mars for us. Maybe in another 20 years (okay...60 years) Earth's astronauts will head for Titan and its space station as they head for even more daring journeys into interstellar space...and beyond...it's our destiny. We are children of the stars, our very bodies (in a much more basic form) once cooked in the heart of a gigantic sun. We will one day live among them as we today live among the suburbs of Los Angeles.

I owe the last parargraph to Carl Sagan, more or less. That isn't all I owe him.

"DATA! Spell 'knife!'"

ROCK & ROLL is here to stay!

2004-07-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

In 1982 & 1983, it was possible to see live the following acts:

Thomas Dolby/Oingo Boingo/Missing Persons/Go Go's/Wall of Voodoo/Big Country/English Beat/Sparks and of course, many others...

...WITH PAID ADMISSION TO MAGIC MOUNTAIN! Can I get a witness? Okay, maybe it wasn"t ALL of these bands, but it was a lot of 'em, and some of the bands performed weeks apart from each other. It was a time when it seemed some brand-new new-wave band would step up, one week after another, to make sure there was a band playing at Magic Mountain on Friday night!

My happiest memory of the Magic Mountain concerts was me clapping loudly enough all by my self to piss off Rob Lait!

Not to get TOO nostalgic, but another very fond memory is of Sparks at the Santa Monica Civic in June of 1982...

BUT, not since those heady days have I seen a "wave" (unfortunate word that, with all of its baggage) of music to match the incredible tunes coming out of what seems to be EVERYWHERE, right now!

Part of it is my own ignorance; the bands that have moved me of late that have only entered my consciousness in the last 10 - 12 months are SNOW PATROL, THE KILLERS, THE THRILLS (thanks j!), MUSE, JEM, KINGS OF LEON, STERIOGRAM (thanks garr), & FAITHLESS. Very old acts doing Very cool new stuff are BAD RELIGION, THE CURE, and MORRISEY.

Anyway, would love to get less prosaic memories of LA's music scene (Magic Mountain shouldn't count) posted here...or your impressions of hot new tunes...from either side of the mic...

The Blogging Godfathers

2004-07-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

If I don'ts writes nothin', no ones will comes.

In my second blog entry, I pay tribute to the people that made this outlook on the clusterfuck possible. Bear with me as I figure just how I can use this medium to maximum effect. I know that I will post things here that I hear on the radio (here, here!) that I consider worthy of note, for example, Rush Limbaugh attacking Kerry/Edwards as rich powerful white guys...I guess I will bring forth the thing that I love so dearly: The Absurd. I am going to keep it as simple as possible, or else this hobby will take over my life...BUT, be warned that I do want to post pics, so a move may eventually be called for...

I met John Whisler at Walser's in 1990; we (his family & I) have been close friends ever since, and from the beginning it has felt to me like I have known him since I was a kid. His blog pays tribute to the TV horror hosts of yore, and gives him a canvas on which to express his remarkable insights into just about everything.

I have known Loren since 1985; I would describe him as a new millennium rennaisance man. He can do anything, and often does. His blog tracks a group of interests that could only collect inside his massive skull. His intellect is beyond my ability to estimate, and he possesses more courage than intellect.

Jeff Koga exploded into my consciousness at some point in 2003; I kept seeing the name "Koganuts" in e-mails coming out of the Compound. I met him for the first time in this year, or maybe late last year. I just learned that he's been around the Compound for 9 or 10 years. By the way, if you are a regular at the Compound & you haven't met me yet, PLEASE call ASAP to arrange a meeting, at 976-TUGME. Anyway, when Koga is attentive to his blog (time has not allowed him to of late), it's a thing of wonder, especially if you are fond of scantilly clad/non-clad women.He's also a gifted photographer, and his blog features lots of great shots that are his own. His blog is the be-all/end-all of blogs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I am not including the addresses of these blogs because I didn't ask for permission to do so. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE GODFATHERS and you want the addy to be known, please post it in a comment!

Okay, swallow it, your second dose of my mashing of the english language between my fat fists, dropping it onto the ground and kicking it into a shape that communicates something vaguely communicative. Did it go down well? Are you feeling better?

And in the end...

2004-07-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

...everyone will have their own blog. Welcome to the endtimes, my friends. Unfortunately, we cannot look to the Bible or any book in existence for insight as to how it will all play out. But, obviously, it's beginning! So, you're here, & somehow you knew to bring a folding chair and binoculars. I say to you: let's watch...& if appropriate, act.