July 28, 2004
He's baaaaaaaack!
I know you missed me. That simply means you have to lead me a little more. I'm spryer than I look.
Nice trip, pumped some money into the machines, caught a couple of shows. "Wonderland" at Harrah's was okay, not worth the admission price (too much dancing, not enough comedy, etc.). The main dude, Larry Wilson, was pretty funny, some decent, tongue-in-cheek magic tricks and patter, but too much filler in between.
"Grease" at the Eldorado was spectacular. I've never seen the whole thing before, at least not at one time. Derek Keeling as Danny was amazing. Tiana Checchia was very good over all, a little weak on some of the high notes. The supporting cast was great to a one (especially Arthur Callahan who, as Vince Fontaine, entertained the audience with a Rock 'n Roll dance contest before the show started). Incredible fun.
Also visited the National Automobile Museum (used to be Harrah's collection). They have my Deusy, but wouldn't let me take it back, the filthy fascists.
Otherwise, it was the usual Reno trip: sleeping late, too much rich food, too much gambling, wife kicked out the dancing girls, and a good time was had by all.
And a big thanks to Emily for covering my absence with some great posts.
The Mouths of Babes
Read the first paragraph of this entry.
It seems some people begin indoctrinating their children with political hatred at a very young age. You know, because the near-murder of democratically elected leaders is just so friggin' funny.
My apologies to Johann Hari, whom I enjoy reading even when I don't agree with him, but that is just positively despicable. I only hope that he and his never had nor never will have to fear the loss of a loved one at the hands of an unflinching guerilla army.
Yousuns Need To Be Learned The Issues
From CNN:
Linda Ronstadt said she'll continue to praise Michael Moore and his film "Fahrenheit 9/11" on stage despite an angry reaction at a Las Vegas concert."This is an election year," she told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday. "I want people to get their head up out of their mashed potatoes and learn something about the issues and go and vote. ... I'm not telling them how to vote. I'm saying, get information about the issues."
Unlike the management of the Aladdin hotel and casino, I couldn't care less what Linda Ronstadt thinks of Michael Moore. When I go out to enjoy an evening, though, I prefer not to have politics of any brand shoved down my throat, so I guess I'll just scratch Ronstadt off my list of performers I would like to see live.
However, I would like to say this: Ms. Rondstadt, I will take my head out of my mashed potatoes if you pull yours out of your asshole. That was such a condescending remark that I'm shocked a woman of your age would say something like that. If Americans need to inform themselves on issues, the last effing place they should be doing it is at one of your concerts or at a goddamm movie theater. At least you are benevolent enough to not dictate to your fans the way they vote. Thank you for your generosity on that count.
Now, please pat me on the head and send me off with a lollipop so that I can "learn about the issues" from a biased and unbalanced source, per your recommendation. Your wisdom is has been greatly appreciated.
Ex-Presidents Say The Derndest Thangs
We've had such a confused foreign policy with demands on other nations. We've alienated almost everyone who offered their support after 9/11, and now we have just a handful of little tiny countries supposedly helping us in Iraq.
From this site:
The size and capabilities of the Coalition forces involved in operations in Iraq has been a subject of much debate, confusion, and at times exageration. As of April 23, 2004, MNF-I/MNC-I claimed that 33 countries were contributing forces to operations in Iraq although, the list provided only listed 32 countries. These were Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Rep, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Not included in that tally was Spain, which was about to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Also not included in that list is Singapore, which had pledged to dispatch 191 troops to Iraq and which were, by that date, already in country.Since then, Spain pulled out its troops out the country. So did the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras. The Kingdom of Tonga did, however, deploy 45 Royal Marines in early July to Iraq. With the withdrawal of the Philippines Troops, there are 31 countries participating in the coalition.
Yeah, that tiny little country Australia. Not to mention participants as insignificant as the United Kingdom. Hate the war in Iraq, love it, not care either way, whatever, but Jeebus Krispy Kreme, I'm embarrassed that a former President of this country would make such an insulting remark regarding our allies.
July 27, 2004
DNC/RNC - What's The Difference?
I don't really care for political conventions. I've always seen them as little more than party love-ins where the only rule the speeches abide is bland rhetoric. "Vote for us in November because we are the party that believes it's important to invest in our childrens' future*. And because we think mothers and pie are good."
Anyway, the important question is this: why is it that whenever a group of people gather together to celebrate a unifying cause, be it politics, culture, religion, etc., they seem almost invariably obliged to wear stupid hats?
*Policy adopted, one must assume, because the last time a party ran with the "Let The Ankle-Biters Eat Cake" platform, it ended in failure.
July 26, 2004
How Has Tarzan Impacted Your Life
I guess now that my co-blogger, who has been picking up my lazy slack so well, has decided to head to Reno to indulge in vice and cheap hookers for a family vacation, I should probably carry some of the weight around this place.
First of all, I would just like to say that it is very important for me in this election year that politics adopt a more civilized tone. If you don't agree, then go fuck yourself.
And...
Research that could shed light on the intrinsic meaning and impact of the Tarzan films has been awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB), it was announced today.The research, which is to be conducted by Dr Sarah Smith of Reading University, will explore issues such as imperialism, social class and race, gender, film censorship, sexuality, and the reception the films have had on society.
So now I'm opening the contest: someone come up with an idea for a research grant more absurd.
July 25, 2004
Administrative Announcement
I'm off to the wilds of Reno for a few days. Blogging will be light to non-existent on my part, as I will have my laptop but may find little time to use it between the slot machines and topless dancers.
Of course, Emily will keep you more than adequately entertained as she did before I brought my own peculiar brand of perversion to this realm.
Meanwhile, I will leave you with one of my favorite recordings of all time, proof that even commies can have a sense of humor.
Okay, that "commie" crack was probably out of line. He writes and sings some great songs, but his politics are definitely socialist (one whole album about the Wobblies).
July 24, 2004
Ladies and Gentlemen!
It is my distinct pleasure to present to you...
The Gay Stereotype for the New Millennium
Give 'em hell, Jeff.
[Link fixed, thanks David!]
Learn when to STFU
And chalk one up for my homeys. Note to celebs with big mouths: people pay for music, not political bullshit.
No doubt there will be whining about McCarthyism (but wouldn't a liberal expect that in Nuketown, USA?)
July 23, 2004
Stick-like Ho-bag!
This is too funny. If you're missing the joke, be sure to read the last paragraph.
Take It Easy
Here's a great interview with Laszlo Kovacs, cinematographer for Easy Rider, on the film's 35th anniversary.
Friday! Guilt Post! Random Nonsense!
At the risk of my co-blogger converting this site into Fox News Lite (go ahead, Ken! Do your worst!), I've decided to check in with a few random notes from this week:
*Do you know what I hate? When you're walking down the street past one of those bus stops that have an awning covering and there's a big pile of vomit in front of it. Ew.
*Do you know what else I hate? When you wake up after one of those Too Much Vodka evenings and realize that you spent hours the night before talking to a friend on the telephone about what a profound impact the Pet Shop Boys have had on your life.
*Marc Kerr (that's Stray Toaster to you, bitch) has a great article in The Blanket.
*Hell hath no fury like pre-pubescent Orlando Bloom fans.
*A while back, I took a paint marker and wrote the words "THIS MACHINE KILLS NOBODY" on my guitar. Some folks have asked me why. This is why.
*I love these kinds of entries about favorite movie moments, while coming up with my own answers kind of makes my head hurt, the talk about Swingers reminded me of my favorite laugh-out-loud moment from the movie that some of you who are not familiar with Southern California demographics may have missed. It's when Sue pulls a gun on some punks he and his friends were arguing with, and tries to justify it by explaining to them that he understood better than they could the need to protect himself, as he grew up on the tough streets of LA. Trent interrupts and says "Anaheim," which is hilarious because Anaheim is pretty much this cozy, clean, middle and upper-middle class city in Orange County where the closest to flirting with danger this guy ever would have come was while manning the joystick of his Caleco Vision.
*The tidal wave of celebrities martyring themselves as the Great Oppressed as they learn that freedom of speech means dealing with the consequences of what they say has officially become boring. I don't want to talk or write about it again. Ever. Unless, that is, the Bush Administration orders its opponents to be rounded up and put in camps or something. Hell, the way these MOPEs are conducting themselves, you'd half believe it has already.
*The word "quango" really gets on my nerves. I have no idea why.
*Finally, this is just too friggin' cool:
Queen Victoria, Abraham Lincoln, Florence Nightingale and other characters from history may soon be able to speak again, as scientists perfect techniques to recover the sound from recordings that are far too delicate to be played. In the corner of a California university laboratory, two men are battling against time to perfect a machine that will read old recordings - using special microscopes to scan the grooves - and software that can convert those shapes into sound. Their work could bring history to life.The dulcet tones of movers and shakers from an earlier age could soon be heard once again, thanks to scientists Vitaliy Fadeyev and Carl Haber, who usually work with subatomic particles at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. They are now planning to use that technology to give a voice to the great and the good down the annals of history.
We surely take the voices of our modern leaders and history-makers for granted today. Can you imagine listening to Abraham Lincoln speak? I'm amazed.
Welcome to Friday, blog-reading people. Enjoy your weekend.
Blame The Joos
This is frightening, annoying, irritating, insipid, and sadly, an all-too-true eye-opener about low and perverted human thinking can plummet.
"It can only be destroyed or isolated"
Also seen at Instaguy: Wizbang found this in the 9/11 report:
[Islamism] is not a position with which Americans can bargain or negotiate. With it there is no common ground—not even respect for life—on which to begin a dialogue. It can only be destroyed or utterly isolated.
More comments at Wizbang.
Will he or won't he?
Instapundit calls this a "minor embarrassment". Okay, but this is a major embarrassment.
Will Herman Munster cross a picket line?
CBS news sucks
I know, general statement. In this case, I listened intently to the local CBS radio affiliate for the entire commute home last night, over an hour and a half. There were two CBS network feeds, two network updates, and the rest was the local station.
Much political news. Much about the 9/11 commission report. A few mentions of Kirstie Alley's new fat show.
Absolutely nothing about the Hambergler. In fact, IIRC, the only mention I ever heard on CBS radio was when he resigned as an "informal" advisor because he was under investigation (no details on the investigation). Tres irritating.
Quick Announcement
KSFO has a new weekly feature started this morning - phone interviews with the troops. This morning, they talked to Marine Lt. Col. Willie Buell from the Santa Cruz area, who commands several rifle battalions east of Fallujah. The show will be repeated at 9:00am PDT on the 'net, the interview starts about 9:40. Highly recommended.
Just go to the KSFO website and click on the Listen Now button.
July 22, 2004
Baaaaaaaaad shit
This does not make me feel comfortable (originally heard on KSFO):
Flight crews and air marshals say Middle Eastern men are staking out airports, probing security measures and conducting test runs aboard airplanes for a terrorist attack.Bad shit is putting it mildly.At least two midflight incidents have involved numerous men of Middle Eastern descent behaving in what one pilot called "stereotypical" behavior of an organized attempt to attack a plane.
A second pilot said that, on one of his recent flights, an air marshal forced his way into the lavatory at the front of his plane after a man of Middle Eastern descent locked himself in for a long period.
[...]
The marshal found the mirror had been removed and the man was attempting to break through the wall. The cockpit was on the other side.
[...]
A third pilot reported watching a man of Middle Eastern descent at the same airport using binoculars to get airplane tail numbers and writing the numbers in a notebook to correspond with flight numbers.
"It's a probe. They are probing us," said a second air marshal, who confirmed that Middle Eastern men try to flush out marshals by rushing the cockpit and stopping suddenly.
And STILL Bush and Norman the Moron have dragged their feet on arming pilots.
And speaking of frogs
Pardon me while I giggle:
"One of the attorneys says France has the authority to step in and force action on the part of other signers of the Geneva Conventions, such as the U-S. "
I didn't know Baghdad Bob was one of Sammy's lawyers.
Breaking news (Updated)
No links found yet, but from the radio I hear that an Amtrak commuter train is currently stopped and being thoroughly searched some where in the northeast (I didn't catch where yet, will update when I know)
[UPDATE] Finally! Something about that train (it was in New Jersey). Nothing that I can find on Fox or CNN
Credit where credit is due
Sometimes SFGate's headline writers on the home page make a good one. For the story on last night's 7-1 defeat of the SF Jiveants by the SD Podpeople, the link headline is "Who's your Padre?"
OTOH, the story about the UN vote on Israel's security wall is "Mr. Sharon, Tear Down This Wall". Fuck you, asshole.
And Mark Morford is still writing like a turnip on acid.
[UPDATE] I get results! I check back a few minutes later, and the Sharon story is off the front page (well, it was two days old), while the baseball story has changed to "Aurelia haunts the Giants". Good on the Sharon story, but you got rid of the good headline, dummy!
Too lazy to search for a link
But I am amused at the reports I hear about the 9/11 commission report. Apparently, it calls for creation of a cabinet-level department of intel to oversee all intelligence operations (FBI, CIA, etc.).
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what the Dept. of Homeland Security was supposed to be (albeit not cabinet level)? And didn't people scream and yell about it? Somehow, I can't see Tom Ridge promoted to cabinet secretary.