Have a joyous winter solstice!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
"Set Beer Goggles to Stun"
For the past several days I've been saving bottle caps from the Big Sky IPA. Thought I'd share...
Hard tellin', not knowin'.
Hard tellin', not knowin'.
DADT = DEAD!
Finally! Something to get excited about today as the US Senate voted 65-31 to repeal the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.
The stubborn holdouts continue to include Texas and the drab underbelly of the Deep South. But today, common sense and decency have won. (Screw John McCain!)
Map via the New York Times.
The stubborn holdouts continue to include Texas and the drab underbelly of the Deep South. But today, common sense and decency have won. (Screw John McCain!)
Map via the New York Times.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Sofa Cat Edition
Sweet Pea has been coming in the house at night for a few minutes. He usually goes straight for the sofa in the den, grooms himself, and then is ready to go back outside. I like to annoy him by poking my finger between his toe pads.
The Tot never gets up on the sofa unless I'm sitting on it. He will discreetly inch his way over to my lap, as if I won't notice that 15 pounds of cat meat is suddenly standing on me. And then he'll gradually position himself for a nap with one foot extended onto the sofa. Strange boy.
Happy Friday!!
(No, you don't get full konagod photos with the cats; this is all about the felines. Sorry!)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
RIP Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards has died. He was 88.
So very true. Thanks for all the laughter until I cried.
Edwards will be remembered as a comic genius for creating Peter Sellers's "Pink Panther" character and for writing and directing a slew of comedies -- including "10," "Victor/Victoria" and "S.O.B." -- the last two starring his wife of 41 years, Julie Andrews.
So very true. Thanks for all the laughter until I cried.
An American Problem
At the time of the auto industry bailout, it sure sounded encouraging when President Obama announced that we were ushering in an era of "creating new jobs, unleashing new prosperity and manufacturing the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us toward an energy-independent future.”
So, how's that working out, Mr. President?
Oh, of course.
But at least something is being sold, right?
Woooo hoooo! It may not be green, and it may not be next-generation as promised, but at least sales are up! That has to be a good omen. But... who is buying?
Feeling better yet about the success of these bailouts?
Sigh. I keep looking for a silver lining in this piece, but I'm not seeing it.
I know, I know, we can't expect a 180° turnaround in two years after decades of behavior, but overall this does not look at all like any lessons have been learned. In fact, it reminds me of the state we're in politically: a lot of promises about change, efficiency, and a brighter future while bending over backwards to maintain the status quo.
So, how's that working out, Mr. President?
Oh, of course.
But at least something is being sold, right?
In particular, what Mr. Obama called his “one goal” — having Detroit “lead the world in building the next generation of clean cars” — is nowhere near being achieved. While the idea of improving G.M.’s and Chrysler’s fuel efficiency was doubtless a politically popular justification for the bailout, American consumers have not embraced the goal with equal fervor. Sales of fuel-sipping compact and subcompact cars have actually dropped this year, while pickup and sport utility vehicle sales grew by double-digit percentages.
Woooo hoooo! It may not be green, and it may not be next-generation as promised, but at least sales are up! That has to be a good omen. But... who is buying?
Another troubling trend is an increase in fleet sales — the delivery of huge numbers of units to corporations and government agencies. While fleet sales improve short-term volume, the profit margins are slim and the practice can hurt long-term sales as consumers come to view the models as unsexy “fleet queens.” And Detroit has gorged on such sales in 2010, with some 32 percent of all vehicles from the Big Three sold through October going to fleet operators. Furthermore, a quarter of all the hybrids built by Detroit since President Obama took office have been bought by federal agencies, showing that enthusiasm for Detroit’s hybrids is limited somewhat to government fleet buyers.
In addition, even when it comes to the trucks and S.U.V.’s that Americans actually do want to buy, the bailed-out automakers are building vehicles faster than they can be bought. Inventory levels at both companies have ballooned this year, to the point where G.M. now has nearly three months’ worth of sales sitting on its lots...
Feeling better yet about the success of these bailouts?
Allowing new cars to pile up on lots may well be the most deadly of Detroit’s new-old bad habits, as the practice not only artificially inflates sales numbers (which, ridiculously, are booked upon production, not when a vehicle is driven off the lot), but also lead to yet more incentives, fleet sales, subsidized leases and subprime lending.
Sigh. I keep looking for a silver lining in this piece, but I'm not seeing it.
I know, I know, we can't expect a 180° turnaround in two years after decades of behavior, but overall this does not look at all like any lessons have been learned. In fact, it reminds me of the state we're in politically: a lot of promises about change, efficiency, and a brighter future while bending over backwards to maintain the status quo.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Anxiety Realities
I used to have a lot of anxiety dreams related to college. These usually involved a sudden realization that two months had passed and I had not attended a single class. Then I'd be wondering if it was too late to go drop the classes before getting the inevitable failing grades.
Another one involved taking exams when I hadn't actually been to the class or opened the textbook. I'd be sitting there staring at the questions on the exam paper and feeling totally perplexed. (I swear, in one of my dreams, the professor had the audacity to ask, "do I know you? What's your name? I haven't seen you before." Truly embarrassing.)
In my dreams, I simply want to get up, hand in my blank exam and leave as quickly as possible. However, being the first to hand in a paper and leave usually implies that you are the self-confident asshole who knows all the answers. And I never wanted to call attention to myself in the classroom. So I'd sit there, pretending to contemplate possible answers where I didn't even understand the questions, and wait until one or two other students were done. I would then grab my paper and place it in the pile on the professor's desk before making a dash for the exit.
Although I haven't had those particular anxiety dreams in awhile, today I was having similar anxieties in my waking state, but almost the reverse scenario. I am in control of the questions, but nobody out there is giving me answers, either correct or incorrect. Life can be pretty sweet when you have 95% of the answers. I'm one of those people who feels like I am doing pretty good when I have 75% to 80% of the answers.
Sometimes though, all you have are a bunch of questions and very few answers. And those are the days in life when you just want to slither out of the classroom unnoticed and head to the nearest bar and get ripped.
All of this brings me to another question: do teachers and professors have anxiety dreams in which none of the students pass the exams, or in which none of the students bother to show up for class? Or do the professors have anxiety dreams in which they have failed to show up for class for weeks at a time?
(And in 2010, do they still have exam papers? Seems like we would have moved beyond that by now.)
Another one involved taking exams when I hadn't actually been to the class or opened the textbook. I'd be sitting there staring at the questions on the exam paper and feeling totally perplexed. (I swear, in one of my dreams, the professor had the audacity to ask, "do I know you? What's your name? I haven't seen you before." Truly embarrassing.)
In my dreams, I simply want to get up, hand in my blank exam and leave as quickly as possible. However, being the first to hand in a paper and leave usually implies that you are the self-confident asshole who knows all the answers. And I never wanted to call attention to myself in the classroom. So I'd sit there, pretending to contemplate possible answers where I didn't even understand the questions, and wait until one or two other students were done. I would then grab my paper and place it in the pile on the professor's desk before making a dash for the exit.
Although I haven't had those particular anxiety dreams in awhile, today I was having similar anxieties in my waking state, but almost the reverse scenario. I am in control of the questions, but nobody out there is giving me answers, either correct or incorrect. Life can be pretty sweet when you have 95% of the answers. I'm one of those people who feels like I am doing pretty good when I have 75% to 80% of the answers.
Sometimes though, all you have are a bunch of questions and very few answers. And those are the days in life when you just want to slither out of the classroom unnoticed and head to the nearest bar and get ripped.
All of this brings me to another question: do teachers and professors have anxiety dreams in which none of the students pass the exams, or in which none of the students bother to show up for class? Or do the professors have anxiety dreams in which they have failed to show up for class for weeks at a time?
(And in 2010, do they still have exam papers? Seems like we would have moved beyond that by now.)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Oh, For the Love of God!
It doesn't take much to rattle people's cages and get their panties in a knot. Bus ads, which are pretty easy to ignore, could even do the trick if the ads happen to be atheist messages, especially during this most blessed time of year when Christians of all stripes are on their best behavior.
Because, you know, it's just all about the love of God.
Wait! What? What's the First Amendment shit? Sign up for God first and then you can start exercising that First Amendment right, you silly atheists! Where did you get this absurd notion that you have an equal right to not believe in a deity? Or to acknowledge publicly that others like you may be out there?
Sorry, that just poses too much of a threat so just keep your mouths shut and pretend to fit in here. You are making too many other people uncomfortable!
Don't even get me stated on the sanctity of this "Christian calendar," and all those twinkling lights, decorated trees, Santa Clauses, and angry shoppers. Jesus would certainly encourage a fistfight if one of his followers failed to get that last iPad off the shelf before a hellbound atheist grabbed it!
And then things calm down a bit before moving on to colored eggs and bunny wabbits.
There is some hilarious irony in the fact that most of the atheists I know could be role models for many Christians. But that's not the point. Non-believers are supposed to sit down, shut up, and be invisible so as not spoil all the fun for the saved.
"Nobody owns December."
-- Terry McDonald, chairman of Metroplex Atheists, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason.
But the reaction from believers has been harsher than anyone in the nonbeliever’s club expected. Some ministers organized a boycott of the buses, with limited success. Other clergy members are pressing the Fort Worth Transportation Authority to ban all religious advertising on public buses. And a group of local businessmen paid for the van with the Christian message to follow the atheist-messaged buses around town.
Because, you know, it's just all about the love of God.
The ads have incited anger in some places. Vandals destroyed two bus ads in Detroit, ruined a billboard in Tampa, Fla., and defaced 10 billboards in Sacramento. One billboard in Cincinnati was taken down after the landlord received threats.
And the local rapid transit authority in Des Moines pulled atheist ads off its buses in August last year because of complaints from local religious leaders. Four days later, however, the authority reversed its position after the local group that had bought the ads threatened legal action on First Amendment grounds.
Wait! What? What's the First Amendment shit? Sign up for God first and then you can start exercising that First Amendment right, you silly atheists! Where did you get this absurd notion that you have an equal right to not believe in a deity? Or to acknowledge publicly that others like you may be out there?
Sorry, that just poses too much of a threat so just keep your mouths shut and pretend to fit in here. You are making too many other people uncomfortable!
Some of the fiercest criticism has come from black religious leaders. The Rev. Kyev Tatum Sr., president of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference, has called for a boycott of the buses, saying the ads are a direct attack during a sacred time in the Christian calendar.
Don't even get me stated on the sanctity of this "Christian calendar," and all those twinkling lights, decorated trees, Santa Clauses, and angry shoppers. Jesus would certainly encourage a fistfight if one of his followers failed to get that last iPad off the shelf before a hellbound atheist grabbed it!
And then things calm down a bit before moving on to colored eggs and bunny wabbits.
There is some hilarious irony in the fact that most of the atheists I know could be role models for many Christians. But that's not the point. Non-believers are supposed to sit down, shut up, and be invisible so as not spoil all the fun for the saved.
"Nobody owns December."
-- Terry McDonald, chairman of Metroplex Atheists, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
How To Waste a Weekend
1. Find a new game, like Zuma Blitz. Guaranteed to waste hours.
2. Exercise your creativity by creating a new blog header, even though you have nothing to say because you are lacking creativity.
3. Take a long nap on Saturday and Sunday.
4. Eat out close to home so you can get back quickly for a nap.
5. Pick out a new paint color for the kitchen using paint samples you have had around the house for a year or two. Plan to paint in the spring.
6. Spend an excessive amount of time in a hot shower.
7. Check Weather.com frequently to see if you are hallucinating that winter has arrived.
8. Stare at the New York Times newsreader but don't bother to read anything because you simply don't give a shit.
9. Think about everything you wish you were doing, and will do, oh... in a month or so.
10. Scold the cat.
Bonus round: Feel good about yourself because the day you have chosen to take off this week is forecast to be the warmest of the week. Whether you do anything productive with it remains to be seen.
2. Exercise your creativity by creating a new blog header, even though you have nothing to say because you are lacking creativity.
3. Take a long nap on Saturday and Sunday.
4. Eat out close to home so you can get back quickly for a nap.
5. Pick out a new paint color for the kitchen using paint samples you have had around the house for a year or two. Plan to paint in the spring.
6. Spend an excessive amount of time in a hot shower.
7. Check Weather.com frequently to see if you are hallucinating that winter has arrived.
8. Stare at the New York Times newsreader but don't bother to read anything because you simply don't give a shit.
9. Think about everything you wish you were doing, and will do, oh... in a month or so.
10. Scold the cat.
Bonus round: Feel good about yourself because the day you have chosen to take off this week is forecast to be the warmest of the week. Whether you do anything productive with it remains to be seen.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Fishy Friday Edition
Around 4:30 every afternoon, the entire gang starts hanging around in the kitchen, or as close as they can get for the ones outside.
Salmon was tonight's entree.
Salmon was tonight's entree.
Sissy waiting.
Tot waiting.
Sweet Pea waiting.
Tiger waiting.
I suppose it was rude of me to walk out with the camera instead of a can of food. They got prematurely excited.
Also, pardon the Tiger picture with the snotty nose. He's been carrying on lately with the wheezing, sneezing, and snorting. I feel so bad for the poor old guy. Anyone else have cats with that problem?
I suppose it was rude of me to walk out with the camera instead of a can of food. They got prematurely excited.
Also, pardon the Tiger picture with the snotty nose. He's been carrying on lately with the wheezing, sneezing, and snorting. I feel so bad for the poor old guy. Anyone else have cats with that problem?
Thursday, December 09, 2010
The Joys of Bankruptcy
After meeting with my bankruptcy lawyer the week before Thanksgiving it was decided that our filing date would be Thursday, December 2. The reasoning for this is that it's a day before I get paid and therefore the least amount of cash would be in my bank account. One of the rules is that I can't have over $750 in cash available on the day I file. Sounds pretty straightforward, right?
On Thanksgiving I was checking my account balance and I had roughly $1,100 in the bank with a week to go before filing. I was getting nervous and started looking for bills to pay early. There was the utility bill which was not due until after December 2, as well as the water bill and the internet access bill. I went ahead and paid those online and that took me down to $735. Yes! I could now relax as that would still leave me plenty to use for groceries and other routine expenses prior to the filing date. I figured I'd be down around $300 by then.
There was a small glitch, however. My Dish Network service is setup to be paid annually, and in the mayhem of the moment, I suppose I had not paid much attention to any reminder emails from them.
On Friday after Thanksgiving, I went to the liquor store with my bank debit card and was unable to get authorization on my purchase. Then I went to the supermarket and had the same problem. I was a bit suspicious now. I came home and logged into my bank account online and there are few words to convey the shock of discovering that my balance was over $400 in the red. Yes, a negative $400 balance. And right there on my screen was that processed transaction of $1,215 paid to Dish Network, courtesy of my credit union, along with the courtesy of a $24 fee for being so generous.
Now, here's how this shit works, as most of you know. Once there is one fuck up, you are virtually guaranteed of having additional fuck ups, hence the term clusterfuck. Life would have been fine and dandy if the credit union had rejected the transaction and charged me a fee for insufficient funds. Dish Network would have been happy to get their money a few days later. All the other transactions I scheduled would have passed through the gates and I would have been relatively unscathed.
Yes, dear friends and other readers, once your bank does you such a favor, buckle up for the clusterfuck, because they will only do you one favor, not three or four such favors. The Time Warner bill bounced. Ding! Insufficient funds fee posted on both ends. The utility bill bounced. DING DING! Insufficient funds fee posted on both ends. The automatic deduction of $9.95 per month for my Quicken BillPay service bounced back. They did generously go ahead and pay my water bill while simultaneously suspending my account. Ding Ding Ding!!!! Suddenly I was $555 in the hole. And that qualifies as less than $750 by anybody's math.
Thursday rolled around and we headed to the lawyer's office for the 4:00 appointment. After waiting there for 10 or 15 minutes, the laywer emerged from his spider hole and proclaimed that there was "a problem." He'd had some computer glitch that erased all his appointments, he had no idea our appointment was at that time, and he had not even reviewed our paperwork yet!
We had to hit the reset button and start over. So between last Thursday and yesterday, I was thinking I had dealt with all my financial issues and laid them to rest. Oh, but there's always a straggler!
Yesterday I tried to make a call on my cell phone and THAT had also been suspended due to funds not clearing my bank. Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding!!
You gotta love how this shit just cascades! And I'm sure there are people out there less fortunate than I am who have this happen to them more often. And at some point those are the people who probably figured out they might be better off without a bank account, and just use cash.
Since I had been paid on December 3, I had already taken care of all these other problems by the time I realized there was an AT&T cell phone issue. I tried logging into my account online to do another bank draft and was instructed to call customer service. Yes, AT&T customer service! You know, that's the one getting rave customer reviews these days.
So I got a guy on the phone and I explained the situation to him, and he told me he could take the bank information on the phone and process it.... for a $5 convenience fee. I said, "You've got to be kidding me, right?"
As if I hadn't already been fucked enough, now AT&T was wanting to charge me a fee for paying my bill. GOD BLESS AMERICA and Wall Street. After I protested, he retreated and said he'd waive the fee since I had tried to do it online and failed. What a nice guy.
After a few seconds he informed me it wasn't going through, and that my only recourse at the time was to go to an AT&T store and pay CASH. "What?" I asked. "I have no other way of paying this bill than to drive 15 miles to a store and pay cash?"
"That is correct," he replied. I mumbled something about switching to Verizon, he mumbled something about that being fine, and I hung up.
By this point, my lunch was getting cold, and I was having back spasms so severe that I seriously contemplated taking a Lortab. If it hadn't been a work day, I probably would have.
Later, after I'd calmed down, and had spent half an hour or so checking out the offerings from Verizon, I logged back into my AT&T account and decided to try this again using a credit card. Voila! Payment accepted and service restored! My question is: why did that customer service representative not suggest I do that? Or offer to take my card info on the phone?
Ironically, after all of this, my cell phone is suddenly not staying charged for a day even with no usage. I think that is an omen.
Meanwhile, I am starting this entire scenario over again. I am waiting on the lawyer to set another filing date between now and next Thursday prior to my Friday pay day. And sooner would be better than later. Given the fact that when my pay check was deposited last Friday, I was already $555 in the red, going in to file bankruptcy with less than $750 in the bank is NOT going to be a problem the second time around.
If I can do this with a bank balance greater than say, $35, rather than a negative number, all the better.
On Thanksgiving I was checking my account balance and I had roughly $1,100 in the bank with a week to go before filing. I was getting nervous and started looking for bills to pay early. There was the utility bill which was not due until after December 2, as well as the water bill and the internet access bill. I went ahead and paid those online and that took me down to $735. Yes! I could now relax as that would still leave me plenty to use for groceries and other routine expenses prior to the filing date. I figured I'd be down around $300 by then.
There was a small glitch, however. My Dish Network service is setup to be paid annually, and in the mayhem of the moment, I suppose I had not paid much attention to any reminder emails from them.
On Friday after Thanksgiving, I went to the liquor store with my bank debit card and was unable to get authorization on my purchase. Then I went to the supermarket and had the same problem. I was a bit suspicious now. I came home and logged into my bank account online and there are few words to convey the shock of discovering that my balance was over $400 in the red. Yes, a negative $400 balance. And right there on my screen was that processed transaction of $1,215 paid to Dish Network, courtesy of my credit union, along with the courtesy of a $24 fee for being so generous.
Now, here's how this shit works, as most of you know. Once there is one fuck up, you are virtually guaranteed of having additional fuck ups, hence the term clusterfuck. Life would have been fine and dandy if the credit union had rejected the transaction and charged me a fee for insufficient funds. Dish Network would have been happy to get their money a few days later. All the other transactions I scheduled would have passed through the gates and I would have been relatively unscathed.
Yes, dear friends and other readers, once your bank does you such a favor, buckle up for the clusterfuck, because they will only do you one favor, not three or four such favors. The Time Warner bill bounced. Ding! Insufficient funds fee posted on both ends. The utility bill bounced. DING DING! Insufficient funds fee posted on both ends. The automatic deduction of $9.95 per month for my Quicken BillPay service bounced back. They did generously go ahead and pay my water bill while simultaneously suspending my account. Ding Ding Ding!!!! Suddenly I was $555 in the hole. And that qualifies as less than $750 by anybody's math.
Thursday rolled around and we headed to the lawyer's office for the 4:00 appointment. After waiting there for 10 or 15 minutes, the laywer emerged from his spider hole and proclaimed that there was "a problem." He'd had some computer glitch that erased all his appointments, he had no idea our appointment was at that time, and he had not even reviewed our paperwork yet!
We had to hit the reset button and start over. So between last Thursday and yesterday, I was thinking I had dealt with all my financial issues and laid them to rest. Oh, but there's always a straggler!
Yesterday I tried to make a call on my cell phone and THAT had also been suspended due to funds not clearing my bank. Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding!!
You gotta love how this shit just cascades! And I'm sure there are people out there less fortunate than I am who have this happen to them more often. And at some point those are the people who probably figured out they might be better off without a bank account, and just use cash.
Since I had been paid on December 3, I had already taken care of all these other problems by the time I realized there was an AT&T cell phone issue. I tried logging into my account online to do another bank draft and was instructed to call customer service. Yes, AT&T customer service! You know, that's the one getting rave customer reviews these days.
So I got a guy on the phone and I explained the situation to him, and he told me he could take the bank information on the phone and process it.... for a $5 convenience fee. I said, "You've got to be kidding me, right?"
As if I hadn't already been fucked enough, now AT&T was wanting to charge me a fee for paying my bill. GOD BLESS AMERICA and Wall Street. After I protested, he retreated and said he'd waive the fee since I had tried to do it online and failed. What a nice guy.
After a few seconds he informed me it wasn't going through, and that my only recourse at the time was to go to an AT&T store and pay CASH. "What?" I asked. "I have no other way of paying this bill than to drive 15 miles to a store and pay cash?"
"That is correct," he replied. I mumbled something about switching to Verizon, he mumbled something about that being fine, and I hung up.
By this point, my lunch was getting cold, and I was having back spasms so severe that I seriously contemplated taking a Lortab. If it hadn't been a work day, I probably would have.
Later, after I'd calmed down, and had spent half an hour or so checking out the offerings from Verizon, I logged back into my AT&T account and decided to try this again using a credit card. Voila! Payment accepted and service restored! My question is: why did that customer service representative not suggest I do that? Or offer to take my card info on the phone?
Ironically, after all of this, my cell phone is suddenly not staying charged for a day even with no usage. I think that is an omen.
Meanwhile, I am starting this entire scenario over again. I am waiting on the lawyer to set another filing date between now and next Thursday prior to my Friday pay day. And sooner would be better than later. Given the fact that when my pay check was deposited last Friday, I was already $555 in the red, going in to file bankruptcy with less than $750 in the bank is NOT going to be a problem the second time around.
If I can do this with a bank balance greater than say, $35, rather than a negative number, all the better.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Friday, December 03, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Heads in the Beef Bowl Edition
This is one of those Fridays that started out mellow and peaceful and ended with a clusterfuck of shit starting around 3PM. GAH!! And around 4:45 when I was scrambling to get things finished, Sissy was in the next room just howling for her meal! I had to get up and feed them so I could wrap up my loose ends in quiet.
Beef: It's what's for dinner tonight. For them, anyway!
TGIF!! WOOT!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Blog Camaraderie
I've been thinking about this the past few days, and maybe it's because I don't blog as much or read as much lately, but I think it's time us bloggers got together to exchange notes. Turn each other on to hot blogs and such. This is our future for as long as our government deems to allow it so let's get going.
This one I love, and it's written by a co-worker on mine:
Let's Be Honest is a personal look at life 50+ with a glance in the rear-view mirror. And don't we all love the mirror!
Another one that is brilliant is written by txrad's 2nd cousin:
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch is written by a woman with amazing talent. So much so, that when txrad returned from a trip to North Dakota 5 or 6 years ago carrying a CD of her music, we played it once or twice, and then every day for the next 18 months! I even embarked on an expedition to get her some musical exposure by sending her CD to my local adult album alternative radio station. She has a cowboy and he cooks!
I have also maintained a devotion recently to Cogitamus where I can feel at home with a few old friends like litbrit, oddjob, and minstrel boy. Ahh, those are the good ole days!
And I cannot leave out Brilliant at Breakfast for getting me wound up first thing in the morning over coffee.
I think these blogs offer it all. The food, the life, the personal, the angst, and the bullshit absurdity of the world in which we live. They have replaced a number of blogs for me in many ways, namely a need on my part to de-clutter and de-bullshit.
As we enter into 2011, it may be time for us to diversify, and explore new options, and to disengage from those who have gone astray.
Please, share in comments any blogs which are yanking your chain these days. That's what it's all about.
This one I love, and it's written by a co-worker on mine:
Let's Be Honest is a personal look at life 50+ with a glance in the rear-view mirror. And don't we all love the mirror!
Another one that is brilliant is written by txrad's 2nd cousin:
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch is written by a woman with amazing talent. So much so, that when txrad returned from a trip to North Dakota 5 or 6 years ago carrying a CD of her music, we played it once or twice, and then every day for the next 18 months! I even embarked on an expedition to get her some musical exposure by sending her CD to my local adult album alternative radio station. She has a cowboy and he cooks!
I have also maintained a devotion recently to Cogitamus where I can feel at home with a few old friends like litbrit, oddjob, and minstrel boy. Ahh, those are the good ole days!
And I cannot leave out Brilliant at Breakfast for getting me wound up first thing in the morning over coffee.
I think these blogs offer it all. The food, the life, the personal, the angst, and the bullshit absurdity of the world in which we live. They have replaced a number of blogs for me in many ways, namely a need on my part to de-clutter and de-bullshit.
As we enter into 2011, it may be time for us to diversify, and explore new options, and to disengage from those who have gone astray.
Please, share in comments any blogs which are yanking your chain these days. That's what it's all about.
Friday, November 26, 2010
An Explosion of Cranberries
One of my favorite things to do during Thanksgiving is to make up a batch of cranberry sauce. Today was the day! And it's so easy I can't believe anyone buys the shit in a can.
Start out with the juice of a navel orange, and grate most of the skin with it. Add in about half a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and I toss in a shot of Bouchant. Heat it on medium until the sugar dissolves and it's steaming.
Toss in a 12-ounce bag of those wild and crazy berries and crank the heat up a notch. Start stirring.
Soon they'll start to pop and you are on your way! After about 10 or 12 minutes they should begin to get frothy. This is when I gradually ease off on the heat, and keep stirring.
This will begin to turn into the familiar sight of cranberry sauce. There are always a few who resist popping and when it's pretty obvious you have sauce, and those holdouts don't seem eager to participate, I'll start mashing those against the side of the pan to facilitate the process. Then move the pan off the heat.
At this point I toss in a handful of lightly toasted pecans (that's about half a cup for those of you who insist on measuring EVERYTHING) and stir. Let it cool then chill it in the fridge. I've had a batch of this last me 2 ... even 3 weeks maybe. I figure I'll be making another batch just before Christmas.
Heavenly holiday bliss!
Oh, and while I was doing this, txrad was making hamburger buns!
I'm thinking a dab of cranberry sauce on the veggie burger tonight wouldn't be terribly awful.
Start out with the juice of a navel orange, and grate most of the skin with it. Add in about half a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and I toss in a shot of Bouchant. Heat it on medium until the sugar dissolves and it's steaming.
Toss in a 12-ounce bag of those wild and crazy berries and crank the heat up a notch. Start stirring.
Soon they'll start to pop and you are on your way! After about 10 or 12 minutes they should begin to get frothy. This is when I gradually ease off on the heat, and keep stirring.
This will begin to turn into the familiar sight of cranberry sauce. There are always a few who resist popping and when it's pretty obvious you have sauce, and those holdouts don't seem eager to participate, I'll start mashing those against the side of the pan to facilitate the process. Then move the pan off the heat.
At this point I toss in a handful of lightly toasted pecans (that's about half a cup for those of you who insist on measuring EVERYTHING) and stir. Let it cool then chill it in the fridge. I've had a batch of this last me 2 ... even 3 weeks maybe. I figure I'll be making another batch just before Christmas.
Heavenly holiday bliss!
Oh, and while I was doing this, txrad was making hamburger buns!
I'm thinking a dab of cranberry sauce on the veggie burger tonight wouldn't be terribly awful.
Friday Pussy Blog: Seafood Dinner Edition
Black Friday always throws me for a loop and I usually forget to put up the pussy blog because it feels like a Saturday.
The Tot has just finished his seafood dinner and is in the process of grooming.
Sissy is still licking hers up! YUM!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's hard for me to believe it's Thanksgiving again already! Seems like we were just driving up to north Austin a few months ago for the annual tradition of a thali at Swad. But off we trekked again today on the 23-mile trip to our little slice of India. No tofurkey for us!
I actually took this photo as we were leaving. There was no line when we got there, and the food was delivered fast today.
Ahh yes, dear friends. This is heaven. Those puffy breads are pooris. Underneath there was a crunchy papadam, and some other kind of moist bread adorned with fiery jalapeños.
I actually took this photo as we were leaving. There was no line when we got there, and the food was delivered fast today.
The dosas at Swad are great but for my appetite, a thali is required.
Ahh yes, dear friends. This is heaven. Those puffy breads are pooris. Underneath there was a crunchy papadam, and some other kind of moist bread adorned with fiery jalapeños.
The thali itself was, needless to say, rather filling. I am a satisfied man right now!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Nothing But Pussy All Week Edition
Sometimes the Tot looks to be in such a foul mood in his photos. Today was no exception. He must be absorbing it from his daddy who had a pretty shitty day as well!!
Happy Friday!!!!!
I can't believe I went an entire week without posting. (sh)It happens.
Happy Friday!!!!!
I can't believe I went an entire week without posting. (sh)It happens.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Family History Edition
I was going through some old photos this week and found this one from 2000. It's possibly the only photo I have of Big Thumbs -- she's the one looking at the camera and proudly showing off her thumb. Those three kittens (and yes, I do realize they were already as big as their mommie) are: Sissy (top), Sweet Pea (middle) and Coal Pot (bottom).
We brought Sissy in to be a house cat shortly after this photo was taken. The two boys stayed outside. Coal Pot and Sweet Pea were inseparable and often slept atop one another so that it appeared to be one cat with two heads.
Sadly, Coal Pot disappeared one day and never returned. I've always hoped he wandered into a neighbor's yard and was taken in by somebody as he was a gorgeous cat.
Sissy inherited her mama's thumbs. She's very happy being a house kitty.
We do occasionally let Sweet Pea come in the house to spend some time with his sister. It's rarely more than an "oh,hey howya doin, bye" visit, if even that much acknowledgment!
Hope your Friday went well! Happy weekend!
Oh, yes, I'm not going to end the Pussy Blog without giving everyone a Tot shot, so have no fear.
That boy still LOVES that small box.
We brought Sissy in to be a house cat shortly after this photo was taken. The two boys stayed outside. Coal Pot and Sweet Pea were inseparable and often slept atop one another so that it appeared to be one cat with two heads.
Sadly, Coal Pot disappeared one day and never returned. I've always hoped he wandered into a neighbor's yard and was taken in by somebody as he was a gorgeous cat.
Sissy inherited her mama's thumbs. She's very happy being a house kitty.
We do occasionally let Sweet Pea come in the house to spend some time with his sister. It's rarely more than an "oh,hey howya doin, bye" visit, if even that much acknowledgment!
Hope your Friday went well! Happy weekend!
Oh, yes, I'm not going to end the Pussy Blog without giving everyone a Tot shot, so have no fear.
That boy still LOVES that small box.
Lapping Frequency
How cats drink is something that has been on my mind lately. And it's even more amazing than I imagined.
Writing in the Thursday issue of Science, the four engineers report that the cat’s lapping method depends on its instinctive ability to calculate the balance between opposing gravitational and inertial forces.
What happens is that the cat darts its tongue, curving the upper side downward so that the tip lightly touches the surface of the water.
The tongue is then pulled upward at high speed, drawing a column of water behind it.
Just at the moment that gravity finally overcomes the rush of the water and starts to pull the column down — snap! The cat’s jaws have closed over the jet of water and swallowed it.
The cat laps four times a second — too fast for the human eye to see anything but a blur — and its tongue moves at a speed of one meter per second.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
There Is No God. There Is Only Market Share.
A number of atheist groups are about to kick off a holiday ad campaign in an attempt to rally the troops.
As a society, we may vehemently disagree on Democratic policies vs. Republican policies, hard right vs. hard left, fact vs. fiction, up vs. down, top vs. bottom, over vs. under, large vs. small, gay vs. straight, and God vs. godlessness. But if there is one true belief on which we can agree, it is the importance of market share!
The godless groups say they are mounting this surge because they are aware that they have a large, untapped army of potential troops. The percentage of American adults who say they have no religion has doubled in the last two decades, to 15 percent, according to the American Religious Identification Survey, conducted by researchers at Trinity College in Hartford and released in 2008. But the ranks of the various atheist organizations number only in the tens of thousands.
That is one reason for the multiple campaigns: the groups are competing with one another to gain market share, said Mark Silk, founding director of the Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life, which is also at Trinity College.
“There’s a competitive environment for ‘no religion,’ and they’re grabbing for all the constituents they can get,” Mr. Silk said.
Relying on the largess of a few wealthy atheists, these groups are now capable of bankrolling efforts to recruit and organize a population that mostly has been quiet and closeted.
As a society, we may vehemently disagree on Democratic policies vs. Republican policies, hard right vs. hard left, fact vs. fiction, up vs. down, top vs. bottom, over vs. under, large vs. small, gay vs. straight, and God vs. godlessness. But if there is one true belief on which we can agree, it is the importance of market share!
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
DADT Future Looking Murky
Here we are, fast approaching 2011, and "don't ask, don't tell" is still hanging out there like a loose chad.
And there you have it. We would destroy unit cohesion just as surely as we have destroyed the sacred institution of marriage.
Us gay folks are not to be trusted because we simply are driven to jump the bones of every straight man or woman who happens to be in a horizontal position. Although gays & lesbians have already served our country with honor and effectiveness, to do so honestly would suddenly render us without the self-discipline required to serve and get the job done, because all we would be thinking about is fucking.
Glad we cleared that up!
The chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force have all expressed some reluctance about ending the ban, as has the former commandant of the Marine Corps, but the comments of the current commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, are the most vivid to date.
In comments to reporters in California this weekend, General Amos said that ending the ban in the middle of two wars would involve “risk” for Marines, who, unlike other service members who generally have private quarters, share rooms to promote unity. “There is nothing more intimate than young men and young women — and when you talk of infantry, we’re talking our young men — laying out, sleeping alongside of one another and sharing death, fear and loss of brothers,” said General Amos, 63. “I don’t know what the effect of that will be on cohesion. I mean, that’s what we’re looking at. It’s unit cohesion, it’s combat effectiveness.”
And there you have it. We would destroy unit cohesion just as surely as we have destroyed the sacred institution of marriage.
Us gay folks are not to be trusted because we simply are driven to jump the bones of every straight man or woman who happens to be in a horizontal position. Although gays & lesbians have already served our country with honor and effectiveness, to do so honestly would suddenly render us without the self-discipline required to serve and get the job done, because all we would be thinking about is fucking.
Glad we cleared that up!
Monday, November 08, 2010
I'll Have What The Gentleman On The Floor Is Having
I can't think of a finer way to kick off a Monday morning than browsing through a selection of the funniest beer names of all time.
I'll have some Moose Drool followed by a Blithering Idiot, please!
I'll have some Moose Drool followed by a Blithering Idiot, please!
Friday, November 05, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Chicken Entree Edition
Yay! It's Friday!
Tiger* and Sweet Pea are happy!
Sissy and the Tot are happy!
We're ALL happy it's Friday!
We're ALL happy it's Friday!
*This picture is hilarious. Tiger looks like he has two conical horns sticking from his hind quarters! It's just matted hair and a strange camera angle.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Baaad Gurlz of the 30s
I'd heard there were some women blues singers from back in the 20s and 30s doing some pretty raunchy numbers, but I figured it would be more obvious innuendo with maybe a four-letter word thrown in for spice. I've never actually heard any recordings until today when I was doing some musical exploration on YouTube from Etta James to Muddy Waters and on to Lil Gizelle and Big Mama Thornton. Then I saw this from Lucille Bogan.
I wish the recording quality of this was better, and I'm not sure why the last minute of the clip has no audio at all, but it's a whopper.
And dear friends, trust the konagod when I say this is probably NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
I wish the recording quality of this was better, and I'm not sure why the last minute of the clip has no audio at all, but it's a whopper.
And dear friends, trust the konagod when I say this is probably NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Those Damn Far Lefties
I still see this shit all the time about "far lefties" in Congress and that "far left" Obama.
Get this straight, you stupid fucks. The political spectrum isn't linear like a ruler. I'm pretty far left (and pretty conservative in many areas), and if you were to place me on a 12-inch ruler, I might even be right (or left?) on the convenience hole which allows you hang it from a nail in the wall, the one to the left of the one-inch mark.
I keep looking for these "far left" members of Congress, and seriously, I'm not seeing many, from my perspective. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin was pretty cool until he got beat on Tuesday. Yeah, he was the guy involved in that campaign finance reform with that other "far left" guy: John McCain.
So, when these idiot people starting bitching about the "far left," I think they are actually bitching about the moderates. Lo and behold, we have something in common!
The political spectrum isn't linear like a ruler, thankfully, because life would be pretty boring and simplistic if it were. It's more 3-dimensional actually, which must be quite a challenge for these folks who like to keep it left vs. right. Or at the very least it's like a box, with a left and right as well as a top and a bottom. (I won't blow your mind right now with depth perception.)
So, heed my advice. If you want to be taken seriously in your critique of current politics, get a perspective of where you are on the linear "playing field." Because a politician on your 5 1/2" mark isn't far left. In fact, you have no idea how left left can be.
Just saying. And I'm right.
Get this straight, you stupid fucks. The political spectrum isn't linear like a ruler. I'm pretty far left (and pretty conservative in many areas), and if you were to place me on a 12-inch ruler, I might even be right (or left?) on the convenience hole which allows you hang it from a nail in the wall, the one to the left of the one-inch mark.
I keep looking for these "far left" members of Congress, and seriously, I'm not seeing many, from my perspective. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin was pretty cool until he got beat on Tuesday. Yeah, he was the guy involved in that campaign finance reform with that other "far left" guy: John McCain.
So, when these idiot people starting bitching about the "far left," I think they are actually bitching about the moderates. Lo and behold, we have something in common!
The political spectrum isn't linear like a ruler, thankfully, because life would be pretty boring and simplistic if it were. It's more 3-dimensional actually, which must be quite a challenge for these folks who like to keep it left vs. right. Or at the very least it's like a box, with a left and right as well as a top and a bottom. (I won't blow your mind right now with depth perception.)
So, heed my advice. If you want to be taken seriously in your critique of current politics, get a perspective of where you are on the linear "playing field." Because a politician on your 5 1/2" mark isn't far left. In fact, you have no idea how left left can be.
Just saying. And I'm right.
The Morning After
It was bad. But it easily could have been far worse. Nevertheless, the stage is now set for some interesting months ahead leading into the 2012 campaign. And the political map is starting to look more like 2000 than it did in 2008 with blue on the west coast and northeast, and red filling in the middle.
The worst of it:
Florida. One word: Rubio.
Kentucky. Two words: Rand Paul.
Pennsylvania. Three words: fucking Pat Toomey!
California: Gee, there must be so much available pot out there that the 18-24 group just doesn't see it as a big deal. Those who need it medically can easily get it legally, and those who use it recreationally are content to pay their fines if caught. Personally, I'd rather be a responsible legal consumer vs. a responsible illegal consumer, but that's just me I guess.
It's pretty clear that Prop. 19, in being defeated 55-45%, took a late hit from an infusion of Reefer Madness-inspired money, and a spineless calculating Democratic establishment that wasn't in the mood this year to make the case for it. Sad.
Iowa: Very disturbing that voters ousted three justices who participated in the same-sex marriage ruling last year, despite the sky not collapsing after same-sex marriage became legal, and life going on as usual for the past year.
You'd think the voters could just move on, or that the judicial ruling would have faded from memory in favor of more pressing issue, but unfortunately there was some outside efforts to jog the voters' memories...
Wisconsin. What the fuck? Seriously, that's like burning your house for the insurance money.
Arkansas. No real surprises here but it's aggravating to watch my home state officially officially seal the deal and join themselves at the hip with the other neighboring red states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi instead of maintaining the mid-western independence of Missouri. Blanche will be packing her bags and a hard right turn is ahead with Republican John Boozman.
Even the 2nd congressional district which includes Little Rock, a traditionally Democratic seat being vacated by a Democrat, is falling strongly into the GOP column this time around, to a fucking Karl Rove protege no less. The vote wasn't even close.
Arizona and South Dakota have rejected medical marijuana ballot measures.
Some positives:
Rhode Island. We now have our 4th openly gay member of Congress.
Alaska. Residents saw the face of evil and cast over 80,000 write-in votes to propel Lisa Murkowski above Tea Bagger Joe Miller. And I hesitated to put this under the column of positives since it's still not ideal, but could have been worse.
The remarkable:
Nevada, where Harry Reid managed to slither past Sharron Angle by a fairly comfortable margin. And that is rather extraordinary given that Nevada is, one could argue, ground zero in the economic collapse. Las Vegas in particular is reeling.
As usual, the New York Times has some really cool interactive maps you can check out and survey the damage.
That, folks, is how America looks this morning.
The worst of it:
Florida. One word: Rubio.
Kentucky. Two words: Rand Paul.
Pennsylvania. Three words: fucking Pat Toomey!
California: Gee, there must be so much available pot out there that the 18-24 group just doesn't see it as a big deal. Those who need it medically can easily get it legally, and those who use it recreationally are content to pay their fines if caught. Personally, I'd rather be a responsible legal consumer vs. a responsible illegal consumer, but that's just me I guess.
It's pretty clear that Prop. 19, in being defeated 55-45%, took a late hit from an infusion of Reefer Madness-inspired money, and a spineless calculating Democratic establishment that wasn't in the mood this year to make the case for it. Sad.
Iowa: Very disturbing that voters ousted three justices who participated in the same-sex marriage ruling last year, despite the sky not collapsing after same-sex marriage became legal, and life going on as usual for the past year.
Each of the three judges received about 45-46 percent support with 91 percent of precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press, marking the first time members of Iowa’s high court had been rejected by voters. Under the system used here, judges face no opponents and simply need to win more yes votes than no votes to win another eight-year term.
You'd think the voters could just move on, or that the judicial ruling would have faded from memory in favor of more pressing issue, but unfortunately there was some outside efforts to jog the voters' memories...
Though several groups formed to support their retention, they were significantly outspent by the organizations that bankrolled the ouster effort, including the National Organization for Marriage and the American Family Association.
Wisconsin. What the fuck? Seriously, that's like burning your house for the insurance money.
Arkansas. No real surprises here but it's aggravating to watch my home state officially officially seal the deal and join themselves at the hip with the other neighboring red states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi instead of maintaining the mid-western independence of Missouri. Blanche will be packing her bags and a hard right turn is ahead with Republican John Boozman.
Even the 2nd congressional district which includes Little Rock, a traditionally Democratic seat being vacated by a Democrat, is falling strongly into the GOP column this time around, to a fucking Karl Rove protege no less. The vote wasn't even close.
Arizona and South Dakota have rejected medical marijuana ballot measures.
Some positives:
Rhode Island. We now have our 4th openly gay member of Congress.
Alaska. Residents saw the face of evil and cast over 80,000 write-in votes to propel Lisa Murkowski above Tea Bagger Joe Miller. And I hesitated to put this under the column of positives since it's still not ideal, but could have been worse.
The remarkable:
Nevada, where Harry Reid managed to slither past Sharron Angle by a fairly comfortable margin. And that is rather extraordinary given that Nevada is, one could argue, ground zero in the economic collapse. Las Vegas in particular is reeling.
As usual, the New York Times has some really cool interactive maps you can check out and survey the damage.
The Senate
The House
The Governors
That, folks, is how America looks this morning.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Election Day Serenade
Today is election day 2010, a day when when we will have the wonderful feeling of having a direct influence on the direction we're going as a nation. At least for those of us who bothered to vote. And it is particularly exciting when the choice is between an asshole and an insensitive jerk. USA 2010 is about to take a turn.
So, what's going on today? Anything exciting happening?
First, we can probably write off the deep South. Nothing new there.
So, what's going on today? Anything exciting happening?
Monday, November 01, 2010
The Calm Before the Storm
It's been a pretty quiet Monday. (Here at kona ranch, that is.) I've just been pondering how much might change between today and tomorrow. Elections have always been exciting events for me, and nothing much can match the adrenalin that flows through my veins as those polls close on election night and results start to trickle in.
This year is a little different in terms of the excitement. The excitement is not so much driven by optimism as it is by a sense of sharpened anxiety. The same anxiety one might feel while driving in freeway traffic during a horrendous snowstorm, or seeing news report of a 100+ car pileup caused by freaky fog conditions. Yeah, I think that's the one I'm looking for: freaky fog conditions pretty accurately describes the voting environment this year. And we'll know on Tuesday just how many vehicles are involved and the extent of the carnage. I guess I have prepared myself emotionally for the worst, to the extent I possibly can.
It has gotten way too easy for people to discredit something they don't like by calling it a hoax. I'm not sure why they do this. Maybe it's an uncomfortable topic to discuss if there is indeed a possibility that we are all contributing to something like...oh, say global warming, for instance.
It's hard to keep a straight face and argue that global warming is a hoax when there is clear evidence to the contrary. And think about this: the population of the planet didn't hit 2 billion until 1927. Soon it will reach 7 billion and will continue increasing. Along with that mind-boggling growth have been other drastic changes.
Think about how most Americans (and the rest of the world) managed to get around the planet back in 1927. Most people didn't have electricity in the home. The most high-tech gadget might have been a single AM radio.
Passenger car sales were starting to take off -- Henry Ford's Model T sales were at 15 million; SUVs weren't a dime a dozen, no 18-wheelers were plowing up our interstate highway system (because we didn't have one), and the skies were not filled with those hollow metal cylinders ferrying tens of millions of people from place to place. Even in my lifetime, I've seen China change from being a nation where people in large cities traveled by bicycle, to being a nation filled with cars and manufacturing facilities to fulfill our craving for cheap stuff.
And you know what? That human activity has to have some impact on the planet on some level because the planet sure as shit isn't growing in size along with the population! You can claim the climate is cyclical and warming is a natural event. Go ahead and hate Al Gore's guts. But don't take the easy way out by saying the discussion is off the table because it's just a hoax.
We only learn and grow as a society by having a debate, not ducking from it. We can't even have a rational discussion these days about the issue. There are politicians in office right now who deny climate change, and a fresh batch of new politicians waiting to march on in with the same attitude.
It's going to be an interesting Tuesday night on into Wednesday. I'll be here, and you can bet I'm going to have something to say about it.
This year is a little different in terms of the excitement. The excitement is not so much driven by optimism as it is by a sense of sharpened anxiety. The same anxiety one might feel while driving in freeway traffic during a horrendous snowstorm, or seeing news report of a 100+ car pileup caused by freaky fog conditions. Yeah, I think that's the one I'm looking for: freaky fog conditions pretty accurately describes the voting environment this year. And we'll know on Tuesday just how many vehicles are involved and the extent of the carnage. I guess I have prepared myself emotionally for the worst, to the extent I possibly can.
It has gotten way too easy for people to discredit something they don't like by calling it a hoax. I'm not sure why they do this. Maybe it's an uncomfortable topic to discuss if there is indeed a possibility that we are all contributing to something like...oh, say global warming, for instance.
It's hard to keep a straight face and argue that global warming is a hoax when there is clear evidence to the contrary. And think about this: the population of the planet didn't hit 2 billion until 1927. Soon it will reach 7 billion and will continue increasing. Along with that mind-boggling growth have been other drastic changes.
Think about how most Americans (and the rest of the world) managed to get around the planet back in 1927. Most people didn't have electricity in the home. The most high-tech gadget might have been a single AM radio.
Passenger car sales were starting to take off -- Henry Ford's Model T sales were at 15 million; SUVs weren't a dime a dozen, no 18-wheelers were plowing up our interstate highway system (because we didn't have one), and the skies were not filled with those hollow metal cylinders ferrying tens of millions of people from place to place. Even in my lifetime, I've seen China change from being a nation where people in large cities traveled by bicycle, to being a nation filled with cars and manufacturing facilities to fulfill our craving for cheap stuff.
And you know what? That human activity has to have some impact on the planet on some level because the planet sure as shit isn't growing in size along with the population! You can claim the climate is cyclical and warming is a natural event. Go ahead and hate Al Gore's guts. But don't take the easy way out by saying the discussion is off the table because it's just a hoax.
We only learn and grow as a society by having a debate, not ducking from it. We can't even have a rational discussion these days about the issue. There are politicians in office right now who deny climate change, and a fresh batch of new politicians waiting to march on in with the same attitude.
It's going to be an interesting Tuesday night on into Wednesday. I'll be here, and you can bet I'm going to have something to say about it.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Just Let It Go
Stolen from Flickr without credits, so sue me.
Keep Austin Weird takes on a whole new meaning on Halloween. I swear I wish people would just spontaneously celebrate Halloween everyday of the year. The world would be a more enjoyable place.
I ran to the supermarket this afternoon and saw a square aluminum robot heading in to purchase something.
What was the best costume you saw this weekend?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Farewell to Limboland
If my life was a book, it would have many chapters. Most of them are short. The current one is long and rather boring, but things are about to ratchet up a few notches.
Austin, Texas has been my home now for 13 years and aside from my life growing up on the farm, this is the longest I have ever remained in one place. When I moved here, George W. Bush was the governor of Texas. I absolutely love Austin and I think it's one of the best places I have ever lived. It's not just the city I love, but my house here has proven to be ideal in terms of comfort. It feels like home. Leaving it might be one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. However, I am being pulled away by feelings I cannot ignore. I need a change.
Normally I sit here at my desk on Saturday morning and hope the weekend can be stretched for as long as possible before I return to work on Monday. This one is a little different. Election day is Tuesday and frankly, I'm ready to get on with it. I need to know what awaits us all in 2011 and beyond. And it could easily have an impact on the next chapter of my book: Where to go next. But the election is just the start of it.
November is going to be pivotal in another way. By Thanksgiving, it is my goal for txrad and I to have filed for personal bankruptcy. This is something that has been hanging over our heads for 3 1/2 years and it will be such a relief to put it behind us and move on, figuratively speaking, and probably literally.
In December I plan to officially bury the rotting carcass of a corporation which was the catalyst for our financial calamity. And by some date in February the debts should be dismissed by a judge, just in time for the new growth of spring. And by late February we should be getting a nice taste of what the new congressional makeup will be like.
In the meantime, I am focused on my immediate goals and pondering the great what next and where next question, even as a firm date for that decision is far from certain. I figure I really have about 3 years, if I need to take that long, unless I want to still be here when this asshole gets out of prison.
Having the freedom to basically go anywhere is reminding me of when I was deciding where to go to college. It was exciting to have that choice and I can tell you there probably isn't a college anywhere in this country that wasn't under consideration at some point. I bought the Fiske Guide to Colleges, or whatever was available back then, and figured I might as well get my money's worth out of it by working through all 700 pages! And there's not a state in the US where I haven't looked at real estate. Well, that's a lie actually. Alaska is off the table. Wasilla is not in my future. A view of Russia from my back porch is not on my priority list.
As with college, there are some practical matters to take into consideration when deciding on our next place of residence. Practicality takes a lot of the fun and spontaneity out of the process. At some point I will need to narrow down the list of options and get serious. And as much as I would like to live in a place far removed from extreme right-wing politics, this election cycle has demonstrated to me that there might not be such a place. Sure, there are places which are probably better suited for progressives than Texas happens to be, but there's really no escaping the nut-bags entirely.
After Tuesday, we'll have a good idea just how short that short list really is. And that will be the first day of my Farewell to Limboland chapter.
Austin, Texas has been my home now for 13 years and aside from my life growing up on the farm, this is the longest I have ever remained in one place. When I moved here, George W. Bush was the governor of Texas. I absolutely love Austin and I think it's one of the best places I have ever lived. It's not just the city I love, but my house here has proven to be ideal in terms of comfort. It feels like home. Leaving it might be one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. However, I am being pulled away by feelings I cannot ignore. I need a change.
Normally I sit here at my desk on Saturday morning and hope the weekend can be stretched for as long as possible before I return to work on Monday. This one is a little different. Election day is Tuesday and frankly, I'm ready to get on with it. I need to know what awaits us all in 2011 and beyond. And it could easily have an impact on the next chapter of my book: Where to go next. But the election is just the start of it.
November is going to be pivotal in another way. By Thanksgiving, it is my goal for txrad and I to have filed for personal bankruptcy. This is something that has been hanging over our heads for 3 1/2 years and it will be such a relief to put it behind us and move on, figuratively speaking, and probably literally.
In December I plan to officially bury the rotting carcass of a corporation which was the catalyst for our financial calamity. And by some date in February the debts should be dismissed by a judge, just in time for the new growth of spring. And by late February we should be getting a nice taste of what the new congressional makeup will be like.
In the meantime, I am focused on my immediate goals and pondering the great what next and where next question, even as a firm date for that decision is far from certain. I figure I really have about 3 years, if I need to take that long, unless I want to still be here when this asshole gets out of prison.
Having the freedom to basically go anywhere is reminding me of when I was deciding where to go to college. It was exciting to have that choice and I can tell you there probably isn't a college anywhere in this country that wasn't under consideration at some point. I bought the Fiske Guide to Colleges, or whatever was available back then, and figured I might as well get my money's worth out of it by working through all 700 pages! And there's not a state in the US where I haven't looked at real estate. Well, that's a lie actually. Alaska is off the table. Wasilla is not in my future. A view of Russia from my back porch is not on my priority list.
As with college, there are some practical matters to take into consideration when deciding on our next place of residence. Practicality takes a lot of the fun and spontaneity out of the process. At some point I will need to narrow down the list of options and get serious. And as much as I would like to live in a place far removed from extreme right-wing politics, this election cycle has demonstrated to me that there might not be such a place. Sure, there are places which are probably better suited for progressives than Texas happens to be, but there's really no escaping the nut-bags entirely.
After Tuesday, we'll have a good idea just how short that short list really is. And that will be the first day of my Farewell to Limboland chapter.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Guidelines For Lovin' Edition
Tater Tot is designed very efficiently for maximum pleasure stroking. Notice the clearly-defined stripes on his head. Those are your guidelines for running your finger, or even a fingernail, down the length of each line.
Follow each line from his nose to the back of his head. He's a happy boy.
Ditto with the side of his face. Stroke from the corner of his eye down the side and to the back of his head. Run a finger from his whiskers around his eye, and again across his cheek. It is very important to follow the Tot directions explicitly.
Follow each line from his nose to the back of his head. He's a happy boy.
Ditto with the side of his face. Stroke from the corner of his eye down the side and to the back of his head. Run a finger from his whiskers around his eye, and again across his cheek. It is very important to follow the Tot directions explicitly.
Gee I can't believe it's Friday. WOOT!!!!
Please note this will be the last Friday Pussy Blog before election day.
And if you don't vote, you don't get no pussy.
(And if you vote Tea-Bag Republican, you don't get no pussy.)
Please note this will be the last Friday Pussy Blog before election day.
And if you don't vote, you don't get no pussy.
(And if you vote Tea-Bag Republican, you don't get no pussy.)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The #1 Issue
Seriously. Prop. 19 in California, the ballot measure to legalize marijuana (well, to a large degree), is the one I have my eye on most closely. And despite what happens in Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado, Nevada, and every other state with an important congressional race, Prop. 19 is the one that gives me the most hope for progress, and the one that will crush me if defeated.
I have thought it might make me seem shallow to have my focus on marijuana legalization when so much else is at stake. Thanks to Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch, editors-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason magazine respectively, for this reminder why the issue is so important.
Think about that. 858,000 marijuana-related arrests each year. And given that we are still living in an era when some major politicians can't even get on board with medical marijuana initiatives, I would gladly trade you a Harry Reid for a Sharron Angle in exchange for a cultural shakeup that would result from the passage of a marijuana legalization measure. Gladly.
I have thought it might make me seem shallow to have my focus on marijuana legalization when so much else is at stake. Thanks to Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch, editors-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason magazine respectively, for this reminder why the issue is so important.
The 858,000 marijuana-related arrests made each year -- many involving minors, non-violent offenders, and those possessing insignificant amounts -- accounts for more than half of all drug-related arrests and takes a huge toll on the criminal justice system and lower-income communities at every level. No one seriously questions that the drug war disproportionately impacts minorities and that most "drug-related" crime is in fact a result of the black market status of drugs. Mexican drug gangs may be violent but there is no reason to believe that Mexican marijuana merchants would be any more violent than Mexican mango merchants.
And make no mistake: The drug war is effectively a war on marijuana, by far the only illegal drug used by more 1 percent of the adult population on a regular basis.
Think about that. 858,000 marijuana-related arrests each year. And given that we are still living in an era when some major politicians can't even get on board with medical marijuana initiatives, I would gladly trade you a Harry Reid for a Sharron Angle in exchange for a cultural shakeup that would result from the passage of a marijuana legalization measure. Gladly.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Why I Am An Angry Voter
Some Democrats In Name Only don't get no respect. And it's not because they aren't real Democrats with real progressive values; it's because they aren't perceived as worth the effort by the Democratic National Establishment.
The National Democratic Establishment is precisely the reason why I am reluctant to vote for anyone but a 3rd party if I find myself in a lesser or two evils situation.
Case in point, both in Arkansas, (where I won't be voting anyway since I don't live there):
1. Bill Halter, clearly the more progressive, vs. Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary earlier this year.
Lincoln squeaked through that one when she clearly shouldn't have because the national Democratic party refused to move left...not one fucking inch.
They were not willing to follow the winds within the local Democratic camp, frustrated by Lincoln being a true DINO, and thinking her incumbency would prevail in the end. Wrong. Bad move, and Democrats will pay that price on November 2nd.
2. Joyce Elliott vs. Tim Griffin (Karl Rove protoge) in Arkansas' 2nd congressional district.
The 2nd district, dominated somewhat by Pulaski county (Little Rock), a reliably Democratic district, being vacated by Democrat Vic Snyder, is slated to swing heavily in favor of Republican Griffin this year. I chalk this up to two facts: a) Elliott has the same skin color as the much-hated Kenyan president, and b) the Democratic committee wrote her off as a loser and spent their supporting funds elsewhere...Harry Reid comes to mind.
So...pardon me if I refuse to automatically throw my support to the Democrats, even in a state where they have a chance to win, if I'm not even 10% as enthusiastic about their positions and their candidacy (thinking Democrat Bill White of Texas) as I would have been had I been able to vote for Halter and Elliott.
This is why I get frustrated by the guilt-trip that voting for a 3rd party is a wasted vote, or that we must hold our noses in many cases and vote for the Democrats because the Republican alternative is repugnant. Yes, the Republican alternative is quite often a disaster of epic proportions waiting to happen, but voting for some Democrats is like rewarding the abusive spouse. Some of us are fucking fed up with the abuse and are ready to walk away.
I don't want to hold my nose when I vote. I don't want to reward greed and corruption in an effort to avoid more greed and corruption when I vote. I want to hold my head up and vote with pride for someone I'd be thrilled to represent me in office. Someone who is on the record as shutting down the bullshit. Even if they don't stand a chance in hell of winning.
If enough people would do this, it would send a message, sooner or later. We need to stop playing the money game and the bullshit game.
The National Democratic Establishment is precisely the reason why I am reluctant to vote for anyone but a 3rd party if I find myself in a lesser or two evils situation.
Case in point, both in Arkansas, (where I won't be voting anyway since I don't live there):
1. Bill Halter, clearly the more progressive, vs. Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary earlier this year.
Lincoln squeaked through that one when she clearly shouldn't have because the national Democratic party refused to move left...not one fucking inch.
Sen. Bob Menendez, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement that Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln has "proven once again she is a true independent voice for the people of Arkansas."
They were not willing to follow the winds within the local Democratic camp, frustrated by Lincoln being a true DINO, and thinking her incumbency would prevail in the end. Wrong. Bad move, and Democrats will pay that price on November 2nd.
2. Joyce Elliott vs. Tim Griffin (Karl Rove protoge) in Arkansas' 2nd congressional district.
The 2nd district, dominated somewhat by Pulaski county (Little Rock), a reliably Democratic district, being vacated by Democrat Vic Snyder, is slated to swing heavily in favor of Republican Griffin this year. I chalk this up to two facts: a) Elliott has the same skin color as the much-hated Kenyan president, and b) the Democratic committee wrote her off as a loser and spent their supporting funds elsewhere...Harry Reid comes to mind.
So...pardon me if I refuse to automatically throw my support to the Democrats, even in a state where they have a chance to win, if I'm not even 10% as enthusiastic about their positions and their candidacy (thinking Democrat Bill White of Texas) as I would have been had I been able to vote for Halter and Elliott.
This is why I get frustrated by the guilt-trip that voting for a 3rd party is a wasted vote, or that we must hold our noses in many cases and vote for the Democrats because the Republican alternative is repugnant. Yes, the Republican alternative is quite often a disaster of epic proportions waiting to happen, but voting for some Democrats is like rewarding the abusive spouse. Some of us are fucking fed up with the abuse and are ready to walk away.
I don't want to hold my nose when I vote. I don't want to reward greed and corruption in an effort to avoid more greed and corruption when I vote. I want to hold my head up and vote with pride for someone I'd be thrilled to represent me in office. Someone who is on the record as shutting down the bullshit. Even if they don't stand a chance in hell of winning.
If enough people would do this, it would send a message, sooner or later. We need to stop playing the money game and the bullshit game.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Hand-Wringing and Pearl-Clutching
We have about a week remaining in this circus known as the 2010 mid-term elections. Not long after President Obama took office I started to realize it was probably going to be a brutally ugly year for Democrats. And that was before the Supreme Court ruled in January of this year that corporations have the right -- as persons-- to spend freely on political campaigns.
Aside from that insidious infusion into the campaign season, I can understand why so many people are conflicted. A sizable number of Americans have been directly impacted by the recession. There's anger on the left and there's anger on the right. And we certainly don't have much common ground on the solutions.
I shouldn't be surprised either that so many Americans are straddling the fence between Democrats and Republicans. Some people don't mind paying taxes but want their rights to own guns as well as wanting to restrict the rights of women to seek abortion.
In my mind, the problem we have as a society is that we can't seem to come to terms with the notion of individual liberty. Many want the federal government to stop meddling in the rights of states, but they have no issue with the states meddling in the rights of the individual, depending on the rights. Guns: yes. Abortion: no. Same-sex marriage: no. God: yes. Muslims: No. Evolution: No. Stem-cell research: No. Prayer: Yes. Hell yes! And so on...
Until we learn to live and let live, we are doomed to repeat this cycle over and over for decades to come.
I wish I could say the far rightward march and the potential for the success of it was limited geographically. Unfortunately, this debate isn't limited to places like Texas, Kansas and Mississippi. This ill wind is blowing from Massachusetts to California, from Washington to Florida.
The anger isn't just about what Obama has or hasn't done in terms of the change we were promised. There has been progress on many fronts, and a glaring lack of progress on others. If we were simply dealing with an electorate feeling disenfranchised because we didn't get enough of the change we were promised, I seriously doubt more than a very small percentage would be switching their vote back to the Republican column from whence we just came. It's about far more than change, or the lack thereof. It's about anger and fear, lies and distortions, with a surprisingly gullible and ignorant electorate.
And that's what scares me the most about this election cycle. I will be voting here in Texas, and that doesn't come without significant hand-wringing on my part. I so desperately want to see Governor Rick Perry tossed out that I'm willing to consider casting a vote for Democrat Bill White who is proudly on record as being in favor of something I see as a major moral shortcoming, and his opposition to another I view as being grossly lacking in compassion.
Or I may have to "throw my vote away" on the Green Party candidate, Deb Shafto.
It is unlikely that Texas will ever field a viable candidate who is truly progressive. And I don't plan to spend the rest of my life in Texas waiting for one.
For the sake of my own sanity, I need to let it go, disengage, and just observe the spectacle unfolding. Chalk me up as yet another very angry voter.
Aside from that insidious infusion into the campaign season, I can understand why so many people are conflicted. A sizable number of Americans have been directly impacted by the recession. There's anger on the left and there's anger on the right. And we certainly don't have much common ground on the solutions.
Filings with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend show that one Republican group, American Future Fund, has purchased more television advertisements attacking Representative Bruce Braley, Democrat of Iowa, who was expecting an easier path to re-election. Another group, the 60 Plus Association, reported spending more than $150,000 against Representative Solomon P. Ortiz, Democrat of Texas, who has been considered a likely victor in November against his cash-short challenger, Blake Farenthold.
“As you know, they have been dumping tens of millions of dollars of secret money into these campaigns,” Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an interview. “I would say the outside groups have shuffled the deck in a number of these races.”
I shouldn't be surprised either that so many Americans are straddling the fence between Democrats and Republicans. Some people don't mind paying taxes but want their rights to own guns as well as wanting to restrict the rights of women to seek abortion.
Or consider James Cherry — no handy label for him either. He is a structural engineer and an unaffiliated voter who leans, he said, toward the Republicans on gun rights and abortion.
But he is also heavily involved in philanthropy, and the federal health care overhaul passed by the Democrats touches on his passions about caring for others. He enthusiastically supported the change and has no patience for Republicans or Tea Party enthusiasts who want repeal. Indeed, he is unhappy with both parties that the law does not include a single-payer government option that liberal Democrats had favored. His wife, Julia, is on the same page.
In my mind, the problem we have as a society is that we can't seem to come to terms with the notion of individual liberty. Many want the federal government to stop meddling in the rights of states, but they have no issue with the states meddling in the rights of the individual, depending on the rights. Guns: yes. Abortion: no. Same-sex marriage: no. God: yes. Muslims: No. Evolution: No. Stem-cell research: No. Prayer: Yes. Hell yes! And so on...
Until we learn to live and let live, we are doomed to repeat this cycle over and over for decades to come.
I wish I could say the far rightward march and the potential for the success of it was limited geographically. Unfortunately, this debate isn't limited to places like Texas, Kansas and Mississippi. This ill wind is blowing from Massachusetts to California, from Washington to Florida.
The anger isn't just about what Obama has or hasn't done in terms of the change we were promised. There has been progress on many fronts, and a glaring lack of progress on others. If we were simply dealing with an electorate feeling disenfranchised because we didn't get enough of the change we were promised, I seriously doubt more than a very small percentage would be switching their vote back to the Republican column from whence we just came. It's about far more than change, or the lack thereof. It's about anger and fear, lies and distortions, with a surprisingly gullible and ignorant electorate.
And that's what scares me the most about this election cycle. I will be voting here in Texas, and that doesn't come without significant hand-wringing on my part. I so desperately want to see Governor Rick Perry tossed out that I'm willing to consider casting a vote for Democrat Bill White who is proudly on record as being in favor of something I see as a major moral shortcoming, and his opposition to another I view as being grossly lacking in compassion.
White and Glass said they favor the death penalty; Shafto said she opposed it as uncivilized.
White said he would oppose legalizing medical marijuana. Shafto said the nation learned nothing from Prohibition and that making drugs illegal already is creating crime. Glass said as governor she would sign a law legalizing medical marijuana, but she said it was only a "hypothetical" because a Republican Legislature would never pass it.
Or I may have to "throw my vote away" on the Green Party candidate, Deb Shafto.
It is unlikely that Texas will ever field a viable candidate who is truly progressive. And I don't plan to spend the rest of my life in Texas waiting for one.
For the sake of my own sanity, I need to let it go, disengage, and just observe the spectacle unfolding. Chalk me up as yet another very angry voter.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The Name Dropper Meme
It's a cloudy and drizzly Saturday -- perfect for sitting here making a list for a meme!
I thought this would be a fun meme to do. I frequently think back on famous people I have seen randomly in public, and have decided to make a list for myself as it's rather easy to forget some of them. (And I'm still going to forget some.)
If you want to play along, be my guest, but here's the rules. It has to be something random and unexpected. You can't list Madonna if you paid money to see her in concert! However, if she invited you up on stage, then yeah, you can list her. For this reason, I won't be able to list Bob Hope, Lawrence Welk, Elvis Presley, or The Cramps.
Keanu Reeves - several sightings. Riding his motorcycle in LA, and another time, talking on a pay phone outside Tower Video in West Hollywood. (My guess is that pay phone is long gone, and I wonder about Tower Video!) And at a tiny bar called, appropriately enough, Smalls.
Edgar Winter - at the same bar and same night as mentioned above. (Or was it Johnny Winter? Now I'm second guessing myself. Gimme a break! It was a bar! I was drunk!)
Andrew McCarthy - at some club in Hollywood. May have been the Rainbow on the Sunset Strip. Anyway, I was walking through the club and nearly ran head-on into him. It was about as up close, face to face, as you can get.
Forest Whitaker - shopping at a pet store in LA.
Michael Gross - he showed up at my office one day as he was about to shoot an infomercial for one of our clients. I gave him my newspaper to read while he waited.
Russell Simmons - Another work-related sighting while I was working with the production team for some Def Comedy Jam spots. We pulled in one of my employees to do the voice over work. Incidentally, his name was Montell Jordan. :-)
Ali MacGraw - at a coffee shop in Santa Monica.
Nicholas Cage - at the Erewhon natural foods market in LA shopping for something dairy, if I recall.
k.d. lang - shopping at the Erewhon in LA. She was pushing a shopping cart and coming towards me down the aisle. We had eye contact and I think she knew I was a fan. I was probably bug-eyed.
George Hamilton - also at Erewhon. txrad recognized him; I never would have.
Kevin Bacon - dancing at a gay club in Little Rock after a day of filming some movie.
Matthew Broderick - OK, this one comes close to violating the rules since I was cast as an extra in Biloxi Blues being shot near Fort Smith, Arkansas. But I had no idea we'd be the only two people in the makeup room (aside from the guys doing our makeup), so it counts!
Joan Rivers - in the Northwest Airlines lounge in Memphis while waiting on a connecting flight. She had her pooch with her, and her face was a mangled mess of raw hamburger. She had obviously just had some work done, unless that's how she travels in order to maintain a low profile! I doubt it.
Sammy Davis Jr. -- driving a Rolls Royce down a street in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles back in the 1970s when I was on vacation there with my parents. I think we were trying to find Johnny Carson's house. I was driving my dad's truck, and had stopped at a cross street and saw the Rolls pass in front of me. So all I really saw was the profile of Mr. Davis, but there's no mistaking it.
John Corbett -- seen right here in Austin eating lunch at Curra's Grill. I knew him from Sex and the City, but he's more recently been in United States of Tara.
Glenn Danzig -- this is another near-disqualification except for the fact that it meets the exception criteria like getting invited on stage which I mentioned in the rules. I was at a concert in LA in which Danzig was the opening act for another band. I was at the concert as a guest of a friend who was involved in the music business and that particular concert. At the end, I was asked to drive Danzig and his girlfriend back to his house in the Hollywood Hills since they did not have transportation for some reason.
George Clinton -- twice. And he's pretty hard to miss. Once on a Southwest flight from LA to Austin, and another time in a restroom -- probably in an airport if I recall. Apparently he flies a lot.
Gene Siskel - waiting for a flight at Chicago's O'Hare.
Cheap Trick -- they were checking into a hotel in Chicago at the same time I was.
I saw so many well-known people while I spent 14 months working at the HMV record store in London that I'm devoting them to this section since the conditions under which I saw them were all identical.
Paul Weller - front man for The Jam. Not so big in the states, but in England, this was akin to seeing McCartney or Lennon.
Eric Idle - I have always thought maybe it was a dream. I know for a fact it was one of the guys from Monty Python because other employees were buzzing about the fact that he was there. But I was so completely flabbergasted, part of my brain tried to erase it. I'm 95% sure it was Eric Idle.
George Michael - he was actually checking me out while pretending to shop for something. What a slut.
Philip Oakey - singer and songwriter of The Human League. Ho-hum for most of you but I was a big fan at the time.
It's interesting that I've lived in Austin 13 years and haven't ever had any really noteworthy sightings that I recall. You'd think I would have bumped into Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow and/or Sandra Bullock at least once! I did have one near-miss a couple of years ago. I stopped in my neighborhood liquor store and Tommy Lee Jones had just left. Apparently he was drunk as shit and was picking up another 12-pack of some cheap beer. At least he had a driver.
I thought this would be a fun meme to do. I frequently think back on famous people I have seen randomly in public, and have decided to make a list for myself as it's rather easy to forget some of them. (And I'm still going to forget some.)
If you want to play along, be my guest, but here's the rules. It has to be something random and unexpected. You can't list Madonna if you paid money to see her in concert! However, if she invited you up on stage, then yeah, you can list her. For this reason, I won't be able to list Bob Hope, Lawrence Welk, Elvis Presley, or The Cramps.
Keanu Reeves - several sightings. Riding his motorcycle in LA, and another time, talking on a pay phone outside Tower Video in West Hollywood. (My guess is that pay phone is long gone, and I wonder about Tower Video!) And at a tiny bar called, appropriately enough, Smalls.
Edgar Winter - at the same bar and same night as mentioned above. (Or was it Johnny Winter? Now I'm second guessing myself. Gimme a break! It was a bar! I was drunk!)
Andrew McCarthy - at some club in Hollywood. May have been the Rainbow on the Sunset Strip. Anyway, I was walking through the club and nearly ran head-on into him. It was about as up close, face to face, as you can get.
Forest Whitaker - shopping at a pet store in LA.
Michael Gross - he showed up at my office one day as he was about to shoot an infomercial for one of our clients. I gave him my newspaper to read while he waited.
Russell Simmons - Another work-related sighting while I was working with the production team for some Def Comedy Jam spots. We pulled in one of my employees to do the voice over work. Incidentally, his name was Montell Jordan. :-)
Ali MacGraw - at a coffee shop in Santa Monica.
Nicholas Cage - at the Erewhon natural foods market in LA shopping for something dairy, if I recall.
k.d. lang - shopping at the Erewhon in LA. She was pushing a shopping cart and coming towards me down the aisle. We had eye contact and I think she knew I was a fan. I was probably bug-eyed.
George Hamilton - also at Erewhon. txrad recognized him; I never would have.
Kevin Bacon - dancing at a gay club in Little Rock after a day of filming some movie.
Matthew Broderick - OK, this one comes close to violating the rules since I was cast as an extra in Biloxi Blues being shot near Fort Smith, Arkansas. But I had no idea we'd be the only two people in the makeup room (aside from the guys doing our makeup), so it counts!
Joan Rivers - in the Northwest Airlines lounge in Memphis while waiting on a connecting flight. She had her pooch with her, and her face was a mangled mess of raw hamburger. She had obviously just had some work done, unless that's how she travels in order to maintain a low profile! I doubt it.
Sammy Davis Jr. -- driving a Rolls Royce down a street in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles back in the 1970s when I was on vacation there with my parents. I think we were trying to find Johnny Carson's house. I was driving my dad's truck, and had stopped at a cross street and saw the Rolls pass in front of me. So all I really saw was the profile of Mr. Davis, but there's no mistaking it.
John Corbett -- seen right here in Austin eating lunch at Curra's Grill. I knew him from Sex and the City, but he's more recently been in United States of Tara.
Glenn Danzig -- this is another near-disqualification except for the fact that it meets the exception criteria like getting invited on stage which I mentioned in the rules. I was at a concert in LA in which Danzig was the opening act for another band. I was at the concert as a guest of a friend who was involved in the music business and that particular concert. At the end, I was asked to drive Danzig and his girlfriend back to his house in the Hollywood Hills since they did not have transportation for some reason.
George Clinton -- twice. And he's pretty hard to miss. Once on a Southwest flight from LA to Austin, and another time in a restroom -- probably in an airport if I recall. Apparently he flies a lot.
Gene Siskel - waiting for a flight at Chicago's O'Hare.
Cheap Trick -- they were checking into a hotel in Chicago at the same time I was.
The HMV Era
I saw so many well-known people while I spent 14 months working at the HMV record store in London that I'm devoting them to this section since the conditions under which I saw them were all identical.
Paul Weller - front man for The Jam. Not so big in the states, but in England, this was akin to seeing McCartney or Lennon.
Eric Idle - I have always thought maybe it was a dream. I know for a fact it was one of the guys from Monty Python because other employees were buzzing about the fact that he was there. But I was so completely flabbergasted, part of my brain tried to erase it. I'm 95% sure it was Eric Idle.
George Michael - he was actually checking me out while pretending to shop for something. What a slut.
Philip Oakey - singer and songwriter of The Human League. Ho-hum for most of you but I was a big fan at the time.
It's interesting that I've lived in Austin 13 years and haven't ever had any really noteworthy sightings that I recall. You'd think I would have bumped into Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow and/or Sandra Bullock at least once! I did have one near-miss a couple of years ago. I stopped in my neighborhood liquor store and Tommy Lee Jones had just left. Apparently he was drunk as shit and was picking up another 12-pack of some cheap beer. At least he had a driver.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday Pussy Blog: Vintage Tot Edition
I was just thinking that the Tot showed up here in mid-October and I couldn't remember what year. After digging through digital photos archived by year, I figured out it was 2005. That is hard for me to believe that he's been with us five years already!
He showed up seven months before I started this blog! Talk about a time distortion!!
Enjoy some vintage Tater Tot:
Happy Friday and have a great weekend! I may be back on here this weekend with a rant... we'll see.
He showed up seven months before I started this blog! Talk about a time distortion!!
Enjoy some vintage Tater Tot:
Tater Tot: 2005 when he was still an outdoors cat.
The Tot: 2006 after he took over the house.
My boy - 2006.
Happy Friday and have a great weekend! I may be back on here this weekend with a rant... we'll see.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Things that get my dainty white lacy Queer panties in a tight little knot.
Say whatever you want about climate change. Go ahead; call it a hoax. Say it's a mass conspiracy by the scientific community to drum up support for grant money. Call it a natural cyclical phenomenon.
You can even drag your religion into it, if you feel you must. I've got no problems whatsoever with evangelicals who want to argue that our earth is God's creation and it is our duty and responsibility to treat it with respect.
Make the case that we have a duty to wean ourselves off oil imports from unfriendly producers like Iran even while steadfastly making the case that it's not a reaction to global warming.
Whatever.
Just do me one favor, please. Don't ever say this:
Because if you truly believe it is our God-given duty to burn through every resource on the planet, burning anything that will move a vehicle in the process, then you are simply an idiot.
You can even drag your religion into it, if you feel you must. I've got no problems whatsoever with evangelicals who want to argue that our earth is God's creation and it is our duty and responsibility to treat it with respect.
Make the case that we have a duty to wean ourselves off oil imports from unfriendly producers like Iran even while steadfastly making the case that it's not a reaction to global warming.
Whatever.
Just do me one favor, please. Don't ever say this:
“I read my Bible,” Mr. Dennison said. “He made this earth for us to utilize.”
Because if you truly believe it is our God-given duty to burn through every resource on the planet, burning anything that will move a vehicle in the process, then you are simply an idiot.
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