Kind of hard to say bad stuff about a guy who sacrificed that much for his country, and was a bad ass fighter pilot. Hell, the majority of my problem with him is his friends not necessarily him.
Knowing that this is true, the folks at somethingawful have made it much easier but creating the John McCain Honorable Attack Generator. Reload the page for a new one.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A little background on my neighbors
My post the other day mentioned that I am now living next door to juggalos. I neglected to address the fact that some of you might not be familiar with these fine examples of what humans can be when they follow their dreams.
There is nothing that can truly sum up the juggalo experience like the story of young Anabell Lotus.
Read (slightly NSFW)
Listen
Learn
Cry
There is nothing that can truly sum up the juggalo experience like the story of young Anabell Lotus.
Read (slightly NSFW)
Listen
Learn
Cry
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
F**king great
We have new neighbors. Actually, they're not new, I've just been ignoring them to the best of my ability since they arrived in the spring. Why would I spend so much effort trying to convince myself the house next door was empty and I was having a bad dream?
Let's see:
1) Their creepy, soon to be a rapist/serial killer son. This kid has not been in school a day since they arrived in April. Yes, I'm aware kids don't go to school in the summer, but they do in the Spring. I'll calling child services if he isn't in school this fall. Believe me, if you saw these people you'd know they're not home-schooling. This is the same kid we saw running down the street naked one night... on a dare... from his father... for a cigarette (thanks for reminding me Shannon).
2) Fat, bitchy, retared wife. How did she spend her summer? Pregnant, smoking, drinking, and yelling at her kids.
3) The parade of random people in and out of the house partying all the time. And by people, I mean those folks that make you instantly buy stronger locks.
4) The trash.... in the street, in their yard, in my yard.
5) "Lawnmower? What's that?" Seriously did not touch the yard for months. I even lent them a mower one day. The "father" said he was buying one next week. Next week? Creepy kid is on my doorstep trying to borrow the mower again.
6) The multiple kids, by multiple fathers, yelling... all day, every day.
7) I met the fathers dad. "Well, he had his problems with drugs but he's gotten it under control now". He told me this while leaning over my fence.... shirtless.... fat.... drinking a natty ice... through a mouthful of holes where presumably teeth used to be.
And multiple other reasons. Anyway, today the final shoe was dropped. I can no longer pretend I don't live next door to a Jerry Springer out-takes reel. Why? This. As I suspected, they're juggalos.
Let's see:
1) Their creepy, soon to be a rapist/serial killer son. This kid has not been in school a day since they arrived in April. Yes, I'm aware kids don't go to school in the summer, but they do in the Spring. I'll calling child services if he isn't in school this fall. Believe me, if you saw these people you'd know they're not home-schooling. This is the same kid we saw running down the street naked one night... on a dare... from his father... for a cigarette (thanks for reminding me Shannon).
2) Fat, bitchy, retared wife. How did she spend her summer? Pregnant, smoking, drinking, and yelling at her kids.
3) The parade of random people in and out of the house partying all the time. And by people, I mean those folks that make you instantly buy stronger locks.
4) The trash.... in the street, in their yard, in my yard.
5) "Lawnmower? What's that?" Seriously did not touch the yard for months. I even lent them a mower one day. The "father" said he was buying one next week. Next week? Creepy kid is on my doorstep trying to borrow the mower again.
6) The multiple kids, by multiple fathers, yelling... all day, every day.
7) I met the fathers dad. "Well, he had his problems with drugs but he's gotten it under control now". He told me this while leaning over my fence.... shirtless.... fat.... drinking a natty ice... through a mouthful of holes where presumably teeth used to be.
And multiple other reasons. Anyway, today the final shoe was dropped. I can no longer pretend I don't live next door to a Jerry Springer out-takes reel. Why? This. As I suspected, they're juggalos.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
OK do this RIGHT NOW
Hop on fear.net on On Demand and watch "The Devils Backbone".
Seriously, do it. Now
Guillermo del Toro is f**king brilliant.
Much like some of his other work, it's a touching story beautifully told and WELL worth the time to watch it. I was blown away. His films kind of remind me of the Coen brothers, though perhaps without the tongue in cheek humor. Take an extremely well written story, cast some talented and not always well known actors, and combine it with cinematography that is nothing short of stunning. What do you get? A wonderful film that's a pleasure to watch.
Seriously, do it. Now
Guillermo del Toro is f**king brilliant.
Much like some of his other work, it's a touching story beautifully told and WELL worth the time to watch it. I was blown away. His films kind of remind me of the Coen brothers, though perhaps without the tongue in cheek humor. Take an extremely well written story, cast some talented and not always well known actors, and combine it with cinematography that is nothing short of stunning. What do you get? A wonderful film that's a pleasure to watch.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Why I want to be an olympic swimmer
The "debate".
Personally, I'm deeply saddened that at this late date we as a society are still even remotely interested in how our presidential candidates stack up as Christians, or what some blowhard hypocrite who makes a fortune fleecing the very sheep he pretends to shepard thinks are the pressing questions of the day. Benevolent sky grandpa is not going to save America folks.
That being said, I found this to be a very interesting take, from a Christian slant, on the questions that SHOULD have been asked.
Also, this. Yeah, like you'd expect anything else from the "morality squad".
That being said, I found this to be a very interesting take, from a Christian slant, on the questions that SHOULD have been asked.
Also, this. Yeah, like you'd expect anything else from the "morality squad".
Friday, August 15, 2008
Does it ever end?
"Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century" - W.
Really?
It wouldn't shock me at all if President Medvedev, after he stopped laughing, just told W. to fuck right off.
Here's one of my biggest fears regarding what this jackass has done to America. Not only have we burned through a good deal of the political good will we'd spent decades building up (not everywhere, but a lot of places) we've also lost what was an extremely tenuous grasp on the moral high ground.
What will our foreign/domestic policy argument be now? "Do as we say, not as we do"? Yeah, that has a great track record. Seriously, great. Yup, great.
Really?
It wouldn't shock me at all if President Medvedev, after he stopped laughing, just told W. to fuck right off.
Here's one of my biggest fears regarding what this jackass has done to America. Not only have we burned through a good deal of the political good will we'd spent decades building up (not everywhere, but a lot of places) we've also lost what was an extremely tenuous grasp on the moral high ground.
What will our foreign/domestic policy argument be now? "Do as we say, not as we do"? Yeah, that has a great track record. Seriously, great. Yup, great.
Monday, August 11, 2008
A balanced energy program
Not so much balance as in using different resources but as in balancing our need for fuel and our need to get rid of some societal waste.
Also, quote of the day:
Shannon (on her new phone): I like it
John: What's it do better?
Shannon: just better feel, better buttons, more eels.
Also, quote of the day:
Shannon (on her new phone): I like it
John: What's it do better?
Shannon: just better feel, better buttons, more eels.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Obama the anti-christ?
From Time magazine:
"It's not easy to make the infamous Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential campaign seem benign. But suggesting that Barack Obama is the Antichrist might just do it.
That's just what some outraged Christian supporters of the Democratic nominee are claiming John McCain's campaign did in an ad called "The One" that was recently released online. The Republican nominee's advisers brush off the charges, arguing that the spot was meant to be a "creative" and "humorous" way of poking fun at Obama's popularity by painting him as a self-appointed messiah. But even this innocuous interpretation of the ad — which includes images of Charlton Heston as Moses and culled clips that make Obama sound truly egomaniacal — taps into a conversation that has been gaining urgency on Christian radio, political blogs, and in widely-circulated email messages that accuse Obama of being the Antichrist.
The ad was the creation of Fred Davis, one of McCain's top media gurus, as well as a close friend of former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed and the nephew of conservative Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe. It first caught the attention of Democrats familiar with the Left Behind series, a fictionalized account of the end time that debuted in the 1990s and has sold nearly 70 million books worldwide. "The language in there is so similar to the language in the Left Behind books," says Tony Campolo, a leading progressive evangelical speaker and author.
As the ad begins, the words "It should be known that in 2008 the world shall be blessed. They will call him The One" flash across the screen. The Antichrist of the Left Behind books is a charismatic young political leader named Nicolae Carpathia who founds The One World religion (slogan: "We are God") and promises to heal the world after a time of deep division. One of several Obama clips in the ad features the senator saying, "A nation healed, a world repaired. We are the ones that we've been waiting for."
The visual images in the ad, which Davis says has been viewed even more than the McCain's "Celeb" ad linking Obama to the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, also seem to evoke the cover art of several Left Behind books. But they're not the cartoonish images of clouds parting and shining light upon Obama that might be expected in an ad spoofing him as a messiah. Instead, the screen displays a sinister orange light surrounded by darkness and later the faint image of a staircase leading up to heaven.
Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.
Sapp knows that the phrasing and images could just be dismissed as a peculiar coincidence. After all, it was Oprah Winfrey who told an Iowa crowd that Obama was "the one!" But, he insists, "the frequency of these images and references don't make any sense unless you're trying to send the message that Obama could be the Antichrist." Mara Vanderslice, another Democratic consultant who handled religious outreach for the 2004 Kerry campaign, agrees. "If they wanted to be funny, if they really wanted to play up the idea that Obama thinks he's the Second Coming, there were better ways to do it," she says. "Why use these awkward lines like, 'And the world will receive his blessings'?"
Wow...
Just... wow.
Anyway, here's the video, judge for yourself.
"It's not easy to make the infamous Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential campaign seem benign. But suggesting that Barack Obama is the Antichrist might just do it.
That's just what some outraged Christian supporters of the Democratic nominee are claiming John McCain's campaign did in an ad called "The One" that was recently released online. The Republican nominee's advisers brush off the charges, arguing that the spot was meant to be a "creative" and "humorous" way of poking fun at Obama's popularity by painting him as a self-appointed messiah. But even this innocuous interpretation of the ad — which includes images of Charlton Heston as Moses and culled clips that make Obama sound truly egomaniacal — taps into a conversation that has been gaining urgency on Christian radio, political blogs, and in widely-circulated email messages that accuse Obama of being the Antichrist.
The ad was the creation of Fred Davis, one of McCain's top media gurus, as well as a close friend of former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed and the nephew of conservative Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe. It first caught the attention of Democrats familiar with the Left Behind series, a fictionalized account of the end time that debuted in the 1990s and has sold nearly 70 million books worldwide. "The language in there is so similar to the language in the Left Behind books," says Tony Campolo, a leading progressive evangelical speaker and author.
As the ad begins, the words "It should be known that in 2008 the world shall be blessed. They will call him The One" flash across the screen. The Antichrist of the Left Behind books is a charismatic young political leader named Nicolae Carpathia who founds The One World religion (slogan: "We are God") and promises to heal the world after a time of deep division. One of several Obama clips in the ad features the senator saying, "A nation healed, a world repaired. We are the ones that we've been waiting for."
The visual images in the ad, which Davis says has been viewed even more than the McCain's "Celeb" ad linking Obama to the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, also seem to evoke the cover art of several Left Behind books. But they're not the cartoonish images of clouds parting and shining light upon Obama that might be expected in an ad spoofing him as a messiah. Instead, the screen displays a sinister orange light surrounded by darkness and later the faint image of a staircase leading up to heaven.
Perhaps the most puzzling scene in the ad is an altered segment from The 10 Commandments that appears near the end. A Moses-playing Charlton Heston parts the animated waters of the Red Sea, out of which rises the quasi-presidential seal the Obama campaign used for a brief time earlier this summer before being mocked into retiring it. The seal, which features an eagle with wings spread, is not recognizable like the campaign's red-white-and-blue "O" logo. That confused Democratic consultant Eric Sapp until he went to his Bible and remembered that in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, the Antichrist is described as rising from the sea as a creature with wings like an eagle.
Sapp knows that the phrasing and images could just be dismissed as a peculiar coincidence. After all, it was Oprah Winfrey who told an Iowa crowd that Obama was "the one!" But, he insists, "the frequency of these images and references don't make any sense unless you're trying to send the message that Obama could be the Antichrist." Mara Vanderslice, another Democratic consultant who handled religious outreach for the 2004 Kerry campaign, agrees. "If they wanted to be funny, if they really wanted to play up the idea that Obama thinks he's the Second Coming, there were better ways to do it," she says. "Why use these awkward lines like, 'And the world will receive his blessings'?"
Wow...
Just... wow.
Anyway, here's the video, judge for yourself.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
My Birthday
OK, this will probably ramble and be full of errors because the celebration is winding down, but so be it.
Today I turned 39 and I'd like to record a few things.
First, I don't usually make a big deal out of birthdays. I don't feel that the anniversary of my occupation of a body is exceptionally important. If my hope is born out in reality, it's happened before and it will happen again. It's no more significant that getting back in line for a roller coaster. I've chosen other dates to assign importance to, but even those are purely personal... I don't think they really mean anything.
That being said, I'm human. I try to be as humble as I can because I think it's important, but every now and then a guy wants to be recognized. So, I'd to thank some folks for making me feel a little special.
A couple people from my old job unexpectedly remembered my birthday. It caught me by surprise, and I really appreciate it. Kind of a sweet reminder of a good time and a hard lesson.
Also, everyone at Cava. You folks are always nice, but it really felt good to have everyone acknowledge that tonight was a little different. I'm diggin' you guys hard.
Next, thanks to my lovely wife for making everything easy and knowing exactly what I wanted even though I'd never say so myself. It's just one of the thousands of reasons I love her and I'm SO, SO, SO glad she's my best friend EVAR!
Next, I gave myself a reward tonight. First for getting my health together, and next for being about where I should be at this age. I had a hamburger. I haven't had one in a while, and the Cava guys made me what seemed to be an extra fat, extra rare one... Just the way I like them. God damn it was good.
I also had a monkey tail. For those of you that don't know, I like "fair food". Shave ice, hot dogs, giant pretzels, I love it all. Of course, you can't eat this all the time so when I do I really dig it. As fate would have it, Cava had a fancy monkey tail (frozen banana, dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts) on the desert menu. It was AWESOME.
Also, there was booze. I like booze.
OK, so what do I want to work on as I head towards 40?
1) Keep working towards better health. My excursion into depression taught me that once your body starts revolting against you, you're fucked. I don't want to be fucked again. My goal is to keep the machine running as long as I can, because now that I've seen both the upside and the downside I really, really dig the upside. When I say "another day in paradise", I'm only half kidding. I want to stay here awhile.
2) Tolerance. I say this every year, and I get better every year... But I still have a way to go. It runs in the family. Judy men are always right (whether they are or not), and have a VERY short fuse when it comes to people who can't catch on right away. I've realized that it's healthier and more human if I can relax and give people a chance to catch up, but it's really hard. I'm hoping to make a breakthrough or two in this area this year.
3) See if I can't manage to grow a little bit. We're all missing something, and we all look for it in our own way. I'm going to try to find a chunk of it. If feel like I've got the head under control. The next project is to see what we can do with the heart. Wish me luck.
4) Patience. Things seem to happen better for me when I don't try to rush them. It's hard sometimes... I feel like I KNOW where things have to be and I just want them to hurry up and get there, so I push. Funny thing is, when I push they happen... But in ways I didn't expect and don't necessarily like. I just gotta roll with the punches a little better. The ox is slow, but the earth is patient.
5) Increase the love, decrease the rage. Shit's gonna happen. My first reaction is usually to want to hit it with a hammer and laugh while it bleeds. It tends to work out better if I just grab the shitty situation/person/whatever, give it a hug, and remember that it's all going to work out in the end. I need to remember this.
I guess the main theme is I know how the book ends. I need to quit trying to rewrite it. Life seems to work much better when I get out of the way.
We'll see how that goes.
Today I turned 39 and I'd like to record a few things.
First, I don't usually make a big deal out of birthdays. I don't feel that the anniversary of my occupation of a body is exceptionally important. If my hope is born out in reality, it's happened before and it will happen again. It's no more significant that getting back in line for a roller coaster. I've chosen other dates to assign importance to, but even those are purely personal... I don't think they really mean anything.
That being said, I'm human. I try to be as humble as I can because I think it's important, but every now and then a guy wants to be recognized. So, I'd to thank some folks for making me feel a little special.
A couple people from my old job unexpectedly remembered my birthday. It caught me by surprise, and I really appreciate it. Kind of a sweet reminder of a good time and a hard lesson.
Also, everyone at Cava. You folks are always nice, but it really felt good to have everyone acknowledge that tonight was a little different. I'm diggin' you guys hard.
Next, thanks to my lovely wife for making everything easy and knowing exactly what I wanted even though I'd never say so myself. It's just one of the thousands of reasons I love her and I'm SO, SO, SO glad she's my best friend EVAR!
Next, I gave myself a reward tonight. First for getting my health together, and next for being about where I should be at this age. I had a hamburger. I haven't had one in a while, and the Cava guys made me what seemed to be an extra fat, extra rare one... Just the way I like them. God damn it was good.
I also had a monkey tail. For those of you that don't know, I like "fair food". Shave ice, hot dogs, giant pretzels, I love it all. Of course, you can't eat this all the time so when I do I really dig it. As fate would have it, Cava had a fancy monkey tail (frozen banana, dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts) on the desert menu. It was AWESOME.
Also, there was booze. I like booze.
OK, so what do I want to work on as I head towards 40?
1) Keep working towards better health. My excursion into depression taught me that once your body starts revolting against you, you're fucked. I don't want to be fucked again. My goal is to keep the machine running as long as I can, because now that I've seen both the upside and the downside I really, really dig the upside. When I say "another day in paradise", I'm only half kidding. I want to stay here awhile.
2) Tolerance. I say this every year, and I get better every year... But I still have a way to go. It runs in the family. Judy men are always right (whether they are or not), and have a VERY short fuse when it comes to people who can't catch on right away. I've realized that it's healthier and more human if I can relax and give people a chance to catch up, but it's really hard. I'm hoping to make a breakthrough or two in this area this year.
3) See if I can't manage to grow a little bit. We're all missing something, and we all look for it in our own way. I'm going to try to find a chunk of it. If feel like I've got the head under control. The next project is to see what we can do with the heart. Wish me luck.
4) Patience. Things seem to happen better for me when I don't try to rush them. It's hard sometimes... I feel like I KNOW where things have to be and I just want them to hurry up and get there, so I push. Funny thing is, when I push they happen... But in ways I didn't expect and don't necessarily like. I just gotta roll with the punches a little better. The ox is slow, but the earth is patient.
5) Increase the love, decrease the rage. Shit's gonna happen. My first reaction is usually to want to hit it with a hammer and laugh while it bleeds. It tends to work out better if I just grab the shitty situation/person/whatever, give it a hug, and remember that it's all going to work out in the end. I need to remember this.
I guess the main theme is I know how the book ends. I need to quit trying to rewrite it. Life seems to work much better when I get out of the way.
We'll see how that goes.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Rascism?
I was wondering if the this bothers anyone else. You're reading along in an article, and an authority or something is cited, but preceded by their race. There's an example here. "Captured by legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez"...
Ok, I have a BUNCH of problems here
1) Chicano photographer. Is that somehow different than a "regular" photographer? Does Cannon make a special line of Chicano cameras? Can I take a "Chicano photography" class to learn to shoot like a "Chicano photographer"? Does he ONLY take pictures of Chicanos?
2) What does this add to the narrative? Is there something in his work that I'll really only understand if I know he's Chicano? Why do I need to know that the photographer is Chicano? I can't find a reason, save the author or the people the author is trying to represent wanting to seem "multiculturally sensitive" or politically correct or some shit. So, that being the case.... What's more insensitive and offensive: "legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez" or "legendary photographer George Rodriguez"?
3) What about whitey? You NEVER see "legendary Anglo photographer Ansel Adams". Why not? It seems to me that either we don't warrant special identification, presumably because we've all led lives of privilege since our ancestors stepped off the Mayflower and on to the backs of the natives (BTW try being poor, undereducated, and white sometime... I've been there. It's not fun.) OR it's assumed that if you're competent at your vocation you must be white. If you're NOT white and you manage to become competent, we'd better point that out. Either one of these too options seem inherently wrong and stupid to me.
4) George Rodriguez? Chicano? REALLY? Shocker! Didn't see that coming. Next you're going to tell me Hiro Yamamoto is Asian!
Anyway, I think this kind of crap perpetuates stupid racial bickering and distracts from the real issue, which I happen to believe is socioeconomic class. I still contend that 90% of the "race issue" isn't black vs. white or whatever, it's rich (comparatively speaking... and not) vs. poor.
Also, this (the example) bolsters my opinion that Zach de la Rocha is a massive blowhard douche bag and even more of a demagogue than the people he rails against.
Ok, I have a BUNCH of problems here
1) Chicano photographer. Is that somehow different than a "regular" photographer? Does Cannon make a special line of Chicano cameras? Can I take a "Chicano photography" class to learn to shoot like a "Chicano photographer"? Does he ONLY take pictures of Chicanos?
2) What does this add to the narrative? Is there something in his work that I'll really only understand if I know he's Chicano? Why do I need to know that the photographer is Chicano? I can't find a reason, save the author or the people the author is trying to represent wanting to seem "multiculturally sensitive" or politically correct or some shit. So, that being the case.... What's more insensitive and offensive: "legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez" or "legendary photographer George Rodriguez"?
3) What about whitey? You NEVER see "legendary Anglo photographer Ansel Adams". Why not? It seems to me that either we don't warrant special identification, presumably because we've all led lives of privilege since our ancestors stepped off the Mayflower and on to the backs of the natives (BTW try being poor, undereducated, and white sometime... I've been there. It's not fun.) OR it's assumed that if you're competent at your vocation you must be white. If you're NOT white and you manage to become competent, we'd better point that out. Either one of these too options seem inherently wrong and stupid to me.
4) George Rodriguez? Chicano? REALLY? Shocker! Didn't see that coming. Next you're going to tell me Hiro Yamamoto is Asian!
Anyway, I think this kind of crap perpetuates stupid racial bickering and distracts from the real issue, which I happen to believe is socioeconomic class. I still contend that 90% of the "race issue" isn't black vs. white or whatever, it's rich (comparatively speaking... and not) vs. poor.
Also, this (the example) bolsters my opinion that Zach de la Rocha is a massive blowhard douche bag and even more of a demagogue than the people he rails against.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Summer of fun
So far this summer, we've spent every weekend doing something fun. This was the first weekend we actually planned to stay in Portland. This didn't work out. I couldn't be happier. Rafting is super happy fun.
I THINK we'll make it next weekend, but there will be a little something going on here. It will involve hot chicks and booze.
While I prefer hot chick and motorcycles, I like hot chicks and booze.
I THINK we'll make it next weekend, but there will be a little something going on here. It will involve hot chicks and booze.
While I prefer hot chick and motorcycles, I like hot chicks and booze.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Grab the gusto!
I don't care if Pabst is retard hipster beer, I like it. I drank cheap beer when it wasn't fashionable, and I will do so now that it is. When it falls out of fashion, I will continue to drink cheap beer. Maybe it will come into fashion one more time.... I'll still be there, swilling cheap beer, perhaps out of a straw at that point.
Then I will die.
Anyway, some GREAT news for fans of cheap beer. Schlitz is back! I remember when this had pull tabs, and I seem to remember steel cans. I can't wait to take a drunken stumble down memory lane.
Then I will die.
Anyway, some GREAT news for fans of cheap beer. Schlitz is back! I remember when this had pull tabs, and I seem to remember steel cans. I can't wait to take a drunken stumble down memory lane.
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