Slow Life

After work, I decided to check out the A31 protest, theoretically beginning at both the Library (42nd & Fifth) and Madison Square Park (23rd & Fifth) before converging at the Garden (34th & 7th). I got to Madison Square Park, and they seemed to be sending people off in every direction. I wasn't interested in something less than "unified" and wanted to get a run in, so I left. I meandered down to Union Square (14th & Broadway/Fourth), which was kind of nice, if also a Polizeistadt. Soooo many police. Soooo many protesters, selling shitty t-shirts and buttons, etc. Very hippie. But maybe, after 3 or 4 days, cops and hippies are both getting itchy trigger fingers. A well-spoken, be-suited hippie was shouting to a small crowd, complaining about the arrests of Critical Mass bikers. Okay. I'm as "fuck the police" as anyone this side of MC Ren, but aren't you hear to complain about something else? And let's be honest: a majority of the police force is on your side. I think everyone that I have seen, on both sides, has been unbelievably great beyond belief. Nasty little skirmishes are popping up here and there, but I can't imagine things going any better. I kind of feel sorry for the folks who escaped to the trees for the week; not to be too gay about it, but I dig the overall vibe. People who are all, at the very least, pretending to passionately believe in something. Let's just stay on point, Well-Spoken, Be-suited Hippie Man.

But really, what this all amounts to is a bunch of white, tattooed & pierced twentysomethings desperate to be passionate about something, anything. Their actions betray the fact that they think history has somehow been torn away from them, used up like a natural resource by previous generations. This week may very well be the last violent gasp of the white, middle-ish class. White kids in search of history, deluded by the Idea of the 1960s, where similarly disenfranchised youths tried to take history back from the old folks. I'd everyone wants the future, but that wouldn't very American. More things now, please! I have no point. It's just kind of sad that as the world's gotten smaller, people have grown even further apart.

I do like how GWB is getting raked over the coals for actually saying something that's true: We can't win a war on terror. (But we may be able to win a few against genetics, Christians of Convenience.) No matter where we look or when we live, someone is gettingly marginalized and increasingly desperate.

Government of Enron and by Halliburton and for the Southern Baptists

Sensitive Lady pointed me to this thoughtful article written by Garrison Keillor. Someone else this weekend recommended his new book to me, and I enjoyed this interview from a few weeks back. Perhaps this is what zealots don't seem to understand:

There is a stink drifting through this election year. It isn’t the Florida recount or the Supreme Court decision. No, it’s 9/11 that we keep coming back to. It wasn’t the “end of innocence,” or a turning point in our history, or a cosmic occurrence, it was an event, a lapse of security. And patriotism shouldn’t prevent people from asking hard questions of the man who was purportedly in charge of national security at the time.

I was going to blog this weeks ago, but I could never find a transcript: I caught the tail-end of Bill O'Reilly interviewing Keillor.

BO: Do you think that I'm a bad guy here? Am I doing bad things to the country and hurtin' the poor people and everything?

GK: I have no idea. I'm just sitting here talking to you, having a good time.

BO: You don't know what we do here [at Fox News] or anything like that?

GK: I'm sorry, I don't. I don't have cable t.v. I live a very small life in St. Paul. You'd be amazed.

BO: It might hurt your frame of reference then if you write about politics on that level, but maybe not.

And all I could think about was the study that proved that people were dumber for having watched Fox News.

O'Reilly transcript thanks to here.

Maybe They Did Shrink His Head in 'Nam

Perhaps I have been too hard on McCain. He is generally supportive of progressive stances on social issues. But, as many have said, his appearance at the RNC is "putting lipstick on a pig" and he that is lying to the American People by sticking by them. But why? Blumenthal suggests:

McCain, in truth intensely disliked and distrusted by most Republicans, Bush's internal nemesis, standing only for himself, now embraced him, raising a storm of questions. What does McCain want? "Emperor has always appealed to me," he said the day before the convention. One source close to him suggested that he had nursed the idea that Bush might dump Dick Cheney for him. Others wondered whether this was a bizarre case of the Stockholm syndrome.

The Dodgy Report!

Fat Ugly Southern Women Hate Wounded Veterans!

McCain: Hollywood Presents Grave Threat to America; Commando Star to Give Speech Tonight

Alert: McCain Eats Fag Food with Media Elite; Inadvertantly Promotes F9/11

Bush 41 Defames Own Military Service; Giulianni Slanders Churchill, Former Constituents

Bush: War on Terror Unwinnable; Next Day, Bush Flip-Flops Again

Something actually worth reading: FEAR AND LOATHING at the RNC

If You Don't Mind Your head Exploding...

...TAPPED has comprehensive coverage of the speeches, coverage, parties, everything. I hope you all finally realize now what a disingenuous, pathetic, lying, partisan hack that John McCain is. Just because you actually believe in something doesn't make you an honorable person. Who said, "Not everything is politics," John? Did they let you bring your Negroid kid, John? Bringing up Michael Moore only shows what little substance your speech/arguments have.

Who's worrying about present-day terrorism during the Republican National Convention? Watching the major networks, you'd think no one is. During the Democratic National Convention, we kept hearing about color-code changes, arrests in Pakistan, and warnings all around. Now there's not much being said beyond occasional mentions of high security costs.

New Roman Times

Unbeknownst to me, Camper Van Beethoven is releasing a new album on October 12. It's a rock opera, apparently.

Key Lime Pie, their last album, was one of my favorite albums when it came out in 1989; I rediscovered it at one point in the last year or two, and it sounds even better now. "All her Favorite Fruit" is one of the great, creepy obsession songs. "When I Win the Lottery," "June," etc. I can't wholeheartedly recommend any of their other albums (Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is my second favorite; their full album cover of Fleetwood Mac's Tusk has a novel air about it, the title track is great), and Cracker never did much for me, but there you go.

Thank God Bush Was President on 9/11

I didn't see much yesterday. Went home after work and didn't really leave the house. I didn't see the speeches, though I did watch coverage here and there, mostly Hardball, where Ron Reagan got some good digs in. Someone on Fox News actually said that there was a poll in the New York Sun stating that 60% of the protesters believed Iraqis have a right to murder American soldiers. I'm not even sure what that's supposed to mean, so I won't even try to explain. The Sun website is screwy anyway, so I can't find the poll. This extra-chromosome-carrying motherfucker also figured that since this same poll estimated 80% of the protesters were NYers, the rally was illegitimate.

Let's not forget what hypocritical bigots these people are. This bigot isn't quite as hypocritical.

Tom Tomorrow offers the Republican Conventioneer's Guide to NYC. Ted Rall welcomes the Necrorepublicans.

A hot chick blogs the Convention in her own way.

Get Yer Protest On

I may be a bad American, but I can pass for a good anti-American.

I saw some of the Critical Mass bikers get hauled off Friday night near my apartment; good idea for a protest, though I can understand people's consternation if they're fucking up ambulances and shit. But, otherwise, to hell with NYC motorists and taxi cabs. Plus, can the police grab a few random people out of large, law-breaking mass and arrest them? Sure, but I'm not sure if that makes it right.

On Saturday, NARAL organized a pro-choice rally to begin in Brooklyn's Cadman Plaza and end in Manhattan's City Hall Park, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in the process. I didn't wake up well on Saturday, so I didn't get to the Brookltn side, but I headed downtown to watch the sluts cross over. There was a little pen set up for the anti-choice people. When I first got there, there were 20 people in the pen, 12 of them older males. (That dynamic probably changed, but it's still pretty representative.) They probably only brought the ladeez so that there were people with thumbs to hold up the signs after their fingers got tired. "God Will Not Be Mocked," indeed. But you will, Cletus.

Protester of the Year was at the NARAL march; she had a sign that read "I ♥ My Cunt Blood." I'm not sure what that means, but I think I ♥ your cunt blood, too. Babe, you know I do. Anyway, a pro-choice rally is a good way to start because the group is very well-organized (at least in relative terms) and the crowd serious and well-behaved. Plus, they have port-o-potties!

I probably got a little less out of the United for Peace and Justice march yesterday, simply because there were so many people and so much to take in. It was an older, more serious crowd than the fearmongers would have you believe, and certainly more anti-Bush than pro-Kerry. I probably could've counted on one hand the number of Kerry '04 buttons/signs I saw. Seems to me that the majority of the people who got arrested were, once again, Critical Mass people. But I can't be sure. It took about 4 hours for me to get from 14th Street to 29th Street, if that gives you an idea of the attendance. One cop remarked to someone I was with that, before the march, they had estimated 250,000 and that it was certainly much more than that. "Turn on Fox News tonight and they'll tell you 20,000," another remarked. Unprofessional, perhaps, but indicative of the fact that there were few, if any, police-protester problems. They're on our side, for the same reasons or for their own. I got roped into carrying a cardboard coffin for about 20 blocks, but that's all I can complain about. I hit Union Square at about 5:15, after starting the march at 11ish. Then I went home and congratulated myself some more.

The city seems normal to me today, the first day of the convention. I don't expect to see any around my neighborhood (I live in Fagville), but I saw one guy in a bowtie in front of the Empire State Building (where I work). He must not have gotten the memo that Tucker Carlson will probably not be voting for Bush this year.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing anything meaningful the rest of the week. Maybe the Bush protest on Thursday. I fly out of LaGuardia on Friday afternoon... I hope it's not too busy, because I do have to go into work for an hour or two that morning. Please don't make me sit on a plane with Republicans and unwashed hippies. Please.

Boo!

I saw a lot this morning about how the Kerry daughters were booed at the MTV Video Music Awards last. I thought that was kind of odd. But then, I read that the booing started when they were introduced with the Bush daughters, who appeared on a giant screen above them at the same time. So, Kerry daughters on stage, Bush twins on TV screen behind them. Boos in the crowd. If you can make the leap of faith that the crowd is made up of young people and "entertainment-types" and that this group is largely considered to be of the partisan Democratic persuasion... well, dumb people should just shut the fuck up before they speak.

Same Old Bullshit

On one hand you have this*:

Dear Senator Kerry,
We are pleased to welcome your campaign representatives to Texas today. We honor all our veterans, all whom have worn the uniform and served our country. We also honor the military and National Guard troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today. We are very proud of all of them and believe they deserve our full support.


And on the other hand, you have this.

*I won't link to it out of the goodness of my heart, but it's an open letter to Kerry on Bush's website.

What Would Poo Say

Dave Matthews does the same thing to the Chicago River that he's been doing to music listeners for years.

Czeslaw Milosz, 1911-2004

Good Night

No duties. I don't have to be profound.
I don't have to be artistically perfect.
Or sublime. Or edifying.
I just wander. I say: "You were running.
That's fine. It was the thing to do."
And now the music of the worlds transforms me.
My planet enters a different house.
Trees and lawns become more distinct.
Philosophies one after another go out.
Everything is lighter yet not less odd.
Sauces, wine vintages, dishes of meat.
We talk a little of district fairs,
Of travels in a covered wagon with a cloud of dust behind,
Of how rivers once were, what the scent of calamus is.
That's better than examining one's private dreams.
And meanwhile it has arrived. It's here, invisible.
Who can guess how it got here, everywhere.
Let others take care of it. Time for me to play hooky.
Buena notte. Ciao. Farewell.

--Czeslaw Milosz

Obit.

Can't Leave Well Enough Alone

Well, I done gone changed the layout. I'm sure it's even more fucked up than I think it is. All old comments are lost. I think this layout makes me look smarter or something. I'm an old soul, you see.

I've been watching The Gold Rush on TCM (Nike bless them) and there's this awful voice-over narration throughout the whole thing. Apparently Chaplin did it himself for a big 1942 re-release. What a dumbass! I'd only ever seen an old print at Moorhead State University (or whatever the fuck they call it now) the summer after I graduated college (The Summer of Drunk). Nike bless Ted Larson.

The Circus is next. I've never seen it. Good times.

...and so it was, a happy ending.

Brian Wilson Presents "Smile"

This MP3 of "Heroes and Villians" bodes pretty well for the release of Smile on 9/28. Link stolen from stereogum.

Moral Cowardice

TPM:

On the one hand you have Kerry, who already had doubts about whether we should be fighting in Vietnam before he went, and put his life on the line anyway. On the other hand, you have George W. Bush who supported the war, which means he believed the goal was worth the cost in American lives. Only, not his life. He believed others should go; just not him. It's the story of his life.

That is almost the definition of moral cowardice.

Contented Sigh

I just have to say that today's been quite a relief, from reading about the Iraqi Olympic soccer team calling Bush a criminal to reading/watching everyone finally wake up and tear these Swift Boat jokers new assholes. Sometimes, you think humankind just might turn out OK.

These feelings are always short-lived.

Here's a "swift" kick in their asses. Ha ha, get it? "Swift." Get it? Fuck you.

Dodgy's Fall Arts Preview

This is more for my own reference than anything (sometimes I like to rub one out to trailers of movies I am looking forward to), but here are links to trailers for films Dodgy wants to see.

Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
David O. Russell's I ♥ Huckabees
Trey Parker's Team America
John Sayles' Silver City
Martin Scorsese's The Aviator
Joe Roth's Christmas with the Kranks

Billshit

Oh man, does Dodgy love this article about Bill O'Reilly. This little passage neatly presents his idea of "newsworthiness":

Then, one by one, the producers pitch ideas, tossing them out like clay pigeons that O'Reilly shoots out of the air.

"C'mon, people," he says.

A female producer suggests a segment on the Palestinians, who it seems are -

"I'm asleep, Stephanie," O'Reilly interrupts. He looks around the circle. "Give me something I can put on the air, please."

A producer tosses out an idea about a doctor who recommends giving pot to kids with attention-deficit disorder. O'Reilly's eyebrows lift into two sharp points.

"Can we get the doc?" he snaps.

Get Off My Internet!

The reasonable person in me thinks this is a terrible idea. Sinking to their level, etc. But, of course, the nihilist who is slowly taking over gets aroused. Just to be clear, I plan on eliminating the Democratic party as soon as I'm done with the Republicans.

This Should Be Good

Out 9/20.

I'm In!

Big ups to my own private theologian for getting tickets when I didn't even think it was worth trying.

Incoherent Rant(s)

No one's really sure why the governor of New Jersey resigned. It would suck that he can't govern because he loves dick so much, but we don't really know if that's the reason. Maybe there's a scandal coming along the pike. But, unlike "Hannity and Colmes" politcal "sexpert" Newt Gingrich, I won't speculate on things I know nothing about. But, regardless, McGreevey is a coward and shouldn't have cheated on his wife. Call me a flip-flopper, but while I believe gays should be able to marry other gays, I don't believe in inter-sexual marriages. But that's just me. By the same token, it's a lovely little world/America that we've created where people have to lie to themselves and others about who they are, destroying lives in the process.

Speaking of stupid ideas, I've really had it up to here (my chin) with religious people. If little fairy tales help you sleep at night, fine. Just stay the fuck out of my laws and government. And stop trying to tell me how "God" feels about anything, whether he believes a rich man cannot get a needle-sized camel through the doors of heaven or that you should stone insolent children. Do you want ants speaking for humans? Because that's the equivalent. Ants could not possibly comprehend our world, nor you god's. By saying you can, you are infinitely more blasphemous than I am, and I'm about to say, "God can go suck my dick."

Evolution! Evolution! Evolution!

1115.org has a good rundown on the governor's Flying Saucer Tour Comedy Tour. And the shit hitting the fans of Najaf, etc.

UPDATE: Fucking Angelfire. If you want to hear "Flying Saucer Tour," type

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/colincarlson/flyingsaucertour.mp3

into your browser. It's worthwhile.

Hiccup

I've tried to ignore world events lately; or at least thinking about them too deeply... Happens when much of it surrounds Douchebags of Liberty like George W. Bush, Michelle Malkin, Alan Keyes and Jerome Corsi. In fact, I've tried to avoid everything short of my own navel.

(Be sure to click on George W. Bush, that shit is dope!)


swaab

We Have a Weiner

I just dropped knowledge on the most hateable team in the world below. Now here's the dumbest. That we know of.

We Have a Winner

There are a few universally loathed athletic organizations; sports teams that are, quite simply, beneath contempt. The Yankees, of course. Probably the Cowboys and the Lakers. The Seattle Storm. But, I believe there is now one that all Americans can share the hate with; a team so unlikeable, it could've only gone to a Catholic elementary school. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2004 USA Olympic Mens Basketball Team!

I Love ESPN

I just wanted to take a moment to talk about how much I love ESPN. Where else would I be able to watch non-celebrities play poker? Shit, "Around the Horn" has taught me about what it means to be a man. And a special thanks for only showing Twins games on weekday afternoons.

Fuck Everybody

My only flaw is that when getting in an argument, I always approach it as though I am wrong. (This line comes from a movie or something, but it is true.) Why? I have no idea. People are so stupid. I am going to start approaching everything with blind arrogance. Which isn't really blind, because I am right, etc. I hate you.

Howard Dean Was Right Again, Part 647

We're all not going to die. Well, our chances are as good as they were a week ago. Perspective.

My favorite line from some shitty newsshow yesterday was, paraphrasing, "Boy, is Howard Dean going to have egg on his face when buildings finally do blow up!"

Fascism 101

Plots to destroy financial institutions have been uncovered. Why isn't this treated as good news, as in we have information that will enable us to foil any plan?

Fear. It's all they have.