Thursday, May 31, 2007

The "TB Dude" Speaks Out


The T.B. Dude And Wife


Everyone's up in arms about the TSA/the border inspector who allowed the TB "typhoid Annie" into the U.S. Especially me. And all the 80 year olds with his replacements. . .as the drug smugglers and others waltz right up the jetway. As I stepped onto the 737 in California last night, I had been frisked and patted down 12 times by the TSA times this month alone (due to my stainless steel femur).[1] And yet this guy, teeming with deadly cooties gets passed right onto the plane. Even though the "system" had flagged him as a risk:


An Associated Press article today said: "A globe-trotting Atlanta lawyer with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis was allowed back into the U.S. by a border inspector who disregarded a computer warning to stop him and don protective gear, officials said Thursday. The inspector has been removed from border duty."

From ABC News: Andrew Speaker has asked for forgiveness from the airline passengers he exposed to a rare strain of tuberculosis, and told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview that he has a tape recording of a meeting with health officials that he claims will confirm his view that it was all right to travel in his condition.

Germs Lurk on Planes, Trains and Buses

Tuberculosis -- Are You at Risk?

"He says he wants everyone to know how he made the decision, why he felt so strongly that it was not endangering anybody else and [is] also asking forgiveness of those onboard who are now having to be tested," Diane Sawyer said after spending an hour with the TB patient and his wife, Sarah Speaker, at the National Jewish Research Center in Denver, where he is currently in isolation.

"He talks at length about the decision first of all to go abroad, to hold his wedding abroad, and … there is a tape recording of the meeting that he had with health officials, and they say it confirms completely their view that it was all right for him to travel," Sawyer said.

You can see a video of Diane Sawyer on her interview here.

[1] Let me also note that I have now been patted down and frisked by the same TSA agent in Newport Beach three different times. He stands out in my mind, because of all the searches I get, his are the most, shall we say, extensive or intensive? This guy is thorough, and I started wondering this time if he doesn't enjoy his work a little too much?
---o0o---

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Painting: President Bush Dissembles And Disassembles


click to enlarge
---o0o---

Cindy Sheehan now outside the tent, pissing in


click to enlarge

From Jack in Newport Beach, California:

"Good riddance, attention whore," wrote Cindy Sheehan on Monday's Daily Kos blog, "I have endured a lot of smear and hatred since Casey was killed and especially since I became the so-called "Face" of the American anti-war movement. Especially since I renounced any tie I have remaining with the Democratic Party, I have been further trashed on such "liberal blogs" as the Democratic Underground. Being called an "attention whore" and being told "good riddance" are some of the more milder rebukes." Her rambling and raving screed blamed just about everyone, and ended with her "resigning" as the face of the anti-war movement. How do you resign from that post??



The last straw for Sheehan was what liberal blogs are calling the "Memorial Day Betrayal," where the Democratic-majority congress voted to continue funding the Iraq War with no real restrictions.

“There is absolutely no sane or defensible reason for you to hand Bloody King George more money to condemn more of our brave, tired, and damaged soldiers and the people of Iraq to more death and carnage,” she wrote in another diary entry on Saturday.

As she was leaving the now pretty big anti-war tent, he couldn't resist whizzing on her former peace pals: “I have also tried to work within a peace movement that often puts personal egos above peace and human life. This group won’t work with that group; he won’t attend an event if she is going to be there; and why does Cindy Sheehan get all the attention anyway? It is hard to work for peace when the very movement that is named after it has so many divisions.”

That seems just a little disingenuous since Sheehan helped engender plenty of factionalism herself! She had a falling out with Move on!--they were too moderate! She ended up working with Code Pink, a left-wing anti-war group.

So now the anti-war movement is eating its own. But hasn't it ever been thus? The bottom line, however, seems to be that Cindy Sheehan had no stomach for politics. She was a passionate mother who suffered a great loss. Yes, if you speak as loud, as vitriolically, and as up front publicly as she did, you are going to be attacked. They will try to marginalize you like a Michael Moore today, or a Jane Fonda in 1971. Not being as poltical as they were--or maybe they were just immune to the politics?--Sheehan just couldn't take it any longer. I don't really blame her. But then, I am not really going to miss her much either.

Previous stories on Cindy Sheehan on All This Is That:

Cindy Sheehan rides again
---o0o---

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

The Big Donor Show: Win a dying woman's kidneys




A Dutch reality television show, in which a terminally ill woman selects a contestant to receive her kidneys when she dies, goes on the air this week.



The government has called for De Grote Donorshow (The Big Donor show) to be dropped because it is "unethical" and "wretched" but the broadcaster BNN said it would go ahead to highlight the difficulties of searching for kidney donors.

The whole story appears here, or here, or see the G.I.S. links here.
---o0o---

Monday, May 28, 2007

Ari Gold/Jeremy Piven's greatest moments on Entourage

From what I've heard from other fans of Entourage (probably the best knucklehead show of all time), you either love Jeremy Piven, or you hate him. The only person I know who knows him is decidedly not a fan. I love his Ari moments--it's a guilty pleasure, enjoying someone saying the things you never have the nerve or enough disregard for fellow man to actually say. . .

Here is a compilation of some of Ari's moments from the first two seasons of Entourage.





And a video clip from Ari's session wirh his wife and shrink...


---o0o---

Photograph: The perils of Keef


Click photograph to enlarge


Another chapter in the adventures of Keef. . .smiling his way through a squall.
---o0o---

Sunday, May 27, 2007

"Who has killed more, God or Satan?"



This is the fascinating question another blogspot dweller delved into last summer.



Believe it or not, this was a more or less scholarly endeavor! Anyhow, check out the story in Steve Well's Dwindling In Unbelief blog.
---o0o---

Carl's Jr., Hardee's, and Jack In The Box in dust-up over cow butt



click to enlarge

The Carl's Jr. and Hardee's fast food chains filed suit on Friday against archrival Jack In The Box and their television ads that seem to suggest Carl's Jr. and Hardee's use cow anus in their hamburgers. To read yesterday's Associated Press story click here.

CKE Restaurants Inc. sued Jack In The Box in U.S. District Court over an ad in which executives laugh hysterically at the word Angus, and another, where the chain's CEO/mascot, Jack, is asked to show on a diagram of a cow where the Angus meat comes from. "I'd rather not," Jack replies. Judge for yourself whether this was meant to be malicious. Look Carl's Jr. and Hardees. . .who the hell are you to be sniveling? It must really gall you to see Jack In The Box knock it out of the park, while your miserable franchises languish in obscurity, while no doubt serving just as fine of fare as J in the B. Here is one of the YouTube videos:


---o0o---

A new banner for all this is that?


---o0o---

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Young Fresh Fellows Videos: Still There's Hope-Picture Book-Barkley's Spiritual Store

One of the beloved Seattle bands (1980s-now). Young Fresh Fellows is lead by Scott McCaughey (McCoy), who is also a member of Minus 5 with Peter Buck, Ken Stringfellow, et al). He is also (like Stringdfellow) in the REM touring group). I have seen them play before, at the Horiuchi Mural, in the 90s.












---o0o---

Friday, May 25, 2007

Sparrow unloads its bowels on President Bush during Rose Garden press conference

Even the birds have begun flinging ca-ca The President's way. During Thursday's Rose Garden press conference, a passing sparrow made an editorial comment on George W. Bush's performance in office. The LiveLeak video appears below. . .

Poem: Late Spring

The wind has taken the blossoms
And the fruit is set.
The roots that clutch,

Hanging onto the globe
And the branches reaching out,
Rising to the nimbostratus clouds

Are lodged in the troposphere.
In between earthbound roots
And limbs reaching for the stars

Are us, and our cousins
Clad in fin, fur, flesh and feather.
We must be in heaven

And if we're not
We're growing one
Right here, right now.
---o0o---

Video trailer for Michael Moore's upcoming "Sicko"

It's a good trailer, done in Moore's usual style, with great music, humor, and underlying horror.




---o0o---

Photograph: A division of Keith Miyaharas


click the photograph to enlarge
---o0o---

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Go Johnnie Go!--> John Edwards Repudiates The War On Terror

Democratic candidate John Edwards yesterday savagely repudiated the "global war on terror," saying it was an ideological doctrine advanced by the Bush administration that has strained American military resources and given heart to the actual terrorists. You can read the full Associated Press story here.

In a defense policy speech at the Council on Foreign Relations, Edwards called the war on terror a "bumper sticker" slogan Bush had used to justify everything from abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison to the invasion of Iraq.

Whew! I always find the new John Edwards intriguing. . .especially when he actually says out loud what a lot of people are thinking.

I am sure former Mayor Giuliani (a/k/a the 9/11 candidate) will have some choice words to say about this prouncement. Because, let's face it, without that war on terror, the Giuliani campaign is dead in the water.
---o0o---

The Posies: Solar Sister Video

A live, acoustic version of Solar Sister. They look so young. . .they look about 20. I also include a 1994 Phoenix live Solar Sister with the full band. The Posies were in their hair band mode.





The Posies' misfire (e.g., not becoming rich and famous) is one of the great puzzlers of rock for me. They put out a passel of exciting, melodic, moving, harmonic power pop albums:

Failure (1988) [a wonderful, chiming, exuberant, youthful album]

Dear 23 (1990) [ a college hit: beautiful, rapidly maturing]

Frosting On The Beater (1993) [their near-hit that got a lot of MTV and college airplay, with many of their greatest tunes]

Amazing Disgrace (1996) [Probably their greatest. A stunning record, and the greatest mystery of all...why this didn't soar to the top of the charts]

Success (1998) [possibly my least favorite album, 'though it is not without merit either]

In Case You Didn't Feel Like Plugging In (2000) [a wonderful and charming live album: great tunes and banter, and The Posies at the height of their power]

Alive Before The Iceberg (2000) [a middling live album, maybe my least listen to Posies CD]

Last, At Least (Box Set) (2000) [rarities etc. for fans. If you love The Posies, you'll love this.]

Dream All Day(Best Of The Posies) (2000) [as with all Best ofs, puzzling for the omissions]

Nice Cheekbones And A PhD(2001) [A knockout EP with two heartbreakingly great songs: Ken's Matinee, and their gorgeous cover of David Crosby/The Byrd's Lady Friend. When The Posies played my birthday party in 2003, the only song I even requested was Matinee. They kncked it out 0f the park.]

Every Kind Of Light (2005) [the revival album...totally respectable, with several songs as good as anything they ever did. Of course, it stiffed].

And then, there is their great work with Big Star:

Columbia - Live At Missouri University 4/25/93 (1993)
Big Star Story (2003)
Big Star In Space (2005)
---o0o---

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Democratic Governor Bill Richardson Tosses His Hat Into The Ring--Possibly The Best Qualified Candidate Of Either Party


Click the mosaic Governor Richardson to enlarge...

Governor Bill Richardson today made it official: he is running for the Presidency. With Richardson's Mexican heritage, his entry into the race makes it the most diverse slate of candidates, ever. And it adds a little gravitas to the race. Richardson is probably the best-qualified (but close to the most obscure) candidate running. Not only that, he's actually one of the good guys. He served as a U.S. Representative for fourteen years; he worked as an effective diplomat and negotiator (where he in fact helped free hostages in several countries); he was a Secretary of Energy in Bill Clinton's administration. I've always liked Richardsdon. . .I am still leaning toward the far less experienced John Edwards. However, if Bill Richardson can muster some momentum, he would be a great president.

Announcing his candidacy in Los Angeles, The Governor said "From day one, we have to repair the damage done here at home and our reputation abroad," he observed. "And that all starts with restoring diplomacy as the primary instrument of our foreign policy and basic fairness as the primary means for solving problems here at home."
---o0o---

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

It's Only Tuesday, Sure, But Your Job Could Be Worse--> Five Photographs Of Jobs That Suck
















---o0o---

Jimmy Carter Reams Bush: Bush Responds Like A Wounded Swamp Sow



AP article verifies that President Jimmy Carter said President Bush's administration is "the worst in history" in international relations, singling out the White House's pre-emptive war, and the Administration's feeble

The criticism from the 39th President also dug into Bush's environmental policies, and the "quite disturbing" faith-based initiative funding.

"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history," Carter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in a story on Saturday. "The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me."

Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo confirmed his comments to The Associated Press on Saturday and declined to elaborate. He spoke while promoting his new audiobook series, "Sunday Mornings in Plains," a collection of weekly Bible lessons from his hometown of Plains, Ga.

The White House on Sunday dismissed Carter as "increasingly irrelevant."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto in Crawford, Texas, where Bush spent the weekend, said: "I think it's sad that President Carter's reckless personal criticism is out there," said Fratto. "I think it's unfortunate. "

"Apparently, Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man," said Amber Wilkerson, Republican National Committee spokeswoman.


On Monday, the former President seemed to back off somewhat from his previous statements:

An AP dispatch Monday included the following: "Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday his remarks were "careless or misinterpreted" when he said the Bush administration has been the "worst in history" for its impact around the world. "
---o0o---

Video: Crosby, Stills & Nash cover The Beatles Blackbird

At about 2:24 in this video, Crosby, Stills, and Nash perform a version of the Lennon/McCartney classic Blackbird from The White Album. It is harmonically completely different from the original, and an altogether fascinating cover. Blackbird was never one of my favorite Beatles song, but this cover made me re-think that.



Blackbird
by John Lennon/Paul McCartney

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
---o0o---

Another Rough Day At The White House: AG Robert Gonzales falls on his sword. . .


Maybe not today, but this week, Attorney General Gonzales will resign,. Six Republican Senators have now stepped up and said it's time to go; it's over now. The only question is if there is any face saving to be done--how, and by whom? I think there is no face to be saved on this one. Unlike the Harriet Meiers fiasco, The President has remained steadfast. However this time, the vultures are circling. . .and closing in.
---o0o---

Alien Lore No. 108 - The spaceship on the moon

In the preflight study for APOLLO 20 (the anaglyphic study preflight of Apollo 20), an object was recorded on the surface of the moon that many people claim is an alien spacecraft, parked, abandoned, or crashed there. Some of these pictures and movies can be seen on the offical sites of NASA. At around 00:59 into the video is where you probably have the best view of the alleged spacecraft (it is cigar shaped)



---o0o---

The Republicans And Democrats Are Running Scared Re: Mitt Romney



1. WASHINGTON (AP) By LIZ SIDOTI - Republican John McCain accused presidential rival Mitt Romney of flip-flopping on immigration Monday and said with sarcasm: "Maybe his solution will be to get out his small varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn." [All This Is That Editor's note: Sen. McCain is really referring here to two separate roadbumps the Romney campaign has encountered on the road to the White House

2. WASHINGTON (AP) By LIZ SIDOTI - McCain said: "Maybe I should wait a couple of weeks and see if it changes because it's changed in less than a year from his position before."



3. Reverend Al Sharpton on Paula Zahn's TV program on CNN - "If prior to `65, `78, whenever it was, they did not see blacks as equal, I do not believe that as real worshipers of God, because I do not believe God distinguishes between people. That`s not bigotry. That`s responding to their bigotry."




4. Rev. Sharpton in his debate with Christopher Hitchens: "As for the one running -- the one Mormon running for office, those that really believe in God will defeat him anyway. So don`t worry about that."

5
. Christopher Hitchens in his new book, "God Is Not Great": "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—hereafter known as the Mormons—was founded by a gifted opportunist who, despite couching his text in openly plagiarized Christian terms, announced that "I shall be to this generation a new Muhammad" and adopted as his fighting slogan the words, which he thought he had learned from Islam, "Either the Al-Koran or the sword."
---o0o---

Monday, May 21, 2007

One Month To Summer



We have one month to go to the official start of summer. Soon we will be able to see the conga line at Golden Gardens just down the hill from my house, shorts will be the norm, and most concerts will be outdoors. . .
---o0o---

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Woman accused of exposing herself to 13-year-old



Jacylyn O'Malley writes in yesterday's RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL that a 33-year-old woman has been jailed because she exposed herself to her 13-year-old neighbor and made him touch her, police said. Michelle Seddon, unemployed and disabled, was booked into Thursday on suspicion of lewdness with a child, according to the police.

According to a police report, the charge stems from incidents in March that occurred in her Booth Street apartment where she lived with her girlfriend. A 13-year-old middle school student neighbor told police that he visited Seddon at her apartment one day where she stripped and asked him to touch her. O'Malley's girlfriend was not home.

Police became involved after the boy told his mother, who called officers. On at least one occasion, the boy and his friend had spent the night at the women's apartment where the friend later reported Seddon inappropriately touching the boy while he slept, police said.
In 2003, Seddon's girlfriend filed a restraining order against her after Seddon was arrested for battering her. Yeah, this chick looks like she could do some serious damage.
---o0o---

Elvis Costello And The Attractions Play "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea (lyrics included"

Elvis and The Attractions play one of Elvis's finest early songs in an old school music video.



I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea
by Elvis Costello

Photographs of fancy tricks to get your kicks at sixty-six
He thinks of all the lips that he licks
And all the girls that he's going to fix
She gave a little flirt, gave herself a little cuddle
But there's no place here for the mini-skirt waddle
Capital punishment, she's last year's model
They call her Natasha when she looks like Elsie
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Oh no it does not move me
Even though I've seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Everybody's got new orders
Be a nice girl and kiss the warders
Now the teacher is away
All the kids begin to play

Men come screaming, dressed in white coats
Shake you very gently by the throat
One's named Gus, one's named Alfie
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Oh no it does not move me
Even though I've seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Photographs of fancy tricks to get your kicks at sixty-six
He thinks of all the lips that he licks
And all the girls that he's going to fix
She gave a little flirt, gave herself a little cuddle
But there's no place here for the mini-skirt waddle
Capital punishment, she's last year's model
They call her Natasha when she looks like Elsie
I don't want to go to Chelsea

Oh no it does not move me
Even though I've seen the movie
I don't want to check your pulse
I don't want nobody else
I don't want to go to Chelsea
---o0o---

Saturday, May 19, 2007

A strange video: What, what (in the butt)

I don't know if this music video is totally gay (literally, not in the ironic sense), or homophobic. Here's what Wikipedia says about it:

"What What (In the Butt)" is a viral video for the song of the same name by Samwell (Sam Norman), a singer, songwriter, and actor.[1] The video contains numerous camp references to homosexuality and anal sex.[2] The lyrics of the song mostly revolve around the title.[2]

The song was produced by Giorgio (Mike Stasny)[3] and the video was produced by Brownmark Films.[4] The video was uploaded on Valentine's Day 2007 to YouTube and Google Video.[4]

The video lasts 3 minutes and 47 seconds, was made in widescreen format, and appears to have been produced entirely with a green screen.

Samwell said in an interview with KROQ-FM that the opening image is "not a cross, but a flaming symbol that [he] just happened to use,"[5] but according to Giorgio, "[Samwell] wanted it because he's a Christian but he doesn't do Christian morality. For him having a burning cross is a way to pay respect to his beliefs."[3] It is followed by a sighing lips superimposed on a chocolate heart.[3] The purpose of the glossy mouth is to attract attention.[5] Both asscheeks of Samwell's pants are decorated with the word "what."[6]

On April 8, 2007, Brownmark Films released an interview with Samwell.[7]


---o0o---

Happy Birthday Joey Ramone, Nora Ephron, Grace Jones, Pete Townsend, Malcolm X, and Ho Chi Min



Happy Birthday to Grace Jones (54), Nora Ephron (65), and Pete Townsend (61); as well as to the departed Malcom X (would have been 81); Ho Chi Min (whb 116), and Joey Ramone (whb 55).

---o0o---

Friday, May 18, 2007

The Divorce throws in the towel



The Seattle rock band, The Divorce, is throwing in the towel after two CDs, seven years, and hundreds of shows. I have their two CDs (there will be blood tonight, and The Gifted Program) and an EP. I have seen them play at least six times over the last few years (Crocodile 2x, Capitol Hill street party, Easy Street, Mars Hill, Sonic Boom). They will have two final shows on June 30th, at The Crocodile Cafe in Seattle. From The Divorce website:

Friday, May 04, 2007

the final countdown



Friends,


After nearly seven years of glorious ups and grievous downs, we have decided to lay The Divorce to rest. We cannot thank all of you enough for the years of support and encouragement and we wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors. Of course, each of us have plans for subsequent projects, so do keep an ear peeled for those as they are sure to be entertaining and thought-provoking. In the meantime, it would behoove you to mark your calendars for June 30th, as we will be playing two final shows that day at the Crocodile Cafe in downtown Seattle; one will be all-ages and the other, 21+. It goes without saying that these are Not To Be Missed! We sincerely hope you can join is in this terminal blowout celebration of life, and the future. Until then...


Love Always,

The Divorce
---o0o---

The Elvis Costello Benefit—Seattle Does Elvis For David Egger's 826 Seattle

It's taken me two weeks to get around to writing about this benefit. On May 4th, we went to the Sunset Tavern—a few blocks from where I live--to see an Elvis Costello tribute/benefit for the 826 Seattle.

Seattle loves Elvis (and why wouldn't we?). Now that he is a northwesterner (Vancouver division), I was secretly hoping he might actually show up! But no. . .

However, about 19 bands did show up and play. Every band was supposed to play two songs, although a few snuck in an extra song. It was great! If a band sucked, you knew it would only be six or seven minutes until the next one came on. It made it hard to leave, because you suspected the mother lode was just minutes away. It was a lot of fun, and once again drove home the reality that most bands play their instruments better than they sing.

The benefit was held for 826 Seattle, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth, ages six to 18, improve their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

The lineup included the Dept. of Energy, Downpilot, Graig Markel, Shorthand for Epic, Red Jacket Mine, Zera Marvel, Whiting Tennis, Levi Fuller... and a bunch more bands and solo acts. The poster to your right lists some of the other bands.

I only regret the lineup did not include my personal five favorite friends'/local bands: The Divorce, Down With People, The Posies, The Drunks of Hazzard, and The Greenwood All-Stars.
---o0o---

Jesus's thoughts on the passing of Jerry Falwell



You may not have known it until now, but Jesus also has a blog here on Blogspot. He recently expressed his thoughts on the passing of the Reverend Jerry Falwell here.
---o0o---

Mercer's Maidens, Or, How Seattle Imported Women For The Lonely Pioneers And Sourdoughs


In the 1860's Seattle was between a hard place and a rock. Women here were outnumbered by males ten to one). A Seattle founder, Asa Mercer, went back to Boston and convince some of the "surplus" females there to come west, with their journey to be paid for by subscribers in Seattle who hoped to become their husbands. He met with opposition in Boston (duh!), but found more willing pickings in Lowell (Jack Kerouac's hometown), where many of Mercer's Maidens came from.


After a long long journey that included crossing the Panama isthmus, and a rest stop in San Francisco, they arrived on Seattle's waterfront on May 16, 1864. All of the girls, except one (who got sick and died), rapidly found husbands (although nowhere near all of the men who financed the adventure actually snagged a wife). A television show, Here Come The Brides, based on the story aired in 1968, starring teen heartthrob Bobby Sherman, and David Soul, among others. The show was a megahit in French Canada...and did OK here.
---o0o---

From the with endorsements like this, who needs opponents department: Porn Star Jenna Jameson Endorses Hillary Clinton For President



From the "with endorsements like this, who needs opponents?" Department comes news from PR.com that Jenna Jameson, a famous porn star and author of the bestseller "How To Make Love Like a Porn Star," talked about Hillary Clinton in an interview with PR.com....

PR.com: "Who's your favorite Democratic front runner for 2008? Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John Edwards?"

Jenna Jameson: "I love Hillary. I think that in some ways she's pretty conservative for a Democrat, but I would love to have a woman in office. I think that it would be a step in the right direction for our country, and there would be less focus on war and more focus on bettering society."

PR.com: "Do you find that the climate of the adult industry changes when there is a Republican administration versus Democratic?"

Jenna Jameson: "Absolutely. The Clinton administration was the best years for the adult industry and I wish that Clinton would run again. I would love to have him back in office. I would love to have Al Gore in office.

"When Republicans are in office, the problem is, a lot of times they try to put their crosshairs on the adult industry, to make a point. It's sad, when there are so many different things that are going on in the world: war, and people are dying of genocide...

"I look forward to another Democrat being in office. It just makes the climate so much better for us, and I know that once all our troops come home, things are going to be better and I think that getting Bush out of office is the most important thing right now."

---o0o---

Gonzales & Bush Paying Their Respects To Old Glory


One of these two guys will be looking for work within ten days. I wish I could say it was both of them...
---o0o---

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Mario Cuomo's Speech Nominating Bill Clinton For President

Mario Cuomo, one of my political heroes, gave a masterful nominating speech for Bill Clinton at the Democratic Convention in 1992. The speech is captured in four YouTube videos, below. If you want to read, see, or hear Mario's greatest speech ever, made eight years earlier at the 1984 San Francisco convention, go back in All This is That to here.

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4


---o0o---

Alien Lore No. 107 - The French And British "X Files"



The British have joined the French in the rush to release information on aliens and UFOs. An article by James Randerson in The Guardian details how the British Ministry of Defence plans to open its "X-Files" on UFO sightings to the public for the first time. Officials haven't fixed a date for the reports' release, but it is may happen this month. The French national space agency okayed a similar release of its alien files a few months ago.



UFOlogists want to know what officials knew about Britain's most famous sightings and whether what the government did about the sightings. The Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk 1980 sighting has been called The British Roswell. At Rendlesham there were several witness reports of a UFO landing. The released files may answer the claims that radiation was found in The Rendlesham Forest at the site after the saucer crash.

The documents due for release are eyewitness reports of UFO sightings, incuding sightings by civil pilots and military personnel. Most were simply collected and filed by a small, secret unit within the defense intelligence group called DI55. A few incidents may have been investigated further by the military, but the details were never been made public. The 24 files due for release each contain 200-300 reports of sightings, along with Ministry of Defense briefings and memos and letters.

Before the files have even been released, the UFO community has lit up with various new conspiracy theories related to the release of these documents, as well as accusations of conspiracy because of the timing of the French and Brit releases. Will we learn of shocking new revelations? Unlikely. Will the UFOlogists debate, debunk, and exaggerate the release of this mother lode endlessly? Of course they will! Happy mining, folks.
---o0o---

Paul Revere And The Raiders - northwest rock pioneers (with video goodness)

For a short moment, after the British/Liverpool invasion, northwest party band heroes Paul Revere and The Raiders were about the biggest rock band in America. They had a string of 24 hit singles, and various gold records with great pop/rock tunes (Hungry, Kicks, Steppin' Out, Him or Me?, Let Me, I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone, Good Thing, Ups and Downs, among others).

The Raiders had a ridiculously campy stage show (they still do), and absurd and flashy Revolutionary War–era stage costumes. They were all over the TV, and also hosted a daily show on ABC called Where the Action Is. The Raiders were probably the first television age rock band.

Being a northwest band, they played Louie Louie too (and released a single, but another local band, the Wailers made it a hit), as well as their own creation, Crisco Party.





I saw them two or three times at the Seattle Teen Fair and at one of the local battles of the bands. Mark Lindsay was always popular with the girls and women. Paul Revere could have been a baggy pants vaudeville comedian. The stageshow was a strange mixture of slapstick and garage.






---o0o---

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Senator Fred Thompson Responds To Michael Moore's Call For A Debate On Cuba




Senator Fred Thompson (and strong potential Republican Presidential candidate) put out this video in response to Michael Moore's call for a debate. Fred Thompson must have McCain and Giuliani quaking in their brogans. If I were to pick right now (I guess I am), this race will come down to Thompson v. Romney. While directly attacking Moore, but dodging his invite to debate, Thompson comes across as the sort of blunt speaking no-nonsense guy Republicans love. This, along with some other recent statements and actions, convince me that Thompson could conceivably whip McCain and Giuliani.

Fred -- I love the cigar!


---o0o---

A video by Yes (and lyrics): Starship Trooper



Starship Trooper

I. Life Seeker
Anderson

Sister Bluebird flying high above,
Shine your wings forward to the sun.
Hide the myst'ries of life on your way.
Though you've seen them, please don't say a word.
What you don't know, I have never heard.

Starship Trooper, go sailing on by,
Catch my soul, catch the very light.
Hide the moment from my eager eye.
Though you've seen them, please don't tell a soul.
What you can't see, can't be very whole.

Speak to me of summer, long winters longer than time can remember,
The setting up of other roads, to travel on in old accustomed ways.
I still remember the talks by the water, the proud sons and daughter that,
Knew the knowledge of the land, that spoke to me in sweet accustomed ways.

Mother life, hold firmly on to me.
Catch my knowledge higher than the day.
Lose as much as only you can show.
Though you've seen them, please don't say a word.
What I don't know, I have never shared.

II. Disillusion
Squire

Loneliness is a pow'r that we possess to give or take away forever.
All I know can be shown by your acceptance of the facts there shown before you.
Take what I say in a diff'rent way and it's easy to say
that this is all confusion.
As I see a new day in me, I can also show it you and you may follow.

Speak to me of summer, long winters longer than time can remember,
The setting up of other roads, to travel on in old accustomed ways.
I still remember the talks by the water, the proud sons and daughter that,
Knew the knowledge of the land, spoke to me in sweet accustomed ways.

III: Wurm
Howe

(Instrumental)
---o0o---

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Reverend Falwell Found Unconscious, Rushed To Hospital, And Expires



The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University. He was 73. He was a hater, bigot, racist, and sexist cloaked in the habliments of The Church.


The reverend has appeared on the pages of All This Is That numerous times over the years; most recently last fall: Reverend Fallwell calls Hillary Rodham Clinton less appealing than Lucifer



---o0o---

Vanity Fair asks "Is Rudy Giuliani crackers?"

I don't want to say you read it here first, but you did. We first talked about this four months ago.

The only mystery about Rudy Giuliani's candidacy for President is when he will jump the shark. Anyone who has closely followed his career knows that he will soon enough, on camera or tape, completely loose his cool and incinerate his Presidential aspirations.

My friends Pete and Kev from NYC may disagree with this assessment, although anyone who has followed Rudy knows this. People seem to in general give Rudy a flyer on most of his transgressions because he "made the trains run on time." But a gentrified Times Square, a crackdown on crime, and (relatively) clean streets, do not mean that their progenitor should necessarily be the guy with his finger on The Button.

Read this fascinating article by Michael Wolff in Vanity Fair: Crazy for Rudy.

Recent Giuliani posts on All This Is That:

Giuliani warns of a "new 9/11' if Democrats take the White House
The Scariest Looking Public Figure We Know Endorses Rudolph Giuliani For President
Giuliani: The Candidate For 9/11—See The Onion
Giuliani son: "I have problems with my father, but it doesn't mean he won't make a great President."
Running on empty—Send in the clowns—Announced, probable, and possible candidates for President of the United States
Republicans tied to the whipping post
Bernard Kerik--The Rest Of The Story.
---o0o---

Show: The Posies At The Triple Door In Seattle

We saw The Posies Friday night at The Triple door, at the late show. It was an acoustic show. As far as Posies shows go, it was one of my least favorites. Ken was getting sick, and they just didn't seem to have a lot of energy. The song list had a few gems, but it felt like they'd played their favorites at the first show. And then Ken insisted on slamming the U.S. (citizens, not President), as a French expatriate. Ken, that's cool on your blog, but remember you were in Seattle...home of the WTO riot, two female senators and a governor, and a rock-solid blue state. Let's face it: unlike your adopted homeland, Seattle has remained solidly in the blue column. one of the most liberal towns in the country. But Ken's anti-U.S. tirade aside, it is always better to see The Posies than not see The Posies.

Here are a couple of pretty dark videos on YouTube from the show.







---o0o---

Monday, May 14, 2007

Poem: Higher Ground



Either the ocean is rising
Or we're all sinking

And it probably doesn't matter
Which is which).

If you grew up on the West Coast,
You remember the evacuation signs

Directing you to safe ground
When the tsunami arrives.

Now this whole world
Is moving on to higher ground

And the tide shows no sign
Of ebbing.

Did God make a mistake
With plate tectonics,

And forget the refrigeration
Under the ice caps,

Or is He just keeping
Us on our toes?


---o0o---

Saturday, May 12, 2007

How I became Jack Brummet

I was working for a magazine in Seattle called Construction Data. On my first day on the job, McGoo walked up to me and said

"I have your new business cards."

He handed me a box of the cards.

“Jack Brummet. Circulation marketing and feature article writer? Jack?," I asked.

“I like that, yeah. Jack. John is a pussy name. Jack’s the name of a man's man. These are constuction guys. Do you want to sell magazines, or be be some fop named John?”

I became Jack. And I still am.
---o0o---

CNN: Bush Resigns

The CNN Today program, just after midnight Eastern time, led with a graphic 'Bush Resigns.' Of course, they meant 'Blair Resigns.' Even though the graphic was on screen 12 seconds, the screen grab is now all over the internet...
---o0o---

Friday, May 11, 2007

My five favorite Elvis Costello albums














My five favorite Elvis Costello albums in ranked order:

1. Get Happy!
2. Armed Forces
3. Imperial Bedroom
4. This Year's Model
5. Brutal Youth


Trust, and My Aim Is True almost made the cut. Elvis Costello is absolutely one of the most versatile and creative stars of rock. His voice got better with age! His album and shows last year with American music master composer (Yes, We Can Can; Fortune Teller; Working In A Coal Mine) Alan Touissant were heartbreakingly great! I'm ready for another show!
---o0o---