Archive for September, 2008
accused »
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
My hand is clammy, sweating against the metal of my trumpet. Heat radiates from my face like asphalt after an afternoon in the sun. The conductor stands impatient, shifting his weight from right to left. The men scan the room, their faces show no emotions.
When they walked in a few moments ago I thought they looked right at me. Someone told them. They knew already and were disrupting the class to make a bigger statement, to make an example of me.
They just finished their plea for the perpetrators to admit their guilt. I sat through the talk with my lips pursed trying to push any reaction to someplace behind me. The row in front of me hears every rapid thump of my heart. It’s a wonder they haven’t said anything. (more…)
wtf?!? 09.29.08 »
Monday, September 29th, 2008
I was watching the Office online, minding my own business. I was all naive and sheltered and frolicking through fields of ignorance in bliss. I saw everything through a lens of pure white snow little known fact, things look exactly the same.
Then, THEN my world was shattered like a glass patio door in an uncreative romantic comedy that needs a quick shift in plot and a little physical humor. There are the ads that come on at the usual intervals fewer than broadcast television, which is nice. Everyone sort of flips to another browser tab and such. But I watched and am only slightly embarrassed about it.
Within a crappy “interactive” ad for Nissan, there was a billboard within a cityscape. For a moment, while the car came to a stop and the “interactive” features came to rest, that billboard displayed an ad for Heroes. It then switched to the expected and more logical Nissan billboard.
Are you kidding me? Really?
Its not that they already promote the hell out of that weird sci-fi, middle-age fantasy save the cheerleader? really? whats next season? scold the unruly teen in the plaid skirt?. Its not that I dont think the show has some merit I did watch almost four full episodes once. Its not that product placement is all that surprising There is heavy use of an iSight camera within the episode, case youre curious. Still, its absurd.
Did NBC pay for a spot within the spot Nissan paid NBC for? Whoa. My right brain just spasmed. Thats just too much. Can we make an agreement that we keep ads out of ads? Can we just admit thats taking things to an entirely new level that will lay waste to love, affection, smiles and person-to-person connections?
Or not.
I guess we could compound things until russian doll adversiting™ can I just trademark something like that? is there a phone number I should call? is the norm and children grow up without happiness or naivety or the possibility of pension plans. zing! Whichever works best for everyone read: corporate mega-conglomerates who tell us what to think, eat and do.
post debate: »
Monday, September 29th, 2008
As some of you know, the foreign policy debate went down Friday. Most of the locals here were watching MLB at the time i won’t go into how depressing that is but it was mildly interesting. Obama did well and held his own but he needed more than that.
Foreign policy is McCain’s only decrepit leg to stand on media perception, not reality so he should have won. He didn’t. But Obama needed to do more than hold his own against the negativity spewing from the almost-dead-man’s lips. He needed to make a statement to catch the attention of the ignorant masses that lift up the white-haired-one’s poll numbers. He didn’t.
So everything stays the same except McCain now has to go negative or, in this case, more negative. This should be easy for him, as he’s a venomous splooge of biomatter that seems intent on an all-of-the-below strategy. I guess campaigns can be run like high-profile murder trials and no one notices. Have any doubts Obama can lead? then vote for me. I have doubts too. We’re like the same person, if you married into a fortune and can do no wrong in the media’s eye.
The veep debate is Thursday so I’ll probably catch that during the commercials of the Office. Unfortunately, with her absolutely abismal showing opposite the “hard hitting” Katie Couric, if she steps behind the podium and doesn’t shit herself, she’ll take home the victory. Take it from the guy who impressed the entire office with a $5 blazer, setting the bar low is never bad.*
This isn’t directly related still within walking distance of the stage in the political theater: What would you do with $2300 in near-free money? I ask that question rhetorically. In a few hours you will have used it to buy decaying assets (pdf) so our failing system can keep rolling over the billions of global poor invisible hand is around your neck and tightening its grip.
Congratulations, you just bought an ‘88 Taurus without a steering wheel, drive shaft or rear passenger tire but you can’t sell it until the frame rots. That should work out well for you. Oh, and you bought it from a man who made $35 million last year. So… again… congratulations.
* Exceptions: Credit, groceries, parents’ love, any love, anything raised from the dead, health care, sexual relations, retail chains, etc.
friday free for all »
Friday, September 26th, 2008
Yesterday was my 400th post. Whoa.
… I haven’t been sleeping well this week. I’m tired, lethargic and feel, like, sooo fat. I’ve decided to go on a temporary sobriety kick. I may have one or two drinks but the whole drinking to buzz is getting a bit stale.
Probable suspensions of said kick: winter break, trip to Australia and nights I just want to get away from it all, all the pain and agony of living when swimming in my own vomit is preferable to any awareness. (The frequency of the latter may depend heavily on results of Nov4)
… I picked up an attachment for my cell phone so I can plug in headphones to get 24/7 streaming audio the kind that’s been around for 50 years; see: FM radio. I’ve been listening to NPR. Most of the country would rather listen to racist, ignorant morons. I prefer people that sound smarter than I am to give me information about things I don’t understand.
… Speaking of, we’ve had seven years of a President I could likely beat in a battle of wits. It hasn’t worked out so great for most of us. I’m sure the Naval Academy gives a pretty solid learnin’ but I’d like someone in office that can actually keep up with conversations. Especially in a crisis.
… While we’re discussing the crisis, suspending a campaign for a national concern is somewhat thoughtful strange, ill-advised and shows you can’t keep up but still, thoughtful. Doing it after admitting you know little about the economy is kind of laughable. Saying you’ll suspend your campaign but letting your sales people be interviewed and continue raising money is a ploy.
Showing up in Washington, claiming you cross party lines and introducing a competing bill is a political stunt. Insisting on postponing the debate to the night of the VP debate is desperate. Not to mention shows a lack of faith in your ridiculous choice as second to the Oval Office. To go through all this and end the day with nothing but a few extra photos is absurd.
That he’ll probably be elected because of racism, greed and, likely, voter idiocy is depressing.
… And finally:
Since we mentioned that idiot, who’s stoked for the debate? I predict a grandstanding performance unlike any in political theater thus far.
McSame swoops in on his chartered jet, surrounded by media. He hops off and scampers with shuffling feet to one of his dozens of black SUVs that propels him, just in time, to the podium in Mississippi.
His first comment, still slightly out of breath: “Not bad for a former POW, right?” uncomfortable smirk, less comfortable thumbs-up The crowd collectively pisses themselves and the faces in the front row melt which elicits screams of horror that are drowned out by resounding applause.
The Drama!! Now That’s television!!!!
fortuitous »
Thursday, September 25th, 2008
He was sitting, slouched and frail, in the chair he’s been sitting in every time I’ve visited since he moved. She’s sitting on the bed, only a few feet from him, next to me. He looks over at her and then around the room, not looking at anything. Far away.
“I was lucky twice in my life. That the Germans surrendered before we crossed the Rhine was the first and the second was Dort here.” His eyes focused on her as she smiled and nodded though she probably hadn’t heard his words.
He was born in the late twenties, the eldest of more than ten children, and saw the depression first hand. He was in WWII and worked his entire life. He used to hunt and play baseball. Now he sits in that chair, day to day, barely able to walk. (more…)