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Monday, January 31, 2005


Testing out this new upload program to add mini pics to the blog. Hope this works like I'd like it to work. Oh, by the way this is a picture of part of my Goblin Rock Lobber from my Orcs and Goblins Warhammer army. I'm such a geek. Posted by Hello

Saturday, January 29, 2005

I'm Afraid of Americans...

...is such a great song. I really like the original track from Earthling, but I really would like to have the Trent Reznor remix. Ahh, that's what is great about iTunes (just found it).

And you thought this was going to be a political post, huh? :)

Funny... But kinda true.

Just check it out for yourself... Here

Barbie didn't learn her history.

Anne Coulter is brilliant in this piece.. Brilliantly moronic. This is the kind of thing one should expect from a neocon. Outright denial that anyone else could be right, and an attempt at rewriting history. Please note the vacant stare as she tries to think, but the hampster in the wheel is just too tired to keep running. You could almost hear in the back ground someone from Faux News screaming "Can someone get Ms. Coulter some more botox or another face tuck?!"

Friday, January 28, 2005

I'll admit it.. I'm addicted..

Yup, my fiance got me hooked on HGTV. So much so that I actually set our DVR to record a show called "House Hunters." I even watch HGTV when she's not around. Perhaps its the fact we want to buy a house that keeps me watching, but it entertains me well enough. It also will erase any thought of being a real estate agent in anyone who is not willing to put up with a whole lotta crap. Some of the house hunters whine a lot, and are extremely annoying. But then again, it is a major investment.

Anyway, back to the fact that I'm addicted to HGTV.. I've even opted for a design show on kitchens over my norm of mind numbing cartoons on Cartoon Network (sorry, but Ed, Edd, and Eddy still rock my socks. and i have no shame admitting that). While I'm not so keen on the lawn and garden stuff, I do enjoy the installing/building/overall improving of the house itself. Now if only we can get our stuff together and get our own place...

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Party in My Cube is Greatly Improved

OK, so this really isn't a party, seeing that I'm the only one here, and I feel like I'm getting a hellacious cold, but at least I've got some good streaming tunes from Radio Paradise to make the day better. If you like a very wide range of tunes this is for you. Here's a listing of some of the songs I've heard today (this is in Pacific time):

9:45 am - Old 97s - Won't Be Home
9:41 am - Chrissie Hynde - I Shall Be Released

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9:38 am - Sam Phillips - How to Dream
9:33 am - John Lennon - #9 Dream
9:28 am - Moodswings - Spiritual High (part III)
9:24 am - Bird York - Up In Flames

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9:19 am - Eastmountainsouth - Rain Come Down
9:14 am - Bruce Cockburn - Let The Bad Air Out
9:06 am - AfroCelts - Ayub's Song - As You Were
8:59 am - Beth Orton - Thinking About Tomorrow
8:55 am - Beck - Golden Age
8:50 am - Flaming Lips - Are You A Hypnotist??
8:45 am - Massive Attack - Inertia Creeps

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8:41 am - Bob Seger - Till It Shines
8:37 am - Junkhouse - Shine
8:33 am - 'til Tuesday - Coming Up Close
8:29 am - Tori Amos - Sleeps With Butterflies

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8:25 am - Cowboy Junkies - Angel Mine
8:20 am - Hot Tuna - Water Song
8:18 am - Neil Young - The Needle and the Damage Done
8:14 am - Nirvana - All Apologies
8:10 am - Party Ben - Boulevard Of Broken Songs
8:06 am - Green Day - Warning

Thanks to my good friend Ken for turning me onto this fabulous service. This is one of the few *free* services that I am actually willing to support with a donation. It's like I have an iPod!

Damn Wolcott's a funny man.

In one of his latest post he's ripping into Faux News' latest bobble head, Former Undersecretary of the Defense Department, Douglas Feith. I had to stifle some chuckles so not to draw the attention of my co-workers. Ahh.. Almost anything poking fun at Faux News is good for a laugh with me.

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Garden State Review

I told Tom I'd get to this sooner than later.. Sorry, it's a little bit on the later side, but here it is.

Jen and I recently rented Garden State. I'm a huge fan of Zack Braff and Scrubs in general, but I wasn't sure about this movie at first. I was in for a shock. It is a wee bit fuzzy, but I shall try to give a decent review.

Zack Braff stars in his directorial debut with Natile Portman. The chemistry is nice, not over bearing and there are moments when they seem to react extremely well to one another. Portman completely makes up for her roles in the more-than-lacking Star Wars prequels (she's basically eye candy, and it's damn hard to play off her co-star's complete lack of talent from Anikan Skywalker/Christian Hay-whatever-the-hell-his-name-is..). She reminds me a bit of a young Julia Roberts with her wide smile, yet attractive smile. Her character is an oddball, and she sinks into it with what appears like great delight. Her bubbly character offsets Braff's mellow, emotionally repressed role. His vacant stare and sharp delivery is great. Even in the strangest situation Braff's wit shines through.

As stated earlier, Braff's character is emotionally repressed and he's heavily medicated (his father is a shrink.. his shrink to be exact). Braff seems to just be stumbling through the world in LA as a actor/waiter until the events leading him to return home sink in (no real plot destroying here). Braff's best line though is in one of his moments of realization.. "..the house you grew up in isn't really your home anymore." If you've ever moved out and your parents turned your room into a hanging garden, forcing you to stay in the guest bedroom when you return home for a night or weekend you can slightly sympathize.

Overall the movie is a good rental, and worthy of owning. You get some humor that boarders on dumb, but Braff and Portman seem to realize this and deliver their lines in near perfection with some excellent wit. While the movie delivers some good humor, it isn't a comedy completely. It has it's moments of comedy, drama and delivers on a level most movies wish they could. Two thumbs up from this poor critic.

Friday, January 21, 2005

Kos is right.. This is wrong

This is not right.. All you kool aid drinking Bushies put the straw down and stop calling the media liberal.

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Obama's got a site now

One of the brightest stars for the Democrats has got his site up and working. Check it out, send him an email and ask that he fight the good fight.. Avoid the corruption, stand up to the bullies, and try to help restore the American government to something we can be proud of.

http://obama.senate.gov/

Both barrels blazin!

Brigitte Quinn gets in the way of Vanity Fair contributing editor Judy Bachrach, and gets both barrels unloaded on her. It's a hoot to see her face and listen to her stumble over her words trying to defend the undefendable. The video isn't the best, but you get to see Quinn's face of shocked and utter idiocy at the end when all she can do is cut off Bacharach. PFG!!! Pure freakin gold!

http://www.oliverwillis.com/node/view/1695

By the way.. the site hosting this seems like a pretty good one. Ya gotta like it when someone likens themself to Kryptonite to Stupid. Overall some pretty good content over there.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/

Number crunch

Four years and here's some numbers to show all of GBW's sad accomplishments..

http://numeralist.blogspot.com/2005/01/by-numbers-u.html

On a side note.. I would like to officially announce... I NEED A NEW JOB!!! Seeking relocation to Indianapolis, IN (scary red state there, but hey.. maybe i can change some minds) or to anywhere in the Denver, CO area (what's up with all the red states?!). Any help would rock my socks! Jeez, I really feel Bushwacked with this job market..

Spongebob, Gay Villain? Are You Serious?

All I can say about this is what the hell?!?!? Does the religious right not have anything better to do? Aren't there sick, poor people in this country that need to be fed and treated? Aren't there people in need of true compassion? That Focus on the Family so royally goofed on this one, yet remains steadfast in their belief that the organization behind the video is a pro-homosexual group that is in the business of "manipulating and brainwashing kids", confirms to me that the religious right is indeed full of ignorant whackos who are scared of everything and everyone from the big, bad, scary world that exists outside their little spot in the universe.

The New York Times > Washington > Conservatives Pick Soft Target: A Cartoon Sponge

Fight the good fight.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Rude Pundit Goes Nuts

This guy is, well, rude, but sometimes I think he nails it totally on the head. The Senate "confirmation" hearings of Rice and Gonzales are a damn joke, and while I understand the concept of picking political battles I sure would appreciate it if somebody in our Senate besides Barbara Boxer gave a rat's ass and would stand up and hold someone, anyone, accountable for the glaringly obvious mistakes that have been made. Anyway, I'll shut up and point you to the Rude Pundit's blog entry to which I refer.

Fight the good fight.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

I Need...

...a new hard drive for my home PC. Having recently embarked on converting my CD collection to AAC files in iTunes, I have discovered that even if I get rid of all of the junk, I simply do not have enough room on my old, tired hard drive to hold all of my music. The real reason for doing this is to convince myself that I can afford an iPod because I am sick of having to lug CDs and Discman to work to insulate myself from the inanity and insanity that surrounds me. So, if anyone has either a) a hard drive or b) an iPod or c) both! you are willing to donate to me, please feel free to do so; my wife would appreciate it!

Sunday, January 16, 2005

They're bums!

Damnit! The Colts lost to the Pats.. AGAIN! A weak secondary, more enforcement on the pass interference rules, and a record breaking season.. And they get the crap kicked out of them, for lack of a better way of stating the fact. There are just some teams that always seem to beat other certain teams. And it seems the Pats own the Colts.

I'm going to go pout in my big pink recliner and watch something non-football related so not to be reminded that the dreaded Eagles, the accursed Falcons and the damn Patriots are still alive in the playoffs. At least I can still hope for the Steelers and their rookie QB and one of my fav running back the Bus (still have his rookie card.. unfortunately, I still have Bledsoe's rookie card too).

Iran, the next battle?

An interesting read about secret (once more.. not so secret if it's reported in the New Yoker magazine) missions in Iran to locate viable targets for missiles. Can we at least try to finish one war before starting a new one? What purpose does this serve?

Check it out...

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16248289.htm

Lets hope he's really not considering this. I think there's only so much pushing you can do to this region before it starts to push back as a whole. GWB should red lightly. If the Middle East nations united (not that I see this happening) against us on a whole..

And maybe, just maybe.. Is it me.. Or is this starting to smack a little of genocide? Why aren't we going after any terrorists in South Africa like this? Or in South America.. Seems like we're mainly targeting Muslim nations in the Middle East. I'm sure that maybe it's just a nagging feeling, but then again.. Well, maybe not genocide, but there seems to be a certain driving force in GWB's administration that wants to attack these Muslim states... We certainly haven't started scouting North Korea out yet for missile targets, and they certainly have something going on over there.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Guilty 9X

"Army Reserve Spc. Charles Graner Jr. took the stand Saturday and said he did not relish doling out what he described as "irregular treatment." - CNN.com

So, he's busted, found guilty and the evidence that he did enjoy this is out.. But he did not "relish" it? Oh, so the emails he sent to friends back home of the inmates he beat weren't fun for him to do? If he was so concerned about this why not email those pics to a news agency when the torture began and he started taking those sick photos?

"His mother, Irma, her voice raspy from bronchitis, testified, "I love my son."

"I never had an ounce of problems with him as a child. He's kind, gentle, will do anything for anybody. He's not the one that he's being made out to be."

She said she has received phone calls from people who believe he's a hero.

"To me, he'll always be a hero," she said." - CNN.com

A hero?! A bleeping HERO!?!? He's not a hero. He's a war criminal. A hero wouldn't have said this about why he was smiling in photos of the abuse: "There were a lot of things we did that were screwed up. If you didn't look at it as funny, you couldn't deal with it."

Orders or not. He says he was ordered to do this. Ok, the testify who gave the orders. The "just being a good soldier and obeying orders" crap doesn't cut it. He was sentenced today for 10 years and being demoted to private and dishonorable discharge. That's a slap on the wrist compared to some war criminals.

This whole thing is just another way America is losing respect from the rest of the world. We're part of a global community, occasionally we should consider acting like it.

This last bit says it best for this administration's view of the world: "In dramatic closing arguments before the jury, the prosecution showed video and photographs of alleged abuses by Graner.

"What we have here is plain abuse, no doubt about it. There is no justification," said prosecuting attorney Capt. Chris Graveline.

But Graner's defense attorneys argued the images in the photographs were not as horrible as the prosecution made them out to be."

When beating someone until you can't recognize their face because of the amount of blood, stacking someone naked against their will in a human pyramid, and violating the Geneva Convention you probably shouldn't say something as completely stupid as "the images... were not as horrible as... made them out to be."

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Trade Deficit and Consumerism Gone Out of Control

So this means that Americans are spending more on cheap foreign goods and that "wealthy American trading partners...[are] growing too slowly and not buying more American goods and services"? According to Treasury Secretary John W. Snow, it is. I'm not convinced that this is indicative of an economic recovery. At what point do we realize that we have to change the paradigm and adjust to the realities of the 21st Century?

The problem is that we are the ultimate consumer society driven by bigger/cheaper is better, regardless of the impact to the rest of society upon whom this bulging consumerism teeters like a rock upon a needle. Only two outcomes are likely if we continue down this path: fall off the needle or break it in half.

Just to highlight how ridiculous it has become, Wal-Mart has started a huge campaign defending itself against the seemingly endless claims that they are bad for our country, that they are a rampaging beast satisfied with nothing less than world domination, but at what price? Take a look at their nice little propaganda machine website for more details:

http://www.walmartfacts.com/

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

This is very disturbing..

Found this on cnn.com...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/11/marine.shooting/index.html

I don't really know what I can say about this. The investigators believe (and it is not for sure) that he did not want to return to Iraq.

What kind of things are going on when a 19 year old is willing to engage police in a gun battle to the death to avoid returning to the war zone?

Friday, January 07, 2005

Iokiyar

Iokiyar: It's OK if you're a Repbulican. It's sad to see all of the crap that this administration has done compiled in one page like this. It makes me wonder what, if any, good has been accomplished these last four years.

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Worse Than Fiction

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

The New York Times > National > Georgia Sheriff Fires Workers, but Then a Judge Intervenes

Holy Moses! This sounds like something Whitey would do. Wow, I'm speechless.

The New York Times > National > Georgia Sheriff Fires Workers, but Then a Judge Intervenes

BCS, BS!

How long do we have to put up with this kind of crap? OU was so overwhelmed.. It was so clear they weren't even in the same grade, let alone the same class as USC. So why did they end up playing each other?! Because some computer tossed some numbers together and decided two unbeaten teams should play each other for the championship.

Would Auburn have been a better opponent? I don't know. But we'll never know now. There have been plenty of talks about a NCAA play off system, but it's college.. Not the pros. So that's a bad idea. I think the +1 system would work best. Such as.. Auburn wins (and they did).. They wait for the winner of the Orange Bowl, and the we have the +1 game. Auburn vs USC. Could be another blow out.. Like tonight's 55 to 19 beating. But for any of us who had the stomach to watch the slaughter for at least the first half knew it was over. 4 turnovers in the first half and 38 points later.. OU was out of it before they knew what hit them. The BCS is BS... This is what I don't like about college ball. There is always one team that's billed so great, and then they get the crap kicked out of them... Or we get a bowl game hyped so out of proportion that when the game finally happens it's not even an interesting contest.

No, I don't have a solution for it.. But my personal vote goes to the +1 game idea.

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Against the Privatization of Social Security

Will there be enough voices like Paul Krugman's to make a difference? Or will the Republican-controlled Congress pull another one over on us? I don't expect a lot out of Social Security--I feel it is more likely that I will have more benefit from my 401(k). But what about those folks who haven't planned carefully enough or will not make enough during their lifetimes to contribute to a retirement plan? Social Security guarantees that people don't have to rely on charity organizations or their children to provide a retirement safety net. This whole issue is just confounding and frustrating to me.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Just where the hell are the morals now?!

Oh how the religious right are unconcerned with the tragedy in the world. They concern themselves with the gay, activist judges, or how TV has lost its morals.. Where are the requests for donations for relief for the tsunami victims? For a minor piece on this check out this page.

Add in the fact that Bush was out trimming the hedges on vacation while the world cried out for aid, and then he decided to give a paltry 35 million (yes, i know we have upped the aid amount.. but not enough). Lord forbid you be a non-white, non-Christian in Bush or the religious right's views.. Because then, you're not worth giving money to help when your need is greatest. But when it comes to a $40 million dollar party.. By gwad, get your boots on, we're going dancin and shakin that there good ole boy GW's hand!

By the way.. Last I checked.. Japan had given more in aid than America.

added: After speaking with the wise sage that is Tom, I would like to add.. I am not impling that American's are not giving, because we all know there are many many private contributions being funneled through many organizations. The Red Cross is quite possibly one of the greatest relief organizations out there, and I definately urge everyone to give something.. Hey, 5 bucks doesn't seem like much, but the wise sage put it this way.. "everyone should donate 5 bucks to the American Red Cross."
Amen, Brother Tom.. Amen.

Adopt this!

Ugh.. Fox is up to their lame programming yet again! The latest moronic idea.. "Who's Your Daddy." A show that brings one blonde air head (see 90% of reality programs for the stereotypical character.. mainly the Bachelor and Bachelorette) to meet with an group of men who could be her father. If she picks the correct one she wins $100K. If not, the "imposter" wins the money. I'm sorry.. But what the hell?! Did someone lose their damn mind here? Making such a mockery of adoption is bad enough.. But then to put a price tag on it is absurd. Luckily there is at least one Fox affiliate that plans on not airing the 90 minute premier. In its place they will show "I Have Roots and Branches: Personal Reflections on Adoption." The whole story can be found here.

This whole show simply smacks of the typical immoral, assine ideas reality TV has become. Hopefully this will send it further into decline, and eventually we won't have to tolerate watching drunken twenty-somethings on MTV make asses of themselves on The Real World (cause having a big house, and great job handed to you is sooo real), or watch rich people get richer working for "The Donald."