merry everyone

merry christmas, y'all

retro seasonal

some songs for writing

nothing in english.

MEH

meh

more throwback comedy

an inspiration

a man just spoke in a park in Chicago,
a psalmist echoing affirmation,
detailing a litany of adversity-
challenges met by a people undivided

grown men wept as dreams were realized
as a man spoke in a park in Chicago

the weight of the world held aloft by hope
public men were humbled
and a new day dawned at midnight
as a man spoke in a park in Chicago

some chapin

So, I felt like putting up a video of Harry Chapin singing a song called dreams go by but I couldn't find it on you tube so here is the audio
I also thought of another song that was on the tube of you. It is called Story of a Life. I hope you like it, if you don't....

everybody needs a medley

political periphery

So, if you listen carefully, you will note that behind the din of quasi-political rhetoric spewed forth by the obnoxious talking-point parrot pundits, is a barely audible chorus of of intellect. Yes, there are a few left amid the legion of commentators that can still think AND speak.
Though, I often disagree with their conclusions, I hold in high esteem the arguments of scarce few of the talking heads that have maintained their integrity. Such craft is a rare thing. More often, politicians and pundits alike, forgo the clarity of a sound argument in favor of a sound bite. The systematic logic that I admire seems all but lost in this day of bumper sticker policy.
So I was terribly saddened when I read of P.J. O'Rourke's recent diagnosis of cancer.

Fortunately, his prognosis is favorable and he will again rejoin the company of George Will, Robert Reich and Joe Klein. His sarcasm and wit have also been spared and I am glad that they now extend to his ponderings of the metaphysical.
Get well soon, Mr. O'Rourke. Prayers and Whiskey.

life is a series of compromises

so, seriously, consider, for a moment, the bagel. you know you would prefer a donut, but you should have some bran flakes (remember what the doctor said about cholesterol?). So you go for the bagel. (you could have tried the huge muffin, but come on) So you eat something that sort of resembles a donut and you feel a little better about yourself (because you don't acknowledge the impact of the pumpkin flavored cream cheese.)
Right?
what?
You really prefer the bagel?
well, fine, you can think that all you want, but I know I would rather have a jelly donut and if it was served on a bed of bacon, all the better.
But I think there is something to this compromise thing any way.

David Sedaris Delivers Pizza

So, Finally a youtube vdeo that answetrs the old question, what would it be like to hae dinner brought to you by an NPR personality.

Next week: washing the dishes with Teri Gross

today is Harpo's birthday

so,

harpo's birthday is coming up...

more music charts
may contain grouchist exaggeration.

lightning round:

So, a bunch of thoughts...
-took a new career out for a test drive. turns out that gross, dangerous and scary beats the living daylights out of dull, familiar, and quasi-familial

-palin: scary and dangerous, but in a bad way. gives non-answer answers. censorship. we don't need more shooting from the hip. informed decision making only please.

-media: stop with the thing about the kid having a kid. sure its juicy but i need you to focus, OK?

-did some exterior painting and caulking...looks better in dim light, but still an improvement.

-Saturdays: mrs honeyface has clinicals all day. the dude will take the opportunity to sit around and eat junk food.

-bill maher show: better guests please. the eastern bit of the nation is teaming with pundits that can hold a heady entertaining conversation. garofalo makes me more sympathetic to conservatives. stop with the divisive personal crap. also please note distinction between conservatives and neo-cons.

-fannie and freddie. i told you so. and that was years ago and i'm not even that bright.

upcoming projects: patch wall and hang paintings in living room. rearrange furniture. also, develop new energy source in garage.

a bit of Laurie and Fry

So all this convention stuff has me feeling a bit patriotic. So here are some brits.

and this one is a bit of the funny as well

What if.... McCain miscue edition

So, imagine...
The McCain confusion over who's who and what's what continues all the way to the oval office... Could we see this headline?
MCCAIN CALLS FOR MILITARY DEFEAT OF BALABAN

actor Bob Balaban seen here not hurting anyone.

just checkin in

So, Its been a while, I've been distracted, and I still am. Here is a little Edward Hopper (of Nighthawks fame). more soon.

On cinematic bloodletting

So if blood freaks you out or you have even a mild case of Hemophobia, just stop reading right now. go look at this or something.

SO I have been taking this phlebotomy (from the Greek "phleb" meaning vein and "otomy" meaning trying not to splash) class and it has gotten me thinking about blood in movies. I am not talking here about the gushing gore of slasher films, but about the use of blood ad bleeding in pop-cinema.

Reservoir Dogs- Ok I now this is a pretty graphic, even gratuitous example of exsanguination but Tim Roth owns it. And Harvey Keitel's conflicted cradling gives pause.

The Natural- this is subtlety. Roy Hobbs is about to knock the lights out and go back to the farm for the story book ending but first has to get past the pain, the scars from so long ago, from before he "got a little side-tracked."

Young Sherlock Holmes- yes Holmes, that damn cut from Rathe never seems to heal. but you need the image to strike a chord.

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade- River Phoenix explains both Harrison Fords chin scar and his affinity for the bullwhip.

Psycho- Hitchcock understand his medium and pours Hershey syrup down the bathtub drain (the only time in history that such behavior is accepatable)

The Untouchables- Sean Connery is mortally wouned after accusing one of his assailants of bringing a knife to a gun fight and then gets mowed down, but still crawls accross the floor as his cardigan gets soaked,
to share some final thought with Elliott Ness. And honorable mention to the bat at the dinner table scene

Code names

So Honeyface and i watched Vantage Point last night. We both found it entertaining and enjoyable, but one thing struck me about the prtrayal of the Secret Service: the lack of imagination regarding the President's code name. Vantage Point chose only to call the President POTUS. I have always found the Secret Service fascinating especially when it comes to their blatant lack of secrecy. Sure, as a bracnch of the Treasury, they do a bunch of covert, under-cover work to deal with couterfeiting and the like, but when it comes to protecting the President, They really go in for the overt. They want you to know that big dudes with big guns are all about. These guys are not posing as spectators, but are prominently looking, not at the dignitary, but at the crowd. And they are even forthright when it comes to the codenames of the folks they are protecting.
In film and literature, we have seen the President code named Traveler (In the line of Fire), Eagle (West Wing) and Swordsman (Tom Clancy novels). In real life they have given names Lancer and Lace to JFK and Jackie; Rawhide to Reagan; and Halo to JPII. But some of these names are, well, hilarious. Bush2 is also known as Tumbler. Nancy Reagan was Rainbow, Al Gore was Sawhorse, Ted Kennedy was Sunburn, Barbara Bush was Snowbank, and Frank Sinatra was Napoleon. Of course the best is the name given to Prince Charles: Unicorn.
So Honeyface and i decided to think up some code names for eachother. Here is what I have so far for her: Nightingale - Blue Bonnet - Espresso - Pooky Lumps - Gadiva - Straightener - Cocoa Bean - Accountant - Charlemagne - Giggler - Argyle - Alabaster - Demander - Cuddler - Sharps -Sugar Cookie.

my bro-in-law is awesome

So, I just wanted to share this memory...

bad ideas i've had

So, sometimes I am hit with these flashes of moronic or depraved inspiration. I am in the shower or at work or sitting on the couch and suddenly the cosmic forces align in the scar tissue of my mind and i am illuminated. Unfortunately, these eureka moments are informed, not by the oracles of brilliance, but by the ramblings of a lunatic.
Take for instance my idea of the "plenger" where the plunger meets the blender to restore free flow to even the toughest clogs in your drain. Problem: how do you clean the damn thing?
These ideas do not confine themselves to potential products available only on TV, touted by Billie Mayes. No, they also involve the entertainment industry, take this unlikely Paul Rudd, Hugh Laurie, Gwen Stefani vehicle: a musical in the style of Across the Universe but featuring the music of Burt Bacharach. It is the story of a love triangle, where one of the male leads (not sure which yet) is a stalking serial killer. we begin with the killer meeting our leading lady and breaking into Walk on By. we continue with the girl, whose cat has become stuck up a tree and is save by our hero whilst he croons Whats new Pussycat. Back to our antagonist, the serial killer lamenting of his unrequited love, longing to be Close to You. Back to the hero who is Wishin' and Hopin'. Back to the killer, now dismembering someone in a gory, sloppy mess as bloody Raindrops Keep Falling on his Head. Now he, the killer, abducts the girl, and while they make their way across country he explains that What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love. The hero pursues hitching a ride with a trucker (Jack Black cameo) who gets lost and has to ask Do you Know the Way to San Jose? When the hero catches up, he is also captured byt the killer who and the two expalin the predicament to the girl in a duet version of This Guy's in Love With You. The girl is terrified that her true love will fall victime to the killer's rage and tries to encourage the hero I Say a Little Prayer for You. The killer warns the hero to Make it Easy on Yourself, but his dastardly plans are foiled and the girl tells the hero Thats what Friends are For. And as we leave the happy couple all is not well because as they try to go on with their life together they find that ther is Always Something There to Remind Me.
So that is why I should keep my ideas mostly to myself.

twilight benny

This is classic.

more art

These are by Brent Lynch

Todd Jones: Method Actor

this is awesome:

News Crisis or Flatulence Reference?

"Gas Shortage"

"Strained Economy"

"Clean Air Act"

"Wind Brakes Turbines"

"Tomatoes: Friend or Foe?"

"The Wind Beneath My Wings"

"The Winds of Change"

"Rumblings in Capitol"

"Bean Futures Plummet"

"Nation Divided Over Air Travel"

"Residents Feel Pressure"

"Natural Gas Can Be Affordable Option"

When accepting invitations, consider

Lord Stanley's Cup!

h pitty

more art

'cause ya don't get enough...





OK maybe you do get enough but still, I am trying to be e-social and not bitter and whiney, so...art. QED

L'Empire des Lumieres

Both by Rene Magritte

brief words

So its been a while. The recent tidal fluxuations have bade me stay away.
So honeyface has started nurse-school. I have been transferred to the downtown hovel. Something new soon.

I am not offended if you skip anything you dont want to listen to.

oh, by the way, the second song is the ass ponys covering "all by myself" which i think is originally by gilbert o. sullivan...but i could be wrong. and here is a little extra ass ponys for ya, cause its the weekend and i myself want to see it. i wish i had a less selfish reason, but alas...

The walkens are a tolerant tribe

Indy Lumps

Happy Birthday, John and Paul

Congratulations, Buddies!

List of words

These all sound naughty, but are completely acceptable in polite company. and therein lies my bemusement:
-subpoena
-angina
-analgesic
-diorama
-buttress
-titular
-Microsoft
-Aretha
-cul-de-sac
-niblick
-peonies
-shih tzu
-shiitake
-succulent
-craptastic

a touch of nilsson for ya

So, when I was just a kid, this was one of my favorite songs. Strangely, unlike many other childhood opinions, the years have not dimished the affection I hold for this little ditty about an odd kid and his dog. Stranger still is the innocent, unironic appreciation and enjoyment this song still brings.

Many thanks, Mr Nilsson.

story about the D on a radio show I like

http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2008/04/listener_checks_in_hanging_on.html

in case you were wondering...

Yes...I do love new socks.

and also you might want to see some pics of my sister and new brother

Congrats, you crazy kids.

signs that things have gone too far

I try to answer truthfully when people ask how i am.
I spend more than five minutes a day comparing the merits of varying cable news networks
kroger-brand
I have to use portions of my brain to try to decide which dvd player is less broken
my job is copying numbers by hand
billy mays
I might have to shovel snow on Easter
the major political parties lately seem to have more in common with religious cults than with schools of philosophy
I forgot how funny Bubble Boy is
Cheney
puppies
the warm comfort of Hebrews 12:6
filigree
Lord Byron
buying factory direct
Army surplus
arugala

Crap is the new gold

SO inappropriate

messy-potamia

So we seem to be suddenly enroilled in a cleanliness quagmire. It all started with the canine committee (representatives from Indiana and Delaware) "passing" an "authorization bill" on the couch. This was earlier this morning and I am at least glad that the pup did not try to "table" the measure.
We seemed to have actionable intelligence on the "stock pile of missiles" and immediately deployed the unmanned spot bot to combat the mess under the theory that "if I don't clean it up there (the couch) I will surely have to clean it up here (my hands and clothes)." It seemed that the mission had been accomplished: the couch was again safe for democracy (sitting on) and some of those involved were captures and detained briefly.

We could not have known at the time that the couch was couched in a conspiracy of untidiness that would last well into the night. One of the dogs exploded a pen and we agreed that the best course of action was a surge in our housekeeping forces. Initially the surge seemed to be working and then one of the dogs got into the green zone and attacked a bystander with a "spew-a-cide bomb," leaving at least one civilian nearby covered in puppy puke. Luckily the spot bot was already on the scene and reaction was immediate. Recent reports indicate that a can of store-brand diet orange soda may have been involved with yet another couch decleanification. All we can say for sure is that the spot bot will not be put away any time soon.

Meg is 21!

And happy birthday to mom as well

which goes first?

the salad or the pasta?
the milk or the eggs?
the bread or the chips?
the eyes or the mind?
the brakes or the radiator?
the cable or the internet?
the phone lines or the powerlines?
the beer or the punch?
the light bulb or the candle?
the dynasty or the legacy?

and now here is the kung fu infant:

My Morning with Barack

My morning of Thursday, February 28, 2008 was spent watching Barack Obama speak in Austin about his future plans for our economy.

I have many pictures of the event so if you would like to see them I openly encourage you to do so via my flickr page