October 31, 2004
The Agony of Defeat
Or, we got the trick, they got the treat.
See? This is what happens when I start talking smack...
A triple overtime, heart attack, edge of my seat, pacing the room, screaming obscenities, fist pumping, head slapping, heart breaking defeat.
I should have put money on the game so we would have lost in the usual fashion. 124 to 3 in regulation.
I've never been more depressed after a friggin football game. I know we lost our quarterback in the first half (separated shoulder, ouch.) but to blow a 17 point lead and ultimately lose in 3OT? Sigh. Both teams played so hard. They both wanted this so bad. Michigan made a phenomenal comeback.
But MSU should have won. It's as simple as that. Victory was in their grasp, and they lost it. I feel bad for those Spartan boys. That must have been the longest ride home.
I tried drowning my sorrows in Heineken and Fried Chicken but it didn't work. I'm paying for it this morning.
October 30, 2004
Go Green! Go White!
Flag: Check
Custom Made Sweatshirt: Check
Ratty Old Lucky T-Shirt Under Sweatshirt: Check
Lucky Jeans: Check
Underwear: It's Saturday...
Green and White Classic Adidas: Check
S Hat: Check
S Cozy: Check
Beer for Cozy: Check
Fight Song Football: Where the hell is my football? No! This could be disasterous! Ack!
October 29, 2004
TGImp3F PSA
Rarely do I get into serious political discourse here at Fishwrap Central. I'm a linker not a writer damn it (as demonstrated by my frequent apostrophe abuse.) I fear I lack the ability to be articulate in important matters of the state and debate, though I think most of you know where I stand on the issues. Besides, there are enough political blog pundits out there if that's what you are looking for.
But I have an audience here. About 400 people intentionally come by here everyday. And I feel an obligation to bend your ear a bit this fine Friday.
A lot of people, including myself, have said "I don't care who you vote for, as long as you vote."
I'll tell ya right now, that's bullshit. I care who you vote for! My life, my family, my future depends on it. Another 4 years of George W. Bush scares the living shit out of me.
So I was thinking about this election last night as I lay in bed and I realized, as obvious as it may seem, that on Tuesday the world as I know it will change. For better or worse.
I believe the youth vote will determine the winner of the popular vote, but as we know, the popular vote does not always determine who is elected president. We've seen an amazing number of young people register to vote this year. They are the ones who will be asked to fight and die in the current and future wars of America. They are the ones who might someday be called up in a draft. Don't think that could happen? Think again.
But they are not the only potential voters who understand what's on the line this Tuesday. California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley estimates a 70% voter turnout. That's HUGE!
There is an undercurrent of division, us vs. them, anger, rage and mistrust in this nation. If Bush wins under suspicious circumstances, will there be riots Tuesday night? Will the revolution be televised? Will anarchy unleash itself across this great nation? Will the disenfrancheised masses rise up and fight the powers that be? It's entirely possible.
No matter who is declared the winner on Tuesday, a whole mess of folks are not going to be happy with the result. Cries of voter fraud and ballot tampering will fill the air. The lawyers (as a result of the 2000 election) are wringing their hands and waiting with baited breath to pounce whatever the outcome.
I implore each and every one of you who is registered to vote to GO TO THE POLLS and VOTE on Tuesday. And when you go, look around you. Check your ballot. Watch the process. If you see anything that doesn't seem right, notify the precinct workers immediately. If it's the precinct workers that might be the problem, notify the county immediately. AND if you have the time and resources, do whatever you can do to ensure OTHERS make it to the polls and do the same.
The fate of our nation, of our future, our children - depends on you. A tall order? A heavy responsibility? You bet. But it's your right and your responsibility as an American citizen. You owe it to every fellow American. If you don't vote, you are leaving your fate AND MINE in the hands of others.
So with that said, here's your TGImp3F(s)... A couple of modern day protest songs:
American Idiot - Green Day
Mosh - Eminem (watch the video here. thanks chari)
all mp3 links will expire 7 days after posting
October 28, 2004
Sit and Spin Alley
Must see: Conan O'Brien's Triumph the Insult Dog takes on Spin Alley at the Arizona Debate. 15MB Quicktime and worth every byte!
via Snark Attack
Back attcha GeorgieBoy: Just a One Fingered Victory Salute.
1MB Quicktime
via Fishwrap reader Betsy
Can I talk about it now?
Oh my GOD! Congrats to the Red Sox and all the Boston fans. I've been mum about the whole thing because I truly believed that if I said anything I might actually jinx it. Crazy? Probably, but I'm that way. I have to have the right shirt. The right shoes, the right beverage. As my wife likes to say to me when I'm yelling at the television "Honey? They can't hear you." "I know that, they're wearing helmets!" (okay so that was about football and we stole it from some comedian but it's true! They really can't hear you!)
Oh my FUCKING GOD! They won! I'm still in shock but now that it's all over? I have to say it was a little disappointing. I like a good series. A nail biter. Go to game 7! Put it all on the line... Let it ride. The ALCS? That was riveting. That was the lifting of curse for me. That made my heart swell with Damn the Yankees pride. But the big show? Sigh, they swept the Cards cleaner than Martha sweeps the prison floor. It's hard to get too excited without the DRAMA!
But my hearty congrats go out to all the Sox faithful. You guys never gave up hope. Today is your day. Enjoy!
Holy hell, after this? ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
What's got the butterflies flitting about in my stomach now is this Saturday's Michigan vs. Michigan State game (ABC 3:30pm EDT). After their 51-17 spanking of (formerly #19) Minnesota two weeks ago, this outta be good! And then there's that little election thing on Tuesday.
I believe.
Go State! Go Kerry!
October 27, 2004
Cats and Dogs
Just waiting for the frogs...
We've gotten some serious rain here last night and this morning. Of course, I had to drive into Ontario at 5:30am to take a friend to the airport (cheap bastard - he owes me) and the traffic was insane. I swear people in Southern California drive like complete morons when it rains. Thank god it never snows here or the whole freakin' freeway system would just shut down.
The drive did confirm for me that I desperately need a new vehicle. My '91 Jeep Cherokee is sadly past it's prime. It's got more rattles and mysterious clunks than I care to list. The missus and I are going shopping in a few weeks... which begs the question "What to get, what to get?"
Requirements:
SUV type vehicle (new or used, though new is very enticing)
Decent cargo space
6-8 cyl. automatic
Cloth seats (sounds silly, but leather in the desert sucks IMHO)
Less than $25,000 out the door
So here are some models I am considering:
Used Jeep Cherokee
New Nissan X-Terra
Used Chevy Trailblazer
Used Dodge Durango
Used Toyota 4Runner
I really need to go test drive these babies. I know Jeeps in and out (I've owned 2) but the others, I have no idea. Any thoughts?
October 26, 2004
LOST
Anyone else out there as totally riveted by this show as I am? I've now been sucked into the vortex of usenet groups and fansite boards and I'm happily chewing on the many theories of who/what/where they are! Purgatory? Bermuda Triangle? Twilight Zone? What will happen next?!? Ack! I can't wait! You know where I'll be on Wednesday evenings...
Many thanks to the missus for getting me hooked. This is just one of long list of shows (Sopranos, Deadwood...) that she's nailed from the pilot episode as being a hit. The girl is good!
Tuesday Timewasters
H'ok - funny Nike viral site.
via allied
I really don't know what to say about Bible Recipes. "He's Alive" Buns and Baby Jesus Haystacks? ::shakes head::
via j-walk
Play Road Block. Annoying music, but it's challenging on the higher levels.
Ahh, another soothing game from Orisinal: High Delivery. Use the fan (your mouse) to steer the balloon and collect the roses.
Give Bush a Brain Game.
Map Test How well do you know your lower 48?
October 25, 2004
Monday Morning Surf
Lime Cat made the rounds a long time ago, but I had no idea that there were alternate photos. Oh, the humiliation...
Project Rebrith
"Using time-lapse photography, Project Rebirth is currently documenting the day-by-day rebuilding of the World Trade Center site in New York City."
I had only seen the clips, so I was psyched to find the full Crossfire show with Jon Stewart. Also here is Ashlee Simpson in all her SNL lip-synching glory. I just love the bands smarmy smirks... Busted!
Update: Looks like they pulled the Crossfire video because of bandwidth issues. I saved it, so if you want to see it, email me and I'll send you a link. I'd post it but I fear I might get swamped too.
I think I've linked to it before but FlyGuy is always a pleasant Monday morning distraction.
via the missus
Texas Teet. Of course the pitch is low and away! Check out the girl on the cell phone behind home plate...
sort of not safe for work
One for the guys: Size Matters Dodge commercial.
October 23, 2004
Witch Way to Turn
Double double toil and trouble. Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Dear Abby,
Help! My daughter is a bulldyke. How do I turn her lover into a toad?
via QueerDay
October 22, 2004
Say, are those links ya got there?
As if I needed another reason to go vote: w4prez.com
Play Snake
Or try Treasure Box
Plumbers Butt Caulk - Handy!
Pretty Bird despite the song...
How to annoy just about anybody: Telephone Songs
In other news: The answer to Great Lakes Geography Quiz is indeed that MapQuest took it upon themselves to demote Lake Huron to an "enh, it's okay" lake and sublet the space to Lake Superior, who was looking to expand their greatness into larger markets - Hello, Detroit!. And yes, I should get a prize damn it!
October 20, 2004
Gitche Gumee
I just realized that I have never mentioned what lake we're on in Michigan until that last slideshow, so I did a quick MapQuest and damned if a huge error on that map didn't jump up and whack me on the forehead. I don't know where they get their data, but seriously, it's a fairly large (no pun intended) error. Look at it, see it you can spot it. Consider this a quick Great Lakes geography quiz.
If you can't spot it, I'll post the answer tomorrow. Hint: the title of this post might be your biggest clue.
Perhaps this will help... You know you wanna hear it again. Gives me chills every time.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
In other news: Holy FUCK! The Red Sox won! This may be my last post as I fully expect the Earth to immediately stop spinning on its axis...
Stunning!
Welp, they were right. It was cold. Very cold, lows in the high 20's, never got above about 45º and the winds were fierce. I didn't get to experience a snowfall (not that I'm complaining mind you) but as we were driving back downstate on Monday, we did pass though a blanket of snow on the ground around Gaylord. I think Michigan is in for a mean winter this year.
Though the inclimate weather forced Mom and I to spend most of our time cooped up in the cottage, I did take advantage of a few breaks in the weather to go for a couple for walks and snap some pictures, or "leafing" as I heard someone call it...
The color was not quite at its peak on the lake, and I'm sure there are some of you who live in areas of the country where you actually have this thing called "fall" and you might not be that impressed. But to this desert girl it was a feast for the eyes and almost too much to take in sometimes. I put together a little slide show for ya.
If you have high speed access, I strongly recommend the larger Quicktime files to get the full effect.
Burt Lake Fall 2004:
SuperSized Quicktime 6.9MB (1000x810)
Large Quicktime 4.4MB (640x480)
Small Quicktime 2.9MB (360x270)
(aside to Staz and the Engineer... yup, those chipmunks are Nip and Tuck, storing up for the winter :)
October 12, 2004
Will There Be Penguins Too?
I'm heading back to Michigan tomorrow for a week up north, so before I packed I thought it best to check the weather forecast.
BOING!
[insert cartoon eye-popping here]
High of 38º? Chance of SNOW?
WHAT? For Pete's sake it's only October! I was envisioning slow walks on crisp autumn days with pretty leaves crunching under foot. Not snowshoes and mittens!
Time to dust off those boots and big sweaters. Oh, and probably a coat too. Hrrmm, a coat, now where would that be... I am going to freeze my ass off.
October 11, 2004
We now return...
to our regularly scheduled programming...
I've grown accustom to the fake palm tree cellular towers around here - they're everywhere, but I had no idea they also made fake fir trees too!
It's National Coming Out Day. Hey everyone, I'M GAY! Surprise!
It's gotta be a fake, but the concept is funny: Martha Blogging From Camp Cupcake
Don't Leave a Battery on Your Desk ... more like clean your frickin' room pal!
direct link to .mov
Todays WTF? I don't understand the Japanese.
direct link to imbedded .mov
Weekend Report - I'll make it short (Ha!).
Friday Night, since everyone seemed to be out of town this weekend, Stone and I decided to take it upon ourselves to check out Red 74 in Palm Desert. The write-ups I'd read promised dwarves to greet you at the door, lush and exotic red interior, drag queens and a Cirque du Soleil atmosphere.
Well it was red. There was a midget (sorry Robyn - no pictures), and a drag queen (who has had most of the life sucked out of her), and the only Cirque du Soleil-esque thing there was the actual Cirque du Soleil playing on the video monitors.
In other words, very disappointing. I should have known, it being in a strip mall in Palm Desert and all...
Saturday was American Heat Motorcycle and Hot Rod Weekend when thousands upon thousands of rumbling Harleys pull into town. We went and checked out the festival grounds in the morning. The booths were decent, and there were some tricked out choppers and theme bikes, but sadly a distinct lack of hot-rods (3 maybe 4?). My friend was a tad cranky and began loudly complaining about "the beer bellied red-neck motherfuckers" blah blah blah... until I told him to shut the fuck up before he got us into trouble. It was pretty hot out there during the day so we split early. But I was not to be thwarted in my hell raising fun...
I convinced him to come back with me (only if he brought a better attitude) in the evening when it was much cooler, and much more crowded. Though my friend was still a little complain-y, he ended up having a good time once we downed a few beers and checked out the Motocross Freestyle show.
OMG! I have never seen motocross live. INSANE! They were maybe 20 feet right above us. These kids (and they were just kids!) made my heart go right into my throat. This is why I would never make a good parent. With my luck I'd have a son who'd get into motocross for the sole purpose of giving me a freakin heart attack! They were amazing to watch though. Letting go of the bikes in mid air, flips and tricks ... totally off the hook insane. I literally left there short of breath. We ended up at the casino (right next door) for a couple of beers, no gambling for me, though I have been brushing up on my blackjack. Soon, I'll have money to lose...
Sunday was spent mostly watching football and just kicking back. Grilled some steaks later in the day and had a nice relaxing evening with my girl.
In other news:
Some of you may have noticed the addition of the "Fishwrap To Go" section over there on the right. Yup - I've taken the plunge and now have a Moblog, thanks to my new phone. I don't know how often I'll update it - we'll see.
A Real Hero
I was stunned to open my newspaper this morning and find that Christopher Reeve had died. He was an amazing person with an amazing family. The world has lost a truly, truly courageous man. My condolences go out to his wife Dana.
Superman(It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting
October 07, 2004
Hang in There Chica!
Singer Melissa Etheridge diagnosed with breast cancer, cancels tour
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Singer Melissa Etheridge has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has canceled upcoming tour dates to undergo treatment, her publicist said Thursday.
Etheridge, 43, will undergo surgery and a "speedy and complete recovery" is expected by her doctor, publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement.
The cancer was detected early and Etheridge has been receiving progressive treatment, Pariseau said.
"I am fortunate to be under a wonderful doctor's care and thankful that this was caught early," Etheridge said. "I am looking forward to a quick and full recovery."
Etheridge and actress Tammy Lynn Michaels held a commitment ceremony in September 2003. The musician shares custody of a daughter and son with former partner Julie Cypher, who had the children through artificial insemination using a sperm donation from rocker David Crosby.
The singer will recuperate at her Los Angeles home with Michaels and children.
Etheridge's latest album, "Lucky," was released in February. Refunds for tickets to her upcoming shows will be at the point of purchase.
Do the Mash!
Ya gotta love good mash-ups, where inventive DJs splice (mash) together two juxtaposed songs. Sharp Dressed Supermodel, via Strangely Familiar is fantastic. You bettah WORK!
And just in time for Halloween, check out Smells Like Monster Mash, my favorite of the Monster Mashup Collection.
October 06, 2004
Deja vu all over again
Seems my home state of Michigan wants to be the Florida of 2004 Presidential Election. Check out the absentee ballots that were sent out. Pay close attention to the Presidential section and the arrows... MmmHmm. It's fairly obvious that a vote for Kerry is actually a vote for Bush.
via rons log
Oh, and as Solonor cleverly points out, it's FactCheck.ORG. The website Dick Cheney suggested we all visit last night, Factcheck.COM, actually points to GeorgeSoros.com - a very Anti-Bush site [cough]. Oh, sweet irony.
October 05, 2004
Complex Simplicity
Check out the Naked As We Came video from Iron and Wine. Stunning. You may have to watch it few times to pick up all the subtleties.
Let me finish...
Was Bush being coached during the first debate? Rumors circulate about an earpiece. I thought that "let me finish" thing was odd, but then everything he said was odd.
Then again, it could have been his notes.
October 04, 2004
Weekend Report
Friday Night I just wanted to go have a couple of beers and chill so I ended up at the Ale House with my friend, expert welder and sculptor Stone. Par for the course, we had a few too many beers, did some girl watching, talked about some of his latest projects and bitched about politics. A great way to spend an evening.
Saturday: The second half of the Travel Channel shooting began at the ungodly hour of 6:30 AM. I wasn't feeling my chipperest but I still found it fascinating how they do these shows. In case you didn't know, "the buyers" have already purchased a home before they film these things.
The two guys (yes - gay) were really nice and didn't have anything too negative to say about it. In fact they told me after they were done that had our house been on the market when they were looking, it would have been a tough choice! The negatives they did point out came as no surprise to any of us and were more a matter of taste than a reflection of the home.
With them was their realtor and a contractor/home inspector. Gulp! I was NOT told that a home inspector would be there and for a moment my stomach went up to my throat. Having a your house inspected for a potential buyer is nerve-wracking enough, but to have the inspection go on cable television scared the hell out of me. Everything is up to code etc... but still!
Fortunately, he wasn't there to inspect so much as to just answer questions about what was original to the house etc. and even better, he was really impressed by the attention to detail and care taken in the remodel. And he said so on camera. He even pointed out things I thought would go unnoticed, like the refurbishing of the sliders. I won't say much more, because I don't want to ruin the surprise of watching the show, but based on what I saw and heard I think it's going to be great. But let's see how they edit the thing...
Everything wrapped (that's studio talk) around 11:00AM, just in time to straighten up for the open house. The missus and I decided to skip the open houses this weekend so we headed over to Stones place to check out his latest sculpture.
The thing is about 12 feet tall and totally menacing. Think giant steel "Claw Game" kinda claw that will have pressurized pistons that make the claws go, as he put it in very technical terms, "Kerchunk! Kerchunk!" Very cool, but it looks like it could rip your freakin' head off if you weren't careful.
We were supposed to head over to M Modern for an opening on Saturday night but lethargy got the best of us and we decided to stay home and be sloths. It was nice.
Sunday was another open house, but I spent the morning playing golf with my buddy Lauren. He picked an old favorite course, The Date Palms Country Club, don't let the name fool you, it's a "Manufactured Home Community" - yes a trailer park.
It was the first time I'd been on the links in months and I have to say, I didn't do as poorly as I thought I would. There were a couple of holes I'd rather forget but all in all it was good to be back out there.
It's overseeding time here in the desert, when we switch from Bermuda Grass to a Winter Rye Grass, so the course was in terrible shape, mostly brown and hard as a rock. Most courses around here will be closed the next few weeks so it's probably a good time for me to head out to the driving range to brush up.
The rest of the day was spent watching football (ugh.) and baseball (ugh.) and enjoying a few hopped beverages with friends.
But alas, it's Monday again and I just realized that the tags have expired on the Jeep so lucky me gets to go get a smog check and stand in line at the DMV. Otherwise known as hell on earth. Yay. Pray for me.
Later gators!
Update: I tried to post this in the morning but my cheapass you get what you pay for webhosting service is experiencing "issues" today. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Oh, and the DMV is still the seventh ring of hell but at least I'm street legal now.
