1.31.2009
1.30.2009
breaking news
I, for one, am shocked.
What looked like designer items at bargain prices at a South Bay swap meet were actually knock-offs, according to the DA's office.Next thing you know, they're gonna say that Special Ed cassette I bought in 1989 at the remate in Hanford for $3, you know, the one with the off-center photocopied cover and the blank liner notes, was somehow not the real deal.
mo' 'tussin
Obama, you tried. House Republicans wanted more tax cuts in the stimulus bill. You put in more tax cuts. They wanted to take out money for family planning, so you took out money for family planning. So how many Republican votes did that get you? Zero.
So fuck 'em. Seriously. House Republicans are apparently more concerned with power politics then actually trying to get the national economy out of the funk it is in. It is in their short term interests for Obama's plans to fail. So while they will talk the talk about bipartisanship, they're not really interested in it. They're already thinking about the 2010 elections, and they are willing to sabotage shit in hopes that it fails. Then they can tell the folks back home "Hey, I didn't vote for it." It's a pretty good bet, too, as no one knows if bill will have any effect. But to not even try? To put you and your party's quest for power above the well being of the country? Fuck all y'all.
The laugable part is the House Republicans counterproposal: "more tax cuts". Oh, you mean like the past eight years? Yeah, that worked fantastic. What a broad vision they have. Tax cuts solve any and all problems. It's the Republican version of Robutussin.
The past eight years were a continious shitting of the bed by Republicans. How noble of them to not even try to help clean it up. Assholes.
The bright spot is that we don't need them. Obama will continue to try and court them, because he is a much better person than I am. But it doesn't change the fact that House Republicans are irrelevant. They are the ones who refuse to set aside childlish things.
So fuck 'em. Seriously. House Republicans are apparently more concerned with power politics then actually trying to get the national economy out of the funk it is in. It is in their short term interests for Obama's plans to fail. So while they will talk the talk about bipartisanship, they're not really interested in it. They're already thinking about the 2010 elections, and they are willing to sabotage shit in hopes that it fails. Then they can tell the folks back home "Hey, I didn't vote for it." It's a pretty good bet, too, as no one knows if bill will have any effect. But to not even try? To put you and your party's quest for power above the well being of the country? Fuck all y'all.
The laugable part is the House Republicans counterproposal: "more tax cuts". Oh, you mean like the past eight years? Yeah, that worked fantastic. What a broad vision they have. Tax cuts solve any and all problems. It's the Republican version of Robutussin.
The past eight years were a continious shitting of the bed by Republicans. How noble of them to not even try to help clean it up. Assholes.
The bright spot is that we don't need them. Obama will continue to try and court them, because he is a much better person than I am. But it doesn't change the fact that House Republicans are irrelevant. They are the ones who refuse to set aside childlish things.
1.29.2009
ball
My neice, who, if I haven't already mentioned it is the best person in the world, is a Marine, and was able to attend the Commander-In Chief's Ball on inauguration night.
tweaker
It suddenly dawned upon me that if my beloved Pixie were human, she would:
- be cross-eyed
- have a chipped tooth
- be a slut
- have saggy tits
- be constantly itching
- completely wig out at least once a day
- be very loud and obnoxious
1.28.2009
yum
Circle K.
Christmas Day, 2008.
Ventura, CA.
Fresh Bananas! (Gnats not included)
Scrumptious moldy pastries!
Christmas Day, 2008.
Ventura, CA.
Fresh Bananas! (Gnats not included)
Scrumptious moldy pastries!
1.26.2009
boulevard park trio - civic pride ep (1994) [yah mo's, !!!]
Released in '94 on one of my favorite labels ever, the Sacramento-centric Secret Center (maybe the only punk label to put out cassingles). It's your basic lo-fi, garage surf. This is a nice little record to have, considering members went on to be in bands like the Yah Mo's, FM Knives, !!!, and Out Hud.
1.25.2009
how republicans see the world
This is the kind of thing that makes them sad.
A woman who gets paid $20,000 from her ex, lives in a $2.7 million dollar home with a $12,000 a month mortgage, and has all her bills paid by a rich boyfriend.
We can all relate to that, right? Poor thing. We just need to get some bailout money to her, because she obviously deserves it.
Also, Ben Stein is in ass.
A woman who gets paid $20,000 from her ex, lives in a $2.7 million dollar home with a $12,000 a month mortgage, and has all her bills paid by a rich boyfriend.
We can all relate to that, right? Poor thing. We just need to get some bailout money to her, because she obviously deserves it.
Also, Ben Stein is in ass.
1.24.2009
hair metal
A while back, Yahoo ranked the 25 best and worst hair metal bands. Now, I was a teenage metalhead, so every one of these bands is very familiar to me, and of course I have opinions on the matter.
Highlighted are bands who I owned tapes of (flea market tapes count), italicized are bands I saw live, and in some cases, am still trying to forget. I'm looking at you, Vixen.
THE 25 BEST HAIR METAL BANDS
25) Winger (suuuuuuuck)
24) L.A. Guns (they were okay, way overrated though)
23) Queensryche (Op Mindcrime and before, yes)
22) Enuff Z'Nuff (that's what I'd say 5 seconds into any of their songs)
21) Hanoi Rocks (I don't really consider them a hair band)
20) Angel (the band I'm least familiar with, cuz they were BO-RING)
19) Loverboy (Get Lucky was good, everything else sucked)
18) Faster Pussycat (yes)
17) Bon Jovi (they probably belong, but they ruined everything and I hated them for it)
16) RATT (one of my faves, they belong)
15) Quiet Riot (post Metal Health sucked)
14) Kix (although people know Blow My Fuse, Midnight Dynamite is what gets 'em on my best list)
13) Vixen (repulsive*)
12) Scorpions (yes, belongs)
11) Cinderella (yes, belongs)
10) Twisted Sister (eh, never did it for me, although as a friend points out, half of their songs could have been Cock Sparrer oi songs).
9) Spinal Tap (funny as hel, but not a legit band)
8) Motley Crue (I would say they get the number one slot)
7) Ozzy Osbourne (not a big fan, but yeah, belongs)
6) Kiss (I worshipped KISS in the first grade, that tells you something)
5) Aerosmith (yeah, I guess)
4) Def Leppard (pre-Hysteria, yes. I still dig High N Dry)
3) New York Dolls (not a fan, but okay)
2) Van Halen (pre-Hagar, vies with Crue for #1, with Hagar/Cherone, one of the worst)
1) Guns n' Roses (also a challenger for #1)
THE 25 WORST HAIR METAL BANDS
25) Mr. Big (terrible band, rivaled by Bad English)
24) Y&T (nope, one of the best)
23) Bang Tango (not a bad band at all)
22) Shotgun Messiah (horrific*)
21) Lizzy Borden (do not belong on this list, I played the shit out of Visual Lies)
20) Trixter (shitty)
19) Danger Danger (awful*)
18) Autograph (opened for Motley Crue at my first concert, so I have a soft spot)
17) Dokken (one of the best)
16) Bulletboys (eh, they weren't that bad. plus they got "Smooth Up In Ya" into the lexicon)
15) Lita Ford (never liked, but doesn't deserve to be on here)
14) Stryper (absolutely one of the worst, and I owned multiple albums)
13) Great White (yeah, they sucked)
12) Slaughter (near the top of the worst)
11) Giuffria (boring, can't even remember one of their songs)
10) White Lion (yeah, pretty awful, but I was sucked into purchasing it based on "Wait", plus the cool album cover)
9) Damn Yankees (a fucking disaster)
8) Warrant (blew goats)
7) Bad English (apalling*)
6) Europe (dreadful*)
5) Whitesnake (along with Bon Jovi, made hair metal mainstream, so fuck them)
4) W.A.S.P. (nooooo! WASP was rad, there was no better way to be a 7th grade rebel that to wear your WASP codpiece pin on your Member's Only jacket, even if Blackie Lawless turned out to be a lame conservative fuckwad)
3) Extreme (ghastly*)
2) Skid Row (what? one of the best)
1) Poison (this + Skid Row + Dokken = dude who made this list was not actually into hair metal. Like 'em or not, are you gonna seriously deny that shit wasn't catchy as fuck? Never mind that my BFF Mark originally bought the tape before they got big because of the "hot chicks" on the cover, there's no way they were close to the worst.)
Bands who should be on the best list, yet aren't on either list: Black N Blue (probably the most overlooked hair band in history. I have no idea why they weren't huge), Rough Cutt (Paul Shortino's vocals ruled), Dirty Looks (you've never heard of them, but trust me), Tesla (we're talking strictly Mechanical Resonance here, that was a great album), Loudness (or to be politically incorrect, Rowdness).
Looking back, it's all pretty cheesy (although a LOT of people actually thought this was evil, satanic stuff - I'm looking at you, rest of Lemoore not in my clique and not regulars at The Wall). Hanoi Rocks, the New York Dolls, and G&R are the only ones who come close to surviving the test of time. So I'm judging this from through the lens of me at 15. And me at 15 needs to go so he can stay up all night watching Night Flight.
*Props to thesaurus.com
Highlighted are bands who I owned tapes of (flea market tapes count), italicized are bands I saw live, and in some cases, am still trying to forget. I'm looking at you, Vixen.
THE 25 BEST HAIR METAL BANDS
25) Winger (suuuuuuuck)
24) L.A. Guns (they were okay, way overrated though)
23) Queensryche (Op Mindcrime and before, yes)
22) Enuff Z'Nuff (that's what I'd say 5 seconds into any of their songs)
21) Hanoi Rocks (I don't really consider them a hair band)
20) Angel (the band I'm least familiar with, cuz they were BO-RING)
19) Loverboy (Get Lucky was good, everything else sucked)
18) Faster Pussycat (yes)
17) Bon Jovi (they probably belong, but they ruined everything and I hated them for it)
16) RATT (one of my faves, they belong)
15) Quiet Riot (post Metal Health sucked)
14) Kix (although people know Blow My Fuse, Midnight Dynamite is what gets 'em on my best list)
13) Vixen (repulsive*)
12) Scorpions (yes, belongs)
11) Cinderella (yes, belongs)
10) Twisted Sister (eh, never did it for me, although as a friend points out, half of their songs could have been Cock Sparrer oi songs).
9) Spinal Tap (funny as hel, but not a legit band)
8) Motley Crue (I would say they get the number one slot)
7) Ozzy Osbourne (not a big fan, but yeah, belongs)
6) Kiss (I worshipped KISS in the first grade, that tells you something)
5) Aerosmith (yeah, I guess)
4) Def Leppard (pre-Hysteria, yes. I still dig High N Dry)
3) New York Dolls (not a fan, but okay)
2) Van Halen (pre-Hagar, vies with Crue for #1, with Hagar/Cherone, one of the worst)
1) Guns n' Roses (also a challenger for #1)
THE 25 WORST HAIR METAL BANDS
25) Mr. Big (terrible band, rivaled by Bad English)
24) Y&T (nope, one of the best)
23) Bang Tango (not a bad band at all)
22) Shotgun Messiah (horrific*)
21) Lizzy Borden (do not belong on this list, I played the shit out of Visual Lies)
20) Trixter (shitty)
19) Danger Danger (awful*)
18) Autograph (opened for Motley Crue at my first concert, so I have a soft spot)
17) Dokken (one of the best)
16) Bulletboys (eh, they weren't that bad. plus they got "Smooth Up In Ya" into the lexicon)
15) Lita Ford (never liked, but doesn't deserve to be on here)
14) Stryper (absolutely one of the worst, and I owned multiple albums)
13) Great White (yeah, they sucked)
12) Slaughter (near the top of the worst)
11) Giuffria (boring, can't even remember one of their songs)
10) White Lion (yeah, pretty awful, but I was sucked into purchasing it based on "Wait", plus the cool album cover)
9) Damn Yankees (a fucking disaster)
8) Warrant (blew goats)
7) Bad English (apalling*)
6) Europe (dreadful*)
5) Whitesnake (along with Bon Jovi, made hair metal mainstream, so fuck them)
4) W.A.S.P. (nooooo! WASP was rad, there was no better way to be a 7th grade rebel that to wear your WASP codpiece pin on your Member's Only jacket, even if Blackie Lawless turned out to be a lame conservative fuckwad)
3) Extreme (ghastly*)
2) Skid Row (what? one of the best)
1) Poison (this + Skid Row + Dokken = dude who made this list was not actually into hair metal. Like 'em or not, are you gonna seriously deny that shit wasn't catchy as fuck? Never mind that my BFF Mark originally bought the tape before they got big because of the "hot chicks" on the cover, there's no way they were close to the worst.)
Bands who should be on the best list, yet aren't on either list: Black N Blue (probably the most overlooked hair band in history. I have no idea why they weren't huge), Rough Cutt (Paul Shortino's vocals ruled), Dirty Looks (you've never heard of them, but trust me), Tesla (we're talking strictly Mechanical Resonance here, that was a great album), Loudness (or to be politically incorrect, Rowdness).
Looking back, it's all pretty cheesy (although a LOT of people actually thought this was evil, satanic stuff - I'm looking at you, rest of Lemoore not in my clique and not regulars at The Wall). Hanoi Rocks, the New York Dolls, and G&R are the only ones who come close to surviving the test of time. So I'm judging this from through the lens of me at 15. And me at 15 needs to go so he can stay up all night watching Night Flight.
*Props to thesaurus.com
snap krackle drop / those meddling kids split (1995)
Don't know a lot about these two bands, just that they were from Arizona, and this split intrigued me enough to get it in '96 (I love cover songs). SKD does a Phil Collins cover, while TMK take on The Cars.
DOWNLOAD
1.23.2009
it's a hard knock life
This is Pixie's preferred method of sleep, especially when combined with an ultra-plush blanket. If you could peek under there, the cuteness would make you vomit. And yeah, I'm a little jealous of the little bitch.
snicker
I am sure Tide's charity does great work. But they gotta rethink the name.
Or, conversely, I could grow up.
Or, conversely, I could grow up.
so far, so good
I like this guy.
Close Guantanamo? Check.
Close foreign "black site" prisons? Check.
Prohibit torture and waterboarding? Check.
In one day, partially re-establish the moral standing of the United States? Check.
Close Guantanamo? Check.
Close foreign "black site" prisons? Check.
Prohibit torture and waterboarding? Check.
In one day, partially re-establish the moral standing of the United States? Check.
1.22.2009
ulterior motives
Yglesias:
Israel launches a war in Gaza that’s allegedly supposed to weaken Hamas. Then Israel declares victory, even though the war has in fact strengthened Hamas and weakened Fatah. Then thanks to Fatah’s weakened position, it’s impossible to forge a unity government. But absent a unity government, it’s unreasonable for Israel to negotiate—Q.E.D.! It puts one in a mind of the time when it was impossible with Israel to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority because it was run by a corrupt and incompetent Fatah. No negotiations until political reform! Then when the elections were held, it turned out that the opposition—Hamas—won. And then Israel couldn’t negotiate with Hamas!
Naiiiiiled it.
Taken in isolation, each of these positions has a patina of reasonableness but the overall pattern is of a government that’s much more interested in finding reasons to forever-forestall negotiations—expanding settlements all the while—than in finding a route to peace.
1.21.2009
pung - state of the youth (1997)
Really, really good, if under appreciated, mid-90's punk. The more popular I Hate Myself rose from their ashes, but this is way, way better if you ask me. You didn't, but well, there ya go.
1. I Am As Pathetic As I Think I Am
2. Pung's State of the Youth Address
3. Don't Step to the Pung
4. Eating Leftovers Alone
5. The Specialist
2. Pung's State of the Youth Address
3. Don't Step to the Pung
4. Eating Leftovers Alone
5. The Specialist
test
Testing to see how blogger handles widescreen video. Since youtube and blogger are google products, they should work fine, right?
1.20.2009
economy soundtrack
Dillinger Four - "Fired-Side Chat"
Did you hear the latest one
About the footprints on your back
About how they lied
About how they stole
To keep each other in the black
I really wonder when it all comes down
Who will be dancing at the finish line
Ten to one it'll be the ones without a spine
Once again the truth fades into extinction
Short and sweet, this might burn a little now
It burns a little now
I've stopped looking for the medicine
I've stopped thinking it won't happen again
It's one thing to accept it
Another thing to let it catch you from behind
To shake you down
To live with it
And not make a sound
I've stopped looking for the medicine
I'm so sick that we're surprised
Everytime we're shown that power corrupts
Thump our chests at the man on the screen
Cursing the green
Tell ourselves that enough is enough
Another day
Another dollar
Another way to live with a life so intolerable
Did you hear the latest one
About the footprints on your back
About how they lied
About how they stole
To keep each other in the black
I really wonder when it all comes down
Who will be dancing at the finish line
Ten to one it'll be the ones without a spine
Once again the truth fades into extinction
Short and sweet, this might burn a little now
It burns a little now
I've stopped looking for the medicine
I've stopped thinking it won't happen again
It's one thing to accept it
Another thing to let it catch you from behind
To shake you down
To live with it
And not make a sound
I've stopped looking for the medicine
I'm so sick that we're surprised
Everytime we're shown that power corrupts
Thump our chests at the man on the screen
Cursing the green
Tell ourselves that enough is enough
Another day
Another dollar
Another way to live with a life so intolerable
1.19.2009
inauguration soundtrack
Buh bye, W.
Dillinger Four - Contemplate This On The Tree Of Woe
These obvious manipulations
Predicated on the basis of morals
The unseen eyes, so careless in their calculations
Forever washing the blood from their hands
With an appetite insatiable
Forced down your throat, demand your full attention
Forging their way, no sorrow, no sense of shame
Eyes to the floor
Didn't we see this coming?
Five bitter years, this lie is indefensible
Countless bitter tears, and more shed every day
But there's a change coming on
We gotta right these f**king wrongs
They can cover their ears
But we won't stop screaming!
The mighty fall, this curtain's coming down
Sputtering excuses for the mess they brought us all
Keep them inside, maybe we can block the exits
How do they live with this blood on their hands
With an appetite insatiable
Forced down your throat, demand your full attention
Forging their way, no sorrow, no sense of shame
Eyes to the floor
Didn't we see this coming?
Five bitter years, this lie is indefensible
Countless bitter tears, and more shed every day
But there's a change coming on
We gotta right these f**king wrongs
They can cover their ears
But we won't stop screaming!
Did we turn and look the other way?
While our fates were sealed and plans were made
Did we choose to stop this run-a-way train
And it just kept on rolling
Deception is what brought us here
Now truth will end the fear
This cross road lies before us now
And the world watches our every move
While we choose which way to go
We still have so much left to lose.
Dillinger Four - Contemplate This On The Tree Of Woe
These obvious manipulations
Predicated on the basis of morals
The unseen eyes, so careless in their calculations
Forever washing the blood from their hands
With an appetite insatiable
Forced down your throat, demand your full attention
Forging their way, no sorrow, no sense of shame
Eyes to the floor
Didn't we see this coming?
Five bitter years, this lie is indefensible
Countless bitter tears, and more shed every day
But there's a change coming on
We gotta right these f**king wrongs
They can cover their ears
But we won't stop screaming!
The mighty fall, this curtain's coming down
Sputtering excuses for the mess they brought us all
Keep them inside, maybe we can block the exits
How do they live with this blood on their hands
With an appetite insatiable
Forced down your throat, demand your full attention
Forging their way, no sorrow, no sense of shame
Eyes to the floor
Didn't we see this coming?
Five bitter years, this lie is indefensible
Countless bitter tears, and more shed every day
But there's a change coming on
We gotta right these f**king wrongs
They can cover their ears
But we won't stop screaming!
Did we turn and look the other way?
While our fates were sealed and plans were made
Did we choose to stop this run-a-way train
And it just kept on rolling
Deception is what brought us here
Now truth will end the fear
This cross road lies before us now
And the world watches our every move
While we choose which way to go
We still have so much left to lose.
dreamland
I must be dreaming. I read that Jim from The Office is directing a movie based on David Foster Wallace's excellent book of short stories, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
("More pussy than a toliet seat, man"). That's preposterous. No way that's true. To make this dream even weirder, the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. Yeah, right, like that'll ever happen. To top it off, in my dream, right now, I'm blogging about the preposterous-ness of the very dream I'm having. Crazy! Meta!
Oh well, I'll be awake soon, and I'll get a kick telling SC about my strange dream.
("More pussy than a toliet seat, man"). That's preposterous. No way that's true. To make this dream even weirder, the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. Yeah, right, like that'll ever happen. To top it off, in my dream, right now, I'm blogging about the preposterous-ness of the very dream I'm having. Crazy! Meta!Oh well, I'll be awake soon, and I'll get a kick telling SC about my strange dream.
1.18.2009
prop 8, the musical
I'm probably the last one in America to see this, but that doesn't make it not-funny.
1.16.2009
commodore 64
Well, I guess I know how I'm going to spend the bulk of 2009.
Too bad there's no Hardball III or Jumpman Junior.
But on the plus side...Pengo!! Xevious!!
Too bad there's no Hardball III or Jumpman Junior.
But on the plus side...Pengo!! Xevious!!
1.15.2009
i found the simple life ain't so simple
I want to french kiss the internet.
- Take David Lee Roth's isolated vocal track from Running With The Devil.
- Add Microsoft's Songsmith software, which is designed to automatically improv some awful/awesome MIDI-ish music to any vocal track.
- You get this.
1.14.2009
1.13.2009
all the very best
Only one more week!
President Bush:
President Bush:
"I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And I wish him all the very best."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009
1.11.2009
chargers-steelers
San Diego is certainly not impressive today, but the results of this game so far have a lot more to do with Pittsburgh being really good than San Diego sucking (although their third down defense did indeed suck). The outcome is pretty clear at the moment (end of 3rd Quarter: It's going to take a minor miracle for the Chargers to change the momentum of this game. But it's hard to get too upset when the better team dominates.
Oh well, a shitty season was somewhat redeemed. I'd still like to see Norv go, but the chances of that happening have been greatly diminshed with the late season run. But the hardest part about the end of the Chargers season is what comes next: The Padres season. Not looking forward to that at all.
Oh well, a shitty season was somewhat redeemed. I'd still like to see Norv go, but the chances of that happening have been greatly diminshed with the late season run. But the hardest part about the end of the Chargers season is what comes next: The Padres season. Not looking forward to that at all.
chemical warfare
JERUSALEM – Human Rights Watch said Sunday that Israel's military has fired artillery shells with the incendiary agent white phosphorus into Gaza and a doctor there said the chemical was suspected in the case of 10 burn victims who had skin peeling off their faces and bodies.
But I'm sure the white phosphorus injures only "gunmen" and "militants".
pink panther
Am I the only one who as a child was hopelessly confused by the Pink Panther movies? I remember seeing them on HBO, and sitting there baffled, wondering when in the fuck the cartoon was going to start.
1.09.2009
movies
Will Leitch has quickly become my favorite movie reviewer. He does a far better job doing part-time, for free (as far as I know), what many hacks make a career out of.
1.07.2009
hamas gunman
Or "militant", or "terrorist", or whatever term the Israeli army chooses to use. He (or she) is Palestinian, so you don't have to hurt your brain thinking about these things. You've got Tivo'd House episodes to watch, after all.
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