2 + 2 does not make three...but baby does.
My wife and I have been blessed with the arrival of our first child, a beautiful baby girl, earlier this week. So please excuse me as I leave blood uncle Sixthdoctor and honorary aunt CmdrSue and uncles C. Franz and Lucretius to be brilliant and battle the forces of evil day-in and day-out over the internets while I explore the joys of burpin' and ticklin' our li'l boo-boo...
Happy Holidays everybody!
20 December 2006
What a disgrace.
Recent personal changes well-known to my friends and family have cut into my blogging time, but I must just say that Virgil Goode's idiotic comments, of which he seems to be proud for some unfathomable reason, are shameful and disgusting, betray his woeful ignorance of immigration law (how are his proposed immigration law changes supposed to stop the election of a United States citizen to Congress?), and do not represent my views or the views of a lot of people I know in his district. In between the two hundred things I must juggle now I hope to compose him a letter to tell him this.
Which his staff will probably promptly throw away.
Recent personal changes well-known to my friends and family have cut into my blogging time, but I must just say that Virgil Goode's idiotic comments, of which he seems to be proud for some unfathomable reason, are shameful and disgusting, betray his woeful ignorance of immigration law (how are his proposed immigration law changes supposed to stop the election of a United States citizen to Congress?), and do not represent my views or the views of a lot of people I know in his district. In between the two hundred things I must juggle now I hope to compose him a letter to tell him this.
Which his staff will probably promptly throw away.
10 December 2006
Just like the Prodigal Son, they've returned, anyone steppin' to them'll get burned...
C. Franz has just come back after a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
ooooooooooooooooooooong absence, and Lucretius, after disappearing off the face of the earth in order to, and I'm just guessing, mind you, go on a spiritual journey, supporting himself in the interm by participating in Malaysian pit fights, has returned with a brand new blog!
Welcome back, homeslices!
C. Franz has just come back after a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-
ooooooooooooooooooooong absence, and Lucretius, after disappearing off the face of the earth in order to, and I'm just guessing, mind you, go on a spiritual journey, supporting himself in the interm by participating in Malaysian pit fights, has returned with a brand new blog!
Welcome back, homeslices!
12 November 2006
Why, look at this, another Top Ten!
Because you gotta listen to something while you're doing your happy dance.
10. PIL, "Acid Drops"
9. Goo Goo Dolls, "Broadway"
8. Frank Black, "If Your Poison Gets You" (hey, 3rd time on the list!)
7. Fatlip, "Writer's Block" (very apt considering my recent output)
6. Ride, "Twisterella"
5. David Bowie, "New Killer Star"
4. Ride, "Vapour Trail"
3. Wire, "Three Girl Rhumba"
2. Men at Work, "Maria" (how come this one was never a hit?)
1. The Fall, "You're Not Up To Much"
Because you gotta listen to something while you're doing your happy dance.
10. PIL, "Acid Drops"
9. Goo Goo Dolls, "Broadway"
8. Frank Black, "If Your Poison Gets You" (hey, 3rd time on the list!)
7. Fatlip, "Writer's Block" (very apt considering my recent output)
6. Ride, "Twisterella"
5. David Bowie, "New Killer Star"
4. Ride, "Vapour Trail"
3. Wire, "Three Girl Rhumba"
2. Men at Work, "Maria" (how come this one was never a hit?)
1. The Fall, "You're Not Up To Much"
21 October 2006
All-new Nevsky's Top Ten!
Because who wants to be fossilized and listen to the same goddamn ten songs all the time?
10. Frank Black, "If Your Poison Gets You"
9. Morrissey, "Teenage Dad On His Estate"
8. Ludacris, "Stand Up"
7. David Bowie, "New Killer Star"
6. Billy Bragg, "The World Turned Upside Down"
5. Weird Al Yankovic, "White And Nerdy"
4. Wire, "Three Girl Rhumba"
3. Ride, "Vapour Trail"
2. The Fall, "You're Not Up To Much"
1. Blue Aeroplanes, "Sugared Almond"
Because who wants to be fossilized and listen to the same goddamn ten songs all the time?
10. Frank Black, "If Your Poison Gets You"
9. Morrissey, "Teenage Dad On His Estate"
8. Ludacris, "Stand Up"
7. David Bowie, "New Killer Star"
6. Billy Bragg, "The World Turned Upside Down"
5. Weird Al Yankovic, "White And Nerdy"
4. Wire, "Three Girl Rhumba"
3. Ride, "Vapour Trail"
2. The Fall, "You're Not Up To Much"
1. Blue Aeroplanes, "Sugared Almond"
15 October 2006
We still great power! Our elements heavier!
Russia might not be so great for journalists who don't wish to be murdered right now, but they have some damn fine scientists, who've synthesized Element 118.
I wonder if they're still working on those anti-gravity shoes to make Putin seem taller...
Russia might not be so great for journalists who don't wish to be murdered right now, but they have some damn fine scientists, who've synthesized Element 118.
I wonder if they're still working on those anti-gravity shoes to make Putin seem taller...
14 October 2006
Another edition of Ceeeeeee-lebrity Ceeeeee-Corner...
* The big guy is back! I'm glad to hear it, I saw ol' Roger when he did his famous shot-by-shot workshop at the Virginia Film Festival (it was "The Birds" that year). Hope those thumb muscles are workin'...
* Thanks to C.Franz for pointing out Robyn Hitchcock has a new album out, with Peter Buck on guitar no less! It's 1991 all over again!
* I thought it was because he was a boozehound, but apparently Mel hates the Jews because of...South Park?
Yeah, I don't get it either.
* The big guy is back! I'm glad to hear it, I saw ol' Roger when he did his famous shot-by-shot workshop at the Virginia Film Festival (it was "The Birds" that year). Hope those thumb muscles are workin'...
* Thanks to C.Franz for pointing out Robyn Hitchcock has a new album out, with Peter Buck on guitar no less! It's 1991 all over again!
* I thought it was because he was a boozehound, but apparently Mel hates the Jews because of...South Park?
Yeah, I don't get it either.
11 October 2006
Lucretiuuuuuuuuuus, you got some explaining to do...
Like, how come every time I click on your link to the right, your blog doesn't show up? What the fuck, man? What the fucking fuck? You can't just leave like that, at least leave your blog up like C. Franz so I can check it once in a while in the vain hope that someday you'll repair the hole in my heart...come baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
You can't leave! NOOOOOOOO!
Like, how come every time I click on your link to the right, your blog doesn't show up? What the fuck, man? What the fucking fuck? You can't just leave like that, at least leave your blog up like C. Franz so I can check it once in a while in the vain hope that someday you'll repair the hole in my heart...come baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
You can't leave! NOOOOOOOO!
09 October 2006
Nevsky's Top Ten!
Just fer giggles, here are the top ten rated songs currently on my Launchcast station:
10. "Kerosene," Big Black
9. "Whitey on The Moon," Gil Scott-Heron
8. "A Night Like This," The Cure
7. "If Your Poison Gets You," Frank Black
6. "Let Down," Radiohead
5. "Leave Them All Behind," Ride
4. "Jim's 'The Fall'," The Fall
3. "Velvet," A-ha
2. "Sugared Almond," Blue Aeroplanes
1. "Vapour Trail," Ride
Stay tuned for more top tens whenever I can be bothered to make enough changes so that I can delude myself into thinking this is interesting...
Just fer giggles, here are the top ten rated songs currently on my Launchcast station:
10. "Kerosene," Big Black
9. "Whitey on The Moon," Gil Scott-Heron
8. "A Night Like This," The Cure
7. "If Your Poison Gets You," Frank Black
6. "Let Down," Radiohead
5. "Leave Them All Behind," Ride
4. "Jim's 'The Fall'," The Fall
3. "Velvet," A-ha
2. "Sugared Almond," Blue Aeroplanes
1. "Vapour Trail," Ride
Stay tuned for more top tens whenever I can be bothered to make enough changes so that I can delude myself into thinking this is interesting...
06 October 2006
"Appetite For Destruction"? Please. "Use Your Illusion"? Utter crap.
Axl had to get these juvenile recordings out of his way in preparation for his masterpiece. It's taken fourteen years, the firing of Slash and Daffy...Doof...whatever his name is, the quick rise and spectacular fall of Buckethead, but it's finally here.
Certain works always come up when great music is discussed, Beethoven's 9th, the Ring Cycle, Sgt. Pepper, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, but Chinese Democracy may, just may, mind you, be a hundred times better than all of those works put together.
Hope the first track's an instrumental...
Axl had to get these juvenile recordings out of his way in preparation for his masterpiece. It's taken fourteen years, the firing of Slash and Daffy...Doof...whatever his name is, the quick rise and spectacular fall of Buckethead, but it's finally here.
Certain works always come up when great music is discussed, Beethoven's 9th, the Ring Cycle, Sgt. Pepper, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, but Chinese Democracy may, just may, mind you, be a hundred times better than all of those works put together.
Hope the first track's an instrumental...
02 October 2006
You...bastards.
On behalf of gambling degenerates everywhere, I say go to hell, Congress. I just cleaned out my PartyPoker account before cashing out became a crime.
Hope all you libertarians who vote Republican because you don't want the government interfering in your life and think this South Park ep is funny are watching...
Well, at least with the priorities of this Congress we know our children are safe.
On behalf of gambling degenerates everywhere, I say go to hell, Congress. I just cleaned out my PartyPoker account before cashing out became a crime.
Hope all you libertarians who vote Republican because you don't want the government interfering in your life and think this South Park ep is funny are watching...
Well, at least with the priorities of this Congress we know our children are safe.
24 September 2006
It was a cloudy day in C-Ville...
...but it didn't stop people coming out to welcome Jim Webb as he stopped by the new Charlottesville office.
After pressing the flesh, he rallied the troops with Creigh Deeds by his side...
After going over his three campaign themes: redeployment of our troops in the Middle East, social justice, and a check on the executive power grab, it was off to the Paramount Theater for a fundraiser w/special guests John Grisham and Stephen King.
As for me, I got to meet Lowell from Daily Kos and Raising Kaine fame. A fun way to spend a Sunday evening, all in all. (More photos on the way...)
...but it didn't stop people coming out to welcome Jim Webb as he stopped by the new Charlottesville office.
After pressing the flesh, he rallied the troops with Creigh Deeds by his side...
After going over his three campaign themes: redeployment of our troops in the Middle East, social justice, and a check on the executive power grab, it was off to the Paramount Theater for a fundraiser w/special guests John Grisham and Stephen King.
As for me, I got to meet Lowell from Daily Kos and Raising Kaine fame. A fun way to spend a Sunday evening, all in all. (More photos on the way...)
23 September 2006
Feeling old yet?
The Simpsons are almost twenty, and South Park just turned ten...
And what better way to celebrate than to play the climax of the greatest South Park episode ever (featuring the best South Park cameo ever)...
The Simpsons are almost twenty, and South Park just turned ten...
And what better way to celebrate than to play the climax of the greatest South Park episode ever (featuring the best South Park cameo ever)...
22 September 2006
10 September 2006
Finally, something we can agree on...
In a country where political discourse has become increasingly partisan and shrill, and on a subject where it is perhaps the most shrill, gay marriage, it's nice to see that both sides can come together and agree on the referendum before the Virginia voters in November.
That is, that it's bad law.
And as a gay marriage supporter, I'll readily concede that I live in a state where the Bills will win the Super Bowl before it becomes recognized here. I'd hope Virginians will recognize this referendum for what it is, a cynical waste of taxpayers' time and money that's going to be easily subject to legal challenges while not changing the fundamental laws in the state one bit.
In a country where political discourse has become increasingly partisan and shrill, and on a subject where it is perhaps the most shrill, gay marriage, it's nice to see that both sides can come together and agree on the referendum before the Virginia voters in November.
That is, that it's bad law.
And as a gay marriage supporter, I'll readily concede that I live in a state where the Bills will win the Super Bowl before it becomes recognized here. I'd hope Virginians will recognize this referendum for what it is, a cynical waste of taxpayers' time and money that's going to be easily subject to legal challenges while not changing the fundamental laws in the state one bit.
07 September 2006
05 September 2006
"Yousa ears are pointy...."
I'm sure nerds everywhere have their wallets on yellow alert now that the original Star Trek series is going to get Lucas-ized.
The sample pic they have on the link is pretty interesting, actually. What else can they do, give Shatner a better hairpiece? Get rid of McCoy's wrinkles? Make Spock's Brain not suck?
I'm sure nerds everywhere have their wallets on yellow alert now that the original Star Trek series is going to get Lucas-ized.
The sample pic they have on the link is pretty interesting, actually. What else can they do, give Shatner a better hairpiece? Get rid of McCoy's wrinkles? Make Spock's Brain not suck?
04 September 2006
Thank you, John!
For reminding us who stymied Clinton's efforts to fight terrorism.
For all the talk about Bush-haters, I don't see how anyone can argue how incredibly kind America has been towards him, since it's a pretty easy argument to make that with a President Clinton, Gore, or McCain, 9/11 may not have happened in the first place...
For reminding us who stymied Clinton's efforts to fight terrorism.
For all the talk about Bush-haters, I don't see how anyone can argue how incredibly kind America has been towards him, since it's a pretty easy argument to make that with a President Clinton, Gore, or McCain, 9/11 may not have happened in the first place...
03 September 2006
Wow, what an asshole.
I was looking a bit more at some of the comments President Bush made in Tennessee, and I thought I'd share them w/you. The statements in bold are straight off his transcript.
You know, right after September the 11th, I knew that one of my challenges would be to remind the American people about the dangers of the world.
Funny how these reminders tend to occur near the end of an election cycle. Don't forget to remind them the man who perpetuated these attacks is still free (as is the anthrax killer, for that matter).
I knew that the natural tendency for our country would be to hope that the lessons of September the 11th would be faded memory.
I'd like to see him try this line when he visits New York next week, I have a feeling it would go over as well as Daffy Duck with his trained pigeons. Perhaps his memory is fading, since his government cut homeland security funding to NYC because, according to them, there weren't any potential targets in the city.
I think it makes sense to send somebody up to Washington who's not a lawyer.
You'd think he'd want someone who knew how to get a warrant.
[Regarding No Child Left Behind]And I understand people say, well, we don't like that, we don't like to be measured, we don't want there to be accountability.
Oh, for Pete's sake, NO ONE SAYS THIS. Can't you dream up better strawmen? How hard is it to say, "Parents are tired of bumping up against bureaucracy when they want to know who are teaching their children?" At least that bullshit doesn't insult their intelligence. Lucretius, you're a teacher, do you guys stand around in the lounge during break saying "Phew, I'm glad I wasn't held accountable today!"
You know, recently I was just right down the road here with the Prime Minister of Japan, and he and I went to Graceland. (Laughter.) It was an interesting moment. (Laughter.) I chose to take my friend, Prime Minister Koizumi, there -- one, I had never been there. (Laughter.) So it was a little selfish. Secondly, he's an Elvis fan, he loved Elvis. And I thought it would be fun to take him there. Thirdly, I wanted to send a message to the American people. Imagine somebody in the late '40s saying, one of these days an American President will be taking a Prime Minister from Japan to the home of a famous singer. You know, right after that war, you can imagine what the reaction would have been -- the guy is off his rocker. (Laughter.)
I'll be kind and assume not all that laughter was with him...
The leader of the free world, everyone! That's not even halfway through the transcript, btw, but I can't take it anymore...
I was looking a bit more at some of the comments President Bush made in Tennessee, and I thought I'd share them w/you. The statements in bold are straight off his transcript.
You know, right after September the 11th, I knew that one of my challenges would be to remind the American people about the dangers of the world.
Funny how these reminders tend to occur near the end of an election cycle. Don't forget to remind them the man who perpetuated these attacks is still free (as is the anthrax killer, for that matter).
I knew that the natural tendency for our country would be to hope that the lessons of September the 11th would be faded memory.
I'd like to see him try this line when he visits New York next week, I have a feeling it would go over as well as Daffy Duck with his trained pigeons. Perhaps his memory is fading, since his government cut homeland security funding to NYC because, according to them, there weren't any potential targets in the city.
I think it makes sense to send somebody up to Washington who's not a lawyer.
You'd think he'd want someone who knew how to get a warrant.
[Regarding No Child Left Behind]And I understand people say, well, we don't like that, we don't like to be measured, we don't want there to be accountability.
Oh, for Pete's sake, NO ONE SAYS THIS. Can't you dream up better strawmen? How hard is it to say, "Parents are tired of bumping up against bureaucracy when they want to know who are teaching their children?" At least that bullshit doesn't insult their intelligence. Lucretius, you're a teacher, do you guys stand around in the lounge during break saying "Phew, I'm glad I wasn't held accountable today!"
You know, recently I was just right down the road here with the Prime Minister of Japan, and he and I went to Graceland. (Laughter.) It was an interesting moment. (Laughter.) I chose to take my friend, Prime Minister Koizumi, there -- one, I had never been there. (Laughter.) So it was a little selfish. Secondly, he's an Elvis fan, he loved Elvis. And I thought it would be fun to take him there. Thirdly, I wanted to send a message to the American people. Imagine somebody in the late '40s saying, one of these days an American President will be taking a Prime Minister from Japan to the home of a famous singer. You know, right after that war, you can imagine what the reaction would have been -- the guy is off his rocker. (Laughter.)
I'll be kind and assume not all that laughter was with him...
The leader of the free world, everyone! That's not even halfway through the transcript, btw, but I can't take it anymore...
Christ, what an idiot.
Please read Rude Pundit's take on Bush's blithering idiocies, that I hope were uttered under the influence of backslid-drunk booze...
And it's not about Bush being stupid, it never bothered me that ("if", if you prefer) he was an idiot. It's that he insists on speaking to others as if THEY'RE idiots. And in doing so, he utilizes language that resembles an eighth-grader trying to stretch his one-paragraph synopsis of "The Wind in The Willows" into a five-page book report.
So read the latest wisdom of the leader in the free world, and try not to weep...
Please read Rude Pundit's take on Bush's blithering idiocies, that I hope were uttered under the influence of backslid-drunk booze...
And it's not about Bush being stupid, it never bothered me that ("if", if you prefer) he was an idiot. It's that he insists on speaking to others as if THEY'RE idiots. And in doing so, he utilizes language that resembles an eighth-grader trying to stretch his one-paragraph synopsis of "The Wind in The Willows" into a five-page book report.
So read the latest wisdom of the leader in the free world, and try not to weep...
01 September 2006
Looks like my McDonald's boycott paid off...
...thus saving the lives of thousands of adorable vermin...er, I mean hedgehogs.
...thus saving the lives of thousands of adorable vermin...er, I mean hedgehogs.
31 August 2006
"Mommy, Mommy, I wanna ride on Nevsky's Musical Journey!"
"No, sweetheart, you know after you ride on Nevsky's Musical Journey you puke your fucking guts up just like Daddy after one of his self-loathing benders..."
Strap 'em in, kids. Fasten your seat belts, too, and turn on my Launchcast station...
The Fall, "Jim's 'The Fall'", rating: 98
A ramshackle song from an incredibly shitty album (even the liner-note writer for the Greatest Hits album calls this one "difficult"). Recorded at the height of Mark E. Smith's "too drunk to give a shit" phase, this song's the only really good one. An incredibly fuzzy straight-out-of-Mel-Bay's-Guitar-Book lick and lyrics, when you can decipher them, devoted to the Spinal-Tap-esque recruitment of new band members.
By the way, those guys singing "We are the new Fall" in the background? They aren't.
Cocteau Twins, "Ella Megalast Burls Forever", unrated
I loved Blue Bell Knoll when I was a high school student; hell, I still love it now, but I don't have a cassette player. But how can you tell other people about how great the songs are when they're called "The Itchy Glowbo Blow" and "Suckling The Mender"? Frickin' precious bastards...
Ultra Vivid Scene, "Mercy Seat", rating: 70
I love how this song tricks you into thinking your earphones aren't working and then blows out your fucking eardrums. This song takes me back to a time when MTV would actually play a good song but you had to wake up at 3 in the morning to hear it...
Orgy, "Fiction (Dreams In Digital)", rating: 60
I like this song because it reminds of Rush. It's the perfect song to paint Warhammer miniatures to...
Ride, "Vapour Trail", rating: 100
If I like a song, I'll play it over and over and over again. And over. I'll stick the CD player on "repeat" and keep it going for about hour a day or so until I get sick of it. Usually that'll take three or four days; George Harrison's "What Is Life" lasted about three weeks. I don't know how many times I've heard this song in the last six months, but I'm not tired of it yet...
I'm guessing y'all are tired of riding NMJ, though...
"No, sweetheart, you know after you ride on Nevsky's Musical Journey you puke your fucking guts up just like Daddy after one of his self-loathing benders..."
Strap 'em in, kids. Fasten your seat belts, too, and turn on my Launchcast station...
The Fall, "Jim's 'The Fall'", rating: 98
A ramshackle song from an incredibly shitty album (even the liner-note writer for the Greatest Hits album calls this one "difficult"). Recorded at the height of Mark E. Smith's "too drunk to give a shit" phase, this song's the only really good one. An incredibly fuzzy straight-out-of-Mel-Bay's-Guitar-Book lick and lyrics, when you can decipher them, devoted to the Spinal-Tap-esque recruitment of new band members.
By the way, those guys singing "We are the new Fall" in the background? They aren't.
Cocteau Twins, "Ella Megalast Burls Forever", unrated
I loved Blue Bell Knoll when I was a high school student; hell, I still love it now, but I don't have a cassette player. But how can you tell other people about how great the songs are when they're called "The Itchy Glowbo Blow" and "Suckling The Mender"? Frickin' precious bastards...
Ultra Vivid Scene, "Mercy Seat", rating: 70
I love how this song tricks you into thinking your earphones aren't working and then blows out your fucking eardrums. This song takes me back to a time when MTV would actually play a good song but you had to wake up at 3 in the morning to hear it...
Orgy, "Fiction (Dreams In Digital)", rating: 60
I like this song because it reminds of Rush. It's the perfect song to paint Warhammer miniatures to...
Ride, "Vapour Trail", rating: 100
If I like a song, I'll play it over and over and over again. And over. I'll stick the CD player on "repeat" and keep it going for about hour a day or so until I get sick of it. Usually that'll take three or four days; George Harrison's "What Is Life" lasted about three weeks. I don't know how many times I've heard this song in the last six months, but I'm not tired of it yet...
I'm guessing y'all are tired of riding NMJ, though...
27 August 2006
My buddy Samuel L. Jackson just called me and said "Nev, forget motherfucking snakes on a motherfucking plane, this is something fucking unbelievable."
Jim Webb is beating George Allen. Click on the state of Virginia to see the poll.
Then contribute to Webb's campaign.
Jim Webb is beating George Allen. Click on the state of Virginia to see the poll.
Then contribute to Webb's campaign.
FUCKING SNAKE GET OFF MY DICK!
If you see one movie this year with snakes on a plane, make it Snakes on a Plane. It's THAT GOOD...
If you see one movie this year with snakes on a plane, make it Snakes on a Plane. It's THAT GOOD...
24 August 2006
Now, was that so hard?
Since it took him two weeks to actually apologize, it must have been, but at least he did it...
Since it took him two weeks to actually apologize, it must have been, but at least he did it...
Hey, it's a Virginia politician even more clueless than George Allen!
Jim Gilmore, the former governor who ran this state into the ground, was even less popular than poison ivy when he left office, and arguably single-handedly paved the way for two successive Virginia Democratic governors in a pretty red state, is thinking about running for president.
And I say fine. It's about time Dan Quayle got a good laugh...
Jim Gilmore, the former governor who ran this state into the ground, was even less popular than poison ivy when he left office, and arguably single-handedly paved the way for two successive Virginia Democratic governors in a pretty red state, is thinking about running for president.
And I say fine. It's about time Dan Quayle got a good laugh...
19 August 2006
Allen's in deep macaca...
...and he's got no one to blame but himself.
Webb never had anything but an outside chance before, and the way he was running his campaign, frankly, didn't make me optimistic about his chances, unless, of course, Allen did something really, really stupid.
And to make matters worse, Allen's own tracker doesn't seem to understand the difference between tracking and stalking.
I still think Allen's going to win, he's just got too much money. But the best thing about this whole sordid incident isn't that it's going to get people to change their minds, but it will make people take a look at Jim Webb for the first time.
And if people see the opportunity to replace a incompetent Bush parrot with a reasonable moderate, well, Allen's got no one to blame but himself.
...and he's got no one to blame but himself.
Webb never had anything but an outside chance before, and the way he was running his campaign, frankly, didn't make me optimistic about his chances, unless, of course, Allen did something really, really stupid.
And to make matters worse, Allen's own tracker doesn't seem to understand the difference between tracking and stalking.
I still think Allen's going to win, he's just got too much money. But the best thing about this whole sordid incident isn't that it's going to get people to change their minds, but it will make people take a look at Jim Webb for the first time.
And if people see the opportunity to replace a incompetent Bush parrot with a reasonable moderate, well, Allen's got no one to blame but himself.
15 August 2006
Let's use Occam's Racist Razor here...
Senator Asshole first said it was because the young man had a mohawk (he didn't), then he gave the asshole apology ("I'm sorry if you were offended"), and now, of course, it's the media's fault.
Let's remember that he could have just kept his big mouth shut. When even the Washington Post is noticing this remark is somewhat suspect, it's hard to give Allen the benefit of the doubt...
...especially since when it comes to racism Allen doesn't really deserve it...
Update: Americablog's take on the asshole apology is so awesome I had to quote it:
Senator Asshole first said it was because the young man had a mohawk (he didn't), then he gave the asshole apology ("I'm sorry if you were offended"), and now, of course, it's the media's fault.
Let's remember that he could have just kept his big mouth shut. When even the Washington Post is noticing this remark is somewhat suspect, it's hard to give Allen the benefit of the doubt...
...especially since when it comes to racism Allen doesn't really deserve it...
Update: Americablog's take on the asshole apology is so awesome I had to quote it:
No, Senator Allen. The proper response is "I'm sorry," period. Or even better, "I'm sorry I called you the French word for 'nigger.'"
14 August 2006
06 August 2006
Maybe it's a perfectly innocent editorial choice, but really, why not mention this?
In , this article detailing Virgil Goode, Jr.'s dealing with the defense contractor MZM, reference is made to the company's founder "plead[ing] guilty to making more than $1 million in bribes to a California congressman".
Really, why not mention that congressman is Randy "Duke" Cunningham, currently serving seven years in prison for accepting those bribes?
Granted, tying Goode to the larger Republican culture of corruption is a job for Weed's campaign, and editorials like this one illustrate the way some in the Senate are working to deal with the larger issue, but minimizing the relationship (one in which Katherine Harris is also involved) seems to be a non-neutral choice as well.
In , this article detailing Virgil Goode, Jr.'s dealing with the defense contractor MZM, reference is made to the company's founder "plead[ing] guilty to making more than $1 million in bribes to a California congressman".
Really, why not mention that congressman is Randy "Duke" Cunningham, currently serving seven years in prison for accepting those bribes?
Granted, tying Goode to the larger Republican culture of corruption is a job for Weed's campaign, and editorials like this one illustrate the way some in the Senate are working to deal with the larger issue, but minimizing the relationship (one in which Katherine Harris is also involved) seems to be a non-neutral choice as well.
30 July 2006
A good question, bro...
..and one I felt ill-informed to answer as of yesterday, which was how I felt about the latest Allen-Webb poll.
Having had the chance to read the article and reflect, I am surprised the most about Allen's inability to pass the 50-percent mark. He's not my cup of tea, but politically he has been untouchable in Virginia in the past decade, so this is a bit of a shock.
The real question is, with the large # of undecideds, can Jim Webb successfully present himself as a viable alternative. He's woefully behind in cash (though he's matched Allen in cash raised, Allen has a shitload in the bank) and name recognition. However, I had the opportunity to see both Webb and the man he defeated in the Democratic primary, Harris Miller, as they both spoke at a Charlottesville rally a few weeks back (one I failed to blog on for a # of reasons, biggest one being clearing up the storm damage to our house), and I can definitely say we picked the best guy to take on Allen.
Harris Miller, in his introduction, to put it bluntly, was a snot. Although he hit the talking points, and respect must be given for coming out to support the victor in a primary that could charitably be described as nasty, Miller made a couple of snide comments that did not go over well w/the audience. He started one statement with (paraphrase): Now I know some of you in Charlottesville are guilty of putting Allen there in the first place... He then also made a comment along the lines of had the Democrats in VA been as active as Repubs in 2000 were in Florida Creigh Deeds would have won his tight race for Attorney General instead of losing in a recount. Both of these comments quieted the audience; you could hear the uncomfortable fidgeting on his behalf. I certainly think Miller deserves recognition for going out to help Webb win, but maybe he should just write a check.
When Webb spoke, however, all I could think was "Man he's goooood." He hit on themes of family and security, and in response to George Felix Allen's habit of waving a football around at rallies (emphasizing his college football career), Webb held up a plastic model of a FREAKIN' MX MISSILE, responding that his dad used to build these to keep America safe. Now I don't know how this played in super crunchy C-Ville, but I got a tinglin' that required an application of cornstarch. This'll play in VA.
Webb definitely has a shot against Allen, even douchebag Larry Sabato says so (in the linked article on top), but he'll have to overcome a lot of inertia against a Republican incumbent, not to mention a first-class politician, to win this thing.
..and one I felt ill-informed to answer as of yesterday, which was how I felt about the latest Allen-Webb poll.
Having had the chance to read the article and reflect, I am surprised the most about Allen's inability to pass the 50-percent mark. He's not my cup of tea, but politically he has been untouchable in Virginia in the past decade, so this is a bit of a shock.
The real question is, with the large # of undecideds, can Jim Webb successfully present himself as a viable alternative. He's woefully behind in cash (though he's matched Allen in cash raised, Allen has a shitload in the bank) and name recognition. However, I had the opportunity to see both Webb and the man he defeated in the Democratic primary, Harris Miller, as they both spoke at a Charlottesville rally a few weeks back (one I failed to blog on for a # of reasons, biggest one being clearing up the storm damage to our house), and I can definitely say we picked the best guy to take on Allen.
Harris Miller, in his introduction, to put it bluntly, was a snot. Although he hit the talking points, and respect must be given for coming out to support the victor in a primary that could charitably be described as nasty, Miller made a couple of snide comments that did not go over well w/the audience. He started one statement with (paraphrase): Now I know some of you in Charlottesville are guilty of putting Allen there in the first place... He then also made a comment along the lines of had the Democrats in VA been as active as Repubs in 2000 were in Florida Creigh Deeds would have won his tight race for Attorney General instead of losing in a recount. Both of these comments quieted the audience; you could hear the uncomfortable fidgeting on his behalf. I certainly think Miller deserves recognition for going out to help Webb win, but maybe he should just write a check.
When Webb spoke, however, all I could think was "Man he's goooood." He hit on themes of family and security, and in response to George Felix Allen's habit of waving a football around at rallies (emphasizing his college football career), Webb held up a plastic model of a FREAKIN' MX MISSILE, responding that his dad used to build these to keep America safe. Now I don't know how this played in super crunchy C-Ville, but I got a tinglin' that required an application of cornstarch. This'll play in VA.
Webb definitely has a shot against Allen, even douchebag Larry Sabato says so (in the linked article on top), but he'll have to overcome a lot of inertia against a Republican incumbent, not to mention a first-class politician, to win this thing.
Arise, Sir Loin of Beef!
Nothin' gets nerds in a tizzy like the release of a new Looney Tunes DVD set, and this teaser suggests one of my faves, Rabbit Hood, is going to be on it, so time to start savin' them pennies!
Nothin' gets nerds in a tizzy like the release of a new Looney Tunes DVD set, and this teaser suggests one of my faves, Rabbit Hood, is going to be on it, so time to start savin' them pennies!
23 July 2006
Since I know you're slow when it comes to national emergencies, Georgie boy, take my advice. Send National Guard troops to Las Vegas by next week.
Because if these people are seriously sending a chimpanzee to play in the World Series of Poker main event, you're going to have a riot on your hands.
This has to be bullshit. Even if the handler is allowed to accompany Mike (which I'd seriously doubt), on the video the chimp commits three infractions that would get his hand mucked in an honest-to-goodness tournament. I also doubt competing players would be as tolerant of Mike's touchy-feely antics as the GMA hosts are.
Even if the chimp somehow kept up protocol, the slow play is going to annoy people for sure. Now if Phil Hellmuth draws the chimp's table, ESPN will be able to make enough money off DVD sales to fund Disney for the next century and cure world hunger, but as much fun as that may be, I have to officially protest against this stunt, as I would against any stunt that may potentially denigrate and harm ignorant beasts who have no clue to what's going on in the world around them.
I also think it may be harmful to the chimp as well. Thank you very much, tip your waitress!
Because if these people are seriously sending a chimpanzee to play in the World Series of Poker main event, you're going to have a riot on your hands.
This has to be bullshit. Even if the handler is allowed to accompany Mike (which I'd seriously doubt), on the video the chimp commits three infractions that would get his hand mucked in an honest-to-goodness tournament. I also doubt competing players would be as tolerant of Mike's touchy-feely antics as the GMA hosts are.
Even if the chimp somehow kept up protocol, the slow play is going to annoy people for sure. Now if Phil Hellmuth draws the chimp's table, ESPN will be able to make enough money off DVD sales to fund Disney for the next century and cure world hunger, but as much fun as that may be, I have to officially protest against this stunt, as I would against any stunt that may potentially denigrate and harm ignorant beasts who have no clue to what's going on in the world around them.
I also think it may be harmful to the chimp as well. Thank you very much, tip your waitress!
21 July 2006
Tickets, please, stay to your left...
Musical journey time! (courtesy of my Yahoo station)
Belle & Sebastian, "The Wrong Girl" (rating: 50)
One of the good songs on a rather uneven album. Unfortunately, they've only gotten worse...
A-Ha, "Velvet" (rating: 96)
The best A-Ha song I've ever heard...out of the three, and one that was a big Eurohit. I only knew about this song because while I lived in Russia they played the video one day, and I was convinced that it was better than "Take On Me" and one of the best videos ever.
I saw it again not too long ago...and I was wrong. But you can see boobies and Morten's six-pack...
Frank Black & The Catholics, "All My Ghosts" (rating: 60)
A nice harsh song. This album made me think that ol' Charles was ready w/Pixies Mark II. Good one, you got me! The first Catholics album is still the best, but I'm afraid that unless Prince takes him aside and lets him know that just because he writes a song doesn't mean it HAS to be on an album FB will never write another great one.
And what I've heard of his new one has made me say meh...
3rd Bass, "Eye Jammie" (rating: 90)
Hee. Still makes me laugh fourteen years later...
Musical journey time! (courtesy of my Yahoo station)
Belle & Sebastian, "The Wrong Girl" (rating: 50)
One of the good songs on a rather uneven album. Unfortunately, they've only gotten worse...
A-Ha, "Velvet" (rating: 96)
The best A-Ha song I've ever heard...out of the three, and one that was a big Eurohit. I only knew about this song because while I lived in Russia they played the video one day, and I was convinced that it was better than "Take On Me" and one of the best videos ever.
I saw it again not too long ago...and I was wrong. But you can see boobies and Morten's six-pack...
Frank Black & The Catholics, "All My Ghosts" (rating: 60)
A nice harsh song. This album made me think that ol' Charles was ready w/Pixies Mark II. Good one, you got me! The first Catholics album is still the best, but I'm afraid that unless Prince takes him aside and lets him know that just because he writes a song doesn't mean it HAS to be on an album FB will never write another great one.
And what I've heard of his new one has made me say meh...
3rd Bass, "Eye Jammie" (rating: 90)
Hee. Still makes me laugh fourteen years later...
Miss me?
Hey kids! What's been happening in this nutty blogosphere?
Oh me, nothing much, tree fell during a storm, sideswiped our house and took out our phone and DSL line for two precious weeks, but that certainly doesn't explain the long absence...
But who doesn't love the "sorry I haven't posted in a long time" blog post?
Anyhoo, here's the most awesome thing on TV in the past month...
Hey kids! What's been happening in this nutty blogosphere?
Oh me, nothing much, tree fell during a storm, sideswiped our house and took out our phone and DSL line for two precious weeks, but that certainly doesn't explain the long absence...
But who doesn't love the "sorry I haven't posted in a long time" blog post?
Anyhoo, here's the most awesome thing on TV in the past month...
14 June 2006
A win's a win.
Yeah, Croatia had its chances, yeah, Brazil didn't look like its usual powerhouse self, yeah, Ronaldo bounced around so much Sir Mix-a-lot was probably writing a tribute as they played, but in the end, they got the same three points every other winning team gets, even if it wasn't pretty.
Jim Webb won, now let's move on and get rid of the embarrassment in the Senate.
(Though I must admit, it's nice being the one telling others to move on for a change, as opposed to being the move-ee...)
Yeah, Croatia had its chances, yeah, Brazil didn't look like its usual powerhouse self, yeah, Ronaldo bounced around so much Sir Mix-a-lot was probably writing a tribute as they played, but in the end, they got the same three points every other winning team gets, even if it wasn't pretty.
Jim Webb won, now let's move on and get rid of the embarrassment in the Senate.
(Though I must admit, it's nice being the one telling others to move on for a change, as opposed to being the move-ee...)
13 June 2006
Sheesh, it's close...
And you can follow the results here, but right now Webb has a slight lead.
C-Ville went for Webb 57-43, for what it's worth...
And you can follow the results here, but right now Webb has a slight lead.
C-Ville went for Webb 57-43, for what it's worth...
11 June 2006
I'm voting for Jim Webb.
It's not an eager vote, mind you, though after I posted my misgivings about the negative flyer I received from Webb, I got two in the mail from Miller.
To me, it's as simple as this. I don't think Miller's got a chance in hell against George Allen. I think Webb has a chance in hell.
And I can't wait until Tuesday's over so that we can go after a Republican for a change.
It's not an eager vote, mind you, though after I posted my misgivings about the negative flyer I received from Webb, I got two in the mail from Miller.
To me, it's as simple as this. I don't think Miller's got a chance in hell against George Allen. I think Webb has a chance in hell.
And I can't wait until Tuesday's over so that we can go after a Republican for a change.
08 June 2006
Frickin' Will Rogers was spot on...
He's the guy who made the "I don't belong to an organized party, I'm a Democrat" crack, right?
As a former Deaniac, my single biggest frustration with the Dems is this, they have no problem dipping into the Repub barrel of dirty tricks, nasty tactics, and negative campaigning...when they're attacking a fellow Democrat. Of course, by the time the general election rolls around they tiptoe around the Repub opponent like an abused child who thinks if they don't make a sound as they come in the house they won't get slapped this time.
If the California governor's primary wasn't enough evidence, next week we're having our own primary in Virginia, two candidates who would mark an improvement over the (everybody say it w/me!) vacuous dimbulb George Allen, who (oh, Sweet Lord, NO!) might be our president in 2008. I had mildly endorsed James Webb over Harris Miller in purely pragmatic terms: as a former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, I thought he had bipartisan and military credentials that would play into the state as a whole more successfully and bloody Allen. But over the past few weeks, our home has been inundated with robocalls and nasty mailers from Miller festooned with the quotes of Allen 10-15 years ago when he was a Republican. This campaign tactic was enough to make me heartily endorse Webb though I admittedly knew very little, on the basis that zero was much higher than the negative integer I'd apply to Miller.
Well, I just got my first mailer from the Webb campaign, and it's a glossy three-pager, the first two detailing Webb's background and history as a Virginian. So far, so good. But the last page. Sigh, "The Truth About Harris Miller", and that just shut me down, don't care if it's true.
Webb had a chance to take the high road and he blew it with me, for whatever that's worth. Enough people I respect have told me personally that Webb's the real deal so that he couldn't have lost my vote, but my endorsement has gone back to mild. My hope now is that Webb hasn't been a Democrat long enough to learn to go into the fetal position by the time the general campaign starts.
UPDATE: Miller and Webb are going to debate on Hardball tonight; I don't have cable so I'll miss it, but anyone who checks it out I'd love to hear their impressions.
He's the guy who made the "I don't belong to an organized party, I'm a Democrat" crack, right?
As a former Deaniac, my single biggest frustration with the Dems is this, they have no problem dipping into the Repub barrel of dirty tricks, nasty tactics, and negative campaigning...when they're attacking a fellow Democrat. Of course, by the time the general election rolls around they tiptoe around the Repub opponent like an abused child who thinks if they don't make a sound as they come in the house they won't get slapped this time.
If the California governor's primary wasn't enough evidence, next week we're having our own primary in Virginia, two candidates who would mark an improvement over the (everybody say it w/me!) vacuous dimbulb George Allen, who (oh, Sweet Lord, NO!) might be our president in 2008. I had mildly endorsed James Webb over Harris Miller in purely pragmatic terms: as a former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, I thought he had bipartisan and military credentials that would play into the state as a whole more successfully and bloody Allen. But over the past few weeks, our home has been inundated with robocalls and nasty mailers from Miller festooned with the quotes of Allen 10-15 years ago when he was a Republican. This campaign tactic was enough to make me heartily endorse Webb though I admittedly knew very little, on the basis that zero was much higher than the negative integer I'd apply to Miller.
Well, I just got my first mailer from the Webb campaign, and it's a glossy three-pager, the first two detailing Webb's background and history as a Virginian. So far, so good. But the last page. Sigh, "The Truth About Harris Miller", and that just shut me down, don't care if it's true.
Webb had a chance to take the high road and he blew it with me, for whatever that's worth. Enough people I respect have told me personally that Webb's the real deal so that he couldn't have lost my vote, but my endorsement has gone back to mild. My hope now is that Webb hasn't been a Democrat long enough to learn to go into the fetal position by the time the general campaign starts.
UPDATE: Miller and Webb are going to debate on Hardball tonight; I don't have cable so I'll miss it, but anyone who checks it out I'd love to hear their impressions.
29 May 2006
Oh, CmdrSue, you're NOT gonna believe this...
Guess who my wife and I saw directly in front of us as we were waiting to check out of our local supermarket?
Steve Carell. I shit you not.
Funny, my wife spotted him from the very first aisle, but when I looked, it didn't seem to me to be the guy (Mr. Carell is in the central VA area shooting the Bruce Almighty sequel so it was entirely possible). It was not until we were going through the checkout lane where, lo and behold, Hollywood greatness stood in front of us.
And we were cool as cukes, lemme tell ya. I was cool as Shaggy when he finally sees the phantom that's been walking one step behind him, but Mrs. Nevskaya saved the day by inventing some small talk for us while he finished his transaction. Now THERE's acting...
Although for all I know Mr. Carell was over at his MySpace page yesterday waxing poetic about his brief encounter with Charlottesville's premier real estate agent...
Guess who my wife and I saw directly in front of us as we were waiting to check out of our local supermarket?
Steve Carell. I shit you not.
Funny, my wife spotted him from the very first aisle, but when I looked, it didn't seem to me to be the guy (Mr. Carell is in the central VA area shooting the Bruce Almighty sequel so it was entirely possible). It was not until we were going through the checkout lane where, lo and behold, Hollywood greatness stood in front of us.
And we were cool as cukes, lemme tell ya. I was cool as Shaggy when he finally sees the phantom that's been walking one step behind him, but Mrs. Nevskaya saved the day by inventing some small talk for us while he finished his transaction. Now THERE's acting...
Although for all I know Mr. Carell was over at his MySpace page yesterday waxing poetic about his brief encounter with Charlottesville's premier real estate agent...
17 May 2006
Nevsky, musical journey, etc.
What's playing on my personal Launchcast(TM) station right now, you ask?
The Pretenders, "My City Was Gone" (rating: 50)
Yeah, I know, it's the goddamn Rush Limbaugh song. Actually, this takes me back to my adolescent days in NJ; for some reason K-ROCK played this song ad infinitum, and of course, it was years before I learned the name of the song wasn't "Ohio"...
Interpol, "A Time To Be So Small" (unrated)
Hmmm, not much to say about this one, I'm afraid. I don't hate the song, but I always thought it was a bit of an underwhelming closer for Antics...
The Streets, "When You Wasn't Famous" (rating: 50)
A Grand Don't Come For Free was on heavy rotation in our last year's summer soundtrack. Mike's new one is slightly less brilliant, although it's also hilarious ("War of the Sexes"). Apparently everyone in Britain was talking about who the subject of the song could possibly be, but I have trouble keeping up with pop culture here...
Cocteau Twins, "Violaine" (unrated)
...because I insist on listening to bands like Cocteau Twins long after they've shed the tiniest bit of relevance to the music scene. If you're like me, and have trouble keeping Cocteau Twins song titles straight, this was track 1 off Milk and Kisses, their last album and one I find to be very underrated. This was the only album that brought back the edge from Head Over Heels and drifted a bit from the super-polish of Treasure, Blue Bell Knoll, Heaven or Las Vegas, etc., etc., etc...
Echo and The Bunnymen, "Seven Seas" (rating: 50)
Motherfucker still owes me for walking off of last year's HFStival, so go here and laugh at their lame video.
Nice dancing, Ian...
Public Image Ltd., "Seattle" (rating: 60)
I liked Happy? a lot more than I probably should have (chalk it up to youth), this is really the only good song on the whole damn album. It's more interesting now to view it as Mr. Lydon's attempt to go from wonderfully annoying noise to the sarcastic pop of 9...then he made That What Is Not and That Was It...
OK, ride's over, souvenir photos available for purchase on your left...
What's playing on my personal Launchcast(TM) station right now, you ask?
The Pretenders, "My City Was Gone" (rating: 50)
Yeah, I know, it's the goddamn Rush Limbaugh song. Actually, this takes me back to my adolescent days in NJ; for some reason K-ROCK played this song ad infinitum, and of course, it was years before I learned the name of the song wasn't "Ohio"...
Interpol, "A Time To Be So Small" (unrated)
Hmmm, not much to say about this one, I'm afraid. I don't hate the song, but I always thought it was a bit of an underwhelming closer for Antics...
The Streets, "When You Wasn't Famous" (rating: 50)
A Grand Don't Come For Free was on heavy rotation in our last year's summer soundtrack. Mike's new one is slightly less brilliant, although it's also hilarious ("War of the Sexes"). Apparently everyone in Britain was talking about who the subject of the song could possibly be, but I have trouble keeping up with pop culture here...
Cocteau Twins, "Violaine" (unrated)
...because I insist on listening to bands like Cocteau Twins long after they've shed the tiniest bit of relevance to the music scene. If you're like me, and have trouble keeping Cocteau Twins song titles straight, this was track 1 off Milk and Kisses, their last album and one I find to be very underrated. This was the only album that brought back the edge from Head Over Heels and drifted a bit from the super-polish of Treasure, Blue Bell Knoll, Heaven or Las Vegas, etc., etc., etc...
Echo and The Bunnymen, "Seven Seas" (rating: 50)
Motherfucker still owes me for walking off of last year's HFStival, so go here and laugh at their lame video.
Nice dancing, Ian...
Public Image Ltd., "Seattle" (rating: 60)
I liked Happy? a lot more than I probably should have (chalk it up to youth), this is really the only good song on the whole damn album. It's more interesting now to view it as Mr. Lydon's attempt to go from wonderfully annoying noise to the sarcastic pop of 9...then he made That What Is Not and That Was It...
OK, ride's over, souvenir photos available for purchase on your left...
12 May 2006
*sigh* Yes, I know I'm 34...
And I know it's sad...
But I really want one of these...
I've been following the E3 coverage and there has hardly been anything that hasn't sent me into multiple nerdgasms...
And just when you think you've been completely drained by the news, they tease you with The Holy Grail of Videogames.
I'm blanking, is there a word that combines strong desire with intense self-loathing?
And I know it's sad...
But I really want one of these...
I've been following the E3 coverage and there has hardly been anything that hasn't sent me into multiple nerdgasms...
And just when you think you've been completely drained by the news, they tease you with The Holy Grail of Videogames.
I'm blanking, is there a word that combines strong desire with intense self-loathing?
03 May 2006
Dean scream of victory, people!
In local (and I do mean local) news, I was tickled pink to hear this morning that the City Council votes are in and the lone Republican was kicked off. Someone can tell me differently, but all I ever thought Schilling had a talent for was getting his picture in the local paper and being kind of a douchebag.
Oh, he did get that referendum passed to have our school board decided by local election rather than appointed, which I voted against, believing (and I still do) that it was a bad idea, albeit a justifiable (over)reaction to the scandals we had last year.
Anyway, as usual when it comes to Charlottesville politics, if you want a blog that offers more than a visceral reaction I wholeheartedly recommend Waldo Jaquith.
In local (and I do mean local) news, I was tickled pink to hear this morning that the City Council votes are in and the lone Republican was kicked off. Someone can tell me differently, but all I ever thought Schilling had a talent for was getting his picture in the local paper and being kind of a douchebag.
Oh, he did get that referendum passed to have our school board decided by local election rather than appointed, which I voted against, believing (and I still do) that it was a bad idea, albeit a justifiable (over)reaction to the scandals we had last year.
Anyway, as usual when it comes to Charlottesville politics, if you want a blog that offers more than a visceral reaction I wholeheartedly recommend Waldo Jaquith.
24 April 2006
And now, that insightful commentary my discerning readers have come to expect from yours truly. Today's topic: Bush's latest poll numbers.
No fucking shit. He sucks.
No fucking shit. He sucks.
16 April 2006
My name is Nevsky, and I will be your guide on this musical journey...
Nothing better to do, so why not just comment on the songs as they play on my personal Launchcast Plus (tm) radio station? In their "tell us what you like and we'll play you what you think you like" system, only a zero removes a song from a playlist completely. Fifty means the song's in medium rotation, and anything over 80 is probably going to get played as soon as you turn the damn thing on again (unrated songs have either shown up for the first time or I was too lazy to rate 'em).
Here we go...
Oasis - "All Around the World" (rating: 90 out of 100)
Aaaaah, a nice one. And one of the only two songs that are worth a damn on their album-length tribute to cocaine, Be Here Now ("Don't Go Away" is the other one, but anyone who's listened to the album more than twice could have told you that). That album killed their career, but this song was a good coda. I wonder what happened to Bonehead...
Smashing Pumpkins - "Ava Adore" (unrated)
This album was a career-killer too IIRC, but I also liked this song a lot more than anything from the last album. I've got a soft spot in my heart for people who lack a sense of self-consciousness, and Billy C.'s incredibly pretentious songs and videos could either be home runs or cringeworthy failures, but we're all better off that people like him exist. Well, as long as you don't have to personally interact with him...
Interpol - "Evil" (rating: 54 out of 100)
This brings me back to DC last year, when I saw them at the 9:30 Club along w/my sis, and then later at the HFStival in Baltimore. One of the few bands I listen to incessantly that didn't get their start in the mid-80s to early 90s. And don't you just love the end of the first chorus, where they build up and build up and then cut out, leaving that super-cool bass lick?
Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" (unrated)
Ooooh, that song. I've heard it before but never knew what it was, thought it was Erasure... Lessee, apparently Cure fans recommend this song. Not feeling it, let's skip...
R.E.M. - "Everybody Hurts" (rating: 60)
I've absolutely ruined this song for anyone else that has had the misfortune to listen to it in the same room as me by singing along to it.
Later...
Nothing better to do, so why not just comment on the songs as they play on my personal Launchcast Plus (tm) radio station? In their "tell us what you like and we'll play you what you think you like" system, only a zero removes a song from a playlist completely. Fifty means the song's in medium rotation, and anything over 80 is probably going to get played as soon as you turn the damn thing on again (unrated songs have either shown up for the first time or I was too lazy to rate 'em).
Here we go...
Oasis - "All Around the World" (rating: 90 out of 100)
Aaaaah, a nice one. And one of the only two songs that are worth a damn on their album-length tribute to cocaine, Be Here Now ("Don't Go Away" is the other one, but anyone who's listened to the album more than twice could have told you that). That album killed their career, but this song was a good coda. I wonder what happened to Bonehead...
Smashing Pumpkins - "Ava Adore" (unrated)
This album was a career-killer too IIRC, but I also liked this song a lot more than anything from the last album. I've got a soft spot in my heart for people who lack a sense of self-consciousness, and Billy C.'s incredibly pretentious songs and videos could either be home runs or cringeworthy failures, but we're all better off that people like him exist. Well, as long as you don't have to personally interact with him...
Interpol - "Evil" (rating: 54 out of 100)
This brings me back to DC last year, when I saw them at the 9:30 Club along w/my sis, and then later at the HFStival in Baltimore. One of the few bands I listen to incessantly that didn't get their start in the mid-80s to early 90s. And don't you just love the end of the first chorus, where they build up and build up and then cut out, leaving that super-cool bass lick?
Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" (unrated)
Ooooh, that song. I've heard it before but never knew what it was, thought it was Erasure... Lessee, apparently Cure fans recommend this song. Not feeling it, let's skip...
R.E.M. - "Everybody Hurts" (rating: 60)
I've absolutely ruined this song for anyone else that has had the misfortune to listen to it in the same room as me by singing along to it.
Later...
10 April 2006
It's time for Ceeeeeeeeeeee-lebrity Ceeeeeeeeeeeeeee-...Corner.
Spanning what I bother to look up within 5 minutes in the entertainment world...
* In the grand tradition of LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee, Ice Cube vs. NWA, and Jay-Z vs. Nas, here comes...K-Fed vs. Thomas Dolby.
C'mon, Tommy Boy! Blind him w/science! Call in the Pirate Twins, and Howard the Duck! What're ya pavarottis gonna do now, MIS-ter Spears?
* Congrats to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris "head-so-weirdly-shaped- Dave-Matthews-does-a-doubletake" Martin on the birth of their second child. Moses. Which is a relief, I was afraid they were going to go with Banana Martin.
* I guess Prince has enough money. Too bad, I would have loved to watch him try to choke down the bile. And each AI contestant should have been forced to come up with their own unpronounceable symbol...here's mine: Җ (I could spell it out for you, but actually pronouncing it would cause the world to cease to exist in a white light of philosophical recursion, and besides, I always forget to include the silent q.)
Spanning what I bother to look up within 5 minutes in the entertainment world...
* In the grand tradition of LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee, Ice Cube vs. NWA, and Jay-Z vs. Nas, here comes...K-Fed vs. Thomas Dolby.
C'mon, Tommy Boy! Blind him w/science! Call in the Pirate Twins, and Howard the Duck! What're ya pavarottis gonna do now, MIS-ter Spears?
* Congrats to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris "head-so-weirdly-shaped- Dave-Matthews-does-a-doubletake" Martin on the birth of their second child. Moses. Which is a relief, I was afraid they were going to go with Banana Martin.
* I guess Prince has enough money. Too bad, I would have loved to watch him try to choke down the bile. And each AI contestant should have been forced to come up with their own unpronounceable symbol...here's mine: Җ (I could spell it out for you, but actually pronouncing it would cause the world to cease to exist in a white light of philosophical recursion, and besides, I always forget to include the silent q.)
01 April 2006
Christ, what an idiot. (Non-George W. Bush-edition)
Perhaps my frustrations stem from the fact that from the President on down my federal representatives are vacuous dimbulbs who have coasted on the accomplishments of their far superior fathers to build themselves a nice cozy political career for which they are certainly not qualified and even their party allies are finding increasingly hard to defend.
Dubya? Need I say more (yes, but I won't today). George Allen, with his well-deserved reputation for idiocy in the Senate and his recent comments that he is running for President out of boredom, is one of the few people that can look at GWB and say "yep, I can do worse".
And then there's Virgil Goode. Who? You may have heard of him recently, as he has ties to the recent scandal that took out Duke Cunningham. But his most recent appearance, alongside bibble-bibble-oatbran Tom Tancredo, sets a new low for political discourse, with a repulsive race-baiting strawman statement that he'll probably use in his upcoming election campaign (and one, sadly, he'll probably win). But let's dissect the statement; I'm not sure how he knew the demonstrators waving the Mexican flag were illegal immigrants, since the last time he visited the border was '97, and I must have missed his rabid protest against flag-waving at the St. Patrick's Day parade (why not? He had as much knowledge of the legal status of the flag-wavers at that rally).
Of course, a nice xenophobic statement like that can make people forget current events, a tactic used by such successful politicos as Diamond Joe Quimby.
Well, his statement, and the ultra-right-wing's attitude toward immigration in general, have been noted and criticized by such pinko commie liberals as Bill Kristol, but I fear that we will once again turn our focus towards the new crisis destroying our country (now that we've taken care of that gay marriage, WHEW!, that was a close one!)
Meanwhile, thank you, Congressman Goode, for taking an incredibly complex social concern and reducing it to the most provocative and least helpful level you possibly could. I'd like to think you're ashamed, but you're probably not that self-aware.
Perhaps my frustrations stem from the fact that from the President on down my federal representatives are vacuous dimbulbs who have coasted on the accomplishments of their far superior fathers to build themselves a nice cozy political career for which they are certainly not qualified and even their party allies are finding increasingly hard to defend.
Dubya? Need I say more (yes, but I won't today). George Allen, with his well-deserved reputation for idiocy in the Senate and his recent comments that he is running for President out of boredom, is one of the few people that can look at GWB and say "yep, I can do worse".
And then there's Virgil Goode. Who? You may have heard of him recently, as he has ties to the recent scandal that took out Duke Cunningham. But his most recent appearance, alongside bibble-bibble-oatbran Tom Tancredo, sets a new low for political discourse, with a repulsive race-baiting strawman statement that he'll probably use in his upcoming election campaign (and one, sadly, he'll probably win). But let's dissect the statement; I'm not sure how he knew the demonstrators waving the Mexican flag were illegal immigrants, since the last time he visited the border was '97, and I must have missed his rabid protest against flag-waving at the St. Patrick's Day parade (why not? He had as much knowledge of the legal status of the flag-wavers at that rally).
Of course, a nice xenophobic statement like that can make people forget current events, a tactic used by such successful politicos as Diamond Joe Quimby.
Well, his statement, and the ultra-right-wing's attitude toward immigration in general, have been noted and criticized by such pinko commie liberals as Bill Kristol, but I fear that we will once again turn our focus towards the new crisis destroying our country (now that we've taken care of that gay marriage, WHEW!, that was a close one!)
Meanwhile, thank you, Congressman Goode, for taking an incredibly complex social concern and reducing it to the most provocative and least helpful level you possibly could. I'd like to think you're ashamed, but you're probably not that self-aware.
14 March 2006
Big bucks, no whammies...no whammies...STOP! NO, NOT THE PLANE!!!!
Yes, I wasted more time than I'd care to admit watching the most stupid and awesome game show of the 80s...
So it was sad to hear that the former host and his wife were in a plane crash.
Here's hoping you're entertaining everyone in heaven, and Jesus hasn't figured out the secret of the board yet...
Yes, I wasted more time than I'd care to admit watching the most stupid and awesome game show of the 80s...
So it was sad to hear that the former host and his wife were in a plane crash.
Here's hoping you're entertaining everyone in heaven, and Jesus hasn't figured out the secret of the board yet...
OK, kids, time to go to work...
My time with the Howard Dean campaign taught me two things about myself: 1) I'm a sucker for a straight-talking candidate with whom I do not necessarily agree all the time but is a world apart when compared to a vapid nitwit coasting on name recognition and 2) I'm a sucker for web-based fundraising graphics.
This post, as it turns out, fulfills both of my cravings...
My time with the Howard Dean campaign taught me two things about myself: 1) I'm a sucker for a straight-talking candidate with whom I do not necessarily agree all the time but is a world apart when compared to a vapid nitwit coasting on name recognition and 2) I'm a sucker for web-based fundraising graphics.
This post, as it turns out, fulfills both of my cravings...
04 March 2006
Hopefully you'll find this encouraging, sixthdoctor...
I was at a banquet last night celebrating my wife's receiving a major award; I usually loathe these things due my inability to avoid political debates/blowouts with her dittohead colleagues, which have, quite frankly, impeded upon my personal feelings towards them to the point where over the past few years I simply try to stay away from them whenever I can.
Well, lo and behold, the discussion turned to Nawlins and one chap turned to me (unprovoked, mind you) and said that it's really amazing that anyone can support Bush after what was in the news this week.
Well. Thank you. Was that so hard?
I was at a banquet last night celebrating my wife's receiving a major award; I usually loathe these things due my inability to avoid political debates/blowouts with her dittohead colleagues, which have, quite frankly, impeded upon my personal feelings towards them to the point where over the past few years I simply try to stay away from them whenever I can.
Well, lo and behold, the discussion turned to Nawlins and one chap turned to me (unprovoked, mind you) and said that it's really amazing that anyone can support Bush after what was in the news this week.
Well. Thank you. Was that so hard?
26 February 2006
*snif* Here's hoping you've received your major award...
Sadly, Darren McGavin, the definite Kolchak and the father from A Christmas Story, passed away yesterday. I salute you with your battle cry...
Sadly, Darren McGavin, the definite Kolchak and the father from A Christmas Story, passed away yesterday. I salute you with your battle cry...
24 February 2006
21 February 2006
Say hi to Queen Starsha for me...
I'm glad someone's thinking about important shit, like which stars are the best possible candidates to sustain life. The top star is only 26 light-years away. 26. That's babyshit. If the Argo can travel 148,000 light-years and back in just one earth year, we should be able to get shuttle voyages going around, oh, 2066.
The article does state, however, that a scheduled launch of a scanning satellite has been delayed due to funding cuts. Must we start a letter-writing campaign to President Bush about the importance of locating a Cosmo-DNA machine in case we're attacked by the Gamilons? You'd think this is exactly the sort of thing he'd worry about, frickin' GAMILON PLANET BOMBS! THESE ARE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, YA NIMROD!!
I'm glad someone's thinking about important shit, like which stars are the best possible candidates to sustain life. The top star is only 26 light-years away. 26. That's babyshit. If the Argo can travel 148,000 light-years and back in just one earth year, we should be able to get shuttle voyages going around, oh, 2066.
The article does state, however, that a scheduled launch of a scanning satellite has been delayed due to funding cuts. Must we start a letter-writing campaign to President Bush about the importance of locating a Cosmo-DNA machine in case we're attacked by the Gamilons? You'd think this is exactly the sort of thing he'd worry about, frickin' GAMILON PLANET BOMBS! THESE ARE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, YA NIMROD!!
12 February 2006
Hey, Virginia Republicans! It's yer old buddy Nev!
And I thought I'd drop you a line. You might like to read it when you come back from wherever you pretend to go when you say you're going to church...
Aw, you're right, I'm being mean. Maybe I've still yet to reconcile that my center-left views here in VA may just as well mean I'm carrying a copy of Mao's Red Book and dressing up in Village People outfits. (Well, I do have a biker outfit at home, but...HEY WHAT'S WITH THE THIRD DEGREE?)
But I digress. I want to reach out to the Repubs because they've shown the ability to reject the nutballs and lightweights that unfortunately make up the bulk of the party today. Ever since Hurricane Gilmore hit the state, you guys seem to have a more open mind. Everyone in VA appreciates you decided to give Jerry Kilgore a pass, because, come on, the man had no ideas for running the state.
So in the spirit of open-mindedness, let's talk about George Allen.
First of all, is it in the best interests of the state to reelect a Senator who clearly has presidential aspirations? Secondly, again, come on. We can argue whether his reputation for idiocy is well-deserved or not, but would you want a President whose Social Security plan seems to be that the elderly can sell their homes? You're going to entrust our national security to a man who doesn't even know what's going on with the president's nominees? Hey, I understand, he's incredibly popular, a former governor who enjoyed economic success during the Clinton years (although to be fair, who didn't?), local football hero, but this is a guy who should be running a chain of used car dealerships, not a sitting US Senator. And aren't you tired of political monarchies, as shadow children of great(er) men get positions of power for which they're honestly not qualified?
Fortunately, you now have an alternative. His name is James Webb. If it's any consolation, it'll make me cringe a little to vote for a Reaganite, because, hey, I'm a partisan guy. I don't expect you guys to be any happier voting for him because he's Democratic now. But looking at his credentials and his military experience, I think we can all agree that he's more qualified to hold office in a post 9-11 world.
And let's not overlook the coolness factor. What does Allen have to offer besides that spindly Ashley-Wilkes-esque Southern (in)breeding that still passes for charm down here? Webb worked on a Samuel L. Jackson movie. No, really. Only about 10-20,000 thousand people in America can say that. And hopefully, given recent history, my treatment for "BADGERS ON A BOAT, MOTHERFUCKER!" will be given consideration, but I digress again.
So take a look at the website. A good chunk of you have been known to stray from party lines when faced with a superior choice. Hope you decide to do so again for the sake of our country.
And I thought I'd drop you a line. You might like to read it when you come back from wherever you pretend to go when you say you're going to church...
Aw, you're right, I'm being mean. Maybe I've still yet to reconcile that my center-left views here in VA may just as well mean I'm carrying a copy of Mao's Red Book and dressing up in Village People outfits. (Well, I do have a biker outfit at home, but...HEY WHAT'S WITH THE THIRD DEGREE?)
But I digress. I want to reach out to the Repubs because they've shown the ability to reject the nutballs and lightweights that unfortunately make up the bulk of the party today. Ever since Hurricane Gilmore hit the state, you guys seem to have a more open mind. Everyone in VA appreciates you decided to give Jerry Kilgore a pass, because, come on, the man had no ideas for running the state.
So in the spirit of open-mindedness, let's talk about George Allen.
First of all, is it in the best interests of the state to reelect a Senator who clearly has presidential aspirations? Secondly, again, come on. We can argue whether his reputation for idiocy is well-deserved or not, but would you want a President whose Social Security plan seems to be that the elderly can sell their homes? You're going to entrust our national security to a man who doesn't even know what's going on with the president's nominees? Hey, I understand, he's incredibly popular, a former governor who enjoyed economic success during the Clinton years (although to be fair, who didn't?), local football hero, but this is a guy who should be running a chain of used car dealerships, not a sitting US Senator. And aren't you tired of political monarchies, as shadow children of great(er) men get positions of power for which they're honestly not qualified?
Fortunately, you now have an alternative. His name is James Webb. If it's any consolation, it'll make me cringe a little to vote for a Reaganite, because, hey, I'm a partisan guy. I don't expect you guys to be any happier voting for him because he's Democratic now. But looking at his credentials and his military experience, I think we can all agree that he's more qualified to hold office in a post 9-11 world.
And let's not overlook the coolness factor. What does Allen have to offer besides that spindly Ashley-Wilkes-esque Southern (in)breeding that still passes for charm down here? Webb worked on a Samuel L. Jackson movie. No, really. Only about 10-20,000 thousand people in America can say that. And hopefully, given recent history, my treatment for "BADGERS ON A BOAT, MOTHERFUCKER!" will be given consideration, but I digress again.
So take a look at the website. A good chunk of you have been known to stray from party lines when faced with a superior choice. Hope you decide to do so again for the sake of our country.
11 February 2006
07 February 2006
If the last post didn't prove I need help...
This commercial made me tear up the likes of which haven't been seen since that IAMS commercial (and I know you know what I'm talking about).
It also gave me an unnatural urge to drink pisswater beer...
This commercial made me tear up the likes of which haven't been seen since that IAMS commercial (and I know you know what I'm talking about).
It also gave me an unnatural urge to drink pisswater beer...
04 February 2006
Why I'm not a good guest on political chat shows...
People, both real and imagined, having found me to be a rather passionate character, have wondered why I don't strive to become a more public figure. Well, as much as a part of me would like to be out on the public airwaves, the fact of the matter is that I do not possess that Howard-Dean-like Zen that would allow me to refute utter bullshit calmly and effectively. Furthermore, I get really angry when I attempt to engage in a debate, only to be met with stone-faced resistance and the ceaseless parroting of right-wing propaganda, without any admission of even listening to what I had just said. This invariably leads to my losing control, allowing them to use me to promote the inaccurate stereotype of the quote-unquote "angry liberal".
For example, here's an excerpt from the 37th most popular chat show in our state, "Someone's In The Kitchen With Virginia," where we're discussing the effort to place anti-gay marriage language in the state constitution:
_____
ME
I would like to point out to my colleague that gay marriage is already illegal in this state, and while this poorly-worded statute wouldn't further so-called protection against gay marriage, it could, in fact, lead to courts swamped with lawsuits challenging any partnership considered to be non-traditional.
RIGHT-WING BLOGGER
We need this legislation in order to protect the sanctity of marriage against homosexuals.
ME
Even though I disagree, that's not the issue. It. Is. Already. Illegal. As a so-called fiscal conservative, you should be upset the state house is wasting taxpayers' time and money with this referendum. As a so-called limited-government conservative, you should be upset that they want to so brazenly rewrite the state constitution. Or are you just cynically hoping this will be yet another successful distraction from the corruption and incompetence of the state GOP?
RIGHT-WING BLOGGER
We need this legislation in order to protect the sanctity of marriage against homosexuals.
ME
I see. Allow me to rebut by smacking my colleague upside the head with this oar.
*SMASH**SMASH*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! CUCKOO! CUCKOO! BIBBLE-BIBBLE-OATBRAN! I WANTS ME SOME MASHED POTATOES! AND GRAVY AIN'T WAVY!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
Not my finest hour, I admit. And it didn't get any better when I was asked to appear on the nationally televised "Shoot the Shit"...
_____
ME
The fact of the matter is that the president and his administration can conduct spying operations on anyone he chooses, as long as he gets a retroactive warrant. The fact that he doesn't do so should concern all Americans.
REPULSIVE WINGNUT THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, ANN COULTER
Well, I can see it concerning liberals like you who want the terrorists to win, but we should give the President all the tools he needs to combat terrorism.
ME
He has all the tools he needs, and might I add, had he utilized those tools a bit more effectively, like perhaps, paying attention to a memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike Inside U.S.", America would be a safer place. Isn't it obvious that the reason they don't want warrants is that they're using their spying powers against political enemies?
REPULSIVE WINGNUT THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, ANN COULTER
But why do you want the terrorists to win?
BEEFY, HALF-WIT MODERATOR THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, TIM RUSSERT
That's a good point. Why DO you want the terrorists to win?
ME
You seem to have trouble hearing me. Maybe if I crack open your skulls with this metal meat tenderizering mallet the words will reach your brain.
*SMASH**CRACK**SMASH*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! CUCKOO! CUCKOO!
YA GOTTA CURE WHAT AILS YA! PAILS AND PAILS A NAILS A! WANNA WASH A WOMBAT!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
So my prediliction for incoherent and sputtering (albeit justifiable) rage probably means I should lay off the talk shows for now.
Although I do credit this personality quirk for my improbable friendship w/Bill O'Reilly.
_____
O'REILLY
IT'S LIBERALS LIKE YOU THAT WANT TO TAKE AWAY MY SPIDERMAN APPLESAUCE!
ME
WELL, IF YOU DIDN'T STEAL MY BOUNCY BANANAS I COULD EAT MY OATMEAL!
O'REILLY
Hmmm. OK, but how do you explain the fact THAT CANTALOUPES CAN'T ELOPE?!?
ME
I WANNA PLAY MONOPOLY!
O'REILLY
Sanitary napkins?
ME
SANITARY NAPKINS!
O'REILLY
Well, I'm afraid we're out of time. My guests have been liberal blogger Nevsky and Oklahoma Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. Always good to hear from you, Senator.
SENATOR COBURN (R)
WHERE'S MY SPIDERMAN APPLESAUCE?!? OOH, I FOUND CHOCOLATE PUDDING IN MY PANTS!
O'REILLY
Perhaps our panelists would enjoy singing the closing theme with yours truly and legendary pop-jazz vocal combo Manhattan Transfer. Let's do this!
ALL
SHIT MY PANTS AND DO A DANCE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT NIGHT TRAIN TO CUCAMONGA!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
And if you'd like any transcripts of my recent appearances, catch five bouncy bananas, stick them in a jar of Spiderman applesauce and send it to Nevsky, c/o Oscar the Grouch's Trashcan, Cucamonga.
People, both real and imagined, having found me to be a rather passionate character, have wondered why I don't strive to become a more public figure. Well, as much as a part of me would like to be out on the public airwaves, the fact of the matter is that I do not possess that Howard-Dean-like Zen that would allow me to refute utter bullshit calmly and effectively. Furthermore, I get really angry when I attempt to engage in a debate, only to be met with stone-faced resistance and the ceaseless parroting of right-wing propaganda, without any admission of even listening to what I had just said. This invariably leads to my losing control, allowing them to use me to promote the inaccurate stereotype of the quote-unquote "angry liberal".
For example, here's an excerpt from the 37th most popular chat show in our state, "Someone's In The Kitchen With Virginia," where we're discussing the effort to place anti-gay marriage language in the state constitution:
_____
ME
I would like to point out to my colleague that gay marriage is already illegal in this state, and while this poorly-worded statute wouldn't further so-called protection against gay marriage, it could, in fact, lead to courts swamped with lawsuits challenging any partnership considered to be non-traditional.
RIGHT-WING BLOGGER
We need this legislation in order to protect the sanctity of marriage against homosexuals.
ME
Even though I disagree, that's not the issue. It. Is. Already. Illegal. As a so-called fiscal conservative, you should be upset the state house is wasting taxpayers' time and money with this referendum. As a so-called limited-government conservative, you should be upset that they want to so brazenly rewrite the state constitution. Or are you just cynically hoping this will be yet another successful distraction from the corruption and incompetence of the state GOP?
RIGHT-WING BLOGGER
We need this legislation in order to protect the sanctity of marriage against homosexuals.
ME
I see. Allow me to rebut by smacking my colleague upside the head with this oar.
*SMASH**SMASH*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! CUCKOO! CUCKOO! BIBBLE-BIBBLE-OATBRAN! I WANTS ME SOME MASHED POTATOES! AND GRAVY AIN'T WAVY!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
Not my finest hour, I admit. And it didn't get any better when I was asked to appear on the nationally televised "Shoot the Shit"...
_____
ME
The fact of the matter is that the president and his administration can conduct spying operations on anyone he chooses, as long as he gets a retroactive warrant. The fact that he doesn't do so should concern all Americans.
REPULSIVE WINGNUT THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, ANN COULTER
Well, I can see it concerning liberals like you who want the terrorists to win, but we should give the President all the tools he needs to combat terrorism.
ME
He has all the tools he needs, and might I add, had he utilized those tools a bit more effectively, like perhaps, paying attention to a memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike Inside U.S.", America would be a safer place. Isn't it obvious that the reason they don't want warrants is that they're using their spying powers against political enemies?
REPULSIVE WINGNUT THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, ANN COULTER
But why do you want the terrorists to win?
BEEFY, HALF-WIT MODERATOR THAT VAGUELY RESEMBLES, BUT ISN'T, TIM RUSSERT
That's a good point. Why DO you want the terrorists to win?
ME
You seem to have trouble hearing me. Maybe if I crack open your skulls with this metal meat tenderizering mallet the words will reach your brain.
*SMASH**CRACK**SMASH*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! CUCKOO! CUCKOO!
YA GOTTA CURE WHAT AILS YA! PAILS AND PAILS A NAILS A! WANNA WASH A WOMBAT!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
So my prediliction for incoherent and sputtering (albeit justifiable) rage probably means I should lay off the talk shows for now.
Although I do credit this personality quirk for my improbable friendship w/Bill O'Reilly.
_____
O'REILLY
IT'S LIBERALS LIKE YOU THAT WANT TO TAKE AWAY MY SPIDERMAN APPLESAUCE!
ME
WELL, IF YOU DIDN'T STEAL MY BOUNCY BANANAS I COULD EAT MY OATMEAL!
O'REILLY
Hmmm. OK, but how do you explain the fact THAT CANTALOUPES CAN'T ELOPE?!?
ME
I WANNA PLAY MONOPOLY!
O'REILLY
Sanitary napkins?
ME
SANITARY NAPKINS!
O'REILLY
Well, I'm afraid we're out of time. My guests have been liberal blogger Nevsky and Oklahoma Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. Always good to hear from you, Senator.
SENATOR COBURN (R)
WHERE'S MY SPIDERMAN APPLESAUCE?!? OOH, I FOUND CHOCOLATE PUDDING IN MY PANTS!
O'REILLY
Perhaps our panelists would enjoy singing the closing theme with yours truly and legendary pop-jazz vocal combo Manhattan Transfer. Let's do this!
ALL
SHIT MY PANTS AND DO A DANCE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT NIGHT TRAIN TO CUCAMONGA!
A-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGA-BOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
_____
And if you'd like any transcripts of my recent appearances, catch five bouncy bananas, stick them in a jar of Spiderman applesauce and send it to Nevsky, c/o Oscar the Grouch's Trashcan, Cucamonga.
31 January 2006
Did anyone watch the idiot?
I (thankfully) don't have TV, but I didn't listen to it on the internets either, because my stomach couldn't handle, and my liver certainly couldn't handle any drinking game (unless you throw back a shot for a coherent statement). So what empty promises did he deliver and which fears did he play on?
I (thankfully) don't have TV, but I didn't listen to it on the internets either, because my stomach couldn't handle, and my liver certainly couldn't handle any drinking game (unless you throw back a shot for a coherent statement). So what empty promises did he deliver and which fears did he play on?
Since the Freepers call it "freeping", could you please "nevsky" this poll?
I'll leave it to you to decide what to choose, but the fact that two of the choices are "ban it" and "it's already banned, leave the Constitution alone" illustrates what groups like Equality Virginia are dealing with...
I'll leave it to you to decide what to choose, but the fact that two of the choices are "ban it" and "it's already banned, leave the Constitution alone" illustrates what groups like Equality Virginia are dealing with...
OK, Timmy ol' boy, go get 'im...
Since ol' Dumbass is going to present the most excruciating hour of TV tonight since the American Idol tryouts, my guv (I voted for you, buddy!) is going to be in the spotlight as the official spokesman for the Democratic response.
As an opening salvo, might I suggest paraphrasing Mary McCarthy and reminding the country that every word out of Bush's mouth is a lie, including "and" and "the"?
But I'd settle for asking George why he loves terrorism so much...
Since ol' Dumbass is going to present the most excruciating hour of TV tonight since the American Idol tryouts, my guv (I voted for you, buddy!) is going to be in the spotlight as the official spokesman for the Democratic response.
As an opening salvo, might I suggest paraphrasing Mary McCarthy and reminding the country that every word out of Bush's mouth is a lie, including "and" and "the"?
But I'd settle for asking George why he loves terrorism so much...
29 January 2006
Is this radio you should be listening to? OF COURRRRRRRSE!
I've got the computer on the The Young Turks now, as they've been on the air since Friday and will continue to be on until there is or isn't a filibuster against Alito. Cenk sounds a little tired but it's still compelling radio.
And if you'd like to hear them under "normal" circumstances, you can listen to Radiopower for free from 6-9 each evening, with a replay the following morning from 10-12...
I've got the computer on the The Young Turks now, as they've been on the air since Friday and will continue to be on until there is or isn't a filibuster against Alito. Cenk sounds a little tired but it's still compelling radio.
And if you'd like to hear them under "normal" circumstances, you can listen to Radiopower for free from 6-9 each evening, with a replay the following morning from 10-12...
25 January 2006
Tag! I'm it...
CmdrSue has about three outstanding tags on me, and one day I'm going to get my shit together long enough to answer them.
But not today. *sigh*...
CmdrSue has about three outstanding tags on me, and one day I'm going to get my shit together long enough to answer them.
But not today. *sigh*...
15 January 2006
Brokeback Republicans are at it again...
The State House of Delegates is at it again, passing a bill that would change the state constitution ostensibly to ban gay marriage. You know, in case the other laws we already have in VA banning gay marriage suddenly disappeared.
Equality Virginia has a good position paper about why this is bullshit, but given the atmosphere down here the civil rights argument is tough. I'd hope that libertarians (which many Virginians profess to be) would support Kaine's veto of this bill as a waste of taxpayer money when this state is already pretty well protected against homos, indeed, when there are laws in place against the terrors of oral and anal sex between consenting adults.
(I was surprised, however, that there the law on the books also makes it illegal to screw livestock down here. I'm guessing the enforcement on that one is lax...)
I guess in order to get your kicks down in VA you have to enjoy another kind of cockfighting...
I've got the perfect remedy for this, though. A brave delegate just has to attach an amendment calling this the "If You Vote For This, You're Gay Bill".
Then just sit back and watch their heads explode...
The State House of Delegates is at it again, passing a bill that would change the state constitution ostensibly to ban gay marriage. You know, in case the other laws we already have in VA banning gay marriage suddenly disappeared.
Equality Virginia has a good position paper about why this is bullshit, but given the atmosphere down here the civil rights argument is tough. I'd hope that libertarians (which many Virginians profess to be) would support Kaine's veto of this bill as a waste of taxpayer money when this state is already pretty well protected against homos, indeed, when there are laws in place against the terrors of oral and anal sex between consenting adults.
(I was surprised, however, that there the law on the books also makes it illegal to screw livestock down here. I'm guessing the enforcement on that one is lax...)
I guess in order to get your kicks down in VA you have to enjoy another kind of cockfighting...
I've got the perfect remedy for this, though. A brave delegate just has to attach an amendment calling this the "If You Vote For This, You're Gay Bill".
Then just sit back and watch their heads explode...
11 January 2006
I guess we really are that stupid...
I suppose by this article's logic if the public were split on nun beating that would make it okay too. But this person's comment scares me the most (and I'm not just talking about the grammar):
Name one terrorist that was not caught because the Bush administration couldn't get a retroactive warrant in time. I'll wait.
The fact that the Bushies can't abide by rules that any quasi-competent would be able to utilize to catch criminals should tell us all a) they're idiots or b) they're not interested in catching terrorists. Shouldn't this be obvious by now?
But I do get a bit of bitter solace from the thought that Ms. I-B is being monitored just as fervently as I am. And why should she worry? After all, if she's doing something they shouldn't haven't been not doing...
I suppose by this article's logic if the public were split on nun beating that would make it okay too. But this person's comment scares me the most (and I'm not just talking about the grammar):
Cynthia Ice-Bones, 32, a Republican from Sacramento, Calif., said knowing about the program made her feel a bit safer. "I think our security is so important that we don't need warrants. If you're doing something we shouldn't be doing, then you ought to be caught," she said.
Name one terrorist that was not caught because the Bush administration couldn't get a retroactive warrant in time. I'll wait.
The fact that the Bushies can't abide by rules that any quasi-competent would be able to utilize to catch criminals should tell us all a) they're idiots or b) they're not interested in catching terrorists. Shouldn't this be obvious by now?
But I do get a bit of bitter solace from the thought that Ms. I-B is being monitored just as fervently as I am. And why should she worry? After all, if she's doing something they shouldn't haven't been not doing...
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