Friday, August 18, 2006

I've got Lindsey Buckingham on one shoulder and Howard Jones on the other

Two kinds of trouble in this world
Living... dying
I lost my power in this world
And the rumors are flying
-Lindsey Buckingham


The old man said to me
Said you can't change the world single-handily
Raise a glass enjoy the scenery
Pretend the water is champagne
And fill my glass again and again
While the wolves are gathering round your door
-Howard Jones

Thursday, August 17, 2006

The Seattle Public Library Lake City branch will be closed Friday, September 1st

They say it's "for staff training," but I choose to believe it's in honor and observance of my birthday.

Be well, Roger

Film critic Roger Ebert suffered another health setback earlier this month, but friends and coworkers of the "Ebert & Roeper" co-host remain guardedly optimistic about his condition.

Ebert, who has been hospitalized in Chicago since June, underwent his third surgery in as many months on Aug. 6. He was treated for a recurrence of salivary cancer in June; the following month, surgeons repaired a burst blood vessel. His wife, Chaz, characterized the latest procedure as "minor" in a letter posted on Ebert's website, but media insiders are buzzing that doctors removed at least part of his jaw and that the ailing critic's recovery could take many months.


John Barron, editor in chief of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ebert's home paper, said coworkers are taking it one day at a time. "I don't think any of us know what the situation will be," he said. "I don't think two months ago any of us thought Roger would still be in the hospital."


Via Channel Island.

"we make them laugh but we can’t make them happy"

Just something that caught my eye from this interesting interview with Maurice LaMarche. LaMarche is a voice actor with about six dozen credits, you can hear him on

  • Futurama as Kif and a bunch of others
  • The Critic as Jeremy Hawke and most of the celebrity impersonations
  • Pinky & the Brain as a certain little mouse who wants to "Try to take over the world! Yes!"

    Anyway, he also used to be a standup and good friends with Sam Kinison, which is where this story comes from.
    We both had gotten quite smashed one night, and Sam was actually very sad. He was actually in tears. His girlfriend was consoling him because he was wondering about whether what we did meant anything. And he said, “Maurice, we help people, don’t we? We make ‘em happy?” And I said, “No Sam, we make them laugh but we can’t make them happy.” He went, “Yeah, yeah,” and he kept balling because he really felt like his life was meaningless. (laughing) Mr. Cheerful helping Sam out! But it’s the reality. There’s a huge difference between fun and happiness. Fun is momentary. Fun happens in little short spurts and then it’s over.

Ok, you know the scene in "The Shining" with those horrible twins?

I want you to imagine if they mutiplied about a half a dozen times. And then I want you to look at this image of the next batch of contestants for America's Next Top Model. Is it me, or is that the most frightening thing you've ever seen in your whole entire life?

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Now there's the kind of news that makes you sit up and take notice

Seattle port terminal evacuated


SEATTLE (Reuters) - A terminal at the Port of Seattle was evacuated on Wednesday and a bomb squad was investigating a ship container that alarmed bomb-sniffing dogs, a port spokesman said.


The container first raised suspicion when a screening using gamma ray technology about the contents' density did not match the items listed on the ships' manifest.


Should this be my last blog post, I think I'll leave you with this:

I hate the nail polish Jessica Biel is wearing in these pictures

Fortunately, no one is going to notice, as she is also wearing a dress that makes her ass look incredible.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Sir...in my heart, I know I'm funny.

The actor Bruno Kirby has died. This news item identifies him as best known for his work in "City Slickers," but I remember him for a small part he played in an episode of "Columbo," and especially as Robin Williams' antagonist in "Good Morning, Vietnam."

That film gets remembered mostly as the first film that had the sense to wind Robin Williams up and let him go. But I think it's a much better film than that. One of the reasons is that director Barry Levinson had the rare good sense to surround Williams not with stand-ups who might try to compete with him for laughs, but with actors, who knew how to pick their moments and get laughs on their own terms.

Kirby was among them. His deadpan delivery made for some of my favorite lines in the picture.

...comedy is kind of a hobby of mine. Well, actually, it's a little more than just a hobby, Reader's Digest is considering publishing two of my jokes.


I mean, how can you beat that?

Anyway, all I really wanted to say is that I'm very sorry to hear about this.

What is it about Bill Clinton that makes winning feel like losing and vice versa?

That's what I'm wondering after reading this story, Clinton Sounds Off on Terror, Republicans.

Madonna is trying to draw my fire

I am presented with a poser. You longtime fans of this blog ("fans"...what an optimist...in the pural, yet) will know that not long ago I declared a cease fire on, shall we say, witty observations about she whose film director husband's career coincidentally went into the toliet right after they worked together.

It's times like this I just know God is testing me.

Madonna Quits Acting


But I sit here with one hand (metaphorically) over my mouth, not giving voice to any of the reactions I might have to this piece of news...like that it's only a few years after acting quit her...but no, I'm better than that...aieeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

Giving 'em the old razzle-dazzle

I think John Kander and Fred Ebb were the greatest show writing team of their generation; only Stephen Sondheim beats them, IMO, and he's not a team. I talked a lot about why I think that in my review of an autobiographical book they published a few years ago.

So when I hear that there was a PBS "Great Performances" documentary on their work, I think to myself, "How'd I miss that?"

Bob Fosse was also one of my favorite choreographer-director-dancers.

So when I hear that there's a clip from this documentary online, all about the original version of Chicago, written by Kander, Ebb and Fosse and directed and choreographed by Fosse, I'm fascinated.

I hope you are, too.


With a tip of the Fosse derby to Mark Evanier, who has a cheap sex joke to tell about his friend, cartoonist Sergio Aragonés.

Isn't that always the way?



(Click to enlarge)

Monday, August 14, 2006

Special K

Recommended reading, by Paul Krugman:
We now know that from the very beginning, the Bush administration and its allies in Congress saw the terrorist threat not as a problem to be solved, but as a political opportunity to be exploited. The story of the latest terror plot makes the administration’s fecklessness and cynicism on terrorism clearer than ever.


But whether or not there was something fishy about the timing of the latest terror announcement, there’s the question of whether the administration’s scare tactics will work. If current polls are any indication, Republicans are on the verge of losing control of at least one house of Congress. And “on every issue other than terrorism and homeland security,” says Newsweek about its latest poll, “the Dems win.” Can a last-minute effort to make a big splash on terror stave off electoral disaster?

Many political analysts think it will. But even on terrorism, and even after the latest news, polls give Republicans at best a slight advantage. And Democrats are finally doing what they should have done long ago: calling foul on the administration’s attempt to take partisan advantage of the terrorist threat.

And Teddy Kennedy:
Vice presidents are notorious for serving as an administration's chief attack dog, and time and again Dick Cheney has been unleashed to accuse anyone who is opposed to the Bush administration of aiding the terrorists. But this time he has gone too far.


Ned Lamont's victory in Connecticut scares Cheney for one simple reason: It demonstrates that a free and independent people can and do hold public officials accountable for their words and deeds.


The November election will teach Dick Cheney and others of his ilk that they cannot use fear to cling to power. As Will Rogers said, "It's no disgrace not to be able to run a country nowadays, but it is a disgrace to keep on trying when you know you can't."

Tammy's Meme

Via Mark.
First, the rules as laid out by Tammy...

Book meme
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog, the title of the book, the author and these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.


The Human League gave us both sides of the coin. At the end of the day their lesson is summed up by Philip Oakey's response to an assertion that they were a very different concoction to Bucks Fizz. 'Are we?' Philip said.

From Designer Boys and Material Girls: Manufacturing the '80s Pop Dream by Dave Hill.

Oh, like you don't own a copy.

How the mighty, etc

If you're in NY, please, for the love of god, when you're throwing out your trash...think of Boy George and wrap it neatly in well-tied plastic bags. He's already suffered so much.

Let this be a lesson to all of you, ladies

If you wear loose-fitting clothing with big holes in the sides for sleeves, and you don't wear a bra...we can and will see your breasts. I offer the following...



...strictly for illustrative purposes. The fact that this particular breast used for an example happens to belong to one Ms. Lindsay Lohan is, of course, the merest coincidence.

Random Flickr-Blogging: IMG_5929

At the risk of sounding like Marvin, I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed. Quite aside from the emotional yo-yo I'm on till I hear back on my query letter, the state of the world...

Israel vs. Lebanon. Renewed fears of terrorism in the skies-and the fact that thanks to five years of the GOP exploiting fears of terrorism for political gain, we can never be sure what's real or not. What laughingly passes for a "free press" in this country. And of course, the continuous needless bloodshed in Iraq.

It makes you wonder what's worth staying alive for sometimes.




Kitty!

Original source here.




Carl realized with a heavy heart that his father was, indeed, the corniest man in the world. Shortly after this photo was taken, he was bashed to death on the rocks and his body was thrown into the river behind them. It was better for all concerned that way-even the judge agreed.

Original source here.

Random Flickr-Blogging: IMG_5929: Words and image edition



Your lover lies beside you fast asleep
The moonlight falls upon the tears you weep
And you can hear the waves crash on the beach
At night, oh at night
So all you really need is love
Love to give, receive above
And then the waves will soothe your heart
Your one true love will never part
True love (Is the answer to everything
True love is the answer true love is the thing)
True love (Is the answer to everything
True love is the answer true love is the thing)
And we will lie together both asleep
The moonlight will provide the tears we weep
And as we breathe the waves crash on the beach
At night
-The Waves, Wang Chung


Original source here.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Random Flickr-Blogging: IMG_5929: "I believe the children are our future" edition



Revealed at last! The answer to the question of whether children are born gay, or...

Original source here.



Much to her dismay, Judith realized no one really cared she'd just walked across the water.

Original source here.



"Now I suppose you're wondering why I've called you all here. I've called you all here to discuss something of the gravest importance which has only recently come to my attention. I have gone pee-pee in my pants. I want to see options on the table, gentlemen, within the next 24 hours."

Original source here.