Dick Cheney's Holiday Spectacular 2006

Yes, that's Dick Cheney. Can't you feel the grope of Billionaire love? If so, come and see the Billionaires For Bush Follies show from December 3-20 (Sundays and Wednesdays, 8:00 PM) at the Ace of Clubs, 9 Great Jones Street at Lafayette.

This year's cast is great and the All New Election Season jokes will delightfully tempt you to laugh instead of cry at the present Administration. Sometimes, you have to laugh to keep from throwing something, thereby busting your television set.

Come and hear some of your cherised and beloved holiday tunes, such as "Rest Easy Wealthy Gentlemen," "Prison Cells," "Toys for the World (Are Made by Kids)," and the soul-rousing and sweetly stirring (as the driven snow), "Halliburton Chorus." Ah yes, good times, indeed.

Hope to see you there.

To the Detroit Tigers

The Main Entrance to the Comerica Park, AKA Detroit Tiger Stadium

Dear Tigers,

The last time you guys won the World Series, in 1984, I had just left Detroit that September to attend New York University. I was a little sad that I hadn't been there to watch the Series with my dad, but a little happy to have missed the Bubba Helms mini-riot directly after the game. Dad and I use to watch baseball and football together all the time. I wasn't that into football, but I always liked the baseball, and dad taught me the rules of all the games and matches we would watch together. (I always impress men that I actually know how games work.)

So it's kinda funny that I left Detroit just when you guys last won the whole enchilada, which kinda means that's the year I left my dad, too. He and I were really close when I was younger, and from what I understand, when I moved, I kinda broke his heart. So now, you guys are back in it since 1987 and then he dies just before you make it back to the post-season. Strange. Possibly only to me, but strange nonetheless.

I told him the night before he died that I would come back and tell him what the game scores were; I didn't get the chance, as he died early the next day.

Anyway, my dad and I have been looking forward to you returning to the post-season game for some time. We badtalked you to no end at times, but he was happy when the new stadium went up. He only went once, but his legs were bad, and he didn't like the crowds, so he never went back. Vesti, over at the irreverent "Intellectual Comedy Salon," poked me with a stick when I kept saying how sucky you were. He quickly convinced me that it was "steady as you go" and that the team was rebuilding and doing well. I said fine, but I could still call youse guys sucky cause you weren't winning!

My dad owned a bar in Detroit, and back in the 1960s, baseball and basketball players from the Detroit teams would come into the bar. We don't have many pictures of the younger days at the Moonglow Lounge, but one of my favorites is a series of photographs of Detroit Tigers player Willie Horton, enjoying a night on the town at my dad's.

Detroit Tiger player, Willie Horton, at the Moonglow Lounge, 1960s

Dad passed away in August, so he won't be able to see you guys play. You might not win this year, but you're looking good for the time being. I'll look at the playoffs, like I usually do, with one eye on something else, but I hope you all the best against the Yankees.

I can see the Bronx bombers stadium lights outside my window, and I take the subway every day past the it on my way to work. The Yankees are tearing up trees and a park right now to make way for a new stadium right next to the old stadium. Actually, the trees disappeared three weeks ago. Steinbrenner throws money at things and knows that everything will work out in his favor. He took that park with promises that I only hope will come true for the immediate neighborhood. I personally, would like the Yankees not to win per year for every tree that was ripped out of the ground for the new stadium. For the trees' revenge. Someone's got to look out for them.

For my dad, I would really like to see you Tigers win. We'll see what happens.

Good luck. You're gonna need it. The score is already 5-0 (Yankees), bottom of the 5th, first game. It's gonna be a long night for someone.

Don't mess with me! I'll tear your heart out! I'm a tiger! Rooar!

Yours forever,
Edward and Elderta

Bob Ney : Republican Criminal

Say it loud and say it clear: Corruption in the Republican Party runs deep: they want to take your money, take your son, take your retirement, take your lack of faith, take your earth and then, take your country away from you.

Never let them forget that you're on to them. What was it that Bush said? "Fool me once..."

We're fools if we get fooled again.

Rep. Ney Agrees to Plead Guilty

By James V. Grimaldi and Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 15, 2006; 12:50 PM

Rep. Robert Ney (R-Ohio) agreed today to plead guilty to conspiring to commit multiple official acts for lobbyists in exchange for campaign contributions, meals and luxury travel, sports tickets and gambling chips. He became the first elected official to face charges in the ongoing influence-peddling investigation of former lobbying powerhouse Jack Abramoff.

GUILTY!

D.C. Archival Days

I'm in Washington, D.C. for the Society of American Archivists conference. We're at the Washington Hilton (yes, the hotel made famous by Reagan being shot there), and yes, it's hotter than hell.

I have to restrain myself from wanting to go to the White House and yell choice words in the general direction of the man who we appointed President. Someone stop me, please. (Though I doubt that he's here in the dog days of the Washington summer. I'm sure he started his ten-week vacation already.)*

We went to the National Archives for an open house the other night and the archivists were personally greeted by the Archivist of the United States, Allen Weinstein. He's not an archivist, (go figure), but at least he's an historian. As he took my hand, I said to him, "Wow, I've never been personally greeted by the Archivist of the United States before." It was true. I've seen the outgoing Archivist (who was much beloved by the archival community) at a few events, but I guess since we are here for the annual conference in his home territory, he thought he should personally greet us. It was weird but fun.

The National Archives were recently flooded, and some things were destroyed. Go read about it here.

Anyway, tonight, we are going to a reception at the Museum of American History. I love being an archivist and going to these things. A few years ago we went to Boston and toured (and partied) at Fenway Park all by ourselves. Last year in New Orleans, our reception was at the beautiful Aquarium of the Americas, located on the riverfront. It was odd that we left that town exactly one week before it was mostly wiped out. I still get freaked out by that now and then.

Anyway, it's hotter than sin down here, and I must jump into the pool prior to going to the reception tonight.

Please tell me how much of a bad idea it would be to go to the White House, stand in front of the gate, and start yelling. Thanks.

*Bummer... just found out that Bush is taking an "abbreviated" vacation this year. Does that mean only five weeks?

Dancing is not a Crime! - Oh wait, yes it is!

Has anybody noticed how hot everything is right now? I'm so hot I can't even feel my skin anymore. And that's really weird.

I haven't posted in a while as I've been avoiding life, conflicts, projects, and things in general. I'm in a malaise and goodness only knows how I'm going to get myself out of this personal quagmire.

But enough of me, how's the rest of the world? Hmmm... let's see, I can sum it up in one word: crappy. C-R-A-P-P-Y. CRAPPY!!!!

Hell; we're about to all go there, at least according to the Bible-thumpers as the Middle East explodes; Iraq is still harsh, and now Turkey seems to be a tad upset as the Kurds are restless on the Turk's Southern border. Oh joy, oh bliss, oh rapture.

Oh... scratch that last one.

So into the fray is a bit of local NYC politics. In the five boroughs of New York City, it is illegal to dance in a bar, club, theater, etc., where three or more people congregate and where food or drink is served. So, no swing dancing, no moshing, no tango, no jazz tapping, no nothing, unless the venue has paid the city of New York a sum of money which legally allows patrons to dance.

There are currently 244 active cabaret licenses, a number that fluctuates depending on approvals, fines, and dormant licenses.

Sounds like, I don't know, Taliban country, eh? Well, I've been hearing that even in Afghanistan you can dance now, though I haven't been able to confirm it.

Back in 1926, these laws grew out of the jazz era in New York, when the races were mixing and the dance was hot and heavy; the last thing anyone needed was a meeting of the... coloreds and the whiteys. A Prohibition definition of lewdness was being regulated, and somehow, in 2006, the laws are still on the books. The background has changed, but the laws are still used to wontanly crack down on New York nightlife and keep our citizens in line.

There's been a few lawsuits in the past several years attempting to get rid of or modify the laws. Most attempts have been failures, though Paul Chevigny was able to strip the regulations concerning musicians: for years New York musicians had to have a license to play. One blight on their record and they could be denied the right to make a living by being denied the right to play. This law was stricken back in 1991. Musicians all over NYC went HOORAY!

Now, the last vestige of these laws lay in the anti-dancing portion of Public Law 20-359 regulating Public Dance Halls, Cabarets, and Catering Establishments in New York City, presumably one of the most enlightened places on Earth.

The bottom line is that dancing, my friends, is illegal in New York.

So, since all politics is actually local, on July 22 from 2-4 PM, there will be a protest at the corner of 5th Avenue and 79th Street, in view of Mayor Bloomberg's house. We are hoping to move the Administration to change the law and allow dancing while developing other regulations to control noise, overcrowding, and whatever else the City of New York needs to do to make places safe physically while allowing dancing.

So, see you there!

When: Saturday, July 22, 2006 from 2-4 PM

Where: At the corner of the Honorable Mayor Bloomberg’s home.
East 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Take the 6 train to 77th, the M79 or M2L buses to 79th and Fifth, or the M1, M2, M3, or M4 buses to 79th and Madison.

July 4th Kayaking on the East River

On a Kayak, East River Near Queens, Looking Toward Roosevelt Island and Manhattan, July 4, 2006

Lately, I've been doing something that I've dreamed about for the last ten years: kayaking on the rivers of New York City. In over 20 years of being in New York on and off, I'm one of many millions of New Yorkers who have looked longingly toward the water, either with desire to be in it, on it, or far away from it!

I was very lucky indeed to be on the water during the July 4th fireworks. Being out there in a small boat, with many gigantic boats, and watching the works together was a 4th I won't long forget. I'm very happy that I was able to do it and very happy that things are such in my life right now that I can enjoy the rivers of New York. It's good to be alive.

I took a few photos, but a moving boat and fireworks don't really go well... but it's kinda funky... I kinda like it...

On a Kayak, East River, Near Roosevelt Island, July 4, 2006

A Bomb Goes Off in June

DIVINE STRAKE
Test Date: June 2, 2006
Where: Area 16, Nevada
Attack Date: Ask the Pentagon and President Bush
Where: A Desert Nation Near You

I heard about this upcoming test blast while listening to the Randi Rhodes show the other day. A few days later, a fellow poster on a private board posted some information on it, so I decided to take a further look.

In order to measure the efficacy of nuclear devices to destroy underground weapons holds and sites, the U.S. will test a large-scale explosive device deep underground in the Nevada desert on June 2, 2006. The Nevada site was chosen over two other sites due to its underground limestone deposits, which, according to the full details reported to the State of Nevada, most closely resemble the underground deposits of certain places that we're likely to use an underground nuclear device on. The test bomb itself is going to be

"... up to 700-tons (635-metric tons) of heavy ammonium nitrate oil emulsion (also known as heavy ANFO) ... in addition to the ANFO, up to 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of C-4 exlosive would be used to initiate detonation ..."

In other words, that's a big boom. At the end of it, expect a giant hole, lots of dead snakes, birds and underground critters; radiation, and a ton of research to perfect a bomb that could destroy underground weapons holds in Iran and other places. Oh, and start WWIII as well.

I'm a bit confused about why they've named it Divine "Strake," as from what I can tell of the word, it's a "single continuous line of planking or metal plating extending on a vessel's hull from stem to stern." [See the black and white picture at the top of this post.] What, pray tell, is so divine about that? Wikipedia expands on the definition a bit, only in that strakes have been placed on aircraft as well. Although it's probably safe to say that the definition they had in mind was "a tool made of metal or wood for levelling a bed of sand." In other words, it's a God-inspired test weapon to level a bed of sand and limestone in a desert nation that may or may not have nuclear weapons, which, if they do have nuclear weapons, will go boom when the God-inspired sand leveler goes boom and which, if they don't have nuclear weapons, will have us issuing one hell of an apology in the aftermath of the big boom.

Lovely, but that's just what I came up with. NPR explains how the name Divine Strake came about (or tries to), and how code names are developed in general.

Read all about the test site, the detonation, previous such detonations, and all the other details regarding rationale, how loud the explosion will be and earth and animal destruction here:

E2006-222 DEA for a large-scale open-air explosive detonation "DIVINE STRAKE" at the Nevada Test Site.

More folks are talking seriously about the test and what the results may be used for in the following links:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/ops/divine-strake.htm

http://www.wsdp.org/us_defies_un_decision_040406.htm

http://www.nukestrat.com/us/stratcom/gs-divinestrake.htm

http://www.gallupindependent.com/2006/apr/041006fallout.html

http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1024/divine-strake


Now, if you really want to stir up some controversy, check out the proposed multi-year permit plans for the annual Burning Man festival.
E2006-230 EA for multi-year permit for the Burning Man event on Public lands in the Black Rock Desert. - Comments due: 1/25/2006 (Too late for you...)

Steve's Fotografik Rephlux Annex

Andi at Alt. Oscars

Unfortunately Andy T/É was unable to attend due to extenuating bleaching delays, but other Andi showed up in force at the Kostume Kult's Alternative Oscars bash at Crobar in Manhattan on March 5.

Here's a photo of various Andi:

Andy M, Andy O!, Andy A, and Andy J

Val Solanas was unable to make an appearance. She was probably ranting at some man or another.

Dick Button... ugh... my ears...

It may just be my imagination, but has Dick Button gotten more vicious over the years when announcing figure skating? I swear, there were a few times over the last couple of days when I physically cringed at hearing his commentary.

Kwan Ends Medal Hopes?

OK, maybe I'm just being mean, but I do not think that Michelle Kwan can win a medal in this year's Olympics. In fact, she just may withdraw. It's too bad, but some things just aren't meant to happen. I could be wrong (hell, what do I know?), but I don't think she can pull it off.

Kwan ponders withdrawal after rough practice

Oh, and that opening ceremony? Crazily fantastic.

Repeat after Me...

From Crooks and Liars:

As Jane points out, [Jack] Abramoff never gave a dime to democrats. Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show...read on

So when you hear folks say that Jack Abramoff's clients gave to Republicans and Democrats, just ask 'em, but what did Abramoff give to Democrats? Nada. Zip. The big nuthin'.

2006 might be interesting indeed...

2005: Good Night and Good Riddance

Well, tonight is the night. The beginning of the New Year, when a goodly portion of the people attempt to find something fun to do in order to wipe away the old and bring in the new. Personally, I can't wait for 2005 to turn into 2006. I want it over and done. Good Night and Good Riddance 2005. Hello and Howdy-doo 2006!

Don't get me wrong, 2005 was personally a great year for me except for my kitty's illness. Hell, I managed to visit New Orleans exactly one week before Hurricane Katrina. That's about as good as anyone can have it this year, as far as I'm concerned. But like politics, which is all local, life is local, too. Though my local life was primarily good, for the rest of the world, well, it was one thing after another.

If you need to have a catalog of things that went crazy this year, well, you've just not been paying attention and need to get on the ball. No need to recap the bad shit. I hope that your own personal good things were very good, and if you suffered personally, I truly hope the new year brings better things for you.

So, here's to the New Year, which may hold hell and highwater for many of us. Here's hoping, however, that there is lot less hell and certainly a lot less highwater for all of us.

Namaste

Happy New Year!