What Katie says Norman Mailer Says
So I'm visiting Katie Laris in Santa Barbara. It's beautiful here. We had a lot of fun at the beach today. While our children were screaming for us to join them in the water, no doubt seriously in danger of drowning, Katie and I were riveted in conversation on the beach.
Katie scorned me for listening to Air America instead of Amy Goodman's Democracy Now--like you could only listen to one or the other. She said that recently she heard Norman Mailer being interviewed on Democracy Now. She says Norman Mailer quoted either Lenin or Trotsky, whichever one of them was in Mexico, as saying "sometimes you just have to ask the question, to get the answer." And in this case, you have to ask yourself, "why did the Republicans decide to hold their convention in New York City? Do you feel lucky, well do you?"
Actually, scratch that last part, I'm pretty punchy. Anyway, the point is we're all giddy about the convention there and we've bought the 911 world trade center line, but Katie Laris says that Amy Goodman says that Norman Mailer says that "Republicans slash the media are just waiting for some wierd slash wacko slash violent slash (I can't make these things up, Katie is looking over my shoulder and she just keeps saying "slash" and I keep typing) whatever behavior to transmit to the oh-so-normal midwest." And, as Norman Mailer says (via...) "if some violence happens, you'd better check on who's paying them to be there."
So, in the paranoid fevered imagination of Katie slash Amy slash Norman some wacko Karl Rove slash Cheney funded sicko slash activist is going to slash the freedom barriers in central park and (Katie breaks in "this isn't helping. This was supposed to be about peace and freedom and tranquility and now it's just mocking Democracy Now or maybe, just democracy") "STOP!!! Stop typing whatever I say. I HATE YOU!!! I'M GOING TO KILL SLASH...
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Monday, August 23, 2004
Hoping for disappointment
Drew Liebert lifted my spirits with this (seemingly continually updated) electoral math website. When you look at it you can't help but believe that John Kerry is going to win (even if you factor for the obvious flaw of counting states that their listed polls show are statistical dead heats as "Barely Kerry").
Anecdotally, I believe that people are starting to think that Kerry can and will win--and as a result, some of them are starting to panic. I'm getting a lot of comments like, I wonder if I really want him to win, maybe there's no difference between the two candidates and why did he say he would've voted for the war powers act? and won't he just disappoint us anyway?
My thoughts are that a) there's a world of difference between the two candidates on almost every issue, just sadly not enough on the vital issue of the war and b) he should repudiate the war powers act and c) let's pray, really pray people, that he disappoints us.
Why should we pray for disappointment? Because if we're disappointed, it'll mean 2 things: 1) Kerry got elected and 2) we had hope.
Drew Liebert lifted my spirits with this (seemingly continually updated) electoral math website. When you look at it you can't help but believe that John Kerry is going to win (even if you factor for the obvious flaw of counting states that their listed polls show are statistical dead heats as "Barely Kerry").
Anecdotally, I believe that people are starting to think that Kerry can and will win--and as a result, some of them are starting to panic. I'm getting a lot of comments like, I wonder if I really want him to win, maybe there's no difference between the two candidates and why did he say he would've voted for the war powers act? and won't he just disappoint us anyway?
My thoughts are that a) there's a world of difference between the two candidates on almost every issue, just sadly not enough on the vital issue of the war and b) he should repudiate the war powers act and c) let's pray, really pray people, that he disappoints us.
Why should we pray for disappointment? Because if we're disappointed, it'll mean 2 things: 1) Kerry got elected and 2) we had hope.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Death of a legendary colleague
Steve Thompson died early this morning as a result of an advanced cancer of the liver; he was 62. As the lobbyist for the California Nurses Association, I worked closely with Steve, who was, for the past 12 years, the Government Affairs Director of the California Medical Association.
Many of the people in the California Capitol are reeling from his death--he only discovered the cancer 5 or 6 weeks ago and it seems impossible that someone so completely and utterly vital and alive could go so fast.
Steve was a force of nature. There is no one I can think of even remotely like him on the California scene. He was Willie Brown's chief of staff when he was Speaker of the Assembly and met Willie in Mississippi during the civil rights fights; I think Willie bailed Steve out of jail.
Steve combined the energy and enthusiasm of a kid with the experience of a lifetime and the mind of a genius. Just about every time you'd run into him in the capitol, he looked like the cat that ate the canary; you just didn't want the canary to be you.
When you were on the other side of Steve on something, it wasn't a small thing to him. If you were a strong opponent for a time you felt one of you was a cartoon character nemesis, Joker or the Penguin, not just a lobbyist. The stakes were big and there was fun to be had and boy did he have it.
And it was great to be his co-conspirator. I know because I was one more than once. "Sara, come here," he'd whisper in an otherwise mundane legislative hearing. "whatcha up to?" "Not much," you'd reply. "Why? You got something?" "Oh yeah, I got something. Wait 'til you hear this..." And so it went. Next thing you knew you were flying around the Capitol or the state on the other end of his speed dial, playing out some wild scenario or another--a quick hit for adrenaline junkies.
Yeah, the doctors of California owe much of their slavish protection of MICRA (a California law which imposes ridiculous limits on compensation for medical malpractice lawsuits) to Steve. But that was the one gigantic untouchable for him as the CMA's top lobbyist. Everything else was on the table. Steve Thompson dragged that old-fashioned conservative Kaiser-controlled organization into the 21st Century, sometimes kicking and screaming, but always the better for it. He negotiated dox to back more death with dignity, stronger scrutiny of bad dox by the Medical board and revelation of medical malpractice lawsuits and more.
First and foremost, Steve was a proponent and fighter for universal health care 'til the day he died. He, more than any other single person in the state except for maybe (Senate leader pro tem) John Burton is responsible for last year's pay or play employer mandate health coverage expansion being signed into law--and now it's being forced onto the November ballot by its opponents to force the voters to reaffirm the law.
Let's pass that initiative, people, if only for Steve.
Steve Thompson died early this morning as a result of an advanced cancer of the liver; he was 62. As the lobbyist for the California Nurses Association, I worked closely with Steve, who was, for the past 12 years, the Government Affairs Director of the California Medical Association.
Many of the people in the California Capitol are reeling from his death--he only discovered the cancer 5 or 6 weeks ago and it seems impossible that someone so completely and utterly vital and alive could go so fast.
Steve was a force of nature. There is no one I can think of even remotely like him on the California scene. He was Willie Brown's chief of staff when he was Speaker of the Assembly and met Willie in Mississippi during the civil rights fights; I think Willie bailed Steve out of jail.
Steve combined the energy and enthusiasm of a kid with the experience of a lifetime and the mind of a genius. Just about every time you'd run into him in the capitol, he looked like the cat that ate the canary; you just didn't want the canary to be you.
When you were on the other side of Steve on something, it wasn't a small thing to him. If you were a strong opponent for a time you felt one of you was a cartoon character nemesis, Joker or the Penguin, not just a lobbyist. The stakes were big and there was fun to be had and boy did he have it.
And it was great to be his co-conspirator. I know because I was one more than once. "Sara, come here," he'd whisper in an otherwise mundane legislative hearing. "whatcha up to?" "Not much," you'd reply. "Why? You got something?" "Oh yeah, I got something. Wait 'til you hear this..." And so it went. Next thing you knew you were flying around the Capitol or the state on the other end of his speed dial, playing out some wild scenario or another--a quick hit for adrenaline junkies.
Yeah, the doctors of California owe much of their slavish protection of MICRA (a California law which imposes ridiculous limits on compensation for medical malpractice lawsuits) to Steve. But that was the one gigantic untouchable for him as the CMA's top lobbyist. Everything else was on the table. Steve Thompson dragged that old-fashioned conservative Kaiser-controlled organization into the 21st Century, sometimes kicking and screaming, but always the better for it. He negotiated dox to back more death with dignity, stronger scrutiny of bad dox by the Medical board and revelation of medical malpractice lawsuits and more.
First and foremost, Steve was a proponent and fighter for universal health care 'til the day he died. He, more than any other single person in the state except for maybe (Senate leader pro tem) John Burton is responsible for last year's pay or play employer mandate health coverage expansion being signed into law--and now it's being forced onto the November ballot by its opponents to force the voters to reaffirm the law.
Let's pass that initiative, people, if only for Steve.
Monday, August 16, 2004
Political Humor
These two bit(e)s of political humor really tickled me so much that I'm taking the liberty of posting them on the blog.
One you may have seen--I certainly heard about it, but hadn't been sent it--it's the Will Farrell as Bush "out-takes" from his campaign commercials.
The other was on the August 14th broadcast of Prairie Home Companion from Chicago, featuring brilliant Bush and Cheney imitators in a "blues-off" with Kerry and Edwards imitators. I almost had to pull the car over at the Bush riffs. Kerry/Bush Blues Off
Soon, more original thoughts. Bill still thinks its Kerry's to lose, you?
These two bit(e)s of political humor really tickled me so much that I'm taking the liberty of posting them on the blog.
One you may have seen--I certainly heard about it, but hadn't been sent it--it's the Will Farrell as Bush "out-takes" from his campaign commercials.
The other was on the August 14th broadcast of Prairie Home Companion from Chicago, featuring brilliant Bush and Cheney imitators in a "blues-off" with Kerry and Edwards imitators. I almost had to pull the car over at the Bush riffs. Kerry/Bush Blues Off
Soon, more original thoughts. Bill still thinks its Kerry's to lose, you?
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Craig v. Kerry
This week I have been avoiding blogging a bit because all I want to talk about is Craig's List at www.craigslist.org. I knew about Craig's List (you probably do too) but I didn't know they had it in Sacramento--I thought it was just in the SF bay area. Turns out it's practically all over the country now--free on-line classifieds, no ads, no fees, no nuttin'
Blah, blah, blah, you're thinkin', what's so great about that? Well check this: within 1 week of posting and answering on Sacramento Craig's List, I sold an antique I've been trying to sell for 6 years for a good price, found green cleaners that I had been trying to find for 3 years, found someone to come and haul away stuff real cheap and I've made friends that will last a lifetime--(guess which part is a lie).
Bill, in the meantime is glazing over again at my household frenzy. Instead, at our last community meeting when other people's announcements range from "I'm having a potluck next week" to "my daughter is in the Nutcracker again," Bill opens his eyes, leans forward in his chair, rubs his hands together vigorously and says with no preface, "lately I'm thinking Kerry with 50 to 51 percent of the popular vote and a slight edge in the electoral college, Bush with 47 to 48 percent of the vote and Nader with 1 percent."
This was big stuff to me. You'd think the room would erupt in applause; it's a pro-Kerry crowd, green party membership notwithstanding. But instead, the announcement circle passes to the next person, "I lost my keys last week in the laundry room. If anyone finds them..."
Tonight I arranged a private interview with Bill to find out more about his prediction.
"What was it again?" I asked (at an inopportune moment).
"Ask me later," he said.
Later, I asked and he laid it out like above, adding only that with Nader not getting on the ballot in California it will take a huge chunk out of this percentage, but in no way, obviously, harm his chances of affecting the outcome of the election.
"Does the fact that you're calling him Nader now instead of Ralph have any significance, Bill?" I ask.
"Nope. I still call him Ralph sometimes," he says, throwing a tissue into a wastebasket.
"What's this whole prediction based on?" I ask.
"On my intuition," he says.
"Nothing else?" I hope.
"Nope," he says cheerfully. "Hey, did you see that McGreevey* resigned?"
"I'm excited," I say. "Who's McGreevey? Is he on Craig's List?"
*See New Jersey Governor quits, says he's gay
This week I have been avoiding blogging a bit because all I want to talk about is Craig's List at www.craigslist.org. I knew about Craig's List (you probably do too) but I didn't know they had it in Sacramento--I thought it was just in the SF bay area. Turns out it's practically all over the country now--free on-line classifieds, no ads, no fees, no nuttin'
Blah, blah, blah, you're thinkin', what's so great about that? Well check this: within 1 week of posting and answering on Sacramento Craig's List, I sold an antique I've been trying to sell for 6 years for a good price, found green cleaners that I had been trying to find for 3 years, found someone to come and haul away stuff real cheap and I've made friends that will last a lifetime--(guess which part is a lie).
Bill, in the meantime is glazing over again at my household frenzy. Instead, at our last community meeting when other people's announcements range from "I'm having a potluck next week" to "my daughter is in the Nutcracker again," Bill opens his eyes, leans forward in his chair, rubs his hands together vigorously and says with no preface, "lately I'm thinking Kerry with 50 to 51 percent of the popular vote and a slight edge in the electoral college, Bush with 47 to 48 percent of the vote and Nader with 1 percent."
This was big stuff to me. You'd think the room would erupt in applause; it's a pro-Kerry crowd, green party membership notwithstanding. But instead, the announcement circle passes to the next person, "I lost my keys last week in the laundry room. If anyone finds them..."
Tonight I arranged a private interview with Bill to find out more about his prediction.
"What was it again?" I asked (at an inopportune moment).
"Ask me later," he said.
Later, I asked and he laid it out like above, adding only that with Nader not getting on the ballot in California it will take a huge chunk out of this percentage, but in no way, obviously, harm his chances of affecting the outcome of the election.
"Does the fact that you're calling him Nader now instead of Ralph have any significance, Bill?" I ask.
"Nope. I still call him Ralph sometimes," he says, throwing a tissue into a wastebasket.
"What's this whole prediction based on?" I ask.
"On my intuition," he says.
"Nothing else?" I hope.
"Nope," he says cheerfully. "Hey, did you see that McGreevey* resigned?"
"I'm excited," I say. "Who's McGreevey? Is he on Craig's List?"
*See New Jersey Governor quits, says he's gay
Monday, August 09, 2004
Origin of Snouts Up (:)
Faithful reader David Allgood writes to ask where the snout concept comes from, so I answer:
It comes from the fact that I used to be obsessed with pigs and a lot of my old friends know that. I wanted to do something other than thumbs or stars, and thought snouts conveyed the level of self-mockery I needed to get away with a review, period--then I discovered that you could easily make a snout with a couple of parens and a colon and voila!
Don't you just love picturing the huge pigs underneath with their snouts pointed up to the stars?
Faithful reader David Allgood writes to ask where the snout concept comes from, so I answer:
It comes from the fact that I used to be obsessed with pigs and a lot of my old friends know that. I wanted to do something other than thumbs or stars, and thought snouts conveyed the level of self-mockery I needed to get away with a review, period--then I discovered that you could easily make a snout with a couple of parens and a colon and voila!
Don't you just love picturing the huge pigs underneath with their snouts pointed up to the stars?
(:)(:)(:)(:)(:)(:)(:)
3 Snouts Up for Crow Lake
(:)(:)(:)* for Crow Lake by Canadian author Mary Lawson. Billed as the "best novel he read this year" by one of my brothers-in-law, I dove heartily into this self-proclaimed "shimmering tale of love, death and redemption" (who could not be drawn to that?).
This is actually one of the best novels I've read this year, but that's mostly a testament to the level of brain candy I've been ingesting this summer (these days I tend to alternate weighty non-fiction with complete trash). It's strongly written, holds your interest and the characters are well-drawn, but the heroine and narrator of the story is such a cypher, existing mostly relative to her brothers and boyfriend, that you get a kind of shadowy picture of her glimpsed in snatches. Ultimately I had trouble caring much about her life.
The best novel I've read this summer is Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende--definitely (:)(:)(:)(:)--her best since the early days--a must as far as I'm concerned.
*For my newer readers--I have a snout-based rating system for movies, books and restaurants. 4 Snouts up is the best you can get.
(:)(:)(:)* for Crow Lake by Canadian author Mary Lawson. Billed as the "best novel he read this year" by one of my brothers-in-law, I dove heartily into this self-proclaimed "shimmering tale of love, death and redemption" (who could not be drawn to that?).
This is actually one of the best novels I've read this year, but that's mostly a testament to the level of brain candy I've been ingesting this summer (these days I tend to alternate weighty non-fiction with complete trash). It's strongly written, holds your interest and the characters are well-drawn, but the heroine and narrator of the story is such a cypher, existing mostly relative to her brothers and boyfriend, that you get a kind of shadowy picture of her glimpsed in snatches. Ultimately I had trouble caring much about her life.
The best novel I've read this summer is Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende--definitely (:)(:)(:)(:)--her best since the early days--a must as far as I'm concerned.
*For my newer readers--I have a snout-based rating system for movies, books and restaurants. 4 Snouts up is the best you can get.
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Cultural Losers
Probably most of you have been aware for some time of the crucial glue that the culture wars form to bond working class voters to the Republican party. But do you know about the book What's the Matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank?
I haven't read it or even bought it, but watching Bill Moyers and reading two articles qualifies me to say this: this book uses Republican-voting working class Kansas as an example of what's wrong with the whole country to make this fascinating additional contribution to public debate: the Republicans not only cynically use social issues (especially anti-abortion and gay rights) to distract working class people while they accomplish their broad economic agenda, the Republican party routinely loses in its culture fight and wins in its economic fight.
The Republican party uses social issues as populist issues, baiting people against limosine liberals and latte drinking Hollywood liberals. The class war is never connected with economic interests though, because tax cuts for the wealthy do not benefit people who work and shop at Walmart.
The result: working class people who care strongly about these issues lose both ways. I haven't figured out how this can help Democrats, but I suspect there's a way. I guess my approach of just mocking and taunting the Republicans won't fly, "losers, losers, gay people are getting married anyway while you're getting poorer."
Probably most of you have been aware for some time of the crucial glue that the culture wars form to bond working class voters to the Republican party. But do you know about the book What's the Matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank?
I haven't read it or even bought it, but watching Bill Moyers and reading two articles qualifies me to say this: this book uses Republican-voting working class Kansas as an example of what's wrong with the whole country to make this fascinating additional contribution to public debate: the Republicans not only cynically use social issues (especially anti-abortion and gay rights) to distract working class people while they accomplish their broad economic agenda, the Republican party routinely loses in its culture fight and wins in its economic fight.
The Republican party uses social issues as populist issues, baiting people against limosine liberals and latte drinking Hollywood liberals. The class war is never connected with economic interests though, because tax cuts for the wealthy do not benefit people who work and shop at Walmart.
The result: working class people who care strongly about these issues lose both ways. I haven't figured out how this can help Democrats, but I suspect there's a way. I guess my approach of just mocking and taunting the Republicans won't fly, "losers, losers, gay people are getting married anyway while you're getting poorer."
According to good friends at Arnoldwatch.org
Weblog August 6, 2004 2:00 pm:
Questions Jay Leno Should Ask Arnold Tonight
Jay Leno has a tradition of using viewer-contributed material on the air. In honor of Governor Schwarzenegger's return to Leno tonight to mark the one year anniversary of his historic announcement that he would run for Governor, Arnoldwatch.org has sent in these questions for Leno to ask Arnold:
1. Arnold, last year you said that you're rich enough that you don't need anyone else's money. Now that you are raising campaign cash twice as fast as Gray Davis, does that mean you’re not as rich as you thought?
2. You said you would be the sunshine governor and we all thought that meant you would open up government records. But you made 250 state employees sign secrecy agreements when they met with lobbyists to revamp government, and you created a charity, which does not disclose its donors that campaign finance experts recently called a political "slush fund." Why didn't you just tell the public what you really meant by "sunshine governor" -- that you'd always have a tan.
3. You said you’d sweep "special interests" out of Sacramento. But you’ve taken more than one million dollars each from the auto industry, insurers, and HMOs, and $5 million from real estate and investment king pins. How do they define special interests in Austrian dictionaries? Anyone without campaign cash?
4. You're supposedly holding a big fundraising party in Napa this weekend...any chance you'll tell us where it is?
5. You call legislators "girlie men." Don’t you wear more make up than all the female politicians in Sacramento combined?
Questions Jay Leno Should Ask Arnold Tonight
Jay Leno has a tradition of using viewer-contributed material on the air. In honor of Governor Schwarzenegger's return to Leno tonight to mark the one year anniversary of his historic announcement that he would run for Governor, Arnoldwatch.org has sent in these questions for Leno to ask Arnold:
1. Arnold, last year you said that you're rich enough that you don't need anyone else's money. Now that you are raising campaign cash twice as fast as Gray Davis, does that mean you’re not as rich as you thought?
2. You said you would be the sunshine governor and we all thought that meant you would open up government records. But you made 250 state employees sign secrecy agreements when they met with lobbyists to revamp government, and you created a charity, which does not disclose its donors that campaign finance experts recently called a political "slush fund." Why didn't you just tell the public what you really meant by "sunshine governor" -- that you'd always have a tan.
3. You said you’d sweep "special interests" out of Sacramento. But you’ve taken more than one million dollars each from the auto industry, insurers, and HMOs, and $5 million from real estate and investment king pins. How do they define special interests in Austrian dictionaries? Anyone without campaign cash?
4. You're supposedly holding a big fundraising party in Napa this weekend...any chance you'll tell us where it is?
5. You call legislators "girlie men." Don’t you wear more make up than all the female politicians in Sacramento combined?
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Bill and his children in the news today
It's a busy day in the Magavern household--trying to handle all the press calls. Here's what the fuss is about:
Both kids made all local evening news and online sources today by appearing at a press conference protesting diverting money from youth programs, like parks and pools, to a new taxpayer funded downtown sports arena. The announcement was (clearly purposely) overshadowed by a sudden breakoff in negotiations between the (Sacramento Kings-owning) Maloofs and the city of Sacramento, causing local news to speculate that children were forcing the Kings to leave.
Bill was rockin' and rollin' in the New York Times, in Plan Would Consolidate California Agencies where he unveils shocking news that regulation of air pollution actually works and would be harmful to roll back--who knew? (apparently, not Arnold!)
In the meantime, I forced my kids to make picket signs, drove them to press conferences, and cheered them all on dressed impeccably in white (actually, I was wearing a purple t-shirt and capris with unidentifiable stains and hadn't brushed my hair in days, but who's counting?).
It's a busy day in the Magavern household--trying to handle all the press calls. Here's what the fuss is about:
Both kids made all local evening news and online sources today by appearing at a press conference protesting diverting money from youth programs, like parks and pools, to a new taxpayer funded downtown sports arena. The announcement was (clearly purposely) overshadowed by a sudden breakoff in negotiations between the (Sacramento Kings-owning) Maloofs and the city of Sacramento, causing local news to speculate that children were forcing the Kings to leave.
Bill was rockin' and rollin' in the New York Times, in Plan Would Consolidate California Agencies where he unveils shocking news that regulation of air pollution actually works and would be harmful to roll back--who knew? (apparently, not Arnold!)
In the meantime, I forced my kids to make picket signs, drove them to press conferences, and cheered them all on dressed impeccably in white (actually, I was wearing a purple t-shirt and capris with unidentifiable stains and hadn't brushed my hair in days, but who's counting?).
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Why Kerry will Win
Okay, this'll be one of those little headlines I stand a decent chance of wincing about next year, but here's what comes to me like a flash when I watch these candidates on the trail: Kerry wants to win and Bush doesn't.
Really. Yesterday, while I watched clips from Bush on the stump, I thought: this man hates his job. He doesn't want to win. Oh, he likes airforce one and all the good golfing trips, but the campaign is seriously cutting into his vacation schedule and it's become a pain.
And then when you look at Kerry you see utter utter determination, focus, force of will. This man is in the fight of his life and he refuses to lose.
And then today Randi Rhodes reads this clip on Air America Radio from Capitol Hill Blue--a mudslinging websheet of some sort--which reports Bush's Erratic Behavior Worries White House Aides--read this! If anything in here is to believed (actually, upon closer inspection, this little piece is 2 months old--why was RR only just reading it today? and why hasn't this blog been updated lately? and some of it contradicts my initial thesis, but heck read it anyway, it's awfully fun).
Bottom line: Bush is losin' it, people. He needs to be sedated and taken to a quiet place, not re-elected. For God's sake, if you love the President, get him help!
Okay, this'll be one of those little headlines I stand a decent chance of wincing about next year, but here's what comes to me like a flash when I watch these candidates on the trail: Kerry wants to win and Bush doesn't.
Really. Yesterday, while I watched clips from Bush on the stump, I thought: this man hates his job. He doesn't want to win. Oh, he likes airforce one and all the good golfing trips, but the campaign is seriously cutting into his vacation schedule and it's become a pain.
And then when you look at Kerry you see utter utter determination, focus, force of will. This man is in the fight of his life and he refuses to lose.
And then today Randi Rhodes reads this clip on Air America Radio from Capitol Hill Blue--a mudslinging websheet of some sort--which reports Bush's Erratic Behavior Worries White House Aides--read this! If anything in here is to believed (actually, upon closer inspection, this little piece is 2 months old--why was RR only just reading it today? and why hasn't this blog been updated lately? and some of it contradicts my initial thesis, but heck read it anyway, it's awfully fun).
Bottom line: Bush is losin' it, people. He needs to be sedated and taken to a quiet place, not re-elected. For God's sake, if you love the President, get him help!
Friday, July 30, 2004
4 Snouts Up for NYC
I can attest that New York has still got it. While everyone else in the world was in Boston this week, Bill and I were in Manhattan. Among many other diversions, we saw two plays: Bug and Caroline, or Change.
(:)(:)(:)(:) 4 Snouts up for Bug
Very dark twisted minds created this stunningly well-acted and well-written play set entirely in a rundown residential hotel on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Bug "off-Broadway" at the Barrow Street Theater in the west village is for you if you love a good paranoid schizophrenic naked violent comedy. If you're tired of that genre, go see Cats for the 3rd time, see if I care.
(:)(:)(:)(; 3 and a half Snouts up for Caroline, or Change
Still far from the Cats set but squarely on Broadway (well, the Eugene O'Neal on 49th, but who's counting) is the new Tony Kushner play Caroline, or Change.
This one is a musical set in 1963 Louisiana centered around a black maid working for a white Jewish family. Tony Kushner's story and Jeanine Tesori's music are fabulous, compelling, perfectly and unpretentiously staged and acted. I absolutely love Tony Kushner's writing in the two-part critically acclaimed Angels in America (which, if you haven't seen the made for HBO movie of, you must).
The only weakness, and for me, it is a biggy, is that so far I sense no particular talent in Kushner as a lyricist, and he wrote all the lyrics. The lyrics tell the story well and vaguely go with the music, but that's the end of it. Now I'm not lookin' for Cole Porter here; I know that era is sadly long gone. No. I'd settle for Webber or Rice (whichever one does the lyrics)--despite the great story, bouncy enjoyable early 60's rock 'n' roll and R&B score, there is not a single memorable song in the show. I hummed nothin'. And that says to me, why bother? Stick to the straight show, Tony.
I can attest that New York has still got it. While everyone else in the world was in Boston this week, Bill and I were in Manhattan. Among many other diversions, we saw two plays: Bug and Caroline, or Change.
(:)(:)(:)(:) 4 Snouts up for Bug
Very dark twisted minds created this stunningly well-acted and well-written play set entirely in a rundown residential hotel on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Bug "off-Broadway" at the Barrow Street Theater in the west village is for you if you love a good paranoid schizophrenic naked violent comedy. If you're tired of that genre, go see Cats for the 3rd time, see if I care.
(:)(:)(:)(; 3 and a half Snouts up for Caroline, or Change
Still far from the Cats set but squarely on Broadway (well, the Eugene O'Neal on 49th, but who's counting) is the new Tony Kushner play Caroline, or Change.
This one is a musical set in 1963 Louisiana centered around a black maid working for a white Jewish family. Tony Kushner's story and Jeanine Tesori's music are fabulous, compelling, perfectly and unpretentiously staged and acted. I absolutely love Tony Kushner's writing in the two-part critically acclaimed Angels in America (which, if you haven't seen the made for HBO movie of, you must).
The only weakness, and for me, it is a biggy, is that so far I sense no particular talent in Kushner as a lyricist, and he wrote all the lyrics. The lyrics tell the story well and vaguely go with the music, but that's the end of it. Now I'm not lookin' for Cole Porter here; I know that era is sadly long gone. No. I'd settle for Webber or Rice (whichever one does the lyrics)--despite the great story, bouncy enjoyable early 60's rock 'n' roll and R&B score, there is not a single memorable song in the show. I hummed nothin'. And that says to me, why bother? Stick to the straight show, Tony.
Thursday, July 29, 2004
President Kerry!
Hey, I'm trying to say this before every blogger and pundit in the nation does: Kerry's nomination acceptance speech tonight at the Democratic Convention was masterful in content and delivery (and he only used the word values 375 times!)
How did he do it? I am blown away by what he accomplished. Somehow he was simultaneously presidential, measured, serious, bold and inspiring. Some pundits are already trying to define this speech as centrist. I disagree. True. It has phenomenal centrist appeal. But it is far from typical tweedle dum/tweedle dee DLC fodder.
The typical Clinton era "new Democrat" speech takes Republican policies and softens them for Democrats and the mushy middle. This speech did the opposite. It took hardcore liberal Democratic policies and goals--FDR and LBJ's Democratic party--and cloaked them in the rhetoric and value-laden language that the Republicans have previously owned.
This speech was a George Lakoff wet dream--Kerry took all the advice this Berkeley professor and his team have been turning out for the past two years and put it to good use. Example: "instead of talking about family values, let's talk about what we're going to do to value families."
This simple turn-of-phrase (which would be dubbed a "charlie the tuna" in the advertising world--Starkist doesn't want tunas with good taste, Starkist wants tunas that taste good) plants a seed of doubt in the minds of every idiot swing voter (hey, I'm not promoting Slimfast, I can be as hatefest as I want) who has salivated over Bush's family values--what do they really mean? it asks. Do they value families? Are they telling the truth? What if they're not?
And that's not all!
Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club thinks that this is probably the earliest that the environment has ever appeared in a Democratic nominee's acceptance speech (within the first 5 minutes, in case you weren't timing it at home). Kerry hit all the key issues: the economy, Iraq, health care, dependence on foreign oil, fair trade and good jobs, ending racism, education--plenty of red meat for the party faithful. But instead of pandering to the crowd or giving a traditional partisan speech, he did something brilliant, he took our issues and spoke about them in a new way, so that they were everybody's issues.
And he did it with passion, sincerity, and conviction as if he were already President. And so it is.
Hey, I'm trying to say this before every blogger and pundit in the nation does: Kerry's nomination acceptance speech tonight at the Democratic Convention was masterful in content and delivery (and he only used the word values 375 times!)
How did he do it? I am blown away by what he accomplished. Somehow he was simultaneously presidential, measured, serious, bold and inspiring. Some pundits are already trying to define this speech as centrist. I disagree. True. It has phenomenal centrist appeal. But it is far from typical tweedle dum/tweedle dee DLC fodder.
The typical Clinton era "new Democrat" speech takes Republican policies and softens them for Democrats and the mushy middle. This speech did the opposite. It took hardcore liberal Democratic policies and goals--FDR and LBJ's Democratic party--and cloaked them in the rhetoric and value-laden language that the Republicans have previously owned.
This speech was a George Lakoff wet dream--Kerry took all the advice this Berkeley professor and his team have been turning out for the past two years and put it to good use. Example: "instead of talking about family values, let's talk about what we're going to do to value families."
This simple turn-of-phrase (which would be dubbed a "charlie the tuna" in the advertising world--Starkist doesn't want tunas with good taste, Starkist wants tunas that taste good) plants a seed of doubt in the minds of every idiot swing voter (hey, I'm not promoting Slimfast, I can be as hatefest as I want) who has salivated over Bush's family values--what do they really mean? it asks. Do they value families? Are they telling the truth? What if they're not?
And that's not all!
Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club thinks that this is probably the earliest that the environment has ever appeared in a Democratic nominee's acceptance speech (within the first 5 minutes, in case you weren't timing it at home). Kerry hit all the key issues: the economy, Iraq, health care, dependence on foreign oil, fair trade and good jobs, ending racism, education--plenty of red meat for the party faithful. But instead of pandering to the crowd or giving a traditional partisan speech, he did something brilliant, he took our issues and spoke about them in a new way, so that they were everybody's issues.
And he did it with passion, sincerity, and conviction as if he were already President. And so it is.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
New Progressive Action Group formed in Sacramento
I am pleased to announce the formation of People United for a Better Sacramento (no website yet), a grassroots membership-based issue advocacy and political action group working to enact progressive policies in the Sacramento area. Brought together in the wake of a successful push to elect City Councilmember Dave Jones as the Democratic candidate for Sacramento's state Assembly seat, the group is the first explicitly progressive cross-cutting issue-advocacy organization working to bring real change to the Sacramento region.
The board (of which Dave Jones is President and I am Vice-President) reflects a diverse cross-section of activists coming out of various communities: environmental, civil rights, labor, youth and student, senior, neighborhoods, disability rights, housing and other grassroots groups.
Our first action is to oppose taxpayer funding for a new sports arena in Sacramento. But, last week's City Council meeting brought a referendum on that matter that much closer. The Sacramento Bee reports that the (Sacramento Kings-owning) Maloofs are seeking a referendum in a special election (even more expensive!) in March. That article also contains the first (as far as I know) news clipping reference to the new group we've founded--shorthand, "People United," please, not "PUBS."
I am pleased to announce the formation of People United for a Better Sacramento (no website yet), a grassroots membership-based issue advocacy and political action group working to enact progressive policies in the Sacramento area. Brought together in the wake of a successful push to elect City Councilmember Dave Jones as the Democratic candidate for Sacramento's state Assembly seat, the group is the first explicitly progressive cross-cutting issue-advocacy organization working to bring real change to the Sacramento region.
The board (of which Dave Jones is President and I am Vice-President) reflects a diverse cross-section of activists coming out of various communities: environmental, civil rights, labor, youth and student, senior, neighborhoods, disability rights, housing and other grassroots groups.
Our first action is to oppose taxpayer funding for a new sports arena in Sacramento. But, last week's City Council meeting brought a referendum on that matter that much closer. The Sacramento Bee reports that the (Sacramento Kings-owning) Maloofs are seeking a referendum in a special election (even more expensive!) in March. That article also contains the first (as far as I know) news clipping reference to the new group we've founded--shorthand, "People United," please, not "PUBS."
Friday, July 23, 2004
Meanwhile, back in Sacramento...
Well, I'm not back in Sacramento, but other people seem to be and the Democratic Party is hard at work capitalizing (sic) on Scharzenegger's most recent gaff. Go to sacramentogirliemen.com to buy the actually really cute eponymous t-shirts--all proceeds go to the Democratic Party.
(Get this straight: this is a t-shirt making fun of a governor who was making fun of the Democrats by making fun of an ancient Saturday Night Live skit that was making fun of him before he was governor.)
Well, I'm not back in Sacramento, but other people seem to be and the Democratic Party is hard at work capitalizing (sic) on Scharzenegger's most recent gaff. Go to sacramentogirliemen.com to buy the actually really cute eponymous t-shirts--all proceeds go to the Democratic Party.
(Get this straight: this is a t-shirt making fun of a governor who was making fun of the Democrats by making fun of an ancient Saturday Night Live skit that was making fun of him before he was governor.)
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Dateline Buffalo
Just got in from seeing the Psychedelic Furs play at the Continental Club on Franklin near Chippewa in downtown Buffalo, NY. The highlight of the opening act was a band called Kristofferson Airplane playing a cover of "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Cherry Bomb" a tiny hit from the early 80's, which gives you an idea of what caliber acts typically play the Continental.
The mix was bad and the acoustics terrible, but the Furs show was great--high energy, lots of fun. Chippewa street was hopping on a warm Wednesday night in Buffalo. Some 20 years ago when I lived in Buffalo, Chippewa never hopped. Chippewa might have sold you drugs at 4am when the bars closed. It might have put its highheeled foot on your car and straightened its fishnets. But it never hopped.
Buffalo is kind of dichotomous these days. On the one hand certain strips in the urban core are alive with independent restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops and throngs of customers. Property values have risen steeply in the gorgeous huge old homes on quiet tree-shaded residential streets spoking out from these hubs. Yet the City of Buffalo is financially unviable. Soon voters will consider a referendum, supported by the mayor and the county executive, to merge the city into the county government, because the city can't run itself on its tax base anymore.
Despite repeatedly grilling my father-in-law, probably the foremost expert in the region on state and local government and fiscal issues, I still don't fully understand how both these things are true at the same time.
But I take it as instructive for Sacramento now that we're fighting a big push for a taxpayer-funded sports arena in the city. Even the most exciting, thriving retail environment can't take the place of real jobs, it just gives the rich people somewhere to spend their money while the city dies.
Just got in from seeing the Psychedelic Furs play at the Continental Club on Franklin near Chippewa in downtown Buffalo, NY. The highlight of the opening act was a band called Kristofferson Airplane playing a cover of "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Cherry Bomb" a tiny hit from the early 80's, which gives you an idea of what caliber acts typically play the Continental.
The mix was bad and the acoustics terrible, but the Furs show was great--high energy, lots of fun. Chippewa street was hopping on a warm Wednesday night in Buffalo. Some 20 years ago when I lived in Buffalo, Chippewa never hopped. Chippewa might have sold you drugs at 4am when the bars closed. It might have put its highheeled foot on your car and straightened its fishnets. But it never hopped.
Buffalo is kind of dichotomous these days. On the one hand certain strips in the urban core are alive with independent restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops and throngs of customers. Property values have risen steeply in the gorgeous huge old homes on quiet tree-shaded residential streets spoking out from these hubs. Yet the City of Buffalo is financially unviable. Soon voters will consider a referendum, supported by the mayor and the county executive, to merge the city into the county government, because the city can't run itself on its tax base anymore.
Despite repeatedly grilling my father-in-law, probably the foremost expert in the region on state and local government and fiscal issues, I still don't fully understand how both these things are true at the same time.
But I take it as instructive for Sacramento now that we're fighting a big push for a taxpayer-funded sports arena in the city. Even the most exciting, thriving retail environment can't take the place of real jobs, it just gives the rich people somewhere to spend their money while the city dies.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Nip/Tuck on F/X is Fun/Vile
3 Snouts Up (:)(:)(:)
Have you seen this tv show? It combines soft porn with graphic surgery--what could be more enticing? Brought to you on basic cable: two men in a plastic surgery partnership in Miami--one cute, sweet and ethical, the other gorgeous, slutty and unprincipled. The scenes cut abruptly (sometimes literally) between slightly more than Sex-in-the-City level "love" scenes and vacuuming out "cottage cheese" during a lipo-suction (dieting tip: just try and eat your late night cereal in front of this show).
Somehow it's hard to resist--it's reasonably cleverly written and conceived and so disturbingly edgy that you're drawn to it without wanting to be. It doesn't hurt that Vanessa Redgrave's daughter plays the good doctor's wife and Vanessa Redgrave plays her witchy know-it-all psychotherapist mother obsessed with her own looks. At one point Redgrave senior gets it on with the unscrupulous 40 year old son-in-law's partner and then gloats about it to her daughter--nasty, vile and irresistible. But resist if you can, this is one show which signals the end of civilization is at hand (and do we need reminding?). Tuesdays at 10pm.
3 Snouts Up (:)(:)(:)
Have you seen this tv show? It combines soft porn with graphic surgery--what could be more enticing? Brought to you on basic cable: two men in a plastic surgery partnership in Miami--one cute, sweet and ethical, the other gorgeous, slutty and unprincipled. The scenes cut abruptly (sometimes literally) between slightly more than Sex-in-the-City level "love" scenes and vacuuming out "cottage cheese" during a lipo-suction (dieting tip: just try and eat your late night cereal in front of this show).
Somehow it's hard to resist--it's reasonably cleverly written and conceived and so disturbingly edgy that you're drawn to it without wanting to be. It doesn't hurt that Vanessa Redgrave's daughter plays the good doctor's wife and Vanessa Redgrave plays her witchy know-it-all psychotherapist mother obsessed with her own looks. At one point Redgrave senior gets it on with the unscrupulous 40 year old son-in-law's partner and then gloats about it to her daughter--nasty, vile and irresistible. But resist if you can, this is one show which signals the end of civilization is at hand (and do we need reminding?). Tuesdays at 10pm.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Sunday, July 18, 2004
There is no blog
Thus far, I've proven an unreliable summer blogger. One week in Yosemite, no computer, no phone, no blog. But then one week back, computer, phone, only one entry.
In my defense, I was readying the entire house for repainting and recarpeting--a job only slightly short of what's required for moving. And only slightly less irritating to the people around me, it turns out.
Everyone's heard the stories of marriages gone bad from remodelling a kitchen. Months without end of washing dishes in a bathtub take their toll on even the serenest souls.
But who has ever heard of 1 month's worth of prepping for painting and carpeting driving a family insane? Well, actually, just driving me insane, I think. My husband and children never complained.
But after about the 5th dinner conversation where Bill introduced some interesting topic from his day, worthy of say, an entire blog, like the inside scoop on Schwarzenegger's shenanigans on the budget in the California legislature and I responded with something as fascinating as "yes, but have you looked at the sample Sedona Sunrise streaks I painted on the wall?," I was boring myself, yet I couldn't stop. I had to have him see the Sedona Sunrise, I had to.
Okay, it's behind us. It's in the painter's hands.
So, now we're here in Buffalo, New York for two weeks. It's cool and rainy and everything is fabulous. After months of unrelenting Sacramento sunshine, it is delightful to sit on a porch swing and read while the afternoon thunderstorm pours down around us.
I'm hopeful that I'll write something more interesting tomorrow, but at the instance of the Rev. Julie Interrante, I'm reading No death, no fear by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. As such, I've learned that there is no death and no birth. By extension, I think I can easily surmise, there is no blog.
Thus far, I've proven an unreliable summer blogger. One week in Yosemite, no computer, no phone, no blog. But then one week back, computer, phone, only one entry.
In my defense, I was readying the entire house for repainting and recarpeting--a job only slightly short of what's required for moving. And only slightly less irritating to the people around me, it turns out.
Everyone's heard the stories of marriages gone bad from remodelling a kitchen. Months without end of washing dishes in a bathtub take their toll on even the serenest souls.
But who has ever heard of 1 month's worth of prepping for painting and carpeting driving a family insane? Well, actually, just driving me insane, I think. My husband and children never complained.
But after about the 5th dinner conversation where Bill introduced some interesting topic from his day, worthy of say, an entire blog, like the inside scoop on Schwarzenegger's shenanigans on the budget in the California legislature and I responded with something as fascinating as "yes, but have you looked at the sample Sedona Sunrise streaks I painted on the wall?," I was boring myself, yet I couldn't stop. I had to have him see the Sedona Sunrise, I had to.
Okay, it's behind us. It's in the painter's hands.
So, now we're here in Buffalo, New York for two weeks. It's cool and rainy and everything is fabulous. After months of unrelenting Sacramento sunshine, it is delightful to sit on a porch swing and read while the afternoon thunderstorm pours down around us.
I'm hopeful that I'll write something more interesting tomorrow, but at the instance of the Rev. Julie Interrante, I'm reading No death, no fear by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. As such, I've learned that there is no death and no birth. By extension, I think I can easily surmise, there is no blog.
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