bloodshot & half blind

test

2006-01-30T14:45:00.000-05:00

test! where'd my blog go?

hurricane FEMA

2005-11-22T03:27:00.000-05:00

daily dissent has video from CNN's report on how FEMA has fucked up so royally that they've had to give more than 50,000 katrina victims only two weeks notice to find new homes. oh, yes... apparently all those millions of taxpayer dollars that were appropriated to cover six months of hotel housing for each and everyone of them has run out in just three short months. gee, i wonder what happened... leave it to team brownie to find a new way to screw the people of new orleans! and just in time for the holidays, too. now that's class...

spit-take, indeed...

2005-11-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

more evidence that the right-wing has officially lost it! to quote my good friend angelo, "you gotta laugh, otherwise you'll cry..."

thanks to onegoodmove for hosting yet another gem.

new madonna video!

2005-11-11T05:34:00.000-05:00

the video for "hung up" is finally here... and the bitch has still got it! the new song is all that was promised - good old-fashioned, hands-in-the-air, dancefloor diva, classic madonna. the 47 yr.-old mother of two (and goddess of all that is good) has put every other pop-diva wannabe to shame, once and for all! no one makes catchier tunes than the holy mother. so, break out the headphones & get ready to do a little chair dancing. by your third time through, you'll be singing at the top of your lungs, annoying the fuck out of everyone around you.

say what you want about madonna, but the girl is still cooler than everyone else on the planet...

don't laugh

2005-11-10T15:14:00.000-05:00

this is fucked up. but it's fuckin' funny, so go look.

i would LOVE a translation, if anyone's got one.

the liberal badge of honor

2005-11-07T23:23:00.000-05:00

seems like since katrina, the people inside that talking box in the living room are just a little more outspoken than usual. the times they are a'changing... halle-freakin-luiah!

enjoy this clip, courtesy of onegoodmove, from last nights live episode of west wing. it was the debate show. i may be the only american to never have watched this popular drama, but i have a feeling that this may be all i ever need to see. rock on jimmy smits!

"can i come home now?"

2005-11-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

more emails have been released from mike brown, former director & current employee of FEMA. it's astounding that this man had the audacity to whine in the face of the katrina disaster...

In one dated Sept. 2 he tells a colleague of his plans: "Last hurrah was supposed to have been Labor Day. I'm trapped now, please rescue me."

On Sept. 1, Brown had several exchanges with his scheduler, Tillie James, about finding a dog-sitter in suburban Washington, adding: "I should have done my announcement (to leave FEMA) a week early." [...]

On the morning that the storm hit, Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs, told Brown he looked "fabulous" during a TV appearance and complimented him on his shirt.

Brown joked that he was a "fashion god" and responded: "I got it at Nordstrom's. ... Are you proud of me? Can I quit now? Can I come home now?"

poor wittle baby...

to make matters worse, it seems that most of the FEMA relief funds have yet to be spent:

[A]gency records from late October show nearly $40 billion still sitting in FEMA’s disaster-relief fund, including $2 billion in unassigned money intended for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

boston legal v. bush

2005-11-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

"we talk about honoring the troops. how about honoring them by giving a damn when they're killed?"

nuf' said.

thanks to crooks and liars for hosting this clip.

an eye for annai

2005-11-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

beautifully hand drawn animation, from students at the sheridan college classical animation program.

shebam! pow! blop! whizz!

2005-11-04T15:27:00.000-05:00

wacky little low-budget music video starring brigitte bardot & serge gainsbourg. ya' gotta love the set...

life through the lens of a videophone

2005-11-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

this videophone thing is fun. it's a very limiting medium, but i find myself capturing more randomness. so here are some moments from october 2005.

so fuzzy and hard to look at, you'll be blind by the time it's over... enjoy!

high art at low tide

2005-10-29T02:44:00.000-04:00

dear sari: nice idea, but it's no tea & porn!

iraq war memorial

2005-10-29T01:08:00.000-04:00

this week we passed the 2000 mark.

how did you celebrate fitzmas?

2005-10-28T23:30:00.000-04:00

i stayed up late last night watching "all the president's men" (add it to your netflix), & enjoyed a little wake & bake with a friend during the live press conference.

so what did you think??

responses have been mixed across the blogs today. im feeling a bit mixed myself. i know this is just the begining of a much, much bigger fight, so im trying to be patient and reasonable. but i cant help feeling a little blood thirsty... i wanted more carnage.

in the end, i believe that fitzgerald did the right thing. this is a very good start. i mean - he just took down cheney's best guy! that's a sweet hit. and remember - fitzgerald is just getting started! rove is still under investigation. and now there is every reason to believe that cheney will be a stronger target, as well as libby's replacement. plus, theres been an awful lot of chatter about a possible rift between bush & cheney, which - if we just nudge it in the right direction - could cause a trickle-down split in the republican party, overall: true conservatives on one side & religious fundamentalists on the other...

as the great robyn bird says, "lie back & get comfortable." this is gonna get interesting!

it's begining to look a lot like fitzmas...

2005-10-25T18:01:00.000-04:00

according to a doublesupersecret inside source, tomorrow may be the bestest day in the whole wide world - FITZMAS!

the washington note heard this today:

1. 1-5 indictments are being issued. The source feels that it will be towards the higher end.

2. The targets of indictment have already received their letters.

3. The indictments will be sealed indictments and "filed" tomorrow.

4. A press conference is being scheduled for Thursday.

if youre unfamiliar with the joy, history and significance of this high holy american holiday, here (video) and here are good places to start.

still don't make no sense? then basically, all you need to know is this: in the build-up to the war in iraq, the "president" and his cabinet swore up and down that saddam had WMDs & that he was getting shit from niger. they sent this guy joe wilson to check it out & he came back and said no such thing was going on. the white house didnt like this, so they wanted to get back at him & tried to be all slick about it. so they gave the name of his wife (an undercover agent, who had been serving to protect this country for the last 20+ years) to the right wing media. big mouth robert novak let her identity slip in an article he wrote and then all hell broke loose... now this lawyer guy patrick fitzgerald has been assigned to figure out who leaked her information to novak & the other reporters. everybody in the white house is pointing fingers at eachother, most especially at the guys at the top: karl rove (bush's righthand man), scooter libby (cheney's righthand man) and cheney, himself. all three and more could be ripped out of the white house any day now...

the blogosphere has been all a'twitter about this for the last month or so. grown men are just giddy as school girls over the whole thing. and who can blame them?

but hold on to your skirts, boys, cause john dean (a plame-gate groundhog, apparently) thinks it may not be as glorious as we all hope. most noteable, is this sickening little nugget, that i absolutely would not put past those DC thugs:

[A] president can remove any federal prosecutor who might indict him, for they all serve at his pleasure.

though, it's a bit hard to believe that all of this will lead nowhere, considering that special prosecutor patrick fitzgerald recently launched a website for the investigation. someone is sure as hell going down...

so, if you just can't hold back the impending rapture anymore and you're just aching to dance in the streets with the rest of us, the daily kos has a list of ways to cope those holiday emotions, as well as a catalog of good ole' fashioned fitzmas carols to sing with the whole family!

get ready, kids! this could be bigger than watergate!

RIP Rosa Parks

2005-10-25T17:06:00.000-04:00

Now that's a mugshot to be proud of!

the great rosa parks passed away yesterday at the age of 92.

from CNN:

Parks' moment in history began in December 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama.

Her arrest triggered a 381-day boycott of the bus system by blacks that was organized by a 26-year-old Baptist minister, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The boycott led to a court ruling desegregating public transportation in Montgomery, but it wasn't until the 1964 Civil Rights Act that all public accommodations nationwide were desegregated. [...]

"I think that she, as the mother of the new civil rights movement, has left an impact not just on the nation, but on the world," [said Representative John Conyers]. "She was a real apostle of the nonviolence movement."

the colbert report

2005-10-23T02:56:00.000-04:00

the unbelievably funny stephen colbert finally has his own show. it just premiered this last week & it's a smash. onegoodmove is hosting two great clips that you'll love.

the first one features an interview with representative kingston from savannah, georgia, in the first of a 435 part series entitled "better know a district":
and the second clip features dateline host stone philips and a friendly little competition in the art of gravitas:

surreal

2005-10-23T01:48:00.000-04:00

the mupinc surrealism gallery is hosting a ton of great artwork. they've got everything from magritte to dali to rafal oblinski (his "tulips" is pictured above). perfect for your next acid trip.

NYC, the metamorphasis

2005-10-23T01:00:00.000-04:00

the view from my neighborhood.

then:
and now:
check out the rest of the city views, from the morning news gallery. some have changed drastically, some hardly at all.

ever heard of tularemia?

2005-10-22T23:44:00.000-04:00

well, there's a good chance that i, and about 500,000 other americans, may have been infected by this toxin...

you see, after last month's protest in DC, moxiegrrrl reported that 6 homeland security biosensors detected trace amounts of a deadly bacteria called tularemia. and lots of us who attended the rally became ill when we got home. (i was knocked flat for several days, but have been okay since, so im not about to freak out.)

well, seems like salon has picked up the story, and found out some disturbing information:

The government fears [tularemia] is one of six biological weapons most likely to be used against the United States.

It was an alarming reading. The biological-weapons detection system in Washington had never set off any alarms before. [...T]his was the first time that six sensors in any one place had detected a toxin at the same time. [...]

William Stanhope, associate director for special projects at the St. Louis University School of Public Health's Institute for Biosecurity [... is] convinced it was a botched terrorist attack. [...]

"One sensor, I'd say maybe. Two sensors is a stretch. Six sensors? I'm sorry, you don't have enough money to buy enough martinis to make me believe that it is naturally occurring at six different sites. I don't think you could get me that drunk to believe that."

HOLY CRAP!!!

so, if it looks like terrorism to a guy who should know, and we have this government that cries "terrorism" over nothing, why isn't the government doing anything in the face of real hard evidence??

maybe it's cause this crap was released by the same government-sponsored agents that mailed all that domestic anthrax to the democrats & "liberal" journalists after 9/11? < /tinfoilhat>

i'm ready for my mugshot, mr. demille

2005-10-22T21:04:00.000-04:00

wonkette says it best:

Suspected of a crime, accused by the state of a crime. And everyone's toothy as a fucking beauty pageant.

the scoop has a nice little timeline of the whole tom delay indictment. please take note that this handy-dandy info is coming to you all the way from new zealand... and if you've been tuning this story out, here's all you need to know:

The charges against Tom DeLay are simple. He has been indicted for conspiring with political allies to use corporate money on Texas campaigns and for laundering corporate funds for that purpose. The indictments charge that DeLay used the Republican National Committee to “launder” $190,000 in corporate money for use in seven Texas State House campaigns.

The use of corporate funds in Texas elections has been illegal for 100 years

and this good ole' boy acts like he's about to be prom queen...
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UPDATE: majikthise has a photo essay of the whole perp walk down in texas.

UPDATE #2: the smoking gun has the arrest warrant.

"OH MY GOD!!!!!!!"

2005-10-22T21:02:00.000-04:00

when i heard about this story yesterday, i swear i was dancing around the apartment...

FEMA public affairs officer marty bahamonde testified before the senate committee investigation of the katrina disaster on thursday. backed by emails he sent during the flood, he exposed not only the extreme ineptitude of michael brown (aka - "brownie"), but also the government's complete and total disregard for human suffering. bahamonde was the only representative of FEMA in new orleans, during the hurricane, and he, himself, spent 2 nights in the superdome.

you HAVE hear his testimony! brownie is going to FRY for this! watch the video now being hosted over at media matters for america for an overview of thursday's session. the LA times goes into greater depth in their article, on yahoo! news.

bahamonde contacted brown via email, from the squalor of the superdome. AZ central is running excerpts from the exchange. here's my favorite part:

Bahamonde to FEMA Director Michael Brown, Aug. 31, 11:20 a.m.
Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes.

The dying patients at the DMAT tent being medivac. Estimates are many will die within hours. Evacuation in process. Plans developing for dome evacuation but hotel situation adding to problem. We are out of food and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the critical need.
Sharon Worthy, Brown's press secretary, to Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy director of public affairs, and others, Aug. 31, 2 p.m.
[I]t is very important that time is allowed for Mr. Brown to eat dinner. Gievn (sic) that Baton Rouge is back to normal, restaurants are getting busy. He needs much more that (sic) 20 or 30 minutes. We now have traffic to encounter to get to and from a location of his choise (sic), followed by wait service from the restaurant staff, eating, etc.
Bahamonde to Taylor and Michael Widomski, public affairs, Aug. 31, 2:44 p.m.
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! [...] Just tell her that I just ate an MRE and crapped in the hallway of the Superdome along with 30,000 other close friends so I understand her concern about busy restaurants. Maybe tonight I will have time to move my pebbles on the parking garage floor so they don't stab me in the back while I try to sleep.

that was the mackdaddymotherfuckingbitchslap!

write your senators, people... make sure to tell them that you dont think "brownie" did a "heckuv'a job"! a ps about a perjury trial might be handy, too...
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UPDATE: crooks and liars has video from keith olberman's report on these emails. although, MSNBC censors cleaned up bahamonde's strong language...

the nexus of politics and terror

2005-10-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

when the latest nyc subway terror threat was announced, my mother called... she & her neighbors in the suburbs were in a bit of a panic. maybe my heart should have raced a little, but honestly, i dont even flinch anymore... i knew this was a bogus threat. just like all the other bogus threats that came before it.

earlier that week, the internet was buzzing about how bush would be coming out soon to renew his committment to the "war on terror" (which climaxed in that belly-flop of a photo-op interview with the soldiers, we saw this week). plus, we have a mayoral race going on here & republican (bush-toadie) bloomberg has spent the last 4 years being a bigger bastard than giuliani was. so, when mom called to say, "stay outta the subways!", all i could say was, "are you seriously buying this bullcrap?"

keith olbermann offered up a comprehensive timeline of the terror threat levels on last week's countdown. make sure you pass this one around. and check out keith's blog, for even more.

ps - the terror threat turned out to be based on a whole lot of nothing... surprise! surprise!

la phaze

2005-10-15T12:41:00.000-04:00

great political animation video from renowned graffiti artist collective faile. if anyone speaks french, i'd love a translation of the song.

and, if you'd like to learn more about this, and other top modern artists - or even buy a signed print - check out uk distributor pictures on walls. (buy me one & i will love you forever!)

hammertime!

2005-10-15T12:38:00.000-04:00

letterman has been merciless with bush's latest katrina photo-op on the today show. his top ten list is spot-on! enjoy!

bush is going down in flames... muahahaha!!!

weeds v. bush

2005-10-15T12:19:00.000-04:00

this clip is for chris. god, i wish i had cable...

holy crap! they grew a set...

2005-10-15T12:04:00.000-04:00

i know this is old news by now, but i had to make sure y'all got a chance to see this one. it had me dyin'!

in spite of the fact that they currently have no power in any branch of government, democrats are finally starting to stand up and call it like they see it. all i have to say is, where the fuck have you dems been the last 5 years?!?!

video hosted on think progress & crooks and liars.

cheers to the grand lake theater!

2005-10-11T17:36:00.000-04:00

this is a snapshot of the marquee on the grand lake theater in oakland, california. oh - and it's all true...

vlogart

2005-10-07T05:30:00.000-04:00

a videoblog about videoblogs. wonderfully edited. a must watch...

somehow, it just seems natural

2005-10-07T04:52:00.000-04:00

the other night the anthology film archive hosted an hour of videoblogs. i can't tell you how good it looked... here's 15 seconds of one of my favorite ryanne hodson videos.

trouble watching? try blip.tv.

videoblogs hit the big screen

2005-10-07T04:33:00.000-04:00

a quick little vid from the phonecam. if it won't play, watch it on blip.tv.

vloggercue revlogged

2005-10-07T03:11:00.000-04:00

somehow i forgot to post a video from vloggercue... and it's of richardshow!! i'm so stupid...

anyway, since it isn't quite so timely anymore, i decided to revlog it.

it's another one of those shitty quality mpg files. good luck!

he man does 4-non-blondes

2005-10-06T21:21:00.000-04:00

so retarded. just have a smoke and enjoy....

a spy in the house of rove

2005-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

from ABC news:

Officials tell ABC News the alleged spy worked undetected at the White House for almost three years. Leandro Aragoncillo, 46, was a U.S. Marine most recently assigned to the staff of Vice President Dick Cheney. [...]

Federal investigators say Aragoncillo, a naturalized citizen from the Philippines, used his top secret clearance to steal classified intelligence documents from White House computers. [...]

Officials say the classified material, which Aragoncillo stole from the vice president's office, included damaging dossiers on the president of the Philippines. He then passed those on to opposition politicians planning a coup in the Pacific nation.

"Even though it's not for the Russians or some other government, the fact that it occurred at the White House is a matter of great concern," said John Martin, who was the government's lead espionage prosecutor for 26 years.

americablog says it best:

I'm a bit confused. I thought President Bush's declared policy was that no one would be forced to leave the White House staff unless they were CONVICTED of the misuse of classified information? Yet this guy just got frog-marched out for an allegation - he's not been convicted of anything.

Maybe Bush meant no white people.

and speaking of white people in the white house leaking classified information, the AP has the latest on rove, himself:

Federal prosecutors have accepted an offer from presidential adviser Karl Rove to give 11th-hour testimony in the case of a CIA officer's leaked identity but have warned they cannot guarantee he won't be indicted, according to people directly familiar with the investigation. [...]
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has not made any decision yet on whether to file criminal charges against the longtime confidant of President Bush or others.

The U.S. attorney's manual requires prosecutors not to bring witnesses before a grand jury if there is a possibility of future criminal charges unless they are notified in advance that their grand jury testimony can be used against them in a later indictment.

Rove has already made at least three grand jury appearances and his return at this late stage in the investigation is unusual.

in case you missed it

2005-10-03T23:09:00.000-04:00

mike myers and kanye west on this weekend's saturday night live. cute. (thank you onegoodmove!)

"cuter than a basket of kittens"

2005-10-03T22:49:00.000-04:00

music video for the song "first day of my life", by bright eyes. yeah... i'm a big sap... what of it?!

march on washington media round-up

2005-10-03T19:14:00.000-04:00

here's a glimpse of last weekend's protest in washington dc, from the videophone. it's a shame this thing only records 15 seconds at a time. the band was hot. the mood was high. and the half a million of us who showed up were doing the cha-cha all the way to the white house.

if the video doesn't launch for you, watch it on blip.tv. i've also uploaded over 100 pics to my flickr account. check 'em out.

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for a good sample of the speakers, check out the videos on bradblog. they've got cindy sheehan, george galloway, representative cynthia mckinney and, of course, the reverend jesse jackson.

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also noteable is the "katrina marches on washington" video, by mike flugennock, hosted on SF bay area indymedia. hey - i think i know that guy in the picture...

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and, i can't forget about truthout, which is hosting three short films documenting the event. this one called "a massive convergence for peace in the nation's capitol", is not to be missed.

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but it was nba player etan thomas who summed it all up best with his uber-fabulous speech, hosted over at democracy now! (audio, video & transcript available)

I'd like to take some of these cats on a field trip. I want to get big yellow buses with no air conditioner and no seatbelts and round up Bill O'Reilly, Pat Buchanan, Trent Lott, Sean Hannity, Dick Cheney, Jeb Bush, Bush Jr. and Bush Sr., John Ashcroft, Giuliani, Ed Gillespie, Katherine Harris, that little bow-tied Tucker Carlson and any other right-wing conservative Republicans I can think of, and take them all on a trip to the ‘hood. Not to do no 30-minute documentary. I mean, I want to drop them off and leave them there, let them become one with the other side of the tracks, get them four mouths to feed and no welfare, have scare tactics run through them like a laxative, criticizing them for needing assistance.

and it just gets better from there....

i swear i almost barfed!

2005-10-03T18:59:00.000-04:00

the always great crooks and liars posted a clip of andy rooney, from last night's 60 minutes, that i think you should see. he had some very strong words about US military spending, plus some numbers that are sure to activate your gag reflex.

LA to NY

2005-10-02T12:57:00.000-04:00

note to brett: it's time to come visit.

new order videos

2005-10-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

that's right - a full collection of new order videos, including a few from joy division. here's a link to "confusion", which was filmed in NYC, in the very early '80s. worth watching just for the laughable fashions, and a little taste of old new york.

also worth checking out is their video for blue monday '88. not at all earth-shattering by today's standards, but a good lesson in how to make a hit video with no money.

geography lesson

2005-09-30T19:57:00.000-04:00

since we all need a little brush-up lesson, here's an old animaniacs cartoon on world geography. some of those countries don't even exist anymore... sing along anyways.

this is the sound of my jaw hitting the floor

2005-09-30T16:54:00.000-04:00

i am constantly shocked by the rhetoric of the right wing. you'd think i'd be used to the idiocy at this point. but this one... this one... well, you just take a listen...

and then send your angry letters here.

thanks to media matters for america for hosting this clip and hundreds of other stunning moments in modern history.

at a glance

2005-09-28T17:11:00.000-04:00

very well crafted, computer animated music video for "at a glance" by belgian band sioen. animation created by eugene & louise. there's no permalink, so enjoy, all you aggregators!

heckuv'a job...

2005-09-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

i'm sure you've all heard that mike brown has been rehired as a consultant to FEMA & is still on the payroll (thanks to your tax dollars). but did you happen to hear him commit perjury on the stand during his testimony before congress? crooks and liars has PBS's highlight reel from the hearing. kudos to the democratic congressmen from louisiana and mississippi, as well as congressman shay (R-CT) for calling the fool a fool.

brown's towing the party line of blaming the local officials for FEMA's ineptitude, in an effort to save a few high-ranking asses. but if you look at the facts, you know that governor blanco gave the "president" an itemized list, in advance of the storm, of what kind of damage and devastation was expected, as well as what would be needed state-wide in government aid. but for some unknown reason, the white house response did not include new orleans (or other democratic voting districts).... listen to randi rhodes for a full wrap up of this latest travesty.

i wanna see this motherfucker lead away in shackles...

so funny, it's almost not funny

2005-09-28T00:55:00.000-04:00

from the guardian uk:

An extraordinary appeal to Americans from the Bush administration for money to help pay for the reconstruction of Iraq has raised only $600 (£337), The Observer has learnt. Yet since the appeal was launched earlier this month, donations to rebuild New Orleans have attracted hundreds of millions of dollars.

The public's reluctance to contribute much more than the cost of two iPods to the administration's attempt to offer citizens 'a further stake in building a free and prosperous Iraq' has been seized on by critics as evidence of growing ambivalence over that country.

This coincides with concern over the increasing cost of the war. More than $30 billion has been appropriated for the reconstruction. Initially, America's overseas aid agency, USaid, expected it to cost taxpayers no more than $1.7bn, but it is now asking the public if they want to contribute even more.

It is understood to be the first time that a US government has made an appeal to taxpayers for foreign aid money. Contributors have no way of knowing who will receive their donations or even where they may go, after officials said details had be kept secret for security reasons.

god forbid the bush administration should try to track down what haliburton did with the missing $1.9 BILLION they got their grubby hands on in iraq...

california girl

2005-09-27T11:08:00.000-04:00

more videophone love from LA, care of mr. shamalamadingdong. i wish i was in the passenger seat.

if the video doesnt launch, try watching it on blip.tv.

comfort

2005-09-27T00:40:00.000-04:00

there is nothing in the world more comforting to me than this.

a couple of weekends ago, i got to visit some long lost relatives, who were hosting still more relatives from italy. this is my cousin maria dishing out the pasta, as the family gathered around the table.

i'm testing out a new file format here. it's a lo-res mpg video file straight from the camera, without compression or conversion. let me know if you have trouble viewing it.

i'm so freakin' hungry...

2005-09-27T00:10:00.000-04:00

apparently, my little pizza vid stirred the appetite of an italian vlogger. i take this as high praise, for sure. anyways, the boy has one-upped me (of course) with his 2 min. cooking video. not only is he working with groceries so fine they'd make a foodies toes curl, but he made my all-time favorite dish: vermicelli con vongole... i could die.

watch him work those clam shells like a surgeon. fucking slick!

trip-a-louph-a-gus

2005-09-22T22:57:00.000-04:00

just caught this gorgeous trippy video from the animation team over at 1st ave. machine, a nyc graphics company. this is the kinda shit that makes me wish i had done acid in my youth...

be sure to check out some of the other goodies on their site.

best caption EVER!

2005-09-21T20:44:00.000-04:00

mind you, this was on sky news, a rupert murdoch news network.

come for dinner

2005-09-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

homemade pizza margarita with kalamata olives, fresh from the oven.

more short & shitty video from my phonecam. try watching this clip on blip.tv, if this link doesn't work for you.

foccaccia dough

2005-09-21T12:58:00.000-04:00

garlic, kalamata olive & rosemary foccaccia. it's rising...

short & shitty speedvlogging for the kids in the flash conference, from my videophone. if this link doesn't work for you, try watching it directly on blip.tv.

leave my child alone

2005-09-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

did you know that the "no child left behind act", created and implimented by the bush administration, has a provision that requires all schools to hand over personal contact information for all recruitment-age children to the pentagon and military? and if schools do not comply, they will lose all federal funding. sick, right?

well, there is hope. there's a clause in this act that gives parents the opportunity to opt-out of the recruitment prosess. watch the film to learn how aggressive and manipulative military recruiters have become, and to see what you can do to fight back. this is shocking and important info, so please pass this one around!!

whoopsi gras

2005-09-20T10:53:00.000-04:00

animator mark fiore does it again... just go watch. hosted over at atomfilms.

george bush don't like black people

2005-09-20T10:17:00.000-04:00

the audio track, a remix by K-Otix, has been playing on air america all weekend. and now there is a fabulous video mash-up by black lantern to go along with this great song. enjoy!

impeach impeach impeach... keep saying it till congress catches on. it's the least they can do for the tens of thousands of american citizens he left to suffer and die (aka - mass murder) in new orleans.

playing with dolls

2005-09-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

someone got a hold of those talking dubbya dolls and made a few... uh... adjustments.

word bubble fun

2005-09-20T00:17:00.000-04:00

new yorkers are certainly familiar with this art project by ji lee. lee is the one who printed and posted 50,000 speech bubble stickers all around the city. now there is a website to document the results.

NYPD shuts down sheehan

2005-09-19T23:51:00.000-04:00

from the village voice:

Cindy Sheehan may be the Rosa Parks of the anti-war movement. But that didn't stop members of the New York Police Department from marching into the crowd of about 150 people gathered in Union Square Monday to hear her speak and yanking away the microphone.

The NYPD pulled the plug just as Sheehan was calling on the audience not to lose heart in the fight to end the war in Iraq.[...]
Police dragged away Paul Zulkowitz, a.k.a. Zool, an organizer with “Camp Casey NYC,” the small encampment that he and other activists set up a month ago in Union Square in solidarity with Sheehan’s vigil outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. The New York branch existed much to the ire of the city’s Parks Department. Today, Zulkowitz was arrested for failing to obtain a sound permit—a charge that normally warrants no more than a summons. [...]

"They came in like gangbusters. It was really ridiculous," said Margaret Rapp, a retired teacher from Inwood who added that she planned to file a complaint after an officer forcibly shoved her in the chest. [...]

Inspector Michael McEnroy, commander of the 13th Precinct, insisted the shutdown order had nothing to do with the content of Sheehan’s speech, but was instead about the "provocation" caused by Zulkowitz. “This has been going on for much longer than today,” McEnroy said, adding of Sheehan, “I don’t even know the woman.” That last part prompted one pissed-off onlooker to shoot back: “Haven’t you watched the news or read a paper in the last three months? ”

join cindy sheehan and the anti-bush movement at a massive rally this saturday in washington, dc. even my mother is coming...
--------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
all hail crooks & liars! they've got videooooo!

john stewart at the emmy's

2005-09-19T17:25:00.000-04:00

i'm sorry i missed this last night. stewart rocks as always. so does crooks and liars for hosting this clip.

oprah rocks...

2005-09-19T16:58:00.000-04:00

today, on the premiere of her 20th season, oprah winfrey has announced a new project to help the victims of the hurricane katrina disaster. and it's something all of you can participate in.

on her website, she has set up a home registry. her angel network will be funding construction of new houses throughout the gulf region. and now she is calling on everyone to help her furnish these homes with some basic necessities. we're talking pots and pans, chairs and lamps. and, yes, blankets. there is a wide price range. give what you can. this is such a great idea!

and hey - if youve got the cash, sponsor a house!

he makes it look effortless

2005-09-19T16:16:00.000-04:00

found another great breakdancer vid. this guy is amazing...

still brilliant...

2005-09-19T15:51:00.000-04:00

the always awesome get your war on is at it again. just click and go read them all. i lovelovelove them.

the galloway-hitchens debate

2005-09-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

crooks and liars comes through again. thank you, you rockstars!

here's a short clip from the debate held just a week ago at baruch college in nyc. this soldout event was moderated by amy goodman of democracy now! and was simulcast on both c-span & the internet. the full video is also streaming on the democracy now! website.

if you arent familiar with these guys, christopher hitchens is an author and columnist for vanity fair magazine. george galloway is a british MP, who is most famous for this glorious outburst during his testimony before the US senate subcommittee hearing on the oil-for-food program.

hitchens comes off as a stammering, whiney apologist, who wastes too much of his floor time chastizing the hecklers for voicing their opinions. congrats to galloway for reaming hitchens & the bush family a new asshole. i fucking love this guy...

leave it to a couple of brits to make american politics more fascinating and energizing than a yanks-red sox game. why in the world can't we ever hear a couple of americans debating their own country's policies with as much eloquence and intelligence? hell - how is it that presidential candidates can't even address each other during just one of their debates? look how exciting it could be!

thank you to charles hope of blip.tv for telling me about this event. it's a pity that i couldn't score tickets in time. this must have been a blast!

whip it good!

2005-09-15T05:37:00.000-04:00

the hawley elementary school, of hawley, minnesota, 5th grade production of "whip it!" i can't believe how friggin' cute this is!! (no permalink)

the school has set up an entire site dedicated to video productions by their students called "hawley-wood". you gotta go see. i'm gonna plug the "vote!" video as well, for it's educational value, as well as its overwhelming cuteness.

now, if only we can convince them to get permalinks and an rss... (i already sent 'em the link to the great and wonderful freevlog, so cross your fingers.)

end of the bush era

2005-09-15T04:57:00.000-04:00

there's a great article by e.j. dionne, jr. over at the washington post (reg. req'd.) that you should read in its entirety, but here's some of the good bits:

Recent months, and especially the past two weeks, have brought home to a steadily growing majority of Americans the truth that President Bush's government doesn't work. His policies are failing, his approach to leadership is detached and self-indulgent, his way of politics has produced a divided, angry and dysfunctional public square. We dare not go on like this. [...]

The source of Bush's political success was his claim that he could protect Americans. Leadership, strength and security were Bush's calling cards. Over the past two weeks, they were lost in the surging waters of New Orleans. [...]

The breaking of the Bush spell opens the way for leaders of both parties to declare their independence from the recent past. It gives forces outside the White House the opportunity to shape a more appropriate national agenda -- for competence and innovation in rebuilding the Katrina region and for new approaches to the problems created over the past 4 1/2 years.

------------------------------
UPDATE: i just found this other article over at the washington post, that i thought y'all might like:

Is Bush the commanding, decisive, jovial president you've been hearing about for years in so much of the mainstream press?

Maybe not so much.

Judging from the blistering analyses... these past few days, it turns out that Bush is in fact fidgety, cold and snappish in private. He yells at those who dare give him bad news and is therefore not surprisingly surrounded by an echo chamber of terrified sycophants. He is slow to comprehend concepts that don't emerge from his gut. He is uncomprehending of the speeches that he is given to read. And oh yes, one of his most significant legacies -- the immense post-Sept. 11 reorganization of the federal government which created the Homeland Security Department -- has failed a big test.

well, we've been saying all this for years now, but maybe - just maybe - the rest of the country is finally catching on. halleluiah! praise jeebus!

HA!

2005-09-14T18:25:00.000-04:00

why does bush act so macho?

fun with a videophone

2005-09-14T08:21:00.000-04:00

ok, so the other night i got my very first cellphone. it does all this cool shit, but so far i'm still trying to figure out how to complete simple tasks. anyway, as soon as i got it hooked up, i placed a call to my dear friend brett (aka mr. shamalamadingdong) out in LA. brett is my babydoll, my playmate, my partner in crime, my long lost twin. i miss him so much i could throw him down a flight of stairs... anyway, he's been trying to teach me how to use the features on this thing by cranking me with text, x-rated pictures and now this. my baby, my favorite 'mo, sent me a video and i figured i'd share it. isn't he just the cutest?!

by the way, i have no idea if this file is gonna work for you guys. so if you have trouble viewing or playing, please let me know in the comments. i'd love to eventually be able to vlog from my phone. help me work out the kinks.

if this link isn't working for you, try watching the video directly on blip.tv.

it's just a jump to the left

2005-09-14T05:21:00.000-04:00

the rocky horror picture show in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies.

if, by some chance, you aren't familiar with these cartoons, go spend your lunch hour playing on their site. they're all good. but this one holds sentimental value for all the old-time mktv crew members. enjoy!

america, he doesn't love you!

2005-09-14T04:31:00.000-04:00

stop everything and go listen to gail's letter to america, read by mike malloy on air america. it is the best thing i have heard in ages, and thats saying a lot these days. gail is your friend and you need to listen to her.

in that vein, please check out (of all people!) joe scarborough's clips (1 & 2), hosted over at crooks and liars. mr. talking points himself has been going way off script lately, by insisting that the ultimate responsibility for the katrina disaster lays squarely with the "president". bush is losing friends faster than he can fake a photo-op.

and so, yeah, FEMA director mike brown was removed from office & the "president" has apologized, but it still doesnt quite heal our country's wounds - or bring back our dead, for that matter... so, bush and co. get a hardy, "big fuckin' whoop!" from me. unless he's ready to step up and hand in his resignation like a man, he just isnt worth listening to anymore. and to prove that incompetance, poor judgement and obliviousness run deep with this administration, they've given the FEMA gig to duct tape man - oh yeah - that guy!!

bill maher, host of "real time", suggests that it's time we have a good old-fashioned california recall, in this clip at onegoodmove. and he's right, people. so let's do this already....

however, according to dick morris, former advisor to president clinton, bush is just getting ready to ride katrina for all it's worth. we thought their exploitation of 9/11 was bad. we aint seen nothing yet:

[M]ake no mistake about it: Every day for the next year, voters will see nonstop scenes of federal relief, rebuilding, renovation and reconstruction along with the empathy, sympathy and compassion these efforts imply in the heart of George W. Bush. He may have had a terrible first week, but he will rebound big time in the months to come. [...]

Every relief convoy will get a wide slice of publicity. As the pumps run and the city and the gulf region drain, the nation will feel a surge of heady optimism at our ability to bounce back from disaster. Happy visuals will replace tragic ones, and interviews with homeowners joyously moving back in will run instead of the tearful stories of refugees.

what are the chances that the new-found media backbone will be strong enough to stand up against an onslaught of, "if you're not with us, your with the hurricane" nonsense that will soon spew forth from every right-wing piehole across the country? how much longer will america allow this miserable failure to manipulate and destroy her? if the destruction of a major city isn't enough, and the attacks on two others are not enough, what's it gonna take to create significant change in our government? do we really need to wait for the mythical mushroom clouds to show up, so that he can prove to us yet again how much he doesn't love us?

it may be time to call dr. phil. we need an intervention.

mini-vacations are nice

2005-09-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

sometimes a girl's gotta get some fresh air & daylight.

i'll be back tonight after i catch up on all the shit i've been ignoring this past weekend.

in the meantime, all new york residents need to get out and VOTE!!!!! TODAY IS ELECTION DAY!!

UPDATE: if you haven't voted yet, you've still got 2 hours! don't know where your polling place is? CLICK HERE! (you might want to bookmark that one for future reference...)

today is my birthday...

2005-09-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

so, buy me a present!!!

"inarguably a failure of leadership from the top"

2005-09-07T12:17:00.000-04:00

welcome back, mr. stewart. thank you, onegoodmove.

"Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction."

2005-09-06T17:04:00.000-04:00

statements from congressman dennis kucinich (D-OH) on the floor of the house, during the special session to provide relief for the victims of hurricane katrina:

The President said an hour ago that the Gulf Coast looks like it has been obliterated by a weapon. It has. Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction.
Our indifferent government is in a crisis of legitimacy. If it continues to ignore its basic responsibility for the health and welfare of the American people, will there ever be enough money to clean up after their indifference?

As our government continues to squander human and monetary resources of this country on the war, people are beginning to ask, “Isn’t it time we began to take care of our own people here at home? Isn’t it time we rescued our own citizens? Isn’t it time we fed our own people? Isn’t it time we sheltered our own people? Isn’t it time we provided physical and economic security for our own people?" And isn’t it time we stopped the oil companies from profiting from this tragedy?

We have plenty of work to do here at home. It is time for America to come home and take care of its own people who are drowning in the streets, suffocating in attics, dying from exposure to the elements, oppressed by poverty and illness, wracked with despair and hunger and thirst.
[snip]

As bad as this catastrophe will prove to be, it is in fact only a warning. Our government must change its direction, it must become involved in making America a better place to live, a place where all may survive and thrive. It must get off the path of war and seek the path of peace, peace with the natural environment, peace with other nations, peace with a just economic system.

go read the whole thing.

in local news...

2005-09-06T08:28:00.000-04:00

i just saw the best fucking political ad of all time! it took all of 10 seconds for brian ellner to win my vote for manhattan borough president. youre gonna LOVE this one, whether youre a new yorker or not! (can you believe they just played this on a major network, in the middle of good morning america?)

ps - ny'ers - election day is 9/13 - a week from today!!

bush gives NOLA & the world the finger... again.

2005-09-06T06:03:00.000-04:00

the dailykos has a running list of all the aid offered by nations around the world. bush has yet to dignify their generosity with an answer. check it out:

The US has only officially accepted first aid kits, blankets, water trucks and 500,000 MREs from the EU and another set of MREs from NATO. That's it. The EU and NATO want to give more, but that's all that's been taken in so far.

All help from the UN still awaits the green light from the White House. They have offered medical teams, cash grants, and tents. None of it has been accepted.

The UN has also offered to take the burden off of the US State Department and organize the aid effort, but State has refused that offer.

The OAS stands ready to offer anything we ask for. We've asked for nothing.

WHO has offered the same. Our response has been the same.

The UN Commission for Refugees ... same offer, same response.

Nigeria wants to give 1 million dollars.

China has offered 5 million, divisions of its armed forces, and physicians.

Japan has offered 200,000 dollars, tents, blankets, and power generators.

India is offering 5 million, as well as any requested medicines.

Singapore offered helicopters. The Feds said no, and TX took them. TX National Guard is deploying the helicopters directly to NOLA.

South Korea will give us whatever we ask for. We've asked for nothing.

Afghanistan wants to give us 100,000.

Sri Lanka wants to give us 25,000

Taiwan wants to give us 3 million.

Canada's Navy is still on hold. That's rescue workers and supplies just being held at bay by mild threats of being attacked if they go against the Federal level refusal.

Cuba has offered 26 tons of medicine and 1,100 physicians. He has offered to send it to NOLA. Then he offered to send it to Houston. No acceptance.

Mexico is taking the "Canada route." They have 15 truckloads of water waiting at the border, with food and medical supplies. The Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles. All waiting. No answer. 1 million dollars as well.

Venezuela is offering as much cheap fuel as we ask for. AS MUCH AS WE NEED TO FIX THIS MESS. No answer. Chavez also wants to send relief workers with supplies.

Australia's 10 million hasn't been accepted either.

The French are offering rescue teams, civil defense forces, tents, camp beds, generators, motor pumps, water treatment units and emergency kits, two CASA cargo aircraft, a ship (Batral Francis Garnier), the frigate Ventose with its Panther helicopter, and a hurricane disaster unit. France also has offered several aircraft. In addition, the NGO Telecoms Sans Frontieres, which specializes in restoring phone lines and Internet service in disasters, is ready to send a team of experts and equipment. Veolia Environment, which has facilities in Louisiana, has offered to make its local water management resources available. Nothing. Not a one of these has been given the green light.

Germany has offered a range of assistance, including medical and transportation services, water treatment capabilities and aid in searching for victims and supplies. Germany also has said it is ready and willing to "dip into its own emergency oil reserves" to release some 2 million barrels a day for 30 days. Someone try to convince me that Bush isn't trying to drive up the price of oil.

Italy has offered to send aid and evacuation specialists immediately, Italy's civil protection unit said. Authorities have prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels, pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans, Louisiana, and other areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.

The Netherlands will provide teams for inspecting dikes and for identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United States. It also will send a frigate from Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles to New Orleans shortly to provide emergency assistance, the Dutch government said.

Russia has offered to help with rescue efforts but is awaiting a reply from Washington.

Spain expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry spokesman said.

Sweden's Rescue Authority said it was on standby to supply water purifying equipment, health care supplies and emergency shelters if needed.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his country stands ready to help the United States in whatever way it can.

Qatar has offered the United States $100 million to assist in the humanitarian crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina.

Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for hurricane victims.

Iran has offered to send humanitarian aid to hurricane victims.

just to add to this list - i heard on the news last night that kuwait has also offered $500 million. no word from bush.

and as if that weren't bad enough, FEMA seems to be going out of its way to fuck this up even more than they already have. dailykos has another running tab of all the aid they have REFUSED.

share your rage with the great madge weinstein over at yeastradio. many thanks to chris over at human dog for posting the link to the yahoo videoblogging group. in this podcast, madge reports that on friday, sept. 2nd, bush had the fucking nerve to PLAY GOLF! also, one of my favorite drag queens, and fellow videoblogger, betty butterfield is now homeless & living somewhere in texas because of the katrina disaster.

"'Oops!' is not an answer."

2005-09-06T05:22:00.000-04:00

from the washington monthly:

Dear Mr. Bush
Your citizens are dying, and I personally hold you responsible for their lives. As the president, you are a public servant, NOT a king. Your job is to serve the people of the United States of America and to uphold the Constitution, not to preach your Biblical beliefs and to play golf. I'm sorry the hurricane disrupted your vacation. It must be awful for you, but I assure you, it's far worse for the victims.

Today, you addressed the nation, and admitted that you made some mistakes - that everyone involved in the relief effort made some mistakes. That's not good enough. Apologies won't bring back the people who died needlessly. As the highest authority in the land, you can't afford those sorts of mistakes. "Oops!" is not an answer. You were supposed to do something, but you didn't until it was too late for many of them, and more are going to die. Their blood is on your hands. There are still people living in filth, sleeping in the streets, crowded into crumbling buildings, stranded on rooftops, dehydrated, sick, dying, and desperate for just a bottle of water and a bit of food. These are American citizens - your highest priority... but you are incapable of understanding their suffering because you've been so sheltered all your life, you can't even comprehend the sensations of true hunger, thirst, or desperation. You've never had to worry about your next meal, or of having a roof over your head. And when you left New Orleans, after hugging a few people while surrounded by cameras, and you flew back to Washington, DC in the comfort of your helicopter, WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR DINNER? I'll bet it was delicious, wasn't it?

Oh, and by the way, how much money are you going to donate to the victims of the hurricane, Mr. Bush? How much money is going to come out of your personal bank account? You're independantly wealthy, and could live comfortably on JUST the pension from your presidency for the rest of your life. Children are giving their lunch money. What are you going to give? How much do you really love America?

The American people don't want your lies, excuses, and apologies anymore. How many mistakes can you make before you stop making them? How many more people have to die for your stupidity? Should we just wait for the next major disaster to strike, just in case you do better next time? We don't want a "next time", Mr. Bush. We don't want your promises of a better tomorrow. We want your resignation.

~Michelle J. d'Entremont
2LT, US Army Reserves
Engineer Corps

(I have no fear of publicly using my name for this. Pass it on. These are my words, and I stand behind them with my name, rank, and convictions. And if it ends up on CNN, with my name, and Bush reads it, even better.)

keith olbermann: ass-kicker

2005-09-06T04:47:00.000-04:00

no one is spared in this fabulous editorial from keith olbermann. video, audio & transcript is hosted over at onegoodmove.

"nobody's coming to get us!"

2005-09-04T14:28:00.000-04:00

jefferson parish president aaron broussard breaks down in agony during this morning's interview with tim russert on meet the press. have some tissues handy - it'll rip your heart out.

much gratitude to crooks and liars for hosting this and many other must-see video clips.

while you're there, don't miss senator landrieu's tearful fly-over tour of the demolished city of new orleans, with george stephanopolous, where she threatens to punch the "president". and of course, there is also homeland security director michael chertoff's blame-game (it's the media's fault for wanting to talk about it...), again from meet the press.

there is also an audio file hosted here (click on "download file") of an interview with someone in jefferson parish - a district now under martial law. he is still trapped, along with 60 other people, in heinous conditions. he reports that in the superdome, alone - which was supposed to be a "safe haven" - there were 23 murders & 120 sexual assaults.

story from a survivor

2005-09-04T02:48:00.000-04:00

you have to, have to, have to read the whole thing. it is both a love letter to a lost city and an annihilation of a corrupt society. here's just a little something to keep you up at night:

Louisiana politics is famously corrupt, but with the tragedies of this week our political leaders have defined a new level of incompetence. As hurricane Katrina approached, our Governor urged us to “Pray the hurricane down” to a level two. Trapped in a building two days after the hurricane, we tuned our battery-operated radio into local radio and tv stations, hoping for vital news, and were told that our governor had called for a day of prayer. As rumors and panic began to rule, they was no source of solid dependable information. Tuesday night, politicians and reporters said the water level would rise another 12 feet - instead it stabilized. Rumors spread like wildfire, and the politicians and media only made it worse.

oh, and as far as the refugee camp on I-10, along with all of the other horrors:

When a bus would come through, it would stop at a random spot, state police would open a gap in one of the barricades, and people would rush for the bus, with no information given about where the bus was going. [...]

There was also no visible attempt by any of those running the camp to set up any sort of transparent and consistent system, for instance a line to get on buses, a way to register contact information or find family members, special needs services for children and infirm, phone services, treatment for possible disease exposure, nor even a single trash can.

meanwhile, FEMA director mike brown is busy trying to cover his sorry, pathetic ass by blaming the scale of the disaster on the weakest and poorest, accusing them of "chosing not to leave", because "you know, there was a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans." .....like, you know, whatever!

but we cant have this discussion without truly understanding what poverty in america really means. turn to this exquisite breakdown on john scalzi's blog. fierce and unforgiving, this piece is sure to be a serious education for a lot of people.

senator landrieu nails bush

2005-09-03T22:43:00.000-04:00

after some early ass-kissing, sweet senator mary (D-LA) finally let loose on the "president", in a statement released to the p ress, with this bombshell (emphasis added):

Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast - black and white, rich and poor, young and old - deserve far better from their national government.

the motherfucker FAKED levee repair! if you find this picture, please send it over this way!!!!

senator landrieu also had this to say:

I was hoping President Bush would come away from his tour of the regional devastation triggered by Hurricane Katrina with a new understanding for the magnitude of the suffering and for the abject failures of the current Federal Emergency Management Agency. 24 hours later, the President has yet to answer my call for a cabinet-level official to lead our efforts. Meanwhile, FEMA, now a shell of what it once was, continues to be overwhelmed by the task at hand.
I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims – far more efficiently than buses – FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency.

on fox news, no less!

2005-09-03T12:39:00.000-04:00

this is one of the most shocking clips i have seen yet. consider it a must-watch. it is startling, not only for its message, but for the delivery and context.

acting as remote correspondents for the hannity & colmes show, shepard smith and geraldo rivera went ape-shit last night, live on tv!! geraldo was inside the convention center, crying and begging for the people to be let out. shepard reported from just outside the city lines, that a check point had been set up at the only existing exit from new orleans, and that any citizen who tries to get out is being TURNED BACK AROUND!!!

i fucking dare you to try and tell me this was not intentional.... the government, the populace and citizens all around the world have known for DAYS that those people were suffering in there and the government did literally NOTHING to help them! they left them there to die!

BREAK OUT THE GUILLOTINE! i want bush's head on a platter.
-----------------------

according to o'reilly, though, it's anybody's fault but bush's. and i do mean anybody....

kicking them while they're down

2005-09-03T12:05:00.000-04:00

just when you thought our goverment couldn't get any worse, the huffington post reports today that bush's "bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection act" is set to go into effect october 17th.

[W]hile the bill was passing though the House Judiciary Committee early this year, Democrats attempted to amend the bill to include measures to protect victims of natural disasters such as hurricanes.
The amendment to the bill, proposed by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) was voted down without debate. Along party lines.
Seems the Republicans would rather see hurricane victims slammed head-first into poverty instead of continuing to be protected by Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

ps - it has also been reported today that the red cross was prevented from entering new orleans, because:

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

pps - fuck the government.

supplies for katrina victims

2005-09-03T10:22:00.000-04:00

andy carvin has been doing an incredible job this week over at katrina aftermath. he took it upon himself to set up a central database for all kinds of information related to the tragedy. please head over and see what you can do to help out.

i found this entry to be particularly fabulous. head to your local discount store & start gathering up supplies. every single last one of you can do this right now:

There is something you can do today to help people streaming out of New Orleans.

I called one of the churches that is taking in refugees. They need lots of supplies.
You can gather together a bag of supplies (see list below).

Go to the Post Office an get a Priority box - flat fee (choice of two shapes), the cost of postage is $7.70 no matter what you put in the box (weight doesn't matter).
Fill the box and mail to the address below.
I will contact more sites and post them soon.

They desperately need:
- tolietries (anything you use to start your day) toothpaste, deodorant, shampoos, sunscreen, liquid soaps (small bottles esp good)
-anti-inflammatories (over the counter medicines) including ibuprofen, aspirin, aleve
- baby wipes, feminine hygiene products,
- imagine what you would need and send it.
Send to:
Marksville Baptist Church
PO Box 442
Marksville, LA 71351

Write Hurricane Relief on outside (maybe it will help it get there faster)

what the fuck do we pay taxes for

2005-09-03T00:33:00.000-04:00

while our "president" mumbles through his photo-ops about "hard work" and "progress", i thought i'd share some of the photo essays that are popping up online:

A baby is passed above the crowd as people wait to leave the Superdome in New Orleans September 1, 2005.

devastating images from national geographic.
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Behind the wheel of a bus he found in New Orleans, a young man drives to the Astrodome in Houston. The school bus was full of Katrina survivors he picked up along the road.

jaw-dropping images from the weather channel.
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New Orleans SWAT police armed with machine guns patrol downtown New Orleans after looting was reported in the area.

interesting photos from time magazine.
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the poorest and weakest in america's gulf coast have been abandoned by the very government they paid their taxes to. those that still cling to life and struggle to find food and water for their families are now being treated like criminals. our nation's secret hypocricy and racism is bubbling up to the top for the whole world to see.

is this not the very type of situation that america is supposed to be most capable to handle? how could our government leave these people to suffer and die? this is outrageous!

if you missed it, go watch the congressional black caucus response to hurricane katrina, streaming over at c-span. these are our nations strongest and brightest leaders.

and if youre as upset by all this as i am, please join me in DC on september 24th, for the united for peace and justice rally against the bush administration.

UPDATE: check out this rant (mp3 file) by CNN's jack cafferty, on-air, assailing the failures of the government. you know shit is bad when the cock-sucking, cow-towing media loses it in front of a live audience. congratulations, cafferty, for saying what every reporter needs to keep saying over and over again. let the impeachment trials begin!!!

KANYE WEST IS A GOD!!

2005-09-02T20:46:00.000-04:00

ive been home watching the katrina coverage for the last couple of days. so, tonight i decided to tune into the concert for hurricane relief, cause i wanted to see the great wynton marsalis. after a lovely duet with harry connick, jr., they cut to mike myers and kanye west. mike did his part, reading from the nbc script. then, when it was kanye west's turn to read into the camera, he launched into a full-on meltdown, live on tv. his dispair was palpable and heartfelt. he stumbled through some very sincere condolences till he had worked himself up so much, he began to attack the pitiful government response. mike looked a bit panicked that kanye had gone off script, but you could see there was no way in hell he was gonna stop him. once kanye paused, mike jumped in to finish off his bit of dialog - and you could tell that he wished he could be saying something more honest. but then at kanye's next turn, he loudly pronounced, "george bush doesn't care about black people!"

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-FUCKIN-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kanye west, you, sir, have my undying respect and adoration for saying exactly what everyone around the world has been thinking!!!!

as soon as that sentence was out of his mouth, the director cut to chris tucker, who did his little piece, with suppressed laughter and appreciation.

i am currently on the hunt for a copy of this footage online. I HAVE TO WATCH IT AGAIN & SO DO YOU! it is one of the BEST moments in tv history!!! if you have access to this footage, please, please, please pass it along!!!!

now i gotta go see who the hell this kanye west kid is... never heard of him till now. but damn if i dont love him already!
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UPDATE - coverage is starting to come in. looks like this bit is being cut from feeds as it rolls across the timezones. ABC news is covering it, too.
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UPDATE #2 - big big thanks go out to anders from the random show for sending us the link to the full kanye west clip (wmv file). go enjoy the greatest moment in television history!

here's another link to the media (quicktime file), in case the first one isn't working for you.

oh katrina...

2005-09-02T14:50:00.000-04:00

there is so much to say that i dont know where to begin. if you havent been following this story, i ask you now to kindly remove your head from your ass & get ready for action. this is the most catastrophic event to occur in america in modern history. think 9/11 x 1000. and thats just for starters.

the beautiful city of new orleans has been wiped from the map. it is currently submerged under 20 ft. of toxic soup. every last historic bit of it has been destroyed. our country is facing a very serious economic crisis. millions of americans are now refugees, being shuttled from shelter to shelter, with nothing left of their lives, but the clothes on their backs. many have been abandonded by our worthless, piece-of-shit government to die in the streets. in some rescue areas, the buses stopped coming days ago. bodies are floating & being eaten by rats. reports are also coming out that women & children are being raped in the streets, as gangs lay claim to the apocalyptic landscape. 5 days after the storm has cleared, people are still stranded in heavily polluted areas, in sweltering heat, without food, water or medicine. the death toll is expected in the tens of thousands. and thats just new orleans...

90,000 square miles of the southeastern united states has been nearly obliterated by this storm. thats an area roughly the size of the united kingdom. it will take years, if not decades to recover and rebuild from one storm that lasted just a few days.

the "president" and his staff have claimed ignorance that such a tragedy could occur. we know this to be a lie. one more lie in the great sea of lies. it is beyond incompetance. this government has finally proven once and for all just how criminal their souls are, by treating its own people as poorly as they have citizens around the world. on c-span right now, members of congress are calling for heads to roll. even the republicans are disgusted by their lack of leadership and meager, inadequate response to the needs of the victims. everyone is wandering around, holding their dicks, looking for somewhere to lay the blame. but bush is too busy shaking hands at photo-ops in biloxi, condaleeza is on a shopping spree in new york and cheney is missing, as always... no one is in charge.

i ask you now to join us in international blogging for disaster relief day. donate whatever you can - money, time, food, clothing, blood... people are in desperate need right now!! please, give as much as you can. click here for a comprehensive list of charities to donate to.

media resources: video of the victims, video of citizen rescue, photos.

and, finally, i also want to say, kudos to ted koppel for nailing FEMA director mike brown for their completely ineffecient response to the disaster. if you missed it last night, watch the video over at onegoodmove.

time to turn in your SUVs

2005-09-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

according to insider reports, confirmed by the coast guard, a minimum of 20 US oil rigs have been destroyed, or are entirely missing, in the wake of hurricane katrina. each rig produced, on average, 95,000 barrels of oil each day. it will take years for them to be reconstructed.

from the AFP, via yahoo!news:

Over 91 percent of normal daily crude oil production in the Gulf -- 1.5 million barrels -- is now shut down, and more than 83 percent of natural gas production, the [Minerals Management Service] said. [...]
On shore, at least eight refineries have been shut down on the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi since Katrina roared ashore early Monday just east of New Orleans.

Many other refineries are struggling to cope with shortfalls of crude caused by the closure of major port terminals and pipelines from evacuated and missing rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

reports are also coming through that gas prices around the country are soaring near $6 a gallon. my mother in delaware just called to say that her area is running out of fuel altogether. and, as i type this, democratic representatives in congress (pelosi-CA & engle-NY) are calling for a pox on price-gouging oil manufacturers. higher prices at the pump result in higher prices on everything we consume.

all hell has only begun to break loose in america.

a million ways to be cool

2005-09-02T04:27:00.000-04:00

"a million ways" by okgo.

this has to be the best music video ive seen in a long time. so simple. yet, so good! and, hey - the song aint bad either. (no permalink, so watch out aggregators...)

get this bitch off my island - NOW!

2005-09-02T03:23:00.000-04:00

from gawker:

Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we’ve confirmed this...). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice’s timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, “How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!” Never one to have her fashion choices questioned, Rice had security PHYSICALLY REMOVE the woman.
Angry Lady, whoever you are, we love you. You are a true American...

there is a special place in hell for each member of the bush administration. and, since condi "let them eat cake" rice didnt seem to get the hint during the RNC, let me be clear once and for all: your kind is not welcome here. in fact, most of us want to see you strung up like mussolini...

fiddlin' away your future

2005-09-01T02:49:00.000-04:00

from horkulated:

Our modern-day Nero made sure he was busy with important "presidential" tasks while a natural disaster of unimaginable magnitude unfolded yesterday.

bush 404

2005-09-01T01:49:00.000-04:00

just click....

she only had one drink

2005-08-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

heres a little clip from jackie's birthday party. my bitches are crazy...

hey - jackie, i want a copy of these pictures!

-mariah

perfection.

2005-08-30T00:26:00.000-04:00

the beatles: dont let me down, live 1969.

time to put on the headphones, crank up the volume & sing as loud as you can.

it just doesnt get any better than this...

this one's for mom.

note to the mktv crew: when we get the band back together, we're so doing a cover...

WE'VE BEEN ROCKETBOOMED!!!!!!!

2005-08-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

YYYYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

congratulations to katharine for having her interview with scott from cbgb's picked up by today's episode of the great and wonderful rocketboom!!!!! thank you to zadi for giving us the idea & for blogging it last week!

GO WATCH ROCKETBOOM RIGHT NOW!!!

then join us in our happy dance!

and SAVE CBGB'S!!!

don't forget to pay katharine a visit at cbgb's. she's one of their lovely bartenders, so stop in, say hi & tip heavily!

pop quiz!

2005-08-24T00:24:00.000-04:00

the other day, katharine & i were talking about how notoriously bad americans are at geography. one of her coworkers (a full grown adult) had only just learned where hawaii is located... are maps not plentiful in this country? this is shameful! SHAMEFUL!!

think you know your shit? prove it! take the test. and just to make it harder - and make you feel a little bit worse about yourself - its on european geography! in the spirit of full disclosure, i only got 71% right. but at least i passed - phew! post your scores in the comments section.

and since im talking about europe on a videoblog, im gonna plug vlogeurope. if youre going, take me with you!!

ps - the fire is spreading across the map.

armed military raid a legal party in utah

2005-08-23T12:57:00.000-04:00

firsthand account from one of the performers (story found on horkulated):

At about 11:30 or so, I was standing behind the stage talking with someone when I noticed a helicopter pulling over one of the mountain tops. [...]

The helicopter dipped lower and lower and started shining its lights on the crowd. I was kind of in awe and just sat and watched this thing circle us for a minute. As I looked back towards the crowd I saw a guy dressed in camoflauge walking by, toting an assault rifle. At this point, everyone was fully aware of what was going on . A few "troops" rushed the stage and cut the sound off and started yelling that everyone "get the fuck out of here or go to jail". [...]

They had police dogs raiding the crowd of people and I saw a dog signal out a guy who obviously had some drugs on him. The soldiers attacked the guy (4 of them on 1), and kicked him a few times in the ribs and had their knees in his back and sides. As they were cuffing him, there was about 1000 kids trying to leave in the backdrop, peacefully. Next thing I know, A can of fucking TEAR GAS is launched into the crowd. People are running and screaming at this point. [...]

- One of the promoters friends (a very small female) was attacked by one of the police dogs. As she struggled to get away from it, the police tackled her. 3 grown men proceeded to KICK HER IN THE STOMACH. [....]

- The police were rounding up the staff of the party and the main promoter went up to them with the permit for the show and said "here, I have the permit." The police then said, "no you don't" and ripped the permit out of his hand. Then, they put an assault rifle to his forehead and said "get the fuck out of here right now."

Now.. let's get the facts straight here.

This event was 100% legal. They had every permit the city told them they needed. They had a 2 MILLION DOLLAR insurance policy for the event. They had liscenced security guards at the gates confiscating any alcohol or drugs found upon entry (yes, they searched every car on the way in). Oh, I suppose I should mention that they arrested all the security guards for possession.

read the whole thing & watch the footage. un-fucking-believable!!! but part of a disturbing and growing international trend. what the fuck for???

police brutality - alive and well...

2005-08-22T17:30:00.000-04:00

from the pittsburgh independant media:

During the [counter-recruitment] rally at the [army recruitment] station, a freelance Fox News cameraman who was aggressively filming demonstrators' faces was told to leave and started a minor confrontation with protestors. He returned with police officers, claiming that either he was punched or that his camera was broken (although he continued to use his camera the rest of the day). Witnesses confirm that neither of these things happened. On this pretense, police began chasing any masked protestors they could find, arresting several and firing weapons at the crowd. Several people have confirmed that they were hit with tasers and chemical weapons. Video cameras captured tasers being fired at people who had already been subdued and restrained by police officers.

here's the video of a girl being tasered while restrained by three police officers (each about twice her size). and here's video of a guy being arrested for sitting on the sidewalk.

and since we're on the subject of over-use of force against protesters, don't miss some of the incredible footage at vlog~flux. check out his documentary on inauguration day - where cops pepper-sprayed protesters, that were already behind chain-link fences - and his film about the critical mass protest in nyc against the republican national convention - where a random kid on a bike is thrown to the ground, pinned and handled so roughly, that the more he cried out in agony, the more pain the cops inflicted.

personally, i generally do not have a problem with the police. there are a lot of good cops out there, that take their role in society very seriously. it's only when sadistic, power-humping bastards like this act up, that i gotta say something. this activity is illegal. and any officer who participates in it, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. protect & serve, my ass!!!

zerogravity

2005-08-21T14:24:00.000-04:00

great little video from the zerogravity III breakdancing competition. don't you wish you could do this shit?

ancient graffiti

2005-08-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

not only is graffiti universal, it is timeless. check out this page from kent state university. someone has actually translated some of the graffiti found in the ancient city of pompeii. most of it is rather scandalous, and, well... pretty much like what you would see on any given city wall today.

my favorites:

"Epaphra, you are bald!"
"Secundus likes to screw boys."
"Chie, I hope your hemorrhoids rub together so much that they hurt worse than when they every have before!"
"O walls, you have held up so much tedious graffiti that I am amazed that you have not already collapsed in ruin."

the daily show gets an rss feed!!

2005-08-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

okay - so, last week, i was poking around on the daily show website, catching up on all the clips that i miss out on by not having proper cable (as well as feeding into my massive crush on jon stewart). and i got to thinking, "damn, if only they had rss, i wouldnt having to keep coming back to their website, to see if there's something new. with rss, i could subscribe and be automatically notified in my aggregator when they've posted new stuff. you know - like videoblogs..." so, being the loudmouth that i am, i shot them off an email to make this request, thinking that someday, eventually, this large conglomerate will get around to making the move towards new technology. but, being a former employee of the corporate world & knowing how slow they can be to adopt new formats, i wasn't about to hold my breath...

but, lo & behold, just one short week later, i am happy to report that comedy central & the daily show have announced their rss syndication capabilities. you can now subscribe to their feeds and be updated regularly when they post new content. woohoo!

now, im not about to take credit for giving them the idea. im sure there was some tech savvy PA in their department nudging them in this direction. and im sure im not the only one to have made the request. but today, i sent them links for fireant & mefeedia, along with a note about itunes 4.9 & im hoping that they'll register their feed with these preferred aggregators, as well. i've also been needling them about getting proper permalinks, and - again - im not gonna hold my breath... but who knows??

damn - just a couple of months ago i didn't know shit about any of this, and now, thanks to the videobloggers, i can't imagine functioning without rss...