Repeat Assault: A stalker song

How I wish you could see the potential, 

The potential of you and me 

It's like a book elegantly bound, 

But in a language that you can't read 

Listen, and feel the romantic stalkishness of it: 

Because of the recesion: Lower Libido, Part 2

Even brothels are feeling the pinch(!): 

Egbert Krumeich, manager of Artemis, the largest brothel in Berlin, said that the recession had helped dent revenue by 20 percent in November, which is usually peak season for the sex trade. Meanwhile, in Reno, Nevada, the multimillion-dollar Mustang Ranch recently laid off 30 percent of its staff, citing a decline in high-spending clients. 

These days, CEOs would rather hit the sauce than "hit it." 

Because of the recession: Lower Libido

Even Playboy is experiencing money problems mostly likely due to the current state of the economy.

In these times, people would rather turn to Jack than bunnies.

Better than Rent: Prop 8 -- The Musical!

Found this through a random Twitter thingy.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

What I'm listening to at work

I'm the only one in my office today so I made a work-friendly playlist of music:

Lame duckitudeness

Via Slate:

Hillary: Yes I Will

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, November 21, 2008 -- 2:44 PM ET
-----

Clinton to Accept Secretary of State Nomination, Confidants Say

Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat
and accept the nomination for secretary of state after
additional discussion with President-elect Barack Obama about
the nature of her role, two confidants of Mrs. Clinton said
Friday.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

Nightclub in Westwood?

MTV article describing the Twilight Premiere in Westwood:

WESTWOOD, California — The nightclub-and-movie-theater-packed neighborhood nestled between Brentwood, Hollywood and UCLA has always served as a playground for excitable young adults, head-turning celebrities and couples looking for love. But never before have all three groups collided quite the way they did Monday night (November 17) when Bella, Edward and a few thousand of their closest friends stormed into town.

MTV, I'm not shocked but get your facts straight. Westwood isn't even allowed to have a nightclub. Duh.

The fist bump waiting to happen...

Via Slate cartoons:

Repeat Assault: "You Are the Best Thing"

Song of the Day: Ray LaMontagne, "You are the Best Thing"

Got this song for free on iTunes courtesy of Starbucks. It's currently on repeat assault as I played it all morning.

NYT Blog: Bay Air-ree-yaaa Bailout (?)

The city of Vallejo gets to be the opening for a New York Times blog post:

VALLEJO, Calif. — This city is broke. Bankrupt. A ward of the courts. The police have pared their ranks, and every day two fire stations temporarily close, a rolling blackout of basic services.

Do we bailout Vallejo?

During the campaign season, both candidates kept repeating that Main Street, not Wall Street, is really suffering. But what is Main Street? Where is Main Street?

All too often we forget that it's home. It's the next city over. It's where Aunt Beth or Uncle Joe lives.

Let's not forget what is happening locally. Take time to try to understand the issues, form an opinion about it, and find ways to help those around you who are feeling the crunch.

Obamamania: Obama The Smoker

In today's WaPo, Michael Kinsley says it's ok if Obama needs a cig:

Obama's steely calm is now one of our country's major assets. If he needs an occasional cigarette to preserve it, let's hand him an ashtray, offer him a light and look the other way.

I don't care if Obama smokes or not. It's his choice. I'm sure he's well aware of the ramifications and he probably gets railed about all the time from the people around him.

WaPo, what's next? Will you find another columnist to contribute a piece that explores the evolution of Obama's hair cuts and what it means for tomorrow's future leaders?

Obamamania: Licking the streets he walkED on

The Chicago Tribune made it easier for Obama supporters and crazies to walk the same streets and eat at the same restaurants The One has graced with an interactive map.

God Bless America: "Country First" vs. "God First"

Kathleen Parker.  Does the name ring a bell?  She was one of those conservative writers that the party "faithful" deemed a traitor for criticizing the Palin pick.  

In a Wednesday column for the WaPo, "Giving Up on God," Parker urges the GOP to let go ofthe strong, Christian base.  Well golly, says I, that sounds like blasphemy.  She should be ejected from the Republican community.  But Parker's evocation reiterates Christopher Buckley's solemn conviction after "resigning" from The National Review about the GOP: "I haven’t left the Republican Party. It left me." 

Here are some of the LOL-funny and highlights of her column: 

To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh. 

So it has been for the Grand Old Party since the 1980s or so, as it has become increasingly beholden to an element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners. 

But preaching to the choir produces no converts. And shifting demographics suggest that the Republican Party -- and conservatism with it -- eventually will die out unless religion is returned to the privacy of one's heart where it belongs.

Suffice it to say, the Republican Party is largely comprised of white, married Christians. Anyone watching the two conventions last summer can't have missed the stark differences: One party was brimming with energy, youth and diversity; the other felt like an annual Depends sales meeting.

With the exception of Miss Alaska, of course. 

The young will get older, of course. Most eventually will marry, and some will become their parents. But nonwhites won't get whiter. And the nonreligious won't get religion through external conversion. It doesn't work that way. 

Echoing what many analysts have been calling for, the GOP needs to broaden it's appeal. Diversifying is just plain, sound business practice.  Conservatism, as it is today, needs to take a few steps back.  Republicans need to redefine their basic tenets.  Like I wrote in an earlier blog post, although the Republican party espouses small-government, what they do today completely contradicts that.  

They want a 'small government' that doesn't take money from their paychecks--money which is used to build essential infrastructure like roads, freeways, hospitals, fire stations, public restrooms, water fountains, etc.--but they also want the same government to put restrictions on your social/private life, like who you can marry, praying at school, keeping a baby, etc.   

I wholeheartedly agree with Parker: the GOP needs to let go of The Base.  It was a not-so-good turn in the history of conservatism and the Republican Party.  

As a country that was founded upon tolerance, sectarian government, and freedom, religion should remain a private matter.  The GOP needs to decide whether or not they want to put country first or God first.  Is a God-fearing, real Amerrican, anti-Amerrrican if they put God first?  Or is a real Amerrrrican blasphemous if they put country first and God second? Yannowhaddimean???

Obamamania: Tacky Memorabilia

I'm all for capitalizing on hip trends, but this latest one needs to stop: Obama plates. It's not just tacky, it's creepy. This is just another indication that capitalism transcends the Democratic-Republican divide. Obama's celebrity and international popularity equals money-money-money. But I'm 100% sure that those "commemorative quarter" companies had stockpiles of Obama and McCain quarters ready to be shipped on November 5th.

They just give me the heebie-jeebies. I think its because the coin and plate things are cheesey and are always associated with crazy, old, and maniacal collectors. Obama furnished a cool, Coltrane-listening, young, and hip image. The 'Obama Commemorative Plate' simply contradicts that.

This is how I felt at work today...

Song of the morning

Although it's Wednesday morning, "Sunday Morning" is still a good song to wake up to at the office.

Cedric Diggory's Westwood Premiere

The air in Westwood was suffocating, and not from the smoke from the fires in Sylmar and

Yorba Linda, but from the exruciatingly painful screams of hundreds of teen girls lined up on Weyburn and Broxton for the premiere of Twilight.

They were premiering the movie at both movies theaters, the Bruin Theater and the Fox Theater.

This is Weyburn/Broxton in the day:

Westwood is considered the movie premiere capital in the world.

Celebrity Sighting in Westwood

As I walked into Urban Outfitters early this evening (my friend told there was a $10 jean sale!), the Jo Bros--The Jonas Brothers--were walking out of there with a caravan of drooling tweens behind them.

If you're not between the age of 5-16 years old, the Jonas Brothers are these guys.

They are sort of like the Backstreet Boys of this tween generation.

And yes, like BSB, they are annoying, they are fairly talented, sing bubble-yum pop, and they pout all the time.

Christmas time is here!

I love the holidays. Yesterday, I started decorating my living room with lights. My favorite are the lights I put along the front door (the 4th and 5th pictures). Like it??

Captivated by the light

It's always sunny in Los Angeles. There is some awesome lighting in my living room right now--natural lighting, of course--from the (waning?) sun. Enjoy the view from my balcony.  

B-Rock is in the (White) Hoooouse

From the WaPo (which was apparently Obama-leaning in it's '08 campaign coverage) has a nifty piece on the crossroads of hip-hop and politics. Nas--someone I first really learned about this past summer thanks to his number one fan--makes an insightful point about our president-elect:

"The next generation of kids will have something new to rap about," said Nas. But he also previously wrote lyrics expressing his hope -- and his uncertainty -- about Obama's presidency:

I'm thinking I can trust this brother

But will he keep it way real?

. . . When he wins, will he care still?

The beginning of the end...

Via The Daily Telegraph is a picture gallery of some of their favourite Bush moments.

The pictures don't really convey the presidential legacy thing than how those British folks really feel about our Bushie.

I too, am suffering from campaign withdrawal

Unlike Joel Schwartzberg ("I Suffer From Campaign Withdrawal"), I don't see Wolf Blitzer in the face of every bearded man that walks by.  But I do feel odd.  The November 4 elation has slowly faded away as I'm now refocusing my attention on the transition.  

After the election, I remembered why I wasn't an avid MSNBC or CNN watcher.  I hate all the oddball news mixed in with interviews with foreign diplomats and every other story rendered "Breaking News."  I miss all horse race.  I miss the ginormous touch screens with the electoral maps. I'm going to miss Olbermann and Maddow bashing on McCain and Palin.  

What am I going to do with myself?  

At least I'm not an Obama-supporter-zombie: 

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Sunday Quotes, 5 days since Obama won the election

"This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny." 

     - Franlkin D. Roosevelt 

"It was a great hour to live." 

     - Winston Churchill 

"With him we get a president with the political intelligence of a Bill Clinton harnessed to the steely self-discipline of a Vladimir Putin. (I say this admiringly.) With these qualities, Obama will now bestride the political stage as largely as did Reagan." 

     - Charles Krauthammer, "The Campaign Autopsy," The Washington Post, 11/07/08

(As heard on Meet the Press, 11/09/08) 

The first President-Elect Obama post

Cool news: Half of the babies born in the village near the birthplace of Barack Obama Sr. were named either Barack or Michelle on the day after the election.

Would you name your kid Barack or Michelle?

My potential offspring will probably be named after the president-elect or his wife. But I also have first dibs on Aiden, Nelson, Madeleine, and Christiane.

Tonight: Michelle Obama on Jay Leno

Don't forget to watch Michelle Obama on Jay Leno tonight. 

She'll reveal that she bought her ensemble at J. Crew. 

Yikes...she's an elitist because she doesn't buy her clothes at a consignment store. Coincidentally, Sarah Palin hasn't stopped by her "favorite consignment store" since she began running for governor in her state.  According to the consignment shop owner, Ellen Arvold, it has been about 3 years since she's bought something there. 

Sarah Palin BEFORE her RNC Extreme Makeover: 

Sarah Palin at the Mat-Su's Gov's Annual Picnic.  

Please shut up and sit down, Elizabeth Hasselbeck

Elizabeth Hasselbeck is annoying me. 

Hasselbeck appeared at a recent Sarah Palin rally.  She drew light to media's squabbling over Sarah Palin's clothing controversy: 

Now why is this annoying?

First, if you think it's stupid to talk about her garb just days before the election, THEN DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.  

You were at a rally, not The View.  

You just can't needlessly banter to fill time until the cast of High School Musical 3 comes out for their interview.

Second, the "fixation on her wardrobe" isn't sexism.  

It's because they used $150,000 of public financing to give her an extreme makeover.

Third, who are you? 

Okay, you're a co-host on The View, where you sometimes share the stage with Barbara Walters.

But, let's review your resume, shall we?

-Graduated with a Fine Arts degree from Boston College. Softball captain for two years.

-Member of PUMA's design team after graduation.

-Finished 4th place on Survivor: The Australian Outback.

-Judged 2001 Miss Teen USA Pageant.

-Host of Style's Look for Less from 2002 to 2003.

-Since 2003, a co-host on The View.

Like Sarah Palin, you mistakenly believe you have demonstrated political acumen.

8 more days!!!

Meghan McCain pledges to get a tattoo...

...if her Dad wins New Hampshire/the presidency.

Meghan, if your only condition to get a tattoo is your dad becoming president, then I know you really don't want it.  I doubt anyone in New Hamphshire is will go to the polls to vote John McCain just so they can see you with a new tattoo.  

No comment necessary

The Crazy Palin/McCain rally lady visits Weekend Update. Click here for my original post on this.

Obama's latest fundraising records

According to the Obama campaign, they received contributions from 632,000 new donors in September. That puts the entire fundraising total to more than $605 million, with an average of $86 per person.  

Surprisingly, the two biggest groups that have given donations are the retirees and students. Students!? Young people!? Take that, John Stossel! 

Happy Filipino American History Month!

No, we don't get a day off, but at least Obama's aides are keeping up with all the obscure holidays, celebrations, memorials, etc. 

Obama on Filipino American History Month: 

Filipino Americans have participated in the triumphs and struggles along our road to a more perfect union, from farm workers who helped found the United Farmworkers Union, to the soldiers who fought bravely in World War II, to the thousands of nurses who have saved and improved countless lives, Filipino Americans are an integral part of our country. That’s why I support policies that will honor your sacrifices, like the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.

Read the entire letter. 

So what is Senator Obama's record on the issue of Filipino Veterans? 

He really is committed bringing equity to the Filipino Veterans issues: As a member of the Senate Veteran Affairs Commitee, he co-sponsored the Filipino Veterans Equity Act. It was approved by the Senate, 96-1. 

Although there is a lot of latent racism in the Filipino and Filipino-American community, especially among our own parents and grandparents, I really hope they will look past that and see his compassion for the Filipino community. Check out the Filipino Americans for Obama blog for more. 

Colin Powell on Meet the Press

For the next few days, cable news is going to be inundated with commentary, analysis, and rolling footage of Colin Powell announcing that he will vote for Barack Obama.  To catch the actualy interview, without the "liberal, media elite bias," watch Meet the Press today on MSNBC at 3pm Pacific time. 

I'm sure it's already on the internet, but make it a lazy Sunday, grab some chips, your dirty robe, and cozy up on the counch in front of the original tube. 

So is this latest high-profile endorsement any good? 

On the not-so-awesome side, his name is associated with the WMD debacle.  On the other hand, he is very decorated, a Republican, and considered a true American by many military families.  I doubt that many average Americans care that Kissinger endorses McCain, or even know who he is. Unlike Colin Powell, the former Secretary State, is a household name. 

This may impact the independent and undecided voters who just want to hear a valid point. Although I'm not well-read on the impact of endorsements on presidential campaigns, Powell's endorsement may go a little further than Ben Affleck's.  Powell has the credentials, he's cool, and an intellectual.  Everyone's tired of all the fluff, the mud-slinging, and lip-stick on pigs.  They just want to hear the gawshdarn truth.  

Obama-Biden Tax Calculator

According to Senator Obama, anyone making less than $250,000 will receive a tax cut.  On his website, you can actually calculate what kind of tax cut you'll be receiving. 

The "Obama-Biden Tax Calculator" calculates.... 

Apparently, I'll have $500 of "Obama tax savings," versus $0 of "McCain tax savings." There was also a note: "Plus, under Obama, you may be eligible for: $4,000 tax credit to pay for college expenses." 

Now it's your turn to play! 

Surprise, surprise

Shocking news: The LA Times endorses Barack Obama for president.

In related news, LC won't reignite her friendship with Heidi unless Spencer shaves his creepy, flesh-colored beard. Yowza!

Well this is a doosie

Sarah Palin needs to check-in with reality! 

A bi-partisan Legislative Council authorized the investigation of Sarah Palin's supposed wrongdoings in the state trooper scandal. (If you didn't hear, Gov. Palin tried to fire her sister's ex-husband, a state-trooper...she tried to get the Public Safety Commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law, and when he refused, she canned him.) 

Earlier this week, the findings of the investigation were released. 

The first finding says that Sarah Palin acted unethically: 

The first concludes that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."  

But, her response when asked about the investigation's findings don't seem to match with

 reality: 

“I’m thankful that the report has shown that there was no illegal or unethical activity there in my choice to replace our commissioner,” she said. “A partisan kind of process that had been undertaken by some of the legislators who haven’t been real happy with anything that I’ve done along the way as governor, that process is now over, with that finding that I haven’t done anything unlawful in replacing the commissioner.” 

Uhhhhhhh....but..you were found to have acted unethically? Well, let's give her a break.  She is

 probably all busy and whatnot from galvanizing crowds to hate Obama, joking about how old Biden is, going to hockey games in order to get booed at, mistaking her supporters for protestors, yenno, stuff that vice presidential candidates do.  Or maybe she's overwhelmed by the "vast variety" of newspapers that are put in front of her, that she failed to read the Anchorage Daily News which first reported the findings of the investigation.  Or maybe, the newspapers she did read out of the "vast variety," just so happened to not have any stories related to the Troopergate case.  Or maybe she doesn't actually read the newspaper. I don't know what's worst, a politican who doesn't like to keep up with politics in the newspaper, or a politician who

 lies hoping people don't notice. 

Well guess what Sarah Palin, PEOPLE NOTICE! 

Will she try to pull another fast one on us? Will she blame the unfavorable portrayal of herself on the gawd-awful mainstream media/liberal elite? Does she think that her own version of the investigation is the truth because it has been filtered by the media? Does she think her supporters are just TOO dumb, too dim-witted, illiterate, and blindly-faithful to her, that they

 won't believe the investigation's findings?  

C'mon Republicans! You're supposed to represent the party of Lincoln! You're smearing his name everytime you invoke the words "we're the party of Lincoln..blah blah blah".  Lincoln is known as one of the most astute politicians of his time. He was a real intellectual--he was self-educated, he read the Bible though never joined the church and he read Shakespeare, he had only months of formal education yet became a lawyer.  This makes me wonder, what would Lincoln think about Sarah Palin? 

This entry has me to conclude two things about this issue. One or both may be right: 

1) Sarah Palin is an airhead, which is why she insists to deny that she behaved unethically even though a bi-partisan investigation says she did. 

2) Sarah Palin thinks WE'RE airheads and that we won't notice when she lies.  

I'm sure the Animal Rights Activists (especially the ones that target UCLA Researches) will have a fit over this one. 

I Voted

And you can too! Go to VoteForChange.com. And hurry! The deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 20th. 

Click here if you want a Voter Registration form mailed to you. 

Click here if you want a Vote-by-mail ballot. 

If you live in the Los Angeles County, you can apply to Vote by mail online. So if you're reading thisk and you live in LA, and you want to vote now...click here. See...that was so easy. 

Another Non-Obama--racist--Country First! Voter

Last Friday, at a rally in Wisconscin: 

Voter: I don't trust Obama. I have read about him and he's an Arab." 

McCain: "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not [an Arab]."

 

Wowza that's racist. Was McCain trying to defend Obama against the Arab comment? If so, then he is just as ig'nant as the old lady. 

Why should you Vote No on Prop 8?

The election is just around the corner! Sort of..I hope you're all registered to vote by now.  If you aren't, go to Voteforchange.com to get started. 

A lot of people are torn between the Palin/McCain ticket and the Obama/Biden ticket. I'm going to take a break from bashing Palin like a rented mule to talk about other important things on this year's ballot. 

First off, Proposition 8.  Proposition 8 seeks to ban same-sex marriage. 

I believe Californians should vote NO on Prop 8. 

But why? 

Below is the text from an e-mail I sent to a bunch of friends and family about it: 

When you vote next month, I urge you all to vote NO on Proposition 8. 

A YES vote on Prop 8 will eliminate the right of same-sex couples from marrying. 

You've seen the commercial: the one wear the lady tries to walk from her dressing room to her groom, but can't. 

In California, from 1850-1948, Blacks, Asians AND specifically Filipinos were banned from marrying whites. (See Wiki article) 

It isn't right to ban people from marrying people they want to marry based on race or orientation. 

If we can ban segregation/discrimination in the workplace--the public sphere--why is there a need to do so in the private sphere? 

How does not allowing same-sex couples from hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights, etc. affect YOU? It doesn't. 

Like the anti-miscegenation laws, Prop. 8 is based on fear. A baseless fear.  

And 3 more reasons why you should VOTE NO ON PROP. 8: 

1) Second-class citizenship: Denying people the right to marry, like denying Filipinos from marrying whites, turns them into second-class citizens.  Not giving gay people the right makes them inferior in the eyes of the law and in society.  Living in the world's most powerful and progressive nation--a ban on same-sex marriage is taking a step backward. 

2) Biblically contradictory: From a completely non-religious, strictly Biblical (just the text) standpoint, Jesus is one of the first recorded liberals.  His religious mission called for an egalitarian society: he wanted ALL people to eat at the same table, unlike the Pharisees.  In this day and age, banning same-sex marriage makes us Pharisees--the same people Jesus argued with and who are portrayed as evil and corrupt throughout the Bible. 

3) Homosexuality is not a choice: "The Academy of Pediatrics and the Council on Child and Adolescent Health have also stated that homosexuality is not a choice and cannot be changed." See article . 

4) Our family and friends: It is completely and totally unfair for our own friends and family to not have the same rights as everyone else. 

"Why arn'cha bloggin?"

I've been busy.  I know it is not a great excuse but quite frankly, it's the truth. 

The last few weeks have consisted of going to bed early (before midnight) and waking up to be at my cubicle on time. Although I'm still at my work-study job, I feel more and more like a corporate drone.  But that is not the only thing filling up my time.  I'm on the prowl for a job right now. So when I'm not at Materiel Services or workin on my resume/cover letters, I'm watching Rachel Maddow and co. on MSNBC. Or The Office. Or Heroes. Or Mad Men. Or a good TBS movie. It gets pretty exhausting. And that explains my absence here.  

omg, I'm like--so lame. 

"Never trust a big butt and a smile."

Song of the Day: Bell Biv DeVoe, "Poison" 

Now go revisit: 

"Say, Lou, didya hear the one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized plates, so he went and changed his name to J3L2404?"

From the comments section of the live blog on the VP debate on The Guardian, one of the commentators offered some hard-hitting insight and reference to classic America cinema. 

Saurs

Oct 03 08, 3:18am (about 3 hours ago)

I can't believe all the commenters here who want to nail Margie from Fargo. 

Salaam (for now)

I have a very important announcement to make.  I regret to inform all my readers--all 3 of you--that I will be suspending my blog until I find a real j o b.  

Until then, I hope everyone continues to keep up with important news issues, especially the economy and the campaign.  

Don't forget to vote, go to Voteforchange.com if you haven't done so already. 

Watch the debates. Yell at the tv. Then blog about it. 

Watch The Office on Thursday nights at 9pm.  It will make you whole. 

And most importantly, listen to Raphael Saadiq's new album.  

Head of the Party Planning Committee

I suddenly realized that I'm kind of the Angela Martin in my office.

I've become the unofficial Head of the Party Planning Committee. I always end up volunteering (or being asked to) organize the office minions for birthday/holiday/going-away/graduation lunch. Recently, I volunteered to organize the Pizza and Staff Meeting Lunch.

Hopefully, people don't completely write me off as a frigid bitch.

Here's to the Debate!

How do you plan on spending Friday night?!

Like every good American, I know you'll be watching the debate.

Don't worry, you can still get drunk tonight.

Skip the beer pong and enjoy these debate-drinking games!

Debate Drinking Games

All across the nation, the electorate is gearing up for the first presidential debate. And on the Internet, drinking games are popping up with some frequency. So take some lemons, make some lemonade and get ready to chug-a-lug. Here's an edited compilation of some of the prompts, with a few of our own sprinkled in.
Take one drink:

• Every time Barack Obama says, "Now look..."
• Every time John McCain says, "My friends..."
• When a commentator refers to someone as a "maverick"
• Every time you hear the phrase "the American dream"
• Whenever you hear the words "hope" or "ownership society" or "fellow Americans"

Take two drinks:

• When one of the candidates uses the word "change" or "reformer"
• Every time either candidate says the word "economy"
• Every time either candidate says "middle class"

Above all, drink responsibly. And be sure to save some lemonade for the Oct. 2 debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

(NPR is the best.)

Breaking News

John McCain can walk and chew gum at the same time:

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, September 26, 2008 -- 11:31 AM ET
-----

McCain Will Participate in Debate

Senator John McCain will take part in the first presidential
debate tonight in Oxford, Miss., a campaign spokesman said.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

Now that's a president you can count on. The kind that can multitask.
Like Oprah.

Palin's Crash Course in International Affairs

Sarah Palin is one lucky girl.  This week, the UN General Assembly is having a meeting which allowed the VP pick to do a little brownnosing and take Myspace pictures with some international hotshots. 

Here is how part of her meeting with the Asif Ali Zardari, the president of Pakistan, played out: 

At that point, Zardari entered and the conversation turned decidedly flirtatious. He told her she was "even more gorgeous" than he thought.

"You are so nice," Palin said. "Thank you."

Zardari pressed on: "Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you."

At that point a Zardari handler asked them to shake hands again for the cameras.

"I'm supposed to pose again," Palin said.

"If he's insisting," Zardari said, "I might hug."

Eventually, real business got underway.

Palin, who has yet to hold a news conference since McCain plucked her from relative obscurity on Aug. 29, even answered a reporter's question as to how she enjoyed her meetings.

"It's going great," she said. "The meetings are very informative and helpful. A lot of good people share an appreciation for America." 

At least she's getting hands-on international relations experience, yannowhatimean. 

Choosing Sarah Palin as a VP running mate is like a pro-baseball club choosing a third base coach who has experience coaching tee ball AND little league baseball. 

Do you remember

Why?

A's fans know the drill. We bring in young, hot, and talented guys, we make it to the playoffs, then we trade those guys for even younger guys (and occasionally an older and more seasoned player), and the cycle continues. Every season, A's fans have something to be proud of. And although we are constantly ticked off by the announcement of another trade, we still come out and support

When we heard that the A's may move to San Jose, then it was the area near Great America, and then Fremont, not every Oakland fan was jumping for joy.

But the possibility of moving the A's outside of California? Give me a break.

Honestly, A's fans are like the victims of an abusive marriage. We keep taking the hits and the disappointment. We always come running back. We make their sandwiches when they ask us to, we come out to the not-as-nice-as-AT&T-park Coliseum, we eat your bland hot dogs, and we put up with all the high-profile trades. For chrissake, don't leave.

We forgive you for putting us through hell sometimes. So stay!

And work harder to get that BART station built!

I hella heart the Oakland A's.

"Love Lockdown"

I'm not really feeling Kanye's new song, "Love Lockdown." 

But then again, it took me a few listens to get addicted to Danity Kane's "Damaged." 

Wanna Get Away?

This is pretty random, but I wish I could be in the Philippines right now.

Specifically on a beach somewhere on one of the Hundred Islands.

Happy Happy Birthday

to the person I've known since the 5th grade.


Good times.

Happy Birthday Tracy!

Whoa, this never happens...

Aged rock star arrested for drug possession. 

George Michael, better known among our generation as the guy who sang "Last Christmas," is arrested for being caught with drugs in a public restroom. 

Just for kicks (and because it is never too early for Christmas songs):

Wham!, "Last Christmas" 

PREP in the Daily Bruin!

I was searching pictures using The Google for the training guide I'm finishing up and I found a 1994 Daily Bruin article that briefly mentions PREP: 

The UCLA Pilipino American population  which includes almost 1,000 students  is represented by Samahang Pilipino, along with other groups including Pilipinos for Community Health and the Pilipino Recruitment and Enrichment Program. 

Good to know. 

See the full article. 

More Obama

Obama Magazine compiled Obama's front covers. Here are some of my faves: 

Cover Boys and Girls

"He's the biggest celebrity in the world." - Opening line to McCain ad, "Celeb." 

Check out Barack Obama's latest magazine cover.  (Compliments to Obama Magazine.)

I wonder how he feels about "Sex Pistol: The Woman Who Whipped 007" near his face. 

Yeah sure, Obama has celeb status. He recently held a fundraiser in B-Hills with a ton of Hollywood folks.  A-list celebs have been unabashedly supportive of Obama: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston, Robert De Niro, Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johannson, George Clooney, and G-O-D herself--Oprah. 

He makes for a good celebrity because he's a photogenic guy. The McCain camp keeps mocking his celeb status but he can't help other people from being attracted to him. The McCain campaign had zero celeb status until they decided to bring on Sarah Palin 

Palin has a sketchy record (Troopergate, the Bridge to Nowhere money, her fundamentalist cred, etc.) but the media, the public that loves her, and even the people who hate her still can't get enough of her. And she's featured on the cover of US Weekely, featured on Vogue, mocked on SNL (touching on her lack of VP qualities and her milfness), the endless blog entries, and inane "news" stories, etc. If that isn't celeb status, then what is?  

And isn't Palin is the biggest celeb-reality star of all the candidates involved.  She's a small-town girl, she has interesting "quirks" (moose-whackin', fundamentalist, secessionist ties, her Tina Fey glasses, etc.), and she's gone from zero to "Hero" overnight. Doesn't that sound like the background of a typical Survivor contestant? 

By the way, didn't McCain appear SNL? Isn't SNL a stop for politicians, in order to yenno, like get regular ol'folk like them, to promote themselves, to look funny and approachable? Kinda like a celebrity? 

Watch John McCain sing Barbara Streisand: 

So why does John McCain choose to attack Obama for his celeb status? Why does being a celebrity have to be a bad thing? Doesn't everyone secretly yearn to become super famous? Is John McCain jealous that Obama is probably higher on the list in terms of celeb status?  

***UPDATE: Save the Date!

September 20-October 5th: Oktoberfest 

Save the Date(s)!

• September 26: Presidential debate in Oxford, Miss. 
• October 2: Vice Presidential debate in St. Louis, Mo. 
• October 7: Presidential debate in Nashville, Tenn. 
• October 15: Presidential debate in Hempstead, N.Y. 
• November 4: Election Day 
• January 20: Inaugaration Day  

From the preacher to my choir. 

Never again

George W. Bush, in Nashville, Tennessee, September 17, 2002: 

There's an old saying in Tennessee--I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee--that says, fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me--you can't get fooled again.

 

Currently (and shamelessly) listening to: Danity Kane, "Damaged" 

And don't forget to register to vote! 

Straight Talk

John McCain doesn't have the Straight Talk Express for nothing. 

"No, I'm calling you a f*cking jerk." - John McCain to fellow GOP Senator Chuck Grassley, when Grassley asked "Are you calling me stupid?", Feb 21, 2000 

What a stand up guy. 

Song of the Week

This week's pick for the Song of the Week is somewhat of an oldie:

Robin Thicke: Stupid Things

5 Reasons I why I love this song:
1) I heart good love songs.
2) Quality R&B. (The piano is hot, the melody is catchy, and he has a soulful voice.)
3) Cuuuuuuute and real lyrics.
4) Robin Thicke is irresistbly...talented.
5) Robin Thicke's singing voice in a word(s): sensual [seduction].

Okay, the fifth point doesn't make sense. Just listen already!

"So, I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you can’t, I will lend you mine."

LMAO. (I almost never use hip blog lingo, but this one sums it up pretty well.)

If you haven't heard of Sarah Palin, then you're either sharing a sleeping bag with Osama bin Laden in a dingy cave in the middle of nowhere (literally--because not even the the country that can spy on all of its citizens unbeknownst to them, still can't find him) or you're saving dolphins. 

Sarah Palin is all the rage right now. And when you reach a certain level of celebrity, you get mocked on SNL.

I'm having a hard time embedding the video right now.

You can still see it here.

Obama's moolah

One of the bastions of the Liberal Media Elite (TM)--the New York Times--is reporting that the Obama camp raised $66 million dollars in the month of August: 

But almost more important than Mr. Obama’s August total may be the fact that it came partly from a half-million first-time donors, most of them far from having contributed the full $2,300 per person allowed in any general election. 

I think there are two reasons this happened. 

1) Obama gave a hell of a speech at the Democratic National Convention. (And points to Sasha and Malia just for being cute after Michelle Obama's speech--yeah, you know that part won you over too.) 

2) John McCain, Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Joe Lieberman, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and the rest of the 'Country First' brigade pissed off hella people.  

Okay, they're my reasons. 

Yeah, I'm still on a college budget. 

Let me put this in a way you can understand

Who is the average US voter? 

I tried to do 'The Google' search and the first ten hits were blog sites so I don't have any reliable statistics for you right now. (Sorry, I wanted to give you all Staight Talk (TM) but that would be like quoting Wikipedia for a history paper.)

 

I think the average US voter is the person that gets most of his/her political information from the 10 o'clock news (you know, right after the report the mayor's latest affair with a two-cent-lady-of-the-night and before the one on Brangelina's latest excursion to McDonald's), Good Morning America, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, Extra, E! News, the Yahoo! front page, Oprah, and of course--the most reputable source--campaign ads.  

But the news--especially local news--totally suck at reporting anything that has to do with elections or presidential campaigns.  They just don't do politics very well.  

And its not their fault! Really, in many ways, its our fault. Or maybe we can blame it on our culture and society. 

The fact is, we're like crackheads when it comes to news, especially political news.  We want instant gratification.  You know, just enough to make you happy and keep ya going.  

News people (i.e. the big guys at Corporate who own like 100 different news subsidiaries and NBC) can't make money if we don't watch the news.  We won't watch the news if they do long, substantive news reports on the political haps. There's a reason no one--not even your Grandparents--watch C-Span.  They have to literally dumb down the news to get people to watch.  Its way more profitable to do reports on Paris Hilton's release from prison than to do extensive reports on McCain's latest rally speech.  

So what we get in the news are 4-5 seconds worth of sound bytes from those speeches and two seconds of video of McCain waving at an audience.  Awesome.  

And we don't complain! We're pretty happy with this system. 

But what ends up happening is people like Sarah Palin can become the next Vice President OR President of a small country known as America. 

So, to all the conservative or Republican-leaning "average" US voters, let me put this in a way you can understand: 

You know, but you can trust John McCain--he does have his own 'Straight Talk Express'--when he says the Republican party IS the party of change: 

No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically. But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change, between going forward and going backward.

I guess in McCain's case, Straight Talk stands for in-your-face, cross your fingers-hope to die-stick a thousand needles in your eye, honest to goodness rubbish. 

(Thanks for the comic.)