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Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Hurricane footage is blowing my mind
I've been so busy the past few days that I didn't have a chance to pay attention to the Hurricane Katrina coverage until yesterday afternoon - and what I continue to see is utterly unbelievable. I was glued to my TV last night watching CNN and MSNBC.
Frankly, I'm appalled that the networks weren't covering this disaster last night. Sitcom programming went on as scheduled. I actually took an hour to visit a small recording studio in my neighborhood to check it out, and the guys were oblivious to the disaster taking place in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast states. They didn't have cable, and the network station they were watching (CBS) was showing some stupid show where singers compete to be the next frontman of INXS. I walked in and exclaimed, "Can you believe what's happening down south??"
They had no idea.
While the damage isn't as widespread geographically as the tsunami, the destruction is equally devastating. Network television stations belong to the people, so why were they not serving the public good and covering the storm during prime time television?? I just don't get it.
[sarcasm]And how noble of our president to leave his vacation early to attend to matters relating to this catastrophe.[/sarcasm] But he still won't be leaving Crawford until tomorrow. He should have been in Washington well before the hurricane reached the shores, given the weather predictions.
My heart goes out to everyone affected by this disaster. As soon as my paycheck clears today I will be making a donation to the Red Cross. Please consider making a donation. Every $20 helps.
Donate to the Red Cross.
(It looks like their site is being flooded with traffic. Please be patient and try again later today if the site does not respond.)
6:47 AM
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
1400 Miles Later
In the words of Sufjan Stevens, Greetings from Michigan! Hello Nurse travelled to the Detroit metro area over the weekend for 2 shows - a house party in Livonia and a bar show in Ypsilanti. We logged 1,400 miles on the van, we ate nasty fast food, and fortunately, no punches were thrown.
I picked up Mike and Ed around 4:45am Friday morning, we loaded the van, and we were on the road by 6am. We arrived in Livonia by 5pm, and set up in the lovely home of our good friends Jill and Mike. Jill cooked us dinner, and she could not have been more hospitable. We rocked out in their basement, and met a ton of fun Michiganders who were impressed with the band.
On Saturday my family met up at my Aunt Sue and Uncle Jim's house in Saline, MI. We had a big lunch, and the band played wiffle ball in the back yard. On Saturday night my friends from high school showed up, and my Aunt Sue invited her entire subdivision to attend as well. The babysitters were making money on Saturday!
All in all it was a great trip, but I'm totally wiped.
Happy birthday to Joe Hundley, who celebrated his 30th last night at Punk Metal Karaoke.
6:32 AM
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Big News
I proposed to Jackie on Saturday! So now she has a ring on her finger, and all of a sudden I'm starting to feel like a grown-up. Ahhh!
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
1. We were at a beautiful park on the Brooklyn waterfront between the
Brooklyn & Manhattan bridges.
2. She was very surprised. And she said yes.
3. No, I did not buy the ring on Craigslist.
4. No, it's not a shotgun engagement.
5. We haven't yet set a date, and apparently Christian knows NOTHING
about how long it takes to plan a wedding.
6. We're super excited!
Here are some pictures from a small engagement party we had last night at our favorite tiki bar, Otto's. Thanks to everyone who came by, and happy birthday to Matt as well.
10:19 AM
Friday, August 19, 2005
Hammer the Spammers, Weekend dead for metal-heads
LEGAL REVENGE AGAINST SPAM SNAIL-MAILERS
The following link is a hilarious pictorial for a way of getting back at organizations that send junk mail. Use the paid-postage reply card to send them a tire!
vertical-visions.com/_temp/postagepaid/index2.html
*********************************************
HELLFEST PUNKS STRANDED IN TRENTON
Thousands of punks and metal-heads descended on Trenton, NJ for a music festival called Hellfest this weekend. Unfortunately, Hellfest went to hell - it was cancelled.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/19/nyregion/19punk.html
See the Hellfest website for the official explanation of why Hellfest went to hell. They even offer a pdf, "The Truth Behind The Hellfest Demise."
5:36 AM
Thursday, August 18, 2005
America's Most Liberal/Conservative Cities
Here's an interesting article I found which used voting records to determine which are America's most liberal and conservative cities.
Study Ranks America’s Most Liberal and Conservative Cities
According to the study, the most liberal city in America is..... DETROIT! Word up to the fine people of the motor city for being the most intelligent, most humanitarian, most awesome.... wait, I guess I can't infer all that. But at least they are liberal.
It's not much of a surprise that Provo, Utah is the country's most conservative city. Also unsurprisingly, three cities in Texas were in the top five: Lubbock, Abilene, and Plano.
This study does have some startling implications regarding the relationship between race and political ideology. This isn't anything new, but it's hard evidence pointing to an assumption that most people make anyway.
BACVR researchers found a direct correlation between a city’s political ideology and its racial makeup. “The great political divide in America today is not red vs. blue, north vs. south, costal vs. interior or even rich vs. poor – it is now clearly black vs. white,” says Phil Reiff, a BACVR director.... Detroit, MI, and Provo, UT, epitomize America’s political, economic and racial polarization.
12:28 PM
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Being a good neighbor
I did some good neighbor duties today that made me feel good.
1. Last week I found a cell phone in the street on my way to work. I fiddled around with the phone and called the people on the recent calls list. I left a few messages with my contact info until the phone died. I also posted on the lost & found section on Craigslist.
The girl's dad called me the other day thanking me for reaching out to find the owner of the phone. It turns out that the girl lives a few blocks from me, and she dropped the phone getting on to the bus. I stopped by the Powell residence this afternoon to return the phone, I chatted with them for a while, and I played with their dog. The family was extremely grateful that I was so honest, and they gave me a thank-you card with a gift certificate to a local wine store.
2. A couple that lives downstairs from me just had a baby. The baby was born on Saturday morning, and they did home birth. I wasn't around to hear it, but apparently there was lots of screaming involved. But, as far as birthing goes, they said that it went smoothly.
The couple also has a dog named Sequoia. I stopped by after work today and took the dog for a run in the park. The dog isn't much of a runner, so I was dragging it around most of the time. I'm happy to walk Sequoia whenever they need, and I know that Jackie wants to help take care of the baby.
It feels good to be a good neighbor. Luckily, I have all kinds of new neighbors in the area: Drew & Amanda, Rob & Mark, and of course Joe, Katina, Steve, Ellie, Francie, Eytan, and Lightshow. Brooklyn is beautiful.
8:24 PM
Friday, August 12, 2005
Critical Tits
From this week's Nonsense New York e-mail:
XXXXX SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 XXXXX
Critical Tits
Celebrate the right of women to go topless, and protest the unlawful
arrest of women who do so. Whether you choose to bike or blade, do it
topless -- and demonstrate everyone's right to bare their chest.
This event is happening in part as a response to the recent arrest of
a New York woman who was arrested and jailed for refusing to put on a
shirt. Please let everyone know and encourage all to attend so we can
collectively heighten the awareness that it is a man's as well as a
woman's right to bare her chest in NYC.
If you will: Bring permanent markers so we can write on our bodies
the law (penal code 245.1). The cops are obviously unaware that the
right for a woman to go topless in NYC was recently passed and need
to be schooled by us this Sunday.
Tavern on the Green
67th Street and Central Park West, Manhattan
2p; $free
NOTE: Close readers of this list know that we would prefer it if
everyone kept their shirts on, but an injustice is an injustice, so
take it off. Attend this event if you like to show skin, or if you
care so much about the principle that you're willing to compromise
modesty, but remember that it's one newspaper article away from a
media frenzy, with all the attendant cameras that follow. Know what
you are getting into.
****************************
Unfortunately, I will be out of town visiting the O'Neill's in Maine for Jackie's birthday during this event. Maybe I can convince Jackie to participate in this event during our drive back to New York on Sunday... probably not.
It's pretty awesome that they will be doing this event at Tavern on the Green. Good luck to all the ladies out there who wag their ta-tas in the name of the right to bare chests.
Hee hee hee, I crack myself up!
10:41 AM
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Creative protest: Billionaires for Bush targets Starbucks
Billionaires rush to the aid of Starbucks
found on nyc.indymedia.org
Manhattan Billionaires could not sip their lattes idly while StarBucks Corporation faced attacks by pro-union protesters on Saturday, August 6. Instead, a bevy of Billionaires recognized our #1 specialty coffee retailer for its outstanding performance in union-busting and its continuing commitment to pay its baristas unlivable wages.
To touch off our defiant 'sip-in’, the Billionaires proffered a toast to “record-breaking profits”, while Diva Denz phoned her stock broker, demanding 1,000 more shares of Starbucks stock. But this celebration was cut short by the arrival of, alas, StarBucks Union picketers! Dr. DeBooks, in a fury not often exhausted by a Billionaire, snatched one of the Union’s flyers and brought it inside the store. Reading out loud in unutterable indignation, he sounded off the Union Workers’ grievances, including absurd things like livable wages, a decent number of hours, bathroom breaks, and similar claptrap that you might often hear the indentured class complain about.
Thankfully, we Billionaires distributed our own flyers to the customers, as we had our own points to make. Union-busting is “just good business”, as we all know. And these unprecedented profits are surely leading to unprecedented payraises, or at least Chairman Howard Schultz granted himself a 44% pay increase while leaving the baristas to their unlivable wages. Moreover, whining workers, if you need full-time status, just work more jobs!
At this point, the Regional District Manager appeared at the scene in an outrage over the turn of events. Without missing a beat, Billionaire Monet Oliver D’Place greeted him with our prestigious Better Billionaires Business Bureau Award for Outstanding Unfair Labor Practices, and as the manager blushed, surely from the unexpected honor, the stealthily corrupt Walkin Ondapoor snapped a camera on his priceless face.
The manager proceeded to escort us out the door, of course, to suppress the rabble outside. But we Billionaires couldn’t leave the comfort of the store without our own security. Indeed, the police arrived at the scene, while Buddy O’Bush, Ivy League-Legacy, and Ivan Yorz donned signs with slogans such as, “We Proudly Screw StarBucks Workers”, “Think Globally, Oppress Locally”, and “Let Them Work for Beans”. As the Union workers rallied behind fired Union worker Sarah Bender, we Billionaires chanted, “Sarah Bender, don’t defend her, Get in there and work the Blender!” and “StarBucks Workers, Get a clue, Living wages aren’t for you!”
We then marched in triumph to another crowded Starbucks store, where we were greeted, as usual, with cameras and spectators. Ivy League-Legacy assured everyone that there was nothing to fear, as we had the situation well under control. And lo and behold, we had our police arrive yet again to protect us. Pacifica radio station WBAI, which we are well on our way to privatizing, captured some footage from the spectacular contretemps between the Billionaires and the Union workers and we Billionaires aired our under-represented sentiments concerning our prized corporation’s profit pumping tactics.
Our bastion of Billionaires was, once again, triumphant. As we well know, “Big money, united, shall never be defeated!”
Huzzah, for keeping the BUCKS in StarBuck$!
- Diva Denz, reporting
Better Billionaires Business Bureau Award for Outstanding Unfair Labor Practices
(The look on the district manager's face is priceless!)
8:37 AM
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Secret Craigslist Forums
Many of you are probably already familiar with Craigslist discussion forums. The forums are basically public message boards with topical themes. Aimless surfers can read posts on topics ranging from atheism to beauty to haikus.
A while back Jackie discovered the secret forums. Basically each forum has an ID number in the URL. If you change the ID number, you can go to a forum that isn't linked on the Craigslist forums homepage.
Many of the popular forums have become overwhelmed by trolls. (A troll is a person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer. A troll delights in sowing discord in a forum.) To avoid trolls, the forums most ardent followers retreat to a secret forum where they can discuss their bondage fetishes in private without Rick Santorum's son Daniel butting in to call them unAmerican homos.
Of course, some people have just made their own secret forums for the fun of it. There's the bragging forum, the recipe forum, the dream forum, the I have a crush forum, and even the drops pants forum.
In the name of sheer boredom, I hereby proclaim the following forum C-town's Bullshit Forum.
http://forums.newyork.craigslist.org/?forumID=2663
Hurry up and post your absolute nonsense now before the trolls invade and start posting more absolute nonsense.
The best part about forum posts is that they are completely anonymous. You can post the most inane drivel, the most disgusting links, and the most ___-ist comments you want without fear of getting caught.
Try it - it's quite cathartic.
9:29 AM
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
The War on Some Drugs
Anyone who knows me well knows that I think the war on some drugs is one of most asinine policies our country has ever dreamt up. The war on some drugs causes serious problems worldwide and at home.
A disproportionate amount of people of color fill an increasing number of prisons due to archaic mandatory sentencing laws. This ruins the lives of men and their families, and does more harm than the actual drug in question in each case.
Law enforcement spends millions of dollars on investigating and prosecuting drug law violators - and this does not increase the quality of life in our country at all.
The US government funds guerrilla warfare in South America and third world countries in the name of the war on some drugs.
Most importantly, data from the 40+ year war on some drugs shows that these policies are INEFFECTIVE. If I were running a business, and the business were posting 40 straight years of losses, wouldn't some changes be deemed necessary?
The prohibition of drugs causes more problems than the drugs themselves. Gee, too bad we already learned this lesson -- DURING PROHIBITION.
Public leaders who are not brainwashed by the moral imperative crowd have been advocating changing the focus of the war on some drugs from a law enforcement perspective to a public health perspective for years. This just seems so obvious to me, that I am dumbfounded as to why this issue does not receive more public attention.
People think that if you disagree with the war on some drugs you will therefore be labeled an anarchist in favor of legalization. You don't have to be an anarchist or favor legalization to support reform in the way our country reduces the harm that can be caused by substance abuse.
John Tierney of the New York Times wrote an editorial in which he attempts to debunk the drug war today. I read his article, the whole time wondering why this is not frigging OBVIOUS to policy makers in Washington. Still, Tierney's editorial moved me to write this post because, sadly, the war on some drugs receives so little media scrutiny. The Drug Reform Coalition sends a weekly e-mail with updates on the war on some drugs, and it is amazing how little media attention surrounds this issue.
Journalists are scared of confronting this issue, especially since most media outlets are owned by corporations so dependent on the status quo. In fact, the only media attention garnered toward this issue recently is the explosion of fear toward methamphetamine despite the fact that there is little to no factual evidence that methamphetamine poses any more harm than other substances.
Are Americans not upset that millions of otherwise productive citizens are incarcerated in new prisons each year?
Are Americans not upset that a huge percentage of our economy exists in the untaxed, unrepresented black market?
Are Americans not upset that citizens with drug abuse problems cannot seek help for themselves and their families due to the fear of incarceration?
Are Americans not upset that huge percentages of tax dollars are spent on a policy that is proven to be ineffective through both research and history?
Are Americans not upset that our government finances guerrilla warfare in third world countries with the goal of reducing the amount of drugs crossing our boarders?
Are Americans not upset that the government decides which chemicals are appropriate for consumption rather than free men and women? I thought this was supposed to be a free country?
Alcohol and tobacco cause far worst public health risks than marijuana, cocaine, and all other illegal substances combined. Harm reduction and public health-focused policies would drastically reduce the problems these drugs cause, AND this would keep our thousands (or millions?) of citizens out of prison each year.
And just think for a moment, what if drugs were legalized? If heroin could be purchased at a government clinic, would you rush out and buy it? I wouldn't. And if heroin were available at a government clinic, would there be a black market in the projects to supply this chemical to addicts? NO. Would junkies have to cower in dark allies and parks, sharing dirty needles? NO. Where could doctors and social workers find junkies to help them? Gee, how about the government clinic??
I just don't see the legalization of drugs turning our country into drug crazed addicts. If you went to a government clinic to buy meth, and there was a giant poster of meth-mouth on the wall, maybe you'd think twice. If a heroin addict goes to a clinic for a fix, he could be certain that he wasn't purchasing deadly household cleaning products in a ziplock bag. If drugs were supplied by clinics, the black market would drastically be reduced. Children under 18 would not have the easy access to illicit substances that they do today. People would be forced to be educated about the drugs they are putting in their body. Who do you think gives better information - a drug dealer or a health provider?
 
Ok, enough of this rant. I was going to jump into the pointlessness of marijuana laws, but I'll save that for a time when I'm not so seething with anger.
6:39 AM
Friday, August 05, 2005
Praise be to Him, Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the sole deity in the monotheistic religion known as Flying Spaghetti Monsterism (FSMism). It has widely been accepted as fact that this, and only this is the true religion, just as the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the true Creator and Overseer.
Ancient drawings of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by cave people. The Flying Spaghetti Monster was so displeased by this rendition, He turned them into piles of fossils to test the faith of His followers. The blue lines are speed lines.
OPEN LETTER TO KANSAS SCHOOL BOARD
I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.
Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.
It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.
Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence. What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this. He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease.
I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia. I cannot stress the importance of this, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t.
You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.
Sincerely Yours,
Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen
Thanks to Matt for the link.
9:20 AM
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Make it a DOUBLE
I'm sure you've all heard of the documentary Supersize Me. Well, what would happen if a man tries to live off nothing but whiskey for 30 days??
http://whitestkids.com/video/whisky.mov
See whitestkids.com for more stuff done by a New York comedy troupe called The Whitest Kids You Know.
They are performing this Sunday at Pianos (LES).
10:25 AM
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Another Hello Nurse fan
Some people are fans. This person is a fanatic! Woohoo!
11:45 AM
Intelligent Design is UNINTELLIGENT
Intelligent Design is not science.
Intelligent Design is not a theory - it's religion!
Intelligent Design does not stand up to the scientific method.
Intelligent Design has no scholarship, no existing field of study, and no corroborated research.
Intelligent Design is not peer reviewed.
Evolution is science.
Evolution is a scientific theory that has a wealth of scholarship, corroborated research, and a very large field of study.
The theory of evolution is a product of scientific method.
Religion is not objective. Religion cannot be proven - it is a series of beliefs that rely on faith.
Religion should not be endorsed in public schools, and Intelligent Design is an endorsement of the Christian faith. Intelligent Design supporters claim that ID is different from creationism. It's not.
Intelligent people, even those just as intelligent as our president, should recognize that the only thing intelligent about Intelligent Design is the deception of its name.
George W. Bush recently endorsed Intelligent Design:
"I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought... You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes."
The fact that GWB can't or won't discern the difference between science education and the perils of Intelligent Design is in large part why he is so intensely unpopular in those sectors that dislike him, and perhaps the converse as well. (quoted)
Intelligent Design is NOT science and it should not be taught in science classes in public school.
Why is this not obvious to people??
Take a look at this link, Understanding Where Intelligent Design Fits, and tell me this is not complete and utter bologna. These people get at A+ in composition of bullshit.
Genesis and creationism play a role in our culture, and they are fields of study that should definitely be explored in schools of theology, Bible study groups, Sunday school, and book groups. But please, the teaching of creationism and Intelligent Design has no place in public education.
As a nation, we are incompetent at teaching science effectively given the resources available in our schools. Is Intelligent Design going to help solve this?
GENERAL SCIENCE SCORES
Nation / Average score
Sweden 559
Netherlands 558
Iceland 549
Norway 544
Canada 532
New Zealand 529
Australia 527
Switzerland 523
Austria 520
Slovenia 517
Denmark 509
INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE 500
Germany 497
France 487
Czech Republic 487
Russian Federation 481
United States 480
Italy 475
Hungary 471
Lithuania 461
Cyprus 448
South Africa 349
Source: Third International Mathematics and Science Study
Chronicle Graphic
********************
Addendum: The New York Times published an article today that shows viewpoints from both sides of the argument.
6:58 AM
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Steve Duncan in the NY Daily News
The NY Daily News is running a story on Steve Duncan and his website, UnderCity.org. See the link below.
Urban explorer leads drainees
I've been tunneling with Steve a few times, and it's always a great adventure. He is part historian and part adventurer. You trespass, explore, get freaked out, and come away with an unexpected amount of knowledge about manhole cover history.
Also, Steve's map company, Opus Publishing, makes GREAT maps. The Brooklyn flip map is indispensible. It shows streets AND subway stops, and Jackie and I use it as our sole Brooklyn map.
7:24 AM
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The following searches have brought people to this site:
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