Misheard Lyric
From "Hot Fries"
Some Coeur d'Alene whore asked me how I'm liking California.
Jon, AKA "Indie Boy," also heard it that way. The correct lyric apparently is "borderline". I like it better my way anyway. The whores in my adopted hometown are still naive college girls working the resort bars downtown part-time. Not like these Spokane chickenheads.
Some Coeur d'Alene whore asked me how I'm liking California.
Jon, AKA "Indie Boy," also heard it that way. The correct lyric apparently is "borderline". I like it better my way anyway. The whores in my adopted hometown are still naive college girls working the resort bars downtown part-time. Not like these Spokane chickenheads.
File Under "DUH"
Scientists at Emory University have found that Republicans and Democrats don't think rationally
Due to recent developments I'm dropping Yahoo as my public webmail address and moving it over to Gmail. My private address that I check daily is already. Of course, due to other developments I'm not sure I want to stay there either, but at least they're not handing over my searches for "underage midget donkey jihad" to the Feds.
TLMIMHIP: "No Tears" - Scarface
when making political decisions. No Shit?I got this kiler up inside me
I can't talk to my mother so I talk to my diary
Due to recent developments I'm dropping Yahoo as my public webmail address and moving it over to Gmail. My private address that I check daily is already. Of course, due to other developments I'm not sure I want to stay there either, but at least they're not handing over my searches for "underage midget donkey jihad" to the Feds.
TLMIMHIP: "No Tears" - Scarface
when making political decisions. No Shit?I got this kiler up inside me
I can't talk to my mother so I talk to my diary
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Ahhh...
...That last post felt good...
TLMIMHIP: "Guns of Brixton" - The Clash
TLMIMHIP: "Guns of Brixton" - The Clash
Monday, January 23, 2006
Separation of Church and State
I'm not going to get into all the "Under God" lawsuits and "Faith Based Initiative" bullshit. If people want to insert God's name into a mindless loyalty oath, or put 30 billion pieces of government silver into the collection plate, I say let them. I could give a rat's ass if the Church and State were united, separated, or living in sin with an S&M dungeon in the basement. I'd just prefer they both be separated from me. That's the only separation I care about. They both spend way too much time meddling where they aren't wanted. Let them meddle with each other for all I care.
With all due respect to my loved ones who are involved in organized religion and/or politics, I'd like to see all politicians and clergy stranded on a desert island with their antics televised to the rest of us for our amusement. Unfortunately, the show wouldn't last that long because: A. They have no practical survival skills, and B. They'd all kill each other anyway, ruining the fun of watching "A" play itself out. Not that "B" wouldn't also be fun in and of itself.
But that's just my opinion, and I'm not certainly forcing it on anyone through threats of prison, torture, or eternal damnation. It's maybe a bit tongue in cheek... maybe. And I am perfectly willing to entertain the thought that maybe one or both of these institutions has a net benefit on the lives of its adherents... maybe. But while it wouldn't be much skin off my nose if these two groups entered into a twisted murder/suicide pact, for those of you who disagree and actually value Church and State, I have some thoughts on the combination of the two, and how they will destroy each other.
First, I understand the tendency of those in government to envy the esteem and unquestioning loyalty that people give to religion. Religion has thousands of years of tradition whereas most systems of government are doing good to last a century or two, and while politicians frequently get literally or figuratively strung up by their own people, decide is still relatively uncommon. "God said so" lets you get away with a lot more than "Read my lips" or "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..."
I can also understand the temptations of religious folk to seek to harness the power of government. Nobody likes to beg for money every Sunday, especially when the IRS can just go out and take it or the Federal Reserve can simply print the stuff. But it would be cynical to say it's all about money. One of the biggest struggles of living a pious life is resisting temptation, and if those temptations were illegal, they wouldn't be right in your face testing your faith all the time. Let alone raising your kids to do the same; how could you not want government to do the hard work for you? Besides, while Romans 6:23 may say "The wages of sin is death," that's a long time to wait to see all the sinners get what's coming to them. Seeing gamblers and potheads and fornicators doing the perp walk helps prop up your sense of self-righteousness in the short term while waiting for Judgment Day.
Against my better judgment, as I would prefer to be rid of both, here is my warning. A marriage of Church and State is the very definition of "Unequally Yoked". There is a vast power differential between these two, at least on this plane of existence, and the Church will become the bitch of the powerful elites in government. Without needing to depend on their flock for sustenance, these shepherds simply become the mouthpieces of the politicians in order to receive money and favors. The public will eventually see through this charade and look elsewhere for inspiration. Look at the state churches of Europe where they already have.
The downfall of the State is the next step. By wrapping itself in the mantle of righteousness, the government sets itself up for failure. Perfection is a hard promise to keep. Witness the simple statement imprinted on US currency since 1861 "In God We Trust". (I'm not going to get into whether it should or should not be there. I don't care. I don't trust the money supply anyway.) Until then, the value of that a dollar had been virtually unchanged. Since then the dollar has lost over 95% of its value. That's not to say that this was the cause of such debasement, but if I were religious, I'd consider it blasphemy to print his name on what has essentially become toilet paper. At least in a secular state, when shit goes pear-shaped you can admit mistakes and change course, but when the leaders claim to be chosen by God and doing his bidding then it causes a crisis of faith in government.
I for one, look forward too it. I still wish it were funded by commercial sponsors playing out on an iceflow instead of funded by my hard work and surrounding me, but nothing is perfect, and I can do my best to stay on the sideline and watch the show.
TLMIMHIP: Camper Van Beethoven covering "Wasted" by the Circle Jerks
With all due respect to my loved ones who are involved in organized religion and/or politics, I'd like to see all politicians and clergy stranded on a desert island with their antics televised to the rest of us for our amusement. Unfortunately, the show wouldn't last that long because: A. They have no practical survival skills, and B. They'd all kill each other anyway, ruining the fun of watching "A" play itself out. Not that "B" wouldn't also be fun in and of itself.
But that's just my opinion, and I'm not certainly forcing it on anyone through threats of prison, torture, or eternal damnation. It's maybe a bit tongue in cheek... maybe. And I am perfectly willing to entertain the thought that maybe one or both of these institutions has a net benefit on the lives of its adherents... maybe. But while it wouldn't be much skin off my nose if these two groups entered into a twisted murder/suicide pact, for those of you who disagree and actually value Church and State, I have some thoughts on the combination of the two, and how they will destroy each other.
First, I understand the tendency of those in government to envy the esteem and unquestioning loyalty that people give to religion. Religion has thousands of years of tradition whereas most systems of government are doing good to last a century or two, and while politicians frequently get literally or figuratively strung up by their own people, decide is still relatively uncommon. "God said so" lets you get away with a lot more than "Read my lips" or "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..."
I can also understand the temptations of religious folk to seek to harness the power of government. Nobody likes to beg for money every Sunday, especially when the IRS can just go out and take it or the Federal Reserve can simply print the stuff. But it would be cynical to say it's all about money. One of the biggest struggles of living a pious life is resisting temptation, and if those temptations were illegal, they wouldn't be right in your face testing your faith all the time. Let alone raising your kids to do the same; how could you not want government to do the hard work for you? Besides, while Romans 6:23 may say "The wages of sin is death," that's a long time to wait to see all the sinners get what's coming to them. Seeing gamblers and potheads and fornicators doing the perp walk helps prop up your sense of self-righteousness in the short term while waiting for Judgment Day.
Against my better judgment, as I would prefer to be rid of both, here is my warning. A marriage of Church and State is the very definition of "Unequally Yoked". There is a vast power differential between these two, at least on this plane of existence, and the Church will become the bitch of the powerful elites in government. Without needing to depend on their flock for sustenance, these shepherds simply become the mouthpieces of the politicians in order to receive money and favors. The public will eventually see through this charade and look elsewhere for inspiration. Look at the state churches of Europe where they already have.
The downfall of the State is the next step. By wrapping itself in the mantle of righteousness, the government sets itself up for failure. Perfection is a hard promise to keep. Witness the simple statement imprinted on US currency since 1861 "In God We Trust". (I'm not going to get into whether it should or should not be there. I don't care. I don't trust the money supply anyway.) Until then, the value of that a dollar had been virtually unchanged. Since then the dollar has lost over 95% of its value. That's not to say that this was the cause of such debasement, but if I were religious, I'd consider it blasphemy to print his name on what has essentially become toilet paper. At least in a secular state, when shit goes pear-shaped you can admit mistakes and change course, but when the leaders claim to be chosen by God and doing his bidding then it causes a crisis of faith in government.
I for one, look forward too it. I still wish it were funded by commercial sponsors playing out on an iceflow instead of funded by my hard work and surrounding me, but nothing is perfect, and I can do my best to stay on the sideline and watch the show.
TLMIMHIP: Camper Van Beethoven covering "Wasted" by the Circle Jerks
Friday, January 20, 2006
I'm not half the man I used to be
Assuming all goes as expected, I'll be making a date with a pair of surgical scissors in a year or so. In all seriousness I'm looking forward to it. One less thing to think about. I'm feeling positively giddy.
The Little Man In My Head is playing "Weeknights" by The New Lows.
The Little Man In My Head is playing "Weeknights" by The New Lows.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
If I Still Voted
And if I still lived in Minnesota, I would consider giving my vote to The Impaler for governer. Not because I agree with him or anything.
In other news, we found out that The Boy is going to be a big brother in September. That explains the cheese hot dogs in the fridge.
TLMIMHIP: "Rudy Can't Fail" by The Clash and "A Message To You, Rudy" by the Specials.
In other news, we found out that The Boy is going to be a big brother in September. That explains the cheese hot dogs in the fridge.
TLMIMHIP: "Rudy Can't Fail" by The Clash and "A Message To You, Rudy" by the Specials.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Retornado
Jon has returned from Colombia. I can't remember my first words when I saw him yesterday, but I hope they weren't "Did you have fun?"
TLMIMHIP: "I Palindrome I" - TMBG
TLMIMHIP: "I Palindrome I" - TMBG
Monday, January 16, 2006
Pimpin the Profession
If any of you know any architects or drafters who would like to work in Spokane, let me know. Good weather, gorgeous landscape, low cost of living, and a small but growing metro area of about a half million. And it's not all tract homes in The Valley either. There's a lot of older urban neighborhoods, some already gentrified, but most still cheap and funky. Seriously, this place is not nearly as bad as I usually make it out to be.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Comments
I guess the way to get people to comment is to post about toilets. Okay, at least that's what it gets to make me comment.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
More Drinking
Speaking of drinking at work, it made me think of another job I had for a couple summers during college. I worked for a wheat farmers' coop in Eastern Washington. As a result of working on grain elevators, I'm not afraid of heights but terrified of confined spaces, but I digress. Anyway, during harvest season in small farming towns, anybody can get a job. Anybody. For some of the guys, working harvest was the only job they had. They'd put in as much as a hundred hours a week for six to eight weeks and take the rest of the year off. One such guy was Leonard. He'd arrive in the morning from some godforsaken shit town out in the scablands with a case of Rainier minus a couple for the drive in. He'd sit on a folding chair with his radio and his cooler running the barley pit all day (don't worry, it wasn't the malting barley, just feed barley). Now this job does not require much skill, but is horribly unpleasant. For those of you not familiar with barley, the husks are covered with tiny sharp hairs, and each hair has a barb on the end like a fish hook. It makes you itch like crazy, and scratching only drives it deeper into your skin. The strategy I suggest for dealing with barley is to duct tape your cuffs to your gloves and boots, never scratch, not scrub too hard during your shower after work, and slather on the aloe vera and cortizone. Even then, you'll still be fucking miserable. Leonard's strategy, on the other hand, was to stay drunk and never shower. We all kept our distance from him, and every night the foreman would let him knock off twenty minutes early every night to make sure we didn't have to share the roads with him.
Now, some of you may think that it would be irresponsible to send him out on the road putting other drivers at risk, but anyone who is out on the winding backroads of the Palouse at dusk during harvest season is just asking for trouble anyway. The mortal danger of getting hit by a drunk in a 1983 Chevy Celebrity pales in comparison to that of a 1963 International Lodestar with no lights and brakes that haven't been serviced for over a decade, being driven by a 13 year-old farmer's nephew who has been working since 5 am and is trying to get one last load in before the elevator closes for the night.
Sometimes I still miss that job. With all the overtime, my paychecks were bigger than any I have recieved before or since. And I've never seen anything funnier than a 250 pound ex-football player climbing up a ladder, stripping off his clothes and screaming like a little girl because a mouse ran up his sleeve while he was cleaning out the elevator leg. Of course I can't forget the experience of mucking raw sewage out of the boot (the area below the dump pit) after the waste treatment plant upstream had flooded the winter before.
Don't forget to eat your Wheaties.
TLMIMHIP: "Woke Up This Morning" - A3 (The Sopranos themesong)
Now, some of you may think that it would be irresponsible to send him out on the road putting other drivers at risk, but anyone who is out on the winding backroads of the Palouse at dusk during harvest season is just asking for trouble anyway. The mortal danger of getting hit by a drunk in a 1983 Chevy Celebrity pales in comparison to that of a 1963 International Lodestar with no lights and brakes that haven't been serviced for over a decade, being driven by a 13 year-old farmer's nephew who has been working since 5 am and is trying to get one last load in before the elevator closes for the night.
Sometimes I still miss that job. With all the overtime, my paychecks were bigger than any I have recieved before or since. And I've never seen anything funnier than a 250 pound ex-football player climbing up a ladder, stripping off his clothes and screaming like a little girl because a mouse ran up his sleeve while he was cleaning out the elevator leg. Of course I can't forget the experience of mucking raw sewage out of the boot (the area below the dump pit) after the waste treatment plant upstream had flooded the winter before.
Don't forget to eat your Wheaties.
TLMIMHIP: "Woke Up This Morning" - A3 (The Sopranos themesong)
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Only 7%?
According to a recent study 7 Percent of workers drink on the job.
TLMIMHIP: "Hot Fries" The Hold Steady, unreleased.
And all your favorite books, they wouldn't seem so well-written
If you were just a little bit more well-read
Seven percent said they had drunk alcohol at least once during a workday. Lunch was the preferred time to drink, according to the study, which was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Overall, 15 percent of respondents reported being directly affected by alcohol at work _ either by drinking on the job or shortly before heading to work or working with a hangover. Nearly one in five workers, 19 percent, made it a monthly habit and 11 percent reported weekly use or impairment.
I'm surprised the numbers are that low. Especially in Buffalo. But I'm not surprised at the most prevelent fields, management, sales, food service and media. You're talking the low end of the professional spectrum when it comes to brain usage. I should know. When I was a janitor at the cafeteria in college I'd find a ton of emties in the employee locker room trashcan every night. Now, we occasionally have beer-thirty in my office, and let's not for get Double-Punch Thursdays at the Satellite. Shit, I'm in that 7% right now. Fortunately I'm just laying out light fixtures and air vents right now. So next time you're thinking to yourself "were they drunk when they designed this building?" Yes. They probably were.TLMIMHIP: "Hot Fries" The Hold Steady, unreleased.
And all your favorite books, they wouldn't seem so well-written
If you were just a little bit more well-read
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Rumble Rumble Rumble
As much as I dislike the "Hemi" campaign from DCX, I think this is a friggin gorgeous car. Could use rally wheels instead of dubs, but that's just nitpicking.
Are you paying attention GM? Seriously, WTF? You got the goods under the hood, why not set some artists loose on your lump of thunder from down under?
TLMIMHIP: "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" - Primus
Are you paying attention GM? Seriously, WTF? You got the goods under the hood, why not set some artists loose on your lump of thunder from down under?
TLMIMHIP: "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" - PrimusStuff That Brings Me Joy
Maybe it's the extra 2 minutes of daylight, maybe it's the lack of holiday music, maybe it's because I just chewed out a contractor for double billing and delivering a substandard product, or maybe it's just the natural high of clean living (and sudafed and gin), but for some reason I'm in a good mood.
This morning I stepped off a curb in the dark into 6" of water, but my Redwings kept my feet dry as a bone. My 11 year-old union-made in America "foreign" car has over 175,000 miles, gets almost 40 miles per gallon, and has cost me less than $1000 in repairs in almost 8 years; not bad for a used car. A very good friend starts classes today. I'm almost done working with the aforementioned contractor, and I'm almost finished with the high school remodel drawings. The sun just came out, and tonight I'll go home and play with The Boy, give him dinner and give him a bath, then drink some beer and shave my legs. Nothing could possible fuck shit up, right?
...And The Little Man In My Head is playing The Streets, "It Was Supposed To Be So Easy":
Just take back the DVD
Withdraw the extra money
Tell mum I wouldn't be back for tea
Then grab my savings and hurry
This morning I stepped off a curb in the dark into 6" of water, but my Redwings kept my feet dry as a bone. My 11 year-old union-made in America "foreign" car has over 175,000 miles, gets almost 40 miles per gallon, and has cost me less than $1000 in repairs in almost 8 years; not bad for a used car. A very good friend starts classes today. I'm almost done working with the aforementioned contractor, and I'm almost finished with the high school remodel drawings. The sun just came out, and tonight I'll go home and play with The Boy, give him dinner and give him a bath, then drink some beer and shave my legs. Nothing could possible fuck shit up, right?
...And The Little Man In My Head is playing The Streets, "It Was Supposed To Be So Easy":
Just take back the DVD
Withdraw the extra money
Tell mum I wouldn't be back for tea
Then grab my savings and hurry
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Drinking
It's been over a week now. Everytime I'm tempted to fall off the wagon, I just reach for another beer. It works like a charm.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Doom and Gloom
The joy of the pessimism is not basking in the smugness of usually being correct, but the pleasant surprise that we are often wrong. I'll admit I engage in negative rhetoric from time-to-time, but I have a major disagreement with those who wallow in apocalyptic predictions. The fact is that the world is and always has been a fucked up place. The powerful exploit the weak, religious nutjobs of all stripes seek to slaughter eachother, and myopic thinking results in degradation of both the natural and built environment. Yet despite these facts, most people still manage to live peaceful productive lives, exhibit unimaginable levels of kindness and bravery in the face of hardship, and find solace in the everyday beauty that surrounds them. While I see nothing wrong with making snide remarks and derogatory comments about the current fuckwits in power and the gullible bovids who follow them, there is nothing to be gained from frantic handwringing about shit we can't control nor from complaining about the shit in our own lives we can control (Guilty on both counts, BTW). The world is not going to end in 2012, and even if it does, who cares? The world as we know it will end as it does every day. Every day, people either adapt and thrive or stagnate and die according to their will and abilities. The obstacles they face may differ, but they do not go away. If I must reflect with sadness on anything, then it should not just be the poverty or lack of prospects for much of the world, but the fact that so many people who have a roof over their heads, enough food to cause obesity, and cable TV, have squandered the opportunities they've been given.
Oh yeah, before I forget, DOOOOOOM!
TLMIMHIP: "Bohemian Like You" Dandy Warhols
Oh yeah, before I forget, DOOOOOOM!
TLMIMHIP: "Bohemian Like You" Dandy Warhols
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Rant
I try not to get worked up n'shit about the news. If it doesn't affect me and I can't affect it, what purpose is there worrying about it, right? But if you are working a tough job for a big company and you think that government safety regulations are going to protect your ass, think again. The consequences for violations are a joke, even after killing your workers. Management will cut corners at every turn to maximize profits. If you want to keep them honest you need to meet them on an even playing field. Use your inherent natural right to associate with your coworkers and join a union. And don't give me any of the "Right-to-Work" bullshit. The "free market" means that groups of workers should be able to negotiate exclusive contracts with their employers the same as corporations can sign exclusive contracts with vendors and suppliers.
And just in case someone gets the impression that I'm saying this stuff for my own personal benefit, I have this to say: Hell yeah! And here's the twist: I'm in management, and we make more money and have fewer hassles with union projects because the workers are better treated and more experienced.
Big Brother can't be everywhere all the time watching over things on the job site, but we can look out for each other if only we don't let The Man pit us against each other.
The Little Man In My Head is playing the Mekons again:
Oo-oo Down in the coal hole
Oo-oo Every night
Let's not forget those guys.
And just in case someone gets the impression that I'm saying this stuff for my own personal benefit, I have this to say: Hell yeah! And here's the twist: I'm in management, and we make more money and have fewer hassles with union projects because the workers are better treated and more experienced.
Big Brother can't be everywhere all the time watching over things on the job site, but we can look out for each other if only we don't let The Man pit us against each other.
The Little Man In My Head is playing the Mekons again:
Oo-oo Down in the coal hole
Oo-oo Every night
Let's not forget those guys.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
One Thumb, One Thumb Drumming on a Drum
I was handling it fine for four days, but being back at work I'm getting the DTs. The shakes, the chills and the pound-pound-pounding in my skull. The Little Man In My Head wants his fix, and is going to make me miserable until I give it too him. For now I'll try to shut him up with an asprin.
At least he's not playing crappy music. Right now it's the Dead Milkmen:
I walk the thinnest line
I walk the thinnest line
I walk the thinnest line
between the light and dark sides of my mind
At least one other bright spot. They put in the glass at the dealership and the new showroom looks great. I want that job to be finished.
At least he's not playing crappy music. Right now it's the Dead Milkmen:
I walk the thinnest line
I walk the thinnest line
I walk the thinnest line
between the light and dark sides of my mind
At least one other bright spot. They put in the glass at the dealership and the new showroom looks great. I want that job to be finished.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Recuperation
I was talking shop this weekend with a contractor at my brother-in-law's place near Olympia. He's building himself a house and wants to use a flat roof with a deck on it to take advantage of the view, everyone else thought he was crazy but I told him it was a great idea with the right roof system. I may not know much about building houses, but I do know a thing or two about commercial roofs. Anyway, it turns out his son and daughter-in-law went to the IDI a couple years ago and recently retired from architecture after making a killing flipping condos in the Bronx. They're now traveling around the world in an'81 VW Vanagon Camper named Henry. To have acheived such success and a young age indicates a remarkable combination of hard work, vision and good fortune. I don't know for New York real estate, but from what I know of Vanagons, they have met their match yet. Be that as it may, I wish them all the good Karma they can get.TLMIMHIP: "Send in the Clowns" Yes, send in the motherfucking clowns.
