Category: General

If You Are Following UN Resolution Debates . . .

France has been in the headlines of late for threatening to veto any UN Resolution that authorizes use of force against Iraq. But yesterday, Russia has also said it would do everything in its power to block a use of force resolution. A set back for the United States and more importantly perhaps, a ripple in the international community as two major US allies have banded together to oppose the Bush administration plans. Germany, while not weilding veto power, has a seat on the council and has pledged to fight to the resolution. So has Belgium. Can the United States and its sole European powe allyr, Great Britain, fight this fight alone? Latest reports are that the US has already set a confidential date for invasion, based on a night manuevers when there is no moon over the desert. That being said, is a resolution even necessary at this point? The U.S. is going this alone and I am dismayed at the next steps. Remember all of this in the 2004 elections as we prepare for a post war America.

Current Read

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. I haven’t seen the movie yet. But I did pick up Chuck Barris’s book. This is a funny read. Written in 1982 but basically forgotten by everyone, except perhaps George Clooney, Barris’ book aged well as it tells a fanciful account of his life as TV host, producer, author and CIA assassin. Too early into the tale to see how far Chuck takes it, but it is a fun read. Like Marsha Willis, Barris interweaves nonfiction bits of his life with fictional accounts to keep the story going. Unlike Willis, Barris takes it to the bizarre and plays for laughs as we try to understand the mind games of the creator of the dating game. Did you know he wrote the 1960s pop hit Palisades Park? Anyway, Barris was a hero for me as a kid when I would watch the Gong Show. If you can track down any episodes of the original Gong Show on the Game Show network try and watch them. Barris is really funny and certainly way ahead of his time. This book is like that as well. Funny, and for 1982 at least, ahead of its time.

The Ethan Chronicles

Well, I finished Marsha’s book. It is the story of a mother and her family as they deal with the sudden loss of the 21-year old son Ethan after a car crash in Douglas County 1996. This is a first book by author Marsha Willis and weaves between fiction and non fiction as she tells the story of her alter ego – Ann Williams and how Ann dealt with the death of her son. We meet the Felton family, Willis’s ficticious creation for the family whose 18-year-old son Matt crashed into Ethan whiel speeding down a quiet country road. We see the trial and the legal process that stumbles along while trying to do justice. And we experience the emotions everyone who has ever lost a love one has experienced while dealing with the many stages of loss. A good read, well crafted and perhaps, in this age of road rage and litigious justice, a nice reminder to remember those we lost and deal with anger and sadness in positive ways.

It’s Election Time In The City

I don’t know if the “strong mayor” form of government, as it is termed in this Westword article, is necessarily a good thing for Denver, but it does make watching local politics more fun when, as they say in the article, the only celebrity in town is the one running the show. And with term limits, Mayor-for-life Wellington Webb must step down after 12 years at the helm. That brings on a host of hopefuls and gives this spring and summer some fun. Many years ago, Denver, in a smart move, changed its city elections to an odd numbered year and schedules the races in the summer hoping to attract more attention to the issues. And if history is any indication, these races always have something talk about. Webb became famous for walking every neighborhood in town, wearing out a pair of shoes. Federico Pena became famous for his breakfast fests all over town as he hustled to get the new airport built. What is in store for us this summer?

Best.404.Ever

Doing a search on Sly and the Family Stone (don’t ask) I uncovered this. Bwaaaaa haaaaaaa

increase da peace

Has anyone had the chance to check the new shows on HBO – Bill Maher and Da Ali G Show? Criminy! This is good television. I have missed Bill Maher. And HBO is a good place for him. He can say what he wants to say and doesn’t have to couch it between the various agenda’s of advertisers and Disney, like he did on ABC. Ali Gi is purely outrageous. It is Tom Green meets William Buckley. He is a British Hip Hop journalist trying desparately to understand America. Very fine comedy. Sublime. Or as the Ali G translator would say: “it is a well wicked television show about america “

I Am Sorry, Does The Beef Come With A Salad?

You may go to Travelocity, or Priceline or any of a number of travel related internet sites to plan that next vacation. But before taking that final step and booking passage on the airline of your choice, take a minute to consider what they are serving.

“I Pledge To Faithfully Excute the Duties Of Federal Juror”

The jury questionnaire asked juror number 142 to list previously held jobs. He filled in President of the United States. “Although it was not mentioned in court, it was clear that the prospective juror’s name was Bill Clinton.” And from there the comedic tale ensued. Apparently the fact that he was investigated about the pardon of Marc Rich is reason alone to release President Clinton from service as a juror in a federal trial, but it wasn’t automatic. And the fact that juror number 142 has around the clock Secret Service protection isn’t necessarily reason to disqualify him either. I find it nice though, that Clinton showed up, didn’t weasel out of it early and was ready, willing and eager to participate in the trial.

Well, That Wasn’t Encouraging

A sign of the job market today came in the form of the only interview I have had for months – and it was for a temp to hire position for a job about 18 miles from home – about a 35 minute drive. And the swellest part – it only pays $11.50 an hour. I am at a loss right now what to do. I have time to decide if I want it, there is an “informational” interview sometime Thursday or Friday. And I am positive the job is mine to turn down. But I have no more unemployment insurance money for a bit until an extension is approved, so I imagine I must take it. And with it step back in time to what I was getting paid in 1996. I should be happy but I am miserable. I must be doing something wrong to only be eligible for some crappy $11.50/hour entry level position. Either that or I suck. I haven’t figured it out. But I have a new bottle of gin and soon it just won’t matter – at least for a few hours.

Comments Working Again

There was some server outage on the original shoutbox code that allowed for a java script based comments section. So I changed ships and went with a different comments box thingy. Hope this works. Blogger doesn’t seem to like any kind of java script codes on its pages, but we will try this out for a bit and see if it works.

Okay, so scratch that noise. Comments will come back some day when the blogger code is a bit more stable. Sorry