From the fridge to the ditch

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The old pimp colonel has finally been dumped in the ground Muslim fashion after being on display P.T. Barnum fashion - how rightfully undignified! - in a commercial meat locker for relieved and curious spectators; Guess you can he went from the fridge to the ditch (sorry, I does like rhyme and cadence). 


Qadhafi had it all -- and blazed out in a dramatic fall. It's been said so, so many times it's testament to human-ness: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. What part of that didn't you get Moamar? Jesus, it's like talking to a guy with shit for brains -- or a hole in his head.

Qadahfi: The rat bastard is dead

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Oh so this is how you kill a rat dictator: click to see raw footage (graphic)

In honor of his favorite color, the link is green!

And, yeah, he really was a bastard...didn't have or even know his French father. 

Failed multiculturalism in Germany

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Germany's chancellor, the über Teutonic Angela Merkel, had some tough words to her nation: this whole intermingling diversity thing just ain't working.

Michael Stern Hart 1947 - 2011 (E-book pioneer)

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Mr Hart is the man we have most to thank for electronic books, or e-books, as we now know them. Way, way back in 1971 (the "personal computer" didn't even exist because conventional wisdom cried, Who would want to take work home?) as a freshman at the University of Illinois he had access to the mainframe computer and, bored silly, typed the entire Declaration of Independence into the system. When six people downloaded it the young Hart was encouraged to go forth.


He called himself a "cyber-hippie" (but did a stint in the US Army before college) and would go on to found Project Gutenberg, an online library. Quoted in the Chicago Tribune in 1999:

I'm not doing this to make the academic community happy. I am a revolutionary in this neo-industrial revolution. That's why they have trouble with me. How can anyone be troubled by free information?

He died in Urbana, Ill. He was sixty-four. 

Project Gutenberg

Woman journalist questions male audiences preference for action heroes

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This summer's unleash of comic book heroes on the big screens prompted Tribune newspapers writer Rebecca Keegan to pen "Flex time" in which she questioned the merit of so much cinematic muscular action on male audiences. Her cornerstone concern: Muscular summer actions have swaggered back into style [as opposed to the prima donna pretty boys, anti-heroes, and boyish action stars like Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider Man] but what are they saying to male audiences?


My beef with this 'concern' is why isn't it ever asked aloud regarding the chorus line of effete, scrawny, unmanly and queer characters ubiquitous on television (cable and network) and popping up all over movies? Seems to be that influence warrants an obvious "Hmmm?" But it's not asked in the Tribune newspapers or Newsweek or sophisticated style magazines - Esquire, GQ, Vanity Fair - because that would come off as, oh, intolerant...small-minded...homophobic...male chauvinistic. 

Jason Momoa as Conan

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - the wonderful actor Guy Pierce was very believable! - Glee, The Big Bang Theory (which is not remotely funny), Ugly Betty apparently say nothing of import to the blockbuster demographic 17-34 y/o males but too many macho images and intellectuals want to organize dialogues. Thor, Captain America, the Green Lantern, Conan the Barbarian, and HBO's "Game of Thrones" all cut a swath through viewership this summer. No shortage of testosterone and biceps there! 


All these manly muscle men leave some experts, according to Keegan, to "tempt men both in and outside of show business to consider using illicit products to keep up" because, hey, "steroid use still occurs in Hollywood."  There are also dozens of fitness centers and body transformers ("gym" is oh so Neanderthal) and real live models all over L.A. fueling the billion dollar fitness industry. It is possible for boys and men to improve self-esteem via building muscle and to go at it naturally and sanely. The question isn't what influence behemoth action characters have on men - that's obvious - but why male audiences still prefer said characters? But, then again, that's obvious too --it's just a thorn in some academics' sides.

Original Muscle Beach in Venice Beach, CA

It could be worse

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And, Lawd, don't I know it first hand! This is me working at optimism during peaceful, good times: It could be worse. I tell myself this now so as not to be broadsided by the sudden ill wind. Of course it can always be worse or better, but compared to what?! 

I use specifics. 

Although I'm without steady work it could be worse:

1. I'm in a much, much, much better situation than General Qaddahfi. Here is a man who has gone from ruling and owning a country for 42 years to hiding in underground tunnels -- like a rat. On top of that media outlets can't agree on a uniform spelling of his name. Damn, you'd think a world leader would at least have his name gotten right.
2. I have a clean place to sleep and eat and take hot showers and work online.
3. I have helpful friends.
4. the funds are low but I'm not piss poor broke! nor hounded by creditors.
5. I'm not washed up like lesbian Lindsay Lohan
6. I'm not a worthless piece of shit like the pitiful lot of homeless addicts I see in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Scary mofos!
7. I don't have broken bones
8. my sense of humor is still intact, too

Greendot prepaid cards = ANOTHER SCAM

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Avoid the trap of buying one of these cards. Consumer complaints about them and PayPal are eerily similar: THEY TAKE YOUR MONEY and give you the runaround about sending out an investigation team.

 

The Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial (D.C.)

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The new memorial sits on the Washington Mall between statues of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson and stands a huge 30 feet tall.

"The sculpture depicts King with a stern expression, wearing a jacket and tie, his arms folded and clutching papers in his left hand. Lei said through his son that "you can see the hope" in King's face, but that his serious demeanor also indicates that "he's thinking."

The statue depicts King emerging from a stone. The concept for the memorial was taken from a line in the "I Have a Dream" speech, which is carved into the stone: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Visitors to the memorial pass through a sculpture of the mountain of despair and come upon the stone of hope.

The National Mall site will be surrounded with cherry trees that will blossom in pink and white in the spring."

"...A stone of hope" is so much more than President Obama has turned out to be. Instead of laying down a standard of new shoes to fill the nation's first black president - just saying that still rings amazing - proves just how hard it is to match up to a giant of a man who was a helluva leader.  

It's raining points

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My beef with FedEx

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Before leaving Mexico I shipped a parcel to a relative in the States. Using the online tracking system I saw the parcel arrived to FedEx office in Virginia where my relative lives. Next thing I know I'm receiving a text from my relative saying the package was back en route to Mexico! Turns out the lazy bums NEVER - never - tried to deliver the parcel to the house address but, instead, relied on telephoning the house. Since the phone was never answered FedEx returned the item from whence it came and refused to send it back to Virginia because the company didn't want to pay for the cost.

Back in Mexico I figure I could have a friend pick it up. No dice. Mexican Customs assigned a $117usd cost to it and unless I 1) paid the Customs fee and 2) paid another delivery fee the parcel is to remain in FedEx warehouse -- barring no employee has stolen it already.

Since FedEx took my money and failed to actually attempt to DELIVER the parcel and in the act of returning it "to sender" incurred a steep Customs charge I feel I don't warrant fault at all. I've spent months calling telephone customer service and really worry the parcel, which I went through so much effort to mail, will be stolen.   

This sounds like a matter for the small claims courts.

netSpend is a bogus, sneaky business

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I went out and bought a netSpend debit card from a typical check cashing store in order to book a room at a nearby hotel whose policy it is to not sell to non-plastic customers. (Has this credit crisis taught Americans nothing?) It takes only 4.95 to get the card going and I started it with ten dollars. Afterwards I promptly called the company's activation number, entered a PIN and had the card activated. Was able to book the room online (but I still paid for the room in cash, thus not using any of the ten dollar balance)!

When I went back to the check cashing store to add money to the card I was told the card was blocked. When I called the company the rep explained my account/profile was insufficient unless I sent verification of address plus my SSN card. What?! Apparently my identity doesn't match up with my identity although he was "prevented" from detailing exactly what information was askew in the name of "privacy." Right...so how exactly can I remedy the confusion if I don't know where the confusion starts?

more complaint stories about netSpend

At any rate if this so-called financial institution  can't research and validate one's SSN and gov't approved identification (I used my passport), then how much better can it do with a copy of my SSN card - which is NEVER accepted as proof of person - and L.A. address?? Barring these documents I "do not qualify"...for a disposable debit card. Right....

Then he goes on to try to confuse me with credit versus debit versus gift certificate; and depending on how I used it I could purchase items via credit or debit. I wasn't buying it.

a debit card is a debit card, not a credit card!

• For one, netSpend is not a credit card. Therefore I shouldn't have to "qualify" for credit. 
• Secondly, debit means I am spending my own money; what I use is from what I put in -- and there is no qualification to spend one's money. 
• Thirdly, netSpend just as quickly takes money for everything: 50cents to check your balance offline; $1 to $2 for shopping with it; and another monthly fee to maintain it. 

These netSpend cards are only sold at currency exchanges where the vast demographic of customers are poor, uneducated, often times stupid, and possess no traditional bank accounts, home property, or even a personal computer; they use money orders instead of checks and likely receive some gov't dole. netSpend is another gimmick to play on their ignorance.

I told the netSpend rep he was full of shit and so was netSpend's sneaky policy, and that I would not be faxing over any further documents.    

I had to contact them regarding this "blocked" business. A real bank notifies its customers when something is not quite right but netSpend told me it doesn't contact customers for, again, "protection of privacy". Bull! I'm filing a consumer complaint and one with the BBB.

"N-word" is for talking heads. I'm "Nigga"

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It's taken me years to complete the manuscript and publish the doggone work but - whew! - now it is done! Holla! Begun nine years ago in Puerto Rico, outlined in Belize, illustrated in Mexico, completed in Indiana and California, and carried with me everywhere in between (I know how JK Rowling felt going through the airport with her manuscript), the book Autobiography of an American Nigger in San Juan (non-fiction) was finally published last week and is available in paperback, hardcover, and PDF download. 
To preview the book click on the cute Lulu button!

Osama Bin Laden DEAD??

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That's the BREAKING NEWS headline I just read on Yahoo! News...although Yahoo! is not known for being very newsworthy (but I use it for email).

So...the big, bad boogie man, Osama Bin Laden is dead? We'll see.
And we'll see if our lives can go back to normal after this shit.

Demagogue Beck has FOX show pulled

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Glenn Beck will have one less medium from which to spew his white man's-burden bullshit. FOX is pulling his show!

To guote George Sand

 Success obtained by an unworthy appeal to the passions of an age is the easiest to achieve but the least honorable to aim for.

I'm Feeling Good. I LOVE MY LIFE

The pimp dictator is fucked

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Moammar Gaddafi is fucked. That's it. Period.
But those bitches will kill ya if you gets too close to their Gaddafi. Booyah!

Kanye's "racist" understatement

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Now the former president reveals in an interview with Matt Lauer that he was/is truly bothered by rapper Kanye West's telethon outburst - "George Bush doesn't care about black people" - and regards it as one of the most disgusting moments of his Presidency. If you believe that, I have a squirt of sperm for your eye. 

Here is a disastrous "war president" who failed at

• war 
• the economy
• bi-partisanship
• international cooperation
• uniting the nation
• finding WMDs
• and capturing Osama Bin Laden 

and was widely lambasted as incompetent and criminal...yet he takes umbrage at being labeled heartless to a bloc of citizens he ignored (black Americans) because they didn't vote for him anyway (non-constituencies)? Nigga, pleaaase.
At any rate, Mr West's bluntness proved to be a fierce understatement: Bush didn't care about ANY Americans; except, partially, the "Have's and the Have-more's" which made up his financial base.

 

Gay suicides: the new missing white girl

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So now the nation is suffering from a "spate", a "rash", an epidemic of homosexual youth suicides. NOT. The media does this shit every time a winning formula comes along - and there is always a new winning formula - because, true to their code, If it bleeds, it leads.

If one little white child goes missing, then suddenly every news report for the following two weeks is about another kidnapping. But only if they are white; apparently very few kidnappers are desperate enough to steal a black child. Hello! If one white co-ed is raped, then suddenly all we hear about are raped co-eds. If a tornado strikes down in Baton Rouge, then suddenly weathermen as far flung as Los Angeles are cautioning viewers about the erratic possibilities of tornadoes coming to town. 


And now a senior Obama adviser is playing up the bias. Valerie Jarret gave a speech at the gay Human Rights Campaign endorsing the gay bullying paranoia. The nation is not in the grips of homosexuals offing themselves. The nation is in the grips of a fear-mongering media...and a recession.

Effective immediately: "Don't ask, don't tell" injunction

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 OMG...and WTF?!!

A fictional homosexual Greek soldier

A real homosexual (former)American soldier

Out of the closet and out of their minds

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Who are homosexual activists to think they can edit and approve preachers' sermons?! Do they seriously think every individual is a populist-pacifying politician? These homosexual folk are so thrilled to be out of the closet, they've gone out of their minds.

The Mormon Church will do well to suggest the gays roll up that petition of 150,000 email signatures and sit on it - except that would only further their inclination for sodomy. Not only is it ludicrous to demand/ask/suggest a pastor edit his sermon to his congregation because it offends you, an outsider, but it is somewhat more ludicrous to harbor any delusions the pastor will acquiesce to you, an outsider.

Homosexual folk are so thrilled to be out of the closet, they've gone out of their minds

And the pimping of these tiny number of suicides is repugnant. The Mormon pastor's sermon did not cause the deaths of young homosexuals. At any rate, it's a fact that nearly EVERYONE has contemplated suicide at some point in their lifetimes; but one drawback of youth is the tendency to register all things in fatalistic zero-sum terms: a low school mark, college admission rejection, peer group shun, a girl's rejection, falling down in the cafeteria all signify the end of the world; while a straight-A report card, college admission acceptance, high popularity,  a girl's acceptance, and being crowned King and Queen of the prom is proof-positive God has a purpose for you in life. 

You don't have to be a gay in order to become a suicide, which, like homosexuality, is a conscious choice. Lots of people committed suicide last week and they weren't homosexuals. Can I get an Amen!