(tumbleweed blows by as you look @ this page)

it's going to be slow posting over the next few days. i'm adjusting to my new teaching assigments that requires me to get up around 6am. it's a bit of an adjustment. and, today and tomorrow (and perhaps more) i'm subbing for another class right after my morning class. then, throw in my night class, i'm swamped. and tired. so, i don't think i'll be blogging or commenting much until wednesday or thursday. anything that shows will probably be brief.

new york police shooting

i was going to post a link to this story and make a joke about how it showed why you should avoid strip clubs. but, as i read the story, it just pissed me off. i'm sure there are a lot more details to come, but right now the new york police seem to be covering their butts. police fire 50 times, killing one man, injuring two others. the police thought the men might have a gun. they didn't.

now, i'm not saying it's cut and dry. the men did run their car into an undercover officer and an unmarked police minivan. but, the police aren't saying, at least not yet, that they ever identified themselves as police. they were in plain clothes, investigating a strip club. the men, who were shot, were at the club.

the vatican, and common sense

cha cha cha changes
the vatican may be making some changes. no, they're not ditching the cool hats. but, they may allow you to wear a hat, of sorts. the vatican may soon approve the use of condoms. it seems that they are responding to the global aids crisis.

and, since the commercial is on right now, i will voice my displeasure with common for doing a gap ad. i realize that every artist wants to sell, get their message out, and what not. but in my book, doing a gap ad = selling out. common, you were ghetto fab. you were a purveyor of urban chic. now, you're shilling for conformity wear. great.

happy thanksgiving

football picks week 12

oooh, early edition of picks because of the thanksgiving day games

game-------------------------------me----------------sg--------------sg's wife
LIONS (+2.5)vs Dolphins--------dolphins---------lions------------dolphins
COWBOYS (-11)vs Bucs---------cowboys----------cowboys----------bucs
CHIEFS (+1)vs Broncos----------chiefs-----------chiefs-----------broncos
Texans (+6)vs JETS----------------jets-------------texans-----------jets
RAVENS (-3)vs Steelers---------ravens-----------ravens-----------ravens
BILLS (+3)vs Jags-----------------jags-------------bills------------bills
Bengals (-3)vs BROWNS----------bengals--------bengals----------bengals
Cards (+6.5)vs VIKES-------------cards------------cards------------cards
Niners (+6)vs RAMS-------------niners-----------niners-----------niners
Saints (+3)vs FALCONS----------saints-----------saints-----------saints
Panthers (-4.5)vs REDSKINS-----panthers-------panthers---------panthers
Raiders (+13)vs CHARGERS-------chargers------raiders----------raiders
PATRIOTS (-3)vs Bears-----------patriots---------patriots---------patriots
TITANS (+2)vs Giants-------------giants-----------titans-----------giants
Eagles (+9)vs COLTS---------------colts------------eagles-----------eagles
SEAHAWKS (-9)vs Packers--------seahawks-------seahawks-------seahawks

last week-----------------------------10-6-------------8-7-1--------------8-7-1
season-------------------------------77-83------------71-83-6------------77-77-6

david cross & johnny marr cover BofA ripoff song

thanks to stereogum & boing boing who both brought this to my attention.

some stuff for the woody's & johnsons

i saw this baby gear and first thought of the woody's. they've got a fresh bun out of the oven, and may need to stock up on new toys. btw, i love those shirts. we've got to get you two the gear we bought for her.

but, scott has always been one for gadgets, so i thought that he'd also like this stuff. not that malissa wouldn't but more that scott is the tech type.

champions league - match day 5

this morning, i scrolled through the guide to see who would be playing in uefa champions league. what did i see for the first match? my brother's fav team, celtic, would be taking on manchester united. each team is leading their respectives leagues, and manchester is leading the group in the champions league.

the air was electic in the east end of glasgow. celtic park was rocking. the red devils of manchester united were visiting, and both sides seemed ready for a great match.
-the first half was dominated by manchester. their passes were crisper, they seemed more organized on the offensive end, and their stars were shining. celtic, however, seemed a step slow in the back, confused on offense, and with the exception of lennon, their stars were invisible. yet, @ the midway point, it was tied @ nil.
-celtic seemed much more lively during the second half. manchester still looked sharp. both sides had moments of sloppiness, but they also had flashes of brilliance. guys like christiano ronaldo, who i dislike, looked great. giggs had a nice free kick @ one point. rooney, who was good in the first half, disappeared in the second.
-in the 80th minute, there was a terrible call against manchester. it set up a set piece about 25 yards out. nakamura buried it in the back of the net. upper corner. van der sar didn't have a chance.
-in the 83rd minute, it seemed that saha was offsides. he was alone in the box, and just stopped. the keeper came out and blocked a weak little attempt. saha though he was off, and didn't even try. play until the whistle moron. you would have equalized it.
-in the 86th minute, a pretty bad call went against celtic. not as bad as the one against united, but still a bad one. free kick about 20 yards out. deflected. with a hand, just inside the box. yellow card to celtic. penalty kick. saha shoots to lower corner. great save by celtic's keeper, boruc. really, he started going the wrong way (or maybe was faking the wrong way) and then dove back and knocked the shot away.
-a few minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle, and celtic park echoed with songs of their supporters. celtic moves ahead of manchester in their group. tied on points, but leading with the tie breaker. celtic may not end up winning the group, but they are through to the next stage.

next up on the tube, a chance to watch my favorite internation team, real madrid. real is taking lyonnaise tonight. real is playing in front of their home crowd, and i hope they don't disappoint.
-eleven minutes in, and lyon is up 1 to nil. i think last time i wastched these two sides play, lyon was victorious. crap. am i bad luck?
-eighteen minutes in, and real looks sloppy. their not stringing together any passes, the defense looks too relaxed, and they could be in for some problems tonight.
-thirty minutes in, and i'm distracted by reading blogs. lyon has a corner kick, real gives up too much space and the keeper doesn't make a great effort either. 2-0 lyon.
-38th minute, real is still giving a poor showing. they've got a corner, it swings out to van nistelrooy, who heads it back across, and diarra buries a header in the back of the net. 2-1. pretty nice goal, especially since diarra also took a high boot to the head on the play and still finished.
-the first ten minutes of the 2nd half have been pretty good. lots of action, both teams working hard. real madrid has come out fired up, trying to equalize. so, lyon is having to match intesity on the defensive end.
-60th minute, some great touches by van nistelrooy and raul, but robinho blows the shot.
-82nd minute, not much has been happening lately. cross into the lyon box, raul hits a great header that beats the keeper, but hits the post. the ricochet goes right to van nistelrooy, who puts it home. all even @ 2-2.
-87th minute. van nistelrooy fouled hard at the edge of the box. well, maybe it wasn't a foul. some contact. but, real madrid is awarded a penalty shot. ruud missed one from the spot on match day 4. and...this one is blocked. good save keeper. wow, back to back matches that i've watched had a keeper save on a pk, at the end of the game.
-91st minute, some pushing & shoving after a foul. yellows awarded to players on each team.
-and it finishes that way after 3 minutes of stoppage time. 2-2.
if able, i'll watch chelski play tomorrow.

you're kidding right?

a formula for beer goggles. really, you're trying to figure out why people may seem more attractive after a few drinks?

bausch & lomb funded the study. i wonder if they're going to make glasses to either give you perma beer goggles or if they've got lenses to make sure no matter how many you still are seeing with good judgment

UPDATE: check out these

let me tell you

a notice to those who advocate for abortion
i don't advise moving to nicaragua any time soon if you want an abortion.
or other parts in central america.
and maybe some of south america, too.

but, if you want to re-enact lolita, talk to this guy.

football picks week 11

ahhh, my weekly post on my nfl picks. while i make these picks, i'm watching red dawn, hoping that the wolverine war cry will bring good karma to michigan, pushing them over ohio st.

game-------------------------------------me----------------sg-------------sg's wife
CHIEFS (-9.5)vs Raiders--------------chiefs------------chiefs---------chiefs
COWBOYS (+1)vs Colts---------------colts-------------cowboys--------cowboys
Bengals (+3)vs SAINTS----------------bengals-----------bengals--------saints
BROWNS (+3)vs Steelers-------------steelers----------browns---------steelers
Titans (+13)vs EAGLES---------------titans------------titans---------titans
RAVENS (-4)vs FALCONS------------ravens------------ravens---------ravens
Rams (+6.5)vs PANTHERS-----------rams--------------rams-----------rams
Bills (+2.5)vs TEXANS-----------------bills-------------bills----------bills
PACKERS (+6)vs Patriots------------patriots----------packers--------packers
Redskins (+3)vs BUCS----------------redskins----------redskins-------bucs
JETS (+7)vs Bears----------------------bears-------------jets-----------jets
NINERS (+3.5)vs Seahawks----------seahawks----------niners---------niners
DOLPHINS (-3)vs Vikings------------dolphins----------dolphins-------dolphins
Lions (+2)vs CARDS-------------------lions-------------lions----------cards
BRONCOS (-2.5)vs Chargers----------chargers----------broncos--------broncos
JAGS (-3.5)vs Giants-------------------giants------------jags-----------giants

last week--------------------------------6-10--------------7-9------------9-7
season----------------------------------67-77-------------63-76-5--------69-70-5

question

will thursday reclaim it's role from wednesday? i think it just may. most of the reason for the long ago switch are gone. and, it seems like a lot of good stuff happens around fresno on thursdays.

what do you, of whom the tradition was started with, think? do you hold on to tradition or allow it to develop, perhaps evolve?

what do you, of whom continue the tradition this day, think?

i hope you took a picture

"We were absolutely horrified. That's life I suppose."

yes it is. dang funny stuff. rare bird shows up in england. promptly eaten by another bird. bird watching sorts horrified.

welcome back

tom & sam widlund have moved back into my links section. you'll find their blogs under wid (tom) and lund (sam).

what's up with me

a little update on what's keeping me busy

currently, i am:
-working on 3 paintings. it looks like my next show will be january. group show. hopefully by that show, i will have 6 new pieces.
-i am waiting on word on whether or not i will be an artist in the rogue festival. they should have let me know by now, but i hear that they're behind schedule on stuff.
-finishing up my current teaching assignment. term ends next wednesday.
-working on my application for a full time faculty position (where i want to be).

i am getting ready to:
-teach english. not sure how, but i'm qualified (various class credits). i will be teaching english in the next five week term. starts monday after thanksgiving. sadly, this screws my new year plans for seattle. it looks like we have a break around the Xmas holiday, but start back jan 1. wha?
- watch michigan vs ohio state on saturday. hey, 1 vs 2. huge game. may disappoint. i always like watching a key matchup in season.

what's in the distance:
-ps3. yeah, it comes out this week. but, i'm not one for standing in line overnight. if they happen to still have them in stock on saturday, i might get one. if not, i can wait. i've waited this long.
-motorcycle training course - at some point i'm taking this weekend course. then i'll have my motorcycle license. that, plus more $ making = motorcycle. then, i get to crash, lose my leg, marry paul mccartney, get divorced, and be set for the rest of life. (i know, i know, that's crass.)

so, before this you did that

so, this current round of survivor was supposed to stir up all sorts of controversy and discussion because they started with tribes based on racial lines.

i know survivor, and reality tv in general, continues to change. they're trying to make it better, more interesting. unfortunately it seems like it is all falling apart, de-evolving. do you remember the first two or three seasons of the real world (which was the first "modern" reality show)? it was good. it was about the interaction between people. i'd say survivor has generally held up to that as well. but, as real world continued on, it became more about typecasting, people who just want to be on tv, and less about the real show. i fear that survivor has done the same.

here's a link, which talks about 4 of the current contestants. and check out my pick ozzy (4th down).

a site for heather

i'm sure others will appreciate this as well, but i thought heather might dig it the most. click on the store icon to see most of the pictures (do not buy anything though).

faux environmentalists

i knew it. prius owners, despite lacking the taste to buy an aesthetically pleasing vehicle, are also a bit hypocritical.

"In fact, Prius owners are particularly keen on SUVs. CNW says they’re more likely to own an SUV than drivers of hybrid Honda Accords or Civics. Prius owners, an especially affluent group, also are partial to luxury cars, with nearly one in five sharing garage space with upscale wheels. That love of SUVs and luxury liners drags down the fuel economy of the family fleet in Prius households to just 22.8mpg, according to CNW. That’s lower than the family fleet mileage of households where one car’s an Accord, Civic or even Toyota Corolla (which average 26.3mpg)."

well, i'd feel much more superior and self-righteous if this article actually included statistics of some sort, but oh well.


(of course, i'm sure i'll succumb (again) some day and purchase some stupid vehicle that gets terrible gas mileage, like a 64 nova wagon.)

saturday night live

so, i watched saturday night live last night, after catching some mediocre ufc fights. there were actually some decent sketches, and i thought christina aguilara sung well. especially the number she did with tony bennett.

here's a good one with amy poller as britney spears.

as usual, there were also some real stinkers. but, adam sandberg did some funny stuff.

elton john wants to rid you of your religion

so, in this story, sir elton john talks about how organized religion should be banned. now, i didn't really want to talk about the article. i just wanted you all to see the picture of elton that the bbc used with it.





sir elton dracula

heather wants to know why he can't just "fall asleep" in his car like george michael?

week 10 football picks

here i go again on my own...

game-----------------------------------ed--------------sg----------sg's wife------
Chiefs (EVEN)vs DOLPHINS----chiefs----------chiefs--------dolphins
Texans (+10.5)vs JAGS------------texans----------texans--------texans
BENGALS (+1)vs Chargers-------bengals---------bengals-------chargers
Ravens (-7.5)vs TITANS----------ravens----------ravens--------ravens
Browns (+7)vs FALCONS--------falcons---------browns--------falcons
Packers (+5.5)vs VIKINGS-------packers---------packers-------vikings
Saints (+4.5)vs STEELERS-------saints----------saints--------saints
COLTS (-12.5)vs Bills------------bills-------------colts---------bills
Jets (+10.5)vs PATRIOTS--------jets------------patriots------patriots
EAGLES (-7)vs Redskins--------redskins--------eagles--------eagles
Broncos (-9)vs RAIDERS--------broncos---------broncos-------raiders
LIONS (-6)vs Niners-------------lions-----------lions---------niners
PANTHERS(-9.5)vs Bucs--------bucs------------panthers------panthers
Rams (+3)vs SEAHAWKS------rams------------rams----------seahawks
CARDS (+7)vs Cowboys--------cards-----------cards---------cowboys
GIANTS (EVEN)vs Bears-------bears-----------giants--------giants

last week------------------------3-11------------4-10--------------5-9
season--------------------------61-67-----------56-67-6----------60-63-5

last week killed me. btw, the simpsons' picks aren't getting included because they're not posting them in time. it's friday @ 3 (west coasst). you have to have them up by now.

thank you fx

it's always sunny in philadelphia, one of my favorite shows, will be back for a third season.

and, i found out that the main character is from philly. tim didn't think any of their accents were true. of course, he lives in la now, so maybe it's faded.

gender story version 2.0h

not too long ago, i posted a story discussing gender issues relating to a male cross dresser, who had not had any gender reassignment surgery but still used the women's restroom.

today, on boing boing, i saw this
"The New York Times ran a story this week about New York City's plan to permit people to change the gender on their birth certificates even if they haven’t had sex reassignment surgery. The move comes after much advocacy by transgender groups who believe that gender has to do with much more than anatomy. For many transgendered people, in fact, anatomy is itself a mixed bag. This new move allows individuals to decide for themselves whether they are male or female."

here's the link to the story

i really find this to be quite interesting. it's not genetics, it's not science, it's not surgery that define gender.

from the article, "Transgender advocates consider the New York proposal an overdue bulwark against discrimination that recognizes an emerging shift away from viewing gender as simply the sum of one’s physical parts. But some psychiatrists and doctors are skeptical of the move, saying sexual self-definition should stop at rewriting medical history."

so, really what is gender then? it's not roles decided by society, it's not the sum of your physical parts, it's not your genetics. is gender solely defined by the individual now?

but, i do disagree with this statement, "Joann Prinzivalli, 52, a lawyer for the New York Transgender Rights Organization, a man who has lived as a woman since 2000, without surgery, said the changes amount to progress, a move away from American culture’s misguided fixation on genitals as the basis for one’s gender identity."

it's not just here. as evidenced by my previous post about italy, there's some doubt about what defines gender there as well. and, i'd venture that most of latin america, and africa might be even more "misguided".

chicago immolation

is this peaceful protest? it's definately a statement.

"it was a thumpin"

damn straight it was. i know that 6 out of 10 say it was the war, and that's definately a big part, but to me it also seems like a reversal of the alleged mandate given in the republican revolution of like, 94. everyone seems fed up of their alleged moral imperatives, inability to actually follow through, and getting caught doing everything they rail against.

i'm glad that society can change, that there is no guarantee that the status quo will be maintained. of course, the cynic in me believes that the dems are just as much the status quo, but still.

hey, we've got the fist ever female speaker of the house. that's a good change. and, it looks like we'll actually have checks and balances again. that is, if the courts aren't just in someone's pocket, too.

in fresno, we elected not only the first ever hmong city councilman (the first in ca. even), but he's also the first asian american on the fresno city council. that's crazy to me. it was also nice that the two candidates ran a "gentlemenly" campaign. no crap talk, just issues for the neighborhood affected. and, i also really appreciated getting a letter from mr. xiong explaining why he wasn't declaring his political affiliation. the issues of the district, the city, aren't about democrat or republican. they are about looking out for the needs of all those in your district. maybe the more partisan council members will take note.

arrrrrrggggghhhh

i can't believe it. i forgot the simpson's treehouse of horror was on last sunday. damn. damn. damn. i totally forgot that it was a new episode. and, i missed it because i was watching a football game that was pissing me off. didn't even record it.

the red balloon

wow. as a kid, i saw a movie over and over in school. i don't know why they showed it, but it seems like i saw the red balloon about once a year. now, if you have the time, you too can see it, on youtube. the link will take you to part one. from there you have access to 3 other segments. it's about 34 minutes total.

feel free to discuss what you think this movie is about.

mash it up

well, this post ain't really about mash ups. in fact, it's really a post for heather, who likes the smiths, and jay, who likes modest mouse. (okay, okay, i know a lot of you also may like those bands, too. i do.)

johnny marr joined modest mouse (or here). they're doing shows. and finishing up an album.

in other news

doogie howser came out recently. i guess that he was trying to keep up with all the pub that lance bass got. what? few cared about that? well, at least neil patrick harris is funny (that's a critique on lance bass, not on either of these guy's sexuality).

congratulations

congrats to the woody's on the birth of georgia jane woody. 7 lbs, 10 oz. 20 inches.

football picks week 9

games-----------------------------me-------------sg-----------sg's wife
RAMS (-3) vs Chiefs-----------chiefs---------rams----------chiefs
Bengals (+3) vs RAVENS------bengals--------bengals-------ravens
GIANTS (-13) vs Texans-------giants---------giants--------giants
Titans (+10) vs JAGS----------titans---------titans--------titans
BUCS (+1) vs Saints------------saints---------bucs----------saints
Packers (+3)vs BILLS---------packers--------packers-------packers
LIONS (+5) vs Falcons--------falcons--------lions---------falcons
BEARS (-13.5) vs Dolphins-----bears---------bears----------bears
Cowboys (-3) vs REDSKINS----cowboys-------cowboys-----cowboys
49ERS (+5.5) vs Vikings--------vikings--------49ers----------vikings
CHARGERS (-12.5) vs Browns--chargers-----chargers------browns
Broncos (+2) vs STEELERS-----broncos-------broncos-------steelers
SEAHAWKS (-8) vs Raiders-----raiders-------seahawks------seahawks
PATRIOTS (-2.5) vs Colts---------pats----------pats----------pats

last week----------------------------5-9------------6-8--------------7-7
season------------------------------58-56---------52-57-5-----------56-53-5

what to do

sometimes i come across stories and i'm not always sure what to do with them. do i keep it to myself? do i put it up here?

with that in mind, i saw this story about ted haggard, head of the national association of evangelicals. a man in colorado is accusing him of being gay, and of having homosexual relations with him. haggard has stepped down from his position as well as his pastorate, awaiting the matter to be further investigated.

i'm not posting this here because i want to say, "gotcha!" i think i'm posting this so we can see haggard as a human, who struggles with a lot of issues in life. and, if it's true, i hope that he carries on in life with a lot more grace towards those he has vehemently opposed.

i realize that some may see this story, and add him too the list of hypocritical Xians out there. if that's your response, i understand. others will say, this guy has always been a jerk, and i'm not surprised. hey, i don't know the guy, and all we can usually know is from the public personna out there. and all i know is that if these allegations are true, mr. haggard needs to do some explaining.

so, finally, i'm wondering, if you found out something about a person you believed in, their ideas, writings, whatnot, did something that compromised their message, how do you handle that? (not that i followed haggard at all.) do you throw out what they've done? or does it just taint the work? or, do you just carry on?