So the Obama infomercial thing has come and gone. I must say, I was a fan. Many people enjoyed it more than I did, but I think that's understandable. I've already reached a point where my research about him and his policy positions (and even the shortcomings thereof) mean that his speeches don't impact me as much as they might otherwise.
That being said, the vignettes featured in the half-hour program were poignant and did a good job connecting with "heartland" voters. There's this illogical idea that somehow values voters are only those who turn to the church before all else -- but Obama helped to show that values voters are regular people, not just the bible thumpers. Moms who care about kids, husbands who care about their wives, wives that care about their families, teachers who care about everyone -- these are the real value voters, and the people Obama aims to help the most.
I actually thought the vignettes could have been longer. The editor did a good job cutting footage to create the story, but they felt short. I felt like I wanted to hear more about the stories of these people long after their segment had ended. At the same time, throughout the ad I found myself excited for the live event at the end only to be disappointed with it when it came about. It was just the usual Obama speech we've seen time and time again. I really thought they could have done without the live portion, but it didn't necessarily take away from the piece as a whole.
There are those who think all his commercials put him on our television screens too much, but from what I'm hearing from my little sample of the voting public while we're ready for this political season to be over (and yes, we really are) we don't necessarily get tired of seeing Obama. We get more comfortable with him, and pieces like last night's ObamaMercial help give comfort to Undecided voters all across the country.
I'm looking forward to waking up next Wednesday morning. I'm not buying victory cigars yet, but I'm checking out brands.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
7 years ago today
7 years ago today I was woken up by a friend from across the hall in my dorm because some people from a rogue group flew a plane into one of the tallest buildings in America, and he didn't have a television to watch this horrible story unfold. Before long, some people from a rogue group flew a second plane into the other tall building, a plane reportedly headed for the White House crashed into a field in PA, a plane allegedly hit the Pentagon, the tall buildings collapsed and thousands of Americans (and some non-Americans) were dead. The members of the rogue group were almost all Saudi, led by a US trained and formerly US funded militia leader (also Saudi) who was installed to defeat an intangible form of government in its physical form of the Soviets in Afghanistan many years previous. 7 years later we have not caught him, have scaled back our efforts to find him, and have instead started an unfounded war and tortured people in a country almost 1000 miles away from the country where that US trained and formerly US funded Saudi is most likely thought to reside. We also haven't so much as had a quiet word with the Saudis over what their rogue citizens have done. Think of it like this: In 2021 a group of rogue Americans hijack a jet and fly it into the Burj Al-Arab in Dubai. The UAE spend the next five years invading Canada and torturing citizens, eventually leaving 50,000+ dead.
How does that make any sense? This is a crucial time for America when our President has not made us safer, or really kept us safe at all and has done his best to make the world more dangerous for Americans. We have one candidate for President who wants to "stay the course" when it's clearly worked so well for us thus far, and one candidate who wants to shift our battle to catch the US trained and formerly US funded militia leader who started this debacle in the first place, and then stop invading sovereign nations (which only helps to make more terrorists) and work on repairing the cracks in our own country.
Honestly, which one sounds like the best for America? (and if the fucking Republicans can use 9/11 for political purposes, so can I. So GFY.)
How does that make any sense? This is a crucial time for America when our President has not made us safer, or really kept us safe at all and has done his best to make the world more dangerous for Americans. We have one candidate for President who wants to "stay the course" when it's clearly worked so well for us thus far, and one candidate who wants to shift our battle to catch the US trained and formerly US funded militia leader who started this debacle in the first place, and then stop invading sovereign nations (which only helps to make more terrorists) and work on repairing the cracks in our own country.
Honestly, which one sounds like the best for America? (and if the fucking Republicans can use 9/11 for political purposes, so can I. So GFY.)
Friday, August 29, 2008
McCain's VP choice is a gimmick
Wow! So in the span of about 2 hours I went from sitting on my couch having a glass of water and posting an iReport video, to having it shown on CNN, having it posted to the CNN homepage, and later this afternoon I will be doing a live call-in on CNN International. (7p Eastern, 5p Mountain should you get that channel.) In 4 hours since I've posted the video, it's had over 80,000 views.
Thanks to everyone who is stopping by as a link from my CNN iReporter profile.
I just wanted to take a minute to better flesh out what I'm saying about Sarah Palin as McCain's VP choice.
She absolutely deserves congratulations, there is ZERO doubt about that. It is, hands down, an historic choice.
Many comments on my video have started with the inexperience arguments. I don't want to make that one quite yet, even though I briefly mentioned in my video. The larger point is that the only way to view this pick is as a political gimmick. When Hillary Clinton was not chosen as the Vice President, Republican strategists clearly picked that as an opportunity to steal disgruntled voters. McCain is just trying to bait voters into voting for his ticket because he has a woman on it. This has zero other motivation than she's a woman.
This is clearly a political gimmick. It's as simple as that. If she were a man with these qualifications, she never would have been chosen. That alone shows that all McCain is doing is playing a political game. He thinks American's are dumb, and that those who wanted to see a woman in the White House wanted it simply because she was a woman, and that's not the case. Clinton Supporters were such because they supported her as a strong woman, AND her policies. Sarah Palin could not be farther from Hillary Clinton as a politician.
It makes me sad. John McCain thinks that America is stupid and will fall for this. He doesn't care about making our country better, he just cares about getting votes so he can get to the White House. He said it himself in his own books, he has the ambition to be President and that's why he's running. It's unfortunate, we need better than political gimmicks and a candidate who only wants to play games at such a trying time as this for our country.
Thanks to everyone who is stopping by as a link from my CNN iReporter profile.
I just wanted to take a minute to better flesh out what I'm saying about Sarah Palin as McCain's VP choice.
She absolutely deserves congratulations, there is ZERO doubt about that. It is, hands down, an historic choice.
Many comments on my video have started with the inexperience arguments. I don't want to make that one quite yet, even though I briefly mentioned in my video. The larger point is that the only way to view this pick is as a political gimmick. When Hillary Clinton was not chosen as the Vice President, Republican strategists clearly picked that as an opportunity to steal disgruntled voters. McCain is just trying to bait voters into voting for his ticket because he has a woman on it. This has zero other motivation than she's a woman.
This is clearly a political gimmick. It's as simple as that. If she were a man with these qualifications, she never would have been chosen. That alone shows that all McCain is doing is playing a political game. He thinks American's are dumb, and that those who wanted to see a woman in the White House wanted it simply because she was a woman, and that's not the case. Clinton Supporters were such because they supported her as a strong woman, AND her policies. Sarah Palin could not be farther from Hillary Clinton as a politician.
It makes me sad. John McCain thinks that America is stupid and will fall for this. He doesn't care about making our country better, he just cares about getting votes so he can get to the White House. He said it himself in his own books, he has the ambition to be President and that's why he's running. It's unfortunate, we need better than political gimmicks and a candidate who only wants to play games at such a trying time as this for our country.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Olympic Mettle
I've been hearing an awful lot about the medal race between China and the United States, and a lot of griping about judging in different sports, and dominance of certain athletes in certain categories. (ahem, michael phelps, and the chinese "women's" gynmastics team.)
And while that's all well and good, we have to remember that it's not all about dominating. In some respects it's become almost jingoistic. I understand the problems some people have with things, especially with the judging of some of the women's gymnastics, and I fully fully believe the IOC should be investigating the Chinese possible use of underage girls. The IOC investigates possible cheating in the form of doping, why should they not investigate this form of rules breaking?
But I digress. Let us not forget the point of these games: recognizing the amazing feats of human ability. HUMAN ability. Yes it's nice to get some national pride by a swimmer (or gymnast or martial artist or whatever,) beating the competition, but why aren't we satisfied with how amazing they are in general? Yes Alicia Sacramone screwed up, it happens. But she still owns a silver medal. Do you? No, you don't. She's still a gymnast that's 1,000x better than 99.99% of the rest of the WORLD. She can say, without question, that she is better at what she does than more than six and a half billion people. Why can't that be great in and of itself? Why do we have to bitch about judging and complain that we should have been the best but we weren't? She's still absolutely AMAZING. They all are. Whoever finished last in gymnastics? They're amazing too.
Whoever finished last in kayaking? Whoever finished last in table tennis? Whoever finished last in the most obscure summer olympic sport? They're all amazing. Every single person who went there and competed with no other help than their natural ability is an absolutely amazing person.
I especially want to take a second to recognize the athletes who have won first ever medals for their countries. Yes, I'm aware I just railed about the unfortunate nature of jingoism and excessive national pride in the Olympics, but that mostly applies to the countries who are head and shoulders above others in the medal count every two years. We should take time to really point out these feats, and recognize athletes from countries like Mongolia and India who represent considerable Olympic spirit and have finally seized their opportunities and have won their first gold medal, or in some cases first ever medal.
How must that feel? The first ever person in history from an entire country who has won an Olympic medal. That's national hero stuff, right there. It really makes me want to put aside petty differences, illegal occupations, and shake hands with someone different than me. Could you imagine what we could do if we constantly possessed the best in Olympic spirit all the time?
These people are amazing. Let us not forget that.
And while that's all well and good, we have to remember that it's not all about dominating. In some respects it's become almost jingoistic. I understand the problems some people have with things, especially with the judging of some of the women's gymnastics, and I fully fully believe the IOC should be investigating the Chinese possible use of underage girls. The IOC investigates possible cheating in the form of doping, why should they not investigate this form of rules breaking?
But I digress. Let us not forget the point of these games: recognizing the amazing feats of human ability. HUMAN ability. Yes it's nice to get some national pride by a swimmer (or gymnast or martial artist or whatever,) beating the competition, but why aren't we satisfied with how amazing they are in general? Yes Alicia Sacramone screwed up, it happens. But she still owns a silver medal. Do you? No, you don't. She's still a gymnast that's 1,000x better than 99.99% of the rest of the WORLD. She can say, without question, that she is better at what she does than more than six and a half billion people. Why can't that be great in and of itself? Why do we have to bitch about judging and complain that we should have been the best but we weren't? She's still absolutely AMAZING. They all are. Whoever finished last in gymnastics? They're amazing too.
Whoever finished last in kayaking? Whoever finished last in table tennis? Whoever finished last in the most obscure summer olympic sport? They're all amazing. Every single person who went there and competed with no other help than their natural ability is an absolutely amazing person.
I especially want to take a second to recognize the athletes who have won first ever medals for their countries. Yes, I'm aware I just railed about the unfortunate nature of jingoism and excessive national pride in the Olympics, but that mostly applies to the countries who are head and shoulders above others in the medal count every two years. We should take time to really point out these feats, and recognize athletes from countries like Mongolia and India who represent considerable Olympic spirit and have finally seized their opportunities and have won their first gold medal, or in some cases first ever medal.
How must that feel? The first ever person in history from an entire country who has won an Olympic medal. That's national hero stuff, right there. It really makes me want to put aside petty differences, illegal occupations, and shake hands with someone different than me. Could you imagine what we could do if we constantly possessed the best in Olympic spirit all the time?
These people are amazing. Let us not forget that.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Unemployment Update
Nearly a month after I was let go, my old boss is finally sending me a check for the $3300 in back pay I'm owed. About fkn time. Give it another week and according to Colorado State Law, I'm entitled to recouping up to 150% of my total unpaid earnings.
Or something like that. I didn't read the form fully.
There are 17+ resumes sent out and only one call back. That job only pays $12 an hour, and they've said they can't budge on that. I told them I'd call them back and let them know after I do some math, if I think it'll be worth either of our time to pursue the opportunity with each other any further.
But here's my question -- why are companies so bad about calling people back? So many places explicitly say no phonecalls, so how am I supposed to follow up? I should skip the middleman and just throw my resumes directly into the trash. Because it honestly seems like people just get resumes, and never do anything with them. I'm skilled, I have a bunch of experience -- both specialized and diverse, so I know that I'm a desirable employee to at least SOME outlets...yet I never hear jack shit.
So hear I am during the fourth week of unemployment questioning my skills, my worth, and whether or not I'll run out of money before I find a job that's right for me.
Feces occurs, I suppose.
Or something like that. I didn't read the form fully.
There are 17+ resumes sent out and only one call back. That job only pays $12 an hour, and they've said they can't budge on that. I told them I'd call them back and let them know after I do some math, if I think it'll be worth either of our time to pursue the opportunity with each other any further.
But here's my question -- why are companies so bad about calling people back? So many places explicitly say no phonecalls, so how am I supposed to follow up? I should skip the middleman and just throw my resumes directly into the trash. Because it honestly seems like people just get resumes, and never do anything with them. I'm skilled, I have a bunch of experience -- both specialized and diverse, so I know that I'm a desirable employee to at least SOME outlets...yet I never hear jack shit.
So hear I am during the fourth week of unemployment questioning my skills, my worth, and whether or not I'll run out of money before I find a job that's right for me.
Feces occurs, I suppose.
Friday, July 18, 2008
hello again
It has been a very very long time...
Not that anyone has missed me, but it has been.
A quick update for y'all. I'm unemployed. Lost my job due to "walking out" on the job. Another editor told me to "get the fuck out" so I did. Not sure how following directions and/or being treated like shit gets me fired, but whatever. Some pretty unprofessional behavior on their part (and depending on your perspective, mine too.) Shit happens, It's behind me now, and I'm not going to worry about it. I wasn't going to stay that much longer anyway -- just not a good working environment.
So now my days are spent applying to jobs...going to the gym...playing xbox...looking for more jobs...watching food network, etc.
That's where we sit now. Currently frustrated and fighting depress, you know, the unusual. I'm sorting through business ideas and opportunities and trying to keep life in some semblance of order.
More later.
Not that anyone has missed me, but it has been.
A quick update for y'all. I'm unemployed. Lost my job due to "walking out" on the job. Another editor told me to "get the fuck out" so I did. Not sure how following directions and/or being treated like shit gets me fired, but whatever. Some pretty unprofessional behavior on their part (and depending on your perspective, mine too.) Shit happens, It's behind me now, and I'm not going to worry about it. I wasn't going to stay that much longer anyway -- just not a good working environment.
So now my days are spent applying to jobs...going to the gym...playing xbox...looking for more jobs...watching food network, etc.
That's where we sit now. Currently frustrated and fighting depress, you know, the unusual. I'm sorting through business ideas and opportunities and trying to keep life in some semblance of order.
More later.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Rock...Chalk....You're an idiot, Kansas
I'll admit it, I was rooting for Bill Self and his boys. Why? Not really sure. Maybe because this website I'm working on has some video clips with Bill Self in them. Other than that, I'm really not sure.
I've got a friend or two who went to Kansas, but that didn't really influence my rooting preferences. Let it be known here, however, that I had to try incredibly hard just to root for someone. I abhor college basketball. It's so amazingly boring.
In any event I'd just like to say: Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk? Really? That's it? That's the best you could do? Leave it to the fkn idiots in Kansas to come up with something as insanely stupid as "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Months ago a friend from Kansas excitedly regaled me with the tale of how "RCJ" came to be, with all the exuberance expected if we'd just landed on Mars. Apparently "Chalk" is a "Rock" prevalent in the ground of Kansas, and Jayhawk is of course the KU mascot.
Really Kansas? This is what you did? You were so excited to find not one but TWO!!! words that rhymed with Jayhawk you just had to make that your school chant?
Fucking morons.
Apparently the chant used to be "Rah Rah Jayhawk," according to Wikipedia, but an English professor suggested it be changed to "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Holy christ I've just discovered proof of evolution, albeit reverse evolution. You people in Kansas managed to make a bad cheer worse! You're all idiots.
Look, I've come up with some other fantastic cheers in the spirit of "Rock Chalk Jayhawk!"
*ahem*
Tree Pine BlackBears!
Mountains Rocky Pioneers!
Rafts Cubans Miami!
Mediocre Banal IUP!
Fkn Kansas. You're a bunch of idiots.
I've got a friend or two who went to Kansas, but that didn't really influence my rooting preferences. Let it be known here, however, that I had to try incredibly hard just to root for someone. I abhor college basketball. It's so amazingly boring.
In any event I'd just like to say: Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk? Really? That's it? That's the best you could do? Leave it to the fkn idiots in Kansas to come up with something as insanely stupid as "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Months ago a friend from Kansas excitedly regaled me with the tale of how "RCJ" came to be, with all the exuberance expected if we'd just landed on Mars. Apparently "Chalk" is a "Rock" prevalent in the ground of Kansas, and Jayhawk is of course the KU mascot.
Really Kansas? This is what you did? You were so excited to find not one but TWO!!! words that rhymed with Jayhawk you just had to make that your school chant?
Fucking morons.
Apparently the chant used to be "Rah Rah Jayhawk," according to Wikipedia, but an English professor suggested it be changed to "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Holy christ I've just discovered proof of evolution, albeit reverse evolution. You people in Kansas managed to make a bad cheer worse! You're all idiots.
Look, I've come up with some other fantastic cheers in the spirit of "Rock Chalk Jayhawk!"
*ahem*
Tree Pine BlackBears!
Mountains Rocky Pioneers!
Rafts Cubans Miami!
Mediocre Banal IUP!
Fkn Kansas. You're a bunch of idiots.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Denver Open Media MIxers
To the DOM Community CD Swappers: Thanks!
Thanks for grabbing my mix tonight, April 4. An additional thank you for leaving your mix.
Some I've enjoyed thus far, some I've wondered what in the hell you were smoking when you made it -- but such is the beauty of mixing. Some of us mix sounds and burn it, some of us mix music, and burn it, some of us simply mix different songs on a disc, and burn that. Whatever it may be, we're entitled to our own delicious art.
Some notes about my mix: Yes it's mainstream-y. It's supposed to be that way. I wasn't feeling organic when I made it, so I stuck to things that were produced and quite literally ready to rock.
It starts heavy, slows a touch, gets bigger again then just sort of pulls you in a wagon slowly down a snow-covered road to the end -- soft and leisurely. I hope you find it enjoyable.
One last thanks for stopping by my blog. Digg it, stumble it, whatever you can do is appreciated. Read some posts and see what you think, it's just a little place I call cyber-home. Feel free to also check out an art-rambling blog about my new journey as an artists at justaddjason.wordpress.com.
Comments and emails are always appreciated.
Oh, and just in case all the track info doesn't come through, I've listed it here:
1. Slow Suicide by JamisonParker
2. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New
3. Sore Thumb by The Format
4. Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams
5. 0% Interest by Jason Mraz
6. So Much Trouble by Matt Pond PA
7. When I Get Home You're So Dead by Mayday Parade
8. Let's Get Fucked Up and Die by Motion City Soundtrack
9. Simple Song by Rustic Overtones
10. Left and Leaving by The Weakerthans
11. Brothers on a Hotel Bed by Death Cab for Cutie
12. Untitled 3 by Sigur Ros
13. The Trapeze Swinger by Iron and Wine
14. Jesus on the Radio by Guster
And I guess if you have no idea what I'm talking about but read this post anyway -- put this mix together, and tell me what you think. Email your comments to the email address listed in my blog profile.
best,
~J
Thanks for grabbing my mix tonight, April 4. An additional thank you for leaving your mix.
Some I've enjoyed thus far, some I've wondered what in the hell you were smoking when you made it -- but such is the beauty of mixing. Some of us mix sounds and burn it, some of us mix music, and burn it, some of us simply mix different songs on a disc, and burn that. Whatever it may be, we're entitled to our own delicious art.
Some notes about my mix: Yes it's mainstream-y. It's supposed to be that way. I wasn't feeling organic when I made it, so I stuck to things that were produced and quite literally ready to rock.
It starts heavy, slows a touch, gets bigger again then just sort of pulls you in a wagon slowly down a snow-covered road to the end -- soft and leisurely. I hope you find it enjoyable.
One last thanks for stopping by my blog. Digg it, stumble it, whatever you can do is appreciated. Read some posts and see what you think, it's just a little place I call cyber-home. Feel free to also check out an art-rambling blog about my new journey as an artists at justaddjason.wordpress.com.
Comments and emails are always appreciated.
Oh, and just in case all the track info doesn't come through, I've listed it here:
1. Slow Suicide by JamisonParker
2. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New
3. Sore Thumb by The Format
4. Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams
5. 0% Interest by Jason Mraz
6. So Much Trouble by Matt Pond PA
7. When I Get Home You're So Dead by Mayday Parade
8. Let's Get Fucked Up and Die by Motion City Soundtrack
9. Simple Song by Rustic Overtones
10. Left and Leaving by The Weakerthans
11. Brothers on a Hotel Bed by Death Cab for Cutie
12. Untitled 3 by Sigur Ros
13. The Trapeze Swinger by Iron and Wine
14. Jesus on the Radio by Guster
And I guess if you have no idea what I'm talking about but read this post anyway -- put this mix together, and tell me what you think. Email your comments to the email address listed in my blog profile.
best,
~J
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Mom can be so cute
It's funny how some parents can easily get disconnected from advances in technology. The most troubling digital divide (I like to incorrectly think) is not necessarily a have and a have not between rich and poor, but an understanding and a complete lack thereof between the young and old.
My dad understands email, my dad understands sharing pictures, but the ideas behind web2.0 and social networking techniques and motivations (that surround things like del.icio.us, digg, blogs, flock, writewith, reddit, technorati and all sorts of other social networking platforms) he doesn't quite get. To him, I'm pretty sure it's all just some sort of creepy avenue to cybersex.
But I consider his advances a success.
Mom on the other hand....
Mom hasn't used a computer in ages. It's not wholly her fault, there are some extenuating circumstances that preclude her headlong exploration of computers and the 'net. But one thing I'd think she'd be able to grasp would be voicemail. She gets the concept of email -- for a while she used the local public library to say hi and tell me what the cats did that day. And the day before. And the day before that. And what she thought they might do the following day.
But she doesn't get voicemail.
I have an iPhone. Trying to explain to her what it can do, was a formidable and ultimately futile challenge. I tried to explain visual voicemail, and what that means. All she understands is that one can leave a message. Unfortunately in her technologically immature mind, she sees voicemail on a cell phone as pretty much the same as an answering machine.
This means that every voicemail I get from mom goes just like this: "Hello....Hi. Hello? You there? It's me...your mom. Anyway...."
Anyone who has a cell phone understands that you can't even pick up the phone once the call goes to voicemail, let alone being able to hear the message as it's being left.
But alas, such are the consequences of the parental digital divide.
Oh mom. I still love ya.
My dad understands email, my dad understands sharing pictures, but the ideas behind web2.0 and social networking techniques and motivations (that surround things like del.icio.us, digg, blogs, flock, writewith, reddit, technorati and all sorts of other social networking platforms) he doesn't quite get. To him, I'm pretty sure it's all just some sort of creepy avenue to cybersex.
But I consider his advances a success.
Mom on the other hand....
Mom hasn't used a computer in ages. It's not wholly her fault, there are some extenuating circumstances that preclude her headlong exploration of computers and the 'net. But one thing I'd think she'd be able to grasp would be voicemail. She gets the concept of email -- for a while she used the local public library to say hi and tell me what the cats did that day. And the day before. And the day before that. And what she thought they might do the following day.
But she doesn't get voicemail.
I have an iPhone. Trying to explain to her what it can do, was a formidable and ultimately futile challenge. I tried to explain visual voicemail, and what that means. All she understands is that one can leave a message. Unfortunately in her technologically immature mind, she sees voicemail on a cell phone as pretty much the same as an answering machine.
This means that every voicemail I get from mom goes just like this: "Hello....Hi. Hello? You there? It's me...your mom. Anyway...."
Anyone who has a cell phone understands that you can't even pick up the phone once the call goes to voicemail, let alone being able to hear the message as it's being left.
But alas, such are the consequences of the parental digital divide.
Oh mom. I still love ya.
Monday, March 31, 2008
It's been a while...
Sorry folks, it's been a while. Been doing the vacation/back to work/back to school thing. Once the schedule gets to where I can plan/understand what's happening all the time -- we'll be good. Keep an eye out for new posts.
In the meantime, feel free to follow on twitter: JinDenver.
Posts coming soon, I promise!
In the meantime, feel free to follow on twitter: JinDenver.
Posts coming soon, I promise!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Thanks A Lot Ohio!
Fucking flatlanders. The only thing you're good for is Roller Coasters, hell and even then most of your damn thrill rides were designed by foreign companies.
I know it's early...7:33 Mountain Time as I type these words. There's still time, but given the early results it's hard to see a big turn.
Jesus fuck, you stupid idiots from Ohio. I understand where you're coming from, really, I do. I'm from Maine. We're poor, NAFTA hurt us too, but honestly, you think Clinton is th fix to this? The bun to the hotdog in the most divisive Democratic family since the Jesus's's (What's that? Not their last name? Fuck you.) gets your vote? How in the hell did you fall for that stupid NAFTA commercial bullshit? Her husband passed NAFTA (the single most damaging trade bill in American History)!!!!!!!!!! SHE LOVES IT!!!! My lord you fuckers are idiots.
There's no check mark next to Hilldawg yet on that CNN screen cap, but c'mon -- that's a pretty solid indicator (I pray to all things holy that I'm wrong and tomorrow morning I have to put some crow in the toaster)
Sorry for the profanity. Actually, no, I'm not. I'm pissed. I should be reading right now, instead I'm drinking a beer and trying to think of something worse to call Ohioans than Midwesterners but I can't. Being from the Midwest is insult enough.
Look, I've got nothing against HRC, I don't. I think she's smart, competent...looks really owns the room when she wears a nice pantsuit... But she's less progressive than Richard Nixon. How is it you idiots in the middle of the country don't understand the progressive revolution -- you know, the one where we make sure everyone has the right to medical care, everyone has the right to an education, everyone has the right to stay safe from your dumb fuck neighbor's guns, everyone has the right to enjoy clean water/air/hiking trails/wildlife refuges (not to mention the animals!) and an assload of other things that are good for America...
You're as bad as Republicans. I wonder if Canada wants to buy you. Asshats. You go to the polls, vote for Hillary, and help to prolong this race? You know what's more important than which individual takes the White House this year? Which Party Does. This election is more important than Hillary or Obama. Fact is, Hillary's easier to beat than Obama is. She's more divisive and is able to split Democrats themselves, whereas Obama is able to not only get Democrats, but also Independents and Republicans(!!!!!) to vote for him.
You, Ohio, may have singlehandedly fucked us. Hillary may still be kept from obtaining the nomination, but your delegates may cause this race to go on much longer than it should, further dividing America.
You, Ohio, may have singlehandedly ruined the future of my kids (holy shit I wish I could say I was kidding.) If McCain wins this thing, we're asking for more wars! We're asking for more terrorist attacks! We're asking for terrible impressions of him on SNL!
You, Ohio, may have fucked this up. I swear to god, if you did, right after I come ride your excellent roller coasters one more time, I'm going to shit on your entire state. Just gonna drop a great big Wendy's influenced deuce all over it.
Fuckers.
I hope I'm wrong.
Whoa! Beer's empty! lolrz rotfl!!!!
~J
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Personal rant...
Time for a personal rant:
I'm in a class at the University of Denver. It's a distance learning style class where, through the partnership of a certain television company that broadcasts the most riveting entertainment the House of Representatives and Senate have to offer, my class gets to chat with many high profile, important, and experienced guests about the political landscape. This proves especially fun with the B.H.O. v. H.R.C. war currently on.
We have an exam coming up. Our professor teaches class from Washington, DC -- so we never see him, and expect that when papers are due we will print them or have them written on the exam itself or whatever, so that we may fed-ex them to him for quick and easy grading (apparently he doesn't like to print things off himself, even if it is 15 people in class.)
I digress.
We get an email two days before the exam from the TA (this is not her fault in any way, she was just the messenger) letting us know that we had to buy a blue book for our test and that they were available in the bookstore.
In my head the conversation proceeds something like this:
Wait. What? Say that again?
I said you have to buy your own blue book.
We do?
Yes.
Our own blue books...what we'll be writing our test in, we have to buy it ourselves?
Yes.
From the bookstore?
Yes.
I'm sorry, I'm still a little behind here -- Let me get this straight. We're taking a test, we have to write our tests down for the professor, and he mandates that we purchase our own blue book for the test?
Yes.
Stop saying yes.
No.
Thank you.
I don't understand how this makes sense. Why is my notebook not good enough? Perhaps you could go the short route of letting us use our computers for superior typing speed and therefore exam quality (theoretically) but no. We have to write it on a bluebook. That's fine. Until I find we're to purchase them ourselves. I'm not worried about the cost, I have a full-time job so I make enough to afford the $10 or whatever ridiculous cost the University of Denver bookstore dares to charge for these things, it's just the principle.
If you're going to force us to hand write a test, you should not have the audacity to then expect us to buy something additional on which to write our test!!! You want me to write it? Perfect. I'll use my notebook. That's not what you want? Tough shit. Do I get to mandate which format can be used for class communications? I don't except email communications, I have to be overnighted all class related communication from the professor. What's that? Email is most convenient for you and everyone else in the class? SO IS YOU BUYING THE BLUE BOOKS FOR US LIKE MOST REGULAR COLLEGES!
It's a ridiculous pain in my ass to leave my full-time job 20 minutes earlier in the day to make sure I can stop by the bookstore and pay some a king's ransom for a bluebook.
I've recently been informed that this happens a lot in undergrad. All I can say is you idiots went to the wrong schools, this shit should never happen. It's asinine, ridiculous, insane, and pointless. I can't think of a single good reason why this would be beneficial to the class.
In fact nobody can. And if they think they can find a good reason for forcing us to purchase our own blue books, they're wrong and their idea is dumb. That's it. End of story.
J-Wall out.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
this blog is a repost of mine from my blog for my networked journalism class
Finally! Someone as crazy as Jason Leopold seems to be.
Stick with it until the end. Or walk away while it's loading, and then cut straight to near the end.
WTF?!?!?! Whiskey...Tango...Foxtrot.
I've just signed up for www.myspace.com/firebilloreilly....soon that'll be off the ground to gain legions of fans!
Riddle me this, how does Kelly Tilghman get suspended for two weeks from the Golf Channel for suggesting that his rivals "lynch" Tiger woods in a back alley, yet Bill O'Reilly says he personally wants to lynch Michelle Obama and nothing happens?! Granted this was recent -- but how is he not on his ass fired already? You have to be kidding me. I'm against political correctness in most circumstances, I think people need to have tougher skin and should learn to laugh more, but I don't understand this double standard. Plus he's talking about
killing the wife of a candidate for the President of the United States.
Let's not be unclear about this. While there aren't many people (myself included) who believe that he would actually commit murder (if for no other reason than they wouldn't let him have a radio show in prison) this is an actual threatening statement. The Tilghman incident was clearly in jest, but this is at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Bill O'Reilly should be fired ANY day now. The fact that Fox "News" allows this to happen is incredibly inappropriate.
It's times like this when I'm glad we have things like the blogosphere and networked journalism -- hopefully NOBODY lets Bill-O escape this one.
~J
Finally! Someone as crazy as Jason Leopold seems to be.
Stick with it until the end. Or walk away while it's loading, and then cut straight to near the end.
WTF?!?!?! Whiskey...Tango...Foxtrot.
I've just signed up for www.myspace.com/firebilloreilly....soon that'll be off the ground to gain legions of fans!
Riddle me this, how does Kelly Tilghman get suspended for two weeks from the Golf Channel for suggesting that his rivals "lynch" Tiger woods in a back alley, yet Bill O'Reilly says he personally wants to lynch Michelle Obama and nothing happens?! Granted this was recent -- but how is he not on his ass fired already? You have to be kidding me. I'm against political correctness in most circumstances, I think people need to have tougher skin and should learn to laugh more, but I don't understand this double standard. Plus he's talking about
killing the wife of a candidate for the President of the United States.
Let's not be unclear about this. While there aren't many people (myself included) who believe that he would actually commit murder (if for no other reason than they wouldn't let him have a radio show in prison) this is an actual threatening statement. The Tilghman incident was clearly in jest, but this is at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Bill O'Reilly should be fired ANY day now. The fact that Fox "News" allows this to happen is incredibly inappropriate.
It's times like this when I'm glad we have things like the blogosphere and networked journalism -- hopefully NOBODY lets Bill-O escape this one.
~J
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Libel is as libel does
Over at my blog for class, the class on networked journalism, we were recently given some assignments for reading. That link has the exact blog entry.
Upon the issuing of the assignments, two of them about Jason Leopold who happens to be a former journalist who used to uphold the tenets of journalism and report stories, emailed our professor accusing her of libel. See his emails here.
Really? Honestly? By asking us to read about his fuck-ups and subsequent refusal to admit he fucked up, our professor commits libel? Asking us to read the truth about what happened is libel? By understanding that he's a liar parading as a journalist is libel? Honestly the only thing separating him from Matt Drudge at this point is his own website complete with shitty HTML. Oh wait.
I can't wait until nobody reads your website, Jason Leopold. You have the gall to email my professor and accuse her of libeling you? You lied, and fabricated sources in a piece for Salon.com, almost completely made up a piece for Truthout.org, and had the publication of your own memoir canceled because of concerns over....care to guess? Lying! That's right! We have a winner!
Douche. Terd Sandwich. Toolbag.
That's right, I'm name-calling. It's not libel, it's opinion! Prove my opinion wrong, I dare ya!
Or maybe he'll just make up some fake sources, emails, and quotes about me.
~J
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Pssst, Pass it on!
This just in, Mike Huckabee won (surprisingly) a few states today during Super(duper) Tuesday. Many now consider him back in the race.
Therefore, Hucka is the new Hella.
As in: That is HuckaSweet. That movie was HuckaAwesome. That girls breaststs are HuckaTasty. You get the drift.
Pass it on!
~J
Friday, February 1, 2008
A big eff you to Coors Light
So I made the below video with my cousin to enter a contest for tickets to the 2009 Superbowl. Well, despite the fact that it's head and shoulders above any video on the Coors Light site that was chosen as a finalist, I'm quite bitter. All the videos they chose sucked, ours required hard work, devotion, creativity, originality, and plus we're just fun.
No, we're awesome. But Coors Light chose to ignore our video and go a different route. So I'll never drink Coors original or Coors light again unless I'm on their brewery tour. Fkrs.
Below is our video. It's excellent.
~J
No, we're awesome. But Coors Light chose to ignore our video and go a different route. So I'll never drink Coors original or Coors light again unless I'm on their brewery tour. Fkrs.
Below is our video. It's excellent.
~J
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
On a Chilly Denver Morn
Just a couple awesome things that are really fucking pissing me off lately.
First: Fuck you, CNN. Again. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. Seriously, Heath Ledger is your lead? Really? It's 9:45 in the morning right now in Colorado, and your lead story is about Heath Ledger? Couldn't be bothered to put up the story about the 935 false and misleading statements made by the Bush Administration about the war in Iraq? Couldn't bother to lead with an article about the debt crisis (and how it was the banking industry, credit card companies, and predatory lending that REALLY put us here?) I understand the concept of if it bleeds it leads, and you want eyes because eyes on your pages mean more sponsor dollars.
But really. Go fuck yourselves. Profanity never makes a great argument, but your bullshit never makes great news either. This is worse than yellow journalism. It's distracting, misleading, and it shows just how willing (lest we forget able, and eager) you are to abdicate your responsibility to inform the public. This is not news. Heath Ledger is a tragic story, but by putting it up front you are saying that is the most important thing right now. Fuck you. Fuck you, twice. And then there's a story about some robbers in Australia who robbed a restaurant. They meant to grab a bag of cash but instead grabbed a bag of "bread rolls." Here's the thing -- doesn't this fit your criteria for a top news story CNN? Robbery, Fun Accent, Guns, Someone Gets Shot In The Ass, and a funny happy ending. I'm surprised you haven't linked it to to the Heath Ledger article yet, after all he was an Aussie...and the robbery happened in Australia...and given all your foreign relations "street cred" in closing down bureaus and sending people to do foreign reporting less and less every year, I'm surprised you don't just automatically think they're related.
I fucking hate you. You're still better than Fox News, but you're a fucking piece of shit. I could continue on CNN, I'm not going to. I need to get back to work soon.
Second: This whole credit crunch shit, and recession fears and all sorts of things. I have my doubts that it's actually real. The credit crunch is, but the stock market falling and all sorts of other bullshit -- all that's predicated upon is fear that consumers are really going to stop spending. We're spending because shit costs too much. Unfettered capitalism, and a free market society create a financial situation that's only good for business. Then there's a collapse, and consumers get blamed. Really? We get blamed for what someone else has done? Let's take a look at this for a second. You know what has really created this? Credit Cards and predatory lending. Republicans especially love to make laws that help these fuckers out. And in the mid 80s with the Reagan administration and trickle-down economics and supply side economics, the flames of the problem were only given more fuel.
When people don't spend, the economy gets hurt. So the idea was that people could be given credit cards to spend, and the economy would do better -- but that's a hollow solution. There's no real liquid, fluid currency processed in a credit card transaction so merchants get their funds, and the consumer gets its merchandise, but the consumer goes in debt. This only adds up over time, in the end pulling the bulk of the consumers fluid currency out of boosting the economy and placing it into a position where it reduces debt -- that hurts the economy. This housing crunch, and the predatory lending associated with it, does more of the same. Lending institutions want nothing more than to lend you money on great terms, reserve the right to change them on whatever arbitrary standards they want to use, then make boatloads of money off of your increased payments. Of course, they think very little of what happens when the lower-middle-class family they just fucked over actually doesn't have enough money to pay their bills. Stupid fucks. When money is spent paying off credit cards instead of actual purchasing of goods, the economy goes downhill. Credit card companies and predatory lenders have fucked us over.
And if you're one of those morons who *again* places all of the responsibility on the consumer, shut the fuck up. You shouldn't be allowed to breed. Does SOME of the responsibility belong there? Yes. But if you're saying that the individual consumer is at fault, you then by extension of your argument are never allowed to blame society, video games, music, family life, or ANYTHING ELSE for ANY PROBLEM for ANY PERSON EVER. If one person has the responsibility, then that's it, no other thing in society can have any hand in their situation. For instance, Larry Craig really is fucking gay. Pun Intended.
People deserve some of the responsibility, but we need to understand that the tactics and practices of credit card companies, and banking and lending institutions breed this kind of behavior. They encourage people to spend too much, take too much credit, and a society of systematic overindulged consumerism does more to encourage people to live beyond their means. The system is at fault for this one, kids. We're talking illegal in many cases, yet our government doesn't really see fit to do much because of course in their minds if businesses are healthy, then so too will be the people. But as we learned from GM in the 1980s, what's good for GM (and by extension corporate America) is NOT good for the rest of the country.
No this isn't an anti-capitalism rant, it's just a what's pissing me off rant. So don't call me a communist. Actually go ahead and call me a communist, because that's a much more appealing party label than anything party that pretends to have the best interests of America at heart.
Oh yeah, 24 states have primaries or caucuses coming up on Tuesday February, 5th. Don't forget to go vote if you have a primary, or find out where your caucus site and go to caucus. Even these steps are important in making your voice heard.
No matter who you support.
Use Google to find a calendar of all the states and their caucus and primary dates so you can figure out when yours is. Your local state.gov site should have instructions on precincts and where to go for your caucus. If you have a primary, it works just like voting. Find out where your voting location is (based on precinct) and then go cast your vote for who you think should be your party's nomination for President. If you have a caucus then you can find candidate videos on youtube that tell you how to do it. (They're goofy, cheesy, so suspend some disbelief, but they will tell you how to get the job done.) You can also find out on your state sites (or by contacting respective party help-lines that can be found online) where your caucus sites are and ask any questions how it works. Caucuses can take a couple hours or as little as 20 minutes, it all depends on how many people arrive from your precinct, and how much support there is from different candidates. But its important, it should be done.
That's it. J-Wall out.
First: Fuck you, CNN. Again. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. Seriously, Heath Ledger is your lead? Really? It's 9:45 in the morning right now in Colorado, and your lead story is about Heath Ledger? Couldn't be bothered to put up the story about the 935 false and misleading statements made by the Bush Administration about the war in Iraq? Couldn't bother to lead with an article about the debt crisis (and how it was the banking industry, credit card companies, and predatory lending that REALLY put us here?) I understand the concept of if it bleeds it leads, and you want eyes because eyes on your pages mean more sponsor dollars.
But really. Go fuck yourselves. Profanity never makes a great argument, but your bullshit never makes great news either. This is worse than yellow journalism. It's distracting, misleading, and it shows just how willing (lest we forget able, and eager) you are to abdicate your responsibility to inform the public. This is not news. Heath Ledger is a tragic story, but by putting it up front you are saying that is the most important thing right now. Fuck you. Fuck you, twice. And then there's a story about some robbers in Australia who robbed a restaurant. They meant to grab a bag of cash but instead grabbed a bag of "bread rolls." Here's the thing -- doesn't this fit your criteria for a top news story CNN? Robbery, Fun Accent, Guns, Someone Gets Shot In The Ass, and a funny happy ending. I'm surprised you haven't linked it to to the Heath Ledger article yet, after all he was an Aussie...and the robbery happened in Australia...and given all your foreign relations "street cred" in closing down bureaus and sending people to do foreign reporting less and less every year, I'm surprised you don't just automatically think they're related.
I fucking hate you. You're still better than Fox News, but you're a fucking piece of shit. I could continue on CNN, I'm not going to. I need to get back to work soon.
Second: This whole credit crunch shit, and recession fears and all sorts of things. I have my doubts that it's actually real. The credit crunch is, but the stock market falling and all sorts of other bullshit -- all that's predicated upon is fear that consumers are really going to stop spending. We're spending because shit costs too much. Unfettered capitalism, and a free market society create a financial situation that's only good for business. Then there's a collapse, and consumers get blamed. Really? We get blamed for what someone else has done? Let's take a look at this for a second. You know what has really created this? Credit Cards and predatory lending. Republicans especially love to make laws that help these fuckers out. And in the mid 80s with the Reagan administration and trickle-down economics and supply side economics, the flames of the problem were only given more fuel.
When people don't spend, the economy gets hurt. So the idea was that people could be given credit cards to spend, and the economy would do better -- but that's a hollow solution. There's no real liquid, fluid currency processed in a credit card transaction so merchants get their funds, and the consumer gets its merchandise, but the consumer goes in debt. This only adds up over time, in the end pulling the bulk of the consumers fluid currency out of boosting the economy and placing it into a position where it reduces debt -- that hurts the economy. This housing crunch, and the predatory lending associated with it, does more of the same. Lending institutions want nothing more than to lend you money on great terms, reserve the right to change them on whatever arbitrary standards they want to use, then make boatloads of money off of your increased payments. Of course, they think very little of what happens when the lower-middle-class family they just fucked over actually doesn't have enough money to pay their bills. Stupid fucks. When money is spent paying off credit cards instead of actual purchasing of goods, the economy goes downhill. Credit card companies and predatory lenders have fucked us over.
And if you're one of those morons who *again* places all of the responsibility on the consumer, shut the fuck up. You shouldn't be allowed to breed. Does SOME of the responsibility belong there? Yes. But if you're saying that the individual consumer is at fault, you then by extension of your argument are never allowed to blame society, video games, music, family life, or ANYTHING ELSE for ANY PROBLEM for ANY PERSON EVER. If one person has the responsibility, then that's it, no other thing in society can have any hand in their situation. For instance, Larry Craig really is fucking gay. Pun Intended.
People deserve some of the responsibility, but we need to understand that the tactics and practices of credit card companies, and banking and lending institutions breed this kind of behavior. They encourage people to spend too much, take too much credit, and a society of systematic overindulged consumerism does more to encourage people to live beyond their means. The system is at fault for this one, kids. We're talking illegal in many cases, yet our government doesn't really see fit to do much because of course in their minds if businesses are healthy, then so too will be the people. But as we learned from GM in the 1980s, what's good for GM (and by extension corporate America) is NOT good for the rest of the country.
No this isn't an anti-capitalism rant, it's just a what's pissing me off rant. So don't call me a communist. Actually go ahead and call me a communist, because that's a much more appealing party label than anything party that pretends to have the best interests of America at heart.
Oh yeah, 24 states have primaries or caucuses coming up on Tuesday February, 5th. Don't forget to go vote if you have a primary, or find out where your caucus site and go to caucus. Even these steps are important in making your voice heard.
No matter who you support.
Use Google to find a calendar of all the states and their caucus and primary dates so you can figure out when yours is. Your local state.gov site should have instructions on precincts and where to go for your caucus. If you have a primary, it works just like voting. Find out where your voting location is (based on precinct) and then go cast your vote for who you think should be your party's nomination for President. If you have a caucus then you can find candidate videos on youtube that tell you how to do it. (They're goofy, cheesy, so suspend some disbelief, but they will tell you how to get the job done.) You can also find out on your state sites (or by contacting respective party help-lines that can be found online) where your caucus sites are and ask any questions how it works. Caucuses can take a couple hours or as little as 20 minutes, it all depends on how many people arrive from your precinct, and how much support there is from different candidates. But its important, it should be done.
That's it. J-Wall out.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Vote!
Happy New Year. We get to vote this year. It'll be like Christmas in November.
Don't let any poll, pundit, talking head, news story, or blog entry tell you who you should vote for or that this race is over. All it takes is 20 minutes every day for a week. Research candidates, go to their websites, their myspace pages, whatever -- and see where they stand. See if you agree. In the amount of time it takes you to eat a bowl of cereal and toast you can figure out if you agree or disagree with a candidate, and see who best represents you.
Despite what the media tells you this is not a circus to be watched, a race to be observed, a game in which you have no hand. This does not take place on a playing field that has nothing to do with you. The field is America, it has everything to do with you. It is not only your privilege but your responsibility to vote, and to cast your say.
Happy New Year, we get to vote this year.
Don't let any poll, pundit, talking head, news story, or blog entry tell you who you should vote for or that this race is over. All it takes is 20 minutes every day for a week. Research candidates, go to their websites, their myspace pages, whatever -- and see where they stand. See if you agree. In the amount of time it takes you to eat a bowl of cereal and toast you can figure out if you agree or disagree with a candidate, and see who best represents you.
Despite what the media tells you this is not a circus to be watched, a race to be observed, a game in which you have no hand. This does not take place on a playing field that has nothing to do with you. The field is America, it has everything to do with you. It is not only your privilege but your responsibility to vote, and to cast your say.
Happy New Year, we get to vote this year.
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