Douchebag of the Day

I’m so tired from having to be indignant all the time. It’s just exhausting.

Let’s hope the injured parties can sue.

@Benedick: I feel exactly the same way. What turned them into such pricks? It can’t be racism alone…

@Tommmcatt May Just Have Some MJ In His System As Well, So What?: It’s the glee at doing harm, the prideful ignorance, the willful lack of respect for others, the smug gloating that they have somehow struck a blow for freedom. Like a little boy breaking his toy rather than let the neighbor kid play with it.

@Benedick: It’s the glee at doing harm, the prideful ignorance, the willful lack of respect for others, the smug gloating

NB to JNOV: There’s your answer. Human nature for the win.

Whatever happened to our idea of the evacuation/refugee ship, I think the moniker S.S. Molly Ivins was tossed around?

@Benedick: Sociopathy, in other words.

And you know if Romney wins he’ll sign anything sent to him by sociopaths like this guy – he needs the GOP base to win again.

@rptrcub: It’s Iceland for me. There is a truly egalitarian atmosphere, an opera/symphony hall, three theatres, a thriving rock scene (whatever that means), great bookstores (they read more than anyone else), fantastic food, snuggly woolies, no Sport to speak of, lots of blondes wearing snuggly woolies (only really of interest if one is into three days growth of blonde beard over sunburned skin combined with cornflower blue eyes), etc: only downside? 5 liquor stores, state run, serving Reykjavik, and god knows what happens outside the capital. No gardening as we know it, though I’m thinking rocks and lichen; no trees, which is both unnerving and exhilarating.

Upside? Most peace-loving (see above re lack of Sport), literate, contented population in Europe. The island is of a beauty that makes one weep (full disclosure, I’m a bit of a cryer), horses everywhere, expensive gas, gravel roads, puffins, cliffs, rainbows, aurora borealis, etc.

The banksters staged a catastrophic assault on the economy, it collapsed, austerity was demanded, the population said Go fuck yourself, you caused the mess, you fix it – and they’re doing pretty well.

Smoked char. That is all I have to say. You will never be content with smoked salmon again.

@nojo: And the better angels? C’mon. I refuse to be cynical today.

Re: African slavery — forget reparations. Was there ever an official apology? I tuned out that business when I hit DEFCON Cross-eyed-crazy.

@Benedick: only really of interest if one is into three days growth of blonde beard over sunburned skin combined with cornflower blue eyes

You had me at beard.

@Benedick: Are they looking for citizens?

And all of you – I missed this and none of you bothered to tell me?

@blogenfreude: I’m reminded of the woman with diarrhea who went to Cats in London. There was a metal grating above the orchestra pit and she couldn’t find her way out. I shit you not.

I don’t know if they’re looking for citizens. Given my Viking propensities I intend to invoke Odin and throw myself on their mercy.

@Benedick: How do they like The Brown Folk?

ADD: Haha! Right. We don’t do fjords.

ADDD: We don’t do singed sheep head, either.

@blogenfreude: Del Mar = Deep Pockets. But, you know. Good luck with that.

@Benedick: 15 years ago I looked like Eric the Red.

@JNOV: I think they’re fine. It’s a strange town. It’s like Scotland in the 50s crossed with the East Village.

@blogenfreude: Eric the Red? Darling, let’s go back in time and I’ll date you. No, srsly. I’ll take you backstage at the Public. You could wear your kilt.

Would you people leave me alone!!! Thank you. I’m revising scene 2.

@Benedick: Oh!

@JNOV: And the better angels?

Well, that too.

And there you reach the fundamental paradox of my cynicism: I’m also an idealistic optimist. We can do better. But most of us choose not to. And part of that is because changing for the better is fucking difficult.

And that’s where I think we come to terms: If you grow up in a dysfunctional world of Bad Religion (or Bad Family, or whatever), that’s the only world you know. Recognizing that there are other worlds — other, better ways to Be Yourself — is one step. Making that happen is quite another.

So you can’t just cast off the religion you grew up with, since it’s interweaved with everything you know. If you walk away from it, you’re walking into The Unknown. And that’s fucking scary.

But here’s the thing: If you run away to join the Circus, you quickly discover that other folks got there before you. And now you’re in a whole new world of Wonder and Adventure.

Only you can’t know that beforehand. It’s a Leap of Faith. And thirty years in, I’m quite happy I jumped.

One caution: It really helps to know a trade before you do it…

TJ/ Am I the only one signed up to call folks who were sent voter registration forms? Call banking! Good times. I am going off script though. “Honestly, I don’t care who you vote for. Just get registered so you can“

@nojo: I’m smiling. And you’re are absolutely right–when I reconnected with Nutty Family, nutty in innumerable ways, the hardest thing I had to do was to convince them that I don’t think they’re stupid. I’ve never escaped. Everything is colored by the interwoven stuff you mentioned, but I’m doing my best to Be Myself without dumping the family. It’s incredibly hard. Rigid boundaries have to be set. We can discuss if they are really interested in what I think, otherwise, they need to stop assuming what I think because I’m a apostate among other things. I keep reminding them that I never, ever bring this stuff up, and if they do, they need to be ready to engage in a respectful discussion or they can keep filling in their mental gaps on their own.

I suppose this communication issue applies to any interpersonal relationship: Do you really want to get to know me? Then just ask. I won’t pry or assume things about you–tell me what you wish when you’re comfortable, if ever. I’m cool with that. I like watching relationships bloom. But as in the immortal words of Jerry Springer guests, “You don’t know me.” But you could…

I’m really curious why we don’t seem to have any more left-wing radical groups in the country. No more Students for a Democratic Society, Weather Underground, or even a Symbionese Liberation Army (guess they went back to Symbionia?).

We’ve got extremist right-wing nutjobs out the wazoo–most of them got elected to Congress–so where are the crazees on the other end of the spectrum? Can it really be that the radical Left has accomplished its goals and far-right reactionaries are all that remains?

@¡Andrew!: The Left grew up. The Right went crazy.

Question: do we spell it jism or jizzm?

@JNOV: There was a moment, when I was first being inspired by all this shit, that I tried to lay it all out for Dad. I was really excited, and I wanted to share.

Well, that was more than he wanted to think about. He didn’t swat me down or anything — I wasn’t trying to change him — I was just beyond his range of interest.

Which is fair enough. Haven’t talked to him about it since.

@Benedick: Is “tzism” out of the running?

@¡Andrew!: We don’t have blatant discrimination (except against you), and we don’t have an unpopular war. You can Occupy a park, but that’s nothing like Sitting In at a lunch counter.

For a more thorough answer: If you have Netflix, watch “Berkeley in the Sixties”. Notice what they’re protesting. Today’s targets are much more insidious.

@Benedick: The more jizm, the merrier.

@nojo: I’m already against the next war.

@nojo: They wanted more sex, right?

Meanwhile, Stanford lets ROTC and military recruiters back. But Stanford’s no bastion of liberalism. The LSJUMB doesn’t give it street cred.

@Benedick: “spunk”

@¡Andrew!: I’m already against the next war.

Maybe President Mitt will do something stupid and reignite the Left. Shrub snuck in Iraq while we were still in shock. Mitt won’t have that excuse when he bombs Iran.

I’m not getting any hackwork done today. Switching gears from the Sacred to Profane is really a bitch.

@¡Andrew!: The absolute worst part is that many of the former SDS are now trying to deny you civil rights. Pisses me off.

@nojo: It seems fairly obvious that the war profiteers will order Rmoney to start more wars and escalate the current ones. They view the “defense” budget as a wealth transfer tool.

@¡Andrew!: didn’t the leader of the SLA call himself Cinque? I always thought he and they were from Symbia. at least they were bad enough to fight the pigs to the death. no backing down, no pleas, no rats. if you’re gonna be a criminal, be a real criminal. todays erstwhile bombers and robbers always fall for some idiot obvious undercover agitator and then rat their friends out when the shit hits the fan.

remember the two who kidnapped a high if not the highest ranking exxon official in the 70′s and ended up suffocating him (mistakenly) in a box when the ransom wasn’t paid fast enough? now the gasoline companies suffocate us for not paying enough ransom faster.

seriously, the reason folks protested vietnam and things in the sixties was the draft. folks from 16 to 30 something had their lives and safety at stake. it was easier to fight the american pigs and the national guard on campus than the vc and nva in their own backyard jungle. plus, it’s hard to tell todays soldiers they are fucking up in iraq when they joined for economic reasons and have to go back 5-6 times. what pissed me off most about iraq wasn’t what the republican’ts did, but what the democrats who voted to allow w to do what he did. i knew the republican’ts would pull that chickenhawk shit rattling someone else’s sword. kerry, hillary and others were supposed to stand up to that shit and didn’t.

@¡Andrew!: @JNOV: Darling of course that’s true. Can’t get enough. Hot and steamy. Seems the canonical spelling is ‘jism’. Might want Cyn to lap that up.

Jizm?

No m’m.

Tzism?

No m’m.

Spunk’m?

No m’m.

Jism?

Yes’m.

This Staged Dramatic Reading presented by the Stinque Players as a Public Service.

@jwmcsame: Hey! Hey! And then they put on the striped ties and went to Wall Street.

@Benedick: Had I not been actually working–unlike some people here–I would have confirmed “jism” immediately. And let’s be perfectly clear: I do not “lap that up.” You seem to be confusing me with Catt.

@Mistress Cynica: As the actress said to the bishop.

And would someone please explain to me why everyone is hating on Ann Curry? I don’t watch any of those shows.

@blogenfreude: Because I don’t care for contemporaneous UO Journalism graduates who get more attention than me.

Hands on research pays off.

Jism. Yes, Cyn. Let’s set aside noje’s neologisms based on personal preferences. It’s a big fountain of fun.

Question: Fascinatin’ Rhythm.

Fascinatin’ Jism, I got you on the go?

Fascinatin; Jizm, I got you on the go?

I’m all aquiver.

So you know, I spend weeks worrying about stuff like this. It’s not unlike Catt being fitted for chaps: assless or not? (sidebar: darling, is the mirror kind?) Or noje needing new Birks.

Barbarians at the gates stop here.

@blogenfreude: I’m going to the Peterson Automotive Museum down on Fairfax tonight for a benefit thingy. Regrettably, my cell phone (and camera) died so I can’t post any Car Porn.

@Benedick: Neolojism is always fresh.

GODDAMN IT’S HOTTER THAN ‘CATT’S SPUNKY CHAPS!

@Benedick: What’s up with this jizz biz, anyway? Have you been on Chatroulette again?

@Dodgerblue: Stop a the Whole Foods.

@JNOV: It’s all about work. I’m a slave to… something or other. Oh right. Researching the gays. And their quirques.

This is why the black panthers were second amendment patriots

@JNOV: Please! I’m a married man! Sort of.

Does a bag of Trader Joe’s turkey jerky and three large vodka martinis count as dinner? I sure hope so, because I’m ready to join all y’all, as they say in Texas.

My input, in no particular order:

(a) Jizm, and if not that, then spunk

(b) New Zealand ranks higher than Iceland in my book. FlyingChainSaw, ammirite?

(c) @Dodgerblue: Friend of mine used to be an event manager at the Peterson Museum. The stories she can tell about Jay Leno would make your hair curl.

(d) @jwmcsame: I’ve been screaming “bring back the draft” since 1990 when a bunch of my fellow low-income low-option high school grads (of both genders, but mostly male) who had the choice of bagging groceries at the local H-E-B, or going into the Army/Marines/Navy/Air Force (JNOV will understand the significance of that hierarchy), wound up standing around in Baghdad in 1992 asking “what the fuck am I doing here?” The unlucky ones were in the same spot 10 years later (and/or in the same spot in Baghdad 20 years later. Jesus that makes me feel old).

(e) I cannot get the “Gettin Real in the Whole Foods Parking Lot” rap to stop being my earworm. I think I need to queue up some Nikki Minaj “Starships” or ’70s easy-listening like “Cat’s Cradle” to get rid of it.

ADD:
(f) I can’t decide who has a bigger Ann Curry crush, me or Mr. SFL. He has the total hots for her given her brains and looks, and of course since she’s a fellow Duck that’s bonus points. I love her for seeming to not take herself seriously yet always having a “bish please” attitude towards the drunk chicks NBC drags out at 9 am. I want her to leave NBC and go co-host with Anderson Cooper or Rachel Maddow like NOW. from what I can gather, NBC was playing chicken with her and spreading rumors about firing her, and she showed up to work and did a great job. Go Ducks! Go Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Nike!

/carry on

@Dodgerblue: Last time I did something like that I hit the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. Like AMC, but with better cars.

@SanFranLefty:

Give me the word, and I’ll meet you on Grafton Bridge with a s’pack of Double Brown.