You are currently browsing the Down with Absolutes! weblog archives for February, 2005.
Check out my friend Naomi’s blog, where she describes her discovery of Bright Eyes’ new song, When the President Talks to God. I only heard this song today and totally fell in love with the passion vocalist Conor Oberst displays. Naomi has the lyrics. Read them twice.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Music at 10:04 PM PST
While driving home today after renewing my car registration I accidentally realized I’d had the radio station tuned to 93.7 WSTW, Wilmington’s crappy top-40 station. But a good song was on. One of the only tolerable Eagles songs, Get Over It, was rocking out of the speakers. So I kept it on.
I can’t yet comprehend why I didn’t IMMEDIATELY change the station after that song. Host and program director Mike Rossi was “talking up a record” (this means he is talking over the lengthy intro of a song about to be played). The song playing? Maroon 5’s shitty She Will Be Loved, a song I had heard at least 15,000 times while working at the cafe. The best part came when the voice of the lead singer cut Rossi off. As I’ve learned from Howard Stern, it’s shameful for the DJ to mis-time things so that he continues talking when the song’s words start. I thought it was hilarious and just another reason why I almost never listen to the radio today, save for Stern and NPR.
The continued homogenization of radio, I feel, is one of the clearest dangers to our culture today. Huge congloms like the evil Clear Channel continue to dominate the playing field, thanks in no part to doofus President Clinton’s signing of the devastating Telecommunications Act of 1996, which supported and allowed for the lifting of restrictions on how many stations a huge corporation can own. Essentially, behemoths like Clear Channel CONTROL the music industry. With a disgustingly forceful stronghold in many radio markets and its continued acquiring of concert venues, Clear Channel’s contribution to the cultural health of our country remain questionable.
I’ll close by letting George Carlin say a few words, direct from his most recent book, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, a really quick and entertaining read:
Dave over at Ramblings of a College Freshman offers up a tongue-in-cheek letter to counter Sean Penn’s arrogance and public scolding of Chris Rock’s Jude Law comment last night. Check out his letter, complete with the comments made by both Rock and Penn.
I live blogged last night and made mention of Penn’s annoying arrogance. It was a joke, Mr. Penn! Get it together.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Movies at 5:41 PM PST
Over at La Shawn Barber’s Corner her readers are complaining about the Oscars. La Shawn complained, too, although her complaints seem more fairly and thoughtfully worded.
Of course, a plethora of crazy comments were made as to why her conservative base didn’t watch this year. Here are some reasons I’ve paraphrased.
“They ignored ‘The Passion of the Christ’”
“Anyone who gives an award to Michael Moore is dumb.”
“Chris Rock is vulgar.”
What bothers me most about this conservative criticism is that it’s unfair and full of spin. I’ve read several conservative blogs where folks were LAUGHING when Chris Rock made fun of liberals. But make fun of the president? Oh no no no! Consistency is not a strong point of these Rock-bashing conservatives. At least I can say I laughed at BOTH the anti-Bush jokes AND the Michael Moore-Super Size Me joke. Perhaps conservatives take their president a bit too seriously. But Rock’s GAP analogy was dead on. If you worked at the GAP and opened up your register with “700 trillion” dollars and you close out at night and the money is gone then you’d lose your job. Rock compared this to Bush coming on board in 2001 with a SURPLUS and then shitting it all away with tax cuts. And yet he keeps his job?
Conservatives need to get their panties out of a bunch. This was definitely NOT Rock’s best performance. Only when he is allowed free reign can he truly shine. Right-wingers oughtta be happy he so thoroughly censored himself.
I would reply to the commenters on Barber’s site, but I don’t think I would be greeted with a welcome. There are SO MANY people commenting AGAINST Hollywood that I feel a rational discussion wouldn’t be had if I–one of the only liberals–were to join in the debate. What can I say, though? I still love La Shawn!
Posted by Mike Matthews in Movies at 1:08 PM PST
I’m live blogging!
Thanks to liveblogging.org for the link to my Oscar coverage.
I haven’t watched the Oscars in at least five years. Only because of Chris Rock am I watching this year. Lemme tell you. The stiff-ass audience isn’t laughing much but I’m lovin’ it! Rock is the best comedian working today.
Great choice.
PS…My favorite conservative diva, Michelle Malkin has a nice list of some other folks live blogging the event.
Click the “more” tab for, well, more!
Posted by Mike Matthews in Movies at 8:46 PM PST
Education blogger Joanne Jacobs spotlights a story out of Florida detailing a lesbian high school student’s failed attempt at keeping her senior photo of her in a tuxedo in the yearbook. It seems the principal, Sam Ward, didn’t like the idea of a woman wearing “boy’s clothes.” Of the 24 people who spoke at a school board meeting, one nitwit had the audacity to say: “When uniformity is compromised, then authority no longer holds,” said Karen Gordon.
To which I’d respond: “When uniformity is overly maintained, you get a dictator-loving society of mindless idiots.” My comment is probably unfair, but so is hers. Uniformity of colonists didn’t win us the Revolutionary Wars. Uniformity of slaves didn’t win them emancipation.
However, some of her commenters make valid points. If they let this girl wear a tuxedo then what can they do to a boy who comes in for senior photos wearing a dress? There should certainly be some right of the school to not make the yearbook a joke, but not allowing this girl to wear a tuxedo doesn’t solve any problems. Is it not in society generally more acceptable for a girl to wear “boy’s clothes” then it is vice versa? Remember, girls can run around in slacks and flannel shirts. But guys can’t openly wear skirts and make-up without being a) thought of a nut or b) a “flaming queer.”
Which brings me to a personal story. A friend of mine went to a Catholic high school in Pennsylvania and a lesbian chose to wear a tuxedo for her senior photo. I remember because she showed me the photo of the girl. This was more than five years ago, but a photo like that you don’t forget. The girl looked respectable in the photo and the school (remember, a CATHOLIC school) had no problem.
Check out Joanne’s site for some interesting conversation.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Dumb stuff at 10:02 AM PST
So, it’s Saturday morning and I’m at home playing (finally) with my CSS (cascading style sheet). In short, this is to a web designer what the AP Style Book is to a journalist. It’s a uniform way of classifying how you’d like your site to look. I’m currently fooling with my blockquote style. So, throughout the day you may see different colors.
So, I need your help. What color scheme do you think works best for a site like mine? Give me two or three colors you think would make the site more aesthetically pleasing. Check out the sites I’ve listed on the right. Many of these sites have a great look I wouldn’t want to duplicate; just derive some inspiration from.
I’ll be working with my computer guru to get a better hand on this CSS business. But let me know of your suggestions.
Update: So it looks like this is color scheme I’ll be using…at least for a couple of hours. Please send me some suggestions.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 10:24 AM PST
Bill Maher aired his final show last season on the Friday after Election Day. It’s a shame. In the more-than three months since that dreadful outcome his cynicism and incendiary humor would’ve made a great antidote to the bullshit we’ve been fed by the press and White House talking heads. (Ahem, Jeff Gannon).
So the new season started last Friday. I missed the season opener because I’ve become quite friendly with the DVD player and haven’t watched much HBO in a while to notice an ad. I did see a rerun, though, on Wednesday night. Featured on the show was Delaware’s very own idiot-in-residence, Sen. Joe Biden. Not known for parsing words, Sen. Biden got in a few good punches, though Robin Williams’ (undiagnosed?) ADHD was a major annoyance.
Raw Story has a pretty good run-down of some things Biden reviewed on last Friday’s show, namely his interest in launching an investigation into the whole Gannon/Guckert hubris.
Alas, I digress. This post isn’t about Delaware’s loud-mouthed senior senator. It’s about Bill Maher.
One of my favorite conservative bloggers, Ambra Nykol brought forth an interesting debate on Maher’s opinions of Christians. The debate seemed to be equal on the amount of those for and against Maher and/or his comments. I agree with his comments pertaining to religious folk who’ve chosen the path of least enlightment over “science and rationality.” Bar none. And, he goes even further in an editorial printed in The Wilmington News Journal, Delaware’s largest daily newspaper. The editorial ran on Thursday but was simply a cleaned-up transcript of one of Maher’s “New Rules” from last week’s episode.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Liberalism at 10:29 PM PST
Wow…more drama at Temple University. Apparently, basketball coach John Chaney was advised by school president David Adamany to step down for the rest of the regular season after Chaney sicced a huge player a St. Joe’s player to “send [them] a message.”
My cousin Frank goes to St. Joe’s and has advised me he was supposed to go to the game in question. I’m wondering if that lummox would be so grateful to come on here and perhaps write a guest-editorial on what the mood is like on his campus? This is just too cool. Ok, perhaps cool isn’t the word. Fascinating?
As an aside, look at that picture. Is it me or does it look like Mr. Chaney’s got a little retard strength in him? He’s looking a little drunk and bothered in this photo. Maybe they should’ve shot him from the other side?
I’m regretting not seeing this dude in some more action while attending Temple.
Unrelated partisan aside: The above Chaney may be crazy, but he’s not as crazy and evil as this Cheney. LINK MAY BE SLOW. LARGE VIDEO FILE
Posted by Mike Matthews in Dumb stuff at 6:45 PM PST
It’s time for a song!
But first, a little preaching from yours truly. Before I post the song I feel a little emphasis must be placed on something I feel is very important. So, for the emphasis, I’m gonna bold it up a bit…
Posted by Mike Matthews in Music at 6:16 PM PST
Check out Dave Ryan’s blog, Ramblings of a College Freshman. He linked back to my Jason Tharp post from yesterday.
Dave did a search of “Jason Tharp” on Yahoo! and came upon a site, Techorati.com, that had a bunch of blogs discussing Tharp’s death. My blog was listed among them.
So check him out. There’s some interesting stuff to be read over there. I’m blogrolling him.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Liberalism at 6:30 PM PST
Apparently I can’t run fast enough away from Temple University. Though I graduated nearly a month ago, emails are still coming in every day. No complaints from me, though. Just so long as I continue getting tidbits like this. Click the “(more…)” tab to read on.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Personal at 5:55 PM PST
Update V: (previous updates below) To balance things out, the City did do one good thing. It picked up an abandoned vehicle outside the house that had been there for two months. To be fair, though, we only just reported it two weeks ago.
I stayed home today. One, because I mentor on Wednesdays and two because I’m seeing an old friend a little later today.
I should’ve taken a subbing assignment.
Knock knock.
I answer the door, cautiously. At the door is the guy who just appeared outside our house this morning to work on something the city ordered done to the plumbing on the road. Water had been bubbling from a man-made hole the past week and a half and, after my mother contacted the city twice, she was told it “was nothing to worry about.”
Bullshit.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Personal at 1:05 PM PST
All I can say is read this stuff. I don’t have anything to say about it. Perhaps I’ll just open up comments.
Here is a portion. Note, this kid is the same age as my sister, who also graduated high school in 2004.
Linda Tharp read Couric the last letter Jason wrote his family before his death. It was dated February 2nd, “Tomorrow I have to go to the BAS for a follow-up appointment. If I don’t approve overnight, then they could put me on bed rest for another day. Also tomorrow is the first day for the swim qualification. We are officially on Phase Two. My senior drill instructor told me it’s pretty much downhill from here, but I think it’s only going to get harder. I told him I couldn’t cut it, and that’s what he told me. I still don’t think I belong here, and I think I should go home and try to get a grant. Do you agree? So, if you can get me out I could be forever grateful. Right now I don’t care about the money. My health is in jeopardy, because we don’t have enough time to eat, and I’m getting sicker and sicker, and there’s no stopping it, because everyone in my platoon is coming down with something. A couple people have pneumonia, and they have been coughing up blood, and I fear soon it will be me. So, if you can find it in yourself to help me out of here, I would be grateful. Thanks. Love, Jason. I’m serious this time, and I will use all of my power to try to get out, too. And, another thanks if you can help me.”
But, this is just the liberal media bringin’ down the military! Treasonous liberal media that dare question the men and women who “fight for our freedoms!” To be fair, though, the Marine Corps already seems to have distanced itself from some of the practices of its (crazy) drill instructors.
What a tragedy.
Update I: Conservative blog Outside the Beltway has ESP and claims the military has no fault in this case. Probably just suicide. Note to “liberal” media: shut the hell up and bow to our men and women in uniform.
Update II: The same TV station from which I pulled the above article has a separate page that includes video of Tharp being assaulted by one of his drill instructors. Check out the video here. Click on “Heather Brown on the death of a Marine recruit…”
Posted by Mike Matthews in Political Landscape at 8:36 PM PST
Thanks to the two new conservatives who posted in reply to my Michelle Malkin screed yesterday. I’m certainly looking for a more diverse group than what currently visits my site (though I certainly love you all nonetheless). I’ve added commenter Bill’s site to my blogroll. Check it out.
In all fairness, though, I must admit my trackback to Malkin’s site has brought me a nice bump in traffic. I like Malkin’s writing even though I disagree most of the time.
Here’s to more conservatives visiting!
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 7:35 AM PST
One of my favorite conservative bloggers, Michelle Malkin modestly gripes over the fact Seymour Hersh and Bill Moyers won Polk Awards today.
Malkin, who’s called Maureen Dowd a sourpuss should herself buck-up. Obviously upset the whole Abu Ghraib news (for which Hersh was awarded the Polk) exploded as it did, Malkin feels it necessary to criticize the journalist who rightly brought forth this atrocity in American history. Hersh has his biases, which I’m sure he would admit off the record, but it doesn’t dispute the facts presented in his article. Perhaps Malkin would like to read the even more-thorough Taguba Report, written by a general who objectively reviewed and accounted for everything in Hersh’s piece. I don’t think those “military men” are known to be extremely anti-Bush.
The fact that Malkin would probably rather have had the media keep this important information from the American public in order to maintain some sense of support for this war is a true travesty. I think Malkin is the real sourpuss.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Conservatism at 10:36 PM PST
You know what I hate? All those pretentious screwhead critics who cristen a movie or album the “Best of place-year-here” when only two months of the new year have passed. I hate that crap. I see TV ads already proclaiming the Best of 2005. Can’t these asses wait until at least June? At least make it the halfway point.
Anyhow, forget everything I just said because I think I have in hand a copy of the Best Album of 2005. None of you have heard of her, as she’s making her major label debut with this album.
Mary Gauthier (pronounced “go-shay”) is a former-convict, a former Boston restauranteur and only wrote her first song at age 35. Now, four albums later and well into her forties she was signed to major label Lost Highway, a Universal Records imprint. Lost Highway is home to other alt-country rockers as Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Lyle Lovett, the inimitable Elvis Costello and the man himself, Johnny Cash. (Not to mention the supurb O Brother, Where Art Thou series). Perhaps there is hope still for this incestuous music industry more driven to looks and hooks as opposed to real music.
I realize I may take hell for bringing up this woman’s age, but it’s extremely relevant. In our instant-self-gratification society record execs are looking for a quick return on investment and little interest in the long-term stability , growth and potential of an artist. Music is practically irrelevant to these CEOs intent on delivering to their stockholders. Which is why the signing of an artist like Gauthier to a major is all the more shocking.
As a (stupid) youth I constantly wrote-off country music as confederate-flag-waving-hick bullshit. Well, for the most part it still is, which is why I feel I’ve fit so comfortably into accepting the type of “alt-country” that doesn’t get played on the radio. Often more daring than the simple twang heard on country radio, artists such as Cash, Williams, Lovett, the rabble rouser Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris, among others.
So, let me give you some sort of idea of how good this album is. I bought it approximately 48 hours ago (Saturday the 19th to those uniterested in counting backwards). So far I believe I’ve listened to it AT LEAST 10 times through. Be it the haunted lyrical and minor-note guitar picks of the opener Falling Out of Love or the honky-tonk git-down of Wheel Inside the Wheel, Gauthier’s Mercy Now is a decidely downtrodden affair. A story in which one woman’s lyrics are clearly personal and the music revealed extremely temperate. Nothing too overdone. Light Hammond B3 organ here, jaunty fiddle and banjo there. Spiced up with a bit of harmonica and pedal-steel guitar.
Gauthier wrote or co-wrote eight of the 10 songs here. Here’s a sampling of the aforementioned Falling Out of Love:
It’s a cheap hotel, the heat pipes hiss
The bathroom’s down the hall and it smells like piss
It’s another night in another town
And I’m another blues traveler headed down
Falling out of love is a dangerous thing
With its slippery slopes and its weighted wings
With its birds of prey circling overhead
Casting vulture shadows on barren beds
Let me out, set me free
Let me out, set me free
I may have more to say about this album later. But, go buy it now. Don’t steal it or something. Steal a Britney Spears album. She sells millions of ‘em. Let’s help Mary Gauthier keep that record contract she has so clearly earned.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Music at 10:14 PM PST
I’ve no time or interest in typing a whole lot tonight, so I’ll just leave you with this headline:
Bush Urging Allies to Move Beyond Iraq
Yeah, move into Iran and North Korea, right George? Where do France and Germany sign-up?
Damn crackhead.
Posted by Mike Matthews in ODB (Our Dumb Bush) at 8:32 PM PST
So, I posted extra on Thursday just so I could calm down this weekend. I’ll be back tomorrow with more delightfully unnecessary facts I’m sure you’ll all enjoy.
PS…the reason your comments don’t show immediately is because I have to approve them. I’ve been slammed with spam since I started this site. I don’t want all that junk clouding up the other decent comments.
I’m very careful, but should I accidentally delete one of your responses please first accept my apologies and then repost it.
Thanks and have a great Sunday!
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:23 PM PST
You all saw this picture splashed across cable news last year. Now, we get a bit of history (and a conclusion) behind it.
Conservatives will attempt to defend this display of inhumanity and viciousness, or perhaps they’ll just ignore it.
Conservatives often feel like they have some birthright at “owning” the affections of the military. Only they can convincingly praise the military. Unfortunately, it is they who often fail to condemn the military when inconceivable and disgusting actions such as this do come to light.
Read the article. The testimony of some military-folk is most damning in this case, in particular:
One Army guard, Sgt. Jeffery Frost, said the prisoner’s arms were stretched behind him in a way he had never before seen. Frost told investigators he was surprised al-Jamadi’s arms “didn’t pop out of their sockets,” according to a summary of his interview.
Frost and other guards had been summoned to reposition al-Jamadi, who an interrogator said was not cooperating. As the guards released the shackles and lowered al-Jamadi, blood gushed from his mouth “as if a faucet had been turned on,” according to the interview summary.
Conservatives will claim the prisoner posed an “immediate” threat to the military. Yeah, with his wrists bound.
Even when “one of their own” presents a report outlining said cruelty, conservatives find some way to defend the indefensible. When will they get it? Torture and humiliation are not effective means of extracting information from detainees.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Political Landscape at 7:49 PM PST
I’ve been frequenting many a conservative blog these past couple of months. The most amazing thing is that most say the same thing about The New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd: Oh, she’s a sourpuss!
Unfortunately, save the BS “sourpuss” comments, I rarely hear conservatives attack the common sense she brings to light in her columns. In particular, her first book, Bushworld is a strikingly honest look at a woman fascinated by the Bush Dynasty. So much so that she is able to remove her own ideology to have a good conversation with Bush 41 or track down Bush 43 for a pre-2000 election interview. Dowd is decidely playful. She has her biases. But most interesting in this book is how she details lengthy personal stories she’s experienced with the Bushies.
Perhaps the only reason conservatives don’t go farther than “sourpuss” is they realize she put in her time, first as a White House reporter and now as a bi-weekly columnist for the Times. Entirely able to separate her personal-political philosophies while reporting, Dowd continually serves up steaming portions of satiric–and boldly imaginative, at times–common sense to her millions of readers.
And her most recent column (NYTimes: reg. req’d) perfectly displays said common sense. Dated February 17, Dowd personalizes the Gannon/Gluckert issue by detailing her denial of a White House press pass during Bush’s first term and, consequently, through what has been his second term. With biting irony she espouses the left-wing blogosphere’s call for action by the White House to formally address this issue that has causes such an uproar.
And why not? She makes a point by condemning an obviously lax security check of Gannon’s entreé into the White House press corps. Gannon’s moonlighting as a prostitute should have sent up some flags and initiated at least a small investigation. But, wait! Gannon wrote for a hard-line conservative news site that placed Bush on a pedestal rather than the bed of coals he so often deserves.
I’ll feed you a morsel of Dowd’s column. You go read the rest.
From The New York Times:
I am very impressed with James Guckert, a k a Jeff Gannon.
How often does an enterprising young man, heralded in press reports as both a reporter and a contributor to such sites as Hotmilitarystud.com, Workingboys.net, Militaryescorts.com, MilitaryescortsM4M.com and Meetlocalmen.com, get to question the president of the United States?
Who knew that a hotmilitarystud wanting to meetlocalmen could so easily get to be face2face with the commander in chief?
Conservatives need to get off their hatred for Maureen Dowd. The woman has proven to be both a reliable source of wisdom and common sense on the continuing Bush legacy. Unfortunately it seems conservatives are the sourpusses when attempting to discredit Ms. Dowd.
Posted by Mike Matthews in ODB (Our Dumb Bush), Political Landscape at 5:36 PM PST
Never one for making intelligent comments, President Bush today said Syria is ‘out of step’ with other nations in the Middle East.
Huh? Don’t most OTHER nations in the Middle East frequently practice insane acts of inhumanity on their citizenry? What would be out of step is a nation that clings to democratic ideals and doesn’t practice such outdated theocratic monarchy (Saudi Arabia) so as to chop off a hand of a petty thief.
When asked if he felt Syria was involved in the recent assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Harari, Bush got all philosophical:
“I can’t tell you yet,” Bush said. “I don’t know that. I’m going to withhold judgment until we know what the facts are.”
Well, philosophical for him. Has this man EVER held back judgment in his presidency? He sure was able to wait for “the facts” in going to war with Iraq. He sure was able to wait for “the facts” when his administration was writing fat welfare-mama checks to its little bitch Ahmed Chalabi.
At the same news conference, Bush announced his appointment of John Negroponte, the US ambassador to Iraq, as the first director of national intelligence. He also said national security isn’t his only concern:
“We also care about hunger and disease. We care about the climate,” he said.
Umm…OK. Whatever you say, Your Majesty.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Conservatism at 12:51 PM PST