Fuckin' GM

And I release a sigh of lament for General Motors, which has now become the equivalent of the Gloria Swanson character in "Sunset Boulevard."

To paraphrase a line from that great movie: they're still big, it's the cars that got small.

And that's part of why they're filing for bankruptcy. Thanks, GM, for making those of us who would love to "Buy American" say "Bye, American."

Believe me, I hate saying this.

Boy Turns Back on Dalai Lama, Chooses Fun Over Fraud

The past few days haven't exactly been streamers and confetti for Yours Truly.

As much as I try to maintain positive thoughts about the current life sitch, the gloom has been getting the better of me. Panging regrets. Loneliness. Oh, and I have diarrhea. Unfortunately, my dreariness isn't among the things expelled during my frequent trips to the good ol' bowl.

However, my mood was elevated by several degrees when I read this news about Osel Hita Torres, a young man who has renounced what the Dalai Lama (who suffers from what I'm suffering at present, except he's spewing crap out of his mouth) and many others think is Torres's destiny. Yeah, they say he's Buddha Version 2.0 or whatever number they're at presently. The Dalai Lama made this distinction when Torres was just a toddler. And considering this kid was Buddha, what did the Buddhist order do? According to Torres, "They took me away from my family and stuck me in a medieval situation in which I suffered a great deal."

Torres is now 23 years old. He's studying Film (!) and listens to Jimi Hendrix (!), details which make me respect him all the more.

I salute you, Mr. Torres, for living your life to the fullest.

I'll assume everyone is at least marginally aware thanks to great films like "Witness" and the imperishable "Kingpin" of the rituals and stifling lifestyle of the Amish. (To the credit of the Amish: they sure make fine food.) Anyway, the Amish have a rite of passage known as "Rumspringa", which is the subject of a TERRIFIC documentary titled "The Devil's Playground." What happens is that Amish teens go out into real world and, you know, drink alcohol, watch movies, play Nintendo, get laid. Pleasures we take for granted and don't indulge in nearly as much as we should. After this, the teens make a decision: stay in their repressive, insanely dull community or depart for greener pastures (the green possibly being weed). Most, sadly, decide to stay put. But some decide to move on.

And I salute them.

For the same reason I salute Mr. Torres.

For rejecting the greatest sin of all.

For saying "KISS OUR ASSES" rather than keep their heads up 'em.

Kudos. And it's off to the toilet yet again.

Article on Torres:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/31/dalai-lama-osel-hita-torres

Dedicated to "Maximus"

I do miss talking literature and movie moments like this with you, good sir, hahaha.

"The Hunger":



"From Dusk 'Til Dawn":



"True Lies":



"Wild Things":



"Cruel Intentions":




"The Hot Spot":



"The New Guy":



"Swimming Pool":



"Femme Fatale":



Some movie whose title I don't know:



"Grindhouse":

Joker and I

Fairytale of Clark

I found a bar in Clark which has Karaoke Night and includes "Fairytale of New York" in the list of offered songs. Although the song is out of season and although I have no one to duet with me, I, powered by Tullamore and mozzarella sticks, shall be paying homage to (although most will argue desecrating) the boys and Kirsty MacColl on Wednesday night. Yippie ki yay.

"Casablanca"

From "Casablanca", my favorite scene in all of cinema:

Geithner

Many, perhaps most, editorial pages aren't dripping with honeyed phrases for Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. I'm sure he's aware of this -- unlike, say, the $30,000+ in taxes. Well, a smile must've crossed his normally dour-looking face upon discovering that People Magazine named him one of the "50 Most Beautiful People."

Seriously.

Tim Geithner.

You know, I hear and read compliments of sexual nature in reference to President Obama -- and most of 'em come from the anchors at MSNBC.

I hear and read compliments of sexual nature in reference to Sarah Palin, how they'd like to stick something in her mouth. Well, anything to make her shut the fuck up.

Yet for all I hear and read about Geithner, I never hear or read the phrase "Tim Geithner -- mmm, I want me some of THAT." Or any phrases contiguous to it. I once overheard one person say that Geithner looks creepy. Like the type of guy who stuffs birds and talks oh so lovingly about his sick mother waiting in the house on the hill.

But anyway.

To my friends who're women and gay males: do you think he belongs in the list? To put it bluntly, would you do him?

Ballin'

Let's see Brown, Harper, Sarkozy, Merkel, Rudd, Putin, and Napolitano do THIS.





That's our motherfuckin' President. :)

The First 100 Days

When asked to opine on President Obama's performance during these First Hundred Days, MSNBC's Chris Matthews replied, "Personally, I'm a bit shocked. I'm surprised that Obama hasn't accomplished more within the first Hundred Days. Especially considering how he created the universe in only six."

Oh, I kid.

R.I.P. Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur, best known as the title character in "Maude" and Dorothy in "The Golden Girls", passed away three days ago.

"Maude" was a wonderful spin-off of the great "All in the Family." Whereas Archie Bunker was a fiery right-winger, Maude, a cousin of Archie's wife Edith, was an equally fiery liberal. The two hated each other ever since she caught him drawing devil ears on a photo of Franklin Roosevelt, regarded by Maude as "a saint."

Anyway, in tribute to Bea Arthur, here are two clips featuring her as Maude. In the first clip, Archie and Maude heatedly debate Franklin Roosevelt's legacy. In the second, Maude argues with her future husband and her neighbor about Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon.

Song of the Day

And here's Bush. The band, not President Obama's immediate predecessor.

I haven't heard this song in a while and haven't seen the video in an even longer while. Not since elementary school. The days when MTV still played music videos.

Damn weather (or should I say "weather for the damned?")

It’s scorching outside -- the natural consequence of same-sex couples exchanging wedding vows in Iowa, right, Conservatives?

I just hope that the eventual downpour of fire and sulfur doesn’t hit before Friday. Maybe the Almighty will grant Americans the mercy of seeing Wolverine before laying His wrath upon us.

:::sigh:::

I’m genuinely pleased at the progressive victory in the heartland, although my jubilation is undercut by the feeling that the Iowa State Supreme Court's landmark decision will be overturned via ballot proposition in 2010.

So congratulations to the happy couples. Enjoy it while you can.

Let's hope I'm wrong in my prediction.

Norm Coleman

Once upon a time, Norm Coleman, you were a pot-smoking, long-haired, antiwar hippie.



Hard to believe. You even celebrated your twentieth birthday in Woodstock. So I'm quite positive that you've seen Easy Rider. All self-respecting hippies did.

You'll recall that towards the end of that film, Peter Fonda comes to a morose realization:

"We blew it."

And Mr. Coleman, I hope you too arrive at that realization.

Al Franken may be the comedian, but you're the fucking joke. And the people of Minnesota have stopped laughing. You lost. Your Senate career has ended. So pack up your things. Go home. Write your book. Appear on Fox News every week alongside your buddies Tom DeLay and Rick Santorum to offer your worthless analyses.

Try to remember your old self and go smoke a blunt. You'll feel better.

Because the people have spoken.

GTFO.

Strattera and Stuff

Last week, at the urging of a good friend, I set up an appointment with The Shrink for the first time in more than a year. And you know what? I'm infinitely glad that I went. Prior visits to The Shrink weren't filled with much conversation. I only came to obtain a prescription for antidepressants, not to communicate the anxiety and unhappiness weighing on my mind.

When I went this past Monday, I opened up a little more. It was quite liberating, to be truthful. I'm going to make an honest effort to see him every month.

This most recent visit also brought a new pill into my system: Strattera, which is designed to combat ADHD. Since taking it, I feel significantly calmer. My thoughts aren't racing as much. I'm not as paranoid. My focus is sharper. (I realize my reliance on meds will earn the reprimands of you Scientologists, but until you get E.T. to come down here and touch my head with his glowing finger, I'm sticking with psychiatry and the meds.)

There are noticeable side effects, though. For one, I get about three hours of sleep at most per night. Strangely, I don't feel unrested upon waking. Another side effect is a near-complete diminution of the sex drive. Not that I've been getting on the road much, if you know what I mean, but still.

All in all, I'm feeling quite well. I'm not too depressed anymore except when reflecting on how I impulsively quit my job. The Boss -- technically, The Former Boss -- says I can reapply (and I did) but I'm not holding my breath on that. I've applied to other places (Blockbuster, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy) and hopefully one of them will respond soon.

I do need some time away from my house, although I no longer feel the pressing need to hightail it for the other coast. I still want to take a trip overseas by myself -- surprisingly, my dad has no problem with it -- but I need to plan it out. There's this site I found, which lists some overseas volunteer programs, either short-term or long-term. You have to register and accepted for a specific program first, of course, but I'm sure at least one will welcome me. It'll cost about $700 or so. Not too shabby. Lodging is provided.

http://www.volunteerabroad.com/search.cfm

But we'll see how things go.

Anyway, during my free time (hopefully I won't have too much of it in the weeks ahead) I've been catching up on movie watching. I highly, HIGHLY recommend Milk, Frost/Nixon (Langella's Nixon is even better than Hopkins's, IMHO), Vicky Christina Barcelona, and The Wrestler. Great stuff.

And on May 2, 2009 I hope to see a Filipino beat the fuck out of a Brit. You're going down, Hatton. Putang ina mo!

Which I think is the equivalent of saying "the cunt of your mother." At least that's what my dad tells me.

Fare Thee Well Gone Away, There's Nothing Left To Say

Okay, maybe I have a little something left to say.

Just know I'll always be around, people. Not physically, but in spirit.

Whenever a customer asks a stupid question, I'll be there. Whenever you hear an inappropriate remark, I'll be there. Whenever you hear a badly sung rendition of The Pogues or a poor excuse of an Irish or British accent, I'll be there.

And, of course, whenever there's free food, I'll be there.

Remember that Steinbeck is better than Hemingway (I'm kind of paying homage to GRAPES OF WRATH in this post, in case you haven't noticed). Remember that ALL THREE "Godfather" movies are awesome.

And whoever wins the Rewards contests over the next few months, just thank God I'm not there to kick your fucking ass.

The Second Coming?

I used to tell people that Barack H. Obama is not Jesus H. Christ. However, I then read this article saying that his candidacy helped bring The Dead back to life. Maybe I was wrong about the Prez, haha!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_en_mu/the_dead_return

Obama & ASU

"His body of work is yet to come. That's why we're not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency."

So Arizona State University won't give President Obama an honorary degree. I'm sure the President, who bears a degree from Harvard Law School, has been shedding many a tear over this slight.

Kumar Goes to the White House

Kal Penn, known best for his performance as the irrepressible pothead Kumar, is taking leave of acting to work for the Obama Administration. In what capacity, I'm unsure. Let's just hope that Penn's hiring is a signal that President Obama is amenable to easing this country's too-severe drug laws, haha.

Best of luck to Penn.

Knowledge

Knowledge may be power, but it's not necessarily an aphrodisiac.

My Country 'Tis of Thee

I do love living in a country where even bilious texts like "Left Behind" and "Liberty and Tyranny" can be sold, although I regret living in a country where they're number one best-sellers.