UPDATE

I'm on a bus coming back from New York. A bus with wifi, and if that isn't wild enough, wifi that's actually faster than it was at the hotel I stayed at. And I didn't stay at some trashy hotel, I stayed at the Grand Frickin' Hyatt in Midtown. Gnaw on that. Anyway, Julie's next to me with a bad case of carsick (bussick?), but I lent her the iPod, which put her to sleep pretty fast, which is nice because she won't feel the nauseous, but kind of a downer for me because I can't get my headphones back without waking her. Good news for you, dear reader, you get an update.



That's been stuck in my head all day.

So New York's pretty rad (yeah, that's right - rad). We looked at a few neighborhoods, but I gotta say, the Upper East Side feels like a place I could call home. It's a lot like what it felt like to be on Hawthorne (in Portland) before the hipsters moved in - lotta locally owned restaurants and shops, stuff like that. Good vibe, y'know?

The Upper West Side is also cool, but more expensive, restaurant-wise. But it is really close to the Lincoln Center, which for Julie means New York Ballet and for me means some rockin' stuff at the Film Society (earlier this year they had a David Fincher tribute with Fincher there himself).

Amazon's having a big Blu-Ray sale (damn! Youth Without Youth is still too expensive). Amongst their offerings? Bikini Destination - Triple Fantasy. I guess there are worse reasons to go hi-def.

We also hit the Museum of Modern Art (culture, yo), which was just flat-out awesome. Saw some Warhol. Saw some Monet (there was one of those lily pad paintings that was like twenty feet wide...could've stared at it all day, I swear). Saw some work by this dude from the 70s or something that was incredible in its breadth, even if he did feel a strange compulsion to cover way too many things in oats (culture, yo).

Big day on Tuesday. Every semester I take a day off from school, work, everything and sit alone at my apartment - I try to work it into a day when the roomies will largely be gone - and just watch movies. Mostly ones I have seen before and own. This has quickly become a day that absolutely must happen, a nearly holy day. And this semester being what it's been, it's also left me with an overwhelming number of movies I want to watch. I'm giddy.

I cannot say the extent to which The '59 Sound is one of the best things that's ever happened to me, certainly in terms of music. Listening to it now is what it felt like when I first discovered Springsteen, Meat Loaf, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, The Counting Crows. Bands that matter to me, really matter. It feels like when I rediscoverd The Beach Boys. It's big, in short.

Well, that's all I got. I'm gonna try to be better about updating, especially since seeing ya'll will be spotty at best for awhile. But I do miss you all a whole lot.

Oh, I almost forgot. I had a dream last night that Obama was debating some stodgy white dude - not McCain; younger, and much less interesting - and audience members were talking about how the economy is hurting them and all that. So one guy was talking to Obama and he said, "Hi, my family and I lost our house recently and we were wondering how you plan to deal with this fiscal crisis." And Obama's just like "yes, we know you and many Americans are hurting, so in response to that, we got everyone here a PUPPY!" And all these puppies ran from all corners of the room and everyone played with them and danced to motown.

Apparently, I now dream in rejected SNL sketches.

Full Thoughts

Wow, what a night. Mainly, I'm just glad I won't be totally screwed after college. Just, y'know...mostly.

Honestly, this was a night I've been looking forward to for...I guess four years now, but I really started getting excited after I saw Joe Biden on Real Time with Bill Maher and thought "God damn, now here's a guy I can get behind." So to speak. And now to think he'll have a role in shaping the next four years is just so awesome. It'll also be nice to have a Vice President again who knows his place. Also, it'd be a lot more fun to make jokes about Sarah Palin knowing her place, because she never, ever would. Not even when talking to third graders.

But hey, can I just say, props to McCain for a truly great concession speech to cap off truly one of the oddest campaigns I've ever heard of. Wasn't as good as Obama's victory speech, but...you know...it's Obama. I found it hard to truly hate McCain during this whole racket. Maybe partially because he used to be, you know, a worthy candidate for the office of President, and I still felt some of that, all the while wondering "what the hell happened to this guy?" Although that's not terribly hard to figure out - he lost when his time came. His time was eight years ago, and he lost. And that sucks. And now he got saddled with a campaign in a year when the Republicans would have had to resurrect Reagan to have a shot at winning (and I know, I was worried and scared McPalin would take this thing, but that's mainly because I'd had my hopes dashed once already, and couldn't be bothered to get them up again), with a type of Republican party very different to the one he's capable of reaching.

Because you can say all you want about the Republicans trying to distance themselves from Bush, but this was a Bush campaign through and through. It emphasized cultural issues and in terms of presentation and aesthetics was right in line with the campaign Bush ran in '04 especially, and there were so many times when you could tell McCain was not comfortable with this sort of campaign, trying desperately to grapple with this base that was shoved on him. But he probably realized this was his last shot, and since dirty politics did him in eight years ago, why wouldn't they work FOR him this time?

So, he listened to his advisors and selected Sarah Palin, for me the final nail in the coffin. Palin will, of course, benefit tremendously from all this and continue to be a figure worthy of scorn and amusement for people like me who relish in this stuff (although it's a stretch to imagine her running in 2012), but the one thing I knew is that the extent to which she helped or hindered McCain would set the tone for this country for the next four years. If they won, it'd be true, that this is basically a nation of morons so easily taken in by charm and likeability rather than vision and capability.

Because you can say all you want about people being taken in by Obama's charm, and there is no doubt that many, many people (young people especially) fell for him, at least in the primaries, precisely because of rhetoric. This was a very tightly-run campaign, and nearly every move was so specifically calculated that it'd be impossible to look at anything Obama was saying and take it as "real." There's very little that's "real" about Obama.

But that's okay. It doesn't make him any less qualified to run the country. I don't need a real guy in that seat. The point is that those who were fooled by Obama were fooled by the right guy, because this was the job he's been educated for and trained for just about his entire life. And yeah, he doesn't have a lot of experience, but that's easy to make up if you have the right people on staff (they're the people who will determine how Obama's presidency will go, after all), and think of how many people in upper-management coporate America are under the age of 50 (or 40 for that matter). They're brought on because of their youth, exuberance, new ideas, and willingness to embrace a changing industry. And the White House needs that right now.

Finally, props to America for reminding me the country isn't totally dumb, and making me realize that it's possible to win a political race without much negativity. And props to the 18-24s for getting off their asses.

Some random stuff...

In the cinematic adaptation of CNN's coverage, Bill Bennett would be played by John Goodman and David Gergen would be played by a turtle.

Anyone who says this is the most important election in the history of the country is an idiot. Lincoln's election puts this one to shame. I'll accept most important of the modern era, but even then I'm not so sure ('68 and '32 spring to mind immediately). Culturally? Maybe. Electing a black man to President is monumental, but I think it takes more than that to make this the MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN HISTORY.

Holograms are frickin' awesome. It is now the future.

Campbell Brown wanted John King so bad. And his magic map.

The McCain headquarters turned off the news by 9:30 EST, and just played music and hung out. This gives them much more in common with stoners than anything the Obama campaign has ever done.

I wanted a little more drama. Couldn't McCain have pulled ahead for a half hour or something?

Fun fact: The largest voter turnout in the last hundred years was when America elected William Howard Taft in 1908. Over 65% turned out for him. Maybe we are a fundamentally dumb country.

You've Got to Get Mad

Aaron Sorkin wrote a piece in Saturday's New York Times conjuring up a meeting between Barack Obama and West Wing President Jed Bartlett. It's a silly piece that serves mostly as a vehicle for Aaron Sorkin's thoughts on the election, but then again, Aaron Sorkin's a pretty bright guy. Here's the part that stood out.

OBAMA What would you do?

BARTLETT GET ANGRIER! Call them liars, because that’s what they are. Sarah Palin didn’t say “thanks but no thanks” to the Bridge to Nowhere. She just said “Thanks.” You were raised by a single mother on food stamps — where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I’d ask them what their problem is with excellence. While you’re at it, I want the word “patriot” back. McCain can say that the transcendent issue of our time is the spread of Islamic fanaticism or he can choose a running mate who doesn’t know the Bush doctrine from the Monroe Doctrine, but he can’t do both at the same time and call it patriotic. They have to lie — the truth isn’t their friend right now. Get angry. Mock them mercilessly; they’ve earned it. McCain decried agents of intolerance, then chose a running mate who had to ask if she was allowed to ban books from a public library. It’s not bad enough she thinks the planet Earth was created in six days 6,000 years ago complete with a man, a woman and a talking snake, she wants schools to teach the rest of our kids to deny geology, anthropology, archaeology and common sense too? It’s not bad enough she’s forcing her own daughter into a loveless marriage to a teenage hood, she wants the rest of us to guide our daughters in that direction too? It’s not enough that a woman shouldn’t have the right to choose, it should be the law of the land that she has to carry and deliver her rapist’s baby too? I don’t know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she’s got the qualifications of one. And you’re worried about seeming angry? You could eat their lunch, make them cry and tell their mamas about it and God himself would call it restrained. There are times when you are simply required to be impolite. There are times when condescension is called for!

Every four years, I say I don't really care about the Presidential election outside of the sheer sport of it. And don't get me wrong, I love the sport. But there's always some hook that drags me into it and reminds me that it does matter. This year, that hook is Sarah Palin, the sorriest excuse of a candidate I've ever seen. The idea that anyone could think she's fit to lead the country scares me a little. Really, it does.

I don't think less of Republicans or Democrats, because honestly the differences between the two parties are relatively minor, and increasingly so, and they're both pretty screwed to begin with, but I will actively think less of people who vote McCain/Palin this fall. I mean it. I don't care if you and I are best friends right now. I will look at you as an idiot from November 4th on should you so choose (you can start the hate sooner by voting early!).

Now, let's be clear, I'm not saying vote Obama. I do not care if you don't vote. I do not think it's your duty as an American citizen. I didn't vote in the 2006 election. Know why? Didn't know a thing about the candidates or the issues at hand, and it would be been a gross misuse of what little power I have to vote. If you are ignorant about the issues facing the country, please don't vote. If you don't think Obama's the right guy for the job, please don't vote (I'll give some leeway if you're just using it as a defense vote against McCain/Palin, 'cause that's some of where I'm coming from).

But if you actively vote for McCain/Palin, you are what's wrong with this country, and I will personally look down on you and urge everyone I know to do the same, especially if they somehow win.

And for the record, I agree with Sorkin - the Democrats, as always, have come off too soft and really need to attack the Republicans. Hard. I am eagerly awaiting Friday's debate, and I hope you'll all be watching it as well (9 PM EST on just about every channel - I'll be watching CNN).

Now, Ben, where's my ad space?

You Know I'd Do Anything For You / Stay the Night But Keep it Undercover

I'll be home in a week and a half. I'd be excited if I were you.

I am so done with summer school. And by done I mean I still have three four-hour sessions to go. And it really has been the easiest class I've had at college yet (aside from European Cinema, that is). But nevertheless, I'm sort of torn, 'cause yeah I hated going to class and such, but it was also a pretty decent class. We just sit around and watch movies. There's very little learning involved. Or work.

So I've been bad about my commitment to Megazine, but that's because there's been this other thing in the works, which is that I'm now blogging over at CHUD, one of my absolute favorite film websites. Their system is really different from like every other blog system I've seen, but the easiest way to keep up is through this thread on their forums; that's also where people can go and comment. Anyway, I promised them an article a week at the very least. I still have commitments to Megazine, though, so...yeah. As if I wasn't busy enough, right?

I've never really been excited about the future before; it's always been a lot of dread or indifference. I kinda like this new set up.

I had an immensely satisfying lunch today (this isn't necessarily contributing to my optimistic view of the future, but it's not hurting it either). Nothing special, just a turkey sandwich, some Cape Cod potato chips (they're no Tim's Cascade, but I love them), an apple, and a Pepsi. But the turkey was so fresh and the apple so crisp and I had a few more chips than usual and it all went down so sweetly.

Sometimes at work computer monitors act up and I'm called in to hit them. Hulk smash!

Um that's all.

Nothing Ever Grows in This Rotten Old Hole, and Everything is Stunted and Lost

Have you heard this nonsense that Dennis Kucinich is trying to impeach President Bush?

Now, let's make one thing perfectly clear - I wholly support this effort, if only retroactively. Impeaching Bush at this point, or even more so by the time they actually got around to the impeaching, would have absolutely no effect on anything. The only consequences would be to solidify and make absolute two things that will almost certainly happen anyway - Bush's legacy will be tarnished, and there will be legal record that the administration knowingly lied to the public in starting the war in Iraq.

First, the legacy. I know Bush is out there trying to get his public image back in order, but he's still the least-approved President since they started measuring the public's approval of the man in the Oval Office.* And nothing he started in the last eight years will end well, so there won't be any instance years from now where we say "Yeah, but if not for him, we wouldn't have THIS." At least not in any positive way. The closest he'll come to having a bright spot on his record will be for being there when 9/11 happened.**

As for Iraq...the only part of my above statement there that can't be proven using media records is the word "knowingly," and I'm sure you could even prove that with some digging. The jury's out of this.

So really, Kucinich, as much as we all appreciate the effort...too little, to late, friend. Isn't there something worthwhile all this time and effort and money could be spent on?

*Interestingly, he has a 60% approval rating among Republican voters, which explains much of John McCain's campaign, though that's still the lowest he's had since taking office.

**I did also hear a news story a few months back in which he personally took mosquito nets to children in some third world country (or possibly just New Orleans). There was a huge mosquito problem so he brought all these nets to the kids. I know it sounds small and a weird thing to bring up, but for all the complaining we do about the Government not offering concrete solutions to real problems, there's one right there.

Come On Come On and Dance All Night; Despite the Heat It'll Be All Right

It's hot.

Like really, really hot. Yesterday I checked the temp at 1:30 in the afternoon...98 degrees, feels like 101. The night before, Julie and I went for a walk at midnight and it was 85 degrees. Took me forever to fall asleep last night and my desire for an AC unit increases by the second. It's starting to cool down now, kind of...I walked out of my first shift today at 1 and it was 84 degrees, but I'm about to head out to dinner (it's 5:55) and it's now 92. How does that happen? Why are people dancing in these mortgage ads on the Weather Channel website?

Ben said I should mention this here - I'm calling for Stanich Sundays* while I'm home. Anyone who doesn't join in on this, without a legitimate excuse like work, will be considered a Communist and a traitor to their country.

Sometimes I wish I grew up in the age of the Communist threat. I know we have the threat of terrorism, but it's just not as interesting somehow. I think it's because there's very little concern that the terrorists will brainwash us into joining their cause. That was probably the coolest part of Communism. Probably. I dunno. Wasn't there.

So pumped for some Hold Steady next month.

The library says I have a book out that I'm fairly certain is in fact in. I'll be investigating shortly.

John McCain needs a running mate. Everyone's obsessed with who Obama will pick, but the man's only been the nominee for a week. McCain should step it up.

The cursor in TextEdit blinks at a different rate than the one in Blogger. I really didn't sleep much last night.

I'm going to post this for now; there may be updates later as I am stuck at this shift for another two hours.

*Other days of the week will be taken under consideration.

EDIT (7:40) - The Lovin' Spoonful is such a great band. Maybe not great, but damned good.

EDIT (7:43) - Did you know The Temptations provided back-up vocals for "Superfreak" by Rick James?

Self Promotion

Trying to get Megazine back up and running. Posted my review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Starting an article about the use of CGI...basically when it's okay and when it's not.

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