In one week, all the votes will be cast, most will be counted, and projected winners will stand in front of euphoric crowds.
Prediction 1: Obama 55.2% McCain 41.1%
Prediction 2: 57 Democratic Senators (plus two Independents = 59), dropping to 58 when Joe Lieberman switches to R.
Prediction 3: McCain announces his retirement from the Senate before the post-election Congressional Lame Duck session, allowing his Republican Replacement to be named by Democratic AZ Governor Janet Napolitano before other new senators are sworn in.
Prediction 4: Only a net 16 additional Democratic Congressmen are elected, the only "downer" for the Donkeys.
Prediction 5: Several well-known Congressmembers from both parties will lose. Most of these races are "under the radar" and few media are covering them. One of the notable losers: Mary Bono Maxey Mack.
This last one is a doozy, Perhaps a tad "out there"
BONUS Prediction: Convicted felon Alaska Senator Ted Stevens announces on the weekend before the election that he will not serve his term if elected, but urges voters to vote Republican. He will step down after being being sworn in, allowing Republican Governor Sarah Palin to name the 2-year replacement. Mrs Palin names herself to the two-year term,
One week to go !
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Vote Now !
On Sunday, I voted for Barack H. Obama.
Riverside County offers early voting at several locations throughout the county. The Westfield Shopping Center is the designated "Early Voting Site" for the Palm Springs area. The voting center is located in an empty store near the JCPenney end of the mall. When I arrived at 430PM-ish, there were only three other voters. There were 10-15 poll volunteers and 10 electronic voting machines.
I had been a reluctant Hillary-ite from the beginning, and warmed up to her even more as she fought her way to the very bitter end. I had significant fondness for John McCain back in the 2000 election cycle, but now he has become totally unrecognizable as a voice of moderation and independence. Caribou Barbie sealed his fate.
So the calm and cerebral Illinois Senator got my vote. His stammer will drive us bonkers for four (eight?) years. He will no doubt be stymied by the rabid rightwingers and soon-likely-skittish moderates on key issues. But in the end, I want Democrats in charge of housing, health, transportation, and economic policies.
So that made it pretty easy to cast a vote for Obama.
On, and most importantly, I got my "I Voted" sticker, which I proudly wore for two days.
Riverside County offers early voting at several locations throughout the county. The Westfield Shopping Center is the designated "Early Voting Site" for the Palm Springs area. The voting center is located in an empty store near the JCPenney end of the mall. When I arrived at 430PM-ish, there were only three other voters. There were 10-15 poll volunteers and 10 electronic voting machines.
I had been a reluctant Hillary-ite from the beginning, and warmed up to her even more as she fought her way to the very bitter end. I had significant fondness for John McCain back in the 2000 election cycle, but now he has become totally unrecognizable as a voice of moderation and independence. Caribou Barbie sealed his fate.
So the calm and cerebral Illinois Senator got my vote. His stammer will drive us bonkers for four (eight?) years. He will no doubt be stymied by the rabid rightwingers and soon-likely-skittish moderates on key issues. But in the end, I want Democrats in charge of housing, health, transportation, and economic policies.
So that made it pretty easy to cast a vote for Obama.
On, and most importantly, I got my "I Voted" sticker, which I proudly wore for two days.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Less Than An Hour Away
In just under 45 minutes, the only Vice Presidential debate of 2008 will begin in my beloved hometown. TV ratings for the first Presidential debate proed somewhat lackluster. Tonight's Palin-Biden showdown will be through the roof. It wouldn't surprise me if it were double.
Of course, the lefties will say that Biden won "hands down". The FauxNewsers will squeal in delight that Mrs Palin "knocked it out of the park".
And most likely, Mrs Palin will rebound from what has been a disastrous couple weeks, shine up her folksy phrasings, and glisten under the bright lights of the Big City. She will unleash a tart tongue here and there. She will laugh and chortle, maybe even guffaw. She will be Everyone's Favorite PTA Mom. She will seem vulnerable and hurt at one point. But she won't speak anything deeper than the trite sloganeering. She will attack King Obama and swoon for Her War Hero.
Biden needs to hold his tongue, check his wit. And be calm and quiet and reasonable. One thing we have seen out of PalinFest 2008 is that she cannot handle silence. She continues to spew her slogans when the conversation hits a lull. She repeats them endlessly and cheerfully. She doesn't answer questions, she just talks. And the more one listens, the more badly it comes across. There's nothing wrong with a quick slogan here and there. But anyone who just repeats trite, cute comments is generally dismissed.
Then again, it worked for George W Bush.
Of course, the lefties will say that Biden won "hands down". The FauxNewsers will squeal in delight that Mrs Palin "knocked it out of the park".
And most likely, Mrs Palin will rebound from what has been a disastrous couple weeks, shine up her folksy phrasings, and glisten under the bright lights of the Big City. She will unleash a tart tongue here and there. She will laugh and chortle, maybe even guffaw. She will be Everyone's Favorite PTA Mom. She will seem vulnerable and hurt at one point. But she won't speak anything deeper than the trite sloganeering. She will attack King Obama and swoon for Her War Hero.
Biden needs to hold his tongue, check his wit. And be calm and quiet and reasonable. One thing we have seen out of PalinFest 2008 is that she cannot handle silence. She continues to spew her slogans when the conversation hits a lull. She repeats them endlessly and cheerfully. She doesn't answer questions, she just talks. And the more one listens, the more badly it comes across. There's nothing wrong with a quick slogan here and there. But anyone who just repeats trite, cute comments is generally dismissed.
Then again, it worked for George W Bush.
Monday, September 29, 2008
I Can't Believe I Am Typing This.
I am a pretty liberal type of guy. Not flaming. I have come to despise the 2000s versions of hate-filled, war-mongering, speaking-in-tongue, scripture-reliant Republican party in so many ways. But I'm also not much of a granola-crunching, sandal-wearing, dye-free leftist either.
But I am sorta glad they wingnut crowd put a (temporary?) stop to the "$700B Bailout".
Of course, the markets are in meltdown, but that's mostly due to uncertainty, which is the lifeblood of "loss". Markets become irrational when dealing with uncertainty.
But, you know, things haven't been all that great for all that many for quite some time. Yet the ultra-rich crowd has only gotten more ultra- and more -rich all this millenium. Occupancy of high-end hotels isn't exactly lacking. I just perused Las Vegas hotel rates for next weekend. The Wynn has rooms available for $1100 a night. And they will get filled by those who have been untouched. High-end real-estate still sells, High-end lifestyle continues. And that's who primarily would benefit from the "bailout".
And yes, maybe a few dozen companies which had no business still being in business need to fail. Yes, banks have failed. But stronger banks who didn't gamble with their asset allocation have stepped in, with no impact to the "man on the street". If you have more than $100,000 sitting in a bank account somewhere, you are foolish. But how many folks actually have in excess of that "just laying around in a bank". Not too many.
I saw on the local news a simply horrid "business" report by an airhead twinkette who probably couldn't find her way to Wall Street with a map. She "interviewed" a somewhat-slimy looking financial expert who was advising folks to "switch to annuities". Which is the simply most stupid investment decision for anyone except the ultra-rich or the ultra-old. OK, yes, you might have some "guaranteed" gains (always good), but you will be paying that slimy salesman an endless commission. Of course he loves the option! It's a Great Investment!......for the salesman.
Luckily most folks won't panic. Some will and they will be the sob stories down the road.
As noted above, I am mostly liberal. But I do believe in markets and capitalism and "the long run". If you are diversified, you will be ok. Perhaps you won't be able to buy a new car every two years. Maybe you should drive that old car for a decade instead. Perhaps you should rethink that $6 you spend at Starbucks everyday. And those nasty cigarettes you are smoking? Ditch them and save the bucks and, perhaps, your life.
So what now? Do we need a "bailout"? Probably not.
What we need are loan guarantees and some decent oversight. Oddly, that's probably what most of the failed legislation actually said. But this is not a simple problem that can be solved with a simple answer. There is no quick fix. It will take time. But the world isn't going to end if it takes a few weeks/months to settle things, especially since a new political regime is barely 90 days away..
But I am sorta glad they wingnut crowd put a (temporary?) stop to the "$700B Bailout".
Of course, the markets are in meltdown, but that's mostly due to uncertainty, which is the lifeblood of "loss". Markets become irrational when dealing with uncertainty.
But, you know, things haven't been all that great for all that many for quite some time. Yet the ultra-rich crowd has only gotten more ultra- and more -rich all this millenium. Occupancy of high-end hotels isn't exactly lacking. I just perused Las Vegas hotel rates for next weekend. The Wynn has rooms available for $1100 a night. And they will get filled by those who have been untouched. High-end real-estate still sells, High-end lifestyle continues. And that's who primarily would benefit from the "bailout".
And yes, maybe a few dozen companies which had no business still being in business need to fail. Yes, banks have failed. But stronger banks who didn't gamble with their asset allocation have stepped in, with no impact to the "man on the street". If you have more than $100,000 sitting in a bank account somewhere, you are foolish. But how many folks actually have in excess of that "just laying around in a bank". Not too many.
I saw on the local news a simply horrid "business" report by an airhead twinkette who probably couldn't find her way to Wall Street with a map. She "interviewed" a somewhat-slimy looking financial expert who was advising folks to "switch to annuities". Which is the simply most stupid investment decision for anyone except the ultra-rich or the ultra-old. OK, yes, you might have some "guaranteed" gains (always good), but you will be paying that slimy salesman an endless commission. Of course he loves the option! It's a Great Investment!......for the salesman.
Luckily most folks won't panic. Some will and they will be the sob stories down the road.
As noted above, I am mostly liberal. But I do believe in markets and capitalism and "the long run". If you are diversified, you will be ok. Perhaps you won't be able to buy a new car every two years. Maybe you should drive that old car for a decade instead. Perhaps you should rethink that $6 you spend at Starbucks everyday. And those nasty cigarettes you are smoking? Ditch them and save the bucks and, perhaps, your life.
So what now? Do we need a "bailout"? Probably not.
What we need are loan guarantees and some decent oversight. Oddly, that's probably what most of the failed legislation actually said. But this is not a simple problem that can be solved with a simple answer. There is no quick fix. It will take time. But the world isn't going to end if it takes a few weeks/months to settle things, especially since a new political regime is barely 90 days away..
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Welcome To The New Fall TV Season
Yawn.
For years -- OK, for decades -- I have always looked forward to the New Fall Television Season. I used to eagerly await the old-style mini TV Guide, buying it as soon as it popped up on the newsstand. It was always chockful of cool info about what to watch, what would be the "hot" show, and who would be the newest stars. There was also a nifty 1-2 page "preview" of what would be happening on Your Favorite Returning shows.
Through the years, the "Returning Favorites" morphed into its own "special preview issue". In the pre-internet world, information was always at a premium. And TV Guide delivered.
I saved each and every Fall Preview Edition since the early 1980s. TV Guide was regionalized back in those days, so I have preview issues from St Louis, DC, Kansas City, San Diego....Wherever I was living at the time.
As each season arrived, I could map out my weekly scheduled viewing pattern. I was an early adopter of time-shifting, juggling as many as six VCRs at one point in the late 1990s
It always seemed like there were 3-4 interesting new network programs each season. They would have a buzz or an actor I liked or some campy storyline.
Over time, TV Guide morphed from its handy handbook size to the full-size gossip-y tablooid with no useful TV listings ! And so, a couple years back, my annual magazine purchase came to an end. Competitors such as Entertainment Weekly would do a better job previewing the season.
Over the past few years, there has usually been a program or two that piqued my interest. One year it was LOST and 30ROCK -- and the horribly dreadful STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. Last year brought the delightful no-laughtrack Samantha Who?
This year?
Well, not so much.
For the first time in my life, there isnot a single new network television program that has any interest to me. Sure, it's partly me. I am after all, not in the beloved 18-34 demographic. Then again, I'm not one of those Matlock-loving seniors.
Sure, there will still be some appointment television for me. My Sundays are spoken for with the quality quartet of 60Minutes, AmazingRace, Simpsons, DesperateHousewives, and BrothersAndSisters. Monday will still bring me my Samantha Who? -- and the dreamy buzzcut Barry Watson. Wednesday will still have Dirty Sexy Money -- until it's cancelled, that is. And of course, there's always Survivor Thursday.
The rest of the week?
Oh well there's always my daily dose of Hardball.
For years -- OK, for decades -- I have always looked forward to the New Fall Television Season. I used to eagerly await the old-style mini TV Guide, buying it as soon as it popped up on the newsstand. It was always chockful of cool info about what to watch, what would be the "hot" show, and who would be the newest stars. There was also a nifty 1-2 page "preview" of what would be happening on Your Favorite Returning shows.
Through the years, the "Returning Favorites" morphed into its own "special preview issue". In the pre-internet world, information was always at a premium. And TV Guide delivered.
I saved each and every Fall Preview Edition since the early 1980s. TV Guide was regionalized back in those days, so I have preview issues from St Louis, DC, Kansas City, San Diego....Wherever I was living at the time.
As each season arrived, I could map out my weekly scheduled viewing pattern. I was an early adopter of time-shifting, juggling as many as six VCRs at one point in the late 1990s
It always seemed like there were 3-4 interesting new network programs each season. They would have a buzz or an actor I liked or some campy storyline.
Over time, TV Guide morphed from its handy handbook size to the full-size gossip-y tablooid with no useful TV listings ! And so, a couple years back, my annual magazine purchase came to an end. Competitors such as Entertainment Weekly would do a better job previewing the season.
Over the past few years, there has usually been a program or two that piqued my interest. One year it was LOST and 30ROCK -- and the horribly dreadful STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. Last year brought the delightful no-laughtrack Samantha Who?
This year?
Well, not so much.
For the first time in my life, there isnot a single new network television program that has any interest to me. Sure, it's partly me. I am after all, not in the beloved 18-34 demographic. Then again, I'm not one of those Matlock-loving seniors.
Sure, there will still be some appointment television for me. My Sundays are spoken for with the quality quartet of 60Minutes, AmazingRace, Simpsons, DesperateHousewives, and BrothersAndSisters. Monday will still bring me my Samantha Who? -- and the dreamy buzzcut Barry Watson. Wednesday will still have Dirty Sexy Money -- until it's cancelled, that is. And of course, there's always Survivor Thursday.
The rest of the week?
Oh well there's always my daily dose of Hardball.
Walgreens Deal Of The Day
Walgreens participates in a a little-known program that is coordinated by Catalina Marketing. Catalina sponsors the little paper coupons which spew out of the register at most grocery stores. Every once in awhile I might get a handy coupon, but honestly, usually they were for items not needed.
Recently I learned that buying certain items at Walgreens will generate a flat-dollar-amount coupon that is redeemable at Walgreens (and allegedly accepted at grocery stores as well).
I dabbled with a couple offers and most worked great. Those have now expired, but this one is still going strong:
Buy two bags of specially-priced Nabisco cookies and one gallon of milk and receive $3.00.
The cookies are priced at 2/$5.00. But here is the kicker. The catalina coupon generates WITHOUT buying the pricey milk !
So, you can spend $5.00 for Oreos and receive $3.00 to spend later on WHATEVER you want. You could just as easily use the coupon 3 minutes later. That makes your Nabisco Cookie price just $1.
The cookies are on sale until Saturday 09-27-2008. The catalina deal lasts until October 5.
That's a deal !!!
Recently I learned that buying certain items at Walgreens will generate a flat-dollar-amount coupon that is redeemable at Walgreens (and allegedly accepted at grocery stores as well).
I dabbled with a couple offers and most worked great. Those have now expired, but this one is still going strong:
Buy two bags of specially-priced Nabisco cookies and one gallon of milk and receive $3.00.
The cookies are priced at 2/$5.00. But here is the kicker. The catalina coupon generates WITHOUT buying the pricey milk !
So, you can spend $5.00 for Oreos and receive $3.00 to spend later on WHATEVER you want. You could just as easily use the coupon 3 minutes later. That makes your Nabisco Cookie price just $1.
The cookies are on sale until Saturday 09-27-2008. The catalina deal lasts until October 5.
That's a deal !!!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Awful Times Five
The 60th Annual PrimeTime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday night.
It was just plain awful. Whoever had the brilliant idea to use the five reality hosts should be shot on the spot. True, each of them probably have some degree of charm, but they were just awful. Awful in the beginning. Awful all night long. The only mildly amusing thing they did was when Tom Bergeron "dropped" Heidi Klum. I chuckled. Jeff Probst in Dragnet?
I did also chuckle when they were all lined up to announce the "winner" and then they went to commercial break. I don't watch Deal Or No Deal, but while surfing TV, I notice that is Howie's "schtick". Hype Hype Hype. Choose a Suitcase. Hype Hype Hype. Now a 6-minute commercial break. Then open the briefcase. That was kinda clever. Jeff Probst seemed surprised that he won. All the camera-mugging and sympathetic counseling he did last season really paid off.
I was happy to see 30 Rock win everything. It's probably one of my Top Five fave shows. Amazing Race won again, and that's another Top Five for me. And Jean Smart is always the best, although her role is kinda weird on Samantha Who? (not in my top 5, but Barry Watson and his buzzcut keep it hovering near the Robert's Top Ten).
The montage of dead actors was OK, since they actually had most of them speaking for a moment or two vs just still pictures. The "catch-phrase" montage was OK. Josh Groban singing Theme Songs was horrid. Memories of MaryTyerMoore, MASH. WestWing were badly produced. The presenters were a mishmash or weirdness. Only the 6 Desperate Housewives seemed to be having any fun.
I do not generally like Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell, but their "I Made You. I Want My Emmy Back. I sat through Evan Almighty" schtick was a moderately entertaining 8 minutes.
They really need to do something about categories. It's never been fair for shows that produce 8 or 10 episodes to compete against shows that do 22 or 25 a year. Maybe they should specify "limited series" and combine 8-episode seasons of "The Closer" with 7-episode miniseries like John Adams. And the miniseries/movie category is always dullsville since no one ever watches them. And putting Don Rickles in the same category as Letterman and other nightly hosts has always been unfair. A one-time shot cannot compare to nightly perfection.
Maybe this year's disaster will prompt them to make changes. Although I doubt it. I don't mind cable shows winning, although Mad Men is a show that at its highest rating scored 2.2M viewers. Every show on the CW gets that. Minuscule.
Another good thing is that it really didn't last long. It was reported to be 3:08, but I think ABC trimmed some, cuz it was over at 11PM on the West Coast.
Plenty of "ouch" at tvtattle.com.
It was just plain awful. Whoever had the brilliant idea to use the five reality hosts should be shot on the spot. True, each of them probably have some degree of charm, but they were just awful. Awful in the beginning. Awful all night long. The only mildly amusing thing they did was when Tom Bergeron "dropped" Heidi Klum. I chuckled. Jeff Probst in Dragnet?
I did also chuckle when they were all lined up to announce the "winner" and then they went to commercial break. I don't watch Deal Or No Deal, but while surfing TV, I notice that is Howie's "schtick". Hype Hype Hype. Choose a Suitcase. Hype Hype Hype. Now a 6-minute commercial break. Then open the briefcase. That was kinda clever. Jeff Probst seemed surprised that he won. All the camera-mugging and sympathetic counseling he did last season really paid off.
I was happy to see 30 Rock win everything. It's probably one of my Top Five fave shows. Amazing Race won again, and that's another Top Five for me. And Jean Smart is always the best, although her role is kinda weird on Samantha Who? (not in my top 5, but Barry Watson and his buzzcut keep it hovering near the Robert's Top Ten).
The montage of dead actors was OK, since they actually had most of them speaking for a moment or two vs just still pictures. The "catch-phrase" montage was OK. Josh Groban singing Theme Songs was horrid. Memories of MaryTyerMoore, MASH. WestWing were badly produced. The presenters were a mishmash or weirdness. Only the 6 Desperate Housewives seemed to be having any fun.
I do not generally like Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell, but their "I Made You. I Want My Emmy Back. I sat through Evan Almighty" schtick was a moderately entertaining 8 minutes.
They really need to do something about categories. It's never been fair for shows that produce 8 or 10 episodes to compete against shows that do 22 or 25 a year. Maybe they should specify "limited series" and combine 8-episode seasons of "The Closer" with 7-episode miniseries like John Adams. And the miniseries/movie category is always dullsville since no one ever watches them. And putting Don Rickles in the same category as Letterman and other nightly hosts has always been unfair. A one-time shot cannot compare to nightly perfection.
Maybe this year's disaster will prompt them to make changes. Although I doubt it. I don't mind cable shows winning, although Mad Men is a show that at its highest rating scored 2.2M viewers. Every show on the CW gets that. Minuscule.
Another good thing is that it really didn't last long. It was reported to be 3:08, but I think ABC trimmed some, cuz it was over at 11PM on the West Coast.
Plenty of "ouch" at tvtattle.com.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Time Flies
Gee, I can hardly believe that August is nearly half-over. Where did the summer go?
I have spent the past 4.5 months wandering The Golden State -- a different hotel nearly every night, thanks mostly to WyndhamRewards Best Rate Guarantee. Whew.
Time flies.
I have spent the past 4.5 months wandering The Golden State -- a different hotel nearly every night, thanks mostly to WyndhamRewards Best Rate Guarantee. Whew.
Time flies.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Florida West
It is actually true when locals speak of the "dry heat" and how tolerable such weather can be, especially after you have logged your first summer. Each year thereafter, the 110+ temps can be annoying, but you learn to hydrate, stay indoors, and find shade while outdoors. True, there aren't many "cool breezes" in the desert. Usually its a grainy, dusty, oven-like burst of hot air.
I have been back in the desert for a week or so and the temps still reach as high as the century mark, but the 20-30% humidity makes it all rather unbearably uncomfortable to be outside. Cold beverages (which you learn to carry after your first fainting spell during that first desert year) are suddenly covered with seemingly gallons of condensation. Your normally dry clothes are drenched with perspiration after twenty seconds of moderate motion.
It's not as bad as Florida, but almost....
Of course, unlike Florida, we have had no daily 20-minute cloud outbursts. Oh well, that's fine by me. I just washed the Jeep, after all.
I have been back in the desert for a week or so and the temps still reach as high as the century mark, but the 20-30% humidity makes it all rather unbearably uncomfortable to be outside. Cold beverages (which you learn to carry after your first fainting spell during that first desert year) are suddenly covered with seemingly gallons of condensation. Your normally dry clothes are drenched with perspiration after twenty seconds of moderate motion.
It's not as bad as Florida, but almost....
Of course, unlike Florida, we have had no daily 20-minute cloud outbursts. Oh well, that's fine by me. I just washed the Jeep, after all.
Electric Blue
OK, so I have been AWOL from posting for well over a month, although it's not like too many wild and crazy things have happened since a lackluster LA Gay Pride Weekend. Oh, except for that revolutionary Gay Marriage thing, Tampa Bay having the best record in MLB, Hillary tossing her support to Barack, and KESQ going on yet another anti-gay hysteria binge.
Not much at all.
It's now less than a week until San Diego Pride Weekend. I've locked in three free hotel nights, partly to enjoy the Pride festivities and partly to catch four games between the hapless, last-place San Diego Padres and the suddenly-stumbling, wild-card-leading St Louis Cardinals. The games are in STL, but Channel 4 Padres will carry three of them. And the final weeks of FOX 6 San Diego will feature a Padre-Cardinal telecast (FOX changes stations two weeks later, morphing KSWB 5/69 into FOX5.).
Oh, and even though I have changed to a cool blue look for the summer, I still hate the Dodgers.
Not much at all.
It's now less than a week until San Diego Pride Weekend. I've locked in three free hotel nights, partly to enjoy the Pride festivities and partly to catch four games between the hapless, last-place San Diego Padres and the suddenly-stumbling, wild-card-leading St Louis Cardinals. The games are in STL, but Channel 4 Padres will carry three of them. And the final weeks of FOX 6 San Diego will feature a Padre-Cardinal telecast (FOX changes stations two weeks later, morphing KSWB 5/69 into FOX5.).
Oh, and even though I have changed to a cool blue look for the summer, I still hate the Dodgers.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Weekending At LA Gay Pride
Well, technically not officially, since I am not going to pay $15 per day for a glorifed flea market.... although the Sunday night finale of Olivia Newton-John is mighty tempting. But I did score four free hotel nights in the LA and the OC, so I figured it would be a nice change of pace.
After 25 years of Pride events, I am pretty much "over" the whole celebratory scene. Although 2008 seems to be a landmark year for gay civil rights and certainly puts a new slant on "pride". I have been to Pride Events in DC, in KCMO, in StLouis, in NYC, and all along the West Coast. Back in the mid-90s, I did the full CA Pride Circuit -- Long Beach, LA, SF, San Diego, and Laguna Beach -- with Phoenix tossed in for good measure. During the last half of the 1990s, I was a regular volunteer to San Diego Pride, always manning the front entry gates --- the best place to see and to be seen,
I have come to LA during pride weekend several times before, but it has probably been at least 5 years since my last LA Pride Foray. Friday night was Faultline night. They have remodeled through the years, turning the outdoor patio into an all-season space, complete with video monitors and sky-high canopies. The rock music was great. The pixilated porn on multiple video monitors was entertaining and distracting (in the best ways). The bar wasn't mobbed, and LA being an "early" town, the bearish crowd was on its way home (or to the Slammer) by 1AM-ish.
Sadly, the patio was jammed with smokers. Gag. Hack. Phooey. Hot men and horrid habits.
Saturday night was LA Eagle night. Another good crowd and decidedly less "buff" and "attitude-y" than I recalled. The bar held a "raffle" which awarded "bear art drawings" and an IPOD nano that the bar owner handed over to a youngish bear-in-training for whom the owner had pretty obvious ulterior motives. All in all, though, a decent crowd, the debut of a new bear porn video from the resurrected "Bear Omni Media" folks, and significanly fewer nicotine addicts.
And of course, only in LA, the Eagle now offers valet parking.
After 25 years of Pride events, I am pretty much "over" the whole celebratory scene. Although 2008 seems to be a landmark year for gay civil rights and certainly puts a new slant on "pride". I have been to Pride Events in DC, in KCMO, in StLouis, in NYC, and all along the West Coast. Back in the mid-90s, I did the full CA Pride Circuit -- Long Beach, LA, SF, San Diego, and Laguna Beach -- with Phoenix tossed in for good measure. During the last half of the 1990s, I was a regular volunteer to San Diego Pride, always manning the front entry gates --- the best place to see and to be seen,
I have come to LA during pride weekend several times before, but it has probably been at least 5 years since my last LA Pride Foray. Friday night was Faultline night. They have remodeled through the years, turning the outdoor patio into an all-season space, complete with video monitors and sky-high canopies. The rock music was great. The pixilated porn on multiple video monitors was entertaining and distracting (in the best ways). The bar wasn't mobbed, and LA being an "early" town, the bearish crowd was on its way home (or to the Slammer) by 1AM-ish.
Sadly, the patio was jammed with smokers. Gag. Hack. Phooey. Hot men and horrid habits.
Saturday night was LA Eagle night. Another good crowd and decidedly less "buff" and "attitude-y" than I recalled. The bar held a "raffle" which awarded "bear art drawings" and an IPOD nano that the bar owner handed over to a youngish bear-in-training for whom the owner had pretty obvious ulterior motives. All in all, though, a decent crowd, the debut of a new bear porn video from the resurrected "Bear Omni Media" folks, and significanly fewer nicotine addicts.
And of course, only in LA, the Eagle now offers valet parking.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Haing A ood Day?
Notice a few missing letters every now and then. Well, recently the "letters" G and V both lost their "cover" on my laptop. So that means while typing, I have to tap on a small button where the G and K keys used to be. And that means that sometimes, the letters don't actually appear.
Of course, you neer realize the importance of each letter until it's one.
Er.
Of course, you never realize the importance of each letter until it's gone.
Of course, you neer realize the importance of each letter until it's one.
Er.
Of course, you never realize the importance of each letter until it's gone.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
RTN Palm Springs
The Retro Television Network has debuted on Time Warner Desert Cities cable. The channel is part of the digital sub-tier for the local ion channel (formerly PAX). Time Warner slid the channel into the prime location of Channel 14 on most cable systems.
Yay!
OK, so it does appear that the schedule is 50-50. Half is old televieion classics from the 60s and 70s. And half is infomercial. Oh well, you can't have everything. And if the owners need to sell all that time to jewelry scams, roto-slicers, and pressure cookers in order to pay the bills, that's fine by me.
The schedule is a bit heavy on hour dramas with a few 30-minute sitcoms tossed in. Weekday shows include Knight Rider, Perry Mason, Family Ties, and my all-time favorite Get Smart. The prime time lineup includes Magnum PI, Hawaii Five-O, and The Streets of San Francisco. Ironside, The A-Team, Wild Wild West, and Love American Style on Saturdays. Kojak, Mission Impossible, and The Fugitive on Sundays.
Highlights of my viewing week so far: the almost-married-Max-and-99 on "Get Smart" and a nice two hour "MacMillan And Wife" Sunday Mystery Movie (on Friday, of course).
The video quality is quite good. True, most of us are used to seeing well-worn versions of these programs on broadcast TV, but these versions seem crisp and DVD-ish.
Best of all, there is no annoying "bug" plastered on the bottom third of the screen. No crazy revolving promo pics or slidling text or flying icons. KRET has a clean look that makes watching television enjoyable.
Yay!
OK, so it does appear that the schedule is 50-50. Half is old televieion classics from the 60s and 70s. And half is infomercial. Oh well, you can't have everything. And if the owners need to sell all that time to jewelry scams, roto-slicers, and pressure cookers in order to pay the bills, that's fine by me.
The schedule is a bit heavy on hour dramas with a few 30-minute sitcoms tossed in. Weekday shows include Knight Rider, Perry Mason, Family Ties, and my all-time favorite Get Smart. The prime time lineup includes Magnum PI, Hawaii Five-O, and The Streets of San Francisco. Ironside, The A-Team, Wild Wild West, and Love American Style on Saturdays. Kojak, Mission Impossible, and The Fugitive on Sundays.
Highlights of my viewing week so far: the almost-married-Max-and-99 on "Get Smart" and a nice two hour "MacMillan And Wife" Sunday Mystery Movie (on Friday, of course).
The video quality is quite good. True, most of us are used to seeing well-worn versions of these programs on broadcast TV, but these versions seem crisp and DVD-ish.
Best of all, there is no annoying "bug" plastered on the bottom third of the screen. No crazy revolving promo pics or slidling text or flying icons. KRET has a clean look that makes watching television enjoyable.
MIchigan And Florida, Florida And Michigan, Michigan And Florida
So I guess we now have a partial "enfranchisement" of 2.3M American citizens. Each state delegate will cast one-half vote. The daylong meeting/battle had a few entertaining moments, but it was mostly what every electoral battle has been since February. Each candidate gets roughly the same number of delegate votes at the 2008 DNC Convention in Denver in August.
Nearly everyone will claim some type of victory. And the race will go on. Puerto Rico will give Hillary a huge boost on Sunday. She may even pull "West Virginia" type margins. Of course, Puerto Rico has twice the population of WV, so her vote count margin will be massive. The pundits will add "hispanics" to the seemingly endless list of folks who won't vote for Obama. Then, finally, on Tuesday, Hillary squeaks by in South Dakota (especially since Obama cannot tell a movie set from a national monument). And then two dozen democrats in Montana will caucus and award Obama the final victory.
And neither candidate will still have 50%+1 of the delegates needed for nomination.
Nearly everyone will claim some type of victory. And the race will go on. Puerto Rico will give Hillary a huge boost on Sunday. She may even pull "West Virginia" type margins. Of course, Puerto Rico has twice the population of WV, so her vote count margin will be massive. The pundits will add "hispanics" to the seemingly endless list of folks who won't vote for Obama. Then, finally, on Tuesday, Hillary squeaks by in South Dakota (especially since Obama cannot tell a movie set from a national monument). And then two dozen democrats in Montana will caucus and award Obama the final victory.
And neither candidate will still have 50%+1 of the delegates needed for nomination.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
June 14, 2008
On June 14, 2008 California becomes the second state in the union to allow marriage for any two individuals, regardless of gender.
On May 14, I told my best pal that the world was going to change the next day. Which it did, once the California Supreme Court issued a strong 4-3 decision ruling that the state could not discriminate in offering marriage to any eligible indiidual.
The ruling becomes effective in thirty days.
June 14 is a Saturday, however many county offices are open on the second Saturday of each month to allow access to those not able to visit during regular weekday hours. And no doubt, many locations will be opening at 1201AM to allow access to those denied access for all those years.
The president of the county clerk's association, Stephen Weir, expects that he and his partner of 18 years are the first in line.
I had the good fortune to be in San Francisco during that drizzly Valentine's Day Weekend 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed the issuance of marriage license to all. It was a remarkable weekend that led to the court fight and to the May 15 ruling.
On May 14, I told my best pal that the world was going to change the next day. Which it did, once the California Supreme Court issued a strong 4-3 decision ruling that the state could not discriminate in offering marriage to any eligible indiidual.
The ruling becomes effective in thirty days.
June 14 is a Saturday, however many county offices are open on the second Saturday of each month to allow access to those not able to visit during regular weekday hours. And no doubt, many locations will be opening at 1201AM to allow access to those denied access for all those years.
The president of the county clerk's association, Stephen Weir, expects that he and his partner of 18 years are the first in line.
I had the good fortune to be in San Francisco during that drizzly Valentine's Day Weekend 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed the issuance of marriage license to all. It was a remarkable weekend that led to the court fight and to the May 15 ruling.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Carnage At Petco Park
The Beloved St Louis Cardinals sandwiched two 16-hit wins against the fading Padres this week. The middle game was lost thanks to one pitch (resulting in a 3-run homer by studly Padre third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff). The Padres have been in turmoil for most of the 2008 season.
The third inning of Wednesday's game was probably their lowest point, thanks to Cardinals All-Star Albert Pujols. In the space of 10 minutes, Pujols knocked out the battery combo of Chris Young and Josh Bard. Pujols slammed a line drive into the face of the tall Padre pitcher, leading to blood and gore that local Channel 4SD refused to show again "because it was too graphic and this is a family program". Although they did show the video twice on the post-game wrapup show.
The lanky Padre pitcher was able to walk off the field moments later. He was taken to a local hospital where they determined it was a "nasal fracture" and several "lacerations".
Two batters later, Pujols slid into home, scoring from second base on a drive to right field. Catcher Josh Bard twisted his body to catch the ball, block the plate, and tag the runner. He failed to do all three, instead "severely" spraining his ankle. He had to be assisted from the field as 21,122 Padre fans sat in stunned disbelief.
Both players were sent to the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, although it is thought that catcher Bard will be one at least 6 weeks.
With an 11-3 win, the Cardinals took the series and remained just behind the Small Bears Of Chicago, whose imminent collapse is slated for August.
The third inning of Wednesday's game was probably their lowest point, thanks to Cardinals All-Star Albert Pujols. In the space of 10 minutes, Pujols knocked out the battery combo of Chris Young and Josh Bard. Pujols slammed a line drive into the face of the tall Padre pitcher, leading to blood and gore that local Channel 4SD refused to show again "because it was too graphic and this is a family program". Although they did show the video twice on the post-game wrapup show.
The lanky Padre pitcher was able to walk off the field moments later. He was taken to a local hospital where they determined it was a "nasal fracture" and several "lacerations".
Two batters later, Pujols slid into home, scoring from second base on a drive to right field. Catcher Josh Bard twisted his body to catch the ball, block the plate, and tag the runner. He failed to do all three, instead "severely" spraining his ankle. He had to be assisted from the field as 21,122 Padre fans sat in stunned disbelief.
Both players were sent to the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, although it is thought that catcher Bard will be one at least 6 weeks.
With an 11-3 win, the Cardinals took the series and remained just behind the Small Bears Of Chicago, whose imminent collapse is slated for August.
Monday, May 19, 2008
45 Cents
Yup. That was the cost of my ticket to see the San Diego Padres host the World Champion St Louis Cardinals (2006).
I grew up as a Cardinal fan, and although I haven't lived in St Louis for 20 years, I still catch many of their games on TV and trek to many other National League cities to cheer on The Beloveds (a nickname they earned thanks to a teasing pal of mine).
For nearly 15 of the past 20 years, I have included San Diego as a destination to catch at least 9 innings. I lived in America's Finest City for almost half of those 15 years, so watching a game at former home Qualcomm Stadium was easy. In the time since I moved away, the Padres relocated to the gorgeous downtown Petco Park.
The Cardinals are in San Diego for a Mon-Tue-Wed three-night series. A few weeks back, I wandered to the Padres website and perused ticket prices. As is the case with most new(ish) stadiums (stadia?), there are dozens of price variations and "special discounts". As I have bought tickets online in past years, the Padres SPAM me with weekly emails about upcoming offers. Typically, the Beloveds draw quite well wherever they travel. Cardinal fans may not be as devoted as Yankee and Red Sucks fans (nor as delusional as Chicago Small Bears fanatics), but Cardinal Red is in evidence at most of their away games.
Strangely (or maybe not), there were zilch promotions offered for this early-season three night series. Ticket prices ranged from $5 to $50. I had pretty much decided to buy one of the $5 "Park at the Park" tickets, which grants you basically a "standing-room only" ticket. In theory, you lounge on the massive green hill beyond right-center, but you also are granted access to all parts of the park. It is a decent deal and since I tend to wander the park and enjoy multiple viewing points, that seemed like a fair deal to see The Beloveds take on my second-favorite team.
Now, the $5 Park At The Park ticket is the advance price. Day of the game, the cost skyrockers 40% to a lofty $7. And since I was not arriving in San Diego until the Sunday before the game (and the ticket office was closed since the Padres were in Emerald City being crushed by the Mariners), I was looking at a $7 ticket.
I had often heard about ticket availability on craigslist.org, and yes, there are always plenty of tickets posted there. But it's cumbersome to arrange a ticket exchange. And you never really can be sure the tickets are legit. And, worse, the sellers on craigslist seem to believe you should pay above face value or buy their whole lot (2 tix, 3 tix, 10 tix). Hassle city.
Recently, stubhub.com became the preferred ticket exchange provider for Major League Baseball. As a result, they link directly to all the official sites of each team and facilitate the sale of tickets from season ticket holders to interested individuals.
I had been vaguely aware of stubhub, but was annoyed by their fee structure, which includes a 10% commission and a flat $4.95 transaction fee. Then I stumbled upon a couple postings about the "stubhub promo codes". It seems that they had $10, $20 and even $30 promo codes that were available to both new and existing customers.
So I set up a stubhub account, loaded on a couple promo codes, and went shopping.
I checked prices about 10 days before the game. There were roughly 900 tickets being offered, ranging from $8 to $80. The $8 price point seemed to apply to outfield reserved tickets originally priced in the $11-12 range. Not a bad deal. A nice discount for a home team fallen on hard times with the worst record in the major leagues.
I held off, though, thinking my $7 Park At The Park ticket would suffice just as well as an outfield seat.
A few days later, the prices had dropped to $7. And then $6. Finally, three days before gametime, prices hit $5. Mind you, not just one ticket at this plrice, but rather nearly 50 of them. Most sellers wanted you to buy 2/4/6/10 at once, but there were a handful of "singles".
So I bought my ticket. $5.00 + $0.50 commission + $4.95 fee. That brought my total to $10.45. I clicked on the $10 OFF promo, input my credit card, and received my confirmation email in 10 seconds.
Shortly after, a second email with a link to my e-print ticket appeared.
Total cost: 45 cents.
I was a tad paranoid as my printer is not always 100%, so I printed two copies of the ticket, but the bar code scanner at Petco worked like a charm. I arrived just before 6PM and caught the final few moments of Visitor Batting Practice. Like every other "away" game I have attended through the years (Oakland. San Francisco. LA. Tampa. Montreal. Denver. Phoenix.) there were red-clad fans swarming all over the stadium.
And of course, hardly any Padre fans. Being in last place after missing the playoffs by one game last year has definitely dampened spirits. The stadium was barely half full, with an announced attendance of barely 22,000. And that probably includes the thousand or so tickets still available on stubhub (since they were technically sold).
It wasn't a great game, although a victory is always a good thing. The Padres, who for years have complained that Petco is bad for homers, watched three Cardinals go deep (with four homers) on their way to an easy 8-2 win.
Not bad for 45 cents.
OK, truth be told, I also spent $4.00 for my round trip trolley trip. And another $3.75 on the most hideously bad SuperPretzel in ages.
I grew up as a Cardinal fan, and although I haven't lived in St Louis for 20 years, I still catch many of their games on TV and trek to many other National League cities to cheer on The Beloveds (a nickname they earned thanks to a teasing pal of mine).
For nearly 15 of the past 20 years, I have included San Diego as a destination to catch at least 9 innings. I lived in America's Finest City for almost half of those 15 years, so watching a game at former home Qualcomm Stadium was easy. In the time since I moved away, the Padres relocated to the gorgeous downtown Petco Park.
The Cardinals are in San Diego for a Mon-Tue-Wed three-night series. A few weeks back, I wandered to the Padres website and perused ticket prices. As is the case with most new(ish) stadiums (stadia?), there are dozens of price variations and "special discounts". As I have bought tickets online in past years, the Padres SPAM me with weekly emails about upcoming offers. Typically, the Beloveds draw quite well wherever they travel. Cardinal fans may not be as devoted as Yankee and Red Sucks fans (nor as delusional as Chicago Small Bears fanatics), but Cardinal Red is in evidence at most of their away games.
Strangely (or maybe not), there were zilch promotions offered for this early-season three night series. Ticket prices ranged from $5 to $50. I had pretty much decided to buy one of the $5 "Park at the Park" tickets, which grants you basically a "standing-room only" ticket. In theory, you lounge on the massive green hill beyond right-center, but you also are granted access to all parts of the park. It is a decent deal and since I tend to wander the park and enjoy multiple viewing points, that seemed like a fair deal to see The Beloveds take on my second-favorite team.
Now, the $5 Park At The Park ticket is the advance price. Day of the game, the cost skyrockers 40% to a lofty $7. And since I was not arriving in San Diego until the Sunday before the game (and the ticket office was closed since the Padres were in Emerald City being crushed by the Mariners), I was looking at a $7 ticket.
I had often heard about ticket availability on craigslist.org, and yes, there are always plenty of tickets posted there. But it's cumbersome to arrange a ticket exchange. And you never really can be sure the tickets are legit. And, worse, the sellers on craigslist seem to believe you should pay above face value or buy their whole lot (2 tix, 3 tix, 10 tix). Hassle city.
Recently, stubhub.com became the preferred ticket exchange provider for Major League Baseball. As a result, they link directly to all the official sites of each team and facilitate the sale of tickets from season ticket holders to interested individuals.
I had been vaguely aware of stubhub, but was annoyed by their fee structure, which includes a 10% commission and a flat $4.95 transaction fee. Then I stumbled upon a couple postings about the "stubhub promo codes". It seems that they had $10, $20 and even $30 promo codes that were available to both new and existing customers.
So I set up a stubhub account, loaded on a couple promo codes, and went shopping.
I checked prices about 10 days before the game. There were roughly 900 tickets being offered, ranging from $8 to $80. The $8 price point seemed to apply to outfield reserved tickets originally priced in the $11-12 range. Not a bad deal. A nice discount for a home team fallen on hard times with the worst record in the major leagues.
I held off, though, thinking my $7 Park At The Park ticket would suffice just as well as an outfield seat.
A few days later, the prices had dropped to $7. And then $6. Finally, three days before gametime, prices hit $5. Mind you, not just one ticket at this plrice, but rather nearly 50 of them. Most sellers wanted you to buy 2/4/6/10 at once, but there were a handful of "singles".
So I bought my ticket. $5.00 + $0.50 commission + $4.95 fee. That brought my total to $10.45. I clicked on the $10 OFF promo, input my credit card, and received my confirmation email in 10 seconds.
Shortly after, a second email with a link to my e-print ticket appeared.
Total cost: 45 cents.
I was a tad paranoid as my printer is not always 100%, so I printed two copies of the ticket, but the bar code scanner at Petco worked like a charm. I arrived just before 6PM and caught the final few moments of Visitor Batting Practice. Like every other "away" game I have attended through the years (Oakland. San Francisco. LA. Tampa. Montreal. Denver. Phoenix.) there were red-clad fans swarming all over the stadium.
And of course, hardly any Padre fans. Being in last place after missing the playoffs by one game last year has definitely dampened spirits. The stadium was barely half full, with an announced attendance of barely 22,000. And that probably includes the thousand or so tickets still available on stubhub (since they were technically sold).
It wasn't a great game, although a victory is always a good thing. The Padres, who for years have complained that Petco is bad for homers, watched three Cardinals go deep (with four homers) on their way to an easy 8-2 win.
Not bad for 45 cents.
OK, truth be told, I also spent $4.00 for my round trip trolley trip. And another $3.75 on the most hideously bad SuperPretzel in ages.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Six Weeks Later
OK, the mini-sabattical is drawing to a close. So much happens, and so much remains the same. Not sure whether that is good or bad. Perhaps it just "is".
I spent a week near the beach in San Diego. Another week enjoying extreme heat and cold in the Bay Area. Another week in suburban San Diego. And a couple weeks in the dusty dreary desert of Phoenix.
Today I head back to San Diego for a week of baseball at Petco Park and (hopefully) some beach time.
Then it is back to the Palm Springs area for 8-10 days of Memorial Day Weekend Madness and Bear Weekend Adventures.
Yikes, then it will be June!
I spent a week near the beach in San Diego. Another week enjoying extreme heat and cold in the Bay Area. Another week in suburban San Diego. And a couple weeks in the dusty dreary desert of Phoenix.
Today I head back to San Diego for a week of baseball at Petco Park and (hopefully) some beach time.
Then it is back to the Palm Springs area for 8-10 days of Memorial Day Weekend Madness and Bear Weekend Adventures.
Yikes, then it will be June!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
A Palm Springs Exit (II)
After spending 22 months in the Coachella Valley, I moved out of my rental, stored my life in a 5X10 storage locker, and have hit the road.
I have been feeling unsettled for some time about my situation. I wasn't hating Palm Springs, but more importantly, I wasn't loving it either. Or even enjoying it.
Yes, there are plenty good things about the desert. I have spent most of the 00's living in a desert, either Phoenix or Palm Springs. So I can't be sure it's all about the desert. It's probably more about me.
Up until 2006, I had always lived in large metropolitan areas: StLouis, DC, KCMO, San Diego, Phoenix. While the actual city populations may have hovered below 1M, each metro area was at least 2M+. And that's what I was used to, not the hubbub of huge cities, but the (dare I say) sophistication of larger cities.
OK, true, I am far far far from being a dilettante, and as regions go, the Coachella Valley is leagues beyond most metro areas of comparable size (250,000-ish). There is star power in town performing weekly at the Fantasy Springs, at the McCallum, atthe Annenberg, and other stellar venues.
So it's not fair to say PS is a "small town", but for whatever reason, I haven't found a niche that made me happy, that made me want to bound out of bed daily and take on the town. For the first six months of my PS Life, I couldn't get enough of the town. I went out nightly, taking it all in. But that got old fast. I wasn't keen on becoming a barfly, especially since I rarely consume alcohol.
So, in the short term, I am off traveling to San Diego and San Francisco. Then perhaps a couple weeks visiting some family. My brother lives in a town that is barely 100,000, so after some time there, I may be headed back to PS, looking for a new place to live, and sorting things out.
I have been feeling unsettled for some time about my situation. I wasn't hating Palm Springs, but more importantly, I wasn't loving it either. Or even enjoying it.
Yes, there are plenty good things about the desert. I have spent most of the 00's living in a desert, either Phoenix or Palm Springs. So I can't be sure it's all about the desert. It's probably more about me.
Up until 2006, I had always lived in large metropolitan areas: StLouis, DC, KCMO, San Diego, Phoenix. While the actual city populations may have hovered below 1M, each metro area was at least 2M+. And that's what I was used to, not the hubbub of huge cities, but the (dare I say) sophistication of larger cities.
OK, true, I am far far far from being a dilettante, and as regions go, the Coachella Valley is leagues beyond most metro areas of comparable size (250,000-ish). There is star power in town performing weekly at the Fantasy Springs, at the McCallum, atthe Annenberg, and other stellar venues.
So it's not fair to say PS is a "small town", but for whatever reason, I haven't found a niche that made me happy, that made me want to bound out of bed daily and take on the town. For the first six months of my PS Life, I couldn't get enough of the town. I went out nightly, taking it all in. But that got old fast. I wasn't keen on becoming a barfly, especially since I rarely consume alcohol.
So, in the short term, I am off traveling to San Diego and San Francisco. Then perhaps a couple weeks visiting some family. My brother lives in a town that is barely 100,000, so after some time there, I may be headed back to PS, looking for a new place to live, and sorting things out.
A Palm Springs Exit
Yup, alt-rock left Palm Springs this past week. M995 morphed into some drug-induced hippie-istic classic rock station, calling itself "The Heat". Gag. I first noticed the change on April 1. so figured it was just a nasty April Fools Joke. Guess not.
Now the midlife crisis boomers can now preen around town blasting Geddy Lee's hystrionic Rush (the band, not the conservative), practice their combovers while bobbing their heads to the Who, reminisce about all the LSD they took while in LA-LA-land, and catch those ads for Preparation H and H+R Block.
PS has a glut of FM classic rock tunes. ("Listen honey, it's Crosby Stills and Nash! Or is that Crosby Stills Nash and Young? I get confused."), KCLB now seems the most "modern rock" although that's not saying too much. The Eagle was always 100% Classic Rock, so my radio dial rarely went there.
When I first started visiting the desert on a frequent basis back in the early 00's, M995 was a fully automated station. It sounded pretty bad, with minimal local "feel". Over the years, they added some DJs with personality, including the strangely-named Polly Chronopolous and their midday Dingo Boy.
Just a few months before I arrived in the desert, the wonderful 1980s hits station flipped to the hideous rap/hip-hop chillin' format. That was a bummer. Now modern rock is gone because, as the station says on their website that "the Alternative Rock listening audience is just too small a community here in the desert to sustain a commercial radio station."
It also seems likely that Err America on AM1340 may be the next to go. Oh well.
Now the midlife crisis boomers can now preen around town blasting Geddy Lee's hystrionic Rush (the band, not the conservative), practice their combovers while bobbing their heads to the Who, reminisce about all the LSD they took while in LA-LA-land, and catch those ads for Preparation H and H+R Block.
PS has a glut of FM classic rock tunes. ("Listen honey, it's Crosby Stills and Nash! Or is that Crosby Stills Nash and Young? I get confused."), KCLB now seems the most "modern rock" although that's not saying too much. The Eagle was always 100% Classic Rock, so my radio dial rarely went there.
When I first started visiting the desert on a frequent basis back in the early 00's, M995 was a fully automated station. It sounded pretty bad, with minimal local "feel". Over the years, they added some DJs with personality, including the strangely-named Polly Chronopolous and their midday Dingo Boy.
Just a few months before I arrived in the desert, the wonderful 1980s hits station flipped to the hideous rap/hip-hop chillin' format. That was a bummer. Now modern rock is gone because, as the station says on their website that "the Alternative Rock listening audience is just too small a community here in the desert to sustain a commercial radio station."
It also seems likely that Err America on AM1340 may be the next to go. Oh well.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
115,300
That was the announced attendance for Saturday night's exhibition game at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The (yawn) LA Dodgers returned to their original LA home to host the Evil Empire Bawstawn Red Sucks. Yes, The Yankees have been dethroned as the Evil Empire. These days there is no more arrogant a team and fans than those Fenway-ners.
Due to stadium limitations, left field was a mere 200-feet deep. As a result, there wasn't much need for a left-fielder, with both teams employing a "short-center" softball-type alignment.
The KCAL broadcast began with a snippet of 80-year-old Vin Scully's original intro to the first LA Dodger game in 1958. The broadcast also featured bizarre camera-angles, including a repeatedly priceless shot of the back of the second base umpire every time a runner was on first. The crowd was decidedly more Dodger than I expected, since the Evil Empire tends to attract it's maniacal fans in droves all across America. But Dodger Blue was out in force, although losing the exhibition in the end.
Forty miles south, the ill-named Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of Disney de Sabado Gigante bested the real southern CA baseball powerhouse in yet another meaningless game. Attendance deep behind the Orange Curtain: 40,468.
Although it sure seemed like an awful lot of empty seats every time I paused on FSN West.
Yup, Still Here
OK, so I haven't died or anything. And I didn't get "bored" by blogdom. I just suppose I haven't been much in the mood to babble about life lately. Yes, my feelings about Palm Springs have taken a sudden spiral downward and I am not sure exactly why.
I think I may be missing life in a Big City.
This is the first time in my life that I have lived somewhere with a population less than 2M. DC, StL, KCMO, SD, PHX -- they all were large metropolitan cities with lots of folks and lots of "town".
And after 22 months, I really miss all the hubbub.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Michigan and Florida
The issue has been bubbling for over a month and as the 2008 Democratic Presidential contest has made its way past various "Super" Tuesdays, suddenly everyone is babbling about what should be done to guarantee that Democratic voters in MI and FL actually count for something.
Should the results stand? Or should there be a re-vote?
Overall, Obama holds a delegate lead of 120-150, depending on who is counting. He also holds roughly a 600,000 lead in actual votes cast. There are roughly 400 "automatic" superdelegates who have yet to weigh in.
Neither candidate can reach the magic 50%+1 to claim victory without the votes of these "party leaders".
Hillary wants to count the votes cast in Michigan and Florida, contrary to party rules agreed to by all. That would net her additional delegates. More importantly, it would raise the popular vote total to nearly match the Obama Vote Total.
Florida voted on January 29 in a primary whose date was set by the Florida Republican Legislature and signed into law by sexually-ambiguous Republican Governor Charlie Crist. As a penalty, the RNC halved the Florida delegate count. The DNC voted to strip Florida of all its convention delegates. The election was still held, with Hillary jetting in on election night to claim her 50%-33% victory. Of course, given the arcane proportional-representation delegate tally used by the DNC, the delegate breakdown was Hillary 113, Obama 71, a net +42 for Hillary
Michigan voted two weeks earlier, on January 15. The DNC also stripped them of their delegates months before the actual vote.
Obama's big mistake was removing his name from the Michigan ballot. In doing so, he lost a big chunk of "actual votes". That single bone-headed move allowed Hillary to gain 327,000 votes. "Uncommited" came in second with 237,000 votes. And Obama got ZERO. True, most of the "uncommitted" voters are likely Obamaniacs, but he still gets no actual votes should the January 15 results stand. In addition, she gains 80 delegates, while Uncommited gains 55.
So, Hillary nets 25 actual delegates, although she also has a shot at the automatic superdelegates. If Michigan is not counted, the automatic delegates are invalidated. If Michigan is seated, the automatic superdelegates are in play. At most, Hillary nets 50 total additional MI delegates.
If nothing is done and the DNC Credentials Committe votes to seat both delegation in August, Hillary gains less than 100 actual delegates. More likely, the number would be between 60-70. Seating both groups would also activate the "automatic" superdelegates. And it's unclear how they would vote.
A revote would probably help Obama in that he would gain votes in Michigan. Having a re-vote in both states would cost $20-30M, a huge waste of funds, although motivated Democrats could probably collect the money in a week.
Obama would gain tremendously by stepping up and directing his delegates to vote to seat both delegations as is. Sure, she would nip at his overall vote total. But his delegate lead would remain in tact. And many of the automatic superdelegates would no doubt be swayed by his leadership.
I still want Hillary to win, but spending $30M to hold two do-overs is just plain dumb.
Imagine how helpful that money would be to help drive voter turnout in November.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Gee, That Was Easy
OK, so I forgot to pay my Macys bill in February. Well, technically I didn't forget, I was late. Realizing on Feb 21 that my Due Date was Feb 19, I drove to Westfield Palm Desert and made a quick payment at one of the customer service desks.
My statement arrived today and sure enough, there was a whopping $25 Late Fee. Argggh. I figured I would give them a call and see if I could sweet-talk the customer service agent to waive the fee since I was only two days late.
Like most businesses, Macys has an automated voice recognition system on their toll-free customer service number. After answering a few questions, I selected the "billing" option. And then I was startled to hear the option "If you would like to request the removal of a Late Fee, say 'Remove'." I spoke the magic word and five seconds later, the auto-voice advised that the $25 fee had been removed "as a courtesy". Gee, that was easy. I re-checked my account balance, and sure enough, the $25 was removed from my balance.
So a five-minute phone call, made on a whim, saved me a decent chunk of change. They probably only give you one "courtesy", so I guess I should mail in this month's payment.
Monday, March 3, 2008
KNEWS Radio Goes Local
Palm Springs is the 133rd largest media market in the United States. That puts the Coachella Valley squarely between Saginaw MI and Fayetteville AR. And a full 100 slots below Las Vegas (MM #33). And it can be quite jarring if you move here from one of the "Top Tens" (LA/NY/SF/PHX). You quickly get used to very young television reporters who last about a year before heading on to bigger markets. News anchors come and go in a blink of an eye, often heading off to San Diego (MM #17).
However, radio tends to be not all that different than most larger markets. Rampant concentration in the radio industry has led to most stations broadcasting a standard slate of formats and syndicated fare. Palm Springs has its "Jack", its "Mix", its alt-rocker "M995", and a handful of talk stations. For the most part, the talk stations divvy up the rightwing wacko pontificators. Plus, Err America plugs away at 1340AM.
Today, KNEWS radio blew up its format and began broadcasting eight (8) hours of local call-in programming (in addition to its 2 hours of daily simulcasting of KESQ news). Previously, they were producing a whopping three hours daily, two hours of Gary Stone and one hour of openly gay mentsch Bulldog Bill Feingold. Now each of them have a full three hours to babble about all things local. And to be sure the valley is covered, KNEWS broadcasts on 970AM, 1140AM and 1250AM.
Gone are two hours of Dr. Laura, a whiny hour of Mark Levine, and a two-hour replay of the previous day's SpaceAlienShow with George Noory. Undoubtedly a few crazed oldsters will be irate for a few months, but it's refreshing to have a local station make an effort to do something new. Their website is still pretty horrid, but its nice to hear local voices on the radio rather than bombastic rightwingers wailing away.
I started listening to "Unleashed" with Bulldog Bill Feingold about 10 months ago, a couple months after he and his lovable, but somewhat dense, sidekick Kevin Holmes moved from a weekly Saturday one-hour program to a nightly one hour chatfest. The show is a mix of local and national news and politics. During the 2007 election cycle, Bulldog dazzled by showcasing nearly all of the candidates for local office, giving even the most inept one a full hour tomake their case.
It's not exactly the most professional sounding program, but the Bulldog shares a daily potpourri of trivia and events, highlighting the deaths of the near famous (most of whom his sidekick Kevin is clueless about). Bulldog and Kevin have a great on-air rapport. Over the past few months, the Bulldog has coached his thirty-something sidekick about yiddish, teased Kevin about his lesbian roomies and rural upbringing, mocked Kevin's impromptu drunken striptease performance, and chastised his sidekick for his many Hunters' forays.
From time to time, they actually take callers -- usually trusty Elizabeth and ornery JD. But for the most part, it has been Bulldog musing about random-ness.
Now that his show has expanded to three hours (7PM-10PM), I suppose my evenings will be full !
Election Geek
OK, yes, I am a political junkie. Twenty-four years ago, I spent the better part of four months volunteering for the ill-fated 1984 John Glenn for President campaign. Seems like a lifetime ago, but I still fondly recall taking the Metro to The Hill and walking proudly into their Command Center at 444 North Capitol. I worked in the financial group, opening envelopes and logging checks for $1000. We had few PCs and just about everything was still done by hand, including ALPHABETIZING the check receipts. Yikes.
Ten years later, I joined up for the ill-fated reelection campaign of Congresswoman Lynn Schenk. (Detect a trend?) I had just moved to San Diego and was eager to get involved. But it was a pretty sad operation and she ended up losing to Brian Bilbray.
So now the race between Clinton and Obama is nearing a critical test. There are dozens, if not hundreds of websites and blogs out there chronicling every scintilla of data about the race. It can be a tad overwhelming. But I have found a great blog that chronicles what is most important" the delegate count.
2008 Democratic Convention Watch is covering the battle for delegates better than anything else I have found. Obscure details abound. Like the two Maine Superdelegates who didn't even live in Maine! And the details surrounding the Florida and Michigan controversies. I love it!
And I was startled to see that, yes, Hillary Clinton is still leading in delegates IF you count the votes of Michigan and Florida. That seems to have been totally ignored by the manic media of late. The Obamaniacs seem to have taken a page from the 2000 Florida Republicans in NOT counting the votes.
It's all potentially quite the mess, especially if Hillary holds her own in 48 hours and battles on to Pennsylvania (April 22) and - egad - to Puerto Rico (June 7). Then again, if she can't win Ohio, it's probably all going to come crashing down on her.
Stay tuned!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sweeps!
KESQ Channel 3 just led their 11PM broadcast with their much-hyped "Special Investigative Report" on rampant sexual activity in a "local Palm Springs neighborhood." Surprise, surprise, it's all about Warm Sands.
For about a week, the station has been running ominous promotional commercials about their special two-part "investigation". And of course, both anchors stared gravely into the camera and warned that the footage was not suitable for all viewers.
Complete with nearly a minute of greenish night-lens photography, reporter Jeff Stahl narrates the 4+ minute report.
Some comments:
- When exactly was this taped? Participants appeared to be wearing minimal clothing. And nighttime temps have been in the 30s-50s for the past 4 months. The breathless reporter indicated that it was tape from the "Palm Springs Police". Yet he also cites that only a handful of men have been charged since 2007. So if the tape is from the police, and only a handful have been charged, was this footage pre-2007?
- The reporter interviewed a straight married couple who recently moved into the area. Using his portable video monitor, he showed them the footage, causing the woman to scowl and look away quickly. Both were identified as "Warm Springs" residents. So, if the station cannot even properly identify the location, can we trust their reporting at all?
- The footage is rather explicit. Even with blurred splotches, it's clear what is happening, although Jeff Stahl is quick to point out the "oral copulation".
- Stahl also interviews another "Warm Springs" resident, who points out that the neighborhood gay resorts have cleared brush and added lighting. And that the activity has decreased substantially.
- In his narration, Stahl cites a survey that claims "38% of the participants are straight married men, 38% are gay men, and 24% identify as bisexual". It wasn't clear where whose numbers those were. He is also quick to point out that they "arrive alone and leave alone."
Most in the gay community are aware of the Warm Sands neighborhood. Many have probably taken a stroll through the area at some point. Many may have stayed in the area prior to making Palm Springs their permanent home. It does have the highest concentration of gay resorts, so there are tourists coming and going at all hours.
Generally, KESQ posts their video reports to their website within a day or so. It will be interesting what comments they receive.
Ah, life in Media Market #133.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Jump, Jump, Jump
Unleaded Regular Sunday 02-17-2008 = $2.99
Unleaded Regular Tuesday 02-19-2008 = $3.09
Unleaded Regular Thursday 02-21-2008 = $3.19
Looks like we will have $3.99 way before summer arrives.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
OCS: Reality Check
Yes, David Brooks is a conservative. And, yes, David Brooks is raining on the parade. And, yes, he details OCS -- Obama Comedown Syndrome.
How is a 47-year-old novice going to unify highly polarized 70-something committee chairs? What will happen if the nation’s 261,000 lobbyists don’t see the light, even after the laying on of hands? Does The Changemaker have the guts to take on the special interests in his own party — the trial lawyers, the teachers’ unions, the AARP?
The Gang of 14 created bipartisan unity on judges, but Obama sat it out. Kennedy and McCain created a bipartisan deal on immigration. Obama opted out of the parts that displeased the unions. Sixty-eight senators supported a bipartisan deal on FISA. Obama voted no. And if he were president now, how would the High Deacon of Unity heal the breach that split the House last week?
The victims of O.C.S. struggle against Obama-myopia, or the inability to see beyond Election Day. But here’s the fascinating thing: They still like him. They know that most of his hope-mongering is vaporous. They know that he knows it’s vaporous.
Of course, St Hillary is mostly to blame for this. Is it possible to run a worse campaign? She should have sent Mark Penn and his "MicroTrends" packing after Iowa.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Keeping Up With The Times....
My first major exposure to "gay media' came when I moved to Washington DC in 1983. A short time thereafter, I discovered the Blade. The Washington Blade was pages and pages of news, commentary, and of course, personal ads. The newspaper became a big part of my weekly routine. By 1985, I was working a 3PM-12M schedule, so I would take my dinner break, walk a couple blocks to Connecticut Avenue, pick up a fresh new copy of the paper, and read the paper cover-to-cover while dining at Long John Silvers Fish N Chips.
The weekly gay paper was wonderful. When I moved back to the midwest a couple years later, there were a couple floundering gay weeklies in Kansas City. They usually lasted only a year or so. There was minimal news inside -- they were mostly bar and nightclub advertising. And personal ads. The granddaddy of midwestern gay periodicals, the Gay News Telegraph was published out of St Louis and was a MONTHLY!
By the early 1990s, I had found my way to southern CA. San Diego was blessed with at least three weekly papers. It was great to be getting all my gay news in a timely manner. The internet was bubbling up, but most gay media remained in print. Update and Gayzette and Gay Times all flourished. I could stay current on politics and social organizations and bar activities. The personals were (gladly) fading fast.
My brief foray to AZ was like stepping back in time. The Echo was published bi-weekly, so once again, it was Stale News City. Over time, other bi-weeklies and monthlies appeared, so at least you would receive new "news" each week.
Palm Springs is blessed and cursed with gay media.
The Bottom Line magazine is glossy, well-produced, loaded with ads and features, and a good resource for the local scene. It usually publishes 100+ pages. But it only comes out every other week. Yawn. So the "news" value is greatly diminished. As such, it does a good job to promote upcoming general interest events, often including rather extensive articles/interviews with celebrities passing through town.
Pulp magazine is published by the same company as The Bottom Line. The two magazines alternate publication weeks, so at least there is new material hitting the streets each week. Pulp used to be a tad, um, sleazy-ish, but over the past year, the content has improved greatly. It's become a good mix of social events, sex advice, porn columnists, and health issues. The cover still often highlights a porn star (or two). But that's a good thing, right?
The Desert Daily Guide publishes a weekly smallish mostly black-and-white tabloid-size mini-magazine. While they have beefed up their content lately, many of the articles are unfortunately dated, due to the early publication deadline. They added a sports column late in 2007 and you can't really cover sports 10-14 days after something happens. Though they get props for at least trying. Even worse is the often grammatically- and spelling-challenged weekly ramblings from a local barback. Most of his opinions are dead on, but a proofreader would be helpful. They used to have a great local gossip columnist, but apparently he created too many waves and fled town. Darn. Also, it seems that many of the bars have greatly reduced their DDG advertisements, although the two-week daily planner was revamped last fall and remains a good source for tourist and local alike.
Talk magazine debuted a couple years ago. A full color old-format-TV-Guide-sized magazine, it looks great week after week. Usually the cover is bright and cheery, highlighting an upcoming event or local personality. Inside, there is a great range of columnists, from a transgender to leather bar owner to pet maven. Also included is a weekly Bear Talk column, which highlights local events and personalities. The ads are bright and colorful and current. However, there isn't much "news" aside from items covered by the columnists.
Palm Springs newest media entry is the oddly titled "Palm Springs Live Online". Chockful of photos taken at various venues, it actually contains lots of great information. They recently revamped their event listings, which now seem to comprise half of the newspaper. There are a few columnists who also seem to have worthy commentary. Alas, it too only publishes EVERY other week.
Even now, nearly a decade removed from living in San Diego, I pick up a copy of The Gay And Lesbian Times just about every week. It is newsy -- local, regional, national, international. There is a great mix of columns on sports, legal matters, health, fitness, and social events. It's quality journalism. And yes, even though the internet feeds us information faster than we can handle, I still enjoy picking up an actual paper and reading it the old fashioned way.
Not
Just cancelled my three free nights in San Francisco. Oh well. My heart just wasn't into it. Strangely, since moving to Palm Springs in May 2006, my desire to travel has declined, no, scratch that, it has fallen off the cliff. When I lived in AZ (2000-2006), I was "away" from Phoenix roughly 30-40% of the time. I couldn't wait to get on a plane and get away. Maybe it's because I have hit 46 of the 50 states. Maybe all the travel delays and restrictions and annoyances finally have had an effect.
Or maybe I just like being here.
No IBR 14 for this bear. Maybe IBR 15 ??
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
To IBR or Not To IBR ?
That is the million dollar question...
Or maybe the $1.98 question.
I have trekked to SF for the International Bear Rendezvous at least a half-dozen times before. OK, so slap me silly, but I actually have never registered for the event (slap), but I must admit it can be a fun weekend to see the town overwhelmed by beardom.
Yes, I recall the uber-debauchery of the mezzanine level at the former host hotel. Yes, I fondly recall the elevator insta-pickups of the late 1990s. Yes, I recall the jammed houseparties way up near Twin Peaks, and a few clothing optional ones near the Castro. Yes, I recall waiting in line for AN HOUR to get inside the LoneStar. And yes, I recall that amazing weekend when City Hall became Marriage Central (even if it was the weekend I was dumped by the woofy guy I was seeing).
The lines to get inside anywhere can be a royal pain. It's hardly even worth the wait, is it? But then again, I am hardly a bar maven. SF is a bearish city 365 days out of the year, but it is kinda nice to be in the city when woofy guys are falling all over themselves. There is so much going on in all the venues, offical and otherwise.
I bought a ticket to fly up weeks ago, just in case I wanted to get away on dreaded V.D. Now it seems like I have found really cheap (ie FREE) places to stay.
It looks like it will be warmish (65+) and delightful in Baghdad By The Bay. Even when it's cold and dreary, SF is a fun city to visit. Then again, it is a holiday weekend in Palm Springs and we are hovering near 80 degrees for the rest of the week.
Decisions Decisions.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Twenty-Five Years Ago
Time flies.
I walked into my first gay bar in February 1983.
I was seventeen (and a half) and thanks to my 6'0" 230-lb frame could easily pass for the Over 21 crowd. I grew up in the nearby St Louis County suburbs, calling the local gay hotline whenever my mother would take my brother off to baseball practice, swiping copies of Playgirl from the neighborhood convenience store, and pining away for a classmate or two at my all-boys Catholic High School.
I could never really come up with a good reason to take the family car into "the city" until the second semester of AP English and AP History kicked in. We were given assignments that required research at the venerable Washington University, which somewhat straddles St Louis City and St Louis County. Suddenly, I had a perfect excuse to disappear for hours and log plenty of miles on the odometer.
In the pre-internet world, information about the gay community was not easy to find. When I was 15, I had discovered the local gay hotline. The number was staffed with a live person nightly from 6PM-9PM. At other times, it was simply a recording of bar events and activities. So I became aware of mysterious places known as Clementines and Montes and Club St Louis.
Finally in February 1983, I took a diversion from the Wash U library and drove to Montes. It was early, 6PM-ish or so on a Friday evening. I had selected Montes because it was right off the interstate and I figured it would be easy to find. (As it turned out, six years later I would end up having my first STL apartment only 3 blocks away from the then-abandoned bar.)
So on a warmish February evening, I drove 30 miles and found the unmarked bar. It was in an older building, more houselike than strip mall. I parked and went inside to find about 20 other gay men. For the first time in my life I was in the company of men I knew to be gay. (The gay teachers in high school were hardly openly out, after all.)
The crowd was mostly older. I think that Montes had a reputation for being a "wrinkle room". It was Happy Hour time, so the men were a mix of suit-clad businessmen and casually dressed older gents. I held my head high and walked directly to the bar.
Terrified that I would get carded, I ordered a simple soda. The bartender handed me a big mug of Pepsi. I quickly paid and moved away. I didn't want to linger and face any questions.
I walked to a corner and observed the small crowd while gulping my soda. My intention was to stay for only a few minutes. After all, this was a big step. I don't recall too much about the bar itself, just that it was covered with Anheuser-Busch merchandise. This was St Louis after all. I vaguely recall one 30-something businessman type attempting to strike up a conversation, but my intention was not to get picked up or even to to get chatty. As my glass emptied, he offered to buy me another and I declined, instead excusing myself and heading out the door.
I think I was inside for a grand total of 20 minutes.
I went back to the family car, jumped in, sped back onto the highway, and raced to Wash U to get some research done to justify my hours away from home.
Montes was an abandoned building by the time I moved into the "Fox Park" neighborhood six years later. Now, the building is long gone and a shiny McDonalds graces that corner.
I never bothered to sneak into any other St Louis bars that spring and summer. By autumn, I was on my way to Washington DC, where the legal drinking age was still eighteen. My parents dropped me off at the dorm one August afternoon and that night I was making the 12-block walk to Dupont Circle.
I had some exploring to do.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Tied.....Well Mostly
So now we are tied. Well mostly. Thanks to the latinos and the ladies, St. Hillary seems to have gotten the headlines and the buzz. Her resounding victory in CA on Super Duper Tsunami Tuesday was made even moreso thanks to (false) expectations set by the Obamaniacs. The O-rgasms fell into the trap. "We're gonna win CA! We're gonna win CA!" they shrieked and giggled like the starry-eyed idealists many of them dream to be.
Oops.
So the race continues. The Obamaniacs have the enthusiasm. Which is exciting and fun to watch. But watching his "victory" speech late Tuesday night, it was starting to feel like old news. Someday, O will be forced to actually say something concrete. Flowing poetic oratory is nice -- and inspirational on occasion, but you know, we actually have quite a few problems and issues to resolve as a nation.
To be fair, the speech given by St Hillary was pretty bland. And the crowd less drunk with enthusiasm. Efficient and competent. That's her strong (pants) suit. Reportedly, she is charming and mesmerizing in person one-on-one -- which does come through when she visits Letterman, or Tyra, or the Hallmark Channel infomercial-land, or MSNBC.
600+ convention delegates will be selected for the balance of February. Nearly all the states are slamdunks for O. But thanks to proportional allocation policies of the DNC, St Hillary will get her fair share, although the media mavens will begin falling back in lust with the Big O.
She has already signed up for any debate who will have her. It's a format that she has proven fruitful in the past, while he every so often seems confused or caught off guard. One analyst noted that she is able to speak in sentences while he requires multiple paragraphs.
The battle continues.
Meanwhile, ex-POW, partially-crippled, twice-married, 1980s-scandal-plagued, media darling, straight-talk-expressed, diminutive senior senator from America's 48th state plods along, winning bare pluralities in the red states and larger ones in the blue states.
Tortoise and hare, anyone?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
42.5 Years Of Living
Here's the rundown:
- Sunset Hills MO
- Rolla MO
- Somerville NJ
- Dunellen NJ
- Ballwin MO
- Chesterfield MO
- Washington DC
- Willows CA
- Washington DC
- Kansas City MO
- St Louis MO
- Kansas City MO
- San Diego CA
- Phoenix AZ
- Scottsdale AZ
- Desert Hot Springs CA
- Cathedral City CA
- ????????
He Shoots, He Scores !
I grew up in the midwest and have been a St Louis Blues hockey fan for as long as I can remember. NHL hockey rinks are filled with big, beefy, studly, agile men, so my appreciation for hockey players has only increased through the years. Of course!
I only get to see 8-10 Blues games a year, mostly thanks to the four games apiece they play against the Ducks and the Kings. Toss in a few national telecasts on "Versus" (gag!) and that's about it.
Last night, the Blues hosted the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim (No Longer Mighty) Ducks at the Scottrade Center in snowbound St Louis. Usually, games are more exciting when the goals are piled on, but the teams battled to an intense 0-0 tie after 65 minutes of regulation and 4-on-4 overtime. Years ago, both teams would have fled the scene with a single point apiece and team standings would include the just-awful "tie" game. The NHL wised up a few years back and added the shootout. Sure, there are purists that just hate the concept, and yes, even the FSN Prime Ticket Anaheim announcers grumbled that it was a shame that one goalie would get saddled with the loss after playing shutout hockey for regulation.
But that's the breaks and the Blues finally ended the game with two quick goals on their first two shootout attempts while the Ducks ineptly failed twice. A much needed win for a team rebuilding toward their former glory.
The Blues had one of the longest playoff streaks in sports history, making the NHL playoffs for an unprecedented 25 consecutive seasons (1980-2004). With a bit of luck and grit, they hopefully are back on track for a playoff appearance.
Oh, and thanks to the NHL Center Ice Free Preview Week on Time Warner Digital Cable, I'll get to see another game in just a few hours. Go Blues!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
$2.97
True, I have been a bit of a hermit lately. So while I was out and about yesterday, I noticed the Valero at Date Palm and Ramon was selling regular unleaded gas for just $2.97. The lowest it had been of late was $3.07-ish, and it had started back up the last time I noticed. I had to dart right in and juice up the Jeep.
Most likely I could have saved a couple more cents per gallon had I drove another 2 miles to the Vista Chino Valero which routinely has the lowest price in town. Still, it's nice not to see the price starting with a dreaded "3". I expect we will be seeing an even more ghastly "4" sometime this summer (or sooner?).
Monday, January 28, 2008
Pendulum
For most of 2007, it was a loud refrain: Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Can anyone stop the inevitable Hillary !?!
Then, a hundred thousand Iowans met a few days after the New Year and suddenly it was: Obama! Obama! Obama! New Coke has defeated the Clinton Legacy!
Four days later, the punditocracy was again screeching Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! The women saved Hillary! All because Senator Clinton won the votes of 7,500 more New Hampshire-ites than Senator Obama.
The drumbeat got louder when Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! "unexpectedly" toppled Obama in the Nevada Caucus. Of course, this was after complaining how Obama was going to steal away votes from the "unfair" on-the-strip casino caucuses. Hillary won 7 of the 9 strip locations.
Fast forward two weeks and the television bobbleheads are back in Obama! Obama! Obama! mode. A win is a win. But South Carolina is not America (thank god!). I dated a man from South Carolina for 6 months and was he ever screwed up.
But for the next few days, the pendulum has swung again. How long will she last? Can she recover? Will any other senators actually endorse her? Which pantsuit is her lucky pantsuit? What about her husband !?!
Tuesday night, Senator Clinton will rack up her second "beauty contest" victory when she wins the no-delegates-provided Florida Primary. That gives her two "beauty contest" wins (Michigan and Florida). In addition, each candidate will have one primary win and one caucus win.
On February 5, the pendulum will most likely swing wildly out of control. Both candidates will win delegates all across the 22 states holding either primaries or caucus.
I wonder which bobblehead news anchor will explode first? My bet is on MSNBC Hardball's Chris Matthews. Although I wish it would actually be Sean Hannity. I'd pay to watch his skull explode.
Oh, and don't worry, BearlyAmused Blog will not be political all the time....
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Debut
OK, I suppose the first post is supposed to be clever and witty and concise. But that's probably asking too much.
It's the start of a new year so I figured I would dive into this blogging thing (how 2006 of me). I expect to post about life in the Coachella Valley as well as national politics and media.
More later. And often (hopefully).
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