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| Monday, November 23rd, 2009 | | 10:33 am |
Another reason I'm glad I no longer live in the SF Bay Area
Had I not moved out of California in 1998, public transportation would have been my means to get around. My parents had their "we don't want to teach you how to drive to save on liability insurance" policy. Sure, I could have done what I would eventually do in AZ - save up and learn on my own - but in California, everything would have been more expensive. Plus, there would be nonexistent "take home pay" to make anything possible if a California job even happened. More likely than not, Bay Area public transportation would have entailed encounters of violent psychotics, sorta like the ones depicted in these YouTube videos: Drunken Oakland BART passenger puts fist through window while getting arrested by cop (Many reports claim it was his head going through the glass, but a few frames in the video clearly reveals it was his fist.) And taped last month: 2 middle-aged women get into fistfight over seat(!!!!) on SF Chinatown Muni busI'm no nooB when it comes to public transpo. I've used NYC's, the Miami area, the Phoenix metro area (of course) and the San Francisco metro area. Out of all four, SF is clearly the scariest/most dangerous. Whether you identify more as right or left on the political spectrum, one cannot deny that the politics of the SF metro area clearly sides with the bad guy and not so much the victim. You don't even have to live there to know that. When I was a teenager in the 90's, I often relied on an AC Transit bus en route an industrialized warehouse row near Aquatic Park (which stretches from Berkeley just short of Emeryville, and is right next to the I-80 freeway.) Unless you were homeless, looking to score dope (or something else), there were few reasons to be in that area (besides seafood at Spenger's Fish Grotto, Chinese food at China Station or turkey sandwiches at Brennan's). My reason was because it was the location of a family-owned jewelry manufacturer, and I once took Shotokan lessons in a studio next door. I saw many things go down on the commutes. A guy tagging the bus walls, some guy pulling a knife on another guy. Nobody ever called the police. Luckily, I never became a causality of any of it. Back to Aquatic Park. Really, it used to be a nice area. It was a green, sunny piece of land, a prime spot for picnics, sports on the lake and outdoor music events (before both bands made it big, SLAYER and EXODUS even did a show together at the park). Now it's a prime spot for street derelicts and pushers. And no local politician/official cares. But I'm not finished yet. I'm going to elaborate on the last point and make you very angry: Earlier this month, a woman's body was found at the park, and later the body of her baby son. The man suspected of the murders was previously imprisoned for beating to death a 3-year-old boy in 1994. Somehow, the charges of 1st degree murder turned into "voluntary manslaughter", he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, but got out in 2000 for good behavior. So less than 6 years spent total for what was clearly an intentional murder act. Nonviolent criminals spend more time than that. Sheriff Joe will always be a douchebag (in my opinion), but you have to give credit where credit is due: Unlike the do-nothing neighbors directly West, at least the guy gives the appearance of caring. /END OF RANT | | Saturday, October 24th, 2009 | | 6:24 pm |
We're all fucked...that's right, all of us.
I watched the Oct 20 edition of FRONTLINE on PBS, which talked about the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, an independent government agency here in the U.S. Never heard of it? Neither did I, until Tuesday night. It's a small watchdog agency that was (in layman's terms) responsible for monitoring and litigating trade fraud. The documentary explained how its director in the 90's, Brooksley Born, wanted more involvement and oversight in the going-ons of Wall Street. This desire put her at odds with the Clinton "financial woks", who did everything in their power to talk her out of such a "radical" agenda. However, it wasn't the Clinton admins' fault. At least, it wasn't only their fault. It actually goes back to the 80's, when the Reagan revolution altered Ayn Rand's views of laissez-faire capitalism into extremely perverted proportions. The Republicans - who controlled Congress for much of the 90's - perpetrated the Reagan philosophy and in 1998, stripped the CFTC of all the powers that would have made it an effective agency. Born (who obviously had a lot of pride in herself) immediately resigned. I'm all for a free market. I think most government social programs are wasteful, many are aimed at people who mooch, and that taxes should be as low as possible, thus weakening vitality of such programs. However, the U.S. conservative agenda wasn't about that. If you really want to know what the conservative agenda is, it's NOT about eliminating taxes, outlawing abortion, disallowing gays to wed, or limiting gun control. If that's the case, why are taxes very high (including here in the GOP-dom'd State of AZ), why is abortion legal, why do many States now allow gays to marry, and why do many States have background checks/waiting periods on firearm sales? All of these Glenn Beck disciple/Dittohead retards have time to Obama-bash, but no time to stop and wonder whether their preachers and national/local politicians flat out lied to them - for years - about campaign promises. This also changes the 2 views about whether a.) the 90's was the era of "Clinton prosperity", or b.) the Republican claim that Clinton inherited a surplus put in place by Reagan policies. Technically, the Republican version of events was more correct, except the "surplus" wasn't a surplus, it was merely a bubble of fraudulent securities schemes; Ponzi scams, insider trading and investments in toxic assets. Democratic policy merely sustained it. Does anyone honestly believe both political parties didn't know what was going on, or were at least skeptical? Didn't think so. Back to the documentary: one of the closing statements was that the CFTC is in the same position today as it was circa 1998. Some people often criticize me because - ever since I've been old enough to vote - I had never voted for ANY national candidate of ANY political party. I wonder if these same people would criticize me now. We're all fucked. Investing what little money we have in Chinese companies is probably the best bet at this point (they're going to have a field day in "rejuvenating" the American economy, if that even happens at all...) Current Music: pestilence - twisted truth | | Friday, March 20th, 2009 | | 5:04 pm |
| | Friday, February 6th, 2009 | | 1:23 pm |
| | Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 | | 2:06 pm |
True or False
Samael's upcoming album will be a return to basics, just as the band claims. No more suckfest industrial pop. Or maybe someone heard the leak and knows for sure... Current Music: samael - total consecration | | Sunday, January 11th, 2009 | | 11:58 am |
 Current Music: darkseed - autumn | | Sunday, January 4th, 2009 | | 9:23 pm |
 Current Music: ajatarra - haureus | | Monday, December 29th, 2008 | | 8:16 pm |
 Current Music: before the rain - wounds of rejection | | Thursday, December 25th, 2008 | | 1:04 pm |
Shattering my own logic (or willingness to research) I found out Gran Torino has a limited run here. One of the few good things about living in the Phoenix area (notwithstanding the bad, which # in the thousands) is that many sneak preview/limited-run showings start here before going (inter)national. But who cares - I don't go out to the movies that much. The storyline was not too original: The Karate Kid had been brought up (personally, I thought Stand and Deliver) but as a whole, the movie was very well done, and it's very possible Harry Callahan will get an Oscar nod (either for acting or directing). As you might already know, the main character was openly anti-Semitic, anti-black, anti-Asian & anti-Hispanic, and his colorful remarks drove the audience (all of whom consisted of older, White folk) to laughs. However, the ending and Eastwood Jr.'s melancholic singing drove these same folks to tears. I won't give away what happened, but let's just say it made sense, as every unsympathetic character got their just desserts. (It's a shame knowing Michigan doesn't have capital punishment, though. Sorry, but I hate gangsters, I hate people who emulate gangsters, and I hate their stupid fucking culture in general - Hang 'em High!) There was absolutely no one on the road en route to the theater, and very few coming back....although the mall was HUGE. I think I may have screwed up my brakes looking for the cinemas. When I found it, it took more time to get to the lobby. The entrance turned out to be hidden behind this Irish Pub. ( What? There's Irish-themed bars here? And one at a shopping mall? How could it stay in business?) Also, is it just me, or do they seriously blast the volume up during the previews? You could see what's going on, but all the RMMMMMM....RMMMM...BOWWWWWWW!!!!!!...RMM MM...RMMM! prevents any dialogue from being heard. Well, like I said, I don't go out to the movies (or malls) often... Current Music: finisterra - totus floreo | | Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 | | 4:04 pm |
'Tis the Season for humility in America ... NOT!
I've been thinking too much about this to put it aside.
The main reason for the universal financial mess isn't so much politics, but because fuckloads of people in the Western World feel they live in a fantasy-land of entitlement. When I read about folks who get free college education/boarding expenses and then whine about how unfair their lives are, like Nicole Buffett, it just...really, really amazes me.
Before rushing to premature judgment, let's put my own situation into light: 80% of my 'college' expenses consisted of saved, out of pocket money. The other 20% was paid for by inheritance I received from a grandmother, but it was a very small figure at the end. In 1996, the money was placed into an intentionally-lousy portfolio by a broker, and it had been dwindling up until I closed the account in 2002 to pay off a student loan balance. Scratch that, partially pay off the balance. So if I didn't get that job to pay the rest, it would go into default just the same. If you're thinking, "well, you got something, there's people from poor families that don't inherit anything at all." True, but then there's education benefits (i.e. Pell) that people like me didn't quality for. Ah ha, so that's why politicians mention the "Middle Class" so much!
Let's look at Nicole Buffett. She's a step-granddaughter of billionaire Warren Buffett. I really admire this guy: Started from nothing in the middle of nowhere, and is now one of the richest people on Earth. If he doesn't turn out to be another Madoff, this guy will truly be my life hero. Anyway, Grandpa Warren had a rule of meritocracy in which financial benefits to heirs would be limited to college tuition/coinciding living expenses. Was Nicole gracious? Well, I read a few articles about this step-grandfather/step-granddaughter feud, and based on the snippets, she expected more. She was angry he didn't buy her a futon, she was devastated of not having cable (oh noooooooo!) or health insurance. WHOA, this little mental midget was pursuing an art career, and she's surprised she doesn't have health insurance? Didn't she get a job while she was in college? Or receive some kind of compensation for appearing on Oprah or starring in the documentary where she bad-mouthed her step-grandfather and strained their relationship? We'll never know. But an article did indicate the bill Grandpa Warren footed for Nicole's college education: in the 6 figure range. I'm sure the Rockefellers, Kennedys, Bushes and Du Ponts spent a similar figure on their children's education. Is it appropriate to say "ungrateful cunt"?
You consider this delusional little "heiress", and then look at all these investment banks and brokerage firms who thought the world revolved around them, thought they could use associations to powerful individuals to advance, and it's really no different, because everything tumbled at the end, just as it would. Serves them right for their arrogance and ridiculous sense of entitlement.
But how the news media is so surprised and sorrowful over it all...sheesh...
Hope everyone's having a good holiday... Current Music: agathodaimon - requiem/ribbons (1999 version) | | 10:56 am |
 Current Music: alcest - tir nan og | | Friday, December 19th, 2008 | | 3:01 pm |
 Current Music: insomnium - in the halls of waiting | | Friday, December 12th, 2008 | | 11:06 am |
| | Friday, November 28th, 2008 | | 9:27 pm |
| | Thursday, November 27th, 2008 | | 7:49 am |
| | Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 | | 11:32 am |
| | Thursday, November 20th, 2008 | | 4:32 pm |
| | Sunday, November 9th, 2008 | | 9:43 am |
| | Saturday, November 8th, 2008 | | 4:03 pm |
Ralph Nader wonders whether Obama will be an "Uncle Tom" to big business.I don't care if the '08 election was the Democrat's from the beginning; Ralph Nader is still a fucking idiot. And why would a man who's supposedly opposed to "big business" repeatedly appear on a biased news network that is funded by big business (Faux News)? Extreme hypocrite, or conservative puppet - you pick. 682,005 people were taking the short bus on November 4th. | | Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 | | 12:53 am |
A look at AZ's local elections...
Arizona's Congressional delegation now has a Democratic increase of one, but I'll get to that in a moment. 1. Sheriff Joe Arpaio was re-elected. The way of looking at that applies the same way AZ electoral votes were chosen. 2. Prop 102 was voted for, but I could care less, because I'm not gay, nor do I plan on being married or do I believe in marriage. 3. The Bond measures were also good, but my time in this State may be at an end, thus I may not be here to see improvements. Now, the House elections (and my personal analysis): DISTRICT 1: Kirkpatrick (D) beats Hays (R). This was the AZ Democratic +1 boost. The previous rep (Rick Renzi) is under Federal indictment, probably waiting for a prison cell where a nice hearty salad is waiting. DISTRICT 2: Franks (R) beats Thrasher (D). Not really familiar with this area, just know it borders San Bernardino County, California and Clark County, Nevada. Oh yeah, and a lot of those ultra-right wing types live there (Timothy McVeigh used to live in Kingman) DISTRICT 3: Shaddegg (R) beats Lord (D). The incumbent was part of Gingrich's Contract "on America", swore not to run in '08, but broke his promise. Alice Cooper and the Paradise Valley golf types sure didn't mind the reneging. DISTRICT 4: Pastor (D) beats Karg (R). This district includes Glendale, most of downtown Phoenix and Guadalupe (which I basically live 2 blocks away from.) Really the safest Democratic district in the State. DISTRICT 5: Mitchell (D) beats Schweikert (R). No small feat, Mitchell is very popular here. J.D. Hayworth was the previous holder of this seat, but lost it in '06 and decided to lend his "demeanor" to the Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh radio networks. DISTRICT 6: Flaky band members and a flaky girlfriend once resided in this district, so it should be no surprise that someone by the name of Flake (R) handily won. Mesa always goes for the lowest common denominators of society. After all, some people there think Warren Jeffs is the second coming. DISTRICT 7: Giffords (D) beats Bee (R). I lived in this district (Tucson) in 2001-02 when it was represented by Jim "NAMBLA" Kolbe. Giffords took over around '06 after Kolbe resigned to move to Thailand (just kidding about the second part.) Tucson might end up being like Tempe's politics, due to the fact it's a college town, and college towns tend to trend Democratic. But who knows? Giffords is a member of the "Blue Dogs", or as the pissant Nader likes to call 'em, "Republicrats". |
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