Here's something for all those upper-middle class middle-age Caucasoid male pseudo-royalty wannabe "wish I were in the land of cotton" mid-life crisis big-car buying trophy-wife having golf-playing environment-trashing corporate hypocrite limp-dick assholes to deal with, in imagery that their pea-brains might understand, as they march their sorry asses to the poles this upcoming election. Hey . . . a guy's gotta vent once in a while!

A Politically Incorrect Thought

There’s been quite a bit of talk regarding breast cancer awareness the past few years. This is a worthy cause:

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

But in the name of politically-incorrect equity, a similar syndrome has been affecting the male population for quite some time, and to this day receives extremely minimal attention and awareness, but affects more men every year than breast cancer affects women. So please, take a moment to check this site out:

http://www.pcaw.com/newsite/

This past summer, there was a Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (I’m sure no one was aware of this). It occurred between 9/19/04 and 9/25/04. Let’s hope that this continues for years to come until there is a cure. Both men and women deserve good health and longevity.

The Plain Truth

Today my mom sent me this righteous bit. I think it’s dead-on!

http://www.on-a-bed-of-california-stars.org/dropbox/seriously.mpg

Enjoy, and vote Kerry. Please.

-R.k.S.

Nice notes, Prez! Now I ask you, the American citizen: Do you really think Laura looks like that (see lower right-hand corner of notes)? I think that looks more like Jenna! I know. . . I'm sick. . . I really gotta lay off those chocolate covered cappuccino beans!

 

Ah, Sweet Justice

Time for another political rant. And it’s about time too, this close to the next, and possibly most important presidential election to occur in many a decade. Got a couple of good info-nuggets this week and I figured they just had to be shared. These first two confirm my ever growing belief that the judicial system in this country is being administered by judges and law-makers who seem to derive their pompous vision of what justice and equity are from some bizarre, alternate universe.

First, this gem:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=585&e=2&u=/nm/20041020/sc_nm/environment_whales_dc

C’MON!!! You mean to tell me the only reason why animals can’t sue is because there’s essentially been no judicial precedent set?? Never mind the fact that they haven’t even got opposable thumbs, an organized complex system of communication, or the ability to exercise clear and concise cognition and communication with the very humans who would act as judges and counsel. It’s just that Morris the fucking Cat hasn’t ever sued anyone yet. So because it’s not on the books, that’s the only reason that animals all over the country can’t join disgruntled relationship participants and bad business people in clogging our courts with bullshit. Ok. Got it. Just checking.

But if you enjoyed that little "turdlett" of information, you have GOT to dig this:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=503540

Well alrighty then. I've always held the belief that most conservatives have closets that hold numerous and twisted skeletons, and eventually said skeletons tend to overflow and fall out (isn't trans-generational incest a spectator sport in most Southern states? According to the Vatican, is pedophilia NOT a sin? And don't even get me started on the issue of livestock. Baaaaaaaaaaa). Some recent examples, of course are one Rush Limbaugh and much more recently, Mr. Bill O'Reilly. I would recount what Bill Maurer said about O'Reilly on last week's Real Time, but I don’t know if I’m ready for my little corner of the Internet to get that “blue” yet (then again, I did just say a tense of the word “fuck”. There. . . I said it again.) But trust me, it was dead-on and brilliant. Let's just say it had to do with a certain martial aid and a "bad place" (Rectum? Damn near killed 'em!) And I'm talking about "Mr." O'Reilly and the "device", not his alleged sexual harassment victim. To quote a country/pop music darling (and no, I'm NOT a fan), "Man, I feel like a woman!" Well, maybe 'ol Bill O'Reilly does. . .

But I digress. I would probably respect Judge Scalia much more regarding his ancient Roman proclivities if he would just either admit that he likes to get his freak on in a group setting (sounds like more trouble than its worth, but whatever) or kept his freaky essential oils and Saran wrap in that dark closet of his conservative soul. But he had to front with this conservative bullshit. And it is bullshit. Obviously.

Maybe after retiring from the bench, Good Justice Scalia (or “The Gimp”, as his bench-mates like to call him) an get together with Mr. Bill O’Reilly and his little toy collection and ex-New Jersey Governor McGreevy, drive down to Fire Island, and try to figure out exactly how many people it takes to be involved in a sex act before its considered to be public. Perhaps in the midst of this “research” they can combine their freaky forces and determine once and for all just how many licks it does indeed take to get to the center of a Charms Tootsie Pop. But to paraphrase a Seinfeld-ism, “. . . Not that there’s anything wrong with it. . . “

I've got to lay off the chocolate covered cappuccino beans!

Oh, one more thing before I try to get back on track (there will be more mention of new musical projects I’m involved in as well as words about great bands): Check these out.

http://www.knife-party.net/flash/barry.html

http://www.multiply.org/davescottanimation/GW5_Medium.mov

The Revolution will not be televised. But apparently there will be some sort of web-cast. Big ups to KAJ, Mark C. and Frank O. for those great articles of interest. Oh, one more thing:

The opinions that were expressed in the previous diatribe are strictly the author’s own, and do not in any way reflect actual fact regarding freakiness, martial aides, leather S&M outfits, anal stimulation, orgies, The Gimp, or the legal acumen of one Morris the fucking Cat. Thank you.

-R.k.S.

I took these in a state park in Central Jersey this past weekend. What the hell are they??? 

Say my name

It is recommended that a person occasionally put their name into an internet search engine, just to see what happens. One day I got bored and “googled” a portion of my “real” name. Here’s one of the interesting people I found:

RkS

I not only dig this cat’s work and would like to own a few pieces one day, it seems he and I have, well let’s just say, similar sensibilities. . .

-R.k.S.

Slacker

Ok, I admit it. I’ve been slacking. I’ve been meaning to write a bit on some recent musical ideas I’ve gotten and the projects that I’m currently working on. I’ve been meaning to finish and post a piece I’m writing about a band that, to me, may be the greatest modern popular music ensemble to emerge in the past few years. And I’ve been meaning to try to lay off the politics a bit. And with this post, I’ve failed to accomplish almost all of these goals.

But in the midst of my slacking, I’ve made some interesting discoveries this week. I thought I’d take a moment to share them with everyone:

• I was handed an article that details an incredibly vital insight to the Iraqi conflict.

• I’ve been made aware of an interesting attempt at spawning a new religious belief system.

• I read about what results from the cumbersome efforts of a member of middle-management with too much time on his hands and an inability to prioritize.

• I just discovered a new web site and organization that actually brought a smile to my atheist, secular humanitarian face and seeks to prove that its domain name is indeed not an oxymoron (“big ups”, as it were).

• And lastly, I stumbled on this great interview/discussion between David Bowie and Moby while looking for information on artist Damian Loeb.

So overall, it’s been a pretty good past few days, information wise. Thanks for everyone who’s been contacting me electronically and otherwise with interesting political, social, philosophical, and/or artistic articles and bits to share. Special thanks to KAJ, Bo, and a couple of the guys in my IT shop for this week’s crop of wholesome informational chocolaty deliciousness.

Now throw your hands in the air. And wave them like you just don’t care.

-R.k.S.

Apparently the Republican Party finds clean underwear to be offensive and somehow underhanded. This might explain a few things. . .

Wanted - Michael Moore

A big thanks to everyone who's been E-mailing me interesting and pertinent articles and information. Keep 'em coming and I'll post the tasty ones as soon as I can. A special thanks to "Ms. A" for bringing the following article to my attention:

It would appear that Mr. Michael Moore is being sought after for prosecution by the Republican Party. Read the following link to find out why (and believe me, its quite ridiculous.)

"Republicans, Out of Ideas, Ask Prosecutors to Arrest Michael Moore"

Please read and distribute, per Mr. Moore.

-R.k.S.

Here's a screen shot from a favorite past-time of mine - the German hosted/produced MMORPG game Tibia. It's really quite cool. Give it a try sometime!

We'll be back after these words. . .

Here's something light before I delve into my next big post. If you want something really fun and even somewhat addictive to do with your PC check out Tibia. And no, it's not porn! It's a really cool “massive" (MMORPG). It's also a great way to reach out to people from all over the globe. The game is developed, administered by, and run by a small group of German software developers in Germany, but players from a number of countries play in real time, which makes it even more interesting. I've been playing on and off for about two years now (my current character is a mid-level Paladin named Moon Sammy who is based out of the world of Premia - If you ever play Tibia, look me up sometime!) Have fun!

-R.k.S.

This is a life-size sculpture that I saw at a wonderful place called Grounds For Sculpture in central New Jersey. From what I understand, this is actually a self-portrait/body caste of the artist herself. Che donna prosperosa naturale!

Photo by R.k.S., circa 2003

Props!

Just want to give a quick shout out to Defiant Heart for the props on my last post. I'm really glad you enjoyed it and were inspired by it. I'll see if I can keep the momentum going. Also, if ya'll get a chance, do stop by the site of my blog compatriot Entropic Helix. Big Ups to Helix for turning me on to this wonderful public forum and creative outlet. Peace! (Ok . . . that's enough Ebonics for one day. I think I need to lie down.)

-R.k.S.

Love, Part 1

A good friend of mine forwarded an E-mail to me which has actually passed my desktop a couple of times in the past three years. I have not been able to verify its authenticity, so it’s possible that none of the children mentioned within are real and the comments are fabricated by one author. But then again, maybe not. A few of you may have received this E-mail in the past or even recently as well. And believe it or not, it actually invoked some thought and spurred me to write a little something today. The E-mail is transcribed below, followed by my commentary.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Love

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

Rebecca - age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."

Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

Bobby - age 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."

Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."

Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."

Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

Claire - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he ishandsomer than Robert Redford."

Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."

Karen - age 7

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love what Jessica had to say and I believe that it’s true. Most people think saying they love someone means they mean it. They don't want to or feel they have to actually prove it every single day with their deeds and intentions.

Billy's statement was way profound. Very Zen. Very deep. It inspires me to want to write something or commit a senseless act of art. And I agree with him wholeheartedly. This Billy must be a really intelligent and insightful 4-year-old from a very good home.

I'm not down with Nikka. I think her perspective is overly simplistic. Sometimes when we love our enemy, when we “hate the sin but love the sinner” (as it were), when we turn the other cheek without even stepping out of harms way, we make ourselves unnecessary martyrs and victims. We give the adversary, the negative person permission to be negative. The best one can hope to do under negative situations with negative people is maybe not hate them, but simply don't acknowledge them at all . . . to make them disappear. We should focus more on giving positive attention and acknowledgement to positive and loving people rather than trying to turn negative, hateful people into positive loving people. The latter should, at best, simply be left to their own devices. By turning our love on those who harm us in an attempt at “grace”, I feel we’re turning our backs on the good, positive people who truly do deserve and earn love. Most negative behavior is committed for one very basic primary reason. The perpetrator just wants way too much attention. I think if we stop "bending over" for our enemies, those who genuinely wrong us, and if we stop seeking vengeance when it isn't possible, and simply seek to move from these people and ignore them, there would be many less negative people. Because then, under those circumstances, what would be the point of being negative anyway?

Then again, to ponder Nikka’s true meaning, if we “hate” someone for reasons other than negatives deeds that they committed toward us and/or our loved ones, then it is we who need to reevaluate ourselves and become more positive. Otherwise we are the negative force I previously mentioned. This is just my opinion, but I’d love to hear yours. Feel free to scribe your comments.

-R.k.S.