Friday, June 29, 2007

Off to Wimbolden

We are going to England tonight for 4 days. We will see Jane, Lisa, Gareth, Barbara and a lot of tennis.


I am sure we will be fine. If anything happens, we will post to nincompoopery pdq that we are alright - so no worries.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

A Good Shaver Goes Bad (and not in a good way)


So, there once was a great shaver. It was a Gillette M3Power shaver. And all was right with the world. It hummed, it vibrated and it was a great little shaver.

But after 2 years (really 2 years!) the motor finally gave out and a new one had to be purchased.

But the M3Power couldn't stand the test of time apparently. No. Now there is the M3 Power NITRO.

Really, "Nitro". The "Nitro" is still a great razor. It hums and vibrates as it should and cuts a mean beard. But it is strikingly ugly. I include a picture below in order to show you how ugly it is.




Now, every morning I get up and face this... this... ugly health and beauty aid. And I think, every morning, Gez, this is hideous. It looks like something that should be on the Green Hornet's Gay Utility Belt.



"You hold him down Kato. I'll get rid of that 5 O'clock shadow!"

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

An Unfortunate Last Name

So, Ed went to his grandmother's service last week-end. He has shared the pictures with the family. I hope he will allow me to share this unfortunate picture (the foreground cropped out).

Ed's grandparents were in the foreground (now cropped out), and Ed pointed out that in the far background where his other grandfather Thielan (is buried). They were all from the same community in Iowa (I am sure Ed's parents were related somehow - which explains much doesn't it?).




But, as you know I cannot look at a picture without seeing the pun, can I? And between the two sets of grandparents are a set of unknown people with the highly unfortunate name of Pitstick.

I would assume that when they immigrated that Pitstick was a normal name, not slang for anti-persperiant. I am just glad my grandparents were Mitchells, not Pitsticks.

Of course, there is the obivous joke that is so obvious I ...almost... can't say it. But what if.. Robert Mitchum married the child of the Pitsticks. She would be Mrs. Mitchun-Pitstick.


Monday, June 25, 2007

Federer has class

Those of you who remember all my rants in general need not be reminded that I dislike one Roger Federer. But, then again, who can keep track of all the indignities of life which I chronicle with such fervor.

And so, let me remind you why Mr. Federer is not my favorite. His relentless precision and robotic smile seem designed to remind one that the Swiss, normally folksy and congenial people - inhabiting their cute miniature “Small World” peaks with goats and coo-coo clocks - had no problem with the crazy little German with the odd moustache who made the trains run on time.

(wow.. I really do love that last sentence. It runs on a little, but it is a piece of work, isn’t it?)

Anyway, Federer’s every move seems designed to show us that we peons are but mere mortals, unable to obtain perfection. Federer is effortless and can beautiful to watch. But he is also joyless and undemonstrative in a cold calculating way that leaves one the opinion he could just as well be hammering this out alone. He doesn’t invite viewers to revel with him- in fact I get the impressions he would prefer we weren’t there, but he has to put up with the viewers in order to get paid.

However, for the moment let’s put all that aside.

Look at him as he strides onto Centre Court as defending champion. He may look goofy to you, but the outfit is homage to the history of Tennis at the All England Racket Club.


He may be robotic, but he is classy. Good job.

Why have we not risen up an slayed them????

Oh .. My... Gawd...

They killed Marie Antoinette, why the hell haven't we risen up to slay these people yet! Are we so drone like and accepting of incompetence that the Bushes can do NOTHING TO OFFEND US.

Okay, Ronald Regan wasn't all there, Jimmy Carter was nebbish, Bush I was indifferent to people and Clinton was a little obvious. But each of them either truly cared or at least pretended to care about the people of this country.

Here is a picture from last week of George and Laura Bush at the Kennedy Center honoring Laura Bush.



Why the Christmas outfits? Because this is to be broadcast at Christmas. For ratings.

Okay people, here is what is going on RIGHT NOW.

1) Hundreds of Thousands of Americans (not Mexicans, not Dufarinese, F***ing AMERICANS) have no homes in Louisiana due to a hurricane that happened TWO YEARS AGO. And it isn't like we can't fix it. The damage in Mississippi has been fixed. But it is a Republican state. If Bill Clinton did the exact opposite (fixed Louisiana, but screwed everyone in Mississippie because they were Republicans, then Americans would rightly freak. I don't get it. We don't care that Americans have no housing, no work and thousands of kids have no school in New Orleans 2 years after a disaster? What planet are we living on?

2) We are in a war in Iraq. We have just passed the US death toll of 3600. (80% of these Americans after President Bush said (lied) Major Combat was over and we accomplished the mission).

3) The Iraq death toll is 10 to 20 times that. That if we lost the same percentage of people in the US, that would be the lose of a big state of population. Like every person in Minnesota was killed. And not - whoops - killed quickly. No, it is like every one was blown up at a Market, was kidnapped and had their head chopped off on video or driven along and BOOM!

4) We have held thousands of people in Cuba for 4 years now. We can't close the base because we only have the vaguest of evidence on about 12 of them. TWELVE!!!!

This man has lied, stubbornly refused to talk to others, slandered anyone who opposes him. His lies have been documented on the campaign trail, addresses to the country on TV, the state of the Union Address (which is a mandated by the constitution - which used to be an importatn document), lied to the Congress and anyone who would listen.

He doesn't care about anyone ANYONE. And he doesn't even have the decency to PRETEND to care. Nope, he is going to dress up, joke about Christmas presents with Reba in June and laugh because it is hi-lar-i-ass to screw the American dream as we all sit like slugs.

And the answer "At least he isn't Clinton" cannot be enough, can it? At some point don't you have to say enough. Is there anything he does or every could do that Republicans cannot justify. Because, I think leaving thousands of Americans helpless, homeless and destitute in New Orleans is evil.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

High School should end before 47

So, my Eddie is in Iowa / Minnesota and I had to face a party alone. I am sorry, but it was so high school redux for the longest time. Joe Hummer (horrible but actual gay name) is moving to Palm Springs tomorrow (July - great time to move to Palm Springs - 115 degrees). Eddie and I were invited because Joe's old boyfriend is a friend from LA. So I went and knew almost no one.

And I walked there. Because it is a beautiful night. (Weather complaint ahead!) But I get there and the tiny 1 bedroom fourth floor walk up is packed, humid, hot and un-air conditioned. I knew 2 people, one of whom sat me in front of a window shaker and turned it on because I looked 5 minutes away from heart attack (I wasn't, but I don't look good in humid sweatiness).

I was tempted to leave, but I pressed on, and ultimately had a great time. It took some strong talking and making fun of others, but ultimately I succeeded in breaking the ice. The cutest guy and I commiserated about missing So Cal (he still has a place in Laguna), two doctors and I bemoaned the lack of fake boobies and I talked with someone about - of all the places in the world - their place outside of Penargyl PA, and I was the only one that had been there. The fact I remembered very little of it wasn't nearly as important as the fact I had been there.

Ultimately I had a good time, but it is stupid that I am 40+ and you still get that high-school "no-one is going to like me" feeling.

Of course, I blame them.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

A Few of Trevor's Favorite Things

Sometimes my dog has a toy he loves. This was one. It was a a little orange / yellow thing that said "I Love You" when you threw it up in the air (or squeezed it). Two dollars from the bargain bin at Target Brooklyn.



He would get the toy from his box, play with it. Throw it around, bring it to you to throw it around. He has a lot of toys he does this with.

Then, one day he decides a toy is done. D-U-N. Done.

And he pulls it out and starts the grim task of ripping it apart one limb at a time. A toy's life span goes anywhere from 1 week to 10 months (the record held by a long purple "PetCo" wiener dog that bit the dust in January). And then he sets to tearing it up.

That is his other favorite thing.


Thursday, June 21, 2007

Good Bye Grandma Neppl

Ed's grandmother passed away this week-end. She lived a nice long live of 90 years. Last February she had a birthday and all the kids and grandkids (and some great grandkids) came. She was pretty healthy then. The picture below is Grandma Neppl, Ed, Phil & Julie and John & Sue & Faith & Sean.

It is never easy to say goodbye to someone you love , but I think the loss is lessened when your memories (and theirs) are happy ones. Imagine how wonderful it must have been to see her family around her. And her grandkids (John, Ed and Phil) where there and in touch - even though her son (their father) was dead.

I think Grandparents are a hugely important link. I appreciate my mom keeping me close to my dad's parents after the divorce, and I appreciate Jo making sure her kids were still close to their paternal grandparents after the divorce. And I mean "appreciate" in the full sense of I am thankful for the effort and the selflessness. Divorce sucks. And navigating the tricky waters of ex-inlaws can be awful. It is a tribute to our moms that they did this for the kids.

As for Grandma Neppl. She outlived her husband, and had an amazing 90th birthday. She then kind of "unwound" a little - a finally died in her sleep. Like my grandmother Zela, she had done her job of raising everyone well and it was time to move on. I bet heaven is full of mid-west grandparents who kept answering to the needs of others until the end. And who died full of warm and happy memories. Bless you Grandma Neppl (and may you meet my Zela in the afterlife).

I believe that a great week-end should...

I believe that a great week-end should give you a good mood for at least 3 days. So here is a picture of Ed and me in the Virgin Islands.


See how happy we are. We are still almost that happy - except for the news above.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

What a 120 Mile Per Hour Serve Feels Like

Often one wonders what a server at 120 MPH would feel like.

Would the racket tingle when you returned it?

Would you be able to see it?

What happens if you miss?

The answer to the last one was discovered by Marc Gicquel at a Germany Tourney.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Back from the Virgin Islands

We are back from the Virgin Islands. I will have more later, but this is Trunk Bay in Saint John. I took this from the taxi on the way to the bay. We snorkled around the islands in the picture and had a great time.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Scooter Hearts Tivo




Scooter hearts Tivo. Eddie let me buy the HiDef Tivo Series 3 the other day. Today Time Warner came and disconnected their lousy old DVR box, and added their two CableCARDs (TM) to my new Tivo. And well...
boop boop boop!!!!!

Salon Gives Up the Bush European Recap

I know most people can't read Salon without sitting through a commerical, but this article is great. Let me copy my favorite part.

In Rome, on June 9, a reporter asked Bush about setting a deadline for Kosovo independence. "What? Say that again?" "Deadline for the Kosovo independence?" "A decline?" "Deadline, deadline." "Deadline. Beg your pardon. My English isn't very good." Bush then declared, "In terms of the deadline, there needs to be one. This needs to come -- this needs to happen."

The next day, asked when he would set a deadline, he replied, "I don't think I called for a deadline." Reminded of his previous statement, Bush said: "I did? What exactly did I say? I said, 'Deadline'? OK, yes, then I meant what I said."

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Make Up Week-end

Well, Eddie and I are taking a "Make Up Week-end" this week-end. We were suppose to go away on Memorial Day, but work cut into the fun. So we are going this week-end.

We are going to the US Virgin Islands. It should be a calm, relaxing week-end (unless I see Kenny on Jost Van Dyke - and then all hell is breakin' loose). We have a house-let with its own pool and bar-b-que. Since we can't do that in the city here, I think we will do a lot of just hanging out.

Trevor's got a house sitter this week-end, so all is right with the world.

From Real Clear Politics: The Age of Cynicism

This is from Real Clear Politics, a conservative site (as opposed to Crazy Ass Right Wing site). I love this article and so I reprint it here.

The Age of Cynicism

In five years, we built the Hoover Dam. From 1931 to 1936, the Colorado River was diverted with tunnels blasted into the Black Canyon walls, a town was built to house a small army of workers laboring in the desert, and 3 1/4 million cubic yards of concrete were poured into a dam reaching 726 1/2 feet high -- two years ahead of schedule.
It's hard to look back at this monumental effort without a feeling of envy. The dam was completed on the backs of desperate men during the Great Depression, but from this remove, it looks like an apotheosis of the can-do spirit. Who believes we could do something similar today, that political bickering, governmental bungling, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, lawsuits and environmental objections wouldn't make such a project all but impossible?

In the 1930s, the Empire State Building was built in 410 days; more than five years after 9/11, the World Trade Center site still features a gaping hole. It might be the fate of President Bush to be remembered as the emblem of an Age of Cynicism, when -- despite many encouraging economic and social indicators -- we experienced a deep public funk, driven by the feeling that government couldn't be trusted to do anything, at least not well.
This is the spirit that more than anything else brought down (for now) the Senate's Grand Compromise on immigration. It wasn't Bush's declining clout or raging xenophobia so much as the collective grass-roots reply to the White House's detailed explications of the enforcement provisions in the bill: "We simply don't believe you."
His administration had made no appreciable attempt to enforce immigration laws until recently. A government can't ignore its own laws without creating deep suspicions about its motives. Then, there was the question of capability. At the same time the administration was maintaining it could process at least 12 million illegal immigrants into a complex path to citizenship, it couldn't even manage to issue passports in a timely manner when new regulations passed in 2004 came into effect.
The administration is paying a price for its serial abuse of the word "must." Bush often has said that a given country "must" relinquish its nuclear program or free a dissident or forswear test-firing a missile, with little in the way of consequence when his demand is ignored. So when his administration says, under the immigration deal, an immigrant or an employer "must" do something, no one believes that verb represents anything more than wishfulness.
The backdrop to all this, of course, is the Iraq War. The government of the United States presented to the world intelligence that turned out to be wrong; insisted we were making steady progress in the guerrilla war when, by the end of 2006, we were facing catastrophe; and has still managed only fitful progress against an enemy whose main weapon is home-made bombs. This casts a pall over our public life, augmented by Hurricane Katrina's devastation, corruption in Congress, paranoiac ranting on the left and incompetence in high places (see Attorney General Alberto Gonzales).
In these conditions, it's a political boon to have a distance from government. The best thing that might have happened to Republicans lately is their loss of Congress, which means that Democrats have gone from attacking a spectacularly unpopular Congress to running a spectacularly unpopular Congress. Congratulations!
The low regard for the federal government is fueling the candidacy of outsider Rudy Giuliani. It replicates the circumstances of his first election as New York City mayor, when he took over a supposedly ungovernable city. Now, the ungovernable city is 200 miles south, in Washington, D.C. Although she lacks Giuliani's executive experience, Sen. Hillary Clinton similarly benefits from her self-described "responsibility gene" and from seeming the most competent of the Democratic candidates.
Whoever is elected in 2008 won't build a majestic dam, but will have to work to dispel the Age of Cynicism.
© 2007 by King Features Syndicate

California Mind-Set

It isn't just me, it is Eddie too. In 10 years, the LA mind -set gets to you.

Eddie called me during a 30 minute DOWNPOUR. We never get rains like that in LA and Ed says, "You know how many houses would slide down the hill in this!" Which is true, but a weird mind-set.

It's like the bridges, overpasses and tall buildings. I see them and I think, "This thing is going to tumble in the first quake".

OH YEAH, and the other day they had a "Stagnation Alert" with stagnant air and clouds. Yeah, it's called Smog. Ask me baby, I have lived through Stage 1 Alerts my whole life. Stagnation... phuft.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

A Warm Wind Blows

Once again, if you haven't gotten the picture, "weather" is over rated. Right now the "weather" is ...humm... warm and humid. The subway has the charming aroma of a junior high school locker sans disinfectant.

Apparently some line of showers is moving this way and cooler weather is behind it. I would be excited but they call it "cooler weather" not lower temperatures.

Friday, June 08, 2007

The problem isn't the uniform



There is a article on how the new Oregon State Uniform is ugly. To which one can only say, of course they are ugly. Their colors are Orange and Black.

Orange and Black! Halloween colors. The only thing those look good on is candy corn, and not so great on that.

I think the real problem is that the are the "Beavers!" Gurrrr! Really, the Beavers. Forgetting the lovely jokes that come up when USC plays OSU (either USC actually, the Trojans (Univ. of Southern California) or the Cocks (Univ. of South Carolina)), the Beavers just aren't scary.

It would be like naming a team the Gophers.

... oh wait. (It was a joke, Faith)

Anyway, I think the Beavers should join the rodentia conference.



Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Olympic Epilepsy

Gives a whole new meaning to Special Olympics.


Apparently an animated version of this removed from an official Web site Tuesday following concern it could trigger epileptic seizures.

Come on, it's not that ugly. It looks like Elaine dancing on the Sienfield Episode.


Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Frost / Nixon

So I just saw Frost / Nixon.


I went because I heard the acting was amazing, and it was. The entire play was amaziung. But the point of the play was lost on the audience - to the point of distraction.

First, it is hard to believe it has been 30 years since the interviews in which Nixon finally admitted he broke the law. And the play showed the verbal / mental parry between David frost and Richard Nixon. One that Nixon ultimately lost, even though he scored more points. But you only remember the points he lost, the admission and the apology.

But, people in the theatre saw so much of the play as simply theatre, as empty words and star performances. Okay, the performances were great and the words interesting – but the words – the play was not NOT empty, the words have meaning.

When Richard Nixon is quoted as saying in the interviews “I didn’t break the law. The President has to watch out for the country and anything he does IS the law.” The proper response is not to laugh. It is not a laugh line. It is a tragedy that is being repeated. Only now we look at it with acceptance. Only looking back can you remember how shocking it once was that someone claimed that as the truth.

In the play (and in the real interviews) Nixon regrets that Watergate has convinced a generation of young people that politics is corrupt. He blames the media, but the fault lies with him. In the play, there is a pause at that line, as the play resets and the writer allows us a moment to reflect on the outcome. I think it is meant to let the line sink in. Because, let’s face it, Nixon did convince a generation that politics is a corrupt game. And, each generation has taught their children that until now it is accepted. Not only accepted, but EXPECTED… but at the pause there was only the steady throat clearing and seat squirming that screamed impatience.

The audience was like cud-chewing cows: waiting for the next hay bale to be thrown over the fence. They were there to watch the performances of Frank Langella and Micheal Sheen. Well then listen to what they say! It isn’t just an impression of Nixon and David Frost, you nincompoops. It is a play with a theme and a purpose and argh!!!!

I love a good cud-chewer as much as they next boy. I loved Legally Blonde. But sometimes you go to the theatre to think. And even rarer is the play that rises to meet your expectations. The Vertical Hour over preached and hammered points relentlessly and painfully. Here was a play that begged to be listened to and understood.

It was not and it actually made for a sad night of theatre.

Enrique!!! (Updated with working Link)

Okay, so I like the new stupid Enrique song... The Ping Pong Song. the link is here. (http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=148820)

But even better is the YouTube like (here http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/06/g-a-y-fan-is-enrique-iglesias-hero/) where he is singing "I will be your Hero" to some young gay boy at a club in London. I mean he is so married (to ex-Tennis Hottie Anna Korakova), but he is making some boy's night of dreams in the video.


Almost 21

Rafel Nadal storms into the final 8 at the French Open. One cannot help but wonder if the Tennis circut tests for Steriods? And, if it does, how good are his genes?


Monday, June 04, 2007

Dog Owner Stuff

So, there was some really cool stuff about how dogs learn things and their cognitive ability if you are interested. It is on MSNBC here.

(This is one Ed's favorite pictures of Trevor as he looks out over the world trying to make sense of it all.)


Sunday, June 03, 2007

Rugby Shirt for England

This is the new Rugby Shirt for Jolly Old England for the World cup. And no, "Rugby" is not some pseudonym for "World Gay Disco Dance Off."


Friday, June 01, 2007

The irony is lost on me.



The blond woman is Mary Cheney. The dark haired woman is Heather Poe, her partner of 15 years.


No problems with that, the Cheney's are fairly okay with this .. you know when the aren't campaigning. They are also pretty open about it (again, except when campaigning).


As a matter of fact, Mary and Heather had a baby. And the Cheney's, proud grandparents, released a White House Press Paper welcoming the new grandchild from Mary Cheney and her partner. The right wing press has bitched, but the White House hasn't backed down.


Here is a picture of the child, being held by the Veep. Here is their press release:


According to the vice president's office, Cheney's daughter, Mary Cheney, 37, and her longtime partner, Heather Poe, welcomed 8 lbs., 6 oz. Samuel David
Cheney into the world at 9:46 a.m. Wednesday at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C.





So who is this below? This is James Holinsger. He is the new nominee for U.S. surgeon general (for those of you outside the US, this is called "America's Doctor"), it has been a high profile post since C. Evert Koop in the 1980's.

What is also interesting, in light of littel David Cheney, is that Minister Holoinsger doesn't believe in Homosexuality as an orientation. He descrbes it as a "lifestyle choice". He also runs ministry to move people out of Homosexuality. Additionally he voted against letting a gay man into the lay ministry (he was overruled by the rest of the church).

So do Mary and Heather have to go be re-orinetated? And, if not, THEY WHY DOES THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT?



Mascot of the Month: UCLA Alumni








Well, it is Mascot of the Month time. And I gotta go with a UCLA Alumni. And here, I will admit it, I love Heather Locklear.


When I was at UCLA and lived on Glenrock in apartment 104 with 3 other guys, Heather Locklear lived in 103 with 3 other girls. She was nice then and I hear she is still a nice person.


She was "discovered" in the UCLA BearWear catalogue. Which, right after Heather, became the number 1 catalogue to get into and was then filled with young male and female UCLA model hopefuls. And about 2 years after that was criticized so much that they have now gone over to the "real people" type. FYI - I can see "real people" on the street, I want to see blond hotties in my BearWear catalogue. But I digress.





Here is Heather in her first series, T. J. Hooker! Since then she has had the boobs done a little (not overly so). And sadly, with the advent of High Def TV has had a minor facelift, but look at her recent picture.





She is how we from UCLA want to think of ourselves. Nice, pert and cute. The kind of person that you might not marry, but you would definitely not be shopping around while you were out on a date with them.


She saved Dynasty, Melrose Place and Spin City. But even Heather, in a White Pantsuit to die for couldn't save LAX (but she did face down a 747 in the Pilot Episode and she was AWESOME).






She is so LA.


The Problem with Comparrisons


You see there is an inherent problem with comparisons - while there a similarities between two times, they are not exact. There is almost no comparison of Bush and Rove versus any other President and henchman.
The obvious is Nixon and Kissinger. By Nixon / Kissinger is better compared to Bush / Rice. With an increasingly out of touch President, talking to God in the White House and his Secretary of State- trying desperately to pull the reputation of the United States out of the toilet AND get us out of a War in a way that saves every one's face.
But then I got it. There is an weird comparison of Bush / Rove. It is to Nixon.
You see, Nixon (for all of you who don't remember - and you are lucky lucky lucky) was totally crazy. There was the evil demented Nixon, who cursed Jews, Democrats and Professors. He kept list of enemies, authorized un-needed burglaries and smeared people far and wide just for kicks. Let' call him, oh I don't know, Nixon-Rove. At the time we called him Tricky Dicky.
Then there was put upon Nixon. He with the loving wife, who used to pray for guidance, who famously told the California Media "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore." Let's call him Nixon-Bush. At the time we just called him crazy (he argued with portraits and talked to God in the hallways for goodness sakes - back in the 70's that was crazy, now it is a health reliance on religion).
So, getting ride of Rove, while it would border on orgasmically nice, wouldn't get rid of the crazy. Just of the evil that enables the crazy.
Oh, there was a time when Bush was a nice guy. A CEO President when we thought we wanted a hands off President. But the times changed and we couldn't change Presidents when that happened.
And even though I don't want Hillary (because Bush, Clinton, Bush is bad enough - we don't need a Royal Family even if they change every four or eight years), I kind of think she would be a great President. I mean when the going gets tough Hillary doesn't jump the tracks. We know that she just turns to steel and deals with the problem without drama. She has, in the parlance of the vulgar, balls. George Bush, nice guy, has gotten lost in the weeds. (Which is probably an apt metaphor for a man who's idea of fun is clearing brush in Texas. No matter how much you clear - you are never finished.)