h e l l . o r g

that Michael Jackson is dead.

He was creepy as hell, and his music was bad trash. 

Please shut up about it.

thank you, world.

-mike

Such progress.

Ow My Balls!

My friend Josh just released his new iphone game!

Here’s their development blog.

And check out their promo video.

I got to gametest it a bit, and it’s not just a painfully juvenile little game, but it’s actually a lot of fun to play.  Freshly released from the sack just yesterday (after a painful nutting following a premature release of a crashing version a couple weeks ago), you’ll want to cradle Josh’s balls in your hands as soon as you can!

Now go download it!

So, in case you weren’t aware, the world seems to have found itself on the verge of a pandemic.  You know, one of those tens of millions of people dying, workplaces shutdown, public health systems overwhelmed, people rioting in the streets sorts of things.

Wisconson Democrat David Obey included a good chunk of money in the stimulus plan to go towards pandemic preparation.  And, in typical thick-headed, grievously uneducated fashion, the Republicans ridiculed the notion.  I mean, why pay to plan for a disaster that might not actually happen within the next few years?

But, since irony has a sense of humor, here it comes.

Like Dr. Krugman, I’d like to know what other disaster planning & relief the Republicans have mocked or fought against, so I have an idea of what to plan for.

As a former Iowan who left for more progressive pastures, I’m both surprised and just a bit proud that my former home has taken such a forward-looking move.  I just kinda figured Washington State wouldn’t be following Iowa’s lead in this issue.

Perhaps it’s time to start investing in Story County wedding chapels and Bed & Breakfasts…

Back in ‘92, after working for months on the campaign to pass the Equal Rights amendment in Iowa only to see it defeated by a campaign based on ignorance and bigotry, I would not have expected that less then 20 years later, the state would be leading the nation on gay rights.

Congratulations!

Look!  It’s a volcano!  And it’s erupting!

And it’s erupting!

Good thing volcanologists were monitoring it, and were able to reschedule air traffic.  Isn’t it nice when the federal government is able to avert disaster through forward action?  Huh, maybe I should rethink my thoughts on levees being a waste of money.

I wonder of Louisana Governor Jindal has called Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to see if she knows anything about this thing called “volcano monitoring”.

Apparently, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal thinks federal support of volcano monitoring is a waste of money.  Just like I think federal support to build something called “levees” is a waste of money.

(Foreground: Major American city)
(Background: Active volcano)

Perhaps the high quality education that state of Louisiana provided Mr. Jindal left him unaware that there really are active volcanoes within the borders of the United States.  Perhaps some supplemental education might help.  Or perhaps this is yet more of the right wing celebration of intentional ignorance we’ve come to know and love.

Think of it this way.  Volcano monitoring is kind of like hurricane monitoring for people who don’t live in trailer parks.

Could they have possibly chosen a more politically tone-deaf message?

Today, Congress held hearings with banking CEOs to find out what they did with the 300 billion dollars we the taxpayers gave the banks.

How the hearings went.

How we all wish the hearings went.

Kind of a late post here. 

A few days before Christmas, our cat Slope passed on.

At 18, he’d lived a full life.  As a survivor of cancer, a multiple-story fall that shattered a leg, and numerous fights and squabbles with the other neighborhood felines, he clung to life with a tenacity and scrappiness that might have intimidated your average battle-hardened marine.  Active until the end, he even kept the back yard chickens intimidated and in line during his last summer while Dot, our younger, supposedly more agile kitten would run in terror at the mere approach of their avian counterparts.

Good bye, friend.  Rest in peace.

What a long 8 years it’s been.

Seattle has erupted into a big spontaneous party celebrating the impending end of the long, slow national catastrophe that we’ve very unfondly referred to as the Bush presidency.  We were dancing and laughing and cheering and drinking and whooping and hollering in the streets.  In between the revelry I snapped some shakey shots with my sidekick:

Kay getting her Fuck Yeah on

Me and a trusty bottle of Trappist Ale

Thousands of relieved Seattilites.  8 More Years!

Here’s hoping we can pull our shit together in time.  We’ve had 8 years of driving this country in entirely the wrong direction.  It’ll take a lot more than a rockstar personality and a friendly congress to get our house in order.  But this is a welcome, and long overdue first step.