Turgid Bibliomania

"Hurricane Simulator" $2, really?

2011-09-07T15:03:00.001-07:00

"Hurricane Simulator" $2, really?

I doubt that little booth of plexiglas attached to some sort of fan gets even close.

Give me a day of your time and I'll simulate the experience for you bored clueless suburban bargain thrill-seekers.

My "simulator" involves a fan as well, slightly more house-sized. You'll sit inside a dark concrete box, candle-lit, metal-shuttered and tin-roofed. A couple of bored teenagers will periodically beat the outside of the structure with wooden bats while I proceed to dump the equivalent of two Olympic-sized pools of water on your box for the duration of your stay. Experience a genuine 2nd-story flooding experience. Another teenager with a nail gun will help enhance the experience by occasionally punching through the walls & shutters with 4-inch heavyweight nails. One corner of the roof will come loose and proceed to flap like a piece of paper caught on the grill of your car. For only a small additional fee, we'll give you the full level-5 experience by locking you in said box for 24 hours with half a loaf of Wonder Bread, a can of Spam and some cold pork& beans. While you're waiting out the night, the staff will then puncture all your tires, take a battering ram to one side of your vehicle, smash both front & rear windshields with a couple of concrete blocks and then flip your car three times so that the undercarriage is leaning against the closest lamp post.

This will come closer to the reality of what it's like to live in a typhoon corridor while still qualifying as mere simulation of a fraction of the real "thrill" of living through a super-typhoon.

YouTube - Wishbone Ash - Warrior - 1973

2011-06-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Wishbone Ash - Warrior - 1973

Wednesday Comics

2011-06-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

Just had a small thermonuclear incident go off in my frontal lobes while reading Karl Kerschl & Brian Fletcher's love letter to The Flash in Wednesday Comics. The story encapsulates, concentrates and refines not only the history of The Flash, the very essence of Barry Allen, Gorilla Grodd & Iris West through the lens of 21st century but looking back through the Twentieth but also manages to be a paean to the theme of the book itself. Nostalgia for a lost art form, the adventure strip and the bed sheet-sized Sunday Funnies that riveted the nation from the start of the last century till the mid-to-late Sixties.

Hooray For Earth - "True Loves" (Cereal Spiller Remix)

2011-06-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

AWNtv :: L'eau de Rose | AWNtv

2011-06-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

AWNtv :: L'eau de Rose | AWNtv

The failed experiment | San Francisco Bay Guardian

2011-05-29T18:12:00.000-07:00

The failed experiment | San Francisco Bay Guardian

"For three decades we have conducted a massive economic experiment, testing a theory known as supply-side economics. The theory goes like this: Lower tax rates will encourage more investment, which in turn will mean more jobs and greater prosperity — so much so that tax revenues will go up, despite lower rates."

Lutropublicaphobia, a public menace

2011-05-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

Lutropublicaphobia, better known as toilet phobia, is a scourge to the public good.

The reason public bathrooms are as filthy as they are is because of people who pick this nit.

How do you think a crap rendition of a Jackson Pollock painting ended up on the walls and ceiling? That person wasn’t sitting on the toilet seat.

Unflushed toilets and “gifts?” That person was afraid to touch the flush/lever button.

Clogged toilet, close to overflowing? That person used so much paper to wipe everything down and ten or more sanitary toilet seat papers and then tried to flush it all in one go.

Broken toilet seat? Someone was squatting with their feet on the seat in an attempt to avoid seat to skin contact and their weight distribution snapped the plastic screw holding the seat down.

Toilet won’t flush? Someone has been using their foot to flush the toilet and the increased pressure involved broke the mechanism. BTW, if the lever wasn’t contaminated before it sure as hell is now.

If it’s germs you’re worried about then you’re focused on the wrong items. Toilets seats have a fairly low level of contamination. Doorknobs, any doorknobs in any room, are your highest risk factor, next to that is faucet handles. None of which will be a problem if one you wash your hands properly and then use a piece of paper to turn off faucet and open the door.

You’re all the reason why public bathrooms are the in the state they are in. Show some respect for your fellows and just use the facilities properly.

I’m fairly sure none of you have ever encountered a really filthy restroom anyway. FIlthy is being a half block away and knowing there’s a restroom in the vicinity solely from the smell of the fumes wafting your way.

Bill Maher Takes a Shot at Pro-Torture So-Called Christians in His New Rules Segment | Video Cafe

2011-05-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

Bill Maher Takes a Shot at Pro-Torture So-Called Christians in His New Rules Segment | Video Cafe

Graffiti on a board

2011-05-04T22:22:00.001-07:00

Taken at Public Works

Posted via email from Dismemberment and Mechanization are the Answer

Wheatpaste poster

2011-05-02T16:43:00.001-07:00

Posted via email from Dismemberment and Mechanization are the Answer

Manipulation and FaceBook slacktivism

2010-12-04T06:42:00.001-08:00

Change your FaceBook profile picture if you want but be aware of the motives behind the meme.

The original motive started and ended with the cartoon profile pics and "invoking memories of childhood" Harmless enough and would have gotten a decent response just for nostalgia's sake.

Then some random user with the morality of a marketing executive tacked on that bit about "this is for violence against children." and since this has been the version that gets the most positive response then this is the message most people see.

Think about the 1st time you saw the message before people who really cared about the addendum portion started responding with "How does this help?"

There was no content in the post, no information about child abuse, no links to helpful sites or organizations, no definition of what abuse is, nothing, nada. No one has even stepped forward to claim ownership of the meme and then advocate for donations, action or volunteers.

The only thing that's being asked of the FaceBook user is to change their profile picture. They're given nothing else to work with or follow up on.

This is what should have raised a red flag for anyone who gave it more than a second thought.

It's an appeal to pity, emotion and exploiting people's parental instincts.

"What's the harm?" some people say. The harm is that people think this actually does anything to help the issue of child abuse. The harm is that people think they've done their bit for the cause already and don't give it another thought.

This is relatively harmless and may even benefit the appended cause in the end but that is merely a side effect and not the goal. The goal has already been achieved. We're all of us looking at pictures of Snoopy, Shaggy, He-Man, Rocko, Belle, Daria, et al.

Always know when you're being manipulated, managed or influenced.

It's official, I'm a geezer.

2008-11-15T06:15:00.001-08:00

Time-Life is advertising Ultimate Rock Ballads of the 1970's & 1980's...they've finally hit a musical sweet spot. Boston, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Elton John, Peter Frampton, Styx, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, The Doobie Brothers, The Pretenders, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Toto, Queen, Eddie Money, Air Supply, Heart, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler, Starship, Mr. Mister, Fleetwood Mac,Genesis, The Cars, Survivor...these are the life blood of radio during my youth.

The music that accompanied my transition from childhood to adolescence. The age when I first started noticing girls and owned my first radio. It's fairly universal as I was in the Philippines, in an all-boys Catholic School and yet I was listening to the same music anyone in Everytown, America was hearing at the same time.

My grandfather had given me an unexpected gift of a portable radio/dual-cassette player the first year I spent in boarding school and I was a bit retrograde musically, Frank Sinatra was still in rotation on the airwaves and my taste pretty much ran along those lines. Sinatra, The Ray Conniff & His Orchestra, Nat King Cole, ABBA, The Carpenters...these were the 78's lying aroundthe house during my holidays in Zamboanga City. My Grandpa's and Nimpha's (his young wife) music.

MTV still played music and in the Philippines it was a daily two-hour block of television as cable was a distant rumor of America's bounty. Life was pregnant with future promise...I took it for granted that I would one day take over my father's many businesses and there would be all that romance and heartache that Hollywood and popular media bombarded me with on an hourly basis.

I wish I'd known how empty this promise would end up being in my own isolated case.

In any case, my point is that I am now Time-Life's target demographic and therefore youth had passed me by. I only wished I had lived it other than vicariously.

Posted by email from Dismemberment and Mechanization are the Answer (posterous)

Everything seems flimsier these days...

2008-10-29T02:31:00.001-07:00

There I go sounding like an old man whinging...but it's true. You buy
something, anything and unless you pay through the nose for it and
maybe even then...it breaks. Shoe horns that can't stand up to the
stress of the work it's designed for, earphones that stop working a
few weeks after purchase, keyboards that have keys go non-functional
after only a few months use, printers that clog up between every use,
chairs that break just from daily use, everything seems to be junk
nowadays and I'm tired of paying for items that don't last.

I had an old Swingline stapler from the 40's and a rotary pencil
sharpener from the 50's that worked like brand new until the day they
were stolen. I have a portable typewriter from the 60's that's only
faded in color but not in functionality. I know why objects are
manufactured shoddily these days: profit. Planned obsolescence results
in repeat purchases and much quicker replacement and thus a better
bottom line for corporations. I don't have to like it though and I
think that the mean time between failures has reached the point of
absurdity.

Posted by email from Dismemberment and Mechanization are the Answer (posterous)

My dark god awakens

2004-05-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

Morrissey is active again and it's been send shivers up my spine.

I'm a Johnny-come-lately to his and the Smith's music. I only discovered Morrissey and then The Smiths because of MTV.

(hangs head in shame)

They were airing one of their music news vignettes back in the early 90's and it was about crazed Morrissey fans. I was curious as to what would elicit that much devotion and checked out his latest album at the time, Vauxhall and I. I was an instant convert.

I honestly think I would have been a different person if I had heard of them in the 80's, during my formative years.

All that was playing on the radio at the time was easy listening, 50's, 60's, and 70's rock & pop, and old time crooners like Sinatra. (This was the Philippines, Sinatra had airplay well into the late 80's) Most of the people I knew listened to really upbeat music and were much the same personality wise.

So I grew up thinking the way I felt was abnormal and that my experiences were out of the norm. If I had heard The Smiths and other groups like them I would have had someone to look at and say, "I'm just like that, they feel what I feel."

My favorites are "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "Unloved"

Read the article, she expresses it so much better than I can.

Why Morrissey Matters

2003-10-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Gelato, booze, bands, and many, many women

Chuck came to visit me at work yesterday and we caught up a bit. I hadn't seen her in a week or so. I told her I'd see her at Haagen Daz later on but I flaked and only showed up after they closed. I had crashed once I entered my room and didn't wake up till 2130 hours that night. We talked a bit, I had a gelato, and then she had to hit the back office. We said our good byes and about collaborating on the 'zine she plans on publishing.

Since I was already at the Plaza, I decided to check out the Hard Rock Cafe. It was pretty slow but Joyride was playing and there were many familiar faces around the bar. I decided to stay and have a couple of brews. Victoria Bitters, baby!

Leslie was there with Dionne and her friends (girl's night out! A concept I'm fully in support of). Jackie was with her man (they really bumped it on the dance floor) she can seriously get her groove on. Alexis came by to wait for Nick's shift to end. There's some kind of history between Dionne, Leslie and Alexis but I couldn't suss it out of anyone. A bit of tension there though. I'm pretty friendly with Alexis, she's a good girl in my book. John was there (on the job) and his wife was hanging with Jackie.

I really started enjoying the evening when this group of women hit the floor. I'd forgotten what a pleasure it is to watch ladies dance. I really have to get off my duff and stop being a wallflower. Some lessons are definitely in order. There was one sexy chica wearing a backless blouse who was really getting down with her girlfriends. She looked delicious when she moved. Sorry, but it is part of the appeal of rhythmic movement isn't it?

Anyways, I got to know a bit about some familiar faces and connected names to them as well. I got friendly for a bit with three navy girls. Alexandra was a cute Chicana in glasses with the Mexican flag inked on the nape of her neck. Melissa hasn't clicked with Guam yet and her boy was reassigned about a month ago. He's out on the seas and she misses him dearly. Her girls were trying to distract her. They looked like they were having fun. Their other friend who's name unfortunately hasn't resurfaced in my head was really working that dance floor. It's a shame I can't recall her name because she gave me a peck on the cheek when they left Hard Rock. That lifted my spirits to no end. I'd considered following them but decided to not get clingy and ruin the good will. Hopefully I'll see them again. Alexandra really caught my eye.

Joyride decided to hit Casa Nami afterwards and I followed suit. Renaissance was playing (auditory goodness) and both Dave and Patrick were there. Dave has some hellacious good pipes. I asked Patrick about my black sheep (Vic) but no luck.

Tiffany's sister Deborah was there (kawaii!) she's too cute to forget. More familiar faces there and I made the rounds.

Michelle was there with Nella and Drea. I said my hellos and introduced myself to Nella and Drea. Nella is dating Antonio who doesn't know me per se but he's a familiar face from my Jungle Java days. Nella seems a nice enough girl, sexy and friendly too. Her and Antonio have been together for 7 months, so far so good.

Drea it turns out is dating Ryan a coconspirator of mine from Dai-Ichi. He'd introduced me once but I haven't really been out in ages and I'd forgotten. He joked about me hitting on his girl and I gave him my digits so we can hang sometime.

I'd like to get to know Michelle better, I already feel like I know her from all the gossip that comes my way , and she's quite attractive. I hope Colleen doesn't hate me for this but I'm a bit smitten with her ex-friend.

I tried to get John LG (first) and then Nick and Alexis to do a shot of black Sambuca with me but alas no takers. So I had Niki (I introduced myself to her too) pour me a shot and enjoyed.

Man, this hot, hot, hottie that I thought was a lesbian (I'd been told that by a friend) came in too. And apparently she's bi-curious because she came in with her boyfriend. I remember approaching her in a drunken stupor a couple of years ago and giving her an unsolicited compliment. Something about "beauty personified" and then I jumped back in my hole, lickety-split. She's got some new ink and a lip piercing now but she's still got her pixieish haircut. (Yum!) It was nice to see her even if she doesn't know me. Happiness all around.

We ended the night at King's in Tamuning and I met Ji and her boyfriend. I really have to do a better job of remembering men's names (not that I'm any better at recalling women's names)

I'm broke but pretty happy. I should do this more often.

2003-08-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

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