Naniwa News

I feel like fighting!!

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:08:11 GMT

Ummm hello home...

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 06:26:15 GMT

Heh, yeah it's been weird without a full-time job. Trying to get used to it and I had a bit of depression... but what's new about that right.

Having free time was really what scared me the most. I don't like the situation in my apartment right now. Basically its a mess. Books are everywhere (the jokes about books in the Kitchen, closet and restroom are not jokes) And the stacks of Magazines M & I have collected over the years is looking like a fire hazard. So yeah, free time at home was actually weird.

Literally had to adjust to being at home and man does that sound strange. Still, the transition has been pretty cool. First thing I got to say hi to was the oven/range top. I love to cook. You know about the curry addiction. I have been lazy with that. But that takes time... Something I had little of. Made myself some beef the last few days. That is a rare treat for me since the M and I both consider cows way too cute to eat (rabbits are not btw). Finally took the bike to get repaired... The poor machine was so beat up after hitting the mean pot-hole riddled streets of San Francisco, but I had to give it up. The price to get that old Peugeot repaired could have got me a 4 wheeled Peugeot. So I went shopping for a bike!! Got a sweet Miyato 10 speed with brakes high and low. Sweetness for someone who tends to carry too many books in his pack. And tonight I tried to make love with WordPress... I don't have a man-crush yet. David and Jack are going to have to help me with that. But I actually added stuff myself without exporting from LJ.

Tonight... well I am feeling so good I made Curry Udon!! Yeah, I kinda wish I were eating this at my favorite place in the shadow of Tsutenkaku Tower, mainly cause it's pretty quiet here alone, but I think I can deal with this. Hmm, do we have bonito flakes....

man that was so bloggy >_>

Omaha and Nebraska says yes to Segregation in Schools

Sun, 23 Apr 2006 02:02:20 GMT

Unless you are sending your kids to boarding schools or you are currently studying overseas right now, you possibly know that the public education system in the US is a big joke. No Child Left Behind an already flawed and in essence a program that has the right to close down public school districts in its clauses, has been under-funded since its inception.

Well now instead of properly funding schools and hiring more teachers most states are trying to make their education systems profitable. In California districts are working on huge deficits. In Indiana the board of education was almost forced to shut things down last year. In Alabama there was legistation to completely end funding to public schools (based on the idea of anti-segregation because not enough white folks were sending their kids to public schools). And now Nebraska has decided to segregate one of their largest school districts, Omaha Unified, and turn it into three or four districts where one district would be mainly whites, there would be one or two for African Americans and one for Latinos....

The State Legislature approved it.
The Governor signed it.
And the sides supporting it are saying the plan gives minorities the right to properly fund their own school districts! Okay wait, so is the State of Nebraska going to give more money to the Latino and Black communities so they can fix their schools, hire new teachers, get computers and create a cirriculum on par with the white district? Or is this another example of the dreaded Ownership Society.

Minorities will now own their own districts with all the problems that they were already plagued with. There already is no money coming from the State or the Federal Government, so the community will have to come up with the money. Essentially you will have districts within a same city competing with each other for funding breaking down the system even further.

from CNN:
In a move decried by some as state-sponsored segregation, the Legislature voted Thursday to divide the Omaha school system into three districts -- one mostly black, one predominantly white and one largely Hispanic.

Supporters said the plan would give minorities control over their own school board and ensure that their children are not shortchanged in favor of white youngsters.

Republican Gov. Dave Heineman signed the measure into law.

Omaha Sen. Pat Bourne decried the bill, saying, "We will go down in history as one of the first states in 20 years to set race relations back."

"History will not, and should not, judge us kindly," said Sen. Gwen Howard of Omaha.

Attorney General Jon Bruning sent a letter to one of the measure's opponents saying that the bill could be in violation of the Constitution's equal-protection clause and that lawsuits almost certainly will be filed.

But its backers said that at the very least, its passage will force policymakers to negotiate seriously about the future of schools in the Omaha area.

The breakup would not occur until July 2008, leaving time for lawmakers to come up with another idea.

Marching and the Funk

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:46:56 GMT

I don't know what is up with me right now. I have seriously hit a wall with my creativity, energy and luck over the past week or so and honestly with the SFIFF coming up in less than a week I am in serious need for some rest now. (actually that reminds me I need to send a mangacast staff email out.)

Anywho, while in my malaise I ended up doing a little marching. I doubt any of you all care but here is some audio from the San Francisco Day Without an Immigrant March that took place this past Monday. The audio is raw and you might hear me talking to people and friends along the way but seriously it was just cool to see people out there again. Next on is on May 1st.

Hopefully the SF-LA series will get me going again and if that doesn't work all of the film next week will pick up my spirits (and possibly wreck me with all the running around).

USA v Japan - 2nd Half Audio

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 02:57:52 GMT

Okay I know the anticipation has been huge but here it is:

The second half of the US - Japan Football match at ATT Park. More of the same really me and my co-anchor eating garlic fries chanting "GOOOO! Nippon!" Fortunately there are a lot of goals so have fun or whatever.

Listen to Enhanced Recording Here:
As always, be aware that the review might contain spoilers.

This recording features 33,000+ fans in San Francisco, Calif Feb 10, 2006 9:00p-10:00p.

Subscribe to the podcast at

Japan - USA 1st Half

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 01:12:47 GMT

About a week late and not complete since the file is HUGE!!! But here is some audio from the Japan USA match at ATT Park last week. You will hear me and my GF chatting throughout most of it, but you will also hear us snacking, yanking and clapping. Please don't mind the horns okay, but we were not mic'd (lots of ambience noise).

Have fun!

Listen to Enhanced Recording Here:
As always, be aware that the review might contain spoilers.

This recording features 33,000+ fans in San Francisco, Calif Feb 10, 2006 8:00p-9:00p.

Subscribe to the podcast at

Keeping America competitive means A Hopeful Society

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:45:57 GMT

I couldn't listen to the prez last night but after reading the piece I almost vomitted.

Keeping America Competitive
A Hopeful Society

both came up over and over again.

And hell sure its nice to have a competitive America but that means having health care for everyone.
Keeping American competitive also means fully funding education instead of not funding crappy programs like No Child Left Behind.
Keeping America competitive means having Emergency Management Systems that are able to do their job.
Keeping America competitive means protecting major cities like New Orleans and Biluxi safe from all danger man-made or other wise.
Keeping America competitive means having police departments, fire departments and public hospitals fully funded.
Keeping America competitive means moving away from driving cars period. California approved a bullet train from SF to LA and after sitting on it through a Republican governership the money is going to be lost.
Keeping America competitive means keeping competitive jobs here in AMERICA. COMPETITIVE JOBS IN AMERICA FOR AMERICANS SO THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE!
Keeping America competitive means being able to have freedoms given to us by the Bill of Rights!

A hopeful society is the only thing that can get us out of the darkness. Unfortunately we need to be much more than hopeful. We need to take action. We need to be like Coretta Scott King and we need to take to the streets (FU prez for even mentioning that great woman, your ilk never respected the Kings or those who continue to follow their path of peaceful protest).

And now the new people in charge of making decisions that will affect you....

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 06:06:21 GMT

The Bush Administration made 17 recess appointments this week. Recess appointments?? You know those appointments that are made because they were not able to go through congress (these last for only a year). Well these guys are the bureaucrats that influence policy and often end up being those who are directly involved in carrying the programs out.

Here are a few of them...

Floyd Hall: Member of the AMTRAK Reform Board.
Has no political experience but was the CEO of KMart (didn't that company almost go belly up before SEARS bought it out)

Enrique J. Sosa: Member of the AMTRAK Reform Board.
Another person without political experience but was an Exec at BP (one of the top four energy businesses in the world. Oh and for those of you don't remember BP owns AMOCO which was Standard Oil which in the early part of the last century bought out many of the light rail companies in the US... circle of life!!)

Gordon England: Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Secretary of the Navy is possibly best known for the fact that he has held that position while still holding his options with the contractors he has been working with.

Benjamin A. Powell: General Counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
This guy was held up in the Senate because the White House refused to present his notes on "war of terror" detainees. At least he has some sort of political experience but this torture and rendition supporter is now going to work for John Negroponte (cough* death squads in Honduras *cough) in the Intelligence Dept.

Ronald E. Meisburg: General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board.
Has been on this board before and has some political experience, but was also the President of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation (energy lobbiets) and on the US Council for International Business. Sounds like this guy really has labor in his heart. (woof)

Julie L. Myers: Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
She has no imigration experience but is former Joint Chief of Staff Richard Myers niece. And Michael Chertof's secratary's wife.

Tracy A. Henke: Executive Director of the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness at the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal government did a report on racial profiling in the US through the Bureau of Justice Statistics and Henke ended up changing the stats when she worked for that department. This caused a problem with the deputy who worked on the report and Henke eventually scrapped the project altogether instead of letting it go through. The deputy was fired and now she got promoted. She also helped right sections of the Patriot Act.

Arthur F. Rosenfeld: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Director at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Worked in the National Labor Relations Board and helped make it harder to unionize in the States. He also took things a step further by making it almost impossible for new NLRB staff to unionize. Really dedicated man when it comes to mediation. Its his way or the highway.

Ellen R. Sauerbrey: Assistant Secretary of State (Population, Refugees, and Migration).
Was in the Maryland house for 12 years before she lost two campaigns for Governor. She was also Bush-Cheney campaign co-chair and is now going to run a $1 Billion department despite the protests of non-profit groups about her lack of experience in foreign affairs.

Dorrance Smith: Assistant Secretary of Defense .
Said once that the US Media that does not support the Bush Administration should be called terrorists. Smith should be in Homeland Security instead.

Robert D. Lenhard: Member of the Federal Election Commission.
Argued against the McCain - Feingold Act on Campaing Finance Reform.

Hans Von Spakovsk: Member of the Federal Election Commission.
Counciled the Administration as they rejected the Election Commisions report calling Texas Redistricting and Georgia Voter ID cards were unconstitional. So hey why not put him on that board right!!

Man I wish I got in on the last campaign run, I could be working in Washington right now too!

More Corny Ideas

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 23:34:03 GMT

It's been a while since I went all tree-hugger on your friend's pages, so I decided to come back with a good one.

Some of you might remember a podcast I made dedicated to the environment. One of the things I brought up was how places like the Oakland Colesium have started using corn starch containers for food and beverages instead of plastics and other items that take millenia to biodegrade. Corn starch containers can come in cups, clam boxes or even bottles (a local water company now packages their water in starch bottles) and they look and feel much like plastics. While they are not quite as tough on hot items (cannot microwave yet). Their functionality is getting pretty diverse.

Case in point....

NEC's new cell phone the N701i ECO is the only phone I would possibly risk brain/ear cancer for since it is 75% plant material!!! I could eat the outside and then melt down the insides for their valuable alloys!!!

Seriously folks people just throw away cell phones nowadays, now you can sleep easier knowing that 3/4s of that phone will return to the earth instead of piling up in our highly toxic landfils.

Got to start working on that last 25% huh.

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 22:45:02 GMT

A wise man once said...

"God Giveth; the Government Taketh Away"
- Chuck D

You know I don't give a damn what any of you think about what Tookie did. I wasn't there and I was not on his jury so I don't know the evidence or any of the facts, so I don't know or care what Tookie did. But I do know this no man and no entity outside of life itself has the right to kill someone.

Last night my state government killed Tookie Williams. My national government through a Supreme Court case permitted this to happen. And Tookie has joined more than 1000 others killed with our tax dollars. And as such we have renegged on the concepts of "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". We are now taking those fundamental beliefs away.

I hate that my State continues to do this. We have more than 600 people on death row here, eating away at tax dollars with appeals, some of them innocent or in jail because of a biased judicial system.

If justice is blind why would it choose between punishments - murder over rehabilitation and redemption? If this country is in favor of life why does it take life instead of enrich and nourish life? This doesn't make us any better than Saddam. We have obviously not evolved yet to understand that.

The War Against XMas..

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:33:15 GMT

Okay if you were looking for some political humor regarding the President or Bill O'Reilly or John Gibson but instead I will do this by simply giving you my letter to the Great Cthulhu. I think its my version of holiday spirit (a funky mix of teen spirit and Big Comics Spirit and Stoly) that I know some of you have tried already... Become a follower for the holidays!!!

Oh Great Cthulhu!

I have been an extremely busy devotee this year.

In May, I burnt my copy of the Necronomicon (-75 points). Yesterday, I sacrificed mordath to Cthulhu (500 points). In March, I recruited moonsenorita as a new cultist (30 points). In June, I made a burnt offering to the Dead Dreamer (100 points). In July, I visited my relatives in Innsmouth (100 points). In January, I defiled the grave of that traitor, Lovecraft (90 points).

In short, I have been very good (745 points) and deserve the honour of having my body used as a host for one of your servitors.

Your humble and obedient servant,
naniwa

Submit your own plea to Cthulhu!

Dear Santa... I never knew you were from Turkey....

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 07:37:48 GMT

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

This year I've been busy!

In June I put money in cbeveridge's expired parking meter (14 points). In April leongsh and I robbed a bank (-50 points). Last Saturday I gave change to a homeless guy (19 points). In March I donated bone marrow to geoduck in a life-saving procedure (300 points). In February I got in line at the supermarket at the same time as someone else and I didn't yield (-8 points).

Overall, I've been nice (275 points). For Christmas I deserve an Easy-Bake Oven!

Sincerely,
naniwa

Oh and if you did not know St. Nic is originally from Turkey. Saint Nikolas is the patron saint of Bridges and Boats and in some European nations he goes around during the holiday season with his partner the Grim Reaper!!!!

How do feel about Campaign Finance Reform?

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 01:56:36 GMT

Today I read that Mayor Re-elect Bloomberg spent $77 million in his campaign to be re-elected Mayor of New York City. Coming at you again... $77,000,000 on a mayoral election!

Now look I won't say being mayor of a city like New York isn't a big job but his closest competitor spend $9 million dollars. To put this in perspective I want to compare this with some other New York related elections...

Senator - 2004
(I) Chuck Schumer (Dem) $27,738,000
Howard Mills (Rep)$632,269

Senator - 2000
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) $29,871,577
Rick A. Lazio (R) $40,576,273

Okay yeah apples and oranges right. I mean what does a Senator do anyway right?
But what I am trying to illustrate is that for a much more important position involving millions more people, even Senatoral elections pale in comparison to what Bloomberg spent to beat a candidate that really had very little chance on defeating him. Seriously why did he have to spend so much money when he has decent approval ratings and the opponent was busy working on coalitions to even make this election competitive.

Some places like Maine and Arizona have extensive campaign finance reform where money comes from a state electoral board. If candidates pass on the state money then their money could be taxed if they go over the board's limits. Limits are set based on the race - governor, controller, state senate, state legislature.... According to people in those states they got to know their candidate better since they were out campaigning and not collecting money at fundraisers. In some situations where all candidates ran only on board money it also basically eliminated dirty smear campaigns.

Sometimes I wonder what elections would be like if the commercials were gone and we had more debates. As long as money for votes continues to go hand in hand in politics, I don't think I will be seeing that anytime soon.

The Dukester Finally Docked

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 04:17:54 GMT

This summer Randy "Duke" Cunningham announced that he has lived his life free of corruption and he had never even smoked a marijuana cigarette. Well Randy I guess you forgot about the $2.4 million you took in bribes for defense contracts and the undisclosed amounts you cheated the country in taxes.

Randy took office in what was known as the most Democratic district in San Diego because the previous Representative had a scandal of his own to deal with. Back in 1990 the Dukester ran on a vicious campaign consistently pointing out Jim Bates (Dem) sexual harrassment scandal every step of the way and he won by a single percentage point.

8 terms later Randy Cunningham lost his own seat because of scandal and will go to jail for his crimes (while ironically the person he replaced was never found guilty and only had to write formal apologies for being rude to his staff).

So one person off the "A" list for next year. Who is next... Bob Ney, Tom Delay...

Man that reminds me I better dust off that list and start working on my smear campaigns. Election day is only 11 months away!!! WOOT

Winter is Here and Guess What Rommey There is a Santa Claus... and He's From Venezuela

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 05:05:19 GMT

Okay let me say this first, I am not a big fan of oil or natural gas. Yeah our nation is literally living off of these two products, but I would love to see energy independence come in a different way soon.

In the meantime, Saint Nick, AKA Hugo Chavez, is going to start providing cheap oil to Massacheusetts and now the Bronx. He is going to do this by charging cut-rates for oil from Venezuelan National Petroleum (PDVSA). The 12 million gallongs of oil will be delivered here by Citizen's Energy corp (at least in Mass.) and will be mainly used for heating oil this winter.

Well some people are none to happy to hear any of this. I am pretty sure it is not the oil industry that went before congress recently and lied (but for some reason the chair of the hearing did not put them under oath). I am pretty sure they are ecstatic about all of this!

Well the first salvo came not directly from the oil industry, but from those who benefited greatly from Big Oil's big gains in the last few months (did anyone notice how gas has gone down since the congress affair?). Yup, you guessed its Wall Street.

"Mr. Delahunt's (Rep. Mass (D)) lobbying for the dictator undermines any official U.S. pressure on Mr. Chavez to behave more humanely, which is precisely why Mr. Chavez is returning the favor by plying Mr. Delahunt with cheap oil," the Wall Street Journal asserted. "Leave it to the congressman ... and a Kennedy (Joe)to close the deal."

LA Times

Now look, I admit I am a Chavista. Hell my last name is Chavez, so I am biased. But the facts are Mr. Chavez has clearly won two Presidential elections; something our President cannot say. He also does not have major issues with human rights... Hello WE, THE US, are in an illegal war and have been killing and toruturing people across the globe.

Hugo is doing humanitarian work here. He is giving the US, a nation hungry for energy, cheap oil. The governments recent budget had cuts for home heating oil benefits for the poor (among other things. I think that fact in this nation should be considered a human rights violation.) At home he has improved the education system. Provided assistance to the poor. Began a land reform program so that the nation could create more of its own food (they have their own fuel for their infastructure now they need to fuel/feed their people). And on top of that he is giving aid to the WEALTHIEST nation on this planet!

Listen the people here need help and if Washington and Wall Street don't want to help... Caracas apparently will and the people will accept it with open arms and roses!!

Cash-strapped homeowners in Massachusetts are welcoming any help against steep energy prices.

"Why would it matter where it comes from?" said Bridget Durkin, 70, who lives alone in Quincy and relies on fuel assistance. "Venezuela is doing a good thing for people."

Virginia Holdstock, 82, of Wollaston, who said she lives on a fixed income from a small pension and Social Security, also expects to receive a delivery of discounted oil from Citizens Energy this month.

"I am blessed to have this help," she said, adding that Venezuela is the only country "doing anything for us. None of the others want to help."

Black Box Voting Update for California

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 19:19:13 GMT

What's going on with California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson?

- He asks Black Box Voting to do a test, but tells the press he's asked Finnish security expert Harri Hursti to do it, before he formally invites Hursti or obtains any agreement from Hursti to do the test;

- He gives Black Box Voting a Nov. 30 deadline, then tells the press he has no idea where the Nov. 30 date came from.

- He asks Black Box Voting to confirm they intend to do the test, they confirm.
BBV never hears from the sec. state's office again.

- The participants in the test learn by reading in the newspaper that the test has been delayed (18 hours before it is scheduled to begin).

- In a related matter, while on the radio this week McPherson's office could not answer the simplest of questions about what transpired at a Nov. 21 Diebold hearing.

Here's the correspondence trail:

judge for yourself
-----------------------------------------------------

Black Box Voting is a national nonpartisan nonprofit elections watchdog group, supported entirely by citizen donations; Black Box Voting is not associated with any political group or vendor.
http://www.blackboxvoting.orgBlack Box Voting ,Black Box Voting

Fall Cleaning

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 05:26:35 GMT

Okay I think I should pile on as well. Why? Cause I need to make space for my raw manga. I still have a ton of it in a suitcase and I cannot sell DVD's fast enough to make space for it.

Anywho here is my list:

Najica 1-3 (complete set)
Seven of Seven 1-3 (complete set)
Azumanga Daioh 1-4 (complete set)
Infinite Ryvius 1-2 (complete set)
Full Metal Panic 1-8
Madara 1-4
Volcano High
Baron Gong Battle 1-2
Eiken 1
Yotsuba&! 1-2
Prince of Tennis 1-4
Ultimate Muscle 1
Shaman King 7
Galaxy Angel Beta #1 (duplicate copy)
Tenshi Ja Nai! #1 (two copies)
Trigun Maximum 1-4
Mahoromatic 1-5
Dr Slump 1
I"s 3

check, money order or paypal. i am taking any offer as long as it covers the shipping.

Blackbox Voting in CA... May Be Here Forever

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 04:58:38 GMT

Well months ago I typed about what could happen with the ousting of California Secratary of State Kevin Shelley. The oppointed Secratary of State former State Rep Bruce McPherson (R-Santa Cruz), who in Sacramento once proposed the entire state vote via mail-in ballots, came in sat pat on the issue of Black Box Voting during the run-up to this November's Special Election. But no more than two weeks later he has disbanded the Voting Systems Panel (VSP), the state agency that is supposed to hear comments and questions on the voting plans the Secratary wants to have placed. He has also scheduled last minute hearing (that actually happened today not even one working day since the VSP was disbanded) and has said he will decide whether to certify Diebold's black box machines for next year. This is in contrary to his previous stand on the matter and also against what Kevin Shelley put into effect as recommended by the State of California.

So not only was there practically no time to get lawyers and organizers together to help stop this. The only people "from the state" that would be at the hearing would be a tape recorder, a stenographer and Shelley himself. Democracy California style... I mean republican electoral board style... I mean republican electoral czar style since he got rid of the board and was never even elected into the position.

Well this State might be stuck with machines that do not print receipts for at least another year, just in time for the Governator's next election run and his own election as well.

What happened to Kevin Shelley you asked... all the charges against him were dropped. He was not found guilty of fraud or even being an abusive employer. Hmmm, its interesting how things work in Sacramento when you don't have your own hand picked team around you. When was the last time you heard the name Cruz Bustamante tossed around?

Happy Anniversary

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 04:20:12 GMT

Hey, I just realized this thing has been going on for a year (and a day now). Who woulda thunk it, huh?

Yeah, I know I have been neglecting this place since I left for Nippon. And it is not like shit hasn't gone down during and since. But don't worry, I'll be back shortly. I am just working on bringing back the other LJ community back up to its usual speed.

Any who for those with QuickTime here is some amusement brought to you by the President of the United States of America...

I was trying to escape (who writes this stuff for him?)

I Love to Ride My Jitensha (or my rental Jitensha)

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 06:25:09 GMT

Ah nothing beats going through the streets of Tokyo on a bike. Wind in your hair. Sound of a broken bell. The smell of exhaust. The ashes from the cig being smoked by the cyclist in front of you hitting your face! Oh and did I mention swerving through foot and bicycle traffic.

I only recorded an hour or so a few weeks back. And it was a rambling hour at that, but if you have been through Tokyo from Asakusa to Sendagaya on foot or on a bike then you should appreciate the audio tour. If not use your imagination and don't mind the coughing.

Commuting

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 06:34:16 GMT

Ahh the sounds of trains in Kansai... I felt too crappy to record the layover at Namba... and I pushed the wrong button when I thought I recorded my walk through Sakai on the way to the gyoza and horse sashimi shop.

Anywho here is what Osaka sounds like... Osaka/Umeda and Shin-Osaka stations when you have tonsilitis that is. (recorded on Oct 14)

Server Down

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 02:20:44 GMT

GRRR!!! Just when I was set to get my stuff up I get this notice from my host service OurMedia...

Server problems
Submitted by JD Lasica on October 14, 2005 - 1:40pm.

We apologize for the server problems and slow response times in recent days. The site was down for several hours today, despite several attempts to reboot it.

We expect to be moving to new, larger, more reliable and responsive servers sometime in the next 7-14 days. Please bear with us. Once we stabilize the site, you'll be seeing some great new features in the near future.

Argh if its not one thing its another.

Message from Not From John Cleese To the Citizens of the United States of America

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:50:33 GMT

[please note the correction in the header and then proceed]

In light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your Independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (excepting Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new prime minister, Tony Blair, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect: You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix ize will be replaced by the suffix ise.

Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up vocabulary). Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.

There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.

You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you Japanese cars, you will understand what we mean.

All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) - roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.

You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).

Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable.

You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

An Inland Revenue agent (i..e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your co-operation.

Investigations BushCo Style...

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 00:18:07 GMT

Investigate YOURSELF!!!. Brownie has been hired back by FEMA as a consultant who will evaluate FEMA's response to Katrina!!

Say it with me...

Life is Crazier than Fiction

Written by David Coffee
Tuesday, 27 September 2005

"CBS News' Bob Schieffer just announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has rehired ex-FEMA chief Michael Brown-- as a consultant to evaluate the agency's response to the disaster!"

Michael Brown former director of FEMA is still on the public payroll at full salary working as a consultant to FEMA. His job is to investigate FEMA's response to the Katrina disaster. Well he's the one who was directing that response, which adds up to Mike Brown is investigating himself. Think he'll uncover anything useful?

You know when I end up destroying a bar in a drunken stupor when the Giants finally when I World Series, I hope the government hires me to investigate myself. I think it would be the best thing since well I know baseball, I know being drunk and I have been to a few bars (hell thats a better resume than Brownie's. all he knew about was the ponies and he wasn't even good at that).

ROLL CALL: One the Nomination of Supreme Court Chief Justice : John Roberts of Maryland

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 23:43:35 GMT

30 more years of neo-con justice... I hope some of you were right about this guy.

Senate Vote 245: PN801 On the Nomination of John G. Roberts, Jr., of Maryland, to be Chief Justice of the United States

Vote Counts:
YEAs 78
NAYs 22

I'll just post the nays since those are the only ones I care about...

NAYs ---22
Akaka (D-HI), Bayh (D-IN), Biden (D-DE), Boxer (D-CA), Cantwell (D-WA), Clinton (D-NY), Corzine (D-NJ), Dayton (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Harkin (D-IA), Inouye (D-HI), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA),
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Mikulski (D-MD), Obama (D-IL), Reed (D-RI), Reid (D-NV), Sarbanes (D-MD), Schumer (D-NY), Stabenow (D-MI)

I know some people are going to say that the next nominee will be the swing vote, but please. If that is the only criteria then we seriously have an F'd up system. Why not take a stand to try to make life better for the citizens of this nation (and not the corporations of this nation).