8 Minutes On High

Whuuush

May 30th, 2008 by Max

Posted in Photos | 2 Comments »

The Further Adventures of Dr Evil and His Sidekick Chuckles – The Mouse that Roared

May 29th, 2008 by Max

Dr Evil: That little weasel. I knew we couldn’t trust him.

Chuckles: Who’s that?

Dr Evil: Scott McLellan, the little turd.

Chuckles: But, Scott is my loyal friend.

Dr Evil: He said you were opposed to being deliberative, or rethinking past decisions …

Chuckles: What does that mean?

Dr Evil: He pretty much said you were stupid.  He said this about me, “Vice President Cheney’s role is widely viewed as sinister and destructive of the president’s legacy.”

Chuckles: See, at least he’s honest!

Dr Evil: Honest!? What about loyalty?

Chuckles: So what are we gonna do?

Dr Evil: We’ll say “He’s disgruntled.”

Chuckles: Ah the classics!

Posted in Politics | No Comments »

She said what?

May 25th, 2008 by Max

“Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June”

On our latest podcast www.csapodcast.blogspot.com I say, as I think, that everyone should be forgiven for the stupid things they say. This I believe. I think Don Imus should have been forgiven. And Hilary and Obama as well, for previous tongue slips on the trail.

However her latest gaffe, and lord knows if I spoke in public as much as she’s spoken in public in the last year, I’d have said something stupid too, still her latest gaffe I think is a clue into the inner workings of her mind.

If her strategy, involves staying in the race, just in case Obama gets assasinated, then I wonder if that doesn’t indicate a mind and a campaign, that is so cynical that we should just reject her because of the way she thinks.

I suspect that I have an idea how she thinks. I suspect it involves “I’ve waited my turn, put in my time, this one should be mine”. I think her vote in the Senate to authorize force in Iraq was a cynical, strategic approach to running for president. She, cynically, decided that being a woman she needed to look tough for male voters and hawkish moderates, and so made her vote.

Obama, I think, looked at the window for candidates for president, especially from the Senate, and decided that this was his moment. Mario Cuomo waited too long, when his star was rising in the Democratic Party. I think Obama looked at all the Senators who ran for president since Kennedy, and saw that a long voting record, is used against a Senator who is running for president. The Senate is a deliberative, communal actor, and executives have more success running for the chief executive’s position.

Its ironic that whomever wins the presidency will be a Senator this time. Its been 48 years!

So, you have differing strategies. Differing revolutionary characteristics to the candidates. Yes. Some will vote against him because he’s black. Some will vote for him for the same reason. Some will vote against her because she’s a woman. Some will vote for her because she’s a woman.

But what I see here is a person, who has taken her time, plotted her course, set her strategy and waited, vs someone who opportunistically jumped at his chance. Maybe his one and only chance. Both campaigns were exciting. Both campaigns are taking advantage of the horrible disaster that is the condition of my beloved country in 2008.

I only see one as cynical.

Posted in Politics | 16 Comments »

Lifelist

May 18th, 2008 by Max

A few years ago, a woman park ranger told me the bird I was looking at was a Glossy Ibis. She called it a life bird. I’d never heard of a life list before, and I haven’t started a list of my own, but if I had one, I’d have added a couple yesterday.

Here’s a look at the trip and the birds:

Posted in My New York, Photos | 2 Comments »

Qn – Quirky. Wonderful.

May 17th, 2008 by Max

So I’m riding home from Oneonta, listening to the Scientific American Podcast … and I stop, because driving while changing podcasts would be wrong. I switch to Qn. Sage Tyrtle has almost as great a voice as the Word Whore. She reads funny, odd, and compelling stuff c.f. Paper Doors http://quirkynomads.com/wp/2008/02/07/paper-doors-12/

So I’m living, loving Qn [the former Quirky Nomads] and I’m listening to this Gramar Nazi episode

http://quirkynomads.com/wp/2008/04/15/grammar-nazi/

When low and behold I hear …. ME!

http://quirkynomads.com/wp/2008/05/06/im-the-person-who-gets-to-decide-not-you/

Saying “Canadians Go Home!” in a really mean way, and for just a second I forgot that I had shouted it while the cats were in the room and scared poor Zander to the point where she almost moved!…but rather I thought the guy who was doing that voice was fairly oppressive and mean! [And that's good, because I was ACTING!!!]

Posted in Arts, Other People's Theories | No Comments »

Yes. Another trip. Another eagle. Another, better, lens!

May 14th, 2008 by Max

Dan from work has let me borrow some much more sophisticated lenses lately. These are from the f2.8 200mm lens. Got lucky with subjects. There’s more, but my rear hurts in this chair! Probably just as well for most people.

Posted in My New York, Photos | 1 Comment »

A visit in May

May 13th, 2008 by Max

Tom stopped up for about a week. Pictures were taken.

Posted in Photos | 1 Comment »

What I did this weekend Part II

May 11th, 2008 by Max

Talking hands again.  This time me alone as the MC.  Good time was had by all:

Posted in Photos | No Comments »

Talking Hands 05 10 08

May 10th, 2008 by Max

What I did on the weekend:

Posted in Photos | No Comments »

Nero W Bush

May 5th, 2008 by Max

Fiddle fiddle.

Global warming.

War in Afghanistan.

War in Iraq.

Iran in Iraq – now he isn’t completely ignoring this. This is the next place he WANTS a war.

Gas prices near $4/gallon.

2.5 million manufacturing jobs left the country in the last 4 years.

Fiddle fiddle.

The fucking “Sanctity of Contracts”. Yes. That’s what the Republican propo machine kept saying while people who couldn’t pay their mortgages, because of ridiculous contracts, for home purchases went up up up. When this brought down a major bank. The Federal Reserve stepped in.

So maybe he only fiddled while the little guy was hurting.

46 million Americans have no health insurance.

Fiddle fiddle.

September 11, 2001 America attacked by people Nero W Bush was warned wanted to attack us, in the manner he was told that they would use.

Vacation.

The most days of vacation of any president in the history of these United States.

Fiddle fiddle fiddle.

Posted in Politics | No Comments »

The Trip

May 3rd, 2008 by Max

I believe I’ve just seen the next Triple Crown horse, and his name is Big Brown.  Pulling away from the pack, after running wide all day from the 20th post, this horse had lots left.

No point in betting though.  You’re $2 bet will get you $2.12!

Posted in Sports | 1 Comment »

The 134th!

May 2nd, 2008 by Max

133 times in the past Louisville has been host to the greatest modern horse race. The last time the winner of the Kentucky Derby won the Belmont Stakes after the Preakness Stakes after the Derby, was Affirmed in 1978. 30 years ago and five years after the greatest horse in the history of US horse racing had won the same triple crown.

Many reasons could explain why there has been a 30 year gap since the last triple crown winner.

But who cares. The question is will there be a Triple Crown winner this year? The answer? NO!

Big Brown will win the Belmont. Colonel John will win the Preakness.

Tomorrow – as is tradition – Tale of Ekati – the Winner of the Wood, will win the 134th.

So let it be spoken. So let it be done!

(I’ll have money on it!)

And may I say, in a sentimental way – I miss you Uncle Paul – The Unc and I used to put our heads together and loose about $20 into OTB, each year. Most years, we’d have part of the exotic. Always had half the exacta. We’d discuss Beyers and fiesty horses and complex ways to bet and save. Occaisionally had a winner – but we always had fun!

Posted in Sports | No Comments »

How does this Florida thing work

May 1st, 2008 by Max

Part of the mess with the Democrats this year has to do with Florida.

The Democrats made a rule that no state could set their primary before a certain date. This was to protect the special position of Iowa and New Hampshire. We’ll leave that part of this for another time.

The thing I don’t understand is how the Republican Governor and the Republican Legislature of Florida were able to set the date of the Democratic primary, against the rules of the Democratic Party. That has caused part of this mess.

Can the Democrats make their own rules?

Posted in Politics | No Comments »