Wednesday, September 03, 2008fuuuuuunny There are certainly a lot of things to take seriously, but it is good to laugh on occasion. I am talking about more than an occasional chuckle or titter covered politely by fingertips across embarrassed lips – I'm talking about a really deep belly laugh. The kind of guffaw where you actually can't control your own bodily functions. An "I laughed so hard I cried..." sort of thing. For years I used to get this type of laugh from reading The Onion, but I just don't go to the trouble of finding their site very often (actually, I'm so ancient that I recall when their humor was only available in printed format.) these days. I read lots of political news and comment sites. Both for news and to get a sense of what is going on out there in the world amongst the people who I have come to commiserate with over the state of our existence on many levels. (Vague and blathering enough for you? Okay, I'll get to the point.) One site that I've started reading regularly of late is called Wonkette. Sorry that I don't have time to launch into a long discussion of the site, but let's just say it is fun to read, they are smart, they know the issues, and they are smart-asses. Smart ones. So this morning I took a minute to read their site, and although I don't often click on links to embedded videos, I took a chance and watched their first ever episode (and they say the last) of Wonkette TeeVee, and this is where I experienced the biggest belly laugh that I've had in a while. For example: ". . . and we are going to talk about why democracy is dead, it's Dead, we will soon elect people by throwing rats over the fence of dreams. . ." A bunch of snide, cynical (actual)smarty-pants sitting in a dark bar at the Republican National Convention drinking and performing a mock television interview show for their own amusement. It's better than any (real or fake) television news show that you could ever watch (and I'm a big Daily Show fan). Very low production values ("don't unplug my Mac motherf***er...") Go see it. Belly laugh. Tuesday, August 26, 2008do you really think.....? Do you really think that the Bradwood Landing Office would be spending over $30,000.00 on deceptive push polls in this election if they really believed the referendum would have "no meaningful impact" on their project as is stated in their "Fast (and loose) Facts" brochure? Wednesday, January 23, 2008i'm not certain, but i seem to recall...Sunday, August 26, 2007some attention to LNG issue from editors of The Oregonian (it's about time.) Better (years) late than never, I suppose.The Editorial Board of The Oregonian opines that "LNG projects invite skepticism." Thanks for that. If my thanks seem just a tad lukewarm, maybe I can explain why with a question: Where, Oregonian, have you been for the last few years while we out here in Clatsop County have been fighting practically alone to keep LNG out? Well, anyway, you're here now, and your audience, so we need your help. Here are some places where you can go to get up to speed on the latest LNG related goings-on, and what you can do to help: RiverVision A community-based lower Columbia org fighting the good fight to keep LNG out. The Daily Astorian has an area on its website entirely dedicated to the whole sordid story of the attempts to site LNG on the Columbia, and much of the "Mayberry Machiavellian" chicanery of the now (mostly) former Port Commissioners. Columbia Riverkeeper Columbia Riverkeeper has been a great help in supporting anti-LNG efforts. Friday, August 24, 2007Not a leap: a “loop.”  In his letter to the Daily Astorian last week, Kirk Wintermute claimed that it was an “odd leap” to suggest some connection between Mr. Zafiratos, Mr. Roman and their dislike for Josh Marquis, even claiming that such a connection is “unsubstantiated rumor” in spite of their partnership in a law firm that made a significant portion of its income from DUI cases, and in spite of the fact that some of their efforts were no doubt thwarted by Mr. Marquis.But a quick search for “Kirk Wintermute” and “Seattle” turned up a link to his blog, which demonstrates that there’s really no "leap" at all. What do Mr. Wintermute, Mr. Zafiratos, Mr. Roman and another Astoria blogger have in common? The answer is "looping," AKA "drunk driving," and their writings concerning Mr. Zafiratos and Mr. Roman. On his blog, Mr. Wintermute waxes nostalgic about his "looper" adventures. According to a few young Astorian bloggers with happy juvenile looping memories, a “looper” is where you get drunk and drive around with drunken friends until "you get a funny story or a DUI." Hopefully the "funny story" turns out to be rolling your rig, as is depicted in a photo on Wintermute’s blog, and not that you kill someone. I guess that explains why some people need, as Astoria blogger Tryan Hartill posted on his North Coast Oregon blog, to "have Steve Roman’s number on speed dial in case you get in trouble." In case we had any doubt about what looping was, Tryan clarified: "A comment on 'Looping', that is only a true Astorian word. If you say it to someone from out of the area, they say ‘What is Looping?’...you’re like 'Duh…drinking and Driving!' "Tryan also recently posted some alcohol - inspired photography, writing that he was on a "foot looper" when he took the pictures. I'm assuming that he didn't get in his car and drive home after taking the photos. No, I'm sure he wouldn't have done that. So is it a leap to connect drinking, driving and support of Mr. Zafiratos, and Mr. Roman? I guess not, given that both Tryan and Kirk clearly love looping, and both are supporting Mr. Zafiratos in his recent (failed) maneuverings re: the D.A. stipend issue. It’s no leap to say that Mr. Hartill was given documents obtained by Mr. Zafiratos in an unsuccessful attempt to sway public opinion, in an ill-considered PR campaign which has backfired, and spectacularly. Perhaps it’s time for those who think drunk driving is funny to hear some of the horror stories from people who've lost loved ones to them, AKA "loopers." The family of Dorothy Gunther, for instance, would probably not be so amused by these clever blog-musings on looping. The oddest leap of all would to leap over the obvious connection between people who love to drive drunk and the people who stand to gain financially from their cases, and thinking that either could be disinterested in seeing the current D.A. suffer, given that he has done much to curb drunk driving in our county. In my view, that leap that would take you clear across the Columbia. Archives02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005 10/01/2005 - 11/01/2005 11/01/2005 - 12/01/2005 12/01/2005 - 01/01/2006 01/01/2006 - 02/01/2006 02/01/2006 - 03/01/2006 03/01/2006 - 04/01/2006 06/01/2006 - 07/01/2006 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006 12/01/2006 - 01/01/2007 01/01/2007 - 02/01/2007 02/01/2007 - 03/01/2007 03/01/2007 - 04/01/2007 06/01/2007 - 07/01/2007 08/01/2007 - 09/01/2007 01/01/2008 - 02/01/2008 08/01/2008 - 09/01/2008 09/01/2008 - 10/01/2008
|
|
