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Thursday, September 13, 2001 - 03:57 p.m. -
Please spread this around. My sister is working on a non-ideological book of abortion stories. I think this could be deeply compelling. All anonymous.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 05:16 p.m. -
How do you win a terrorist war? What kind of credible threat do you make against suicide bombers who believe fervently in a glorious afterlife? (There's obviously plenty of non-Islamic terrorists out there, but I'll jump on the racist bandwagon for now if only to keep it from crushing me.)

Seems to me that the only way to win is by eliminating the conditions that spawn terrorist behavior: rage and political powerlessness. The former seems to be an ineradicable part of human nature, so the latter has to go. Rich US citizens have the most to lose by ceding power to other people, and of course it's never happened. That will have to change, or things will get much worse.

Am I advocating or justifying violence? Unequivocally not. Understanding behavior is essential to stopping it. If we fight back with violence, we will at best help a few victims' families reach 'closure' while inviting a host of further counterattacks. We can tighten security until every US citizen is a police officer to no avail - one mistake can mean 10,000 dead, and everyone makes mistakes.

So we can try to make the world a better place for everyone in it, or we can get used to the world sinking further and further into fear and misery. Even - especially - our part of the world. We have the most to lose; we should be trying the hardest to set things right.

Thanks for your time.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 05:12 p.m. -
So, regarding the T-shirt message below. Which is more cowardly, a suicide bomber or a nuke threatener?

No, I'm not a terrorist sympathizer; that is, I don't support the Islamic Jihad any more than I support the US or Israeli governments. Is there a moral equivalence? Not exactly, but any use of violence for political ends disgusts me.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 05:10 p.m. -
Hand-printed T-shirt I just saw in QFC:

Terrorist COWARDS
The NUKES Are HOT!
See You In HELL!!!

Oh yeah.

Friday, September 7, 2001 - 11:23 a.m. -
Looking for conservative arguments against the war on drugs? Check this out. It's a response to an earlier, super-dumb conservative pro-drug-war article, but it's clear and funny. They're just talking about pot, but it's a great start.

And how many of us left or libertarian types really mean anything but pot, mushrooms, and the like, anyway? There are compelling arguments to abandon our criminalization of the getting-high economy, but how do we manage legal coke, heroin, speed, etc.? I suppose we have some examples and analogies out there, but anyone who thinks a free market will solve drug problems is kidding themselves.

Thursday, August 30, 2001 - 11:10 a.m. -
The first rule of Calvinball is don't talk about Calvinball.

Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 11:43 a.m. -
Seattle people suck. I read the headline and thought "Please not here. Please not here," but drivers encouraged a woman to jump off the Ship Canal Bridge so they wouldn't be delayed any longer. It worked.

Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 11:29 a.m. -
I just woke up from something I have to call The Sedaris Dream:

I am watching David Sedaris' new performace-art gig in someone's apartment with maybe 100 other people. I am on the top of a bunk bed. Sedaris is shaved bald and hunched over, possibly naked, facing away from us. After making some non-descript jokes, he asks if we want to see his dick. We all laugh when he turns around holding a dildo, then laugh harder when we see that he is naked and holding his penis in his other hand.

Then he shits on the floor. So far, so good. Then he announces that the audience will have the opportunity to eat the shit of a genius. Many seem OK with that. I duck under the covers, drawing his attention and abuse. He ends up rubbing shit in my hair.

Then Amy Sedaris struts into the space dressed as Jerri Blank from Strangers With Candy, all uglied up. She jumps on me and mocks me. I ask her if she tops exclusively or if she'd ever want me to top her. She leaves. I go into the bathroom and rinse my hair.

Yeah!

Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 11:18 a.m. -
Notable for the use of the phrase "four experts from the Association for Bat Science."

Monday, August 27, 2001 - 11:32 p.m. -
I realized the reason I haven't been reading too much is that my book selections aren't inspiring me. Out with the old, in with the new!

Friday, August 24, 2001 - 04:26 p.m. -
Mark from Boing Boing clearly expresses my feelings about dogs:

"Dogs are wonderful animals. I like them a lot. I just don't like to touch them, smell them, hear them bark, get their fur or slobber on my clothes, see their crap on my lawn, or let them get near my daughter when we are walking in the neighborhood. Dogs belong on a farm or in a nice zoo. I guess the religious leaders of Iran share my sentiments."

I'm not so sure I like the last sentence, or the quotes regarding the religious government's decrees following, but still.

Thursday, August 23, 2001 - 03:19 p.m. -
Tylenol plus alcohol - Some additional info. The picture is relatively unclear. I'd say use it sparingly, which for me means never again (I have used so much to subdue migraines that I may have already done crazy liver & kidney damage).

Wednesday, August 22, 2001 - 10:56 p.m. -
FUN-ny. Make sure to read the review of the Cave Raider action figure.

Tuesday, August 21, 2001 - 01:16 p.m. -
I'm a believer. The most convincing evidence yet that NASA faked the moon landing.

Monday, August 20, 2001 - 12:09 p.m. -
This is awesome. Poor shmoe tries to help someone out (and help his business at the same time, but still) and ends up arrested. Yeah!

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