Pumpkin Seeds: End of the World Edition

1. What the hell is going on? Multiple hurricanes and random tornadoes, an earthquake in California and now the threat of Mt. St. Helens erupting again? Plus, there's the whole mega-tidal wave in the works, just waiting for another volcano to go off in Africa! If I were a Republican, the obvious explanation would be that God doesn't want John Kerry to be President. 2. To be honest, I think it would be kind of cool to see this election overshadowed by massive global disasters. The God of the Bible certainly has that kind of sense of humor. 3. I'm…

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Democratic Scare Tactics

I'm always discouraged to see friends suckered into things because of their good intentions so when one of them forwarded me the latest email "virus" going around, I was both annoyed and disappointed. The email in question is from Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. in the form of their latest plea for money: "To keep the Democratic Party's essential October activities on track, we have to raise $2 million in less than 36 hours." Post-9/11, most non-profits saw their donations drop dramatically as people redirected their philanthropy towards the Red Cross and other relief organizations. That was understandable. Today, the same thing…

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Paul Berman rips apart The Motorcycle Diaries, the cult of Che and so-called "American intellectuals" in a blistering article on Slate. The Cult of Che Don't applaud The Motorcycle Diaries. By Paul Berman The cult of Ernesto Che Guevara is an episode in the moral callousness of our time. Che was a totalitarian. He achieved nothing but disaster. Many of the early leaders of the Cuban Revolution favored a democratic or democratic-socialist direction for the new Cuba. But Che was a mainstay of the hardline pro-Soviet faction, and his faction won... I wonder if people who stand up to cheer…

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Using the Internet as a Media-Distribution Channel

Me, on a panel, talking about blogs and other stuff Sure, why not! Digital Dissemination Using the internet as a media-distribution channel Moderator: Troy Johnson, AALBC.com Can you make an impact in the arts or on the political landscape while skirting the traditional avenues of physical print publications? Many are doing just that with websites that complement physical print products; blogs; e-newsletters; and online radio and video. The panel discussion will encompass the challenges faced with digital publishing and web design: computer hardware cost, revenue streams, marketing, artistic freedom and limitations, distribution, and editorial and blog content will be explored.…

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Breakfast of Champions, Running with Scissors

Days like this, I want to be at home, relaxing in bed with a good book. I'm currently reading Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, one of the most subversively whacked-out books I've ever come across. In the midst of seemingly random observations he unexpectedly drops cynical nuggets of truth: Viet Nam was a country where America was trying to make people stop being communists by dropping things on them from airplanes. The chemicals he mentioned were intended to kill all the foliage, so it would be harder for communists to hide from airplanes. And: That was the main reason the…

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Friend Test

It makes sense that, unless you really know me, you'd assume I was born in the Bronx. It was one of many trick questions on my Friendtest and the one most people missed. The correct answers were: 1. What borough was I born in? Manhattan (10 points) In fact, I was born in Manhattan, at the now defunct Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital, a couple of blocks away from Mount Sinai. Supposedly, I was born in the hallway at around 5am, which possibly explains a lot of things. 2. Which High School did I graduate from? Lakeland HS (10 points) I…

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Hey, Dick! I've joined the new economy on eBay! You Get So Alone Sometimes That it Just Makes Sense, by Charles Bukowski. (Black Sparrow Press, Santa Rosa. 1986.) No. #321 of 400 limited edition. Signed with small illustration by author. A Very Fine hardcover copy in an acetate dust jacket. Minor dent in lower right edge of front cover, barely visibile in picture, this copy was never read and has been sitting on my bookshelf for the last five years. Lesser copies sell for over $250 (search abebooks.com). Get in on the auction!

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