Cranial Spew

I've Moved. ...Again.

2006-02-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

Hot damn, it's been a long time since I've last posted here. I'd love to give you a good reason why not, but there isn't a really good reason. Well, partially it's that the Dashboard widget on OS X stopped working for some odd reason, and I felt to damn lazy to actually log into the Blogger site to actually post.

So there...

That said, I've found a much easier way for me to post at my .mac web site. Feel free to visit anytime, I've already made more than a handful of posts there so far. Currently, it's called Cranial Spew version 3.0 but I'll be nixing the "version 3.0" part once I get around to it. Read: never.

So here's the link: http://web.mac.com/gsanchez1/iWeb/Cranial%20Spew/Main.html

There ya go, enjoy. The only downside to the new site is that there isn't any way for readers to comment, not that I really read many of them anyway, or that I ever expected any. Hell, I'm fairly certain no one besides relatives even read this site. Really, I don't blog to stroke my ego (not yet, anyway), but for the fun I get out of it. It's a nice to way to express one's feelings and put it out there for everyone to look and say, "Look what this asshole wrote!"

Ah, the information age. It's like one big jerkoff after another.

XXXI

2005-11-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my birthday rolled around once again this time to mark my 31st year. In many ways, over the last year I have noticed that I've changed more this year than the previous 30. That is, however, not to say I've changed that much. After all, I still think I'm relatively the same dick head who liked to watch movies, play Madden, and have a liberal slant to my politics. Frankly, I hope that none of that ever changes. I'd like to keep a frim grip on the feeling of my youth even when I, God willing, approach my nineties. I've always seen age a merely a number, not a need to "grow up". To many people it seems, growing up means you forget the fun things in life, be grouchy, remain in a certain mindset (i.e., not adapting to current culture norms), and play things a little safer.

Now that I'm a father, I hardly think that's reason enough to start playing things safe. In fact, I think it's more of an opportunity to be less safe, and take more risks. After all, what could be riskier than putting someone else's life, your own flesh and blood no less, in your own hands? Although that doesn't mean I'm going to be reckless either. Risks are calculated, being reckless is dickheadedness*.

Do I have any particular risks in mind? You bet your ass I do. I'm working on one, or two, at the moment. If these risks pay off in the future remain to be seen, but that's not the point. It's the fact that I tried. After all, I'm only thirty-one years old. I've got my whole life ahead of me.

* - That's not a typo, that's a whole new word I made up.

What the Hell is Going on Here?

2005-10-08T00:11:00.000-04:00

Had I the time to write an extended post, I would. But, I'm really tired right now. That said, I still wanted to ask the question--

Does anybody still think that George W. Bush is doing a good job?

Anybody?

Republicans in the Senate and Congress and wondering how the hell he's going to pay for the New Orleans rebuilding and pay for the Iraq war without the country going broke. Repeal the Tax Cut for the Wealthiest 1 percent of Americans? Heaven forbid!

My best pal, a conservative, thinks Dubya is doing a crappy job. Hell, most conservatives think Dubya is doing a crappy job.

And the most telling that is that usual W. lover Ann Coulter is taking jabs at Bush. What the fuck is going on here? Did I wake up in an alternate reality where the people of this country have realized what the other half has always thought.

Holy shit! Maybe it's that the majority of this country, Democrats and Republicans now do not trust this President. I personally never trusted him, but now his own base doesn't trust him. But I think right now that Republicans have realized something very telling-- George W. Bush isn't a Republican. Fuck, he's not even a conservative.

He's an opportunist. No, scratch that. He's the puppet to a group of opportunists.

Shit Head

2005-09-15T23:36:00.000-04:00

I really despise nosy people. Irritating, nosy people. You know, the very people who have nothing better to do than to bust your balls because because they are too weak to come to terms with their own existential dilemmas that they need to point out another's shortcomings to bolster their fragile egos. (Well, that was wordy.)

What I despise more, however, are nosy bastards who don't know what the hell they just saw.

Case in point: Tonight I was walking my dog for her evening walk. As soon as I reach the sidewalk Angel walks to the grass, crouches down and takes a leak. While this is happening, a Honda Civic passes by. Angel completes her leak, and I continue on my way. At that moment, I hear the Civic come to a dead stop. I turn around to look to see what's going on and see the Civic making a U-turn and drive up next to me. The driver, a balding man in his mid to late forties (it was dark, I really couldn't make out his age) wearing a tie looks at me and says--

"Are you gonna pick that up?"

I was speechless for a moment, then a I said, "She was taking a leak."

The driver of the Civic shakes his head and then I add, "Why don't you mind your own damn business?"

The driver, sounding really irrtated comes back with, "Do you want to get a ticket? The police station is right down the street."

"I think the police have better things to do than to look for dog piss. So please go away and leave me the hell alone."

I continue with my walk and without another word, the driver of the Civic drives off, makes a U-turn and drives off. Later during my walk with Angel, she actually does poop and I pick it up, as I usually do.

On my way back to the apartment, I strongly considered finding the Civic and leaving the bag of dog shit on the roof on his car. I wouldn't actually do it, but it would've been nice to demonstrate to the driver with dog shit on his mind that I do pick up my dog's poop.

In contrast, I took Angel to the District this morning for a long walk and none of the Capitol police officers said anything to me when Angel took a monster dump right in front of the Capitol building and didn't pick it up immediately because I was drinking a Coke at the time.

The nerve of some people who can't mind their own damn business.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXXV

2005-09-04T19:35:00.000-04:00

Julie:: Brown
Emotional:: Connected
Head of household:: Antiquated Idea
Diva:: Aretha. There is no other.
Devastation:: Louisiana/Mississippi
Business or pleasure:: Depends on the situation
Crown:: Jewel
Eastern:: Time Zone
Buzzed:: Crew Cut
Officer:: Salute

Click here to play along.

Go West, Young Man

2005-09-03T22:58:00.000-04:00

I don't believe the statement made during NBC's fundraiser were made at the right time or place, but I think Kanye West was partically correct.

First, the quote from Mr. West: "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

I, for one, (and I'm definitely not a fan of President Bush) don't think that Bush doesn't care about blacks. What he does, however, is not care about the poor as a whole, regardless of race. Still, you have to think about how many blacks feel about our government's rush to care for those who were in Katrina's path. Trucks carrying relief supplies started to arrive only yesterday (Sept. 2). That's a whole week after the storm hit. That's far too long.

From a personal view, after Hurricane Andrew hit my former hometown of Miami, state and federal government and other organizations were on the scene en masse within 24-48 hours. We all may have been out of power, but at the very least people knew that help was on the way-- and quickly.

Fast forward to last year, when Hurricane Charley hit the southern Gulf Coast of Florida. George W. Bush was in Punta Gorda within 24-48 hours for at least a photo-op by passing out bottles of water to people affected by the storm. Of course, Florida is a not a poor state, lots of white folk (especially in the southern Gulf Coast) live there. Lots of potential, middle-class voters.

Again, lets fast forward to 2005. Louisiana and Mississippi. Two of the poorest states in the U.S., and it takes at least 168 hours before emergency crews begin to arrive. Let's re-cap-- Florida has a 24-48 hour response time, compared to 168 hours response time in two poor states.

That's bullshit. And I'm not interested in people telling me that the local and state governments of Louisiana had to make the first response and then to request the federal government for help. According to Homeland Security, they are the organization who is primarily responsible for being the first on the scene. Don't believe me, well shit-- you shouldn't. But you can read it for yourself at Homeland Security's web site.

For those too lazy to click the link, it says: In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort.

So there you have it. Homeland Security really dropped the ball on this one. God forbid there's ever a terrorist attack.

Unrelated to this post, but related to New Orleans-- My brother, who works for BellSouth, has volunteered to go to Louisiana for the relief effort. He will find out tomorrow if he's selected to make the trip. Not all of us can go and help, but we can all donate to the Red Cross.

American Disgrace

2005-09-02T07:29:00.000-04:00

This is going to be very short--

The U.S. Government needs to get off its ass and help the people of Louisiana and Mississippi. I believe it's an absolute disgrace that our country can't get emergency supplies to a major city in a situation this dire.

There are dead bodies on the streets, and dead bodies floating in the flood. There are hungry, dehydrated people in the streets wait for help that they are simply not getting. This storm hit on Monday, and here we are on Friday and still NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.

There is absolutely no excuse.

Please donate to the American Red Cross.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXXIV

2005-08-28T00:13:00.000-04:00

Girlfriends:: Past
Here to stay:: ~~Disco~~, ~~Pet Rock~~, ~~Star Trek~~ Crap, I give up!
Call me:: Do Lunch
Frustrated:: Politics
Public school:: Edumuhkated
Glitch:: Houston, we have a problem.
Cheese:: Velveeta
Director:: Martin Scorsese
Pivotal:: Crucial
Exclusive:: Scoop

Click here to play along.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXXIII

2005-08-24T08:22:00.000-04:00

Fan:: Oscillating
Scum:: Pond
Lily:: Hammer
Humid:: Sweaty
Ghetto:: Elvis
Remember me?:: Nope.
Polished:: Cubaned (Couldn't resist.)
Compose:: Create
Squish:: Crushed
Future:: Flux Capacitor

Click here to play along.

Verbal Abuse

2005-08-21T19:53:00.000-04:00

I went to the grocery store this afternoon, as I do every Sunday. I finished getting everything I needed faster than usual and got into the checkout line. Usually I go to the self-checkout, but it's not as convenient when you're buying a bottle of wine or beer. C'est la vie.

The guy in front of me, an older man of about mid- to late fifties was being rung out for his purchases. I was annoyed by the guy because he was paying with a check. I'm always annoyed by the use of the check as a method of payment when there is a situation when people are in line. It takes too damn long. Besides, they make check-cards with the Visa logo, or you can type in your pin number as a regular debit card so you can have the convenience of the money coming straight out of your account.

I guess some folks still like to do things the old fashioned way.

At any rate, he writes the total amount on the check, signs it, and hands it over the cashier. The cashier, a woman in her forties, looks at the check and politely asks the guy to please write to whom the check is going to. The guy immediately looks flustered and says,

"You can print it out for me on the check."

The cashier retorts, again with politeness, "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm new to this job and I don't know how to do that just yet."

"That's not my problem," he said while pointing a stern finger at the woman.

If I was already annoyed the guy was writing a check, I was now furious at the guy for not only being lazy, but for being such an asshole to the cashier.

"Would you just write the name on the fucking check?" I didn't mean to say the f-word, that just slipped out.

"Excuse me?"

"How hard can it be to spell Giant? G-I-A-N-T. Now write it on the damn check, please, so I can pay for my food."

"Listen, kid, I don't need to--"

I interupted angrily, "That's doctor to you, old man. I didn't go to medical school just so a guy like you can call me kid"

The guy got really angry, but he just wrote 'Giant' on the check like a good little boy, got his receipt and walked out in a huff. I was relieved, because I thought he was going to kick my ass. I looked at the fellow customer behind me, who had a smile on his face and said, "Nice."

The cashier started to ring my things up as I swiped my debit card through the machine. She looked at me and smiled.

"Thank you, doctor."

"Oh, that's not necessary. I'm not a doctor."

The cashier, the customer beind me, and myself all shared a chuckle. I don't get the opportunity very often to put a humble a guy who tries to act so high and mighty over someone who doesn't have the job that may have had. (The guy had a Mont Blanc ball point in his hand to sign the check, and another Mont Blanc in his shirt pocket. He had money.) And let me tell you, it feels fucking great.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXXII

2005-08-14T10:02:00.000-04:00

Idiot:: Bush
Rocket:: Man
Liability:: Blame
Harmless:: Broken Television
Stringy:: Pasta
Theater:: Shakespeare
Gwyneth:: Apple
Use it or lose it:: Brakes
Sonic:: Boom
Pucker:: Blow

State of Poon

2005-07-12T20:56:00.000-04:00

Here's a vanity plate I saw the other day here in Virgina:

VA PNTG.

I really can't think of it meaning anything else other than, possibly, Virginia Poontang. I mean, come on, it's freakin' obvious! The funny part is that it was on minivan. I don't know what the hell this lady was thinking.

Well, maybe I do.

I was considering getting a plate that said DRTSNCZ for 'Dirty Sanchez' when I moved. However, my wife convinced me not to by telling me I'm a father now, and it would seem kinda gross with a kid in the car.

Screw it. It would have been a good plate.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXVII

2005-07-10T00:27:00.000-04:00

Do-it-yourself:: Repair
Pickpocket:: Slight of hand
Ballet:: Grace
Resumé:: Experience
Phenom:: Wunderkind
Love/Hate:: Strong emotions
Unusual:: Oddity
Intense:: Orgasm
Interruption:: Pardon me
Not enough:: Time

Click here to play along.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXVI

2005-07-04T22:04:00.000-04:00

Statistics:: Research
Grin:: Smile
Saturn:: Uranus
Fulfilled:: Enlightened
Life plan:: Goals
Cult:: Control
Lily:: Pad
Stalemate:: Breakthrough
Celebration:: Joyous
Underwear:: Commando

Click here to play along.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXV

2005-06-26T23:03:00.000-04:00

Useless:: Old Floppy Discs
Radiant:: Alluring
W:: Dumbass
Unpaid:: Intern
Geek:: Computer
Unfaithful:: Bastard
Reboot:: Backup
No!:: I am your father!
Squad:: Police
Fetish:: Kinky

Click here to play along.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXIV

2005-06-19T20:17:00.000-04:00

Domesticated:: Animal
Cask:: Wine
Wayne:: World
Insidious:: Prick
Cool!:: Bitchin'
Dishwasher:: Cascade
Little house:: On the Prarie
Stepford:: Wife
Hung:: Like a Horse
Falling:: Down

Click here to play along.

Move Along... There's Nothing to See Here

2005-06-13T17:45:00.000-04:00

Now that MIchael Jackson was found not guilty, may I please continue not giving a rat's ass about Michael Jackson?

People were dancing, cheering, throwing confetti, hugging and kissing for someone they don't even know. You'd think by the way they're reacting that they won the World Series. To paraphrase Chris Rock, 'What the fuck did y'all win? Should I check my mail to see if I got my Michael Jackson prize?'

I'll accept the verdict, because to be perfectly honest, I was really on the fence on this one. One thing's for sure from my point of view-- the guy hasn't made a decent album since 1984. Everything since has been what happens when you've blown your creative wad and pretending to be something he wasn't ('Bad'? You expect me to buy that motherfucker was 'Bad' wearing what The Gimp wore in Pulp Fiction?) and doing a poor job reinventing himself.

So there.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXIII

2005-06-12T18:36:00.000-04:00

Wally:: Where the hell is he?
Phantom:: Menace
Slippery:: Slope
Fungus:: Mushroom
Slot:: Machine
Type:: Writer
Discharge:: Ewwwwww!
"We need to talk”:: You're breaking up with me?!
On the spot:: Improvisation
Liquid:: Water

Click here to play along.

Unconscious Mutterings: Week CXXII

2005-06-05T00:06:00.000-04:00

Exhibit:: Museum
Evolution:: Darwin
Loser:: Second place and below
Hypnotic:: I'm getting sleepy
Unlikely:: Menage a trois
Interrupt:: Butting in
Ambivalent:: Eh...
Rise and fall:: Roman Empire
Indian:: Seminole
Prophecy:: Seminoles will lose to the Hurricanes

Click here to play along.

Deep Throat

2005-06-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

It's almost an anti-climactic experience when a big mystery is revealed. I suppose it's because we expect somethings to be larger than life, because they have been built up to be so.

Deep Throat was a modern myth. This was a person that almost single-handedly brought down the presidency of Richard Nixon, and no one knew who he was except for Woodward, Bernstein and Bradlee. Nixon and his people, I'm sure, had a good idea who he was or at least an educated guess. The rest of us had no clue.

The only image I remember of Deep Throat was Hal Holbrook's performance in 'All the President's Men'. Even then, he was protrayed in the film with secrecy. A man in a parking garage at night, with his face obscured in shadow. I was born the year Nixon left office, so I really don't know what the climate of the country was like at the time, but from what I've read and from what I've heard from people who lived during that time all wondered 'Who was that man?"

Woodward and Bernstein said they wouldn't reveal who Deep Throat was until he actually died. Some people, I'm sure like myself, almost had the cryptic desire for that man to die so we could finally put to rest the mystery as to who brought Nixon down.

Luckily, he Deep Throat reavealed himself and-- it's not what I expected. He was no one I've ever heard of, but I have to admit I'm intrigued that the number two person in the FBI leaked the information. Although, if you've seen 'All the President's Men' or read the book, all Deep Throat really did was point Woodward and Bernstein in the right direction. He knew that his information alone could be called hearsay, so he told them how to prove it. You could argue that Deep Throat made Woodward and Bernstein do their homework as reporters.

In my eyes, W. Mark Felt is a hero. He knew that if he openly went against the President, he would be ripped to shreds. He needed to find another way, and he did.

What I find interesting is that people like Patrick Buchanan and G. Gordon Liddy are calling Mr. Felt an unethical traitor. I find that most hypocritical from Mr. Liddy considering he was arrested and put into jail for being a part of Watergate. Who the hell is he to call Mr. Felt unethical?

I have to admit, however, that one revelation did surprise me. I always wondered if it was just a coincidence that Deep Throat was given his name around the same time the movie was out and about. Turns out, it was intentional. Now that's funny.

The one sad thing about the end of the Deep Throat saga is that there are no reporters as gutsy as Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and their editor Ben Bradlee. Can you think of any news organization right now that would put thier reputation on the line to find the truth?

No. I didn't think so. We live in an age of speculation and sensationalism for ratings and profits. Not the truth.

The Spew is Coming Back

2005-06-03T11:09:00.000-04:00

Enough said.

I'm still working some things about, but I expect to be writing and publishing in earnest around mid to late June.