Perpetual student that I am, today I was at Laguna Seca taking a racing school. I had a pretty good day behind the wheel. David smacked a tire wall in a fast part of the track. Ibuprofen, heating pad and ice pack are fully deployed. Belts stretch to absorb energy. Despite being strapped in tight with a 6 point harness. His head helmet hit the steering wheel. I think he's convinced that a HANS is a good thing.
Enjoying season two of portlandia so far. (you go. No, you go.) Shameless less so.
The seized emails make it hard to generate much sympathy for the MegaUpload crew. I'm no international law expert, but paying people to upload full DVD rips of popular movies and cracked software while driving around in expensive sports cars with license plates like 'MAFIA' doesn't really look too good. Not to mention mansions with safe rooms and the weapons. Like wanna-be rap star computer nerds.
Anyway, all that aside, it did seems to be pretty coincidental timing that they were raided right after SOPA and PIPA went down. And now I learn that they apparently were about to release a new music distribution platform, MegaBox, that would pay artists 90% of revenue for all music sold through the store, as well as providing revenue to artists who choose to give their songs away for free (a model they had already proven can make millions since that is what they were doing through piracy.) The 5th most trafficked site on the internet turns it's guns on the outdated business model of the entire recording industry and then are suddenly arrested. I wish they had acted differently / smarter and been able to carry out the MegaBox plan.
- I am against the national establishment. My people, the average Joe and Bobbi Jo, are angry at the insiders. Just like me. We're mad as hell.
- Lobbyist? Fuck me? No, fuck you!
- I'm not establishment. Unlike Romney, I'm a populist like Reagan, not a member of the national establishment.
- Romney pointing out my ad hominem attack is a cowardly ad hominem attack.
- I am a master of the art of debate. A master, I say!
- The establishment is afraid of me, because I will challenge them. They should be worried! I'm an outsider, because I'm exactly like Reagan. Voodoo economics, motherfucker!
- The daughters of my first wife, and my third wife support me. I'm a 68 year old grandfather. Just call me Pawpaw. Besides, I'm forgiven.
- Obama loves his kids, he's a very pleasant person -- in some ways -- but he's a Jewish communist.
NY friends let me recommend two performances. One: Kitchen by the British/German group Gobsquad, now playing at The Public. Discounted and rush tickets available, see details below. We loved this show in NY last year and if the funding gods come through, will bring to PDX this Fall.
Two: Young Jean Lee's Untitled Feminist show. I am still kicking myself I left NY one day before it opened, so I haven't seen it, but everyone I know who has is raving. And it stars 6 nekkid ladies.
Want to see Gob Squad's "Kitchen.."? Don't have a deep wallet? For you a special deal: use the code word SMART and get a $40 ticket, you can use it on line, at the box office or over the phone. If that is still too steep? We will have a rush line with $20 tickets and there will most likely be availability, just drop by live before the showtime. Please re-post this to all your friends and family. The Gob Squad and I would greatly appreciate it. This is an amazing show! sexy, funny, poignant and true. I will see you there.
Kesey story set in Oregon with Paul Newman and Henry Fonda as the patriarch of a maverick logging family. Suitably weird as you might imagine. From 1970, smack dab in the middle of my golden age of cinema 1968 - 1972. Dandy Newman sports matching white Levis jeans and jacket. Music soundtrack, period vehicles and work shirts co-star. Note upbeat bluegrass ending lifted from westerns.
Mehdi Kabbaj, owner of my favorite clothing store 20 Peacocks (20 Clinton St.), was struck by a minivan and died after exiting a cab stuck in traffic on the FDR and attempting to cross the southbound lanes on foot.