John: Wither?

One more day and I will be off once again for the land of the origin of my over-powering ethnicity: ENGLAND! No, not the U.K., though there are some stray strands of Irish, Welsh, and Scot floating about my Deoxyribonucleic acid.

Yes... off once again to witness the works of the Bard in authentic accents, though this does not have to be a barrier to superior performance. Off again to gaze in disgust at crumbly vestiges of weary Imperial gianthood, long passed into reactionary folklore. A question I shall probably ask myself time and again is, "Prevaileth Engelond?" And after a few hours in this land my answer will undoubtedly be, "It Doth."

Conversely, I have recently been reflecting upon my dwelling musically in the years 1965-1979. A good friend of mine made clear her disapproval of this etat d'affaires, admonishing me to live in "the present" and make it my own. I shall, I say. I will live in the present, and make it my own with barrels of pearls from the past.

The fact is, she told me firmly that there were many good non-mainstream acts wandering about these days, but that I simply lacked the wherewithall to seek them out. She then dutifully directed me to the work of an genre-meshing ensemble from the down-underworld, called "Cat Empire" aiw. Their music, I will admit, would have been enjoyable had it not been for the tenaciously hard-to-ignore SPOKEN (and not very well either) part of a particular song. Why? Because one of the genres they have unceremoniously shoved into their orchestrational kitchen blender is... rap. Lovely.

Despite all this, I was still wondering whether I should give the music of the present more attention...
...And then I listened to Bold As Love, by Jimi Hendrix...

Sorry Lor, I'm irrevocably pinioned to the past.

Clay stuff from a long time ago

more madness from moi

I Am a Jelly Doughnut!

You Are Most Like John F. Kennedy

You live a fairy tale life that most people envy. And while you may have a few dark secrets, few people know them.

What Modern US President Are You Most Like?

India Bleeds

Yesterday a number of bombs exploded inside seven trains on the Mumbai transit system. Police estimated the deaths at around 190 with at least 600 wounded. The blasts effectively shut down the city, one of India's largest financial centers.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called these attacks "cowardly." I disagree, as the emotion of cowardice and its parent, fear, can only be ascribed to mammals of higher developement, such as humans. These attacks were obviously not committed by humans. The perpetrators of this atrocity would be boastful to classify themselves as anything above brine shrimp, for their cold-blooded sociopathy belies humanity.

As crores of Mumbai's citizens saw their city thrown into violence and terror (yes, I use the word), many deserve the sincerest praise for their heroic selflessness in assisting the many wounded train passengers, requiring no encouragement but flocking to help those in need.

My prayers go out to these, and all other victims of violence and militarism worldwide.

Frivolous Thoughts Aplentitudinous

A little while earlier I realized that I did not know what day it is. Needless to say, this surprised me a great deal. This single fact excited my father to polemic remonstrations such that he did declame, "O! To be young and have no cares..." As a matter of course I deduced that he did not consider himself to be the former, nor to possess (or lack, as it were) the latter.

Speaking of which, the vast majority of the world's people definitely disagree with me, but I have found Tom Green's horrendous film from 1999, after multiple viewings at long intervals, to be... hilarious. Indeed, some might think that a man who screams and destroys everything in sight at every opportunity is more annoying than amusing. However, the timing, delivery, and simple mannerisms of this man are just too much. It's outrageous, get me?



What the hell is the NRA's problem? The U.N. does not wish to take away their guns. I wish to take away their guns!!! Do not ascribe excessively noble motives to this, or any other international organ-association!!!

This site is good, clean fun: http://www.nra-kkk.org/

A QUEST!

This word, that once innocently connoted happiness and carefree pleasure, has in the last half-century become a monster of popular culture. Everything, whether hilarious, disgusting, distasteful, or anything else, can be labled "GAY." Why is this, children??

This presents a seemingly insurmountable quest of urgent importance to the freedom of the world!!! I charge you, inimitable cyberhost, discover for me the origin of the word "gay" with its *current* meaning! From whence did this miraculous term spring forth!?

Mr. Snow and Mr. Frost

The following is a monologue I wrote and performed a few months ago, to a generally favorable reception. It's somewhat non-partisan believe it or not. Enjoy... maybe.

“Reaching Out.”

A sterilized, under-funded, bleak looking “mess hall” of an insane asylum. Sufficiently self-controlled inmates sit on their chairs, expectantly awaiting someone. Enter Herbert Frost. He ascends to a podium downstage-center.

HERBERT. Good morning everyone. My name is Herbert Frost, and I am a city councilman. As some of you might know, I am currently campaigning for the office of mayor of this great city. Now, I’ve come here in response to a new bill just passed
by the city council (which I supported) that extends our sacred democratic franchise of voting to those members of society who have been declared clinically insane.
Stops a few moments for it to sink in.
Some of you or the voices in your heads might be wondering, “what is he talking about?” or “what is voting?” or even something in your own little made-up language. The fact is, you have all been granted something that millions of other perfectly sane people don’t have, but dearly long for: the right to elect your own government. This is a sacred righ-- a right for which millions have died, a right that is the foundation of our free civilization, and a right of which you should all be very proud.
And so, my friends, I am asking you to exercise your right. I am asking you to vote this Tuesday for me. Why do I want you to vote for me? You may well ask. Well, I want you to choose me not for my benefit, but for your own. I stand by my decade of service as a city councilman when I say that I care about all of this city’s people, sane or no. As mayor I will be committed to your and your city’s welfare, 110%.
Some of you may also know that this is a highly contested election. My principle opponent is the incumbent, Robert Snow. I believe Mr. Snow has mismanaged this city during his four consecutive terms, and I think it’s time for a change. Throughout this campaign, my opponent has leveled an egregious number of personal and slanderous attacks at me, which I would like to address. First of all, he claims that I am speaking to you today because you are the only kind of people who will vote for me. This, in itself, is a preposterous and insensitive assertion, which attempts to minimize your contribution to the democratic process. Secondly, he has exploited to his own ends the fact that I have fathered a child out of wedlock. I say to you truthfully that had it been up to me, that child would never have been born.
However, I would ask you all to look past this barrage of fallacious and contrived hostility, and to look clearly at all candidates in this election, and on Tuesday make the best choice for you, your city, and--
An aid comes up to Herbert and whispers in his ear. The aid leaves. Herbert takes a long look at his audience.
Well folks, I’ve just been informed that the bill granting you the vote has been vetoed. But you know, you people are all insane so… twing-twiddly-ding-dong-derriere…
He laughs at his “clever” joke. The aid comes back and whispers again. Herbert goes deathly pale.
I uh, was not aware that network television was broadcasting this address live... I think I’ve said enough.


^copyright J. Green, 2006^

Confirmation of Conformation

Am now a "Canadian AP Scholar." Oh! What wonders! Yet another assurance that my mind conforms, at best, to their requirements. I am "acceptable." How wonderful for me.

But you see, I don't forget the many I've met and still know who don't have the same dumb luck. And where does our superlative system of education leave them? At minumum wage, to be spat upon by the beautiful Intellects of the world. I shall soon enter into the first formal stage of classifying myself above my fellow man: higher education. Who says the Middle Ages have ended?

What I find most disgusting about all this is that I often consent to it. I view myself in the light of "superbrain," and don't mind the utterly frivolous and fiendish taxonomy of worth in which our society indulges. It's ok if you're at the top, right? Well, that's the thought behind the average dictatorship, and where have those got us?