Tuesday nite in Printers Row

Way - I thought i was the only one really touched by that time. Seems - not, not seems, since I've been aware 'o'odis fer a longtemps now - but it seems many others have been as well.

When? Some university time, a score away, but still here w/ me now.

The plan on this school nite was for me to do the dangerous trick of hanging out w/ Rocky and Cranky while trying to get some planning and writing done. This time - about what I was talking about above - comes spectacularly covered in primary material -saved by me. And those two cats want that primary stuff i'm rotting w/.

So - primary materials. They are trying a treatment of the late 80's and early 90's. Not only does my memory come equipped w/ loads of forgotten trinkets that I'm just astonished everyone doesn't know - But there are more concrete things in my knapsack - fotos and diaries (err, journals - i never kept a diary!).

First - the diaries. Real bad. I'd been through them quicklike when I knew they were wanted - and what a disappointment!! Rocky - for the same purposes, i surmise - had taken out his writings from back then - and our safes @ the bottom of our seas seemed not to have held back the corrosion of salt.

Then, when called by the boys to read off some representative lines - out came some nice stuff. About how much I love this one girl - although I then go on to talk of how I wanted these two other girls (college life, y'all),. Then talk of weirdness w/ these people, and weirdness of those people, and my own weirdness. As Rocky said it, better to digitise my stuff now before someone else has to after my death. It's not really that bad.

But the hot stuff - in my mind - is the foto collection. I took lots, and although they may not be great technical stuff, I realised that they would gladden the other two - and they did. Some snaps were obviously great - but it was the odd ones that those two digged on about that surprised me. Hot pictures of 'nickrohdes', Emo, or 'Woodertower' in any of those mini skirts she used to wear all the time (and thank God for you, dear - if i'd only realised @ the time that....well, whatever.........) any of the other dizzy-ing collection of beautiful young 18-22 year olds of that time. And, laughable ones of our youngselfs.

One of the funnier things said that nite was Rocky pouring over snaps of my old girl Q. Looking, he said although he was never attracted to her @ that time - now her fotos were turning him on. Funny.

And - we made it through about 6-7 pages of the 40 paged album. Job not done. .Otro beis.

Ate and drankwell. Crank had the sauce, Rocky had beer but switched when he saw that I could drink it and like it - he switched to vino for that sake. And when the beer ran out, I also cobbled into the vino. Cider was for after the Printers people went to sleep and kicked the Illinois born ones out onto the road. Crankface also supped us well - there was beef as the main, cepting for Rocket, who had to subsist on potatoes and whatever. No meat.

And - to return to the theme (what theme??) - God, those guys memories have gone to shit. They rememebr little. It's funny when I can spit out the things said and done - but far better, was when I was able to say "yeah, yeah, and yeah, but the real reason that whole thing went down (or whatever) was because of ...(thing only Hilts rememebrs)".

I had a good time. Relax, reminisce,rollup for the mystery tour,

Palm Sunday / Pier Paolo Pasolini 's "Il vangelo secondo Matteo"

http://dachicagosports.blogspot.com/2008/11/one-of-most-fun-section-8-times.html

Mallory, Franklin, Scott, Macallister, and Hall

not Everest

Saint Rita High School Announces

Fr. LaVern J. Flach, O.S.A.1928 - 2008

Rev. LaVern J. Flach, O.S.A. entered eternal life November 17, 2008 after a long period of declining health.

Father Flach's first assignment was in 1956 to St. Rita High School, Chicago, as a teacher and Vice-Principal. He was transferred to Mendel Catholic High School, Chicago, in 1968. He served as teacher and Vice-Principal there. He was for many years Adviser to the yearbook staffs at Mendel and St. Rita. His work in this area was nationally recognized for its excellence.In 1971 he was named Principal of St. Rita High School. He held this post until 1979, when he resumed teaching duties at St. Rita. In 1994 Father Flach was named Associate Pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Flint, Michigan.

Read an extended Bio here.

Rest in Peace

Fr. LaVern J. Flach, O.S.A.

I had not- thanks for passing that along. I actually had Fr Flach all four years at Rita. He was a good guy. = Lazers

I had not heard the news. I agree he was a good man. =Tommy T.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the phrase Fr. Bubba, BS's affectionate term for Fr. Flach. Concur with the good man = Moho

Spong - Saturday the mornng and afternoon

The morning was spent gloriously @ a doublet of lectures by a favored author/ Episcopalian Bishop of mine, the Rite Reverend John Shelby Spong. This was quite the treat for me, as he was the author that started me out on my present religious reading bent - unless, of course, one believes it to be a holier influence. He had two lectures, firstly 1000h-1200h and secondly 1300h-1530h. I stayed for both.

Outstanding surprise of the morning was that we actually got there rite on time. I have a habit of being the approximate of late, but functionally not this morning. Boy: Hilts on the move for something that isn’t school @ that early o’clock. But flocked did we towards the Protestant church in downtown La Grange that was hosting the lectures of reverend Spong. Nice church. We meandered unfamiliar corridors and stairways strange before emptying into the church proper. Lots of people there - we took our pew space a bit-o-ways back but still pleasing. This being the first protestent church I’ve been in since some Anglican cathedral in England some European summer past, I figured I’d do the regular Catholic protocal and bow to the altar and cross myself entering the pew. No one would object if I get it wrong, I know.

Second outstanding surprise was running into Chuck avec his double daughters -me/gf for religious lessons - he/double daughters for piano lessons.

Third surprise was no surprise @ all. It was great. Gf went only the first half, which was titled “Sins of Scripture” It’s theme was the different ways the bible has been hijacked by different groups over time in order to justify their own prejudices. He talked about growing up in Virginia and not questioning the racism in the milieu of the South. Why not question it? Because racism is ok - look, it says so in the Bible! Then shit like homophobia and sexism had their starring role in his lecture - it’s funny to hear the actual pieces of scripture people have used over time to justify their actions.

I liked it a lot. I had been to his web site months ago and had thought about traveling to see one of his lectures often. I’m sure that he has given this set of talks a million times before -indeed I was familiar with most of what he talked about and many examples deployed - but it was very energizing. I’ve read a few of his books and enjoy his views - it was good to hear them in a lecture form from him. Some of the concepts - that the early New Testament writers wrote “suffering servant” and “Good Shepard” imagery into Jesus’ writeup was good to go over (trust me -I’m not gonna bother explaining it -but I got it now.).

Gf and I went to eat @ a packed breakfast place she loves that is rite near the church. I ate eggy shit and it was good, except for the fact I knew I had a ½ price coupon back base camp* for his very chow place - and wished dearly I could have accessed it. But no go. Momentary funk, but not wallowing. We ate skillets and I gladly broke w/ several slite packets of grape Knotts Berry Farm jelly. Knotts grape, for some reason, is totally unavailable @ shops the world over. Really.

Gf left and I followed the bishop for the second lecture - again, another familiar theme : “Christianity must change or disappear”. This lecture theme -much shorter than the first so he could have a book signing - was that Christianity is losing people by the droves , and unless it drops the attitudes displayed by some in the first lectue it will fail. Spong says that he believes there is a change in the air, and that progressive churches are on the rise. Progressive people are looking for something other than either what the reactionary right wing churches or a scheculer society can provide. Again, nothing new - the days two lecture themes are prevalent in all his writings.

Again though, just great. i'm glad he travels around the country lecturing. It's kool when you can see someone who has had such an influence on yrself.
................................................................
*(by now my mind had been ravaged by the altitude and only do I think about mountaineering)

Hamdard - Saturday the Nite

I as worried about fatigue and making it on time to Hamdard on this Saturday, but Spong ended on time, I did not stay to say hello - just a few snaps - and steamed in nice time back to Gf's. Plenty of time to radio Matt Jenke and obsess - I mean, obsess, as it's my new thing (it won't last long, and explanations will follow - the mountaineering stuff I'm talking about), about Everest and stuff.

Although it was 30m after the promised start time, we got there @ 1830h -in the middle of mxers. s usual, it was a crowded mess - the doors of the dinner hall were not open and we welled amid passed about chicken dippers, drinx available @ a bar, and lots nand lots of people. Two of the evenings three biggest hosts were there - E and Jackson - as well as Patience and Crankface, Rocky, Bonnaix, Book'm and spouse, plus Gf and I. We sat @ a table w/ Jackson - E sat @ another table and Bonnaix yet another still. This was a way of spreading out the main hosts @ the fundraiser so that a maximum amount of people would be , well, hosted. It was a funny -phenomonom to watch. Jackson, for one, spoke to everyone in the hall - there were 700 people. Tis would be very hard for me. Jackson's dad, who started Hamdard w/ Jackson's mom, also was in full 'handshaking' mode - I asked him about it and he said that "Well, this is the business that we are in." The best time was when a girl dropped by the table when we were eating to say hello - when jackson found out that her mom and sister andd whoever was sitting back @ their table, he asked if he could go over and quickly say hello.

Fuck, I'd never make it in that business.

Kool speakers. Ravi Baachewald of Channel 7 was the M.C. -pure professional. U.S Rep. Roskum, a high Pakistani governemnt official, and others gave speeches (some really kool where we looked around and said - hey, that was kool - and some bibble).

Food - full on Indian goodness - ate'n up yum. Don't ask me to menu you it up - I can't. there was some of that dark brown stuff that's rolled like asusages. Thentherewas rice. then chix. Was it beef off the bone? Also....... wait - the bread - Naan. It was good. Gf and I are to go to the restuaraunt - it's way up on Devon - rite in the middle of the deep Indianess of that area. Writing this hungry makes me want to go now. As always, the meal finished w/ Jackson's Dad's fave dessert - a , uh, white, yummy product of - rice? it's some kick ass custard. I gotta find the names. No fish. Again -for me, this is some of the best Indian fod ever.

We hung out a long time. I was pretty silent, but everyone else talked and i nodded. There was arun on bubble gum - one of the guys @ our tsble is a Wrigley official, and so he always brings gum and sundry products from that corporation. last year i got a lot of spearment mints. Tis year? Lots of fruity gum. I got a load, and then Gf wanted a share, so I got more.

We wandered the area. There were no weddings there this year upstairs - in years past we'd always sneak in and enjoy for a bit before being passers by. But not this year. People started to break after the meal, but Gf and I stayed till 2330h. Some last of the famous Chai - wouch a wallop of that stuff - I couldn't down more than droplings before losing it.

We had a nice drive home. Funtime nite. Always nice to dress up, mix w/ lots of people, most who we don't know - but @ the same time be hanging w/ lots of homeboys - eat fine ass meal -

All told - good ass day.

Rockers

Happy Fall,

Now at 170 records posted, ForestRoxx music blog is thriving & fertilized for future thriving with added contributors spanning the glorious nation.

Drop on by.

Have a download.

Make a comment.

Sincerely, The Management

http://forestroxx.blogspot.com/

This from Balust 'R' Ade - and bless you

Wow, you can get lost in here.

Incredible stuff, following are a few finds and foists for you.

smoking 2 year old

50s bathroom

bar

important researchpdx

japanese hippie

marmoset

concrete blocks

doomed architecture

persophene

self destruction

legend

legend

legend

legend

legend

ok, i'll stop.

post back some of your finds.

The Duel / J & B

written by Hilts

Ah, so the famous game last nite - what exactly earth shattering happened? Well, for most people - you can care less, I guess. But for all the rest ('the rest' numbers about five people), last nite was very different and very wild - well, not in the normal sense.

So - for normal people -nothing much happened. There was a game, a winner, some chix, one beer for me, and three teammates - Gf, Dragon, and Chemical man. He'd called me the day before to make sure I was coming - I'd missed five of the last six games (unprecedented absence for me) - because it was gonna be a lite team. Lazers on a business trip, Stix wavering about coming - he missed - because he's sick in a medical heavy sorta way, and old regulars Peppys and Moho on the inactive list. Since I'd missed those five games (Sox and Fire games got in the way) and the rest of the team iffy, Chemical Man had to make sure I was going. So, I felt we were weak this week. But several things made this game unique - and brewed up that ‘storm’I mentioned earlier.

One was the paucity of teams. The limit is 8 teams, but it’s been a long time since we had that many. Usually, it’s 4-5 teams playing. I named this game ‘the Duel’ because when it came down to it, this game was a duel between the two squads - J and B and Da Bar - the two regular heavies. The third team -what was their name? - burnt, and burnt brightly before bowing out before their bedtimes. They were one of those late joining teams - benky likes to add teams even after the game starts to build up business and hope that they play the next fortnights game. They joined in the first quarter, gobbled up some points, but quickly were engaged w/ a running battle with the bar -not Da Bar, the team - but w/ the people who were working. Lots of yelling back and forth - Thersea has yelled @ me, but it was pretty amusing to watch the altercation this nite. I’m not exactly sure why they were yelling w/ those working - but after several raised voice exchanges, they were evicted from the place. Their parting shot - “I’ve been coming into this bar since I was 18!!” got a laugh out of us, as did their earlier exclamation about Benky’s running of the match “Hey -are you making the rules up as you go along?” I though that even though they were in their first game ever, they had came upon one of the basic truths of Benky’s Trivia.

So -basically, two teams. What else accounted for this nites brew?

The ease of the questions. This almost certainly the easiest set of questions ever. There were very few missed questions, and the points piled up for both squads (There was that other team, but from now on I will write of only two teams, since that is what it came down to.). Now, there were some tough questions - and some that we missed. But the tenor of the nite was established after we realized that certain cats were even easier - Chemical Man, after the team before us answered one of the easiest questions ever, he said : “Stay there.” Here are some samples from the first half cat‘s “Sports Mix“, “Music“, and “another category I can‘t remember”:

Sox no hitter 1967 -who pitched it?
Game four, 2005 W.Series - who did Willie Harris pinch hit for?
Who replaced Earnie Banks @ First Base when he retired?
Which team did the Bulls have to play a seven game series against in the late 90’s?
1989 NL MVP?

@ the half, it was thus:
Da Bar - 1630
J & B - 1310
X team - 1080

Second half

These cat’s were “Mish mash”, “Streets and Spanish”, and “Brand Names”. Did I mention earlier these cats were easy? There wasn’t a wrong answer in Brand Names - so ridiculously easy. Chemical Man made the remark that this category -lame as hell when announced - was still better than ’brand prices’, which we’ve even tortured w/ before several times. Street names were slightly harder - and I was happy to get many right here. And mish mash was an easy mish mash.

Several questions in the second half:

Laura‘s Perty‘s marriage age in “D.Van Dyke show“?
Highest ranking show - on twice - for last week?
Name four of the six ‘Friends’ real names?
English for the Spanish word “Camisa”
English for the Spanish word “ceilo”

And, gloriously = “Gwen Stafani’s birth year”

And that last question really highlighted “The Duel”. The game - even during that time when the other team was still involved - resembled a very tite basketball game. Since the questions were so easy, it was a real key whenever a team got a “Defensive stop” against one of the other teams. Once I remember Da Bar got one of the questions wrong. It went to the next team, but they also got it wrong. We got it right - and it was kick ass to not only get the points but to deny the other team from those points. There was another stolen question that Da Bar and the other team missed: yes, this most reused of all Benky questions:

“What is Gwen Stafinis birth year?”

This is an in joke w/ J and B - Benky has reused this question so often we have all memorized the answer - we believe that Benky throws this in from time to time to see which of the established groups were paying attention.

Final note on this days phenomena: what I recognized about the missed questions -so did Da Bar. Later they stole points from one of our questions and Lawyer loudly trumpeted up the stolen points from J and B That missed question was a key to keeping them in front of us when it came time for the final question.

The cats were: Dave Matthews, the Grass Roots, Bulls, and one of the greatest of all categories: “What I watched this week on TV”.

We chose TV, Da Bar chose Dave Matthews. We had 3350 points, Da Bar had 3560. Stunningly close. Three questions, and we had bet it just about all: after a small discussion about betting zero, Chemical Man wrote down 3250, and I amended it to 3333.

For us, the questions were thus :
Who played Goober?
What was stolen from Seinfeld that he later talked to the thief's.

And, finally, the one that gave us trouble:

Reba’s sisters gay agent told his client that “Reba ______ _______”

J & B watchers??

Final qustion revealed

So, the perfect storm secnario of only two serious teams, easy questions, and a very close final - how does it end?

We went first. We got the first two right, and after a lot of discussion, we put dowen the simplifed "Reba is Gay", instead "diggs chics", which -if Benky was inthe right mood - might be good enough for ma correct answer. But - out answer was even more right. I was really worried about getting that last one tite, and when Benky said we got it, only then did we realize the point total - 3350 plus 3333 plus bonus of 3000 = 9683.

Benky paused, thought about , and then announced that if this wasn't the highest point total ever in thre entire history of Benky Triva - then it was one of the tops of all time.

And guess what? This glorious stinking point total - it meant nothing, because Da Bar answers were now being read; and if Da Bar went 3-3, almost certainly they would win - and push us off of our new all time record.

Benky read their first answer, and then read their third answer - then I knew we'd won, as that was Benky's way of drawing out the drama to those in the audience.

I, for one, was stunned. Quickly, like it would go some place, I circled the score on my scratch sheet. Gf took a look @ it as well. Outstanding.

Even Benky reacted to it. He came over to give us the little winners share - and instead of $15, it was $20. Nice.

For me, it's always important to get as many 'trophies' under the teams belt. Before I was a regular, J and B won Benky's season ending championship once. Teams in that competition that I have been on twice were in first going into final question and once ended up second after the final question). We have won the Bedes trivia twice in row. We had an eight game regular season winning streak in, say, 2003. And now - possibly a fleeting record, for sure -and not even official - but this game for me is a proud addition to the J and B tradition.

"they should have sent a poet"

Carlos Quentin and four others, they resembled last nite;
that's who they resembled last nite

the chance
and conditions all being
well
perfect for a storm

And storm they did
jackstep alongsides Da Bar

and then
final and all
something being left to chance

and
it was like
Queintin and those four other Sox
in
that one game in August


Just wait till I rollout what happened last nite. Most won't care, but for the J and B'r out there............

gamma rays

though there are legions of stories attesting to his craziness in person, i gotta hand it to beck to make great LP's over and over. Well, @ least to make kick ass songs time and again. Each LP 's gpot some groovy shit on'm.

Heard 'gamma ray' on the gamma radio to-day.

gamma gamma hey

The wake of May

After school took 1st Ave. from 5100 south to 5400 north and found the funeral home ok - a slite two block override,then rite back w/ a deft u turn in traffic. May's wake was the second youngest person that I have ever attended a wake for . One of my sisters lost a baby in the seventh month of her pregnancy, and we buried the body in extra space in my six year old brothers plot. But May's wake was easily - and by FAR FAR FAR - the busiest most crowded wake I've ever been to - and unlike most readers (not all) - I've been to many. She had a preposterously crowded room of mourners, and then anothewr huge room was half filled.

Most wakes are, actually, a good time. Deeply sad, but filled w/ stories of the person and the times we all shared. May had many good times - but the fact that she and we were robbed of so many more good times that there was a compete air of depression in the funeral home.

But the worst was the parents. It was hard to see such good peole hurting so much. And not just hurting - devastated. What am I supposed to say? When my Dad died, I was on the south side for 10days or so When I got back to the north side - I was I Uptown w/ Jackson and Hon (B-Ball). I got in , and both Jackson and Hon came over, shook hands, said they were sorry. And that's all they could do. So, when the Dad told me he was glad to see me, I knew I'd done the only thing really I could - say hey, and........... just be there last nite.......

I always like to watch @ interfaith stuff who are the Catholics. We go up to the coffin, do our sign of the cross, and pray for the sould of this dead and all the dead. I was watching who else crossed themselves - or indeed, who even said prayers @ the coffin. So I did mine - I looked @ May - what a cute kid - said my hail Mary, then realised that Jesus actually gave us the Lords Prayer - then tried to remember all the souls that I could. Some are easy - My father, my brother, my sister, my two neices, and my son*. Then it's 'my mother, my sisters, my neices and nephews, their fathers, my friends, my co-workers, my soccer players, and all the students here'. And as I was looking into the childs face, prayers for her parents came out as well.

And it got me to thinking - looking down into a five years olds face - that the effect May had on her parents means that she will live on. It's very obvious that they loved her beyond bits, and how she changed them will make them better parents to her sister, better siblings, son or daughter, frenz, etc etc etc.... May did what she could when she was alive to fight the good fight. Her parents have been changed forever by her. And although we all wish it could have been more -hey, maybe one day she would have been lucky enough to go to my school and play on tthe team for me - but I think what she brought to the lives of the onmes who loved her best was enough for now. She did all she could -all she could - and that's what we have to take from this.

And do take it from her. There is time to mourn, but there is also - on the horizon - time to be better parents, married ones, frenz, teacher, etc etc etc etc.....

We really have notheing else to take in general, except keep on keepin' on.


*=these last four never really got officially born, @ least in the commonly understood sense.

Going to a wake tonight. Can't say it's the youngest child ever mourned by me - in my family, we mourn miscarraiges, and youngest of those mourned -still mourned- is my very own son Rudy (yes, for every person reading who knows me - believe it or not - it was Q in Spring 1990. Yes, before anyone else, the person who wants children more than anyone you know - was actually sonned before anyone I know except for those who got their girls pregnant in HS. My son would have been 18 this year - the same age as Gf's daughter). But young frenz of ours are facing such a terrible loss - just unimaginable.

Bestly written by Rocky, it's staggering. I'm way old enough to think about my own death a bit too much, but to lose such a wonderful life force - five years old - is just way beyond imagining.

I fully know that we'll all die eventually. Not happy that I face the immenant loss of many loved ones - and that eventually my family, my frenz, everything will be but a memory @ one future point. But she was too young. Never experienced college. Never get to see the Sox. Never get to experience one of Pasolini's good films.

Life is very very short. But, in all truth, I've run it dry by my counting. I haven't experienced anything in life - except for life itself. And I so wish the wee lass had experienced even 1/100th of life that I have. She would have been even more superior than her parents could ever know - even she could ever know - but now, we'll just have that briefest of glances to keep with us. This is life.

Her poor parents. I fully realise that MY sundry troubles in life are almost certainly tied to my brothers death when I was two (my proofs include that my oldest three sisters are rather well adjusted - and then there is me and my youngest sister, the very young when he was dying. Yeesh. Something was in the water- well, death was in the air). They have to get over their grief and @ the same time make steady the path for children. That stunning feeling of loss and emptyness, crawling and scraping @ the breath in the neck - it must be fought and dealt with and defeated. We will all die, but it's the life in us now that we have protect, nurture, and flower for all others.

Saturday!

Boy, what a day awaits me. I've been aregualar @ the Hamdard fundraiser for years now. Huge fundraiser held in Rosemont each year (I remember taking the El up there when I first started going and walking form the El stop. Now I drive and park in the lot.). It's for a great cause - Jackson's parents started the Hamdard Center years ago to have medical care - both physical and mental - forSouth Asian, Middle Eastern, and the Bosnian Communities in Chicago and surrounding areas. These people have it bad two ways - one is that there are just not enough facilities to handle them. And the other is that often the women and children are especially ill equipped for immigrant life in America.

So -the fundraiser. Lots of money. Lots. Very Indian atmosphere. Very. Food - I wrote last year that although maybe I shouldn't be a judge of food - it's the best Indian food I've ever eaten. i'll find out who is the caterer, Outstanding. The music. It always ends w/ a concert w/ trad Indian musicians. The beauty show. There is always a fashion show. In my single days Bonnaix and I would sit there and compare notes on our favourite models and thier outfits. I'll take some snapshots this year.

And then there is Spong. He is the Epispocalian bishop whose book led me to this years bible scholarship kick. he's to delievr two lectures in the city centre of La garnge on Saturday. @ the first Congregational church of La Grange. Again, wild anticapation from me. Spong. In the flesh. For me to listen to.

Talk to me

Say, I've asked this before-

but any of youse have favourite Italian films?

Tell me some

so I can see them.

And I've seen the great works of Vito:

so that Italian;

leave me be.

more movies more movies more movies

So on Saturday - if this may be a continuation of another sorts of my post on the endless streams of cinema i'd be viewing lately - with a whopper of a picture day planned, i'd even made it into evermore of a cinematic holiday than I'd ever thought.......ok, on w/ it....

So, on this Saturday past, i saw not three but four movies. i got up real early and figgered I'd start to make my way through the DVD's and VCR tapes topped hi on the telly.

"Bitter Rice" - continuing my Italian konk, this was a very enjoyable film -and not just cause there was scantily clad Italian beauties wrestling in the mud. At times too heavy handed, this was one of my favourite of the films I've seen recently. Not as good as "Matthew" or "Commmare secca", it takes third amongst my recent Italian likes.

ok. so that's one great film for the day. lets go to the master, pasolini, far another one.

"Arabian nights" by Pasolini - Shit. Disappointed,ent. Lots of full frontal nudity, and a especial escene of three nymphs splashing about naked in a bath. Even that doesn't allow this dreg to make it interesting. Shit. Badly written, acted, and yes - directed. Shit.

"Louisiana Story" -by Robert Flaherty. Oh, I wonder why i wanted to watch this one. Actually, one of the subs @ school kept talking about Flaherty's "Nanook of the North", so i thought i'd give this short film a try. Pretty good - about the old swamps of Louisiana and the encroachment of the oil industry. Boy, kool shots of the wilderness - yes, i'd like to go canoeing there.

"Into the Wild" - It was Her who wanted to watch this - I was up for something a little more Italian (sorry for all the jokes on Italian films - I'll get over it soon), but womans gotta have it. Turns out that although there is a sense of depression throughout the film, it is very life affirming @ the end.

The main guy, a 22-24 yo. rich kid who decides to run away from life and hide away in the wilderness. He obviously has a bit of Christ in him - there are scenes of him w/ people and alone - and the basic message of the films reaffirms my reasoning as to why Jesus the Christ - or even Jesus the human - is far far far superior to John the Baptist. Figger out why (but, something about weddings -v- buses as places to hang out)

Lists of movies seen, reactions to some,

Joker told me of the early days of their courtship, he and Jenocean would sometimes watch three straight movies as a matter of course. I have a problem w/ wandering attention, so I count it as Cupwinning time when I can make it through one. But, sometimes, one just gets the jag to watch many.

So, my first list consists of movies seen hodgepodge recently. For me, that Gospel of Matthew by Pasolini was a prod. What struck me most about that film was it's very filming - I loved the fact that it was non actors, the script was just the Bible opened, music eclectic and rockin', etc etc etc. It made me want to explore Italian film - esp that era - a lot more. So, I've tried to watch such films in the last few weeks - but since I am but a 'punter' in these matters, I'm sure I've missed some great films - lists of yr favourites would be appreciated.

So, I saw:

"Open City" - pretty good. Filmed rite the Nazis had retreated from Rome in 1944. No 'Matthew'.

"La Commare Secca" by Bertoluchi. Outstanding. A total rashoman type take on a murder - six or seven different people are interviewed by police after the murder and they try to figger out who did it. watched it/ Jacob in his roommates mess. Later.

And then there were other non Italian films I'd picked up:

"Je, Tu, Il, Elle", a terribly boring Euro film - I think properly it was Belgium, but was in french. It promised hot sexy chick in sexy situations - yes, that's why i picked it up - but man what a shitty film. I forced my way through the whole 90m. It consisted of three parts - a women (not that sexy - the box lied) who sat around in a room writing a letter, eating sugar, and rearranging furniture. The next 30m was her w/ a truck driver she hung around with. The only redeeming part from there was advertised correctly on the box this time - it said she "...passively meets hs sexual demands..." or the like - and she does. There is a 'hand shandy' scene that I thought was kool. I will admit to a certain liking of that theme - again, anytime a women acts to .......... well, whatever, it was a little bit of en interesting scene. for that reason. The last part was her meeting up w/ a lesbian lover. I was watching this film again w/ jacob, and when these two women started to mash on each other, we both naturally got closer to the tv to watch. it's funny - we are used to porn, so when two naked women start to make love, our natural expectation was that real explicit sexual scenes -as opposed to the soft focus long shot - was to be viewed by us. We laughed @ our upbringing. Shitty film. Do not watch it.

"Station Masters Wife" - Ah, German film - but w/in my quest to watch more, i guess, of the great European directors stuff. It's typical fare for me - over sexed wife starts fucking whoever. Pretty good flick. It seemed very 70's shot - but that was what Fassbinder wanted. I'll have to see more of his shit as well.

"Volver" - Q turned me into a huge Aldamover fan back in the 80's and I've seen pretty much all since then. Some better than others, but this wone was great for several reasons. Good story w/ lots of unexpected turns. Lots. I'd see it. And, as well, I'd see it for Penelope Cruise. Sexy sexy young woman. When this film came out originally, I remember Ebert and Roeper talking about who much Aldamover just loved the female form ( I knew there was some reason I like his films so much) and its true. Twice we get to see the most perfect Penelope sit upon the toilet and pull down her black panties. My face went red both times as the shame if it all............. and there is another time when she is mixing up food in a bowl and the camera films it from above - what wonderful cleavage is on display. I'd assumed Aldamovar was gay - is he? - but he certainly holds the same appreciation for the female as we do.

"Departed" - good film, see it. So, he won an academy Award for this film and not many others. Funny. But, again, it's a good film - not his best.

Harold Lloyd films - Got a DVD from Harold Wash lib on a trip to the city center a few weeks back, and bit by bit made my way thought he various 23m or 16m or 73m films he made back then. They are not the end all and be all of that era of films - Chaplin, Marx's and the Stoogers are like class of that era/style - but i thoroughly enjoyed the earlier 'silent 'films and less liked the later talkies. I will get vol 2 of this collection sometime and make my way through it as well.

"Wedding in Galilee" - Palestinian film from the 80's about a Palestinian wedding where the Israeli generals have to show up. This film was a bit uninteresting, but for some aspects. First - the singing!!!! Not only were there tonnes of great Arab type singing - sounded so kool - but also Israeli stuff as well. It sounded great, and shared - in my mind - lots w/ the singing of the Africans In "Matthew" and the later Italian girls in Bitter Rice". Loved that aspect. I also loved that Palestinian girl in the blue dress who dances in front of the camera several times - enough about her. And then there is the nude scenes - lots of the naked bride. This was kinda shocking because this was obstinately an Arab film and I figger that naked women scenes would not be in it. Nt that they were all that sexy - the scenes, that is. Well, if little miss bluesdressdanser were in them.......

poisson

Boy, a Friday @ Gilmart, and I knew I should have been paying attention. For the first time since April of 1982, and for only the second timein myn lliving memory (meaning since say I was four) I have eaten fish. No code frases here - that type of animal w/ scales and gills and lives in the sea? yeah, totally by accident today - I ate some.

In the past year, the idea of fish eating has slowly been made a possibility - I was gonna to Gallo: "Maybe scupper three scales off of that stinky thing yr eating there and let me see if it vomits me". I was gonna 'toe in the water' it. Brave me.

But the idea to take a big bite of fish and wash it down w./ Pepsi - Who says i'd do that because I'd never/I never. However, it looked like pork -and Polish pork is tasty. So, i got some, forked off some hunks while trying to figger out why it didn't taste as good as pork normally does. Then, the hidden fact slowly came out. Say, that's fish, rite? Nah - it's Pork!! nah - it's fish!!

I'd finished by then- it tasted, uh, ok, but nothing special.

But the far more relevent deal is that I am not sick. Like I said before, I haven't eaten fish - for all practiacl purposes - EVER. When little, I got to hating the stuff for reasons unknown, and three decade passed betwist meals. My Dad, old Irish peasant/fisherman/Catholic that he was, did the fish thing every Friday, Lent or not. He got this horrid version of dried out salted ocean fish that poeple brought over - I'm not making this up- in their suitcases when coming back from visiting the 'Old Country'. When we went, we'd bring - again, no lie - cans of vegatables and fuits and such - in our suitcaes. Ireland used to be so poor. So, every Friday, each Friday, Dad would take these paper like whitish powder powdered "sheets" of fish - for lack of a better term - and fry up the stinking messes. That horrod smell would fill up the whole kitchen and we would have to shut that room off from the rest of the house.

Fish Stink. So I feel that that is one of the reasons I haven't eaten fish until tricked for 30y. Unless it's that 1972 story of being on the rocks near the strand in my Mothers village. Guys uses to fish out into the open w/ rods and reels, and when they got a catch - they'd keep it fresh by putting the flipping fish in one of the tidal pools created by the retreating ocean. I remember feeling so sorry for the poor little doomed things.

I've always blamed either of those stories for my decades of fish leave alone. Todays meal? Well, I'm not sick yet. I've always felt that maybe my longtime w/out fish was not a matter of taste of fashion - it may have been a matter of health. In years past, when I passed on fish, I always wondered if my passing was some way of my body telling me that I mite have some sorta reaction from the stuff. So far? Not dead.

on the idea of an indoor team

So, me by my lonesome, trying to fill the aircraftcarrier sized shoes of responsibility that being an ambitious soccer coach entails, has run into a failure on my part: an indoor team. I'd written before about me wanting to totally change the culture of the soccer program @ this school. In my tour of city soccer programs, I've run across many ways of getting the teams involved. My nieces played @ a Catholic school- a good program. Their kids play off season on specially coached teams - the year round they do. To have a good program, the kids just gotta play. And I want to do something w/ this program. So - lotta work, and it's me and only me w/ the pick trying to start a foundation. And it's hard.

We, in the city, generally have to really be creative for the kids. The last two schools I coached @ they had the system in place - nothing high tech, just generally the kids playing on a basketball court. It was fun - I've written before about the best non track in high school shape I've been in was playing a full shifts -v- 17yr old Mexican kids going toe to toe. It was 3-3, first goal wins, 3m w/ no score teams switch. i had many glorious afternoons, and I pine for that feeling of long lost team membership to-getherness when the moon strikes sometimes. I loved my days there. And the last school I was @ - same thing. We had the kids going almost full time in the 2weeks before xmas. We never got every kid there, but it was a joy to have dedicated kids believing in us and making it to practice day after day.

But this school - it's befit of all available gyms. Until our season is upon us, we have nothing available to play in. I have been trying to get stuff done outdoors while the weather holds - we have a funtime scrimmage to-morrow during parent-teacher conference night, and which I've bribed them w/ pizza afterwards- but w/out a solid place to play day after day - well, maybe twice a week @ this point - it's hard to carry consistency and get these girls in shape.

And I have to admit what I feel is a grand failure on my part. Without that open basketball gym @ my school or any of the near parks - our hope was to get the girls started on an indoor team playing @ one of the indoor arenas that are blossoming all over the place. But that takes lotsa cash which the girls would have to come up w/ themselves. A team @ Chitown Soccer would cost each girl somewhere like $100 for 2 1/2 m, and then another $100 for the second 2 1/2 m. The girls @ Nequa Valley, New Trier, and Marist H.S. - I'm sure it's easy enough for the parents to cover. But not so w/ my girls. they work, come from real working class families, and some are, well, poor. W/out an open gym, havoc is across my team for a suitable pace to play. There is no way i can dictate that "You have to Play!!", as it would be impossible for many to afford it. So, I publicized it, talked to lots of people to try and get the best fit, went back and forth - and finally admitted to myself that there will not be an indoor team for us -this year.

I'd been totally open to the girls when we had our first meeting w/ me as Ahab - "This is my first time running it all, and I will make mistakes and not do everything right." I will say that I feel I let the girls down - or @ least their expectations a bit - by not producing an indoor team.

It's not going supersmooth right now - but @ least we are way ahead of where we were last year. I want each of my girls have it all - and I want to make it alla vailable to them - but again, every other school i worked @ had it all in place already when i coached there. here- i gotta set it ALL UP.

Again - as i've told the girls, I will not get it all right @ the beginning. But I've also told them that when it comes time for their daughters to be @ my school and on my team - and I have told them this - THEN it will be all inplace. It's a long road. the single step and all that...

Exciting. Scarey. and, yes, I'll get it done.

Kudos to my favourite olde Seattle Pilot that is not Jim Bouton

Kudos to my favourite olde Seattle Pilot that is not Jim Bouton

'one more onned' from todays dcs

to the tune of that one group named after a Scottish housing project

frightinin'

Strasser in Action

Heading back into port after a day on the school battlefield, Strasser had to take deep evasive action when another ship hove to suddenly right before my bows. I sheared hard'a'starboard to avoid a potential massive collision - but I couldn't avoid the curb.

So- the fuck that pulled out suddenly from the store drove away, and now I have to drydock the Strasser - the alignment is thrown out.

It's a great car. That fuck was aterrible driver. Jagoff.

respect

Crossing the street 30m ago fer lunch over @ Gilmart, two of the kids who I taught last year (when I was a classroom teacher again for 2m) called out to me but I didn't understand what they were saying on the busy avenue.

"Huh? What'ja say?"

"You look like a bum!"

Ah,the respect! Actually, I do look lie a bum. I've let my face grow long for Halloween - and then discarded all of that work when I went to school as a priest (I know, original for me). But man, the amount of people - this being the first time ever @ this school I 've been priested up for Halloween - who say -as they always do - "Boy - you really fit into that costume - it suits you".

I have a rather ragged rotten beard - it's unshaven edged, sloppy as hell - that originally was gonna be for an Ahab tilt. It was on my mind for a few weeks, the problem of the peg leg never getting full discourse inmy mind because by then I'd fallen for another costume - Pasolini's Jesus. Hey - I had the beard going, and I have a 'robe enough' given to me by Jackson a decade ago or so. In the end, lazyness took hold and I didn't even go to a party - 'though Dragons reporting said the one I missed was sexy.

Boy - and I had enough for Ahab grown and an outfit ready to go. Ditto Pasolini's Jesus.

Call me lazy bones....

the magic touch

good

of course i like him

Despite my hate for the Democratic Party, of course I'm glad that they were the party of capital that won, instead of the other party that represents capital. But, since I am still proudly a registered Democrat (more as a nod to the neighbourhood of my youth than anything @ this point) and voted in the Democratic primary, I'm down w/ this superrich type running capital rather than an other.

And, for many reasons, I'm glad he won.

First and formost, that international -err, galactic - err, universal embarrassment called Bush and all his ilk were rejected. Eight years too late, but good bye.

And the wonderousness of the reaction of many people-and particularly African Americans - that the man won. Actually, specifically black people. The whites, Latinos, Asian, Arab? They gave the same reaction when Clinton won in 1992. Yes, you do remember, and don't lie. But the stunning joy - it was just a joy to behold. I loved it. I read in the Trib yesterday or today where an African American lady was talking about the day after the election that passing white people and saying hello was noticably different - there was something different. That's cool - I will amidt that that for days I got a secret thrill seeing everyone - well, black people - thrilled w/ the election as well. It's been cool. It's been very cool- a treat. That shared feeling amongst people - think the South Side after the '05 World Series when people w/ Sox hats passed each other and just laughed - or the deep sadness after the terrible terrorist attacks in 2001. This was an outstanding reason to be happy.

America looks good for once amongst progressive people around the world. I love the country bigtimes, and am saddened such a wonderful people so often look like stupidfucks because of capital and government.

He's educated as fuck, and he was a professor. And not only that, w/ his training, he's able to make eloquent arguments. I love when he outlines a problem, staring w/ his trademark "Look... ". Thoose deeply anti American Republicans who spout out nonsense about him being a Muslim or an Arab or a communist or etc etc etc............ disgusts me. A well argued, footnoted opinion is much better than brutal Nazi type rabbit punches that type lives by. He's kool.

White Sox fan.

Chicago in the news all the time. Even though Hawaii could equally claim him, I guess we claim him more. Good. Didn't Grant Park look cool last Tuesday nite? It looked just as kool in 1968 - for other reasons - but I appreciated it last week. Reports of all the joy evident - and pictures of the people in the streets celebrating - the car horns. Brilliant. Plus, I just hope that we get lots of transit funding in the near future. Well, what? I can't hope for some pork??

The impromptu celebrations all over the world. Loved that they were impromptu.

McCain's speech. Like Rocky last week, I was really impressed w/ his concession speech. Spoken like a real, patriotic American. Really.

So, knowing full well that the Green Party is a work in progress in the country - you should check them out, Americans - I understood that it was Barack or bust.

And after eight years of gutter - no bust. And don't forget other progress.

foto of milano

we got it

President Ralph Nader: "Be prepared"

and

and

“Throw the Ball” –Tonight It’s All About the Radar Gun

Written by Lazers

edited by Hilts

After a bit of a situation back in the Dondo’s garage as I was leaving for trivia night, I arrived at TC Pub angry and intending to add “drunk” and “violent” to the mix. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), there was not time for such shenanigans, as Benkowski started the game early. The first quarter was already half done at the usual start time of 9:00. The network did not do a good job of informing fans and teams of the change.

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Stix and Montana. (Hilts and Jacob arrived right at the end of the game).

The competition: Bar, Kingdom, TB, Bridgeport, and Red-Headed Sluts (added in the second quarter).

First Half: White Sox/TV/Mixed Up

Led Sox pitchers with 169 strikeouts in ’93?
’94 Best Supporting Actor, for “Ed Wood”?
Only AL player to win MVP award twice in the 80s?
’74 Best Supporting Actress, Ingrid Bergmann- what movie (5 words)?
Played “Punky Brewster”?
Year Nancy Faust became organist for the White Sox?
Name of the dog on “My Three Sons”?
’87 Sox- what two regular players hit .293?
’85 Sox- led team with 238+ innings pitched and 3.17 ERA?

Benkowski, to the women of Kingdom: “I’m going to ask you to stop kicking your man.”

Scores at the half: Bridgeport 930 J&B 640 Sluts 620 Bar 510 Kingdom 380 TB 240

Second Half: Fairly Recent Music/Bears & Girl Bands/Famous Women

Sang “Union of the Snake”?
’01 Best Supporting Actress?
’79 Best Actress, Sally Field- what movie?

Benkowski, after Bar selects the music category: “I think the Bar is the Woman Haters Club. If there’s a woman, you want no part of it.”

Towards the end of the third quarter, Benkowski announces that “Famous Women” is the only category left for the round. The Stixtracking indicated a good 4 “Bears/Girl Bands” questions should have remained. J&B debates whether or not to ask Benkowski about the short category. As the fourth quarter began and someone selects “Bears/Girl Bands”, Benkowski flips the question and noticeably realizes his error- there are still a ton of questions for that category. Benkowski slyly removes several of them from the game. To make matters worse, he took too many away, as the fourth quarter ended up short-changed by one “Bears/Girl Bands” question. If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed Bud Selig was involved in this.

Circumstances had the Sluts frequently getting “Free” points instead of questions. Not unexpectedly, the Bar started to complain and accuse Benkowski of helping the team of chicks. Benkowski: “Come up here and watch me then, bitch.”

Ladies Choice- Kingdom vs Bridgeport- Kingdom selects “lives closest to Ireland”. Turns out the Kingdom gal actually does live in Ireland. Bridgeport then tries to argue that “in Ireland” doesn’t count as “closest to Ireland”. The argument was unsuccessful. Perhaps they should have hired Lawyer.

Scores: Bridgeport 1610 Bar 1390 J&B 1080 Sluts 790 Kingdom 750 TB 750

Final Categories: 80s Entertainment, Song Lyrics, and Naked Playboy Pictures

Only one team was allowed to select the Playboy category. In a draft based upon reverse order of the scores, TB decides upon Playboy. All other teams except the Bar select Song Lyrics.

J&B figures it will need the bonus points to win and wagers everything.

Two of three wins wager. All three wins 3000 bonus points.

Lyrics:
Fleetwood Mac- “I don’t have to tell you you’re the only one”- what song (4 words)?
Phil Collins- “Take a look at me now. My life’s just an empty stage.”- what song (3 words)?
“LA, Hollywood, the Sunset Strip is something everyone should see”- what song?

80s Entertainment:
’88-89- what Chicago DJ was the PA announcer for Bulls games?
“Wonder Years” actress/cast member with a Playboy connection?
“Three’s Company”- who played Janet?

Playboy: TB was allowed to view three centerfolds. They had to guess the year of birth of each, within two.

I apologize for not being able to provide visual guidance for the Playboy questions, but feel free to take guesses…

Part II

J&B guesses “You Make Lovin’ Fun”, “Against All Odds” and “Heart of Rock and Roll”. Confidence level is high.

First Half:
Alex Fernandez
Martin Landau
Robin Yount
Murder on the Orient Express
Soleil Moon Frye (Upon receiving the question, Slut girl: “Oh, I know that. Something sole’. Sole’ sole’ sole’.” So sorry.)
1970
Tramp (Upon receiving the question, Slut girl: “Oh, for Pete and Delilah, I should know this but I don’t.” Sluts use “throw the ball” trick to get the points. Benkowski: “So the Sluts didn’t have to say Tramp.”)
Harold Baines and Ivan Calderon
Tom Seaver

(Side note: Britt Burns was 18-11 w/227 IP and 3.96 ERA)

Second Half:
Duran Duran
Jennifer Connelly
Norma Rae

Final Category:

TB- 750- Playboy- guesses 1975 (no), 1999 (no) and (Benkowski: “Because of the luxurious bush”) 1985 (close enough)- wagered 750- thanks for playing.

TB player: “If it was Hustler, we’d have them all right.”

Kingdom- 750- Lyrics- one and only guess- Love us because we’re Irish (no)- wagered 75- down to 675.

Sluts- 790- Lyrics- guess Stand Back (no- plus two words short), There’s Nothing Left Here to Remind Me (no- and way too many words), and Heart of Rock and Roll (correct)- wagered 780- down to 10.

Benkowski moves to J&B, seeking applause for them, as he does for every team. Benkowski: “Wow. I heard the Bar applauding for J&B.”
Lawyer: “It wasn’t me.”

J&B- 1080- Lyrics- guesses You Make Lovin’ Fun (correct), Against All Odds (correct), and Heart of Rock and Roll (correct)- wagered 1080 plus bonus- up to 5160.

Good score, but Bar and Bridgeport seem a bit cocky.

Bar- 1390- Entertainment- guesses Tommy Edwards (correct), Danica McKeller (no), and Joyce DeWitt (correct)- wagered 1390- double up to 2780. I guess they shouldn’t have been cocky.

Bridgeport- 1610- Lyrics- guesses You Make Lovin’ Fun (correct), Against All Odds (correct), and Heart of Rock and Roll (correct)- they wagered the classic- 1171- plus bonus- up to 5781 and victory. I guess their cockiness was deserved.

Missing Entertainment answer: Olivia D’Abo
Missing Playboy answers: 1969 and 2008.

In the end, I never got drunk and violent, nor was I angry anymore.

Afterwards, J&B asks Benkowski about the 2008 championship event. Benkowski will have flyers in the future, but he did tell us it will be at Salerno’s again. I thought he said Sunday and December 27th (one of those is wrong, as Sunday is the 28th). Teams of 8-10 players at $21 a player (food included). More to come.

Next TC Pub trivia: two weeks on Thursday, November 20th. I am “out”.

What, new post in dcs?? really?



A second post?? really!! And what splendid rumours of what sort are being discussed?? And why can't Hilts just provide a link to these rumours? Is it because computer be fucking up to-day , man?


in todays dcs

joy

On Voting

I've said it before, but I gave up voting in American elections after 1992. I voted for Clint, Mosley Braun, and then a series of Socialist Workers Party candidates as trustees for Champaign. I claimed deep patriotism in 1996 as my reasons for washing my hands of those peoples system of claiming legitimacy. But, of course, I came back. Didn't Nader and that fantastic feel in progressive peoples psyche of 'possibilities' spur us all? He sure spurred me (along w/ my other influences - Michael Parenti was THE other big influence to get re involved).

So, I voted. My big dilemma was to vote Green or vote for Nader. Yes, I understand the tilting @ windmills deal, but you must understand the democrats say nothing to me about my life deal. It wasn't an easy decision. I felt Green headed to the polls, but conflicted. How am I supposed to vote against him? There was that pause, before headed into the polling place, trying to force myself to a choice. I felt Green, but how am I supposed to vote against him?

There were no lines. I was glad. I had conditioning for my girls earlier and then a Popeyes party (to celebrate President Obama's vistory - yes, i was expecting it, yes I voted against him, and yes, it's kool.) to plan and execute for later.

But I first had to vote.

Some was easy. Green candidate for Senator? YEAHHHHHH CONNECT the lines!!

Green candidate for whatever? YEAHHHHHH CONNECT the lines!!

Vote for president? Not yet!!

There were seventy - yes I counted - seventy "NO" votes on whether they should be retained (The Jokers magic command to "Vote no on all the judges" - wondrous.

There was a no vote on whether to re do the Illinois constitution. The teachers Union wanted it to go down, and I'm union.

And then, for a few minutes, with everything done except on measure (recall) I wasn't gonna vote on - and president. And I gotta tell you -it wasn't easy. We'd been trained that we have to create a movement, and to build a party. Nader taught us that. And in the end, I thought it was important to follow up the 17% Green vote in the last Illinois governess election w/ as many votes for the party two years later.

So, yes, I voted against Ralph Nader. How strange is that ??

This late date

Even @ this late date, I wil amidt that I am STILL debating who i should vote for in this years election. The idea planted into our heads in 2000 - that voting in American elections CAN make a difference, and that 'difference made' has to be ourselves - still lives strong in me. The effect that Ralph Nader and the Green party had on me - and LOTS of us, amidt it 'all - encourages me to vote again. The idea that we wouldn't be throwing our vote away if we voted for the Dem's or the Rebublicans was intoxicating. The idea was that we are to start something new - not protect what the rich people have and expand on that (no, I don't think I can ever vote Democratic again), or be deeply disgusting anti- American (Republicans) - was powerful.

So, we have here a choice between The Green Party - or Ralph Nader. Both are the best options for America in this election (Unless you are part of that 5% that Barrack is claiming he WILL raise taxes on - then vote for either of the rich peoples candidate).

nd I do not know, now, which I will vote for.

No - it's the Greens. We need to build somehting, and ecen if most see this as tilting @ windwills, @ least i'm not voting for THEM.