in todays dcs

one would click on this link to read Hilts latest post

in todays dcs

"two points to starboard"

These days i o from one song to the next where i think "possible?". Some are space jams centered around the Constellation this or that , my nuclear technology never perfected yet in the labs and playgrounds and so annotated for the future. But I find that some are fruit as easily picked as the oranges in Vitos backyard orchard. To further the metaphor further, sometimes the fruit even falls off of the tree and needs only to ... well, picked up.

Here is a target that I have been wondering about for a bit - three weeks, now or more. Initial grid co-ordinates suggest that this will be a "piso pickup". To be seen.


(for some reason, embedd no longer works. So here)

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Ash

Ash Wednesday, no ashes yet -and living in a non Catholic world (unlike the neighbourhood growing up) means Im a slightly selfconcious to go to work or class w. dirt on my forehead. I know what I have given up - soda, and other forms of caffeine (in the sense of 'there's too much caffenine in my bloodstream/and a lack of real spice in my life'). Today is Day#1, so the next few should be tough. But, then....

Have to figger out a church to get ashes @. Up to Northside today, so ill have a pick of churches to get them from. We'll see.

I like Lent. It's about the only time I can get a month away from myself. The last two were fantastic. They both ended slightly before they were supposed to end - in 2008, it was Holy Thursday, and somewhere same fro 2009. So, knowing this year Spring break occurs before Easter and ths the end of my fast, I'm calling Easter early this year.

Massive disfunction will be legally allowed to reinhabit meself then, a week before Good Friday. And, up to that moment, Im understanding I'll be as productive as hell - making people around me happy. But back to the dungeon i will return. That week before Easter proper.

But, @ least the next 30d should be incredibly exciting.

Auschwitz Album

Aucschwitz Album - surviving photos from the death camp . horrible.

girlcrazy

Was in love w. my dentist. slite lovely girl, think of sasha grey in girlfriend experience, lean into me and loved it and all that. Want to ask her out - really do - but in todays teeth session i got to hear about her botfriend. Hm. Wont be asking her out.

Of course, whose kidding? I wouldnt'a asked her anyway. No one since Gf. But finally looked forward to dentist going in. Her place is off my insurance end of the month so i will have to get a new dentist. Probably never see her again/I'll probably never...

Last week in school we had a number of people come in to teach the staff educational stuff. One was in a wonderous blouse tite across her breasts and stomach and an equally snug fitting pairo' pants. I could only think about running my hands across her breasts and her stomach and touching her ass. Sucha distraction. Earlier in the week there was another beauty. All I'll write about that was the imagery: her, naked, on her back, etc...

And then the Olympics - all these wonderously athletic athletes, bouncing about all tlike that and such.

Such girlcrazyness. wanted to ask her out, but I'm so not ready yt.

But I know better. I'm ready. Unfortunatley in this context, I'm me.

War

Been watching way too many movies lately - but a great one was Che. it was one of the movies on The Lists Ive been following. fascinating. great to learn about the historical figure. Well done movies. Hi recommends from me to you.

But wait - another good recommends, again from me to you, this time in the form of a book. Ive been Krakauer'd again -Jon Krakauer, 'aught is, author of Where Men Win Glory/ the Odyssey of Pat Tilman. He was also author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, both books -deadly books - which struck the hell out of me. Not into the wilds of Alsaka nor the summit of Everst: now death is willingly walked into in a war zone by an exNFL player. When I heard Tillman enlisted way back when, ithought what a fuck up! The book really paints him into an interesting human being. He knew by the end that he had made a mistake in enlisting but carried through. Funny - when he was gonna enlist and his family were trying to get him not to, his Mom (i think) exploded w. a "You can't possibly trust Bush can you?". Another touching part was Tillmans reaction to the regular army reqruits - he is totally disgusted by the bottom of the barrel quality of our fighting forces. Not a happy thought.

So both Che and Tillman got me thinking - I read so much on war and all, but i'm rarely following the fucking wars that are happening rite now. So, the impulse is is to try and follw what is going on ina day to day basis. Basically, I should know whats going on as well a, say, Guadacanal. I should. So I'm gonna start.

Avatar and Palestinie

Thought it kool

On being of the Younge Generation: we're just trying to be friendly.

Perusual, driving along the autobahn or whatever and motherfucker play the Monkee's theme song and it's me and im hearing it for the first time irrspective that it's the 20,000th time I've heard it and i hear the drums and the singing and the silliness and i realise that it's happened again, a wondrful piece of art has sturck me on a diferent day w. a different realization and I determined to internet the chords and lyrics and all of that and practice practice practice. my world thse days.

Longtime have i loved thee Momkees. Grew up wit'm, of course, and always loved Pop music. In early 1980's future bro in law ment me a rarities double Monkee LP - fucking fantastic. I believe there is a Monkees song above all others : "I'm a believer" is one of western Arts most important and powerful peices- but covers by the Pistols and that 80's DC puk band (name escapes me - Blackie, help??)hepped me up to "Stepping Stone", and "clarkville" is a great song. But, this song is really necer payed on the radio, so hearing it first suprised me - and then the song took over. Silly, yes. Great , yes. Many lesser songs as well - "start Collector", "she hangs out", "You may just be the One", etc... Although i am not a "Monkeeshead", I have a nice general knowledge of their career. Good group. Now set for a reprise in my head.

Here are three different versions - the original opener to the TV series, the eventual opening credits version, and the 45' version.

truely, the song od the moment:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thrRDinxWOQ)

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9daWKeyB8KM)

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgyZCgw6kdw)

two strains of lists

Before xmas, dual things happened: fell in love w. fassbinder, and also found Ebert and roepers 2008 year end list of vave films of the year. movies I feel inadaquate w. -nevr know what to watch and am turned to many great shows by frenz - examples would be Gallo and 'Hunger', Vito and "La Femme Nikita", Jackson w. "Sexy beast", Joker w. "Adaptations", Jacob w. "Deja Vu". All excellent, and all I prob would never would have watched (prob.) The list is way longer - many films turnd onto by many people - but, again: new happenings.

Fassbinder
Fassbinder is easy. The DVD of "Ali: Fear eats the Soul" was finally watched in what - November? It was not just brilliant - it was beyond. A Stunner. So, after efferesent hears of the name fassbinder and ali and all of that, I finally came into the Glory of being a Fassbinderer, as I am now. So, bit by bit, I'm trying to watch evrything he has by and by. As I am supercheap, everything has come to me through the Chicago Public Libraries - they have heavy amounts of many films, and free. I'd go on their website, see what I havebt watched yet, and order it. trouble is that you vcan nly have 6 DVDs and 6 VCR tapes checked out @ a time - plus, one can only order so many movies @ once. So, I have 6 DVDs and 4 VCR tapes right now - a mix of 4 Fassbiners and the 'other lists' Ill write about below.

Determined myself to watch it all. The next film I watched was his first - "Love is colder than death" As great as Ali was, this film almost equaled it. Shit, the influence he has on me now. "Love/death" was a beautifel black and white, not too much speaking, and centerd around smalltime gansters in Munich. Brilliat.

Eventually I went to Wiki and printed the list of movies he made. So blueprinted, I've started to check off all. "Gods of the Plague", early film similar to "Love/ Death", is loved by me.Hey, even if you hate them, @ leats watch these films for the naked women. And, if you dont like naked women, hey: check out Fassbinder himself. He stars or appears in many of his films, and loves being naked. A film I watched @ Gallos, "Fox and his Freinds", was a film from the middle period of Fassbnder's work. It was around the "ali" period, and even "Ali" appeared in it (Both Gallo and i were cheered by his appearance). "Fox" was great - but absurd in many ways. "Absurd"? Now, another film from this period - "A year w. 13 Moons" was watched yesterday. Started a few weeks after the sucicide of his then lover, this film is definately strange and uncomfortable. Not biographical about his lover, but I believe it was based in part on him- it's theme is the looking for love by the main character, who is a guy who became a girl (after The Cut) to win over a guy he worked with (so, again, fassbinder lover did not have "the Cut" done to him. Emminantly watchable - except for the slaughtrhouse scence. horrid.

And then there is the "Hollywood" pat of fassbinder career. Big budget stuff. I've watched "The Marraige ofMAria Braun", "Veronike Voss", and "Querelle". These films noted above, plus a film partly directed by him ("Germany in Autumn"), have been crossed off the liist. Som stuff id still not available, and I have a ways to go, but i do like being systamatic about it. I have several more that I have right now in my possesion - I'm on one of his TV films rite now, "I only want you to love me", and have another one he wrote and acted in but did not direct ("Shadow of Angels"). Although he didnt direct it and so is not the list of films Im working off of, i share a deep love of Fassbinders acting w. Gallo. In the past few months he has joined my list of favourite actors (McQueen, Martin Donovan, Toshiro Mifune, Hilts, Michel Blanc, Fassbinder, and so on...). finally, I have "Why does Her R. run Amok?". Fassbinder wrote and acted in it and is credited w. "codirection" althouh it's been said that he really did have any directing to do. This is a 1970 film and when i started it I shut it off after the first minute - the inluse was inescapable: "Gotta watch this w. Gallo". So, i'm saving that film for now.

I want to do Kurasowa the same wy = when i was in Cali, Munson and i stopped by to get rent some movies in Oakland and there was a box set of 40 of Kurasowa films. As i started to count the movies I'd seen, I realised that I'd seen about half of them on the box. So, I'll start on him when i get the list printed.

Ebert and Roeper
Yeah, Yeah, i know it's lame, but the other main font in the cienema deal is the season ending "best of lists" that i found amongst my junk in November. I started to watch films off of these two lists, and i am nearly done w. their domestic lists from 2008 - ive seen 19 of Eberts 21 and 19 of Roepers 25. Im back a bit on eberts foreign list from 2008 - only four of 11. And in December four lists came out - both writers best of 2009 and best of 2000-2009.

I fully understand that most pople will say - dude, how bourgois can you be to follow these apoligists for the ruling class? here is auch better reviewer whose advice you should take" - I uderstand that. "Hunger" was on no list, for example. But, I actually love Roeper's writing (more than his film reviews - hw's one of my favourite columnist of all time - and have always loved Ebert (used to walk home from 5pm St. Rita Saturday Mass in HS and got in just in time to watch the "Siskel and Ebert" show). So, although i knw that there are many many films way under the radar that i will be missing, i'll follw these lists. I have a ways to go on the 2009 list - some films are still @ the show, So i want to make a point and actually see them in the theatre. Eberts list is only 10 strong for the decade - but roeper has a 100 on it (seen about 55 of them, so im alrady on my way).

Anyway, I'm just trying to be friendly, and we've got something to say.......

Ebert
2008 American
2008 foreign
2009
2000-2009

Roeper:
2008
2009
2000-2009

The Champs are here!

written by Lazers
names edited by Hilts
J&B made its return to Salerno’s, the site of the 2009 Championship victory. The other teams cheered and tossed confetti as J&B made its way around the restaurant. After a brief ceremony during which J&B received its rings, it was time to move forward with the 2010 season.

J&B represented by: Vhemical Man, Stix, hilts, Dragon , Mike Trivia, Peeps, and Lazers

The competition: Golden Jet, Sharks, Peeps, Valentines, Auntie Joannie, and Chicago

First half: Superbowl Commercials/Asia/Music of 80s and 90s

What is the capital of Thailand?
What former NFL quarterback was on a commercial for Skechers?
From the 90s- who sang “1979”?
From the 90s- who sang “Sonny Came Home”?
From the 80s- who sang “In Your Eyes”?
What is the capital of India?
What is the capital of the United Arab Emirates?
What is a Philippine herbal cure for many things- 10 letters including 3 k’s?

Hilts “This place does bring the German out of me.”

Waitress, on Hilts: “He needs some mousse.”

Scores after one half: J&B 1180 Chicago 680 Golden Jet 610 Peeps 480 Sharks 400 Valentines 320 Joannie 240

Second half: Strange Facts/Chicago Streets/Superbowl

What player scored the first points in Superbowl 44?
Who is the only quarterback to win 3 MVP awards in the Superbowl?
Who was the MVP of Superbowl 4?
Within 13, how many times is the F-word used in the movie “Casino”?

Scores after two halves: J&B 1910 Chicago 1600 Sharks 1100 Valentines 990 Golden Jet 920 Peeps 840 Joannie 670

Many options for Final Category:

Recent Sports Illustrated Covers
Inventions and Inventors
Soap Operas
The Kardashians
Movie Lines
40 Sexiest Videos
Baseball Year of Birth


Though Hilts lobbies for the baseball category, J&B decides to pick Movie Lines. The wager is the classic (1291). Two of three wins wager. All three wins 3000 bonus points.

Inventions:
(only last name needed)- Inventor of the Frisbee- died within the last 24 hours?
Inventor of Peanut Butter?
Inventor of the card game “Braino”- name not needed- associated with Benkowski for over 30 years- 13 letters across 4 words?

Soap Operas:
On “All My Children”- whom does Justin Bruening play?
On “The Young and the Restless”- whom does Tracey Bregman play?
On “As the World Turns”- who plays Meg?


Baseball Year of Birth (within 2):
Lance Johnson?
Robin Yount?
Carl Yastrzemski?

Movie Lines:

“I’ll lasso the moon for you” (old movie)
“Bring me the head of John the Baptist.” (1962)
“How could they be sure he’d die with the train going 15 miles per hour?” (40s movie, remade in the 70s)

And the other final question categories remain orphans. Gentlemen?

PART II

J&B guesses:

It’s A Wonderful Life
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Double Indemnity

First half answers:
Bangkok
Joe Montana
Smashing Pumpkins
Shawn Colvin
Peter Gabriel
New Delhi
Abu Dhabi
Katakataka

Second half answers:

Matt Stover
Joe Montana
Len Dawson
442 fucks

Final Question:

Auntie Joannie- 670 points- Movies- guesses “It’s A Wonderful Life” (correct), “Greatest Story Ever Told” (no), “Double Indemnity” (correct)- that’s two out of three- wagered 151- up to 821.

J&B knows where it stands- we have to avoid another team getting the bonus.

Peeps- 840- Movies- guess “It’s A Wonderful Life” (correct), “Ben Hur” (no), “Murder on the Orient Express” (no)- didn’t catch the wager, but I’m pretty certain 3000 bonus points weren’t awarded.

Golden Jet- 920- Inventions- guesses Al Morrison (last name correct), George Washington Carver (correct), and “my father-in-law” (correct)- that’s all three correct- wagered 920- up to 4840. Game over for J&B.

Valentines- 990- Soap Operas- guess Jamie (correct), Tracey (no), Gina Tognoni (no)- only one correct- wagered 990- thanks for playing.

Sharks- 1100- Movies- guess “It’s A Wonderful Life” (correct), “Lawrence of Arabia” (no), “Laredo” (no)- only one correct- didn’t catch the wager.

Chicago- 1600- Baseball- guesses L Johnson 1963 (exact), R Yount 1955 (exact), C Yastrzemski 1939 (exact)- that’s all three correct- wagered 1590- up to 6190.

J&B- 1910- Movies- guesses “It’s A Wonderful Life” (correct), “Greatest Story Ever Told” (no), “Double Indemnity” (correct)- that’s two out of three- wagered 1291- up to 3201. Team Chicago earns the victory.

And yes, J&B would have had all three baseball year of birth questions correct. Stix’s moral of the story: “Don’t ever ever ever ever go against year of birth.”

Missing answers:

Tracey Bregman plays Lauren
Meg is played by Marie Wilson
Missing movie: “King of Kings”
It was Walter Morrison who invented the Frisbee

Salerno’s is a good place for trivia. Other than the championship, it has been a long while since we’ve faced that many teams with most being competitive. On the negative side- I’m guessing those beers were expensive.

St. Bede’s coming up February 27th. It is unknown whether J&B will have a tune-up trivia prior to then.

Both bomber and the bombed

Although these terrible times of airwar are nothing like the Grand Days of aeiral warfare (the modern period of airwar - specfically "firebombing" - started on the nite of 31 Dec. 1999 and petered out (((well, petered out 'violently'))) sometime during early 2002), certain advances in the past six weeks have put city after city in deep danger of destruction.

Since, say, Fall of 2002, there have been scant major raids that would even equal half of any of the great fire raids that happened weekly back then. There actually have only been two in the period since early 2002 and the last six weeks - the failed Market Garden II in January 2004 and the failed Suprise! Double Raid of 2006(?). Both of these raids were shockingly destructive and put shocking strain on the entire armed forces - but since they were distanced apart enough, the damages to the entire war effort weren't as terrible and draining as the earlier period of firewar.

But recent developments in supply and planning have given the airforce weapons again to raze entire cities in a single nite. Twice massive raids have been raised - one the bombing began @ 6pm and lasted through the nite - the bombers finally got back to base early the next afternoon; the second raid was more compact but also an entrance into hell.

Tonite the conditions were ideal for a massive raid tonite - Friday and Monday are days w/o work - but ... weather conditions ... have delayed the raid until the morrow.

My two new transient little societies....

I'm a man of some sorts in my two little transient societies. Little secret societies, disappearing soon - but so fun and enjoyable these days.

One is my class. Lovely ladies,things to be learned, teachers are kool. And, per usual, I can put forth myself- my public image comes across as 'kool dude' in classes i've taken as an adult, and it's something I ,like. Hey,way back when I even got a lover out of the deal, so did I fool them all. I guess part of my human job is to be such a kool guy in social situations-something about the world spinning on its axis better,and Jesus expects me to act like in such situations for the betterment of all-plus,you know, the vibe from the chix. So, rite now, i'm enjoying the kool vibes sent my way by the other students and teachers. I like being liked.

One is my dentist office. Again,I'm a nice guy,and it's been bestly showcased in this context. You know, being nice,self affacing,and slightly humourous in peoples presence- you know,show them you enjoy being around them - and they like you back.Deeply love my dentist- very sexy woman. Last week especially we flirted. Did hear she had a boyfriend, but mulling about asking her out. Been 8 months now, probably better start again @ some point. Skinny young white girl,of course. But man do I LOVE going to the dentist these days. LOve it.

Mornings

Then

Mornings in 16 years ago much different than now. Remember those mornings well. Was student teaching, a hugh deal @ the time. School very close to home - I'd take bus in AM and walk home afternoons. Biggest deal back then was trying to overcome my Dad's death. He'd died on the Sunday of Thanksgiving. I started student teaching the second week in Jan. very soon,although 6 weeks. Back then we also had Aunt Marion living with us - terrible arthritis moved her from Wall Street to Mozart in the 1980's, and she moved house with us to Mt. Greenwood.

Mom used to get us awake back then. She'd put down the coffee, put out fruit for us to eat,and start to read the papers. As time went on and Mom aged,she'd stop starting the coffee,but put out some fruit for us. Then she stopped even that- when we got ready to leave for school, she would THEN get out of bed. My thinking is that she wanted to make sure to get out of bed while we were still in the house or else she mite not have the motivation.

And there was a most special guest back then-Neice.2,the best of all the babies in my family. .2,being only 4 or so, was a divine gift to Mom, Aunt Marion and I-after being so distraught over Dad, we had something wonderful to lavish attention over and to help us through. So, me worried, puttering about the house in the morning, Mom and aunt Marion about - and all sad: but w. the knowledge that the world continues.

Lovely baby. Canna remember just what made her so special way back when- but we loved her presence here in those bad days of our loss.

Now

Yeah,yeah,there's Mom,in bed-but these days mornings are typified mainly by 'addressing the Bolo's concern'. That means waking him up,crunching a cookie into tiny pieces and slipping a pill in it for him to eat-and then feeding him another capsule. At this point,he MAY be awake enough to get him upstairs for the rest of the cycle-but often Ill have to drag him upstairs in my arms. Then- a drop in each eye, followed 5m later by another drop in both eyes. Crush another 'cookie' into his food dish, and 10m after he eats his breakfast-then prepare his insulin and inject him. Shit- all i wanna do is go back to sleep-but here I am addressing the dog for 15 before I get to do anything besides the coffee.

So different, the years.