September 10th Attitudes Prevail

Celebrating the assassination of bin Laden with cheering and chanting and champagne and "I'm proud to be an American," is allowing the attitudes of Sept 10th, 2001 to dominate. By that I mean it's an attitude of a people who will wake up tomorrow (or some day) with a ghastly feeling as some massive act of terrorism is broadcast again.* I guarantee that this event did not make Democracy safer any more than the assassination of Kennedy made the world safe for Communism. Basically, it is proving to the world that we haven't taken a step back or a step forward in any measurable sense but still defend exactly the same mental space we have for centuries which is to say, "Our team is better than yours and when we score a goal we cheer."

This is why the faces change but the words are always the same.

We are protecting ourselves better but that isn't the same thing. No, we don't invite attacks but we've done nothing to discourage them or demonstrate that we deserve respect. This isn't V-J Day. This is V-O day and do I need to point out that for the first 20 years of my life bin Laden was sucking the American tit while Reagan and G. Bush Sr. did all they could to arm the bearded towelhead? So, now I'm going to celebrate like this is some good guy/bad guy turned bad guy and the good guy wins WWF wrestling match from 1985 Boston Garden? Please.

This isn't revenge for Sept 11th; it's an example of how in our hearts Sept. 11th never happened. Today might as well be December 6th, 1941. Or April 14th, 1861. Or July 3rd, 1776. 300 years is a long time to hold on to the same dogmatic, ethnocentric philosophy.

Nietzsche said, "When you do battle with dragons be careful not to become a dragon." When I see people cheering in the streets I see the exact same behavior that was demonstrated by some Muslims on Sept. 12th. They celebrated firemen dying. They cheered. They smiled. We had a chance to be different and we chose the exact same path...which makes us the same cold lizards.

I think of the bears who battle during mating season in Alaska. The winner, bruised, bleeding, loose fangs, tattered fur, does not gloat. That's how you act. You leave the ring. Be humble. In Little League, win or lose, we shook hands at home plate after the game.

DO NOT TAKE SPORTSMANSHIP TIPS FROM


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Put away your party cup of red bull and vodka and Be Humble. It's a funeral and the dead person is gone and all that remains are the living and our humility or lack of humility reflects our own character and NOT THE CHARACTER OF THE DEAD.

But what do I know? I'm just a hippie. Spare some change?

* I should add that Al Queda should've organized a boycott of Apple or Texaco back in 1992 when US forces set up camp in their holy land. Can you hear the chants?
"2-4-6-8- U.S, out of Kuwait. 1-2-3-4, we won't play xbox no more!" or "Allah Allah clap your hand, expel the heathens from our land!" Anyone else have a chant we can pass on to our activism-challenged comrades in the desert? In the name of peace.
That's how to get on the map. Look at Cat Stevens.
Burn your towels and shave your beards until troops leave. Get the media behind you. You think the year is 100 B.C?? Get with the times. Get a sexy spokesperson like Paris Hilton with a tattoo and protest! Instead of bombing the USS Cole hire a graffiti artist to tag it with a huge stencil of Osama asking, "Got Islam?"
Get creative! I wrote a screenplay to this effect back in 2003 that was turned down by every major studio in LA. Now it's too late! Terrorism is Passe and this should be proof that terrorism doesn't do shit to change opinions. Ask the KKK; after 300 years of violent racism we still elected a black guy as president. Hate doesn't work. I mean, ride on the peace train. Please! You'll get way farther in the end.

Oggy bin Laden Still On The Loose

Special forces took out Osama bin Mohammad bin Awad bin Laden but Oggy bin Bleacher bin Hippie bin Laden (unrelated) is still out there. Intelligence indicates he may be located in the Midwest. Do not approach him. He is dangerous and can play gypsy jazz guitar.


Oggy, in armored underwear is pictured here in his brick fortress looking over his shoulder...

Man Breaks Back So Dog Can Nap on Tile

Why did I begin this insane project? If it started on Martin Luther King Day then why do my knees feel like I've been picking cotton for 100 years?
This is only the first stage. The next step is to grout it all. And that's not easy because I have to float the grout high enough to level all the jagged edges off. My back is crying like an overused metaphor. At least the tiles are down. I did the math and it is about 20,000 individual pieces that had to be buttered with mortar and fit in exactly next to the others. I will never do a jigsaw puzzle again. My knees feel like they need their oil changed.

All I get out this deal is waffles and sausage and eggs to keep my high blood pressure climbing. There is no dollar amount I'd place on this much hand labor. Next week a tornado is probably going to take the whole house away.

Fortunately, I think I've found a 1976 CB 550 Four in town that has a price tag I can afford. The plan is to ride the bike to the arctic circle with my 70s flare pants and flag that says, "Sleazy Rider!" OR as someone said in Los Angeles when they saw me riding my overbored 1981 Honda Twinstar with roman sandals on, "Born to be mild."
Hahahahahah.