Alright. So I’m back early. Let’s get right to it.
I went with the lovely lz to pick up her brand new Canon Rebel XT1i on Sunday morning. We sat around killing time, watching The Aristocrats, waiting for the battery charger light to turn green… “Turn green damn you!”… and as soon as it did we were out the door. What better place to break in a brand new camera than the Folsom Street Fair… right? Hmmmmm
Well, regardless, we took a ton of pictures, and had a lot of fun. A bunch of our friends were at Medici, on 9th and Folsom, which is pretty much a regular hang out spot for us, so most of these pictures were taken in or around there. I tried to be selective about what to post here. I’ve attempted to include all of our friends, as well as a lot of the people and activities going on around us.
This gallery is in absolutely no way meant to be exploitive or degrading. It is also often NSFW. Please enjoy!
* All photos by dw.bg & lz (Canon Rebel XT1i & Sony DSC-S500)
Admittedly, I’ve had very little to say on this blog during the last few weeks. Heavy on the Links, light on the Rants and Opinions. I can’t really explain it. I tend to be a man of phases. I wouldn’t call it “writer’s block” or anything like that. It’s just at times I have very little to say. Ironically, these times are usually when I’m mentally overwhelmed, and writing would likely prove an effective form of release.
I can’t say it’s for a lack of ideas. I’ve had plenty of ideas. If anything, I tend to defeat myself by having a lack of confidence in my own voice. It’s the “Sure, I could write about this, but nobody would care” line of thinking. And I’m as disappointed by it as I am occasionally captive to it. So, in an attempt to break through this mental barrier, I’m going to do a bit of rambling about things that have been on my mind the last few weeks, no matter how inane or offensive…
Socialist Worker ran an excellent article covering the aspect of this that none of the media wants to talk about called, “Why won’t they call it racism?“…
In regards to Joe Wilson: “For someone like Joe Wilson, there’s a career to be made in stirring up bigotry and suspicion. In 2000, he was a leader of the right’s effort to keep the Confederate flag–a symbol of slavery and white supremacy–waving over the South Carolina state capitol. Wilson has been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans…He opposes women’s right to choose abortion and favors banning LGBT people from marrying. In 2007, he voted no on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2006, Wilson supported the construction of a fence on the Mexican border, and two years before that, he voted in favor of a law that would require hospitals to report undocumented immigrants who sought medical treatment.”
Sounds like a lovely fellow…
* * * * *
Speaking of Obama…
Right-wing rhetoric would want to convince you he’s a Socialist…
He’s a bad man because he wants to promote health care for every citizen…
But none of that could be further from the truth. The people are being misled. They are being worked up into partisan fervors that only serve to distract them from the truth. And the truth is, Obama is no different from any other head of this state, in that his goal is to advance Imperialism and Capitalism…
Socialism my ass…
One of my favorite writers Greg Easterbrook points out in his latest column…
“Robert Benmosche, new CEO of AIG — which continues to hold $182 billion of the taxpayers’ money, and seems in no hurry to return any — will be paid about $7 million per year. That means typical people, who earn a median $50,000 a year, are being taxed so yet another plutocrat can own an estate. Benmosche also is “eligible” for a $3 million annual bonus, meaning even after all the flap about AIG bonuses, average people are still being taxed for AIG bonuses. And he received 200,000 AIG stock options with a strike price of $20. Right now, AIG shares are selling for $40, meaning the options have a current value of about $4 million. Thus Benmosche could take home $14 million for his first year of running AIG. This money comes from pockets of taxpayers struggling to pay their rent. It doesn’t surprise me that a plutocrat would be shameless about reaching into the pockets of the working class. It does surprise me that Barack Obama would OK this, and that the mainstream media would give up on AIG outrage. Have we simply accepted at this point that it’s OK for Wall Street leadership to steal from taxpayers?”
Ahem…
* * * * *
Football season has started again, which means two things. One, it’s time for my annual reminder that, this blog was originally going to be a sports blog with an emphasis on the 49ers before I did nothing with it and then decided with ag to revive our old site here instead. And two, it’s time to suffer through another year of futility and mediocrity in Fantasy Football.
I detailed my Fantasy draft exploits of last year on this blog, when I had the 10th pick out of 10, but still managed to feel relatively comfortable with my squad. Alas, it was to no avail, as I finished in 8th place (out of 10) and comfortably out of the playoffs.
This year I landed the 11th pick (out of 12) and in addition to thinking that the commissioner (my dirty brother) has it in for me, I emerged from this draft disappointed and downtrodden. In other words, I’m not too hyped on my team. And why should I be? After two weeks of “action”, I’m a feeble 1-1 and haven’t generated enough buzz (good or bad) to even be mentioned in the commissioner’s Week 2 wrap-up.
SF F.C. failed miserably last year. It’s not looking too good for the Big Headed Slags this year.
* * * * *
Finally, on a more serious note, I’d like to pass along an e-mail from a co-worker of mine regarding the nasty disease diabetes. Like myself, I’m sure many of you have family, friends or coworkers who are affected by diabetes.
I’m writing to you to ask for your support for a cause that is very important to me.
This year, I’m finally going to do it! I’ll be walking in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk to Cure Diabetes along with a half-million other walkers across the country.. Our goal: To raise $105 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.
As some of you may know, I have type 1 diabetes. My twin brother Ian also has type 1 diabetes. Aside from the personal impact on our lives, this is a devastating, often deadly disease that affects millions of people–a large and growing percentage of them children.
Many people think type 1 diabetes can be controlled by insulin. While insulin does keep people with type 1 diabetes alive, it is NOT a cure. Aside from the daily challenges of living with type 1 diabetes, the many shots, the countless blood sugar checks, there are many severe, often fatal, complications caused by the disease.
That’s the scary part… and yes, it’s kind of scary for me too.
The good news, though, is that a cure for type 1 diabetes is within reach. In fact, JDRF funding and leadership is associated with most major scientific breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research to date. And JDRF funds a major portion of all type 1 diabetes research worldwide, more than any other charity.
I’m writing to ask for your support because now more than ever, EACH of us can be a part of bringing about a cure. Each of us can make a real difference
Please consider donating to JDREF and supporting me as I walk on Saturday, October 17th. If you are interested in walking with me, just let me know, I would love to have friends around me!
Together, we can make the cure a reality for my family and many others.
Thank you,
Laurel Kapros
Please visit my Walk Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal:
Well, if you’ve managed to stick around this post for this long then you’ll be pleased to know that I’m done. With blogging. Until the end of the month… 😉 Suckas.
I’ll be back Oct. 1st.
Until then, keep checking back in case ag or chair post, and if you find nothing then head on over to Misheard Words. They’ll appreciate your support.
So that’s it, I’m out! And this is the music playing over my credits…
No, I’m not referring to the recurring one ag has involving Salma Hayek, five jars of Nutella, a pygmy goat, and Elton John singing “You Are Not Alone”. I’m referring to a pretty amazing photographic essay by Tom Chambers (not this guy) featured in the recent issue of Burn Magazine.
I was asked earlier today why I haven’t posted anything to the blog in a few days. Should that question arise 50 times, I’d probably have 50 different answers. But that’s a whole other topic.
It was then suggested that I “write a blog about kanye west and what an asshole he is”, obviously related to Kanye’s latest adventure in assholery at the recent MTV awards show.
But I could never write about that. For one, I don’t care. This isn’t the first time Kanye has spouted off. In fact, I still adore his “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people” line after Hurricane Katrina. Honestly, if Kanye hadn’t interrupted Taylor Swift (who?!?) I wouldn’t even have known an MTV awards shindig had happened.
You know who else probably doesn’t care about Black people? Joe Wilson. Now, of course I don’t have any facts to show that Joe Wilson is a racist, or that he doesn’t like black people, but I’m willing to bet he doesn’t yell out “You lie!” in the middle of the President’s speech to Congress if the President is white. I think without an underlying contempt and lack of respect for Obama as a man, that never goes down. But hey, that’s just my opinion, or as GO would say, just “words, floppin’ out my face.”
Ah but Joe Wilson has apologized, and Obama accepted. Kanye has apologized. The white girl will likely accept. So let’s just all move along now, there’s nothing to see here. It is what it is.
* Update *
According to this CNN article, I’m not the only one who feels this way…
Before debate on the measure began, one Democrat said the disrespect shown Obama by Wilson never would have happened to a white president.
“It only happened when this country elected a president of color,” said Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia.
bg/ag publishing 