This is my 300th journal. I think a month ago I had 250, but I am working hard to make semi-quality posts for you (e:Paul) so we meet our quota.
I have been so busy this summer I didn't get a chance to take as many photos as I would have liked, but here are a few I took with my homemade pinhole camera. I took all of these on that walkway ontop the tide break on the Niagara river.
It makes nice little abstractions from objects on account of the lack of focus. Often the lens will be dirty, and being just a pinhole it gets some cool color anomalies.
But sometimes a regular landscape looks like something soaked in gin.
This winter, I need to do more indoor photos. Which means bigger, badder light bulbs!
tinypliny - 10/20/08 19:32 Haha, for a minute there I thought those were some microscopic blow-up of fish-gills!
jason - 10/20/08 19:11 What? Those pictures look normal to me.
10/20/2008 08:50 #46206
Costume
I am still working on costume ideas. I fear that I am an idea man and incapable of executing anything I put my brain too.
1)Dungeon Master: no, not the kind wearing leather chaps. Rather, get together a hideous costume with a nerdy t-shirt, a fake beard, and a bottle of "the dew" and there ya go, DM.
2)DMILF. As I posted earlier, doing a sexy Dungeon Master could be hilarious, but I don't want to glue a four sided die into my belly button. And again, chaps might enter into it.
3)Wall Street Hobo. After the crash, Manhatten Jones decided to hang up his brief case and ride the rails, searchin for that big hand out in the skies. I like this costume because it gives a good excuse to be too drunk.
tinypliny - 10/20/08 19:36 I say go with the WS-Hobo. Stitch HUGE HANDS on to the arms of the torn-suit, facing skywards.
10/19/2008 21:05 #46199
Weekend from WTF
I went down to Ohio to canvass for Obama. For a dying city, Cleveland looks very nice, had a vibrant night life, and had plenty of new construction. Think about it Buffalo, are you so different? Update that skyline.
I am guessing the total cost of the trip was around $9,000 for 33 people. That includes hotel rooms, ten rental cars, a bus, and food. This tab was picked up by a union and so we canvassed only union folks as not to violate any campaign laws. Fine.
I talked to maybe three people at most. The other thirty people I was designated to canvass were not home. The experiences of the other 32 were identical. Thankfully, I had the company of two fine gentlemen who worked on the campaign this summer with me and I couldn't have asked for better company. We would knock out a days work in an hour plus driving time. The other groups would go all together, four people on a single door. So, I spent the majority of my weekend waiting around to do more work that didn't exist. Very nerve wracking.
But hey, I got to see lots of Cleveland and her distant suburbs and I got to hear Democrats disguise their racism with "I am still undecided". Bitch please, this shit has been going on for a year now. If you are still undecided it is because you don't like black men.
Goodbye forever Cleveland suburbs other thank Shaker Heights and Lakewood.
james - 10/20/08 20:37 Joshua: I think people have more than enough information to make a decision. Obama and McCain are not very close on policy issues. I may have bought Hilary reluctance a few months ago, but polling has shown that effect to have disappeared mostly.
You may have a laundry list of questions Joshua, and that list is probably filled with legitimate issues. But you are not a Democrat. You are also not a union member. Both of those demographics are going to Obama overwhelmingly. Why would such people not want to support Obama?
metalpeter - 10/20/08 18:35 (e:Joshua) makes a great point about Hillary that I didn't think of and that makes a lot of sense. I do think race is a factor and someone isn't going to say that they don't want to vote for the black guy/terrorist when they like his ideas. I think that is a real factor for a lot of people. But I think there is another factor, the debates. I didn't see all of all of them. But both guys did the same thing they both said that they had nothing to do with any thing Bush did or the Economic Crisis and said the other guy was part of it. Half the time when they answered a question they didn't get specific and often didn't even answer the question dirrectly so how can you trust somoeone like that. The other factor is just because you are registered doesn't mean you are going to vote. I think there are a lot of people who don't really like either guy. But see when someone comes to your door you can't, well I don't like McCAin because of a women isn't capble of being the comanader and cheif and you can't say, Fuck that Nigga... and you might not like either one of them and they both blam the other so you say "I don't know"
joshua - 10/20/08 13:27 I've got a plausible theory, which I think you'll probably begrudgingly acknowledge. I say begrudgingly because IMO anyway, it is a ridiculous but truthy concept. A lot of those white, blue collar Democrats wanted Hillary and are pissed off.... still after all this time. I mean really, I watched Geraldine Ferarro about a month ago admit on FNC that she still wouldn't endorse Barack Obama. That should have changed by then, let alone now.
This is just me being me, but if people are still undecided I have a laundry list of questions relating to how that could be.
I think racism is the last and weakest excuse for why people won't vote for Barack Obama. There is a hell of a lot more to criticize about the man other than his skin color, and the mere mentioning of racism is starting to really grate on those white, union democrats. People such as my father, for example, although I'm sure he is voting for Obama. I also think a lot of those people are feeling forcibly compelled by Obama supporters to support someone they weren't (and apparently aren't) sure about, which is also annoying them.
james - 10/20/08 13:12 Oh, it isn't representative of a larger group. But something fishy is up with white, registered union democrats being undecided.
jason - 10/20/08 13:04 Well, I certainly can't (won't) quibble with you over guesses and gut feelings, or how it is representative of a larger group. So I'm just going to drop it.
james - 10/20/08 09:56 Maybe YOU don't like terrorists, Drew.
drew - 10/20/08 09:47 Maybe they just don't like terrorists, James.
brit - 10/20/08 09:12 I had several old bints say they were undecided then say they weren't sure about a black president when pushed for more details in Ohio. My response was 'well, come on now...he's not that black' I of course was being sarcastic but some of them agreed with me and said they would think about it!
I got this impression for several reasons. They were registered democrats. I was also canvassing for a democrat running for state house, they were voting for him. They are union people. Now, all of that should indicate that Obama should be their choice. But, after a year of this race they are still undecided. I am guessing it is because Obama is black and they don't want to vote for the black man. There is no reason to be undecided at this point.
Voting for McCain does not make you racist. Voting for Obama does not make you free of racism. But being undecided when you should be voting democrat sure is fishy to me.
jim - 10/20/08 09:01 Jason, he talked to these people directly and got the impression that they were a bit racist, by the way they talked about Obama.
jason - 10/20/08 08:59 Just because someone is undecided doesn't mean they are racist. If you do vote for Obama does it certify you as non-racist, earn you a membership card and get you off the hook forever?
libertad - 10/20/08 08:50 I can't stand that there are undecided voters. If you can't make a decision by this point then they should just stay home and spare the rest of us from their ignorance. Clearly there is enough difference between the choices to make one.
On another note, I think I would be freaked out if 4 people came to my door to persuade my vote. It is almost mob/vigilanty like.
10/17/2008 13:09 #46158
Bobby Conn
Where have you been all my life baby?
and this PSA
10/15/2008 16:34 #46129
Was I just scammed?
I have a big fundraiser tonight (wish me luck) and so I don't get to go home an eat dinner. So, I set out for some supper. I exit the front door of this building and a guy is sitting on the street.
Well, five minutes into the worst "Brother can ya spare a dime" shtick I have ever heard I tell the guy I don't have any money but I can get him some yogurt and a juice box. I walk into the building again, made the guy a sandwich, grabbed two juice boxes and go back out.
Gone. Not to be seen.
No matter, he probably got shooed away. So I go get my dinner to go and on my way back to the office I pass a woman. She smiles a huge smile at me and says "thanks for the lunch".
Was I just scammed? If so, I did not lose any money or sandwiches. It seems like a poor scam. Perhaps this is some sort of homeless witchcraft and soon I will dance uncontrollably for not having prompter service.
tinypliny - 10/15/08 16:46 Hold on. Did you give the sandwiches to the woman? I thought the bloke was gone when you came back out with the sandwich and things... Whom did you give them to? I am confused.
Haha, for a minute there I thought those were some microscopic blow-up of fish-gills!
What? Those pictures look normal to me.