That's, like, Bo's opinion, man.

If you aren't watching what is happening in the Democratic party, let me tell you, you are missing out. As of Saturday May 31st, the Democratic Party has decided to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida, but only to give the half a vote each. This, after these delegates were removed from the convention because their states broke the rules. It seems that Florida and Michigan were so hot to get their primaries early in the season, that they broke their own rules and bumped them earlier. Therefore, they were removed as punishment. Now they are mad. Of course they're mad. Their votes were useless. Here's a hot tip though: even i have to play by the rules when i vote. So why shouldn't everybody else? So removed were the voters of Michigan, that everybody's favorite hoper, Sen. Obama didn't even bother getting his name on the ballot. And who could blame him? It doesn't count, why bother. Ah, because somewhere down the line, someone is going to complain and eventually get the rules changed. Forget that the Michigan Democratic Party knew that they would lose their delegate voting status in the national convention. They went ahead with their date change anyway. And then they complained. ALWAYS account for the stupidity of people to lead to griping, whining, and eventually decisions that could affect the course of history being made by a 9 to 15 vote amongst screaming supporters.

Meanwhile, back at the GOP. Having wrapped up this whole primary mess months ago, the Republicans can finally shake off this whole "being stupid" thing.

Another recall to tell folks about in the tennessee valley. First, any product you buy needs to be used without being stupid. Remember, any little trinket or piece of junk home decoration that was made in China will definately have way too much lead in it. Please stop being surprised when you have to be told that. If you have a car, there will probably be something wrong with it. If it starts to get messed up, just chalk it up to "cars run down." If your car has an airbag that messes up, or it might catch on fire...don't drive it.

I'm SICK of product recalls. Mostly we just need to stop buying junk and then being surprised when it tears up, falls apart, leaks lead, or otherwise kills us.

Okay, so it's not just because i'm trying to hype an upcoming FOX show like some kind of company man. But i'm really excited about this new show The Return of Jezebel James. I haven't even watched the pilot (which, i guess i could, since we got an advance copy). But i think this is going to be great. Most especially because of the two main ladies of the cast. Childrens publisher Sarah Tompkins is played by the lovely and never bad Parker Posey (awlright).  Her sister, i guess a hippy ne'er do well named CoCo is played by Lauren Ambrose (oh my).  You get it now?  How can this be anything but oh so right?  It really should go without saying that putting Parker Posey on your show will do good things.  Name if you can anything bad she's done.  WITHOUT cruising IMDB for some obscure walk on in something bad. 

Here's the real kicker.  It's Lauren Ambrose.  No, you really can't place her from any movies or anything like that.  But she is bringing to Jezebel something that i like to call "The Blessing of Six Feet Under."   i just started watching this terrific show for the first time after i bought my wife the entire series for X-Mas.  It is so good for so many reasons.  Unfortunately, we're not here to talk about how great it is, so i'll just leave it with that.  But if you look at anything (mostly TV) that the main cast has done since the conclusion of that series, it's another string of good news.  For instance, and my personal favorite, Michael C. Hall in Dexter.  Holy Crap!  Such a talented actor filling out a character that needs it.  Then you've got Peter Krause (whom my wife constantly drools over...i guess that's okay).  Last year, he did Dirty Sexy Money.  I'm required to tell you not to watch it because of loyalty issues.  But it's really good too.  Then, you've got Rachel Griffiths who is now in Brother and Sisters...which i've never seen, but everybody (critics) says it's good.   How about Freddy Rodriguez?  i think all i have to say is Planet Terror.  Bingo.  They're running the table. 

THEREFORE, The Return of Jezebel James must be at least a good show.  But, if i know FOX, it won't last long.  So enjoy it while it lasts folks.  i for one will.

The true measure of a candidate can only be found in one thing...his or her logo of course. So, even though some of the candidates mentioned have either dropped out, or may be eliminated after Tuesday, i feel the need to see where the real success comes from, design.

Starting with those we know we will not see again:

John Edwards

Maybe it should come as no surprise that we will not see John again.  Not only is he a little too liberal for general consumption (is that a bad thing?  I mean, he IS a Democrat) and an ambulance chaser.  But his logo looks like a kindergarten class designed it.  I don’t get the shooting star.  Is it saying that we are about to shoot, like a star, into the stratosphere?  Oh Boy!  It reminds me of the shooting star from Gore 2000.  Just not as successful.  Good luck as a possible Attorney General John.

 

 

Mitt Romney

Very strong, Mitt.  I know voters were wary of your Latter Day Sainthood and the rich-guy thing.  But the eagle/banner thingy is one of the better graphic elements on a logo.  I don’t know how you’d breed together an eagle and the flag, but wouldn’t it be cool?  It would be the ultimate patriotic symbol.  And just like Mr. Romney himself, the eagle looks like he is getting the heck out of here.  Check out his streamlined look.  He’s obviously on the move…to a better America maybe?  Don’t know, but cool logo, probably the best Republican one there is.

 

 

Okay for the ones still in the running…at least early on Tuesday morning

 

Mike Huckabee

Unfortunately, I don’t understand Huck’s logo.  Are the six stars falling?  Or are they shooting from a confetti cannon?  Is there a significance in the number?  Too many questions.  Similar to the question, “Why is he still here?”  I think they are gold stars for effort.  But kudos on being the only candidate using both first and last names to actually emphasize one of the words.  Small-first-name-big-last-name is definitely the way to go.  He may have had better luck if he’d used his Chuck Norris logo as the “official” logo.  But Super Tuesday II will probably show him what he’s known is coming for a long time.  Hate your luck, Huck.  You were too beautiful for this world.

 

 

Hillary Clinton

 

Now, I chose to use the more “official” logo here, as opposed to the “signature” logo because I felt it only fair to the other candidates to investigate them on a level playing field.  Let’s face it, the signature logo is only there to appeal to Hillary’s massive female following.  It’s a nice periwinkle, looks cute on t-shirts and water bottles, and is undoubtedly not her real signature.  But this logo is a good GP (general purpose) logo.  It’s got the flag that looks oddly similar to the logo Dubya used in the 2004 election.  But a stylized flag is always a good graphic element (see also Kerry 2004, Clinton 1992, Dole 1996).  Oh, and in case you didn’t know, she’s running “for President.”  I was not aware. And this is the first of the “one name only” candidates.  Of course Hill is the lady who needs no introduction.  But maybe the use of only her first name is to keep us from confusing her with more people of the same last name (too late).

 

 

John McCain

 

Now THIS is a logo.  It’s a Man’s-man’s logo.  You don’t like my logo?  You will be bombed next.  One name, all caps except for the Mc, nautical star.  Check out how the small “c” is centered vertically.  That’s cool, and strong.  The color scheme shows strength as well.  Stark contrast black and white with gold tapered line.  It would look equally hard-core in your yard, or stenciled on the side of an F-16.  Single name, cuz if you have to ask his first name, you’re obviously a terrorist.  But at the end of the day, this logo is good, clean, simple, and don’t take crap off nobody.

 

 

Barack Obama

 

Now somebody really earned their lunch money with Illustrator coming up with this logo.  I can hear the pitch now.  “Okay, so you take the ‘O’ for Obama, then you make it look like a sunrise over a rolling plain, incorporate the red stripes to show patriotism, soften the colors and give it a little glow and BINGO, a symbol of Hope.”  This, in all truth, is my favorite logo this year.  It has lots of symbolism for the mirthful optimism that you would get with a vote for the “little engine that could.”  You can almost see the video presentation at the convention.  The sun breaks the horizon of a red/white field; as it rises to form the hole in the “O.”  Barack walks over the hill, in blue shirt and khakis, holding hands with his wife and kids like they just left church service. The camera zooms in on their hopeful faces and as daughter Malia cradles a puppy, Barack looks at the camera to give a “we can do this after all” smile.  Camera zooms out to reveal the full logo.  Glorious.  Full symmetry in the name, Big O-little letters-Big 8,  draws me into this scene and the world is a better place.  It’s got it all.  It’s both hi-def AND organic…a combination of terms that sounds oxymoronic but pulled together in this context just feels appropriate.  Much like the phrase “President Barack Obama.”

 

 

You may have noticed that we didn’t speak of Ron Paul.  This was both intentional and due to lack of data.  The grass roots support that represents everything that Ron Paul’s candidacy has become also means that there really is no “real” logo.  I didn’t really want to put these polished, glossy examples against Paul’s spray paint-on-corrugated cardboard designs.  For instance, I never quite understood what the “Ron Paul Love Revolution” had to do with a Libertarian running on the Republican ticket.  I suppose the underground “punk rock” aesthetic is in the favor of a candidate who wants you to smoke pot and eliminate the IRS.  Not calling him crazy, I’m just saying that’s why I couldn’t do a proper analysis.

 

So there it is.  Let me know if you agree/disagree with the visual analysis of what has become a very interesting campaign.  And what will hopefully today become more clear what our future holds for us.  Please don’t reply about whomever you think I am supporting with this analysis.  This is simply an objective look at visual ‘art.’  Enjoy, and for the love of Democracy, make your voting decision on something other than who’s got the best logo.

Okay, now that Chattanooga has entirely become a radio desert, whatever shall i do?  Today (Monday March 3) WDOD The Mountain changed its format to "Top 40"  and i now have no radio station to listen to.  It's not that it was entirely a bad idea to change from a modern rock format to a Top 40 format.  I mean, what market doesn't have a top 40 station?  It's good for the kids to have something to listen to.  They were getting left out with the likes of Classic Country, Country, and very bad rock.  The kids were getting too used to having to branch out.   Do you see any correlation to the removal of a Top 40 station from Chattanooga and the escalation of teen violence in schools?  hmm.  BUT, i don't like to listen to Top40 radio.  It was weird today listening to the Mountain and hearing promos that say stuff like "Chattanooga's New Hits are on 96.5 The Mountain."  It's like when you go to a different city and they have a funny name for their station like "The River"  or "Star FM" or  "The Wombat."  It just didnt fit.  I mean, if it were a new station, then it might sound more "natural"  but as it stands, they just changed the singing girls on the promos and had them rhyme mountain.  so i guess i listen to the Wall now.  which, i remembered, doesn't help in the evenings when every radio dork wants to make a specialized show about abstract electronica, or wind dancing, or whatever.  and since i have problems paying money to subscribe to radio that i listen to for a total of 5 minutes a day, i think Sirius/XM are out.  i guess im doomed then.  
things could be worse...there could be yet another country station on. 

Man, this morning was a little blustery around the house.  You know how they say that a tornado will never hit downtown Chattanooga.  Well, this morning when James Howard on Sunny 92 said that there was a rotating cloud spotted around 34th Street (just about 20 blocks from my house) i think it was the first time i feared the weather.  i mean, i didnt pull the matress up and hide under it or anything.  i ran through my childhood tornado training, opened the windows, secured a spot in the hallway (the only interior part of the house) and waited with the radio.  Of course, nothing happened.  Just be careful.  And do what you can for those who were hit by tornadoes.

NOTE BEFORE I START:
if you write a long post beware, our stellar system will time out after a while.  so maybe copy your post into notepad or something and then paste it back in the writing window.  i just had a wonderfully well expounded diatribe on the Superbowl and now it's gone forever.  thanks myfox.

So, is it wrong for me to not care tonight who won the Superbowl?  New York and Boston can duke it out all they want for sports supremacy.  But neither really touches my life in any way.

So to summarize what i tried to post about fifteen minutes ago:  enjoy sports and stop hating the Patriots.  They didnt do anything to you (unless you're the lady Randy Moss assaulted).

watch some commercials now, you know  that's all you came here to do anyway.

Or, "Do i get my vote back?"

so i, as many Tennesseeans did, voted early in the presidential primary.  Now without giving away too much, my dog is still in the hunt (or at least the one  i voted for, which does not neccesarily qualify him as my dog).  i did vote on the Republican side, however, which meant that i got the dubious task of voting for 11 at large delegates for the Convention.  ELEVEN?  seriously, i dont know these people.  but i did like looking at the names and thinking "Sure, i bet he'll have a good time at the convention.  I'll vote for him."  But then, i did vote for a couple of delegates for, like, Fred Thompson.  So does that mean that the delegates will change their minds?  and since i voted for those people, do they now switch to McCain *shudder*?  and seriously, what happens when the person you voted for drops out before election day?  do they go back and rewrite the ballot to take him off?  i really want to know, tell me if you do.

So, i guess i (we) will wait til Tuesday, satisfied that i have completed my civic duty early, and watch who comes out on top.

And when you go vote BE SURE that you count correctly ne number of delegates for whom you vote.  i accidentally voted for one too many delegates and had to go back and redarken every stupid little bubble again.   DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!

holy crap.  i think thats all i can say.  im not exactly sure how this came together...or if i like that it came together.  But...well, take a look at this.

So, of all the "celebs" engaging in self-destructive behaviour (Amy Winehouse, Britney, LiLo, the entire cast of Celebrity Rehab) why did it have to be Heath Ledger who dies?  You can't tell me that after the lifestyle that brings TMZ cameras running will still allow you to keep breathing, but stressed out actors--who are pretty freakin good, mind you--die when they are waiting to get a back rub!   And if he were consuming the kind/volume of drugs that some of our other wastoid friends were into, the autopsy would not be "inconclusive."  These actors and whatnot need to clean up their act.  This is riduculous.  Maybe the death of a young promising actor will wake them up.  We havent had a good Elvis-dying-on-the-toilet, or Marilyn-Monroe-sucumbing-to-sleeping-pills incident in a while.  Maybe somebody has to die before Avril will put down the bottle.

It's cold, we've had our yearly smattering of snow.  It looks like we've really got a chance at some winter here.  Oh, and then next week, we can enjoy the 55 degree temperatures.  Seriously, why does our sub-tropical diciduous climate mean that we can never get cold?  Well, the things i dont miss about cold weather, dry skin, numb fingers, snotty fingers, at least arent as bad with a mild winter.  I guess Feb. might have something for us.  Or maybe it will be sunny and 75 every day.

So, i feel like reviewing things here. There'll be more, but my first opinion/review will be on the movie i went to see last night, Juno. I hate reading reviews before seeing a movie. They completely create expectations that taint my enjoyment of any movie, music, TV show. i shoulda waited, and you should too, if you want to see this movie and haven't.

First, what teenager talks like she does. I'll assume that we all know that this movie is about a teenager who becomes pregnant after one sexual encounter with her friend. The rest is her struggle to deal with the consequences (abortion maybe, adoption to a searching family, being prego in school, parents). In every situation, Juno and her best friend Leah react with quips that no teenager could dream up. I know teenagers, they are not this witty. It drove me to one of my least favorite activities in a movie theater, imagining that something else is happening different from what is going on on screen. i just imagine that more time passes for them to come up with this whip-smart one liners, and then it makes sense. There, thats the only complaining im going to do.

The rest of the picture was good. I enjoy Jason Reitman's stuff to a point. i felt torn in Thank You For Smoking. i wanted it to be darker and more satirical. Instead it got tender and heart warming. The same is true here in Juno. Bleeker, Michael Cera's underused character accidentally fell out of Jared Hess's next project into this movie. He rides high on the funny-in-his-grotesqueness. I dig it, sure. But Cera is slipping into the next Anthony Michael Hall. No, wait, he's already there. But the geek-chic is fun, done pretty well here. Cera never met a dork i didnt like.

Glaring theme that ive never heard as a complaint before when it comes to this movie (and the reason for this review's title), the Girl Power overtones to this movie.  I look for sexism in an Oliver Stone movie.  Now, i assume that Diablo Cody will be on the radar for gender inequality.  Let's drag out the men first.  What men?  J.K. Simmons plays Juno's father.  He's about the only man to be seen here.  In fact, both Juno's parents, well, her father and step mother (Allison Janney, yes sirree) are excellent.  They aren't preachy, detatched, stupid or any of the other pitfalls that could have happened to make them your typical parents of movie teens.  The problem is every other male in this movie.  Bleeker:  Good kid, but he's just that, a kid.  He takes any responsibility, helps out, nothing, with Juno's pregnancy.  In fact, he misses the birth.  i know that this may have plot significance, but it shows Bleeker to be detatched, irresponsible in the face of this otherwise big challenge.  He is just a kid who sees no maturation through this situation, where some should happen.  Then there's Mark (Jason Bateman, very cool).  Oh Lord, the man-child.  The little boy trapped in a man's body.  The wannabe rockstar who doesnt want to grow up.  I mean, you don't even need to discuss this.  He's not just aloof to responsibilty, he actually runs from it.  Of course.  Men can't be counted on.  You can only lean on your girls, who by the way always make the right decisions with you, and won't buckle under the pressures of bringing new life into the world.  The ending scene when Jennifer Garner (okay, i know i ran off without explaining the need-to-be-a-mommy, but there is it) stands alone with her new child, you can almost hear "I Am Woman" playing.

Now please don't misunderstand.  i think that far too often our culture allows men to remain boys, and women have to step up and shoulder the rigors of life.  But please, don't make a celebration of the perversion of manhood.  I guess that's what they mean by being "real."

It seems so scandalous. Spiderman and Mary Jane are splitting up.

Read the Story


i find the reactions very interesting.  i mean, i know that divorce and the breakups of marriage are bad things.  But really what i find of interest is the reaction of "breaking from the story's continuity"  and stuff like that.  First of all, nerds need to get over it.  Continuity is only as good as the person writing the story.  (full disclosure:  i read comic books for many of my formative years, mostly mutant-related titles.  i even got (get) excited when i watch the X-Men movies and i can pick out how certain "extra" characters fit in or dont fit into the continuity of the storylines as i knew them.)  But as with any other art form, the outcome is up to the artist.  Captain America was killed last year by an assassin.  Superman was killed.  Batman broke his back, but came back.  Just like Stan Lee said in the article, sometimes you need to shake things up.  i mean come on, you try writing the same storyline, continuously, for decades and see how long it takes to run dry.  Appreciate art for what it is.  Whether that art is a comic book series that has an outcome you don't agree with, or a movie that has a difficult ending, or a painting that has an out-of-place object, whatever.  Maybe it will make some nerds...uh, fans, reexamine what they are really doing when they open a comic book or rent a DVD.  Keep it in perspective.  Enjoy.

...are for sucks.  I mean come on.   at least let somebody come up and accept one.  i guess i really dont understand the ins and outs of how awards shows go. but i could only watch five minutes of the "news conference" version of the show.  Then i just figured i could check the list online this morning and not have to wade through opening envelopes and Ryan Seacrest's fake cut-away analysis.  Just shows that there apparently needs to be a fix for this writers' strike.

You've probably not heard yet, but local chemical company ALCO laid off 25 employees today. I only got this word because of my relation to one of those employees.  Now, you won't hear me complain about how America is losing business to over-seas competitors.  i know how that goes.  Money saved by hiring cheaper labor makes good business sense.
No, my worry is, in the wake of these and other lay-offs (Kordsa, for example), how can Chattanooga ever hope to fully utilize the "Disneyland" we have in Enterprise South?  If we are not attractive enough to international business to keep those company who already do business here investing in Chattanooga interests, how can we convince new businesses to invest in the Tennessee Valley? 

I guess we will see what comes of this latest blow to Chattanoga's economy.