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March 31, 2004
Adventures of Radioactive Boy Scout!
No, really. A radioactive boy scout.
http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html
March 30, 2004
Massachusetts Bans Gay Marriage
Amazing.
Just fucking amazing.
Perhaps out of fear of earning the moniker "The Gay State," Massachusetts lawmakers passed a 105 to 92 vote to amend the state constitution to prevent same sex marriages and establish instead the nation's second 'civil union' (Vermont was the first in 2000). Previous to this decision, gay marriages were scheduled to become legal in Massachusetts on May 17th as a result of a previous Supreme Judicial Court ruling that anything else is 'unconstitutional.' Somehow, this new legislature supercedes the ruling of the state's highest court...
...Or does it? Gov. Mitt Romney doesn't seem to know. He called on the State Supreme Judicial Court to delay the May 17th deadline, because this new legislature has created a 'conflict.' His opinion is that the public should make the decision, and that opportunity won't present itself until the legislation is voted upon in a public ballot in November 2006. Romney has been a less-than-subtle opponent of gay marriage from the get-go. He is also a known jackass.
Tom Reilly, on behalf of the state's highest court, has said that the May 17th imposition will go on as planned. This means that, new legislation or no, gay marriage becomes legal on May 17th -- at least for a time. What then, will happen to those same sex couples who are married between May 17th and the proposed November 2006 vote? Will their union be anulled? Converted to a civil union? Maybe they'll be publicly stoned or hanged as an example to the rest of us. Heck, maybe the vote will come, the amendment voted down, and the marriages accepted. Anything is possible.
By the way, the proposed 'Civil Union' will supposedly afford same sex couples "entirely the same benefits, rights, privileges, and obligations as a re afforded to married persons." Also according to the same language in the amendment, "under present federal law, same-sex persons in civil unions will be denied federal benefits available to married persons." hmm....
March 28, 2004
Spamalot
Well, I was outted. Someone, somewhere got ahold of my personal email and sold it to everyone everywhere. In the time since I left work friday evening and as I sit here, unable to sleep, at 11:40 on sunday night, I received 98 pieces of unsolicited email.
For now and until hell freezes over, I will no longer be available at jason(at)escapist(dot)net. I will instead be at jasonc(at)escapist(dot)net.
My former address will disappear tonight, so please be careful to update your address books.
March 24, 2004
The People's Front of Judea
Monty Python’s The Life of Brian to Be Re-Released
"The makers of a 15-year old religious satire say there’s need for an 'antidote' to Mel Gibson's The Passion, a major international hit, despite its graphic violence and alleged anti-Semitism. Monty Python's The Life of Brian is about a fictional Jew of Nazareth. Born in the manger next door to Jesus, he joins the Judean People’s Front, an anti-Roman separatist group, and is mistaken for the Messiah. Eric Idle, a founding member of Monty Python, sizes up the battle between 'Mel and Monty.'"
Mr. Idle spoke about god, Gibson and everything on KCRW's To The Point today.
PS - Mr. Idle also mentioned that The Quest for the Holy Grail will also be making a return, this time as a broadway musical called "Spamalot". It opens in December in Chicago and will be directed by Mike Nichols.
Spamalot will feature a book by Idle based on the screenplay he co-wrote with Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The show will include two songs from the original film and a completely new score with music and lyrics by Idle and John Du Prez.
March 23, 2004
Pardon me, but I`m having trouble finding the Amazon
It began in August. I bought a TiVo from Amazon. It was my first. I was very excited. There had just been a $50 manufacturer price break, Amazon was offering an additional 10% vendor discount as well as a $50 Gift Certificate for any purchase over $200 from their Electronics store. To top all of this, there was also a $50 mail-in rebate from TiVo. Pretty good, right?
A few months later, I decided to use that $50 Gift Certificate. I ordered a 53 piece set of silverware that was on discount for $43. In an effort to spend the rest of my $50 all at once, I also ordered a $10 rice cooker. Free shipping. All set. Rice cooker came in a week. Silverware never did. Several weeks ago I received an email from Amazon saying that the silverware set was no longer an item they carried and that they had not charged me. I tried to call Amazon to find out exactly where my credit was, but, as many of you have undoubtedly discovered, Amazon does not make public their customer service phone number.
A quick Google search returned several private web sites who took it upon themselves to make this number public, and chastize Amazon for not doing so themselves. Once I called up, I was put in touch with a very helpful woman who told me that she sees that I still have the credit in my account, and that the credit will show itself as a method of payment when I place my next order. Sounds good.
This past Sunday was my friend Meghan's birthday. I knew just what I was going to give her and I went to Amazon to order it. Low and behold, only $20 of my credit turned up when I hit the checkout button. I called that customer service number only to find it had been disconnected. So I called the main Amazon Corporate phone number, hoping that the operator would give me the new customer service number. That number was also disconnected. So was the Investor Relations line.
I went to the web page and searched for another number or an email address, but I found none. So I sent an email through their standard email contact form. That email was bounced back to me undelivered.
Amazon has disappeared and the have taken my money with them.
March 22, 2004
Fun with fireworks
yeah.
John Kerry`s 1971 statement
John Forbes Kerry served as a Navy Leuitenant in Vietnam in 1968-1969. He was awarded a Silver Star, as well as a Purple Heart with two clusters. Upon returning to the US, he was asked to act as a representative for a group called Vietnam Veterans Against the War. On April 23, 1971 he spoke on behalf of the VVAW to the Senate Committee of US Foreign Relations. His discoure was eloquent, informed, and well received. His voice was steady and his posture confident, and his every movement belied his age of 27. This was one of many anti-war activities in which Kerry took part during the Vietnam War. The following day, for instance, Kerry and other veterans threw medals, awards and ribbons over a fence at the United States Capitol building to protest the war.
CLICK HERE to read the comments made by a 27 year old John Kerry before the Senate Committee of US Foreign Relations on April 23, 1971.
March 05, 2004
The best decorated cell in the whole dang prison
Martha Stewart was found guilty of the four remaing charges levelled against her. She may face prison time. All this to make an example out of a popular personality. All this is the name of proving that they mean business. She's already lost enough. This is all pretty sick. I think it falls somewhere between music piracy subpoenas and bans on gay marriage on the patented Jason Carlin Disgust-O_Meter.