Clinging? More Like a Paniced Death Grip

So the folks that were most offended, or annoyed as gun shopper Mike Warner, 38, of Las Vegas phrased it in this New York Times piece, by President-elect Obama's comment about people's feeling towards their guns and their religion, rush out in some record numbers in response to a hereto for unknown and unexpressed desire to curtail gun rights and buy said guns. Surely not in a clingy way, though.

Bush/Cheney/Rove really has turned this country into a bunch of little wussies afraid of their own government. The last eight years of the now former administration and their criminal disregard for checks and balances, separation of powers, and, oh, the Constitution, has, especially for the under informed amongst us, eroded faith in our system. The most basic tenants of our Republic have been forgotten by some (stolen in a sense) even in the face of a display unprecedented and envied the world over.

That will now begin to change if people are willing to see.

And the world is a better place.

Two more big states getting projected to go to Obama. The light of history begins to show from below a new horizon. And at McCain headquarters shoelaces, belts and sharp objects are being collected and the news has been turned off. Typical. Stick their head in the sand. Plug your ears and go la la la la real loud. Some of my pet issues are breaking favorably. While sex still frightens a lot of people health and care of fellow people are doing well.

The trend continues. Allowing some genuine excitement to creep tentatively to the top of my conscience. A monster of a state has gone to Obama. While the few results out on some civil liberty and equal rights issues are being defeated by the wrinkly white haired folk from the olden days and hillbillies afraid of anything new. Like powered flight and electricity. No surprises.

Things appear to be trending towards Obama. The knot in my gut is not getting any better. It seems that the only people sure of an Obama win is conservatives. Liberals have been burnt twice in the last two nationals. We don't trust the Republicans. Rove and his ilk are proven despicable. His ilk has to the very last use the cheapest of attacks to derail Obama.

We're drinking from the fire hose here. So much information. Some many bright and shiny things. Bells, whistle. It's a trick to focus down on the information we want to concentrate on. Indulging, though, on I want to know and I want to know now mind set. A few races aside from the president have my attention tonight. I'm anxious to see if Alaska will throw 'da bums out. One incumbent, Uncle Teddy Stevens, a freshly minted federally convicted felon is actually trying to keep his office. Don Young is still under federal investigation. Has been for a long time now. Spent over a million dollars of his campaign money on his defense. Refuses, though, to say what exactly he's being investigated for.

7:50pm; Clichés. Overused phrases. Tossed about like a ship on tumultuous seas. True, though, true words. We, as a country, as a society, as a people, stand this eve on the cusp of a historic day. A quadrennial Christmas. The gifts come slowly. Tortuously. One can feel the momentous weight of the day as it marches across this country, enveloping everybody along the way. Regardless of political persuasion, knowledge or involvement. Things are going to change tonight. Sure, it can go one of two ways. Joltingly divergent ways. Irrevocable, irretrievable change. There's something in the air. The town, the city. A feeling. Like a holiday in that everyone's attention is focused around a single thing. A feeling of somber, sober anticipation. If things break one way then everything we have become accustomed to as predictors in these matters will be thrown deeply, deeply into question. Either that or, conversely, something is terrible, terrible flawed. Corrupted. Manipulated to the extreme. As in illegal. If things break the other a new day break tomorrow virtually unlike anything this country has seen.

Summer slipping past
Season ending cycle moves
forward as it has

Permit me, please, a second to place my money down in a hypothetical wager on the story here. My money's on; stunt, hoax, fabrication, promotion, bullshit. I'm putting some hard won imaginary money down on the publicity pentafecta. This thing, this aquatic Frankensmurf fish from the deep, has at it origins some very commercial DNA (read; Cloverfield). If I might continue with some, as I see them, salient points. The Montauk Monster. Different poses yet none of the sand is disturbed around the little darling. It appears as though water has washed around it perhaps that accounts for the differences. Where have all the people gone? Montaulk is just down the road from New York City. Just guessing but the shadows would indicate these photos were made near midday. Summer, summer in the city and nobody's on the beach that might be able to corroborate MM was indeed reposing peacefully along a beach in close proximity to 8 million people? At the height of the very season that gave The Girl played by Marilyn Monroe reason to stand upon that one particular subway grate? Furthermore, is there anything, anything, in this world of even a potentially passing interest that isn't instantly photographed by more cameras than cover your average Super Bowl? Look at a google map. As per Newsday the thing washed up on Ditch Plains Beach. Literally in the front yards of a ton of houses. How could anyone find what for all intents and purposes appears like nothing else ever seen to most people and not be driven to find out what said find is all about? Take the creature to a veterinarian. The zoo. The police. A fishing boat captain fer christsakes!!!! Where's captin' Quint? Oh yeah, right. OK. Why, how, could somebody just take the carcass and bury it? What the hell does DNA stand for? Don't Notify Anybody?






Least you think me a cynic. Hard boiled and humorless. I choose until all bets are made and paid to suspend my disbelief as the originators no doubt want me to. Breath deeply the wafting possibility that some day, somewhere, somehow, little gray/blue monsters exist. As the title intones; I want to believe. Sasquatch, Yeti, Loch Ness, Gray's. Bring 'em all. I relish the thought of a quantum leap in zoology as much as the next person. But then the mystery is gone in a general way. Studied, identified, cataloged. The wonder of the unknown vanishes. Faith is not sole providence of religious believers. Having faith that there are things unknown, beyond our imagination even, provides no small amount of comfort. To have faith that we are not alone. To have faith there is new yet to be discovered is part of what makes us us. Sometimes we look around at this world, see the glass half empty and say to ourselves please don't let this be all there is. How could anyone be so arrogant as to think with any certainty that we know it all or the we here on earth is all there is. Here's hoping then that the Monster of Montaulk is as real as it gets.

the better known version;
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

a not so well known version;
Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And marigolds all in a row

Like with any long lived, beloved writing the above has at their roots humor, in this case a good dose of maybe cruel mockery and politics. Regardless of the pedigree this little ditty is very adult in origin. Dissident to say the least as it was treasonous to mock royalty. As for me? I just like to get my feet dirty. Don't you? Like my feet dirty that is.

For much, much more get on over to my Nite Flirt photo page

We all cream for ice cream!!!! Went downtown the other night for a wee snack. I was so hot. Got a big 'ol chocolate ice cream cone and wouldn't you know it just as soon as I touched the thing it started creaming all over me. With summer approaching and record triple digits all up and down the East Coast I'd thought I'd throw out a little something, something for my foot lovers. This phenomenon seems to happen to me quite a bit. I've had pop cans practically explode with the slightest coaxing. Ketchup bottles eject their contents in great gushes when cradled in my hands. I flip off the top and squirt goes the sauce all over the table. It's something I've learned to have fun with. People don't complain, oddly enough, when champagne geysers in a great arc across the room. Or steak sauce spews forth in great globs of dark deliciousness. And certainly it's made me a fav amongst my most intimate friends as you might well imagine. In fact please do. Always remember there much more of me to see at my Nite Flirt Photo Page or you can talk to me live on Nite Flirt. I am so looking forward to that.

What I saw on my trip to the (really) big city.

What I saw when I got back to my (really) small town.

A year cannot go by without me making some acknowledgment of the time's passing. I'd like to be able to say the last year was taken up by something romantic, adventurous, dynamic, dangerous. How would it sound that I was in the middle of some international intrigue? Too much? Why not me? Somebody's got to do it. International intrigue I mean. Would you like to hear about my year long travels with oh say Norwegian Royalty. Ballooning over the great savanna's and farmland and mounts of the world. Oh if it were only so. I was busy, you see, cutting a swath broad and deep through the concrete canyons of financial districts everywhere. Making killings of all and any manner. Alas, no. No I was not. I have busied myself with the adventure and romance and danger of everyday living. And making photographs. And chatting up the most delightful folks that call me through Nite Flirt.

Just to follow up on the below. Simply: he's doing fine. College you know. Just like any other kid. With so, so many people being found innocent of crimes charged through DNA after decades of prison time this miscarriage of justice was rectified relatively quickly. Nearly immediately. Though DNA didn't play a part in this, just good old fashion common sense, the outcome still speaks to the nature of the US legal system and the fact that while far from perfect it's open to righting itself when acted upon by the appropriate forces and circumstances.