So it?s a bit past two on a Friday night and I’m back with another update. What gives?
Well… There seems to be some issues going on with my web host, 1&1, which is hardly a surprise since they kinda suck. Anyway, I’ve heard a few people tell me that the default journal page (those of you that use RSS feeds and LiveJournal will go directly to the latest entry, but everyone else uses fort90.com/journal, which has the three latest posts all at once) is loading super slow, or not at all, which appears to be the case on my end as well. Even though I don’t have as many pictures at once as I sometimes have, I figure a nice smaller post, devoid of images, might helps things a bit while the goons at 1&1 work on the issue. Or at least that’s what tell me they are. More than likely, it was bullshit.
Plus, given how ridiculously long my posts have become, I guess its about time I finally keep things short and sweet, like I’ve been meaning to forever now…
- Anyhow, once again, its a Friday night and here I am at home, and not out getting sloshed at some Japanese bar restaurant in the village. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… I’ve actually become quite the homebody as of late. Guess its due to a combination of old age, my desire ti lighten up on the beer drinking, and how Fridays are a veritable gold-mine when it comes to Manhattan cable access in the later hours, as I’ve said about a billion times by now (though even I’ve given up on calling the cranky black psychic… last week’s conversation might be the last one for a while; I’m no idiot, the fact that we have a regular, chummy conversation means he’s not yelling at some poor sap, which equates to less than compelling television).
Though earlier this evening was yet another chiptunes boat cruise, which I would TOTALLY gone to, if I hadn’t found out about it at the last minute, which was around 1 this afternoon (even Dave Mauro had no clue, and he normally is the first know about anything chiptunes related in the city). Which really bites since, given there’s this big tropical storm coming to town, winds have been strong all afternoon in the city, so I can only image how rocky those waves are.
Plus, I would have wanted to take Katie along, but because she’s seeing her folks tomorrow, she wouldn’t have been able to stay out late (due to that early Port Authority bus… she actually went to bed a few hours ago already). So instead we watched TV…. though wrestling was preempted for fucking baseball, which naturally pissed me off (sorry, but I’m just so fucking annoyed with pretty much every local sports team, though its the worst when its the Yankees). Instead we had to settle for America’s Funniest Home Videos, which at least brought about this absolutely brilliant idea from Katie:
“I want to tape America’s Funniest Home Videos and submit it to American’s Funniest Home Videos.”
- Speaking of chiptunes, I keep forgetting to mention that Blip Festival 08 was recently formally announced! Once again, coming this winter, the best of the best when it comes to chiptunes will converge in New York City for four solid days of beeps and boops.
I might actually be housing an artist or two that will need a place to crash while it town, though its a bit tentative at this point; as much as I would love to have some German dude whose m.o. is making music with Game Boys sleep on my floor for a week, it might conflict with other folks who might be coming to town for the holidays and that I’ve already promised to accommodate, hence why I might also not be able to attend all four nights either (sorry, I hate to be a lazy Manhattanite, but the fact that it’s in Brooklyn is somewhat of an annoyance as well). Which also means no gigantic show report for GameSetWatch either (sorry Simon).
- On a completely random note, I don’t know why I’m mentioning this, since I said I was gonna keep things brief, but here it is anyway: time to talk about politics, since the RNC just wrapped up and the Presidential race is officially in high gear. Here’s my two cents, sorry if it offends:
Basically, we’re fucked. Both candidates are total jokes. First McCain: fucker is OLD and in horrible shape. I completely respect that he’s a vet and was in a tiger box for how many years, but that’s about it. He’s just another old white guy like the ones currently fucking up this country, and more importantly, is all for the 100 year war. And his choice in running mate? Totally ridiculous. Sorry to alienate even more people, but I simply can’t take any woman that’s not for fellow women’s right to choose seriously at all. She seems like an angry, rather tense woman, and the fact that her most recent child has Down syndrome probably has a lot to do with it (and how her own politics perhaps forced her to carry the child despite her wishes… I know that’s really fucked up to say, but just think about it). The fact that she rushed back to work right after giving birth is perhaps indicative to how she feels about her baby, as well as demonstrating what a selfish person she is. I totally respect working mothers, but the fact that she isn’t taking the time to give the extra time and attention a Down syndrome child will need to pursue her stupid political aspiration is God damn pathetic. And her forcing that 17 year old pregnant daughter to get married is also indicative of what a wonderful parent she is. As for politics, I hear she was for the construction of that bride in Alaska that went to nowhere. Case closed. Oh, and she reminds me of an older, slightly chunkier version of Tina Fey, and given that I don’t care for the real thing… As you can see, I’ve spent twice as much time harping on Palin as I have McCain. Why? Make no mistake, if McCain wins, Pailin WILL be President. Again, the dude’s OLD and won’t last another eight years I’m willing to bet. He would have been better of by picking Liberman (who by the way, was one of the main reasons why I didn’t vote for Gore in 2000).
As for Obama, sorry, but he sucks too. And I know that’s going to annoy almost all my friends, but so be it. First off, everyone goes on and on and on about what an amazing orator he is. Whatever. He’s not horrible or anything, but just nothing special. Its just that everyone compares him to George W Bush, but ANYONE is going to sound brilliant in comparison. But yeah, I’ve listened to a number of his speeches and I still have no real idea what he’s going to do exactly. Its neat how he manages to get everyone excited and all that jazz, but I’m more concerned about the bottom line and finer details, and I just ain’t hearing it. Though at the end of the day, and I know people might not like to hear this, but he’s just another politician. No different from the rest of them. Some are actually aware of this and seem to just want him as Commander in Chief soley because of his race, which is somewhere I’m not gonna go near, at least not yet, nor state if such reasoning is acceptable or not. Then there’s Biden. Oh God, where to begin. This more than anything pisses me off about Obama. Guy’s a fucking loser. Is everyone aware of how much he loves wire tapping and thinks that the internet will doom us all? Just Google “baby food bombs” if you don’t know what I mean. Asshole has been trying to pass anti-privacy legislation well before 9/11. I also loved how he, along with all the other Democrats, was slamming the hell out of Bush over illegal wiretapping, yet he’s one of the dudes that really pushed the Patriot Act that allowed for such nonsense in the first place. And in general, his views on copyrights and how it plays along with technology in the new millennium has been total bullshit, and that’s actually been one of the first things I liked about Obama: his progressive views and unwillingness to further empower the recording and motion picture industry. Why does any of this matter? Long story short: Biden is a believer, along with the record and movie companies, that if some dumb kid is caught stealing the Dark Knight, that taxpayers should pay for all the litigation, not the money hungry companies. Once more, guy’s a tool.
And just for the record, I hope I don’t sound like some pissed off Hilary supporter, because I’m not. I didn’t like her either, despite loving her husband to death. Fuck, if Bill ran again, I’d vote for him in a heartbeat… yes, I’m one of those assholes. Long story short, like many people, for years I’ve been saying that anything would be better than Bush, but now that options are finally available, I’m not so crazy about going to the voting booth. I honestly don’t know who I’ll vote for… I’m just hoping that Ron Paul’s name is there, somewhere.
I used to believe that if you didn’t vote, you had no reason to complain. But upon hearing this, many I know have argued that it?s not worth voting if there is no candidate that you believe it. Valid point. Still, I do believe that most folks who’ve made it such a hobby to bitch about Bush for the past four years should have shut the hell up a long time ago, given how absolutely no one went to the polls last time, especially women, gays, and blacks, all groups directly affected by Bush. And BTW, anyone who wants to give me shit about my political views can go on ahead… Thing is, I won’t be bothered by any of it. I already developed my thick skin, after voting for Nader in 2000 and being told by scores of people how I single-handedly ruined the country. By folks who never actually bothered to vote, of course.
Oh shit… I’ve done what I hate the most: a blogger that’s gone all political. I’ll stop now.
- Anyway, because I almost have to what have I been playing? Not Grand Theft Auto 4, that’s for sure! Actually, my copy of Bangai-O Spirits finally arrived in the mail, so been all into that. Also, been giving Ridge Racer 6 another spin as well! Sorry, but I’m totally gay for the series. And because Microsoft just lowered the price of a few, very random things on the Xbox Live Marketplace, I might also picked up those extra stages in Beautiful Katamari, now that they’re (sorta) cheap. Oh, and there’s also both Yggdra Union and Infinite Undiscovery on the way, I almost forgot! And I swear that I’ll have reviews of all those games, plus all the other ones I keep talking about, very soon! I had better if I want to continue receiving games…
- Time to wrap it up! I have to get up early tomorrow for Joe Simko’s birthday shindig! Should be loads of fun. Not sure what we’ll be doing though… again, that oncoming storm kinda crosses out the possibility of heading down to Cony Island one last time before Astroland shuts down.
BTW, speaking of Joe, a shirt that he did the design for is in an upcoming Hollywood flick! The movie is called Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and it stars the kid that played George Michael from Arrested Development. Anyway, you can see the trailer here… the shirt in question is worn by the Asian guy, which you can kinda see, despite the fact that there’s a jacket over it.
- Finally, even though I said I wouldn’t, I can’t help but pass along one tiny picture… easily the awesome thing in the longest time, at least if you’re a former diehard Metallica fan like myself:
