Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Obama: Remove Dick from Hand

You could feel it. The ramping frustration of the informed electorate who watched for the past seven years as the Constitution was dismantled and rampant idiocy festered within the confines of Washington D.C. Then hope which steadily grew through the primary season climaxing when Obama won the nomination. A momentary relief at a chance for hope with opportunity on the horizon and a self-asserted assurance of victory. And now? Inkling trepidation. We're worried.

We're really worried.

We're watching as Obama and McCain lob shots at one another. No deadly blows yet, merely minor skin irritation. But we see the strategies developing during the lull before the conventions. The first trimester of the general election nears its close and we're all teetering on a razor's edge of fright at a possibility we thought entirely unlikely: Obama may keep his dick in his hand.

This past week Obama rejected General Wesley Clark's true comments. Obama continued walking his political tight-rope, respecting John McCain while politely questioning his positions. McCain embraces the politics of fear while Obama preaches hope. McCain manipulates his own positions while Obama is labeled the flip-flopper. McCain runs a campaign while Obama phones the Clintons. And we're all shitting ourselves over the possibility that either Obama isn't ready for a general election, or Obama isn't ready to fuck McCain.

Obama is leading in the polls, Obama has more money, Obama is right. But Obama supporters, the people who are paying attention, are starting to worry. Obama isn't fighting back, he's not going for blood. Obama is keeping his dick in his hand, offering rhetoric and change while turning the other cheek to McCain's bullshit. It sounds noble, it seems noble, it's damned idealistically compelling...but it's lacking. It's politics without balls. It's fine for a primary, when you're simply trying to win over people who agree with you. But a general election? How will it play?

Perhaps Obama is still finding his feet; perhaps Obama is saving himself for after the conventions, warming his dick in his hand before he lets loose with some rampant political fucking of McCain's doddering corpse. I've no idea. But for the time being you can sense that we're all just a little bit worried that each passed shot, each turned cheek, may undo this seemingly delicate little package which is Obama's chance at the presidency.

We're not primarily looking for blood, not even all that interested in seeing Obama fuck McCain for fucking's sake. We've just seen truth trampled, ignored, and abandoned for nearly eight years. Now we would like to see truth brazenly extolled and our nation returned to something resembling its former state. And as Americans our default path to political truth involves a touch of primal political combat. It's entirely possible that our trepidation is misplaced and Obama knows what he's doing. But after eight fucking years...you can hardly fault us for worrying and harboring a touch of the bloodlust.

Special Comment: Obama and FISA

I don't know whether to be amused or annoyed..

NYT story about a botched grift / vigilante?

Basically, a guy comes into town, calls himself a federal agent, invades homes busting meth users, and then turns out to be a nobody, completely without authority.

And he fooled the entire town's justice system.


I can't figure out my reaction. On the one hand, this can HAPPEN? Who the hell's paying attention? On the other.. This totally happened and idiots fell for it..

I duno.

Monday, June 30, 2008

McCain Points: Respecting Failure

Much as I love the incessant fetishizing of John McCain's military service which has occurred and undoubtedly will continue to occur I think it would be damned terrific if someone could please explain why the hell we have to honor and respect John McCain's inability to get a real job.

If you missed it apparently General Wesley Clark said something and shortly thereafter Obama totally rejected what Wesley Clark said because...shit if I know why. Here's what Wesley Clark said, in part:

Because in the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk. It's a matter of gauging your opponents, and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions.
Yup, Wesley Clark said true things. John McCain was in the Armed Forces, John McCain fought in Vietnam, John McCain was a P.O.W., but John McCain was never president, never made presidential decisions. And for some reason General Wesley Clark felt compelled to, you know, FUCKING SAY SO. For shame. By the way, I said, "in part" because I wanted to address this wonderful snarky comment by General Wesley Clark on its own:
I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war.
Isn't that terrific?

Why do we have to honor and respect John McCain? Has it not occurred to anyone, ever, that we ought to make fun of the decrepit old shit for being caught, that the noteworthy portion of his story results from his failure to avoid failure? Sure he flew planes in Vietnam, but he also failed to avoid capture, failed to not fail. Of all the qualifications that ought to be required to be President I'm certain that "captured by fucking gooks" is nowhere near the list.

Sure, John McCain learned valuable lessons from his capture such as "I hated the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live.." And I am happy to honor and respect his blatant racism. But do we really need to respect his failure? Do we need to honor his "service as a prisoner of war," his service of sitting in a cell in Vietnam? Do we really need to continue fetishizing and romanticing military service out of some antiquated notion that it's keen to shoot people? I contend that we do not. And it would be fucking awesome if Obama followed General Wesley Clark's lead and called McCain a "Gook Hating racist" instead of lauding him with faux praise.

The easiest way to win an argument is to not grant your opponent's premise. And "we must respect military service" is a premise which is just begging to be shot out of the air, as it were.

TOYSES!

There is some dread overlap here with J's collection rantlet... but..

Comicon Toys

Okay.. so there are a couple really cool things there... but I'd KILL to have FOOM.

And yet, the last one is the best.

So very bestest

Diablo 3: Interview with Jay Wilson

Kotaku posted an interview with Diablo 3 lead designer Jay Wilson.

He says things. I want to play Diablo 3.

*Update*:
Interview with Paul Sams, COO of Blizzard Entertainment

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Happy Birthday to [chat]

June 18th was EOIAS's birthday. Soon we'll have to start weaning EOIAS off of breast milk and start it on solid food. I don't foresee that transition going too well.