The Hackenblog

I have been blessed to have not seen a Disney feature animation since Jungle Book, and as far as I knew I wasn’t missing anything.

I was missing this:

I can’t believe Disney made this. It has Elvis songs in it. It’s brilliant. I can’t believe Disney made it. Why don’t they make more like it? They could change the world for the better with stuff like this.

Oh well. I’ll always have Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, and the king of the swingers, Louie Prima. And now I have Lilo and Stitch: Elvis, surfing and “Pudge controls the weather.” Oh Margaret! Disney, ya bastards, I can’t even hate you properly anymore.

“While the facts surrounding the kidnapping and rescue of the Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips have been widely reported, less well-known is that ship which saved him was commanded by a black woman, Rear Admiral Michelle Howard.

“Howard received the assignment of leading the U.S. Navy’s counter-piracy task force just three days before the Maersk Alabama was attacked by Somalia pirates.”

~snip~

“Howard is the first of her 1982 U.S. Naval Academy class to reach the rank of admiral. In 1999, Howard became the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Rushmore.”
Ship commanded by Black woman admiral rescued Maersk Alabama captain, by James Wright, AFRO Staff Writer, April 30, 2009

This is the first I’ve heard of this (via) and if this is the first you’ve heard of it, please pass it on. We should know who our real heroes are.

Check the sidebar or the J LHLS Twitter page for updates from Linda Yau, Jilly Gee, and Rachel Livingston at Book Expo in New York. We’re Twitterfied, all right. Please pass this along to any Book Expo watchers. There will be a full-on convention report in the future, but this Twitter thing is cool for this kind of event.

Furies Publishing (working title: 3 Girl Group) is just in the begin to beginning stages and trying to raise a little money. Please go over and click on their Google Ads or drop them a donation (the donation button is way down the sidebar, or here for those of you who’d just like to toss them a little long green. Their blog content is worth a look). Furies Publishing will publish translated Asian and original English comics in serial and book formats, and probably some in e-formats. Please support them.

Here’s why they go by the names they write under on the blog:

“Virgil, probably working from an Alexandrian source, recognized three: Alecto (”unceasing,” who appeared in Virgil’s Aeneid), Megaera (”grudging”), and Tisiphone (”avenging murder”).” Wikipedia

“Carson Joseph said he had struggled to find steady work since being released from prison four years ago, and when he graduated from a new job training program last week he hoped it would finally give him ‘a step up on the ladder.’

“Joseph, 29, was among 22 residents from Nickerson Gardens and other public housing developments who graduated Friday from the Sherwin-Williams Home Work Painter Training Program.

“The two-week program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is funded primarily by Sherwin-Williams, Los Angeles housing officials said. It focuses on teaching students about asbestos, mold and lead-based paint and gives them materials and real-world experience painting units in their own housing projects.

“‘There’s more to just putting paint on the brush and then putting it on the wall,’ Joseph said.

“The program has been in existence since about 2003, but the housing authority of the city of Los Angeles brought the series to Southern California last year. Housing officials said that so far 91 people had been trained during sessions at Jordan Downs, Estrada Courts, Mar Vista Gardens and Nickerson Gardens.

“The two remaining sites for this year’s programs are in Rancho San Pedro and Ramona Gardens.”

~snip~

“‘I was all for it,’ Joseph said. ‘I thought it’d be a great opportunity for me.’

“He’s not sure whether it will lead directly to employment but said he is confident that the training will help. Bob Ballew, who works for Sherwin-Williams running the training courses, said 72% of the roughly 5,000 graduates of the program across the nation have found employment.

“‘In spite of all the negative, this is something positive,’ Ballew told the graduates Friday. ‘Even though the economy is bad, we hear the doom and gloom, there is still an opportunity to find employment.’”
Public housing residents learn tools of painting trade, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, April 13, 2009

You know what they say at Homeboy Industries: Nothing stops a bullet faster than a job.

Thank you Sherwin-Williams for being cool enough to have a program like this and thank you City of LA for being smart enough to bring it here. I feel hope today, that’s probably a mistake on my part, but that I feel hope today.

Now only $8.40, will be $14.00 on April 10, 2009, eligible for Free Shipping at Amazon!

Now only $7.80, will be $13.00 on April 10, 2009, eligible for Free Shipping at Amazon!

More information than you can shake a stick at at The Wapshott Press.

But, for busy people, here’re links:

The life and times of Anna Cora Mowatt: “Fashioned Lady, Recovering the Lost Legacy of a Victorian American Superstar.” By Kelly S. Taylor, Ph.D.
Edgar Allan Poe, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson were among her fanboys, but too few people know about their idol. The Wapshott Press is honored to present the life and times of the fabulous Anna Cora Mowatt to her well deserved, and long overdue, larger audience. More information and a pdf of Chapter 1.

“The Tagger and Other Stories,” edited by Ginger Mayerson (but I only wrote the first and last stories):
40% off pre-sale to stimulate the economy and whatever else there is to stimulate [heh]. Act now! Sale ends April 10. “The Tagger” by Ginger Mayerson; “Across the Universe,” by Laura Dearlove; “Atlantis” by Kitty Johnson; “Impossible Love” by Kathryn L. Ramage; “The Unsent Letter” by Chad Denton; “Finding Courage” by Gail Marlowe; “Fast Forward” by Logan; “Extraordinary” by Emily-Jane MacKenzie; “I’m Not Your Boyfriend” by Lene Taylor; “When George MacFadden was Eaten by a Dragon by Colleen Wylie; “You Know You Should be a Better Person (But You’re Not)” by Karmen Ghia; “Mick” and “Mark” by Molly Kiely. Authors and Excerpts (also see sidebar); “Finding Courage” Serialization; and “The Unsent Letter” mp3.

And if you really hate Amazon, drop me a line at editor AT wapshottpress DOT com and we’ll work something out. Eventually these books will be in wider distribution, but at full price.

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Moving with unusual speed, the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to recoup most of the $165 million in retention bonuses paid to American International Group Inc employees.

“Responding quickly to public outrage over the bonuses after the giant insurer received government bailouts of up to $180 billion, the House voted 328-93 to approve a 90 percent tax on bonuses for some executives at companies getting federal aid.

“The tax would apply to executives with incomes over $250,000 who worked for companies that got at least $5 billion in government aid. That could ensnare others getting federal help, such as mortgage financing company Fannie Mae.”
House votes to recoup bonuses from bailed-out firms, by Jeremy Pelofsky and Susan Cornwell, Reuters, March 19, 2009

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Howard Dean, a practicing physician before entering politics, was under consideration by the Obama administration for the post of U.S. surgeon general, CNN reported Friday.

“Dean, who recently wrapped up a four-year term as Democratic Party chairman, has been a supporter of health reform, and has privately made clear that he is interested in the job, according to the cable network.”
Dean under consideration for surgeon general: report, Reuters, March 6, 2009

That would be excellent!

And thank God we’re still around to have a blogiversery with a new, sane, and MUCH BETTER president! President Obama is the best blogiversery present ever! Thank you, America!

How long in human years is six blog years? Feels like forever. Here’s our first official post on Hackenbush 1.0 (Graymatter code; ah nostalgia):

Blogging officially begins on the first day of the Year of the Goat or Black Sheep

But I actually started blogging a little earlier than that:

Best of Anna Phalaxia, RIP

Oh, and it’s also that B.A.D. time of year, so click on the posts from Jan 31, Feb 1, Feb 2, and Feb 3 for the B.A.D. celebrations chez Hackenblog.

And what a fabulous birthday it must be.

Wishing y’all a wonderful 2009 and always.

Disrupter of Wickedness Stupidity bushco:

“Just before Christmas, an economics student in Utah figured out a way to help the environment by messing up the mechanics of an auction. The Bush administration had Bureau of Land Management auction offer a last minute auction to sell off 150,000 acres near Arches National Park.

“Tim DeChristopher, 27, just started bidding when the government tried to auction off the land. That threw a wrench into the whole auction. He went home — after a brief visit with police — owning 22,000 acres of land and owing $1.7 million. But he also pushed the price up for oil developers. So much so that the whole auction results are now in question. The AP says buyers were given 10 days to decide if they paid too much. I don’t think that offer applies to DeChristopher himself. They may have to have a do-over for the whole auction — but that would be under the Obama administration.”

~snip~

“DeChristopher didn’t start off his day hoping to stand in the way of Bush’s last minute sale to the oil industry. Instead, he went to his scheduled final exam. …one of his exam questions was whether this very auction was fair since only the oil companies were bidding. That got him thinking.

“DeChristopher went straight from the test to the auction. He passed the protesters and went inside, wanting to do something more, but not knowing what. Then a woman asked him: ‘Are you here to bid?’ That gave him the idea.

“Patrick Shea, who is representing DeChristopher, says that when he ran the BLM under President Clinton he required bidders to show they could afford their purchases. The lack of a requirement was part of the “rush” of the Bush administration to sell the land before leaving office, Shea says. It looks like once again deregulation has not turned out to be the capitalist’s best friend.”

~snip~

“DeChristopher says the most surprising thing was that he bought some of the land at $2.25 an acre. ‘That’s shocking — that we can sacrifice our public lands for as little as $2.25 an acre.’ There is some talk of environmental groups buying DeChristopher’s land. His first payment of $45,000 was due Monday.”
The hero auction wrecker, by Carol Vinzant, WalletPop, December 30, 2008 (more on Mr. DeChristopher)

If there’s a legal defense fund for my new hero, Tim DeChristopher, I’d like to toss a few bucks his way. What a guy!

By the way, what’s the deal with no money down auctions of public land, bushco? Don’t you jerks know that even housing auctions require a $5K cashiers check to even get in the door? Serves you creeps right.

Advantage DeChristopher! Sorry about the legal problems, dude, where can I send a check?

Update 123108: “Tim DeChristopher announced Wednesday afternoon that he would pay the U.S. Bureau of Land Management $45,000 to hold the 13 lease parcels he won in a Dec. 19 sale. His aim is to fend off drilling at least until President-elect Barack Obama takes office and new officials are in charge of the federal Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management.

“‘This would be the most effective way of ensuring we could protect the land at least until the new administration came in,’ DeChristopher said.

“The 27-year-old economics major faces possible federal felony charges after winning bids totaling about $1.8 million on 13 lease parcels that he admitted he had neither the intention nor the money to pay for.

“But since committing what he called an act of civil disobedience, DeChristopher has heard from hundreds of individuals around the country willing to chip in to keep drill rigs off the land and DeChristopher out of prison.

“So far, would-be benefactors have pledged $14,000, he said. ($14,050 now)

“DeChristopher, his lawyers and other advisers reckoned that if there were a specific reason for the fundraising, rather than just an ill-defined defense fund, enough money would roll in to allow him to write a $45,000 check to the BLM within the next couple of weeks.”
Land auction monkeywrencher has a new plan
Fundraising. DeChristopher hopes to run out the clock, by Patty Henetz, The Salt Lake Tribune, December 31, 2008

Tim DeChristopher Legal Defense and Land Paying For Fund

Agency auctions off moral high ground, by J. Scott Christianson, Columbia Tribune, December 30, 2008

Another good Tim DeChristopher story, more details.

“In a surprise move, state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown asked the California Supreme Court on Friday to invalidate Proposition 8. He said the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage ‘deprives people of the right to marry, an aspect of liberty that the Supreme Court has concluded is guaranteed by the California Constitution.’

“It is the attorney general’s duty to defend the state’s laws, and after gay rights activists filed legal challenges to Proposition 8, which amended the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, Brown said he planned to defend the proposition as enacted by the people of California.

“But after studying the matter, Brown concluded that ‘Proposition 8 must be invalidated because the amendment process cannot be used to extinguish fundamental constitutional rights without compelling justification.’”
Jerry Brown: Gay-marriage ban should be invalidated. Brown says the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage “deprives people of the right to marry, an aspect of liberty that the Supreme Court has concluded is guaranteed by the California Constitution.’ By Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, December 19, 2008

See, that’s what I think: Constitutions are for what you can do, your rights, not what you can’t do, which is the purview of the legal system, religion and parents of minors.

Good for you, Jerry Brown. And thanks. I keep saying this isn’t my fight, but it’s really everyone’s fight. You know what Ghandi said: “A civilization can be judged by the way it treats its minorities.” We might be broke in California, but we can still be good people.

Nat K Cole

Joe Pass

Mmmmmm, I was craving this song tonight. God love YouTube; it’s become my online juke box.

RIAA, drop dead.

Good news!
You’re bound to do me good
Come right here to me Good news!
Good news!
You’re what I’ve waited for
I wasn’t slated for blues!

Seems we’ve managed to vote the Bush tyrant out.

Ah, Democracy, how nice to see you again!

(Now we just need Prop 8 to lose in California so we can all get on with making a finer world.)

Update: Grrrrrr, we got too many haters that vote in California. Well, I don’t see how this discrimination can legally be written into our State constitution. If that were possible, women would be chattel, and slavery and polygamy would be legal in several states. Yeah, Mormons, I’m looking at you. But, as has been true for the Mormons as for other groups in our crazy country, I can’t say it better than Dr. King: The arc of history is long but it bends toward justice.

“Philanthropist Steve Bing and Equality California are offering a ONE MILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE GRANT so our new ad can reach California’s undecided voters.

“The ad gives voice to the broad coalition of organizations and newspapers that oppose Prop. 8—from the Los Angeles Times and La Opinión to the League of Women Voters, the California Nurses Association and the California Teachers Association.”
Double the Impact of this Ad, October 16, 2008

What a guy! Now, go find some money!

“STOCKHOLM (AFP) — US economist Paul Krugman, a prolific New York Times columnist and fierce critic of Washington’s economic policies, won the Nobel Economics Prize on Monday, the Nobel jury said.

“Krugman, 55, a Princeton University professor, has formulated a new trade analysis theory which determines the effects of free trade and globalisation, as well as the driving forces behind worldwide urbanisation, the citation said.”
US economist Paul Krugman wins Nobel Economics Prize, APF, October 13, 2008

Of course it was only a matter of time. Congratulations, Dr. Krugman!

But I’m not big enough to do this

(via Maru!, now there’s someone who could do this)

I wish there were more places like this.

And here is a very good page of all things DNC in Denver without the stupid commentary.

Same old Bill, same old magic.

(Geeze, just ignore the stupid commentary after Elvis, I mean, Bill, yeah, Bill leaves the stage.)

“LOS ANGELES, CA. — Bob Newhart, winner of three Grammy Awards, a Peabody, an Emmy and the Mark Twain Prize for Humor, and author of his new show-business autobiography, I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This, making him perhaps the most celebrated comedian-humorist-actor-author-former accountant in show-business history, this summer took time away from his busy schedule to serve as finalist judge, for the 2008 winner of the Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor. Newhart chose, as first-place winner, New York City-based humor columnist, satirist, Madeleine Begun Kane.

“In a personal note Newhart told Kane her essay, ‘Guide for The Opera Impaired,’ finished first because it was “the most Benchleyesque. . . ‘I don’t know if Robert Benchley ever commented on operas in his writings, but it is certainly a subject I suspect he would have handled exactly as you did,’ Newhart said.”
Bob Newhart Names”Mad” Kane Winner of 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor, Robert Benchley Society, July 31, 2008

Mad! You rule so hard! Man, if Bob Newhart, the funniest man alive, thinks your funny, you’ve really FUNNY!

Go read Mad now!

The Pajama Boy
A novel by Ginger Mayerson
In Nagasaki, newspaperman Ryuu Shimada falls in love with a young guy who resembles his lost love in Tokyo. A novel by a woman who’s been reading too much yaoi.
Published by The Wapshott Press

Click the images for full-sized versions.

(more…)

In my defense, I was only 9 years old at the time. Even so, I could have seen this in person! I love Joe Cocker!

(via)

Start spreadin’ the news:

“California is the second state to marry same-sex couples after Massachusetts, but it will be the first ready to grant licenses to couples from any state. Gay marriage is rejected by 45 states, but New York will honor new same-sex unions.”
California gets ready for first gay marriages, Reuters, June 16, 2008 (I’m boycotting AP from now until forever)

Hooray for New York!

Mayerson GOTV: And Californians, before we get too misty, we all have to vote against the gay haters anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment which will bring out all the conservative nutbars in November. If you are not registered to vote, PLEASE REGISTER TO VOTE! You can do so online, fer God’s sake, at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm. It’s all right there, lots of information there. Don’t mess around on this one, please and thank you.

“Democrat Barack Obama said Friday he would apply the Social Security payroll tax to all annual incomes above $250,000, which would affect the wealthiest 3 percent of Americans.

“The presidential candidate told senior citizens in Ohio that it is unfair for middle-class earners to pay the Social Security tax ‘on every dime they make,’ while millionaires and billionaires pay it on only ‘a very small percentage of their income.’

“The 6.2 percent payroll tax is now applied to all income up to $102,000 a year, which covers the entire amount for most Americans. Under Obama’s plan, the tax would not apply to incomes between that amount and $250,000. But all annual income above the quarter-million-dollar amount would be taxed under his plan.

“Obama has talked before of establishing such a ‘doughnut hole’ in the amount of income subject to the Social Security tax. Friday marked the first time he named a restart level: $250,000 and above.”
Obama wants payroll tax on incomes above $250,000, By Charles Babington, Associated Press Writer, Friday, June 13, 2008

Yesss! The rich are different: they have more money!

This is fair: 15% on $50K is $7,500, which is a lot for someone earning $50K/year. It leaves this taxpayer with $42,500 to pay the rest of their taxes, shelter costs, food, gas, whatnot. 15% on $500K is $75K, which is more than the $50K/year person even grosses so STFU, thanks!

Let’s do it! Wheeeee!

“Arrived in L.A. around 5:30. Flying in, I got a view of all these amazing purple trees lining the streets (I forgot to take a picture, but Cynthia informs me they are jacaranda trees). After de-planing, spent the better part of an hour waiting for the shared van. Finally arrived at the Figueroa Hotel at about 6:45. It was pretty funny when the occupants of the van – all younger than me – looked at the front. ‘Why are we stopping at this dump?’ asked one young man, who’d declared himself a 2nd year law student during the ride. ‘Me,’ I said, laughing and squeezing out of the car.”
BEA in LA, Jacqueline C. Simonds, Publisher, Beagle Bay, Inc., June 8, 2008

Ms. Simonds is a lovely lady Tom Good and I visited with in the Hotel Figueroa lobby while I recovered on Sunday afternoon from Sunday morning at BEA. Tom is in much better shape than I am. I like the Hotel Figueroa very much – Tom said he was reasonably comfortable there – most hotel lobbies make me feel like I should be moving along and very quickly.

Check out JCS’ picture of the Scientology Pirates. You’ll be glad you did. I’m glad Tom and I weren’t the only ones lured in.

I was in crowd shock and not paying any attention. And then I noticed…
Mayerson: L. Ron Hubbard!?! Is he here?!
Pirate Girl: No, but we’re promoting his book.
She didn’t bat an eyelid, so she must get asked that a lot.

And then we were rescued by this giant bear who didn’t appear to be a Scientologist.

If only because the Nicholas Brothers were once in it.

“This clip features saxophonist Tex Beneke, singing group The Modernaires and the dancing Nicholas Brothers. The Nicholas Brothers called their athletic dance style “flash dancing.” They are a precursor to the 1990’s break dancers. The “no hands splits,” which they do several of in this routine, are considered physically impossible by present day dancers. Gregory Hines has said that if their biography was ever filmed, their dance numbers would have to be computer generated because no one could duplicate them.”
Glen Miller: I’ve got a gal in Kalamazoo, Clark Picks, June 1, 2008

Oh, and Groucho Marx singing “Lydia”. Eh.

You can buy the 8.5×11″ version at Lulu for $7.00 or the 6×9″ version at Amazon for $9.00.

The Journal of Bloglandia, volume 1, issue 1, is a collection of the following blog essays: On Essays by Paul M. Rodriguez, Liberal Fascism: An Interesting Moral Question by Steve Gimbel, Paint Splatters & Pixie Dust by Dan Kelly, Ten Dates of Christmas? Ten Lords A Leaping: The Gallant Mariner by Deborah Teasdale, Vanity by Susan O’Doherty, The Pillory of Hillary by Becki Jayne Harrelson, Reparation… by TJ Bryan, Richer Than The Sum Of My Skirt by Birdie C. Jaworski, The Music’s Between Us by Kathy Moseley, How to Scare People With Statistics by Tom Good, Red Lipstick by Eva Lake, Barbarella: A Woman of her Time? by Patti Martinson, An Invert’s Manifesto by Chad Denton, Roadtripping by Molly Kiely. Enjoy!

And I’m already working on Issue 2, so if you like what you see here, and you or someone you know would like to have a blog essay in Issue 2, please refer to these guidelines and send the essay on in. Feel free to get in touch with me at editor AT j-bloglandia.info if you have any questions the guidelines don’t address. The deadline is when I have enough pages to publish. Thanks!

People of NE Los Angeles:

GO to the Atwater Farmers’ Market, Sundays 10-2, buy some lemon and lavender infused goat cheese spread from the goat cheese lady (next to the sage honey lady), buy some strawberries from the stand across and slightly lift from her. Put spread on strawberry. Eat. I saw God, but you might have a different experience.

Just FYI neighbors. DO IT!

“When we do talk about the production concept (and generally we don’t) the cast talks about it in terms of movies like ‘Escape from New York’ and the ‘Die Hard’ movies. In my production concept statement that I’ve just written and posted, I talk about the production as if it were a futuristic version of ‘The Big Sleep.’ This disparity is fine by me. ‘Escape from New York’ is essentially a futuristic version of ‘The Big Sleep.’ (And if my cast wonders why I never just told them that I think we’re doing ‘The Big Sleep’ it’s because that if I did, you (and I) may have never been motivated to think about the many ways it’s like ‘Escape from New York’ and the ‘Die Hard’ because traditionally the director dictates the interpretation of the script to the cast… And we might never have thought up that cool motorcycle battle at the end.) However, these differing genre models may go far to explain why the cast didn’t really care if we cut Fyodor Chandler or not and I wake up thinking about it at 4 am.

“The scene with Fyodor Chandler provides a moment where Nellie at least momentarily finds her moral compass. It makes what she does afterwards make more sense. In the modern action-adventure film, actions don’t necessarily have to have moral motivation… or even make sense, for that matter.

“I still worry that I’ve just become the studio hack who cut the scene from ‘The Big Sleep’ that explained who committed the murder Phillip Marlowe was supposed to be investigating. I think my cast knows everyone will be too busy listening to Bogart and looking at Bacall to care.”
Darkness at Sunset and Vine Director’s Log, The Ides of March, 2008

Oh, man, dystopian linguists don’t get no respect. But this Director log thingy is way cool. And there’s video, too!

Click here for a better idea of what the hell I’m on about. Some of you might remember the enraged anti-bush novellas from 2003-2005 that are the Darkness at Sunset and Vine trilogy. Many cool bloggers of those years ended up in those stories, or at least plays on their names did. The first novella is being produced as a theater piece in Denton Texas, and performed there, Savannah, Georgia and somewhere in Arkansas in March and April. Hey, if Hillary can win Texas and 9 inches of snow can fall in the Metroplex, then Darkness at Sunset and Vine can be performed in the Southland. Oy.

By the way, Fyodor Chandler came out of a conversation I had with Jane Seaton about how I felt like the story was a cross between Dostoyevsky and The Long Goodbye. So of course the next logical thing was to name a character Fyodor Chandler. Isn’t that what anyone would do?