More of the Same

Feiticeira's dancing makes gay boys straight.

ra-ra-random

new veoh. good or bad? vermont anti-nudity people. bad.

The Paradox of Murdoch's Bid

That post about the WSJ seemed pretty biased and I just thought I should point out that it was not in the spirit of your usual insistence on honest reporting. Why do you get all worked up about this issue when you remain calm discussing topics from God to War to the Devil to Love or Sprots or Sports or Politics? About this you get worked up?

Well, first, when you put it that way it does seem silly and I'm ready to take back the heat. But the idea is that this brings head to head to issues that I care about. Journalism and Freedom. Only, here those two things that so often go hand in hand collide. Usually, free press operates both in an economic and journalistic sense in that anyone can open up a news media outlet and say what they want independently and people choose what to hear and read and believe. In such a case, the interests of freedom and journalism are served by allowing the invisible hand to move the economy undisturbed.

The problem here is that people trust a news source that has the means, the resources, to deliver great reporting. Another interest wants to takeover the WSJ and the repercussions may be harmful to the quality of future reporting or even introduce bias. So a free market economic system may now damage the free dissemination of information. Government regulation, which usually acts not in the interests of freedom, may in this case operate to protect knowledge and freedom. Paradox.

A List

Masada. Ein Gedi. Dead Sea. Holy Sepulchre. Ναός της Αναστάσεως. Tower of David. Much Tiredness. A coworker came back, so I had to switch workstations. Another left. Went to a better place. In this world. Actually, I don't know if the other place is actually better, but the job title sounds more important. And that's how it is. So my new computer was broken. Had been for months, but no one needed it. It was fixed today. Within 2 hours. It's like that, too. Saw a kid grab a little kitten and chase another kid with it. Then he threw it. Landed about half a foot away from me and ran off. Then another guy marched by with a giant cross and a pack of people singing in Latin. Here come a guy in a black robe. Another one, older, sitting in the corner next to the door holding a fan up in front of his face so you can't see him. Israel finished the ceiling in 2000 because the factions couldn't agree who should do it and the Second Coming was coming. Confessions in English, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, French, and Greek. Beat that! No head coverings, please. For women, it's okay. But no shorts. Can you perform the Salaat? Sorry, no Jews on the Temple Mount. Here, try some candy. Take my picture. Here, with the white horse. Won't you please give me something for it? Just two shekel? Can you make it 5? Atah hagever!

Wall Street Journal, Dead at 118

Rupert Murdoch advanced today in his bid to destroy. . . er cough cough. . . to buy. . . the Wall Street Journal from Dow Jones & Company after his gangsters, whoops, I meant negotiators, broke enough legs to force, that is, erhrr, secured the agreement of several members of the controlling Bancroft family. News Corp. is expected to pay $5 billion for the leading financial newspaper. (link) Aww, we might as well just read the Springfield Shopper or the USofA Today. btw

Give Up Your Right Arm for Peace

Egyptian and Jordanian ministers visited Israel for high level peace talks today. They promised Israel recognition and normal relations in return for Israeli withdrawal to pre-1967 borders and the creation of an independent Palestinian state within Israel's current borders.

Promising. Great. The question is this: Who are they? Meaning, the point of contention is between Israel and the palestinian refugees, who are supposedly represented by the Palestinian Authority. The neighboring Arab countries really have no say in the matter. Sure they can aid in the negotiations and pressure the Palestinians, but they cannot guarantee Palestinian cooperation, nor can they make deals on their behalf. Furthermore, Hamas maintains its refusal to recognize Israel, despite anything Egypt or Jordan or even the Fatah-led PA emergency cabinet can will say.

The whole thing is a misnomer. It is like Chad or Kenya saying, "We will grant recognition to the refugees in Darfur if they give us a pound of flesh." Even if they desperately wanted recognition and gave up a pound of their flesh, Chadese or Kenyan recognition will not help them because they are being pursued by Sudan. The NYT is hopeful. Probably hopeful that it will be able to use this somehow to make Israel look bad.

I am going to start an organization called GUYRAP? Give up your right arm for peace. It will be a parody of the so-called peace organizations that recommend doing essentially just that, only most of these don't seem to fully appreciate their right arms.

Mall Madness

I was walking through the mall, and this totally hot guy suddenly motions to me and asks, out of the blue, "rotzeh lit'om?" (would you like to taste?) Umm, yaah. Snap back to reality. He's manning a booth selling spices and teas. At some point I made it to the movie theater, loaded with spoiled meat (I didn't know until it was too late), and saw the latest Potter movie. Enjoyed it but was disappointed. You must know what I mean. My "3 weeks" beard is pretty annoying.

John Jacob Jingelheimer Schmidt

Oh, Jakey, you're great. On the way to see Harry Potter 5, he found this gem:

JIM: "So, you excited about HPV?"
ME: "Wait ... let me think of a witty response ...... I have a burning desire to see it!... I've really been itching to see it!... This movie better start or I'm about to turn red!"

What's the rule if a whole room full of people are watching Kong and the soccer championship is on TV? Well, football comes first. Wasn't it obvious?

How about this one. You are using the computer and someone else needs it "for just a minute to check something". Is it impolite to insist he wait until you are finished? What if it is already late at night and he "needs to check it before he goes to sleep"?

Ah, the beauty of economics. Economics? Yes, economics. The study of the allocation of scarce resources among competing needs and desires of individuals and society.

When Literature Goes as Freight

how i wished we could sleep in the same bed and cuddle together and talk and laugh and cry. it wasn't even sex i wanted. just him. i left him a note when i left "bye sexy, thanks 4 the awesome evening" it's the closest i came to letting someone in on my secret, but i could always say it was a joke if questioned wrong about it. actually a french guy in my summer school started hitting on me yesterday. the trouble is, maintaining my self-confidence requires being intimate only with people i really respect and admire - or at least, am truly infatuated with. so if someone isn't really hot, i won't get in bed with them. smart idea, right? problem is, that limits my options. anyway, this parisian dude didn't make the cut. nice guy and all, i said we could just be friends. the whole scene was like something out of a movie.

first i was watching tv, and he kept looking over at me. then i got up to go do my laundry and i knew his eyes were following me. he came into the laundry room and tried feebly to strike up a conversation (remember the laundry scenes in 40 Yeary Old Virgin?)

He asked something about the quantity of clothing i was washing, and i responded something about how often i do laundry and liking to keep my clothing clean. i excused myself to get my detergent from my room, and wasn't surprised to find him still in the laundry room when i returned. it was clear already this was more than standard introductions. so i asked his name and where he came from, what he was studying and for how long he'd been here. the standard questions. At some point he asked:

"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"no... do you"
"no, i'm gay, so i wouldn't have a girlfriend. how old are you?"
"howoldiam. how old are you"
"howoldiam. you know, you're really cute"
"thanks [note: i don't add 'you're really cute too']"
:he leans in for a kiss: :i back off slightly:
"actually, i'm a little confused right now"
"that's ok. do you want to close the door?"
"we can go for a walk and talk about it if you'd like"
:walk outside: :silence:
"so. how did you know?" :smile:
"well, i wasn't sure"
:they walk and talk for a while:
:he tries again for a kiss:
"i don't think we should do this. i've never had a friend who i could discuss my true feelings with and it would be a shame to ruin that by having sex" [question: did this sound like an obvious brushoff? cause it was part of my cheshbon. a big part. though admittedly it wouldn't have mattered if i thought he was mad sexy]
"do you want to just try it?"
"not now." [notice how polite i am]
:more talk:
"you know if we do end up having sex, it will be just for fun. i don't want emotions in it, so no one gets hurt. I don't want to fall in love with you or have you fall in love with me [note: if there was any minute chance of that happening, you just blew it] because you are going back to america after the summer and i will go back to france. under the circumstances, it is not a good idea."
"so basically you're saying 'i don't really like you that much, but i haven't got anything better at the moment...'"
"no, i think you are very cute. it's just the circumstances, you understand"

i did understand. but of course though it seems weird to be so open about that, it is only what i would have wanted from it as well to be honest. he's from paris, i'm from new york. it couldn't work long-term even if i did like him. but the other guy, from my old school. he could be a real option. if only i could feel safe enough to talk to him about it...

What's the Redneck Agenda?

The Blogger site is still in Russian and I can't read a word of it and I can't write titles for my posts. Had to post this, from Alice Zheng:

Most people can't understand

how others can blow their noses

differently than they do.

-- Turgenev

Shabbat Dreams in Your

Amazing Shabbat. Went with a friend, stayed by family, great food, wonderful company, caught up with old friends. One guy I saw Friday night and just couldn't get him out of my head. He is so hot and beautiful, cute and sweet. Just perfect. When he said something about putting on weight since coming to Israel, getting a beer belly (it was clear he had no such thing), I wanted to say, "I saw you when you came and you were damn sexy then and you are fucking hot now!" I just had to see him again. Next night instead of returning home, I went back to see him and spent the night. We went out and played pool (my first time) and then chilled, he cleaned up his room, and we listened to Dave Chappelle. I loved every minute. When I'm with you, everything is perfect. Please don't take this the wrong way. I care about you so much. You inspire me. Now, if only you could know. But of course, there is that old "don't want to mess with a good friendship by making it sexual" thing. And the whole awkwardness of coming out and all, of course.

When he was in his boxers and sitting on his bed and I sat on the bed across from him and got an "upskirt" view of his parts when he shifted in his boxers it was like a lick of Carvel. And I love ice cream. They were beautiful. And I'm usually not a fan of men's privates. Gay or not, I'll be kissing and cuddling and a guy will start taking off his pants, and I'm like whoa Johnny, hold it right there boy. And when I do deal with cock, I'm not one of those "I like big dick and and I cannot lie" type of people. I like 'em pretty. But when I'm really in love with a person and worship him from head to toe, well, those parts are just that many more inches of him to love. Sof kol sof, he has a real nice package.

I had a dream that I got married. I was thinking maybe if I got married we would sleep I Love Lucy style on our own beds because lovemaking is fun when you are awake, but I see no reason why I should have to give up on ever getting a good night's sleep without elbows in my face or my dick in funny places just because I'm married. I'm all for cuddling and stuff. I enjoy that as much as anyone, but there is a time for everything and while I'm sleeping, I prefer you to let me sleep. In peace.

Anyway, back to the dream. So those thoughts (above) may have provoked the dream. My new wife is sleeping on the couch and I approach her and ask why doesn't she come to bed. She is unused to the whole concept of being a wife or even being with a man because she grew up in a haredi home where she never even spoke to boys. So I want to be good to my wife and speak gently and caringly, trying to be there without being pushy. She says she isn't feeling well. After ensuring she is well, I tell her that it would make me happy if she would come up to bed, but she should do whatever she feels is best. I don't remember the name she had but it sounded like Lola or Lila, probably based on the opening paragraph of Nabokov's Lolita.

"But Lola," I said, "can we make a date for tomorrow?" And I must have seen this scene in some movie, she replied, "A date? But Teddy. . . we're married!"
"I know, Lo sweetheart, but I just don't get to see you enough."
"You're right Teddy, with both of us working. . ."

The nice thing about dreams is that they are entertaining like watching a movie, but you get to sleep while you are watching them, you get to direct the action yourself, and when there is a sex scene, you are in it! Dreams are God's gift to mankind.

Beautiful Thing (1996)

Such a beautiful movie. I didn't even know what it was, it was just on TV, and then I noticed the boys were so cute and hoped something would happen betweeen them. As luck would have it, that is exactly what the movie was about!

Religion in the Schools

When we teach the Gettysburg Address or the Declaration of Independence or King's I Have a Dream, we reinforce the message of Creationism. That all men are created equal. Besides the inherent meaninglessness and/or absurdity of the statement, it is a most glaring and blatant violation of the Establishment clause of the Constitution to teach this in public schools. Not only do these works contain the message of Creationism, they promote a specific account of Creation by saying that all men were created Equal. I happen to believe that I was created sugar. And I know at least two people in my school who were created Splenda. My mom was created honey for sure, and Derek Jeter evolved. So what's with created equal, dudes?

Tags Label Topics 3X Fast

Oh my Gpod! What's a Gpod? This was so awesome. I had some of the world's best falafel with amazing ice cream and fantastic company. And then I solved a Tower of Hanoi puzzle in my head. Only level 1, but still cool. Science is cool. People are as interesting as ever. And yes.

When You Get Tagged

See here. Now that's cleared up:

1. I love to travel. Also hate to travel, but there is something magnetic that pulls me on.

2. If all men were created equal, life would be damn boring; don't you think?

3. When I do laundry here, I need to do three wash loads to fill the dryer once.

4. I have a crush on Doron.

5. Sandals, not sneakers or shoes.

6. My limit is two and a half liters of beer. (or equivalent?)

7. I read the Star-Spangled Banner on July 4th and found it wanting.

8. I think Doodle is the shizz. (That's a good thing.)

9. Are you saying I can't count?

10. Ice cream is seasonal, but not how you are thinking it. . .

If you are one of the first eight people to read this and haven't yet been IT, I hereby initiate the process whereby you will find yourself in a position of being yourself tagged.

Someone in Tiajuana Love Me Long Time

Seen on a t-shirt. On the topic:

I'm Not Here For Your Entertainment

Why won't Google fucking integrate its websites? Why is it that I can't just click a button from Gmail or GoogleDocs to get iGoogle? Not create a damn pop up window. Not make me type the URL in my address bar. Just transfer me to my homepage. Simple.

I like eat beer for tomatoes. This is a thing.

Hiyeh I'm a Borat. I comeh from a Kazahkstan. I like your titties, yes. Is ok I love your titties? Theya so eh much big eh moneys. We make a sexy fun time, yes?

Too shy to tell you I love you. Know that I do.

That One's Gotta Be Worth a Wank

The site is in Russian today; I guess the last one to use the computer changed the language settings. Beach party for Independence Day. Bar with friends on cheap beer night. Hot boys of MyTown. Crashing by random people. Science on the tongue. A Song for Old Clatterbones. Jewy bitch. What is on your mind? What was? Aww, how sweet! Dumb TV to watch when you are drunk and tired but don't want to go to sleep yet. Stumbling across the street for a water and ice cream, bonus getting to meet some hot boy hanging out at the shop late at night. Not making sense. One of the bonuses of being. Making friends with a girl for the first time this late in life. Step in the [fill in the blank] direction. Getting up early for work when I haven't gotten much sleep at night. Have you ever gone to Jew Camp? Was that a Jewy school? Did you go to Ramaz? Locker room frenzy. Sleazy people. Friendliness. Bliss. God. Heaven. Shit. Random. Up. Power. International. Pride. Love. Death. Words. Flow. Cytometry. Biochemistry. Structural biology. Cell biology. Change. Cartoons. Real live cartoons.

A Quarter of Facebook Users Are Gay

In a recent survey of 200 people conducted by Facebook polling, 25% of male respondents reported having had a crush on another male.

L'hiyot Am Chofshi B'artzenu

hatikvah. still relevant.

btw, is there anything more beautiful (and sometimes heartbreaking) than Israeli youth?

Rough Times for Mr. President

Katzav is being dragged through the mud.
Broken Link of the day.

To Stop Discrimination

School administrators and bureaucrats are so heavily invested in the idea of diversity that they will try an amazing array of policies to get around the ban of the use of race. John Yoo, UCal Berkeley (NYT)

The new US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, in a string of recent decisions, has been steadily eroding American freedoms and expanding the power of federal government. Not surprising, considering he is a Bush appointee.

Notwithstanding, his latest decision was a win for racial equality. In a 5-4 decision, the Court has ruled that schools may not use race as an admissions criteria for public high schools and elementary schools. School disctricts in Seattle and Jefferson County had labeled students "white" "black" or "non-white" and used these values to disadvantage white students in school assignments. In the opinion of the Court, Roberts wrote, "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."