Archive for September 1st, 2004

2004.09.01

Talk Like a Pirate BBQ!

Arrr, Mateys!

September 19th be Talk Like a Pirate Day, so we’ll be having a pint or three of grog and plates of food on September 18th to ring in the holiday! Aye, and you be invited. Bring yerself smartly to 768 16th Avenue in this city of San Francisco on the 18th. Drop anchor anytime after 4PM. The usual applies, me beauties: bring yer own swill or bring yer own vittles. Sometime before we’re all walking the crooked plank the band Not Bill will play a shanty or three if it amuse ye. Not Bill is Scott Biezad, David Becker (the original Davey Jones) and me, Doug.

Come, slake yer thirst and belay yer hunger. See ye on the 18th!

Arrr,

-Doug.

PS: Invite yer friends, especially the pretty ones! Send this link to let them know.

PPS: If yer interested in more about this holiday, visit http://www.talklikeapirate.com!

PPPS: This invitation goes for my web friends, too!

UPDATE!

Ahoy Mateys!

A quick note to be sure of certain facts…

The BBQ is on September 18th, not 19th. We are raising a pint to Talk Like a Pirate Day one day early, don’t you know, to get a jump in the wind.

You do not *have* to dress or talk like a pirate. You may be called upon to walk the plank and speak with the fishes in the clear cold sea (or not). As Scott says, “No, you don’t have to dress like a pirate, and talking like a pirate won’t be required, but it’s possible there might be pillaging going on.”

Avast!

-Doug.

2004.09.01

Republican Convention

[One] issue is the claim that Republicans are at their best when they are defending and spreading freedom and liberty. This is true, absolutely. Everyone is at their best at times like these, and not just Republicans (however they are slyly taking all the credit).Just as I followed as much of the recent Democratic Convention, I am also trying to follow the Republicans. Their speeches so far have been smart, and are not leaving many cracks for actual criticism. Yes, I could use the inflamed criticisms of some radical Democrats, but they are not rational, logical or even generally convincing. Looking at it from my point of view, they are only leaving a few holes.

For example, Rudy Giuliani constantly stressed what President Bush did, and how he is essentially a man of action and conviction. Yet his actions are not tempered by any thought, and his convictions are as narrow as any bigots. He is a leader, yes, but by happy mistake and a shoddy election. I’m not saying Gore or any other leader would have been better suited, but they could not have done any worse.

The second item of issue is the claim that Republicans are at their best when they are defending and spreading freedom and liberty. This is true, absolutely. Everyone is at their best at times like these, and not just Republicans (however they are slyly taking all the credit). That’s not my issue, though; how can they claim the higher road of spreading liberty and freedom when this President is for limiting the freedoms of our own citizens?

“What the hell are you talking about?” you ask. I’m talking about the rights all of us lost very shortly after September 11th, 2001. The USA Patriot Act, no matter what they tell you, is an infringement on our freedoms (see my previous article). Further, this President is more than willing to show his prejudice for a specific segment of our population: homosexuals. If you think this isn’t prejudice then you do now know what prejudice is, nor have you experienced it.

Of course these are essentially domestic issues. The Republicans are wisely, for now, avoiding those. I expect they will be brought up in the coming days, however. In the meantime they are trying to say we are safer now then before the dreadful attacks dubbed 911. Are we safer? Whose metrics are we using? Is the world safer? They will say we are, but that doesn’t make it so. Of course the Democrats will probably say we are in more danger, but that doesn’t make it so, either. It’s all marketing. I would wager we are in exactly the same position we were on 2001.09.10 (linked because it shows just how mundane things were before 9-11).

I wish the Republicans had someone, anyone, aside from George W. Bush running for President. He is not Presidential material. Giuliani and McCain spoke for him last night, but it’s a shame they did not run against him for the nomination.

More thoughts as I see/hear more.

In a quick aside, I find it funny that USA Today has filmmaker Michael Moore covering the Convention. It’s like a Twilight Zone episode.