July 2, 2008:

“As for oil, Bush said: ‘I’ll remind people it took us a while to get into the energy situation we’re in, it’s going to take us a while to get out of it.’

He added that ‘here in the United States, that we can help alleviate shortages by drilling for oil and gas in our own country, something I’ve been advocating ever since I’ve been the president. I’ve been reminding our people that we can do so in environmentally friendly ways … It makes no sense for — to watch these gasoline prices rise when we know we can help
affect the supply of crude oil which should affect the supply of gasoline prices.’”
–George W. Bush

And I repeat, using George’s own words, from January 31, 2006:

“Here we have a serious problem. America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology.”
– George W. Bush

I guess the technology he was talking about was oil wells and breaking our addiction to oil by getting our hands on more oil.

Addicted to oil, indeed.

January 31, 2006

“Here we have a serious problem. America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology.”
– George W. Bush

June 18, 2008

“Our nation must produce more oil. And we must start now.”
–George W. Bush

Two years ago, we were told we were addicted to oil and had to break our addiction to oil. Now we need to get our hands on more oil. Now that, my friends, is the language of a true addict.

“I have a cocaine problem. I am out of cocaine.”
– Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

“If they’re forced to wear a suit that they feel they’re not fastest in, then it will affect their performance.”
–Brenden Hansen, US Olympic Hopeful

And why would a swimmer be forced to wear any particular suit? Oh, because they signed endorsement contracts with swimsuit companies! I’d say they don’t have much room to complain, seeing as no one forced them to sign contracts with companies. It would be their own fault they can’t wear any suit they like, seeing as they chose endorsements over doing as they please as an athlete. I’m not crying any tears for their troubles.

But I might watch some of the swimming events at the Olympics. The new style of suits look interesting and, well, sexy.

The whining caught my eye while reading this news story, and I just had to share.

“There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.”
—George Carlin

Joey Michaels made a post today I would like to point you all at. My brain is chewing on it, and I always like having something for my brain to chew on … especially since my teeth can’t chew on anything and I’m getting obsessive about wanting solid food.

A snippet to whet your appetite:

If everything is potentially good depending on the viewer, then “good” has no meaning. If good and bad have no meaning, then it stands to reason that “quality” - also a subjective term - has no meaning.

I even left a long and babbling comment over there, because I am in that sort of mood. I’d babble here and now, but the Daily Show is on, and I haven’t been able to stay awake and coherent late enough to watch it for a couple of weeks now. I got to go get my Daily Show fix.

It is in how we treat the perceived outcasts, misfits, and undesirables in our society that the true form of our freedoms and rights are demonstrated.
–Orb

“You have to have the time to feel sorry for yourself in order to be a good abstract expressionist.”

American artist, Robert Rauschenberg, died today at the age of 82. I don’t often mention my favorite artists or the ones who have influenced my own work in any way, but Mr. Rauschenberg has always been at the top of a very short list. I am saddened by his passing.

You can see some of his works here and here.

Rauschenberg on YouTube, discussing art and his erasing of DeKooning works:

In a recent interview on Trinity Broadcasting Network, Ben Stein had this to say:

Stein: When we just saw that man, I think it was Mr. Myers [biologist P.Z. Myers], talking about how great scientists were, I was thinking to myself the last time any of my relatives saw scientists telling them what to do they were telling them to go to the showers to get gassed … that was horrifying beyond words, and that’s where science — in my opinion, this is just an opinion — that’s where science leads you.

Crouch: That’s right.

Stein: …Love of God and compassion and empathy leads you to a very glorious place, and science leads you to killing people.

Crouch: Good word, good word.

Really, Ben?? Really?! Science may make it more efficient or easier to kill people, thanks to newer technologies than rocks and tree branches, but I’ve read a good bit of history. Seems to me that people had no problems killing other people long before science was anything more than alchemists trying to turn lead into gold, and sometimes they even did it all in the name of God and religion.

Ben Stein is a disgusting piece of work. I’ve never thought much of him, but lately my apathy has been turning to loathing.

Orb: [standing outside closed bathroom door] Hey. You alive?

Lin: [brief silence] Um … yeah. Why?

Orb: [toddling down the hall] Just wondering.

It would take too long to explain. I have to walk Lin out to the truck and put today’s coffee grounds on one of my tomatoes.

Let’s just say I am probably an annoying person to live with and leave it at that, shall we?

It’s OK to forget people you once knew.

Anything more I might say now would only serve to diminish that simple and true statement.