[ Monday, July 29, 2002 ]
Cocaine Cited in Entwistle's Death (washingtonpost.com)
At least he died a right proper rock-star death. The words "I hope I die before I get old" keep rattling around in my brain. When are we old?
Peter Palermo [2:55 PM]
[ Friday, July 26, 2002 ]
By request, another art moment....
click here to enlarge
This is a Bouguereau. A favorite artist of the flourishing art card biz, and why not? He had a masterful hand, and created beautiful paintings of.....very pretty young girls. Almost without exception, he painted lovely young girls. Brother liked his ladies pink and dewie. This, I suggest, is an analogy for lost virginity. That's what the plaque at the museum says! I'm not making it up! Ask Sister Wendy.
Peter Palermo [5:08 PM]
Job is killing me right now, I've got about 3 special projects going plus a concert season to run. It's a little tiring. Night time finds me craving brain twinkies, so I've become totally addicted to Quake 3 - it's all explosions and gore, great fun - and not much interested in writing. So, it may seem to you that the ol' blog is a bit stiff lately.
I want to be funnier! I'm a real crack-up, in person, but I just can't seem to carry it over to written word. I need people to riff off of. I could never be a comedian, I wouldn't know where to start. Anyway, there are some really funny blogs out there (check my sidebar) and I am a little embarassed at the serious note this little journal has taken. Shall I give up politics? Do you all care? What else would you like? Porn? Recipes? Grinding reality? Brain Twinkies?
Peter Palermo [3:08 PM]
One more. Here's one from the UK Gaurdian...
When AOL bought Time Warner, the New York Times asked me to write a comment piece. "What does it all mean?" my assigning editor asked.
What I wrote was that AOL's purchase of Time Warner heralded the end of the dotcom bubble. AOL was cashing in its casino chips. And just like the gambler who trades in his coloured plastic disks for real cash, AOL's Steve Case understood that his run was over and that it was time to trade in his stock certificates for those of a company that had genuine assets.
The New York Times refused to run the piece. They told me I was misreading the landscape to such an extent that for them to publish such a view would be irresponsible. See, all the experts - at least all the experts the Times was listening to - believed that the AOL purchase of Time Warner indicated "new" media's domination of "old" media. Interactivity would take over. Time Warner's only hope of getting in the game was to be absorbed by a new media company.
Peter Palermo [2:18 PM]
‘Donahue’ for July 24 .
NADER: It’s deregulation. Deregulation has consequences. It takes the federal cop off the corporate crime fraud and abuse beat, and Enron...
(APPLAUSE)
NADER: Enron was a supermarket of corporate crime fraud and abuse. And millions of Americans, hard-working pensioners and shareholders are losing trillions of dollars because of what “Businessweek” called a corporate crime wave.
And all the watchdogs and the gatekeepers-the boards of directors, the outside corporate law firms, the outside accounting firms, the stock brokers, the investment bankers, the credit rating organizations like Moody — didn’t watchdog. They weren’t gatekeepers because they were all taking money, commissions and fees from the people that were supposed to be watchdogs
Peter Palermo [1:29 PM]
Agent Admits to Anti-Muslim Slurs (washingtonpost.com)
I mean really.... How did we get ourselves into this? Have we forgotten Crystal Nacht? Have we forgotten the brown shirts? Our government is flirting with facism here, folks, can we open our eyes and see it?
Peter Palermo [11:36 AM]
Here's a piece of pure propaganda about the benefits of motorcyling as compared to cars. Just because it's propaganda doesn't mean it isn't true.
Peter Palermo [10:48 AM]
[ Wednesday, July 24, 2002 ]
An asteroid discovered just weeks ago has become the most threatening object yet detected in space.
A preliminary orbit suggests that 2002 NT7 is on an impact course with Earth and could strike the planet on 1 February, 2019 - although the uncertainties are large.
Astronomers have given the object a rating on the so-called Palermo technical scale of threat of 0.06, making NT7 the first object to be given a positive value.
heh, the Palermo scale....heh, heh.
Peter Palermo [11:42 AM]
Minor celeb sighting...saw Richard Rodriguez author and tv essayist, walking down Sacramento street with a bag of groceries. He looks bigger on tv.
Peter Palermo [9:12 AM]
[ Friday, July 19, 2002 ]
Mom's here. Busy, busy. Not much 'til Monday. Have a great weekend, gentlereader.
Peter Palermo [9:52 AM]
[ Thursday, July 18, 2002 ]
As if you and I needed more reasons to hate this current regime.Ashcroft vs. America from the Boston Globe.
Peter Palermo [10:04 AM]
[ Wednesday, July 17, 2002 ]
KNIGHTS: [singing]
We're Knights of the Round Table.
We dance whene'er we're able.
We do routines and chorus scenes
With footwork impeccable.
We dine well here in Camelot.
We eat ham and jam and spam a lot.
[dancing]
We're Knights of the Round Table.
Our shows are formidable,
But many times we're given rhymes
That are quite unsingable.
We're opera mad in Camelot.
We sing from the diaphragm a lot.
[in dungeon]
PRISONER:
[clap clap clap clap]
[in medieval hall]
KNIGHTS: [tap-dancing]
In war we're tough and able,
Quite indefatigable.
Between our quests we sequin vests and impersonate Clark Gable.
It's a busy life in Camelot.
MAN:
I have to push the pram a lot.
Peter Palermo [2:25 PM]
[ Tuesday, July 16, 2002 ]
From the NY Times (requires registration) "One last item: Mr. Bush, who put up 1.8 percent of the Rangers syndicate's original capital, was entitled to about $2.3 million from that sale. But his partners voluntarily gave up some of their share, and Mr. Bush received 12 percent of the proceeds — $14.9 million. So a group of businessmen, presumably with some interest in government decisions, gave a sitting governor a $12 million gift. Shouldn't that have raised a few eyebrows?"
read the entire article - Steps to Wealth
Peter Palermo [10:08 AM]
[ Monday, July 15, 2002 ]
Corporate America is morally bankrupt. Where are (giving up) our leaders? Where is the voice of progressive reform? Are we all asleep?
Peter Palermo [10:42 AM]
[ Friday, July 12, 2002 ]
today's art moment, brought to you by Grant Wood
click here to enlarge
Peter Palermo [2:37 PM]
"Even more interesting is Halliburton's governmental record under Mr. Cheney. In an August 2000 report, the Center for Public Integrity noted that Mr. Cheney had said that the United States should lift restrictions on American corporations in countries listed by the government as sponsoring terrorism. Hey, that was then, this is now." - Molly Ivins. Go read the rest.
Peter Palermo [1:14 PM]
via Donald -CNN.com - Sesame Street to introduce HIV-positive muppet
Donald adds, "How come there's no Turret's Syndrome muppet or ADD Muppet or Cerebral Palsey Muppet or Wheel Chair Muppet??????" or a muppet who can't get laid, or an alchoholic muppet or a realtor muppet who cheats on his wife?
I would only point out to Donald that there are now 5 millions AIDS orphans in the world which equals the total amount of children under 5 in the US.
Peter Palermo [11:59 AM]
[ Wednesday, July 10, 2002 ]
Prime Minister's Question and Answers in the House of Commons.
"Is the prime minister's government honestly prepared to forgoe all enforcement of this country's marijuana possession laws in a feeble attempt to gain the votes of young people? Furthermore, would he kindly tell this august body where we, too, can score some killer bud?"
Later, the House all chipped in on a pizza delivery.
Britain to Relax Marijuana Laws
Peter Palermo [5:13 PM]
[ Tuesday, July 09, 2002 ]
Hey, look - Son of Sam has his own web page.
Peter Palermo [5:06 PM]
[ Monday, July 08, 2002 ]
More news on the pure food front. This article in the UK Gaurdian, describes what goes into your chicken nugget.
I've been trying to put some of the knowledge I gained from reading "Fast Food Nation" into use. I've been buying my meat at the local butcher who grinds his own burger. I've been searching for a source of grass fed beef, but I've haven't found one yet. And as for McDonald's - rather than something I do because it's easy, it's now something I do as the last resort.
Peter Palermo [10:21 AM]
[ Friday, July 05, 2002 ]
Last year, an international group of musicians working under the name, Tabla Beat Science performed at Stern Grove, (my employer). We taped the concert and the Bassist, Bill Laswell (legend - he co-wrote "Rock-it" with Herbie Hancock) took the tapes back to NYC and mixed them down. His label, Axiom, is now set to release the CD this week. Go buy it! The Festival gets a royalty and you get some some awesome music.
Amazon.com: buying info: Live in San Francisco at Stern Grove
Peter Palermo [10:21 AM]
[ Wednesday, July 03, 2002 ]
Playwright, Tony Kushner (Angels in America), gave the commencement address at Vassar this year. Here's a snip. The whole thing is a gem. (via honan.net)
You wanted to hear from a playwright, at least some of you did, at least someone at Vassar did, unless a mistake has been made and you actually meant to invite Tony Kushner the British Holocaust historian. He might have been a better choice, Holocaust with either a big or little "H" being something we all have to think about constantly during these very dark days. If you meant to invite me, and let's proceed from that assumption, then you wanted a playwright, and I have to say what a strange choice, what with Gabriel blowing his trumpet and the Book of Revelation unfolding seal by seal and all; it's as if you'd been warned of years of calamity and famine ahead and in response you anxiously stuffed an after-dinner mint in your pocket. You should have gotten the British Tony Kushner, or maybe Condoleezza Rice, who is I believe actually mentioned in the Book of Revelation--I know Stanford University is mentioned, I know her boss is mentioned, I know John Ashcroft features prominently, and not pleasantly, with batwings and horns; really, you can look it up. This is a time of crisis, and in a time of crisis we all have to focus on getting real, and you, what do you do? You get a playwright to deliver the 2002 commencement speech. )
Peter Palermo [4:59 PM]
[ Tuesday, July 02, 2002 ]
Did you all know that David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar are on tour together? Is that not hysterically funny? Read what Roth has to say about his ex bandmates.
Peter Palermo [4:14 PM]
I want to write a lengthy piece about my experiences with the Legends of Hip Hop dance company this weekend. Hopefully, I'll have time in the next day or so.
Postings might be scarce for the next few days, what witht the holiday and all. Fourth of July just isn't the same without the child size munitions they use to sell us. I spent weeks blowing up my army men.
Peter Palermo [3:47 PM]
Rob Morse had a nice piece in the Sunday Chronicle. The sad truth about this town I love.
S.F.'s looks can be deceiving
Peter Palermo [3:43 PM]
