Andy Mackie Harmonica Man

Sell the Dream Not the Product

The Aussie creative team at George Patterson Young and Rubicam works their 90s J. Peterman copywriting skills on Ebay for a 500% profit, a Ken Wheaton plug in Ad Age, and the resentment of the commentariat.

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch Diagnosed With Cancer

Timeline check: Generation X  reach their cancer-prone years.

When Gay Penguins Go Straight

Harry, one half of San Francisco's famous gay penguin couple, leaves Pepper for a newly wealthy widow who can afford keep him in better style. Mercenary Opportunism or Nature's Righteous Way? Please feel free to project your favored belief system onto this most perfect tabula rasa of flightless waterfowl.

'War's stupid. Nobody wins. You might as well talk first. You have to talk last, anyway.'

Henry Allingham, the world's oldest man and one of Britain's last remaining First World War vets, dies at age 113.

Susan Estrich Openly Worries About ObamaCare

Surprising even for a strong Hillary supporter. I would question the timing, but I'm not in the mood for conspiracy theories.

Good Evening, Patriots. Please Rise.

"And now may we direct your attention to in front of the pitcher's mound. To honor America in the singing of our National Anthem: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Vince Welnick, San Francisco's Own, The Grateful Dead:"

Teaming up with the Viet Nam Vets Color Guard Unit 400 and soldiers from the 6th U.S. Army Presidio of San Francisco at Candlestick Park in 1993, members of the Grateful Dead sing a surprisingly effective rendition of the Star Spangled Banner complete with fussy old-timey harmonies, facial hair, and locks flying in the wind for an oddly Libertarian feel.

Happy Fourth.

Now Appearing *Not Live*Michael Jackson@ the Fabulous Staples CenterTickets On Sale Now

This has to be a first. Fans can register until Saturday for a computerized lottery for a chance to win tickets to the MJ Memorial Extravaganza. 

Sarah Palin Resignation Speech

Her official statement here.

Palin to Step Down

Breaking.

Palin's latest tweet: 

We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy... it is good, stay tuned.

It's the Little Satan's Fault. Jealous yet?

Bouncing off the Obama deflector shield, Iran redirects its exterior blame mechanism and scapegoats the UK for the post-election riots.

I think they're proud.  

"But I'm Only Human."

Michael Jackson dead at 50.

Lisa Marie's heartfelt blog statement here.

(The song from the video is called Will You Be There.)

PETA Forced to Acknowledge Obama Not the Buddha.

PETA has issued a statement on this very important matter. (That's the same look he gave Hillary @ 0:07, isn't it?)

Hoodoo Saturday = Movie Time.

Rather than blog on a rainy, bleak Saturday during which the microwave blew up and a planter was smashed, I chose to spend the day getting deep into the heretofore unknown world of Lord Sebastian Flyte and Charles Ryder - courtesy of Netflix:

This is a clip from the 1981 TV miniseries, not the 2008 film. I'm wondering if Richard Grant based his character from Withnail and I at least partially on Andrews' portrayal of Sebastian?

Rainbows, Unicorns, and the Obama Worldview

Eugene Robinson's article in today's WaPo took me back to the spirit of campaigns recently past and more visual depictions of Obama's perceived worldview @1:12 :

Or perhaps even more to the point:

There Is Nothing For You Out There.

Amanda Palmer instigated a minor twitter phenom as the many and varied Losers Of Friday Night On Their Computers answered her hash tag tribal call. Spontaneously issuing a collaborative list of demands including government-issue, members-only kimonos and etched martini glasses, #LOFNOTC  peaked briefly @ #1 in trending topics before settling into a strong and steady #2 position for the duration of the evening. 

In good capitalist form, the t-shirt has already gone live.

AFP raises glass

Her fairly spectacular closing toast sequence (in bottom up tweet order):

• http://twitpic.com/59pl5 - and with that, ladies and gentlemen....i take one final twitpic for you. good night, and good luck.
  
• HIP HIP!!!! #LOFNOTC!!!!!
  
• LONG LIVE THE LOSERS OF FRIDAY NIGHT ON THEIR COMPUTERS!!!!!! HIP HIP!!!! #LOFNOTC!!!!!
  
•  and when they do, we will welcome them with the warm, non-partisan, loving arms of #LOFNOTC. my comrades!!! i say to you:
  
• ....to all assembled!! i say: every night is friday night!!! every poor sod out on the eurotrash dance floor must come home at some point!!
  
•  ....we must embrace them, we must love them, accept them, we must hold back their hair when they vomit in our toilets later tonight... 

  
•  ...we secretly accomplish incredible things using the power of the internetz. they are none the wiser. we cannot blame them...
  
• ...leaving us to do what we do best: hide. and twitter. as they cavort in their bars and clubs and see their star treks and jonas brothers...

  
  




  
• ...the jeers and the barely-stifled laughs as our so-called friends pack into revved up convertibles, headed for friday nights of vice...

  
  




  
• dear friends, new and old. many of us are gathered here tonight because for too long, we have felt the shame. we all know it...

  
• we're at #2, but that's where we belong, poetically. now. time for our toast. (clears throat). #LOFNOTC glasses HIGH!!!!!!
  


  

Well Done.  

GMAC is now Ally Bank. Hah.

That only took a week to the day from the Fed's brilliant insight (blogged three posts down).

A Development Deal is the Best Revenge

Aspiring comedy writer and ex-drama geek Andrea Wachner gets her Diablo Cody on at her 10-year Palos Verdes Peninsula High reunion:

Dark Market Checks and Balances

Obama admin to regulate derivatives - announcement coming.

Fed Orders GMAC to Raise 13.1 Billion More

Oh. I see. Just demand the banks get more money.  Simple.  Gee, why didn't I think of that?