so human, so frail, so ...

Earlier in this Washington Post piece, we learn that Bush doesn't like to see things, meet people, or eat local food when he travels. Then there's the requisite news conferences:

After some back and forth about Iraq and China, Ken Herman of Cox News Service asked why in the earlier session with Hu the president had "seemed a little off your game."

"Have you ever heard of jet lag?" Bush asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, good. That answers your question."

Herman had another. But Bush had had enough and headed for the exit.

Except that the double doors he picked to leave through were locked.

Sheepishly, Bush turned back to the press. "I was trying to escape," he said. "It didn't work."

i am not the arm

i'm disturbed and fascinated by David Lynch's use of creamed corn to represent garmonbozia, the pain and suffering on which Bob feeds in the Twin Peaks series. A secret food crush of mine that ends up revolting if you eat too much of it too frequently, creamed corn is cloying to the point of sickness. Mike demands his garmonbozia from Bob at the end of the series prequel Fire Walk With Me, followed by a horrifying scene of a mouth slowly slurping corn from a spoon. Repulsive and sickening, it underscores Mike's disgust with Bob and the increasing pace of violence, sexual depravity and growing evil he seeks to combat. i need to review Mike's role in the series, but maybe when the deleted scenes from Fire Walk With Me are finally released we can make better sense of Lynch's terrifying world. Go sign the petition and prepare yourself for "the Palmer Family Speaking in Norwegian" "the Log Lady Howling and the moon/her tatoo turns beet red" "Teresa Blackmails Leland" and my favorite, "An Extended Truly Lynchian Scene Above the Convenience Store."

not to be missed

In this week's Readings:

Ajahn Brahm. The Buddhist monk presents Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? Stories for Welcoming Life's Difficulties. Mon 11/14, 7 p.m., Transitions Bookstore.

You know things have gotten pretty scary when the Buddhists start writing management lit. He's got a long career ahead of him advising Red China's new masters, though.

the birth of an amendment

I don't usually get involved in Critical Mass debates, because they end up devolving into arguments like this, in which we're trying to decide whether bike riding is constitutionally protected.

Cars should not have a greater right to "peacably assemble" than those who are "redressing grievances." This mafia is the police who tell protestors that they are "Obstructing traffic" as they are "redressing grieves" in the public way. Whose right to assemble trumps?

I think, physically speaking, cars become agents of censorship (sooner than they become agensts of manslaughter), and therefore need to be re-evaluated on constitutional grounds.

globalization, truly a thing to behold

BBC is on the scene, providing context for our troubled world:

More than 1,000 ultra-nationalists have marched through central Moscow to mark a new national holiday that has left many Russians bewildered ... The new 4 November holiday marks the end of Polish occupation in 1612 ... The Moscow demonstrators used the occasion to chant "Russia against occupiers!" and "Russia for Russians!"

Join me in reassurance. The xenophobia of the dispossessed has found a common language! But who knew the Poles had a glorious history of colonialism themselves? My identity is so conflicted now.

targeting the youth demographic

Nothing says "refreshing" to today's teens like a Bible tucked under your arm.

Photographers: I am looking for photos of teens in front of churches, holding Bibles etc but looking hip and refreshing.