NO MORE TROUBLE
The Morning Brief, Vol. IV, #7 (February 12, 2001) -- We don't need no more trouble.
CONTENTS
Evil Rainmaking
Machine
Tips for Pseudo-Aristocrats
Barney's Warehouse Sale
American Pride
Would-be Assassin and the Militia
Explosive Situations
---
The Moon
The Perfect Storm on Blades
Market Focus: Snickers
Toonage: Wailers @ House of Blues
Hoiday Spirit
All I need is Babs and a box of Bon-bons
---
XFL
Wet-Naps
Downey Wrinkle Releaser
Snack Tech 1: Kit Kats
FLICKAGE: "State and Main"
Snack Tech 2: Rolos
---
UPCOMING
CONCERTS
---
CONTRIBUTIONS
EVIL RAINMAKING MACHINE >>> If I had an evil, rain-making machine I'd use it whenever I wanted to make L.A. come to a grinding halt.
FASHION TIP >>> I wear most clothing once, twice maximum. I find that once I've worn an article of clothing several times it becomes soiled, or passe. The best thing to do is get rid of it quickly, and purchase something new.
BARNEY'S WAREHOUSE SALE >>> Is going on right now at Santa Monica Airport. Nothing can match the adrenaline rush as you enter Barker Hangar...the thrill of beating your opponent to that $1800 sweater on sale for $595...the quiet shame of trying on slacks without a dressing room...and piles and piles of great Barney's stuff for like nothing.
ESTEEM BUILDER >>> Must be a great source of pride for Americans to know that so many of our country's citizens are smarter than the President of the United States.
EXCEPT FOR... >>> The guy who evidently ran up to The White House and started shooting randomly into the air until someone pegged him in the knee cap.
There is a report that the confused gunman was really an innocent bystander who'd wandered into Dick Cheney and the Joint Chiefs' daily target practice.
Just one of many colorful adventures to look forward to from Vice President (Ack!) Dick Cheney now that he's signed up for the all-you-can-eat MILITARY PORK TROUGH for the next 1439 days...assuming we come to our senses in 2004 and acknowledge that Ralph Nader is the one, true God.
STRATEGIC STORAGE >>> Thought occurred reaching under the sink for a can of poison to kill or clean some thing at home --> is it really such a good idea to keep all of my explosive stuff in one, confined area?
Not necessarily in that order...
THE MOON >>> What a moon it was. They call that the Doofus Moon, and I for one am glad it's over. Of course, now I'm in retrograde, whatever the hell that means. Think I'm supposed to be taking extra naps or something.
LIKE A HURRICANE >>> Took my first rollerblade of the year into a BLOODY GALE Sunday evening. Unbelievable. Blowing, rain, locusts...did you see "The Perfect Storm"??? Actually, it was more of a windy drizzle. But I think we can all learn something from this experience:
It's not good to exaggerate wildly. Especially in this marketplace.
THE MARKETS >>> Clearly in an uproar...
Snickers spent like a trillion dollars on Super Bowl ads for their new crispy bar, and I couldn't find one anywhere.
Some guy at Albertson's says, "Just got a coupon for it in SI...I can't find it, either. They must be building up demand."
Indeed. Make us go after it. We'll want it even more.
Tracked one down at the convenience store at work - which has everything. Tastes like a peanut rice cake dunked in lame chocolate. It was fine - anything would have been last Thursday afternoon because Thursday sucked...until it was Thursday night and things got better.
THURSDAY NIGHT
TOONAGE: THE WAILERS @ House of Blues >>> That worldwide, reggae music movement once led by the late, great Bob Marley lives on with his Jamaican band The Wailers, bringing old style, deep island roots rock to the four corners of the earth. The songs still rule -- "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman, No Cry," "Get up, Stand up," "The Heathen," "Jamming." The Wailers rocked, creating that ancient/fresh vibe and pretty much making everyone in the entire House feel great for two hours and then some.
NO WOMAN, NO CRY >>> Speaking of rituals conjured up by greeting card makers, flower growers, and the sugar industry...what's everyone doing to celebrate President's Day?
Also, any Valentine's suggestions for someone learning how to love their self? Dinner out is always nice.
FORGOTTEN BUT NOT GONE >>> For those with nothing better to do...LIVE, on Valentine's Day!!! BABS!!! The Last Televised Concert Performance!!!
Do you get the feeling that we're also going to have the opportunity to pay for Babs' Last Televised Karaoke Performance?
TURNING TO SPORTS >>> The XFL, X standing for Xtra violence, finds a way to injure athletes before the opening kick-off. Instead of a coin toss, players sprint 20 yards downfield and fight for the ball. The winner gets control. In the league's second contest this year, the loser (Orlando's Hassan Shamsid-Deen) suffered a separated shoulder and missed the entire game. Orlando won, 33-29.
Think of the possibilities for halftime...
Xtreme. Xcitement. Xstupid.
WET NAPS >>> Wish I'd invented 'em. Or at least bought the stock way back when.
DOWNEY WRINKLE-RELEASER >>> Boon for khaki-types, or the last episode of "Ally McBeal?" You be the judge.
I just spend $5 for a small spray bottle of this Downey stuff. Going to let it sit a while so I can get $2.50 worth out of knowing I was right never to learn how to iron. Getting all of my clothes extra messed up now so I can go on a de-wrinkling binge. That'll be cool.
SNACK TECH >>> New Kit Kat bite-size - "The new bite-size bag we're marketing like hell...that same, old taste that fools you into thinking your childhood was better than it was!" When are we going to see the Hazelnut Kit-Kat?
FLICKAGE: "State and Main" >>> "State and Main" is a writer's film by a writer's writer. First of all, the writer gets the girl. What kind of sick Hollywood fantasy is that? Except that in real life, writer/director David Mamet did get the girl, Rebecca Pigeon, in a superb performance.
This is Mamet's finest screen outing, surpassing "House of Games" with depth, and the "Spanish Prisoner" because "State and Main" is laugh out loud funny. It's the story of a big film company unleashing its egos and ethics on the good people of a picturesque New England town. Think of "Best in Show" or "Waiting for Guffman" as a film crew comes to town to create big, Hollywood period blockbuster.
Great cast, Alec Baldwin and Sarah Jessica Parker are hilarious as the leads of the movie within the movie. Lots of Mamet-ian wisdom, and some very funny stuff. You'll need to hurry to see this one in a theatre. It's worth the trouble, because "State and Main" is as well-written and acted as a film can be.
SNACK TECH II >>> You know what would be good? If they put a cashew into a Rolo. Or maybe like half a Macadamia nut.
Another possible Rolo: Chocolate/Cherry/Marshmallow. And another: Dark Chocolate/Strawberry/Vanilla Noughat.
Maybe someday, in a perfect, candy-like future.
@ @ @
Have a sweet week!
Your pal,
David.
_____________
At least one of the Bits above is a bald-faced lie.
_____________
The Morning Brief can be read each wwweek @ www.smmirror.com -- in the Web Stuff section.
You can also find prior Briefs at www.morningbrief.net if you've got the time. Or load it up from www.avantgo.com and take your Briefs to go.
====
DISCLAIMAGE >>> Please feel free to forward The Morning Brief to whomever you like. If you do, in part or in segments, or if you'd like to re-publish, please copy me or just let me know. Thanks for reading!
====
Notable shows in and around Southern
California.
Highly
recommended shows this color.
Red
alert; must see!
2.12.01 - MeShell
Ndegeocello @ The Conga Room
2.13.01 -
Coldplay @ The Mayan Theatre
2.14.01 - Coldplay @ The Mayan Theatre
2.14.01 - Poncho Sanchez @
The Conga Room
2.17.01 - Maceo Parker @ House of Blues
2.17.01 - Boy George @ Club Giant
2.18.01 - Merl Saunders and his Funky Friends @ House of Blues
2.18.01 - Bob Marley Day @ Long Beach Areana (w/Bunny Wailer, Toots
and the Maytals, Shaggy, Culture, Wailing Souls)
---
2.20.01 - Bebel Gilberto @ El Rey Theatre
2.22.01 -
George Clinton @ House of Blues
2.23.01 - Jeff Beck @
Universal Amphitheatre
2.23.01 - Los Amigos Invisibles @ Conga Room
2.24.01 - The Negro Problem @ Spaceland
2.25.01 - Bobby McFerrin @ UCLA Royce Hall
2.25.01 -
Deep Dish @ Club Giant
---
3.01.01 - B.B. King @ Wiltern Theatre
3.02.01 - Roni Size Reprazent @ House of Blues
3.02.01 - String Cheese Incident @ Wiltern Theatre
3.03.01 - String Cheese Incident @ Wiltern Theatre
3.04.01 -
Superchunk @ Knitting Factory Hollywood
---
3.06.01 - Lee "Scratch" Perry @ House of Blues
3.06.01 -
Lords of Acid @ The Palace
3.06.01 -
Mojave 3 @ The Troubadour
3.06.01 - Doves @ El Rey Theatre
3.07.01 - Mojave 3 @ The Troubadour
3.09.01 - Erykah Badu @
Universal Amphitheatre
3.10.01 -
Brideprimer @ The Gig Hollywood
3.13.01 - Ralph Nader @
Pasadena Civic
3.16.01 - Yahoo Outloud w/Weezer @ Hollywood Palladium
3.18.01 -
Mogwai @ El Rey Theatre
3.23.01 - Suzanne Vega @
Knitting Factory Hollywood
3.29.01 -
Fantastic Plastic Machine @ El Rey Theatre
4.06.01 - Bela Fleck &
the Flecktones @ Wiltern Theatre
4.23.01 - U2 @ Arrowhead Pond
4.27.01 - Ira Glass @ UCLA Royce Hall
5.05.01 - Natalie MacMaster @ UCLA Royce Hall
5.18.01 -
David Gray @ Universal Amphitheatre
_________________________________
HAVE YOU ever reconsidered? HAVE YOU done something on the spur of a moment? HAVE YOU eaten anything extra yummy? HAVE YOU found a haven? HAVE YOU considered moving to a new climate? HAVE YOU got an axe to grind? HAVE YOU taken a deep breath lately?
RE: MORE THOUGHTS ON BUSH >>> Our new born-again Christian White House resident (he's not president), George Bush, has ominous plans for us and they are rapidly and precisely being implemented with a great deal of co-operation from the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate. The general media including the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers, television news, and most public broadcasting are legitimizing the proposals with very little criticism or analysis.
In no particular order Bush's agenda is as follows:
A. Deprive people of contraception and a woman's' right to choose. This is being implemented both domestically and internationally.
B. Install an expensive, useless, Star Wars "defense system." that is likely to increase the vastly worsen the already very dangerous situation related to a possible nuclear holocaust.
C. Roll back any restrictions on handguns and assault weapons and not implement any new badly needed regulations.
D. Loot and pillage the treasury of the United States of America in the form of a tax cut which will largely benefit the already obscenely rich 1% of Americans with over $1,000,000. Remember that Reagan multiplied our national debt many times with his tax cuts and deregulation of the various industries such as the Savings and Loans. This is theft; pure and simple.
E. Loot and pillage the treasury of the State of California by assisting his friends in the Energy industry in their incredibly manipulative and audacious theft of our funds. Our economy will crash if something is not done and that will affect each and every one of us.
F. Strengthen the Christian right to unimaginable levels with his "Faith based Charities" and other measures.
G. Rape the environment at a time when, for the sake of our children and ourselves, we absolutely must develop alternative energy and protections. The details pertaining to global warming, deforestation, and extinction's are too numerous and overwhelming to go into. We can not afford to wait any longer.
H. Escalate and continue the heinous crimes of war that have been perpetrated on the people of Columbia, El Salvador, Indonesia, East Timor, Bosnia, Iraq, many African nations and others by our government.
I. Kill any kind of Campaign Finance Reform.
During the 1930s, and the 1960s political activism was seen as positive and we must revive that attitude because political activism is the only thing that can save us now. There were a number of Americans, for example, in the 1930s that actually gave their lives to go to Spain and fight the fascists being supported by our government. Can any of us say that we are willing to go to this level to stand up for what we believe in?
The single most important thing that we must do immediately and regularly is to write, call or E-mail our Democratic representatives in Congress, tell them we are politically active and we are holding them accountable for any co-operation with the pernicious parts of the agenda of Bush and the Republicans and most of it is hideous. Do not just read the paper and say to yourself, "This is terrible!" Contact them and tell them how you feel. Democratic legislators allowed the Ashcroft nomination to go through and that is indicative of how they will behave if they do not hear from us. The democrats must set the agenda and if Bush is willing to go along, fine, we can have bi-partisanship. If not, and he won't, democrats must use any tactic available to fight. This is what we must tell them.
It is critical that we do this now before Bush gains more momentum than he has already. The Christian Right is formidably organized and knows the importance of contacting their representatives and that is why their agenda is so prominent and paid attention to so closely. The media, with a few exceptions, is corporate owned and therefore in Bush's corner. They will continue to make it sound like everything is wonderful while what little rug we have left is being pulled out from under us.
We saw during the election how important one vote can be and must now be aware of the significance of a single voice. Remember that Hitler walked right in to France and took over because the French were complacent and wanted nothing more than to go about their daily business. It didn't really hit them until they saw the Brownshirts marching down the Champs Elysses.
The phone number for the Congressional switchboard in Washington is (202)224-2121.
The House Minority Leader is Dick Gebhardt who's office can be reached at (202)224-3121.
The House Whip is David Bonior, david.bonior@mail.house.gov (202)225-3130.
Tom Daschle is the Senate minority leader, (202)224-2321.
All this stuff can be accessed through the yahoo government directory, in case I gave any erroneous or incomplete information.
-- Alan Zorthian.