I have a bone to pick with Trader Joe's Wine Store, Union Square, Manhattan.
I am 25 years old, and was carded upon trying to buy three bottles of Two Buck Chuck (of course, in Manhattan it's three bucks). Fine. I understand that. (Technically I COULD pass for under 21, but most people with eyeballs would guess closer to my actual age.) But then I realized I didn't have my licence on me because I thought a bartender had accidentally kept it one night when I had a tab running. Turns out, no, I'm just blind. So upon further inspection of my wallet, I finally found it, and walked pointedly back to the counter, ID in hand. But now, the chick doesn't believe it's me, obviously, and in addition to that, my licence is from New Jersey, and unfortunately, expired. So they still won't let me buy it. They also will not allow My Wife to buy it, even if I'm not present. Suffice it to say, I was not a happy camper.
I'm sure that if anyone's reading this (unless it's My Wife), they're thinking, "It's your own fault for not having a current licence." And to those people, I say "Fuck you!" No, seriously, I understand that part. But the point is, the cashier and the manager knew I was 25, I had valid government ID to back it up, and a supplemental university ID card with my photo, name and birth date on it. But noooo, my supplemental ID had to be government-issued as well. So my question to you is, "What kind of idiot carries around 2 or more forms of government identification?" Yeah, I regularly walk around with my social security card and birth certificate, just in case I've got a bunch of Trader Joe bitches going all Doubting Thomas on my ass.
But what really chaps my ass is the fact that, as a free human being in a free country, I can't have a fucking glass of wine!! 18 year old boys can be sent to fight and die for our country in a frivolous war, but a 25 year-old woman can't drink alcohol? What kind of logic is that? I'm sure if there was a draft and my little brother showed up without his ID they'd still force his ass to spread almighty democracy all over the world. You know what? I'll just go home and toke up on all the grass I bought last night, which was infinitely easier to access than a bottle of wine.
"Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it." - Mark Twain
**Steps off soapbox**
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Friday, July 14, 2006
Summer Stage
Last night the wife and I went to see Ani DiFranco at SummerStage, after a year-long hiatus from touring. I was really sad when it hit me that I'm no longer all that interested in her specific politics. Her feminist rantings have become hackneyed. She felt the need to define feminism for the crowd, which is the second time I've seen her do this in concert. The people she's speaking to are all women who fully understand the implications of the movement, and vagina-friendly men who know that feminism is about equality of the sexes, and that the definition doesn't even consist of the words woman, female, radical, etc. I understand the need for speaking out for our political priorities, but you're just preaching to the choir, sister!
Anyway, she played a great setlist with some new songs, and I enjoyed the hell out of her cuteness, anyway. But even more than that, I enjoyed one of her opening acts, Toshi Reagon. I heard the voice of an angel as I walked into the venue, only to peer onstage and realize that the source of the voice was nothing like what I was expecting. Nevertheless, I'm totally picking up her CD.
This lady has some serious musical talent. Check her out!
Anyway, she played a great setlist with some new songs, and I enjoyed the hell out of her cuteness, anyway. But even more than that, I enjoyed one of her opening acts, Toshi Reagon. I heard the voice of an angel as I walked into the venue, only to peer onstage and realize that the source of the voice was nothing like what I was expecting. Nevertheless, I'm totally picking up her CD.
This lady has some serious musical talent. Check her out!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Seriously, folks
My wife just sent me this picture, and I kid you not, there is one of me just like it in one of our family albums. Mine, however, is not censored for child pornography as this one seems to be. I let it all hang out.
Columbine Journals
I know this is old news by now, but I'm just now getting around to writing about it. Personally, I believe that Dylan Klebold's and Eric Harris's parents are, at least in some part, to blame for the 12 deaths and 25 injuries sustained in Littleton that day. I haven't gotten a chance to read the 1,000 pages of journal entries and drawings yet, but I'm in the process of downloading them as I write this. What good parent could have allowed all of this to go on? Why were they not more vigilant? Their sons were filled with 10 lifetimes of anger and hate that no 18-year-old child should have to shoulder. And now with the new information that Eric's parents knew about the pipe bomb building, how could they not have stopped them? How could they not poke around in their own basements to see what their sons were up to? How could they not see how badly their children were hurting? How could they not ask for help?
It's a long time before I'll ever be a parent myself, but I hope that I am more in tune to my children's feelings and needs than Dylan and Eric's parents. I mean, what happened to a mother's instinct? In any event, I'm attaching an article that I read this morning:
Columbine Documents Reveal Gunmen's Anger
Rick SallingerReporting
(CBS4) LITTLETON, Colo. Nearly 1,000 pages of information about the Columbine High School gunmen were released Thursday morning including drawings and journal entries.
The writings of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold revealed the anger they had and the extent of planning that went into their shooting rampage that killed 12 people on April 20, 1999.
Among the documents was a journal kept by Harris' father Wayne Harris. One of his passages read "Brooks Brown is out to get Eric."
Brown was a onetime friend of Klebold and Harris.
"The more I read of what Eric's father wrote the more astounded I am at exactly how poorly he knew his son," Brown said.
Brown and his family have been going through the documents since they were released.
"I think that these writings will still surprise people who are the most jaded and will assume they were full of hate because they say the most evil things," Brooks said. "And the more I read this I go 'God, they were completely off their nut.'"
When Wayne Harris described Eric in his journal, he wrote "idle threats of physical harm, property damage, over reaction to minor incidents."
Brian Rohrbough whose son Daniel was killed in the shootings said something could've been done to prevent the deadly rampage.
"There really is a mountain of red flags and Columbine should have never happened," said Brian Rohrbough whose son Daniel was killed in the shootings. "In my opinion (Wayne) was aware of just how dangerous his son was."
Klebold wrote in a 1998 passage that his parents knew he had been involved with pipe bombs."I never knew until this moment that the Klebolds were aware of the pipe bomb building," said Judy Brown, Brooks' mother.
The documents also showed how the gunmen prepared a minute by minute detail for their attack. In another passage, Klebold wrote "I know I will die soon … so will you and everyone else."
The anger inside Klebold and Harris was also spelled on out on the pages of their yearbooks that read "killing enemies, killing cops and creating hell on earth."
"There are numerous writings where they talk about in some form that they are going to attack the school," Rohrbough said. "There's numerous writings where they talk about how they want to murder innocent people."
The "basement tapes" in which the killers described on video their plans for the attack and the reason behind it, weren't released with the documents. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink thought releasing the tape to the public could inspire copycat violence.
(© MMVI CBS Television Stations, Inc.
It's a long time before I'll ever be a parent myself, but I hope that I am more in tune to my children's feelings and needs than Dylan and Eric's parents. I mean, what happened to a mother's instinct? In any event, I'm attaching an article that I read this morning:
Columbine Documents Reveal Gunmen's Anger
Rick SallingerReporting
(CBS4) LITTLETON, Colo. Nearly 1,000 pages of information about the Columbine High School gunmen were released Thursday morning including drawings and journal entries.
The writings of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold revealed the anger they had and the extent of planning that went into their shooting rampage that killed 12 people on April 20, 1999.
Among the documents was a journal kept by Harris' father Wayne Harris. One of his passages read "Brooks Brown is out to get Eric."
Brown was a onetime friend of Klebold and Harris.
"The more I read of what Eric's father wrote the more astounded I am at exactly how poorly he knew his son," Brown said.
Brown and his family have been going through the documents since they were released.
"I think that these writings will still surprise people who are the most jaded and will assume they were full of hate because they say the most evil things," Brooks said. "And the more I read this I go 'God, they were completely off their nut.'"
When Wayne Harris described Eric in his journal, he wrote "idle threats of physical harm, property damage, over reaction to minor incidents."
Brian Rohrbough whose son Daniel was killed in the shootings said something could've been done to prevent the deadly rampage.
"There really is a mountain of red flags and Columbine should have never happened," said Brian Rohrbough whose son Daniel was killed in the shootings. "In my opinion (Wayne) was aware of just how dangerous his son was."
Klebold wrote in a 1998 passage that his parents knew he had been involved with pipe bombs."I never knew until this moment that the Klebolds were aware of the pipe bomb building," said Judy Brown, Brooks' mother.
The documents also showed how the gunmen prepared a minute by minute detail for their attack. In another passage, Klebold wrote "I know I will die soon … so will you and everyone else."
The anger inside Klebold and Harris was also spelled on out on the pages of their yearbooks that read "killing enemies, killing cops and creating hell on earth."
"There are numerous writings where they talk about in some form that they are going to attack the school," Rohrbough said. "There's numerous writings where they talk about how they want to murder innocent people."
The "basement tapes" in which the killers described on video their plans for the attack and the reason behind it, weren't released with the documents. Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink thought releasing the tape to the public could inspire copycat violence.
(© MMVI CBS Television Stations, Inc.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
How to Deal With Being in Prison
I found this on WikiHow.
You broke the law and after a trial, you were found guilty and given prison time. You will spend most of your time in a locked building with people that have done as bad or worse than you. If you behave, it might go easier on you. Nonetheless, you will have to make the best of it if you are going to survive.
Steps
1. Do not cry, show fear, or a vulnerability publicly. Doing so will quickly make you a target for other prisoners.
2. Learn to play spades, chess, or hoops as it makes the time go by faster.
3. Get a prison job which will keep you occupied as the days pass by. 0
4. Read a lot. They have a library there so use it. Catch up on your reading.
5. Consider writing as well. Letters to friends and family, fictional short-stories, and poetry can make time pass a bit faster.
6. Brace yourself for the social dynamics of prison. There are certain ways to behave towards others if you want to get by:
--Do not become a 'punk' (girlfriend). While becoming a punk might give you some fleeting, temporary protection from other inmates, you will be a virtual slave to one. Punks are used and abused. They are traded away in card games and sold for cigarettes. It is not a path to long term survival in prison.
--Do not snitch. If you see something illegal or violent, walk away and do not divulge any information if questioned later. Being known as a snitch will make bad things happen to you. (Of course, you have to decide whether your fellow inmates or the authorities are more dangerous. If you're questioned and lie to the jailkeepers, you can get in serious legal trouble.)
--Stick up for yourself or you will be turned into a punk. It's better to get into a fight and lose than to be seen cowering or placating. Your reputation is more important than your desire to avoid pain, so guard it with your life. Ultimately you should avoid any confrontation if you can, but if you can't avoid one, react quickly and with aggression.
--Stay to yourself, keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone about your personal life or family. Do not discuss either religion or politics. In other words, don't put your business out on the street. At the same time, don't get involved in other inmate's business.
7. Recognize that nights are the worst. You will miss your family, and freedom. You will probably cry, so stifle it into your pillow so no one will hear.
Tips
--Tear up the return address from your incoming mail. Other inmates will write to your friends and family if given a chance.
--Don't get caught up in a jailhouse romance. The last thing you need is to be getting involved in a relationship.
Warnings
--Do not admit or discuss any crime against a minor. Child molesters, abusers and murderers are considered the lowest forms of life in prison and subject to frequent attacks. If you are convicted of a crime against a child, insist on being placed in Protective Custody immediately. You won't be able to hide the nature of your crime in a general population prison for long. You risk your life when (not if) other prisoners find out.
--Do not gamble, unless you can pay your debts. They will use violence and stop at almost nothing to get what is due to them.
--Remember, you are in a house of thieves and liars, and should not believe very much of anything you hear. Do not trust other inmates except in cases where there would not be serious consequences for doing so. I.e. make careful choices regarding your "friends" and your location at any given moment of the day.
--Avoid drug use in prison. Drugs use while providing a temporary escape will lead to other problems.
You broke the law and after a trial, you were found guilty and given prison time. You will spend most of your time in a locked building with people that have done as bad or worse than you. If you behave, it might go easier on you. Nonetheless, you will have to make the best of it if you are going to survive.
Steps
1. Do not cry, show fear, or a vulnerability publicly. Doing so will quickly make you a target for other prisoners.
2. Learn to play spades, chess, or hoops as it makes the time go by faster.
3. Get a prison job which will keep you occupied as the days pass by. 0
4. Read a lot. They have a library there so use it. Catch up on your reading.
5. Consider writing as well. Letters to friends and family, fictional short-stories, and poetry can make time pass a bit faster.
6. Brace yourself for the social dynamics of prison. There are certain ways to behave towards others if you want to get by:
--Do not become a 'punk' (girlfriend). While becoming a punk might give you some fleeting, temporary protection from other inmates, you will be a virtual slave to one. Punks are used and abused. They are traded away in card games and sold for cigarettes. It is not a path to long term survival in prison.
--Do not snitch. If you see something illegal or violent, walk away and do not divulge any information if questioned later. Being known as a snitch will make bad things happen to you. (Of course, you have to decide whether your fellow inmates or the authorities are more dangerous. If you're questioned and lie to the jailkeepers, you can get in serious legal trouble.)
--Stick up for yourself or you will be turned into a punk. It's better to get into a fight and lose than to be seen cowering or placating. Your reputation is more important than your desire to avoid pain, so guard it with your life. Ultimately you should avoid any confrontation if you can, but if you can't avoid one, react quickly and with aggression.
--Stay to yourself, keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone about your personal life or family. Do not discuss either religion or politics. In other words, don't put your business out on the street. At the same time, don't get involved in other inmate's business.
7. Recognize that nights are the worst. You will miss your family, and freedom. You will probably cry, so stifle it into your pillow so no one will hear.
Tips
--Tear up the return address from your incoming mail. Other inmates will write to your friends and family if given a chance.
--Don't get caught up in a jailhouse romance. The last thing you need is to be getting involved in a relationship.
Warnings
--Do not admit or discuss any crime against a minor. Child molesters, abusers and murderers are considered the lowest forms of life in prison and subject to frequent attacks. If you are convicted of a crime against a child, insist on being placed in Protective Custody immediately. You won't be able to hide the nature of your crime in a general population prison for long. You risk your life when (not if) other prisoners find out.
--Do not gamble, unless you can pay your debts. They will use violence and stop at almost nothing to get what is due to them.
--Remember, you are in a house of thieves and liars, and should not believe very much of anything you hear. Do not trust other inmates except in cases where there would not be serious consequences for doing so. I.e. make careful choices regarding your "friends" and your location at any given moment of the day.
--Avoid drug use in prison. Drugs use while providing a temporary escape will lead to other problems.
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