Let me just say that at this moment I am writing this at some sort of cyber cafe in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans, having missed my train home and having met some people you simply would not believe and having just taken my self off a barstool at a bar that spins around in circles while you re not watching so that when you come back from the restroom the said barstool is far away from the place where you were sit-ting when you left for said restroom in what ev er pursuit you were in oh, hell. I have no idea what I am talking about! None what so ever. And if you think you can get off a spin ning car ou sel bar and do any better, then I en cour age you to take the rock to the hole and give it your best shot. In the meantime, let me say that this thing with Daniel Pearl pretty much has me more upset than anything that s happened to any one from this coun try or any other in a very, very long time. I am having a very hard time not crying un con trol la bly about this. That s just me.
And then, just when I thought I d seen everything, including the recent erection of a 16-foot concrete bust of George W. Bush at least they got the brain matter right here comes the administration announc ing, at least in one headline from The New York Times News Service, that the Pentagon Vows Not to Spread Lies. Charming, eh? I guess that means they are going to fina ly release the real truth on old George choking on that pretzel (can you say drunk?) and passing out, not to mention the fact that he s not really the president. But isn t it good news that the Pentagon s new Office of Strategic Influence has decided not to spread wild lies to other parts of the world to promote American views? How kind of them.
Now I guess they ll have to ditch all those plans to let the world know what a bunch of hotheads those feisty Canadians are. Or do away with the project of dropping leaflets all over Europe bearing the message Our president is smart, no matter what you ninnies think!
And speaking of which, how scary is it that he is being allowed to tour Asia, representing all of us here? I especial ly love the idea of him addressing the Japanese Diet. Apparent ly no one told him that was the name of the parliament, because one of his first comments was On the one side of the parallel we have people starving to death because their nation chooses to build weap ons of mass destruction and on the other side there is freedom. Yes, that Japanese starvation diet is a real booger.
At least he didn t say How come y all eat all that raw fish and seaweed over here?! Ehk! We don t go in for that kind of stuff back in Texas! Y all need to scarf down some of that there chili con carne and put some meat on your bones! Look at my momma. She don t eat that raw fish mess and she sure ain t starvin ! That wouldn t have been nearly as bad as the comment he half-shouted during a Japanese religious ceremony hosted for him: Oh, yeah! Good one, George.
Tonight at ArtFarm Gallery there s a closing reception for Liquid Steel, works by Teresa White, Joseph Young, Stacey Zuria, Rob Zuria, and Jason Shackelford. Tonight s Bamboo to Buzzsaws percussion concert at the Buckman Performing & Fine Arts Center features Othar Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band along with Recycled Percussion. Eighty-Katie at the Lounge tonight. There s live jazz at CafÇ Zanzibar. Fred Whitber & the Rusty Lemon Acoustic Duo are at Alex s. The Subteens, Sal Si Puedes, and Automusik are at Young Avenue Deli. And George Strait is at The Pyramid.
