Uncomfortably Numb

This has certainly been one of those times that numbs the brain. Every single time I try to sit down and write about the recent epidemic of school shootings, my mind draws a blank and my fingers refuse to move.

For the love of every God we have ever known, let there be no more shootings. One is a tragedy. Two is senseless.

Three starts to turn the mind into goo. And, in simple self defense, we start to acclimate to the horror in an attempt to lower the shock to our systems. But when it comes to violence in a school, the last thing we as a society need to do is have a lessened sense of horror. For a grown adult to kill a child is certainly one of the greatest evils available. Should we become sensitized to the shock of it happening, it will no longer be a horrible thing to happen, but will simply be one of those things that happen.

And that is something that I found myself thinking last night. And I still find myself horrified that I could even start down that path.

My heart goes out to everyone who has lost someone in this nonsensical orgy of bloodshed.

Why? Just Why?

It is a parent's worst nightmare.

A gunshot in a school. Your child's school. The place where you send them to learn. To socialize. To be safe.

It is a student's worst nightmare.

Your school, a place where normally the only worries are how well you did on your math test or who you will go to the prom with, but now the halls are now filled with the smell of panic. Of fear. Of death.

These things shouldn't happen. Yet they do.

Westside Middle School. Thurston High School. Columbine High School. Santana High School. John McDonogh Senior High School. Red Lake High School. And many other schools falling victim to the pain of losing a student to violence.

And now, we add Platte Canyon High School to this list of tragedies.

Yet something sets this one aside from the majority of school shootings, as this time it was an adult that pulled the trigger. One adult. One handgun. And, according to some witness accounts, one target in mind.

Why did this individual pick out this victim? What was going through his head? What was actually he intending to do?

Was he, as I first said to myself when I turned on the television and sat down in shock, completely out of his skull?

In the coming weeks, these questions will be answered. And yet no amount of answers will help the family and friends of this young girl, her young life cut down far too soon, fill the hole in their lives once filled by an intelligent, hard-working, and pleasant person.

To those that knew this young woman: I don't know you. You don't know me. But know that you have my prayers, my good wishes, and my sympathy. When the time comes, say your good-byes. Mourn your lost friend, your missing child, your absent student. But never forget her, for as long as a person is remembered in life, they are never truly gone.

And to the rest of us, we must learn from this. There are those who will use this sad day as a political platform to advance their causes, whether gun-control or school safety or mental health, just as with any tragic event. Do not let the people or the causes overshadow the tragic event that happened twelve hours ago. Do not let them simply turn these painful times into their times in the spotlight. For the events of September 27, 2006, there should only be one spotlight shining.

On the empty desk, the empty bedroom, the empty locker of one girl who was taken from this world far too soon.

Shots Fired

Reports of shots fired in a school. To be specific, Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, CO. No reports of injuries, unconfirmed reports of 5 hostages. Unconfirmed report of an adult male gunman. Possible bomb in a classroom. School in lockdown, along with the connected middle school.

I'll have more later when I get off of work. In the meantime, start counting down until an expert mentions the word Columbine.

And pray for safe resolutions.

Good Things Come In 3/4 Time

Seeing as how David tagged himself with a meme, I went ahead and tagged myself for the same one. I will be adding a few editorial comments to each one of them.

Four songs you could listen to over and over again:

This one gave me a bit of pause, as I didn't even do this when I was a kid. You know that annoying "Let's play it again!" thing kids do for popular songs? Nope. Not me. But here are the ones that come close:

1. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These): Seriously good, and one that all 80's kids should know by heart.
2. Enya - On My Way Home: I know it's an odd one, but I just love it.
3. The Ataris - Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start: It brings out the inner geek in me.
   
4. Apoptygma Bezerk - Kathy's Song (Beborn Beton Remix): "You know I'm not a saint." And I prove it by loving this song. One of the few times where a remix is an order of magnitude better than the original.

Four songs that drive you up the friggin' wall. With a chainsaw.:

This is definitely a category of no-brainer decisions for me.

1. R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People: Just don't even think about it. I will destroy your sound system.
2. Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy: This song made me go goth. If this guy is happy, then by God, I don't wanna be.
3. Britney Spears - Oops! I Did It Again: More like "Oops! I just cut your car in half with a chainsaw!" In fact, just about every single one of her songs could fit in this category, but I picked this one as the most obnoxious of the lot. Sue me.
4. Hanson - Mmmm Bop: 'Nuff said. If there's a Top Ten List of Obnoxious Songs, this one should make it in the top 5 with no problem whatsoever.
5. Bonus! Los del Río - Macarena: This one will LEAD the aforementioned list. By a comfortable margin.

Four songs that you're embarrassed (or should be) to admit you like:

See, this one's kind of odd for me. I like stuff that few people have ever heard. (David might, but he's wierd like that.) So I'm used to getting blank stares when I recite off the lists of songs I like.

1. The Vestibules - Bulbous Bouffant: While not technically a song, this is the one that gives me more looks of distaste than blank stares. And when I say it's the Macademia song, then the looks of distaste seem to multiply.
2. Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It: Of all the cheesy 80's glam-rock, this is the one that smells the most. Like decade-old limburger left on a Palm Springs sidewalk in the middle of July during a Hell's Angels rally. Sadly enough, some of us actually like it that way.
3. Aqua - Barbie Girl: C'mon Barbie! Lets go party! Sadly, few people get the joke.
4. Styx - Come Sail Away: Not the album version. The Eric Cartman version. Ummm... Why are you picking up that chainsaw? OhshBRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Run!
5. Bonus! Julie Brown - The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun: I always wondered what it would look like if a prom queen went postal on everyone. I mean, usually it's the runner-up that breaks down.

Four Best Driving Songs:

Aw hell. I actually have a CD burned just for this occasion, and you only want me to list four of them? Sheeeesh, talk about cramping one's style.

1. Assemblage 23 - Drive: Seems like a no-brainer with that title, no? Fortunately for me, it kicks more ass than a donkey herder on Red Bull whose Prozac prescription just ran out.
2. Joe Satriani - Summer Song: Joe should have a seat on the right hand of God as far as I'm concerned.
3. Wolfsheim - I Don't Love You Anymore: Actually, this is one of my favorite songs to dance to. Amazingly enough, most of the songs I like to dance to are also songs I love to drive to.
4. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More: Only time I've ever gotten a speeding ticket was while listening to this song. The cop clocked me at 105 on the way back from Vegas, apparently right near the end. When I went to court to try and get a reduced fine, the judge asked me why I was going so fast, so I told him. He dismissed the ticket on the spot. (And again. Thank you, Your Honor. And thank you Tom Petty.)
5. Bonus! The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Someday I Suppose: When it doubt, ska your way out. Busy horn sections make for lead feet.
   

Four songs that make you cry:

Damn, but this is another one of those tough choice categories. All of these songs have an extremely painful memory attached to them, and I can't help but be reminded of all the misery whenever these songs play. Unfortuantely, I also happen to love these songs. Call me a masochist.

1. The Cure - Pictures Of You: One day when I was still living in San Bernadino, California, after having a highly nasty fight with my then-girlfriend, I decided to take the long way home. The very long way.Via San Luis Obispo, Fresno and Tuscon. This song was the first on the radio when I got in the car. Everything after that is a blur. I only know where I was thanks to the credit card receipts from getting gas.
   
2. Nickel Creek - When You Come Back Down: A friend of mine sent me this song during the time known only as The Ten Weeks Of Pure Hell. (Trust me, you don't want to know. But if you do want to know, be prepared to buy me a lot of coffee. And a 90 minute story.) And whenever I hear it, it starts to bring all that pain back to the surface. And believe me, there still is a ton of pain still left in those memories. If ever there was a reason to go through therapy, this would have been it.
   
3. R.E.M. - Nightswimming: This is one of those songs that drudge up all kinds of painful memories. Even those that have no prior attachment to the song. It's just that sad.
4. Goo Goo Dolls - Iris: Have you ever fallen in love with someone, and had someone completely different fall in love with you? Unfortunately for me, I've been on all three sides of that situation. And this song sums them all up for me, complete with a bow made of barbed wire and razor blades.

Four best risqué songs:

A category I'm not very good at, but I think I've dredged up a few goodies for you.

1. La Tour - People Are Still Having Sex: I think I can let this one go without too much comment.
2. Madonna - Like A Virgin: C'mon, folks. We all know what she's really talking about. Fortunately, we all know what we really think she's talking about.
3. ZZ Top - La Grange: To quote David from a different category " A sing-along about a whore house in Texas. How cool is that?"
4. Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Tainted Love: Another no-comment-needed listing. But the original is almost as good.

Four best kid songs:

I don't have kids. So here are some I'd play for them if I do ever have kids. (Now now. No more insane laughter from the peanut gallery, or I'll have to go Gallagher-style Sledge-O-Matic on you.)

1. They Might Be Giants - The Sun Is A Mass Of Incandescent Gas: It really is never to early to teach your kids about science. Hopefully mine will be better at it than I am.
2. Blind Melon - Three It's The Magic Number: Schoolhouse Rock songs should be mandatory. Hell, I'd be happy to have a congressman who could sing "I'm Just A Bill" with me.
3. Harry Belafonte - Shake, Shake Senora: Hey, if they can have a very young Winona Ryder dance to this song, I can let my kids dance to it.
4. Bear - Welcome To The Blue House: Probably my favorite kids show since The Muppet Show went off the air. And it's no stretch to figure out why.

Four best (fill in your own category here) songs:

I'll take Modern Instrumental Music for $800 please, Alex.

1. The Seatbelts - Goodnight Julia: I knew I loved the show Cowboy Bebop from the moment I first saw it. This song made me fall in love with the soundtrack as well. A slow sad saxophone sending sweet sorrows to the star-filled sky... Inspiration for alliteration, thy name is Yoko Kanno.
2. Joe Satriani - Always With Me, Always With You: I dare you to listen to it and not think about holding hands with your significant other(s) and taking a long walk on the beach at sunset.
3. JerryC - Canon Rock: Dare I say it, but this guy is just that damn good. But, dare I say it, Funtwo is even better.
4. Brainbug - Nightmare (Sinister Strings Mix): Best. Club. Song. Ever. Too bad some jerk named Paul Oakenfold tried to "make it better" and ended up totally killing it. But it's okay. The original will always be around.

And now, let me just tag two people with this. Fiat Lux? Flannel Avenger? Come on down! You're the next contestants on Tell Me What's On Your Mind! (Insert hoaky 70's disco theme music here.)

But in the meantime, try giving the aforementioned Funtwo song a try.

In Memoriam

Photo respectfully borrowed from Jane Galt.

Words That I Couldn't Say...

... have just been said by Joe Gandelman. Basically, everything that I would want to say about the Path To 911 is in there, as well as quite a few things that I have not yet put thought to.

And yet, I think that the most telling statement I have read about this came in the middle of the comment stream.

"Fake but accurate" just doesn't cut it for documentaries of any flavor.

Yup. BrianOfAtlanta sums it up nicely.

[Turn Signal: Tim F.]

Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Ftaghn!

The Cthulhu Movie? Apparently so. And apparently real.

When I show up to opening night, remind me to have this t-shirt already in my closet.

Because that would be just so damn cool.

I Am Not A Terrorist

For one thing, I drove a taxi at night.

See? We're all good here.

Lesson 16

When in a social gathering and you find a tray of Jaegermeister shots laying around with no one paying any attention to them...

LEAVE THEM THE HELL ALONE!

This helpful tip has been brought to you by the American Association For Hangover Prevention in association with the Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash.

PS: If anyone has a few spare bottles of Excedrin laying around, I'd be happy to take some of them off your hands. And white backgrounds on Blogger's Dashboard really hurt the eyes. Ow.

Adventures In Housekeeping

You know, sometimes I actually want to make my bed. And all I get is this triple glare indicating that they like it just as it is, thank you very much. And to think that I had just been in that bed a mere 5 minutes before, and none of the cats had actually moved.

But that's okay. If that was an example of the Glare Of Dissapointment, just imagine the Clear Feline Death-Ray Of Disdain that will be coming my way after I get home from tonight's little escapades.

So if you see on the news that a man in the Denver area was found slaughtered, apparently by his cats... You'll know what happened to me. But the Bash will be worth it.

UPDATE - 1:55p: This is a scary thought to walk out the door with.

I'm officially starting a countdown to when Goldstein appears in drag on this show. And my money is on next Friday. Who's in?

I just hope it's not tonight. But if it is, I hope that I have enough of a blood alcohol level to not panic.

Ugh.

Via Instapundit.

EDIT: What edits? I was just removing some Blogger-forced errors. Like double comments, and disappearing pictures. That's not an edit, that is preventing the population growth of Typo vulgaris from outstripping its food supply. Nothing to see here.

Haven't We Heard This Line Before?

From a reader email to Talking Points Memo:

Theme number 1 - Iran is a bigger security threat and more important to deal with quickly than Bin Laden.

Theme number 2 - Iran is supporting Bin Laden anyway, via their intelligence services and funding, so going after Iran is really the same thing as getting Bin Laden.

Hmmm... A case of deja vu all over again, perhaps?

Too bad they used these exact same justifications in the run-up to Iraq, really. If they would have saved them for Iran, they might have actually worked for the population in general. Now, all it does is read like the same tired reasoning as they used to bring about the fall of the Hussein regime.

I find it ironic, really. People will look at this and dismiss the possibility of Iran being a possible credible threat to the region simply because the former government of Iraq turned out to be an impossible uncredible threat.

That's not simply a case of shooting yourself in the foot. It's a case of firing an entire magazine into your leg before getting into an ass-kicking contest.

Untitled... For A Reason

From David Darlington at In The Agora comes a series of motivational posters.

Old school Star Trek-style.

My personal favorite is this one.

Spread the news. We have a new leader in the clubhouse. Now go and pick one for yourselves. Maybe two.

Who knows... We might end up seeing these in a Spencers near you. If so, I'm buying at least three of them.

The Legacy Of Happy Harry Hard-On

Sixteen years ago today, a movie hit the theater screens. At the time, it was not well noticed, just another movie to be reviewed through Hughes-colored glasses, to use the words of one writer. Yet today, Pump Up The Volume has a meaning, and message, much more appropriate than those innocent summer days of 1990.

For those of you who have never seen the movie, first let me say this. What are you, crazy? Go now. Rent it. Buy it. Amazon it with next-day air. Because for us here in Blogville, it personifies our raison d’être in a way that nothing else out there can.

Right now, there are 51.8 million blogs being tracked by Technorati. Each and every single one of us started off as a lone voice crying into the wilderness. We had no audience. We had no feedback. We had no clue that anyone even knew we existed. Yet still we sat, sending our missives into the vast emptyness of inner space, not caring that there was no ears to hear our cries.

Certainly we all have our own vast and varied reasons for starting in this enterprise. Yet, when it’s all said and done, our reasons are eventually reduced to one: getting things out of one’s own head. Regardless of how we do so. (Or how often.) Regardless of the programs we use. (Even Myspace. Ugh.) Regardless of the time we do it. (No fair glaring at the timestamp, people.)

For the average blogger, we will eventually find that we have an audience, however small or large it may be. Like-minded souls (or sometimes opposite-minded ones) who found our words to hold a certain something: a deeper meaning, an excellent analysis, an interesting turn of thought, or whatever comes to mind. And soon, where there was once wilderness, tiny villages of interaction are formed.

Some remain static and remain as they are, small outposts still able to contribute to the whole like my own little island of inane rambling. Some become shining beacons, providing direction and certitude to a vast multitude, like Glenn Reynolds and Duncan Black. Some, like ourselves at Creative Destruction, become crossroads, bringing together those of us who, by ourselves, would never have thought to cross paths. Some grow beyond all imagination, creating entire civilizations of thought and discussion, such as DailyKos and Little Green Footballs.

Yet still, the basic concept remains the same regardless of how big or small our traffic counters become. These are our thoughts, our emotions, our ideals, our philosophies, our selves we set into these pages. By doing so, we have taken control of an entire medium of our own creations. (Although who was first on the scene seems to be up for debate.)

And as such, we have fulfilled the battle-cry of Harry.

Sieze the airwaves. They are ours. Pick a program. Choose a name. Find your voice. There is nothing that they can do to stop us. They can try. And they may stop some of us. But they will never stop us all.

And the day will come when they will look inside themselves and see us waving up at them.

Naked.

Type hard.

[Crossposted from Creative Destruction]

BOOOOOO!!!

Remember back in January when I said that if someone "proves that there's a chemical in coffee that causes impotence" would get a cup of Sanka as punishment?

We may have our first winner. Not really entirely within the lines of the concept, but it's close enough.

"One cup or less of coffee per day may set off heart attacks in people with a sedentary lifestyle or with three or more risk factors for heart disease," said study author Ana Baylin, an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health at Brown University, in Rhode Island.

This latest finding will most likely keep the coffee debate percolating among health experts. Previous research has suggested that coffee does not raise heart risks, and might even protect against high blood pressure and diabetes. As a matter of fact, only decaffeinated coffee has been shown to possibly boost the chances of cardiovascular trouble.

Definitely decaf Sanka. Less than one cup per day, even.

[Turn signal: Ezra]

British Humor

Seems like the folks at the Guardian have an even greater penchant for humorous article titles than we Yanks do.

Turn Signal: David