Some recent photos:




My reflection/silhouette is visible in this one.

Hi, How Are We?


Coherent posts, eventually.
First: pay off the sleep deficit.

Books that I am reading:
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter S. Thompson
Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan

Books I have been meaning to read:
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
History of the French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle (yeah, right)

I saw Wilco last night at the [Insert Corporate Bank Sponsor] Pavilion in Boston. It was pretty good. I saw them last summer at Metropolis in Montreal from about 20 feet away, and my seats in L36 section 6 didn't quite size up to that occasion, but they played a badass show which only vaguely resembled anything from their mediocre and disappointing new album. The new songs took on a fresh and more vibrant life live, with $$ Nels Cline performance on everything, except for when his guitar wasn't turned up in the PA on part of one song (slops).

Also, for the two encores, a couple of gentlemen moved in front of me and decided to hold a jovial conversation whilst not applauding songs for the remainder of the performance. I would like to address that annoyance in list form:
1. Shut the fuck up.
2. [Insert Corporate Bank Sponsor] Pavilion you need to turn your PA up for those of us in L36 section 6.
3. What the fuck, guys. One or more of you paid money to be there, and you chose it as the time to converse? Do you think what you have to say could possibly be more worthwhile than the sounds made by 6 professionals who incited hundreds of people to congregate in the same place at the same time? Maybe you should get a talk radio show, because those guys are dicks, too.
4. It was obvious the one guy was a dick when the only song he acknowledged in any way was from A.M., Wilco's first and least original work. I don't care how pretentious I may be; at least I don't chat it the fuck up during shows.
5. Shut the fuck up, go fuck yourselves, and get the fuck out of the [Insert Corporate Bank Sponsor] Pavilion if you don't want to be there.


I checked out Iowa, here is what it looks like.

Also, I turn 21 on Monday, which I'm told, is the legal drinking age.

k'js3u0-=ufr6
4+8

gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Hey Iowa,
If you have so much corn why is it so hard to find vegetables in your state's restaurants?

meatmeatmeatmeat
meat

My trip to the Giuliani headquarters with Taylor was unsuccessful, yet eventful. The passenger van and two Escalades out front were indicative of something unusual afoot. We entered and spoke to two sharply dressed, confused twenty-somethings who informed us that the Mayor himself was in a meeting and about to head to a speech, and that there would be no one in the office to respond to our suspicious inquiries. Being a shaggy-haired college student in a Republican campaign office is like the first day of middle school; everyone looks at you funny and nobody wants to be friends. It seemed to me that our friends in the Grand Old Party were a bit distrustful of our stated intentions, and may have been more accommodating had we donned well-pressed suits with pin stripes. Feeling despondent and dejected, we decided to wait outside in what was quickly becoming a sadistically humid and sweltering day, hoping to at least get a photo with the candidate to serve as defense of our unique situation. Rudy was running about an hour late apparently, and we were going to have to be quick. Apparent big wigs with good grooming, beaming, sauntered past us after confused and awkward glances, and then Mr. Giuliani himself. “Mr. Mayor,” I pleaded, “could we get a couple pictures real quick?” Unenthused, he complied while his aides reminded us what super big hurry this super important gentleman was in. The photos were snapped without incident, and that concluded my visit with Rudy Giuliani.

http://www.firstinthenationproject.org/students.html

-live from Iowa-

Hi.
I'm in Waverly Iowa being a "First in the Nation Scholar." It involves analysis of various aspects of the 2008 presidential campaign. We are at Wartburg College doing some learning and talking to people and asking people questions and doing field trips and other great and fun things.
We went to the literal field of dreams(tm).
There is lots of corn.
And now they are closing the computer lab.
Bye.

Thought: My hair is too long.
Suggestion: Enough with the all the construction and detours!

I went to a Subway sandwich shop today to get a Subway sandwich; inside, on the wall, to the right of the cash register was a framed certificate stating that the location won the award for cleanliness in 1995. Upon reading this, I carefully calculated how many years it has been since 1995. Satisfied, I ordered my sandwich.




Today in class ( a summer class about the presidency and the primaries and other such business) we were looking at some polls some dude (dr. dude) had done. I don't understand why the polls on primary candidates for president are including people like Chuck Hagel, George Pataki, Wesley Clark, and Als Gore and Sharpton. Their respective non-candidacies and non-campaigns make their inclusion in these and other polls somewhat puzzling. Is it just because they haven't ruled it out? I don't get it. Wayne Brady hasn't dismissed a 2008 bid. Political polling is supposed to be scientific and as precise as possible. Hey people-who-do-polling, why not only ask people if they're going to vote for who's running for president? It would be a big help.