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Talk about surreal media experiences...

Due to a early morning backache, I'm watching the men's Olympic basketball team fumble toward the medal round. They look like they're starting to gel, but there is a strangeness to it all. They beat undefeated Spain to a chorus of boos and catcalls from the stands. The Spainish coach won't shake Larry Brown's hand - and an altercation is nearly avoided. There is a perceived arrogance that is poisoning the court....and the ugly American is receiving a drubbing. Weird.

Cut to break.

A talking head adds it all up while a screen bug hovers in the top right of the TV. The text says "commercial-free olympics" - oddly pinned by a giant "HUMMER" logo. Ok....so we've got "commercial-free" programming brought to you by HUMMER. Right.... So...one would expect that there would be no commercials during the broadcast....yet, right after the game summary, we are teated to - you guessed it - a HUMMER commercial. And not just any HUMMER commercial....one that tells the innocent story of Jack, who built his own soap-box HUMMER - and uses it to cheat his way to the finish line. HUMMER - your commercial-free sponsor for The Olympics. Gah....

Such are the horrors of early morning television.
HUMMER. Girls Gone Wild. Weight-loss drugs.

It's a Republican televised nightmare.

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A great light has gone out. Elmer Bernstein was created the themes for such great films as "The Magnificent Seven, To Kill A Mockingbird, Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Caddyshack, etc, etc..."

253 films in all.

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Weeha....another blogless month!

I can't even start to explain everything that has kept my blog at bay these past few weeks.

Maybe it was the seven-month-old knee-biter that is actively cruising about - terrorizing the cats with impunity.

Perhaps it was my job, which continues to evolve in its responsiblilities - without the requisite compensation.

Wait a sec....I know what it was! My brain was being held captive by GW's minions - and their culture of fear! Damn those sneaky neocons!

In reality....I suspect the usual. Too much to do - and too little time.

Last month, I:

Captained a raft down the Deshutes river with a few friends...
Screened a collection of 16mm movie trailers at the Clinton...
Fixed the mower...
Watched Greer gain full mobility in the crawling department...
Childproofed the house...
Updated three client websites...
Attempted to attend the Kerry rally...
Gave Dick Cheney "my singular regards" on his visit to PDX...
Introduced filmmaker Robert Greenwald at the PDX debut of his film "Outfoxed"...

Etc...etc...etc...

In other news....

The New York City RNC convention at the end of August might prove to be a reflection of the Chicago DNC convention in '68. Even though protestors have been denied permits to amass in Central Park, a huge turnout is expected....along with a small army of citizens prepared to actively engage New York's finest. You can almost hear the glass breaking - and truncheons swinging at the air.

Be on the lookout for voter fraud in Florida again - and don't be fooled by any "October surprises" that the GOP may deliver.

and lastly...

76 days until we unelect GW!