Blood Makes Noise

HBO's The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley is as hypnotizing as it is fucked up.

If you haven't been reading anything about Theranos - and even if you have - you should watch this.

Elizabeth Holmes, is without a doubt, the most over confident person in the tech world - or the most delusional.  Or both.

It's not like HBO went and filmed the rise and fall of this company (oh. Spoiler Alert. It falls.)  So it recaps, but the amount of film on this woman and the amount of photo sessions she did, I'm not sure how she'd have time to invent a thing, let alone one that works.

And apparently she is (or was) convincing. Henry Kissinger, George Shultz (who takes Holmes' side over his own grandson who worked at Theranos) were advisers and investors....and suckers. David Boise, whom I admire(d), represents her and Theranos.  Well, past tense. But he went down fighting for the company until he couldn't avoid the truth.

Honestly, it is her demeanor and voice that I think lured people in. And there are accounts that this is not the way Holmes talks. I bet she's not even a real blonde.

Holmes lured folks and their cash - to a tune of $724,000,000, without ever actually making a product - successful or not. It lost just as much, if not more, with a lot going toward legal fees.

Should you have the chance, it's currently playing and on demand. And it's from the makers who did the Scientology documentary, Going Clear - which was just as creepy and mesmerizing as this is.

Check it out.



Song by: Suzanne Vega

Too Late

Oh dear.

I've waited too long to try to craft a post. Though, in my defense, my days have been 12-13 hours long. My work days, that is.

A lesser man wouldn't really put in the effort as he in the midst of transitioning jobs. I am not such a man.

Whist impossible to wrap EVERYTHING up, I'm trying to tie up as many loose ends as possible. Unfortunately, new "challenges" keep getting thrown in my way. Last Friday alone, I had two people quit - so those positions won't be filled before I leave.  Those two positions won't even be posted before I go.

So, I've been going in earlier and staying later, just to try to get things in place. As much as possible. But I'm getting pulled in 27 directions, everyone wanting a piece of me before I depart, or from my new area, who wants me to attend meetings and craft presentations before I even start.

It's pushing 22:00 and Mike is badgering me (I tellz ya) via text. I'm exhausted and had to jot this down before my head hit the pillow.  04:45 comes quickly. 

.....and yes.  That IS what she said.



Song by: Foreigner

I Kissed a Girl

OMFG.

#1.  Because of this post, I felt the need to go - for the first time ever! - to the FAUX News site (and no, I'm not hyperlinking). 

#2.  CNN. FOX, not MSNBC, has this (or a version of) as their top story.  TOP.  Above the fold, as it were.  Well, MSNBC's is about at the fold.

First off - I'm not cutting Joe Biden any slack. Or much. And no longer do I know where the "line" is.  By the woman's own admission, it was 'inappropriate' but not 'sexual assault'.  To me, that sounds reasonable, but you know, I wasn't there.

Now, I don't think Biden should run for president. I've said it before, and well before this came out. I don't think this type of instance should stop anyone from running. Sexual assault?  Sure. And unplanned or unwanted kiss?  Meh.   If there was tongue, it'd be less of a grey area.

I don't think I'm making this up when I say there are different standards for the GOP and DNC.

For a Democrat, you're being told to step out of the race or quit your job in the Senate.  If you're in the GOP, you're elected to the highest office in the land, or a provided a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court.

But yes, I went to FOX.  Since they were so headline-y about Biden, I used their own search function and typed in 'pussy'.

Care to guess how many hits came back on BLOTUS?   C'mon..................guess.  Just try. 

Ok. I'll give you a hint:  it's less than 1, but more than -1. 

The only thing that came up was "Pussy Riot". Lots of those references going back at least to 2012.  I stopped seven years back.  But naturally, the hypocrisy of the Biden story with a kiss versus a brag of a sexual assault is lost on no one but Fox.  And BLOTUS. And the GOP. And those who continue to vote for the GOP knowing all of this.

So Joe has two accusers.  BLOTUS had, I believe, dozens.

I don't even really know where to go with this - in blog form. #metoo isn't #metoobutnotifhesarepublican.  Except, it is.




Song by: Katy Perry (which, I do NOT own....just FYI)

My Music Monday

I'm not horribly big on April Fool's Day.

While, now and again, I feel that I'm more clever than most people, I'm not creative enough in that department to come up with something good enough to think that it's real.

Well, that might not be entirely true either, but I always assume it's a given when you try to pull something off on April 1.

I did do it "successfully" here once five years ago, but a second time is not likely.

For today, you get Quarterflash (they kind of still have a website.......it seems we all just missed their last concert.......ever!)

While "others" find my music tastes "questionable", this one even baffles, me, but I kind of really liked Quarterflash's first album. Even that doesn't track with my usual tastes - such as they are.

But since it is April Fool's, why not do "Find Another Fool". 

Why not, indeed.



.....and not, this isn't an April Fool's joke.

Bug

No post. Not really. 

The day didn't start well, with two concurrent leg cramps, in two separate legs - while still in bed. And while I won't be too graphic, I've been side-lined with a GI bug.   So those less than a 1000 steps I'm got in were mostly from bed or sofa to the bathroom. 

710 is on dog duty yesterday and possibly today.  We will see how it goes.

As it stands, March is going out like a lion. We are slated to get 2-5" of snow after I got to be, but before I wake up.  Yayyy March!

Enjoy your day.



Song by: Johnny Marr

Comfortable

Saturday. You know the drill.

Someone knows what comfort is. 

Sentry Sophie

Waiting for his Uber at daycare. 

Blanket. Window. Radiator. Mountain of Toys. 

check, check check and check!

so. much. sass. 

Horrible pic of me, but someone was so happy to see me when I picked him up, I don't care exactly how I looked.  .........well..........kind of. 

Song by: Ian Hunter

Special

How unpopular must Betsy DeVos and her decision making be if BLOTUS is overriding her bad choices?

This question is actually not rhetorical.

I mean, this is a guy who has made a lifetime of bad decisions and then would double down defending each and every one.

For the record, when anthropologists scour this blog in the centuries to come trying to find where it all went wrong, I refer to DeVos raping the education budget to defund - or attempt to - Special Olympics.

BLOTUS actually overruled her - or overruled a decision he told her to make, trying to make him look good.

I have to believe there are two possible scenarios with this reversal:


1.  Test Balloon
As the morals and resolve of this country continue to deteriorate, BLOTUS & Co are seeing what they can actually get away with. They're not even going by small increments anymore. He might have tipped his hand.  Might.

2. Couldn't Defund Due to Personal Reasons
Due to at least three of his kids being 'tards.

Let's face it, Eric's brain isn't fully formed. You know he just drools all the time.  And Baron - well.....that kid has 'special needs' written all over him.  Spare me the "oh, don't go after an innocent kid".  Fuck that. The family lost that privilege when they locked up kids in cages.

Oh. And Tiffany. I think the less said about her the better.

They need some outdoor time and to run around. Once a year they probably get it participating in the Special Olympics.


Deep down, I'd like to think BLOTUS was shamed into changing "Devos' decision", but I'm pretty sure he's a man with no shame and public opinion is not going to sway that shit.

And as always - never ever ever ever rule out:  this was a distraction.  Probably from the Mueller report, but could be something else they're doing that's evil.  I'll rephrase:  they are doing something evil - we're just not sure what at this point, as it is continual and ever changing.


Song by: Garbage

Shopping with Blobby

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think

Let's call this one Shopping with Becca.

She was all pukey emoji face about it.

To be fair - I can imagine the waffle taste of a cereal, but not the chicken part........nor do I want to.

I had to remind Ms. F that we are not the target demographic for this brand. To be honest, I never got the combo for chicken & waffles. I don't understand the origins or the appeal......mostly the latter. Adding milk to the scenario takes it to a different, less desirable level.

Make it almond, soy or cashew milk and it intensifies the nastiness. May as well just pour orange juice on them.

Keep in mind, this is called Shopping with Blobby, not Eating with Blobby.....and for good reason.

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!

Remember when I used to these reviews? 

Blame it on what I consider the plethora of unbuyable music. I'm still not one for streaming an ever-ending amount of music for $5 a month. An artist should be paid an actual wage for their content and with streaming, they aren't.

Napster pays the highest at - get this - $0.016 per play. Notice the 0 after the decimal point. 90,000 plays would get an artist a whopping $1,472.  And this is the highest rate. Spotify?  $0.0038 (notice the two 0s).  YouTube? $0.0006 (not notice the three 0s).

Streaming, at these rates, will literally cut original content to nothing as time goes on? There is suffering for one's art, and then there is starving because of it.

So no, I buy my music. 710 things I'm a fuddy-duddy (and he may not be wrong), but it's not because of my old-school habits of purchasing music.

So - anyhooo...........I did splurge for Jenny Lewis' disk, On the Line.

I don't think any magazine or paper has ever given her a bad review. That said - anymore, it's rare any reviewer gives an artist a bad review. But On the Line is ok, but not all that and not the best of her career as some have pointed out - though I suppose it's all subjective.

They can't keep calling a Lewis record 'retro' when all she does is 'retro'.  There is a Shins vibe to a song or two ("Dogwood", "Heads Gonna Roll").

My bigger problem is, so many songs are interchangeable with so much of what she's done in the past. The three continual piano chords are getting old ("Party Clown").

I tried to get through "Wasted Youth" (same three piano chords) but the "doo doo doo" was just enough to push me over the edge.

The one song I found the most interesting was "Little White Dove".  The groove, according to Lewis came from Beck. I hate to say it (or do I?), the revelation that he is a big time Scientologist kind of ruined him for me. Still he made Lewis sound interesting, which on this album is not a small feat.

While I like the idea of Lewis, to me, she peaked with her first solo album, but then it was all new. Now it's all been done before.

Over & Over

Two Parkland suicides within a week. And an additional one from the father of a Sandy Hook student.

W.T.F.

Parkland has kind of broke the barriers on so many aspects of a mass shooting. Almost never has their been a student response like the one they had. Never have they been so outspoken, so visible. They've taken a tragedy and made it a teachable moment.  Moments.

Now it's time for round two..............unfortunately.

The reality is, the tragedy doesn't stop with the funerals and the reopening of the school doors - though with drop in coverage, many would think that is where it ends. Trauma lasts for years, decades or a lifetime. I think this is pretty evident in the last few days.

I don't really know how people get over these kind of events. Right now, it is clear that some do not, if any of them do.

It is hard to quantify the cost of these events. There are direct and indirect costs - the latter harder to actualize.  There is the amount of money and time on therapy. There is just the time off of work / school and the downstream loss of revenue from that - and all that entails.

I think the most distressing thing about these suicides is - after all said and done - they were carried out with the item that affected their lives so much prior to this:  a gun.

As the country (read: government) is unwilling to do anything to stop mass shootings - of kids or adults - this is a cycle that will go on.  And on.

It seems the next step is to educate, educated, educate after these shootings. While I don't think any of the survivors and families want to live their lives in the media, the second someone stops broadcasting, most of us stop remembering and stop helping.

The GOP might be unable to really pull off trickle-down economics, but they certainly have a huge success rate of trickle-down murder / suicide.




Song by: Fleetwood Mac

My Music Monday

I have decided to embrace the 'baffling music' thing.  Like Popeye - I am what I am. That - and Popeye had an 'it's complicated' thing going on with Bluto.

Did they or didn't they ?  I'm not sure anyone knows.

I could go way off course and start to talk about the fact that I don't think he and Olive Oyl were married, yet somehow there was this kid - so out of wedlock?  fostered?  adopted?  All very progressive for a cartoon of the....30's(?).

.....and now back on course.

From Cowboy Junkies to Sister of Mercy.  THAT is quite a segue, no?  Well, welcome to my life, such as it is.

There actually is a SoM website, but it is for a convent, so.................there's that.

I had no affinity for the band back in the day (1988?), but liked the song "This Corrosion". It's interesting in its own way. And while Jim Steinman produced it, it's not in the vein of Meatloaf - Tyler - AirSuppy - Celine mode. Yes, the song is over the top in places, but not in the Steinman tried and true method.

To the readers who may or may not click on this - I think you can ALL thank me for not putting on the 9+ minute album version.


...........you're welcome!

Pink

I really have nothing today. Thought we'd see a movie yesterday, but that didn't pan out. I bought some music, but haven't listened enough to write a Record of the Month.  I took dog pics, but you know you have to wait till Saturday for those to possibly surface, right?

So all I have is picture of Gus Kenworthy and his new pink hair.   {swoon}

Gus, as I'm sure he'd allow me to call him, is a Olympic medalist, dog-rescuer and a funny-ish guy. ....and gay. Gus is gay.

He's a handsome enough chap, or so I think. {and I do!}

I'm digging this pic he posted on Instagram. The pink kind of works for him. It brings out the blue in his eyes and yes, the pink in his lips. The contrast of his beard works too.

Mr. K is also funny on Twitter. 

So, while I have nothing, I'm still giving you Gus Kenworthy.


You're welcome.



Song by: Baby Carrots

the Couch

T.G.I.SP/SM.S

This man suffers greatly if not doted upon at every turn. 

...so he has the energy for squirrel hunting. 

Sophie owns my hand.  Trapped under her chin for at least an hour. Who am I to move it??

Someone seems very comfortable on the sofa. 

Song by: Alanis Morissette

Morph

After 30+ years, I fear my relationship with my longtime friends is nearing an end.

They barely reacted to the below clip I sent their way - and when / if they reacted at all, it was far far too late after sending it, and I still had to prompt.

Apparently they have matured past me, or my sense of humour is far surpassing what they can process. I'm hoping for the latter.  Swifty was right (as always). A hater's gonna hate hate hate hate hate.

Seriously though:  this is kind of mesmerizing and yet still very fucked up.  Steve Buscemi's face CGI'd over Jennifer Lawrence's.

It's like that car wreck you happen witness on the highway. You shouldn't look, yet just cannot look away. Whomever pulled this off did it flawlessly. Maybe too much so.

....and you must hit 'play' and with sound.




....and for good measure, I put the original footage side by side.






 Song by: twenty one pilots 

Smack My Bitch Up

Since Hope Hicks is used to getting slapped around {allegedly} at home by Rob Porter, I think it's about time that someone else got their turn to take a whack at her.

That someone is Congress.

A Democratic led House Judiciary committee is opening an investigation into BLOTUS' potential obstruction of justice.

Potential.  Hasn't his entire campaign and time in office been a total obstruction on every level? And "justice" isn't a word he's known - and rightfully so - as of right now, he's gotten away with every. single. thing.

Those around him might be taking pleas or heading to the big house, but BLOTUS.......he's just the fat emperor with no clothes.   ....or true friends.  .....or brains.   .....or dignity.   (you can add 'morals' 'couth', and the list goes on and on and on....)

So, Hicks is reportedly cooperating voluntarily with this investigation unlike John Kelly and any other number of White House officials - past or present.

The committee is "asking for documents on a wide-range of topics, including over former national security adviser Michael Flynn's false statements to the FBI, the firing of then-FBI Director James Comey, Trump's involvement in a hush-money scheme to silence stories about his alleged affairs and the drafting of a misleading 2017 statement to the media about Donald Trump Jr.'s 2016 meeting in Trump Tower with Russians."

Hicks might be going volunatrily because she has not real information so she won't be hurting herself (that's what Rob Porter's for, folks!) or that fat fuck at 1600.

But this always raises a question for me:  WHY DO PEOPLE HOLD ONTO THESE DOCUMENTS????

Knowing there is an investigation on which could implicate themselves or those around them - do they do it 'in case' they need the 4-1-1 for leverage? 

I am constantly amazed what shows up years later. 

Hey, even if it comes up with nothing, I say keep pestering these bastards. Keep them in the public eye where they can only work for FOX since hopefully no other employer would touch them.


I know....I know. There are a lot of evil corps in the world that would be happy to have them on staff. It's quite sad.

Still, I'm ok with a public flogging of anyone in this administration.



Song by: Prodigy

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

If JP thinks me getting up before 05:00 is cah-ray-zee, I'm not sure what he'll thinking getting up at 02:35.

It doesn't seem that long ago when I was getting home at that time and still successfully getting some sleep and being at the office by 07:30.

Yet on the other hand, it seems like a lifetime ago.

But no, this is going to bed before 22:00 and being up four and one-half hours later. It appears that starting planning to transition out of my job and already taking on responsibilities of my new one, has my mind - in the immortal words of Micheal Jackson - workin' workin' day and night.

I awoke at 02:35 and there I stayed. Laying in the dark, snoozing dog on one side of me, snoring cat on the other.

Now it's almost 24 hours since I went to bed the last time.  Here's hoping.

I'm too tired to try to come up with anything more than this.  More tomorrow.



Song by: Beastie Boys

At Seventeen

Vlog time.  Save the Europe 2018 one, I cannot remember last time I did one.  Enjoy??






Song by: Janis Ian

My Music Monday

Today I'm going with the Cowboy Junkies' "I Don't Get It" from their incredible second album, Trinity Sessions, from 31 years ago. 

How did that disk become that old?  How did I?

The disk was recorded live (but not in one day) with one microphone, no overdubs, edits of mixes.

Most of the material is original, though they throw in a few covers and one standard that they add to. The disk sounds dark to me, but that might be my whole perception of being recorded in a Toronto church.

I'm not a big harmonica fan, as it is usually used badly. "I Don't Get It" avoids that norm.  This selection isn't going to sway anyone from the thought of me having a baffling taste in music. I'm good with that.

Pay to Play

I have been contemplating all day (well, yesterday) not to write today. It's not for lack of subjects really. It might be due to too many

For now, I feel the need to skip over the mosque killings in New Zealand. I'm not in a place of mind to discuss the continued rise of white nationalism / supremacy. I'm not ready to tie it back to our current administration and the hate that is emanating from our country and spilling so far over the world. 

I guess we can tackle white privilege (again), with the whole college admissions 'scandal'. because that's all it seems to be - unless maybe you're a stellar athlete, then race is off the table. 

I guess I should be upset at Lori Laughlin if I knew who she was, but having never watched Full House or the Hallmark Channel, it seems unlikely I'm familiar with her work. Felicity Huffman, however, boooo.  You're ruining reruns of Sports Night for me, assuming anyone would ever pick that up for reruns. 

I'm not so sure what the big hoo-hah is about this 'scandal'. It's hardly news......or new.  Paying to get into schools has been going on for decades, if not longer.  You don't think Shrub, BLOTUS or Jared Kushner got into Yale, Wharton or Harvard (respectively) on their own volition, do you? 

If anything, the fathers of those three (well, the one that's still alive) should look to these whiter than white actresses to see how they got off so cheap. 

Wasn't Huffman's cost like $15,000?  That's only half a year's tuition and board. If anyone should be offended, it should be her kid: they didn't garner big bucks to break the rules.  They're not THAT special after all.  Still, I've seen her IMBD, she must have saved her dough from Desperate Housewives, because she hasn't been that relevant - and that other chick has been let go from, well....everything. 

But since we are tying this together, let's do talk white privilege and say a bigger form or getting into something you don't deserve, like say

NATIONAL SECURITY CLEARANCE

How is this not the ultimate cheating scandal derived from power, money, nepotism and being Caucasian?

It seems cheating to get into college is just the prerequisite for cheating at your job in later life. 

I guess Felicity Huffman's kid has a job waiting for him / her in the very near future. 

On a side note:  who wouldn't want to be investigated by the above DOJ guy....and his finger???

Song by: Nirvana

Alone Together

Saturday.  You know what that means............

Shep, tried creeping into the front seat - where he is not allowed.  Little manipulator. 

Sophie:  creature of comfort. 

It's his eyes that kill me. 

Fawning over Dad #1 - and vice versa

And Shep usually brings a toy - usually Sebastian - up to the bedroom when we get home. 

That new sofa you all said wouldn't be delivered in 1-2 weeks???  Well here it is......5 weeks late.r 

You were all correct. 

Song by: Fall Out Boy