Mr. Pierce has taken his photo essays to a new level.

LA to the bone. Just like the Red Hot Chili Peppers only with less musicians.

Embeds
Well the media, prompted by Rumsfeld's request for more funds from Congress, is starting to get a whiff of the idea that this war may not be over as quickly as was intended. More lives may be lost than were expected.

But the coverage remains all stats and speculation. How many of them did we get? How will we crush them? Let us count the ways.

Folks around me seem to be less than enthusiastic about our endeavor in Iraq. People are organizing a unified voice of dissent through protests around the world. They are organizing against us. But the major media outlets have not seen fit to give the anti-war contingent a credible voice. They are so preoccupied with getting us feedback from the front lines and capturing the drama of combat that they haven't vigorously examined reasons why we should not even be there in the first place.

We've been in this for two weeks now and R.E.M. has already given us a song.

Thurston Moore has already given us a site.

There is already talk of an extended campaign. Real sacrifice. Major consequences. What will the voices of dissent sound like when it's no longer practical to give each casualty individual attention?

It's all starting to feel like a bait and switch. I'm starting to feel like we were tricked.

Progress
I talked to the guy who hit my car today (2:10pm). He said he would cut me a check for the repairs and send it out by Saturday (March 29th). We agreed on the lowest estimate ($382.17). I gave him my address so hopefully I will have the check soon.

Then I can get the car fixed.

The Horror
This note from fuckedcompany.com is absolutely disturbing.

Are Americans so disconnected from the realities of warfare that we can consider using the suffering of thousands of people as a backdrop for entertainment because it makes good economic sense?

So very, very wrong.

Shephard's Pie

haXored!
My site was attacked by "peace activists" early Saturday morning. Many thanks to Pet Junkie for bringing the defacing to my attention.

Also, many thanks to Allan for the heads up on Host Rocket. After the little hack job with my current host and the incredible rates from HR, I may have to migrate over.

Crash
So I spent the day with my friends up in Woodland Hills. Had a wonderful time...until I got back on the freeway to head home.

While traveling south on the 405 at around 12:30am, about a half mile north of Sunset Boulevard, this guy in a Chevy Avalanche glides right into my lane and right into my car.

We traveled down the freeway for a bit before we exited at Sunset. I had actually called 411 so I could get connected to the CHP. I wasn't sure if he was going to stop or not.

When we finally stopped, in front of a Holiday Inn just off the freeway, he inexplicably claimed that I was the one that had drifted into his lane. I had not been drinking at all. I don't do drugs. I had not nodded off nor was I tired. I never even felt the rumble of road reflectors. His story confused me.

He then hurriedly examined the damage to my car. It seems to be limited to the fender flare above the left rear tire. I'll give it a closer look in the morning. His car was not damaged as far as he or I could tell.

He gave me his license, insurance card, business card and cell number. I started fishing through the paperwork in my glovebox for my information but he said it wasn't necessary. He asked if I had insurance. I do. He asked if I would simply get an estimate and let him know what the repair costs were. He did not want to go through insurance. He seemed to be in a hurry.

Since damage seemed to be limited to the flare I agreed.

Strangely, the company listed on the card deals with insurance and financial services. Also, the name on the business card he handed me does not match the name on the license exactly. One says Larry. The other, Jason. The URL for the website listed on the card is no longer active. And I never finished writing down the license plate number. I did however write down the VIN, his license and his insurance policy number.

I don't feel good about the way it has gone down thus far. It's only the second time I have ever had to deal with the process. I hope it does not go badly.

UPDATE: I posted some pics.

ROCK!!!
Speaking of musicians, co-conspirator Marco contributed this fine piece last night. I am not a fan of Pokemon by any means but this is an exception. And exceptionally edited.

He is also the one who introduced me to Mindless Self Indulgence. He stays up late. Beats people with sticks. That's pretty fucking cool.

We'll Make Great Pets
Animals make good musicians. This song is pretty sweet too.

Madness!

I am posting this from my local Starbuck's using their T-Mobile service and my free day pass. The speeds don't seem as mediocre as the coffee. I have to think they would be better served by changing providers and offering this as a free service. (Don't think this is an original thought. I got that idea from Doc Searls.)

But honestly, I could be here for a while, and my coffee will soon be depleted.

If not, it will certainly be cold and I will require a something less tepid to replace it.

I could conceivably spend 2 or three times as much as I usually would on coffee because I am spending more time than usual (about 20 or 30 times more) right here within Starbuck's iron grip.

This HotSpot idea is really only a novelty though. Good for those times when you don't have an open network or an Apple Store nearby. It's overpriced, but it can be. It's really the only game in town for high speed wireless access unless you have a Ricochet network in your neighborhoodwhich isn't likely.

Oh well...I guess all we can do is dream of the day when these are more common than payphones.

Or Starbuck's.

In Other News...
My adventurous friend has decided to abandon her journey through the blogosphere. I have been designated as her successor. Problem is, I am not capable of generating enough material to fill one blog, let alone two!

So, lone solitary reader, I am making an impassioned plea: help me rekindle that interest. If you have a blog of your own, post a short message and link to her at http://petjunkie.blogspot.com. Let her know that we await her insights. Ruminations. Witicisms. I assure you that we are being deprived of interesting and insightful posts.

She will undoubtedly accuse me of being sarcastic or condescending, but this is a genuine attempt to bring her back into the fold. I have no pets. I must live vicariously through her.

This just in via Robert Mags:

Stan Ridgway and Pietra Wexstun have created a special musical score to accompany Mark Ryden's new show. They have created a
special composition to go with each painting.

B L O O D
Miniature Paintings of Sorrow and Fear by Mark Ryden
Opening Reception Saturday, March 22
4 - 6 PM
Exhibition continues through May 10
Earl McGrath Gallery
454 N. Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 657-4257

Mark Ryden is cool.

I'm a professional

I upgraded to pro so I have lots of neat stuff to play with: RSS and now there is an (ugly) blogroll off to your left.

The RSS link is:

http://themollusk.blogspot.com/rss/themollusk.xml

I'll try to get this all prettified and organized later. I am overwhelmed by the geekiness of this endeavor.

Well allow me to retort...

My insane friend does not think it is ironic that the following statement appears in her blog:

"I have never really liked the idea of weblogs."

I am a simple man...I could be wrong. So lets refer back to the handy definition of irony that she provided for us:

"incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs."

Should we expect people who don't like the idea of weblogs to start them? Should we count on the pacifists to lead our charge to war? Are the greenies going to start driving SUVs to protest against clean air laws?

I think she has a gribble in her noggin.

She's right about one thing though: I have nothing to blog about today.

DJ Gribble
A friend of mine in Seattle has FINALLY started a blog of her own. I did not acknowledge the irony of someone who doesn't understand or identify with the blog phenomenon starting, of all things, a blog.

Is it a sign that this phenomenon has gone too far?

Or perhaps she unwittingly proved the value of blogs with this post. If she didn't speak up I never would have known what a gribble was.

Bogging Goes Big Time
Fresh off the news that they acquired Pyra Labs, Google announced plans to buy this truck.

Do your thing...on the runway?

Choke with the ladies?
Women giving you the Heisman? Go for the Heimlich.

Damn Leftists

Remember the Lysistrata Project? Well, I emailed the folks at UCI and expressed an interest. I'm not down with the war. I like theater. College girls are pretty neat. But near as I can tell it never went down.



So, in response to this failed action I have decided to take matters into my own hands. I am going to deny all men sexual relations until these threats of war come to a halt. That combined with Iraqi claims that their weapons have been destroyed should put an end to this nonsense.

Where The Hell Have You Been?

I am such an irresponsible blogger. How am I going to change the world and have a global impact on the democratization of the media if I post lame shit or, even worse, don't post at all?

Well, lone solitary reader, I have a partial excuse. I was in the mountains. You know, writing my neglected manifesto, honing my survival skills, cleaning my arsenal of assault weapons. Needless to say, it is hard to blog from the mountains. I'm not really sorry though. If you're reading this after my protracted abscence from blogdom then you'll never leave me.

On A Whim
Today Cosmic Lattice Ultra Member b... launched a blog of his own. If his contributions to CL are any indication of what is to come then plan on tuning in. You will be as intrigued, befuddled and amused as I have been for the last year.