An out-of-context [!] quote from an interview with Ron Silliman on Sandra Simonds’ blog:

I never have had an “abstain”-oriented approach to policies, whether political or market oriented. I’ll leave that to those who think wearing a black turtleneck is a political position.

It may not be a political position, but it sure can be a magnet for bohemian chicks. I go WILD for a man in a black turtleneck. If he has a goatee and…and… and a pendant, so much the better. When Gary dons such paraphernalia, believe me, abstaining is the last thing on my mind, especially in regards to… how shall I say, “domestic policy.”

OK, I’m ‘fessing up. I have a warlock fetish.

I’m sure everyone and their sister will post this bit from the latest New Yorker’s article on the Kurdish reponse to the US invasion, but here it is anyway:

It is virtually impossible to find anyone in Kurdistan who is opposed to the war against Saddam’s regime. People on street corners ask for american flags or photographs of George Bush; the appreciation of the United States extends to the intellectual class. sherko Bekas, who was described to me as Kurdistan’s unofficial poet laureate, was particularly upset by the well-publicized efforts of American poets to stop the war. “Saddam is the god of war,” Bekas said, when I saw him at his office at a publishing firn in Sulaimaniya. “He is the killer of poetry.” He went on, “I say to thse poets that if they lived for two weeks under Saddam’s rule they would write verse in reverse. They would write poems asking Bush to attack Saddam sooner.”

As they used to say in Japan, “So many men, so many minds.”

Jordan, when was I proscriptive about the blog form? I’ve said what I like, but I’ve never been proscriptive. And by the way I don’t think it’s fair that your book has been reviewed in Rain Taxi (although, congratulations!) and NOT ONE of mine has despite gentle prods at the Rain Taxi editorial staff from my manager Gary Sullivan. That’s OK, literary establishment, erase me, see if I care. Then I can be unearthed by graduate students 100 years hence — as a “feminist discovery” — and they can lament all the anthologies I was never included in. Not that any of this matters in the least. (sniffing)

Or maybe it’s just that I’ve never had a sense of myself as a “public” writer.

Exhibitionist, but not public.

Maybe that’s why I’m so unpopular.

Why I am So Obnoxious or A Real Generational Agon

Here is an excerpt from my mother’s Hypnotherapy Newsletter, which she sends out as a mass e-mail. If you are curious, have a look at her website, replete with lotuses and Kwan Yins:

There is a powerful planetary transformation taking place, which is ultimately opening us to greater and more expanded dimensions of understanding. No matter what your persuasion, you can attune to the vibration of compassion, as exemplifed by such great ones as Quan Yin, Mary, Mother Teresa, and other awakened beings.

When we look at events in our world from a spiritual perspective, we can see that great lessons are being learned, karma is being played out, and transformation is taking place on the deepest levels. We feel our deepest emotional responses and take any actions we feel called to take, and we can also move into compassion for all beings who are suffering. We are being shifted and moved; a metamorphosis is taking place. Everything is an opportunity.

As one downhome philosopher once said, “Things have a way of working themselves out.”

As always, we pray for the peace and open- heartedness of all beings on earth.

You see, people, what I have to contend with? The use of the passive voice in the excerpt above is enough to make me retch.

Don’t misunderstand me. I love her, and she’s a very nice woman who helps a lot of people in need… but I can’t deal with this sort of lingo-ideology.

WHY AMERICA SUCKS

Why America Sucks. Corporate Pigs.

It’s not going to work anymore. …

(made possible by Loquacious)

america sucks dick! america sucks dick!

Bank of America Sucks Ass

anger management is a punch in the face

Corporate America Sucks!! … I work at a desk

and no one sees me all day! Once again for the record…

“Corporate America Sucks!!”. grrrr. I like big butts

and I can not Lie Corporate America Sucks!!.

Actually … America Sucks The United States of America

is currently engaged in an illegal war against Iraq. America

SUCKS – Anarchy dirtworld/ community/sucks/ Corporate America sucks

no play this game so I can get a few cents.

due to the rules and regulations we’re not actually allowed

to say that america sucks.

Can’t Stand Being With You ANTI-SYSTEM:

No Laughing Matter. Spank! Youth Culture

SIX FLAGS AMERICA SUCKS! America Survives …

Missing People Spit on America! America sucks shit!!!!! …

RE: Spit on America! America sucks shit!!!!!

Funny, Satirical and Nerdy America Sucks

America Sucks (pudding) America Sucks Cock

biggoat Poodle Destroyka Punk Vitaminepillen

FIGHT THE STATE NOT ITS WARS!!

Chase Bank Sucks. Circuit City Lawsuit.

Coke Spotlight. Corporate America Sucks.

Discover Card Sucks. E-toys Sucks.

FedExGroundBeef.com. Home Depot Sucks.

I Hate Ikea. … America Sucks By: Mr. Fucko.

It’s never made … a bitch. America sucks,

and I’m not afraid to say that I am ashamed to be

an American. I … america aka “the land of the free”

isnt all that it seems. … death by ignorace. Comments:

America sucks. America can rot for all i care. Japan can shine.

India is good, america sucks, but still, job opportunity

is more important to me than culture and family,

even though those are the most important things in …

YAWHO???! HOT OFF THE PRESSES FROM

CHUNGASPANKS GAYASS COCK- AMERICA SUCKS!

(Associated Mess). MORE AMERICA SUCKS!! Hi America sucks,

I’m George W. Bush, the president of the United States.

You can call me Dubya. … assholes … In the parlance of our time,

Geek America ‘sucks’ geek america sucks. steve, hamster lover. brent,

last action hero. melissa, where is my home? word, and you can’t tell

people to rise up and slice the monarch’s head off–

but you can talk about how much America sucks …

America Sucks! … “God Bless America” Sucks on Many Levels.

After the Destruction Comes More Evil. … … i wish i was gay.

you are all halfway retarded, sheep, just pieces of the system.

america sucks. children rule, most adults suck. i hate everyone.

Googlism for: american imperialism

american imperialism is closely surrounded by the peoples of the

american imperialism is in the making

american imperialism is to remove all hindrances and obstacles to the domination of the weaker countries by american capital

american imperialism is closely surrounded by the peoples of the world

american imperialism is to establish india as the chief reactionary base in south

american imperialism is the single biggest danger to american security and world peace

american imperialism is written by post

american imperialism is a good thing

american imperialism is to proclaim the truth everywhere

american imperialism is understandable in light of the decades before

american imperialism is in line with our consistence policy to oppose their capitalist system

american imperialism is not another state

american imperialism is doing and that it is going to invade iraq

american imperialism is not without its foreign accomplices

american imperialism is truly astonishing

american imperialism is taking advantage of the situation to extend its power in the region

american imperialism is progress itself

american imperialism is probably felt by americans as simply spreading the culture

american imperialism is a bolshevik or a dictator

american imperialism is arrogantly demanding that all countries and peoples accept its prescriptions of what should be their economic orientation and what

american imperialism is the preemptive strike policy

american imperialism is imminent by neal sadler the georgia state university signal

american imperialism is not part of the solution

american imperialism is trying to establish all over the

american imperialism is a media website by the history wiz which visually covers the united state’s impearlist involvement in central america

american imperialism is crowing triumphantly over afghanistan

american imperialism is also developing on the military level

american imperialism is resisted and fought

american imperialism is

american imperialism is the root cause of terrorism

american imperialism is aiming at many other targets;

american imperialism is going to be impossible to maintain without the use of excessive force and putting the weaker

american imperialism is to ignore the facts

american imperialism is only a

american imperialism is a persuasive one when dealing with american imperialism at the

american imperialism is on the rise

american imperialism is nothing but a “paper tiger” with internal weaknesses

american imperialism is to blame

american imperialism is what is truly exceptional about america

american imperialism is well aware of what british imperialism is up to

american imperialism is not pretty

american imperialism is the central other in the film

american imperialism is not of democratic type

american imperialism is not content

american imperialism is for china to depoly a powerful military to neutralize america’s nuclear blackmail and make america pay

american imperialism is bringing civilization to the orient

american imperialism is to be

american imperialism is his obsession with tv icons such as john travolta and farah fawcett

american imperialism is a paper tiger

american imperialism is anti

american imperialism is an understandable slip

american imperialism is at the fore of the imperialists’ aggressive policy

american imperialism is in the form of movies

american imperialism is trying to consolidate the neo

american imperialism is written i fear that it may have all the

american imperialism is the main explanation

american imperialism is a serious danger to the independent states in africa

american imperialism is such that pro

american imperialism is symptomatic of the true nature of american dominance of the world

american imperialism is brutal and mad” and “us has the maximum

american imperialism is seen as just an extension of the european phenomenon

american imperialism is needed in order for us to be able to keep out “part in the mission of our race

american imperialism is being aided by all of the capitalist forces which are presently at bay

american imperialism is the bloody foe of the korean people with whom we cannot live under the same sky

american imperialism is no better than spanish

american imperialism is embarking on a policy of global domination with potentially catastrophic consequences

american imperialism is at its peak

american imperialism is desperate for a pretext to invade iraq; there’s no doubt

american imperialism is an excuse for murdering american christian missionaries

american imperialism is that we believed we were bringing our democracy and freedom to others

american imperialism is accomplishing is the moral and social ruin of the puerto rican people even though some sectors refuse to fall into the abyss

american imperialism is really just a ploy for votes

american imperialism is nothing new

american imperialism is a threat to the rest of us on thursday may 30

american imperialism is acting not only as an aggressor

american imperialism is obviously near

american imperialism is focused on many of the settlements that have happened through out history

american imperialism is not something of the past century but was with the american system from the start

american imperialism is right or wrong

american imperialism is unlikely because

american imperialism is our peculiar belief that the people we conquer are better off for it and love us for enslaving them

american imperialism is pretty sick

american imperialism is a really shitty reason

american imperialism is that it “dare not speak its name”

american imperialism is set to cause chaos again in 2002

american imperialism is that it has entered the field of active practical cooperation with the oppressed peoples of

american imperialism is the custodian of global capitalism