Xorse Network News
Another video! And further proof that we need a real video camera.
It’s an okay stab at creating network news style graphics. Only having a day and still not knowing crap about After Effects didn’t help. But, I know how I’ll handle the task next time I’m called forth to complete it.
Also, the crappy compression quality of this video will serve as a reminder to take some time, and figure out appropriate output settings for Adobe Media Encoder.
Long live the Xorse.
The Garry Shandling Movie Poster Project
I’ve watched all the extras and commentary for Tom Goes to the Mayor. An observant individual like myself would have noticed the photo-shopped posters on the wall. I believe they also mention the Garry Shandling posters at some point on the disc. I had secretly wished I could have been involved in that contest.
Needless to say, I was excited when Tim Heidecker mentioned The Garry Shandling Movie Poster Project on his Tumblr. I thought I’d share the posters I submitted…
The Shanshank Redemption
Shand of Brothers
And something a little different, since I can’t think up any Garry Shandling puns I like for The Garry Shandling Show…
It's Garry Shandling's Television Repair Hour
Everybody Shake Your Hands! It’s Time For Christmas!
A Use Bombs Christmas gift to you, by way of the The Jazztime Starlight Christmas Orchestra Ensemble:
This is our first “official” skit, so to speak. (See the cute little logo in the corner when you start it up? Awww~ Just look at that little guy!)
In all actuality, the video is to promote the Christmas song we wrote for a compilation by local artists–A Super Gnarly Christmas: Volume One. The original plan was to sell it for charity, but those plans fell through at the last moment. You can still download it for free at the link below if you want to hear what some of the others in the area have to add!
A Super Gnarly Christmas: Volume One can be downloaded for free here!
The video–in case you can’t tell–is a comedy and took a good amount of time and effort to complete. We’ve been working on it for a week and a half, so you better enjoy it!
Have you ever thought…
Maybe life is just one big mixed up hot dog?
Turning on the Universal hot dog keeper warmer thing?
And death is like a fat kid who loves carnival food?
Summer is the toasted warm bun, and sunsets are mustard.
Catsup is… well, it’s also death, because it’s sometimes used as fake blood by children.
Lastly, quantum physics is like cornbread. Nobody knows if it exists or not.
Maybe life is a corndog… These things are best left to science.
Cock-O-Block
Lots of people didn’t like Tom Goes to the Mayor, but to me it was an amazing show. There was just a charm about it. The writers could capture the mediocrity around us in a very true sense, and distort it to highlight the absurdity that always left me in tears.
I happened to see an advertisement online that immediately made me recall a sequence from Tom Goes to the Mayor. I think this is a shining example of what I’m trying to explain.
First, the TGttM segment:
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Second, what I saw just moments ago:
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As a side note, I love that the 3D animated cobra makes some kind of “Caw!” sound.
Update:
…Well both the videos got taken down. Um… I don’t know… I guess my points are now invalided.
Hosting Change
The site disappeared the past few days, this is due to moving everything over to a newer, shinier, hopefully better toaster. Actually the site hasn’t been down at all, but the information I was constantly given the wrong information to point the domain name to the new host.
Now that that’s out of the way, I plan to start working on tweaking a few things and adding some new content/features.
On the Texas Governors Claims of Sovereignty
(Okay… don’t mind this too much. Way~ too many characters for a Facebook response, so it’s getting posted here.)
Glenn Beck is an idiot and a buffoon. Also, possibly crazy. If you love him because you find his insane antics amusing, that’s one thing, but I wouldn’t bother arming him with the extra ratings.
In the future you should refrain from using most any arguments he or Fox News put forth. The sheer amount of nonsensical babble pouring forth from that channel almost guarantees that putting your faith in them will cause you to be wrong. If the Republican party falters and fails, the responsibility will fall squarely on the shoulders of people like Beck.
Now, if Texas wants to split and and go it alone, I’m not going to be one to stand in their way. I won’t claim that that they don’t have the right or the necessary mentality to make such a bold move. However, said bold move is just a bluff. Blatant lies meant only to appease and that don’t deserve as much attention as I’m giving them.
I’m calling it this for several reasons:
- Immigration is one of the three biggest issues in America today and Texas is right in the middle of the storm. To act as if the federal government is doing/has done nothing for the state of Texas–even as the President is in Mexico dealing with two huge Texas related issues–is to ignore all facts and indicators. Additionally, I’m sure we as a nation could be contribute more to poor old Texas if our resources weren’t being utilized for extended periods of time in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- The quality of life would certainly decrease. Mexican local, state, and federal police forces have been corrupted by cartels, so they won’t be any help to newly independent Tex-kistan. Kidnappings are widespread in Mexico, as are turf wars and corrupted politicians. These drug wars being fought by cartels have already entered Tucson and El Paso. To push away the help of federal agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives–as these agencies expand their efforts–would worsen the situation. What would Tex-kistan do, create it’s own army and require service?
- I see it as a point of hypocrisy that the Governor of Texas acts like they can go it alone, but accepts $17 billion of the stimulus money offered. As it is other state politicians are already upset that he’s rejecting the other $555 million, and he certainly wants to be reelected. He’s clearly a mouth piece that does not represent the entire states thoughts on the matter.
Acting like a lone ranger may score you warm and fuzzy points at rallies and protests, but he would never take the actual risk his constituencies or his electability. So it remains only acting. Acting from a Republican politician that is torn by the shifts between the thinking members of his party, and the members who listen to Glen Beck.
Update:
No real surprises here: In Texas, 31% Say State Has Right to Secede From U.S., But 75% Opt To Stay.
Update 2
Right, so, allow me to reiterate the claim that the governor does not necessary represent all the thoughts on the matter: Texas House votes to slash Gov. Rick Perry’s budget
Some Hosts Are Dumb
Okay, so I just happened to hear a conversation on the radio tonight about Guantánamo Bay being closed down and the charges being dropped against one of the suspected USS Cole bombers. I’ve done a little bit of research and here’s what I’ve come up with:
- On January 22nd, President Obama signed an executive order that said all proceedings at Guantánamo will be paused for four months so that the cases can be reviewed and the U.S. government can determine what to do with each of the 245 inmates. This seems like a sound idea to me, as it seems like the the case files are a mess.
- Col. James Pohl–who is the chief judge overseeing the trial–defied this executive order last week and proceeded with the trial of Rahim al-Nashiri. Al-Nashiri had previously testified that he was tortured (PDF) and that the confessions had been coerced out of him for some of the crimes. Pohl says he’s acting in interest of a speedy trial, but these families have been waiting for justice since 2000.
- Speed is important, but continuing to run this place the way it has been is a travesty to justice, both for the families of victims and any innocents who may have been wrongfully accused. Before you say that concept is crazy, think back to the innocent Canadian we held and tortured for four years.
- The President was going to order the Justice Department to drop the charges for the time being so that the proceedings could be brought to a halt. However, Susan Crawford got in ahead of him and dropped the charges without prejudice. I’m a little unclear on this part, but the charges were either dismissed strictly to stop the case while things are sorted out or because the inmate was tortured and the confessions were invalid.
- From what I’ve gathered, I would have to lay the blame on Pohl for forcing the administration’s hand and for the previous administration’s failure to process the suspects in an orderly fashion, inability to act swiftly, and torture of the suspects–which call the gathered confessions into question.
- Lastly, I should mention that some of these people do appear to be dangerous prisoners. As such, when moving them into the United States, we need to pick a secure location, not one run by the National Parks Service. I’d feel much better knowing that they are in a technologically current, maximum security facility. We dump enough money into our prison system; we should have places to hold them. My understanding is that even if they are found innocent and released, it will be back to their native countries, not into your neighborhood.
Feel free to chime in, but this is what I found with a little bit of digging and common sense.
Irony~
On Obama’s Change.gov Web site, which was used during the transition period, his staff asked the public to submit new policy ideas… The most popular idea, by a wide margin: ‘Ending marijuana prohibition.’
– SF GateObama’s transition team responded by saying he opposes legalization of marijuana.
– Seattle TimesObama’s half brother arrested on charge of marijuana possession
– CNN
