The Daytona 500 vs. Euro Scalextric

Who needs Nascar and all that flag-waving, country music-loving, good ol' boy right-wing extremist bullshit when you can partake of some nonpartisan human crème brûlée (Miss Tahiti, 1998; Miss France, 1999) with your scale model racetrack songs below? Not me! Or as one enlightened wag on YouTube put it (spoiler alert), "If that skirt was any shorter, I would see a lot more ivy in the background."

MAREVA GALANTER-"On roule à 160"

70-Year Old Drops Laser-Guided C-Bomb on Middle America

Since Boston is so proud of its prestigious arts complex known as the Wang Center, I don't see what's so wrong with what the 70-year old Barbarella said on live national TV early yesterday morning. What's good for the Goose Gossage is good for the gander and all that. However, our readers can decide for themselves below.

Dunk it!

In honor of my bloggity brethren, I have been inspired to research, contemplate and bloginate...the cookie. So, without further ado, here are the all time, top 5, greatest cookies of all time!

Number 5) The Chrusciki

This delightful Polish confection has been a favorite with the Catholic school girls for generations. Not only are they devilishly sweet, they melt in your mouth like a communion wafer.

Number 4) The porn site cookie

A favorite of an estimated 109,000,000 Americans, this little cyber pastry gets stored in your web browser to make it just that much easier to log onto your favorite porn site, without all the hassle of typing one handed.

Number 3) Carleton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist

This AFL hall of famer was not only the league's first 1,000 yard rusher in a 14 game season, but he was also an accomplished place kicker and pass blocker for several teams, including my Buffalo Bills. In his spare time he was a relentless advocate and activist in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. And (this is rumor) I hear he was quite a knitter.

Number 2) Cookie

I only know her as Cookie. She is a particularly pleasant cocktail waitress at Herb's Pub on Lake Chautauqua near Jamestown, NY. Hubba Hubba!!!

and finally, the number one all time greatest cookie of all time:

Number 1) The Nilla Wafer

A known favorite of The Red Man, this tasty little morsel is not only the essence of Americana, it is also quite Proletariat.



Respectfully submitted,
Z

PS - To all the girls I've loved before...Happy Valentine's Day.

101st Post -- And Hopefully Many More!

Dear Readers,

A quick one from the land of IVDM tonight. First, I'd like to thank R-Lo for unknowingly publishing the 100th posting on our ever growing blog. We apparently have a lot to say, even though some of us waste the space with "Let them Eat Cake"-like cookies...also known as the Fig Newton (I'm looking at you Boston suburb with the nerve to put a cafe in the plans of their new public high school). For those of you similar to R-Lo, who enjoy that Bastille Day special known as the Pecan Sandie, I would also like to recommend other agenda oriented treats such as the cryptic Maoist Chinese food fortune cookie and the ethnically charged Hydrox cookie as it is the covertly Kosher version of the Oreo (very sinister indeed!).

Onto more pressing items. Tonight I'd like to post a segment of Maureen Dowd's op-ed piece about Hillary's chances in the upcoming primaries. In this she quotes the verbal half of Penn and Teller and a new joke in their stage show. From this it is obvious Jillette doesn't think highly of Mrs. Clinton, but he interprets the changes in his audience's repulsed reaction as a sign of trouble for her. Dowd has some doubts. Read it for yourself.

In a webcast, prestidigitator Penn Jillette talks about a joke he has begun telling in his show. He thinks the thunderous reaction it gets from audiences shows that Hillary no longer has a shot. The joke goes: “Obama is just creaming Hillary. You know, all these primaries, you know. And Hillary says it’s not fair, because they’re being held in February, and February is Black History Month. And unfortunately for Hillary, there’s no White Bitch Month.” Of course, jokes like that — even Jillette admits it’s offensive — are exactly what may give Hillary a shot.

Perhaps Jillette is just mad that the Mitt-Orny ticket was never a reality while Jesus Camp actually exists.



-TRM

Bourgeois Cookies

Comrade The Red Man has been known to refer to these with scorn as "bourgeois cookies" when I have dared to eat them in his presence. True story!

"Masculin Féminin" Redux

Since I ripped off that Masculin Féminin review from one of my other blogs (self-bootlegging at its finest), a small measure of guilt has compelled me to offer you this Intravenus de Milo "exclusive": the trailer from the US rerelease a couple of years back. Note that despite the bouncy soundtrack, French teens were actually prohibited from seeing the film when it first came out because it was deemed too subversive for impressionable young minds. Apparently, there's a petit bourgeois born every minute.

Ennui with a Backbeat

Masculin Féminin (2005 DVD)
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
France and Sweden, 1966
In French with English subtitles

I finally got around to watching this celebrated study of mid-'60s Parisian youth culture and was so blown away that I watched it twice in the last couple of weeks to see what I might have missed. Although Chantal Goya's lovely pop songs might make you think things are all fun and games here, they serve as an excellent foil to what is essentially a dark and pessimistic take on the banalities of modern consumerism. Thinking about Godard's work 40+ years after it was made, I'd have to say that this is one of the most "punk rock" directing efforts I've ever seen. Most scenes mix a certain anthropological distance with an in-your-face interrogatory style, and the intertitles and allusions to random violence sprinkled throughout also sport a rather aggressive spraypaint belligerence. Confrontational? Yeah. However, the artistry of the film lies in scenes like the one titled "Dialogue avec un produit de consommation" (Dialogue with a Consumer Product) where a 19-year old beauty queen--wholesome, fetching, more or less totally apathetic--practically gets crucified with a series of uncomfortable questions about politics and sex. If there's no pleasure in watching her get her comeuppance, maybe it's because moments this brutal and seemingly spontaneous reveal characters less "cinematic" than we're used to dealing with on the screen. Superb. (http://www.criterion.com/)

Coming Soon...

The Golden Ticket

Dear Readers,

I stumbled across this add on the Internet a little while ago, and all I can say is that everything makes sense now. The Doctor's ultimate ticket -- a Romney/Orny Adams team would be unstoppable. The next stop for Z would have been Romney's Guantanamo II with an extra helping of mean because Orny thinks its funny! Now who's laughing?

-TRM

Uno Mas, Madre%$#er!!

Hey, I'm not above the pig pile mentality.

I personally have been breathing easier this week, with the demise of the Romney campaign. Although I guess I am greatful that he so gallantly bowed out, in order to save us from surrendering to the terrorists (what the fuck?), the real reason I am breathing easier is because he is the most ardent advocate for an issue that scares me the most. English only.

I'm sorry, but English only would destroy the lifestyle, I as a patriotic American have come to enjoy. Let's put aside that first amendment FREEDOM OF FUCKING SPEECH provision for one second, you fucking robotic asshole. What I would miss out of my American experience would be as follows:

burritos, quesodillas, salsa, and Salsa. Not to mention Los Straightjackets, Big Sandy and punk rock geniuses, the Plugz.

If Mitt, and Grandpapi McCain for that matter, had their way, the best we would be able to do is tuna wraps, grilled cheese, ketchup and Garth Brooks (aka grilled cheese). No thanks, Senor.

So, now I intend to celebrate with a Corona.

Hey by the way Mittens, you should have realized that no one wants to vote for a pussy who says, do as I say and not as I do. So shut up!...por favour.




Respectfully submitted,
Z

Stepping in Some Mitt

(idea courtesy of the Colbert Report)

Dear Readers,

In case you missed it, dear old Mitt Romney dropped out of the Republican primaries a day ago, and he said some of the most outrageous things in his concession speech. There are more "I shit you not" moments in this diatribe than R-Lo hosting an "I Can't Believe Its Not Butter" infomercial. Below is a list of some of the more ridiculous quotes:

"I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century—still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower. "

--Isn't France part of the European Union? The one with a stronger currency, better health care, was correct on Iraq, and an American ally?

"The attack on faith and religion is no less relentless. And tolerance for pornography—even celebration of it—and sexual promiscuity, combined with the twisted incentives of government welfare programs have led to today’s grim realities: 68% of African American children are born out-of-wedlock, 45% of Hispanic children, and 25% of White children. How much harder it is for these children to succeed in school—and in life. A nation built on the principles of the founding fathers cannot long stand when its children are raised without fathers in the home. It is time for the people of America to fortify marriage through constitutional amendment, so that liberal judges cannot continue to attack it! If we do not change course, Asia or China will pass us by as the economic superpower, just as we passed England and France during the last century."

--How did we go from faith and religion to pornography, and what's the deal with fathers in the home having something to do with Asia? When did I miss the part in history class that covered how France and England had no fathers during the first half of the 20th century which led to American supremacy? Did England respond to this threat by sending us Wham?

"Did you see that today, government workers make more money than people who work in the private sector. Can you imagine what happens to an economy where the best opportunities are for bureaucrats?

--Damn you Post Office Donald Trump! Livin' large on all those discounted stamps!

"...there is a conviction that all governments should be destroyed and replaced by a religious caliphate."

--Somebody didn't see Jesus Camp.

"Soon, the face of liberalism in America will have a new name. Whether it is Barack or Hillary, the result would be the same if they were to win the Presidency. The opponents of American culture would push the throttle, devising new justifications for judges to depart from the constitution. Economic neophytes would layer heavier and heavier burdens on employers and families, slowing our economy and opening the way for foreign competition to further erode our lead. And Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat. And the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America, launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play. About this, I have no doubt. I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

--As Jon Stewart said about this part: "Fuck You!"

You know, I'm pretty sick about hearing that not voting Republican will cause more attacks on America. Last time I checked, Ron Paul got a pretty large ovation at the last debate when he talked about bringing troops home from Iraq (if you didn't watch it, go to YouTube). Clearly, someone in the Republican party obviously thinks differently about this issue, and that's a good thing in general. People forget that politics isn't about agreeing all the time. This isn't your local baseball team, and when politicians fuck up it is OK to stop supporting them...maybe, dare I say, patriotic. That's what being a Democrat is all about! You think I hold Bill Clinton in high regard? You'd be wrong about that (I'm lookin' at you DD). In this case there won't be any off-season rebuilding, and no first round draft picks to save the organization. Bush walks out of office never having to work another day in his life, and will never rely on the Social Security he briefly tried to dismantle (as if he ever did).

Again, all you people who think the Republicans are the answer to things like immigration, gay marriage, and abortion should look at the facts before voting. Your party had control of the White House, the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court and all you got was this lousy economy.

Also, can we stop using the words "Liberal" and "Conservative"? They don't mean anything anymore. John McCain is not a "liberal", and it is not a bad thing that he attracts independents and some Democrats. My advice John, go for the popular vote, and leave your Coulter/Limbaugh base behind. You just might win.

-TRM

Astronauts and Assholes

Carrie-Anne Moss, Canadian hottie.

Mitt Romney, paranoid android/also-ran. Would like to go back in time 25,000 years to put up a wall along that Bering Strait thing.

The Super Bowl for Suckers

In honor of Valentine's Day (now a month-long event judging by the ads we've already been subjected to this week), here's an extremely suggestive 1966 clip of "Les Sucettes" penned by Serge Gainsbourg and sung by the lovely France Gall. The lyrics in this ode to lollipops might not be anything special in translation ("When the anise-flavored barley sugar slides down Annie's throat, she's in heaven"), but I think you'll agree that there's a certain je ne sais quoi about this sugary pop confection anyway. Too bad the song's alleged double entendres so distressed the then 19-year old Gall when she found out about them that she broke off her business relationship with dirty old man Gainsbourg, thus depriving the world from ever hearing the planned follow-up about corn dogs!

You Might Be an Ignorant Voter

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Super Tuesday edition of Intravenus De Milo. Before you go running to the polls and vote, here are my suggestions on how to determine whether you qualify as an ignorant voter:

1. You vote for a candidate because you like them better or would like to have a beer with them at a barbecue. If this is you, just stop reading this blog, and blame yourself for the state of the economy, Iraq, and the housing crisis. Maybe that home schooling wasn't such a good thing. China and India have dibs on your ass.

2. You're disappointed that Fred Thompson isn't running anymore. What exactly was his platform anyway?

3. You regularly get your news from any major TV news or 24 hour cable news network. I'm sorry, there isn't one reliable news outlet that's owned by a major corporation. I promise this isn't skepticism. It is hard to take any station seriously when their anchors balance election information with coverage of drunken starlets, startlets in rehab, starlets and athletes, athletes and drugs, pharmaceutical commercials preceding health care stories, and rumors of a new Dallas movie. Your lack of knowledge has forced the news to feed your mind feces to support your shit for brains. Ask yourself, do you know more about Hannah Montana or Ron Paul? Do you even know which one of them running for President?

4. You get your written information from newspapers with bold printed headlines that rhyme, and contains more information on sports, comics, and horoscopes. Oh, what's that? You're a libra, and it says the end of the world is near-- perhaps you should stay home and not vote.

5. You think Reagan is the best President. Let's look at this model for a moment-- here's a person that we all know had Alzheimer's while in office. Does anyone remember Iran-Contra? He certainly didn't, and the record speaks for itself (go and watch it!). Furthermore, the Republicans have been using his formula for manipulative success ever since. If you listen closely you can hear them saying "who can we get that people like, knows nothing about policy, can read written lines, and follow orders while we carry out Nixon's agenda." Sounds a lot like Bush (see Fred Thompson again), and isn't that why the Republican mainstream doesn't like McCain?

6. You're convinced that a TV pundit is looking out for you (see Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Novak, Blitzer, Scarborough, Kristol...). Now, go back to watching wrestling because it is the only real sport on television according to you.

7. You're heavily influenced by morning sports radio personalities. Let's be honest, they don't even know anything about sports, and you're going to agree with them on politics? Plus, they make a lot more money than you, and you're dumb enough to think they're your friend.

8. You're convinced the end of the world is near, and you vote against your own self interests. Who needs health care when you've got emergency rooms, right? Nostradamus predicted you're never going to get sick, so why bother with insurance. Please stay home and watch professional wrestling as you are dangerous to the rest of us. I'll even start a fund to buy you batteries and send them to your house in order to keep you on your couch when your remote control is out of juice.

9. You're convinced that these issues affect your life -- immigration (as if you can identify who is legal and who isn't), abortion (don't like it, don't have one), contraception (don't have sex...more for me), or gay marriage (what are you waiting for! You think your profesional wrestling fetish is related to heterosexuality? Man, you are dumb). Also, you support the war in Iraq, but wouldn't volunteer to fight it yourself or send your children. That isn't the definition of hypocrisy, is it? How many people died for that? By the way, monster trucks are on TV!

10. You've never watched a debate. Isn't that where people listen to candidates who are actually speak for themselves? I know, it is really difficult to watch those without commercials. Oh, I know, you were out, and you decided not to Tivo it. It's not like anything is on the line. I wonder what master Hannity thinks as he is a fair journalist who happens to campaign for the Republicans (would that be for money?). There's no conflict of interest there, right?

Happy voting.

-TRM

Man-handler 1 - Goat Fucker 0

Goat Fucker

-TRM

Mount Doom 1 - Republicans 0

Dear Readers,

I'm happy to report that Rudy has been sent back to political retirement. This fear mongering, no plan, makes a living off the dead, crypt keeper has officially been thwarted in the polls, and will no longer be making a run for the White House. So rejoice in the fact that Hannity and Limbaugh will only have Mitt Romney to rely on for a week before McCain gets the nomination. Congratulations Florida, you haven't made up for 2000, but you're starting to make some sense.

-TRM

Early Contender

Coming out of the gates as an early contender for quote of the year is the Spaceman Bill Lee. Easily one of the best interviews in the history of professional sports, this former Red Sox and Expos legend responds to a question about him running for President with Hillary as his running mate.

"No, if I get shot in the back, we'll be responsible for another bush in the Whitehouse."



Respectfully submitted,
Z

Bush Whacked!

Here is the transcript of Vol. 8 of Bush State of the Union:

"Bend over and smile. See you in the funny papers."

Can't say we weren't warned though. The Stiff Little Fingers just sounded angry about "the troubles" at the time, but they proved to be quite prophetic.



Greatest band out of Ireland ever. That's right U2 cocksuckers. Of course, even Thin Lizzy could kick your asses.


Respectfully submitted,
Z

PS - I will now sell 5 copies of the 3 EP's by the Beta Band.

Dolemite Is Dynamite

Dear Intravenus de Milo: Live from the Enormodome bloggers, assorted hangers-on, and fans who "expect a certain style" out of the oft-edited Z:

In reviewing last week's post-pillow fight postings, I noticed that there was a constant presence humbly hovering over almost all of your blogs like white on rice. What, you ask, could possibly unite the eloquence of a Martin Luther King, the storytelling joie de vivre of a Stephen Tobolowsky, and even the undeniable fondness for crackers without cheese of a man of leisure like Dr. Demented? The answer, I think, is obvious: Dolemite, motherfucker!

No need to thank me,

R-Lo

P.S. In the postage stamp-sized photo above, Clinton Portis is wearing a "Vote for Santana" t-shirt with pride. I think you all could learn a lesson or two from this true gridiron giant.

Dolemite Trailer from 1975


Clinton Portis = the Red Man, I mean, "Dolemite Jenkins"


"Napoleon Dolemite"

Greatest Zappa Tribute Band Ever!

In the spirit of the Hawaiian Elvis, Mini Kiss, and the guy who impersonates Cher, I present to all the way from the Ukraine, via Brooklyn, the greatest Frank Zappa tribute band ever.



May your fans rejoice, for your name is Gogol Bordello!!



Respectfully submitted,
"Z"