Every day, several times a day, I have to delete several unwanted e-mails from my in box. Most of them promise to give me something free or make something on my body change in size. I'm no expert but I don't think the people who send these out would continue to do so unless there were enough people out here in cyber space naive enough to actually open them up and/or respond to them. Otherwise, I would think, there wouldn't be any profit in sending them. The internet has been around long enough for most people to understand that most, if not all, e-mails promising something to good to be true are rip-offs. And yet people still open them up. Who are these people? Are there still that many people new to the internet that they are still gullible to these kinds of things? Or maybe long term exposure to computer screens gives people some sort of selective memory loss. I don't know. I don't care, really. I just haven't posted in a while and this is the best I could come up with. I have to go now. I'm on my way collect my free meal at Applebee's while losing pounds and gaining inches before my free trip to Vegas.

Thank you for your time.

I was perusing a book in my "reading room" earlier today when I ran across some stuff about Andy Warhol. There were some pictures of his "art" in this book. It occurred to me that his most famous work, Marilyn, Campbell's an even his own "self portraits", was simply "created" by taking something that somebody else's work and changing it slightly. For the Marilyn Monroe portraits, for instance,
he simply took an existing photograph and added different colors.
A 4-year-old with a box of crayons can do the same thing. But then he showed his real "genius" by painting a picture of a can of soup! No wonder he wore his hair that way, he had to cover up that massive genius brain of his. And, by the way, why are gay men so fascinated with Marilyn Monroe? Just asking. Like so many other "artists", Warhol was gay. The one section of the art world that seems to be overrun with gay men is "performance art". That's where "art" is created by duct taping one's self to a wall or hanging from a ceiling or living in a glass box for a month....that kind of bullshit. You see an art exhibit where the artist himself is part of the display, 99 times out of 100 the guy is gay. Not just gay, but a real flamer. I always wondered why that is. I'm not a gay-bashing homophobe, so don't get your pink panties in a bunch. I'm just making an observance.
My fifteen minutes are up.

Thank you for your time.

This time of year, here in the United States, radio stations play a lot of "patriotic" songs. Some of them actually are patriotic. "God Bless The USA", "ROCK In The USA", "Livin' In America", etc, etc. But the one that seems to get the most airplay, around here, anyway, is "Born In The USA" by Bruce Springsteen. I'm guessing that the people who think this is a patriotic song have never actually payed attention to the lyrics. The chorus that people sing so proudly is actually meant to be sarcastic. The song itself is a criticism of how badly the government treats its citizens. Hardly patriotic. Of course, these days, it's all the rage to criticize the government. So maybe when people play that song loud and proud on July 4th, they're really just protesting one thing or another. Or maybe they just like the way the music sounds. As for me, while I'm watching those fireworks light up the night sky, I'll be rocking out to the sounds of "Shake Your Love" by Debbie Gibson.

Thank you for your time.

I've mentioned before that I'm no fan of jazz. Especially when it's played by lame white guys. (Kenny G, anybody?) So, let me tell you about last Friday night. The wife insists I join her at her favorite watering hole. Fair enough. Who doesn't enjoy a drink on a Friday night? As I'm on my way in the door I hold it open for about a dozen escapees from the local old folks home. After the Ben-gay pride parade passes, I turn to go in when I see a guy carrying a guitar case coming toward me. So I hold the door open for him. This gives me a good look at him as he approaches. Short, dumpy white guy, goatee, square black frame glasses, and rolled up khakis revealing Jesus sandals. I know immediately I'm in for an evening of lame white guy jazz. Don't get me wrong...this guy was talented. For all I know he may be the best in the world at what he does. He had this weird looking 8 string guitar and he played rhythm and lead simultaneously. I was impressed by his ability but totally turned off by the noises he was making. Again, not my cup of tea. So I drank. And ate a little. But mostly drank. It didn't help. No matter how pickled your brain gets, it doesn't help the time in hell any more tolerable. I get the same effect when I have to listen to country music. But these are the sacrifices one makes when one is trying to keep one's spouse happy. I guess. I don't really know.

Thank you for your time.

For some reason, the subject of religion crossed my mind while I was showering this morning. I was thinking about why people feel the need for religion. I basically believe that people put their faith into invisible deities because they have no faith in themselves. That being said, I have to say I have no problem with religion. Any religion. Scientology is mocked because it is based on aliens and spacecraft (among other things), but is that any more far-fetched than a man who performed miracles? Including coming back from the dead? Or how about those Old Testament stories about men living hundreds of years and siring thousands of children? And don't get me started on Adam and Eve. Some people think the Mormons are nuts because their religion was started by a snake oil salesman. But, hey, weren't they all? As far as I know, and I admit, that's not much, Buddhism is the only major religion based upon the teaching of an actual living, breathing human being whose existence can actually be proved. I don't know what that means, but I just thought I'd mention it. I have to go now, it's Rosary time. May your God(s) be with you.

Thank you for your time.