First real humidity of the year today … though it wasn’t blazing wiith sunlight today, it got up into the high 70s, and the weather was definitely balmy. The trees are in full bloom — magnolias, cherry, etc. Haven’t seen all that many squirrels around the house lately, for whatever reason, though they seem to…
For various reasons I won’t bore you with, I haven’t posted here much. And so I missed marking the occasion as it happened. But the big behemoth got off the ground at last and had, « by all accounts », a very successful first four hours of flight: ‘The long-awaited test lasted almost four hours, with the…
Here on the 60th anniversary of VE Day, I’m watching two films, Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph des Willens and the Criterion version of the French film Nacht und Nebel. The first is the face that the Germans wanted to present to the world, the second is of the reality. Both are quite shattering, especially Nacht und…
I upgraded to the latest version of Textpattern and now subsections (like fly.airbeagle.us) are not working. Oy, what a pain. I hope to get them back soon.
And now there’s confirmation in the mainstream press about a « North Carolina church’s purge of Democrats »: ‘Some in Pastor Chan Chandler’s flock wish he had a little less zeal for the GOP. Members of the small East Waynesville Baptist Church say Chandler led an effort to kick out congregants who didn’t support … Bush. Nine…
« WLOS », an ABC affiliate in western North Carolina, is reporting interesting news: ‘Religion and Politics Clash: Religion and politics clash over a local church’s declaration that Democrats are not welcome. East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them…
Yes, it’s finally over. I still haven’t seen one of my final grades, but barring some unforeseen disaster, I think I can safely say it’s over – grad school, that is. What a strange feeling not to have constant overlapping and infinite looming deadlines, ill-defined professorial expectations, nausea-inducing pressure, and a calendar packed with meetings,…
Graduation pictures are forthcoming, I promise … we’re still a bit shell-shocked around here. But things are settling down …
Every once in a while, there’s a ray of sunshiney hope that pierces the gathering gloom that is life in the Christo-Fascist Empire. This time, it’s « Soulforce’s Mel White and 500 others protesting at the gates of the citadel of Fascist FunDumbMentalism »: ‘At least 500 people braved spitting snow showers and cutting wind Sunday outside…
Yesterday, Mother Nature was a jerk: Today, she redeems herself:
You’ve GOT to be $%@*#$@ kidding me …: ‘Today: Occasional snow. Steady temperature around 36. Breezy, with a north northwest wind between 22 and 26 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. ‘Tonight: Occasional snow. The snow could be heavy…
« Gay Iranian Man Commits Suicide After Britain Denies Immigration Plea » « Texas Fascists Move to Destroy Gay Foster Families » « Santa Fe, NM, prepares for Hatred-Filled Fascist FunDumbMentalist Assault » « School’s Gay Tolerance Day Met With FunDumbMentalist Hate Campaign »
The Imperial House of Corporate Representatives passed a bill permitting drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge yesterday. « Let’s just see what this little bill does », shall we? 1. Provides $8.1 billion in tax breaks over 10 years, most of it going to promote coal, nuclear, oil and natural gas energy industries. 2. Makes it…
Quote of the Day: ‘I’m a radical. I’m a real extremist. I don’t want to impeach judges. I want to impale them.’ —Michael Schwartz, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn’s chief of staff, as reported on MSNBC.com
So, a few days after the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Konzentrationslagers Ravensbrueck and Buchenwald, and on the anniversary of Waco and Oklahoma City, 117 men in red dresses have decided to elect as Pope a former member of the Hitler Jugend who also helped man Volksturm anti-aircraft batteries at the end of World…
It’s Frank’s final week of Grad School Hell. Four more days, folks, four more days, then it’s ‘free at last, free at last …’ But I should let him speak for himself. Er, maybe next week. Me? I’ve been in a hell of my own … Hell, AKA Oklahoma. Good lord, there’s a lotta porn…
While we’re all a bit tired of poor Terri Schiavo (let her rest in peace), I say we keep screaming about this one and hang it squarely on the Fascist FunDumbMentalists’ heads … like a flaming rubber tire. They are, after all, not shy about using a vegetable for their political purposes, as we’ll see…
Yes, dear friends, I’m still alive and haven’t dropped off the end of the earth. But you could see the end from where I was: Oklahoma. Okiehoma. Oh my. Parent’s 50th anniversary was the occasion and I drove the Jeep because I still had books and sundry items in Duncan to pick up. Oh the…
Well, the weather’s been fabulous (if a bit chilly) the past few days. I think we’ve seen the last of the snow. I could be proven wrong, but I doubt it. It’s very pleasant here in the spring — in the Bay Area, the only birds you see much of are pigeons and seagulls, so…
We went through the first instance of the term-end ritual of professor evaluations this morning in my Preserving Information class, filling in circles on Scantron forms with stubby pencils to register our feelings about the course. That is the real signal that the finish line is fast approaching. Up till now it had all been…
More unpredictable Michigan weather, though I have the impression that this is about the end of it for a few months. Yesterday it got up to 77 degrees and was warm and even muggy. Today it was overcast, chilly, and not much over 60. Of course I overdressed yesterday and underdressed today. But it’s supposed…
There’s a blog called «Overheard in New York ». If Ann Arbor had a similar blog, it would be somewhat more boring. Or maybe somewhat more pedantic. Intellectual Lecturer Type: “Maurizio’s introduction to Marx Beyond Marx is the only thing I’ve read that tries to bring together all of those threads.” [Cafe Ambrosia]
I discovered the « Scissor Sisters » last night. Got their album via iTunes today and burned it onto a CD for my road trip next week. Ooooo that Jake Shears!!!! Oooooo lala! I’m feeling tres gay. [Except, of course, that real-er and hip-er gay boys discovered them way a year ago and have now moved on….
According to World Health Organization figures, on the same day that Terri Schiavo died and so-called Christians mourned her so-called ‘murder,’ 6,000 other human beings died from vaccine-preventable diseases including diphtheria, measles, polio, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Hib and yellow fever, because they and the countries they live in are too poor to afford the…
Then: ‘Corporate Legal Times, September, 2004; LETTERS TO THE EDITOR; Pg. 10 ‘Boy Scout Pride ‘Dear Editor: ‘Bruce Collins is mistaken when he calls Boy Scouts a “fundamentally different” organization from the one he joined 40 years ago. [“An Eagle Scout Takes Issue With Group’s Politics” July, p. 7]. Boy Scouts is the same organization…
I ventured over to Fourth this morning and tried the fare at Eastern Accents. Not bad. They have really good buns. But their tea is expensive. You get a teensy little espresso-type glass and a French press pot, which is a nice touch, but I’d rather have the pint glass and refills (you have to…
Yes, it’s spring, all right. The temperature hit 69 degrees this morning — I felt overdressed all day in a coat that I’d stupidly brought along — and the predicted thundershowers that were supposed to take place this afternoon never came close to materializing. They’re still predicting a 40% chance of snow for Friday night….
I was thinking of writing a diatribe to the Daily about yesterday’s article on commencement speakers (a bunch of whiny, childish undergrads boo-hooed about the lack of big name speakers for their ceremony) but someone (an undergrad) beat me to it in today’s edition: The truth is I would be proud if anyone agreed to…
Well, it looks like there may be rain and even some snow (!) later in the week, but today was undeniably spring. After a chilly, drab Easter Sunday, today dawned sunny and the sun stayed out all day long — the first all-sunshine day we’ve had here in, what, an eternity? Probably my favorite thing…
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AirBeagle is the ‘net pseudonym of Steve Pollock, who lives in Ann Arbor, MI. He is 40 years old (gasp) and was born in Roswell, NM, (yes, THAT Roswell, NM – and no, he’s not an alien). He’s also lived in Clovis, NM; Duncan, OK; Plano and Dallas, TX; Pleasant Hill, CA; Highlands Ranch, CO;…
This week saw (along with the unionized graduate student instructors going on a one-day walkout) undergrads tossing Frisbees out on the grass, warblers chirping in the trees, Canadian geese making their whooping noises … it must be spring again, or what’ll pass for spring in southeast Michigan until the thaw really hits. Whatever it is,…
Somebody is getting nostalgic for Ann Arbor’s ‘way cool skate and music scene’ in the ‘80s as embodied in a ‘zine called « Local Chaos » [via « MetaFilter ».] Has anyone alerted « AAIO » yet?
Now, let’s see. The murderer of 100,000+ Iraqis and 1,600+ American troops and 140+ Texas inmates wants to save this brain-damaged vegetable lady … no, that can’t be right. Ummmm, how ‘bout: the man who signed a Texas law giving hospitals the okay to kill terminally ill patients who can’t afford their services wants to…
« Brilliant », as always.
Funny how deafening the silence is from Fascist Party politicians about « the majority ruling and politicians being out of touch with mainstream ‘Murricans » where Terry Schiavo is concerned: ’• 70% of Americans say it is inappropriate for Congress to involve itself in the Schiavo case. • 67% of Americans “think the elected officials trying to…
My calendar says that today is the Vernal Equinox. Or, put another way, frickin’ Spring is finally here. Of course, there’s still dirty white stuff on the ground and it’s so gray outside that I must invoke the infamous quote about Ann Arbor: ‘A sunless horror, devoid of joy and hope.’ And there’s a chance…
I’m two days late in noting it, but Happy Birthday, AirBeagle! AirBeagle the website was born on 17-Mar-99 in San Francisco. Six years later, I still don’t know what I’m doing or why. But we’re havin’ fun!
A big, hearty « Screw You, Michigan! », and especially Mike Cox … Love, Steve, future ex-Michigan resident: ‘Michigan’s attorney general issued an opinion Wednesday saying cities and other government entities won’t be able to provide benefits for same-sex partners of employees in future contracts because that would violate Proposal 2 – the constitutional amendment banning gay…
There’s been a change in URL around here, so prepare to update your bookmarks and RSS feed. Asquared will now (for reasons I won’t totally bore you with) be located at just http://airbeagle.net/ If you continue to try asquared.airbeagle.net, you’ll get automatically forwarded to airbeagle.net, so no worries there. As always, thanks for stopping by…
My dream early this morning was about a device called an Orgasmotron. It was a real dream; I am not making this up. I was still in San Francisco and, inexplicably, went to someone’s house to get a demonstration of the Orgasmotron. It was a wand-like vibrator (like you see in Brookstone or Sharper Image)…
We just took the long processional around the complex. It’s sunny and beautiful, but still quite chilly. NOAA says it’s 42. The high was supposed to be ‘near 39,’ so I guess I’ll take it. Beagles needed lots of pooping, pottying and sniffing stops. He seems very perky and happy on the walk. As I’ve…
Truly terrible and depressing news: one of my all-time favorite actresses, « Teresa Wright, passed away Sunday »: ’« Teresa Wright », the willowy actress who starred opposite Gary Cooper and Marlon Brando and won a supporting Academy Award in 1942 for “Mrs. Miniver,” has died. She was 86. Wright died Sunday of a heart attack at Yale-New Haven…
From yesterday’s Ann Arbor News: Ann Arbor has received 70.3 inches of snow so far this winter, compared with 36.8 by this time last year and 40 inches in an average season. The record is 75 inches in the 1981-82 winter season. The exclamation above is what some undergrad was screeching into her cellphone when…
2005-03-07 14:39:00 « Boy George doesn’t have kind words for Kabbalah faddist Madonna Louise Ciccone »: ‘Gay pop star Boy George has slammed Madonna for embracing the Kabbalah, the mystical offshoot of Judaism which preaches homosexuality is a disease. … “I have a problem with Madonna’s devotion to Kabbalah, because I watched a documentary that said that…
Scandalous times at Boeing continue; this time, the company « fired its CEO over a sex affair with an executive »: ‘Boeing Co. on Monday said its board forced out president and chief executive officer Harry Stonecipher because of a relationship the married, 68-year-old Stonecipher had with a female executive at the company. The unexpected ouster makes…
Apparently, sending your sixth-grade, 11-year-old daughter to school wearing low, hip-hugging jeans with the Playboy logo on the ass is acceptable practice in Ann Arbor. Or was that too Puritan of me?
There was a vote last week in my home state’s legislature that « gives a glimmer of hope for civility, sanity and intelligence »: ‘The state House on Monday voted to abolish the death penalty in New Mexico and replace it with a sentence of life in prison without parole. The repeal bill passed on a vote…
Media Transparency has a fascinating, interesting and ultimately pretty frightening expos´ posted — « Air Jesus: The Evangelical Air Force »: ‘For five days inside the Anaheim Convention Center, from February 11-16, the NRB’s attendees conducted business as if they were huddled in the catacombs of Rome rather than welcomed guests at a self-contained suburban city of…
Phillip Carter and Paul Glastris, writing in the Washingotn Monthly, « make a compelling case for an Imperial draft of sorts » summed up by the following passage: ‘In short, America’s all-volunteer military simply cannot deploy and sustain enough troops to succeed in places like Iraq while still deterring threats elsewhere in the world. Simply adding more…
