Found this on the Washington DC craigslist.org website. Fucking GOLDEN.

Reply to: anon-32135822@craigslist.org
Date: Tue May 25 21:24:14 2004

To the little fucker who dive bombed me on my way to lunch. You retarded, blind, little shit. You flew into the back of my ear while I was crossing the street! People laughed and pointed while I had, what looked like, an epileptic seizure. Bitch.

To the sneaky bastard who tried to smuggle himself into my office after lunch. My boss spotted you on my shoulder. I looked like a fucking sailor with his bug-parrot. I hope you liked the smack down I gave you.

To the beltway hitchhiker(s). For stupid bugs, you guys sure have good aim. Who would've thunk that two little shits like you could fly INTO a moving car! The first one landed on my passenger seat near Georgia Ave. You are more retarded than most of your friends (which is impressive). All you could do was fall over yourself and get stuck in the seams of my car seats. I didn't even have to fuck with you. Your friend though.... oh that muthafucka.... He flew into my driver's side window and smacked me in the throat! At 60mph!! That shit hurt. I almost rear-ended the Saturn in front of me because of you! But I had the last laugh... After you kamikazied my throat, your dumb ass got scared and flew to that back of my car, right at the base of the rear windshield. As soon as I saw your ass camped on my speakers, I cranked up the stereo. I hope you enjoyed 110dB of Dandy Warhols from half an inch away!!!

Just saw "The Finished People" at the Schonell Theatre. That was the saddest, most gutwrenching film I've seen in years. It's about three homeless kids in Cabramatta, a suburb of Sydney, one of the worst neighborhoods in Australia.

There's Tommy, a heroin addict who comes home to find a friend dead from an overdose. He decides to quit, and tries to get a job and go straight with the help of his friend Carla.

Then there's Van, a Vietnamese kid who lives on top of a parking garage because his stepfather beat him so much he had to leave. He meets a girl while stealing some of her clothes, and they become friends. But a secret eventually tears them apart.

Lastly, there's Des, and his pregnant girlfriend. He wants to do right by his girlfriend and his unborn child, but it leads to a tragic ending.

None of these kids are actors. They're all homeless kids from Cabramatta. The movie is a work of fiction, but it was written by these kids. The fact that these kids aren't actors make the whole thing more real, more painful to watch, and more wrenching. There's no tricky camera work, no fancy symbolism... it's a slice of a bleak, dismal life. It makes all of my problems feel like utter bullshit.

This is a movie that really, really needs to be seen. The way that Tommy fights for a job, the way Van feels like there is no hope, the way one gangster says that he has absolutely no dreams whatsoever... It infuriates me that some people in the world have the nerve to look down their nose at these people, desperately trying to make their lives better. "Get a job." "Stop being a parasite on society." "Clean yourself up." No one wants to live on the fucking streets. When these people have never seen a reality outside of a place like South Central, 8 Mile, Cabramatta, Newark... when there's nowhere to go, no rolemodel to follow, when there feels like there's no chance... we truly are the product of our societies.

My friend Moses and I were talking about the rapper Canibus which spawned a very interesting conversation. Here's something for all of you to look at:

TheLyonhart (4:38:22 PM): my faovrite line
TheLyonhart (4:38:41 PM): "since its become a lucrative profession theres a misconception that a movement in any direction is progression"
Typhoon921 (4:38:53 PM): yeah i saw it in your away message
Typhoon921 (4:38:55 PM): it's a good line
Typhoon921 (4:38:56 PM): really good line
Typhoon921 (4:42:23 PM): I wish someone would shoot puff daddy
TheLyonhart (4:42:46 PM): haha why?
Typhoon921 (4:43:03 PM): because all of this commercial stuff is what's ruining hip hop and rap and music in general
TheLyonhart (4:43:17 PM): no, not really
Typhoon921 (4:46:09 PM): why do you say that?
TheLyonhart (4:46:22 PM): the real culprit is national media
Typhoon921 (4:46:38 PM): how do you mean?
TheLyonhart (4:47:37 PM): well kids in the middle of the country, far far from cultural centers, they'll accept that anything on mtv is what's cool at that moment, so then it behooves this national media to promot things that will then encourage those same kids to spend more money and so on and what not
TheLyonhart (4:47:42 PM): it didnt used to be like that
TheLyonhart (4:47:50 PM): network tv is all local affililates
TheLyonhart (4:48:02 PM): and kids determined what was cool in thier own little towns all by themselves
TheLyonhart (4:48:14 PM): now all the white kids in asscrack colorado look like 50 cent
TheLyonhart (4:48:19 PM): and thats not 50 cents fault
TheLyonhart (4:48:32 PM): because his music is relative to his scene in queens and new york
TheLyonhart (4:48:44 PM): and people from there understand it on a different level , as he meant it
TheLyonhart (4:49:07 PM): in the 50s and such up through the 70s
TheLyonhart (4:49:10 PM): you had local stars
TheLyonhart (4:49:26 PM): people who would sell out arenas in one state and no one knew who they were the next state over
TheLyonhart (4:49:35 PM): but that isnt allowed to happen anymore
TheLyonhart (4:49:46 PM): clearchannel owns all the radio now, so even teh radio is a national media
Typhoon921 (4:54:49 PM): but if the musicians and artists didn't buy into this way of promotion and advertising (whose ultimate goal is only to really enrich a tiny percentage of people involved with the industry) it wouldn't happen.
TheLyonhart (4:55:12 PM): no, thats not true
TheLyonhart (4:55:15 PM): its one sided
TheLyonhart (4:55:22 PM): its blaming the wolf
TheLyonhart (4:55:49 PM): because the artists are just doing what they do
TheLyonhart (4:56:24 PM): if a record label and media conglomerate decides to sign them and push them, its hard for them to say no, cause they are being paid now and can get a place to live and eat food and stuff
TheLyonhart (4:56:41 PM): and they are just playing music or rapping or singing, whichi s what they wanted to do in the first place
Typhoon921 (5:01:19 PM): so if no one's at fault but the national media, how do we explain the massive amount of crap that's blasted over MTV and mainstream readio every day?
TheLyonhart (5:02:32 PM): well, first of all, you have to admit that the term crap is based on your personal likes and dislikes, cause people do like the stuff they play on radio
TheLyonhart (5:02:55 PM): its just thats what the national media decides to play out of everything they get, cause its the least offensive and can make them the most money
Typhoon921 (5:04:54 PM): of course, i acknowledge that the term crap comes from my own personal likes and dislikes, but from an objective point of view, what's played on the mainstream media is two things a) unchallenging and b) often falls back on titillation as opposed to excellence
Typhoon921 (5:05:09 PM): It's like they created media for people who don't give a shit about media
Typhoon921 (5:05:22 PM): hey here's some music of the moment, buy the CD, then forget about it in a month
Typhoon921 (5:05:41 PM): it creates nothing of enduring quality
TheLyonhart (5:06:02 PM): right
TheLyonhart (5:06:08 PM): but that again, isnt the artists fault
TheLyonhart (5:06:24 PM): the media just pick those certain artists
TheLyonhart (5:06:33 PM): because they make the music that will put the most money in thier pockets
TheLyonhart (5:06:58 PM): because the target audience has alot of disposable income and not a whole lot of sense in thier heads
Typhoon921 (5:08:03 PM): then comes the question of nature vs. nurture. do they lack sense because htey're naturally idiots, or because they've allowed themselves to be brainfucked six ways from sunday by the media, in order to make them more receptive to the "Music of hte moment" ?
TheLyonhart (5:08:50 PM): either way
TheLyonhart (5:09:00 PM): we're getting alot of discouraging results int he teens
TheLyonhart (5:09:14 PM): cause this is the first generation which was wholly raised in the era of national mass media
Typhoon921 (5:09:39 PM): i agree with you with the results, but teh questions now are "who is to blame?" and "how do we, as artists stop it?"
TheLyonhart (5:10:23 PM): well the artists cant really do anything to stop it, its up to the activists and politicians to stop it
TheLyonhart (5:10:29 PM): to reinstate the limits on media outlets
TheLyonhart (5:10:41 PM): to minimize media conglomerates again
Typhoon921 (5:11:44 PM): but if artists abstain from participating, then the system falls apart
Typhoon921 (5:11:52 PM): because there is no "media of the moment" to ram down the teen's throats anymore
Typhoon921 (5:12:08 PM): just like if the people in the armed forces decide that a war is fucked up en masse, then there's no army to fight any more
TheLyonhart (5:12:34 PM): well , that wont happen
TheLyonhart (5:12:57 PM): because whatever type of music is in fashion at that moment, those artists wont rebel, because they are getting played and paid
TheLyonhart (5:13:04 PM): even the socially conscious grungers
TheLyonhart (5:13:24 PM): when that came into style, the media conglomerates sold the shit out of that, and they didnt say a thing about it
TheLyonhart (5:14:03 PM): only since its gone out of style, has bands like pearl jam started whining about the viscous cycle of the mass media, but when it was thier turn they didnt say anything
Typhoon921 (5:14:24 PM): well even when pearl jam was at hteir height they tried to fight back against ticketmaster
Typhoon921 (5:14:26 PM): it failed of course
Typhoon921 (5:14:39 PM): however, part of me wishes that nirvana and pearl jam and soundgarden never went big naem
Typhoon921 (5:14:50 PM): kurt had that fateful encounter with the dude from sonic youth
Typhoon921 (5:14:57 PM): and the guy from sonic youth told him to get on a major label
Typhoon921 (5:15:06 PM): because a small label will fuck you just as much and not promote you nearlyt as well
TheLyonhart (5:15:53 PM): its true
TheLyonhart (5:16:16 PM): the mass media, to the artists, doesnt seem that bad, because they give you lots of money and dont treat you any worse than an indy label does
Typhoon921 (5:16:48 PM): yeah, for instance Thursday was getting fucked and fucked hard by Victory Records, a small time lavbel
TheLyonhart (5:16:52 PM): its not until you see the mass deculturalization of america that you realize the scope of th emedia crisis in this country
Typhoon921 (5:16:56 PM): and they were going to get a better deal on Island / Def Jam
Typhoon921 (5:17:09 PM): "deculturalization?"
TheLyonhart (5:18:04 PM): yeah, the mass media sucks culture from the country
TheLyonhart (5:18:18 PM): culture is developed by differentiating factions of the same community cmoing together
TheLyonhart (5:18:37 PM): but when all the youth are idolizing the same thing, there is no culture, only the status quo
Typhoon921 (5:20:51 PM): but there are always those who try to fight against the status quo, namely folks like you and I.
TheLyonhart (5:21:17 PM): right of course
Typhoon921 (5:23:25 PM): But by your line of thought, we don't have a chance.
TheLyonhart (5:24:12 PM): well thats the devious beast that this is
TheLyonhart (5:24:16 PM): because its amorphous
Typhoon921 (5:24:39 PM): what do you mean?
TheLyonhart (5:25:07 PM): and those who are against the status quo get louder and louder and as soon as the kids start going "hey this is cool" the media moves over to you and tosses the money your way, and then you're the status quo, thats grunge right there for you, and thats hiphop too
Typhoon921 (5:25:54 PM): so what if we turn the money away?
Typhoon921 (5:26:11 PM): Or accept money that isn't dirty, for instance like Russell Simmons' def poetry jam on broadway?
TheLyonhart (5:26:12 PM): well no offence, but i want my money
Typhoon921 (5:26:41 PM): I believe that there is money that we can and should take and money that we shouldn't.
TheLyonhart (5:27:05 PM): but the money we should take is always so sparse and the money we shouldnt flows like water
Typhoon921 (5:27:28 PM): the hardest things are the only ones worth doing
TheLyonhart (5:28:19 PM): its noble
TheLyonhart (5:28:50 PM): but if im living in a shitty studio walkup , my patience with noble is drying up
TheLyonhart (5:29:05 PM): and thats how this starts again
TheLyonhart (5:29:16 PM): because the most artistic dont sell out
TheLyonhart (5:29:29 PM): but the mass media is great at finding similar artists who will
Typhoon921 (5:30:51 PM): so it's sort of like the justification for selling crack, "If I don't sell this shit, someone else will, so I might as well get my cash."
TheLyonhart (5:30:53 PM): grandmaster flash never sold out, so after trying, the mass media found a bunch of other acts to push, and buried flash records in the racks
TheLyonhart (5:31:10 PM): right
Typhoon921 (5:31:20 PM): Problem: I'd still be selling crack.
TheLyonhart (5:31:45 PM): right
TheLyonhart (5:32:10 PM): but when your options for money are so limited, crack seems like a very viable option
TheLyonhart (5:32:24 PM): and so does performing on pepsi smash, and dueting with j-timberlake
Typhoon921 (5:33:54 PM): Some people still wait tables. Actors still work off- off-Broadway. Musicians still cut their own albums.
Typhoon921 (5:34:03 PM): There will always be a core of people who refuse to sell cultural crack.
TheLyonhart (5:34:16 PM): they are smaller than you think
TheLyonhart (5:34:25 PM): most of those people who say they would never sell out
TheLyonhart (5:34:38 PM): just havent been offered the chance yet, cause there really arent that many oppurtunities
Typhoon921 (5:34:45 PM): then we shall see eh?
Typhoon921 (5:34:53 PM): Selling out is also a VERY broad, amorphous term.
Typhoon921 (5:34:59 PM): If I act in a commercial, is that selling out?
TheLyonhart (5:34:59 PM): well yes
TheLyonhart (5:35:02 PM): no
Typhoon921 (5:35:07 PM): If I act in a play that ends up bad, is that selling out?
TheLyonhart (5:35:14 PM): thats why the mass media is so amorphous
Typhoon921 (5:35:19 PM): If I denounce something I used to believe in publicly, is that selling out?
TheLyonhart (5:35:30 PM): because all of its edges are soft and hard to see
Typhoon921 (5:39:27 PM): blurry as it were
Typhoon921 (5:39:29 PM): and mushy
Typhoon921 (5:39:31 PM): like oatmeal
Typhoon921 (5:39:38 PM): mass media: the porridge of culture.
TheLyonhart (5:39:55 PM): yup
Typhoon921 (5:44:09 PM): ok gotta go eat. i'm going to put this convo up in my blog. i think it's interesting



Thoughts? Leave 'em in the guestbook!

Typhoon921 (2:06:35 AM): and you know the fact that redistricting voting districts has become a partisan thing... it shows you how flawed the electoral system is
Fatalist23 (2:06:54 AM): yeah
Typhoon921 (2:08:29 AM): Direct democracy please.
Typhoon921 (2:08:41 AM): I'll take one direct democracy, piping hot, to go.
Typhoon921 (2:21:44 AM): but if you can't manage that...
Typhoon921 (2:21:56 AM): i'll tkae one revolution, with anarchism on top.
Fatalist23 (2:22:01 AM): heh
Typhoon921 (2:22:09 AM): anarchism sauce
Typhoon921 (2:22:14 AM): it's red and black.
Typhoon921 (2:22:20 AM): and it tastes like...
Typhoon921 (2:22:22 AM): freedom... :-)
Typhoon921 (2:26:51 AM): I want some anarchism sauce!
Fatalist23 (2:27:04 AM): what would you put it on?
Typhoon921 (2:27:10 AM): Hmmm...
Typhoon921 (2:27:12 AM): well that depends
Typhoon921 (2:27:15 AM): what do you use this sauce for?
Typhoon921 (2:27:19 AM): to cover up bad tastes of lousy food?
Typhoon921 (2:27:36 AM): To give flavoring to otherwise bland discourse?
Typhoon921 (2:27:40 AM): No, not anarchism sauce!
Typhoon921 (2:28:05 AM): Anarchism sauce is only used to subtly accentuate the already flavorful goodness of syndicalism and socialism.
Fatalist23 (2:28:17 AM): lol
Typhoon921 (2:33:50 AM): I wonder if you could put anarchism sauce in a smoothie
Typhoon921 (2:34:07 AM): All the ingredients would have to be organic, of course, or the entire fucking blender would explode, and the black bloc would break your windows.
Fatalist23 (2:34:41 AM): heh
Typhoon921 (2:38:47 AM): And oh man... if you put anarchism sauce on anything capitalistic, I think the entire thing woudl spontaneously combust and block the doors of your house.
Fatalist23 (2:39:00 AM): heh
Typhoon921 (2:43:08 AM): and if you sprinkle anarchism near communism, there will probably be a hail of bullets and the Ukraine will be invaded again.
Fatalist23 (2:43:17 AM): =P
Typhoon921 (2:48:43 AM): wow i gotta write this shit down
Typhoon921 (2:48:51 AM): I should be an anarchist stand up commedian.
Typhoon921 (2:55:04 AM): smash the state with stand up comedy!


Why in the name of god am I such a geek? Skip, Charlie, if you're reading this, give a holler.