IMPORTANT! Get Out And Vote Damn It!!!! Hit Print and Save! Voter Empowerment Cards are designed to inform voters of their rights and responsibilities on election day to avoid problems when casting a ballot. Along with downloadable cards in English and en Espanol, there is information about voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, polling place locators and contact information for the ACLU in your state and for your state’s election authority. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

The ACLU is prepared to respond immediately to voting rights infringements or ballot irregularities that may arise on Election Day by monitoring polls and responding to any incidents of voter intimidation, vote suppression or election foul-ups. In response to reports that Ohio’s Republican party is stationing 250 challengers in predominantly African American precincts, the ACLU of Ohio has launched the Refuse to Leave media campaign to inform voters of their right to cast provisional ballots if they are prevented from voting for any reason.

Under Ohio law, the ability of prospective voters to cast a ballot may be challenged for good cause at polling places by representatives of political parties, groups of candidates, or issue nominating committees, or by any judge or clerk of elections. What to do if your vote is challenged in Ohio

FIGHT ANTI-GAY BALLOTS! This November, 11 states will be voting on constitutional amendments that would deny same-sex couples the right to marry. But more alarmingly, the amendments in all but three of these states could potentially deny most types of recognition to same-sex couples, including domestic partnerships and civil unions. It’s pretty easy to see what’s happening here. Massachusetts has the homophobes running scared, so they’re taking the offensive by trying to end a great social discussion before it has even really begun.

The left mobilizes in Cleveland to get George Bush out of the White House. Watch the Village Voice video ‘Battle For Cleveland‘.

FILE UNDER YOU ARE A WACK JOB-Commenting on an incident in which two men threw pies at her during an October 21 appearance at the University of Arizona, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter said, An act of terrorism was committed against me. Pastries of mass destruction?

Is that a wad in your mouth or are you just glad to see me? Damn! The gum’s so refreshing it’s giving me wood! Double your erection pleasure.

The wooing of Ohio by the presidential candidates continues and it’s getting weirder by the minute, visits by celebrity stumpers include; Jessica Simpson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio, Little Kim and Springsteen.

We are indeed the key battle ground state. Voter registration drives have yielded a whooping increase of 200% for the Dems, and only 35% for the Republicans, all this despite the sinister efforts of the Republican party to intimidate voters and question the validity of registrations.

The polls are driving me bonkers, but remember Clinton was trailing by a huge margin when he first ran. I don’t see this race as close as the polling may have you believe. My prediction, Kerry is going to win and win by a good margin. My feeling is that the Republican party has completely ignored the minority vote, lacks diversity, and alienated those that don’t subscribe to fundamentalist christian values.

One factor the political commentators are misreading is Kerry’s Catholicism. You would think he would lose the Roman Catholic vote because he is ‘pro-choice’, don’t bet on it. Most Catholics’ especially here in the north east are social liberals, despite church doctrine and aren’t afraid to defy it as such.

The feeling here in Cleveland is one of hope, the poorest city in the U.S., yep, and deservedly so, things are tough. The Cleveland Plain dealer (our only daily) refused to endorse a Presidential candidate, even though all 8 of the editors wanted to endorse Kerry, the publisher refused because he is a Bush supporter. I can’t be too tough on the paper though, there have been some bright spots which you can read about below. Oh, and remember the huge minority population in this area, (black, arab and hispanic) and throw in the might of the Teacher’s Union and the UAW. Something to ponder, states where felons can vote, three quarters of them are black, and there’s been a push to get them to the polls. Swing Vote? Family of service men over in Iraq? Hmmmm….

We are liberal democrats in this area, south of Mansfield and the bibles start thumpin’, the farmers get very conservative. Don’t count out south eastern Ohio which is very very poor. Gore made a huge mistake in the last election by visiting and giving an environmental speech, to unemployed coal miners no less. Kerry talked jobs, food on the table. Should be interesting.

It comes down to this on election day, either you vote for fear, or you vote for strength. We can no longer afford to polarize ourselves, we must embrace a world view. Look, it’s simple, we learned this shit in kindergarten, play well with others, share the responsibility, cooperate! Bush has to go, and go now, send him packing!

The view from here, Ohio and more:

The Columbus Dispatch endorsement for Bush

The Plain Dealer No Endorsement: The voters know the issues and understand the stakes; we cannot imagine they need further advice about the men.

Cincinnati? Hard to judge, it’s like another world to us North Eastern Ohioans! Unfortunately The Enquirer and the Post are endorsing Bush, because they feel we are somehow under attack. Compassionate conservatism, my ass!

Local PD Columnist goes to bat for Kerry. Giving Bush The Boot is the Only Option

Toledo Blade endorses Kerry.

Veteran broadcaster and legendary Radio 1 presenter John Peel died suddenly of a heart attack Monday. Radio 1 has all the details, tributes and salutations.

Go for the buzzdown, love your barber as they love you. Straight razor, warm shaving cream and a hot towel as religious experience.

God, I love John Stewart, he just bitch slapped Tucker Carlson, on Crossfire. (From MTVNews) This is better than Bill O’Reilly taking calls from one alleged Jack Mehoffer.

Turpentine and piss cakes, mother fucker mother fucker mother fucker. Finding little or no inspiration today, ready to start hitting the crack pipe or the bottle. Even Chromeo last night didn’t cheer me, well, it was good but…I’ve done Cherelle, Prince, Cameo, Gap Band, Zapp AND the Dazz Band. (File under USA Rollerskating rink/Puerto Rican Boys). Pretty vacant due to circumstances beyond my control. It concerns me that, my writing is now steering my painting, it scares the hell out of me, and that is how I know I’m on the right path. Little items come bubbling up, out of experience…

There was a Twin Donut on 14th St. frequented by street walkers. I’d have breakfast there because you could buy 3 pancakes, mystery meat and coffee for a buck 99-a damn good deal. This place, for whatever reason was a haven for some really cracked out prostitutes. Sad, unfortunate women, always one or two messed up from a pimp’s beatdown-chowing down on pancake’s and syrup like nobodies business. Just me and the whores, drinking coffee watching the sun come up. In the brutality of daylight, they looked like splintered razors with the sharp bits ground down…devastatingly beautiful.

So hot, Keane’s remake of The Walker Brothers classic ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)’

We met sometime in the 1980′s, around the time I was 15 or so. You and your shit eating grin, all 18 years of leather barbarian boy. We were undeniably obsessed with each other in that ‘crazy first love’ sort of way.

I remember that day you picked me up from my court ordered, Jesuit Boys School, a.k.a. the ‘gentle reform’ school, complete with sacraments, of course. While the other boys were studying their bible, I was busy learning a new sort of religion. You were my permanent grease monkey hard on, gasoline and oil from the garage. Smelly old t-shirt, jeans and combat boots. A spiky crew cut so flat you could balance a beer bottle on top. You were oddly beautiful, ridiculously handsome. Devastatingly fuckable.

After school you would come peeling up to grab my ass and throw me into your damaged ‘Gremlin’. A scream and you were ‘How Was School Honey!’mashing your mouth into mine smooching, much to the amazement of my pukeball classmates.

I remember how school sucked back then, everything sucked growing up a faggot. I raged on against them all, going ballistic at the hint of authority. I’d tear ‘ass over tin cup’ from the clutches of our dear brothers, that gold cross on my lapel was hanging on for dear life. I always smelled like penance and chalk, my blazer and skinny yellow tie stained brown with dried blood-another fist fight.

‘what happened’ you’d ask.
’nuffin’ I would say.

You knew better than to push me around for answers, I was bad at faking shit with you, so you’d let all the quiet settle in, slamming the gear shift into first.

’nuffin’ you’d reply, exhaling like a pitbull.

I loved you so much, so I kissed on you, my lip swollen from a stiff right, my mouth forgot to avoid. The blue crust broke open and dripped blood, wherein you licked it clean and continued to kiss. Fucking pig! That’s how it was between me and you back then, nothing much mattered. Driving, we barely kept the auto on the straight and narrow.

For fun we would tear around downtown, pull up to crowded intersections and make out, much to the horror and pleasure of the straight office workers. We drove all over that fucking town, bombed out crevices and alley ways. We would smoke cartons of ‘menthol’ cigarettes, drink whisky from the warm flask in your back pocket.

Oh how they said I was morally bankrupt, bad and a little sad too. I was the king of lost causes, hung out to dry, helpless and hopeless. Like you, I’d still rather die a sinner than a saint, but I learned in time to get down off the God damn cross. I unhinged the thought of suffering as vocation.

I have those memories and wonder if you do too. Like so many January’s a snow storm would fall from the gray shallow sky, streaming in off Lake Erie like bad news and broadcasts. I was learning to drive your car, with you ‘boot hopping’ off the bumper. Skid marks and donuts, dumping you into a drift, tearing like hell down your street. I would pretend I was never going to return but I always managed my way back to you, somehow.

It was true love when you shave my head and made me your boy. It was a badge for all the days we would rough house, wrestle, and fight, then make up with night long fucks, sometimes you’d let me top you. Exhausted dripping with sweat, we’d fall into the land of milk and bowls of honey-combs, black and white repeats of ‘I Love Lucy’. Those were good times.

Life played on like that, when you’re only 15 turning 16. We danced on until you got fired at the Garage, no where to live, except at your Grandmas. I know they thought you were a fuck hole, but you weren’t, well mostly.

I could smell that it was about to end that following summer. You took me to see ‘Black Flag’ at the Cleveland Public Theatre. 100 stinking hot degrees, Rollins was at his full ‘Manson’ best. We slammed with other boys like us, black eyes and nose bleeds, angular hurling bodies everywhere. Hurt everywhere, smashing.

Man, it was the best but I knew you would, but I couldn’t face it back then, when I was 16 starting to turn 17. After the show, you headed downtown instead of home, and parked at the Tower. I got the car, a goodbye, and the Marines got you. All my raging burning levels collapsed down onto each other, empty. I hated you, you broke my heart I never saw you after that, nor did I want to. I never found a place for all that passion and angst that danced around inside of me. So many ghosts of you aching and ringing like church bells, it went on forever and ever.

Art School broke your spell, New York smashed it to pieces. Today, I gave you a thought, and a song that reminded me of you. Sure, I asked after you, looked you up, you’re a husband and a father too, Pittsburgh of all places, a respectable sort, I’m not.

Are you still crazy dangerous and shit, I’m all fast like white lightening all over my head, missing you.

Hours of sleep
Nature requires 5, custom gives 7, laziness takes 9, and wickedness 11. Oops! I accidently missed my flight…guess I will have to try again tomorrow…bwaaa ha ha ha ha ha….and in St. Germain des Pres, I shall stay! (quelle dommage)

I slept off the past 2 days, I never did get any of that good deep REM sleep, due to jet lag, and the urgency of the work that needed to be completed. However, everything worked out fine, and my exit from Brussels was a happy one. I finally got a good nights sleep in Paris, feeling content and happy to be meandering about at my leisure. Up early for a bit of food and decaf, recharge my batteries and take a few minutes to walk around. I adore the French affinity for their dogs, all shapes and sizes, and civilized just in the most adorable ways. My old friend Clemente had to work all day, so he let me have his motorcycle, no, not scooter, cycle. He gave me directions to Chartres Cathedral, as best he could and off I went to get lost, of course. For whatever reason, I am completely clueless when it comes to directions in French, riding out to Gar Montparnasse, Grandes Lignes to see how the trains were running. It was too nice for an hour and something ride on the train. So, a few heated exchanges with various pedestrians and I was on my way. I could have sworn people kept telling me to ‘aim for the spires’ but I can’t be sure. Well anyway, my once perfect French is now so bad that the helpful strangers could have been telling me to go fuck myself silly, anything is possible! I wasn’t in any sort of hurry really because I knew that the whole town closes down for lunch, and if I went later, I could possibly hit the English tour. Eventually checking out some maps where I reconfigured my navigation, I was hitting rue de Jehan de Beauce et Place du Chatelet in no time. Wait, let me say something here first, driving in France is much easier than Italy, and so much safer. Highly recommend, especially if you are like me and have a lead foot. Onto rue Ste. Meme ala Jean Moulin-am I on crack, how did I find this place?! The town does sit up on a hill, surrounded by the cutest damn streets ever. Sadly, a tangle of highways threaten the vielle ville (old town) but it’s architecture certainly holds off the modernization, and the people funny, helpful jovial…I know they were laughing at my French, damn them! Oh and food, there is nothing like it in the world, simple, fresh, uncomplicated. I sound like the Food Network, trust me, excellent! I spent a lovely October day chatting up some funny but cute English boys (I just wanted to chat them up about Eastenders and find out about the cancer ridden Dot Cotton of which they thought I was mad!), and American senior citizens with a tour group. Exploring the magnificent structure, one of the best preserved of all medieval cathedrals, which is a miracle in itself. How does one describe the experience? It is gorgeous, especially when there is some sunlight that pushes through all the stained glass. It is awe inspiring, and yet a bit of melancholy set in as I would have loved to have shared this with someone special. The goofy Japanese girls obsessed with saying Ohio cheered me. I could say more but I don’t want to be sitting at a computer letting the night pass me by…

I’m now back in the city, waiting to pick up Clemente for some fun, a late dinner and if the mood strikes, a bit of clubbing. We are both thinking we would love to go and dance our ahhhhhs off, the choice of good venues and DJ’s is staggering. Might just stay up all night so that I can sleep the entire return trip. Now a bit of down time has me thinking that I ought to shop a bit, must resist FNAC must resist. Back to the evil hell of Ohio at some point, but not if I can help it! Ha ha ha!

I made it to Paris, landed in a cafe with WeeFee @ 18, rue de la Bucherie, near Notre Dame. Up since, hell I ‘dunno’ It’s nearing midnight, I feel fucked, I’ve been on heavy Joy Division maintenance all day for all the music to ride trains to, stare out the windows…

I’ve been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand,
Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man?
These sensations barely interest me for another day,
I’ve got the spirit, lose the feeling, take the shock away.

I look like a struck match, which is pretty much ‘the look’ everyone is working anyway! Shivering like absinthe and carnival glass, I speak French like a terrorist, I speak like I’m from Algeria! There are always shimmering neon lights…everyone’s smoking. I’m cutting the wires here soon, off to my friend’s to get some sleep…oh well, Manet you mother fucker…we are no longer spectators, but participants push the feeling on…un huh…

You want something that makes more sense, come back tomorrow, I’m all out of (good) sense.

*The whirlwind work tour 2004
Brussels/Thursday October 7 – Friday October 8
Paris/Saturday October 9 – Sunday October 10

Black Strobe-Abwehr Disco
A going away present of driving tech disco, dark wave, and new beat. Ghastly title, but a bit of wicked disco fun from the Chemical Sweet Girl E.P. Pulsating number provides ass kicking for 3 mile run, and major pack up session. Back on Monday or Tuesday. Enjoy!

Great to see my homeboy/wrestler John Cena on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine. Get the low down on his arm workout, something about slamming a couple inches of mass on the ceps in 2 days – no way! Ah but heck, this fine slab of Massachusetts man meat is most certainly drool worthy. He’s got a great schtick going on in the WWE, with his very own wacky blend of white boy rap. The man can sell a crowd and work the room, with his signature F-U. The rapper gimmick is tongue-in-cheek, as this white boy is as far from harcore rap as you can get. But, it’s the shortcomings that make you ‘want’ to hate him, hard-nosed white boy gone bad. You cheer this villan because damn, it’s fun. Damn it’s so bad it’s good. That said, I have to admit I pretty much swoon when he rolls out the vintage Houston Astro’s jersey, it is so de-luxxe, plus, you just have to love a man with the middle name of Felix, so kooky. See more of the bad boy who used to be known as the Proto-Type here and here of course here. Give it to em’ Freestyle boyeeeee!

Vice Presidential Debate, My Advice To The Candidates:
John Edwards: You have them at hello, simply because of who you aren’t. Smile, but not too much, this is serious business. Throw them the awww shucks, and lay down your best tap and twirl routine. You’ve got one shot to look like the ‘good guy’- but don’t be too good. Do not underestimate Dick, and his 30 some plus years in politics, afterall he is the Joe Friday of the Republican Party (just the facts man, just the facts). Make sure you get Cheney on the ropes and pound him with Halliburton Halliburton Halliburton, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, but don’t bully him, or you’ll come off looking like a jerk. Let’s face it, Cheney was put on the Bush ticket to provide adult supervision, how hard can this win be?

Dick Cheney: Stick to the facts, look like the authority and avoid a major fuck up. This is less a debate than it is a beauty pageant, you’ve lost that already, but don’t be snippy! Keep slamming the fact that you have years of Congressional experience, and Cabinet service. Some well placed self-deprecation, a few jabs here and there, mention that Kerry can’t be trusted to stick to a story and you’re home. You may not be the winner, but you haven’t lost any voters either. Just survive in your usual style.

When Frankie (Knuckles) would crash at my friend Douglas’ while he was in town, we would all stay up and drink ourselves silly with coffee and listen to old vinyl. Just before sunrise, he would throw my copy of this tune on, it would completely slay the hell out of me…still a great message, and candidate for best election tune?

*Damn, I forgot to mention, I’ll be here Thursday and Friday. When I finish my work, I’ll take the train down here, to visit my buddy. It will be a whirlwind, I’ll be lagged out of my brain, and damn it will be great to get the hell out of here. I’ll be getting my mail, but will hold the audio tracks for next week.

I’ll be attending the only Vice-Presidential debate on Tuesday at my Alma Mater, more on that later today. I have a feeling it will be a bit like seeing Joe Friday take on the hope of America. John Edwards, I think you might have them at hello.

Sure, I spin politics to represent my personal viewpoint, giving an opinion is what having a personal website is about. Regardless of your ideals, opinions, political affiliations, just make sure to do one thing, and that is VOTE. If you one of the few undecided citizens searching for hard facts, or perhaps you just want to arm yourself with good information so you may make a wise decision locally, try the following:

Vote-Smart A Voter’s Self-Defense system ready to provide you with the necessary tools to self-govern effectively: abundant, accurate, unbiased and relevant information. As a national library of factual information, Project Vote Smart covers your candidates and elected officials in five basic categories: biographical information, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances and interest group ratings. Searchable by zip code, you can even download a Voter’s Self-Defense Manual.

Federal Election Commission Want to know the why and where of a political decision, follow the money. The commission governs the financing of all federal elections and acts as an independent regulatory agency.

Open Secrets Not nearly as salacious as it sounds, web site of the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy. The Center conducts computer-based research on campaign finance issues for the news media, academics, activists, and the public at large. Goal? a more educated voter. Who gives what, who gets what, and what it all means to you.

FactCheck.Org Just the facts mame, just the facts and they have em’ like crazy. A nonpartisan, nonprofit, “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

A 3.5 mile run, breakfast and an audiocentric post before 6:30a.m. looks like things are getting back to normal, whoa yea…

The Human Switchboard – NO! (Demo) 1977?
This track is the demo for the first 45 by The Human Switchboard. Unlike the original track this one sounds even more raw and wild than the final recording. NO! is an extra special mix of the Velvet Underground meets Joy Division meets ? & the Mysterians. Produced by Pere Ubu’s Dave Thomas, Tin Huey’s Mark Price joins Human Switchboard on bass. What’s to be said about them, they are the Akron/Kent/Case Western Reserve trifecta! I fell deeply in love with them upon picking up a used copy their critically acclaimed album Who’s Landing In My Hanger. Lead vocalist Bob Pfeifer’s angst ridden interplay with farfisa/vocalist Myrna Marcarian makes for one quirky, acerbic, revealing and brilliant punk album. Check out their story from this 2003 Village Voice article & their page on Trouser Press. Sadly they have nothing on CD, a true forgotten classic.