Global Warming

There is no scientific proof that any current earth warming  is caused by greenhouse gases through human activity.  We live on a planet that replenishes its ozone through the power of the sun (much like superman)  Is "global warming" an urgent problem like Al Gore would have us believe?  No!!!  Al Gore is doing his powerpoint for attention, money, and fame.  And I can't really blame him, but he is a hypocrite, he spends thousands per month on electricity which fuels his Tennessee mansion.  

Science and Geology have shown that warming and cooling trends do and have occured in the earths 4.5 billion years of existence.  This is caused by the inconstant nature of the sun, solar winds, and variations in clouds.  There is basically nothing we can do to stop the earth from cooling or warming, or getting hit by a meterorite for that matter!  

I am for curbing pollution, clean air and such...and I don't like throwing trash into the ocean.  But my reasons for this are health related, not warming related.  What we need is facts, not hype and false alarmism, but sober facts.  We have a lot of problems in this world, I argue we can expend more resources to solve diseases like cancer and "real" things that threaten our health and well being as a species.  

The global warming preachers remind me of religious dogma, with Al Gore being the pope, and carbon credits playing the part of indulgences.  Al Gore should have never won the Nobel Prize for his nonsense.  If we would have stopped all industrial production 50 years ago and told China and Russia to do the same, that glacier would have still melted Al!!  

Global Warming zealots "feel" that they are doing a good thing, with their wide eyed fanaticism.  I wish they would understand the there is no "threat" and they would put their well meaning activism towards doing something real.

Pyramids

The great Pyramids of Egypt (The only surviving "wonders of the world")

Mayan Pyramid

The Luxor in Las Vegas

The original Pyramids of Egypt in Giza are something I want to see.  Egypt was one of the first original sophisticated civilizations, complete with it's own intricate system of government and religion.  They built the pyramids on the backs of thousands of captured slaves.  This provides the backdrop of the Hebrews passing down campfire myths of their fictional hero "Moses" leading them out of Egypt.  Even though there are no archeological records of any such "Exodus"  The records are plentiful that Pharohs existed, in fact you can see some of them still preserved these thousands years later.  

The Mayans liked to cut peoples hearts out to appease the gods and roll them right down the steps, for more on this see the mad genius Mel Gibson's "Appocalypto" 

The Luxor is an awesome manmade shrine to the virtues of drinking, gambling, and sex.  

Baseball History!!!!

The Dodgers shut out the Angels tonite 1-0.....but that isn't what made baseball history....the Dodgers were no hit!!!  That's right they did not get a single hit in the game.  This is only the fourth time in the 108 years that this has happened.  Angel pitchers Weaver and Arrendondo combine for an 8 inning no hitter, but lose the game!!!  The Dodgers got a run on an error, then another error on a stolen base to put the runner on third....then you have a run via sac fly...no hits!!!!!   This is rarer than a perfect game...it was incredible listening to Vin Scully in the 9th.  Vin said, "Seen a lot of games, never seen anything like this"    Unbelievable!!!

Dana Carvey

Dana Carvey is the best castmember in the history of SNL. He appeared from 1986-1993, he created one of if not the most popular character in show history, "the Church Lady" A hilarious potrayal of an uptight pious church fanatic. From that character he gave us the catch phrases, "Well isn't that special" and Conveeeeeeeenient" Here is a list of his just some of hischaracters....Garth Algar, in Wayne's World
Woody Allen
George Bush
Carsenio
Johnny Carson
Ching Change
Chris, Pat's special someone
Lyle Clark, a Toonce's owners
Grumpy Old Man
H. Ross Perot
Regis Philbin
Dan Quayle
Buddy Precisely
Hans, in Hans and Franz
Casey Kasem
Robin Leach
John McLaughlin
George Michael
Dennis Miller
Mischu, apprentice of KoKo
Keith Richards
One of a Couple of Sammies
Derek Stevens, Chopping Broccoli
Jimmy Stewart
John Travolta
Lyle Billup, The Effeminate Hetero
Head-wound Harry

He was sharp, funny, and fearless on SNL. Some people wonder why he hasn't hit multi million dollar paydays like Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler.....in my opinion it is because Dana Carvey doesn't have big screen presence. He can't play the romantic lead in Drew Barrymore flicks like Adam Sandler can. He can't play the everyman buffon like Ferrell. As for Myers, Mike was just more successful in getting his characters on the big screen. Wayne, Dr. Evil/Austin Powers, and of course he hit mega millions with the Shrek franchise. Carvey has enjoyed one blockbuster franchise with Waynes World, and that's it. Even so, I have never seen someone who was funnier in the SNL skits as he was. Even now he could rejoin SNL tomorrow and be the number one cast member .

Lost Highway

OK so now I have seen "Lost Highway" by the genius filmmaker David Lynch.  Again this is not a movie for everybody...in fact most people would watch this and turn it off within the first 40 minutes and say "This is weird"  Of course those are the same people that loved "Night at the Museum" and "The Bucket List"  For me it is hard to describe what Lost Highway was even about, but it was very interesting and a fun movie to watch.  Not as good as "Mullholland Drive" which I think remains the David Lynch masterpiece.    The mystery man alone is fascinating about this movie...here is a picture of the mystery man... 

He can be in two places at once!!!  He can be talking to you face to face, but also be in your house at the same time.

Puppies, Meadows, and Cotton Candy

I like puppies a lot, I also love Cotton Candy, and meadows.  It is my dream to frolic in a meadow with a puppy while I eat Cotton Candy, someday that dream may come true.  

Also I want to point out my favorite inspirational poster of all time.  Sometimes I feel in life that I get very stressed and busy in life.  I like to call it "A case of the mondays" haha well we all feel blue from time to time right?  Well whenever I feel blue, I like to look at this poster of a cat.  He is hanging on a rope with his paws and he looks so cute, and get this, this is rich, the poster says "Hang In There"    I don't know it always gives me a smile!!   What kind of things bring positivity and sunshine into your lives?  Comments? 

Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers

Matt and I saw Petty at the Hollywood Bowl, the concert was great, and of course the bowl is one of the most beautiful natural setting for a concert.  

Tom Petty is pure American Rock and Roll, in fact if it wasn't for  "The Beach Boys" and "The Doors" He may be at the top of the list.  His catalog is vast and his songs are great.

"I'm learnin to fly but I aint got wings"

James Dobson Attacks Barack Obama

"Hi I have a PHD in Sociology, I need your money"

James Dobson has a very powerful organization called "Focus on the Family" many people subscribe to his newsletter, buy his books, and support his cause.  These people are primarily white evangelicals who have a perception that their "values" are under constant assault by liberal progressives, and worst of all, homosexuals.  Dobson weilds  a ton of political influence and commands the attention of millions.  He tells people that God wants you to vote for conservative candidates, but most importantly candidates that support a few major things, an outright ban on abortion, a constitutional marriage amendment, (defining marriage as between one man and one woman, thus prohibiting all gay marriage), A ban on any teaching of science that conflicts with the bible, noteably, Evolution.  

Barack Obama has said something that has made me giddy to hear, because he is 100 percent correct.  He asked what passages should guide public policy... "Folks haven't read their  bible, the bible condones slavery and says eating shellfish is an abomination"  He also attacks the hypocrisy of some politicians by pointing out Jesus "Sermon on the Mount"     Genius!!!!  Thank you Barack and please keep this up.  If he would just come out as a secular humanist which I think in his heart of hearts he is.  (I also think McCain feels the same way)

Dobson also had the audacity to say that Obama is distorting the bible, and "dragging biblical understanding through the gutter"  Dobson has a PHD in Sociology from USC..he has no formal theological training whatsoever.  Dobson makes the classic argument when faced with troublesome verses... "that only applied for the time" and no longer applies.  By that logic neither do the ten comandments apply because they were also mosaic law that only applied to the hebrews.  

And then he goes after Barack's expertise calling his interpetation of the constitution, "A fruitcake understanding of the constitution"  he said this of course because Barack supports "Roe v Wade"   Hey James, if abortion is murder do you support the death penalty for mothers who choose to abort their fetuses?    Anyways Con Law is something Barack knows a little about Dobson should know better than to make such attacks.  

My wish is that people of Barack's stature will continue to hammer away at the Christian right and their leader Dobson....McCain needs to stay away from him as well, as he once rightly called him "an agent of intolerance"  but since he has unfortunately backtracked to my great dismay.  Dobson for the record has said that he will vote for neither of them....good James why don't you tell your sheep to cast a write in vote for Huckabee, then Barack will win in a cakewalk.....and I hope Baracks first action is a clampdown on the tax exempt status of religion!!

JFK

I know without a shadow of a doubt that President Kennedy was murdered by Oswald and that he acted alone.  However I love the movie "JFK" by Oliver Stone.  Even though it is based on conspiracy theories, it is a very cool movie to watch.  Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Peschi, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Oldman give fantastic performances.  Costner is solid in his role as well.  I remember when it first came out, and how much my brother Matt and I were looking forward to seeing it.  After seeing it I had no doubt that there was a huge conspiracy involved.....and that is a lesson on how we can be swayed by propaganda.  Of course I was only 18 or 19 when I saw it, and my brain was completly different than it is today.  A few years after the movie was released, Gerald Posner came out with a book called "Case Closed" and there is a magnus opus right now by Vincent Bugliosi on the same topic.  Anyways, applying critical thinking skills and using reason and logic.   I don't see how a reasonable person could conclude anything other than Oswald acted alone.    But it is fun to watch a great movie done by a gifted filmmaker such as Oliver Stone.  

New Religious Study

Well this is encouraging, as we know here in the Golden State we are less likely to submit to primitive superstition then elsewhere in the United States.  Nationwide this pew poll says that 92% believe in God or a "universal spirit".  Not suprising.....but Californians are statistically more inclined to reject rigid dogma based on the Isralei War god named "YaWeh"  

"WE GET IT GARRETT, YOUR AN ATHEIST!  

------PRIVATE THOUGHTS of some members of my family

George Carlin

George Carlin passed away yesterday at the age of 71.  Alongside Richard Pryor, he was generally regarded as the greatest comedian of all time.  His observations of the absurdity and hypocrisy of life were legendary.  I have posted my all time favorite bit of his here.  Enjoy!

Tasha's Trip to Yosemite

Check out the Video by clicking here which will take you to my mac web gallery, where a large version is available.

If you are unable to see it there then I have it below for your convienence, but it looks much better when it is in larger format...enjoy!!

Blue Velvet

A good director knows how to play you like a violin.  Alfred Hitchcock did this in "Psycho" when he killed off his female lead only a half hour into the movie, and no one saw that coming.  I saw David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" this weekend, and wow! what a ride.  I would venture to guess that 75 percent of you that are reading this now would probably not like this film because you may have difficulty getting past some of the subject matter (violence) , but hey it is way less violent than "The Smashin of the Christ" so who knows? Anyways, it deals with suburbia and the darkness that can lie beneath....it is in some ways a Hardy Boys mystery done to the extreme.  Dennis Hopper gives us a no holds barred depiction of one of the most twisted villians you will ever see in movies.  David Lynch's direction is gutsy, original and brilliant.  I didn't like it as much as "Mulholland Drive" but it had a similar type feel to it.  Anyways, it looks like the GrabBag is turning into a movie review site now doesn't it?....I try to keep different topics going as much as I can.

"Now it's Dark"

Julia Sweeney

Julia Sweeney is awesome. First of all who could forget how funny she was on SNL with her great character "Pat" 

Now she has an incredible one woman show out there called "Letting go of God." In a touching and humorous way, she details her journey from being raised in a Catholic family to her gradual process of becoming an atheist. I very much related to her story, in fact at some points I felt I was living her journey right along with her. I had no idea that she was so smart, but she is one of my "Heroes of Atheism" Alongside Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennet, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Dan Barker.

She is coming out with a DVD of "Letting go of God" in the fall. Anyone can download the audio of her show for about 10 bucks on audible.com Also check out her Blog at juliasweeney.blogspot.com

Chris Farley Saturday

Here are two of the funniest sketches in SNL history, enjoy!

Rock Band

(all four elements bass, drums, guitar, vocals on top)

I am a big kid as many of you that know me will testify to.    I like video games, and I like guitar hero.  Guitar hero was just the beginning though, ladies and gentlemen....I give you Rock Band.  It comes with a set of drums, a guitar, and a microphone.  And if also gives you the opportunity to plug in a bass guitar as well.  What this means is that you can get four people, each playing along or singing together!  Extremely fun.  Also you can do a solo mode which lets you play the same song once with drums, then with guitar, then with singing.  I have already downloaded all the Police songs and was belting out Synchonicity II earlier.  This is the ultimate fun party game, I look forward to Mark Nowlin coming over and me and him jamming on the guitar and drums, and maybe Tasha or Angela singing.  The gameplay is just like guitar hero, you have to hit the flying notes in synchopation....the drums are the hardest for me because of the added bass pedal element...there are 4 drums total and you can slam them as hard as you want to.  The vocals track the pitch of your voice and you can also use the mike as a tamborine by clapping your hand into it.  Two bad I don't live in a fraternity because this game has "drunken college fun" written all over it.....Sigh......oh well, I was in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, that was fun too....our Friday night meetings didn't end until "God told us to"  Much more fun.

Mulholland Drive

In my review of "The Bucket List" I Mentioned that there are some movies that transcend everything.  Well folks, in my opinion David Lynch's film "Mulholland Drive" is one of the best films ever  made.  It stars Naomi Watts who since this films release, is my favorite actress.  This film is definitely not spoon fed drivel for the masses.  Instead it is a brillantly indescribable.  I watched it once again to clear my pallate of the unfortunate "Bucket List"  And once again I was amazed, thrilled, and fascinated by watching it for probably the fifth or sixth time.  Watching it is like having the most pleasant dream you have ever experienced.  I encourage all to kick back open a  bottle of red and enjoy the absolute brillance of this film!!

Lego Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Bucket list sucked

So we have one of the best actors, and arguably the most overrated actor in the same movie.  Ladies and gentlemen, cuckoos nest and chinatown this is not.  I knew the second I saw this trailer that this movie was going to be lame.  But have you ever known a movie was going to be bad but still wanted to see it anyways?  Well there you go.  As a matter of fact I am typing this review and I am 55 minutes in to the movie, and I am amazed at how bad it is.  Is is paint by numbers, formulaic, drivel.  No character development, the scenes just feel slapped together with no pacing.  Why can't Nicholson do a REALLY good role again?  About Schmidt and the Departed were great, but why does he have to do junk like this?  Sweet goodness they are now on a safari singing together!  Man this is terrible.  Movies can be so incredible when they are done right, but it is amazing what the studios can put out.  Unfortunatly studios are guaranteed a return if they just market a movie a certain way.  For example every movie goer 50 and over will casually say, "Lets see the Bucket List"  I love Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, so it must be good.   And they shell out their 10 bucks for something to do on a Saturday Night, without even thinking.  Meanwhile Transcendent Art like "There Will be Blood"  Doesn't make a dime.  The majority of causal moviegoers are sheeplike zombies who will obey the marketing campaigns of the studio.  Morgan Freeman plays the same role in every movie he does...WE GET IT YOUR THE WISE OLE SAGE NARRATOR!!   I should have watched Chinatown again.

Happy Fathers Day!

To my Dad and all the dads out there, Happy Fathers Day!!

Tim Russert

Tim Russert was a great political commentator.  He was also extremely nice when we stopped him outside of a rally in New Hampshire in '04 and asked him for a picture.  Very friendly guy, I was sad to hear the news that he died of a heartattack today..he will be missed.  

THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE OF THESE PICTURES, MY DAD WAS TAKING THE PIC AND DIDN'T KNOW THE TIMING OF THE DIGITAL CAMERA....I SAID IMPATIENTLY, "COME ON DAD!"  NOT KNOWING HE DID TAKE 3 SUCCESSFUL PICTURES.  RUSSERT CRACKED UP AND SAID, "YA DAD COME ON!"

Happy 7th Birthday Kevin!!!

I can't believe your 7 already Kev!!!

I love you,

Love Daddy

Bill Clinton at my Alma Mater

From Pre-school through 6th grade I attended Riviera Hall School.  And it just so happens that so does Roger Clinton's son Tyler.  So the greatest politician in history delivers the commencement address for the graduating 8th graders.  Pretty cool, I had a thought of driving down to my school today, but I didn't know if I would have been able to get a handshake or a picture with the President, so I chose not to try.  In hindsight I should have because the Lakers blew game 4 of the finals anyways.  Oh well it was a closed and secure event that needed a ticket to enter, and the Secret Service I don't think let any rubberneckers get too close, but maybe I am wrong.....I have seen two presidents live, Reagan after he was president, at Angel Stadium for the 1989 All Star Game, and W at a whistlestop in Oxnard, CA in 2000.  I guess ole Slick will have to wait.

Update:  I call him the greatest politician in history because I have never seen anyone with so much political talent, he is always slick and smooth, able to answer the toughest questions, without really answering.  Able to look someone in the eye and make that person feel that "he feels your pain" even though he really doesn't.   Equally talented at speeches, debates, interviews, and talking to the common man.  Comfortable in any enviornment.   Doesn't mean I agree with his policies though, I voted for Bush and Dole.  But I can recognize his political genius.  He is everything that Hillary isn't....She worked extremely hard and had a great command of the issues, but she has no charm, or charisma...Bill could slam down a shot with a Coal Miner, she cannot.

IPhone 3G

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced today the 3G Iphone.  With 3 awesome new features..1.  GPS  2.  3G speed  3.  It only costs 200 bucks!  Since I bought mine on June 29, 2007...It has never left my side, and now it has only gotten better.  With the revamp of .mac, whenever I type in a new address contact into my Iphone, or Ical event, it immediately is backed up, synched to both of my computers, and I never have to worry...where did I put my address book?  We have the app store where mlb.com will have a live animated update of all games, and video replays of the highlights minutes after they happen!  For example, lets say I am in Mammoth hiking to Mammoth Rock with Dodger.  My brother Matt calls and says, Garrett, you won't believe it..Andruw Jones actually got a game winning home run!  I can pull up the mlb app on the Iphone and watch the replay of the homerun at near WIFI speeds!!  Or maybe I am in the backwoods of Mammoth going for a day hike, I can use the maps application and drop a pin to represent my starting location, and then have the GPS navigate me back to the start!!   This will all be available July 11th folks.  For anyone who is thinking of getting a smart phone, and buys a blackberry instead of this for 200 bucks, well they just don't get it.

I am leaving a new poll up and set it to end the day the new iphone goes on sale.  Please vote on my poll!!  (Also serves as my countdown clock :)

11 Years!

I can't believe I am lucky enough to spend the rest of my days loving this woman.

(No not the M&M)

Bo Diddley

I can't say I own one of his albums but I understand that without him and other pioneering R&B guitarists, there would be no Stones, Zeppelin, Clapton, etc. as we know it.   He lived to be 79 and had a great life.  

Cheers to Bo Diddley!