In Europe they would seem to have fewer illusions. But meanwhile, back in the USA...

THIS REALLY DESERVES TO BE READ BY EVERYONE
In an uncharacteristic solo wrap to his MSNBC show Countdown, Keith Olbermann delivered the following and gravely angry editorial after Donald Rumsfeld’s extraordinary speech to the American Legion in which he brought the oozy art of rabid innuendo to a previously unrivaled level.

"Mr. Rumsfeld’s remarkable speech to the American Legion yesterday demands the deep analysis—and the sober contemplation—of every American. For it did not merely serve to impugn the morality or intelligence -- indeed, the loyalty -- of the majority of Americans who oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land. Worse, still, it credits those same transient occupants -- our employees -- with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither common sense, nor this administration’s track record at home or abroad, suggests they deserve." For the full text...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12131617/#060830b

The secret word is Algae (which I believe is the name for the green stuff that floats on stagnant ponds.)

THEY DON’T MAKE IT EASY
The following story comes from some girl who also supplied the Bush/Hitler graphic above...
"The level of nicotine that smokers typically consume per cigarette has risen about 10 percent in the past six years, making it harder to quit and easier to get hooked, according to a new report released Tuesday by the Massachusetts Department of Health. "

For the whole foul story...

THIS CULTURE IS TAKING LEAVE OF ITS SENSES SO RAPIDLY, IT CAN MAKE A POOR BOY’S HEAD SPIN
Did you hear about what’s going on in Maine? I got this from MSNBC. Seems that up there in Maine – which is, after all, deep Stephen King country – the National Guard has come up with what’s being called the ``Flat Daddy" and ``Flat Mommy" phenomenon, in which life-size cutouts of deployed service members are given by the Maine National Guard to spouses, children, and relatives back home. The Flat Daddies ride in cars, sit at the dinner table, visit the dentist, and even are brought to confession, according to their significant others on the home front. ``I prop him up in a chair, or sometimes put him on the couch and cover him up with a blanket," said Kay Judkins of Caribou, whose husband, Jim, is a minesweeper mechanic in Afghanistan. ``The cat will curl up on the blanket, and it looks kind of weird. I've tricked several people by that. They think he's home again." Does the name Rupert Pupkin ring any bells?

GLENN FORD -- RIP

TOUCHED AND AMAZED
(But also aware that this will quickly get self-indulgent and boring, but this self revelation so prevents me from turning back.)
Well, the eradication of the demon nicotine continues. I permitting the jones three fags yesterday and that’s it. I hope, by the weekend, the gaspers will be history, excluding maybe the odd lapse while drinking. (Never strive for total perfection, it is an affront to the gods.) Meanwhile the encouragement continues. The most original (with illustration left) comes from Jon...
"How often have you paused to ask yourself, "How long could I hold my breath if I was called upon to rescue a babe from the clutches of a gigantic octopus?"
He also includes an entire webpage of octopus and babe related pulp and comic art. Which you gotta admit is weird.
http://www.cyrune.com/pulp.html

Alan proves a comrade in arms...
"Yes, good luck with quitting the ciggies, Mick. I had to, (after 39 years), as I have a dodgy heart valve they want to fix. Trouble is the valve is hereditry so I begrudge giving them up. Worst is finding something to do when you usually smoked, ie after a beer, a coffee, food, everything! They say it's more addictive than heroin, and they stick us in a padded cell to get over that. Nevertheless, good luck, and as an afterthought, I loved the parallel in 'Conflagration' of the Bowie to Jones knife - I noticed if no one else did! Stick with it, the world needs Mick Farren around!" – Alan. (Alan is at http://alanburridge.freeuk.com )

"Hang on in there over the nicotine withdrawal, if it's your programme plan then it should work for you so ignore all other advice/suggestions." – Miriam

But that enough self-pity. The normal attacks will resume after this.

The secret word is Craving

Have a Futurista Tuesday, boys and girls!







Is the secret word Distorted?

"Farren will never quit. These human-alien hybrids are pathetic suckers for nicotine."

BUT IN FACT I’M HANGING IN AND GETTING LOTS OF SUPPORT...

"You don't know me, and i only know you through yer blog and albums, but good luck with quiting the smoking. i'm trying to quit right now(first time at 30), and it's harder than i thought. the brain starts to go funny after prolonged abstinence.
it might just be me, but the ramsey case seems to be straight up exploitation of a sensational and disgusting crime, endlessly regurgitated by the media to feed the morbid fascination of the pixilated masses. i don't watch tv, but friends of mine who do say it's a non-stop media frenzy. sick. what did this guy eat on the plane? blah blah. as for tv itself, if i want to watch a bee with a french accent extoll to me the virtues of using the latest nasal spray, i'll do six hits of acid. haven't watched tv for 7 years now, and glad of it. advertizing resembles bad trips, and tv shows and news programs bring to mind 1984. it seems that for those that have disconnected from the boob tube, when going back it seems more than surreal, it truly resembles brainwashing. but of course, as the anarcho-punk band Crass put it, "big brother aint' watchin' you mate, you're fucking watching him." death to the cathode ray tube..ptoofffffff, – -sam

Wish i had some good advice about quitting smoke, but i'm a wretched tobacco sucker myself... may the Force be with you. – best, nuno

Hey, good luck, amigo. Horrible fucking drug. Horrible fucking companies, who profit from it too. – aeswiren

In fact, I’m sticking to self-devised program despite the fact that the jones really fucking sucks, but all this posting sets me up for so much public humiliation if I fail, I am compelled to succeed. Zen ego-logic, ese? (But where is the comfort of Kim Novak?)

LINKS
A Bob Dylan anecdote
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/blowin.asp

A dry but handy site that monitors the evil moves of multinationals
http://www.oligopolywatch.com/

Blog of Jon who is one of the good guys
http://www.cheblogs.com/roller/page/njon/

(The email here is still byron4d@msn.com )

IF THE UTTERANCES GROW DISTORTED...
Once again – and I hope for the very last time – I am wrestling with the cutting down and ultimate elimination of cigarettes from my life, and the dismantling of all that early programming by Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, James Bond, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, FDR, and Oscar Wilde. I tried a while ago, but no-kidding fate violently intervened and pretty much whacked me back to square one. (Do not pass Go and pick up a carton of Merit on the way.) But here I am, trying it all over again, swearing to retire the black and silver Zippo, while admitting that the romance of the coughing-outlaw, lunger-poet is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be, and is seriously inhibiting other areas of potential adventure. So wish me luck and look kindly on any weirdness in my though processes because this shit ain’t easy.

The secret word is Wheeze