Steve and Morgan and Mike and I went up to the New York City International Auto Show on Saturday. You can see my photos here. The verdict? Not that great. Only slightly better than Philly's annual auto show, and not worth going again next year. There were more hybrid/electric cars, but that is probably just because that's where the trends are going. There were certainly no shortage of monster trucks and SUVs. Also, there was Newman and that guy from Office Space.

Mike got me Guitar Hero 3 for the Wii for my birthday, which pretty much guarantees that I will fail all of my classes this semester.

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from CNN:

Bush gives out wrong hotline number — again

President Bush has had trouble with a housing relief hotline.

(CNN) – When it comes to a government hotline number for homeowners seeking mortgage relief, President Bush just can't get the digits right.

After a housing roundtable in New Jersey, Bush twice gave out the wrong number in a public statement, saying the relief line was 1-88-995-HOPE – leaving off the third 8 in the area code of the correct number: 1-888-995-HOPE.

At the end of his statement, the president was quietly informed of his mistake and issued a correction.

Bush had trouble with the same number in December when it was first unveiled. Then the president incorrectly said the number was 1-800-995-HOPE.

Anyone who dialed 1-800-995-HOPE did not reach the mortgage hotline, but instead contacted the Freedom Christian Academy — a Texas-based group that provides Christian education home schooling material.

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Which crazy-ass Sicklerville couple caused yours truly to have a two-hour commute last night? Which actually should be considered lucky, since I was right at the last exit before the bridge, so I was able to get on 95N, crawl my way past Ben Franklin bridge traffic, and get across the Betsy Ross?

If you said this crazy-ass Sicklerville couple, then you are correct.

Also, WTF, NJPD? All they had were a baseball bat and a "'a very realistic' airsoft pellet gun"? I have the feeling that however much they fine this pair of idiots, it will be not be enough.

By the way, as of today, I have officially lived longer than Jesus.

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Yesterday was the first time in recent memory when I awoke in the morning with nothing to do. Since Mike was in Ohio, I saw it as a kind of test. I could find out what I would naturally revert to doing, without his influence.

The answer (perhaps unsurprising): about 60% reading, 10% cooking, and 30% messing around on the internet. In particular, I signed up at stumbleupon.com (you can see my favorited stumbles here). I think you said you were stumbling, Rob, so let me know and I will friend you.

Although I am usually aware of the up-to-date social networking and other kinds of websites, I usually don't bother using them because I don't know many people in real life who do. But yesterday I signed up for Twitter so that I could follow Barak Obama, who[se communications team] is twittering. I had heard that Obama is the most internet-friendly of the candidates, and this was confirmed for me because after I signed up to follow him, I got a message back saying that Obama was now also following me. Smooth move, communications team! I may have to get an account at Facebook so I can make him my friend. I will so have an in at the White House come November.

UPDATE: Now Obama's made me a contact on Flickr. Seriously, should I ask for a cabinet post?

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I was at the grocery store this evening, and there was a woman in the line next to me who had seven cartons of eggs in her cart. Noticing this, I thought, "What the fu...oh. Oh, yeah. Okay."

Also, the universe conspires against me. As I was driving to the grocery store, I thought to myself that it was great that the grocery store was kind of out of the way, and I was unlikely to run into anyone I know there (because I am fundamentally anti-social). And then at the store, I ran into -- and was forced to acknowledge because I couldn't run away fast enough -- someone I would have been quite happy if I never saw again in my life.

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I was in North Carolina over this past weekend because my friend Kristen (who makes so-low-budget-that-they-don't-have-a-budget independent movies) had a short film in the Gate City Women's Film Festival in Greensboro. I attended both nights of the competition screenings and I have this to say: the absolute worst films screened were the ones that won the most awards. It reminded me of the Oscars, in a lot of ways.

Also, although I did see all of the films, the program provided didn't engender a lot of enthusiasm. Here's the description Kristen provided for her film in the program:

A short film that explores sibling dynamics through the eyes of the over-achieving older sister and addresses the expectations (both good and bad) we have for each other.

[You can see the movie here]

But after reading the other film descriptions, I am convinced that she would have won if only she had described it thusly:

This experimental and personal documentary explores themes of immigration, death, and media. It is a sensual visionary encounter that is bold and evocative and covers themes related to African-American culture. Conceptually, this work examines personal and collective histories through the symbolic language of Jungian archetypes. This film examines how beauty can arise from the ashes of intolerance. in a surrealist world where she has no control, a young girl reveals the harsh realities of life in a West African village, even as she expresses optimism for the future. The filmmaker offers viewers a delicious and disturbing six minute dance with issues of memory construction, patterns, seduction, and sexual identity formation.

[These are actual quotes]

In short, the best things about the South are sweet tea and the Waffle House. That is all.

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• Toilet reservoir dislikes refilling after flushing
• Hairdryer shuts off after 3 minutes and sparks
• Next-door neighbors have frequent headboard-banging sex
• Perpetually barking dog in nearby room
• Lack of electrical outlets for laptops and cell phones
• Soda machine in hallway both empty and broken
• Has apparently never heard of fitted sheets
• Unordered wake up call at 7 am
• Bathtub stuck in undraining position
• Paltry array of toiletries

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http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/hot-seat/26823/michael-mcdonald

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Show yourself, EGOISTE!

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To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Australians were asked to vote on the Gayest Songs of All Time. The winners are after the jump.

50. Elton John and George Michael "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
49. Dead or Alive "You Spin Me (Like A Record)"
48. Pet Shop Boys "New York City Boy"
47. Diana Ross "Chain Reaction"
46. Deborah Harry "I Want That Man"
45. Cher "Strong Enough"
44. RuPaul "Supermodel (You Better Work)"
43. KD Lang "Constant Craving"
42. Culture Club "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me"
41. Chaka Kham "I'm Every Woman"
40. Wham "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
39. Paul Lekakis "Boom Boom (Let's Go Back To My Room)
38. Kym Mazelle "Young Hearts Run Free"
37. George Michael "Outside"
36. Donna Summer "I Feel Love"
35. Dannii Minogue "This Is It"
34. Belinda Carlisle "Summer Rain"
33. Peter Allen "I Go To Rio"
32. Sylvester "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real"
31. Heather Small "Proud"
30. CeCe Peniston "Finally"
29. Madonna "Express Yourself"
28. Cyndi Lauper "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"
27. Charlene "I've Never Been To Me"
26. Tim Curry "Sweet Transvestite"
25. Barry Manilow "Copacabana"
24. Barbara Streisand and Donna Summer "No More Tears"
23. Whitney Houston "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
22. Sister Sledge "We Are Family"
21. Queen "I Want To Break Free"
20. Dolly Parton "9 to 5"
19. Coming Out Crew "Free, Gay and Happy"
18. Village People "In the Navy"
17. Frankie Goes To Hollywood "Relax"
16. Village People "Macho Man"
15. Judy Garland "Over The Rainbow"
14. Bronski Beat "Smalltown Boy"
13. Diana Ross "I'm Coming Out"
12. Cher "Believe"
11. Gloria Gaynor "I Am What I Am"
10. Alicia Bridges "I Love The Nightlife"
9. Madonna "Vogue"
8. Olivia Netwon-John "Xanadu"
7. Kylie Minogue "Better The Devil You Know"
6. Pet Shop Boys "Go West"
5. Kylie Minogue "Your Disco Needs You"
4. The Weathergirls "It's Raining Men"
3. Gloria Gaynor "I Will Survive"
2. Village People "YMCA"
1. ABBA "Dancing Queen"

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