tagged w/ author Larry Nocella
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Saw Bruno this weekend. Loved it for many reasons. Primarily because it was outrageous. I also like the blend of scripted scenes and absurd interviews. You can never quite tell what's real and what's staged. Like Fox News.
I recently went on a liberal-leaning website (The Huffington Post) and found myself laughing at all the comments complaining about how they feel Bruno reinforces gay stereotypes. They were in fact, reinforcing the stereotype that liberals are a bunch of humorless analysts who can't cease promoting their agenda for even one second, even to laugh at an obvious over-the-top parody from someone clearly on their side.
[...more at link...]Saw Bruno this weekend. Loved it for many reasons. Primarily because it was... more
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There are just way too many clichés designed to discourage experimentation with your life, your identity and your habits.
When you're young, whatever you feel like doing is not really what you feel like doing. It's described by others as just a phase. When you're older, anytime you try something new, it's a trend. Then you're going through teenage rebellion. Then you're finding yourself. When you're older still, you're not trying to enjoy life's infinite variety, you're going through a mid-life crisis.
Can't someone just do something new because they feel like it and not have it categorized like a mental illness? Isn't it okay if something is a passing phase, why are the above clichés packed with such scornful judgment?
[...more at link...]There are just way too many clichés designed to discourage experimentation with... more
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I don't like to make jokes when people die, I mean, death is serious and sad. Frankly, it sucks. Except maybe when it comes to Hitler. Anyway, I couldn't help but trying to come up with a joke about MJ's passing.
Imagine my surprise when, upon sharing this joke with friends, a joke I wrote, the response was not the usual why-am-I-your-friend-again? look, they actually laughed! You like me! You really like me! Or at least tolerate me!
In fact, most friends were so impressed they insisted that I put this joke on my blog as a way of stamping my authorship on it, so when you hear it on Bill Maher, The Daily Show, or Late Nite with Comedian X, you'll know I'm not lying when I say I wrote it. I'm copyrightin' this bad-boy, gonna be rich soon.
Okay. Okay. So you made up a funny joke. Shut up and tell it.
Sorry, voice in my head. Here goes...
[...more at link...]I don't like to make jokes when people die, I mean, death is serious and sad.... more
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So there's some trouble after the Iranian election. Silly democratic amateurs! They should learn from us Americans. We've been rocking democracy for 200-plus years, so we know how to do it right.
Psst! Bush v. Gore? Oops. Psst! The Franken-Coleman race? Double oops.
Okay! Okay! So maybe we Americans aren't that great at democracy, but at least we like to think we are, and it's the thought that counts, right? Damn, don't we get any credit just for believing?
We get so proud when we see democracy flourish in other countries, voters smiling for the cameras and showing their stained fingers! Hey wait a minute… why are they staining the middle finger?
[...more at link...]So there's some trouble after the Iranian election. Silly democratic amateurs!... more
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The Ayn Rand novel I want to talk about most is Atlas Shrugged because I think its misguided views are backing a lot of modern opinion. In the book, the richest, most powerful men in the world have had enough of being taxed so they shut down their companies and thereby shut down the world. The whole planet plunges into chaos until this titans return.
The plot is laughable. Why? Because what would happen today if a worker walked off the job and said "I'm not working for you anymore?" The instant this earth-bound Atlas mentioned he might "shrug," he'd be notified that his services were no longer required and he was being replaced (for one-tenth the price) by a desperate immigrant escaping some war-torn country.
[...more at link...]The Ayn Rand novel I want to talk about most is Atlas Shrugged because I think its... more
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Paper has been getting it's ass kicked lately. The conventional wisdom is that video screens are the death of paper. If you have an electronic device, you just download the info and you're done, there's (supposedly) no need to harm any trees.
As usual here in the offices of LarryNocella.com, I'd like to take a step back and review the "conventional wisdom" from an unusual angle. I find the screen vs. paper debate comparable to the Christmas tree debate.
...more at link...Paper has been getting it's ass kicked lately. The conventional wisdom is that... more
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Lately I've been making more of an effort to understand those I disagree with. I'm desperately seeking opinions different than mine instead of digesting the same old media that reinforces my thoughts. I already know what I think and while insecure in some ways, I don't need to constantly be told I'm right (just that I'm beautiful.)
I think of my opinions like a champion boxer who cannot retire. He stays on top only as long as he defeats all contenders, and he must face every challenger.
Results of my quest have been mixed. I've tried to engage people on the internet, and by "engage" I mean call them morons and get called worse. Strangely, this has not lead to the thoughtful exchange I had hoped for.
[...more at link...]Lately I've been making more of an effort to understand those I disagree with.... more
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The author finds that somehow, searching on the phrase "horny people" leads to his site...
Recently, I was researching the effectiveness of ads for my novel, Where Did This Come From? on Google and Yahoo! I was looking into what phrases (known as keywords) were being used on those search engines that ultimately led people to this site.
That's when I came across the fact that the keyword used most often to find my site, by a large margin, was "horny people." Wow! The internet really does invade privacy. All this time I thought I was keeping that to myself! How do I clear my browser's history again?
[...more at link...]The author finds that somehow, searching on the phrase "horny people" leads... more
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I'm so confused. I thought we were doing well.
After 9/11, those of us who were not in the military got our marching orders. We were told to go forth and shop, shop, shop, spend, spend, spend.(Link.) Keep going to Disney World, keep flying the airlines. Whatever you do, don't let this shocking, horrific and historic event cause you to change anything you do, just keep spending.
It was easy to be a hero back then. Patriotism was as simple as dropping a dime. All you had to do was finance an SUV with no money down, grab an extra case of Coors Light, or tip a little extra at the strip club. You would do those things, if you cared at all about freedom. If you didn't give Sindee that extra five-spot in her thong, well then, the terrorists win!
[...more at link...]I'm so confused. I thought we were doing well.
After 9/11, those of us who... more
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Despite my natural tendency to question everything, some days I just want to believe the hype. Skepticism gets tiring in the land of relentless advertising, but enhances the thrill of discovery when something I think is going to suck ends up winning me over.
So I come to you preaching with the zeal of the newly converted: the recently released Amazon Kindle 2 is really cool.
If you don't know, the Kindle is an eBook reader, but much more importantly, it's a travelling book store, and that's where it scores book-buying's 2001 Monolith Moment, evolving the process a significant step.
[...more at link...]Despite my natural tendency to question everything, some days I just want to believe... more
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I recently came across an internet post where gun lovers were seriously complaining that President Obama is a threat to American freedom because he wants to take away people's guns. Without even considering whether this accusation is true or not, I have a bigger question for gunophiles: Where the hell were you guys over the last eight years?
Gunophiles always claim they are the thin voluntary line between tyranny and freedom, the noble defenders of life, liberty and property. Yet the Bush Crime Family stole their (and all of our) savings right out from under us and never once did the modern-day Minutemen rise up. The "well-organized militia" that the Second Amendment promises failed to self-organize in a miraculous display of social emergence.
[...more at link...]I recently came across an internet post where gun lovers were seriously complaining... more
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This week is when 99% of everything written on the internet starts with some variant of "Obama should..." and I'm such a conformist, I don't want to be any different. So here's my contribution: What Obama should do ASAP is appoint an Ambassador to Moronia.
Where is Moronia? You won't find it on any map, in the same way you won't find Funkytown, The Nation of Islam, or The State of Confusion in any atlas. Though it sounds like a physical place, Moronia isn't defined by a landmass covered with invisible lines that tempt humans to kill those living on the opposite side of those lines.
As you probably have figured out (if you haven't, you may be a citizen!) Moronia is The Nation of Morons.
[more at the link]This week is when 99% of everything written on the internet starts with some variant... more
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