Finally, Monday is here – I thought that damn weekend would never end. Now if these next five days will just hurry up and get over with.

You have to wonder if Israel is actually trying to make Hizbollah look good. Killing civilians in the age of the Internet and satellite TV (it’s one thing to kill kids and terrified families hiding in basements when you can just deny it, but to do it when video and photos can make it around the planet instantaneously just doesn’t make for a popular war) doesn’t seem like a good plan, and it certainly hasn’t made Israel any more secure, if the record number of rockets hitting Israel yesterday is any indication. And if there’s any truth to the reports that the US is egging Israel on in all of this (and I don’t see much reason to doubt it), well, here’s a suggestion for Ehud Olmert: whatever George W. Bush says, do the exact fucking opposite. Anybody who couldn’t find oil in Bharain, traded Sammy Sosa, and has fucked up everything he’s ever touched (including eating pretzels, fer chrissakes) is not then man to be taking advice from. Capice there, Ehud?

On the bright side, Pamela Anderson married Kid Rock, so there should be a new “honeymoon” video on the ‘net in a few days.

Well, at least it’s almost August. Hopefully the world will be a little safer with Bush in Crawford. I hear the Texas DEC has been busy stocking the “ranch” with brush.

Happy Monday.

Another Sunday. I’m pretty newsed out, myself. DC’d out, too, in more ways than one. Sometimes, I guess I just get tired of reading about Dick Cheney being linked to another no-bid contract, or “oh boy, aren’t Republicans dumb” because they blogged that they intend to push another criminal energy bill through on Monday, or that if you thought your father brother mother sister husband lover whatever was coming back from Iraq anytime soon, guess what, uh-uh, or Lynn Woolsey calling for the repeal of the authorization that the congresssheep gave dubya to go in and fuck things up in Iraq (seems like a no-brainer to me, but then I guess our government has just enough brains to be dangerous), or well, all the shit that’s in the news or that they think they’re so clever about bringing up at DU, or Kos or Atrios or whatever. It all just seems to be a bunch of pissing and moaning while these creeps keep getting away with doing whatever the fuck they want, ‘cuz they bought the “real” media a long time ago, and they sure as hell bought our government, and most of the people are too fucking stupid to know the difference.

What with people being people and all, I just don’t see any system ever being put into place that won’t eventually be corrpupted and used to oppress the very people it purports to care about. Marx? Meet Lenin. Trotsky? Meet Stalin. Adam Smith? The hand might be invisible, but not the middle finger. Labor? You must be so proud of Tony Blair. Jesus, Muhammad? Trust me guys, you don’t wanna know.

I dunno, I guess there really must be something in the air around this place that either makes you evil, or impotent, or depressed (or maybe all three; that might explain the Washington Press Corps, not to mention most of the Democrats). The sooner I’m outta here, the better.

But anyway, let’s see what the cream of the Fourth Estate has in store for us today.

On Press the Meat, Mr. Potatohead hosts a grudge match, with Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman, and Lebanon’s Special Envoy, Nouhad Mahmoud (“Oy, sorry about all the boom-booms, Nouhad.” “No problem, Danny-boy. We’ve been feeling a little ignored lately”). Then, the world is almost as flat as his head…yes, it’s Tom Friedman, who will no doubt predict that, in another six months, things will be going just great in Iraq.

Then over at Faze the Nation, it’s round two of the Desert Deathmatch, this time with Bush buddy Bobby Scheiffer hosting Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and Israeli Deputy (I guess he only gets one bullet) Prime Minister, Shimon Peres.

Over at Fux News Sunday, yes, he’s been under the secretary of State and lived to tell the tale, Nicholas Burns joins Weaselface Wallace to chat about what a great deal his boss, Overundersecretary of State Condi Rice, got on a really cute pair of shoes at a going out of business sale in Haifa. Then it’s Paul Bremer, on to tell us what he’d do to fix all that nasty old violence in Iraq.

On This Weak with George Snufalufagus, Nicky Burns crawls out frumunda Condi one more time, plus it’s Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Daniel Ayalon (what, are all their Ambassadors named Daniel?). At the roundtable, Farid “Token” Zakaria joins Time’s Jay Carney, Claire Shipman, and George :jerk: Will. Also, we’ll hear from Lance “half the testosterone, seven times the trophies” Armstrong.

On CNN’s Late Edition, Feldmarschall Wolf Blitzer broadcasts live from Jerusalem. Oy.

Later, on 60 Minutes, it looks like a bunch of recycled stories to me (of course, I hardly ever watch, but these look familiar), with an interview with Osama bin Hidin’s bodyguard, another with a NASA scientist who’s being censored by the Bush Administration, and an Ed Bradley report on U2 (which I think I actually saw).

Then there are all-new episodes of Deadwood, the 4400, and the Dead Zone tonight, but, if you’re out there anywhere near Irvine, I suggest you head out to see Marc Maron and Louis CK at the Irvine Improv. You’ve got one more chance to catch ’em. Be polite when Louis CK’s on, and pretend you think he’s alomst as funny as Marc. Have a good Sunday.

OK, the weekend’s here. Whoopdie-doo. I’m just about done with the book I’m reading, so I reckon I’ll go out and get another one to kill the next few nights, and try not to think too much about getting this over with.

If you’re out there in CA, you have three chances to catch Marc in Irvine tonight, so you better get moving. Have a good one.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Travis! :cake:

Another week ends, and this should be my last Friday night in this crappy little bed. I’m in chuckout mode, gradually tossing out all the shit I’ve accumulated around here since Memorial Day. Next week I’ll get into serious packing mode. In other news, poor Joey. Michael Schiavo and TerriPAC are set to endorse Ned Lamont today. Why? This exchange between Joey and Timmy on the March 27, 2005 Press the Meat might shed some light on the issue:

MR. RUSSERT: You would have kept the tube in?

SEN. LIEBERMAN: I would have kept the tube in.

Attaboy Joe.

And it looks like dubya has a new neighbor down in Crawford. Hope that won’t spoil his vacation.

Anyhow, don’t forget to get out to Irvine to see Marc and Louis CK at the Improv tonight – or at least some time this weekend – if you’re out that way.

Have a good Friday.

Alright, we’re over hump with this week, and close to my last weekend here in the nation’s capitol . Counting today, I’ve got nine more days to get through before I can pack up my shit and get out of here. I just hope the a/c holds up.

Iraq’s PM was here yesterday, and I guess he told Congress he wants Iraq to help stabilize the Middle East. Um, OK there Nuri (or is it al-Maliki?), we appreciate the thought, but, why don’t you see if you can’t get civilian deaths down below 100 in your own country? You know – you stand up, so we can stand down. That kinda shit.

I also see that a jury has decided Andrea Yates was nutsy-cuckoo when she drowned her kids. Yep, well, those Texas juries really catch on quick, don’t they (to our lurkers from Dallas, Plano, and other parts of the Lone Star state, just kidding). I wonder if this was the first murder conviction appeal based on whether the prosecutor was paying close enough attention to Law & Order?

Speaking of Law & Order, I was watching a rerun of L&O, Criminal Intent on USA last night (because, like, that’s about all there is to do for free, when they aren’t showing any porn), and damned if Stephen Colbert wasn’t in it, playing a forger (and a murderer). Whattya know. At least this summer hasn’t been a total loss.

For those of you out there in Southern California, you’ve got no excuse not to go out and see Marc this weekend, as he’ll be at the Irvine Improv with Louie CK for one show tonight, two shows on Friday, three – count ’em three – shows on Saturday, and one more show on Sunday (Marc’ll be headlining there on Augst 16th, but why wait?). For more information, check out Marc’s myspace page or the Maron Gigs page, both linked over there on the right ? .

Well, I better go check out the History Channel – you never know what might “pop up.” Have a good Thursday.

Here we are, at the midpoint of another week.  I’m winding down with my project here, and I think I might actually get the damn thing finished before I leave.  I had my doubts, and it’s not a sure thing, but I think I’ll mostly have it done (not enough time to give it a real good debugging, or add all the features I’d have liked, but they’re getting a good $10 grand’s worth of work for free – not that they’d realize it – so they shouldn’t complain).  I’m starting to remember why I got sick of doing this shit for living, though.

Well, the sooner I get going, the sooner I get this over with, so I guess that’s what I better do.  Happy humpin’.

Hey, folks, Hope all is well with all. I am adjusting to having time. Time to work on my standup, to think, to be creative for myself, and to be relieved, on some level, to not have to deal with AAR. I am relieved to know what is going on with my life, finally. I do miss doing the show. I miss all of you people. I miss the creative energy of all the artists I was working with. I miss talking about the issues and talking to my guests on a daily basis. I’m looking at a lot of different options for the future. I’ll keep you all posted. In the meantime I’m going to write, perform, play guitar, sit around and think, watch my cats, dig my wife, get ready for the Comedy Central Special, enjoy doing comedy again and living my life without the burden of wondering how AAR is going to disrupt it or make me anxious and irritated.
I’ll be in touch. I’m working with someone on a new site. In the meantime you can still post and e-mail at marcmaron.com and you can find me and post and e-mail at myspace.com/marcmaron.

Love,

Maron

I just finished listening to the penultimate Marc Maron Show yesterday (I’ve been taking my time with them, because I don’t really want ’em to be over).  I thought the interviews of John Dean and Ellen Perry were great, and of course Lawton Smalls’ and Bruce Cherry’s final appearances, plus Lonn Friend and Mishna were great, too.  All-in-all, a very enjoyable show – not just this particular show, but the entire MMS collection.  Damn shame it’s over.  I still have the final one, which I listened to live, of course, but with all the heavy blogging (and the one or two little brewskies I may have inadvertently downed) that night, I’m not exceptionally clear on the details of the show.  I’m gonna miss those bastids.

Otherwise, looks like more of the same out there in the world.  To quote a Roger Waters’ song, “what god wants, god gets – god help us all.”  Have a good Tuesday.

And so, another week begins. Looks like Ariel Sharon (what’s left of him, anyway), is fixing to finally give it up and die. One wonders if things would be any different today had he not stroked out back in January. Whatever his past, sometimes people decide that maybe a legacy of death and destruction isn’t what they want to leave behind. Then again, sometimes people never change. I guess we’ll never know.

Seems that the world – even dubya’s buddies, the Saudis – is looking to the Bushies to put a leash on Israel. Lotsa luck. One need look no further than our esteemed and well-loved ambassador to the UN, John “I am the Walrus” Bolton to see that this admnistration not only doesn’t mind what’s going on, but that they actually get aroused by it (you mighta already figured that out from Operation Iraqi Liberation).

So, they’ll make a show of sending the Lizard Queen over there (maybe when she gets back, dubya and her can double date with Kim Jong Il and his main squeeze), and hopefully this will eventually all end w/o the world blowing up, or too many more kids getting killed. Until the next time.

Have a good one.

My brain’s a bit denatured from being cooked on high the past couple of days (much better now, though) so forgive me if this isn’t too terribly inspired, but…

On Press the Meat today, Timmy Potatohead has dubya’s second COS Josh Bolten on to tell us how the US has brought stability to the Middle East. Then Tom Ricks will be on to tell us what a “Fiasco” it’s really been.

On Faze the Nation, Bush buddy Bobby Schieffer has Isreali Ambassador Daniel Ayalon on to tell the Lebanese people that it’s nothing personal, and Syrian Ambasador Imad Moustapha on to say, “oh yeah?” Plus David Ignatius of the WaPost.

On CNN’s Late Edition, Wolfie has – get this – Israel’s tourism Minister, Isaac Herzog (“come for the beaches, stay for the shelling – plus, buy a one-way ticket, and your evacuation fee will be waived!”*). Then there’s another visit from Josh Bolten, and a bunch of lip-flapping politicians, Republicand, Democrats, DINO’s, whatever – who even gives a shit anymore?

Instead of This Weak with George Snufalufagus, it’s the British Open. Why would they bother with that, when the end of an era is being ushered in with the final BC Open (not in Broome County this year, thanks to all the flooding in the Binghamton area, and instead being held at the Turning Stone Casino and Resort – an Oneida Indian establishment; hey, maybe after the the Palestinian population has been reduced by 95%, they’ll be able to open Casinos and sell cigarettes in Gaza – it’ll give the Israeli tourism Minister something to hawk). Looks like a helluva nice course. But anyways…

On Fux News Sunday with Fuckface Wallace, it’s – once again – Josh Bolten (BTW, note to both CNN and Fux, it’s B-O-L-T-E-N, you idiots), plus the only man who looks more ridiculous in a white lab coat than George Bush, Denny “Grand Slam” Hastert.

Later, on 60 Minutes, Lesley Stahl repors on something that’s apparently news to her – Americans are working longer and harder than ever before. Speaking of longer and harder, Lara Logan reports on how she got embedded with the fellas that guard Route Irish (and how devasted she was when MSNBC’s best reporter, Mike B., rebuked all of her advances), and Steve Kroft talks to a bunch of jewel thieves.

Tonight, it’s new episodes of Deadwood (didja see Dan pull that guy’s eye out last week? Icky, icky, icky), the 4400, and the Dead Zone. Enjoy your Sunday.

*Limited time offer, subject to state, federal, and international taxes, Israeli government reserves the right to bulldoze your home, void where prohibited.