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Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - 10:31:29 am
Why are large office buildings set up in such in a confusing and haphazard manner? Why isn't Suite 101 next to Suite 102? That would be too simple. Yesterday I visited such an office building (I now have a part-time cubicle job, by the way) and it was like Spinal Tap trying to get to the stage door. Geez! Or maybe it's just me-let's face it, I haven't worked in a corporate office building since 2000.
Quote of the Day (via e-mail)
"Fish friends and now snake friends? 40 year old iron maiden rocker dudes? This is a Saturday night live skit, right?"
Friday, October 1, 2004 - 09:45:00 pm
Even though I finally made the correct decision this week re a long-standing moral dilemma (whether or not I should continue my friendship with a person my girlfriends have long referred to as a "pathetic loser"), I am now faced with another tough decision.
So, who do I see in concert on Oct. 30th? The Cramps or Courtney?
Well, ok, so maybe the decision isn't that tough. And no jokes about how I can just drive down to the Beverly Hills courthouse & see Ms. L just about any weekday.
Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 07:39:07 am
My latest "Slums Off Hollywood Blvd." blog is here-
http://slumshollywood.blogspot.com/2004/09/various-bric-bracrip-scott-muni.html
Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 02:34:59 pm
So I go to Macy's in downtown L.A. to apply for a part-time sales job. Since they had no paper applications and only one computer (which was in use) to enter applications, I ended up going home and filling out an online form on their website. One of the bad things about e-mail and the Internet is the way it has depersonalized the hiring process in most companies. You can't call, fax, or send in a hard copy of your resume without getting a stern rebuff. God forbid you show up in person asking for a job! They might call the cops on you!
Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 12:56:49 am
Saw Siouxsie at the HOB in Hollywood a few nights again. Great show, very arty and carefully choreographed. Siouxsie's vocals were perfect and she looked good in a geisha outfit, which was later removed to reveal a pantsuit with a keyhole top. Her band included Budgie on drums, of course, a second percussionist and twin (female) back-up singers. I went the first night, which was relatively peaceful. Siouxsie berated a security guy, that was about it. Apparently the second night there were all sorts of unruly patrons that incurred Siouxsie's wrath, including some crazy broad who jumped up on the stage. Damn! I miss all the fun!
Friday, September 24, 2004 - 02:12:19 pm
A word of warning:
If you use Paypal, you need to know about this. I'm not as upset about this as some other authors. Paypal is a private business--if they don't want to accept transactions involving erotic books, that's fine, I'll go elsewhere. Now, when there are no other sites that will handle erotica transactions, THEN we've got a major problem. If your attitude toward censorship is either a) you can't do or say anything or b) you can do or say anything, it's OK, it's a fairly simple concept. When you try to interpret anything in between these two extremes, it requires logic, common sense, etc. It's easier, I suppose to subscribe to one of the extremes.
Article from http://www.internetnews.com:
"PayPal Set to Fine Users
By Susan Kuchinskas
September 23, 2004
Beginning Friday, PayPal will begin penalizing users who buy things it doesn't want them to: prescription drugs from unverified pharmacies, material with even a whiff of sex and gambling or lottery services.
On August 23, PayPal gave users via e-mail 30 days' notice that it could levy a fine of $500 on those who violate its acceptable use policies. Its compliance team will strictly enforce the new acceptable use policy to implement the monetary fines on both buyers and sellers who use the transaction service to trade in items the San Jose, Calif.-based company has outlawed.
Those policies prohibit a wide variety of things, from stuffed migratory birds to used airbags. But the user agreement revision singles out those who, despite the transaction platform's best efforts, persist in using it to pay for forbidden goods and services in the mature audiences, prescription drugs and gambling categories.
A PayPal spokesperson said the fines were an evolution of its policy prohibiting these activities; she declined to say what percentage of the service's transactions might engage in barred goods.
"There are always people who do this kind of thing. It hasn't gotten worse, we're just very serious about it," she said. She said the prohibitions were a business decision. "There's a higher level of fraud associated with online gambling and adult materials."
PayPal has good reason to ban gambling activity from its service. A year ago, eBay paid $10 million to settle charges by the U.S. District Attorney that it violated the U.S. Patriot Act by transmitting funds earned through online gambling. When it announced the acquisition, eBay said it would stop PayPal's gambling payments. It folded the betting business for good last November.
Merchants using PayPal to sell pharmaceuticals online must be certified by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy's Verified Internet Pharmacy Practices Site program.
Its policy on adult materials is especially stringent, banning not only any material or services suggesting sexual activity but also "non-adult services whose Web site marketing can be reasonably misconstrued as allowing adult material or services to be purchased using PayPal."
Few mainstream sellers have taken note.
" I really don't care if people can't pay for drugs or porn on eBay," said Marsha Collier, author of eBay For Dummies and Starting an eBay Business For Dummies and one of the auction service's top 500 private sellers. "PayPal works really well for sellers who play by the rules."
Collier said she's watched the company's evolution from its early days, when it was operated by X.com. She finds the tighter controls part of a natural evolution process. "And they are also owned by eBay, which stands for community values," Collier said. "EBay goes a long way to keep the mature audiences part of [its offerings] separate."
In fact, PayPal's policy is so stringent that it specifically prohibits its use for any product sold in eBay's Mature category.
Message boards like paypalsucks.com are full of horror stories about PayPal. The perception among some users is that the company freezes accounts arbitrarily, is unresponsive to queries or complaints and takes months to return users' access to their own funds.
In June, PayPal settled a class action suit for $9.25 million. Three customers led the class action, claiming the payment service had frozen or drained their accounts without cause. PayPal didn't admit guilt."
Friday, September 17, 2004 - 09:16:27 pm
For the first time in years, I filled out one of those market research questionnaires yesterday in an actual office, not on the Internet. ( I'm up to $7 on one of my "Get Paid To Read These E-mails" accounts. I should be up to $20 -the total you need before they pay you- by 2010. I don't know why my more housewife-y friends insist this is a good way to make side money. They must be at it 10 hours a day-I don't have the patience for that. Anyhow, this market research survey was about the best name for a brand of rice. Real exciting, stuff, I know. Brought back memories of coding surveys for ???? Research. Hey, we had some interesting clients there-cable companies, fast-food restaurants, cosmetic companies, etc. At least I didn't have to transcribe focus group discussions. I tried that once- abandoned it after about two minutes. So I liked sitting there listening to my Walkman all day, I confess. THe creepiest market research experience I had occurred when I had to watch a TV pilot and click on some emotion-o-meter while watching it. Icky! 3/4 of the people in the survey room seemed to be either homeless types or market research junkies who drifted from survey to survey. And the people who worked there! THey were andriods, I swear. The show in question some PC law drama was on for a few episodes and then mercifully canceled.
Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 12:37:16 am
R.I.P. Johnny. We love you.
Monday, September 13, 2004 - 10:12:10 pm
Went to the Ramones 30th Anniversary Party/Concert in Hollywood yesterday and I still feel all hungover and woozy-and I didn't even drink! It was so much fun-the Red Hot Chili Peppers played a set of Ramones songs, X played a kick-ass set and did "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", the Dickies were great, Henry Rollins sang "Judy Is A Punk" & "Blitzkreig Bop" with Steve Jones on guitar, Marky & CJ performed with Daniel Reyes. Rob Zombie was the emcee & they showed lots of old video clips. ("Psychotherapy", "Rock & Roll Radio", "Rock & Roll High School" et al) Oh, yes, and Eddie Vedder was there, too, singing "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" redux. Johnny was too sick to make it, but Rob called him on the phone from onstage. Tommy Ramone was there, too. Not to mention the memorabilia exhibition. More later when I regain my energy...
Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - 11:02:32 am
Just added a special audio message-click on "Streetcorner Guru" on the homepage. It's a recording of our friend Tony doing his hilarious "Guru Swami Bullshitiva" routine. I will soon add a snippet from the "El Duce (Mentors) Blues Jam." Many years ago, Troy and his band were rehearsing when who should happen by but our old friend (R.I.P.) Duce, who joined in on a few numbers. Not for the faint of heart, needless to say.
Monday, September 6, 2004 - 09:49:04 pm
I'm now writing book reviews for enchantedinromance.com
Song Of Salvation (Spiritual)
http://www.enchantedinromance.com/songsalvation_jade.htm
Midnight Mistress (Flesh-ly)
http://www.enchantedinromance.com/midnightmistress_jade.htm
Watched a great DVD yesterday "Wattstax-otherwise known as the black Woodstock. Great performances by Isaac Hayes, Luther Ingram and Rufus Thomas (in hot pink polyester shorts and white patent leather go-go boots.) Lotsa bits by Richard Pryor & clips of many brothers in original "pimp" style outfits. Ya know, my last week in high school, a kid brought a copy of one of Richard Pryor's albums to our business law class. Our teacher, a short balding fellow named Mr. Graf, let us listen to it. The laughter from a bunch of lower middle class white kids was deafening! However, once the bit about women's genitalia came up, Mr. Graf's bald head turned a bright red, and the album was returned to it's owner...
Saturday, September 4, 2004 - 09:36:05 pm
So another schizoid week has come to an end. Seven days of the good the bad, the ugly, and the goofy. Had a nice talk with an old friend of mine, listened to Cathy's stories of dealing with the protesters outside the Republican convention, worked on Wariz & various business projects. ...I was compiling a photo gallery for the website the other night, and it prompted a question about boobs. I have no idea anymore where breasts occur naturally on a womans body. Of course I live in LA, where now plastic surgeons place fake boobs a quarter of an inch below the neck,halfway off the body and slapping against upper arms! I mean, back in the ancient year of 1995 I worked in a souvenir shop in New Orleans, and one of the best-selling T-shirts was the "boob" shirt, which featured drawings of oh about 20 different naturally occurring boobs (the pointers, the under-chinners, watermelons, etc.) Now I suppose there's another shirt with pics of plastic surgery boobs-the beach balls, the half cantaloupes, the goiters.
Some Famous E-mail Subject Lines:
And you wonder why I wanna stay home with the cat
Better than gay porno, or boys come to Mama...
Friday, August 27, 2004 - 02:47:19 pm
Went to Sunset Junction on Sunday to see X play. They were great & they drew the biggest crowd in the fair's history! Carlos Guitarlos opened for 'em, playing a few songs before they took the stage.
Quiz:
Can you guess which of these quotes are from this week's real conversations and which are fake?
1- "Is paying for sex against the law?
"I dunno. Is it?"
2- Person 1-"That's a big hot dog."
Person 2- "Ya wanna get one?"
Bystander at condiment table "Ain't that the truth!"
3- "There were two women sunbathing topless, and guys where standing over them literally drooling, I'm not kidding. Then one of 'em was so hyped he starts jerking off. I thought I was gonna be sick."
4-"Now, it's not 1968. If you're having sex with 7 broads at a hippie pagan fest in 2004, I'm guessing some really nasty diseases are going around."
Yes, that's right. They're all real. Sorry about #3 and #4. As my old friend Tony used to say, "Gawd, people are SICK."
My story "Thigh-High" was accepted for publication by Justus Roux.com, and will be up on her site in November.
Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 08:26:20 pm
I have an account at MySpace.com now. The URL is http://profiles.myspace.com/users/6254775. And yes, I know I use that same damn Starwood picture everywhere. I've got a digital camera now and my goal for the next week is to get some new pictures of myself.... posted a new story "Thigh High" in the erotica section today.
A complaint: Yesterday, I tried to purchase a $15 ticket online from Ticketmaster. By the time I got to the final screen, the cost was $26.90. So the "real" cost is $15, the Ticketmaster handling fees are $11.90. I just hit cancel I was so disgusted. Pretty soon, the Ticket master fees will be more than the cost of the ticket. And I've noticed that more clubs and venues don't sell tickets at the boxoffice. You either pay Ticketmaster fees or you don't go out.
Friday, August 20, 2004 - 03:24:02 pm
What a wacky week it's been! It looks like things my life is getting back to a level of quirkiness I haven't attained since 2000! First of all, the Computer Divas press release is now available at:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb150476.htm
On Tuesday night, I met Rodney Bingenheimer at a DVD signing for "Mayor of the Sunset Strip." Then, Wed. night, Troy and I went to the Irvine Improv to see the stage version of "Spock's Brain", a rendering of the worst episode of the original "Star Trek" series. The plot involves a beautiful alien woman who removes Spock's brain and hides it somewhere on her planet. The crew spends the rest of the episode toting around Spock's body and searching for said brain. This was a real episode, not a Saturday Night Live skit....seeing X and the Avengers at Sunset Junction on Sunday.
I finished my Jobriath article, which will be up on "Perfect Sound Forever" in October, just in time for the CD release of his work on Morrissey's label. No word yet on when the Tesla article will be up. Talk about having varied tastes in music! Oh, and then there's the Finnish glam-rock band I'm going to interview..Duran Duran has a new album coming out. John and Simon were on "Jonesy's Jukebox" today (See Indie page under "Non-Fiction" for details.)
Working on a romance review and "Spires of" tonight, and the usual million other things.....
Monday, August 2, 2004 - 12:31:28 am
It's noon and I've been up since a quarter to 5, writing, researching, and reviewing CDs. It's time for a break, I'd say... My erotic poetry collection "Broken Rose" was accepted for e-pub by Renaissance Books last week. I'm teaching an online class in erotica writing for beginners. It starts August 15th & the lessons will be conducted via private e-mail with optional chats at the Jade's Journey Yahoo group. Cost is $30 for 6 lessons, posted every Sunday. For syllabus and details, e-mail jade@jadeblackmore.com
Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - 11:09:10 pm
Salty Witch Circle for this month- "Dirty little secrets"
http://www.voracitybeat.com/wjade10.htm
I know what you're saying "Now, c'mon. That's it? That's too tame coming from you." Hey, isn't the lesbian stuff enough for you guys? Geez, take a cold shower.
Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 09:52:59 pm
I am only posting this link because it skewers both candidates equally. No political favoritism here, one way or the other. And it is funny as hell.
http://www.jibjab.com/
Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 07:45:38 pm
Went to the Orange County Fair yesterday-ate corn dogs, drank lemonade, visited the petting zoo, and to end the evening, saw Weird Al Yankovic in concert. Oh! Can that guy play a mean rock accordian or what? Al and his band played for an hour and forty-five minutes and the well-rehearsed show featured many costume changes (including the fat suit from the video of the same name.) Apparently, the PC police haven't gotten to that one yet. The highlight of the night for me was "Amish Paradise." Ya know, it's very easy to be a "comic" who pokes fun at religion, politics, sex, etc., but to be G-rated and still be hilarious, that is a real gift. Weird Al (and his band) rock!
Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 08:28:59 pm
R.I.P. Arthur "Killer" Kane, New York Dolls bassist
http://pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID
Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 08:25:34 am
Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of "Disco Demolition", that surrealistic night at White Sox Park that featured disco records being blown up in centerfield between games of a doubleheader, torrents of kids dressed in black concert T-shirts and jeans smoking pot, drinking alcohol and pouring out onto the playing field between games, and general nonsense. Yes, I was there, but I didn't run onto the field, though I almost fell off a railing that I was sitting on above one of the indoor ramps. I brought in a copy of Peter Brown's "Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me?" as my record to be blown up. The buses from the Southwest side to Sox Park were full of partying kids; it was like we were all going to a Zepplin concert, not a baseball game. As I walked in the park, I looked around at the hoards of my shouting cohorts, the billows of pot smoke and the spilled beer and I thought "This is what hell must be like." Not to mention the clothes and the shag hairstyles--we're talking about South Side kids in 1979, not those punk/new wave North Siders.
http://www.discodemolition.com
http://www.dahl.com/