http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:36:58 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/16/053658.php Pete PetriskoOn Wednesday, a week after the now-infamous "nappy-headed hos" remark, MSNBC said it would no longer televise the Imus in the Morning show. CBS fired Don Imus the next day."He has flourished in a culture that permits a certain level of objectionable expression that hurts and demeans a wide range of people," said CBS Corp. Chief Executive, Leslie Moonves, in a memo to his staff. "In taking him off the air, I believe we take an important and necessary step not just in solving a unique problem, but in changing that culture, which extends far beyond the walls of our company." In making its decision and by firing Imus from the radio show he has hosted for nearly 30 years, CBS has contributed to a far more insidious culture: The Culture of the Unforgiving.How many times have we seen this of late? A public figure makes a dumbass comment, somebody is offended, the media fans the flames, and the person is summarily tarred and feathered, burned at the stake, and run out of town on the proverbial rail.Imus had been suspended for two weeks, but apparently nothing short of ending his career would do. That's the nature of the beast in our Culture of the Unforgiving. Shame on CBS. Shame on Al Sharpton. Shame on MSNBC. Shame, shame, shame!Personally I'd rather live in a "Warts And All" culture rather than what our culture has become - one that eradicates people who dare show their warts. Warts are not politically correct, however, a certain kind of soul sickness that demands a call for blood whenever there's an "unacceptable" or "offensive" utterance is evidently the new status quo.May God forgive us. Nobody else will. They're too busy, what with the public bloodlettings and all. Culture62615@blogcritics.org Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:36:58 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/04/023209.php Pete PetriskoI made the mistake of driving with a friend through downtown Phoenix last Tuesday afternoon.There I was, the "designated white guy", surrounded by hundreds of cars filled with Mexican flag-waving Latino youths. Street traffic was moving slower than the DREAM Act through Congress.What should've been less than a 10-minute trip turned into over 45 minutes, as these young activists made a slow crawl toward the State Capitol in protest of federal House Bill 4437, which would make it a felony to be in the United States illegally.I'm all for peaceful organized protest. I believe addressing the illegal immigration issue is long overdue. Hell, I don't even care if you know how to speak English but if you're going to live in this country then you damn well better learn how to drive!You don't stop in the center lane to let your friends out of the car so they can run over to, and climb into, another vehicle that's a half block away. You don't get out of the car and stand in the middle of the next lane, blocking traffic, so you can talk on your cell phone for several minutes. And the only time there should be over a dozen people packed into the back of a pick-up truck is if they're hidden under the floorboards and you're taking them across some country's border illegally.The police were of no help. Standing on the sidewalk while calling over your radio, "There's a situation on 5th Ave, we need back-up!" is not help when nobody can get near 5th Ave because of Latino high-school students playing in traffic and gumming up the street with vehicles going every which way - all going as slowly as possible on the rare occasion the driver doesn't decide to stop completely even when there's several car lengths of space ahead. So, instead, a few police cars parked blocks away and the officers spent their time videotaping the scene and calling over the radio - probably calling for more back-up because, after all, you can never shoot enough video, now can you? It almost made one nostalgic for the good ole days of fire hoses and rabid dogs, when the line was firmly drawn and both police and protesters knew their place.Up until now, I really hadn't taken a position on the whole illegal immigration issue. Now I'm leaning towards deportation, just as long as we don't let those deported drive themselves back across the border. An exodus by car would take several years, there would be numerous traffic accidents, and nobody would get in or out of either country for the foreseeable future.I'm sure all my French-Canadian friends, many of whom have been living quietly but illegally in the U.S. for decades, would be mighty disappointed in my attitude. Habiter et apprendre! Habiter et apprendre! Politics45922@blogcritics.org Tue, 4 Apr 2006 02:32:09 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/01/062154.php Pete PetriskoResolutions are as old as the New Year concept itself, going back to 4000 BC with the Babylonians. The most popular resolution then was to return borrowed farming equipment.Like today, after about two weeks people gave up on their resolutions, which means the borrowed farming equipment was never returned.To avoid the trap so many others fall into, I've decided to make resolutions I know I can keep.Here are my New Year's resolutions:Gain weight To accomplish this I must first give up salads, fresh fruit, and any other healthy crap that'll keep my weight down. I must also increase my junk-food intake. Not only does this mean larger portions - two Big Macs instead of one, for example - but also side orders. Do I want fries with that? I sure as hell do! And a milkshake would be nice too, thank you.Instead of snacking on fruit, I'll eat potato chips and plenty of them. I will eat them with dip - plus an assortment of jumbo pretzels, cracklin' pork rinds and heaping helpings of cheese whiz.Be less organized I had something really witty to say here and even went through the trouble of writing it down in advance. However, I've now lost my notes. See, it's working already!Increase my smoking habit I'm barely finishing one pack per day, but resolve to smoke two packs each day in the coming year. To aid in this, I plan to start smoking in bed - no matter how tired and/or drunk I am at the time. Certain sacrifices must be made if I'm to keep my eye on the prize.Exercise Less Mostly this involves sleeping more and only moving my body when absolutely necessary.So, for example, if a truck barreling down the road jumps the curb and is headed directly at me I'll jump out of the way. That's exercise.However if the phone rings, and I have to get out of bed to answer it, I'll let the machine get it. When I later have to move, like if I have to get up to pee or something, I'll make it a point to check my messages. Otherwise, that would involve - in some small way - exercise. Of course, if I keep an empty bottle next to the bed I could reasonably avoid a trip to the bathroom for days or even weeks. Yes!!!Initiate sex less often I may buy the ladies drinks... and plenty of them. I will say things that are enticingly charming but not mean a word of it. However, I will not initiate the sex act. But let's face it, the words "initiate" and "sex act" are somewhat open to interpretation and that's a gray area only a court of law can define. I'm not on trial here, goddammit!But for the record, masturbation doesn't count as "initiating sex". Neither does looking at free Internet porn. I just wanted to make that clear now, so nobody can come up to me later and claim I broke this resolution.Stop dating flaky women With God as my witness, I will stop dating flaky women. I might as well rename this resolution join a monastery and take a vow of celibacy because, you know, we are talking about women here.Luckily, there's a built-in loophole with this one. "Dating" implies taking the woman out in public, to a restaurant or movie or some such, but if you simply pick them up at a bar when they're drunk and just take them home with you... well, that'd be OK.As long as you don't call them the next day or "make plans".Usually, if she's really drunk she'll initiate the sex too - so I can still avoid that. In the morning, as an added bonus, when she doesn't remember what happened I can tell her how she wantonly seduced me in a sloppily drunken sexual frenzy the night before. Then I doubt she'll even want me to call. Sweet!Save money See previous resolution. Also, I resolve to stop blowing my money on bad porn and questionable investment schemes. God, I'm going to save a lot of money. Sad but true!Spend less time with friends and family Friends are overrated and most of my family lives too far away to make a visit practical. This one is a slam-dunk.Don't take a trip I hate flying and am not too keen on driving either. In fact, stepping out my front door is often a hassle. I think I'll stay inside for 2006 and silently stew in my own bitter juices instead. That sounds much more productive than going to places I really didn't want to visit in the first place. This also helps me to avoid friends and family, killing two resolved birds with one stone.Be more of a jackass Some reading this may argue that it isn't humanly possible for me to be more of a jackass. I beg to differ. Every so often I have a weak moment and do something kind for somebody else. That'll stop in the coming year. Culture41655@blogcritics.org Sun, 1 Jan 2006 06:21:54 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/01/061827.php Pete PetriskoWikipedia describes mash-ups (or "bastard pop") as "a musical genre which consists of the combination (usually by digital means) of the music and vocal tracks from two or more different songs, often from completely different genres. In its simplest form, the new song can consist of lyrics from one song overlaying music from another or a much more complex mix of music, samples and vocals. At their best, bastard pop songs strive for musical epiphanies that add up to considerably more than the sum of their parts."That's as good of an explanation as any I've heard.For me personally - not being a big fan of mainstream pop as a rule - it is a genre which allows me to listen to music that, in its original form, I most likely didn't much care for in the first place.With that in mind, here are the top five mash-ups I enjoyed in 2005.5. DJ Payroll - Losing My Advertising Space (REM vs Robbie Williams)Released just under the wire in '05, this one does what mash-ups do best: It combines an overplayed song (REM's Losing My Religion) with insufferable vocals (most anything by Robbie Williams) to create something that is... wholly listenable.4. Cheekyboy - Smack My Bitch Up When Doves Cry (Prince vs Prodigy)Obviously, lyrics are an important element in any pop song. This is one of the better examples in 2005 of an artist paying special attention to the words and combining two similarly themed pieces, thereby raising it to the next level. Who would of thought domestic violence could be so damn danceable?3. SmashUp Derby Tainted Like You (Soft Cell vs Dandy Warhols)Billed as "the world's only mash-up rock band", this San Francisco sextet does live what other mash-up artists only accomplish in the studio - with often-brilliant results. In this mash, the Soft Cell classic Tainted Love gets the rock treatment and the chorus from the Dandy Warhol's Bohemian Like You serves to embellish a great original. Seeing SmashUp Derby in concert would be one hell of an experience... but until then, listen in.2. DJEarworm We Need a Filthy War (Fischerspooner, Scissor Sisters, Chemical Brothers, Pet Shop Boys, Edwin Starr, Culture Club)San Francisco's DJ Earworm typically goes further than your simple Song A + Song B mash, often combining elements from multiple sources. This delectable dance confection is no exception and, honestly, it was hard to choose which of his compositions to include in this list. Definitely an artist to keep your ear on. 1. Party Ben Boulevard of Broken Songs (Green Day vs Oasis)It was a no-brainer that somebody had to do. Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams has the same guitar chords as Wonderwall (by Oasis) and the rest, as they say, is revisionist history. The combination of melodic punk, bombastic brit-pop and snippets of overblown arena rock (courtesy of Aerosmith) are seamlessly edited together here. Reportedly, the website first hosting this mash-up was shut down after receiving a cease and desist order from Green Day's label, Warner Records. (The website returned online soon after, without the music.)The shutdown, and ensuing protest by the online mash-up community - with over 149,000 participating Web sites, contributed to international press coverage beyond the music industry.But the final word on this song, and the enduring popularity of the bastard pop genre itself, goes to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, who was quoted on MTV Radio as saying, "Actually, I was driving in my car, and I heard a Green Day mashup, with, um, Oasis and Aerosmith. It sounded cool!"Now if only all pop music could sound this cool. In that case, I might start listening to the radio again. Music41654@blogcritics.org Sun, 1 Jan 2006 06:18:27 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/23/110249.php Pete PetriskoFor those who don't know, my actual weblog is The World According to Pete. I am but a simple man with simple needs trying to make some sense out of this crazy complex world.I just happen to write about it online as well.Then there are my detractors. Derivative and reactionary, in my opinion. But sometimes good for a chuckle or at least for a good head-scratchin' moment. Or so I've thought.This one has been around for a while:The World According to Pete According to MeNow there's a strong up-and-comer looking to make a name for him/her/itself at:I Really Hate PeteBut yesterday I received what amounts to a wake up call, from a fan in Norway no less, who wrote in part:"I enjoy reading thine observations, so knit to the point, and so, well, so true. Without wanting to scare thee, having thine post of October 8th on the subject in mind, kindly let me make thee aware of the blog "I Really Hate Pete". What is here being given is not funny.Keep up thy good work. Christ guide thee.Anders"That got me to thinking. Good God, what have I done? Why do my simple observations inspire such passion? And such hatred? It's like Proverbs 10:18 all over again!I took a long, hard look at what I'd been doing and the various and sundry reactions. And I had a moment of inspired revelation! It was something straight out of Romans 12:18-20. Yes, my life had become so empty. I had a crisis of words. So I did what any level-headed object of idolatry would do. I decided to accept Jesus Christ into my heart.Jesus is now resting comfortably in my heart. With that knowledge I find wisdom. Just like Psalms 111:10 told me I would.So today I went out for a walk. Jesus walked with me. I stopped at the convenience store to buy a coffee. I wanted one of those fancy flavored cold bottled coffees. The Starbucks brand was $1.99 while the same-sized generic brand was only $1.29. So I thought to myself, "What would Jesus do?" I figured he's buy the cheaper brand so I did too. I saved 70 cents. Praise Jesus! On my way home, I swung by McDonald's and ordered a hamburger. Before eating it, I said a little prayer for the cow who died so that I may live. In a way, that cow was a little like Jesus.It's about time for me to go to work now. I will be doing the Lord's work today.And when I get home tonight I won't be sleeping alone anymore.I'll be sleeping with Jesus.Amen![]To check out the referenced blogs, go to the original atThe World According to PeteAnd the detractors' blogs atThe World According to Pete According to MeI Really Hate Pete Culture39962@blogcritics.org Wed, 23 Nov 2005 11:02:49 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/10/192348.php Pete PetriskoThe case of missing Virginia Commonwealth University student Taylor Behl was solved, in large part, due to her online activities. According to police, the Internet "has emerged as a virtual tip machine that often maps the course of an investigation."For better or worse, investigators now use Google and comb through public weblogs to gather information on both suspects and crime victims. Behl, whose remains were found a month after her disappearance, had a blog on Livejournal and an account on myspace.com. In fact, the alleged killer was among her 92 myspace "friends".In case of my own untimely disappearance, I leave the following clues. It is a mix of truth, half-truths, and bold-faced lies. Any police investigator worth his salt should be able to suss out fact from fiction and solve the case of my disappearance - or at least find my decomposing body.A girlfriend of mine wasn't too pleased with the world according to Pete - at least according to her. So she dumped me, quit her job, and ran off with an ex-convict. They were just like Bonnie and Clyde and we all know how that one turned out. Luckily her car broke down. That's what we call "delaying the inevitable." Now that I've mentioned all of this, she might one day be a lead. But I doubt it because, obviously, she's willing to settle.I once killed a giraffe with my bare hands. Before you judge me, I think you should know he was pretty much asking for it - acting like he owned the whole goddamn savannah, throwing his weight around, putting on airs just because he could eat the highest-most leaves on the tree. Ok, maybe things got a little out of hand, but you know...shit happens...and the next thing you know, you've got a dead mammal on your hands. The rest of the herd witnessed my transgression but stood mutely by as it happened. However, giraffes have long memories. They're no elephants, but still...I've been seeing a married woman. I hope her husband never ever finds out. That could be bad.I was recently hanging out at a coffeehouse with some friends when this guy announced, "I haven't had sex in a year! I need to get laid." So I asked him, "What, is your hand broken?" He was so pissed off that he refused to shake my hand when I left. Which is probably a good thing, considering.I am a freak magnet. No matter where I go, the one nut-job nearby will gravitate towards me and start a conversation. I do not encourage this but it still happens. The talk will eventually turn to mind control, CIA operatives, conversations with Jesus, acid flashbacks, or alien abduction - or quite possibly some combination thereof. I also have the bad habit of laughing at the most inappropriate times, like during very serious conversations with nut-jobs. That is a recipe for disaster in my book.I have way too many compromising photos of former lovers. While I would never share them with anybody, the police don't know that. Note to investigators - check the hard drive.I am addicted to caffeine. This will only lead to serious trouble.I got into an argument with a mime that has Tourettes Syndrome. The argument was rather one-sided. But he kept mouthing obscenities at me and I can read lips so it only escalated from there. Finally I punched him in the face. Amazingly, he didn't scream. However he did writhe around on the ground and mimed hurts like hell brilliantly.I've received email death-threats in the past because of things I've written. I've never taken those too seriously and probably never will - at least until somebody makes good on it. It'll probably be too late at that point, huh?I was chatting with a female friend of mine the other night while she waited for her date to arrive. She kept going on and on about how wonderful this guy was. So I said, "Didn't you say that about the last guy you were seeing? How did that turn out?" She replied, "Fuck off" or something to that effect because, after all, he turned out to be an asshole and the break-up was rather messy. She's one of those quiet types. We all know about those quiet types, but not until seeing them on the news after they've committed some heinous crime. This worries me.I think one of my "friends" on myspace may be obsessed with me and could possibly have stalker aspirations. Sadly, it's not the "friend" I was hoping it would be.With clues like that it should be a snap to crack the case of my untimely disappearance. It's nothing a little money and man-power, on the part of the police department, can't solve.(The preceding originally appeared on The World According to Pete)Ed/Pub:LisaM Sci/Tech37712@blogcritics.org Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:23:48 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/06/13/232929.php Pete PetriskoI made the mistake of turning on my television this afternoon, to find the news networks had pre-empted regularly scheduled programming to bring us a "breaking news" story.Michael Jackson was found Not Guilty on all charges.We saw a stiff-limbed Jackson being escorted to his limo, the limo driving away amid throngs of screaming fans, and regular aerial shots of the limo as it drove to the Neverland ranch -- interspersed with a gaggle of talking head "experts" commenting on everything and anything even remotely connected to this overblown trial.Ad infinitum ad nauseam, for twenty to thirty minutes depending on which channel you were watching.Back in my day, the networks mostly interrupted regular programming when a particularly life-altering event occurred. Like a president being shot or commercial airliners being flown into buildings by terrorists.So Michael Jackson has been found not guilty.Well whoop-de-freakin-do. Can I go back to my own "regularly scheduled" not giving a shit about the fate of a washed-up pop star?On the other hand, the news media is quite guilty...Of pandering to the lowest common denominator.Of further blurring the line between hard news and entertainment.Of the dumbing down of America.No wonder more and more Americans are getting their news from The Daily Show, if they watch TV news at all.And why more people, myself included, surf the Internet to find out what's happening in the world around us. Culture30993@blogcritics.org Mon, 13 Jun 2005 23:29:29 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/04/26/111414.php Pete Petrisko[]I don't know if my mother is alive or dead or what happened to my brothers and sisters. One day I was suckling at her nipple and, before I realized what was happening, I was ripped away and found myself alone here with these humans.I suffer from separation anxiety and have abandonment issues. I'm trying to work through these problems as best I can.[]I hate when they pet me but sometimes they seem so lonely and starved for affection I let them do it anyway. I fake contentment by making this purring noise. I can't believe they buy it.[]If that neighbor kid comes over to visit one more time and starts pulling my tail again, I'm gonna fuck him up. Mark my words.Let's see how tough that punk is after I scratch his eyes out.[]I've learned how to open most doors inside the house by slipping my paw under it and jiggling real hard. Sometimes, however, it doesn't work. I think it has something to do with knobs and locks but I haven't quite figured it out. All I need is patience and a little more time. Soon the house will be mine![]Sometimes I feel the need to run. God help anybody or anything that gets in my way. I'm not headed anywhere in particular, I'm just letting off steam. I'm a cat. It's what I do. Don't try to understand it. I don't fully understand it myself. Learn to accept it. I have.[]They brought home a puppy. Those traitorous bastards.[]Oh the fun I've been having with the puppy when the humans are away! He's slow and not too bright. At first I thought they got him to spite me but now realize they did it because, quite frankly, plastic balls with bells inside just weren't cutting it anymore. It only took them like forever to figure that out.Sometimes I'll corner him in the kitchen, raise the fur on my back and make the most god-awful racket until he pees on the floor. It usually doesn't take very long. Shame is a powerful motivator so, in most cases, he's still cowering behind the living room couch when the humans get home. They start yelling and carrying on, all the while I sit in a nearby chair -- laughing inside.Every once in a while, if the puppy is sleeping somewhere and I hear the humans coming in the door, I'll scamper into the kitchen and pee on the floor myself. Guess who gets blamed? Not me! I'm sitting in the litter box by that time.I'm sure it's humiliating enough to have your nose rubbed in your own urine, but I can't imagine what's going through the puppy's head when they rub his nose in the puddle I just made.[]For a while there, it was like I was out on control. All I could think about was the female Siamese I'd sometimes see through the kitchen window as she walked by outside. Then I started spraying uncontrollably. I was so embarrassed and yet I couldn't help myself.The humans put me in a box, took me for a ride, then this other human in a white coat forced me to breath this funny smelling gas through a mask.When I woke up I was at home again, feeling groggy, and damn if my balls didn't itch. I went to lick them and was horrified to discover......I'm sorry. It's just too painful to finish the story. Maybe later.[]I don't do tricks. It's not that I can't be taught - because I can be. It's just that I don't give a shit and have better things to do with my time.Teach the dog - he's one of those people pleaser-types and will do most anything for a milk bone. What a whore![]I have claws and, quite honestly, I always did think that overstuffed chair was ugly. You figure it out.[]I don't know what those humans were doing in that room last night, because I couldn't jiggle the door open, but they sounded like two cats in heat. Things are back to normal this morning so, whatever it was, I guess they fixed the problem.[]That puppy is yap-yap-yapping again. Nobody knows what the hell he wants. Not the humans and certainly not me.[]Goldfish are quite tasty. That's all I'll say about that. The humans looked so confused when they noticed the empty fishbowl. I think they suspect me but haven't said anything yet. Maybe I'm just being paranoid?[]Early in the morning when the sunlight is streaming through the living room window, I'll lay in the bright patch. I'll lay on my back, legs outstretched, leaving my belly exposed.It makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.I only do this when everybody is still asleep. God, if they only knew![]Sometimes one of the humans will put a leash on the puppy, and he'll get so excited! After being tightly secured, he gets to go outside.Once one of them tried putting a leash on me. I wasn't having any part of it. Finally, she gave up. I don't need a leash to get out that front door. A moment of distraction is all it will take. I'm bidding my time.[]Why am I expected to bury my shit in the litter box, when the puppy gets to go outside and dump anywhere he damn well pleases? On the front lawn, the sidewalk, or even in the neighbor's yard - I've watched through the front window.I'm not stupid. I know what's going on here. They're playing favorites.That puppy will pay. Nobody will ever know.[]I'm the one who took the sponge that was by the kitchen sink. Good thing nobody looks under the bed. The humans had to get another sponge. I saw it by the sink not more than ten minutes ago. Do I dare? Or would that be pushing it?[]They think when I meow it means I'm hungry. Sometimes I do it just to mess with them. I love seeing the look on their faces when they rush to the kitchen, get out the bag of cat food, and go to fill my bowl... and guess what? It's already full! No matter how many times I pull that one it never ceases to amuse me.Who owns who now, motherfuckers?[]I got quite the scare today. I couldn't catch my breath and I started choking. But that's not the worse part. No, that followed a few seconds later when I coughed up the most awful mass of hair and who knows what else.Is it too much to ask that you invest in a good brush and run it through my coat every once in a while, people?I really don't need this, you know.[]I found where they hide the box of catnip! I am so fucked up right now. I have this urge to chase my own tail but I'm trying to resist it. The puppy is looking at me funny. I think he may see his chance. Time to get on the kitchen table again, until this wears off.Hind legs, don't fail me now![]That commercial is playing on TV again. I think it's for some kind of cat food. The poor cat is singing, "meow-meow-meow-meow, meow-meow-meow-meow" over and over again, then the human announcer does some kind of voice-over.Obviously the humans who made that commercial never figured out what the cat was really singing. He wasn't singing the praises of cat food, that's for sure. Let's just say it isn't something you'd want to repeat in front of your mother, and leave it at that.[]One of the humans is sitting at his desk. He's filling out paperwork. I think I'll jump right up there and sit in the middle of all the papers on his desk.Then I'll make my "cute face" and purr for added effect. Like what's he gonna do?[]How dirty must I be when they feel the need to grab me by the scruff of the neck and plunge me into a bathtub full of water? And don't get me started on the scented shampoo!And it doesn't help when they laugh and make comments like, "Look how small he looks when he's wet!"Thanks for the ego-boost, people.I'm now hiding in a closet. I'm still damp and smell like strawberries.I guess I'll have to kick the litter out of the box again. How many times will we have to dance this dance before they learn?[]I don't know what it is about a piece of string but, when one of the humans holds it just out of my reach and start whipping it around, I can't help myself. I jump and try to catch it. I'll do it over and over. I just can't seem to stop.I confess... string is my guilty pleasure.[]I've been sick for days. I can't keep any food down and I ache all over. I think I may be dying.One down, eight to go -- if it comes to that.[] The preceding originally appeared on The World According to Pete Culture28662@blogcritics.org Tue, 26 Apr 2005 11:14:14 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/04/04/070052.php Pete PetriskoAdapted from Frank Miller's graphic novel series, Sin City is a visually groundbreaking tour de force that is perhaps the best comic to film translation done to date.The rain falls hard in the burg of Basin City but cannot wash away the temptation, vengeance, and fear in its citizens. The line between hero and villain is as thin as a dime and spent just as easily. It is a city filled with highly stylized ultra-violence, dark humor, and a stunning noir mood that seeps off the screen like so much blood on the pavement.A trio of tales is told...The honest cop who stands up to the powers-that-be to save a little girl, only to be framed for a crime he did not commit. With only her gratitude, slowly turning into love, to keep him going he eventually emerges to save her once again. It is a bittersweet story of unconditional sacrifice.The street thug who desperately searches for the killer of the one dame to show him a moment of kindness - a prostitute with a heart of gold.A photographer leading a secret life, mixing it up with a dirty cop and a band of street-savvy ladies of the night, who finds himself in the middle of a power struggle and double-cross.With Miller at the co-director helm, the movie retains the gritty flavor and look of the original material - making for a wild romp through the moving pictures of an adolescent boy's darkest wet dreams. Grim, electrifying and deliciously amoral. Video27717@blogcritics.org Mon, 4 Apr 2005 07:00:52 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/03/16/163752.php Pete Petrisko"Wow, Pete, that's some great stuff - please feel free to put something in Blogcritics about it." - Eric OlsenLike most of my fellow blogcritics, when Mr. Olsen says, "Jump!" I say, "How high?"This is a bit of what I do when not being blogcritical here. From the original email press release...="Same space. Different name. New attitude... Agitprop-creator extraordinaire Pete Petrisko has transmogrified Crisis Gallery into a one-man show, but still promises the same sociopolitical sarcasm seen in past paintings, performances, and photography." --- Phoenix's New Times (3/3/05) You've read the media hype. Now check out the real deal. m e d i a p e t r o s "primitive pop" art [] surreal portraiture [] situational performance art [] satirical word Culture26834@blogcritics.org Wed, 16 Mar 2005 16:37:52 EST