Those of us who watch commercial television stations in California have been bombarded with an excruciatingly annoying spot for Chase Bank, as in JP Morgan Chase & Co., who bought out the failed Washington Mutual, and gosh darn it, they want all of us in the Golden State to know that, over and over and over ad nauseam.
As a shitty cover version of John Lennon's Instant Karma plays in the background , genetically pleasing examples of humankind float effortlessly through their perfect lives, with the Chase logo replacing the very sun in the sky. (And as for those of you thinking I'm a Peter Murphy basher, fuck you, I was probably listening to Bauhaus when you were still considering Men At Work to be the greatest band, like ever man.) On a side by side comparison, any of Leni Riefenstahl's documentaries during Hitler's reign had less fascist-aesthetic overtones than this commercial.
But hey, when Uncle Sam hands you 25 bil, you've got to spend it on something, right?
Don't feel left out just because you're living outside of the West Coast where WaMu got played like Poland by Chase. I'm posting the commercial on my blog so that I can, uh, share the love, yeah that's it.
Enjoy the propaganda.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
HEY, YAHOO! IT WAS ONLY A JOKE.
You know, it's kind of hard to believe that michaelpsycho.com is already turning a year old. It seems like just yesterday that I shuttered my long-obsolete and useless Geocities location and finally got up on my own two feet.
When I removed all of my shit from the Geocities site, besides a link to my new home on the Web, I left a brief parting shot:
I moved. There's nothing here. It's a brave new world. Geocities can shut down now.
Little did I ever think that, in just under a year, Yahoo would pay heed to my advice. Geocities is finally going up to that Wayback Machine in the sky.
I could easily join the chorus of voices that are already putting in one last dig at Geocities, but I won't because, for starters it gave me the opportunity to experiment early on with what would work and what wouldn't in establishing my own Web presence, and second of all, most of those people are assholes and I don't want to be lumped in with them.
Here is the Washington Post's account of the decline and fall of Geocities (Which somehow kept its unique visitor count above 10 million even towards the end). Click Here, Pilgrim.
When I removed all of my shit from the Geocities site, besides a link to my new home on the Web, I left a brief parting shot:
I moved. There's nothing here. It's a brave new world. Geocities can shut down now.
Little did I ever think that, in just under a year, Yahoo would pay heed to my advice. Geocities is finally going up to that Wayback Machine in the sky.
I could easily join the chorus of voices that are already putting in one last dig at Geocities, but I won't because, for starters it gave me the opportunity to experiment early on with what would work and what wouldn't in establishing my own Web presence, and second of all, most of those people are assholes and I don't want to be lumped in with them.
Here is the Washington Post's account of the decline and fall of Geocities (Which somehow kept its unique visitor count above 10 million even towards the end). Click Here, Pilgrim.
Monday, April 13, 2009
WE HAVE A NEW WINNA!
Damn! Fifty one bucks? If I had one hundred copies of this, I'd have doubled my investment at that price!
Thanks, "ampnoise records" (and eBay bidder "h***h") for making my day. Hopefully you got that much, and have fun spending it (and I'm guessing perhaps on more records).
By the way, you are correct that it is the one poppy and cracky copy of Think which I personally still own on vinyl, that I used to create the MP3s on my website's music page. However, that was a test pressing, with a generic red Sharpie scribbled label. Hmmm, only five of those were pressed. Wonder how much I can get for that puppy? Nah, can't part with that one...
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
SACRAMENTO BEE, YOU TOOK APRIL FOOL'S DAY WAY TOO FAR.
I'm just as much into April Fool's Day pranks as the next fella, but Sac Bee, this is ridiculous. Sorry to bust you like this, but come on, who is ever going to believe this is true? People in this city would never think that the mayor would be this stupid.
For those of you who would like to read the "story" in question, Click Here, Pilgrim
For those of you who would like to read the "story" in question, Click Here, Pilgrim
Saturday, March 21, 2009
SO. YOU'RE PISSED OFF AT OBAMA? PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.
So, you're all flustered up over the President's "Special Olympics" gaffe on the Tonight Show?
Well, Pilgrim, here's an opportunity to walk your talk. Click below to pledge to stop using the "r-word".
You know what they're talking about by "the r-word". Most of you who folks are getting all hot in the crotch over Obama's remark are a wee bit on the hypocritical side.
Hey, to a certain degree, I empathize. It's hard to avoid using the "r-word" in its various derogatory forms. When I flip the channel through Fox News or chance upon Rush Limbaugh on the radio, the first thought that comes to my mind is usually, "My God! These motherfuckers are totally..." Well, I'll show an example for the public by avoiding the completion of that statement.
One thing that I would like to personally admit to: I have, in the past, used the word "retarded" in various forms which steer from the degradation of those with intellectual disabilities. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who is, or has family or friends who are "special needs" oriented and take offense at my wording, as that was certainly not the intent (or, at the very least, who I was actually trying to offend, anyway). I do remain committed to the belief that there are creative and acceptable ways to use the word "retarded" in this fashion, and have used this method in the past. For some examples from my previous blog posts, Click Here, Pilgrim
Well, Pilgrim, here's an opportunity to walk your talk. Click below to pledge to stop using the "r-word".
You know what they're talking about by "the r-word". Most of you who folks are getting all hot in the crotch over Obama's remark are a wee bit on the hypocritical side.
Hey, to a certain degree, I empathize. It's hard to avoid using the "r-word" in its various derogatory forms. When I flip the channel through Fox News or chance upon Rush Limbaugh on the radio, the first thought that comes to my mind is usually, "My God! These motherfuckers are totally..." Well, I'll show an example for the public by avoiding the completion of that statement.
One thing that I would like to personally admit to: I have, in the past, used the word "retarded" in various forms which steer from the degradation of those with intellectual disabilities. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who is, or has family or friends who are "special needs" oriented and take offense at my wording, as that was certainly not the intent (or, at the very least, who I was actually trying to offend, anyway). I do remain committed to the belief that there are creative and acceptable ways to use the word "retarded" in this fashion, and have used this method in the past. For some examples from my previous blog posts, Click Here, Pilgrim
Saturday, March 14, 2009
CHICAGO! WESLEY'S FANS EVERYWHERE THANK YOU!
Dear Windy City:
I think that I can safely speak from the gut feeling of Wesley Willis fans everywhere when I say:
Thank you, Chicago.
Renaming the Sears Tower after one of your most notable native sons shows that your fair city truly recognizes greatness. The genius behind "Rock And Roll McDonalds" and "Cut That Mullet" is truly deserving of such an honor.
I'm too choked up to write anymore. I think I need a nap.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
ON MR. RUSH LIMBAUGH, AND HIS SAD STRUGGLE WITH HIS ONGOING EXHIBITION OF EMBARASSING ENVY.
Who's afraid of the Big Fat Rush?
Tra la la, not I.
Rush Limbaugh is too easy for me to poke fun at, and it's just as effortless for me to dismiss his useless bile spewed daily across AM radio airwaves. Of course, I still can recognize his astounding record of accomplishment. Namely, that never has one man misrepresented so much to so many.
It's a sign of desperate times for the Republican Party when its leadership has to bow down like prison punks and backpedal on any criticism of Limbaugh. Thank God I don't have to be co-dependent to a political party, and can call narrow minded bigots like Rush out on his shit with no remorse.
Think it's just talk? After his airing of the, um, parody tune "Barack the Magic Negro" on his show, in my own special way, I suggested that the next logical step would be to simply turn his broadcast into one big ol' fashioned minstrel show.
Limbaugh's defenders, and even some folks who aren't exactly his fans, may try to accuse me of having envious feelings toward Rush as a motivating factor for my attacks. I don't envy Limbaugh at all. I've never been envious of closet Klansmen, and in a strange way, I kind of pity their lack of intelligence, so, nah, no envy in this part of town for Rush.
Oh sure, granted that he has been a very successful talk show host as well as in making lots of money, but that's pretty easy to figure out.
Rush has 14 million listeners, despite the fact that the conservative right has been getting a reception lately like what William Hung would get on Amateur Night at the Apollo. Is this due to the love and loyalty of his listening audience? Oh, Hell, no. This can be explained through the theory of cognitive dissonance, which can basically be described as the type of conflict that people can experience when it's apparent that reality does not quite jibe with belief.
I'm pretty confident in my assumption that, at one point or another, most if not all of these "Dittohead" devotees woke up one morning and had a silent mental revelation along the lines of, "My God! What did I see in this fuckin' idiot?" However, it is completely unlikely that any of these folks will ever admit to that epiphany ever happening, and they will continue to obediently keep their AM radios tuned to Limbaugh, all the while developing a bizarre justification of effort, where the harder they have to work their minds to buy Rush's bullshit, then even more so will they value and accept his useless views.
So that explains the long-lasting popularity. So perhaps I should be envious of all of the money he's making (what, in the neighborhood of between 30 and 35 mil a year)? Hmmm, that's pretty easy to suss out as well.
You see, Pilgrim, Rush, or to be more specific, Limbaugh's pimp, Premiere Radio Networks (which in turn is the bitch of Clear Channel Communications)makes its moolah from the advertising budgets of numerous corporate interests and not-so-small businesses.
Folks working for these marketing machines understand that, if these listeners are stupid enough to be impressed with Limbaugh's bullshit, then they're also ripe for the pickin's of the pocketbook and easy to impress with even the lowest common denominator of sales tactics. The Dittohead's latent-homosexual-like schoolboy-crush level of emotional submission while listening to Rush makes him the perfect target of vulnerability who will part with his disposable income and travel down supermarket and department store aisles dropping items in the cart in a post-suggestive state of robotic innocence.
So, honestly, I don't find anything to envy in the life or achievements of the Village Idiot of Cape Girardeau. But this little rant I'm presenting to you today, dear Pilgrim, isn't about my envy, but that of Mr. Limbaugh.
Limbaugh's unrelenting contempt for the new President isn't just about galvanizing his pack of suckers for the conservative cause, and it's not from some deep seated xenophobia (though he has clearly demonstrated that over the years as well).
No, Rush's diligent campaign to discredit Obama is rooted in plain and simple envy.
But it's not envy of Obama.
No, Limbaugh's true target of green-eyed angst is none other than...
Oprah Winfrey.
Now speaks wisdom. Rush is always harping on about the truth this and the truth that, here's the truth coming at you, just not the redacted truth typical of the mouth of Limbaugh.
Oprah Winfrey is undeniably, nay, unreputedly the most successful television personality in America today. Not that I'm that much of an Oprah fan or anything, but let's examine the facts, shall we?
For starters, Rush seems shallow enough to hate on a fellow entertainer who makes more than him, especially if she happens to be African-American and female.
Oprah earned $275,000,000 during 2008, and earned 260 million bucks the year before. In other words, she earned in two years what Rush will reportedly almost make if he lives until 2015.
A big part of Oprah's superior financial gain is, of course, due to the fact that she is a success due to television, a medium in which, ahem, Rush attempted and failed miserably at. Add this to the fact Oprah is now the recipient of what is pretty much an open door to the White House, while Rush is yesterday's tolerated guest in the Dubya days (after Dubya's popularity ratings began to hover near single digits).
For these reasons alone, it's easy to understand why Rush is probably spending one sleepless night after another, despite an Oxycontin-induced stupor, mumbling, "fuckin' Oprah... FUCK-in' Oprah... why, God, why?"
So, are you feeling me? In reality, Rush doesn't want President Obama to fail. He wants to see Oprah fail vicariously through Obama. Yes, he would be an idiot for thinking that way, but that's my theory and I'm sticking with it.
Hey, Rush, here's an idea: instead of challenging the President to a debate, just pick your fight directly with Oprah. Of course, the only people who would care about such a debate would probably be your respective fan bases, and E! Network.
It's not important, or even relevant in any way, that Rush is feared by a few insecure upper mucky mucks in his own political party. No, the important thing to remember here is that most of America is not afraid of Rush Limbaugh. On top of that, the majority of this country showed up at the polls in November of 2008 and told the Dittoheads exactly where they could stick their leader's rhetoric.
And that, my fellow Americans, is what makes this country great, and gives me hope in the future of America.
Tra la la, not I.
Rush Limbaugh is too easy for me to poke fun at, and it's just as effortless for me to dismiss his useless bile spewed daily across AM radio airwaves. Of course, I still can recognize his astounding record of accomplishment. Namely, that never has one man misrepresented so much to so many.
It's a sign of desperate times for the Republican Party when its leadership has to bow down like prison punks and backpedal on any criticism of Limbaugh. Thank God I don't have to be co-dependent to a political party, and can call narrow minded bigots like Rush out on his shit with no remorse.
Think it's just talk? After his airing of the, um, parody tune "Barack the Magic Negro" on his show, in my own special way, I suggested that the next logical step would be to simply turn his broadcast into one big ol' fashioned minstrel show.
Limbaugh's defenders, and even some folks who aren't exactly his fans, may try to accuse me of having envious feelings toward Rush as a motivating factor for my attacks. I don't envy Limbaugh at all. I've never been envious of closet Klansmen, and in a strange way, I kind of pity their lack of intelligence, so, nah, no envy in this part of town for Rush.
Oh sure, granted that he has been a very successful talk show host as well as in making lots of money, but that's pretty easy to figure out.
Rush has 14 million listeners, despite the fact that the conservative right has been getting a reception lately like what William Hung would get on Amateur Night at the Apollo. Is this due to the love and loyalty of his listening audience? Oh, Hell, no. This can be explained through the theory of cognitive dissonance, which can basically be described as the type of conflict that people can experience when it's apparent that reality does not quite jibe with belief.
I'm pretty confident in my assumption that, at one point or another, most if not all of these "Dittohead" devotees woke up one morning and had a silent mental revelation along the lines of, "My God! What did I see in this fuckin' idiot?" However, it is completely unlikely that any of these folks will ever admit to that epiphany ever happening, and they will continue to obediently keep their AM radios tuned to Limbaugh, all the while developing a bizarre justification of effort, where the harder they have to work their minds to buy Rush's bullshit, then even more so will they value and accept his useless views.
So that explains the long-lasting popularity. So perhaps I should be envious of all of the money he's making (what, in the neighborhood of between 30 and 35 mil a year)? Hmmm, that's pretty easy to suss out as well.
You see, Pilgrim, Rush, or to be more specific, Limbaugh's pimp, Premiere Radio Networks (which in turn is the bitch of Clear Channel Communications)makes its moolah from the advertising budgets of numerous corporate interests and not-so-small businesses.
Folks working for these marketing machines understand that, if these listeners are stupid enough to be impressed with Limbaugh's bullshit, then they're also ripe for the pickin's of the pocketbook and easy to impress with even the lowest common denominator of sales tactics. The Dittohead's latent-homosexual-like schoolboy-crush level of emotional submission while listening to Rush makes him the perfect target of vulnerability who will part with his disposable income and travel down supermarket and department store aisles dropping items in the cart in a post-suggestive state of robotic innocence.
So, honestly, I don't find anything to envy in the life or achievements of the Village Idiot of Cape Girardeau. But this little rant I'm presenting to you today, dear Pilgrim, isn't about my envy, but that of Mr. Limbaugh.
Limbaugh's unrelenting contempt for the new President isn't just about galvanizing his pack of suckers for the conservative cause, and it's not from some deep seated xenophobia (though he has clearly demonstrated that over the years as well).
No, Rush's diligent campaign to discredit Obama is rooted in plain and simple envy.
But it's not envy of Obama.
No, Limbaugh's true target of green-eyed angst is none other than...
Oprah Winfrey.
Now speaks wisdom. Rush is always harping on about the truth this and the truth that, here's the truth coming at you, just not the redacted truth typical of the mouth of Limbaugh.
Oprah Winfrey is undeniably, nay, unreputedly the most successful television personality in America today. Not that I'm that much of an Oprah fan or anything, but let's examine the facts, shall we?
For starters, Rush seems shallow enough to hate on a fellow entertainer who makes more than him, especially if she happens to be African-American and female.
Oprah earned $275,000,000 during 2008, and earned 260 million bucks the year before. In other words, she earned in two years what Rush will reportedly almost make if he lives until 2015.
A big part of Oprah's superior financial gain is, of course, due to the fact that she is a success due to television, a medium in which, ahem, Rush attempted and failed miserably at. Add this to the fact Oprah is now the recipient of what is pretty much an open door to the White House, while Rush is yesterday's tolerated guest in the Dubya days (after Dubya's popularity ratings began to hover near single digits).
For these reasons alone, it's easy to understand why Rush is probably spending one sleepless night after another, despite an Oxycontin-induced stupor, mumbling, "fuckin' Oprah... FUCK-in' Oprah... why, God, why?"
So, are you feeling me? In reality, Rush doesn't want President Obama to fail. He wants to see Oprah fail vicariously through Obama. Yes, he would be an idiot for thinking that way, but that's my theory and I'm sticking with it.
Hey, Rush, here's an idea: instead of challenging the President to a debate, just pick your fight directly with Oprah. Of course, the only people who would care about such a debate would probably be your respective fan bases, and E! Network.
It's not important, or even relevant in any way, that Rush is feared by a few insecure upper mucky mucks in his own political party. No, the important thing to remember here is that most of America is not afraid of Rush Limbaugh. On top of that, the majority of this country showed up at the polls in November of 2008 and told the Dittoheads exactly where they could stick their leader's rhetoric.
And that, my fellow Americans, is what makes this country great, and gives me hope in the future of America.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
WHAT DID SEX MEAN TO HIM?
One of my favorite songs of my youth, by the now legendary Boston band Human Sexual Response, begs the question, What Does Sex Mean to Me?
My personal answer would be... definitely NOT what it means to this poor bastard.
My personal answer would be... definitely NOT what it means to this poor bastard.
Friday, February 13, 2009
REPUBLICANS. THEY'D QUEER A FUNERAL.
My Irish-American Mom had a sort of peculiar phrase she'd use sometimes. If My Dad or brother or I would say something that she felt would have better been kept confidential, or one of us was behaving outrageously or speaking in a interrupting manner (and usually that was me), she had an all encompassing phrase to admonish us:
"You'd queer a funeral!"
In other words, we were speaking or behaving so foolishly, so inconsiderately, that we would have lacked enough conscience and tact to the level of being willing to disrupt a memorial service.
In the Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, an alternate definition of queer reads as follows:
²queer vt (ca. 1812) 1 : to spoil the effect or success of <queer one's plans>
2 : to put or get into an embarrassing or disadvantageous situation
On Friday the 13th of February 2009, the United States Senate was held up on a vote for an economic stimulus package which, at a vote count of 59, needed exactly one vote in order to get passed and sent to President Obama's desk. Like the previous vote in the House of Representatives, the Republicans had their panties in a bunch and united against it.
Every Congressional GOP member voted against the bill and, since they are now an endangered species in politics, they had no effect on passage of the stimulus whatsoever. Three Republican Senators crossed the aisle and voted Yes. Ted Kennedy didn't vote as he is on the DL from brain cancer and Minnesota still can't decide who the fuck they want to send to the Capitol yet.
So, Senator Sherrod Brown, (D-Illinois), who was not going to be in session that evening, even with such a crucial vote on the line, flew into Washington D.C. and dramatically cast the 60th vote, sealing the deal and sending the stimulus package to the President's desk.
I would personally consider Senator Brown's excuse for not having been there in the first place as pretty valid, and maybe even more than Senator Kennedy's reason.
You see, Senator Brown was flying in directly from the memorial service of his mother, who passed away of leukemia the previous week.
Bravo for Mr. Brown. From what I've read, Emily Brown was an activist in her own right who helped elect Mansfield, Ohio's first black mayor and had the 'Emily Brown Young Democrat Award" named in her honor. It would seem that not only would she be proud of her son, but also, if it were possible, she would have instructed him from the Great Beyond to go and vote when his country needed him.
And as for my Mom, naturally, her observation would be, "Those goddamn Republicans! They'd queer a funeral!"
"You'd queer a funeral!"
In other words, we were speaking or behaving so foolishly, so inconsiderately, that we would have lacked enough conscience and tact to the level of being willing to disrupt a memorial service.
In the Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, an alternate definition of queer reads as follows:
²queer vt (ca. 1812) 1 : to spoil the effect or success of <queer one's plans>
2 : to put or get into an embarrassing or disadvantageous situation
On Friday the 13th of February 2009, the United States Senate was held up on a vote for an economic stimulus package which, at a vote count of 59, needed exactly one vote in order to get passed and sent to President Obama's desk. Like the previous vote in the House of Representatives, the Republicans had their panties in a bunch and united against it.
Every Congressional GOP member voted against the bill and, since they are now an endangered species in politics, they had no effect on passage of the stimulus whatsoever. Three Republican Senators crossed the aisle and voted Yes. Ted Kennedy didn't vote as he is on the DL from brain cancer and Minnesota still can't decide who the fuck they want to send to the Capitol yet.
So, Senator Sherrod Brown, (D-Illinois), who was not going to be in session that evening, even with such a crucial vote on the line, flew into Washington D.C. and dramatically cast the 60th vote, sealing the deal and sending the stimulus package to the President's desk.
I would personally consider Senator Brown's excuse for not having been there in the first place as pretty valid, and maybe even more than Senator Kennedy's reason.
You see, Senator Brown was flying in directly from the memorial service of his mother, who passed away of leukemia the previous week.
Bravo for Mr. Brown. From what I've read, Emily Brown was an activist in her own right who helped elect Mansfield, Ohio's first black mayor and had the 'Emily Brown Young Democrat Award" named in her honor. It would seem that not only would she be proud of her son, but also, if it were possible, she would have instructed him from the Great Beyond to go and vote when his country needed him.
And as for my Mom, naturally, her observation would be, "Those goddamn Republicans! They'd queer a funeral!"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
MUST SEE TV. I LAUGHED SO HARD THAT I CRIED.
The most engaging and hilarious brand of comedy on the tube nowadays is this fantastic reality series on C-Span, though the name escapes me right now. "Congressional Hearings" something or other. Apparently Rachel Maddow is a big fan as well and presents this episode recap.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Saturday, January 24, 2009
IT'S NICE TO HAVE A HERO STORY FOR ONCE. NO, REALLY.
This country is experiencing a pretty strange phase of feel-goodyness lately. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually digging it.
Of course, the economy is still all fucked up, and nobody can eat peanut butter and we're still at war in a couple of places, but gosh darn it, when something cool happens it sure sticks out like a sore thumb doesn't it?
Consider if you will the near tragedy that was US Airways Flight 1549. After taking off from LaGuardia Airport, a bunch of birds, led by a charismatic cult leader who convinced them that they would commit revolutionary suicide if they flew into a jet engine, ended up disabling the plane. The pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, managed to hard land the plane upright into the Hudson River. Apparently them thar Airbuses can stay afloat for awhile since all 155 passengers and crew were safely retrieved before the plane sank into the frigid waters of the Hudson.
Sullenberger is being hailed just about everywhere as a hero, and rightly so. His first officer on the flight, Jeffrey Skiles, was the one originally piloting the plane, but Captain Sullenberger took over, which turned out for the better because, despite 23 years with US Airways, Skiles had only 35 hours total logged in flying an Airbus A320. The concession to experience at the moment that the plane's engines went dead may well have defined the fate of all involved.
This is one of those stories that almost seemed predestined to happen. Many folks (including myself), believe that stuff happens for a reason. Instead of yet one more tragedy in the air, for once we have prevention of disaster thanks to actual human initiative. Plus, it simply would have been a bummer to have this happen just 5 days before the Obama inaugural. Instead, the outcome of Flight 1549 just added to the positive, celebratory tone.
It just seems like such a bizarre contrast of climate. Eight years ago, fairly soon after a President was sworn in (and following the most dubious election in history), we had a horrible mass murder involving airplanes crashing at the will of people. Now, we have the polar opposite happening with all aboard to live another day, followed by the beginning of an era with a Chief Executive who is promoting a feeling of hope and relief in so many citizens.
It's just a peculiar feeling in the air nowadays. It's like things have turned upside down inside out. I, for one, plan to enjoy it while it's here.
Of course, the economy is still all fucked up, and nobody can eat peanut butter and we're still at war in a couple of places, but gosh darn it, when something cool happens it sure sticks out like a sore thumb doesn't it?
Consider if you will the near tragedy that was US Airways Flight 1549. After taking off from LaGuardia Airport, a bunch of birds, led by a charismatic cult leader who convinced them that they would commit revolutionary suicide if they flew into a jet engine, ended up disabling the plane. The pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, managed to hard land the plane upright into the Hudson River. Apparently them thar Airbuses can stay afloat for awhile since all 155 passengers and crew were safely retrieved before the plane sank into the frigid waters of the Hudson.
Sullenberger is being hailed just about everywhere as a hero, and rightly so. His first officer on the flight, Jeffrey Skiles, was the one originally piloting the plane, but Captain Sullenberger took over, which turned out for the better because, despite 23 years with US Airways, Skiles had only 35 hours total logged in flying an Airbus A320. The concession to experience at the moment that the plane's engines went dead may well have defined the fate of all involved.
This is one of those stories that almost seemed predestined to happen. Many folks (including myself), believe that stuff happens for a reason. Instead of yet one more tragedy in the air, for once we have prevention of disaster thanks to actual human initiative. Plus, it simply would have been a bummer to have this happen just 5 days before the Obama inaugural. Instead, the outcome of Flight 1549 just added to the positive, celebratory tone.
It just seems like such a bizarre contrast of climate. Eight years ago, fairly soon after a President was sworn in (and following the most dubious election in history), we had a horrible mass murder involving airplanes crashing at the will of people. Now, we have the polar opposite happening with all aboard to live another day, followed by the beginning of an era with a Chief Executive who is promoting a feeling of hope and relief in so many citizens.
It's just a peculiar feeling in the air nowadays. It's like things have turned upside down inside out. I, for one, plan to enjoy it while it's here.
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