Maria Alexander News and Updates from TheHandlessPoet.com

I fought through insane amounts of traffic on the 10 on Wednesday morning to meet up with the BBC World Have Your Say crew to do the 2-hour show. The Venice Beach circus was in full force. I'm not sure Ros and the gang were quite expecting the passersby to be so colorful.

I sat at a table with the head producer Ros Atkins; Mark Sawyer, political science professor at UCLA; editor Ted Johnson from Variety (who had been arrested during the protests outside the RNC); and a reporter named Maria Joyouspirit who has a show on KPFK. We all wore headphones and shared a couple of microphones. Ros choreographed the entire show like a maestro, with instructions coming down between our ears from Madeline, the "M" of the whole operation back in London, as text messages, calls and emails flew in from all directions.

We spoke with an array of fascinating people from all over the world -- like Lance Price, who'd been Tony Blair's spin doctor, and a French MP (whose name escapes me). The topic was about style and spin, and whether they've destroyed our trust in American politics. Towards the end I actually got to ask Lance a question directly. But the best part was when the producers pulled in a ridiculously hot surfer named "Ben" from the waves. Bare-chested "Ben" was dripping with brine water and hairless. Of course, I'm not sure I actually heard whatever Ben said, but I do believe he said something into the microphone.

Click here to listen to the 50-minute MP3 podcast file. Or you can get the podcast on iTunes.

Labels: BBC, politics

lamaupin I'm tweeting from the pre-staging of the BBC World Service show. It's chilly out! about 3 hours ago from mobile web

lamaupin Ros just showed me the inside of the BBC bus. Swank! Well, compared to most buses. about 3 hours ago from mobile web

lamaupin Is it bad to kinda want to snog Ros? Right. Back to politics. about 3 hours ago from mobile web

lamaupin Finally I got some photos. I forgot to bring my camera. Doh! There are some interesting folk coming. about 3 hours ago from mobile web

lamaupin I forgot to mention that, in the bus, a picture of Palin came on the TV and I nearly lost it. I can't take it! about 3 hours ago from mobile web

lamaupin Getting a cookie as I ponder what question to ask. Cookie makes smart politics. about 3 hours ago from mobile web

And then when the show started, Ros asked everyone to turn off their cell phones so they wouldn't interfere with the microphones. Damn!

One of the surprise guests was the VP of YouTube Steve Somebody. (God, I'd make the worst journalist.) Anyway...photos!

Afterward, no less than two BBC folk hunted me down to make sure I'd be in tomorrow's show.

In the immortal words of Paris Hilton, "See you at the debates, bitches!"

Labels: BBC, politics

Looks like I'll be chatting (or maybe not) with the folks on WHYS about Obama and how racism is or isn't hurting his campaign.

Just go to the World Have Your Say blog and click the orange "Listen Live" button on the right if you want to tune in. I might be reading my times incorrectly, but I believe it starts at 10:00am Pacific Time.

Labels: BBC, obama, politics

I want to thank Yvonne Navarro for writing up how the Republican Bastard Brigade just defeated the Fair Pay Act. For those who don't know, women today make up 56% of college graduates and nearly half of the labor force in this country. Yet women make only 73 cents to a man's dollar, and mothers only make 60 cents, for the exact same job. McCain actually had the gall to say this was because women needed "more education and training."

McCain is out of his nut-licking mind.

When I was working at Peoplelink in 2001, I requested that they hire a second writer to help me. When we got R's resume, I remembered working with him at another company back in 1997 and liking him a lot. In terms of work experience, I had the more intense technical background. In the first wave of layoffs, they let R go and he told me that he was pretty sure he was making a lot more money than I was. He was right -- I found out he was making 20% more a year! I was outraged. I complained loudly and got a moderate raise, but not anything close enough to narrow the gap.

So, sign the online petition to send McCain the message that, thank you very much, women already have the education and training, you stupid sexist bastard. It's time we show the world that we walk our talk about equal rights.

Also, post in your blog your own experience of pay inequality or that of a woman in your life and be sure to link back to the previous blog. Let's show how far the trail of inequality runs.

Labels: fair pay act, politics

Yes, I poured over the charts of both Obama and Clinton weeks ago for tomorrow's primary. I saw major stuff for both of them:

Obama: Two self-confidence transits (t. Mars sextile n. Mars and t. Jupiter trine n. Mars), as well as a dampening of idealism and solidification of his relationships (t. Saturn sextile Venus). He's had this major "break up" transit for weeks now (t. Pluto opposing n. Venus), but he and Michelle seem to be doing fine as wine. It seems to be more concerned about money and values than chicks, but we'll see.

Clinton: What a mess. Almost in a good way. Lots of excitement (t. Uranus trine n. Mercury), big plans (t. Jupiter sextile n. Mercury) and warlike speeches (t. Mars sextile n. Mercury). She has lots of weird, unstable transits to Saturn, which tells me she's surfing not land-bound. In fact, it's a Finger of Fate that's lined up but with ugly planets. It simply means it's a fateful day (no duh), not whether Lady Luck is smiling.

(Speaking of fate, why hasn't McCain had his heart attack yet? I'm guessing that birth time his mother gave is, like, way off. Gee, what a surprise.)

Ultimately, these readings say nothing better than what the polls say, not to mention what we already know. Clinton obviously will win the primary, but by the hair of her chinny chin chin. Yet there won't be a big enough difference between the two to be decisive. Even with projections from polls taken weeks ago that said she'd win 49-38, it's still not enough for her to catch up. I'm saying nothing new. Unless Pennsylvania voters change their minds, this thing is simply lying down like it has been all along.

Oooh look! Michael Moore is endorsing Obama. Ironically, he calls Clinton's tactics "disgusting." This race couldn't get any better...

Labels: clinton, Michael Moore, obama, politics

And why.

Holy crap! I couldn't believe someone actually said this, but it's insanely true:

Because as much as Hillary Clinton the wife and the woman and the mom no doubt hates it, Hillary Clinton the candidate has largely benefited from her husband's extracurricular activities. That's because—and this is the tragic part—America seems to like her best when she's being victimized—by Bill or Rick Lazio or the media. In that sense, her husband is a useful prop who reminds us of the extent of her suffering.

Wow. Just...wow. Read the article in Slate.

It all ties into that business about why the public eats up Britney bashing. They love to see women victimized. It's a national sport. But I'm especially keen on how this article ties it all back into the workings of Hillary's campaign. Unbelievable.

Labels: misogyny, politics

Math is hard...even harder when the numbers aren't remotely in your favor.

(Thanks, Mr. Ointment.)

Just forget all the imaginary conflict hyped by the media to keep you coming back to the news television shows and websites for your advertising impressions. They want you to think Hillary's having a "comeback" and that there are "battles to come" so that they can keep your attention and make money off of you.

Turn off the TV. Forget CNN.

Just let everyone vote. Weird concept, eh? As soon as the media knows that we know, then we'll be able to move on.

ETA: Slate has updated their Delegate Calculator, but they are -- very unrealistically -- "split(ting) the remaining 10 delegates evenly between the two candidates." A lesson to you: Even Slate can't stay out of the hoo-hah.

Labels: politics

I awoke to find a very cool review and SF reading plug from the one of my favorite roguish writers, Thomas Roche, for Sins in my mailbox, sent by . He writes:

"Sins of the Sirens is the third release from John Everson's Dark Arts Books, a small press specializing in horror. Featuring the talents of Morbid Curiosity publisher Loren Rhoads, Mehitobel Wilson, and Money Shot author Christa Faust as well as Eros Zine contributor Maria Alexander, it's an unhealthy dose of fourteen dangerous tales of dark desire. Featuring both reprints and originals, it collects three to four of the best horror stories from each of these members of the horror-noir-goth underground,each one laced with liberal doses of eroticism and a sucker-punch of wicked imagination."

Just what I needed after a night of vivid, especially wild dreams that left me ragged.

****

And in the car on the way to work, I called Waxman, Boxer and Feinstein to urge them all to use their Superdelegate votes to support the will of the people -- that is, the popular vote. Waxman's office was sweet as usual. Boxer's voicemail was on. They're both uncommitted in the Superdelegate race. And Feinstein's office, while open, was immediately defensive. As soon as I said, "I know the Senator is using her Superdelegate vote to support Clinton, but..." the guy cut me off and said, "We can't discuss campaign issues on the phone."

"But this isn't exactly a campaign issue. This is a broader comment."

"Oh?"

"Yes," I continued. "I'd simply like to encourage Senator Feinstein, when it comes down to the wire, to use her Superdelegate vote in support of whoever has the popular vote, be it Clinton or Obama."

"Oh, okay," he said. He sounded vastly relieved. "It's just that we get a lot of calls from people wanting to debate her position."

I'm thinking we totally have the right to challenge her, but I don't say it. "Well, thank you for taking my comment. That's really all I'm asking for."

"Okay. Thank you for calling."

When did we not have the right to call and challenge our Senator's position on campaign issues? This is disturbing. I understand not wanting to sit on the phone and argue with someone, but I have the right to call and say, "Please support someone else." Maybe they think it's separate from her position as my Senator. However, she wouldn't even be a Superdelegate if she wasn't my Senator, if I hadn't voted her in. Geesh.

Labels: politics, review

The only way to start the week is with NPR talking about my favorite masked man of all time. Thanks for the belated Valentine, NPR!

Speaking of insane attractions, The Frenchman and I watched an amazing documentary called Crazy Love this weekend that left me with my jaw dragging on the carpet. Holy shit, what a nightmarish couple. Early on I kept wondering why didn't she sue him for personal injury. That would have given her the money she needed. But then, by the documentary's conclusion my question was answered: both people are clearly certifiable.

Very little writing happened this weekend for reasons that escape me -- probably because I was wrapped up in all kinds of correspondence -- but much love happened and the writing did resume last night at last. And, to end the Bengal debate, The Frenchman found a very silly video that features three Bengals, two of which look almost exactly like Robie. He then went on to unearth a jillion Bengal videos and a great article on play aggression that mainly managed to affirm everything our friend Lisa has been saying. (We're working on it! Honest!)

As we all gear up for ObamaDay tomorrow -- er, I mean the next round of primaries and the Hawaii caucus -- do read the brilliant (and infuriating) article entitled, "Christianizing America" by the columnist for The Villiage Voice and The Washington Post, Nat Hentoff.

Amid the hostile stirrings in the audience, I also told them to check out Article VI, Section 3: “. . . no religious test shall ever be required as Qualification to any Office of public Trust under the United States.” For the rest of the day, I was the pariah in the room.

Of that I have no doubt.

Labels: darth vader, politics

My colleague Steve Tatham's hilarious rant about Superdelegates on his political spoof show, The Ointment.

So true, it hurts us, precious.

Labels: humor, politics

I had some email with Ros, the producer of the WHYS show, and expressed my disappointment with how they chose the flow. He apologized for not coming back to me, but really felt okay with letting the young girl speak as much as she did.

After I'd slept on it, I realized that part of the problem is that I'm really sensitive to America's image as being full of naive, ignorant voters who don't care much for the process. I felt that giving so much airtime to someone who was admittedly naive tapped into that nervousness and self-consciousness, especially after experiencing the stereotypes of the French about us. Living abroad can really affect your sensitivity to how you and your home is perceived. Since the WHYS audience is enormous and global, I had hoped to show the world we weren't all scratching our voting cards with green ink.

Of course, I expressed this to Ros.

I've been pulled back into the ad agency project, but that should soon be over. I'm really glad for it, too, because of the bills I've generated with Mad-ame Scientist. But the moment I'm done, I'm back to writing for Thrilled! When I'm on, I'm writing about 500 good words a night, which isn't bad after an exhausting day here.

Speaking of here...

Labels: BBC, politics

If you can tune into the WHYS, you may (or may not) hear me speaking about American democracy and how effing busted it is in some ways (and how, in other ways, it definitely is not).

At 10:00am Pacific Time, just go to the WHYS site and click the Listen icon in the right-hand menu.

If there's a podcast, I'll direct you to it.

Meanwhile, I had to go to bed early because I had an 8:00am meeting this morning with the Advanced Projects artists putting together the "animated" pieces we're working on. And it's a good thing because I would have burst a blood vessel if I'd had to see Missouri be uncalled and go to Clinton.

Labels: politics

I know you're all dying to know what astro-babble The Sweetpea has been contemplating about Stupor Tuesday. We had a work slump yesterday once I finished a ton of copy for Hong Kong, so I've been pouring over the charts to see if I can give some predictions that we can compare to what really happens.

I have a major dilemma in what I'm seeing and this happens sometimes when looking at public figures. There's so much press on Hillary, for example, that I can kind of see what was happening to her in public at various times. For Stupor Tuesday, she has a combination of hugely nasty transits, some of which she also had back in April 2007 (transiting Neptune opposing natal Saturn and squaring natal Mercury). When "regular joes" have this transit, they typically feel like they've fucked up their lives in a major way and can't see how. Now, if we go back in the Google archives to what was happening back then, we see headlines like:

1) She breaks records fundraising, but Obama nearly matches.
2) She tries to get the legislative branches to repeal the act that allowed Bush to take troops into Iraq and fails.
3) She loses major Bill Clinton fundraisers.
4) Corruption rumors plague her from the right.
5) An unauthorized biography is announced for publication in June 2007.
6) She performs well in a Democratic debate.
7) She thanks a coach for standing up to Imus.

If we take the press' skewed view at face value, it's not that bad. On balance it's not any more difficult a month than any other she's had except for the last two, although there are certainly murmurs of what was to come now with Obama's rivalry. But if this was someone I didn't know and had no records of, I'd say, " You're going to have a profoundly disappointing day with major, rapid changes in close relationships. You might even meet someone special with whom you fall in love, but your judgment is severely impaired, so, like, DON'T." To Hillary's credit, if she's actually feeling major disappointment and fuckedupedness, she obviously tries to do something about it.

As for Obama, things also look a bit disappointing, but not nearly so. Boy has a bit of Broken Heart Syndrome, in fact (progressed Moon opposite natal Venus) feeling all restrained and stuff in his career (transiting Saturn conjunct natal Pluto in the 10th House). However, he also has this rapid changes in relationships (transiting Uranus trine his ASC), but with the world in general, not just the people close to him. Also, Mercury is going to be Rx then, which affects Hillary a lot more than Obama.

So, the only thing I can conclude is that Stupor Tuesday ain't gonna settle things they way everyone would like.

Incidentally, as soon as I finished The Damned Proposal and this bit of freelancing for the ad agency, I'm going to contact the IIG and try to set up some kind of formal test, if there's one we can agree upon. Since a kind skeptic friend assures me that these guys are friendly, I'm happy to do something with them. It's a great opportunity for me, too, because I'll get to do the sort of experimentation I've always wanted to do. The thing that bothers me about the Randi Challenge is that it's so incredibly hostile that it clearly lacks objectivity. And it also looks like you're just in it for the money. Like everyone, I care about money, but I'd do something with the IIG even if they didn't offer any money. In fact, the same skeptic friend gave me the names of two other objective groups, but it turned out they all closed down their investigative programs. This makes whatever the IIG is doing even more important.

Labels: politics, skepticism

So, there was an upset. Bigger than I read, but still an upset.

It was close and it was Hillary's state, after all. Plus, the Clintons came out and tous les deux began bashing Obama. Very classy. Unfortunately, that works. However, Clinton squandered just about all the respect I had for her.

The thing is, if Obama ever starts really biting back, he's got the mad skillz with words and there might be nothing left but char where Hillary once stood if he ever gets started on her.

And I think he should.

Speaking of mad skillz, I'm still writing away. Another 1000 words last night. I'm very tired.

Labels: politics

How is it that the author of this New York Times article could write a six-page piece and yet not really tell anyone what Mormons actually believe that puts off evangelicals? It's as if Feldman, the author, knows only what everyone else does about Mormonism from a distance and has no intimate knowledge of the religion himself.

It's not just the heterodoxical books, the history or the secret ceremonies, although they all play a role. The bias is against Mormon theology itself. Among other things, Mormons believe they can become gods, and that Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers. This is fantastically terrifying to an evangelical, totally offsetting the net worth of their common social interests, of which they have many. The church has a weird and sordid past that dallied with violence, polygamy and racism, but today there's nothing on the surface to explain why Romney is constantly dancing on his toes around his beliefs when addressing the evangelical front. Except, that is, the wacky theological points that Feldman avoids entirely.

This ignorance -- or avoidance -- in an NYT spread is particularly bothersome because it only highlights the absurdity of the dilemma. So, Jesus isn't the spirit brother of Satan? And you can support your fallen angel philosophy with scripture? You can't, can you? Satan is an intertestamental development. The serpent, Job's accusor, and the fallen Lucifer were not cohesively woven together in the idea of Satan as we know and love him for three centuries.

So, of course, it's ludicrous for evangelicals to snub Mormons in favor of their own, equally odd and baseless ideas. Despite Feldman's academic posturing, he's playing claws in with everyone and not bringing this to light. He only hints at it in the vaguest terms.

But we don't want to talk about that in the NYT. We just want to wonder from afar "What is it about Mormonism?" without getting elbow deep in reality. That would mean we'd have to actually know something and we don't want that.

Labels: politics

So what's up for New Hampshire on the 8th? I'm sure you're all dying to know! (ha ha)

Obama: Still has all the same magical stuff going on. Plus...he has transiting Mercury in Aquarius opposing natal Mercury in Leo. Will there be an upset? Something he says or somehow communicates is going to oppose what he's been saying all along. Not unusual for any politician, really. I don't think anything terrible will ultimately come of it because transiting Venus in Sagittarius, the sign of the cheerleader, will be trine his natal Sun the next day. Translation: Who doesn't love ya, baby?

Hillary: Her life will still be teh suck. She has these same transits and worse on election day. It's only going to get darker for her next month, too. I know this rubs all you Calvinists in your happy spot, but I get tied up in philosophical knots when I think about it.

Edwards: I forgot that I have his chart online. He had some lovely stuff yesterday and today, which will be ebbing by the 8th. Transiting Jupiter in Capricorn has been trine his natal Venus, bringing him increased social favor. This transit also indicates possible increases of money and lurrrrve. But next month is going to be much better for him. His progressed Moon will be conjunct his natal Jupiter. (Translation = Booyah! for about a month.) In fact, Edwards has a whole lot of booyah for the next few years, as progressed Jupiter (Papa Booyah) is conjunct his Sun. That's a looooong-ass progression. Years long. It brings fame, but can easily bring pride, loopy optimism and obnoxious bouts of self-importance.

I guess that describes a typical American President, doesn't it?

Anyway, it looks like he'll do well in New Hampshire, too, but Obama's still leading the pack.

Labels: politics

I've not had time to do any thorough astrological analysis. But after reading on the Beeb that three of the six Iowans they're following are voting for Obama, I thought I'd run his math.

It's looking damned good despite the polls.

Progressed Vertex conjunct the natal Midheaven: This alone doesn't mean a lot except that January 4th is a fateful day for his career.

Progressed Moon conjunct natal Jupiter in the 3rd in Aquarius: This was the kicker for me. It's naturally a very happy time lasting a few weeks.

Progressed Moon trine natal Moon in the 7th: His emotional state will flow well with his public activities and partnerships (7th house).

Transiting Saturn in Virgo sextile natal Neptune in Scorpio the 12th: Concrete communications with the world stimulate his secret ideals around power. (Ooo!)

Without looking at Hillary's chart, I know hers isn't so sparkling because transiting Pluto will be squaring her natal Moon as it enters the 7th house (translation: major emotional upheaval as she enters the public sphere). For a contrast, when Neil had Pluto entering his 7th house, he was having issues around being "recognizable." Described in his blog, there was some incident in particular at a theater he and Maddy had gone to when the transit was exact. However, unlike Hillary, he didn't have anything else challenging going on.

Anyway, that's my half-assed prediction. Can't wait to see what happens in the caucaus.

Labels: politics

Today, I took the ring to the very frou-frou jewelers today, Pellegrine. They might not be able to repair the ring. If not, we're going to wait until I return to Los Angeles and take it back to Antiquarius.

Afterwards, I hung out at L'Elfike for a few hours, talking to my goth friend Ange. She helped me understand some of the sentiments towards the Arabic immigrants. Apparently, she's been attacked and robbed on multiple occasions by young Arabs and the police won't do anything about it. She works bad hours, too, making her especially vulnerable to this kind of violence. She's very happy Sarkozy is in office because he wants to clamp down on immigration and, more importantly, create jobs. She told me that the older Arabic folk -- those over 30 years old -- were great people because they choose to learn the language and assimilate into French culture, but that the younger Arabs were a nightmare across the board. I discussed this with The Frenchman, and he believes the reason the younger people are committing crimes is because -- hello! -- they can't get jobs due to discrimination and all the other economic problems. According to Ange, they're only discriminated against because they refuse to learn the language and the customs. She asked me how I'd feel if someone came to the U.S. and refused to learn English whilst demanding social services and committing crimes. Honestly, it would be difficult for me to accept. The Frenchman and his colleagues, however, seem to believe it's far more complicated than that. It's always more complicated, that's for sure.

Meanwhile, Ange is asking the owner permission for me to take photos of the interior of the bar. You have no idea how beautiful it is. These photos will not be on Flickr, as a promise to the owner, who fears their use in magazines trashing the gothic culture in his club (sound familiar, Los Angeles club owners?). They're for my private research when I write SECRETS FOR MELUSINE. Ange seemed to dig the story premise a lot. I'm terribly grateful for her help.

Ange also introduced me to a real live pagan! Woo! His name was Mark, and he said there were maybe three or four pagans in all of the South. However, up north there were a great many pagans, especially in Brittany and Paris. Once a year, they hold an exposition with ceremonies so that pagans can meet one another. Sort of like Pantheacon in San Francisco.

And, yes, I had all of these conversations in French. It was exhausting.

Must do more writing before I fall over and sleep another night.

Labels: France, l'elfike, paganism, politics, ring