Disqus - Latest Comments for Paul Brennan

Re: GOD SENDS A MESSAGE | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:04:15 -0000

Will, I agree about political speech, but a resolution simply denouncing Westboro's behavior would be too toothless. Even the most raging homophobes in Congress could justify voting for it, because they would be "protecting the (dead) troops". Now, a resolution denouncing all anti-gay bigotry that tries to justify itself through religious doctrine-- that would be interesting. Unfortunately, the Democratic leadership wouldn't introduce such a resolution, even if Jesus offered to do TV commercials supporting it.

Re: USHER. MACY’S LAKEWOOD. FRIDAY. | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:44:09 -0000

Didn't feel like going for a Poe pun, even though it is the right season (Fall), eh?

Re: RICHARD FLORIDA ON LONG BEACH | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:25:34 -0000

No, he’s not ripping on anyone. Florida knows his own thesis, which he’s been continually repackaging for resale since 2002, and if it doesn’t fit the facts of the particular city he’s talking about, then so much the worse for the facts. Back in 2002, when his work was new and shiny, reporters at the New Orleans Times-Picayune noticed something interesting about Florida’s Bohemian Index of 50 American cities. New Orleans was in the bottom ten of the most bohemian cities. Ranked well above it were such towns are Richmond, Milwaukee, Rochester, and Salt Lake City. Yep, Salt Lake City was more bohemian than pre-Katrina New Orleans-- and Florida wasn’t making some subtle joke about the old N.O. basketball team moving to Utah and keeping the name “Jazz”.

So, if you’re interested in hearing Florida give the same speech he's been giving for half a decade, you'll get your money's worth. But if you expect him to really know something about the city he’s supposed to be talking about, you‘re likely to be disappointed.

Re: WATERGATE’S JOHN DEAN STARS IN LB LIBRARY!

Paul Brennan — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 15:30:15 -0000

The Press-Telegram covered Dean's talk. The reporter, however, didn't mention Dean's mention of the P-T. Odd that.

Re: IN MEN’S BOTTOMS! | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:55:33 -0000

I don’t know-- I’ve got more reason than most to dislike Trent Lott, but the Big Head DC stuff doesn’t even begin to spark up my schadenfreude. The escort has flat out denied it, and the whole thing just doesn’t fit Lott. Mitch McConnell, on the other hand…

Of course, I could be wrong. I never even knew Tom DeLay was a Senator-- clearly I haven’t been paying attention.

Re: PIMPIN’ & POLITICKIN’ | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:37:40 -0000

The District gets “MSM marching orders”? The District is pro-Huckabee? Throwing treason charges around?

I can’t imagine why people think Ron Paul’s campaign attracts conspiracy-minded nutjobs.

As for the Paul spokesman’s statement-- oh please. The spokesman coughs up some pro forma pro-Jesus fluff, which gives him an opportunity to remind Republican voters Dr. Paul is “a devout Christian”, but the campaign isn’t turning down the whorehouse money-- and that’s the only thing that would give those words any real meaning. (As devout Christians know, “faith, if it hath not works, is dead” (James 2:24))

I can’t imagine why people think Ron Paul’s campaign attracts the politically naïve.

Learn from Cleaner 44, people-- he comes off as rational and not ignorant of how politics works (caveat: I haven’t seen his website yet).

Re: PIMPIN’ & POLITICKIN’ | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:13:18 -0000

Beyond the innate news value, it’s immaterial to me whether Paul raises money in brothels or convents, as long as it’s done in accordance with campaign finance laws. The James quote is there solely because of the statement from Paul’s spokesman. If the campaign had just invoked libertarian principles and pocketed the money that wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow, but to wheel out Paul’s devout Christianity in the circumstances was ludicrous.

But to suggest that the U.S., even given all the assaults on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, is in any plausible danger of devolving into any sort of theocratic state with religious-based dress codes and the threat of physical punishment for those who offend the state-sanctioned faith is, at best, utter nonsense. The only place any American citizen is in danger of being whipped for blasphemy by his/her government is in the delusions of a paranoid mind.

And can you name a single presidential candidate who is campaigning. explicitly or implicitly, on “outlaw[ing] all vice”? Of course not. Not even the televangelist who ran in ‘88, Pat Robertson, had that in his platform.

I can’t imagine why people think Ron Paul’s campaign attracts the irrational.

Re: ROMNEY TO SPEAK ABOUT HIS ANGRY GOD | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:09:12 -0000

My favorite comment on the controversy about Kennedy’s Catholicism came from his wife, Jackie: “I think it is so unfair for Jack to be opposed because he is a Catholic. After all, he’s such a poor Catholic.”

Re: FRICKIN’ LASER BEAMS! | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:21:19 -0000

howardx,

I like the idea, but unfortunately I don’t think there will be any BOC if they light the Wand up again-- especially if Rockne Krebs is there. He apparently has no sense of humor when it comes to people comparing his art to laser rock shows. And while your average artist can’t do much beyond shooting you a withering glance, with Krebs there’s always a chance he’s packing a laser. You shout out for “Don’t Fear the Reaper” at your own peril.

Re: PORT OF LONG BEACH SPINS TO THE TOP OF FORTUNA’S WHEEL | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:15:53 -0000

Nice try at minimizing the pro-terrorist wickedness of your story, Rachel. But you did something more than just explain “(1) what a bomb does, (2) what a port is, and (3) how they could cause some problems by getting one in close proximity to the other.” You also wrote about wandering around the port with your wee son Isaac in tow. Thanks to you, terrorists have learned they can attack the port, even if they can’t find a babysitter!

And now you’re trying to get the head of port security liquored up? Is there no end to your perfidy? (If the word “perfidy” confuses the guy who is confused by the title of this post, I apologize in advance.)

Re: NEW CIGARETTE TAX IN LB | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:29:44 -0000

To be fair, despite having more than a healthy amount of Huckabee voters, Kansas is once again pro-Evolution. Darwin is back in the high schools, and Jesus has left the science classes and returned to more appropriate settings such as comparative religion (and, possibly, wood shop).

And please, please, please-- do not encourage politicians to read Plato’s Republic. I know it’s officially a Great Book, and there are some worthwhile insights sandwiched between the “Yes, Socrates” ’s and the “Of course, you’re right Socrates” ’s, but really it’s a compendium of bad ideas. The myth of the metals, with its you-were-born-with-the-soul-of-a-simple-laborer so shut up and pick up that broom like god wants you to? Removing children from their families? (OK, some days that might have a certain appeal.) Banishing poets? Long Beach’s solons have enough bad ideas of their own-- as you demonstrate-- so there's no need to add any that belonged to an Athenian aristocrat with a big forehead.

Re: WELCOME TO LONG BEACH! DID YOU GET YOUR TETANUS SHOT? | The District Weekly

Paul Brennan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:54:13 -0000

I’m sure Vincent Ferrar is worth every votive candle he gets, but in this case I’d suggest going with St. Adelelmus. In the early 12th century, Adelelmus-- in addition to maintaining a heavy schedule of general saintliness-- designed and oversaw the building of the first city sewage system in Burgos, Spain. He must of done a good job, since as part of his eternal reward he’s the patron saint of Burgos (where he’s known somewhat less formally as San Lesmes).

Re: IS THIS NOW PALIN’S CAMPAIGN?

Paul Brennan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:31:12 -0000

Simple, LB City Girl-- because there's nothing the internets, and their most sweaty-palmed users, cannot convert into fodder for the pornographically-inclined imagination. Whether it has an political significance is doubtful. And horrible as it is to think it, somewhere in the world right now, in some dimly lit basement, someone is breathing heavily while searching for "John McCain naked/nude". (In which case, my having typed those awful words may lead the searcher here. So let me be the first to say: Welcome, perverted geriatric-o-phile!)