Vacation's all I ever wanted

I try not to miss more than a day of blogging if I can help it, but right now I'm traveling and my 'net access is limited both by time and opportunity. Yes, I know it seems odd, but even us lazy, shiftless, unemployed welfare queens like to take a little vacation now and then.

Actually, Miss July and I are engaging in a grand experiment: The Great DFH/GOP Petri Dish Road Trip of 2009. Can a brilliant and beautiful Republican woman and a sucky dirty fucking hippie blogger/layabout survive five days on the road together? Hilarity predictably ensues.

You can follow the GDFH/GOPPDRT of 2009 on Twitter either with yours truly or with Miss July ... or, for the full effect, both. While it's light blogging here for a few days, the tweeting is fast and furious as the miles -- and snarky politics -- go by.

And, at the end, we may just find we've learned something about each other's views ... and ourselves. (I'm sure a Lifetime Movie Network rep will be in touch soon.)

How progressive are you? Take the quiz

So I tried out this quiz from the Center for American Progress to see how progressive I am. I scored a 352 out of 400, making me "extremely progressive." There's a surprise ... I thought it would come up "dirty fucking hippie." (Then again, it is higher than my credit score ...)

Take the quiz yourself and see how you score.

(h/t NTodd via Facebook)

Obamacize yourself

You've probably already seen this application on the internets (or at least the results thereof), but on the off chance you haven't, go create your own Obamicon. It's pretty cool and, as you can see (right), even with, say, a picture of an inferior blogger, you can get a pretty nifty image out of it, and you can personalize it with your own message. (I chose a particularly special one for myself ...) Plus it's a fun thing to do when you can't sleep.

If you do it, post links to your uploaded images here in Comments. I'd love to see them.

(h/t Cleveland Bob)

Navel-gazing: the old media cover the new media

The most remarkable thing about the convention so far from this blogger's perspective is the degree to which the bloggers are the story. Here we are, alternative (or "new") media covering the DNC, and a good chunk of the mainstream media are covering us covering the Convention.

One example is the Las Vegas Sun, whose front-page (at least on the intertubes) story today is about us pixel-stained wretches:

These are the online liberals who, a few years ago, were like the boxing trainer who slaps his fighter around a bit, imploring him to fight back.

“The Democratic Party used to be afraid of its own shadow,” said [Markos] Moulitsas [Zuniga], whose Daily Kos blog receives 1.5 million unique visitors a month, with daily traffic matching the circulation of the Chicago Tribune.

This crowd is ensconced near the Democratic National Convention and brings a certain swagger to the week, a knowing confidence that the online world helped change the party and deliver victory in 2006. The big prize is now so close its members can taste it like the free smoothies and high-end hippie food being passed around in what’s called “The Big Tent,” a sly homage to a famous Ronald Reaganism.

[...]

John Podesta, once President Clinton’s hard-charging chief of staff, said he marveled at how much the online liberals had changed politics.

“Nothing gets by them,” he said, referring to their rapid response to news events and their attacks on Republicans. Back in his White House days, he noted, there were three TV networks and a few big newspapers to worry about.

(This is often cited as one of several reasons New York Sen. Hillary Clinton didn’t win the nomination: not understanding this new media environment.)

As for the [previously mentioned] swagger, Podesta said, “I don’t know if I’d say ‘swagger,’ but there’s a strong movement for change, and a ticket to get it done.”

"High-end hippie food?" Lunch was Chipotle burritos. Oddly, I never saw -- or smelled -- any hemp or patchouli -- not once. But then, I'm notoriously obtuse ...

Then there was the accompanying picture:

The Sun's caption: "Bloggers [Sinfonian], far right, and [Athenae] confer Monday inside the Big Tent during the Democratic National Convention in Denver."

Pro: It was an excellent editing/cropping choice to use half of me and all of Athenae. Also cool: including the increasingly popular (and someday ubiquitous) DFH sticker in the pic.
Con: Putting the words "far right" next to my name.

Well, guess it's time to get my swagger on again ...

(cross-posted at FPC Blog)

DFH hits the mainstream

This is cool. Open Left's Chris Bowers got on teevee at Netroots Nation wearing the Eschacon08 DFH T-shirt.

Naturally, he failed to credit the designer of the DFH sticker/logo. Harumph.



Hey, I didn't get a Harumph out of that guy ...

(h/t Kenneth Quinnell at FPC Blog)

Hippie New Year

This one's for all us DFHs:


My 2008 is starting very well. I hope yours is, too.

I'll be waiting for you at the side door ...

Blast Off! Radio moves to prime time TONIGHT: 7:00 pm Eastern

Okay, I guess technically it's not prime time, which customarily begins at 8:00, but just stick with me on this one ...

I'm safely ensconced in the Land of the New Borg, and I'm starting my new job today. Since I've no idea how free I'll be to do my normal afternoon time slot, I've decided to move the show to the evening for tonight. This may be a long-term move for the next four weeks ... or not, depending on the new job. Stay tuned here to keep track. Once I'm back in Teh Glans™, I can go back to afternoons, I'm sure.

But tonight, I'll be commemorating my return to the DFH blogosphere with a special Tryptophan Recovery edition of Blast Off! Radio:

TIME: 7:00 pm Eastern TODAY

Click here to listen

Call in number: (646) 716-7543

AIM: blastoffradio

E-mail: blastoffradio-at-gmail-dot-com

Put it on your calendar or your planner, set an alarm, call in the dawgs and piss on the fire early, because you won't want to miss tonight's show!

P.S. Happy 75th Birthday to my mom. Sure, she'll never read this -- would you write the way I do on here and let your mother read it? -- but it's the thought that counts.

P.P.S. Coming soon: photo goodness from yesterday's Buccaneers victory over Washington, featuring some great DFH shots ...

(Cross-posted at Florida Progressive Coalition)

If you see this car ...

... wave to me. And then get a Dirty Fucking Hippie sticker for your own car.

Better late than never

My DFH stickers finally arrived ... apparently they made the rounds through UPS and the Postal Service and took twelve days to get here! I could have walked them here faster, I think ... and so much for sharing with my friends in D.C. ...

At any rate, the shipping delay is probably a one-time glitch, so head on over to the Blast Off! Store and get your very own DFH sticker.

You're a dirty fucking hippie ... now tell the world! (And if you don't want to do it now, the link will stay up on the right sidebar.)

Are you a DFH?

If, like me, you're proud to be a Dirty Fucking Hippie, then grab one of these 5" x 3" stickers, just $2.99 each at the Blast Off! Store. Perfect for your car, right next to your FSM icon.