All the News (Un)Fit to Print

Check out the music vid from the new single. They are going to kick ass with Tool at KROQ Epicenter, Aug 22.

People need to calm down about the HOT/toll/ExpressLanes being put on the 10/110 freeways. Please do some research and don't sound like this guy:

Next, it is sheer stupidity to put expresslanes on the 10 Freeway. Did anyone think about what will happen to all the traffic backing up to pay tolls? Duh!

Guess what? There are no toll booths! Duh!

There will be two HOT/HOV lanes for both freeways, with no charge to existing carpoolers to use said lanes. Read on for a full Q&A.

That voting thing again? Ah, jeez. . . . To be honest with you, I'm not even sure what we're voting for. -Tim, 42

Sad. Really, really sad.

Despite what the president thinks and UCLA's shitty performance against my New School in the Pac-10 Tourney, UCLA will start yet another NCAA Tournament.

Please vote YES on Measure R and Proposition 1A.

I never had a real need for a laptop, because in undergrad I relied on the trusty notepad and paper for taking notes. Having recently thrown all my old notepads away a couple of years ago, I thought I should get a laptop for grad school -- the notebook or 3-ring binder really was an obsolete piece of student technology.

Since my primary purpose was to take notes and use the internet for surfing and emailing, I did not need something large or powerful. (I already have a Pentium D at home that is way more than adequate for games, video editing, and media playback.)

The slew of "netbooks" out there seemed daunting until I picked one a couple months ago that is working quite well for me.

Check out Jeff's Bachelor Party pics here.

Flickr set is here.

What a fantastic day.

Ate at Johnnie's Pastrami, marveled at Venice Beach, ate more delicious food at Porky's BBQ, and then got blown away by Nine Inch Nails at The Forum. Check out the setlist and another crappy cellphone pic.

Once again, no one is going far enough with cell phone restrictions. Recently a congressman introduced the HANG UP Act, which would ban cell phone use on planes over 30,000 feet. This proposed law does not even come close to protecting everyone from everyone else.

We have to have these extreme measures, because look over there in Europe: those liberal people are doing the opposite! Imagine the consequences of having to listen to loud talking on a quiet plane flight!

So I am proposing a new law (similar to the old one) that would curtail cell phone usage in other places.

First though, let's make airplanes a better place to relax and conduct business.

I now know what it is like to have something die in my hands. One second I was holding it close to my face, the next second it was still sharp but lifeless.

I now know what it is like to suffer through Fusion Instant Death Syndrome.

After being postponed in 2004 and 2006, the California High-Speed Rail proposal is now officially on the November ballot as Proposition 1. It will pass a $10 billion bond, which is enough to fund the state's portion of construction costs from LA to SF.

Imagine traveling over 400 miles in 2.5 hours for about 50 bucks! That's better than smelling shit on the 5, or having a plane's cargo section get blown away, or having some old lady die in a lavatory.

Vote YES on PROP 1

...Hope You Find Your Monthly-Build-Paradise.

It is the end of an era and the beginning of the Summer of Joe Part Deux. Later in one month will be the commencement of another era.

To keep your interest, I've updated some pics, so be sure to take a look.

Sadly, lawmakers did not heed my advice, and thus the politically-motivated "hands-free" law is in effect.

Terrible.

Thanks, politicians, for making such a dumb law to gather brownie points from the herd who reach for the most yellow paper they can find.

In November there will an important bond measure that will finally allocate money towards the California High Speed Rail from LA/SD to SF/Sacramento.

CAHSR redid their website recently, with an excellent map showing real cost and time savings for the average Californian. The Times also ran an article about potential right-of-way problems with Union Pacific.

In this day and age of airlines screwing us with baggage fees and flying slow to save money, we need to get this bond passed in November!

Wow

The Slip is out now at nin.com.

During another sleepless night I had a wonderful idea: get my GED. Did I graduate from high school? Of course! Do I have an undergraduate university degree? Yup!

Unfortunately I cannot take it because of the two abovementioned things. What is interesting is that I found a spelling error right on the main page. Click through to see the evidence (as of 4/28/2008).

Update: They fixed it.

There are only a few music albums that begin like a lightning bolt to the dome and continue through like a 100 yard pass to the endzone.

You pop in the CD/tape/record/press-play-on-the-album-on-your-mp3-player and that first track rocks you so hard you want to eat dirt.

Well maybe not exactly dirt, but you feel like putting your fist through the nearest parking meter or stray dog because that first song rocks so much.

You're blown away.

Your teeth and asshole clench up.

Your eyes squint and your lips twist into some weird but badass frown that lets everyone around you know that you're a badass because you're listening to a badass first song.

Last week there were some very informative open houses to discuss the alignment in Phase 2 of Metro's Expo Line. It will basically follow the ROW up until about 20th in Santa Monica, but then it can go down the center of either Olympic or Colorado.

Depending on the choice, the terminus will be at the Sears building or on 2nd/4th/Colorado. Regardless it is exciting to see this kind of future heading towards us. (Also the USC/Trousdale Phase I station will be built -- yay for USC SPPD.)

Be sure to view the PowerPoint presentation on the BuildExpo site.

• take them for walks to intimidate small children and animals.
• rough-house with them
• teach them mixed martial arts.
• and so much more!

Well it took exactly 13 months, but it finally happened. My Xbox 360 got RROD'd. I was only watching some recorded TV when it froze. After restarting it made a strange noise and froze again during that startup screen. And again a third time. And again a fourth time. Then on the fifth, she breathed her last breath.

At least I finally made it to Captain (Skill Level 10) on Halo....

With all the election hoopla that came with full force the past few weeks, it is time to recognize the best choice for this nation. Sadly few are ready for this man and what he stands for. Maybe sixty years from now, a man like Dennis Kucinich will gather enough votes to change how we view ourselves as a nation. And hopefully by that time, this archaic two-party presidential system will have mutated to something more truly democratic.

Well, it's nice to dream.

By accident I happened to stumble upon the MySpace page of an imposter. I cannot believe it. I did not think someone would actually try to copy me. He has the exact same name as me, but lives in Colorado and is a year younger than me. There might be some distant relation, but that would still be weird. He does like Tool, Family Guy, and drinking, which is scary because obviously I do too.

Bottom line, I was here first. Some might be tricked by this Hottie Hunter or Cyber Psychosis (some goth/industrial electronic band), but do not be fooled. Here are some important ways to distinguish the Real Joe Walcek with the Fake Joe Walcek.

There will be a bunch of public meetings to evaluate possible alignments and means of extending mass transit to the Westside. February 5 is the one in Westwood.

What is interesting is that the maps shows possible Crenshaw corridor lines connecting directly to Wilshire. Let's hope the Purple Line gets extended all the way to the Expo terminus in Santa Monica, plus the extension from Hollywood Highland.

A championship bowl game in January probably will not happen in a year, but I am ready to see some marked improvement ten months from now.

Also, I predict a Bruin victory over UNC in the March championship game, 73-71.

International Incident Films is proud to present Tears from the Sun.

It's not about a Japanese invasion, but it sure feels like one.

Rated PG.

This LA Times article sums up perfectly as to why Dorrell was released.

On the field was more of a struggle. Each of Dorrell's teams went to a bowl game yet they regularly collapsed in the second half of the season.

Way to go, dipshit.

The only way Dorrell can keep his job is if UCLA wins the rest of the season, including a bowl game.

You have a long way to go, dipshit.

Max Weinberg is awesome.

Well well well. Looks like Arnold isn't so bad after all:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement today regarding the California Transportation Commission's (CTC) allocation of $674 million in new funding for 35 transportation projects (half for the Expo Line!).
The total value of the 35 transportation projects approved by the CTC today is $674 million, of which $225 million is funded from Proposition 1B, $60 million from Proposition 42 and $389 million from the Public Transportation Account.

Click the title link above, then on the Addendum to September 5, 2007 FE Workshop Agenda w/Vote List as it says, and then see the top of p. 11 (or p. 9 of the 12 included) for restoration of the mid-city segment of our Expo Line

Before watching Happy Feat, I had no animosity towards penguins. After watching that dreadful, trite, xenophobic movie things changed.

Penguin Killers Por Vida!
(dead penguin jokes)

Goddamnit, I knew this would happen.

My idea for renting dogs has been taken by FlexPets. If only I could have gotten my MBA already, then I might have the gumption and entrepreneur background to actually get my ideas going.

F* that!

If the Los Angeles Metro had ample funding, this is what an ideal rail system might look like. I've based this on current and proposed lines, along with historical data and other people's ideas. Maybe someday we can accomplish a few of these lines to make LA a better place.

I put up an earlier version over a year ago that was hard to read and understand. With the advent of Google's My Maps, I redid everything and made small changes.

Highlights:

• Sepulveda Line: heavy rail from the Valley to LAX.
• PCH Line: basically a Green Line extension on steroids.
• Silver Line: Venice to El Monte, via Hollywood and BH.

I might add another light rail line from LB to Pasadena covering the eastern county, or extending the Crenshaw Line to Glendale and beyond.

Update: Yeah, someone commented about a subway down Ventura, but it just seems to close to the Orange.... It is dense enough so maybe if I get bored at work I'll draft an EIS.

(You might have to scroll down in the link to Giant Cat Comes to LA.)

Man, I was blown away when I saw this. I knew there was a market and fortune to made by breeding and selling big cats. I knew it back in September. And recently a friend up in Portland said he saw someone with a 1st generation half-bobcat/half-domestic while jogging.

I bet next year I'll see a dog rental place.

Video link.

Classic

It's time for these people to stop playing the unnecessary race card and start working for a sensible future in LA. Metro needs to have better bus service and more rail!

What happens when ten buses get stuck in traffic on Wilshire? People suffer. What happens when a subway gets stuck in traffic under Wilshire? Oh wait... it can't....

Number crunch: rail vs bus (bottom of 1st page). Basically buses average 450 boardings per mile, but rail gets 3,700 boardings per mile. BIG difference, plus trains cost less to maintain.

Exposing the Expo: pros and cons (I guess there is some good that comes out of USC).

If something you get comes with guacomole automatically, and you say I don't want any guacomole, thanks you are an idiot.

My camera died before the concert, but this sums up how it was. Insanity.

After watching the masterful film, 300, it doesn't surprise me that many people have come out against it. Before we delve into that, I want to note how obviously cool it is to have a Spartan as a school mascot. What does surprise me is having a mascot based on another ancient Greek battle....

Tonight from 6:30pm to 8:30pm there will be an informational scoping meeting for Phase 2 of the Metro Expo Line. You can view plans, routing, and talk to officials in charge of the planning and construction of this much needed light rail.

Watch out for some local anti-rail NIMBYs from Cheviot Hills Homeowners Association who want to divert the preferred route from the Expo ROW. It would cost an additional $250 million, plus increased costs per year.

Light Rail for Cheviot is the sensible organization who don't use dirty tactics to trick residents.

Thursday, March 15, 2007: 6:30-8:30pm
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
3200 Motor Avenue, Gymnasium
Los Angeles, CA 90034

BREAKING NEWS

Something happened on the way to heaven... or in this case, retirement.

North American tour ends at the Hollywood Bowl.

Found that the updated Gold Line Eastside Extension project map has the Expo Line. Puts both lines into perspective.

Update 3.13.07: Expo Phase 2 project map is also online with both alignments (Exposition Blvd and Venice/Sepulveda).

Recently states are jumping on the bandwagon to pass laws limiting or banning talking on a cellphone while driving. Similarly sagacious people are considering banning the use of phones and music players while you cross the street in New York. Progressive? Totalitarian? Stupid?

Hardly.

These laws do not go far enough.

Oh and Happy Presidents' Day!

Thank you, Representative Waxman, for reversing the ban on building subways in Los Angeles. The Purple Line down Wilshire (incorrectly stated as Red Line in the article) can move forward.

Update: Forgetting my basic civics, this still has to be passed by the Senate and signed by the Commander-in-Chief. LA Times article.

It's pretty much already known, but let's just get it out in the open.

I love burritos. It's pretty much my favorite type of food. If necessary I can eat a burrito every day for the of my long life. In fact let's explore this heavenly possibility. Keep in mind that I am not including any local taquerias because then things would get out of hand fairly quickly.

Update: Can't believe I misspelled quiero....

"We see them on street corners and in our driveways," said resident Jeanne Litvin. "On Friday, a man at Alta Vista [Boulevard] and 1st Street had to sit in his car and wait for them to leave before he could get out."

Really? He really had to sit in his car and wait for the frail, skinny little coyotes to leave? Do you have anything between your legs?

They're coyotes, not grizzly bears or great white sharks. They are just bigger than house cats and have the same amount of bravery, which is more than that guy has.

I've recently been told by several individuals that I've slimmed down some, and I suppose it can be attributed to a new workout/food regimen I've developed over the past few months. Any person can loose weight and have fun if they follow the Joe Diet.

I've had this site up for almost a year and have managed to rack up some visitors. Based on the integrated web statistics, there have been the usual search queries, like Joe, JoeQuality, drunkolopy, LA Metro, etc. However there are a small number of completely absurd things people have searched for and managed to come to my site.

This wasn't from my camera, but it captures the essence of the moment.

Alice in Chains performed their very last show ever last Tuesday night at the Wiltern Theatre. Even though Jerry Cantrell is so skinny and old that I think I could beat him up, they put on an amazing show. The new/temporary lead singer had a great voice, but really didn't click well enough like Layne Staley. Of course you can't replace someone like that, so William DuVall deserves a lot of credit for touring with everyone.

(Once again, another crappy camera phone picture.)

It's a shame that such a worthy and forward-thinking concept would die in a progressive state like California. Prop 87 would have funded badly need research into alternative fuels by taxing oil producers, and not raising gas prices. I didn't think this would have a problem passing since even celebrities got involved, and we all know how morbidly obsessed everyone is about them. Somehow, though, the lies by corporate oil and their pack of fiendish lawyers prevailed.

It took years to get Japanese vehicles to produce a small number hybrid car models for the U.S. and even longer for American manufacturers (and they are mostly SUVs, so what's the point?). Now it'll be an even longer wait thanks to them.

You lie, cheat, and steal, KEVIN NIDA, RAY HOLDSWORTH, ALLAN ZAREMBERG, LARRY McCARTHY, DANIEL CUNNINGHAM, and MARIAN BERGESON.

A groundbreaking ceremony Friday will officially mark the start of construction on the Metro Exposition Line, a light rail system between downtown Los Angeles and Culver City.

Also, the board approved an extension of the Orange Line from Canoga Park to the Chatsworth Metrolink station. Now all is left is the Purple (Red) Line down Wilshire.

It has been a little over a year since I opened a simple online store to make a simple t-shirt design for myself, yet I have made over $300 ($90 in actual profit) plus my best-selling item is on the front page of the CafePress Marketplace.

Normally I don't brag or self-promote, but it's still the Summer of Joe. Click on to see proof....

This was my 7th time seeing Tool and it was, as usual, super fabulous and fierce.

Setlist:
Stinkfist (OTRM version)
The Pot
Forty Six & 2
Jambi
Schism (speed breakdown)
Rosetta Stoned
Intension (brief intro)
Right in Two
Wings for Marie
10,000 Days
Lateralus
~break~
Vicarious
Ænema

Updated 9/7 Errors fixed!

For some reason the International Incident Films and Photos sections are not working properly. The nation's top scientists and centaur-scientists are working closely to resolve this problem quickly so please be patient.

I need to watch things die from a good, safe distance; vicariously I live while the whole world dies....

Buy it May 2

Coachella April 30

(Clever title, isn't it?)

David Gilmour, guitarist and vocalist for Pink Floyd, played an exceptional showlast night at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Despite just turning sixty, Gilmour continues to wail away on the guitar, sax, banjo, and whatever other instrument he finds.

My fascination with rail/subway in LA grows each day, so I've managed to design a system that could open up the entire Greater Los Angeles Area. There is an explanation of the lines, showcasing existing, planned, and possible future expansion.

Also a new website will be unveiled in the coming weeks. It will be a drastic redesign and will make use of the new .NET 2.0 released a couple months ago. Along with this will be some more short films launching under a new name.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.