Pretext: One of the worst parts about my job is permissions. At the end of a project, we have all these pictures that the authors or editors borrowed from other books. More often than not, they're from books published by other publishers. So I get to call up said publishers and finagle a price to borrow some of their art for a new book. It's usually pretty painless, and I'm technically not publishing the book, which means it's not my obligation to pay them, but to pass that on to the publishers. But every so often, the publishers will lose one of those invoices. or the fall off a truck. three times in 6 months. and then I start getting interesting mail.
Conversation between me and a credit agency today:

Me: Hi, I get a notice you were after me today
Secretary: Yeah. you never paid the $60 usage fee from last May.
Me: See the thing here is that you don't want me, personally. You want the publisher of the book. I've been told three times that that'd get paid and I faxed them your invoice three times.
Secretary: That doesn't matter, sir. It's in your name.
Me: Listen. I am not the publisher. I don't handle those fees. What does the invoice say?
Secretary: Book publishing.
Me: and I am not the publisher. I can give you the number of the-
Secretary: Sir, you need to pay this.
Me: That's the thing, though. I don't. So I'd suggest calling the appropriate person at the massive international publishing house who is actually responsible for paying it. If you want paperwork proving that that this is in fact their responsibility I can provide it for you.
Secretary: That's not what we were told to do.
Me: Well, hold your breath, because I'll call them myself and get them to pay the people that hired you so that I can end this conversation.
Secretary: Why don't you just pay me right now and then have-
Me: You're not hearing me. I can't pay you.
Secretary (sardonically): $60?
Me: $60. The amount is not the issue. I refuse to pay you. You'll get notice that the account has been paid tomorrow.
Secretary: Sir, your personal credit is...
Secretary: Is Cotton your real name?
Me: Ummm....sure?
Secretary: Yes? You have to tell me.
Me: I'm pretty sure I don't. But that doesn't matter.
Secretary: So it is your real name?
Me: yeah, sure. So you'll get that paperwork soon.
Secretary: You're going to have to pay thi-
<*click>

It actually woulda been pretty funny if it hadn't already gotten to the stage where I was getting this phone call. Anyway, it was settled by the time I left the office this evening. Still, I took off and walked around listening to Orbital for an hour before coming back. It was worth it, because it was fucking gorgeous out. I can't believe the way his season is turning. You have like 3 weeks until I start bitching constantly about how hot it is outside.
So it looks like the Iraq timeline passed in the Senate. I'm still pretty surprised at how close it turned out. It really doesn't matter, though, because Bush will be vetoing it, right?

Did anyone see this crazy Army recruiter email scandal? WHAT THE FUCK!? So yeah, if you get a chance, drop a line to Sgt. Marcia Ramode here and thank her for being such an evil bitch.

Here's a set from RJD2 at the Beta Lounge in 2002. It's so fucking good it's a little scary. His new album is probably my least favorite thing he's done, but it's still being treated harshly. I'd probably like it more if someone else's name were attached to it. Anyway, Copywrite comes out a after a bit during that, making as much as a MHz set than his own, but I'm a fan of simplicity. Ask anyone.