It seems so right that a landmark post like number five-hundred would be about nothing much at all, and The Wire.
Here's an interview with David Simon where he talks about a few story arcs he left out of the last episode. I only point it out to note that Mr. Scobie said early in Season 4 that Cheese was probably Randy's father. I am glad that we were spared learning more about that.
Also, there's news floating out there that Joe Lieberman is going to pull a Zell Miller and speak at the Republican National Convention. Some say that this will help McCain with independents and moderates, who are looking to see if McCain can really "cross the aisle". I think the pundits and the Republicans have their heads up their butts if they think anyone gives a sh** what Lieberman has to say.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
499 - If I Can't Make It In Politics
I have an idea for a comedy sketch, and I don't want any of you stealing it and passing it off as your own.
Imagine the hills of Montana in the dawn light. A woman on a horse with a cigarette in her mouth and a Golden Retriever at the feet of the horse is gazing into the distance in the mid-ground of the shot. The title appears: "The Whisperer Whisperer". The woman rides her horse back to her ranch, where a pick-up truck is pulling up and stops quickly. A short man jumps out; he's followed by a German Shepherd, who abruptly falls to the ground in a slouch.
Man: "I've lost it! (sobs) He won't listen to me. He just goes slack. No sitting, no fetching, no rolling over. We have to shoot a special on training police dogs in an hour and he won't even sniff a lady dog!"
The woman dismounts, puts her hand on the man's shoulder, and leans toward him. She says something inaudible in his ear, and the man's head drops. He nods. He puts his hand on hers, says, "Thank you, Caitlin." A tear drops from his eye. He wipes it away, snaps his finger at the door, growls something in German. The dog sits up, cocks his head and jumps in the truck. The man follows without saying goodbye, and you see them drive off with the dog sitting proudly in the front seat looking at the window.
The woman shakes her head. She throws her reins over the saddle, but before she can lead the horse into the barn, Robert Redford drives up. He unleashes a tirade about the Sundance Festival, sell-outs, bad botox. The woman looks confused, then nods. She looks off toward the mountains, and gives Redford a cigarette. He calms, and waits. She leans into his car, puts her finger under his chin, looks in his eyes, and says, "You know what needs to be done". Redford squints, and says, "Yeah, I do." With a deep inhale, he thanks her and goes.
Credits rolls and then "Next on: The Whisperer Whisperer"
Cut to her sitting on her porch, when a man in a lab coat drives up. It's the Baby Whisperer. They'd had a falling out years ago; she can't believe he's come back. He strides over and hands her a medical file as though he came all the time. She brushes away his pride with a glance. He drops his head. She thumbs through the folder and says, "This is no different from the kid back in 1991. You got through that; you'll get through this without me."
"No I can't," the doctor says, "this one is, well . . . It's his parents. They're beyond me." She nods, lights a cigarette.
"Consider this," she says, leaning forward in her seat towards him. They put their heads together and the man nods slowly several times. Fade out.
Imagine the hills of Montana in the dawn light. A woman on a horse with a cigarette in her mouth and a Golden Retriever at the feet of the horse is gazing into the distance in the mid-ground of the shot. The title appears: "The Whisperer Whisperer". The woman rides her horse back to her ranch, where a pick-up truck is pulling up and stops quickly. A short man jumps out; he's followed by a German Shepherd, who abruptly falls to the ground in a slouch.
Man: "I've lost it! (sobs) He won't listen to me. He just goes slack. No sitting, no fetching, no rolling over. We have to shoot a special on training police dogs in an hour and he won't even sniff a lady dog!"
The woman dismounts, puts her hand on the man's shoulder, and leans toward him. She says something inaudible in his ear, and the man's head drops. He nods. He puts his hand on hers, says, "Thank you, Caitlin." A tear drops from his eye. He wipes it away, snaps his finger at the door, growls something in German. The dog sits up, cocks his head and jumps in the truck. The man follows without saying goodbye, and you see them drive off with the dog sitting proudly in the front seat looking at the window.
The woman shakes her head. She throws her reins over the saddle, but before she can lead the horse into the barn, Robert Redford drives up. He unleashes a tirade about the Sundance Festival, sell-outs, bad botox. The woman looks confused, then nods. She looks off toward the mountains, and gives Redford a cigarette. He calms, and waits. She leans into his car, puts her finger under his chin, looks in his eyes, and says, "You know what needs to be done". Redford squints, and says, "Yeah, I do." With a deep inhale, he thanks her and goes.
Credits rolls and then "Next on: The Whisperer Whisperer"
Cut to her sitting on her porch, when a man in a lab coat drives up. It's the Baby Whisperer. They'd had a falling out years ago; she can't believe he's come back. He strides over and hands her a medical file as though he came all the time. She brushes away his pride with a glance. He drops his head. She thumbs through the folder and says, "This is no different from the kid back in 1991. You got through that; you'll get through this without me."
"No I can't," the doctor says, "this one is, well . . . It's his parents. They're beyond me." She nods, lights a cigarette.
"Consider this," she says, leaning forward in her seat towards him. They put their heads together and the man nods slowly several times. Fade out.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Post 498 - Wierd Politics Edition
Here are some wierd things that have happened as a result of getting involved directly in politics:
1. I was friended on Facebook by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who seems to actually update her own profile on a fairly regular basis. I think its probably her because there's a lot of stuff about her gardening hobby, and also her thoughts on new voter registration forms.
2. My efforts to use the hometown, labor-friendly bank for my campaign account are making me long for the pleasures of impersonal online banking with a multinational corporation. It takes so damn long to do everything when there is (1) only one branch, (2) no ATMs, (3) no debit cards and (4) an online interface that only offers your balance. I actually had to get my online password by emailing a woman named Lori. Its killing me over here.
3. I've learned that everything is political. And that you can't be thin-skinned or else you will die of the paranoia.
1. I was friended on Facebook by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who seems to actually update her own profile on a fairly regular basis. I think its probably her because there's a lot of stuff about her gardening hobby, and also her thoughts on new voter registration forms.
2. My efforts to use the hometown, labor-friendly bank for my campaign account are making me long for the pleasures of impersonal online banking with a multinational corporation. It takes so damn long to do everything when there is (1) only one branch, (2) no ATMs, (3) no debit cards and (4) an online interface that only offers your balance. I actually had to get my online password by emailing a woman named Lori. Its killing me over here.
3. I've learned that everything is political. And that you can't be thin-skinned or else you will die of the paranoia.
Countdown (up?) to 500
This is my 497th blog post. I have a couple of things to write about, and I was tempted to do one post per thought to hit 5 hondo today, but I think it should come more naturally than that.
Hunter has a good essay at DailyKos about the stoopid media coverage of the Campaign for First Buddy. You may recall that I ranted many months ago about how annoying I found Clinton's push to become the Girlfriend in Chief. Obviously, she went with Grizzled Political Combat Veteran instead, but it ain't working out so well. I wonder what could have been, if she'd just gone shoe shopping with every woman in America instead . . .
Does anyone know if there is any danger to being addicted to milk? Because both of my kids are each drinking a ton of milk these days. At all hours, they wake to yell "milk!" or "baa-baa!", depending on their linguistic skill level. I fear that calcium tablets will form in their stomachs, obstructing the way for food.
I am so busy that I can't really even get anything done. That may bode well for the blog. We'll see.
Hunter has a good essay at DailyKos about the stoopid media coverage of the Campaign for First Buddy. You may recall that I ranted many months ago about how annoying I found Clinton's push to become the Girlfriend in Chief. Obviously, she went with Grizzled Political Combat Veteran instead, but it ain't working out so well. I wonder what could have been, if she'd just gone shoe shopping with every woman in America instead . . .
Does anyone know if there is any danger to being addicted to milk? Because both of my kids are each drinking a ton of milk these days. At all hours, they wake to yell "milk!" or "baa-baa!", depending on their linguistic skill level. I fear that calcium tablets will form in their stomachs, obstructing the way for food.
I am so busy that I can't really even get anything done. That may bode well for the blog. We'll see.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Drinking the Kool-Aid
Today was the day when Democrats could elect delegates to the Democratic National Convention. I was on the ballot in the 9th Congressional District (Barbara Lee Speaks for Me!) along with 100 other people, for 4 delegate spots and 1 alternate spot. The odds are not good that I won. Still, it was a really fun and inspiring time. The caucus was held at a black church at 39th and Telegraph (Hillary's was held at Mills College), and there were literally thousands of people there to vote. The line snaked through the church parking lot and down the street for a block for over an hour. I don't even know how many people left because they were overwhelmed by the turnout. But the people who stayed were in a great mood, just talking and being hot and sweaty. Most people were willing to listen to my campaign spiel, even if it was in a daze of dehydration and am I really just standing on Telegraph Ave for 2 hours?
The inspirational part was the diversity of the crowd. Not token-ish diversity, but real diversity. Young and old, Black, white, Asian, men, women, gays and lesbians holding hands. Kids (mostly mine) running around. A woman showed me a new way to tie Qu's shoes. A man fell over and 8 people rushed to help. People weren't even jostling each other or pissed if people cut the line. There was plenty of room and a sense of "we'll get there eventually" that kept people sane. Very cool. NBC11 has this video of the crowd.
Obviously if I win I will be crowing about it here, but I'm not holding my breath. Still I am glad I participated. Although I really don't know what to do with this overabundance of warm fuzzy uncynicism.
The inspirational part was the diversity of the crowd. Not token-ish diversity, but real diversity. Young and old, Black, white, Asian, men, women, gays and lesbians holding hands. Kids (mostly mine) running around. A woman showed me a new way to tie Qu's shoes. A man fell over and 8 people rushed to help. People weren't even jostling each other or pissed if people cut the line. There was plenty of room and a sense of "we'll get there eventually" that kept people sane. Very cool. NBC11 has this video of the crowd.
Obviously if I win I will be crowing about it here, but I'm not holding my breath. Still I am glad I participated. Although I really don't know what to do with this overabundance of warm fuzzy uncynicism.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Lucky Me
Do you ever hope to see someone famous?
And then, you know how sometimes you are in the grocery store or in line at the ATM and you see someone who is so ugly and dressed like such a mess it could only be Donatella Versace? Well, that happened to me today.
Only since I was in Lucky's in Alameda, I strongly suspect it wasn't really her, sadly.
And then, you know how sometimes you are in the grocery store or in line at the ATM and you see someone who is so ugly and dressed like such a mess it could only be Donatella Versace? Well, that happened to me today.
Only since I was in Lucky's in Alameda, I strongly suspect it wasn't really her, sadly.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Congratulations
My sister won the St. Scobie’s Mock Brackets Tournament, beating out a Zag grad AND a Duke grad. I think maybe *certain* people let their emotional feelings usurp their better judgment during the tourney pick process. Oh, well, that just means those of us who don’t give a rat’s ass do a lot better. On the other hand, another contender appears to pick the lower ranking team every single time. This equally emotional calculus (her love of the underdog) also serves the Laiacona sisters well. Better luck next year, suckas!
Monday, April 07, 2008
For Your Reading Pleasure
I Dream of Barack
Which reminds me. I once had a dream that I was having a dinner party, and JFB was there, and I brought out an old 7-inch I had of his hardcore band playing Happy Birthday b/w a spoken word piece by Obama. He got mad that I showed it to everyone at the party and we all laughed and laughed.
Which reminds me. I once had a dream that I was having a dinner party, and JFB was there, and I brought out an old 7-inch I had of his hardcore band playing Happy Birthday b/w a spoken word piece by Obama. He got mad that I showed it to everyone at the party and we all laughed and laughed.
The Last Straw
Hey hey! My girl K was the straw that broke the camel's (well, Mark Penn's) back. Her tip to Sneed finally opened Hillary's eyes to what a liability the pollster really is. Forget Colombia! Try the beef brisket po' boy. . .and some Old Spice, Mark. For those of you who don't want to jump the link:
Poison Penn?Hill swill: Embattled Dem presidential contender Hillary Clinton's political strategist, Mark Penn, was spotted eating lunch alone Thursday at the original Heaven on Seven eatery.
• • The stats: Penn reportedly sat in a corner "eating what looked to be a beef brisket Po' boy, guzzling coffee and reading a disheveled Sun-Times," said a Sneed source. "And sweating," added the source. Hey, elections are the ultimate workout.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
What We Did
Ten days may be a wee too long to spend in Williamsburg Virginia when you don't intend to pay to take the full-blown Colonial Tour. The kids had a great time, and it was nice to spend time with my family. It was basically the Tour of Lesser Attractions. The "pirate ships" at the Jamestown Settlement, the Living Museum, the Portsmouth Children's Museum, the Hampton Naval Museum (free!), the USS Wisconsin (also free!), Prime Outlets coming out the wazoo and the various municipal parks of James City County. All of them deserve a B+ for fun. The highlight for me was the "adventure" Liam and I had "exploring" the swamp behind my mom's house. Freshwater clams and rotted stills abound.
The only attraction I am sorry we missed is the much-hated Presidents' Park. Much-hated by the residents of Billsburg, is what I mean. I am sure hipsters and ironic-iphiliacs will love the place. This dude thought the world needed gigantic busts of all the presidents but the good citizens of Williamsburg most assuredly disagree. Its the sort of thing you just don't do. Colonial Williamsburg (tm) sued the guy to stop him, but he shrewedly built on county land, so they can't touch him. I love when cases get resolved on jurisdictional grounds.
What Did I Missed While I Was Away?
The preliminary answer to that question is, not much. Our block did have its first Neighborhood Watch meeting while I was away, but I am not sure I would have attended that if I was here. The post-meeting email to the rest of the block did contain this advice, in the context of areas of concern:
Here on Thomas Avenue, there don't appear to be any meth labs (knock wood), and the houses are literally less than 10 feet apart, and there are lots of them. It seems to me gas siphoning takes more than a few seconds, and requires some dubious, not to mention obvious, acrobatics to get it done. I promise that if I see anyone with a funnel and tubing and their car backed up to another, I will call the police. Til then, I am seriously not going to worry about this problem.
This reminds me of a joke that I knew when I was young. I left one part blank because I have heard at least three iterations of the joke, referring to different ethnicities.
Did you hear about the _______ who tried to blow up a car? He burned his lips on the tail pipe.
Funny stuff.
Gas. I would also expect an increase in people siphoning gasoline from our cars as the price of fuel continually rises.Really? I was skeptical, so I did a Google News search on this topic. It does appear to be a problem in York County, SC. How about here in CA? So far, its just a problem in Modesto. But Mo' is like the meth capital of the Central Valley, so it probably has some industrial use and isn't actually a widespread problem.
Here on Thomas Avenue, there don't appear to be any meth labs (knock wood), and the houses are literally less than 10 feet apart, and there are lots of them. It seems to me gas siphoning takes more than a few seconds, and requires some dubious, not to mention obvious, acrobatics to get it done. I promise that if I see anyone with a funnel and tubing and their car backed up to another, I will call the police. Til then, I am seriously not going to worry about this problem.
This reminds me of a joke that I knew when I was young. I left one part blank because I have heard at least three iterations of the joke, referring to different ethnicities.
Did you hear about the _______ who tried to blow up a car? He burned his lips on the tail pipe.
Funny stuff.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Finally, Some Information
Blogging from the 'berry, so no links. Plus, i am in VA so barely any source material or inclination to sit at a computer. But the big news is that my slate has its site up. www.grassrootsprogressives.org. Content is forthcoming, as are the fundraising appeals.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
(Shaking My Head)
Today's Stuff White People Like concerns San Francisco. So accurate that I can't really even laugh.
Where have I been, you wonder? Most recently, like all weekend, we've been easter egg hunting. L had so much sugar this morning that at one point he clutched his heart and said it hurt. It was pounding terrible hard. Now that The Big Case has wound down, B is El Futzo, and so new plants have been planted, lists have been made, skis have been loaded into the car, and the guys are off for the mountains. And by guys, I mean B and L. Qu and I are going to stay close to home, maybe go out to dinner tonight alone.
Aside from work, I am actually ramping up on this wierd campaign I'm on. Once we (my slate) get our website up, I will blog more about it, but for now, its all too ephemeral to even talk about.
Where have I been, you wonder? Most recently, like all weekend, we've been easter egg hunting. L had so much sugar this morning that at one point he clutched his heart and said it hurt. It was pounding terrible hard. Now that The Big Case has wound down, B is El Futzo, and so new plants have been planted, lists have been made, skis have been loaded into the car, and the guys are off for the mountains. And by guys, I mean B and L. Qu and I are going to stay close to home, maybe go out to dinner tonight alone.
Aside from work, I am actually ramping up on this wierd campaign I'm on. Once we (my slate) get our website up, I will blog more about it, but for now, its all too ephemeral to even talk about.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Grossed Out
There's an "ad" on NPR promoting a movie that "proves that the love between a mother and son knows no bounds." (a) that's gross; there are bounds to that love, I hope. (b) how could a movie "prove" that?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Live Blogging From The Deep South
I am here in Oxford with Mr. Scobs, and let me just say, the South is a lot prettier in my memories.
And that's all I am going to say for now.
And that's all I am going to say for now.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
St. Scobie's Mock Brackets
It's that time of the year again! No, not the Leprechaun Hunt. That's illegal now. It's brackets time. And I don't mean Wire brackets. College basketball brackets. I even invited EOH so he can scorn this process in another forum. And yes, I agree, it's terrible and exploitative. But it kills some time. To join, click HERE.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Silence That Speaks Volumes
Maybe I just haven't been playing close enough attention (but that's unlikely, since I am obsessed), but there has been one Hillary Clinton "surrogate" who has been remarkably quiet about the Senator's foreign policy experience, and that's Bill Clinton. Since she allegedly garnered all this expertise as the First Lady, don't you think Bill would be the person in the best position to describe the responsibilities he gave her, and the trust he put in her counsel on foreign policy matters? But we haven't heard a word from him, and it isn't just because he's being kept under lock and key.
The pundits are all saying that the Spitzer "situation" shines a harsh light on the skeletons in Bill's closet, but it made me think one other thing. If Hill was hanging out in the Oval Office all the time acting as co-President, wouldn't she have noticed Monica Lewinsky skulking around? Yeah, I don't think so either.
The pundits are all saying that the Spitzer "situation" shines a harsh light on the skeletons in Bill's closet, but it made me think one other thing. If Hill was hanging out in the Oval Office all the time acting as co-President, wouldn't she have noticed Monica Lewinsky skulking around? Yeah, I don't think so either.
Bill Bradley - Wire fan
Clearly, Bill Bradley is a fan of The Wire. From Political Wire:
"The bigger the lie, the better the chance they think they’ve got. That’s been their whole approach."-- Former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ), quoted by the Times of London, on Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
"The bigger the lie, the better the chance they think they’ve got. That’s been their whole approach."-- Former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ), quoted by the Times of London, on Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
I Direct Your Attention
The first letter in the Science Times is written by the indefatiguable Nelson Marans, God bless him.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Some Changes
No one commented on the name changes. I tried to shake it up, but alas, no one cared. It's just St. Scobie's to you.
I added FreeRice in the Links. Addictive for nerdy do-gooders, I promise.
And some changes to contemplate: I made it onto the June 3 ballot to run for Democratic Party Central Committee. Will my political career spell the end of my freewheeling blogging? Will you have to attend committee meetings at the Fremont Library the first Wednesday night of every month to hear my bon mots and droll criticisms? I just don't know. I think it probably depends on if I win. If you live in or near my county, expect to receive an email soon asking for support of the Vote For Me type.
I added FreeRice in the Links. Addictive for nerdy do-gooders, I promise.
And some changes to contemplate: I made it onto the June 3 ballot to run for Democratic Party Central Committee. Will my political career spell the end of my freewheeling blogging? Will you have to attend committee meetings at the Fremont Library the first Wednesday night of every month to hear my bon mots and droll criticisms? I just don't know. I think it probably depends on if I win. If you live in or near my county, expect to receive an email soon asking for support of the Vote For Me type.
The Wire Finale
In deference to T&A, there are spoilers in this post. So don't read it if you are worried you might learn something you don't want to know.
I must say, last night's episode of The Wire, an hour-an-a-half series finale, was so great, so satisfying, so happy-making, that its hard to even feel sad about the end of the series.
But before I get into it, I want to revisit my predictions:
1. Michael will kill Omar. I didn't get it right, but I didn't get it wrong either ("This is based on the fact that Omar saw Michael having a meeting with Marlo in that dingy courtyard last season. 'Just a kid,' he says.").
2. Cheese may turn on Prop Joe (with a little help from Marlo). Uhh, ya think?
3. Daniels will get caught up in a police corruption scandal that impedes his rise to the top. Check.
4. The "Rawls is gay" storyline may not go anywhere. I wish I had been more forceful with this prediction. So that's what, 3-1?
5. A cop will get killed. Can't win 'em all.
6. Clay Davis will not avoid indictment but he will take down everyone he can with him (see #3 above, and possibly prove me wrong on #4). Or maybe he will cop to some little thing, and be out in 4 months to become the top-rated radio host in Baltimore, ala Ed Norris. I am not sure which way this one cuts. Davis did not avoid indictment but he didn't get convicted either. Half a point?
7. I think we are going to see Kima's old woman Cheryl back again.
In all, I went 3.5-3. Not great.
As for the rest of y'all, I am waiting for your Wire brackets, so I can tally the first round winners.
As for the show itself, I am just tickled that it accomplished everything it set out to do, and came full circle on all the best (and worst) characters in the show. Simon did not let the shortened format of 10 shows put a crimp in his love letter to Baltimore, with his beautiful shots of the city itself, and its residents. He took every minute he had and stretched it out to say something without hitting us with it over his head. A little bit of the show rang false (Dukie's descent seemed a little too fast, especially for a child of addicts) but only a very little. I bet Bubs sitting down for dinner at this sister's table was a shot that lasted less then 3 seconds, but it means the whole world.
I must say, last night's episode of The Wire, an hour-an-a-half series finale, was so great, so satisfying, so happy-making, that its hard to even feel sad about the end of the series.
But before I get into it, I want to revisit my predictions:
1. Michael will kill Omar. I didn't get it right, but I didn't get it wrong either ("This is based on the fact that Omar saw Michael having a meeting with Marlo in that dingy courtyard last season. 'Just a kid,' he says.").
2. Cheese may turn on Prop Joe (with a little help from Marlo). Uhh, ya think?
3. Daniels will get caught up in a police corruption scandal that impedes his rise to the top. Check.
4. The "Rawls is gay" storyline may not go anywhere. I wish I had been more forceful with this prediction. So that's what, 3-1?
5. A cop will get killed. Can't win 'em all.
6. Clay Davis will not avoid indictment but he will take down everyone he can with him (see #3 above, and possibly prove me wrong on #4). Or maybe he will cop to some little thing, and be out in 4 months to become the top-rated radio host in Baltimore, ala Ed Norris. I am not sure which way this one cuts. Davis did not avoid indictment but he didn't get convicted either. Half a point?
7. I think we are going to see Kima's old woman Cheryl back again.
In all, I went 3.5-3. Not great.
As for the rest of y'all, I am waiting for your Wire brackets, so I can tally the first round winners.
As for the show itself, I am just tickled that it accomplished everything it set out to do, and came full circle on all the best (and worst) characters in the show. Simon did not let the shortened format of 10 shows put a crimp in his love letter to Baltimore, with his beautiful shots of the city itself, and its residents. He took every minute he had and stretched it out to say something without hitting us with it over his head. A little bit of the show rang false (Dukie's descent seemed a little too fast, especially for a child of addicts) but only a very little. I bet Bubs sitting down for dinner at this sister's table was a shot that lasted less then 3 seconds, but it means the whole world.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
My Big City Cousins
Cousin Kate, Bubs-spotter, Bubs-almost-hitter*, saw the actor who plays Chris Partlow in Brooklyn today. It just ain't fair.
And the reason Kate's in B'lyn is because Cousin Jed is rockin' the Whitney with his bad self. The New York Times has a video about the Biennial and Jed's piece can be seen in the video. Kate describes his piece as "A white panel sculpture that covers a wall and a large multi-colored block."
A better place to see the artwork is probably at the Whitney itself. But I can't carry you there myself....
*I think she almost hit him with her car in a parking lot at his favorite restaurant in LA or something.
And the reason Kate's in B'lyn is because Cousin Jed is rockin' the Whitney with his bad self. The New York Times has a video about the Biennial and Jed's piece can be seen in the video. Kate describes his piece as "A white panel sculpture that covers a wall and a large multi-colored block."
A better place to see the artwork is probably at the Whitney itself. But I can't carry you there myself....
*I think she almost hit him with her car in a parking lot at his favorite restaurant in LA or something.
I Just Can't Do It
K. challenged me to listen to Alex Beinstein's interview of Phil Singer, in its entirety, and I have to admit, I just can't to do it. It isn't physically possible. I was listening for the first 9 minutes, and then like a ghost, like a phantom limb, my hand floated to the keyboard and clicked on a link to another page. *DRAT* I thought. I meant to listen to that.
Anyone out there want to take the K Challenge? Here's the interview.
Anyone out there want to take the K Challenge? Here's the interview.
Why the NLRB Should Be Abolished
In case you doubt that being a union lawyer has been an almost totally futile exercise during the Bush administration, I thought I would share this story with you. An employee is talking to her co-workers during their lunch break in the hospital cafeteria about her support for the union. A manager tells her to leave, as she cannot be on the hospital premises on her day off. The worker refuses to leave, and security is called. The security officer arrives with a German Shepherd by his side and orders her to leave. The union filed a charge against the Employer for threatening, intimidating and harassing the worker for engaging in union activities. The NLRB dismisses the charge:
The Region has authorized dismissal, absent withdrawal on this allegation. The investigation failed to reveal that the guard made any threats (or statements for that matter) to the employee. There is no evidence that the dog made any motion or threatening gesture toward the employee. Finally, there is no evidence supporting a Section 8(a)(3) violation.That's the way it works these days. The only advice we can give is, next time, put your hand in the dog's mouth so it bites you. Now excuse me, I need to return to banging my head on the table, since this brief respite to blog has permitted the blood on my forehead to clot.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
That Sense of Entitlement
Otherwise, Hillary, please get over this idea that you are entitled to this nomination. You aren’t. And you are annoying those of us who really want to not hate you after all this is over.
The Wire Brackets
Allright. I have done a full 64 scene tournament bracket for The Wire. No joke. But I can't figure out how to post it. So. Anyone how wants a copy, I will email it to you, just shoot me a request. If you need my email address, post a comment to let me know. Remember this was wholly subjective, generated by me and B at breakfast the other morning. Enjoy.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Allright, This Is It For the Night
I still have two topics left to blog about. Then my brain will be empty. (emptier?)
Although Clinton was knocked off balance by Obama's message of hope, I think the response by young people to that message is a product of 9/11. I know that for some people, a terrorist attack on American soil sowed fear (of attack) and loathing (of Muslims). But for many people, there was an upswell of desire to help, to be a part of something bigger. This resulted in greater enlistment in the armed services, tons and tons of donations of goods to WTC "survivors" (never used), and hundreds of articles about people "taking time off", "reevaluating their lives", a "mini post-9/11 baby boom." Blah blah blah, etc etc. But by and large, our country did nothing to capitalize on all this good will. Rather than make calls for sacrifice, Bush passed tax cuts, and sent young men and women into a totally futile war. Bush has tried to force a new Cold War down our throats, but it rings false for all of us who wanted something positive to come out of that disaster. Clinton thought we all wanted protection from the bogeymen created by Bush but a lot of people were tired of that. Obama offers a call to public service and civic change that young people were waiting for since before many of them could vote.
So why, then, did he fare so badly in OH and TX? Well, he didn't fare so badly. Recall, he was down 20 points just a few weeks ago. I am not going to argue that if he just had another week, he could have run away with this. I think that because this primary season has been so long, and the economy is so shitty, that the hope message didn't reach far enough. Obama needs a message of hope on the economy. I trust he will get his sea legs on this and improve the message.
That said, he's still winning.
On to the last topic, and this one is BD's idea. A Wire brackets. The brackets are The Street, The Police, The Hall, and The Port/The Schools/The Press. The only way it works is to combine those last three. I will rank 16 scenes from each bracket and then y'all can vote on the best. I can also vote on the best, but my vote might have slightly greater weight. I'm just sayin'. That's coming up tomorrow.
Oh, and I agree with Seamus.
Although Clinton was knocked off balance by Obama's message of hope, I think the response by young people to that message is a product of 9/11. I know that for some people, a terrorist attack on American soil sowed fear (of attack) and loathing (of Muslims). But for many people, there was an upswell of desire to help, to be a part of something bigger. This resulted in greater enlistment in the armed services, tons and tons of donations of goods to WTC "survivors" (never used), and hundreds of articles about people "taking time off", "reevaluating their lives", a "mini post-9/11 baby boom." Blah blah blah, etc etc. But by and large, our country did nothing to capitalize on all this good will. Rather than make calls for sacrifice, Bush passed tax cuts, and sent young men and women into a totally futile war. Bush has tried to force a new Cold War down our throats, but it rings false for all of us who wanted something positive to come out of that disaster. Clinton thought we all wanted protection from the bogeymen created by Bush but a lot of people were tired of that. Obama offers a call to public service and civic change that young people were waiting for since before many of them could vote.
So why, then, did he fare so badly in OH and TX? Well, he didn't fare so badly. Recall, he was down 20 points just a few weeks ago. I am not going to argue that if he just had another week, he could have run away with this. I think that because this primary season has been so long, and the economy is so shitty, that the hope message didn't reach far enough. Obama needs a message of hope on the economy. I trust he will get his sea legs on this and improve the message.
That said, he's still winning.
On to the last topic, and this one is BD's idea. A Wire brackets. The brackets are The Street, The Police, The Hall, and The Port/The Schools/The Press. The only way it works is to combine those last three. I will rank 16 scenes from each bracket and then y'all can vote on the best. I can also vote on the best, but my vote might have slightly greater weight. I'm just sayin'. That's coming up tomorrow.
Oh, and I agree with Seamus.
Okay, I'm Back
I did, in fact, just go donate to Obama. I hope that the headlines tomorrow are
A girl can dream.
Obama Wins VT, TX Caucus
Clinton Wins RI, OH
Obama Raised $60 Mil in February
52 Super-Delegates Endorse Obama
Overnight Donations to Obama Skyrocket
Clinton Wins RI, OH
Obama Raised $60 Mil in February
52 Super-Delegates Endorse Obama
Overnight Donations to Obama Skyrocket
A girl can dream.
Wrap-Up
My internets are working again. In brief:
1. The campaign for Central Committee is off to a slow but successful start. I need a couple more signatures to get on the ballot. The problem has been that half of all the people I know are either Decline to State or Green Party, neither of which can sign my petition. So if you are a Democrat in Albany, Berkeley, North Oakland, Richmond or anywhere else in California's 14th Assembly District, give me a shout!
2. I forgot to mention that St. Scobie's has gotten me entangled in a bit of legal, well, litigation. It involves Dentist-gate. If you are wondering if HIPAA offers any privacy protection, guess again. My blog post was discovered by The Dentists, and, in discovery, my identity was discerned. Thusly, I was contacted. Sheesh. Mr. Scobie all but said I told you so. But he never explicitly warned me that blogging would ensnarl me in the litigation of others, so he couldn't credibly say that. I would love to know how many billable hours were spent in the discovery of my identity, when all I could do was confirm the truth of the blog post.
3. Ugh. Hillary was just called by CNN as the winner in TX. I was really hoping this election cycle would wind up tonight. I am going to go donate some more $ to Obama right now.
1. The campaign for Central Committee is off to a slow but successful start. I need a couple more signatures to get on the ballot. The problem has been that half of all the people I know are either Decline to State or Green Party, neither of which can sign my petition. So if you are a Democrat in Albany, Berkeley, North Oakland, Richmond or anywhere else in California's 14th Assembly District, give me a shout!
2. I forgot to mention that St. Scobie's has gotten me entangled in a bit of legal, well, litigation. It involves Dentist-gate. If you are wondering if HIPAA offers any privacy protection, guess again. My blog post was discovered by The Dentists, and, in discovery, my identity was discerned. Thusly, I was contacted. Sheesh. Mr. Scobie all but said I told you so. But he never explicitly warned me that blogging would ensnarl me in the litigation of others, so he couldn't credibly say that. I would love to know how many billable hours were spent in the discovery of my identity, when all I could do was confirm the truth of the blog post.
3. Ugh. Hillary was just called by CNN as the winner in TX. I was really hoping this election cycle would wind up tonight. I am going to go donate some more $ to Obama right now.
More Downloading From My Brain
First of all, my sister is hilarious.
Continuing along on with my To Blog list, me and the mister had dinner the other night with his judge and some other former clerks. Way more fun than I expected, because the judge was more laidback and funny than I remembered he was. But while he was in SF, it seems that former Chicago Alderman Dorothy Tillman, the Imelda Marcos of Hats, was mixing shit up in Montgomery. Ms. Tillman did not dust off her Manual for Black Ladies in The South before she went to visit her aunt, I guess. I am also curious about how the hell she got a flight from Montgomery to Chicago after the scuffle. My recollection is that you can't get there from here. (or from there, rather). At least not directly.
Not much other M-gummery news. Bobby Bright is running as a Democrat for the House seat there. It was a toss-up whether he's run as a Dem or Republican (common in AL) but it shows where he thinks the coattails will be to ride into Congress.
Continuing along on with my To Blog list, me and the mister had dinner the other night with his judge and some other former clerks. Way more fun than I expected, because the judge was more laidback and funny than I remembered he was. But while he was in SF, it seems that former Chicago Alderman Dorothy Tillman, the Imelda Marcos of Hats, was mixing shit up in Montgomery. Ms. Tillman did not dust off her Manual for Black Ladies in The South before she went to visit her aunt, I guess. I am also curious about how the hell she got a flight from Montgomery to Chicago after the scuffle. My recollection is that you can't get there from here. (or from there, rather). At least not directly.
Not much other M-gummery news. Bobby Bright is running as a Democrat for the House seat there. It was a toss-up whether he's run as a Dem or Republican (common in AL) but it shows where he thinks the coattails will be to ride into Congress.
A Taste
Because of Routergate, I will do a teeny bit of blogging from work today. For my co-worker readers, let's all pretend I am taking my lunch break early here. Not that she cares. Anyway, rather than write about Margaret B. Jones (nee Margaret Seltzer) myself, I think I will let Undercover Black Man occupy the field of criticism on this one. I will add this one thought, however: When I heard that her sister turned her in, I thought of Ted and David Kaczinski. I really hope my sister never does any wacko, high profile weird thing that causes me to narc on her. But I don't doubt she has the nerve to call it in on me. Which is a good thing. So, sister, I promise not to fake my memoir, or bomb anyone, or whatever, so you don't need to bring in the Feds, or my publisher, or the New York Times, or Mom, or whoever.
Monday, March 03, 2008
What You Have To Look Forward To
Once I get a new router (tomorrow, I hope), I should be able to blog again. Here are some topics I may or may not get to:
1. The idiot whose white-girl memoirs of her upbringing on the mean streets of South Central are a total fiction. Kudos to the sister who ratted her out, and a hot poker in the belly button to the NYT reporter whose puff piece on Thursday actually passed muster. Hasn't the Paper of Record learned anything from Jayson Blair?
2. The Wire brackets - that's right. The 64 best scenes compete for best scene overall. Submit your nominees here.
3. My thoughts on how Obama is the product of 9/11.
4. An update on the campaign.
5. News from Montgomery.
There's more to come. Take it easy til then, but at least take it.
1. The idiot whose white-girl memoirs of her upbringing on the mean streets of South Central are a total fiction. Kudos to the sister who ratted her out, and a hot poker in the belly button to the NYT reporter whose puff piece on Thursday actually passed muster. Hasn't the Paper of Record learned anything from Jayson Blair?
2. The Wire brackets - that's right. The 64 best scenes compete for best scene overall. Submit your nominees here.
3. My thoughts on how Obama is the product of 9/11.
4. An update on the campaign.
5. News from Montgomery.
There's more to come. Take it easy til then, but at least take it.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
hmmmm
Tonight, the kids were watching Bambi, and I was wondering how L would handle the death of Bambi's mom. After asking several times, "will she come alive again?", he decided that the solution was, " Bambi just needs to find a new mommy." I felt something slightly less than appreciated.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Frustrated
I've actually had a few blog posts stored in my brain the past few days, but I am busy at work and our router is broken at home. I've got to do something about that, so if one of you princes of technology can recommend the most reliable router, I would appreciate it. This blog post is being composed on my Q (a Motorola product, not my son). thus, no links.
In other news, I have filed my Declaration of Candidacy to run for the Democratic Party Central Committee for the 14th Assembly District. What's that? I am not completely sure, but if Loni Hancock is your rep, I sure could use your sig on my nominating papers. Here's what motivated me to undertake this campaign:
1. I am truly bored at work, and since I am not poised for a career change at the moment, I thought I'd throw myself into politics beyond reading political blogs obsessively.
2. Obama has, for the moment, convinced me that Tracy Flick and Clay Davis are not the only two kinds of politicians that can exist in this world. I think, maybe in the haze of the Kool-Aid, that I can participate in the process without betraying what I hope is my basically decent humanity. I trust all of you will call me to task if I go off track.
3. I am curious about it.
4. I need a challenge.
All right, my thumbs hurt.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Where We Are
I present this link without comment. The rest of us are home, hanging with Grandma. Its very cool, everyone is happy. I haven't been blogging because I can't think of anything to say that other people aren't saying, or that isn't total schadenfreude.
UPDATE: Oh, and I like this: Pardon my enthusiasm.
UPDATE: Oh, and I like this: Pardon my enthusiasm.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
"Daytona 500 is this weekend"
Guess who said that. Nah, don't bother.
Another reason that politics are the topic duh jor is that we are in the sports wasteland between the Super Bowl and something called "pitchers and catchers". Its a lonely time for a certain kind of man. Fortunately, Sports Illustrated publishes it swimsuit issue during this very dry sports spell. While it does include photos of athletes' wives, I don't recommend that you buy it. You can stop by and steal it from our house. At least, one of you can.
In campaign news, one of McCain's senior advisors has all but endorsed Obama. Paul Krugman is off his meds, for no apparent reason. What kind of world do we live in where David Brooks is the Columnist for Hope and Krugman is the baseless, poo-flinging crank? And then, this is funny:
Update: This is really funny. I like the idea that someone out there is clamoring for lowfat milk. hee hee.
Another reason that politics are the topic duh jor is that we are in the sports wasteland between the Super Bowl and something called "pitchers and catchers". Its a lonely time for a certain kind of man. Fortunately, Sports Illustrated publishes it swimsuit issue during this very dry sports spell. While it does include photos of athletes' wives, I don't recommend that you buy it. You can stop by and steal it from our house. At least, one of you can.
In campaign news, one of McCain's senior advisors has all but endorsed Obama. Paul Krugman is off his meds, for no apparent reason. What kind of world do we live in where David Brooks is the Columnist for Hope and Krugman is the baseless, poo-flinging crank? And then, this is funny:
Update: This is really funny. I like the idea that someone out there is clamoring for lowfat milk. hee hee.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Mouths of Babes
Tonight, as Mr. S and I stood transfixed by CNN, our older son announced, "I'm tired of Obama." Poor guy. Obama, that is. Li is so skilled at obsessions, I feel back that Barack doesn't have what it takes to be the next airplanes or pirates or dinosaurs.
The rest of you might be tired of Obama too; at least, hearing about him from me. But my Obama overkill is due, in large part, to my dismay about this season of The Wire. I am just not feeling it. There have been some great scenes. Dukie and Cutty? Bunk and Randy? Ohmigod. But generally, the plot is too Without a Trace or something. Just not feeling it. So unless the last three episodes just explode, I am afraid you are stuck with my political obsession until some other thing comes along.
The rest of you might be tired of Obama too; at least, hearing about him from me. But my Obama overkill is due, in large part, to my dismay about this season of The Wire. I am just not feeling it. There have been some great scenes. Dukie and Cutty? Bunk and Randy? Ohmigod. But generally, the plot is too Without a Trace or something. Just not feeling it. So unless the last three episodes just explode, I am afraid you are stuck with my political obsession until some other thing comes along.
The Self-Righteous Shall Inherit California
I heard a piece on NPR about this fool and his solar panels. I thought you'd like it.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Check Your Head
I just hope Obama is not coasting as much as I am today. I just noticed that the polls show Obama winning Washington and Nebraska with 68% of the vote in each state, and Louisiana with 57% of the vote. Yow. I know Hillary has some good spots on the horizon in March but those numbers are blistering. I, personally, would be too tired to soldier on. But that's already the case and all I do is . . . well, whatever it is I do. I just think that when the state that has the highest Black population (among states voting today) gives Obama the lowest results and he is still kicking ass there (57%!), things are looking, well, stressful for Ms. HRC.
Here's something less stressful than what Hillary has going on. I hope she ain't mad that it's Sure Shot.
Here's something less stressful than what Hillary has going on. I hope she ain't mad that it's Sure Shot.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Points to Sami
I want to pull something out of a comment below:
Maybe I am too intoxicated by the Obama joy juice. But let's call these what they were: Mistakes. We all make 'em. But on the other hand, for years, Bill and Hillary Clinton have been doing stuff that she'd like to call mistakes but can't. WalMart? Ooops! She totally meant to say something about that union-busting! Or how about letting Monsanto poison America's food supply? Hey, Woh, not my fault! And we haven't even started to rehash Monica, Whitewater, Travelgate, the undisclosed presidential papers . . .
I am not saying that these things would keep me from voting for her in November if I must. But I do think a lot of this stuff makes her harder to get behind, and its a lot harder to forgive, then the fact that Obama's policy statements explicitly acknowledge that he intends to work with Congress and policy experts on accomplish his legislative agenda. In fact, I think it would be a mistake for him to do otherwise.
Somehow people use the fact that Obama is not PERFECT in his policy recommendations as an excuse to support a more 'realistic' choice. Come on, like somehow being 'ready to lead on day one' is more realistic!? I think this is just an excuse to not have hope and to be a crabby cynic- if I don't have hopes, I can't be disappointed. Blah.Sami is really right here. It should be acknowledged that Obama is not perfect. Why just last night Dr. Pessimism was saying that Obama snubbed Gavin Newsom some years ago during the heyday of gay marriage in SF. (Newsom still has his knickers in a twist about this). Obviously, Obama has been a politician so there are going to be a few stories like this. Another Obama snafu was the land deal with Tony Rezko. Boneheaded, indeed.
Maybe I am too intoxicated by the Obama joy juice. But let's call these what they were: Mistakes. We all make 'em. But on the other hand, for years, Bill and Hillary Clinton have been doing stuff that she'd like to call mistakes but can't. WalMart? Ooops! She totally meant to say something about that union-busting! Or how about letting Monsanto poison America's food supply? Hey, Woh, not my fault! And we haven't even started to rehash Monica, Whitewater, Travelgate, the undisclosed presidential papers . . .
I am not saying that these things would keep me from voting for her in November if I must. But I do think a lot of this stuff makes her harder to get behind, and its a lot harder to forgive, then the fact that Obama's policy statements explicitly acknowledge that he intends to work with Congress and policy experts on accomplish his legislative agenda. In fact, I think it would be a mistake for him to do otherwise.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Quote of the night
"Those fatalities will not be going down."
-CNN weatherman on the deaths resulting from tornadoes in Arkansas and Tennessee.
Today's My SuperSpaceout Day
Don't forget to vote today, folks!
Today on the way into work, I saw a young guy with a homemade Obama sign near a busy intersection, and got completely excited and overwhelmed. Warning, corniness and sincerity ahead. I cannot remember in my short lifetime when people of all ages and races took the initiative to make signs, go downtown and sincerely proclaim their political hopes. It hasn't happened before. And I have been waiting for it for my entire adult life.
I became a union lawyer because I wanted to be of service to a movement. I was working as a community organizer in Chicago on TANF issues and police response to domestic violence, and every issue seemed to be so isolated. Every effort was focused on a narrow slice of a problem, usually for people with so many problems that biting off just, say, how police respond to DV calls was, ultimately, laughable. I thought working for the labor movement would be something bigger than that, and it is. We bite off slightly larger chunks of problems for people with slightly fewer problems. It has its moments of gratification, but they are rare, and more lip service is paid to the historical aspects of our movement than to truly reinvigorating it.
In the Obama movement, I finally feel like I have found a real movement, where people are inspired to do better not just because of their leaders but because of one another. Probably just a few months ago, I would have laughed in derision at the guy I saw driving to work. Now I want to figure out how I will spend my day encouraging people to vote. He inspired me.
I know that Obama will not "win" today. He may not even win the nomination. I think that would be unfortunate. But the worst thing that could happen would be for people who feel like I feel, like they still want to make a difference - see change in our world - stop believing that they can. I really hope we don't lose this moment, where we can inspire each other.
Please vote.
Today on the way into work, I saw a young guy with a homemade Obama sign near a busy intersection, and got completely excited and overwhelmed. Warning, corniness and sincerity ahead. I cannot remember in my short lifetime when people of all ages and races took the initiative to make signs, go downtown and sincerely proclaim their political hopes. It hasn't happened before. And I have been waiting for it for my entire adult life.
I became a union lawyer because I wanted to be of service to a movement. I was working as a community organizer in Chicago on TANF issues and police response to domestic violence, and every issue seemed to be so isolated. Every effort was focused on a narrow slice of a problem, usually for people with so many problems that biting off just, say, how police respond to DV calls was, ultimately, laughable. I thought working for the labor movement would be something bigger than that, and it is. We bite off slightly larger chunks of problems for people with slightly fewer problems. It has its moments of gratification, but they are rare, and more lip service is paid to the historical aspects of our movement than to truly reinvigorating it.
In the Obama movement, I finally feel like I have found a real movement, where people are inspired to do better not just because of their leaders but because of one another. Probably just a few months ago, I would have laughed in derision at the guy I saw driving to work. Now I want to figure out how I will spend my day encouraging people to vote. He inspired me.
I know that Obama will not "win" today. He may not even win the nomination. I think that would be unfortunate. But the worst thing that could happen would be for people who feel like I feel, like they still want to make a difference - see change in our world - stop believing that they can. I really hope we don't lose this moment, where we can inspire each other.
Please vote.
Monday, February 04, 2008
What's his problem?
I am "mobile blogging" because our internet connection is down, so I can't provide links. sorry.
My beef o' the minute happens to be Paul Krugman. He really seems to have a hard-on for Obama (sorry, mother-in-law, for the crude phrase. It isn't a good thing, by the way). Today's column complained about Obama's health care plan. He just comes across like a crank. No shit Obama's plan isn't perfect. The attraction to obama isn't in the details of the health care plan. I understand that no one's plan will be passed intact. Its the transparency about the process, the effort to compromise and still accomplish- those are the attractive elements. Its Hillary who seems like she is full of fairy tales. Bah humbug, Krugman.
Why does McCain think its a good thing to have Joe-mentum Lieberman standing behind him? Doesn't that just piss everyone off? Republicans don't like him because he's nominally a Democrat, and the Democrats hate Lieberman for the same reason.
And how many people are voting for Huckabee because of Chuck Norris? And why don't pollsters ever ask important questions like this?
Sunday, February 03, 2008
I Don't Buy It
The CW has it that a prolonged primary season hurts the Dems because Hillary and Obama will beat eachother up while McRomnabee sits back and rakes in cash and runs a general election campaign all by themselves. But the conventional wisdom was that the Repugnicans were going to have a brawling contest all the way til their September convention until just before Florida. So the pundits need to chill out.
Also, other than Bill Clinton's obnoxious racial bullshit in NC, I just don't think that the Democrats have been that brutal yet. At least not as brutal as Hillary has it in her to be. Obama and Edwards have really kept her in check, but her lack of totally explicit backstabbing has made this campaign season pleasant, even fun. I just don't think she can go negative without hurting herself.
Anyway, that's all for my punditry tonight.
Re: Breakfast soup. Listen Mr. "Carry Okey", I was blogging via handheld device and didn't feel like googling breakfast soup while driving. I think that's against the law anyway. (Googling while driving, that is, not breakfast soup. Although any recipe that includes bacon and bacon drippings and, like, a carton of eggs, is surely going to be outlawed soon).
Also, other than Bill Clinton's obnoxious racial bullshit in NC, I just don't think that the Democrats have been that brutal yet. At least not as brutal as Hillary has it in her to be. Obama and Edwards have really kept her in check, but her lack of totally explicit backstabbing has made this campaign season pleasant, even fun. I just don't think she can go negative without hurting herself.
Anyway, that's all for my punditry tonight.
Re: Breakfast soup. Listen Mr. "Carry Okey", I was blogging via handheld device and didn't feel like googling breakfast soup while driving. I think that's against the law anyway. (Googling while driving, that is, not breakfast soup. Although any recipe that includes bacon and bacon drippings and, like, a carton of eggs, is surely going to be outlawed soon).
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Buh-bye, Hill
Hillary Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions.
Can I go supersnark and say that even in 1992, Hillary should have known better than to dress like that?
Meanwhile, Obama's server has shut down because it was overwhelmed with supporters looking for tickets to Kennedy and Kerry rallies in the Bay Area this weekend.
Can I go supersnark and say that even in 1992, Hillary should have known better than to dress like that?
Meanwhile, Obama's server has shut down because it was overwhelmed with supporters looking for tickets to Kennedy and Kerry rallies in the Bay Area this weekend.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Dispelling the Myths
Sitting here, waiting for a meeting to start. I thought I would take a second to direct your attention to a good piece at DailyKos (www.dailykos.com) about the bullshit that Hillary is spreading that Latinos won't vote for Blacks. In fact, many major Black leaders, including mayors throughout the country, have substantial Latino support. Ugly race-baiting as a tactic. Hillary really doesn't get it. The San Jose Mercury News has a piece about it as well, but I don't have a link because I am reading an actual paper instead.
UPDATE: Here is the piece at DK, and here is the editorial in the SJ Mercury, originally from the San Diego Tribune.
UPDATE: Here is the piece at DK, and here is the editorial in the SJ Mercury, originally from the San Diego Tribune.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
How Do You Explain. . .
Lou Dobbs. The photo on his website does not do justice to the amount of plastic surgery this man has had. Yeek.
And of course I had to see this because CNN let Dobbs out of his cage tonight to host the coverage of the Florida primary. I think they threw him this bone - when there weren't any Democrats campaigning - because he must have invoked some contract clause (Section 431(a)(3)(ii): TALENT shall host not less than TWO (2) ELECTION 2008 specials) and they figured he could be the least frothy.
Wolf Blitzer just called Rudy Giuliani "a big loser". hee hee. Go ahead and kick the man while he's down.
My view of the Demo turnout in FL is that Floridians are pissed that the Democratic Party isn't going to seat delegates at this point. Hillary is getting a lot of support from people who just want to be a part of the process. The line down there is that the primary date was set by the Republicans, and they were hamstrung. Whatevs. I don't have any problem with folks who want to be enfranchised. But Hillary promised not to campaign down there, and in IA and NH she said that FL and MI delegates should not be seated.
And of course I had to see this because CNN let Dobbs out of his cage tonight to host the coverage of the Florida primary. I think they threw him this bone - when there weren't any Democrats campaigning - because he must have invoked some contract clause (Section 431(a)(3)(ii): TALENT shall host not less than TWO (2) ELECTION 2008 specials) and they figured he could be the least frothy.
Wolf Blitzer just called Rudy Giuliani "a big loser". hee hee. Go ahead and kick the man while he's down.
My view of the Demo turnout in FL is that Floridians are pissed that the Democratic Party isn't going to seat delegates at this point. Hillary is getting a lot of support from people who just want to be a part of the process. The line down there is that the primary date was set by the Republicans, and they were hamstrung. Whatevs. I don't have any problem with folks who want to be enfranchised. But Hillary promised not to campaign down there, and in IA and NH she said that FL and MI delegates should not be seated.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Unacceptable
I am too pressed for time to find a picture I can post here, blah blah blah, so you have to go to this link to see how bad Mitt Romney's dye job is. That alone should cost him the election. Vanity, combined with the hubris of thinking you look great in this shoe polish, should go before a fall. Although, I guess Florida Republicans probably think he looks youthful. Yeesh.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Squishy Brained
Despite the facts that its name makes it clear what the product is, it took me more than a minute to figure out what a PB Slice is. This item, perversely, solves a problem that I knew I had (I hate spreading peanut butter, for fear of injuring the bread) but which I didn't really care to solve.
It also probably doesn't solve this problem:
h/t M.
It also probably doesn't solve this problem:
Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.But now that I think on this, it would be good under a piece of Taylor ham pork roll, wouldn't it?
h/t M.
Am I A Terrible Person?
There's an informal knitting group in our office. I generally ignore it; I never knit with them (I don't knit privately, either). But I noticed when an email circulated office-wide inviting people to participate in Afghans for Afghans.
Am I bad person because my first impulse was derision? Even before I knew that Vanna White ("avid crocheter and designer") was its celebrity sponsor?
Am I bad person because my first impulse was derision? Even before I knew that Vanna White ("avid crocheter and designer") was its celebrity sponsor?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sorry
Once I got in the zone of blogging like every day, I had hoped to keep up the pace. But even I ain't that witty and original. Plus, we were away all weekend. Here are some highlights from my favorite topics:
The Wire: Stressing me out. Why does Omar need to come back if Butchie's dead? I've seen ep 4 so I don't want to write much more because I want to respect my one reader who gives a crap about this and not spoil it for him. Suffice to say, I am having a really hard time buying this season so far. And there's a good S2 cameo in Ep4. Okay, that's enough. No more.
The kids: Hilarious little people. They loved the snow so much in Tahoe that, driving home, Li broke down crying, "I don't want (sob sob) the snow to EVER melt!"
Barack Obama: All my Edwards peeps, please please please breathe deeply of the reality of this campaign and vote for my guy on Feb 5. I love Edwards, too. But he will not get the nomination, and probably won't be a "kingmaker" at the convention either. I was listening to Hillary on the radio today and all I could think of was Betty Loren-Maltese. And let's be frank. No one ever wants to think about BLM. Plus, can you imagine four, much less eight, years of Bill Clinton lounging on the couch of the Oval Office, eating Funions and proffering his opinion on every damn thing? I assume even Hillary would kick him out by March 3, 2009, but who knows? "Two for the price of one" means two equivocating triangulators* for the bloody 2008 election of one. SO, if you were already planning on not voting for Hillary, them I invite you, nay implore you, to not vote for Hillary by voting for Barack. Thank you.
* whatever that means.
Nelson Marans: Don't worry, he's had letters published recently in the Washington Post and The New York Times (and here), opining about such meaningless topics as Amtrak and Barbara Cook: Songbird.
I don't have much else on my mind. Take it easy.
The Wire: Stressing me out. Why does Omar need to come back if Butchie's dead? I've seen ep 4 so I don't want to write much more because I want to respect my one reader who gives a crap about this and not spoil it for him. Suffice to say, I am having a really hard time buying this season so far. And there's a good S2 cameo in Ep4. Okay, that's enough. No more.
The kids: Hilarious little people. They loved the snow so much in Tahoe that, driving home, Li broke down crying, "I don't want (sob sob) the snow to EVER melt!"
Barack Obama: All my Edwards peeps, please please please breathe deeply of the reality of this campaign and vote for my guy on Feb 5. I love Edwards, too. But he will not get the nomination, and probably won't be a "kingmaker" at the convention either. I was listening to Hillary on the radio today and all I could think of was Betty Loren-Maltese. And let's be frank. No one ever wants to think about BLM. Plus, can you imagine four, much less eight, years of Bill Clinton lounging on the couch of the Oval Office, eating Funions and proffering his opinion on every damn thing? I assume even Hillary would kick him out by March 3, 2009, but who knows? "Two for the price of one" means two equivocating triangulators* for the bloody 2008 election of one. SO, if you were already planning on not voting for Hillary, them I invite you, nay implore you, to not vote for Hillary by voting for Barack. Thank you.
* whatever that means.
Nelson Marans: Don't worry, he's had letters published recently in the Washington Post and The New York Times (and here), opining about such meaningless topics as Amtrak and Barbara Cook: Songbird.
I don't have much else on my mind. Take it easy.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Calls for Speculation
I got an email from another Wire fan who asks:
And since everything in The Wire (except Rawls' homosexuality) comes up again, that's my prediction. Templeton will get even looser with the facts when he realizes that he has Whitting's ear.
Since we are on the topic of newspapers, even a fictionalized one, I want to put down my thoughts on something that I have been thinking about lately. Remarks by David Simon were the jumping-off point. Simon was criticizing the internet for diminishing the significance and viability of daily newspapers. It has been a conundrum for daily papers to figure out how to compete with the internet. Subscription sales have not worked and people are not excited to pay for content. TimesSelect bombed and now even the Wall Street Journal is online without a subscription. People will not buy what they think should be free. It irks the shit out of real journalists that people consider their work to be "free".
But that's a misperception by journalists. It isn't that readers think the information is free, it's that we think it's already been paid for. In my mind, all the advertisements I have to wade through pay for the content. The cost of my home subscription covers the cost of getting the paper to my door: the paper, the printing costs, the delivery. The Internet obviates the need for those costs: no paper, no printing, no delivery (except for the computer that I bought). Meanwhile the paper is still selling advertising on-line. In my mind, they can afford the content, and I don't need to pay for the ancillary production costs.
Another effect of the "democratization" of the web is that the readers can figure out for themselves how hard, or easy, producing content is. The mythical/libidinal newsroom suddenly doesn't seem so special. Plus papers can't even seem to be on top of the news anymore. Nor do they seem to want to be. I don't think papers have the desire to truly be all things to all people. The NYT might resent Daily Kos for its depth and breadth of political issues, but do they want be DK? I doubt it. They wouldn't make the ad revenue they make being the NYT.
Anyway, these are just some thoughts.
Could that Stephen Glass character really be making shit up? Its being telegraphed so ham-handedly that there's got to be a twist.This would be Scott Templeton he is referring to. In the second episode, the Sun runs a bullshit/feel-good-by-feeling-bad article about a kid in a wheelchair (allegedly shot with a stray bullet) named EJ trying to bum a ticket to the game on Orioles opening day. Clark Johnson's character Gus Haynes (the sole reason I am getting into this season's expansion to the newsroom so far) cannot find any information to back up this EJ story but he gets overruled and the story gets run. I have no idea whether the story is a fake or not but my prediction is that the kid is not totally fake, but was himself lying to Templeton, if it ever comes up again.
And since everything in The Wire (except Rawls' homosexuality) comes up again, that's my prediction. Templeton will get even looser with the facts when he realizes that he has Whitting's ear.
Since we are on the topic of newspapers, even a fictionalized one, I want to put down my thoughts on something that I have been thinking about lately. Remarks by David Simon were the jumping-off point. Simon was criticizing the internet for diminishing the significance and viability of daily newspapers. It has been a conundrum for daily papers to figure out how to compete with the internet. Subscription sales have not worked and people are not excited to pay for content. TimesSelect bombed and now even the Wall Street Journal is online without a subscription. People will not buy what they think should be free. It irks the shit out of real journalists that people consider their work to be "free".
But that's a misperception by journalists. It isn't that readers think the information is free, it's that we think it's already been paid for. In my mind, all the advertisements I have to wade through pay for the content. The cost of my home subscription covers the cost of getting the paper to my door: the paper, the printing costs, the delivery. The Internet obviates the need for those costs: no paper, no printing, no delivery (except for the computer that I bought). Meanwhile the paper is still selling advertising on-line. In my mind, they can afford the content, and I don't need to pay for the ancillary production costs.
Another effect of the "democratization" of the web is that the readers can figure out for themselves how hard, or easy, producing content is. The mythical/libidinal newsroom suddenly doesn't seem so special. Plus papers can't even seem to be on top of the news anymore. Nor do they seem to want to be. I don't think papers have the desire to truly be all things to all people. The NYT might resent Daily Kos for its depth and breadth of political issues, but do they want be DK? I doubt it. They wouldn't make the ad revenue they make being the NYT.
Anyway, these are just some thoughts.
A Strange Story
Preoccupied, as I am, with certain legal wranglings in The South, but unable to obtain any new information this morning, I wandered over to the Montgomery Advertiser, and came across this story. Three white teenagers are being charged as juveniles (to the displeasure of the Sons of Confederate Veterans) in the vandalism of a statue commemorating . . . Confederate veterans. What struck me as strange was:
(1) the decision to charge them as juveniles. I wonder if black teens would have been given the same leniency.
(2) the fact that they painted the soldiers on the face with black paint
(3) the fact that they painted "NT 11 11 31", referring to Nat Turner and the date of his execution.
I won't go so far as to say that what they did was cool, but you've got to admit Alabama has come a long way when white teens are defacing Confederate statues in honor of Nat Turner.
UPDATE: Unless of course the kids were doing it to frame some blacks for the crime. Still the details seem a bit too sophisticated for that. Who knows.
(1) the decision to charge them as juveniles. I wonder if black teens would have been given the same leniency.
(2) the fact that they painted the soldiers on the face with black paint
(3) the fact that they painted "NT 11 11 31", referring to Nat Turner and the date of his execution.
I won't go so far as to say that what they did was cool, but you've got to admit Alabama has come a long way when white teens are defacing Confederate statues in honor of Nat Turner.
UPDATE: Unless of course the kids were doing it to frame some blacks for the crime. Still the details seem a bit too sophisticated for that. Who knows.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Awesome
And I am not being facetious. I am genuinely pleased that the Machinists have endorsed Mike Huckabee in the Republican primary.
If you pay attention to this stuff, you may recall a feature article in the NYT magazine two years ago, juxtaposing Andy Stern (the "new boss") and Tom Buffenbarger (the "old boss"). However flattering the piece may have been to Andy, it sure wasn't flattering to Tom, portrayed, as he was, as flying around the country in a private jet while the machine shops of American were snuck down to Ciudad Juarez like the Baltimore Colts were whisked to Indianapolis, only every night.
Anyway, I wasn't left with a terribly warm impression of the man myself. BUT you have to credit him with exactly the kind of outside-the-box thinking that Stern has been advocating these past few years. Promising not to back Democrats qua Democrats, Stern has said that the labor movement should consider all candidates willing to work with Labor. Buffenbarger is the first one to actually go there. Touche.
If you pay attention to this stuff, you may recall a feature article in the NYT magazine two years ago, juxtaposing Andy Stern (the "new boss") and Tom Buffenbarger (the "old boss"). However flattering the piece may have been to Andy, it sure wasn't flattering to Tom, portrayed, as he was, as flying around the country in a private jet while the machine shops of American were snuck down to Ciudad Juarez like the Baltimore Colts were whisked to Indianapolis, only every night.
Anyway, I wasn't left with a terribly warm impression of the man myself. BUT you have to credit him with exactly the kind of outside-the-box thinking that Stern has been advocating these past few years. Promising not to back Democrats qua Democrats, Stern has said that the labor movement should consider all candidates willing to work with Labor. Buffenbarger is the first one to actually go there. Touche.
The Things You Can Learn
Now that I have a second child who demands internet searching at the drop of a hat (but who can't say carcaradontaurus or F-4 Phantom yet), I have learned a lot of about "tucks", "buh-doh-dahs", "dump tucks" and "jij-uhs" (that last one is "diggers"). We came across this photo tonight, of a giant dump truck getting a tire change, and it really resonated with me. That dump truck is me.I also learned about a product called Tractor Jackets. Who knew? It seems unnecessary, and yet, how would I know? It now reminds me of auto parts place near my grandparents, which, during my childhood, advertised "car bras". I was too embarassed to ask what it meant. Would that I had Google back then. Or a Google. Anyway, I was so disappointed when I found out what they were. But I also felt liberated to ask more questions that I didn't know the answer to.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Best Use of Office E-mail Award
As with most offices, we more than occasionally get office-wide emails that are annoying and pointless but which cause a lot of people to hit Reply All. I am disappointed that this one hasn't gotten a response yet:
Subject: BARITONE TROMBONE PLAYER?
I have placed a music book entitled "Cool Yule" in the kitchen on the *candy* table. It contains 14 Easy Christmas Solos for a Baritone Trombone player. A gift gone awry, my daughter plays piano not Trombone. Please feel free to take it home if you know someone who might put it to use.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Overactive Imagination
I saw the headline
Oh, by the way, I've got a new candidate.
Romney attacks McCain at Republican debate
and for two brief seconds, I thought, "Oh my God, Romney lost it. It's like that tiger mauling those kids on Christmas" and then I realized that the Reuters headline editor was just excited.Oh, by the way, I've got a new candidate.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Wire Predictions
Another night shot. Oh well. Let's see if I can redeem it with some clairvoyant Wire predictions. I have watched four seasons plus 2 episodes of Season 5, but I will try not to be a spoiler on that Ep 52. (This is inspired, modestly, by the Freakonomics article on the NYT site today).
1. Michael will kill Omar. This is based on the fact that Omar saw Michael having a meeting with Marlo in that dingy courtyard last season. "Just a kid," he says. Incidentally, back in Season 1, when he and Brandon and that sick-up boy that gets killed (Joe?) are sitting on the brick steps, and a woman comes up and asks "Mr. Omar" for some dope to get her through til she gets her check, the actress is the same woman who play Michael's mom, and Omar signals to a boy, "Yo Mikey" to give her some dope. I think this is an accidental coincidence, and not "the wire", but you never know on this show.
2. Cheese may turn on Prop Joe (with a little help from Marlo). I think his little skulking bit at the co-op meeting means he thinks he should get his own property.
3. Daniels will get caught up in a police corruption scandal that impedes his rise to the top. Remember a few seasons ago when Burrell threatened him, and he expressed concern to his wife Marla, in the first season, that the old Western District ways might come back to haunt him. That will be sad.
4. The "Rawls is gay" storyline may not go anywhere. They only have 10 episodes this season, and I don't know how they are going to fit it all in. (rawls + omar? Omar would never stoop that low)
5. A cop will get killed, and it will probably be Walker, who will be lauded as a hero or some shit. That's only because they don't have Herc to put on a pedestal anymore.
6. Clay Davis will not avoid indictment but he will take down everyone he can with him (see #3 above, and possibly prove me wrong on #4). Or maybe he will cop to some little thing, and be out in 4 months to become the top-rated radio host in Baltimore, ala Ed Norris.
7. I think we are going to see Kima's old woman Cheryl back again (she's a TV journalist, remember?), which is unfortunate, because she's annoying.
More as the season develops.
1. Michael will kill Omar. This is based on the fact that Omar saw Michael having a meeting with Marlo in that dingy courtyard last season. "Just a kid," he says. Incidentally, back in Season 1, when he and Brandon and that sick-up boy that gets killed (Joe?) are sitting on the brick steps, and a woman comes up and asks "Mr. Omar" for some dope to get her through til she gets her check, the actress is the same woman who play Michael's mom, and Omar signals to a boy, "Yo Mikey" to give her some dope. I think this is an accidental coincidence, and not "the wire", but you never know on this show.
2. Cheese may turn on Prop Joe (with a little help from Marlo). I think his little skulking bit at the co-op meeting means he thinks he should get his own property.
3. Daniels will get caught up in a police corruption scandal that impedes his rise to the top. Remember a few seasons ago when Burrell threatened him, and he expressed concern to his wife Marla, in the first season, that the old Western District ways might come back to haunt him. That will be sad.
4. The "Rawls is gay" storyline may not go anywhere. They only have 10 episodes this season, and I don't know how they are going to fit it all in. (rawls + omar? Omar would never stoop that low)
5. A cop will get killed, and it will probably be Walker, who will be lauded as a hero or some shit. That's only because they don't have Herc to put on a pedestal anymore.
6. Clay Davis will not avoid indictment but he will take down everyone he can with him (see #3 above, and possibly prove me wrong on #4). Or maybe he will cop to some little thing, and be out in 4 months to become the top-rated radio host in Baltimore, ala Ed Norris.
7. I think we are going to see Kima's old woman Cheryl back again (she's a TV journalist, remember?), which is unfortunate, because she's annoying.
More as the season develops.
Gentlemen, May I Join You?
Its out there. "Feminists" saying they have to stand by their woman when the shit is down. Here's an Obama supporter rallying to Hillary's defense at Salon. Let's just say, I am less than persuaded. And since I threatened to abandon my gender if women rallied to Hillary just because she's being picked on, I need to ask you guys: Is there room for me on that side of the gender gap? I know I am not a great candidate, having borne children and all (I promise not to do that again!), but I don't hear about any men whining that Chris Matthews is mean so that's why they voted for Clinton.
So.Annoyed.
By the way, Frances Kissling has this good riposte on why she still isn't supporting Hillary.
Although I have never felt like throwing my lot in with Hillary on account of all her "difficulties".
So.Annoyed.
By the way, Frances Kissling has this good riposte on why she still isn't supporting Hillary.
Although I have never felt like throwing my lot in with Hillary on account of all her "difficulties".
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Off The Rails
The title of this post refers to this blog, not to the Obama campaign, which I will get to in a second. I started off the year fearing that I would hardly post at all (see, e.g., December 2007), and here I am blogging my butt off. Only not about my typical whimsical and lovely nonsense. I have been very centered on the Democratic primary campaign, and I have more to say. On one hand, I recognize that this may be boring-ish for some people, but (on the other) I think I know my readers, and you are as rabidly interested in this as I am, or else we wouldn't be such dear friends. So, back to New Hampshire.
First of all, this is hardly a loss for Obama. Less than a few weeks ago, he was down by double-digits, and instead he lost be 3 percentage points. Isn't that less than the typical margin of error in a statistical poll? Right on, Obama! And as I said before, I think that if Clinton is going to win this ultimately (although I hope she doesn't), she needs more of a trial than she was prepared for. I gotta say, I am SO annoyed by this idea that her little teeny fake nervous breakdown gave her a bump among the Women Exactly Like Her voting bloc. She can cry on command! What a skill for our President to have. You may recall, I am NOT down with the "Girlfriend in Chief" model of campaigning. Please don't tell me that "women" love this, or I may forsake my gender.
And as a tangential correllary*, this reminds me how much Baby Boomers annoy me. Don't ask me why I thought of this. Those of you who also hate Baby Boomers probably understand instinctively where I am going with this, and also can't quite articulate what the bridge is. Here's the bridge: Hillary. She's Woman. She's Boomer. The world is hers for the taking. She has so many "good opportunities" - she's just bursting to unload them on us. I am so tired of that generation (most of whom disavow the rest strongly) claiming they can fix things in this crazy mixed up world. No, you can't. Its messed up. Stop pretending you are a realist and then feeding us horseshit.
Okay, I have clearly lost my train of thought here. So back to an even more annoying obsession of mine: The Wire. Season 5 debuted this past Sunday, and I didn't even mention it because I figured, if you don't watch it yet, you probably aren't going to start now. And that's your damn loss. I will accept you back into my good graces if you watch just one other season of this show without me having to harangue you further. Then I will give you my generous and brilliant thoughts on this season 5. (Actually, I can't, because I watched an episode ahead, and I would feel bad if I accidentally spoiled it for you, so Mr. Scobie will just have to suffer my brilliance alone).
* Mathematicians: Can something be both a tangent and a correllary? Or are they the same thing?
First of all, this is hardly a loss for Obama. Less than a few weeks ago, he was down by double-digits, and instead he lost be 3 percentage points. Isn't that less than the typical margin of error in a statistical poll? Right on, Obama! And as I said before, I think that if Clinton is going to win this ultimately (although I hope she doesn't), she needs more of a trial than she was prepared for. I gotta say, I am SO annoyed by this idea that her little teeny fake nervous breakdown gave her a bump among the Women Exactly Like Her voting bloc. She can cry on command! What a skill for our President to have. You may recall, I am NOT down with the "Girlfriend in Chief" model of campaigning. Please don't tell me that "women" love this, or I may forsake my gender.
And as a tangential correllary*, this reminds me how much Baby Boomers annoy me. Don't ask me why I thought of this. Those of you who also hate Baby Boomers probably understand instinctively where I am going with this, and also can't quite articulate what the bridge is. Here's the bridge: Hillary. She's Woman. She's Boomer. The world is hers for the taking. She has so many "good opportunities" - she's just bursting to unload them on us. I am so tired of that generation (most of whom disavow the rest strongly) claiming they can fix things in this crazy mixed up world. No, you can't. Its messed up. Stop pretending you are a realist and then feeding us horseshit.
Okay, I have clearly lost my train of thought here. So back to an even more annoying obsession of mine: The Wire. Season 5 debuted this past Sunday, and I didn't even mention it because I figured, if you don't watch it yet, you probably aren't going to start now. And that's your damn loss. I will accept you back into my good graces if you watch just one other season of this show without me having to harangue you further. Then I will give you my generous and brilliant thoughts on this season 5. (Actually, I can't, because I watched an episode ahead, and I would feel bad if I accidentally spoiled it for you, so Mr. Scobie will just have to suffer my brilliance alone).
* Mathematicians: Can something be both a tangent and a correllary? Or are they the same thing?
I Am Not Alone
Thanks, KL, for your supportive comment. It's nice to know someone is reading. And since I know at least one reader ain't bored by this topic, here's a bit more. Members of the AFSCME Executive Board (7 of 33) have written an open letter to AFSCME President Gerald McEntee asking him to refrain from attacking Senator Obama and using union funds/staff to engage in public disparagement of the Senator. Noteworthy, to me, is the admission that AFSMCE endorsed Clinton primarily because they expected her to be the front runner, and wanted to back the right horse, so to speak.
This bolsters my view that Labor's beef with Obama is not that he's anti-union, but that he ain't getting bought by Labor. If we can get his support for free, then why are we begging him to take our money?
The flip side, i.e. Labor's argument, is that Obama is taking $2300 from every rich person he meets, but that teachers, firefighters, and home care workers don't have that kind of money. Unions can pool their members' money to support candidates that support issues for working people. It's an argument, but that's all it is. It isn't borne out by the practice. Politicians take money from unions, AND from rich people, and then do what they do. I think its worth trying a different way for once.
UPDATE: It looks like the members of Culinary workers local 226 agrees with me.
This bolsters my view that Labor's beef with Obama is not that he's anti-union, but that he ain't getting bought by Labor. If we can get his support for free, then why are we begging him to take our money?
The flip side, i.e. Labor's argument, is that Obama is taking $2300 from every rich person he meets, but that teachers, firefighters, and home care workers don't have that kind of money. Unions can pool their members' money to support candidates that support issues for working people. It's an argument, but that's all it is. It isn't borne out by the practice. Politicians take money from unions, AND from rich people, and then do what they do. I think its worth trying a different way for once.
UPDATE: It looks like the members of Culinary workers local 226 agrees with me.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Everyone's a goddamn pundit
I had an irksome conversation with a law clerk in our office today where he expressed doubt that Obama even supports the Employee Free Choice Act (this legislation proposes to strengthen union organizing, and it’s a no-duh Vote Yes for Democrats). The law clerk has “inside knowledge” that Obama is not pro-union.
Obama does, in fact, support EFCA, and other pro-union, pro-working people solutions. At least, he says he does. And he did co-sponsor the damn bill in the Senate. So I did a tiny amount of research to figure out why Labor people think Obama is "the most conservative candidate on the Democratic side", at least on labor issues.
When I dug a little deeper, I found what may be the problem: Obama sent out a campaign letter where he seems to have called unions (and Emily's list) "special interests", and eschewed 527 organization's funds. DailyKos took issue (in a post that is reminiscent of the AFSCME video I posted back in March), as did Working Life and Politico.
Help me out here. How is being against "soft money funding" the exact same thing as being "anti-union"? And since when did buying politicians do shit for labor unions? Labor has been paying through the nose for years for the privilege of getting shafted over and over again. Millions of members' dues are chasing after politicians who have failed to strengthen labor laws, appoint pro-worker regulatory bodies, raise the minimum wage, stop jobs from moving overseas or borders or improve healthcare.
Labor thinks the candidates' interests are their interests. So fundraising is what Labor cares about, because that's what the candidate cares about. They lash out at another candidate who says, I want to end that kind of fundraising - as thought that were a labor issue. It's not a labor issue, it's a political issue. They hope the candidates they spend for will reciprocate, but there's no real historical basis for that hope.
Just as with the Labor's retrograde environmental views, Labor is on the wrong side on the issue of campaign finance reform. They think being able to throw their money around gets them somewhere in elections, but the reality is, they are always outspent, always outgunned, by employers and industry groups, who have more money and far less scruples about how widely they distribute it.
So I am not persuaded yet that Obama is anti-union or anti-worker. Of course, for professional reasons, I can't really share this post with anyone in my world who might be able to contradict me, but I am infuriated that "my people" are acting like mini-Joe Trippis instead of worker advocates. I think that there's a lot of sour grapes about lining up behind the wrong candidate too early, another common mistake Labor makes. Let me know if you know something different....
Thursday, January 03, 2008
I Love This Sh*t
I love election days like its Christmas all over again. It's like a roller coaster where most of the day, its all ascendant. When you don't know who's winning, it's all up up up. And then usually there's the huge plunge that is so hard to take that it's nauseating. But then there's tonight, where the coaster has launched right off the rails, and the feeling in my stomach is all butterflies.
And this isn't just corny love of Obama. It's just so damn exciting that this Presidency is close to over, and there's a chance that there might be - not just relief from the awfulness - a corner could be turned.
I am excited for Obama, but I also think that even if Clinton comes out on top in the end, she will be a much stronger candidate for all of this. She has to fight for this, not just assume the throne. She has to earn this by doing something other than putting up with Bill's philandering for all those years.
And Huckabee is no shock to me at all. Timothy Egan in the NYT ("Two Buck Huck") has a good rap on how Huck got where he is. What he doesn't say is that this was implicitly predicted by Tom Frank in What's The Matter With Kansas? You had to wonder when the wingers would get sick of being chewed up and spit out. And while the Republicans are freaking out about Huckabee, denouncing him, the smart ones will get in there and just start buying up the store. Huck's gotta be buyable, right?
I didn't just write all that to show I am still a political cynic after all.
My thoughts on Edwards: I agree with his class critique, think he's a good guy, would be cool with him as a candidate. But I actually worry that his association with class issues and the labor movement prevents him from taking leadership on stuff that Labor hasn't dealt with/doesn't like. What am I talking about? Specifically, a lot of unions are at the back of the pack on environmental issues, because they see environmental regulations as anathema to job growth and bread-and-butter, rank-and-file American jobs. They want drilling in ANWAR, no fuel efficiency standards, etc. Not all of them, of course, but there just isn't a mainstream labor-environment platform out there that I hear from Edwards. And just as I am tired of 7 years of anti-worker bullshit from Bush, I am also tired from 7 years of sharp-edged, soft-minded, cannibalistic class rhetoric.
Maybe I just need a sabbatical.
And this isn't just corny love of Obama. It's just so damn exciting that this Presidency is close to over, and there's a chance that there might be - not just relief from the awfulness - a corner could be turned.
I am excited for Obama, but I also think that even if Clinton comes out on top in the end, she will be a much stronger candidate for all of this. She has to fight for this, not just assume the throne. She has to earn this by doing something other than putting up with Bill's philandering for all those years.
And Huckabee is no shock to me at all. Timothy Egan in the NYT ("Two Buck Huck") has a good rap on how Huck got where he is. What he doesn't say is that this was implicitly predicted by Tom Frank in What's The Matter With Kansas? You had to wonder when the wingers would get sick of being chewed up and spit out. And while the Republicans are freaking out about Huckabee, denouncing him, the smart ones will get in there and just start buying up the store. Huck's gotta be buyable, right?
I didn't just write all that to show I am still a political cynic after all.
My thoughts on Edwards: I agree with his class critique, think he's a good guy, would be cool with him as a candidate. But I actually worry that his association with class issues and the labor movement prevents him from taking leadership on stuff that Labor hasn't dealt with/doesn't like. What am I talking about? Specifically, a lot of unions are at the back of the pack on environmental issues, because they see environmental regulations as anathema to job growth and bread-and-butter, rank-and-file American jobs. They want drilling in ANWAR, no fuel efficiency standards, etc. Not all of them, of course, but there just isn't a mainstream labor-environment platform out there that I hear from Edwards. And just as I am tired of 7 years of anti-worker bullshit from Bush, I am also tired from 7 years of sharp-edged, soft-minded, cannibalistic class rhetoric.
Maybe I just need a sabbatical.
Just Wrong
I just saw a license plate that said JRNYR(heart)X (Journey Rocks), and the plate holder said "I Would Rather Be At A Journey Concert".
Not acceptable.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
How Did I Do?
Last night's blog post got me wondering, how did I do on last year's resolutions? From last year:
4. New Year's Resolutions. Did you make any? I almost never do. I consider it as sign of my own honesty to myself. I am probably not going to change very much, and certainly not in a substantial enough way to satisfy something as specific as a New Year's resolution. I have some New Year's aspirations though. I would like to blog more. Here's a reach: I would like to join the Y, or at a minimum, start doing some crunches so that my baby belly bag starts to go away. I would like Quinn to start sleeping through the night. I would like Liam to stay in his own bed, quietly all night. In other words, I am going to make New Year's resolutions for other people, whom I am legally permitted to make resolutions for.Actually, I didn't do too badly. I joined the Y and was pretty good about going for more than 6 of the 12 months. I have dropped off this past 2 months but it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, so I may try it again this year. Quinn sleeps from 7:30pm until 6:00am (with a margin of 30 minutes on either side). Liam sleeps all night on the couch, which isn't ideal, but at least it's not our bed. And I did blog more. In 2007, I wrote 214 posts, whereas 2006 only saw 117 posts. Given the poor showing in December, I don't know if I will be able to keep up that pace in '08. I will see what I can do.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Innovations in Dental Hygiene
In keeping with the spirit of the day, herewith my new year's resolutions:
1. Floss more*
2. Figure out what it means to add more fiber to one's diet, without actually eating Uncle Sam cereal
3. "Develop an interest" (This means "hobby", not "lover")
4. Stay politically idealistic in this election cycle until at least South Carolina, possibly all the way until February 6
5. Devise a system for organizing all the crap on my desk at home
6. Get other adult members of my household to join me in more assiduously disposing of compostables in a receptacle from whence, or within which, composting can occur**
That's about all I can think of.
*Me hubby and I are often (at least after either of us has a dentist's appointment)musing how much dental priorities have changes since even just our young adulthood. Flossing and "deep cleaning" are the rage now. Do you ever remember them doing that 3-4-3, 4-5-6 measuring five years ago? It suggests that Dental Medicine is more art than science, or is at least 50% alchemy and 20% guesswork. My certainty about this were heightened when my new dentist offered me a glass of wine to ease the anxiety of getting a filling recently (sub-footnote: I really like my new dentist).
** This gives me an idea: Mr. Scobie, I will abide by any system of organization you impose on me, for BOTH my desk and my dresser, if you agree to put all food waste in the green bin. Think about it. You have until January 6 (The Twelfth Day of Christmas) to accept or, less likely, reject my offer. (sub-footnote: I know you are wondering why I don't just wander around the manor property to find Mr. S and ask him myself. It's a good question, but mainly it's because it isn't worth the 20 steps that it entails, and I won't remember to ask him when I am done typing this.)
1. Floss more*
2. Figure out what it means to add more fiber to one's diet, without actually eating Uncle Sam cereal
3. "Develop an interest" (This means "hobby", not "lover")
4. Stay politically idealistic in this election cycle until at least South Carolina, possibly all the way until February 6
5. Devise a system for organizing all the crap on my desk at home
6. Get other adult members of my household to join me in more assiduously disposing of compostables in a receptacle from whence, or within which, composting can occur**
That's about all I can think of.
*Me hubby and I are often (at least after either of us has a dentist's appointment)musing how much dental priorities have changes since even just our young adulthood. Flossing and "deep cleaning" are the rage now. Do you ever remember them doing that 3-4-3, 4-5-6 measuring five years ago? It suggests that Dental Medicine is more art than science, or is at least 50% alchemy and 20% guesswork. My certainty about this were heightened when my new dentist offered me a glass of wine to ease the anxiety of getting a filling recently (sub-footnote: I really like my new dentist).
** This gives me an idea: Mr. Scobie, I will abide by any system of organization you impose on me, for BOTH my desk and my dresser, if you agree to put all food waste in the green bin. Think about it. You have until January 6 (The Twelfth Day of Christmas) to accept or, less likely, reject my offer. (sub-footnote: I know you are wondering why I don't just wander around the manor property to find Mr. S and ask him myself. It's a good question, but mainly it's because it isn't worth the 20 steps that it entails, and I won't remember to ask him when I am done typing this.)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
What Have I Been Doing?
It's not like y'all have been clamoring for me, but a neighbor did say the other day, "Hey, you remind me of a blogger I used to read," so I thought I would try to get back on the horse. Things have been very very very busy. How, exactly? Not sure. Here's an incomplete list of the things I have been doing for the past few weeks:
1. Working
2. Throwing up (no, I am not pregnant. We all had the stomach flu last weekend)
3. Avidly following the "Mess in Mississippi". Basically the WSJ Law Blog and several other blogs know when Mr. Scobie is traveling to the Deep South before I do. I am not linking to them because I don't want any of them finding their way back to me. I won't be commenting on it, and if Mr. S objects to this paragraph, I will take it down.
4. Following the Writers' Strike:
5. Following the upcoming caucus with growing glee.
6. Preparing for Christmas.
7. Researching soup recipes.
That's about it. If I ever have anything interesting to say again, I will let you know.
1. Working
2. Throwing up (no, I am not pregnant. We all had the stomach flu last weekend)
3. Avidly following the "Mess in Mississippi". Basically the WSJ Law Blog and several other blogs know when Mr. Scobie is traveling to the Deep South before I do. I am not linking to them because I don't want any of them finding their way back to me. I won't be commenting on it, and if Mr. S objects to this paragraph, I will take it down.
4. Following the Writers' Strike:
5. Following the upcoming caucus with growing glee.
6. Preparing for Christmas.
7. Researching soup recipes.
That's about it. If I ever have anything interesting to say again, I will let you know.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
For the Unenlightened
Non-University of Chicago graduates are probably scratching their heads slightly at the comment by Steve after the post below. What is it with these Chicago people? So proud of their nerdiness. Geesh, I was a nerd in college too. (Thought balloon does not count if you were not a nerd. But since I don't know any non-nerds, I am not sure what you people think when you read Steve's comment). Let me give you a little taste of the ambrosia that draws the nerds in. Here's an admissions essay for the U of C:
Modern improvisational comedy had its start with the Compass Players, a group of University of Chicago students, who later formed the Second City comedy troupe. Here is a chance to play along. Improvise a story, essay, or script that meets all of the following requirements: It must include the line “And yes I said yes I will Yes” (Ulysses, by James Joyce).
- Its characters may not have superpowers.
- Your work has to mention the University of Chicago, but please, no accounts of a high- school student applying to the University—this is fiction, not autobiography.
- Your work must include at least four of the following elements:
- a paper airplane
- a transformation
- a shoe
- the invisible hand
- two doors
- pointillism
- a fanciful explanation of the Pythagorean Theorem
- a ventriloquist or ventriloquis
- the Periodic Table of Elements
- the concept of Jeong
- number two pencils
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
The Nerdling
I really thought my first kid would be the nerdy (nerdier?) one. With his encyclopedic knowledge of military aircraft and paleo-historical creatures, his better-than-strong vocabulary has fully bloomed. But Thing 2 is sure giving Thing 1 a run for his money in the nerd department. At 16 months, the Q-ball is a complete bookworm. This is a common site (sorry about the photo quality - he's hard to sneak up on):
In case you are wondering what's going on in this picture, Q is "reading" a book on the couch. Every day, one by one, he pulls all the books off the shelf and leafs through them, sometimes humming or "talking" to himself. He chases us around the house, thrusting books at us, saying "mmm....mmm....mmmm....mmmm" until we finally stoop to read him something. Here's a better picture:
Dig the sweater vest?
In case you are wondering what's going on in this picture, Q is "reading" a book on the couch. Every day, one by one, he pulls all the books off the shelf and leafs through them, sometimes humming or "talking" to himself. He chases us around the house, thrusting books at us, saying "mmm....mmm....mmmm....mmmm" until we finally stoop to read him something. Here's a better picture:
Dig the sweater vest?
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Barely Holding It Together
That title of this post could refer to a number of things, including my weekend. I won't dwell on my weaknesses as a parent (holding it together until I dropped a full mango lasse on my foot and then almost crying like a baby), but rather discuss The One Show To Rule Them All. Yeah, The Wire.
Today, Season 4 was released on DVD. I pre-ordered it, so y'all will have to buy me something different for Christmas. I thought I could let it pass without mentioning, but UBM pointed out that there's at least one Wire "prequel" on Amazon. Pretty inside joke, probably improvised. There are two others you can get from the Season 4 DVD page.
Season 5 comes out January 6. You haven't heard the last of this. Please just watch it. Sheesh.
UPDATE: Okay, so I watched all three of them. They are like little love letters to Wire fans. Pure insider stuff, just meant to give us more about our favorite characters.
Today, Season 4 was released on DVD. I pre-ordered it, so y'all will have to buy me something different for Christmas. I thought I could let it pass without mentioning, but UBM pointed out that there's at least one Wire "prequel" on Amazon. Pretty inside joke, probably improvised. There are two others you can get from the Season 4 DVD page.
Season 5 comes out January 6. You haven't heard the last of this. Please just watch it. Sheesh.
UPDATE: Okay, so I watched all three of them. They are like little love letters to Wire fans. Pure insider stuff, just meant to give us more about our favorite characters.
Friday, November 30, 2007
So This Is What's Come To
NBC will be debuting a show called Clash of the Choirs, in lieu of new shows written by actual writers.
You can't tell me that strike ain't working.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Oh.My.God
Barack Obama is a fan of The Wire. (swoon)
Oh, and my cuz has seen Andre Royo twice recently, just motoring around LA. I am wicked jealous.
Oh, and my cuz has seen Andre Royo twice recently, just motoring around LA. I am wicked jealous.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Thanksgiving menu
“What?! Are you kidding? Can we roast a chicken? No, we can’t roast a chicken! How about fajitas? Or a chili bowl from Wendy’s? We’ll gather ‘round the Thanksgiving chili bowl from Wendy’s. Don’t talk on the phone with me while you’re typing. Talk to you later.”
- Mr. Scobie’s answer to a question I asked about the Thanksgiving menu
Even More Irritating!
As I mentioned a few days ago, I don't keep up much on the BPN Newsletters these days. But today, something caught my eye. A poster complained that her local precious market uses a marker to mark their organic produce. She is outraged by the ignorance and toxicity of this method of identifying produce. My first thought was, get over it. But of the seven responders, only one said, "Frankly, I think you're going way out on a limb on this one."
The other six people chimed in with various suggestions for community action, "vote with your dollar" nonsense. Seriously, has anyone in the entire world traced an illness, or even a bad taste in their mouth, to a dot of marker on the outside of their melon?
This one's even better:
This one's even better:
The other thing is that at Monterey Fish market they use a very strong smelling, seemingly toxic magic marker to mark the outside of the fish package. I'd like to just pop the wrapped package into the freezer but always feel compelled to ditch the paper as soon as possible. I don't even like it being there during the trip home. This has always bugged me. I would be all for instigating a change if there was a community friendly way to do it.
Monday, November 19, 2007
So Irritating
Despite what amounts to cautionary advice from my buddy Seamus, I went ahead and took a candidate matching poll. My love matches are, inexplicably, Mike Gravel, John McCain and Dennis Kucinich. Hunh?
Okay, I admit there was a time in my young democratic socialist days when I defended the boy genius of Wherever, Ohio. But who is Mike Gravel? Why can't I be matched to someone cute, like Edwards or Obama? Or at least Richardson? He's not really my type, but he has his Bill-Clinton-swaggering-excesses way about him. I'd have a beer, act a little goofy. John McCain? I once admitted to a friend of my mom's, a veteran of the Korean War, that my boyfriend had made me a quilt for Christmas, and I got 45-minutes of gay-bashing, Army recruitment love advice. I sort of imagine that sort of conversation with McCain, even though I admire his fake evenkeeledness. So much what you think Kurtz might be if he came out of the jungle.
Fortunately, I was able to get what I wanted over at Select Smart (yeah, I don't know what it is either). Phew. My top three are DK, Barack and someone named Alan Auguston, whose campaign has already been suspended. That sounds about right for my success rate, candidate-wise.
Okay, I admit there was a time in my young democratic socialist days when I defended the boy genius of Wherever, Ohio. But who is Mike Gravel? Why can't I be matched to someone cute, like Edwards or Obama? Or at least Richardson? He's not really my type, but he has his Bill-Clinton-swaggering-excesses way about him. I'd have a beer, act a little goofy. John McCain? I once admitted to a friend of my mom's, a veteran of the Korean War, that my boyfriend had made me a quilt for Christmas, and I got 45-minutes of gay-bashing, Army recruitment love advice. I sort of imagine that sort of conversation with McCain, even though I admire his fake evenkeeledness. So much what you think Kurtz might be if he came out of the jungle.
Fortunately, I was able to get what I wanted over at Select Smart (yeah, I don't know what it is either). Phew. My top three are DK, Barack and someone named Alan Auguston, whose campaign has already been suspended. That sounds about right for my success rate, candidate-wise.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Bigs Up to The JC
And by that, I mean Jed Caesar. My cousin-in-law is one of the artists in the Whitney Biennial 2008 (page 4). Boo yah. And Kate has not one but two shows next year, in LA and NYC. Their shows overlap in New York in May. See you there!!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Escalating Stupidity
I was thinking the other day that I hadn't posted about inanities of Berkeley lately. I don't have to go there very often now that L doesn't go to Broccoli Montessori. I can't even bear to read the Berkeley Parents Network Advice newsletters because they are all so long and redundant (does every new mother need to despair that her 3 week old nurses too much/little, poops too much/little, sleeps too much/little? and can't every new mother just read the voluminous back issues for their answer?).
That leaves only the mainstream local press as a source of Berkeley news, and I don't see much of that. Oh, except for the tree sitters. Here's the latest. Several folks were arrested yesterday. According to a man named "Ayr" (it took me a sec to get that too):
That leaves only the mainstream local press as a source of Berkeley news, and I don't see much of that. Oh, except for the tree sitters. Here's the latest. Several folks were arrested yesterday. According to a man named "Ayr" (it took me a sec to get that too):
"We went to deliver sage and tobacco and water to the tree-sitters, because we had heard earlier that (police) were denying them food and water and threatening people helping them with arrest," Ayr said. "We got the stuff up to them and we were doing some chants and songs when one of the tree-sitters came down and started cutting the fence."
Ayr said the group included Native Americans who believe that the grove was a burial ground for Ohlone Indians. UC anthropologists have said there is no evidence that is true.
I don't think we need an anthropologist to tell us how the grove grows, if I can paraphrase. Remember:
All but a few of the trees were planted by the university after the stadium was built in 1923.
This is all such a tremendous waste of trust fund dollars. These tree sitters could be planning their next Burning Man project if they weren't busy spilling buckets of urine and feces all other eachother. Or (*snap*) maybe that's IT! This will be great at Burning Man! I mean it's no suicide, but it could really work! (whisper whisper) They've already spilled buckets of urine and feces on eachother at Burning Man? Hmmm. Okay, back to Ye Olde Oak Grove. . .
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Chasing My Own Tail
Today I googled “Problem Focusing On Work” and “Procrastination” while at work, trying to avoid starting something. Not anything specific. I just have a really hard time starting whatever pile of crap is next on my desk to be dealt with. Now that I have avoided work by googling these terms, and then blogging about it, what do I do next? Are there any experts out there who can recommend what I should next do to avoid work?
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