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Eat Eggs, Don’t Throw Them


The Commerce Bank near me is now TD Bank. (What does that mean? To Do Bank?) Overnight they changed the entire color scheme from red, white, and blue to green and white. It looks less like Las Vegas at least. The diner near me used to called Happy Donuts. Things change.

Ok, I’m at the diner. A nice old lady sat next to me at the counter and ordered a scrambled egg sandwich and a carrot/celery juice. Very healthy.

She saw I was reading The New Yorker and asked, “What are they saying about the election?” Instead of saying what I wanted to say — “What election?” — I said, “This is an old issue,” which was true.

“Do you know if they endorsed someone?”

“Obama.”

“REALLY??!? I know New York magazine endorsed Obama but The New Yorker?!?” Granny from another planet.

“He’ll be a fine president.”

“I don’t know…”, she said with a quaver in her voice.

Wow. I broke eggs with the only Republican on the Upper West Side on Halloween.

Later in the day, I saw a kid dressed up in a gray ice cream cone. He sported a sign: Hurricane Katrina. Who dresses up as one of the most destructive forces in nature? What will he be when he grows up?

I’m just wearing a wig and some funny clothes tonight. Abbie the Yippie. Hugh the dude.

Goodbye to Leaves

I had a full night talking about this and that. The pipes are clanking.

World Focus on the World’s Bellybutton

Riding on the sidewalk but not for long

In which I get wonky and talk about the media… How would an American nonprofit news program about “the world” be constructed? (or does 1010 WINS really think they’ve covered the world in 22 minutes?) [Read more →]

Not Looking Forward to Winter

There’s a sense of dread in the air. Only liking it one bit. I like people walking around in giant tubes and gear getups.

Good Afternoon Campers

My last post wasn’t meant to foment anything — dare I link to the housefly Sylvia Kraus style intellect that is Mark Levin. I shouldn’t be surprised and should just be a banana slug — but I’m constantly chagrined by the mendacity of people involved in the political process.

I call for more Kryssy at Mermaid Parade!! Different Efx.

Old Paper Not in Use: Wingnuts of the Past

I was going through some piles and found this flyer. I wish I remembered where I got it from…

The grip of fear that motivates people can be powerful. Tasteless poisons! I scanned it in and you can read the full content after the jump if you want to. [Read more →]

Old Paper Still in Use

I had a massive post planned but technology blew me away. Long story. Ok short story. No forget it. I started writing about it and it was tainted. Enjoy these bits.

The Ads and the Subtractions

There is a great online archive, more for the oldsters probably. They have all presidential TV ads since 1952. I’m sure there are books and articles that run in this vein but it’s interesting to watch a bunch of these ads and think about who won and why and then what happened after. The curator’s choice is a good place to start.

Full Moon Somehow

If you listen to bluegrass and blues and goth, you might think about the moon.

The Next Cindy Sherman / Tracey Ullman

One nice thing about living in New York is that you get to hang out with people like this once in a while…

Ladies and gents, Ms. Leslie Kritzer! DVD extra!! See the outtakes!!!11!!

The Wingnuttery of An Actor as President

I’m watching HBO’s production of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. As others have noted, it would’ve been better if HBO had spent at least a season’s worth of Deadwood-style TV time on it instead of making it a 2.2 hour movie. Given its Hollywood drawbacks (pass the bombast please), we can still consolingly absorb our history vitamins as they are so bestowed on us by those finger-wagging Hollywood elites.

Thompson as Grant

Thompson as Grant

I’m particularly fascinated by Fred Thompson’s portrayal of Ulysses S. Grant, not least because as a youngster my next-door neighbor Roy Engel portrayed President Grant numerous times on Wild Wild West. Lincoln’s bully general (adopter of the scorched earth battlefied tactic) is also buried a few blocks north of me. (Hi Groucho!)

Grant was in the middle of a long line of 19th century Presidents who adopted the yoke of indian removal begun by Andrew Jackson. Grant’s logic in the movie is in agreement with General Sherman’s: We bought the land the Indians are sitting on from the French so it’s ours especially because there’s gold there so it’s our gold. (And those Indians really do freaky things with their tomahawks.) (Note to self: fix image wraparound.)

In this fact-checking and instant polling internet culture, it’s funny when you see the same logical leaps in present-day punditry from Thompson as he appeared on the “circle the wagons” show hosted by Hannity after the 2nd Presidential debate. The GOP talking points have been deemed mostly irrelevant and yet they’re repeated and repeated as though the logic is “Voters won’t get it until we pummel them with repetition.” (Keating Five who?)

And another thing: Failures of irony bug the crap out of me. Another instance of this was over at America’s Shittiest Website™  today where Michael Graham is shocked– ok “informing us”– that an “elite” Harvard professor is suggesting the current administration ignore the constitution one more time but this time, really for the good of the country. Bush went to Yale and some of you people still swing the elite charge around like a dead cat. Meanwhile, a co-chair in the McCain campaign calls himself and Obama “a guy of the street” last week. Connect the ironic elephant dots that are stampeding on your faces.

When Will We Talk About FDR?

I’m snapping my rubber band for Josh Marshall.