Johnny’s in the basement. Heh, indeed.
Filed under: All the King's Men | Tagged: election 2008, music, video | 1 Comment »
Johnny’s in the basement. Heh, indeed.
Filed under: All the King's Men | Tagged: election 2008, music, video | 1 Comment »
They say it’s your birthday.
Filed under: In Dubious Battle | Tagged: music, video | 1 Comment »
Filed under: Where the Wild Things Are | Tagged: midlife teenage angst, music, video | 2 Comments »
I’d forgotten all about Palin Syrah, a very nice organic wine from Chile, until I was reminded by Ann Bartow. Apparently (though considering the source of the story, some skepticism may be warranted), some Democrat-leaning wine drinkers are now turning up their noses at this drink because of the name’s unfortunate political connotation. One wine shop owner says he is “looking for an Obama wine or a Biden wine, just to be balanced”.
I’m unaware of any Obama or Biden wine. But it isn’t difficult to imagine what they might be like:
Obama Pinot Noir is thin-bodied but full of promise, a refreshing change from whatever you’ve been drinking for the past 8 years, though it is likely to prove disappointing after repeated tasting.
Biden Zinfandel, on the other hand, is rather overblown, prone to slipping on your tongue, and tastes vaguely reminiscent of something else.
Whatever you drink, I strongly advise against the McCain Merlot. It suffered from several years of mishandling in the cellar, and is now terribly past its prime.
Filed under: All the King's Men | Tagged: drinks, election 2008 | 1 Comment »
The Supreme Court has declined to review a decision in which the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the Arizona department of motor vehicles violated the First Amendment when it turned down a request by an anti-abortion group for “Choose Life” license plates. Much as those plates, which have been issued by several other states, annoy me, I must agree that the decision is correct.
The best solution, of course, would be for states to end the stupid practice of issuing specialty license plates altogether. Last week, I saw the most ridiculous example yet: a Virginia license plate celebrating “Parrotheads”. My immediate reaction was to get as far away from that car as I could, given the probability that the driver was drunk on Margaritas and Corona Light, and distracted by singing along with “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.
Filed under: Bleak House | Tagged: constitution, law, no accounting for taste | No Comments »
You’d think that Sarah Palin — who has not only palled around with anti-American secessionists but actually borne children with one — would kind of want to avoid the whole “guilt by association” thing.
In the interest of full disclosure, I suppose I ought to confess that, back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I lived in the same Chicago neighborhood as Bill Ayers. During that time, I was active in a political organization of which he was also a member, attended at least one political meeting at which he was also present, and worked for a foundation that awarded him a grant for his work on public education. Of course, like Barack Obama, I was about 8 years old when the Weather Underground engaged in their bombings. And, like Barack Obama, I’ve expressed my dim view of their actions. Still, I guess it’s just as well that I have no aspiration to run for office.
Filed under: All the King's Men | Tagged: election 2008, history, politics | 4 Comments »

I had a very delicious dinner — trout with roasted pepper polenta and deep fried carrots — at this restaurant during my recent visit to Lexington, Virginia. But I didn’t park in the rear.
Filed under: Where the Wild Things Are | Tagged: food, photography, travel | No Comments »
Filed under: Where the Wild Things Are | Tagged: photography, travel | No Comments »
Contrary to the mistaken belief of many haters, real Cubs fans do not relish our team’s persistent failure to win when it counts. Like our kindred spirits, Red Sox fans, we would be truly delighted to see our team shake off decades of disappointment and emerge with a World Series championship. It is true, of course, that losing has become a major element of Cub fan culture. But that’s not so different from, say, the New Orleans funeral tradition. It isn’t about wallowing in loss, but about finding a way to celebrate in the face of its inevitability.
Filed under: Where the Wild Things Are | Tagged: baseball, music, video | No Comments »
Following Sarah Palin’s VP debate “shout out”, I got to wondering, for no good reason, just who Gladys Wood was that she got an elementary school named after her. According to this article, she was a school teacher, principal, and administrator. There also used to be a Gladys Wood park, but that was renamed two years ago for a Michael Shibe. I wonder if he was any relation to the former Philadelphia Athletics co-owner?
The Gladys Wood Elementary School (motto: “One Cool School”) web page features two photos that make for what I can only hope is an unintentionally amusing juxtaposition:
Filed under: All the King's Men, Where the Wild Things Are | Tagged: education, election 2008 | 4 Comments »
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