Kunstler is extra, super, delicious this week.Go. Read. Now. Burger King was doing some kind of promotion in its Watertown huts and the marquee in their several parking lots proclaimed -I swear to God -"Ask us about our Angry Burger." WTF? Is the rage of lumpen America so repressed now that it can only be expressed in menu items that turn people into hulking four-hundred-pound monsters?
Speaking of food, and in very much the same vein Food for the Thoughtless reviews a book called The Food of a Younger Land. The book explores American cuisine before the advent of the interstate highway system, fast food, and chain restaurants. The review is so enticing I intend to snatch the book from the Pio Pico/Koreatown branch of the library as soon as it arrives. (How much do I love "Pio Pico" and "Koreatown" mashed together? There are so many countries in our country...)
Staying on the nostagia stick. The anniversary of D-Day is coming on June 6th. I become a puddle of mush whenever I see the vets who participated interviewed. Just before D-Day the Allies took Rome. Something I did not know until recently was that a segregated battalion of Japanese-Americans, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, took part in the the invasion of Italy. A documentary will be released soon about their battles and bravery. Check it out.
Quote:Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it. William Shakespeare Coriolanus
The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.
W. Shakespeare from Measure For Measure
No Bull Reading and Watching For Friday: 1.Truth is Gold - We're Surrounded...That Simplifies Our Problem. 2.Paglia Pummels: I've always admired Paglia for going after the "gender studies" crowd and still retaining her liberal identity. Her thinking is clear and consistent, unlike many of her contemporaries on the feminist Left. "Every penny Rush has earned was the result of his rapport with a vast audience who felt shut out and silenced by the liberal monopoly of major media." 3.Two from the Christian Science Monitor. A. Unreal Estate - Treasury Dept plans 1 trillion dollar bailout for Malls. No this is not from the Onion. I kid you not. Unreal. Another trillion that simply does not exist for the American institution least likely the survive. THE MALL. This is a delusion, rapped in a fantasy, covered with hallucinations... B. Post Christian? The coming evangelical collapse. Actually, I think this writer is wrong and having a "Happy, Earnest Young Christan" (We all know the type from high school) delusion about the fledgling "home church" movement. A smaller, more community based Christianity is set for a big comeback, because a smaller, more community based everything is set for a big comeback. Depressions being what they are... P.S. - as a "born just once - thank you very much - deeds actually matter more than a momentary spasm of accepting a Technicolor, 70 millimeter Jesus as my lord and savior Christian - of the Anglo-Catholic, go to confession, ash on the forehead, occasionally vespers attending, organ music variety I want to say: I find the happy, earnest, let's pal around together, version of Jesus almost unbearable. Not sure why I wanted to say that - but I did. I am wary of them in the same way I am of bears in the woods, or 80s TV stars on Melrose. 4. From the Right: I agree with Will on BHO's budget and his handling of the economy. He says Obama is not being "clear or plausible" - I called the budget blueprint ridiculous and absurd. Will says: The first president whose campaign was his qualification for office continues to campaign. 5. From the Bronx: Celente predictingfood riots in the U.S. this year. Like that nutty Russian, this American ( sub species found just north of Manhattan: Homo Inyourface-culus ) also thinks America may break apart. But, happily, he says: Without art we are doomed. And recommends sending kids to art school. 6. Agree with him or not, he's important.Stewart matters. Like his destruction of Crossfire - he pulled CNBCs cover with mocking humor. In both cases pointing out the debasing of information for the purpose of ratings and entertainment. Mr. Chayefski pointed out the dangers to a democracy of "scream journalism" way back when with this movie. Music: From the 80s. Fine Young Cannibals cover a cover by Elvis -beautifully in my book. Roland Gift's voice is sexy and unique enough to revisit The King without inviting disappointment.
The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool
W. Shakespeare from As You Like It.
A reading from the Obama Scripture for 3/10/09:
From The Book Of (having a) Job
And so it came to pass in those days that the Lord Obama became poopeth For the Lord now had to worketh And often to worketh with no one for to watch him labor and to clapeth.
And the Lord said "Father, why hath though forsaketh me Here to worketh with no one to clapeth for me and sing my praises?
Father just last week the minister from the land of bad teeth and tea Came and broughteth me gifts. And he expected gifts in return.
How was I to knoweth this? When have I had to bringeth gifts and not just receive them?"
But the Lord's Father, who art in Chicagoland, did not answer. And Barrack was alone. He consoled himself by looking at his reflection in all the mirrors in the White House. For there were many mirrors. And the Lord thought: Barry, you looketh goooood.
Then the minister Brown came to the door and he was-eth a buzz kill.
The Lord sent his servant Rahm to the gift store at the last minute to obtain gifts for the minister Brown from across the pond. So the Lord then gave the minister movies called American Gigolo, and Porky's and Dude, Where's my Car 2. and little plastic flying machines. and a walnut he found in the back yard that looked like Ben Franklin. and, vaguely, Barbara Walters.
Then minister Brown left-eth, And the Lord was tired. All this "giving" of gifts. wore his asseth out.
So he went out back for a smoketh.
This is the word of the Lord.
Music: Written in the 60s - the clip is from the early 70s...this song is a classic piece of pop perfection. I am not worthy of saying anything about Ms. Turner - so I won't.
Notes on my secular God: Apparently, an amazing Othello in currently running just barely off Broadway.Remember JSOM's motto (which I just made up) : a Shakespeare scene a day keeps the stupidity away. The opposite of the Summer of love: Summer of Rage in Ye ole London Towney?
Music: Springsteen recorded Bring 'Em Home in 2006. Springsteen endorsed Obama in 2008. Obama will be sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan in 2009.
Oops. Guess the Boss f*^ked up. (Actually, I've been tired of Bruce for a while now. He's been repeating himself since the 90s. The Seager Sessions are wonderful, but broke no new ground.)
Another note on the Obama Left's implosion: However, when the cardboard titty groper is putting words in his mouth, Obama becomes a double talking linguistic maestro, using language to magically transport an easily transfixed listener/reader to the brink of logical thought..."We are the ones we've been waiting for, " is just stupid. Where have "we" been while "we" were waiting? And, how come "we" didn't see "us?" Read it all.
Music: After posting a guitar version of I Will Wait For You yesterday, today I meant to find the Jessye Norman version on youtube. It is disabled but you can listen here. Please do. It will make your day better regardless of how it is going now... Here is the Chairman of the Board singing I Will Wait For You
Shakespeare: I am slogging through all three Henry the 6ths as part of my morning ritual (A Shakespeare scene a day keeps the mass media numbing at bay)thinking I might find something new and exciting in these early works - I cannot. The Henry the 6th plays are dreadful. Yes, there are at least 4 BIG Shakespeare stink bombs. Shakespeare was young...and new....but I am almost done with it and planning my next read...(Measure for Measure, I think.) So a "based on" clip is in order. My Own Private Idaho is based on Henry IV Part one (Bill S wrote Henry 4 long after Henry 6 and had, by then, become a master.)
AQuote: one of those lines from W.S. that is so universal now that is seems to have been in the language forever. It has not...it comes from Act 1 Scene 2 of Henry the 4th Part One.
