“The Jimmy McNulty Gambit” is a fascinating post from Aaron Bady that ties together several disparate things while also provoking thought in several different directions. I’m going to quote from it quite a bit here, but you really should go read the whole thing. Here’s the beginning: In season five of The Wire, Jimmy McNulty invents a serial killer and tries to use the press to spur a systemic reaction to an irritant that doesn’t really exist, but also sort... Read more
On June 8, 1989, I went out to a bar for a drink after class. Had I done the same thing the previous night it would have been a crime, because that was the day before my 21st birthday, and the legal drinking age here in Pennsylvania is 21. That age is calculated from one’s birthday, of course. So are all the other legal milestone ages, such as 16 (learner’s permit), 17 (driver’s license), 18 (voting and draft registration), 25... Read more
Yesterday was the 100th birthday of civil rights genius Bayard Rustin. Alvin McEwen quotes the following, from the National Black Justice Coalition: Saturday, March 17, 2012, will mark the 100th birthday of the late civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Rustin was a proud Black gay man who was an indispensable architect of the Civil Rights Movement. His most noteworthy achievements include serving as chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, mentoring the late Dr.... Read more
I haven’t heard whether the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council has yet proposed the following as the next popular trend for state legislatures. But if not yet, it’s only a matter of time. This is the next logical step for Virginia, Texas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, etc. If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, if a man has had intercourse with her but it is hidden from her husband, so that she is undetected though she has... Read more
Acts 4:32-35 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was... Read more
“Please take a seat in the shaming room. A middle-aged, male state legislator will be with you in a moment.” “Governor I have a rash on the back of my hand. Please let me know when I can come over and you can look at it and prescribe some medication.” “To Erma and all of you old feminists? I’m not sitting here any more.” “I’ve never built a wiki page before; yesterday I built two. We are not helpless.” “This... Read more
I am deeply impressed by Stacey Dames latest blog entry at the Christian Post. It’s titled: “Madonna’s New Age End Time Satanism…it is reappearing in these end days. IT DID NOT BEGIN WITH THE SUPERBOWL.” I can’t begin to know how to describe such things, but this is one of the best examples of whatever-it-is that I’ve encountered. It’s kind of astonishing. Here’s a taste, with the original bolding and idiosyncratic spellings unaltered: In honor of the One who saved... Read more
Today is Patty Griffin’s birthday. Here she is singing Springsteen: * * * * * * * * * Hall-of-Fame manager Connie Mack was, for decades, one of the fiercest enforcers of the so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” that kept Major League baseball white-only. Mack won 3,731 games in 53 years as a manager. And he lost 3,948. Loser. Mack retired in 1950, three years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color line, but Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics team wouldn’t integrate for yet another... Read more
David Wong: “6 Things Rich People Need to Stop Saying“ Our entire philosophy about money kind of revolves around this premise — that there is no poor or working class, but only people who have chosen to not buckle down to the task of getting rich (and thus deserve whatever salary, insecurity or poor work conditions they get). So there should be no talk about improving the lives of the non-rich, since any of them can simply choose to elevate... Read more
There ain’t no way to make the bad man stop babe … “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” TLC “Ain’t Goin’ Down to the Well,” Tom Waits “Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore,” Nick Cave “Ain’t Got You,” Bruce Springsteen “Ain’t Hip to Be Labelled a Hippie,” De La Soul “Ain’t It a Shame,” The B-52s “Ain’t It Good,” Children of Eden original cast recording “Ain’t It Strange,” Dr. Dog “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” Leon Redbone “Ain’t No Grave,” Amy Black “Ain’t No Grave,” Johnny... Read more
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