Last of the Lost

Yes, it's the beginning of the end for Lost. I've enjoyed it a lot, soap opera aspects and all. (One of Cory's favorite things to say these days is "Explain to me how this is better than General Hospital?")

As for theories of what it all means and such, I'm back to where I was at the beginning of the first season: they're all dead, and this is some kind of Purgatory that isn't limited to the explanations of Christian mythology (but that isn't short on Christian imagery & references either.)



If you want to go into this, you know how to engage me. And if you have theories of your own, I'd love to hear them!

Patti and Sue and Steve

Went to see Patti Smith's exhibit at the Robert Miller Gallery with Sue and Steve this weekend. Brooklyn Beth joined us, and we met up with Jon and Kirsten later on. It was a great big weekend, and I'll try to give it its due here at some point, but I don't have time now.

SO - in lieu of that, here's a shot for Steve and Sue from a few years ago, of Patti and her friend William Burroughs.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

At the Highline the other night. So good.

Real roots music - voices clear, open, released, natural, exploring sounds and stretching possibilities. Finding and using all manner of sounds a voice can make. Reaching back to ancient African music through jazz through doo wop through bebop through hip hop to today and back again. Thoroughly playing with, in and around any given note until every thing they can get out of it in a single song has been squeezed and spun and swirled. Zulu dance moves that bring to mind nothing so much as Miracles (as in Smokey Robinson and the...) and Temptations.

Afrobeat forever.

More Fun than It Looks

We went to Buffalo last weekend for a memorial service for our good friends' father. I know, that does not sound like fun. That sounds like the opposite of fun.

But as it happened, Cory and I actually had quite a bit of fun. This mostly has to do with the fact that our friends are the Funnest People in the History of Everything. Yes, that sounds like I am saying an awful lot. I realize this. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The memorial itself was very moving, as everyone knew it would be. Lots of stories, and memories, and music. And food and drinks, natch. Great to see Molly and Chris and all the assorted people who came forth to share the day with them.

The day before, Cory and I explored Downtown Buffalo.



We had arrived on Friday night, rather late. Even though Buffalo is the 2nd biggest city in NY (albeit a pretty distant second), and even though our hotel was smack in the middle of downtown, there's not much going on there after 9 p.m. besides bars, so we just finished the Scrabble game we'd started at LaGuardia and called it a night.

Then on Saturday, we braved the cold and hit the town. And if you know Buffalo at all, you know that when I say cold, I mean cold. The guy at the front desk was friendly and pointed us in the right direction to try to find some brunch in a brunchless land. We made our way to Spot Coffee, which turned out to be great - cool people, good food, good coffee, great vibe: only too happy to give it a shoutout. After that (follow along on the map, if you please) we wound our way over to City Hall, which is a big beautiful art deco building, past the obelisk (the obelisk and City Hall Square are outlined in blue on the map. There are a lot of obelisks in Buffalo.) and some crazy film students shooting a mockumentary about Android Rights protesters (it was a very small mock protest, but cut 'em slack: the temperature was in single digits), over by the library, and to a really depressing mall that nonetheless had a cool sculpture of a life size buffalo climbing out of a much much bigger than lifesize buffalo nickel. Then, based on a flyer we'd seen in the coffee shop, we followed our freezing noses to the Western New York Book Arts Collaborative. Which was amazing!! A collective of printers, paper-makers, artists and book-makers have made great use of a couple floors of space to experiment, create and display work. There had been an opening the night before (we'd arrived to late to have attended even if we'd known about it) and there were plenty of examples on display and for sale, as well as really cool people there to show us around, and take us downstairs to the workshop where most of the magic happens. Really, really cool operation - very glad we stumbled on that flyer.

Not only were the printing co-op types good at showing us around their shop, they also gave us good info about exploring the city on foot. And on subway. There is a somewhat limited subway "system" in Buffalo (it's just one line that goes from the Harbor out to the University. Some Buffalonians call it the 'Subway to Nowhere') that we used to go out to the Allentown neighborhood because it was just too cold to walk the whole way. Anyway, it did get us from point A to point B, and then we walked over to the Hero gallery (which had been the nexus of the opening at WNYBAC the night before) and beyond that to a used book store and past some bars and music venues. We discovered that we were near the Anchor Bar, which is by unanimous account the Original Home of the World's First Buffalo Wings, so we went there too.

Now, here's where it got really cold. Turns out that we weren't quite as near to that spot as we'd been led to believe, and the last quarter mile or so was up hill (a very gentle hill, but still...) and into the wind. Holy crap it was cold. Cory turned to me at one point and said "Are you sure we're going in the right direction? I can't feel my feet. And I think this finger is going to break off." But we made it there and had some wings and some fries and a beer. How could we not?

Took the subway back to the hotel and crawled under the covers to warm up and watch part of "I Am Legend" on TV, and then met Sue & Kevin & Max for dinner. Jen showed up later on, and we had a nightcap with her before turning in. The next morning we broke fast in the hotel and all smooshed into Sue and Kevin's car (which isn't normally a clown car, but they made an exception for us that day) and went to the memorial, and you know the rest.

EXCEPT - on the way back home, we had to go to the airport extra early because Jen's flight was more than an hour before ours. But as we checked in, Cory noticed that an earlier flight to NY hadn't taken off yet, so we zipped through security as fast as we could and luckily they let us on the almost-empty plane. Such a stroke of luck! We walked through the threshold of Cory's apartment at almost exactly the moment our original plane was scheduled to be taking off. Nice coda to a nice weekend.

And, above all, for Fran: requiescat in pace.

Shaken, not Stirred

Life is crazy. I mean - all the time, but it seems extra-special crazy these days. Haven't had time to post here. Don't like it.

There's just a lot going on. A good friend of mine said that this January is now, officially, the Worst Month in All of Recorded History. He's coming from a particular vantage point, having lost his father suddenly at the beginning of the month, and his dog (more expectedly, but still) at the end of it. And today is his birthday. Ooof.

But there's definitely something in the air. The politics I won't even go into too much right now (though I'll touch on them) but you know about that anyway.

Some of it is good: I'm working on that project at NYU Law School, and have a bit to do on a short film as well; we've been out to see a bunch of shows and events, including another great Simone Forti happening that hopefully I can post about soon; Cory, Penelope (the big ol' mixer that Cory got me for Christmas. Yes, her name is Penelope.) and I have been baking up a storm. Ok. Yes - this does sometimes take the form of Utility Muffin Research Kitchen-type experimentation, but so far everything has been edible, and some of it has been downright delicious.

On the other hand, some of it just sucks: the aforementioned deaths; other death and illness that has directly affected close friends; the death of J.D. Salinger today;



Howard Zinn's death yesterday. Are you kidding me? Zinn was a personal hero of mine and a huge influence. That Nurses' Strike he went to after his final lecture? I was there with him (and at the lecture too. And FYI - it wasn't exactly a Nurses' Strike - it was actually more of a walkout to protest the closing of the Nursing School)



So let me wrap up with that promised tidbit of political commentary, and I'll start with the bit of Zinn that the obit quotes from his last article in The Nation:

"I’ve been searching hard for a highlight,” he wrote, adding that he wasn’t disappointed because he never expected a lot from President Obama.

"I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.”

And here we hit a subject very near to my heart: the notion that change (the kind you can believe in, you know?) doesn't happen without social movement. Actual people engaging in actual action. And while it's nice that the President got in some swings last night, the real work has to be done by the people. Always.



More to come... Sometime, when I can breathe...

She Doesn't Care What You Eat

Gotta Love Natalie Dee.

More Fun with Movement and Art

As promised, here is some more on Cory's Dance Debut with Simone Forti.

First of all, why don't I link to Claudia La Rocco's rave in the Times. One of those love letter reviews that we all dream of. Which Cory gets her first time out. Nice! [They didn't mention her by name, per se, but she was most certainly a part of the "ad hoc group of dancers" mentioned in the review.] Of course, that fits in all-too perfectly with Simone's perspective on dance. She called these pieces "Dance Constructions" and they are tucked into the boxes of sculpture/visual art as often and as fittingly as they are labeled as dance (by those who enjoy putting decals on things - as with most achievements of importance, I tend to see this work as being elusive of pigeonholes, what Duke Ellington would have called "beyond category") A movement artist in the Proto-Judson Era (which term I may be making up, but you know what I mean), Forti was part of the group that presented at Yoko's loft, which is where Huddle was first shown in 1961. She wasn't terribly well known then; she's made her mark more by influence (Lucinda Childs, Yvonne Rainer, and of course Robert Morris) than recognition. Until recently! Simone is finally getting her due, and I hope she's enjoying it!

I had the great good fortune to attend this event with Ginger Spivey, a good friend of Cory's from Duke, who is a more than formidable resource on Simone, the Judson school, New York art in the 60s, and art in general. I can't link the full text here (go ahead and support indie press and buy the thing!) but she has an article about Forti in last summer's Women's Art Journal. So I've got some art world cred when I tell you that this show ROCKED!

Here's the promised viddie - it's just a portion of the Huddle that happened during the reception. This show happened on stage, on screen, and among the audience. That's Cory in the pink top. And you don't need to be a dance aficionado to recognize the guy commenting on Trevor crossing the Huddle near the end...

How cool is that?

[ok, here I have an issue with the good people at Blogger. I have tried to upload this video four times now - taking lots of time - and it continues NOT to work. So I'm putting it on youtube and embedding it from there; which is fine I guess, but shouldn't the video app work better?? If anyone has a fix, let me know]

Remember Must-See TV?

And now, a moment of silence to honor the trials and travails of those millionaire late-night comedians whose lives have been thrown into such upheaval. And all that turmoil that General Electric-owned NBC is suffering.

Those poor, poor millionaire comedians...

Dance Debut!

What did you do last night?

I went to see Cory's Dance Debut. Yup. That's right. Not only was she performing live in New York, she was performing with dancer/choreographer/artist Simone Forti.

And not only that, but she did it at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. And not only that, but he (Mr. Baryshnikov) was there.

How many people can say that Baryshnikov attended their dance debut? Not that many, I'll wager.

I have to tell you, this was tremendously exciting!

Can't access my camera from this computer - will try to load up some video later on and post it with a more full account of the evening.

Perspective

Speaking of things you don't have control over...



While it's tempting to use this image of a bank in Haiti as an illustration of the financial system in general, it's too palpable an illustration of too immediate a disaster.

Please send thoughts, prayers, wishes, dances and songs of goodwill, whatever you can muster. And maybe click here for some ideas of more concrete things you can do.

There's No Moral - It's Just a Bunch of Stuff that Happened

A quick parable about the vagaries of fortune...

Went home last night and decided to move Lola (my well-used and much beloved car) because she was parked in a Tuesday streetcleaning spot. Thought I'd take some time and find a Monday spot so I wouldn't have to think about moving her again for a while (longer than usual, thanks to the grassroots activism of Martin Luther King, Jr.)

What followed was probably the worst parking luck I have ever experienced: I drove around the 'boken for a half an hour looking for a Monday spot, seeing a couple near misses, where someone else got to the spot a few seconds before I drove by; then spent another half hour looking for any spot, before finally finding one that was no better than the one I left in the first place. An hour (an hour!) of driving around, only to end up needing to move Lola again in the morning.

Kind of wrecked my mood. "O Fate, you spotted whore - why do you mock me?!?!" kind of thing. I got over it, but still ended up doing nothing all night but making myself dinner and watching a shitty movie on tv. It was a very delicious dinner, but still.

Then this morning, the complete opposite: went to the car and drove her down the block and through one intersection to a perfect spot. A Monday spot at that. There was a huge long line for the bus into the city, so I thought I might have a long, slow, crowded commute - but a bus came within 5 minutes, and it was nearly empty so we all got seats, and the traffic wasn't even bad - I made it to work early.

SO what's the message of this story? Well, that's for you to interpret of course, but I think it has something to do with Fate being a mocking harpy one minute and a benevolent angel the next, for no reason at all. I know that there's a school of thought out there that says you make your own luck, and I actually agree with that to a huge extent. On the other hand, I don't think I did anything, or failed to do anything to make this particular morsel of luck; or that my "vibration" kept parking spaces at bay last night or drew one to me this morning. It just happened that way. It seems to me that maybe there are some kinds of luck you make for yourself, and some kinds that just happen. To amplify this point to a grander scale - I don't think anyone can make themselves the luck of being born with certain innate qualities (be they gifts or curses or neither.) Extreme height, for instance. Or skin color. Or congenital good health or disease. Or being born in a society where indoor plumbing is the rule, rather than the exception.

And that brings us to the Homer Simpson quote that provides the title for this entry. (You all saw the 450th episode on Sunday, right? And the 20th Anniversary Special? In 3-D! On Ice!)

Now, what you do with those given circumstances is another matter entirely...

Music for Pleasure

Perfect for baking and prepping the night before.

The people who came by last night got:

• Pumpkin Coconut Soup
• Yassa Poulet
• Yassa Garbanzo (couldn't leave out the vegans!)
• Molly's Wick Awes Broccoli Casserole
• Peanut Blossom Cookies
• Mom's Fudge and Peanut Brittle
• Buche de Noel - chocolate cake w/mocha filling and chocolate bark frosting.  And cherries on top.  And a candle for Daniel.

We drank a toast to Fran Wagner, with all respects and love and condolences.  We sang Happy Birthday to Daniel.  We stayed up too late and drank too much.  The way you do.

For the post-day-after-brunch, Dirty Projectors.

And a little Can Banging is up next.  Not too bangful.

The Estonians

Mad props to TV3, Talinn, Estonia.

Bruce Gets a Medal

Ok, it's a pretty good medal. The Kennedy Center Honor went to Springsteen last year, as well as to a more-than-usually bitchin field including Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry and Robert De Niro.

I realize that none of this is exactly news, given that it was announced back in September and the actual ceremony was a month ago. But what is news is that it's been broadcast, and some clips are available on the internets, including this one featuring Jersey Boy Jon Stewart.



It's nearly 10 minutes long, but I actually really like it. At least check out the first few minutes to hear Jon's beliefs on the Origins of Bruce.

Goodbye to the '00s

Hello to the Tens. The Teens. The Twenty Teens. Something.

I've been taking a page from Colbert and been calling this year '010. Oh Ten! Or sometimes I take my cue from Dudley Moore and Bo Derek and just call it '10. As in: Perfect Ten. I suspect that Roy Scheider will win the day, and 2010 will grow to common currency. Twenty Ten. Rolls trippingly off the tongue, no?

So, to start off with a celebration (a little late), let's acknowledge that yesterday was Michael Stipe's 50th birthday.

And, lest that just, you know, freak you the f*ck out, drink a toast to Issac Newton's 467th

Oh, and remember what Tony Wilson said: "No one beats gravity." Watch out for falling apples (but don't let them slow you down.)

Brancusi, etc.

This one is pretty much for Cory. Like much of my life, it'll seem a little random, but has an underlying logic. Or something.

Constantin Brancusi


Bird in Flight


Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg

Charlotte Gainsbourg

The Third Man

Last night Cory and I went to see The Third Man at Film Forum. So good.

So. Good.

The angles, the lighting, the story, the acting, and - oh man - that amazing Anton Karas score (has to be the most famous zither music of all time, right? I just read an article saying that Karas had been essentially unknown, playing music in wine bars, prior to Carol Reed hiring him for this film.) One of those movies you can see over and over again and keep getting new things from it. And this was Cory's first time seeing it, so that made it extra special exciting!

This film also shows just how great an actor Orson Welles was. He's the first person you think of when the subject of The Third Man comes up, he's usually the guy who appears on the poster, the picture seems to rest on his shoulders. But really, he's only in three scenes in the whole damn movie. He just fills them with so much life that he turns out to be the star of the show. His first appearance has to be one of the all-time-most-incredible onscreen entrances. And then, of course, that ferris wheel scene... Ok, ok: I don't want to give too much away in case you haven't seen it for some reason (for the love of god, see it.)

The Film Forum run of the new print (released for the 60th Anniversary) ends tonight, so we can put this post in the Too Late to Do Anyone Any Good file. But, well, maybe it will inspire you for the next time around. Watch the DVD in the meantime, for sure; but check it out in a theater if you get the chance. (Oh, and for the Third Man fans out there: this was a good clean print with the extra material and the original European narration. It's got to be making the rounds, right?)

So. Good.

Post Holiday Post

SO -

Christmas '009 came and went in Phoenix, as it did everywhere else. There was something heightened about it for us this year, being that this might have been the Last Christmas Together in Phoenix, but, if anything, that just led to more celebrating.


Holiday bonding for Dad and Otis.


Mary diving into some Christmas goodies.


And the whipped-cream aftermath.

Anna's approach to Christmas involved quite a bit of ecstatic responses to gifts. This is not a child who can be accused of ingratitude for presents. Pink factored heavily - see the drop-proof camera, and the fuzzy pig, to which this almost-four-year-old responded, along with much shrieking, "I've wanted a pig my whole life!!"

Some of Sam.

Jason, a beyond-serious baseball fan and one who knows the "Reason for the Season," appreciating a hitting lesson from Jesus.


The brilliant blur that is Otis.




Mom and Dad.




Ferocity itself.


Dancing at the speed of joy.

Intermezzo

I'll try to get a Post-Christmas Post up today, but I can't say for sure that it'll happen. Meanwhile, here's this, to recognize the saddest event of Christmas Day (with all respect to the people on that flight to Detroit.)




The song is at least 15 years old, but it's a beautiful video, and heartbreaking in the wake of Vic Chesnutt's terribly sad and premature death.



We'll miss you, Vic.

Shit.

Holiday Fun

As promised!

Let's start off with yesterday evening. I was on my own for logistical reasons, but I tried to make the most of it. First, I walked past Bryant Park to see the people skating there under the tree.


As you can see, I didn't have my good camera with me yesterday, so these shots won't be my finest work. But I do love that Holiday-in-the-City energy.

Then I went to the farmers' market on 9th Ave. and got some provisions. Made a pretty good pasta and a spinach salad, and opened a bottle of vino for the occasion.

My sister was having something of a rough time last night (if you're reading this - I'm here for you, sis. Always.) so I talked to her for a while. And I wrapped some presents while I watched part of a Charlie Brown special that I'd never heard of from 2003 (?!?!) called I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (seriously, who knew? Rerun gets fired from kindergarten for sexual harassment. I'm not even kidding.) and part of The San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker on TV. And I dug up some of the old Christmas tapes to accompany the task as well.

That's right. Tapes.




This morning I went to the post office to pick up the present that Grandma and Grandpa sent me. Don't know what it is yet, as she asked that I not open it until Christmas (so that's what's going to happen gol' darnit!)

Then, at work I finished up the birthday present I put together for Grandpa and put it in the mail - it's his birthday today! I know he's not reading this, but say it with me: Happy Birthday, Grandpa! As he approached 92, he shared with us all that he has a formerly closeted fondness for "that long hair violin music" (the "long hair" variety being the arty kind that happens in orchestras, as opposed to the fiddle kind that happens in the backyard jamboree accompanied by banjo, accordion and/or washboard percussion.) I had to put together a collection for the event. (And yes, I know he'll get his present late. I'll call him tonight to wish him a timely Happy Birthday.)



'Tis the Season for fun tasks!

*Oh, and if I'm reading my dashboard right, this is Love Minus Zero's 400th post. So, there's that.

Moving On

Ok, I don't always agree with him, and know that many people strongly disagree with him in good faith, but Glenn Greenwald has been making quite a bit of sense lately. I'm thinking particularly of his analyses of the Health Care Reform debate, his (shockingly lonely) voice calling out some allies of the Obama Administration turning a blind eye toward the way some of its policies resemble those of the Bush Administration, and, particularly, his examination of the trend of Corporatizing the U.S. Government.

...this growing opposition to corporatism -- to the virtually absolute domination of our political process by large corporations -- is one of the many issues that transcend the trite left/right drama endlessly used as a distraction. The anger among both the left and right towards the bank bailout, and towards lobbyist influence in general, illustrates that. Kilgore says that anger among the left and right over corporatism is irreconcilable, and this is the point I think he has mostly wrong:

To put it more bluntly, on a widening range of issues, Obama's critics to the right say he's engineering a government takeover of the private sector, while his critics to the left accuse him of promoting a corporate takeover of the public sector. They can't both be right, of course, and these critics would take the country in completely different directions if given a chance. But the tactical convergence is there ifthey choose to pursue it.

This supposedly irreconcilable difference Kilgore identifies is more semantics than substance. It's certainly true that health care opponents on the left want more a expansive plan while opponents on the right want the opposite. But the objections over the mandate are largely identical -- it's a coerced gift to the private health insurance industry that underwrites the Democratic Party. The same was true over opposition to the bailout, objections to lobbying influence over Washington, and most of all, the growing anger that Washington serves the interests of financial elites at the expense of the working class.

Whether you call it "a government takeover of the private sector" or a "private sector takeover of government," it's the same thing: a merger of government power and corporate interests which benefits both of the merged entities (the party in power and the corporations) at everyone else's expense...

I'll have more Holiday Fun for my next post...

Life Is Good

Yes, there will be naysayers (there are always naysayers.) You could mention how the Health Care Bill is selling out the working poor (again), delivering even yet still another affront to women's health, and a form of political suicide for the already unfathombly divided Democratic Party. And you'd have a point. You could refer to the Global Climate Conference ending in a toothless accord. And there'd be something to that. You might wonder: whither the American Left? When they're reduced to playing "gotcha" about commentators spatting over whether the First Family was polite at a Christmas Party? And you would very, very sadly be on to something.

But I maintain that in these days between Chanukah and Christmas, joy is alive and magic is afoot. Mike Daisey delivered an astounding show - I'm telling you, people: when this man is in town, drop what you're doing and go see his show. No kidding. Bob Dylan's Christmas record is amazing - irrationally fun (thanks for a great holiday present, Cory!) The Ailey Season is driving forth with full vigor. This past weekend's Snowgasm left us with a Winter Wonderland.

And as if that weren't enough, enjoy this video confection. It's latter-day Bad Lieutenant Cage, diving deep into translation on behalf of pinball gambling sensation Pachinko. And now, I present it for your comfort and joy.



You're welcome.

Holiday Happenings

There is a LOT going on right now. More even than usual at this festive time of year. The biggest news of all is that there is a very very good chance that my sister and her family will be spending a significantly higher percentage of their time out here starting at some point in '010. Something along the lines of 100% of their time. More on this as it develops...

Meanwhile, this is very late notice, but, consider yourself notified: I will be reading tonight at the Renegade Cabaret. It will be a short but presumably jolly performance of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas tucked in among jazz and Holiday musical faves. The High Line at W. 20th Street, 7 p.m.

Speaking of Holiday faves, I haven't figured out how to embed from this site, but in honor of Chanukah (it's the 7th night, after all, or will be in a few minutes) click here for a great viddy from our friend Leslie Jonath teaching us how to make latkes! It's controversial in a small way, and not completely specific, so you may still want to refer to a recipe, but it's got some great tips. Enjoy!

120% of those polled responded...

Really guys? Really?

I mean, never mind that you're trying to provoke debate about things that don't warrant debate (kind of like you do with evolution) but: are you really on a continuing mission to take fact-checking to a new low?

Speaking of Sad Anniversaries...

It was 29 years ago today.

Photo by Bob Greuen.

Strummer on Springsteen

Sometimes you stumble on something that just kind of makes your whole day better.

Joe Strummer shooting from the hip and waxing poetic about Bruce Springsteen. This is from a fun blog called Letters of Note. Worth a browse, in my opinion, but be warned that you might get sucked in for a while. For you Chicago types: check out this little gem from another of Jersey's finest to Mike Royko.

Historic Events

Today, of course, is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which event ushered the U.S. into World War II. And while that does tempt me to discuss America's current military incursion in Asia, I'm actually thinking more about a big round anniversary that happened yesterday, but didn't get a lot of attention. That would be the 40th anniversary of the concert at Altamont. You know, the big Peace and Love Fest that Wasn't, where the Stones headlined.

It's often painted as the Anti-Woodstock, for its aggressive nature and tone, and, oh yeah, the deaths. (4 people died, one stabbed, by a Hell's Angels security guard.) Rob Kirkpatrick gave the anniversary some column inches, but on the whole it's been ignored, much more so than the Woodstock anniversary a few months ago, with the reunion concerts and the special edition DVDs and the new movie about the event and such. This makes a certain amount of sense, as, unlike Woodstock, it's not something people want to celebrate. But it is historically significant; some people think of it as the moment when the '60s ended, in spirit if not in chronology. I might pick another event that resulted in 4 fatalities a few months later on a college campus in the heartland, but Altamont was an important indicator of the shift. Again, a celebration of Flower Power it was not: that Hell's Angel was acquitted, as the court determined that the woman he stabbed was waving a loaded gun toward the stage.

I think of it also because, though a sense of Utopian possibility may have been slipping away, there was still a lot of activism going on that was, well, pretty active. Cory and I were talking about some of the things going on and wondering where the creative, energetic, risk-taking, influential activist groups are. Where is today's SNCC? Does the SDS have any momentum? Is Act Up still out there acting with the kind of force it used to? Is the ACLU still successful at getting Congresspeople's attention?

This is not some kind of appeal for the good old bad old days (and actually, I think the ACLU does still have some sway), but it is an appeal for the kind of juicy, vital, fingers-on-the-pulse-rather-than-on-the-keyboard kinds of social movements that actually move things. And yes, I admit that I don't lie down in front of tanks much myself. But people might lie down in front of the entrance to City Hall (or the Lincoln Tunnel) if there were a well-organized group ready to jump in there.

Of course, I could be wrong.

The Plan

Alright, I admit it: I was in a weird and not-so-good mental space when I wrote my last post. Lotta things just came to a head yesterday. But of course there is plenty of good work to be done.

Here's an interesting perspective by Nicholas Kristof on the sitch in Afghanistan.

And thanks to Mike Daisey for this next tidbit sharing a Master Plan from a website that's currently down for repairs. (Hmmmm...) Looks like a swell time for all!



Daisey's new show is happening at the Public, by the way. You know it's gonna be good - Cory and I are seeing it next week. Very limited run for this one, so don't wait too long...

I've been a busy auditioner/theatergoer these days too. Besides the brilliant From the House of the Dead last weekend, I saw the very worthwhile, if imperfect, A Streetcar Named Desire at BAM on Tuesday (may end up writing fuller posts on those two shows if time permits), and am going to Love Child at New World Stages tonight. Oughta be good. Looking forward to some laughs.

I <3 NY

I really do. Most of the time. But then once in a while, they decide to do something really annoying, probably unconstitutional, and just plain wrong. And it makes me just. go. berserk. Just like Billy Jack.

Lotta rhetoric flying around the idea of gay marriage, in New York and across the country. Six New York Democrats voted against it. Well, seven, if you count Ruben "It's Treason" Diaz, but I honestly don't know if anyone is thinking of him as a Democrat anymore in anything but name.

On the other hand, maybe the Dems deserve the name he's giving them. You saw what I posted yesterday about the Afghan War. And a little while ago, 64 of them in the U.S. House voted to dial back women's access to safe and legal abortions, as I've discussed here too. You know: Safe. Legal. Like you'd want if someone you love needed one. Like women in this country have been able to count on for a couple generations. Like Democrats used to insist on as a base level for the discussion. Here's Barbara Ehrenreich with a really good article on the defanging of feminism. (The gist - while once American women took stands and took to the streets en masse, now you get to call yourself 'aware' of 'women's health concerns' by wearing a little pink pin.) And while we're on Democratic selldowns, where is the New Deal for this generation's economic crisis? Where are the jobs? Where is the aggressive handling of the outsized robber barons of Wall Street?

Ok, ok - I still like Obama better than Bush. I guess I like the Democrats better than the Republicans. (I guess.) But hoooo boy, I'm tired of paying them and getting out the vote for them and not getting what I paid and voted for.

Keep writing those letters and emails and making those phone calls, people. Make it clear that your wallets are closed to officials that don't effect the policies you support and demand.

What would Billy Jack do?





Hehehe.

But as I imagine going all Billy Jack on them, I'm thinking of a quote I saw earlier today and now can't remember where it was. I'll try to track it down, but it went something like: "...then you realize that there is no 'Them,' there's only 'Us,' and We fucked up."

And on a Lighter Note

Enjoy.

Tough Going

In the shadow of imminent troop escalation, Bob Herbert on Obama, Afghanistan and real strength.

I keep hearing that Americans are concerned about gargantuan budget deficits. Well, the idea that you can control mounting deficits while engaged in two wars that you refuse to raise taxes to pay for is a patent absurdity. Small children might believe something along those lines. Rational adults should not...

Afghanistan is not Vietnam. There was every reason for American forces to invade Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. But that war was botched and lost by the Bush crowd, and Barack Obama does not have a magic wand now to make it all better...

The tougher choice for the president would have been to tell the public that the U.S. is a nation faced with terrible troubles here at home and that it is time to begin winding down a war that veered wildly off track years ago. But that would have taken great political courage. It would have left Mr. Obama vulnerable to the charge of being weak, of cutting and running, of betraying the troops who have already served. The Republicans would have a field day with that scenario.

Gatherings this week - in Chelsea, UES and Times Square. Thanks to Sherin for the 411.