The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry on account of...Rock Band.
Frank Rich says:
This is not 1968, when the country was so divided over race and war that cities and campuses exploded in violence. If you have any doubts, just look (to take a recent example) at the restrained response by New Yorkers, protestors included, to the acquittal of three police officers in the 50-bullet shooting death of an unarmed black man, Sean Bell.This is not 1988, when a Democratic liberal from Massachusetts of modest political skills could be easily clobbered by racist ads and an incumbent vice president running for the Gipper’s third term. This is not the 1998 midterms, when the Teflon Clintons triumphed over impeachment. This is not 2004, when another Democrat from Massachusetts did for windsurfing what the previous model did for tanks.
Read rest here.
Interesting collection of stories from automotive history, although I was disappointed to see nothing in there about the sweet Toyota Camrys.
Ferruccio Lamborghini was a successful manufacturer of farm equipment and the owner of a Ferrari 250GT with chronic clutch problems. When he sought an audience with the imperious Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari told him to go back to driving tractors as he certainly didn’t have the requisite skill to drive a Ferrari.As it turned out, Lamborghini solved the problem by installing one of his tractor clutches in the Ferrari. But he vowed to get back at Ferrari by producing his own high dollar GT car. He succeeded with the 350GT and 400GT, cars generally regarded as the equal of contemporary Ferraris.
A few years later, Henry Ford II also sought revenge against Ferrari who backed out of a deal to sell Ferrari to Ford. The GT40 was born to spank Ferrari in international sports car racing.
People drawing what they looked like when they were a teenager... This guy's illustration of his teen self is funny:
(Cite)
I love Ramen and I love this Ramen utensil ($12).
John Mayer takes us behind the scene of his music makin' empire and reveals his inner jackass'ness in this video, which is a lot more appealing than the overly sincere guy crooning about how all relationships are safe 'til St. Patrick's Day because no way in November will you say goodbye, and in December it's obvious why--no one wants to be alone at Christmas time. And come January we're frozen inside and making new resolution a hundred times. Then in February, you're askin' "won't you be my Valentine?" But after St. Patty's Day, all bets are off--unless you're John Mayer and which in that case you're fucking supermodels and cruising around on a Razor scooter.
If I can't get the girl why don't I just tell her I'm John Mayer. How about something everybody can relate to, like when you're fucking one supermodel you make the other ones jealous?
True.
if you come over you’ll seewe’re not so lonely my cricket and me.
- Willie Nelson
Apparently Paul Hastings, an elite corporate law firm, has been quietly firing many of its lawyers, associates and partners (via "deequitization"). One former Paul Hastings attorney Shinyung Oh decided to not go quietly into that good severance package night. Instead she sent out a company wide email with the termination agreement ("Transition Agreement and General Release") attached which she rejected, and described the circumstances surrounding her "departure" from the firm just six days after her miscarriage.
After my miscarriage, I had discussed my concern with several associates that Paul Hastings may use that opportunity to lay me off quickly before I have a chance to get pregnant again. Those associates thought it unfathomable that a firm would be so callous and assured me that Paul Hastings isn't that kind of a place. What a lesson this has been for them - and for me. I would not have anticipated that a partner would tell me one thing and completely renege on his words a week later. I would not have anticipated that a female partner (whom I had looked to as a role model) with children of her own would sit stone faced as I broke into tears just days after my miscarriage. Even a few words of sympathy or concern would have made a world of difference. What kind of people squander human relationships so easily?
Paul Hastings was recognized this year by The American Lawyer "one of the top labor and employment firms in its Litigation Department of the Year competition."
[Thanks Lauren]
Not quite like Last Night's Party, although I suppose it COULD be a party... Please cast your eyes upon this:
thingsididlastnight.com
[Thanks Randy!]
I would wholly and unconditionally condone a sizable UN military force stepping into the catastrophic and worsening situation in Myanmar. I nominate China to spearhead or lead this effort. Thoughts? The Times reports that Myanmar's military junta is seizing aid supplies while denying entry to outside aid workers, including UN experts. Unofficial estimates place the dead at over a 100,000.
One United Nations official said he had never seen delays like this before in delivering relief supplies and aid officials. In Indonesia after the tsunami in 2004, he said, an air bridge of daily flights was established within 48 hours.
“The frustration caused by what appears to be a paperwork delay is unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts,” said Mr. Risley. “It’s astonishing.”
There is no other moment other than the present crisis that requires the Chinese government to step up to the plate and demonstrate its leadership. No other country or organization has the political or military influence to compel the Myanmar government to open its borders so the disaster in their country can be addressed. This rather than the pomp and glitter of the Olympics will be more effective means for China to convey the substance behind their claim that they are a leading nation among nations, and ought to be treated as such.
MC: Vegas baby... Vegas MC: Strippers on the plane... Blog update to come... Handjobs offered and declined.
Me: WHAT?
Me: The legendary stripper plane...
According to Law Professor John Duffy thousands of patent decisions handed down over the past eight years may be invalid. Wow.
His basic point does not appear to be in dispute. Since 2000, patent judges have been appointed by a government official without the constitutional power to do so. ...[The] Justice Department has already all but conceded that Professor Duffy is right. Given the opportunity to dispute him in a December appeals court filing, government lawyers said only that they were at work on a legislative solution.
Read rest here.
[Thanks Paul!]
Update: I just noticed that the WSJ law blog and I have identical headlines for this story. Blah. And me thought so clever. Me wrong.
J: Quick!! Word association! Warm semi-summer nights... Me: Mosquitoes.
J: Booooooooo Alaska boy.
Jump in the time machine with me and lets go back to 1990 when Hammer pants were all the rage. And apparently still are for this cat:
U can't touch these hammer pants. U just can't! DeKalb subway stop, Brooklyn, 2008
Oh yea, this blogger had more than a few pairs of Hammer pants back in the day. I'd rock them while walking around the house listening to my Walkman (Most likely Another Bad Creation). Who didn't have these? Them were mad comfy AND let a man maintain his swagger while walking through the halls of Bear Valley Elementary School.
Speaking of ABC, when was the last time you heard this:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsWCfemmUxg]
Are there any other cities in the US or anywhere else in the world, excluding socialist or cooperative areas, that has a policy of rent control and rent stabilization? Update: San Francisco (and NYC of course).
With only 12 seats available each night and a decidedly egalitarian (except for those lacking access to a computer and an Internet connection) yet impossible reservation system, Frank Bruni of the New York Times finally landed a coveted seat at Monofuku Ko.
Mischievous, too, is the pastry chef Christina Tosi’s apple pie. It’s sculptured into individual-size rectangles and deep-fried, as if it came straight from McDonald’s, only McDonald’s wouldn’t accessorize it with sour cream ice cream and a swish of sweet, salty toasted miso.You’ll love it, provided you ever get access to it. The unpredictability of accomplishing that — I entered into groveling, Ko-dependent arrangements with tireless friends and readers — has soured some would-be patrons, but Ko can’t be faulted for generating a demand in excess of the supply. And Mr. Chang to his credit doesn’t seem to be holding any seats in reserve for V.I.P.’s.
Read rest here.
Mother Nature is so badass and exceeds the wildest imaginations of Hollywood action and disaster movies. Lightening storm meets volcano eruption in Chile. Result? Mass evacuation and this photo:
Me: Sad that Loving woman died. I've been thinking about her all day. I wonder if I would have the backbone to fight the way she did if I was in her shoes. L: Yah.
Me: She made it possible for you to get with them Russians and Germans.
L: lol. SHUT UP.
The New York Observer has an interesting interview with an old classmate of mine from college, Jordan Carlos. This was interesting to me:
But to date, comedy writing is pretty whitewashed. As of this season, Saturday Night Live has no black writers. The Daily Show also doesn’t have any, and neither does The Colbert Report."[...]
Soon after the [Washington Post] article came out, Mr. Carlos spoke at a panel on race and comedy in Chicago with Lizz Winstead, the co-creator of The Daily Show. "She said, ‘Well, in a perfect world I would hire staff writers of color.’ I was like, ‘Well, it is your perfect world; you can do whatever you want.’ But it’s the nature of the biz for people to hire their friends, hire whoever they want."
Read rest here.
His "Votin Democrat" video cracked me up fer reals, especially when "McCain" does his bit.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=boNrRO-Eu2w]