You've gotta try / see this:
http://www.nypost.com/spsections/hill_vs_obama/
Only the New York Post, right?
4.29.2008
4.27.2008
Haters
Excellent article from Philly.com about inherent racism amongst the Pennsylvania electorate. (Hat tip: Ben Smith)
I don't link to it to decry it as out of the ordinary. The theme it touches on will be one that is repeated throughout the general election campaign: White liberals who don't believe that we, as a nation, are ready for a black president:
As I watched the Pennsylvania primary unfold I began to see something about Pennsylvania, and the north as a whole that was extremely disheartening. It is the belief held by many whites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that America is not ready for a black president. To me, this reeks of racial bias and ignorance.
A year ago, I was talking to a friend of mine at lunch who has lived in the south all his life. He mentioned to me that he thought the north was more racist than the south. His reasoning was that in the south, white and black folks have been forced to live together and work together for years now. It's nothing new anymore. Sure there are bigots out there, but most have had to confront their racial biases at some point or another. Basically, it's been forced out into the open...
He continued that in the north, people quickly moved out into the suburbs away from blacks in the city and basically have avoided the issue entirely. As a result, many have not had to confront their biases towards a particular race of people...We have had black mayors, governors, senators, representatives, and even Secretaries of State. Why is president "off limits"? When does a race of people become 'ready' for America? How is that judged exactly?This sounds an awful lot like a reader's email I posted a portion of just last week. Here is another potion I didn't include in the original post. It refers to the reader's interpretatino of the intentions of the liberal establishment regarding black voters:
See, we think you're wonderful and we're delighted to let you folks be mayors and councilmen and delegates to our convention... And vote for us, because we gonna take care of you and give you more programs and entitlements!!!Read the original post here.
These may be the Democrats that peel off as independents for John McCain in the general. That's fine. The rest of the party will coalesce without them, and much like Joe Lieberman, they'll be left in their boat with no oars looking over the precipice of change.
4.24.2008
BREAKING
Jesus...Hillary's out of money (the $10M is totally off) and a source close to the campaign says she'll be out by the end of the week. (Click the link for MSNBC video)
Effing Drudge, right?
Effing Drudge, right?
4.22.2008
Keepin' It Close
The inability of a well-oiled machine candidate to not run up debt like a Buffalo Bills fan, more than the most delectable cup of java ever, is way more likely to keep campaign offices open from 6:00AM to 2:00AM.
These Obama effers work hard. In Philly since yesterday. West Philly.
6-8 points. You heard it here first.
These Obama effers work hard. In Philly since yesterday. West Philly.
6-8 points. You heard it here first.
4.16.2008
The Cracker Barrel
A reader writes:
"If (Clinton's "bitter" strategy) works, it will just be more evidence of the unsettling plantation mentality of the mainstream Democratic Party...I recently asked a friend of mine who works in the Bronx as a social worker what it would be like for the women she works for, and their children, to see Barack Obama elected. She just kind of stared at me and bared a faint smile.
...'We gonna take care of you and give you more programs and entitlements and empowerments and don't that make you feel good!'
Then quietly slipping away, down to the general store, sitting by the cracker barrel: 'You know, we do take care of them. And we do think they are coming along just fine. But do you think the rest of the country feels that way? I dunno. Better be careful. Don't want to step over the edge here.'
...I grew up in a world of paternalistic racism and separation. Open and aboveboard. I still know people whose attitudes haven't changed from those days. They accept the circumstances of surface equality, even if they probably don't believe it. But they're honest. It's worse when racism is more subtle, insidious, practiced with skill, and equally demeaning."
4.14.2008
Message Discipline
"I think those comments are elitist...I think it's a fundamental contradiction of what I believe America is all about..."
"The characterization of people in a way that really seemed to be elitist and out of touch is really something that we have to overcome..."
Guess who said what?
"The characterization of people in a way that really seemed to be elitist and out of touch is really something that we have to overcome..."
Guess who said what?
4.12.2008
4.10.2008
Hipster Pictures
One of the reasons I moved to New York with my sights set on Brooklyn was the photography in Vice Magazine. I wanted to see if these people really existed.
It turns out they kind-of do. It's as if a tall and skinny casting bat signal was shone over Metropolitan Avenue by an aging fashion queen. His plan - dress the girls in old clothes and boots that he had been collecting at estate sales and storing in his attic. For the boys - tight shirts and pants, with the latter required to always be falling down.
His plan worked, and so did mine. Knee deep in tattoos and irony, I'm the ultimate unmustached square jogging past you on your way in to Pete's Candy Store.
I haven't read Vice in months (and heard a rumor that it had been sold to a large publishing house completely unsubstantiated source - Anton von Hornsbinoff), likely because I only need walk out my front door and take two rights for a fresh DYI Do & Don'ts pallette. One of my favorite photographers from Vice, Ryan McGinley, is showing a gaggle of naked hipster pictures in SoHo / Chinatown. I will be going to compare notes.
Check it out: http://www.teamgal.com/exhibitions/131
It turns out they kind-of do. It's as if a tall and skinny casting bat signal was shone over Metropolitan Avenue by an aging fashion queen. His plan - dress the girls in old clothes and boots that he had been collecting at estate sales and storing in his attic. For the boys - tight shirts and pants, with the latter required to always be falling down.
His plan worked, and so did mine. Knee deep in tattoos and irony, I'm the ultimate unmustached square jogging past you on your way in to Pete's Candy Store.
I haven't read Vice in months (and heard a rumor that it had been sold to a large publishing house completely unsubstantiated source - Anton von Hornsbinoff), likely because I only need walk out my front door and take two rights for a fresh DYI Do & Don'ts pallette. One of my favorite photographers from Vice, Ryan McGinley, is showing a gaggle of naked hipster pictures in SoHo / Chinatown. I will be going to compare notes.
Check it out: http://www.teamgal.com/exhibitions/131
4.09.2008
Operator, Can You Help Me?
God bless you if he/she selected your sorry ass to be on the other end of the telephone from me if you're in customer service.
What? I didn't pay Virginia state taxes for half the decade? Sounds like your fault for sending the reminders to the wrong address. Sound like a ridiculous statement bordering on being a non sequitor? It is. But when you start talking to the voice, everything changes.
The voice hates you. The voice sat down at its desk at 8:55, donned the headset and looked down to see 13 calls in queue. 13 angry motherf*ckers who have spent some of the first minutes of their day on hold.
At 8:58 the voice remembers the email she got at 4:54 yesterday saying that call volume would be high today because (insert company / organization here) was about to begin "Operation FacePoop", a reference to a new billing system that works by automatically deducting whatever it wants from your checking account every three minutes. The voice takes a deep breath, sighs, and wades in. For the next 8 hours. With a 1/2 hour lunch.
May I finish? It is incredibly important to get the voice to answer your questions. The voice will try to admonish you (for say, going on Phish tour and not filing a tax return) talk down at you or use your surname (Mr. Ofallwookies...Mr. Ofallwookies) in order to avoid a question it it has no answer to. You must remember that the voice works for you, dear reader, and if it isn't in the mood to answer your questions, well...
I'm going to have to ask to speak to your supervisor. The voice is not the supervisor. Ever. If the voice is smart, it transfers you to another voice, avoiding a possible reprimand. If you think this might be happening to you, go for the gold, tiger. The operating number. Asking for this is a surefire way to illicit, sometimes audibly, an suddenly clamped butthole from the end of the line. Today I was told that I wouldn't need it. But I just. Couldn't. Live. Without it.
"Mr. Offallwookies? Thank you for holding, sir. My supervisor is on her way."
Demand Satisfaction. Who does #1 work for? The supervisor is the granter of refunds, the gatekeeper of free shipping. Without going into explicit detail, explain why the voice was unhelpful, remembering that the voice and the supervisor may share hotdogs at the races. Calmly explain what you came for. When the supervisor doesn't grant your wish, see above and write a letter.
But you're not really gonna do that, are you?
Are you?
Oh yeah - don't curse. They can can you for that
What? I didn't pay Virginia state taxes for half the decade? Sounds like your fault for sending the reminders to the wrong address. Sound like a ridiculous statement bordering on being a non sequitor? It is. But when you start talking to the voice, everything changes.
The voice hates you. The voice sat down at its desk at 8:55, donned the headset and looked down to see 13 calls in queue. 13 angry motherf*ckers who have spent some of the first minutes of their day on hold.
At 8:58 the voice remembers the email she got at 4:54 yesterday saying that call volume would be high today because (insert company / organization here) was about to begin "Operation FacePoop", a reference to a new billing system that works by automatically deducting whatever it wants from your checking account every three minutes. The voice takes a deep breath, sighs, and wades in. For the next 8 hours. With a 1/2 hour lunch.
May I finish? It is incredibly important to get the voice to answer your questions. The voice will try to admonish you (for say, going on Phish tour and not filing a tax return) talk down at you or use your surname (Mr. Ofallwookies...Mr. Ofallwookies) in order to avoid a question it it has no answer to. You must remember that the voice works for you, dear reader, and if it isn't in the mood to answer your questions, well...
I'm going to have to ask to speak to your supervisor. The voice is not the supervisor. Ever. If the voice is smart, it transfers you to another voice, avoiding a possible reprimand. If you think this might be happening to you, go for the gold, tiger. The operating number. Asking for this is a surefire way to illicit, sometimes audibly, an suddenly clamped butthole from the end of the line. Today I was told that I wouldn't need it. But I just. Couldn't. Live. Without it.
"Mr. Offallwookies? Thank you for holding, sir. My supervisor is on her way."
Demand Satisfaction. Who does #1 work for? The supervisor is the granter of refunds, the gatekeeper of free shipping. Without going into explicit detail, explain why the voice was unhelpful, remembering that the voice and the supervisor may share hotdogs at the races. Calmly explain what you came for. When the supervisor doesn't grant your wish, see above and write a letter.
But you're not really gonna do that, are you?
Are you?
Oh yeah - don't curse. They can can you for that
4.06.2008
New Boyfriend Store
I used to warn an ex-girlfriend that, believe it or not, it could be worse. Trying to glean some focus from the disappearing afternoon and thinking of her, I happened upon an ad from said retailer and wanted to share it with you: http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/bar/632467761.html
4.03.2008
She's Got One More Days Left
"She said late last week that they would be out within a week and so you can count on that." -Howard Wolfson, HRC's Communications Director
Enjoy a coffee and a cigarette with that post-5:00PM dump tomorrow afternoon.
Enjoy a coffee and a cigarette with that post-5:00PM dump tomorrow afternoon.
4.02.2008
Recess This
I was too young to remember the last US recession. My memory serves that it started after Gulf War I and lasted until the day NAFTA took effect. From then until now, not including the 2001-2002 almost-meltdown of Enron and WTC, was the everlasting horizon of jobs just for knowing what a mouse was and clever Superbowl ads (here and here)
According to statistics from the Labor Bureau for US citizens over the age of 25, the following has occurred over the last decade:
The highest rates of unemployment and the lowest wages are shared by those with no high school degree. It is no great surprise that these statistics would be associated those who attained the least education. Many factors associated with low educational attainment - poorly performing schools, low family income - are likely better indicators of future earnings and help us understand that lack of education is certainly not the same thing as lack of intelligence, but the correlation is what it is.
Troubling, too, is that even though unemployment for this segment is around its 1998 level, during the summer of 2003 it was as high as 9.4% and averaged 8.81% from May '03-May '04. Consider then that 13.6% of the United States population doesn't have a diploma. The census estimates the population of the US that was at least 25 years old on July 1, 2006 at 201,504,955 people. Of those folks, according to the labor department 1,945,731 were without jobs.
Even scarier is at the same time, those 25.5 million undereducated Americans that were employed on 7/1/06 were making an average of $12,828 a year. Scarier still - that figure is only ~$300 more (a year!!!) than the numbers in 1998, and now, the kicker: $700 LESS than they were in July of last year!!!
For all other groups - diploma, diploma & some college, college degree - the news is, if only slightly, better. Unemployment for each of these groups has only broken 5% for those with no college. It peaked at 5.7% in the dreaded summer of 2003, hit a valley at 4.1% in '06 and is slowly on the rise today. Said grouping's real income has risen less than $1,000 from January of '98 to the present. This could be a factor of strong union representation amongst the group, whose members enjoy good benefits and relative security in exchange for low salary.
For those who, like the author, found early greatness superseding higher educational goals but only long enough to make going back difficult or prohibitive, things are trending upwards, but at a terribly steep angle. While wages have risen around 15% in the last 10 years, the group started way below the no college crowd ($31K to $37.5K) and are making far less today ($36.5K) than those who finished ($45.5K) AND those who bucked it altogether ($38K).
So what does this all mean? These are numbers from the supposed "good years". People already seem spooked about not getting all they thought they would a couple years back from their homes, gas prices, military robots...
These were just some numbers I wanted to wrap my head around before really diving in to the more personal aspects of impending shortage.
More to come this week, but in the meantime: the aforementioned destroyed of everything (Hat Tip: Yglesias)
According to statistics from the Labor Bureau for US citizens over the age of 25, the following has occurred over the last decade:
The highest rates of unemployment and the lowest wages are shared by those with no high school degree. It is no great surprise that these statistics would be associated those who attained the least education. Many factors associated with low educational attainment - poorly performing schools, low family income - are likely better indicators of future earnings and help us understand that lack of education is certainly not the same thing as lack of intelligence, but the correlation is what it is.
Troubling, too, is that even though unemployment for this segment is around its 1998 level, during the summer of 2003 it was as high as 9.4% and averaged 8.81% from May '03-May '04. Consider then that 13.6% of the United States population doesn't have a diploma. The census estimates the population of the US that was at least 25 years old on July 1, 2006 at 201,504,955 people. Of those folks, according to the labor department 1,945,731 were without jobs.
Even scarier is at the same time, those 25.5 million undereducated Americans that were employed on 7/1/06 were making an average of $12,828 a year. Scarier still - that figure is only ~$300 more (a year!!!) than the numbers in 1998, and now, the kicker: $700 LESS than they were in July of last year!!!
For all other groups - diploma, diploma & some college, college degree - the news is, if only slightly, better. Unemployment for each of these groups has only broken 5% for those with no college. It peaked at 5.7% in the dreaded summer of 2003, hit a valley at 4.1% in '06 and is slowly on the rise today. Said grouping's real income has risen less than $1,000 from January of '98 to the present. This could be a factor of strong union representation amongst the group, whose members enjoy good benefits and relative security in exchange for low salary.
For those who, like the author, found early greatness superseding higher educational goals but only long enough to make going back difficult or prohibitive, things are trending upwards, but at a terribly steep angle. While wages have risen around 15% in the last 10 years, the group started way below the no college crowd ($31K to $37.5K) and are making far less today ($36.5K) than those who finished ($45.5K) AND those who bucked it altogether ($38K).
So what does this all mean? These are numbers from the supposed "good years". People already seem spooked about not getting all they thought they would a couple years back from their homes, gas prices, military robots...
These were just some numbers I wanted to wrap my head around before really diving in to the more personal aspects of impending shortage.
More to come this week, but in the meantime: the aforementioned destroyed of everything (Hat Tip: Yglesias)
4.01.2008
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