Bounce

This sh*t is ill.

Do The Test

As an avid reader of The 'Mania, I'm sure you're asking yourself, "Have I been reading a blog written by a man that injures himself this badly with no provocation?"

The answer is no. I was cut off by a motorist in New York City who raced around me to beat the same yellow light I was trying to beat. He sped past me then braked in front of me to make a right turn. I threw my fixed gear Bianchi Pista out from between my legs, tucked my shoulder to my chin and waited. The event that, as it turns out, didn't require much waiting at all resulted in 12 stitches over my left eye and who knows what sort of (THANK JESUS, INSURED) medical bills for the ambulance ride, ER visit, etc. I had to miss a gig I was set to play with Red Rooster, as well, which is a whole other can of bullsh*t.

People have asked, "Did (the driver) stop?" I have to remind them that, since I bailed in front of the car and never made contact, the driver likely had no idea of the person salad that laid in his wake. I can't blame him for not stopping.

HOWEVER - The driver is a douchebag of an innumerable value for sending me to the ground, and if this helps you to remember to look out your mirror before opening a door or giving a bicycle just an inch more room, then my wounds are well won.

And The Winner Is...

The pavement. I would have been intrepidly blogging my boy's cinching up of the Democratic nomination, but I opted instead for stitching up after taking a quick pit stop on the upper layers of Delancey and Allen.

I know that posting this pic is a somewhat risky move. The Paparazzi will swarm. I am jeopardizing my ability to leave a restaurant or walk a child in a stroller in peace. 

Maybe when I can open both of my eyes the attention will fade. 

City of Brotherly Love

Gotta post this. Sean Bell was shot in an event that had NYPD officers fire over 50 shots on unarmed men. Unarmed men whom they believed to be armed and giving them EVERY SINGLE LAST BENEFIT OF EVERY POSSIBLE DOUBT - shots are being fired, they don't know where they're coming from (I don't know police protocol here) and when they don't stop, they KEEP firing. It's sad, but it doesn't seem malicious. This may show my naiveté re: NYPD extreme violence against citizens, but I can see it. 

This video? Either these officers are toast or the neighborhood I flyered for Barack in will burn a little. 

Yikes, folks. Watch it again. Seriously. This is ridiculous.

Ummmmm...

You've gotta try / see this:

http://www.nypost.com/spsections/hill_vs_obama/

Only the New York Post, right?

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. 

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?

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.