A foggy day today, thanks to the unseasonable — newly seasonable, maybe — warmth. It grew thicker as I drove west, not the way it usually goes for us low-lying, water-adjacent east siders. My destination? Dearborn, city of magic, city of bilingual signage. I had an excellent interview for a story I hope I can share with you soon, and decided to take the long way home, down Michigan Avenue, another one of those Detroit thoroughfares that drops your jaw and goggles your eyes. Strip clubs, rim stores, burned-out storefronts that will be cleared in another couple decades or when Jesus returns, whichever comes first, unless it maybe goes a little longer. The fog made everything sort of extra-depressing, although the temperature made it impossible to be depressed. Fifty-seven on a December Monday? You usually say, “I’ll take it,” but truth be told, we don’t have much choice these days.
Which is sort of depressing.
I’m predicting a 2013 that is, meteorologically anyway, a repeat of 2012 — a warm winter, a blast-furnace summer, and another drought. (No, I am not a scientist. I am a crone, and I feel it in my witchy bones.) Alan had a sit-down with the manager of the city’s marina today, because he fears, rightly so, that the channel to it, and the slips within it, won’t be navigable by midsummer. We’ll see what comes of it. Meanwhile, low lake levels plague even those with shallow-draft boats. He was discussing it with another guest at a party we were at this weekend when a third piped up and said, hey, what about all this stuff he’d been reading about melting Arctic ice and rising sea levels?
Alan explained that, as Niagara Falls had not yet been overtopped, that wasn’t a problem for us. YET.
In the meantime, I will try to think about the Duchess of Cambridge’s Royal Crumpet in the oven. I’m ridiculously pleased to hear this, as the world always likes a new baby, and at least this one will be well cared for. Yesterday in comments we discussed hyperemesis gravidarum, her barfing complaint. I recalled a New Yorker story by Atul Gawande on the subject some years back, and whaddaya know, so did he. He posted a link to the story in the digital edition, which has apparently been unlocked for the occasion. Once you figure out the navigation it’s fairly easy to read. I hope our friend Cathy Cambridge isn’t feeling this lousy. This NYT explainer (thanks, Jolene) is shorter, and get the job done.
Which I guess ushers us into the bloggage, eh? Here’s the president introducing Led Zeppelin at the Kennedy Center Honors the other night. I’m always taken by his natural comic timing. He really has the gift.
And with that, I’m out and hope your Tuesday is worth it. Happy birthday, Kirk.
Dexter said on December 4, 2012 at 2:00 am
I found this to be hilarious…maybe he meant this as personal message to his dealer or pal? Whatever, Bret Easton Ellis is a real card on Twitter:
Bret Easton Ellis @BretEastonEllis
1) come over at do bring coke now
2) FYI: There. Is. No. New. Novel. Being. Written. Except for maybe The James Deen Story and something called “Come Over At Do Bring Coke Now.”
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on December 4, 2012 at 6:29 am
Three inch thick glass would have been nothing for Page in the old days, but we’re none of us able to throw a hotel room chair as we once could.
I’m guessing the Presidents and speechwriting staff(s) over the years have found the Kennedy Center honors to be a nice, refreshing break — the Gridiron & Correspondent’s dinners have become high stakes political challenges where the laughs themselves are fraught with peril, but must be had. This is just an expansive embrace of culture and good cheer, and the jokes are carried by the event itself with no one trying to judge or over-interpret.
I don’t know if I provoked anyone the other day to fish around in that mock-epic eight part interview with Jack Carter, the comic, still with us at 89, but it was fascinating to read the various takes he offered up on the Friar’s Club and the roasts there and in the hybrid (some might say bastard) Dean Martin format. In the middle of five funerals in six weeks it was a pleasant sort of break itself to read a vital if bitter nonagerian recall most of the last century’s popular culture at the roots, from Lindy’s to the Brown Derby, and now guest starring on iCarly.
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uncle rameau said on December 4, 2012 at 7:38 am
Jack Carter in Shameless upped my opinion of the man immeasurably. Always thought he was the anti-funny, but his role as a dementia-suffering pants-optional bar owner was, er, eye-opening. Shameless, by the way, is awesome, and returning soon for a third season.
And is James Deen Paula’s boy?
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uncle rameau said on December 4, 2012 at 7:44 am
Also, the Thames behind our place in Upper Canada is as low as I have seen it in over 20 years, and we have about 15 metres more lawn to mow down the bank onto the flats. Won’t be adding much to Lake St Clair levels, sorry.
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Jolene said on December 4, 2012 at 7:48 am
Jeff (tmmo), can you remind us of that link? (Yes, I am lazy.)
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on December 4, 2012 at 7:58 am
The sidebar has the links to the subsequent parts; I linked (I think) part 8 the other day, re: drummers; this is to part the first.
http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2011/04/interview-with-jack-carter-part-one.html
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 8:30 am
I suppose this makes too much sense for anybody to take it seriously, and of course Spitzer paid hos for weird sex.
“A drummer who played like his life depended on it.” That is a brilliant line.
And the NRA is after Bob Costas’s scrawny leetle ass today. I saw a comment on some board that claimed Costas’s comments on guns were “irresponsible”. Huh? Mulleted, jorts-wearing rednecks that don’t get the well-regulated militia part of the 2nd Amendment aren’t just irresponsible, they are stupid, and English-language deprived. Handguns are meant for killing people, and nothing else. And if you delude yourself into thinking you’re defending your castle with a handgun, you are more likely to be hoist on your own petard, than to stymie a home invader.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 8:45 am
And Nancy’s head reminded me of this gem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQoijFax5Ic
Salute to Prince, greatest Super Bowl show ever. And Susannah Hoffs is astounding, and how does she do that thing with her eyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OMxC7te5Ks
Anybody that doesn’t get that song is lacking a soul.
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Suzanne said on December 4, 2012 at 9:07 am
Ah, dear old morning sickness. I only had some queasiness with one kid, but enough for a sister-in-law, who had no morning sickness or anything, to remark that she thought that morning sickness was all in people’s heads.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 9:09 am
Best song by best guitar player, and he doesn’t rely on tuning down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxKTzwaEa2o
And he’s a pretty great singer too.
And Richard Thompson on female perfidy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p9wBBBsMwk
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 9:10 am
Suzanne: A male member of the human race could for sure get kilt for expressing that opinion.
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Connie said on December 4, 2012 at 9:14 am
We took one of those Detroit drives several weeks ago. I had a meeting in Huntington Woods, a beautiful old style close in suburb. From there we drove down Woodward Ave to downtown Detroit, which mostly meant driving through Highland Park. It was mile after mile of empty lots and tall buildings with no windows.
Pedestrians were everywhere near Comerica Park as a Tigers game was about to start. After a cruise through downtown we headed west on Grand River avenue. That was the stretch of truly beat down Detroit with blocks of boarded up store fronts. All the cross streets were filled with those dilapidated homes in abandoned neighborhoods. We did see where they were tearing down old Redford High School to build the first Meijer store in Detroit. From there Grand River could only improve as we took it all the way to Novi (sort of our neighborhood) for a late lunch.
It was a pretty random trip for us and I don’t know if we would do it again.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 9:27 am
We had morning sickness before and after. Mom on the way from Brockton to Boston and babby on the way from Brockton to Boston. No idea why I didn’t puke too. I sincerely hope Ms. Cambridge is OK. She seems like a nice person:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoC9DuZZKF0
Her Bro in Law, however, is an ahole.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 9:34 am
Connie: Thanks for mentioning Redford. My first girlfriend ever went to Redford, Annette Fillion. A beautiful young woman, with reddish hair and a sang froid attitude. I thought she was Mrs. Peel back then. Used to talk to her on the phone when I thought nobody was listening.
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 9:43 am
back in the day, we had the one telephone, in the kitchen by the washer, and if you wanted to talk to your girlfriend (or anyone else) you did it in front of God and everyone.
Back then, seeing people that had more than one phone in their home (and all land-line, of course!) struck me as impressive…and if – on a tv show, say – a kid had their own phone in their bedroom, it struck me as absurd (why not give the kid a pickup truck, like Gumby and Pokey?)
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LAMary said on December 4, 2012 at 9:45 am
I was barfy through both pregnancies, but not to the point of dehydration. It was more of a Marge Gunderson sort of barfy. Excuse myself, go puke, then go back to whatever I was doing. A friend of miney was the scary sort of sick and she was hospitalized more than once. Things did not go well for her, but there were other problems going on that she was not aware of.
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del said on December 4, 2012 at 9:51 am
Michigan Avenue really took a turn for the worse about 15 years ago. During the Kilpatrick administration it started sprouting strip clubs every mile.
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alex said on December 4, 2012 at 9:57 am
From the last thread:
Alex, then you may also recall that when Prop 8 passed in 2008, it was the African-American voting block in California that put it over. Their large turnout for Obama translated into a large turnout for traditional marriage. You disputed this at the time, but then Nancy or someone confirmed.
I don’t recall it particularly, but in support of the point I made previously, you didn’t see California’s black voters turning out for Romney, now did you? While they may have helped tip the vote in favor of Prop 8 four years ago, that didn’t translate into a warm embrace of Republicanism or the religious right. The GOP likes to think it has cornered the market on religiosity when in fact all it has done is provide an amen corner for the sort of zealots who since the founding of this nation have been trying to buck the system and impose theocratic rule on an unwilling populace.
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Deborah said on December 4, 2012 at 9:59 am
I was only sick once while pregnant and that was because of something I was doing I wasn’t able to eat lunch at the normal time. My husband’s niece is pregnant now and having a terrible time with morning sickness. This is her second but she had no problem whatsoever with the first.
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Danny said on December 4, 2012 at 10:00 am
Two years ago there were record snow accumulations at several ski resorts. Squaw had over 900 inches. Last winter, terrible… and I’d bet that it looks like more of the same this year. I guess the big questions that remain are whether this is going to be the new norm and if so, is it anthropogenic.
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Danny said on December 4, 2012 at 10:06 am
Truth be told Alex, if the vote happened again, the demographics would go the other way. Times they are a changin’. The Supreme Court will probably take this on sooner or later and it looks to me as if same-sex marriage will become the law of the land for better or worse… richer or poorer.
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coozledad said on December 4, 2012 at 10:12 am
The GOP likes to think it has cornered the market on religiosity when in fact all it has done is provide an amen corner for the sort of zealots who since the founding of this nation have been trying to buck the system and impose theocratic rule on an unwilling populace.
And if they can’t impose some Christianist fraud, they have other forms of religiosity waiting to take its place. Idolatry of The Framers, Flagism, totemic white phallocentrism, blood and soil, land und volk. Every damn bit of it a shameless gambit to get the rubes fighting among themselves so they can grab some more cash.
The people at the top pushing stuff like prop 8 have only one belief system: money should flow toward money.
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Danny said on December 4, 2012 at 10:22 am
Not to start a brouhaha, but if you don’t think that there are merchants of “religion” of sorts and money-grubbing within the leadership and ranks of the secular progressive movement, then, to put it nicely, you are overly-idealistic. And that is it for me today. Too depressed and too busy.
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coozledad said on December 4, 2012 at 10:26 am
Danny. You missed my point. I’ll let Ned Beatty make it for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkRDMil0bw
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MichaelG said on December 4, 2012 at 10:38 am
We’ve had plenty of precip this year. Way more than normal. However, storms have been from the south west and as a consequence have been warm. That means snow levels mostly at 7500 to 8000 feet and too bad about those lower elevations. The one coming in this afternoon is more of the same.
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Jolene said on December 4, 2012 at 10:38 am
For Brian and others interested in following the talk around Lincoln, The Atlantic is hosting an online roundtable w/ T-N Coates, A.O, Scott, the NYT film critic, and a historian named Kate Masur.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 10:41 am
From the last thread:
Alex, then you may also recall that when Prop 8 passed in 2008, it was the African-American voting block in California that put it over. Their large turnout for Obama translated into a large turnout for traditional marriage. You disputed this at the time, but then Nancy or someone confirmed.
I don’t recall it particularly, but in support of the point I made previously, you didn’t see California’s black voters turning out for Romney, now did you? While they may have helped tip the vote in favor of Prop 8 four years ago, that didn’t translate into a warm embrace of Republicanism or the religious right. The GOP likes to think it has cornered the market on religiosity when in fact all it has done is provide an amen corner for the sort of zealots who since the founding of this nation have been trying to buck the system and impose theocratic rule on an unwilling populace.
I think it’s entirely possible that LDS put this beyond rationality in the voting booth. Kinda humorous. The multiple marriage scam turned religion, turning partisan political supporter of a political cause. How ’bout that tax-exempt crap, Mormons? Weigh in on politics? Give me a break.
And that shinola about Obama and Prop 8 is such classic post hoc bullshit it’s almost hilarious.
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Linda said on December 4, 2012 at 10:44 am
JTMMO: Read the Carter interview. It was like the 2000 year old man was in show business. Fascinating.
Re: Morning sickness. My mom had it with each of 5 kids. She was sick all day, all the time, and often took the bus to work, found a place to barf, and clocked in. That’s hardcore. She only survived by drinking coca cola nonstop during all her pregnancies. That could explain a lot.
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Linda said on December 4, 2012 at 10:49 am
Re: Money grubbing frauds in politics. This gem by Rick Perlstein is priceless:
http://www.thebaffler.com/past/the_long_con/print
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 11:01 am
Almost hilarious, because that sort of antediluvian GOPer sour grapes is just not funny anymore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISGjNeBENXw
And Basset, just loud is a moronic criticism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ZkaF1GNNA
That is precision dual lead playing, and bass playing. And pretty sharp lyrics writing. And hot drumming. And the Eagles pre-Joe Walsh were sahcaryne shit. Tequila Sunrise? Good God. Atrocious. Cheating Side of Town? Poseurs that hired Joe Walsh to provide some balls.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 11:10 am
Rock is supposed to be loud, bassett, country-rock is bullshit. Let Bill Nelson introduce you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6usDlkZIZOo
I’m not great on fretboards, but you are a blight. And I don’t mean that in a nasty way, but you aimed shit my way. And I sure as shit never aimed any at you. And I can play pretty well. And you probaboy think BB is a good guitar player.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 11:13 am
Seriously, who thinks BB King’s single notes on a single string is actually good guitar playing? Bullshit. That ahole isn’t John Lee.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 11:22 am
See. There I go. John Lee is better than BB. Is anybody so stupid they think that isn’t true? Can people be that fracking stupid?
Bikini Red
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxWmt5D5XUw
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 11:22 am
Jolene, thanks very much for the Abe link (so to speak); a very interesting discussion about ‘why aren’t more liberals defending Lincoln’.
Here is the nut paragraph, I think:
The problem extends back to the Civil War, where conservatives have long enjoyed a cozy alliance with people who insist the Civil War wasn’t about slavery, that it was prosecuted by a tyrannical Lincoln, and that black people fought for the Confederacy in untold numbers. It’s telling that the Republican Party’s idea of an alternative candidate was Ron Paul—the ultimate Lost Causer, who denounces Lincoln as a man who went to war to “get rid of the intent of the republic.” Among historians of the Civil War, the sort of views expressed on the right have zero currency. If you really believe, as Paul does, that the Civil War wasn’t about slavery, you should expect about as much respect among the experts of the war as global warming denialists receive from those who study climate change. Thus the reason I think we don’t see more liberals engaging in a full-throated defense of Lincoln is that the opposing view—the one that animates films like the Gone With Wind and Gods and Generals, which animates television shows like Hell on Wheels, which finds people holding Secession Balls and celebrating the attempt to raise a republic premised on white supremacy—has no respect among anyone who’s seriously thought about the issue.
I shall be watching that movie for the 2nd time this weekend, if I can cajole Pam into it
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Jolene said on December 4, 2012 at 11:24 am
Not sure how many other list-lovers there are here, but thought I would point out the collection of “best of” lists on largehearted boy, which is “a music blog featuring daily free and legal music downloads as well as news from the worlds of music, literature, and pop culture.” I have a folder of bookmarked lists. Makes me feel that I’m organized and won’t miss anything, even though I rarely look back at the lists.
This blogger, whoever he is, compiles all the end-of-year lists he can find–both books and music. Occurs to me that his list of lists might be useful as a reference for creating library displays–not that librarians need me to tell them how to find information.
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Connie said on December 4, 2012 at 11:30 am
http://www.earlyword.com/, Early Word, a web page aimed at connecting publishers and librarians and a great source for info on new titles and movie tie ins, compiles all the end of year lists they come up with into a giant spreadsheet list.
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Sherri said on December 4, 2012 at 11:37 am
I had mild morning sickness for the first trimester; it was the shingles in the second trimester that was worse!
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 11:39 am
I forgot to add – as Nancy says – Happy Birthday to Kirk!
Presumably he and his people will enjoy a pleasant birthday meal at one of the many pleasant Columbus spots; a place that welcomes ink-stained wretches with open arms!
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DellaDash said on December 4, 2012 at 11:46 am
Jolene and Connie – thanks for the lists…haven’t looked at them yet but know I’m gonna like them.
Brian – I’ve been doing a little catch-up here at nn.c (after an intense and all-consuming 2-week visitation with my elderly mother in my Iowa hometown), and don’t want to miss your first viewing of ‘Lincoln’ post. Can you remember what day that was?
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Jakash said on December 4, 2012 at 11:49 am
Based on his last comment, I guess Danny won’t be around to see this. But, he posted “I guess the big questions that remain are whether this is going to be the new norm and if so, is it anthropogenic.” It reminded me of this chart I saw recently, via Andrew Sullivan’s blog. It doesn’t seem that either of those are “big questions” among those who study the matter.
“Powell reviewed 13,950 peer-reviewed scientific articles published between January 1991 and November 9, 2012 that mentioned “global warming” or “global climate change.” The grand total of articles that questioned global warming or whether rising emissions are the cause: 24. That’s 0.17 percent of all the literature on the topic.”
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/11/chart-only-017-percent-peer-reviewed-papers-question-global-warming
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 11:52 am
Della, the young folks and I caught the movie this past weekend, and I tried to keep my reaction here down to 4 sentences.
Our 14 year old (a tough girl!) cried at the end, despite that she of course knew how it would come out.
Seems like another flury of commentary hereabouts followed Jolene’s link to a great Coats article, that went after the movie a bit – and which Jolenes round-table link (above) harkens back to, which also got me commenting. (‘course, a stiff breeze could do the same, eh?)
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Jakash said on December 4, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Not that I begrudge your daughter a cathartic cry at the end, Brian, but I’d have preferred that the movie end with Lincoln walking out of the room on his way to the theater, after telling the gang how he wished he could stay and BS with them. Back to the camera, stovepipe hat at attention, that ungainly gait. I didn’t really need to see the endgame played out.
And this is probably inconsistent with the above, but I enjoyed the movie so much that afterward I was lamenting that it wasn’t a miniseries or a trilogy or something like that. All that effort, the brilliant actors (Day-Lewis, in particular of course), sets, direction, etc., and now it’s all over and they only covered a 4-month chunk of Lincoln’s story. No opportunity for a sequel, clearly, but how’s about a few prequels, huh?
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Dexter said on December 4, 2012 at 12:22 pm
interlude…Warren Zevon: “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dyUzUxE_2w
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Seriously, does somebody actually think BB King is a great guitar player? How stupid can anybody be? One note, one string. Blah. Did not live in Buddy Guy’s universe. or John Lee’s alternative universe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YS8Z_pz2Cg
How to play and how to sing.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Fiscal Cliff? Gopers made that:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/04/republicans-losing-blame-game-on-fiscal-cliff/?hpid=z1
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Gee Whiz, Danny, They dislike the President because he is brown. If you claim otherwise, you are a liar.
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Basset said on December 4, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Well, Pros, I see your intake of recreational toxins hit a publicly obvious level a little earlier than usual today… which should give you plenty of time to go pass out for awhile and come back when you have something coherent to say.
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Dexter said on December 4, 2012 at 12:58 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRK
http://superman1224.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/reds_birthday.jpg?w=185&h=151
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4dbirds said on December 4, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Mild morning sickness for me during my four pregnancies. Had a friend who was hospitalized with it. Some of those who aren’t plagued with certain ailments think the problem is in our heads. I was told my debilitating cramps were “in my head” by a doctor no less. My mother always let me stay home those days and assured me they would go away once I had my first child. They did.
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MarkH said on December 4, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Okay, Prospero, we GET IT. BB King sucks.
On a more pleasant musical note, it was great to see Plant, Page and Jones on Letterman last night, even if they didn’t perform. And, Pros, Letterman made sure Buddy Guy got his due from the boys as the root of all blues inspiration which resulted in his inclusion in the Kennedy Honors.
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MichaelG said on December 4, 2012 at 1:21 pm
Happy Birthday, Kirk!
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 1:26 pm
Jakash, I think there’s no end of possible subsequent story arcs regarding A.Lincoln.
Mind you, I’d been hearing rumors about Spielberg’s Lincoln for – I dunno – maybe the past 6 or 8 years? At Fort Wayne’s late Lincoln Museum, I specifically recall Harold Holzer trafficking that rumor during a lecture; had to be more than 5 years ago.
So, except for the monumental effort that Spielberg et al certainly expended on this marvelous movie, I could see any number of other compelling story arcs.
One might stretch from about 1830 or so, to 1841; that is, from when Lincoln struck off on his own in Illinois, after having helped move his dad (who would be worth a stolen scene or two or three!) and his step mother, up through the death of Anne Rutledge and AL’s proposal to Mary Todd.
I suspect the show would be a little like the Christopher Reeves/Superman movie, wherein this (essentially alien) boy begins to realize the immense power he possesses, and begins making big decisions, and taking big chances; and learns about failure and loss, on one hand, and success and victory on the other.
Done right, the movie would be laugh-out-loud funny at many turns – as indeed the Lincoln movie itself very clearly is!
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JWfromNJ said on December 4, 2012 at 1:46 pm
The neighbor situation is looking up. House was sold, new people are (sort of) living there, working in the house but sleeping in a really sweet RV.
He ended up taking a plea that rolled both cases into one. The problem was he would likely have beat the first charge (the fight with the deputy) because his lawyer – a scumbag bottom feeder- planned to argue that since the offense (pissing in the driveway) was a misdemeanor the deputy should have left and gotten a warrant- hard to do when a 210 lb. former NFL player is punching you in the head.
And as is typical in any rapidly unfolding crisis – where my wife and I and another neighbor saw Darrin hit the cop first, the cop said he grabbed Darrin’s wrist first then got punched.
On the second case his catfish lawyer ripped my 13-year old to shreds on a motion to restore his bond, claiming that since the neighbor had been working on his brakes it was a socket wrench he saw – despite the cops recovering a gun exactly like my son described – with a round in the chamber.
The State’s Attorney met with us and gave us full input on the plea. His parents had to sell the house, he has a no contact order and can’t be within 500 feet of any of us, he got 18 months probation, 30 days in jail (but by then he did more than 30), he has to go to substance abuse and anger management classes, 90 AA meetings in 90 days, then 3 a week, and the one item I was firm on – he has to wear a scram alcohol monitoring bracelet for his entire probation, with an order from the judge that he is not eligible for early termination. I know that bracelet is making him nuts.
But if he violates it’s 8 years in prison.
Life in Vero Lake Estates, Floriduh
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MarkH said on December 4, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Happy Birthday, Kirk!
BTW, how many December birthdays do we have at nn.c? Mine’s the 11th and my wife’s is the 14th. I think there is a significant number of us.
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Basset said on December 4, 2012 at 1:54 pm
I have Mrs. B’s on the 18 th and B Jr.’s on the 23rd. September for me, though.
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Happy birthdays to Ms B, Junior B, MarkH and Ms MarkH!
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DellaDash said on December 4, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Yes…the Brian ‘Lincoln’ review and subsequent discussion is very satisfying…especially the F Douglas quote.
What about you, Charlotte? Have you gone yet to see the movie with your insider website friend? I’m curious about your take on the Spielberg factor in particular.
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Jolene said on December 4, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Here’s more talk re Lincoln. This is James Fallows interviewing Stacy Snider, the CEO of DreamWorks. It’s a long interview focused on making movies generally, not entirely on Lincoln. I’ve just listened to a bit of it, so can’t give you a full report, but it sounds good. You can check out the description and see whether you want to pursue it. Might be a good drive time listen.
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Dorothy said on December 4, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Happy birthday to Kirk! And to my brother Greg, the second oldest of the 10 kids my mother had. Are you 64 today too, Kirk?
Had PT this morning – got a bunch of exercises to do to start moving my thumb. I hope to be able to ditch the splint in time for the wedding on 12/28!
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Sherri said on December 4, 2012 at 3:58 pm
I was never very happy that I was expected to give up my anonymity at an AA meeting in order to sign a form for someone who had been sentenced to attend one by a judge. The court forms I’ve signed for people wanted both my full name and my phone number; I’m supposed to give my phone number to some drunk with anger management problems who doesn’t want to be in AA just because I’m the volunteer running the meeting? I could get someone else to sign it if the person made me really uncomfortable, but that’s just shifting the problem.
I’ve given my phone number to any number of people who wanted to get sober, but assholes who were sentenced to AA are another story. I don’t think judges who make those sentences have thought them through.
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Mark P said on December 4, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Regarding anthropogenic global warming — that’s what it is, and virtually no one in the business thinks any differently. And Nancy, the averages are changing, so it’s a decent bet that we will continue to see warmer winters. We’ll still get record cold temperatures and record snowfalls and other record cold stuff, but that’s all part of the normal distribution of measurements. What we’ll also continue to see, as we have for the last few years, is more and more new record high temperatures and fewer and fewer new record lows. That’s what happens when the average temperature is getting higher.
And regarding Lincoln, I get to live with people who love to argue that the Civil War was not about slavery. The funny thing is that they argue that it was about states’ rights, as if the “right” they were talking about weren’t the right to own people.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 3:59 pm
MarkH: I ever said BBKing sucks? The Thrill is Gone sucks, BB just can’t really play. He is sure no Buddy Guy and not even close to the Hook. That is just typically your bullshitting something I said into something I didn’t.
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Happy birthday to Dorothy’s Greg! – and here’s hoping you cruise through PT.
Aside from that, Jolene, I look forward to checking out the link this evening; meanwhile, here’s a low-tech vandal that assaulted a woman’s 10-foot Santa Clause from the rear.
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/vandal-pops-blow-up-santa
(I’d say this is one of those Arsenio Hall things that, when you see it, will make you say “hmmmmmmm”)
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Kirk said on December 4, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Thanks very much, all. I am 61 today, but don’t feel a day older than 45. Modest dinner tonight; fancy dinner Saturday. And I’ll probably do some drinking both nights.
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Scout said on December 4, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Happy Birthday, Kirk. I am singing a virtual Happy Birthday to You as I write. I sang this morning too for my Mom who celebrates her 74th today. And we just got done with a cake fest for three co-workers who were Nov 30th, Dec 2nd and Dec 3rd.
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Basset said on December 4, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Knock yourself out, Pros. Literally.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Basset,
When did I piss on your Lucky Charms? Your opinion concerning MC5 is idiotic as is your opinion about the Eagles. The only good Eagles album is The Long Run, and Desperado is the most obnoxious, self-indulgent POS since New Kid in Town, or any of that band’s other self-indulgent depth charges.
How to play blues guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFSlQrB3iGY
How not to play blues guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4GfRQSE-Ak
Kirk, Happy birthday.
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Deborah said on December 4, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Kirk, happy birthday, 61 was a good year for me, hoping it’s that way for you too.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on December 4, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Linda, 2000 year old man, exactly. The memory of so many fascinating, wonderful details . . . and yet, over and over “and that woman I was shtupping all across the circuit in the Pullman when we did that show cross country, what was her name?” Anyone else, I’d suggest maybe the memory gap was because it didn’t happen, but in his case, it seems all too evident that it was the attitude towards the women, which is an element I’d suggest that “Mad Men” gets right. Having talked to too many elderly women about their lives in hospitals and nursing homes, where their matter-of-factness about chronic male callousness would make a plinth weep.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on December 4, 2012 at 6:45 pm
And Kirk — happy birthday, neighbor!
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Those new photos of George Zimmerman’s bloody nose? How about the previous photos the cops released in which his face was unscathed but there was alleged damage to the back of his head? Cops in FLA are deliberately trying to get this murderer off.
And seriously Basset. It’s not my fault I enjoyed High School and you didn’t:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ZkaF1GNNA
Wayne Kramer and Sonic Smith couldn’t play a lick, right?
And ambushing deer from a treestand is normal behavior for a human being.
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MichaelG said on December 4, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Happy Birthday, Kirk and everybody else!
So if Dorothy cruises through PT, I suppose that makes her a PT Cruiser. Nyuk, nyuk.
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Why I oughta. Looka da grouse. Moe, Larry, cheese.
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Charlotte said on December 4, 2012 at 7:50 pm
December birthday here too — the 10th. My Sweetheart is taking me off to Lava Hot Springs in Idaho for a couple of days. Looking forward to the break —
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Joe K said on December 4, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Pilot Joe December 15,
Pilot Joes wife today
Pilot Joe
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Prospero said on December 4, 2012 at 8:14 pm
how GOPers think:
http://wpcomics.washingtonpost.com/client/wpc/po/
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Little Bird said on December 4, 2012 at 8:48 pm
Happy Birthday Kirk!
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Kirk said on December 4, 2012 at 8:59 pm
And thanks again, folks. Very cool to get happy birthday wishes from people all over the country whom I’ve never met in person. I had chicken pot pie, apple pie and a couple of pints of Great Lakes’ excellent Christmas Ale. And now my wife says I have to open my presents.
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Linda said on December 4, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Happy Birthday, Kirk. Sounds like you had a good one.
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brian stouder said on December 4, 2012 at 9:20 pm
And Happy Birthday to Ms Pilot Joe and Mr Pilot Joe, too!
Here’s wishing you clear skies and bright stars to steer by.
Kirk – sounds good.
And Charlotte – let us know how Idaho is. Lava Hot Springs sounds strangely alluring, to me
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Deborah said on December 4, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Lava Hotsprings sounds fabulous.
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basset said on December 4, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Pros, I used to think your whole act was a brilliant, long-term troll. Then I realized that you really ARE an obnoxious old drunk; I’ve seen a lot of them, and I know the type.
Let’s take a look at some of the intelligent and insightful comments you have made just today about others’ posts and thoughts, asterisks mark the ones which were aimed at me personally:
aren’t just irresponsible, they are stupid, and English-language deprived
you delude yourself
lacking a soul.
an ahole
classic post hoc bullshit
moronic criticism*
country-rock is bullshit.*
you are a blight*
Bullshit. That ahole
Is anybody so stupid they think that isn’t true?
How stupid can anybody be?
If you claim otherwise, you are a liar.
That is just typically your bullshitting something I said into something I didn’t.
Your opinion concerning MC5 is idiotic as is your opinion about the Eagles*
not my fault I enjoyed High School and you didn’t*
If you can’t do any better than that, shut the f*** up. Or, preferably, shut the f*** up anyway.
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MichaelG said on December 5, 2012 at 12:00 am
… and many more, Mr. and Mrs. Pilot Joe.
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MarkH said on December 5, 2012 at 12:57 am
It’s clear some of you have never been to Lava Hot Springs. Charlotte, no doubt you’ve been down the road to Chico Hot Springs so you may be a bit spoiled, as I have been. Is Boulder Hot Springs up to the north still in operation?
Happy Birthday to Pilot Joe and wife from here as well.
Kirk, you are exactly one week older than me.
basset: lead on…
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Dexter said on December 5, 2012 at 2:10 am
Hope you and your wife had time to celebrate her birthday, Pilot Joe.
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Jenine said on December 5, 2012 at 10:16 am
@bassett, just skip past the post when you see the icon, buddy.
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Basset said on December 5, 2012 at 10:45 am
I really should, obviously he gets off on agitation… can’t help it sometimes though.
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