Pretty Numbers

Federal reserve in action

2009-06-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

My thumbs!

2009-05-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up and occasionally these days so many people told me I had 'weird thumbs' and I didn't really understand why. I just thought everyone's thumbs looked like mine. But it turns out I have what is officially known as 'clubbed thumbs' and, only about .4% of the population has this genetic trait. I found a blog dedicated which contains some interesting facts about us clubbers. Apparently it used to be a sign of European nobility. Also palm readers call it 'murderer thumbs' because a disproportionate number of killers have this trait. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Anyway, it's good to know I'm not deformed.

Fun friday song

2009-05-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

This is a such a perfect song. It's a really catchy David Byrne'seyesque little tune that has all of the instruments and vocals doing something different but they sort of weave around one another and it comes together perfectly. I also like the feeling of the resolve once the verse starts after the chorus. It's subtle but it's a great release.

Losing my lunch

2009-04-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

This was the most disturbing part of last night's press conference:

President Barack Obama said Wednesday night that waterboarding authorized by former President George W. Bush was torture and that the information it gained from terror suspects could have been obtained by other means. "In some cases, it may be harder," he conceded at a White House news conference capping a whirlwind first 100 days in office.

How could he possibly know that this information could have been obtained in other ways? What if they couldn't obtain the information in other ways? Will he be held accountable for the deaths of Americans if G-d forbid they occur when it could have possibly been prevented?

I also noticed that when Obama made the statement that waterboarding is torture, he followed it up with 'And I'm not the only one who thinks this way' or something to that effect. It sounded so juvenile to me. As if he isn't confident enough in his own views and feels he has to prove that people are backing him up.

I'm not sure if I'm more disgusted or frightened.

Speaking of stupid girls....

2009-04-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

If by any chance you are female and are in a self hating kind of mood and you want to be treated like the dumbest girl on the planet, bring your bike to get repaired. Wow. Those skinny bike shop guys really treat you like an imbecile. This probably works for car repairs as well.

Perpetuating the stereotype

2009-04-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Cmon models! You can do better than that! It's almost like they are trying to act dumb. That's the best they could come up with about their moms?

It's like i don't even recognize you anymore

2009-04-24T09:06:00.001-07:00

god I'm sick of this 'going green' sh*t. Last night I was wandering around my old stomping grounds - Avenue A where Peter and I used to party till the break of dawn and then at sunrise get potato perogies at odessa's. There was this cafe we loved called Alt coffee right next door. I brought lots of visitors there because it was a great place to catch up on a Sunday, had lots freakos and of course great coffee.

One Sunday about six months ago I went back but it just wasn't the same. I was talking on my cell phone and the barista came up to me and flashed a sign that said 'no talking on the cell phone'. WTF? Can a cafe really do that? Tell you not to talk on the phone?

Then last night I realized it was completely renovated and under new ownership and is now an organic/eco friendly/sustainable/green/recycable/biodegradable friendly cafe/store. Seriously. It says that on the window. One of those places where people feel really good about themselves because they bought a change purse made out of plastic that would have otherwise ended up at a landfill. I had to text Peter the news.

Me: Alt coffee is now an organic/eco friendly /sustainable/green/recycable/biodegradable friendly cafe/store.
Peter: That's good to know. Happy belated earth day.

The Twittersphere

2009-04-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hysterical

Via JW

So much wedding bliss makes me sentimental

2009-04-14T08:32:00.001-07:00

I've been playing this song over and over today. What a beautiful line - 'Try your wings'. I hope to move out of New York and when I do, I will be playing this song on the way out.

Shmoldova

2009-04-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Thousands take to the streets in violent anti-government protests in a little smudge of a country somewhere in Eastern Europe. Obama is silent, of course.

Why care about hundreds of pro-freedom demonstrators beaten in the streets and jailed in cells once run by the KGB? Obama's congressional intimates are busy flying to Havana to adore the Castro brothers. (So much for the pro-democracy Cubans rotting in Fidel's prisons: Guantanamo bad; Cuban torture chambers? Viva la revolucion!).

What a world

2009-03-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

As soldiers are in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan and amidst one of the worst recessions in history, the Senate is working on legislation that is the equivalent to a fantasy football league.

UNRWA : LORDS OF MISERY

2009-03-06T07:02:00.000-08:00

Via JIDF

Love, dogfights, and tacos

2009-02-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

I rewatched Amores Perros this past weekend, one of my favorite movies. It also happens to have a stellar soundtrack with this Nacha Pop song being the highlight. Mix in some Gael Garcia eye candy and you are pretty much set for the next two and a half minutes. For your viewing pleasure:

Daily dose of jew hating

2009-02-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

With all of these angry and border line violent anti-Israel protests going on all over the world these days, one can see how easy it is to hide behind a cause and inevitably reveal their anti-semitism. As scary as it is, it makes sense for the general public to keep silent about antisemitism when it is covered up by a demand for 'freedom' and an 'end to oppression'. However when there is no cover up in sight, when it is publicly clear that one should hate the Jews and strangle them and eat their heads, and I still do not see anyone coming out against it, this is what is more frightening than ever. Hatred accepted by the general public is a slippery slope.

Via mererhetoric

Don't Hate

2009-02-14T16:56:00.001-08:00

I don't really understand the whole hating on Valentine's bit. I feel like if the holiday doesn't mean anything to you, there's no reason to be all bitter about it. The way I see it, we should thank all of those people who spend money on crappy flowers and three course meals because at least it makes them happy and stimulates the economy to boot!

And anyway, if we should be thankful for anything on Valentines day it should be Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, my absolute favorite of the Charlie Brown specials. Vince Guaraldi's warm jazzy piano plays throughout and there's the classic good griefs, and brooding Charlie pining over a redhead and my personal favorite - Schroeder at the piano being obsessed over by the slightly psycho Lucy. Schulz is truly a genius.

If you are going to talk about yourself all of the time...

2009-02-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

At least try to sound like an interesting person.

Thanks,
PN

Obama's new press secretary

2009-02-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

Have we found him?

I have never seen anyone so happy to get a meaningless answer than this guy.

Get ready for the lovefest!

2009-01-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for the Muslim world to start hugging us now that Obama chose Arabic television for his first formal interview. He has really demonstrated his diplomacy and his words will damage Al Qaeda more than any number of troops or bombs or explosions. We should all learn from such a mature and level headed leader.

Wow, I think I can actually get through the next four years just being sarcastic.

By the way did anyone catch the interview on TV? I did and I have to say I became extremely uncomfortable when Obama got to the following part. I felt he was trying a little too hard to say the 'right' thing.

“Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount, But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace. They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is appropriate and if there is serious partnership on the other side.”

Bloggy sleepy

2009-01-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

I should be blogging more often but this time my excuse is valid. I've been in Europe for the past two weeks. I owe big big thank you's to those that sent holiday gifts so those are coming your way in the snail mail. Details about my trip to come....

Now that's no girly man

2008-12-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

My second thought after 'what a fucking fuckhead' after I watched the video of a shoe being thrown at the President was that Bush has AMAZING reflexes. This only confirms my belief that Bush is a man's man. Not only did he duck with perfect timing, he was completely calm throughout and if you notice in the clip, he nonchalantly reassures the secret service that he is ok immediately after the second shoe was thrown. No drama, no nothing. What a guy.

What I've learned in the past two weeks

2008-12-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

Those with the biggest egos I've ever encountered are either
a)doctors or b)musicians.

I suspect these same people have really low self esteem.

Beginning of the end

2008-11-19T10:24:00.000-08:00

Obama can't keep his promise and hires lobbyists to work in the White House.

Last Laugh

2008-11-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

This is a compilation of interviews with Peter Schiff (Ron Paul's economic advisor), an accomplished economist who warned against the current market down turn for years and in the process became the laughing stock of Wall Street. During one of these interviews Ben Stein recommends buying Goldman Sachs when it was trading at $230. As of this morning Goldman is trading at ... $62.

Giving Up

2008-11-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Obama will likely win. I've never seen 'queues' like this on election day before. (I'm listening to the BBC this morning which is evident that I've really lost hope). I'm waiting for the rain to start this afternoon so I don't have to listen to Obama supporters while I wait in line to do my civic duty.

Somewhat related I was sitting next to Gwyneth Paltrow's mom in Starbucks the other day. She was making phonecalls in Pennsylvania for Obama. Good for her. Talking to 'the American people'. I wonder if she told them she was Gwyneth Paltrow's mom.

I'm going to go get my free Starbucks now and try to come to grips.

=(

Yet another quote that must have been taken out of context

2008-11-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

The latest, (and why this has only been publicized two days before election day is beyond me) is that Obama has no problem with higher energy prices provided we can develop cleaner coal emissions through a cap and trade taxation policy. Do people realize how detrimental this will be to the U.S. economy? Coal supplies more than half the electricity consumed by Americans. Plus it's one of our biggest exports. So not only does this affect coal state jobs and export revenue, but we will all have the burden of additional increases in energy prices.

Obama speaks for the poor people like I speak Gaelic.