After watching the thoroughly mediocre but promising “Natural City” (nifty ideas, good love story potential, less than inspirational execution) I returned the 4 DVDs I rented the other day and stopped by Fair Trade for a bit to draw and read. More of “The Egyptologist,” which has turned out to be an intriguing yarn, but one that I’m reading far too slowly.
Next to me a very slender woman, probably close to my age, sat composing music.
I ended up walking home because the 4 came 4-5 minutes early. Unheard of at that hour. Well, heard of now. It was a nice walk, interrupted a bit by rain.
In the “News” —
- Rushdie title ‘may spark attacks’: as if I needed another reason to lack all respect for hardline Muslims. Or hardline anybodies. “Britain’s knighthood to the author Salman Rushdie contributes to insulting Islam and may lead to terrorism, a Pakistani minister has said.” Whatever.
- Lost America: thoroughly awesome “Night Photography of the American West.”
- CapeCodToday Blog Chowder: the April 2007 archive. It can take a bit to load, but there are a few amusing pieces contained within.
- Swanson claims assault by Eisler’s ex: “Kristy Swanson pressed assault charges Sunday against the ex-wife of her companion and former ‘Skating With Celebrities’ partner, Lloyd Eisler, the actress’ representative said.” And “Eisler left his wife for Swanson, whose film credits include ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.'” So we care about her and him why?
- New York City pays $29,000 for arresting topless woman: “A woman arrested for exposing her breasts has accepted a $29,000 settlement from the city, her lawyer said. Jill Coccaro, 27, was arrested on a topless stroll two years ago, despite a 1992 state appeals court ruling that concluded women should have the same right as men to take off their shirts.” And “She claimed in an October lawsuit that a police officer yanked her out of a patrol car by her hair and police took her to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.” And that officer still has a job?
- Why Do Some People Resist Science: a brief essay by Paul Bloom and Deena Skolnick Weisberg. To summarize: “The developmental data suggest that resistance to science will arise in children when scientific claims clash with early emerging, intuitive expectations. This resistance will persist through adulthood if the scientific claims are contested within a society, and will be especially strong if there is a non-scientific alternative that is rooted in common sense and championed by people who are taken as reliable and trustworthy.”
- The enigma of Italy’s ancient Etruscans is finally unravelled: “Genetic research DNA tests on their Italian descendants show the ‘tuscii’ came from Turkey” And “Genetic research made public at the weekend appears to put the matter beyond doubt, however. It shows the Etruscans came from the area which is now Turkey – and that the nearest genetic relatives of many of today’s Tuscans and Umbrians are to be found, not in Italy, but around Izmir.” There are ties to myths of Troy, etc. A brief and superficial piece, but interesting.
- Korean women reject ‘drink or be fired’ culture: “The recent High Court victory of a 29-year-old female subordinate forced to get drunk by her boss has set the ball rolling. He was found guilty of a ‘violation of human dignity’ and she won damages.”
- Shortbus: a review of the recent movie over at Salon.com. “[I]n a world more perfect than the one we live in, ‘Shortbus’ would be a bigger hit than the dismal indie-juggernaut ‘Little Miss Sunshine.'”
And, a hilarious way to end, from the “best of craigslist” — Alluring, difficult woman seeks stable and assertive man: “As mentioned, I am extremely charismatic and you will be unable to resist my charms. I guarantee you will fall in madly and twistedly love with me, and although you know that I will ultimately leave you in an emotional bloody shredded heap in pursuit of my own needs, you will be unwilling and unable to exorcise me from your life, so serious replies only, please.”
Tonight I finished The Eagles and am most the way through The Fiery Furnaces (one album, “Bitter Tea”) — a curiously addictive sort of music, some pop, some nonsense, some distortion. After that, The Hives.
