Okay, I think/thought he was actually a child molestor or something. I see him every morning at about 8-8:30 on Madison Avenue and 128th street... IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL. He's there at around the bus stop looking around with that damned thing in front of his face like he's signaling or waiting for someone.

It's actually really creepy and I want him arrested or something. I'm not kidding.

SIGH.

Damn you, the Man!!

But sign my paycheck first, yo!

And just like true housewives, we don't get paid enough for any and all of it. (And like housewives, we're obviously surfing the internet all day, cough.)

Those New Yorkers who do act like *this* are not originally from New York, they've come to New York after years of watching movies and sitcoms about the quirkiness of New York to then try to become just as quirky and "original" than their wildest desires. Then they have an online flouncing and quit when people call them on what their whole "schtick" was from the beginning... all total bullshit. (And actually, the long tradition of bullshit calling has one main theme: Stop taking yourself so damned seriously and do something productive in your life.)

So, no, Young Lad. Not all New Yorkers act like this. In fact, most New Yorkers, Native or no, really wouldn't give a shit about people like this in so far as they are busting their ass trying to make enough money not only to pay to live there but to be able to survive all the while enjoying all the City has to offer not have other people do your work for you like asking what a complicated and rich Culture, People, Political and Financial background like China is all about in three sentances.

So if you want to meet some great people, come on down. If you are open minded to different cultures and personalities, we're happy to have you. If you're willing to work hard and usually for some crap job in order to just bask in the sometimes genius woven into the muck that is this great, welcome down, my young friend.

But if you intend to show up and pull some batshittery, you'll be called out on it without a doubt and then you'll show you're from less stronger stuff if you then quit and run home to Mommy.

In short, Butch up if you're down for the N-Y.

Smooches,

J.R., That grumpy gus who will not tip you for your weird performance art at Union Square. Get a Job.

...until the wandering toddler gets kicked.

Though, in general, there is no good in trying to read the comments in almost any political blog site. Less analysis and more raving rantings. The only site with halfway decent commentary would be TPM.

Seriously, Richard... How crazy is that difference? Amazing. Simply.

So Pope John Paul is not "celebrity". He's the spiritual leader of millions and a political force.
JFK was an assasinated sitting President.

Heath (RIP) was an actor. We enjoyed his work. His work, however, didn't physically affect thousands if not millions.

So Russert is being lumped in with celebrity, which I can see and understand. Bhutto didn't get half the coverage here in the States.

People are plotting here a sort of NY Mag Matrix with deaths and coverage.

But keep in mind, and this is from a huge MSNBC follower, it's mostly MSNBC and NBC who is leading the Russert mournfest. So yes, I agree that it's mostly overdone but mostly because it's being lead by two major networks that Russert worked at (NBC/MSNBC) therefore within this small network family they are literally grieving in public and non-stop much like how a regular family would be devastated during the lead-up to the funeral if the paternal figure suddenly died. Hell, even the immediate family of Russert only had one main statement which was Luke's interview on the Today show. Everything else was done by the on-air staff. This was their time to try to heal. Granted they're emoting like crazy, but who are we (and I'm not saying you are saying this) to tell them to stop.

In the big picture, though, Russert probably would have been touched by the outpouring of love but probably would have wanted to have it all a little bit lower key. But NBC/MSNBC lost a father figure who was much loved and gave a lot of those people there their start.

I'm shrugging. We all have our ways to grieve. But, yeah, unfortunately Jim McKay was already retired and not on air every single day to be missed. That's one of the big differences.

And I'm convinced that if Britney died during her batshitty days a few months ago, the oversaturation would have been amazing.

2:45pm - Holy shit. Tim just went down. Aides are all around him in a panic. Dude. I'm watching this shit right now from my studio terminal.

2:48pm - Okay. The EMT just arrived. They're strapping him into the gurney. Crap, there's a lot going on now.

2:55pm - No word yet on his status but he totally didn't look good...

Yes, the NBC aide who, in general, is used to processing everything via real time news reporting probably liveblogged the whole thing in an attempt to properly deal with the situation. Much like how many people quickly put cameras or cellphones in front of their faces to capture the moment in order to make a traumatic moment seem "less real" as a processing impulse.

These people didn't just lower prices, but they strong armed manufacturers to provide them with product at low price points that they dictated in order for these products to find placement in their shelves. This then forced the manufacturers to ship their labor needs overseas to stay competitive. So the American worker lost their job so that they can pay $20 for a power drill, shifting our economy from a producing force to a mainly consuming force. And this is all a very short-sighted short term strategy since, eventually, the consumer will no longer have the funds to buy the products, especially if they have either no or a low paying job.

Walmart is pretty much evil period.

The whole Britney debacle was at first voyeristically funny and then sad and then I felt like I was party to someone's personal destruction.

I'm glad she's getting better. And I feel she'll be a wiser person for it.

Which basically makes one refocus on her parents and why they weren't there from the beginning to be, you know, parental instead of using her as a cash cow instead of helping her "deal".

Now where's my motherfuckin Frap? Fuck Dunkin Donuts, B. And Alton Brown's my BOY.

Popeye's FTW. Now and forever. Is that really "cajun"? DO I really give a fuck?

And if you can only write using your kids as content, and mind you you're doing this without their permission, then perhaps you should find another line of work that wouldn't victimize everyone around you.

One time we lost 6 hours playing that shit. It's amazing.