MRod says: Is the crew ready? Like spaghetti.

Push off!

Check out the mug shot of Paul Aggis, a decade long attendee of the Burning Man festival, who prematurely burned the Burning Man and pissed off a lotta people.  Look at how happy he is!

Read more than you ever want to know about this whole affair here.

Strike 9/11/07.

I was kind of stoked today to find a first edition paper back copy of Gideon’s Trumpet (I lost a newer edition during my transition from college to…non-college) by Anthony Lewis from one of those street book vendors.  He wanted two bucks, but I talked him down to one.  High five people, can I get a high five?

This book recounts how Clarence Earl Gideon a fifty-one-year-old white inmate “…who had been in and out of prison much of his life” with a “…wrinkled, prematurely aged face, a voice and hands that trembled, a frail body, white hair,” and despite his 8th grade level education, challenged the system and brought a landmark case before the Supreme Court.  The Court in a slam dunk decision led by Justice Hugo Black ultimately ruled that his right to counsel and his due process as provided by the Sixth and Fourteenth amendments respectively was violated when he was denied access to an attorney by the state of Florida (Why does Florida always seem to rob poor people of their rights?).

In our current political climate in all three branches of government I can’t help but wonder how this case would be construed by politicians, the White House, and how the SCOTUS would decide Gideon’s case.

Anyway, if you want a break from whatever you are reading then check out Gideon’s Trumpet and edumacate yourself.

This totally undoctored photo from one of my current favorite blogs makes me laugh.

Portrait of Bush Jr. constructed from porno magazines. Genius in an adolescent way.

I don’t even want to know where Bush’s hair is made from.

(Via)

Update: Look at Bush’s right ear.

A nice essay from the San Fran Chronicle about one of my favorite magazines, Mother Jones:

The current version of Mother Jones is almost rollicking. A lot of the information is packaged in bite-size data pockets, useful koans to use in meditating on corruption, scandal and greed. In the current issue (September-October; stick figure on a blackboard cover) has a two-page bushel o’ factoids written by Dave Gilson about the credit crunch.

[...]

The center of the magazine still belongs to the kind of investigative reporting that Mother Jones has done so well for so long. The cover story, by Jennifer Gonnerman, is summed up in its subhead: “Eight states are sending mentally retarded and emotionally troubled kids to a facility that punishes them with painful electric shocks. How many times do you have to zap a child before it’s torture?”

Rollicking is absolutely the right word for this magazine. For such an advocacy publication it’s incredibly accessible, and I think this quality makes it very unique in the crowded and competitive magazine marketplace.

My commute highlights the magazine’s great balance between its lengthier articles and essays and what Carroll calls ‘bite size data packets.’ In a 20 minute commute standing on a crowded subway train, the easily digestible fact ‘koans’ make for the perfect (and often amusing) reading. Reminds me of Harper’s Index in a way. And on the flip side the investigative reports (Hilary’s long participating in a prayer circle article is really interesting; if you haven’t read it do so) and essays are deliciously consumed in my free time in my apartment.

Side Note: Is it me or does the San Fran Chronicle have some terrific writers?

[Thanks Kaizar!]

I always thought atop of Mount Kilimanjaro would be the best way to propose to that special lady friend someday, but I learned recently someone already did this. Bastard. Good thing I had a sweet alternative plan to fall back on, but dammit if this artist guy didn’t already beat me to it! Looks like my future wifey is going to have to enjoy telling her friends about how I proposed to her by texting “Wil1 U Marry Me?” to the Jumbotron at Madison Square Garden during the halftime of the Knicks home opener.

This video of the artist guy’s admittedly brilliant and rad proposal will most likely make all the single ladies that view this wet.

Wet around their eyes from tears, you disgusting, disgusting pervert.

And down there.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I just saw “Superbad.”

More typos!

Disclaimer aside (1), I saw this front page article on the Times and thought, “Woa!  That teacher is hot!”

Rebecca  Rheinheimer, YOU are an American hero.

1. Disclaimer: Being raised with a parent who was an incredibly dedicated teacher in a public school, I understand what a difficult and stressful profession that is and I always empathize greatly whenever I come across anyone who is an educator, particularly in public schools.  Moreover, I’m aware of the shortage of qualified and experienced teachers in this country.  I personally believe that is one of the most unexcusable problems in the US, because it demonstrates that behind all the moral rhetoric in this country about ‘never leaving a child behind,’ the sad truth is that when time comes to put their money where their mouth is, the tax paying public, politicians, and officials aren’t willing to step up.  And that is a travesty because it IS a problem that CAN be rectified.