I’ve not posted a Gateway column since 7/24; since that time I’ve posted 14 columns (not counting this one) on Room Gate, plus one Room 8 exclusive, a memorial to the late Room 8 blogger, Maurice Gumbs.
In the same period last year, I produced 45 column PLUS 72 Gateways.
Meanwhile, I’ve still been sporadically posting stuff on my Facebook page (although much of it seems to have disappeared –luckily, most was co-posted), and now seems a good time to take whatever’s there of value I haven’t already used, add in some miscellaneous accumulations (mostly, like in the Gateway, from my non-Gatemouth Facebook posts), spiff it up and start the New Year fresh.
Given the length, and the formatting at “Blogger,” this will be one of those rear posts (the other is here) where the full post will be on Room 8, and Room Gate will just have the intro and the link.
Here now, nearly six months of the Gateway:
7/24/13:
This is really Lau–sy (on the other hand, being on the same side as Naftali Bennett is no day at the beach either). http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/138822/israel-elects-new-chief-rabbis
7/26/13:
Big man, pig man, ha ha charade you are.
You well heeled big wheel, ha ha charade you are.
And when your hand is on your heart,
You're nearly a good laugh,
Almost a joker,
With your head down in the pig bin,
Saying "Keep on digging."
Pig stain on your fat chin.
What do you hope to find.
When you're down in the pig mine.
You're nearly a laugh,
You're nearly a laugh
But you're really a cry. http://news.yahoo.com/former-pink-floyd-member-offensive-move-concert-calling-132826168.html
7/28/13:
At long last, a convincing argument in favor of book-burning: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2322981/Former-Nixon-aide-claims-evidence-Lyndon-B-Johnson-arranged-John-F-Kennedys-assassination-new-book.html. Conspiracy mongering must run in the Stone family; and you may have noticed that I am decidedly not a fan of Oliver’s either.
7/29/13:
Wasn’t the time to pack and leave before he started? http://www.ny1.com/content/politics/political_news/186219/anthony-weiner-loses-his-campaign-manager
Reshma's Saujani’s rationale is that she’s far too special to acquire actual experience–she's a future president and Congress and Public Advocate (a citywide job, even if a lame one) are mere gateway offices. Only hacks like Barack Obama first serve in local shitholes like the State Senate–real talent goes straight to the top.
For the few who care, Galeway Massey attempts to explain to Brooklyn GOP war, which is so ugly because there's so little at stake.
The piece is hilarious at times, but after reading it, the only thing I understand is that I'm glad I'm a Democrat: http://galewynmassey.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-fight-for-and-against-free-radicals.html
This is especially stupid even for Fox, considering that the author’s view of Jesus is considered heretical by other Muslims, and that printing heresies about a prophet of Islam (as Jesus is considered) may sometimes be hazardous to one's health. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/07/29/206580444/book-news-outrage-after-fox-news-interview-with-zealot-author?utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130729
7/31/13
Suing Israel for the death of Jesus? Shouldn't he be suing Italy? http://www.jpost.com/International/Kenyan-lawyer-takes-State-of-Israel-Jews-to-Hague-over-Jesus-death-321555
“Sway?” In 2005, Hikind delivered John Sampson 28% in his home AD. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/nyregion/legislator-with-sway-in-orthodox-jewish-community-endorses-hyness-opponent.html?src=recpb
8/3/13
Not fer nuthin, but someone needs to tell Norman Order that one need not believe in the divinity of Jesus to oppose pissing in elevators. http://www.bkbureau.org/2013/08/02/real-estate-lobby-dives-into-central-brooklyn-council-race/
8/6/13:
I first became acquainted with the witty (often hilarious) and incisive rock & social criticism of the now late and lamented Mick Farren through his late and lamented column (often the highlight of an issue full of highlights) in the late and lamented Trouser Press ("America's Only Britsh Rock Magazine"–I have a an almost complete set in a box in my mother-in-laws flood proof basement, along with a few stray issues of "New York Rocker"). Later, he wrote a ton of books–(I own one of the four he did about Elvis–"An Illustrated Record" and it is pretty great)
Can't say I ever loved his musical work (either solo or with the Deviants), which was an acquired taste, but, as this Times obit makes clear, he was worth getting to know: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/arts/music/mick-farren-british-rock-n-roll-renaissance-man-dies-at-69.html?_r=0
8/9/13:
Snowden, the great progressive: a Paulite, who seeks asylum from homophobic fascists. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/10/us/politics/obama-news-conference.html?hp
The Times is not without a point—Sal Albanese’s chances of victory pretty much make him a joke, but if the laughability of one's credentials were really a bar to inclusion in a debate, there would at least be two other guy s here who should be barred from the stage.
But the Times is also being hypocritical. If Albanese is to be included, why not Grimaldi or Credico? By what criteria are they barred–certainly Credico raises a few interesting points now and then, and he's more likely to make you laugh than put you to sleep like the Bay Ridge bore.
Is it because Sal was once a local elected two decades ago, while Grimaldi and Credico never were?
By that criteria, they should have excluded Bloomie in 2001. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/opinion/what-about-sal.html?ref=opinion&_r=1&
Joseph Hayon: They Excluded Sal so they could exclude Erick Salgado.
Gatemouth: I forgot Salgado, who will beat Sal by at least a couple or percentage points and probably by way more.
Who is to determine who is real opposition? Steve Cymbrowitz's 2010 opponent spent less that $800 and nearly gave him a coronary. Ask David Weprin and Lew Fidler about opponents who aren't real. http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130808/BLOGS04/130809886
Will never forget one day siting in a room with just Bill Lynch and Bill Perkins when Lynch cut Perkins a new asshole while doing his aw shucks country boy act
You never wanted to be the target of Bill Lynch when he lapsed into that aw shucks country boy act–it was brutal. http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/08/veteran-consultant-and-former-nyc-deputy-mayor-william-lynch-jr-dies-at-72
8/14/13:
When I saw the "Whitey is guilty" headline, I thought it was a Barron campaign ad. http://www.someecards.com/2013/08/13/whitey-bulger-verdict-yields-wonderful-caption-on-msnbc
8/16/13:
Simeon Golar was always an apostle for decency and a man of integrity, and he fought his big battles with guts and intensity, but when Jack Newfield said that John Lindsay's administration "gave good intentions a bad name," he meant proposals like the plan to build a massive low income in Forest Hills, for which Mr. Golar ended up the public face.
Ultimately, it took courageous local pols like Manny Gold and skilled negotiators like a young attorney named Mario Cuomo to forge a compromise that beat the bigots and allowed a liberalism which had bitten off more than it could chew to save face.
Otherwise, I only have one quibble with The Times' Golar obit: "Active in the Liberal Party, Mr. Golar was its candidate for state attorney general in 1966, a pioneering role for an African-American."
Was it really such an "pioneering" or Golar to get a worthless nomination for Statewide office from a minor ballot status party in 1966 (achieving 5% of the vote)?
W.E.B. DuBois has done the same in 1950(!!!) as the US Senate candidate of the American Labor Party (getting 4%).
More to the point, in 1962, Manhattan Borough President Edward Dudley, had also been the Liberal Party candidate for AG, but had also been the DEMOCRATIC candidate, achieving 43% of the vote.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a pioneer. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/14/nyregion/simeon-golar-who-fought-for-public-housing-dies-at-84.html?_r=
I remember when the City's best felafel was on Court Street. http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2013/08/allison-robicelli-tour-bay-ridge-where-to-eat.html
8/19/13:
Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. http://politicker.com/2013/08/susan-sarandon-on-the-mayors-race-you-cant-just-vote-your-vagina/ Anyway, the real question is where does Anthony Weiner fit into this analysis?
8/20/13:
This "analysis" is completely wrong, because it assumes that Hillary Clinton is just like anyone else. It ignores the fact that she has been under constant attack for 20 years, and that her rise to prominence has a uniquely long lifespan.
Bottom line: There is nobody who is better prepared to be President than she is.http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/19/20077324-hillary-hype-poses-risks-for-a-potential-2016-candidacy
8/21/13:
Hitchcock already did this film with Farley Granger. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/we-were-bored-so-we-decided-to-kill-somebody/278858/
8/22/13:
Next year Joe Hayon will run against Moses: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/moses-soft-on-gays/
It would be an irony if Greenwald's partner sought asylum from that great progressive hero Putin. http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-to-gain-expertise-in-stealing.html
I thought he was playing Bluntman. http://gawker.com/ben-affleck-will-be-the-new-batman-1186362224?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gawker%2Ffull+%28Gawker%29