Monthly Archives: December 2011

Happy Third Day After the Solstice

Posted on December 25, 2011 by oddmanout215

Bernini’s St. Theresa in Ecstasy is in the Cornaro Chapel (Santa Maria Vittoria). Which means nothing to me, but the act of writing down the address for future reference seems constructive, especially with all the thinking I’m doing about Rome, … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, history, humor, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Joe Conason, meet Karl Rove

Posted on December 24, 2011 by oddmanout215

A resolution for 2012: Don’t read opinion pieces by knee-jerk Obama supporters who profess to be liberals. Their stuff is as propagandistic as the garbage that streams from the right in support of Newt and Mitt and the dimmer Republican … Continue reading →

Posted in mainstream media, Mitt Romney, Obama, Politics, Wall Street, world-wide economy | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘Blue Christmas’

Posted on December 24, 2011 by oddmanout215

Elvis Presley had been knocked sideways by the British Invasion, by new styles in America, and by a long series of crappy music and movie-starring choices, but his 1968 Comeback Special silenced critics and breathed new life into his career. … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, pop music | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Chase’s Jaime Dimon — too big to fail

Posted on December 23, 2011 by oddmanout215

Here’s Matt Taibbi shedding more light, in his inimitable way, on how Wall Street executives, with the help of the D.C. establishment, cheat and bribe their way to a level of wealth and privilege few of us can even imagine: … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, mainstream media, New York Times, Obama, Politics, The New Depression, Wall Street | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Rejoice, fellow pagans

Posted on December 22, 2011 by oddmanout215

The winter solstice is here, marking for me the crossroads of dread and hope. Dread because it’s the shortest day of the year, when you can’t walk down the street without being reminded of consumerism’s holy of holies, Christmas Day. … Continue reading →

Posted in humor | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto’

Posted on December 22, 2011 by oddmanout215

If anyone wanna know, Tell him James Brown sent you. You know I know what you will see Because that was once… me. Hit it! Hit it!

Posted in arts, pop music, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

EPA to power plants: Stop poisoning people

Posted on December 22, 2011 by oddmanout215

David Roberts of Grist does a nice job of summing up the importance of the new EPA rule regarding the emission of mercury and other toxins from coal- and oil-fired power plants: … This one is a Big Deal. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in environmentalism, Obama, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘Holiday Affair’

Posted on December 22, 2011 by oddmanout215

A low-key romantic comedy set at Christmastime and starring Robert Mitchum in a more-or-less wholesome role, wooing the very young Janet Leigh. The role seemed a good career move at the time (1949), as Mitchum was trying to recover from … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

PA’s frackin’ Scrooge of the Year

Posted on December 21, 2011 by oddmanout215

James Carville noted years ago that, from the standpoint of political strategists, “Pennsylvania is Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Alabama in between,” or words to that effect. He has been pilloried by critics on the left and right for his remark, … Continue reading →

Posted in environmentalism, Great Recession, history, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics, The New Depression | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

These days, a bad tooth can break you

Posted on December 20, 2011 by oddmanout215

How many people have realized that the presumption of belonging to a “middle class” is delusional and dangerous? Enough to toss the reactionaries out of Congress in 2012? Maybe, but wouldn’t the current crop be replaced by a new bunch … Continue reading →

Posted in campaign finance reform, Congress, economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments