Monthly Archives: February 2012

Naomi Wolf’s Madonna crush


Madonna is “that forbidden thing, the Nietzschean creative woman.” I didn’t know this until I read journalist Naomi Wolf’s complaint about reporters who diss the Material Girl whenever she “steps out of her pretty-girl-pop-music bandwidth” to make a movie or … Continue reading

Posted in arts, humor, pop music | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Half-truths about the job market


Last week, news outlets were buzzing with happy talk about a dip in the unemployment rate in November. The problem is, anyone living in the real world knows that good jobs — i.e., jobs that pay well, or at least … Continue reading

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Madonna exits, Mitt marches on


The concepts were unintentionally funny, the players about as exciting as assembly-line robots. I mean the Republican presidential debates, not the Super Bowl halftime show. Madonna and her minions were on stage for only a few minutes, but the GOP … Continue reading

Posted in campaign finance reform, Congress, humor, mainstream media, Mitt Romney, pop music | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Crucifixion complex


One of my favorite movie moments occurs near the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). Pod people from outer space may have replaced all the real people in a little California town except for Dr. Miles Bennell, played … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

‘Central Government for Dummies’


Last week I wrote that the Tea Party is a dead end, mainly because its members don’t seem to understand they’re serving the rich and powerful, and surrendering power in the process. They love the idea of a “maverick” Republican … Continue reading

Posted in Mitt Romney, Nativism, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hope you don’t find no shadow…


Groundhog people with your groundhog ways I see you in the sun but you fly when the shadows get long This is an alternate version of the song that appeared on Clear, the third Spirit album (1969).

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

And the big story is… Phil


From today’s Washington Post: At 7:25 a.m. this morning, amidst mostly cloudy skies, and temperatures in the low 30s, Groundhog Phil saw his shadow in the little town of Punxsutawney, Pa. According to folklore, Phil’s sighting of his own shadow … Continue reading

Posted in humor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Facebook bubble


A massive con job may be in progress in the form of the coming Facebook IPO, which will supposedly value the company somewhere in the vicinity of $75 billion to $100 billion. From DJ Pangburn of Death and Taxes: … … Continue reading

Posted in Wall Street, world-wide economy | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Poe at the billionaires’ bash


Bill Moyers and William Winship commenting on the arrogance of “imperial swells” who throw grand parties to congratulate themselves on their great wealth: This one occurred here in Manhattan at the annual black-tie dinner and induction ceremony for Kappa Beta … Continue reading

Posted in economic collapse, fiction, Goldman Sachs, history, humor, New York Times, Occupy Wall Street, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment