17 febrero 2005
Things I've Read Today
Kylie Minogue says that she considers Bio-Dome "her worst career move." I think that's really saying something considering that she's Kylie Minogue.
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Kylie Minogue says that she considers Bio-Dome "her worst career move." I think that's really saying something considering that she's Kylie Minogue.
08 septiembre 2004
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07 septiembre 2004
Richard Sandomir of the New York Times delivers a somewhat scathing review of a self-aggrandizing ESPN on the day after their 25th anniversary bash.
ESPN has been beating us over the head with this 25th anniversary nonsense for 4 months. While a 25th anniversary show may have seemed unlikely in 1980, who among us could have doubted that its tenure as the "Worldwide Leader In Sports" would wane any time in the last two decades? Or that the network has defied the odds by lasting this long? It's kind of ridiculous.
Easy for me to say. I'm an ESPN junky, mad at my dependence but too hooked to consider kicking the addiction or shaking the mokey off my back. I love clip shows as much as the next guy, but this is somewhat unfair. It's taking advantage of an audience that worships the very cable station ESPN treads on during a time when there is nothing else on the entire spectrum of reruns to watch.
ESPN seems omnipresent to me. The station debuted when I was 3 and we got cable when I was 9, so it's difficult for me to remember what TV was like without them. I thank them for developing a 24-hour sports news network and I love that they have some type of athletic competition somewhere at all hours of the day. I can always be sated. But please, please finish with this. This is not the "season of the Fan," ESPN. Not even close. This here is your time. And that's fine. You deserve it. But don't be like the kid on the playground who not only beat everyone at dodgeball but made them feel bad about it by bragging about it later.
Happy 25th, ESPN. Now leave me alone.
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ESPN has been beating us over the head with this 25th anniversary nonsense for 4 months. While a 25th anniversary show may have seemed unlikely in 1980, who among us could have doubted that its tenure as the "Worldwide Leader In Sports" would wane any time in the last two decades? Or that the network has defied the odds by lasting this long? It's kind of ridiculous.
Easy for me to say. I'm an ESPN junky, mad at my dependence but too hooked to consider kicking the addiction or shaking the mokey off my back. I love clip shows as much as the next guy, but this is somewhat unfair. It's taking advantage of an audience that worships the very cable station ESPN treads on during a time when there is nothing else on the entire spectrum of reruns to watch.
ESPN seems omnipresent to me. The station debuted when I was 3 and we got cable when I was 9, so it's difficult for me to remember what TV was like without them. I thank them for developing a 24-hour sports news network and I love that they have some type of athletic competition somewhere at all hours of the day. I can always be sated. But please, please finish with this. This is not the "season of the Fan," ESPN. Not even close. This here is your time. And that's fine. You deserve it. But don't be like the kid on the playground who not only beat everyone at dodgeball but made them feel bad about it by bragging about it later.
Happy 25th, ESPN. Now leave me alone.
03 septiembre 2004
Proof That You Can Run Out of Interesting People
Everyone check me out on Gothamist.com. I'm their interview today!
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Everyone check me out on Gothamist.com. I'm their interview today!
01 septiembre 2004
What's He Going To Tell Them?
When the President addresses NYC firefighters today, how will he explain that the funds that he didn't send to NYC after 9/11 resulted directly in the closing of 6 firehouses? How will he explain that the widows of their fallen brothers won't be receiving the money that they were promised because President Bush didn't send it along? How will he explain that NYC is no safer than it was 3 years ago and that he isn't doing anything about it? How will he explain that there are more chemical suits than firefighters in Montana but there aren't enough to go around here? How can he explain that every firehouse in Wyoming is mobile and ready to go with the most technologically advanced gear to combat terror and biological attacks but only one house in NYC is?
The Village Voice does a pretty damn good job.
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When the President addresses NYC firefighters today, how will he explain that the funds that he didn't send to NYC after 9/11 resulted directly in the closing of 6 firehouses? How will he explain that the widows of their fallen brothers won't be receiving the money that they were promised because President Bush didn't send it along? How will he explain that NYC is no safer than it was 3 years ago and that he isn't doing anything about it? How will he explain that there are more chemical suits than firefighters in Montana but there aren't enough to go around here? How can he explain that every firehouse in Wyoming is mobile and ready to go with the most technologically advanced gear to combat terror and biological attacks but only one house in NYC is?
The Village Voice does a pretty damn good job.
27 agosto 2004
Missing The Point
To the ESPN.com editors:
Regarding Jason Whitlock's column of August 26, I'm surprised that ESPN's editorial staff saw fit to publish such bombastic tripe. Mr. Whitlock's assertion that people rooting against the U.S.A. basketball team is tantamount to racism proves once again, as do many of his "Sports Reporters" appearances, that Mr. Whitlock is looking for the pulse of America by grabbing their ankles rather than their wrists.
Perhaps the viewing and rooting public of America is looking for the type of effort that other countries seem to have no problem putting forth during a basketball game, an effort with hustle and intensity. Maybe the viewing and rooting public of America would like to see a team with fire in its bellies, instead of one that makes excuses with statements such as those LeBron James made, that winning the gold is their goal but medaling at all is an accomplishment. Such a point of view is unacceptable for a team comprised of people enlisted specifically for their athletic gifts and ostensibly, their desire to be the best and bring home the gold. Indeed, if the entire team were white and displayed the stunning ineptitude of this team, the same complaints would be lodged. This is not about race. This is about effort. This is about passion. This is about all of the qualities lacking in a team that thought they could coast through the Olympics. In basketball in America, second best is not good enough.
Neither then is the attitude of erstwhile and uncaring millionaires (regardless of their race, class or religion) that go through the motions as though representing your country is not a privilege but a right. No one cares what the players look like. They care about their behavior, as they did in Nagano when they condemned a largely white U.S.A. hockey team for poor play and effort and poor sportsmanship as well.
Patriotism, Mr. Whitlock, knows no color, hairstyle or economic status. Patriotism knows no bounds. Patriotism is not the blind support of your countrymen through thick and thin. That is a misrepresentation. Patriotism, in life as well as competition, means questioning those who represent you if they do not meet the standards that you think the country deserves. This is not unpatriotic. It is the exact definition of patriotism because Americans should and will settle for no less than the best. Some people view this as arrogant. This is not arrogant; it is determined. And we should not be asked to settle for less.
Sincerely,
Señor Wences
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To the ESPN.com editors:
Regarding Jason Whitlock's column of August 26, I'm surprised that ESPN's editorial staff saw fit to publish such bombastic tripe. Mr. Whitlock's assertion that people rooting against the U.S.A. basketball team is tantamount to racism proves once again, as do many of his "Sports Reporters" appearances, that Mr. Whitlock is looking for the pulse of America by grabbing their ankles rather than their wrists.
Perhaps the viewing and rooting public of America is looking for the type of effort that other countries seem to have no problem putting forth during a basketball game, an effort with hustle and intensity. Maybe the viewing and rooting public of America would like to see a team with fire in its bellies, instead of one that makes excuses with statements such as those LeBron James made, that winning the gold is their goal but medaling at all is an accomplishment. Such a point of view is unacceptable for a team comprised of people enlisted specifically for their athletic gifts and ostensibly, their desire to be the best and bring home the gold. Indeed, if the entire team were white and displayed the stunning ineptitude of this team, the same complaints would be lodged. This is not about race. This is about effort. This is about passion. This is about all of the qualities lacking in a team that thought they could coast through the Olympics. In basketball in America, second best is not good enough.
Neither then is the attitude of erstwhile and uncaring millionaires (regardless of their race, class or religion) that go through the motions as though representing your country is not a privilege but a right. No one cares what the players look like. They care about their behavior, as they did in Nagano when they condemned a largely white U.S.A. hockey team for poor play and effort and poor sportsmanship as well.
Patriotism, Mr. Whitlock, knows no color, hairstyle or economic status. Patriotism knows no bounds. Patriotism is not the blind support of your countrymen through thick and thin. That is a misrepresentation. Patriotism, in life as well as competition, means questioning those who represent you if they do not meet the standards that you think the country deserves. This is not unpatriotic. It is the exact definition of patriotism because Americans should and will settle for no less than the best. Some people view this as arrogant. This is not arrogant; it is determined. And we should not be asked to settle for less.
Sincerely,
Señor Wences
06 agosto 2004
I Don't Even Have The Words
An outspoken racist has won the GOP primary for a Congressional seat in a Tennessee district.
From what I can gather in the article, he ran unopposed, save for a write-in candidate who was on National Guard duty when the deadline passed. He still got nearly 8,000 votes. I can't imagine all of these people went to the booth and just struck the lever for Republican without seeing who the candidate was. This was a fucking GOP primary! ALL of the candidates were Republicans.
Racism is ugly. Eugenics is an apocryphal and Medieval science. This man believes in both of them and runs his campaign on hate and fear. Now, he's got a shot to represent people in Washington. What does that say about how far we've come as a people? Not much, if you ask me.
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An outspoken racist has won the GOP primary for a Congressional seat in a Tennessee district.
From what I can gather in the article, he ran unopposed, save for a write-in candidate who was on National Guard duty when the deadline passed. He still got nearly 8,000 votes. I can't imagine all of these people went to the booth and just struck the lever for Republican without seeing who the candidate was. This was a fucking GOP primary! ALL of the candidates were Republicans.
Racism is ugly. Eugenics is an apocryphal and Medieval science. This man believes in both of them and runs his campaign on hate and fear. Now, he's got a shot to represent people in Washington. What does that say about how far we've come as a people? Not much, if you ask me.
