Poisonville

Saturday-afternoon Nietzsche Family Circus

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:36:12 -0500

Saturday-afternoon Nietzsche Family Circus

Nobody likes a good laugh more than I do.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:51:06 -0500

Nobody likes a good laugh more than I do.

I mean, if you’re so much smarter than all your targets, maybe you should aim your satire a...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:44:07 -0500

I mean, if you’re so much smarter than all your targets, maybe you should aim your satire a little higher.

I’m talking to you, Flaubert.

Speaking of broad stereotypes, I’ve found the Coen Brothers comedies to be for the most part...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:32:00 -0500

Speaking of broad stereotypes, I’ve found the Coen Brothers comedies to be for the most part offensive, demeaning, and most certainly not in any way funny. I feel the same way about Sacha Baron Cohen (though he occasionally makes me laugh).

But what do I know? I like Jerry Lewis, Eddie Murphy, the Farelly Brothers, and Jackass.

Perry and Winfrey may think "Precious" is serious, but Daniels is hoisting his freak flag. He gets off on degradation....Not since "The Birth of a Nation" has a mainstream movie demeaned the idea of black American life as much as "Precious."

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:36:31 -0500

Perry and Winfrey may think "Precious" is serious, but Daniels is hoisting his freak flag. He gets off on degradation....Not since "The Birth of a Nation" has a mainstream movie demeaned the idea of black American life as much as "Precious." :

Armond White on “Precious.” A must-read from a sharp guy. I haven’t seen the movie, nor read the book, so I won’t say more than that. (via wannablessedbe)

After the opera, we’ll head to a French bistro in the...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:16:00 -0500

After the opera, we’ll head to a French bistro in the neighborhood, where we go for birthdays.

Last time we went, for my mother’s birthday, Dov Charney was sitting at the next table, shoulder to shoulder with me. He’s my age. He was with two young women, fresh-faced beauties, the both of them. We were old enough to be their fathers.

He spent the entire dinner hunched down in his chair like a question mark, staring at his blackberry, ignoring the two women, occasionally picking at his food.

“Start Me Up,” the Rolling Stones

Is it inappropriate to see a matinee of Don Giovanni for your...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:06:47 -0500

Is it inappropriate to see a matinee of Don Giovanni for your 40th birthday — with your parents?

“Miss You,” Rolling Stones

I’ll be seeing Don Giovanni this Sunday, at the New York...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:52:05 -0500

I’ll be seeing Don Giovanni this Sunday, at the New York City Opera.

Here are the libertines who refuse to be swallowed up by hell, in some sort of new-wave purgatory, with “She’s So Cold,” their reworking of “To His Coy Mistress.”

I suspect late-era (which is to say, post-1972) Rolling Stones inspire so much hatred because they’re so damn haunting. We’d prefer to enjoy our shallow fantasies without having to witness the consequences.

As for me, I love Charlie Watts’ tired smiles. He seems to best understand the situation.

After blowing your nose: You should not open your handkerchief and look inside, as if pearls or rubies might have descended from your brain. —Giovanni Della Casa, Galateo (1558)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:33:25 -0500

After blowing your nose: You should not open your handkerchief and look inside, as if pearls or rubies might have descended from your brain. —Giovanni Della Casa, Galateo (1558) :

From Arielle Saiber’s survey of Italian Renaissance advice manuals, in Cabinet magazine.

Congratulations, Bronx Bombers

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:52:09 -0500

Congratulations, Bronx Bombers

(Aww, Aaron, I’m not even rooting against the Yankees—Jon Miller and Joe Morgan just...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:35:44 -0500

(Aww, Aaron, I’m not even rooting against the Yankees—Jon Miller and Joe Morgan just mentioned that Yogi Berra was at the game, and I just had to…)

Photo

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:29:21 -0500

I pray New Yorkers have the courage to make the right choice

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:15:51 -0500

1-Ballot Proposal Number One, An Amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution, in relation to the use of certain forest preserve lands by National Grid to construct a 46 kV power line along State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County.

The proposed amendment would authorize the Legislature to convey up to six acres of forest preserve land along State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County to National Grid for construction of a power line. In exchange, National Grid would convey to the State at least 10 acres of forest land in St. Lawrence County, to be incorporated into the forest preserve. The land to be conveyed by National Grid to the State must be at least equal in value to the land conveyed to National Grid by the State. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

expert: one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:01:00 -0500

From Harvey Araton’s bizarro “analysis” of fa n forgiveness and steroi ds in the Times.

“Because of their immense egos, Clemens and Bonds couldn’t get down on their knees, do a little mea culpa,” said Charles Yesalis, a professor emeritus of health policy and kinesiology at Penn State University.

Well, you’re the kinsesiologist.

“American people are tremendously forgiving,” Yesalis said. “And they don’t ask too much.”

I'm TAing my first course starting tomorrow

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:22:42 -0500

Wish me luck!

Hey ladies!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:57:40 -0500

Hey ladies!

It is what it is.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:09:16 -0500

It is what it is.

Unsolved Mysteries

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:08:00 -0500

Poisonville: Did you see anyone come into the room the past couple minutes?

Sasha the Cat: Hmm? No, no one.

PV: Because it looks like someone took a big bite out of my roast chicken.

…

PV: And, this is funny, it looks like there’s cat hair in my escarole.

StC: Weird.

PV: Do you know anything about that?

StC: Me? No.

PV: I guess we’ll never know what happened.

StC: Guess not.

PV: Well anyway, do you want a piece of chicken?

StC: No thanks. I just ate.

Joan Benoit Samuelson ran her first marathon in Boston in 1979....

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:19:00 -0500

Joan Benoit Samuelson ran her first marathon in Boston in 1979. A few months shy of graduating from Bowdoin, she finished with a time of 2:35, winning the race—and knocking eight minutes off the previous course record.

A few years later, she broke the world record with a time of 2:22 (which has since been lowered to 2:15 by Paula Radcliffe).

By the way, Joan is wearing a Boston Red Sox cap above. She is a Maine native and lives there today. (photo and details via Bowdoin campus news)

Congratulations to Joan Benoit Samuelson for breaking the NYC Marathon record in the 50-plus division, with a time of 2:49:09

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:02:20 -0500

Congratulations to Joan Benoit Samuelson for breaking the NYC Marathon record in the 50-plus division, with a time of 2:49:09