amstel89

ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

American education was once the pride of the free world,  as America was once the pride of democracies.  While the end of free tuition at Cooper-Union may be a small thing in the midst of everything else that is going on, it carries the symbolic weight of another nail in an already badly weathered coffin.  With each decade, with each year, with each day, a world class education grows increasingly less obtainable for too many Americans.  I hear America crying.

WHY EVERYONE LOVES AMERICAN CULTURE

This particular fact has come to increasingly baffle me; but I recently had an epiphany.  The world is fascinated by everything American for the same reason America is fascinated by everything Lindsay Lohan.  All humans regardless of ethnicity, race, gender,  socio-economic status, political persuasion or nationality are mesmerized by a train wreck.

ELDERLY RIGHTS

I firmly believe that enforcing drug laws for people over the age of 60 is absurd.   Aging past 60 should entitle you to three things:   1.  A place to sit whenever you want to sit.  2.  A place to pee whenever you need to pee--and that includes the street.  3.  Free and unlimited recreational drugs and the right to use them whenever you fucking want.

THE TRUTH OF DON DRAPER

 

 

Rethinking the greatest invention of all time

When you ask this question, answers include television, the telephone, the Internet, fire and the wheel. I say it's the backscratcher.

WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF US?

I get the argument that marriage equality is foundational.  With marriage equality under our belts the rest of our civil rights will just fall into place.  It's a compelling domino argument.  But supposing it's an entirely false premise?  Perhaps the foundational battle should have been and should still be amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation?  Or ENDA?   Maybe banning discrimination against gay Americans in the workplace, education, health care, social services and housing is more important than marriage in a world where marriage is no longer the way the majority of us choose to make our lives.  Again, the prevailing argument is that marriage for all is good for all, but for the majority of us a Constitutional amendment ending segregation and discrimination might have been better.

GRAMMAR

An opposite of "straight" is "bent", not "gay.  An opposite of "gay" is "miserable", not "straight".  Just an observation.

AGING 101

When asked for an old photograph of yourself, be prepared for "OMG, you used to be so handsome!"

 

Mar 24, 2013

A Manhattan bus driver coming down Central Park West noticed that I was framing an image from across the avenue and stopped his bus until I was done. Then he smiled, waved and continued on his way. There is always so much beauty in such little moments.

Staplers, the Attachment That’s Still Making Noise - NYTimes.com

People talk a lot about comfort foods. I prefer comfort things. Objects that despite the technological and cultural tsunami that constantly washes over our lives, pretty much stay the same in both form and function. No matter what. Staplers. Toothbrushes. Candles. Plungers. Matches. Socks. Sure. Marketers are constantly trying to dress these things up, but at the end of the day these objects remain true to a function that is as good as it gets or will ever get. And that's comforting.