Author: ssw15

Lest ye think that I’m playing hooky from work by blogging in the middle of the day, be advised that I’m on so-called vacation for a couple of days…

More Polyphonic Spree (we keep talking about this odd musical group on this website, don’t we?) – they’re coming to the NYC area – and when such a group gets in the NY Times, that has to mean something. Of course, that fact that no one can get over that they’re a little on the strange side… well…

A strange hug between President Bush and Senator McCain. They say pictures say a 1000 words. Maybe they do, as these series of NY Times photos indicate. I’ll leave it at that. You make your own opinions.

The modern state of the newspaper comic strip – when old-fashioned soaps like “Mary Worth” and “Judge Parker” are losing their old places in the newspapers and newer strips are trying to establish themselves and the newspapers are struggling to keep readership and prices – these are not easy times for the funny pages, as this NY Times article shows.

An article on the Republican Party moderates. I’d suppose that they’ll be seen and heard at the convention, but the question is what are the consequences?

And, having moderates or independents means you can have loopy elections, as seen in Maine, as Slate.com notes.

Enjoy the week.

1st week of Olympics are done – let’s review (and, no, this is not a comprehensive review of any kind whatsoever, since I can only review so much)…

Love the Slate.com’s special Olympics coverage. Funny, sharp, incisive… (well, I’m a big Slate fan, if it hasn’t been obvious already). Some thoughts on the articles:

– Slate.com’s Explainer explains “What’s with that Weird New Vault?” in gymnastics, which is great because I kept wondering “that’s a vault now?” while watching gymnastics.

– An interesting article on “Svetlana the Great,” i.e., Svetlana Khorkina, the diva of the women’s gymnastics. Plus, I liked reading about the “older” women on the US team – Mohini Bhardwaj and Annia Hatch – primarily because I think (a) it’s weird that they’re considered “old” (makes me feel old, since I’m about their age), and (b) it’s great, because they had a certain poise, confidence, personality, and experience that I kept thinking were lacking in the younger pixies. Bhardwaj, Hatch, and Khorkina were the women in “women’s” gymnastics, not mere girls. I’d salute to them, even if Khorkina’s a bit too much of a diva for my taste.

– Slate.com’s article on NBC gymnastics commentator Tim Daggett was funny. Slate’s Bryan Curtis calls Daggett “Scott Hamilton of gymnastics—the sport’s most ludicrous shill” – which I can agree – Daggett reminded me so much of Hamilton’s style of commentating. But, Daggett seems more critical of the athletes than Hamilton was, and therefore seems (to me) a somewhat more objective commentator. So, Daggett’s sort of ok to me. (well, I still sort of like Hamilton too, but he hasn’t done much commentating in awhile). But, Daggett can be harsh on the technique thing. (well, he was a gold medalist in the 1984 boycott Olympics, so he ought to know what’s a good technique).

– I don’t understand how they judge in gymnastics. I thought that U.S.’s Brett McClure did well in the Men’s all around, but his score is lower, because he had a low starting maximum point. Paul Hamm did an amazing recovery – but admittedly, it was so close, because the South Korean did pretty good (and no big slip-up, unlike Hamm). I’d still salute to Hamm, but I can understand the South Koreans’ challenging the scoring/judginig and saying that there has to be an error (oh, that’s a Yahoo link, by the way). I just hope we’re not going to get some bizarre double gold thing like what happened in Salt Lake with the pairs figure skaters.

Time magazine’s Aug. 23, 2004, issue (Time and other magazine’s always post-date their magazines – so 8/23 issue is actually for the week of 8/17) – had a good Q & A with NBC’s Bob Costas (described as this generation’s Jim McKay, ABC’s Olympic tv anchor vanguard). I was glad that the Q & A made note of Costas’ Greek ancestry with a blunt: “So how Greek are you?” Costas’ answer: “My father’s side of the family is fully 100% Greek….” and he was even able to identify where in Greece his paternal grandparents were from. Cool. Know your past, prepare for the present (in his case, cramming on all the Olympic trivia) and for the future (which I’m sure NBC is just hoping that Beijing 2008 will have more crowds in the stand; I’m glad that the Athens Olympics are selling tickets like hotcakes, but if people aren’t in their seats, it doesn’t look like much).

Beach volleyball – hmm. I know it’s an interesting sport, lots of dynamics, etc. And, men drool over the women’s beach volleyball, and all that . But, I think the music they’re playing at that fake beach every time a point scored is annoying. Just a tad annoying. (yeah, we women will just have to accept that our eye candy is in the men’s swimming – ooh, lots of eye candy)… (umm, never mind there….) 😉

Speaking of men’s swimming – I like that US’ Michael Phelps is a team player. All the hype about him expected to get all golds got annoying and he initially seemed like an arrogant 19 year old kid expecting to win so much. But, ever since he and the other swimmers won the relays, he seemed to be appreciating the Olympic spirit and turning out to be an okay guy. Kudos.

Hate the heat and humidity in August in NYC. So yucky… so it goes.

I’m one of those New Yorkers who don’t nearly get around the town as I should, so taking the J train to the picnic the other day was incredibly fascinating since I had never taken the J or go out to Queens very much (umm, taking the 7 train to the Mets games don’t quit count). The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) usually do things ridiculously, but find something with a touch of class: ex., Grand Central (subway) Station still not pretty, but Grand Central Terminal (the commuter train and famous facilities) is so nice; Canal Street station has nicely renovated wall tiles reflecting the Chinatown culture – but otherwise still has leaky ceilings here and there (leaking what, I do not want to know). Weekend service also has a way of being lame, but when the trains work – you get the weird relief that the city still works.

But if having just a little confusion (but not by much, once you were able to figure out which direction was what, due to weekend changes), the J train, was a smooth ride – going along the Williamsburg Bridge (100 years old, as old as the subway system itself) and seeing that the train is right next to the car traffic (so not like the Manhattan Bridge, the way the Williamsburg apparently sticks the trains in the middle). NYC’s elevated train lines aren’t nearly reknown as that of Chicago’s (good grief, did anyone see how Spiderman 2 invented an elevated train in _Manhattan_ that apparently was… Bay Ridge bound – and looking straight out of Chicago’s els. Not accurate). But, gleaning out the window, the J train’s elevated line is amazing.

The J subway stations on the Brooklyn/Queens side were curiously interesting – stained glass panels – so cool to look. The subway passed by stunning churches – Brooklyn being the home of churches – and domed banks. Cypress Hills cemetary made for quite a view from above. The J subway station I got off had an ellipitcal opening with a screen – I thought it was a weird window or something to look out down to the street. But, once I got downstairs to the sidewalk and I looked up, I realized that the screen’s wire was shaped into a 3-D mask of a human face facing the street. Urban art. Wow.

Saw “Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” Cute, cozy PG movie. Nothing too deep but continues the adventures of Mia as a 21st century American princess in Europe. Love Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo – classy actors.

Olympics – good watch as far as the athletic drama is concerned. But, so weird to see the crowds not quite there at the gymastics events on tv.

Enjoy the week…