Last month The Daily Beast published a a profile of New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The report slavishly praised Kelly for his anti-terrorism track record and for the city’s success in stopping terrorist plots. The article also repeated the often-cited claim that since 9/11 the NYPD has foiled 14 separate deadly plots against New Yorkers. There is only one problem with this claim. It isn’t true. Continue reading
I get no pleasure from watching the television shows about hoarders. For most,the shows will motivate them to clean and toss away unneeded junk, making them feel better about their lives. For me, it makes me want to curl up in bed and take a nap. Why is this? My father is an honest to goodness, pathological hoarder and my mother in her codependency has become a willing participant. Growing up in the household, I developed tendencies to want to hoard, but work on fighting them daily.
I’m not sharing this to shame my parents or make fun of them. Although, the fake Christmas tree left standing in June, that my mother will buy ornaments for year round, has become an absurd joke between my sister and I. I share this, because there is a side most don’t necessarily see on these shows. And that is the humanity behind the hoards. What has brought people to live in homes where they literally have to crawl over things to get from one side of the house to another. Continue reading
Politics, religion, same-sex marriage, breast feeding, health care. Sometimes it seems that there’s nothing Americans don’t vehemently fight about. But – just like you shouldn’t bring up your hatred of Chuck Norris around your NRA-loving uncle at Thanksgiving – it’s also not a great idea to walk into a party and loudly exclaim your love of cilantro. Continue reading
Welcome to Crasstalk. Have a good one! Continue reading
Firefly is still awesome; DirectTV customers feel the pain; Starz is a legitimate channel, vampire validation; Russell Crowe full of bite; Magic Mike again and again; Ed Helms had better not fail, we’re watching. Continue reading
When they make it, they should put my face upon the million dollar bill because that’s how I feel. Continue reading
Training camp has started and soon your favorite team for which you had high hopes will lose a key player in a meaningless preseason game and dash your hopes for the entire season. Let’s start off my preview of the coming season with a look at our current champions and their chances of repeating. While overall this division is weak, these teams love beating the hell out of each other, so at least if you are forced to watch an NFC East game, you can laugh as the woeful Redskins spoil the Cowboys’ playoff chances when Romo throws 4 picks in a game. Continue reading
A very unusual building came to my attention a few days ago. Shaped like the Greek symbol Ohm, the proposed 140 meter Bandra Ohm residential tower (named the Parinee Ism by the architects), currently under construction in Mumbai, India, is designed to evoke the ripple effect generated by water droplets, also known as capillary waves. According to designers James Law Cybertecture, the outline of the tower demonstrates the fluidity and dynamic nature of the ripple. The design features a central void containing an orb-shaped clubhouse. Even more striking, however, are the glass-walled swimming pools on the balconies. Continue reading
Today, in what has to be the most ingenious way for Mitt Romney’s campaign director to turn in his notice, Mr. Romney gave a speech to the NAACP. Governor Romney was in Houston today speaking in front of the annual meeting of the NAACP. First, he didn’t rub the stump when he first came out, which pissed a lot of people off. Then, he explained to them that “If you want a president who will make things better in the African-American community, you are looking at him. You take a look.” I haven’t seen video on this segment, but I’m sure the crowd was ecstatic to find a fabulously wealthy white guy who finally gets what the black community is going through. I’m sure the crowd leapt to their feet in thunderous applause and cheers because they truly believe that this man knows more about their plight than a man who is 50% more black than he is. Continue reading
Sometimes the stuff I read is so awful, it makes me laugh instead of cry. Continue reading