Stephen Harper probably thinks he's died and gone to heaven. He's the only "winner" after last night's riots and general display of idiocy.
First, he gets to play host to all the foreign leaders he really, really wishes would be his BFFs. They just have to like him now!
Second, he gets to spend a billion dollars on a security tar baby so he can feel like a big tough guy.
Third, idiot anarchist wannabes are actually so stupid as to jump on the billion dollar security tar baby, thus 'justifying' Harper's stupid spending spree.
Fourth, all this happens in Toronto, which significantly reduces the political blowback on Harper since he wasn't going to get any votes in Toronto anyway, and most of his western base loves to get their schadenfreude on when bad things happen to the city.
For a typically gormless Canadian political hack, Harper is showing some signs of being a bit of an evil genius.
Oh, The Weigel Thing
Yeah, sucks to be him, I guess, what with being able to flee a dying media organization before its inevitable collapse, and get a Conan O'Brien-like lionization doing it.
Otherwise, Conor says about what I think on the matter (if in about 8000 more words than I'd use): it's impossible to take seriously the ethical standards of a newspaper that regularly employs Marc Theissen.
Frankly, I find it difficult to take seriously the ethical standards of anyone who would work as a journalist for a newspaper that regularly employs Marc Theissen. If Ezra Klein is half as smart as everyone thinks he is, he'll be following Weigel out the door.
Otherwise, Conor says about what I think on the matter (if in about 8000 more words than I'd use): it's impossible to take seriously the ethical standards of a newspaper that regularly employs Marc Theissen.
Frankly, I find it difficult to take seriously the ethical standards of anyone who would work as a journalist for a newspaper that regularly employs Marc Theissen. If Ezra Klein is half as smart as everyone thinks he is, he'll be following Weigel out the door.
The TTC's Ongoing Anti-PR Campaign, Episode 9478
As I headed to the subway to go to work today, I discovered that the Danforth part of the Bloor-Danforth line was shut down between Woodbine and Broadview, a stretch which naturally included my station (Pape).
Broadview is only a couple of stops away, so I considered simply walking over there and catching the train from that point. I also considered taking the Pape bus south, since it (eventually) hooks around the downtown core, and even with the G20 route changes it still wouldn't be a long walk from the closest stop.
Either way, though, I'd need to pay a fare and was out of tokens, so I went over to the booth to buy some. The collector wasn't there.
I saw a guy standing outside the station in the light blue short sleeve shirt most TTC employees wear in warmer weather. I walked over to him and, sure enough, he has a TTC logo on his shirt pocket. I asked him if I could buy some tokens.
He looked at me with what I guess was annoyance. "Collector's not here."
Oh. Huh. I guess I'm walking to Broadview. I leave the station and get down to the Danforth. Shuttle buses are already piled three deep at the corner, taking people between Woodbine and Broadview Stations.
Based on past experience, that was a good thing. Usually by the time it takes the TTC to get the shuttle buses organized and on the road, whatever was causing the delay was cleared, so I turned around and headed back to the station. Mr. Short Sleeves was still hanging around out front, but inside someone more important (you could tell because he had one of those nifty red TTC hats, a clipboard and a radio) was dealing with people wanting to know what was going on. I walked up to him.
"Subway's closed", he said.
"I know it is, I just want to buy some tokens so I can get on the shuttle bus."
"Oh." He looks over at the empty booth. An older women is right behind me with the same complaint. "I NEED TICKETS!", she screeched. In my ear.
Mr. In Charge walked outside and talked to Mr. Short Sleeves, who then grumpily came inside and opened up the booth, which led me to one of two conclusions:
1) Mr. Short Sleeves had lied to my face when he said the collector wasn't there, since he was the collector; or,
2) The real collector had buggered off when the delay hit, and poor Mr. Short Sleeves had been shanghai'ed into covering for that person.
I'm leaning towards #1.
On the bright side, as soon as I bought my tokens the subway was re-opened.
Moral of the story: anybody who gets on a shuttle bus during a TTC subway delay is a sucker.
Broadview is only a couple of stops away, so I considered simply walking over there and catching the train from that point. I also considered taking the Pape bus south, since it (eventually) hooks around the downtown core, and even with the G20 route changes it still wouldn't be a long walk from the closest stop.
Either way, though, I'd need to pay a fare and was out of tokens, so I went over to the booth to buy some. The collector wasn't there.
I saw a guy standing outside the station in the light blue short sleeve shirt most TTC employees wear in warmer weather. I walked over to him and, sure enough, he has a TTC logo on his shirt pocket. I asked him if I could buy some tokens.
He looked at me with what I guess was annoyance. "Collector's not here."
Oh. Huh. I guess I'm walking to Broadview. I leave the station and get down to the Danforth. Shuttle buses are already piled three deep at the corner, taking people between Woodbine and Broadview Stations.
Based on past experience, that was a good thing. Usually by the time it takes the TTC to get the shuttle buses organized and on the road, whatever was causing the delay was cleared, so I turned around and headed back to the station. Mr. Short Sleeves was still hanging around out front, but inside someone more important (you could tell because he had one of those nifty red TTC hats, a clipboard and a radio) was dealing with people wanting to know what was going on. I walked up to him.
"Subway's closed", he said.
"I know it is, I just want to buy some tokens so I can get on the shuttle bus."
"Oh." He looks over at the empty booth. An older women is right behind me with the same complaint. "I NEED TICKETS!", she screeched. In my ear.
Mr. In Charge walked outside and talked to Mr. Short Sleeves, who then grumpily came inside and opened up the booth, which led me to one of two conclusions:
1) Mr. Short Sleeves had lied to my face when he said the collector wasn't there, since he was the collector; or,
2) The real collector had buggered off when the delay hit, and poor Mr. Short Sleeves had been shanghai'ed into covering for that person.
I'm leaning towards #1.
On the bright side, as soon as I bought my tokens the subway was re-opened.
Moral of the story: anybody who gets on a shuttle bus during a TTC subway delay is a sucker.
Random Things I've Been Writing at Three In the Morning
This may become a regular thing, depending on how often I scribble stuff down at three in the morning.
He remembered the weight of a finger lightly pinning his lips to his front teeth.
He remembered a crooked smile peeking out from behind the dark locks tumbling over her face.
He remembered smooth skin and a hip bone beneath his palm, while his other hand dangled in the cool air off the edge of the bed.
He remembered a breath rushing into his lungs like a prodigal returning home.
Be still, she said, but his heart refused to listen.
He remembered the weight of a finger lightly pinning his lips to his front teeth.
He remembered a crooked smile peeking out from behind the dark locks tumbling over her face.
He remembered smooth skin and a hip bone beneath his palm, while his other hand dangled in the cool air off the edge of the bed.
He remembered a breath rushing into his lungs like a prodigal returning home.
Be still, she said, but his heart refused to listen.
Holy Crap
Did we just have a tremor? The whole building swayed enough to get a floor lamp rocking.
That was awesome.
EDIT: 5.5, baby! I'm sure my Angelino friends would laugh themselves silly at the thought that a 5.5 would even be worth notice.
That was awesome.
EDIT: 5.5, baby! I'm sure my Angelino friends would laugh themselves silly at the thought that a 5.5 would even be worth notice.
I've Got a Bad Feeling About This
If I had to rank my most-loathed teams in World Cup play, they would be, in order:
1. Argentina
2. France
I detest Maradona. Great player, awful human being, and his gloating over the Hand of God goal sealed the deal for me. After he packed it in and Gabriel Batistuta was the team's big star I could get behind them, but with Maradona behind the bench again I want to see them humiliated. Alas, it doesn't look likely to happen.
France I despise because they always seem to get every break imaginable, even though they don't deserve it. I mean, can anyone actually remember how the hell they managed to make it to the final of the last World Cup? Their victory in '98 was even worse, and it seemed like in every game they played they were up 12 or 13 men to 11 thanks to the refs. At least Thierry Henry seemed a bit mortified by his own hand ball this year that put France in the tournament ahead of Ireland.
Based on Uruguay's disgraceful flopfest against South Africa yesterday (I mean seriously... you're diving that often against South Africa? Talk about insecurity) I'm putting them in as 2A now, which means I'm suddenly a huge Mexico fan, given that they're in a group with both Uruguay and France. After today's awesome 2-0 Mexican victory over the Damned Frogs, France seems poised to be eliminated. Mexico and Uruguay both have 4 points, while France has just 1. If Mexico and Uruguay tie in their final group match, France is done.
Except...
If Uruguay beats Mexico, Uruguay wins the group and avoids a tough round of 16 matchup. Mexico sits with a +2 goal differential, minus whatever they lose to Uruguay by. Let's say it's a 1-0 game -- Mexico then sits with 4 points and a +1 differential. (Of course the reverse situation, Mexico beating Uruguay, is also possible, but we're looking at my worst case scenario here.)
France would then need to beat South Africa by at least four goals to advance. And while the French haven't looked like a squad that could run up the score against St. Trinian's School for Crippled Orphans, much less a World Cup national team, South Africa will be without Khune (their starting goalie) thanks to that abysmal red card he was handed against Uruguay. A 4-0 or 5-1 result, or worse, isn't out of the question.
In short, we could have a situation where France has to deliberately set out to embarrass the host nation in order to advance. France and Uruguay, diving merrily into the round of 16 against a backdrop of riots, tear gas and vuvuzelas playing a funeral dirge.
Please, Mexico, I am begging you. In the name of all that is good and right about futbol, do not let this horror come to pass.
1. Argentina
2. France
I detest Maradona. Great player, awful human being, and his gloating over the Hand of God goal sealed the deal for me. After he packed it in and Gabriel Batistuta was the team's big star I could get behind them, but with Maradona behind the bench again I want to see them humiliated. Alas, it doesn't look likely to happen.
France I despise because they always seem to get every break imaginable, even though they don't deserve it. I mean, can anyone actually remember how the hell they managed to make it to the final of the last World Cup? Their victory in '98 was even worse, and it seemed like in every game they played they were up 12 or 13 men to 11 thanks to the refs. At least Thierry Henry seemed a bit mortified by his own hand ball this year that put France in the tournament ahead of Ireland.
Based on Uruguay's disgraceful flopfest against South Africa yesterday (I mean seriously... you're diving that often against South Africa? Talk about insecurity) I'm putting them in as 2A now, which means I'm suddenly a huge Mexico fan, given that they're in a group with both Uruguay and France. After today's awesome 2-0 Mexican victory over the Damned Frogs, France seems poised to be eliminated. Mexico and Uruguay both have 4 points, while France has just 1. If Mexico and Uruguay tie in their final group match, France is done.
Except...
If Uruguay beats Mexico, Uruguay wins the group and avoids a tough round of 16 matchup. Mexico sits with a +2 goal differential, minus whatever they lose to Uruguay by. Let's say it's a 1-0 game -- Mexico then sits with 4 points and a +1 differential. (Of course the reverse situation, Mexico beating Uruguay, is also possible, but we're looking at my worst case scenario here.)
France would then need to beat South Africa by at least four goals to advance. And while the French haven't looked like a squad that could run up the score against St. Trinian's School for Crippled Orphans, much less a World Cup national team, South Africa will be without Khune (their starting goalie) thanks to that abysmal red card he was handed against Uruguay. A 4-0 or 5-1 result, or worse, isn't out of the question.
In short, we could have a situation where France has to deliberately set out to embarrass the host nation in order to advance. France and Uruguay, diving merrily into the round of 16 against a backdrop of riots, tear gas and vuvuzelas playing a funeral dirge.
Please, Mexico, I am begging you. In the name of all that is good and right about futbol, do not let this horror come to pass.
In Case You Missed It
Per the comments, "I like how the Robert Green legoman was smiling the whole time, even after he fucked up ahaha"
I Am Bleeding Out My Eye Sockets
Why did I read this? Why did I just do that to myself? Aaagh. Damn you Sully.
Let me sum it up, to save you the agony: The Atlantic's Josh Green claims to have been an indie music critic, and a teenage fan of Rush (even describing himself as "worshipping" Neil Peart), yet somehow failed to recognize the heavy Ayn Rand influence in Peart's lyrics until he 'inadvertently' started a feud between Rush and Rand Paul via Twitter over Paul's use of Rush songs.
First, I call bullshit. No teenage Rush fan -- especially one who grows up to be a political journalist -- can possibly be ignorant of the Ayn Rand influence on Peart's lyrics. It's like saying you were a big Springsteen fan, but didn't realize his songs were about America.
I also call bullshit on Green claiming that he didn't realize Tweeting about Paul using Rush songs might result in Rush telling Paul to fuck off and stop. You got the controversy you wanted, pal. Don't be a tool and pretend it was all an accident.
Second, the anecdote Green leads off his article with -- one in which he gets dissed by the lead singer of Son Volt -- displays a horrific lack of self-awareness. Basically, Green did an interview with Jay Farrar (said lead singer), then went to the show and wanted one of the other members of the band to get Farrar's attention so Green could say hi to him while they stood around and watched the opening act. God forbid Green should have to talk to a lowly bassist or something, huh? And to this day he remains baffled as to why they all treated him like a dick. Gosh, Josh, maybe it's because you were acting like a dick? Just a thought.
Remember, the Atlantic is hiring. You too can work right alongside great minds like this.
Crikey.
Let me sum it up, to save you the agony: The Atlantic's Josh Green claims to have been an indie music critic, and a teenage fan of Rush (even describing himself as "worshipping" Neil Peart), yet somehow failed to recognize the heavy Ayn Rand influence in Peart's lyrics until he 'inadvertently' started a feud between Rush and Rand Paul via Twitter over Paul's use of Rush songs.
First, I call bullshit. No teenage Rush fan -- especially one who grows up to be a political journalist -- can possibly be ignorant of the Ayn Rand influence on Peart's lyrics. It's like saying you were a big Springsteen fan, but didn't realize his songs were about America.
I also call bullshit on Green claiming that he didn't realize Tweeting about Paul using Rush songs might result in Rush telling Paul to fuck off and stop. You got the controversy you wanted, pal. Don't be a tool and pretend it was all an accident.
Second, the anecdote Green leads off his article with -- one in which he gets dissed by the lead singer of Son Volt -- displays a horrific lack of self-awareness. Basically, Green did an interview with Jay Farrar (said lead singer), then went to the show and wanted one of the other members of the band to get Farrar's attention so Green could say hi to him while they stood around and watched the opening act. God forbid Green should have to talk to a lowly bassist or something, huh? And to this day he remains baffled as to why they all treated him like a dick. Gosh, Josh, maybe it's because you were acting like a dick? Just a thought.
Remember, the Atlantic is hiring. You too can work right alongside great minds like this.
Crikey.
What's Wrong With the Media, Explained In One Sentence
The Gulf spill, Israeli/Palestinian/Turkish tensions on the rise, eight bazillion other things to worry about... and our intrepid fourth estate gives us this:
The modern press corps: Leaving no completely vacuous, fucking irrelevant stone unturned since... I dunno, 1983? Has Somerby pinned down the exact date journalism died yet?
The White House was forced to respond Wednesday to a conspiracy theory too silly for even the birthers: Did Barack Obama appear in the video for Tag Team's 1993 one-hit wonder "Whoomp! (There it is)"?
The modern press corps: Leaving no completely vacuous, fucking irrelevant stone unturned since... I dunno, 1983? Has Somerby pinned down the exact date journalism died yet?
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