Sorting through hundreds of applicants was a tiring and arduous task. But finally the muckety mucks in charge of my weekly video extravaganza at cityblocklouisville.com came up with Anna to alternate with Jen and Syd in a weekly smackdown with yours truly. What a sorority they make. What fun for me. Uh, not really. Sigh. Anyway, check it out:
The question facing the republic at this critical juncture in history is this: Are we willing to elect someone who might actually right the good but sinking ship America, even if that person can’t field dress a moose?
This sadly is what it has come to.
Spin.
P.R.
Media-infused madness.
May the Lord have mercy on our souls.
The country is in — not facing — a real financial crisis. There are many reasons for it, not the least of which is an administration that winked at Wall Street’s profligate shenanigans. The country is also in the midst of presidential election campaign, one that offers a real choice between a chance for new thinking and an old fart with the temperance of a raging alcoholic. Read the rest of this entry »
Yes, indeed, it appears that my Big Boss has finally stopped frolicking about during the working week and found a new female presence to join Syd and Jen on these video gigs. Or, so he says. Unless he’s making it all up, her name is Anna and she’ll be on board next time out. And won’t it be fun to share the mic and camera again . . . Not!
Until then, well, you got the Culture Maven solo, giving a big thumbs up to the electrical workers and two thumbs down to the dunderheads in charge of the nation’s financial system. Plus some pretty cute bon mots about this and that if he doesn’t say so himself. Check it out:
Last week’s gotta-have-a-W battle between U of L and Kansas State was not the usual made-for-TV athletic department-implored blackout. Cards fans could wear what they wanted to the game.
It was a real blackout, on a Football Wednesday when our burg was distracted over the lack of power, distraught it was going to be like that for awhile.
To spark the analogies, I gotta ask: Where was former QB Eric Watts when Cards fans really needed him? Rim shot, please.
At the end of the contest, it was Louisville that arced most on the scoreboard. Final amperage: Cards 38, Wildcats 29. Read the rest of this entry »
There are just a whole lot reasons to love the Martin Ritt-directed “Hud.”
Not the least of which by far is the amazing presence of an amazing man, Paul Newman. The guy is a superstar human being. He and Joanne Woodward have been a happy, settled, married outside of the tabloids couple for decades. Never a hint of diddling about for the guy with the bluest eyes extant. Their food empire has given hundreds of millions of dollars to worthy causes.
Newman is probably the last celebrity to really affect an election. In ’64, Senator Eugene McCarthy challenged the president Lyndon Johnson for the nomination. Newman went to New Hampshire for the primary there and kick started McCarthy’s campaign. It was an act of courage and conscience on Newman’s part.
Plus the guy could really act. Read the rest of this entry »
Yeah, I’m solo once again. But my boss tells me we may another ingenue — besides Syd and Jen — to dazzle you and return my shtick in the manner it deserves. Stay tuned. Until then, it’s the same old mug, reporting on all matters of import from the detritus of downtonwn Derbytown. Check it out.
So the deal is that Jen’s in NashVegas most of the time. And we have her on when we can fit it in her schedule. And Syd, superstar wannabe, asked for so many perks that the Boss said “Once a month, max.” Which leaves me by my lonesome this week. But here’s YOUR CHANCE. If you are of the female persuasion and would like to come on the show and reign o’er me for fun and pleasure, drop me a line (cdk@culturemaven.com). We got space to fill. That said, I got things to rant about now, so here goes:
Contemplating the contentious nature of the upcoming presidential election, a friend, with only the faintest hint of irony, suggested that those who care for the infirm, faint of heart and underage in their families, will ship them off to, say, Toronto, for the duration.
It’s already a blood bath, and is only going to get more grisly. This is Bloods vs. Crips on the mean streets of Oakland. This is a gang turf war in an abandoned public housing project in New Orleans. This is Christians vs. Lions (or, maybe, Lambs). This is Cats vs. Cards.
This is Hannity vs. Colmes. O’Reilly vs. Stewart. Olbermann vs. Buchanan. Olbermann vs. Mathews. Olbermann & Mathews vs. Brokaw & Williams. NBC vs. MSNBC. Fox vs. CNN. Wall Street Journal vs. Washington Post. Drudge vs. Huffington. And that’s just the media.
This is Choice vs. Life. Rove vs. Reason. Hockey Moms vs. Hillary. Left vs. Right. Swift Boaters vs. South Siders. Friends of Bill vs. Friends of Bush.
And that’s just the undercard. We haven’t even gotten to the Main Event: Donkey vs. Elephant. If we ever will really.
What is so sad is that the schism that has increasingly plagued society in this blogospheric age is now seismic at a crucial time in the republic’s history. Read the rest of this entry »
I begin this little recommendation rather sheepishly. You see, the film I’m about to fawn over — “The Professional” — centers on the life of an assassin.
Frankly, I’m tired of movies that have turned assassins into Capraesque characters to be admired, worthy of our accolades and appreciation. I’ve railed against them early and often on my weekly WFPK 91.9 film reviews. These are characters, after all, who kill other people as their profession.
That said, the film babe and I happened upon this Luc Besson flick the other night on cable. I had seen it, remembered the gist of it, but forgotten many of its, ahem, charms. She had not experienced it before.
After it all played out on the screen, she said to me, “what a sweet but disturbing film.” Read the rest of this entry »
Raven-haired Sydney is back. So we got that going for us. We talk about the GOP’s latest strategy, and the aftermath of the UK/ U of L game. She reports on the Zombie Walk, Ryder Cup doings at GlassWorks, and generally keeps you know who in his place. It’s all too much fun. Check it out:
One summer while an adolescent I went to Camp Tall Trees in Otter Creek Park. One of our activities was an exchange of sorts with Camp Sky High, a short hike through the copperhead-infested woods away.
All the kids at my camp were white. All those at Sky High were black.
To foster connection and understanding, our swimming buddies were from the other camp. As a safety test the counselor/ lifeguards would blow their whistles and we’d have ten seconds to hook up with our buddies.
My buddy and I were among a number of couplings that were set out of the pool for awhile as penalty due to our inability to clasp hands within the alloted time. I simply couldn’t recognize my assigned partner. The color of his skin, along with the many other blacks in the pool, overwhelmed any sense I might have had to distinguish other characteristics.
I guess it was the same for him. Read the rest of this entry »
