Previously I posted in passing about my June 2007 visit to Antioch College, initially intending to coincide (to the exact date) with the 20th anniversary of my graduation, but instead getting caught up in the hysterics about the sudden announcement to close the college this coming June.
Since then, millions of dollars were raised (most of them in a tent behind the campus' Main Building during that very Reunion weekend for which The Brahmin was present) and the Board of Trustees "reversed" its decision to close, subject to "negotiation" with a coalition of alumni, faculty and assorted "stakeholders" to release control of the College to them, instead of having it remain part of the Antioch University parasite which had slowly been destroying its host from I guess the late 1960's through my time there (1984-87) and to the present date. When I attended Antioch, enrollment was about one-fifth of what it was in 1970. Today it is less than half of what it was when I went there.
Last week the Trustees again announced that they were sticking with their original decision and closing the College. Barring either a not-yet diagnosed and incredibly aggressive disease or something like a bus accident, I will survive my alma mater. That is not supposed to be.
Tragically, it comes as little surprise, as I hinted at in my earlier piece and may choose to muse about as more information becomes available. I will only add for now that the original decision to close (June '07) was in the College's hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio...when students were away for the summer.
The decision to irrevocably pull the plug on Antioch was made while students were on campus. Except it was announced in Los Angeles.
Again, little surprise.
The Brahmin
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Word Association 2/24
Macbeth - With Patrick Stewart, at BAM Harvey. Already sold out. Drat.
Lady Macbeth - Er...Michelle Obama?
Michelle Obama - She loves her country for the first time in her adult life now that her husband, an Illinois State Senator less than three years ago, is about to slay a political dynasty. Now, I'm about the last person to see eye-to-eye with the right wing blogosphere or hate radio, but Jeez, Michelle, no love after you went from the South Side to Princeton and Harvard Law?
Harvard Law - I'll always remember fondly Shay's, a pub in Cambridge, where I found myself one Indian Summer afternoon (Jeez again, 17 years ago??), filleting a Harvard Law Review article on plea bargaining for a graduate seminar on judicial politics I was taking at SUNY-Albany.
Plea Bargaining - An idea for Roger Clemens whose time has come.
"Our time has come" - Mr. Obama has said this a number of times during his countless victory speeches the last several weeks. Now it's a statement of fact that Jesse Jackson said this at one of his convention speeches (either 1984 or 1988). I suppose that's racist, right? Or won't he try that one on McCain?
McCain - OK, OK, the New York Times may have gotten a little carried away with that piece on Thursday. Where is the righteous outrage coming from Hannity & Co. re false stories about Obama being a Madrassa-raised Muslim (lest you think the Brahmin is incapable of defending Obama when the facts warrant)?
New York Times - Has an expanded theater section today in the Arts & Leisure section pointing out that Chekhov's "The Seagull" is playing in the East Village. The Brahmin is interested.
Chekhov - Star Trek's unapologetic Russkie ensign. But how do you explain his line, ridiculing Scotty's fondness for Scotch in "The Trouble with Tribbles," claiming, "It was inwented by a little old lady from Leningrad"...some 400 years after that city was renamed in favor of the one it has always had?
Scotch - Still getting nowhere planning my Scotland itinerary. So many destinations, so little time planned. Gotta get a distillery or two in.
Distillery - OK, this is a stretch. But this is true. A couple of years ago I had to arrange for a deposition of some non-party witnesses in Boston. There is a local court reporting (stenography) agency called Jack Daniels. No kidding. At 4 pm every business day it must be uttered from one Boston calendar clerk to another, "Are you ordering Jack Daniels?" Talk about figuratively speaking...
The Brahmin
Lady Macbeth - Er...Michelle Obama?
Michelle Obama - She loves her country for the first time in her adult life now that her husband, an Illinois State Senator less than three years ago, is about to slay a political dynasty. Now, I'm about the last person to see eye-to-eye with the right wing blogosphere or hate radio, but Jeez, Michelle, no love after you went from the South Side to Princeton and Harvard Law?
Harvard Law - I'll always remember fondly Shay's, a pub in Cambridge, where I found myself one Indian Summer afternoon (Jeez again, 17 years ago??), filleting a Harvard Law Review article on plea bargaining for a graduate seminar on judicial politics I was taking at SUNY-Albany.
Plea Bargaining - An idea for Roger Clemens whose time has come.
"Our time has come" - Mr. Obama has said this a number of times during his countless victory speeches the last several weeks. Now it's a statement of fact that Jesse Jackson said this at one of his convention speeches (either 1984 or 1988). I suppose that's racist, right? Or won't he try that one on McCain?
McCain - OK, OK, the New York Times may have gotten a little carried away with that piece on Thursday. Where is the righteous outrage coming from Hannity & Co. re false stories about Obama being a Madrassa-raised Muslim (lest you think the Brahmin is incapable of defending Obama when the facts warrant)?
New York Times - Has an expanded theater section today in the Arts & Leisure section pointing out that Chekhov's "The Seagull" is playing in the East Village. The Brahmin is interested.
Chekhov - Star Trek's unapologetic Russkie ensign. But how do you explain his line, ridiculing Scotty's fondness for Scotch in "The Trouble with Tribbles," claiming, "It was inwented by a little old lady from Leningrad"...some 400 years after that city was renamed in favor of the one it has always had?
Scotch - Still getting nowhere planning my Scotland itinerary. So many destinations, so little time planned. Gotta get a distillery or two in.
Distillery - OK, this is a stretch. But this is true. A couple of years ago I had to arrange for a deposition of some non-party witnesses in Boston. There is a local court reporting (stenography) agency called Jack Daniels. No kidding. At 4 pm every business day it must be uttered from one Boston calendar clerk to another, "Are you ordering Jack Daniels?" Talk about figuratively speaking...
The Brahmin
Chez Oskar
http://chezoskar.com
The Brahmin dined here last night. Lobster Bisque, free range chicken, and at his beautiful companion's urging, a flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Another reason to hit the gym again. :[
Every table was filled, but the staff doesn't rush you. When we arrived (thankfully, I'd made a reservation), we were told our table wasn't ready, and to sit at the bar. We hadn't even had our toast yet but our table was ready. Order amidst chaos.
This Fort Greene gem is highly recommended.
The Brahmin dined here last night. Lobster Bisque, free range chicken, and at his beautiful companion's urging, a flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Another reason to hit the gym again. :[
Every table was filled, but the staff doesn't rush you. When we arrived (thankfully, I'd made a reservation), we were told our table wasn't ready, and to sit at the bar. We hadn't even had our toast yet but our table was ready. Order amidst chaos.
This Fort Greene gem is highly recommended.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Word Association
Santana - The acquisition that made this Met fan feel like after months of agonizing cervical herniations, his neck had been snapped clean by a chiropractor. I can't stop that (Carlos) Santana song, "Winning" from playing in my head.
Winning - Looks like Huckabee won Kansas.
Kansas - I forget whether it's still against the law to teach evolution there. If you answer "false" on an exam there to a true or false question, "Is the Earth less than 6,000 years old", do you fail?
Fail - I think there's a picture of Isiah Thomas next to the dictionary definition of the word, no?
Dictionary - What the President calls a speech instructor.
Instructor - What McNamee served as for Mrs. Clemens (allegedly) so she could pose for Sports Illustrated. I assume Rog did the honors to her posterior to protect marital sanctity.
Sanctity - Now that Romney's out, does he still think that there's a sanctity of life? Or does he think what he thought before he opened his first focus group?
Focus - the Mets sign Santana, and within 48 hours there's a youtube video about Pedro Martinez officiating at a cockfight at least two years ago, where that activity is perfectly legal. I mean, can we focus?
Cockfights - Some people are outraged that a foreign country allows this sort of thing. I assume that means they all don't hunt and staple moose and bear heads to their den walls, and no doubt it means they refuse to visit Spain because it has bullfighting.
Bullfighting - One of my favorite jokes:
A Texan, on vacation in Spain, goes to a bullfight. Near the end of the bullfight, drained because he bought the cheap ticket forcing him to sit in the sun, leaves the bullring as the crowd roars while the matador is nearing the kill. He walks to the restaurant across the street. The maitre d' greets him with a wide smile:
"Senor! Congratulations! You are our first customer today! That means you win the 'Matador Special', our house delicacy!!!"
"Uh, Matador what? Naw, I just want a nice juicy steak and some sangria," replies the Texan.
The maitre d' wags his finger in disapproval. "No, no, Senor! You have not been to Spain unless you have had this marvelous opportunity to feast your taste buds on our famous Matador Special."
Weakly, the Texan agrees. In a few minutes, with flamenco guitars and maraccas in tow, the "Matador Special" is wheeled out to his table. He stares down in disbelief. He has never seen such a dish. Suspiciously, he cuts a tiny slice and takes a nibble. Then a full piece. He is in heaven - this is better than any steak back home in Dallas. He hogs the remainder down in no time. The natives "ole" and cheer at the sight of this new-found foreign convert.
"Mister," the speechless tourist implores the maitre d'. "You gotta tell me what that was! Delicious! Best meal I've had in my life! What is the 'Matador Special'?"
"Senor, the 'Matador Special' is the testicles of the bull who was just killed in today's fight!"
The pedestrian shock is not enough to stop the Texan from changing his plans. He cancels his return flight and stays for the rest of bullfighting season, always making himself first to go to the restaurant when the fight is over. For the next three weeks, he feasts on a daily helping of the 'Matador Special', savoring it more and more with every bite.
Then one day, the tourist walks into the restaurant. The wait staff, normally full of smiles and enthusiasm, has long faces and shake their heads.
"What's wrong with y'all"? demands the Texan. "You know, giddy up - get me mah table and fix me mah 'Matador Special'."
"Er, Senor," replies the desperate maitre d'. "We have an excellent fresh paella today..."
"DON'T GET MAH DANDER UP!", growls the angry Texan, grabbing his erstwhile Spanish friend by the sleeves. "GET ME MAH MATADOR SPECIAL...NOW!"
Reluctantly, the maitre d' nods and instructs the staff. Several minutes later (without guitars and maraccas) the dish is wheeled out. On the plate is an item about one-tenth the size of what the Texan had been feasting on for three weeks straight.
"NOW WHAT HERE IS THIS??" screams the Texan to the still-subdued staff, now almost foaming in the mouth. "I can barely see this!! You call this the 'Matador Special'???!!"
"Senor," says the maitre d', shrugging his shoulders. "The Matador cannot win every fight."
The Brahmin
Winning - Looks like Huckabee won Kansas.
Kansas - I forget whether it's still against the law to teach evolution there. If you answer "false" on an exam there to a true or false question, "Is the Earth less than 6,000 years old", do you fail?
Fail - I think there's a picture of Isiah Thomas next to the dictionary definition of the word, no?
Dictionary - What the President calls a speech instructor.
Instructor - What McNamee served as for Mrs. Clemens (allegedly) so she could pose for Sports Illustrated. I assume Rog did the honors to her posterior to protect marital sanctity.
Sanctity - Now that Romney's out, does he still think that there's a sanctity of life? Or does he think what he thought before he opened his first focus group?
Focus - the Mets sign Santana, and within 48 hours there's a youtube video about Pedro Martinez officiating at a cockfight at least two years ago, where that activity is perfectly legal. I mean, can we focus?
Cockfights - Some people are outraged that a foreign country allows this sort of thing. I assume that means they all don't hunt and staple moose and bear heads to their den walls, and no doubt it means they refuse to visit Spain because it has bullfighting.
Bullfighting - One of my favorite jokes:
A Texan, on vacation in Spain, goes to a bullfight. Near the end of the bullfight, drained because he bought the cheap ticket forcing him to sit in the sun, leaves the bullring as the crowd roars while the matador is nearing the kill. He walks to the restaurant across the street. The maitre d' greets him with a wide smile:
"Senor! Congratulations! You are our first customer today! That means you win the 'Matador Special', our house delicacy!!!"
"Uh, Matador what? Naw, I just want a nice juicy steak and some sangria," replies the Texan.
The maitre d' wags his finger in disapproval. "No, no, Senor! You have not been to Spain unless you have had this marvelous opportunity to feast your taste buds on our famous Matador Special."
Weakly, the Texan agrees. In a few minutes, with flamenco guitars and maraccas in tow, the "Matador Special" is wheeled out to his table. He stares down in disbelief. He has never seen such a dish. Suspiciously, he cuts a tiny slice and takes a nibble. Then a full piece. He is in heaven - this is better than any steak back home in Dallas. He hogs the remainder down in no time. The natives "ole" and cheer at the sight of this new-found foreign convert.
"Mister," the speechless tourist implores the maitre d'. "You gotta tell me what that was! Delicious! Best meal I've had in my life! What is the 'Matador Special'?"
"Senor, the 'Matador Special' is the testicles of the bull who was just killed in today's fight!"
The pedestrian shock is not enough to stop the Texan from changing his plans. He cancels his return flight and stays for the rest of bullfighting season, always making himself first to go to the restaurant when the fight is over. For the next three weeks, he feasts on a daily helping of the 'Matador Special', savoring it more and more with every bite.
Then one day, the tourist walks into the restaurant. The wait staff, normally full of smiles and enthusiasm, has long faces and shake their heads.
"What's wrong with y'all"? demands the Texan. "You know, giddy up - get me mah table and fix me mah 'Matador Special'."
"Er, Senor," replies the desperate maitre d'. "We have an excellent fresh paella today..."
"DON'T GET MAH DANDER UP!", growls the angry Texan, grabbing his erstwhile Spanish friend by the sleeves. "GET ME MAH MATADOR SPECIAL...NOW!"
Reluctantly, the maitre d' nods and instructs the staff. Several minutes later (without guitars and maraccas) the dish is wheeled out. On the plate is an item about one-tenth the size of what the Texan had been feasting on for three weeks straight.
"NOW WHAT HERE IS THIS??" screams the Texan to the still-subdued staff, now almost foaming in the mouth. "I can barely see this!! You call this the 'Matador Special'???!!"
"Senor," says the maitre d', shrugging his shoulders. "The Matador cannot win every fight."
The Brahmin
Barack Mondale
My first Presidential election (or the first one in which I was eligible to vote) was 1984. I voted for Walter Mondale, who got annhialated, losing 49 states. Sometimes, I wonder about whether the counsel I got from an NYU College Democrats volunteer at the beginning of that year was right.
The New York primary was two or three days after my 18th birthday that year, as I recall. Realizing this, in either late '83 or January '84 I noticed the NYU College Democrats doing a voter registration drive in the student union building on LaGuardia Place and I explained my situation to the young man...ergo, could I register now, and preserve my right to vote on Primary Day? No, I was told. As a result, I could not and did not vote for Gary Hart. Mondale won, and he was toast.
Let's not underestimate the importance of the 1984 election. Though Reagan had won a convincing electoral college majority four years earlier, his margin in the popular vote was not all that impressive and there had been a major recession in his first term. James Watt had been sent packing; the administration had taken its flak for trying to declare ketchup a vegetable and homeless people were everywhere. Would Reagan have won re-election regardless of who the Democratic nominee was? Probably. But just suppose if a Gary Hart (or another) managed to muster even the electoral vote total of an '88 Dukakis or '96 Dole. Would Democrats have merely been content to hold hearings on Iran Contra? Would we have forgotten the Prez laying a wreath for the butchers of Bitburg? Would Reagan have even nominated Bork (which planted the seed of the idea that his successor could get away with Thomas)? Even the "rehabilitated" post-'06 Democrats concede that impeachment of the current Bush is "off the table" before taking office, and fund and re-fund the war. Now the high ground they claimed on spending is compromised as they were complicit in giving $600 handouts so people can pay off credit card debt.
The point is, the "majority party" status Democrats enjoyed from the New Deal was challenged by Nixon, but eviscerated by Reagan. They didn't have to win in '84 to get off the ropes. But with Mondale, they were Apollo Creed against Ivan Drago. Thanks to Mondale, Clinton couldn't win on a dysfunctional health care system, depression-like economic conditions outside of the major cities and a foreign policy checked by an OPEC veto power. He needed the death penalty and Sister Souljah.
Now, the media, which has soft-footed Barack Obama for four years, has crossed the line into institutional cheerleader for the man who talks about "change" but won't change his specific-bereft stump speech. Forget about whether this is a Karl Rove plot (I wouldn't rule it out, but that's not the point). Forget the fact that in an earlier posting I noted an unpleasant encounter with some of his earliest "true believers" who felt compelled to call me a racist and a Nazi for supporting a reliable fascist like Joe Biden. That could be anything from too much alcohol to whispers from others telling them that I wasn't a Yankee fan.
What it is about is the rush to a failing 11th grade civics essay about how Obama is more "electable" than Hillary. Yes, we know there are people who would drool to vote against Hillary. It's the reason I did not support her in the first place (and a reason why I would have gone with Edwards last Tuesday if only he'd lasted a few more days). But the undeniable facts are these: The "Hillary haters" all are out in the open, they're not going to grow in number, and not even the RNC needs to waste its resources on finding other reasons to "hate" her. Maybe Diebold will cook something up, but the facts are, the people who won't vote for Hillary under any circumstances is not going to go up.
Now let's turn to Obama, his middle name (which I'd wager about 90 per cent of the country doesn't know but will have whistling in their heads when Zell Miller or someone of his ilk hisses it throughout a 20-minute prime time missive in Minneapolis this August), and the "M" word ("Muslim" or "Madrassa", take your pick). Yes, this was supposedly "shot down" before Iowa and New Hampshire, but that's the point - it was done at a time when those citizens willing to grudgingly to give 10 minutes of their time to presidential politics after Labor Day '08 were still watching "Lost" reruns on slow Britney days. Kerry had to deal with "swift boaters" every race he ran for the Senate before '04; it did not stop him from standing toe-to-toe with a wartime President four months out.
Notice that I did not point out the fact that Obama speaks (eloquently) a lot without saying anything - a valid criticism. Or that he has a tendency to vote "present" on contentious issues - another valid criticism. And I did not point out the fact that Obama is at least partly African American - a completely invalid criticism.
The potential pool of Obama-loathers is vast, and it will fill up. Very quickly.
If Hillary is the nominee, admittedly, McCain likely wins by a margin between what Bush won over Kerry and what Bush "won" over Gore. But if the economy continues to tank, she CAN win.
If Obama is the nominee, he likely loses everything except Vermont.
49 states.
Another Mondale.
The New York primary was two or three days after my 18th birthday that year, as I recall. Realizing this, in either late '83 or January '84 I noticed the NYU College Democrats doing a voter registration drive in the student union building on LaGuardia Place and I explained my situation to the young man...ergo, could I register now, and preserve my right to vote on Primary Day? No, I was told. As a result, I could not and did not vote for Gary Hart. Mondale won, and he was toast.
Let's not underestimate the importance of the 1984 election. Though Reagan had won a convincing electoral college majority four years earlier, his margin in the popular vote was not all that impressive and there had been a major recession in his first term. James Watt had been sent packing; the administration had taken its flak for trying to declare ketchup a vegetable and homeless people were everywhere. Would Reagan have won re-election regardless of who the Democratic nominee was? Probably. But just suppose if a Gary Hart (or another) managed to muster even the electoral vote total of an '88 Dukakis or '96 Dole. Would Democrats have merely been content to hold hearings on Iran Contra? Would we have forgotten the Prez laying a wreath for the butchers of Bitburg? Would Reagan have even nominated Bork (which planted the seed of the idea that his successor could get away with Thomas)? Even the "rehabilitated" post-'06 Democrats concede that impeachment of the current Bush is "off the table" before taking office, and fund and re-fund the war. Now the high ground they claimed on spending is compromised as they were complicit in giving $600 handouts so people can pay off credit card debt.
The point is, the "majority party" status Democrats enjoyed from the New Deal was challenged by Nixon, but eviscerated by Reagan. They didn't have to win in '84 to get off the ropes. But with Mondale, they were Apollo Creed against Ivan Drago. Thanks to Mondale, Clinton couldn't win on a dysfunctional health care system, depression-like economic conditions outside of the major cities and a foreign policy checked by an OPEC veto power. He needed the death penalty and Sister Souljah.
Now, the media, which has soft-footed Barack Obama for four years, has crossed the line into institutional cheerleader for the man who talks about "change" but won't change his specific-bereft stump speech. Forget about whether this is a Karl Rove plot (I wouldn't rule it out, but that's not the point). Forget the fact that in an earlier posting I noted an unpleasant encounter with some of his earliest "true believers" who felt compelled to call me a racist and a Nazi for supporting a reliable fascist like Joe Biden. That could be anything from too much alcohol to whispers from others telling them that I wasn't a Yankee fan.
What it is about is the rush to a failing 11th grade civics essay about how Obama is more "electable" than Hillary. Yes, we know there are people who would drool to vote against Hillary. It's the reason I did not support her in the first place (and a reason why I would have gone with Edwards last Tuesday if only he'd lasted a few more days). But the undeniable facts are these: The "Hillary haters" all are out in the open, they're not going to grow in number, and not even the RNC needs to waste its resources on finding other reasons to "hate" her. Maybe Diebold will cook something up, but the facts are, the people who won't vote for Hillary under any circumstances is not going to go up.
Now let's turn to Obama, his middle name (which I'd wager about 90 per cent of the country doesn't know but will have whistling in their heads when Zell Miller or someone of his ilk hisses it throughout a 20-minute prime time missive in Minneapolis this August), and the "M" word ("Muslim" or "Madrassa", take your pick). Yes, this was supposedly "shot down" before Iowa and New Hampshire, but that's the point - it was done at a time when those citizens willing to grudgingly to give 10 minutes of their time to presidential politics after Labor Day '08 were still watching "Lost" reruns on slow Britney days. Kerry had to deal with "swift boaters" every race he ran for the Senate before '04; it did not stop him from standing toe-to-toe with a wartime President four months out.
Notice that I did not point out the fact that Obama speaks (eloquently) a lot without saying anything - a valid criticism. Or that he has a tendency to vote "present" on contentious issues - another valid criticism. And I did not point out the fact that Obama is at least partly African American - a completely invalid criticism.
The potential pool of Obama-loathers is vast, and it will fill up. Very quickly.
If Hillary is the nominee, admittedly, McCain likely wins by a margin between what Bush won over Kerry and what Bush "won" over Gore. But if the economy continues to tank, she CAN win.
If Obama is the nominee, he likely loses everything except Vermont.
49 states.
Another Mondale.
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