Thursday, March 24, 2005

Glenn Reynolds says the appearance of a protest babe in Kyrgyztan means "the government is doomed." Hey, it's no Schiavo case, but we might oughta pay some attention: "The Central Asian nation's role as a conduit for drugs and a potential hotbed of Islamic extremism, particularly in the impoverished south, makes it volatile. But Kyrgyzstan lacks the rich energy resources or pipeline routes of its neighbors, its strategic location has made it important to both Russia and the United States, which both maintain bases in the former Soviet republic." 1:56:26 PM    comment []

First outdoor meal of the season at Undercurrent. I had some fancy mushroom soup and an espresso, Luna had a little of my roll. Not that she's so choosy, but they do have excellent rolls. Cousin Betty happened by and sat a moment. Two people asked if Luna is a Labradoodle. We encountered one reporter and one musician. We walked by Elsewhere, which Gate comprehendeth not, to the big Bradford Pear at the corner of Lee Street that is suddenly in flower. Springtime. 1:29:59 PM    comment []

Rusty Sheridan: "So, in conclusion, let me say Republicans suck and I am sorry I ever supported them. "And don't even get me started on how bad the Democrats are." 11:30:08 AM    comment []

NYT:  "A shadowy British graffiti artist who calls himself Banksy has hung his own humorous artworks in four New York institutions." His work with the literate elephant was also a triumph. 10:48:20 AM    comment []

NYT: "Officials say that the very things that attract people who revitalize a city...are driving out children by making the neighborhoods too expensive for young families." Greensboro's first wave of new urban residents also seems to skew older, although the sample is still small, and it's not like the new folks are crowding out other residents. The proximity to our downtown of suburban-style neighborhoods will also influence our downtown demographics, as young families can have something approaching the best of both worlds. 10:42:44 AM    comment []

Just show the damn game. I complain so much about the crowd shots and bench shots that we see instead of the on-court action during college basketball telecasts that Elijah complains about my complaining.  In a letter to the sports section of this morning's N&R (unposted), Richard Welsch of Greensboro makes the same complaint, noting that his wife is sick of hearing him rant about it. Maybe Mrs. Welsch and Elijah could watch the games together. Really, TV people, we know that crowds cheer a good play, and we know what that looks like. Cutting away from the action is lame. You know what you might do more of to give us the real feel of being there? Tell the announcers to be quiet and pump up the crowd noise when the place is really rocking. Welsch and another letter writer, Craig Spinale of Greensboro, also beef that when the broadcasters do bother to show the game, it's too often via some creative camera angle that makes it harder to follow the action. Slam dunk, bay-bee. Semi-related: Kurtis blows. It's used in a much-played commercial, but is there a weaker rhyme in the history of rap than "Basketball is my favorite sport/I like the way they dribble up and down the court"? Well, maybe, but it's in the same song: "I like Slam-dunks, take me to the hoop/My favorite play is the alley-oop." 10:26:44 AM    comment []