Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak died recently.

Since his death, I've seen/heard re-broadcast appearances by Sendak on The Colbert Report and Fresh Air. I've also seen a few political cartoons and other references.

Below is an unauthorized version of Where The Wild Things Are I made a few years back. It sounds best through headphones.

Adios, Maurice.

Labels

Every couple of years I'm seized with the idea of taking control of my bicycle's maintenance. I'll learn bike mechanics at last! I tell myself.

And so it came to pass that on a recent Saturday morning, I attended a class on deraileurs, at a place called Community Cycles.

The class lasted for a couple of hours and I came away with a much better understanding of bike gears. In particular I think I can fine-tune them for consistently smooth shifting, which makes a huge difference in ride enjoyment. Clunky shifting is a drag.

Inspired, I decided to tackle an even easier chore: replacing the worn-out bar tape on my bike's handlebars. I bought new tape, manufactured by a company called Arundel (which sounds like a place in Middle Earth).

I've replaced bar tape before. It's one of the tasks I feel comfortable doing. While it takes a little practice to get it just right, there really isn't much to it, so I didn't need the instructions that were printed on the back of the box. But they really amused me, so I am showing them here.

I like it when companies don't take themselves too seriously. This is not to suggest Arundel doesn't take itself seriously – but it's only bar tape, right?

Below is another amusing label, this one for Arrogant Bastard Ale. This is a wonderfully whimsical label. It's good beer, too. The label's even funnier after you've had a few!

Gay Marriage

President Barack Obama is to be commended for coming out in support of gay marriage.

Commended, supported, and re-elected.

According to textbook politics, Obama's statements in support of gay marriage are courageous, especially since this is an election year. And I suppose they are. 

But there is a part of me that considers gay marriage a non-issue, one of those divide-and-conquer distractions. Except for those directly involved, it's nobody's business who marries who – certainly, not the business of religious zealots who rally around an idiotic "Defense of Marriage" bill.

Such people would be laughable if they weren't so serious, and taken so seriously. Obama's comments in support of gay marriage came one day after voters in North Carolina approved an amendment to the state constitution affirming that marriage may only be between a man and a woman.

How very offensive!

But it's just as offensive that the matter is even an issue. What if straight people had to ask some right wing shit-head for permission to marry the one they love?

So Obama deserves credit for taking a stand on this, even if he softened his remarks (according to published reports) by stating he was "taking a personal position. Aides said the president's shift would have no impact on current politics and he continues to believe that marriage is an issue best decided by states."

To those opponents of gay marriage who are outraged by Obama's new position, I say: tough shit.

Tough shit, fuck off – and mind your own goddam business.

CNN: Second RFK Shooter

CNN is reporting a “long overlooked” witness to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy is finally being heard, and she is saying there was a second RFK assassin back in June of 1968.

Needless to say, this could be incredibly explosive.

I’m just now hearing about this. According to CNN, this witness is being heard as part of a court challenge to Sirhan Sirhan's conviction.

“Overlooked”? Pwah.

I'm not holding my breath – but maybe something will come of this.

Find out more by following this link:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/28/justice/california-rfk-second-gun/index.html