Lipa Caves

Former Beatles star to back Lipa's Big Event? As Jewish religious leaders geared up last week to snuff a planned concert by one of the most popular figures in the world of hasidic music, Lipa Schmetzer, this headline ran in UK newspaper The Liverpool Echo: Sir Paul McCartney to Play for Lipa!

Imagine the world's most popular singer in history signing on to Lipa's event! Alas, they didn't mean our Lipa, and the Hasidic singing star scrapped his Madison Square Garden concert plans in response to pressure by leading Rabbis and published advertisements in leading Jewish newspapers banning attendance at the event.

Alalalalalum, or Becoming Who We Are

Been away from blogging for a while. Here's what's up. I took a semester off from school, started a new workout program, am participating in two internships (one in genetics research, one in the legal field), met a wonderful guy, attended at least 6 friends' weddings in the last 4 weeks (I'm losing track, but it seems just about everyone's getting hitched), drank some coffee, got some responses from grad schools (3 interview offers, 3 rejections, and 4 still up in the air), watched TV (Babylon 5, Weeds, Lost, Gossip Girl, The Rookies, etc.) mostly on Joost but then on iTunes when the net filter began blocking Joost (more expensive, but better choice of shows), waited for free tickets in the rain (watched them run out before my turn but had fun anyway), did I mention I'm still/again doing that therapy thing? Mostly it seems a silly waste of time, but I'm still hopeful there will come from it some good. There will come from it some good? Total Yiddishism. Isn't English wonderful how you can play around with the order of words and form sentence structures that will make hair turn green? Never mind.

Being neither student nor full-time job holder, my health insurance costs are astronomical - over $500 a month! WTH?! While we're on the topic, just imagine HillaryCare or ObamaHealth forced everyone to buy health insurance. The self-employed guy struggling to get a business off the ground, the waitress surviving on tips at the local food joint, and the other millions not covered by a company policy - where will the extra $6000 a year come from? From food money? Or will they have to live on the streets because they now cannot afford decent housing? The answer from campaign headquarters: At least they will have health care, eh? Now stop bashing my plan, like you have a better idea?

It snowed about 7 inches today. It smelled like a snow day when I walked outside this morning. You know that - maybe not a smell per se, but a feeling most similar - snowness.

Books I just can't seem to finish: Captains Courageous (Kipling (what if his name were Kilping the way I first accidentally typed it?) maybe all that sailor's dialect slows it down; Robinson Crusoe (Defoe) slow pace and funky stylized way of moving from narration to diary to tell the story from what theoretically are supposed to be different angles I guess, but seem actually to be the same repeated - maybe that is the point - the lonely stranded man must live inside his own head and create from his experience cognitive stimulation; Atlas Shrugged (Rand) an amazing book but very, very long; The Trial (Kafka) is a poignant and incisive look at the essence of what it is to be a man in civilization (are you sure about that, TD?) - I can't seem to finish it because I lost the book.

Books I'm eating up: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Smith), Nausea (Sartre), Rashomon (Akutagawa).

Miuccia's Men in Milan

To Bryanboy: Hey, you know I still can't comment on your site because for some reason the bot-blocker letters don't show up on my screen ( Trackback).

What a sending-off party Miuccia threw for her men's line with the winter show in Milan! The worst-reviewed showing by a major fashion house in recent memory, the whole thing seemed like a bad joke. "Ms. Prada has some complex sexual issues to work through," said the New York Times. FWD's Chic Report disparagingly called the show "medieval night at the disco". Backwards shirts and ruffled skirts, skintight nude-beige sweaters on skeletal models, and cardigans tucked into slacks? Hello.

I did like that Matt Damon look-alike in the b/w striped shirt and sunglasses (though whoever did his hair needs his head examined). He was the only model that looked alive, not that the extra collar strangling his neck did anything to promote that. One thing everyone is complaining about - the no fly pants - I think was a nice thing to show because it makes people question, makes you stop and think. Which is part of what these shows try to do. Of course, I would never wear it and would picket if it caught on, but the idea is there that it shows you why the fly is there in the first place (in case ya didn't know). Same goes for that purple metallic-looking thing. It's awful, but it accentuates form in an interesting way.

The whole cummerbund thing, that general theme of splitting off the upper body from the lower body and using that "space" in the middle for a whole new element, is nothing more than a nuisance. It wasn't particularly attractive on the runway models, but it will be hideous on the average Joe. I've said it, and I'll say it again. Men's clothing comes in three basic parts: top, bottom, footwear (the rest is accessories). There is no top, middle, bottom, footwear. That middle part is just part of the top or bottom. It does not separate and become its own entity. Clothing at some level should be anatomically justified.

ps victoria beckham in that marc jacobs ad looks like an accident at the tanning salon, but at least she's proud of hubby's big dick

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Out of Context Issue 5, Romney on Gay Marriage

From day one, I've opposed the move for same-sex marriage and
its equivalent, civil unions . . . . If the question is: Do you support
gay marriage or civil unions? I'd say neither. If they say
you have to have one or the other . . . then I'd rather have civil
unions than gay marriage. But I'd rather have neither.

from Steve LeBlanc, Romney Says He's Always Been Opposed to Gay Marriage and Civil Unions, Boston Globe, Feb. 23, 2005, as cited by Goutam U. Jois, Marital Status as Property: Toward a New Jurisprudence for Gay Rights, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Review

Out of Context, Issue 4

I made my song a coat
Covered with embroideries
Out of old mythologies
From heel to throat;
But the fools caught it,
Wore it in the world's eye
As though they'd wrought it.
Song, let them take it
For there's more enterprise
In walking naked.

A Coat, William Butler Yeats, 1914

Doodle to Bush: Chill With Us

Dear Mr. Bush,

I have never met doodlehead, but have cyberknown him for some time and I think you'd enjoy staying with him. Won't you please honor his gracious invitation.

Respectfully yours,

TD

Old news been sitting in drafts

Surgeon takes photo of tatooed penis (story). Cop takes photo of dead 14 year old ( story).

Cell phones promote freer access to information. There are forces that want to limit this. Take a cell phone pic of something sensitive today. Do something for freedom today.

P.S. My internet filter makes me want to kill myself. Maybe I just should. I'd be a martyr in the name of freedom!

P.P.S. I have obtained the Asa Coon photo, in case the powers that be decide to cleanse it from the internet.

Privacy? What privacy?! You want an education or not?

I authorize all persons or entities to provide any relevant information in their possession to the University of Pennsylvania or its agent for use in considering me for admission and matriculation. I expressly waive any required notice to me.

My Name Isn't Humbert

If someone mentioned that in the past he had invited a gay guy for shabbos but made sure the guy came a week when there were no high school boys over so there "shouldn't be any problems", would that not be insulting? If such a one invited me, would you think it crazy if I felt too offended by said "precautions" to take him up on his offer? Haha, even as we were speaking a beautiful high school boy was breaking my heart with his smile scarcely 3 meters away. But so what? I would never hurt a kid or involve them in anything inappropriate or break the law and certainly wouldn't do anything with anyone who is unwilling. And I have found plenty of quite attractive people who are of age, thank you. Just because someone is gay, you think they're Mr. Humbert Humbert? Offensive as hell.

Why do they bother calling it news?

OK. So one final down, one to go. Still haven't decided if and what classes I'll be taking next semester. You think maybe it's time the school published its class schedules? Other places the sections are already closed and here they can't tell you yet what they are offering! Anyway, a professor offered to get me an internship - in law. I'm in the middle of one in medicine. I've completed one in science. I'm waiting to hear if I'll be a psychologist. I still don't know what to do. Confused enough for you? Well, whoever is lucky enough to get me will be the best off for it. The question is only where I'll be happy.

Drosselmeyer's Maker

So what do Paris¹, Berlin ² , Winnipeg ³, Providence Rhode Island⁴, Casper Wyoming ⁵ , Palm Springs, West Sacramento, and Chula Vista California ⁴ have in common? Gay mayors!

And in the spirit of the holidays, The Nutcracker composer Tchaikovsky was gay, too.

Should Rabbis and Yeshiva Students be Encouraged to take Modafinil?

College professors are using it to help them think better. Can it help you pull a more effective leil shishi (all-nighter)? While foolish American sports buffs are led by the media on an anti-ballplayers-using-steroids trip, Cambridge scientists over in the UK are opening a discussion about spreading the use of a different kind of performance-enhancing drugs. One of the world's most respected science weeklies, Nature, published an article along with an online discussion board on cognitive-enhancing drugs. Americans don't analyze issues. They just do what they are told. Testosterone is bad. Testosterone is bad. Repeat after me. Human growth hormone bad. Human growth hormone bad. Ballplayers should not use. Should not use.

I was so annoyed to see even the Players Association jump on the critics bandwagon. Aren't they supposed to stick up for the players? Malcolm Gladwell had the right idea. Why is the US media so dead set against use of drugs? They are an important part of the new SuperSociety© wave of the future! Eat soma baybay!

P.S. Don't be shy. Agree? Tell me. Don't like what I say? Speak up (otherwise, I'll think my word is Law and you all agree with everything I say). Love you! Happy Holidays ! Wish me a happy holiday. I'd be sooo appreciative.


do yeshiva bochurim get hooked on drugs in israel, are college students more likely to take drugs before tests, are college boys more likely to wear hot abercrombie clothes, is this list a little absurd, would you buy a best of the tbw, more on that last later, i've been feeling very tired lately, could it be because i skip nights' sleep, i thought i made up for that with 20 hour sleepathons though, finals were rough - but fun, don't ask, the studying never ends, abercrombie studs make it easier, but they are not really my type you know, too rugged and less on the cute, i don't like how cold it has become, these thoughts are unfinished, my thinking is muddled, maybe i need some modafinil, pardon moi

Is a 1.5L/m Liver Worth More (to its owner)?

Um, why is the proposal to offer medical coverage to organ donors laughable? Can you please elaborate. I don't think it is a good idea either for the same reason that cash payment is not a good idea: Since an organ's value to its owner cannot be estimated with any degree of accuracy, it is unethical to artificially increase the likelihood that a person will donate. You may be cheating them. Thus, the decision to donate can only come from within. Then again, offering free medical coverage may be less incentive and more insurance against problems arising from the procedure.

Princeton Anti-Gay Riots Just One Boy's Imagination or What Does Anscombe Mean?

That was interesting last week, the whole Francisco Nava story. One
morning I read the newspaper headline saying a Princeton student who
is active in a conservative anti-gay campus group was beat up by two
thugs about 2 miles from campus. University officials are quoted as
saying pretty much, "This happened off-campus, so we aren't going near
it. Not our responsibility. Talk to the city police."

Conservative groups were (rightly) irked by the university's stance
and blamed it on a pro-liberal bias. The student body watched in
silence with an attitude of, "He deserved it. I would never condone
violence, of course, but these things happen. He was asking for it."

The next day, the papers reported Nava's admission that he had staged
the event. He hadn't been beaten; he had beaten himself. Oh, so you
mean there aren't actually vicious anti-conservative mobs surging
about Princeton township? What a relief. The University's response?
"We are looking into disciplinary action against Mr. Nava." You are?!
His putative attackers would have been off the hook with you because
the event happened off campus, but for a conservative there are
special rules, eh.

Don't get me wrong. I think Nava's behavior has been ridiculous and I
certainly do not sympathize with his agenda, but the extreme double
standard is making us look bad.

She's Having the Baby

Why is everyone hatin on Jamie Lynn Spears for becoming preggers? She has every right to bring a new life into this world if that is what she wants. Is it because her last name is Spears so people think it is a crime against humanity to propagate her genes? Do these people believe in eugenics?

Teenage pregnancy is often a problem because kids are not prepared for the responsibility either emotionally or financially to care for the child. Jamie Lynn is earning more than most people twice her age, thank you very much. She can afford to care quite well for her baby. If she made a decision to get pregnant, that does not make it time to open a national debate on when to teach kids about contraceptives. That is the wrong message to take from this.

Let's Have Them Debate Science Before They End It

J'approve

How I found it

Well, Go On...

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Can You Figure It Out?

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The New Zealand All Blacks (Unrated Cut)

The New Zealand All Blacks coach?! What da hell iddat? Ain't nobody have no fucking All White's team. Whadda devil they be having eny All Black's team for? That's a real load of racist bullshit, motherfucker, ya know what I mean? Ih people would go around having fucking All White's team dat be racist, riots in the fucking streets yo, budey go 'round having All Blacks teams nobody say jack shit. An ya know what else? They be having a white coach. Motherfuckers.

See, this is why nobody writes dialog the way people speak dialog. It is wrong. It doesn't sound more realistic. Even though it is. It just sounds uncouth. And it makes an irritating read. But sometimes y'all need that.

There was this one time (at band camp) when a guy said about a Midwestern kid who was visiting, "And he even says y'all". And he did. And it was hot. Not because saying y'all is hot, though. It was just the way he pulled it off. Didn't hurt that he had a great bod, either.

If I'm a good boy, I won't blog much in the next few weeks. It's finals season again. If you hear from me, I guess I'm being a bad boy: don't let me get away with it!

Best Commute Story Contest

Tell us the story of your daily commute. From "I walk to the 6 and take it downtown" to "I drive to JFK, board London-bound flight 007, get off at Heathrow where my valet is waiting to drive me to drive me to the Tube." How goes your daily commute?

I'll start: I get on the F, grab the pole in the middle of the subway car and start pole dancing until I wake up and realize I've fallen asleep sprawled on the floor and been dreaming about reading the papers I had brought because I need to review them by tomorrow.

Granted commutes aren't always that interesting. But I want to hear it anyway.

P. S. Why does my country's government think it has worldwide jurisdiction? ( illegal extradition ok'd by USA)