Sign seen affixed to homeless guy's shopping cart this morning while walking to office from train station:

Repent: Judgment is Coming

My thought in response:

That's why we have appellate panels.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 07:15 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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I am going to try to take part in Inter-Munuvian Hockey Whoopass Jamboree. I have selected the NY Rangers, the home town team, and will be posting their shield somewhere on the blog soon. Assuming that there will be a hockey season this year, and assuming that people still care, I'm planning on trying to care a little bit one more time.

The Rangers finished last year second from the bottom of the Atlantic Division with 27 wins, 40 losses and 7 ties. It is not looking like this coming season will be a breakout crazy win filled season by the way.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 08:22 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 islanders been with them a long time...

Posted by: kbear at August 25, 2004 01:16 PM (IAJcf)

2 More of a Panthers fan myself, though I'm constantly asking myself why...

Posted by: Mick at August 25, 2004 01:30 PM (VhRca)

3 We don't have a hockey team in CT. Do We?

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at August 25, 2004 10:27 PM (U3CvV)

4 Poor Stephen-still missing the Whalers, huh? RP-even though you support the Rangers and I support what will be the winning team (the Stars), I still count you as a good friend. No hard feelings when my team wins, ok?

Posted by: Helen at August 26, 2004 05:17 AM (Ug34A)

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They must get a less profane group of construction workers slightly farther uptown from me. The following was from the NY Times Metropolitan Diary today and I thought it was charming:

Overheard by Patrick Keeffe recently as he walked to the office: a group of construction workers sitting on a terrace wall on 52nd Street, outside the CBS building. One guy pulled a cellphone from his pants pocket. Another said, "Hey, you shouldn't carry that in your pocket; it could make you impudent."

Posted by: Random Penseur at 08:08 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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There is a spot, in Washington Heights, where you can pull your car over and get a great picture of the George Washington Bridge. I tender it here for your pleasure.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 08:29 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 You take beautiful photos RP, a talent I lack completely. I love how the break in the clouds is poisition right over the support beams. That is so cool.

Posted by: Rachel Ann at August 19, 2004 08:36 AM (8T53U)

2 Thanks, Rachel, but I cannot take responsibility for the placement of the clouds.

Posted by: RP at August 19, 2004 08:46 AM (LlPKh)

3 Thank you for this picture. Ahhh yes. Memories. As a Hick from the Sticks, I visited New York in 2000 for a wedding of a friend. Driving over the George Washington Bridge at 2:00 a.m. I was shocked at the amount of traffic. Bumper-to-bumper at 2:00 a.m.! This truly IS the city that never sleeps! Being dumped off the bridge for construction. "Look! Urban blight!" "Ohmigod. A real, live, breathing NY Hooker!" Blasting Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" from the rental car's admittedly lousy speakers. I walked into an all-night deli and requested that a group of (very sporting) young men tell me to "F*** OFF!" (Yes, I have no shame.) (They delighted in my soft, southern accent -- that I didn't know I had.) Consuming the BEST DAMNED BAGEL IN THE WORLD. WA state may have the best coffee in the world, but I've never had a bagel that good. As I said, thanks for the memories.

Posted by: Emma at August 19, 2004 03:51 PM (NOZuy)

4 yes...memories... i can hardly wait to see it again... soon - the second week in september i am smiling right now - thanks

Posted by: kbear at August 20, 2004 08:03 AM (IAJcf)

5 Emma, thanks for that wonderful comment. Brought a big smile to my face! Come on home, K!

Posted by: RP at August 20, 2004 05:30 PM (LlPKh)

6 I love the George Washington bridge, when I think of it I remeber freedom and respect. It's just a perfect view of life in newyork.This bridge represents alot!Thanks for reminding me of this wonderful cite RP. Makes me feel great to know somebody still cares!Great picture status I can tell.

Posted by: Shaquanna at February 25, 2005 05:43 PM (WLUGe)

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AJ Liebling is probably most widely known for his oft-repeated quotation that: ""Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one". In that regard, we might even consider him the spiritual father of blogs everywhere. If you disagree, just look at all the guest bloggers at the recent Democratic Party Convention where the blogger was elevated to the status of journalist and publisher in one fell swoop. But, that's not why I want to write about him. I want to call him to people's attention because he was a fantastic writer.

This is from a biographical sketch I found on him on the net which also has a nice list of the books he published:

After early schooling in New York City, Liebling wrote in The Wayward Pressman that "I went up to Dartmouth in the fall of 1920, lacking a month of being sixteen". Liebling did not finish his schooling at Dartmouth, claiming they threw him out for missing compulsory chapel attendance. He then enrolled in the Pulitzer School of Journalism at Columbia University and after finishing there, took the job at the Evening Bulletin. After his stint in Providence, Liebling went on to report and write for New Yorker magazine. While employed by New Yorker he served as a war correspondent; filing many stories from Africa, England and Europe. Following the war he returned to regular magazine fare and for many years after he wrote a New Yorker monthly feature called "Wayward Press". Liebling was an avid fan of boxing, horse racing and eating, frequently writing about each. In 1947 Doubleday and Company published Liebling's The Wayward Pressman, a highly quotable collection of his writings from New Yorker and other publications. Liebling's father was employed in New York City's fur district and his mother grew up in San Francisco. Liebling was married to Jean Stafford, a poet.

I am a big fan of Mr. Liebling and am re-reading his wonderful book, Between Meals, describing his time in Paris in 1926-27 when, as a 22 year old, his father gave him the gift of a year of study in the City of Light. The title refers to the fact that Paris, for him, became one long study in eating and drinking and this book is about that and what he did in the time between his meals. It includes time spent boxing and time spent rowing. It is a marvelous memoir.

How could you not love someone who writes like this about Vodka:

The standard of perfection for vodka (no color, no taste, no smell) was expounded to me long ago by the then Estonian consul-general in New York, and it account perfectly for the drink's rising popularity with those who like their alcohol in conjunction with the reassuring tastes if infancy -- tomato juice, orange juice, chicken broth. It is the ideal intoxicant for the drinker who wants no reminder of how hurt Mother would be if she know what he was doing.

Click below on extended entry for the rest (I put this in bold for my wife, who has problems with the extended entry function and I figure if she does, someone else might).

more...

Posted by: Random Penseur at 10:25 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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This was from today's Metropolitan Diary in the NY Times:

One recent afternoon, I was waiting in line at the silver counter at Tiffany. A woman ahead of me had just purchased a bracelet and was filling out a gift card. She looked up and asked the salesclerk, "How do you spell 'bar mitzvah'?" The salesclerk didn't hear her. I intervened.

"Bar mitzvah?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded.

"Didn't you buy a bracelet?" I asked.

"Why, yes I did," she answered.

"So it's for a girl?"

"That's correct," she said.

I explained: "Well, bar mitzvah is for a boy. Bas mitzvah is for a girl. So you should say 'Happy bas mitzvah.' " She thanked me, then I asked, "Do you know if they are Sephardic or Ashkenazic?"

Her face dropped. "Oh my, I have no idea. Does it matter?" she asked.

I replied: "No, not for the purpose of a gift. But if they are Ashkenazic, it's bas mitzvah, Sephardic is bat mitzvah."

"So how do I spell it?" she asked. I told her. She smiled and said: "I'm visiting from Milwaukee. Thank you for all this information, it's so interesting." She looked a bit sheepish and said, "I don't know any of this; I'm a Catholic."

I said, "So am I."

Surprised, she asked, "My goodness, how do you know all this information?"

I responded matter-of-factly, "I live here."

Brian Honan

Posted by: Random Penseur at 08:03 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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WARNING: PROFANITY

Construction Worker 1: Holy shit. That motherfucker just told me that it was going to be another fucking week.

Construction Worker 2: Well, fuck him, that fat motherfucker .

Wide Eyed Little Girl, aged approx. 6: Mommy! They said a bad word!

Who says kids don't learn anything when school's out?

Posted by: Random Penseur at 08:56 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I was reading the profile this morning of a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration and this line about JFK Airport in NYC just jumped out at me:

In the last year, Transportation Security Administration screeners have intercepted more than seven million prohibited items. Typically, it's knives, guns and scissors. But you would not believe how many recreational handcuffs I have seen in property rooms at airports around the country. I don't want to single out J.F.K., but the ones I've seen there were lined in everything from suede to fake fur.

It's like I've been telling you, NY is more fun.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 07:45 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 Funny, I went through an airport security with a pair of them last autumn. No one tried to take them from me, and that's a good thing, since I love my recreational handcuffs

Posted by: Helen at August 03, 2004 08:34 AM (pS7+B)

2 You must have been travelling through some of those "sophisticated" European airports, Helen!

Posted by: RP at August 03, 2004 09:02 AM (LlPKh)

3 Sorry, RP-it was in San Francisco. I blogged about it, too (not trying to pimp my blog here, just FYI) http://everydaystranger.mu.nu/archives/005396.php

Posted by: Helen at August 03, 2004 09:14 AM (pS7+B)

4 SF? Might as well have been Europe. They're pretty "sophisticated" in SF, too. Not like us simple folk here in NY. I'll go check out the link. It ain't pimping, Helen, unless you're dressed for it and all macked out. Besides, I already have you as one of my "good reads".

Posted by: RP at August 03, 2004 09:20 AM (LlPKh)

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