The strange persistence of the Spitzer tie.

You might well think that a distinctive and prominent item of clothing worn by a disgraced politician in the very moment of his public humiliation would instantly lose its appeal. When I saw the now ex-Governor on TV confessing his indiscretion, I thought he was bringing to an end the long time popularity (at least since I was in college, which was just over forty years ago) of a particular rep stripe patterned cravat. Such a tie, I was convinced, would be indelibly stained by its association with infamy and self-destruction.


Evidently not, as witness this window display at Brooks Brothers' flagship Madison Avenue store today.

The Gators have become boring.

They've won the BCS title for the second time in three years, again holding a team many pundits (though this time not the bettors) thought an unstoppable scoring machine to a mere two TDs. Is this enough to silence that portion of the commentatoriate that, every year, finds some reason to declare SEC teams inferior to the Big 10, Pac 10, Big 12, whatever is the flavor of the moment? Probably not.

But, for me, the Gators have committed the unforgivable transgression: they're no longer underdogs.

Fortunately for me, now there's USF football.

Update: Maybe this year's better-than-the-SEC flavor will be the Mountain West.

A song for our times?

Uncle Tupelo at The Lounge Ax, Chicago, November 8, 1992 (thanks to Pants Elderly).

New Year's thank-yous.

I'm a little late with this, but I trust you'll forgive me. Last year at this time I posted a thank-you to everyone I could think of who had, in some way, supported this blog during the previous year. I am now repeating all those thank-yous (so, if you didn't follow the link, please go back, click, and read the linked post) because you all deserve a second round of recognition.

I also need to add some new friends who've been very helpful during 2008 and, I'm sure, will continue to be: Chrissie Brodigan; David Castillo of Blue Barn Pictures; and Eleanor Traubman of Creative Times, one of the principals behind Brooklyn Blogade.

I'd also like to give repeated and special thanks to those of you who've regularly commented on my posts: Archaeopteryx, Brooklyn Beat, Joe Martini, The Lady of a Thousand Nics (even though, for some inexplicable reason, she's yet to add S-AB to her blogroll), Rob Lenihan, The Lone Beader, Sometimes Saintly Nick, and Twiffer (and, of course, Anonymous, whoever s/he may be).

Special thanks for productive links from New York Times City Room, Fucked in Park Slope, and New York Shitty. A blog should be known by the company it keeps.