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Scattered around the East Village and the Lower Eastside are the works of Chico, famed, yet mysterious muralist. Looking at this piece, you can feel the raw tension between Art and Society. The paint captures the struggle of both the artist and the subjects to come to grips with the constraints of the world juxtiposed with their need to create. Aventura is uniform in black collars, but divided in shirts. Like many youth, they suffer the paradox of wanting to fit in while simulataneously desiring to assert their own uniqueness. This torrent of emotion can only be captured by spray paint on crumbling brick to truly be "Live."
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My English friend Chrysi got us in the exclusive Soho House last night for their quarterly pub quiz. It was a very different scene than the nights at Pete’s Candy Store. If you are not familiar, Soho House is a private club, mostly for Londoners, once featured on that stupid show on HBO with Scary Sadshaw. It’s the sort of place people pay a lot of money to not be around people like me and Tyler. Bobby Flay was sitting next to us.
We named our trivia team “sweetballs” and finished in second place. The prize was a free round of drinks, but no bangers and mash. Only a few of the questions were UK centric, so I didn’t feel so lost. I was able to get one, the UK title of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. Put your answer in the ‘ments.

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Site of the Day: I’m on Team Karen I wish I was on Karen. She’s hot.

BONUS LINK: Nine great old punk videos on Boing-boing. There hasn’t been any good punk made since 1982, except for Algebra I.

Here I am giving my nephew his first fauxhawk. He's a damn cute little guy. Thanks to Mom and Dad for a nice engagement celebratory dinner, a beautiful crystal vase, and some very nice roses. I hope the fiancinator knows I can't live up to all that.

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Site of the Day: Why Lost is getting worse? This echoes an idea that the gf has been promoting. She think good shows should plan on three seasons from the beginning and not get greedy. I agree.

So the Democrats took over the House in a major way and could still possibly take over the Senate. I’m cautiously optimistic that this could lead to a better world. However, knowing the Democratic party, like the Steelers this season, they can be incredibly inventive in screwing things up. So here’s some tips from me, now that they have some power:
5 Things To Do Now That The Democrats Have The House:

1.) Initiate an orderly withdraw from Iraq
2.) Pursue a successful conclusion to Afghanistan
3.) Rollback Bush’s enormous corporate tax cuts
4.) Actually speak to the rest of the world
5.) Legalize dope but outlaw reality TV. They cancel each other out in contribution to the dimming of the country. I’m looking at you Carter family.

I am aware that having control of the House does not make all these thing possible, but I can dream can’t I?

5 Things To NOT Do Now That The Democrats Have The House:

1.) Let Kerry ever speak again on national TV. He lost. He’s done.
2.) Engage in discussions about gay marriage, stem cells, or flag burning. Just reply, “I’m sorry, Tim. I’m too concerned with the war and the economy to focus on such things.” Tattoo that on your forearms.
3.) Nominate Hillary Clinton. Some parties are cool enough to get a very polarizing candidate elected. Your party is not one of them.
4.) Confuse “West Wing” with you. Martin Sheen is good looking and charismatic. That’s why he is in Hollywood. You are not good looking, but good at fund-raising. That’s why you are in DC. Do not think you can do what Martin Sheen does on a fictional show.
5.) Patronize. The working class, farmer, and African American vote rightly belongs to the Democrats. Don’t get complicated. Henry Ford (as conservative as Hitler) once said that the only way to get a decent days work out of the American worker was to beat it out of them. Remind the people that the only way to get a decent days wage out of a corporate board is to beat it out of them.

Alright, no more political ranting. I promise.
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Notice, in today’s pic, you can’t even tell the difference between Manhattan and Brooklyn. More on that tomorrow.

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Site of the Day: McSweenys’s had a good 2006 Election Guide. I totally voted yes on prop. 19.

Bonus Links: Watch Ben Stein’s dream speech for Bush from a week ago on CBS Sunday Morning and then watch the real Bush speech.

One election day, I am of two opinions:
Nice Sean – Wow. I just left my polling place with a hearty thanks from a Vietnam veteran for “doing my duty.” God bless those election volunteers. It’s a thankless, payless job done by people who love democracy. Most of the races in my district aren’t close, but for a few my vote is part of the decision. The act itself also builds a larger message. The tide of public opinion moves slowly, which serves to temper an impetuous world. There is a good chance the the Democrats will gain some seats this election, and thus peacefully set about ending an unsuccessful war. I’m proud to be apart of a bloodless revolution.

Mean Sean – Once again, I pulled the lever and became a rube. I contributed to the myth of democracy and that individuals have any power, as opposed to large corporations and blue bloods. My choices were idiots with bad ideas (republicans) and idiots with no ideas (democrats) and I clicked for whomever I thought would screw me less and probably got it wrong. Like my fellow Americans, I know more about American Idol contestants then I do about candidates or issues. I can take heart that there is some balance to this world and our apathy and susceptibility to fads and advertising gets us the rightful buggering we merit. It’s great to complain about the politicians, but democracy delivers the exact government that people deserve, which is apparently somewhere just above sucky.

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Site of the Day: Comedy Central’s Indecision 2006

To support her friend M in the Marathon, the fiance and I trekked up to Harlem and 138th Street. I highly recommend it as an annual event and location. The runners are just reaching mile 21, and for many, the end of their reserves. After over a mile of no crowd love going across the TK bridge, the pack descends down a long ramp into Harlem AND an awaiting dance party. DJ Jeff spins classic disco and Motown while giving shout outs to the runners. For thousands of contestants, this is the first time they have ever stepped foot in Harlem and the cheering welcome and thumping beats are a welcome boost. Many stop and dance a bit.
Every year I watch and convince myself that it would be so much fun to run. The feeling lasts to right about…now. And then it’s gone.

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Site of the Day: Some dork named Momo spilled paint on lots of streets. If you see him (or her), give a punch for me.

The gf scored us a free dinner last night at Porter House, chef Michael Lomonaco’s new restaurant. The steak was passable, but the best part of the restaurant is the view. Situated atop the Time Warner Center shops (a high-end mall) at Columbus Circle, the restuarant has a great vantage point for looking down Broadway or up into Central Park. Today’s pic is our silhouettes in the reflection on the glass in front of the concourse.
I could write more on my internal guilt at perks, privilege, and the lynching of Marie Antoinette, but instead I’ll just say “Thanks, Sweety!”

Links:
– Citysearch Review
– NY Mag Review

Site of the Day: “barring…a loss to Rutgers…” Louisville beat favored West Virginia last night to stay undefeated and our now expect to win agains undefeated Rutgers next week. My gf is a Rutgers alum and I’ve always liked the Scarlet Knights, so I’m declaring that game a must watch.

To celebrate the holiday, my fiance and I dressed up this weekend. I’m dressed as Jerry. She is dressed as the Halloween Fairy. Which do you like better?

The good news it is a decent TV for absolutely no money. The bad news is you have to come get it and I live up five flights of steps. It’s only about 65 pounds. One mover carried it up. Two people could carry it down and into a cab without too much sweat. The set has a great picture and an RCA (red, yellow, and white) in the front, which is handy for video game consoles. I’ll even throw in a free RCA cable.
I’ll be putting this on Craigslist this week if none of you want it.

I have a couch beside my desk at work and a new girl in the office has been sitting there all day giving me goo-goo eyes. The funny thing is when I told my girlfriend, she said she wanted to come in and sit on the couch and cuddle with the new girl. Life is weird.
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Site of the Day:Because today’s pic is so cute, the sickest news this week (via Fark) Man caught having sex with a dog that had been dead for several days in full view of a daycare center. Don’t ever try and tell me that we are all fundamentally good inside. That article is proff of a sick, random world.