Foreign Policy

There are many good things in this week's edition of the magazine and among them, happily, is a piece by Dan Drezner. It's not online yet so why don't you subscribe? £1 an issue for the first 12. Bargain! Anyway, Dan casts a weary gaze (there being no other kind of gaze when it comes to this sort of survey) over the Republican presidential pretenders' foreign policy views. Here's how he begins:

During the 2008 US presidential election cycle, the respected journal Foreign Affairs invited the leading prsidential candidates from both parties to outline their views of world politics. All of them responded with essays that, one presumes, they at least read if did not write. This year, ahead of next year's elections, Foreign Affairs has proffered the same invitation to the leading Republican aspirants. To date, they have all refused or not responded.

A small thing perhaps but I think you could reasonably consider this a leading indicator.

More. From. Recommended.

Big Deal?

1967: USC 21, UCLA 20

Known as the "Game of the Century," a No. 1 national ranking was on the line for both teams. O.J. Simpson, who had an iconic 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, led the Trojans past battered quarterback Gary Beban, that year's Heisman winner. (AP Photo)

The ever-popular "My all-American pioneer spirit moved me to Southern California because I saw a football game on the telly" legend is dragged out again, this time not in reference to seeing the Rose Bowl Parade &/or Game New Yr.'s Day on a new color television, & it's January & sunny & 70°F!, but November's annual USC-UCLA Dip Bowl.

Then on to how special it all is:

It's special because the schools aren't in different states or different cities. With apologies to Texas-Oklahoma, Florida-Georgia and Ohio State-Michigan, we see our rivals every day. We see them at home, we see them at work, we see them at school and we see them while we're stuck in traffic looking at their ugly license-plate frames.

It's the only football rivalry between two major universities in the same city.

These aren't strangers we see once a year and hate because our fathers and our father's father told us we're supposed to; it's a living, breathing rivalry we live every day. USC is less than 12 miles from UCLA and the rivalry often pits family members, friends and old teammates against one another.

If the rivalry doesn't seem as fervent as others do to those who only view it once a year, it's because we live it every day.

Arash Markazi is a columnist and writer for ESPNLA.com.

Follow Arash Markazi on Twitter: @ArashMarkazi

Or, this magically unique rivalry is more warm than hot because of the inbreeding Mr. Markazi glossed over, & the general geographic proximity. Hard to pursue aggressive civil war non-stop all yr., even for SoCal bragging rights.

Big Game

Bummer: No cable, we won't be watching as it happens.

We're Not Kidding

Knock it the hell off, already.

Covering The World

From Twitting.

Now the South Pacific cover has disappeared.

Schleswig-Holstein At It Again

For Whom the Bell Tolls

But it is not the slabs with the names of the fallen soldiers that are attracting visitors' attention at this war memorial in Tümlauer-Koog, located on the Eiderstedt peninsula near the Danish border in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Instead, it is a massive bell that dominates the memorial -- and it is dedicated to Nazi leader Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler's second-in-command.

The small settlement of Tümlauer-Koog is built on land reclaimed from the sea ("Koog" is a northern German word for polder) during the Nazi period, under the influence of Hitler's "blood and soil" ideology, which glorified rural living and promoted the idea of Lebensraum("living space"). Up until 1945, the community was known as Hermann-Göring-Koog. Göring himself traveled to the newly reclaimed polder in 1935 to inaugurate it.

Poetry Corner

A favorite from Willard "Mitt" Romney:

I saw the young man over there with eggs Benedict,

With hollandaise sauce.

And I was going to suggest to you that you serve your eggs—

With hollandaise sauce in hubcaps.

Because there’s no plates like chrome—

For the hollandaise.

Can you dig it?

Attempted Morbidity Report

WAR ON CHRISTMAS BREAKS OUT!!

Update: And the stories are still coming. In Northern California, a man was shot in a Wal-Mart parking lot after refusing to give up his Black Friday bounty to robbers, according to the Associated Press.

He was coming out of a San Leandro Wal-Mart store with his family when two armed robbers demanded they hand over their purchases. When the family refused to do so, a fight ensued and a man was shot. The would-be robbers fled the scene before police arrived; the man is in an area hospital in stable condition. The Wal-Mart store "was briefly closed while police investigated."

Original post Friday Nov. 25 10:06 a.m.: Pepper spray--it's not just for police any more; civilians can use it too!

A woman in Los Angeles exemplified the Black Friday competitive spirit Thursday night by using it against many of her fellow shoppers, in a mad rush at a Los Angeles Wal-mart.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the suspect was trying to get first dibs on electronics that were unveiled late Thursday night (Wal-mart started Black Friday at 10 p.m. Thursday this year).

The woman was attempting “to gain preferred access to a variety of locations in the store,” Los Angeles Fire Captain James Carson told the L.A. Times. “She was competitive shopping.”

20 people, including children, were injured in the incident — some during “rapid crowd movement,” perhaps while trying to get away from the woman. The suspect is still at large. Perhaps the authorities should check Macy’s or Target?

Meanwhile other Black Friday violence broke out in other areas, like a North Carolina shopping center where two suspects fired guns before running into the mall. Thankfully no one was injured in either incident, and, shockingly, the stores involved stayed open!

Like Soviet Russia, the sheep lining up for hrs. & hrs. to consume, & what it was, they didn't even know. But even sheep can be angered. Baaa.

From The White Heartland* Wrap-Up

If you insist. Bother, or don't.

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*As in. Earlier mention. April Gaede is the mother/former manager of these two. Even earlier. Horses' mouth. And telebision:We'll keep you posted.

Hairball: Mitt & His Barber

Text that will make you long for clichéd images of palm trees & light standards.

Mr. Romney’s advisers have been known to fret about the shiny strands, and his rivals have sought to turn them against him. Asked by the late-night-television host Jimmy Fallon on Monday what word she associated with Mr. Romney, a businessman, Olympics executive and governor, Representative Michele Bachmann replied, “Hair.”

Hoping that this was typed in at least the spirit of irony.

For years, Mr. de Magistris said in an interview, he has tried to persuade Mr. Romney, 64, to loosen up his look by tousling his meticulous mane.

Thanksgiving Sunset Tsunami

This Picture's Lips Move

Jesus. It spreads like wildfire.

A Very Bouffant Thanksgiving

Top that, suckahs!!

Rebuttal

Here is a funny cartoon about Frank Miller, via smutmeister Mick at DOC40, & a respite from excessive photo posting.

'57 Chevy Wagon

Entropy

Earthquake

Standing Room Only

Cross-Platform Standards: We're In Trouble Now!

HolySelf-righteous Drooping Joe (Rat-CT; Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs) types a letter:

Unlike YouTube’s Community Standards, Lieberman writes, “Blogger’s Content Policy does not expressly ban terrorist content nor does it provide a ‘flag’ feature for such content.”

[...]

“Through your updated YouTube standards, Google has affirmatively stated that terrorist content will not be permitted on some of your sites. I strongly believe that Google should expand that standard to include your other platforms.”

Example. Sadly, the smut warning has been reduced to "please don't sue, but you maybe shouldn't click here." Nowhere near as enticing.

And other good parts, picked by TPM.

Animal Fun

We think you know who else is a big chicken.

Rapidly Running Out Of Ideas

Two yrs. ago:

Expected creepy young hipsters; turned out we were in the "youth" cohort. Egad.

Grant that two yrs. ago we didn't know what to expect, we're still dismayed at the lack of originality in planning to run these*

while typing something snide about the cutting edge not being so cutting any more. Good thing we ran across the earlier item while looking for those Kennedy links & stopped ourself.

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*Taken 12 November 2011.

Lest (Before) We Forget ...

... yada.

UPDATE: Grisly picture.

UPDATE II: A round number.

FINAL UPDATE (III): Same old pix there & then, & the video, audio & a bit of text here & now.

Walter Cronkite of CBS News breaks into the soap opera "As the World Turns"

The AP's Thought for Today: "If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be no help." — From the address President Kennedy never got to deliver in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

Big stick you have there, Mr. President of the Bay of Pigs.

Stab From The Haunting Past

Your editor & his now-late one-time friend & sexual associate, about 20 yrs. ago, via devil-tool Facebook.

How young we were ... South of 40, anyway.

Clouds Over Culver City

Rock Rock Rock & Roll!

The Charmkin Rebellion, Friday 18 November 2011, at 321, inside of Taix. The lead shredder is a personal friend, from meatspace even.

Same dump, better camera. Not us behind the lens, however.Plus which:

Ext. [Night]: Culver City

First three pix use the improvised tripod suggested here. Not actually the ground ('cause we're too old to get down & then return to an upright position) but it works.

The Culver Hotel, once owned by John Wayne, who gave it to the YMCA.

No fucking idea whatsoever.

The Culver again, once home to the Wizard of Oz Munchkins.
Stopped in for a couple of drinks in the bar.

Economic Report: Closed Saturday Night

If an effin' liquor store can't stay in business, the American economy is in much worse shape than any one will admit or even suspects.

Five Guys, One Oops!

Last month we advised where we figured a Five Guys was going to be, mostly because the KinkosFedEx Office in the other (eastern) end of the building is at 5500 Wilshire. Well, you're not perfect either, so shut up, but it turns out not to be there

As shot today. Pseudo-wood curtains are gone.

but a bldg. in the next block.

Still waiting. Those burgers better be worth it.

Git Off'n Our Lawn!

Beneath The Chicken Head

Never Too Early

"Personhood" Amendment

Not to provide "personhood" to clumps of cells, but to remove "personhood" from corporate entities.

Though several amendments aimed at overturning Citizens United have been introduced in recent weeks, Rep. Deutch’s OCCUPIED Amendment is the only proposal that:

Makes clear that free speech and other constitutionally protected rights are those of natural persons and not corporations or entities formed to promote their business interests.

Reaffirms that corporations are formed under the laws of Congress and the States and are thus subject to laws enacted to protect the environment, ensure public health, and other safeguards for the people.

Overturns Citizens United by ending corporations’ ability to spend unlimited amounts of their general treasury funds in elections.

Sets the stage for real campaign finance reform by reasserting the authority of Congress to regulate all election contributions and expenditures, including those of individuals and groups funneling money anonymously to influence elections.

Sad that a Constitutional Amendment would be required for this.

Chicken Boy By Night