Idiosyncratic Interconnections: Little Richard and *Gay on your resume* (Episode 2)

Idiosyncratic Interconnections Little Richard on an effeminate manner canceling out racism and workplace dynamics for gay black men today In this ^^ Sally Jesse Raphael interview with Little Richard, Sally Jesse refers to the “sociological” quirk that activist, web journalist, and hip-hopper Yitz Jordan (Y-LOVE) mentioned—and backed up with studies & statistics—on WNYC’s The Brian … Continue reading “Idiosyncratic Interconnections: Little Richard and *Gay on your resume* (Episode 2)”

Idiosyncratic Interconnections: Loshon haRa and New Orleans R&B (Episode 1)

Part of a new series, “Idiosyncratic Interconnections,” in which I unveil oddball connections betwixt two things that—most likely—only I, in my unusual mind, would notice… realizing a seemingly unrelated thing unexpectedly interconnects with another thing to explain, illuminate or give insight into the first thing. Each episode connects two things. Let me know if ya’ll … Continue reading “Idiosyncratic Interconnections: Loshon haRa and New Orleans R&B (Episode 1)”

Mississippi Delta Bluesmen, as Relevant Now as Ever

Bringing together strands of recent thoughts … the blues… Recently I updated the “Got the blues so bad” mix/Nick’s True Blues Playlist – skewing heavily to the first bluesmen recorded vs later interpreters, the Southern backwoods “sundown comin’ & klan caught up to me at the crossroads” blues and that type of bluesman. Muddy Waters, … Continue reading “Mississippi Delta Bluesmen, as Relevant Now as Ever”

Nick Reviews Sturgill Simpson’s “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music”

Been getting to the bottom of the bottom getting to me Holding up the mirror to everything I don’t want to see But it ain’t all flowers Sometimes you gotta feel the thorns And when you play with The Devil you know you gonna get the horns Whah-hooooooo-hooo-hooo! That visceral howl WHAH-HOOO-HOOO-HOOO in the grungy, … Continue reading “Nick Reviews Sturgill Simpson’s “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music””

Thoughts in October 2014: Flu Vaccines, Political Example-Stories, Confederate Ghosts in the Fog, and Mobile, Alabama memories

“Down in Mobile they’re all crazy, because the Gulf Coast is the kingdom of monkeys, the land of clowns, ghosts and musicians, and Mobile is sweet lunacy’s county seat.”—Eugene Walter So I was in Mobile, AL, a port city as complex as it is old, the Confederacy’s “undefeated” city, and my hometown, and I move … Continue reading “Thoughts in October 2014: Flu Vaccines, Political Example-Stories, Confederate Ghosts in the Fog, and Mobile, Alabama memories”

Why The Doctor Who Series Opener Was Awesome

a bit belated, but… The debut of the new Doctor—episode 8.1: Deep Breath—was great, because… 1. the female Tyrannosaur inadvertently loosed on Victorian London…   CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead 2. Badass lesbian kung fu detectives, one of whom is dino sapiens, in Victorian London. Madame Vastra, actually part of the Silurian or homo reptilia race, an early Eocene … Continue reading “Why The Doctor Who Series Opener Was Awesome”

The Hawkmen’s Sky City Runs on Radium

and now for something completely different… Depictions of Radioactivity Fears in 1936 Flash Gordon Serial Defining my terms: Up until at least the mid-1950s, newsreels, cartoon shorts like Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry, and this week’s chapter of your favorite movie serials were shown before or between the feature(s)—the full-length movies—and the afternoon at … Continue reading “The Hawkmen’s Sky City Runs on Radium”

Nick Reviews Neil Young’s “Freedom”

Neil Young’s 1989 “comeback album” Freedom is probably Neil Young’s best work, and I think it should be considered in the rare category, “best Folk rock albums ever.” Freedom opens with an acoustic performance of “keep on rawkin in the free werld” live in concert (cut from an outdoor set he did at Jones Beach, … Continue reading “Nick Reviews Neil Young’s “Freedom””

Nick Reviews Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories”

This album, Random Access Memories, won the Grammy for Album of the Year last month, sold umpteen-bajillion copies/went platinum in an era of “people don’t buy albums,” and hit number one in over 20 countries, and after listening to it I understand why.  It has the mass appeal of Europop/techno-dance, while being way more clever and … Continue reading “Nick Reviews Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories””

A Few Thoughts on Theme in Popular Sci-fi & Fantasy Novels

In an incidental comment in a previous blog post, I wrote: Personally, I think the novel is best used when your/my/the author’s ideas about something large (our past, our future, technology, childhood, humanity, the soul, big stuff) are deep enough that you need an entire novel to explore them in proper detail. Length of a … Continue reading “A Few Thoughts on Theme in Popular Sci-fi & Fantasy Novels”

That Time Mobile, AL Made The Front Page of the New York Times

And how The Times missed the story It’s not exactly surprising that the New York Times missed the story: their writers too often cling to conventional wisdom like a drunk grabbing a lamppost, not for illumination as much as desperately-needed support.  Don’t get me wrong, the Times sometimes has great coverage and is valuable as one of the … Continue reading “That Time Mobile, AL Made The Front Page of the New York Times”

What Right-wing Radio Reveals About the Shutdown Fiasco and the Republican Party

Learning about views you disagree with iTunes gives you the ability to tune in to pretty much any radio station across the country, so during the government shutdown I listened in to the right-wing echo chamber that is talk radio, trying to understand what’s going on, what’s driving the Tea Partier rage. Very few activists … Continue reading “What Right-wing Radio Reveals About the Shutdown Fiasco and the Republican Party”

Masculinity, Southern Gentlemen, and the Strange Story of Alabama’s First U.S. Senator, William Rufus DeVane King

OR John Kerry Should’ve Grown A Beard: The North-South Manliness Inversion A Post That Cites Its Sources…with Footnotes! As I mentioned in the preceding post, the Nick’s Crusade blog is a history blog too. I think delving into history can be very valuable, not just because the strange doglegs and twists in the American story—history … Continue reading “Masculinity, Southern Gentlemen, and the Strange Story of Alabama’s First U.S. Senator, William Rufus DeVane King”

Tom Wolfe Talks Memoir: “the worst form of fiction”

I’m writing a memoir now, well, memoir/serious nonfiction/exposé, finally the Nick’s Crusade book, so I was interested in Tom Wolfe’s (brief) comments on Memoir. He quotes Orwell “memoir is the worst form of fiction” because you focus on the sensational, not the mundane and humiliating that makes up 75% of life (then he goes into … Continue reading “Tom Wolfe Talks Memoir: “the worst form of fiction””

Heroes Without Glory: Some Good Men of the Old West—Nick explores a dusty, old-fashioned book of social history

This is the first in a series of book and article reviews I’ll write, taking you through the stacks and exploring old and not so old books about humanity’s story (history). In this case, I’m exploring a fairly rare social history from 1965, probably not something you’d find on the shelves of your local public … Continue reading “Heroes Without Glory: Some Good Men of the Old West—Nick explores a dusty, old-fashioned book of social history”

Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 2)

Continuing my comments on Mitt Romney’s “very ample safety net” statement on CNN; see the first half of my post: Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 1)… So, as I said in Part 1, it’s very important to assess presidential candidates in a just and fair manner, and too often the … Continue reading “Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 2)”

Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 1)

  So, there’s been a dust up over Mitt Romney’s “I’m not concerned about the very poor” comments on CNN.  A lot of the blogosphere is mindlessly blasting this quote sans context, and the TV news even worse, so Team Romney isn’t wrong to protest how this has been “taken out of context.”  Cable news … Continue reading “Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 1)”

Senator Schumer, Hands Off Our Meds Please

People in chronic pain need help, more options, more understanding. [the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research] Issued at the request of Congress as part of President Obama’s health reform legislation, the report calls for a “cultural transformation” — an attitude shift on … Continue reading “Senator Schumer, Hands Off Our Meds Please”

Rain Man (1988) and Hollywood’s treatment of disability

Hollywood Images of Disability (CHF EDIT) from salome chasnoff on Vimeo. Everyone interested in disability rights should watch this 18min short “Hollywood Images of Disability,” about Hollywood’s terrible treatment of disability, which is normally depicted as something so deformed, so unspeakably terrifying that disabled characters have to be cured (Heidi, Monkey Shines, Avatar, and zillions … Continue reading “Rain Man (1988) and Hollywood’s treatment of disability”

Review of animated movie “Delgo” (2008)

Delgo Rated PG 89 minutes long I understand why this movie tanked at the box office and recouped the independent production only 700k of 40 million invested, it needed a major script overhaul to edit out about 40 minutes of what feels like filler, tighten the story, cut the ultra-forced comedy, and lighten the heavy … Continue reading “Review of animated movie “Delgo” (2008)”

Boardwalk Empire, Corruption, And Incentives For Public Servants

Like described by Abby Jean on the Feminists with Disabilities blog recently, I’m obsessed with public policy. It’s true. I am a policy wonk. I am endlessly interested in it. I read about it, think about it, talk about it and … write about it. (As in, what I’m doing right now.) And I do … Continue reading “Boardwalk Empire, Corruption, And Incentives For Public Servants”

What New Fall TV Shows To Avoid (2010)

It’s true. Lots of what’s on TV is just unbearable. Here are some shows to avoid at all costs: Chase – NBC, 10/9central Monday night This show is about a Houston task force of U.S. Marshals who chase the most dangerous, most wanted fugitives in Texas. But unlike most crime dramas, where you’re rooting for … Continue reading “What New Fall TV Shows To Avoid (2010)”

What New Fall TV Shows To Watch (2010)

Newsflash: Some New Fall TV Series Actually Worth Your Time!! Detroit 187 – ABC, 10/9central Tuesday night This new cop show about a unit of homicide detectives in Detroit is really intelligent and immersive. Unlike most hour-long dramas, it really immerses you in an environment, in characters, with the city (Detroit) as a character in … Continue reading “What New Fall TV Shows To Watch (2010)”

Nick’s Crusade Blog Featured On Local Radio WBAI!

My blog posts are making waves! My new blog essay about the affect of the Tea Party and the related drastic benefit changes on people with disabilities was the subject of a roundtable discussion this morning on local WBAI radio’s disability chat show “The Largest Minority.” You can listen to the radio discussion here. Sept. … Continue reading “Nick’s Crusade Blog Featured On Local Radio WBAI!”

This Is All You Need To Know About This Year’s MDA Telethon

Lots of people are, as always, posting about the MDA Telethon this Labor Day weekend (I recommend this piece by Laura Hershey). Usually the focus is on smashing the negative images (pity) that the MDA Telethon often conveys, and that is crucial because the Telethon brings to all corners of the U.S. the most-watched images … Continue reading “This Is All You Need To Know About This Year’s MDA Telethon”

Why Does Cardigan Welsh Corgi #11 Have Human Eyes? (eyedog, eyedog, eyedog)

On the National Dog Show, which airs on NBC every year after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, during the presentation of the dogs in the Herding group, we saw this dog, a corgi.  And unlike any of the other corgis in the show, this corgi had human eyes that totally creeped us out. Ever since … Continue reading “Why Does Cardigan Welsh Corgi #11 Have Human Eyes? (eyedog, eyedog, eyedog)”

It’s MDA Telethon Time Again!!

The MDA’s 44th annual Labor Day Telethon was on the TV. Since my family and I were on the local (Mobile, AL) MD Telethon several times, and my mom served a year as Mobile MDA’s president, I thought I should comment. Many activists attack the MDA for fundraising based on pity. It’s true that their … Continue reading “It’s MDA Telethon Time Again!!”

Financial Advice From Scrooge McDuck (1967)

My friend Dan will love this. In Scrooge McDuck’s first **named** appearance in a cartoon (his first actual appearance was in Spirit of ’43) he teaches Huey, Dewey and Louie about the economy, from the origins of the types of the currency to taxes to inflation, budgeting and investing. It’s good stuff. Great primer on … Continue reading “Financial Advice From Scrooge McDuck (1967)”

This Song Has Been Stuck In My Head For Over A Week!

My other half and I have been playing and singing this ode to anesthesiologists (called anaesthetists in Britain) for over a week now! It’s really a classic parody! Video available in HD: My favorite lyrics from the song (sung to the tune of Total Eclipse of the Heart) are: ’cause we sometimes check the screen … Continue reading “This Song Has Been Stuck In My Head For Over A Week!”

Donald Duck As A Nazi. Really.

The media was once controlled by the government. During WWII, the Walt Disney Co. was under U.S. government contract for 32 short propaganda films at $4,500 each, which would save the studio after they spent four times their budget on Fantasia, which had pushed them close to bankruptcy. The films did their best to boost … Continue reading “Donald Duck As A Nazi. Really.”