Georgia
Judge Not
Overheard on the bus to the Xcel Energy Center, 2:30 p.m:
A middle-aged couple, members of the Georgia delegation, discuss the news that Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter Bristol is pregnant.
Her: “I guess it’s not so bad if the guy is 17. It’s not like he’s older, right?”
Him: “I wouldn’t know. I abstained until I was 24.”
Her: “We were dating when you were 24.”
Him: “Right.”
Laughter fills the back of the bus.
McCain, Obama and the Caucasus Test
The satirist Ambrose Bierce memorably described war as God’s way of teaching geography. And so when Russian tanks rolled first into the disputed territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia over the weekend and then into Georgia proper, it marked the first time many Americans had heard anything at all about the people, places and politics of this particular corner of the Caucasus.
For now, the conflict between Russia and Georgia, a country with five million fewer residents than the U.S. state of the same name, isn’t likely to play a major, direct role in the race between Barack Obama and John McCain. Few Americans live in the area (and those who do are being evacuated as this is being written), no American troops are on the ground, and there are no significant ethnic or emotional bonds between most U. read more »
Bill Lynch: 'Georgia Might Surprise'
Bill Lynch, one of New York's most powerful black Democratic political consultants (and Hillary Clinton supporter), thinks that Georgia, where Barack Obama is favored, could break for Clinton. read more »
Georgia Barbecue On The Lower East Side
Georgia's East Side Barbecue will serve "classic Southern food like barbecue, hamburgers and hot dogs," according to Mr. Natkiel. "I've spent a fair amount of time down South," he told The Real Estate. "People in New York are not aware of real barbecue. New York's idea of barbecue is the same as Wisconsin's idea of New York pizza."
Mr. Natkiel is no stranger to the restaurant business, having managed Lodge and The General Store in Williamsburg. As the sole proprietor of Georgia's, however, he's going to need to sell a lot of hush puppies to stay afloat in the high-rent nabe. The 600-square-foot Orchard space, which used to be Cafe Trotsky, has a monthly rent of $5,500.
- Mark WellbornKornacki on the House's Iraq Sham
As even many House members have pointed out, there is a certain sham quality to the four-day Iraq War debate now underway in the people's House.All 434 members (there is now a vacancy, with Tuesday's death of Republican Charlie Norwood of Georgia) were given speaking slots ahead of time. Most of them show up at their allotted time, and read prepared (and predictable) remarks for a few minutes to a chamber that is almost completely empty. There is almost no dialogue between the sides. Obviously, each member's comments are aimed at their constituents back home, who will probably see a 15-second snippet on their local news. read more »
The debate will wrap up tomorrow, when the House will approve a two-paragraph resolution expressing support for the American troops in Iraq and opposition to President Bush's escalation to the war. The only suspense is over how many Republicans will break ranks and side with the Democratic-authored resolution -- the best guess now is between 30 and 40. (This is why John Boehner, the House GOP leader, has been complaining so loudly about the Democrats' refusal to allow consideration of GOP-backed alternatives: With only one option to cast a vote on Iraq, Republicans from competitive districts will have no choice but to side with the Democrats in the end.)
The Afternoon Wrap: Wednesday
- If you don't like the hefty plans for Atlantic Yards, you probably don't like eminent domain. And if you live in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon or South Carolina, you voted yesterday to limit it. (Too bad Brooklyn isn't in Georgia.) [CNN/Money]
- Will the Dems' victory boost real estate prices? Jonathan Miller muses: "In terms of the housing market, a Congress without the same party controlling both chambers is probably a good thing..." [Matrix]
- Suburban New Jersey vulgarity is very hot right now. For $13.5 million, you can buy yourself a new palace with new marble and new gold leaf and new "heavy chandeliers." [Luxist]
- How do you lure brokers to the bottom of Soho? Promise them BMWs. [Curbed] - Max Abelson read more »
Armed Revolt
Supporters of Mr. Barr's have suggested the lawsuoit it is about the second amendment, Bloomberg has long held that his lawsuit was about gun dealers breaking the law and allowing illegal arms to flow into the city.
Mr. Barr's press office at the American Conservative Union said that practically all of New York media has tied up their phones since the announcement, and that Barr was, for now, unavailbale to comment beyond the press release they sent us (after the jump).
In the small print on the bottom, we noticed that he serves on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association. read more »
-- Jason Horowitz UPDATE: We spoke with Mr. Barr's personal spokesperson and not the press office of the American Conservative Union.Dove’s Miniature Watercolors Encompass Majesty of Nature
Rudy and Ralph 4-Ever
"You can count me as a friend and supporter, someone who will do anything I can to get you elected," Giuliani told Reed during a well-publicized fundraiser. (Check out this AP description of the event for further details.)
Giuliani's support for gay rights, gun control, and abortion, to say nothing of his three marriages, could give him trouble with the GOP's evangelical base should he choose to make a run for the White House in 2008, so his decision to hoof it to Georgia to endorse Reed is a potentially shrewd, if transparent, move. And Reed could certainly use the help of America's mayor right now, as his campaign battles reports of his chummy working relationship with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
So it's a perfect political marriage -- almost as cozy as John McCain's newfound romance with evangelical powerhouse Jerry Falwell.
-- Lizzy RatnerThe Sorry Art of Euphemism- Mea Culpas Cataloged
The Sorry Art of Euphemism— Mea Culpas Cataloged
Dazzling, Episodic, Peculiar- Wright Does a Funky Dance
Dazzling, Episodic, Peculiar— Wright Does a Funky Dance
Feeble Assault Backfires— Let Fans of Porn Rejoice
The Big Sell-Out: John Pierson's Return From Fiji
John Pierson, the film's director and indie legend, lived there with his family, and programmed that theater. Untainted by the media and the dictates of cool, the Fijians' tastes gravitate toward Hollywood slapstick and pure schlock. There, Rob Schneider is King. Reel Paradise falls somewhere between ethnographic film and The Osbournes.
What did Mr. Pierson learn on the other side of the world? "I learned I could give up the New York Observer," he said.
Mr. Pierson sunk back into a beige couch at TriBeCa Cinemas. He wore a Hawaiian shirt, Tevas, and requisite, thick-framed glasses, all the better for navigating the urban jungle. "The New York Observer is just the most media-insider newspaper," he continued. "I managed to break my addiction. I'm going to start reading it this week."
Though content to drift in indie obscurity, Mr. Pierson is responsible for helping to launch the careers of Spike Lee, Michael Moore, and Kevin Smith.
"The last year of Split Screen"—his mid-90's program for the Independent Film Channel—"I thought, ‘Let's do something so crazy, they'll cancel the show—before sobriety. Let's find the most remote theater. We showed a Stooges short. People went bonkers for it. My motivation in making the film was to just get back there and have more experiences like that. It was an environment where no one was told what to like."
"I think the movie is just saying, here's what it could be like if you stripped it all away—you can change your life for a year. I did it."
His teenagers, Wyatt and Georgia were less optimistic. "I had no expectations," Wyatt told the Transom. "Everyone's always like, ‘Oooh independent'—but Dad doesn't do anything! In the third grade, Dad said we're moving to L.A. and we never did, so why would we go to Fiji?"
In the film, Georgia is a rebellious sixteen-year-old, sporting massive hickeys and oversized basketball shorts. Now two years older, and no less sassy, she informed us, "That was adolescence induced by the cameras. This party sucks. It's spoogy people lying to me. I get the same questions and reactions everyone. Except for the Portland International Film Festival: ex-missionaries, pretentious people telling us we're destroying the world. We defend our family a lot. Wyatt defends me because he learned how to be funny from me." Her current aspirations include culinary school and an apprenticeship at a tattoo parlor.
And finally, the Transom caught up with famed sell-out and supposed hack, Kevin Smith, who was also executive producer for this project. He was chainsmoking Marlboros outside by a parked sedan. "Thank god every teenage girl doesn't have a camera to her nose. She's probably like a lot of teenage girls. A lot of distance and time, and she'll appreciate the film."
Mr. Smith then realized that the Transom is close in age to a teenage girl. We recounted seeing his second feature, the New Jersey homage Mallrats, in a friend's suburban New Jersey basement at 14. Slightly perturbed, he complained, "That came out when you were 12." Yes, but we saw it at 14. "But you were still 12... Must've been little parental supervision in that basement. Way to be." The Transom was bashful.
"I've only made one true independent film, Clerks. Both this documentary and Jersey Girl were about families. This just didn't have Jennifer Lopez."
We were briefly interrupted when Mr. Pierson and two other View Askew cronies came by with a digital camera. They took a few snapshots of themselves. "Show that to [executive producer, Scott] Mosier!" said Mr. Pierson.
"Artists have to eat, too. And I don't consider myself an artist," said Mr. Smith. A koan! read more »
The Transom left the posse goofing off by the car, and went inside for another Stella Artois. —Blythe SheldonLet the Good Times Roll
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