Two of the stories in this past weekend's Metropolitan Diary capture exactly what I always dream New York can be (but so rarely is). In particular, I like the first story about the impromptu block party surrounding a couch being put out to pasture. I wonder if something similar would ever happen in my neighborhood... I somehow suspect not.
And in current events, Rolling Stone Magazine this week has a scarily illuminating article (co-written by RFK Jr.), Block the Vote, about the voter suppression that is apparently occurring across the country -- in a more widespread manner than in 2000 or 2004. Talk about voter fraud that is destroying the very fabric of our country's democracy. Similarly, Bob Herbert's column, The Real Scandal, lambasts McCain's efforts at scaring up controversy around ACORN when his own campaign is tainted (corroborated by Olbermann's wrly angry segment on his show Countdown, tonight).
Additionally, two Ivy-League finance/ econ professors have an Op-Ed in today's Times, This Bailout Doesn't Pay Dividends, about how the current bailout plan is far from strict enough when dealing with the recalcitrant banks that are benefitting. It really does make one wonder just how bad things have to get before we're able to pass a measure that has no loopholes, and gets the job done with sufficient, comprehensive oversight? We really need to get this right, and it looks like we're stumbling around, trying to clean up the messes inch by inch, debacle by debacle.
And now I leave you with this, your moment of Zen:
