It's nearing the end of the year, which can only mean one thing: the latest "Almanac of American Politics" is about to be issued! Woohoo!
Mom and dad, if you're reading this, know that this would be the perfect stocking stuffer (even though it's freakin' $75!). But where else can you find information and photographs of every governor, plus every member of Congress?
Here's also an excellent tip for trying to fall asleep at night: See how many Senators you can name. It's easy. Pick a state, try to name their two senators, then pick another state, and repeat. Before you know it, you'll be asleep before you hit North Dakota (Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad!).
I spent most of yesterday morning and afternoon on a walking tour of Roxbury, Massachusetts, looking at environmental and community concerns that have plagued this community for years. It was an eye-opening tour, especially when you find out that asthma rates in Roxbury are nearly 50% higher than anywhere else in Boston - largely because the air in Roxbury has suffered at the hands of polluters more than any other area in Boston (arguably). I'll write more about the tour later, but in the meantime, check out Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) in Roxbury. A great organization.
After standing out in rather cold Fall temperatures yesterday for eight hours, I pretty much crashed when I got home. But last night decided to go with a friend to check out "No Country for Old Men," the movie where the subject line up there comes from. (It's the latest Coen brothers movie.) The movie was sold out at 8:15, causing my hamstrings to deflate (they got their workout all day walking around Boston). So we waited in this bar for an hour until the next show, and I'm so glad we did. Not only is the movie awesome, but I got to have a mojito. Mmmm.
GO SEE THIS MOVIE. Yes, it's violent. But as the LA Times wrote:
The story of stolen drug money and the horrific carnage it precipitates, "No Country for Old Men" doesn't celebrate or smile at violence, it despairs of it, despairs of its randomness, pervasiveness, its inescapable nature, of the way it eats at the soul of society and the individuals in it.
Really, you will leave the theater thinking, and I love that. It's also eerie to see Tommy Lee Jones in a portrayal scarily reminiscent of my father! But that's beside the point. This is a movie that will (if you're a writer) make you want to write movies. And that might be the best line anyone can say about it.
I know I probably shouldn't celebrate this type of politics, but I love it when someone is brought down a peg or two when they think they're all that and a bag of chips. (Baked Lays, perhaps?)
Here's the latest video from John Edwards's campaign, showing how Hillary Clinton changes her opinion depending on how the wind blows.
It's nearing the end of the year, which can only mean one thing: the latest "Almanac of American Politics" is about to be issued! Woohoo!
