randomwalks/dj

blogging from the front lines of the war, he was the first casualty of 2008 [via] 

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Waxy.org Links, on January 5, 2008 9:29 PM

Politics piss me off. Everyone is too worried about keeping their job or getting a new one to bother doing what's best for their constituents. Most politicians enter Washington with the best of intentions, but a potential failure looms and their scruples go to the wayside.

"'You've got to do what's right, OK?' [McCain] told me, 'but if you want to succeed, you have to adjust to the American people's desires and priorities".

Unfortunately, the people don't always know what's best for themselves. As James Surowiecki says, crowds are smart, people are dumb. This is why I want a leader who is smart and has a mind of his/her own. I'm not so worried about aligning perfectly with their views, so long as it's close. I also don't mind if they're lacking in experience if they seem willing to turn to any of their dozens of advisers.

I singled out McCain above because, despite having very different views on social policy, I always liked him. After failing to get the nomination in 2000, he has been sucked into the robot vacuum. Sure, he'll talk off the cuff and verbally attack an audience member now and again, but he has sold out. He's just too willing to play the game.

Obama also seemed in danger of a one way trip to the vacuum. His speech at the 2006 DNC really moved me, but I was a bit turned off at the beginning of his campaign. Somehow, his advisers managed to make him boring, which is a travesty. In the last month or two, and especially at his Iowa victory speech, he's got me back into the fold. He's a real person and I love it.

Harold Washington

While this ended up being about the current election, the idea for this post came from an episode of This American Life about Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. I didn't know much about him, but the episode painted him as the rare politician who could both play the game and speak his mind.

There's plenty more to say about Harold and this episode of TAL, but an interesting statistic from Washington's original campaign is that he was able to register 140,000 new voters when his campaign thought 50,000 would be a stretch. On Thursday Democrats nearly doubled 2004's caucus with 100,000 additional voters.

Okay, to finish it off here is my favorite quote from that episode. This is what Harold had to say about Richard J. Daly, a man revered by white Chicagoans. Try to imagine anyone saying this today.

"When he says that he had hoped I'd have the good qualities of past mayors, there are no good qualities of past mayors to be had. None. None. None. None." "I regret anyone dying. I have no regrets about [Daly] leaving. He was a racist to the core, head to toe, hip to hip, there's no ding or doubt about it. He eschewed and fought and oppressed black people to the point that some thought that was the way they were supposed to live, just like some slaves on the plantation thought that that was the way they were supposed to live. I give no hosannas to a racist, nor did I appreciate or respect his son. If his name were anything other than Daley, his campaign would be a joke."

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Capn Design, on January 5, 2008 3:09 PM

blog.pmarca.com:

"...you can't believe any of the Internet measurement companies for any kind of accurate external analysis of Ning usage and traffic -- or, for that matter, usage and traffic of any web site other than perhaps the very largest.

I'm talking about Compete, Quantcast, Alexa, and even Comscore -- none of their data maps in any way to numbers or patterns we see in our own server logs and activity metrics.

This is a well-known problem in the Internet startup world and isn't discussed often enough. It's also a very complicated problem due to a whole hornet's nest of issues, including toolbar adoption, demographic spreads, technology variations, international usage, and domain mapping."

Right on.

Originally posted by Ev. from evhead, on January 5, 2008 12:31 PM

..continues to be "the turd in the Food Network punchbowl" ...

Tony, throw a little Just For Men into your daily spa routine and no one will know the difference.

Originally posted by michael ruhlman from ruhlman.com, on January 5, 2008 5:22 AM

Frustrated by differing advice, Rob Manuel at b3ta tests and documents four methods for poaching eggs, with results ranging from "I wouldn't feed this to a dog," to "It's bloody perfect." So what's the secret to making perfect poached eggs? Plastic wrap, possibly. [via David Jacobs]

Related: How to Poach an Egg tutorial video by cia_b. View all of cia_b's egg cooking tutorial videos.

Originally posted by Robyn Lee from Serious Eats: Main, on January 5, 2008 5:00 AM

Good article.

Originally posted by schneier from Schneier on Security, on January 5, 2008 4:35 AM

Enjoy.

Originally posted by John Aboud from United Hollywood, on January 4, 2008 10:29 PM

Some thoughts on whether Barack Obama will find some white voters disappearing due to "Tolerance Fatigue" aka "The Bradley Effect." Obama's win in the (very white) Iowa caucus seems like a good sign, but I don't think we should...

Originally posted by jsmooth995 from hiphopmusic.com:, on January 4, 2008 5:49 PM

A well-known ruin is crumbling. According to Roosevelt Island Historical Society president and historian Judith Berdy, part of the north wing of the Smallpox Hospital collapsed about a week ago. She writes, "The rest of the north wing especially the front is in danger of coming down any time... [The Roosevelt Island Operation Corporation] is working with TPL, the Southpoint park developers to find a way to do emergency stabilization of the rest of the building... Please encourage RIOC to do all possible to save the rest of the building."

The ruins of the Smallpox Hospital, situated on the southern end of Roosevelt Island, are a NYC landmark. The hospital was designed by James Renwick Jr. (who also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grace Church and DC's Smithsonion Institution Building) and was completed in 1856. After years of being used to house patients with smallpox and other diseases and then housing nurses, the hospital was abandoned in 1950s and quickly fell into disrepair.

A 1988 NY Times article said that it would cost $7.25 million to stabilize the Smallpox Hospital as well as two other RI structures. More recently, in 2003, the City Comptroller recommended that the Roosevelt Island Operation Corporation "Abide by its contractual obligations and continue the process after the engineering study to ensure that it stabilizes the Smallpox Hospital," which the RIOC agreed to. And during last fall's Open House New York, tours were able to go inside the hospital.

Via Kevin Walsh of Forgotten New York, which has an extensive section about Roosevelt Island.

Photographs from Roosevelt Island Historical Society

Originally posted by Jen Chung from Gothamist Weekly Favorites, on January 4, 2008 5:30 PM

The last part of this video featuring Conan O'Brien singing The Beastie Boys' Sabotage as Edith Bunker from All in the Family makes me laugh over and over and over.

(link)

Originally posted by jason@kottke.org from kottke.org, on January 4, 2008 5:17 PM

Tomorrow's Schedule:

4:30-7:30pm: Redskins @ Seahawks.

7:00-8:30pm: GOP Debate in NH.

8:00-11:00pm: Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh

8:45-10:15pm: Dem Debate in NH.

10:30pm-1:30am: Post-game analysis by ESPN and MSNBC.

Wow!

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Good People Better Rise Up!, on January 4, 2008 3:59 PM

I'm headed to Kauai (staying in Waimea) for a week of rest and relaxation and need your recommendations for some serious eats! Also curious to hear if anyone has the scoop on the local farmers' markets and what's in season this time of year.

Originally posted by Alaina Browne from Serious Eats: Posts and Comments by Alaina Browne, on January 4, 2008 1:43 PM

I forgot where I first saw this, but I actually spent the five minutes it took to watch the entire video and it really made me laugh. 

So in case you haven't already seen it, here's a video wherein Rich at FourFour proves the hypothesis that Celine Dion is f&%ing amazing:

I think Supporting Point No. 7 is my favorite.  Ah, I love me a true eccentric.

Originally posted by Krissy from art is the new religion, on January 4, 2008 1:15 PM

This piece was written by Transportation Alternatives:

On December 1, 2006, Eric Ng was riding his bike up the Hudson River Greenway. He was on his way to meet friends. He never made it, because a drunk driver named Eugenio Cidron took his life. After leaving a party at Chelsea Piers, Cidron got behind the wheel of his car and drove it on to the Greenway. Eugenio Cidron sped down the Greenway, a car-free path, for a mile at 60 miles per hour, before crashing into Eric Ng and killing him.

A little over a year ago, the government agencies that have something to say or do with the Hudson River Greenway, along with Transportation Alternatives, convened a task force to develop improvements that will reduce conflicts between drivers and Greenway users, but today little has changed on the ground. The Hudson River Greenway was never designed to have high volumes of cars and trucks crossing it. Regardless of whether or not government knew this when the biking and walking path was built, it knows it now and is often guilty of aiding and abetting the increase on driving across the path.

There are over a dozen City, State and Federal government agencies that have some say in what goes on along the Hudson River between Battery Park and 59^th Street, but no one has taken charge. On the Greenway itself, it's a jurisdictional nightmare. The State DOT designed and built the Greenway and continues to be responsible for path redesigns. The City DOT maintains and times the traffic signals along the Greenway. The Hudson River Park Trust maintains the Greenway path. The NYC Parks Department tries to ensure design consistency between this Greenway and the ones it builds and maintains around the boroughs. There are myriad groups, including the City Economic Development Corp, the MTA, the Passenger Ship Terminal, Chelsea Piers and private ferry operators (who often drive buses across the path), that weigh in on the need for driveways across the Greenway.

(more...)

Originally posted by Aaron Naparstek from Streetsblog, on January 4, 2008 12:06 PM

We kinda slacked over break when it came to checking our go-to blogs, so we missed this nugget from Racked: One of our favorite brands that we can almost afford but not quite (which makes it extra-frustrating) A.P.C. is opening up an outlet called A.P.C. Surplus on Grand Street near Kent Avenue sometime in mid-January, most likely on the 11th. We had heard rumors of said shop, and are glad to see them confirmed! According to men.style.com, the shop will "will carry customized vintage military pieces, discounted items from past seasons, and, of course, the line's signature denim products..." Photo of store (the black building on the right) via Racked.com

Originally posted by (author unknown) from PAPERMAG: WORD UP!, on January 4, 2008 11:34 AM

The Economist on the OLPC: "This leads to the final problem that has done the most to disappoint OLPC’s fans: the hubris, arrogance and occasional self-righteousness of OLPC workers. They treated all criticism as enemy fire to be deflected and quashed rather than considered and possibly taken on board." twittered by James

Originally posted by torrez from Andre's Notes, on January 4, 2008 10:45 AM

Last year, Teen Vogue noticed that Mary Kate's favorite vintage tunic had been spun into one of her designs from Elizabeth & James.

Now that same design has landed on Carrie Underwood, prompting the Fug Girls to cry "there are times when the mighty sequin backfires."

But although we think Mary Kate looks more fashion-focused in her own design than Ms. Underwood, there's something to be said for a wholesome, whole-faced Oklahoman strutting around in the same outfit as a favored fashion waif. And she seems to really adore the dress, which is always fun to see in a smile.

So who wore it better?

The American Idol winner, or the girl whose most famous words are "You Got It, Dude" ?

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Fashionista, on January 4, 2008 10:37 AM

Scene: a crowded N train, just before Christmas. A panhandler enters the car--old, dirty, hunched. As the doors close he breaks into song to encourage handouts. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...."

He finishes before the train reaches its next stop, and surveying the situation, he continues. "Sing it with me now.

"If you want my body and you think I'm sexy...."

Originally posted by David Wertheimer from Ideapad, on January 4, 2008 10:23 AM

From Rodcorp's series on how people work, here's author Philip Pullman's workspace and process.

I write three pages every day (one side of the paper only). That's about 1100 words. Then I stop, having made sure to write the first sentence on the next page, so I never have a blank page facing me in the morning.

Pullman used to work in a writing shed but gave it to a friend when he moved on the condition that the friend would pass it along to another writer when he'd finished with it. Pullman's shed reminds me of George Bernard Shaw's rotating writing room.

(link)

Originally posted by jason@kottke.org from kottke.org, on January 4, 2008 9:28 AM

A collection of rap, hip hop, and roller-disco flyers from the 70s and 80s.

(link)

Originally posted by jason@kottke.org from kottke.org, on January 4, 2008 8:31 AM

Someone spliced David Lynch into an iPhone commercial.

Originally posted by torrez from Andre's Notes, on January 4, 2008 8:26 AM

In the wake of her humbling loss to Obama in Iowa yesterday, Hillary is planning to start drawing sharper "contrasts" between herself and the Illinois Senator in the days leading up to next week's New Hampshire primary -- and little by little, details are leaking out about Camp Hillary's evolving strategy.

Here's a quick rundown on what we're learning:

* Hillary aides are reportedly studying whether they can hit Obama on gun control, an issue where Obama has taken a hard line that might turn off some New Hampshire voters.

* Hillary, who isn't know for frequent Q and As with reporters, made herself extensively available to them in New Hampshire today, and quickly made it clear that she would now get serious about "drawing contrasts" with her "leading opponents." This was apparently part of a concerted effort on the Hillary camp's part to prevent Obama from coasting off his Iowa victory.

* Bill Clinton will spend the next five days campaigning for Hillary in New Hampshire, though he had reportedly not planned to.

* In another effort to signal that Camp Hillary would be playing rougher in the days ahead, Hillary also said this today:

"Of all the people running for president, I’ve been the most vetted, the most investigated, and my goodness, the most innocent it turns out."

The one thing that no reporter seems to be able to nail down yet is whether Hillary's "contrast drawing" will include negative ads. The Clinton camp won't rule out their use, but no one's been able to confirm precisely what changes in ad strategy are in the cards.

Originally posted by Greg Sargent from TPM Election Central, on January 4, 2008 8:10 AM

Um, he’d be called a Fundu?

Originally posted by Administrator from Turbanhead, on January 4, 2008 8:05 AM

Portraits of cyclists killed on the streets of New York, Eric Ng, Keith Powell, Andre Anderson, and Carl Nacht by artist Christopher Cardinale.

Yesterday was the sentencing for Eugenio Cidron, the driver who killed bicyclist Eric Ng on the Hudson River Greenway thirteen months ago and pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in November.

Leaving the courtroom after the sentencing, I was approached by Cidron's family. It wasn't quite what I would have expected. A young woman, perhaps his sister, gently touched my arm while the others looked at me with moist eyes and told me how sorry they were for my loss.

I took their hands one by one and said I wasn't actually a friend of the victim; I was there because, like him, I ride a bike in New York. They nodded and said they understood. We clasped hands again and went our separate ways down the corridor to the elevator and out of State Supreme Court.

Inside, in the presence of half-a-dozen armed court officers, a handful of reporters and twenty spectators -- half there for the victim's sake, half for the killer's -- Cidron had received an "indeterminate sentence" of 3½ to 10½ years, the range specified in his plea bargain.

Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal recited the by-now familiar facts. On the evening of Dec. 1, 2006, Cidron left an office party at Chelsea Piers, steered his silver BMW onto the Greenway, where motor vehicles are forbidden, and drove south for a mile until he smashed head-on into cyclist Eric Ng. Just 22 years old, Ng was "vibrant and kind," a recent college grad, a teacher, and his mother's "angel," according to a letter Mrs. Ng wrote to Cidron after the fatal crash.

A few facts were new: Cidron had driven alongside the Greenway on adjacent West Street "a hundred times," indicating that he should have known where he was before he encountered Eric coming from the opposite direction. And he was traveling at 60 miles an hour, according to the NYPD Accident Investigation Squad.

(more...)

Originally posted by Charles Komanoff from Streetsblog, on January 4, 2008 7:53 AM

I love this speech because he says, "Give it for Michelle." Give it up for ... I can not believe that he said that. I am really happy but cautiously so. Iowa is just the beginning of a long, long journey.

Originally posted by Angela Tucker from tuckergurl, on January 4, 2008 6:52 AM

Thomas Keller, in his on going quest to get promoted to God, is making some improvements to Bouchon: "...the space that was once the outdoor seating area for the bakery is now the scene of the Bouchon kitchen's expansion. Quoth our man on the scene, "I believe they are adding walk-in refrig and freezer and redoing the bathrooms. This will give them more workspace in the kitchen." Bouchon is still open but will reportedly close for a week sometime in the next month." [Eater SF]

Originally posted by BL from Eater, on January 4, 2008 6:10 AM

With her unhinged characters and uncanny timing, scene-stealing comic Kristen Wiig is this season's Saturday Night Live standout. But what's she like when she lets her hair down? In this extended interview from Radar's February issue, Andrew Goldberg finds out

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Radar Online Features, on January 4, 2008 5:15 AM

Serious Eats Mobile, the miniaturized, portable version of the food blog you love, now supports commenting on the go. Simply point your mobile device (iPhone, iPod Touch, or Opera Mini highly recommended) to mobile.seriouseats.com and log in using your Serious Eats account. Comment away!

Note: The mobile site is still in beta, so please alert us to any bugs you might find at feedback@seriouseats.com. We now continue your regularly scheduled programming.

Originally posted by raphael from Serious Eats: Main, on January 4, 2008 5:15 AM

Bar Boulud, Daniel Boulud's new restaurant and charcuterie palace on the Upper West Side, will open to the public on January 8, according to officials at the restaurant. (Recall that it is not yet open at present). Resy line: 212-595-0303. [EaterWire]

Originally posted by BL from Eater, on January 4, 2008 4:59 AM

"Hello Faran the Fashioinsta.com Staff, I just recieved a internship with Harper Bazaar, I would like to know do you guys know anything juicy like crazy editors or assistants that I might need to be aware of? Thanks." --Yesterday's favorite, and misspelled, comment from the boards... and no darling, everyone we know at HB is pretty cool.</blockquote

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Fashionista, on January 4, 2008 4:28 AM

This is the fourth of five predictions for 2008, expanded from the short form generated on short notice as described here.

Prediction

The short version:

PHP will remain popular but its growth will slow, as people get nervous about its maintainability and security stories.

Ambivalent, that’s me; I totally have a love/hate relationship with PHP.

Yes, ...

It’s enabled huge numbers of people to create decent Web sites without having to learn too much or try too hard; a very good thing. Also, it runs pretty fast. Plus, it’s been used to build some of the most instructive and useful apps out there, like MediaWiki and WordPress.

So I totally think PHP has earned its huge community and thriving ecosystem fair and square; good on it.

... and No

On the other hand, speaking as an actual computer programmer, I really dislike PHP. I find it ugly and un-modular and there’s something about it that encourages people to write horrible code. We’re talking serious maintainability pain.

Also, I observe a certain amount of tension involving the community and Zend. Symptoms may be observed, among other places, at hardened-php.net. I was going to drop in a wry comment about the elusiveness of “The PHP Group” who own all the copyrights and so on, and just now failed to find a pointer to the page which lists them (I know it exists, I’ve seen it), so I guess that’s self-referentially wry enough. And you have to raise your eyebrows over the course of the transition from PHP4 to PHP5.

Finally, some recent hands-on experience: a big project I’m peripherally involved with needed to include an outward-facing Wiki, and I suggested that MediaWiki was damn good stuff. They put in quite a bit of work and failed to get MW to integrate with the rest of the system. Yes, it’s a good wiki, but it shouldn’t have been that hard to make it play nice with others, and I got the impression that the PHP-ness of it was a big part of the problem.

I Could Be Wrong

At the 2006 Zend conference, Andi or Zev (I forget which) took a question about Rails and said “Ruby is appropriate for computer-science-loving people who have a puristic attitude.” Maybe that’s all there is to it.

Under My Sun Hat

I think we need to do a much better job of supporting PHP natively in Solaris and NetBeans and so on up and down the stack. But at the same time, I can’t honestly encourage people to use it for building anything new.

And I think I’m far from alone in that impression.

Originally posted by (author unknown) from ongoing, on January 3, 2008 11:00 PM

Long time readers of this blog know that I have something of an obsessive relationship with snow, a product of a largely snowless childhood in a hot corner of Texas. Simply put I love snow. It makes me a little bit crazy, so I guess I was predisposed to be a fan of Lisa Robinson’s Snowbound, photographs taken over several years of snows. Her landscapes remind us of the thrill of being the first to tread on new snow and the wonder of discovering a world made new. The understated images achieve power through subtlety which is a hard trick indeed given the challenges of shooting and of printing such images.

This work deserves to be seen in person as digital files viewed on screen don’t do the prints justice, so make the trek over to DUMBO and check out the show at the Klompching Gallery, it’s up through February 29th.

If aren’t in the New York area, Robinson’s book of the same title was cited by PhotoEye editor and photobook connoisseur Darius Himes as one of his favorite photobooks of 2007.

Tangential: And while we’re on the subject of snow and photography why not re-read Alec Soth’s snow-tagged posts. Of all the blogs that have come and gone over the years, his is the one I miss reading the most.

Filed under: photographers
Tags: photography, snow

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Heading East, on January 3, 2008 9:35 PM

So if this headline is correct then one of the sources for this supposed "special dispensation" that Verrone and the WGA gave Jay is -- wait for it -- NBC.

Thank goodness NBC is bringing us trustworthy and unbiased information about what's REALLY going on between the WGA and Jay Leno.

Not.

Look, guys, let's face it: who's the one party in this situation who has something to gain from writers

Originally posted by Laeta Kalogridis from United Hollywood, on January 3, 2008 4:23 PM

Deadline Hollywood Daily has put up a story that Jay Leno has been given a special dispensation by the WGA, or "pass," to write his monologues for his show.

It's not true.

We've spoken to our WGA sources, and here's what we have: The Guild talked on the phone with Jay today. They discussed the strike rules and how they apply to him. As a WGA member, he can't write anything, including monologues

Originally posted by Laeta Kalogridis from United Hollywood, on January 3, 2008 4:15 PM

Last week everyone from writers on the picket line to bored couch potatoes were abuzz with news that the late night heavyweights would be returning with all new shows. Last night was the big night (Letterman, O'Brien, Kimmel, Ferguson and Leno all returned), and both Conan O'Brien and David Letterman took the stage showing solidarity with strike beards intact. Letterman threatened to shave his later on Conan's show, saying that he'd probably be helping his New York late night pal out since he's returned sans writers.

For those keeping score, the WGA has been on strike since November 5th, with late night airing reruns immediately. While Letterman was able to work out a deal with the writers independently through his WorldWide Pants Corp. (which includes Craig Ferguson), it's unsure how long the strike will last and how it will affect regular programming (the one in the 1980s lasted over 5 months). Here's the opening monologue (including a Hillary Clinton cameo) from Letterman's show last night (all videos after the jump):

Later, as Letterman held up a pair of electric underpants, the Late Show "strike captain" interrupted and addressed "the arrogant media moguls," saying: "stop spending all your money on cufflinks, cocktails and whores...and start bargaining in good faith with the writers. Maybe then America won't be denied the joy of seeing David Letterman hold up a pair of flaming underpants." Later in the night a troupe of striking writers from other shows (ranging from The Colbert Report to Law & Order) delivered the Top 10 List (pictured below is a Conan writer with #2).

Over on ABC and NBC, Kimmel, Leno and Conan were without their writing staff and delivered more off-kilter shows. In their opening monologues Leno (who broke the rules) stated that “There are more people picketing NBC than watching NBC,” whereas Conan found ways to draw attention to the lack of scribes by improvising (spinning his wedding ring on his desk for 36 seconds). They were both picketed yesterday at their respective studios (something Kimmel addressed), but The NY Times reports that "in both cases, the protesters took pains to emphasize that their quarrel was with NBC and its parent company, General Electric, and not the hosts themselves."

The Guild will also be monitoring the content on the shows who have not yet reached a deal, and are attempting to stop guests from appearing on them. Guests (WGA affiliated and otherwise) to appear last night included Robin Williams (who didn't cross because he appeared on Letterman), Bob Saget, Emeril Lagasse and Mike Huckabee (who totally doesn't understand the strike).

The future is still uncertain, but next week will bring the return of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who have both been trying to reach an interim agreement similar to the one Letterman has. And as for those Golden Globes, they're fast approaching and currently hanging in the balance.

Originally posted by Jen Carlson from Gothamist Weekly Favorites, on January 3, 2008 3:36 PM

The initial news of the legendary 2nd Avenue Deli’s reincarnation led us to stockpile Lipitor as visions of pastrami, chopped liver and gribenes danced through our heads. And when we feasted our eyes on the sneak preview of this fresser’s paradise, we could hardly wait to go and devour more of the menu.

Even though it’s been open for a little more than a week, Gothamist paused to recover from holiday feasting before hitting the deli’s new digs around the corner from Yeshiva University. Truth be told, our period of self-imposed restraint was remarkably brief. On the blustery day after Christmas we queued up behind 20 people on a line that stretched toward the corner of Third Ave. and 33 St.

We were joined by Hill Country pitmaster Robbie Richter, best known as the man behind the city’s most succulent brisket. In addition to being well-versed in the smoky arts of Texas ’cue, Richter is no stranger to savory deli delights thanks to growing up Jewish in Rego Park. A platter of triangular slices of rye bread schmeared with chopped liver being passed down the line, brightened the mood of the waiting throng. We’re still not sure whether this nosh was designed to sell chopped liver or prevent a riot.
Trying such deli standbys as a pastrami sandwich, matzoh ball soup and a more substantial portion of the ethereal chopped liver was a given, but what we really craved were gribenes, or crunchy fried chicken skin. We like to think of it as kosher crackling. Richter was also quite eager to nosh on this fried treat that owner Jeremy Lebewohl offers diners as soon as they’re seated. We’re not sure if there’s a Yiddish word for amuse bouche, but one thing is certain, there was no chicken skin to be had that afternoon.

Our chicken skin sadness was momentarily dispelled by tucking into an app of chopped liver and slurping down a matzoh ball soup whose central player was among the lightest we’ve ever had.The hefty pastrami sandwich brightened our spirits, but our jones for crispy chicken skin lingered. Warm buttery cinnamon rugelach made us forget about the elusive kosher crackling. That is until Jeremy Lebewohl approached, and we asked him what gives with the gribenes. Seems his purveyor wasn’t prepared for such an unprecedented demand for chicken dermis. Lebewohl says the deli fried up more than a thousand pounds of the stuff in its first week of business. He did assure us that he was working to remedy the situation and promised us a quart of crunchy chicken skin our next visit. While Gothamist would never hold him to this generous offer, we were heartened to learn that Lebowohl's deli take on the amuse bouche was back on offer as of today.

For some reason Gothamist thinks the 2nd Avenue Deli won't have the same problem meeting the demand for calves' feet. They’re the key ingredient in a decidedly old-school app called ptcha, a cold gelatinous concoction mixed with spices that resembles head cheese. Since the deli's open 24 hours, Gothamist might have to see if a combination of gribenes and ptcha wards off hangovers. Richter told us he'll pass on the ptcha.

2nd Avenue Deli, 162 E. 33rd St., 212 689-9000

Originally posted by Joe DiStefano from Gothamist Weekly Favorites, on January 3, 2008 3:33 PM

The Village Voice's Robert Sietsema gives recommendations on where to eat in Jersey City's Little India, an area that "has bloomed like a rosewater lassi, so that now the thoroughfare and surrounding streets form a South Asian business district more impressive than either Jackson Heights or Iselin, New Jersey."

Originally posted by Robyn Lee from Serious Eats: Main, on January 3, 2008 2:30 PM

With The Wire final season premiere approaching rapidly (the episode is already on HBO OnDemand and the first two are on BitTorrent), news outlets everywhere are covering and reviewing the show. My favorite article -- because it's something different and critical for a change -- is a profile of David Simon by Mark Bowden in the Atlantic Monthly. He starts out slow with a comparison of fiction and nonfiction in telling stories:

Fiction can explain things that journalism cannot. It allows you to enter the lives and motivations of characters with far more intimacy than is typically possible in nonfiction. In the case of The Wire, fiction allows you to wander around inside a violent, criminal subculture, and inside an entrenched official bureaucracy, in a way that most reporters can only dream about. And it frees you from concerns about libel and cruelty. It frees you to be unfair.

But then you get to the part describing Simon's vindictiveness and how it has shaped him, which adds some depth to the earlier fiction/nonfiction comparison. Worth a read.

Also of note is that the full text of The Believer conversation between Simon and Nick Hornby has been put online.

(link)

Originally posted by jason@kottke.org from kottke.org, on January 3, 2008 11:33 AM

Madison Avenue is hot and heavy for the pink dollar. In this extended gallery from Radar's February issue, we find out what exactly they're trying to sell

Originally posted by (author unknown) from Radar Online Features, on January 3, 2008 11:09 AM

Well, a Happy New Year to you!

I'm sitting here looking back on a full year of blog posts (warning, big) trying to make sense of 2007. Here's what I've been up to, in chronological order and ultracondensed form:

Oakland Crime

I hurt my back at the end of 2006, and by winter I found myself in full-on convalescent mode. It was bad: I slept on the hard floor for almost two months, could barely walk, etc. etc. To take my mind off the pain and give myself something to do, I started poking at the City of Oakland's CrimeWatch website, a classically-user-hostile government "service" displaying up-to-date, mapped crime reports. I found I was able to dissect the site, extracting details of individual crime reports for use in an improved map services. In August, we took the initial collecting and organizing work I had done in my spare time, and turned it into an actual Stamen research project called Oakland Crimespotting. Our site had a number of interface improvements to the original, and