Interesting Article About my Favorite Night of Television

Finally!  Read this amazing piece of analysis of NBC's thursday night line-up by Alyssa Rosenberg called "My Job is Driving me Crazy!"  It rightly notes what I've been thinking about the shift from the annoying 90's sitcoms that I fucking hated about stupid Manhattan yuppies like Seinfeld, Mad About You, Friends, Frasier (he's in Seattle, I know, but it's the bourgy part!) etc. to the awesomeness that is NBC's thursdays since 2006.  Shows like My Name is Earl, 30 Rock, and my all-time favorite, The Office, that deal with the day-to-day of working people (or in Earl's case underemployed).  Anyways, Rosenberg makes a great argument about how the aforementioned shows reflect American worker's dissatisfaction with their jobs and how work is central to the character's lives and the shows in general, as opposed to the affluent lives of the characters in the 90's sitcoms where work was in the background of the characters and they seemed fulfilled with their careers.  Anyways, a great, interesting read that y'all should definitely check out.

Some Post Election Thoughts, Part 1

I just have to say that tuesday night was really a night to remember and have not experienced much like it in my life.  I'm well aware of the limitations of an Obama presidency, but there is no denying his election marked an historic moment in U.S. history.  In a nation built on slavery and Jim Crow and that's had a post-civil rights era that's seen the more dramatic examples of "silent majorities", anti-busing riots, Hurricane Katrina's, Jena's, and Sarah Palin audiences, we elected our first African American president.  Now, racism is far from over, but what a devastating blow to it!  I had to pinch myself.  

One of the more amazing events of the night are the mass, spontaneous celebrations that followed.  Again - I have never witnessed anything like it in my life.  The excitement over this historic election and the end of the Reagan era was truly inspiring.  Here in Santa Cruz, massive amounts of folks were celebrating in the streets with a constant parade of cars driving down Pacific Ave, honking and cheering.  I really felt like I was part of history, and that we are (hopefully) about to embark on an exciting time of progressive political engagement in America.  If this is not a mandate for far-reaching change, I don't know what is, and I will speak more to this later but I must get ready for to go to my horror film class.

Also, unfortunately, the assholes in Ca came out in droves and passed prop 8 - but I hear there's still a fight ahead so *fingers crossed* and I'm ready to do my part to revoke this discriminatory policy.  Seriously, who would vote for this shit? So let down.

Better days to come!

in solidarity,

-Steve

Sweet

Sweet victory.  America has elected its first black president.  I know we have a long, long way to go, but I feel pretty amazing right now.  Let's keep moving this country forward.

in solidarity,

-Steve

RIP Studs Terkel (1912-2008)

Studs Terkel died this past friday and as a leftist, a history major, and an American this comes as a great loss.  His voice and his work is needed now more than ever.  I've posted Roger Ebert's article and a video from Michael Moore's, The Big One - two of my all-time favorite people reflecting on Studs, as well as Anthony Arnove's article that is less personal and deals greatly with Terkel's social and political life, work and legacy.

To Studs: With Love and Memories - Roger Ebert

A Chronicler of our Side - Anthony Arnove