The JB Random Report 1/28/10

One of the reasons I will never get a Twitter account is that I do not feel the need to update anyone as to what I’m doing every second of the day, and I certainly don’t give a shit what you had for lunch, what movie line you are on, what your bf/gf bought you, or what your kids are doing that is “so cute.”
Once in a while however, I do get a bit reflective, and now I’m afraid, is one of those times…Sunday, me and some guys I worked with at Tower Records when I was a kid, decided to check out an art exhibit at the empty space downtown that once was the greatest record store in the world. It’s called No Longer Empty: Never Can Say Goodbye and it has some really amazing pieces made from vinyl, old magazine covers and surreal album art made from stone tiles. As I walked around all I could feel was the ghost of teenage years past reminding us that yeah, these walls can indeed talk, but we all hear different things. It is that subjective voice that makes our memories truly our own. I miss that place. And the fact that JD Salinger died today doesn’t help my current mood at all.
If you don’t know who he is, then you:

A- Do not have a college degree (which is certainly not a crime, neither did President Harry S. Truman).
B- Live under a rock of non-intellectual Earthly material
C- Are a spineless follower who never rebelled against anything, or never had an original thought about your own life.
D- All of the above.

Either way, if “that book” didn’t change your life, then you never read it.

NEWS & CURRENT EVENTS

Barack Obama did everything he needed to do in the State of the Union address last night. A bit long winded, but effective. He was clear, concise and truthful, something sorely lacking in the previous administration. The priorities were clear, jobs and the economy, but health care reform was left for the end, maybe because he knows how difficult it’s going to be. I really would have liked for him to address the fact that insurance companies have committed crimes against the American public with a bit more forceful language than “stopping insurance company abuse.” There was one phrase in the speech that will really resonate with me for a while. He referred to the last ten years as “The lost decade.” Well I couldn’t agree more, and I realized that a big part of Obama’s appeal is his unique ability to speak to everyone in a language that they not only understand, but identify internally with as well.

Now is it me, or is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi looking more and more like Michael Jackson everyday? Joe Biden reminded me of an old man cheering on his grandson at a pee wee soccer game. It was also nice to see the president acknowledge the Supreme Court Justices, even if it was to criticize (and rightfully so) that recent decision allowing campaign contributions in the form of advertisements from large corporations. This will set a dangerous precedent that will basically allow a corporation to manufacture and buy any candidate they want, (well, I mean now they will be able to do it in the open) but that’s a conversation for another time. Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn’t even know where she was. During one of the many applause interruptions she yelled out “BINGO!” And didn’t Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph look a bit like a shorter version of NBA great Bill Russell?

Republicans are so bitter it’s sad. They hate the fact that, approval ratings aside, this man is actually getting the job done in an efficient, transparent manner, and the only thing obstructing him is them. And how pathetic is it that, for the first time I can remember, a response to the State of the Union address needed a partisan audience so that the speaker can feel better about himself? Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell gave the response on the floor of House of Delegates at the Virginia State Capitol. That’s like Derek Jeter giving the response at Yankee Stadium. Not exactly a rough crowd is it? And did you get anything from the response other than “We all want the same things, we just think we can do it better, but we won’t tell you how because it’s a secret (In other words they have no new ideas)” or “We can’t believe how good this guy is despite all our efforts to discredit him, and we are mad because he doesn’t react to our cheap attacks like Clinton did.”

SPORTS

Gilbert Arenas finally got suspended. Good he is a moron. The only question now is can the Washington Wizards void that $111 million contract of his? Legally, not just yet. If he goes to jail for any length of time they have a shot (no pun intended) but the NBA has no other ruling on this. Either way, his days as a Wizard are over.

Alas, it was not to be, but the J-E-T-S JetsJetsJets!, have a lot to be proud of. I for one was not bothered at all by Rex Ryan and his big mouth, I always said that it gave the team a personality, as did a very good rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez.

THIS WEEK’S REASON WHY TERRORISTS WANNA KILL US

The Jersey Shore. Other than that little chick with huge cans I have no idea who the fuck these people are, and yet I still find myself wishing them death. Actually, I wish them some Salinger and some Jack Kerouac, maybe one of them will grow a brain amongst all those hair products.