The Old Boys Breakfast on North Beach

Caffe Puccini in the morning. These guys looked enough alike to be brothers.

Complex Choices

I don't know what Obama's game plan is, but I am impressed with his seemingly aggressive and broadly inclusive choices. Wouldn't it be wonderful if this country were to get kick-started into some winning ways for everyone?

Throwing in the towel

Last night I watched Paulie Malignaggi take a licking for ten rounds and keep on ticking. Ricky Hatton could put him down, but not out, so in the 11th Round, Paulie's corner threw in the towel. The punched-out pugilist was so far behind in points and strength that his handlers knew that in the last six minutes left in the 12-round fight their fighter could do nothing else in the no-contest but absorb punishment and more injury. It was a truly merciful act of protection by the manager of his franchise.

Which brings me to the L.A. Clippers. Shouldn't Donleavy throw in the towel? There is no reason for the Clippers to embarrass themselves and their fans for another 70 games. And that goes double for Oklahoma City and Washington. Who needs to see dedicated failure shoved in their face for protracted months of meaningless basketball games?

Let's go, NBA. Put these pathetic losers out of their misery.

Obama at the deli

Barack orders the pastrami while one carver pleads for the brisket.

False Pundits

I have to say that I am sick and tired of the news media spending so much of my viewing time analysing and mis-interpreting President Elect Obama's pre-inaugural appointments and cabinet selection process. These ninnies on CNN and MSNBC and elsewhere actually don't know jack about nothing, which does nothing to stop them from non-stop blathering about every move Obama and his appointees make these days. I thought the news media were supposed to present the news, not indulge in over-heated fantasies about what goes on in corridors and offices to which they have not been and should not be admitted. Results is their business, not uneducated, smug and smarmy guesswork.

The Day After

So much for last week's big market rise being due to the expectation of an Obama election victory. Where do we stand today?

Late to the party

My favorite comic book hero is a pseudo-dead guy known as The Spirit. Denny Cole was a very human and fallible force for good in the big city fantasy noir of my youth. He is daring, handsome, healthy and as likely to play the fool to a lovely lady as to smack down with great graphic flourish the worst of the local evil doers.

Frank Miller is bringing his movie view of The Spirit to the big screen this December. I have to confess a certain tremor of the heart as I read about it in today's LA TIMES. The article describes much of the appeal of artist Will Eisner's original creation and its appeal to Miller. Part of my heart tremor was excitement at the anticipation of a movie I have long wanted to see made. Another part was the fear that it wouldn't be any better than Miller's previous films. But I will screen The Spirit early in its run and sincerely hope that the spirit of The Spirit will prevail.