Riders in the Chariot

Behold, I show you a Mystery... In life there are those who accept its limitations and work within them, and there are idealists. You may find the idealists often disguised as cynics or pessimists. Nevertheless, they ride in the chariot, Elijah's Chariot of Fire.

President Hugo Chavez says he is building a more perfect union in Venezuala, but according to Der Spiegel, his subjects are getting restless. Activists in the poorest slums now say no real revolution has actually taken place. From the middle class come bourgeois voices saying that Chavez has had his chance to build his new Jerusalem.

Let's move on: I am fascinated by those in the Bible who for various reasons were given a very special prize by God; they were allowed to go up into Heaven without first having to die. I'll get to the others later, but of them all perhaps Elijah had the most dramatic exit. He went to heaven in a fiery chariot, which God sent to pick him up.

Not only, but also from Der Spiegel: 

Art Stolen by Nazis Found on German 'Antiques Roadshow'

And while I'm at it:

"Man Found Lurking in Toilet Again"--headline, New Hampshire Union-Leader

"Experts Condemn Georgia Man Who Slapped Crying Child in Wal-Mart"

--headline, ABCNews.com

"Goat Wanders Into Nursing Home in the Bronx"--headline, Associated Press

"Libyan Leader Moammar Khadafy to United Nations: Abolish Switzerland!"

--headline, New York Daily News

Bawdy Union in the Square

From an artist called Elbow-Toe, a strange and bawdy image (top) which is visible on a street lamp pole at the northwest corner of Union Square. It is called The Divine Hammer, inspired by Rembrandt's dirty old Monk in the Cornfields (above).

The Manufacturers Apologize to the People of China

Rose Wylie is one of seven finalists in this year's Threadneedle Prize for painting and sculpture.

Wylie was inspired to paint "The Manufacturers," (above) after seeing a photograph (top) on the front page of the New York Times from September 21, 2007, of Thomas A. Debrowski, a Mattel toy company executive, apologizing to Li Changjiang, China's product safety chief, after several mass recalls of unsafe and toxic toys made in China.

“It’s like a bank robber apologizing to his accomplice instead of to the person who was robbed,” Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said at the time.

The Threadneedle Prize winner will be announced on Sept. 14th: anyone can go to the web site and vote for Wylie or one of the six other finalists. The prize is £25,000.

Unfair Is Fare

Entrance to Night Court, 100 Centre Street, NYC

Yesterday was insane, yo! Insane. And I have the cracked ribs and the pain to show for it.

Someone who is vaguely from the subcontinent attacked me Monday evening, poured alcohol (inflammable rubbing, not drinkable drinking) over me and as I tried to get away, kicked me four times in the ribs, then beat up my friend, and when we and 20 (I counted them) police officers caught him five blocks away, he tried to frame me. This is my fourth encounter* with him.

He has been charged with assault. But he won't get much more than a slap on the wrist from my dear friends and old comrades down at -- yes, you again, One Hundred Centre Street, I had hoped not to see you again so soon, and this time I wrote a poem about you, but it's not ready yet.

Expect awful rhyming of "feet" and "street," soon. Thus ends my bleat. I don't tweet.

*To clarify: my four encounters with this person have been by chance. The Fuzz recommended that I get a restraining order. Today I went investigating, and someone else who was menaced by the person in question said they would give me a detailed account. But even if I collect a bunch of stories (I am certain there are many victims), what does one then do with that?

Richard Egan, 1936—2009

Richard Egan had a net worth of approximately $1.3 billion and a really bad attitude. A former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Egan killed himself on August 28th by locking himself in a linen closet at his home in Boston, then shooting himself in the face with a shotgun.

He was appointed ambassador to Ireland in 2001 by President George W. Bush, and was one of the worst Presidential butt-kissers to be cynically handed the Dublin gig, which the White House throws at whichever vaguely-Irish business person has helped the President get elected.

Thus Egan:

The GOP stalwart hosted a bash in June 2003 at his Hopkinton home, featuring then-Vice President Dick Cheney, where Bay State Republicans ponied up $1.4 million to help re-elect former President George W. Bush, who appointed him ambassador to Ireland.

So why do I mention Egan?

While he was Ambassador to Ireland, the Sept. 11th attacks happened. Ambassador Egan went to a Sinn Fein annual convention soon after the attacks. In terms of the nudge-nudge-fudge-wink-blink Irish Peace Process, Egan's presence at the convention meant that although the U.S. was going after terrorists everywhere in its ridiculous "dead-or-alive" costume, the soon-to-be-politicians terrorists of the IRA could rely on an open ear at the White House.

Egan hated Ireland and stayed in the job only 15 months. He was the 'E' in data storage giant EMC. Latterly he suffered from stage IV (terminal) lung cancer. I am sure someone loved him but I think the shabby, quick exit with the shotgun in a linen closet quite fitting for this "GOP stalwart."

A linen closet! Many Americans sleep under bridges.

From Irish Central — genuine Holy Shit

In postings below I noted the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, then the utterly nauseating coverage of his death and funeral from the hideosity that is Irish Central.

Irish Central shocked the world by interviewing a priest, resulting in this winning headline:

"Kennedy 'wanted to go to heaven' says priest who stayed at his bedside"

No doubt. With Kennedy receiving virtually cradle-to-grave coverage in the media, one wondered if Irish Central's "Deep Throat" priest would have any updates from 'the Other Side.' And we have not been disappointed!

Sen. Ted Kennedy speaks from beyond the grave with letter to Pope

Admits he has been 'imperfect' and asks for prayer

Now, I was not raised in the Catholic Church and so may seem ignorant with this question: but once someone has died, isn't it a bit late to be requesting prayer?