"Just because they are for Jesus, doesn't mean I can trust them."

Here's the story of an immigrant woman from Uganda who was hired under the table by "devout Baptist"(and Republican) Texas Representative Talmadge Heflin. Mariam Katamba worked in the household for $100 a week--mighty white of them. She also was allowed to keep her infant son, Fidel, in the house with her, so she could be with him while she worked. Turns out, however, the Heflin's were more interested in the son than in Mariam or her employment. They began calling him "Jude" and tried to squeeze mom out of the picture, holding her illegal status over her and trumping up charges to gain custody. The Teflons finally backed off in court when Rep Tal began getting bad publicity. Not good for the Party, you know?

Ahhh! I feel the rosy warmth of moral, Christian Republican goodness all the way up here in the Northeast (and believe it we need it just now.) Smugness, hypocrisy, and conformity bundled up in one--brr!--warm embrace. Sing with me! Na Na Na NaNaNaNa NaNaNaNa

Gigs

Two gigs:

Tonight, Friday, November 6:
St James Pub. Fall River, MA. Purchase St. 508-672-6951.
SMOKE FREE!

Friday, November 26:
Blackthorne Tavern. S. Easton, MA. Rte 138 (Turnpike St.) 508-238-9017.
SMOKE FREE. GREAT BEER SELECTION!

Cool Abroad

I have blogged about the concept of Terminal Cool here.

In brief: The term Terminal Cool struck me as a way of describing the phenomenon of coolness or hipness in the American character and its consequences. It struck me first while I was in college and my previous blog really presented the issue of coolness, in dress, language, behavior, as being primarily a phenomenon of adolescence and young adulthood. Nothing new here.

However, I think American popular culture's preoccupation with cool explains some trends in the American character at any age, and especially in the American behavior in intercultural encounters. I further think coolness is America's single biggest export. Music, cigarettes, dress, movies and the general assault of American culture on the world, so loathed for example by the French (The French! says the citizen. Set of dancing masters! Do you know what it is?
They were never worth a roasted fart . . .) (Joyce, Ulysses, Cylcops)

AND, I further further think Coolness is a terminal pose that deadens emotional response, human interaction, and intellectual expression. Here's how . . .