Let's Leave This To The Pros, Shall We?

Just how little do we know about the ins and outs of Brooklyn politics? Enough that we should have seen this turkey coming. Fortunately, all is well in the universe, and Tish James, the reliably non-stadium candidate, came stonking home in the recent primary. Hoorah. Blackwell was, apparently, a vile stooge, and must depart whence he came.

And this just cropped up on our RSS. From tha Pundsta:

[Cliff May chap: The New Orleans death toll was] much less than the more than 35,000 killed by a heat wave in Europe two summers ago. You recall the debate that set off about European heartlessness, racism and discrimination? No, neither do I.

[Pundy] Me neither.

Oh dear. Need we explain that the European heatwave did indeed set off all sorts of self-doubt and self-examination amongst Europeans about their response? But there was no talk of discrimination, since the only discrimination was done by the heatwave, which largely afflicted the elderly without access to air conditioning. A huge death toll, nonetheless, and one that did indeed expose, much as Katrina did, a shocking lack of preparation and competence on the part of European governments. What it didn't do was expose any pre-existing discrimination, or heartlessness, because they weren't factors.

Starting to agree with the slightly shrill Mr. Gilliard that the conservatives' relentless xenophobia might having noticeable effects. We were, ashamed to say, slightly contemptuous of some of the young Americans we met back when we lived in London. That was the ale, inexperience, and a pointlessly expensive education talking. The cabbies back then were usually more pleasant to Americans. The ones in Finland these days however, seem to think it's open season on Americans. Can't say we heard much in the way of complimentary language about Americans from the London cabbies we spoke to last week, either.

Still, there is something that we all can agree on, hipsticles exempted, and that is that it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and we wish you the best of it, me old maties.