The Unemployment Cafe

My new short cartoon, "The Namedropper," is dedicated to all the namedroppers of the world!**

2009-11-09T21:16:00.000-05:00

***You know who you are!

Quote of the Day - John Dean, former White House counsel to President Richard Nixon

2009-11-08T01:18:00.001-05:00

"Many conservatives, particularly those who are clearly authoritarians, are not aware of their illogical, contradictory, and hypocritical thinking. If made cognizant of it, they either rationalize it away, neglect to care, or attack those who reveal their human weaknesses. Because such thinking seems to be a reality of contemporary conservatism, anyone operating from a logical mind or has the inclination toward a reasoned judgment will have a problem with this."

-John Dean, Conservatives Without Conscience

What kind of person would you be if you never watched 'Sesame Street'?

2009-11-06T04:13:00.000-05:00

I don't think I would like myself very much!
Seriously, who cares about awards? You aren't a superstar until you've done 'Sesame Street.'

Happy 40th to 'Sesame Street!'

The Alligator King (A MAJOR FAVE!)

Why do I get the feeling the US military would rather recruit the obese and dumb than anyone who ...

2009-11-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

is openly gay:

The latest Army statistics show a stunning 75 percent of military-age youth are ineligible to join the military because they are overweight, can't pass entrance exams, have dropped out of high school or had run-ins with the law.

So many young people between the prime recruiting ages of 17 and 24 cannot meet minimum standards that a group of retired military leaders is calling for more investment in early childhood education to combat the insidious effects of junk food and inadequate education. "We've never had this problem of young people being obese like we have today," said Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Also, isn't it funny how the military wants to fund early childhood education NOW because they don't have enough people to provide cannon fodder? SMH.

Hat Tip: The Daily Dish

Quote of the Day...

2009-11-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

"...Imagine what would happen if you could have any job you wanted without worrying about needing health care.”

-Nancy Pelosi, Why Is Nancy Pelosi Always Smiling?, New York Magazine

UPDATE -- Introducing the Judge #KeithBardwell T-Shirt!

2009-10-17T15:30:00.002-04:00

Get your 'I'm not a racist...' t-shirt. Why not make money from an unabashed bigot? 50% of the profits from the sales will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

US mixed race couple denied marriage license [The Guardian]

And the Judge did an interview with The Early Show! He's kinda sad looking. But still a bigot!

Healthcare Reform, Uncovered: What's At Stake For You?, October 21 webinar

2009-10-14T20:39:00.000-04:00

Heather Smith, president of Rock the Vote, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius are the featured panelists for a national online event to discuss and answer questions about healthcare reform.

Participants will have a chance to post questions and share their ideas about the current state of health care and what needs to change.

Sexy Love Scene of the Day - Out Of Sight (Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney)

2009-10-14T00:52:00.000-04:00

The Week Ahead @ The Unemployment Cafe...

2009-10-13T20:55:00.003-04:00

Ever have such a jam packed weekend that it takes you until Tuesday afternoon to recover? I am recovering from hanging out at Yankee Stadium (major beer and sausage fest), inhaling pizza and artichoke salad at Saraghina and dancing the night away at a really fun and beautiful wedding (sans vomiting)!

But now it's time to check out the week ahead for adventures and insight....

October 13
Raandesk Gallery ART2Gift™ raffle kick off
ART2Gift™ is an exclusive service from Raandesk Gallery to help take the guess work out of shopping. We have created a collection of original works of art from our artists to assist the ART2Gift program by pre-selecting a collection of original artworks--paintings, photographs, drawings and mixed media works--that are priced between $35 and $500. The raffle features prizes from Raandesk Gallery, Fresh Spa, Cheeky Living, My Name is Photo and Katie-James.

October 14
Umi Nom
A new restaurant on DeKalb Avenue with finger licking good Filipino inspired dishes. I refuse to use the phrase 'fusion' because it sounds like a BS marketing term. Favorite dish: Pork Belly Adobo.

October 15
A Look at Education and Economic Development: Conversations with NYC Mayoral Candidates
6:30pm @ The Puck Building
In line with the Wagner Policy Alliance’s 2009 –2010 theme, “Poverty in the United States: A Plurality of Perspectives”, the WPA will provide the 2009 NYC Mayoral candidates with an opportunity to express their views and proposed policies concerning the poor.
***I wish I could go to hear what Mayor Bloomberg has to say.

October 16
Fashion and Politics exhibition
On first thought, exploring the connection between fashion and politics may seem like an ideological stretch but I do remember with clarity what Jacqueline Kennedy wore the day her husband was shot. The image of her wearing her blood crusted pink Chanel suit while standing beside Lyndon Johnson as he was being sworn in has never left me. And neither has Nancy Reagan's opulent Scaasi dresses!

October 17
Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra
9pm @ BAM
Free
***I have never heard them in my life and that's why I'm so intrigued.

October 18
Mad Men
10 pm on AMC

Song of the Day - Chick Corea 'La Fiesta'

2009-10-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

Wood Harris is my other boyfriend in my head.

2009-10-13T01:32:00.000-04:00

'Then you look at the Republican Party: Here are people that are so out of touch with reality that it could be screamingly funny if it weren’t so dangerous.'

2009-10-08T19:19:00.000-04:00

Interview of the Day with John Cleese (via nymag.com)

Do you run into this in comedy?

You find this particularly with scripts. I wrote a really good script for Disney, and the woman in charge wanted to make changes which were completely and utterly wrong. She had the confidence of the truly stupid. Then you look at the Republican Party: Here are people that are so out of touch with reality that it could be screamingly funny if it weren’t so dangerous.

As politics gets more childish, does satire get harder for you?
Yes. Take Sarah Palin — so many Republicans love her. I suddenly realized that in order to actually understand that someone is not very bright — or to be brutal, that they’re rather stupid — you really have to be more intelligent than them. Most Republicans aren’t smarter than Sarah Palin. It’s true.

If there is no hope, you must not trust Obama.
No, I have real hope for Obama, because I think without the slightest doubt he is operating from a considerably higher level of mental health than we’re used to in our politicians. I think that’s what frightens the shit out of Republicans. Because if you put very mad people in a room with very sane people the mad people start feeling madder, do you see what I mean? Whereas, if you put mad people in together — if you put the Gestapo in together — they’re all sort of reinforcing each other’s madness and everyone’s happy.

The NY Times article on the First Lady's family history reminds me....

2009-10-08T02:19:00.002-04:00

of the Prince song 'Family Name.'

'Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief'

2009-10-07T03:48:00.000-04:00

I borrowed Mr. Beer's iPod and discovered that he's a Crowded House fan. It was the first cassette I ever bought!

Scribblin' at the Automat, a play imagining a conversation between James Baldwin and Richard Avedon!

2009-10-05T23:46:00.000-04:00

Tonight on Flatbush Avenue near Applebee's, I saw a collection of colorful drawings occupying the space of a now empty card shop. At first, I thought it was a gallery show brightening the space but no. It's the setting for the play Scribblin' at the Automat by Arthvr Alleyne. The play imagines a conversation between Richard Avedon and James Baldwin. I stopped reading any more details because I want to see the play and prefer to be surprised!

Song of the Day - Player 'Baby Come Back'

2009-10-05T02:04:00.000-04:00

The Week Ahead...

2009-10-04T21:07:00.000-04:00

A listing of events for October 5-10, 2009:

October 5
New School Jazz Alumni Jazz Session
7pm
The Jazz Gallery

October 6
Job Seekers Career Resources: Vault and Wet Feet
1:15pm
NYPL - Science Industry and Business Library

October 7
Information Session: NYU-SCPS Graduate Programs
An Information Session to learn about the comprehensive professional curricula, admission requirements, and financial aid opportunities for the graduate degree programs at NYU-SCPS.
6-8pm
American Management Association

October 8
Students Applying to Graduate Schools - Inside Tips
Law school, MBA, Master's programs, and PhD programs will be covered.
12:45-1:45pm
Baruch College

October 9
Liquid Courage
Liquid Courage is a Sketch show like no other. Anyone can submit a sketch and perform it at this show. Sketches will be picked on a first come first served basis. The show will run as long as sketches are presented.
Midnight
UCB Theater

October 10
Brand Nubian
10pm
Sputnik

TONIGHT - Local filmmakers night at Red Horse Cafe in Park Slope...

2009-10-02T00:28:00.000-04:00

featuring WHY WE WAX, a comedic doc about the hair...'down there.' If you are in Brooklyn, stop by around 7 p.m for a night of cocktails and short films.

Song of the Day - 'Whoever You Are' Geggy Tah

2009-10-01T11:37:00.000-04:00

Dance music.

Video of the Day - Rep. Grayson on 'The Rachel Maddow Show'

2009-10-01T09:39:00.000-04:00

Grayson Slams GOP Again - The Daily Beast

Yes, call out these 'foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals.'

It's not name calling when its the truth!

In light of the Derrion Albert murder, I'm reposting a post from December 2006 entitled 'Not In My Backyard, Either'

2009-09-30T01:43:00.000-04:00

From the hollers of West Virginia to the South Side of Chicago to Dunbar Village in Florida, America is in crisis. Communities need around the clock support if they are to survive. Otherwise, it's over.

-----

Not in My Backyard, Either....

RockStar sent me the link to Debra Dickerson's essay on Salon.com and it won't let me go. The essay details Dickerson's frustrations when a poor family of eight moves into her middle class neighborhood.

If you haven't read it, please do. The following sections stay with me:

I took them with us to the park, to baseball games, and to most of the cultural events my family attended. Their mother always said yes before I could even finish the offer and never wrote down my offered cellphone number. Before I accepted that Sam's Club's offerings were more than my small family could efficiently consume, I took a chance on sharing my extras with "Mary" and she gratefully accepted. So gratefully that, before long, she was sending the kids over with requests: "Mama say we need sugar." I sent over a 5-pound bag. A week later: "Mama say we need sugar." "Mama say we need orange juice." "Mama say, we hungry." Each request came complete with prolonged, drug-bust-style banging on my window though the doorbell is brightly illuminated. "Mama say we need meat." "No, she say we need four rolls of toilet paper. And soap." "You don't got no sour cream chips?

****

They insisted on equal access to my kids' bikes and toys; I'd come home to find them playing on my porch and in my backyard, asking when dinner was. They strew their garbage everywhere like birds molting feathers; Mary would wave at me from her filthy couch when I couldn't stand the trash in her yard anymore and would pick it up. I offered to pay her teenagers $10 an hour to do yard work but "it's too hot." Just as well, because when one finally accepted the offer, he quit after an hour and left my lawn mower and supplies where he dropped them, without a word to me. Last Fourth of July, they were in the backyard blowup pool with my kids from 8 a.m. til 8 p.m. I gave them breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. When I sent them home for towels, they came back with ragged sheets and grimy curtains to dry off with. Never a sighting of Mom. As I forced them to go home so we could all get some sleep, I decided I'd had enough.

If I'd wanted nine kids, I'd have had nine kids.

I remained friendly, but I disengaged. No more donations, no more trips. Just a friendly neighbor, no more a resource. No more surrogate mom.

Ms. Dickerson is getting all kinds of hell for the essay. (I have a sneaking feeling that those same people would lose their minds if 'Mary' and her brood showed up as their neighbors. Maybe I'm wrong.) Readers don't understand how she could not have more empathy and humanity for the struggles of this family.

It's not Dickerson's purpose to be more invested in the survival of her neighbor's family than her neighbor. It's not Dickerson's job to make sure those seven kids are fed, clean and dressed and show up ready for life. That's their Mama's job. Daddy's too. To my sleep deprived mind, it's not even the teachers and social services job, anymore. But since Ms. Dickerson's neighbor has decided to outsource her parenting role (I know, I know upper middle class and wealthy parents call this hiring a nanny or au pair) and the social services monitoring from afar isn't working, has anyone thought of maybe having full time staff living with poor and lower middle class families?

Let's start with a nutritionist. Then a psychologist for weekly counseling sessions. A tutor. A job coach. A personal trainer. A parenting coach. A financial consultant.

Go ahead laugh at me. I'm advocating an entourage for poor and lower middle class families to provide them with access to resources that so many of us take forgranted.

I wish there were one altruistic American millionaire or billionaire to consider creating a private program like this.

----

For an eloquent, thoughtful response on the Derrion Albert murder, check out Ta-Nehisi Coates' commentary, The Limits of Compassion.

Song of the Day - Aretha Franklin 'Angel'

2009-09-28T12:55:00.000-04:00

'He'll be there, now don't you worry.'

Is Rod Blagojevich a sociopath?

2009-09-26T18:11:00.003-04:00

To me, a sociopath is a person without empathy. They are the kind of people who will do anything (lie, cheat and steal) to achieve their goals. And tell themselves that there is nothing wrong with their behavior.

Remember Joe Pesci's character in Goodfellas? He was a sociopath.

Observing a sociopath from a distance is for the best because they will attempt to ensnare all into their bullshit. After watching Rod Blagojevich on The Daily Show, I'm becoming convinced the former Illinois governor definitely qualifies. Sociopaths (and their best buds, psychopaths) fall under the category of antisocial personal disorder. These are the symptoms of the disorder from Psych Central:

failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest
deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure
impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults
reckless disregard for safety of self or others
consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations
lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

I'm having embedding issues but

check out Blagojevich's interview with Jon Stewart.

I vote for yes but know Blagojevich would never agree.

Song of the Day - Wynton Marsalis Septet 'Holy Ghost'

2009-09-25T12:07:00.000-04:00

NY State Senator Hiram Monserrate, you need to plead guilty for assaulting your girlfriend.

2009-09-24T01:47:00.000-04:00

Hiram Monserrate is a former police officer and current State Senator who says he slashed his girlfriend in the face due to a freak accident when he was attempting to bring her a glass of water. The video below documents his actions after the freak accident.

Dude, just resign and do your time.