The Dumbest Thing I Heard Last Week

Did you catch that? Dana Perino, who was a Press Secretary for the Bush administration, said that there weren't any terror attacks during Bush's term. Nobody calls her out on it, but you can see the gentleman sitting next to her going "Wait. What? Did she just say...? Ooh! Hannity is asking me a question, it's time to keep making the point that Obama is soft on terror."

Her comment caused quite a bit of outrage, and so she clarified on twitter:

Last night on Hannity, I obviously meant no terror attack on U.S. post 9/11 during Bush 2nd term. We have the tools, just need to use them!

Of course! And, really, she's right. Except for that whole biggest-terror-attack-in-the-history-of-the-United-States thing, Bush's presidency was totally terror attack free!

Dana Perino did not misspeak. Of course she didn't mention 9/11, because her statement is absurd when you include all the information:
"We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush's term except for the largest terror attack in the history of the United States."

The reason they're calling the Fort Hood attack a terror attack is so they can use it as an example of a terror attack that Obama missed, as evidence that he is soft on terror. But hearing their brief conversation about what makes it a terror attack as opposed to a random, tragic shooting indicates another motive: they seem to believe that "terrorism" is a synonym for "violence perpetrated by Muslims".

It's still not clear to analysts whether the shooting was motivated by religious dogma and political goals or simply by mental illness. Experts have said both that the shooting was motivated by mental illness, and was much more similar to workplace mass shootings and the Virginia Tech shooting than a terrorist attack, and, alternately, that Hasan was a terrorist acting alone.

Brian Levin, J.D., suggested that the truth may lie somewhere in the middle: "Lone wolf offenders in particular often self-radicalize from a volatile mix of personal distress, psychological issues, and an ideology that can be sculpted to justify and explain their anti-social leanings."

Evidence is mounting that Hasan's co-workers and peers missed many warning signs that this sort of behavior may have been coming. But after violence like this, all sorts of anecdotal evidence comes out, and everyone shakes their heads and wonders: 'How could we have missed it?' Everyone goes through periods of antisocial behavior, everyone has hard times. Hasan had recently lost both of his parents and was counseling soldiers he believed were war criminals. If my friends turned me in for every crazy thing I said, I'd have been in jail a long time ago. And if I reported them, I wouldn't have any friends left. It's a big step from dark thoughts and hard times to mass murder.

You can argue that Barack Obama and his policies are soft on terror, and that as a result of his policies, key personnel didn't act to stop this crime before it happened. But if your argument only sounds persuasive if you neglect to mention 9/11, you need a new argument.

Scheherezade of Pain

When I was little, and had to get tested for allergies with ten needles stuck in each arm, my dad would distract me from the pain by telling me stories. I would be staring down at needles in my arms while he would hold my hand and tell me about Patans (stupid, but kind), King Pasha and his Vizier Jafar (one was wise, the other foolish), he would tell me about animals living lives like us, palaces made of bird feathers, worlds away from pain.
Today, my arabic teacher told me a story, while I was wailing and crying, thinking what could I have done to deserve this? If you are in pain, perhaps it will help you to read it:



Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Lela. Lela had fallen in love with the shepherd, Sam, from the village, and told her father, the King. Held down by dogma and years of rigid rule, the King grew furious at the illicit affair and forbade Lela to ever see Sam again. Knowing the recklessness of young love, he had guards posted all around his daughters room to make sure she could not sneak off to see him. Lela despaired and wailed, cried out to God to help her find her love, and eventually grew quiet and calm.
One day, while one of her handmaidens was bringing her food and expressed sympathy over her sad love story, Lela looked into her eyes and knew she had found a friend. She told the handmaiden of Sam, his kindness, his large rough hands, how animals loved him. Eventually, Lela convinced the maid to bring some of the palace food to Sam, so he would know that she still thought of him always. The maid agreed, and brought the rich palace food with silk scarves for Lela to package the meal. Lela packed the food and imagined Sam's face as he opened the scarves she covered in kisses and it made her face hot with happiness. She gave the maid careful instruction where to find him, at the hill on the edge of the kingdom, where the shepherds usually lived. His would be the house on the very edge of the kingdom.
The maid set off to find Sam, and when she got to the edge of the kingdom, all was in confusion. Flocks had gotten lost since the King was trying to find the shepherd who had stolen his daughters heart. People were scattered in different homes, and fires raged on the edge of the kingdom.
The maid went from door to door, asking for Sam the shepherd, saying she had a gift from his love from the palace. Most people stared suspiciously and sent her off, at one home a florid man with large rough hands laughed joyously and said he was Sam. He took the package from the maids hands and closed the door soundly in her face.
The maid went back to the palace and told Lela she had delivered her package successfully. Overjoyed, Lela asked her to do her this discreet favor weekly. Her maid, unable to turn that smile away, agreed, and went out again a week later with rich food wrapped in rich cloth.
After many months of feeding Sam, Lela asked the maid if Sam ever had a message for her. The maid explained that Sam always took the package and closed the door, not even letting her step into his cottage. This was proper for the time, but it troubled Lela, and she sent a message with her next offering. She asked Sam if he would mind just letting a few drops of his blood stain the silk she was sending the food in and to send it back to her. So she would have a part of him.
The maid came back to see Lela, her eyes downcast. Lela ran to her, hands outstretched for bloodstained silk, but the maids hands were empty. She looked up at Lela and said, "That man wasn't the shepherd who loved you, he was just a shepherd who wanted your food and cloth for himself."
"How do you know?" Lela demanded, grabbing her maid by the shoulders.
"Because he refused, he refused to give you anything back for what you gave him."

-Kastoory

The Case Against Democracy

These people vote.

Sayin'.



No, but seriously, I don't hold ignorance against people. Ignorance can be cured, and ignorance is okay when you recognize it within yourself and seek to eradicate it through knowledge and experience. The problem here is this abundance of ignorance intentionally spread by the Republican Party and attached to a sense of pride and nationalism. This sense of certainty and righteousness coupled with no functioning knowledge is so dangerous and frustrating to listen to because it is a form of ignorance that cannot easily be cured. This is ignorance that, when refuted, redoubles in certainty and righteousness.

And yes, there are plenty of followers on the left guilty of exactly that kind of ignorance and righteousness.

What makes the worship of Sarah Palin so worrying to me is that her ignorance is something her followers are proud of. Like George Bush before her, righteousness in the absence of knowledge or experience is somehow understood by her fans as an asset. One of the interviewees nearly says as much: being right is more important than anything else. Which, okay, maybe he has a point. But in this context, being right isn't a matter of gathering all the relevant information and making a sound decision about what's best for everyone. It's about *feeling* right. It's not about Truth, it's about Truthiness.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - Truthiness
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

I think Jon Stewart best described the left's mystification about the popularity of Sarah Palin. We don't hate her because she's a woman or because she's strong. Lefties love strong women. We're crazy about them! Perhaps pathologically so. (I know my romantic preferences trend towards testicle-crushing superwomen.) Our problem is that she presents herself as proud of being a functionally illiterate Republican talking point machine.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Daily Show: The Rogue Warrior
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

The world is a complicated place with a lot of complicated problems, and we need to work together to find the best solutions to these problems by gathering factual information and coming to an informed consensus about the path that will benefit the most people the greatest amount. And ideologues, on either side of the aisle, who refuse to learn and collaborate because they already know the right answer, an answer they got from their guts, are bad for America and ultimately, bad for the world. They are the drunk drivers of human civilization, and as long as we keep electing them, we are all riding shotgun.

Survival Soundtrack 10 - Shove it

So the survival party came, and it went. The issue should be out in stores by Black Friday. Special thanks goes out to Andrew W.K., Tony O'Neill, Lucid, Littlefield and everyone else who made it out. For now, I'll leave you with the last survival soundtrack pick. Enjoy.



-Kastoory

The Big Payback

Juxtapoz and Upper Playground, know how to put the Art in party. Their recent auction consisted of artwork from over 140 artists, free tasty bites provided by Gram and Papa’s, and sweet cupcake treats from Frosted. The Big Payback’s proceeds are to support the Powerhouse project of Detroit, brainchild of Mitch Cope and Gina Reichert. Their project is geared toward turning formerly-foreclosed homes on their block into homes that are "capable of producing enough energy and excess power for neighboring homes outfitted with wind turbine, solar power, heating technologies and super efficient appliances . . .The structure will function as a neighborhood hub by producing not only electricity but also a new point of identity, gathering, demonstration and inspiration, thus a new type of neighborhood where undesirable homes become experimental factories for community action."







On paper and in execution the event was flawless. A wide array of experimental artists gathered under the roof of Factory Place Arts. The concept was flawless and sadly, the event missed the mark when it comes to inciting community action and power. People looked guarded, disconnected, and generally blazé. It felt as thought people just showed up, snapped a few photos of the event to post on their twitter, myspace, or facebook so they could glamorize their lives on the internet and then left.







Everyone walked through the warehouse glancing at the art work alone, piece by piece; enjoying the free food in single file lines as they ate alone at tiny tables for one. No one danced and no one really stepped outside his or her comfort zone to chat up someone new. Don’t get me wrong, the people of Los Angeles are unique, remarkable, and Juxtapose and Upper Playground provided a brilliant array of art that stimulated all my senses, but the people of this fair city have a problem admitting they’ve been stimulated. Lets hope they raised enough money so Detroit could show us what a community really looks like.

-V

True Story: Twilight Addict

I’m 24. I’m a Photographer, sales girl, and blogger. I’m an nyc native, fiancee, and Gemini. I’m also a Twihard. I’m not the type to deny things I love.

I come from a household of readers and love good books. The closest I’ve gotten to cheesy best-sellers before was a stint with Steven King in middle school and Nicholas Sparks when I’m feeling sentimental. I’ve steered clear ofAnne Rice.

But below my cynical city girl facade, I’m a sucker for classic forbidden love stories. Like everyone obsessed with something, I turned to the internet. The rumor mill was always on overdrive with Rob Pattinson but when I heard confirmation he was filming Remember Me in the city for two months this summer, I lost my mind. What did I do? Did I find him? Where did I draw the line? My best girlfriends and I went searching after dark.

Finding the movie set was no problem, it was getting a picture with him that was the obstacle. So we did what us city girls do best, we sat on a stoop and brought out the one hitter. 3am Rob Pattinson strolled passed us to his trailer. There were three of us and we all wanted a picture. My heart kicked into overdrive. I could barely look him in the eyes as we spoke. After our picture, the three of us ran to our car.



A vampire shoot and obsession with all things sparkly and cold is the last thing I would expect from myself. Blood and lust were never the game I played and previously held no interest to me. Twilight made me branch into unknown territory. It made me conscious of our quest for beauty and immortality and forced me to look into myself and my darker forms of love. Relax. I’m not here to over-analyze everything. Really, I just want to bone a vampire.










-Photos & Words, Amanda Segur
Make-Up, Alana Hays

Bizz Buzz

As a sucker for feel-good movies and football, I was thrilled to cover last night’s premiere of “The Blind Side” at the Ziegfeld Theatre. The movie stars my favorite actress Sandra Bullock. Plus, it is based on the life of Michael Oher, who plays for my hometown Baltimore Ravens.

The true tale behind the film traces Oher’s path from the Memphis slums to NFL success, thanks to the Tuohey family who rescued him off the street. Originally portrayed in Michael Lewis' bestseller "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game," the story seemed to particularly move star Tim McGraw.“Anytime you can walk away from a movie and want to be a better person, you’re truly lucky,” said the country crooner, with gorgeous wife Faith Hill by his side. “It was just such an awesome story.”



While the real-life Michael Oher was a no-show (he better be resting up for Sunday’s game against Indy, for which I’m making the trek to Baltimore), the up-and-coming actor who plays him was thrilled to chat about the movie’s message. “I think this movie will inspire a lot of people,” said Bronx-born Quinton Aaron. “Not just today’s youth, but adults too.”



According to critics’ buzz, the most inspiring thing about the well-received flick is Sandra Bullock’s performance. She is already garnering Oscar buzz For her spot-on portrayal of the strong southern belle Leigh Anne Tuohey.
“I’ve always been a fan of Sandy,” said director John Lee Hancock. “I feel so blessed to have worked with her, and to have her in almost every scene.”



For costar Lily Collins (yes, daughter of Phil), making her big-screen debut opposite Bullock was both a blessing and a source of nerves. “I thought, oh my gosh, I am going to play Sandra Bullock’s daughter! I really have to deliver!”



Even twelve year-old cutie Jae Head, who plays Bullock’s son in the film, was effusive about his experience with the screen queen. “It was awesome!” he said.



When Ms. B herself paused to chat about “The Blind Side”, which opens nationwide on Friday, I found her every bit the girl-next-door charmer I imagined.
“I don’t know how they do it,” she laughed, gesturing to the dapperly-dressed pack of New York Jets stars (including D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Jerricho Cotchery). “To have that physical and mental capability, and maintain your composure? I was seriously amazed.”



I might not agree with Bullock’s draft picks –the Jets are, after all, in my hometown team’s division – but for her performance in “The Blind Side” and adorable real-life persona, she gets my vote for MVP.

-Linley Taber
Entertainment Editor, Lori Bizzoco

Survival Soundtrack 9 - Happy

We're getting closer and closer to the party. Can you feel the happy?



If you can't feel the happy you can find the happy, tomorrow at Littlefield, with us.

-Kastoory

Survival Soundtrack 8 - So Moody

This is a band I would have looooved in high school. I'll settle for playing this on repeat on my iWhatchamacallit.

-Kastoory

Challah Back

Jews have survived a lot--Slavery, Genocide and bad lox. Heeb Magazine's brilliant anthology "Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish" (Hachette Book Group) brings together a range of racy personal essays which illustrate true Jewish triumphs. Whether getting masturbating lessons, beating breast cancer with Benzos or going undercover for the Mossad all the authors share a shocking resilience and readiness to confront their pain. I kvelled, I shvitzed, I plotzed. I came to terms with my own Hebrew clan of artists and psychotherapists, who has always believed through confession we can overcome my heroin addicted Rabbi, my insistence I only got Bar MItzvahed for the cash money, my teenage poetry published on an anti-Israel website and the fact I am writing about all of it on a blog.

Heeb Magazine will be having a reading this Thursday featuring fantastic authors from "Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish" including the talented OCD Abby Sher, who we have been covering on Pomp. Since we are also throwing our Post Apocalypse Survival Party that night with free Lucid Absinthe and Andrew WK, I can't tell you to attend Heeb. BUT, if you feel like party hopping, these two are an awesome place to start,

-Royal

Nasty Shit To Watch Out For : An Open Letter To Spam Hell, WooMe.com

Dear CEO of WooMe.com,

I fear that this plea will fall on deaf ears, since in creating a website, you have likely already considered the problems I would like to bring to your attention, but just in case you haven't, this all started with a misleading e-mail I got from a friend, indicating that he had sent three videos to me.

I signed up for your website, and entered my e-mail and password information to see if anyone from my address book was a member of your site, and a few were, so I asked the site to add them as woome.com friends.

Well.

You can imagine my surprise when, moments later, e-mails from close friends, professional contacts, and even *clients* were filling my inbox asking me why I had sent them videos and what this woome thing was all about.

It was humiliating, explaining that I had been duped by your website and that I had not, in fact, created any videos for them.

Your company has irrevocably damaged client relationships, and thus cost me money, not to mention my poor mother who was still looking for the videos I had (not) sent her on your site when I got home tonight.

The problems with these e-mail are threefold:

1) I was not, at any time in any clear way, notified that every person in my address book would receive an e-mail from your company. In fact, on the screen in which I entered my e-mail account information, I was explicity told that your company would not e-mail any of my contacts without my permission.

2) The e-mail is designed to appear as though it has come from me. The from: section of the e-mail is not your company, it is my e-mail address, which is misleading and reduces the trustworthiness of my e-mail address in my friend's spam filters. It did not come from me, it came from you, and without my permission. It should, at the very least, say that it is from you, clearly and without exception, in the from: section of the e-mail header.

3) The content of the e-mail is a lie. I did not create any videos for your site, nor did I post any videos on your site, nor did I ask your site at any time to share the imaginary videos with any of my friends. The e-mail was a lie, and appeared to my friends, relatives, and clients as though it came through me.

I hope this was all a simple misunderstanding on your part, and that your enthusiasm for your website and your hopes of making it a profitable business prevented you from considering the impact on your potential users of unsolicited false e-mail spamming.

As a side note, your user experience also needs work regarding extrasite spammers. Upon joining the site, I received four invitations to be friends with women who had joined the site that day, who immediately wanted to chat with me. They all referred to me as "handsome" and urged me to come chat with them over yahoo or msn messenger services.

All this happened within 5 minutes of joining the site.

I closed my account immediately thereafter.

I urge you to reconsider your tactics and strategies. They are hostile to users, and thusly, I believe, hostile to your bottom line.

And seriously, get your spam problem under control. You guys are spammers and your site is flooded with spammers trying to get your users to go elsewhere. You are a quivering, jiggling warehouse of malicious spam.

And you should probably hire me as a consultant to fix it.

Sincerely,

Robert Dobbs

Survival Soundtrack 7 - Honey

I love the random warm weather days, where everyone in New York is walking down the street with a little smile on their face.
This soundtrack pick is inspired by an article in the upcoming issue, about rooftop honey bees, a little piece of nature heaven in the industrial concretesville that is Brooklyn.



- Kastoory

Survival Soundtrack 6: Kiss-Off

Five years ago this is what I had to say:

"There is empty space between us in the shape of a boy who used to live and laugh with us and we don't know how to live with it so we live
around it."

Sometimes, survival is about the ones who are no longer with us, but whose memories are our best motivators. Todays survival pick is dedicated to the person whose memory constantly motivates me. This is the song we would always sing together, and it captured every nuance between betrayal and letting go.



-Kastoory

Surviving The Legal System With Facebook

What Up with three exclamation points indeed.

Our man here, Rodney Bradford, is responsible for our legal system's first-ever Facebook alibi.

(Though, in the past, there has been Facebook incriminating evidence. If you break in to someone's house, don't stop to check your Facebook on their computer. If you must, at least remember to sign out before you leave.)

A mugging at gunpoint occurred in Brooklyn on October 17th at 11:50am. Rodney was picked up for it the next day, and it went to trial. Among his witnesses and alibis putting him in Harlem at the time of the robbery was a Facebook status update.

He wrote on the site, wondering where his pancakes were. The New York Times didn't print the exact text, but claims that the query was written in "street slang."

How does one wonder about pancakes in street slang?

The (perhaps) first ever legal precedent for a Facebook alibi was written thusly: On the phone with this fat chick… where my IHOP.

The fat chick in question, according to Rodney's lawyer, is Rodney's pregnant girlfriend.

The lawyer explained to CNN that Rodney had several other alibis going for him, which is good. If our legal system has any value at all, this is the first and last time a Facebook alibi will work. All you need is a username, a password, and a body. A clever geek wouldn't even need someone to be sitting there.

In the end, all a Facebook status update proves is that a computer was on and connected to the internet.

So don't go knocking over banks while your girlfriend stays at home logged in to your Facebook account posting away like mad. It won't work.

Survival Soundtrack 5 - Who sung it better?

Thank goodness for Gossip Girl, helping me survive sad-face drama, laughing during the threesome scene while smoke drifts out opened windows.
Also thank goodness for feel good songs that help you keep your gameface on, even when all you want to do is collapse from how exhausting it is.
It's going to be fine, we can do whatever we like.





So, who sung this one better?

-Kastoory

LOL OF THE DAY: Carrie Prejean: An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet of Stupid

Now, aside from proudly spouting hate speech against homosexuals (saying that homosexual couples shouldn't be allowed to marry is hateful and bigoted, in case you weren't sure), Carrie Prejean delivers a live presentation of top-shelf dumb on Larry King Live.

Or, for the Republicans in the house, stands up to the liberal elite media. Fair and balanced!

(Yes, more fluff. Sorry.)

Survival Soundtrack 4- Oversaturation

Okay so this survival pick is definitely not new, but I remember listening to this song as a young tyke, and feeling like I could beat up all the bullies who made fun of me for my accent (I am an immigrant after all).
I know that MJ is dead, and people have been playing his songs like cuh-razy. But that is all a testament to survival. He survived his own crazy hectic life to produce some really sustainable work. It gives all of us epic-life-mongers hope, that when we die, some dj will play one of our songs over and over and over again so nobody can forget about us. Or something... leave me alone, it's thirsty Thursday.



-Kastoory

Survival Prayers

When I asked how long it took Abby Sher to write her memoir, "Amen, Amen, Amen" she replied, “I guess thirty five years. Or maybe two.”

It is Sher’s quirky, funny voice that takes the reader through her personal journey of terrors. "Amen, Amen, Amen" is an unusual story of survival and ultimate success about a woman who prayed to overcome Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Sher’s book is number five in the Fall 2009 list in O, The Oprah Magazine. Self Magazine awarded it “Book of the Month” and it won the “Reader Prize” in Elle Magazine. An inspiring triumph for someone who used to shred her dinner napkins at every meal then later suffered through anorexia and self-mutilation.

Last night Sher performed at Magnet Theatre in Chelsea. In the lobby, sat three plastic pumpkin heads. One had a post-it that read, “Dreams.” The other two, “Worries” and “Trash.” Erin Cox, of Rob Weisbach publishers, handed out sheets of notepaper and instructed guests to write their dreams and worries and deposit them into those heads. I asked what goes in the trash head. “Your trash” she said, “you know—used tissues, crumbled napkins, whatever you have.” “Yeeuw!” I cried. “Would a person with OCD feel safe touching other people’s germs?” She laughed and explained Abby washes her hands after the trash part.



Sher referred to the show as a “Jamboree.” It began with her playing a recorder, looking like a cute kid in red gingham dress with lace scoop collar. She sat in a chair cross-legged in black tights and Dr. Seuss-ish striped socks. Her most notable accessory was a kitchen colander upside down on her head. Seated next to her was a “cowboy,” a woman with a fake handle-bar mustache, bangs and long black braids poking out from a huge beige Stetson hat. As the cowboy played an acoustic guitar she sang, “I’m the sheriff with chronic fatigue syndrome. I’m so tired.” The audience burst out laughing.

Sher’s performance gave what she hoped readers would take away after reading her book. “A sense of hope, even laugh a bit. If any of my story resonates with someone I want them to know they can become unstuck and there are moments of feeling free.”



My favorite moment of the evening came when Sher, dressed as a Rabbi, randomly picked a dream out of a pumpkin head. She read it aloud and it was mine. “I want inner peace and euphoria.” She asked the audience if anybody had anything to say about how to get euphoria. A stranger next to me handed me a box of “Euphoria” Calvin Klein perfume. This was in no way staged. It was just one of those precious New York moments of freedom.

-Dorri Olds

Survival Soundtrack 3: you're invited

That's right Pompers, you are all invited! Party Hard! (Andrew WK reference)
All I can say about this days survival pick has already been said, much better than I could ever put it, in the comment section of the video on Youtube. Where eminy07 wrote: "ah this song makes me feel not so alone when i feel sad! thank you belle and sebastian. YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Well put eminy07, well put.



-Kastoory

Who Will Survive Today?

My scientific-minded, unspiritual husband thinks I’m in a number worshipping cult. My obsession (which actually started before we met 3 years ago) is wrapped around elevens; a pair of them to be precise.

Seeing these numbers began whenever I looked at the digital clock near my bedside at night or on the computer screen in my office during the day. I always caught a glimpse of the time just as it turned 11:11. The numbers stared at me as if they had never changed.

When 11:11 or 111 or 1:11 began appearing on receipts, flight numbers and locations of buildings, I knew it was no longer specific to me. A quick google search demonstrated that I was right, in fact there were hundreds of books written on the subject.

There are many theories about the number 11, one of which belongs to the Mayans. An advanced society who believed the calendar would end on 12.21.2012, marking a rebirth of our world. Fast forward 20,000 years after the Mayan calendar is created and we have the cinematic effects of a movie like 2012. For all we know, this could be a grand publicity plot to build suspense for the world’s end. Far-fetched but possible.

So, if you are waiting patiently to witness the end of all days, 2012 is for you. There's California plunging into the ocean, Rome burning, Paris falling, the White House underwater and John Cusack dodging fiery volcanic comets to save his kids.

-Lori Bizzoco

Survival Soundtrack 2 - underdogs

My latest survival jam is actually, not so current, I suppose. But I had some guest speakers in the NYU publishing program today. Really smart and great people, but it seems to me that one of them, kind of forgot that he used to be an underdog. And scoffed at any website with less than 1 million monthly uniques, or any small business without big business clout and money, as less relevant. Which is, largely, the problem with publishing. The big companies tend to still think that bland mass ideas will speak to people on a large scale, instead of finding out what people are actually interested in, and seeking to serve those interests. Considering my demographic I should be reading Cosmo and Glamour and Good Housekeeping, but I'd rather die. So instead of dying, I started this magazine. And the Spoon song displayed below makes me believe that Pomp is the underdog, and that we *will* survive.



-Kastoory

Survival Soundtrack 1

In honor of our issue-release party, ten short, sleepless days away - (That's November 19th for the mathematically, or calendarly challenged.) - I will be posting our very own editors picks of Survival songs that we believe capture the current mood of overcoming very well.
Let's start with, Julian Plenti. Better known as Paul Paul (from) Interpol. Sure, some of the songs on this album are like Interpol flashbacks, but this song somehow isn't. This song perfectly captures, say, a very strange, slightly hellish and overall transcendent family vacation in Spain.



-Kastoory

Bizz Buzz

What do you get when you mix a hot young director, a freaky sci-fi script, a couple of rom-com cuties, and a slew of veteran actors? Richard Kelly’s thriller “The Box,” starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, which premiered Wednesday night in New York. Throw in an anxious red-carpet neophyte (moi!) and you’ve got yourself one exciting evening.

For someone who spent their childhood staging mock celebrity interviews in front of various reflective surfaces, “The Box” premiere was a momentous occasion. So when I caught a glimpse of my old family friend Cody Horn sauntering down the fabled red carpet, I couldn't resist shouting out her name.

"Cody," I yelled, over the din of photographers trying to get the attention of the up-and-coming model and actress.

“What are you doing here?” she laughed, as we hugged over the velvet rope that separates stars (her) from press minions (me). We reminisced about the plays I used to “direct” her in when we were both kidlets. What can I say – I know talent when I see it!


(Linley Taber, Pomp & Circumstance and Cody Horn, fashion model and actress)

Speaking of talent, the cast of “The Box” was pretty stacked: Frank Langella (who I unfortunately didn't get the chance to see), James Rebhorn, Celia Weston and Holmes Osborne all costar in the movie, which is loosely based on Richard Matheson’s 1970 short story “The Button Button.” The plot? A cash-strapped suburban couple receives a mysterious box, which can grant them one million dollars in exchange for a stranger’s death.

While some of the costars were happy to entertain my question about whether they’d go for the million buckaroos –Sam Oz Stone, the actor who plays Diaz and Marsden’s son, was the only one who copped to wanting the money. What everyone really wanted to talk about was writer/director Richard Kelly.


(Sam Oz Stone)


(Holmes Obsourne)

“Working with Richard is always a real treat for me,” said Holmes Osborne, who plays Diaz’s father in the film and also costarred in both of Kelly’s other features (whacky “Southland Tales” and cult-favorite “Donnie Darko”). “He creates such a relaxed environment on set and really lets the actors contribute.” Costar Celia Weston agreed: “Richard’s wonderful,” she told me. “Very appreciative, very trusting.”


(Richard Kelly)

When Kelly himself paused to chat, the down-to-earth 34-year old spoke of “love” for his brilliant cast. Another object of his affection? Twitter.
“You can either join it, or fight against it,” he laughed, before offering up his Twitter name (@JRichardKelly). “It gives me a direct line of communication to anyone who wants to know what I’m up to, and as someone who makes really bizarre movies for a living, it’s a way to let people know that I’m just a regular guy.”
A regular guy who happened to write and direct his first feature film, “Donnie Darko,” at the tender age of 25.
“I was really blessed,” he admitted. “If you get a chance when you’re too young, you can blow it. I’m lucky I’m still here now.”


(Richard Kelly, Cameron Diaz and James Marsden_

Lucky indeed, considering the way Marsden and Diaz (looking super-chic in a fitted Roland Mouret dress) dashed down the red carpet toward their well-loved director and embraced him in a triple-hug.

While the trio posed for the phalanx of photogs and proceeded into the theatre to catch the debut of their flick (out nationwide today), I admit I was momentarily stunned by the image of James Marsden in the flesh. Would I kill a random stranger for a million dollars? Probably not. But for a shot with that blue-eyed, chiseled smoke-show? Now there’s a question I would entertain.

-Linley Taber
Entertainment Editor, Lori Bizzoco

Pomp Off!

I've watched/listened to this video over and over again for weeks. This is a song that I've heard playing in a bar once or twice and been like, "What is this?! i love it!!" In New York it's often easy to set ourselves up to feel nothing but this jam makes me feel. There was a time when I said music was the only thing that had never failed me -- then I started working in the industry. But a few weeks ago with our legs touching on bar stools this song made me realize I LIKED YOU and the music too.

Before I Self Destruct

For a nerdy Jewish bookworm growing up in New York's Lower East Side, 50 Cent may seem like an odd role model. Yet, my eccentric artist father's decision to social work to support his family made me determined to be the famous artist he never was. I now am a preschool librarian, a strikingly similar day job. 50 Cent continues to inspire me. "Get Rich Or Die Trying" is a motivational message, an OG New York attitude that has gotten me through drug abuse, living in crack dens and rejection after rejection from every major NYC magazine and newspaper. 50's survival against all odds, his savvy business persona and the fact he is still wearing doo rags while Jay-Z indies it up behind Wayfarers makes me stick to my Gats. Now, I am published, clean and constantly trying to help others understand that in true passion there are no "ifs." We may not all run the risk of getting shot nine times, but if you're real, life without art is never an option.



-Royal

Pixellated Me Halloween Costume

I may be late to the party on this, it is half a week after Halloween, but I just saw pictures of my favorite halloween costume of the year.



Get it?! She's pixellated!

You can check out her blog here.

And yeah, I know, this post is totally fluffy and nearly content free. Don't worry, I'll get back to posting about politics and rape soon enough.

Oh! Speaking of rape, here's a teaser for my next post: Did you know that getting raped can be considered a pre-existing condition and disqualify you for health insurance?

Of course we don't need health care reform! It's the invisible hand of the market at work!

Oh!

New York Magazine's Approval Matrix is usually way dated, and I can rarely afford anything they feature in their pages. This is possibly a pathological reason to poke fun at their Approval Matrix. But this video from their blog has me bluffing, I got nothing on it.



-Royal