First Looks category archive

Some good news.

In April, the outlook was not good for the huge, historic vessel that has hovered like a specter over the South Philly waterfront since the mid-’90s.

(snip)

Donors from around the world contributed at least $205,000, and another $116,000 was raised by scrapping obsolete pieces of the ship that would have had to be cleared eventually by a developer, said Susan Gibbs, the conservancy’s executive director.

The influx of cash should cover the ship’s upkeep bills for the next six months or so. By that time, Gibbs said, there’s hope that a redevelopment deal will finally be close at hand.

You can see some pictures I took of her here.

Lefties are fond of saying that this group or that group “voted against their own interests.” Invariably, they refer to economic interests.

I am sympathetic to those statements, because, as far as I can see, all politics is political economy. Qui bono ultimately lies behind all policy, but qui bono does not lie behind all votes. That’s why misdirection plays work so well in politics.

Heather Denkmire explores this quite nicely at the Bangor Daily News, a small paper with big writers.

Be polite to your dealer.

State police said this morning they have charged a Saltsburg man with homicide and other offenses in the shooting death of an Indiana County gun dealer Tuesday.

TNT is showing all three Lord of the Rings movies today.

Happy New Year!

It was time to remodel. I’ve been working on this new theme the past few days. Please let me know of any problems you encounter by commenting on this post.

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Pamela Cytrynbaum rounds up reminiscences of parenthood:

We are in our respective rooms. I hear her yell “I love you!” from behind the iron curtain of her closed door.

Shocked and thrilled, I bellow back: “I love you, sweetie!!!” from behind my own closed door.

She replies: “NO, MA!! I SAID I LOVE YOU TUBE!!!!”

More reality from parenthood trenches at the link.

Update: With the new theme, pages can now be accessed from the navigation bar just below the banner picture; they have been removed from the sidebar. This includes a page pointing to the Archives.

The Archive of all posts published here is now displayed in a “page” under the heading “Other Stuff” on the sidebar, over there on the right, reducing the length of the sidebar, courtesy of the Compact Archives plugin.

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Tweet, tweet sorrow.

Off to drink liberally.

Fun and fellowship for liberals. Join us and talk about anything in a relaxed atmosphere.

When: Thursday, December 26th, 6 p.

Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)

More here.

And our closing number is dedicated to Bill-O and all the boys and girls at Fox News.