Who would believe, in this day and age and given our far superior technologies and fire power, that Somali thugs would continue to menace cargo ships on the high seas? It happened again yesterday when the American-crewed and captained cargo ship Maersk Alabama was carrying emergency food relief to Mombasa, Kenya.
While the crew eventually retook control of the ship, the pirates are still holding the captain, Capt. Richard Phillips, hostage. It seems the Somalis did not hold up their end of the bargain, returning him when the Americans released one of their own hostages. Not. Fair. Then again, when do jackals ever play fair?
Apparently, this is becoming a common occurrence. According to the International Maritime Bureau, a watchdog group based in Kuala Lumpur, since January of this year alone, pirates have made 66 attacks and are still holding 14 ships and 260 people hostage. Other than blowing their happy asses out of the sea on sight, there isn't much we can do. How do you hold sanctions against a pirate?
In other, less menacing, pirate news, it seems that there is at least one other person of rational age and thought living in this town who is as cuckoo over shoes as I am. The Pirate herself showed up at lunch yesterday wearing what has for me long been a coveted piece of footwear. The Pirate, a savvy shopper if ever there was one, scored hers at a deeply discounted price at Piperlime.
Yes, folks, the mythical BCBG Ivanka color blocked shoe, al la:
Only her pair is the pinky-nude patent leather with grey elastic straps and patent heel, much more apropos for spring. You go with your bad ass self, girl.
Moi, I'm lemming for this version, which, it seems, is not about to let itself be discounted anywhere. Not even on the 'Bay. Grrrrrrrrr . . .
Arg, matey, you will eventually be MINE!
Oh, and this is off topic, but still: yesterday marked the fifteen year anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain, an event which upsets me to this day. Normally, I could care less about the self destructive tendencies of hollow-brained, fame-seeking super star wannabes who happily whore themselves out for a bit of glitz and glam, bite off more than they can chew, and then boohoohoo themselves to death when they find themselves incapable of swallowing.
But there was something different about Kurt Cobain. Not the least of which, his monumental musical talent and stunning ability to craft not just effective, catchy rock songs, but ones underlain with the kind of honest, raw emotionality that transcends any accusations of self indulgence and shoots straight into the upper echelon of poetic brilliance.
Because our world desperately needs musicians like Kurt Cobain, I will forever remain pissed off that he chose to remove himself from this earth instead of figuring out how to reconcile his sensitive nature to the harsh realities of the limelight. That he couldn't find, in the words of his much more grasping wife (whose talent for self preservation is as breathtaking as Cobain's failure) "ten good reasons to say alive," is one of contemporary art's deepest tragedies.
One of the last songs he wrote.
13 comments:
Kurt was a talented guy and Nirvana was the last good secular band in my opinion.
Never bought the "fame killed him" bullshit. The guy:
1) Had a miserable childhood prior to fame.
2) Had severe painful health problems prior to fame.
3) Had severe sexual-identity problems prior to fame.
4) Was an unhappy drug abuser prior to fame.
5) Attempted to off himself due to items 1-4 prior to fame.
I think it's just as likely that the prospect of success in the music field kept him GOING. That finally achieving it didn't fill the holes-in-his-soul isn't a surprise.
First, you can totally wear those shoes and I'm glad The Pirate has thrown down the gauntlet for you to step up and IN into those tres chic shoes.
Second - I'm following the Pirate story more than any other right now because they made a big mistake and took an American ship.... something they were trying NOT to do. Blow.Them.Up.
Third - Kurt Cobain. In my part of the World, it was and still is, big news. Regardless of why someone feels they need to take their life.... it's never easy for the family/friends left behind.
I saw a documentary a few years ago wherein they basically credited Nirvana with changing the face of the music world in the 90's. I didnt' realize what a big deal they were at the time... only that I loved their music.
Moi, Cherie,
may I suggest ya' consider deeply the TR Factor? (Time Remaining--whether chronologically or politically.) By them cal-koo-lations
I figger youse EVERY reason to go on ahead an' git them zapatos, baby.
Sorry to learn of the misery of KC--sad when a talent is too soon gone ...RIP.
sweet Moi: I guess I need shoe advice, and who better to ask than you? I like pretty, fun, girly shoes. But I am sooooo hard on them. I don't mean to be, it just happens. I have a killer pair of peep toe Kenneth Cole's that are my everyday black shoe. I think you might die if you were to see the heels. The little ends have come off, exposing the metal and whenever I walk all that is heard is tink, tink, tink of the metal on the tile. This happens to all of my shoes. All of them. Usually pretty fast. So I don't often buy the pricy ones because that can get expensive!
Maybe I walk funny, causing untimely ware on my poor shoes. I don't know how to solve this problem. And it is a problem.
On to Nirvana. Ah, Nirvana. My favorite songs are Lithium and About A Girl. And I couldn't pick between them. As sad as I am that Nirvana is no more, I get my comfort from the Foo. In fact, Foo is part of my morning routine. MMMM Dave Grohl.
I love how you combined pirates/hostages and shoes, but then announced you were going off-topic on Cobain. Nice work.
ChefTroll: One of the last great rock and roll bands for sure. I can't think of anyone today who can compare with their power, either sonically or lyrically.
Boxer: WTF have we not bombed the heck fire out of the Somalian coast where these thugs hang their hats? I simply do not understand this "keeping a close eye on the situation" bullshit. Pay the ransom, bomb the pirates. How hard is that?
Heather: One of the biggest sea changes in modern music, for sure. Although, I for one was NOT HAPPY about the whole flannel thing.
Aunty: I think that's just about the best excuse I've heard recently for purchasing shoes. Now, if your sharp as a tack brain can actually translate that into a mathematical equation, I REALLY think we've got something here.
kmwthay: I do believe I know the shoes you are talking about. LOVES me a peep toe. Anyhow, get thee to a shoe shop ASAP and have them put industrial strength tips on those babies! You must be one heck of a heel striker . . . as for the Foo: "It's Times Like These You Learn to Live Again."
WTWA: Some people would call that schizophrenic. I prefer the term: Multitask-able.
polly says her back hurts.
maybe she would like some
shoes?
KC was fragile and beautiful. and nirvana was the shizz.
er. the somali pirates. would it be too tedious to refer to dog training principles yet again? you dont reward behavior you dont want to see again.
interesting the good ship maersk alabama was on a grain run to feed starving africans. tell me again international "community", who are the bad guys?
tip tip toe we go now that the prez is an apologetic bro.
The shoes are divine indeed.
Have you ever read "About a Boy" (yes, it was made into a movie with Hugh Grant) but the book deals with Kurt Cobain and the effect of his death on a young girl (as a part of the story of course, not the whole story). Book, as always, so much better than movie. Anyway, I only just now realized that About a Boy is probably named for About a Girl.
K9: Yes. Irony, much? I think every goobermint so far has paid the ransom for their people, which is why this continues. So. Either we pay the ransom and then bomb the heck out of them. Or we don't. We send in marines or whomever is trained for these surgical extractions and then we bomb the heck out of them. They're PIRATES for fork's sake. Thugs. Why are we letting them get the better of us?
Pam: Nick Hornby is one of my favorite writers. He also wrote a book about the emotional power of music, so I know the topic is a major interest of his. But I never snapped to what you just pointed out. Interesting!
News flash! The captain tried to escape last night by jumping overboard. Good news, right? Our vigilant navy, standing by, snagged him from the water and brought him on board their vessel. Right? Uh, no. The pirates re-caught him. What is this? A comedy routine?
that moi lady is pretty effing awesome - great lunch and I wanna do it again soon!
about kurt cobain - unless any of us have been disablingly mentally ill, it's hard to contemplate what a burden it is for someone who is disablingly, mentally ill. I believe his depression was what killed him in the end. It's sadder to me to think that he was never gonna get well. Happens all the time. I wish his family had held him up and made him a poster child for treatment of depression, might save some other souls who suffer like he did.
Kym: Take them to Loveless Shoes. They can replace the heel caps with new ones. I've had that happen to a few of my favorite pairs, too. Sounds like you're tap-dancing all the time, huh?
Also, did you fight the foo at the Ford Center recently? The show that was rescheduled due to Dave's tum-tum troubles? I took my dad. It was fantastic. What a showman he is.
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