I don't even know where to begin with this one. The food sounds tremendous though.

More taxi-driver popcult sociology: The New York Taxi Driver (mp3), compiled in the 1960s by Folkways documentarian Tony Schwartz, and Yellow Cab Journalism, a 2002 Columbia University radio documentary.

Four news stories (scroll down to the second item in the Observer piece) about tough-as-nails female cabbies. Other girl cabbies we love: Taxi's Elaine Nardo and Rita Scott from HBO's Taxicab Confessions.

"You may be wondering what Rodney Dangerfield, at the age of eighty-two, after nearly a lifetime in the business of making other people laugh, is up to these days. Mainly, he's bathrobed and hanging out in his airy, ultradeluxe twenty-first-floor apartment in Los Angeles, smoking pot."

(Rolling Stone interviews Rappin' Rodney. Related: I've just wishlisted his new autobiography, It's Not Easy Bein' Me: A Lifetime of No Respect but Plenty of Sex and Drugs.)

A promising-looking NYC food blog. Some others I like: Slice and NYC Eats.

Speaking of Slice, they link to a recent CNN article about Italian legislators' efforts to draft laws protecting Real Neapolitan Pizza from being defiled by philistine boors like us. Right on, I say, and pass the buffalo mozzarella.

My official word on Guy Maddin's The Saddest Music in the World is this: I thought it was really enjoyable but kind of insubstantial and didn't leave me feeling anything but on the other hand I don't see why it's that important for a movie to make me "feel" anything. Which shouldn't let filmmakers off the hook from trying to create films that dig a little deeper than mere superficial pastiche, but, ya know.

My official word on red lipstick is that it's going to be the death of me. I went into Sephora to buy conditioner, came out with conditioner AND a $22 tube of Nars Mongolian Red. I never learn.

Heads up on two new Jody-friendly blogs: Curbed, a sort of Gawker for NYC real estate dish, and Chicagoist, a Chicago-centric Gothamist spinoff that'll give me yet another city to feel homesick for (regardless of whether I've lived there or not).

Cicadas invade Princeton University.

The web transcript of Jon Stewart's William and Mary commencement speech has already been passed around more than a $20 hooker at a bachelor party, but if you haven't seen it yet, here it is. My only criticism is that "next greatest generation" bollocks. Face it Stewart, we're stupid, we're indifferent, we believe everything we hear and read... we're doomed. It's going to take more than optimism to pull our sorry asses out of this mess. Great speech though.

Metropolis on the history, future, and cultural significance of the revolving restaurant. Macton on the engineering.

The best bit of Negativlandic headfuckery I've heard in years: WFMU's Kenny G audiocasts the Friends finale. (via Fluxblog)

OMG HFS WTF (do not read if you think pictures of food are disgusting/boring/weiiiiird)

Link via Matos, who, in cahoots with our friend Brian, saw to it that we toured Seattle in high style. Semi-related to the above article: One of our stops was Salumi, the utterly dynamite salumeria-cum-sandwich-shop owned by the father of Babbo-teur and Food Network personality Mario Batali. Salumi pics here (scroll a few jpegs down); do not read if the sight of MEAT offends you.

Been brainstorming up ways to decorate the bedroom in my new home -- spent the afternoon picking out wallpaper patterns (space-age baby blue and sparkly gold) and just scoured the internet for ideas about matching shag rugs. Chris was entirely kidding just now when he recommended the blue color scheme at The Gobbler, but I really think it's the fabness and I will not rest until my name is Wilma Flintstone-Jetson-Eames.

The faux-stone wall is a must, sez I:

Largehearted Boy directs us to Passenger86's recent reprint of a 1997 interview with one of my idols (I don't throw this term around too freely, but it most definitely applies here for many many reasons), Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh. Also, if you haven't bought your tickets for Devo's Summerstage benefit, do so soon -- I bought mine the day they went on sale, and I have little doubt the show will be a sellout.

In Oregon news:

the good: Paul Krassner, Yippie co-founder, underground publisher, Friend Of Leary, and bullshit detector, is reading in Portland this Saturday evening at the Old Church (follow the link for details and interview). I just missed his couple of New York readings, but his book tour is winding its way down the west coast right now.

the bad: Former Oregon governor Neil Goldschmidt admits to an affair with a 14-year-old girl, 30 years after the fact and under pressure from the Willamette Week.

(from Chris' gallery of photos from our trip)

Stephen Malkmus at Powell's, by Marc Jacobs for Vogue (via Tim O. Thompson).

portland malkmus malkmus portland pdx jix xoxoxox &c., ad infinitum




(via indiemonkey)

(via my disposable camera: mismatched furniture and disaffected hippies at the Paradox Palace Cafe, 3439 SE Belmont, PDX)

Store window adjacent to Portland's Pioneer Square -- note the reflection of the Hillsboro-bound MAX light rail in the background.

Reminds me of the last couple of Jandek album covers.