Vive la différence

Good morning, America; how are you? Regular readers of this blog (all seven of you) will note a marked difference in the appearance of Waveflux. Gone is the magazine style layout provided by the fine WordPress theme The Morning After; that theme has been replaced, on a trial basis, by Carrington, a new theme by WP cognoscenti Alex King. Carrington is a deceptively simple theme; beneath the hood is a range of possibilities, or so I’m told by the Matt in Automattic:

It allows really advanced conditional template displays based on any number of variables and executed by naming conventions and its structure. I think this could be the base for a whole new generation of themes and development.

Looking forward to seeing what Carrington can do, and what I can do with it.

As to the previous look and feel of Waveflux: As pleased as I was with TMA, which answered nearly all of my desires for a magazine-type layout, over time I realized that that kind of layout was, well, a lot of fucking work. If it was to be done right, that is. That, along with a certain bloody-mindedness, led me to make the switch. We’ll give the new arrangement a try.

Look for tinkerings in the days and weeks to come. Instead of making backstage changes first and only then shifting to Carrington, I decided to just pull the big lever now and fiddle with it later. Did I mention that I’ve been feeling a bit bloody-minded?

Not suspended!

Mission…accomplished? Having helped to derail the bailout negotiations through his theatrics, John McCain is scurrying to Oxford, Mississippi, where he’ll debate Barack Obama after all. Not sure why he’s bothering, though - his campaign is already declaring in ads that McCain won.

So let’s tally it up. McCain said he was suspending his campaign, but did nothing of the kind; he parachuted into Washington and stood blinking in front of cameras but added nothing of substance; he essentially encouraged House Republicans to renege on an in-principle agreement on the bailout; he’s leaving for the debate even though he said he would stay in DC until an agreement was reached, which clearly hasn’t happened yet.

If all this flailing reminds you of a drowning man, well, there’s a good reason for that.

More flailing: Thanks to Defamer for tipping us to this hilarious report on the McCain pullout for Oxford:

McCain now boarding plane at DCA with Cindy, Salter, Rudy Giuliani, wife Judith, and other aides plus pool.

Heading to Memphis, 1:50 minute flight, then motorcade to site

General atmosphere is utter confusion.

God bless Trent Green

You what would make a good story? Trent Green returning to captain the team he once led and rescuing the Rams’ season, taking St. Louis to a Super Bowl championship denied him by happenstance years ago.

That would be a good story. Considerably less likely than most things we can imagine, but it would be great to see.

May a merciful Providence bless and keep Trent Green this season. Amen.

Props to Angry Black Bitch, Urban Review STL

In the latest of its annual Best Of issues, the editors of the Riverfront Times named Angry Black Bitch the best blog in St. Louis. I know ABB’s Pam Merritt from our time as co-bloggers at Shakesville, and from her welcome work on the LaVena Johnson story. She is a smart, passionate blogger and this honor is well-deserved.

The RFT readers chose another excellent blog, Urban Review STL, as best St. Louis blog. The author, Steve Patterson, fights the good fight for better and more inclusive design and use of resources in urban planning. Props to Steve!

Suspended!

So I guess Barack Obama will debate Invisible John McCain this Friday. Hilarious! Also, a transparent political stunt that reeks of flop sweat and desperation. And, uh, treachery:

The Obama campaign said the Illinois senator had called McCain around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to propose that they issue a joint statement in support of a package to help fix the economy as soon as possible. McCain called back six hours later and agreed to the idea of the statement, the Obama campaign said. McCain’s statement about postponing his campaign was issued to the media a few minutes later.

Yes, voter, you are to believe that a man who has admitted several times that he knows jack about economics is anxious to fly to Washington and save the day.

“I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated,” McCain told the Wall Street Journal in late November.

In December he said, “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” as the Globe reported on its “Political Intelligence” blog at the time. [...]

After mentioning the ability of a potential running mate to replace the president, McCain said, “You also look for people who maybe have talents you don’t, or experience or knowledge you don’t, as well.”

“What are those qualities that you don’t - that you wouldn’t mind complementing?” asked David Brooks, a columnist for The New York Times.

McCain paused. “Uh, maybe I shouldn’t say this, but, somebody who’s really well grounded in economics,” he said.

Oh, yeah. Completely believable.

Addendum: Thus far, no one’s framed it better than Ezra:

There’s every reason to focus tomorrow’s debate on the economic crisis, but no reason to cancel it. And, indeed, McCain is not canceling everything. He is still giving his speech at the Clinton Global Initiative. He is simply hiding from the debate. He’s a kid pulling the fire alarm because final is coming up and he hasn’t studied. Such a panicked response to declining poll numbers and major national events does not inspire confidence. You don’t get to call time out when you’re president.

“All of a sudden”

Lifted outright from John Gruber at Daring Fireball:

Senator Bernie Sanders:

“For years now, they’ve told us that we can’t afford — that the government providing healthcare to all people is just unimaginable; it can’t be done. We don’t have the money to rebuild our infrastructure. We don’t have the money to wipe out poverty. We can’t do it. But all of a sudden, yeah, we do have $700 billion for a bailout of Wall Street.”

In just one week.

Sanders quote from a Democracy Now! discussion of the bailout.

Coalition of the unwilling

BBC: Easy to forget that Pakistan is supposed to be an ally of ours.

“Special vs. regular”

Daring Fireball: You’re a PC…and John Gruber says that’s a problem for Microsoft.

Still outside the House

Some months ago, I promised commenter Lily that I would give House another try when it premiered, and so I did. I had fallen out of love with the program over time; based on that single episode, the new season does not promise a rekindling of that romance. Not that it was a bad ep; Hugh Laurie is great as always at what he does, as are the other actors in the ensemble. It’s simply that they are doing what they always do, and what they always do no longer interests me all that much.

The short answer, I think, is that I just got bored. This is the thing about most serials: the people in them don’t change, not substantially, and not for long. If they did, they might not be people whose lives you’d want to follow in serials. What you’re left with, then, is a familiar dynamic between known elements. Sometimes familiarity brings comfort and enjoyment; other times, it breeds…well, you know. House just wound up on the wrong side of the ledger.

At least I still have Midsomer Murders, whose familiarity - ghoulish, in a genteel fashion - is comforting to me.

Hampton Avenue

The Hampton I-64 overpass and the major entrance to Forest Park is finally closed, part of the much-discussed Highway 40 renovation. The overpass is scheduled for a partial reopening on Memorial Day 2009. What with the sound of helicopters buzzing overhead and the television news full of breathless on-scene reports, this morning’s commute had the feel of an outtake from an action movie. Call it “Escape from Dogtown.”

The drive was uneventful, naturally. We do expect heavier traffic on our street as drivers seek alternate routes. Yay us!

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