I vote Bloomberg.

No, not really. But George Packer's "Talk of the Town, Comment, Mr. Independent" in the July 2 issue really wowed me. As long as we're picking favorites this morning.

I liked the serious insights - on the history of independent candidates, on "the power of faux symbols in our political life," on Bloomberg's money as "a profoundly undemocratic force in public life." And I think I laughed aloud and with glee at the possibility of the demise of the Sun Belt attitude, "no one from the Northeast has a chance to win, or should even be considered American."

This was a nice mix of serious and funny, too: "Last week, Bloomberg ended his affiliation with the Republican Party, as he did seven years ago with the Democratic Party (thereby changing his political registration as many times as Hillary Clinton has had a geographical makeover and Rudolph Giuliani has torn up his marriage license)."

It got me to thinking about the glorious (now, in all seriousness) instability of our current or future representatives - Giuliani cannot represent "family values," Hillary (what with her cosmopolitan globetrotting, from New York State to Illinois, etc) cannot represent "home" and Bloomberg cannot toe a party line. Oh yeah, and Obama's "race" and "religion" are all vexed and vexing too. Hooray!

Indiana Jones and The Architecture of Oppression

they crashed thru the gate for this shot
Originally uploaded by Wonder-bunny

I went out for a jog this evening and it turned into rather a long thing as I was re-routed at every turn by the film crew for Indiana Jones 4, now filming in New Haven. Lots of vintage cars and guys in fedoras. I've seen them working across the street from the cemetery, and in the University Theater, but I think my favorite thing was when I went to make photocopies and send a fax from the copy shop on Chapel Street and found it was renovated into a retro-Woolworths. But still in business.

I really love living in a world where I don't have to take the photos. This is a good photo from one of my favorite flickr sets covering the event: Wonder-bunny's Indiana Jones in New Haven.

Also like: arjel's simple but lovely indianajones, jimmackay's indy4, LaurAndy's Ye Olde New Haven, andrew d miller's More like Old New Haven, Rodney Nelson's insider peek at the camera car via indianajonesiv and shummi06541's Indiana Jones in New Haven.

Title comes from one of my, uh, associates, who describes Yale's built space in this way.

a belated father's day issue

The July 2 issue has Shalom Auslander on Life with Alcoholic Orthodox Father, or, what happens in your head when 1/2 of the center of your moral universe drinks and swears and builds things. I didn't like the timing so much in this one, but the pain was pitch perfect.

Then Joan Acocella explores a series of father-son relationships via the life, work and drinking habits of the Waughs. I really don't care about the Waughs as writers (Chaucer? Really?), but the family stuff is neat.

I'm planning to read Auletta on the Wall Street Journal, but not Talbot on brain scans.

Oooo, and I just found my June 25 issue. First up, Lady Di. Taguba will just have to wait.

Notify TNY of Change of Address

It's on the top of my to do list. As I am moving house.

Blogging about TNY is pretty near the bottom. But when the dust settles, I'll be back.