9/11: “And when you would say something that is sad/Speak how I fell”– Henry VIII, death of Buckingham
Why Bush give major speech before ASA? Poodle of anesthesiologists?
Today company passed out orange nylon “survival kits” consisting of bottle of water, whistle, throwaway flashlight, mylar blanket, antiseptic towelette from Red Wing, Minn., goggles from Buzzards Bay, Mass., marked “WARNING: make sure this is right goggle for job. Do not use for arc welding,” dust mask marked “WARNING: misuse may result in death,” rabbit’s foot. Then we had fire drill and walked down all 43 flights of stairs into lobby. Julliard piano student who performs there at lunchtime playing “This is a Fine Romance.”
Bucked up by NRA ad quoting Gandhi remark about truth and love always winning over tyrants and murderers until E. points out that’s only so until tyrants and murderers win again.
D. says right after she sent money to Red Cross, U.S. Army bombed their headquarters in Kabul. Now wondering if she should stop payment on check to Bide-a-Wee on E. 38th St.
“There are no hedgehogs in foxholes”–Lord Acton?
J. afraid of being treated for gum disease, but periodontist convinced him not doing it is what terrorists want
Talib beards, 8 cm. = 3.12 in.
Strong WSJ article tracking Skippy’s recovery after dropping of food packets.
Perception now is that Bush has learned to fly rhetorically without net. Trace to his studying American oratory at Yale, where says he learned every speech “has a front and a back.”
Idea for Ry Cooder: “Jalalabad Social Club” album.
T. Brown says in memo to readers that 9/11 has changed everyone’s priorities. Next cover still features actress holding own breasts, but now wearing more veiled expression
Patriotism & gender: would men ever cut up rubbers for a national girdle drive? Doubt it
Reading Philip Hitti per Said. While Arabs studying Aristotle, Charlemagne still learning to dress himself
Lecture 92nd St. Y on “Maximizing Your Wrinkle Defense Team”–scheduled last spring. Eerie.
Commentator says Bush evolving from Prince Hal to Henry V. Henry V:
“…when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger: Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard favored rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect.”
Bush: “Well, Ann, you know if you’re a–if you find a person that you’ve never seen before getting into a crop-duster that doesn’t belong to you, report it.”
Giblet gravitas.
NYT/CBS poll shows that on Aug. 5, 2001, 34% of New Yorkers thought that in 10-15 years, NYC will be a better place to live; on Oct. 6, 54% did. Go know.
Idea anthrax poem, “Speaking Truth to Powder”
Diners in Food section today shown bobbing for fois gras. Saks ad Coach “messenger bag” for $428 (also Walt Whitman mall, Jersey). Hammacher Schlemmer corkscrew with 31 parts in precision gear system. Pantload bad karma, surely
Call R. on 79th b’day. Says he has lived through everything, now time to cultivate garden. He is flying to Vienna tomorrow with 23-year-old pool cleaner to show her D?rer etching of “Melancholia” in Albertina.
Read that Bin Laden’s honey exports make it easier to ship contraband like drugs and weapons. Worked out threat of AK47 dipped in honey, felt better for second.
Those who say God led them out of Twin Towers never seem troubled about why He had it in for rest of them.
Bald eagle opening World Series returns to handler with lure of carrion tidbits, then black leather hood pulled over head. Metaphor, Hammacher Schlemmer poem?
“Had I a dozen sons, each in my love alike, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.”–Volumnia, Coriolanus. “For all of my six sons, I wanted them to be mujahedeen. If they get killed it is nothing.”–“Rehima,” Sunday Times magazine
Hitchens calls Chomsky “masochist.” Dream Chomsky calls Hitchens “bipolar sheep tick”
“They also serve who only feel totally extraneous” -Adorno/Sarandon?
Other tenants threw me surprise party in stairwell tonight for being last person on block to read Cavafy’s “Waiting for the Barbarians.” Champagne.