Sunday, March 29, 2009

Proud Europa: The* Ukraine
My favorite part of this story is the following quote: "Locals will tell you about the typical 20th Century Lvivite, who was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, grew up in Poland, got married under the Nazis, had children in the Soviet Union, and retired in independent Ukraine... all having never left the city." We always think of America as such a remarkably young country, yet when measured in terms of stability we are one of the most ancient nations on Earth.

The Victors: Frozen Four Fiasco
In the immortal words of Fred Willard's character from A Mighty Wind, "Wha' happened?" I only make light of our shocking defeat at the hands of Air Force and early exit from the N.C.A.A. Men's Ice Hockey Championship because if I don't laugh, I just might cry. In this moment, I cannot even summon the perspective to tell myself, "there's always next year." In such dire straits, there's but one thing to do:

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The Platters, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" from The Very Best of The Platters (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary:

"They asked me how I knew
My true love was true.
I of course replied,
'Something here inside
Cannot be denied.'

They said, 'Someday you'll find
All who love are blind.
When your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes.'

So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love.
Yet today, my love has flown away.
I am without my love.

Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide.
So I smile and say,
'When a lovely flame dies,
Smoke gets in your eyes.'
Smoke gets in your eyes.
Smoke gets in your eyes.
Smoke—gets—in—your—eyes!"

Never a trust a man in love, he couldn't see the truth even in he wanted to, he's got smoke in his eyes.


*I relish any opportunity to use the definite article: the Ukraine, the Sudan, all the Russias, Royal Tenenbaum pretended to have the cancer.

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