subjunctus

As I write this, my brother's third story in the NYT in the past month is at #4 on the "Most Emailed" list in the Metro section.

Yeah, my brother writes for the best newspaper in the country. I am awfully proud of him.

Dear TimesSelect Subscriber,

We are ending TimesSelect, effective today.

The Times's Op-Ed and news columns are now available to everyone free of charge, along with Times File and News Tracker. In addition, The New York Times online Archive is now free back to 1987 for all of our readers.

Why the change?

Since we launched TimesSelect, the Web has evolved into an increasingly open environment. Readers find more news in a greater number of places and interact with it in more meaningful ways. This decision enhances the free flow of New York Times reporting and analysis around the world. It will enable everyone, everywhere to read our news and opinion - as well as to share it, link to it and comment on it.

We thank you for your support of TimesSelect, and hope you continue to enjoy The New York Times in all its electronic and print forms.

For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, click here:

http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/ts

To contact Customer Service, please send an e-mail to ordercs@nytimes.com.

Sincerely,

Vivian Schiller
Senior Vice President & General Manager
NYTimes.com

If there's one thing in my life that I miss more than anything at the moment, it's Blues Before Sunrise.

On May 6th, let's bring back the France of the PS!

Oh my, I have so much work to do:

1. Marion paper
2. Kate test
3. Kate project proposal draft
4. Prepare entire student symposium
5. ASA honors application (yes, I was accepted this time! woo)
6. Attend MSS conference

And this is all before the third week of April. Oy.

I was thinking today that I should stop worrying so much about several situations at hand. Well, save for the whole I'm-writing-my-senior-thesis-for-my-French-major-right-now thing.

My radio show on Thursday went spectacularly well, if I may brag. I hesitate to define it in terms of other shows, but it's a good mix of Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty Eight with dashes of This American Life and Sound Opinions. You can listen to my show online, Thursdays at 3pm Central @ beloit.edu/~wbcr.

Quote of the week:

Me: "Scott [academic advisor] told me that there is a serious lack of sociologists in Québec."
Jason: "No one needs more sociologists."

Beer of the last 15 minutes:

The Lambic Pêche:

Sam Smith: “DCist, a website that provides Washington’s gentrifying class with superfluous aren’t-we-clever self-affirmation, dumped on a recent Washington Post article about gentrification in the city.” [City Desk, via Wonkette]

Oh wow, if I never heard a more accurate description of Gothamist blogs. Thank you, thank you.

and it came to me then

that every plan

is a tiny prayer to father time

Libby Guilty of Lying in C.I.A. Leak Case [NYT]

And... did anyone see David Brooks' column yesterday? (I would link it, but the bureaucratic TimesSelect prevents me from accessing it.)

The man has a point. (I think that's the only time you'll ever see me type that.)

Chicago's big food news today was that French chef superstar Joel Robuchon will be opening up a restaurant here in 2008.

I know that many foodies will be excited about this, but don't bother.

I've dined at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in the 6th arrondissement, and while it was spectacular, we have restaurants that are just as good or better here. (And I'm not even talking about Alinea, the #1 restaurant in the country.)

The Holidays were relatively uneventful (but nonetheless enjoyable): Chanukah dinner at the in-laws with Linda's famous latkes, eight nights of practical gifts (dryer sheets, espresso maker, books, pipe tobacco, coffee, etc.), Chinese food and Borat on Christmas day with siblings, and visiting my parents in Lexington.

New Year's Eve plans: nothing. I'm glad to be staying in this year and avoiding the obnoxious crowd at the Hopleaf -- although I'd still love to have a nice Belgian ale or two.

As a belated birthday present, Jason and I will be traveling to New York on Thursday. On the agenda: inside Manhattan: eating gratuitous amounts of smoked fish, attending a performance of Avenue Q, MoMA, etc.

Outside of Manhattan: visiting my large (and loud) family in Flatbush (Brooklyn), seeing the MTA Transit Museum, and stopping by Fishs Eddy for new dishes -- the more creative alternative to my beloved C&B.

As every news program recaps 2006, I think that Wonkette's slam of the increasingly outspoken CNN commentator nicely sums up the year:

This is what it looks like when Lou Dobbs leaves a missed connection.

Blog clichés -- Gawker, via Cos

I'm looking at YOU, Chicagoist!

Trader Joe's on Lincoln has just called to inform me that their warehouse is out of Peppermint Joe-Joe's for the season. I had placed a special order after discovering that they had sold out at my neighborhood store and was eagerly anticipating the phone call telling me that these cookies were in for pickup.

These were my ideal cookie: the taste of a Girl Scout Thin Mint in Oreo format. These had small chunks of crushed peppermint candy canes in the middle of the vanilla sandwich.

Restez en paix, mes biscuits délicieux.

I love it how I send PDFs in lieu of Word documents, only to preserve my fonts.

I think that one of my professors hates this, which makes it all the more fun.

Last King of Scotland


Marvelous.

The only Chicagoland theater that is still playing it, however, is in Highland Park. (gross)

The final show of this year's Rhinocerous Theatre Festival was yesterday's SMACKDOWN: Ira Glass vs. Beau O'Reilly. The contestants competed in their respective mediums (radio and theater) for the ultimate authority.

Ira Glass was fantastic. Beau O'Reilly wasn't bad himself, but I'm terribly biased to anything dealing with This American Life. Ira told several humorous stories; among them was an antecdote to New Yorkers about how the bridges in Chicago smelled like chocolate; another was a series of clips from President Clinton's 1992 campaign detailing how Clinton yielded a question about the Kennedy assassination to then-Senator Gore.

When Ira walked by me in the lobby before the show, I was as giddy as a thirteen year old schoolgirl seeing the Backstreet Boys (or today's equivalent.)

Democrats may not win the Senate, but with the coalition of lefties among us voting on important issues, I think we'll be okay. This is a great evening for the Democrats and the American People.

Things that have made me proud this evening:

JOHN YARMUTH (Kentucky 3 - Louisville) - my brother's former boss at the Louisville Eccentric Observer (local alternative newsweekly) beating incumbent Ann Northup
CLAIRE MCCASKILL (Missouri Senate) - Thank you.
MELISSA BEAN (Illinois 8 - suburbs) - Yes!

Deb Shore (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District)
... and to Madame Speaker, Nancy Pelosi!!

It's time to present our agenda, the people's agenda. America has finally won its 12 year battle against a party of a poor economy, unjust war, and notorious anti-women platforms.

1. You know what I want for my birthday? A subscription to NYT, so I can access TimesSelect.

2. I met Obama on Thursday and had my obligatory three books signed.

Today I rode my bike to the cobbler to pick up my brown mary janes, then to Jewel to do grocery shopping for tonight's homemade marinara sauce. As usual, I carried my two canvas bags with me which took the place of the usual Jewel-Osco #2 plastic bag. My canvas ones fit perfectly into the milk crate I've rigged onto the back of my bike, making the Schwinn Collegiate one hell of a great car substitute.

Our plastic bag society continuously irks me. Please re-use your plastic bags!

(And, have an easy fast.)