More on Americans Elect

Man... I knew it was too good to be really good.

The slick shtick of Americans Elect, Just what Americans yearn for: A high-tech presidential ticket funded by secret Wall Street money

Could we have an open source democracy?

From the website of Americans Elect:
Americans Elect is the first nonpartisan nomination. We're using the Internet to break the gridlock in Washington, open up the political process and give every single voter—Democrat, Republican or independent—the power to nominate a presidential ticket in 2012. Your voice matters. You decide the issues. You choose the candidates. And in a secure, online convention next June, you will make history by putting the Americans Elect ticket on the ballot in every state. With Americans Elect, you have the power to choose leadership that puts country before party, and America's interests before special interests. You have the power to change politics as usual.

If you haven't already, check it out here: http://www.americanselect.org/about

I've been talking about the need for something like this for years. My hope is that this will help Americans get and feel more involved in the political process. No more just voting once for the guy who seems better than the other guy and hoping for the best. At least now there is another option. If they can just find a way to engage folks without computers, then we'd really be talking about a revolution. In the meantime, if Americans Elect catches on, it could at least make our democratic process, and the 2012 elections, a lot more interesting.

Why can't shoes feel nice and be sexy?

I find it hard to believe that it is impossible to build a shoe that is comfortable, affordable and not hideous. If they exist, I haven't found them and I've been searching for years. Wearing heels on daily basis just isn't an option for someone like me, with a messed up body. Ballet flats, as cute as they can be, don't really work either. I am lucky enough to live in New England, where clogs are socially acceptable, but I still cringe a little each time I finish off my outfit with a pair of gray corduroy clogs from DSW. And, even the clogs hurt my knees when I wear them too much.

It's become such an issue, at this point, I really can't move. At least, not to anywhere cooler than Boston. To live in New York, I would have to change professions, to a postal worker, personal trainer, or maybe a zookeeper. I also wouldn't be able to go out, ever.

Is there hope for girls like me who want to walk but also don't want to look hideous or like they're in their 80s? I'm about ready to throw in the towel and buy some orthopedic Easy Spirits.

Blue suede Easy Spirits, so hot right now!

I can't imagine I'm alone here. First, there must be other closet cripples like me out there, and even if I'm the only one, every woman's closet is home to at least one pair of shoes she doesn't wear because they cannot be walked in. I imagine that women, as a large consumer block, would take to the idea of comfy and elegant shoes. Sure, some women don't believe in comfortable shoes and eschew the word "comfy" they way others do "moist," but I think the everyday American lady making $31,000 a year, who feels forced to dress up for work, would really love such an invention.

Attention investors: I have ideas. If you know anyone in shoe design, please let me know.

Of course, there is always the possibility that everyone else loves the cheap shoes that I find hideous and I'm just a poor but stuck up snot face.

If I was a rich stuck up snot face, or at least rich like Daphne Guinness, I would design my own dashing custom shoes for every occasion.

Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen heels with Marc Jacobs in 2009.

Guinness in Paris in custom shoes.

Another custom pair made for Guinness.

Throw your money on the ground and leave it there

Tune-Yards Tiny Desk Concert, suggested by of jazz pianist extraordinaire Molly Cyr.

Hilarious Yoga Music Video

Tunes and Ron Swanson

Blog has been neglected. My apologies. What time I haven't spent at work, socializing, or trying to steer the drunken ship that is the board I'm on, I have been indulging in episode after episode of Parks and Recreation. There are a lot of reasons why I enjoy the show, but I especially love the character Ron Swanson, because he reminds me so much of my brother. He's a libertarian who loves guns and meat, and says a lot of wildly un-PC things. Dean is the same, and since he's in Afghanistan, it's a little harder to get my weekly dose of jaw-drops and hysterical laughter. Swanson has been a nice place holder. I can only hope and pray that my brother will one day grow such a magnificent mustache.

Ron Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness, which he used to train his youth basketball team.

I recently acquired Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' Soul Time, Mayer Hawthorne's How Do You Do?, Cass McCombs' Humor Risk, and the new Pokey LaFarge record.

So far, my favorite track from all of them is Hawthorne's "No Strings" The SJDK album's best tracks were all already released on EPs. Wanh wanh. This track is still hot, even if it's not new, and it is especially relevant now:


Look out for a review of Humor Risk in the January issue of Performer.

Garlic has been planted!