Punk Rock Art Corner: "Hipster Word Cloud (Takes I+II)"

<"The book behind you 

is the book behind you; 

the book ahead of you 

is the book ahead of you. 

And a success

 can be as difficult 
to survive 

as a failure. 

When you're a success, 

if you believe it, you're finished.">

<"Any real artist 

will never be judged 

in the time of his time; 

whatever judgment is delivered 

in the time of his time 

cannot be trusted.">

Quotes: 

James Baldwin,

New York Times, 1985

Images/Photos:

The Reckoner

Punk Rock Art Corner: "Away From The Numbers" (Word Clouds #1-6)

<"I was sick and tired 

of my little niche

Was gonna break away 

and find where life is...">

<"And all those fools 

I thought were my friends

(Coaching is easy)

They now stare at me 

and don't see a thing

(Reality's so hot hard)...">

<"Till their life is over 

and they start to moan

How they never had the chance 

to make good...">

<"Then I saw that I was really the same

So this link's

 breaking away from the chain..">

<Away from the numbers

Away from the numbers

is where I'm gonna be

is reality...>

<Reality's so hot hard, 

reality's so hot hard, reality's so hard...>

///Words: Paul Weller\\\

///Images: The Reckoner\\\

"In The City harbored one true masterpiece. From its opening power chords, the claustrophobic 'Away From The Numbers' was compelling.

"Too much could be made of lines, 'I'm gonna break away and find what life is'...but there does seem to be a grim determination to look beyond existing boundaries, onwards and upwards, away from the 'numbers,' Sixties Mod slang for the throng."

<John Reed: 

Paul Weller: My-Ever Changing Moods

Omnibus Press, 1996>

Punk Rock Art Photo: "Ghost Feet"

<:"Ghost Feet">

<Photo: The Reckoner>

This picture reminds of me of that statutory opening line from "The Raven," by Edgar Allen Poe, one of many that we all had to read in school, so we should -- theoretically, at least -- know it by heart, right? You know the drill: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary..." Blah, blah, blah. And so on, and so forth.

But that's the sight I confronted when I got in the elevator one earlySunday night, to drag the laundry to the second floor. (Note to bygone architect who designed our apartment complex, and building: whatever seemed futuristic or cutting edge in the '60s and '70s is purely teeth-grinding today.) I knew this sight would disappear, come Monday morning, so what did I do? I ran and got my camera. This is Take I (the first and best, or so they say).

How'd these footprints get here? Do they only belong to one person? Why did they end up splattered in white paint, and where did they go? I don't know, and I don't care to ask. --The Reckoner

Guest Cartoon: The Highwayman: "The GOP Monster Mash"

<"The GOP Monster Mash": The Highwayman
Click the image to get the full size/flavor!>

Judging by the response, House Speaker Paul Ryan's announcement last week that he, too, is following his Republican cohorts out the door provoked nothing less than a political earthquake. Personally, I wasn't as surprised as the pundits, once you work out the likeliest reason for Ryan's decision. Let's tick off the possibilities, shall we?

Spend more time squirrel hunting with his kids? Well, he said something along those lines, but -- given how little time he's spent lately in his district -- I wouldn't put money on it. This is the same guy who went 650 days without holding a town hall, and 900 without holding any other public event in his district. Given all the animosity that the GOP brand has aroused, I suspect you'll probably see a pig flying past your window before you see Ryan show his Eddie Munster-esque mug in Janesville, WI.

Fear of losing to political newcomers Randy "Ironstache" Bryce, and Cathy Myers? Maybe, though, realistically, a lot can happen in seven months -- and novice candidates often make their share of unforced errors (as we saw in Jon Ossoff's bid against unseat Karen Handel in Georgia). Scattered polling suggested this race was Ryan's to lose, though unexpectedly robust fundraising from Bryce, in particular ($4.75 million to date, $2.1 million in his last quarter alone), and to a lesser extent, Myers ($750,000 so far) suggested some sort of volcanic event in the making.

A desire to cash in 20 years of political connections, to make money hand over fist? If you said, "Yes," our bell is going ding, ding, ding! in your head. Ryan might have little fear of losing his own race, but if those "blue tsunami" predicts come to pass, being just another Congressman in a GOP minority would feel like a definite comedown. Why else would you effectively make yourself a lame duck before the elections have even taken place?

Far better, then, to become head of a think tank, churning out endless policy papers and ideal budgets that few outside the already committed will probably read -- as former Senator Jim DeMint did, until the Heritage Foundation booted him out last year from his president's perch -- or becoming a lobbyist, or a consultant, or just spend the rest of your life shoveling in six-figure speaking fees on the rubber chicken circuit (Hey, remember all those promises we made with our tax reform bill? Yeah, I know, it was all a pipe dream...but didn't we have a blast dreaming it up?).

Time will how Ryan's future, and that of his party, plays out. In the meantime, I asked our house artist, The Highwayman, for a cartoon to capture the mood -- and, while you're at it, enjoy this vintage clip (below) of Bobby Pickett performing his biggest hit, which inspired this week's cartoon...oh, and feel free to boot the odd pumpkin or two over the goal line, once the midterms get closer. --The Reckoner