Yesterday, if I knew what it meant to blow a gasket, I could assure you I blew one. As it stands, I'm not going to even google "gasket." Knowing the exact meaning of gasket is as important as a rat's ass. That is to say unless you are a rat--not very important. With that highly silly aside on sayings, I will proceed with trying to express the state I was in.
An American, Bradley Manning, was found not guilty of aiding the enemy. As I waited to hear particulars i.e how that went down, to see if Wolf Blitzer might inquire of the talking heads as to why the prosecution brought that charge if there was no basis for such a charge... what was up with that? Maybe, they'd offer the public a little education to as to why "embarrassment to the government," is not a crime punishable by the specter of facing life in prison, without parole. Not to mention not just the specter, but the reality. If that judge did not have eyes on him, or if that judge was guided by corruption or excessive political ambition-- a conviction could have easily resulted without any evidence of guilt required. Worse comes to worst, a small untelevised protest here and there. Bye Bye Bradley. At least, you got 400 face book likes, while some Whistle blowers get none.
As I waited for the particulars, a story about how Carly Simon has told Taylor Swift the secret to who she sung about in "Your so vain." Footage of Carly and Taylor singing, on a stage somewhere. Then Carly Simon in what appeared to be the CNN studios. She and Ms. Swift proceeded to play coy with a reporter/investigative journalist about who was so vain after all. The non story story then left me very disturbed as to why Carly and Taylor were together at all, and yet none the wiser about who was so vain that they'd think a song was about them. I suspect most of us will think it was about Warren Beatty, no matter what.
In other news (that I had to deduce because no one was there to report on it,) Edward Snowden, requested of fellow travelers, in the Transit Zone of Moscow Airport, that they please let him sleep. I mean fellow travelers in the literal sense- a bunch of rowdy post college kids on a stop over at the Moscow airport, on their way to more festive destinations.
In the corner of the transit zone, a Czech Backpacker, was watching a downloaded Twilight Zone episode, on his I- PAD, and Edward bitterly thought how he'd name his book, "The Transit Zone." He then wished that Rod Serling was alive, I'm guessing.
As we all waited: The backpacker to see what happened to Burgess Meredith's character; Snowden for a place where he'd never see another Russian stewardess; and I-- for Wolf's promised report on Bradley Manning,--a story of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ongoing war against super sized sodas was presented. Erin "will someone please replace my battery," Burnett told the tale.
Bloomberg's battle against super sized beverage has reached a bloody standstill.
Something about an appellate court staying bans on these larger cups of soda. Lawyers in suits and justices of the peace weighing the statutory purgatory of ordering a large beverage only to be told it was against the law. Intercine violence erupting when a thin person kills a fat one. The skinny man's defense is that if not for his obesity Bloomberg would have left his right to soda alone.
Clerks and interns .Hours, and days that led to years-- of case law interpretation. Constitutional scholars agree to disagree about their fears that Big Gulp's are next.
You'll wake up to find a day where those large sized candy bars are off the shelf. You'll end up paying a buck fifty for two instead of 99 cents for one. Will the black markets, bootlegism, and gangsterism of Prohibition return, if large soda's are outlawed?
Rebels in black leather jackets telling waitresses about jury nullification, in the instance of wide scale soda pop related prosecutions?
To celebrate my escape from New York( and their increasing anti soda fascism,)I swore I'd order a huge Mountain Dew the next time I ate out.
PostScript: Wolf finally did come back and tell us that Manning might or might not have given a "small smile" as he was cleared of the aiding the enemy charge. Manning still faces a long stretch in prison, but the good news is.... they do allow 22 oz bottles of soda in commissary.