It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

Following his latest prestidigitation of derring-do by hanging upside down bat-like a full two meters above the ground for sixty hours, self promoter/illusionist/and all around wanker David Blaine has announced his intention to defy civil authorities and wander the streets of Detroit's Harper Avenue area for 24 hours. Blaine, the idol of 12-year old boys who randomly describe him as "wicked cool", says despite warnings from Detroit police he will roam the 'hood unarmed and without body armour. "We don't even go there", Sergeant Kummo Vincetti of the Detroit Metropolitan Police stated. "It's a war zone and unless you be buyin' rock or sellin' yo ass you have no bidness bein' there". A spokesman for Blaine says they are recruiting a film crew to follow Blaine but so far no one has applied for the positions of camera person or sound engineer. Blaine, who is in training to practice urinating and defecating in alleys and doorways feels he can safely survive the mean streets by using his infectious smile to ward off gang bangers. His special will air sometime next spring on FOX if a production crew can be found.
In other news, the current Congress is working feverishly to complete the Socialisation of the entire financial system begun by the Bush administration. In 1989 as the Berlin Wall came crashing down those of us at Uni struggled to keep our heads up. Our denial included statements such as, "Marxism did not fail the Soviet people. The Soviet people failed Marxism." Apparently laissez faire Capitalism has failed the American people and the American people are going to pay for the excesses of its promoters. They get golden parachutes. The rest of us get golden showers. Trickle down, indeed. Another French expression comes to mind when I watch CNN interview the heads of AIG, Lehman Bros., et al - "Mdme. Guillotine". Bring your yarn and needles down to the Battery for the party. Those of you in the front rows dig out the plastic sheets you used in the '80's for a Gallagher performance to protect your clothes.