Read Some Stewf

Arroyo Walk

Mama Red Riding Hood

Taken on Museum Hill in Santa Fe where I get to spend another Thanksgiving. Now you know where I get my eyes.

Celebrate Good Times

This is pretty much exactly how I felt last night while traveling from the FontShop election party to another in the East Bay where Oakland’s streets were alive with celebration — honking and wooting as if we had just won the World Cup.

Wish I knew the brilliant animagician who made this. Info about its origins are welcome. I believe the poetry of Kool and the Gang is also in order. I advise watching the video and the above animated GIF side-by-side for ultimate joy factor.

Yahoo! This is your celebration
Yahoo! This is your celebration

Celebrate good times, come on! (Let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let’s celebrate)

There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you

Come on now

Celebration
Let’s all celebrate and have a good time
Celebration
We gonna celebrate and have a good time

It’s time to come together
It’s up to you, what's your pleasure

Everyone around the world
Come on!

Yahoo! It’s a celebration
Yahoo!

Celebrate good times, come on!
It’s a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on!
Let’s celebrate

We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right

Baby...

We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Ce-le-bra-tion)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Ce-le-bra-tion)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right

Yahoo!
Yahoo!

Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on!
It’s a celebration!
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)

(ad lib)

Come on and celebrate, good times, tonight (Celebrate good times, come on!)
’Cause everything's gonna be all right
Let’s celebrate (Celebrate good times, come on)
(Let’s celebrate)...

Also: Sean and Vamsi Discuss White House Basketball

McCain’s Best Case Scenario

Assuming that the race is indeed tightening, as McCain supporters hope, I made what would could be called McCain’s Best Case Scenario Map. I gave McCain all the toss up states according to Pollster.com’s composite trend estimates, and even some of the big states that are currently leaning Obama, such as Virginia, Florida, and Ohio. Basically, any state within 7 points either way I put in McCain’s column.

Being this generous with McCain’s chances, he still loses 265 to 273.

At the risk of jinxing it, I must say I don’t see how Obama can lose unless something extremely dramatic happens in one of those blue states on my map within the next 2 days. No poll aggregate has moved more than 7 pts in a week, let alone 48 hours.

Pessimists may now spread your apocalyptic dread in the comments below — or make your own map with LA Times’s vote calculator.

Update — Polling wonk Nate Silver pretty much agrees.

Dick Cavett Interviews Dick Cavett

Brilliant impression by Rick Moranis who in a close-up looks nothing like Dick, but it doesn't matter. See also Charlie Rose Talks With Charlie Rose.

Market Street, San Francisco, 1905/1906

Thanks to Ivo for linking me to this film shot from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in 1905, before the earthquake and fire of 1906 destroyed the city. Remarkable footage of turn of the century lifestyles in California and the transition of transportation modes, from horse and buggy to the earliest automobiles. Interesting to see how well the street traffic worked despite what seems to me like chaos. There were couple of moments that made me yell at people to get out of the way. Look out for that car, fine fellow! You foolish, foolish, fine fellow.

Here is the Western Addition neighborhood and the same stretch of Market in 1906 after the earthquake struck. Almost complete devastation. Though the Ferry Building at the end of the street still stands!

It spooks me a bit to know the Bay Area is still filled with many of the same wood frame structures and potential for seismic activity. Of course, they are earthquake veterans here. My former home, Salt Lake City, sits on a fault just as dangerous but hasn’t experienced a single major quake since it was settled. I hope folks are prepared. Fortunately, being prepared for emergencies is a Mormon strong suit — nearly every one I know back home has emergency food and water thanks to a long tradition of preparedness admonition from Church leaders.

Thanks to the Prelinger Archives for preserving these films.