Layering ...
 

You would be correct, if someone were discussing something improper rather than just dumb looking. There is a big difference between impropriety and bad fashion sense. Bad style happens. There isn't an excuse of taste or lack thereof for flat impropriety.
I don't think I was quite advocating it, just noting that, having managed it without getting blisters, I have little sympathy for the argument that a stroll to the subway in the morning is such a trial. In issues of propriety, necessity trumps conflicting propriety concerns. It has to be a real conflict, though. It is entirely acceptable to flee for one's life without hat and gloves, or to eat with one's hands when foraging on a deserted island after a shipwreck. (I'd personally consider flight from a terrorist attack to be an honorary all-city "athletic event.") When selecting one's regular walking shoes, however, there are plenty of proper, comfortable or orthapedic daytime dress and street shoes one can find without reaching for the sneakers as the only thing on hand in a last-ditch desperate bid for survival. The fact that they may be ugly makes it a "style" issue, and style doesn't trump propriety (or, if it does, one can just acknowledge that being stylish is more important to one than being proper and abandon claims of propriety).

Some "proprieties" cannot be dispensed with at all, because a real necessity argument cannot be made: even when running before the invading Martian armies, it is still necessary to say "excuse me" to whomever you bump into, to say please and thank you when appropriate, and to otherwise respectfully address your fellow fleeing masses when not actually shouting "look out!"
"Supposed to" doesn't enter into that one. There's nothing wrong with doing it, it just looks too dippy for anyone sensible to do it as an intentional "fashion statement."

Actually, I take that back - sweater over the shoulders is improper, in addition to being silly-looking, while wearing black or white tie, because gentlemen have no business wearing a sweater with formal evening dress.

AI finale
 

Is that what his problem is? Because he always sounds off to me. And the only pitch I can identify is the slow curve from the breaking ball.

not7yS

FB Book/CD/DVD Club
 

I'm not sure what the key criteria are, but I just read William Gibson's Pattern Recognition and would recommend it to anyone who spends much time here. An internet bulletin board is central to the plot. I hadn't read anything by him before, and liked it quite a bit, enough that I'm having trouble deciding what to read next.

AI Odds
 

Current:

You pay 61 to get 100 (i.e. win 39 on 61 bet) returned on Clay, odds of roughly 2 to 3.

You pay 44 to get 100 returned on Ruben (i.e. win 56 on 44 bet), or odds of roughly 5 to 4.

AI finale and Question probably only Less can answer
 

Are you calling me tone-deaf?

I guess I would like Clay a little bit better if I was 12 or into bad tones and vibratos.

Outdated Humor
 

While reviewing the Name Book for ideas recently, Mr. Lex preemptively nixed "Eleanor" bacause the kid would inevitably turn out to be a "bitchy pig."

-TL

AI finale and Question probably only Less can answer
 

No, I'm calling you "a" tone-deaf.

Outdated Humor
 

Well, is "Frutt" still in play for a middle name?

Outdated Humor
 

Sucky Names on Practice Awesome Names

Bobby Donnell Lindsay Dole
Ellenor Frutt Rebecca Washington
Eugene Young Connect T. Dots
Helen Gamble
Jimmy Berluti
Lucy Hatcher


I wonder how they will write most of the cast out of the show. Freak bowling accident? I don't think think I could watch "jimmy the grunt" for an hour. He is annoying as a peon, I think he would make me kick my TV if he was a partner. I think they should get rid of Ellenor, Eugene, Helen and Jimmy. Maybe Lindsay can kill them too, and anyone else who wants their equity share.

FB Book/CD/DVD Club
 

Thanks for the comment re: Pattern Recognition. I was wondering how that would be.

Gibson is, of course, one of the celebrated sf writers, thought of as a visionary, etc etc. I read Neuromancer and liked it a great deal, though on the other hand I recently read All Tomorrow's Parties and had a hard time finishing the damn thing, for some reason. Just couldn't get engaged with the material.

AI thoughts
 

Ruben's pitch problems (and I still think they're pretty minor) are a pretty recent development. His first several finals performances were spot on--remember that song from Aladdin? Or that Carpenters song from the semis? Every last note was exactly where it was supposed to be. I remember the first time I ever heard him hit an off note, and it was well into the finals, when the fatigue was probably catching up to him.

You're right that Clay's pitch is always impeccable, and he does have a lovely instrument, with great range, power and control. He just has the most annoying vocal mannerisms ever. I kind of see him being a Tom Jones-ish cover artist. Not that their styles are at all similar, but they're both a) talented, b) consistent, c) well-loved by a rabid contingent of fans, and d) outside the mainstream. Clay would have to thank his lucky stars if he could have a career like Tom's.

Last night's performances were about what I expected. The Lennon/McCartney numbers both sounded underrehearsed (but what great songs!), and I thought Clay's strongest number was the first song--his vocal mannerisms were quite subdued. Ruben's experience performing on stage with live musicians showed--it's very obvious he feels comfortable with the live group performance dynamic. And my favorite line of the night was Simon's about how AI has made Clay so handsome.

tm

The Bachelor recap
 

Anyone watching the interview tonight? I'm sure I won't be if it conflicts with the Mavs game (though I might wish I was watching that instead if they get smoked).

n(friends call me heat miser)cs

Top Cult Movies
 

I think it qualifies as cult. A lot of true Clockwork fans have also read the book and gotten into the language of Clockwork, much like many Star Trek geeks get into speaking Klingon.

AI finale and Question probably only Less can answer
 

Does everyone remember when the pitcher "grooved" a pitch to Cal Ripken so he could hit it out in the All-Star game?

Top Cult Movies
 

Ah, yes, a reminder of my high school bf and his friends calling themselves the "Droogs". Thanks for that.

N(they weren't so tough though, I think they might have been classified as Clockwork Orange geeks)cs