Going over the Brooklyn Bridge, traffic on the FDR Drive slowed enough that the lingering smell of burning rubble reached the car, conjuring up images that we didn't want to think about. We then spoke with our friend Chuck, who lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn -- whose entire fire department was wiped out -- and who had papers from the WTC floating over to land on his front steps on September 11. Just discussing the tragic event with a still-distraught person was enough for us to make sure that we immediately changed the subject.

The ultimate chiller was waking up Monday, November 12, and seeing the ghastly plane crash in Rockaway, Queens, no more than two miles from where we'd been spending the weekend, in a neighborhood we'd just driven through, and close to LaGuardia Airport -- where a friend was flying out to New Orleans at 10 that morning. It's strange to say, fortunately, the disaster is being ruled an accident, rather than terrorism, but it further drove home the sense of violation we've felt since September 11.

So support our men and women in uniform, and hope that someday soon Tom "Grecian Formula" Ridge spends more time concentrating on global terrorism than on dyeing his hair.

After circling the block a number of times, he encountered another motorist who instructed him to roll down his window. Mr. Greene did so, and was asked, "Are you looking for Brown?" Getting only a puzzled look, the apparent good Samaritan repeated, "Are you looking for Brown?", only to be met by another uncomprehending stare from our pal. Exasperated, the driver said, "Are you looking for Brown University?" Mr. Greene said no, but he still wondered how anyone could know that he was a Brown grad, particularly since there were no decals or such on his car.

Only after the other driver said, "You better lock your doors in this neighborhood," did Mr. Greene realize that he'd attracted the eye of a dealer who thought he was trolling the neighborhood to purchase "brown" heroin. Does it come with a beanie?

The most stunning element of the "stimulus package" proposed by the House, and passed by a mere two-vote majority (thanks to the seven Republicans with the decency and cojones to vote "no"), is the effort to abolish the alternative minimum tax on corporate income. Here's what Hendrik Hertzberg had to say about this in last week's New Yorker:

"[Besides] bringing back the days when profitable corporations could lawyer their way out of paying taxes altogether -- [it would] also give back money collected during the fifteen years the tax has been on the books. The Treasury would simply cut check -- $1.4 billion for IBM, a billion for Ford, $833 million for General Motors, and so on. The total for this provision alone, $25 billion, is nearly double what the bill contains in relief for taxpayers of modest means. And while all the cuts for the rich are permanent or quasi-permanent, those for the non-rich are (as any tax cut aimed at stimulating immediate demand ought to be) a one-shot deal."

The Bush administration has a plan of its own, spreading out the tax givebacks to the rich over 10 years, but, as Hertzberg points out, ". . . the House would cut only the lowest of the four upper-income personal tax rates; the White House wants to cut them all. More than half the benefits would go to the richest one per cent, whose average take next year alone would be around thirty thousand dollars. The bottom three-quarters -- including all those cops and firemen -- would get nothing."

Despite the hard times we're facing, it seems that some insensitive Republicans just can't help being insensitive Republicans. Assholes like Tom DeLay seem only capable of seeing the "suffering" of the wealthy. He's had his head buried up the butts of his prosperous benefactors for so long that the only thing he understands is their crap.

The folks behind the Providence Living Wage Campaign are having a big rally this Thursday, November 15 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Providence City Hall. They'll be delivering more than 2200 postcards and letters from registered Providence voters, urging the mayor and city council to give decent pay to the people who spend and invest in our economy (as opposed to the multi-billion dollar checks handed over to the uber-wealthy, ensuring a continued widening of the huge gap between rich and poor -- a prime American disgrace.)

Check out this rally and see what they're talking about.

Young Frank speculated on whether the Biggest Little's welfare compensation programs might be a little too "generous." Perhaps what Frank means is that some of the eligibility requirements might be worth looking at (such as the length of time one needs to establish residency). No one in their right mind could think that public assistance is "too generous," anywhere in this world, unless, of course, they have lived a life of such privilege and freedom from want that they don't have a clue.

We think Frank is a lot smarter than he appeared to be with his boneheaded comment.

Myrth continues to keep her fashionable hat in the ring, and we think AG Sherbet Whitebread did himself no good by missing this event. When P&J noted Ms. York's presence, she got a healthy round of applause, and she remains a player, even if we do believe Sheldon is a lock for the governorship. But, as they say, we have been wrong before. Thanks to everyone who attended for a wonderful evening to benefit a great cause.

While Kesey or that other great bridge figure, the late Allen Ginsberg, could be scored for their unreliability and occasional irresponsibility, their work and their lives opened minds and hearts. (Not to mention how we've had our eye on KK for years, using him as an indicator of when those of us who popped a few tabs and beer cans, a la the Merriest Prankster, should plan on going down. Sell-by date is now 66 years old, kids.) Ultimately, Ken Kesey was a force for good and he encouraged generations of people to imagine the possibilities.

Send wild mushrooms, stirring prose, and Pulitzer-grade tips to p&j[a]phx.com.

Issue Date: November 16 - 22, 2001