Oh God, that Schadenfreude pie. Have you ever made it? A filling of chocolate chips held together by butter, eggs, and Karo syrup? It must be inedible. If I were able to choke down a slice I’d experience Schadenfreude for my heart and arteries except I need them so much.

Any movie with “Beyond” in the title is fantastic. Have you ever seen “Beyond the Poseidon Adventure”? It is to me what BVD is to you.

I too love voting! I am politically aware and whenever a poll reveals that a certain percentage of the population is “undecided” about anything I always wonder why. BUT I also love the volunteer poll workers, and seeing the inside of my local public school (I don’t have kids), and buying up tasty homemade baked goods…

Yes, because every time you vote, even at the Presidential level, you’re voting at a state-wide level or lower. We only vote indirectly for President; because of our Electoral College we’re actually voting for the Electors from our state. Most states give all the electoral votes to whoever gets the most popular votes…

If you’re a guy, the Federal government does a really good job tracking you down when you turn 18 and mailing you your Selective Service form to fill out. They’re been doing this since the Carter administration (Carter brought it back; I think it was the norm for most of the postwar era.)

From second- and third-hand observation, I think you have a lot of Libertarians in NH. No sales or income taxes, and chock full of MA natives with one thing in mind: to have access to the MA economy without actually being subject to MA sales and income taxes.

Bread & Circus! I went to a party once up in Boston a l-o-o-o-ng time ago and there was a gang of B&C folks. Was there one in Brookline or maybe East Newton (is that a neighborhood in Newton?) Did you work there?

I was in my local supermarket the other day and I heard something hauntingly familiar. I don’t know much classical music by ear so I couldn’t imagine what it was. My friend explained, “It’s a slowed down instrumental version of Madonna’s ‘Vogue.’” HE WAS RIGHT! Who created such a thing? The Boston Pops? Why?

Maybe they’re marketing these towards vindictive Bridezillas who will force their bridesmaids to wear them.

“Love A fuck is not love a fuck
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand’ring bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.”

Since you’ve actually been to SUR...is it worth going to? Or do people just go to very self-consciously gawk at the zoo animals/staff and hope to get some background screen time?

Speaking of Vogue, the Met/Costume Institute Gala, Anna Wintour’s annual ancien régime star-studded blowout, offers some rich pickings. Not all, but many.

The last thing Hillary wants to bring up is being invited to a wedding, since she and Bill went to Donald’s last one. The same Donald who has said more than once, to defend his lifelong donations to Democratic politicians, including the Clintons, something like “it’s what a successful businessman does. You donate to…

This Matt Paxton quote should be one of the ones falsely attributed to Winston Churchill or Ben Franklin.

What in the world is a Ministry of Democratic Institutions supposed to do?

You saw Confederate flags in suburban Vancouver? Why...of what relevance could that possibly be to Canadians?

Nice Nancy Mitford U and non-U reference! I’m surprised I’m the first one to star you. And I’m a decidedly non-U American.

I think you’re right. What a shame to cover up that ocean view. Plus the Streisand effect must be in play whenever it’s rented: who exactly wants their every movement concealed, when all the other houses don’t have that giant arboreal wall?

“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is a very well-written and often funny memoir by a woman who worked in a crematorium. It was fascinating and a pretty quick read.

That might have been it. There’s also a long, riotous scene set in a kind of supper club with a dance floor...oh, the movie is so great.