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It's Sunday May the 6 around 11:02PM and

Good Things: Safety Dances, Snail Elections, Jazz, and Baseball

I'm not sure where to start with this post. If I started with Men Without Hats' Safety Dance video, I'm sure it won't tip you to the treasures of the web to unearth here in this post. Don't mind me.

The Cold War
In between reading John Lewis Gaddis's great page turner history, The Cold War - an amusing if sometimes terrifying recounting of the post war years and watching MASH (the movie, not the tv show) was a hell of a way to toil away the weekend. The MASH viewing led to some googles to the other spin off from the movie, Trapper John, M.D. Of course, this starred Pernell Roberts, he of Bonanza fame as Adam Cartwright. Here's the intro to Trapper John. So good.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, in Gaddis' book, the rogues gallery of Cold War douchebaggery was pretty awesome - from Mao to Charles de Gaulle to Uncle Joe. Of course, in this day and age, when you read about Nixon and Khrushchev, you hit up the web and watch Nixon in the USSR in 1959. Or this amazing extra scene from Oliver Stone's Nixon. (part 2)

I'm not sure what I like better. Vintage Soviet movie posters or Grindhouse style posters of other movies. Now, the question is, should my next book to read be Three Nights in Havana - the tale of Pierre Eliot Trudeau yuking it up in Cuba. Hmmm...thats a tough one.

The Snail Elections
And all that Cold War yum yums, particularly the de Gaulle, made me tune into the French elections today, where Nicolas Sarkozy won with huge turnout. Of course, you have to like a guy who celebrates at Fouquet's - a smuggier place with $12 euro cakes there could never be. I like how they roll in French politics. Now, the burning of the cars! Whoo Hoo! (Pajamas Media report from Paris) I want some Cotes Du Rhone and a viewing of the Bayeux Tapestry in motion to celebrate.

And I'm pretty sure this fun fact won't make some people happy, but since the war in Iraq, the G7 has the score of 6-1, elected governments that are Pro-American supporters of the war on terror. The lone hold out, Italy. Mamma Mia.

All that Jazz
Did I mention that I was cranking the Jazz all day? Seriously if you aren't down with Freddie Hubbard and Art Blakey performing Moanin' in 1962, well you're probably dead. If so, watch this Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers doing Dat Dere in Japan in 1961. Still not satisfied? Fine, Dave Brubek Take Five and Erroll Garner in 1962, Just One of those Things, that's my final offer. On second thought all this got me to watch the intro to Ken Burns Jazz, which got me to do some sneaking around for Ken Burns next film, The War which comes out in the fall. Now, for some reason I can't remember, I found this website that is pretty cool, and offering flights on B-17 WWII bombers this year.

Say Hey Willie.
Willie Mays turns 76 today. And how great would it be to able to watch Barry Bonds in the Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN tonight? Of course, he's not playing tonight. Bastards. If Julio Franco can still play and knock 'em out (at age 48) you'd think Bonds could show up for the nationally televised game. And seriously, Roger Clemens is back with the Yankees? At least baseball cards are coming out of the bust.

Bonus: Best headline this week. Skywalkers in Korea cross Han solo.