World – There is a part of me that wants to kick at people who are canonized even if they are canonized for a good reason, so let me note that he was pals with Bono. That’s the late Nelson Mandela I am referring to, of course. You would think that people at the time of his death would resist the urge to make a man, a Saint. So let’s try Nelson this way: an Upper Middle Class lawyer who used “terrorist” tactics to further his Anti-Apartheid cause, got nabbed, got jailed again when the racist couldn’t make it stick. Married three times. You know, a normal guy with a 27 year interruption for jail. On the plus side of the ledger, he saved South Africa from the disastrous fate of the countries surrounding him; whether that is enough to forgive him for being buddies with Bono is for others to decide.
Live: A triumphant return to MSG two and a half years after his awful “Greatest Hits” set; Elton John played one of his best sets ever on the occasion of his record breaking 64th performance at the World’s Greatest Arena.
Recorded: Boston’s latest might well be more of the same but the same is very good indeed and that plus two EPs, one by Marshall Crenshaw and one by Sevyn Streeter are the highlight of another light week.
National: Hardest ticket? The one to Mandela’s funeral; it helps a lot if you are a former President. Meanwhile, unemployment is down to 7% and the stockmarket is sky high and the GOP is claiming foul though if the Democrats could cook the books why wouldn’t they have done it six years ago?
Local: Bill Bratton hired as Police Chief by di Blasio: read it like this, if there is any spike in crime, Bill won’t get a second term and all the commie stuff in the world won’t change that.
Sports: The Knicks two game winning streak put them right in the mix to win their rancid division and maybe just maybe Jason Kidd is in over his head. I would be shocked if either local team makes the playoffs let alone the Superbowl and it is a little too early top worry about hockey.
