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James Lileks: National Treasure
I know that just about everybody here knows who James is, probably largely from the podcasts where he stands athwart Rob Long, enticing him into breaking into his segue, but I’ve only sporadically checked out his Bleat blog, which he has been doing since Moses took two tablets of Advil down from Mt. Doom and rebuilt his lightsaber to defeat the Sith on a volcano planet somewhere, out there, in the galaxy.
Today, he’s documenting what’s happened in his town, pictures of the buildings, many of them with boards on the windows, but he’s also got these fantastic tidbits on the architecture and the background on the buildings.
But that’s just part of it. It’s a page of amazing, old-timey, referential “stuff” that really seems to demonstrate the idea that some good things are lost over time — and some not so good things are lost over time, too, and good riddance — but the chronicling of the change is what’s interesting to me. The spaces where people lived, and then lived no longer.
Thanks, James!
Published in General
Get up early. Cheat at work and always have a Ricochet tab open on your computer. Stay up late.
It is the only book I’ve ever read that made me laugh so hard my jaw muscles hurt. I’ve never even heard of anyone getting sore jaw muscles from laughing.
Pretty sure this (Hugh Hewitt’s radio show) was also where I first found out about Lileks.
It might be something of a toss-up for me. He also appeared on several “episodes” of Northern Alliance Radio Network (NARN) from Minneapolis, and it’s quite possible I heard him there first. The best part about NARN is that he would be on for an entire hour, or even TWO hours! Not just one or two segments on Hewitt.
One of the many things from Lileks-world that has added to my life is a completely unprecidented appreciation for architecture in ordinary settings. I mean, I could tell an Art Deco skyscraper from a mirror box, but that was about it. Other buildings only got my attention if they were collapsing in front of me. Then I started looking through the Small Town America feature for the snappy commentary, and was introduced to the hideousness of Buckaroo Revival and the magic of ghost wall signs.
Not long ago I was driving a carfull of family somewhere in Buffalo and we passed a building that was clean, neat and obnoxious enough to draw comment from the backseat. “OUMB,” I explained. Then I got to explain what the term means, and since then we have made a game out of spotting them.
Beginning 9/11/01 Instapundit has been my first homepage, and shortly after that The Bleat became my second. I learned of him via referral from Instapundit of Lilek’s brilliant take-down of some snooty wanker British journalist who made fun of the despicable Muricans who do disturbing things like actually enjoying a meal at the Olive Garden.
I liked the cut of his jib, and have read every Bleat since Fall 2001, and greatly enjoyed his entire website- lileks.com. His posts showing Google views of American towns and cities is depressing but fascinating and he has found some great forgotten cartoonists that I always look forward to. I have also been moved by stories of his wonderful parents and the lives they led.
Mrs. Lileks should not make him do ANYTHING. Thanks, James.
I have been a Bleatnik for years. When I’m feeling down or in need of a distraction from the day’s problems and disappointments, I can always count on The Gallery of Regrettable Food or pictures of The Gobbler (or any other section of the site) to make me laugh and give me a little lift in my spirits. I, too, came to Ricochet because of him. He’s someone I admire greatly and is on my list of “Top 10 People I Would Love to Meet.”