Big Business

In Memphis today. I walked down Beale Street, like a mini French Quarter, and did some souvenir shopping. It was pissing down rain and getting pretty cold so I ducked into this completely random junk store and found some pretty great stuff. I got this cane:


















This old Mason's ring:


















I also walked over to Tower records which, unless you are living in a hole, you may have heard is bankrupt and closing all of its stores. The one on Broadway in NY first announced its massive liquidation with 10 % off all cds. Really? The cds were nearly $20 to begin with. These days stuff is around 70 % off the original price. The cds were pretty well picked over, and while I was tempted, I didn't buy this one.
















I did get a bunch of books though, since people in Memphis evidently aren't big readers. I scored a David Shrigley collection, the Chunklet Overrated double issue, a Dan Clowes book and a few graphic novel-type things for less than $50. They were selling all of the fixtures in the store as well, including telephones desks and displays. I may end up with a 25 foot-high Jermaine Dupri album cover in my nonexistent apartment. This made me laugh. In this touristy pap store they covered up what is clearly a lapel pin in the likeness of a big, pink dick with a sticker that says 'censored.'



















Last night in St. Louis, just as the crowd was filing, out the toilets in the second floor bathroom overflowed sending a dirty waterfall off the balcony onto the main floor. It created quite a panic. Siiiiiiiick.



















The days just seem to be getting longer.
















And apparently we are no longer in control.

















The information age collides with the deep south.
















Heaven/Hell
















I don't know about this. Scavenger hunts are a good time, but where the hell do you expect me to get a bear? Come on!
















Off to the Big Easy tomorrow. First time back since the flood....