April 4, 2013

A quick wrap-up of today's incipient "mask" theme.

Sometimes the blog acquires a theme, like today, when the first post of the day was about masks that the Hopis don't like to call "masks" — you call them masks, we call them friends — and the second was a metaphorical use of the word "mask," to refer to Ben Carson's current persona. But I would be bullshitting if I said that the third and fourth posts were on theme. Oh, I could do that bullshitting. But I'm not going to waste your time. As the title of this, the fifth post, says, quick wrap-up. So here's the news about masks:

1. "Vogue models 'ate tissues' to mask hunger: Revelations follow similar claims by fashion industry insiders."

2. "Hamas militants’ menacing mask of defiance: Hooded gangs patrol Gaza as Israel fires first attack in months breaking fragile truce."

3. "A man wearing an 'old man' mask robbed a Cleveland Chase Bank Wednesday morning, the FBI said." (Hints for bank robbers: Use sunglasses to keep the rubber mask in place and to provide additional masking.)

4. "Do North Korea’s threats mask power struggle behind the scenes?" ("Those who study the Hermit Kingdom have very serious doubts that any attack on the U.S. or allies South Korea and Japan is even being seriously considered. 'It could be there’s a whole other game going on,' said Stephen Long, a North Korea expert at the University of Richmond.")

5. The General Zod mask from "Man of Steel" has been identified as the Halloween costume item for 2013, but the images that were at this link — purportedly terrifying — have been "removed at the request of the studio." Here's a 2010-era General Zod action figure, decidedly unscary.

6. "Police are looking for a man who went into a Turkey Hill [store] in Palmyra early Sunday morning wearing nothing but a ski mask." ("The man is described as a white male, approximately 50 years old, standing 6 feet tall with a 'heavyset' build. He had no visible scars, marks, tattoos or body piercings, police said." An amusing twist on the old phrase "no visible scars." Usually it refers to scars other than on the face. Here, the face is where the scars could be.)

7. The gas mask Justin Bieber wore around town in London last month was just "a joke." (And he "know[s] who [he is]" and is "not gonna let negativity towards [him] bring [him] down.")

So put down the tissues and eat some real food. Don't let the negativity bring you down, baby. Take off the gloomy mask of tragedy. It's not your style.

18 comments:

Known Unknown said...

This is terrifying?

tim maguire said...

That's Liza Minelli? I had no idea she was attractive once. It sure didn't last (she's still youngish but definitely no looker in Arthur).

David said...

Wither the hoodie?

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Vogue models 'ate tissues' to mask hunger...

So? I eat tissue to mask hunger all the time. I usually go for muscle tissue from cows.

Anonymous said...

We Woosters can wear the mask.

Ann Althouse said...

"That's Liza Minelli? I had no idea she was attractive once."

Young people should realize -- while they are still young -- how much beauty they have by virtue of youth. That part can't last, and they might not really have back-up, aging-well beauty. But appreciate what you have. The truth is Liza Minelli was always very weird looking and she had an immense amount of feeling and personality coming out of that face. It made her a fascinating actress.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Liza is more of a beard than a mask.

MadisonMan said...

The beauty of being an "expert" studying North Korea? There's no way of being proven wrong!

edutcher said...

Why must the Lefties here so often wear the mask of Stoopid?

Known Unknown said...

I see you typed incipient when you meant insipid.

; )

Saint Croix said...

Jim Carrey often irritates me, but The Mask is fantastic.

TML said...

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2013/02/in-1959-fred-astaire-hired-renowned.html

Peter said...

How could you leave out "The Mask of Command" by John Keegan?

Ann Althouse said...

"How could you leave out "The Mask of Command" by John Keegan?"

Because the topic was restricted to news.

If I was doing a more general post on the topic of masks and delving into old books, I'd have had -- if there was going to be even one old book -- "The Man In the Iron Mask."

Ann Althouse said...

Which was, by the way, my father's favorite book.

Unknown said...

I wondered through the whole performance how they ever got an hourglass figure on her. Now she has what is called an apple shape. Like a barrel perched on sticks. Nice legs, but not much of a waist.
Youth and slenderness are very beautiful.

YoungHegelian said...

Vogue models 'ate tissues' to mask hunger

Does that mean that when the models took a crap it was self-wiping?

Just askin'! I'm home sick today, so be nice.

paul a'barge said...

By the way folks, when they say tissues they mean Kleenex.