A few nights ago I was walking past New York Public library when I saw a man in a wheelchair on the corner of West 40th and 5th Avenue. Both of his legs had been amputated at the knee. The man was busking. He was playing a trumpet to the accompaniment of a jazz recording. He was there with an able-bodied friend who had a trombone. It was about 7pm.

About one hour later I passed the same street corner just as it was starting to rain. I saw the man again in exactly the same place—only this time he was standing up on two fully-formed, perfectly capable legs, packing away his sound system and talking to his friend.

I considered taking a photograph but thought better of it in the dim light.

If I see him busking again I’ll be sure to get a picture though. Then I’ll ask him where he keeps his legs…

A certain kind of job in journalism can only be kept if its holder, for the most part, refrains from doing it.

Walter at andrewsullivan.com on the unspoken rule of political journalism.

shreds of evidence

Originally uploaded by EssG.

Torn Poster Art (via Boing Boing)

Is it really so hard for Bush to explain to the American people what’s at stake and what will be required to achieve it; to admit mistakes, to fire Donald Rumsfeld and hold accountable others who have failed to perform effectively; and to ask for sacrifices from those who can most afford them, including himself?

Some interesting thoughts at Harry’s Place: Bush’s failure and Cindy Sheehan’s pain.

A team of top-flight investigative reporters from America and Russia has committed itself to untangling the case of Klebnikov, the 41-year-old editor of Forbes Russia who was gunned down at the peak of his career while walking home from his offices in northeastern Moscow on the evening of July 9.

Dubbed Project Klebnikov, it’s a cooperative mission that involves at least 20 journalists, New York University’s department of journalism, the Economist, Bloomberg News, Vanity Fair, and Forbes.

This one will be interesting to watch. Russian security services are not known for their thoroughness in this field. But this bunch are. (Via the New York Sun) Link here.