We may tipple. We may tarry. We may loiter, shirk, and nap. But you, Dearests, never stop the flow. Of fascinating mail! A roundup from recent days. First, regarding our touching humanitarian efforts in points south and our assertion in reporting thereupon that Shigeru Ban was somehow complicit in the rather shocking notion that African American flood refugees should be put up in the inhospitable yet symbolically hamfisted environs of converted steel shipping containers—breath—this response from a fan who saw him speak in town the other day:

Ban has more common sense than that. At Saturday's lecture at the Asia Society, when discussing the Nomadic Museum, he pointed out that "shipping containers are meant for things, not people." Oh snap.

Bold stance! Somebody call Ada and Giuseppe! Moving on, this nice catch from the tip line:

I understand that Paris-based architect Christian de Portzamparc has opened a full-service NYC office and is in the midst of hiring. He'll likely be severing ties with Gary Handel + Associates, his production firm here. de Portzamparc apparently believes Gary Handel is a ball hog, demanding too much $ and getting too much PR on de Portzamparc's celebrated design work.

Guttersnipers, go forth and report. We want research! But do we share with the gentle masses that we needed a prompt from an associate to remind us that ball hog refers to the Stephon Marbury's of the world, not those lithe and lissome ladies of the later hours with whom The Gutter has, on occasion, consorted? No we do not! Moving on yet again, this just in from Aric Chen:

To our worthy colleague(s) at the Gutter,

We were delighted to learn this afternoon that you occasionally find the time to read Eavesdrop...And did you have to use that photo? It's awful.

It's true! We sometimes read Aric's stygian stylings! And you're right about the pic! But you should see ours!

Posted in Gutter Talk