Saturday, December 29, 2018

Irreverence

Reflecting lasd night on the candy of my childhood with some friends - Big League Chew, cigarette gum that puffed, pixie sticks...they were really encouraging the use of illicit products to kids. But guess what? I miss those days. Of course these were bad messages, but we all knew they were bad messages and didn't care so much. Because people took things less seriously.

Strikes me that on the verge of 2019 we all might do better to regain a little more of the cosmic insignificance of it all and relax a bit more.

UPDATE: I saw Big League Chew in a convenience store driving from Yosemite to LA. There is hope after all!

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Facebook

For the record, I don't trust or like Facebook and never have. But the current outrage and calls for government to regulate the company strike me as ridiculous. If you find Facebook disgusting, get off Facebook. The only way Facebook ceases is when the users cease to use it. Stop looking for someone else to solve what is your/our problem.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Why We Have Trump

How Amazon and Facebook collude to use data in a stupid manner.

So Amazon refuses a book review by mistakenly thinking the reviewer knows the author. But here's the most frustrating thing: in the book world, everyone who reviews each others work knows each other! Read a book jacket. All the quotes are from other authors who know the author. And here we have Amazon and Facebook trying to get the "people" to play the rules the elite doesn't play by themselves. And even: they don't get it right. Nor do the strive to correct it. The arrogance is astounding.
Facebook

Allowed Netflix and Spotify access to your private messages.

Not a bug, a feature.
Yep

"The inability of rich neoliberal centrist elites in western capitals to understand - or even hide their scorn for - the anger and grievances of rural and working-class people over their economic suffering is one of the 2 or 3 most important causes of contemporary political changes."

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Teacher Protests

Coming to LA tomorrow.

I'd be curious if Trump favors these.
Intellectual Turing Test

Lots of media folks pissed Kaepernick didn't get a run in Washington. Never heard any of these folks voice any concern about the lack of conservative voices in Hollywood or academia where conservatives are clearly rooted out. Point is, media folks are just using their platforms to project their politics, and don't have any true concern for the way power punishes unfavorable political expression.

Sunday, December 09, 2018

Secret Hitler

I've now played four games and been a Fascist four times without being Hitler. The odds of this happening are roughly (.3x.3x.3x.3 = less than 1%). Maybe the game knows something I don't.

In the first two games, the liberals won. In the second two games, we won.

A few observations:

1) The first couple times playing as a Fascist are difficult because you aren't quite sure the degree to which you should lie and I got identified early than I would've liked.

2) Having significantly more Fascist policies in the deck is what makes the game play even out.

3) Strikes me the optimal liberal policy is to identify three guaranteed liberals as quick as possible and then just create a liberal triangle to get policies passed.

4) I wonder if playing more makes you better, or whether becoming a better playing is all about knowing or figuring out the group dynamics.

5) I wonder if the game benefits from having players of mixed ability within the game. Most games benefit from having "equal" experience for sake of pace, etc. Think: tennis. Or poker. I actually think "playing dumb" is quite a good Fascist strategy or playing off inexperience can fluster liberals.

6) We never got Hitler elected, but instead got six Fascist policies passed.

7) The funniest part of the game playing as a Fascist is watching the liberals accuse each other and even assassinate one another (part of the game play).

Saturday, December 08, 2018

Factions Everywhere

Our culture is becoming radically factionalized. We wonder why our politics stink? It's because our culture stinks.

The chances of anyone saying anything smart about the Oscars or the host is roughly nil.
Sherman Rips Redskins for Not Signing Kap

Meanwhile, the Niners are the worst team in the league with a quarterback named Nick Mullen.

Football players who think other teams should sign Kap reminds me of when a single guy recommends another single guy date a girl. A smart person does not take such advice.

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

The WASPS

Ross Douthat on why we miss the WASPS.

I'm old enough to remember when the WASPS ruled and maybe because I was young, or maybe because I was naive, but I don't remember a whole lot of people being very angry about the whole situation. Whereas now, it seems like everyone is angry and oftentimes about a lot of weird stuff.

Regarding the Meritocrats - the record on their rule hasn't been good. It seems to me the meritocratic play is to take over existing institutions and reshape them in their own image. But who thinks the University system, the Federal Government, Hollywood, or Wall Street has been improved by meritocratic rule?

The outlier might be Silicon Valley, but my impression is that Silicon Valley was built by the weirdos and is now also a meritocratic stronghold.

Color me skeptical of the meritocrats. Is there a walk of life they as a ruling class have made better?

UPDATE: And the journalism is worse. Much, much worse.
This Would Make A Good Reality Show

The ex-presidents and their petty family dramas.  Really great ruling class we got -- they behave like high school students. How astonishing that George HW Bush gets to play hero (or so it feels by the article)

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Taiwan Can Win A War With China

Interesting take.

When's the last time China won an offensive war against someone other than themselves? I don't know the answer, but I imagine it's been a long time.

Saturday, December 01, 2018

Logging

Screener season!

Film: A Star Is Born

Really wanted to see this in the theater. Young children, alas. Does it get easier?

First Act = Oscar

The rest felt less interesting. Music great. Performances great. Directing on the whole impressive, but some stylistic choices felt not quite right for me. Example being using jump cuts in dramatic scenes, a thing I associate with indy films of the early 2000s. Makes it feel a little low rent and Sundancy, which wasn't right for what was meant to be a great Hollywood spectacle. Nice to see Andrew Dice Clay.

OTHER THOUGHT: We now have a whole category of films where the trailers are better than the movie. Off the top of my head: Zac Snyder Superman, A Star Is Born, Miami Vice (I love this movie, but love the trailer more).