Logging

Film: Another Round

A good film, but an exceptional drinking film. Had to stop around the first act break to fix myself a drink. 

Obviously, you pair this with Sideways.

Then Give It To Me

60% of Ohio nursing home staff refusing vaccine. 

Seriously, they pass give it to someone else. We don't have time for this shit.

This Is Really Incredible

Haverford and Bryn Mawr both experienced student "strikes" this year. The students (I mean parents) are paying the colleges 60 grand a year for the students to strike classes.

The parents ought to organize a coalition to demand every penny of their tuition to be refunded.

Let the strike go on until the striking students get hungry. Let's see how committed they are to dismantling the obviously racist environment of these schools.

I'd laugh if it wasn't so serious.

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Film: Palm Springs and Home Alone 

Palm Springs very solid. Most unusual element from Home Alone - between Kevin and one set of cousins, the families have 11 kids, meaning 5 or 6 from each family. I cannot imagine such a depiction of an American family in 2020. Depressing, isn't it? Was it so long ago?

TV: Normal People (parts), House of Ho, A Teacher (parts)

Parts indicates catching parts as my wife watched the show. Normal People had a storyline that was: Beat 1 - character gets accepted into an MFA program, Beat 2 - character does not want to go because girlfriend won't go, Beat 3 - character changes mind and decides to go. That should give you a good sense of whether you'll like the show or not.

House of Ho and Selling Sunset were my two favorite shows this year. 

Amen

Great line: "When I see Josh Hawley, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump behind an idea, it's time to run for cover." 

Be Real

Deadline reports MLK hospital overrun with COVID. And of course, the suggested narrative is that this is due to systemic injustice.

But at the same time, I can't help but notice other headlines in the LA Times (hardcopy) about cops shutting down underground parties in DTLA and Compton last night. Which, of course, are right near MLK hospital. 

Connection? 

This Is Where We Are

And a preview of where we are headed. 

Coronavirus Case Map For LA

My two criticism: doesn't include Burbank and doesn't indicate what the colors mean.

 

How Guilty is the FDA?

For every day they delayed approving the vaccine, 3,000 extra Americans died. Consider that number. Then, add in this additional variable that the virus has a mutated strain that may spread even faster (as found in the UK). 

Within their existing slo-mo bureaucracy, the vaccine approval was delayed AT LEAST two weeks. That's the floor number. Ceiling is: they could've got this vaccine out earlier if they had any ability to move fast.

 

Election Fraud

I've not been persuaded by any of the election fraud claims thus far, but when Peter Navarro releases a report, it's probably worth looking at. After all, he was the first one with any real influence to suggest taking government action against COVID 19. 

Who Gets the Vaccine First?

It appears the CDC is gonna recommend essential workers over old people for get this -- diversity reasons.

I've not followed this closely, but it doesn't strike me as a totally easy call. I'm most in favor of Alex Tabarrok idea of giving more people 1 dose versus less people 2 doses to blitzkrieg this thing.

 

There Is No Line

Wokesters come after Helen Keller.

Their true target is anyone who accomplishes anything of substance.

Antifa In Portland

Have taken over a house. 

The militants laid out piles of rocks, metal spikes and glass bottles at strategic points to act as supply points for projectile weapons. They lined the road with impromptu “booby traps” — upward-facing nail strips, caltrops and more.

Are we sure they aren't just doing a Home Alone reenactment? 

Inclusivity

Inclusivity doing good according to Anita Hill, but meanwhile the movie theater just died. 

Consider This

On vaccines:

Addendum: Countries in the world that now have a vaccine: the UK, Canada, Bahrain, China, Russia. One country without a vaccine: the United States. The US FDA advisory committee is meeting today.

 

Professional Screenwriter

My son told a story in the tub tonight (loosely based upon real events):

One day, I walked into the bathroom and saw a poo in the toilet. I flushed it. The end. 

I told him the story was a bit boring and maybe he needed to do something in the story. He protested. "I did do something - I looked at it."

I offered to pitch an alternative take:

One day, I walked into the bathroom and saw a piece of chocolate in the toilet. Yummy. I reached in to eat it, but realized it wasn't a piece of chocolate at all, but a small piece of poo. Yuck! I threw it back in the toilet and flushed it away.

This story was a great big hit. They asked me to repeat it 6-7 times. I now have a contract to write a sequel.

Can This Be True?

The vaccine was built in a weekend.

Part 2: The cost of perfection. The vaccine was invented in a weekend, available in February. In free market land, we would not have had a pandemic, or a recession. 284 thousand people would be alive today. That is the cost of FDA "protection."

Unbelievable. 

Yes

I don't understand much of this article, but he is onto something. 

This much is all true: I believe that “quality television” is in fact of extremely low quality, that “YA literature” is not literature, that “OA literature” as it were looks more and more like YA with each passing year, that superhero movies are of course not cinema and that no self-respecting adult should ever watch them, except perhaps as an expression of love to some li’l tyke in their lives. If we were living in a culture dominated by grown-ups, Martin Scorsese would be considered the purveyor of middle-brow forgettable fare rather than the gold standard of sophistication, and at least the childless among us would not even have to be aware of Spider-Man’s existence.

He Said It Better

Chris Nolan on WB:

“Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service,”

Logging

Film: Mank (first 45 min or so)

For a film about a screenwriter, not written particularly well.

Film: Freaky

On a whole, disappointing. Nevertheless I laughed out loud a number of times. Tremendous Vince Vaughn vehicle -- wish he could've insisted on a bit better execution of a terrific concept. Wasn't there something more interesting to do with the killer who seemingly had no other human desires other than to murder anything he saw?

I Can't Help But...

Wonder how Charlie Brown would feel about Apple TV buying up the exclusive streaming rights to his Christmas special. 

Deliberate Downfall

AT&T executives are turning what was until recently the crown jewel of the entertainment industry - Warner Brothers - and turning it into a Netflix knock off.

This is like French Laundry becoming a franchise.

Logging

Film: Red, White, and Blue - ep 3 - Small Axe

TV or a Film? Who knows, but it's a pretty solid, contained drama. The topic is racism, so if you feel like the subject is a bit overexplored, it might not be your cuppa. Details on the Jamaican-British family dynamics and community were my favorite parts.  

LA Sheriff Will Not Enforce Lockdown Orders

How do politicians expect their laws to be enforced when they support defunding the police?

Also, and I hadn't thought of this before, if you alienate the cops who are paid to enforce the law -- what happens when they choose to not to enforce laws? How do you police the police?

BLM - care to comment?

(hint: they will build another police -- what other societies have called a secret police)

Advantage: Brexit

Brexit enabled the UK to approve the COVID vaccine quicker. 

And if I had to guess, the distribution will be better and more efficient.

They're Listening

I mentioned the rather unmemorable film Lord of War in my classes to illustrate an example of a unique montage (in the film opening).

And then later, Lord of War appears in my Youtube recommendations - way up at the top.

Most certainly not a coincidence.

Logging

TV: The Undoing (all episodes) and A Teacher (one episode) 

I hate tv.

The Undoing's first two episodes were compelling. David E Kelly has found his niche - milfy murder mysteries of the 2%. The problem was the show became too much about the murder and court case and did not have enough mystery moves by the end. 

A Teacher is cheap, unwatchable trash.

Bring me a vaccine shot and reopen the movie theaters please.

Defund the Police

Minneapolis carjackings up 527% 

Almost as impressive as Tesla stock.

Nike (and Coke)

Nike is a strong voice against slave labor from 160 years ago, but lobbies on behalf of looking the other way when it concerns slave labor being used right now.

I wear Nikes because they fit my feet the best, but I am strongly considering giving up that particular brand.

Logging

Film: Mr Majestyk and first 25 minutes of The Mechanic 

Never been a huge Charles Bronson fan but the man deserves some credit for knowing exactly what he is. In his better films, he gives a lot of space for the villains to shine -- and in many ways, the villains are the more interesting characters in his films.

Logging

Film: The Guilty

Powerful. Only film I can reasonably compare to is Locke. I preferred this one.

Student Loan Forgiveness

One would be hard pressed to find a better example of creating perverse incentives.

From a caller on Dave Ramsey the other day: working college student taking on no debt and paying her way through school. She calls in asking whether it would be a good idea to quit her job and take out loans to continue paying for college because those debts might be forgiven by a Biden administration.

If you wanted to stop student loan debt as a problem, the first move would be to end the government subsidies for it.

Logging

TV: The Flight Attendant pilot

I'll pass.

Film: The Guilty

Watched the first 30 min. So far a great example of compelling drama done on a limited budget. The Danes are good at making movies.

Dead Skins

One of my Thanksgiving highlight was the Dead Skins crushing the Cowboys and Alex Smith, once again, covering the spread and leading his team to the division lead.

Twitter alight with Dwayne Haskins clips helping Smith up, demonstrating his respect for the man who has his job. It's a cliche at this point talking about Smith being comeback player of the year, but it's worth mentioning all sorts of NFL players from Patrick Mahomes to Adrian Peterson to all these past teammates constantly praising and wishing him well. 

The one exception, of course, is Colin Kaepernick. Radio silence. For the guy who made no bones about stepping aside and letting Kap become...Kap. Nada. 

To be expected. Because Kap only ever cared about one thing: that image in the mirror.

Snitches

Oregon Governor suggests neighbors call cops on those who aren't doing lockdown. 

And when the cops show up and something goes wrong, will she then call to defund the police?

It amazes me that the same people who who think the police are irredeemably corrupt and need to be defunded are the same people who ask them to enforce the smallest and most petty of infractions.

Thrown Out in PA

Walls caving in on Trump admin. Chris Christie calls legal case a national embarrassment. 

Logging

Film: No Way Out

I feel like I've seen this film before, and upon a rewatch I remember why I didn't remember it. 

Can anyone pull up a tally of the times Gene Hackman plays a powerful man who kills or otherwise commits a horrible act against a woman?

Side question: how many actors equally excel playing both a hero and a villain? Not that Hackman is the villain in this film, but...

TV: P Valley S1 e2-3

I quite enjoy the show. Preferable to Atlanta and the only reason I consider the show a comp is the African American perspective on the so called "dirty south." Someone could write a good paper on the two shows because they illustrate different dramatic impulses - ones I would broadly state as an emphasis on the melodramatic (P Vally) vs an emphasis on a specific visual sensibility (Atlanta). Not to say P Valley is not cinematic (it is), nor is it to say Atlanta is not dramatic (it is), but there are different aesthetics privileged in each show. Basically, P Valley feels mostly influenced by dramatists (creator is a playwright) and Atlanta is influenced by Sundance movies (even though Donald Glover is a comedian, I think).

I would guess Lynne Ramsey is an influence on the folks who create Atlanta whereas Aaron Sorkin is an influence on those who created P Valley -- if I had to guess. 

A Turn

For the first time since 9/11, I think the right wing has turned crazier than the left the wing of American politics. Quite an accomplishment folks.

Logging

TV: P Valley, ep 1

A strong, authentic portrayal of the Memphis strip club scene. Who knew we needed such a show, but such a show we have!

Surreal

So I'll cop to underestimating team Trump's stupidity and mendacity. This is a pretty surreal clip where his lawyer claims the "algorithm" switched votes from Trump to Biden, but that somehow all the voters who voted for Trump crashed the "algorithm" by voting for him so much, thus bringing the corruption to their attention.

Huh?

The irony is that there are probably true conspiracies such as the media covering up the Hunter Biden scandal and Pfizer and Moderna deliberately holding up the vaccine news -- but hey -- the actions of team Trump so far are making those conspiracies look rather wise.

COVID Test

Spent 2.5 hours waiting for COVID test today. Our local, state, and national governments continue to fail us. We've had six months knowing that testing will be critical (even with a vaccine) and we can't manage to either a) have capacity to test large groups or b) a rapid, in home test.

COME ON!

Logging

TV Miniseries: Queen's Gambit

Finale was cheesy but I suppose emotionally effective.

First tv show I haven't turn off in awhile. 

I want to be more enthusiastic.

I didn't love the actress.

I am playing chess against a computer app for fun now.

Pretty Good Barometer

From Nassim Taleb.

“For I have a single definition of success: you look in the mirror every evening, and wonder if you disappoint the person you were at 18, right before the age when people start getting corrupted by life. Let him or her be the only judge; not your reputation, not your wealth, not your standing in the community, not the decorations on your lapel. If you do not feel ashamed, you are successful. All other definitions of success are modern constructions; fragile modern constructions.”

Logging

TV: Queens Gambit ep1-2 

I'm into it so far. I preferred the younger, 9-year actress though.

The chess scenes are well done. And women characters incredible. Let this be evidence against the fact that we need women to write women characters, etc.

Herd Immunity

Folks were wrong. 

I'd say the situation in the last month speaks for itself.

Logging

Film: The Perfect Weapon

HBO doc about cyber weapons. I'm so stupid, I think the solution is to take anything of great value offline and to make it function by analog or paper.

Comments Section

What percent of comment sections are written by Russian troll farms? My guess is 45%.

When I read the comment section, I almost cannot fathom these people function in everyday society. Who writes these things? Who reads them? Are these people insane?

So In Other Words, Trump Was Right

When he said in the debate we were rounding the corner with the virus. 

Minneapolis

Might bring in outside police officers to help with shortage. 

I wonder why.

No Comment

By "disappointed" Governor Newsom when folks flocked to the beaches on 4th of July.

Chapelle SNL

To me, the most incisive part his mention of Chapelle Show reairing on Netflix and HBO Max and he's not getting a penny. 

Note: Netflix is ground zero for woke causes - donating 10 million to the failed reinstatement of affirmative action in CA and by some insider accounts, is becoming a fanatical environment within the walls of their offices. The other place who is cashing in on wokeness: Nike.

A bet: if a corporation is loudly promoting wokeness with their mouth, I'd watch their hands - their probably stealing money from labor and/or others who deserve it. 

CBS Commits To 50% Diversity

Now do the executive suite.

Male Breadwinner Norms

Confusing and mixed signals. I love this "scientific observation:"

in heterosexual couples, women prefer to be married to a man who makes more than them.

Any rational person would prefer to be married to someone who makes more than them.

Hooray

Pfizer vaccine 90% effective. 

I'd take it right now. Damn the torpedoes.

Good advice here.

In seriousness, the expected value of delaying getting sick just went way, way, way up.

Note the folks behind the vaccine are Turkish immigrants to Germany. Perhaps the Chinese ought to take note - Uighers are basically Turks and perhaps they would have created the vaccine if they integrated those folks into their community as opposed to locking them up in concentration camps.

Just a thought!

ALSO NOTE: Recall during 9/11 times there was a lot of "what has the Muslim world ever created? How many Jewish vs. Muslim Nobel Prizes" type of racist rhetoric going around. Nothing could be a greater "heal" between the reasonables should it be some Muslim scientists (albeit those who immigrated to the West) who solve the 'rona.

Ouch

On student loan forgiveness. 

But student loans are mostly owed by the bureaucratic class, and they make public policy.

And also finance a liberal industry: higher education. 

Could It Be

Tyler Cowen on winners and losers of the election.

American democracy: Maybe this one is premature, but so far the U.S. has held a closely contested election under pandemic conditions. Turnout was much higher than usual, and so far there hasn’t been much election-related violence. Could it be that the system really works?

My prediction: things will muddle on, cities will be governed worse, COVID will surge, but there will be a vaccine soon that many won't trust, the progressives will continue to be an annoyance on local issues. My biggest hope is that people on all sides will complain less and build more, but I doubt it will happen.  

Pleased?

Maybe I'm just a contrarian but I'm pleased with this overall election outcome. To echo some of Andrew Sullivan's thoughts:

What this election shows is that leftists cannot bully voters into abandoning core principles of liberal democracy, and they can’t buy their submission either.

Won't be bullied, won't be bought. 

Sounds like America to me. 

Elaboration

Re: On The Rocks

Sophia Coppola should've hired a writer she likes to do 1 pass at the script to juice up Rashida Jones's nothing character. Any main conflict in a film that could've been resolved by an easy, simple conversation is bound to suck.

A sad, big nothing burger.

And People Wonder Why 70 Mil People Voted For Trump

Johnny Depp axed from WB acting gig for UK judgement.

For liberal progressive folks who feel the system is screwed up, they sure put a lot of faith in specious parts of it.

A Lot of Whining and Blaming

Is going around America today. All I can do is less of it myself. Or try. But this is pretty spot on.

Public health experts have told us that:

1. We citizens have to lock down many of our schools and sometimes jobs.

2. We citizens have to significantly change many of our commercial and retail and travel habits.

3. We citizens have to significantly limit or cut off many of our contacts with other human beings.

At the same time, they also are saying that:

4. “We public health experts do not have to come up with a way of approving a vaccine and simultaneously continuing to conduct our other clinical trials.”

And they wonder why people do not have greater faith in science.

Logging

Film: Paddington 2

Very good for what it is. 

Race

The Latinx problem. 

Yglesias isn’t claiming that the use of this word is causing people to vote Trump. He calls it a “symptom” of a broader problem with how the intersectional left addresses racial issues. As he puts it, there’s a “tendency to privilege academic concepts and linguistic innovations in addressing social justice concerns.”  

And 

To put it simply, woke white progressives are more racially sensitive than a lot of minorities.

Because the only minorities white progressives hang with are an angry, misrepresentative, academic sort. What could solve the issue is a little more actual, on the ground interaction and co-problem solving (like playing sports, being neighbors, or working together), but I don't see that happening on a large enough scale to matter. 

Logging

Film: On The Rocks

Bad

TV: Mandalorian S2 E1

Good 

Yep

Back in June & july, progressives went through a sort of euphoria in which they imagined all the violence to be a righteous expression of social justice rage. Then as the months passed, it became clear that the main effect was higher crime, more covid, wrecked infrastructure...

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) November 4, 2020

Whereas the rest of us saw it exactly for what it was when it was happening. Sort of an underlying theme with progressivism.

The Left

On the Left's defeat. 

So please, Democrats, look in the mirror and show a little humility. You're not nearly as self-evidently wonderful or widely loved as you'd like to believe. You are not destined to prevail anywhere. You share a country with a large group of people who hate your guts, and who aren't going to submit to your rule or go along with your giddy plans to remake the nation in your image. It's time to start acting like you understand this implacable fact and all it implies about the limits of your power and the parameters of the possible.

They won't. 

Uhhh...Yeahh...

Insert emoji of pointing to myself. 

At a certain point one would think we have to admit that there is simply a large swathe of the population, including a substantial fraction of non-white people, who do not buy into progressive intellectuals’ conception of what racism is. https://t.co/iZJOUEgoLC

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) November 4, 2020

Strange Election Outcome

In local LA politics, progressives are winning major seats, including on my city counsel and the LA district attorney race. But...in the California propositions, we see a proper libertarian outcome and total resistance to loony leftist politics.

And the we have maybe the weirdest element of all - a tightly contested Presidential election with highest minority support for a Republican candidate since 1960 who progressives routinely call a racist.

I do love this country.

Lamar

I've only seen Lamar Jackson play twice. Both were playoff losses. And I was not impressed either time. The first game I thought was the worst game I've ever seen a QB play. But I read the news. I get he's special. But color me the least surprised person in the world that NFL defenses have figured out how to defend against a running QB. I mean do really have to go through this same repetitive story again and again and again? Michael Vick, Tim Tebow, Colin Kaepernick, and now Lamar Jackson. Isn't the story the exact same each and every time? The new offense starts hot. Lasts 1-1.5 years this way. You hear talk about a revolution in the position. Then they cool once coordinators get enough tape on them. Is something new gonna happen this time? 

At Least Hitler...

Is it possible for sentence beginning with the above words to be good?

CNN

An Asian female reporter interviewed about 3 racist incidents happened to her at an airport that left her shaking.

These incidents:

1) Someone said ni hao and then ching chong.

2) Someone asked her "what language do you speak"

3) And the cop who she reported the "what language do you speak" told her that wasn't racist.

Is this person a functioning adult in our society? A person cannot handle on their own some kid coming up to them asking "what language do you speak?" A person needs to tell a cop about this?

The fragility on display here is the shocking part to me.

Lyft and Uber Drivers

There is a CA proposition about reclassifying Uber and Lyft drivers as full time employees. Why? Is California trying to dissolve these companies? Normally, I'm a pro-labor guy, but I'm sorry - being a Lyft or Uber driver is not a profession we really need to protect, is it? Isn't this just a part time job for some folks looking to make money between things? Isn't that what it ought to be?

And note: most of the Lyfts and Ubers I get rides from are in better cars than my own. What does that suggest?

Let Them Eat Cake

Quibi to shut down after spending 2 billion on content. Wrap your head around that. 

Sick

Here's a quote "The basic ability of the mind to cope is being sabotaged by an ideology that is going to make people weaker and more miserable."

Sadly (or perhaps liberating), Probably Right

A study on COVID spreading.

“Moreover, we show that neither policy nor rates of voluntary social distancing explain a meaningful share of geographic variation. The most important predictors of which [U.S.] cities were hardest hit by the pandemic are exogenous characteristics such as population and density.”

Which explains why LA got the worst hit in California and why NYC got hit the worst in the US.

A Good Read

America needs a new story. 

Overseeing the Death of Movies

The movies were killed by executives who gave up autonomy for the money. They sold out what they inherited because they don't really even like movies, nor did they didn't build the studios, and because it is in their nature to eat themselves.

Indict Rotton Tomatoes

They give A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY a 11% approval. I think it might be one of the greatest comedies of all time. I'm putting it in my top 20.

Logging

TV: Selling Sunset S.2

Brilliant time transition between S1 and S2. A great storytelling technique is to jump ahead across a good deal of time between seasons. Episode 1, instead of re-setting drama, actually spends at least 1/2-3/4 of the time allowing the audience to simply "catch up" with the characters while planting new seeds of drama to move forward. 

"Prestige" tv could learn from reality tv.

Logging

Film: A Night at the Roxbury

Holds up. One of the best SNL movies...

Morning After Films

I believe there are only two movies I watched a second time the morning after seeing them for the first time. Those movies are:

The Usual Suspects and A Night at the Roxbury

I will be revisiting one of them again tomorrow...20 plus years later.

I'm Pretty Sure We Could Open Elementary Schools 

If we wanted to. But progressives don't want to. They love this misery.

The strongest opposition to reopening schools is in liberal counties, not counties with the highest COVID rates. Progressive teachers unions have thwarted school reopenings. They have used “sick-outs” to shut down schools that planned to reopen, and force school boards to delay school openings. Teachers unions have frequently used political pressure to get school boards to push back dates for reopening the schools.

Mmmm...Okay...

Twitter suspends NY Post story on Hunter Biden connections to Russia, but four years later mainstream media still touts the false Cambridge Analytica stuff and that Russians influenced 2016 election.

Okay.

Logging

Film: Us

Liked the beginning, but the main "story" myth is so ludicrous and nonsensical that it's a challenge to suspend disbelief and give oneself over to the film. 

I now understand why despite the film making a ton of $$, I never hear anyone talk about it.

I can picture Jordan Peele in his dark moments asking "how does Chris Nolan do it?"

TV:

Selling Sunset > Good Lord Bird

There's a trend in prestige tv to use a young african american character as a pov/narrator this season - see Good Lord Bird and Fargo S. 4. But these characters are given less than zero personality and come across flat and empty. I can't help but venture to guess our present "woke" entertainment climate has our writers walking on eggshells so much they don't dare write a human being.

On the flipside, I'm captivated by the unyielding melodrama of LA female real estate agents operating in the Hollywood Hills. I'm on team Mary.

Movies Under 90 Minutes

As good as a way to find a list of films to watch as any

 

This Is A Good Idea I Plan To Support

Black owned digital bank. 

So long as it pays a little interest.

Ouch

Whitlock on Black Trump - Lebron. 

Civil War

One of these days, something like this is going to set off a violent power keg of emotion in this country.

Test Scores

Falling for every group, except Asians. 

And so colleges are phasing them out.

Racism -- just not the kind you think.

Remarkable

NBA finals viewership down 70%. 

Some Good Reading

On Trump's masculine attitude toward getting the virus in contrast to our feminized society. 

I'm not a betting man, but if I were, I'd bet on Trump surviving and his re-election prospects growing as a result of contacting the virus. a) It makes him look physically strong compared to Biden hiding in the basement b) It validates his "looser" lockdown policies if he appears to beat the virus.

If he dies, I would bet it hurts his re-election prospects.

Side note: a randomly good article about why we bend the knee to our HR overlords.

It is through ideology, Althusser asserts, that the ruling system maintains itself in power: “the ideology of the ruling class does not become the ruling ideology by the grace of God, nor even by virtue of the seizure of state power alone,” he states, “it is by the installation of the ISAs in which this ideology is realised and real­ises itself that it becomes the ruling ideology.”

In other words, the pigs were indistinguishable from the men who came before them. 

Logging

Film: The Counselor - Director's Cut

A strange, and arguably not very good film that I could not turn off.

Highlights are the philosophical ramblings and clothing.

Lowlight is the plot makes next to zero sense. For instance, can anyone explain to me the Counselor's role in the drug deal? 

Book: Four Pillars of Investing by Bill Bernstein

The most complicated and sophisticated book on investing I've read. Yet the takeaways are rather simple:

a) Use index funds

b) REITs, Value Stocks, and Bonds are all better placed in tax deferred accounts because their gains are taxed at ordinary income rates and if in taxable will get eaten away by taxes over time

c) Never hold more than 80% of your dough in stocks

d) When an asset class looks crummy is generally the time to buy

e) Lower expenses = higher returns in the long run

Reparations in California

Has anyone told Governor Newsom that California was not a slave state? 

How about he begin with reparations to all the people who lost their houses in the fires due to his fire mismanagement.

Trump Has Coronavirus

Liberals are tut-tutting about this being Greek tragedy - hubris leading to chaos and eventually to the Gods intervening, thus creating downfall and a return to order. 

But remember, Trump supporters see this as part of the heroes journey - the final battle, near death experience soon to be accompanied by a resurrection.

 

The Debate

Ugh. Whole thing pretty hideous.

UPDATE: The conservative whining about Chris Wallace is incredible today. Are they kidding? Trump was totally out of control and disrespectful about the debate platform. Now conservatives are trying to spin the narrative Wallace was pro-Biden? What? Did they watch the debate?

I could care less about the liberal talking about Trump not condemning the white supremicists. Actually, he did, but smartly moved the conversation over to Antifa. And guess what? He's right! I'm not in the least bit concerned about white supremicists. 

And now, there's a liberal critique of Wallace not controlling Trump as well. What is going on? I'll tell you what - both sides are coming after the reasonable / measured folks. So fuck both sides.

Liberals - please drop the racism obsession. It's one of the few issues that helps Trump because you come off as deranged as he.

Commoditized Outrage

Whole Foods CEO sparks outrage by telling the truth. 

Obesity caused by choices, not food access or affordability. Last I checked, vegetables were still quite affordable. Boil in water and add a bit of salt. You can do it, people!

There's no way food today costs more as a percentage of a household budget as 50-60 years ago when people were skinnier.  

Transgender Prisoners

Will now be assigned by gender (and not sex) in California. 

I'm sure there will be no unintended consequences to this one.

Basketball

I texted to a group, partially joking, my rankings of guys I want to start a franchise with:

1) Bam

2) Luka

3) Joker

4) Giannis 

I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Bam is the most well rounded of all the players. He's also the versatile. The guy is plug and play. 

I love Luka. But Luka needs the ball. And plays the same role as almost all the top players in the league -- meaning -- who do you pair him with?

I love Joker. But Joker isn't great defensively. He gets in foul trouble. He's out of shape.

I love Giannis, but he can't shoot. And he especially can't shoot free throws.

Bam won this series for the Heat. He won Game 1 with an incredible defensive play. Then he won Game 6 down the stretch on offense. Now...granted...Bam did this not by imposing his will, but by spotting an advantageous match up and executing, but...

ISN'T THAT EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT FROM OUR BEST PLAYERS!!!

Look at Tatum tonight doing a Kobe impression. 9-26. That's the legacy of Michael Jordan for us. Force up.

I'll take Bam. You can pair him with a A-/B+ star like Butler and you're going to the finals. Imagine if he were paired with an A-lister! Kawhi, Luka, LeBron, etc. 

Alright...

That said...I think Lakers win in 6. As good as Bam is, I don't think he can guard AD. I think AD is unguardable. And they got LeBron and Miami has Jimmy Buckets.

Miami can win games if shooters go off. Lakers can win games because they have playoff Rondo.

Pick: Lakers in 6. 

Logging

Film: The Vast of Night

Impressive, but I did doze off while on iPad. Would prefer to see such a film in a theater with an audience. Sigh.

Book: Stoner by John Williams

Don't think I'd change a word.  

Film: Wild Tales

One of my top ten. A quietly terrific national cinema exists in Argentina.

BLM Fundraiser

Spent $200,000 to buy a house for himself. 

I don't see why he was arrested. Just call it reparations and everyone should be happy.

A Gross Lie

And a reflection of a demented mind: "white colonizers adopted blacks and civilized them to use as props." Says anti-racist expert.

Pure insanity.

Yikes

A personal story about dealing with homelessness in LA. 

Garcetti needs to go.

Newsom

Can Newsom explain why Disneyland is more essential or less of a risk than public schools?

Logging

Film: 21 Bridges and beginning of Black Rain 

Pretty solid evidence that movies have gotten worse over time. Black Rain deals with similar ideas and themes in a much more adult, sophisticated manner. For all the shit that gets talked about 80s movies - I could do a series of crime thrillers that would blow any subsequent decade out of the water --

Sea of Love, Black Rain, Q&A, Internal Affairs, Thief, To Live and Die in LA...

Douthat

On the Ginsberg situation. 

It's just another front and center example about how we're ungovernable.

Riots

Promising riots if Trump fills Supreme Court. 

But I thought the riots were conducted by white supremacists posing as BLM supporters?

Roe v. Wade

My post from 2019.

"Liberals chose to prioritize Green New Deal, Impeaching Trump, and Transgender bathrooms instead staying center and protecting Roe v. Wade on the flank. Elections have consequences."

Liberals opted to indulge their neuroticism about systemic racism and global warming instead of doing the hard, adult work of building a political coalition to win elections. Sorry folks, you made your bed.

Random Question

Where is Camille Paglia? 

1619

Dishonest at the core. 

No conviction to these people. No thought. No soul. Just chaos in the minds and projecting it onto the rest of us.

Maddening

Malcolm Gladwell podcast on a way to solve COVID. 

The key: cheap at home testing that resembles that of birth control. Cost: cents per strip.

It's almost a parody thinking about how we don't have this testing available already. Where is Trump? Where is Nancy Pelosi? Where is Bill Gates? CEOs of companies that can make this stuff? Gov Newsom? Anyone? Why aren't we shouting this idea from the rooftops and damning the FDA and any other barrier to getting this on the shelves at Costco, Target, and CVS? I mean it's freaking absurd. Our country has become completely unmanageable -- a totally ridiculous, complacent, gluttonous ball of butter incapable of tying our own shoes. Pathetic.

My pet theory: there are a number of powerful interest groups who actually LIKE this lockdown. Public employees love getting paychecks and doing jack shit at home vs jack shit at work. Same with corporate employees who have enough suction to keep their jobs. The local political tyrants freaking LOVE this pandemic - they get to do what they have wet dreams about - telling people what they can and can't do. Doctors get to play God. Insurance companies get to figure out how to make $$$ on this BS. Mortgage brokers busier than ever refinancing homes because of Fed rates. All the pessimists and tail riskers love it as well, proving them right for a season.

It's sick what's happening. Children locked at home. Parents doing job of teacher, daycare, and whatever their regular job is. Young people unable to leave their parents homes. Unable to apply for jobs. Unable to meet potential mates - while their student debt grows. Small businesses going belly up. Movie theaters dying. Theaters dying. Professional sports dying. 

And all this is could be managed. Just not by us.  

The Counselor

Might need to rewatch. 

JK Rowling

Does all the online hatred for her absolve me of needing to read Harry Potter or see any of the films?

That would be a welcome relief! 

Agree, But...

Stephen A Smith discusses Eric Reid and black folks navigating corporate america.

He's right, of course. But who besides a total sociopath feels comfortable navigating corporate / workplace rules and behaviors? What man doesn't have trouble navigating the environment of gentle code of behavior at school and workplaces? What woman doesn't have trouble navigating the bullies and mansplaining?

My point: why make this always a race-thing as much as it might be a factor?

A Theory

Re-read JOKER script. Noticing the protesting element of the story - rich vs. poor. Had a strange thought:

The thing that scares the elites most is the open confrontation between haves and have nots. Because the have nots far outnumber the haves. 

The racial divide is a chimera. A welcome distraction. A way to divide lower class whites, blacks, browns, etc, orchestrated by many of the most powerful in society with their partners in the black community.

I suppose I sound like a Marxist conspiracy theorist, but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get ya!

I Support This

Joe Rogan offers to hold debate for Biden and Trump for hours with just the 3 of them.

This could be one of the best political events of my lifetime. Just three dudes sitting and talking. 

Question For Conservatives

If you're conservative and feel the public schools are indoctrination camps for gender dysmorphia and communist propaganda why isn't there a gigantic movement for smart, education conservatives to become teachers at all levels? 

If you care, stop whining and take it back.

Climate Change

In California over the centuries. 

It turns out the climate changes regardless of SUV use.

PS - I'm not a climate change denier, fyi. I just think the issue - like BLM - is brought to the forefront of our national conversation due to prevailing neuroticism and not because its a real or solvable problem.

Moment of Unity

I decided not to do fantasy football this year. What a relief. I watched 15 minutes of NFL yesterday and felt like it was enough. That said, I've heard about these "moments of unity" the teams are doing because I guess that's important.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that the point of the national anthem in the first place? 

Science Settled

For those like Gavin Newsom who enjoy telling everyone the science is settled on global warming and the pandemic - can he please weigh in on whether Pluto is a planet or not. Because my four year old wants to know and there is conflicting "scientific consensus."

And ask yourselves this - what would have better prevented the damage from these CA fires:

1) Banning plastic bags at grocery stores 

2) Installing more solar panels

3) Driving more electric vehicles

4) Controlled burns

Seems to me Newsom wants to tackle a problem way beyond his control or jurisdiction (climate change) that may or may not effect the fires and wants to neglect the one within in his control and jurisdiction - forest management.

All about pushing the blame onto others, as a good responsible Governor of the 6-7th largest economy on the planet ought to do.

If You Want to Puke

Read about why California doesn't do controlled burns. 

Ask these folks who regard climate change as the cause of the fires, what policies they would've put into place and whether they would have prevented the fires in the first place.

Taiwan

Why Taiwan will lose a war to China. 

It amounts to the basic idea: they aren't prepared to win.

Booing

KC fans booed the "moment of unity." 

J.J. Watt, the Texans white megastar, was taken aback by the boos. “I don’t fully understand that,” he said. “There was no flag involved, there was nothing involved other than two teams coming together to show unity.”

Maybe they were bored. Two national anthems,  teams going in and out the tunnel, some kneeling, some standing, some locking arms, others some showing a "moment of unity." Maybe they just came to watch a football game instead of getting confused about all sorts of mixed, incoherent political messages.

Just my guess.

Bigger thought: I know people think their own personal psychodramas involving identity crises and mental illness, etc are interesting. Here's a hint: they're not.

Newsom

It's always someone or something else's fault with this guy. 

Studying

How much time the various racial groups spending time doing homework.

And weirdly, unexpectedly, it corresponds to grades and SAT scores.

Anyone think this might be a factor in the unequal outcomes over, say, historic racism?

The New Jews

NY Times listing out white people in power. 

And Cornell wants to know the race of your spouse.

This is bad, people. We really ought to stop. People who are into this stuff are demented.

Logging

TV Pilots: Covert Affairs, Alias, Blacklist

With Covert Affairs and Alias, I was eager for the pilots to end. Alias stood out for the weird tone - torture, killing, karate, and then sappy girly break up music one hasn't heard in decades. Very strange.

Blacklist a bit charming and witty.

Sounds Very Confusing and Boring

To track how every team and individual responds differently to the various national anthems, etc being played before NFL games.

Langers

Hadn't been in awhile. It's good, but I'll probably never go again. Why? Driving into the heart of downtown LA is like visiting Caracas. I mean, it's hell on earth right now. I saw numerous tent cities and people shitting out in public.

Every time anyone sees this stuff, the question is - why? How? You want to know - here's how.

The average cost of building a single unit of housing for the homeless in Los Angeles has risen to $531,000, according to an audit from the city controller, who recommends that L.A. rehab motels and open dormitory-style buildings to save money and get people off the streets quickly.

It's a stat that makes me want to move today. 

Before You Blame Climate Change

For the California fires. Consider a more proximate and simple solution: clearing dead trees. An Op Ed from 2016:

Supporters of the logging bills have repeatedly claimed that forests with high levels of snags will burn more intensely, a notion that has been soundly debunked by peer-reviewed scientific studies. A comprehensive study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that their “results refute the assumption that increased bark beetle activity has increased area burned.” Another study found that high snag densities in forests tend to “reduce the severity of subsequent wildfires” as most of the living flammable material was removed by insects.

Remember when it was brought up 2016 to clear dead trees from CA forests, the ultra liberals denied it would cause more intense burning and claimed it was a Republican plot to somehow do evil.

But sure, blame climate change.

Why I'm Still Pessimistic on a Vaccine

CNN misreports on why vaccines won't be ready sooner.  Complacency and corporate sheep educated in America and in positions of "power" everywhere in our society.

Also, vaccines aren't that easy. So combine a tough problem with cultural complacency and yes, I'm pessimistic. Not because the science can't be figured out. Not because we don't have the resources, but because we are infected by institutional and cultural rot.

If you really want to understand the best side of Trump -- it's that he's got some good old fashioned American chutzpah and wants to cut through the red tape of this kind of nonsense. The problem - as in a lot of folks with similar chutzpah - is that he cuts corners and underweights the downside risks.

Maybe this is how the system is supposed to work?

Affirmative Action Oscars

Affirmative action is the poisoned chalice of American society.

And I'll tell you why - because I love the NBA and I love Asian folks. But you'd do neither any favors by making every NBA team have an Asian dude. Come on, now.

Radical Leftist

When I was growing up, this is the type of thing radical leftists said.

Is he wrong?

To CA Politicians for the Next 20 Years

Can we maybe just focus on two things:

1) Beefing up fire safety

2) Making sure the grid works and has all the updates it needs

And once we got those handled:

3) Build more housing

4) Strengthen public schools

Oye

This was in the LA Times yesterday as well...a USC professor suspended for using a Chinese word that sounds like an offensive English word.

It reads like satire.

My in-laws speak Mandarin as the main language and I can verify this word does sound like the word everyone is saying. But you know, it's a different freaking language...

The oversensitivities of middle and upper middle class African Americans coupled with the neuroticism of white liberals are a really bad mixed drink.

Telling Stories

In six steps.

Logging

Film: Mulan

Disney stole my $30.

On so many levels, this film fails. First, not gripping at all. The opening scenes are clunky, poorly shot, no grace, wit, or tension. Takes too long to get the story going. (My wife complained about the editing, too).

But, then - the action. Yikes. I had to look up the filmmaker who turns out to be the director of Whale Rider, which sort of makes sense. It was like she needed to learn how to stage action. I don't understand how critics lambast a film like Lone Ranger and can support a film like Mulan. It would be like saying - I love watching high school basketball versus the Raptors-Celtics. They aren't even in the same league.

Another thing, one that probably no one will say - having all the Chinese actors reading their lines in English is weird! There is zero smoothness to the dialog. It all comes out awkward and unnatural. It's funny what's happened here. In the old days, you'd have Western actors playing Chinese. Now, of course, that's offensive, but their dialog and scene execution was believable. Now, we have folks with English as a second or third language awkwardly trying to speak in Americanized dialog and if you ask me - it's a disaster. I'd prefer the film be in Mandarin.

Want Trump To Lose?

Stop making it so easy on him to gain support. Trump cancels all critical race training in Fed govt.

Good. Now do the same at all the Universities.

Climate Change Solutions

Move and develop cities like Buffalo.

If you believe it to be an existential threat, moving North seems like a no brainer.

Logging

Film: Brawl in Cell Block 99

Engrossing, sadistic, funny...I enjoyed better than Dragged Across Concrete and Bone Tomahawk. Yet...it's still a film I could barely recommend to anyone.

Film: The Way Back

Also engrossing, despite all the cliches, but falls apart into lameness in the 3rd Act. I say this about almost no film, but Ben Affleck carried it.

UFOs

I definitely think the largest story of 2020 won't be COVID (as impossible as that is to imagine), but rather that UFOs are real.

I Did Not Know This Story

There would be no Black Panther without Denzel Washington.

Denzel paid for some Howard University grad students to do a summer acting program at the British Academy of dramatic arts. One of those students was Chadwick Bozeman.

I didn't realize my esteem for Denzel could be higher.

Logging

Film: 21 Bridges

Solid action pic. Not great. Sadly, I couldn't help but think/notice - Bozeman looks a bit gaunt and perhaps unhealthy. Taylor Kitch reduced to 2nd position bad guy getting killed at the midpoint? How the mighty have fallen...

First Order of Business

If I were in charge of foreign affairs, my first order of business would be to develop a strong strategic partnership with India.

We are natural allies with many common adversaries.

I would guarantee military support to Taiwan (perhaps behind closed doors).

I would continue strong relationships with Japan, Philippines, and South Korea, and increase relations and support with Vietnam.

I'd undermine relations between China and Pakistan and China and Russia.

China knows they can't win a two front war - I'd show them the possibility of 4-front war.

NOTE: A problem for many ascendent powers -- patience.

The Powerful and Impotent

Charlotte Kirk takes down two heads of studios.

The most surprising element of being both within and adjacent to Hollywood is how weak the supposedly "powerful" end up being. I blame the corporate structure of these things -- they groom smart sheep whose main skill involves positioning themselves within their own organizations. They are like good Survivor contestants.

NYC

Is it gone for good?

Note: I'd bet against his analysis, but it's nevertheless interesting.

California

Just note we knew the electrical grid wasn't up to snuff in 2001 when we last had rolling blackouts. Since then, the use of electricity has exploded with the amount of time we're on screens and number of screens. AND, critically, California has become perhaps the wealthiest place on earth.

But somehow our politicians/leaders have squandered the last 20 years by not reinvesting in infrastructure, housing, school, and the things that matter. Instead, the notable political accomplishments - as far as I can tell - is charging for plastic and paper bags from grocery stores. Which of course has already proven itself a net-negative public policy when the global pandemic hit.

How do you blame Republicans or Trump for that?

David Chase

From an essay he wrote about the Sopranos.

"What I love most when I'm watching something is a feeling of strangeness, suspense, poetry -- things happening you can't predict."

"In that sense, I hope it's similar to the foreign films I loved as a young adult for their ideas, their mystery, and their ambiguity -- for not having the endings spelled out or telling the audience what to think or feel."

Latinx

Only 3% of hispanics use the term. 75% have never even heard of it.

So by using such terminology, you are really expressing your own privilege. And speaking to white liberals only.

Proof

Kamala Harris, if we all remember, both accused Joe Biden of racism and believed the women who claimed he sexually harassed them. So...what should we take away from that?

Door #1: She didn't believe his accusers and didn't believe he was coddling racists, but simply used those accusations when politically expedient.

Door #2: She does believe the things she said, but will suck up to power to enhance her own ambitions.

Door #3: She believes the things she said, but is a realist and believes Biden, etc, is preferable to Trump.

Door #4: All of the above.

Educator Belongs In Quotes

Educator worries what parents and siblings will think about his online teachings on race / inclusion, etc.

I somewhat sympathize with the looking over the shoulder aspect of online teaching (I'm doing it myself), but maybe from a broader perspective this makes one a better teacher in that there's some additional layer of pressure and accountability?

The problem with the equity/diversity folks is that they aren't trying to educate anyone, they're trying to indoctrinate. And, as all good cult leaders know, the first step is to isolate your new converts to avoid painful questions like - so you're sure ritual suicide to join a space comet is a good idea?

Logging

Films: Avengers Infinity War and Endgame

I prefer Infinity War. But in the end, these films are a strange mix of childish action my 4 year old would enjoy, with super dark concepts rivaling those of the Old Testament.

Goalposts

Corona vaccine may only be 50% effective. "We won't get back to normal until there's a vaccine." I'm not at all convinced we are getting back to normal at all.

Parties

Coronavirus spreading 4x to young folks. Our local expert asks:

But she said, “I do think an equally good question to ask is why so many people are willing to put our entire community at risk during this unprecedented pandemic.”

A few thoughts:

1) Many young people live in LA for the social scene
2) Young people know they probably won't die from the virus and maybe even will get immune if they get it.
3) Young people are generally reckless and stupid - particularly young people in LA
4) Young people don't give two shits about old people because they feel like old people don't really give two shits about them (What evidence do we have they are wrong?)
5) Unclear messaging from "the powers that be" regarding the virus. Basically, zero consensus.
6) General malaise, exhaustion, and economic uncertainty.

Logging

Film: Double Indemnity

10x better than Maltese Falcon. Gold standard of early Hollywood noir. Claustrophobic, tense, really exceptional storytelling. And Edward G. Robinson, gotta be one of the best and most versatile actors of all time.

Logging

Film: The Maltese Falcon

Worse and more convoluted than I remember it. Maybe it was edgy at the time? With Bogart sleeping with his partner's wife. I found it quite boring.

Film:  LA Confidential

In contrast, LA Confidential was better than I remember it. From a purely formal construction standpoint, an impressive movie...I mean, I'd probably pay $100 to see a drama of LA Confidential quality in the theater tomorrow. It won't happen for myriad of reasons.

Graphic Novel: Watchmen

Still brilliant.

Film: Watchmen (Zac Snyder)

Better than the tv show, and that's saying something. The opening credits are a stunning work of art.

A New Hong Kong in Ireland

If I could find a good job there, I'd consider moving.

Kirkland Brand

How Costco gets the best brands to make theirs.

I love their toilet paper, paper towels, olive oil, and whiskey.

I skip their coffee (they are basically Starbucks). And the wine is okay, but K&L has better bang for buck.

Lost Jobs

Did baristas lose jobs because they tried to unionize. My money on yes.

About 80 regulars lined up outside the beloved Inland Empire mini-chain, which had meticulously built its reputation as a neighborhood hub through delicious drinks and woke politics.  

College students and county workers, cyclists in their spandex finest and flâneurs waited patiently for cold-brewed coffee, vegan cupcakes and breakfast tacos while chatting up their favorite baristas. All the hubbub happened outside, though. Augie’s was closed — perhaps permanently.  

On July 4, the company announced the immediate shutdown of its five locations and laid off 54 employees, just a week after workers announced they planned to become one of the few unionized coffee shops in the U.S. Father-and-son owners Andy and Austin Amento blamed the demise of their business on the economic and health ravages of the coronavirus.

When organizations, governments, and corporations start speaking WOKE, it's a pretty good indication that they're:

1) Underpaying and possibly even exploiting workers.
2) Not doing their stated purpose (say, for instance, protecting the citizens from the corona virus -- I'm looking at you LA city officials)
3) Have no confidence in their artistic abilities

Nailed It

Ross Douthat on meritocracy and its discontents.

Imagine yourself as a relatively privileged white person exhausted by meritocracy — an overworked student or a fretful parent or a school administrator constantly besieged by both. (Given the demographics of this paper’s readership, this may not require much imagination.)  

Wouldn’t it come as a relief, in some way, if it turned out that the whole “exhausting ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Red Queen Race of full-time meritocratic achievement,” in the words of a pseudonymous critic, was nothing more than a manifestation of the very white supremacy that you, as a good liberal, are obliged to dismantle and oppose? If all the testing, all the “delayed gratification” and “perfectionism,” was, after all, just itself a form of racism, and in easing up, chilling out, just relaxing a little bit, you can improve your life and your kid’s life and, happily, strike an anti-racist blow as well?

Ouch.

Logging

Film: The Shining

I might've preferred a version starring Robin Williams, who was supposedly up for the role.

Book: Watchmen

An exciting re-read.

My Mission

Over the next couple days, is to see Neowise.

BLM

Shootings spike and police not doing their job.

I wonder why.

Morons all around.

Falling Asleep in Anti Racism Meeting

Students calling on a professor to be fired for falling asleep in an anti-racism meeting.

It's more like a sign she might actually be a good teacher.

Ouch

A critique of Fauci.

Maybe a different way to think about it - what has he been right about?

Logging

Film: A Nightmare on Elm Street

The scary set pieces are impressive and very little else.

Bari Weiss Resigns

She has something most public personas don't these days: a spine.

There are some good ones left.

White Folks Can't Get Hired in Hollywood

It's the logical consequence of "diversity." No one has the right to complain. They made their bed. Now sleep in it.

NOTE: Everyone wants diversity when it costs them nothing. Notice the studios executives are firing the craft services and on set producers and actors. I don't see any studio exe giving up their jobs due to their race. Someone make an argument against firing every white studio executive in town if you subscribe to the religion of systemic racism. I'm not joking. You can't argue it's a bad idea.

Redskins

No, I do not favor changing the name. Why?

1) At best, it is cosmetic only.

2) It is not really about the Redskins at all. It is more about an ongoing struggle session the Woke are conducting against all of American society. Next will be the Chiefs, the Braves, the Seminoles, and every single high school across the entire nation. But it isn't even about that. Because after all those names are gone, it will immediately become something else TBD.

3) Nike and other major corporations support this move which suggests it is about something more than feelings. That in fact, it is mostly marketing.

So... NO.

Logging

Films: Forbidden Planet and War of the Worlds (1953)

I'd seen Forbidden Planet before and didn't quite appreciate it enough. Incredible story. A touchstone of so much sci fi and fantasy we've taken in since.

Whitlock

Is my favorite sports writer since Bill Simmons no longer writes. This article nails everything.

Coronavirus Heist

PPP loans rife with fraud.

Cowardice at the Highest Level

Jason Whitlock calls out the NFL and NBA on their support of BLM.

China

In the LA Times, "China forces birth control on Uighurs to suppress Muslim population."

Meanwhile, Adam Silver on China: foster a culture of "mutual respect."

Just remember about all these business/corporate types - you cannot mistake any of their words regarding social causes for moral positions - they are marketing and marketing only.

Which is fine by BLM.

How To Live

In a world gone mad.

Do like Odysseus sailing by the sirens, and plug your ears to social media. It's actually not hard at all.

5% Off

CHOP disbands after convincing Seattle to cut 5% of their police budget.

Which of course, they will increase back up next year if need be and no one from CHOP will even notice.

And now back to coronavirus panic...

Counter Point

I quit academia pornography, with a random coda.

This did not apply:

The allegedly left wing excesses and ‘vicious environment of political correctness’ in academia. This is popular to talk about, but to me is coded language for one of three things: [a]‘I am incapable of navigating difficult conversations about sensitive topics without annoying people, due to either the imprecision of my language and/or my latent ignorance’, [b] ‘I require an opposition to set my ideas against, and vicious PC culture actually perversely supports my perpetual quest for attention’, or [c] ‘I am a big fat racist, and I wish it was more convenient to be a racist’.

Without question, I've noticed a bit of excessive PC-ness at my school, but nothing that isn't fairly easy to navigate.

I wonder if I'm a bit guilty of "b."

Amen

Funny video.

Logging

Film: Shawshank Redemption

Cheese dick or greatest movie of all time?

Film: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Inspiring, vivid, an incredible achievement. Why don't they make 'em like this anymore?

Film: Moana

Depressing, cheesy, derivative, full of cliches. For the proponents of diversity in storytelling, I'm often surprised by how much such films embrace underlying Western story norms.

Film: Da 5 Bloods

Weird to say, but the direction is clearly the weakness here. I turned it off.

Book: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

Great and still not as strong as the film.

Book: How America Lost Its Mind by Thomas Patterson

Ahead of its time. Good so far.

Book: Real Demonic Possessions and Exorcisms

Of questionable quality, but perhaps this is why its worth reading.

Book: Screenwriting is Rewriting by Jack Epps

I recommend very few screenwriting manuals, but make an exception for this one.

We Can Learn From The Rest of the World

A must read from an Iranian.

A must listen from a Venezuelan.

Not only can it happen here. It IS happening here.

Resist.

India-China

Chinese troops stunned by India's fighting prowess.

I know nothing about these things, but my impression is the Chinese are arrogant about their own power whereas the Indians are accustomed to co-existing with a hostile neighbor (Pakistan) so they cannot afford to be soft.

Just Another Thing Wrong With America

A 20 year old kills himself after thinking he lost hundreds of thousands of dollars on a brokerage trading account.

That a 20 year old is trading options and misunderstood how much money he had lost is a terrible story with or without the suicide.

Rather Good

Random interview with a financial writer.

BERNSTEIN: It’s fun, but if you’ve got kids to raise and colleges to pay for, I wouldn’t become a writer, I would choose a much more solid profession, live modestly and then you can kick back and follow your bliss and write if you feel like.

Knowing what I know now, I'd agree.

Basic Thought

We should basically quadruple the amount of money we spend on public education in this country.

If done well, it might end up solving a myriad of problems, including:

1) Prisons

2) Racial tensions

3) Future welfare obligations

4) Student loan debt

5) And we might actually build a competent future

Acts of Terrorism

Police poisoned at Shake Shack.

Find who did it. Send them to jail for attempted murder. This is evil.

UPDATE: This turned out to be a hoax. Just like the Bubba Wallace noose. Shows ALL sides of this thing are getting bad information.

Getting Masks Wrong

Taleb on how the government got masks wrong.

Strikes me that these people in positions of power only get the "right" answers when those answers somehow end up personally benefitting their status. And they are functioning in a backwards world where we confer status on those who are "ideologically" correct instead of those who are correct.

Corruption

Surprising exactly no one who pays any attention: 54 American scientists fired as a result of not disclosing funding from the Chinese government.

Improving Black Lives

Ideas.

And this is very true:

We started hearing calls from white Americans to do something to help ease the difficulties blacks are facing. On the surface, this seems good; the intentions definitely are good. The problem is that, with no context or reference to what is needed in the black community, and often with few black friends or colleagues to consult, many Americans—from those in corporate America to vocal social media consumers—are throwing support and resources behind Black Lives Matter, without considering carefully what the group actually stands for.

My suspicion about white folks who support BLM are that they know very few black people at all. I'd be willing to bet BLM has less than majority support within the black community.

Psychotic

Our community and culture has lost its mind.

SF Muni won't transport police officers to protests.

A Seattle neighborhood has turned into The Warriors.

Our irresponsible business, community, and political leaders have unleashed this madness and mob mentality. It's disgusting and inhumane and most "people of color" are abhorred by it but are first people silenced by this mob.

Black Lives Matter

Quote:

When you expose a racist student, you stop them from attending a university that will allow them to become a racist healthcare worker, teacher, lawyer, real estate developer, politicians, etc.

Just so you all know - this type of thing has been tried before. It was called the Cultural Revolution. Look it up. See if that's the world you want.

And if so inclined towards revolution, might as well check out: French Revolution, Bolshevik Revolution, and the Iranian Revolution just to again see how it all turned out.

Wokeness

Is one big giant lie.

Contrast This

A Georgia State Trooper responds to protesters request to kneel.

versus

How the Minneapolis mayor lets the protesters stand above him, point down upon him, and shame him like he's Cersai Lannister at the hands of the Sparrows.

One is a man, the other is not.

Impression

Social justice warriors are negging America.

Negging (derived from the verb neg, meaning "negative feedback") is an act of emotional manipulation whereby a person makes a deliberate backhanded compliment or otherwise flirtatious remark to another person to undermine their confidence and increase their need of the manipulator's approval.

And what do they want? Power.

All this effort to defund police...such a ridiculous cause. You want to defund police? Win elections. Persuade voters. By shaming and blackmailing those in power into these temporary salves, you only invite a backlash and a deserved one.

Everyone wonders why we have Trump. This kind of shit.

Message Received

Jemele Hill: "Journalism is a profession of agitation."

But consumers read the news when they believe it at least seeks to report the truth.

Speed

There's gotta be some word for the speed with which the world operates now - it's fast.

I went from thinking Trump just lost the election by threatening to bring in troops to the streets, to now being pretty sure he's going win because the protests are turning into "Defund the Police."

Maybe some Dems will find sanity. Their base will not.

Caution - Corona

The feeling of the moment leads toward letting go a bit, but of course this is the precise time we should probably be acting with the most caution.

But we won't because we are emotional and not rational creatures.

BLM - NY Chapter

I've criticized BLM before, but I'm 100% with what this guy is saying.

1) De Blasio should resign

2) Had he handled the Eric Gardner case better it would have set a national precedent. Amen.

3) There should be some type of guaranteed jobs program for African Americans. Now, I think this has execution problems but as an idea -- it's a good start and a place to work from.

4) Each state has their own issues, and he speaks only for BLM - NYC.

Hawk Newsome has my support.

"Peaceful" Protests

On my street, businesses are boarded up with "Black Lives Matter" signs in the windows and "Minority Owned" like lambs blood on passover.

Our babysitter drives an used, painted over police car. Don't ask me why. She's young and been getting flicked off all day by people. 

Maybe I can get on board with some of the stuff with protests - maybe I can even understand the rage - but don't bullshit me and say they're peaceful.

And as a side note, with respect the Black Lives Matter, etc. I notice the tenor of all conversations comes across as basically: shut the fuck up unless you 150% are with us. Just know, you are turning people off. They won't tell you. In fact, they'll agree with you. They'll post their stupid slogans on twitter, and black out social media, and pay you all the lip service in the world, even donate to your cause. But they'll hate you deep down and quietly move to the other room. BLM ain't winning hearts and minds unless they go in the Killer Mike direction. Channel the rage into patient, Count of Monte Cristo like action.

A Useful Word For the Moment

Catastrophizing.

Catastrophizing is an irrational thought a lot of us have in believing that something is far worse than it actually is. Catastrophizing can generally can take two different forms: making a catastrophe out of a current situation, and imagining making a catastrophe out of a future situation.

Logging

Film: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The Ron Howard one. Oh boy. To be honest, I can't remember seeing a worse movie. I really can't.

Conflation Btwn Floyd and Kaepernick

The point of politics is to build coalitions to advance mutual interests. The problem with BLM and Colin Kaepernick: they don't build consensus, instead they conduct purity tests. They don't allow for disagreement, they state a position and make demands. Either you accept their demands or you are branded an enemy. If their goal was to reduce police brutality in actual practice, they could easily build a coalition to advance several causes:

1) Hold police who use excessive force accountable.
2) Encourage more minority hiring within police departments.
3) Get rid of lousy, sloppy DAs and police chiefs

Etc that could achieve widespread support and impact lives on the ground.

But no.

Instead, they protest the flag knowing full well it won't play. Instead you have LBJ calling out Drew Brees. Go after Trump, fine. But Drew Brees? Come on, man.

Maybe their point is that the problem is too big to be fixed. Well, then let's just take our balls home then, nothing left to say.

Policy Ideas - Bridging Left and Right Ideas

1) Some type of universal basic income that is instead an investment in the SP500 with required minimum distributions. This would give people more "skin in the game." Also, more sympathetic to business overall and less sympathetic to government unproductivity.

2) Let African Americans pay fewer taxes.

But Just So You Know...

...What the powerful "woke" people are going to do:

1) Voice support for the protest movement and donate money to the cause.

2) Move away from the masses.

3) Protect their major assets (most importantly, their reputations)

4) Throw others at the wolves and beg the masses to "take them first" (eg: Leah Michele, Donald Trump, etc)

The prospect of the masses won't improve unless the masses work to improve it themselves. Learning building, and demanding fairness and justice will achieve these things. Breaking shit and tweeting won't. Marching is a start, but only that.