Thank God For the Internet
Somehow, people still manage to find Half Asian Full Asian on Youtube.
The most recent comment string discusses whether the guy in the blue hat (me!) is ugly or merely average looking. Thought you might enjoy that.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Other Movies Watched
Princess and the Call Girl - lame softcore porn. Really pretty girl who can't act at all.
Charleen - a short documentary by Ross McElwee about his high school poetry teacher. I am a big fan of his work.
Dance Hall Queen - not a good movie, but not bad either. Shot on DV in Jamiaca, it is about a drink vendor who transforms herself into a dancehall reggae queen. Pretty good music and a few good performances, notably one by a 15 year old girl, her daughter. It really stood out. I also have a fondness for the DV look blown up to 35mm. Movies like the Celebration, 28 Days Later, Inland Empire, and this Dance Hall movie really have a nice color palette and feel to them. I know these were all shot on different cameras, but they share a quality that is missing from the newer generation of DV and certainly HD. I don't exactly know how to explain it...but it almost reminds me of earlier color film when the latitude of the stock wasn't so great and you got blowout when bright.
Princess and the Call Girl - lame softcore porn. Really pretty girl who can't act at all.
Charleen - a short documentary by Ross McElwee about his high school poetry teacher. I am a big fan of his work.
Dance Hall Queen - not a good movie, but not bad either. Shot on DV in Jamiaca, it is about a drink vendor who transforms herself into a dancehall reggae queen. Pretty good music and a few good performances, notably one by a 15 year old girl, her daughter. It really stood out. I also have a fondness for the DV look blown up to 35mm. Movies like the Celebration, 28 Days Later, Inland Empire, and this Dance Hall movie really have a nice color palette and feel to them. I know these were all shot on different cameras, but they share a quality that is missing from the newer generation of DV and certainly HD. I don't exactly know how to explain it...but it almost reminds me of earlier color film when the latitude of the stock wasn't so great and you got blowout when bright.
One Bright and Shining Moment
A heavy handed documentary about George McGovern. I resist using agiprop because it ain't quite that, although the opening sequence borders on it.
I am still puzzled by the Iraq = Vietnam narrative. In this documentary you have quite a few hardcore leftists baldly stating, "We fought on the wrong side in Vietnam." Their thinking, I imagine, is that Ho Chi Min was fighting an anti-imperialist war, not a communist revolution. Another argument, the conservative/ Real Politick argument against Vietnam would be - mind our own business and leave a non-important "piss ant" country (LBJ's term) like Vietnam to themselves.
I don't see how either of these arguments apply to Iraq. Clearly, we are not fighting on the wrong side in Iraq - opposing a Sunni Terror state under Saddam or a Sunni Terror state under Al Queda is not the side we should be fighting with. Maybe...just maybe...the Iraq is unimportant argument holds up. But we certainly cannot argue that Iraq is less important than Vietnam. Iraq is hugely more important from a strategic perspective, being a keystone state in the most volitile region in the world, which also happens to be the home of most of the known oil reserves.
In any case, it is clear by our actions anyway that Iraq is not Vietnam. Protests were large at first and now dwindled to nothing. Maybe the sad fact is we just don't care. At least that's the message in this blog post about the "never again" promise after the Holocaust.
Maybe we don't care that much if Saddam is in power, terrorizing his own people. Likewise, we don't care that much if our soldiers are over there fighting a confusing war. We cared about fighting in Vietnam, but could give a flying shit about the Khmer Rouge or Rwanda or Sudan...or even Afghanistan.
I guess the difference is this: in Vietnam there was a draft and American's were dying in fairly large numbers over a hopeless and unimportant cause. Let's not pretend that American bombs killing Vietnamese citizens mattered to public opinion...
A heavy handed documentary about George McGovern. I resist using agiprop because it ain't quite that, although the opening sequence borders on it.
I am still puzzled by the Iraq = Vietnam narrative. In this documentary you have quite a few hardcore leftists baldly stating, "We fought on the wrong side in Vietnam." Their thinking, I imagine, is that Ho Chi Min was fighting an anti-imperialist war, not a communist revolution. Another argument, the conservative/ Real Politick argument against Vietnam would be - mind our own business and leave a non-important "piss ant" country (LBJ's term) like Vietnam to themselves.
I don't see how either of these arguments apply to Iraq. Clearly, we are not fighting on the wrong side in Iraq - opposing a Sunni Terror state under Saddam or a Sunni Terror state under Al Queda is not the side we should be fighting with. Maybe...just maybe...the Iraq is unimportant argument holds up. But we certainly cannot argue that Iraq is less important than Vietnam. Iraq is hugely more important from a strategic perspective, being a keystone state in the most volitile region in the world, which also happens to be the home of most of the known oil reserves.
In any case, it is clear by our actions anyway that Iraq is not Vietnam. Protests were large at first and now dwindled to nothing. Maybe the sad fact is we just don't care. At least that's the message in this blog post about the "never again" promise after the Holocaust.
Maybe we don't care that much if Saddam is in power, terrorizing his own people. Likewise, we don't care that much if our soldiers are over there fighting a confusing war. We cared about fighting in Vietnam, but could give a flying shit about the Khmer Rouge or Rwanda or Sudan...or even Afghanistan.
I guess the difference is this: in Vietnam there was a draft and American's were dying in fairly large numbers over a hopeless and unimportant cause. Let's not pretend that American bombs killing Vietnamese citizens mattered to public opinion...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Movies Today
Working Girls. Shot by Judy Irola. Okay movie set almost entirely in an upscale NY whore house.
Still Water. A Pakistani movie about a son becoming involved with Muslim fundamentalists in 1979 and discovering his mother is a Sikh who refused to kill herself to save her family honor and became a Muslim. Good movie - one of those where you feel like you've learned about another culture.
Working Girls. Shot by Judy Irola. Okay movie set almost entirely in an upscale NY whore house.
Still Water. A Pakistani movie about a son becoming involved with Muslim fundamentalists in 1979 and discovering his mother is a Sikh who refused to kill herself to save her family honor and became a Muslim. Good movie - one of those where you feel like you've learned about another culture.
Enjoying Combat
Yes, I bet a decent number of soldiers enjoy combat and even killing the enemy. I know that it is taboo to say...they are supposed to be reluctant soldiers, solemnly doing their duty. But I doubt that is true.
The only thing I can compare it to is sports...during soccer games, when things get messy, and you're hating the other team, there is often that guy on the other team who's been giving cheap shots during the game, talking trash, and otherwise trying to bully an advantage. I do sometimes try to set this guy up, let him think he has space for one more touch, just so I can give him a really, really hard tackle that will hurt him. Yes, I want it to hurt...never injure, but hurt and hurt enough that he doesn't want to go in another tackle with me or any of my teammates for the rest of the game. That on the next challenge he takes that split second off because he remembers the crunch of the earlier tackle. And I don't mind if I'm late and taking a foul or a card if necessary either, because there is a certain attitude it takes to win...in sports and I imagine in war. I don't believe in playing dirty, but at the same time, I've never accused anyone of playing dirty either. I really dislike the type of player who complains about another guy playing rough or hitting too hard. The solution: hit back, but do it fair. And if you complain to the ref, it should be to gain strategic advantage, not to try to find "fairness."
In any case, it is nothing like combat I'm sure, but the psychology of hurting others exists and isn't something I think we should be all that scared of.
Yes, I bet a decent number of soldiers enjoy combat and even killing the enemy. I know that it is taboo to say...they are supposed to be reluctant soldiers, solemnly doing their duty. But I doubt that is true.
The only thing I can compare it to is sports...during soccer games, when things get messy, and you're hating the other team, there is often that guy on the other team who's been giving cheap shots during the game, talking trash, and otherwise trying to bully an advantage. I do sometimes try to set this guy up, let him think he has space for one more touch, just so I can give him a really, really hard tackle that will hurt him. Yes, I want it to hurt...never injure, but hurt and hurt enough that he doesn't want to go in another tackle with me or any of my teammates for the rest of the game. That on the next challenge he takes that split second off because he remembers the crunch of the earlier tackle. And I don't mind if I'm late and taking a foul or a card if necessary either, because there is a certain attitude it takes to win...in sports and I imagine in war. I don't believe in playing dirty, but at the same time, I've never accused anyone of playing dirty either. I really dislike the type of player who complains about another guy playing rough or hitting too hard. The solution: hit back, but do it fair. And if you complain to the ref, it should be to gain strategic advantage, not to try to find "fairness."
In any case, it is nothing like combat I'm sure, but the psychology of hurting others exists and isn't something I think we should be all that scared of.
Friday, July 20, 2007
49 Up
This film vaulted into my top ten today. It is one of those rare movies that is so good, it makes me not want to make movies. It makes me think I should become a garbage man or a retail clerk. At my very best, in my highest estimation of my future self, I do not think I could make a film this humanistic, emotional, or true. It is part of the series 7 Up, 14 Up, 21 Up, 28 Up, 35 Up, 42 Up, and so forth, in which British filmmaker Michael Apted takes 12 or so British children and interviews and films them every seven years to see how they've changed and stayed the same. The movie started out with dual premises, the Jesuit idea that a personality is formed by age 7 and that in Britain, the class you are born into determines your future prospects.
But what Apted discovers is so much more interesting. People change, they stay the same, dreams are abandoned and discovered, people have families, they grow old, they find joy and they find sorrow. It is so simple, yet infinitely complex. It is one of the great humanist projects of this century. Everyone should watch it. I look forward to going back and watching the other episodes.
Politics, race, class, gender recede into tiny little meaningless dots in the story of 12 different lives. Just incredible. Roger Ebert called it noble.
This film vaulted into my top ten today. It is one of those rare movies that is so good, it makes me not want to make movies. It makes me think I should become a garbage man or a retail clerk. At my very best, in my highest estimation of my future self, I do not think I could make a film this humanistic, emotional, or true. It is part of the series 7 Up, 14 Up, 21 Up, 28 Up, 35 Up, 42 Up, and so forth, in which British filmmaker Michael Apted takes 12 or so British children and interviews and films them every seven years to see how they've changed and stayed the same. The movie started out with dual premises, the Jesuit idea that a personality is formed by age 7 and that in Britain, the class you are born into determines your future prospects.
But what Apted discovers is so much more interesting. People change, they stay the same, dreams are abandoned and discovered, people have families, they grow old, they find joy and they find sorrow. It is so simple, yet infinitely complex. It is one of the great humanist projects of this century. Everyone should watch it. I look forward to going back and watching the other episodes.
Politics, race, class, gender recede into tiny little meaningless dots in the story of 12 different lives. Just incredible. Roger Ebert called it noble.
The Chill Argument
Believe me, I'm a proponent of the chill argument - let the idiot terrorists eventually evaporate from their own stupidity. Or count on regional allies to do the job. That's what Sullivan proposes for Waziristan and essentially proposes for Iraq - moving our troops out of the way.
Problem is, this was our foreign policy from the end of the Gulf War 1 to 9/11 and by all accounts it failed miserably. As far as the new democracy promotion agenda from Iraq to Palestine to Lebanon - who knows? It certainly isn't obvious to me that we are in worse shape than on 9/10. I still think if we play our cards right, we can come out ahead.
Believe me, I'm a proponent of the chill argument - let the idiot terrorists eventually evaporate from their own stupidity. Or count on regional allies to do the job. That's what Sullivan proposes for Waziristan and essentially proposes for Iraq - moving our troops out of the way.
Problem is, this was our foreign policy from the end of the Gulf War 1 to 9/11 and by all accounts it failed miserably. As far as the new democracy promotion agenda from Iraq to Palestine to Lebanon - who knows? It certainly isn't obvious to me that we are in worse shape than on 9/10. I still think if we play our cards right, we can come out ahead.
Sad News
The guy who ran the New Beverly, one of the great, affordable, old movie houses in LA passed away. He ran the place since May 5, 1978 - twenty three days before I was born. I didn't know him, but I'll miss him.
The guy who ran the New Beverly, one of the great, affordable, old movie houses in LA passed away. He ran the place since May 5, 1978 - twenty three days before I was born. I didn't know him, but I'll miss him.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Bogdanovich
I usually find the ascot wearing director turned actor a tad annoying. My opinion, however, has been radically altered by a performance in a Law and Order Criminal Intent episode. Bogdanovich basically plays Hugh Heffner and every time he's on screen I'm laughing out loud.
I have this impression of the guy taking himself very seriously - maybe I'm misreading him - but in this L and O he's just romping around and having a good time. Very impressive.
I usually find the ascot wearing director turned actor a tad annoying. My opinion, however, has been radically altered by a performance in a Law and Order Criminal Intent episode. Bogdanovich basically plays Hugh Heffner and every time he's on screen I'm laughing out loud.
I have this impression of the guy taking himself very seriously - maybe I'm misreading him - but in this L and O he's just romping around and having a good time. Very impressive.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Jock vs. Nerd vs. Cool
I like this discussion of how the jock vs. nerd vs. theory of K-12 plays out in the real world.
I do think my life would be easier or clearer if I knew which of these categories I fell into. I excelled at sports as a youngster, but wasn't quite a jock. I was in the smart classes, but wasn't quite a nerd. And I hung with the cool kids, but wasn't quite cool.
It sort of worked like this...on the sports teams I was usually on the cool end. In the smart classes, I was the best athlete. And with the cool kids, I was usually one of the smartest. Sort of sounds like a recipe for failure - excelling at all the things in least competition...
So now I blog.
I like this discussion of how the jock vs. nerd vs. theory of K-12 plays out in the real world.
I do think my life would be easier or clearer if I knew which of these categories I fell into. I excelled at sports as a youngster, but wasn't quite a jock. I was in the smart classes, but wasn't quite a nerd. And I hung with the cool kids, but wasn't quite cool.
It sort of worked like this...on the sports teams I was usually on the cool end. In the smart classes, I was the best athlete. And with the cool kids, I was usually one of the smartest. Sort of sounds like a recipe for failure - excelling at all the things in least competition...
So now I blog.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Did The Baja Fresh Girl Like Me or Think I'm Crazy and How I Know I'm American
As a prelude, I find it difficult to top a summertime Sunday evening tennis match under the lights followed by Baja Fresh. The new item they are advertising is the "enchilada burrito," which is the same as the wet burrito, essentially a red taco sauce and cheese over a regular burrito, heated up.
I like the wet burrito...but only with meat. A bean and cheese or veggie burrito should not be wet. Baja Fresh has an odd selection of burritos - they have about three different kinds and I cannot remember the exact differences.
I ask the girl how the enchilada works - she says in fairly broken English - order any burrito and you can make it wet. The menu is set up a bit confusing because some burritos list meat and other do not, but all of them list meat options below.
This conversation actually required a bit of back and forth because of the confusing menu and the way the wet burrito is advertised. I noticed when the communication gets a bit hairy, I raise my voice and start talking louder as if it will help. This is how I know I'm American.
After taking too long to examine the menu, I decide the bean and cheese and guac burrito sounds the best. I'm not too hungry so I say to myself - save the wet for another time. Stick with the staple. I order the burrito and insist it should not be not wet. She gives me this look, "well, why'd you ask about it then, asshole," and then says "Chicken or Steak."
"It comes with meat?"
"Yes."
"Chicken. And actually, can I have it wet, then."
If the first look was questionable, the second look was not.
As I waited for my food, she started to clean up, they were soon closing down. When I finally got my food, she insisted on opening the door for me and gave a big smile.
My theory is that she thought about my order and realized that yes, the wet burrito does make more sense with meat, and that guy wasn't a total idiot and I feel bad for giving him a bad look earlier.
As a prelude, I find it difficult to top a summertime Sunday evening tennis match under the lights followed by Baja Fresh. The new item they are advertising is the "enchilada burrito," which is the same as the wet burrito, essentially a red taco sauce and cheese over a regular burrito, heated up.
I like the wet burrito...but only with meat. A bean and cheese or veggie burrito should not be wet. Baja Fresh has an odd selection of burritos - they have about three different kinds and I cannot remember the exact differences.
I ask the girl how the enchilada works - she says in fairly broken English - order any burrito and you can make it wet. The menu is set up a bit confusing because some burritos list meat and other do not, but all of them list meat options below.
This conversation actually required a bit of back and forth because of the confusing menu and the way the wet burrito is advertised. I noticed when the communication gets a bit hairy, I raise my voice and start talking louder as if it will help. This is how I know I'm American.
After taking too long to examine the menu, I decide the bean and cheese and guac burrito sounds the best. I'm not too hungry so I say to myself - save the wet for another time. Stick with the staple. I order the burrito and insist it should not be not wet. She gives me this look, "well, why'd you ask about it then, asshole," and then says "Chicken or Steak."
"It comes with meat?"
"Yes."
"Chicken. And actually, can I have it wet, then."
If the first look was questionable, the second look was not.
As I waited for my food, she started to clean up, they were soon closing down. When I finally got my food, she insisted on opening the door for me and gave a big smile.
My theory is that she thought about my order and realized that yes, the wet burrito does make more sense with meat, and that guy wasn't a total idiot and I feel bad for giving him a bad look earlier.
I May Be Totally Wrong
If I'm totally wrong about the Middle East and terror and everything, this is why.
If I'm totally wrong about the Middle East and terror and everything, this is why.
Beef
When I listen to people complain about Bush's incompetence, it makes me think of people who complain about how bad movies are. To an extent - they are right, most movies are bad. And most politicians are incompetent.
The greatest leaders have presided over terrible times. Lincoln and the North mismanaged the Civil War. Prior generations of politicians compromised and never resolved the fundamental issues that led to the war. Is the Civil War their fault? Is sacrificing nearly a generation of young American men due to political incompetence?
After a certain point with people who bitch too much about movies - I suggest making one and seeing how it turns out. Likewise - try to develop a foreign policy to deal with a schmuck like Saddam and a place like Iraq. Good luck.
When I listen to people complain about Bush's incompetence, it makes me think of people who complain about how bad movies are. To an extent - they are right, most movies are bad. And most politicians are incompetent.
The greatest leaders have presided over terrible times. Lincoln and the North mismanaged the Civil War. Prior generations of politicians compromised and never resolved the fundamental issues that led to the war. Is the Civil War their fault? Is sacrificing nearly a generation of young American men due to political incompetence?
After a certain point with people who bitch too much about movies - I suggest making one and seeing how it turns out. Likewise - try to develop a foreign policy to deal with a schmuck like Saddam and a place like Iraq. Good luck.
Miami Vice vs. The Insider
I love both movies, so my opinion is irrelevant...but, you look at these two scripts and you notice some crazy ass shit, hijo. Miami Vice - Insider.
I know both these movies backwards and forwards. Insider is basically word for word what comes on the screen. Miami Vice is all over the place - lines totally changed, entire sections of scenes removed, entire scenes gone, characters coming in at different places. One might be able to make a comment about the differing "success" of each movie - Insider was Mann's peak performance whereas Miami Vice was lost in chaos from the get go.
Or - maybe the simple fact is - Insider is a shooting script and Miami Vice is an early draft. Maybe I should quit trying to be smart.
I love both movies, so my opinion is irrelevant...but, you look at these two scripts and you notice some crazy ass shit, hijo. Miami Vice - Insider.
I know both these movies backwards and forwards. Insider is basically word for word what comes on the screen. Miami Vice is all over the place - lines totally changed, entire sections of scenes removed, entire scenes gone, characters coming in at different places. One might be able to make a comment about the differing "success" of each movie - Insider was Mann's peak performance whereas Miami Vice was lost in chaos from the get go.
Or - maybe the simple fact is - Insider is a shooting script and Miami Vice is an early draft. Maybe I should quit trying to be smart.
Incredible
This might be the best blog post I've ever read.
Economics is becoming sexier every day. No joke. There is serious innovation going on right now with this Freakonomics stuff. This is the type of thing that will inspire generations of students and could lead to serious human progress.
This might be the best blog post I've ever read.
Economics is becoming sexier every day. No joke. There is serious innovation going on right now with this Freakonomics stuff. This is the type of thing that will inspire generations of students and could lead to serious human progress.
A Fundamental Difference
Are we at war with radical Islam or are we simply experiencing a high amount of terrorism related to our foreign policy. This is the fundamental question and most foreign policy disagreements stem from this issue. Link.
Are we at war with radical Islam or are we simply experiencing a high amount of terrorism related to our foreign policy. This is the fundamental question and most foreign policy disagreements stem from this issue. Link.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Okay, So Let's Invade Waziristan
Every damn news organization is talking about Al Queda's renewed capability. I'm down for pulling the Manuel Noriega sneak attack, we're in, we're own chopping down as many AQ training facilities as possible wherever they are. Sorry folks, this is the deal post-9/11, we have a right to go blow up camps who are arming and training folks to kill us.
What other conclusion can be drawn from this intelligence?
Every damn news organization is talking about Al Queda's renewed capability. I'm down for pulling the Manuel Noriega sneak attack, we're in, we're own chopping down as many AQ training facilities as possible wherever they are. Sorry folks, this is the deal post-9/11, we have a right to go blow up camps who are arming and training folks to kill us.
What other conclusion can be drawn from this intelligence?
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