Logging
Film: Funny Girl
William Wyler sure knows how to shoot a scene.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Well...
There he goes and writes the best article about cinema in my recent memory. Hats off to Armond White -- 2004, The Year the Culture Broke.
Suddenly, the 20th century’s great unifying art form — the movies — got reduced to a medium for generating polarized reactions, its artists and audiences divided by media agitation. With no place for evenly waged exchanges of ideas and aesthetics, national sensibilities could only fracture. No-longer-impartial media used their prominence to drive those who disagreed into quiet but resentful enclaves. This rupture was not along lines of taste but was instead derived from religious and political differences. It divided the moviegoing public along lines of alleged bigotry and professed grievance. In this light, charges that Gibson was anti-Jewish were impossible to challenge, but those aggrieved accusations destroyed any chance of achieving common ground. Trust was obliterated. No film has split the country so decisively since The Birth of a Nation in 1915.
The Passion and Fahrenheit, as movies and as cultural events, are showcases of media corruption and dereliction of duty. Such obstruction of justice and abuse of power created a psychic stress that the culture couldn’t overcome.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Newspapers Will Die
It's demographics.
I am extremely pessimistic about this development. And I ought to feel guilty because for a long time, I didn't order a newspaper (I do, now). We recently passed a healthcare law no one read. Vlad Putin is overturning global norms (ie how nation states behave and interact with one another) since the end of WW2 as we speak. We have tremendous issues, both large and small to deal with for the next 5, 10, 30, to 100 years. If we believe liberal democracy has a place in finding the answers to these questions and defining the future, we need an informed citizenry. Without news, we won't. I have absolutely zero faith there will be some type of digital revolution that will make all this information free. The very idea is preposterous and ludicrous prima facie.
We are veering toward an ominous point, where authoritarian, capitalistic regimes will hold significant power. And they will exercise it -- have zero doubt about it. Read this. If we want a glance at the future, simply look at how the Russian and Chinese governments treat their people and neighbors. American democracy is not healthy. Our foreign policy is lost. Our domestic policies are bandaid solutions. Propping up the stock market and taxing Peter to pay Paul isn't the way to rejuvenate the country.
We don't have the answers, but believe me, the end of the newspapers isn't going to help us figure it out.
It's demographics.
I am extremely pessimistic about this development. And I ought to feel guilty because for a long time, I didn't order a newspaper (I do, now). We recently passed a healthcare law no one read. Vlad Putin is overturning global norms (ie how nation states behave and interact with one another) since the end of WW2 as we speak. We have tremendous issues, both large and small to deal with for the next 5, 10, 30, to 100 years. If we believe liberal democracy has a place in finding the answers to these questions and defining the future, we need an informed citizenry. Without news, we won't. I have absolutely zero faith there will be some type of digital revolution that will make all this information free. The very idea is preposterous and ludicrous prima facie.
We are veering toward an ominous point, where authoritarian, capitalistic regimes will hold significant power. And they will exercise it -- have zero doubt about it. Read this. If we want a glance at the future, simply look at how the Russian and Chinese governments treat their people and neighbors. American democracy is not healthy. Our foreign policy is lost. Our domestic policies are bandaid solutions. Propping up the stock market and taxing Peter to pay Paul isn't the way to rejuvenate the country.
We don't have the answers, but believe me, the end of the newspapers isn't going to help us figure it out.
Doesn't Get Old...
Cespedes trade isn't working. Watching the game right now. A's down 2-0, top of the 9th. Feels like we haven't scored in ages. Donaldson up. One man on. It'd be nice if Cespedes was in the on-deck circle. Underrated aspect of power hitting - they are up every night. As much as the stat nerds are convinced baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport, I'm convinced a line-up matters and is interconnected. You'd like to mix righties and lefties and give the other team something to fear. Not to mention the fact you want a guy who is a threat to jack one everytime and can get hot when others aren't. I didn't like the trade, still don't. A's were the best team in baseball. Now, they are barely a .500 team because they can't hit.
Cespedes trade isn't working. Watching the game right now. A's down 2-0, top of the 9th. Feels like we haven't scored in ages. Donaldson up. One man on. It'd be nice if Cespedes was in the on-deck circle. Underrated aspect of power hitting - they are up every night. As much as the stat nerds are convinced baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport, I'm convinced a line-up matters and is interconnected. You'd like to mix righties and lefties and give the other team something to fear. Not to mention the fact you want a guy who is a threat to jack one everytime and can get hot when others aren't. I didn't like the trade, still don't. A's were the best team in baseball. Now, they are barely a .500 team because they can't hit.
Logging
Book: Beyond Bogota by Garry Leech
A skim. A not well-written account of a journalists kidnapping by FARC guerrillas in Columbia. South American history is pretty fascinating and a subject I'm presently curious about -- but this particular book was not very enlightening. The opening parts of Killing Pablo were much more pleasurable to read.
Book: Beyond Bogota by Garry Leech
A skim. A not well-written account of a journalists kidnapping by FARC guerrillas in Columbia. South American history is pretty fascinating and a subject I'm presently curious about -- but this particular book was not very enlightening. The opening parts of Killing Pablo were much more pleasurable to read.
Logging
Film: Stand Up Guys
Not hip, not great, but not terrible either. Easy to mock and for "cool" people to ignore. But I prefer a world in which movies like this can exist - even thrive - versus a world where movies like Spring Breakers are heralded. At least there is heart in here, a few decent lines of dialog, and some fun scenes and pleasant faces to look at.
Film: Stand Up Guys
Not hip, not great, but not terrible either. Easy to mock and for "cool" people to ignore. But I prefer a world in which movies like this can exist - even thrive - versus a world where movies like Spring Breakers are heralded. At least there is heart in here, a few decent lines of dialog, and some fun scenes and pleasant faces to look at.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Super Bowl Future Bets
The odds. I only like longshots for future bets that can possibly be hedged later.
San Diego Chargers - 43 to 1
Arizona Cardinals - 60 to 1
Minnesota Vikings - 100 to 1
I could see a scenario where San Diego has the best offense in the league and times it right with Brady and Manning finally hitting problems with their age. I could see Arizona's defense becoming the best defense in the league in the second half of the season and this Ellington becoming a Jamal Charles-esque player combined with a Super Bowl hangover year from Seattle and the Niners regressing because of defensive injuries/suspension/age followed by a Kaepernick or Harbaugh meltdown.
Minnesota won't win the SB, but maybe AP goes crazy again and they go deep into the playoffs.
The odds. I only like longshots for future bets that can possibly be hedged later.
San Diego Chargers - 43 to 1
Arizona Cardinals - 60 to 1
Minnesota Vikings - 100 to 1
I could see a scenario where San Diego has the best offense in the league and times it right with Brady and Manning finally hitting problems with their age. I could see Arizona's defense becoming the best defense in the league in the second half of the season and this Ellington becoming a Jamal Charles-esque player combined with a Super Bowl hangover year from Seattle and the Niners regressing because of defensive injuries/suspension/age followed by a Kaepernick or Harbaugh meltdown.
Minnesota won't win the SB, but maybe AP goes crazy again and they go deep into the playoffs.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Josh Gordon
The star receiver on the Browns suspended for 1 year for smoking weed. Has the NFL gone crazy? Don't they know weed is defacto legal now in many states? Don't they know professionals all over the country routinely smoke weed? Don't they know an enormous number of their players are using PEDs and they NEVER suspend anyone for PEDs, but weed gets a year? Also - and maybe this shouldn't factor - but Gordon is a young superstar, the type of guy the league should desperately want to be playing. What a strange decision.
The star receiver on the Browns suspended for 1 year for smoking weed. Has the NFL gone crazy? Don't they know weed is defacto legal now in many states? Don't they know professionals all over the country routinely smoke weed? Don't they know an enormous number of their players are using PEDs and they NEVER suspend anyone for PEDs, but weed gets a year? Also - and maybe this shouldn't factor - but Gordon is a young superstar, the type of guy the league should desperately want to be playing. What a strange decision.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Old School
This feels like a plot straight out of LA Confidential...Nikki Finke exposed on a website: NikkiStink.
Pure silliness and kinda fun. Good for her for managing to stay private and hidden for so long in this day and age.
This feels like a plot straight out of LA Confidential...Nikki Finke exposed on a website: NikkiStink.
Pure silliness and kinda fun. Good for her for managing to stay private and hidden for so long in this day and age.
Anxiety-Privilege
On Lena Dunham haters not seeing her art.
I confess to being a Dunham hater, but not based upon her so-called privilege. I could care less about her privilege. And was she really so privileged? We're not talking about Bill Gate's kid. We're talking about a girl who's parents were artists no one has ever heard of. Since when does that constitute privilege? Does merely growing up in the New York art scene make one privileged? If people want to target "privilege" why not go after Megan Ellison who simply uses daddy's money to fund filmmakers she likes. Or perhaps Sophia Coppola who grew up the daughter of a famous filmmaker. But as a broader point: who cares? Talk about the work...
...and I'm not a fan of Dunham's work. I don't feel more connected to people or any type of joy from watching her show and movies. They are a slog. They peddle in cruelty masquerading as comedy. She takes the painful and ugly and shove it one's face like abortion protesters carrying around pictures of dead fetuses. I think the show is for depressives. And it makes me depressed to watch. So I don't. And I read Parker novels and old movies instead.
On Lena Dunham haters not seeing her art.
I confess to being a Dunham hater, but not based upon her so-called privilege. I could care less about her privilege. And was she really so privileged? We're not talking about Bill Gate's kid. We're talking about a girl who's parents were artists no one has ever heard of. Since when does that constitute privilege? Does merely growing up in the New York art scene make one privileged? If people want to target "privilege" why not go after Megan Ellison who simply uses daddy's money to fund filmmakers she likes. Or perhaps Sophia Coppola who grew up the daughter of a famous filmmaker. But as a broader point: who cares? Talk about the work...
...and I'm not a fan of Dunham's work. I don't feel more connected to people or any type of joy from watching her show and movies. They are a slog. They peddle in cruelty masquerading as comedy. She takes the painful and ugly and shove it one's face like abortion protesters carrying around pictures of dead fetuses. I think the show is for depressives. And it makes me depressed to watch. So I don't. And I read Parker novels and old movies instead.
Words From Donald Westlake
An interview.
An interview.
Question: You’ve written over 100 books in your lifetime. Do you have any advice on productivity to share?
Westlake: I don’t know that I have any advice to share, because I pretty well don’t know how the trail led to this spot. There’s one thing I’ve learned, and that is that the writer isn’t supposed to know what he’s doing. If you know what you’re doing, you can’t do it. Later, you can look back and see, with some surprise and maybe pleasure, what it is you did. In the early days, I used to answer questions about what I meant to do next, until I realized, by the time it was in print, I’d been absolutely wrong, every single time.and this:
Westlake: I hadn’t looked at it that way, but I suppose it must relate to Hemingway’s judgment on people, that the competent guy does it on his own and the incompetents lean on each other.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Consumption Tax
Repeal corporate taxes, reform income taxes, and introduce a Value Added tax.
I'm open to ideas about tax reform. The current system is complex and incompetent. Anyone with a high school eduction should be able to figure out their own taxes, but our best and brightest can't pay their own taxes without the help of accountants.
Repeal corporate taxes, reform income taxes, and introduce a Value Added tax.
I'm open to ideas about tax reform. The current system is complex and incompetent. Anyone with a high school eduction should be able to figure out their own taxes, but our best and brightest can't pay their own taxes without the help of accountants.
Idea Weekend
Not sure these would completely work in practice:
1. During recession, in order to stimulate the economy, why not spend a lot of government tax money (say, the millionaire tax dough) on improving America's public toilets? Perhaps even create a mandatory restaurant-toilet improvement program where restaurants can receive government money to improve the restrooms. This would get tied into local health inspection processes. They would need to hire some additional toilet inspectors, the construction of new toilets would employ a bunch of people, and hopefully, it would improve the restaurant experience, thus stimulating more people eating out. At the very least, the public toilets would be nicer and who doesn't think that's a worthwhile investment? Use Japan's nice public toilets as an example.
2. Freezing hair on guys who fear they might go bald one day. I don't know if this would work, but could scientists figure out how to freeze hair on people in anticipation of going bald one day? I suppose that hair would get kinda gross after a couple years. Maybe this is not a great idea.
Not sure these would completely work in practice:
1. During recession, in order to stimulate the economy, why not spend a lot of government tax money (say, the millionaire tax dough) on improving America's public toilets? Perhaps even create a mandatory restaurant-toilet improvement program where restaurants can receive government money to improve the restrooms. This would get tied into local health inspection processes. They would need to hire some additional toilet inspectors, the construction of new toilets would employ a bunch of people, and hopefully, it would improve the restaurant experience, thus stimulating more people eating out. At the very least, the public toilets would be nicer and who doesn't think that's a worthwhile investment? Use Japan's nice public toilets as an example.
2. Freezing hair on guys who fear they might go bald one day. I don't know if this would work, but could scientists figure out how to freeze hair on people in anticipation of going bald one day? I suppose that hair would get kinda gross after a couple years. Maybe this is not a great idea.
Good
Movie tracking isn't working. Anyone who needs tracking statistics to make decisions about movies is in the wrong business. This is a biz of gut instinct. I'm all for using numbers and collecting data, but they are merely clues. And the minute you think they provide answers, they'll no longer be relevant. The world is too big, complex, and fast. It always has been - the internet didn't change this.
Movie tracking isn't working. Anyone who needs tracking statistics to make decisions about movies is in the wrong business. This is a biz of gut instinct. I'm all for using numbers and collecting data, but they are merely clues. And the minute you think they provide answers, they'll no longer be relevant. The world is too big, complex, and fast. It always has been - the internet didn't change this.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Logging
Book: Man With the Getaway Face by Richard Stark
Another Parker novel, the one right before the Outfit. I read them out of order. It didn't matter. I wish there was some deal on the entire collection. I'd just carry one around to read while waiting around. 5 pages here. 40 pages there. Easy, fun, delightful. Better than watching the boobtube.
Book: Man With the Getaway Face by Richard Stark
Another Parker novel, the one right before the Outfit. I read them out of order. It didn't matter. I wish there was some deal on the entire collection. I'd just carry one around to read while waiting around. 5 pages here. 40 pages there. Easy, fun, delightful. Better than watching the boobtube.
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