World War II 101 - SNL

If you're wondering how we got to where we are.

Big Surprise

Social justice lawyers got the medical establishment to lie and not conduct scientific reviews because they knew transgender procedures wouldn't hold up to scrutiny.

Wow. 

The Debate

Only watching bits...but yeah...it was bad. A couple random thoughts:

-What really makes this terrible for Biden and the Democrats is the dementia patient performance matches with popular perception of the Biden presidency. It would be one thing if things were going well. They are not. The middle east, eastern europe are falling into chaos - exactly what you'd expect with an emperor with no clothes. So this performance validates what we see with our own eyes.

-Many think this is a Biden-specific thing. I don't. It's a Democrat thing. The Democrat worldview is a big package of lies and incoherence. Biden exposes it for what it is: incoherence, brought together for one purpose only: power to redistribute resources. It's the only thing Dems agree on: sucking the public tit. Dems have no vision for this country. Half the party doesn't even like the US. Half the party wants illegal immigration because in it they see a way to win elections in perpetuity. Half the party wants US allies to lose wars. Half the party wants special privileges for minorities - but especially women and blacks. The Republicans can be criticized for being a cult of personality and beholden to a number of crummy ideas. But say what you will about Trump: he at least has a vision for the country. Maybe it's a delusion vision - the entire MAGA idea - but it's going up against no vision. The closest thing to a vision the Dems have is what can broadly be described as wokeness. But half of Democrats don't even like wokeness. The Party a big pile of nothingness - and Biden is the perfect symbol for it. Weekend at Bernies. To support this thesis statement, allow me to present exhibit B: Kamala Harris. She is equally incoherent and her age isn't the issue. She just doesn't know anything. She's got the right optics for the wokies, but with her cynical background of hootching herself out to Willie Brown and being a prosecutor - she alleviates the insiders concern for the fanatics taking over. She's just another emperor with no clothes. The only thing the Dems can agree upon are candidates that express the Party's deep know-nothingness.

Logging

Film: Horizon P1 

While the rest of Hollywood ruminates about the wretched state of the industry, Costner decides to spend his own money to make a throwback, 9-hour, 3-part Western saga to be released in the theater about the American dream. For all its uncoolness and imperfections, I'll take it.

Transrace

Makes a lot more sense than transgender. 

But It Won't Matter To Progressives

The impact of $1000 basic income was slim to none when given to homeless people. 

The thing isn't the thing. The thing, in this case, is providing fake jobs for progressives in government, think tanks, etc. 

Like with the pro-Palestinian protests in the West - the thing isn't the thing. It's just grievance politics and hatred of competition. Anti-capitalism, anti-white racism repackaged.

Imagine

If the Palestinians spent their time doing literally anything other than terrorism for the past 75 years...they could've randomly decided to become basket weavers...and probably would've dumbfucked their way into being world experts at basket weaving by now. And by simply not doing terrorism Gaza would be a Mediterranean tourist mecca instead of what it is. Makes one think.

Film

Logging: Mad Max: Fury Road 

Hadn't watched since theatrical experience - plays significantly better in the theater. Hardy isn't at his best here, IMO. I much prefer Furiosa to this film right now. There are some good parts, don't get me wrong. A lesson in filmmaking - one of the first major set pieces is supercharged by the relationship story - it's the first time Max and Furiosa work together and we see through the action how they begin to trust and respect one another. It's the best part of the film. There's one absolutely cringe dialog scene toward the end of the 2nd act that in addition to being on the nose, was also nonsensical. 

There's a strange beauty in the plot simplicity. We drive here, then we drive back. The final image/scene lands - I wonder if this is one reason why people like the film so much...

China

Observations from a recent visitor to China. Doesn't sound like a place I'd want to be. Internet over there seems to have taken a strange turn.

EVs

Half of US drivers of EVs thinking about switching back to ICE.  All the government incentives can only goose along systems. At some point, they need to work on their own terms. 

Unless electricity generation were to become dirt cheap, I don't see a huge upside compared to alternatives like living close to work. And hybrids. Also, batteries in general seem wasteful to me. 

That said, I prefer the lower pollution levels with at least some significant percent of EVs on the road. 

Mixed feelings overall. 

Data

From Vice website, the article "How to Suck Your Own Dick" substantially outperformed "How to Decolonize My Desire." 

This validates my preexisting worldview.

Logging

Film: Furiosa

Best movie I've seen in the theater this year. Gripping, visceral, action-packed. Got me excited about movies again. The ending was subpar, though. The "feminist" themes are entirely superficial - this movie is about harsh political choices that men must be made to survive. It's also about peacocking. Hemsworth is the most interesting character - does no one recognize this? He is the soul of the film and asks the major questions. Best choice ever: Ana Taylor Joy barely speaks. It was wonderful. Also, her character is a kid for half the movie played by a great young actress. And then there's this Jack character they introduce - incredible! This movie needs to be watched for the colorful side characters, the costuming, and the physical acting staging. I seriously can't go over how good this was. If this was a lower budget film or a foreign action film - something that wasn't "familiar" at this point - it would be one of the most exciting cinematic achievements in recent years. But because one senses a Hollywood sequel with feminist themes or an Ana Taylor Joy vehicle - it dramatically undersells what this film is about.

Note: filmmakers are getting ahead of the marketers - thank gawd... Marketers sell Furiosa and Barbie as feminist tales. Good! Trick the females into seeing the real message - in Barbie - it's become a mom and find meaning. In Furiosa it's - look how tough it is to be a good man in this world. 

I've Noticed

Democrats know no boundaries. It seems like AOC here promoting people from outside Bowman's district voting for him. Which is of course, illegal. Personally, I suspect this happens in my hometown. 

The other thing: this is the guy who pulled the fire alarm. How he's taken seriously anymore...beyond me...but then again, Marion Berry won an election after being caught smoking crack, so... 

On the Horrors of Gaza

I don't doubt the horrors in Gaza, only I see them as being caused by Hamas.

Why do I see it this way? Simple: Hamas takes actions to provoke the horrors. Israel would clearly prefer the horrors to not occur, but don't see an alternative. 

Cal State LA

Something to note: even at Cal State LA, where they were entirely permissive toward the pro-Palestinian encampment - basically just let them do whatever they wanted - eventually they too needed to call the cops to get rid of them. 

Always gonna end the same way with these folks. You can take the band aid off slowly or all at once.

Logging

Film: The Talented Mr. Ripley (Minghella version)

Substantially different than the Netflix version and the book, but it works well. 

The most immediately different take is the conception of the Dickie Greenleaf character. Jude Law plays him as a romantic, joyous playboy. His charm is addictive and alluring. In both the book and the Neflix show, he's a bit more of a dud - a bad painter - a touch lazy, inactive. Law plays him as a wild ladies man. Plot-wise, he's impregnated an Italian girl who kills herself, a haunting foreshadowing of what will come later.

Damon portrays Ripley as a closeted, ashamed homosexual who loves Dickie and accidentally kills him in a personal fight gone awry. You might call it a crime of passion. He somewhat dumbfucks his way through the 2nd half of the film by deciding to pose as Dickie after an offhanded mistake by a hotel clerk. But the tension built by the scenarios are gripping as hell. The Cate Blanchett and Jack Davenport characters are additions (not in the book) but add several memorable set pieces and close calls in the back half. Blanchett in particular adds a nice layer of tension in the film (she believes Ripley is Dickie the entire time). Damon falls in love with Davenport's character, but tragically murders him in the end. This version of the film portrays a misunderstood man trapped by his twin taboo desires: homosexuality and the hunger to have money. It does a strong job of showing Tom's inability to "fake" his class - in particular the scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddie Miles - who judges Tom's terrible taste.

Last main difference is Paltrow's portrayal of Marge. Marge in the books is a dolt and a bore. She's a bad writer who Ripley looks down upon. In the final sequences, she's so dumb she actually finds evidence of Ripley being the murderer but misinterprets it. In this film, she knows. And this builds to one of the great moments in the film, a heartbreaking "I know it was you," moment.

In the books and tv show, Ripley is more of psychopath. He's a very internal character - almost like an unheralded artist. He's not in love with Dickie - but instead yearns to be Dicky. One way to interpret his character is that he arrogantly believes he can be a better Dickie than Dickie. This is hinted at when Freddie Miles suggests Dickie has "improved" as a painter when he is actually examining Ripley's artwork. Andrew Scott plays Ripley as an asexual. It takes Ripley's POV from the book - it's hinted at people think he's homosexual but he's either sublimated that so far down, it's disappeared or it's simply a misinterpretation of his character by others. He's also very smart and much more clever. The murder of Dickie feels if not premeditated, definitely something he fantasized about. The decision to "become" Dickie is a role Ripley's been practicing and wanting to play. Ripley loves objects, art, an upper class life. The show and book pay attention to the small details (like an artist would) in how to get away with murders and how to steal a great deal of wealth. And it's not so easy. Ripley sees himself as a latter day Caravaggio - a murderer/artist who must live by his wits to survive and live well. Everyone around him is less intelligent and he outfoxes them. This is a rare case of both adaptations being quite powerful in their own way.

Small additional note: the movie gets off to a much faster start. No time is spent with Ripley's life prior to Europe - he's just portrayed as a poor working stiff for a few scenes. In the tv show and book, he's a conman and broke as all hell. Living with rats. 

Logging

TV: House of the Dragon S2E1 

The same old music, style, vibes suddenly felt like a different era. It's not that the show changed, but something in the world out there has flipped. Can't put my finger on it. Rather than a zeitgeisty show, it feels like nerdcore hip hop. 

Putin

Hanging in Pyongyang.

Is this what winning looks like? Begging Pyongyang for guns. Relying on the Chinese for material support. Russians are playing a dangerous game of chess. Ukrainians are their tough brothers. Russia would be doing better as part of Europe and a bridge between China and West. Sigh.

And...

...I'd like you to call me Jesus. 

In all seriousness, where's the proof Jesus wasn't a black woman?

Logging

Film: School of Rock 

A highly pleasurable, classically constructed Hollywood movie. Good for kids.