Archive for March, 2010
the scene, politically speaking »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
Okay, so we have health care reform. It’s change, maybe, but more like my changing from jeans to khakis after landing a contract position than overhauling my wardrobe (which, admittedly, may need some work).
Where does that leave us? Here’s a look at the political climate as I’ve gleaned from lack of insight and caring very little…
Republicans:
Are idiots. But, with this new bill and some other factors (complete dolts as base; distaste for facts, reality and history; a powerful but shrinking upper-upper-upper class; etc.) they may balance things come fall. They’ll maintain their hate-speak to ensure their ignorance aligns with their ignorant base.¹
Democrats:
Are morons. They could have pushed through real reform but were distracted by sand in their vaginas (I imagine). They forfeited nearly all of their ideas (and all of their good ones) and still barely eked out a majority. They’ve weakened their position, which is apparently how they like it.
The President:
Belligerence is tossed in his face and he wants to sit down and talk about it. Then he agrees with most of the poorly-formed points and suggests changes. That sort of discussion is thoughtful, constructive and progressive but he’s the only one who believes in such things. (More sound-bites, sir. Please. The idiots are confused.)
Pundits: (err… “Media”)
They play both sides against each other in a battle of sound bites. While a battle of wits would be more suiting and could benefit us in the long-run, wits are hard to find just now. They’ll go the easy route and let stupid people verbally wail on each other betwixt commercials.
Ron Paul:
With all of his ideas stolen by the Tea Party, then by Fox News and still being shunned by Fox News, he’s fading. Expect him to only last another seven or twelve terms before he retires. (Career politics, while ineffective and regressive, is incredibly gracious.)
Tea Party:
If anyone from this movement is elected, all members (are we calling them “colonists” yet?)² will become infertile like that one country in Children of Men. (::fingers crossed::)
Health Care Industry:
Two words: Cha! Ching! With all the forced profits enhanced enrollment, without any substantial regulation, revoked exemption from trust laws or rejection of the pay-per-service model, things are looking good. (If you have any health stocks, keep them. You’ll need them.)
… That said, the Blues could add functioning health reform to their bill with a series of amendments. The media could shift focus (with the iPad reminding people how to read and all) to collaborative and comprehensive coverage of issues. The Colonists could merge their message into coherent and realistic complaints, sparking debate and true compromise.
Of course, I could also grow my hair into dreads and start working for a hedge fund. Now that I’m eating vegetables and riding my bike to work, anything’s possible.³
¹ I don’t mean “ignorant.” I mean ignorant or grotesquely rich. It’s easier to lump them together.
² Wait, why aren’t we calling them Colonists? They’re racist, abysmally educated and misinformed, not unlike those that lived three centuries ago. The name fits.
³ This is not possible.
generational »
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
To the generations before,
I ask you to accept the consequences of your decisions. You’ve made many choices, subtle and overt, with best intentions but without your being held to account, we cannot move forward, destined to be eclipsed or worse.
You invented the automobile, removing public transportation from the collective consciousness.* Only recently have the effects of that shift been realized. The pollution, isolation and congestion caused is irreparable. (more…)
belated post-Oscar rehash »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
It’s taken me a minute to look over my predictions and weigh them against the winners. Please don’t read that as my taking any time on this. I’ve just been busy with more important things (depending on how you look at it).
As always, I’m right and the Academy is sometimes wrong. I don’t fault them and either should you. Here’s a rapid rundown of where they misstepped:
While I only saw the one movie in both the Documentary and Foreign Language categories, both my picks should have won. This because dolphins are in far too much of the food we eat but Food Inc. is about all the rest and Das Weisse Band was black and white (end of story).
The Hurt Locker was great. That it won the editing award means my prediction is less than right. Slightly. I’m man enough to admit that. (Note, this is completely false.)
Cinematography, defined: The art or technique of movie photography, including both the shooting and development of the film. Black and white photography is better than color photography, fact. Thus, Das Weisse Band should have won. (Fact.)
With the subject matter thrown into “Push,” how could you not make a compelling film? The acting (especially the protagonist) and directing held Precious (Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire) together, not the screenplay.
Tarantino was robbed of his Original Screenplay statue. The glaring inaccuracies and artistic licenses that make Hurt Locker a great film (and it is great) shouldn’t win a writing prize. Directing, obviously; acting, sure; and even cinematography, fine but not the writing.
The Academy came around and was right in all the other categories, including a possible (2% chance) game changer with Hurt Locker taking the big win. Overall the show was watchable but it was absurdly slow in parts and what was the deal with the lady Kanye?
departure »
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
He’s not who I remember but someone I’ll never forget. His eyes meet mine. They’re fearless. He is ready to leave. I don’t want him to.
There’s so much to say it piles onto itself, folding and collapsing and stretching until it’s indecipherable. The words are stubborn, refusing release.
The warmth in his eyes betrays the chill of the metal bed and the steril hum of the room that surrounds us. His mouth shifts soundlessly. Instead, a tear spills from the corner of his left eye and he blinks. (more…)