The End of Faith

I finally finished "The End of Faith". It's so good I think I'll read it again after I get a couple more done. Sam Harris articulates the bankruptcy of dogma and faith, especially in the nuclear age. You wouldn't let your surgeon operate on you using the Bible as a textbook so why would you rely on this ancient, pre-scientific text for modern thought on social and political realities?

One new release is "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. I heard him on a podcast recently and can't wait to read this. Here's a cool poster for it:

'Tis the season

Would I be judgmental and p.i. if I said this is tacky? There is one more sign hidden behind the "Shake" one so there are 6 total in this one yard.
Free speech run amok...

Stella

She's vocal and beautiful.

Lemonade

Juice from 20 fresh squeezed lemons, 4 cups H2O, 2 cup superfine sugar yields the yummy lemonade I made, pictured below.

Lemonades out of lemons. What a nice cliche for returning to the work world this month after 5 months off, 4 of which were in Provincetown, Cape Cod (paradise).

The downside of reaching a work-related epiphany years ago (that time is infinitely more important than money) makes work seem trivial, except for the paycheck that buys free time. What a vicious circle.

Song of the Day

"The Poor Side of Town", by Johnny Rivers, has fantastic backup vocals and strings.
Available on iTunes for 99 cents. (Not sure how to link that.)
Here are the lyrics.

How can you tell me how much you miss me
When the last time I saw you, you wouldn't even kiss me
That rich guy you've been seein' must have put you down
So welcome back, baby, to the poor side of town

To him you weren't nothin' but a little plaything
Not much more than an overnight fling
To me you were the greatest thing this boy had ever found
And girl, it's hard to find nice things on the poor side of town

I can't blame you for trying
I'm trying to make it too
I've got one little hangup baby
I just can't make it without you

So tell me, are you gonna stay now?
Will you stand by me, girl, all the way now?
With you by my side, they can't keep us down
Together we can make it, baby, from the poor side of town

Backup vocalists: So tell me how much you love me
Committed to be and say you need me now
With you by my side, this world can't keep us down
Together we can make it, baby, from the poor side of town

30 Rock

I liked this debut so much that I watched it twice. I hope it holds up.

Don't smoke 'em if you got 'em

Finally, Louisville shows a glimmer of progressive behavior in passing a non-smoking ordinance. It's been a long time coming. It does not take effect until July 1 but that's better than nothing. Some of the best restaurants like Jack Fry's and Lynn's Paradise Cafe went non-smoking a long time ago. These are the venues I patronize.

From the Courier-Journal:

After three years of trying, the Louisville Metro Council passed a comprehensive ordinance Thursday that will ban indoor smoking in every public building and workplace in the city other than Churchill Downs and a tobacco-product manufacturing plant.

Letter to a Christian Nation

Having finished Sam Harris' latest book, I decided that everyone I shop for will receive this as a Christmas present (oh, the irony). It's short because it really is a letter written in second person to those who responded to his bestseller The End of Faith. Even if you don't agree with every point he makes, it is an accurate assessment of the sorry state of religiosity in dealing with reality. Refreshing, direct, honest, and most important, reasonable.

Cascade of flowers...

...and then one up close

Meet "Peanut"

For 3 weeks, this cute neighborhood squirrel has become a community pet of sorts. He will come up within a foot and wait patiently for peanuts, hence his assigned name. Today he blocked my path on the front sidewalk as I was trekking to Walgreen's. I obliged him by going back in the house for some legume treats. I wonder why he's so brazen? Oh yeah, we keep feeding him free peanuts.

The next door neighbors even let him come in their house for peanuts. Not here. Lately Peanut has been walking on 3 legs by avoiding the right rear which makes me wonder how he got injured, and if those "tiny instruments" from the Seinfeld episode really exist. "I thought we had a deal!"

Metaphor for Bush administration? You decide.

Little Britain DVD

I watched both seasons of this hilarious British comedy and recommend it. 2 guys create lots of crazy characters with funny narration, like a British "Mr. Show" maybe. It also has subtitles which helps decipher the occasional thick accent or muted dialogue.

Little Britain - The Complete First Series
Little Britain - The Complete Second Series

I've pre-ordered the Third Series already which is due Nov. 14.

Waldo Jeffers had reached his limit

The Republican House leadership cover-up and its followers' descent into the usual mechanisms of diversion related to the Foley scandal has been a true gift. To top it off, check out the new TV ad from Tom Reynolds. Can you say "cover my ass?".

Let's hope the bitter aftertaste for voters lasts until election day. It will be soon.

Cold Irons Bound

Like a controlled nuclear reaction, this performance is both incendiary and sublime. The static "one-shot" camera frame barely contains the energy. The tune percolates along and then explodes after the choruses. Watch it many times, as I have, to grasp its full majesty. Lyrics are provided by the YouTuber.

Hint 1: After several viewings, watch once focusing only on the drummer for a look at individual virtuosity in service of the whole.

Hint 2: Watch the guitarist on the right from 4:06 to 4:08. Cool descending transition passage.

Hint 3: Listen how Dylan enunciates "swallowed me whole". Whew.

Finally, this is a low-fi YouTube version. There is a much better version (and 4 other videos) when you buy the new release Modern Times; these vids are offered a bonus through iTunes.

Hollywoodland

OK, but nothing great. This film uses a somewhat hackneyed whodunit mechanism, alternative scenes, to show how the sleuth (Adrian Brody) is imagining the real-life murder of George Reeves, the actor that played Superman on TV. As in real life, no conclusion is reached so the film's focus is how the character played by Brody comes to grip with the internal (family) and external (crime investigation) forces pushing him around the film frame.

Foley, you're doing a heckuva job

The MC5's Kick Out the Jams (33 1/3)

33 1/3 is a series of small paperbacks discussing classic albums. I tried this book first but found it lacking. It's repetitive and barely discusses the music. Despite the interesting reminisces of the author and some direct and objective criticism of the major characters, most of this short read is banal generalizations about rock and society.

The CD is the real ticket. Spotty, yes, but it's a classic. I will try another book or two in the series to see if they are worthwhile.

Harakiri

It was a pleasant surprise to catch this wonderful film on IFC this weekend. My only previous screening was for a college English class on film criticism circa 1980. It blew me away then and now. I looked for years but could not find it; I see it was released as part of the Criterion Collection only a year ago. Treat yourself!

It resonates today with themes of institutional hypocrisy, cover-ups and even worship of petrified, meaningless totems. (Apply liberally to your scandal-du-jour!).

Sam Harris on NPR

He appeared on Day To Day (7' 46") and Talk of the Nation (30' 19") plugging his new book, Letter to a Christian Nation. The more I hear him, the more I like his ideas. I'm still reading The End of Faith.

Note: the substitute host of TONT sounds terribly uninformed and simple-minded, but it's worth listening to Sam Harris.

Elephant ear plant

Nice pattern when viewed closely.

Definition of "irony"

I wonder what John Walsh thinks of this photo now?

Our flag

After surfing through Sunday morning TV watching the slop that passes for political discourse and journalism, I offer the perfect antidote. Red, white and blue on my own front porch.

Campaign ad

Regardless of one's party or politics, the opening of this commercial is funny.