Cliche-riddled angst

When Genius Failed

2011-04-27T17:19:00.002-04:00

Books like this are why I almost never read fiction, which seems contrived. What is better than unvarnished history and facts to make a book so enjoyable. I wish this book had been longer!

Subtitled "The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Management", this book by Roger Lowenstein was written in 2000 and is even richer because of the way it translates to the housing bubble and subsequent financial crisis. Proving there is nothing new under the sun, one could lift entire paragraphs and seamlessly place them in a book written in 2011 about the previous decade.

Texture: Rust Never Sleeps

2011-04-10T10:16:00.002-04:00

Favorite New Album

2011-04-10T10:14:00.001-04:00

PJ Harvey:
Let England Shake

Favorite songs:
On Battleship Hill
The Colour of the Earth
Hanging on the Wire

Holiday Spirit

2009-12-28T17:54:00.002-05:00

ELAINE: Anyway so Fred and I are going to do some volunteer work for that Church on Amsterdam.

JERRY: Oh, volunteer work!. See that's what I like about the holiday season. That's the true spirit of Christmas. People being helped by people other than me. That makes me feel good inside.

Crazy for God

2009-10-25T19:55:00.003-04:00

I was introduced to Frank Schaeffer via this segment on Rachel Maddow and decided I needed to read his memior, "Crazy for God". I'm glad I did. It's a helluva book. This guy has led a dynamic life and beyond his tell-all about the psychotic and hypocritical evangelists we all know, he mainly shows how living a faith is more important than touting a faith.

Most enlightening was the portrayal of his famous parents who were horrified by the political and hateful direction fundamentalism took after Roe v. Wade. All in all I'd recommend this book to anyone. It's one of those books that is hard to put down. His life is a roller coaster!

Early Morning Rain

2009-09-23T07:38:00.006-04:00

This Gordon Lightfoot song blows me away. Simple strumming acoustic guitar and that soaring voice. Available here.

In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home
And I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain
With no place to go

Out on runway number nine
Big 707 set to go
But I'm stuck here in the grass
Where the cold wind blows
Now the liquor tasted good
And the women all were fast
Well there she goes my friend
Well she's rollin' down at last

Hear the mighty engines roar
See the silver bird on high
She's away and westward bound
Far above the clouds she'll fly
Where the mornin' rain don't fall
And the sun always shines
She'll be flyin' o'er my home
In about three hours time

This old airport's got me down
It's no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground
As cold and drunk as I can be
You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So I'd best be on my way
In the early morning rain
You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So I'd best be on my way
In the early morning rain

Come January 4

2009-09-09T20:54:00.001-04:00

Ian McCullough of Echo and the Bunnymen from Rolling Stone:

RS: How did it feel to turn 50 this year?
Ian: Being 50 means nothing to me. The idea of being dead, now that’ll be fucking weird.

500 Days of Summer

2009-09-04T16:38:00.002-04:00

Romantic comedies are tricky. This film has all sorts of schemes to avoid the predictable.

For example, the 500 days are enumerated on screen as dividers to separate flashbacks and give chronological guidance. The art behind the numbers is even shaded to correspond to the mood of the romance at that point in time. There are lots of other gimmicks and plenty of pop musical soundtrack (and I mean plenty) to flesh out the ups and downs of the main character's infatuation with Summer (the girl).

I liked the film although it exploited one of my cinematic pet peeves: the precocious child who has unbelievable insight into adult relationships. This peeve is accompanied by an equally annoying corollary: the adult friend who is has an unbelievable lack of insight into adult relationships.

Nevertheless, see it. It's fun. The music is good, even if every nook and cranny is filled with it. The acting is good even though at times you just want to slap the characters out of their self-indulgence.

Not sure I want this job

2009-08-30T10:48:00.002-04:00

Genuine line from job ad on Monster.com:

EFFORT:
Sitting for long periods of time at a computer. Must be able to see, hear and speak. Filing, fingering and sorting is a usual activity.

I'll Be Your Mirror

2009-08-21T16:22:00.000-04:00

A classic song beautifully redone by Beck et. al.

Record Club: Velvet Underground & Nico "I'll Be Your Mirror" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Herring Cove Beach on cloudy day

2009-08-02T19:27:00.005-04:00

Wood End Lighthouse

2009-08-02T19:23:00.001-04:00

The Red Inn

2009-08-02T19:18:00.002-04:00

Beautiful muck

2009-07-12T20:45:00.003-04:00

Fences

2009-07-12T20:40:00.000-04:00

Herring Cove Beach, the moors are dry

2009-07-12T20:37:00.003-04:00

Update: euphemisms for "died"

2009-07-11T09:40:00.002-04:00

Here's an interesting addition to my previous post culling obituaries for alternatives to the traditional "died".

"crossed the finish line, took the checkered flag, entered victory lane and raced home into the outstretched arms of Jesus"

Away We Go

2009-06-27T21:22:00.003-04:00

Decent movie with wonderful acting by Maya Rudolph. The movie is a little too earnest at times, kinda like an indie folk song that tries hard to be hip, subtle, funny and serious at the same time.

It is very funny though. The scene skewering the new age couple (aka awful parents) is really funny. The couple is against sugar and strollers which says it all. They're morons and our main couple calls them out appropriately.

Up

2009-06-11T20:38:00.001-04:00

The best word for this film is "darling." Wonderful entertainment on many levels.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

2009-05-31T21:27:00.000-04:00

Dated, juvenile and not that funny.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

2009-05-23T09:42:00.002-04:00

LOL funny...to the point I had to come in the house from reading this hilarious book in the back yard because I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a guffawing lunatic.

Will You Take Me As I Am?

2009-05-23T09:10:00.006-04:00

Michelle Mercer's exposition of Joni Mitchell's Blue Period, defined as spanning the five albums Blue through Hejira, features some nice biographical details and lyrical insights. However, like the recent Wolff book about Rupert Murdoch, the author's unprecedented access to subject yields an unfocused and bloated book.

Do we really need 3 pages about Loudon Wainwright vacillating on the curative nature of songwriting? It's tangents like these that make the reader realize this short book would have been a much more interesting long magazine article, with the appropriate editor.

There is even a blatant factual error at one point (Tin Angel is not on Joni's first album).

Joni comes off as somewhat arrogant and misguided (e.g. rationalization of her life-long smoking addiction, laughable mentions of astrological crap) but Mercer appropriately counters this and delights us with a final section about the things Joni likes, culled from her hours of interviews and other sources. As such, both author and subject are rehabilitated at the end. Joni is obviously brilliant and talented but her concomitant ego dulls the shine. She reminds me of Michael Schermer's book, "Why People Believe Weird Things."

The most interesting revelation is a background story about the song "Court and Spark", something Larry Klein (Joni's ex-husband) divulged that Joni did not want exposed. Understandably, I think, she did not want the universal nature of the song delimited by a specific anecdote. However, now that the cat's out of the bag, the background provides an utterly fascinating view of Joni's songwriting process: the assimilation of an encounter with someone and its transformation to serve the song in an enigmatic and different way.

Finally, if one is covering the "blue period" of an artist, it follows that a clearer and more chronological review would serve the reader best. The author bounces around in time way too much, pays inordinate attention to "Blue" and virtually ignores "The Hissing of Summer Lawns".

I'd give this book a "C-" but any self-respecting Joni fan will gobble it up as I did and relish the positives over the negatives.

The Last Tycoons

2009-05-13T13:52:00.009-04:00

Hats off to William Cohan for a wonderful book about the history of an investment bank. In almost 700 pages we learn the exhaustive history of Lazard and its Great Men.

The title is "The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co." The long subtitle is "A tale of unrestrained ambition, billion-dollar fortunes, byzantine power struggles, and hidden scandal." Indeed!

For 150+ years these bankers dispensed advice to businesses and earned enormous fees. It's all here--from the small dry goods store founded in New Orleans to Bruce Wasserstein commandeering the company in 2002 and taking it public shortly thereafter.

What might sound boring or exhausting is, for the most part, actually engaging. I think this is due to Cohan's ability to corral a million facts into highly readable and even action-packed prose. I'm downright envious of his writing ability.

My only nit to pick is the lack of photos. Given the depth of characterizations it would have been handy to see what the players look like.

Star Trek

2009-05-08T15:34:00.003-04:00

Loved it. I think it succeeds on action alone but mixes some predictable and surprise elements in the plot and characterizations to keep a long-time fan entertained. I actually left the theater in a good mood. It's also the first film in a while that hasn't made me check my watch mid-film.

Doggie!

2009-05-05T16:54:00.001-04:00

Tulips

2009-05-05T16:50:00.001-04:00

Hopper

2009-04-15T14:08:00.005-04:00

I loved this overview of Edward Hopper's career. Some of the text is overwrought but remains insightful for the most part. The reproductions are wonderful. Some captions go beyond the basics with added commentary. This title turned my Hopper fever up a degree or two, which is welcome.

Sunshine Cleaning

2009-04-15T13:15:00.000-04:00

The story of how a missing component affects lives: missing mother, missing arm, etc.

The art of the deal escapes Alan Arkin's character as he disposes of gobs of shrimp. Why? Board of Health ruins his plan. Also, the Cleaning Company needs to get certified to get insurance. It seems the direct path to entrepreneurial success is burdened by bureaucracy.

Are these characters growing up? High school affair remains in force. Everybody knows. Even the wife.

This movie is full of life but subtle.

Two Lovers

2009-04-15T12:15:00.001-04:00

This dark and downmarket Woody Allen ripoff got worse and worse as the film progressed (or better, regressed). Pass.

Duplicity

2009-04-15T12:13:00.004-04:00

I saw this movie starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen a week ago and can't remember anything about it except is was forgettable.

It was all plot driven and very complicated resulting in...not much.

Adventureland

2009-04-14T12:10:00.003-04:00

Finally, a good film! It occurred to me that this is the type of film where many scenes left this wannabe director thinking "I wish I had thought of that".

Random thoughts:

A moving scene shows a silent car ride to "Pale Blue Eyes". It's a beautiful scene. The bridge structure overhead floats by.

References to Lou Reed permeate the film.

Ryan Reynolds brings back memories of the Matthew McConaughey character in "Dazed and Confused".

Good soundtrack effectively used.

Funny as hell. "Strong-ish" is the response when the nerd saves a drunk girl from falling. The delay between syllables is perfect.

The lights outside the bus in New York resemble the lights of Adventureland; the next adventure starts in New York.

I might even see this one a second time.

Perfect Easter video

2009-04-12T10:53:00.001-04:00

I love this TV commercial

2009-04-09T21:12:00.001-04:00

One more reason to like President Obama

2009-03-25T10:39:00.001-04:00

"It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak." PRESIDENT OBAMA, defending his decision to wait a few days before expressing anger over bonuses paid to executives of the insurance giant A.I.G.

Armchair Economist

2009-03-24T14:39:00.002-04:00

Causes of the economic downturn, aka The Great Deleverage:

1. Too much borrowing (individuals and institutions)
2. Ratings agencies (conflict of interest being paid by those they rate)
3. Lack of efficacious regulation
4. Insufficient capital requirements for derivatives
5. Existence of institutions "too big to fail" (Achilles heel for economic national security)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2009-03-21T19:52:00.000-04:00

Cute but ultimately futile.

I Love You Man

2009-03-21T19:49:00.003-04:00

The story of two unlikeable characters who form a friendship so one can have the other as best man. If you're interested so far, see it. If not, you win what's behind door #2: $6.50 and two hours of life.

Honestly, are they not even trying to make good films anymore?

"Two" by Ryan Adams

2009-03-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

Tornado Watch

2009-02-19T08:25:00.002-05:00

Hating winter even more

2009-01-30T13:15:00.002-05:00

Third day with no power. Who needs heat anyway?

From the utility company:
As of 10 a.m., 172,000 LG&E customers are without power. KU has 160,000 customers without power throughout the state.

Approximately 40 counties within our service area have sustained significant damage as a result of this winter storm.

Downed wires:
LG&E: 11,329
KU: 7,077

3,977 workers are currently working on restoration efforts for both LG&E and KU combined.

Estimating full restoration will occur 7 to 10 days in LG&E's service area.

Statewide, full restoration may take up to two weeks.

Hating winter

2009-01-27T12:40:00.002-05:00

Snow. Sleet. Freezing Rain. Ice. Ick.
Started at midnight and lots more to come.

The Man Who Owns the News

2009-01-24T23:04:00.000-05:00

The new inside story of the Murdoch regime and its purchase of the Wall Street Journal is poorly written but full of insights into what makes multi-generational plutocrats tick. This includes not only the Murdoch organization which bought the paper, but the Bancrofts who sold it after a hundred years of hands-off ownership.

The subtitle is "Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch". Michael Wolff had unprecedented access to the man himself as well as family and associates. It's a pity he writes like a high school newspaper gossip columnist and tries to be cute at every turn. The stream of zen psychobabble is relentless. This 400 page book should have been half that.

Paul Blart, Mall Cop

2009-01-24T20:49:00.001-05:00

The preview looked like it might be funny but it was infantile and predictable and pretty much lame.

Funniest website ever

2009-01-15T20:40:00.001-05:00

No contest. It's Chuck Lorre Vanity Cards.

Milk

2009-01-07T10:36:00.004-05:00

This film is fabulous in many respects. Gus Van Sant makes two hours fly by packaging a lot of history that moves and is moving. Must see. Sean Penn inhabits the role of Harvey Milk.

Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity

2008-12-28T20:22:00.003-05:00

David Lynch raises money for his education initiative by publishing this book about how transcendental meditation has influenced his life and art. It's an easy read and upbeat. The insights into his film career are especially interesting.

Like the Malcolm Gladwell book I just read, the writing style is direct and simple. Some chapters are just one sentence or one paragraph.

Chapter titles run the gamut from "Religion" and "Ideas" to "Suffocating Rubber Clown Suit" and "Bob's Big Boy".

Outliers

2008-12-28T19:20:00.000-05:00

Malcolm Gladwell hits another home run with this book about how opportunities and legacy affect success. Outliers is packed with insights that seem both obvious and non-intuitive at the same time. I think that is the brilliance of his books, using data and research to both defy and reinforce common sense.

For example, we all know families are important but the introduction explains some amazing positive health data from a small immigrant community due apparently to three generations living and working together.

A perfect airplane book, Outliers is riveting from beginning to end. Nevertheless, I had to postpone one of the most mesmerizing chapters on a recent flight from New York. It was on plane crashes. Too close for comfort.

Love Minus Zero/No Limit

2008-12-26T13:36:00.005-05:00

Hearing this 1965 Bob Dylan classic in Starbucks this morning was like donning a big warm coat on a cold winter day.

My love she speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,
She doesn't have to say she's faithful,
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire.
People carry roses,
Make promises by the hours,
My love she laughs like the flowers,
Valentines can't buy her.

In the dime stores and bus stations,
People talk of situations,
Read books, repeat quotations,
Draw conclusions on the wall.
Some speak of the future,
My love she speaks softly,
She knows there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all.

The cloak and dagger dangles,
Madams light the candles.
In ceremonies of the horsemen,
Even the pawn must hold a grudge.
Statues made of match sticks,
Crumble into one another,
My love winks, she does not bother,
She knows too much to argue or to judge.

The bridge at midnight trembles,
The country doctor rambles,
Bankers' nieces seek perfection,
Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring.
The wind howls like a hammer,
The night blows cold and rainy,
My love she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing.

Baked Artichoke Hearts

2008-12-25T09:30:00.002-05:00

Ready to rock on Christmas day. The easy recipe here.

iBreath

2008-12-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

New breathalyzer for the iPhone. I wonder when iColonoscopy will be available?

New York

2008-12-21T14:27:00.005-05:00

Courting Justice

2008-12-08T18:13:00.002-05:00

David Boies came to my attention during the Bush v. Gore litigation in 2000. He was impressive and brilliant advocating for Gore. Courting Justice concludes with three chapters on this high profile case but first tackles several others including DOJ's antitrust fight against Microsoft. (Spoiler: Bill Gates comes off as a major asshole).

I am riveted whenever I hear Boies speak but this book was tedious. It felt like work to finish it. Nevertheless, the legal content is fascinating. The problem is in the unexplored avenues Boies frequently mentions and abandons. After 470 pages one would think we'd know more about Boies.

Descending parallel lines

2008-11-29T21:22:00.000-05:00

Four Christmases

2008-11-26T14:54:00.002-05:00

Four too many. Godawful.

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-19T09:24:00.001-05:00

Action packed. Great chase scenes. Not much else. I liked it.

Religulous

2008-11-15T19:23:00.000-05:00

Bill Maher might be the funniest agnostic on Earth. That's why "Religulous" is a scream: it mixes the deepest existential question of God's existence with belly laughs.

Alex and Me

2008-11-15T17:15:00.003-05:00

Dr. Irene Pepperberg writes the book pet owners have anticipated since Alex, the brainy 30-year old African Grey parrot died last year. This book beautifully details Alex's achievements and Pepperberg's insights into animal intelligence. For example, Alex demonstrated an understanding of "zero" and could differentiate objects just to name two accomplishments never thought possible.

Here is the NYT review: The Caged Bird Speaks

Rachel Getting Married

2008-11-15T17:01:00.003-05:00

2 hours of unrelenting, exhausting torture made worse by a hand held camera. Where was my Dramamine? I felt like my late grandparents were cinematographers with their 50's Super 8: jiggling the shots and not counting to "10". What was Jonathan Demme thinking? Recommend this film to someone you dislike.

The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog

2008-11-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

If you are a bird owner this book confirms the joys of having an interactive species in your house and the concomitant sorrow when losing that member of the family. However, I did not have much sympathy for the owner who ignores warnings about letting a flighted bird outside. It's no surprise that does not end well. :(

Fermat's Enigma

2008-11-15T16:41:00.000-05:00

The subtitle of this fine book says it all: "The epic quest to solve the world's greatest mathematical problem". Believe it or not, this book was hard to put down. It's well written and combines history, biography and the drama of the 300-year search for the solution to this riddle.

The now late, always great Mitch Mitchell

2008-11-13T11:50:00.001-05:00

He died yesterday. The final Experience Hendrix tour came through Louisville a week or two ago and unfortunately, I did not attend.

Drum Solo Sweden, January 9, 1969

Sunset approaches in Cherokee Park

2008-11-10T18:13:00.002-05:00

Chicago

2008-11-05T09:27:00.005-05:00

3 days before Obama gave his victory speech next door at Grant Park, I took this under the "bean" in Millennium Park. It's a large reflective sculpture and I was underneath. Properly called the Cloud Gate.

Wow. I had not read the following statement by the artist until just now researching for this post:

What I wanted to do in Millennium Park is make something that would engage the Chicago skyline…so that one will see the clouds kind of floating in, with those very tall buildings reflected in the work. And then, since it is in the form of a gate, the participant, the viewer, will be able to enter into this very deep chamber that does, in a way, the same thing to one's reflection as the exterior of the piece is doing to the reflection of the city around.
-Anish Kapoor

The symbolism of Virginia

2008-11-05T07:39:00.002-05:00

Thomas Friedman:
For nothing more symbolically illustrated the final chapter of America’s Civil War than the fact that the Commonwealth of Virginia — the state that once exalted slavery and whose secession from the Union in 1861 gave the Confederacy both strategic weight and its commanding general — voted Democratic, thus assuring that Barack Obama would become the 44th president of the United States.

Barack Obama after winning

2008-11-05T07:34:00.000-05:00

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can.

Senator Palin?

2008-10-28T18:32:00.002-04:00

"Even if elected on Tuesday, Senator Stevens should step aside to allow a special election to give Alaskans a real choice of who will serve them in Congress," Palin said.

Scenario: Stevens wins, Palin loses, Palin runs in special election and wins Senate seat. Yikes.

Morning sky

2008-10-15T14:34:00.002-04:00

Know Hope

2008-10-12T08:12:00.001-04:00

My new line

2008-10-09T21:08:00.002-04:00

"I'm working on my five-year plan. I just need to choose a font." (from NBC's "Chuck")

Sun setting on fresh picked tomatoes

2008-10-08T15:05:00.002-04:00

You Can Close Your Eyes

2008-10-05T12:04:00.003-04:00

Audio caption:

Are You Ready For the Country?

2008-10-05T12:00:00.002-04:00

Hell, yeah.

Fluorescent lights

2008-10-04T11:26:00.002-04:00

Links

2008-10-04T11:11:00.001-04:00

Here is a site called Intrade which is a real market that trades in events (e.g. chances of one candidate winning) rather than stocks. It's where people put up real money and therefore, unlike polling, might have some real predictive power. It's easy to say "I think X is going to win the presidency" but would you bet real money on it? So for entertainment purposes, review the "Welcome Video" and then review the "30 day price chart" of the electoral college.

I found this site through a beta site featuring the infamous Henry Blodget called ClusterStock. It has been a good and sometimes funny way to keep up with the financial crisis. Blodget might be disgraced, even reviled, after the dot-com burst but he is entertaining and knowledgeable.

Finally there is no better place to track the pathological lying of Sarah Palin and the amorality of John McCain than Daily Dish.

Sweet Justice and more Schadenfreude

2008-10-04T07:20:00.002-04:00

Simpson guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping

By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent 25 minutes ago

LAS VEGAS - Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend in Los Angeles, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.

The 61-year-old former football star was convicted of all 12 counts late Friday after jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours. He released a heavy sigh as the charges were read and was immediately taken into custody.

Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after his murder acquittal, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

VP Debate

2008-10-02T22:13:00.004-04:00

Good grief, Sarah Palin's voice and locution are repulsive. I'd rather listen to "W" than her.

If she uses the word "maverick" one more time.... grrr. Some coach told her to repeat that endlessly.

She concludes by bashing the mainstream media and saying she prefers to speak directly to the American people. However, she hasn't given ONE press conference. WTF?

Biden started slow but ended up very strong and made her look like she was coached with catch phrases and buzz words.

Power back on

2008-09-21T20:58:00.002-04:00

After 7 days and 5 hours. Hallelujah! With all due respect to the recently deployed LHC and protons everywhere, my new favorite subatomic particle is the electron.

Day 7 of Louisville Blackout

2008-09-21T08:20:00.004-04:00

Another tree in Cherokee Park dismantled in an interesting way by the wind.

1:48 p.m. today will mark 1 week of no power at home. Out of 301,000 in Louisville they're down to 50,000 without power. Given the conditions, no complaints but it's simply an incessant, edgy nuisance of 3 on a scale of 10.

Day 5 Louisville blackout

2008-09-19T07:45:00.003-04:00

The novelty of not having electricity is wearing off!

At least the weather remains perfect and plenty of places have electricity and necessities, so circumstances are optimal. Still.............

Here's a scene from Cherokee Park. I like how the tree breaks the geometry of the steps.

Day 4 of Louisville Blackout

2008-09-18T09:12:00.002-04:00

Still no power at home but presumably better off than the owners of this car and these two houses.

(Took this in my neighborhood during a run. These are not news photos.)

Ouch!

Day 3 of Louisville Blackout

2008-09-17T07:34:00.005-04:00

Down from 340,000, less than 200,000 now without power in Louisville, including yours truly, after Sunday's "dry hurricane". Ike pushed a cold front through that far exceeded wind advisory forecasts.

Above, a small house is crushed (that's a house on the left!). Below, a very old tree crushed a car. Both these photos I took Sunday less than 100 yards from home which gives you an idea how widespread the damage is. The blessing is that there was no rain, weather has been perfect and even a full moon lights our dark neighborhood.

All the neighbors are out and talking which is great.

LGE says 10-14 days to restore all power due to 410 poles and 6,000 lines down. Good times!
At least Starbucks is open.

Burn After Reading

2008-09-16T10:31:00.000-04:00

Another example of how overrated the Coen Brothers are.

Encounters at the End of the World

2008-09-05T17:49:00.002-04:00

Werner Herzog takes on Antarctica. There is some beautiful footage of under-ice vistas and volcanic terrain. Listening to seals underwater is wonderful and Pink Floyd-ish, as one scientist explains. Watching a lone penguin march away from the water toward mountains and certain death is heartbreaking.

On the grim side, the settlement is like an ugly mining town for scientists and wanderers and oddballs.

Sarah Palin

2008-09-05T13:37:00.002-04:00

I normally don't make predictions but I'll bet Palin withdraws before the general election. Just my hunch.

Classic Jon Stewart

2008-09-04T14:19:00.003-04:00

This hilarious segment reveals the utter revolting hypocrisy of Republican talking heads.

Bottle Shock

2008-09-04T11:31:00.002-04:00

Nice film based on the 1976 emergence of California wines into the international arena. "Busy, but never precocious."

Hamlet 2

2008-08-29T15:24:00.002-04:00

There are lots of moments to cherish in this comedy, one which successfully mixes many styles of comedy into a potpourri of lowbrow and insightful jokes. It meanders at times but overall is strong.

What to like?

Even the roller skating pratfalls are gems.
The scathing theater critic turns out to be a 12-year old student at the school who can't dally because he's late for recess.
Catherine Keener is riotous throughout, especially drinking a way oversized margarita.
Amy Poehler kills as ACLU advocate. Just watch her take on a legion of firefighters.
Elisabeth Shue shines. (OK, I couldn't wait to write that one.)

Drawing (and sometimes quartering) references from Shakespeare to Elton John, Hamlet 2 scores high marks for creativity and belly laughs. I can't wait for Hamlet 3.

Tropic Thunder

2008-08-28T20:28:00.002-04:00

Hilarious. There is so much going on in this movie that it seems like it will hold up to multiple viewings. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing, playing a blond Aussie who plays a black American. And it's true, this film might single-handedly rehabilitate the images of Tom Cruise and Nick Nolte.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2008-08-28T10:25:00.003-04:00

Who wants to like a new Woody Allen film more than I? No one.

Unfortunately, this film is another case of Charlie Brown trying to kick Lucy's football. Another miss. It's formulaic (for Allen) and boring. The only decent acting is by Penelope Cruz. I think Javier Whatshisname turns in the worst acting I can remember in a while. He's simply terrible. In fact, I thought he was portraying a sociopath or cyborg at first because he just says his lines.

The plot is so contrived and the characters so uninteresting that Allen resorts to an obtrusive narrator to tell us what is really going on. It comes off as a lame gimmick to cover a weak script.

The only redeeming thing about this film is the beauty of the sets and vistas from Barcelona which are stunning and gorgeous. If I ever watch this DVD, I'll turn the sound off.

Pilgrim Monument

2008-08-26T15:35:00.001-04:00

Framed nicely by UU Church and back of Chaddington's store.

Moon over Cottage Street

2008-08-26T15:31:00.001-04:00

Nice view

2008-08-26T15:27:00.000-04:00

Cloud

2008-08-26T15:26:00.001-04:00

Full Moon over Red Inn

2008-08-26T15:22:00.000-04:00

Late afternoon sun on the water

2008-08-26T15:18:00.001-04:00

Corn on the cob is yummy

2008-08-06T06:00:00.006-04:00

Line up ferries!

2008-08-03T10:07:00.003-04:00

Euphemisms for "died"

2008-07-31T13:54:00.005-04:00

Since my parents have always detested the phrase "passed away" and threatened post-mortem retribution if this phrase is used in their obituaries, I thought I'd survey some of the euphemisms employed in the local obituaries for "died".

"passed away" (by far the most common substitution)
"returned to her Heavenly Father"
"entered into rest"
"unexpectedly departed this life"
"entered into eternal rest"
"joined his Heavenly Father"
"went to be with the Lord" (this one on a Sunday, ironically)
"passed from this life"
"passed away to her eternal reward"

Finally, this tearjerker is from a recent tragedy where two young girls (ages 4 and 5) were killed, walking together, by a hit and run driver. The S.O.B. was later arrested thank goodness.
"The girls celebrated this life hand in hand and departed this life hand in hand."

Favorite drink

2008-07-30T10:09:00.003-04:00

The $12 espresso martini at the Red Inn. More than yummy, it's potent.

Ptown Beauty

2008-07-30T10:05:00.002-04:00