esrosedotblog

GOOGLE EYED

David Pogue is one of the most prolific writers about computers and the internet especially Apple oriented systems.

In his weekly column, he mostly answers questions and compiles tips, many of which are actually useful.

I am still working my way through a column

Tech Tips for the Basic Computer User.

I knew almost none of these things.

Pogue writes the "Missing Manual" series, basically the manuals that should come with Macs that don't anymore. I have found them useful but rather on-and-on. These tech tips were simple and quick.

This week Pogue has a column on Google about which there is, apparently, a lot to not know. At least I didn't know all this stuff.

Geniuses at Play, on the Job

Reading this inspired me to actually look into some of these things.

I am vaguely intimidated by Google. I don't use their maps because I don't quite understand the buttons and squiggles. Going to "street view" throws me. I am a little queasy about the 3-d images.

I am involved with Google of course. This blog is presented on Blogger, a Google owned server, but I was there before Google bought them out.

I have never liked Google's news compilation. So much junk!

But, after reading this Pogue article I took a look at the "new" iGoogle home page application with so-called "gadgets". Not so different from the Mac widgets really but on line and easy to get to. Also a lot of other stuff. I am trying it out.

My old home page is "Reference Desk" which has nice "things of the day" and mostly the AP headline news which changes by the minute. Reference Desk is kind of old fashioned and graphically challenged. And it is run by Matt Drudge's old man. A negative just on the face of it. If I were the Dad of Matt Drudge I wouldn't want anyone to know.

Anyway, I am trying "the Google". And it is OK. I think it is easy to navigate and I can design my own. I can link directly from there to Wikipedia which I use a lot. (I know it is flawed. So am I) and other direct links are available. There is a translator, a stock market widget (better than the Mac) and so on.

No AP just the NYTimes which I read anyway. They just keep updating it during the day but not as often. They also have CNN which sucks.

One feature is gmail. The free email service which archives and searches and does all the Google things.

I have looked at this feature before but it always scared me somehow. Part of that Google intimidation.

But this time, I worked through it and actually set up a mail box for myself. I now have a new gmail address.

I don't know what I will use it for. After all, isn't one enough?

Or is it like autos in Southern California? Each person should have as many as s/he can afford.

I don't know.

It is already in effect. They automatically slapped it onto the comments that you might make on this blog. I will get them at my new Google home page. See? I am trapped.

But that is OK because I think that I will be using the home page.

Their composing software isn't as easy with graphics as the Mac. There are some other clinks and clunks. But then this is email not a full on graphically faultless medium in the first place.

Now.

What else can I use this new mailbox for? It is supposed to have a much better spam filter than earthlink which is pretty good. Probably not better than the Mac but maybe. We will see. I don't have any spam yet after 24 hours in the new address.

I would like this one to remain pure.

A lot of those merchants I have used on the old email address who say they don't pass the address on, do. I have a clear trail for a lot of the shit that I get in the box.

Maybe this can be a new era. Or something.

Maybe I have just stepped into the quicksand.

Labels: internet

GREAT PHOTO

While I was looking for Obama basketball photos, I found this wonderful shot of him taking a shot!

Obama Plays Basketball At The Interior Department Saturday

I'm glad that he is doing this. I was afraid he would have to give up the basketball. But Interior is close and so he won't have to play on the shitty outdoor court at the WH.

Labels: Barack Obama

POSITIONING

In his Saturday address, our CIC laid down the gauntlet for the lobbies and special interests.

Steve Benen has an interpretation of why the positioning was so feisty. (my bold face).

There's going to be a fight over the direction of the country, and the president is signaling his intention to mix it up a bit. This is a different message than the one preceding the debate over the economic stimulus, and may reflect the White House's judgment that the administration was not as aggressive as it could (should?) have been in mounting a defense.

It also reinforces a subtle point from Obama's address to Congress this week, pre-emptively tackling the arguments likely to come from detractors. By characterizing his opponents -- not Republicans, but special interests -- as agents of the status quo, the president is laying the groundwork for the rest of the debate. When we hear conservative talking heads on the cable channels, we're supposed to see them as "the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business," while Obama and his allies are delivering on much-needed change.

Pretty good stuff.

Let the fight between Obama and all the "special interests" begin.

I think they/he are pretty smart.

They used to mock Frank Lutz who invented GOP "framing" and while they were trying it it worked pretty well. But then they wimped out. They have no programs so how can they frame anything.

This is on a far broader scale. Choosing the ground on which to fight.

I read a lot about the long, long French English war. The thing that the Duke of Wellington put first and foremost was choosing the ground. One word example: Waterloo.

I know it is a stretch but not as far as you would think.

But, if you want find a basketball analogy. Your turn. I bet there are several. He is still "the Man".

Labels: Administration Obama

SECOND ACT CRISES

I watched the 3d and 4th chapters of

Traffik (1989)

today and it is quite a ride. All hell break loose today.

While the Soderberg film, made from this series, was pretty good it had none of the gut-punch excitement or emotional depth of this original work.

Of course they cut it in half to bring it to the Hollywood screen. It is clear that they also brought some Hollywood clichés along with them.

I am liking this original a lot. Or not liking what goes on a lot in a good way. It is tough to watch.

Completion tomorrow.

Labels: film, films

WARREN BUFFETED

Warren Buffet released his monthly newsletter today:

Buffett Offers Gloomy Outlook for ’09

I have been waiting for it.

I don't think ol' Buffet is a god or anything but he is an optimist like me and I want to listen to his current story. If he loses it then I will really start worrying.

He says that the losses will continue. He is heavily into retail. I am not.

So the mixes are different.

He has actually lost more than I have on dividends and other income.

It is all grist for the mill. I am not going to do anything unless Warren bails out and then it is into the cashout for me. Although maybe not.

He has a lot of derivatives because that is a unique issue with his company. I don't much cotton to these exotic kinds of investment.

I talk like I am a big player. I am not.

It is just little old me with a retirement portfolio. But it is interesting to check in with the heavy hitters who are honest about what is going on and are relatively transparent about their thinking and strategy.

Buckle down for 2009. But I have done that.

Labels: economy

GAY NINETIES

I have made heroes out of people who manage to live vitally until their 90th year.

Just yesterday I mentioned my 94 year old neighbor Herman, out on his daily walk unassisted.

I don't romanticize growing old. I know that you can do it with or without quality of life. I also know that one person's quality is another person's nightmare.

Today, in the LATimes, there is a profile of a man, oddly a man who studied death all his life, who does not seem to be in the category of the happy nineties (in my case I would be in gay nineties of course).

Waiting for death, alone and unafraid

Actually the article seems to be more about death than life.

For example, there seems to be an easy use of drugs for pain or fear of pain. Drugged.

And so on.

He seems pretty miserable to me.

I don't plan to waste anytime philosophizing about death. I did enough of that when I was young.

The time to let all that go is in the final stretch. All the philosophy in the world can't substitute for a good breakfast, a nice walk, and a relatively drug free life a day at a time.

If I get as far as he has and end up in the same place I will quit eating. That will take care of all of it. Nothing philosophic about it. I will miss that good breakfast though. For awhile.

I got this advice from my Doctor incidentally. The foolproof way out.

I won't be putting this guy in my hero roster.

Labels: life

AGREEMENT

I am a little to the right of Paul Krugman. Smug Krug. Win a Nobel Prize and you think you are so smart!

Recently we have not been in synch with one another.

This does not seem to bother Dr. Krugman but it does bother me as I read enough of his "not enough" stuff in the NYTimes column. As Rahm Emanuel said "why not write a column about how to get the votes you need in the Senate? Or how to get Franken's election declared.

But today, we can be happy together.

Climate of Change

The new budget is what has brought us together. Perhaps not for the same reasons.

But this is the genius of the budget. It has something for everyone to like. Everyone, that is, except the people who have been riding the rest of us, the wealthy, the well connected and the people who do not give a fig for the general welfare of a warming earth.

The Obamas are stirring the pot just the way we asked them to when we voted for them.

Labels: Administration Obama, ecology, economy

OHHHH NOOOOO

They are going to fuck up one of my favorite musicals and probably the only musical movie that really made the transition well. It is a NYTimes Best 1176 Film.

Carrey And Gyllenhaal Tapped For Damn Yankees Movie

The film used most of the original cast and only Tab Hunter was thrown in for Hollywood value. He actually did a great job and his own singing. Stephen Douglas was the original Joe.

Ray Walston was the original and film devil. It is a Faust story set around baseball.

They don't mention the female lead, which is critical. The original Lola was Gwen Verdon.

George Abbot (who lived to be 104), one of the most talented Broadway directors ran the show.

You can get the DVD.

And the show is probably still playing somewhere in America tonight. It is still popular for local theater.

I know. I know. I should be used to this kind of ravaging of the classics.

I don't usually write about my musical mania because it has cooled and I do not have access any more. I used to see every Broadway bound show from 1954 until the time we left Boston.

Labels: best films, theater

X-RATED BIGOTS

I always knew this somehow. Andrew Sullivan found it.

Porn in the USA: Conservatives are biggest consumers

Labels: christist watch, republican whack jobs

THE AUDACITY OF POLITICS

There has been so much going on in the national news that I can't quite get my arms around it.

We wondered if Obama the "radical" would emerge from Obama the centrist and now we know.

Having laid some pretty good centrist foundations he is, just now, unloading the progressive campaign promises. They are, of course, not radical. Most are necessary.

I think that this has been a great strategy.

Remember Bill Clinton's jump right into health care and the military gay ban? Too much too soon. Hardened positions.

Now we have the basics of good cabinet appointments. Some alignment on old bush policies with terrorists. A compromise on Iraq. The stuff most people would agree on.

Now the budget. Health care. Loads of evolutionary change in the way the government operates.

Those whining liberals should be happy tonight.

Andrew Sullivan has a good piece on this.

The Un-Rove

The other thing that Obama has been doing is teaching us.

Every speech has been clear and filled with "how it works". Very good.

More foundations for what is to come.

Labels: Administration Obama

STRANGE

I got this email yesterday.

Hello (esrose),

How many MIT alums live in the Palm Springs area?

How long have you
been in the Palm Springs area?

I am planning to relocate to Palm Desert for a new job and found you
through MIT Alumni listing for the Palm Desert area. Is
there an alumni organization in Palm springs?

So I wrote back.

1. Not many as far as I can tell. I am the only one they could find, two years ago, to be an Educational Counselor member. I am glad they asked and I enjoy it but I had the impression that there weren't a lot of options. There was one other guy in his 80's who was doing it. Don 't know his present status.

2. I've been here 12 years from Boston. Very nice place to live. The snow is all 5000 feet above us.

3. No alumni organization that I know of. Everything is out of LA where there is a fairly active group.

Now, this is just my experience.

There could be a hundred alumni and a thriving club but I doubt it.

I have never actually looked into it. I'm afraid I haven't been a very diligent alumnus.

All Best

E

Then a new email today from my new good friend.

[no hello esrose]

I assume that a personal car is the main mode of transportation for
individuals. What options are there for public transportation in Palm Springs and Palm Desert?

What options are there to travel between Palm Springs and Los Angeles?

For example, if I wanted to make a weekend trip from Palm Springs to
Los Angeles, what do you suggest?

It smells a little like those emails from Africa. This is exactly how con games start. Confidence.

John says that I am being suspicious.

Yes.

I started to answer this email and then decided that, no, I wouldn't.

This cat will have to figure out that I am not a very likely friend before he figures out how to get transportation between the two cities.

The answer here is that, of course, you fucking need a car. This is Southern California.

You might need two. We have three.

But I am not going to get into that.

My current reaction is just not to answer. Even if I wrote to him to piss off it would be a step towards a connection.

Labels: life

GREEN WIPE

I read this in the NYTimes yesterday:

Mr. Whipple Left It Out: Soft Is Rough on Forests

You know, I am a fairly environmentally aware person but this was a shocker. I thought they had mostly recycled paper in it.

We buy the best. Mostly because "the best" used to be my clients. I always bought from clients.

Then I went and looked at the story on recycled paper.

A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products

Our grocery has a line of green and organic products. So there was the paper today. I got some. Soon the test.

It doesn't look weird. It is white white and looks puffy not hard.

And it is about half the cost. A good thing. Most things that are good for the environment cost more. Not in this case.

I will report later on our use test.

Labels: ecology

NEIGHBORS

I walked a ways with two neighbors yesterday with Franklin.

Actually three neighbors. Joe had his little dog Pee Wee on her walk.

Franklin adores Pee Wee. Pee Wee is a bit stand offish and will take only so much before she snaps but still, Franklin adores her. We all want the unattainable.

The other neighbor, Herman, was out by himself. He is out every day.

Lately he has had a walking companion that looks like a nurse or something. But not yesterday.

I told John that I saw him and wondered how old he was. John thought in his 90's.

I looked it up. He is a well known author. He is 94!

This really crept up on me. I look for the 90 set all the time and here is a member right next door. I figured he was in his 80's or so but I made that estimate ten years ago, I guess, and stuck with it.

I have not seen my good friend Leo who was/is headed for 95 last summer. Not a good thing.

The old men sort of disappear. I guess it will be my turn some day.

"What happened to that old fart who walked the Airedale?"

But not too soon. I am going for 90 myself.

18 more years.

If I can be moving along as quick and be as sharp as Herman I will be very fortunate. Another hero.

Labels: heroes, neighborhood

BUGGED

I have a cold. This time in the head.

I had the throat version three weeks ago now either it, or a friend, is back.

It is pretty runny but I am doing OK.

I pretty much let it go and do its thing. I didn't do the Echinacea thing this time. It caught up to me too fast and I have, kinda, lost my faith in the "drug". If you don't believe in it, it won't work.

Labels: health

THE ORIGINAL

Today, I watched the first two hour episodes of Traffik (1989)

on which the Soderberg film of the same name with a "c" is based.

I can see the similarities but they don't get in the way of the impact of the film which is actually a British TV miniseries.

So far so good.

I have four episodes to go.

Labels: film, films

WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS

I am impressed by this:

McCain Backs Obama's Iraq War Plan

There are going to be many issues where McCain agrees with Obama and they will exploit it.

McCain may be an old curmudgeon and still angry about the election but he is no fool. The wind is at Obama's back. Some of his GOP colleagues will resist and obstruct but I believe that by and large McCain will be there where he is needed and respected. And on this issue a lot of people respect his opinion, appropriately or not.

I will take it either way.

Props to him.

Labels: Administration Obama, McCain

THE FUTURE IS NOW

Labels: fun

TRAIN WRECK

I just watched Bobby Jindal do the oppo speech.

He starts off while he is being introduced and it goes downhill from there.

We had talked about how hard this is. And how foolish to put yourself in this position if you have any plans for higher office.

I couldn't watch after a while.

I think one big problem is that he (had to do it) wrote this before Obama made his appearance so he could not anticipate in anyway what he was up against.

There was little connection.

If this is the best they have then they are in more trouble than I thought.

He is also the victim of a big buildup.

Too bad. Heh heh.

An antidote?

HOW JINDAL WILL SALVAGE HIS CAREER, IF HE HAS A CLUE

Labels: Republicans

UP AND DOWN

A rocky day in the markets but there will be rockiness for quite a while. They are at a bottom, at least temporarily.

I was thinking about my being where I started when I retired. The same place in the markets.

I realized that I have been eating off all the gains in the last ten years and have pretty much had a free ride.

It is paper loss after all.

I was helped to that conclusion by this guy.

Why the Decade Wasn't Such a Loss.

Labels: economy

THE SPEECH

Obama's address last night was a wow.

I was impressed that once he got going he had the Republicans doing a standing O about 2/3 of the time.

How could they not?

I liked all the stuff around it. The entrances. The shaking hands. He is a toucher, a hugger and a kisser.

This morning at the gym CNN had the phone in poll at 85% approval.

Some of the guys who are less than enthusiastic about him were very complimentary.

That is nice.

I don't talk politics at the gym or anywhere else really but I did do just a bit of basking.

We are still happy to have the sticker on our car. The original Obama one that came out prior to the nomination.

I liked that the "cabinet" was really all his senior people. A lot of them.

An A+! But then I am biased.

Labels: Administration Obama

BUCOLIC

I finished watching the NYTimes Best 1176 Film today

The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1974)

This is a wonderfully slow gaze at the 19th Century feudal farm in Italy.

We see it through the eyes of the four families who share housing. The stories intertwine and are used to show a world that is gone. Bitter sweet.

To a great extent that is a good thing. The end times are near for the feudal system but the local baron still holds the power.

A young couple go to Milan for a honeymoon, sort of, and witness the beginnings of the rebellion.

We have seen this same story in the great film with Burt Lancaster, The Leopard

I think that this film is more thorough in its treatment of the scene but the drama is quite lower key.

The acting is all done with "real" people. Very good.

I liked it. It was informative. I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

RECOVERY!!!

So there was a bounce up on the Dow and S&P today. Not surprising. We had an excess of angst yesterday and there has to be at least a smidgeon of optimism on that grizzly bear trading floor.

Not that there was any good news. Consumer confidence, including mine, is very low. A bigger drop than expected. Housing starts tanked even more. Bernanke testified. That is usually a cause for a drop. He even said that this would go on into 2010. Jeez, can we be done with the first decade in this century already?

So, the markets rose in the face of bad news. I am not convinced the rise is going to be a keeper as the week goes on.

But Obama will speak tonight. People want more clarity. Maybe. Probably. That could be good for tomorrow. But it is a day at a time for us.

I love these trader pix.

Labels: economy, retirement

WAY OF LIFE

I watched the first half of the NYTimes Best 1176 Film

L' Albero degli zoccoli / The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1974)

This is a pastoral symphony of sights and sounds from a 19th Century Italian peasant village.

There is a plot that meanders through the film but, for the most part, we see the daily, difficult, life of these people who work hard for the patroné and save little for themselves.

It is a slice of life. Many stories. Real people, not actors and I bet the farming methods are researched to the nth degree.

This is a different kind of film. A docudrama, actually, with the emphasis on the doc and not the drama. There is enough narrative tension to keep me into it but not so much I couldn't take a break.

This is my break not the director's. He wanted you to sit through the whole thing at one time. Not me. I still cling to the formulation of the 90 minute film ideal.

It is pretty good and I look forward to the second half.

Labels: best films

STILL RUNNING

Obama called on McCain today as the first person to ask questions after Obama's rundown of the economy and stimulus.

McCain made a little speech about spending and got on the Presidential helicopter purchase which has become something of a boondoggle.

Obama defused with humor. A joke about his being happy with what he rides in now. But this was his first helicopter so maybe he was missing something. Laughter ensued.

Very good.

Once more he gives McCain some rope and McCain sort of ties himself up in it. The whole economy teeters and Mr. Straight Talk is worried about the helicopters.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I am just amused at the way that Obama runs circles around these guys. He calls them out and lets them talk then makes his own points.

You may remember that he did this to McCain when they had the big conflab with Bush at the White House. He asked what McCain thought they should do. McCain, at that time, had nothing to offer. Fatal.

So the campaign continues and Obama is still ahead.

Labels: Administration Obama, McCain

FULL CIRCLE UPDATED

Well, the Dow and the S&P ended up just about where they were when I began my retirement 11 years ago. Since a good part of my retirement income comes from the market portfolio, I am more than mildly bothered by this state of affairs.

I don't speculate. I have a managed account where I pay a percentage management fee every quarter based on the value of my portfolio.

The fee has been a lot less lately. One positive result of the downturn.

They decide what to do based on general guidelines that I give them. I can do quite a bit in terms of instructions. A lot of latitude is built in.

They have done a good job over the decade. I have always been ahead of the market, even now.

I suppose you could say that I haven't lost anything yet as all the rest of it was on paper.

You could say that and so can I but there isn't any comfort in it.

I called my manager today and let her know that it was another shock to see the new bottom. We talk at least once a week. One subject of discussion is the stress I am feeling.

Not bad so far. I can still take it but I wanted to run through the options if I got to skittish. I really have no intention of doing anything but I like to rehearse, just in case.

I could liquidate. Cash. Small interest. Play with CDs. I have a friend who has gotten as much as 7% by playing on the monthly CD market but there we are with speculation again and he isn't finding any CDs like that today.

Then, I could go to bonds. Like going to cash, this would be selling out. The stocks I own would be sold at their bottom or near bottom. Bonds don't increase in value and most don't pay worth a shit.

I could put more bonds into my mix. Same thing.

I could tweak the portfolio to put in more income and less growth stocks. That wouldn't be too bad. I am presently getting pretty good dividends even in this environment. 3-5% or so.

But when you go to income you lose on the equity. You get very conservatively managed stocks that don't grow a lot even under the best of conditions.

I asked what Buffet is doing. Warren not Jimmy.

He has a newsletter out Saturday.

She thinks that he is buying stock.

So I left it just where it is.

I try to live to the maxim "if in doubt do nothing".

There sure is a lot of doubt.

I have a few friends who are doing the same thing. Standing pat.

You can't say the market isn't trying.

Every day for the last week--well a few days--the Dow and S&P futures are positive and maybe the actual market starts positive. Then they get on their teevees and blackberries and start rumors and pull back and get all fear ridden and by the end of the day we are in the shitter again.

The market is trying to find a new bottom. And not doing very well.

My current strategy is to save money on the expense side. We are doing pretty well and not missing a lot that we have cut. So far. Regulating spending is the biggest lever anyone has right now.

I am looking for the Administration to get some clearer statements out about what they are planning to do. They have to be careful because when they say they are going to work with a company like CItigroup, people panic and sell the stock. Now though it is so low that they don't have much of anywhere to go.

I understand the stimulus will start leaking into people's pockets by the first of April. The mortgage plan will begin on March 4th. So there are some good things coming down the pipe.

Tomorrow night he makes a speech to the joint session. Today he had a meeting with the leadership and a mix of business and other outsiders. He did well.

But nothing satisfies the bull these days. They want specifics that are just not available and they don't like that they are about to see an end of the era. Everyone hates them. They know it too. They are irritable and discontent and throwing tantrums.

Change is a real pain in the ass.

But I remain optimistic!

Although looking at this picture, I can't see much to be confident in.

Labels: economy, retirement

THANK YOU

Labels: gay marriage, gay rights

THIS JUST IN

Nice platform for what he has to do next. Tomorrow night's speech and the release of the budget.

From NYTimes Email Alert 022309 445 PM PST—Breaking News Alert
The New York Times Monday, February 23, 2009 -- 7:02 PM ET

Poll Shows Broad Support for Obama's Leadership

President Obama is benefiting from high levels of confidence
among Americans about his leadership, according to the latest
New York Times/CBS News poll.

A majority of people surveyed in both parties said Mr. Obama
was striving to work in a bipartisan way, but most Americans
faulted Republicans for their response to the president.

Mr. Obama will deliver his first address to Congress on
Tuesday evening against a backdrop of deep economic anxiety
among the public, with worries spanning party, class and
regional divides.
Read More

Labels: Administration Obama

MORE ON OSCAR

Now, here is an example of how the Oscars work. Which means that they don't as actual awards for quality.

I am very happy about Sean Penn winning and the writer of Milk too. Both made an impassioned speech about gay rights and gay marriage.

I am a Sean Penn fan from way back. I have seen every film I think. I would have voted for him as a hero of mine.

The writer, Dustin Lance Black is gay. He was brought up as a Mormon. He is also the writer on Big Love, the comedy about a polygamous family. He is also young. 34 years old. And a hunk.

See? These guys are heroes to me. I am happy. I would have voted for both of them. I haven't even seen the movie yet.

I did see Penelope Cruz' movie. I would have voted for her because she dumped Tom Cruise and I have always liked seeing her work in films. Same deal. Nothing to do with the actual movie which I saw and felt, while she was good, she was not all that good. I have seen her do better.

And so on.

These things are not about quality or merit at all. They are about emotions, politics and reputation.

That is OK but don't pretend otherwise.

The best movies of the year are not even seen by a large audience and are not nominated at all.

And so on.

Labels: film, films, heroes

BOYLEING OVER

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Danny Boyle's

Trainspotting (1996)

with Ewan MacGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jon Lee Miller

This is a tight, nasty little bit of cinema which never lets up and holds you down to take some more. It is all in very bad taste. At the end I was not disappointed.

MacGregor and Boyle's first big film. It made both their reputations as well as Carlyle's.

I am one of the few people on earth who had not seen it. I was afraid of it. Druggies.

But I can tell you that they have it exactly right including the fun part. Of course, eventually there is no fun but that is the point.

It is highly appropriate that I should see this by random chance on the day after Boyle wins the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire. When I see that one I will have been at four of his films. All great!

I will definitely see this film again in the Danny Boyle Film Festival. My own private one, natch.

I will give this a 4 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

THE ACADEMY AND ME

I have no interest in the Oscars.

At all.

I suppose that is no surprise.

But I thought I would write a short piece about it.

I wanted to use the adjective "meretricious" somewhere in the blog today and Oscar seems to be the best noun to modify.

Meretricious:

Attracting attention in a vulgar manner: meretricious ornamentation. See synonyms at gaudy.

Plausible but false or insincere; specious: a meretricious argument.

Of or relating to prostitutes or prostitution: meretricious relationships.

When I decided on the word, I was unaware of the connection to prostitution. But it is perfect. Oscar as hustler.

I used to watch the show as a train wreck. Then it even sunk below that level.

Besides we don't have cable as you know.

I have to admit that it has been 12 years since I have seen it. Acstually, not. We went to someone's house a few years after we were here. Not a good idea.

So I have cooled off. I am not really negative. Just judgmental about it.

I just watched Mickey Rourke accept the Spirit Award for Best Actor and I must say that he brings some life to the whole dreary award procedure.

Labels: film, films

ON THE BREAD LINE

This breaks my heart.

Unemployed Bushies

It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.

Labels: bush. bushies

RAHM BEAU

I don't have my next New Yorker yet but I can't wait.

There is a profile of Rahm Emanuel in it.

After the Prez and Joe Biden, I love Rahm the most. A colorful character and always on the money with a timely quote.

Here is Kevin Drum with a good takeout from the profile.

Rahm Emanuel

He takes down people like Paul Krugman who are critical of the stimulus and the general political work that it takes to get a piece of legislation through.

I am often irritated about the smug Krug myself so I am glad to get some catharsis.

I also assume that the opinion of the COS is the same as the opinion of POTUS.

Labels: Administration Obama

GOLD DUST

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was John Huston's

Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

with Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston and Tim Holt.

Bogart is a villain here. You can find the seeds of Captain Queeg in this role. Bogart could play the range from romantic leads to total crazy shits and still succeed. He was an actor as well as a star.

The big feature here is Walter Huston directed by his son. He steals every scene. If you haven't seen him in other films, do. Don't miss his version of "September Song" either.

Tim Holt was a matinee B-western cowboy. I count that he made eight films in 1941, all oaters. I used to see him on early teevee. He made a great transition to A films, then faded out.

These three get into a small gold rush and the foreshadowings all come to pass.

They are thwarted by Alfonso Bedoya who played the stereotypical Mexican in several films. I think that I saw them all. See the clip below.

I have seen this many times. I remember the gist of it but not the specifics. Each time I see more deeply into the detail and fine hand of Huston's direction.

I would gladly see it again in a few years. I will be giving this classic a 5 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

HEAVY TRAFFIK

Kelvin writes to say that the Soderberg Traffic that I watched yesterday is heavily lifted from a much more ambitious and well done series called Traffik.

I knew about this but had no idea of the incredibly high IMDb rating for the original k-version (8.7) while the one I saw with a "c" got 7.8.

Both ratings are high. An IMDb of 8 is pretty good. 8.7 is out of the park.

So I have ordered the series to take a look. Coming soon to your local Netflix.

Labels: best films, film

FAN LETTER

I was a fan of Rupert Everett long before I knew that he was gay. Of course, it could have been that old gaydar thing going off but I don't think so.

He is a unique and, sometimes startling, talent.

Mercurial.

Today's NYTimes has a great profile of Everett by Alex Witchel. Witchel has turned out some really neat work. Her rundown of Christopher Plummer (at her link) was on the most emailed list for a few days. Not bad for a theater piece.

Rupert Everett is not only a good actor, he, like Plummer, leads a theatrical life style and has from the beginning. He has had career ups and downs and some sideways moves. Altogether very interesting.

Unapologetic about being gay (he just is) he provides us with a nice road map for how to succeed in a world that says you can't if you are "that way". Of course he won't get any gay parts. They only give those to straight guys in Hollywood.

The thing is that this piece is the perfect marriage between writer and subject. Every line deserves to be read. I recommend it highly for a good quarter hour of enjoyable banter.

Rupert Everett is Not Having a Midlife Crisis.

Witchell is, incidentally, married to the Times columnist Frank Rich. I cannot imagine the dinner conversations or pillow talk at their house.

Labels: heroes

DRUGGED OUT

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Steven Soderberg's

Traffic (2001)

I passed on this when it came around because it sounded overworked and it was long. 2.5 hours is long.

So I got to see it anyway as part of the Best series and it does belong in this lineup. It is very good.

A message movie that shows and doesn't overtell. No preaching. Well, a little bit but still.

There is a big cast and it does its job well but the stories and the idea of three parallel stories is the main thing here. There is never a dull moment.

I liked the use of color tone to let us know which story we are in.

There are some areas of intersection but the point of view of each story is consistent.

I think what Soderberg is doing here is skillfully using simplicity to unravel complicated. I don't think that this is easy but he pulls it off and I was not much aware of the machinery of writing and editing that made the film work for me.

The treatment or recovery end of the film is as good as any movie I have seen. Realistic in its presentation and in its expectations.

It all felt like the truth to me.

I wouldn't mind seeing it again and so I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

TAXING TIMES

You may remember that I got a bill from the IRS in December. Said that my money manager had a different number than I reported for income.

They thought I owed them over 15,000.

Yikes!

We went through the paper and found that either the IRS misinterpreted my manager's report or the report was misleading. Whatever.

We filed a revised tax return that explicitly showed no gain on the big dollars. So, 6 weeks later I have a letter that closes the case. They think I may still owe some money. Five dollars. But I must wait for a bill.

Sooner or later they will figure out that it is costing them more than it is worth.

Anyway, it is nice to have this off my mind. I never thought I would endup having to pay the dough but I didn't like the feelings I had during the process.

I was audited once.

Years ago, an auditor showed up unannounced at our company. He went over the corporate books and, because we were closely held, he had to do one of the partners. I stood up for it.

Both the company and I got a "no change audit" meaning that we were exactly in compliance. Not over or under the amount owed.

Such outcomes are rare. We were the first for this auditor.

As a result, I think, I was not audited ever again even though, at times, I have had a quirky return.

I have always done my taxes on the basis of doing it right. Pay no more nor less than I owed.

We never managed our company to the tax code either. Many have but it is a fool's errand. The wrong end of the bat.

We surely did manage our compensation so that it was to the maximum advantage but never took a step beyond that.

Same now.

I hope this glitch doesn't mean I am going to be looked at routinely. It is OK if they do. I am really very simple now. Easy to see. No place to hide. And I don't think that I am worth it.

But if they have me down to 5 dollars, I guess there is no amount too small.

Labels: finance

BASIC QUESTIONS

Well, what do you get after you get gay marriage.

You got it! Gay Parents!

Look at this great little sketch. There is a glimmer of light in this story.

Will & Grace Daddy's Elevator Pitch on Gay Parenting

Of course, there are gay dads and then there are gay dads.

I am a gay dad but I did it the old fashioned way.

These guys have newborn babies from the get-go and that has to bend a few minds along the way.

They have the apparent patience to explain as best they can. Fortunately this guy had the sensitivity to see the humanity below the strange doings.

Very nice.

Labels: gay marriage

ON THE RAILS

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was John Frankenheimer's

The Train (1964)

with Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield.

The French resistance gets involved with a trainload of paintings that the Nazis are taking back to Germany just at the end of the war. The allies are on the way but not yet.

It is a good movie. Exciting. I saw it back then but it was still fresh this time.

There is not a lot to write about it without tipping it all off.

Hey. It is Burt Lancaster. I have said before that he is probably the most frequently seen actor in the Best Films series.

He does all his own stunts here and it makes a difference. Jumping on and off trains. All that.

A lot of it is predictable, I think. But maybe that is because I saw it before.

In any case this will be my last go 'round.

That makes it a 3 out of a Netflix5.

Labels: best films

ABBEY ROAD

Labels: music

GASSED

A little more needs to be said about the passage of our state budget this morning.

The guy who came over got two concessions.

One, he will get to see a referendum on non-partisan primaries meaning we can cross over the party lines. This is thought to bust the gerrymandered constipation of turnover in the legislature.

It was tried before. Once it lost and another time was ruled unconstitutional. Three times is the charm? I don't have a position on it. I guess it is OK. It sure makes voting more fun. Think. I could crossover to vote against a lot of people I don't like.

The second and nearly insane concession the majority made was to drop the 15 c gas tax. This was a two-fer. It got us some revenue and it encouraged less driving and more mass transit.

Sooner or later we are going to have to make the auto commute cost too much.

Not this time I guess. What a fucking mess this state government is in.

Labels: California

REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE

We have been over this ground before.

Obama's outreach to the Republicans is mostly for the country not the Republicans.

They can take it or leave it and under present circumstances of hurt pride, they are probably going to leave it for awhile. But in the meantime, he is creating an attitude and a mood in the country, to say nothing of a perception, that he is interested in getting them involved. He appeals to a wider band of the electorate. He gets them behind him on the arduous tasks ahead.

Kevin Drum has a good summary of this today. The short version of all this is don't let the GOoPer's stuff bother you. it is annoying but, nevertheless, inevitable that they will pout and have tantrums.

Bipartisanship

Labels: Administration Obama

BIG GARDENING

About twice a year we have to bring in the big gardening guns to handle stuff that isn't part of the weekly maintenance. The last time we did this was right before the wedding about six months ago. We are right on time.

The big item on the list is pruning. Stuff grows fast out here. And you have to prune it or nature will do the job for you. The wood is softer and doesn't handle big winds as well. A pruned tree is a tree that will not fall on your house anytime soon.

So, the big carob trees (male outside the fence, female inside) will get a conservative trim. The female is not a well woman. Entire branches are giving up. We may be able to save her but otherwise we are biding time.

The olive tree will get trimmed so it doesn't bear a lot of fruit. They leave branches with "spiky" leaves which are not bearing.

The tangerine has overdone itself this year. Exhausted from bearing fruit. It will be trimmed back dramatically and given a rest. The fruit is past and will be removed.

Other trees will be pruned out for shape and general good health.

The guys are also doing some other work like replacing some dead ornamental grasses outside the wall.

This whole operation used to be very anxiety producing for me as I thought I needed to be in tune with the work and what was going on. Little by little, year by year, I have realized that they know exactly what needs to be done and I do not. They also work harder than I could even want them to. In fact, I get concerned they will "overdo it".

Paul, who has managed the work for us since we came here, is totally attuned to what we want even before we are. I have relaxed.

Labels: garden

PASSED OUT

My State Senate just passed the budget after months of deadlock.

They needed one vote from diehard GOoPers who are "till death do us part" on no taxes. These bastards will kill us.

There are only ten of them. Ten.

But we have one of those stupid 2/3 vote things and they have this power and by goddam they are going to use it.

Neanderthals.

That raises the taxes for us some. Just this morning I got a wake-up on taxes from Tom.

Tax Friendly Places 2007

It is a little old but what the hell?

I am amazed to see that the state I left to be here, Massachusetts, better known to its residents as "Taxachusetts", is not the highest tax state at all. Nor are we, although MA is a lot better than CA.

I have always figured the two to be the same. Both have income taxes and sales taxes. But CA has a very high sales tax depending on location as local governments are allowed to tack on a bit for themselves. Our real estate taxes tend to be lower (if you bought at the right time as we did) because of Prop 2 1/2 which limits re tax increases to, well, 2 1/2 percent a year.

The part of this table that really surprised me is the average income of the states. MA is quite high. Along with Connecticut and New Jersey.

I would not expect CA to be as high because of the immigrant situation. We realized when we came here that we had more than 50% greater buying power with the trades and other services because of the lower immigrant wages.

On the other hand, gas and other costs are higher.

It evens out.

So, I learn something new every day. Not that I can apply my learning to anything other than, perhaps, moving. But who the hell would want to move away from Palm Springs?

Labels: California

IMPENDING DIVORCE?

Given all the stuff that is happening in the world, it is easy to lose sight of some other issues that are pending.

Sometime in March, the California State Supreme Court will have hearings on the suits against and for Proposition 8.

The battle to defeat the referendum is hot and heavy in the trenches as the judges come up to this critical step.

Here is something new from the otherwise deadlocked State Legislature.

California Marriage Update

One suit before the court would have our marriage dissolved. The infamous Ken Starr is arguing that one. The shit.

Labels: gay marriage, gay rights

BILLY HAS LEGS

Today's movie was a favorite five

Billy Elliot (2000)

This is a great story in a somewhat fanciful but very compelling film. A movie movie.

I get it out every so often and it has the same power to please as it did when we first saw it in a theater.

Jamie Bell has grown up on his own now and is on the screen regularly. The story has been made into an ambitious musical.

I have trouble finding any fault with it whatsoever. I just let myself be carried away.

Julie Walters and Gary Lewis are the mentor/parents respectively. Very good.

I love this movie. It is a 5 out of Netflix5. Period.

Labels: film, films

INFALLIBLE

Labels: christist watch

YOU GOT A FRIEND IN ME

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 films was Pixar's

Toy Story (1995)

Enjoyable. I hadn't seen it. It was the first of the Pixar films and I have seen all the others so it pales in comparison.

It is clever. My kids had most of the toys. I liked Randy Newman's music.

I have had neighbors like the kid next door. Nice to see them exposed.

The story arc is the same as all the others. Three acts. Difficult multiple ending.

All the earlier references we may have forgotten about click in to save the day.

Disney went on to exploit the story so there are 2 sequels and teevee shows and all.

The ruination of overexposure.

It is nice to encounter the sweet originals.

I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

MINDBLOWER

You might want to turn the sound down a bit.

Labels: technology

OVER THE TOP

If you are, like me, a daily reader of the NYTimes on-line edition, you probably feel a bit doubtful that you got everything that you might have gotten out of the editors' compilation.

Sometimes I dive into a section and browse just as I would with the paper edition. But it is hard to do.

Still, I always find something I would have missed from the predigested headlines.

Now, a new layout in Beta called Skimmer

Lots more headlines in all the sections. Low in graphics high on headlines.

I kinda like it.

Labels: internet

TOUCH OF GENIUS

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Orson Welles'

Touch of Evil (1958)

with Orson Welles, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Akim Tamiroff (for the third time in three weeks), Marlene Detrich and other Welles' rep members, even Joseph Cotten in a short cameo.

The plot is thick and sometimes too contrived but the film noir aspect of it allows Welles to do all kinds of tricks of direction. The cinematography is breathtaking. You can see that it is a reference for many other directors. One, in particular, would be Hitchcock who stole liberally from the motel scenes for Psycho. It isn't very subtle stealing.

There is the famous three minute bomb scene as well as many other accomplishments. A lot of deep focus shots, his trademark, never quite equalled.

This all is very satisfying but it doesn't make a great movie. It is fun. It is very creative. It shows a touch of genius.

It was his last film. It was put out as a bottom of the bill double feature then later restored to his original vision which was set out in a 58 page letter to the studio. Others used it to make this restoration that Welles did not live to see.

A lot of drama around the drama.

I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5. While it is fun to watch the stage business, it is also a little tiring. Maybe someday a Welles Fest and that would make it a 4. Right now, no.

Labels: best films

ENOUGH SAID

Labels: christist watch, science

FOR BALANCE

Now that we have praised Arnold, let us burn his ass and his party for what they are doing to my adopted State. Kevin Drum again. He is having a productive day.

GOP Lemming Watch

We must remember that the beginning of the end of California's solvency was Arnold's promise, kept, to rescind the auto registration fees set during the Davis administration.

This was demagogued to the nth degree and, as a result, revenues plummeted. Then bad times hit. But we were having trouble meeting the bills when the fees were reduced.

The aversion to taxes here is insane. Perhaps it is my history living in "Taxachusetts" but I have never felt that the taxes here were onerous.

I sure think that the debt we now have is onerous.

This is the land of Prop 2 and a half where they can only increase real estate taxes by that percentage a year.

The building bubble saved their ass. But killed the economy. And also made it impossible for some people to keep their homes. Their taxes are on the high side of what they paid and the home value has plummeted. You can get relief but not nearly fast enough.

There is no revenue from a foreclosed property.

The whole thing is a terrible mess.

We will get some money from the stimulus package. After all, we have Nancy Pelosi on our side.

The GOoPers have totally fucked this state.

Labels: California

THROUGH THE FOG

More about the phony minute by minute hysterical reporting on the smooth Obama operation throughout the stimulus from Kevin Drum.

What Obama Did

Obama has obviously had a few stumbles during his first month in office, but aside from losing Tom Daschle none of it was serious. (The Commerce Department? Please. Sure, it's a little embarrassing to lose two candidates in a row, but in the end, nobody cares a whit.) On the plus side, his team is in place, he's passed both a healthcare bill and an anti-discrimination bill, and he's now got the single largest stimulus bill in the history of the country sitting on his desk waiting for his signature. And he still has 205 weeks left to go in his first term. Were you really expecting very much more from the first three?

Labels: Administration Obama

REMEMBER WHEN?

Today's NYTimes Best Film was Paul Verhoeven's

Total Recall (1990)

with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Yes.

He acts. And quite well.

This is a amnesia/thriller/sci-fi/blood and thunder film but it has a heart and the heart is Schwarzenegger. He is for real which means that he does a great job acting his way through an almost constant set of circumstances over which he has almost no control. Just a thin edge of control. Some luck but not too much.

This is a Phillip K. Dick story so it is well constructed. The sets and the visuals are excellent.

Sharon Stone is in this and I do not think that I have ever seen her in a movie before. Not too bad. Ronny Cox is the evil guy and does so quite well.

This is not my kind of film and I didn't look at my watch until 90 minutes in. Really.

A lot of the suspense is at the surface. Good surface though.

I wouldn't want to see it again. Too much gore and violence. One scene did me in and it involved goldfish. I am very sensitive.

I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5 and will hereafter be a bit more respecting of Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger's acting ability.

Now, if we could just get him off his ass and govern our state. But that is another story. A 1 out of 5. Sorry. I couldn't resist.

Labels: best films

THAT'S RICH!

Frank Rich agrees with me!

They Sure Showed That Obama

He even shows the rope-a-dope theory in action against McCain and in the current battles over stimulus.

Very good.

Labels: Administration Obama

THE OTHER SCORECARD

How did Obama do with this?

The quibbling is over, the result is achieved.

I like the Washington Post's perspective on things sometimes. They have seen it all. It is their town.

They are mightily impressed.

Obama Scores Early Victory of Historic Proportions

In size and scope, there is almost nothing in history to rival the economic stimulus legislation that Obama shepherded through Congress in just over three weeks. And the result -- produced largely without Republican participation -- was remarkably similar to the terms Obama's team outlined even before he was inaugurated: a package of tax cuts and spending totaling about $775 billion.

Sure there were some false moves. Feints too.

Another analogy. The rope-a-dope thing. He did this in the election process. They keep slugging at him and they land in the ropes. He is somewhere else in the ring when the punches land. He dances. Preserves his strength. Then the knockout. Butterfly / bee. Actually I like that one better.

Labels: Administration Obama

HOW STIMULATING?

CBO Scores the Stimulus--Part Two

From Kevin Drum.

I think that they did pretty well. There is a good mix of stuff going out there. Tax rebates. Different sectors of the economy. Almost classic apportionment. Even to the artists. I know. A GOoPer talking point. They like the idea of the starving artist and they think that all artists are liberals.

Incidentally, I won't get much of it direct. I pay quarterly taxes. There might still be that bit about money for Medicare people but the rest of it is not stimulating me directly. So I am unbiased.

Well, not personally. Politically, very.

That ignores, of course, the stimulation I will receive from a market rise, the return of many state services that are in jeopardy and so on.

My real concern is that we cannot afford to wait for "things to straighten out" or for "market forces" to take over.

It bothers me that people are starving and homeless, that healthcare is increasingly unaffordable, that people are bankrupt and that many have lost jobs that they loved.

That is the real stimulus for me. To have healthier happier society.

I know. I am in incurable bleeding heart socialist. So be it.

Labels: Administration Obama

DOUBLE CROSS

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Sydney Pollack's

Tootsie (1982)

Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray, Jessica Lange, Terri Garr, Charles Durning, Dabney Coleman and Sydney Pollack, himself, as Tootsie's agent.

This is a romp of a film and one's suspension of belief is never really tested. Amazing.

The cast is perfect together.

Hoffman shows that he is a pretty good actor at being a not very good actor.

Bill Murray just delivers his lines and lets the angst cook up from way inside. When he was better than he is now.

Durning has several great scenes but his awakening to Hoffman's identity is slow and silent and hilarious to watch. The dawning. Durnings dawning.

I love Sydney Pollack in front or behind the cameras. In this case, we have a two-fer.

The whole cast is wonderful.

I would easily see it again just to watch the work but the film would capture me I am certain. That makes it a 4 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

BIG DAY

I purposely omitted reference to Friday the 13th. I didn't want to jinx anything. Like the passage of the stimulus package. Yeeeeeeahhh!

And today is the 14th. Jam packed.

Valentines Day! Of course.

Happy hearts!

And, here in the desert, we have the Tour de'Palm Springs, a big fundraising event. There are a lot of cyclists here. That means traffic jams all day. But it is a good infusion of good times at a time when things aren't so good.

It is also the beginning of Modernism Week which celebrates Palm Springs role in the mid-century architectural movement.

We still have a lot of the homes that they will be touring. There are films and lectures. It is a big deal. John will be going to several parts of it.

Labels: holidays

FINGERPRINTS UPDATED

I get pissed at ol' Arlen sometimes but, on the whole, he is a good guy. And tells the truth.

The GOP's War on Obama

A lot of Senators hiding under the radar because of party before country.

So what else is new about many/most GoOPers?

"When I came back to the cloak room after coming to the agreement a week ago today," said Specter, "one of my Republican colleagues said, 'Arlen, I'm proud of you.' I said, 'Are you going to vote with me?' And he said, 'No, I might have a primary.' And I said, 'Well, you know very well I'm going to have a primary.'"

In fact the Republican Party in Pennsylvania is looking to get Arlen out of office on his next run.

GOP Vultures Circling Around Specter

Maybe Arlen figures he has nothing to lose by working with the Democrats when he can. Good for him. He may win the primary anyhow!

Labels: republican whack jobs

CASTRO CONVERTIBLE

Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Alfred Hitchcock's

Topaz (1969)

This is a departure from the Hitchcock formula. The film is about a semi-actual set of incidents during the Cuban missile crisis. A French agent works for the Americans to get critical information and then finds that the Russians have infiltrated the highest reaches of his own intelligence system.

Leon Uris wrote a novel about it.

It is pretty good. Longer than a normal Hitch film. But worth the time. There are the usual false clues laid down. The women all look like they just came out of the refrigerator. A lot of mirrors are used to good effect. And so on.

There are no stars! John Forsythe is in a sort of half-star role. Philip Noiret, a french actor who has gained some prominence is in it. Others look familiar. It is nice. It takes us away from the Cary or Grace or James Stewart stock characters.

I liked it. Somewhere in the beginning I realized that I had seen it before. But that did not matter as I didn't remember who did it.

There was a lot of nostalgia here for the times when the crisis was going on. Castro's visit to the UN plays a nice part in it. There are a number of places where actual film clips are skillfully used. We see the young Castro and Che.

I think that it could have been shorter but then I always think that of anything over two hours. Even two hours seems long sometimes.

I don't need to see this again. A nice time was had by all and that is enough. I will rate it a 3 out of Netflix5.

Labels: best films

CAROUSEL

Go to Today's APOD

Circle Round the Moon

Savor the photo and then link to the panoramic view in the lower right of the text.

You will have to tweak around on the panorama to get it all in but it is fun and informative to do the job. Very nice.

Labels: APOD

FACE OFF

I got one of those invites to join someone on Facebook the other day.

Here is my standard reply.

Hey XXX.

Good to hear from you.

I plan to go through the rest of my life without joining Facebook or that other one.

Don't take it personally. I just don't have the energy for that stuff and I have too many internet compulsions already.

I may end up being the last guy standing and have no friends but there it is.

I forgot to tell him that I don't and won't ever Twitter either. One of the scourges of our social fabric.

Just in time, Joel Stein, the very funny and wise young columnist at the LATimes, writes about the Facebook thing today.

Facebook's '25 things' too many.

Read it.

He lists 25 hilarious, and I assume true, things about himself. Ones that would be (and are) a lot funnier and insightful than the usual mundane list of things people put up.

You gotta read it in the link.

I started a list of my own to see if I could do it.

1) I still have the same teddy bear that I played with as a child. Maybe from three years old. He was my best friend for a long time. (similar to photo but mine has all his hair rubbed off).

2) I did have an imaginary friend from the age of 6 or 7. He left me when his puberty told him he was straight. Same with my cousin Philip. Also my best friend Paul. Well, we were more than friends. My teddy bear stood by me.

3) I set a grass field afire with my friend (another) Philip. He took the blame. No one ever knew that I was with him. Well, except Philip who didn't care. He was a tough guy.

4) I always had tough kids as friends when I grew up and even when I was in college but then I became the tough guy.

[Now maybe you can see why I don't have an interest in a social network. Early childhood disappointments. And I am an introvert!}

5) I am so bored doing this list that I am going to quit. How can people spend their time on this shit?

Of course, writing a blog with three or four posts a day isn't much different than the Facebook gig, is it?

Labels: internet

FREEDOM TO MARRY WEEK!

Read all about it.

NY DENIES GAY COUPLES MARRIAGE LICENSES AS NATIONWIDE DEMOS BEGIN

Checkout the guy in the veil.

This is truly from the old days.

Good for these kids. They are into it.

It will change their lives forever. It is one of the best things any young person can do. Demonstrate. Fight hard. Shout. Kick ass.

You will have great memories and you will be a much more interested and interesting older person.

Wonderful. I was afraid the old days were over.

Labels: gay marriage, gay rights

STILL GOIN'

I had forgotten about her. How could I?

Labels: fun

GREGG

I am not surprised that Gregg pulled out of the Commerce nomination.

He was out of step from the start.

He recused himself from the stimulus package! What was that all about?

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Labels: Administration Obama

AND ABE TOO

I probably should say Happy Birthday to Abe Lincoln too.

I know he was a great man and all but he doesn't come up to Darwin. But it isn't a race--for great men. They were in different arenas entirely.

I have never been much interested in Lincoln, actually.

I probably shouldn't say this but I find him somewhat depressing. Even his humor.

I am glad that Obama has him as a hero. That relieves the need for me to have him on my list.

While we are at it, I am not much interested in any of the old Prez guys. Not even George Washington.

I blame the school system for this. After they have drummed the stuff into you for all of grade school and then again in high school, it is hard to feel warm about any of them.

Once I was out of there I never, ever sought to read or get connected with any of those guys again.

I start to warm up with FDR because he was my first President. I really get hot over Harry Truman. Love the guy.

I am not a JFK fan either. I almost voted for Nixon because of it.

I loved Bill Clinton. Then lost some of the mojo. Not over Monica. But some of the stuff in the last election. And all that fucking money.

Obama? Well, you know where I am on him.

Lincoln has a place. I get the goosebumps in the Lincoln Memorial. I recited the Gettysburg Address once when I was a kid. Memorial Day services.

But he is still kind of boring in the history part of it. The day to day stuff. That top hat.

Hey. I am not being disrespectful here. I am just saying.

Wait a minute though. He looks a bit like Keith Richards in this photo. Maybe not so boring as I thought.

I suppose he got his worn out look from a different place than Keith. (Keef).

I hope I didn't offend anyone. Barack? Hello! Barack?

Labels: heroes

TWO HUNDRED

Darwin is still working his assertions through the populace.

Gallup says that only 44% believe in "evolution". Which probably says more about how the question was asked than anything else. But maybe.

We are still learning about his work. That is for sure.

The other night we were talking about how the "theory" is about adaptation. Not so much being the top dog. Not about being the strongest.

Some species adapted themselves into extinction. Others did not. The inability of a species to predict whether past conditions that it has adapted to will be useful in the future. That is limiting.

We may be headed for a dead end.

Does a species always, if they have read Darwin, believe that they are living out a successful adaptation? Obviously we do. Despite evidence to the contrary.

Would Franklin see himself as the superior endpoint of an evolution in dogdom?

There are many thought problems that arise from Darwin's work.

Some of them give me a headache.

This is why people want to suppress Darwin's work. They don't like the results that come from even a minimum of thought. Perhaps they have evolved into the no-thinking line of our species. A reversion.

Darwin has had a huge impact on us. And still does. Like Einstein and Freud. He turns our thinking upside down.

Labels: heroes, science