26 Mar 2011
The other night I was lucky enough to see Source Code and sit in on a short Q&A with the film’s director, Duncan Jones. I enjoyed both very much.
I don’t like to know much about any film before my first viewing so I don’t like to include spoilers in my reviews. It may be especially difficult to say much about this film since part of the fun is putting all the pieces together yourself. There are many links included that you might consider spoilers.
I’m not going to fall into the trap of a lot of reviewers and compare this to Jones’ first film. It is just not fair to do that. Moon was a cerebral, hard sci-fi masterpiece. So, Source Code is not as good. I will say I was pleasantly surprised that this film had similar elements.
The film also felt like a mashup of a favorite film, a favorite video game
, a good film, and a film I couldn’t stand. I particularly liked using the technique employed in this great film to tell a hard sci-fi story. I was a little worried at first sign of it, but found myself wishing the film had carried it even further.
First, the bad. The film is far from perfect. The film actually reminded me a bit of the Star Wars films – but the bad parts, not the good. There is a lot of fantasy and exposition. It promises hard science fiction1 but the rules, while interesting and fun, don’t stand up to scrutiny. The viewer is forced to accept “science” that even the film’s resident mad scientist admits “would take weeks to explain” – and he “explains” it several times.
I was also not a big fan of the ending but my suspicion is that I am in the minority.
In spite of the flaws, I highly recommend the film. Not only is it fun, it has something for everyone – suspense, action, a mad scientist, a handsome protagonist, and an adorable girl to fall in love with – and some of the technical merits are excellent. I loved the camera angles, some of the special effects, and I thought most of the acting was very well done.
In the Q&A after, Jones pointed out the difficulty each character had in filling the roles. Jake Gyllenhaal endures a very wide range of emotions, Michelle Monaghan has a very tight story arc and must repeat a lot of her lines over and over again, and Vera Farmiga, an actress trained to ignore the camera, spends much of the film looking directly into the camera (though I love Farmiga, the choice seemed ironic to me2).
Jones also explained the painstaking process of planning all the camera maps so that we are introduced to the characters at the right point and so shots that should be almost identical turn out that way. I can’t wait to see the movie a second time so I can carefully appreciate this feat.
I’ll probably see the film again and I expect the Blu-ray
to be worth a buy
NOTES:
Star Wars never promised us hard science fiction so that’s okay. Apart, of course, from the ridiculous attempt in the new trilogy to explain the force as some by-product of nature (silly).
In my opinion, Vera Farmiga, though an attractive woman from any angle is decidedly more so when she is not looking directly at me. Compare this photo with this one to see if you agree (I attempted to choose the best “head on” shot I could fine to be fair).
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25 Mar 2011
I am going to change the name of this periodic feature. I’ve noticed that some sites I link to aren’t quite great. I’m going to call it Interesting Sites or something similar.
Anyway, I thought I’d throw in a few sites today that I’ve been using so long that I forget others may not know how great they are.
- Escape The City – link
- If You Watch it Backwards – link
- Today I Found Out – link
- useit.com: Jakob Nielsen on Usability and Web Design – link
- Creative Commons – link
- The GNU Operating System – link
see more interesting sites
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24 Mar 2011
In my experience, too many people find too little joy in life. I know life is hard, I’ve mentioned that before, but life is also an exhilarating journey filled with family, friends, and fun. In The Last Lecture, I felt like I met a man, Randy Pausch, who understood how to live.
Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he had three to six months to live. He decided to use what little time he had left to give his last lecture – Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. During the lecture, Professor Pausch talked about dreaming dreams as a child, climbing over brick walls to achieve some of those dreams, and enabling others to do the same.
The book
is both the extended version of his lecture and the story surrounding it. The book was not at all about dying. Instead it was about living life the way, I think, it was meant to be lived. I found myself moved by almost every chapter. Perhaps it’s just me. Like Pausch, I am a husband, father, teacher, and computer scientist. I’ve also achieved some of the things I dreamed of as a child, including being a husband and father, teaching, and programming for profit. Maybe the book was so powerful because of that, but I’d like to think that anyone could learn from the lessons in it.
Unfortunately, I know better. I’ve read some of the negative reviews of this book and I’m sad. There are many who just don’t get it. Many who think achieving your dreams is cliche, trite, or quaint. Many who do what they’ve always done and/or what they think others expect them to do. There is so much more to life and so much less at the same time – I wish everyone could see that.
I do have one warning. Pausch was admittedly arrogant (a jerk) and did have a very healthy ego. He chooses to explain his thoughts by talking about some of his achievements. I think this was a powerful way to accomplish the task at hand, but everyone may not read it the same way.
It has been a long time since I read a book that moved me as much as The Last Lecture. It reminded me once again that I need to be painfully aware of what little time I have and all of the opportunities I have to explore during that short time.
As a parent, one part of the book (and lecture) hit me especially hard.
Anybody out there who is a parent, if your kids want to paint their bedrooms, as a favor to me, let them do it. It’ll be OK.
Even as I paste that quote here, I find it hard to control my emotions. You’ll have to read the book to see if it has the same impact on you.
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22 Mar 2011
The suffering caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is difficult to comprehend.
The CNN Belief Blog asked some prominent voices with different views on religion how they make sense of such suffering, where they see inspiration amid destruction and how they respond to people who wonder, “How could God let this happen?â€
I was struck by what Sam Harris had to say …
Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes like this, or he doesn’t care to, or he doesn’t exist. God is either impotent, evil, or imaginary. Take your pick, and choose wisely.
Certainly, I’ve heard this argument before. That is not the point of my post today but I can’t help but include a response below.
The only sense to make of tragedies like this is that terrible things can happen to perfectly innocent people. This understanding inspires compassion.
On this point, I’d like to agree. Obviously, Mr. Harris and I disagree over the meaning of the word innocent but I don’t want to get into that discussion. The people in Japan did not deserve that disaster any more than I do – and that’s the point. We are all in the same boat. We should be moved to compassion.
Religious faith, on the other hand, erodes compassion. Thoughts like, “this might be all part of God’s plan,†or “there are no accidents in life,†or “everyone on some level gets what he or she deserves†– these ideas are not only stupid, they are extraordinarily callous. They are nothing more than a childish refusal to connect with the suffering of other human beings. It is time to grow up and let our hearts break at moments like this.
This is the part that hit me the hardest. Christians can be incredibly callous. I’ve written about this before. World events often lead to discussions of “end times” and the will of God and too seldom lead to the real question – “how should the church respond?”
We should use this time to sort out what we can do to help the people of Japan.
NOTE: The argument is finely crafted to sound right but the fallacy is obvious in the second choice. Mr. Harris has passed moral judgement on God in his second choice. I agree that there are only three possibilities, but I would describe them differently. Either God can’t stop the catastophe, he doesn’t stop it, or he doesn’t exist. Those of us that believe God exists and that He is omnipotent must choose the second. This is a difficult question to ponder. Mr. Harris and others make this choice impossible by framing it as evil. We should presume we are smart enough or wise enough to pass that kind of judgement.
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15 Mar 2011
I read an interesting article some time ago about the relationship between the prosperity gospel and the current economic crisis. I don’t know why I waited until now to share my thoughts, but here they are.
It is impossible to substantiate a causal link here. I think it’s more likely that both phenomena – the “gospel” and the crisis – are symptoms of the same disease. Namely, the hyper-optimism that, in my opinion, is at the root of almost all of the ills in our society.
Why did so many families decide to accept mortgages they could not afford to repay? Why do so many rent furniture and/or electronic devices at highly unreasonable rates instead of saving for them? Why do so many use credit cards to finance holiday gifts instead of cutting back and giving what they can afford? The answer to all of these questions is the same – optimism. I’m an optimist myself and I’d like to think that is a good thing – told you I was an optimist – but it is dangerous to always assume the best possible outcome.
Agreeing to a loan because you think you will be able to afford the payments someday is foolish at best. It’s like borrowing money now because you assume your situation will improve by pay day – it is the worst kind of optimism.
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23 Feb 2011
Anytime someone complains about the rising cost of gasoline, two things come to mind.
I don’t think it is rising
I was in sixth grade during the “energy crisis†and I vividly remember waiting in line for gasoline on even or odd days only. I remember the panic that our planet might be running out of oil. I remember gasoline reaching more than a dollar a gallon and I’ve always thought to myself – “that was a lot of money in 1979!†In my head I’ve always assumed that was several of today’s dollars.
Today I decided to finally take a real look at the prices.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, retail gasoline prices rose steadily in 1979 from $0.72 to $1.07 per gallon – $2.31 to $3.07 in 2011 dollars (source – XLS). The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculator converts these prices to $2.18 – $3.25 per gallon.
Yesterday I paid $3.18 per gallon – right in the range between $3.07 and $3.25. It appears to me that prices have remained flat over the last 30+ years.
I thought it would be fun to look at a graph of the prices. I found this one
and the one from the DOE spreadsheet (source – XLS)
Both show the same two things:
- Prices are flat over the 32 year period.
- Prices actually dropped over a 20 year span.
NOTE: The first chart is based on data that is not quite the same as the DOE data, but close1.
If it is rising, it’s about time.
I know it is easy to say this when I can afford gasoline. I hope I’m never in a position where I can’t afford it.
Prices in other countries have been high for years. I understand that other governments may place higher taxes on fuel to curb use but I’m convinced that prices have stayed low because the U.S. government does everything in its power to keep us dependent on oil.
1
I took all 1979 prices from http://www.randomuseless.info/gasprice/gasprice.txt and saved them to my computer with the name gas.csv. Then I wrote a quick little script to figure the low, median, maximum, and average retail price. The figures I got – 0.7488 0.9615 1.281 0.94275443038 – did not match the figures from DOE but they were close.
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22 Feb 2011
I thought this year’s batch of nominees were all very good.
The Confession
It’s like nothing ever happened.
A chilling film which starts where many short films do but quickly turns on. This film explores the nature of childhood foolishness, faith, friendship, and religion. The young actors were fantastic and the directing and cinematography was excellent.
Wish 143
I smell Jesus.
A light-hearted look at a very real issue which many terminally ill young people must face. A comedy one minute and a drama the next. A surprisingly moving film.
The Crush
I would’ve taken you for lunch.
The lead character is so adorable that you may ignore that he is a very misguided young man. His teacher’s behavior is bizarre and inappropriate too. I enjoyed the film but it was the most flawed of the films, in my opinion.
Na WeWe
It’s complicated, Sir.
A tense, thought provoking look at racism set in the Burundi during the horrible tribal violence that took place there and in Rwanda in the early 1990s. It makes you think carefully about the violence and senselessness, but some may walk away with the impression the violence in Burundi was not as bad as it really was.
God of Love
It was meant to be.
This movie was the only one of the five that was not very dark. A likable, lounge singing, darts master receives an answer to prayer.
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21 Feb 2011
- Tussling Over Jesus – NYTimes.com
- As I’ve said many times before, the issues surrounding abortion are more complicated than many would admit (especially those against choice). I understand the church’s desire to distance itself from abortion but I don’t think pulling support for a hospital is the right way to make a statement. Cutting themselves out doesn’t seem like the right play.Â
- When Children’s Art Takes Over the Home – NYTimes.com
- My children are brilliant, but I’d be doing them a disservice if I told them every picture they ever drew was worthy of framing.Â
- Revolutionary Arab Geeks – NYTimes.com
- Â I’ll have to read this book. The timing is ironic. A week ago I might have agreed with some of the author’s ideas – I still tend to think he is on to something.
- Groupon Super Bowl Ads « Groublogpon – The Serious Blog of Groupon
- The ads were in poor taste if you ask me. A funny idea, perhaps, but not executed properly.
- Lawmaker Says Most Want to Disband Ethics Office
- Surprise, surprise!
- Marginal Revolution: A License to Kill Shampoo
- A hilarious look at licensing in America.Â
Patterico’s Pontifications » Yes, Car Companies That Take Government Loans Should Advertise
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19 Feb 2011
Every year we go as a family to see the Oscar nominated animated short films. Last Saturday we saw the animated films. I didn’t think this year’s crop was as good as previous years but I enjoyed all of them and thought I’d share a few thoughts.
Day & Night
A fun look at the friendship between nighttime and daytime. I’ve seen it three times and I chuckle every time but it doesn’t do much more for me than that.
The Lost Thing
This is place where things go to be forgotten.
A short film with outstanding art and a powerful message. This was my favorite of the films.
The Gruffalo
…and the nut was good.
A fable telling the story of a mouse who outwits three predators while on his quest to find a nut. A little longer than it needed to be, in my opinion.
Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage
An impressionistic travel journal of a tourists adventures in Madagascar and the favorite to win. The use of different types of visuals was brilliant but the lack of story is this film’s real drawback.
Let’s Pollute
Want it, waste it!
A fun educational film spoof promoting the benefits of consumer excess.
This year the theater is showing the animated and live actions on two separate weekends. I’ll post my thoughts on the live actions later – probably Monday.
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18 Feb 2011
- tweetaways.com – an easy way to pick a random twitterer who tweets a specific phrase – link
- Online Alarm Clock – link
- Online Mind Mapping and Brainstorming – MindMeister – link
- Kindle Lending Club – Borrow and Lend Kindle Books for Free – Kindle Lending Club – Borrow and Lend Kindle Books for Free. – link
- Flush Tracker – World Toilet Day – link
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17 Feb 2011
As I’ve written before, I haven’t read a lot of comic books, or graphic novels as they’ve come to be called, in recent years, but my interest has increased now that I’ve experimented with comics on my iPad.
A couple of weeks ago I just happend to be1 right in front of a comic book store with a few minutes to kill so I stopped in to browse. I have been looking to try a “real” book again.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye (v. 1) caught my eye. Billy and I watched the first episode of the TV show and liked it more than we expected but decided we didn’t need another show to watch. I decided to try the comic and I’m glad I did.
Walking Dead is not really about the zombies. It explores the human nature. It answers the question the author claims every watcher of zombie movies asks at the end – “now what?”
If you’ve ever wondered what happens just after all the zombies wipe out a whole group of people, the author promises you’ll learn the answers. And he does not disappoint in the first volume. The characters are real people who struggle with adjustment to their new circumstances. And the zombies show up enough to pander to your need for horror and suspense.
One of the reasons I wanted to get back into reading comics was for the artwork. Here, too, this series looks promising. The artist does excellent work and the series is in black and white which I particularly enjoy.
1
After dropping Billy off for practice Saturday I thought I’d stop at Panera for some breakfast and a change of working environment. After discovering that everyone else in Northern Delaware must have made the same plan I decided to stop and pick up a few items for our Super Bowl chili. I parked and called Terri to tell her to add the items to our grocery list. I had a few minutes to kill while I waited.
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08 Feb 2011
Last year I launched a website I thought would be a lot of fun – theoscarsgame.com.
I thought of it just as the Oscars were upon us so it was rather crude but it was fun to play. At least I thought so.
This year, I changed it up a bit. Submit your picks for a chance to win the $100 gift card of your choice – theoscarsgame.com
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05 Feb 2011
Turns out I saw exactly half of the 2010 best picture nominations in 2010. I commented on those over here. Now I’ve seen the other half and I have just a few comments about each below.
Don’t forget to predict the Oscar winners for a chance to win a $100 gift card. Make your picks now.
127 Hours {#127_hours}
It’s no slurpee!
127 Hours
is an agonizing, yet inspiring, look at a risk-taking adventurer who comes to grip with his love of family and his desire to “go it alone.” Franco turns in one of the finest performances of 2010.
Black Swan
It was perfect.
Black Swan
is a disturbing masterpiece that explores the pursuit of perfection. The imagery is fantastic – Aronofsky uses of mirrors, lookalikes, unusual rooms, and slow motion to spectacular effect.
Winter’s Bone
I’m here huntin’ dad.
Winter’s Bone
is an aptly names film that tells a harsh story about hardened characters living in a harsh environment. Lawrence and Hawkes very much deserve their Oscar nominations. They were spectacular.
True Grit
Where would I find this Rooster?
In True Grit
, I expected spectacular cinematography, brilliant dialogue, and an exceptional performance by Bridges. What I did not expect was an Oscar worthy performance from Hailee Steinfeld. She played the role perfectly!
The Kids Are All Right
Right on!
Outstanding performances by Bening and Moore, yet Ruffalo walks away with the film. The film does explore some interesting questions relating to same sex marriage but it falls flat – a good film but not worthy of a best picture nomination in my opinion.
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16 Jan 2011
UPDATE: I’ve now seen all ten best picture nominations. Read my thoughts on the other five and don’t forget to predict the Oscar winners for a chance to win a $100 gift card. Make your picks now.
I saw some excellent films in 2010. What follows is a list of my favorites. Before I get to the list I should mention a few other films.
The following films were good but did not live up to my expectations (in no particular order)
The following films were good but did not make my top ten (in no particular order)
The following films were excellent but I did not see them until 2011. Several of them might have made the list. Look for them on my list next year or on my Oscar picks
10. The Fighter
Taught him everything he knows.
The Fighter
is based on the true story of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxer who grew up in a dysfunctional family in working class Massachusetts. Several reviewers have noted that the film suffers from a weak lead character. I would have to agree. There was nothing wrong with Wahlberg’e performance. It was the character himself that lacked personality and focus. I found myself thinking throughout the film that “the fighter” was actually Micky’s older half-brother Dickie Christian Bale). Unfortunately, movies based on real life have to work within the facts (mostly anyway) and Micky’s story has an ending we could use no matter how matter of fact it may be.
Christian Bale and Melissa Leo turned in Oscar worthy performances and casting Amy Adams turned out to work for me. The second half of the movie only works if we fall for her character and I would have never fallen for that character in real life. Maybe it’s just me.
9. Inception
Come back to reality, Dom.
Inception
is a wild ride. I’ve seen it three times and I’m still not sure what really happens. It almost didn’t make the list because of its flaws, but it really was one of the best movies I saw in 2010. I may not know what happened and I may have grown tired (three times) of listening to the characters explain it to me, but I did enjoy fantastic special effects (many without the need for computer generated images) and excellent performances. If you haven’t seen it, see it but don’t expect to understand it.
8. The Ghost Writer
You’re not kittens.
I really didn’t expect to or want to like this movie. I don’t like the actors – adequate at best, laughable at worst. I’m not a fan of most of the work of the director – some of his work is certainly brilliant, but not most in my opinion. And what I knew of the plot sounded predictable and overdone. Billy and I had the opportunity to travel an hour to see a press screening of the film and opted not to because of my hesitation (and some bad weather if I remember correctly).
We eventually saw it and I was impressed. A ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) is called in to finish the memoir of a retired British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan). He finds the previous writer’s work boring and decides a major rewrite is in order. He learns quickly that his subject’s life and work has been anything but boring. What the ghost learns may have even put his own life in danger.
7. The Town
I will see you; this side or the other.
The Town
is an action packed adventure about a long time thief (Ben Affleck) who tries to balance his interest in one of his victims (Rebecca Hall), his cohorts (including Jeremy Renner), and a vicious enforcer (Pete Postlethwaite) while continuing to engage in his dangerous profession.
Affleck was brilliant as both actor and director. His exploration of the relationships among the bank robbers is very well developed and the film’s ending is particularly satisfying.
6. Shutter Island
You’ll never leave this island.
Shutter Island
is the story of Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), a “duly appointed Federal Marshall” and his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). Teddy and Chuck are sent to a mysterious island to investigate an escape but Teddy learns that there may be more to this island than meets the eye and that his assignment there may not be a coincidence.
I think DiCaprio is a brilliant actor and this performance, while certainly not his best on record, was no exception. The visuals were spectacular. Martin Scorsese does a masterful job of showing us just how spooky this place and our situation is right from the beginning. In the great tradition of smart horror films, he also keeps us from asking ourselves the simple questions that would make the movie start to unravel.
I saw this movie twice and the second time only convinced me how wonderful it was. It was fantastic.
5. The Debt
What if we could go back?
The Debt
is a suspenseful thriller that tells the story of three young Israeli Mossad agents on a secret mission to capture and kill a notorious Nazi war criminal. This movie sat at number one on my list until I actually started to write this post. I thoroughly enjoyed the film but it has flaws. Most notably the choice to insert thirty years between the two main storylines in the film. The decision makes sense on one level, but it necessitates what I thought was a weaker ending than might have been possible otherwise.
4. Toy Story 3
So long… partner.
Toy Story 3
is the moving conclusion to the Toy Story saga. Andy is growing up and headed to college. The first order of business is to clean up his room. What ensues is fast-paced, funny, and terrifying all at the same time.
My son, who graduates from high school in June, has always been just a little younger than Andy in each of the films. It is this connection, I assume, that makes this last installment so wonderful in my opinion. Certainly not as well crafted a film as the original (few films are in my opinion) but no less powerful for me. I thought it was brilliant.
Did I mention it was terrifying? Everyone I’ve talked to agrees – those toys were in some serious peril more than once.
3. How to Train Your Dragon
That… was for everything else.
How to Train Your Dragon
is a heart warming story about a hapless Viking who, despite his very un-viking-like-ness, befriends a dragon, becomes a hero, and gets the girl in the end. A delightful film that everyone should see.
2. The Social Network
You know what’s cooler than a million dollars?
The Social Network
is a creation myth detailing the events surrounding the founding of the social network Facebook, the ensuing legal battles, and the flaws of the characters involved.
My first viewing was at a press screening where the security was abnormally tight so they had the lights up on one side of the theater. It made for a washed out look in what is a dark movie visually anyway. I enjoyed it nonetheless and I enjoyed even more the second time.
Jesse Eisenberg turns in an Oscar worthy performance portraying a pretentious and wounded Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield is outstanding in his role as Eduardo Saverin, and the film is supported by many other excellent performances. Top among the supporting roles were “the Winklevii” who were played brilliantly by two actors and one face. The film’s funniest moments revolve around these two. My favorite line in the film being
I’m six five, two-twenty and there’s two of me!
Another stroke of brilliance was to cast Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker. Using someone like Timberlake made it easy to convey how “cool” Parker was in the eyes of all hackers in those early years.
1. The King’s Speech
Do you know the “f” word?
The King’s Speech
is a fantastic film about a man who wanted to be king but didn’t think we was worthy. The film feels a lot like a play on film but it is wonderful to watch. The cinematography is remarkable given the “talking heads” nature of many scenes. The film also showcases fantastic performances by Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush.
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13 Jan 2011
There has been considerable debate about the responsibility right-wing politicians and pundits should bear for the shootings in Tucson. Paul Krugman of the New York Times wrote that he was not surprised by the shootings
Where’s that toxic rhetoric coming from? Let’s not make a false pretense of balance: it’s coming, overwhelmingly, from the right.
and Kim Murphy of the LA times writes that the shooter’s ramblings appear rooted in far right (though she admits obvious influence from the left). Even conservative David Frum says The Reckless Right Courts Violence and he cites numerous examples of what some have called “hate talk.” George Packer of the New Yorker notes that it is those on the right who speak of treason and tyranny while calling their political foes traitors and socialists. Others point out that the right is not the only side talking this way.
The implication appears to be that somehow all of this “hate talk” caused the shooter to take action. A recent CBS News Poll found that 57% of Americans do not think the harsh political tone of recent campaigns encouraged the shootings of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and others in Tucson, Arizona this past weekend. So, more than 40% of those polled do believe “hate talk” encouraged the shooter to act.
Many commentators on the left and on the right agree that only the shooter should be held responsible for the tragedy. I agree, but is it not appropriate for us to take this time to reflect on some of the inappropriate language and images used in political rhetoric? Rush Limbaugh claims that the Democratic party supports the shooter and is attempting to find anybody but him to blame. Instead of adding substance to the debate he spews more polarizing nonsense. He sees this as another opportunity to cry that Democrats are enemies.
In the days after the attack, news stations were showcasing Sarah Palin’s now infamous “crosshairs map” which is still available online and still includes Ms. Giffords’ name (link). Sarah Palin eventually issued a statement about the shootings in Tucson but she raised even more controversy by using a phrase which, at best, was a very poor choice of words – blood libel. Using phrases and images like these is nothing short of irresponsible. What is worse is that some dismiss these things as meaningless and not worthy of our discussion.
Before we can address those issues, if we ever do, we’ll have to endure a debate over the graphics on Sarah Palin’s Facebook page. Katrina Trinko, National Review Online
Other conservatives have their own brand of either dismissal
Finally, the charge that the metaphors used by Palin and others were inciting violence is ridiculous. Everyone uses warlike metaphors in describing politics. When Barack Obama said at a 2008 fundraiser in Philadelphia, “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,†he was hardly inciting violence.
Charles Krauthammer, National Review Online
I agree that this is a longstanding practice. I’ll even agree that much is appropriate, but what about the issue at hand? What about a very popular conservative politician using crosshairs on a map indicating opponents? Is that appropriate? Is there a difference between what we tolerate from pundits and politicians. Instead of falling back on “everyone’s doin’ it,” let’s think about it.
and overreaction
But that’s shortsighted. Misplaced panics like this have a momentum and logic all their own. Already, Rep. Bob Brady (D., Pa.) has drafted legislation to ban the use of symbols (crosshairs on a map, for instance) or language (“lock and load!â€) that could foster violence. “The rhetoric is just ramped up so negatively, so high, that we have got to shut this down,†he told CNN.
If the alleged shooter had been inspired by a movie or TV show — as any number of murderers have been over the years — would those blaming the tea parties join with social conservatives in blaming Hollywood? Would they celebrate new laws to “shut down†such fare?
Jonah Goldberg, National Review Online writes
Seriously? I agree – regulation on speech is not the answer – BUT we are NOT talking about a TV show here. We expect more from those who should know better. As much as I don’t like the Becks and Limbaughs of the world, I don’t hold them to as high a standard as those who actually serve in public office AND those who work for them. I do, however, hold them to a higher standard than comedians and entertainers. I will have to save that explanation for another post (which I may never write).
At the risk of sounding like a tea party patriot, I agree with Frum’s conclusion. Well, all of the first paragraph and some of the second.
It’s not enough for conservatives to repudiate violence, as some are belatedly beginning to do. We have to tone down the militant and accusatory rhetoric. If Barack Obama really were a fascist, really were a Nazi, really did plan death panels to kill the old and infirm, really did contemplate overthrowing the American constitutional republic—if he were those things, somebody should shoot him.
But he is not. He is an ambitious, liberal president who is spending too much money and emitting too much debt. His health-care ideas are too over-reaching and his climate plans are too interventionist. The president can be met and bested on the field of reason—but only by people who are themselves reasonable.
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10 Jan 2011
- Does this loop ever end? (Scripting News)
- I could not agree more. Closed will never win.
- Church Marketing Sucks: Thou Shall Twitter in Church
- I don’t have a problem with Twittering in church as much as I do Twittering while in the company of others and while one should be listening and meditating. </p>
On the other hand, sharing something does help make it real.
I would not be against using Twitter during church as long as I knew it wasn’t a distraction from why I am there – which could easily be the case I think.</dd>
- Conan O’Brien and Jack White Record Live Album – Spinner
- Who wouldn’t buy this?
- Seth’s Blog: Hourly work vs. linchpin work
- “That’s quite an hourly wage. It’s also quite a bargain.” Very well said.
- Rands In Repose: How to Write a Book
- Must read for anyone who would like to right a book.
- This is a news website article about a scientific finding
- This is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time. Bravo!
- The 30 Best Films of the Decade
- I have a couple more to see but I would have to agree with most on this list. My favorites – Memento, King of Kong, Son of Rambow, Up, Almost Famous, and Eternal Sunshine.</p>
Of course, there are some excellent “blockbusters” I liked too – Bourne, Potter, Dark Knight, Return of the King.</dd>
- Don’t Listen To Stupid People
- Could not agree more!
- The Wilderness Downtown
- This is very cool and a lot of fun.
- Disney Princesses, Deconstructed
- One of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time.
- You’re Not an Entrepreneur
- “I do not think it means what you think it means.” Great stuff!
- How To Recognize an Idiot
- Could not agree more – but what do I know.
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09 Jan 2011
- Tea Party Jesus – link
- Prezi – The zooming presentation editor – link
- The Public School Parents’ Guide to Homeschool Parents – link
- Wolfram MathWorld: The Web’s Most Extensive Mathematics Resource – link
- Chromoscope – View the Universe in different wavelengths – link
- SILLOF’s WORKSHOP: PIXAR STAR WARS – link
- THINGS REPUBLICANS HATE – link
- paper.li – read Twitter as a daily newspaper – link
- I Can’t Find My Phone – link
- Get Off Your Butt and BAKE! » Impressive recipes made simple – link
- Grilled Cheese Academy – link
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06 Jan 2011
Since I’ve neglected my blog for so long, I have a list of books queued up that I’d like to review. I will certainly review some of these in the weeks.
What the Dog Saw
Were it not for this project, I may not have chosen to read this or the next two books. This was a fascinating read. It explores what Publishers Weekly calls “the hidden extraordinary.”
Outliers
While this book falls flat at the end (in my opinion), it was one of my favorite books of the year. I find myself referring to information from it all the time in conversation. I highly recommend it.
Have a Little Faith
I’ve already reviewed this but I couldn’t put this list up without making note of it. It was much better than I expected out of this kind of book. An easy read – very well worth your time.
Open
An enlightening and terrifying look into the life of Andre Agassi. I always liked this guy and now I have some idea why.
Stones Into Schools
A continuation of the story of Three Cups of Tea by the same author. Read that first and then read this book. The author’s commitment to do something important no matter what the consequences is inspiring.
When the Game Was Ours
Very disappointing. I was a big fan while they played the game but that wasn’t enough to make this book worth reading.
I Am Ozzy
The great and powerful Ozzy tries desperately to remember details from his thirty plus years as the prince of darkness. Unfortunately, his memory is shot. The only redeeming feature in this book is that it was clearly written (dictated) by Ozzy himself (unlike the previously mentioned book which was almost certainly not written by Bird and Johnson).
The Others
There are other books I read that are not worth mentioning and still more I did not get a chance to read. I’ve made a wishlist
of the books I’d like to read eventually.
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(very flawed film)
(brilliantly funny)
(Christensen was terrible, film much better than expected)
(Wow!)