Scrotum February 21, 2007
Posted by Mark in : Come Again?, Rant , add a commentI’m on a roll railing against idiots. The latest? Book banning of course. Read the link to the story in the New York Times and you’ll understand.
With One Word, Children’s Book Sets Off Uproar 
Link: The Earth Is Not Moving February 19, 2007
Posted by Mark in : Come Again?, Rant , add a commentThe non-moving Earth & anti-evolution web page of The Fair Education Foundation, Inc. 
I don’t even know what to say
about these people.
Gettysburg September 14, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Freedom, Politics, Rant , add a commentI thought about posting what I was thinking on and about 9/11 Monday, but I just figured enough was being said, maybe too much. Anyone that was alive and cognizant on that date has some pretty strong feelings about it and what has happened since.
Throughout the day, I kept thinking of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the two greatest leaders this country has ever had, in my opinion anyway. I thought about FDR because he knew how to lead without using fear (read terror). I thought about Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address too, as I tried to imagine an appropriate memorial to the 9/11 victims.
Most of us know the speech. We’ve heard it a thousand times, probably from our own mouths as we attempted to memorize it for school. Back then it drove me crazy, it was just another chore, a requirement to pass the class, but now I feel differently. Maybe it’s age or maturity that gives me a different perspective on the speech. I really think it’s because, by now in my life, I understand loss. So throughout the day I kept thinking of two sentences from the speech, “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”
I wondered all day long, what we or our leaders had done, to really give a fitting memorial to the lost souls of 9/11? Of course Lincoln was right, no matter what we do, we can not compensate for the loss. So as the day went along I decided it was just too big for us to understand, and I could not blame a Democrat or a Replubican for this. But then President Bush gave his memorial speech. What a misuse of a great opportunity. What an insult to us as Americans.
What can I say about a man that abuses a solemn day for his own political gain? What can I say about a leader that implies that dissenters, people with reasonable differences of opinion, of basically being traitors? What can you say about the coincidence of his speech being scheduled at 9 PM so that it interrupted ABC’s rant against the Clinton administration’s pre 9/11 policies?
I am disappointed, saddened and very angry. George W. Bush is a little man, unworthy to carry on the traditions of this nation. He is a man of small stature in a position, and in a time, that requires something bigger. His 9/11/06 speech made him seem even smaller to me. I did not think that was possible. In my opinion the War on Terror (read fear) is being lost, because I am more afraid today than I was yesterday. I am afraid not of Al-Qaeda, or Bin Laden and their ilk, but I am afraid of our leaders. The men leading us now are not capable of true leadership. I am afraid of where they are taking us. I am also afraid of our ability to find the right men and women to lead and protect us in the future. Maybe that is what I fear most.
At 8:46 AM, when a man on the radio reminded me of what happened exactly at that moment on 9/11/01, I was standing in line at a Dunkin Donuts. Just as I started to reflect, the woman working behind the counter yelled, “Next,” and the world moved on. I remember exactly where I was at 8:46 AM, 9/11/01. I remember exactly where I was on 11/23/63 when I heard JFK was shot. I can’t remember where I was last year on either of those dates. I won’t forget where I was at 8:46 AM or at 9 PM this year though. 
Why I Blog September 6, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Blogging, Rant , 2 commentsFor several weeks now I have been thinking about why I blog. I had been thinking about it a lot, when Jeremiah raised the same question in his blog. Then someone I work with asked me why I do it? Finally someone that often tries to post comments to my blog asked, just what were the rules for my blog. So it seems like I had to answer the question.
In some ways it seems sort of silly for me to blog, since I don’t get much traffic here. I’ve made 9¢ since I’ve started the Google ad program. That proves my traffic point and that I am not into this for the money. Also my posts are very irregular in subject matter and timing, so even if I got some traffic, it would be hard to get a following.
So what’s my answer? Because it’s there. I didn’t invent that phrase, but it works for me. I do this because I want to have a channel for experiments. I want to experiment with the discipline, or lack of, making posts. I want to experiment with the science of the internet. I want to experiment with business models that are constantly evolving on the net. I want to experiment with the art and design of websites. I want to experiment with an alternate method of reaching my friends. I want to experiment with an outlet for my thoughts.
And you know what? It really works….for me. If it doesn’t work for you, I apologize. This site may seem scattered, irregular and even petulant at times. That is the nature of this specific trial. Is that a silly philosophy? Maybe, but I’m having fun and so far the experiment is a success. So thanks for being patient and sticking with me and humoring me too. 
p.s. What are the rules for accepting posts on my blog? There aren’t any. It’s my fucking blog, I pay the web hosting service and I get to make up the rules on the fly. If you don’t like it, please take your toys and go home.
Ripley’s Game August 23, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Movies, Rant , add a commentLiliana Cavani directed The Night Porter, which is just weird and bizarre enough to make me think about watching anything thing else she directed. Porter is a twisted S&M tale of a Nazi concentration camp survivor, a yummy Charlotte Rampling, and her former tormentor/SS Officer, Dirk Bogarde after they accidentally meet again in a hotel in Austria. It’s sick film, but somehow compelling too. (I know Linda Mulvey has me figured) So when Steph recommended Ripley’s Game and I found out Cavani Directed it and that John Malkovich was the star, I thought I couldn’t go wrong. Well, I guess that’s what I get for thinking.
It had all of the ingredients of a good film, Malkovich, Ray Winstone, the character and story of Tom Ripley novels, locations (Italy and Germany) and the Director. That should work right? It just didn’t. It had all of the effervescence of Wednesday night movie on Lifetime. It only lacked Meredith Baxter Birney or Mariska Hargitay.
Technically it was a very pedestrian film, the blocking and lighting were average at best. The Acting? Malkovich and Winstone were great, but the rest for the cast, bland and average, really flat. And the Anti-Antagonist (or is it the Polar-Protagonist?) Ripley’s foil, Dougray Scott, was just terrible. Maybe having to act against JM just overwhelmed him.
So why am I writing about it? Initially it was to give Steph a hard time, but that changed. I did a little research into the film and was shocked to see that some critics liked it. Roger Ebert even called it a Great Film. The only thing I can figure is the Chemo-therapy is affecting his brain. Another Reviewer/Idiot, Walter Chaw said, “Veteran cinematographer Alfio Contini shoots the Padua and Vicenza locations with a sun-kissed Roman warmth offsetting the chill wafting from Malkovich’s Ripley.” I wondered if he saw the same film I saw. The best thing I could say about the lighting is that it was even.
And chill wafting from JM is another problem. JM does a great job of delivering his cold blooded lines, but I think he was the wrong actor for the part. He has played to many evil parts, embodied too many villains to play the role convincingly now. Maybe back in his Dangerous Liaisons days he could have pulled it off, but not today. I am no big fan of Matt Damon, but his typical vacant acting style, perfectly captured the sangfroid of Tom Ripley, in The Talented Mr. Ripley. JM is great, but he has too much baggage for this film.
In the end Cavani failed. She was the Director, so it’s her fault. I’ve read there was tension on the set, that she even walked off for a while and JM took over the helm. That doesn’t matter, it’s still her fault. And if I ever catch the Editor Jon Harris, we’re gonna have a talk.
Movies, Movies, Movies August 15, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Movies, Rant , add a commentLast night’s post was really delayed a few days. I waited to give Steph a chance to see Munich. So tonight I’m going to catch up. Why I feel like I should be reviewing movies, is beyond me. But here I go, with the three films I’ve just seen.
Walk the Line, is just another false Freudian, Post-Modern, Psychobabble, Bio-Pic. It had a decent cast, with decent acting, an OK supporting cast (they looked like the characters they were playing, but it ended there); it was well shot, and of course the music was dead on fantastic. I think Reese Witherspoon won an Academy Award because June Carter Cash was patient. The film should have ended at Folsom Prison. Don’t start with the fucking saw, if you ain’t gonna end with the fucking saw. I did cry, however.
A History of Violence. Well… a great cast, but Canadians shouldn’t try to do Indiana. There isn’t a Sheriff in all of Hoosierdom that would wear a hat like that. I really want to like Cronenberg, for many reasons, but he hasn’t made a good film since The Dead Zone. Of course Viggo Mortensen is always brooding and hot, and I might kill for Maria Bello. Raa, Raa, Siss, Boom, Baa!
I really liked Good Night, and Good Luck. Every High School Civics class should have to watch it. It was a good 93 minutes. It would have been a great 63 minutes. Keep up the good work George!
Trilogy of Terror August 13, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Movies, Rant , add a commentIn the last week I’ve seen three films that have a lot in common, The Constant Gardener, Syriana and last night I watched Munich. I can’t say I loved Munich.
All three films have a great deal in common. The subject matter of course, the effects of post colonialism, the twisting plots, murder death and mayhem. Also many of the characters have a nagging fear that while they are working for a cause, they are missing the truth. It’s practically an epidemic in Munich. Each film plays with time too. In Syriana, Director Stephen Gaghan, does a great job of using parallel action, of moving the cascading story into it’s inevitable climax. While he used the same technique in Traffic, and I suppose one could say he should be more original, I thought the trick worked better in Syriana.
In The Constant Gardener, Fernando Meirellesa uses a sort of objective, flashback technique that is very effective. And except for the Hollywood ending, I thought the film seemed reminiscent of the ’70’s conspiracy thrillers, like The Parallax View, The Conversation, or Three Days of the Condor. The cast was great and Ralph Fiennes finally redeemed himself in my eyes, I didn’t think that was possible, (see Red Dragon).
Munich….. Munich, Munich, Munich, what can I say? I just didn’t get it. I mean I got it, but I felt gypped. I invested a great deal of time, and thought it was going somewhere. I think it was repetitive and slow. Yes it showed the futility of an “Eye for an eye,” mentality especially when used by a government, but I got that pretty early in the film. “For this, I spent two and half hours?” The cast was great, and I often think that actors in Spielberg films are flat. They weren’t in this, I’ll give him that. And Ciarán Hinds, was amazing.
The climax, or false climax, or forced climax, was off putting to me. It was juvenile. The protagonists ultimate realization of the hollowness of his actions is realized during sex. That’s about number four on the list of film school clichés, The Conjugal Climax. In the end, I think it was the end that pissed me off, and made me write this. I knew where Spielberg was going the minute, I saw the opening frames of the last scene. I knew is going to be the last scene and knew where it was going to end. I groaned out loud. I think it was cheap and easy to end the film with a skyline shot of Manhattan, with the WTC in the background. It’s pretty easy to foreshadow an event four years after it happens.
Sound Effects August 4, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Freedom, I'm Not Gay, Rant , add a commentYes, I’m feeling very political today. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands. All I can say is that I’ve got to figure a way to put sound effects on this blog. The link below would have the accompanying sound of my hand slapping my forehead.
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/8/22006c.asp
Big Dig July 18, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Blogging, Rant , add a commentGod, it’s hot here! One of my housemates is from Bangalore, India. When I first met him he said, “It’s a hot and chaotic place. One should never feel the need to visit there.” (You add the Hindi accent) So with the heat, the Summer tourists and the chaos of the Big Dig, I feel like I live in Bangalore on the Charles.
Everything is a mess here and we’re in Commuting Hell, otherwise known as the10th Circle of Hell, which makes everything Dante wrote about seem like a dip in a cool pond. Even without the latest disaster, the Big Dig had the roadways and the other commuting systems strained beyond belief. In the last few weeks the MBTA has been doing a major reworking and construction of some the Subway lines. They have also been opening and closing stations to update the way fares are collected. While I like the Charlie Card system, imposing it now, during the heavy tourist season just doesn’t make sense. Especially when you consider that most of us commuters want the people that know where they’re going to get out of way. So we have the added mystery of which stations take the new cards, with tourists in our way too. Now add the new problems with the Dig and the heat. What chaos
Whose fault is this? We can blame the contractors, Bechtel, it’s a pretty awful company (not to mention what they are up to in Iraq.) We can blame the sub-contactors. Those guys that make and haul concrete, you fill in the cliché here. We can blame penny pinching bureaucrats. I imagine ultimately, we all want to blame the politicians. Which ones though, this thing has been going on for so long, do we blame the Democrats or the Republicans. Its pitiful here in Boston, watching the pols on TV, all trying to take charge of the investigation or showing their plans to fix the mess. It is disgusting.
In the end it is our fault. Why? Because we are afraid of leadership. So until we quit electing/hiring pretty politicians with good haircuts that tell what we want to hear rather than what we should hear, I guess we should put on some shorts and leave for work thirty minutes early. It’s our sin, so we have to be punished
Did I mention that it’s hot as hell here?
New Site July 11, 2006
Posted by Mark in : Blogging, Rant , 2 commentsOK, so if you’ve made it here, then you’ve obviously been to the old blog and passed through the Black Hole and made it over here. Why have I made the move? After a 100 bucks and 12 Advil later I honestly can’t say. I think my goal was to learn a bit about the process. I think I’ve learned I should work harder, or longer, so I make more money and then hire someone else that really knows what they’re doing.
I’m FTP’d, SQL’d, HTML’d, XML’d and PHPooped out.
.
