Lions rescue, guard young girl in Ethiopia.

lions
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

The national symbol of Ethiopia, the black maned lion. Here is a story - unbelievable but true - about a young girl kidnapped by men, one or who wanted to marry her against her will. They beat her until a pride of lions, three of them, emerged from the bush. The lions chased her abductors away, then guarded her until police arrived. Supposedly, the wimpering from the girl sounded like a lion cub, and the lions assumed these evil men were hurting a cub. Read about it here. Lions don't have souls?

Bhutan movie: Travellers and Magicians

prayerFlags
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Wow! A fantastic movie, the only feature film ever made in Bhutan. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful story. A young, minor government official seeks to escape his small village. He loves America: he wears his hair long, wears a denim gho, a traditional Bhutan dress (no one wears a denim gho - one of a kind - like blue jeans - american, get it?) He listens to American music, plays the air guitar etc. His superior is annoyed by him - tells him to get a haircut. He gets some time off to go to a festival in a nearby city, but he really is planning to leave Bhutan and go to his Dreamland, America (he has a friend who will get him a Visa, sketchy deal). But he misses his bus! He hitchhikes and runs into other travellers - an apple man, a monk, and an old man and his young daughter. The monk tells a story, about a magician student who also dreams of a better life...well, I won't give the story away, but the monk is very wise. What is remarkable is the beauty of the countryside. The young man was living in a paradise, only didn't realize it. What a metaphor! Supposedly a soundtrack is coming out soon - the music is incredible. A must see!

Email your future self

The existentialists explain that we are all works in progress, and we are actively making our future selves. Well, now you can email your future self. The possibilities are limitless: You could remind your future self about your misgivings on your weekend date. You could check in with yourself to see how that new job you are about to begin has worked out....

Kansas tornado

tornado_nguyen
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This is a real photo from NASA. They were studying tornadoes in Kansas and the sun was shining (lights up buildings) but there was a terrible wall cloud forming. A rainbow appeared, then a white funnel cloud dropped down from the sky. What a picture! It looks like the tornado is attached to the rainbow!

What it's like to crash a rally car in water

escort2
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

You have to see this video - awesome! A rally car loses control around a curve and ends upside down in water. The drivers are remarkably calm.

Canada! A liberal paradise!

moose
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

For those of us who thought about moving to Canada with George W's reelection, think about this: Dick Cheney (yes, Dick F***ing Cheney - see video below) is thinking of running for President in 2008! If not him, then Sen. Bill Frist! What a choice for republicans voting in the primary, Cheney or Frist! Ok, so Canada is beginning to look better all the time, eh? Check this page about Canada - it tells you everything you need to know!

The Third Man

third man
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This classic film is playing sunday night at Regent sq theater in squirrel hill. If I could only find someone to go with me....this takes place in Vienna, after WWII. The city is occupied by allies, including soviet union. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) arrives in Vienna to visit his old friend Harry lime, but harry turns out dead. Holly investigates - is Harry really dead? Why would he want to stage his own death? The music is amazing (zither music). The city is depressing, the populace weary of war, weary of refugees, weary of the occuping armies. Holly falls for Harry's old girlfriend, Anna (Alida Valli) - will she fall for him? Holly is a western novelist, a nice, harmless person - will he get the girl? Orson welles plays Harry and his appearance in the film is amazing - what an entry! Dont forget, Orson and Joseph starred in Citizen Kane, so they know each other well. The part at the end, on the ferris wheel, is classic: see the people from up here? They look like ants. You can step on ants and feel nothing - thats how Harry feels about humans. Harry is evil. Even though goodness triumphs in this movie, it is bittersweet: the film ends on a sad note, the people of Vienna are no happier, Anna is morose, the commies are still in Vienna. Great film!
Here is trivia: Josephy Cotton finally does get the girl, in Walk Softly, Stranger, he appears again with Alida Valli and this time she falls in love with him. Alida Valli is still alive, had a film appear in 2002 with Miro Sorvino (Angel of Death).

turtles can fly

turtles
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This is by far the most depressing, painful movie i have ever seen. In fact, this was shown at the 3 rivers film festival last fall, and it sounded so depressing, I purposely avoided seeing it. But, it played again at Regent Square theater, and I went to see it not realizing what it was. This is a movie about children in a refugee camp on the Iran-Turkey border just prior to US invasion of Iraq. The main character is Satellite, so named because he knows how to hook up a satellite dish to a TV so the village elders can get information on the war (they cant speak english so they cant understand the news shows - they dismiss the news as propaganda anyway). Ironically, the only person they understand on the news is Saddam Hussein speaking! Satellite organizes the refugee children to dig up land mines to sell to arms merchants for money. He is rewarded for his success in hooking up the satellite by being given an abandoned armored personnel vehicle to live in. (there are abandoned military vehicles all over). The poverty is hard to describe. Other characters are Henzov and Agrin, a brother and sister, who have a younger "borther" to care for: a blind toddler. Agrin wants to leave the camp: she cant, because she cares for Henzov who is armless, and the blind baby. Throughout the film she considers different ways of committing suicide. One reviewer said to view this movie at home, turn down the sound, and just read the subtitles, that way you dont have to listen to children crying and weeping for 2 hours. Henzov is armless, but he digs up land mines for resale with his mouth - yes, he disarms land mines by unscrewing them with his teeth. Satellite gets injured toward the end, (guess how), and his crying is endless...he is crying for all the pain he has endured for so long...its unbearable. The movie ends with no hope - the village elders are disengaged - they have given up any control over their lives. The americans pay no attention to the refugees - they move silently through the camp. This is a crazy, cruel, meaningless adult-created world as seen through the eyes of children. What horror we humans can create?! See this movie only with you support group.

Pulp Fiction cartoon

For those of you who want to replay the movie Pulp Fiction but only have 30 seconds to watch it, check out this cartoon. Its very creative and cool.

Lynne Cheney's lesbian novel

sister-cover
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

IN 1981 Lynne published "Sisters," a novel about two women who move west and deal with the frontier. One sister actually has an affair with her sister, then after her sister dies she has an affair with her dead sisters widowed husband. So we have lesbian love, adulterous love, bisexuality - wow! Lynne's been holding back! It is out of print and rumor has it that the republicans are buying up copies on ebay. The canadian publisher wanted a second edition to capitalize on Lynne's notoriety as first VP lady, but she refused. Here is an excerpt:
"The women who embraced in the wagon were Adam and Eve crossing a dark cathedral stage -- no, Eve and Eve, loving one another as they would not be able to once they ate of the fruit and knew themselves as they truly were. She felt curiously moved, curiously envious of them. She had never to this moment thought Eden a particularly attractive paradise, based as it was on naiveté, but she saw that the women in the cart had a passionate, loving intimacy forever closed to her. How strong it made them. What comfort it gave.

The young woman was heavily powdered, but quite attractive, a curvesome creature, rounded at bosom and cheek. When she smiled, even her teeth seemed puffed and rounded, like tiny ivory pillows.

Let us go away together, away from the anger and imperatives of men. We shall find ourselves a secluded bower where they dare not venture. There will be only the two of us, and we shall linger through long afternoons of sweet retirement. In the evenings I shall read to you while you work your cross-stitch in the firelight. And then we shall go to bed, our bed, my dearest girl."

Lynne is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, some BS appointment she received. She has written a 30 pg "book" on how academia is populated by communists and feminists who are brainwashing our children (that is considered "research?") and a childrens book on America (A is for Arabs, we only like the ones with oil) that sort of thing. Then she wrote a novel about a Pres who dies while porking an intern (where did she get that idea?) and his party keeps his death a secret so the VP can win the Wisconsin pres primary (?!) That novel was co-authored (a co authored novel?) So her senior fellow position is BS.

Katherine Harris, or Cruella de Ville

katherine.harris
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

The person who helped steal the Florida election for George W. was elected to the House of Representatives, and has announced her candidacy for US Senate. She has a MPA degree from Harvard's Kennedy school, so she is no dummy. She is ruthless: watch this video about her purging the voting lists in Florida.

scarface

scarface
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Here is a video that shows VP Dick Cheney delivering Scarface's speech at the Republican National Convention. It is funny because it fits so perfectly!
Don't forget that VP Cheney used the "F" word to Vermont's Senator Leahy (probably the most liberal senator in the US senate). So maybe this is really the way cheney would speak, if given the option!

karenna gore

karenna gore
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

So my son nat and I were at the Belle Meade plantation in nashville (see below) and he drove me past Al Gore's house. Nice house. We saw a young woman, in her 20's, jogging as we drove to the house, and passed her again as we returned. "That's Al Gore's daughter" I told my son. "No way" he replied. Well, here is her picture, the eldest daughter, and it really did look like her.

Belle Meade Plantation

newbelle
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

My son Nat drove me to the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville when I visited him for his graduation from Vanderbilt Univ. Belle Meade was a equestrian farm, and very recently was a working farm. There are some good displays about the slaves who worked there - I imagine this was a very paternalistic plantation, where slaves were "family." Troublesome slaves (like those wanting their freedom!) were simply sold, not whipped. But you can imagine who would buy a would be run away slave - those truly hideous plantations down in mississippi and louisiana, where thousands of slaves would work in the fields. There was even a geneology display for the slaves and their decendents.

Sen. John Ford resigns

John Ford, the legendary hack from the african american community of memphis, has resigned from the Tennessee state senate. This is the guy who gets his female staffers pregnant, who shot a hand gun at a trucker on the interstate driving from the state assembly, and who waved a shotgun at a municipal worker in memphis who was working on his street and woke him up. This is the brother of Harold Ford, the former Congressman from memphis. And he is the uncle of Harold Ford Jr., who has just announced his candidancy for US Senate. Harold Ford Jr is a good guy, but his dad and uncle represented the "old" guard. To be more precise, John and harold were hold overs from the carpet bagging days, when freed men were put in office and expected to be stooges - so much of the slave culture still permeates the African American community. Harold Ford Jr. is the future - how does President Ford sound? But thank goodness John is out of office - he made a joke out of public service.

Running as Metaphor

The best book I've read on running marathons is "26.2 Trail of Truth," by Bruce Morrison,Hampton Roads Publishing, 891 Norfolk Square, Norfolk, VA 23502. (address is important because this book isn't carried in book stores). It really captures the emotion and feeling of running a marathon. Here is his preface poem:

Let it happen.

Run easy.

Life is fun.

But, it's a marathon.

Here is an excerpt from "Mile 22" "Value this moment. Just hang on. It is a valuable lesson this marathon teaches, learning to just keep going. There will be many times when just putting one foot in front of the other is required - to stop an admission of failure, just to keep going avoids defeat and retains the possibility of victory. You hurt, question, but keep going, strides adding inches and feet and yards and miles, with each step the destination is closer."

A marathon is a metaphor for life - your pace, your training, your confidence, your faith, your higher power, put one foot in front of the other, lean into it, with each step you are closer to your goal - I learned alot from running marathons. My last one was in 1993. I was running 1/2 marathons up until 2000. (I have suspended running pending back surgery - I only bike now).

voyager I

voyager I
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Voyager I is leaving the solar system and entering interstellar space. If you want to know what that looks like, view an animation by NASA - you are riding on Voyager, looking backward as it leaves the solar system. First the sun becomes small, disappears, then solar wind......(wasn't it Einstein who imagined riding on a light wave, with time standing still?)

Iraq video with Tony Christie song

This video is a lot of fun - British Royal Marines in Iraq. You've got to smile at this. Lucky Pierre (the guys who "sings") seems like a fun guy. This is a take off on Peter Kay's video with the Tony Christie song - Kay is a tv personality (stand up comedian with his own show on the "tele") in england, made a video with UK "stars" appearing, and he is walking to the beat of the 70's song "Amarillo." It became a big hit in the UK - so the marines are parodying a pop video. Even if you dont get this, the marines video is still alot of fun.

Sandstorm in Iraq

Click here for an incredible video of an Iraqi sandstorm. I once saw a small dust storm in Oklahoma, but it was nothing like this.

Dance with Napolean Dynamite

This is great! Watch this before your next trip to the dance club, and learn some new moves. It takes a while to load but its worth it!

Crying While Eating

logo
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Ok, this is really weird, but its addictive. You have GOT to watch these videos of people who are "crying while eating." And their reasons are very funny....kind of in a sick way. very funny.

Walk on!

Here's a story from a year ago, about Vanderbilt university students who decide to "walk on" the football team. Division I teams have 85 scholarships players, but can roster up to 105 players. So, about 20 players can walk on as non scholarship players, if they can compete well enough. This story is about walk on players, and Nat True-Daniels is one of the players interviewed, and Nat is described as "one of the teams best options as kickoff specialist." Nat also said, "I couldn't really live without athletics."

Closing Military Bases

Our fearless leader Donald Rumsfeld has announced his decisions regarding the BRAC 2005 process (Base Realignment and Closure). Here's how it works: Sec of Defense sends his recommendations to a Commission (appointed by Pres and confirmed by Senate), the Commission holds hearings, then sends their recommendations to President, then Pres. Bush sends his recommendations to the entire US Congress. At that point, Congress can do nothing and the President's recommendations become law. However, Congress vote to dismiss the recommendations (a Congressional Veto) and the entire BRAC process is cancelled. BRAC is set up by legislation passed by Congress to give the Executive Branch the intiative to close bases, and realign military operations, to save money and have a more efficient military operation (read that, "save money.") Politics and military spending, including the location of military bases, has always involved politics, in addition to military strategy. Politicians want Pentagon money spent in their home districts. So how to get politics out of military spending decisions? Let the Executive branch make the initial decisions, subject only to a Congressional veto that would vote down the entire BRAC recommendations (all or nothing). Now all these politicians are coming out to argue against base closures: Sen. Lieberman from Conn wants to block the closure of the New London sub base: those subs are part of the cold war, and we dont need two major sub bases. Besides, can you imagine the private sector development potential of all that land on the Connecticut River? Imagine the yaught clubs, condominiums and such that can be built there! Corporate office centers! Closing that base could result in more jobs, more investment. Its the bases in the middle of nowhere that pose the biggest problem, like Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, home to half of our B1 bombers: there is nothing there, no hope for private sector investment, and republican senator John Thune who defeated Sen Daschle last year campaigned that he could better prevent the base from being closed (since he is a Repub and buddies with Bush - ha! BRAC doesnt operate that way, dummie). Dont forget, it was Congress who created the BRAC process, and the only way they can oppose one base closure is to veto the entire package (that was the way they designed it - so they would essentially write themselves out of the process, except for the veto part). The veto is what I have called the "drop dead" aspect of BRAC (I have written a paper on this subject, soon to be published): The executive branch is motivated to come up with bipartisan cuts, acceptable to Congress, or else all their work is for nothing (Congress vetos it). How much time so they have to save their bases? Not much: Congress decided that hearings would only take weeks, not months, to prevent opposition from forming (move quickly if you want to terminate a government program - see my "Terminating Public Programs" book). So are they guys really upset with base closures in their states, or are they simply playing politics with the voters? Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania initially supported the cuts in PA, until the Democrats attacked him and now he is vowing to fight the closures in PA - ha! As though he is really committed. I feel bad for the people around Ellsworth AF Base - all the restaurants, service industry, apartments, even the housing market will go down the tubes when that base closes - but we cant operate military bases as a kind of welfare for a local community. Maybe those people in S Dakota should move to New London CT - I've heard there is going to be an economic expansion there soon! That's the way it works.......(people in S Dakot and New London must have seen this coming 10 years ago with the end of the cold war).

Mom dog

Mom dog
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This nursing mom found an abandoned 7 pound human infant, carried it back to where she was nursing her puppies, and later the infant was found an is now alive and well in a hospital. Infants are often abandoned in Kenya due to poverty. How can anyone believe that dog's or cat's lack souls?

japanese train wreck

japanese train wreck
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

My son explained that trains in Japan run on time, all the time, and if a train is late the engineer gets punished. he has to work extra time, on menial tasks, as a form of punishment. So,as every student of organizational behavior knows, workers avoid punishment, and if that means going too fast (passengers reported that the train tipped to one side around the curve before it flew off the track) then that's risk the engineer will take. In this case the engineer was 25 yrs old, and 90 seconds late (which I understand is very very late in Japan). Remember Casey Jones from Jackson Tennessee, who crashed somewhere in Mississippi? "Casey Jones, hand upon the throttle, Casey Jones he's comin' 'round the bend, Casey Jones he didn't see the warning, and he's on his final journey to the promised land." to make sure I got the words of the song correct, I looked up Casey Jones on the internet, and I came up with a link to the TV series Casey Jones, featuring Alan Hale (Gilligan's Island) in 1958 - this show is so bad is good. It employes every racial and gender stereotype from the '50's!

Pvt. England

Pvt. England
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Lynndie England, one of the soldiers who were photographed abusing prisoners in Iraq, plea bargained but the judge threw it out. Turns out, she was not aware that the pictures taken were intended for some kind of public relations reason (to scare other prisoners? probably). If that is the case, then she can't say she is guilty, because unknowingly, she was part of an organized, ordered, task of intimidating prisoners ordered from above. This is getting complicated - in other words, her superiors had a reason for ordering this abuse, so she is innocent (maybe). Why haven't the people who did the ordering been charged? We go after the PFC's who can't give orders, but not the guys who give them? Her guidance counselor testified that she was oxygen deprived at birth, has severe learning disabilities, is naturally subordinate to those in authority. How did she get in the national guard? Standards are that low? Is that red beret an Airborne beret - which means she went to jump school? Can she get a civilian lawyer to defend her? Like The Dude says in Big Lebowski when the fascist Malibu chief of Police has arrested him: "I want a lawyer...get me William Kunstler!" She needs a good lawyer - I actually feel sorry for her. If she goes to jail, it will be for the crimes of the nation (can Bush be prosecuted once he leaves office? I think so and I think he should).

The Magnificent Ambersons

ambersons
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Wednesday May 4 TCM is playing Citizen Kane at 8:00 eastern time and following that is the Magnificent Ambersons. TMA is considered just as good as Citizen Kane, and has Joseph Cotton (Mr Leland from Kane, "you wouldn't have a cigar on you young man, would you? ") that's 4 1/2 hours of the best Orson Welles movies in one night!

james dean's porsche

james dean's porsche
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

you buy this replica NEW - looks like the real thing, definitely a racing car. This is the James Dean model, has his racing number on it. See more here.

tango cafe

tango cafe
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

It was raining and I didn't want to wait for my movie in the lobby of the squirrel hill cinema, so I ducked in a small cafe for a cup of coffee. What a surprise! It is the Tango Cafe, an Argentina cafe featuring deserts and sandwiches and the best coffee in pittsburgh. There are books inside about Argentina, there are alwasys latins talking spanish, and sometimes entertainment. I also read that sometimes they push the tables back and give tango lessons. Their sandwiches are great - they make their own bread and toast the sandwich - it is so good. They also have small meat rolls called empanados (sp?) kinda like a Argentina perogie for only $2 (but I am vegetarian and don't eat it, but customers rave about it.) There was an elderly lady there sunday who came in for her daily "fix" - one empanada. They also serve an Argentina health drink which I've heard you have to acquire a taste for.
http://www.tangocafepgh.com/

Gram Parsons movie

parsons
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Gram Parsons was the real deal - folk music, bluegrass music player who ended up playing keyboards for the Byrds. He brought a fusion of country western into rock through the Byrds - the Sweetheart of the Rodeo was the album that Rolling Stone still considers one of the greatest. This album featuring pedal steel guitar, banjo and so forth. I listened to it in college and immediately starting playing banjo (why I stopped I'll never know). in any event, this movie is about his death. He died after abusing his body with herion, amphetamines, booze etc. he was surrounded by stooges who didnt call an ambulance but tried to revive him by sticking ice cubes up his butt, and "trying" CPR (they said they didn't know how to do it but tried). Someone finally called an ambulance and even that crew sounded clueless (didnt try to revive him until they got to the hospital). As the Dude says in the Big Lebowski, "he had to feed the monkey." Anyway, his step dad wanted him buried in Louisiana to establish residency and claim inheritance, but meanwhile, his road manager decided to honor Grams wishes and steal the body and burn it in Joshua Tree national park. Somehow he gets a hippie hearse, steals the body at the airport and burns it. He turns himself in, gets fined for stealing the coffin, and never spend a day in jail. Step dad gets no inheritance, dies of alocohol poisoning shortly thereafter. There is a book about this, also stories in rolling stone: the stuff legend is made out of. This movie is stupid: it invents all sorts of extra characters, as though you needed to invent characters for this story. Also, none of Gram Parsons songs are played on the soundtrack - how screwed up is that? My favorite Parson song: I am a Pilgrim. Great song. Lead banjo throughout. His girlfriend was 25 yr old emmy lou harris, who subsequently recorded alot of his songs successfully (las vegas, sin city, wheels). So watch the film but then buy Sweetheart of the Rodeo. One of his best friends was Keith Richard, and with him as a friend, you dont need an enemy (Richard's drug use is legendary - he used to get full body blood transfusions because of his heroin addiction - mick jagger does a great imitation of him, incomprehensible speech, drugged mannerisms).

marx bros music

marx bros music
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Harpo on the harp, Chico on the piano. Harpo wanted to play the piano, but their mom only had money for his older brother chico to take lessons. But Harpo learned to play later in life. Both Chico and Harpo had comedy routines on the piano. In Night at the Opera, they are both surrounded by children as they play their funny routines - this isn't acting, they both loved children, and their children have memories of them both being very entertaining around children. They were far from perfect - they drank gambled etc. Chico was notorius for chasing women (as were all three) - Dick Cavett has this funny story about Chico meeting Tallula Bankhead, a famous and exotic actress at the time. "I really want to fuck you," he said. "And so you shall, you naughty boy," she replied in her exotic accent.

brain donors

brain donors
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This is a very funny take off on the Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera. John Tuturro play Roland T. Flakfizer, a phony theatrical manager, similar to Groucho Marx's portrayal of Otis B. Driftwood in the original. There is even a woman who is the equivalent of Margaret Dumond's character, Mrs Claypool - the rich widow who Groucho flatters in order to marry her and get at her money - he is of course very insulting to her, but in ways she never comprehends. The closing scene, as with the original, is a riot - an opera gone completely absurb, total mayhem. Groucho once explained that his movies always tried to bring chaos to order; thus, he picks an opera, a very establishment oriented system, and brings absolute chaos to it. Unlike the original, Brain Donors doesnt have the scene on the ship where Chico and Harpo entertain on the piano and harp.

bananas

bananas
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

The 1971 Woody Allen movie Bananas is playing at the Regent Square theater sunday night. Funny movie. Great scenes. You can see the influence of Groucho Marx (Woody loved the Marx brothers - he used to watch their movies over and over again as a young child). Here are some quotes:
Memorable Quotes from
Bananas (1971)
Fielding Mellish: I object, your honor! This trial is a travesty. It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.

Fielding Mellish: You're busy tonight?
Norma: Some old friends are coming over. We're gonna show some pornographic movies.
Fielding Mellish: You need an usher?

/>Nancy: Have you ever been to Denmark?
Fielding Mellish: I've been, yes... to the Vatican.
Nancy: The Vatican? The Vatican is in Rome.
Fielding Mellish: Well, they were doing so well in Rome that they opened one in Denmark.

Fielding Mellish: I once stole a pornographic book that was printed in braille. I used to rub the dirty parts.

Rebel Leader: You are accused of killing over a thousand innocent civilians. How do you plead?
Government Soldier: Guilty... but with an explanation.


Fielding Mellish: I love you, I love you.
Nancy: Oh, say it in French! Oh, please, say it in French!
Fielding Mellish: I don't know French.
Nancy: Oh, please... please!
Fielding Mellish: What about Hebrew?
Nancy: [disappointed] Oh.

Fielding Mellish: I was a nervous child - I was a bed wetter. When I was younger, I, uh, I used to sleep with an electric blanket and I was constantly electrocuting myself...

Nancy: I have to tell you something, and I don't know how to break it. Oh, Fielding...
Fielding Mellish: Why? Is something the matter? Am I... am I... Have you seen X-rays of me?
Nancy: I want to work with pygmies in Africa! I want to work with lepers in a leper colony! I don't think that you...
Fielding Mellish: I'm willing to...! No, it's perfectly okay with me! I like leprosy! If that's what you're asking me... I'm perfectly willing to... I like leprosy, I like cholera! I like all the major skin diseases!

Nancy: You're immature, Fielding.
Fielding Mellish: [whining] How am I immature?
Nancy: Well, emotionally, sexually, and intellectually.
Fielding Mellish: Yeah, but what other ways?
/>
Fielding Mellish: [nervously speaking at a fundraiser dinner, while posing as the San Marcos president] Although the United States is a very rich country, and San Marcos is a very poor one, there are a great many things we have to offer your country in return for aid. For instance, there... there are locusts. We have more locusts. There are locusts of all races and creeds. These, these locusts, incidentally, are available at popular prices. And so, by the way, are most of the women of San Marcos. Now then, despite the tiny size of our nation, few people realize that we lead the world in hernias. They also fail to realize that before Columbus discovered your country, he... he stopped in San Marcos and contracted a disease which today can be cured with one shot of penicillin.

Stone House Civil War Encampment

stone house
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Saturday, April 30, hosts a civil war encampment at the Stone House on Rt. 8 and Rt. 173, just outside Slippery Rock. This is a great place, especially during the Christmas craft show. Halloween is also fun, with haunted house tales and story telling. I just hope the weather cooperates.

The Weeping Camel

The Weeping Camel
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This is a great story about tradition and spiritual beliefs and the desire to embrace modern life also. The family featured in the film is absolutely adorable. Filmed in Mongolia, in the Gobi desert, the movie transports you to another time and place. Fascinating to watch the scenery, and the story line is enjoyable too. The movie has a great web site.

Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

i just attended a music and dance presentation by the monks of Gaden Shartse. They are Tibetan Buddhists, followers of the 14th Dalai Lama. Their monastery is in India, and they live in exile. There is an incredible video about Tibet, called Cry of the Snow Leopard, and it shows the destruction carried out by the Chinese (but let's not get carried away by human rights violations - it might endanger WTO and favored trade status for China - think of the money our corporations would lose if we imposed sanctions on China?). The program was great - the monks obviously enjoyed themselves. They talked about non violence, peace, negative feelings and behavior, impermanence of all living things - beautiful message. The monk who did most of the talking said we Americans spend about 10 years in our cars, maybe a couple years looking in a mirror at our appearance etc., so how much time do we spend in our lives paying attention to spiritual matters? Wow! Good point, especially for the culture of "Whoever dies with the most stuff wins."
On the other hand, Tibet was almost medieval in its organization prior to the Chinese invasion - the monastic system had a negative effect on the expansion of the economy - the country was very isolated - but despite this, I think the chinese invasion has been a disaster for Tibet, for its culture, for its people. Estimates are that 2 million Tibetans have died as a result of the occupation. If only Tibet had oil......then we would be demanding freedom and democracy.

Citizen Kane II

I am trying to get more info on a Saturday Night Live sketch on Citizen Kane. I FOUND THE TRANSCIPT ON INTERNET! Buck Henry was in it (I think he was host for that night) and the ending of Citizen Kane is different. Kane doesn't say "Rosebud," but "Roast Beef." He was trying to order a sandwich! They search back through Kane's life and discover that Kane once ordered a roast beef sandwich while working at the Chronicle - he and Mr. Leland were working and ordered out for lunch. I can't remember the whole sketch (I think Garrett Morris was the delivery "boy"). It was very creative, very funny - they nailed the acting and characters. I have purchased episodes of SNL for my classes: there is a video on the Clinton Impeachment - my favorite sketch is the Ladies Man re-enactment of the Starr Report (when Monica meets the Pres. and shows him his thong) - really funny. Then there is the take-off on "Cops" where the video tape records a police call on a domestic violence report at the Governor's mansion in Little Rock Arkansas - Bill is in the kitchen, with a black eye, and hillary is hiding in the pantry smoking a cigarette. "Some day she's gonna kill you - you that don't you Governor?" the cop asks. "Yeah, but I love her," replies. Very funny.

Big Pussy , handcuffs, bondage

Big Pussy
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Vincent Pastore, who plays Big Pussy on the Sopranos, was arrested for roughing up his girlfriend. I assume the Big Pussy was handcuffed and locked up until he could post bail. Oh the humanity....

hitler youth

hitler youth
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

"Every Girl is Ours," meaning all girls and boys belonged to Nazi Germany. Starting in 1926, Hitler Youth was a evening program for young people 10-18. In 1941 membership was required by law. There were athletic requirements (running, sit-ups, swimming, diving off a board for courage), songs, lots of Sieg Heil's. Some teachers complained that students were sleepy during the day because of evening Hilter Youth meetings. Our new Pope Joseph Ratzinger was a member of Hitler Youth. He also served in the army, manning an anti-aircraft site near a factory. Also manning the site were slaves from a nearby concentration camp. He is the best Cardinal for Pope? They didn't have anyone else? I read that he thinks only Roman Catholic Christians go to heaven - and that Jews can only be saved through Christ (I guess by converting to Roman Catholicism). The modern Catholic church dates from the 13th century when Thomas Aquinas applied Aristotlian philosophy to the church's doctrines. I think the church is trapped in the 13th century (come on, Nuns? How medieval can you get?)

tai long wan

tai long wan
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This is a peninsula near Hong Kong, a remote place that attracts lots of hikers. I have never heard of it before but it is like a paradise! Here is a photo album.
And here is a blog that describes a hiking visit.

Touch - dance club in Pittsburgh

touch_frontpage_photo
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

I am in Pittsburgh, after a movie, I'm alone, so I want to have one drink, a martini, in what Hemingway calls "a clean well lighted place." I decide to drive to the strip district and have a drink at Lydia's, an italian restaurant with a bar that is not smokey. As I near the place, I notice a club with a zebra awning, with a bouncer outside, pulsating music. I look in: there are women (girls) in bikinis dancing on the bars, with fairy wings on like Tinkerbell (what a fantasy!) I overhear the bouncer say $6 cover. I figure why not? I go in and the place is amazing, so loud, lights flashing. I climb the balcony to get a better view (of the girls dancing) and decide not to get a drink - I didn't want to have to yell at the bartender, it was that loud. I am a great people observer - I like to people watch. So I am taking this in, and all of a sudden I hear, "Dr. Daniels what are you doing here?!" Yes, students from SRU. We won't divulge names. I came up with a quick reply: "My girlfriend dances here." They thought that was a riot. I left just after that. But what a place! the Ultimate dance club - with a fireplace in the balcony - Safari theme. And I was there early, about 10:00 - the clubs dont start grooving until midnight.

blue parrot

blue parrot
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Here is Sidney Greenstreet, Signor Ferrari, as he appeared in Casablanca. Click back link for a really good tribute page, complete with Casablanca download game. I enjoyed his role - I like the scene where Rick sells him Rick's Cafe Americain and he is expressionless: Rick leaves and Ferrari calmly picks up a fly swatter and kills a fly. Great scene. OK trivia: What was Rick's bar in Paris called? da da da da...da da da...Le Belle Aurore.

bridgesandscott

bridgesandscott
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Jeff Bridges has finally shown up at a Lebowskifest! He sang "The Man in Me" and hung out with some other Lebowski actors. Check out the Lebowskifest site - new t-shirts, new bumber stickers - "the dude abides, man."

blade runner

blade runner
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

I just saw the Director's Cut of Blade Runner. Harrison Ford tracks down 4 replicants - clones who are better than human, but are programmed to die in 4 years. The programmers give them a memory of youth, complete with pictures, to lead them to believe they are human, and have had a childhood. If this sounds cruel, devious, just wait for the ending. A very sad story. I thought too much action, fighting etc. I wanted more emotion - about what it must feel like to be invented, controlled by others, with no hope for escape. I also thought the audience should have felt more for the replicants - they are the victims - but they were presented as violent villians (all except one, that is!) Ok, great flick, I won't argue.

Pres. James Buchanan's japanese vase

japanese vase
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

One of the things Pres. Buchanan accomplished in his presidency was receiving the Japanese Ambassador and establishing diplomatic relations with Japan. The Ambassador gave him this vase, which is now on display in the carriage house of the Buchanan estate. The History channel has been showing a review of Presidents all day today, and they were of course critical of Buchanan. There have been several history books on Buchanan, one recent book has been very balanced. I think he has been stereotyped as the gay bachelor President who was too compromising with his southern friends, which is true. But Pennsylvania has always been until then a compromising state, along with New York, that held the Andy Jackson Democratic party coalition together. And his southern friends in the Cabinet were in reality "friends" and that got in the way of his decision making (he should have fired his cabinet sooner). For many reasons I won't go into here, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was clueless about it. The issue of homesteading, free territories and abolition had been brewing for some time (ever since the No Nothings ran Millard Fillmore in 1852) and by 1856 with the emergence of the Republicans the democrats were doomed. I once looked at the electoral vote in 1860, combining the popular vote of the opponents of Lincoln, and even if you combine the popular votes of his opponents Lincoln still wins the election handily in the electoral college. Demographics also played a part in the 1860 election - rise of population in northern cities, population of Oregon an California too. I have other Buchanan pictures on my university web page.

outdoor rick the cat

outdoor rick the cat
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Rick the Cat finally can enjoy the sunshine, after spending the winter in the garage in his hut with a heating pad. He likes to sleep outside in the bushes. He often waits in the bushes for me to come home, because he doesn't like using the cat door, and prefers to walk quickly inside when the garage door opens (he does that quick, funny cat walk). So far, only one rabbit kill this year for Rick. Soon I will shut off the cat door and let him inside at night only after I make sure he doesn't have anything dead in his mouth (gruesome!).

Governor Rendell

Governor Rendell
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Governor Rendell visited Slippery Rock University's campus last fall for the Presidential race. College Democrats did a great job organizing the visit- our campus is predominantly democrat, but not necessarily liberal. Liberal in Pennsylvania means you still hunt deer, own a high powered rifle, and are opposed to Roe v Wade and think states should regulate abortion. But pro-union, definitely. Rendell is interesting guy: pro business, but socially liberal. Pro choice, jewish liberal, but conservative in some regards (who does that remind you of? Sen. Arlen Specter!) Ed Rendell is an amazing campaigner - very charismatic - even though he is a big, large bald headed guy. He delivered the state for Gore in 2000 with the Philly vote, and delivered again in 2004 for Kerry. Tom Ridge was Gov in 2000, and the Bushites were mad that he didn't bring PA in for Bush - Ridge was beat by Rendell's maching in Philly. Rendell will be around for a long while - definitely re-electable. Vice President Rendell? President Rendell? Rendell would be a better candidate than Kerry, or Hillary. I like being from a state with an intelligent governor - it gives me confidence. Now if we could only get rid of Sen. Santorum....

Web news site

Web news site
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

As an alternative to Fox News, check out Aljazeera english version. There is definitely a spin that is different from MSNBC (or Fox) but it seems just as accurate (if you can use the word accurate to describe reporting). There is also an animated cartoon daily, only sometimes I don't get it - you have to live in the middle east I guess. The cartoons are usually about Iraq, or Israel and the Palestinians. I don't think we (Americans) really understand the middle east because we don't understand the anger of Arabs over how Palestinian arabs are treated by Israel - we just don't get it.

Finally, a zesty tasting veggie meal

I have been making taco's with Morning Star Farm's crumbled veggie burger mix, and I stir in a packet of taco seasoning mix (from the mexican food aisle). Lightly toast the taco, spoon in the cooked veggie burger/taco mixture,cover with some graded monterey jack cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and then salsa sauce. It really tastes good as opposed to the cardboard vegetarian meals I have been eating. Also veggie burger has put out some new products, one of them is veggie meat loaf patty with sauce - very good.

Tom DeLay on the way out

It's all about re-election. Politics, that is. Rick Santorum (Repub from PA) is a conservative, perhaps too conservative for PA. He is being challenged by Bob Casey, son of Governor Casey, the conservative Roman Catholic Democrat who supported regulation of abortion (24 hr waiting period, parental notification)- perhaps you heard of Planned Parenthood v Casey? Anyway, Santorum is afraid of Casey. Meanwhile, in Texas, Delay didnt get re-elected by a wide margin in the last election, despite his war chest of slimey money, despite his being House Maj Leader. Demo's have targeted DeLay in 2006, and Santorum too. So Rick Santorum has called on DeLay to come clean on campaign financing and, simply put, his bribes. Santorum wants to appear clean, above reproach, to distance himself from someone who is crashing. Santorum runs for re-election, lets PA voters know his committment to ethics, how he got rid of a dishonest Republican like DeLay. Meanwhile, Rep. Shay, Repub from Connecticut, calls for DeLay to resign. It makes sense, get a moderate New England Repub to call on DeLay to resign. Obviously, the Repub would like DeLay gone: they could keep his House seat, and his scandals wouldn't hurt the re-election chances of endangered Repub's lilke Santorum. DeLay supports involuntary servitude in Saipan; he corruption goes beyond the usual corruption of Congress, and that is saying something! How do the Repub's get away with having someone like DeLay as Maj leader??? What will DeLay do when he resigns? Open a pest removal company (his former career)? Of course not - he will be employed by some lobbyist firm or company that could use his influence (how do you spell Halliburton?). What does Jim Hightower say about DeLay? One million sperm and his was the fastest??!!

Rick the Serial Killer

Rick the Cat
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Here is a picture of Rick the Cat (that's his official name). I met Rick in a parking lot in Memphis, Tennessee. He was eating mice, snakes and birds. He looked like a large rat. I have tried to tame him but it is impossible. I somehow caught him before I moved to Slippery Rock, took him to the vet, and the vet said he was healthy. So I had him neutered, got some knock out pills, and brought him to Slippery Rock. He lives in the garage, and has a cat door so he can come and go as he pleases. He is a climber, and used to climb the trees in the back yard and sit on the roof of the house (the trees were cut down, so he stays on the ground now). I could tell it's spring: he just killed his first rabbit. He drags the body into the garage and dismembers it. Blood and gore in the garage. Its like living with Hannibal Lector. He also like to sleep on my Miata's convertible top, and I have to cover the car in blanket to prevent him from scratching it. Anyone like to adopt an outdoor/garage cat? Good hunter?

Peter Lorre

Peter Lorre might be best remembered for his roles in Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon, but his best role was as a child murderer in Fritz Lang's "M." Here is his filmography link. Some dialogue from Casablanca:

Ugarte: Heh, you know, watching you just now with the Deutsche Bank, one would think you've been doing this all your life.
Rick: Oh, what makes you think I haven't?
Ugarte: Oh, n-n-n-nothing, but when you first came to Casablanca, I thought...
Rick: You thought what?
Ugarte: Hm, what right do I have to think, huh?
Ugarte: You know, Rick, I have many a friend in Casablanca, but somehow, just because you despise me, you are the only one I trust.

And from the Maltese Falcon

Joel Cairo: You... you bungled it. You and your stupid attempt to buy it. Kemedov found out how valuable it was, no wonder we had such an easy time stealing it. You... you imbecile. You stupid fat-head you.
[cries]

He also appeared as the mysterious Mr. Kentaro Moto in the Mr. Moto series!

russell yates ready to remarry?!

Remember this guy? His wife drowned her five children. Meanwhile, this guy is at his job at NASA - NASA! She is on medication, hearing voices - that is a symptom of psychosis - and he wants her to have more children. Can you imagine a psychotic mother with five young children? What was the house like? Laundry? Food preparation? How could he leave the house in the morning for his job as a rocket scientist when his wife is in la-la land, the house looks like a minor explosion has gone off, and his five young children can rely only upon their crazy (sorry) mother who is hearing voices? This guy was never charged in connection with the murders! He was complicit - his negligence led to their deaths. Was there only male prosecutors involved in this case: can you imagine a female, feminist prosecutor not doing something to this guy? And now he is dating (watch out ladies, this guy is looking for a baby factory) and thinking about having more children! How do you spell vasectomy? Why would a woman go out with this guy?

Hitler's burial

foto11_thumb
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

I just saw the movie Der Untergang (the downfall) about Hitler's last days in the bunker, as told by his 24 yr old secretary. Bruno Ganz plays Hitler, and in preparing for the role he listened to a recording made of Hitler in normal conversation, to capture his vocal characteristics. Absolutely incredible film: the guy who played Joseph Goebbels was really frightening, but his wife Magda was even more scarey. It was a hard film to watch - they are under seige throughout the film, explosions constantly going off. The absurdity of living in a bunker comes through: the cigarette breaks outside, Eva Braun's party (she dances on a table), the intrigue among his generals, Hitler's psychotic behavior, the many dinners (Hitler dines on cheese ravioli and compliments the chef, just before shooting himself), the poisoning of the Goebbels children - but my favorite scene was when Hilter and Eva were carried out to be burned in a ditch - the generals were outside, with Goebbels, and they lit 200 gallons of fuel (you can imagine the explosion) and as their bodies burn they all give the nazi salute - flames illuminating the faces of these fanatics. It's 2 1/2 hours of emotional stress, but worth it. By far this years best foreign film.

Saturn's EV1 Electric Car

funeral
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Try to follow this: General Motor's EV1 electric car was introduced in California. I believe the most recent model was a 1999. The car was marketed as a 3 year lease only, with roadside assistance. There were recharging locations across California and Arizona. GM didn't make a profit on the cars, so once the leases were up, they took back the cars. Since there aren't enough spare parts (that's what GM says) and since they are afraid of liability suits, GM decides to have all the EV1's destroyed in Mesa, Arizona (known for being an airplane graveyard). Protestors blocked the latest shipment of cars to Mesa. Some were arrested. One lease holder actually held a funeral for his car before he returned it to GM. One environmental group offered $1.9 million for 70 EV1's (that's about $27,000 per car) and GM refused. Get this: the cars are smashed and junked in Arizona! Does this make sense to anyone?

Les Choristes

68m
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

What a beautiful movie! After WWII, a teacher comes to a residential school for troubled, abandoned boys. Conditions are harsh, the other teachers angry and suspicious, the Director is brutal. Yet, the newly arrived teacher is uncorrupted. Is he too weak for this position? Does he have the strength to change the atmosphere of the school? Or is he naive, and weak? He begins choir, and teaches the boys to sing. It is a beautiful metaphor for love, hope and faith. In French with subtitles (my favorite movies are always in french with subtitles - I wish I was fluent in French). Lots of old french cars in the film, cafe scenes, "love and squalor" (that's a reference to a JD Salinger short story "For Esme with Love and Squalor") A must see! It is showing now at the Squirrel Hill theater, one of my favorite theaters (they always have good movies there - foreign films esp)

Our very own Saddam: Rep. Tom DeLay

delay
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Well, here's the latest on the most corrupt man in American politics (and that list includes Dick Cheney, George W. and many others): House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (from Texas, where else?) An Indian tribe and a gambling services company made donations to a Washington public policy group that covered most of the cost of a $70,000 trip to Britain by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), his wife, two aides and two lobbyists in mid-2000, two months before DeLay helped kill legislation opposed by the tribe and the company. Along with his other fund raising problems, hopefully this will further add to deLay's re-election problems. He only was re-elected by less than 5% margin in 2004 - his challenger is gearing up for a rematch in 2006. Old Tom is the guy who is behind the legislation that exempts Saipan from minimum wage or occupational health and safety regulations (Saipan is a US territory - garment manufacuturers can put the "made in the USA" label on clothes made there). Saipan is home to garment manufacturers who employ mostly young asian women who live in "dormitories" and are not allowed to leave the premises (this is often called slavery). Young asian women are often kept in slave like conditions in the middle east (Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are known for this) so like our Arab allies the USA also dabbles in involuntary servitude, compliments of DeLay. This guy also has a horrible family life: he is a former alcoholic who has conquered his problem (he only drinks beer and wine now). His brother is in jail, he isn't on speaking terms with some of his extended family. Tom is your average, typical dysfunctional corrupt politician. I hope somehow he is replaced, but the Republicans would just come up with someone just as bad i guess.

My new best friend, Tyler

fctyler (11)
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

I'm showing Fight Club in postmodern political film later this semester. I downloaded the script - wow! lots of great lines. I'd have to say this competes with Big Lebowski, only not as funny. Having a friend like Tyler would really come in handy, especially considering some of the a-holes I have had to deal with in academia.

Quotes


“A generation of men raised by women: I’m wondering if another woman is the answer we really need.” Jack.

“Marla doesn’t need a lover, she needs a case worker.” Jack.

"I haven't been fucked like that since grade school." Marla

“I reject the basic assumptions of civilization, including material possessions.” Tyler.

“Fuck damnation. Fuck redemption. We are God’s unwanted children, with no special place and no special attention, and so be it.” Tyler.

“We are the middle children of history, with no purpose or place. We have no great war, or great depression. The great war is a spiritual war. The great depression is our lives…and we’re very, very, pissed off.”

“You are not your job. Your are not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the shoes you wear. You are not the contents of your wallet.” Tyler.

“Why are you going with this, IKEA boy?”

Hope

war
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Something tells me that this soldier will be ok once he returns home. Despite what he has seen and experienced, he still has compassion. He'll be ok.

Objective News from Tim Sweeney

My friend Tim Sweeney has referred me to Fair News, an internet site that provides the news that the major networks and Fox will not. Tim provided a comment to my blog about the Bob Woodward book. Check out Fair.org! Thanks Tim!

Iraq War Casualties Exceed Revolutionary War

We are at the point where casualties in the Iraq war have exceeded those for the Revolutionary War. So far in Iraq as of today, there have been 1.480 deaths (combat and accidental) and 11,069 injuries, for a total of 12,549 casualties. Given our exceptional ability to provide first aid to our troops, the deaths have been kept down. In the Revolutionary War, there were 4,435 deaths and 6,188 injured, for a total of 10,623 casualties. Our Iraq war total is also more than the casualties for the War of 1812 and the Spanish American War. Of concern is the number of wounded who are severely injured - head wounds especially. Soldiers with head wounds who are in comas (or even brain dead) have presented their families with a terrible decision - their soldier son or daughter is alive, but will never "return." So much for modern medicine. The Soviets were in the Afghanistan War for nine years before they withdrew, and we have been in Iraq now for almost two years. Retired military colonels have been in the news saying that the Iraq War is a stalemate (!) Iraq is a mess, if anything the war has destabilized the region and has turned Iraq into a recruiting tool, a destination point and a haven for terrorists. And Iran may have a nuclear weapon. So much for stability in the middle east.

The matrix look for Secretary of State

The matrix look
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Condi Rice is no Madeleine Albright! Instead of wearing the ponderous, boxy women's business suits and pumps of most powerful women, Condi has decided to show some leg, wear leather high heeled boots and wear a matrix like coat. All she needs is some shades and some slow motion special effects. Send those terrorists back to the fifth dimension Condi! Yeah!

More on HST's suicide

I was watching IMUS in the morning (msnbc) and although they ridiculed HST for his suicide (they ridicule everyone) today was different. Turns out, HST's wife called him and he wanted to know when she would be home to help him with his ESPN column. She says he put the receiver down, she heard a clicking noise and then he didn't respond. His son found him in his favorite chair, with a glass of Chevas Regal next to him, and the phone receiver lying on its side. Imus said he has new respect for HST, and that every married man must have had the impulse at some time while talking to his wife on the phone to shoot himself in the head. Well, the IMUS crew all laughed at that. I watch IMUS because he is so obnoxious, but I was bothered by that. HST was manic depressive, his family knew that, and coping with his mood swings must have been hard. HST was talking about suicide for months, and that caused a great deal of stress on his family (his son, daughter in law, grandson as well as his wife lived with him). Turns out, one of his idols was Hemingway, and he talked about Hemingway's suicide. He also talked about his legacy, including what he wanted done with his body when he died: he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes blasted out of a cannon on his Woody Creek farm. In fact, on the day of the recent Super Bowl, Pitkin County deputies raided his farm to confiscate a large cache of gunpowder. His wife says they will honor his request, and they have plans to load his remains in a cannon and blast him over the farm with black powder! I feel bad for HST's family: sounds like he was surrounded by a lot of people who loved him. The Dever Post has the best coverage of his death.

manure fire

manure
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

A manure pile 100 by 30 by 50 (150,000 cubic feet) that has been burning for a month has finally been put out. The manure pile is on a feed lot 20 miles outside of Lincoln (just another reason not to live in Nebraska). It accepts as many as 12,000 steers at a time to "fatten " them up for processing (just another reason to be a vegetarian). I can't imagine the effect that that much manure has on global warming, and this pile is not unlike the piles at other feedlots. Beef is a very inefficient source of protein, and the byproducts of feedlots is profoundly damaging. At the local grocery I often look at the meat other shoppers are buying (western PA is meat country) and I shudder - I can hear Colonel Kurtz moaning, "Oh, the humanity!" But yeah - burning manure piles at feed lots in Nebraska...that sums up my perception of that whole part of the country (my theory is that civilization ends somewhere just past western PA and doesnt begin again until you hit Seattle).

Hunter S. Thompson's Death

I don't know the events surrounding the suicide of Hunter S. Thompson. However, the similarity to another suicide is possible. Ernest Hemingway shot himself at age 61 in Ketchum, Idaho, Richard Brautigan shot himself at age 49 in Pine Creek, Montana, and now Thompson at age 67 is dead at his Woody Creek farm outside Aspen, Colorado. My American Government honors class is reading his account of the 1992 Presidential election, "Better than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie," and they seem to enjoy it despite the obvious timeline gap: they are twenty somethings, and the election was 13 years ago, so they really have no direct memories of it. The Duke's best work is Fear and Loathing on the the Campaign Trail 1972, but its so esoteric I haven't used it in class. His best essay was the eulogy for the death of Richard Nixon. I guess we still have Jim Carville to provide us with cutting political analysis, but he is not as funny or outrageous as HST: HST found the humor in politics, as bleak as it might be. I have found myself laughing so hard while reading his books that I have to stop and put the book down to compose myself - that has never happened while listening to Carville on a morning show. I have some posts about HST other locations on this blog.

Bush at War by Bob Woodward

bushatwar
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

In this book Bob Woodward (of Watergate fame) interviews numerous individuals in the Bush administration about 911 and the decision to invade Afghanistan. My problem with his interviewing approach is that he allows Bush's advisors to tell their story, but he doesn't verify what they are saying. There is no investigation, no verification of facts. In fact, the very way he collects his "stories" prohibits him from verification. For example, he interviews Condelezza Rice and she says that Bush came up with the expression "we got him on the run," meaning Bin Laden. Supposedly, Bush realized that terrorism is war without a nation, a military confrontation without set geography. The idea that terrorists can flee, move from country to country, cave to cave, led him to formulate the "we got em on the run" phrase. I find it hard to believe that Bush took the initiative on that. He has speech makers and their job is to stage reality, create "spin," and he has political consultants who run focus groups to test how the public responds to certain words (like the word "racial quotas" in the 2000 race to be used instead of affirmative action). And Cheney tells Woodward that he telephoned Bush to get permission to fire on the remaining hijacked plane (the one that crashed near here in Pennsylvania - near Somerset). Again, my previous information was that Cheney and Bush only communicated once, and after that Cheney on his own initiative gave the order to down the plane if necessary. So these advisors are free to paint a picture of Bush as visionary leader: he coins the phrase we got em on the run, he orders a civilian plane shot down - not his advisors. I just don't believe what the characters in this book are saying. Is this journalism? I mean, Hunter S. Thompson creates gonzo journalism, a stream of consciousness type of reporting where he makes things up (like Hubert Humphrey is a speed freak, Ed Muskie is taking a sedative named Ibogaine) and Woodward creates a journalism where his interviewees can make things up. I minored in journalism in college: there are rules to journalism! Like verify sources; investigate and have cross references to establish facts; multiple sources - what has happened to journalism? CNN reports on the Iraq war like its a Bush press briefing; Dan Rather goes with some story based on the most suspicious documents (with hypertext! Obviously MS Word document - who is on his staff? What typewriters in the early 1970's had a special key for hypertext? Rather should know that - he used a typewriter in the '70's!). So I'm about 1/3 through Bush at War and I am wondering why I should bother finishing it?

Citizen Kane

citizen kane
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

I first saw this movie in a film class in 1970, - my god - 30 years ago! I am watching it now, home for lunch, somehow it is on cable. I have to tear myself away to go back to campus and teach - too bad! Right now Susan Alexander is being coached by her frustrated Italian voice coach -"Ah no no no no!" he tells her, his hair ruffled, his tie askance. Now is the opera scene, painful to watch, and Jedediah Leland is tearing his program into long scraps and playing with it. Each part of the movie is a classic. My favorite is the part where Kane departs on his trip to Europe, after buying the best newspapermen to work for the Chronicle. He brings in a band and chorus girls and they sing his song," Who is this man...what is his name...his name is Charley Kane." Great scene. The lighting is odd: it looks like Welles had lights set up on the floor to illuminate the chorus girls legs. Of course the camera shots were the defining element of the film - the long shots, the lighting - some shots were set up like portrait painting (anchor, balance). And Dorothy Comingore was amazing as Susan Alexander ("What about me? What about me!) She starred in early movies as Linda Winters (? why the name change) and was blacklisted in the 1950's by McCarthyism (that sounds like a movie in itself). We just watched the People vs Larry Flynt in film class, and the ending is very much like the closing scenes in Citizen Kane: the mansion, the emptiness, the isolation, the loneliness. Here is a great link for Citizen Kane.
I once attended a reception, didn't really know anyone there, so I put the name Charles Foster Kane on the nametag. Only one person noticed and asked me about it. I said, "I'm covering this reception for the Chronicle." Even my youngest son has adopted the Citizen Kane humor: when he was young and visiting his mother over Christmas, he was surrounded by family while he was playing with a snow globe: he suddenly gasped, fell back on the couch, dropped the globe gently on the ground and said "Rosebud!" Only a couple people understood it, but he is well on his way to acting out obscure scenes from classic movies, just like his dad (I was proud). "You vant to know about a Rosebud? I tell you about a rosebud..." Of course the scene about the disolution of his marriage is great: the dissolution is shown by a series of breakfast shots. The mystery of Rosebud is hinted at the very beginning, when Mr. Berstein is being interviewed. "Maybe it was something he lost, and could never discover again," he said (I am paraphrasing). And so it was: his childhood. I just asked students in my American Government Honors class who has seen Citizen Kane, only one person said yes, out of 24!

Vietnam Documentary: Hearts and Minds

hearts and minds
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

This 1974 documentary has been reissued and is playing downtown pittsburgh at the Harris theater (on historic Liberty ave). It won an academy award (Frank Sinatra presented the award and added that he thought the film was "unpatriotic.") It provides interviews with a former POW, veterans (many of who are disabled), government officials (Senator Fulbright, General Westmoreland, Clark Clifford) and Vietnamese officials. (Here is a great link about the film and who appears in it). Contrast is provided with film from Vietnam: the destruction of villages; interrogation of suspected viet cong; execution of vietcong suspect by chief of police of Saigon, children burned by napalm (the famous picture of the young girl Kim Phuc, burned by napalm, and President Nixon speculated that the picture was staged ) , and depressing visits to whorehouses - the film is exhausting to watch, very emotional. My only problem with the film is that it portrayed Lt. George Coker, a POW for 7 yrs, as kind of mindless: Lt. Coker survived the POW camps, including 3 yrs of solitary confinement, beatings, torture and an escape for 12 hrs - his patriotism kept him going, and one can only wonder how and if someone who has that endurance can develop a different perspective on the war - could he live with himself if he came to the conclusion that the war, his imprisonment, was pointless? Watching it in 2005 brings to mind comparisons with Iraq. The main difference, is that Vietnam was a hot war during the cold war, and pitted US vs USSR backed forces. In Iraq, the insurgents don't have the backing of a world superpower; nonetheless, imposing structure upon a country with military force is futile in the face of opposition from a guerrilla or terrorist insurgency. I think Pres. Bush would have pursued a different policy with Iraq had he not sat out the Vietnam war at an airport in Texas. Perhaps not. Anyway, watching Hearts and Minds was a grim way to spend a sunday afternoon, but I wanted to preview the film for my political film class. I was struck by how divisive American society was during the Vietnam war, and how we have entered that divisiveness again. I really don't think that Cheney-Rumsfeld learned anything from Vietnam.