Saturday, June 24, 2006
Nobody's Home...
I'm off to the West Coast.
Eureka! California, that is.. (pictured below - Eureka's Carson mansion). This will be another computer-free vacation - see you on July 4!
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Friday, June 23, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: “Al-Jazeera, the Arab news station, is preparing to launch an international English-language version of their channel. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Arabic media are just a mouthpiece for Big Falafel. "
Answer 2: " And just the other day I was wondering where I was going to go for some fluff pieces about goat care? "
Answer 3: " Thinly veiled government propaganda disguised as news would never fly in America. "
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Question: “Al-Jazeera, the Arab news station, is preparing to launch an international English-language version of their channel. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Arabic media are just a mouthpiece for Big Falafel. " Answer 2: " And just the other day I was wondering where I was going to go for some fluff pieces about goat care? " Answer 3: " Thinly veiled government propaganda disguised as news would never fly in America. "this entry's permalink
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: “South Carolina is reviewing a bill that would ban the sale of sex toys, joining such states as Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " I guess it's just a matter of time before cucumbers and carrots are sold behind the produce counter. "
Answer 2: " I'm no conservative, but I fear that with our increasing dependence on technology, Americans will lose the skills required to masturbate manually. "
Answer 3: " Look, either leave us sex toys or sodomy. You can't prohibit both. "
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Question: “South Carolina is reviewing a bill that would ban the sale of sex toys, joining such states as Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " I guess it's just a matter of time before cucumbers and carrots are sold behind the produce counter. " Answer 2: " I'm no conservative, but I fear that with our increasing dependence on technology, Americans will lose the skills required to masturbate manually. " Answer 3: " Look, either leave us sex toys or sodomy. You can't prohibit both. "this entry's permalink
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
Silence Is Golden (And Expressive) - Part 1
I'm bowled over by the quality and power of classic silent films. Yesterday, I saw F.W. Murnau's 1929 "Sunrise," which many consider to be the finest film of the silent era. Here are some of its unforgettable images:
Facial expressions and body language say so much more than dialogue sometimes.. In the rarefied universe of 'non-talkie,' images have great power. Film was thought to be as much the child of painting and photography as of theater... One French talk show host, Bernard Pivot, liked to ask guest filmmakers whether, if they'd lived in the 19th century, they would have been painters or novelists...
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Sunday, June 18, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: “Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent President Bush an 18-page letter of suggestions for resolving current international issues. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " It's very presumptuous. We don't hear from Iran since 1979 and now we're supposed to drop everything and read an 18-page letter? "
Answer 2: " Between his willingness to proffer helpful advice and his well-groomed beard, Ahmadinejad is fast becoming the Bob Vila of nuclear standoffs. "
Answer 3: " How quaint–nobody writes letters anymore. It is nice to see a real gentleman in charge of Iran's nuclear weapons development program ."
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Question: “Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent President Bush an 18-page letter of suggestions for resolving current international issues. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " It's very presumptuous. We don't hear from Iran since 1979 and now we're supposed to drop everything and read an 18-page letter? " Answer 2: " Between his willingness to proffer helpful advice and his well-groomed beard, Ahmadinejad is fast becoming the Bob Vila of nuclear standoffs. " Answer 3: " How quaint–nobody writes letters anymore. It is nice to see a real gentleman in charge of Iran's nuclear weapons development program ."this entry's permalink
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Tuesday night in Washington Heights, we gathered for an informal homemade Guyanese-Indian dinner. These two lovebirds are our friends Rajat & Norberto. Last November they spent several weeks traveling around India, Rajat's homeland. I think India may be the single most colorful, other-worldly vacation of my many years. Speaking of years, 17 years ago today I came home from a long stint in Argentina, heartsick over whether I'd ever be reunited with my then-boyfriend Andres (we were, and lived together here for four years...)
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Friday, June 16, 2006
Temperature's rising.
It's going to be a classic film-and-air conditioning kind of weekend...
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It's going to be a classic film-and-air conditioning kind of weekend...
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
”Question: In a survey of 33 industrialized nations, the United States was shown to have the second-worst infant-mortality rate. What do you think?”
Answer 1: "Hey, don't put this at my feet. I stopped shaking my babies months ago. "
Answer 2: " Fucking unpatriotic dead babies making the United States look bad. "
Answer 3: " Number two? This is bullshit! "
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”Question: In a survey of 33 industrialized nations, the United States was shown to have the second-worst infant-mortality rate. What do you think?”
Answer 1: "Hey, don't put this at my feet. I stopped shaking my babies months ago. " Answer 2: " Fucking unpatriotic dead babies making the United States look bad. " Answer 3: " Number two? This is bullshit! "this entry's permalink
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Did any of you see the wonderful Argentine film noir, Nine Queens? Many of its key scenes took place in this hotel, the Buenos Aires Hilton... This evening I went way uptown to Washington Heights, to W 151th St, to the apartment of my friends Fernando and Sunil, for a paper plate home-cooked Indian-Guyanese dinner cooked mostly by Sunil's visiting Mom....
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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: The United Nations is being called on to send peacekeeping forces to keep peace and prevent the genocide in Darfur. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Seems like a clear-cut case of favoritism to me. Isn't Kofi Annan from some place in Africa, too? "
Answer 2: " Tough to see this glass as half-full but, with all the strife on that continent, another "Live Aid" is a real possibility. "
Answer 3: " I will lose all respect for the Sudanese refugees if they fail to ask tough questions about the food-for-oil scandal before accepting aid. "
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Question: The United Nations is being called on to send peacekeeping forces to keep peace and prevent the genocide in Darfur. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Seems like a clear-cut case of favoritism to me. Isn't Kofi Annan from some place in Africa, too? " Answer 2: " Tough to see this glass as half-full but, with all the strife on that continent, another "Live Aid" is a real possibility. " Answer 3: " I will lose all respect for the Sudanese refugees if they fail to ask tough questions about the food-for-oil scandal before accepting aid. "this entry's permalink
Monday, June 12, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: The release of The Da Vinci Code, the long-awaited film adaptation of the bestselling novel, is being met with controversy. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " This movie is going to be huge. It's got the three elements of every blockbuster: Fine art, obscure religious references, and Audrey Tautou. "
Answer 2: " I've been waiting my whole life to hear, 'Oh, no, Jesus ditn't!' shouted in a movie theater. Perhaps now that dream may come true. "
Answer 3: "Yet another film with an evil albino! I put it to you, Hollywood, when are we going to see a film with a positive albino role model?"
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Question: The release of The Da Vinci Code, the long-awaited film adaptation of the bestselling novel, is being met with controversy. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " This movie is going to be huge. It's got the three elements of every blockbuster: Fine art, obscure religious references, and Audrey Tautou. " Answer 2: " I've been waiting my whole life to hear, 'Oh, no, Jesus ditn't!' shouted in a movie theater. Perhaps now that dream may come true. " Answer 3: "Yet another film with an evil albino! I put it to you, Hollywood, when are we going to see a film with a positive albino role model?"this entry's permalink
Sunday, June 11, 2006
An abundantly sunny day...
Hung out at Hudson River Park with Christi (pictured below).
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Hung out at Hudson River Park with Christi (pictured below).
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Saturday, June 10, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: ICANN, the U.S.-based corporation that assigns Internet domain names, rejected the designation ".xxx" earlier this month under pressure from conservative American lawmakers. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " I'm glad they rejected it. It's not specific enough. What we need are designations like .asian or .shaved so we can really get what we're after. "
Answer 2: " This will only hinder the online advertising for my cartoon jugs of hillbilly moonshine."
Answer 3: " If you can tell me a three-letter combination out there that isn't sexually suggestive, I'd love to hear it. "
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Question: ICANN, the U.S.-based corporation that assigns Internet domain names, rejected the designation ".xxx" earlier this month under pressure from conservative American lawmakers. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " I'm glad they rejected it. It's not specific enough. What we need are designations like .asian or .shaved so we can really get what we're after. " Answer 2: " This will only hinder the online advertising for my cartoon jugs of hillbilly moonshine." Answer 3: " If you can tell me a three-letter combination out there that isn't sexually suggestive, I'd love to hear it. "this entry's permalink
Friday, June 09, 2006
Everready Ex-Presidents?
If Gerald Ford (pictured left), who turns 93 on July 14, can hang on just four more months until November 11, he will become our longest-living President, surpassing Ronald Reagan - of course, he's already the longest-living President to retain his mental faculties... But will Ford become our longest-running former President? That's tougher, as Herbert Hoover left office at 58 and lived until 90, racking up an impressive 31 years and 231 days of secret-service-protected former-presidential life. Gerald Ford's been out of office for over 29 years, but to surpass Hoover, he'll have to live until September 4, 2008, past his 96th birthday. Jimmy Carter, in contrast, has been 'retired' for a mere 25 years and change, and must live until September 4, 2012 to overtake Hoover - happily, he'll still be a spry 87-year-old should he attain that milestone...this entry's permalink
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Is He Or Isn't He?
Celebrity sighting! Tuesday Bart & I wandered into Barnes & Noble and lo and behold, Anderson Cooper was signing copies of his new book, "Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival." Hundreds of fans formed a line that wound around two dozen rows of bookshelves. I like Anderson, I do. Too bad he appears to be one of those celebrities who'll discuss every aspect of their life and thoughts except their sexuality. I could be wrong. But I doubt it.
Here are pictures:
Here he is signing books at the dais:
Here are the books:
And here is Bart...
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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: “The United States is proposing developing a missile defense shield for Europe to protect it against a potential threat from Iran. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Now Europe can be free to depict Muhammad however they want. "
Answer 2: " The only way this won't work is if the computer is forced to play tic-tac-toe against itself. "
Answer 3: " Defense shields never work. I installed an alarm system for my home and an Iranian missile still broke in and stole my VCR. "
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Question: “The United States is proposing developing a missile defense shield for Europe to protect it against a potential threat from Iran. What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Now Europe can be free to depict Muhammad however they want. " Answer 2: " The only way this won't work is if the computer is forced to play tic-tac-toe against itself. " Answer 3: " Defense shields never work. I installed an alarm system for my home and an Iranian missile still broke in and stole my VCR. "this entry's permalink
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
D-Day at The Happiest Place On Earth?
My family's at DisneyWorld, on a well-deserved week-long break. The self-proclaimed 'Happiest Place On Earth' is probably the most widely visited tourist destination that I've never been to. I am curious, though, particularly about EPCOT center - pictured left. Do you know EPCOT actually stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow? Disney himself said that EPCOT "will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies emerging from American industry" and promised "it will never be completed, but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and systems." My folks also appreciated Animal Kingdom.
New Feature: Quotes from Film's I've Just Seen....
From 1960's "The Hustler":
Bert Gordon: You got talent.
Fast Eddie: I got talent? So what beat me?
Bert Gordon: Character.
From 1943's "The Ox Bow Incident":
Judge Daniel Tyler: One more word out of you, Smith, and I'll have you up for impeding the course of justice.
Jenny Grier: Judge, you can't impede what don't move anyway.
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Monday, June 05, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: President Bush recently ordered records seized by the FBI from Rep. William Jefferson's office sealed from investigators for 45 days. “What do you think?”
Answer 1: " It's good to see that Republicans and Democrats in Congress can agree that it's important to cover your ass. "
Answer 2: "Now this investigation can proceed without being tainted by evidence. "
Answer 3: " Hey, I'm an investigator, and that's a 45-day vacation I'm willing to take. "
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Question: President Bush recently ordered records seized by the FBI from Rep. William Jefferson's office sealed from investigators for 45 days. “What do you think?”
Answer 1: " It's good to see that Republicans and Democrats in Congress can agree that it's important to cover your ass. " Answer 2: "Now this investigation can proceed without being tainted by evidence. " Answer 3: " Hey, I'm an investigator, and that's a 45-day vacation I'm willing to take. "this entry's permalink
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Buenos Aires Cow Parade
These are homegrown ArtCows... The plastic-delic shot heard around the world... These bovines are enhancing the autumn colors by scenic Puerto Madero, the community space/premium office-residence area development by the waterfront. Buenos Aires is no longer the 'city with its back to the river...'
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Saturday, June 03, 2006
From The Onion, my favorite feature, “What Do YOU Think?
Question: British rapper M.I.A. was denied a visa to the U.S., purportedly for her support of the Sri Lankan terrorist organization the Tamil Tigers. “What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Hear, hear! In America, we believe that rap music should only be used to convey non-violent messages about getting parties started in the correct fashion "
Answer 2: " I want her to come to America, but only so I can make her look me in the eye and tell me why she would embolden our enemies with controversial lyrics like 'blaze a blaze, galang a lang a lang a lang "
Answer 3: "She supports terrorists? Well, I know one artist whose music I will not be illegally downloading! "
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Question: British rapper M.I.A. was denied a visa to the U.S., purportedly for her support of the Sri Lankan terrorist organization the Tamil Tigers. “What do you think?”
Answer 1: " Hear, hear! In America, we believe that rap music should only be used to convey non-violent messages about getting parties started in the correct fashion " Answer 2: " I want her to come to America, but only so I can make her look me in the eye and tell me why she would embolden our enemies with controversial lyrics like 'blaze a blaze, galang a lang a lang a lang " Answer 3: "She supports terrorists? Well, I know one artist whose music I will not be illegally downloading! "this entry's permalink
Friday, June 02, 2006
The Management Of This Theater...
...requests, for the enjoyment of those that may see the film, that you not discuss the ending of this movie with any of your friends... This narrated entreaty accompanied the credits and closing music of 'Witness for the Prosecution,' Billy Wilder's 1957 classic film based on Agatha Christie's play and short story, with Charles Laughton as an aging defense lawyer and Marlene Dietrich as the femme fatale of the title (pictured above). The film was reportedly shown in London for a Royal Command Performance, but beforehand the Royal Family had to promise not to reveal the surprise ending to anyone else.Quote of the Day: (from 'Witness')
"I am constantly surprised that women's hats do not provoke more murders."
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Thursday, June 01, 2006
