Film Review -- Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron, Dir.

Film Review -- Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron, Dir. 

Gravity (Warner Bros. 2013 Sandra Bullock, George Clooney)

I used to hate so many more things. Now that I have seen this film, I have one less despicable item on my list. I no longer hate film directors named Cuaron. I used to think it ostentatious to leave off the accent mark if you have one in your name, but now I just do it, too.

And don't get me started on movies in general, 'cause I don't really want to get into all that. I just want to tell you about some of the madman stuff that this guy Cuaron pulls off when he tells this story about a couple of astronauts, or something, when they get into trouble about a million miles up above the Earth.

Actually I don't even want to do that. This film is so good, I don't even want to take the risk of dropping it down in your estimation with my words, 'cause I don't always choose mine so well. So, see the film. 3D. As close as possible. Then get back here and post.

Douglas Douglas

Film Review -- Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron, Dir. 

Exile Frank and Jamie McCourt

Exile Frank and Jamie McCourt

Jamie McCourt loses in her attempt to get more money from The Dodgers sale. $133M is way too low, in her judgement. 

Well, in my judgement, she has lost all her earthly privileges. 

I call for a task force to establish policies by which to assess the financial web of both Jamie and Frank McCourt, and to withold further involvement in any business or organization that will accept their participation. I think these two are guilty of being as uncool as Glen Close and whatsisname from Dangerous Liaisons and that they should suffer the same fate. Let's exile these facefuckers!

Who is with me?

http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-jamie-frank-mccourt-dodgers-divorce-20130909,0,7874396.story#axzz2eVUPt4TD

How much money did they piss away?


Exile Frank and Jamie McCourt

Letter to the president -- notes

Letter to the president
"...It is okay to tell your mother she is doing something wrong, you can do it in a story, you can do it in a song....

...and sometimes when grownups get mad they try to start a war. It's okay to tell your president that war is never right."

I promised Ruth I would send some of the words. She asked on her radio show, "Halfway Down The Stairs," for her audience to send this song to the president.

That she wished that he had a quiet spot in The White House in which to think. That he might listen and think of not sending pain and death in to Syria.

They have plenty of that already.

I think the song title is "It's OK To Tell Your Mother." The song has verses with examples of when and how to tell the power figure that their behavior isn't right.

The NY Times had an interesting OpEd piece on Thursday, by Alex de Waal and Bridget Conley. In it, they succinctly cite history and its dearth of examples of interventional successes. especially in the absence of administrative structure and a determined and persistent ground presence.

de Waal, et al, cite Belgrade 1999, Iraq 1991, Rwanda 1994, and more, featuring Sir William Harcourt, who in 1862 had to talk down a ravenous, blood-thirsty British public, clammoring for intervention in our civil war, then ongoing.

Excerpts: "...intervention never has bee, never will be, never can be short, simple or peaceable."

"...and act of desperation with incalculable consequences."

and, "We are asked to go we know not whither, in order to do we know not what."




Letter to the president

Kucinich: The argument against war in Syria

Kucinich: The argument against war in Syria

Marcy Winograd

A message from former Congressman Dennis Kucinich ..

Eleven years ago I warned America we were about to get into a war based on lies. I led 125 members of Congress to oppose the Iraq War resolution. When I raised questions then, some of our leading Senators, such as John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards voted yes. The media was squarely behind the war. I was attacked for questioning the cause of war. Everything I said in October of 2002 as to why we should not go to war turned out to be 100% true. Many of those who were 100% wrong have continued in Congress or gone on to greater influence in government. And America? America lost 4,488 sons and daughters, with 32,021 wounded at a cost which is approaching $6 Trillion dollars.

Today we are poised to engage in war against Syria with such a flimsy case being made to attempt to justify an attack, it could only be the product of cynicism and willful misrepresentation in the cause of war and a callous disregard for our true national interest.

FACT: There is no definitive proof that Syria's Assad knew of and directed the chemical weapons attack on August 21st..
FACT: Intelligence which overheard Syrian military officials discussing the attack far from implicating them, finds them DENYING they initiated an attack.
FACT: There are at least two instances where the opposition is said to have used chemical weapons. One incident, which occurred in March was referred to the Security Council by Russia. Another, which occurred in April was cited by special UN investigator Carla Del Ponte.
FACT: Some rockets identified near attack sites were described as "homemade".
FACT: A coordinated effort was made by US officials to DISCOURAGE a full UN investigation.
FACT: The biggest beneficiary of the attack on the Syrian government is Al Queda, which leads the opposition,
FACT: Syria is not an imminent threat to the United States.
FACT: Absent an imminent or actual threat to the United States, only Congress has the authority, under the Constitution, Article I, Section 8, to declare war.

Whatever we believe about Syria, as Americans, let us all believe in our Constitution, in the rule of law, and in the bedrock of principles which inform our rights and responsibilities as a nation. We have a right to defend ourselves, but no right to war aggressive war. Our obligation as citizens is not to be a member of the Democratic, Republican or an independent party, but to be a party to the truth.

I am concerned, that once again, in the name of humanity, an inhumane act of war is about to be committed against the people of a distant land, compounding their tragedy; in the name of security, a barbaric attack will be launched which will make us all less secure; and in the name of the United States, in our name, the destructive power of war will be unleashed based on the hubris of exceptionalism which left untamed, will destroy our own nation.

I will discuss what must be done in our next communication. Thank you, Dennis

Kucinich: The argument against war in Syria

Watch out for gay behavior. Call the cops if you see any.

Watch out for gay behavior. Call the cops if you see any.

From TheAdvocate.Com:

"Increase your vigilance when you talk to your neighbors, when you are checking your mail and in elevators," the notice says, according to a translation. "You can easily become a target of homosexual propaganda. There is one step from being homosexual and to start propaganda of homosexualism and molesting decent people."

http://www.advocate.com/news/world-news/2013/08/28/russia-raids-gay-peoples-homes

August 29, 2013

Moscow, Russia

Soon to your backdoor

No pun intended

Watch out for gay behavior. Call the cops if you see any.

Gardena News "Burning Man to Humanity - Welcome Home"

Shelled out a quarter for this week's GARDENA VALLEY NEWS and got my playa on without even tryin':

Burning Man to Humanity - "Welcome Home"

Thursday evening the Sun enters the disciplined Virgo, sign of gestating new states of consciousness. And always in time for Burning Man (Monday, the 26 to Sept. 2), the radical arts community/temporary metropolis, in the playas of Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Burning Man, with its ethos (spirit) of freedom and culture organically begun in 1986 in San Francisco, is a field of survival (it's 107 degrees) amidst creation -- together building the new world. It's irrational, primal, celbratory -- procession of humanity, days and nights of gritty dust under the Sun and stars, indiviually in communion. It's build, burn, dismantle -- leave no trace. It is a shared community with rules, laws, ordinances, precepts and Principles.

Here are the 10 Principles. they could define each of us, were we courageous enough to live by them. Burning Man is an experiment -- someday reality for everyone. The Ten Principles -- 1) Inclusion; 2) Gift giving (unconditional); 3) No commercialization; 4) Relying on inner resources; 5) Self-expression; 6) Communal effort, community values, creative cooperation/collaboration; 7) Civic responsibility for public welfare, respecting laws; 8) Respect of environment, leaving theh environment in a better state; 9) Participation, Open heart -- Beingness through doing-ness. Everyone working, playing, makes the world real through actions that open the heart; 10) Immediacy -- relating to the moment, to those around us, contact with the natural world, no barriers.

Burning Man is a n ongoing work of performance art.

Burning Man to humanity -- "Welcome Home".

http"//www.burningman.com

(reprinted from Gardena Valley News

8/23/2013

Esoteric Astrology

p. 10

who knew?

http://gardenavalleynews.org/

Burning Man to Humanity - "Welcome Home"

Re Miley Cyrus MTV VMA Performance plus Onion

Re Miley Cyrus MTV VMA Performance plus Onion

Miley Cyrus danced on stage, took off her clothes and displayed strong sexual behavior. Miley started out as a little girl in a Disney show and she has grown out of that role.

It has been suggested that this is not newsworthy.

I agree that a random dance from a marginal celebrity is probably not a significant event given the flow of poison water from Fukijapa, war in Syria, drugs other people use, limited garbage service and animal abuse.

But, I also disagree that it is insignificant.

Conversation is our main, individual tool to connect with our neighbors, friends and community, and reinforce with cultural cement the world we pass on to the next guardians. Events like this that focus our national attention are extremely transient and need to be seized for the rarities that they are. Like the shrink said:

"It's not the thing. It's how you FEEL about it."

Focusing on Miley's dance gives us a national starting point to discuss many issues, not limited to sex, hero worship, a spectator/consumer society, and the nature and value of art. Turns out a lot of us have strong feelings about this. If we can listen without judging to the thoughts and touchy-feely expressions that sometimes agree, sometimes conflict with our own, we might learn something about the world outside of our comfort zone.

For what are we here for, anyway? Just to echo and resonate with experiences that mirror our own? Or to be exposed to many, varied expressions and from them to filter, extract, and yes, judge what we choose to include in our own tight little worlds.

This event -- as distasteful or boring as you may find it -- is a touchstone for sexual morality in this country. The people who object strongly to MCs performance and to MTV for airing it are the same people who are dragging their feet and refusing to adapt to changing conditions in the 21st century. Aaron Sorkin described them recently in The Newsroom as "the small minority that doesn't like sex."

He goes on to wonder why the 99% of us who do like sex (probably more like 99.999%) have to cowtow to the tiny group that is offended not only by sexual ideas that conflict with their own, but any acknowledgement of sex whatsoever.

Personally, I am offended by Brooke Shields, Mika the converted Russian chick on MSNBC, and anyone who would fit Miley for an extended mental reprogramming treatment based on this display of youthful rebellion and sexuality. Kid music (and most of art) is devoted to sex, anyway. If a video show DEDICATED AND FOUNDED in a culture of youthful sexual rebellion isn't the place to air this, please show me what is.

But we already know the answer to this one, right."Nowhere. No time. Off of my and my kids radar. Away from me."

Well as one who struggles with 21st century morality let me suggest to the naysayers that the best way to make Miley go away is not to go on TV and tell everyone how bad and sick you think she is. Just turn off the damn set, put down your oar, and stop rowing the freaking boat.

Now get back to work.





Oh yeah. Some links, including The Onions response

Re Miley Cyrus MTV VMA Performance plus Onion
DD 20130827