The effortless prose of a genius
You know, up until a few days ago I had never delved into a novel by John Updike. Isn't that terrible? I spent too many years reading science fiction, I think. I have read some of his poetry and reviews but never a novel. The novel I am reading is his new one called "Terrorist."
Updike hardly needs my endorsement to get this writing thing to work for him but I am always amazed when I open a book written by someone with his skill. Like Vidal and Steinbeck his prose seems effortless. It's not great literature because he is trying to write great literature, it's not self-consciously complicated or overly descriptive. It's great literature because it is his writing, nothing more. He's just so talented and dedicated that he can't help but write something great. I am in awe as I read it.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Essential Reading
Curious to know the whole story of how we got into the mess in Iraq? There is a great essay/review by Mark Danner available here. It's an amazing read and very revealing.
It really is almost impossible to put into words how shocking this while Iraq thing is. It was bungled from day one. How did Bush get such a free pass on this?
Curious to know the whole story of how we got into the mess in Iraq? There is a great essay/review by Mark Danner available here. It's an amazing read and very revealing.
It really is almost impossible to put into words how shocking this while Iraq thing is. It was bungled from day one. How did Bush get such a free pass on this?
Holocaust conference
I was listening to NPR as I was ironing my work clothes this morning and I heard a story about that ridiculous "conference" they are holding in Iran in order to discuss the validity of the Holocaust during World War II. I think we can all agree that any conference that treats David Duke as a guest is pretty much horse shit.
I think it's obvious that this conference is being held merely to elevate Iran's status as a leader in the middle east. They are both thumbing their noses at us and threatening Israel at the same time. Nothing gets you points in the middle east like putting those two acts together. And we also have our grand president solidifying Iran's position of leadership with his childish stance of not talking to them unless they do what he tells them to. What an ass.
Calling our ass of a president an ass is not why I started this post. What really struck me during the NPR piece was the language a spokesman for the conference used while attempting to justify the horseshit gathering. His position was that both sides of the Holocaust argument needed to be heard. Essentially, even if Holocaust deniers are batshit crazy this is a free world and their opinions deserve equal time. This is the same tactic used by the radical right in this country that has allowed creationism to stand equally with science and created an atmosphere where an incompetent president could take us to war. Once again radical Islam and radical Christianity walk hand in hand. Both sides accuse the other of trying to take over the world when they are both trying to take over the world. God help us if they ever align with each other.
I was listening to NPR as I was ironing my work clothes this morning and I heard a story about that ridiculous "conference" they are holding in Iran in order to discuss the validity of the Holocaust during World War II. I think we can all agree that any conference that treats David Duke as a guest is pretty much horse shit.
I think it's obvious that this conference is being held merely to elevate Iran's status as a leader in the middle east. They are both thumbing their noses at us and threatening Israel at the same time. Nothing gets you points in the middle east like putting those two acts together. And we also have our grand president solidifying Iran's position of leadership with his childish stance of not talking to them unless they do what he tells them to. What an ass.
Calling our ass of a president an ass is not why I started this post. What really struck me during the NPR piece was the language a spokesman for the conference used while attempting to justify the horseshit gathering. His position was that both sides of the Holocaust argument needed to be heard. Essentially, even if Holocaust deniers are batshit crazy this is a free world and their opinions deserve equal time. This is the same tactic used by the radical right in this country that has allowed creationism to stand equally with science and created an atmosphere where an incompetent president could take us to war. Once again radical Islam and radical Christianity walk hand in hand. Both sides accuse the other of trying to take over the world when they are both trying to take over the world. God help us if they ever align with each other.
Football
I've been watching a good amount of football this year. As I have said many times on this blog, I am not a huge sports fan. I ain't one of those guys that follows sports all that closely. I think that should be obvious if you see that my main fantasy football team went 3-10 this year but I'll watch me some football.
I have noticed one aspect of football in the last few years that has really been bugging me. The league is calling defensive penalties way too closely. Defensive backs don't know from what play to the next what they will be allowed to do when they are striding down the field with receivers and defensive linemen are being penalized for holding...offensive linemen. I know offense is exciting but they need to rein the referees in before the NFL turns into the NBA. I know it's not the fault of the on field officials, they are just following the league's instructions.
Also in the last year or two I've watched me some college football and I'm really starting to enjoy the game. The Ohio State-Michigan clash was a doozy. Football doesn't get a whole lot better than that an any level. One think I have noticed is that in college pass interference is a ten yard penalty with an automatic first down. I think the NFL should adopt a rule similar to that. Giving the offense 40 yards on a judgement call is just unfair. Maybe the NFL could limit that penalty to 20 yards or half the distance to the goal line. It would really even the game out and give defenses a chance to really play.
My two cents.
I've been watching a good amount of football this year. As I have said many times on this blog, I am not a huge sports fan. I ain't one of those guys that follows sports all that closely. I think that should be obvious if you see that my main fantasy football team went 3-10 this year but I'll watch me some football.
I have noticed one aspect of football in the last few years that has really been bugging me. The league is calling defensive penalties way too closely. Defensive backs don't know from what play to the next what they will be allowed to do when they are striding down the field with receivers and defensive linemen are being penalized for holding...offensive linemen. I know offense is exciting but they need to rein the referees in before the NFL turns into the NBA. I know it's not the fault of the on field officials, they are just following the league's instructions.
Also in the last year or two I've watched me some college football and I'm really starting to enjoy the game. The Ohio State-Michigan clash was a doozy. Football doesn't get a whole lot better than that an any level. One think I have noticed is that in college pass interference is a ten yard penalty with an automatic first down. I think the NFL should adopt a rule similar to that. Giving the offense 40 yards on a judgement call is just unfair. Maybe the NFL could limit that penalty to 20 yards or half the distance to the goal line. It would really even the game out and give defenses a chance to really play.
My two cents.
Monday, December 11, 2006
The Evidence
What's the best way to tell a series is all about raking in as much cash as possible? Easy, they do a prequel to the series. Just like Jesus would have.
What's the best way to tell a series is all about raking in as much cash as possible? Easy, they do a prequel to the series. Just like Jesus would have.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll
It's been a busy week or so. Last weekend I had a three day weekend and spent most of it moving stuff from one apartment in my complex to another. Why, you may ask, would you move from one apartment to another in the same complex? Because rent is cheap, it's a cool part of town and I had been in the other apartment for ten years. It needed work. My old apartment had been described once by some guy as a post apocalyptic dorm room. I think that should give you some idea of what the place looked and smelled like.
I threw away so much stuff during the move. Chris came by on Saturday and carried the kitchen over piece by piece and he found a pink 12 inch...television in one of the cupboards. I don't remember who that tv belonged to or how long it had been there but I dragged it out to the dumpster and set it on its way.
The closet in my room was full of stuff I didn't need. It really is amazing how much detritus you can accumulate in less than forty years. I kept important items like photographs but I ditched a lot of useless garbage. I mean, did I really need that box of 5000 worthless baseball cards? Sure a lot of them were cards I collected during my childhood but they really were worthless beat up common cards. Anything of any value I had pulled out and stored in binders. Those I kept. The beat up common cards went in the shitcan which is where they should have gone years ago.
It's not without a little sadness that I leave this apartment for another. This may be hard to believe but I lived in that apartment longer than I have ever lived anywhere else. The house I consider my boyhood home I only occupied from about fifth to twelth grade. I easily beat that time by a few years in that apartment. It was the first apartment I ever got my own and it really got to be 'home' after a while.
The new place is shaping up. I need to buy a nice DVD rack and eventually we'll need a new couch. We had two at the other place and only brought one over. The couch with the hide-a-bed got left behind. We are going to junk that one this Thursday along with that old Hammond organ.
Speaking of the old Hammond organ, if anyone knows anyone that wants an old Hammond organ that doesn't work let me know. If they can get to my old apartment before this Thursday it's all theirs. All that is wrong with it is that it needs a new power cord. I'm sick of looking at it and it's going to be trash as of Thursday, July 14th unless you, or someone else, wishes to take it. There, the offer has been made.
It's been a busy week or so. Last weekend I had a three day weekend and spent most of it moving stuff from one apartment in my complex to another. Why, you may ask, would you move from one apartment to another in the same complex? Because rent is cheap, it's a cool part of town and I had been in the other apartment for ten years. It needed work. My old apartment had been described once by some guy as a post apocalyptic dorm room. I think that should give you some idea of what the place looked and smelled like.
I threw away so much stuff during the move. Chris came by on Saturday and carried the kitchen over piece by piece and he found a pink 12 inch...television in one of the cupboards. I don't remember who that tv belonged to or how long it had been there but I dragged it out to the dumpster and set it on its way.
The closet in my room was full of stuff I didn't need. It really is amazing how much detritus you can accumulate in less than forty years. I kept important items like photographs but I ditched a lot of useless garbage. I mean, did I really need that box of 5000 worthless baseball cards? Sure a lot of them were cards I collected during my childhood but they really were worthless beat up common cards. Anything of any value I had pulled out and stored in binders. Those I kept. The beat up common cards went in the shitcan which is where they should have gone years ago.
It's not without a little sadness that I leave this apartment for another. This may be hard to believe but I lived in that apartment longer than I have ever lived anywhere else. The house I consider my boyhood home I only occupied from about fifth to twelth grade. I easily beat that time by a few years in that apartment. It was the first apartment I ever got my own and it really got to be 'home' after a while.
The new place is shaping up. I need to buy a nice DVD rack and eventually we'll need a new couch. We had two at the other place and only brought one over. The couch with the hide-a-bed got left behind. We are going to junk that one this Thursday along with that old Hammond organ.
Speaking of the old Hammond organ, if anyone knows anyone that wants an old Hammond organ that doesn't work let me know. If they can get to my old apartment before this Thursday it's all theirs. All that is wrong with it is that it needs a new power cord. I'm sick of looking at it and it's going to be trash as of Thursday, July 14th unless you, or someone else, wishes to take it. There, the offer has been made.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Get this guy!
I thought the Michael Richards was blown slightly out of proportion but I do dearly hope that this incident is greeted with as much, if not more, unnecessary hysteria. Please let this ruin Andy Dick's career. If I never have to see his smarmy mug onstage at a celebrity roast again I can live happily ever after.
I thought the Michael Richards was blown slightly out of proportion but I do dearly hope that this incident is greeted with as much, if not more, unnecessary hysteria. Please let this ruin Andy Dick's career. If I never have to see his smarmy mug onstage at a celebrity roast again I can live happily ever after.
Monday, December 04, 2006
The view from the extreme right
Hey, if we banned all western journalists from Iraq then there would be less violence. Yeah, and it would be easier for Bush to rule if this was a dictatorship. You just got to love how Bush's failure in Iraq is now the fault of the "liberal media." These guys are just the best.
Hey, if we banned all western journalists from Iraq then there would be less violence. Yeah, and it would be easier for Bush to rule if this was a dictatorship. You just got to love how Bush's failure in Iraq is now the fault of the "liberal media." These guys are just the best.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
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