September 2nd, 2010 by Max
The Rev. Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, a network of progressive Christians, says…Social and economic justice is at the heart of Jesus’ message,
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August 31st, 2010 by Max
Glenn Beck wants us to put them together. They should be separate.
Posted in Politics | 1 Comment »
August 31st, 2010 by Max
I’ve been struggling with what to think about Glenn Beck’s rally. I didn’t think too much about it at first because I didn’t really believe it would amount to much.
But now, something like 300,000 people show up and I have to acknowledge that someone’s listening to him. So who is that?
Well, its the Tea Party. Its the conservative Christians who think that President Obama is a Muslim. Its a legitimate group of right wing intellectuals who feel that our national debt is a real threat to this country. (The problem with this group is that they weren’t screaming when George W Bush was cutting taxes and spending $1 Trillion on two wars to fight a group of insane criminals who caused real damage one day in September.
And its racists. Come on. Admit it.
And its gun nuts. Come on. If they weren’t nuts then why did they artificially create a shortage of bullets, by buying an incredible number of bullets, because they believed President Obama wanted to take their guns away. A fear that was created out of whole cloth by the NRA and Rush Limbaugh (no doubt).
In short it is a disparate mix of rational and irrational groups that feel out of control of the country and afraid of the future for the first time in ten years. A disparate mix that would never ally themselves with a strange kind of paranoid who sees conspiracy around every corner (at least as much as I can tell from the few minutes I can stand to watch Glenn Beck occasionally.)
Yes, I think he may be paranoid.
But I’ve now seen a few clips of Glenn’s rally. And in it he declares that as of his rally America is on its way back, that a new era of religiousness has begun (presumably because of him). Its all a little messianic.
Then I realize just how many of these people are southern Baptist types – and it hits me. They must truly be desperate to follow … a Mormon.
And I get it.
Whistling past the graveyard?
Posted in Politics | 3 Comments »
August 26th, 2010 by Max
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/07/foxconn-suicide-factory-r_n_602870.html
Some of the Chinese workers who's salaries were recently doubled to $293
“This wage increase has been instituted to safeguard the dignity of workers,” said Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou in the statement.
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August 26th, 2010 by Max
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn
Foxconn recent doubled its wages to $293/month. Most of America’s technology is now manufactured in a walled town of 350,000 to 400,000 people, euphemistically characterized as Foxconn City.
Steve Jobs gets his toys from here. America gets their toys from here.
This place needs unions.
Posted in Fun, Politics, Social Commentaries | No Comments »
August 25th, 2010 by Max
www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/us-soldiers-punished-for-_b_687051.html
(Excerpted from the Huffington Post)
For the past several years, two U.S. Army posts in Virginia, Fort Eustis and Fort Lee, have been putting on a series of what are called Commanding General’s Spiritual Fitness Concerts. As I’ve written in a number of other posts, “spiritual fitness” is just the military’s new term for promoting religion, particularly evangelical Christianity. And this concert series is no different.
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August 22nd, 2010 by Max
Uh oh.
Watch out. I feel another indulgence coming on and its e.e. cummings
if i
or anybody don’t
know where it her his
my next meal’s coming from
i say to hell with that
that doesn’t matter (and if
he she it or everybody gets a
bellyful without
lifting my finger i say to hell
with that i
say that doesn’t matter) but
if somebody
or you are beautiful or
deep or generous what
i say is
whistle that
sing that yell that spell
that out big (bigger than cosmic
rays war earthquakes famine or the ex
prince of whoses diving into
a whatses to rescue miss nobody’s
probably handbag) because i say that’s not
swell (get me) babe not (understand me) lousy
kid that’s something else my sweet (i feel that’s
true)
Posted in Arts, Other People's Theories | 2 Comments »
August 21st, 2010 by Max
Last week Jen PO and I went looking for Osprey and all the natives of my favorite swamp. Ethel and Albert were, for the first time this summer, not at home. The kid has flown and maybe they were taking a break.
We never got real close to any of the big birds, but we got a few shots. We did see an eagle or two.
The nice thing was that the Egrets are back and that timing isn’t always easy to make. They pass through. Next time they might be gone.
Posted in Arts, My New York, Photos | No Comments »
August 20th, 2010 by Max
Floyd Landis – who steadfastly, passionately, angrily denied doping when he won the Tour De France – recently gave in and admitted that he did cheat.
The strategy is clear. Don’t just deny it. Get pissed off. Angrily, self righteously deny that you cheated, as if you would have if you had not cheated.
Sounds like Roger Clemens to me.
I believe Andy Petitte.
Posted in Politics, Social Commentaries, Sports | No Comments »
August 19th, 2010 by Max
Now that everybody has a blog, and yes, that means me, and in the shadow of Lee Atwater and his protege’s, its becoming easier all the time, to be cynical.
I hear things, from the likes of Fox News, Rush Limp paw, and Michael Savage, that I honestly believe they don’t believe. Not only crap. Stupid crap.
The Republicans in President Obama’s now 18 or so months in office, have not only been not helpful, they’ve actively tried to defeat his policies – which is fine if you are the opposition party and you have an ideological difference with the party in power. But some of the stuff they did and said, just doesn’t make any sense. And people like Mitch McConnell and Charles Grassley have said that they have tried to delay things as much as possible.
And they’ve worn President Obama down.
The other day he gave a speech on how the Republicans are trying to privatize Social Security. That dog wouldn’t hunt back when President Bush tried it with two houses of Republicans. He knows it won’t happen.
He’s just become cynical.
Sigh.
Posted in Politics | 1 Comment »
August 13th, 2010 by Max
This is just too funny. From Twitter:
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August 11th, 2010 by Max
I need to see it again. 4 of 5 Smiling Maxes
Dom Cobb is an extractor. Industrial espionage. He goes in to get secrets out of the minds of sleeping executives. This time is different. This time the job is to plant one. But his life is somewhere else and this is his last chance to redeem himself.
The cast is first rate. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Third Rock From The Sun) is eminently watchable as he takes himself all the way from tv sitcom to action star with his role. Ellen Page is always watchable in everything she does. Even DiCaprio, and this reporter has never been a DiCaprio fan, is near perfect as he leads his crew into a world where nothing is real except imagination. The further and deeper they go into the subconscious the greater their chance for success and the greater the danger for Cobb and from Cobb himself and his own demons.
The entire ensemble is stylish and slick and subtle as they move through varying degrees of non reality to plant a real thought. Marion Cotillard is especially good as the haunted and haunting “Mal”.
Dirctor Nolan’s dialogue is expository, but that is necessary and it is handled cleanly and stylishly as everything is revealed to you. But come early and pay attention because while it is all there, it isn’t easy.
I need to see it again.
George Hrab (The Geologic Podcast) said go see it. He said it is the smartest most internally logically consistent movie he’s seen in a while and he’s right. But George LOVED it. I just couldn’t get to that place. Its smart and quick and complicated and well acted, but by the end I didn’t feel like that was the best movie I’ve seen in a long while, so I can’t give it 5 of 5 Smiling Maxes. But it was smart and quick and compelling, so on his recommendation alone I am giving it 4 of 5 Smiling Maxes. I want to see it again.
Maturish children can handle the violence as it is no worse than what they see on their tv everyday. Sexuality is minimal, but the story takes concentration. A man said to me as we walked out of the theater. That was the third time I’ve seen it and I still don’t get it. I think I got it. Maybe I missed something. I should see it again.
Christopher Nolan
Writer (WGA):
Christopher Nolan (written by)
Release Date:
16 July 2010 (USA) See more ยป
Genre:
Action | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio … Cobb
Joseph Gordon-Levitt … Arthur
Ellen Page … Ariadne
Tom Hardy … Eames
Ken Watanabe … Saito
Dileep Rao … Yusuf
Cillian Murphy … Robert Fischer
Tom Berenger … Peter Browning
Marion Cotillard … Mal
Posted in Arts, Max's Movie Reviews, Now Playing | No Comments »
August 11th, 2010 by Max
Ok. All summer I’ve seen commercials for the new Hawaii Five-0. I’m psyched. I was a big fan a million years ago, and I’ll probably watch it recast hipster style.
However, the thing about Hawaii Five-0 is the theme song. Its the theme song. You may have missed that, its the theme song! Well, yes, and the opening credits.
So I happen on the new Hawaii Five-0 opening credits all excited to hear this great song and see the new sequence, and well … its just plain thin. I’ve heard people complain about how opening credits are getting shorter and its true but its change. Change is ok. I liked the opening for LOST which was as short as it gets. But the open of the original Hawaii Five-0 was just perfect. It can’t be improved. You can’t improve it. Sorry. You can’t improve it. Its the only show I can think of where you had to be seated before the show started.
The new one? What is that a midi generated guitar? Its so thin! Give me the brass. I know the images have to change some, but … well, maybe they should have just left it alone.
This may sound like old folks bitching about the past again … so here. Just watch and compare:
Hopefully there’s still time to change the new one.
Posted in Arts, Max's Theories, Social Commentaries | 1 Comment »
August 9th, 2010 by Max
I went to Massachusetts to hang with some friends. As these action photographs demonstrate, fun was had. There were good friends, games and at least a portion or two of legal substances were consumed. Fish were caught. Speidies were grilled. Birthdays were celebrated.
We’d planned on working on the podcast a little. We’ve a new idea for Countless Screaming Argonauts www.csapodcast.blogspot.com but somehow the flow seemed like the only way to go.
I had to leave before I had to leave. Can’t really say why.
Posted in Fun, Social Commentaries | 1 Comment »
August 7th, 2010 by Max
Just go out where there’s a shallow pond, a riverbank or any place where water stands, and you’re likely to see life. This river overflow floodplane pond down in Deposit, NY has seen its share of Herons and Kingfishers but a surprising lack of ducks.
I stopped by the other day and got hit with a Mallard.
Posted in Arts, My New York, Photos, Science | 2 Comments »
August 6th, 2010 by Max
I saw Jon tonight for dinner. He looked good. Seemed really calm, mature, solid. He’s doing great and it was great to see him. He was going to give me an MRE. I’ve never seen one. He said he didn’t want it.
I forgot to pick it up. Bummer.
Posted in What's up with Jon | No Comments »
August 5th, 2010 by Max
Last month I went to Montezuma, I know, rare trip to the wildlife refuge. And Drove about a mile and a half up the +4 mile main pool drive and had to turn around, the main trail was closed. But on my way back I saw out the drivers window a Great Blue Heron that I had missed on the way up. He was down a 5 ft embankment, but real close. So I got out of the car and took a hand ful of pictures before he flew off. [They have this amazing way of knowing when you're changing the camera settings, and so ... no flying pictures.]
So, though people have seen a million GBH pictures on my blog before, here are two of the better ones I’ve ever made.
Posted in Arts, My New York, Photos, Science | No Comments »
August 4th, 2010 by Max
About a year ago, I had a really bad time, traveling for work.
This time, I got food poisoning, diarrhea, fever. Bad food from Wendy’s ™. Don’t ever buy their frozen cinnamon roll for breakfast. Whooo.
Did ya ever get that feeling that you just would rather throw up, than feel that your stomach was swelling and inflating? You keep belching thinking that will help.
It didn’t help.
Throwing up helped. Throwing up at the place of work I was visiting helped.
All in all … it was a better trip than last year.
Posted in Max's Theories | 2 Comments »
July 28th, 2010 by Max
I’m a big Yankee fan. I couldn’t watch them last night. Not on in my neighborhood, so I was looking forward to watching them tonight.
As always I looked around for my backup channel, to switch to while the commercials were on. That finished my Yankees watching for a couple hours, for there on PBS was the concert at the White House to honor Paul McCartney with the Gershwin award.
I was transfixed. Couldn’t look away.
First, as the Obamas walked in, I felt pride. I was so glad they were in the White House. I haven’t always cheered everything my President has done, but I couldn’t help but feel better about where my country is, despite the raft of tragedies and seemingly insurmountable problems facing it.
Then they introduced Paul McCartney. Sir Paul (an honor I’d never cared about before) and an eclectic variety of performers from Faith Hill to Elvis Costello and some I’d never heard of including a classical pianist each of whom took turns providing their renditions of McCartney tunes after an opening song by Paul of “Got To Get You Into My Life”.
Elvis played “Penny Lane”. Faith Hill sang “The Long And Winding Road” during which Paul could be seen nodding and smiling.
Somewhere in there it occurred to me that Beatles songs, McCartney songs, singing them in the car, listening to them on the record player and the radio, were like Dr Seuss books had been to me probably 6 or 8 years earlier. Something wonderful that would pop up to add a little joy and wonder to my life while I was growing up.
Its cliche’ now to say that Paul McCartney’s songs were the soundtrack of my life, but its true. So many songs. So often they can bring me back to a special and particular time in my life. Its strange to say but Paul reminds me of me. Never more pointedly than New Years Eve 1969 when I lay there in bed when the countdown to #1 (NUMBER 1,! number 1!) was playing on the radio and I had a reel to reel tape deck ready to record “good songs” for my brother, as the DJ played his way down the list. I was surprised my brother trusted me with, not the tape deck which probably was my sister’s, but with the choices. I knew when I thought about it, which song would be number one. And it was, and I recorded “Hey Jude”. Who knows where the tape is now. Tom has probably long forgotten that night, but I remember it.
So as I watched Paul McCartney, Sir Paul, playing “Hey Jude” for the first family, I realized that Paul McCartney’s time, was my time.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Posted in Arts, Changes in the World In My Lifetime, Other People's Theories | 1 Comment »
July 26th, 2010 by Max
“You know that bastard hates America!”
Posted in Arts, Podcast Reviews | No Comments »
Countless Screaming Argonauts