Wisdom of the Sages
Episode III
March - Spring 2008
Hello People of the World!
Beware the Ides of March. Because I have a jam-packed issue for you this time ‘round. Let’s see if you can keep up. Ready? Deep breath. (careful, I use foul language in the very first item. You'll see why and understand. I hope.)
Hee yah!
:[ Okay, now this pissed me off; I was checking out at the Jewel-Osco on Touhy the other day and the pimply-faced kid behind the register compliments my hat, NATIVE PRIDE. He then goes on to tell me that he is trying to get a scholarship "‘Cause I’m Native. And those scholarships are a lot of money."
Cocksucker. (‘scuse me.)
You see? This is what I’m talking about. The last three white people who mentioned Natives all say there are "great benefits" to being Native and two of them who mention a Native Heritage are only in it to get "Scholarship Money". I know there is a lot more to being Native than skin color. But those same people saying that tend to discount Native Experience. If you want, I can expand on this. Let me know. It just irks me, is all.
:[ Amusing Ourselves to Death pt. 1 - I had an interesting discussion with Bonnie about the many ways we are distracted from the important things in this country. It began with the Writer’s Strike of all things and how TV wallowed into a state of Reality TV dreck. We barely watch network TV here at the WB House. Maybe, The Daily Show, or something like Mythbusters.
In the end it is all about distracting us from the important issues. The government has just gotten smarter about the distractions. They make us think we have some personal stake in them. Back in the 50's it was Communism. Which lead to the counter-culture movement of the 60's when people wised up that Communism is impractical and demanded their government to be held accountable.
Now, it is Terrorism and they make us think that a writer’s strike is going to have a greater impact than the rising cost of living in our economy, or the stripping away of civil rights and shredding the Constitution. I mean, in the internet age, books will all but disappear. We vote in higher numbers for the next American Idol than the next US President, and all the while, while we bicker about file sharing and the cost of the internet, soldiers are dying in Iraq every day it seems. Prices are rising everywhere and we sit back and take it because we can download for free and the writers got a new deal and Brittany is a psycho.
:[ There Will Be Blood - The Review at last! CLICK HERE FOR THAT!
If you don’t read it I’ll take back my $10,000 and then some. Is that all right with you?
:[ Jesus in the Context of His Times - Also, AT LAST! I know it took some time but I really had to think about what I wanted to say.
:[ Mapping Systems in cars - Are we as a society getting so stupid that our cars are telling us where to go? Bonnie calls it the Infantilization of America.
:[ "Ni Hau Kia Ian" is a new Nick Jr. Show about a little Chinese girl sharing her culture, Dora Explorer Style. The show also teaches Mandarin. Yet, I recently read a review if "Ni Hau Kia Ian" in Entertainment Weekly, which gave it a low rating. Why? "Because Mandarin is really hard to pronounce." So a show that challenges kids rather than distracts them is a bad thing.
:[ The Shoshoni Connection - Update: Slow going right now. Though I have uploaded a ton of storyboards and images. I have it all mapped out and just need to get cracking and the script to finish it up. I will need some peeps dedicated to bringing it to fruition. Plus cash and equipment. But we’ll cross that bridge, yada, yada. Let me know what you think.
:[ Two words to describe this year’s Oscars; Boh-ring! Yeah, it was a great year for movies, but with the Cohens winning, Day-Lewis, Ratatouilli, even Diablo Cody, all winning, which was great, yet, in the end, very much expected. Jon Stewart did okay, but a pretty standard show.
:[ Gas Company Profits vs. Gas Prices - Why is it that oil prices are soaring, oil companies are making tens of thousands of dollars every minute, and yet we are still paying over $3.00 for a gallon of gas?! Something is amiss here, you think?
:[ Three Kingdoms - Update
Re-read the Battle at Red Cliffs. Pretty amazing stuff. Now, Liu Bei is heading for the Riverlands to establish his kingdom with Kongming, Lord Guan Yu, Zhang Fie, Zhao Zilong, all of whom make Bei a formidable leader. The John Woo movie comes out this fall and the second teaser looks great. Check it out here.
:[ I am supremely saddened about the Passing of Jeff Healy. The cancer that took his sight at age one, finally took his life. He was best known for the hit "Angel Eyes" but to me, he was one of the most overlooked guitar talents of our age. His cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is one of my favorites.
Funny thing was, before I heard of his passing, I had a song of his on my mind, "How Long Can a Man Be Strong." I was a fan from way back and converted a few with his "Live from London" video. I will miss you. Thanks for the music.
:[ I don’t understand why Tom Cruise comes under fire for expressing his desire and passion for his religious beliefs. I don’t care if he thinks Ron L. Hubbard comes from space. We live in a country where a person can practice their religion freely. You can say that he is trying to convert people. But honestly, that what all religions do. Try and get more people to follow their particular religion. I know some don’t like him because of what he said about post-partum depression. But have you noticed that the media never covered the fact that he admitted he was all wrong about it and that he personally apologized to Brooke Shields? Probably not. Instead, we got Jerry O’Connell (of irrelevance-fame), poking fun. (Too bad he can’t open a movie.)
No one seems concerned that former Presidential candidate Mitt Rommney was as open about his religion. Hell, he even promised to alter the U.S. Constitution to align with "God’s Will". (As if he’d know it.) And no one was worried. Yet we have all the irrelevant people doing parodies of old Tom Cruise. Maybe it’s because he never ages.
:[ Pet Peeve: People who ignore the Caution: Wet Floor sign. What will it take for people walking all over my just-mopped floor from walking all over it? Slipping and falling? Or maybe the sign does not pertain to you specifically. You are not bound by simple common sense that floors are frickin’ slippery when wet. Just like "Don’t Touch Fire, Hot". Come on.
:[ Men are the same no matter the culture...
...always with the leering and the groping of women.
:[ Why the big bruhaha about selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field to some corporation? Isn’t Wrigley a corporate name?
:[ The Women of Ninja Warrior: Best Damn Show on Television. Period. If you don’t watch it, you’re a coward.
That will do it for this month.
Again, I ask for comments and notes to let me know how you are doing. I am slowly making my way through my e-mail address book. So, if you haven’t gotten "The Note" from me, wait for it. I hope you like the new banners. I went with the least skin-baring pic of Zhang Ziyi for the Spring Banner. My instinct leaned toward prudence. But we’ll see about next month.
Until next time; "I can’t keep doing this on my own... with these.... people."
