AN IDEA, ARCHIVE AYN RAND & KISSING THE BEACH

PERPETUITY OF IDEA

A WORLD WHERE IDEAS MATTER

Back in University someone said trying to speak

philosophy to the masses was akin to standing

at the shore and trying to stop the waves.

Maybe it is only nostalgia, but it seems there 

was a time when people would debate, discuss

and explore ideas and politics with an open mind

and with respect.

Today it seems everyone has their mind made up,

convinced in the rightness of their view and the

absolute absurdity of those who disagree.

And, there was a time when the media seemed to

see its role as a place to prod, examine, discuss and 

consider even deep philosophic constructs.

Can you imagine a news anchor today

interviewing Jean Paul Sartre on 

on Existentialism?  Well, Charlie Rose perhaps.

A GREAT FIND FROM THE ARCHIVE

Indeed there was a time. Consider this-

Mike Wallace with Objectivist author Ayn Rand

Here, in part 2 they discuss

Rand's belief in limiting the right and power of voters

Incidentally there is more than an historic example in these clips, since many of the Tea Party and conservative

members of congress are followers of Rand's thinking.

Do you think a future blogger will someday

pull a clip of Kim Kardashian, or an interview with

Stephen King to demonstrate how popular media

explored something deep?

DAYBOOK

CARESSED BY WAVES

From tumble to foam

The shore is constantly in change.

Without pressing my point too far, each wave, not unlike an

idea, tumbling, turning grains of sand

into perpetuity. What if we could track

the evolution of our thinking that way?

See you down the trail. 

CLINT EASTWOOD AS HISTORIAN

REEL THOUGHTS

EASTWOOD HAMMERS STONE
J. EDGAR IS MASTERFULLY DONE
Director Clint Eastwood's turn at
contemporary history is a superb film and by most
standards a fair and accurate portrayal of the FBI's late director J. Edgar Hoover, one of America's controversial
public figures. Eastwood handles the history with class and avoids the kind of distortion and overblown perspective
we have come to expect of other film history bio pics.
None of that from Clint Eastwood who has shown
time and time again he is one of the most skilled
directors in film history. 
People familiar with the Hoover story, or the Hoover and FBI histories will commend Eastwood for his even handedness, authenticity and class.
There are many who have paid close attention to the Hoover chapter of Bureau history and the story is fully told in many books and histories. Eastwood does not
reveal anything not already in public attention, but he
plumbs the personality, emotion, psychology and story line of Hoover and the early FBI in ways that brings the material
to a vivid accounting. 
Dustin Lance Black's screenplay is as good as it can get.
He had a huge story and well documented life to whittle and render and he delivered a compelling script for Eastwood.
Black deserves special recognition, especially from historians.
Hoover was complex and so is the story and it is superbly
told with attention to detail, historical elements,
and the pathos of the time and personality.
Birthing a federal investigative agency was not a simple task, trying to protect a democratic republic from threat while preserving liberties is a constant battle, so is the power and money game in Washington and the 
Hoover story as told by Eastwood beautifully displays
those pushes and shoves.  Hoover's insistence on 
professionalism and his own ego feeding are well told.
Hoover's relationship with his mother may be where
Eastwood begins to wander into interpretation, though
it is plausible by some accounts already told.
The same is true of the persistent rumors of Hoover's
relationship with his long time assistant and frequent companion Clyde Tolson. 
I've covered the FBI, have friends who are former agents, some from the Hoover era and some from the modern bureau, I have read and listened to many theories
about that relationship.  In that context I think
Eastwood's handling of that part of the story is
pure genius.  I came away thinking that in many ways
Tolson was a kind of "rudder" of Hoover and for
the greater good of the FBI.  I don't want to say
more, because your own viewing and evaluation on this part of the story-line is important.
As a period piece it is also brilliant.  
DiCaprio should get an Academy nomination for his 
work.  Inspired and simply brilliant.
Judy Dench as Hoover's mother is one of those
haunting performances that you will long remember.
Naomi Watts as Helen Gandy and Armie Hammer as 
Clyde Tolson are superb. Equally brilliant are 
Sian Grigg who did DiCaprio's make up and prosthetic effects and Alessandro Bertolazzi who did the same for
the aging Naomi Watts.  You can not appreciate how
brilliant their work, until you see it.
Tom Stern's cinematography should also win awards.
I marvel at how each Eastwood film gets better at 
mastering the art.  This film will be on 
all time best lists.  There is so much, so good about
this film, and most of it just stays out of the way and/or empowers the story that some may not fully appreciate just how exquisite is the work. 
 This is an extraordinarily intelligent and subtle film.
It tells part of the modern American story and will
no doubt reside as popular memory.  By contrast
I think of some of the work Oliver Stone
 has inflicted upon us.

JFK by Stone may have been the most egregious bastardizing of history, but Stone has substituted fantasy or conspiracy as fact in other efforts.  He has also done

George W. Bush, Larry Flynt, Nixon and the McMartin child molestation trials in LA among others.

Eastwood on the other hand, brilliantly interprets reality.

If more American History could be so told!
And by the way Clint Eastwood even wrote the music.
Maestro indeed!
See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) COOL

JAZZ MEMORIES

AND

A TALENTED BRO

Last weeks posting of Dave Brubeck's Take Five

and attendant memories, brought one more from the back

of the brain.

I wish I could remember his name, but I am grateful

to an upperclassman  who lived on my freshman

dorm floor. He walked with a brace, the result of

polio, so he had a single room near an exit. With the

extra space he had converted it to a "pad" complete

with shelves, a chair, lamps and a stereo system.

The room was full of jazz albums and on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, when most of us were doing the kind of things college freshmen did, he had his door open and the jazz was wailing.  There were no complaints, though he always made sure he was not interrupting study.

Not a likely event!

A few of us would gather into his room and he would

pick tunes and give us a little tutorial.  One of his

favorites, and already one of mine was the

piece the THE WEEKENDER :) offers for your

Saturday Groove.

  and one more cool thing

About a year ago a group of fraternity brothers who

have stayed in touch, re-connected with Steve

who was a married senior our freshman year.

Steve Clippinger has had a marvelous

career as an artist.  Part of the joy 

in getting to know Steve is to see

his incredible body of work.

Here's a WEEKENDER :) bonus

See you down the trail.

11/11/11 & THE BIRTHDAY RAIN

A CAUSE FOR CHEER

 While some were searching for meaning, or perhaps

meaningful ways to observe 11:11 on 11/11/11,

the Friday Lunch Flash Mob was otherwise concerned.

The rain, welcomed indeed, but furious none the less,

was likely to drench the weekly gathering below 

the Castle.  Serious stuff, because two birthdays

were to be observed. Up steps Ruth,

the matron saint of our salon society. We'll gather

at her place, bring in food  and celebrate. 

And so 11/11/11 was saved with good cheer.

 The Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake was,

if you will, the icing on the lunch.

 Outside the low pressure system and storm front which

had confounded forecasters, delivered a great soaking

while the sister and brotherhood warmed the day.

 In true Cambrian fashion, Ruth rounded up vocalist Jerry,

to serenade the birthday kids and guests.

Little did he know as he sipped his coffee an hour earlier,

that he would be pressed into action.

But so in goes in this village by the sea.

 So, let it rain. This mob can mobilize its flash

  and flash.

 Still be resolved however, how much does

this storm leave behind?  A Green Thanksgiving

hangs in the balance.

Stay tuned.

Happy 11/11/11.

And to be sure, to those who have served

a heart felt thank you veteran!

We remember those who have gone.

See you down the trail.

LIBERTY'S LIGHT AND A LEGEND

A LION FALLS

The entire affair is sad.
A terrible allegation followed by apparent inaction
leads inevitably to a bad ending.
The board of trustees has acted now, but where 
were they before now?
Paterno was a legend. This is not how it should end.
Everyone looses here.
Responsibility, accountability and honor 
are more important than a game.


FREEDOM AND THE MUSE

PUBLISHED IN PUNCHNELS
Link here to Punchels  to read
Liberty's Light-An American Tribulation,
a new poem inspired by the 
10th anniversary of the Patriot Act
and the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement.
CHEERS TO FREEDOM
UNFETTERED.
CHEERS TO PUNCHNELS 
AND TO YOU!

See you down the trail.

TURKEYS-JOURNALISTS AND OTHERWISE & WHAT A SHOT

FIRST, THE AMAZING IMAGE
Unless you have a powerful scope, you probably
missed the fly by of the asteroid 2005 YU55. 
Thanks to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab here is a short clip.

NOW ABOUT IDIOTS POSING AS JOURNALISTS
SPJ, the Society of Professional Journalists
drew attention when Herman Cain accused reporters
of violating the Journalist's Code.
You can link here to the SPJ blog by Kevin Smith,
SPJ President and Chairman of the Ethics Committee.
In his excellent analysis, Smith provides context and cites two recent examples of national journalists being unaware of the Code of Ethics.
Example 1
Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus went after Cain, defending the paper but admitting she wasn’t familiar with the SPJ Code of Ethics. She wrote: “I suffer from the instinctive journalistic aversion to official codes of conduct.”
Example 2
Later Monday, MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell showed her relative lack of ethical knowledgeby snarking to Politico reporter Jonathan Martin, the reporter who broke the original story, “I assume you’ve read the journalistic code of conduct, whatever that is.” 
Well,
the Mitchell snarking and the Marcus arrogance of destitute ignorance make them poster children of the WORST OF AMERICAN JOURNALISM.  I didn't know they were both
so empty headed, ungrounded and intellectually lazy.
Martin's snide response to Mitchell was also stupid and a disservice to real journalists.
I spent several decades in journalism and the SPJ Code of 
Ethics was something that guided my shops from when
I was a street reporter to my years as a news executive.
True journalists, serious journalists know about and 
abide by the code.  Fools, egotists, gas bags, snark queens,
and posers apparently do not.
SO, THIS IS DEDICATED TO
RUTH MARCUS, ANDREA MITCHELL AND
JONATHAN MARTIN--


THE TURKEY TROT

Perhaps they are not students of irony,

but as we near Thanksgiving, we can count on a 

parade of wild turkeys making their daily

migration across the ridge top.

We noticed that Mr White, the albino, is back.

Like some people, they are not very intelligent and

are ignorant of honor and codes of conduct and leave us

with messes to be cleaned up.

See you down the trail.  Watch your step

especially if Marcus, Mitchell and Martin are around.

MONTEBELLO UPDATE, SUNNY NEWS & FELINE YIN AND YANG

COASTAL RELIEF

It has been a couple of weeks since scientists delivered 
good news, and the real sense of relief has just
kicked in. The Montebello poses no environmental
threat to the central coast. As I noted in the post
linked above, extensive deep water diving determined
the tanker, sunk by a Japanese U-boat in December 1941,
no longer contains any of the 3 million gallons of crude oil that was aboard when the tanker went down 6 miles off shore of Cambria.
Just the thought that a potential environmental 
catastrophe could occur, worked like a low grade
fever in the back of your mind. Getting
the news that it won't happen is a powerful relief.
Those of us who can find things to worry or fret about,
have only now allowed this one to sink in, so to speak,
and it is like a weight being removed. There was always
a "what if" in play and in the last couple of weeks
we've been able to put it out of mind.


SUNNY BITS

SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY  
NOVEMBER 3 FLARE
Did you see the recent buzz about the cost of solar power?
Scientists say they are seeing evidence of Gordon Moore's law of computing beginning to happen in solar applications.
Moore's law postulated  the number of transistors on a circuit board doubles every two years and thus lowers
the cost of computing.  It's been true for 50 years
and now solar technology is experiencing increased
efficiency at lower production costs.

YIN AND YANG

Little brother Hemingway shares basket

with big brother Luke

Peace!

See you down the trail.