Frank

Music Review: Kenna's "Make Sure They See My Face"

2007-12-14T22:44:15Z

As a big fan of Kenna's 2003 debut album, "New Sacred Cow," I was eager to see how he'd develop his unique sound on the follow-up album, "Make Sure They See My Face." The Ethiopian-born, American-raised singer (born Kenna Zemedkun) teamed up with buddies-turned-big-time-hip-hop-producers The Neptunes (Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams) in crafting a brilliant sleeper pop masterpiece that combined elements of electronica, bubblegum pop, techno beats, and the occasional buzzsaw guitar. The resulting sound was simultaneously new and yet utterly familiar, as if Kenna were the cosmic love child of Depeche Mode and Radiohead. All of this begged the $64,000 question: With such an impressive start, how does Kenna avoid the dreaded sophomore slump? Unfortunately, it looks like Kenna's answer to the question seems to be, "By doing the exact same thing all over agin." Teamed up once again with The Neptunes, Kenna has created an album that sounds like a continuation of his debut. While that sounds like the perfect plan, it simply means that "Make Sure" is just a lesser version--if not a cheaper imitation--of its predecessor. This time around, the same synchopated drum beats and choppy computer editing don't seem as charming. In fact, because so little overall has changed in The Neptunes' arrangements, the sound seems stale, if not downright dated. That's not to say the album is without its fair share of well-written songs. "Out of Control (State of Emotion)"--popularized in recent Playstation 2 commercials--is the albums standout track. Its snarly vocals and over-the-top urgency play as an homage to Robert Smith and The Cure. Unfortunately, it also comes eerily close to sounding like his own "Free Time" from the debut effort. Other notable songs include the Parliament-meets-Kraftwerk dance tune, "Loose Wires/Blink Radio," and the spiritually-yearning "Sun Red Sky Blue." If I were to give one piece of advice to Kenna, though, it would be to find a new producing team. Kenna's songs, his lyrics, and his soaring tenor are all strong enough to withstand the removal of all those electronic bells and whistles. I understand that electronica may be his preferred medium, but it would be truly daring to see this innovative songwriter strip down the arrangements and let the songs speak more for themselves. The good news, I suppose, is that if you loved "New Sacred Cow," you'll be able to enjoy "Make Sure They See My Face." However, if you were expecting to hear how Kenna would develop the signature sound he established in his debut effort, I'm afraid you'll have to keep waiting. In the meantime, download the album's best songs ("Out of Control," "Loose Wire"); they should tide you over until his next effort. Rated: 3 stars (out of 5).

My attempt at being poignant, not pedantic

2007-12-13T23:17:02Z

Enjoy that opening image. Nothing like a butt at a 70 degree angle.

Best of Rome

2007-12-13T22:03:35Z

If you are given the chance to travel anywhere in the world, where would you choose to go? Sure there would be some answers of Australia, China, France and Madagascar. While these sites are truly amazing places to visit, there is one place that is so steeped in history and culture that it would surely impress even the most savvy of minds. Rome is the place that I am describing. Its history predates the birth of Christ by many centuries, and it has undergone a myriad of changes that would intrigue any visitor. Since there is so much to see in and around Rome, I came up with the top five historical sites that I think are the most important to see. Someone else's top five might be different, and probably is different, but these are sights that lend themselves to all periods and significance of Rome. 5) Hut of Romulus http://home.att.net/~b.b.major/hutstructure.jpg Romulus and Remus are known as the founders of Rome. Some have even pinned the exact date in which they founded Rome, April 21, 753 BC. Who knows if this is true or not, but 753 BC is known as the year in which Rome was officially founded. The story of Romulus and Remus is largely based around folklore. The story goes that the two were raised by a she-wolf. Whatever the case may be, there is a sight in Rome between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills that exhibits postholes from a hut that date back to the 8th century BC. This is truly one of the oldest sites in Rome, and should give you a great feel of where Rome came from: from a hut to great Imperial Forums. 4) The Aqua Claudia I know what you are thinking, "an aqueduct, are you kidding me?" No, I'm not at all, as I think the Aqua Claudia played an important role, as did all aqueducts, in the success of Rome. These aqueducts are truly an amazing feat, as they brought water from far reaching springs. Although this wasn't the first aqueduct to be built, it is definitely one of the greatest. At one time, it was able to get water to all parts of Rome. Its ducts were mainly found underground, but are most visible right through the center of the city where it winds its way to the Palatine Hill. Aqueducts were so vital to the survival of Rome that invading forces often tried to find the buried ducts in order to cut the water off to Rome. Rome is next to the Tiber River, but it was believed to be far too dirty to take water from (sewage was dumped into the Tiber). It won't be hard to miss if you're in the city, so take a look around and admire its grandeur and innovative designs of the time. 3) New St. Peter's and the Vatican St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican is definitely an amazing sight. Located northwest of the center of the city and across the Tiber River, this site is one that has a history that is almost unmatched in terms of who worked on it. Dating back to the 15th century, St. Peter's actually went through four different planning processes. Bramante and Michelangelo were two of the developers that designed the first stages of St. Peter's. Today's St. Peter's includes a tomb by Michelangelo for Pope Julius II and Bernini's Baldachino over St. Peter's resting spot. With those names alone, one should definitely take a look at this site. 2) Colosseum Also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, this has to be one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. It is also recognized as one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The Colosseum was once the center of Roman society and culture. From gladiator fights to triumphal parades, the Colosseum served many purposes. With its completion in 80 AD, this amphitheater could even be flooded to hold mock naval battles. Everyone has probably seen the movie Gladiator, so getting a feel for what it could have been like isn't too difficult. What is left today is the aftermath of centuries of quarrying. After the Colosseum's glorious history as a site of spectacle, it was later used as a place of worship and even as a place to house livestock. The gladiatorial history is enough to get one to come here. 1) Pantheon http://www.uh.edu/engines/pantheon.gif This is a building that really is an amazing piece of history, and its architectural feats is what I believe sets it apart from other sites. Originally created by the Emperor Hadrian and completed in 125 AD, the Pantheon served mainly as a temple to the gods. The building that Hadrian built is actually the second or third building to be on the site. Its most impressive feature is the dome. How large this dome is really sets the standard for this type of architecture. At the top of the dome is a giant oculus that acts like a sort of sundial. Many popes take over this site and do with it as they please. Today there are many tombs within the Pantheon because of its importance as a trademark of Rome. This importance is what makes it so spectacular.

Drowning in Blackwater

2007-12-13T02:40:39Z

Below is the editorial I wrote on Blackwater's role in Iraq. It ran in the Kansan, but some content was cut and some mistakes were added. I don't expect this to count as a post, I just wanted to put it up somewhere as I had intended it. On Sept. 16 an armed convoy of six U.S. State Department SUVs came under fire in the Mansour district of Baghdad in a crowded market square. The SUVs, driven by Blackwater private security operatives, stopped. Operatives evacuated the vehicles and returned fire. Helicopters escorting the convoy gave aid. When the shooting stopped, somewhere between11 and 23 Iraqi civilians were dead. For many people around the world, this was the first exposure to Blackwater, a private security company with roughly 1,000 tactical operatives currently in Iraq – none of which are held legally accountable to a specific entity, be it the United States or Iraqi governments or the United Nations. For the Iraqi people, however, Blackwater has been a constant reminder of occupation since the beginning of U.S. involvement in their country. Operatives have aggressively forced military convoys through crowded neighborhoods and marketplaces and fired on cars they considered too close. The Iraqi government accused Blackwater operatives of aiding in the jailbreak of Ahyam Al Samarri, a man who embezzled $2.5 billion mean to restore Iraq's archaic power grid. Another group of operatives are under FBI investigation for allegedly smuggling weapons into Iraq and then selling them to the Kurdistan Workers Party, a known terrorist organization. They have killed with impunity and the threat of unemployment has been their only punishment. They are not officially soldiers, so they are not held to the same code of conduct. While Congress voted in favor of including private security companies in the Military Extraterritorial Act, investigations take time and do not provide immediate accountability to, or curb, violence. In lieu of the Sept. 16 incident the Iraq government has moved to revoke private security contractors' immunity, bu at the same time, Iraq's government is in no position to enforce its own laws. Blackwater operatives are essentially above the law. As a private company, Blackwater has more than 21,000 operatives in its database and 90 percent of its largely unknown profits come from government contracts. Operatives serve as security guards, convoy escorts and assassins and while the company currently works exclusively for the government, corporate hiring and privatized intelligence are the next steps in the Blackwater business model. But let's forget about all of that for now and focus on the necessity of Blackwater in Iraq. Simply put, the U.S. lacks the troop volume necessary to fully occupy and secure the country. While American's cringe at the idea of a draft and wince at casualty reports, leaving Iraq in full would guarantee its implosion into further sectarian violence, interference from Iran and Syria and make the country an even more fertile breeding ground for international terrorism and anti-American sentiment. Ironically, it was the brutal murder of four Blackwater operatives in Fallujah and the military's subsequent month-long assault on the city that effectively lost "the hearts and minds" of the Iraqi people and emboldened Mutada Al Sadr to call for the first Shiite uprising. Now the most we can hope for is protection of our own interests; namely our troops, the 48,000 known U.S. employees in the country and the Iraqi government as it struggles to its shaky feet. For this, Blackwater and other private security companies such as DynCorp and Triple Canopy are prefect candidates for the job, but they must be held accountable. The State Department has already announced that its officials will accompany Blackwater operatives on their convoys in Iraq. The department will also install security cameras in Blackwater vehicles and will keep recordings of Blackwater radio transmissions. This is a good first step, but these provisions need to apply to all security contractors, not just the ones making headlines. Because so much of the War on Terror has been outsourced already, we should outsource accountability monitoring to an independent organization as well. There would be less red tape and fewer conflicts of interest. Amnesty International is the best candidate for this job. The organization has already been monitoring the activities of Blackwater and other private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, so it has experience. The organization could prepare monthly assessments of security contractor conduct, report directly to the State Department and publish the findings as public record. Operatives that receive poor reviews would be subject to termination and deportation back to the United States where they would face trial in a military tribunal. Amnesty International could also ensure that future contracts between the State Department and private contractors contained sections on human rights, something previous contracts lacked. Of course, in order for this to work certain aspects of private security cannot remain private. While companies like Blackwater may be perfect candidates for the kind of warfare in which the line between civilians and enemy combatants is often blurry or nonexistent, they still have to answer to someone. Otherwise they're merely thugs, out to make a profit in the lucrative business of war. And our complacency as Americans makes us all responsible. â€” Trevan McGee

2007-12-13T00:07:14Z

Here are a couple of beginning thoughts to several of the blogs I began but never had time to finish. I am going ahead so I can get these off my chest and out of my mind. That is one of the things I learned in Opinion and Commentary – once I had something to say I couldn't let it go. If you are still out there then feel free to weigh in on any of my comments. Does everyone cry when Ellen DeGeneres visits some girls at a college dorm, when Hallmark commercials are on, when you have to say goodbye, when you read Christmas stories in magazines, when Silent Night is sung or when the music begins and the bride starts down the aisle? Or is it just that I'm a sappy wimp, in menopause, crazy or (fill in the blank)? Why do men put up with wearing ties? How do they tolerate something knotted around their necks? Why isn't there an uprising? Ties have no practical use. Centuries ago they were to show your status, then to show your school colors. Yes, men look handsome in their suit and ties but they also look uncomfortable. If it is good looks your going for then put on a tux. Every man looks drop dead gorgeous in a tux. Isn't Barack Obama half white? I never hear him referred to as any part white. Hmmmmâ€¦Wonder why that is. I had fun, great, loving grandparents. One grandmother made the best, tastiest pies and candy. My family still cooks her recipes. My other grandmother let me play in her jewelry drawer and sewed all of my Barbies' clothes, including a hand beaded wedding dress. My grandfather had a walk-in closet stocked with toys and games that was just for his grandkids. He taught me how to play craps. I want to be as good a grandparent as they were. Tough shoes to fill. And none of it had to do with Toys R Us or electronic gadgetsâ€¦it had to do with time. I have seen a few happy marriages, but far outweighing the happy marriages I've witnessed are the so-so, content marriages and quite a few disastrous marriages. Relationships are so difficult. Making marriages work is much tougher than anyone can ever explain. So why is it that I am always so ecstatic to see young people get engaged? It has to be the hope. Driving with one of your children, especially a teenager, is the best time to bond, to get to know them, to let them know you, to lecture them and to laugh. Finally, I wanted to say to all of you in Kerry Benson's Opinion and Commentary class with me... I can't believe my good luck. How, after 36 years and finally completing my degree, did I get so fortunate as to have such smart, articulate, sharp, worldly, funny, diverse and kind classmates in my last class? Every one of you. Thanks for making me better. Thanks for making me think. I learned so much. I expect to see great things from each of you. I wish you much success.

Maybe next year!? Either way, a game/day to remember...

2007-12-11T05:26:08Z

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Des Fleurs de la Croyance

2007-12-11T00:51:21Z

Surely a French title makes things better, right? Here are my top five favorite artists who include aspects of faith in their music. That sounds silly, since I suppose every person ever has aspects of spirituality, assuming they believe in something. If my awkward wording of the last sentence didn't give it away, I'm trying to avoid connotative nomenclature: this is not about the Christian music genre. That genre seems to be an intentional division of artists based not around musical merit, but around social policy stances. Whether that separation originates from within or without the genre, I'm not sure, and it's not the point. Humans are humans, regardless of what we believe, and music is distinctly and universally human. Ok. I philosophically digress. These artists all rock, yet under various differing circumstances could be construed as "Christian." I chose them, rather, because they do a decent job of shattering stereotypes and crumple the boxes one would try to force them into. All while creating some fiendishly good tunes. These five artists that I want to share with you were not chosen for their particular messages or statements. They were chosen because they play great music. Obviously, lyrics are a factor, and they are judged based off of poignancy and quality of writing. The number-five spot goes to Nichole Nordeman. She brings a straightforward adult-pop sound, which makes her accessible to a mass of people. Her sound mixes elements of folk, piano, rock and electronic music, and many of her songs have a relaxed, slower feel to them, similar to Coldplay's High Speed or Swallowed in the Sea. She has a clear, glassy voice that shines on high notes but can tenderly caress each song's intimate moments. Sustained, wavy background vocals calmly glide over many of her songs. She has great variety, and often her lyrics match the mood of the song, giving her sound a genuine, honest feel. In her album Brave, she has a few more upbeat songs, but her real strength lies in the slower, more emotive numbers, such as Someday and Crimson. In Crimson, Nordeman's voice twirls and winds around Chopin's Prelude in E minor, mournfully and hopefully telling of the Fall of Man and Christ's Intervention. Her voice holds the final note and slowly blends into a synthesizer pad, which transitions into the next song, Hold On, which functions as a hopeful and personal response to Crimson. Nordeman main strengths are that she is accessible yet musically thoughtful. She doesn't bludgeon you with repetitious chords or pious lyrics. Her words are personal and humble, and the music fits it faithfully. Next up at number four is mewithoutYou. While it may not immediately be recognized as being under a Christian label, and while it has one of the most energetic drummers I've heard this side of speed metal, Aaron Weiss's lyrics leave no closet unopened in his personal life and speak openly of his faith. The first time I listened to mewithoutYou I hated it. The first thing I noticed and also the most abrasive quality is the frenetic spoken-word vocal delivery, which is distantly similar to the Doors – that is, if Jim Morrison was on meth. Weiss screams and stammers out his lines like an insane genius in front of a cymbals-crashing, guitars-wailing full rock band. He spews literary-length sentences stuffed with metaphors, literature and biblical references way too fast for anyone to grab on their first listen, but it's not hard about every third trip through a song to cock your head and mouth "Wow." In The Soviet, from the album Catch for Us the Foxes, Weiss takes an obscure yet poignant verse from Song of Solomon in which the two lovers ask God to "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes â€¨ that ruin the vineyards, â€¨ our vineyards that are in bloom" (SS 2:15) This verse is generally viewed as a request that God would help the lovers maintain their sexual purity (by catching the foxes, or temptations of other lovers) that ruin the vineyards (the shared intimate joy that comes from unblemished sexual lives). Weiss takes it and builds it into a full-fledged poetic personal confession / theological dissertation that also references one of Jesus' parables, a prophecy from Isaiah and several letters from Paul. And all this while the band grooves on a baseline and then builds precipitously with the panache that comes from doing new things and not really caring what people will say. If all this sounds a little bit exaggerated, just give it a listen. Number three is Misty Edwards. This chick is intense. She is actually a worship leader in Kansas City's International House of Prayer. Yes, its acronym is IHOP. Yes, it's quite easy to confuse it with IHOPancakes. This is beside the point. Her music is incredibly powerful. Misty writes worship music. "But wait!" you might say, "Isn't worship music known for being simplistic and lacking musical caliber?" Sadly, yes. But oftentimes, simplicity is best for worship music. C'mon, who can focus on God when the guitarist is scribbling lines into the sky with a bizarre solo, anyway? But simple and simplistic are not the same. The former is good, even balanced. The latter is inherently lacking. Good music can be simple. Think Tom Petty. Misty's music isn't terribly simple, either. She has a full band, and thank goodness, she lets each member be creative and expressive. That said, all the musicians are remarkably disciplined and don't play out unless it fits. This discipline is what makes her music so powerful. Progressive rock lends itself well to worship music, and worship bands like Hillsong United have been exploring its potential. Misty taps into it effortlessly. The inherent quality behind much progressive rock is that it starts small and quiet and builds to a passionate, loud climax. In the first song See the Way from her album Always on His Mind, she starts with a fluid synthesizer pad and quiet acoustic guitar. Slowly, over the better part of eight minutes, the band slowly builds and the drums and electric guitar act as a counterpoint to the acoustic verses. Towards the end, she sings, "With just one pulse / of your heart / I'm in love." And the band takes off. Her voice launches and holds on to the end of "love." The drums start pumping, the guitars follow and the whole band is rolling. It's comparable to Sigur Ros's Milano. Misty stands out because her music, while designed to facilitate worship, doesn't lose any emotion, sincerity or creativity. This combines to create an incredibly powerful experience. The number-two artist is Blindside. Two words. Swedish. Metal. I love this band. And I don't even like metal. Blindside holds the esteemed position, along with Rage Against the Machine, of my Personal Tutor of Rock. I still remember the high school afternoon when I came home, turned on the TV, and stood stunned by the raw power of Sleepwalking. Blindside expresses its emotion through noise. Raw, screaming guitars, creative gunshot bass and drum synchronizations and often screaming vocals that soar over the instrumental barrage. Blindside's guitarist also has an uncanny ability to use distortion and discord to hammer out the verse and chorus of many songs, only to lay out a classically-trained solo over the bridge. The rhythm section seems completely comfortable with any time signature, and it change rhythms in Follow You Down from their About a Burning Fire album effortlessly, like someone jumping from one speeding train car to another. In their earlier album Silence, the band keep smore of a straightforward rock/metal approach, producing one of the best all-around albums I've ever heard. Its latter albums About a Burning Fire and The Great Depression venture into more experimental territory, surely alienating some. But these albums stretch the band and earn respect by showing new facets of the band and new inspiration. All of this is capped off by Christian Lindskog's honest and revealing lyrics. Obviously hard rock/metal makes a good background for darker lyrics, and Blindside freely explore tougher aspects of faith. Oftentimes it seems like eavesdropping on a conversation between Lindskog and God, as he opens up tender corners of his heart, such as, in the song "Silence," "I can't explain or understand, I just love you. It's common knowledge that you've been dead for a while. It's well known that the cross is only a burden with pains and trials. But thinking how come my shoes are so light, how come I can walk for miles? And still, just love you? So I think I'll stay, caught up in silent prayer Cause I believe in silence Our hearts speak the same words." The number-one artist on my list is Sufjan Stevens. If you haven't heard of this guy, you should. He will be regarded by history as one of the creative minds of our generation. His work is mainly constructed with folk instruments. But he will do things with a banjo and piano that will uncork your skull. While he doesn't openly speak about his faith and seems to have shied away from singing about it since Illinoise, citing that he doesn't feel music is the right forum for such a discussion, his earlier works are chock full of spiritual meaning. It is impossible to depict how moving Sufjan's music is in this blog. His album Seven Swans is full of tender melodies and gentle songwriting. The song Abraham recounts the story of Abraham and his son Isaac, employing only a banjo and vocals. "Abraham, worth a righteous one. â€¨ Take upon the wood, â€¨ put it on your son. â€¨ Lake or lamb. â€¨ There is none to harm. â€¨ When the angel came, â€¨ you had raised your arm. â€¨â€¨ Abraham, put off on your son. â€¨ Take instead the ram â€¨ until Jesus comes." The bare construction lends itself to the story, somehow empathizing with the father as he struggles to offer his son as a sacrifice as God had commanded. This story seems to show a barbaric side to God until Sufjan reconciles it to with the story of Christ, eruditiously hinting at several themes from Old Testament theology. Sufjan also brings a quirky sense of humor to bear in Illinoise, work number two of his audacious and admittedly silly plan to produce an album for each of the fifty states. Track two of said album is entitled, "The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, "I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to..." Much of his humor translates musically as well, and one of his strongest qualities overall is his ability to express emotion through his music. In his song "Come on feel the Illinoise!" (shortened title), the music chuckles and jives around witty references to Illinois folk references and inventions, such as "Chicago, in fashion, the soft drinks, expansion â€¨ Oh Columbia! â€¨ From Paris, incentive, like Cream of Wheat invented, â€¨ The Ferris Wheel!" Whereas Seven Swans is a remarkable study of the banjo when applied to folk with western arts inspiration, Illinoise is a colored-wagon gypsy cacophony of genres and instruments, an eclectic symphony of silliness and truth, bizarrely human throughout. In "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh!", Sufjan blends a funky guitar riff, an emotive string chamber, a dedicated but moderated drum march and chanting backup vocals to create a folk epic that marches, jumps and glides through the hypothetical drama of the dead rising, shaking off their dirt, and then trembling "with the nervous thought/ of having been, at last, forgot." Perhaps it comes as no surprise that Sufjan majored in creative writing major college. He tops the list because of his sheer creativity and brilliant execution. Humor, sadness, humility and sheer absurdity, all of these qualities combine to vividly construct his true works of art. Despite the remarkable musicianship demonstrated by all these artists, what makes them truly stand out is their honesty. What point are words without an end? What point is a song without meaning? It is evident from their body of work that these artists write real meaning into their songs, and strive to bring a true message, not just some canned pop-liturgical material. I hope you give them a try.

The Five Greatest Anti-War Films

2007-12-10T22:54:10Z

War. Huh. What is good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again. War. Uhh. Good Gawd y'allâ€¦ Actually, war is good for one thing: movies. From John Wayne to Black Hawk Down, war films have always had an inroad to the American imagination. However, movies can also be among the best weapons against war. While there's no doubt a rich a tradition of movies glorifying the "great wars," there's also an alternate movie history, one that has consistently attacked the evils of modern warfare. But what exactly is an anti-war movie? Some films, like All Quiet on the Western Front, or Oliver Stone's Platoon, clearly give us the impression that war is hell, but they don't necessarily tell us whether the war in question is unjust. Then again, as the great French director Francois Truffaut once argued, even the best anti-war films end up being pro-war advocates simply because they end up (indirectly) glorifying violence. That is, any time you have a battle sceneâ€”even if you're trying to make an anti-war pointâ€”you're showcasing the violence that invariably would lead some kid in the audience to say, "Cool! I can't wait to be a soldierâ€¦" I'm not sure I subscribe to that argument. Yes, there is such a thing as "war porn" (Pearl Harbor) where excessive violence is celebrated in orgasmic fashion. But the best combat scenes in the most powerful anti-war films are responsible enough to make it clear that violence is not the answer. Instead, what Truffaut's argument fails to acknowledge is that there are a number of ways to address the anti-war message. For further proof, I've put together this list of my five favorite anti-war films, which, hopefully, will give you a sense of the different approaches filmmakers have taken in speaking out against war. 1. Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Stanley Kubrick's Cold War classic follows spineless president Merkin Muffley and his war room team as they try to stop a renegade general who has taken matters into his own hands and has ordered his men to drop nuclear bombs on the Russians. True, the Cold War is over, but the movie remains just as relevant today as it was some four decades ago. Simply substitute "Islamo-terrorists" anytime they mention "Russians" and your problem's solved! What makes Strangelove so effective is the combination of Kubrick's dark humor and anti-authoritarian stance mixed with Peter Sellers's brilliant and highly entertaining multiple-performances. Sellers simultaneously portrays Capt. Lionel Mandrake, the nervous but dutiful British soldier trying to prevent Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper's coup attempt; he plays President Merkin Muffley (*and if you don't know what a merkin is, I'm not tellingâ€¦), the put-upon president who clearly hates confrontation; and, of course, he plays the eerie title character, a crazy-haired scientist trying desperately to suppress his Nazi urges as he finally sees Hitler's plan for a master race come to fruition as the nuclear Armageddon becomes more likely. Along with Sellers's three Oscar-worthy performances were brilliant contributions by Hayden and George C. Scott. This is the best anti-war film of all-time because it goes straight to the top in its attack of war. On display is the hubris of nonsensical Gen. Ripper, the lack of visionâ€”if not downright incompetenceâ€”of the president and all his men, and the blood-thirsty influence of the military-industrial complex as seen through Scott's "Buck Turgidson" character. Pulling no punches, the absolutely best thing about this film is that you'll never be certain whether you should laugh or cryâ€”or both. 2. Paths of Glory (1957) Once again, a Kubrick masterpiece. This time around, though, there is absolutely nothing to laugh about. Kirk Douglas portrays Col. Dax, a French platoon leader during World War I, who receives the order from an ambitious general to have his men charge and capture a key hill during a fierce battle--despite the fact they are severely outnumbered and lacking adequate supplies. When the men refuse to heed the order, the commanding general (who had banked on a promotion had the hill been captured), orders Dax to randomly pick three of his men to face the firing squad. Dax, it turns out, is an attorney in his civilian life and so he takes it upon himself to defend his men during their court martial hearing. Military justice, though, turns out to be a sham and Dax's defense is in vain. The men are executed and we come to understand the utter corruption within the higher ranks of military leadership that so casually sends men off to die simply for personal gain. The battle scenes are vivid and through Kubrick's sharp eye seem more like journalistic accounts rather than fictionalizations. One would have to be pretty sick to apply Truffaut's argument to the graphic nature of the battle scenes depicted. 3. Seven Days in May (1964)
Another Douglas performanceâ€”and again he portrays a lawyer. This time around he's Col. Martin Casey, counsel to General James Mattoon Scott (brilliantly portrayed by Burt Lancaster). The movie, directed by the great John Frankeheimer (he of the original "Manchurian Candidate" fame) is a nail-biting anti-war film that doesn't include a single battle scene. The action centers around the charismatic Scott, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who also has presidential aspirations. Scott decides that the current president is weak for wanting a nuclear treaty with the Russians. Instead, he decides to break off and strike the Russians before they can strike us. Casey gets word of this coup attempt and decides to take the news directly to the president. Together, they set the wheels in motion to thwart the takeover. Seven Days in May could never be made these days. It's very heavy on dialogue, it addresses issues like the integrity of our constitution, it takes place mostly within the confines of White House and Capitol offices, there are no major explosions, no gratuitous sex (although there is a somewhat gratuitous love interest for Douglas), andâ€”like Kubrick's Strangeloveâ€”the enemy is the overreaching American military-industrial complex. (Blackwater, anyone?) Still, if you have an interest in government, if you appreciate the tightrope walk our civil and military leaders must make to ensure our safety while not abusing their powerâ€”or if you simply want to see some restrained but powerful performances by Douglas and Lancaster, this is definitely one worth watching. 4. Forbidden Games a.k.a. Jeux Interdits (1957)
This French film is one you'll never want to see a second timeâ€”but you owe it to yourself to see it at least once. Little Paulette, who can't be more than six years old, witnesses both of her parents and her dog murdered right in front of her when they are among a group of civilians gunned down by German planes. The girl walks off with her dead dog until it is snatched out of her hands by an elderly lady, who admonishes the girl for carrying along the dead weight before tossing the dog's carcass into a nearby riverâ€¦and that's all within the opening 20 minutes! The film continues with Paulette's journey as she finds her way to the countryside and is taken in by a poor farming family. Along with the farmer's young son, she retrieves her dog and gives him a proper burialâ€¦the kids become so obsessed with death that they start burying all the dead animals they findâ€”and they take the crosses off the local graveyard to decorate their own animal cemetery. The movie is a stark reminder of the toll war takes on the civilians, the innocents, and especially on children. It also has a beautiful message that goes beyond anti-war into the realm of pro-life (and not in the heated abortion-rights way)â€¦that is, it makes a wonderful statement about the beauty and importance of all lifeâ€”not just human. The incredible acting by the children will stay with you long after the movie has ended. 5. The Documentaries of the 2000s
Okay, I admit it's a cop-out to list three films as tied for the number five spot on this list, but, hey, until we develop a playoff system for movies, this is going to be a recurring problem! (A little BCS humor for youâ€¦I'm sure it didn't bowl you overâ€¦okay, I'll stop). Anyway, I've been less than thrilled with the recent war-related output from Hollywood. Films like Lions for Lambs only scratch the surface of our problems. Other films, like In the Valley to Elah, simply aren't kept in theaters long enough to make any sort of impact. With that in mind, the best source for anti-war arguments in current cinema has been through the documentary genre. There have always been powerful anti-war documentaries, most notably the brilliant Vietnam-era Hearts and Minds, but lately documentaries have been supplying far better news coverage than traditional media news outletsâ€”and their stark, unflinching portrayal of the Iraq War has been among the most convincing evidence to date about this particular war's futility. Of course, no discussion about the popularity, effectiveness, and controversy of recent documentaries would be complete without beginning with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004). Yes, Moore is a loose canon, prone to wild attacks that lead first with the heart, but overall, no single filmmaker has done more for the documentary genre. Like him or not, Moore has introduced or perfected so many practices (on-camera confrontations, juxtaposing humor with tragedy, using the personal to explore the political) that he has done to documentaries what Orson Welles did to feature films. Moore's tactics may have pissed off more people than those he convinced, but regardless, his movie was the first major exposure audiences had to the challenges faced by our troops in Iraq. The other two recent documentaries worth noting are Why We Fight (2005) and Occupation: Dreamland (2005). Why We Fight is a chilling expose on the corruption--and disproportionate influence--of the military-industrial complex on our foreign policy decision-making. Perhaps most chilling in this film is the very opening scene where President Eisenhower, during his farewell address, warns in no uncertain terms about the dangers of the emerging convergence of power between the military and the private sectorâ€”and at that moment, when he coins the phrase "military-industrial complex," a chill will run down your spine as you realize how little his warning was heeded. Occupation: Dreamland, meanwhile, is a mostly overlooked film that follows a group of soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division as they patrol the streets of Fallujah just months before that city erupted into major violence. Unlike other anti-war films, Dreamland actually goes out of its way to humanize the soldiers. It shows them as complex charactersâ€”not just a monolithic fighting machine. Soldiers complain about the impetus for this war, they denounce the president and his corrupt cabinet. They speak directly about the futility of the occupation, and yet they try their hardest to accomplish their mission, a mission, of course, that truly does seem impossible. Just when you think Occupation: Dreamland is secretly a pro-Army film (because you so easily like these soldiers), you realize just how terrible it is that our own leaders have put these menâ€”and the Iraqi civiliansâ€”through this un-Godly situation for no real good cause. There are, of course, several others that just as easily could have been on this list (Three Kings, The Grand Illusion, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, M*A*S*H, even Jarhead...) Unfortunately, we've had so many wars that there also is an abundance of great anti-war films. Still, these five are the ones that left the biggest impression on me. I hope you enjoy them as much as one can enjoy a movie about war and death. At the very least, they are a testament to the power of cinema--and the role of art--in helping to shape public opinion, in promoting peace, and in spelling out our shared humanity.

Top 5 Government Mistakes of 2007

2007-12-10T05:44:19Z

1. Larry Craig gets confused I won't begin this mistake by saying everyone and their mother has heard about Senator Larry Craig's proposal for a bathroom rendezvous, but everyone and their mother has heard about Craig's proposal for a bathroom rendezvous this year. There is no way around it. On August 27, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call revealed that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct in a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport men's bathroom on June 11. In fact, he tried to solicit sex from an uncover officer. Big mistake! In an interview by the arresting officer, Craig denied wrongdoing and claimed that he was a victim of entrapment, but later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct on August 8. As a result, he announced his intention to resign from the Senate at a news conference on September 1, but later released a statement stated that he would stick around and just not run for re-election in 2008. Allegations of Craig's homosexuality began in 1982 when investigative journalists pursued a rumor that he used cocaine and engaged in sex with male teenage congressional pages... It seems like Craig has been in the closet for a long time. Probably in an attempt to divert attention away from the nagging questions, Craig led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Representative Barney Frank for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal in 1989, which just makes this mistake in 2007 greater. The price of his mistake was only $575, but he was asked by Senate GOP leaders including Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Trent Lott (R-MS) temporarily step down as the top Republican on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, and Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Since this incident, eight gay men came forward to the Idaho Statesman alleging either sexual encounters with Craig, or attempts by Craig to engage in sexual encounters. To top it off, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed an amicus curiae brief stating that the secret sting operation used by the police was not "carefully crafted" to avoid ensnaring innocent speech. Really? Please just face it, Senator, you belong on this list for this mistake. Advice: Either watch your stance gentlemen or just hold it. No one wants be arrested. 2. Bush's Continue involvement in Iraq This mistake doesn't take much explanation because it could also belong on the Top Mistakes of 2002 through 2006. There are currently about 130,000 American troops in Iraq â€” roughly the same number as when Bush ordered the temporary boost eight months ago, and he continues to demand more money to fund his playtime. Meanwhile, the American people and Congress demand change with no success. Polls show that Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Bush's handling of the war, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,700 U.S. troops and cost about a half trillion dollars. His approval rating â€” both for his handling of Iraq and for his overall performance â€” stood at 33% in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released last week. The President has failed to offer either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it, and he continues to demand for its continuation in his annoyingly fake Texas drawl. There has been no handover of power, hardly any good news, but plenty of prisoner abuse scandals. His handling of the war has given Americans lackluster expectations for the domestic economy: worries of home foreclosures, rising gas prices, and depressing currency values. Is it over yet? 3. Gov. Matt Blunt email scandal Here's another reason for Kansans to be glad they're in Kansas: Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt's office has been a little delete-button happy which is just a little thing the judicial courts call a violation of state law. Oops! In September 2007, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon questioned the governor's office regarding the storage and deleting of emails because according to the state's sunshine laws, any documents that are sent through the governor's office are public record and must be accessible. This issue surfaced after a Springfield News-Leader columnist requested e-mail correspondence between Blunt's Chief of Staff Ed Martin and anti-abortion activists, but Martin responded that the governor's office did not retain e-mail records. Sounds like no big deal... but former staff lawyer Scott Eckersley has claimed he was fired from the governor's office for criticizing the office's handling of emails, which is how Nixon's office learned of the problem. Apparently government e-mails must be maintained for as long as three years, and the Blunt Administration was destroying them like pornographic spam. Meanwhile, of course, the Blunt administration says Eckersley's employment was terminated for disciplinary infractions. Sounds little hoosier, especially now that Blunt sent the Chief of Staff to the unemployment line shortly after this erupted. This latest scandal in Blunt's term leads to more questions about whether the Governor is disregarding other state laws. Deleting emails: mistake. Trying to hide other indiscretions: big mistake. Welcome to the list Gov. Blunt. 4. Gonzales's Constitutional amnesia There are so many reasons why former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could be found on this list... During the course of Gonzales's term beginning in 2001, the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were accused of improperly, and perhaps illegally, using the USA PATRIOT Act to uncover personal information about U.S. citizens. And if that wasn't enough, his inability to explain his role and influence in the dismissal of U.S. attorneys in 2006 led several members of the United States Congress from both major political parties to call for his resignation. On January 18 Gonzales was invited to speak to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he shocked the committee's ranking member, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, with statements denying the right of habeas corpus in the United States Constitution. If we follow Gonzales's rationale that he offered in this meeting, Americans would not have the right to worship as they choose, speak as they wish or assemble peacefully because the Bill of Rights only says it is prohibited to take those rights away. After years of this ridiculous behavior, Gonzales submitted his resignation as Attorney General effective September 17, by a letter addressed to President Bush on August 26. Thoughtfully, Bush attributed the resignation to Gonzales' name having been "dragged through the mud" for "political reasons". Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) replied that the resignation was entirely attributable to the excessive politicization of the Attorney General's office by Gonzales, whose credibility with Congress, they asserted, was nonexistent. Uh, and maybe the fact that the freakin' Attorney General did not understand the U.S. Constitution. Just a thought. Advice: Thank Ted Fred for teaching you about the First Amendment. 5. City of Lawrence And finally because I am an equal opportunity commentator, I must name everyone's favorite hippy lawmakersâ€” that is, the Lawrence City Commissionersâ€” to this list. The commissioners broke the state's open meetings law by holding a closed-door meeting in September to discuss granting more than $1 million in incentives to a local company. In particular, the commissioners offered a never-before-used property tax refund provision to entice the company to stay in Lawrence. The tax refund is similar to a tax abatement, which is required to go through a public review processes. And lo and behold, commissioners never discussed the tax refund program in a public meeting. Commissioners claim they simply misinterpreted the law, and thought the meeting was protected under attorney-client privilege. Attorney General Paul Morrison is willing to forgo prosecution if city commissioners agree to admit their wrongdoing and personally pay for two hours of professional training on the open meetings law. From the sound of it, commissioners will accept this offer and try to close the door on this mistake. It won't be easy though, because Mayor Sue Hack has been the subject of a separate investigation by the attorney general. This investigation alleged that Hack violated conflict of interest laws by not properly disclosing that she has a financial interest of more than $5,000 in the company. Former Mayor and now commissioner Boog Highberger said, "I believe she had no intent to do anything improper. But a serious appearance of impropriety was created here, and I don't think the mayor has done enough to correct that." No . Not only did Hack participate in the closed-door meeting, she did not properly complete the necessary forms disclosing her financial interest in the company. Can someone please educate our elected leaders on what is legal and ILLEGAL? Advice: Pay attention in government class. You might be serving with Boog in a decade or two.

My five faves on Xbox 360

2007-12-10T01:30:35Z

As most of you know (you freaking should if you don'tâ€¦ I mean come on, it's like all I talk about) I play a bunch of video games. What you may not know is that I purchased an Xbox 360 console not so many months ago. Since then I've acquired some killer software to go along with Microsoft's king of consoles, ranging from the latest first person shooter to a fairly expensive piece of group gaming goodness. Now I'm a connoisseur of games, and am very discerning about what I buy. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway, damn it) my collection is short but distinguished. As for picking the order of which is best out of the great material I have, I might have a hard time. But I'll give it a shot. The last game on my list is also the first game I got with the system. Gears of War is arguably the first of the modern day shooters, and introduced a gritty, visceral feel to the game that had previously not been fleshed out in the genre. It also used an intuitive camera that followed the actions of your character. Hide behind a wall and the camera skirts to the side a bit so you can see around the corner. Hunker down and sprint and the camera lowers as well, shaking as you run for cover. And who could forget the splashes of blood hitting the screen as you chainsaw an enemy in half? One of the cooler features of Gears was the re-introduction of co-op play. Sure Doom 3 had co-op, but it wasn't this badass. Gears co-op lets you play two player split-screen blah blah. Standard stuff. But the interesting part is the dynamic between the players. If your teammate is injured you can run over and revive him. Dying actually seems to matter when you don't respawn after 30 seconds. There's some incentive to play better personally as well as with a teammate. Gears also featured some amazing graphical detail using the Unreal 3 engine, which makes sense because Epic, the games developer, created it. The models are incredibly detailed and lifelike while the environments feel completely natural. Really, one of the only things that I would criticize heavily is that the ride is way too short. But of course, a sequel is planned and I'll have to pay another $60 to experience it. Fucking Microsoft. And speaking of Microsoft, the long-awaited, third entry in the Halo series comes in as the fourth game on my list. All the way back in 1999 Halo was announced for the PC and, if you can believe, I was ecstatic. [rant] But then that corporate motherfucker Microsoft came in, bought Bungie (the development studio in charge of production), and shit on the PC by making Halo an Xbox exclusive and delaying the PC version for a further three years. [/rant] My gripes of corporate antics aside, Halo is simply a lot of fun. With two Halo titles under their belt, Bungie has further refined their baby into the most user-friendly and easy to play version yet. The second game introduced many things, such as dual-wielding weapons, and the third simply improves upon the formula and makes it all smoother. In addition to the badass new Covenant weapons, the detachable turret makes for some interesting gameplay. Halo 3 also uses the Unreal 3 graphics engine to great effect if not quite as well as Gears. But the first level is inspiring as you battle your way through a lush jungle setting. The Master Chief (main character) also has never looked better, his SPARTAN suit now scarred and beaten from the previous encounters of the first two games. Pretty graphics don't necessarily make the game, however, and my third game is placed so because of its stellar gameplay mechanics. The Orange Box is also here because it's actually FIVE GAMES for the price of one. It's not often you find value like this in the oh-so-expensive hobby of gaming. I could go on about the first three games offered in this set, Half Life 2 and the two episodic installments that follow, with their moving storyline, great physics, and so on. But the real gem here is the pseudo side-project called Portal that breaks all the rules of time/space. Portal introduces an interesting element into the first person shooter genre, aside from the fact that you don't actually kill anybody. Portal has you step into the augmented legs of a research participant using a portal gun to solve puzzles, always involving finding your way to the exit. The portal gun eventually allows you to shoot two portals, one orange and one blue, onto certain surfaces of the room. Walk through one, come out the other. It seems simple enough, but then other factors like conservation of momentum come into play. And sometimes just figuring out what the hell you're supposed to do can be a rewarding challenge. The gameplay is good enough on it's own to stand tall, but it's the presentation as a whole that makes the game. As you progress through the levels, each harder than the next, you're guided and given hints by a weird, female voice. "If you become lightheaded from thirst, feel free to pass out," says the voice at one point. The sense of humor adds so much character to the game and makes it one of the funniest games I've ever played. Even the credits are funny, as the computer sings you a touching song about your trials throughout the test. Ok, so all of the games on my list so far have been in the first person shooter genreâ€¦ sort of. The second game on my list is a bit of a departure from that crowd, and is by far the most expensive game I've ever bought. At roughly $185 Rock Band is three times as expensive as a regular game, but those regular games don't come with a plastic guitar thing, microphone, and digital drum set, do they? Rock Band is the latest adaptation of group/party games that use other peripherals in addition to the normal game controllers. In the same vein as Guitar Hero, Rock Band takes the next step from solo shredding to the battle of the bands. You can play with up to four people in this game; one on lead guitar, one on bass, one drummer, and the singer. Bringing four players together to play one game makes for a great group dynamic and an incredibly unique experience that hasn't really been attempted before. While the song set isn't as extensive as the new Guitar Hero game, the multiplayer element more than makes up for it. You simply can't get this feeling from any other game. And with song packs (including sets from Black Sabbath, Queens of the Stone Age, and Metallica) already in the pipeline, available for download, you can expect Rock Band to be very long lived and the centerpiece of a gamer's collection. And now, the moment of truth. The number one game of my collection is: Mass Effect, the new role-playing game from BioWare studios. This game is said to be the most immersive, intriguing, and enjoyable game that has come out in recent history. Maybe even Ever. But here's the problem: I uhâ€¦ don't quite have it yet. My brother got it for me for Christmas, so it'll be a few weeks until I actually have it. So why do you have it as your number one game if you haven't even played it yet? you might ask. Well, I'd just have to say "here's hoping." I mean, it's BioWare we're talking about.

Videogame Review: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

2007-12-09T04:00:00Z

A stoic, dry-humored treasure hunter searches for a lost artifact with a dark secret. Along the way he encounters mercenaries, monsters and Nazis. Yes, it's the plot of every Indiana Jones movie, but it's also the plot of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the new adventure game for the Sony Playstation 3. Sony hasn't exactly had the best track record with exclusive titles lately. Lair was a huge disaster and both the solid Ratchet and Clank Future and the mediocre Heavenly Sword are underselling. And despite price cuts and Blu-Ray giveaways the Playstation 3 still isn't jumping off shelves. Uncharted is exactly the game the system needs. It's a gorgeous game from top to bottom and demonstrates the Playstation 3's ability to deliver a quality, narrative-driven game that's a blast to play from start to finish. You play as Nathan Drake, a supposed descendent of Sir Francis Drake and like his ancestor, Nathan has a bit of an obsession with El Dorado. When Nate finds a map that leads to an uncharted island (hence the game's title) he sets out to find the lost city of gold and drags his pal Sully and his documentary filmmaker/love interest Elena along for the ride. Gameplay in Uncharted is a combination of platforming, combat and driving. Nearly all of the platforming elements (jumping, climbing and swinging) in Uncharted are accomplished via the X button. Nate hurls himself off of cliffs, swings on vines and climbs up any surface with a pronounced ledge and the simple control scheme makes it a breeze to get from Point A to Point B, even if Point B happens to be at the top of an Aztec Church or the bottom of a rusted-out U-boat. And it all looks remarkably realistic thanks to the animation system developer Naughty Dog implemented. There's never a single way for Nate to do anything in the game, so a jump that he cleared perfectly the first time, he might short the next. Uncharted is full of these idiosyncrasies. He trips going down stairs, clutches his side when he's injured or flinches when gunfire or grenades get too close for comfort. Combat is reminiscent of last year's Gears of War. Nate can attach himself to any surface for cover and pop out from behind it in order to take accurate shots at enemies. This isn't anything that hasn't been done before, but it works well. When in close, Nate can forgo weapons in favor of his fists in order to dispatch his enemies. Again, there's nothing particularly new about hand-to-hand combat, but it's reliable. The driving? Not so much. There's actually only one point where you actually drive a vehicle (a jet ski), but it's so frustrating that you probably won't want to do it anymore than is required. Having to stop the vehicle midstream to take shots at enemies with a superior vantage point essentially makes you a bullet magnet. But that notwithstanding, the segments are just plain dull. While gameplay varies in quality and enjoyability throughout Uncharted, the game's audio and visual quality is always outstanding. Outdoor environments teem with life and movement and when played through a surround sound system, the jungle effectively surrounds you. Water ripples realistically and Nate's clothing gets increasingly wet as he treads further into ponds and rivers. Indoor environments are moody and dimly lit, making them even more dreary and abandoned. The complete lack of ambient noise or the inclusion of faint echoes intensifies the eerie sense of isolation and guilt that comes with trespassing on an ancient gravesite. The result is a highly polished showcase game that, while lacking anything groundbreaking, is still an excellent addition to the Playstation 3's library. Uncharted plays like a solid Hollywood action movie. Indy would be proud.

Direct-To-DVD: The Five Best Films No One Saw in 2007

2007-12-08T03:51:30Z

The year's almost over and it's been a great one for independent films and blockbusters alike. This summer, cineplexes featured giant robots, the triumphant return of Jason Bourne and an Emo Peter Parker. Likewise, arthouse audiences got their fair share of competitive Donkey Kong, unwed teenage pregnancy and real girls. But the most unexpected trend of film in 2007 was the complete lack of a darling independent or small-budget film. Every year moviegoers pick a film to latch onto â€” My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Fargo and The Royal Tennenbaums all filled this void in the past â€” but this year lacked that. This is especially weird because this year featured new offerings from the Coen brothers, Wes Anderson and David Cronenberg. In other words, 2007 is the Year of Cult Indecision (And 2008 is more-than-likely going to be the Year of Films With a Second Life on DVD). The following is a list of the best films of the year that nobody saw. All box office information comes from boxofficemojo.com. The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Budget: $30 Million Domestic Gross: $3,806,000 Widest Release: 301 theatres No two ways about it, The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford was the best film of the year. The film featured some of the most beautiful cinematography since Conrad Hall and because of this the environments and nature in general became a character in and of itself. Nick Cave's haunting score matches the visual tone and desperation of the film perfectly. For a film that deals so prominently with myths and the real men behind them, Brad Pitt is a perfect fit as Jesse James both for his media-centric public life and for the vulnerability and world-weariness he brings to the role. But it is Casey Affleck who should be remembered for his role as Robert Ford, a man so obsessed with fame that he kills his idol to achieve it. A lesser actor would have just occupied space, allowing the events leading up to and following James' death to dictate a reactionary course. Affleck makes every choice a conscious one and by the film's conclusion he achieves the most unlikely emotion for a character so despicable â€” sympathy. Control Budget: â‚¬4.5 Millionâ‰ˆ$9 Million Domestic Gross: $746,219 Widest Release: 29 theatres It's a good thing I managed to see this film when I was in England over the summer because Control barely saw the light of day stateside. The film, which chronicles the meteoric rise and suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, is shot in stark black and white by director Anton Corbijn, a man who made his name photographing the band during their heyday. Corbijn's hands are all over, but his greatest feat as a director was capturing the hopelessness and desperation of late 70s London. There's an extra layer of grime all over the city's and condemned buildings, abandoned cars and the weight of the economic recession looms over the Curtis and his wife Deborah, making their love seem impossible, or at the very least unlikely. Critics almost unanimously hailed Sam Riley's performance as the troubled Ian Curtis, and rightfully so. Simply put, Riley is amazing. His portrayal is thoughtful, intense and almost too earnest, especially during the film's ultra-mopey final fifteen minutes. But he, Corbijn and the film, are never better than during the film's musical performances. Eastern Promises Budget: $25 Million Domestic Gross: $17,266,000 Widest Release: 1,408 theatres Eastern Promises can be summed up in three words: Intense, intense, intense. Between this and A History of Violence, his last film, purists worry that director David Cronenberg may be inching ever-closer to a big-budget sellout film. They needn't worry because as long as his films continue to expertly handle age-old dichotomies such as good versus evil, the budget is irrelevant. Cronenberg's films all have a certain number of themes present. Namely, human fragility, vulnerability and duality in all its nasty forms, but what makes him so special (and Eastern Promises so outstanding) is his ability to implement these themes in different ways with each of his films. In A History of Violence fragility was displayed in its literal form; bullets shattered faces and broken-noses-driven-into-brains caused seizures. And rather than cut away from these shots the film held on them, not to glorify the actions, but give them eerie weight and real-world repercussions. Eastern Promises features this same commitment to deglorifying violence, but it's fragility takes the form of Naomi Watts, a nurse who aids in the delivery of a premature baby and discovers secrets in the dead mother's journal that place her in the sights of the Russian mafia. Cronenberg's new posterboy, Viggo Mortensen solidifies his place as one of film's premier badasses, if not by his quiet, morally conflicted turn as a Russian "driver," than for a fight scene that embodies vulnerability. In critic-speak words such as "brave," are usually shorthand for "The actor/actress was naked a lot." In Mortensen's case both definitions of the word apply. Into The Wild Budget: $20 million Domestic Gross: $15,837,476 Widest Release: 660 Theatres It's beautifully shot. It's expertly acted. It's written and directed by Sean Penn? Okay, now that the mandatory Sean Penn-sucks reference is out of the way, let's move on to the rest of this outstanding film. Into The Wild is the second book adaptation on this list (Jesse James was the first) and like that film it has the following elements going for it: An excellent lead performance (this time by Emile Hirsch), pastoral, lush cinematography that gives the landscape its own personality and a soundtrack that is memorable long after the film is over. Where the film differs from Jesse James is its focus entirely on Chris McCandless, Hirsch's character. This is quite an accomplishment for Hirsch as an actor. It would be easy to blow off McCandless as a misguided or inexperienced hippie kid that got what he deserved (That's what many readers thought of him when his story first appeared in Outside magazine). Instead, he's presented here as a complicated kid, both angry at the world he lives in and himself for being a part of it for so long. All of that said, Hirsch couldn't have done it alone. Someone had to write it and someone had to direct him. Penn did such a good job on the other side of the camera, maybe he should think about staying there. Rescue Dawn Budget: $10 million Domestic Gross: $5,484,375 Widest Release: 505 theatres The one constant in director Werner Herzog's controversial 45-year career has been obsession. Sometimes obsession manifests itself in Herzog (His own Hubris is documented in the excellent Burden of Dreams), but obsession often manifests itself in the film's protagonist. Rescue Dawn is no different. Shot down on his first solo flight, Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale) finds himself stranded in the Laotian jungle and is eventually captured and placed in a North Vietnamese Prison. And that's all in the first 30 minutes. What follows is violent, dirty film, in which the characters all descend into a world of torture, starvation and entrapment. Except for Dengler, whose smile never fades and optimism never wanes. Dengler's obsession is hope and it nearly kills him. Rescue Dawn skillfully dodges the politics of the Vietnam War and any potential allegory within it by focusing solely on Dengler and his unbreakable spirit. Herzog is notorious for putting his actors through hell and during the filming of Rescue Dawn Bale was nearly drown, drug behind a water buffalo, and ate a live snake (Something I would think PETA would frown upon). But beneath all the blood, the grime, the human suffering and the actors' ridiculous commitment to their roles is a beautiful film with a simple message: No matter what life throws at you, you're not defeated until you give up.

Broadcastin' direct from my room

2007-12-07T23:30:20Z

Hello scholars, and welcome to my blog. Today, I'm going to tell you all what I have been doing for the past few weeks when I'm not blogging. The project I'm speaking of is an as-of-yet untitled documentary film about a Mr. Loren Pickford, a jazz musician, poet, and painter in his 60's who I came in contact with through a friend. I'm attempting to reveal an in-depth character study with this film, so I will start from his life at an early age, and work towards how he ended up in Kansas City. Loren was born to a poet mother and successful painter father, but he chose music and story telling as his first form of expression. Soon, Loren became a local fixture around the Fresno, California jazz scene, and earned an excellent reputation. He began to play his alto saxophone with such luminaries as Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, and even opened for Miles Davis. Living the classic bohemian life, he's lived in Amsterdam, Paris, Colorado, New York, and finally settled down in New Orleans for his longest stay of 18 years. Here he lived in the apartment that Tennessee William's wrote A Streetcar Named Desire and married his landlord. He continued to garner critical acclaim from the music rags like Down Beat and All Music as he played around town and painted constantlyâ€¦ Then Katrina came, washed away his home, and killed several of his neighbors. He still looks pained to this day when he talks about that time. So, essentially, with no home and few possessions left, Loren and his wife, Sheila packed their bags and set out for California to live with a friend. Instead, on his journey to the coast, his car broke down in Kansas City, and without knowing anyone here, his wife and him moved their few possessions into a home, and have been here ever since. Loren pays the rent by playing clubs like The Golden Ox, The Blue Room, and Jardine's while his wife works at a hotel. Since meeting him a few weeks ago I've been documenting a few shows, and was even invited down to his house in "the hood" (Troost Street in Kansas City.) Here, my film crew and I were invited in for a pot of ol' New Orleans Gumbo and corn on the cob. Afterwards Loren played us a few songs based on the flood, including a particularly moving 2007 version of Randy Newman's Louisiana 1927. After the meal, he showed us his impressive collection of art, which he had saved from the flood. When he speaks, his deep gritty voice booms out of his throat and echoes around the walls. He smokes incessantly and drinks whisky straight up as he tells his many stories. Some include, his job working at a hotel with Tom Waits, playing the riverboats of the Mississippi, and going out on the road with his band. Now he also teaches piano, and plays for old folks and children through a program that was set up by the government to help out of work New Orleans musicians find work. I find his humanitarian spirit and continuing interest in the world and people to be infectious. I now consider him a personal role model, which makes this project all the more enjoyable. However, as I've discovered before, the hardest part of filmmaking is not starting the movie, but completing it. Wish me luck, and hopefully Ill get this damned thing done and out to festivals. Until next time, This has been Bart Vandever, good evening campers.

Midas Touch - Part 5: Greatest black pitchers in baseball history

2007-12-07T02:35:12Z

For every statistic in baseball, there's an all-time leader, a single-season leader, a single-game leader, even single-inning and per-nine-inning leaders. Then ballplayers are broken down as to how well they perform during certain innings, in specific situations, against different opponents. As if that isn't thorough enough analysis, there are more "Greatest of All-Time" rankings than you can shake a proverbial stick at. Which got me to looking at "Greatest Pitcher of All Time" rankings from any sources I could find. The most respectable ones I could find were from Hardball Times and, oddly enough, Forbes. The two rankings concurred on Humboldt native Walter "Big Train" Johnson, Roger Clemens, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Greg Maddux, Tom Seaver, Warren Spahn and Christy Mathewson as seven of baseball's Top 10 pitchers of all time. AskMen.com compiled its own list of the Top 20 Major League Baseball players, which included just two pitchers: No. 6 Nolan Ryan and No. 12 Clemens (I suppose you can count No. 4 Babe Ruth, too). To these publications' credit, they span from the dead ball era to the steroid era, so they don't appear to be bias toward a certain era (although Johnson, Alexander and Mathewson all pitched in the dead ball era) and they specify the criteria of their rankings. However, these rankings lack in color. As in, the color of the pitchers on their lists. Pedro Martinez was the only minority pitcher on Forbes' list. Bob Gibson was the highest ranked black pitcher on Hardball Times' list at No. 14, and is one of only three minority pitchers on the 40-pitcher list. With all due respect to the pitchers on these lists, these rankings don't do justice to the black pitchers who have served as pioneers for today's minority pitchers. So, based on raw statistics and legend, here's my list of the Top 5 black pitchers to play professional baseball. 5. Vida Blue – LHP 6'0" 189 lbs. Born: Mansfield, Louisiana Career Stats (1969-86): 209-161 W-L, 3.27 ERA, 2175 SO, 37 SHO, 1.233 WHIP Legend: Blue, who was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics (Oakland Athletics franchise) in 1967 and played for the Kansas City Royals 15 years later, is perhaps underappreciated because he didn't live up to the lofty expectations he might have set for himself in 1971. That season – his first full one at the Major League level and three years after MLB lowered the pitcher's mound – he led the American League in ERA (1.82), shutouts (8), WHIP (.952), hits allowed per nine innings (6.03), and strikeouts per nine innings (8.68). He was also second in the AL in wins (24) and strikeouts (304). He was rewarded with the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards that season.

Vida Blue, who deserves bonus points for being left-handed, having played for the Royals, and his sweet name.
Photo: AP file photo

Blue had two more 20-win seasons after 1971, was a six-time All-Star selection (starting three All-Star games), and was part of back-to-back-to-back World Series Championships with the Athletics, but he was never elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. From 1970-82, his ERA was lower than the league ERA every season but one, but his record over that span was a pedestrian 190-125. Still, Blue was one of the first black left-handers to find significant success in the Major Leagues. In The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers by Bill James and Rob Neyer, James ranks Blue as having the second best fastball from 1970-74 and the 10th best fastball from 1975-79. He ranks 51st all-time in strikeouts and 92nd in career victories. Blue was also a superb athlete, as Buck O'Neil noted in his autobiography I Was Right On Time. His spirit lives on today in Dontrelle Willis. 4. Ferguson "Fergie" Jenkins – RHP 6'5" 210 lbs. Born: Chatham, Ontario, Canada Career Stats (1965-83): 284-226 W-L, 3.34 ERA, 3192 SO, 49 SHO, 1.142 WHIP Legend: Unlike Blue, Jenkins shined throughout the prime of his career with seven 20-win seasons in an eight-year span. In 1971, Jenkins won the National League Cy Young, led the league in wins (24), games started (39), complete games (30), and innings (325). Think about that. Of 39 starts that season, there were only nine he didn't see to the end. That kind of durability is unheard of in baseball today. He also led the NL in strikeouts in 1969 (273) and the AL in wins in 1974 (25) and was a three-time All-Star. His 3,192 strikeouts rank 12th all-time, his 284 victories rank 28th all-time and he's 21st in career shutouts.

Ferguson Jenkins, the first successful Canadian pitcher, despite his vices.

The Cubs almost missed out on enjoying Jenkins' services as a starter. After the club acquired him in a trade from the Phillies in 1966, O'Neil, who was a scout for the Cubs at the time, convinced the team to try him as a starter. Unfortunately, he was never started a game in the postseason. As the first Canadian to win a Cy Young, Jenkins was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. However, he had to wait until 1991 to become the first Canadian inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This was supposedly because of a 1980 customs search where he was found in possession of cocaine and marijuana. Nevertheless, Cubs fans today only wish Kerry Wood and Mark Prior had Jenkins' longevity. 3. Pedro Martinez - RHP 5'11" 170 lbs. Born: Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic Career Stats (1992-present): 209-93 W-L, 2.80 ERA, 3030 SO, 17 SHO, 1.030 WHIP Legend: I know what you're thinking. But if African-Canadians can be on my list, then an exception can be made for an exceptional African-Dominican. Martinez, unlike the other pitchers on my list, is a pitcher I've actually had the pleasure of getting to see, rather than just hearing stories about. And what I've seen is Martinez – all 5'11" of him – become one of the most dominating pitchers during a hitters' era. He's done so by being unafraid to pitch hitters inside during an era when batters have otherwise been able to own the inner half of the plate (with the aid of body armor). While some could argue that it's easy to pitch inside when you're in the American League and you don't have to worry about stepping in the batter's box yourself, but Martinez made a name for himself as a hardnosed pitcher in the National League with the Expos, leading the NL in hit batsmen in 1994.

Pedro Martinez in his prime - and his curls' early stages - with the Red Sox.

Regardless of league, there's no arguing Martinez's numbers. He's a three-time Cy Young winner (1997, 1999, 2000), an eight-time All-Star selection, and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's the active leader in ERA, having led the NL in ERA once (1997) and the AL four times (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003). He led the AL in wins in 1999 (23) and in strikeouts in 1999 (313), 2000 (284), and 2002 (239). At 35, he's 15th in career strikeouts and tied with Vida Blue in career victories. Bill James rated Martinez's fastball as the sixth best from 1990-94 and the third best from 1995-99 and Rob Neyer rated his change-up as the fifth best all time. Of course, Martinez also owns all the intangibles a superstar should, from his jheri curls to his infamous throw down with Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer. However, I'll always remember him for his laid back attitude, his feisty pitching style, and his role in helping the Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years in 2004. 2. Bob Gibson - RHP 6'1" 195 lbs. Born: Omaha, Nebraska Career Stats (1959-75): 251-174 W-L, 2.91 ERA, 3117 SO, 56 SHO, 1.188 WHIP Legend: One of my greatest regrets is that I wasn't alive to watch this man pitch, but I still take pride in Omaha's own Bob Gibson. And Gibby could do it all. Playing all 17 seasons in the National League with the Cardinals, Gibson displayed his athleticism with 24 home runs, 144 RBI and 13 stolen bases in his career – as a pitcher, I remind you. On the mound, Gibson was masterful. He won two Cy Young awards. He was a nine-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner. Bill James rated his fastball as the fourth best from 1960-64 and second best from 1965-69 and Rob Neyer rated his slider as the third best all time. He led the NL in wins in 1970 (23), in complete games in 1969 (28), in shutouts four times, and he lasted long enough to be the oldest player in the NL in 1975. But no year compared to 1968. That year, on his way to winning the NL Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards, he led baseball with 268 strikeouts, and a 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts (both post-dead-ball era records). Gibson nearly single-handedly forced baseball to change its rules. To encourage more offense, MLB lowered the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches the next season.

Bob Gibson and his wild follow through.
Photo: Sports Illustrated

Gibson was also clutch in the World Series. Back in his day, there were no Division or Championship Series, just the World Series. In nine World Series starts, Gibson went 7-2, throwing eight complete games, striking out 92 batters while walking just 17, and posting a microscopic 1.89 ERA en route to two World Series titles. Over his career, he was noted for being able to throw just as hard in the eighth inning of games as he did in the early innings. You could say his career reflected his gift for finishing strong. After having only one 20-win season before turning 30, he had four in five seasons from age 30 to 34. All time, his 3,117 strikeouts and 56 shutouts rank 13th, and his 251 victories rank 44th. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. Like Martinez, Gibson made his living by pitching inside – a fact he relished. In Stranger to the Game: The Autobiography of Bob Gibson, he wrote: "It was said that I threw, basically, five pitches – fastball, slider, curve, change-up, and knockdown. I don't believe that assessment did me justice, though. I actually used about nine pitches – two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a change-up, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman." 1. Leroy "Satchel" Paige – RHP 6'4" 180 lbs. Born: Mobile, Alabama Career Stats (excluding Negro League stats, 1948-65): 28-31 W-L, 3.29 ERA, 288 SO, 4 SHO, 1.279 WHIP, 32 Saves Legend: This is why I included "Legend" as criteria for my list. Satchel was as much myth as he was man. His Major League stats don't look like much – and they aren't – because he didn't make his MLB debut until two days after his 42nd birthday (assuming he was actually born 7/7/06). Still, he pitched until he was 46, making twice as many appearances his final season than he did his first two Major League seasons combined. Always a showman, Paige was selected to the All-Star game his last two full seasons. He was even a part of the Indians' last World Series Championship, albeit a small part, pitching a perfect 2/3 of an inning in Game 5 of the 1948 Series. The Braves had broken the game open with six runs in the top of the seventh to take an 11-5 lead. Whether Paige was brought in to stop the bleeding or to save younger arms from having to work, he got the Tribe out of the inning. He returned for one game in 1965, at the age of 59. Thanks to Kansas City Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley, who invited several Negro League alums to play, Paige got the start on Sept. 25 and threw three scoreless innings. That appearance made Paige the oldest player in baseball by far, but even from 1949-53, he was the oldest player in the league. When he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, he became the first enshrined Negro Leaguer.

Satchel Paige during his Monarchs days.
Photo: AP file photo

How did Paige last so long? Well, according to Bill James and Rob Neyer, he reinvented himself many times over. In James' half-decade rankings, he rates Paige's fastball as the fourth best from 1925-29 and third best from 1930-34. Neyer rates Paige's fastball as the seventh best of all time among starting pitchers. According to James and Neyer's research, Paige was almost exclusively a fastball pitcher from 1926-38, tossing in an occasional curve now and then. But after suffering a serious arm injury during the winter of 1938, which took the oomph off his fastball for the rest of his career, he learned to incorporate more curveballs and change-ups. He also began mixing up his pitching motions, including his famous "hesitation pitch," and arm angles from which he delivered pitches. According to James and Neyer, from 1951-65, Paige was throwing "[e]verything, including the kitchen sink." In all, he used at least nine different pitches to keep hitters off balance, depending on what pitches caught his fancy from appearance to appearance. However, most of these tidbits are from his Major League days, which fall far short of his overall career. To really get an idea of who Satchel Paige was, you're better off reading his autobiography, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever, or Buck O'Neil's autobiography, I Was Right on Time, of which O'Neil devotes nearly half the book to Paige. And no recap of Paige's career would be complete without telling the story of how his best friend, O'Neil, got the nickname "Nancy." According to Buck's version, when he and Satchel were together with the Kansas City Monarchs, the team was staying in Chicago for a game against the Chicago American Giants. The Monarchs had just played in South Dakota, where Satchel met an Indian girl named Nancy, who accompanied Satchel to Chicago. However, Satchel's fiancÃ©, Lahoma, made an unannounced appearance in Chicago to see him. Thinking on his feet, Buck was able to have Nancy's luggage moved out of Satchel's room to the room that was between his own and Satchel's without Lahoma noticing. Later that night, Satchel felt the urge to visit Nancy – Buck liked to think it was to apologize – so he went out in the hallway and began knocking on her door while whispering loudly, "Nancy! Nancy!" This, of course, got Lahoma's attention, so she came out in the hall to see what Satchel was up to. Buck could also hear what was going on, so he up and ran to save Satchel's hide. "Yeah, Satch. What do you want?" Buck said. "Why, Nancy," Satchel said. "There you are. I was looking for you. What time is the game tomorrow?" I guess those kind of stories don't fit on most "Greatest of All Time" lists. Well, they top mine. Source for statistics: Baseball-Reference.com

Spoiler Alert: This is not a book review

2007-12-06T08:11:46Z

I read a book by William Greider called the Soul of Capitalism. He argues that Capitalism is flawed, but not as a system. It is flawed because we Americans have allowed our version of it to get messed up. It's messed up by companies, the government, etc. But the solution is not an (un)glorious revolution. The solution lies within the system. This book is brilliant and won't change your life. But its one of the most pragmatic texts I've ever read. Greider understands more than how to compromise – he understands how to get things done. One problem that he sees is that "in the economic sphere, efficiency trumps community." On page 35, Greider expounds, "Maximizing returns comes before family or personal loyalty. What seems priceless in one realm may be wasted freely or even destroyed by the other. Human experience is sacred to society, a marketable commodity in capitalism." He says that often managers and CEOs believe that if the company doesn't do well, everybody loses: a plant might close, and then 200 workers lose their jobs, for instance. One must be a slave to the bottom line – otherwise shareholders, employees and everyone else loses out. This makes companies aloof and unconcerned for anything but one figure: the stock quote. Then, companies try to "externalize" operating costs wherever possible: dumping waste into ponds, squeezing more work out of employees without compensation, etc. Greider quotes one Reverend Emil Brunner as having said, "This system is contrary to the spirit of [Christian] service. It is debased and irresponsible, indeed we may go further and say it is irresponsibility developed into a system" (35). At this point Greider admits that his book will likely not offer new ideas but rather will revive "valuable ideas and insights from the distant past" (36). Nowadays, firms are not so roguish. Even so, they still do not act in the public interest. "As the era of deregulation reduced legal restraints on firms, as new technologies and globalization quickened the competition, one major corporation after another was persuaded to back away from its long-standing commitments to employees and communities, even to national identity. The corporation's unwritten â€˜social contract' was torn up. Some firms who hesitated suffered the disfavor of financial markets. Others charged ahead enthusiastically and boosted returns enormously, often by pushing their costs onto others – their workers and communities, the environment and, more discreetly, their own customers. The most aggressive companies became the most esteemed" (37). But, wait, there's a counterpoint, Greider argues. "Many large and small firms resisted and prospered nonetheless. Whether this choice reflected the personal values of managers and owners or simply smarter business strategies, their success does hint that there is much more space for successful alternatives, even in the global context, than the stern sermonizers of the free-market culture are willing to acknowledge" (38). And so Greider agrees with Reverend Brunner: Irresponsibility is the heart of the American problem. One of the solutions Greider proposes is the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. "Instead of capital hiring labor, labor hires capital" (64). This is feasible, he argues, because "Many large and successful companies today do not own great assets themselves. Their control derives from the insider's role in organizing the contractual relationships among all of the various elements that contribute to production: the employees; the suppliers; the providers of capital; and the firm's controlling insiders, who may or may not own the factory or contribute much of their own capital to the enterprise" (64). Therefore, labor, if it banded together, would also be able to wield these same resources. Greider argues that if employees own the company, they will feel more invested in it and therefore go out of their way to help it. For instance, employees may not share with management suggestions for improvement that they notice because management will use it against them: If they notice that four people a job that could be done by three, one is fired. However in an ESOP, what is good for the company is good for the employee, and so those sorts of improvements are made. Greider cites Solidarity, a temporary employment agency, as a good example of a working ESOP. However, it is still in its infancy. Another caveat Greider throws out is that employees must be given substantial decision-making opportunities in order for this system to work. So what do I think of all this? I think its fascinating. Does it work? I think it depends. It depends on so many other factors. It's like saying whether the right offense will help a football team win the Super Bowl. Yes, it certainly helps and is even crucial, but there are so many other factors: quality of players, dedication, coaching, funding, etc. In the same way, having an ESOP is no guarantee of success. But an ESOP system seems to do one critical thing for society: it begins to put the power back in the hands of those to whom it belongs. It begins to heal the labor vs. capital divide in our economic system. It would theoretically, bloodlessly, do what Marx dreamed of doing – putting labor and capital on equal footing. And the change wouldn't be overnight; it would certainly take time. But it appears promising. One fallacy in citing Solidarity is that in its current state, it is relatively young. Big splashes turn into tiny ripples: what looks big in 2007 could easily fade away by 2017. Reality erodes more steadily than water. Perhaps the workers, after ten or fifteen years of delayed gratification will say, "Enough is enough." It seems all too probable that big ideas die softly and complacently, and this could be one of them. But I hope that ESOP's gain ground and popularity. I am so sick of corporations influencing America for the worse that anything that limits a few powerful, greedy guys in suits sounds fine by me. I want to stick it to the man. But I want to be practical. I don't want to pull a Bolshevik revolution where the people who were getting oppressed suddenly find themselves doing the oppressing. I don't want to pursue narrow ideals so far that I lose my innocence. And so that's what I like about this idea. It works within the system. There's no glorious revolution, no need of thought police. Greider seems to understand the art of pragmatism. It's not even compromise. It's just tweaking the current system to do what we want. And Greider's book is full of these sorts of solutions. The ESOP suggestion is just tool in the shed. Winston Churchill said something interesting about Democracy. He said that Democracy was the worst form of government except for every other form of government. I feel that way about Capitalism. It's the worst except for every other system. And so Greider, arguing for benevolent Capitalism, struck a chord with me. I want benevolent Capitalism, and Greider lays the groundwork, it seems, for that to happen. I love the idea that if mutual fund companies would stop investing in companies that practice antisocial behavior that they would better fulfill their mission statement. That sounds too good to be true, but he demonstrates thoroughly how it would make sense. I would exaggerate if I said that Soul of Capitalism changed my life. But I would not exaggerate if I said that it gave me economic perspective and emblazoned my hope in Capitalism and gave me a buffet of healthy, pragmatic remedies to our current problems.