archived entries for July 2004

Thursday, July 29, 2004
it's time for what if
The Democratic National Convention has concluded and it’s no surprise where my vote will lie come this November. Despite the hokiness of the optimistic rhetoric it was truly sincere and I’ve no doubt it’s exactly what this country needs at time when things are no longer as sure as we once thought. Reeling from corporate scandals and the many examples of the haves taking from the have nots. Drowning in the deluge of divisive politics and derision. Numbed by endless fear mongering and the tired vacuous politicizing. And fighting in a unjustified and unnecessary war. I believe this country desperately needs to believe in the hope of America, to once again be inspired by the greatness of this nation. A greatness not due to military or economic prowess and certainly not by the bullying with that power but due to the noble and honorable creed upon which this nation declared its sovereign destiny. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Absolutely.

Kerry and Edwards hit on just about every chord with me from the promise of education, investment in new technological industries including those of alternative fuel resources to the return to government fiscal prudence (a policy so dismally failed by the very party that championed it). And Kerry was absolutely on point in the necessity of this country’s use of military force. However, I still have yet to hear of a feasible and fair way to deal with national healthcare and social security. But I believe that this duo will be a vastly improved and much needed replacement in the White House. I think it’s time to correct that mistake of 2000.

It will be interesting to hear the response to what I think was an impressive evolution of the Democratic hopefuls. Next month the Republicans will have their day and explain to a nation losing confidence in itself what vision they have for America. And then the debates, oh how I look forward to those! Yes, I believe I’ve made my decision but I will remain open-minded through the debates and the end of the final speeches. But I admit, it’ll take a small miracle for me to side with the incumbents.

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Tuesday, July 27, 2004
OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA!
Oh wait, he’s only running for the Senate. Hrm. Perhaps in ’08? Or will we have to suffer the hysteria of Clinton for President in four years? At any rate, Mr. Barack Obama was in full effect last night and it was truly inspirational. Regardless of party affiliation you had to believe he was a guy you wanted serving the public.

Night two of the Democratic National Convention and the circus continues to roll on. Where in the world did the find Annie to urge kids to vote? Anyway, some more rhetoric of hope and a true America with some jabs here and there at President Bush. Obviously, for me, Obama was the highpoint, very high, with Ronald Reagan Jr following closely behind. Curiously, Howard Dean was a bit subdued. I wonder if he’s still feeling a little ill at not being the guy to speak on Thursday, hmm? Maybe that little quip was more than jibe? Ah well, on with the show.

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Monday, July 26, 2004
revenge of the nerds?
If you haven’t heard, the third installment of George’s attempt to alienate his own acolytes has been given a name, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Though it’s hard to rev up geeky enthusiasm for the continuing dismal portrayal of the Star Wars saga on film, this film may be the one that makes up for the previous tripe. Because we all know when the dark side decides to kick it into high gear, the coolness factor goes up. Is not The Empire Strikes Back the best of the trilogy? Okay then. And in this third chapter it should not be any different considering we finally witness the birth of Darth Vader. Let’s just hope that the directing reigns have been taken away from Lucas so he can concentrate on his whiz-bang effects and put real film making duties in more capable hands.

Speaking of geeky enthusiasm here’s an interesting article on the rise of comics in movies and the power of geekdom. Perhaps the time for geeks has come! I mean Lord of the Rings took home best picture, Spiderman movies hold all kinds of record earnings, and now entertainment chiefs are falling all over themselves to make sure the geeks approve of their efforts in translating the geeky pursuits of mutants, robots and superheroes to the big screen. Is resistance futile?

some things are sacred
There are reports that Spielberg’s Dreamworks is planning on doing a live action Transformers movie (i.e. – not traditionally animated). Um, what? Why? I suppose perhaps this could be an effort to showcase the magnificent computer animation prowess of Dreamworks and show everyone that Pixar isn’t the only CGI masters out there. Or maybe just another cashing in on nostalgia now that the twenty-somethings of today, who fondly remember Autobots and Decepticons, can now buy stuff on their own. I suppose it’s good business considering the recent trend of comic books reaching the big screen. But if “live action” turns out to be like what happened to Voltron (Power Rangers, anyone?), perhaps people should just back away from messing around with my robot nostalgia. Hey! Even Astroboy is getting some live action treatment. Guess we’ll have to wait and see but in the meantime check out Soundwave getting down.

Ali G in my house
Okay, initially I wrote this guy off. Oh look, another white guy (albeit British) doing his imitation of ghetto thug. But then I caught a vid clip feauturing G doing an interview with Newt Gingrich. Um, what? So obviously I had to check out why would the former speaker of the house be on such a show.

HBO premiered the second season of Da Ali G Show last night and well, it was comedic dynamite. I can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud for thirty minutes straight. While the white ghetto thug routine is tired, the true brilliance lies in the real-life “guests” featured on the show and their priceless reaction to what the hell they just got themselves into by agreeing to go on this “show”. It is ridiculously hysterical. It shouldn’t be this much fun watching serious people squirm their way through interviews conducted by the hip-hop journalist, or the reporter from Kazakhstan or the swishy Austrian fashionista. Oh, but it is. I can’t believe some of these people actually agreed to go the show, but then again Ali G wasn’t all that well known on this side of the pond so they may not have been aware of the absurdities they would encounter. I can’t imagine too many others would agree to make guest appearances once more and more people recognize. But in the meantime, if you’ve got a hankering to laugh at the bamboozlement of Congressmen, candidates, municipal officials, business and entertainment moguls or just your everyday folk do yourself a favor and check out Ali G.

And also on the HBO tip, Bill Maher returns this Friday night with featured guest Michael Moore. Start your engines.

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Thursday, July 22, 2004
one side to every story
What happens when the voice of the people is drowned out by the voice a single entity with a singular point of view? What happens when everything you read, everything you watch and everything you hear is controlled by an entity with a singular focus – the almighty dollar? And then what happens when that power is up for grabs by the highest bidder?

But such things could never happen in the land of the free, right? The land where every voice is heard and all ideas are free to be expressed. Absolute control over what one can listen to, watch or read only exists in dictatorships, not in free, we the people democracy, right? I mean if someone were trying to seize control over our freedom of expression we would do something about it. We’d fight back and demand that our freedom to independent thought and expression be unmolested, right? Wouldn’t we?

According to Ted Turner, perhaps not. In his self-penned essay he warns of the silent takeover profit-blinded corporations are conducting in an effort to commercialize any and everything. Perhaps 2004’s the Manchurian Candidate isn’t that far off base. One nation under GE? Okay maybe not quite, but how far are we willing to subjugate this nation’s journalism to the interests of corporations? How far will this new generation of the wealthy landowners go in their efforts to increase the bottom line? I don’t know, but if Mr. Turner is correct, we may never find out.

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Saturday, July 10, 2004
terra firma
It’s been a little while since my excessive weekend. I don’t know, perhaps I’m suffering from withdraws or maybe just going through the normal crash that comes after flying so high. No, no not that sort of flight.

The truth is that such moments can only last so long. In fact that’s why they are moments. Fleeting points in our lives in which we experience bliss without the constraints of thought. And I’m not referring to those moments of altered states. I mean that time of your first kiss, that first time setting out on your own, perhaps that instant when you discover absolute beauty. Points in time when you’re just so full life all consciousness is buried under the sheer magnitude of pure idyllic existence. However, there are those that waste a great deal of time and themselves trying to capture such moments and fill our routine existence with just the highlights. Sadly, things just don’t work that way. If it were so, there’s a rainy day in Bayeux that I’d like to live over and over again.

So what is in between the moments? What lies in the excruciating normalcy? The time to relish? To reflect? To rest? Or perhaps just to sit and wish for the next go around. Yet, there are those of us fortunate enough to contently fill routine life with the subtle joy of a loved one, a pleasurable hobby or some fashion of existence that elevates the mundane to, at the very least, a tolerable level.

Trust me I enjoyed living in those exquisite Miami moments, but it’s no substitute for the everyday. So what is there to do in the meantime? I believe there is a British lovely out there just waiting to find out. I should probably find out who she is, no?

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Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Bienvenidos a Miami
Will was dead on. For the holiday weekend, I decided to check out what Miami was all about. And well, Hedonism comes to mind.

A neighbor had some friends come into town and I was invited to join them in their holiday jaunt to South Beach. Sadly I had to work so I couldn’t go with them on Friday, but temptation and curiosity had me driving down Saturday night. As I rolled into Miami I felt an eerie sense of familiarity. Strange since it was my first time in the famous city. But as I was crossing the MacArthur causeway driving past Star and Hibiscus Island and cruising up and down Collins, it dawned on me that I had been there before, but not really. The déjà vu was due to the many hours spent on Vice City. I was wondering why I kept feeling the subtle urge to jump out of the car and jack someone’s scooter.

But it was when I got onto Ocean Drive that the place became the Miami you see and hear about. Just vibe you got from being in South Beach sets you off and your default mode becomes all-hype all the time. Everything about it, the people, the smells, the sights - everything just charges you and you’re instantly set to party round the clock. Quite fascinating. And Miami is HOT in every sense of the word. Hot women, hot cars, hot beaches, hot nightlife and of course the sweltering steamy heat itself. The place is crazy and damned if it doesn’t make you lose your mind a bit and for some, well their clothes as well. I thought perhaps my unbridled new euphoria was because it was my first time there and I got sucked into the city more than normal, but I’ve been told no it’s just how it goes down there. I must admit I got a little hedonistic myself. Honestly, it was inevitable. When you’re staying in South Beach with everything just going off right outside your door, well you have to get down. And you know this is true when part of the complimentary toiletries at the hotel include condoms. But don’t worry, I was able to maintain a modest amount sanity.

But now I’m back in Jacksonville and back to normal. A little sad yes, but you can only party to the break of dawn so many times before it starts to catch up to you. But there’s no doubt I’m looking forward to wiling-out again. Welcome to Miami indeed.

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