8.10.2005
Peter Jennings signs off
Just want to quickly offer my respects to the late Peter Jennings. Though I am not one of those guys who gets their news from The Daily Show, growing up I was always an ABC News guy. Jennings always conveyed a sense of dignity and honesty that I very much enjoyed. He's since proven himself a very good sport and extremely well-spoken when not reading the news. I've always really admired Jennings and its a shock to lose him. In a lot of ways, Peter Jennings will always be my anchor, just as earlier generations will always think of Walter Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow.
7.22.2005
Fat Classics
For a change of pace, I figured I'd link to some of my prior discussions about fat attraction...
"Eventually not about Britney Spears" is a musing about growing up in a culture that offers no images of fat women. Obviously, from the perspective of a man who is attracted to fat women during that period of development and definition of my sexual identity.
"Gay men don't find women attractive! GASP!" is my response to sex columnist Dan Savage's temper tantrum at having to endure the sight of size 10 and 12 women wearing tight pants.
"GLH" is a continuation of that discussion of Savage's bitter hatred for "Girl Love Handles" (or GLH) as I encounter a young woman sporting some of her own. Basically, I conclude that supporters and detractors of fat people both seem to be eager to make the same exact misinterpretation of such a sight.
"Sexual aesthetic" is a straightforward discussion about my being attracted to fat women and some of the results of that attraction.
Not everything from the archives on the subject, but a short review on a theme.
"Eventually not about Britney Spears" is a musing about growing up in a culture that offers no images of fat women. Obviously, from the perspective of a man who is attracted to fat women during that period of development and definition of my sexual identity.
"Gay men don't find women attractive! GASP!" is my response to sex columnist Dan Savage's temper tantrum at having to endure the sight of size 10 and 12 women wearing tight pants.
"GLH" is a continuation of that discussion of Savage's bitter hatred for "Girl Love Handles" (or GLH) as I encounter a young woman sporting some of her own. Basically, I conclude that supporters and detractors of fat people both seem to be eager to make the same exact misinterpretation of such a sight.
"Sexual aesthetic" is a straightforward discussion about my being attracted to fat women and some of the results of that attraction.
Not everything from the archives on the subject, but a short review on a theme.
6.17.2005
Phoenix Rising
Picked up a new copy of the alt-weekly Boston Phoenix yesturday. They've been slowly building to a revamped design over the last few months and its finally debuted this week. Actually, most of the talk of the redesign took place in rival alt-weekly, the Weekly Dig. I don't mind the Dig, but their obsession with the Phoenix is laughable to say the least. I know they are an upstart in the alt-weekly business and it makes sense to take pot shots at those ahead of you. But it also just reinforces the view of you as an also-ran.
I like that Boston has 2 alt-weeklies. For the uninitiated, those are non-mainstream papers publishing once a week. Well, duh on the last part. They are pretty common in big cities around the country. Often there are small chains of alt-weeklies in a small regional area. Phoenix covers Boston, Providence, and Portland, Maine for instance. The Advocate in New Haven has 3 other weeklies in the Connecticut area.
These papers are increasingly being challenged by free dailies, like the Metro in Boston and other cities in the US, Europe, and elsewhere. These papers style themselves as commuter papers, hiring people to shove them into the hands of people about to enter a subway station and with newsboxes strategically located near train and bus stops. The Metro, at least, is little more than a bunch of abridged newswire stories with very little in the way of depth or context. Its designed to be a quick read so you're done in the 20-30 minutes you're on the train. Being free and litterally thrown at people, its been fairly easy to pick up readership.
The alt-weeklies aren't overly scared, though. The Metro is more of a challenge to papers like the Herald or the Globe. Still, the Phoenix saw a need to shift its appearance to make it easier to be read on the train so they moved to a tabloid style similiar to the Dig and the Metro. The whole brand was updated, as well, with new logo, fonts, and generally new layout throughout the paper. I'd have to say I'm cautiously optimistic.
I really like the new logo. I'm often a fan of elongated lettering and close leading. I could live without the combining of the o and e in their name. Seems overly Roman, but that was probably the point. I do like that the vowels are done in lower case but sized equal to the uppercase letters. Creates an interesting dynamic, especially with the dot on the i floating above. The best thing, though, is the way the letters are all cut off at the feet. Not so high that the letters get distorted but not too low that you don't notice it. It gives the impression of a rising phoenix which I find quiet visually effective.
The fonts I also like. They seem very modern but not self-consciously so. The general layout, I could do without. It does seem too self-conscious. Like its trying to be hip and trying too hard. But it doesn't sink the paper.
No major shift in content though some tweakers here and there. A "by the numbers" feature that seems a little overdone at this point, but okay. The cover article didn't seem local enough, but it did have a reasonably solid local angle so I guess I can't complain too much. Its a story about Domino's founder Tom Monaghan and his crusade to save Catholics from themselves. I can only assume he wants to screw up Jesus the same way he screwed up pizza. He wants to build a gated Catholic community in Florida to keep out all the bad influences. He attacks Catholic education, by which I must assume he means the Jesuits who educated me, for not being sufficiently orthodox. His ideas are frightening, but lack an immediacy to be really worried about. I also can't stop thinking about how bizarre it is that Domino's became so successful making such awful pizza. I'm a bit of a pizza snob, I admit. You get that way growing up around New Haven. But I'm not so elitist that I can't see something to like about some of the Pizza chains. They all sacrafice a lot of charm in favor of uniformity, but most of them still have their good qualities. Papa Gino's is almost quite good. Papa John's makes a respectible pie. I still have a guilty pleasure for Pizza Hut and have always found their sit-down restaurants to be fondly nostalgic. But I just can't even eat Dominos. Its inedible to me. I don't understand it. Maybe its because I'm not Catholic.
Another article in the Phoenix kind of amuse me. Departing media critic Dan Kennedy does a pretty by the numbers story about right-wing hate of Hillary Clinton. Its just too obvious for what I've come to expect from Kennedy. He does mention that there are plenty of people who don't hate her, but he just dwells on those that do. The whole gist of it is that the Democrats cannot afford to nominate Hillary Clinton in 2008 because too many people hate her. I know that's the conventional wisdom. Why write a story? The thing is, the CW has looked weaker and weaker as of late. The poll numbers seriously undermine that talking point, and while its true people will loudly condemn her if she's nominated (and even if she's not), isn't it fair to say this will happen to anyone the Democrat's nominate? Swift Boat Liars, anyone? Indeed, Clinton might actually benefit from it as a result of attack fatigue. Its been done before. And with the latest attacks falling into total libel that Clinton may well sue over, sympathy could fall to Hillary. Yes, a segment will hate her with a passion, but more will like her. Frequently, the article compared hatred of Hillary to left-wing hate for Richard Nixon. I guess because we liberals all really hate Nixon so we'd see the gravity of the situation. I saw something else.
Last time I checked, Nixon won two elections for President. Just saying.
I like that Boston has 2 alt-weeklies. For the uninitiated, those are non-mainstream papers publishing once a week. Well, duh on the last part. They are pretty common in big cities around the country. Often there are small chains of alt-weeklies in a small regional area. Phoenix covers Boston, Providence, and Portland, Maine for instance. The Advocate in New Haven has 3 other weeklies in the Connecticut area.
These papers are increasingly being challenged by free dailies, like the Metro in Boston and other cities in the US, Europe, and elsewhere. These papers style themselves as commuter papers, hiring people to shove them into the hands of people about to enter a subway station and with newsboxes strategically located near train and bus stops. The Metro, at least, is little more than a bunch of abridged newswire stories with very little in the way of depth or context. Its designed to be a quick read so you're done in the 20-30 minutes you're on the train. Being free and litterally thrown at people, its been fairly easy to pick up readership.
The alt-weeklies aren't overly scared, though. The Metro is more of a challenge to papers like the Herald or the Globe. Still, the Phoenix saw a need to shift its appearance to make it easier to be read on the train so they moved to a tabloid style similiar to the Dig and the Metro. The whole brand was updated, as well, with new logo, fonts, and generally new layout throughout the paper. I'd have to say I'm cautiously optimistic.
I really like the new logo. I'm often a fan of elongated lettering and close leading. I could live without the combining of the o and e in their name. Seems overly Roman, but that was probably the point. I do like that the vowels are done in lower case but sized equal to the uppercase letters. Creates an interesting dynamic, especially with the dot on the i floating above. The best thing, though, is the way the letters are all cut off at the feet. Not so high that the letters get distorted but not too low that you don't notice it. It gives the impression of a rising phoenix which I find quiet visually effective.
The fonts I also like. They seem very modern but not self-consciously so. The general layout, I could do without. It does seem too self-conscious. Like its trying to be hip and trying too hard. But it doesn't sink the paper.
No major shift in content though some tweakers here and there. A "by the numbers" feature that seems a little overdone at this point, but okay. The cover article didn't seem local enough, but it did have a reasonably solid local angle so I guess I can't complain too much. Its a story about Domino's founder Tom Monaghan and his crusade to save Catholics from themselves. I can only assume he wants to screw up Jesus the same way he screwed up pizza. He wants to build a gated Catholic community in Florida to keep out all the bad influences. He attacks Catholic education, by which I must assume he means the Jesuits who educated me, for not being sufficiently orthodox. His ideas are frightening, but lack an immediacy to be really worried about. I also can't stop thinking about how bizarre it is that Domino's became so successful making such awful pizza. I'm a bit of a pizza snob, I admit. You get that way growing up around New Haven. But I'm not so elitist that I can't see something to like about some of the Pizza chains. They all sacrafice a lot of charm in favor of uniformity, but most of them still have their good qualities. Papa Gino's is almost quite good. Papa John's makes a respectible pie. I still have a guilty pleasure for Pizza Hut and have always found their sit-down restaurants to be fondly nostalgic. But I just can't even eat Dominos. Its inedible to me. I don't understand it. Maybe its because I'm not Catholic.
Another article in the Phoenix kind of amuse me. Departing media critic Dan Kennedy does a pretty by the numbers story about right-wing hate of Hillary Clinton. Its just too obvious for what I've come to expect from Kennedy. He does mention that there are plenty of people who don't hate her, but he just dwells on those that do. The whole gist of it is that the Democrats cannot afford to nominate Hillary Clinton in 2008 because too many people hate her. I know that's the conventional wisdom. Why write a story? The thing is, the CW has looked weaker and weaker as of late. The poll numbers seriously undermine that talking point, and while its true people will loudly condemn her if she's nominated (and even if she's not), isn't it fair to say this will happen to anyone the Democrat's nominate? Swift Boat Liars, anyone? Indeed, Clinton might actually benefit from it as a result of attack fatigue. Its been done before. And with the latest attacks falling into total libel that Clinton may well sue over, sympathy could fall to Hillary. Yes, a segment will hate her with a passion, but more will like her. Frequently, the article compared hatred of Hillary to left-wing hate for Richard Nixon. I guess because we liberals all really hate Nixon so we'd see the gravity of the situation. I saw something else.
Last time I checked, Nixon won two elections for President. Just saying.
5.05.2005
Our local forecast
So, weird thing I noticed on the Weather Channel this morning. This disembodied voice for the "Local on the 8's" has changed his routine slightly. He used to introduce the segment with "Here is your local forecast." A bit unnecessary, I always thought, but to the point.
Now, suddenly, I find he is refering to it as our local forecast. "Here is our local forecast," he patronizingly entones at the start of the segment. A subtle yet jarring change. This kinda bothers me. I mean, he's clearly lying. Disembodied voice isn't from here. He's a disembodied voice, for goodness sake. But now, suddenly, he's going to be chummy with everyone in the country. Was there really a great yearning to feel closer to the disembodied voice on the Weather Channel? To feel like he was really a part of our lives, just a regular guy from the neighborhood? Who does he think he is? I know darn well this is my local forecast, not the disembodied voice's local forecast. Frankly, it bothers me to be lied to so brazenly. It seems rather demeaning, really. I was quite fine with him being a disembodied voice. I don't see the need to pretend he's a disembodied voice from Eastern Massachusetts.
Still not the weirdest thing I've ever heard from the Weather Channel's disembodied voice. That would be when he calmly announced the my local condition was "Smoke". It was true and all, it just seemed rather surreal to discover this from the Weather Channel. I wouldn't have thought of "Smoke" as a weather condition. Much less a weather condition with a pre-recorded announcement and graphic from the Weather Channel. I know wild-fires are common out west so I shouldn't have been surprised, but still. When you wake up and disembodied voice is announcing that "Currently, the weather is smoke," it just seems weird.
Now, suddenly, I find he is refering to it as our local forecast. "Here is our local forecast," he patronizingly entones at the start of the segment. A subtle yet jarring change. This kinda bothers me. I mean, he's clearly lying. Disembodied voice isn't from here. He's a disembodied voice, for goodness sake. But now, suddenly, he's going to be chummy with everyone in the country. Was there really a great yearning to feel closer to the disembodied voice on the Weather Channel? To feel like he was really a part of our lives, just a regular guy from the neighborhood? Who does he think he is? I know darn well this is my local forecast, not the disembodied voice's local forecast. Frankly, it bothers me to be lied to so brazenly. It seems rather demeaning, really. I was quite fine with him being a disembodied voice. I don't see the need to pretend he's a disembodied voice from Eastern Massachusetts.
Still not the weirdest thing I've ever heard from the Weather Channel's disembodied voice. That would be when he calmly announced the my local condition was "Smoke". It was true and all, it just seemed rather surreal to discover this from the Weather Channel. I wouldn't have thought of "Smoke" as a weather condition. Much less a weather condition with a pre-recorded announcement and graphic from the Weather Channel. I know wild-fires are common out west so I shouldn't have been surprised, but still. When you wake up and disembodied voice is announcing that "Currently, the weather is smoke," it just seems weird.
4.11.2005
The Sound of my own Voice
Had a nice little thrill at work (of all places) this weekend. I work for a performing arts group and I moderated a discussion that took place prior to the concert from the stage of our performing hall. I regularly do public speaking as part of my job, but usually just introducing people and always in smallish room. Speaking from the stage of a grand concert hall, though, was a definate trip. Especially since I had something significant to do.
If I may say so, I think I did pretty well. With very little preparation either, which only enhances the thrill. I spoke off the cuff with a minimum of hesitation and pause and moving swiftly from one speaker to the next as I moderated. I really should have found a career in public speaking as it rather much suits me.
The funny thing is that one-on-one work situations I can often be very socially insecure and withdrawn. Not enough to seriously hamper me, or anything, but my introverted personality can definetly come into play. I seem basically at ease, but I tend not to be very assertive in the process. To a crowd, though, I think everything comes across just right. Its definetly a hidden talent of mine. I just hope that others felt I did well. Especially if they say so to important people where I work.
Can't hurt, after all.
If I may say so, I think I did pretty well. With very little preparation either, which only enhances the thrill. I spoke off the cuff with a minimum of hesitation and pause and moving swiftly from one speaker to the next as I moderated. I really should have found a career in public speaking as it rather much suits me.
The funny thing is that one-on-one work situations I can often be very socially insecure and withdrawn. Not enough to seriously hamper me, or anything, but my introverted personality can definetly come into play. I seem basically at ease, but I tend not to be very assertive in the process. To a crowd, though, I think everything comes across just right. Its definetly a hidden talent of mine. I just hope that others felt I did well. Especially if they say so to important people where I work.
Can't hurt, after all.
3.30.2005
Fat House
So, one of my favorite new shows, the medical drama House, had a fat patient on this week. I know the show isn't really about the patients, but on the heels of CSI's take on fat people, I had really been dreading this show. Have to say, though, in spite of a couple nit-picks I'm generally quite pleased. I could hardly hope for a perfect show, but this was light years ahead of what others have done.
Some of it was heavy-handed, no doubt. Fat kids are treated very cruelly growing up, but the level of cruelty here was pretty extreme. Sadly, not unheard of, though. But the feelings of the child were handled realistically and appropriately. It was also nice to doctors treating a fat patient as a patient and not simply as a fat patient. A lot of fat people get ignored by doctors who simply don't pay attention to them because they assume any problem they have is caused by being fat and being fat is entirely their fault. The mother's indignation at being told the cure was "diet and excercise" was quite well played and gave an insight into the feelings of a lot of fat people who do everything right but are still treated as liars because they don't become thin. An impact soften by the magic bullet ending, but I don't think it completely undid that point. Especially since two of the show's doctors were both sympathetic to the idea that the fat wasn't the girl's fault early on. The one doctor who was hostile, sadly, was also realistic. "Of course you're sick, you're fat" is all too common an attitude from doctors who are trained to view fat as a moral failing. His hatred is something encouraged and largely unquestioned in the medical establishments. Doctors who do raise valid questions about the strength of the anti-fat arguement are routinely belittled and mocked with a lot more venom than hostie doc ever portrayed. It was realistic and I'm glad it was played out like his attitude was unassailable.
The main nitpicks I had are with the casting of the mom. Thought she was great and all, but the notion that she was clearly fat puzzled me. She seemed quite entirely normal to me. But the characterization was so strong that I don't much care. Its refreshing to see a parent so genuinely supportive, not to mention entirely right. Given that parents and patients on House tend to be pathological liars, it was nice to see the reversal here. I'm more concerned with the magical and instantanious weight loss at the end. It did seem to give the idea that all of her suffering was wrong not because it was just wrong but because she wasn't meant to be fat. It doesn't hit us over the head with that idea, though, but I'm always cautious about happy endings for fat characters that involve them no longer being fat. I would have been happier if we didn't have that epilogue at all as it seemed to just be intended to validate the girl as an innocent when she would have been no matter what. It also justified the casting of a thin actress for a fat character, which is always annoying. While the make-up was better than some, it was still pretty obvious and I realized 5 minutes in that the girl was going to be thin by the end of the show. Especially given the necessary timeline, the epilogue just didn't make sense to me. Still, we got the great line from the mom to counteract the hostile doc's unknowningly obnoxious line, so that redeems it a bit. But the fewer fat suits on TV, the better.
As a bonus, there was a side plot involving a fat woman who didn't want to have a rather large benign tumor removed because she liked her size. While her reason seemed to be mostly sexual vanity, it was a cute bit nonetheless, and an attitude sorely lacking from most of pop culture.
Some of it was heavy-handed, no doubt. Fat kids are treated very cruelly growing up, but the level of cruelty here was pretty extreme. Sadly, not unheard of, though. But the feelings of the child were handled realistically and appropriately. It was also nice to doctors treating a fat patient as a patient and not simply as a fat patient. A lot of fat people get ignored by doctors who simply don't pay attention to them because they assume any problem they have is caused by being fat and being fat is entirely their fault. The mother's indignation at being told the cure was "diet and excercise" was quite well played and gave an insight into the feelings of a lot of fat people who do everything right but are still treated as liars because they don't become thin. An impact soften by the magic bullet ending, but I don't think it completely undid that point. Especially since two of the show's doctors were both sympathetic to the idea that the fat wasn't the girl's fault early on. The one doctor who was hostile, sadly, was also realistic. "Of course you're sick, you're fat" is all too common an attitude from doctors who are trained to view fat as a moral failing. His hatred is something encouraged and largely unquestioned in the medical establishments. Doctors who do raise valid questions about the strength of the anti-fat arguement are routinely belittled and mocked with a lot more venom than hostie doc ever portrayed. It was realistic and I'm glad it was played out like his attitude was unassailable.
The main nitpicks I had are with the casting of the mom. Thought she was great and all, but the notion that she was clearly fat puzzled me. She seemed quite entirely normal to me. But the characterization was so strong that I don't much care. Its refreshing to see a parent so genuinely supportive, not to mention entirely right. Given that parents and patients on House tend to be pathological liars, it was nice to see the reversal here. I'm more concerned with the magical and instantanious weight loss at the end. It did seem to give the idea that all of her suffering was wrong not because it was just wrong but because she wasn't meant to be fat. It doesn't hit us over the head with that idea, though, but I'm always cautious about happy endings for fat characters that involve them no longer being fat. I would have been happier if we didn't have that epilogue at all as it seemed to just be intended to validate the girl as an innocent when she would have been no matter what. It also justified the casting of a thin actress for a fat character, which is always annoying. While the make-up was better than some, it was still pretty obvious and I realized 5 minutes in that the girl was going to be thin by the end of the show. Especially given the necessary timeline, the epilogue just didn't make sense to me. Still, we got the great line from the mom to counteract the hostile doc's unknowningly obnoxious line, so that redeems it a bit. But the fewer fat suits on TV, the better.
As a bonus, there was a side plot involving a fat woman who didn't want to have a rather large benign tumor removed because she liked her size. While her reason seemed to be mostly sexual vanity, it was a cute bit nonetheless, and an attitude sorely lacking from most of pop culture.
3.01.2005
Fat Scene Investigation
So, I finally got around to seeing the much discussed CSI featuring scenes at Fat convention of some sort. Count me as just as unimpressed as I was when I first heard about it.
The biggest problem is still the most obvious one. Its just unrealistic. A man could not be pined down like that and die. Just not gonna happen. At least they didn't rip off Picket Fences' roll over death, but it still just ain't gonna happen. A woman that size would be easy to push off of you, or wiggle out from under.
Beyond that, however, there still is nothing redeeming about the show. I see a lot of people in the "fat acceptance" movement seem to be in a hurry to praise the show for not being as bad as it could have been. Is that really all the movement even pretends to be after now? Not getting insulted quite so cruelly?
The show was negative stereotype after negative stereotype with nothing to redeem it. Were they steretypes with a background in reality? Sure. Stereotypes usually do have a basis in reality, even the ugly and offensive ones. They becoming damaging not because they are completely divorced from reality, but because they are elevated to "representative" status and are seen dispraportionately often so as to reinforce prejudice and bigotry. Yeah, I know there are fat women who go to conventions and dances just to have sex. And I know that there men who do the same thing but who'd never want to be seen with a fat woman. And maybe this story wouldn't be so bad if we ever got to see the fat woman who makes no apologies for her size and is secure and happy as a fat woman. Maybe it'd be okay if we ever saw the FA who is proud and uncompramising and well adjusted.
But we don't. So having one toe in the reality pool just isn't enough. If popular culture is only going to allow one FA and or fat woman to be seen a year, it matters how they choose to portray them. And that's the situation we are looking at.
The biggest problem is still the most obvious one. Its just unrealistic. A man could not be pined down like that and die. Just not gonna happen. At least they didn't rip off Picket Fences' roll over death, but it still just ain't gonna happen. A woman that size would be easy to push off of you, or wiggle out from under.
Beyond that, however, there still is nothing redeeming about the show. I see a lot of people in the "fat acceptance" movement seem to be in a hurry to praise the show for not being as bad as it could have been. Is that really all the movement even pretends to be after now? Not getting insulted quite so cruelly?
The show was negative stereotype after negative stereotype with nothing to redeem it. Were they steretypes with a background in reality? Sure. Stereotypes usually do have a basis in reality, even the ugly and offensive ones. They becoming damaging not because they are completely divorced from reality, but because they are elevated to "representative" status and are seen dispraportionately often so as to reinforce prejudice and bigotry. Yeah, I know there are fat women who go to conventions and dances just to have sex. And I know that there men who do the same thing but who'd never want to be seen with a fat woman. And maybe this story wouldn't be so bad if we ever got to see the fat woman who makes no apologies for her size and is secure and happy as a fat woman. Maybe it'd be okay if we ever saw the FA who is proud and uncompramising and well adjusted.
But we don't. So having one toe in the reality pool just isn't enough. If popular culture is only going to allow one FA and or fat woman to be seen a year, it matters how they choose to portray them. And that's the situation we are looking at.
2.27.2005
Movies and Stuff
So, its Oscar time again. I feel bad because I haven't seen many of the nominated films, even the ones I've been wanting to see. I saw Eternal Sunshine, which I can safely say was robbed in several categories of a deserved nomination. Not the least of which being Jim Carey who offered the performance of his career. A lot of blockbuster actors just rest on their paychecks and don't worry about Oscar recognition, but here is a guy who is genuinely out there looking for interesting and different films, trying to prove himself as an actor, and he just gets no credit. He easily outacted Kate Winslet (no small feat) in that film, and its a shame that she got a nod while he remains unacknowledged.
I also just saw The Aviator and was appropriately impressed. Its not Scorese's best, but its definetly one of his better films. Its a grand ol' spectacle and DiCaprio puts in a wonderfully nuances performance. He really communicates Hughes' decent into insanity and his wildly divergant personalities in a coherant way. It all felt like it was coming from the same place, which was a nice achievement.
Basically, that's it. I did manage to spoil myself for Million Dollar Baby just because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and I had no interest in seeing it given what I knew about it, so no harm. I get the fuss, but it also makes me suspect that the film could have been manipulative of the response it would elicit. Indeed, I wonder if the contraversy is creating a circling of the wagons as Hollywood rushes to protect the film by honoring. [editing note: to be clear, I do not think the film was made to manipulate contraversy, but rather that the marketing and specifically Oscar marketing seems so; at least judging from how often people in the industry keep bringing it up as a reason to vote for it] I want to see Sideways, don't really care about Finding Neverland (when I read about how much basic factual information was tossed to create a more pleasing story, I lost a lot of interest; didn't like Monster for similiar reasons)
I guess I'm not really looking forward to the awards as much as I think I have in other years. Mostly I'm dreading the inevitable award to the fat-baiting documentary "Super Size Me" which is just a total pile of BS. It takes a lot to be unfair to McDonald's, but I guess some MTV producer managed to find a way. All while duping people into think he's some sort of sainted martyr and not the lying carny he really is. [note: and let me just thank the Academy for proving my concerns wrong]
Other than that, I did get to watch the first season of The Office and loved it. Really excellent, funny show. At least I thought so.
I also just saw The Aviator and was appropriately impressed. Its not Scorese's best, but its definetly one of his better films. Its a grand ol' spectacle and DiCaprio puts in a wonderfully nuances performance. He really communicates Hughes' decent into insanity and his wildly divergant personalities in a coherant way. It all felt like it was coming from the same place, which was a nice achievement.
Basically, that's it. I did manage to spoil myself for Million Dollar Baby just because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and I had no interest in seeing it given what I knew about it, so no harm. I get the fuss, but it also makes me suspect that the film could have been manipulative of the response it would elicit. Indeed, I wonder if the contraversy is creating a circling of the wagons as Hollywood rushes to protect the film by honoring. [editing note: to be clear, I do not think the film was made to manipulate contraversy, but rather that the marketing and specifically Oscar marketing seems so; at least judging from how often people in the industry keep bringing it up as a reason to vote for it] I want to see Sideways, don't really care about Finding Neverland (when I read about how much basic factual information was tossed to create a more pleasing story, I lost a lot of interest; didn't like Monster for similiar reasons)
I guess I'm not really looking forward to the awards as much as I think I have in other years. Mostly I'm dreading the inevitable award to the fat-baiting documentary "Super Size Me" which is just a total pile of BS. It takes a lot to be unfair to McDonald's, but I guess some MTV producer managed to find a way. All while duping people into think he's some sort of sainted martyr and not the lying carny he really is. [note: and let me just thank the Academy for proving my concerns wrong]
Other than that, I did get to watch the first season of The Office and loved it. Really excellent, funny show. At least I thought so.
1.20.2005
Read this.
Should have posted these here a LONG time ago, but the always wonderful Sandy Szwarc has written some more articles debunking the diet industry. I know there are a lot fo complaints about Tech Central Station, and from what I've read they are mostly well-founded, but I am glad someone is publishing Sandy's work. I don't care if they have an ulterior motive. Indeed, I suspect they don't since Sandy's work REALLY pisses off a favorite "writer" on the right and of TCS, sicko Michael Fumento. But the bottom line is that someone out there needs to be looking at the culture of weight loss critically, and having had the opportunity to chat with Sandy at this site and others, I trust her. I know she's not on the same side of the political spectrum as me, but fat acceptance is, at its heart, a civil rights issue, and that has no political boundries. Right, left, its all good. I'll gladly take any genuine allies to the cause of fat accceptance. (Yeah, I know I said I gave up on Fat Acceptance; the movement, not the idea)
So, anyway, enough hand-wringing and parentheticals. I'll just let Sandy do the talking. And I highly recommend you give it a read. Here's to hoping someone collects her writing in a book!
Please Pass the Cake
Cognative Disconnect
Hey Feds, Weight a Minute...
On Obesity, What the Researchers Didn't Find
Loopy Links
Its the Fitness, Stupid
And the articles I've linked to in the past...
The Truth About Obesity
The Skinny on Fat
The Diet Problem
Dying to be Thin
The War on Fat's Casualties
To Your Health
Where's the Epidemic?
Ideal-isms
To Do List
A Simple Plan
A Matter of Health
Mikey Doesn't Like It
Killing Turkeys Causes Winter
Getting Excersised about Excersise
Shape Up America
The Emperor's New Crisis
So, anyway, enough hand-wringing and parentheticals. I'll just let Sandy do the talking. And I highly recommend you give it a read. Here's to hoping someone collects her writing in a book!
Please Pass the Cake
Cognative Disconnect
Hey Feds, Weight a Minute...
On Obesity, What the Researchers Didn't Find
Loopy Links
Its the Fitness, Stupid
And the articles I've linked to in the past...
The Truth About Obesity
The Skinny on Fat
The Diet Problem
Dying to be Thin
The War on Fat's Casualties
To Your Health
Where's the Epidemic?
Ideal-isms
To Do List
A Simple Plan
A Matter of Health
Mikey Doesn't Like It
Killing Turkeys Causes Winter
Getting Excersised about Excersise
Shape Up America
The Emperor's New Crisis
1.12.2005
Is this because I'm a lesbian?
Really bizarre end to Law & Order tonight. It was ADA Serena Southerlyn's last episode and right at the end she was fired. I kinda figured she'd be quitting given the tension they allowed to slowly build this season for her character, but they went the other route and it worked too. Not at all surprising given that she blew up to her boss earlier in the episode. It was punctuated by a really bizarre penultimate line for Southerlyn.
"Is this because I'm a lesbian?"
Just out of the blue, like its something we all know. Of course, its not. There isn't a bit of backstory to justify this. None. Fans are already nit-picking everything but without much luck. Some reason to suspect, but nothing too serious. Nothing that plenty of gay friendly folks wouldn't think or say. It just struck me as rather bizarre, that's all.
Is that because I'm a lesbian?
"Is this because I'm a lesbian?"
Just out of the blue, like its something we all know. Of course, its not. There isn't a bit of backstory to justify this. None. Fans are already nit-picking everything but without much luck. Some reason to suspect, but nothing too serious. Nothing that plenty of gay friendly folks wouldn't think or say. It just struck me as rather bizarre, that's all.
Is that because I'm a lesbian?
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