Monday, August 08, 2011
Slouching Toward a Double-Dip, for
"Imagine your house is burning. You call the fire department but your call isn't answered because every fire fighter in town is debating whether there will be enough water to fight fires over the next ten years, even though water is plentiful right now. (Yes, there's a long-term problem.) One faction won't even allow the fire trucks out of the garage unless everyone agrees to cut water use. An agency that rates fire departments has just issued a downgrade, causing everyone to hoard water."...By Robert Reich
Triple-A Idiots
"You have to hand it to Standard and Poor's. Forget their two-trillion dollar math error. The whole idea that these clowns are evaluating the creditworthiness of the United States is just loony.
For starters, these are the same people who brought us the crisis, by blessing junk sub-prime loans as AAA securities. And they did so because they were paid as consultants by the same financial scoundrels who created the securities.
The executives of the credit rating companies -- not "agencies," for these are private, profit-making, essentially unregulated companies, not public entities -- belong in prison...."
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Midnight in Paris, where Brassaï meets Sohrab
It’s nearly impossible to do justice to “Midnight in Paris”, arguably Woody Allen’s best work since “Deconstructing Harry (1997)”, without spoiling its marvellously crafted plot which is filled with ingenious, charming, funny and sometimes ridiculous surprises. After all when even the official trailer of the movie –Hollywood’s favourite method for spoiling the plot – is behaving so discretely; it’s only polite to follow suit.
I won’t talk about the plot. Rather, I’ll write about the pleasure of finding two of my favourite artists, hidden behind many layers of this masterpiece: the visual style of the Hungarian-born photographer Gyula Halász – known as Brassaï – and the vision of Persian poet/painter Sohrab Sepehri.
When it comes to depicting Paris’ nights, the influence of Brassaï is anything but subtle, as if Allen is paying hommage to this master photographer. Afterall, “Midnight in Paris”, is – more than anything - about nostalgia, Paris and the magic of the night, and what is more relevant to the essence of this movie, than Brassaï? Is it possible that the idea of “Midnight in Paris” appeared to Woody Allen when reading this comment by Brassaï?
“Night does not show things, it suggests them. It disturbs and surprises with its strangeness. It liberates forces within us which are dominated by our reason during day time”
Yet, I have to admit that the undeniable presence of Sohrab, and specifically the loud and clear sound of his poem “Footsteps of Water” (Sedaa-ie Paa-ie Aab) is as hard to explain as it is to ignore! Could it be that the Iranian-born cinematographer, the brilliant Darius Khondji, has slipped a translated copy into Woody Allen’s pocket, to alter the attitude of the nostalgic maestro toward the subject?
"و نپرسيم پدرهاي پدرها چه نسيمي، چه شبي داشته اند.
پشت سر نيست فضايي زنده.
پشت سر مرغ نمي خواند.
پشت سر باد نمي آيد.
پشت سر پنجره سبز صنوبر بسته است.
پشت سر روي همه فرفره ها خاك نشسته است.
پشت سر خستگي تاريخ است."
پشت سر نيست فضايي زنده.
پشت سر مرغ نمي خواند.
پشت سر باد نمي آيد.
پشت سر پنجره سبز صنوبر بسته است.
پشت سر روي همه فرفره ها خاك نشسته است.
پشت سر خستگي تاريخ است."
“And we can forget what the fathers of our fathers have done.
As I think that behind our steps there will not be life,
And behind our steps the birds no more sing,
And behind our steps the breeze stands still,
And behind our steps the windows are closed,
the pines are asleep.”
چترها را بايد بست.
زير باران بايد رفت.
"And we must close umbrellas,
We must stay under the stroke of drops of rain.
And we must take, all together,
the mind, the memory and the heart
to the rite of descending water."
English Translation of Sohrab’s Poem: Maryam Dilmaghani
Friday, April 01, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The Lost Beatles Photographs (PHOTOS)
"In November, 2010 HarperCollins published my book The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive 1964-1966, and now I'm pleased to present the companion book, The Lost Beatles Photographs. The photographs are unlike any others seen before. Bob had a gifted eye and unequaled access. These photos are candid, intimate, unguarded and have an honesty that transcends and humanizes the subject."
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Can we automate creativity?
A mind-blowing argument by "Stephen Wolfram", arguing that the mathematic that we use today (and hence, physics, engineering and etc) has its roots in history, and it is only one of the many possible mathematics that we could have been using...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A Libyan Fight for Democracy, or a Civil War?
A must read for anyone who is interested in the subject
Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says
Since I'm a strong believer in human stupidity, I'm not very hopeful about this, but I guess it's a good news, after all!
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Me VS Marketing - Stravinsky for Valentine
Here is an actual marketing material from TSO (Toronto Symphonic Orchestra) that was sent to mailing-list subscribers:
"Oops! Did you forget to do something special for Valentine's Day?!
The TSO is giving you the chance to make up for it with a special offer!
2 tickets for $120* to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring"
Now a word with the good folks at TSO marketing team:
Unless you’re dating Susan Sontag, going to “Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring” is a terrible idea for Valentine’s Day!
I can only think of one situation where this modern and excessively unromantic music could become a swell idea for V-day and that is when you’re bored with your relationship and you’re looking for a bullet-proof idea to get her to breakup with you! In that case, taking your significant other to a Stravinsky concert on Valentine’s Day might be just what you’re looking for. In any other situation, please think of a better marketing pitch!
Because this is just Gaddafi-meets-Ahamdinejad’s sense-of-style, off!!!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Many Genocides To Be Commemorated On Holocaust Memorial Day
Hats off to Rabbi "Jonathan Romain". Read the story
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