I was in a masochistic mood this morning, so I tuned in to CNN's hard-hitting program American Morning. This show runs every weekday starting at 6:00 a.m., and it features the lean-jawed, salt-and-pepper haired John Roberts and the photogenic Kiran Chetry occupying the "anchor" chairs.
The theme of this morning's show was the pre-trial hearing of former astronaut Lisa Nowak. I was treated to live feeds from inside the courtroom, while in a separate window off to the side CNN had a couple of smirking correspondents offering what passes for "analysis"; it primarily consisted of one guy repeatedly saying to the other, "Well we've got Lisa Nowak and Colleen Shipman here, now all we need is William Oefelein to complete the love triangle!" No kidding, he must have said that at least three times. Each time he said it, the other correspondent would give a half-smirk. Throughout it all they both gave the impression that they were barely suppressing a round of hearty guffaws. There wasn't much of interest going on at the hearing, mostly testimony concerning whether or not Nowak would have to continue to wear her GPS bracelet. CNN made up for this lack of substance by rehashing the facts of the case, interspersing this riveting material with more crowing about "love triangles" along with close-ups of their grinning correspondents. This would go on for a few minutes, then they would cut back to the studio, promising to return if anything exciting happened. CNN assured me that their people were "monitoring" the hearing in their "newsroom."
Cut to studio: the guest is a local legislator from (I think) Virginia. The topic? A law being considered that would make it illegal for anyone to display their boxer shorts or other undergarments in public! Lots of file footage of young kids walking around in hiphop clothes.
This ought to give you a general feel for the tenor of the show. The most amusing part of it all was probably the excrutiating banter between the hosts. Their strained attempts at chirpy small talk made me wish I had a gun to reach for. I know their morning show isn't supposed to be as "serious" as the afternoon stuff with Wolf Blitzer, but Wolf's segments aren't much different.
Oh yeah, and how about those cool effects? The true hallmark of a successful corporate news spectacle is the professional sparkle. The Iraq graphics crack me up. Every Iraq segment has to have a cool map border, accompanied by dramatic intro music. I can't help but picture the guys who put this stuff together, sitting in front of a computer. "Does the sepia look cooler? Which font looks the most important? Which music best conveys the majesty and drama of war?" Bwahaha, it's so funny and sick.
Not to single out CNN. They're all more or less the same. The really scary part is that most Americans who follow the news at all get their information from television, which does very little original reporting and investigation; they cannibilize stuff from the newspapers instead. Even the newspapers, which do most of the real journalistic gruntwork, are slashing newsroom budgets in response to declining sales. This does not bode well for the future of journalism.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
They're Anti-War...Sort Of
From a recent New York Times article entitled "Democrats Flexible on Iraq Exit":
John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the country to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis.
Our top three liberals sure are all over the map on this one, eh? Talk about hive mentality. The problem with the "well, we have to stay to prevent genocide" meme is that the genocide has started, and the U.S. military is not getting involved. The number of areas controlled by the United States is quite small compared to those ruled by local militias and death squads. "In case" of a genocide? What do you call it when roving bands of murderers demand to see people's I.D. cards, and then execute them if they have the wrong kind of name? And just what is going on when these gangs of armed thugs are often government police forces?
It is obvious by now that Bush ordered the toppling of a violent despot in order to install in his place a government that routinely uses torture and murder to punish its political enemies. The difference is that this corrupt government has allowed the privatization of Iraq's vast oil wealth, and has raised no objections to denominating said wealth in dollars instead of euros. The carnage we see on the news each day and the current parliamentary strife between Sunni and Shia political factions are two peaks of an iceberg visible above the surface; if we could see underwater it would be obvious that they are, in actuality, one and the same.
In light of this, the absurdity of the statements made by the Democratic candidates is patently obvious, and the real reasons that the United States is staying in Iraq begin to take shape. The only way we can retain control of the oil and maintain Iraq as our permanent middle eastern stronghold is for the al-Maliki government to stay in power, even if that grip on power is a precarious one (as it certainly is right now.) In our national debate about Iraq, oil is the elephant in the room. The mainstream media treats those who cite oil as the reason for the invasion like naive children: oh they just don't get it, it's much more complicated than that. Well it isn't. Would we have invaded Iraq if its national export was asparagus?
John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the country to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis.
Our top three liberals sure are all over the map on this one, eh? Talk about hive mentality. The problem with the "well, we have to stay to prevent genocide" meme is that the genocide has started, and the U.S. military is not getting involved. The number of areas controlled by the United States is quite small compared to those ruled by local militias and death squads. "In case" of a genocide? What do you call it when roving bands of murderers demand to see people's I.D. cards, and then execute them if they have the wrong kind of name? And just what is going on when these gangs of armed thugs are often government police forces?
It is obvious by now that Bush ordered the toppling of a violent despot in order to install in his place a government that routinely uses torture and murder to punish its political enemies. The difference is that this corrupt government has allowed the privatization of Iraq's vast oil wealth, and has raised no objections to denominating said wealth in dollars instead of euros. The carnage we see on the news each day and the current parliamentary strife between Sunni and Shia political factions are two peaks of an iceberg visible above the surface; if we could see underwater it would be obvious that they are, in actuality, one and the same.
In light of this, the absurdity of the statements made by the Democratic candidates is patently obvious, and the real reasons that the United States is staying in Iraq begin to take shape. The only way we can retain control of the oil and maintain Iraq as our permanent middle eastern stronghold is for the al-Maliki government to stay in power, even if that grip on power is a precarious one (as it certainly is right now.) In our national debate about Iraq, oil is the elephant in the room. The mainstream media treats those who cite oil as the reason for the invasion like naive children: oh they just don't get it, it's much more complicated than that. Well it isn't. Would we have invaded Iraq if its national export was asparagus?
Monday, August 13, 2007
The Industrial Revolution Will Not Be Televised
I took these on Sunday afternoon. Some of them came out a little dark; I'm still trying to figure out how to use my camera properly.
The stretch of Adamo Drive leading up to the Port of Tampa is a veritable horn o'plenty of industrial goodness. The area boasts numerous features including but not limited to: homeless people (in the spirit of the current administration let's call them shelter deprived), cracked and weed-infested sidewalks, dingy warehouses that seem to radiate death and squalor, rusted out railroad depots, neon strip clubs, faded billboards, cigarette butts, crushed soda cans and water bottles, etc etc. I can't think of a better place to park on a romantic evening than the vomit-stained crosstown overpass. There aren't many restaurants if you get hungry, but there is one convenience store where you can buy beef jerky and American flag keychains (not to mention the current issue of Swank.)
I like these parts of town. They are rough around the edges and no-nonsense. These are the bleak streets that the mayor desperately hopes out-of-towners won't see. She would rather have you visit Centro Ybor, where you'll find a multiplex and a deadly, soul-sucking gamut of overpriced novelty stores. Or how about Channelside? There's, um...another multiplex. And, uh, novelty stores. And corporate bars with $10 cover charges and a white guy playing Bob Marley on acoustic guitar. Sing those songs of freedom brother!
The stretch of Adamo Drive leading up to the Port of Tampa is a veritable horn o'plenty of industrial goodness. The area boasts numerous features including but not limited to: homeless people (in the spirit of the current administration let's call them shelter deprived), cracked and weed-infested sidewalks, dingy warehouses that seem to radiate death and squalor, rusted out railroad depots, neon strip clubs, faded billboards, cigarette butts, crushed soda cans and water bottles, etc etc. I can't think of a better place to park on a romantic evening than the vomit-stained crosstown overpass. There aren't many restaurants if you get hungry, but there is one convenience store where you can buy beef jerky and American flag keychains (not to mention the current issue of Swank.)I like these parts of town. They are rough around the edges and no-nonsense. These are the bleak streets that the mayor desperately hopes out-of-towners won't see. She would rather have you visit Centro Ybor, where you'll find a multiplex and a deadly, soul-sucking gamut of overpriced novelty stores. Or how about Channelside? There's, um...another multiplex. And, uh, novelty stores. And corporate bars with $10 cover charges and a white guy playing Bob Marley on acoustic guitar. Sing those songs of freedom brother!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Petrodollars vs. Petroeuros
From an article by Ed Haas:
"In November 2000, Iraq stopped accepting U.S. dollars for their oil. Counted as a purely political move, Saddam Hussein switched the currency required to purchase Iraqi oil to the euro. Selling oil through the U.N. Oil for Food Program, Iraq converted all of its U.S. dollars in its U.N. account to the euro. Shortly thereafter, Iraq converted $10 billion in their U.N. reserve fund to the euro. By the end of 2000, Iraq had abandoned the U.S. dollar completely."
"In November 2000, Iraq stopped accepting U.S. dollars for their oil. Counted as a purely political move, Saddam Hussein switched the currency required to purchase Iraqi oil to the euro. Selling oil through the U.N. Oil for Food Program, Iraq converted all of its U.S. dollars in its U.N. account to the euro. Shortly thereafter, Iraq converted $10 billion in their U.N. reserve fund to the euro. By the end of 2000, Iraq had abandoned the U.S. dollar completely."
"Two months after the United States invaded Iraq, the Oil for Food Program was ended, the country’s accounts were switched back to dollars, and oil began to be sold once again for U.S. dollars. No longer could the world buy oil from Iraq with the euro. Universal global dollar supremacy was restored. It is interesting to note that the latest recession that the United States endured began and ended within the same timeframe as when Iraq was trading oil for euros. Whether this is a coincidence or related, the American people may never know."
Remember when the saber rattling against Iran began last year? Iran had been threatening to convert their oil from petrodollars to petroeuros. This would mean that the euro, which has been gaining on the dollar steadily over the past few years, would be strengthened even more at the dollar's expense. Oil is the biggest business on the planet and Iran is one of the main suppliers.
Moreover, Iran has already requested that its European and Asian oil customers pay in euros instead of dollars:
"Therefore, a potentially significant news development was reported in June 2004 announcing Iran’s intentions to create of an Iranian oil Bourse. (The word "bourse" refers to a stock exchange for securities trading, and is derived from the French stock exchange in Paris, the Federation Internationale des Bourses de Valeurs.) This announcement portended competition would arise between the Iranian oil bourse and London’s International Petroleum Exchange (IPE), as well as the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). It should be noted that both the IPE and NYMEX are owned by U.S. corporations."
"The macroeconomic implications of a successful Iranian Bourse are noteworthy. Considering that Iran has switched to the euro for its oil payments from E.U. and ACU customers, it would be logical to assume the proposed Iranian Bourse will usher in a fourth crude oil marker – denominated in the euro currency. Such a development would remove the main technical obstacle for a broad-based petroeuro system for international oil trades. From a purely economic and monetary perspective, a petroeuro system is a logical development given that the European Union imports more oil from OPEC producers than does the U.S., and the E.U. accounts for 45% of imports into the Middle East (2002 data)."
The above is quoted from this article by William Clark.
So what does this all add up to? Well, given the decline of the United States' manufacturing infrastructure, we are increasingly dependent upon the power to trade dollars for real goods from countries like China. This is all well and good, except for the fact that if demand for the dollar falls, as it certainly would if Iran were to go through with its promise of creating a euro-based oil bourse, the buying power of the dollar and consequently the U.S. economy would fall with it. Again, William Clark:
"A successful Iranian bourse will solidify the petroeuro as an alternative oil transaction currency, and thereby end the petrodollar's hegemonic status as the monopoly oil currency. Therefore, a graduated approach is needed to avoid precipitous U.S. economic dislocations. Multilateral compromise with the EU and OPEC regarding oil currency is certainly preferable to an 'Operation Iranian Freedom,' or perhaps another CIA-backed coup such as operation "Ajax" from 1953. Despite the impressive power of the U.S. military, and the ability of our intelligence agencies to facilitate 'interventions,' it would be perilous and possibly ruinous for the U.S. to intervene in Iran given the dire situation in Iraq."
I believe that these are all things to keep in mind any time you hear about Iran waging a proxy war in Iraq or planning to nuke Israel. There is always much more to geopolitics than meets the eye. Seymour Hersh recently wrote a story detailing accelerated Pentagon planning of airstrikes and clandestine ground operations in Iran; could we be witnessing the seeds of yet another war in the middle east? Is it mere coincidence that both our current president and vice-president are former oilmen?
The above is quoted from this article by William Clark.
So what does this all add up to? Well, given the decline of the United States' manufacturing infrastructure, we are increasingly dependent upon the power to trade dollars for real goods from countries like China. This is all well and good, except for the fact that if demand for the dollar falls, as it certainly would if Iran were to go through with its promise of creating a euro-based oil bourse, the buying power of the dollar and consequently the U.S. economy would fall with it. Again, William Clark:
"A successful Iranian bourse will solidify the petroeuro as an alternative oil transaction currency, and thereby end the petrodollar's hegemonic status as the monopoly oil currency. Therefore, a graduated approach is needed to avoid precipitous U.S. economic dislocations. Multilateral compromise with the EU and OPEC regarding oil currency is certainly preferable to an 'Operation Iranian Freedom,' or perhaps another CIA-backed coup such as operation "Ajax" from 1953. Despite the impressive power of the U.S. military, and the ability of our intelligence agencies to facilitate 'interventions,' it would be perilous and possibly ruinous for the U.S. to intervene in Iran given the dire situation in Iraq."
I believe that these are all things to keep in mind any time you hear about Iran waging a proxy war in Iraq or planning to nuke Israel. There is always much more to geopolitics than meets the eye. Seymour Hersh recently wrote a story detailing accelerated Pentagon planning of airstrikes and clandestine ground operations in Iran; could we be witnessing the seeds of yet another war in the middle east? Is it mere coincidence that both our current president and vice-president are former oilmen?
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
One Down, One Up
I recently saw the movies The Fountain and Zodiac. Both were anything but straightforward, though in very different ways.
The Fountain is the latest effort from Darren Aronofsky, whose previous films were Requiem for a Dream and Pi (both excellent.) Hugh Jackman (sans sideburns and pointy hair) and Rachel Weisz portray three parallel sets of characters, who exist in different time periods (different universes?) There's 16th century Spanish conquistador Hugh, who accepts a mission given to him by Weisz's Queen of Spain, modern day scientist Hugh, who is is searching for a way to cure his terminally ill wife, again played by Weisz, and finally bald space yoga master Hugh, who floats toward a nebula while living inside of a magical bubble. No, seriously.
Oh, I forgot to mention. Bald space yoga master Hugh isn't alone in his bubble. He has company in the form of a gnarled tree, which he talks to. Confused? Apparently, 16th century Hugh has been sent on a mission by Queen Isabel to find the Fountain of Eternal Life (actually the aforementioned tree), which is in the heart of the ancient Mayan kingdom. It is said that the tree's sap staves of death forever. The viewer is led to believe that this sap is the same stuff that modern day Hugh has found can reverse the aging process. This magical anti-death elixir takes different forms dependent upon the time frame of the narrative; for future yoga master Hugh the elixir is a nebula wrapped around a dying star (the nebula is also seen in the present-day narrative; there is a scene in which the couple peers through a telescope on the rooftop.)
Aronofsky shoots the film almost exclusively in yellows and browns, with lots of darkness to boot. It all feels claustrophobic and quite atmospheric, and the actors' performances are strong all around. The problem with The Fountain is its abtractness. Normally I love a good head-scratcher, but this one didn't give me enough to chew on; the symbols, such as the recurring image of the wedding ring and the tree, felt contrived, as if the film was trying a little too hard to be deep. While it has its share of memorable images, in the end it just doesn't seem to gel.
Zodiac, on the other hand, is a work of great focus and restraint. David Fincher, director of The Game, Seven, and Fight Club, tells a story based on the novel by Robert Graysmith detailing the real-life case of the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who claimed numerous victims in California during the 1960's. Unlike most movies of this genre, Zodiac is anything but sensationalistic and gratuitous. Fincher sticks only to the known facts (many of which were given by victims who somehow survived), dramatizing as little as possible. Gone also are his signature "tricks"; the jump cutting and surreal zooms of Fight Club have been replaced by a sober and austere style. This one is awash in atmosphere, however. The nighttime city scenes are dark and gritty, in true Fincher fashion.
The story here goes back and forth between two San Francisco homicide detectives and two news reporters, all of who are attempting to find the identity of the enigmatic Zodiac. Interspersed are re-creations of the murders. It is here that Fincher shows the restraint I mentioned earlier; these scenes have a calmness and detachment that makes them all the more realistic and horrifying.
Zodiac is a complex film; its ruminations and logical mazes are byzantine. This is what makes it great; the viewer is bombarded with facts, theories, and police procedure for a solid two and a half hours, and yet the story manages never to get bogged down. This depth of thought adds weight to the proceedings and makes Zodiac worth watching over and over. Highly recommended!
The Fountain is the latest effort from Darren Aronofsky, whose previous films were Requiem for a Dream and Pi (both excellent.) Hugh Jackman (sans sideburns and pointy hair) and Rachel Weisz portray three parallel sets of characters, who exist in different time periods (different universes?) There's 16th century Spanish conquistador Hugh, who accepts a mission given to him by Weisz's Queen of Spain, modern day scientist Hugh, who is is searching for a way to cure his terminally ill wife, again played by Weisz, and finally bald space yoga master Hugh, who floats toward a nebula while living inside of a magical bubble. No, seriously.
Oh, I forgot to mention. Bald space yoga master Hugh isn't alone in his bubble. He has company in the form of a gnarled tree, which he talks to. Confused? Apparently, 16th century Hugh has been sent on a mission by Queen Isabel to find the Fountain of Eternal Life (actually the aforementioned tree), which is in the heart of the ancient Mayan kingdom. It is said that the tree's sap staves of death forever. The viewer is led to believe that this sap is the same stuff that modern day Hugh has found can reverse the aging process. This magical anti-death elixir takes different forms dependent upon the time frame of the narrative; for future yoga master Hugh the elixir is a nebula wrapped around a dying star (the nebula is also seen in the present-day narrative; there is a scene in which the couple peers through a telescope on the rooftop.)
Aronofsky shoots the film almost exclusively in yellows and browns, with lots of darkness to boot. It all feels claustrophobic and quite atmospheric, and the actors' performances are strong all around. The problem with The Fountain is its abtractness. Normally I love a good head-scratcher, but this one didn't give me enough to chew on; the symbols, such as the recurring image of the wedding ring and the tree, felt contrived, as if the film was trying a little too hard to be deep. While it has its share of memorable images, in the end it just doesn't seem to gel.
Zodiac, on the other hand, is a work of great focus and restraint. David Fincher, director of The Game, Seven, and Fight Club, tells a story based on the novel by Robert Graysmith detailing the real-life case of the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who claimed numerous victims in California during the 1960's. Unlike most movies of this genre, Zodiac is anything but sensationalistic and gratuitous. Fincher sticks only to the known facts (many of which were given by victims who somehow survived), dramatizing as little as possible. Gone also are his signature "tricks"; the jump cutting and surreal zooms of Fight Club have been replaced by a sober and austere style. This one is awash in atmosphere, however. The nighttime city scenes are dark and gritty, in true Fincher fashion.
The story here goes back and forth between two San Francisco homicide detectives and two news reporters, all of who are attempting to find the identity of the enigmatic Zodiac. Interspersed are re-creations of the murders. It is here that Fincher shows the restraint I mentioned earlier; these scenes have a calmness and detachment that makes them all the more realistic and horrifying.
Zodiac is a complex film; its ruminations and logical mazes are byzantine. This is what makes it great; the viewer is bombarded with facts, theories, and police procedure for a solid two and a half hours, and yet the story manages never to get bogged down. This depth of thought adds weight to the proceedings and makes Zodiac worth watching over and over. Highly recommended!
Sunday, August 5, 2007
More Desolation
Ah, the suburbs. Fast food, parking lots, and at least nine pharmacies per square mile. Nothing like sun bleached pavement and empty storefronts to enrich the soul. If you're bored one day why not visit Clayton Plaza? Sadly, the Peddler's Mall Flea Market has departed, so you won't be able to buy any virgin Mary candles or ninja stars. The Publix anchor store left years ago and has been replaced by a Badcock. Those fellows are getting their asses kicked by places like Rooms To Go, and when they move into a place, you know the rent's gotta be cheap.While I was there I took a few quick shots of the main drag. It made me miss the time when strip malls made no pretensions towards aesthetics; it appears customary now to dress up the facades like quaint European villages, which is pretty hilarious. I'm sort of a fan of manufactured character, like when corporate chain restaurants hang phony "vintage" advertisements on the wall.
Anyways, I like the loneliness of these shots. My girlfriend said they made her feel like a homeless person, which is a pretty apt description.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Ye Olde Strip Mall
This is one of the oldest strip malls in Brandon; I remember purchasing my first audio cassette of Sgt. Pepper here sometime around 1988. It used to be called Brandon Centre South. Note the British spelling.These days it is considered an outdated, underperforming strip center. The Winn-Dixie that used to anchor it has long since packed up and gone, and now there's one of those fly-by-night houseware outlets occupying its formerly hallowed halls. You know, the kind of place that ends up with all the crap Pier One couldn't sell.
The curious lack of suburban community identity is an interesting phenomenon. A place like this, which is only twenty years old, is ancient by suburban standards. Lucrative big box stores and supermarket chains are hesitant to stay in one place for very long, and so we are left with these sprawling monoliths. They are the cast-offs of this culture, once great village hubs now relegated to Strip Mall Limbo.
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Friday, August 3, 2007
Where Sports and Politics Intersect
In a shocking upset, the Iraqi National Team defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0, winning the prestigious Asian Cup. The winning goal was headed in by Younis Mahmoud, a Sunni. Slight problem: many Sunni political factions in Iraq feel they have been disenfranchised by the Shiite majority. Saudi Arabia, a primarily Sunni nation and the victim of Iraq's newfound soccer prowess, is thought by many to be the leading contributor of foreign insurgents currently making mischief in Iraq. As a result, Mahmoud and another Sunni teammate have declined to return to Iraq to join in the bullet-riddled festivities, citing fears for their lives.
Everyone repeat to yourself: Saudi Arabia is our friend....Saudi Arabia is our friend....
Everyone repeat to yourself: Saudi Arabia is our friend....Saudi Arabia is our friend....
Welcome to Daily Rhetoric
Daily Rhetoric is your ticket to bawdy laughs and cheap thrills. Everything that is good and decent about this Great Nation has been "juiced" into this blog, from concentrate. No photographs yet as I have not purchased a camera.
My mission statement is simple: I wish to document what it is like to live in this town. The St. Augustine grass, the palms propped up by wooden supports, the lurid billboards with gigantic faces of newsanchors leering down at you as you speed past in your shiny automobile. I also like cracked sidewalks covered in cigarette butts.
That's all for now. Feedback is, of course, encouraged. Please contribute your own tales of suburban glory and urban decay.
My mission statement is simple: I wish to document what it is like to live in this town. The St. Augustine grass, the palms propped up by wooden supports, the lurid billboards with gigantic faces of newsanchors leering down at you as you speed past in your shiny automobile. I also like cracked sidewalks covered in cigarette butts.
That's all for now. Feedback is, of course, encouraged. Please contribute your own tales of suburban glory and urban decay.
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