Monthly Archives: November 2010

A Reason for Holiday Glee: Coen Brothers' "True Grit" to Open December 22nd

So the filmmakers who are putting pretty much everyone else to shame have a Christmas present (and they’re Jewish, to boot) for the world, their adaptation of True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges stepping into John Wayne’s boots. Here’s the official … Continue reading

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Oil Reserves Drop by 90% and Electric Cars Throb: Is That Peak Oil or Are You Just Glad to See Me?

I’m a fan of the concept of Peak Oil, even if I don’t know how valid the actuality of it is: In a nutshell, it makes sense to me that oil will eventually reach it’s peak, that is, the halfway … Continue reading

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New Harry Potter Film Promises to Change Your Life

This week Jon (Sometimes Funny) Stewart had an amusing riff on the Palin brats in the news, dancing and otherwise, and mocked putting a gun in his mouth to end it all due to the absurdity of attention to such … Continue reading

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The People Smarter Than Voters? Obama's Approval Rating at 63%, With a Dig at Spineless Turncoats on the Comedy Channel

After all the mainstream blather about the recent midterm elections being a repudiation (as opposed to ‘refudiation,’ which is what Sarah Palin does every time she opens her mama-grizzly mouth) of Obama and his policies, this little gem today makes … Continue reading

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The Coral Is Dying and Don't Let Anyone Say "No One Saw It Coming": With a Nod to Warren Brussee's "The Second Great Depression"

One of the convenient lies about the financial crisis is the oft-stated excuse, “No one saw it coming,” usually referring to the real estate bust that triggered the credit crunch that ate the mouse that scurried away from the house … Continue reading

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The Seas Are Rising, and the Tea Party Fiddles While Rome Burns

Although I realize I’m preaching to the choir in this venue, most likely read by like-minded souls whose intelligence understands that science should be taken seriously beyond the gadgets/consumer products one can purchase (I’ve noticed that right-wing types don’t “doubt” … Continue reading

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"Avatar" as Metaphor for the Fantasy Craze

So a year ago it seemed every acquaintance I bumped into asked the same thing, “Have you seen Avatar yet?” With chagrin I’d admit that, no, actually I had not, any minute now though, I can’t wait. They would frown. … Continue reading

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On the Coen Brothers' "A Serious Man": A Guest Blogger Takes on the Critics of the Coen Brothers' Little (Misunderstood) Masterpiece

So it’s no secret I’m a serious fan of the Coen Brother’s latest film, A Serious Man, which I’ll call a Little Masterpiece. (Why “little”? It doesn’t have the epic sweep of, say, Doctor Zhivago, but then again, it’s not … Continue reading

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On Dave Eggers's "Zeitoun" & the Odd Feel of Finishing a Book via Kindle: the Latex Comes Between Us

So I’ve just finished reading Dave Eggers’s Zeitoun, and here’s an easy reaction: It’s certainly a good addition to the many books written about the Katrina disaster. It makes you feel ashamed of our government’s disaster preparedness and, in particular, … Continue reading

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"127 Hours" in Theaters Now, But Not Everyone in Utah Loves Aron Ralston

Last summer I stayed a few days in Green River, Utah, at the River Terrace Inn, a cool hotel right on the river, with a pool and hut tub, plus great birding: Scott’s Orioles, Western Tanagers, and Bullock’s Orioles, all … Continue reading

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