four decades ago
if a student didn't care
about class
about homework
wanting to do nothing but
lay his or head down on the desk
or sit in passive resistance--
the teacher would say
it's not my problem anymore
and let the student not care
while his/her classmates
turned in assignments,
learned lessons
and looked at the blackboard
until the mechanical bell
said "get up"
>
four decades later
a student who doesn't care
gets the Very Important Truant treatment
of teacher reproval,
then visit from principal or administrator
and, after that,
the school cop
who dumps him/her from the desk
throws him/her like a discus
while another student uses cameraphone
and is arrested
for making a permanent record of discipline
executed with extreme prejudice
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Playlist: ELTON JOHN'S GREATEST NONHITS 1980-1990.
Heard the first single ("Looking Up") from the forthcoming T-Bone Burnett-produced Elton John album--and it's so-so at best.
Rather than dwell on a past decade-and-a-half that produced only three memorable albums (SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST, the Leon Russell collaboration THE UNION and the remix/pastiche album created by Pinau GOOD MORNING TO THE NIGHT), I'll display a playlist of deep cuts/singles that didn't hit (and are worth seeking out):
1. SARTORIAL ELOQUENCE
2. TWO ROOMS (AT THE END OF THE WORLD)
3. NOBODY WINS
4. ELTON'S SONG
5. JUST LIKE BELGIUM
6. SPITEFUL CHILD
7. DEAR JOHN
8. RELIGION
9. ONE MORE ARROW
10. KISS THE BRIDE
11. RESTLESS
12. IN NEON
13. BREAKING HEARTS (AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE)
14. SOUL GLOVE
15. HEARTACHE ALL OVER THE WORLD
16. A WORD IN SPANISH
17. MONA LISAS AND MAD HATTERS (PART TWO)
18. HEAVY TRAFFIC
19. ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE (THOM BELL SESSIONS version)
20. HEALING HANDS
Rather than dwell on a past decade-and-a-half that produced only three memorable albums (SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST, the Leon Russell collaboration THE UNION and the remix/pastiche album created by Pinau GOOD MORNING TO THE NIGHT), I'll display a playlist of deep cuts/singles that didn't hit (and are worth seeking out):
1. SARTORIAL ELOQUENCE
2. TWO ROOMS (AT THE END OF THE WORLD)
3. NOBODY WINS
4. ELTON'S SONG
5. JUST LIKE BELGIUM
6. SPITEFUL CHILD
7. DEAR JOHN
8. RELIGION
9. ONE MORE ARROW
10. KISS THE BRIDE
11. RESTLESS
12. IN NEON
13. BREAKING HEARTS (AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE)
14. SOUL GLOVE
15. HEARTACHE ALL OVER THE WORLD
16. A WORD IN SPANISH
17. MONA LISAS AND MAD HATTERS (PART TWO)
18. HEAVY TRAFFIC
19. ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE (THOM BELL SESSIONS version)
20. HEALING HANDS
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Sad but telling comment on some of our electorate.
Excerpted from a comment by Randy Matthews on HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE related to a Biden-drops-out, Hillary-ascendant post:
Trump could seriously be a candidate for President. Just as I can't believe that Schwarzenegger was Governor. This really does feel like "Back to the Future II" day.
Trump could seriously be a candidate for President. Just as I can't believe that Schwarzenegger was Governor. This really does feel like "Back to the Future II" day.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Random thoughts on ALL THINGS MUST PASS and Tower Records.
Saw Colin Hanks' documentary ALL THINGS MUST PASS yesterday--it's the story of the Tower Records chain (starting as a Sacramento CA record store) as mostly told by founder Russ Solomon and his loyal employees. As a story of a business that grew too large and crashed due to institutional arrogance (and bloodless bankers who decided to liquidate rather than save), the documentary is likely to get massive airplay on CNBC in years to come (after a few bleeps to eliminate R-rated expletives).
After moving to Southern California in 1988, I became a frequent Tower Records shopper (Westwood, Pasadena, Northridge, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Glendale, Torrance and the flagship Sunset Boulevard store) for the conglomerate's remaining 18 years of life. It was an era where huge quantities of recorded music, videos-for-sale-and-rent and music/film books/magazines could be found all over the city (including competing chains Music Plus, Wherehouse and Sam Goody). Even if a customer wanted somethig esoteric, it could be found by either going to various stores or having a special order placed.
ALL THINGS MUST PASS, perhaps to please Russ Solomon, makes no mention of competing chains.
The film does enlighten with an explanation of Tower Records' enthusiastic embrace of the compact disc format--and willingness to collude with the Music Industry to overcharge CDs for Massive Profits.
There's also an interesting statistic that pops up about the quantity of sales (in the hundreds of millions) of audiocassettes (cheaper than CDs) in the 90s.
To keep Massive Profits alive, the cassette format was killed in 2002; the vinyl album was faded out a few years earlier.
David Geffen and another exec whose name I don't remember are the film's representatives of the Music Industry. Geffen comes off as the Voice of Reason--while the other exec spouts the bromides (Napster is Stealing; it was a Good Idea to finish off the recorded single to make the kids buy albums) that fueled the rise of iTunes and led to today's Music Industry trying to kill the CD format (and, once again, going back to higher prices per disc), while vinyl records are again being embraced by chain stores like Barnes & Noble and Urban Outfitters (though more as a limited-run Hipster Accessory).
And, as the film ends, Tower Records remains alive as an active chain only in Japan (plus the Tower brand exists online selling music/books)--where Russ Solomon is greeted as Conquering Hero and viewers can walk out of the multiplex secure in the knowledge that It Was Not All In Vain.
After moving to Southern California in 1988, I became a frequent Tower Records shopper (Westwood, Pasadena, Northridge, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Glendale, Torrance and the flagship Sunset Boulevard store) for the conglomerate's remaining 18 years of life. It was an era where huge quantities of recorded music, videos-for-sale-and-rent and music/film books/magazines could be found all over the city (including competing chains Music Plus, Wherehouse and Sam Goody). Even if a customer wanted somethig esoteric, it could be found by either going to various stores or having a special order placed.
ALL THINGS MUST PASS, perhaps to please Russ Solomon, makes no mention of competing chains.
The film does enlighten with an explanation of Tower Records' enthusiastic embrace of the compact disc format--and willingness to collude with the Music Industry to overcharge CDs for Massive Profits.
There's also an interesting statistic that pops up about the quantity of sales (in the hundreds of millions) of audiocassettes (cheaper than CDs) in the 90s.
To keep Massive Profits alive, the cassette format was killed in 2002; the vinyl album was faded out a few years earlier.
David Geffen and another exec whose name I don't remember are the film's representatives of the Music Industry. Geffen comes off as the Voice of Reason--while the other exec spouts the bromides (Napster is Stealing; it was a Good Idea to finish off the recorded single to make the kids buy albums) that fueled the rise of iTunes and led to today's Music Industry trying to kill the CD format (and, once again, going back to higher prices per disc), while vinyl records are again being embraced by chain stores like Barnes & Noble and Urban Outfitters (though more as a limited-run Hipster Accessory).
And, as the film ends, Tower Records remains alive as an active chain only in Japan (plus the Tower brand exists online selling music/books)--where Russ Solomon is greeted as Conquering Hero and viewers can walk out of the multiplex secure in the knowledge that It Was Not All In Vain.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Regarding Bill Cosby and THE COSBY SHOW.
http://www.inquisitr.com/2479585/keshia-knight-pulliam-defends-the-cosby-show-says-the-legacy-shouldnt-be-tarnished-just-because-the-actor-is/
http://www.vibe.com/2015/10/malcolm-jamal-warner-bill-cosby-allegations/
Now that Keshia Knight Pulliam and Malcolm-Jamal Warner have taken the floor (perhaps due to requests to "come through" for Bill Cosby when he's taking deposition questions with regards to a woman he allegedly assaulted), it's time to ponder whether or not televised repeats of THE COSBY SHOW will drift towards oblivion, with further decline in its revenue stream.
I'm guessing THE COSBY SHOW will continue to be viewed somewhere in the world every day--though it may now be regarded more as a curio of its era (the 80s was big on TV which, lessons to young people aside, espoused IT'S GREAT TO BE RICH!)--credited with reviving the then-almost-dead sitcom genre.
Perhaps the most important legacy of COSBY is the popularity of diverse family sitcoms on Disney/ABC: blackish, FRESH OFF THE BOAT and DR. KEN.
But, with regards to Ms. Pulliam and Mr. Warner, the diminishment of THE COSBY SHOW is due to the alleged behavior of Bill Cosby himself (keep in mind Cosby's settlement with Andrea Constand), plus the smear-the-complainants repugnance orchestrated by Cosby and his attorneys.
In any event, Bill Cosby has now done a lot (though inadvertently) to embolden the victimized (in this and other cases involving Show Business figures--named or not) to speak out on issues of sexual harassment, rape and coercion by way of unintentional drug intake.
http://www.vibe.com/2015/10/malcolm-jamal-warner-bill-cosby-allegations/
Now that Keshia Knight Pulliam and Malcolm-Jamal Warner have taken the floor (perhaps due to requests to "come through" for Bill Cosby when he's taking deposition questions with regards to a woman he allegedly assaulted), it's time to ponder whether or not televised repeats of THE COSBY SHOW will drift towards oblivion, with further decline in its revenue stream.
I'm guessing THE COSBY SHOW will continue to be viewed somewhere in the world every day--though it may now be regarded more as a curio of its era (the 80s was big on TV which, lessons to young people aside, espoused IT'S GREAT TO BE RICH!)--credited with reviving the then-almost-dead sitcom genre.
Perhaps the most important legacy of COSBY is the popularity of diverse family sitcoms on Disney/ABC: blackish, FRESH OFF THE BOAT and DR. KEN.
But, with regards to Ms. Pulliam and Mr. Warner, the diminishment of THE COSBY SHOW is due to the alleged behavior of Bill Cosby himself (keep in mind Cosby's settlement with Andrea Constand), plus the smear-the-complainants repugnance orchestrated by Cosby and his attorneys.
In any event, Bill Cosby has now done a lot (though inadvertently) to embolden the victimized (in this and other cases involving Show Business figures--named or not) to speak out on issues of sexual harassment, rape and coercion by way of unintentional drug intake.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Twitter conversation between male and female film journalists.
- This happened a little while ago (names and Twitter handles omitted):
- Female journalist:
- You are more than welcome to unfollow me if my stupidity upsets you so much. Have a great day.
Male journalist:
I don't think you're stupid at all... and admire what you do. But why not get behind companies that are actually doing it RIGHT?
Female journalist:
It's not enough by far. It's crumbs. I want a meal.
Male journalist:
You'll get one in 2019 with Captain Marvel. Wonder Woman in 2017. Not excited about The Girl on the Train? Joy? Moana? Ghostbusters?
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Recent poem: ODE TO 27 YEARS OF CALIFORNIA LIVING.
one morning during
my first week in California,
I woke up in my single bed
and felt like I was riding on
a Tilt-A-Whirl
reminiscent of long-ago days
at the Funland Amusement Park
in Wichita Falls Texas
>
that was my introduction
to the unpredictability
of the Golden State:
fires
Malathion
El Nino
carjacking
more earthquakes
causing real damage
and no comparison to
rolling up and down
in a circle
on a Midway ride
easily turned off
after three minutes
of safe chaos
reminiscent of long-ago days
at the Funland Amusement Park
in Wichita Falls Texas
>
that was my introduction
to the unpredictability
of the Golden State:
fires
Malathion
El Nino
carjacking
more earthquakes
causing real damage
and no comparison to
rolling up and down
in a circle
on a Midway ride
easily turned off
after three minutes
of safe chaos
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Director Denis Villeneuve explains film industry sexism for you.
"The people I work with were supportive of this idea, but I knew I would have less money. That’s the reality, to make a movie that the lead is a female. And that is very sad, but that will change with time, I hope."--filmmaker Denis Villeneuve on Emily Blunt's casting as the lead character in the drug-war drama SICARIO (quote taken from INDIEWIRE.com).
Thursday, October 1, 2015
In the wake of Oregon gun violence, a look back at the 1960s.
Conservative commentator Dan Smoot went on this rhetorical tirade after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zJOnMRURmY
President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 on gun control legislation passed in the wake of the murders of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbe-2W_K70Q
From the NBC News Archive description on YouTube:
The president said at the time "AS BIG AS THIS BILL IS, STILL FALLS SHORT BECAUSE WE JUST COULD NOT GET THE CONGRESS TO CARRY OUT THE REQUEST WE MADE OF THEM. I ASKED FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTRATION OF ALL GUNS AND THE LICENSES OF THOSE WHO CARRY THOSE GUNS.FOR THE FACT OF LIFE IS THAT THERE ARE OVER 160 MILLION GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY; MORE FIREARMS THAN FAMILIES. AND IF GUNS ARE TO BE KEPT OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE CRIMINAL; & OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE INSANE; & OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE IRRESPONSIBLE; THEN WE MUST JUST HAVE LICENSING"
President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 on gun control legislation passed in the wake of the murders of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbe-2W_K70Q
From the NBC News Archive description on YouTube:
The president said at the time "AS BIG AS THIS BILL IS, STILL FALLS SHORT BECAUSE WE JUST COULD NOT GET THE CONGRESS TO CARRY OUT THE REQUEST WE MADE OF THEM. I ASKED FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTRATION OF ALL GUNS AND THE LICENSES OF THOSE WHO CARRY THOSE GUNS.FOR THE FACT OF LIFE IS THAT THERE ARE OVER 160 MILLION GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY; MORE FIREARMS THAN FAMILIES. AND IF GUNS ARE TO BE KEPT OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE CRIMINAL; & OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE INSANE; & OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE IRRESPONSIBLE; THEN WE MUST JUST HAVE LICENSING"
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