#Robert Lee Gates

[thebutcher-5]

Money Monster - L'altra faccia del denaro

Benvenuti o bentornati sul nostro blog. Nello scorso articolo siamo tornati nel mondo del cinema e per la precisione nell’horror. Questa volta abbiamo discusso del remake di un film fondamentale nel mondo dell’horror ossia La Casa. La storia parla di un gruppo di cinque amici che si ritrova in una casetta isolata in mezzo al bosco. Sono lì perché vogliono aiutare una di loro a disintossicarsi,…

[weclassybouquetfun]

Your Golden Globes Nominations. A lot of "yays" and some

Best film – drama

Anatomy of a Fall Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Past Lives The Zone of Interest

Best film – musical or comedy

Air American Fiction Barbie May December The Holdovers Poor Things

*Musicals being shut out of the musical category is comedy. THE COLOR PURPLE is sensational. WONKA is enjoyable. I don't see how both could be ignored in favour of MAY DECEMBER.

Best female actor in a film – drama

Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan, Maestro Greta Lee, Past Lives Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla

*Glad Bening pulled it out of the gate. Mulligan is wonderful in MAESTRO, but NYAD is a meatier role.

Best male actor in a film – drama

Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Barry Keoghan, Saltburn Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers

*I've seen all nominated performances and it's Keoghan for me. At the very least with 3 Irish men nominated, one has to take it. It will bring shame to the island to not.

MORE NOMINEES

Best female actor in a film – musical or comedy

Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings Natalie Portman, May December Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things

*Hated MAY DECEMBER so, with the exception of Charles Melton, I am flummoxed by the love for it. Barrino was incredible in THE COLOR PURPLE and deserving. Would have been thrilled to see Eve Hewson for FLORA AND SON nominated.

Best male actor in a film – musical or comedy

Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario Timothée Chalamet, Wonka Matt Damon, Air Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

*I would take out Chalamet and replace him with THE HOLDOVERS' Dominic Sessa.

Best film – animated

The Boy and the Heron Elemental Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Suzume The Super Mario Bros Movie Wish

Best film – non-English language

Anatomy of a Fall Fallen Leaves Io Capitano Past Lives Society of the Snow The Zone of Interest

*Heard wonderful things about The Zone of Interest, Past Lives and Anatomy of a Fall, but the only one I've seen is SOCIETY OF THE SNOW and it is staggering.

Best female actor in a supporting role in a film

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Rosamund Pike, Saltburn Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

*This was pretty much my picks with the exception of Moore. I don't know who I would have swapped her out for but what she does in MAY DECEMBER compared to these other nominees is woefully underwhelming.

But I'm 1000% Rosamund Pike. Would be thrilled with a Brooks or Randolph win.

Best male actor in a supporting role in a film

Willem Dafoe, Poor Things Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling, Barbie Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

*I'm a contrarian so I want Melton to win it. He was shockingly good in MAY DECEMBER. But I would be happy with Gosling or DeNiro

Best director – film

Bradley Cooper, Maestro Celine Song, Past Lives Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Greta Gerwig, Barbie Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

*Cooper wont' get it, but he deserves it. He did a fantastic job with MAESTRO. I am gunning for Scorsese.

Best screenplay – film

Barbie Poor Things Oppenheimer Killers of the Flower Moon Past Lives Anatomy of a Fall

*Emerald Fennell's SALTBURN not getting nominated in this category is a crime.

Best original score – film

Poor Things Oppenheimer The Zone of Interest Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Killers of the Flower Moon The Boy and the Heron

Best original song – film

Addicted to Romance, She Came to Me Dance the Night, Barbie I’m Just Ken, Barbie Peaches, The Super Mario Bros Move Road to Freedom, Rustin What Was I Made For?, Barbie

Cinematic and box office achievement

Barbie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 John Wick: Chapter 4 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour The Super Mario Bros Movie

Television

Best television series – drama

Succession The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us 1923 The Morning Show

Best television series – musical or comedy

Abbott Elementary Barry Jury Duty Only Murders in the Building Ted Lasso The Bear

Best television limited series, anthology series or television film

Beef Lessons in Chemistry Daisy Jones and the Six All the Light We Cannot See Fellow Travelers Fargo

Best female actor in a television series – drama

Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Emma Stone, The Curse Helen Mirren, 1923 Imelda Staunton, The Crown Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession

Best male actor in a television series – drama

Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Kieran Culkin, Succession Jeremy Strong, Succession Brian Cox, Succession Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Dominic West, The Crown

Best female actor in a television series – musical or comedy

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Elle Fanning, The Great Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Best male actor in a television series – musical or comedy

Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best female actor in a television limited series, anthology series or television film

Ali Wong, Beef Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death Juno Temple, Fargo Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers Riley Keough, Daisy Jones and the Six

Best male actor in television limited series, anthology series or television film

David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves Jon Hamm, Fargo Matt Bomer, Fellow Travelers Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones and the Six Steven Yeun, Beef Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers

Best supporting female actor on television series

Abby Elliott, The Bear Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso J Smith-Cameron, Succession Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building

Best supporting male actor on television series

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession James Marsden, Jury Duty Alan Ruck, Succession Alexander Skarsgård, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Ebon Moss–Bachrach, The Bear

*Skarsgård getting nominated but Jonathan Bailey being ignored is not sitting right with my spirit.

Best stand-up comedian on television

Chris Rock, Selective Outrage Sarah Silverman, Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love Wanda Sykes, I’m an Entertainer Ricky Gervais, Ricky Gervais Armageddon Trevor Noah, Where Was I Amy Schumer, Emergency Contact

[acotars]

books read in 2023

january

sweep in peace by ilona andrews

one fell sweep by ilona andrews

a court of mist and fury by sarah j. maas

sweep of the blade by ilona andrews

sweep with me by ilona andrews

my best friend’s exorcism by grady hendrix

kiss her once for me by alison cochrun

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid

i’m glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy

love and other words by christina lauren

sweep of the heart by ilona andrews

the only living girl on earth by charles yu

witches get stuff done by molly harper

you had me at hola by alexis daria

her vigilante by lillian lark

inconvenient daughter by lauren j. sharkey

anon pls. by deuxmoi

you are eating an orange. you are naked. by sheung-king

legends & lattes by travis baldree

bad vibes only (and other things i bring to the table) by nora mcinerny

signs of cupidity by raven kennedy

bonds of cupidity by raven kennedy

crimes of cupidity by raven kennedy

read: 23

february

exciting times by naoise dolan

sweethand by n.g. peltier

you made a fool of death with your beauty by akwaeke emezi

something wilder by christina lauren

highly suspicious and unfairly cute by talia hibbert

you deserve each other by sarah hogle

this is how you lose the time war by amal el-mohtar and max goldstone

would you rather by allison ashley

read: 8

march

meet me in the margins by melissa ferguson

king of battle and blood by scarlett st. clair

the exotic by hampton sides

river of shadows by karina halle

alone with you in the ether by olivie blake

lovelight farms by b.k. borison

the soulmate equation by christina lauren

before i let go by kennedy ryan

haunting adeline by h.d. carlson

the lies i tell by julie clark

one jump at a time by nathan chen

our wives under the sea by julia armfield

all systems red (the murderbot diaries #1) by martha wells

before the coffee gets cold by toshikazu kawaguchi

read: 14

april

funny you should ask by elissa sussman

make a scene by mimi grace

sweeter than chocolate by lizzie shane

the kiss quotient by helen hoang

my favorite half-night stand by christina lauren

romantic comedy by curtis sittenfeld

icebreaker by a.l. graziadei

the wedding proposal by john swansiger

circling back to you by julie tieu

by the book by amanda sellet

a lady’s guide to mischief and mayhem by manda collins

love in the time of serial killers by alicia thompson

if the shoe fits by julie murphy

whispers of you by catherine cowles

the kiss curse by erin sterling

by the book by jasmine guillory

honey & spice by bolu babalola

one night on the island by josie silver

the bodyguard by katherine center

the reunion by kayla olson

the neighbor favor by kristina forest

crooked kingdom by leigh bardugo

do i know you? by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka

just my type by falon ballard

delilah green doesn’t care by ashley herring blake

happy place by emily henry

dating dr. dil by nisha sharma

icebreaker by hannah grace

count your lucky stars by alexandria bellefleur

stone cold fox by rachel koller croft 

fake it till you bake it by jamie wesley

read: 31

may

the dead romantics

motherthing by ainslie hogarth

the woman in the library by sulari gentill

artificial condition (the murderbot diaries #2) by martha wells

the last word by taylor adams

you shouldn’t have come here by jeneva rose

read: 6

june

fourth wing (the empyrean #1) by rebecca yarros

the very secret society of irregular witches by sangu mandanna

love, theoretically by ali hazelwood

read: 3

july

the traitor queen (the bridge kingdom #2) by danielle l. jensen

the beast by katee robert

baldur's gate: descent into avernus by by james introcaso et. al

forget me not by julie soto

the wishing game by meg shaffer

read: 5

august

the true love experiment by christina lauren

pachinko by min jin lee

almond by sohn won-pyung, translated by joosun lee

hook, line, and sinker by tessa bailey

read: 4

september

hey, u up? (for a serious relationship): how to turn your booty call into your emergency contact by emily axford & brian murphy

everyone knows your mother is a witch by rivka galchen

fangs by sarah andersen

a room with a view by e.m. forster

juniper bean resorts to murder by gracie ruth mitchell

one's company by ashley hutson

the mysterious affair at styles by agatha christie

solita: a gothic romance by vivien rainn

you, again by kate goldbeck

the undertaking of hart and mercy by megan bannen

my roommate is a vampire by jenna levine

the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde

the vampires of el norte by isabel cañas

her body and other parties by carmen maria machado

evil eye by etaf rum

the seven year slip by ashley poston

read: 17

october

keeper of enchanted rooms by charlie n. holmberg

the serpent and the wings of night by carissa broadbent

shy by max porter

down comes the night by allison saft

the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic by breanne randall

the hurricane wars by thea guanzon

read: 6

november

a witch's guide to fake dating a demon by sarah hawley

the wake-up call by beth o'leary

when in rome by sarah adams

the view was exhausting by mikaella clements and onjuli datta

hello stranger by katherine center

practice makes perfect by sarah adams

do your worst by rosie danan

read: 7

december

bookshops & bonedust by travis baldree

the fake mate by lana ferguson

read: 2

final count: 127/100

[ausetkmt]

The Daily Dot: Black People Question 'The American Society Of Magical Negroes'

The Sundance Film Festival’s recent screening of The American Society of Magical Negroes has stirred significant controversy. Natalie (@nataliethehero) discusses the hoopla, and its star’s recent comments in a trending clip with 289,000 views on TikTok. This satirical fantasy comedy, directed by Kobi Libii, has garnered many critical reactions, particularly from African American audiences and critics.

“This movie is a hard no,” said one of the commenters.

Others had words on star Justice Smith’s career. “I want Justice Smith to want more for himself lol,” wrote another person. Said another commenter: “Dude, I feel so bad for Justice Smith. He came out of the gate swinging w/ his career but has made/ been pushed into some bad duds.” “After “The Get Down” “Detective Pikachu” and “The Quarry” I thought Justice Smith’s career was going to take off :/ makes me sad,” wrote yet another person.

As mentioned by Natalie, journalist Robert Daniels, contributing to RogerEbert.com and renowned outlets like the New York Times, gave a scathing review, stating, “The American Society of Magical Negroes lacks politics, coherency, and the grand vision necessary for vast world-building.” His review paints a picture of a film with a promising start that ultimately fails to deliver a coherent message or meaningful critique of the anti-Black world it depicts.

As Daniels points out, the film begins on a high note but quickly descends into confusion, culminating in a hollow conclusion against its attempted humor. Daniels emphasizes the film’s failure in world-building and character development, particularly critiquing its protagonist, Aren, played by Justice Smith, for being frustratingly underdeveloped.

Smith revealed the film’s divisive reception from focus groups. In a discussion at Sundance, he highlighted the varying reactions among Black viewers, with some feeling triggered and others seeing reflections of their experiences. “Black people were triggered by seeing something that they weren’t ready to admit in themselves,” Smith shared, perhaps also defending Libii. He praised the film for showcasing the diversity within the Black community and pushing the boundaries of Black art.

However, reactions to Smith’s comments and the film have been mixed. Some viewers criticized the insinuated narrative that Black people who disliked the movie were too ignorant to understand it. Others expressed disappointment in the film’s focus on white-centric themes, hoping instead for a film that celebrated Black magic.

One viewer’s feedback encapsulates the general sentiment: “I saw the movie, and it’s just not as interesting as they think it is. It’s banal in its attempt at being provocative. It centers whiteness and placates the sensibilities of the group it claims to be critiquing.”

The American Society of Magical Negroes is billed as a satire of the Magical Negro trope, a concept widely criticized for perpetuating outdated and racist stereotypes in American cinema. The Magical Negro, typically a supporting character in film and literature, is often portrayed with mystical powers or unique insights, existing mainly to aid white protagonists. This trope, criticized by film director Spike Lee and others, is seen as a modern-day extension of racist archetypes like “Sambo” or the “noble savage.”

We've never seen microaggressive corporate racism?? Whaaat? WE have not only seen it, but lived it time and time again. What is unique about THIS rendition of surviving racism??— Denise – Pamela Denise Long (@PDeniseLong) January 21, 2024

The film’s intent to critique this trope and the anti-Black world seems lost in execution, as indicated by Daniels’ review and audience reactions. This disconnect raises questions about the effectiveness of satire in addressing complex racial issues and the responsibility of filmmakers in creating works that are both thought-provoking and respectful of the communities they represent.

Despite its star-studded cast, including David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, and Nicole Byer, critics say The American Society of Magical Negroes struggles to balance its satirical elements with meaningful commentary. The film’s tepid reception at Sundance and its polarizing impact on the focus group suggest a missed opportunity to thoughtfully engage with critical themes surrounding race and representation in cinema.

Doubling down on the tepidness, the Hollywood Reporter writer Jourdain Searles declared, “Ultimately, The American Society of Magical Negroes is a film bogged down by its filmmaker’s inability to make the central joke work.”

As the film gears up for its theatrical release by Focus Features on March 15, how wider audiences will receive it remains to be seen. The discourse in this TikTok video suggests a need for more nuanced and respectful approaches to storytelling, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like race and identity.

However, a review from BlackGirlNerds.com writer Catalina Combs suggests the satire had hit its target, calling it “a must-see satire about what it means for Black people to protect and care for ourselves and each other.”

The film serves as a case study of the challenges and responsibilities of creating art that aims to critique societal norms. Its reception at Sundance and online underscores the importance of authenticity and sensitivity in storytelling, particularly when exploring themes of race and identity. 

The American Society of Magical Negroes presents a tricky narrative that has sparked significant debate and reflection. While its intention to execute satire on a problematic trope is clear, its execution may leave much to be desired. As the film industry continues to grapple with issues of representation and diversity, this movie stands as a reminder of the importance of thoughtful and respectful storytelling. 

[omegawhiskers]

Collison 4/11/23

Happy 69

Collison opens with a montage of promos. When it came to Swerve Strickland, he cut off by AR Fox who attacked him. The brawl spilled out to the arena during the opening pyro. Swerve got the win, thus carrying his momentum heading into his match with Adam Page. The post-match had all the main event players coming out for a brawl.

This would be one of tree singles matches as the rest featured multi-man competition, which was not a bad thing in hindsight as it opened up the spotlight to showcase wrestlers that have fallen into the abyss.

The Kingdom won a squash match against James McGregor and Brixton Nash. I don’t recall seeing Matt Taven or Mike Bennett being featured outside ROH, so this was good to see. I was kind of hoping that Taven would incorporate the giraffe into his gear because I think it would be hilarious. Roderick Strong did a post-match knee and imminently milked his neck again. It’s good to see this team do something rather then just be relegated to promos.

Lance Archer returned with Jake ''The Snake'' Roberts to take on Darby Allin. Allin was ragged dolled a lot. He took a choke slam followed by another choke slam on the outside edge of the ring. Allin prevailed with a Destroyer off the top rope to win. Jake Robert’s announces that he has brought in The Righteous. This looks like set up for Darby, String and Adam Copeland vs. Lance and The Righteous. Archer will fit in nicely with The Righteous, but I'm not sure if it's long term.

Skye Blue and Kris Statlander still have friction between them as Blue explains to Statlander she misted Julia Hart only for Willow because they're friends. This looks to be leading to Blue vs. Statlander with Willow stuck in the middle (maybe a triple threat?). Willow also picked up a win over Emi Sakura in a decent match up. Willow needed this victory as she hasn't picked up a win in quite a while.

We got a surprise appearance from Kip Sabian who teamed with The Workhorsemen to face off against Mark Briscoe/Dusty Rhodes/Keith Lee. This was a short but fun match. I’m glad that Kip and Lee got TV time. Kip is so good and deserves more time on Collison going forward. Lee will also get a match on Dynamite against Samoa Joe with Briscoe challenging Jay White for his spot at Full Gear. I'm glad to see the gears turning in the right direction here.

The Acclaimed celebrated 69 days as AEW Trios Champions. The chemistry between all three were on display and it was an amusing segment until Dalton Castle and The Boys came to the ring. I often chastise WWE for doing this, so I’m going to chastise AEW here. I hate it when wrestlers make the matches on the spot. Doing so in kayfabe makes the company look unprofessional and lazy for not planning out TV time. The match wasn’t half bad though. The segment also featured MJF admitting that he liked The Acclaimed and sees Max Caster as a friend, so expect more team ups.

The main event was FTR/LFI (Preston Vance & Rush with Jose the Assistant & Dralistico) vs. Big Bill & Ricky Starks and Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona). I just don't care for Kaun and Liona because I don't know anything about them. Who are they? What are they fighting for? I would have preferred Dralistico over Vance in this match. Post match had The House of Black attacked FTR, with Claudio and Yuta making the save.

This Collision featured talent we haven't seen in a while. And I'm glad the fall out is spilling into Dynamite. I hope this is not a case of showing certain talent, then tossing them away for months. This seems to be a problem with AEW. Look at the Miro/CJ Perry storyline. One moment they are both featured heavily, and now they just Perry only gets a mention and Miro gets a quick cameo. I hope Dynamite delivers with story progression.

[shinraalpha]

tag nine people you want to catch up with/get to know better

tagged by: @voidspacecowboy

Last Song: Summer Skin by Teen Girl Scientist Monthly - a very fun bouncy pop-punk tune with cute synths and one of the best band names I've ever heard.

Last Film: I so seldom have the time to watch films (it was Oppenheimer) so here are some banging podcasts I'm enjoying right now: Malevolant (Lovecraftian mystery-horror that will make you cry), The Silt Verses (utterly complelling cosmic-divine horror) and Behind the Bastards (non-fiction about the worst people in all of history).

Currently Reading(or last read): I just finished Ness by Robert McFarlane and Stanley Donwood, which was short and beautiful. About to start Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, which I've been promised is gay southern gothic horror.

Currently Watching: I mostly only watch Critical Role - I'm up to date though which is *the worst* because I need my besties please I need Matt to tell me what to do.

Current Obsession: Well I'm playing Baldur's Gate 3 right now, though that feels like an extension of my perennial hyperfixation Dungeons and Dragons. I am very slowly building my own campaign setting though so... it's going to a good place.

no pressure tag spot: @quasi-normalcy @excitedrainbow @lemonizzy @bee-of-swords @nonthepratt (and anyone else who wants to i'm not your supervisor)

[balioc]

BALIOC’S READING LIST, 2022 EDITION

With one exception, this list counts only published books, consumed in published-book format, that I read for the first time and finished. (There was one serious-seeming book that, as far as I know, exists only in free-floating PDF form.) No rereads, nothing abandoned halfway through, no Internet detritus of any kind apart from the aforementioned, etc.  Also no children’s picture books.

1. The Blue Castle, Lucy Maude Montgomery

2. The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, Priya Parker

3. The Girl and the Mountain, Mark Lawrence

4. There Is No Antimemetics Division, qntm

5. Dreamsnake, Vonda N. McIntyre

6. War and State Building in Medieval Japan, Various (ed. John A. Ferejohn and Frances McCall Rosenbluth)

7. Legal Systems Very Different From Ours, David Friedman, Peter T. Leeson, and David Skarbek

8. The Revolutions, Felix Gilman

9. Age of Ash, Daniel Abraham

10. When the Sea Turned to Silver, Grace Lin

11. Summer in Orcus, T. Kingfisher

12. The Thousand Eyes, A. K. Larkwood

13. Kingfall, David Estes

14. Surrogation, Suspended Reason

15. The Hands of the Emperor, Victoria Goddard

16. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro

17. Hakkenden -- Part 1: "An Ill-Considered Jest," Kyokutei Bakin

18. Claws of the Cat, Susan Spann

19. Blade of the Samurai, Susan Spann

20. Flask of the Drunken Master, Susan Spann

21. The Ninja's Daughter, Susan Spann

22. Betrayal at Iga, Susan Spann

23. Trial at Mount Koya, Susan Spann

24. Ghost of the Bamboo Road, Susan Spann

25. Fires of Edo, Susan Spann

26. The Discord of Gods, Jenn Lyons

27. All the Seas of the World, Guy Gavriel Kay

28. Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley, Edward Plunkett, Lord Dunsany

29. Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success, Ran Abramitzky and Leah Bousyan

30. Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir

31. Perhaps the Stars, Ada Palmer

32. Dreadgod, Will Wight

33. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore

34. Manfred, George Gordon, Lord Byron

35. Friend to Mankind: Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), Various (ed. Michael Shepherd)

36. Locklands, Robert Jackson Bennett

37. The Jade Setter of Janloon, Fonda Lee

38. Spring Snow, Yukio Mishima

39. Against All Gods, Miles Cameron

40. Nona the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir

41. Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century, J. Bradford DeLong

42. The Golden Enclaves, Naomi Novik

43. The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Vol. I, George R. R. Martin, Elio M. Garcia Jr., and Linda Antonsson

44. A Garter as a Lesser Gift, Aster Glenn Gray

45. The Night-Bird's Feather, Jenna Moran

46. Absolution by Murder, Peter Tremayne

47. The Lost Metal, Brandon Sanderson

48. Shroud for the Archbishop, Peter Tremayne

49. Yamada Monogatari: Demon Hunter, Richard Parks

50. Yamada Monogatari: To Break the Demon Gate, Richard Parks

51. Yamada Monogatari: The War God's Son, Richard Parks

52. Yamada Monogatari: The Emperor in Shadow, Richard Parks

53. Pulling the Wings off Angels, K. J. Parker

54. Laurus, Eugene Vodolazkin

55. The Ogre's Wife: Fairy Tales for Grownups, Richard Parks

56. The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, Fyodor Dostoevsky

Plausible works of improving nonfiction consumed in 2021: 7

[“plausible” and “improving” are being defined very liberally here]

Works written by women consumed in 2021: 23

Works written by men consumed in 2021: 29

Works written by both men and women consumed in 2021: 4

Balioc’s Choice Award, Fiction Division: The Remains of the Day

>>>> Honorable Mention: Laurus

Balioc’s Choice Award, Nonfiction Division: Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century

>>>> Honorable Mention: War and State Building in Medieval Japan

Series Award for: A Deeply Flawed Work of Luminescent Genius, No Really, This Thing is Artistically and Intellectually Important and Its Flaws Only Make It More So, Dear God What Were They Thinking Not Giving It the Hugo -- the Terra Ignora books, by Ada Palmer

Series Award for: I Cannot Begin to Articulate How Mad I Am That These Books of All Books Have Become Cultural Touchstones of My Local Social and Artistic Circle -- the Locked Tomb books, by Tamsyn Muir

Series Award for: I Must Give Credit to a Brave Author Who Makes Unexpected Moves and Tries New Things with Every Book, Even if Everything She Tries is Terrible -- the Locked Tomb books, by Tamsyn Muir

**********

Fiction-wise, this was actually a better year than you'd think from just eyeballing the list. The overall numbers are still below par, and there's too much shlocky formulaic mystery-series-type stuff; but there was a lot of real quality in there. I had real trouble deciding on my top two, and I ended up not giving either prize to a book by Jenna Moran writing at her normal level of quality, so that says something. There were a number of books that disappointed by not being amazing but that I'm still glad to have read (e.g. Summer in Orcus, The Hands of the Emperor). Even the shlocky formulaic stuff had more merit than you might expect, in many cases.

Serious contemplatively-emotional litfic is real good, at its best. Turns out.

Non-fiction-wise, this was a shitshow of unparalleled proportions. I read almost nothing, and what I read was uninspiring. (I started s number of things that I failed to finish, which didn't help.) I seriously considered making this a "no award" year. I am once again asking for your recommendations for really good, deeply-informative, blow-your-mind-open non-fiction.

[kwebtv]

Burke’s Law -  List of Guest Stars

The Special Guest Stars of “Burke’s Law” read like a Who’s Who list of Hollywood of the era.  Many of the appearances, however, were no more than one scene cameos.  This is as complete a list ever compiled of all those who even made the briefest of appearances on the series.  

Beverly Adams, Nick Adams, Stanley Adams, Eddie Albert, Mabel Albertson, Lola Albright, Elizabeth Allen, June Allyson, Don Ameche, Michael Ansara, Army Archerd, Phil Arnold, Mary Astor, Frankie Avalon, Hy Averback, Jim Backus, Betty Barry, Susan Bay, Ed Begley, William Bendix, Joan Bennett, Edgar Bergen, Shelley Berman, Herschel Bernardi, Ken Berry, Lyle Bettger, Robert Bice, Theodore Bikel, Janet Blair, Madge Blake, Joan Blondell, Ann Blyth, Carl Boehm, Peter Bourne, Rosemarie Bowe, Eddie Bracken, Steve Brodie, Jan Brooks, Dorian Brown, Bobby Buntrock, Edd Byrnes, Corinne Calvet, Rory Calhoun, Pepe Callahan, Rod Cameron, Macdonald Carey, Hoagy Carmichael, Richard Carlson, Jack Carter, Steve Carruthers, Marianna Case, Seymour Cassel, John Cassavetes, Tom Cassidy, Joan Caulfield, Barrie Chase, Eduardo Ciannelli, Dane Clark, Dick Clark, Steve Cochran, Hans Conried, Jackie Coogan, Gladys Cooper, Henry Corden, Wendell Corey, Hazel Court, Wally Cox, Jeanne Crain, Susanne Cramer, Les Crane, Broderick Crawford, Suzanne Cupito, Arlene Dahl, Vic Dana, Jane Darwell, Sammy Davis Jr., Linda Darnell, Dennis Day, Laraine Day, Yvonne DeCarlo, Gloria De Haven, William Demarest, Andy Devine, Richard Devon, Billy De Wolfe, Don Diamond, Diana Dors, Joanne Dru, Paul Dubov, Howard Duff, Dan Duryea, Robert Easton, Barbara Eden, John Ericson, Leif Erickson, Tom Ewell, Nanette Fabray, Felicia Farr, Sharon Farrell, Herbie Faye, Fritz Feld, Susan Flannery, James Flavin, Rhonda Fleming, Nina Foch, Steve Forrest, Linda Foster, Byron Foulger, Eddie Foy Jr., Anne Francis, David Fresco, Annette Funicello, Eva Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Reginald Gardiner, Nancy Gates, Lisa Gaye, Sandra Giles, Mark Goddard, Thomas Gomez, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Sandra Gould, Wilton Graff, Gloria Grahame, Shelby Grant, Jane Greer, Virginia Grey, Tammy Grimes, Richard Hale, Jack Haley, George Hamilton, Ann Harding, Joy Harmon, Phil Harris, Stacy Harris, Dee Hartford, June Havoc, Jill Haworth, Richard Haydn, Louis Hayward, Hugh Hefner, Anne Helm, Percy Helton, Irene Hervey, Joe Higgins, Marianna Hill, Bern Hoffman, Jonathan Hole, Celeste Holm, Charlene Holt, Oscar Homolka, Barbara Horne, Edward Everett Horton, Breena Howard, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Arthur Hunnicutt, Tab Hunter, Joan Huntington, Josephine Hutchinson, Betty Hutton, Gunilla Hutton, Martha Hyer, Diana Hyland, Marty Ingels, John Ireland, Mako Iwamatsu, Joyce Jameson, Glynis Johns, I. Stanford Jolley, Carolyn Jones, Dean Jones, Spike Jones, Victor Jory, Jackie Joseph, Stubby Kaye, Monica Keating, Buster Keaton, Cecil Kellaway, Claire Kelly, Patsy Kelly, Kathy Kersh, Eartha Kitt, Nancy Kovack, Fred Krone, Lou Krugman, Frankie Laine, Fernando Lamas, Dorothy Lamour, Elsa Lanchester, Abbe Lane, Charles Lane, Lauren Lane, Harry Lauter, Norman Leavitt, Gypsy Rose Lee, Ruta Lee, Teri Lee, Peter Leeds, Margaret Leighton, Sheldon Leonard, Art Lewis, Buddy Lewis, Dave Loring, Joanne Ludden,  Ida Lupino, Tina Louise, Paul Lynde, Diana Lynn, James MacArthur, Gisele MacKenzie, Diane McBain, Kevin McCarthy, Bill McClean, Stephen McNally, Elizabeth MacRae, Jayne Mansfield, Hal March, Shary Marshall, Dewey Martin, Marlyn Mason, Hedley Mattingly, Marilyn Maxwell, Virginia Mayo, Patricia Medina, Troy Melton, Burgess Meredith, Una Merkel, Dina Merrill, Torben Meyer, Barbara Michaels, Robert Middleton, Vera Miles, Sal Mineo, Mary Ann Mobley, Alan Mowbray, Ricardo Montalbán, Elizabeth Montgomery, Ralph Moody, Alvy Moore, Terry Moore, Agnes Moorehead, Anne Morell, Rita Moreno, Byron Morrow, Jan Murray, Ken Murray, George Nader, J. Carrol Naish, Bek Nelson, Gene Nelson, David Niven, Chris Noel, Kathleen Nolan, Sheree North, Louis Nye, Arthur O'Connell, Quinn O'Hara, Susan Oliver, Debra Paget, Janis Paige, Nestor Paiva, Luciana Paluzzi, Julie Parrish, Fess Parker, Suzy Parker, Bert Parks, Harvey Parry, Hank Patterson, Joan Patrick, Nehemiah Persoff, Walter Pidgeon, Zasu Pitts, Edward Platt, Juliet Prowse, Eddie Quillan, Louis Quinn, Basil Rathbone, Aldo Ray, Martha Raye, Gene Raymond, Peggy Rea, Philip Reed, Carl Reiner, Stafford Repp, Paul Rhone, Paul Richards, Don Rickles, Will Rogers Jr., Ruth Roman, Cesar Romero, Mickey Rooney, Gena Rowlands, Charlie Ruggles, Janice Rule, Soupy Sales, Hugh Sanders, Tura Satana, Telly Savalas, John Saxon, Lizabeth Scott, Lisa Seagram, Pilar Seurat, William Shatner, Karen Sharpe, James Shigeta, Nina Shipman, Susan Silo, Johnny Silver, Nancy Sinatra, The Smothers Brothers, Joanie Sommers, Joan Staley, Jan Sterling, Elaine Stewart, Jill St. John, Dean Stockwell, Gale Storm, Susan Strasberg, Inger Stratton, Amzie Strickland, Gil Stuart, Grady Sutton, Kay Sutton, Gloria Swanson, Russ Tamblyn. Don Taylor, Dub Taylor, Vaughn Taylor, Irene Tedrow, Terry-Thomas, Ginny Tiu, Dan Tobin, Forrest Tucker, Tom Tully, Jim Turley, Lurene Tuttle, Ann Tyrrell, Miyoshi Umeki, Mamie van Doren, Deborah Walley, Sandra Warner, David Wayne, Ray Weaver, Lennie Weinrib, Dawn Wells, Delores Wells, Rebecca Welles, Jack Weston, David White, James Whitmore, Michael Wilding, Annazette Williams, Dave Willock, Chill Wills, Marie Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sandra Wirth, Ed Wynn, Keenan Wynn, Dana Wynter, Celeste Yarnall, Francine York.

[indiesole]

THE 236 GREATEST PERSONALITIES IN THE ENTIRE KNOWN HISTORY/COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THIS WORLD! (@INDIES)

i.e. THE 236 GREATEST PERSONALITIES IN WORLD HISTORY! (@INDIES)

Rajesh Khanna

Lionel Messi

Leonardo Da Vinci

Muhammad Ali

Joan of Arc

William Shakespeare

Vincent Van Gogh

Online Indie

J. K. Rowling

David Lean

Nadia Comaneci

Diego Maradona

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Meena Kumari

Julius Caesar

Harrison Ford

Ludwig Van Beethoven

William W. Cargill

Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche

Samuel Curtis Johnson

Sam Walton

John D. Rockefeller

Andrew Carnegie

Roy Thomson

Tim Berners-Lee

Marie Curie

James J. Hill

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Roman Polanski

Samuel Slater

J. P. Morgan

Cary Grant

Dmitri Mendeleev

John Harvard

Alain Delon

Ramakrishna Paramhansa (Official God)

The Lumiere Brothers, Auguste & Louis

Carl Friedrich Benz

Michelangelo

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Ramana Maharishi

Mark Twain

Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri

Bruce Lee

Bhagwan Krishna (Official God)

Charlemagne

Rene Descartes

John F. Kennedy

Bhagwan Ganesha (Official God)

Walt Disney

Albert Einstein

Nikola Tesla

Alfred Hitchcock

Pythagoras

William Randolph Hearst

Cosimo de’ Medici

Johann Sebastian Bach

Alec Guinness

Nostradamus

Christopher Plummer

Archimedes

Jackie Chan

Guru Dutt

Amma Karunamayi/ Mata Parvati (Official God)

Peter Sellers

Gerard Depardieu

Joseph Safra

Robert Morris

Sean Connery

Petr Kellner

Aristotle Onassis

Usain Bolt

Jack Welch

Alfredo di Stefano

Elizabeth Taylor

Michael Jordan

Paul Muni

Steven Spielberg

Louis Pasteur

Ingrid Bergman

Norma Shearer

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Ayn Rand

Jesus Christ (Official God)

Luciano Pavarotti

Alain Resnais

Frank Sinatra

Allah (Official God)

Richard Nixon

Charlie Chaplin

Thomas Alva Edison

Alexander Graham Bell

Wright Brothers

Arjun (of Bhagwan Krishna’s Gita)

Jim Simons

George Lucas

Swami Sri Lahiri Mahasaya

Carl Lewis

Brett Favre

Helen Keller

Bernard Mannes Baruch

Buddha (Official God)

Hugh Grant

K. L. Saigal

Roger Federer

Rash Behari Bose

Tiger Woods

William Blake

Jesse Owens

Claude Miller

Bernardo Bertolucci

Subhash Chandra Bose

Satyajit Ray

Hippocrates

Chiang Kai-Shek

John Logie Baird

Geeta Dutt

Raphael (painter)

Bhagwan Shiva (Official God)

Radha (Ancient Krishna devotee)

George Orwell

Jorge Paulo Lemann

Catherine Deneuve

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Bill Gates

Bhagwan Ram (Official God)

Michael Phelps

Michael Faraday

Audrey Hepburn

Dalai Lama

Grace Kelly

Mikhail Gorbachev

Vladimir Putin

Galileo Galilei

Gary Cooper

Roger Moore

John Huston

Blaise Pascal

Humphrey Bogart

Rudyard Kipling

Samuel Morse

Wayne Gretzky

Yogi Berra

Barry Levinson

Patrice Chereau (director)

Jerry Lewis

Louis Daguerre

James Watt

Henri Rousseau

Nikita Krushchev

Jack Dorsey

Dev Anand

Elia Kazan

Alexander Fleming

David Selznick

Frank Marshall

Viswanathan Anand

Major Dhyan Chand

Swami Vivekananda

Felix Rohatyn

Sam Spiegel

Anand Bakshi

Victor Hugo

Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Official God)

Steve Jobs

Srinivasa Ramanujam

Lord Hanuman

Stanley Kubrick

Giotto

Voltaire

Diego Velazquez

Ernest Hemingway

Francis Ford Coppola

Michael Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Mario Lemieux

Kishore Kumar

James Stewart

Douglas Fairbanks

Confucius

Babe Ruth

Raj Kapoor

Titian aka Tiziano Vecelli

El Greco

Francisco de Goya

Jim Carrey

Mohammad Rafi

Steffi Graf

Pele

Gustave Courbet

Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi

Milos Forman

Steve Wozniak

Georgia O’ Keeffe

Mala Sinha

Aryabhatta

Magic Johnson

Patanjali

Leo Tolstoy

Tansen

Henry Fonda

Albrecht Durer

Benazir Bhutto

Cal Ripken Jr

Samuel Goldwyn

Mumtaz (actress)

Panini

Nicolaus Copernicus

Pablo Picasso

George Clooney

Olivia de Havilland

Prem Chand

Imran Khan

Pete Sampras

Ratan Tata

Meerabai (16th c. Krishna devotee)

Queen Elizabeth II

Pope John Paul II

James Cameron

Jack Ma

Warren Buffett

Romy Schneider

C. V. Raman

Aung San Suu Kyi

Benjamin Netanyahu

Frank Capra

Michael Schumacher

Steve Forbes

Paramhansa Yogananda

Tom Hanks

Kamal Amrohi

Hans Holbein

Shammi Kapoor

Gerardus Mercator

Edith Piaf

Bhagwan Shirdi Sai Baba (Official God)

[gtunesmiff]

WEDNESDAY'S POETRY PROMPTS ~8/16/23

Every Wednesday, I share a pair of writing prompts, one from Robert Lee Brewer's blog, Poetic Asides, where he also includes an example poem to get things started, and I select a random color name from the Sherwin-Williams palette.

This week, from Brewer:

Write a PORTAL poem.

My first thought with portal is some swirly hole in the sky that will take me to another dimension, but portals are simply entrances.

So a door can be a portal; a gate can be a portal; the opening to a cave could conceivably be a portal. 

Also, any number of swirly holes in the sky or random objects could act as portals.

So poem with portals this week.

And from Sherwin-Williams comes:

COMMODORE

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

[morganarchived]

an absolute list of films i’d like to watch (so far)

thanks to the Letterboxd community for always recommending the most unhinged pieces ever

Gummo, Harmony Korine (1997)

Hard Candy, David Slade (2005)

House, Nobuhiko Obayashi (1977)

Ichi the Killer, Takashi Miike (2001)

Kids, Larry Clark (1995)

Léon: The Professional, Luc Besson (1994)

Oldboy, Park Chan-wook (2003)

Once Upon a Time in America, Sergio Leone, (1984)

Fantastic Planet, René Laloux (1973)

Punch Drunk-Love, Paul Thomas Anderson (2002)

[REC], Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza (2007)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Jim Sharman (1975)

Shock Treatment, Jim Sharman (1981)

Sleepaway Camp, Robert Hiltzik (1983)

The Warriors, Walter Hill (1979)

Videodrome, David Cronenberg (1983)

Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese (1976)

The Ninth Configuration, William Peter Blatty (1980)

Flowers for Algernon, Jeff Bleckner (2000)

Mona Lisa, Neil Jordan (1986)

The Machinist, Brad Anderson (2004)

Miller’s Crossing, Joel Coen (1990)

Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola (1979)

The Farewell, Lulu Wang (2019)

Trash Humpers, Harmony Korine (2009)

Pixote, Héctor Babenco (1980)

Julien Donkey-Boy, Harmony Korine (1999)

Last Night, Don McKellar (1998)

Duck Butter, Miguel Arteta (2018)

Stalker, Andrei Tarkovsky (1979)

The Pianist, Roman Polanski (2002)

Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino (1992)

Blue Velvet, David Lynch (1986)

At Eternity’s Gate, Julian Schnabel (2018)

Birdman, Alejandro González Iñárritu (2014)

Climax, Gaspar Noé (2018)

Shirkers, Sandi Tan (2018)

A Ghost Story, David Lowery (2017)

Carol, Todd Haynes (2015)

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, Hayao Miyazaki (1979)

Baby Driver, Edgar Wright (2017)

The Revenant, Alejandro González Iñárritu (2015)

She’s Gotta Have It, Spike Lee (1986)

I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Macon Blair (2017)

It Comes at Night, Trey Edward Shults (2017)

Buster’s Mal Heart, Sarah Adina Smith (2016)

Cam, Daniel Goldhaber (2018)

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski, Irek Dobrowolski (2018)

I Think We’re Alone Now, Reed Morano (2018)

Skins, Eduardo Casanova (2017)

The Fundamentals of Caring, Rob Burnett (2016)

About Time, Richard Curtis (2013)

The Bad Batch, Ana Lily Amirpour (2016)

The Highwaymen, John Lee Hancock (2019)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh (2017)

Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone (1994)

XX, Karyn Kusama & Jovanka Vuckovic & Roxanne Benjamin & St. Vincent (2017)

Cargo, Ben Howling & Yolanda Ramke (2017)

Residue, Alex Garcia Lopez (2015)

Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold, Griffin Dunne (2017)

Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower, Joe Piscatella (2017)

Chasing Trane, John Scheinfeld (2016)

Tallulah, Siân Heder (2016)

Expedition Happiness, Felix Starck & Selima Taibi (2017)

Bottom of the World, Richard Sears (2017)

Super Dark Times, Kevin Phillips (2017)

Notes on Blindness, Pete Middleton & James Spinney (2016)

Newness, Drake Doremus (2017)

ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke, Kelly Duane de la Vega (2019)

Paddleton, Alexandre Lehmann (2019)

Juanita, Clark Johnson (2019)

Temple, Michael Barrett (2017)

Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, Bob Hercules & Rita Coburn Whack (2016)

P, Paul Spurrier (2005)

I Am Happiness on Earth, Julián Hernández (2014)

Carrie Pilby, Susan Johnson (2016)

Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses, David Stubbs (2015)

I Called Him Morgan, Kasper Collin (2016)

A Family Affair, Tom Fassaert (2015)

Q, Sanjeev Gupta (2017)

Boyhood, Richard Linklater (2014)

Thelma & Louise, Ridley Scott (1991)

Brick, Rian Johnson (2005)

The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson (2001)

Moonlight, Barry Jenkins (2016)

Mulholland Drive, David Lynch (2001)

Solaris, Andrei Tarkovsky (1972)

Lake Mungo, Joel Anderson (2008)

War of the Worlds, Steven Spielberg (2005)

Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Shinya Tsukamoto (1989)

Mady, Panos Cosmatos (2018)

Raw, Julia Ducournau (2016)

The Neon Demon, Nicolas Winding Refn (2016)

The Love Witch, Anna Biller (2016)

Tusk, Kevin Smith (2014)

Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky (2010)

A Serbian Film, Srđan Spasojević (2010)

Antichrist, Lars von Trier (2009)

Paprika, Satoshi Kon (2006)

Audition, Takashi Miike (1999)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Terry Gilliam (1998)

Perfect Blue, Satoshi Kon (1997)

Suspiria, Dario Argento (1977)

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, Pier Paolo Pasolini (1975)

Irreversible, Gaspar Noé (2002)

Teeth, Mitchell Lichtenstein (2007)

Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood, Hideshi Hino (1985)

I Stand Alone, Gaspar Noé (1998)

Begotten, E. Elias Merhige (1989)

Dekalog, Krzysztof Kieślowski (1989)

Dancer in the Dark, Lars von Trier (2000)

Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda (2018)

Honey Boy, Alma Har’el (2019)

The Inner Scar, Philippe Garrel (1972)

The Handmaiden, Park Chan-wook (2016)

Funny Games, Michael Haneke (1997)

$9.99, Tatia Rosenthal (2008)

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Ana Lily Amirpour (2014)

In The Mood for Love, Wong Kar-wai (2000)

Stranger Than Paradise, Jim Jarmusch (1984)

Quadrophenia, Franc Roddam (1979)

Blow-Up, Michaelangelo Antonioni (1966)

Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee (1989)

Christiane F., Uli Edel (1981)

Grey Gardens, Albert Maysles & David Maysles & Muffie Meyer & Ellen Hovde (1975)

The Tribe, Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi (2014)

Uncut Gems, Josh Safdie & Benny Safdie (2019)

Persona, Ingmar Bergman (1966)

Wild Strawberries, Ingmar Bergman (1957)

The Silence, Ingmar Bergman (1963)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Céline Sciamma (2019)

The Lighthouse, Robert Eggers (2019)

Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell (2020)

The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer, Masaki Kobayashi (1961)

As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty, Jonas Mekas (2000)

X, Ti West (2022)

Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Scheinert & Daniel Kwan (2022)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Tom Gormican (2022)

The Conversation, Francis Ford Coppola (1974)

Sufjan Stevens: Carrie & Lowell Live, Aaron Craig & Alex Craig (2017)

La Haine, Mathieu Kassovitz (1995)

My Life as a Zucchini, Claude Barras (2016)

The Wolf House, Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña (2018)

Come and See, Elem Klimov (1985)

Noisy Requiem, Yoshihiko Matsui (1988)

Eyes Without a Face, Georges Franju (1960)

Angel’s Egg, Mamoru Oshii (1985)

Dogville, Lars von Trier (2003)

Pink Flamingos, John Waters (1972)

Are you lost in the world like me?, Steve Cutts (2016)

[human-still-developing]

Hey, pal, I wanna make a goal of spending more time with paper than screens this fall. Care to make me a book recs list or suggest a buddy read?

Hi dear <3 Thanks so much for the ask @peggy-sue-reads-a-book! I love buddy reading or book recs so here's a whole bunch of books that I personally love/recommend for four different genres that I just picked out from the top of my head(if you're interested in any other genres, give me a shout-out and I'll get you a reading list ready <3). Get ready....this is going to be one long post :D I've linked a couple of my own Good-Reads reviews in there too and added some notes for the other novels <3

There's twenty books on this reading list...I've tried to give you a good mix of genres, time-periods and authors! Let me know what you think <3

Classics

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (This may seem over-rated but its such a beautiful piece of work. The characters, the world....its truly worth a read and isn't too long either)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Its funny, timeless and beloved. The ultimate love story in Austen's charming prose. This is something that I believe every girl needs to read at least once in her life <3)

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Okay this is a long one and I'd suggest reading it if you have a prolonged period of time because the nature of the book, involving many characters with many stories, is hard to keep track of without reading it regularly. Nevertheless, this is one of my favourite novels of all time and I adore Tolstoy's work)

All My Sons by Arthur Miller (My review from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4820261003?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)

Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney (How could I not include my favourite author of all time? This translation is incredible and perhaps the most true to its Gaelic roots. In the words of critic Terry Eagleton, Heaney preserves the 'pluck and slop' of writing, rather than the other sanitised translations of this work).

Fantasy

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (I love love love this series so much. This is my favourite YA fantasy series of all time and its amazing. The characters, the plot, the slow unfolding of relationships...its a wonder!)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4616997281?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1).

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4617000403?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)

Uprooted by Naomi Novik (My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4613024741?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (Haunting, chilling and achingly beautiful. A testament to immortality of childhood and to the fluid and flawed nature of memory. A fantasy novel which will be cherished by veterans of the genre and newcomers alike for the evocative, nostalgic prose that will sweep you out of this world.)

Poetry

Opened Ground by Seamus Heaney (What can I say? I love Heaney. This poetry collection especially is full of incredible writing, astute imagery and so much love)

Robert Frost (Not a poetry collection, I know, but his work is lovely and nostalgic for me who grew up reading him <3)

The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth (A modern verse-narrative with a clever take on Eugene Onegin. Recommended for lovers of traditional poetry revitalised.)

Words Under the Words by Naomi Shihab Nye (A modernist free-verse poet who's work I adore. Lovely and evocative).

Iliad by Homer (Not quite poetry but this epic is worth a read <3 Read it way back when I was studying Latin in high school and I'm still a huge Hector fan <3)

Other Fiction (haha, not really a genre but some other novels I love):

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4734320207?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)

The Dry by Jane Harper (Breathtaking debut thriller-crime fiction novel. A poignant, heart-wrenching portrayal of the harsh realities of living in the Australian outback where desperate people are driven to desperate ends. A compelling mystery with a twist that'll leave you both satisfied and with a bittersweet acknowledgment of the tiny place you take up in the world.)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (A slice-of-life historical novel with a charismatic narrator and poignant tale of love, loss and growing up in the bleak world of WWII Germany. It's the sort of novel that's hard to classify into a perfect genre; it's a beautiful piece that sort of exists on its own...haunting, elusive and magical.)

The Hunter's Wife by Anthony Doerr (A short story this time <3 This is the kind of story that will leave you pondering for days after you finish.)

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Couldn't help leaving this here for you @peggy-sue-reads-a-book <3)

[dragoneyes618]

Bet They Wish They Hadn’t Said That...

“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.”

- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949.

“I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year.”

- The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957.

“But what...is it good for?”

- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device in inherently of no value to us.”

- Western Union internal memo, 1876.

“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?”

- David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.”

- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service (which became FedEx).

“I don’t know what use anyone could find for a machine that would make copies of documents. It certainly couldn’t be a feasible business by itself.”

- The head of IBM, refusing to back the idea, forcing the inventor to found Xerox.

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.”

-Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895

“If I had thought about it, I wouldn’t have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can’t do this.”

- Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3M Post-It notepads.

“So, we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, “No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.’“

- Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.

“Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.”

- 1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard’s revolutionary rocket work.

“Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.”

- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.

“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.”

- Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

“Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.”

- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872.

“The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.”

- Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinaire to Queen Victoria 1873.

“640K ought to be enough for anybody.”

- Bill Gates, 1981.

“Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances.”

- Dr. Lee DeForest, father of radio and grandfather of television.

“The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives.”

- Admiral William Leahy, US Atomic Bomb Project.

“There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom.”

- Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1923.

“A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.”

- Response to Debbi Fields’ idea of starting Mrs. Fields’ Cookies.

“The supercomputer is technologically impossible. It would take all of the water that flows over Niagara Falls to cool the heat generated by the number of vacuum tubes required.”

- Professor of Electrical Engineering, New York University.

“Who...would want to read a book about a bunch of crazy Swedes on a raft?”

- Editor, turning down The Kon Tiki Expedition.

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.”

- Decca Recording Co., rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

“Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy.”

- Drillers whom Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”

- Ken Olson, president, chairman, and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977.

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 4.10

428 – Nestorius becomes the Patriarch of Constantinople. 837 – Halley's Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles). 1407 – Deshin Shekpa, 5th Karmapa Lama visits the Ming dynasty capital at Nanjing and is awarded the title "Great Treasure Prince of Dharma". 1500 – Ludovico Sforza is captured by Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French. 1545 – The settlement of Villa Imperial de Carlos V (now the city of Potosí) in Bolivia is founded after the discovery of huge silver deposits in the area. 1606 – The Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America. 1710 – The Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, comes into force in Great Britain. 1717 – Robert Walpole resigns from the British government, commencing the Whig Split which lasts until 1720. 1741 – War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia gains control of Silesia at the Battle of Mollwitz. 1809 – Napoleonic Wars: The War of the Fifth Coalition begins when forces of the Austrian Empire invade Bavaria. 1815 – The Mount Tambora volcano begins a three-month-long eruption, lasting until July 15. The eruption ultimately kills 71,000 people and affects Earth's climate for the next two years. 1816 – The Federal government of the United States approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States. 1821 – Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Ottoman government from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus. 1821 – Greek War of Independence: the island of Psara joins the Greek struggle for independence. 1826 – The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town of Missolonghi begin leaving the town after a year's siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive. 1858 – After the original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonnes (32,000 lb) bell for the Palace of Westminster, had cracked during testing, it is recast into the current 13.76 tonnes (30,300 lb) bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry. 1864 – Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is proclaimed emperor of Mexico during the French intervention in Mexico. 1865 – American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time. 1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh. 1868 – At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Tewodros II. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two British/Indian troops die. 1872 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska. 1875 – India: Arya Samaj is founded in Mumbai by Swami Dayananda Saraswati to propagate his goal of social reform. 1887 – On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of the Catholic University of America. 1896 – 1896 Summer Olympics: The Olympic marathon is run ending with the victory of Greek athlete Spyridon Louis. 1900 – British suffer a sharp defeat by the Boers south of Brandfort. 600 British troops are killed and wounded and 800 taken prisoner. 1912 – RMS Titanic sets sail from Southampton, England on her maiden and only voyage. 1916 – The Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) is created in New York City. 1919 – Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos. 1919 – The Third Regional Congress of Peasants, Workers and Insurgents is held by the Makhnovshchina at Huliaipole. 1925 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner's Sons. 1938 – The 1938 German parliamentary election and referendum seeks approval for a single list of Nazi candidates and the recent annexation of Austria. 1939 – Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.'s "Big Book", is first published. 1941 – World War II: The Axis powers establish the Independent State of Croatia. 1944 – Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler escape from Birkenau death camp. 1963 – One hundred twenty-nine American sailors die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea. 1968 – The TEV Wahine, a New Zealand ferry sinks in Wellington harbour due to a fierce storm – the strongest winds ever in Wellington. Out of the 734 people on board, fifty-three died. 1970 – Paul McCartney announces that he is leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons. 1971 – Ping-pong diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a week-long visit. 1972 – Tombs containing bamboo slips, among them Sun Tzu's Art of War and Sun Bin's lost military treatise, are accidentally discovered by construction workers in Shandong. 1972 – Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam. 1973 – Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crashes in a snowstorm on approach to Basel, Switzerland, killing 108 people. 1979 – Red River Valley tornado outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people. 1988 – The Ojhri Camp explosion kills or injures more than 1,000 people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. 1991 – Italian ferry MS Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy, killing 140. 1991 – A rare tropical storm develops in the South Atlantic Ocean near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites. 1998 – The Good Friday Agreement is signed in Northern Ireland. 2009 – President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces the abrogation of the constitution and assumes all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis. 2010 – Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and dozens of other senior officials and dignitaries. 2016 – The Paravur temple accident in which a devastating fire caused by the explosion of firecrackers stored for Vishu, kills more than one hundred people out of the thousands gathered for seventh day of Bhadrakali worship. 2016 – An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude strikes 39 km west-southwest of Ashkasham, shakes up India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Srinagar and Pakistan. 2019 – Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announce the first ever image of a black hole, which was located in the centre of the M87 galaxy.

[ashley-slashley]

(dumps an entire gallon of salt onto sam raimi, bruce campbell, patrick stewart, walter koenig, tom baker, my favorite musicians, gates mcfadden, marina sirtis, the rest of the surviving cast of star trek tng, robert englund, jamie lee curtis, francis ford coppola, and my other favorite surviving famous people)

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Solos | Dickie Landry (feat. Richard Peck, Robert Prado, Rusty Gilder, Jon Smith, Alan Braufman, David Lee) | Unseen Worldsから)

Solos by Dickie Landry (feat. Richard Peck, Robert Prado, Rusty Gilder, Jon Smith, Alan Braufman, David Lee)

On February 19, 1972, a crew of mostly Louisiana-raised musicians came together at the Leo Castelli Gallery on West Broadway in Soho to perform a wholly improvised concert. This ensemble’s solos spring from collective improvisations and a tumultuous backbeat, loosely inspired by the creations of Coltrane, Coleman, Albert Ayler, and their brethren. The de facto leader was Richard “Dickie” Landry, a saxophonist and keyboardist who joined composer Philip Glass’s group in 1969. Landry had become a fixture in downtown New York’s loft and art scenes at the close of the 1960s, after he high-tailed it by car from Louisiana to the Lower East Side and auspiciously encountered Ornette Coleman at the Village Gate the night of his arrival. For this concert, fellow Glass reedists Jon Smith and Richard Peck joined in, alongside Rusty Gilder and Robert Prado, both doubling on bass (upright and electric) and trumpet. The drum chair was occupied by New Orleans firecracker David Lee, Jr., who brought alto saxophonist Alan Braufman along for the session (Braufman was the only non-Louisiana player in the band). The ensemble stretched out in the gallery for several hours in a configuration reflecting those that took place at Landry’s Chinatown loft, documented in photos by artists Tina Girouard and Suzanne Harris that adorn the inside of the original gatefold album jacket. Recorded live by Glass’ sound engineer Kurt Munkacsi, the album was released as a double LP on Chatham Square, the small imprint Landry and Glass co-ran, in a stark greyscale cover and simply titled Solos. The order of the players’ improvisations was laid out on the album inner labels, though unsurprisingly there’s a fair amount of blend. At the end of the day Solos is beyond category, a rousing exploration of instrumentation, rhythm, and life. This first-time reissue is remastered from the original master tapes, released as a 2LP gatefold with period photos and new liner notes by Clifford Allen, and an additional 30 minutes of bonus material in the digital edition, included with the download code. クレジット2022年10月7日リリース For Bobby Ramirez Dickie Landry: Tenor & Soprano Sax, Electric Piano Richard Peck: Tenor Sax Robert Prado: Trumpet & Bass Rusty Gilder: Trumpet & Bass Jon Smith: Tenor Sax Alan Braufman: Alto Sax David Lee: Drums Kurt Munkacsi: Engineer, 16 Track Skully, Butterfly Productions, Inc Recorded Live Feb. 19, 1972 Leo Castelli Gallery, N.Y.C., 420 W. Broadway Tina Girouard: Photographs, Cover Suzanne Harris: Photographs D. Norsen: Layout, Design Remastering: Stephan Mathieu Produced by Dickie Landry & Leo Castelli