Friday Open Thread

by afew Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 10:23:25 AM EST

Make your mind a blank

Friday Open Thread | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Let it all go.

Well, up to a point...

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 10:24:15 AM EST

"Stands on his head a lot, eats royal jelly. Lets his intestines down and washes them by hand. Something he learned during his sojourn in Tibet."
-Casino Royale (1967 version)

-----
sapere aude

by Number 6 on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 10:38:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)

The latest American film posters in Nice (see diary):

"When Hollywood turns to psychosis"

"Incorruptible and pitiless"

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 12:23:36 PM EST

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

"Gun films" are easy to make - they're all formula, have a known audience, a known marketing path, and the theaters love 'em since they run about 100 minutes thus can have up to 6 screenings a day. Over half of the 2012 gross box office in the US came from "gun films." As long as people keep shelling out money to watch the silly things the studios will keep distributing them.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:33:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)

"As long as people keep shelling out money to watch the silly things the studios will keep distributing them."

Or until censorship is re-enabled. Hollywood is driven by optimization at an individual producer/director/writer/actor level, and the result is trash that is going to get the whole system regulated, one of these days...

by asdf on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 02:38:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)

All Formula is harsh. There's a huge chasm between something like Goodfellas or Heat, on the one hand (intelligent and violent movies made by serious directors at the top of their craft), stuff like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly or Hard Boiled (shallow but brilliant spectacles), and something like Cobra or Hard to Kill (rather stupid and formulaic).

by Zwackus on Sun Feb 3rd, 2013 at 07:28:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Don't know what to think... (none / 0)

More on this.

"Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark." Cheyenne

by maracatu on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:22:34 PM EST

Re: Don't know what to think... (4.00 / 2)

As Gonzales said "the Geneva convention is so quaint".

People were hung at Nuremberg for acts identical to those at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib etc etc. It's not really a crime if it's done by America

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:32:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sadly ... (none / 0)

yes.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:33:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Don't know what to think... (none / 1)

Kee Riced.

'tis strange I should be old and neither wise nor valiant. From "The Maid's Tragedy" by Beaumont & Fletcher

by Wife of Bath (kareninaustin at g mail dot com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 03:35:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Life in America (cont.) (4.00 / 2)

From Booman:

Once more into the breach ride Republican state legislators of Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma and Montana in their war against science. In all four states, Republican legislators are in the process of proposing bills that will require the teaching of "intelligent design" (otherwise known as the theory that "God Created the World and Evolution is the Devil's Spawn") in their schools.

I'm surrounded by morons.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:43:21 PM EST

Re: Life in America (cont.) (none / 1)

"Sergeant, Trooper Evan's mother died last night, try to break it to him gently."

Next morning.

"Squad....all those with mothers take one pace forward. Now."

"Evans, where the fuck do you think you're going?"

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:52:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Life in America (cont.) (4.00 / 3)

Ouch. Suddenly I'm at school again.

;)

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 01:58:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Life in America (cont.) (none / 0)

My apologies for reviving such powerful memories. While many corporations pay good money to ensure that their nomenclature is globally acceptable, there is always a victim.

Try selling Dole Pineapple in Iran.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 02:04:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Life in America (cont.) (none / 1)

Is this a career suggestion? ;)

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sat Feb 2nd, 2013 at 02:22:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Life in America (cont.) (4.00 / 2)

I'm surrounded by morons.

Stop whining! I can't even reliably get NPR on the radio without it fading back and forth to 'praise' or preacher rant radio.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Feb 2nd, 2013 at 01:29:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

Israel Vows To Use Veto Power If Chuck Hagel Confirmed As U.S. Secretary Of Defense | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Top-ranking government officials in Jerusalem confirmed Tuesday that Israel would exercise its longstanding, constitutionally granted veto power over American policy if U.S. lawmakers confirmed retired congressman Chuck Hagel as the United States' next Secretary of Defense. "In light of Mr. Hagel's worrying remarks on Israeli-Palestinian relations and questionable classification of Israeli interests as `the Jewish lobby,' we consider him a highly inappropriate choice for Defense Secretary who stands far out of line with our national priorities, and therefore we are prepared to swiftly and resolutely use our official veto power over this U.S. action,"

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 03:11:08 PM EST

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)

That feels too true to life to be funny. I bet their behind the scenes lobbying is working overtime

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 03:31:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 1)

I thought the Onion was supposed to publish parodies....

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 03:32:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)

Yeah, and The Daily Show is Comedy news.

'tis strange I should be old and neither wise nor valiant. From "The Maid's Tragedy" by Beaumont & Fletcher

by Wife of Bath (kareninaustin at g mail dot com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 03:36:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

corporate PR (4.00 / 5)

still cool to watch...

Wind power

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 05:40:02 PM EST

Re: corporate PR (none / 0)

Wow, didn't realize those blades had teeth along the edge.

'tis strange I should be old and neither wise nor valiant. From "The Maid's Tragedy" by Beaumont & Fletcher

by Wife of Bath (kareninaustin at g mail dot com) on Sat Feb 2nd, 2013 at 04:37:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: corporate PR (none / 1)

Increases aerodynamic efficiency by better mixing of the two streams.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sat Feb 2nd, 2013 at 12:30:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Dido's Farewell (4.00 / 2)

Aria from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas

A lovely rendition, arranged and performed by cellist Deryl Cullen.

by ElaineinNM on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 at 08:39:10 PM EST

Re: Friday Open Thread (none / 0)