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Click above to buy it from Amazon.com.

I’ve been after this movie for awhile. After a “Very Long Wait” on Netflix, I just watched it. I can certainly see why the DoD was screening this. It’s not the causes of the conflict they were concerned with, but rather the methods the US would employ in Iraq vis-a-vis the French in Algeria.

It’s a wonderful movie with a fantastic plot. Enio Morricone’s score is probably his best after The Mission, and he certainly does justice to the mood. The scene where the women prepare for the bombings is amazing with Enio’s “batucada” in the background.

The movie is, in mood and ambiance, very reminiscent of Costa-Gavras’ Z, even though it precedes Z by 4 years. (I will say that it was interesting to learn that both Battle of Algiers, which was banned in France until 1971, and Costa-Gavras’ Z, which in turn was banned in Greece at the same time and for many of the same reasons, was shot in Algeria.

The crux of the movie, however, was the use of torture by the French. I almost saw myself getting into an argument with Meredith when I was at Cornell over this (we were discussing Guantanamo, I believe). Regardless of what you feel about it, Jean Martin, who played Col. Mathieu, pulled off probably the strongest acting in the movie on his responses to the reporters alone.

Col. Mathieu: What were they saying in Paris yesterday?
Journalist: Nothing. Sartre’s written another article.
Col. Mathieu: Will you kindly explain to me why the Sartres are always born on the other side?
Journalist: So you like Sartre, Colonel?
Col. Mathieu: Not really, but I like him even less as an adversary.

Buy it. It’s one of those movies it’s interesting to have around whenever someone brings up the issue of “freedom fighters vs. terrorists.”

ric

Here are the long-delayed pictures of last Saturday’s last-minute get-together, arranged by Mr. Rafael Kasinski, events coordinator extraordinaire, when he called me at 9:30PM asking “Is it alright if we have a party at your place?”

I just got Peter Gabriel’s “Play” from Amazon. I watched it in one sitting. 25 videoclips in all, and only paused for Mr. Richard Baumer calling me on the phone.

Peter Gabriel is incredible–his persona is very evident in his music (He supposedly suffers from bipolar disorder) and manages to make incredibly uplifting videos like Solsbury Hill while also making heart-wrenching ones like Don’t Give Up.

It was also interesting to compare his stuff across the years. While we all revere and bow down to him on what he did with the technology available in the 80s, I can’t say the same for his newer stuff (especially the videos from “Up”). While I find his recent music to be just as good as his old stuff (with heavier industrial overtones, which I like) , the videos aren’t the same.

Check it out… Even if you don’t like his stuff, who can forget Sledgehammer, anyways?

Buy it from Peter Gabriel – Play: The Videos. Please?

ric

I’ll never get it… But I’ll never quit trying… I won’t–That’s the only thing I can get.

I just watched a Frontline show commenting on Marketing today– AMEI… My neighbors probably think I was having the time of my life amidst the screams of “YES!” and maniacal laughter that flowed when I agreed or had an epiphany while watching this show. The moral of the story at the end is great–Whether you’re a marketeer (like me) or a marketeered, I recommend it! The ending comment is fantastic… Watch it!!!!

From the website:
“In ‘The Persuaders,‘ FRONTLINE explores how the cultures of marketing and advertising have come to influence not only what Americans buy, but also how they view themselves and the world around them. The 90-minute documentary draws on a range of experts and observers of the advertising/marketing world, to examine how, in the words of one on-camera commentator, “the principal of democracy yields to the practice of demography,” as highly customized messages are delivered to a smaller segment of the market.”

Next up on Frontline, everyone’s favorite class-action lawsuit target: Wal-Mart!

XXX : 30 Porn-Star Portraits
by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

I first saw these pictures on Nerve.com. I loved them, but quickly forgot about them. After watching the documentary on them on HBO, I was sold. I bought the book and I loved every page. When you get people like Gore Vidal and Jenna Jameson under the same cover, you know you’ve got something.

The book is a collection of essays by some great people (Lou Reed, John Waters) as well as twin photos, one dressed, one undressed, of some great porn stars (Jenna Jameson, Briana Banks, Peter North). It’s amazing to compare their facial expressions between the dressed and the undressed poses. 90% of them are more confident naked than they are dressed… An exercise in psychology would be fascinating here, really.

Go out and buy it– As a friend once told me, it might be one of those “coffee table books one dares to pick up”, but you’ll be glad you did.

I spent this past weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. Amidst the “god-forsaken midwest” and “where’s that” comments, I must say that I was aprehensive as well. Fine, once you get into the 500,000+ people zone, most US cities are alike, but I was really curious to see what that was like.

Well, my conclusions couldn’t be more surprising.

It’s a very nice town, which is contrasted by huge buildings in a 4-city block radius (IE: tiny downtown, HUGE buildings). The downtown area itself is beautiful, with buildings like the QWEST Center contrasting with the old early 1900 brick buildings. I must say I was impressed by the river crossing between the buildings and its charming riverside park. The ConAgra center, where my stepdad now works, is nothing short of stunning–Excuse me while I dedicate a paragraph to it.

I’d never work for a consumer-products company (in the traditional sense), but if I did, it would be ConAgra and just because of the buildings. It’s something like 6 3-story buildings, most of them with a beautiful view to a lake, and underground tunnels connecting all of them (Yes, tunnels! Well, more like art-galleries really, since they all have fantastic paintings in them). Oh yes, and there’s also something to be said for an office which has a freezer full of food and a balcony with a view towards the lake…

So what’s the catch? Well, it is Nebraska. Despite beautiful lofts in downtown and ah-mazing restaurants like V. Mertz (Best Sea Bass I ever had) in the Old Market District, that’s about it for the town. After that, it’s suburbia and not a very good one. My parents’ neighborhood is pretty, and the house amazed me, but suburbia as a whole was unimpressive.

So, the veredict: Would I live there? Yes! Paradoxically, though, I’d live there now, not later if and when I have a family. The Old Market area sold me, and so did the lofts…

ric

P.S.: Warren Buffett lives there in a $300,000 house and drives a Jetta…

Adriana Bertini uses condoms to produce sculptures and carnaval costumes. While the material may be questionable by some standards, the results are undeniably gorgeous and lush.

Her website is filled with other examples (check out the red carnaval dress once you’re there– amazing). Just click “Obras” once you’re there.

The Daily Show’s coverage of “the main event” has been the highlight of this campaign. From the bitch-slapping of Tucker Carlson to yesterday’s “That’s because he can’t send the state troopers to beat me up” from Al Sharpton to Bill Weld, The Daily Show has been the only clear winner in this campaign. Kudos to Jon Stewart and I’m sure Bush’s 2nd term will provide more than enough material.

As for the election itself, my dad said it best: “Ohio que os parta.” And on that note: Bush won. Or as Bill Maher would say “he stole the election fair and square”. There has been an abundance of “dirty tricks”–which every election has. But this is the one where the 20,000 voters who have been intimidated by men with guns (Thanks Austin ) or the blue screen of death. Hold on–we’ve had “dirty tricks” before Bush– Oh yeah, now I remembered: “when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

Pierre Salinger, Kennedy’s Press Secretary, move to Europe when Bush got elected, claiming disillusionment with the American people. I’m tempted by the same reasons. Then again we’re no better, we elected Collor, so in this case I vote for Churchill, who said:
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute talk with the average voter.”