...and Emily Mortimer. I don't just hate the character now from HBO and Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom, but I hate the actress. I rewatched Elizabeth for the hundredth time and finally realized that Emily Mortimer was one of Princess Elizabeth's ladies in waiting screaming "take me!" when Elizabeth was dragged away to the Tower very likely to be executed. Such a hanging, beheading or burning at the stake would have suited her pathetic existence just fine.
Such a shrieking little brat who is made to seem interesting because she is British... and even more interesting because she is an American with a British accent. Just keep on falling all over yourself to get Will MacAvoy to love you again. Just continue to be an absolute joke as the your character's storyline for an entire goddamn season without ever showing us why you are the greatest producer in TV journalism. Don't show us actual examples of value.
Don't worry. This fickle, cult-like even, audience will give you a pass because we love Aaron Sorkin so much for his wit and his situations and his character development. Wait a minute! This character hasn't developed past the whiny, high school freshman lovelorn you just want to throw things at. And also, Sorkin fans are fanatics who memorize his stories. The speeches his characters make are often mistaken for that of actual statesmen throughout history. Sorkin has a following that deserves more than Emily Mortimer. She is no CJ Cregg. She is no Donna Moss. She is no Abigale Bartlett, even though I hated her too for very different reasons.
Arrrggggggg! Go away Emily Mortimer!!!!!!
And I hate Maggie Jordan too.
I love and hate The Newsroom in equal measure. I have watched every episode at least four times and I am positive that I will do it all over again.
More people have a problem with the people on The Newsroom
Uhggggg! I don't agree that the show is bad. I agree that Maggie and Mackenzie need to die.
I still can't stop watching it.
Great Scenes
I am going to start a collection of great scenes here. Just little, perfectly constructed scenes extracted from both good and bad movies.
This is from Layer Cake, one of my favorite films. There are a hundred great scenes in this movie and maybe I will highlight more another time. This scene is a one-sided infliction of primal revenge violence set to the longing ballad Ordinary World by Duran Duran.
The guy getting sent to the emergency room is an irresponsible waste who is responsible for the aggressor going to jail for ten years. That is where the anger was born and where the "lost time" feeling of Ordinary World is so damn fitting.
This is from Layer Cake, one of my favorite films. There are a hundred great scenes in this movie and maybe I will highlight more another time. This scene is a one-sided infliction of primal revenge violence set to the longing ballad Ordinary World by Duran Duran.
The guy getting sent to the emergency room is an irresponsible waste who is responsible for the aggressor going to jail for ten years. That is where the anger was born and where the "lost time" feeling of Ordinary World is so damn fitting.
Robert Rauschenberg's bald-eagle ruffles feathers with IRS
Robert Rauschenberg's bald-eagle ruffles feathers with IRS
By of the Journal Sentinel
What happens when the carcass of a bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, gets pulled from a trash can and included in an artwork by one America's greatest artists? Ruffled feathers and disputed tax bills decades later, it would seem.
The artwork in question is "Canyon," one of Robert Rauschenberg's sculptural combines, which today belongs to the heirs of New York art dealer Ileana Sonnabend.
Because the bald eagle is under federal protection, dead or alive, it would be illegal for the heirs to sell the work, so their appraisers valued the work at zero. The IRS, meanwhile, with the help of art experts, appraised the work at $65 million and is demanding that the heirs pay $29.2 million in taxes.
The whole thing is being challenged in tax court. The New York Times has a story on the whole affair today, which was published in the print edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. To see an image of the artwork, go to the Art:21 video below, created as an elegy to Rauschenberg, who died in 2008. The artwork can be seen at 3 minutes and 49 seconds in.
After it was acquired by Ileana Sonnabend in1959, "Canyon" was initially exhibited internationally and often, including in the Venice Biennale of 1964, when Rauschenberg won he grand prize for a foreign artist. It wasn't until 1981 that Fish and Wildlife agents took note of the case, according to a report on the case in ARTnews in May.
After that, restrictions based on the bald-eagle and migratory-bird acts were implemented. The artwork's whereabouts had to be on the record and special permits were needed to send it to other countries.
Defending Ileana Sonnabend's right to keep the work years ago, Rauschenberg made a notarized statement that he got the carcass from an artist who had pulled it from the trash at Carnegie Hall in 1959. The eagle had been thrown away after a Carnegie tenant, who had taxidermied the bird prior to 1940, died. The man had acquired the eagle in the wild before 1940, when the legal restrictions came into play, and was a member of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, the first. U.S. Volunteer Calvary, according to the ARTnews account.
After that, restrictions based on the bald-eagle and migratory-bird acts were implemented. The artwork's whereabouts had to be on the record and special permits were needed to send it to other countries.
Defending Ileana Sonnabend's right to keep the work years ago, Rauschenberg made a notarized statement that he got the carcass from an artist who had pulled it from the trash at Carnegie Hall in 1959. The eagle had been thrown away after a Carnegie tenant, who had taxidermied the bird prior to 1940, died. The man had acquired the eagle in the wild before 1940, when the legal restrictions came into play, and was a member of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, the first. U.S. Volunteer Calvary, according to the ARTnews account.
"Canyon" is one of Rauschenberg's iconic combines, which included layers of complex information and materials. Birds were not an uncommon conceit. This particular work explored the themes from Rembrandt's "The Rape of Ganymede," from 1635, the story of Zeus taking the form of an eagle to abduct a boy. Some say the work was an autobiographical exploration of the gay experience in the late 1950s.
The Newsroom
Nothing more. I just hate so very much, the character Mackenzie McHale on Aaron Sorkin's new show The Newsroom. I am sure that I will say more at another time.
Facebook's new digs
Holy open space. The Zuck has hired none other than Frank Gehry to design a 10 acre office space for Facebook in Menlo Park. It is complete with a rooftop garden and skateboarding paths for easy commute from one side of the space (it is a freaking arena) to the other. The video has the details:
Also, I should mention. I don't usually like Frank Gehry. I don't find his work all that inspiring. That said, this design excites me.
The gift is worth nothing.
Such a perfect idea allowed to fail.
The gift is worth nothing.
You speak of nothing.
Your art is clouded by your betrayal.
I feel bad.
Liar.
I feel horrible.
Years gone.
How could this be?
You do not protect me.
Wasted words.
You are a traitor.
You do not protect us.
Your attempts to create beauty are in vain because of the pain you have created.
You create pain.
My tears fall for me.
You create pestilence.
My tears fall for them.
Shock.
You killed my children yet to be born.
Awe.
You are on the wrong path.
Finding yourself is not your desire.
Your crime makes smoke over all you have made.
Cowardess.
Betrayal of trust.
Betrayal of friendship.
Betrayal of heart.
Stolen love.
Abused love.
All good days were a lie.
Our time together stinks of waste and all magic was a mere trick.
Dare not face me.
Dare not face us.
Dare not face them.
You will know pain.
You will feel cold.
You will destroy yourself.
Freedom.
Liberty.
For what?
You feel nothing.
The line of demarcation.
The gift is worth nothing.
You speak of nothing.
Your art is clouded by your betrayal.
I feel bad.
Liar.
I feel horrible.
Years gone.
How could this be?
You do not protect me.
Wasted words.
You are a traitor.
You do not protect us.
Your attempts to create beauty are in vain because of the pain you have created.
You create pain.
My tears fall for me.
You create pestilence.
My tears fall for them.
Shock.
You killed my children yet to be born.
Awe.
You are on the wrong path.
Finding yourself is not your desire.
Your crime makes smoke over all you have made.
Cowardess.
Betrayal of trust.
Betrayal of friendship.
Betrayal of heart.
Stolen love.
Abused love.
All good days were a lie.
Our time together stinks of waste and all magic was a mere trick.
Dare not face me.
Dare not face us.
Dare not face them.
You will know pain.
You will feel cold.
You will destroy yourself.
Freedom.
Liberty.
For what?
You feel nothing.
The line of demarcation.
Sound Opinions
This is a great show that I listen to every Saturday. If I happen to miss an episode, I subscribe to the podcast. It is essential to my media diet. I enjoy a shot of Jim DeRogatis with a Greg Kot chaser once a week.
These guys are very fair in their musical analysis and they critique popular music from all genres: rap, metal, dance, r&b, etc. I find them smug and pretentious at times as one would expect a rock critic to be. The good news is that it is never a problem - it is never what they are all about. They call it like they see it and even to the faces of the special live guests which they have on weekly for in-house performances.
In Chicago, it is on 91.5 FM at 11:00 AM right between Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me and This American Life. It is a really great line up.
Their website: http://www.soundopinions.org/
Go and listen.
These guys are very fair in their musical analysis and they critique popular music from all genres: rap, metal, dance, r&b, etc. I find them smug and pretentious at times as one would expect a rock critic to be. The good news is that it is never a problem - it is never what they are all about. They call it like they see it and even to the faces of the special live guests which they have on weekly for in-house performances.
In Chicago, it is on 91.5 FM at 11:00 AM right between Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me and This American Life. It is a really great line up.
Their website: http://www.soundopinions.org/
Go and listen.
Mad Men Blog
It's worth a few minutes... or hours.
http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/
And one of my favorite quotes of all time:
"Sterling Cooper has more failed artists and intellectuals than the Third Reich." - Don Draper
http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/
And one of my favorite quotes of all time:
"Sterling Cooper has more failed artists and intellectuals than the Third Reich." - Don Draper
Mad Men
I went to school for Graphic Design and received my degree in 1999 from Columbia College Chicago. I have enormous respect for advertising art. As a Warhol sycophant, it stands to reason that I would appreciate advertising. As a trained graphic designer, I know it is a true art.
It is true that it has been bastardized repeatedly for that quick buck. It has been employed for immoral purpose. I think the Germans, Russians, Cubans and the US made some kick-ass propaganda posters all believing that they were on the side of righteousness. As with advertising, you get to decide.
On that note, I wanted to comment on the hit show Mad Men. It's on AMC of all channels and it's from Matthew Weiner, Scott Hornbacher, Phil Abraham and Bob Shaw (and others) of The Sopranos. Some of the other people responsible for this acclaimed smash are from The West Wing, Rome, and Big Love - all shows I love - but, The Sopranos seems to be the connecting project. Well, this project is a home run and it has the gargantuan fan base to prove it.
As a piece in itself, it is incredibly representative of 1960. America is not in a war and the economy is booming. This is that time where the world truly admired us because we had it all. And we knew it, flaunted it, and lived as if there was no tomorrow. Cigarettes were good for you. Drinking at lunch was the norm. We could not be stopped. What a wonderful wonderland to write about.
That's the setting. The synopsis revolves around the Mad Men - a name used by the advertising executives working on Madison Avenue in New York. And what a wonderful wonderland to sell everything too. When it is perfectly acceptable to have a casual relationship with the truth, you can sell everything. The show has an incredibly talented cast and fantastic writers. There is sex, gluttony and lots of smart talk. There are also plenty of those Soprano-type moments of pondering induced by alcohol where our evil hero questions his moral purpose. I am wild about this show.
It is true that it has been bastardized repeatedly for that quick buck. It has been employed for immoral purpose. I think the Germans, Russians, Cubans and the US made some kick-ass propaganda posters all believing that they were on the side of righteousness. As with advertising, you get to decide.
On that note, I wanted to comment on the hit show Mad Men. It's on AMC of all channels and it's from Matthew Weiner, Scott Hornbacher, Phil Abraham and Bob Shaw (and others) of The Sopranos. Some of the other people responsible for this acclaimed smash are from The West Wing, Rome, and Big Love - all shows I love - but, The Sopranos seems to be the connecting project. Well, this project is a home run and it has the gargantuan fan base to prove it.
As a piece in itself, it is incredibly representative of 1960. America is not in a war and the economy is booming. This is that time where the world truly admired us because we had it all. And we knew it, flaunted it, and lived as if there was no tomorrow. Cigarettes were good for you. Drinking at lunch was the norm. We could not be stopped. What a wonderful wonderland to write about.
That's the setting. The synopsis revolves around the Mad Men - a name used by the advertising executives working on Madison Avenue in New York. And what a wonderful wonderland to sell everything too. When it is perfectly acceptable to have a casual relationship with the truth, you can sell everything. The show has an incredibly talented cast and fantastic writers. There is sex, gluttony and lots of smart talk. There are also plenty of those Soprano-type moments of pondering induced by alcohol where our evil hero questions his moral purpose. I am wild about this show.
TV
It is helpful to write this for I can't keep track of all the TV shows I am watching, need to get into and am anticipating their seasonal return. Admittedly, the list is a bit long for someone who is perpetually busy. But, it is important to make time just for yourself.
True Blood
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Mad Men
Homeland
Hell on Wheels
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
Dexter
Weeds
The Newsroom
Justified
Archer
Parks and Recreation
Modern Family
Political Animals
Bones
Right now, this is just a list. I will comment more as time goes by.
True Blood
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Mad Men
Homeland
Hell on Wheels
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
Dexter
Weeds
The Newsroom
Justified
Archer
Parks and Recreation
Modern Family
Political Animals
Bones
Right now, this is just a list. I will comment more as time goes by.
RSA Animate - The Power of Networks
The RSA Animate series was conceived as an innovative, accessible and unique way of illustrating and sharing the world-changing ideas. They illustrate diverse speech topics from the origin of language to capitalism. The animation used is intricate, engaging, comical and universally communicative.
RSA Animate - The Power of Networks
I plan on posting every video I can get my hands on.
Their website: http://www.thersa.org/events/rsaanimate
Their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg
RSA Animate - The Power of Networks
I plan on posting every video I can get my hands on.
Their website: http://www.thersa.org/events/rsaanimate
Their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg
Geisha Finger Painting on an iPhone by Seikou Yamaoka
This is really a wonderful thing to see. Electronic painter Seikou Yamaoka uses an iPhone to craft a beautiful portrait of a geisha. Despite the media, it takes shape as a brilliant watercolor. Its softness pays deference to its subject. The attention to detail is exquisite.
I have worked in Photoshop for about 130 years now. I have never created anything like this. The patience is an example to all.
Hats off to a beautiful piece and an extremely talented artist.
His YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/yamaz0714
There are many more portraits to see!
I have worked in Photoshop for about 130 years now. I have never created anything like this. The patience is an example to all.
Hats off to a beautiful piece and an extremely talented artist.
His YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/yamaz0714
There are many more portraits to see!
Caravaggio's John the Baptist
I have been working on this for some time.
I have never done a human still life - a portrait; let alone, a complete remake of an old master. This has never come from the tip of my brush. Open a window. I think the cheese has turned.
I was drawn to this piece for a couple of reasons. There is a whole lot of "less is more" going on here. Like a "Velvet Elvis", John the Baptist is crawling from the black. I believe that the original has black paint while Elvis resides on black velvet. I tried to pay some homage to that Vegas taste by painting on black cotton duck. You get that same flatness but it's a little less combed.
The whole "John" composition consists of a white shape on a yellow shape on a brown shape next to a reddish orange shape on black. More to the point, shape over shape over shape. Minimal.
I once saw a "Velvet Elvis" painter creating his masterpieces live. Yes, he was at the mall. Yes, he was quick and formulaic. His Elvises were done and ready to sell in the time it takes to rise a pretzel from Aunt Annie's. I like the idea of fast communication. Isn't it better when an idea is understood quicker - an appreciation is experienced faster. It is an un-interruption of understanding that we strive for.
There are lights and there are darks. Great contrast drives this piece.
Andrew Ek
My friend Andrew Ek is an amazing painter.
He actually makes me jealous. That isn't actually difficult to do for I am all too human in that respect
But this guy paints truly haunting and sexy paintings. There is a bit of Balthus going on. I see some Richter. I asked Andrew about these painters and he confirmed their influence.
Copycat ©
I used to tag back in college. I don't know why really.
Although I love the aesthetic, I do think of it as a destructive act.
My tagname/alias was Copycat and I wrote all over the place. I chose this name because of it's honesty. I was being a copycat of Jean Michel Basquiat. He is one of my heroes and I think of it as a genuine homage.
Before he was an international art star, Jean Michel Basquiat wrote tags all over New York City. They weren't just distinctive signatures. They were quotes, pictures and poems and he signed them SAMO© (SAMO is short for "Same Old Shit"). These tags were something to ponder.
This form of tagging clicked with me and I found it a perfect outlet for the thousands of musings and one-liners bouncing around in my brain. I wrote a lot - mainly on my college campus but I hit the CTA pretty good and lots of bars. It was very fun and I liked hearing people discuss my stuff. It did make me feel guilty from time to time and that is why I am not sure why I did it.
I wrote a lot of the tags down in a journal and I will post examples of these tags from time to time.
Although I love the aesthetic, I do think of it as a destructive act.
My tagname/alias was Copycat and I wrote all over the place. I chose this name because of it's honesty. I was being a copycat of Jean Michel Basquiat. He is one of my heroes and I think of it as a genuine homage.
Before he was an international art star, Jean Michel Basquiat wrote tags all over New York City. They weren't just distinctive signatures. They were quotes, pictures and poems and he signed them SAMO© (SAMO is short for "Same Old Shit"). These tags were something to ponder.
This form of tagging clicked with me and I found it a perfect outlet for the thousands of musings and one-liners bouncing around in my brain. I wrote a lot - mainly on my college campus but I hit the CTA pretty good and lots of bars. It was very fun and I liked hearing people discuss my stuff. It did make me feel guilty from time to time and that is why I am not sure why I did it.
I wrote a lot of the tags down in a journal and I will post examples of these tags from time to time.
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