I find I watch too many documentaries. I have serious side that is over developed but even knowing that, I have a tendency to feel I should be learning something if I am spending the time to sit and watch film. So I will share my thoughts first about a couple easy delightful films.
MARGIN CALL is a totally a surprise. I expected a boiler room of screaming men, loud noises, bright lights and then the scene of a smoking crowded bar of drunken men that had their world changed overnight by events on '08. The film is the extreme opposite. It is a small cast of characters, alerted by a nerd, that they should return to the office in the late hours of the night. The numbers he has observed, they must see. The film is about the 12 hours before that phone call and the 24 hours after. The writing is done by someone that knows the inner world of Wall Street. The conversations are not about greed but paychecks, not about power bit survival and mostly spoken by men that have calculators for brains.
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is Woody Allen film. In my opinion he is either very successful or a huge miss on each of his films. This one I treasure. Of course, I feel Paris is the most perfect city of the world that I have experienced. I have managed to spend a little time there during different periods of my adult life. On my last visit there, a few years ago I read Hemingway's Movable Feast while there. Immediately, I had to find the Shakespeare Bookstore, visit Luxembourg Park to walk the same space as a writer did during the 20's. This film explores that same feeling but has a bigger theme. The beauty of the city is filmed so well that people like me will return to view this movie on that grounds alone.
CAVES OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS to me was like holding a new born baby. It was moving and touching. The films shows cave drawings that are being film and studied by experts for a few hours of a week one spring a few years ago. The drawings are radio carbon dated to be around 30,000 years old after their discovery in 1994. I, personally, hope that is a hoax. The beauty of these drawings are so breathe taking to me that I only can assume the current population of this planet have not really advanced much in 30,000 years. The sensitivity of these drawings are so real, I wonder if it possible that man kind has
always had the same level of intelligence. Looking at some other works of the ancient world, I ask the question with seriousness. I am curious to walk along this river valley and feel the sense of that space after seeing those pictures on a cave wall.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Some finial thoughts about recent travels
While out of the country visiting Grahamstown, South Africa, I had a chance to sense my country from a longer view and listen to non-Americans opinion of the super power of the world, as they call United States.
They use that term more than I would have thought considering all the domestic problems Americans talk about endlessly. People are very concern that Americans have to figure out a way to take serious the role of leading the world out of this financial crisis, stop the crazy talk during this political campaign season and set an example of genuine thoughtfulness about world issues. There is a fear that American politicians don't understand how important their role is for the rest of the world.
I call the whites I met, 'the last white skinned nomads of the world'. I smile thinking about my ancestors crossing the Atlantic because they needed food and opportunity. Few of the whites I met over the month have lived in only one country, they also have a sense of always looking for more opportunity and moving where ever that offers itself. I found most whites in Grahamstown brighter than average Americans, more aware of the total economics of Africa and the world, often discussing countries the way citizens here talk about different states. They are easy to meet and very generous in their openness.
The lifestyle reminds me of this country 25 years ago. They they socialize in a manner that is less frequently done in this country. There is a strong sense of community and connections with neighbors. This is in spite of the fact, they are as high tech and wired as this country is.
The other observation is how outdated New York Kennedy airport is compared to Johannesburg, South Africa. Why has this country let it's public spaces and inter structure fall to third world level? People are more helpful, cheerful and polite overseas in the travel industry. The attitude that the market place will do it or that small government is the answer is wrong. Look at our trains, our planes and our airports. Look at our highways systems, most were built or designed 50 years ago under Eisenhower . We have become a third world nation yet we are the richest country the planet has ever known. We as a society have spend our resources building a military complex and put our resources toward that, at the expense, of the general good of the population in this country.
Frankly put, it is a pleasure to fly South Africa Airlines and it is a constant pain and embarrassment to fly most American airlines.
They use that term more than I would have thought considering all the domestic problems Americans talk about endlessly. People are very concern that Americans have to figure out a way to take serious the role of leading the world out of this financial crisis, stop the crazy talk during this political campaign season and set an example of genuine thoughtfulness about world issues. There is a fear that American politicians don't understand how important their role is for the rest of the world.
I call the whites I met, 'the last white skinned nomads of the world'. I smile thinking about my ancestors crossing the Atlantic because they needed food and opportunity. Few of the whites I met over the month have lived in only one country, they also have a sense of always looking for more opportunity and moving where ever that offers itself. I found most whites in Grahamstown brighter than average Americans, more aware of the total economics of Africa and the world, often discussing countries the way citizens here talk about different states. They are easy to meet and very generous in their openness.
The lifestyle reminds me of this country 25 years ago. They they socialize in a manner that is less frequently done in this country. There is a strong sense of community and connections with neighbors. This is in spite of the fact, they are as high tech and wired as this country is.
The other observation is how outdated New York Kennedy airport is compared to Johannesburg, South Africa. Why has this country let it's public spaces and inter structure fall to third world level? People are more helpful, cheerful and polite overseas in the travel industry. The attitude that the market place will do it or that small government is the answer is wrong. Look at our trains, our planes and our airports. Look at our highways systems, most were built or designed 50 years ago under Eisenhower . We have become a third world nation yet we are the richest country the planet has ever known. We as a society have spend our resources building a military complex and put our resources toward that, at the expense, of the general good of the population in this country.
Frankly put, it is a pleasure to fly South Africa Airlines and it is a constant pain and embarrassment to fly most American airlines.
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