Rip Van Winkle is Awake

My dear all

2009-10-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

We are back on track. After a short but intense summer, evrything is working on again. All gears fine! I have my classes, my new ideas and projects and some new colleagues to work with. How are you doing now? I hope you can enjoy this year again and make the most of it. I do not log in as often as I did before, but I still do it from time to time.

I hope this blog of mine and yours will help us keep in touch and share, whenever we like it, anything we'd like to say!

Carpe noctum!

Tonight at seven

2009-06-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

My dear all.

I have a memory like a sieve. I should have written this post much sooner, but my duties and my rummaging brain do not always let me act on my own.

I hope I'll see some of you tonight to thank a good friend for her always being there and her soothing company, and wish her all the best.

See you there then!

Carpe something!

The Discovery Party

2009-05-14T01:41:00.000-07:00

Time has come. It is one of those we eagerly await. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it. I am really sorry about it, but I have to be in London for the weekend.

But that will not be a problem.
I might have a pint at The Ten Bells and drink it to Jack!
I will open my umbrella and, I don't know why, think of Sunshine
I may go to an art exhibition, if I get so time for myself, and try to imagine how Sandy would look at those paintings and sculptures.
If I can spare a penny I will probably remember James Wilkinson.
And all the time I will definitely remember Virginia, her advice, her comments and suggestions, the past and most of all her future. Still unwritten and full of ideas, plans and energy.
I hope some day we can all meet and talk for a while.

By the way, do not forget to enjoy the night!

Carpe Noctum!

It seemed like spring

2009-03-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

I took the metro the other day, like everyday, to go to work. There were legs and arms and bones and skin everywhere. Strips and tops and cool, light fabrics. But oh! how disappointing. It was only girls. They seemed to be the only ones that have noticed spring was already here. There had been a synchronous move, an unplanned impulse to act unanimously.

And then there were men in thick coats and leather jackets, letting perspiration enter the realms of sweating. Winter shoes and woolen socks. Bushy hair and unsaven cheeks. Headphones on, oblivious to their surroundings.

Back at the end, hidden behind a bunch of naughty ladies, there he was a man in sandals.

Carpe noctum!

Slumpuppies!

2009-03-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

It was on the news. The Indian kids that acted in that "crappy" film Slumdog Millionaire are back at home. They have had a taste of luxury and riches they could not even dream of. A minute of glory and fame to let you know how a minority lives. Then back to where you belong!

The girl only wants to wear the dress she was wearing for the Oscars ceremony. Like a 21st century cinderella, waiting for a prince to rescue her. The little boy complains about their home without beds. He refuses to sleep on the floor and finds the smell of cow dung unbearable. He knows what a hotel room looks like and refuses to accept that he has to be condemned to that hanty tonw for life.

Their father, not knowing how to deal with that problem whipped them to make them reasonable and docile children again.

Once again, all back to normal.

Carpe Noctum!

A hundred years ago today

2009-02-17T02:28:00.000-08:00

the Apache military leader, Geronimo, died of pneumonia as a wasr prisoner in Oklahoma. I am not very familiar with Indian customs and traditions. I can only remember how they helped our funding fathers in Massachussetts, gave them food and drinks and that way managed to survive the rest of that cold winter of 1620.

Indians were kind to us and we kind of shared the land with them. I remember they were not very happy with our presence sometimes, and it was diffiuclt for them to understand the real value of things. The Mohawk and other Algonquines were good negociators, but in general they were difficult to deal with.

Anyway, this Geronimo seems to have been a hard type. He fought both Mexican and American soldiers for years and years. More than 5000 soldiers chased his gruop, and they finally caught them they discovered an army of 16 Indian warriors, 12 women and 6 children. He might have had magic powers indeed.

He was buried at Fort Sill (Oklahoma), and in 1918 his tomb was stolen. The thiefs took Geronimo's skull and some bones. One of the three thiefs was the grandfather of George W. Bush, who took the bones to the headquarters of Yale's secret society Skull and Bones.

So after all everything is connected and related. Present, past and future dance in circles and exchange places unexpectedly. Then again, I am living proof of that fact.

Carpe Noctum!

For the weekend

2009-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

I've been absent for a couple of weeks and maybe you have missed my blockbuster recommendation. For this weekend I recommend you Nine Lives. I hope you really enjoy it.

RIP to Jack

2009-02-12T08:07:00.001-08:00

haI think it is time we show our condolences to Jack. The mind behind his image died a few days ago. That's probably the reason why he has been absent these days.

Hans Beck was a great person. He helped many children like Jack, dream of a better world in which they were the kings and queens. They could be whatever they wanted.

What are you going to do now Jack?
I encourage all of you to send Jack a message with our condolences. He will thank you for that.

Yes, he can (it seems)

2009-01-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

Well, It seems Obama is doing his work. He's about to sign the closing down of Guantanamo. Part two is waht to do with the people there. Option 1, send the ones accussed of anything serious to a prison in the US. Option 2, release and pay some money to the ones who have been there all those years and where innocent. Option 3, send both groups to a prison in Afghanistan, like I said before and keep the public opnion quiet.

I begin to believe that this man can be taken seriously.

Another thing. My blockbuster recommendation for this weekend is Bulworth. An ironic look at US politicians and political campaigns with a funny end. I hope you can find it at the video rentals or just emule it.

And a wee taste of the soundtrack

No lyrics this time! Ah, ah...

Great expectations

2009-01-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

OK This might be day 1 of year 0! I must admit that Obama has it easy, nothing can be worse than Bush. After all what can you expect of a country governed by a "Bush" and a "Dick"!

Obama has promised many things and made us believe he will do many other, but he has also made clear that Americans have work to do.

My question now is do the rest of the world have homework to do too?

He hasn't said a word about the massacre in Gaza. He has excuesed saying that he didn't want ot interfere with Bush, but he had no problem to interfere with Bush talking about Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Social Security, Financial Problems and Wall Street... He has Hillary Clinton with him (or maybe he is with Hillary) and she is totally in favour of Israel and its actions.

In favour of Obama I have to say that I always end up half-crying when I listen to his speeches. He must be a great politician and a good person or an amazing magician.

I leave with Chomsky's opinion on Obama. Quite interesting indeed (as usual coming from Chomsky).

Carpe Noctum

Back to normal!!!! Run students run!

2009-01-15T03:10:00.001-08:00

We are back to normal, the teacher said. With all these videos to watch (that crazy driver à la Carlos Sáinz), poems to read and so on and so forth I feel a bit like Lola (not the one by Fassbinder) by this other one by Tom Tykwer.

Do not get mislead I do not exactly identify with the colour of the hair!

Anyway, this film is my blockbuster recommendation for this weekend, if you have some time left! Here is a wee taste to give you an idea. It has subtitles in English, since as some of you know my German is only very basic. I had to learn it to speak with many of the pilgrims live with me in Massachussetts before I feel asleep.

So much for the slow movement!

Enjoy it!

Carpe Noctum!

ID

2009-01-15T02:34:00.000-08:00

I kipped for some nights and days again. It was great to be able to escape from that Christmas crap that you were submerged into! Well that's probably your nature.

It was nice to see some of your faces in class again after the nap.

The teacher is back to work and she's making us shiver and shake!!!

The identity topic seemed interesting to me. I had been thinking about it some times, but not in the same way as we did in class.

After some sleepless days I have discovered hat we seem to have our identities quite clear, but don't you ever try to change or modify other people's identitities? What about short names and nicknames. If we call a person a short or longer form of a name aren't we trying to change its identity and adapt it to our like?

How about the Buffalo Soldiers and the prejudice they raised? Funny right? You fint for the same country that discriminates you! In the end you are used and neglected after you have done your service.

And aboriginals in Australia?, the Stolen Generation. Check what happened with them and how the British tried to obliterate them. I recommend you the film Rabbit Proof Fence. Only a few minths ago the Australian governement showed its excuses and asked for forgiveness for the atrocities they commited on the aboriginals.

And in the end they said sorry! Maybe too late!

You lose your language, your customs and traditions, your friends, your social and physical environment and in the end the colour of your skin. What's left of you?

And how do we feel? How should we feel? Are we guilty of being white? Should we be? That's an open question to all of you? Here is the response to that question by Minor Threat.

Ok, ok I'll give you the lyrics this time!

----
I'm sorry
For something I didn't do
Lynched somebody
But I don't know who
You blame me for slavery
A hundred years before I was born

Guilty of being white

I'm a convict
Of a racist crime
I've only served
19 years of my time

Guilty of being white
-----

Carpe Noctum!

Big Mouth Strikes Again!

2008-12-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

Democracy now! To those critical voices that hold the truth and nothing but the truth... It is easy and comfortable to talk abiut unjustice, evilness of the politicians and anybody that has some kind of power. From the civil servant at the tax office to the Prime Minister.

The thing is. Will you offer a nice solution to all this, or you will simply nag and nag about it. I can tell you something. The solution is really easy, burn down everyhting, assume and contribute to the resurrection of a new society by putting an end to your mumbo jumbo and use your ashes to fertilize the new fields.

Am I going to far? Do you know feel afraid? Then, face up to it and do something.

Why not thinking before talking?

And if you liked the song and the video, don't be lazy and look for the lyrics. I will not copy and paste them for you!!!

CARPE NOCTUM!

Econology

2008-11-29T08:42:00.000-08:00

Back again we are, I mean the three of us like one. A trilogy of one mind, three minds at once!

Well I have had a short nap, a it was short indeed for me!

Now I wake up slowly, turn on the radio and hear that we'll have to "pay" for plastic bags in 2009. The price will have to be in the ticket and if we do not take them we get a "discount".

Perfect and a great idea. Plastic is the enemy of our time. Plastic is something new to me. We critisize plastic and write about it using a pen made of plastic, or a keyboard made of plastic.

But that is something we probably cannot change. The important thing and my reflection is this:

-When there is a big problem in the world that affects the big powers, we the people have to pay for it. And lately this "pay" is literal. If the banks are about to collapse because they have misused our money, we have to give them more money. If there is a big environmental problem, like plastic and the waste our society generates, the idea is to make consumers pay for plastic bags. Have a look around your house, in your kitchen, in the bathroom, in the supermarket and pay attention to the amount of plastic that the products we buy have. Packets are basically layers and layers of plastic and metal. A packet of ground coffee has like three layers of plastic and aluminium paper, a carton of eggs is anything but carton, a bar of soap comes protected for a nuclear attack, etc., etc.

Nobody has suggested penalizing the companies that use packaging in an irresponsible way, or recommend customers to buy those products that are more conscious about the environment.

Some yoghourt brands say that if you buy their product they will help children in the third world. In the end it is our responsibility to help those children in the third world...

I am specially angry, as you can see. I am tired of being a consumer without right and a mountain of responsibilities.

Let's go back to sleep.

Carpe Noctum!

From left to right and back again

2008-11-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

It was Hallowe'en, and I forgot! And believe it is my favourite celebration! My brain is almost dried. I do not know if it the left or the right side, but it is drying! That's what getting old brings as a present.

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (60%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain.
Left Brain (48%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

But if I have to believe these results I have a brain of a 108% capacity, and Virginia a 92%. I do not think it is fair she has lost a 8% of the brain and I am getting that 8%. How could that happen!

Hallows Eve. The day before the hallows, the day of the Jack'o Lantern, but also the Celtic tradition and also Sleepy Hollow, the story written by Washington Irving. This good and honest man who also wrote my own story. The same man who fell in love with The Alhambra and whose wife moved to California and name a huge property she bought after the moor palace in Granada. All these little things that connect our existences and give us the opportunity to live after life. Like James Wilkinson, choosing a name as a game, but then that name means something for Across the pond, but then he is also a scientist and maybe the pizza guy too. Who knows!

The day before the hallows and three weeks before Thanksgiving. A clean and pure name. Give thanks. Originally to the native Americans, but after all the westerns and the genocidal campaigns it mught be better to thank god. That's what people really do. I have never seen anyone these last centuries thanking the native americans (or can I call them the Indians?) for helping the pilgrims to survive that first winter in Plymouth Colony, Massachussetts. You know I know the area well...

Nobody has thought about combining both celebrations. We could have a Thanklloween, in which people could dress as Indians and scare everybody. That would be enough to justify killing all of them, don't you think?

The left brain would structure the killing, give tasks to every group involved in the genocide, and the right brain would work on creative and original ways of performing it.

All those efforts to have a white America and in the end Obama becomes the president. That would be like having a rabbit as the Prime Minister of Australia, or is he a fox? Africanamericans and "we the people" seem to have spoken loud and clear. Like in any other place G. W. Bush will now try to pass as many laws as he can and leave things in a disaster. Let's hope Nacy Peloci can make things difficult for him (after all, and like Obama she was the first (woman) to become the leader and spokewoman of Congress). I imagine Bush has a 5% of left brain (do not ask me about the rest), and Obama is mostly right (ironies of life)!

Am I boring you now? Well here is some music and excellent lyrics to keep you busy, entertained or maybe not?

An apology

2008-11-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

I have done something really bad today. I have written a comment on Jack's post "Rest in peace". It was not correct. I din't say what I mean, but I meant what I said. In the end I have deleted it. Beacuse I didn't like the post and thought it was low in quality I didn't have to say it. I was afraid a minor creature had taken his/her personality and was posting things with his/her name.

What I really think is that the comment's title had to be "Rest in pieces" and the worst thing is that I didn't finish my comment with "Carpe Noctum".

I think I deserve some kind of punishment!

Carpe Noctum!

P.S.: Jack! Now you owe me a favour!

A Rainy Weekend

2008-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

What can an old person like me do on a rainy weekend? Well, I went to the cinema. My choices were two: Brideshead Revisited and Solo quiero caminar.

Solo quiero caminar (Agustín Díaz Yánez) is a weak production of more of the same old ... It makes me remember too much of Nadie Hablará de Nosotras Cuando Hayamos Muerto, which was already clearly "inspired" and very much inspired in True Romance (Tony Scott (1993))

Nadie hablará... had a social background that made you feel close to the characters and empathise with them. Díaz Yánez says this is not a part two, but the similarities are too many... It is difficult to use the same characters and at the same time insist that this is something new and original (I know Jack, it is difficult to be original). But in this film there is too much Steve McQueen shooting style, too much Bonie and Clide background and too much of the genre. There is no reinterpretation or fine mixing of the ingredients to do something entertaining again.

If you are desperate to see some second-hand action go and watch it, but you have been warned!

Brideshead Revisited is another story in all senses. I was totally mesmerized by the actors, the script, the setting and the photography. It is like am Attenborough film or the most recent versions of Jane Austen's novels. This is not the TV serie and there is no intention to be it. No presence of the ever melancholic Jeremy Irons and his doppel-gänger Anthony Andrews.
I really liked the role of religion and specially catholic integrism in society which is really crucial in the whole story. A must if you like quality cinema without exceptions.

Do not try to connect it or make comparisons to Atonement or other stories of the same kind. That is a waste of time, the story is self-sufficient and doesn't need any comparison or inspiration to justify.

Election days

2008-11-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have been exploring some other blogs, and I have found some things very interesting. I have seen many blogs about the elections and I like this in particular. You can customize it to any friend of yours and send it to him/her.

It would be a good idea if you have friends in the USA to send them one like this.

Carpe Noctum

More films and some music

2008-10-27T02:50:00.000-07:00

You know that cinema and films in general are younger than I, but because of my age I feel better with old films and stories.

This weekend I was watching on of my favourites Battleship Potemkin (1925) by Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein.It is a classical film with a very modern story, in my opinion. Eisenstein copied some of the new techniques started by Griffith and did marvelous things with them. He was a geniuous of manipulation and creating situatuons with big contrasts.

My friend Jack in her/his pots about originality complained with anger about how unoriginal things were. Well, I have some experience, and originality is creation, and creation is making things where anything existed before. All the rest is wit and work. Using this fantastic thing of the Internet I found a good version of the famous Odessa clip of this film.

I hope you like it. I know that for some purists this things should not be done. They are like a sin. You may probably talk about the heresy they did with Metropolis (1926) by Fritz Lang. They remastered the film with a soundtrack by Queen conducted by the sinful Giorgio Moroder (I would leave him to you Jack!). Maybe you like it or maybe not, but you sure have an opinion.
The new things people do with music are not really so new, plagiarism is somethig like Fran Perea copying Pure by Lightning Seeds, Hombres G copying At The Zoo by Simon and Garfunkel and many more very close to us. The reason for this..? Empty brains and big egos! It is more decent to sample and mash-up other creations as a simple tribute to the authors. The combinations of sound and notes exists very probably anywhere else, like in nature, but the first one who identifies it can be called the author, the rest is copying.

Something about the song A Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Maybe this is a song "From Hell". The legend says that it is deeply conected and influenced by Jimmy Page, a firm follower of the occultist Aleister Crowley. Jim bought Crowley's mansion in Foyers, Scotland by Loch Ness. In that house died John Bohham, the drummer of the band. It is said that the stairway really exists hidden inside the house. Maybe a visit would make all clear.

Will you join me?

To Jack!

2008-10-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

My dear young friend!

200 years is nothing to me. You say that you are old and to me that sounds like a short nap!

You said to me that you like "Holiday in Cambodia".

Here is this little present to you. Keep your eyes open! Watch behind your back and do not fall asleep in class where all the eyes are watching you!

Carpe Noctum!

*Jello Biafra is still one of the most active democracy activist in the country that was once a province of Great Britain.

** I will continue to inform you. I have a lot to teach you!

Slow down

2008-10-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

Talking about slowing down...

Life was different before I fell sleep. Now I see people doing so many strange things!!! always hurrying!!!

I take a taxi and the taxi driver and I talk, and talk. It seem we are friends. The the driver stops and I have to pay. I was just a comedy, a willing suspension of disbelief for some minutes. I give the driver the money and we do not touch. I want to hold that hand. The hand of a friend.

Feel the blood inside the veins, the sweat in the palms! Make it real, take the farce further...

More films. The Coen

2008-10-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

You will have to excuse me, but a person of my age that has slept in so many theatres has some culture of films.

I insist the Burn After Reading does not honor the name. It should be "Burn after watching". I did my homework and went to see the film this weekend!

The story is ok, the actors not bad, but why do they have to finish all the story in three minutes of conversarion when they still had time for more film?

I returned home and watched "No country for old men". Just to make me feel better.

By the way Mr. Bean, some bad or weak films with Brad Pitt in it:

Less than Zero
Contact
Interview with the Vampire
The Mexican
Spy Game
Seven Years in China

Do you need more?

Carpe Noctum!

From science to entertainmet

2008-10-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

I am surprised our mutual friend Jack has been so imprecise this time! I imagine that when he talks about cinema and Louis and Auguste Lumière, he refers to that December 28 in 1895 (technically the 19th. century but the invention was part of the movement to the 20th.) in the Salon Indien in the Grand Café in the Boulevard des Capucines. Louis and Auguste didn't try to create entertainment. They wanted to show the world theis invention: the cinematograph.

Simple scientific difusion, no business or killing time. In fact, five years later the brothers abandon de the invention. But, George Méliès, how was in the Salon Indien in that day (with our friend Jack I imagine) immediately talked to Antoine Lumière (the father of the inventors) to try to bay a cinematograph. But he didn't succeed.

George Méliès, owner of the Houdin Theatre in Paris, was a magician and an illusionist. One of those that, like Jack was mesmerized by the possibilities of the invention from the point of view of creating magic tricks and making people believe lies. Méliès films are pure theatre and magic shows. No science and seriousness like the work of the Lumière brothers.

George bought a copy of the cinematograph in England. Bad days for the patents that Edison knew how to profit!

I have slept so many years that I have dreamed almost everything that can be dreamt or filmed. New films based in old stories just want to entertain and mesmerize simple minds. The cinema exists because our retina does not work correctly.

If you have interested in the Lumière brothers experiments you have to watch their first ten films which are less than 15 minutes long all together.

I am happy you like cinema Jack, I am happy.

Let the game be played and the players roll the dice!

Carpe Noctum!

Magnolia

2008-10-15T00:42:00.000-07:00

I need to see this film like every four months.

Some people...

2008-10-14T02:27:00.000-07:00

Some people think that they have a lot to say and talk a lot. Some people think they do not have nothing to say and do not talk, or talk very few things.

I have lived-slept so many centuries that nothing can surprise me. I think I know you before I do. You make me think of other people I have seen.

Some of you are just like little Billy Budd Sailor, some others seem to know everything (you know who you are) Much Ado About Nothing, and some others make me feel I am back in Walden

It is very interesting I have found you. You say more about yourselves than you think. It is a great game to see you in class, and try to discover the guilty look.

Enjoy the game!

The Last Laugh

2008-10-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

This is about the subprime mortgages and the consequences we have to suffer. If you cannot see the video try this address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJmTCYmo9g

From a comic point of view.

Hello Sunshine

2008-10-09T07:49:00.001-07:00

This is for you Sunshine.

From a moon light lover!

Carpe Noctum

2008-10-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

Carpe Noctum!... I think.

If this is what the world of reality has to offer I think I will go back to sleep with myself and my thoughts, my worries and my fears

After all these years...

2008-10-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

"He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean well-oiled fowling-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel incrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten."

What we think is different, old and useless is very frequently the same old thing, and still useful. Do you think we need to throw the objects we do not use for some time or we must keep them?

Cheerio!

Sorry I'm late!

2008-10-09T04:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm late! Better sorry than late! I just woke to find myself in the middle of this. It seems I'm always late. You know that. I'm even late to choose a name for my blog!