Stargate SG1 (the entire series)

TV Show

1997 - 2007


note: this is long review that covers the entire series

Having recently been forced into convalescence I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. My dear brother lent me his 10 season DVD set of Stargate SG1 to help break the boredom. Indeed, it took several months to get through the whole series, but for a Sci-Fi buff it was like manna from heaven.

As it happens I had already watched the entire 5-year run of Stargate Atlantis, therefore much of the lore as well as the back story was thoroughly ingrained in me before I even loaded up the first disk. Of course any Sci-Fi buff worth his salt had already watched the movie that sparked the franchise. The 1994 movie Stargate starring Kurt Russell and James Spader spurred a strong and loyal fan base that made the success of the TV series more or less a lock.

The Setup:
The Stargate was an ancient (alien) device found buried in the Giza plateau of Egypt in 1928. In 1996 the United States Air force has come into possession of the gate and recruits radical Egyptologist Dr. Daniel Jackson to translate the runes found alongside it and activate the gate.The Stargate, when activated, creates a stable wormhole that allows for instantaneous travel to a planet light years away that is also possessing a Stargate.


Dr. Jackson, who has up to this point been ridiculed for his theory that an alien race had visited and oversaw the building of the great pyramids as landing platforms for their massive starships, was the one to decode the Stargate "address" that led them to the first off-world adventure (as seen in the movie) known as Abydos.

The TV series literally picks up where the movie left off. Daniel Jackson, now played by Michael Shanks, had been left behind when Col. Jack O'Neill (played by Richard Dean Anderson) takes the team back to Earth as the movie ends. On the return trip a year or so later they find Jackson alive and with the news that in his possession is a map of many Stargates that exist throughout the galaxy. When Jackson's wife is abducted by the alien Go'ould known as Apophos he returns to Earth and joins the newly formed SG1 with the goal of finding his wife again.

The SG1 team with O'Neill at the head and Jackson as a civilian consultant also includes Major Samantha Carter (played by Amanda Tapping) who was the scientist instrumental in developing the dialing device for the Stargate. Soon the team enlists an alien, a Jaffa, called Teal'c (played perfectly by Christopher Judge) who longs for freedom for his people who are now enslaved by the Go'ould. Together they begin a ten year odyssey taking place in real-time (not some far off future) that baths the series in a fun conspiratorial light.

Suspension of Disbelief:
While first few episodes set up the series by closing out the movie, season one quickly falls off the rails. Having watched a spectacular Stargate Atlantis series that had the benefit of the growing pains SG1 endured I was taken aback by how awful some of the first episodes were. More than once I felt they were nothing more than bad rip-offs of mediocre Star Trek: The Next Generation scripts. I was impatient to discover how SG1 had come across knowledge and technology that was commonplace in Stargate Atlantis. As they randomly dialed the gate addresses from the map Jackson had discovered they found themselves in (in my eyes) tedious backward worlds with medieval cultures that tended to bore the snot out of me.

An important part of the back story is that the Go'ould, a nasty, megalomaniacal race masquerading as gods, had uprooted many cultures from all over a well populated Earth and resettled them on planets rich with mineral resources in order to supply their Jaffa armies and starships using the slave labor. These cultures were not allowed to develop beyond their ancient technological roots. However, some planets including Earth were abandoned or forgotten by the Go'ould because of constant in-fighting amongst themselves.

By the end of season two the series had found its legs and was fun and captivating if you were willing to accept a few glaring inconsistencies and pure foolishness. One thing to note in all the various Stargate series is that the bad guys are terrible shots, none of them can hit the broad side of a barn with any weapon. These are suppose to be fantastic advanced alien weapons and yet they appear to be as inaccurate as a blunderbuss. Second, everyone in the entire galaxy speaks mid-western English. True, many of the cultures are transplanted Earth cultures, but they were transplanted long before English became a ubiquitous language.OK this is TV, yes, an American TV show, it's just easier than subtitles - I get it. What I don't get is how the aliens don't understand prisoner/hostage 101. You always separate your hostages, yet every time SG1 is captured they are always placed in a holding cell all together where they can plot their escape. And escape they do, every time. Aliens are just stupid sometimes.

As the series progresses the writers cleverly weave in Earth-based enemies for SG1 and Stargate Command. We are treated to vast conspiracies from rouge government agencies to business interests hoping to exploit alien technology for commercial gain. This helps to ground the series with fun, conspiratorial sub-plots. Here the cynical  insubordination of Col. Jack O'Neill shines. Richard Dean Anderson plays Col. O'Neill marvelously as an insolent, wise cracking underling to his superiors inside and outside the military chain of command. Yet, he is a fearless leader who never leaves a man behind - no matter the personal danger. He is a man who neither understands nor wants to understand the spectacular technology involved, but never shies away from the missions that rely on the pure magic of alien technology.

The writers also include much of he UFO sub-culture with references to Area 51 and in particular an advanced race called the Asgaards who look exactly like the small gray aliens with almond shaped eyes we've seen over and over in alien abduction lore. The Asgaards, far from being evil have secretly protected Earth for a millennium as humanity developed into a technological culture.

The underlying thread that supports the whole tale is that of the race they call the "Ancients". The Ancients are the gate builders and were by far the most powerful race in the known universe. They did, however, grow weary of constantly being challenged and eventually dismantled their culture and spread themselves throughout the universe (including Earth) or ascended into a higher plain of existence. Their departure some ten thousand years ago (roughly the same time of the first recorded history on Earth) left a vacuum of power in the Milky Way galaxy to be filled by the Go'ould.

Most of the first eight seasons the serial thread is a constant struggle to defeat the Go'ould. The Go'ould are actually parasites that resemble an eel. They bore into a host's body and attach to the brain where they exert complete control. They have chosen human beings as ideal hosts and through advanced regenerative technology keep their hosts alive for thousands of years. The Go'ould have enslaved an entire race of humanoids known as the Jaffa by implanting immature Go'ould symbiotes into them. The Jaffa revere the Go'ould  as gods for without the symbiotes they would die. As a race their immune system has been destroyed and the symbiotes cure illness and repair their injuries.

The god Messages:
The Jaffa seem to made up of many humanoid races, but the black image is the most often portrayed. The writers obviously draw a parallel to the struggle of American black slavery. This along with a corrupt American government where Stargate Command is the only real moral entity makes us look at the messages throughout the series as if a mirror is shining back on us. Could the Go'ould be a reflection of a meglomaniacal American manifest destiny to rule the world and beyond? There are many subtle and not so subtle references to the historical cruelty of mankind. This not to say the writers necessarily go overboard, humanity's goodness also shines through.

Throughout most of the series - the first eight seasons - the writers avoid modern religions as targets of scorn. The religions - or gods, if you will are of historical Egyptian, Nordic or medieval folk-lore. This is cleverly traded throughout the series with Daniel Jackson uncovering the parallels and clues to help SG1 in the battle against the Go'ould. In the spectacular season eight finale the Go'ould are finally defeated in a epic three-way struggle with a machine-based race known as the Replicators and, of course, Earth's Stargate Command. Season eights finds Col. Jack O'Neill departing the series as a regular and a new leader for SG1 (and a new enemy) are needed for the series to continue. Welcome Cam Mitchell (played by Ben Browder) the fearless, hotshot pilot whose bravado is as big as the great outdoors.

This is point the writers decide to exploit the ultimate human boogieman... Christianity.

No one can watch season nine and ten and not see that the writers had decided to make the evils of evangelical Christianity their final statement. The Ori are a race of ascended beings who deceive their human followers into worshiping them with the promise of enlightenment and ascension. The Priors (priests) spread the "Word" through a book called Origin that reads exactly like the Bible and, of course, through so-called miracles. There is even god-child birth of sorts where the mother (a known floozy/slut) is mysteriously impregnated, bearing a savior for Ori believers. People who do not bow to the Ori's demands for worship are summarily put to death as evil-doers.

There is really no point in getting bent out of shape about such a blatant and ultimately comical attempt to make Christianity the ultimate evil except to point out that there is an actual religion practiced today that does have a mandate to kill or subjugate non-believers, but this religion is apparently off limits for ridicule. Islam in practice is exactly what Stargate SG1 portrays in the Ori. This really lowered my esteem for this fun TV series.

In Conclusion:
The final two seasons, when one accepts the writer's biases, are enjoyable to watch, but without Richard Dean Anderson are much less fun to be sure. Accepting he Ori as the enemy is easy enough, they are nasty in every way. Clearly the series had lost some steam by this time. It's hard to say if seasons nine and ten were even necessary, I wouldn't have missed them.

Stargate Atlantis was spawned from the original series near the end and was in many ways a better show. The acting was easily as good as the original. The enemy in the Pegasus galaxy called the Wraith were superior to the Go'ould making an excellent foil for the crew of Atlantis for five action packed seasons. I would say I enjoyed Stargate Atlantis more than I did the original. I would definitely recommend both Stargate series for those who love Sci-Fi. They are superior to Star Trek (any generation) and even the first three episodes of the Star Wars saga.


4 of 5 stars


CW

Person Of Interest

TV Show

2011


Person of Interest is a new show this fall on CBS. It's a smart, well acted pseudo cop drama that has potential to be a very good show. It stars Jim Caviezel as John Reese, an ex-CIA special operations agent who left the clandestine life after his girlfriend was killed in a "professional incident". Reese was disillusioned with the government's handling of it. The other central character played by Michael Emerson is Finch, a computer genius that had developed a system for the government that was used to detect information leading to acts of terrorism before they happen.

The machine, which is reminiscent of the super computer system in the movie Eagle Eye with Shia LaBeouf, uses the phone and Internet networks as well as security cameras (public or private) to gather information it then separates into two categories: relevant and irrelevant. Finch, however, discovered that the irrelevant information which the government discarded often led to other acts of violent crime. So before leaving he developed a backdoor that would feed him the the Social Security Number of a "Person of Interest" who presumably is at grave risk. Finch, unable to act on his own, finds and recruits John Reese to investigate and mitigate the situations. Both these men are officially off the grid, in fact, both are known to be dead.

The premise is not at all that far fetched in this day and age as we have all heard of the black helicopter people and a system referred to as Echelon that does precisely what Finches machine can do although presumably far less elegantly. There is some suspension of disbelief when watching the show in that Finch's own investigative network would have zoom, pan, and close-ups in every possible nook and cranny of the big city, but hey, it's TV.

As the show progresses we are fed some of the back story on Reese designed to fill in the blanks of this mystery man. So, then, in that vein we have the serial part of the show that involves the only female character - Detective Carter - a city detective who is hunting for a man she does not know. Detective Carter played by Taraji P. Henson adds a dimension to the show that I find a bit distracting. Having missed the first episode I apparently missed the significance of this plot line. She and her team catches glimpses of Reese - or more accurately deals with his aftermath. I assume the significance of this storyline will be fleshed out as the show progresses.

This brings out the main flaw I see with the show Detective Carter not withstanding, the lack of a leading female character. The plot obviously doesn't allow for an insider, but the dynamic a female lead brings to any TV drama adds a certain delicious tension - which makes you want to tune in next week. This shortcoming may have been dealt with in the episode "The Fix" where we were introduced to Zoey Morgan. Zoey is a fixer, a person with ice water in her veins and skills. She makes problems go away for the rich and powerful for a tidy sum of cash. A Fixer is not an assassin, but rather someone who can extract information or negotiate an under the radar deal to clean up an embarrassing or costly situation.

Zoey becomes a Person of Interest and the focus of Finch's and Reese's attention. In a sense the fixer needs a fixer and she doesn't even know it. The episode is full of nifty plot twists and eventually Reese's intentions become known to Zoey and so they work together to "fix" the situation. We are left in the end with the notion that this not the last we'll see of Zoey. I hope not. They make a nice team and the show needs exactly the dynamic that developed between them.

This show is shaping up to be a top notch drama worth tuning in to every week. Check it out.


4 of 5 stars


CW

Best Buy

Product
2011

Note: minor tirade ahead...

Normally I'd be reviewing an actual product, however in the age of big box stores the specialty stores - like record shops, appliance stores, computer and electronic stores  - are disappearing on a daily basis. Since these behemoths like Best Buy, Walmart and Target force our consumer hand I thought I'd chime in on Best Buy itself.

There's a lot to like about Best Buy as we all know. One stop shopping for any number of gadgets is convenient. Notice I didn't say convenient and simple. Over the last year alone I've had numerous experiences at Best Buy where I became livid.

As you well know we've all been pitched the extended warranties or services by every kind of retailer, but Best Buy has taken it to the next level. That's not necessarily what my gripe is about. Said service should have taken the burden of uncertainty out of the picture not add to it.

I bought a new dishwasher and having no truck, van or station wagon I was going to need it delivered. No problem Best Buy can handle that. The choice was to take a day off work and wait for the delivery man or pay $50 to get the "you pick the time" service - or I could wait through 2 weekends because they were booked on the weekends.

A few days later I get a call from the delivery service saying they would be by on Tues at 2PM. But I'll be at work, I said. I told them I thought I'd bought the right to have them come 6PM when it was convenient for me. We can't do that, they said. Hackles up!

The long and short of it - they don't offer that service anymore, but by golly their system took the money and no one batted an eye. Eventually 2 weekends later I got the dishwasher and my account was credited. All was well, but Best Buy had one strike.

Next I bought a new laptop and was of course given the Geek Squad service pitch. No thanks, I said, I can do it myself. So at home I spent hours setting it up, getting the pictures, music, files, programs and games loaded. Finally done I rebooted as required by some of the programs I loaded. The thing came up with a Best Buy app (trying to sell more $#@#% services), but the app would not close and nothing would make it go away and nothing else would run either - the Best Buy app held the computer hostage. Hackles up!!

A call to store had the response of bring it back, we'll give you a new one. Umm, no, I just spent hours setting this one up. Then they said you'll just have to call Geek Squad. Can't you just get one of them on the phone, I asked, they work in the little shop right behind you. Sorry, you have to call the 1-800 number. Reluctantly I did.

1-800-GEEKSQUAD got me a menu and then the most God-awful hold music I've ever heard. Call Center 101 says your hold music should be soothing because the customer MIGHT be irate. By the time the geek answered I was spitting nickels. After lengthy discussion where I suggested I boot into safe-mode and run msconfig and pull it out of the Start-Up tab (if he would just give me the name of the executable). Better yet I said how about I just uninstall the program altogether. He said no - I would void the in-store (short term) bring it back warranty. He said I'd have to bring it back to the store.

In the end the geek squad tech at the store booted the laptop into safe-mode and uninstalled the offending app. It was over in ten minutes, but my rage wasn't.

Recently I went with my father-inlaw to get him a new computer. We picked out a model and were just about close the deal when the pitch for Geek Squad services came up. My father-inlaw said, what would I need that for I've got a geek right here (pointing to me). I said the manufacturer does give it a one year on defective parts, right? The salesmen began to hem and haw - sometimes yes, sometimes no. Hackles up!!!

It's up to the manufacturer whether they'll send a new part, a Geek Squad contract guarantees it. Wait a minute under what circumstances would the manufacturer refuse to replace a hard drive or a power supply or a DVD player or a flipping motherboard if it was bad. He said they won't cover wear and tear. WEAR and TEAR on a computer! This young salesman lost the sale.

We ended up at a different Best Buy and found a salesman who either blew smoke up our asses or determined right away that I knew what I was talking about. He said all the right things and he made the sale. (This was of course after Dell Computers was called and we verified they stood behind their one year warranty without question).

Christmas season is approaching and Best Buy will do great business again. If I walk through their doors it will be because Target or Walmart will not have what I'm looking for.


2 of 5 stars


CW

Matt Nathanson (Live)

Music
2011

Matt Nathanson popped onto the music scene a few years ago with a delightful little ditty called "Come On Get Higher" and has been a favorite on a local radio station in these parts called Cities 97. Matt is, however, far more than a one hit wonder. He's a fine songwriter and a tremendous performer. He is out on tour now supporting his new album called "Modern Love". He's been touring with Maroon 5 and Train this summer as well as headlining his own shows in smaller venues.

We had the chance to see him at the MN State Fair as a warm up act for Maroon 5. He certainly did himself no harm in front of a full house a the State Fair Grandstand. The audience assembled for Maroon 5 was generous and appreciative, but he played only 7 songs. It was a little disappointing to have his set cut so short.

As luck would have it we found that he was headlining a Oct 14th show at Madison Wisconsin's Capitol Theater so we bought tickets a booked a hotel. What a great show!

The concert featured the new album heavily, which was to be expected. Yet, I thought the best, most energetic performances were the handful he did from his breakout album Some Mad Hope. The songs "Wedding Dress" "The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts" "Come On Get Higher" and "All We Are" were pitch perfect.

Matt is also very funny. His show is sprinkled with smart and sometimes racy humor. He could easily do stand up comedy. He had the audience (lots of young women) eating out of his hands. He is known for his comedic skills when he does acoustic sets in very small venues.

My only real disappointment was that he did not play my favorite Matt Nathanson song "Car Crash". Oh well, maybe next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time!

4 of 5 stars

CW

The Ides of March

Movie
2011

First let me note that this movie featured fine performances by top tier talent. George Clooney played the Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate with just the right calmness and grace of someone in the game at that level. Phillip Seymor Hoffman was once again simply outstanding as was Paul Giamatti playing rival campaign managers. These two in particular, have they ever given a bad performance? What can you say about Ryan Gosling, he was just great.

Here comes the however, however, the script, the story, was run of the mill political intrigue, absolutely nothing new. It only solidified what all of us already know - politics is soulless and cut throat.

The story was completely predictable - in fact my wife whispered in my ear every plot twist as if it was a freight train barreling across the Great Plains. Even the moralizing speeches that Governor Morris (Clooney) sprinkled throughout might as well have been the same speeches given by Michael Douglas in "The American President" back in '95. "You know how we fight terrorism?" he asks. "We stop buying their product, their product is oil. Stop buying oil!" Umm, OK, what you gonna put in those big SUV's and that campaign bus you're driving all over the country Governor? This was just one of the nauseating boiler plate liberal quips - and there were a lot more.

The young intern played by Evan Rachel Wood was a bit of a cliche. She's a fine young actor, but the role, the role the whole movie pivots on, was weak. A 20 year old daughter of a political family caught up in the idealism of a hope and change campaign and all she could think to do with herself was spread her legs.

I'm not saying The Ides of March wasn't a good movie or that it wasn't well done, it was, both... I'm saying it was nothing new, we learn absolutely nothing. In the end you have to wonder how everyone involved with such things doesn't end up truly despising themselves.

3 of 5 stars

CW

Chaos Theory

Movie
2008

Retro-Review

I was striking out in the new release section at Blockbuster (you remember Blockbuster, right) so I wandered into the main section looking for something, anything to bring home. I happened across a lonely DVD with Ryan Reynolds picture on it called Chaos Theory. I like Reynolds so I grabbed it thinking it might not suck and then completely forgot about it. I ended up taking it back to Blockbuster unwatched. Sometime later - same scenario - found me looking at the same DVD and thought, what the heck, I may even watch it this time. I did. What started as a movie pick out of sheer boredom turned out to be one of my favorite movies of all time - and no one has heard of it.

Chaos Theory peers into the life of an obsessively organized time efficiency expert whose life is thrown into pure chaos by a single act of misguided love by his wife. He is forced to examine the deeper meaning of love and forgiveness.

The movie begins with a wedding scene where Frank (Reynolds) catches his future son-in-law sneaking out the back and makes him stop long enough to hear his story about what it means to love.

The story takes us back to the day Frank and Susan get together and then fast forwards to a point in time when Frank is a successful time efficiency expert whose life and clock is ruled by his ever present index cards. His wife mistakenly moves the clock behind 10 minutes to give him a little breathing room and break his rigidity, but of course this sets off a series of cascading events as he misses the ferry boat that was take him into the city for his lecture on time management.

From this point Frank's life gets turned upside down as he learns things that would bring into question everything he thought he knew about his beautifully organized life. What sounds like a tragedy is downright hilarious. Reynolds does a great job transforming a character whose rigid devotion to the clock becomes a unpredictable rebel.

The role of Susan played by Emily Mortimer is convincingly angry/sad and contrite as the story evolves. Frank's best friend Buddy Endrow (Stuart Townsend) is motivated by his life long yearning for Susan as he moves in to try to pick up the pieces of Frank's abandoned life.

In the end the story is touching and lovely - and hilarious. I loved this movie.

The soundtrack is also really good, floating passively under well placed scenes of emotion and revelation. Several of the songs played by a group called the Damnwells fill-in the transformational scenes beautifully. The songs "Graceless" and "Tonight and Forever" will stick with you long after the final credits.

I'm not sure how or why this movie was missed. Ryan Reynolds had already been a well known movie star and should have given this fun and touching movie some credibility. Well, now you know - check it out!


5 of 5 stars


CW

New Girl

TV Show (comedy)
2011

New Girl is a new series that started in September 2011. I've caught two episodes and so far I'm luke warm... I have always been a fan of Zooey Deschanel as a movie star. I thought she was just perfect in her role in the "500 Days of Summer" a few years ago, as she was in the stylized remake of the Wizard of Oz called the "Tin Man". It's fitting that she had a role in a movie called "Flakes" in 2007 since that's exactly what her character is in the New Girl.

There is weird and off putting that's weird, and then there's weird and off putting that's also sweet. The New Girl is the former. Deschanel plays goofy but adorable Jess, a 20 something woman just off a bad break up who finds herself rooming with 3 single guys. She's awkward, vulnerable and completely honest. She's the type that says whatever comes to her mind no matter the situation, no matter the appropriateness. Jess is balanced by her drop-dead gorgeous friend Cece who is wise in the way of the world and men. She seems bound to protect Jess from herself and her roommates.

The show is billed as a comedy about the sexual politics of men and women, but then which show isn't, really? Let's hope it's clever and not just cheap and ultimately meaningless.

Like many new shows, particularly comedies, it may take a while for the show to find it's groove. They can either go for goofy/weird or goofy/sweet - Deschanel can do either. Nick, Schmidt an Winston, the supporting characters will take some time to grow as well. The supporting cast can make a so-so comedy into a smash - consider Joey on "Friends" the only reason to watch that show, or Frank Burns from the original cast of "Mash" and, of course, Niles Crane from "Frasier".

I'll probably give this show a few more looks and we'll see if it finds it's legs. I personally like situation comedies and cop dramas and so forth and would like to see more of them and less reality shows. I just can't get into talent shows, big losers or housewives of anywhere. Here's hoping New Girl works out well.

2 of 5 stars

CW

Drive

Movie
2011

The first words out of my mouth after watching this movie were "there's two hours of my life I'll never get back". Obvoiusly I didn't care for Drive.

I was really looking forward to seeing this movie particularly since the reviews on Rottentomatoes.com were so glowing. It received near universal acclaim with a 92% positive rating on Rottentomatoes.com, a nearly unheard of level of love. Being a sucker for happy endings and uplifting sentiments maybe this movie wasn't made for people like me.

I will go along with most critics that the performances by Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks and Ron Pearlman were solid. But the aimlessness and pregnant still shots made sitting through many of the disconnected scenes quite tedious. It's not that the movie wasn't a linear path, it's just that too many scenes had zero resolution.
 
Carey Mulligan who played Irene, the "love interest", whom the whole tale surrounds was less impressive. It may have been that she looks twelve years old or the disconnect that such a wholesome lass could have been mixed up in such a dysfunctional life. Her character seemed out of place, a little too much of  a sweetheart.

It was the gratuitous violence that finally got to me. The Gosling character (whose name we never learn) went from a quiet, brooding young man with a heart of gold to a robotic killer in one short scene. His talent for killing and unprovoked violence rivals any government trained super agent with none of the background character development that would help the audience understand how he became so cold and efficient.

Unlike a Tarantino movie this movie had none of the ironic humor to help take the edge off the shocking violence, not that humor was ever called for in Drive. It did, however, have some of the visual and stylistic feel of a Tarantino film, and the soundtrack was very good. In the end that you ultimately don't care about any of the characters leaves an empty space in your queasy gut.

That the movie sticks with me means it had some impact - seeing Albert Brooks as the heavy was a departure from my notion of his venerable humor. Ryan Gosling will be a star someday, this performance cements that.


2 of 5 stars



CW

Bose® IE2 In-Ear Headphones

Product
2011

I recently bought a set of Bose® IE2 In-Ear Headphones strictly for use with my IPod. I have had the $179.00 OnEar Bose Headphones for several years and was reticent to "go backwards" in sound quality despite my desire to walk in public without the bulky head strap and large ear covering speakers. Most cheap(er) ear buds have sub-par sound, but worse they constantly fall out or need to be repositioned. The ones that ship with the IPod are terrible.

Bose has long been associated with innovation, quality, and great sound. They have also been associated with high prices. The company has fostered a cult-like exclusivity, a step above the riff raff mentality not unlike Apple or BMW or other high end products where price is the barrier to getting in. Only recently have we found Bose products in big box stores like Target and Best Buy. Despite being on a discounter's shelf Bose does not deal. The Bose® IE2 In-Ear Headphones are $99 everywhere, including online.

The question then is: are they worth $99?

Considering the cost of manufacturing is likely to be less than $15 a unit then $99 seems a bit high... On the plus side they sound very good. There is a good balance between bass, mids and highs that do justice to the source material. Is the sound far superior to cheaper earphones? No. There are several earphones that are on par with the Bose product and some like the Shure SE530 are much cheaper. The Sennheiser CX300 and the Klipsch Si4 also sound very good and while more expensive they offer sound isolation that seems to be the number one compliant of the Bose® IE2 In-Ear Headphones.

The lack of sound isolation is a choice, and the product packaging is clear about that. For those commuting on a noisy train or bus these are probably not for you. Myself, I like the fact that I hear a bus or the rampaging dog coming.

Finally, the issue of unstable ear buds is answered by the Bose® IE2 In-Ear Headphones. The addition of "Stayhear" foams built with a hook that provides outward pressure within the ear cup keeps the ear buds in place. Most of the customers who bought these for use during physical activity are quite satisfied. I have not had any trouble at all with these plugs falling out or becoming skewed in my ear to where the music is out of balance - a constant struggle with other ear buds.

Bottom line: $99 seems high, but then I believe all Bose products are over-priced. $50 seems reasonable, but I am satisfied with the sound and stability, which were the two most important attributes. I do not feel like I was taken.

4 of 5 stars

CW

Super 8

Movie
2011

Basically I loved this movie. It brought to mind the best of what we remember about our childhood - the wonder, the awe and discovery. It had all the elements of a great Sci-Fi movie -  excitement, wonderment, suspense, a great alien alien and, of course, an evil government conspiracy.

The child actors were especially good. Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb, the grieving son whose mother was killed in a work accident as the movie opened was spectacular. As was Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard, the older girl the little geeks couldn't believe would even talk to them let alone agree act in their super 8 movie.

Taking place in the summer of 1979, in a small Ohio town where the kids witness a spectacular train crash while shooting a super 8 movie at the depot. It was soon clear that it couldn't have been an accident when unusual disappearances and strange events begin to take place all over town. Deputy Lamb, Joe's father, played by Kyle Chandler, is desparate to uncover the truth - and save his son.

Super 8 was well paced and the plot had enough depth for the audience to chew on that it never had to rely on one dimensional, gratuitous violence. My single gripe was the decision to shoot the film with the qualities of "super 8" film. The grainy nature of the small format and indistinct darkness became bothersome after a while. It did not, however, hamper my enjoyment.

4 of 5 stars 


CW

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis

Book
2010

NOTE: This is a very long review because the subject of the 2008 Financial Crisis is deep, wide and complicated - please read on.

Where to start?

In late 2008 when the TARP bill was being debated I was thoroughly confused. What the heck was a credit crisis anyway? I wasn't the only one who was confused to be sure, in fact, I would wager that 98% of Congress - the people voting on the bill - were too. The financial system had cracked and was spilling out all over the place. Wall Street, Main Street and every street from Berlin to Tokyo was affected. In retrospect it's entirely possible that TARP saved the world from complete disaster although we will never really know because we can't go back and replay what might have happened had TARP never passed. It's also entirely possible, even probable that it was the greatest fraud ever perpetrated.

What actually happened is not easy to explain and even harder to understand technically, but in simple terms greed and mass psychosis cast a pall over Wall Street that prompted a fairy-tale like reaction among the few peripheral players that had tossed their blinders aside. As light began to shine on the inner workings of a handful of massive Wall Street firms at different times and in different ways these players realized that the Emperor actually had no clothes.

With The Big Short Michael Lewis, a former Wall Streeter himself spins a tale of the few men who saw the whole thing coming. Even while they were setting themselves up to make a profit by throwing rocks at glass houses they were for all intents and purposes shouting at the top of their lungs that something terrible was about to happen. But nobody would listen...

Mike Burry, a doctor turned investment adviser, Steve Eisman, a cranky, tell-it-like-it-is analyst, a tiny California firm called Cornwall Capital and an employee of Deutsche Bank, Gregg Lippmann stood at the center of the financial storm of the century. These guys were not men in white shining armor, but neither were they responsible for the pain we are all suffering to this day as our home values continue to fall and our economy struggles to keep it's head above the water.

The scoundrels in this story are plenty...

As the subprime market evolved the complexity of the financial vehicles and game playing by firms like Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Bank of America and Citigroup became so mysterious that the under-manned, under-trained Federal regulators stood no chance. When you learn the final authority, namely the two ratings agencies of Moody's and Standard and Poor's were no better trained and no better paid than the Feds - no one stood a chance.

Nothing was on the level. Not to overlook the people who took loans they knew they could never pay back, but it was the mortgage originators pushing booby-trapped loans on the lower middle class that were particularly slimy. Add the pure greed of the Wall Street bond market, their complicated schemes for packaging and selling junk to unwary traders and the delusion that the housing market would go up in value forever and the perfect storm was brewing.

This is where Mike Burry came in. His knack was in seeing things clearly. This was because he did his homework - actually reading "the prospectus" and pouring over the boring details in the fine print. From day one he knew something was terribly wrong with the subprime mortgage business. The big firms on Wall Street were packaging mortgages in investment vehicles called mortgage-backed securities and selling them without the buyers knowing what was actually in them. This got Burry's attention. The more he looked the more convinced he was that these things were a time bomb for the investor. He wanted to bet against them in a big way. He approached different firms looking to buy "insurance" against the possibility of these mortgages defaulting. For a small premium Burry would buy what became known as a Credit Default Swap and the middlemen at Goldman Sachs and other brokers would take a small fee. For Goldman Sachs it was like taking candy from a baby and then getting the baby to pay them for stealing it. Burry would be paid when a certain percentage of the mortgages in any one of the mortgage backed bonds went into default.

Soon every big Wall Street firm and most the super large banks worldwide got in the game. CDO's or Collateralized Debt Obligations were bundles of these mortgage backed securities that the big firms put together and then sent up to the ratings agency for a bond rating. Neither Moody's nor Standard and Poor's had any better idea what was in the CDO's than next guy, so in a sense the ratings were meaningless - except that the higher the rating the more confidence the investor had that it would never go bad. The dirty secret was that regardless of what was in the CDO's they were getting AAA ratings.

Eventually Gregg Lippmann of Deutsche Bank caught on to what Mike Burry was doing and he began a campaign to get investors interested in credit default swaps. Mostly people thought he was crazy for betting that the subprime market was a fraud and would eventually collapse. There were a few for whom the light-bulb flickered. I say flicker because even as they bought into Lippmann's ideas they were still mostly in the dark convinced that what Lippmann said and what Burry knew was just too good to be true. All they had to do was hold the line for a few years with these insurance policies in their hands and their payday would come in spades. The trigger would be falling housing values, the bet was that they couldn't go up forever.

Steve Eisman, skeptical of Wall Street and Lippmann from the start could find no evidence that the whole subprime market was anything but a fantasy. His style was to challenge everyone for details and justification for the seemingly ridiculous level of confidence in the housing and mortgage markets. In California the operators of Cornwall Capital, a firm so small no one on Wall Street would even talk to them, scratched an clawed their way into Lippmann's world having no idea what they were doing - convinced that they had to be missing something. It couldn't be this easy, could it?

When it happened - housing values started to fall - nothing much happened. The world went on. Wall Street went on. Subprime mortgage fraud went on. It was still a year or so away from when a majority on the teaser rate mortgages would start to fail in large numbers. For the next 18 months the people betting short on the subprime market were either questioning themselves or being questioned by their investors convinced they were either fools or thieves. With just a few months left in 2007 the calls came pouring in. The big Wall Street players who had treated the short sellers like chumps suddenly wanted in and were willing to pay big for credit default swaps.

The rest is history, we all lived through it. Burry, Eisman, Cornwall Capital and the rest made at lot of money. Wall Street firms one by one crashed and burned. Eventually the whole credit system went belly up. But none of them felt vindicated, no one was happy with the way it went down. Burry quit the business, Eisman became a kind a caring man for the first time in his life. These men were who had been right all along and tried telling the world were changed. Oddly, sadly, Wall Street wasn't changed.

Michael Lewis doesn't even get into the government and regulatory villains until the epilogue, but this book wasn't about the headlines it was a story about being there in the midst of it all. To that end Lewis succeeds brilliantly. It was a nonfiction book that was hard to put down - and that's rare. Sadly, Lewis concludes that what is strange and complicated about the whole affair is that all the important people on both sides of the subprime gamble left the table rich. The rest of us unimportant schleps got screwed and we are still paying the price to this day.

The biggest slap in the face was that the TARP money was paid to make everyone's bad bets good. No one lost their jobs who should have (including the Congressmen who fostered this debacle), no one was sent to jail for fraud. AIG, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Bank of America were given billions with nothing asked in return, nothing. Bonuses were paid with TARP funds. Government stimulus money paid off the outrageous 40:1 bets made by AIG and the worst part of it all is that nothing has been structurally changed. On Wall Street it's business as usual, looking for the next scam to screw us with.

We continue to struggle with joblessness, lack of investment, and diminished outlooks for the next generation. Governments face crushing deficits and the middle class is squeezed. I repeat: on Wall Street it's business as usual - busy looking for the next scam to screw us all with.


*** Editorial ***
I used to think what went on with regards to Wall Street, as mysterious as it was , was necessary for our system and our way of life. It's not. The legitimate functions of equities trading and bond trading have been superseded by those who have only self interested hyper-greed in their hearts. Maybe it's always been that way, who am I kidding, but these pricks in DC shouldn't be feeding these pricks on Wall Street.


4 of 5 stars

CW

Shooter (movie), Point of Impact (book) by Stephen Hunter

Movie
Book
reviewed in 2007

First off the book is a genuine 5 star effort by Stephen Hunter. Everyone I have talked to who read the book just loves Bob the Nailer. Bobby Lee Swagger is an ex-military sniper who was the best in the game. Wounded and destined for a life in pain he retreats to the hills to live quietly and alone but for a loyal dog and his arsenal of guns. When a secret quasi-government agency employs a profiler to find the right man for a set-up of epic proportion Swagger unwittingly takes the bait.

"Point of Impact" is a gripping page turner with a great sense of pacing and just enough (relevant) plot lines to keep it interesting without burdening the reader with fluff and filler.

I didn't get the sense that the author was trying to make any deep personal political statements via the hero, Bobby Lee Swagger. Using a tried and true plot point of the secret out of control entity tied to the shadow government as the primary villain was just good fun. In fact, it is one of the rare novels with which I haven't any quibbles - at all. It comes highly recommended by yours truly and hundreds of reviewers at Amazon.com where it received a unequivocal 5 star rating!


The movie version, which was renamed "Shooter" (probably as not to confuse audiences with a title that could be construed as a Steven Segal flick) gets an A for effort and a D for execution. The screenplay tried valiantly to touch on the most important plot points. Unfortunately the movie failed more often than not to convey the true nature of Bob the Nailer, and frankly, all the other characters too. Wahlberg is a decent enough actor but was badly miscast - or simply failed to capture the calm and grace of Swagger as written in the book. Danny Glover, who stinks in anything without Mel Gibson, was just terrible as the principal antagonist.

This movie deserved to be a long 3 hour epic instead of the typical bang, bang action thriller. This is not to say the novel wasn't an action thriller, it was. But it was anything but typical.

If you don't read the book and see this movie please don't let that convince you that Bob the Nailer is just another action hero. Swagger is a complex character who could have been a bitter man, but never lost the sense of his place in the big picture when he chose to simply fade away. The one thing you should take away from the movie and the book is that you don't want to mess with a man like Bob the Nailer!

(movie) 2 of 5 stars
(book) 5 of 5 stars

CW

Amar Es Combatir - Mana

Music
2008

"Ojala Pudiera Borrarte" makes my heart light up every time I hear it. I haven't a clue what it's about, but it's simply a beautiful, almost spiritual song for me. I know some have criticized Mana for not breaking any new ground with this album, I disagree. This is their most well rounded album yet. It highlights how versatile these fine writers and musicians really are. Every song was impeccably recorded and yet not so overly processed that I grew tired of it. This is not always true in these days of digital recording.

Mana is an acclaimed rock band from Mexico that came across my radar a few years ago. Although I can make out only a handful of words (I don't speak Spanish) I find the music captivating and original. I have spent time with ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? and Cuando los Ángeles Lloran, two albums from the 90's that sharpened my appreciation for this Grammy Award winning band.

On Amar Es Combatir "Labios Compartidos" and "Somos Mar y Arena" round out my three favorite songs. This CD has spent alot of time in the car - excellent driving music. Needless to say I recommend Amar Es Combatir wholeheartedly!

4 of 5 stars

CW

Amnesiac - Radiohead

Music
reviewed in 2008

What a complete disappointment. I bought this CD from the bargain bin and still feel I was ripped off.

I started with the excitement of having some new Radiohead music for my collection since I nearly wore the bits and bytes off my first Radiohead CD, "The Bends". The Bends is spectacular. Amnesiac is not. Sorry, but there is absolutely nothing to say regarding this collection of discomfited sounds and vocal exercises that would be remotely positive. I've said too much already.

1 of 5 stars

CW

Six Feet Under - HBO

TV Show
reviewed in 2005

NOTE: This review is very long since it covers the entire series that ran for 5 seasons



With excellent writing and fine acting punctuated by sometimes outlandish scenarios HBO's original series Six Feet Under proved to be an engrossing DVD experience. The opening scene of each episode gave us a glimpse of the moment of death, and the subtext for the episode ahead. From the woman dying Elvis-style, quietly sitting on the toilet to a man trying to rescue strangers stranded in an elevator stuck between floors... Well the elevator started moving and you can imagine what happen to him. Death is part of life and that is what this show examines in mortifying detail!

Nathaniel Fisher (played by veteran actor Richard Jenkins) owns and operates a suburban Los Angeles funeral home called Fisher and Sons. In episode one Nathaniel is killed by a bus. He may have died but he was not going anywhere. The ghost of Nathaniel Fisher pervaded everything and everyone, leaving an imprint that set the undercurrent in motion that carried the show through five turbulent seasons.

Nate (played by Peter Krause) is the flaky and self centered first born who runs away from his life in order to avoid intimacy at all costs. He is a dog, a male whore if you will. He is handsome and fit and uses his animal attraction to put his male member in as many women as possible. He is also uniquely gifted in the ability to empathize with and comfort those around him. I found this character intriguing and off putting all at once.

His younger brother David (played by Michael C. Hall) was not Nate in any way. His lack of confidence and his repressed homosexuality stunted him in every way. Only the death of his father let him face the world as he really was. Still, only in the last episode did he face down his own demon that allowed him to finally accept himself.

In season 4 in and episode called "That's My Dog" David faces his own mortality in a way that haunts him for the rest of his life. After having been carjacked and kidnapped by a drifter who pretends to befriend him, David finds himself bloody, beaten and doused with gasoline facing a lunatic with a gun in one hand and a lighter in another asking him which way he preferred to die. I must say it was a very uncomfortable thing to watch.

Claire the young sister was a lost soul who spent the entire series trying to find her identity in drugs and dangerous relationships. Hers was a childhood left incomplete by a father she hardly knew - even when he was alive - and a mother who had checked out on reality sometime in the 70's. She never really knew Nate who had left home when she was a preteen. Played by actress Lauren Ambrose, Claire was perhaps the most interesting and convincing character.

The mother Ruth, (played by Frances Conroy) had lost herself in her children many years ago - like so many mothers of the time. She didn't always have a grip on reality as it presented itself in the dawn of the 21st century. She lost her husband Nathaniel long before he died. She was hot tempered and irrational on one side of the coin, and sweet, caring and compassionate on the other. She was also prone to torrid, impulsive affairs with very flawed men.

These five characters made up the center of the circle but it was by no means complete without an all cast of guest stars, regulars and cameos. Federico Diaz, the Fishers partner and a first class restorative artist was excellently acted by Freddy Rodriguez. Rico, as he was called, took extreme pride and care preparing the deceased for a showing. The show was praised for its accuracy in depicting the mortuary business.

There was Brenda Chenowith (Rachel Griffiths) - a neurotic, erotic, sex addict with a near genius intellect who falls hard for Nate in episode one and begins a five year love-hate relationship with a man who can't really ever know intimacy. Her entire neurotic family drift in and out of series.

Keith was David's lover and was also convincingly acted by Mathew St. Patrick. A hot tempered passionate man with more common sense than anyone else in the show. He was the most normal (least screwed up) character on the show.

The list of guest stars - and I mean stars - is impressive. The show obviously attracted "A" list talent in Hollywood. Veteran character actor James Cromwell (George, Ruth's 2nd husband) was a delight. Kathy Bates of "Misery" fame, makes frequent appearances. Joanna Cassidy (Margaret Chenowith, Brenda's mother) is a crazy - and I mean crazy - psychotherapist. Mena Suvari (Edie, Claire's obsession) lights up the screen with beauty and open, lusty sexuality.

I can't praise this show enough for its fine acting, excellent writing and profound dive into the subject of death in a way we've never seen before - I really, really liked it, but...

The show's shallow political correctness was annoying. It was obvious by the occasional contemporary political commentary the writers are true Hollywood liberals and can't fathom the likes of conservatives and Christians with out devolving into complete caricatures. (The priest at their church was, of course, a closet homosexual). All the cliches about evangelical types and all the environmental pablum was on full display whenever such subjects arose. Adultery and elicit homosexual sex was the norm. Incest was hinted more than once. Polygamy was explored. Well, just about everything about sex and drugs was examined endlessly.

It seems nothing was left unexamined except the normal family where a man and his wife love each other, practice monogamy, love God and their country and their children aren't creeps. In fact, in the eyes of the writers the above mentioned are the freaks!

Strangely, I never got a warm and fuzzy Christian overture from the show but still the background screen on the main menu of every DVD depicted a Christian cross prominently (a Catholic rosary no less). This, I didn't understand.

At the very end of the series, in the last few episodes actually, they introduced a new character into Claire's life. Ted was a corporate lawyer who loved Christian music, voted for George W. Bush twice and supported the war in Iraq. I completely expected this character to be exposed as the devil himself before the show closed. Surprise! Ted turned out to be the sweetest, most caring person Claire Fisher had ever known. She detested all the things he stood for and believed in but she fell in love with the person. He was the most genuine character on the show. I can only say that I was pleasantly surprised and heartened.

I do recommend this show, it was well worth the time and the money. These characters will stay with me for years to come. That is the measure of good story telling, and what a story the Fishers have to tell.

4 of 5 stars

CW

Dangerous man - Trace Adkins

Music
reviewed in 2007

I must admit - I don't really like country music, I never have. I understand from friends who do that today's country music isn't really all that country anymore. Maybe that's why I have started to like what I hear...

I bought this CD on the strength of one song and it is decidedly the least country sounding of them all. "I Wanna Feel Something" is just good songwriting and Trace does an excellent job making me feel the emotion behind the lyrics. I guess the song strikes a chord with me because I am getting to the age when most men start to question what they've become and sort of evaluate what's important. Great song, and well done!

The CD sounds great sonically and I find I really like the harder, rockier numbers like Dangerous Man. The lyrics on some of the songs are too macho for me but I tend to think it is done with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. Face it "Swing" and "Fightin Words" are pretty weak. In contrast the "Stubborn One" and "I Came Here to Live" are really heartfelt and touching.

Trace Adkins seems like a decent sort of fellow and has an interesting life story of his own. To see him breakout and work in TV and movies is quite exciting. While I may never like good 'ole boy country music I'll always have a keen appreciation of Mr. Adkins. 

3 of 5 stars

CW

Winter Pays for Summer - Glen Phillips

Music
2007


I was a huge Toad the Wet Sprocket fan and was depressed when I realized there would be no more Toad albums to look forward to. I kept up with the various members as they moved on and downloaded everything I could find from Glen Phillips and the band Lapdog which consisted Todd, Randy and even Dean for a while. Both entities put out some great music but I eventually lost track of them.

I happened upon "Winter Pays for Summer" and snapped it up. After spending a month or so listening to this album I have to say - it's GREAT! "Duck and Cover" "Finally Fading Out" and "Thankful" are very strong. Phillips lyrics are very good and the richness of the instrumental accompaniment proves that this is no lightweight effort.

I am less infatuated with the slow, moody songs - but then I never liked TTWS slow, moody songs either. The pop song "Falling" is a decent tune but here the lyrics seem lacking. The only song I dislike is "Gather".

Do I think this album is better than TTWS as some have suggested? No, but then is Phil Collins better than Genesis? Nope, not even close. Is Paul McCartney better than the Beatles? Ahem. Is Ozzy Osbourne better than Sabbath? Come on... All kidding aside, there was a rawness about TTWS that I loved; an intangible that is only achieved by the group effort. You can sort of hear it in Lapdog's early releases where most of the old group was still together. All that was missing was the heart - Glen Phillips.

4 of 5 stars

CW

More Than You Think You Are - Matchbox 20

Music
reviewed in 2004

I have to agree with several reviews I've seen - this album is not breaking any new ground. There are a few tunes that grab your attention but have little staying power. I personally like the track "Unwell" but can't get away from the feeling when I listen to "Disease" that I've heard it all before.

Someone once gave me a Faith Hill CD to listen too and it was perfect in every detail, man can the lady sing! You know what? The CD sucked and I never listened to it again. I don't want perfect. I'm afraid MB20 is going down this same road with every offering being sanitized just a little more until they have reached perfection. Back in my day bands like Journey, REO and Jefferson Starship ended up the same way until I couldn't stand them. Let's hope MB20 puts a little more grit and less processing into their future releases. They are a very decent act that could do great things...


3 of 5 stars

CW

Fortress - Sister Hazel

Music 
2004

This is a great album! I thought "Somewhere More Familiar" the band's major label debut was very good and nearly great, Fortress is at the next level.

Sister Hazel came out of Gainsville Florida a few years ago, busting on the scene with a toe tapping jangly guitar sound with the single "All For You". Fine writing and the strong vocals of Ken Block make for an appealing, accessible rock band. Their music while sounding simple and breezy is richly textured and highlights excellent lead guitar work with a solid rhythm section and fine backing vocal harmonies.

Fortress is very well recorded and is a hot sounding album. The bass is heavy and the drums are out front, just like rock and should be. I have three favorites, but every song is strong. I think "Champagne High", "Beautiful Thing" and "Your Winter" are have real depth and soul. Having seen these guys live three or four times now the material from Fortress is highlight of the show for me. I can't recommend this album highly enough!


4 of 5 stars

CW

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Book
reviewed in 2007

I never engaged with this book. I read fiction to transport myself out of my day to day world an into someone else's. Gibson's world in Neuromancer was dreadfully dull and grimy. The plot and characters were so disjointed that I started thinking about things I needed to do at work - or whether or not I fed the dog. It's time to put this book down and watch my fingernails grow.

Yes, there are very cool and prescient concepts explored in this book. Gibson should be credited for his contributions to the cyberpunk genre. You can see he is a intuitive, creative and highly intelligent person... But, quite frankly, Neuromancer is just unreadable. After a 150 pages I just don't care about any of it. Yawn.


1 of 5 stars

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Book

reviewed in 2004

Dan Simmons creates a complex and nuanced view far into the future. Earth has long ago died and humankind has spread into the stars, encountering alien races and technologies through the centuries. As a backdrop to the six mini-novellas that comprise the heart of this novel the very fabric of the Federation is unraveling. Hostile forces from Earth's past and the artificial intelligences that control the means of transportation between planets have become increasingly ambivalent about the future of humanity. 

With Hyperion Simmons weaves six intricate tales of seven travelers making a pilgrimage to the to the time tombs on the planet Hyperion. There they will come face to face with the most terrifying monster ever created in science fiction, the Shrike.

Hyperion and it's sequel The Fall of Hyperion are masterpieces of science fiction storytelling. What a treat to encounter the far future universe Dan Simmons has created. What sets Hyperion apart from so very many sci-fi sagas are the characters. Far too many authors have great stories to tell but fail to develop anything but paper thin one-dimensional caricatures... Not so in the Hegemony of Man. The poet Martin Silenus is as prickly of a smart-ass as you'd ever meet in any timeline. Sol and Rachel's story is as touching as anything you'll ever read. I particularly liked the wit and humor of Ummon the AI personality of the TechnoCore.


Those who love hard core Sci-Fi will love this book and it's sequels, it just isn't done any better than this. Those whose Sci-Fi appetite is satisfied by R2D2 and Chewbacca may not have the patience for this.   

5 of 5 stars

CW

The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization by Thomas L. Friedman

Book
2001

Perhaps the most provocative and disturbing concept that sprang out at me while reading this book was the sentiments of our global neighbors. Friend and foe alike see the United States as the "center of global arrogance". That is, when America projects its huge presence it does not go forth humbly. Reading this book will do nothing to assuage that notion. In fact, I would be first to nominate Friedman as Emperor of the United States of Arrogance.

In short, like most of the decidedly elite circles he travels in he simply knows what's best for everyone. And true to form he offers numerous contradictory assessments of the role government should play in every aspect of human interaction. He also seems to be oblivious to the fact that people around the world define themselves by more than just the size of their portfolios and investments. Amazingly he all but ignores the spiritual aspect of the human condition. The spread of religion could easily be looked upon as the original globalization, yet it doesn't seem to factor in for Mr. Friedman.

In the last section of the book Friedman chooses to lecture the reader rather than present more than one viewpoint on how we'll get to the promised land of Global Utopia. It backfilled the entire book with one contradiction after another. In defining the role the United States should take in leading the world into this new era of globalization Friedman asks us to listen to him think out loud. His idea of a Rapid Change Protection Plan or whatever he calls it makes the New Deal seem trifling by comparison. You might as well call it the Big Deal. He goes on to complain about the Clinton Administration getting off track with its power grab of the America's health care system as though there were nothing wrong with the plan itself but just in the way the debate was framed. In other words, if it had only been justified as necessary for America to integrate into the globalized, interconnected world then it would've been all too obvious. With that argument almost any power grab could be justified. How long before the airline business is declared vital to global integration and needs to be controlled by the government. Then what? How long before all the airlines are controlled by one global authority to ensure successful global integration. One World isn't inevitable; it may not even be possible, but there are a lot of people trying to push us there. Is Friedman one of them? I would have to say yes. He speaks nothing of the American constitution or of national sovereignty. He clearly believes that the free market model of the United States is the inevitable winner of the ideology wars, but he sees it as a global model, fully supporting the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO and a world tribunal. He states that it is time to put down the Green Berets and pick up the blue helmets.

The people standing in front of this speeding train oppose it vehemently but for widely divergent reasons. Violent protests are carried out whenever the WTO meets. Anarchists and environmentalists see consumption driven capitalism as the root of all evil. Big American labor, suppliers of the consumption fodder want protection from the cheap labor in the world's poor countries. Big business wants cheap labor and less government interference, seeing a borderless world as a plus. The markets just want profit.

The walls have come down, the floodgates opened and the world gets a little smaller everyday. If there is one point Friedman makes exceeding well is that the world is changing at a mind numbing pace. Some level of globalization is inevitable and even desirable. I just think we ought to reserve our sovereignty, honor our constitution and keep our guard up. Just like the fifty United States that serve as small experiments of democracy, so too are the nation states of the world small experiments of competing governing strategies. And just like Americans who enjoy the benefit of common standards and practices so too should the rest of the world. We may all be Americans but we are still Texans and Virginians, Minnesotans and Arizonans. The United States is not by any means a perfect nation; but we learn from our mistakes and have the ability to correct injustices. Despite the scorn from our friends and enemies as well as our own schizophrenic self-loathing America still serves as the beacon of freedom and liberty for the rest of the world. Tolerance of all cultures and religions is a must. I cannot imagine a One-World government dominated by the most populous (and murderous) nation on Earth adhering to the principles of freedom of speech and religion. China is as dangerous to freedom and liberty as anything we have ever seen since the birth of our nation. As Paul Harvey says, it is not one world.

2 of 5 stars

CW