more than time for a vent

Axiom: the stupids abuse freedom of speech.

I have not listed a diatribe, vent, or rant in a while. I forgot which term i used as a label, i used all three. At best stupid is entertaining by accident, usually it is annoying; but this country is awash of the stupids, and their unending stupidity.

In July, the earth has recorded its hottest days in succession. Canadian forests are burning, Greece is burning. Idiots are going to Death Valley to get a picture of themselves standing next to the temperature sign at 130°F.  I read a note in the press that one idiot died.

Climate change is real, but the moneyed interests have been denying it, and the stupids believe them. Now, things have hit the US several times each day to show the weather is not in normal, or freak variability. The mainstream (read: established corporate) media now speaks of climate change as an accepted reality, but local teevee weathermen do get harassed.  So, what do we here on local northeast Ohio broadcasts? Whining of the dearth of 90° days this summer. First, we haven't had any, then we have had only one. There are world wide examples right now of the heat disasters, and these idjits are lamenting the dearth of heat. They work in air-conditioned studios, drive in air-conditioned automobiles. live in air-conditioned homes. In winter will these dunderheads complain with, "we haven't any below 0°F days".

Now, a more serious vent:  the fascists are upset that they do not have absolute control of public speech. Newspapers, radio, and television are businesses. Businesses are moneyed interests. A priori they are slanted towards economic interests, and the political party of the XXth century that stood for this was the Republicans. If people followed those endorsements Franklin Roosevelt would not have been president. The New Deal made America a far better place. The Republicans were not pleased, and they have continuously tried to rescind  everything about it.

Now, most journalists of the mainstream media try to hew to journalistic standards and ethics. As Stephen Colbert has said, "reality has a liberal bias". So, the disgruntled fascist capitalists have created their own propaganda organs to counter that. And their minions constantly bitch and attack. They and Republicans insist lying is the proper exercise of the first amendment. Also, many are anti-social louts with vicious, and violent proclivities all of which they want others to hear. Social media is their playground, and they want control of the turf.

Twitter is a 'micro-blogging' form of social media. They had some standards in which some false information, pornography, hate speech was prohibited. Now that upset many fascists and their fellow travellers. So they set up their imitation twitters, but that was not enough. Normal people did not frequent their reich wing imitations. They want to shove their crap down everyone's gullet. So, one of their number bought Twitter and proceeded to recreate it in his image. So, Twitter is dying. And by the way, elon musk, ron desantis, and donald trump are horrid individuals.

In Florida history classes it is now decreed that it must be taught that slavery was beneficial. Republican controlled states have created laws to police, curb, and censor professors—so that 'conservative' ideas are protected, and free speech of fascists must not be restricted on campus. [see postscript]

This weekend past, two big movies opened at the picture show. They are being called 'Barbieheimer'. Occasionally, i look to see what movies are coming months, even years in advance. I was right away interested in Oppenheimer.  I was not interested in Barbie.  Oppenheimer is a serious character in history, and science. Barbie is a dolly. 

 

Margot Robbie is a good actress. It looked like this might have been a big budget picture, didn't care. I remember seeing the dollies in childhood, and the ones i saw were abused. Their hair was cut, or pulled out; limbs missing, and other damage, and usually without clothes. I did not live around genteel children.

Well, now the mouthfoaming repukes are upset. From what i gather about the flick, is that in Barbie's toy world, everything is about Barbie, and Ken is just hanging around mostly purposeless. Then Barbie goes to the real world, and things are not that way. Ok, sounds like a regular children's story. No, they have a problem with feminism. Y'no, i was a boy. I had no interest in what play fantasies, and adventures girls had playing with their dollies. Maybe, these clowns should look in their pantalones and see if they look like Ken.

O, and now i read the conservative/fascist ruling party in India has a problem with Oppenheimer. Apparently, there is a scene where he is with his mistress and quotes Vishnu. This from the land of the Kama Sutra, and temples with flagrant sexual sculptures.

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postscriptum 10.48 a.m. 25 July 2023.  Of course Texas is real big with fascism. [click]  from the article, before it is removed from the internet:  

Texas A&M suspends professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in lecture   

      Joy Alonzo, a respected opioid expert, was in a panic.

     The Texas A&M University professor had just returned home from giving a routine lecture on the opioid crisis at the University of Texas Medical Branch when she learned a student had accused her of disparaging Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during the talk.

     In the few hours it took to drive from Galveston, the complaint had made its way to her supervisors, and Alonzo’s job was suddenly at risk.

madness of Macbeth

Well, i was waiting to see this as soon it was announced that Washington was playing Macbeth. The film was delayed for at least a year. No one is mentioning the cultural appropriation here. An actor can be cast in any role. Washington gives glances as he did in August Wilson's Fences, where he played Troy Maxson. With Shakespeare, one can watch the same play in different productions and be satisfied. In this one, it is early when Macbeth is insane. The ambition causes the madness, and murder follows. When Macbeth sits on the throne, he is mad.

Filming in black and white was good, the visuals were surprising and well done. There is fog, strong light, shadows, and dark, and the sound of a light's pull chain. The director can shade the story when doing a play. The author often does not give much more than words, a naked text. Choices are made in presentation, and different presentations can be well done. The castle is beyond huge (but void of ornamentation), as large as any in a silent movie spectacular. Some scenes the travel within are as in Citizen Kane. The pillars of the castle imitate the trees in the forest, and vice versa. Birnam Wood grows its trees in straight ranks, which match the columns of men carrying boughs. The leaves fall without wind until Macbeth opens the window, and then sits again on the throne and waits. When he stands and walks, the columns and the trees are in the same hall. 

Ross appears again and again, he does not narrate, but he is a catalyst to action and as a witness to the action. The Macbeths are around sixty in this version. Why would their murderous jealousy be directed at Banquo (who is prophesised never to be king)?

There is no cauldron. The three witches were played by one actress, and they would turn into corbies (ravens). Corbies scavenge human carrion. Magpies, rooks, and ravens are all corvids. Here, the Ghost of Banquo is one. At the very end, a flight of these birds end the movie. There is that odd poetic word for a collective of these birds—murder.

Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest play, and this movie finishes the story in about 100 minutes, and they come quick. When a movie flows in viewing, that one is surprised it's already over, it is a good movie.

The Kid From Cleveland 1949

The film opens up and has the Kid (Russ Tamblyn) approach old Municipal Stadium. In 1948, the Indians played and defeated the Boston Braves in the World Series. The now defunct Chief Wahoo is wearing the league championship crown. This was the last time Cleveland won the series. The film is about a troubled teenager, and the film was shot on location in Cleveland. Now, seventy years later, it contains scenes that are historical glimpses of the, then, fifth or sixth largest city in the United States. Many baseball players played themselves in the movie. In Mexico, the film was entitled "Los indios de Cleveland".

A car drives past the old entrance of Cleveland Art Museum. Can not do that now. There has been a new entrance built onto the opposite side, where people can dive by. The fountain is by Chester Beach 1927.

statue of Mayor Tom Johnson Public Square 

The script is poor. The story is a mediocre, uplifting, social work episode. The chief reason to see the film is to see the real individuals portraying themselves, and to see locations in the city. League Park stands in for Tucson's ball field. Terminal Tower, Edgewater Park for a quick maybe two seconds, inside City Hall, Cleveland Playhouse, Arcade, Hulett ore loaders, the atrium, armour court, and the Guelph treasure of the art museum were filmed.

 

Corner of Cedar & East 22nd, Juvenile Court, to-day that street people crossing is an overpass. A freeway was cut in, and a fence is also there. Some of the scenes filmed were inside, and outside this building. [click]

This gate on Cedar Avenue is still there, but a chain link fence gate, and other changes have been added. The two circular openings with decorative grills are still there. Rooms inside the Juvenile Court and Detention Home were used in scenes.

One of the changes is an upper level walkway. See the difference in style.

This sign directs inside the stadium to a fenced pen.

photographs of abandoned places #30

 Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention 1931 – 2011

This building was once a national model for the juvenile justice system. A detention facility addition was built in 1964. It would prove insufficient. There was a remodel in the 1980's. A bigger building was needed.

Look at the stone work bas-relief sculptures. They look like ornaments for a school, or library.

Sunday, July 5, 2020 just after dark, a fire took place inside. Firemen came, and put out the fire. to a suspicious mind, it looks like arson. The timing, during the quietest time of a three day holiday. The building sits in what the city calls the campus district (CleveStateU, CuyComCol), and is next to St. Vincent Charity Hospital campus. The building has been up for sale, and deals have fallen through. The plywood seen above, covers some metal work that was visible before the fire. This is above the main entrance.

When i was kid, other kids and adults would scare you about JuVee.

This building appeared in the 1949 movie, The Kid from Cleveland. In Mexico it was called Los indios de Cleveland. The Indians won the 1948 World Series, their last such win. Many of  the Indians played themselves in the movie, and film of the Indians and Braves was used in the movie.

[supra, infra] there is a pair of each, like bookends

Route 33 to Athens

Well, Athens is the only bastion of democracy for many miles around.  I was displeased when my nephew said it was "in the middle of nowhere".  For many people Athens, and Ohio University are synonymous.

It may be 37 years since i was on the stretch between Columbus and Athens on route 33. It has changed. It is high speed four lane all the way. Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville are invisible.

It is not easy to find free parking, this cardinal was resting on a very computerised meter. NASA had less technology to send men to the moon.

The paw print was the University's logo for years. It is not permitted since the attack cat was commissioned, and phased in from 1996 to 2002. People preferred the paw, but the university payed outsiders for something new. All approved clothing, all university athletic promotion can only have the attack cat. Paw print is prohibited, a private building has a few prints painted anyway.

The dogwoods here are still with their white bracts, and the green leaves have not yet come. In Athens the bracts (and wee flowers) are gone on nearly every tree, and they are fully green leafed. Before, some people followed the northward bloom of the dogwood. The interest began to pique when they bloomed in North Carolina, and then through the Virginias.They are still in bloom in Northern Ohio.

There still are steps on Jeff(erson) Hill. A lot of bricks have been replaced, or covered over. Jeff Hill, the last time i was in town, still had bricks, but bollards were on top and bottom. Athens had/has a lot of old brick with the name of the brickyards it came from. There is a lot of clay in the area. 

Students used to take trays from the cafeteria, to use as sleds in the very few days there was snow. When it was icy, it was humourous, to watch at a distance, cars try to go up. Some would fail, and lose control.

Chris Stain. “Without Labor, Nothing Prospers”. 2015. 

This mural, on Court Street (the main drag uptown), was dedicated for Workers' Memorial Day (April 28) 2018. United Mine Workers Local 1 was in nearby Nelsonville.

   Memorial Auditorium has several plaques from illustrious speakers that visited campus.

I am guessing that last summer, there was some political notice about town concerning the extra-judicial killing of black people. Here are the two sides of a sign planted in 2020.

Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville Kentucky police March 13. 2020. This storefront window reminds us.

There is a Civil War Monument at the entrance to the College Green since 1893. One of several plaques reads, "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (Sweet and proper to die for the fatherland)". It was a good place to sit and eat, and smoke.

Guitar man singing on the town's establishment church. Though this area of Ohio was heavily Methodist, the first presidents at Ohio University were Presbyterian ministers.

There used to be Varsity Cinema directly across the Athena, years ago. Covid 19 has been bad for the picture show.

On old 33, Richland Avenue, with the Convocation Center under the clouds.The building was considered a white elephant.

'Christian' movies

Y'no, i just read an essay. The fellow made a point, a correct one; but his definition of the chief term was not correct. 'Christian' he used particularly as American Evangelical Protestant, he did not venture into Catholic Christian. He was right that American Evangelical Protestant movies were crummy, and why they are crummy—the importance of their message to be delivered in an imitation of secular art. He did not come quite so far to say these 'Christian artists' were not artists at all, but hacks.

Before in Hollywood, a saying existed "Catholic stories for a Protestant audience made by Jews". There are religious movies, there are good Christian movies; but they are made as movies, made to be entertaining, made to be artful instead of vehicles only used to carry the propaganda. Communists and Fascists made films to carry the message, but there also were people in those systems who created art that if not propaganda, was acceptable under the system. These people who like to identify themselves as 'Christian' and their ersatz, faux art as 'Christian' do not have artistic sensibility or ability. Only the raw message counts, as we see with the Republican party in particular, "must stay on message".

Fr. Andrew Greeley used to to co-teach a college 'Christian' movie course with Albert Bergesen, and they wrote a book on it, God in the Movies (2003). The one movie that all the students easily recognised, and enjoyed was 'Babette's Feast'. Where a French woman, who is now a servant to stern Danish sisters, whose father had led a congregation, wins a lottery and creates a feast for twelve Danes. Some very successful movies like 'Field of Dreams', and 'Star Wars' have religious metaphors that are explored. The religious motifs are organic to the story, they are not there to hijack the story.

In addition there are explicitly Christian themed movies: La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928) one of the last great silent films, and a high achievement in all of cinema. It was a French movie made by a Lutheran Dane, Carl Theodor Dreyer. There are religious, and Christian religious actors, directors, writers working in movies and other arts; they are just not "Christians" using art for message, who without fail disregard art to get the message out. We meet people like this in our lives, where everything is a subterfuge, ruse, and opportunity to proselytise. They lack a certain integrity to be genuine.

After so many years i have finally viewed 'Groundhog Day' (1993) and on that day. The director, Harold Ramis, was from a Jewish family. His second wife was a Buddhist. Bill Murray, who often worked with Ramis, is Catholic. People of these religious traditions see a familiarity and appreciation in this film. Bill Murray plays a television weatherman who relives the same day again, and again, and again. He is sharp enough to figure what is happening, and he becomes a better, and better person through the repeated day. He saves lives, and is loved by the town, and woos his true love, to whom he was blind to before. This metaphor, this story conceit works, and works well, and people understand the metaphor, and like it. It is a successful religious comedy, that is not presented as religious. There is a subtleness, not unlike hearing God's voice in the whisper of the wind [Elias (Elijah)].

Paulist Pictures' Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser made two Catholic movies:  Romero (1989) and Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story (1996).  The Way (2010) was directed by Emilio Estevez, and starring Martin Sheen. It is a story of pilgrimage through northern Spain. These are dramatic art on Christian themes, the first two are biographical.  There is religious cinema that appeals to a wider audience, and is well done; but hard line doctrinaire religionists are not much interested, because they are not interested in art. They are interested in using art.

Ozymandias

“So let it be written; so let it be done.”

Ozymandias

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said:“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

—a sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1818

Since the poem is getting close to two hundred years old, i don’t expect Coca Cola, Disney, or Rupert Murdoch holds the copyright. I include the sonnet complete.

And who is Ozymandias? A greek historian from Sicily, Diodoros Sikeliotes (Siculus), who lived slightly more than a generation before Jesus used a greek form of one of the names of faro Ramses II, Usermaatre Setepenre. Ramses II, is widely believed, faro in Exodus. He reigned for two generations centered in the 13th century before Christ. Yul Brynner in the movie. Brynner caught the fearsome arrogance well.

Ramses II makes the paper every once in a while (a, b). He like Louis XIV had such a long reign, that, he outlived several heirs. Louis (the Sun King) Quatorze reigned 72 years and was succeeded by a great grandson. Ramses reigned 66 years and was succeeded by his 13th son, the then elderly Merneptah.

Damnatio memoriae, complete condemnation and eradication from memory, was shown in the movie,‘Ten Commandments’, where faro (Yul’s father) Set(h)i said,

“Let the name of Moses be stricken from every book and tablet, stricken from all pylons and obelisks, stricken from every monument of Egypt. Let the name of Moses be unheard and unspoken, erased from the memory of men for all time.”

Now, archæological record shows Ramses II had monuments defaced from the Amarna (a monotheistic period) age of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV). The latin phrase came from the time the senate, or the emperor so hated a predecessor they attempted to erase him from memory. George Orwell (Eric Blair) showed this in ‘1984’, Winston Smith's job was the continual revision of history; occasionally someone fell into the memory hole, and was scrubbed from history. This was a reference to how things were done frequently under stalinism.

The age of faros is gone. History still records the existence of the past, contrary to the desire of some revisionists. Getting back to Shelley, ‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’. You can see these words coming from Brynner.

Ozymandias/Ramses is gone 3000 years, the statue is a ruin. It was believed that existence continued of the person in his monuments. The drama of erasure was great. Shelley alludes to the sands of time that cover the interval of passage. One can contemplate the legacy of any personage, and wonder of his importance, and his own. Life and reputation are transitory.

Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rupert?

"Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rico?" is the last line in the 1931 movie Little Caesar. It came from Edgar G. Robinson's character, Caesar Rico Bandello. Warner Brothers had several gangster films, with several fine actors, Bogart, Cagney, Raft, and Robinson.

Rupert Murdoch is a multi-continental, fascist, press lord. He deals in slime, and is very successful. Don Henley had a song, Dirty Laundry. That was about the Murdoch style in 'news'.

He doesn't believe in taxes, or paying union wages. He likes dictatorships, especially China's, but he has hidden money in Cuba and elsewhere. He really likes money. Perhaps, the only loss he suffered was the huge divorce settlement he paid for screwing around on his second wife.

He pushed for the second Iraqui war. His crap publication, Weekly Standard, hired several of that war's propagandists. Perhaps, his most successful propaganda tool is Fox News [sic], where every conceivable Republican candidate has been hired, except Romney. He came to american citizenship, in order, to buy such american television stations.

Right now, only Murdoch's empire in jolly olde England is in trouble. His business methods were not different elsewhere. Not every one follows foreign news, but the story is still growing in England. Murdoch has the Republican party to protect him in the US.

Rico was a fictional criminal, who had a high opinion of himself, and could not accept his defeat. Robinson had some charisma, Murdoch—no. Little Caesar lasted a little more than an hour. Murdoch inherited one australian paper from his father in 1952. He is a geezer now, it has been a long show. "Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rupert?"

The Apocalypse and Danny Greene

Well, if you are reading this another protestant radio preacher is wrong, for at least the second time; of course the non-english speaking world has not heard about this one. Some of you must be old enough to remember the shysters Hal Lindsey and Pat Robertson. They too were wrong on this, as on so much.

It is reported, that, he [Harold Camping] spent millions of his own stash of cash on advertising. Billboards, some with a gold seal with the words “The Bible Guarantees It” are part of the message. Not all of the billboards have that presentation, and the smug certainty, of that phrase, galls me the most. Each crackpot speaks ex-cathedra on his personal interpretation, that is binding to all. The first i had seen of this particular Last Day (Zadnji Dan, Ultimo Giorno, Dernier Jour...), a girl was handing out leaflets on the side of the cathedral during the St. Patrick parade. At that moment, i was not amused. I now regret not allowing a family member to take one of the tracts.

The American Protestant patois is ‘rapture’. This is borrowed from a fellow named John Nelson Darby [he also invented the term ‘dispensationalism’] in victorian Britain, who was an original in the sect Garrison Keillor grew up in. Some have given it a theme song, “I’ll Fly Away”. This was a shape note gospel song that found its way to bluegrass. Albert Brumley created it in 1929 while picking cotton, i don't know how much theology he was suggesting. He had an earlier song in mind, he was thinking “actually, I was dreaming of flying away from that cotton field when I wrote I’ll Fly Away”. The term ‘rapture’ in Catholic theology is considered ‘bullshit’.

There has been some media coverage on this in the last few days. What think you, when the gulled will awaken Sunday morning to find themselves earthbound with nothing other than ordinary troubles striking civilisation?

Gary Trudeau [a Catholic], the cartoonist, saw this coming and he devoted this past week to it. The ‘stoner’ Zonker quotes the proper Matthew [xxiv. 36] quotation that should shut these idjiots [sic] down, or up. To-day he quoted Paul, “For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord shall so come, as a thief in the night.” It is the job of the jester to tell truth and deflate balloons of hot air.

The conjunction (and, or) is the quickest way of connecting two thoughts, so that, from any point, one can go to any point. Greater Cleveland in the bicentennial year had fireworks. It was not just Bob Hope at Municipal Stadium for a doubleheader on Independence Day. Cleveland likes fireworks. That year Cleveland was ‘Bomb City USA’. The mafiosi were clearing their benches, something the police could not do.

Those bombs caused personal apocalypses for some. Recently, a movie, Kill the Irishman, was released about Danny Greene, the Cleveland gangster. It was filmed a couple of years ago in Detroit, apparently Cleveland could not fill in as Cleveland. One story is that Michigan cut taxes for filming. Detroit in 2009 looks more depressing, dingy, decrepit and derelict than Cleveland 1960-77. The first thing one notices is they did not film in Cleveland, other than a panorama shot in the beginning. They could have bought some old film besides the television news stories about Greene and the bombings. The first thing someone from Cleveland notices is that the film was not shot in Cleveland.

The film lingered on signs. The stupidest one came early — Islamic Slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouses were next to the train tracks on W. 65. I didn't come to watch for these details, and saw the film once. I don't remember trains in the film. ‘Islamic’ was not in the lexicon then, the word was ‘moslem’, and later ‘muslim’. People who became familiar with ‘muslim’, did not recognise, or remember, ‘moslem’. ‘Islamic’entered America through the Iranian revolution and the taking of hostages, after the time period of the film. Oh, and there was no such building in Cleveland.

The rest of the world has St. Malachy*, it is the actor's parish in Manhattan. Cleveland has St. Malachi (a parish history notes, but cannot explain the spelling). Lennon was just beginning his church closures in Cleveland. They could have photographed here. Malachy’s in Detroit is a modernistic edifice in Sterling Heights. I don't know the stand-in used.

The street signs in Cleveland are dark blue and white. The film had green and white, Danny did not have them changed. A fellow from work said disgruntledly, “It’s not Lakewood”. One sign was ‘Elizabeth W’. Where the hell is that? They could have gotten one to read, ‘Waterloo’ (which is ironic and accurate), ‘Lakeshore’ or ‘E.156’.

The film took along time in development. A cop author, Rich Porello was listed as executive director. His grandfather was once capo of the local mob during Prohibition. Could he not have suggested accuracies in filming (the dialogue was authentic)? The silliest error was about Collinwood. Collinwood is on the east side of Cleveland. Collinwood is where Greene lived. After the beginning of the movie, it became ‘Collingwood’. Did some typist obey a spell check programme? Of course, the local post office had a ball stamp with that spelling, they may still have it.

Greene is an interesting character. He was always nice to the Sisters, in Collinwood. The Ursulines taught at St. Jerome on E. 152, and St. Joseph at E. 144. He was devoted to at least SS. Jude, Patrick and Mary. He spent baby years at the catholic orphanage in Parma. He went to school at St. Jerome’s in Collinwood, and then for high school to the Jesuits at Ignatius, before going, and leaving, Collinwood High [(in the movie some fictitious Metro-East was mentioned, Cleveland has an East, and an East Tech) why a bio-pic creates such unnecessary, and peculiar inventions is beyond reason].

He cheated his brother longshoremen, this is not acceptable amongst union brothers, unfortunately it is too common. A friend remarked to me, that, he has a great problem in the glorification of a gangster†. Greene dealt death while being phlegmatic about his own. There is a call for a psychological and a dramatic study of such a scenario, it has come up short so far. Greene believed his Guardian Angel was successively vigilant; he believed in Christianity, an Irish Catholic one somehow intertwined with folklore and history. He was a Boy Scout and a Marine, a boxer and a marksman. He knew both Mars and Mammon. There is a conflict in that soul.
_____________
*there are prophecies about the end of the world attributed to Saint Malachy
†some mafiosi see themselves as businessmen, and they are; and it is not permitted in the US to criticise them

Karma and dharna beg justice

For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting. — Galatians vi.8.

Is karma destiny? There is not only one view in the theologies and philosophies from India. Karma is the word for 'action', 'deed' or 'act'. It is the logic of simple physics. There is cause and effect. Actions have karmic effects. We have similar colloquial advice and commentary: "what goes around comes around", "payback is a bitch". The concept is not only tied to the transmigration of the soul, or the conditions of the afterlife.

A realist, not blinded by optimism, sees some consequences tied to some actions; but he does not see a quid pro quo, or an ultimate balance, justice. A moral man, one who might be described as having a fear of God, feels compelled to do right action. Another man, will do what he will without regard to cosmic justice or good karma. Whether he skates, or has things blow up in his face remains to be seen.

Another indian concept is dharna. Dharna is an attempt to gain justice or payment. The form it took was the plaintiff would sit at the entrance of the offender's home, or business, and wait, wait continuously till he got his justice, or died waiting for it. This is a genesis of the peaceful protest that had Gandhi and millions sit on the doorstep of the british empire. "We shall not be moved" is a stand for justice. Occupations of property are attempts to obtain justice. It is an attempt to shame people to do right. Centuries ago, the transgressor or the debtor had a fear, that this implacable soul would haunt his conscience, or being, for all time. The fasting until death at a doorstep was put in play creating a spirit that could not be appealed to--an unforgiving perpetual ghost.

Not everyone is capable of being shamed. In India in 1919, General Dyer had thousands killed in a peaceful demonstration at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.

Peaceful protest while being stoically gallant, and noble, does not always succeed. Some have no ruth, no mercy, no humanity to appeal to. In other protests people have said, "God is watching". Some still don't care. In the movie, The Fugitive, Harrison Ford yells at Tommy Lee Jones "I'm innocent!". His reply is, "I don't care!".

I don't give reasons. I give orders!

In 134 chapters Herman Melville writes about the quest for the white whale. Ray Bradbury, John Huston and Norman Corwin condensed and reshaped his words for the cinema.

There is a most wonderful little english teacher's joke about the book. The teacher asks, "What is the first line of Moby Dick?". The student answers, "Call me Ishmael.". "Alright, Ishmael, what is the first line of Moby Dick?".

Ishmael is the narrator and sole survivor, yet most are drawn to Captain Ahab and his vengeance quest for the white whale. Monomania is the word. Ahab is mad, in both respects angry and crazy. Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab justifies himself, "I don't give reasons. I give orders!"

Starbuck talks, to Stubb and Flask, in arguing for mutiny, "It is our task in life to kill whales, to furnish oil for the lamps of the world. If we perform that task well and faithfully, we do a service to mankind that pleases Almighty God. Ahab would deny all that. He has taken us from the rich harvest we were reaping to satisfy his lust for vengeance. He is twisting that which is holy into something dark and purposeless. He is a Champion of Darkness. Ahab's red flag challenges the heavens." He reads from a book, "A captain who, from private motives, employs his vessel for another purpose from that intended by the owners, is answerable to the charge of usurpation, and his crew is morally and legally entitled to employ forceful means in wresting his command from him." The answer he gets back is the captain is the law. There will be no action taken to prevent the disaster that Ahab will commit. A fatal surrender to fatalism, a surrender of reason and justice to personal power.

Starbuck is the only one who opposes Ahab, in the novel (cf. chapters 36, 109) and the film; he thinks of shooting or arresting Ahab. He tries to convince others to take the ship home. Starbuck is unsuccessful.

Melville takes care in naming characters. There is a biblical overlay. Achab is the king of Israel that marries Jezabel. He opposes the prophets, especially Elias (Elijah).

And Achab the son of Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.— III Kings xvi. 30.
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.— I Kings xvi. 30 kjv

Now, Starbuck is a supporter of commerce, of the moneyed interests, that equates work (that creates wealth for others) that supplies a need as worthy of the praise of God. Ahab interferes with the primacy of commerce, and is therefore derelict. Ahab is a crazed tyrant. Starbuck does not oppose him for that essence, but for his blasphemy of capitalism. Ahab is the father of disaster, and should be opposed for it.

What makes Ahab an hero is that he is not a coward, he will act himself. The rest of the crew permits his misrule. Now, this is marvelous fiction. We live in reality. We suffer leaders, really suffer leaders, legitimate or not, whom lead us to disaster. They are unaccountable. They have support from the people they destroy. We see this in the country, at work, in the church and elsewhere.

"I don't give reasons. I give orders!" Ahab is nakedly honest, the usual tyrant of to-day is not so forthright. This sort of 'leader' needs to be opposed.

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead.

Before Ted Turner bought The Wizard of Oz, it was nationally broadcast yearly (once, twice). For a few years it was around St. Patrick's. At one time Danny Kaye served as host for the movie on Sunday nights, and a laundry powder company put one of eight puppets in their box of detergent. Dorothy, her dog, three friends and the witch were often reproduced.

It is a truly enjoyable film. It easily quotable, and its characters are iconic, and referential. America (the music group) had a line, "But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man, that he didn't, didn't already have." A Mike Myers skit on Saturday Night Live popularised a rude phrase about flying monkeys.

Many, many people have quoted lines, or made references, in everyday conversation, not everyone picks up on it. I have often been stiff, and squeaked, "oil can". There was a joke that Jerry Falwell clicked his heels and said, "There's no place like Rome."

It came from a novel (from Frank Baum) and the 1939 movie was a combined collaborative effort. It became the best known and loved american fairy tale.
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Munchkins: Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead. Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed. Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go, Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out. Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low. Let them know The Wicked Witch is dead!

Mayor: As Mayor of the Munchkin City, In the County of the Land of Oz, I welcome you most regally.

Barrister: But we've got to verify it legally, to see

Mayor: To see?

Barrister: If she

Mayor: If she?

Barrister: Is morally, ethic'lly

Father No.1: Spiritually, physically

Father No. 2: Positively, absolutely

Munchkins: Undeniably and reliably Dead

Coroner: As Coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her. And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead.

Mayor: Then this is a day of Independence For all the Munchkins and their descendants

Barrister: If any.

Mayor: Yes, let the joyous news be spread The wicked Old Witch at last is dead!

Cold Turkey

Slightly fortuitous confluence of unexpected disparate items is a multi-syllabic attempt to describe an instance of serendipity. I knew of an education professor about to retire, whose favorite concept was serendipity. Sometimes it is great, sometimes small.

Recently, i was channel surfing and came across the film, Cold Turkey, released in 1971 and filmed in '69. The scene i came upon was a hilariously tipsy Tom Poston,

My drinking is directly connected to my smoking. Now, when I say "directly", I mean there's a thing - a physical thing - that is directly connected from my liquor buds to the smoke pouch in my lungs. If you want me to quit smoking, you would have to cut - I mean, you'd have to physically cut that thing! And when you do, my head's gonna fall off! Do you understand, reverman? The booze bone's connected to the smoke bone. And the smoke bone's connected to the head bone. And that's the word of the lord!

being bullied by clergyman Dick Van Dyke. The cleric was going to beat Poston, because Poston could not stop smoking. Poston came to the solution of leaving town for the month of non-smoking.

The only hold outs left were the town's "Christopher Mott Society." Listening to their tenets, these were last generation's teabaggers. Their leader explains that he was not crazy enough to believe that Eisenhower was a communist. This was the John Birchers. Van Dyke converts their leader, Graham Jarvis. The Christopher Motts were quick to be deputy police. It was no time that the cigarette fanciers were equated with communists?

The cigaretteers were disgusting in the movie. At this time in real life, cigarette warnings were recently printed on packages, and commercials were to be banned on television. They still had their science and medical deniers, and aggressive lawyers. In the movie they had Bob Newhart.

The supporting actors were from All in the Family: the actors that were to be Edith Bunker, Frank Lorenzo, Fr. John Majeski, Mildred 'Boom-Boom' Turner. This was Norman Lear.

Several things unfold in the movie. There are a lot of actors, and a lot of implied commentary on society.

The character of the clergyman is disturbing. His dismissive treatment of his wife, when she sees calls him on the mischief he has let loose is wretched. He belittles her not as a spouse but as a pharisee caught red handed and verbally smotes her with his office. Now, Pippa Scott at a certain angle is an extra-ordinarily handsome woman. In most scenes she is silent, but speaking in her movements and expressions. Recently she has been involved in human rights documentaries. She is the only moral center in the movie.

The film's ending leaves three people shot and ignored, while President Nixon comes to town to announce the re-opening of the missile plant. Four huge smoke stacks becloud Grant Wood's Iowa. This is black satire, at times fantastically funny, but a bit short of a fully satisfying film.
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postscriptum: Cold Turkey is sponsored for the Thursday prior to US Thanksgiving. In 2010: 18 November.