Ghost in the Machine: Archived 6/22/00-7/5/00

Conjuring up Political, Cinematic, Cultural, and Athletic Arcana since the Final Days of the Last Century

7/5/00 - Per Matt's suggestion, I've gone ahead and (quickly) thrown together The Leaky Cauldron, a weblog dedicated to the further film and book adventures of Harry Potter. Check it out and, if you'd like to become a contributor, drop me a line.

Elaine's dream casting may come true: Word is Chris Noth, a.k.a. Det. Logan/Mr. Big, may replace Duchovny/Mulder as Scully's new partner.

Cate Blanchett talks Galadriel.

Michael Kinsley explores "the vast-right-wing conspiracy of silence" surrounding current Republican reaction to Dubya's attempt to grasp the center.

Well, that was the longest break I've taken from weblogging, and for that I apologize. It's been a hectic week of late, what with two more interviews for the job I discussed earlier (I should hear back today or tomorrow), the Fourth of July, the annual Carville Independence weekend picnic, and a visit from my brother and sister. At any rate, I'm back, and sorry for the delay.

James Fallows has a great piece in this month's Atlantic on Al Gore's debate descent from well-meaning pol to brazen, unscrupulous hack. He concludes that, "Having studied Al Gore's record in some detail, I now respect his capacities more and like him less." Moreover, Fallows concedes that the Veep's bruising debate style is clearly effective, "Gore is manifestly willing to lie for political convenience."

In the same issue of the Monthly, Elaine's former boss at CSPO, Dan Sarewitz, has an interesting piece on the myths and politics of global warming. It's a must-read for environmentalists, particularly those who insist that the causes and effects of global warming are no longer in question. Sarewitz argues ably that "environmentalists and scientists, in focusing their own, increasingly congruent interests in carbon-dioxide emissions, have framed the problem of global environmental protection in a way that can offer no realistic prospect of a solution." Instead, "Environmental prospects for the coming century depend far less on our strategies for reducing carbon-dioxide emissions than on our determination and ability to reduce human vulnerability to weather and climate."

My sister Gill and her boyfriend Ethan (late of Center Stage) are profiled as a "working couple" in this month's Glamour magazine (picture at left, text not available on Internet.)

"Vampire" rats terrorize the Lower East Side.

Caught The Perfect Storm and The Patriot this past holiday weekend. While the former definitely had its schmaltzy moments (particularly Clooney waxing poetic about the wondrous Gloucesterman life), I must say I enjoyed Storm, and found the special effects terrifying and terrific. As for Patriot, well...perhaps it's the History major in me, but I thought the one-sidedness of the tale to be unconscionable. As Salon pointed out in this article, the many atrocities committed by the oh-so-evil British cavalryman - while undoubtedly a fact of war everywhere - have little to do with British behavior during the Revolution. If anything, the atrocities depicted were closer to those committed by Francis Marion, patron saint of my hometown of Florence, SC (the Swamp Fox's old stomping grounds) and the blueprint for Mel Gibson's character.

Secondly, how can a movie purport to be so realistic as to show the type of noncombatant massacre that it does, and then be so glib as to pretend that blacks achieved their freedom in this conflict? Gibson is a member of the South Carolina legislature in good standing in 1776 and he paid his free black workers? Please. And then there's the poor slave who joins the rag-tag band of freedom fighters to win his own freedom. "Just two more months," he proclaims at one point. Yeah, give or take eighty-five years. The Patriot was ok for two hours of summer mindlessness, but as a war film for the ages it is way too hyperbolic and unnuanced to deserve anything but scorn.

Good news for Knicks fans (at least IMHO): Grant Hill is leaning toward the Magic.

6/29/00 - The teaser for next summer's Pearl Harbor - starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. - is now online (follow the link to News and New projects). I personally don't care much for Jerry Bruckheimer movies, and I think Michael Bay is a remarkably untalented hack who apparently suffers from severe ADD, but here it is nonetheless.

The ESPN No. 7 Train Survivor series is coming down to the wire.

Stealth PACS are (legally) history.

Joel Edgerton has been cast as "Uncle" Owen Lars in Episode II.

In honor of my sister-in-law, a course in Swedish cursing (via Cluttered via Zannah.)

Also through Cluttered/Zannah, real-life lightsabers for sale. How cool is that?

Kevin Smith is signed on to make Fletch Won. Apparently, the film will not star Chevy Chase in the title role, as Universal is "not in the Chevy Chase business anymore."

So the draft went down last night, and, put simply, I have a bad feeling about this. The Knicks draft Harvey as expected, then inexplicably trade him and underachiever PF John Wallace for Maverick SG Erick Strickland. Which means either Allan or Spree will almost definitely be traded. Which means Starks will not be re-signed. Which means we still have no frontcourt to speak of and we still can't board. A questionable move, to be sure.

As Aldridge predicted, the players' union is buying the CBA from Isaiah Thomas. Anything that goes against David Stern's plan for world domination is a good move in my mind.

6/28/00 - The Ocean's 11 remake cast fills out. With Soderbergh at the helm, it sounds like a doozy.

The NBA Draft is tonight, 7:30pm ET on TNT. A taste of things to come... In the meantime, David Aldridge has a great piece on the hidden CBA-NBA labor politics behind David Stern's decision to make Isaiah Thomas sell the CBA before he coaches Indiana.

Sam Neill will return in Jurassic Park 3. Payin' the bills, no doubt.

Episode II shooting begins.

Preventive Asteroid mapping.

The Medicare prescription drug benefit wars heat up. It sickens me to watch both parties prostrating themselves before the AARP, the most-powerful lobby in America protecting the wealthiest age group in America. Could you imagine both parties wrangling to get the upper hand on eliminating child poverty?

I'm currently waiting to hear back on a very choice position I interviewed for yesterday morning. Having not interviewed for anything in several years, my skills were definitely off. But we'll see how things pan out...hopefully, this'll be the one.

My 'rents and Tessa are stopping by tonight on their way up to see Gillian dance this weekend, so as you can imagine the day has been spent in a flurry of cleaning. Dust, dust everywhere!

6/27/00 - It's official. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is indeed the title of the new tome, due out next week.

Tractor to the Cavs? The Gatling Gun to the Heat? A day before the 2000 NBA Draft, the off-season trades begin. Early reports indicate that the Knicks are looking to take fierce Florida freshman Donnell Harvey in the first round tomorrow to shore up the rebounding and take away Kurt Thomas's negotiating edge.

Colin Powell on the GOP: "I think too often the Republican Party has said, 'We know what's best for you,' as opposed to listening to the African-American community, understanding some of the despair that exists in the African-American inner-city communities...It is certainly not seen as the black guy's party." In related news, I wonder how the GOP stalwarts feel about Dubya claiming to be a "different kind of Republican."

The cop who held down Abner Louima gets 15 years. If you ask me, he should have gotten Life. What a scumbag.

Newt gets a wooden spoon.

Nader calls for a "Marshall Plan for Children" and lambasts "Corporate Medicine."

Another take on "American Skin (41 Shots.)"

Lake Effect sends along this column on e-mail header shenanigans, a day after I received some spam that was theoretically sent by me. Grrr...

The Foopster returns from his post-Blogathon recuperation with Newsleek and Blog Party. Excellent news. In a related story, Neale is now chronicling the Dark Ages.

The US finally takes a step towards lifting the embargo on Cuba. At least the Elian saga was good for something.

6/26/00 - So long, Jayson Williams. New Jersey's gregarious center calls it quits. While it's always sad to see a relatively young player not able to recover from an injury, the Nets must be salivating at the new cap room.

I do declare, these tourists are ruining the good name of the city of Chahleston.

Is it Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

Another Lord of the Rings promotional poster makes its way out of Mordor. Meanwhile, some hardcore fans - including possibly Tolkien's son - get up in arms over a possible expansion of Lady Arwen's role. Arwen, played by Liv Tyler in the forthcoming trilogy, may be expanded from a role player to a major character, love interest, and possibly (tho' I doubt it) even a member of the Fellowship. I've also heard word (though it too may be speculation) that she will replace Glorfindel as the emissary of Elrond who meets Strider and the hobbits outside the Ford of Rivendell, just before the full complement of Ringwraiths attack.

I forgot to mention earlier that Elaine and I went to the DC Improv Saturday night and saw Mitch Hedberg's act. Sort of a Stoner Steven Wright, and, all in all, pretty funny. I almost gagged when I discovered that the house whiskey sours are 95% sour mix, though. You'd think a comedy bar would serve stiffer drinks.

As production begins today, eight new Australian actors and actresses are added to the Episode II roster. Also rumored to be joining the cast is Temuera Morrison, best known to American audiences for Once Were Warriors. In other Episode 2 news, is this fellow to the right a Cloning Operator? Or is he just an Imperial ping-pong hustler?

Nader gets the nod and hits the ground running. As Jim Hightower put it, "Election 2000 just got hotter than high school love."

Good news in the old country: the IRA plays ball.

Miranda lives on. Once again, Scalia and Thomas dissent.

It's official. The map of the human gene is basically complete.

6/24/00 - You know, in terms of kitsch postcards, you just can't beat Dogs Playing Poker.

6/23/00 - Fetch Monster gets a reprieve. I'm surprised Ditka hadn't already fired her as a scapegoat before they kicked him to the curb.

Harry v. Film Threat, Part Deux.

Tip's had his run, and now Phife the Five-Foot Assassin also emerges from the ashes of the Tribe. Of the two, I can never decide whose flow I like better. The Abstract has that signature down-tempo, laid-back delivery, but Phife's rhymes are usually better. Either way, I'm looking forward to this one.

Robert Wright wonders aloud about the terrorism capabilities of unrestricted GPS access. Elsewhere in Slate, Saletan and Weisberg deconstruct the new DNC-paid Gore ad:The audio track consists entirely of Reaganesque orchestral music and the indescribably beautiful sound of Al Gore not speaking.

Spinning Jenny is the most recent blog to join the Weblog Color Wheel (and she's yellow). Are you listed?

New look at Fiendish Thingy. Beware the bear.

Salon examines further the ONDCP-DoubleClick connection.

More good news from the World of Science: After ten years of sequencing, the Human Genome Project reaches completion.

Dark Knight and Year One scribe Frank Miller may be helping Pi director Darren Aronofosky with the next Batman film. Excellent news for a battered franchise.

6/22/00 - Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football? It's official. I'm definitely curious to see how this selection will pan out.

M. Night Shyamalan, writer-director of The Sixth Sense, is apparently scribing Indiana Jones 4 for Spielberg.

Berkeley's career is getting off the ground...(at left). Elaine and I saw the Winona Ryder version on DVD the other night, and I was unimpressed, mainly as I couldn't discern any illness-to-wellness arc in the Kaysen character (Elaine says the book is much better, tho.)

Hoffa and the AFL-CIO want Nader and Buchanan in the debates. Honestly, I don't see any way the two major parties would include these two. Nader would cause a major stir with his "Pox on both your Houses" bit, and Buchanan, with his finely honed Crossfire skills, has the Alan Keyes knack of making the ludicrous sound innocuous. Both of 'em would make the Favorite Sons look ridiculous.

Dubya extends his lead.

More on Martian water, the discovery that made my week,, including the full report from Science Magazine.

Another dot.com reality check: The dismal economics of Salon.

English magazine editors ban anorexic models. David Kelley, take note.

X-Men Sims Skins are available, if you so desire.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to return in Terminator 3 in 2002. Why he would move forward on such a project without James Cameron is beyond me.

The long and sordid story of Civilization's war on constipation.

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