Thoughts that I Think : Breaking Bad

*spoilers a-plenty!

Creator Vince Gilligan always described the show as taking Mr. Chips and turning him into Scarface. At first it was hard to imagine him pulling it off, especially with the mild-mannered Walter White played by Bryan Cranston who was best known for the bumbling dad on Malcolm in the Middle.

Yet here we are, five episodes into the final season and the Scarface persona looms large in Walter. The season even opens with him acquiring a large gun, not unlike the one that Tony Montana wields in his final moments.

Could we actually get an epic shootout like in the movie? Did Gilligan actually really mean it when he referenced Scarface?

If so, who will be the one to assume the role of the assassin to shoot White in the back? At this point, it could be any one of the supporting cast and it would be perfectly apt. Will it be Pinkman, his manipulated partner? Or Skyler, the estranged wife? Or Hank, the DEA agent and brother-in-law? Hell, I even see Walter Jr pulling the trigger and feeling that it would make sense.

What everyone seems to be eagerly anticipating is what ultimately happens to Walter White by the finale.

But what happens to Jesse Pinkman?

Jesse's evolution in the series has been quite remarkable. We first view him as the bad guy who allows Walt into this horrible world. But over the seasons, our sympathies have shifted away from Walt and towards Jesse who really is a compassionate, innocent guy. He's had to do horrible things, but he's also suffered greatly because of them, which is something that Walt doesn't seem to feel.

This season's premiere had Jesse come up with the Magnet Plan to solve their momentary problem. Then came the great train heist which was also Jesse's idea. At this point, he's still trying to do things without hurting or killing anyone. But in the end, someone... an innocent boy, gets killed.

The scene of him coming up with the train idea reminded me of the scene in The Godfather when the brothers are arguing what to do about the rival mobster and crooked cop. Michael is mocked at first but then the camera pulls in closer as he describes his plan. I saw the same effect in Breaking Bad.

The creators have been transparent about White becoming Scarface. But are they also setting up Pinkman to be Michael Corleone? A good natured man who inevitably gets pulled into a dirty business.  Will he end up losing everything and everyone he loves and wind up doing horrible things? It would be a tragic turn for a good person, which is what made The Godfather so compelling.

This season's promotions show Walt and the line "All Hail the King." I wouldn't be surprised if somehow Walt gets offed Sonny or Scarface style and the king turns out to be Jesse, the reluctant Godfather. However it turns out, I can't wait to see what happens.

You're Standing on My Neck: An Analysis of Daria (Part 2)

I covered some stuff in Part 1, now here's some more stuff.

One of the main draws of the show, even today, is it's mantra that nothing and no one is perfect. The world is not black and white but shades of grey, and Daria tackled that head on.

JODIE

An instance of the show's pioneering is its handling of African Americans. Mack was on the football team, but he was nowhere as idiotic as Kevin. In fact, he barely tolerated Kevin's presence and knew when the jokes were on Kevin. Jodie was just as smart as Daria but also popular and driven. Eventual valedictorian and prom queen, Jodi may have been the ultimate idealized person of the show, even more so than Daria. Jodie's parents were also shown as dedicated, successful adults to the envy of Daria's father, Jake.

In Jodie, the writers masterfully created a depth to a show about a smart kid in a modern setting. Daria was always the show's heroine, but Jodie was proof that being smart didn't exclusively mean that one was an outcast. Jodie was an intellectual equal, but was also much more pragmatic. She knew how to play nice with others, while Daria was morally unbending.

In the Season 2 premiere, Arts N Crass, Daria and Jane found themselves in a situation where their views were compromised by the teachers. As a result, they resorted to an extreme solution of sabotaging their own work. It's easy to wonder how Jodie would've handled the dilemma and predict that it would've been much less confrontational.

The Season 4 premiere, Partner's Complaint took the Jodie and Daria's relationship head-on. A class assignment resulted in a moral problem and forced them to confront their stylistic differences. Intellect was not the issue, but rather how to handle themselves in a nuanced situation. It was a great example that the show realized that the world isn't full of absolutes; that no one way is ever perfect.

So the series had a very enlightened view of African Americans, but as an Asian American, I took particular enjoyment out of its unconventionally wry take on my culture. Tiffany was undoubtedly the dumbest member of the Fashion Club, to the point of barely literate. And the principle, Ms Li was unfailingly morally bankrupt, usually invoking activities that were ultimately for her own glorification and self-benefit.

IMPERFECTION

What was most impressive to me about the series was that it never shied away from the idea that nothing is perfect. Daria might have mainly been about how high school was a torturous experience, but nothing was immune from being placed under the show's microscope.

The parents, while usually well-meaning, were usually clueless. The teachers usually came under the harshest criticism. Mr O'Neill embodied a modern educator who tried to be sensitive to his students' feelings but usually ended up wildly mis-interpreting them and making matters worse than before. Mr DeMartino was a more straight-laced portrait of a teacher but was so ground down by the inept students that his only coping mechanism to his misery was anger. Ms Li was already touched upon earlier. Mrs DeFoe, the art teacher was closest to a competent, encouraging figure for Jane but usually lacked enough insight to read into what Jane was thinking. Ms Barch was the hyperbolized feminist and was used to mostly comedic effects.

Even the cool kids were not ideal. Take the quintessentially hip, Trent. Even his worshipper, Daria saw the shortcomings of a guy without any ambition and the inability to be responsible. Despite that, I wished I was more like Trent. Probably because I was more like Upchuck in high school, though less creepily lecherous and more cluelessly shy.

It's easy to see that the basic premise of the series was that Daria was an outsider and thus "imperfect" in the eyes of normal society. Further, it's interesting to realize that even through the lens of the show which was always on Daria's side, that we could see her faults. Yes, she was a brain which casts her out from others, but in more cases her moral code caused more of the conflict than straight-up intelligence.

Of course there's also the instance of her stealing Tom away from Jane, which was a bold move to put the show's heroine in that position. Again, I initially saw this as a distraction from what the show was about, but now I think it was a perfect and natural path that Daria went on. With this upheaval, Jane and Daria's friendship was no longer out of convenience or adolescent playing. It suddenly became very adult and very real. They had to face this issue and purposefully decide to stay friends. It showed that no friendship, even true pairings of kindredness, is immune to scarring. And that a lasting friendship isn't automatic.

Aunt Amy made a few appearances throughout the series, usually to provide adult support to Daria in times of distress. Thus, we were set up to see her as a perfected, future version of Daria. Amy had overcome whatever obstacles were in her adolescent youth to become a confident, successful adult which is what we want for Daria. Yet even Amy felt the sting of imperfection in Aunt Nauseam when instead of coming to the rescue, she fell into sibling squabbling like everyone else.

Flaws weren't confined to individuals but entire groups and institutions. Almost every business, from the Mall of the Millennium to the local banks, showed signs of corruption. College students were portrayed as the same slackers as in high school, showing that graduating from Lawndale wasn't going to be the end of anyone's problems. In Is It Fall Yet? Jane attends an art camp which should've been a haven for her. Yet she quickly discovers that even artists are not immune to social flaws.

FAILURE

Failure permeated the show on a variety of levels: the failure of parents to effectively connect to their kids, the failure of high school teachers in just about every way, Jake's professional floundering.

Most importantly, the show embraced the idea of making Daria fail on more than one occasion. In The Story of D, Daria is encouraged to submit a short story to a literary magazine and faces rejection. The result crushes Daria's sense of self, since writing was one of the few pillars of strength that she had always clung to. Further, as graduation loomed in the finale, Daria found out she wasn't accepted into the prestigious Bromwell, hinting it was due not lack of grades but a less than engaging personality.

There's the saying that you learn more by failing than by succeeding. And certainly no one, no matter how talented or intelligent can win everything. Daria certainly wavered when she failed but it was important to showed that she survived.

I remember their portrayal of Daria as imperfect being very significant to me. Here was a character we were supposed to relate to and cheer for. And here the show writers were saying that it was okay to fail and to be wrong.

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I'm sure I could keep going but I think I'll let that sink in for now.

You're Standing on My Neck: An Analysis of Daria (Part 1)

Recently, I've rediscovered a show from my youth, Daria. I'm still amazed at the wealth the show had to offer and have been thinking about its impact. A marathon viewing of every episode reminded me why I always admired the series while also unearthing a few new observations that I missed before.

RECOLLECTION

Looking back, it still seems revolutionary and unique in its handling of high school life. Though I was surprised at a some things that I incorrectly remembered. For one, I thought the show debuted in the heyday of the Alternative uprising; as MTV's voice which spoke out against the hollow offerings of shows like Beverly Hills 90210. However, the show actually aired in the tail-end of the 90s and into the early 2000s when MTV had already steered head-first into the squealing mainstream of TRL and Britney Spears. Then again, maybe that helps prove that the show was so special. The Alternative movement was already dying from the inside out from corporate corruption and Teeny Pop was already surging into all facets of media. In effect, Daria was the last of the breed, and MTV's final gesture of authenticity.

As an outsider, I definitely grew an instant attachment to the show.

What made the show truly original was that it spoke to and about a group of kids that usually wasn't given much focus in media. If they were portrayed, usually it was in the form of a background weirdo or misfit side-character. In Daria, the spotlight wasn't on the typical kids who were well-adjusted, popular, and sporty. In fact, the show was a shot across the bow to the "normal" types. They were still the popular ones in class. But now they were the butt of the jokes.

Daria proved that there was an audience that had been untapped. Thus paving the way for future misfit shows like Freaks and Geeks, and the basic acceptance (and celebration) of nerd culture so prevalent today.

Seeing the series again as an older person also highlighted some aspects that may have been more about adults writing for teens. Why were they so into pizza? They were teenagers, not ninja turtles. Yeah I remember liking pizza and it was a treat to eat a slice or two, but it was never the singular dietary obsession.

And the series tended to overlook the sillier aspects of teenage life. It's a period where we transition out of childhood and there are still remnants of goofiness that permeate in everyday life. Teen viewers probably aspire to how adult the characters were all the time, but I think an occasional sprinkling of pure joyousness once in a while would've done the show some good.

Those are minor quibbles though to a show that was supremely adept at getting into the mindset of a person in their teens.

MATURITY

The show probably provided a strong voice for young women, but I think it also spoke well to any teen who felt like an outsider. What helped is that the show handled itself maturely and never pandered or talked down to its audience.

On the surface, Daria seemed to just be about archetypes and jokes about all those archetypes. Quinn was the pretty and popular child, Brittany was the well-endowed, vapid cheerleader, Kevin was the moronic jock, Jane was the artsy alt-girl, and Daria was the isolated brainiac.

While those characters were a fertile playground of jokes, the show was not afraid to tackle serious issues. The Season 1 finale, Misery Chick dealt with the aftermath of a death. The range of confusion and guilt experienced by various characters showed a depth of subtlety that is rarely found in a TV show, let alone a cartoon.

The last two seasons of the show introduced Tom as a romantic element to Jane and eventually Daria. At the time, I decried his addition as a misstep, turning an atypical show into just more trite teeny bopper pandering of girls fighting over boys. But upon a recent viewing of the entire series, it made much more sense. And the Tom story was less pervasive through the show than I recall. There were still plenty of episodes that didn't deal with him at all.

Storywise, Tom was another way for the show to deal with a heavy issue in the lives of teens and portray the complexity of what happens between friends when love gets in the way. Daria and Jane's friendship was the bedrock of the series and it was a bold move for the creators to shake that up. It demonstrated that the show was willing to grow along with its audience. Whereas other cartoons and shows are content with the infinite loop of high school life in their universes, Daria evolved past "Hey our classmates are so dumb" and into issues like relationships and what to do with your life as college and adulthood loom on the horizon.

Examples of growth also occurred with Quinn in the movie between seasons 4 and 5. After years of treating boys as disposable playthings, Quinn feels the pangs of infatuation… to a boy with a brain. His eventual rejection makes her take stock of her position and see value her own intelligence.

Stacy was an unlikely instance of growth in the end of the series span. Arguably the most fragile member of the Fashion Club, she eventually rebelled against the group's ideals by being Upchuck's magic assistant, and in the movie finale, she was the death knell for the club by standing up to Sandi's list of demands.

Lest the show be seen as too morally heavy, there were for sure, moments of mockery that the series never strayed from. Kevin was always a buffoon, Sandi was an ice queen, and Jane was always a cool customer.

JANE

What's interesting is that within minutes of the first episode, Daria found a kindred spirit in another student, Jane. I'm sure logistically, the show needed a companion to Daria otherwise there wouldn't be a whole lot of dialogue for the show. That aside, it was a good sign to us all that even the most alienated person could find someone to relate to.

The amazing thing is that the creators didn't set out to find an intellectual equal to Daria (that would come later with Jodie) but someone who had a similar personality yet qualities that set her apart. Artsy and cool, Jane was even allowed to venture into un-Daria-esque territory like enjoying a physical activity like jogging. It's easy to imagine that before Daria transferred to Lawndale, Jane coped quite well on her own.

In Jane, the writers were allowed to play with insecurities that probably wouldn't be applicable to Daria. Jane in a period of self-doubt actually tried out for the cheerleading squad. In an effort to make money, she momentarily sold-out and flailed creatively.

FAMILY

One of the most important aspects of the show was the family environment. Interestingly, the show kept Daria in a relatively stable household. While certainly dysfunctional, the parents were still together and accessible to their kids.

Jake, the father, was without question a neurotic, hapless dad who had his own father issues. But he never purposely veered away from wanting the best for his wife and kids.

Helen, the workaholic mother would always begin a scene as distracted and disengaged, though eventually had keen insight on what was going on with the girls and usually gave Daria poignant advice on her problems.

Quinn (clever play on "Queen") was predominantly used as a foil for Daria a majority of the time. Though whenever a drastic upheaval would occur that would shake up her orderly world (ie. the threat of divorce between the parents or the rejection of a boy she actually liked), Quinn would show that she was a loyal and loving sister.

In this light, the show actually portrays a pretty healthy and optimistic view of a modern family. More-so than viewers would expect.

Despite the underlying normality of the family, the series utilized a wealth of humor and story out of the roles of the shallow sister and the out of touch parents. This is where the show's Anti-Adult policy usually rears its head. The parents, and the teachers, were adults, and Daria was very clear about marking them as The Enemy.

Maybe viewing the episodes as a much older person is giving me a slanted view, but I never recall being a teen and observing grown ups as such opposition. Sure teens go through angst and rebelliousness, but I never recoiled at my parents or any adult who showed genuine care and desire to help me. This was one of the few hard-lined stances in Daria, which is surprising given the amazing sensitivity and insight the show normally had on key issues of youth. Even the few instances when Daria would recognize that her parents were helpful, her gratitude would be uttered in reluctant mumbling. And her parents would react in shocked disbelief.

Perhaps not totally unaware of their maintaining the nuclear family status, the show creators placed Jane's family in direct opposition to Daria's. The parents were unresponsive, if they were around at all. Here, the show seemed to take a stance of Nature over Nurture. After all, Jane is just as well-developed as Daria as far as personality and sense of self worth, even without a family like Daria's. However the show rarely dove into Jane's family life other than as a joke. I honestly didn't recall ever seeing her parents' faces, making them spiritual successors to Charlie Brown's teachers and parents. But in the 3rd season episode, Lane Miserables, we get a view of the Lane family coming back to the house, and Jane and Trent's reaction is that they just want them to go away again.

By the way, how amazing is it that one of the Lanes is named Penny?

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In Part 2, I hope to focus more on themes of imperfection.

No more Reading Rainbow!

I'm extremely sad to hear that after 25 years, Reading Rainbow is going off the air. Like the passing of Mr. Rogers, a part of my childhood is gone.

Wholesome and unassuming, the show was a complete antithesis to today's prototypical programming which usually has to have some sort of hook or attitude. But I recall even years (or decades ago) when watching, I sensed that it didn't try to have any kind of edge or gimmick to compete with Sesame Street or other shows.

I had heard years ago that the show was in danger of being cancelled and LeVar Burton begged and pleaded for funding. I feel such disappointment for the passing of a great program that fostered a love for reading. I'm sad not just for my own sense of nostalgia but for the kids today who are going to miss out.

And who's mind wasn't blown when you first saw LeVar in a Star Trek uniform?

TV

An area where I’m probably not ashamed of saying that I haven’t had too much exposure in lately...

Lost
I just want this series to be over, and with some sense of satisfaction. My roommate sat in on one episode and said “Oh! This is THE episode about the plane crash. Cool.” And I had to explain “Um... No, this is ANOTHER plane that all the main characters get on, that is going to crash. On the same island. And there’s time travel. And unexplained ghosts/appearances of characters.” It’s a show that’s managed to pile on the crazy just slow enough to not make it noticeable until you sit up and recount everything that’s happened. Sigh, only one season left, I can make it.

Mad Men
The most highly praised show in recent history among my friends. I have to say that the accolades probably sullied my opinion of the show. The bar was just set too high. Being a part of the advertising world is a double-edged sword for me. In some ways, I like that a show is giving exposure to things that I do, and yet, I felt somewhat insulted by the lack of effort at their jobs. In the pilot episode, the main character at the last second comes up with the entire ad campaign, pulling ideas out of his ass. Okay, so sometimes inspiration hits you like a lightning bolt, but I would’ve rather the world see how much thought and effort goes into coming up with solutions for clients. I guess the argument is that that doesn’t exactly make for exciting television. And the blatant sexism and racism in the show is somewhat off-putting. I know it’s a reflection of the era, but it’s such a heavy element of the show that it seems glorified. I gotta say though, that I love the ties and suits. We lost something in the times of polo shirts and khakis.

Strangers with Candy
A friend let me borrow her DVD collection and I have to say that this show is brilliant. I admit that I didn’t pay attention to the show when it aired, I’d like to say mainly because TV just wasn’t my focus at the time. But I probably wouldn’t have fully appreciated what the show was about. A dark satire way before it became the accepted norm, this show is still surprisingly cutting and off-beat. Genius is never understood in it’s day.

The Office
What can I say, I still love this show. No, it doesn’t seem as fresh as it did a few years ago and probably gets overshadowed by the brilliant 30 Rock, but I have such a soft spot for The Office and can’t fully explain why. I recently viewed the BBC version again and noticed how the NBC show has migrated so far from it over the years. Most noticeable is how more vibrant the color palate has become and the characters more joyous. The stories have gotten more sitcom-y and outrageous, which is disappointing, and the monotony of work that pervaded through the BBC version is lost. You don’t get cutaways to fax machines and people simply working anymore and I miss that. But the writing and humor are still top-notch, if not in an altered way. I’m a fan of the Jim and Pam characters, even though they’re more tailored to the safe, wholesome ideals of American television heroes. I’m impressed that the writers have managed to maintain the interest of the relationship long after the “will they, wont they” tension that most shows live and die by. Equally admirable is the show’s history of never being afraid to shake things up. Placing Jim out of the office in Season 3 was a bold, risky move and it’s hard to imagine many other shows with the guts to make it happen. The show generally pulls back into the status quo, but I’m interested in seeing where they put Pam in the next season. Plus, Jenna Fischer is just so hot.

Fleet Foxes on SNL

I have mixed feelings about the boys appearing on SNL, but love that they played Mykonos.

Addicted to drug(shows)

I’m deeply entrenched in HBO’s The Wire. I’ve just finished the third season which isn’t too bad since I started a few months ago. I’ve been trying to plow through the series as quickly as possible, which isn’t to say I’m not enjoying the story. In actuality, the show is as engrossing and impressive as the accolades would have you believe.

It’s just that I feel as if my free time is scarce as it is. I haven’t even tried to add up how much time five seasons of an hour-long show is consuming out of my life, and it’s probably best not to know.

Also, I learned my lesson with The Sopranos which I watched at a leisurely pace of years in between episodes. Needless to say I was lost as to what was happening several times. “Wait, I thought that chick was whacked last season!” “When did that guy get made??”

Last week, I noticed that one of my roommates had purchased the first season of Weeds and left it in the living room for us roommates to watch. Naturally, I need another television show to occupy my time. After viewing a few episodes, I noticed how jarring it was to go from one drug show, The Wire to another, whose tone and viewpoint was in such contrast. The Wire is all about an unflinching depiction of the misery and corruption within the ecosphere of drugs, where even the good guys are flawed and capable of evil things. Weeds goes about drugs in a much more saccharine and light-hearted way. Addicts are friendly, successful family guys; rival dealers “threaten” each other by dinging cars with pennies; and the drug suppliers offer fresh baked cookies.

I find the contrasts enthralling. I noticed a similar relationship in movies like The Matrix which treat guns in a nonchalant manner. Throughout the movie, bullets are whizzing by, guns are whipped out and discarded, people are blown to bits, and we the viewers watch with giddy amazement. Then, a movie like American Beauty will feature a single gun, fired once, and the gravitas of it deeply affects all of the characters in the story. It’s amazing how people are able to take similar subjects and wield them in drastically different ways.


Back to The Wire, which benefitted from my trip back to my parents’ house for the holidays. I was able to sit through a pile of episodes in those few days. My parents even sat down to see what the buzz was all about. My dad, having missed out on the first 25 episodes was completely lost. Through him, I realized that over the course of the series, the character roster had grown to easily over 20 and plot threads dated back to the very first episode. The Wire is definitely not a show you can just casually watch, which while is more demanding on the viewer, also results in richer payoffs in the story.

My mom’s reaction was much more interesting. She pointed out how everyone is bad, and the whole story is so bleak. Why would people want to watch such a depressing show? Why don’t people like happy stories that make them feel good? I sort of laughed it off, but she has a point. Why are we so much more interested in drama and conflict? Shakespearean tragedies, unrequited love, depictions of war... We can’t get enough.

I’m thinking, who wants to watch happy people in love? Everyone hates seeing people like that. Look at all the shows that got dull and unpopular after their leads got together (also known as the Moonlighting effect, or for us younger people maybe the X-files effect). The only show that seems to be capable of bucking that trend is The Office, and even then, it’s being treated very gingerly and Jim and Pam have been pushed to the background much more than in previous seasons.

Still, I don’t think we’re always just focused on the bad, horrible things. There are plenty of happy, feel-good love stories out there. I consider myself a romantic most of the times. But damned if I don’t enjoy a good story of suffering. The Godfather and it’s epic demise of Michael Corleone’s soul? So great.

For now, I’m trying to end the run of The Wire soon. I’m expecting amazing things. Terrible, awful things. But amazing nonetheless.

Family Feud (Election ‘08 edition)

This upcoming Presidential election is definitely one for the history books. Case in point, I sent an email out to my family to make sure everyone’s safe from the imminent hurricane off the coast of Texas and it quickly turns into a political debate.

It’s a good look into opposing views, which I have had a hard time gauging in New York. I’m presenting the entire email chain here, not to ridicule anyone or push one candidate over the other, but to offer a glimpse into what’s driving some people to make their choice.

To protect my family's anonymity, I replaced everyone’s name with characters from The Office. The names are randomly selected so don’t try to read into any meaning behind why I picked who. (I’m Toby, by the way.)

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 9:04 AM
Subject: Everyone safe?

Just wanted to know if everyone is out of harm’s way, especially any family members in Houston.


Also, a glimpse at who could be our VP... (it’s pronounced “nu-cle-ar” not “nu-cu-lar”)
http://gawker.com/5048884/worst-of-sarah-palins-first-interview

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 9:31 AM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

Phyllis called Jan and she said that Michael doesn’t want to evacuate because he still have some business meeting at TI. I really don’t get it.

Are you not a Palin supporter?? did you hear her said Nu-cu-lar? I can’t really tell. may it is just an Alaskan’s accent

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 9:44 AM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?


My friend Dwight isn’t evacuating either. What the heck? It’s a freaking hurricane!

Only if Incorrect is a regional accent of Alaska. Ok, I’m picking on Palin, but I’m more concerned about her not even knowing what the Bush Doctrine is. I think a potential Vice President (and possible President if McCain kicks the bucket) should be a bit more informed on current political policies.

That’s just me.

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From: Oscar
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 9:45 AM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

Go Obama!

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:01 AM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

Ok!! what does Obama know??? Everybody can said “CHANGE” Even Andy and Ryan when they were 2 yrs old and got a dirty diaper

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

Analyzing “change” as per specific policy topics:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10398518

“Change” as per Obama’s overall political ideology:
http://runningforamerica.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-does-obama-mean-by-change.html

Comparing Obama and McCain’s stances on each issue:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/

Obama’s DNC speech transcript:
http://www.demconvention.com/barack-obama/

If you’re inclined to find out really indepth (I let Jim borrow this, ask him if you want his take):
http://www.amazon.com/Audacity-Hope-Thoughts-Reclaiming-American/dp/0307455874/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221231830&sr=8-1

What stood out in Obama’s speech for me in particular was his proposal for us to become totally 100% independent from the Middle East in 10 years. That’s a bold, ambitious, TANGIBLE stance he just made. But it’s similar to JFK’s goal to land on the moon before the end of the decade in the 60’s. It seemed impossible at the time, but he set the bar and sometimes you need a definitive deadline to propel you to achieve something. And Obama’s plan doesn’t include raping the natural wildlife refuge in Alaska for a 9 month supply of oil.

Oil and energy have been dictating our foreign policy for way too long. It’s a main cause for why the entire Middle East hates us, why we have to succumb to whatever Saudi Arabia wants, why automakers can’t put out a completely gas-independent vehicle. Even though GM successfully created a viable, economic, 100% electric car YEARS AGO. ( http://www.amazon.com/Who-Killed-Electric-Martin-Sheen/dp/B000I5Y8FU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1221233081&sr=8-1 – watch and be appalled.)

Look, each politician will spew out rhetoric and every news agency will be slanted. Look at both sides and judge for yourself.


Love,
Toby

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:22 PM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

Obama is wishy washy on several issues.

Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Would suspend buying oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Said during an August 4, 2008, speech that the U.S. should sell 70 million barrels of oil from the reserve for less expensive crude oil. Earlier this year, Obama said he did not think the country should use the strategic oil reserves “at this point.” He said on July 7: “I have said and, in fact, supported a congressional resolution that said we should suspend putting more oil into the strategic oil reserve, but the strategic oil reserve I think has to be reserved for a genuine emergency.”

Offshore drilling
Previously was against lifting federal government restrictions on offshore drilling, but appeared to modify his position in an August 1 statement that supported a bipartisan legislative effort that would expand offshore oil drilling. Part of the statement read: “I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact.”

I see a lot of big empty promises that sounded good but I think will NEVER materialize.

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

No denying that Obama has shifted his stance on issues, but McCain’s no saint on flip-flopping either:
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/flipflops

Pot calling the kettle black.

It’s partly the nature of politicians to shift their views, whether it’s for good reasons (like having new insight or information that they previously didn’t) or for less virtuous reasons like to appease fickle voters and constituents.

A strong, decisive leader is great, but it’d also be nice to have someone who could rectify a mistake instead of plowing ahead without acknowledging that he/she was wrong (a la Bush and WMDs).

Stanley, sounds like you’re pretty much pro-McCain, which I’m fine with if you’re informed and making a decision on what you think.

Everyone of us should vote. Just please don’t vote based on superficial issues like b/c Obama’s black, Palin’s a woman or McCain’s a vet.

I personally am willing to take a chance on “change” in a spirit of optimism that hasn’t been portrayed in politics in so very long. I’m not saying that Obama couldn’t be a spectacular disaster. But after what we’ve had with Bush, I’m willing to take a gamble. Maybe it’s because I’m younger and don’t have a family to support; I can be a bit more reckless with my views. But this country was not born out of “playing it safe”. Men like Abraham Lincoln, Ted Roosevelt, JFK would’ve never had a chance in the White House if people didn’t have hope.

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From: Creed
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

i believe this Great Country is run by a bunch of IDIOTS, not PATRIOTS they say anything to get your votes

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From: Jim
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

Jan told Pam last night that they were going to ride out the storm. If you ask me, it’s too big a risk to take (Katrina was a good lesson).

As for my political view, my military background might be bias but I am pro-McCain (Toby and I already had lengthy discussion about our candidates. I told Toby that Obama is an excellent speaker but he has not really done anything that shows he’s ready for the job. The economy has up and down cycles, so my real concern is terrorism which can turn this country up side down. I don’t think Obama is up to the task. Sarah Palin brings a breath of fresh air to the good-old-boy, business-as-usual Washington. She said in her interview energy independent will make our country safer and more prosperous; I couldn’t agree more. That said, vote for what you believe in.
May the best team win in November. Good to the see the enthusiasm about the future of this country.

You all have a nice weekend and check on Jan.

Love,

Jim

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 2:34 PM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

I just don’t see how a person without much experience in the political scene can do what he said he going to do. Does he realized that what he said in the White House if he get elected won’t be the final words? Again, What have Obama done to prove that he can lead this country? If you said that he has aides or advisors than all he is is a puppet.

Just because Bush is a screw-up doesn’t make McCain one and Obama is playing that card to get more votes.

McCain has more grit than Bush will ever dream of having any at all.

Like you said, vote for who you think is best for the country...do your research.

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

If McCain has such a lack of faith in politicians who lack experience, he shouldn’t have nominated Palin as a running mate. There’s no proof that McCain would be any more effective in pushing his agendas through the legislature any more than Obama. Abraham Lincoln took office with roughly the same amount of “experience” as Obama and he fared pretty well under arguably more dire circumstances. Not trying to directly compare Obama to Lincoln, just trying to illustrate that we really don’t know how anyone will deal with the immense pressures of such a strenuous job like the Commander in Chief. McCain could also fold under the burden. I can’t predict that for sure, no one can.

As for advisors, where are the accusations that Obama would become a puppet to them? Again, I’ll reference Lincoln, because he’s a hero of mine and I’ve done a fair amount of reading on him. Lincoln’s cabinet was comprised of more experienced, more popular, more educated politicians who each believed that they could eventually mold him to their own agendas. What happened was they ended up respecting Lincoln and working towards the same, unselfish goal of preserving the country. If you were in a leadership position, wouldn’t you seek out the most intelligent, qualified people to advise you? Or would you appoint yes-men who’s only job is to smile and nod at whatever you say?

Biden was a shrewd move for Obama because Biden is a seasoned senator who HEADS the Foreign Relations Committee and shores up areas that are perceived weaknesses in Obamas resume. Palin offers nothing in experience and her views mirror McCain’s own, thus offering nothing to round out his administration’s ideology.

Uncle Creed is right that they’ll say ridiculous things and slander the opponents (short of accusing the other of eating babies) in order to get in office. They’ve laid out many lofty ideas, and there’s no realistic way they could achieve all of them. But those ideas are a starting place, and my views align more closely with Obama’s, particularly an aggressive reform on our energy policy.

I never made a direct correlation of McCain to Bush. I don’t think it’s a valid argument. I agree McCain has more grit than Bush. I was just referencing GW to illustrate that someone should be able to adjust their stance on an issue as circumstances develop and change.

A good soldier doesn’t necessarily equate to a good president.

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 3:47 PM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

Things work differently in Lincoln’s time than now plus Lincoln has strong characteristic and less material gain influences than Obama.

I agreed that you would want to have the best people around you but you must also be able to stand on your own like Lincoln did. I don’t think Obama has it.

Biden was one of Obama’s critic and now he is his running mate? Bringing him on board is like paying him off, looks like the same old Washington way rather than “change”

It’s been fun but I am running out of things to write and probably doesn’t make much sense.

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From: Toby
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: Everyone safe?

I agree, I only started this email to make sure everyone’s safe from the wraith of mother nature.

But I have to say that saying that Obama “paying Biden off” with the VP nomination is ridiculous. All through U.S. history presidential nominees pick someone in their party to run with. Primaries pit people on the same team against each other to determine the best (kind of like Gladiator). The people vying for the nomination would ideally be the cream of the crop in your party so of course your candidates are most likely from that pool of competitors. Picking Hillary would’ve seemed like paying her off. When a winner emerges, you bury the hatchet and pool together for the greater good. Hopefully that’ll happen when we pick a president.

Now if McCain had crossed party lines to pick Hillary, THAT would’ve been change.

Have a good weekend everyone!

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From: Stanley
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 4:10 PM
Subject: RE: Everyone safe?

you just want to get the last word in. I read Obama bio in Wikipedia and it sounded very impressive but he probably paid someone to write it...JK

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Crash course

I just want to take a second to say that the movie, Crash, is the fucking worst movie I’ve seen in a long, long time. Talk about over-dramatization and the largest ensemble of annoying characters ever.

I’m still engrossed in the TV show, Lost, though. I’m almost caught up on the second season. It’s impressive how the show can continue to be so tightly scripted and have such high production values. Although they just keep piling on the dangling plotlines and I’m getting annoyed at how so little gets resolved. I know that as an ongoing TV show they need to drag the storylines out, but come on, throw me a bone here!

Confessions of a vacuous mind

Here’s the thing. You can get immersed in city life pretty easily. Especially New York city life. People all around you are gushing, "New York is pretty fucking great." You even catch yourself thinking "New York is pretty fucking great."

But a line has to be drawn somewhere.

How is it that a person can sit down at 6 pm on any given night and manage to fill up the next SIX HOURS watching shows about New York? Even without cable, you can surf between episodes of Friends, Seinfeld and Sex and the City, or if you’re very clever, watch five episodes in a row of Friends. All of them filled with fun, young, energetic people living the beautiful lifestyle in New York. Or TV New York. That means nothing below 42nd St. No subways. No ugly or poor people. And by no means Brooklyn.

Okay, here comes the confession: I’ve caught myself sucked into the New York lovefest marathon more than once. It’s so easy, it took me by surprise. Seeing as how we don’t have a couch, living room or desk for me to do my computer work on, I have found that I use the bed for everything: sleep, eat and work. So I have the TV on while I do other things. Just in the background, I tell myself. Then it happens. All of a sudden I’m able to formulate that Chandler uses humor as a defense mechanism to cope with psychological and sexual issues stemming from his parents’ divorce, and site several sources to defend my theory. Of course they don’t make it sound so bleak. I guess if we all had a laugh track, our problems wouldn’t seem so bad either.

I wonder how many other people in New York are living vicarious New York lives through thirty minute installments on their TV. There needs to be some sort of hotline that can be called for a van to drive up to the victim’s place and have two people come in to shake him from his sitcom coma to tell him, "You don’t have a huge apartment. You have a finite source of income. You don’t have a group of beautiful friends with nothing better to do with their days than sit around and instigate wacky adventures. Not all New Yorkers are white. New Yorkers take the subway once in a while."

And I love how Sex and the City has managed to portray every single guy as having some sort of psychological deficiency or hamartia. I’ll stop complaining now. I actually think the show is written rather well. I just hate most of the characters. Go figure that one out.

It could be worse, I guess. I’m not watching the Apprentice or anything. And I don’t really have a gripe with the shows. It’s more about feeling guilty/ashamed that I’ve fallen into the habit of watching them. As a result, I’ve made an attempt at salvaging my few remaining brain cells by getting a library card. My first checkout: Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea. We’ll see how this one pans out. Of course, if it doesn’t I can always go back to The Great Gatsby, right Matador?

Okay Jon, two more wishes

CNN announces that it's going to cancel it's longrunning debate show, Crossfire, which causes me to shed no tears. What makes me wonder though, is how much of it had to do with the much publicized smackdown between Jon Stewart and the show's hosts. In the announcement, the CNN president even refers to Stewart and the incident.

I'm all for losing the Yell At Each Other Really Quickly pseudo-news shows, but I'm wary that it's only being done because some celebrity says so. Stewart brings up good points and even denounces that his comedy show should have any bearing or influence on real news. Yes, Jon has an agenda and is partisan, but at least I get the impression that he thinks it's wrong for us to look to him. Sadly, that's not a view shared by others. I don't need P.Diddy to tell me to vote or die, but others do. The scope of influence by these stars is scary. And people aren't hiding their desire to be led by them. Arnold is the prime example. Who knows how far he'll really go, but it's frightening to know that people want him in the Oval Office. We don't ask chefs to fix our cars. We don't look to mailmen to put out fires. But we'll let some guy who pretends to shoot aliens with big guns run California and possibly our country?

Okay, okay, the natural born citizen rule is outdated. I never for a split second in my life even had the notion of being president because of this clause. It should probably be changed. But why are people only starting up this virtuous crusade now? It was never a big issue before a big movie star wanted to do it. Remember when Janet thought it would be a good idea to show her boob to America? It just seems like celebrities can't wait to go out and make asses of themselves. And you want them to rule the world?

Between people unwaiveringly supporting Bush and people eagerly following celebrities, I feel as if there's no sensible outlet for people who are trying to seriously consider issues in and around the world. At least we now have blogs so we can bitch about it, right?