Gore Vidal Dead at 86

For his politics alone, Gore Vidal earned my respect, mainly because he was adamantly anti-war and opposed to the sniveling of the rich, which was ironic because he came from a wealthy family himself.

Perhaps only the children of wealth can afford to be so aggressive in the struggle against wealth?

I was a fan of his essays; more so than his novels.

Like his partial contemporary cohorts and occasional sparring partners, Capote and Mailer, he knew how to exploit his genius, ruffle the feathers of his ignorant and conservative mainstream critics, extend the boundaries of professionalism, and,  polished to a fine sheen, annihilate the lesser informed.

He could give a shit what his critics thought.  Always a valuable tool in the literary field.

Dead at 86.

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The Pain

A must see look at present day Iraq.

Warning:  Some scenes involving Iraqi children with birth defects are of a graphic nature.

There is also a very emotional scene between the reporter and the father and brother of a Reuters photographer killed in the famous WikiLeaks video of a U.S. gunship in action.

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Rust: An Interview with Charles Lucas

Buddy Dooley strolled into town yesterday and talked to Round Bend Press contributor Charles Lucas at a pub along Yamhill Street.


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The Olympian Silenced

Here's what I think...

Never mind, I'm not allowed to talk about it.

The corporate sweepstakes playing out in the London Olympics.

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Put Down the Cell Phone and Read/Charles Lucas

An image Charles Lucas told me about yesterday, which I demanded  he send to me.  Naturally the guy with the baseball cap on backwards will spoil the party. Also, he would like to put his arm around the young woman's shoulders, but she's more interested in the bright young man to her left.

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Lucas Interview in the Works

A decent day of shooting video.  I interviewed ceramic tile artist/painter/photographer Charles Lucas over beers this afternoon and he was in good form talking about his career in Portland.

I have about 15 minutes of video that I'll work with tonight and tomorrow.

We'll see what transpires in the editing realm, but I think I have a few minutes of workable stuff that may shed a little light on this particular artist's process.

I'm more concerned about what happens in the audio department than anything else.  The "Bloggie" pictures look good.

I'll post it here if I find the sweet spot in the next few days and make this thing work.


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Life During a Soccer Match

Worth a second look.

And just as I posted this the Portland Timbers minor league soccer/futbol team had a flyover at Jeld-Wen Field in downtown Portland.

And don't get your dander riled.  I know it is called Major League Soccer in the United States, but that doesn't make it so.

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Vice on the Olympics

Another take on the Olympics from Vice, the company David Carr excoriates in the documentary film Page One:  Inside the New York Times.

This is not a bad series of short investigative reports published since Carr accused the Vice founders of being journalistic plebes without merit.

Carr is a decent reporter, but he didn't get this story.  The Vice crew did, and for that the evolving entertainment/video production company deserves notice, and praise.

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Concert Tunes

A friend turned me on to this music site.

It's fairly mainstream, but you might want to bookmark it in case you ever get in the mood for a little arena rock.

There is one problem however.  No Dylan, but for a short interview.


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Big Bore

Olympic madness.

Not into it, though I'd be elated if Rupp, Eaton, et al., win medals.  Oregon grads can do no wrong, you know?

In the past I might watch a little basketball, but I can't stand today's stars, so that is out.

As an event the Olympics have become too corporate and predictably maudlin for my tastes.

I want to be entertained.  I'll bear down and wait for college football, which is corporate enough for me.


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Movie Night

Watched the 2011 release Page One:  Inside the New York Times, starring David Carr, tonight.

Recommended.

It puts a little sheen on journalism in these times, something the industry needs.



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Now You Know, PSU

These are the basic rules of when to call the authorities.  Follow them and society will benefit.

When you see a burning building or witness an accident in which you believe bodily harm has resulted.

When you witness a robbery.

When you witness a murder or otherwise know a killer to be loose.

When you witness or suspect someone you know has sexually assaulted a minor.


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Bionic Man Rollin'

Give Sketch and Harriet all the credit.

The Bionic Man has made one helluva recovery, except for a little pain.






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Doc Trailer/Woody

I found this documentary on Woody Allen at Netflix.

Recommended.








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More from Bacon

Another novella by the prolific Tacoma artist/writer K.C. Bacon has landed on my desk.

I'm looking forward to digging into it as RBP awaits the third-party preparation of two of the writer's other novellas, which will appear here a month apart in mid-August and mid-September.

For the past 10 months Bacon has been a terror at the typer, bringing together a cast of characters who live, work, play and love in the mythical Pacific Northwest enclave of New Rotterdam.

O, the scenes they play through!

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