I look forward to the time (in the not too distant future) when this spoof story becomes true.
(via LarkNews.com)
Fickle Younger Generation Decides It’s Done With Community
7/17/2007
G.K Chesterton--Quote Machine Vol. 1
One of the most talented yet unknown writers and thinkers of the turn of the 20th century was G.K. Chesterton. Go ahead and check this out for a quick into. Chesterton was a master of brilliant, witty turns of phrase that often contain much truth and are thought provoking. To prove this, I plan to post a few Chesterton quotes from time to time and give my thoughts on them.
"When you break the big laws, you do not get freedom; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws."
Working in state government, I can attest to the truth of this maxim. That the statue books increase in size each year testify to the fact that people fail to follow the law. I would also add that when you see a small law or a small change in the law, it too often creates an additional burden of regulation that is a nuisance for the private sector and creates very little actual value added. When a private sector actor wants that small change, it is usually for the benefit for a particular interest (not necessarily bad and to be expected) and too often for the purpose of using government to obtain a competitive advantage (most certainly bad).
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."
I will not comment too extensively on this one for reasons of job security other than to comment on the fact that Chesterton, who lived 100 years ago, appears to have his pulse on the current mood of the electorate.
"Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up."
This is a brilliant point. Most rules, standards, or norms of conduct are designed or naturally develop in response to a need in the community. Not only this, but as Chesterton points out in his book Orthodoxy, the rules of God are often placed in order to provide safe parameters within which we may enjoy freedom. When looking at possibly wanting to change a societal norm, it is wise to think of why the norm is in place and think through the negative effects of eliminating it. We do this far too little, often not realizing the harm we do.
"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about."
This quote from Orthodoxy points out the arrogance and lack of respect that comes from not giving consideration to tradition in the church. Chesterton would not say that tradition is sacrosanct--after all they are to have a vote, not be an oligarchy of the dead. However, to not recognize and utilize the wisdom and experience of our forebears is shortsighted, foolish, and arrogant.
Well, I hope you enjoyed these quotes and that they'll motivate you to check G.K. out. He is unlike any author I have ever read, and is not easy to read at all. If you are a Christian, I recommend picking up Orthodoxy. And if I haven't convinced you to check him out, I'll be posting more quotes.
"When you break the big laws, you do not get freedom; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws."
Working in state government, I can attest to the truth of this maxim. That the statue books increase in size each year testify to the fact that people fail to follow the law. I would also add that when you see a small law or a small change in the law, it too often creates an additional burden of regulation that is a nuisance for the private sector and creates very little actual value added. When a private sector actor wants that small change, it is usually for the benefit for a particular interest (not necessarily bad and to be expected) and too often for the purpose of using government to obtain a competitive advantage (most certainly bad).
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."
I will not comment too extensively on this one for reasons of job security other than to comment on the fact that Chesterton, who lived 100 years ago, appears to have his pulse on the current mood of the electorate.
"Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up."
This is a brilliant point. Most rules, standards, or norms of conduct are designed or naturally develop in response to a need in the community. Not only this, but as Chesterton points out in his book Orthodoxy, the rules of God are often placed in order to provide safe parameters within which we may enjoy freedom. When looking at possibly wanting to change a societal norm, it is wise to think of why the norm is in place and think through the negative effects of eliminating it. We do this far too little, often not realizing the harm we do.
"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about."
This quote from Orthodoxy points out the arrogance and lack of respect that comes from not giving consideration to tradition in the church. Chesterton would not say that tradition is sacrosanct--after all they are to have a vote, not be an oligarchy of the dead. However, to not recognize and utilize the wisdom and experience of our forebears is shortsighted, foolish, and arrogant.
Well, I hope you enjoyed these quotes and that they'll motivate you to check G.K. out. He is unlike any author I have ever read, and is not easy to read at all. If you are a Christian, I recommend picking up Orthodoxy. And if I haven't convinced you to check him out, I'll be posting more quotes.
7/11/2007
Movie Review: Transformers (**1/2)
Transformers is a movie that is interesting, facile, humorous, and ludicrous. If I were a 10 year old boy I would undoubtedly give it 4 out of 4 stars and think it is the greatest movie ever made. However, since I am a good bit older than that I cannot ignore the movie's flaws.
The plot to the movie is simple enough. Transformers are alien robots that can transform into cars, planes, military hardware, and other items as a means of disguise. As it turns out, there are good Transformers (the Autobots) and evil ones (Decepticons) and they have been battling for millenia to control their home planet. Each side wants the McGuffin (The Spark) which is incredibly powerful and would turn the tide of the war. As it turns out, the Spark is on earth and thus the two sides are going to battle for it here.
The best part of this movie are the action sequences, with robots transforming constantly and all sorts of things going on all over the screen. You really almost can't keep up, partly due to director Michael Bay's proclivity for extreme close-ups and erratic camera views. Despite this, the fight scenes between the US military and the Decepticons are quite good. Also, the movie has some chuckles and is tongue in cheek in an almost campy way, which is a must given how ludicrous the film is at times. Shia LeBouf does a good job as young Sam Witwicky who is befriended by the Autobots. The main problem with the movie is that there is no character development of the various robots. They are the stars of this film, but we have no idea why they act as they do, other than that they are either a good or evil sort of robot and that explains it. Also, the plot is rather ludicrous and has plot threads that could be completely cut from the film and not be missed at all.
Transformers are a line of toys for children that were first introduced in the USA around 1984 by Hasbro, along with an accompanying cartoon that was produced by Marvel Comics. With that as the source material, perhaps it isn't too surprising that what ends up on screen here is essentially a cartoon brought into real life. If you understand that what you are seeing is completely ludicrous and embrace that fact, I think you can enjoy Transformers as a fun movie for its action sequences and spurts of lowbrow humor, taking it all in very tongue in cheek.
RATING: **1/2 of 4 stars (fair to good); **** of 4 stars if you are a young boy.
The plot to the movie is simple enough. Transformers are alien robots that can transform into cars, planes, military hardware, and other items as a means of disguise. As it turns out, there are good Transformers (the Autobots) and evil ones (Decepticons) and they have been battling for millenia to control their home planet. Each side wants the McGuffin (The Spark) which is incredibly powerful and would turn the tide of the war. As it turns out, the Spark is on earth and thus the two sides are going to battle for it here.
The best part of this movie are the action sequences, with robots transforming constantly and all sorts of things going on all over the screen. You really almost can't keep up, partly due to director Michael Bay's proclivity for extreme close-ups and erratic camera views. Despite this, the fight scenes between the US military and the Decepticons are quite good. Also, the movie has some chuckles and is tongue in cheek in an almost campy way, which is a must given how ludicrous the film is at times. Shia LeBouf does a good job as young Sam Witwicky who is befriended by the Autobots. The main problem with the movie is that there is no character development of the various robots. They are the stars of this film, but we have no idea why they act as they do, other than that they are either a good or evil sort of robot and that explains it. Also, the plot is rather ludicrous and has plot threads that could be completely cut from the film and not be missed at all.
Transformers are a line of toys for children that were first introduced in the USA around 1984 by Hasbro, along with an accompanying cartoon that was produced by Marvel Comics. With that as the source material, perhaps it isn't too surprising that what ends up on screen here is essentially a cartoon brought into real life. If you understand that what you are seeing is completely ludicrous and embrace that fact, I think you can enjoy Transformers as a fun movie for its action sequences and spurts of lowbrow humor, taking it all in very tongue in cheek.
RATING: **1/2 of 4 stars (fair to good); **** of 4 stars if you are a young boy.
Movie Review: Life Free or Die Hard (***)
The fourth Die Hard installment once again finds John McClane taking on a group of terrorists. The movie delivers what you'd hope to get in a Die Hard movie--plenty of action and McClane showing again why he's the working man's action hero and one of the best action movie characters ever created. Bruce Willis has some good one liners, and his alliance with a young hacker (Justin Long) works pretty well. Timothy Olyphant is solid as the villain Thomas Gabriel, but I would have preferred an actor who is a bit older with a bit more gravitas in the role. I suppose that since Bruce is getting a bit older, they decided to cast a younger actor as the villain to appeal to a younger demographic (no doubt Justin Long also was brought in to do this) and the ladies. Maggie Q plays Gabriel's femme fatale far-east assassin, and does well enough, though her character is so tough in a fight scene with Willis that I laughed to myself and wondered if this girl was the female terminator from Terminator 3.
This time the plot, in a nod to our internet age, involves a terror group that uses computer nerds to create havoc. If you remember what the ultimate goal of the villian in Sneakers was, you'll have a good idea of what these villains are up to. In fact, the enormity of the villain's goals is really my main problem with this movie. The whole premise of Die Hard surrounds whether the hero can overcome overwhelming odds and defeat the criminals by himself. However, if the criminal's goals are too extravegant, then it ceases to be realistic that only one man would be involved in taking on the bad guys. In Die Hard, it made sense that an off duty cop would be in an office building where hostages were being held, and would heroically take matters into his own hands. In Die Hard 4, our terrorists are aiming so high and succeeding to such an extent, that it simply isn't believable that one man is taking them on. Quite frankly, the entire US military would be called back from Iraq and anywhere else they might be to secure the country and get the enemy. My other problem with this movie is a certain chase scene towards the end. Let's just say that when the stinking military finally shows up, it is in the form of just one jet and the resulting action is just a little too over the top.
Despite these flaws, Live Free or Die Hard is simply a fun action film. There's plenty of action to take in and some wry chuckles to be had. It's a good action film that is worth catching in the theater if you want to have a nice two hour escape and some thrills. Really, isn't that what a summer action movie is supposed to accomplish?
RATING: ***/4 (Good)
This time the plot, in a nod to our internet age, involves a terror group that uses computer nerds to create havoc. If you remember what the ultimate goal of the villian in Sneakers was, you'll have a good idea of what these villains are up to. In fact, the enormity of the villain's goals is really my main problem with this movie. The whole premise of Die Hard surrounds whether the hero can overcome overwhelming odds and defeat the criminals by himself. However, if the criminal's goals are too extravegant, then it ceases to be realistic that only one man would be involved in taking on the bad guys. In Die Hard, it made sense that an off duty cop would be in an office building where hostages were being held, and would heroically take matters into his own hands. In Die Hard 4, our terrorists are aiming so high and succeeding to such an extent, that it simply isn't believable that one man is taking them on. Quite frankly, the entire US military would be called back from Iraq and anywhere else they might be to secure the country and get the enemy. My other problem with this movie is a certain chase scene towards the end. Let's just say that when the stinking military finally shows up, it is in the form of just one jet and the resulting action is just a little too over the top.
Despite these flaws, Live Free or Die Hard is simply a fun action film. There's plenty of action to take in and some wry chuckles to be had. It's a good action film that is worth catching in the theater if you want to have a nice two hour escape and some thrills. Really, isn't that what a summer action movie is supposed to accomplish?
RATING: ***/4 (Good)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)