January 2011 - Pattern Recognition

I found it kind of hard to get into William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition. Page after initial page is spent discussing branding and marketing (in the personal context of the lead character), topics that don’t grab my interest, except in a dry theoretical kind of way.

Despite that, at some point I got drawn into the more enjoyable, central mystery. It’s not a life altering book, but interesting enough to make me want to go back and re-read some of Gibson’s earlier stuff, which I found less accessible at the time.

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A review of "Faceless Killers"

Faceless Killers

by Henning Mankell

Faceless Killers is the second Kurt Wallander novel that I’ve read (my first was Firewall). I’m now officially a fan of Henning Mankell; this was even better than the first.

Again we’re given the little details that make Wallander a realistic character. While investigating a horrific murder, he deals with mundane issues like weight loss, an aging father, a failed marriage, a troubled child. Many of these problems he’s hopelessly ill-equipped to solve, and he seems to recognize this but soldiers on anyway.

On top of that there’s a peek into Swedish immigration problems. It’s always interesting to get a look at what’s going on in other countries, even in works of fiction.

I’m going to make an effort to find the other books in the Wallander series, and anything else by Mankell that I can lay my hands on.

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A review of "Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science (Fully Revised and Updated)"

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science (Fully Revised and Updated)

by Charles Wheelan

My comments are actually about the 2002 edition.

1. I didn’t learn anything. I’ve read a bunch of finance books and a few books on economics, and this book just didn’t add anything substantial for me, so it was a waste of time.
2. The author likes to give multiple metaphors to explain economic activities, things like people choosing a line at the grocery store. I found this to be boring padding, ymmv. I’d prefer a straightforward discussion of how it works, and then some detailed discussion of the nuances involved.
3. I found the author’s writing style pompous on occasion, which was a turn-off.
4. The book struck me as slanted to the right, although it’s probably true that I’m ignoring his minor attempts at appeasing the left. There’s the usual talk about “creative destruction” and rah rah for globalization. The author proposes that inhumane labor practices should be ignored in third world countries – after all, the alternative is prostitution for these workers, and no one is making them work under poor conditions in these factories, they are choosing it of their own free will! So buy your junk from Wal-Mart and feel good about all the tiny kids stabbing themselves with sewing needles for 12 hours a day, because we’re all winners in this equation! We are supposed to believe that only these two options are available, and that we have no say in adding more options for third world workers. There is not one mention of the fair trade movement. Negative effects of capitalism are sprinkled with fairy dust and swept under the rug with “yes, it really sucks to be poor, but we’ll give them a little government subsidy to soothe our consciences, but let’s not dwell on unpleasantness, but instead move right along to the next sterling example of creative destructionism.”

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basically it's the book (rated 4 stars)

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Dub Sub Ac3 Dol)

I watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo today.

The movie’s well done, and very closely follows the book. The only problem is that there are no surprises. I’m glad I read the book first. I’d give the movie more stars if I hadn’t.

Now I sort of want to go out and get a nose ring…

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Bones of the Master

Bones of the Master is the amazing, true story of a Chinese ex-pat Ch’an monk’s incredible journey to honor his long-dead teacher.

I recommend reading the book all at once. I read the first 170 pages in parts, which took away from my enjoyment of the story, since it really requires full attention. The last 120 pages, which I read straight through, I found riveting. It helps that I love climbing mountains!

I found the spooky mysticism an added plus. As a fan of fiction like the X-Files, I enjoy that kind of stuff without having to make decisions about whether it’s bogus or not.

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A story about "Water Lilies"

Water Lilies

by Céline Sciamma

I just finished viewing Water Lilies. Summary: teenage hormones run amok at the pool.

And the French word of the day is: un collier (necklace).

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A review of "On the Road to Kandahar: Travels through Conflict in the Islamic World"

On the Road to Kandahar: Travels through Conflict in the Islamic World

by Jason Burke

In On the Road to Kandahar, Jason Burke writes about his experiences as a reporter covering the Arab world (Pakistan, Iraq, etc). A lot of the time, I had a hard time understanding what was going on inside his head. I don’t always get the feeling that he’s horrified at what he’s seeing (whereas it horrified me) and that kinda creeps me out. I also don’t fundamentally understand the attraction? romance? of reporting in those regions; maybe it’s a British thing.

I found the book tedious at times. I think it could have used some editing, or maybe it’s just that I don’t enjoy the author’s writing style. Caveat: the book was given to me by a friend, so it’s not something that I picked up of my own accord. My attitude may be due to that.

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The Guild is back!

The Guild is back with Season 4, which continues to follow the lives of the members of an online gaming club. (Weirdly, it's streaming from Bing.)

The show stars Felicia Day, but is made great by the ensemble cast and hilarious writing. If you haven't watched it already, go do so now. It will make you happy!

got bored (rated 3 stars)

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

by Michael Pollan

The message: You shouldn’t eat processed foods, they’re not all that good for you. Well, duh! It’s not that there’s anything wrong with In Defense of Food, but the content is not exactly news. I don’t feel like I got anything out of it that I didn’t know already.

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A review of "Sex and the City 2"

Sex and the City 2

by Michael Patrick King

I miss Carrie and the gang, so I was happy to watch Sex and the City 2, even with its numerous flaws.

The movie starts out fine, with some relationship troubles – good, that’s what they do best.

Shortly thereafter, in a major plot detour which occupies most of the movie, the girls wind up taking an all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi, and things go downhill. There’s the star treatment with all the ooh-ing and ah-ing over resplendent riches. OK, I can deal with that. Then they’re on the beach, they’re in the bazaar, they’re on camels – it starts to feel like a giant tourist sell.

And finally there’s a little more relationship trouble, and then it becomes all about Samantha behaving like a complete idiot American, and getting herself in deep trouble. Yes, Samantha is something of the clown on the show. But she’s not an idiot, and it’s not believable that her character (at the age of 52) would behave so stupidly as we see here.

It’s as if the writers wanted to make a point about the thin veneer of splendor in Abu Dhabi, and then drag out the nasty reality of the harshness of the society (in comparison to ours) and say “this place actually sucks, it’s dangerous and you’d better be careful if you go here.” Anyone who goes to Abu Dhabi and doesn’t know what to expect is a bit of an idiot. It’s kind of hard to take, seeing these women, who have been depicted as, yes, shallow, but also smart and savvy, getting treated like children in a foreign country, and then landing themselves in hot water for some careless actions. It’s not a question of them “disrespecting the culture” – it’s a question of them being savvy enough to keep themselves out of harm’s way in hostile territory. The actions just didn’t feel right for the characters.

I wish they had kept the location in NYC, which is such an attractive background for a movie. I suppose it was cheaper to film in Morocco than in NYC? Next time, please please stay in NYC.

Despite my complaints, I still enjoyed the film. It was nice seeing the gang back together again.

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A review of "Journey from Zanskar"

Journey from Zanskar

by Frederick Marx

The takeover of Tibet by China is yet another example of the attempt of a hostile, imperialist nation making a land grab, paving over any natives that stand in their way. History is filled with such examples, but in particular it reminds me of the way the US steamrolled the Native Americans, who are still struggling today.

The Dalai Lama has been very active in preaching to preserve Tibetan culture, religion, and language. Journey from Zanskar is a documentary about a couple of monks who take a dangerous journey with a small group of young children in an attempt to carry out these intentions. It’s a tear-filled documentary! The trip takes the children from their home in Zanskar, to Manali, where they can be educated in Tibetan schools. These children will be parted from their families for many years, because extreme poverty makes travel impossible on a regular basis.

The movie is very touching, and you get a feeling of how desperate the people are in this region. It’s definitely worth viewing.

After watching the movie, though, I had some misgivings. While it’s clear that the monks were well-intentioned, I had an uneasy feeling that they took excessive risks with the children. This is not to say that the monks were careless or clueless; they clearly had permission from the parents, who seemed grateful and happy that their kids were being given the opportunity. All involved felt that the risk was worth the gain. And it’s true that I’m comparing the risks taken here with the risks that typical American parents might be willing to take with their children; an unfair comparison, because Americans are so much more sheltered than these people.

It seems to me a wiser plan would have been to start a Tibetan school in Zanskar, and have the kids attend school there. I’m under the impression that there are, in fact, several schools underway. The problem with the movie, in this respect, is that it doesn’t present alternate solutions to the problem. Were there any alternative educational opportunities for these kids in Zanskar, at all? Might the monks themselves have set up shop in Zanskar as tutors for the Tibetan kids? So you’re not really clear whether the desperate journey was a noble cause or a hair-brained scheme. Probably it was a bit of both. Let’s hope good Tibetan schools come to Zanskar soon, so that no more families will have to make such painful decisions and face such terrible risks in the future.

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A story about "TurboTax"

TurboTax

by Intuit

Both my federal and state tax returns have been accepted already (on a Sunday, yet!). The benefits of web filing!

Federal filing is free, but I shelled out $21 to get the state taxes filed. I won’t be doing that again, but it was nice to be done with it.

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A review of "TurboTax"

TurboTax

by Intuit

I’ve always done my own taxes. But I have a lot of stuff to do this year, and I decided to shell out the money for TurboTax and give it a try.

I had already done about 95% of my federal returns, so it didn’t save much time there. However, I had neglected to take the Making Work Pay tax credit. I just didn't understand it, didn’t have time to think about it, and didn’t think it applied to me. So TurboTax saved me some money there, score one for TurboTax, which more or less forced me to do the right thing on that one.

I had really bought TurboTax for help with my state taxes, since I find Massachusetts taxes unreasonably complicated. However, I didn’t find it especially useful for the problems I encountered last year. For example, as they lead you along, you are asked questions like “Did you report capital gains or losses on your federal return that are not taxable in Massachusetts?”. Well, how the f* do I know? That’s what I bought TurboTax to tell me!

However, TurboTax did find me another deduction which I had failed to take last year: the rent deduction. I remember scratching my head over this last year but quickly deciding it couldn’t possibly apply to me – yet, apparently, it does! This is the weirdest deduction I’ve seen among all state taxes, and I’ve filled out tax forms in four different states to date. So that saved me about $150 in state taxes, score two for TurboTax. If there are any Massachusetts renters out there reading this, you should definitely look into it and see if it applies to you.

Quibbles:

1. When I tried to import my employer’s W-2 information, it failed. So that meant I had to type in all my W-2 information, which I normally do not have to do when filing. Hopefully there were no typos in that process.
2. When I printed the forms, there was no option to just print even or odd sides. So I wound up printing one sheet at a time and flipping them over to save paper. Bummer.’
3. Paying $90 to pay your taxes sucks.

So yes, it’s nice that TurboTax found me some extra deductions. However, it seems to me that I have no incentive to buy the product again. It confirmed for me that aside from a couple of neglected deductions, I’m doing my taxes correctly. It didn’t help me with some strange state tax questions. And I still needed to check it pretty carefully to be sure it was doing the right thing.

I think I would be inclined to buy TurboTax again if I move to another state, just to make sure I get the deductions right. Or possibly in years when I’m too busy with other things to give proper attention to tax filing. But I can’t see paying $90 every year for it. I don’t see the value in that.

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A review of "Wait For Me"

Wait For Me

by Moby

I started listening to Moby’s Wait For Me way back in Sept ‘09, and it didn’t really resonate. That wasn’t a fair treatment, though, because I had been playing Radiohead’s Amnesiac constantly, and nothing was going to get through that cloak of darkness.

I’ve been off Radiohead, and music in general, for a little while. The other day, I decided to give “Wait For Me” another try, on a long drive home. Well, damn, Moby has done it again. I listened to the CD four times over, and it felt like my heart had been ripped out and stomped on (which was how I felt when I was introduced to Moby via Porcelain). It may not sound like it, but it was a good feeling. Now I’ve got “Wait For Me” playing over and over and over again in my car. Thank you, Moby!

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A review of "The Picture of Contented New Wealth: A Metaphysical Horror (Zero Books)"

The Picture of Contented New Wealth: A Metaphysical Horror (Zero Books)

by Tariq Goddard

I read about half of The Picture of Contented New Wealth at night, and it creeped me out. Then I read the rest during the day, and it was not so creepy, more funny and sardonic. It’s an interesting idea to write a family melodrama with demonic possession tossed in. I don’t usually read horror, so I’m not jaded, which maybe helped. The book is not overly long, and it was a quick read.

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another top story (rated 5 stars)

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest

by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest is another excellent story from Stieg Larsson. His books are written with such clarity, suspense, and realism that I feel disoriented when finishing them. The world in his books seems more real than my own – and way more interesting!

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A review of "Vegetarian Dal Makhani"

Vegetarian Dal Makhani

by French Meadow Bakery

You wouldn’t expect a really good Indian dinner to come from a company called French Meadow Bakery. I’ve eaten a lot of frozen dinners, and I was skeptical when I picked up their Vegetarian Dal Makhani. The picture on the front looks appetizing, but most frozen dinners look nothing like the image on the outside of the box.

I was pleasantly amazed. Not only does the food really slide out onto your plate looking picture perfect, it tastes absolutely perfect as well, as if it were prepared in a restaurant. The meal has 5 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, and only 340 mg of sodium, which is relatively low for a frozen dinner. And it tastes delicious! I will definitely try more French Meadow dinners.

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if god were a nutter... (rated 3 stars)

Legion

I wasn’t expecting much from Legion, I was just looking to escape for a couple of hours. But it didn’t really do the trick. The movie is a monster/action fantasy. The monsters weren’t scary or novel enough to do anything more than gross me out in a few cases (I admit that I though that “grandma” was kind of a funny twist, but I’m not avidly into horror movies so maybe that’s been done to death).

And the premise was pretty ridiculous. First, we’re told there’s a God, and He’s fed up with humanity so He’s decided to get rid of every last one of us. So what does He do? He sends out angels to slaughter us. Angels! And the “angels” are acting a heck of a lot like demons, possessing some people, and taking bite-sized chunks out of others. Come on, angels behaving en masse in this evil manner?? So all plausibility is gone at this point, because if this is the way “God” behaves, then how do you differentiate him from Satan? Who, by the way, never appears once.

On top of that, the archangel Michael has decided to rebel against “God”. His reasoning? Father doesn’t know best. “God” should be given what he “needs,” not what he “wants.”

So basically, this “God” is either a psychopathic nutter or a giant megalomaniacal baby. Either way, it’s totally unbelievable because it’s so far out of the bounds of any mainstream Christian theology. If you’re going to propose a crazy-ass demon god, you should get him from some theology where that’s more plausible (ancient Egypt? The Greeks? The Aztecs?).

The reason that I’m rating the movie as “OK” is that it was a reasonable distraction, and I kind of liked the small cast of characters, even though they weren’t very well fleshed out (as is typical with horror movies). I don’t feel like the movie was a waste of time, although I do wish I’d seen something else instead…. If you’re going to watch it, do see it in the theater; I think I would have been more disappointed seeing it on a TV screen.

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A review of "The Book of Eli [Blu-ray]"

The Book of Eli [Blu-ray]

by Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes

Denzel Washington plays a ninja-powered, Bible-toting wanderer in the post-apocalyptic movie, The Book of Eli.

I enjoyed it despite the religious overtones and the thin plot. The movie has a lot of weaknesses, including the fact that Washington should have been a lot scrawnier if he’d been eating cat for the last 30 years. Furthermore, the twist near the end was completely unbelievable. But I do enjoy dystopias, so I was tolerant. The casting was excellent, with Gary Oldman, Tom Waits, Mila Kunis (“Jackie” from That ‘70s Show), and Jennifer Beals.

I kept waiting for some revelation to get me all woo woo, but it never happened. Maybe this movie only really works if you’re religious. Still, it was worth seeing!

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commitment shy (rated 5 stars)

Up in the Air

by Jason Reitman

Up in the Air is the story of a guy whose job is to fire people. He’s a “road warrior”, someone who spends his time mostly traveling for his job. His sole commitment is to this job and the freedom that it gives him by keeping him moving and thus hard to pin down. He even mostly manages to evade his direct family, two sisters who still live in the town where they all grew up.

I haven’t read the book. The main character in the book sounds shallow and unsympathetic in comparison to our protagonist in the movie, Ryan Bingham, who seems to be kind of sweet (is it impossible for Clooney to play an unsympathetic character?). Even in his job as an ax-man, it eventually comes out that he’s sensitive to what he’s doing to his victims, trying to show them that there’s a future way out of their sudden darkness.

Bingham is depicted as a vulnerable man, always running away from the burden of commitment. And the movie is filled with commitments which go bad, so Bingham’s philosophy of “keeping one’s (metaphorical) backpack light” seems wise, in the context of the movie. This philosophy is in line with Thoreau’s minimalistic lifestyle, but is counter to American mores. In contrast, the “American dream” of marriage, kids, house is viewed with cynicism in the movie. This is kind of surprising, given that it’s a Hollywood production.

In the end, you aren’t given a neat Hollywood ending, another thing which I liked about the movie. Nice!

[I saw Up in the Air in a movie theater.]

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