January 2009

Dirty Hands / Arty documentaries

by Doug LeMoine on 28 January 2009

David Choe: Setting a good example. I’m psyched to check out Dirty Hands, a new documentary about artist David Choe. I’m usually skeptical about “street art” films, but the trailer looks pretty great, and I’ve heard that Choe is kind of a madman. I compare everything in this street/art vein to Video Days  —  which, by the [...]

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Groundbreaking / William Klein’s Ali

by Doug LeMoine on 28 January 2009

David Remnick’s excellent biography of Muhammad Ali, King of the World contains a truly stunning scene that sprung to mind during last week’s inauguration. Before Ali’s first big bout, a meeting with Sonny Liston, the press didn’t know what to make of Ali’s confidence and bombast. A reporter asked: “Cassius, all these things you’re saying [...]

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Updike

by Doug LeMoine on 27 January 2009

I love writing letters, but for some reason the only letter-to-the-editor I’ve ever written went something like this: Dear Mr. Remnick, If you publish one more story by John Updike, so help me God I will cancel my subscription immediately. Sincerely, Doug LeMoine The year was 1999. I had been driven to what I saw as [...]

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Not a bad idea

by Doug LeMoine on 21 January 2009

Okay, one last political thing. In the wee hours before yesterday’s inauguration, a genius prankster named Alex Zecca reportedly covered every “Bush” street sign from downtown to the Marina with a sticker that said “Obama.” I heard about it when I got into work, but missed the chance to see it for myself. Luckily, Vanessa [...]

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Origins & etymologies / Yosemite

by Doug LeMoine on 20 January 2009

Last Friday, we improvised a parlor game during a visit to Sarah’s parents’ East Bay homestead. They’ve got tons of books on California history, including a gem called California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names by one Erwin Gudde, a Cal professor and friend of Sarah’s fam. There wasn’t much “game” [...]

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Obama’s inauguration, seen from space

by Doug LeMoine on 20 January 2009

It appears to have been attended primarily by ants. Thx, Chris. From GeoEye.

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Rev. Lowery’s “stemwinder”

by Doug LeMoine on 20 January 2009

Jesse Jackson mentioned that he had expected Rev. Joseph Lowery to end the benediction with a “stemwinder.” What’s a stemwinder? Well, apparently, it’s a old-timey term used to describe “a rousing political speech.” (Jesse was right, too). Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of [...]

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The quiet force of progress

by Doug LeMoine on 20 January 2009

President – elect Obama: Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends  —  hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism  —  these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our [...]

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Lost / Story-wrangling systems

by Doug LeMoine on 18 January 2009

I’ve always been fascinated by Lost, the intricately-plotted TV series about the survivors of a plane crash. On the surface, it’s a new-fangled Gilligan’s Island meets The Bridge of San Luis Rey. The goal is simply to get off the island, and the story of doing so is advanced in parallel with flashbacks that tell [...]

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As he steps to the line, he feels game pressure

by Doug LeMoine on 7 January 2009

The Bilastrator has coined a new term: “Game pressure.” During last weekend’s Kansas-Tennessee game, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas repeatedly said that Kansas players were feeling “game pressure” when they stepped to the free throw line. Game pressure? As opposed to ... practice pressure? As opposed to other kinds of pressure that you’d feel during a [...]

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