Triscribe

Category: Los Angeles – Orange County

  • Don’t Back Down

    After it occurred on the night of Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, the tragic Las Vegas shooting causes us as Americans to share our thoughts and prayers, at a time when we have thoughts and prayers for the natural disasters, and our sad state of political affairs and racial divide – at a time when we wonder where are and what are our moral values.

    How strange that we look to our late night tv show hosts for hope and inspiration, and articulation of substance. Stephen Colbert’s right – no one will knock thoughts and prayers. But “Think about what you need to do, and then pray for the courage to do it.” – Stephen Colbert. Pray for the will to do more indeed.

    Meanwhile, the passing of Tom Petty has been confirmed. This one also came to my mind – the moment during the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, when Tom Petty and just about everyone did “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” for George Harrison. Of course, that Prince solo – that was just amazing. I’ll embed the video below. Notably, here at triscribe, FC had shared the link to that same video as the soundtrack of the day when Prince had passed away last year. I like to think that Tom Petty is joining Prince and a whole bunch of other musicians – George Harrison and John Lennon, and all of the caboodle – in making sweet music.

     

    I suppose we all have our favorite song from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I remembered listening to “I Won’t Back Down” (okay, and “Free Fallin’“) a lot back in college, which arguably was the last time that I really listened to music (I’m not much of a music person as it is). “I Won’t Back Down,” wasn’t even a song from the 1990s, but it got me in a mood. Actually, come to think of it, a lot of music from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers got me into moods. I was reminded that the song even got a lot of play back around the time of Sept. 11, 2001, when we probably needed it.

    I hope Petty got to know that his music did/does something for us, especially on a day of horror in Las Vegas – don’t back down, people. Don’t give up and do something right.

  • OMG! OSCARS!

    Mind blown. This was real, live, what the hell tv. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway did what?! This is crazy! (and if you do not know what I’m talking about, go online, go read/watch/whatever – the Best Picture category has made for some ridiculous historical tv!).  I was giggling like an idiot, watching what was happening.  Sorry to Jimmy Kimmel – it was a decent hosting gig, and ABC as a network was dealing with the length of the broadcast (as usual), and the end – we will be talking about that end for awhile!

    (cross-posted with sswslitinmotion.tumblr.com).

  • Happy Halloween 2016!

    Happy Halloween! (or for some of us: National Novel Writing Month Eve!). May you have the sincerest pumpkin patch! (to quote Linus, from Charles Schultz’s Peanuts comics).

    Let me get on the soap box for a moment: as we get closer to Election Day, please do not forget to vote. I’ll point to the ABA’s site on Vote Your Voice. This election season has been horrific, but this does not mean that you do not have a civic responsibility. The system is only as “rigged” as it is because we the people don’t take responsibility to do what’s right.

    By the way, that doesn’t mean that you get to vote twice, as with this bizarre story, reported over at Slate about how this lady allegedly voted twice out of fear that her vote was going to be counted for Hillary Clinton. She was so afraid that the system was “rigged,” she self-fulfilled a prophecy by voting twice and rigged the system herself because she was NOT supposed to vote twice.

    Fear is speculative; don’t make  a bad situation worse. Sigh. This would be funny if it wasn’t stupid, assuming this story is even true at all (I’m hoping it isn’t, but…?)

    So, yeah, spooky Halloween all right.

    The latest late October revelation about Clinton e-mails, with its knowns and unknowns, is something that Hollywood couldn’t have written (I think so, anyway, but what do I know?).  I’m disappointed in Americans (the so-called undecideds, anyway) for taking this out on Hillary, when there are too many unknowns about this. Otherwise, let the FBI figure this out, you know, with a warrant. Figure out facts, not speculation, of which there’s too much. I don’t want to hold it against FBI Director James Comey (I’m glad that I don’t have his job).

    But, (a) this is NOT Watergate; (b) you can’t tell me that voting for a Republican candidate who can’t even be honest about his basic charitable giving, or how he treats women, is somehow “better.” And, (c) focus on having a Congress that does its job. Don’t get distracted and don’t let this stop you from voting.

    (as a sidenote: even John W. Dean in today’s NY Times says that the Clinton e-mail situation is not comparable to Watergate, and he ought to know, having been the former White House counsel involved at the time!).

    Frankly, I don’t know what people are thinking. Nothing seems to matter anymore – not that the Republican candidate probably treated women terribly and lied about his charitable donations (as in, he gave far less than he exaggerated about giving). Slate’s Jamelle Bouie said it this way, which I’m very sympathetic:

    The folk theory of American democracy is that citizens deliberate on the issues and choose a candidate. That is false. The truth is […] that that voters are tribalistic. Their political allegiances come first, and their positions and beliefs follow. [….] When it comes to elections—or at least, presidential elections—this leads to an important conclusion: What a candidate believes is less important to voters than his or her partisan affiliation. [….] Simply having the nomination is sufficient to put anyone in firing distance of becoming president, regardless of larger circumstances or events or personality deficiencies. There are still battles to fight, but they happen on the margins and involve a small share of voters. This polarization is so strong, in fact, that it renders the gaffes and incidents of recent elections almost irrelevant.

    So, as much as I’d like to think that people would deliberate (as in, think rationally), they probably won’t. Facts? Nah. Personally, I think it’s barely party affiliation, really, but I’ll concede to Bouie’s analysis that we’re in a pretty partisan condition at this point. So, maybe the e-mails won’t hurt Hillary as far as the election is concerned. But, they won’t help in the long run.

    I wish people could just put aside the pettiness after Election Day and focus on proper governing. But, that’s probably wishful thinking on my part. The gridlock and do-nothing will probably continue and we’ll go to hell in a handbasket. Or maybe a miracle might happen.

    After all, hey, Chicago Cubs won Game 5 yesterday, in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, preventing the Indians from winning the World Series at Wrigley Field. Who knows what can happen? I’d rather have nice distractions than post-apocalyptic scenarios, though.

    Meanwhile, here’s hoping that this crazy election season mobilizes Latinos and Asian Pacific Americans to be engaged. AALDEF will poll APA voting and watch out for problems.

    First-time voters might feel a little disappointed, since this isn’t exactly an uplifting election, but there are still lots of reasons to vote, as this op-ed by Emma Roller over at the NY Times points out (I liked how the article quoted the people who do not take voting for granted). Here’s a thing: voting is disappointing; it can be exciting, but you don’t always get what you want. Plus, after voting comes governing – and nothing is easy. Don’t take anything for granted. But, hey: breathe!

    BTW, I found this fascinating profile on Ronny Chieng, the Daily Show’s correspondent, on his take on becoming more engaged as an Asian in America, after he did his takedown of the offensive FOX News man-on-the-street bit in Chinatown. (Chieng was a law student in Australia before he went to comedy; apparently, there really is a path other than the law). (h/t Museum of Chinese in America (MoCA)‘s post on its Facebook page).

    In the meantime, FC and family are in California. And the NAPABA Convention 2016 is in San Diego this week (so… stay tuned: I might wind up posting a “Not in San Diego” post the next couple of days).

  • Things and Stuff

    Now that the Olympics is over, some fun stuff, to distract from other things in life.

    Slate shared the item from Associated Press – the White House dogs Bo and Sunny have schedules, and Bo thinks he has a job of monitoring the plants of the White House grounds. Sure, why not?

    Awhile back, FC had shared with me, on Facebook, an adult Dora the Explorer parody; adult as in grown up, but still Dora (and probably “adult” in another sense). A ridiculously campy thing to share… trailer below.

    Todd Van Luling wrote on Huffington Post about how he had been looking for Carmen San Diego  for 20 years (or trying to figure out who was the actress who played her in one of the tv incarnations of her). (h/t Slate‘s Facebook page post), and finally interviewed her. Personally, I was bummed to read from the article that the actress who played the Chief, Lynne Thigpen, had passed away. Thigpen was such a memorable character actress.

    Slate posted this item of a short film, a la Pixar, about how Dust Bunnies are alive. Too cute.

    Last but, least, the ridiculously talented Joseph Gordon Levitt, playing the drums on a subway platform in Los Angeles. He’s told that he reminded someone of Pee Wee Herman, who did something like that on the old Pee Wee’s Playhouse tv show. That was a guffaw generating moment. (h/t Time Out Los Angeles’s post, via something I saw from Time Out NY).

     

  • Oscars Sunday

    (The following was written as I was more or less watching the Oscars; what a nutty, agonizingly long night).

    Oh, Hollywood!

    JK Simmons, for Best Supporting Actor! Nice, brief, touching speech, to remember your parents.

    “Everything is Awesome” – the song from “The Lego Movie” – had a powerfully weird presentation.

    I suppose this is the Year of the Weird Oscars. Hmm!

    People are going to ignore the music and do their speeches. It’s their moment, gosh darn it. (this is still tv; timing, people).

    Liam Neeson presenting the clips from “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “American Sniper” for Best Picture.

    Shirley MacLaine had a nice grace in presenting “Boyhood,” “Birdman,” and “The Theory of Everything.”

    Is it me or is it agonizingly longer than ever? (well, I stepped away; I know – very bad). Perhaps lengthiness is the Oscars thing; it’ll never go away.

    Terrence Howard was strangely quite dramatic in presenting “Whiplash,” “The Imitation Game,” and “Selma.” It was as if he had watched the movies, got so teary, and was so pushing for all of them. Uh…

    “Glory,” the song by John Legend and Common for the movie, “Selma” – quite a presentation for that stage. So powerful.

    And, “Glory” won! Powerful speech by John Legend and Common. The fight for social justice is a never-ending one, indeed.

    Why is Lady Gaga singing “Sound of Music”? Am I missing something? It’s beautiful, but… wait, is it the 50th anniversary of “Sound of Music”? Is this just to make the Oscars long as usual? It just doesn’t feel very necessary, and very anti-climactic after John Legend and Common’s making a big Oscar moment.

    Sometimes someone gets to make a good speech – short, sweet, inspirational. Graham Moore, for “The Imitation Game” in Best Adapted Screenplay, said that it’s okay to be weird and to “stay weird”; one, day, that person will be on the Oscars stage one day too. That was a lovely Oscar moment too.

    “Birdman” won for Best Director and…?

    Patricia Arquette, Eddie Redmayne, Julianne Moore – lovely speeches.

    “Birdman” for Best Picture! (“oh” to Sean Penn for dragging the moment out!).

    Lots of moving speeches, with the attention to the families, the producers (yep, them), and social issues.

    I just wished they’d cut out the unnecessary stuff. It didn’t feel like they did as much of the usual “Let’s learn about the history of films and have film appreciation” as much (which they usually do for the viewers who are unfamiliar to the Oscars and/or films). Neil Patrick Harris’ opening was nice and encapsulated the appreciation for movies in one full swoop.

    But, as I said, Lady Gaga’s moment was just oddly needless, even though she sang well. And, the clips of the acting moments of the nominated actors and actresses – well, they were spoilery of the films they were in. The Oscars just went on and on. Well, it was still something to watch and we’ll see what this year’s movies will make us say!

  • A Weird Spring

    It’s something I’ve learned over the years: spring is that time of year when weirdos and nuts come out of the wood works, or however that phrase goes.

    I suppose we should be grateful that the leaking through the media of a recording of a private conversation of the owner of the L.A. Clippers, Don Sterling, has us talking about race and gender issues.   The new NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, has announced that Sterling would be getting a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine, and the NBA will try to force him to sell the Clippers, via a 3/4 vote of NBA ownership.  I won’t be surprised if there would be more actions in the form of lawsuits, since professional sports is all about contracts and money.  The unfolding issues are just fascinating for their potential depth and multiplicity.  There are all these complications of what goes on in the private and public spheres; what is the responsibility (if any) of a major corporate entity like the NBA, which has this huge egg on its face because of this scandal (in the middle of the 1st round of playoffs); what about what are we as sports fans/viewers/consumers supposed to do (do we really accept this blech from Sterling?); and, hey, it’s spring and it’s crazy…

    Anyway, I thought these two posts by Gene Demby over at NPR’s Code Switch blog are good synopses/analyses; definitely worth a read if you want to figure out the developments of this sports/beyond sports story.

    Basketball legend (and ex-New Yorker) Kareem Adbul-Jabbar is right on the money: “Let’s use this tawdry incident to remind ourselves of the old saying: ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.’ Instead of being content to punish Sterling and go back to sleep, we need to be inspired to vigilantly seek out, expose, and eliminate racism at its first signs.” I agree that the levels of misogyny and racism out of this mess are opportunities to learn and not just assume that some punishment and moment of shaming will solve everything (not really). Getting things out in the open and discussing them in a civil manner get us on the road of how to actually deal with the craziness and becoming vigilant.

    Which reminds me: I ought to read Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent from last week’s US S.Ct’s decision, Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action et al., as she has been quoted for writing, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to speak openly and candidly on the subject of race, and to apply the Constitution with eyes open to the unfortunate effects of centuries of racial discrimination.”  Hmm.  (see here on Gene Demby’s post on the Supreme Court’s difficulty on debating on racial discrimination, over at the NPR Code Switch blog).  I think that if the US Supreme Court justices are having a difficult time debating how we ought to talk about the big issues, if we ever knew how to talk about them – well, clearly, we all need to learn something and these topics are everywhere as it is.

    And, while also not related to the NBA situation, note this: “I’m convinced we won’t really learn how to deal with these issues until we learn how to talk about them. It’s time to break down the patterns; they’re only keeping us from really relating to each other on a subject that’s too important to get right.” – Eric Deggans, NPR critic, in discussing the reaction to his post on whether there would be more diversity on late night tv shows.

    I’m not even an NBA follower, although I suppose the Brooklyn Nets are trying to keep things interesting with their playoff games against the Toronto Raptors.  I’m still waiting to see if Barclay Center will ever be a real financial boon for the neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, downtown Brooklyn, Prospect Heights, and Park Slope (which are all fighting to claim the arena; yeah, okay.., you’d think we’d all try to work together to spread the wealth, since Barclay Center is smack in the middle of the intersection of those neighborhoods).

    At the least, we’re living in interesting times.

  • October continues…

    Can’t believe it’s October.  Time flies…

    Google doodle: celebrating Art Clokey‘s 90th birthday with a little Gumby (and his pals, Pokey, Prickle, and Goo, plus those Blockheads… – plus, Gumby and Pokey now have an online home).

    Oh, and a little YouTube search pulled up the Gumby theme song (remastered!):

    Last but not least: from the LA Times – the US Senate passed a resolution apologizing for discriminatory laws targeting Chinese immigrants (including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882). Congresswoman Judy Chu of California is sponsoring the House version.

  • Breaking News: Goodwin Liu nominated for the California Supreme Court

    In the category of “we here at triscribe, because we’re APA and we’re lawyers”:

    Following up on a previous post on Prof. Goodwin Liu: Governor Jerry Brown nominates Prof. Liu for the California Supreme Court, the highest court of California.  See the post from Angry Asian Man blog on the subject (he further links to an LA Times article).  See also NAPABA’s official press release.

    I guess Prof. Liu will get that judicial experience he supposedly needs.

    Although, it’s kind of interesting that this news comes right on the heels of this article over at The National Law Journal, “Law Professors Find a Hard Road to Federal Appointments.” I’m really not sure what it means when being a law professor isn’t a plus, but kudos to Prof. Liu, Gov. Brown, and California for bucking a trend, even if it is in the state level.

  • Heat Wave Recovery In Progress

    We had some three-digit days; that was a bit much (just sayin’).

    Items of interest:

    In case you need an excuse to visit Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library branch (besides borrowing books, that is): an exhibit, 6/28/11 to 9/18/11: “Brooklyn’s Bridges: Engineering as Art & Inspiration.”

    Interesting item from this July’s ABA Journal: “Second Lives: For These Former Justices, Retirement Is No Day at the Beach,” by Mark Walsh:  Justice John Paul Stevens – (still) not an easy guy to pin down on issues; Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is candid about not liking how the current US Supreme Court is knocking on her decisions (i.e., abortion and affirmative action); and I’m curious to know more about what Justice David Souter meant about “fair reading model” of statutes (what?).

    Entertainment Weekly did some coverage at this year’s Comic Con in San Diego, and I’ll let others go web surfing on the goodies. But, I thought this item about “Community” looked interesting – could it be that the gang could actually graduate by season 4? (not that anyone would have to graduate from community college in four years, if at all; and this assumes that that show can make it to four years, if NBC will be so kind).

    So…  could Jeff Winger (played by Joel McHale) will one day be a real fake lawyer? I don’t remember if he went to a real (tv) law school or passed a (tv) bar exam, but the show was pretty clear that he never had a real (tv) undergrad degree (from the country Colombia, not Columbia U), which was why the bar suspended (disbarred?) Jeff, a Damn Fine (tv) Litigator otherwise.

    But, if Jeff graduates… well, it could be interesting to watch.  It might even be believable.

    Other interesting items from EW (strangely not from Comic Con…):

    OMG.  EW made me hysterical with laughter over their 1980’s redux.  The comments to this particular post, “Who’s the coolest G.I. Joe?” –  they are so funny, hitting at how EW forgot about at least two of the cartoon’s characters: Shipwreck and Lady J (that I even remember those characters only proves how I wasted the 1980’s).

    Plus: “Who’s the coolest member of Voltron?”   Hmm…  Ahem.  Maybe I’m the only one who thinks that Lance was the Chandler of the Voltron Lions team, if Voltron Lions team were like Friends (wasn’t he the sarcastic one?).  And Princess Allura was surely a mix of the insecure Monica with the character development (gaining her own independence) of Rachel.  And, Keith leads.  He leads, man.  (Oh, and the new Voltron cartoon on Nicktoons: my main quibble is why aren’t the team members wearing helmets?).

    And, even a “Who’s the coolest ‘Duck Tales’ character?”  Yes, my 1980’s were a waste of time…

    This article from NPR.org about Kevin Clash’s career “Being Elmo” was such a great read.  And, PBS’ “Independent Lens” is scheduled to eventually show this documentary about Kevin Clash – so that’ll be cool to watch. (he didn’t just do Elmo; he did the annoying baby dinosaur from the Dinosaurs show back in the 1990’s on ABC. The man’s talented).

    The return of Captain Planet and the Planeteers, but in a live-action movie.  Seriously?  So… will Captain Planet and the Planeteers save Fukushima and stop global warming?… oh, wait, Captain Planet kind of was making us do that. Sorry… (and, really, where are original ideas? Talk about recycling!).

    I don’t have BBC America (unless I get DVD’s?); so I’m not on the Law & Order UK bandwagon. But: Freema Agyeman (the remaining prosecutor) and Peter Davison (new chief prosecutor)? Doctor Who partnerships get a mashup, as the ex-Martha works with the ex-Doctor!  Well, British actors get around… (I love these photos from All Things Law & Order; and how, in this post on ATL&O: Peter Davison does mention having gotten to know Agyeman from the Doctor Who connection/convention); and here, Agyeman goes a little into the Doctor Who connection too, while giving a lot of insight of her L&O: UK character).

    Last but not least:

    The passing of Betty Ford, definitely in a unique category of Republican First Ladies. Impressive that she was both ahead and so very much part of her/our times.  NY Times obit here, with a lot of interesting stuff on her legacy.  Daily News’ longtime DC Bureau chief/correspondent Thomas DeFrank has a good insight, after having interviewed her over the years.

    The passing of Lucian Freud.

    The passing of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John M. Shalikashvili.

    The passing of Amy Winehouse.  Daily News Music Critic Jim Farber on her musical legacy; I agree – the playing of her “Rehab” song gets in the way of how she had quite a unique voice.

  • June Already?

    Last Friday: saw Kung Fu Panda 2. Great movie – entertaining; great art. I thought it was missing a scene (plot-wise), but otherwise fun. However, I do wonder if 3D is going to be everything…

    Emil Guillermo posts on the AALDEF blog about the retirement of Shaquille O’Neal (recalling the anti-Asian problems of Shaq) and the possible side effects of Goodwin Liu’s withdrawal; Guillermo notes:

    I’m concerned for the young legal minds out there who may take D’Affaire Liu as the way not to act. Speaking out on behalf of the generally silent community? Against the nomination of Samuel Alito? Against the nomination of John Roberts?  What? And jeopardize my career?

    But I’m also concerned for Asian Americans in general, who have trouble enough being what I call “Public Asians.” Voting? You mean taking a stand in a private booth?

    It’s too easy for Asian Americans to lay back and do nothing. So when a Goodwin Liu stands up and loses, you’ll inevitably hear someone mention that age old quote about the nail that sticks out. The virtue of docility. You never get hammered.

    But you never get to nail anyone either.

    Dare to be the nail.

    Hat tip to Angry Asian Man: the passing of Matt Fong, the first Asian American Republican elected to state-wide office in California; see also the obit in the L.A. Times.

    Korean grocers are slowly decreasing in the demographics of NYC, as they decide (or their kids decide) not to continue the family businesses; as the article by Sam Dolnick notes, this is similar to the dilemma faced by other demographics of NYC-immigrant communities, such as the Italians and the Jews.

    Last but not least: New York’s night court drama (particularly in small claims court) shall continue, despite cutbacks.