Blog

Consider the New Year’s Day edition of the comic strip “Non Sequitor”. It’s such a post 9/11 type of New Year’s comic with its “theme” on the year’s “Top 10 news stories” (“I didn’t die, I didn’t lose my job, and maybe I’ve earned some money.”).

Dick Clark and the Times Square ball – umm, did that ball come down a little fast or was it just me?

NY Times’ food critic William Grimes turns in his last review on 12/31/03. There’s also a fascinating Interactive Feature “A Grimes Retrospective,” where Grimes is unmasked (literally, he is; his one-time appearance on a PBS show in NYC, his face had to be blurred so that the restaurants wouldn’t recognize him).

January 1, 2004: NY Times article about an art exhibit in Paris about the historical Confucius.

There are other interesting 1/1/04 articles, which I’ll read later, once I feel like I’ve made a better recovery of the whole New Year’s eve thing. Enjoy the bowl games in the meantime. It’s not like I know who to root for. I just don’t see the bowls as nearly as fun as NCAA basketball, for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include: (a) I don’t really appreciate seeing all these corporate names attached to the bowls’ names (Capital One Bowl; Fed Ex Orange Bowl; Tostitos Fiesta Bowl; like I’ll use the services/products of these corporate sponsors because I watched the bowl game). (b) And, I get such a sadistic kick out of watching my March Madness brackets be completely wrong, which the bowl’s don’t provide. ( c ) Plus, it’s not like my alma mater and its league are great in football either, such that I don’t have a reason to follow college football (but at least Alma Mater had a better record than last season, at least).

But, watching the bowls is a New Year’s tradition to enjoy. Cheers!

Too much sad news. Let’s hope and pray for a happy and safe new years. May 2004 usher bigger and better things 🙂

=YC

A legend lost with Mui’s passing (The Star Online), Hong Kong star dies from cancer (BBC News, video)

Listen: Xi Yang Zhi Ge (MIDI)

For those of you that aren’t Cantopop fans, Western audiences know Anita Mui as the shopkeeper in Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx. Those that are more familar with Asian film remember her as Wonder Woman in The Heroic Trio . What has to be remembered is her long time generosity in support of charity and of younger performers that followed her path. I don’t know too many people who have the strength and willpower to do an 8 night in a row solo concert series while suffering from the final stages of cancer.

I knew nothing about Cantopop before my first trip to Hong Kong in 1991. By then Anita had already retired from singing for the first time and was well into her second career in movies. However, one always knew about her career as the running theme and the continual reinvention of Hong Kong entertainment; she wasn’t called the “Madonna of Asia” for nothing. She was part of my education, in my playing catch-up in Asian culture. I know some people snicker when you mention Cantopop and culture in the same breath, but you miss the romance of the Hong Kong people without it. Thank you, Anita.

According to the Star’s article (Malaysia), Anita had said if she had the chance to further her education, she would rather have been a lawyer.

Slate.com’s new ad commentator, Seth Stevenson, presents a hilarious review of the ad for “Levitra” (a Viagra competitor). He’s different from Slate.com’s previous ad commentator, Rob Walker – Stevenson’s quite sharply funny (with fine tuned opinion-making), while Walker was more analytical and less ha-ha funny (but still witty and critical).

David Bianculli, tv critic of Daily News, the NY hometown paper, did his year-end list. I wouldn’t exactly put out a list, as I would have trouble ranking things. But, I’d note a couple of things.

ABC:
I’m still hoping ABC will improve its outlook (having long been my old favorite network), but it’s a slow climb to travel up the ratings.

– I agree that “Alias” is still strong – although it’s not as fun without Lena Olin as Secret Agent Sydney’s Evil Spy Mom, I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing Isabella Rossellini as Sydney’s Evil Spy Aunt (yet another European actress of a certain age making a shot at American television) – should be good viewing for 2004.

– “Karen Sisco” – will ABC put it back on? It had such potential, but, I kept wanting… more. Too bad actor Gary Cole only had a few episodes in the show – he was fascinating as Karen’s counterpoint.

– I’m pleasantly surprised that “8 Simple Rules…” has continued to do all right so far. Not bad. I still miss John Ritter as an actor, but good to see that his okay show is on.

– “Threat Matrix” is still on? Wow. I still don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.

WB and WB-related stuff:
– “Buffy” is sorely missed, even as it ended its run on UPN. But, “Angel” during the last quarter of 2003 has been amazingly picking up the slack in the Buffy universe/timeline. I didn’t quite like how the previous season of “Angel” ended back in May, but it has been solid so far in this television season. Let’s see who is the Big Bad Villain really is in 2004.

– “Everwood” on WB is good viewing, even in reruns. But, I wouldn’t get too excited about the WB otherwise; I’m not sure what to make of the so-called angst on the “One Tree Hill” (only knowing what I see when I see commercials and channel-change). Oh, and let’s not forget that 2003 said “so long” to “Dawson’s Creek.” It was a strangely moving series finale – satisfying, in an unfair way (for instance, did Kevin Williamson really have to do in Jen? But, ah, nice way of making Pacey and his brother settle down and making Dawson move on with his life (the Dawson storyline was the only thing predictable)). Anyway, the Dawson crew have moved on; so have we.

CBS:
Fall 2003 introduced us to “Joan of Arcadia” – and I’m still very impressed about it. It’s almost making me like CBS again (otherwise, I get so tired of being jerked around by the “huh?” plotlines of “The Guardian” and the “Good grief” plotlines of “JAG” and “Judging Amy” and tended to avoid the sitcoms, except maybe “Raymond” – and I have yet to forgive CBS for cancelling an old favorite show from long ago). “Survivor” still rules, apparently. Whether I like the rest of reality tv is a different story.

Cable:
I agree with Bianculli about “Monk” – it’s a fun, light show. A further plug for cable – I enjoyed much of the “MI-5” series on A&E (thanks to my sis for the cable access), a Brit-imported series about Britain’s counter-espionage agency. You never know who’s going to die in that show, unlike most American shows.

NBC:
I will miss “Boomtown.” Not an easy show to grasp, with its weird storytelling, but a creative tout-de-force nonetheless, even if NBC tried to make it simpler. I caught a bit of the episode yesterday (regrettably missing the marathon on Saturday – shame on me!), as NBC burns out what’s left of the first-run episodes – Neil McDonough as David McNorris, the deputy DA of LA – such a good tv actor. Can’t believe it’s time to say goodbye to “Friends” in 2004; and will we really say goodbye to “Frasier”?

FOX: “Arrested Development” is a strangely interesting. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are… well, my brothers like “A Simple Life.” ‘Nuff said, I guess. “World Idol” has been a fun holiday thing, even if not very holiday-relevant. “American Idol” is what it is.

It has been quite a year for tv news – but, news junkies already know that. 2004 won’t end the media mayhem, but we should be hopeful for more positive news. Maybe.

I’ll say it now, while I can – Happy New Year! See you in 2004.

The Explainer on Slate.com notes, “Which Movie Critics Really Matter?” to help us figure out which year’s end award to take seriously (I still wouldn’t take the Golden Globes that seriously, but it’s fun to watch on tv).

Consider the following: Some weeks ago, I noticed that the TD Waterhouse commercials no longer had the actor Steven Hill on as the spokesman. Hill, for those not in the know, was the DA Adam Schiff on “Law and Order” (the original incarnation); he was also the original team leader of “Mission Impossible” (but, really, I think “Jim” was the team leader best remembered). Hill played his spokesman role as the crotchedy old guy who made you feel stupid for not saving your money. Then, lo and behold, instead of the old guy, TD Waterhouse has… Sam Waterston? The Deputy DA of “Law and Order” – Mr. McCoy?! (no, not the Star Trek chief medical officer). I was thinking, geez, what’s with TD Waterhouse and “Law and Order”? And, here’s the Slate.com with an interesting analysis, on what TD Waterhouse is doing with the “Law and Order” folks. It is too funny.

(By coincidence, I’m currently watching Sam Waterston on “Much Ado About Nothing” on Channel 25 (NYC’s alternate PBS selection); it’s a television filming of his work from the 1970’s or early ’80’s of a Shakespeare play he did in NYC where made his first claim to fame. Waterston is such a good actor – from “I’ll Fly Away” to “Law and Order” and… TD Waterhouse commercials). Maybe TD Waterhouse like the alliteration they had in common with Waterston.

The comic strip “Stone Soup” (profiling the life of the Stone family) has a funny spin on reflecting and regretting the year’s end. As Grandma Stone says, “What’s DONE is DONE! What will be will be. You all THINK too much! You’re just wallowing in pointless angst. Enjoy the dang sunset…” Yeah, but don’t we like our angst because it makes us think we’re such deep folks? Funny thought – Grandma is right, really.

Japanese internees see modern parallels

What’s our law schools teaching on this topic? I’m sure Con Law classes must be a-twitter over this. They should be reversing Korematsu!

I visited Manzanar last year around this time. I couldn’t freaking believe how beautiful this place was, smack in the middle of Owens Valley between two mountain ranges. It was isolated that’s for sure, but beautiful. Why is it that sometimes the most tragic situations come with beauty attached?

=YC

Finally saw the third movie of the “Lord of the Rings” today. Great movie. Great acting. Sean Astin ought to be nominated Best Supporting actor for his role; I’m not just saying that because his character was good, but because his acting was so strong. He stood out. Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn was also great. I can only say “great” so many times, but it was such a rich movie, despite some plot holes (then again, I have yet to read the books, and I probably should); suspension of belief makes one accept anything so long as the acting itself is believable.

Such a great movie; worth the money and time to see it.

[Scene: The A train to Brooklyn, Christmas Eve]
Panhandler #1 (male, caucasian near side exit): Can anyone spare a dime, nickle, quarter? If you have food, any left overs, or sandwich would be cheerfully accepted.
Panhandler #2 (stocky female caucasian, dressed for the cold, jumping from handicap seat): Sandwich, I want sandwich!
#1: Huh?
#2: Sandwich, I want sandwich!
#1: No, I don’t have any food, I want food.
#2: Sandwich!
#1: Here, you can have the change that I got.

[#2 waves off the money. #1 walks off to the other end of the car, shaking his head. #2 sits back down]

Panhandler #3 [black, boarding train as #1 leaves]: Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I’m collecting donations to help feed the homeless… If you have food, put your money away and give the food to me. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, and do me a favor, my little sister Lisa is in the next car — look out for her.
#2 [jumping to her feet]: I want food! I want food!
#3 [shocked that someone would actually take him up on the food]: OK, I’ll come back for you.

[#2 keeps standing at the door. #3 goes the length of the car collecting money and food and gets off at the next stop. #2 goes out her door following him.]

You can’t make this stuff up.

NY Times’ Quotation of the Day of December 25, 2003:

“I understand. It’s not the same kind of world it once was. I think everybody understands that.”
– ROANNA GLYNN, a Los Angeles schoolteacher who was supposed to fly from Los Angeles to Paris, but her flight was canceled.

Yes, our world is what it is, and not what it once was.

Jason Mraz’s “The Remedy” is quite a song. Nice to hear it while I’m doing this particular post. “It amounts to nothing in the end… I won’t worry my life away…” A motto we should all have in an age where it could seem too easy to panic and surrender. Yes, Ms. Glynn, we do need understanding and a whole lot of it.

Whether you’re for death penalty or against it, the Washington D.C. Sniper cases have to give one some pause for thought about the death penalty issue. Consider the NY Times’ “Penalty for Young Sniper Could Spur Change in Law.”

Brent Staples’ editorial in the NY Times has an interesting view of the relevation about Strom Thurmond’s long-secret daughter. I’ve been following the various articles about it on Slate.com and the Washington Post online, and I haven’t been entirely satisfied by the coverage, since the situation seems so very complicated to me – yes, there is the big picture of how we view race and class relations in America, but there are also the very human elements behind the revelation – Essie Mae Washington-Williams had to deal with her own story for all these years; her father’s views about the past may never be known, since he has passed away and left it to historians to figure out what is his legacy; and the rest of his family – their opinions (for there probably is more than one opinion about it) are still unfolding. To me, Staples’ editorial somewhat captured the complications; indeed, I think Ms. Washington-Williams’ story is rich in depth for what it means for so many.

Enjoy the post-Christmas shopping; I know I will…

Whenever I visit NYC, I get a serious jolt looking at the subway maps and all the new alphabet lines (eek: Revised Subway Map (and Alphabet) Awaits Riders in ’04. It just makes me nostalgic for the good ol’ days which forever remain the good ol’ days.

=YC