News Encounters

“Skivies are the new civic duty”? So says NBC11’s Nightly News anchor, Brian Williams. Apparently the TSA wants to tell us how to pack our bags…neatly: clothing folded, electronics’ wires coiled and everything placed in our suitcases in specific layers. While I personally strive to pack my luggage in a way that is organized for easy use and increased economy of space, I will figure out which way that is myself, thank you very much. They always mess things up when they dig through our bags anyway. Things are getting increasingly bizarre, beyond any of the dystopian literature that is frequently cited as the inspiration for current events.

I don’t usually watch Nightly News but I left the TV on after the local news. The story that I was really interested and sad to hear was about the death of Mehdi Shahbazi. His is the story of a man doing the best to fight for what he believed. He passed away last week after a hunger strike against the greed, manipulation and abuse of large oil companies. He was the owner of a small gas station who decided that what the oil companies were doing was wrong. When he tried to do something about it by putting posters of his beliefs up in his gas station, Shell managed to shut him down. Left without his business, he did what he could to continue to try to make his point. You don’t hear about someone having that kind of heart everyday. It seems like someone important was lost before anyone realized he was important.

I also noticed while perusing the NBC11 website to verify what I heard, that they have a wide variety of links, including, under a section titled Bay Area Iraq Links, MoveOn.org. I have to give props to NBC11 for encouraging website visitors to check out multiple points of view. And they seem to be pretty strong on local news and events. I have to say their entertainment news section may be a little too big, but at least I don’t have to hear about it on their televised evening news. I don’t think much of their parent network, but, all in all, I think I will add their site to the list of news sites I regularly scan.

This is worth checking out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7069943.stm

I’ve just returned from an interesting movie going experience. Lions for Lambs is a movie to think about. I’m still not sure exactly what I think about it, it may take a day or two, but I am inclined to think that might exactly be the point. I went into the theater not sure what I was about to see, the previews are entirely ambiguous, but so is this film. It’s making a point but does not come straight out with it. A not so favorable review (the first one I read) by Carina Chocano, of the LA Times, says the movie would like us to understand the complicity of everyone in the disastrous Iraq/Afghanistan war. This is definitely part of it. Though whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is vague. I personally hope this complicity in bringing about war is seen as an undesirable thing. My understanding of Robert Redford’s politic leanings makes me think this is probably his slant, though large amounts of screen time were given to other points of view. I also think Chocano is right in saying this movie is more suited to a stage then a screen. The acting was good and the dialogue between Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise was very engaging. I may or may not get back to you with more interpretations of this film depending on whether or not I actually give it more thought. Though, I hope other people who see it do give it more thought.