Blog is a Mix Tape

speakeasy: mr. telephone man

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:31:08 -0800

The home is remote, even by Tibetan standards. Charming carvings cannot disguise how primitive it is. Not only does it have no toilet, it doesn't have an outhouse. Or even a designated hole in the ground. It does, however, boast one very great prize -- a ringing cellphone.
Why?

- Our Cells, Ourselves by Joel Garreau, The Washington Post, 02.24.08

Now, whether or not I actually answer my phone is debatable but one thing is for sure - I always have my phone. When I don't, my stress level is higher. The article talks about sociability. Right, that. Whether by text, twitter, or email, it keeps me connected and informed even if I rarely if ever raise it all the way to my ear.

But 1 cell for every 2 people? Crazy.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

One Line: Lost "Lost"

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:32:44 -0800

After three months off the air, the much ballyhooed return of "Lost" logged a lousy 14.5 million viewers, the smallest audience ever for an original episode.

It's a shame, really, because it was one of the better episodes this season and addressed a lot of the general issues I have with the show of late. So, let's do the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good: more "Deadwood" stunt casting (Juliet's sister). "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" stunt casting (The guard that fell for the Wookie trick). Characters asking the right questions. Characters making smart decisions. Alex (we need more Alex). Sawyer kicking Danny's ass. Kate being as determined as Juliet was. Tom trying for small talk with Jack. Juliet's little skip in her step (or cock in her walk, if you will) as she bounded out of the surgery room in the final scene. And, the Parralax View-esque re-programming chamber Karl was in.

The Bad: While I chuckled at "underdog" and "Cheech," Sawyer's shtick is getting old and feels forced. Juliet being Dr. Burke while Jack is Dr. Shepard. There are only so many times you can wink at the audience. Mittelos (Lost time) science. That's a little too on the nose for me. Learning more about The Others de-mystifies the Island a bit and breaks a lot of the mythology of the show and I'm not sure I like that.

The Ugly: Dues ex machina. Say Bus. See Bus. Get hit by Bus. Blech. Whatevs. Okay, Final Destination and every freakin' show with any semblance of an effects budget. Let's officially retire that as a non-shlocky on-screen death. And, most ugly, I didn't leave this episode with new questions or any truly intriguing revelations. I'm not clamoring to know more like I once was.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

One Line: The Day After King

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 23:06:27 -0800

It is the first time that the 1965 Voting Rights Act has been used to ensure white rights.

The word "ensure" really bugs me in this sentence and I'm not quite sure why.

It's not a bad usage of the word, especially if the writer intended it as "to make certain" as that's exactly what the case is about but...I don't know. Do I want "defend" or "protect" there instead?

Maybe.

Ignore my word nerd-dom. The article and situation are far more interesting than me being trapped in the thesaurus.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend