Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Has Anyone Tried Kudzu

Honey, why do you have lipstick on your teeth? Generation

Public transport has one undeniable advantage: one can read while traveling. Through trial and error I came to the observation that pays me to draw the book when I have a chance to read for ten minutes, less than that, unfortunately, I forget what I read, and I have to start from square one. Interestingly, the reading of the PDA requires more attention and somehow quantum reading, so to speak, is extended. Hence shrug when someone complains about the travel dłużące. Flight to Australia looks quite appealing, because it would give me enough time, I finally read "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell." This is not the thickest book I have, since 1006 with his only gives both parties' Bastionowi "King (1336) and" Atlas rebel "Ayn Rand (1323). Even the "Ice" is thicker Dukaj (1045). However, "the Bastion" I've read several times, and Dukaj is hard, thick, varnished cover, hence could result in excess baggage. The Ayn Rand's case is somewhat different, because in my life I did not want to read it. This book took in settlement for the editorial, we made a once in a lifetime for some publications; avarice of his owner's manifested itself in my case in such a way that the cities of cash, you could happily and very constructive E spend, I was offered an honorarium of books. Driven by pure revenge took the thickest we have. Since, however, the position he got close to my heart, of which, moreover, I said, magnanimously forgive Mr. Z. As for Ayn Rand, this brings me here right away another digression, which is immediately indeed share (because who forbid me?). I have a second Polish translation, moreover, by my colleague. The first appeared years ago in parts of the UPR-pisemku at that, "The Supreme Time," where is the title ("Atlas Shrugged") was translated into "I Atlas shrugged." Each time, when the title reminds me, shakes me up, but after a second comes to mind, visualize and come to the conclusion that, however, Iwona could borrow it yourself.

Yeah, "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" is waiting for a special occasion. Maybe the May trip to Hungary? In total, a thousand pages is not an unreasonable challenge, because I read the lazy pace of the one hundred and fifty pages per hour, however snag is that I bought this book in the original. And Suzanna Clarke is not so, for example, by WEB Griffin, whose military-historical novels I read from cover to cover like flies. I took in the past even for the translation of one of them, translation is incredible fun, unfortunately, to fit in any terms acceptable to the publisher, I would have to abandon all other activities. : Also when it comes to military topics and quality of translations of books and films is my teeth grinding, and may someday write about the thickest mistakes by interpreters, Mr. Lozinski!

But I did not total it. Not even a novel, Ms. Clarke, for the note on this is needless to explain why the four-hour journey from Lodz took the "bloodsuckers" by Christopher Moore, the party just 424th Do not ask me what I am tempted to go there, just that railway locomotive broke down about five miles from the city. Vigilance ought to take longer then, however, in return journey train ride I took a chance again. When you try to purchase a ticket but I was made aware that the train, which I intend to start the return journey is delayed by one hour, and therefore I have no chance to catch the change trains. It took place at the station in Kutno, where - as we all know - is so dirty that his eyes burst. Having assessed the chance of survival, therefore, the sense of sight during the three-hour wait for another train, I decided to go by buses. Pekaes rode up - strangely enough - on time, I got up thus sat, soon pogrążywszy in reading. Unfortunately, after about half an hour, the bus left the farthest suburbs, "Promised Land" and the driver turned off the light. Reading light - of course - was closed. Next we drove through various moments of the village lit up so that could be read, and even more by the municipality in which the driver re-run the main lighting. What were the city - do not ask. I do not know. I've read. When I drove on the highway, where, thanks to panakulczykowej sake of convenience of sleeping Passengers will not find a lighthouse, in desperation guided the cell, unable to break away from reading. Ladies and Gentlemen, Christopher Moore.

like such a novel: funny, witty, romantic (what!), Smart and fresh. With this fresh, it is almost hesitated, which may be new to write about vampires? And yet, you can:

took a deep breath and suddenly opened her eyes wide, as if she remembered about the explosives in the oven. - Oh, my God! It's terrible. I have jeans in which they will never push. I always I weighed about two kilos too much.

Well. Miss a few moments is a vampire. I just found out that it is immortal, depending on the blood and sentenced for the night. But no, the most important are these two mythic kg ... Vampirism causes other problems, from my personal point of view even more compelling:

zajarać We can not even blunt. We can not drink beer. Our bodies that nieprzyjmują. Sobriety sucks. We are nothing without the grass.

If I had not ridden ancient Autosan, turlałbym with laughter.

Dylogia Moore (after "Krwiopijcach" also gave as good continuation, "Suck, baby, suck") is like this. The XXI century, San Francisco. Nice, but very average dwudziestokilkulatka goes in the wrong place and time, then wakes up after two days (nights) in the garbage. Sympathetic, but quite average of twenty in the day meditating on his Great American Novel, and at night works in a shop overnight. So these two people to meet, and then ... and notwithstanding the fact that it does not begin a sentence with "well then, summarize share further makes no sense.

action is secondary, although it holds together and ends up so that I cried (with emotion, not with laughter!), Because Moore is playing primarily situational and linguistic jokes, juggling stereotypes and wrong clues. I bet that the author had a lot of fun while writing the book, which gives a perverse response to all questions that you'd want to ask the lofty figures in black cloaks, but wstydziliście to ask. And rightly so, would be beneath the dignity of those polled who are destined to eternal suffering and mhok ...

Oh, after all, a vampire must to suffer like that for half the night, wallowing in spasms, by one-quarter is looking for a handsome rat (better would be a virgin, but this is in kindergarten), the remainder of the time to devote to flaunt their courage. Consisting of a walk through the dark park. I still have to drink blood. One, speaking in scientific jargon school raving about mutations, another proudly originates from the origin of vampire fallen angels, at least. I do not know whose school is right, but I believe that Moore, who claims that the blood stinky chew hungry vampire is what the "The football poker" j also depended sports morning for the judge Lagoon: tastes awful, but it serves its purpose.

Unfortunately, the standard vampire does not reveal too much desire for sex. True, in "Interview with the Vampire," Neil Jordan tried to suggest homosexual overtones, but the "Vampire Chronicles" does not give the illusion, unfortunately. Vampires are asexual. What's another classic, Bram Stoker gives a little bit to understand, but do not represent anything literally. But what was needed Dracula Mina Harker? Well, I guess, however, to do a good impression. And that Moore is terrible: the main characters together "Bloodsuckers" buzzing goes better than ever before.

already hear the cries of outrage. Bloodsucker may not yet have a sense of humor. The vampire must be dark and haughty. His days of existence must be accompanied by pain, not a trivial boredom there. His immortality is a gift, accompanied by a price: the yearning of eternal frustration. Do not, as does Moore, trivialize vampire for fun crowd. On the day of self-respecting nosferatu rests in a crypt, possibly in a coffin, and not some pub-motels, right? If bloodsucker has helpers, they are a future students of the dark, in love with his master, and not - as in "suck a little, suck" - some smarkata Goth. On the downside, you need the main reason was that some hotel cleaning lady has not entered when you sleep, and opening the curtains not accidentally burned it to ashes

Really, are you funny young fans of Vampire: The Masquerade, most seriously in the world who maintain that the truth about vampires is one and none, and everything else is nonsense, myths and images. On the other hand, also moved by the arms, if someone teaches me that folklore and folk beliefs say something else about vampires, and pop culture shamelessly lets your imagination run wild. Hello - I have terrible news for you. VAMPIRES In REALITY Christ Vampire Hunter ", a film so shockingly bad that in some cult circles. Suffice to say that the infamous Troma productions in August after watching him with the intellectual and aesthetic delight, another thing that I still put it higher than the work of "Bloodrayne" and other "Underworldy" whose main purpose is to show some sticks, running around the plan in the lacquered leather. "Interview with the Vampire" is brilliant. Usually I do not like Tom Cruise (as rightly pointed out to me a colleague, Tom is not a man, because it has at least a hundred teeth - take a look at any scene where he smiles), but Jordan's not in the movie came out wrong. Like the role of Brad Pitt, especially the moment when the first time in centuries, he sees the sun - in the cinema. A Theatre of the Vampires, and the little Claudia, and finally the music of Elliot Godenthala ...

for Ann Rice novel, but not so fond of. Long ago, the mountains, the forests, I listened to the late Thomas Beksinski who

Sunday night, he read extracts from "Intelligence ...", interspersed music from the film. I will never forget the three-way - greetings Krzysztof Skowronski - Broadcasts the voice of Tom flowing from a small, cheesy radios, impressions, which to me had. When a few years ago I started in August and finally the "Vampire Chronicles", I experienced a severe disappointment. We're sorry: Ms. Rice is to me a simple grafomanką, which succeeded in the right hands of the right to sell the very average book. What else Bram Stoker. His "Dracula" is simply delicious, even though its author, now and always remained an author of one book. Coppola's film adaptation of A and had a great impression on me. Stokerowi also owe Kim Newman and "Anno Dracula", "Bloody Baron" and the crowning NOVELLA trilogy, which just can not remember the title, and which in Poland is not released. With Newman is indeed a severe case. Reference to Stoker's narrative takes place in a layer, who does not know who he was, James Seward, that, unfortunately, misses much of the flavors contained in the "Anno Dracula". At first glance, accumulation of improbabilities seem to be a novel in which we find the prince Dracula as a spouse of the Empress Victoria, Jack the Ripper, Dr. Jekyll, Oscar Wilde and the rest socjety Victorian, half-transformed into vampires. Worse, Newman goes up the moments: rulers Britain nosferatu commit terrible crimes without specific constraint described by the author - but still: it can be read ... "Anno Dracula" and "Bloody Baron" (in the sense of Baron von Richthofen, in our version of reality, simply called Red Baron) pull like hell. Regardless of how improbable and ill serves us the story of Newman, is in its inner logic, if we convince her, then hard to break away from reading. To some extent the

the other extreme, the authors locate, who locate the phenomenon of vampirism in the field of motivation science fiction. For them, the existence of vampires is explicable by reference to science - or its appearance; nosferatu is a subspecies of Homo sapiens so that with an extremely rare mutation has been nadnormalne (but not supernatural) capabilities, but who by the same mutation has remained small. Oh, some recessive alleles, as an impediment to the production of hemoglobin. I know, extreme example of Peter Watts went up in the otherwise excellent "Ślepowidzeniu" where genetic engineering allows genes play a vampire and raise him as a species, once extinct due to human civilization. Watts can be explained scientifically, even aversion to the cross, which for him is connected with the action of the gene, raising the intelligence, but as a side effect of causing epilepsy at the sight angles.

One of my favorite vampire remains Cass from the "Preacher" - a delicious comic written by Garth Ennis's / Steve Dillon. The irascible Irishman is not overly sympathetic figure sum. The murderer, pimp, drug dealer, female boxer - in a word, motherfucker, czepiający every chance to survive even one day longer.

But let us speak with images:





back to Christopher Moore: his heroes are normal. In the normal way you would have reacted and I had suddenly occurred to us to turn into a vampire. After the initial shock of just cieszyłaby newly acquired power, the other would be longing to return to normal, human form. Indeed you have become vampires, which This condition may be some advantages. You're healthy as the fish, anyone can easily crush, hear and see for miles. But the point is that these pros cons did not obscure to you. You have to drink blood regularly, we will not be anymore nawalić not obejrzycie sun (unless the TV), and of always staying in his physical form (two kilos! Two kilos!).

On the one hand superhuman perfection, which - like everything - has its price. On the other side all the serious defects that can be used so as to rotate them in small pleasures. Eternal life or watching the sunrise on a heavy hangover. Unceasing vigilance and control of time, seeking refuge from the destructive UV rays, or lazy lounging on the beach, dark glasses and drinks from palemką. Night or day.

author of "bloodsuckers" succeeds in a difficult and rare. The light and funny as Moore was able to casually zagadnąć reader about fundamental matters. While pompously this would sound (rum tum tum, bum Trara), I finished "Suck, baby, suck" and a little otherwise I looked at myself, for there is nothing less natural, than perfection. We are a humane precisely because they have addictions, make mistakes, we think illogically and guided by emotions. For humanity is the sum of small imperfections, but without which we badly. At least some of us, Moore says, every one must look at ourselves and the same answer, or more convenient to him with the burden of being a vampire, or the ballast to remain human.

leave my answer for yourself. Grabbing -


Moore

Krwipijcy. Tum. Jacek Drewnowski. MAG 2008

Christopher Moore Suck, baby, suck. Crowd. Jacek Drewnoski. MAG 2008

Monday, March 9, 2009

Lily Pulitzer Stylebeach Bag

killers come home

If the caller is many times its soldiers somewhere on the other end of the world, which the U.S. was time for a few training related to this tradition. One of the nice is to encourage children to began to write letters to our boys away from home. Letters can be sent to complete strangers, but I have to remind you that America stands behind the wall. They may also wish for a rapid end of the war and a happy return home. Soldiers sometimes even write off.

Dear Frederic, thank you for your kind letter. But I'm designed to kill the marines, while you seem to confuse me with some popijającym winko communist cocksucker. And although peace probably seems attractive for some bisexual lovers of trees, as you and your parents, I'm bloodthirsty, deadly fighter, and I wake up every morning with a nice, hoping that time comes shredding enemies in the dust and the clash of civilizations. This room is for assholes, Freddy, zajebista only answer is war. Podpisano: kapral Josh Ray Person, Korpus Piechoty Morskiej. Ciekawe, czy ten fragment jest prawdziwy, bo „Generation Kill” jest generalnie oparty na faktach.

Niejaki Evan Wright z miesięcznika „Rolling Stone” miał przyjemność (albo i nie) zdobywać Irak przez kilka tygodni w towarzystwie Pierwszego Batalionu Rozpoznawczego US Marines. Swoje wrażenia opisał w książce, do której prawa natychmiast kupiło HBO. Nakręcony na jej podstawie siedmioodcinkowy serial jest mniej lub bardziej wierną kroniką tamtych dni. Czytając komentarze weteranów tamtej operacji na imdb.com należałoby uznać, że bardziej wierną.

so had to look something like this: boredom. Waiting in the ass, until the orders come, boredom, inedible grub, sand, dust, dust ii, boredom, stupid orders come, unarmoured horse niewiadomodokąd Hummer, a short skirmish, the euphoria after the fight, then again, boredom. Again, a little shooting and boredom. Iraqis waving their hands, ensuring that he is very happy with the arrival of the Americans. Boredom. A little shooting, accidental casualties among civilians. Inedible joke, boredom, finding a secluded place to masturbate, waiting for orders, sand and boredom ...

Nude Soldiers kill gadkami about everything and anything, repeating over and over again the same bawdy stories, tossing up racist jokes, arguing about favorite bands, brands, cars, and so on. It seems that nothing has changed not only since "Good Soldier Schweik," but from the moment when the rulers of Mesopotamia, one of the army came up out of boredom. Not surprisingly, the adrenaline-packed with a bunch of young people to fight tears.

Even though I walk through the valley I fear no evil for I am the most zajebistym motherfucker in the valley.

Why "Generation Kill"? Well, because just this group of soldiers in this war, the killing comes easily. Research conducted during and just after the Second World War showed that a surprisingly large percentage of the people proved unable to fight. The soldiers could not shoot for a visible enemy, throw themselves at him with a bayonet and bury grenades. But our heroes are not in danger, because they grew up in an age in which aggression and violence are ubiquitous and normal. Killing is normal. On television, in comics, in a computer game. Bloodied body: normal. Death: normal. Shooting for the Iraqis: normal.

authors failed to show in a strange way to show the generation accustomed to killing, but not consisting solely of maniacal killers. Marines fighting on the show with commitment and deadly precision, nailing five of the piles of bodies of enemies, but that does not mean that they would shoot to the right and left of everything that moves. Or at least meet with the condemnation of a few individuals, which makes it a pleasure. Platoon commanders, the commander of the teams sensitize their people to prosper consider whether you really have to deal with the enemy, or just harmless civilians.

ratio turns out to be symptomatic of these soldiers to the Iraqi people. Our heroes are deep in the ass, that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, it's important that (a) is the enemy of their country, (b) population in general, welcomed them as liberators. Winning the Iraq piece by piece trying to help civilians, even if the wounds that we inflicted shooting and bombing their country. They can talk about whatever they want, but I believe in the importance of what they do;

still believe, would like to add. They perform the tasks set by the command, no matter how meaningless, with the least loss of its own, to fight so do not hesitate a moment. In addition to her sympathy for the inhabitants of Iraq. What przeczuwają smarter too, that soon thanks for the overthrow of the tyrant pass away, and begins to rage and revenge for the fact that on the occasion of their country was destroyed.

"

Generation Kill" tells so the second war in Iraq in a sometimes funny, but not hilarious. The Convention does not allow either the series of in-depth look at its characters, nor to reflect on the objectives and reasons for the war. It does not say it, what happened to the main characters, when the conquest changed the occupation and the war with Saddam in a civil war in Iraq. This was, however, be, that's reportage, and with the beginning of Iraqi operations. So there is no room for reflection, where the Americans made a mistake and why the short, several weeks the campaign turned into a long and bloody occupation.

More recently, and shortly after "Generation Kill" I watched another movie, referring to the war in Iraq, which the authors also deliberately opted out of such settlement. "In the Valley of Elah" I saw, frankly, completely by chance. About the film had never heard of, and should, if only because of last year's Oscar nomination.

fully deserved, as nominated in the categories of the leading role of Tommy Lee Jones created the character of extraordinary. Hank Deerfield is a retired policeman, who gave the United States Army and the half life of two sons. Today, already enjoys the pleasures of an old man, a bit of work in the garden, a little at home, runs his own garage. Sometimes talk to her son, stationed in Iraq. One day, however, call the duty officer, not Mike. His unit returned from Iraq a few days ago, but nobody knows where the division is a young Deerfield. So maybe a retired sergeant will know where to find her son, that this has caused you more trouble than it already is?

So the father gets in the car and come, to show photos does not work, just browse the phone contents and personal belongings searched. Mike fell into the ground, at least until when they find his rozkawałkowane and burned corpses.

Creation Tommy Lee Jones is very similar to me his role in "Three funerals Melqiadesa Estrada." There are few actors who so economical, silent ways can play an old man, affected by personal tragedy. If Mike was killed in the war, like his older brother in an accident during practice, with that Hank could not cope. Los soldier, your number is rolled, and - as the Americans call it - you buy the farm. But after Mike returned from Iraq, is in the United States was brutally murdered. His father joins the investigation, trying to discover the truth about her son's death.

lack of "In the Valley of Elah" swift action, chases, gunfights. The investigation involves exploring and comparing laborious detail, painstaking detective work, in which Hank turns out to be surprisingly helpful, yet not forgotten what he had learned from prosecuting soldiers who commit crimes in Saigon. A case is assigned police officer, yet spychanej by colleagues and superiors for the most meaningless tasks, trying to add link responsibilities of single mothers to work detective (played, as usual, great and beautiful Charlize Theron). Emily befriends an old soldier and tries to find the killers of his son. Not only with sympathy, because she also has personal reasons for his determination.

solve the riddle of death Deerfield gradually. First, the investigation is directed towards porachunkom alleged drug-related, because colleagues are reluctant to give Mike that in Iraq - like everyone else - smoking pot. But the facts and evidence are no longer fit together, the circle of suspects is expanding, suspicion begins to fall the comrades in arms. Subsequent discoveries Hank and Emily closer to the truth, while terrible and banal. Mike found himself at the wrong time and place and killed by accident. And if fate rolled just a little differently, he might be a killer.

written and directed "In the Valley of Elah" is Paul Haggis, the double Oscar winner for "Crash." Both films ask the same question: what happens to America? Whither the country in which - briefly speaking - no one no one can agree on a basic form of social communication is violence? And now

: Generation Kill coming home.

It is worth quoting a few statistics. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), manifested itself in about 30% of U.S. soldiers who fought in Vietnam. Among returning from Iraq, the presence of PTSD is estimated at 20-25%. It's frightening statistics. However, it is hardly surprising.

Each pile of stones, garbage, road works or abandoned car could mean an ambush. (...) This increases the anxiety level, which is steadily growing, keeps you in suspense and relentlessly drilling the psyche - writes one of the Polish commanders of PMC in Iraq.

So after a year or two, the guys from the 1st Recon Marines have changed their attitude. Entered into Iraq to kick some ass in the name of the case, he believed, in fact, be just, the joy of the fall of Hussein, they could only confirm that belief. Traveled with relief that they managed to save his own ass. Probably - through automation of reflexes: when a child goes to you before the mask, you have 50% chance that this is a trap. So it does not stop. If the danger is lurking from all directions, shoot in all directions, and then check to fire at someone. A Haggins therefore asks: how to keep at home?

Co. commendable, "Generation Kill" and "In the Valley of Elah" does not fit into any mainstream propaganda. There are neither for or against the intervention in Iraq, they just try to show what this war was and is for America and Americans. At this point one would like to just ask why no one asks about the U.S..

Mission accomplished, decorations and promotions granted, subject closed. Twenty more were killed, many wounded, many times. Who cares it all, hand up.

(Officially given the level of PTSD in PMC Iraq: 1.6%.)


Generation Kill. HBO series, 7 episodes, USA, 2008.

In the Valley of Elah (In the Valley of Elah). Written and directed by Paul Haggis. USA 2007.