Lost In Translation

Consider The Lobster

David Foster Wallace is one the brightest young American authors around. His essays and fiction are self-consciously postmodern, but also accessible in the sense that he breathes life into his writing by exposing his own personality through sardonic and often ironic observations. I think it was telling that in an episode of Entourage last year, Ari Gold’s wife is reading Consider The Lobster, which shows that she’s a smart, hip with-it wife and mother, not a trophy wife, but a shrewd partner to compliment the ambitious Ari Gold. I have read a couple of the pieces before; the ones that first appeared in Harper’s-“Some Remarks on Kafka’s Funniness from Which Probably Not Enough Has Been Removed” and “Authority and American Usage.” In particular, I remember the “American Usage” essay mainly due to his humorous and copious footnotes, a sort of mock academic style, which he uses elsewhere in the book, most prominently in ”The Big Red Son” and “Consider the Lobster.” In another essay, “The Host,” he uses a sort of idea map instead of footnotes with arrows pointing to the asides and digressions that he has made. In essays like “The Big Red Son” he writes about writing about the Adult Video News Awards. So he examines the industry, questions the misogyny of many of the films, and gives us a look at some of the lesser producers and actors. However, we learn more about the industry writers with names like Dick Filth, the industry lingo, as well as the in and outs of the business-no pun intended. This sort of postmodern analytic overview reporting can be seen in other essays like “Up Simba” (which is about covering the McCain campaign, as well as “The Host” about a right wing talk show host and the conservative talk radio phenomena. It makes you wonder what the editor that hired DFW thought once they relieved these huge sprawling essays that were probably tangentially about what they were hoping for, thus the impetus for reprinting the essays as the writer had intended them to read. This is especially true of “Consider the Lobster” written for Gourmet magazine. The central question asks whether or not it cruel to cook lobsters alive and then eat them. It seems to be an obvious question, but one that most diners and, perhaps, readers would rather not consider. I also found the book review "How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart" informative in how he deconstructs the whole genre of sports biographies by focusin onthsi particualr title to expose theri failure in presenting reality of what it is like to be a world class athlete. This particualr example has personal significance for the former tennis crazy DFW. All in all, it is an entertaining, though-provoking, painstakingly researched, and intelligently written collection of essays. DFW seems almost to resort to anthropologist like attention to details and minutiae that is compelling and informs his often-sardonic insights on the assorted topics.

The AV Club: The Hater

There is a section on The Onion's AV Club page called The Hater, which has pretty funny stuff. This week there a feature called "The Only Thing Worse Than Bad Sex Columns" by Amelie Gilitte. Here's a sample:

In general, there are four things that make a sex column entertaining, as opposed to a warmed-over treatment for an ill-advised Sex & The City remake:

1. The person writing the column is Dan Savage.
2. The column is not all about the person who writes it and their sex life.
3. The column is dirty, but interesting, i.e. no romance-novel-like scenes.
or
4. The column describes things that are weird-kinky (sitting on cakes for sexual pleasure), as opposed to boring kinky (handcuffs).

Unfortunately, the new sex column in The Village Voice, Married, Not Dead is none of these things. In fact, it is almost the precise opposite of all of these things, but worse—because not only is it incredibly boring, it's easily one of the most annoying, least believable things you will ever read. Also, it should come with it's own New-York-parent cliche counter.

Check out the excerpt from in the original article. Bonus: Here's a recent Savage Love column. (Not for the squemish or easily offended)

Eric's Recommendations: The Familiar

When I was back in the states visiting family and friends over the holidays one of my friends, Eric, turned me onto a bunch of cool bands that I had never heard of or overlooked. I can’t say there was a miss, but some of the bands I like more than the others. Overall, a pretty good selection with no real stinkers. Then again I’m not sure I’ve had enough time to properly evaluate all of the albums properly (I expect soem of them to grow on me)-it's a lot of music. Therefore, I’ll break up my discussion into three parts. I’ll start out with the familiar artists: Glenn Phillips, Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins, Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, Loose Fur.

Glenn Phillips is the former lead singer of a college favorite of mine Toad the Wet Sprocket (yeah I know, not very punk rock of me, but I have my sensitive folk rock side as well). None of these bands are outright rockers, and Phillips fills the role of sensitive singer/songwriter on Mr. Lemon, which includes a slowed down version of the Huey Lewis, classic “I Want A New Drug,” but my favorite song is “Everything But You”.

Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins’ album Rabbit Fur Coat has been on several best of 2006 lists, so I was aware of it, however, I had no idea what she was about. It turns out that she is on of the fronts of the band Rilo Kiley, again whom I have heard of but never listened to. This album is a mix of country, gospel, and blues influences. This may sound harsh, but she sounds like a poor man’s Neko Case (Lewis’ voice isn’t as distinctive nor is the songwriting), but that being said it is growing on me more and more. I particularly like “Rise Up with Fists” and her cover of the Traveling Wilburys tune “Handle With care” is performed with indie rock stars Conner Obst (Bright Eyes) and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie).

Jess Sykes used to be in Hominy, which I am unfamiliar with, however, band mate Phil Wandscher used to be in Ryan Adams’s first band Whiskeytown, which is one of my favorite alt country bands. Furthermore, they are based out of Seattle and are said to have met at Hattie’s Hat in Ballard (a drinking hole well-known in my crowd). Jess Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter’s album Oh, My Girl is one of the alums that immediately caught my attention. They continue the alt country tradition with great songs like “Troubled Soul” and “House by The Lake”, Sykes has a very soulful delivery.

Loose Fur is made up of Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Glen Kotche along with their producer Jim O’Rourke. This album, Born Again in the U.S.A., has a throwback feel to it. The album has a foot in the rock traditions of the 60s and 70s. The standout tracks for me were: “Hey Chicken”, “Thou Shall Wilt”, and “Wanted.”

Obama in 08

Barack Obama’s announcement to formally launch an exploratory committee for a presidential run, which is essentially throwing his hat into the 2008 presidential race, has been a long time coming. At first, I was worried that a Hillary Clinton / Obama race might be too divisive for voters, who might feel trepidation in voting for either a woman or a black man for the first time. But after learning more about the man and hearing what he has to say I have changed my mine. It doesn’t matter if he would be a good choice in 2012, he is needed right now. Aside from his impressive declarations against the war in Iraq and reformer’s agenda, he has many things, which Clinton is lacking. To begin with, Clinton has so many detractors and is a polarizing figure for many due to her association with her husband during his administration’s run. Furthermore, he has what I think matters most to swing voters: charisma. Obama’s a great speaker and a cool guy; a guy that the average man can relate to. Clinton had it, Bush Jr. had it, and on the contrary Gore didn’t have it, nor did Kerry. A few months back, Harper’s wrote an exploratory article about Obama being compromised by financial interests in his state. This angers me, because there is no way any elected official can get away from considering financial interests and stay in office. However, the litmus test is how much these interests influence them. There was nothing in that article that raised any red flags for me-it was just business as usual. I guarantee that Obama will be less influenced by big money than Bush Jr. has been. It’s been rare that there has been such a principled, charismatic candidate running on the democratic ticket. I doubt he will be bedeviled by past personal issues like “inhaling” or marital infidelities. I think the Democrats with Obama in the running have their best shot at regaining the white house.

Geisha Grrrls?

There's an interesting interview with Veronica Chambers, a journalist, a novelist and the author of Kickboxing Geishas: How Modern Japanese Women Are Changing Their Nation. Here's the lead in for the article:

The American media loves Japanese women, especially when they're dressed in kimonos or school uniforms, or covered head to toe in brand names. But according to Veronica Chambers, a journalist, a novelist and the author of "Kickboxing Geishas: How Modern Japanese Women Are Changing Their Nation," those stylish stereotypes distract us from the real story. Chambers claims that there's a major cultural power shift taking place in Japan -- and it's ordinary working women who are shaking things up.

Chambers first sensed the tremors of revolution when she visited Japan on a media fellowship in 2000; her interest piqued, she set out to find enterprising Japanese women who were bucking the corporate system and creating financial and personal success on their own terms. The task turned out to be harder than she expected -- not because the women didn't exist (to the contrary) but because they didn't think their stories were worth sharing with each other -- or with nosy journalists.

Chambers says she started to feel like one of the Western men of the 19th century who were obsessed with the myth of the exotic Japanese female. But instead of following the flash of red lips or the clatter of geta sandals down the alleyways of Gion, Chambers tracked groundbreaking businesswomen and iconoclastic entrepreneurs to their offices and homes. She spent three years discussing ideas of autonomy and ambition with more than 74 women, including young hipsters like a hip-hop DJ and an extreme snowboarder; barrier breakers like a senior executive at Canon and an openly gay Osaka assemblywoman; and dozens of small-business owners, artists and creative types. Through her interviews, Chambers discovered that feminism is alive and even thriving in Japan -- albeit in a way that might seem a little, well, foreign to American women. And as American women continue to strive for true equality in the workplace, the White House and beyond, she hopes it may be helpful to hear how our counterparts across the globe -- who don't have mandatory maternity laws, who have fewer female representatives in government than most other industrialized nations and who earn half of what men do -- are doing.

Click here to read the article.

The Corporation

The Corporation is a documentary that was released in 2004, but I think it stands as a timeless indictment of the way corporations have spiraled out of control. It systematically looks at the ways that corporations have damaged society over the year. So it shows historically how corporations evolved into the giant faceless entities that prize profits over just society, the environment, and the laws of the land. It was fascinating to learn that Coca Cola produced Fanata to sell in Nazi Germany to save their good name. This film has done an excellent job of condensing all the information that I’ve read about in books about globalism and the economy over the years (i.e. Who Will Tell The People?, No Logo, One World Ready Or Not, Globalization And Its Discontents). It is damning in its depiction. It refutes the theory of “just a few bad apples”: almost every major corporation is revealed to have done something illegal or unscrupulous: exploitation of labor, environmental damages, willfully breaking laws in order to pay fines that are less costly than changing the way of doing business, tax fraud, and the list goes on and on. I would have actually like to have seen more about how apologists would have justified the actions of corporations. It is thought provoking and absolutely anger inducing for me. It’s probably something everyone should see.

Next Destination: Vientiane

It’s easy to turn into a turbo-tourist in Southeast Asia. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi — a vacation can start to feel like a mail route as you dutifully hit every beach and temple. When it’s time to take a break, there’s Vientiane.

Laos’s relaxed capital is rich with pleasures, and its tranquillity can be a tonic for those who have been hopscotching nonstop around the region. New hotels are adding to the city’s appeal. Fancier bars and restaurants are opening up, too, mainly to serve the capital’s several thousand foreign aid and government workers. Yet the fundamental allure of the city is centuries old: its location along a long stretch of the Mekong River, its pungent traditional foods and the low-key Buddhist culture that has sprinkled gracious temples and monuments throughout the city.

Later this month I have a conference in Bangkok, but I was planning to visit a Japanese friend of mine who is doing tours in Vientiane, so this article from the NY Times is very timely. I visited Laos about six years ago, so it should be interesting to see how it has changed since then.

Japanese Mobsters

Slate has a series of pictures depicting Japanese mobsters or yakuza.

The Best Films of 2006

This is not an exhaustive list of the top films of 2006 by any means (For example: I suspect that Pan's Labyrinth would have made the list had I gotten the chance to see it). But I did get to see a lot of great films in 2006, especially during my visit to the states for winter vacation where I got to see several of the top films that made this list.

1) Babel: It is a haunting film that stayed with me long after the viewing. I’d like to see it again to see if it still has the same power. Arresting visual images and powerful performances.

2) Children of Men: Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian nightmare was anchored by a powerful performance from the consistent Clive Owen.

3) The Departed: Scorsese’s best film since Goodfellas, sprinkled with a bevy of great supporting performances.

4) United 93: A moving and dramatic story that still has the power to move the viewer despite our familiarity with the result.

5) Half Nelson: Intelligent and realistic portrait of a troubled teacher with an outstanding performance by Ryan Gosling.

6) The Proposition: The almost fable-like Australian western written by Nick Cave channeling Cormac McCarthy.

7) Three Times: Hou Hsioa’s extremely romantic and evocative tales of love and heartbreak.

8) Thank You For Smoking: This year’s great satire-witty, funny, and smartly written.

9) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada: Tommy Lee Jones maybe shilling canned coffee in Japan, but this film, also seemingly inspired by the prose of Cormac McCarthy, is a powerful paean to the west.

10) Casino Royale: Bond makes a comeback in a big way-credit other films franchises like Mission Impossible and The Bourne series for upping the ante.

Honorable Mention: Friends With Money, Borat, The Queen, An Inconvenient Truth, Why We Fight

Permanent Records: King Of America

The AV Club has started a feature discussing their Hall of Fame Record selections. Recently they selected Elvis Costello's brillant roots rock record King of America. It's amazing to also realize that in 1986 he also released the contrastingly impressive and well-recieved album Blood And Chocolate as well. King of America is almost perfect (save "Eisenhower Blues" and "Poison Rose"). I can still remember singing "Sleep of the Just" among other Elvis songs after a party with my friend Eric on guitar in college, we both had/have great affection for the album and the singer. Here's what they say about its greatness:

Costello wasn't new to dabbling in country sounds, having fronted a country-rock band before going solo and craftily borrowed from Americana on most of his early albums. He's so confident with it on this album that it often sneaks by without notice, and his approach to his persona is just as restrained. Costello spent the early years of his career trying to prove what a vengeful shit he could be, but by 1986 he seemed comfortable admitting that he's just a bitter romantic, and thanks to the dry, subdued arrangements, it never sounds like he's trying to prove anything about himself. Without The Attractions' muscle behind it, everything from the unconditional (well, as Costello songs go) declaration of love "I'll Wear It Proudly" to "Sleep Of The Just" (which closes the album with an ominous scene of a group of soldiers courting a girl in their barracks) leaves Costello's songwriting almost naked. If that wasn't enough to minimize Costello as a musician, he credits his own guitar parts to "The Little Hands Of Concrete."