2020
"Spenser Confidential," a movie based on the Robert B. Parker novels, hits Netfllix March 6.
It stars Mark Wahlberg as Spenser and Winston “Black Panther” Duke as Hawk. “It is very loosely based on the novel Wonderland by Ace Atkins, and uses the names of characters created by Robert B. Parker.” Spenser is an ex-cop and ex-con and Hawk is an MMA fighter. wikipedia.org
Okaaaaay. What the hell, I’ll watch. I loved the early novels and the later ones are fun.
It’s an action-comedy directed by Peter Berg.
Also: Appreciating Robert B. Parker’s Spenser thrillingdetective.com
Quiz: Which of these 2020 Democrats agrees with you most? I came out Mayor Pete and Yang, which wow. [washingtonpost.com]
I do not support Mayor Pete – the best thing I’ll say for him is he’s inexperienced; other days I just hate him.
I don’t know much about Yang.
On many of these issues, I picked a side but really I don’t know. For example, on health insurance I strongly support a public option. Should we then outlaw private insurance? Don’t know. Let’s see how the public option works first.
Should the US expand nuclear power? Let prisoners vote while they are still in prison? Limit or better regulate fracking? Don’t know.
I support Sanders and Warren. But I don’t have a strong investment in the primary. I’ll vote for and support whichever Democrat wins. The only ones I actively dislike are Pete and Bloomberg. And I’d vote for, and support, them too.
Until recently I was anti-Biden too. But the recent Times interview, and discussion of his philosophy on Vox, causes me to think twice about that. Biden’s philosophy is that in American governance, sometimes to get what you dearly want you have to vote for something you hate. He may be right.
I treat elections like a job interview. I am often uninterested in the candidate’s positions, but interested instead in how they arrived at their positions.
Kansas City library via
How is the most unpopular and divisive president on his way to a second term? – theguardian.com
It’s the economy, says David Smith. Also, unlike 2016, Trump is running a highly organized, well-funded campaign. And Trump’s opposition is split.
On that last point: The Republicans are a minority party and, paradoxically, that is their strength. Every Republican is signed on to their agenda of white supremacy, xenophobia, gun fetishization, sex policing, preserving property rights, and their version of Christianity, which conveniently leaves out the bits about loving the stranger and least fortunate.
Whereas the Democrats are an unruly coalition of white moderates, second- and third-generation Eastern and Southern European immigrants, first-generation immigrants, Jews, African-Americans, minorities, socialists, LGBTQs, feminists and I’m probably missing some. Some of those groups disagree. For example, immigrants and African-Americans tend to be socially conservative, which puts them at odds with the LGBTQs and feminists. Those white moderates can’t stand the socialists, and vice versa. And yet they’re all supposedly one party.
The Story of Two Monks and a Woman: A parable about letting go of the past. kottke.org
Ode to San Rafael: my unremarkable hometown [Carolyn Jones/SFChronicle.com]
I had a vision recently: I’m at a little market buying cream soda and Ding Dongs. Bathed in luscious, late-afternoon amber light, I head out to the levee and perch on some rocks. Seagulls soar overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a Camaro blasts “Frampton Comes Alive.”
Now and then, I have the same nostalgia for Long Island. Hearing “Frampton Comes Alive” does it.
Scary Sea Monster Really Just Hundreds of Tiny Fish in a Trench Coat [kottke.org]
As a defense against predators, these juvenile striped eel catfish from Jemeluk Bay near Bali organize themselves into an ambling, pulsating sea creature that looks like something out of a Miyazaki film.
Copyright was designed to serve creators, but instead it serves big business against creators [Cory Doctorow/Boing Boing]
Expecting more copyright to help artists beat a concentrated industry is like expecting more lunch money to help your kid defeat the bullies who beat him up on the playground every day.
No more free rides: US seeks to limit emotional support animals on planes [Joanna Walters/The Guardian ]
Some animal lovers and nervous fliers may squawk but the US government wants a definitive “neigh” to the question of passengers bringing rabbits, turtles, birds, miniature horses and other unusual emotional support animals on planes in future, especially free of charge.
The head of ICE says he will deport DREAMers if the Supreme Court ends DACA - vox.com
To Trump and his supporters, cruelty is not an unfortunate by product of his policies. They are the point. These are people who believe government should be putting children in cages.
Gentleman ticketed for driving in carpool lane with plastic skeleton in passenger seat Mark Frauenfelder/boingboing.net
Totally should be allowed.
Laff-o-rama, 1964 via
