dawn wandering

[gurdonark]

I awoke at 3:45 a.m. so that my wife and I could
take my car to the backyard mechanic, whose "backyard" is now somebody's big corporate service center, and get my wife to her "ride" with a coworker at 4:30. Someone on the BBC, which plays all night on our public radio, was reading from Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. It was the passage when the inquest turns up the fact that *someone* had scuttled the boat in which the first Mrs. DeWinter was drowned.

I've never really related to the second Mrs. DeWinter, who takes the news that her husband is a murderer with rather a bit too much aplomb for my taste. It's not that I think this is un-life-like. I'm altogether concerned that it's *too* life-like.

I've got a lot to do today, so I'll head into the office at 6:30. I must pick up a new electric shaver from one of those all night Wal Marts on the way; my current one requires a fair bit of effort if I am to avoid a sort of charming vagabond-ish appearance...this sort of "whisker here, whisker there" result looks good on folks in Victorian novels about good-hearted sailors and well-meaning tradesmen (who are always showing their True Worth as contrasted to the clean-shaven elite), but for some unexplained reason does not seem to win me friends or positively influence people.

The Dutch elections, in the wake of the recent assasination of the anti-immigrant fellow,
should prove interesting. I hate to see an assassin stifle free speech, and I think that murder was a wretched thing to do. Still, the Dutch need to stay away from that particular slippery slope of voting for "ethnic purity" candidates. Let's hope the sympathy vote does not do much damage.

Meanwhile, our local farm bill, coupled with the steel tariff bit, makes me curious about our current government. As I start well to the left of our Glorious Conservative President on most issues, it's odd to find that I am much more of a "free trader" than he is. Steel is one thing, being a defense issue, but for our agribusiness establishment to be supports-dependent is outrageous corporate welfare. Although the spinmasters play it differently, this administration seems no less avid than the preceding one to do whatever they believe it will take to win swing state votes. Does anyone else think that Ari Fleischer should be in the "shadow government" bunker, giving press conferences to which nobody comes?

Meanwhile the media seems stuck in "free pass" territory, actually spending ink on wondering about Karen Hughes's teenager bonding.

ABC cancelled Politically Incorrect. I have nothing against his replacement show, Jimmy Kimmel, but that's a travesty. I hope that Bill Maher will take the concept back to cable or in a roadtrip format, as I enjoyed this show. We need more shows in which people talk about ideas, even if the talking is all done by media celebrities and the Save the Endangered Right Winger conservative groups.

Comments

[amatrixangel.livejournal.com]

Yes, re the Dutch ....ironic that historically they have been the most open and liberal of all nations. It's a kind of 'country' karma though with nations like France, England and The Netherlands. They've spent a lot of time over the centuries taking over African nations in particular and building their empires and what they took out of them, then had to have a reciprical arrangement in modern times vis a vis citizenship and living/working rights. Now the people of those countries have taken them up on it, for the Europeans it's been a bitter pill to swallow.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I will say for the Dutch that the controversy has not been as virulent, but it's still an imperfect situation.

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

You mean the mamby pamby *Rebecca*, as portrayed by the decidedly limp Joan Fontaine? I love that movie but never read the book. Was she as mamby pamby in the book? And was *Danny* as overtly gay?

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I have but the vaguest recollection of the whole thing, but my recollection is that she comes off as a fool for love, willing to put up with any criminality because her husband was so "beset" and so "noble".

[burninggirl.livejournal.com]

The whole situation, the heroine's emotional reactions and her general struggle, was a lot more complex in the book, as opposed to the film where, I agree, the heroine was a complete wet blanket. Of course, we have to remember that it was Hitchcock directing, and his attitude toward women, and particularly that sort of woman, wasn't the best. A lot of the cinematography and set design, and of course the direction, was specifically designed to portray the heroine in that light. Noto mention that, because of the 1930s/40s censorship regulations, the film neatly sidestepped the whole issue of Maxim DeWinter as murderer by toning down Rebecca's death to an accident, her falling and hitting her head during their fight - in the book he pulls out a gun and shoots her through the heart, no ambiguity there.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I never thought of the differenced as Hitchcock thing,but that makes sense. I'm going to have to go check out that book again.

[burninggirl.livejournal.com]

Just out of interest, was it blindingly obvious that I've studied this at uni? ; ) One of my units in second semester last year was comparative study of 20th century texts and the films made of them, and Rebecca was on the list. I've always enjoyed the book, but I'd never seen the film until I took the course. I was quite fascinated by the way Hitchcock treated it. I'm not usually one of those people who spouts off knowledge gained in my uni courses, but I guess that when I do there's the advantage that it's information more accessible to all than, say, economics theory or ancient Greek. : )

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Yes, I guessed you had studied it, but your knowledge seemed in depth to me.

Did you take your degree in English at "uni"?
[I love to say 'uni', as we don't say that here].

[burninggirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Film Studies. Fun but useless - but I'm still glad I did it.

I always think it sounds funny when my British friend always refers to it as "university". It seems so formal. I like the American "college", but for some reason "school" annoys me, I think because to us it's *not* school - school is left behind at the end of high school. Whenever I refer to college in my journal I'm talking about my residential hall rather than my place of study, which probably gets confusing to some American readers.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

We call what you call "college" a dorm; I guess the English can use it in either sense, if I understand their strange tongue correctly.

My wife's degree is English literature, and
she has used it with style...a motorcycle magazine right out of college, and now she edits manuals for a corporation's intranet.

I think English is a fine degree, and at least you'll have seen some good films!

[burninggirl.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do some sort of editing, but it's a difficult job to get into. My best chances were back in Sydney, but I'd be so unhappy living there it would outweigh any job satisfaction.

we're an endangered species !

[nancyjane.livejournal.com]

i'm so right wing i clipped both of my birds left wings lololol no

not really. but i have threatened to when they act up. they seem to have inherited the democrats sense of entitlement... thinking that they are entitled to be fed everyday !! imagine that... just sitting there all day, not working for a living and expecting to get fed. i'm ashamed to say i raised them that way, i guess it's all my fault. well, after all, that's all i do lolol i suppose kids learn by example. lolol.

sorry just feeling kind of goofy. nope not even drinking just sill

Re: we're an endangered species !

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

It's okay to be right...I just want some
consistency sometimes....

Re: we're an endangered species !

[nancyjane.livejournal.com]

no kidding lolol

actually of course right and left somewhat are in the eye of the beholder, and depends on the decade. i suppose mostly i'm consistently independent. i've never read a manifesto that i thought deserved my undying allegiance... just true to my own skepticism i suppose. :) ..

i do get a kick out of the endangered species thing though, i have listened to many stories like that on planes lol. i thought it was funny when you mentioned in passing, something about someone on a plane. maybe same guy i sat next to before who knows lol

politically incorrect....

[geisa.livejournal.com]

this may be "politically incorrect," but i could never watch that show for some reason. it made me nervous (?) i think it may have something to do with the format, or the fact that i really don't put much credibility in what "celebrities" think politically. however, i do like bill maher and hope that he gets another show...just not a format for the political ideals of "celebrities."

well, i guess it would be more interesting if they could have an episode with charles manson, vincent bugliosi, jay and silent bob and spongebob squarepants. i would definitely watch that one!!!;) i guess the issue gets down to who the "celebrities" are as to how well the particular show works. i think it may be one of those things that may actually work better on the radio...just a thought!!!

oh, that was a funny comment about ari fleisher and the bunker press conferences that no-one comes to, talk about credibility issues. also the outrageous agriculture corporate welfare issue is one that directly effects my family...unbelievable!!! you should talk to my dad about that, i think you two could talk for hours!!!

i hope that you come back and hit this entry. i really like reading your journal...i grew up in houston, and my sister is an attorney in dallas. i also wanted to thank you again for your compliment on my "winter" photo. i am going to be placing alot more photo's up, so please come back...there will be alot of funny ones, or atleast i think they are, coming up!!!;)

Re: politically incorrect....

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about Politically Incorrect. The best of all would be to have "real" people talk about issues. But I'll miss the show, anyway.

I'll be watching your journal for those pix.
They sound fun.

I grew up in Arkansas,but I used to go to Houston to visit relatives a fair bit.
Galveston and Astroworld and gorgeous dark cloud thunderstorms....

Re: politically incorrect....

[geisa.livejournal.com]

cool!!!;)