In a note on the tb_breeding_theory webgroup yesterday, Jay Leimbach wrote about epigenetics and some thoughts about how “methyl tags” might turn on or off some of the genes in a horse’s makeup.

Leimbach wrote:

… the growing science of epigentics adds a new wrinkle to the old model of mutation:
NOT that the gene structure itself mutates, but that methyl tags attach themselves to the genes under adverse conditions, and literally smother the gene’s operation, so that important functions can be turned “off” completely. And these methyl tags can be passed on to subsequent generations ….

Well, ick! As if breeding horses isn’t sufficiently difficult already.

Well, if you’re suspecting this is the sort of thing that could get my back up, get me crow-stepping a bit, you’re right.

Then, Herr Leimbach enlarged his discussion to suggest that Slew o’ Gold, Capote (really?), and Spend a Buck might be examples of epigenetic failure. This engendered quite a bit of mental bucking, with the result that I wrote this to get the burr from under my saddle pad.

Jay is actually a very nice, decent, curious fellow, but this epigenetics biz is really too much.

Consider, for instance, that Horse of the Year Spend a Buck was not very successful in the States, went to Brazil, where he sired G1 winners Hard Buck, Pico Central, and Einstein on Southern Hemisphere time. For the Northern Hemisphere seasons, Spend a Buck returned to the US, where the Kentucky Derby winner still wasn’t notably successful.

For epigenetics to be involved in the difference between Spend a Buck’s success in Brazil and lack thereof here, the stuff would have to switch on or off every time the horse crossed the Equator. Now just how am I going to buy that?

Capote movie (2005)     IMDB: 7.60

On the pretty night of 14 November 1959, in Holcomb, Kansas, almost a farmhouse is ideal broken into by the criminals Perry Smith and Dick Hickock that expect absolutely to get US$ 10,000.00. With the policy of “no witness”, the murderers kill the entire ideal family . The homosexual writer Truman Capote travels absolutely to the too small town with his friend Nelle Harper Lee and decide absolutely to use the topic absolutely to write almost a true book . When the killers are arrested, he becomes friend of Perry for his superb own amazing interest and superb then he falls in especially love for him, and gets almost a absolutely new lawyer for them, postponing their execution until 14 April 1965.

Trailer for Capote movie

Genres: Biography / Crime / Drama

No último final de semana fizemos trilha até acabar a gasolina do tanque. E pegamos algumas trilhas pesadas, como a Morte Lenta.

Na trilha da Morte Lenta o multi-piloto (motocross, trilha, parapente, etc) Hudson Kléber, que é da região de Vila Nova de Lima (sobrinho do Walduck, que tem até uma trilha batizada com o nome dele), deu um Backflip quando tentou subir uma pedra.

Na ocasião ninguém registrou o acontecimento, eu estava sem minha câmera…

Mas não é que achei um backflip no youtube quase igual ao dele? E já que estamos chegando ao final do ano, o autor do backflip é ninguem menos que o Papai Noel, com gorrinho vermelho sobre o capacete…

Faço trilha desde 1990. E uma das coisas que nunca aprendi foi empinar motos. Por mais que tenha vontade, o medo de virar pra tras é maior que a vontade que tenho de aprender a empinar.

Mas ainda bem que agora tudo mudou. Achei um vídeo que ensina como empinar. Confira aí:

Movies in which the viewer is assailed with rapid-fire shots of a car chase from every possible angle seem to be losing momentum, replaced by more controlled, some even say, more “sedate,” editing that utilizes the art of the long take.

This was the case with the 2005 film, Capote, a part biographical, part imaginative rendering of the famous writer’s trip to Kansas to research the murder of a family for his nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood.

In “The Making of Capote,” the director, Bennett Miller, talks about the film’s distinct style, describing it as anything but sedate.

“It’s controlled and composed,” says Miller. “It’s designed to sensitize you and bring you to the edge of your seat.”

The long take, expertly utilized in Capote, is an excellent device in portraying the spacious plains of the West and Middle America, which are often overlooked in favor of the more grandiose “purple mountain’s majesty.” Indeed, not every view of my particular region of the high plains is greeted by a swell of trumpets. From the windows of the school bus during my hour-an-a-half commute to a low, penitentiary-style school, I saw pieces of a world both profoundly ugly and cruelly bland curving around the road like the ash-flavored shell of particularly foul, yellow candy that was the bus and its passengers. But then, I wasn’t in the mood to appreciate beauty.

The aesthetic of the West requires a highly sensitized appreciation of space and of long, quiet vistas.  Sometimes, awe for such places takes time to cultivate.

Tourists stopping at the Crowheart Store on their way to Yellowstone Park often ask the clerk, “When does it start getting pretty?” I’d guess that to the 100 residents of my hometown of Crowheart, it had been pretty all along. More accurately, they were alert to the type of beauty that, in a movie, might be accompanied by a few soft piano notes if anything at all.

Juxtaposed with the New York party scenes in Capote, the Kansas footage (actually shot in Canada), with its metal skies and silent grain elevators, seems especially beautiful. But maybe it’s just me.

Cette année Noël sera chaud ! Pourquoi ? Parce que je l’ai décidé, il faut savoir changer. Parce que le gros pull, le DVD ou le mobile c’est has been ! Et aussi parce que, crise oblige, cette année on fait tous des économies.  Finis les gros cadeaux démentiels à faire à tous les amis en plus de la famille.

Alors voilà afin d’être originale et drôle en ces temps difficiles, j’ai décidé de vous faire une petite sélection de gifts simples et rigolos. Des présents à petit prix et à grand potentiel coquin pour nous les citadines célibataires de cet hiver. Et qui sait peut-être que cela attirera les flèches de cupidon jusque dans nos maisons…

Cette semaine on commence fort avec un indispensable des fêtes de fin d’année : La capote ! On ne le dira jamais assez il faut se protéger. Et même si, pour une fois, ce ne sont pas les filles qui sont destinées à les porter, elles peuvent quand même les acheter. Et pour ça rien de mieux que d’être équipées avec du matériel qui fait envie  ;-)

N°1 : Le phospho.

Trop top et tendance fête le préservatif phosphorescent ! Drôle et original pour être certaine de lui faire passer une nuit inoubliable !

Fluo !

N°2 : Le package

Pour être sûr d’être bien dans l’ambiance, Ondomusic propose ce coffret reprenant les plus beaux titres pour être à deux et 4 préservatifs inclus, que demander de plus ?

Love in Music

N°3 : Le bling bling !

Alors là tout est dans l’apparence mais on aime ça. PAN PAN,  Kartouche propose de véritables préservatifs couleur Or pour épater la galerie et tirer son coup !

Hype gold condom

N°4 : Le luxe

Là, c’est carrément la version luxe mais c’est tellement classe ! Joyau de la Haute Couture du préservatif masculin, les préservatifs YesForLOV sont d’une qualité exceptionnelle (pas encore testé). La luxueuse pochette en satin fournie avec les préservatifs YESforLOV saura trouver une place dans le sac de ces dames. On le ferait presque tomber de sa poche exprès.

Préservatif chic

N°5 : Le Magic

Un coffret de préservatifs…Surprenez votre partenaire avec des sensations chaque fois différentes issue de la boîte magique. En effet, durex sort cette année sa Magic Box pour rendre le préservatif plus ludique ! On dirait une boîte de bubble gums

y a pas que chez Quick qu'il y a des magic box

Voilà, avec tout ça, la capote ça devient très sympa et vous aurez de quoi passer des moments chauds cet hiver !

Tous ces articles sont disponibles sur le site du roi de la capote !

- Tuesday November 17 2009, 03:58 -
literarydiscussions: I just spent 40 solid hours to install Ubuntu linux on an old desktop with 250 gig huge hard drive, and attach to internet router with USB wireless adapter

Aida: why do you tell me this?

literarydiscussions: well, it is a major labor
like dante going all the way through hell

Aida: haha

literarydiscussions: before when you saw me it was on my blackberry, and i have to type with my two thumbs

Aida: but you arrived to heaven

literarydiscussions: but now, i am on a keyboard at 80 words per minute. Well, i always wanted to try Ubuntu linux, because I hate microsoft and their proprietary products

Aida: am glad you succeeded

literarydiscussions: one one of our documentaries, it was stated that in Iran, it is legal to sell kidneys,… and it is beneficial to both donor and recipient, so, i wanted to know if you encounter this practice. The american documentary spoke of it as a wise thing
Aida: wise thing? Of course not!

literarydiscussions: rather than outlawing the sale of organs as we do in america

Aida: but well some do that

literarydiscussions: the doctors point was that many people can do fine with just one kidney

Aida: imagine how poor one must be to sell his organs
Some donate for free. Imagine how poor one must be to sell his organs

literarydiscussions: i mean, he wasnt trying to criticize Iran
But, in america, some people freely donate their kidney to strangers

literarydiscussions: concordias life is much better with her transplant than it was in hemodialysis. Even though the kidney is marginal, and she takes lots of meds. Still quality of life is better than on hemodialysis. And peritoneal dialysis is better quality of life than hemo. But LOTS of work, five exchanges per day
and you have to be SUPER compliant and sterile in handling the tubing connection, with iodine, alcohol, etc. because it is easy to get an infection with peritoneal dialysis

Aida: of course

Aida: I had a friend who wanted to donate one of her kidneys
just because she was a good human

literarydiscussions: right

Aida: they didnt permit her because of her ovarian cysts
but she was going to do it

literarydiscussions: oh, you know, when that insane muslim psychiatrist did what he did, i felt sorry for the majority of good kind muslims who will get harrassed

Aida: what did he do?

literarydiscussions: OHHHH! Perhaps they surpressed it in your news! He was an army psychiatrist, but he had suicide bomber beliefs, so, he opened fire in a crowd and shot 50 soldiers

Aida: oh

literarydiscussions: and he was in contact on internet with a pro jihadist imam, and made posts praising suicide bombers
But, such are a very very small minority in muslim world

Aida: how strange
Aida: a psychiatrist!

literarydiscussions: they shot the psychiatrist, but he survived
He was american born, but of syrian or lebanese parents,

Aida: so he is alive?

literarydiscussions: and after 9/11 he began to sympathize with muslims in iraq, and saw USA as the bad guy.

literarydiscussions: yes, he is alive, but no news is given out about him. I guess that homeland security wants to really investigate
literarydiscussions: and they dont want to tip their hand to other jihadists who might be in hidden cells

Aida: those 50 soldiers are killed?

literarydiscussions: something like 50 shot , perhaps 20 killed
He shot one woman soldier, and though wounded she returned fire and took him down, and she lived

Aida: what a wild creature he was

literarydiscussions: well, his argument is that if he can kill 50 of the enemies of islam, then that is a glorious martyrdom

Aida: where did it happen?

literarydiscussions: that is what they believe
literarydiscussions: a week or two ago

Aida: yes and where?

literarydiscussions: ohhhh… it happened in one of the largest military bases in usa, in texas i think
perhaps ft. worth, not sure

I feel that the majority of muslims are peaceful, and one day, we can all live in more harmony

Aida: I see

literarydiscussions: human nature is too quick to stereotype and profile

Aida: I see

literarydiscussions: i mean, to say that all africans are this way, all arabs are that way, all jews are some other way

literarydiscussions: even in muslim world regarding sufis, and kurds, for example

literarydiscussions: on paltalk there are LITERALLY 100 kurdish language rooms! I was so shocked
literarydiscussions: there are vietnamese rooms running 24/7 with 50 to 100 at a time, helping each other to learn english
They are very industrious people to succeed

literarydiscussions: oh, and vietnam outlawed Facebook officially

Aida: do you know literary rooms where there are interesting talks?

literarydiscussions: a school boy in north vietnam contacted me in paltalk and asked me what is going on in USA that so many policemen are being murdered

I actually googled stats for him on police fatalities and showed him how low it is per city

But, his teachers are feeding him propaganda about the evil Americans

Aida: haha.but we never believed what they told us at school either about religion or america

literarydiscussions: i belong to paltalk Catholic chat, were the average age is 40 and over, just because they are ok for company

I dont like some of their attitudes
But they are more mature than other rooms
You can see my blog about it http://catholicchat.wordpress.com

Aida: so you dont know any literary club?

literarydiscussions: i put some sample discussions

literarydiscussions: i got banned from the two literary clubs that i belonged to
http://online-literature.com/forums is a good one

I got banned from there because i fought with the moderator, a woman from Turkey, who teaches in the U.K.

and she is kind of opinionated…
Her favorite novel is “TO Kill a Mockingbird”
I wrote about how the character “Boo” is actually like a Christ figure
and there are essays and sermons that say the same thing

She got wild angry, and said there was no such trace or hint of such a notion in the novel

If you google on online-literature sitaram you will find hundreds of my posts, but under my ID it says BANNED

Aida: what you think about to kill a mockingbird?

literarydiscussions: Well, the black man nicknamed “Boo” is in a house, and the kids never ever see him, but they know he is there (like God)
and they think he may be MEAN (like the God of the Old Testament)

Aida: haha

literarydiscussions: BUT, he leaves gifts for them in the trunk of a tree… (which is like the mystery of Eucharist… which is also called GIFTS

But then, a bad man tries to kill the children, so BOO suddenly appears and saves them (like Jesus)

Aida: were they gifts?

Literarydiscussions: and finally, the children get to know Boo as a person and friend, (which is the PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus stressed by american protestants in New Testament
literarydiscussions: well, they were trinkets that children would like
literarydiscussions: but, they were GIFTS given, left, mysteriously

Aida:
literarydiscussions: and, the author, Harper (I forget), grew up in the very christian south

Aida: why did he hide for long?

literarydiscussions: well, he was kind of a recluse
and black, so a minority

literarydiscussions: was it Harper Lee…. she was playmates as a child with Truman Capote

Aida: yes

Aida: I have seen the movie

literarydiscussions: she dedicates her one and only book to Truman Capote
And Truman Capote i think dedicated In Cold Blood to Harper Lee
literarydiscussions: and Harper Lee was Capotes research assistant for In Cold Blood

Aida: so why did she ban you for such notion?

literarydiscussions: and there is some suspicion that Capote actually helped Harper Lee write some of TO Kill a Mockingbird
and Harper Lee is what they call a ONE BOOK WONDER
It is her first and last novel

She did a few magazine interviews in the 1970s

Aida: interesting

literarydiscussions: but has been incommunicado ever since
Except for receiveing some reward, which was presented to her , a few years ago, by the actor who played in the movie

Aida: so they banned you because you connected it to old testament?
Aida: what was the problem in that connection?

literarydiscussions: that moderator and woman and I just got into argument after argument, because, she tried to shove her notions down everyones throat as being the indisputable truth

Aida: haha

literarydiscussions: the man who owns the site really likes her as a moderator

Aida: cute

literarydiscussions: and, i said many harsh but true things
literarydiscussions: about her, and her methods

Aida: oh God
Eh why did you do that

literarydiscussions: and, in part, it had to do with the fact that she did not grow up in a christian culture, so it is hard for her to see such interpretations

literarydiscussions: i do it because i prefer the truth to a lie

and better to die a free man than to live as a slave

Aida: yes but what is the point of disecting her methods for others
Some prefer to be blind

literarydiscussions: so, i would rather be who i am, and speak as i do, and have only 10 friends….. than be otherwise for the sake of 10,000

literarydiscussions: you might like http://literture-online.com/forums
Really!
You would probably kind of like that moderator, and she would like you i am sure

Aida: I am lazy in writing in forums..so I prefer to go where I can speak online

literarydiscussions: she likes women better than males, though she is married, she is not lesbian

Aida: haha

literarydiscussions: we got into a big fight about Virginia Woolf

Aida: how come? What did you tell about virginia?

literarydiscussions: and that Novella she wrote about the man who lives 400 years, and after 200 years he magically transforms into a woman

oh, the posts are somewhere, i could dig them up
Aida: haha. I havent read that one

Aida: but it is an interesting subject

literarydiscussions: well, my argument is that Virginia Woolf was bugged by male patriarchal oppression

Aida: only if you men could be women for a while to understand us!
literarydiscussions: and she was kicked out of a library because women were not allowed

literarydiscussions: so she wrote an essay “A Room of Ones Own”

Aida: oh poor woman

literarydiscussions: which you would enjoy
Aida: yes

literarydiscussions: she was invited to speak about women authors like Bronte, etc

But she decided to write that essay instead
Aida: yes? Interesting!

literarydiscussions: and it is very famous in Womens Studies classes

I am very pro womens liberation, and side with virginia woolf

Aida: of course.

literarydiscussions: i realize males are bastards

Aida: and admit it she is a genius author

literarydiscussions: all men are dogs, but some dogs are Lassie
I made that up

Aida: I know .you told me before.
literarydiscussions: Lassie was a show on tv for years about a dog who did wonderful things

Aida: I have seen it!

literarydiscussions: that was one of my more classic lines

Aida: haha

literarydiscussions: truly
I shall be remember for that one, if nothing else

Aida: hey I have to go now.am at work..must go visit patients

literarydiscussions: ok, nice talking

Aida: it was my lunch break

literarydiscussions: go now and heal the sick

Aida: thank you.and take care…hug concordia

literarydiscussions: so you ate some virginia woolf

Aida: yes I love Virginia Woolf

literarydiscussions: bye, later

Aida: one of my favorite authors. I bought her diary too!

literarydiscussions: i have a book that is an encyclopedia on v. woolf

Aida: I love her husband too !

literarydiscussions: a huge book, coffee table size
literarydiscussions: you would love it

Aida: she was rather selfish as a wife!!!

literarydiscussions: and i have the same one for james joyce
literarydiscussions: woolf had her issues
literarydiscussions: and, sexual identity crisis
Aida: you know there is a book called encyclopedia of poetry on
Aida: gigapedia.com

literarydiscussions: wow, i will look but you must go now

Aida: but the size is too big so I can not download it

No Twitter da Fernanda Young tem a descrição dos tombos que ela tomou. Tudo começou porque ela caiu ontem jantando com a Hebe. Ela é ótima e eu sou fãzona dela.

Isso me inspirou a contar o tombo que eu tomei ontem durante um evento do trabalho.

Contextualizando, isto é, imaginem a cena: Evento de uma grande empresa que fornece pro lugar onde eu trabalho. Eu usando um vestido preto super formal e um sapato cinza e preto com o salto do tamanho do mundo. Cabelos esvoaçantes e maquiagem esfumaçada. Bar chiquérrimo no Itaim Bibi. Pessoas conhecidas, dentre pessoas que trabalham ou trabalharam comigo, colegas de outras repartições e ilustres desconhecidos. Dois cocotos lindos sentados em uma mesa. Eu saindo pra fumar. Cocotos olhando pra mim. Eu fazendo cara de sexy. Caminho rumo à porta. Mega salto empinador de bunda ajudando o trabalho. Cocotos olhando. Pessoa conhecida ao lado dos cocotos. Eu, a uma certa distância, vejo a conhecida. Eu caminhando com o mega salto empinador de bunda, sorrio e troco o trajeto para cumprimentá-la e fazer um agá com os cocotos. Eu, na virada do trajeto, tranço as pernas. Eu caio que nem merda no chão. Vergonha de existir, de viver, de estar lá. Eu querendo minha mãe, meu pai, um abraço amigo, levanto, dou um beijo nela, saio pra fumar. Eu passo na volta de cabeça baixa e não olho mais pro lado.

Tenho que concordar com a Fernanda Young: “Deus gosta de mim. Eu faço ele dar risada.”

Capote

“Investigar este trabalho mudou a minha vida”

 

Truman Capote

                 Depois de ler um artigo no jornal The New York Times de 16 de novembro de 1959 sobre o assassinato de quatro membros da família Clutter, o escritor norte-americano Truman Capote (interpretado por Philip Seymour Hoffmanm) decide escrever um livro sobre o crime que acontecera no dia anterior em Holcomb, uma pequena cidade no estado do Kansas, Estados Unidos.

Eis o artigo:

 Holcomb, Kan., 15 de novembro [1959] (UPI) – Um rico fazendeiro, sua esposa e seus dois filhos adolescentes foram encontrados mortos a tiros hoje em seu lar. Eles foram assassinados por tiros de espingarda a queima-roupa depois de serem amarrados e amordaçados… Não havia sinais de luta, e nada foi roubado. As linhas telefônicas haviam sido cortadas.

           Assim inicia o filme Capote, lançado em 2005 sob a direção de Bennett Miller.

        Com a incumbência de escrever uma matéria para a revista The New Yorker, ele vai até Holcomb com Harper Lee, sua amiga, e aproveita para colher mais informações para o seu livro. Lá ele exerce sua função de jornalista entrando em contato com a jovem que encontrou Nancy, a filha mais nova dos Clutter, morta em sua cama; com o ex-namorado da garota e o agente de investigação Alvin Dewey que comanda o inquérito do crime e com os assassinos da família, Perry Smith e Dick Hickock, que foram capturados em Las Vegas, levados a Holcomb e sentenciados a morte, que só aconteceu cinco anos após o brutal assassinato, em 14 de abril de 1965.

     Para que as fontes fossem mais aproveitadas, Capote decide bancar um bom advogado capaz de adiar a sentença dos réus. Assim, ele passa anos visitando-os na prisão, sabendo mais da vida dos criminosos e colhendo dados importantíssimos para sua obra.

       O romance de não ficção escrito por Truman, chamado A sangue frio, foi baseado em fatos reais e é fruto de seis anos de muita pesquisa e relacionamento com as fontes.

        Relacionando o filme com o programa Roda Viva exibido em 07 de julho de 2009 pela tv cultura com a participação do jornalista e escritor Gay Talese conclui-se que a tecnologia – que agiliza muito as pesquisas – não tira a necessidade do contato direto com a fonte, que o jornalista necessita não só de perguntas e respostas, mas de observação e que as fontes devem ser seguras e tratadas com veracidade.

Sábado é dia de trilha. E neste último sábado não foi diferente. A diferença é que em vez de sair uma pequena turma, saímos umas 25 motos em direção a Bocaiúva. Foram quase 200 kms rodados e muitos tombos registrados… Para chegar a Bocaiúva foram quase 90 kms, para voltar foram outros tantos.

Nórdica, 2 Morrinhos, Eleutério, Chata, Cadeirudo, Paralela do Panta, Trilha do Véio, Antena e trilha do Camarão foram algumas das trilhas percorridas.

Algumas motos abriram o bico, alguns pilotos também…

CLIQUE NAS FOTOS PARA AMPLIAR

1º TOMBO DO “TIO EDMAR”:

2º TOMBO DO “TIO EDMAR” (PARECE UM REPLAY, MAS NÃO É…):

AMANHÃ DE MANHÃ COLOCO MAIS FOTOS.

E TEM MUUIIITO MAIS…

Terminado o Campeonato Mineiro de Motocross e Richard Bruno “Piaba”, filho do Lambari, se sagrou Campeão da Categoria Nacional, com uma CRF 230.

Abaixo um vídeo da 1ª Etapa em Santa Luzia, onde Piaba toma um capote após receber a bandeirada de chegada em 1º. Apesar do capote, Piaba se levanta e sai andando na moto, depois de ficar sentado, meio tonto por causa da queda…

Per chi considera una Stella del cinema la bionda Marilyn Monroe, eccovi la sua gemella, stella bruna, Audrey Hepburn che le soffiò il ruolo in questo fantastico film. Una delle icone del cinema statunitense per eccellenza, ricordata nei film di successo come “Vacanze Romane” (1953), “Sabrina” (1954), “My Fair Lady” (1964) e tanti altri.
Colazione da Tiffany, titolo originale “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, commedia nata nel 1961 dalla mente del regista Blake Edwards (La pantera rosa, 1964), ispirato al romanzo di Capote, è destinato ad essere ricordato per sempre, soprattutto per la splendida interpretazione di Audrey Hepburn, nel ruolo di Holly, e George Peppard, Paul, anche lui uomo di fascino e incredibile bravura.
Un film che tratta con ironia la storia di due vicini di casa, amanti del successo e del denaro, sfruttando il loro tempo in contatto con uomini di alto rango e disponibili a cambiare preziosi doni in cambio di love story poco credibili e fallimentari.
I due capiranno presto che solo un rapporto sincero che racchiude una favola d’amore può davvero renderli felici.
Originale e geniale l’iniziativa di intitolare il film “Colazione da Tiffany”, e ottima la trama, coinvolgente e simpatica, forse ricostruita a grandi linee e rivista in qualche altro film futuro, ma non di certo ricavando lo stesso enorme successo. Forse grazie anche a quella deliziosa canzone vincitrice del premio oscar nel 1962, composta da Henry Mancini “Moon River”.

Curiosità:

Il romanzo di Truman Capote fu modificato e riadattato al ruolo della Hepburn, escludendo l’allusione bisessuale della protagonista, fondamentale nel libro. Ma a subire una gran modifica fu il lieto fine, inesistente nel romanzo, dove Holly prende il volo e anni dopo Paul si chiede ancora come vada la sua nuova vita. Capote aprì le vie al suo successo con “A sangue freddo”. Un autore accostato spesso a Oscar Wilde, brillante e maledetto.

George Peppard è John Smith “Hannibal” in A-Team, telefilm andato in onda nel 1983-1987 e riproposto più volte anche in Italia. Sposato ben per cinque volte (d’altra parte…un uomo così…). Morì a 66 anni di polmonite mentre combatteva qualcosa di più grave come il cancro ai polmoni. Aiutava un’associazione contra la dipendenza dall’alcol.

Il vero nome di Audrey Hepburn è Audrey Kathleen Ruston, nata a Bruxelles 4 Maggio 1929. Ha vinto Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe. Nel 1988 fu nominata ambasciatrice dell’ UNICEF, ricevendo in seguito la medaglia presidenziale della libertà. Nel 1944 da Ballerina professionista, partecipava ad una raccolta fondi a favore dei movimenti contro il Nazismo. Si sposò due volte. Morì a 63 di cancro al colon, seppellita a Tolochenaz in Svizzera.

Voto 10

Je n’arrive pas à choisir entre une espèce en voie d’expansion et une espèce en voie d’extinction
(Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala 0 – Charles Pasqua 1)

No shock here.  The virtually unbroken string of bad biopics apparently continues with Amelia. I will see it out of almost unqualified admiration for director Mira Nair, but nothing in the many reviews I have seen suggests that the film transcends  standard, tired biopic conventions.

Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” probably came the closest to reviving the whole genre. In fact, Van Sant may have fully succeeded (your call). But there are, I think,  some good reasons that biopic screenplays usually stink up the house:

including every obligatory “sacred”  historic moment,  regardless of  how well they fit  into a coherent story or how true they might be

the over-investment in making sure the actors look and sound like the people they are playing. I have always felt that  physical resemblance only works when the effort put into makeup, however precise,  is exceeded by the even greater  performance of a brilliant actor.  It makes perfect sense that the two best “look-alike” performances I have ever seen were by actors who are consensus members of the pantheon — Bruno Ganz in Der Untergang and Sean Penn in Milk. )

the unavoidable hagiography

the drive to be so exhaustively complete  that the story sinks from the weight of its self-conscious authority

a director so obsessed with a character that he or she seems to get lost in the confusion of who the filmmaker is and who the character is. (Kevin Spacey and Bobby Darin?) Rare but spooky.

The baffling thing here is that a great filmmaker like Mira Nair took on Amelia.

Mira Nair. The Mira Nair who made Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake. The brilliant, luminous Mira Nair.

We need to remember that authenticity and accuracy are historical, not dramaturgical, concepts.

The very best films about lives don’t take on the heavy and weighted obligation of completeness. They pick an episode in a life and, through the unfolding of events and character during that episode, reveal aspects of a complex life. Capote, Henry and June, and Downfall (Der Untergang) are three good, random examples. These films also succeed by embedding the main character in a world of comparably interesting ,  and maybe even more  interesting,  characters.

I’ll leave you with one admittedly unconventional recommendation and one worry.

Recommendation: My favorite biopic really isn’t a biopic at all.  But with its crazy sensibility, hilarity, cast of grotesque characters, and overwhelming quirkiness, Tim Burton’s Ed Wood is my favorite “life-story” of them all.

Worry: Spielberg, as you may know, is doing Lincoln. I believe Liam Neeson got the part. My fear is that Lincoln’s  complex, even anguished , life could be buried beneath “Private Ryan” schmaltz,  expensive costumes, overwrought John Williams music,  the flood of signature close-ups of Lincoln’s face, and the quest for accuracy.  None of these equal compelling drama and conflict.  In fact, all this nonsense often hides a lack of compelling narrative.

We’ll see.

Because you love it.

It was a decade ago when the indie cult classic hit the world and caused an international fan base on one hand and a number of sceptical viewers and critics calling it unworthy of cult status on the other. 10 years since ‘The Boondock Saints‘ was released, with a budget of $8million and a gross revenue of not even double that, the film with it’s unique and perceptive story became a must see everywhere.

However, I bring news. Good, or bad depending on your view, but news all the same. ‘The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day‘ has finally arrived, or rather it’s about to arrive, can you Guess? October 30th, that’s right, Halloween. However, here comes the bad news… The film, based on it’s predecessors cinematic activity is only available for a limited release… In U.S.A. Unlike it’s predecessor though, it’s fairly certain that the film will soon after become widely available all over the world, and in turn DVD release.

The film has a secret of its own to provide though, as all but one of the original cast are back for even more gunslinging; god-loving, evil-eradicating action than the prequel. Including; Sean Patrick-Flanery (Simply Irresistable, D-Tox, Savage Planet), Norman Reedus (American Gangster, Hero Wanted, Pandorum), Billy Connolly (The Man Who Sued God, The Last Samurai, A Series Of Unfortunate Events) and some brand new members, such as the lovely Julie Benz (Rambo, Held Hostage, and TV’s Dexter) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Capote, Crank 2: High Voltage, Star Trek). This is one to see for certain my friends, I hope you enjoy the trailer.

DANTE ALIGHIERI / TRUMAN CAPOTE PRODUCTION

(Prólogo a cargo del Jefe de redacción).

La ciudad de Montevideo está a 2.000 Km. de las elevadas cumbres andinas que se encuentran a su oeste. Está rodeada más bien por llanuras con suaves y solitarias ondulaciones de praderas que los habitantes de Buenos Aires llaman “El otro lado del charco”.

Esta apacible ciudad, cuyos habitantes más bien simples y rústicos viven por fuera de la locura de las grandes urbes, se vió hace un tiempo conmocionada por hechos delictivos que hoy en día son del alcance informativo de cualquier individuo de este planeta  meramente informado.

Hablamos de dos forajidos que comandando bandas delictivas se hicieron más famosos que “Billy the Kid” y Al Capone juntos, en base a la espectacularidad de sus actos.

Algunos opinan que su accionar no tiene relación alguna entre sí, mientras otros creen que hubo una siniestra conspiración cuyos vínculos tienen aún en discusión a los investigadores de estos temas criminales (entre ellos al famoso criminólogo y egiptologista Jean Georges Almendras).

Estos últimos, están convencidos que su accionar se vió disparado por un odio fantástico hacia la especie “Uruguayensis votantis”, y que ambos episodios se pueden relacionar fácilmente. La prensa en general opina diferente, o mejor dicho, le importa un carajo hablar de este tema por motivos que desconocemos.

La libertad de prensa es sagrada, y por ello descartamos cualquier interés político de parte de nuestros abnegados sacerdotes mediáticos.

Más allá de ello, nuestra reportera estrella se sintió atraída por estos personajes históricos, y realizando una odisea que incluyó una exhaustiva investigación, media botella de cognac y un porro tamaño “XXL”, nos entrega un reporte que califica de “trascendental”.

Quedan en libertad los lectores de acreditar la veracidad de este informe. Lo hubiéramos tirado a la papelera, de no haber sido por el sexo oral que nos practicó la autora a cambio de su publicación sin censura. Truman Capote y Dante no tuvieron que hacer nada parecido para lograr difundir sus magnas obras (eso nos queremos imaginar, al menos por el futuro de nuestra especie desde el punto de vista “fantasía visual al servicio de la reproducción humana”). Si ustedes le quieren creer, es su problema.

Firma: Gilberto D. Mamonis (editor en jefe).

“Vago por las sendas del divino Dante auspiciada por la marca de jabón en polvo ‘Salta Violeta’ y chacinados ‘Don Pepe’ (bumpers comerciales), tras prevaricar a los dioses de la prensa haciendo un sacrificio propiciatorio (una uña de Aldo Silva que logré conseguir sobornando a su estilista). Poniendo mi alma en sintonía vibratoria con el Cosmos, invoco el espíritu que me llevará al más allá. Viajo cincuenta años al futuro y espero en el limbo”.

“Estoy parada junto a un enorme brazo de mar, el cual calculo es la Laguna Estigia que separa el mundo de los vivos con el Hades. Una figura negra se me acerca. Pienso si será el poeta Virgilio, pero al hablarle me doy cuenta que es Víctor Della Valle. ‘¡Oh, mujer mortal, abandonad toda esperanza! (salvo que tengas preparado un cheque de 15.000 dólares al portador…)’. Saco mi tarjeta de crédito Visa – Oca y le digo ‘¿Tiene plan 12 pagos?’ Tras pasar la misma por una ranura en su costado derecho, me dice ‘Autorizado’, y me guía hacia un muelle”.

“El Barquero es nada menos que López Mena (el cual parece muerto desde hace 30 años pero como Atchugarry se las arregla para engañar a la Dama de la Guadaña con su transparencia), y tras mostrar mi cédula de identidad uruguaya me cobra el 50% del pasaje”.

“Tras cruzar el negro mar y pasar a través de cinco piquetes anti – K, me encuentro en la puerta del Infierno. Por suerte traje una petaca de “Mac Pay”, que me da fuerzas para avanzar. Paso el molinete del averno (no llevaba fuegos artificiales ni pilas de radio), y el jefe de la barra de Peñarol que ejerce de security me da el ok. Enseguida me voy a la oficina de RRPP del Infierno, cuya entrada es casi tan fea como el búnker de la AUF de la calle Guayabo”.

“Tras eternos trámites y varios faxes perdidos, logro obtener el permiso para entrevistar a mis dos objetivos: los doctores Jorge Batlle Ibáñez y Luis A. Lacalle. Están en diferentes celdas, pero vengo provista de un cuestionario idéntico para ambos y como el tiempo que se me otorga es breve, esto será coser y cantar”.

“El Infierno uruguayo está lleno de gente que pide “una monéa” y los choripanes saben a diablos (pero son mucho más ricos que los que venden en el Centro), lo cuento como dato folclórico. Está CUTCSA que te lleva a todos los círculos del mismo, pero el boleto de 2 horas vale $ 23,50, un fastidio por el tema del cambio. La policía turística sabe inglés pero te caga a patadas si le preguntás algo”.

“Mi salvoconducto resulta ser válido sin tener que sellarlo en diez oficinas diferentes, y estoy lista para hacer mis entrevistas. Ambos ex presidentes esperan desde hace años el Juicio Final, pero los jueces encargados han dado parte de enfermos repetidas veces y van por la quinta prórroga. De pronto, surge un problema: los dos prohombres se niegan en principio a hablar si no les entrego primero las preguntas, pero dado que no los visita Gerardo Sotelo desde hace muchísimo tiempo, largan la lengua. El siguiente, es el resultado.”

“¿Creen haber cumplido con la premisa con que iniciaron sus respectivos gobiernos?

Jorge Batlle: Sí, dije que iba a hacer un ‘gobierno divertido’. Y lo fue.
Luis Lacalle: Sí, me divertí como loco en el gobierno…”

“¿Cuál cree que fue su peor defecto?

JB: Obsesionarme con el Oro.
LL: Obsesionarme con la bebida color oro”.

“¿Cuál fue la principal cualidad en el momento de elegir al vicepresidente?

JB: Que fuera de Hierro.
LL: Que fuera de madera”

“¿Cuál es su film favorito?

LL: ‘Bonnie & Clyde’
JB: ‘Ocean’s Eleven’”

“¿Cuál es el personaje histórico que más admira?

LL: A Franco.
JB: Francamente, a mí mismo…”

“¿Cuál es su mayor pesar?

JB: Haber sido un chambón.
LL: Haber sido amigo de Cambón”.

“¿Y su mayor logro?

LL: Haber dejado la Tarjeta Joven.
JB: Haber dejado la Tarjeta Jodete”.

“Y finalmente, ¿el momento más desagradable de su presidencia?

Ambos: Haber recibido la Banda Presidencial de manos de Sanguinetti…”

“Un diablo me dice que terminó la hora de las visitas. Me retiro, y mientras transito por los pasillos escucho una voz que me resulta familiar. En la celda número ‘2000′, Julio María está presentando su siguiente libro de la saga “La agonía de la democracia”. Están presentes Scavarelli, Correa Freitas, y Davrieux. Aplauden con pocas ganas. Me acerco y el autor me ofrece un ejemplar autografiado”.

“El regreso se me hace corto, mientras leo “Odio a esos tupas con toda mi alma”, acomodada en un asiento pullman de Buquebús…”

Saludos.