Change In The Weather

I stumbled across Peggy Noonan's A Separate Peace last week. I think she's onto something here.

"I think there is an unspoken subtext in our national political culture right now. In fact I think it's a subtext to our society. I think that a lot of people are carrying around in their heads, unarticulated and even in some cases unnoticed, a sense that the wheels are coming off the trolley and the trolley off the tracks. That in some deep and fundamental way things have broken down and can't be fixed, or won't be fixed any time soon."

Now if this was coming from Jeanine Garafolo I wouldn't give it a second thought, but sweet, perky, well-to-do Peggy?

"Our elites, our educated and successful professionals, are the ones who are supposed to dig us out and lead us. I refer specifically to the elites of journalism and politics, the elites of the Hill and at Foggy Bottom and the agencies, the elites of our state capitals, the rich and accomplished and successful of Washington, and elsewhere. I have a nagging sense, and think I have accurately observed, that many of these people have made a separate peace. That they're living their lives and taking their pleasures and pursuing their agendas; that they're going forward each day with the knowledge, which they hold more securely and with greater reason than nonelites, that the wheels are off the trolley and the trolley's off the tracks, and with a conviction, a certainty, that there is nothing they can do about it.

I suspect that history, including great historical novelists of the future, will look back and see that many of our elites simply decided to enjoy their lives while they waited for the next chapter of trouble. And that they consciously, or unconsciously, took grim comfort in this thought: I got mine. Which is what the separate peace comes down to, "I got mine, you get yours."

Yeah those selfish elites, boo hiss. The Gun Guy piles on the fat cats but thinks We The People are just fine, all the while urging his readers to hoard ammunition he's getting his, you better get yours.

I myself have a sinking feeling "the people" by and large are just as selfish and irresponsible. Just look at the record number of bankpruptcies filed recently. We Conservatives talk alot about personal responsibility but when it all boils down, what we really mean is "I'm getting mine, you get yours" Liberals of course, are deeply conflicted about all this. They feel awful about it but when it all boils down they're still getting theirs, you get yours.

The unease I feel stems from feeling that we Americans no longer have a legitimate right to our standard of living. It all hangs on an illusion that we work smarter and harder than other people. Lately I've been working with some people from India that have shattered this illusion for me. These people work harder, using software they've designed themselves and they are at least as professional and polite as any American I've ever worked with. I'd go to work for them in a minute. I could learn so much from them but they don't need me.

We're getting to, no we are at the point where it defies logic to make essential products like cars and microchips in America. We're just not that good at it anymore and we charge too much for doing it. Outside of research and entertainment, Americans are left to providing services and fabricting exotic, fetish objects. In fact, those OC Chopper guys are a perfect symbol of American Labor today , loud, fat and totally frivolous.

Problem is, (because we don't make useful stuff anymore)fewer and fewer people can afford those services and fetish items so demand drops. Next comes lower prices and profit margins, then we lose more jobs and finally standard of living evaporates. In the end our national economy is based on who's doing Angelina Jolie's nails.

Bummer. Don't forget National Ammo Day is just two weeks away.

Change In The Weather: John Fogerty

...Change in the weather, change in the weather

Somethin's happenin' here

Change in the weather, change in the weather

People walkin' round in fear

Uh huh, you best believe it's true, The levee's busted, badness comin' through.

Oh no, there ain't no place to hide, Reach out and pluck you, take you for a ride.

Sea of frustration, take everything in sight,

Won't be no blessing if we make it through the night.

Down on your knees, go ahead and pray. But every demon has to have his day...

Weekend DVD Pick

My pick for this weekend is one of my favorite films of the 90's, Rob Roy. In 1995 we got two films about Scottish legends, Rob Roy then William Wallace, Mel Gibson's Braveheart. For me Rob Roy is a finer film by far. A timeless story shot in the misty Highlands of Scotland and actors that are every bit as good as the story and scenery.

Liam Neeson is perfectly cast as Robert Roy MacGregor, a hardworking steward who dares to dream of a better life for his clan. He's growing weary of hunting down and killing cattle rustlers even though he's really really good at it.

Rob's best mate Alan MacDonald (Eric Stolz) thinks they should save their pennies for a voyage to America and be done with the nobles. Rob, however loves the Highlands as well he should. He has a beautiful, horny wife (Jessica Lange!!), two strapping young sons, a cool hut by the lake and a Border Collie. He thinks they can borrow money from the cruel and not-so-vaguely French Marquis of Montrose (John Hurt) and make enough profit trading cattle to pay him back and start up their own business.

But the rich have a way of keeping the little guy down. Enter Tim Roth as the Marquis' dandy but deadly nephew, Archie and Brian Cox as Killearn, a leacherous accountant. These two actors are so good at being bad it makes all the violence that's to come both tragic and uplifting.

The swordplay in this film is incredible. Rob is all business with his broadsword and dagger. Powerful, bloody and mercifully quick. The not-so-vaguely French Archie on the other hand, perversely toys his victims with his rapier before he inevitably kills them. To my mind Archie is the most sadistic film character ever, raping women and shooting dogs with total glee. Killing Archie would be too good for him. Almost.

Sometime this weekend we'll fire up some popcorn, put on sweatpants, slippers and our hokiest Scottish accents. We'll cheer Rob and mourn poor Alan. We'll wonder, what the devil a Marquis is doing in Scotland and yell "Into the mist lads!!!" as his henchmen close in.

Ryoushi says check it out.