Month: December 2002

The Two Towers Thoughts

I haven't posted my thoughts about the Two Towers yet because I'm not sure what they are. On one hand, it was exciting just to see it because I'd been anticipating its release for so long. On the other, it was disappointing, because I find things rarely live up to the expectations I set for them. I felt a little disappointed with it when I left the theatre, but I find it's growing on me as time passes. Certainly the introduction of the new characters, especially Eowyn and Eomer, was great. And yet — well, I don't even know why I'm bothering to write this "review," my opinion about it hasn't sorted itself out yet.

New York bans cells phones

The New York City Council approved a bill to ban cell phone use at public performances in the City, not including sporting events. It includes places like movies, galleries, and lectures (but allows for emergency use). Does "I'm at the front of the line at the concession stand, did you want butter on your large popcorn?" count as an emergency? I agree it's annoying and obnoxious when someone's phone rings during one of these events, but is total prohibition the answer? How about something along the lines of driver's ed instead? Before you can buy a phone, you need to receive some sort of "phone etiquette" certification. Topics to be covered include: "Talking on phone OK before movie starts, talking on phone BAD once movie begins" etc.

US does it better

Having sampled many many many salad niçoises both at home and in Paris, I can say without a doubt that American chefs have elevated this salad to a gastronmic height unachieved in Continental lands. Their substitution of seared tuna for plain-old canned fish provides a Gladwellian salad tipping point, and moves this humble dish of tuna, lettuce, beans, potatoes, eggs, and olives into the realm of culinary magnificence.

UN conference on population

A Salon premium article (so I only read the intro) about Assistant Secretary of State Arthur E. Dewey's remarks, on behalf of the United States, at the United Nations conference on population. "The United States supports the sanctity of life from conception to natural death," he said as US delegates demanded that phrases such as "reproductive health" and promotion of condom use be stricken from the proposed policy. (Aside: are electrocution and lethal injection natural forms of death these days?)

The New York Times responds with an editorial, An Anti-Life Crusade, pointing out that a refusal to promote condom use ("on the theory that it encourages underage sex") can lead to far more dangerous consequences than pregnancy (such as AIDS in teenage girls pressured into sex with older men). Fortunately, the United States position was unanimously rejected by the 30+ representatives of Asian countries in attendance.