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My Inventions - The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla - Nikola Tesla
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
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It seems redundant to write "Autobiography of..." and then the name of the Author, but - really, upon reading this I had the distinct feeling that I was cheated of a few hundred pages. In any even, this was written some 20+ years before his death, and before his reason became suspiciously abstracted.
Noting his childhood peculiarities, certain synesthete properties, his OCD, his sense of Childhood Invention and Inquiry frequently discouraged by parents and teachers, his experience of Crows after his repeated murdering of them, his realization that instinct transcends knowledge (but only when a certain remedial level of knowledge is reached, otherwise we arrive a peak Dunning-Kruger), the hyper-acuity of his senses, sight, hearing, body, and other more extra-sensory phenomena.
A curious childhood, but if we all could recall as accurately as he and were as encouraged (I know I previously said discouraged, but he was perhaps less discouraged than most of us) we might all lay claim to some such.
Then comes his genius, his subsequent exploitation by Edison - and, notice, he is careful in this not to slander he former employers or benefactors, upon reading his focus and obsession is always technology.
Noteworthy, he anticipates building a hydro-electric damn at Niagara Falls some 30 years before he was to do so, which recalls other such famous incidents: (the experience of Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn anticipating his singing at the ... Mosque, Nelson from Nelson picturing his perfect house as a child, Henry Sugar, The Secret, An Experiment with Time, too many other's to list...).
His unconscious method of turning from insurmountable problems to allow them to solve themselves "on their own" while he worked on other things, (mine own, although it took me some 20 years to perfect and I'm not sure now that I'm just not avoiding getting anything done) and his remarkably (for the time) democratic views on Race.
And finally, his ability to foresee the future - the interconnectedness of technology, of text, voice, picture, he's was an optimist working for the benefit of mankind, and - I have to wonder, if he could step forward a hundred years, how impressed he'd be with the progress we'd made, and the ends we put it to?
The Phoenician Scheme - Wes Anderson
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
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I quite enjoyed this; peak Wes Anderson, perfectly broken symmetry and framing, perfectly (and star-studded cast) - a few notable examples, Bill Murray as God, Benedict Cumberbatch as Uncle Korda, Willem Dafoe as the Knave, and of course Benicio del Toro as Zsa Zsa to name but a few.
And, pausing it because I wanted to closer examine the backdrops, there are abundant symbols that pass by too quickly to be read on the first viewing, but some of the more obvious examples I noted were the miniature skull (Memento Mori) in relation to Zsa Zsa - first on the left, then the right, then the left again, symbolizing his relationship with death or his own mortality (miniature, in that he seems to weather and defeat all adversity), the diminished statues of Modesty or Venus behind Sister Liesl; the Kitschy painting of the mating Centaurs behind Zsa Zsa as he admonishes the children on Masterpieces; the Gap in the Tunnel, all visual jokes that contribute as much to the humour as do the dialogue and actors.
That said, it seems that other than a certain touch of Whimsy, a certain mood and definite style, quirky characters - well, for all the work that's put in to one of his films it would be nice to see a slightly deeper, or more illuminating plot.
Then again, perhaps that's his charm?
Crack Alley
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 356
Came upon this on the way home from the supermarket. The little insets, presumably once to hold garbage, then fenced off against the homeless and junkies, and once again retaken...
The radio playing, it only wants a TV, a painting and some books for the shelf. I take a picture, then immediately out of nowhere I'm confronted with some 30 year-old broken-toothed bleeding-gummed crackhead, who wants to fight until I agree, then confines himself to swearing at me and backing away...
I'm taking pictures of his house. Now, there's no law against this, he's not inside, and I doubt very much he owns or rents this...but...
Not a regular on the streets, but the alleys attract the more hardcore junkies, and I'm a little pissed, there's no winning with a crackhead, no chance he'd win but you'd be hard-explaining taking a (very legitimate) swing at him.
They rather exploit a disadvantage that's entirely of their own making, I have to say...
Banjo Player
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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And, had wondered where he was, not seen this year, a fixture on Baker or in front of 7-11, long bearded, playing his banjo.
The obituaries confirm he passed away, read with interest, he was about the age when it's no longer a surprise.
But the obituary, predeceased by 5 of his children and 1 grand child - My God!
One wonders at all the tragedies other people carry inside of them, writ not on the flesh or in conversation but there nonetheless and somehow they've healed, moved on, or well hidden it from the casual passers-by
***
Work, busy working but not busy at work. Doubles, days aimlessly without purpose, barely a living, and this jeep hunt, without wheels, well...it could be a lot swifter. The bank, despite promising to call, has reached out to me with no arms (or legs or phones or fingers) and so I'll be a calling them Monday. The private-sale deals always several times better than the those offered on the lots, but you need to have the ready cash, be prepared...
***
Thursday night off, hit the Art Gallery, small new exhibition, then later to the Royal for an Afro-Columbian dance party. That despite the lack of Africans in town (a few, but hardly enough to pack a dance hall). Plenty of Latinos though. The place fills up, the usual suspects, people in your neighbourhood, some very good dancers, some not at all, to this style of music I'm in the "Not at all" category and keep to the back of the dance floor, the rhythms, complex, impossible to keep moving to...
***
And the new, young good looking waiter, who's handwriting represented nothing so much as a "Calvin & Hobbes" Ransom note:
dismissed, he had a few tables, to-go orders, deliveries, unfortunately all at once, and he crashed and burned. Big time. Nice kid, but not everyone is cut out for this.
...
Bringing us to today, Saturday, at the library with my book, last night worked, sent the other waitress home, gave her the night off, with the hopes that if tonight proved the same she'd return the favour. So I'm waiting and will see, not that there's anything on tonight (rave in the Cave up in the Meadows, only - I'd need wheels) - but - a night off is a night off, there's never any complaining about freedom and I have plenty of other things to occupy my time...
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