Newsletter #0055 – We moderns are distracted from distraction by distraction.

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  • “Distracted from distraction by distraction” is a line from T.S. Eliot’s Burnt Norton, which was published in 1936. The line means that we are letting the distraction of modern life, media, add now the internet and technology, which all distract us… from the distraction of our daily lives.

Burnt Norton is the first of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets. In the poem, Eliot describes the idea of escaping regular time to experience a still moment of timelessness.

 

The notion of a still moment of timelessness? It sounds like I need to keep working at meditation, but I’ve gotten better at it knowing I’ll never master it, and that’s fine. It feels like politics, and technology, are all vying endlessly for our attention, and being still, being in the moment, being present… it’s all no longer allowed.

 

So here’s a treat. On a road trip in 2016, at the Upper Falls in the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park”, I took a bunch of photos that Google Photos made into an “auto-awesome” GIF. It’s a meditation. Enjoy. Breathe in, Breathe out three times. Then move on.

 

 

 

 

Ooooh this is great. I seriously don’t get all the outrage about Mr Potato Head, M&Ms, Cracker Barrel, etc… when it’s just people trying to be nice. Why does the right project everything they do as having been something “the enemy” is engaged in. They want free speech, and ban books. It’s all cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias, etc… but it makes NO SENSE you’d boycott something just because of a rainbow and being inclusive. How does that even impact or effect the GOP/MAGA? AND… THERE ARE REALLY BIG ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE OR GUN VIOLENCE – and they don’t do *any* governance or legislation. Hell, they complain about the border then vote down border funds. They pretend they love vets, and then vote down the vets PACT Act, or barely pass it. It makes zero sense. Until you come across someone like this, saying normal and sensible things:

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” – John Kenneth Galbraith

 

 

 

  • This almost made my spontaneously cry upon first read:
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  • I’ve done some posts as of recent.

One about the Las Vegas Sphere:

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

 

I loved hot wheels and I love concept cars, and this is a post I made reminding me of why cars are art:

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

 

 

Below, I detail classical minimalism a bit, but here’s more:

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

 

 

 

I went to New York and had a grand old time because my wife is successful and charming:

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

 

 

SPACE, but the Universe is an entity

  • The case for why our Universe may be a giant neural network Neuroscientist and author Bobby Azarian explores the idea that the Universe is a self-organizing system that evolves and learns.

The concept of a brain-like Universe — seeded by pre-Socratic philosopher Anaxagoras — is gaining currency. The cosmos looks remarkably similar to the complete wiring diagram of the brain — and “non-local connections” could enable computation. Stephen Hawking saw a path to a new philosophy of physics based on a view of the Universe as a self-organizing entity. https://bigthink.com/hard-science/the-universe-may-be-a-giant-neural-network-heres-why/

The idea that the Universe is a brain, a neural network, or a self-organizing complex adaptive system analogous to an organism invites us to reexamine our understanding of the cosmos and our relationship to it. If the Universe truly is a living, evolving entity, then the emergence of life and consciousness on Earth would not be an “accidental” phenomenon, but instead a natural and expected manifestation of a cosmic evolutionary process that continually generates higher levels of organization, knowledge, and awareness. As conscious beings capable of shaping our environment, we are not mere passive observers, but active participants in the Universe’s ongoing development toward a more interconnected and complex cosmos.

When the Newtonian framework reigned, the Universe was conceived to be a giant clockwork. In the 19th century, when thermodynamics was emerging, the Universe was compared to an engine. When the computer became popular, scientists started comparing the Universe to a computer or a simulation. Now, in the age of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are saying it is a giant neural network. This tempts one to write off all our characterizations of the cosmos as merely human projections that will be shown to be equally wrong. But I don’t think that’s right. What we are seeing is a progressively deeper understanding of the nature of reality as scientific knowledge accumulates and we learn more about the Universe’s dynamics and causal structure.

 

 

  • ISS shot a storm from space:

 

 

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

  • Now do Fusion and figure out climate change:

ARCHAEOLOGISTS USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO TRANSLATE 5,000-YEAR-OLD CUNEIFORM TABLETS:

Translating Akkadian to English with neural machine translation https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/2/5/pgad096/7147349

A TEAM OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS HAVE CREATED AN AI PROGRAM THAT CAN TRANSLATE ANCIENT CUNEIFORM TABLETS INSTANTLY USING NEURAL MACHINE LEARNING TRANSLATIONS. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/06/archaeologists-use-artificial-intelligence-ai-to-translate-5000-year-old-cuneiform-tablets/147816

Archaeologists use artificial intelligence (AI) to translate 5,000-year-old cuneiform tablets

 

 

  • Humans’ impact on Earth began a new epoch in the 1950s called the Anthropocene, scientists say: Called the Anthropocene — and derived from the Greek terms for “human” and “new” — this epoch started sometime between 1950 and 1954, according to the scientists. While there is evidence worldwide that captures the impact of burning fossil fuels, detonating nuclear weapons and dumping fertilizers and plastics on land and in waterways, the scientists are proposing a small but deep lake outside of Toronto, Canada — Crawford Lake — to place a historic marker. https://apnews.com/article/humans-epcoch-anthropocene-climate-change-power-4699002bbc3b60ade715ee94a7b7567d

 

 

  • 57,000-Year-Old Cave Engravings Were the Work of Neanderthals, Researchers Say La Roche-Cotard in France was sealed in the ancient past, indicating another Homo species was responsible for the figures. It is now suggested these are the oldest known paintings by any earthly creature, and the ceiling of how old could extend to 75,000 years ago. https://gizmodo.com/ancient-cave-engravings-work-of-neanderthals-1850570321

 

 

  • By the way, although the best use of 3D in history is antiquated enough it’d be hard to find a place to see it that way… watch Werner Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams”, which explored the Chauvet cave drawings, which are only from 30,000 years ago. Only.

 

 

  • Awesome use of AI:

 

 

  • Why does the French Women’s National World Cup team have a commercial in the sci-tech section? Well it could also be dealing with psychology and bias, but mostly it will be video technical wizardry… so sit back, without expectation, and enjoy what is one of the best ads I’ve ever seen (not to mention the Spanish football club’s video in the music section).

 

 

 

 

  • This is so important to me. I was walking around the Met, and it is inexplicable to me that an entire Egyptian archeological site existed within a wing inside of Central Park in New York. It makes ZERO sense, and this could set us on the path of keep history and culture accessible, without pilfering and co-opting a culture’s work they should own, and have in a museum that celebrates the country the work is from.

A Virginia Museum Repatriated a Nigerian Sculpture and Received a High-Tech Replica in Return. Could the Exchange Shape Future Restitutions? It is hoped that digital scans and replicas could help institutions reach an agreement over the return of disputed objects. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/chrysler-museum-factum-foundation-high-tech-facsimile-restitution-2332938

 

Comedy

  • We just hit up Comedy Cellar in New York, without reservations. Saw some great comics, two of our favorite ever: Sam Morrill and Dan Soder. One I worked with in 1995, Dave Attell.  And Jim Norton’s alter ego, twice!

 

 

  • David Bowie was my first major concert, but he’s also part of some of the best comedy I’ve ever seen!

 

 

 

  • Conan had Harrison Ford on his podcast. They are GENUINELY friends, and Harrison loves him, so the interviews are always a gem. This is a clip from the July 3rd sit down:

 

This is the mentioned Millenium Falcon destruction clip:

 

And the infamous Elevator Doors closing on Harrison clip:

 

  • Conan is one of my favorite things ever, but Sue Johnson talking sex and embarrassing men is even funnier. She passed away on June 28th, a brilliant wit and Canadian nurse and sex educator. She was a sharp cookie, and always in on the joke.

 

  • This is solid truth. As a server, there were certain groups that you knew were a nightmare and “I’m taking my break” hoping someone else would grab the table, etc.

They legit tip things like this, versus just not tipping or being ridiculous with 2% tips.

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Movies & TV

Lucas and Spielberg told USC students that they are learning about the industry at an extraordinary time of upheaval, where even proven talents find it difficult to get movies into theaters. Some ideas from young filmmakers “are too fringe-y for the movies,” Spielberg said. “That’s the big danger, and there’s eventually going to be an implosion — or a big meltdown. There’s going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that’s going to change the paradigm.”

 

 

  • Nathan Fielder did this on his “Nathan for You”, but it’s shocking to see such a high stakes film allow this sort of AWESOME behavior on the press junket tours. I imagine a publicist was sweating this something fierce, but it’s HILARIOUS:
@davize_marvel Mission:Impossible interview goes horribly wrong or amazingly right! #missionimpossible #deadreckoning #deadreckining #deadreckoningpartone #simonpegg #shaunofthedead #hotfuzz #pomklementieff #pom #gotg #gotgvol3 #marvel #guardiansofthegalaxy #paris @Marvel Studios @Mission Impossible ? Credit me in ur video – Eminem fan ?

 

 

 

  • Nicholson is a freak, and we love him for it. One of my favorite stories:
@screenoffscript Matt Damon tells an amazing story about working with Jack Nicholson on “THE DEPARTED” ? (via @netflixisajoke) #MattDamon #JackNicholson #TheDeparted #MartinScorsese #Comedy ? original sound – Screen Off Script

 

 

  • This is amazing by Spielberg, in searching for comedic timing and a bit he loved, and where it fit.

 

 

  • LOL this is so great:

Gary Busey “Johnny Utah Get Me Two” Busey:

                    Method actor

E

T

H

O

D

 

 

 

  • Blade Runner and The Thing were released on the same day. Go figure. This is a nice little thread on the making of The Thing.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1672954926312439810.html

 

 

 

  • WONDERFUL:

 

 

 

  • Speaking of:

 

  • This is, objectively, one of the greatest scenes in television history, and it was at that point I realized Primetime Crime writers were trolling the midwest. Yes, that’s a broad generalization (Is that too coastal elite?), but this “4 hand 1 keyboard” scene aired: NCIS “Hacking”
 

 

 

  • Some suggest because of how New York exists visually, this is the greatest vertical video ever shot. I’ll leave it up to you.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Aime? Leon Dore (@aimeleondore)

 

 

  • This is just for lovers of technical filmmaking, but the breakdown of the “not pure” oner from Extraction, a 13 minute scene that appears to be a single shot (but with skillful edits, and done in a way that’s never been achieved like this), and it’s unreal. I think I recently shared something about this, but this full breakdown is incredible. AND, Extraction 2 had a longer one. Both are on Netflix.

 

Music & Classical Minimalism

  • I forgot Louis’ backstory was wildly different than what people assumed:

 

 

  • This was for a soccer club in Spain. Drones changed the expenses of aerial work, but something at this level is incomprehnsible to American sports fans. I mean, our big song was the Superbowl Shuffle.

 

 

 

  • Philip Glass with “Mindwalk”, part of the score to “Mindwalk”, that film I am attempting to transfer from film stock to 4K. Anyone know Liv Ullmann or Sam Waterston? LONG STORY… anyhoo, when the brass comes in at 1m2s, it’s unreal. But the strings are lovely the entire track. This track haunts me, because you can’t “get it” anywhere, and it’s integral to the film, and would love to see all this daylight into the world again.

 

 

  • A peaceful movement by Ludovico Einaudi, for all of you, with subtext to chill.

 

  • His Tiny Desk concert was a JOY.

 

 

  • Max Richter’s work is sublime, if not filled with moody emotion.  You’ve likely heard it attached to motivational or philosophical videos on youtube, and the like. It’s very compelling minimalism, and like Einaudi, I believe the classical community doesn’t always respect people who bring minimalism or pop convention to modern classical.  I love this track so much, “On the Nature of Daylight, (Entropy)”

 

  • Einaudi and Richter are both modern classical minimalists that are ACTIVELY HATED by much of the classical world for bringing some pop convention, at times electronic instruments, and namely experimentation within classical that pisses people off.  Really, really makes people angry, and those same people are DESPERATE to keep classical music relevant and interesting (and profitable to keep the lights on) to new audiences… and they’re fresh out of ideas, yet rail on these two brilliant guys.

 

I dove into the “controversy” of Max Richter’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which is essentially a remix of sorts. I love this stuff, and it seems a rock and a hard place for classicist classical fans that are both saying “notice us, we’re here”, and “don’t try to do ANYTHING different, maybe that will make us more relevant than how we’re not relevant because we don’t try anything or attempt to connect with new audiences”. Whatever the case, your thoughts on Richter’s Vivaldi concept are welcome!

Actually, in conversation on an 11 year old Reddit thread, I noted a person who commented initially in 2012, and last year (2022) the thread was asked about, and they realized 10 years later they fully disagree with their *own* comment, and realize you need to experiment with music to reconnect to it, or to find new innovations.

This was my comment about the accountability to our past opinions and beliefs, and the way we evolve and grow in context of classical music:

I love that these threads don’t archive. I love there’s a tablet of history of my words that I am accountable too, and remind me that I am never going to be the same person. We look at ourselves as an emotional or intellectual edifice. Somewhat like me wanting to act like Atticus Finch, but humans are so varied and nuanced and we change. We self-destruct, we annihilate, we grow, we change. My wife and I are still madly in love after 15 years, but we are not even close to the same people. We just changed into new people, constantly, shedding our skins into new thoughts and emotions, together.
Love to be in this conversation years later. I am very, VERY captivated by the classical purists who dislike Einaudi or Richter, while worrying about being relevant or connecting with new audiences. I feel it’s mandatory, at least, to experiment, and to try and find a way to connect with the future audiences. The standards and classics will always be available. There is likely not a day where I won’t listen to the Ring Cycle of Wagner or Adagio for Spartacus by Khachaturian.
But what will happen to all that when there’s no new audiences, or players, to receive those gifts, because they never knew how to connect with classical in the first place.
If experimentation, reworks, or minimalism is the only way to connect, then I’m all for it.

 

Max Richter’s rework of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, explained:

 

 

All four movements:

 

 

  • Truly classical, I’ve likely peppered this blog with Adagio for Spartacus, but I’ll remind you the quip that Amadeus Mozart wrote music for silly rich people, and Aram Khachaturian wrote music for the gods.

 

 

  • Yo-Yo Ma playing a rendition of Ennio Morricone’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

 

 

  • Sampha doing incredible work, as always:

 

 

  • Sid Sriram’s new track after collaborating with Bon Iver.

 

VIDEO GAMES

  • This anecdote about Goldeneye is fantastic:
@alyseknorr Replying to @Gregory Dougherty the origins of the Klobb! #goldeneye #goldeneye007 #goldeneye64 #n64 #nintendo #nintendo64 #millennial #millennialnostalgia #millennialsoftiktok #klobb ? original sound – Alyse Knorr

 

People, Society, and Culture

 

 

 

  • “inevitably, there will be loss…”

Also, most of us have had dogs, therefore have lost dogs. I’ve written two eulogies in the last 10 years. Scott Van Pelt with his own, on ESPN, and a brilliant and loving tribute to his pupper who just passed. “Dogs are grace”.

 

For those struggling with grief, loss, or sadness, I’ve done quite a bit of work for myself, and it seemingly has helped many others.

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

https://unclefishbits.com/on-grieving-and-loss-the-night-norway-passed-away-the-heaven-opened-its-skies-and-wept-and-tore-through-land-with-rage-but-lets-just-celebrate-her-maybe/

 

 

  • Jon Stewart: This is astute, fantastic, pointed, and concise regarding one political party:

“They have a great game going: government sucks and can‘t get the job done. And then they can sit as an impediment to that government, and point to their destruction, as evidence of their thesis. It’s a great tautology.” Jon Stewart

 

 

 

  • I immediately thought “shark”, but nope, just cute!

 

 

 

Vehicles

  • Double row quad headlamps is the Cizeta-Moroder V16T. I can’t believe ex Lamborghini people partnered with Giorgio Moroder!!! So fun.

 

 

 

  • 1970 Lancia HF Zero by Bertone concept:

 

Next to a 1970 Ferrari Modulo:

 

 

IN FACT, here are some of my favorite concept cars of all time. I know I’ve featured a few of these over the years, but this list is pretty exhaustive and AMAZING.

Dear Pavlov; an insufficient note to your life.

 

 

 

POETRY

The Old Ships by James Elroy Flecker

I have seen old ships sail like swans asleep

Beyond the village which men still call Tyre,

With leaden age o’ercargoed, dipping deep

For Famagusta and the hidden sun

That rings black Cyprus with a lake of fire;

And all those ships were certainly so old –

Who knows how oft with squat and noisy gun,

Questing brown slaves or Syrian oranges,

The pirate Genoese

Hell-raked them till they rolled

Blood, water, fruit and corpses up the hold.

But now through friendly seas they softly run,

Painted the mid-sea blue or shore-sea green,

Still patterned with the vine and grapes in gold.

But I have seen,

Pointing her shapely shadows from the dawn,

An image tumbled on a rose-swept bay,

A drowsy ship of some yet older day;

And, wonder’s breath indrawn,

Thought I – who knows – who knows – but in that same

(Fished up beyond Aeaea, patched up new

– Stern painted brighter blue -)

That talkative, bald-headed seaman came

(Twelve patient comrades sweating at the oar)

From Troy’s doom-crimson shore,

And with great lies about his wooden horse

Set the crew laughing, and forgot his course.

It was so old a ship – who knows, who knows?

– And yet so beautiful, I watched in vain

To see the mast burst open with a rose,

And the whole deck put on its leaves again.

More on the poem:

An intensely imagined vision this time, with uneasy echoes in first world war history https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/aug/24/james-elroy-flecker-old-ships

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