Da Dos

Category: Film, Music, Art, Entertainment

  • Movie Monday: Wall Street at Halas.

    Movie Monday: Wall Street at Halas.

    News is still slow, unless a fan wants to dive into the shitshow that is the stadium issue.

    Here’s my overall thoughts on the topic.

    One of my friends finally attained his Masters in Biz from USC some years back. One of his final projects required him to interview a CFO or CEO of a major corp. So, he booked one from a corp that we would all instantly recognize.

    Just so happened that at the time, they were moving a lot of their infrastructure to Ireland.

    Why Ireland? Well, it wasn’t for the green beer, leprechauns and redheads, that’s for sure.

    It was for – you guessed it – cheaper taxes.
    He asked the CFO, point blank, “You’re moving for the cheaper taxes, right?”

    The CFO paused, kinda grinned, “No. It’s mostly for reason x, y and z…”

    CFO knew it was bullshit. My friend new it was bullshit. Everyone knows x, y, z was bullshit. It was lower taxes. Period.

    But of course corps fleeing the U.S. [and taking the jobs with them] isn’t exactly popular, and they don’t want any sort of bad PR or god forbid, commy boycotts of their product in the U.S. market.

    I’ll give you another example from the flip side. My uncle lived in Texas and worked for Levi’s Jeans for YEARS. They even gave him a silver bracelet, which he gave to me, and is one of my most cherished jewelry [in fact, I think I only own a few pieces of jewelry overall, including my graduation ring I never wear].

    Levi’s closed shop in TX, and moved across the border to Mexico.

    Levi Strauss & Co. (Levi’s) was never primarily based in Texas, though they did have major factories and distribution centers there before shifting production. The company stopped all of its U.S. manufacturing in 2003, closing its final American factories in Texas and other states to lower labor costs and take advantage of NAFTA.

    They offered the workers jobs across the border, but I mean, c’mon. Would YOU uproot your entire family to another country for a job at Levi’s?

    So basically, he, and 1,000s of other hard working honest Americans, lost his job.

    Seems unfair, doesn’t it?

    It’s not – not if you BELIEVE in Capitalism. Capitalism doesn’t care about your uncle, feelings or teams. It ONLY cares about the bottom line. That’s why it’s called ‘the bottom line.’ During the Great Depression a senator asked the CEO of a food manufacture,

    ‘You can make food cheaper to keep kids from starving’

    CEO response, ‘We’re in the business of making money – not feeding kids.’

    THAT is Capitalism, and if Indiana profits the McCaskeys and their board more, they’ll take it even if they must build the stadium over a toxic wasteland which makes your $20 beer glow green sans dye.

    You and your 50+ years of fandom, suffering, loyalty or civic pride can go fuck itself.

  • Nuremburg

    Nuremburg

    Still nothing of note going on. This is not necessarily the worst thing [just ask Vrabel Pats or Josh Jacob Puke].

    As such, finally got around to watching “Nuremburg” starring Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring, Rami Malek [played Freddy Mercury] as psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, and Michael Shannon as Chief Prosecutor Robert H. Jackson.

    Crowe superbly plays the highly intelligent, capable and charming Göring. I can’t help but think of Crowe as a younger fit Maximus; now he’s the fat decadent Generalissimo. Perhaps some meta there.

    Göring was a legit war hero and ace with 22 confirmed kills in WW1. To put that in perspective, Maverick barely eked out 5 to be Ace. He has the charm and talent of Maverick, the ambition and planning of Iceman, the narcissism of BOTH yet the moral compass of this guy.

    That is a DANGEROUS combo as the movie seductively exhibits in a fascinating psychological portrait of “evil.”

    The lead prosecutor presents the ‘objective’ adversary, while the psychiatrist seems nearly tragically stuck between, like a fly slowly being consumed by a black hole. It reminds me of what William Blake said about Milton writing “Paradise Lost”: Milton secretly admired Satan.

    What I like about this movie is that it shows what needed to take place BEFORE “Saving Private Ryan.” Before the cinematic slaughter of oblivious citizens who were enjoying their apple pie before picking up an M1 Garand. History starts with steins, podiums and gavels, not rifles.

    By the end, one will find this all a bit unnerving and relevant, because, sadly, “evil” is ALWAYS relevant: it’s only a crash, pandemic, attack or humiliation away from crawling out of our filthy crawlspaces.

  • Memorial Day Montage

    Memorial Day Montage

    Kick back. Fire up the grill. Pop open a beer. Dip your feet in some water.


    ‘They’

    The Bishop tells us: ‘When the boys come back
    ‘They will not be the same; for they’ll have fought
    ‘In a just cause: they lead the last attack
    ‘On Anti-Christ; their comrades’ blood has bought
    ‘New right to breed an honourable race,
    ‘They have challenged Death and dared him face to face.’

    ‘We’re none of us the same!’ the boys reply.
    ‘For George lost both his legs; and Bill’s stone blind;
    ‘Poor Jim’s shot through the lungs and like to die;
    ‘And Bert’s gone syphilitic: you’ll not find
    ‘A chap who’s served that hasn’t found some change.
    ‘ And the Bishop said: ‘The ways of God are strange!’

    – Siegfried Sassoon, 1917

    I happened to stumble across a doc on Scottish Independence. I couldn’t stop watching, so I’ll share.

    Declaration of Arbroath, 1320

    “As long as a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself”.

    For FREEDOM, not oil, power or geopolitical posturing.

    Enjoy.

  • Rolling Stones’ Top 50

    Rolling Stones’ Top 50

    Tired of draft retconning. So, let’s fight about something else! Rolling Stones published their Top 50 Rock Bands of All Time, and let’s just say, the torches were lit!

    I’m no musicologist, I only play one on YT, but ranking U2 ahead of Pink Floyd is more insane than Syd Barrett [too soon?]

    Remember when Apple ‘gifted’ iTunes’ customers with a free U2 album, and it pissed off so many, people even uninstalled iTunes! Pepperidge Farm remembers…

    Plenty of others on list which I don’t even think I heard a song of [T Rex, Wilco, Cream, Primal Scream…]. I don’t know how they put Stone Roses ahead of The Cure, Black Sabbath, Ramones, CCR while many bands like Alice in Chains, Rage and Rammstein didn’t even make the cut.

    One interesting take is Chicago’s very own Billy Corgan claiming ‘they’ cucked rock.

    Then again he also swears he fucked a reptilian [google it, and prepare to go down the Reddit rabbit hole].

    Anywho, let’s play a game.

    Name the band you listened to the most until you were 21.

    The band you listened to the most in your 30s, 40s, and 50s.

    One band per decade, roughly.

  • Film Friday

    Film Friday

    It’s Friday! Getting mocked da fuq out. Don’t want to get burned out on the draft before it even takes place.

    So, here’s Butch’s recent good film recs.

    “Weapons” It’s EXTREMELY difficult to find good NEW horror/suspense flicks. I don’t know how many times I’ve rewatched “Exorcist III” or “Silence of the Lambs” because I just didn’t feel like watching another new dud.

    So, I was pleasantly surprised to find a pretty good in “Weapons.” I’m not going to write essays on these films, just watch the trailer, but it’s good.

    If you’re simply in a Butch “Roadhouse” type of mood – “Man of Tai Chi” is for you.
    Starring Keenu Reeves – it’s not exactly The Matrix. Honestly, I’ve found some video games with better plots, but it’s fun! What I like most is they actually show the different styles which mixed-martial arts will make extinct inside 50 years.

  • Bukowski: cats 2

    Bukowski: cats 2

    Gift

    you know
    the man in the back moved out
    couldn’t get his rent
    so I inherited this
    huge old cat
    big as an average dog
    mean
    yellow eyes
    old and furiously strong
    when he strikes with one of those
    paws
    the walls shake
    his name is “Butch” and he
    doesn’t play around
    he’s cranky
    has his own set ideas
    learned from somewhere
    long ago.
    he gets on the trip
    which is his
    sometimes he gets
    gone
    I’ll be petting him
    and then he’ll have me
    my hand trapped in his
    gut
    the teeth will incise into
    the top part of my hand
    And holding me there
    like that
    he’ll rip the back of
    my wrists
    with his two rear paws
    with the claws
    fully extended…
    I leave my hand there
    Until he’s finished
    then I
    lift it away
    rivulets of blood
    seep…he just
    looks at me.

    I’ll send him to you
    in a whole natural almond
    crate
    I’ll cut holes so he can
    breathe

    but beware when you pry off
    the lid

    I’ll send him to you
    just in time
    via Air Express

    upon that crate on
    National Poetry Day

  • Bukowski: cats

    Bukowski: cats

    It’s technically the offseason [sad tear], so unless you’re already craving mock drafts, theoretical trades, or god forbid, power rankings…time to switch gears.

    I like Bukowski, poetry and animals, and as it happens, Chinaski wrote a whole book on cats, one of which was named Butch!

    This is too much synchronicity to avoid, so I’m going to share some “Butch” poems this offseason. Enjoy.

    bad fix

    old Butch, they fixed him

    the girls don’t look like him much

    anymore.

    when Big Sam moved out

    of the back

    inherited big Butch,

    70 as cats go,

    old,

    fixed,

    but still as big and

    mean a cat as anybody

    ever remembered

    seeing.

    he’s damn near gnawed

    off my hand

    the hand that feeds him

    couple of

    times

    but I’ve forgiven him,

    he’s fixed

    and there’s something in

    him

    that doesn’t like

    it.

    at night

    hear him mauling and

    running other cats through

    the brush.

    Butch, he’s still a magnificent

    old cat,

    fighting

    even without it.

    what a bastard he must have been

    with it

    when he was 19 or 20

    walking slowly down

    his path

    and I look at him

    now

    still feel the courage

    and the strength

    in spite of man’s smallness

    in spite of man’s scientific

    skill

    old Butch

    retains

    endures

    peering at me with those

    evil yellow eyes

    out of that huge

    undefeated

    head.

  • Movie Monday: The Penguin

    Movie Monday: The Penguin

    Nothing is really moving and shaking in the Bears’ world besides some Caleb speculation and forever ‘Will Bears sign another DE/HB/LB…’ banter

    That’s ok. A quiet camp is typically a good camp. Just ask the Bengals.

    On that note, “The Penguin” isn’t technically a movie, but it’s one helluva show!

    I’m somewhat picky when it comes to shows. I guess I get easily bored, so only the really interesting ones [Deep Space Nine, GOT, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Always Sunny…]make me want to binge, and “The Penguin” was definitely binge-worthy.

    It’s technically in the “super-hero/villain” genre, but not really. I mean, if you ask me, it’s more realistic than all the John Wick flicks I watched last week.

    It’s gritty, superbly acted, action-packed, and psychologically captivating. In other words – it’s fun!

    It’s on HBO Go or Max, or whatever the hell they’re branding it now, though I’m sure you can find plenty of outlets to watch it unless you wanna kill time reading depth chart reports in July…

    Strongly recommend it.

  • Movie Monday: Final Destination Bloodlines & The Babadook

    Movie Monday: Final Destination Bloodlines & The Babadook

    Been thinking about this installation for a while, but usually SOME Bear story breaks over the weekend; however everything as of right now is ho-hum [which is better than Bengals’ or perennial Cowboy’s drama]

    From time to time, I may do a Movie Monday – informally review and recommend a movie I have recently watched or RE-watched

    I’m not an avid movie-goer, but I have watched far too many flicks. Besides, many of the best ones are based on books, plays and graphic novels, and those I have read aplenty

    So, without further ado…

    If you have nephews, nieces or grandchildren in their teens, it’s a bit hard to find good flicks to watch together. They’re either too graphic, or cheesy, or related to comics in some way, but “Final Destination Bloodlines” is just a good ole fashion thriller-action-light comedy flick you won’t have to overthink. I went into it assuming I was going to hate it, but immediately found myself a little unnerved as it touches on an audience’s phobias through cinematic mastery. I won’t get into the specifics, but many scenes vividly depict something we may have winced at some time or other; nevertheless, it doesn’t totally devolve into a gory snuff film like the “Saw” or “Hostel” franchises

    When the credits rolled, all I could say was – that was fun! I almost regretted not being able to watch this in 4DX [those tickets were sold out to my shock, but relief to my wallet] as it may have taken the tension to another level

    The final scenes of Tony Todd [aka “Candyman”] also made this movie surprisingly poignant

    RIP TONY TODD

    So if it’s still out in theaters, and you want some fun with teens or family who fancy mindless horror, I definitely recommend this

    [Spoiler alert. Just don’t schedule an MRI appointment in the near future like my dumbass!]

    This ever happen to you? Someone recommends a movie; you’ve never even heard of it,  assume it’s new, and they inform, “Oh no. it’s been out for 10 years.”
    Well, “The Babadook” was one [of many] of those flicks for me

    I’m a sucker for Horror and Psychological Thrillers, and this subtly blends both. The watcher really doesn’t know what to make of it as it seems more like an indie drama for
    a large part of the setup. We are left ‘waiting’ for the show to start, but it doesn’t quite where one expects. About the only thing a viewer can be sure of is that kid is annoying AF!

    Yet, as the mother begins unravelling, and the mysterious episodes become more frequent, a certain creepiness and uneasiness spreads – both qualities of a solid thriller

    click for spoiler By the end of it, your alliance switches from sympathy for the mom, to sympathy for the kid, when you begin to realize that The Babadook may be all in her head – That she indeed may be clinically insane: the guilt, trauma and unrelenting social choke of being a single mom raising a hyperactive [to say the least] son only disintegrates her sanity to the point where she essentially gives up on trying to defeat the ‘demon’ once-and-for-all like in so many other horror flicks where the priest emerges victorious
    The mother must meekly cede that The Babadook can’t be ignored much less exorcised or killed. She is somewhat doomed to forever feed it, literally or metaphorically with the help of the only one who stood by her through it all
    Her son
    Which is way more relatable to the millions battling psychological disorders and the loved ones somehow vainly trying to help

    In other words, if you’re looking for a somewhat more recent horror-thriller, go watch The Babadook – preferably in the dark – alone