Coffeetalk

For the past few months, I've gathered every other Friday to get some coffee/tea with some friends and their friends. We're a very worldly bunch, hailing from several countries, and most of the participants having either lived abroad or traveled significantly, especially in Africa and Mexico. The conversations often take a turn outside our American borders.We like democracy, we like foreign aid, we like traveling. And we LOVE ideas that cross cultures.

For example, this Friday, our talk was guided by a couple who are fillmmakers from South Africa who are temporarily working in Austin. We learned of South African politics, investment cooperatives, and the lives and dreams of filmmakers. In the end, we were ready to start a film-making coop and brainstorming ways to get people to chip in, $100 or so, and become the funders of independent films on an ongoing basis. It's a novel idea to us, and we're going to pursue the notion seriously--on Saturday, some internet domains were, in fact, registered.

I don't know, we may be just a bunch of dreamers, but we're not the only ones, right? Anyone have some similar ideas out there? Want to join our discussion as it proceeds?

Support the DREAM Act

    I had a long talk last night with a former student, and her story brought me back to an ethical/political dilemma. To start this discussion, know that I'm largely a rule-follower. However, I have most certainly been know to bend/break them when I feel I've the moral high ground. I certainly realize that said high ground is subject to perspective, but that most certainly does not stop me, and I don't stop those of opposing persuasions who act similarly. I draw the line when someone gets physically or financially hurt.
   The topic here is immigration. I've long felt that those who follow the rules should be allowed in, no exceptions, and the more the merrier, but those who enter illegally shouldn't expect any good graces ('amnesty') later on. Beginning my first year teaching in NYC, however, this argument was seriously challenged, and I think that Thursday night, my mind has changed....
    Here's the student's story, purposely sparing some details.
She arrived in the USA from Central America at the age of 14. Her mom was a legal immigrant beforehand, and today, her mother and two siblings are legal residents, while she and one sibling are illegal even though they applied for residency at the same time as one other sibling who received residency. And that's where the family still stands. Four with green cards and two without--all in basically the same situation. Who the heck thought to say yes to one sibling and no to two others when they had the exact same situation. If the couple of years difference age was the difference-maker, then that is a rule or system that needs to be changed.
    Clearly the student in question (trust me on this one) would make America a better place. Why not bend/break/change rules? The same would be true of all illegal immigrants who, while bearing the burden of an illegal status in which they, as children, did not choose for themselves, graduate high school in the USA and get college acceptance.
    Now cue the proposed legislation called the DREAM Act. I don't know the details, but basically it would grant residency to students, such as my former student who is now an honor-roll college student, paying her own way through because she doesn't have that "nine-digit-number" that would make her eligible for federal financial aid.
   Like the artificial colonial border that I lived along in Senegal, this family is unnecessarily divided by arbitrary imperial law. In this case the law is wrong, and my sense of rule of law is washed away.  The right thing to do is to let these students stay, legally, and give them a path to citizenship. America would be a better place. I wholeheartedly support the Dream Act.

It's Still Happening

   Tonight I went to the fourth in a series of talks by Gary Hoover on the History of Enterprise. I've been to three of the for, and I can't say how impressed I have been with his treasure trove of knowledge and his passion for sharing history as a tool for making the future better. I think that the original plan was to be about an hour, but that's gone by the wayside. Tonight's went nearer to 100 minutes. Mr. Hoover is an asset in any of the many circles in which he walks. Check out past talks on the Big 3 Automakers., airlines, and film (video on the last seems to be down). Coming in June, a history of computer makers!
    Awesome as it was, the defining moment of the evening was on the way out, as I was talking to a pair of MBA students. The conversation nearly ground to a halt when one of them (not the blonde) said "It's amazing how that's all, like, happening right now, too." For a long, awkward moment, I hoped that this was a joke, but it wasn't. By her silence, I think the blonde saw the ignorance of the statement as I did. To end the moment and allow us to move on down the sidewalk, I said, "Yeah, I think you're right" and proceeded to be sure to NOT mention that I'm a history teacher. I think that I then mentioned how Amazon is still only the 25th or so largest retailer in the country. And we talked forgettably until I peeled off to head to my car.
    Really, now, UT. Is this the quality of grad student that you're accepting? I couldn't help but think "Exactly what strings did her dad pull to get her into McCombs?" Upon reflection, I really do hope that that thought isn't far off the mark, because if she is an average MBA student at one of the better business schools, then our country is headed in a bad, bad direction.

The People vs George Lucas

It should go without saying that a large part of the culture of my generation (who are we, the Xers?) was determined by Star Wars. And so it was that on a gorgeous afternoon last week I lined up one hour early for a screening of The People vs George Lucas. The movie wasn't such the diatribe against Mr. Lucas like the title might seem. The main arguments were predictable: the redoing the original trilogy (including Jabba in Star Wars, digitizing some space scenes, etc.) and taking jabs at the prequel trilogy (enter Jar Jar Binks). Going into the movie I was afraid that it would be quite anti-Lucas, but I was relieved that it was pretty good-natured. Sure, it poked fun at him. Of course, he's made some PR blunders, and I really, really, don't like Episode I, but I feel that he's earned the right to do whatever he wants--and I was glad that the film does acknowledge this point. Rather, this movie kindly pokes fun at the personalities of our generation who so venerate the films. And to that, I plead guilty. I laughed wholeheartedly the entire lenght of this film. Rumor on the Austin streets last week was that this will get a release this fall, so keep an eye on the independent theater near you.

Three documentaries

I got to see three documentaries yesterday at the SXSW film festival. They were Good, Better and Best, and I saw them in that order. 

The Best
The Parking Lot Movie was an absolute joy to watch. Periodically over three years, director Meghan Eckman filmed footage at and about the attendants at the Corner Parking Lot in Charlottesville, Va. The key to it is how she captured the personalities of the attendants in interviews. I guess it takes a certain personality to pass the time in a booth near a top college campus. At the same time philosophical, witty and insane, the attendants discuss the happenings of the parking lot, their reactions to it and it's impact on their lives. This is a great work of art, and I hope it finds its way to a theater near you.

The Better

11/4/08. A date for the history books, for sure. My own recollection is voting in an old church on Fort Washington Blvd in the morning, then late at night, back home in my apartment watching the President-elect's Victory Speech with tears rolling down my cheeks. I knew that America had finally taken a step toward being respected in the world again, and not for economic and military might, but for our character as a people who choose our own destiny.

And now, 11/4/08 is the title of a documentary showing footage from around the world on Election Day. With scenes NYC, Austin, Chicago, Berlin, Dubai and more, this does a great job of capturing the emotion of that momentous day. And, from the perspective of a year-and-a-half later, it's worth remembering. Let's not get forget what President Obama means to the world. It's too easy to get discouraged by the short-term, day-to-day political mess, but in the bigger picture, President Obama is far more than health care or Guantanamo or Afghanistan. He is the fulfillment of the dream of thousands who fought for rights. And he is the source of dreams of millions of children today who need someone to look up to. 

From the website, it doesn't seem to be scheduled to show anywhere else, but I'd expect it to be in indy-type theaters before this fall's elections.

 

Good

We don't care about music anyways is a portrait of some cutting-edge musicians in Tokyo. Creating amplified sound from turntables, laptops, body parts and, of course, guitars, this film incorporates their music with vibrant images from Tokyo. Recommended especially for music-lovers.

He got lucky, I got bored

I've quite enjoyed the interactive panels that I've been to this year (here, here and here). But for some reason, the overall Interactive Conference isn't pulling me in like before. Perhaps I've changed. Perhaps the entrepreneurs and programmers that are most of the crowd don't engage me like they used to. I don't know, but on Sunday I left for the kite festival, and Monday afternoon I split the Convention Center and went to three movies. (see next post on movies). 

One thing I have to comment on: Evan Williams's discussion was a bore. He is one of the founders of Twitter, so thousands of people gathered yesterday to listen to him with very high expectations. I've never seen him before, so I don't know if it was the setting of the one-on-one interview or what, but people soon started filing out and by the end, maybe 1/3 of the seats were still occupied. I optimistically stayed hoping for a blockbuster ending, but that didn't come. Only repetitions of his message to "be open to new ideas." The most insightful thing he had to say was "I got lucky."  Based on what I saw yesterday, I'd say you got that right, sir.

Michel Gondry

   Saturday night and Sunday morning were Michel Gondry @SXSW time. Thanks to the tenacity of my friend Brian, we actually got to speak with him after his movie & Q&A Saturday night. He is one very intense personality. When Brian asked him to sign his Rubik's cube, Gondry wrote his name on all three sides (12 letters taking up four squares on 3 sides) and something else each of the other sides.... I saw 2010 on one of them. It was all very intentional. 

   I saw that aspect of his personality again in today's panel interview. He once did a project where you could pay him $20, send him a picture and he would sketch a quick portait, sign it and send it back. He then published a book with many of the sketches. It turns out that one of the sketchees was in the audience. Gondry made him come up and they took a couple of minutes to find the photo. The interviewer seemed nervous taking so much time out of the interview, but Gondry insisted. 

  I have no doubt that Gondry's attention to detail and tenacity that he displayed informally is a large part of what make his work successful. I reckon it may drive his actors and other staff crazy, but his patience to do something exactly right shows in his work. Thanks, Michel.