The War

I just completed viewing Ken Burns' The War. The man is a master. What an incredible documentary. The series focuses on four American cities: Sacramento, Mobile, Waterbury, CT, and Luverne, MN, and how the war affected those towns. At the same time, however, Burns works it in that the entire nation was affected in much the same ways that these four towns were. His use of archival video footage and photographs is typical Ken Burns; which means it's incredibly well done. An aspect of this documentary that allows it to stand apart from others he has done is that the stories are told by those who have lived them. Interviews with war veterans and Americans on the homefront add a personal touch that cannot be equaled by historians simply telling about the war, as in other Burns documentaries. This is an amazing piece of filmmaking that helps lend understanding to a sometimes incomprehensible subject: that of brutal war.

Chasing Che

In 1952, a young Argentine doctor named Ernesto Guevara, along with his friend Alberto Granado (recently deceased; more on Granado can be found here), embarked on a motorcycle journey across South America. This trip would plant some of the seeds in Ernesto's transformation to El Che, a figure known around the world for both good and evil. In his book Chasing Che: A Freewheeling Adventure Through the Wide Open Spaces of South America on the Trail of Che Guevara, author and journalist Patrick Symmes retraces the journey on a motorcycle of his own, attempting to follow as closely as possible the trail that these two men took. Symmes leaves Buenos Aires and heads south, traveling across the pampas of Argentina into Chile, then up to Peru and ends his travels in Vallegrande, Bolivia, where El Che was buried following his death in La Higuera (some of Guevara's bones have since been removed and reburied in Cuba). This is an incredibly fascinating travel account, and also lends some understanding into a complex figure. Che is arguably one of the most mythic figures in modern history, and Symmes seeks to distinguish the myth from the reality, although that seems to be a difficult prospect, as he follows this route 44 years after Ernesto. Many of the people that came into contact with him are gone, and what remains are mainly stories and legends that may or may not be true. For me personally, the most interesting parts of the book are Symmes' travels through Peru, a country where I spent two years of my life. His views of the Peruvian capital Lima are less than favorable:

"The Scorch. I had always called Lima by that bitter, blackened name. It was a foul metropolis of dusty brown buildings and clogged streets and cold hills that had chilled my heart since the first day I had seen it. It was my least favorite place in the hemisphere, a burden of sorrow on the ground, and when the desert began to give way to the edges of the city, to its ring of hills and its outer badges of poverty, I rode Kooky(his motorcycle) with slow care and felt an emotional paralysis overwhelm me."

That is a fair description. Lima is a city where dirt is ingrained in everything, even the plant life. There is a distinct smell as well, one that can be detected miles from the city. That being said, my views of the city differ greatly from his. Through all the filth, noise, and squalor is a city with a hidden charm and some wonderful people. Perhaps because I lived there and came to know many of the people is why I feel that way, but it is a city I learned to love despite its many faults. Chasing Che is a wonderful read, particularly for anyone interested in travelogues. It is not overtly political; the author realizes the faults of Che as much as the good about the man. It is an attempt to better understand what Guevara and Granado experienced during their journey (which has been portrayed in the movie The Motorcycle Diaries, based on Che's personal diaries and memoirs). It is also an attempt to understand a complex continent, which is continually undergoing changes and has been through some very dark times. It certainly helped me to reflect on some of my own experiences in Peru and understand it a little bit better.

Today in History

There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Chuck Norris lives in Oklahoma.


That's right; everybody's favorite butt-kicker turns 71 today, born in 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma. He has become an internet phenomenon with "Chuck Norris facts."

Chuck Norris Facts: http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/

Today in History

March 9, 1916. Pancho Villa raids the sleepy border town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans, mostly civilians, and losing 70 to 75 of his own men. General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing would later lead an expedition into Mexico to find Villa, which proved unsuccessful, although it would prove instrumental in preparing Pershing and the soldiers involved for their participation in WWI.

More on the raid and on historic Columbus can be found here: http://web.nmsu.edu/~publhist/colhist.htm

Also, on this day in 1997, rapper Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in Los Angeles.

Alice In Chains - Would?

Original AIC bassist Mike Starr was found dead yesterday in Salt Lake City. R.I.P.

The Offspring - Gone Away

Today in History

On this day in 1923, Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was published.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Get Low

Based on a true story, Get Low tells the tale of Felix Bush, a lonely hermit who wants to throw a funeral party while he is still alive, so that he can attend. He claims he wants people to come and tell stories about him, but in reality he hopes to disclose a secret he has carried within him for forty years. It is a tale of guilt, of redemption, and of forgiveness. Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black all give outstanding performances. This a wonderful movie that proves that film making is still an art; for every piece of trash blockbuster out there, remains a hidden gem like Get Low.

Today in History

Several past presidents were sworn into office on this date, but only one got stuck in the White House bathtub: William Howard Taft. After the incident a custom tub was made and installed at the presidential mansion.

Replica of the tub

Today in History

March 3, 1991. Rodney King beaten by police in Los Angeles. The city would erupt in riots a little over a year later when all four police officers were acquitted of the beating.

Today in History

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess! On this day in 1904, Theodor Suess Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 87. Thank you for inspiring millions of children around the world with your genius.

My favorite Suess book.

Dropkick Murphys - Going Out In Style

The Dropkick Murphys released their latest album, Going Out In Style, today. They have not strayed from their sound, and it is an enjoyable album. Typical of the band, several songs deal with political and social issues, particularly the hardships of immigrants and the working class. "Take 'Em Down" is a call for workers to stand up for their rights, and with what is going on in Wisconsin and in other states around the country, is fitting for today. Give the album a spin.