For the last year or so I had the good fortune to work with Tom Harding, a top notch designer from London.
Unfortunately I don't get to work with him anymore. And that's because he and his girlfriend Clare decided to chuck it all in and do a trip to the Americas. And I mean all of the Americas.
I find that Europeans are more likely than Americans to do big extended trips like that. What's wrong with us?
I always wanted to do one (or two or more) - and still aspire to it - though at this point it looks like it will be after the boys are out of college. In my opinion there are two things you should spare no expense on...education and travel.
Hey, you can't take money with you. But experience and knowledge are with with you forever.
So if you're reading this and you haven't gotten all tied up with commitments like houses and kids...go out and see the world like Tom and Clare.
We are all hooked on the new John Adams HBO Series . It is extraordinary. You feel like you're really there. And living here in Boston, the birthplace of the revolution, it especially hits home.
It shows how hard our founders worked to secure a free republic. They fought hard for our rights because they knew what oppression felt like. And since then we Americans have had a proud tradition of upholding our freedoms.
And what really stunning? How fast America, the home of freedom and open society, has opened the door for dictatorship. No go with me here. I'm not being an alarmist. And neither is Wolf.
Did you know that a recent law gives George Bush himself, as president, the authority to jail anyone for any reason without having to explain why or tell where that person went?
Did you know that this administration has spent tremendous effort to make it "legal" to torture in the United States. Guantanamo? Abu Ghraib?
Did you know Guantanamo is a secret prison that practices torture and flagrantly operates outside of the Geneva Conventions which are guidelines established for the treatment of non-combatants and prisoners of war and are ratified by the US and 46 other nations?
Did you know that people are held right now at Guantanamo without the right to habeas corpus - the legal right to seek relief from unlawful detention for yourself or another person?
It's not just "terrorists" who can be sent to Guantanamo. It's any of us. And they - the government - decide who the terrorists are and they don't have to tell you why.
Did you know that the Bush administration has created a paramilitary force (Blackwater) and has passed laws making it legal to surveil ordinary citizens, like you and me, without a warrant?
Don't you remember how it all maybe seemed plausible? We were horrified by 9/11. An evil power aimed at dismantling our way of life.
Bremmer. Cheney. Rumsfeld. They stormed in. Congress rolled over...wasn't this what we were supposed to do to protect ourselves?
We went to Iraq. Iraq? OK they had weapons of mass destruction. Except they didn't. Except the administration mindfully lied and orchestrated the truth. And we let them.
And then General Tommy Franks and the entire US military leadership resigned and walked out of Iraq? That even our best soldiers found what was happening reprehensible? And we let them.
Remember how shocking...SHOCKING...it was when it was revealed we had secret prisons? And somehow it's less shocking now.
This slow and steady and LEGAL erosion of a democracy has happened before. Just read the history of how Nazism rose. It rose legally out of a democracy. Little by little by little the Germans let it happen. And eventually their freedoms were so undermined, when the really bad guys stepped in there was no stopping them. Anyone could be taken. Everyone was afraid.
So now just voting for a different President isn't enough. We have to undo the steps that have been taken to unravel our freedoms. We need to be vigilant. We need to be like John Adams. We need to take risks and stand up for out rights.
Shame on Bush. Shame on Cheney. Shame on them all.
But ultimately shame on us for squandering our incredible country.
We are Americans. We need to start acting like it.
Clearly he saw way more than I did of the town. But hey - someone has to work.
Then again he didn't have the same experience I did...experiencing the brainy, creative, techie mashup that is SXSW.
Some highlights:
Henry Jenkins Keynote - my fav academic - who among other things discussed a book called Bowling Alone which made the argument that the 1950s and 60s damaged our society. Between corporate transfers, divorce, television, two-career families, suburban sprawl, generational changes in values created a breakdown in civil society as Americans became more disconnected from their families, neighbors, communities, and the republic itself. But the thing that's bringing it together again? The Internet. Regardless of all the naysayers who fear that it's isolating us.
Meeting and networking with lots of people working in virtual worlds and social networks.
Meeting people in person who I knew well through their blogs. A great experience and the best part about reading blogs. It all comes full circle when you meet in person.
Going all around Austin with two four-foot tall WeeMees in tow. Makes quite an impression. More photos here.
I agree with Bob - I'll come back to Austin. It's got an amazing vibe.
On this blog I think I've already covered how I feel about Molly Ivins, and this is her old stomping grounds. So I'm walking in her footsteps while here. We're also lucky enough to be in the company of Susan O'Connor and Peter Grant . Two of the funniest, smartest people on the planet, they made it into my world through Bob, who worked with Susan at Atari. They are giving us a generous serving of Austin hospitality and hooplah.
Oh, by the way, Bob is here too. A rare collision of our professional/personal worlds has allowed us to be here at the same time - thanks to Dorothy who is holding down the home front in Boston. Last time we called home, it sounds like she's welcomed in a whole house of teen and 'tween friends of our boys - pizzas, sleepovers...the works. So I'm not sure Dylan and Drew will want us back. They're being spoiled by Auntie Ducie and even Mombo admits it...she has competition.
But for now, let me share the highlight of my day.
There I was standing in line at Kinkos. Making copies...
And next to me in line? Billy Gibbons, lead singer of ZZ Top.
I have to go right now because Bob and I have a date at the famous Broken Spoke where we plan to see Dale Watson tonight. So stay tuned for more detail on how I learned all about Billy Gibbons' 80 year old mother and how I got his autograph.
There will be Blood Brilliant performance from Daniel Day Lewis. He's incredible. Hancock I love Will Smith. Even in NY after a terrible disease wipes out all humanity. Even when he's a drunken superhero.
Wall E Beautifully animated. Good moral to the story. Scary future. Those fat people on the space ship who can't even walk haunt me.
March 2008
Moonlight Mile Shot in Marblehead and the North Shore. Pretty good movie with a star-studded cast. Our friend Jack worked on the crew. When it was being shot, they took over Haley Liquors and the old Marblehead Kite Company (now Mud Puddle Toys) and used it as the diner and office where the key scenes took place.
Once A pure, quiet joy. An Irish idie film acted by the actual musicians. Oscar winner for best song.
Michael Clayton Incredible cast. Oscar nominated performances. Great story and twists.
February 2008
Juno Dylan and I saw this together at the theatre. It was one of those rare movies that is funny and touching and dramatic all at once. Perfectly captures teenagers. And parents. People. Ellen Page was brilliant. My other favorite character was her step mother, played by Alison Janney (from the much-missed West Wing).
Kite Runner A great book. A good movie. Saw this in Conway with Dylan one night...just the two of us. We cried and it was great to see it with each other.
Balls of Fury Weird, goofy ping pong movie. You'll laugh out loud in spite of yourself. Christopher Walken in another weird role - he's pro at weird.
For the last year or so I had the good fortune to work with Tom Harding, a top notch designer from London.
