The past few weeks have been busy beyond belief. I finally had a day all to myself this past Tuesday and spent it visiting some favorite places.
I headed south to Westchester County and took a multi mile early morning walk on the North County Trailway, finishing up at the old railroad bridge over the Croton Reservoir. After that excursion, it seemed like a good idea to visit the dam responsible for creating that vast body of water.
The New Croton Dam was just a half hour or so drive away. You heard all about it just a short time ago. What I didn't mention was that
The dam is the second most massive hewn stone structure on Earth - number one being The Great Pyramid in Egypt. It was also the site of an historic work stoppage which led to higher wages, better conditions and shorter work days for many workers in the New York area.
The steel arch bridge over the spillway was rebuilt in 2005 in time for the dam's one hundredth anniversary. The bridge is a much stronger and more durable near duplicate version of the 1905 original and replaced a failing (and rather ugly) structure which had been in place since 1975.
The roadway atop the damn was closed to vehicular traffic due to the attacks on September 11, 2001. The road signs remain for the time being - a beautification project is scheduled for 2010.
The 1000 foot (305 m) spillway was specifically designed to not only not immerse and obliterate the rapids along its base but to enhance their majesty and beauty. I think that the builders succeeded admirably.
There have been many claims from multiple sources that the recession is coming to an end. Tell that to the people who are out of work and losing their homes... On a personal level, however, it would appear that it most certainly is. Many of my depressed assets have made stellar gains over the past few months and it looks like a couple of people I know who've been out of work for far too long may finally be on the way to finding jobs. No interviews for me, of course, but I do have a "lunch" scheduled this week. I thought that the 4GLs I worked with many years ago would be ancient history by now - I guess not. Headhunters and old co-workers found me last week after nearly 20 years. I've already said "no" but I like the restaurant they're taking me to. The fact that I have no interest what-so-ever in doing any work of any sort for this (or any other) firm apparently makes me all the more desirable.
I have recently read some wonderful books.
The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood
Into the Great Wide Open - Kevin Canty
Kieslowski on Kieslowski - Krzysztof Kieslowski Edited and Translated by Danusia Stok
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution - Richard Dawkins
Dawkin's book is sheer genius. It's unfortunate that it probably won't be read by the now not so silent and growing majority of people in this country (and elsewhere) whose understanding and outlook would so greatly benefit from it.
Margaret Atwood's new novel is a brilliant "companion piece" to her earlier Oryx and Crake. It greatly expands the dystopian world of that story and showcases a fabulous author at the height of her powers. I've been a huge fan since my first reading of The Handmaid's Tale so many years ago.
I finally got back my copy of the Kieslowski book after lending it out for "just a few days" over a year ago. What a genius - an incredible director and writer. I still mourn his untimely death.
I also watched some particularly excellent DVDs.
I would recommend them all - The Flight of the Phoenix is a much loved classic and I fondly remembered The Vikings from my (much) younger days. I adored Adoration - Atom Egoyan is another of my favorite writer/directors. I've always been a big fan of Clerks and Kevin Smith. I'd never seen Closely Watched Trains - brilliant. And Brotherhood of the Wolf was a stunning and very pleasant surprise. The complete list:
Clerks (1994) Kevin Smith
Waking the Dead (1999) Keith Gordon
Sin Dejar Huella (2000) Maria Novaro
Supercar: The Complete Series: Volume 3 - Gerry Anderson et al (hey, I was a kid once)
Adoration (2007) Atom Egoyan
Strayed (2004) Andre Techine
The Vikings (1958) Richard Fleisher
The Libertine (1969) Paquale Festa Campanile
Blue (Trois Couleurs: Blue - 1993) Krysztof Kieslowski
White (Trois Couleurs: Blanc - 1994) Krysztof Kieslowski
Red (Trios Couleurs: Rouge 1994) Krysztof Kieslowski
The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) Robert Aldrich
Closely Watched Trains (1966) Jiri Menzel
Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) Cristophe Gans
There was simply no way that I could (finally) read Kieslowski's book without enjoying at least one example of his genius. I chose to watch his final films, know as The Three Colors Trilogy, all made after he relocated his movie-making to France in the 1990s. They, and all of his works, are great favorites of mine. I've enjoyed them more times than I could possibly count. I (re)watched the first of his four final films, The Double Life of Veronique(La Double Vie de Vronique) (, a couple of months ago. His biographer, Annette Insdorf, provided the commentary on the DVD and remarked that she sometimes likes to think of it as a fourth part of the trilogy - she would call it Gold. It most certainly is.
Kieslowski said that he had retired after the grueling work (three films in two years) on his final films, but at the time of his death he was working on yet another trilogy with longtime collaborator Krzystof Piesiewicz. The completed first screenplay, Heaven, was brilliantly filmed by director Tom Tykwer. Kate Blanchet was luminous in it. I highly recommend it, along with Tykwer's other fims, especially Run Lola Run and Perfume.
I drove back home on Tuesday on some twisting roads along the scenic Hudson River. One of them took me right past the Bear Mountain Bridge. The temptation was simply too great. I pulled over and parked a few minutes east of the bridge and walked back and forth over it for an hour or so. I enjoyed the views of the fall foliage and all the trains and river traffic which went by below me.
I have many plans and obligations that will be taking up much of my time for the rest of this month. I promise that I'll do a better job of scheduling so that I can spend more time here as well.
All the best...
I headed south to Westchester County and took a multi mile early morning walk on the North County Trailway, finishing up at the old railroad bridge over the Croton Reservoir. After that excursion, it seemed like a good idea to visit the dam responsible for creating that vast body of water.
The New Croton Dam was just a half hour or so drive away. You heard all about it just a short time ago. What I didn't mention was that
The dam is the second most massive hewn stone structure on Earth - number one being The Great Pyramid in Egypt. It was also the site of an historic work stoppage which led to higher wages, better conditions and shorter work days for many workers in the New York area.
The steel arch bridge over the spillway was rebuilt in 2005 in time for the dam's one hundredth anniversary. The bridge is a much stronger and more durable near duplicate version of the 1905 original and replaced a failing (and rather ugly) structure which had been in place since 1975.
The roadway atop the damn was closed to vehicular traffic due to the attacks on September 11, 2001. The road signs remain for the time being - a beautification project is scheduled for 2010.
The 1000 foot (305 m) spillway was specifically designed to not only not immerse and obliterate the rapids along its base but to enhance their majesty and beauty. I think that the builders succeeded admirably.
There have been many claims from multiple sources that the recession is coming to an end. Tell that to the people who are out of work and losing their homes... On a personal level, however, it would appear that it most certainly is. Many of my depressed assets have made stellar gains over the past few months and it looks like a couple of people I know who've been out of work for far too long may finally be on the way to finding jobs. No interviews for me, of course, but I do have a "lunch" scheduled this week. I thought that the 4GLs I worked with many years ago would be ancient history by now - I guess not. Headhunters and old co-workers found me last week after nearly 20 years. I've already said "no" but I like the restaurant they're taking me to. The fact that I have no interest what-so-ever in doing any work of any sort for this (or any other) firm apparently makes me all the more desirable.
I have recently read some wonderful books.
The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood
Into the Great Wide Open - Kevin Canty
Kieslowski on Kieslowski - Krzysztof Kieslowski Edited and Translated by Danusia Stok
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution - Richard Dawkins
Dawkin's book is sheer genius. It's unfortunate that it probably won't be read by the now not so silent and growing majority of people in this country (and elsewhere) whose understanding and outlook would so greatly benefit from it.
Margaret Atwood's new novel is a brilliant "companion piece" to her earlier Oryx and Crake. It greatly expands the dystopian world of that story and showcases a fabulous author at the height of her powers. I've been a huge fan since my first reading of The Handmaid's Tale so many years ago.
I finally got back my copy of the Kieslowski book after lending it out for "just a few days" over a year ago. What a genius - an incredible director and writer. I still mourn his untimely death.
I also watched some particularly excellent DVDs.
I would recommend them all - The Flight of the Phoenix is a much loved classic and I fondly remembered The Vikings from my (much) younger days. I adored Adoration - Atom Egoyan is another of my favorite writer/directors. I've always been a big fan of Clerks and Kevin Smith. I'd never seen Closely Watched Trains - brilliant. And Brotherhood of the Wolf was a stunning and very pleasant surprise. The complete list:
Clerks (1994) Kevin Smith
Waking the Dead (1999) Keith Gordon
Sin Dejar Huella (2000) Maria Novaro
Supercar: The Complete Series: Volume 3 - Gerry Anderson et al (hey, I was a kid once)
Adoration (2007) Atom Egoyan
Strayed (2004) Andre Techine
The Vikings (1958) Richard Fleisher
The Libertine (1969) Paquale Festa Campanile
Blue (Trois Couleurs: Blue - 1993) Krysztof Kieslowski
White (Trois Couleurs: Blanc - 1994) Krysztof Kieslowski
Red (Trios Couleurs: Rouge 1994) Krysztof Kieslowski
The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) Robert Aldrich
Closely Watched Trains (1966) Jiri Menzel
Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) Cristophe Gans
There was simply no way that I could (finally) read Kieslowski's book without enjoying at least one example of his genius. I chose to watch his final films, know as The Three Colors Trilogy, all made after he relocated his movie-making to France in the 1990s. They, and all of his works, are great favorites of mine. I've enjoyed them more times than I could possibly count. I (re)watched the first of his four final films, The Double Life of Veronique(La Double Vie de Vronique) (, a couple of months ago. His biographer, Annette Insdorf, provided the commentary on the DVD and remarked that she sometimes likes to think of it as a fourth part of the trilogy - she would call it Gold. It most certainly is.
Kieslowski said that he had retired after the grueling work (three films in two years) on his final films, but at the time of his death he was working on yet another trilogy with longtime collaborator Krzystof Piesiewicz. The completed first screenplay, Heaven, was brilliantly filmed by director Tom Tykwer. Kate Blanchet was luminous in it. I highly recommend it, along with Tykwer's other fims, especially Run Lola Run and Perfume.
I drove back home on Tuesday on some twisting roads along the scenic Hudson River. One of them took me right past the Bear Mountain Bridge. The temptation was simply too great. I pulled over and parked a few minutes east of the bridge and walked back and forth over it for an hour or so. I enjoyed the views of the fall foliage and all the trains and river traffic which went by below me.
I have many plans and obligations that will be taking up much of my time for the rest of this month. I promise that I'll do a better job of scheduling so that I can spend more time here as well.
All the best...
VIEW 18 of 18 COMMENTS
I've nearly finished The Death of Innocents. Fascinating statistics. First of all, you have to kill a white person to get the death penalty. If you're black as well, that will be a hugely significant factor. Secondly, 12 states deal out over 80% of the sentences. Texas seemed to be going for some sort of record as to how many people it can kill in a year. Shocking facts - the big parties Baton Rouge prosecutors throw when they secure a death sentence. And, believe it or not, prosecutors wearing Grim Reaper ties in court. You couldn't make it up.
But, he keeps cropping up! As well as Torchwood (a bit more adult), we have the Sarah Jane Adventures on children's TV, and the Doctor is appearing in an episode of that. Plus, we still have a Christmas special to come!