Trace Buster Buster

Yes, The Big Hit was a stupid movie, but is it any lamer than The Whole Nine Yards, another hitman movie shot in Canada in the late 90s? If anything, it's a bit uneven, but this scene with Lou Diamond Phillips always cracks me up.

The TSA Patdown-SFO Style

Full Body Scanner at Charleston, SC

A few weeks ago, I had to fly from SFO to JFK, which was the first time dealing with security at a major airport since the new full body scanners were implemented. Now, given I parked my car in Orinda and miscalculated a bit how long it would take to get to the BART station to get to the airport, I was running 30 minutes behind my initial plan. I had my boarding pass printed, but I was still sweating it a bit. 

Well, I got to the terminal around 10 minutes before boarding and 40 minutes before my flight. I saw the security line wasn't too bad, so I breathed a sigh of relief. I saw people going through the new scanners, which reminded me of some kind of huge radioactive photocopier or worse...

I noticed how nobody was opting out. There were signs and messages on the large screen TVs saying you could opt out, but I don't think I saw one person do so. Now, I think the press and the TSA have been trying to tout these things as safe and it's clearly not as bad as "carousel" in Logan's Run::

or a disintegrator chamber::

so, I thought the compliance behaviors indicated that there was little perceived risk by my fellow travelers.

Now, I do know that there's some controversy with mammograms, in that high risk women for cancer might be increasing their risks with that procedure. While the dosages are low, radiation has a differential effect on people. In other words, your mileage may vary. Practically every study on the topic states that unnecessary radiation should be avoided at all costs. It should be noted that the probability of dying from a terror strike and from radiation emitted from the scanners is the same. 

There is a controversy with these full body scanners—the radiation risks are unknown and Senator Susan Collins {R-ME} wants to change that with new legislation requiring thorough tests of the devices. TSA head John Pistole originally told the Senate that he would commission more independent research on the risks, after Europe banned the machines, but has waffled, subsequently.

While I was pressed for time, I thought a few extra minutes of a patdown might be worth avoiding extra radiation {there's cancer in the family}, so I opted out. The security agent was a bit surprised that someone was opting out and it took a while for a male agent to set things up for my screening. I could have opted for a private area screening, but I decided to be the daily spectacle. The guy was professional and told me exactly what he was going to do, in great forensic detail. Lots of attention on the collar and belt. I think they might be deliberately steering clear of people's "junk" after the San Diego incident. 

So, was it that invasive? Well, I'm really not one who enjoys strangers touching me, but it really didn't bother me that much. Maybe because I was more concerned about boarding my flight that I wasn't perturbed, but I must say I'm still much more spooked by the scanners. I could see how shut-ins, touchy feely types, and, well, pervs, might actually like the contact.

I've blogged on the radiation technology on ThickCulture in 2010 and I pretty much stand by those thoughts. I don't think these technologies are making us safer, but are giving the appearance that something is being done to make us safer.

I made my flight, but now I'm facing the JFK version of the same—unless I manage to get a flight out of White Plains.

Wes Anderson from Above

via LaughingSquid & Moonrise Kingdom's Facebook wall.

newmusicmonday #101::The Darcy's AJA

The title might seem familiar—if not, maybe some of these tracks will ring a bell::

Tracklist

Black Cow Aja Deacon Blues Peg Home At Last I Got The News Josie The Darcys of Toronto and on Toronto's Arts & Crafts Records offer this homage to Fagen & Becker that's free for download. Lending their avant garde atmospherics to the wryness of Steely Dan works quite well. They will embarking on a North American tour [see CBCr3] starting this week and going through March, including dates in LA, SF, Vancouver -BC, Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, & NYC-Bowery. Twitterversion:: [blog] #newmusicmonday featuring @itsthedarcys. Free download of AJA from @artsandcrafts {via @StickyMagazine} @Prof_K

San Francisco 1955 in 'Cinemascope'

This was posted on Thursday on The Atlantic via BoingBoing.

"It's the work of accomplished amateur filmmaker (and expert tinkerer) Tullio Pellegrini, who combined a 16mm Bell & Howell Cinemascope lens with the wonders of Kodachrome and made this homage to the city of San Francisco. You'll see Playland, our oceanside amusement park which was closed in 1972, very rare footage of the SkyTram (an extinct ride over Seal Rocks and Sutro Baths), and a brakescreeching ride down the Crookedest Street in the World."—Rick Prelinger

The Meta Ad:: Family Guy & Wheat Thins

I was watching both Downton Abbey and Family Guy, but the above ad on Fox caught my eye. Adweek made it an ad of the day on Thursday. It's a seamless integration of pitch and content, playing on a joke from the series from a few years back::

Music & the Ad:: Toyota Prius V & Eliza Doolittle

I saw this Prius V commercial for the first time, as I slowly get accustomed to having TV again here in Eastbay—I've been watching broadcast digital signals with a converted attached to a very low-fi set. Anyway. This quirky ad continues the Toyota trend for Prius spots and the firm is wise to letting people in on information on the ad and music used. Here's a link to the 411 on last year's ads, including the 'Harmony' spot. The agency is Saatchi & Saatchi LA and is selling the concept of a hybrid hybrid, a hybrid car that is SUV like.

The artist on the Prius V commercial is Eliza Doolittle {Eliza Sophie Caird} and the song is "Rollerblades"::

and I had a vision of Steven Morrissey unironically hosting a UK show called "Pretty Songs Pretty Girls Make", featuring catchy songs and the theme song would be an updated cover of this. Anyway. Here's a video for Eliza Doolittle's "Rollerblades". Enjoy.

Whose Panopticon Is It Anyway?

In Ontario, Canada last year there was a story of the OPP using digital cameras to scan license plates on highways. While law enforcement touts public safety, it cannot be ignored that an expired tag fine for the Jetta mentioned in the article is $110. Questions arose regarding privacy have come up in Ontario, as well as how long data is kept and for what purposes.

Now, in California, law enforcement is using the same ALPR, Automated Licence Plate Recognition, technology to scan plates for alleged criminals. In addition, a private firm, Vigilant Video, is collecting data in its National Vehicle Location Service. Contributions are made by law enforcement, as well as private citizens. Again, questions of privacy are cropping up, as it remains a question who will have access to this data and for what purposes and Vigilant isn't talking. In an era when employers are using credit histories as screening criteria, I think we need to question the use and potential misuse of such data. The EFF agrees. Given that cybersecurity is hardly secure, as shown by "anonymous", illegal access to this information is also a concern. The simplistic aphorism of "don't be evil" and you have nothing to fear has scant weight when there's no transparency with respect to what's in the database and its quality.

Twitterversion:: [video] Whose Panopticon Is It Anyway? CBS-5 story on the collection of license plate data & privacy issues in Calif. http://vox.rhizomicon.com/2012/01/whose-panopticon-is-it-anyway.html @Prof_K

Silicon Valley Vs. Alley

I've been busy, so I'm a bit behind in following startup developments. This is somewhat interesting and is a good overview. I'd be interested in how regional advantages are manifested in both à la Saxenian, but those questions are better left to those out of the trenches in towers, ivory and otherwise.

Via MBA@UNC: Online MBA

Twitterversion:: [infographic] Silicon Alley Vs. Silicon Valley via UNC @Prof_K

"Moonrise Kingdom" Trailer-Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson's forthcoming Moonrise Kingdom looks like a return to all things darling and twee. Anderson's earlier work {Bottlerocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic} create a strong sense of place and typically managed to immerse the viewer into constructed worlds in a way that the characters' quirkiness doesn't grate on one's nerves. I'm quite interested in seeing this film—just the diversity of the cast alone piques my interest. Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Bruce Willis are sharing the screen in Altmasesque glory. Also, the fact that Roman Coppola co-wrote this seals the deal, as I have a huge soft spot for his CQ.  This could be one of the ensemble greats and it appears that Wes is returning to his familiar theme of love amidst quirksterdom and dysfunction.

Twitterversion:: [video] Trailer for #WesAnderson's moonrise Kingdom evokes his earlier films of quirkster sensibilities.

Lux-"The Window"

Lux has new music and it's a Monday, but they were featured already as newmusicmonday #73. The Seattle fuzzgaze band had a successful Kickstarter campaign and these are the initial fruits of those labors. I love how the melodious vocals juxtapose the and complement the catchy noisepop.

Lux - The Window by fanaticpro

Twitterversion:: [♫] New music on a Monday from @luxkidsmusic from Seattle. Melodious vocals +catchy noisepop. @Prof_K

Let Them Eat Veggies

A photo of a "buff" Michelle Obama as Marie Antoinette is making the rounds again, due to an upcoming iCarly appearance. On the Nickelodeon sitcom, Michelle is referred to as "your excellency" and "sort of likes it". The right wing is having a field day and the left wing is calling foul, saying it's racist and evokes the "uppity negro" stereotype. The 'Shopped version of Gautier-Dagoty's iconic painting {below right} dates back to the summer of 2010.

The deconstruction of the tropes of leveling Michelle Obama seems to be a part of a theme in the way she's serving as a lightning rod for pundits and journos. Hillary Clinton faces the same battles and Condi Rice was targeted with a mid-2000s spoof site that was something like CondiRiceIsAngry.com, so this isn't a clear cut left/right issue. In all instances, there seems to be a theme of defeminizing them by making them mannish, angry, or otherwise unattractive. It's not enough to have the Marie Antoinette Michelle be a symbol of being out of touch, but the burly arm reinforces the point that she's threatening to a set of ideals.