Gorbachev's Luis Vuitton
I like the picture (by Annie Leibovitz), but it's kinda ironic that a former communist leader becomes the advertisement icon of the new line of (uber-commercial) Luis Vuitton Travelbags. This guy is a long way from home.
From IHT: Gorbachev was initially reluctant to participate, but he was persuaded when Louis Vuitton made a donation to his environmental charity, Green Cross International, which is cited in the ad. The other ads mention support for Al Gore's Climate Project.
Yeah, right...
Cold War 2.0
© CZ 2007
Russia has successfully test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile featuring multiple warheads that Moscow said could pierce any missile defence system, including the planned US shield in Europe.
President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will aim missiles at Europe if the US goes ahead with its planned defence system.
"Of course I am an absolute, pure democrat. But you know the problem? It's not even a problem, it's a real tragedy. The thing is that I am the only one, there just aren't any others in the world. After the death of Mahatma Gandhi there's nobody to talk to," he concluded, referring to the Indian leader who championed civil rights and non-violent resistance to tyranny.
Well, here we have it, just a couple of the headlines this last week, the latter one mr. president Putin in an interview last monday. And gosh, this really sounds like the good old Breznjew days, the blind leading the blind. Aw, that warm fuzzy feeling of global power politics, once more myself mesmerizing in the glow of total annihilation. Finally It all makes sense again. Guess it's time to re-release Frankie Goes To Hollywood's masterpiece "Two Tribes". Can't wait.
Future Foes
I am not a fan of The Strokes, they're ok though, but hey I am big sucker for doomsday scenarios. Born in the same year of the Cuba crisis (does anyone remember?), getting into teen adulthood in the 'No Nukes' Eighties (aw... volatile pity, soddy character me, always prone to expect the inevitable in the very soon future with the grandeur of instant annihilation, so why bother to study, so why getting a career, why grow up, all that no future crap that still makes me kinda nostalgic for firm what's the point, lets get over with it believes, the 'better be red then dead' mumbles, the easy new wave shrug of nothing matters that for some reason made me quite attractive on friday 'no way I am dancing' evenings) so yeah, what else to expect?
Ah well, of course this video is heavily based on Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey ('68), which is kinda the only nice SciFi film (the original Solaris ('68) and Soylent Green ('73) as a nice backup) they ever made.
In Control
Sure, of course I know a girl who listens to Joy Division when she is kinda down. She shouldn't be too alarmed by that, and I am sure she isn't, cause where I come from listening to yesterdays soundtrack (the feverish fridays and destroyer mondays of doomed eighties teenhood) is actually a quite adorable thing to do, even now. Also I think she is in good company, Anton Corbijn must have those same moments over and over. But not now, since his first feature film 'Control' , his portrayal of the troubled singer Ian Curtis (of Joy Division), won the title of Best European Film at the festival of Cannes. Based on 'Touching from a Distance' by Ian's wive Deborah (and now co-producer), shot in moody black and white, the film received a standing ovation at its premiere.
Nice detail, Sam Riley (born in 1980), who plays Ian (died in 1980), appeared also in '24 Hour Party People' (the film of Manchester in late seventies into the eighties) where he played Mark E Smith. Mark E Smith of the Fall still lives. Well, sort of, since he makes the same album over and over and over for the last 25 years.
Life is sorta funny I guess.
Firefox
Safari