After Hours

After Hours

One of the main reasons why i wanted to start this blog was to discuss obscure (master)pieces of art that I love, and hopefully get people to go out and check them out. In this case the film was released smack dab in the land of obscurity known as the 1980's. By far, in my opinion, one of, if not THE worst decade that film has had to offer. And keep in my mind that it immediately followed the most important decade that film has had to offer, the 1970's, which makes the 80's look all the more worse. Anyway, while the film itself, entitled After Hours would no doubt register as obscure with the majority of today's movie-goers, it's director, Martin Scorsese, is no obscure name. If you haven't seen or heard of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or Goodfellas, then you've most likely seen The Aviator, The Departed or Shutter Island. Either way, if you've seen any one of these then you know what a one-of-a-kind director Mr. Scorsese is. None the less I've found that even people who consider themselves fans of the man have rarely said that they've seen this hidden gem.

The film centers around the character of Paul Hackett (Griffin Dune), a word processor by day, and a not-so ladies man by night. From the looks of it Paul is just a normal guy who has a regular routine that he follows. On one particular night his routine includes a trip to a cafe and a re-read of his favorite Henry Miller novel whilst sipping away at his black coffee. A female customer in the cafe spots the cover of the book and immediately strikes up a conversation that results in the exchange of a number, thus hurtling Paul into a nightmare of a night. It begins as a quest for an artsy paperweight and some female companionship and ends up with Paul's face plastered on a wanted sign all across SOHO as he's running for his life from more than one scorned town-folk.

Over the course of the film viewers will be treated to bondage sessions, punk clubs, human-statue making, a raucous soundtrack that includes Bad Brains, and a HIGH-larious cameo by america's leading pot-smoking comic duo. The Rest of the cast, including it's amazing lead Griffin Dune, are perfect in their roles, especially Catharine O'Harra and John Heard of Home Alone parental fame.

After hours is by far Scorsese's most eclectic film to date. It's a thriller, it's a comedy, it's a drama and it's scary in its nightmarish descent into a never ending night. While some consider The Departed to be Scorsese's fourth masterpiece, I beg to differ; not because The Departed isn't worthy of that title but rather because chronologically speaking Goodfellas was his fourth, and After Hours was his third. Am amazing film worth checking out for any fan of cinema.

John Zerzan's means to an end.

Chances are, if you've had a meaningful conversation with me in the last year or so, then the subject of Anarchism most likely came up at some point or another. It's a belief system that I've clinged strongly to over the last year and a half and it's managed to change my perception on nearly everything from family and work, to society in general.

To be more specific, I prefer to align my beliefs in the Anarcho-syndicalist side of the spectrum; meaning I prefer to envision a future in which all matters are decided upon by well-organized committees and panels that are made up of the very same people who break their backs all day long, as opposed to overly privileged old white men in suits as it's currently done in present day society.

Essentially Anarchism has become a general over-head term that's used to describe the common threads that each of it's sub-sects embody. These sub-sects range from the exclusionary Anarcho-feminists, to the oxymoronical Anarcho-capitalists (seriously how can two things that are diametrically opposed ever function side by side in a fair society).

Out of these sub-sects the one that i find the most interesting and important, yet confusing and idealistic, is Anarcho-primitivism.

Interesting because unlike most other forms of Anarchism that attacks and picks apart the system itself, Anarcho-primitvism not only attacks the system, but also picks apart the very environment that surrounds us. From the buildings and skyscrapers that tower over us, to the medicine and food that we're fed, to the ease of communication through cell towers and the internet that we're so accustomed to; even going as far as in John Zerzan's case as to criticize language itself.

Important because this sub-sect is the fastest growing within the realm of Anarchism. No surprise there since the so called "green-revolution" has been the fastest growing amidst the mainstream political sphere as well.

Idealistic (almost overly so) because of the means to an end that Anarcho-primitivists seek. Where as the revolution amongst Anarcho-syndicalists would end at the destruction of the central state, the revolution for primitivists seems to end at the destruction of the metropolis and all major cities.

Confusing, to me at least, because I've yet to read an answer to the question of how exactly they plan on achieving this means to an end. While it may be the largest growing sect of Anarchism, once the central state is eliminated we are then faced with the overwhelming majority of the country that know next to nothing about Anarchism. This majority is accustomed to the ease of communication and the grandeur and glamour of the metropolis that they inhabit. So the idea of destroying the cities and communication airwaves on the heels of the destruction of the central state, to me, wouldn't seem very appealing. So the only logical way that I can see the primitivists achieving their goal is through force over the innocent and uncooperative masses, which itself is an affront to the name of Anarchism itself.

blah blah blah blah

I don't know what the point of this post was, except to

1) get back into the blog-0-sphere

idk, we're reading John Zerzan's book for our Anarchist Book Club, and i wanted to start blogging again....so thats what this post is... also im incredibly stoned, so that explains everything that's wrong with this post.

on a side note, we're looking for a backyard/house to throw a benefit show for the Zapatistas of Chiapas, Mexico. We plan on charging at the door and selling food, and all proceeds will go to them. So if anyone knows anything message me.

unproductive days part 2: slightly more productive

Another day off, another day spent reading and watching TV. Although as opposed to last time i was not just watching a movie, but rather the tribute to the late great (understatement) Howard Zinn.

For starters, I would like to say that I do not have a comprehensive understanding or exposure to Howard Zinn's teachings. I do own a couple of his books but they have yet to be cracked. However, I did take a class at PCC that offered a different approach to the teaching of history, and our course book was Voices of a people's history by Howard Zinn. And I did manage to read through most of a wonderful pamphlet of his called Artists in times of war, a great read that discusses the role that artists play during war-time.

Watching the tribute I was amazed at how dedicated of a following Zinn had. It took place in D.C. about a week ago, during the ongoing snow storm. There wasn't enough space in the bookstore it took place in (a really neat looking independent place in D.C. called Busboys and poets, a place I'd like to visit someday) so there were people actually standing outside in the snow and freezing weather, listening to the speakers.

These speakers included a student of his, a fellow activist, an African American girl he inspired in Georgia back in the day, and a poetry reading.

All did a wonderful job speaking, not of Zinn himself, but of Zinn's teachings and the movement, as well as the necessity to start a new movement of social change.

According to the owner of Busboys and poets, an apparent long time friends of Zinn's, he never wanted ceremonies or eulogies, but that if they did occur, he'd want them to speak of what he has done and not of him as a person. This ironically captures the spirit of the man himself, someone who if given the option, would choose the movement and social change, over self indulgence and acknowledgment.

May you rest in peace Howard Zinn, gone...but never forgotten.

After this program ended, I went outside, inspired, and picked up not Zinn, but rather a book I recently came across by the name of The great anarchists: Ideas and teachings of seven major thinkers. I read a bit of Benjamin Tucker, a thinker that I had never heard of, but am glad that I came across for his discussion on the correlation between self interest and society were a real pleasure to read. Tolstoi was another that i read a bit on, and someone I'm also glad I decided to read. He talked a lot about Christ and the fact that the church in essence Anti-Christian for taking the teachings of Christ and using it for their own benefit. I particularly loved the talk about Love as the supreme law. Love in the sense of putting others needs above your own.

But the one thing I read that struck a chord and that got me thinking, was the introduction, where in the author/editor Paul Eltzbacher talked of the problem of not having a consistent definition for Anarchism. I'm not sure if he was talking about the term itself or the different sects of Anarchism, but I took it as meaning the latter. And that is a question that has been brought up time and time again in the past in discussion of what obstacles lay between now and tomorrow. But where others may view it as a problem that we aren't united under one "party" so to speak, such as democrat, or republican, i view it as neither bad nor good, but more importantly as not a problem at all.

The way people talk about it as being a problem makes me think that, in the hypothetical situation of overthrowing the state, that we'd still be operating within the confines of the "United States border" and that we'd still be considering ourselves to be a nation. But this untrue. From what I've gathered in readings and discussions, is that in this situation we would we be divided in to collectives or communes, free to inter mingle with one another whenever we see fit. Where one commune may not operate the way we like, another might be, and we'd be able to join them without any hesitation for fear of backlash. So within the context of working anarchism, it would work. The division of anarchists into sub-sects is not at all a bad thing or a problem.

Anyway, off to dragon street with woman and homies

damn you unproductive days

These are the days that i always look forward to when I'm at work. It's pretty much how i tell time now. "Yesterday was day off #1 of this week so therefore...it's monday since day off #2 isn't till Wednesday"...or something like that. But the point is that they're important and I don't know why i waste them. Even as I sat and read some essays by Subcommandante Marcos I felt like a jackass in comparison. I sat there with with the writings of one of the world's greatest revolutionaries in my hands and i couldn't help but think that nothing that I am doing or will ever do will leave as significant of a mark on the world as this man has. I'm sure at some point or another all great activists and revolutionaries sat and read and contemplated things... the difference being they got up and did something, protested, wrote essays and books, or even picked up arms against oppression.

Anyway... on my way to the gun shoppe to pick up arms lol.... j.k. uncle same, not violating any anti-terror laws here sir.

Anyway, Marcos' writings are amazing! There could be no better a voice for the voiceless people of Chiapas than you sir!

on an unrelated side note i've been musing over a movie by the name of After Hours by one Mr. Martin Scorsese for the past couple days since watching it for the second time. Truly amazing black comedy about a hellish nightmare of a night in Soho, New York that involves paperweights, underground punk clubs, bondage sessions and CHEECH & CHONG! That's all you need to know...

Rants & Ravings From Behind The Looking Glass #1

For the past couple years, since my discovery of Chomsky, i've considered myself to be a part of the Anarchist movement. The main reason is understanding that, while capitalism may benefit us in some way, it's at the expense of someone suffering in an impoverished nation half around the globe in the southern hemisphere where the majority of the world's natural resources reside. And even further, in order to ensure our interests are protected in these nations, we install ruthless dictators who will use however much force needed to keep those working in whatever field our interest may lie in...subservient. This can range from an always present military force, to squads who have been trained in the art of terrorizing.

Any where that conditions are so poor and oppression is so rich, is bound to have the beginning whispers of a revolution brewing. From Ernesto "Che" Guevara in the 1950's and 60's to the beginning of the revolution in Guatemala in the 80's, to Subcommandante Marcos in Mexico in the 1990's, revolutions have been popping up all across the southern hemisphere to combat dictatorial governments.

I'm not about to say that a revolution in South America is necessarily easy...it takes a lot of commitment, a lot of training, a lot of arms, and overall a lot of heart.

But the fact is that, in comparison to what it would take to start another revolution in America, it can be argued that it's easier. Getting a revolution started in an impoverished nation such as Cuba or Bolivia or Guatemala is easier because of the fact that everyone, or should i say the majority of the people are on the same page. They are over worked, severely under paid, their lives are a daily reminder of the oppressive state that they live in. So when someone comes around talking about change and starting a revolution, there isn't that many to convince, most would see dying for change as a positive when put side by side with what they're already living.

On the flip side, as American citizens our lives are vastly more comfortable than theirs. We have a high standard of living, we have a surplus of everything from food to health care, to drugs, nearly everything. On top of that we are the world's largest hub for entertainment. The Movie industry is here, the music scene is bigger here than anywhere else, and not to mention the crappy literature we put out in the isles of supermarkets. We're distracted. And to make it worse the people who own these distractions have a powerful influence on the American political system.

It would be hard to convince people to abandon the comfort of their television set and their cushy lives. But that is the reality of the situation. We are not faced with the direct oppression of an insane dictator, but rather with the image of freedom. We think we're free, free to live, free to do anything. But how can we be when the majority of us are wage slaves. They tell us that we must work, that we need to earn money. Money to put back into the system through bills, health care payments, food and shelter...everything costs. And because everything costs, we're stuck in a perpetual cycle in a useless attempt to keep up.

How free can we really be, when were forced to fill the majority if our lives with meaningless work, and very little time at all to be creative and exercise our minds.

every day

I'm sick and tired of waking to the same room in the same empty bed i have been for the last 20 years. I'm sick and
tired of putting on the same pants and shirt for work like I've been doing for the last 2 1/2 years. I'm sick of the same people waltzing into my cafe, with their little quirks and specialty orders... tall soy quad shot latte no foam steamed to 134 degrees on the dot...FUCK YOU! I hate to be like the guy from Role Models but the fucking sizes are SMALL MEDIUM AND LARGE!, get it fucking straight, the shit people do and say to be apart of the hip culture at the expense of simplicity fucking astonishes me. I'm sick of corporate... doing what they think is best for stores they've never worked in, not giving a shit about our input, cutting hours at christmas time...yeah that's really gonna help customer relations and sales...make them wait in a line that extends to the back of the store cause you wanted to show a profit for the year...FUCK YOU.

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idk what that was, just trying to practice a bit of writing i suppose before i pack a bowl, pump up the kid cudi album and make these problems go the fuck away.

today was good (5 hours of sleep withstanding), My sister had her baby, my niece, Danielle (welcome to this cold hard rock of a world we inhabit). I'm not one for the liking of children (aside from those related to moi), but at this age they are...i suppose the word adorable fits here. And for those of you who have never seen the mother...thats her...the mother.

Anyway, i missed a pretty chill bbq from what i hear, but later on in the night i managed to make my way to Amoeba with the woman and bought the kid cudi album on vinyl...now all that remains is the purchasing a record player...

all in all, good day, welcome to the world Danielle.

One good thing came from last sunday...

First off, hats off to the saints, you won, your city deserved it and yada yada yada CONGRATS!

Secondly FUCK KEVIN AND BEAN! I'm sorry you cant appreciate a band that has done more for music than one little quip out of your mouths will ever do for...whatever industry it is you consider yourselves a part of. The guitarists' stomach was showing for a split second...REALLY? thats a legitiamit reason behind your line of hatred for the performance, if you were serious than you must of fucken HATED the janet jackson nipple slip.

Anyway primative monkeys aside... I loved the half time show. And it made me love The Who more than I have in a very long time. There was a time when these band members were my idols (1964-1978 of course, pre keith moon downfall), but for whatever reason I've lost touch with my adoration for them, mainly because i came across a band by the name of against me. But yeah, all I've been listening to this last week is The Who, and i really think everyone needs to give them a listen if you haven't...pack a bowl, close your eyes and blast the masterpiece rock-opera that is Quadrophenia.

p.s. Peyton Manning you are still the man, one of the greats, and you will get a second superbowl win!