we vs he

By contrast, I don't like this video at all--I can hardly believe the same people are behind it.  The music is cheesy and the singers are flat, but mostly there's a vast difference between "yes we can" and the simple chanting of the candidate's name.  The first motto is about the power of many people, working together for the common good:  "Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change."  The second, well, it's a call for the power of a leader.  It's a dream of a demagogue.

There's something to be said for the new video's structure, built around the individual and more concrete hopes of many voices, where the other one was constructed entirely out of the candidate's words.  And some of those voices say what I want to hear--"he's gonna be our president, he's gonna speak for us--'cause we put him there", and not least Obama's own reiteration that "we are the ones we've been waiting for".  But that constant shouting of his name raises all my hackles.  I guess I'll never be a really good follower.

Confidential to Glenn in Portland

One of my favorite movies at Cinequest this year was The Call of Cthulhu, a faithful new adaptation by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society in the style of a 1920's silent movie (although, unfortunately, with a synthetic orchestra playing the score).  Actually, looking at the web site, I guess it premiered in Portland three years ago, so this is old news.  Anyway, I enjoyed it, and it's available on DVD.

unchecked

This post about the practical argument for banning torture as policy ends like so:

It’s a lesson as old as time – unchecked executive power is made to be abused.

I think that's just right. The whole purpose of unchecked power is abuse.  If there is no potential for abuse, there's no need to keep that potential in check.

Thought I had something more to say, but maybe not.  Good post, anyway.  The one I linked to, I mean.  Not this one.

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tin cat

Oh, by the way, the band's still together.  We're finally playing our first San Francisco show on Thursday, and if you're in the area and reading this, give me your phone number, so I can call you and beg you to come--we could really use some audience.  We're also booking two short and unprofitable tours along the west coast this summer.  More details on that as they arrive.  Oh yeah and someday the CD will be ready.