LIVE FROM MIAMI!

I have been posting videos in my YouTube channel with more frequency than I have in a loooong time, mainly because of the several projects I'm currently handling, some of which have to do with the importance of Puerto Rican voter engagement in South Florida.

Editing and uploading and linking and such like a made the little button on the corner of my channel - the one that says BLOGGER - almost invisible to my video editor's eyes... Until I DID notice it last night and... OMG, it suddenly dawned on me that I had actually created a blog years ago, circa 2013, and, after a couple of articles, had abandoned it completely!

Then a nasty thought crept into my mind... What the hell did I write in those old blogs and how will those ramblings "affect" my business, reputation, image, prospects, (pick one or all) etc. 

So, after fumbling around searching for old passwords and gaining access I actually READ them with the fresh mind of many years of loves, hates, traumas, pitfalls, pinnacles, and waters under many bridges.

First off, I didn't remember the amount of work and thought that had gone into them - photos, captions, and, well, musings. 

Secondly, I was surprised to find that most of those musings are still very relevant today, albeit, ironically so, considering the subject matter of some of them.

For example, one of the earliest ones has to do with the disappearance of written language due to visual media, TV, computers, mobile devices, etc. Our Twitter of a President makes this a very engaging read indeed.

Another has to do with my love of movies, in which I expressly mentioned Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey, a movie in which TIME plays an integral part of the story - a factor that has impacted me immensely for years, and continues to do so... 

I watched the movie in a movie theater, in gorgeous 70MM FILM PRINT... Yes, NOT a digital transfer but an actual, physical, frame by frame rendering in acetate thanks to Christopher Nolan of Dark Knight, Inception, Dunkirk, and INTERSTELLAR fame - this last one owing a hell of a lot to Kubrick's masterpiece.

Christopher Nolan poses with prints of 2001, A Space Odyssey, for a news photographer.

A Space Odyssey, as does the subject of time, keeps showing up in my life during pivotal moments - when I was a child, when I first moved to the US to finish my BA, and now that I'm back in the States because of hurricane Maria. 

Having rambled about all this, I decided not to worry too much about my old blogs. I don't think they will affect my life too much, first because hardly anyone reads anymore anyway, and, if anyone does, (hats off to the NSA, and other Trump-infested "intelligence" agencies) I don't think they will decide to hire or fire me because of them. 

No one has that power over me anymore. 

So, maybe I will dish out some blabber here for that shrinking minority of readers who still gaze at words not linked to a moving image.

Write to you soon!

- roscoe 

My Impression of the movie "SIN CITY"

I recently saw "Sin City" in its entirety for the first time. It only took me about 10 years to finally catch it. I had always been seduced by its peculiar imagery but for some reason, I had never taken the time to see it... I'm very glad I finally did!

There will be no spoilers here because I'm not going to dwell on the plot. Trying to distill Sin City to a few plot points would be like telling someone what Kubrick's "2001" was about. Don't get me wrong, I'm not placing Sin City in that category, I'm just saying that for me it was more about the amazing visual experience than about the actual plot.

I don't have the graphic novel it is based on as a reference either since I haven't seen it, but I suspect this movie is as close to its originating source as they come - more so than even "300," or "Watchmen," to name a couple in the same vein.

Dramatic, almost operatic points of view are a staple of graphic novel style.

Suffice it to say that the movie has a few seemingly independent stories told out of sequence (a la Tarantino, whose influence is not only palpable but actually credited) that end up interweaving with each other as they unravel.

The common denominator is this seedy, hell-like, perpetually dark setting in which it all takes place - a world where corruption, murder, and horror are the commodities traded by the powerful, as society's outcasts are all but helpless insects beneath evil's iron boots.

The dark, seedy underbelly of Sin City, where there is no light, no hope, just blight!

That is, until those outcasts decide to rebel. Then all hell breaks loose.

Much of the dialogue (as well as the visual style) or, rather, monologue, is a homage to the old noire and pulp novels/movies that obviously served as its inspiration. In that sense, the effect is at times moody and others downright comical - I would rather believe that the Directors: Rodríguez, Miller (original auteur), and Tarantino did as they continue to do and pay homage by going deliberately overboard in their imitations. Don't try to take things too seriously here or you will be disappointed. 

What blew me away, however, was the overall visual style - almost completely computerized - which not only pays an amazing tribute to graphic novels (used to be called comics) but delivers an awesome emotional and visceral impact on the mind. And THAT, my friends, to ME, is the whole purpose of movies.

Mickey Rourke's character pulls you in with dashes or color, horror, violence, and vulnerability.

The use of heavy, HEAVY, contrast - exalting noire to its limits - with carefully orchestrated dashes of color: whites, reds, and, ugh! YELLOWs makes for a mind thrashing, stomach churning experience. 

I don't dig the horror genre nor slasher films - I find them boring and predictable, with nothing but gore thrown like gratuitous pornographic humping. But I love thrillers, and Sin City takes the thriller genre, and turns it on its head by adding splatters of cinematic horror at just the right moments...

In a world that is drowning in horror, you have to be totally, overwhelmingly horrific to lift the eyebrows of the characters that were born sloshing in it.

To me, Mickey Rourke steals the show. Portraying a character that somewhat anticipates his turn in "The Wrestler," an anti-hero, horrifying but with a warm heart hidden beneath the tough leather, he becomes the emotional center of the whole show. He is driven, relentless, almost maniacal, but at the same time vulnerable and confused.

Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Clive Owen, the late-great Michael Clarke Duncan, Rutger Hauer, are highlights in the testosterone department - their faces mostly deformed, distorted, and transformed into comic (oops, sorry) graphic novel form. But none of them come close to the way Rourke becomes a Frankenstein-like monster you dread but feel pity for. The definition of pathos!

One of Rourke's scenes where he becomes human to the point of displaying tenderness.

Elijah Wood plays "Kevin," one of the most chilling villains I have EVER seen, no small feat, except maybe for maybe Nick Stahls "Yellow Bastard" from this same movie. To have a great villain, we all know, is vital to a thriller's success. Two have two awesome villains is a major cinematic accomplishment!

Hitchcock would be proud... Or extremely upset at the portrayal of this modern day, geeky, monster!

To take two wimpy actors like Wood and Stahls and transform them into the stuff nightmares are made of is amazing. Stahls was heavily "made up" for his character, but Wood is just the opposite, no masks or heavy make up, just a couple of geeky eyeglasses, and a Charlie Brown style nerdy shirt. The contrast between his looks and the nauseating horrors he delivers is out of this world.

I had seen this character briefly years ago, yet when I watched last night I still felt repulsed, scared!

The women in the film, Rosario Dawson, Carla Gugino, Jessica Alba (nothing but a prop in this one), etc, as per the noire genre, play the vixens, mostly scantily clad, sometimes packing heat.

You have to recognize Rodriguez' ability to paint his female form with stunning sensuality as well as lurid kinkiness (latinoooo!). The BDSM and fetichism imagery is way overboard (heck, the whole movie is) to the point of being laughable, but you can't help being riveted by what you see. 

Carla Gugino is too hot for words in this noire portrait - a tribute to erotic photography

These are not fragile girls but nasty, powerful, albeit exploited, women. But when it comes down to their bare bones characterization, they are whores, virgins, victims, and temptresses all at once.

Rosario Dawson - I didn't upload her fishnet, corset, black leather, whip-toting photo in order to be... subtle...

Beautiful use of color and composition - a precursor to "300"
but much bolder in its style and presentation in my opinion.

I think she needs a pack of Chubs!

A composition reminiscent of the "American Beauty" roses scene. The camera pulls out to reveal 
that the bed is heart shaped surrounded by dark, dreary, dungeon-like walls.

If you remember this character, you
are a Latino born in the early 60's!

Much of this imagery owes a lot to the lurid adult comics and "photo novelas" or photo graphic novels of the 70's that were so popular in Mexico, and I'm sure Rodríguez dipped his inspiration into that bloody (and hilarious) memory pool!

Hey, the marketing wizards at DC saw
the booming Hispanic market early on!

"Blue Demon was concerned. He had gone to his good friend's wedding 

and found that the bride lay dying in her virgin bedroom."

Virgin bedroom??? Hey, WTF, Mexicans were way ahead of the trend of Wrestling stars 

becoming movie heroes! Eat your heart out, Dwayne Johnson!!!

Like with any symphony, there are moments when the pace slows down or the action is not as compelling as the rest, but hey, the movie I believe merits a closer study and, above all, my utter respect and admiration for truly taking the film medium to a higher level. 

Many filmmakers love to emulate the classics like Hitchcock or Kubrick. But what made THEM great was innovation - pushing the boundaries of cinema, taking storytelling to new heights, and using technology and the tools of the movie trade to manipulate the public, reach into their hearts and minds, and take them inside a whole new world - beautiful or horrible. Miller, Rodríguez, and Tarantino accomplished that and more with this movie.

I'm glad I finally took the time to see it... Hmm, will probably see it again tonight!

- Roscoe

LA PASION DE HACER CINE

Soy un apasionado de las películas. Las buenas, claro. Me crié entre los años '60 y '70, cuando las películas tenían "cojones." Era la época: Watergate, Vietnam, revolución social. En fin, las películas se crean dentro de un contexto social y el contexto en aquel entonces era un torbellino.

Planet Of The Apes era una crítica no muy solapada de la humanidad, el discrimen y nuestra capacidad de auto-destruirnos.

Y, como siempre, ¡un grupo de cacos se la tumbaron por el cobre!

2001 Odisea Del Espacio me dejó con más preguntas que respuestas - no tenía un final nítido sino, por el contrario, inexplicable. Pero aun me deja pensando.

Ok, tal vez no entendí un carajo y me parece lenta después de
ver Transformers 1 al 5, pero, coño, ésta se hizo en el 1967 y
todavía sigue siendo el viaje al espacio más real jamás filmado.

The Godfather presentó el elemento criminal como gente de carne y hueso, con familia y valores claros, aunque distintos a los demás.

"Leave the gun, take the cannolli..." 
Nótese que para esa época no se habían tumbao la estatua todavía.

Quedé cautivado para siempre y deseando tener ese mismo impacto en otros...

Me tomó tiempo descubrir "las comunicaciones" porque en aquella época no era precisamente el área de mayor interés en las universidades. Al estilo de El Alquimista me fui para NYC a estudiar mi bachillerato en "esa cosa," como decía mi madre, sólo para descubrir una casa productora de nivel mundial aquí mismo en Puerto Rico. Allí el trabajo era tan intenso y el tiempo tan comprimido que en cuestión de un dos veranos y una navidad (vacaciones de la universidad) me hice First Asistant Director/Production Manager y luego Productor. Ambos roles eran nuevos para la producción en Puerto Rico. Yo fue pionero, creando la manera de hacer las cosas - haciéndolas.

Una de mis más complicadas producciones

durante mis años de formación...

Desde entonces he trabajado frente, detrás y al lado de las cámaras. He visto los enormes cuartos de edición convertirse en una laptop. Y he visto cómo las cámaras de un tubo (sí, como los radios antiguos), en blanco y negro, grabando en cinta de media pulgada (no casette, sino, literalmente cinta en un carrete) han evolucionado a teléfonos que toman imágenes de alta resolución a color y las transmiten mágicamente a todo el mundo.

Pero las películas han evolucionado a cosas banales, en su mayoría, llenas de mil explosiones por segundo y efectos computarizados pero sin historia, sin personajes, sin cojones. Igual que la sociedad actual. Estamos en líos peores tal vez que en los '70: economía terrible, corrupción, gobierno espiando a sus ciudadanos y un estado de guerra permanente. Pero sabemos mucho menos sobre lo que pasa a nuestro alrededor y nos importa mucho menos.

(CUT TO: EXPLOSION!)

Sé honesto, ¿acaso has visto los Transformers más de una vez? 
Decir que sí porque no había más ná que ver en HBO domingo 
por la mañana no cuenta.

Mientras tanto mi sueño de hacer "cine" sigue tan intenso como cuando montaba dramas en la escuela elemental, dirigiendo niños en escenas de acción y suspenso sin utilería, vestuario y un par de sillas como escenografía.

Uno pensaría que con mi vasta experiencia y colaboradores de años (después de todo, he seguido produciendo y dirigiendo documentales, videos musicales, pilotos para la televisión e incontables videos corporativos) - pensaría que hacer una película sería por lo menos un sueño fácil de alcanzar... Yeah right!

Resulta que "la industria del cine" es un negocio. Un negocio de ventas y mercadeo principalmente, bastante lejos de la ilusión de que es una labor creativa realizada por un grupo de artistas dedicados. Y como negocio de ventas y mercadeo, el cine necesita dos cosa principales - un mercado donde venderse y capital para poder producirse.

Y ahí es que tropiezo con la realidad de mi país que no tiene ni puta idea de esta realidad y un "establishment" gubernamental que se cree la ilusión antes mencionada y no tienen ni la más mínima pista de cómo crear una industria de cine.

Estos dos recién dijeron públicamente que el modelo económico
el cine tal como lo conocemos está a punto de morir... El futuro
que predicen es ir a salas de cine pagando $30 a $50 para ver un
espectáculo tan despampanante como una obra de Broadway. El
resto de nosotros veremos películas en el iPad o en el sofá de casa.

Hace varios años se creó "La Corporación Para El Desarrollo del Cine" bajo la sombrilla de Fomento (hoy PRIDCO). Tal como el modelo antiguo y medieval de Fomento, Puerto Rico Cine Corp se dedicó a atraer a industriales extranjeros con el propósito de que produjeran cine aquí y le dieran empleo al corillo de técnicos puertorriqueños que pudieran cualificar para trabajar en las producciones.

Eso dista mucho de la supuesta misión de "fomentar una industria de cine." Para crear industria, tienes que tener producción constante. Para tener producción constante tienes que tener capital de inversión para poder financiarla. Para interesar a los inversionistas tienes que tener mercado(s) y... ¡Ups! ¿Mercado?

Mercado = Distribución. Distribución = Compañías que necesitan producto para vender a través de todo el mundo. 

Sería chévere conocer la persona contacto en algunos de estos
canales de distribución, ¿no? Puerto Rico Promo Export hace
eso con todo otro tipo de producto para exportación, pero,
¿quién hace esto para producto de cine, televisión, DVD, Web?

Y ahí es que está la tranquilla de PR CineCorp - Brindando par de pesos a jóvenes cineastas para que aprendan a hacer cine produciendo corto-metrajes (muy noble). Brindando blancos de participación solicitar co-producciones con países extranjeros (también noble). Y, se supone, un fondo cinematográfico para financiar proyectos que una junta de desconocidos consideren meritorios bajo criterios misteriosos.

En mi humilde opinión y, siguiendo la fórmula expuesta arriba, el rol de PR CineCorp, si en realidad desea crear una industria, es buscar los mercados o distribuidores y presentarles todo y cuanto proyecto tenga cualquier hijo de vecino. ESTO CUESTA CASI NADA.

¿Por qué los distribuidores son conocidos por un pequeño grupito de gente en PR y la Corporación de Cine no tiene este único listón de ellos?

Mi visión para la Corporación -> Usa el budget (por pequeño que sea) para identificar y enamorar a cuanto distribuidor puedas encontrar, de todo género, lenguaje, mercado, localización, interés, medio, "you name it." Diles que los vas a exponer a cuanto productor y proyecto haya en Puerto Rico. 

Exponer = llamando, teleconference, Skype, o, coño, bótate y trae un bonche con gastos pagos al Hilton y prepara una semana de "pitch sessions" donde los cineastas que le de la gana le presenten sus ideas, conceptos, libretos, dibujos, PowerPoints, lo que sea.

De más está decir que, responsablemente la Corporación podría hacer un pre-screening pero no deberían discriminar en cuanto a tema, estilo, método ni nada que tenga que ver con gusto, solamente en cuanto a la calidad de la presentación. Además, la Corporación debería parear el distribuidor con el tema o género del proyecto de acuerdo a los criterios del mercado.

¡Voilá! Has gastado muy poco y no tienes que montar una junta nebulosa de cineastas frustrados que no tienen ni la menor idea de qué vende o no. El que tenga un proyecto que lo venda a los distribuidores bajo su propio riesgo. La Corporación pierde poco, porque si nada es seleccionado para distribución (o interés en distribuir), habrá creado unas relaciones que jamás se perderán si se les trata bien.

Pero y ¿si algún proyecto es seleccionado o causa interés? Entonces el segundo paso para la Corporación sería apoyar al cineasta a desarrollar el proyecto, crear el prospectus, encontrar inversionistas (basados en el interés de un mercado) y apoyo en la búsqueda de técnicos o productores. 

Si a nadie le interesa el proyecto de X productor, no se perdió dinero, solo un poco de tiempo, par de donas y café.

Tu concepto apesta... Ahora pasa la leche plis...

El apoyo y el dinero hace falta al principio, en el momento del desarrollo (startup). Puerto Rico está repleto de lo que llaman "incubadoras" de industrias donde se le provee al industrialista en potencia de espacio, luz, teléfono y financiamiento para DESARROLLAR una empresa o industria. Y luego de que la cosa arranca, entonces se muda del espacio y se le brinda al próximo.

No puedo concebir que no haya un listado de distribuidores como el que mencione, que un puñado de gente tenga el monopolio de los contactos. Que ni siquiera nos estemos ayudando los unos a los otros - hoy distribuimos la mía, mañana te ayudo con la tuya. Y mucho menos, que la Corporación esté tan enajenada del tema.

BTW, hay un canal en DirecTV exclusivo para Puerto Rico, ¿se les ha ocurrido llevar toda esa enorme cantidad de películas cortas, pilotos y materiales inéditos para que se vean en algún sitio?

Se que ha existido una madeja de corrupción, tumbe, nébulas y desbarajustes administrativos en la Corporación que hay que limpiar antes que nada. Pero creo que en general seguiremos mal dirigidos mientras el gobierno de Puerto Rico no vea el potencial de generar una industria verdadera. 

Especialmente considerando la enorme cantera de talento que es nuestra Patria... Aprovecho para reconocer el increíble trabajo realizado por jóvenes talentosos que contra viento y marea, hacen lo que pueden de manera magistral para crear cine - incluyendo a Fede y compañía, creadores de El Maravilloso Sr. Júpiter y mi amigo Skip Font con su 3000 y los muchos otros marcando camino en el escarpado terreno.

En el set de El Maravilloso Sr. Júpiter con un grupo extraordinario de talentos jóvenes al mando.
(La calva a la izquierda es de mi pertenencia)

Mientras tanto, voy a producir mi primera película a como dé lugar, de manera bien pensada, con mercados y ventas en mente, con o sin la ayuda de nadie.

 "EL MAESTRO"  - ESCRITA Y DIRIGIDA POR ERNESTO MORALES RAMOS ¡PRONTO!

No voy a descansar hasta que logre ese sueño... Y un par de otros más...

THE CRITICS DID IT!

So now Johnny Depp, Jerry Bruckheimer, plus the cast and crew of THE LONE RANGER are out in Europe, Asia or Antarctica trying to sell the most infamous bomb of this summer of box office failures. And the pitch they decided to push in order to sell their movie is that "the critics in the US killed the movie!"

Depp - "You smell like a critic, you look like a critic,
you shit like a critic... You must be a horse!"

Spoiler Alert: There will be no spoilers in this blog since I haven't seen nor plan to see this movie, and it has NOTHING to do with critics. I take film critics with a grain of salt. Sometimes they match my tastes sometimes they don't.

Case in point: ARGO. The critics loved it! It was an Oscar winner! Wow! I fell asleep in the middle of it, Ben Affleck played a character by not having any movement in his face or expressions whatsoever, I didn't feel empathy for anyone... You get my point.

Am I the only one who dozed off in the middle of this?

WORLD WAR Z was liked by the critics and I loved it.

Nice view of downtown San Juan, Puerto Rico...
Before the zombies attacked!!!

TWO GUNS was also loved by the critics but I... Well the jury is still out on that one... Heck, I'll fess up... It was damn sloooooow.

One of "Two Guns"s two action scenes. But, hey,
they were great playing bad-ass buddies!

The critics hated UNBREAKABLE, or anything that M Night Shyamalan (shyamalamadingdong) does, but THAT one I liked...

Bruce Willis is the daddy of bad-asses in Unbreakable,
a homage to comic book heroes with M Night
Shamalamadingdong's typical surprise plot twists.

Ok, so I digress... I did not and will not see THE LONE RANGER until it hits HBO at some point and there's nothing else to see for the following reasons:

Johnny Depp is not a reason for me to see anything. If I see him in a movie it will be because of the movie's plot or premise, and not because of HIM. I say this because Depp has a range of 5 expressions that he repeats for any character he plays. I haven't seen the PIRATES films (sorry), even though I've tried...

The jury is still out on who has less range of expression,
Depp or the dead bird on his head!

And here comes the second reason - I don't think Westerns are a genre that people are into right now, and I think nobody has been into it for years! (See Cowboys V Aliens, gaaaad!).

When The Lone Ranger was popular a thousand years ago, kids actually played "cowboys and injuns" in their backyards or streets... When was the last time you saw any kid playing "cowboys and injuns?" And I say this specifically because Disney is catering to THAT TARGET! So, who came up with the idea that suddenly this movie would revive a dead genre? (See The Wild, Wild, West yikes!).

To make matters worse for me, the idea of having Depp play a Native American, in whiteface no less, seem as grossly inappropriate as having Woody Allen play an African American - in whiteface no less!

The idea seems out of whack to me, not to mention offensive. But it is so typical of Hollywood's bigoted stereotype machine, that it deserved to be parodied by Robert Downy Jr in the brilliant satire: TROPIC THUNDER.

One of the most brilliant characterizations in Downey's career -
an Australian actor playing an African American character in
TROPIC THUNDER.
The only thing that tops it is Tom Cruise's  best character ever,
Les Grossman, below, from that very same movie!

SIDE NOTE: A Native American character named "Tonto" which means "Dumb" in Spanish? And you have the gall to come out with this in the 21st Century?

So why, given all the reasons against me wanting to see this, and I dare say, many other people in the US, would you decide to blame the critics for "focusing on budget, and production gossip," or whatever, instead of the main concern - that the whole premise is just stupid, and outdated!

And, mind you, a stupid idea can make millions (remember The Blair Witch Project?) ...  If you don't spend trillions trying to produce it!

- Roscoe Biscayne

Are we communicating in the age of communication?

Last night I saw part of a documentary about Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. I've never been a fan. I was born into music in a strange crux between the 60's and the 70's which saw the end of the Beatle's era (which never influenced me either) and the beginning of the golden age of black music - of which I became an ardent fan to this day.

Mick hits 60 this month.

What caught my eye about the film, however, was how the media captured what in essence was a cultural revolution, almost a civil war, in the West. The youth was exploding in anger over what they felt was an older generation in charge of their lives that had only selfish intentions in mind. Senseless wars, profiteering, corruption, and hypocrisy was what the leaders in the US, Europe, and the rest of the countries in power were spawning - at least in the view of the "flower generation."

Jagger and the Stones were at the epicenter of that movement, albeit unintentionally, and TV, print, radio, and every conceivable media outlet were there to devour it all. In some instances, according to the film, even acting as catalysts of incidents themselves in order to provoke "news."

Images of the Vietnmam war, civil unrest, police abuse, massive

Malcolm Brown's epic photo of a monk protesting the war.
What would you be willing to do for your convictions?

demonstrations, and civil disobedience framed the Stones's recounting. The images made me realize the sorry state of media today, in the so-called age of information and social media.

The Vietnam war was probably one of the most thoroughly covered wars in modern communications history (not that the history has been that long, mind you). And such coverage and other images of the atrocities committed by the governments of the time became a force for change in attitudes and the public's
perception of their leaders as well as a questioning of their values. Some say the media's coverage prompted the end of the Vietnam war.

So, what's going on with the news media today? 

What are they covering and to what extent are they molding social and political discourse?

Men and women are going through shit right now
to defend someone else's profits.

Think about it: How many daily images do you receive from the war fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan? What about coverage of the untold dirty wars the US is carrying out in all other parts of the world?

Between Anthony Weiner's uncontrollable dalliances, the Royal couple's baby, and the Pope on tour in Brazil, we're really not getting much of value.

Sure, there's the train crash in Spain, and the civil unrest in Cairo (at least someone is protesting the status quo somewhere). And there are exceptions: HBO's Vice, a gritty, young, irreverent news program that dares go where Fox won't even consider. But for the most part, we are kept in ignorant bliss.

News has become entertainment (see CNN Headline News). Journalism has become celebrity gossip. Public discourse has become a series of tweets by twits, mostly. And in the meantime, we're kept in the dark about how slowly the government is controlling our thinking and our actions like never before.

Headline News Dr. Drew commenting on
Winer's wiener. Seriously?

I'm still amazed at how little is said or discussed about Obama's obsessive spying of US citizens via intercepting cellphones, emails, Web postings such as this one, and the use of remote controlled weapons of war on US soil.

Who cares if we feel safer at night, right?

Facebook was supposed to be an outlet for social interaction, democratizing communications, much like YouTube was supposed to empower us to become our own filmmakers, news reporters, what have you. But has it happened? Are we really communicating our fears, our discontent, our frustration with the powers that be? Or are we just "entertaining ourselves to death?"

Meanwhile I'm concerned that writing more than two or three paragraphs will turn off readers... Because there aren't many left with the will to go beyond a few dozen words.

It's just too damn hard to read, let alone think... <<Yawn>> Time to get my Netfix on!

- Roscoe

El Plomo Nuestro de Cada Día

No hay casualidades. 

Mi interés es estrictamente ver qué micrófono está usando... En serio

Anoche mientras me preparaba para dormir apareció un reportaje televisado en uno de esos noticieros importados donde mujeres con tetas enormes y maquillaje de trabajadora sexual se dirigen al televidente con su mejor imitación de voz de hombre para que la tomemos como una "mujer ancla" seria... Perdón, me desvío.

El asunto es que el reportaje trataba de cómo una entidad independiente había encontrado cantidades excesivas de plomo en el contenido de ciertas marcas de salsa picante importadas de México a Estados Unidos. Sí, la expresión de dámelo "con plomo" se hizo literal. Lo curioso es que la FDA, o sea, la entidad del gobierno federal estadounidense que tiene jurisdicción y responsabilidad de velar por la salud de los ciudadanos norteamericanos en cuestión de alimentos y drogas, se ha hecho de la vista larga inspeccionando estos productos. ¿Casualidad que los afectados sean primariamente inmigrantes Mexicanos?

Cuidado cuando vuelvas a pedir tus tacos "con plomo."

Who gives a shit, they're spics! O sea, ya que no los podemos sacar y arrojarlos por encima de la pared que protege a los gringos de las "crápulas y garrapatitas mexicanas," dejemos que los cabrones se envenenen.

No conforme con esto, amanezco esta mañana con la noticia de varias páginas en El Nuevo Día de que empleados de una empresa puertorriqueña encargada de reciclar baterías de automóviles estaban arrojando alarmantes niveles de plomo en su sangre, la de sus hijos y otros familiares. Evidentemente la empresa ha pasado todas las inspecciones necesarias de la Junta de Calidad Ambiental criolla, del Environmental Protection Agency federal, OSHA (no el culto espiritual sino la entidad federal encargada de protección de obreros en el lugar del trabajo) y el Departamento de Salud de acá.  Sin embargo, luego de

Manejo correcto y aprobado de manejo de plomo.

certificar en numerosas ocasiones los procedimientos de trabajo y de protección al trabajador, empleados y ex-empleados se hicieron medir contaminantes en sus hogares, automóviles y familiares y encontraron más plomo en sus alrededores que en un polígono de tiro al blanco del ejercito americano. A la pobre investigadora del Dept. De Salud (de acá) que descubrió altos niveles de contaminantes en los niños y niñas de los empleados no le renovaron su contrato. El actual Secre de Salud (el ex jefe médico de y actual benefactor de Triple S) no ha dicho ni pío...

Vuelvo a las "casualidades." Casualidad de que ambas noticias salieran una seguida de la otra. De que ambas involucraran agencias federales que han sido negligentes en su trabajo. De que los afectados sean hermanos hispanos, nuestros vecinos, nuestros hijos, nuestro Pueblo (con "P" mayúscula): "Killing me softly" matándonos poco a poco...

Y de esto es de lo que nos enteramos. Porque Puerto Rico tiene el sistema de ríos más grande por milla cuadrada en el mundo entero y sabemos que la mitad de ellos están contaminados por las empresas que vinieron a sangrarnos a cambio de migajas y la otra mitad los hemos cagado nosotros mismos por falta de consciencia, carencia de educación y falta de visión futurista y comunitaria.

Estamos jodiendo constantemente a la naturaleza y la naturaleza ni le viene ni le va - Ella sólo ES - Ella no se va a encojonar, simplemente seguirá su curso estemos aquí o no estemos aquí. Por eso las inundaciones, por eso los derrumbes, por eso los venenos, por eso los desmadres, tsunamis, terremotos, plagas y desastres. No porque la naturaleza sea mala ni vengativa ni nada, sino porque hemos querido taparla con cemento, aislarnos de ella, envenenar sus venas, mutilar sus brazos, y cortarle la cabeza sin pensar que ello tuviese consecuencias.

Foto de Primera Hora usada sin permiso alguno.

El río no se desbordó. Es que construimos dentro de él, lo llenamos de cemento. La montaña no se derrumbó. Es que talamos todo árbol de sus laderas. La ola no arropó la comunidad. Es que ubicamos la comunidad dentro del mar. ¿Qué carajo esperamos que pase?

Ah, no importa, porque FEMA (la agencia federal que provee asistencia en caso de desastres naturales y emergencias nacionales - los de las carpas azules) es un barril de billetes sin fondo para remediar las cagadas de mala planificación, de invasiones de terreno, de sobornos y panismo para construcciones en lugares inadecuados.

¿Cuál es el costo para el estado, o sea para tí y para mí, de permitir urbanizaciones en pantanos, en montañas con desprendimientos, en zancos sobre terreno propenso a terremotos, en zonas inundables, cuando el gobierno estatal, municipal y federal tienen que ir a rescatar a los habitantes que están flotando en tubos de gomas (no reciclables)?

¿Cuál es el costo para todos de envenenar a la ciudadanía con plomo y otros materiales tóxicos por no velar por los procedimientos correspondientes de seguridad y manejo?

Ninguno, al final. Porque el negocio más lucrativo y perverso de los EEUU es el negocio de "la salud." Porque luego de envenenarnos, las aseguradoras, las farmacéuticas (sí, las mismas que envenenaron nuestros ríos) y los mal llamados "centros de salud" (mal llamados, porque en realidad son "centros de enfermedad") se jartan (con J) de billetes en el proceso de "curarnos" de los mismos elementos tóxicos que ellos crearon. (Vease solicitud de patente para la vacuna contra el virus H1N1, ¡¡¡radicada ANTES de que existiera el virus!!!: 

http://www.theoneclickgroup.co.uk/documents/vaccines/Baxt ).

Yo, dado esta situación, voy a hacer lo único indicado para manejar esto: Me voy a intoxicar con drogas y alcohol para poder olvidar las "casualidades" y dejar de preocuparme por cosas que no puedo controlar...

- Roscoe

WORLD WITHOUT WORDS

Back during my heady college days I researched and wrote a paper that had to do with the effects of television on our concept of time.

I know... a bit presumptuous, but I did impress my teachers and was actually introduced to the late Prof. Neil Postman at NYU, one of the great scholars in what was then (and maybe still) called "Media Ecology," or the effects of different communications technologies on our psyche and society.

The late Prof. Neil Postman, former head
of the Media Ecology Dept. at NYU

The recurrent theme I found during that research was that the loss of vocabulary had the effect of reducing memory.  We can only remember that which we can put a name to, evidently. I know we can recall smells, images, and bring to mind certain sensations but, evidently, we always end up cataloging that memory with words.

The other effect of vocabulary/word loss was that our temporal horizon tended to shrink as a result. In other, ejem, words, if we couldn't remember how past actions affected our present, neither could we see how present actions seeded our future. Those of us raised by a TV set are bound to live in the NOW...

¡Que shit, se fue la luz!

Unfortunately it isn't a Zen-like experience of being aware of our existence second by second, but rather a limbo-like sensation of not knowing (or caring) about what will happen five or ten years from now.

That explained a lot to me, and worried me... No long-term planning of any sort, and, even more drastic, a sense of disconnection with our past and anxiety about not being able to forge our own destiny.

And this was back in 1984, when I retook George Orwell's message about creating "Newspeak," a brand new dictionary that virtually eliminated negative words so people were unable to resist their government's control.

Mr. George Orwell

Orwell wasn't subtle, he created a nightmarish vision of oppressive mind control, constant surveillance, and phony wars... Eh, mind you, he wrote this in the 50's. It was meant as a critique of the Soviet Union.  How naive! That kind of oppression doesn't last, it is easier to rebel (as history has shown) against blatant forms of government control than to fight against symbolic, mental captivity.

Who the hell would gather in a large group
to watch an asshole on a huge screen?

Orwell hit it on the head with our loss of vocabulary, just compare newspapers and other periodicals from the 50's to the rags published now, but
his dark vision was, I think off the mark compared to Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World." To wit:


"Two thousand pharmacologists and bio-chemists were subsidized. Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug. Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant. All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects. Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology. Stability was practically assured." - ALDOUS HUXLEY ( Brave New World )

Aldous Huxley
"Oh shit, I forgot to take  my Soma"

We've become comfortably sedated into accepting government control. By government I mean the corporate moguls that really run (ruin) our lives.  If we feel anxious and concerned about our lack of power to do anything about this, we watch a movie, get drunk, download porn, or go to the doctor for a pill.

Hell, I've taken so much shit in my
lifetime, why not pop one of these?

All the while communicating in ever shorter phrases and incomprehensible code that don't require us to think much, let alone remember anything. We are in the age of communications. Yet we hardly communicate at all.

CNN Headline news has become a celebrity gossip channel. The news is filtered and watered down to keep us scared, obedient and uninformed. Our sons and daughters hardly communicate anything more than what is absolutely necessary to get on with their video games or go to movies with hardly any dialog.

The ubiquitous computers we hold in our hands have done what Television only hinted at - they have replaced thinking with spectating and processing information. Human contact has been reduced to electronic, superficial interactions. And reading... well, if you've gotten this far in the crap I'm spewing, I'm impressed, because for the most part if anyone sees so many paragraphs, they will run to the next website for videos or pics. When was the last time you entered a bookstore? Not even textbooks are being published anymore.

Is this bad? Isn't the future about evolving into different forms of communication? Isn't the Web creating a Global Village far more expansive and immediate than McLuhan envisioned? Are we really more connected to other human beings today than in the past?

I don't know...

Maybe you can enlighten me, if you can come up with the right words.

- Roscoe Biscayne