Sitting in our Wilmington house. The Diplowife finally has run out of projects for me to execute and has gone off on a shopping expedition leaving me alone with the two Diplodogs. I have issued each of them a bully-stick and they are happily chomping away and--for once--making no requests of me. Having some free time, I, therefore, turned to reading pompous, blowhard European intellectuals, as one is wont to do in such circumstances.
It started with one of my rare forays into the New York Times, a now barely readable progo piece of fakery and Democratic Party talking points--same thing? I read a NYT piece of nonsense (here ) about thirty European "intellectuals" signing a letter, written by the once respectable Bernard-Henri Levy, blasting the wave of populism sweeping Europe and bemoaning the collapse of the "idea of Europe."
Figuring the little missive couldn't be as pompous and idiotic as the worshipful NYT puff piece made it out, I went to the original French text (here) to read the thing for myself.
Guess what? It's as stupid in French as in English.
Read the two articles and judge.
The Levy letter sums up everything wrong with the bulk of European (and American) "intellectuals." It positively drips with contempt and condescension for those European hillbillies and rednecks who voted for Brexit, and have taken to the streets in Paris and elsewhere to protest what decades of progressive rule have done to them and their countries. It derides the sense of nationalism and bemoans--oh does it!--the so-called "xenophobia" sweeping Europe and undermining the very concept of Europe. Well, that is, undermining the concept of Europe put forth by the elites and the well-paid EU bureaucrats.
This letter is unmoored from the reality lived by average people. Nowhere does it mention the hollowing out or abandonment of traditional industries in the name of globalism and Gaia worship. It ignores the vast swathe of European people left behind and ignored by the new economy and the new politics of a borderless world. It decries the rise of antisemitism without ever noting from whence it largely comes, to wit, massive Muslim immigration, and leftist hostility towards Israel which quickly morphs into classic antisemitism.
Levy and friends, amazingly, completely ignore Islamic terror in Europe and around the world: no mention of the massacres in Paris, London, Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels, etc. None. The word "Islam" appears nowhere, so, naturally, nowhere is there a hint as to why that feared "xenophobia" might be on the rise.
The letter, of course, accuses Moscow of being behind much of the "anti-Europe" movement, and decries the abandonment of the ideas and the ideals of the great European philosophers. All nonsense, of course. Nowhere does it deal with the bureaucratic, freedom-stifling monster that has arisen as a consequence of the "idea of Europe."
We see here an overt call to put an end to democracy and let the wise ones rule.
Disgusting.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Bad Week for Progos: Venezuela & Billy Jack Meets "Ahmed the Clock Maker"
The progos and their buddies in the Fake News Media (FNM) have had a bad week. We need to utter a collective "Ahhhhh!" Kinda like when you see a wet and hungry puppy or kitten . . . Let's look at just two of the narrative busters they had to suffer in the last few days--and I am not even getting into the BuzzFeed disaster!
Venezuela: I have said so much about Venezuela that . . . well, those interested can look it up. I got a lot of it right, too. I noted when Maduro rigged the last election, that it was the beginning of the penultimate act in the long-running "¡Socialismo o Muerte!" play in oil-rich, crushingly poor Venezuela. Clearly, the "o" needs to be substituted with "y".
It appears we have now entered the final act.
Trump, the man whom EVERYBODY hates around the world, has got himself a coalition of the willing in, hold your breath, LATIN AMERICA! Yes, that very one south of the Rio Grande. Nearly every country in the region (Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia among the hold outs) has agreed with the US position that Maduro is not the legitimate Presidente of Venezuela. They agree that the head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, should hold the title of interim President until such time as free and fair elections can be held. That National Assembly is the only remaining body in Venezuela with any claim to democratic legitimacy.
The people of Venezuela are dying in the streets, in their homes, and in their filthy hospitals. Food and medicines of all sorts are in critical shortage; the economy has ceased to function; the currency is worthless; fight or flight is the choice. Millions of Venezuelans must make that choice. On the slightly bright side, however, finally, finally, finally, most of the rest of Latin America has awoken to the horror that has befallen the Bolivarian Republic, a country which should rank among the wealthiest in the world.
This is Cuba 2.0.
This is socialism.
This will not end well for anybody.
I have no doubt that Maduro will have to go, perhaps to some boozy exile in Cuba, Nicaragua, or Russia. When dictators feel it necessary to wheel out the top brass to assert publicly their loyalty to the regime, well, there's trouble a-brewing, a 200 proof brew. The so-far small--and quickly suppressed--uprising by a military unit will not be the last one. What comes next? Who knows? It will take a very long time, even with the most honest and well-intentioned leaders to set Venezuela right. We will see lots more anarchy descending into chaos before things go right.
Sean Penn and Oliver Stone, call your agents!
Nathan Phillips: The progos and the FNM just can't give it a rest, eh?
You all know the "story." It was straight out of 1970s-era Billy Jack. Proud Native American Elder, Nathan Phillips, is peacefully banging his drum when he finds himself surrounded by a bunch of white Kentucky Catholic boys, wearing MAGA hats and smirks, and having to hear horrible things such as "Build the Wall"! On top of it all, he was a Marine Corps Vietnam Vet who was "expendable"-- his word. Oh the horror!
As we all know, of course, this narrative quickly came apart as it turned out the racists in this drama were a bunch of "Black Hebrews" or some such harassing the white boys by calling them "faggots" and other politically protected terms of endearment when used by another politically protected group. The Kentucky boys were innocents maligned by the progos and their FNM. Nathan Phillips, furthermore and of course, turned out not to be a Vietnam war vet (he claimed to have served as "force recon" or, maybe, it was as an "infantryman"?) as he said on more than one occasion; he, at most, was in the Marine Corps (Reserve?) from 1972-76, never set foot outside the USA, and spent his time repairing refrigeration units ("Freon is not Free!"). He has a criminal record, is a well know ethnic grievance sort, and, above all, a liar.
Billy Jack meet Ahmed the Clock Maker: two creatures of progo fantasy working for a race war.
Progos, gotta work on that narrative! Maybe Christine Ford is still available?
Venezuela: I have said so much about Venezuela that . . . well, those interested can look it up. I got a lot of it right, too. I noted when Maduro rigged the last election, that it was the beginning of the penultimate act in the long-running "¡Socialismo o Muerte!" play in oil-rich, crushingly poor Venezuela. Clearly, the "o" needs to be substituted with "y".
It appears we have now entered the final act.
Trump, the man whom EVERYBODY hates around the world, has got himself a coalition of the willing in, hold your breath, LATIN AMERICA! Yes, that very one south of the Rio Grande. Nearly every country in the region (Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia among the hold outs) has agreed with the US position that Maduro is not the legitimate Presidente of Venezuela. They agree that the head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, should hold the title of interim President until such time as free and fair elections can be held. That National Assembly is the only remaining body in Venezuela with any claim to democratic legitimacy.
The people of Venezuela are dying in the streets, in their homes, and in their filthy hospitals. Food and medicines of all sorts are in critical shortage; the economy has ceased to function; the currency is worthless; fight or flight is the choice. Millions of Venezuelans must make that choice. On the slightly bright side, however, finally, finally, finally, most of the rest of Latin America has awoken to the horror that has befallen the Bolivarian Republic, a country which should rank among the wealthiest in the world.
This is Cuba 2.0.
This is socialism.
This will not end well for anybody.
I have no doubt that Maduro will have to go, perhaps to some boozy exile in Cuba, Nicaragua, or Russia. When dictators feel it necessary to wheel out the top brass to assert publicly their loyalty to the regime, well, there's trouble a-brewing, a 200 proof brew. The so-far small--and quickly suppressed--uprising by a military unit will not be the last one. What comes next? Who knows? It will take a very long time, even with the most honest and well-intentioned leaders to set Venezuela right. We will see lots more anarchy descending into chaos before things go right.
Sean Penn and Oliver Stone, call your agents!
Nathan Phillips: The progos and the FNM just can't give it a rest, eh?
You all know the "story." It was straight out of 1970s-era Billy Jack. Proud Native American Elder, Nathan Phillips, is peacefully banging his drum when he finds himself surrounded by a bunch of white Kentucky Catholic boys, wearing MAGA hats and smirks, and having to hear horrible things such as "Build the Wall"! On top of it all, he was a Marine Corps Vietnam Vet who was "expendable"-- his word. Oh the horror!
As we all know, of course, this narrative quickly came apart as it turned out the racists in this drama were a bunch of "Black Hebrews" or some such harassing the white boys by calling them "faggots" and other politically protected terms of endearment when used by another politically protected group. The Kentucky boys were innocents maligned by the progos and their FNM. Nathan Phillips, furthermore and of course, turned out not to be a Vietnam war vet (he claimed to have served as "force recon" or, maybe, it was as an "infantryman"?) as he said on more than one occasion; he, at most, was in the Marine Corps (Reserve?) from 1972-76, never set foot outside the USA, and spent his time repairing refrigeration units ("Freon is not Free!"). He has a criminal record, is a well know ethnic grievance sort, and, above all, a liar.
Billy Jack meet Ahmed the Clock Maker: two creatures of progo fantasy working for a race war.
Progos, gotta work on that narrative! Maybe Christine Ford is still available?
Sunday, January 20, 2019
From Government Shutdown to Right-Sizing, i.e., RIF the Raff?
It is time to begin . . . .
I was reading a usually boring article but one, in light of the ongoing government shutdown, now quite interesting. You can find it here. It deals with how to conduct, legal and in accord with voluminous regulations, a Reduction in Force (RIF) of the government. I have read a few commentators proposing that the President should begin a RIF process for furloughed employees, citing the reg that after 30 continuous (I believe) days of furlough such a process can begin. Sorry. It, of course, is more complicated than that, and the civil service mavens have written all sorts of loopholes that essentially exempt furloughs caused by a failure to appropriate funds.
My usual disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor a civil service personnel expert, and don't pretend to be. I would note, however, that it seems the President could announce that he has tasked the agencies under his direction to develop a plan within X number of days to reduce permanently functions, in particular those shown by the current shutdown as nonessential, and to propose a corresponding RIF. You want to see prog heads explode? And we all do, of course . . . do that! In addition, there are many positions at State and elsewhere in which personnel serve at the pleasure of the President, as James Comey discovered.
It's time to get serious about what ails us, and one of the principal diseases affecting the American body politic is way too much federal government.
BTW, I loved Trump's canceling of CODEL Pelosi's excursion.
I also love how CNN's Jake Tapper angrily tweeted out that the President had denied Pelosi a "military plane" to a war zone! Does he think this plane is some sort of B-52, or even a B-29, or a Lancaster bristling with guns? It's just a run-of-the-mill Boeing 757 or 767 crewed by military pilots and stewards. That's all. She could have flown to Brussels and Berlin by commercial and then, perhaps and more PR wise, requested a "military" plane to Kabul. But nah. She didn't. Irrelevant, of course. The point is, there shouldn't be CODELS while the government is in shutdown mode, well, that is in accord with the logic of Pelosi's own letter to Trump suggesting he dispense with the State of the Union Address because of security concerns arising from the fact that the Secret Service is not getting paid.
Nancy, my dear, you're playing against the world's greatest chess player. Give up and stay safe behind the walls of your mansion.
Back to picking up all the dead bodies caused by the shutdown . . . that is after I go to the range and burn off some 45 ACP.
I was reading a usually boring article but one, in light of the ongoing government shutdown, now quite interesting. You can find it here. It deals with how to conduct, legal and in accord with voluminous regulations, a Reduction in Force (RIF) of the government. I have read a few commentators proposing that the President should begin a RIF process for furloughed employees, citing the reg that after 30 continuous (I believe) days of furlough such a process can begin. Sorry. It, of course, is more complicated than that, and the civil service mavens have written all sorts of loopholes that essentially exempt furloughs caused by a failure to appropriate funds.
My usual disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor a civil service personnel expert, and don't pretend to be. I would note, however, that it seems the President could announce that he has tasked the agencies under his direction to develop a plan within X number of days to reduce permanently functions, in particular those shown by the current shutdown as nonessential, and to propose a corresponding RIF. You want to see prog heads explode? And we all do, of course . . . do that! In addition, there are many positions at State and elsewhere in which personnel serve at the pleasure of the President, as James Comey discovered.
It's time to get serious about what ails us, and one of the principal diseases affecting the American body politic is way too much federal government.
BTW, I loved Trump's canceling of CODEL Pelosi's excursion.
I also love how CNN's Jake Tapper angrily tweeted out that the President had denied Pelosi a "military plane" to a war zone! Does he think this plane is some sort of B-52, or even a B-29, or a Lancaster bristling with guns? It's just a run-of-the-mill Boeing 757 or 767 crewed by military pilots and stewards. That's all. She could have flown to Brussels and Berlin by commercial and then, perhaps and more PR wise, requested a "military" plane to Kabul. But nah. She didn't. Irrelevant, of course. The point is, there shouldn't be CODELS while the government is in shutdown mode, well, that is in accord with the logic of Pelosi's own letter to Trump suggesting he dispense with the State of the Union Address because of security concerns arising from the fact that the Secret Service is not getting paid.
Nancy, my dear, you're playing against the world's greatest chess player. Give up and stay safe behind the walls of your mansion.
Back to picking up all the dead bodies caused by the shutdown . . . that is after I go to the range and burn off some 45 ACP.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Shut Down Madness! BREXIT! Pompeo! The End of the World is Nigh!
Sorry for the long break in posting. I have been deterred from posting by (1) the Diplowife going to Spain on a family visit leaving household chores exclusively to this elderly Toxic Male; (2) her report that her wallet, with all her cash, credit and debit cards, id, etc., went missing in Spain (since found at an honest local bakery); and (3) my having to remove hundreds, nay, thousands of dead bodies from the streets and fields in my neighborhood as a consequence of the US government shutdown.
Let's skip the two most important reasons and focus on the third, the government shutdown. Global climate change is now going through the roof as a result of this event; hundreds of thousands of children and women now go without food and shelter; our food and water have become poisoned; the supermarkets have no food, anyhow; filling stations no fuel; and hundreds of heavily armed men prowl the streets looking for sustenance for their beleaguered families. We, ladies and gentlemen, have entered the Apocalypse! I know this is true, otherwise, why would the Democrat Congressional contingent have fled to safety in Puerto Rico? No fools they.
OK. Look, as a federal employee for 34 years, I went through a couple of these shutdowns and survived quite nicely. I used to tell my crying associates that, "In the private sector when you get laid off, you get laid off. They don't come pay you back wages if you sat at home." Perspective, please.
Clearly the Democrats care more about pandering to illegal aliens than they do about federal workers and the "vital" tasks they perform. They care more about pandering to illegal aliens than about national security or even neighborhood security. They are the party of MS-13. Period.
Now, despite the shutdown (because of it?), Secretary of State Pompeo gave a terrific speech (here) in Cairo. This Secretary is an interesting person. He doesn't get or apparently seek a lot of publicity, and seems somewhat aloof (James Baker style) from the State Department machinery. He does some excellent work. He is low-key, clear and tough. Anyhow, read the speech. It is the undoing of the disastrous Obama Mideast policy. Long may it wave!
New topic: Can we blame Theresa May's disastrous handling of BREXIT on "Trump's government shutdown"? Well . . . uh . . . probably not. PM May must be considered the most clueless and hapless major politician on the world stage. Yes, she has usurped the crown from PM Trudeau! Another first for women! Sorry Merkel, you end up only number two . . .
The whole BREXIT strategy of the May government has made no sense . . . . unless, of course, it was meant to sabotage the whole thing.
Britain held all the cards in the poker game with the EU. In fact, Britain didn't even need to show up, and it would have won the pot! Instead, May's folks got themselves into some needless negotiations with the reptilian EU and came out, of course, second best. The absurd "Deal" they brought back violated the very spirit of the 2016 BREXIT vote and mandate from the British people. The "Deal" was the EU permission slip, to wit, you can leave but only under these conditions . . . No wonder that parliament shot this thing to pieces, and handed May the worst parliamentary defeat of any British government.
What's next? Nobody really knows, but I assume--and I am no expert on British politics and don't pretend to be--May will try to extend the March 29 exit deadline and squeeze a few silly concessions out of the EU in the hopes of making the "Deal" more palatable. I doubt that will happen as the EU is playing chicken. I heard Nigel Farage predict a better than 50/50 chance of a second referendum. That's too bad, because it reaffirms the long held prog tactic of voting and voting until the right result gets produced. I genuinely hope that come the March deadline, the Brits just walk out the door, giving the EU the "up your bum" V symbol as they go.
If Britain walks, none of the predictions of disaster will come about. That's just global elite fear mongering. Remember Y2K? Remember swine and bird flu? How AIDS would turn the world into a howling wilderness by 1995? The end of snow and ice? How the end of net neutrality would kill the internet? Yeah, yeah. It's all of the same piece.
In the end, as I wrote here, some two months before the vote,
Even the material issues don't need the UK as a prisoner to the EU. The Irish border matter, for example, can be dealt with after BREXIT by a sovereign UK dealing with a sovereign Ireland. They can reach any deal they want . . . well, that is, if Brussels allows the Irish to do so. Maybe Dublin should take a look at EIREXIT? Just saying . . .
Blame it on Trump and move on . . .
Let's skip the two most important reasons and focus on the third, the government shutdown. Global climate change is now going through the roof as a result of this event; hundreds of thousands of children and women now go without food and shelter; our food and water have become poisoned; the supermarkets have no food, anyhow; filling stations no fuel; and hundreds of heavily armed men prowl the streets looking for sustenance for their beleaguered families. We, ladies and gentlemen, have entered the Apocalypse! I know this is true, otherwise, why would the Democrat Congressional contingent have fled to safety in Puerto Rico? No fools they.
OK. Look, as a federal employee for 34 years, I went through a couple of these shutdowns and survived quite nicely. I used to tell my crying associates that, "In the private sector when you get laid off, you get laid off. They don't come pay you back wages if you sat at home." Perspective, please.
Clearly the Democrats care more about pandering to illegal aliens than they do about federal workers and the "vital" tasks they perform. They care more about pandering to illegal aliens than about national security or even neighborhood security. They are the party of MS-13. Period.
Now, despite the shutdown (because of it?), Secretary of State Pompeo gave a terrific speech (here) in Cairo. This Secretary is an interesting person. He doesn't get or apparently seek a lot of publicity, and seems somewhat aloof (James Baker style) from the State Department machinery. He does some excellent work. He is low-key, clear and tough. Anyhow, read the speech. It is the undoing of the disastrous Obama Mideast policy. Long may it wave!
New topic: Can we blame Theresa May's disastrous handling of BREXIT on "Trump's government shutdown"? Well . . . uh . . . probably not. PM May must be considered the most clueless and hapless major politician on the world stage. Yes, she has usurped the crown from PM Trudeau! Another first for women! Sorry Merkel, you end up only number two . . .
The whole BREXIT strategy of the May government has made no sense . . . . unless, of course, it was meant to sabotage the whole thing.
Britain held all the cards in the poker game with the EU. In fact, Britain didn't even need to show up, and it would have won the pot! Instead, May's folks got themselves into some needless negotiations with the reptilian EU and came out, of course, second best. The absurd "Deal" they brought back violated the very spirit of the 2016 BREXIT vote and mandate from the British people. The "Deal" was the EU permission slip, to wit, you can leave but only under these conditions . . . No wonder that parliament shot this thing to pieces, and handed May the worst parliamentary defeat of any British government.
What's next? Nobody really knows, but I assume--and I am no expert on British politics and don't pretend to be--May will try to extend the March 29 exit deadline and squeeze a few silly concessions out of the EU in the hopes of making the "Deal" more palatable. I doubt that will happen as the EU is playing chicken. I heard Nigel Farage predict a better than 50/50 chance of a second referendum. That's too bad, because it reaffirms the long held prog tactic of voting and voting until the right result gets produced. I genuinely hope that come the March deadline, the Brits just walk out the door, giving the EU the "up your bum" V symbol as they go.
If Britain walks, none of the predictions of disaster will come about. That's just global elite fear mongering. Remember Y2K? Remember swine and bird flu? How AIDS would turn the world into a howling wilderness by 1995? The end of snow and ice? How the end of net neutrality would kill the internet? Yeah, yeah. It's all of the same piece.
In the end, as I wrote here, some two months before the vote,
I won't go into the economic arguments over whether it's better or not for Britain to remain in the EU. You can go here for a pretty good and somewhat balanced explanation of the two sides' arguments. Let's put all that aside, however, and generously agree both sides have some valid economic and financial points. . .
At the risk of being reprimanded and corrected by this blog's one or two British readers, I offer that the force driving the pro-BREXIT movement is not solely or even mostly about economics, or finance, or currency exchange rates. It is about something much, much more important. It is about reclaiming the soul of Britain; preserving and restoring that which made Britain, notably England, one of the world's greatest countries, a nation of stunning consequence. It is about deciding whether the great British traditions and innovations that have made our modern world are worth saving or should be discarded.Once again, BREXIT wasn't primarily about money, but about saving Britain, England especially. It sought to make the UK an independent state, again. Where Marxists and Libertarians both fail is by seeing people as just cogs in a material-producing machine. Other issues matter, to wit, the intangible qualities of life, e.g., safe neighborhoods, remaining in touch with your traditions and unique ways of doing things, reaffirming your bond to the people with whom you live, your sense of pride in nation.
Even the material issues don't need the UK as a prisoner to the EU. The Irish border matter, for example, can be dealt with after BREXIT by a sovereign UK dealing with a sovereign Ireland. They can reach any deal they want . . . well, that is, if Brussels allows the Irish to do so. Maybe Dublin should take a look at EIREXIT? Just saying . . .
Blame it on Trump and move on . . .
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Border
Saw the President's speech on the border wall issue last night (text here.) Not bad.
It wasn't the earth-shaking quake/tsunami that some in the press had predicted. It proved measured, restrained, made some very valid points and had some sharp barbs aimed at the Dems. Trump's speech was loaded with disturbing facts which the Democrats have great difficulty disputing--check, for example, the NY Times' rather tortured "fact" checking (here.)
I found this paragraph very compelling,
It wasn't the earth-shaking quake/tsunami that some in the press had predicted. It proved measured, restrained, made some very valid points and had some sharp barbs aimed at the Dems. Trump's speech was loaded with disturbing facts which the Democrats have great difficulty disputing--check, for example, the NY Times' rather tortured "fact" checking (here.)
I found this paragraph very compelling,
Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences and gates around their homes? They don't build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is for the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized. America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country.
Trump just set the Dems a baited trap. He has called on them to come to the White House to discuss the border issue and the partial government shut-down. We all know how that will turn out, and then Trump will announce that he's building the wall without the Congress. He can, of course, cite previous bipartisan bills passed on the need to strengthen border security. I think his next address on this issue will be something less measured and more Trumpian.
And the Dem reply (here)?
What can I possibly say? Sigh . . .
First, a bit of snark. The Dems are the party of Hollywood and the media. Why can't they do something a little more dignified and visually appealing than the absurd show put on by Schumer and Pelosi? I know there's a government shut down, but given how wealthy Pelosi and Schumer are, couldn't they have sprung for a bigger podium, or maybe even two? Or taken turns coming to the podium? When these two politicos flashed onto my TV screen, jammed up against each other, crammed behind that tiny podium, I thought it was a badly photo shopped still shot--until I saw Schumer blink. They looked ridiculous.
In their statement, they ignored everything Trump had just said, and delivered an obviously long ago prepared, stale word salad of old Dem talking points about Trump relying on "fear not facts," etc. They had no valid explanation for opposing the wall except it won't work--which is a lie. I also noticed that in her reply, Nancy Pelosi--who is very wealthy and lives in a mansion surrounded by a high wall--ignored how immoral her lifestyle has become. I am sure Trump being Trump will be back at her repeatedly with that line about rich politicians living behind walls.
Time to build the wall, and as I have laid out many times there are many ways to make Mexico and Central America pay for its construction.
BTW, I blame Paul Ryan for this mess . . .
BTW, I blame Paul Ryan for this mess . . .
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
A Danish Movie for You
Trying to keep things a little light for a few more days. I mean, how many times can you talk about Russian "collusion" or the peaceful nature of modern Islam?
So, we talk movies.
For most of the past century, movies have been dominated by Anglo-American films. Well, that might remain so now, but there is some truly excellent work being done in other countries which is well-worth watching.
Saw a non-Anglo-American film today on Amazon which I highly recommend. It's a Danish production from some three years ago, but I had not heard of it before. It's variously titled "9. April," "April 9" and "April 9th." You will find it under one or all of those names when you search. As you can probably guess, it's about the 9th of April . . . 1940, that is. That being date the Nazis invaded Denmark and in a few scant hours forced the government in Copenhagen to capitulate. The tiny, poorly equipped, and politically hobbled Danish armed forces had no chance against the Germans' aircraft, armor, and well-equppied and motorized infantry. Denmark was quickly occupied. That, of course, as we have discussed here before, did not mean that the Danes just rolled over and played dead for the Germans. The Danes subsequently drove their occupiers mad with a mix of active and passive aggressive resistance--and saved nearly their entire Jewish population from the Nazi extermination camps. Worth a read.
This little film is not about that post-occupation resistance. Based on a true story, it tells of a small unit of bicycle-mounted Danish infantry told to stop or at least delay the German advance. The Danes are sent on their bikes towards the border with Germany in the wake of reports of German troops crossing that border. The Danish government had decided not to pre-deploy its army for fear of "provoking" the Nazis.
The film is beautifully shot with a great sense of pace and timing. With a blend of an excellent low-key musical score, wonderful editing, and direction, it even manages to produce a feeling of suspense, even if we all know the outcome. The production seems to have paid a lot of attention to period detail, with clothing, uniforms, vehicles, and weapons mostly right. It has some absolutely wonderful scenes, kind of evoking "Private Ryan," of the Danes on bicycles moving across the screen, backlit by the impending sunrise. The acting, by the way, is very good; the actors manage to convey the sense of duty and at the same time of hopelessness that the real participants must have felt as they peddaled towards the panzers. Whether it intended to or not, the film is also an interesting exposition on leadership. The character of the second Lieutenant, played by Pilou Asbæk of "Game of Thrones" and "The Borgias" fame, is an excellent study in the demands of leadership, and the stresses it produces. Very nicely done. The battle scenes, by the way, are extremely well shot. Again, some of the urban combat reminds of that in "Private Ryan." The battle ends as we all know it does, so I am not giving anything away by noting that the Lieutenant orders his unit to surrender once he realizes the hopelessness of his position. The irony being, of course, that the government in Copenhagen had agreed to German terms hours before.
OK, without getting too philosophical, or reading too much into a movie, I think I am noting a sort of conservative revolt underway in some recent Scandinavian film. The wonderful Norwegian series "Occupied," the movie "Max Manus," this one under discussion, and some others seem to show that underneath all the soy boy inclusiveness and welcoming of "refugees" that we have seen in recent years in Scandinavia, there is a bubbling caldron of nationalist resistance to the political correctness that is destroying those societies.
I hope so.
So, we talk movies.
For most of the past century, movies have been dominated by Anglo-American films. Well, that might remain so now, but there is some truly excellent work being done in other countries which is well-worth watching.
Saw a non-Anglo-American film today on Amazon which I highly recommend. It's a Danish production from some three years ago, but I had not heard of it before. It's variously titled "9. April," "April 9" and "April 9th." You will find it under one or all of those names when you search. As you can probably guess, it's about the 9th of April . . . 1940, that is. That being date the Nazis invaded Denmark and in a few scant hours forced the government in Copenhagen to capitulate. The tiny, poorly equipped, and politically hobbled Danish armed forces had no chance against the Germans' aircraft, armor, and well-equppied and motorized infantry. Denmark was quickly occupied. That, of course, as we have discussed here before, did not mean that the Danes just rolled over and played dead for the Germans. The Danes subsequently drove their occupiers mad with a mix of active and passive aggressive resistance--and saved nearly their entire Jewish population from the Nazi extermination camps. Worth a read.
This little film is not about that post-occupation resistance. Based on a true story, it tells of a small unit of bicycle-mounted Danish infantry told to stop or at least delay the German advance. The Danes are sent on their bikes towards the border with Germany in the wake of reports of German troops crossing that border. The Danish government had decided not to pre-deploy its army for fear of "provoking" the Nazis.
The film is beautifully shot with a great sense of pace and timing. With a blend of an excellent low-key musical score, wonderful editing, and direction, it even manages to produce a feeling of suspense, even if we all know the outcome. The production seems to have paid a lot of attention to period detail, with clothing, uniforms, vehicles, and weapons mostly right. It has some absolutely wonderful scenes, kind of evoking "Private Ryan," of the Danes on bicycles moving across the screen, backlit by the impending sunrise. The acting, by the way, is very good; the actors manage to convey the sense of duty and at the same time of hopelessness that the real participants must have felt as they peddaled towards the panzers. Whether it intended to or not, the film is also an interesting exposition on leadership. The character of the second Lieutenant, played by Pilou Asbæk of "Game of Thrones" and "The Borgias" fame, is an excellent study in the demands of leadership, and the stresses it produces. Very nicely done. The battle scenes, by the way, are extremely well shot. Again, some of the urban combat reminds of that in "Private Ryan." The battle ends as we all know it does, so I am not giving anything away by noting that the Lieutenant orders his unit to surrender once he realizes the hopelessness of his position. The irony being, of course, that the government in Copenhagen had agreed to German terms hours before.
OK, without getting too philosophical, or reading too much into a movie, I think I am noting a sort of conservative revolt underway in some recent Scandinavian film. The wonderful Norwegian series "Occupied," the movie "Max Manus," this one under discussion, and some others seem to show that underneath all the soy boy inclusiveness and welcoming of "refugees" that we have seen in recent years in Scandinavia, there is a bubbling caldron of nationalist resistance to the political correctness that is destroying those societies.
I hope so.
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