Capsule review of "The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron"

January 28, 2010 @ 9:11 pm

I saw the first “Terminator” in 1984 at a sparsely-attended afternoon show at the local mall, before the film became a hit, and I’ve enjoyed every one of James Cameron’s films in the theater ever since. I was surprised to learn that the studio didn’t heavily market T1 because it didn’t think it would do well—one of many tidbits I didn’t know before reading this extremely well written portrait of the most successful writer/director in the history of film. While some biographies can be overly detailed and disorganized—sometimes both at once—Keegan chronicles her subject’s work and unprecedented achievements in a way that’s streamlined, smart and highly accessible. “The Futurist” also has something else that’s often lacking in too many bios: a sharp and objective sense of humor. Even if you’re not a fan of his movies, it’s hard to remain uninspired by Cameron’s extraordinary drive, talent and ingenuity, along with Keegan’s remarkable skill in telling his story.

Does PETA-bashing help animals?

January 22, 2010 @ 6:42 pm

To set context, PETA recently released a racy 2010 “State of the Union Undress,” raising an outcry from various abolitionist vegan quarters. One of my heroes, PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk, responded.

I myself ask if PETA relies too much on sexism, shock and B-list celebrities, and whether or not these aspects of their work detract from the cause. I’m a PETA member, I’ve demonstrated with PETA members, and I’ve attended seminars on why they take the approach that they do.

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Will books become obsolete?

January 4, 2010 @ 9:12 pm

I hope not. The author of this article that explores this question mentions renowned inventor/futurist Ray Kurzweil, who I saw speak at some web 2.0 conference here in SF about 2 years ago. He gave a very interesting presentation on all things “future”—mainly AI, as I recall. Even before he went on, he seemed to emanate some sort of alien-intelligence aura as he sat nearby in the audience.

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