Early January (Flow and Fire)

01/11/2025

Early January (Flow and Fire)

This week I spent most of my time indoors, thanks to catching a nasty cold and the freezing temps outside. We went outside virtually, however, by way of the movie 'Flow,' which -- at least as we saw it -- starred an animated version of Clio.

The movie, which has no (human) dialogue, is about a cat that is forced to leave its home after a major flood. It ends up on a boat with some other animals, who have various adventures as the boat moves through landscapes that are by turns wild and post-apocalyptic (urban ruins). The animation is hypnotic, and the animals are likable and interesting but never saccharine. I would have enjoyed it even if the main character didn't remind us so much of Clio.

It was strange to walk out into the snow this morning knowing that Los Angeles was burning.

Part of me was horrified by the images and part of me was relieved not to be suffering through another disaster, given my sense that New York City has still not recovered from the pandemic.

The city is functioning, but I don't believe there's anything approaching a consensus about the kind of city we should be. Is it a city for tourists? Is it a city for residents? Is it for the rich or the poor? Are we going to be a city the pretends that global warming isn't happening, or are we going to take steps to counteract it?

Congesting pricing started this week, for example, and the mayor had nothing to say about it. It's interesting that many critics are already admitting that traffic has been reduced. Congestion pricing should be one part of a major transformation in how the city operates and understands itself.

Trump's solution to climate change is to drill for more oil.

If Trump were a gardener, he would know that nature is always waiting.

Posted at 01:20 PM in Expression, Reaction, Science Projects | Permalink

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A young boy wanders into the woods of Harlem and witnesses the abduction of his sister by a glowing creature. Forty years later, now working as a New York City homicide detective, Gus is assigned to a case in which he unexpectedly succumbs to a vision that Helen is still alive. To find her, he embarks on an uorthodox investigation that leads to an ancient civilization of gods and the people determined to bring them back.

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The Metropolis Case

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-- The New York Times

Music: Death Culture at Sea and Saturnine

Listen or download songs and records from my indie-rock past with Saturnine here and Death Culture at Sea here.

Music Video: Remembrance of Things Past

Watch the rock opera Remembrance of Things Past written and performed by Saturnine and Frances Gibson, starring Bennett Madison and Sheila McClear.

Video: The Chaos Detective

The Chaos Detective is a series about a man searching for 'identity' as he completes assignments from a mysterious organization. Watch the first episode (five parts) on YouTube.

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Matthew Gallaway

Expression//Reaction//ScienceProjects

01/11/2025