Monthly Archives: October 2002

Punch-Drunk Love

Posted on October 31, 2002 by Felix

If there’s one thing that Paul Thomas Anderson loves, it’s virtuouso camerawork. In his first film, Boogie Nights, it was generally considered to be a nod of the head to Martin Scorcese. But the impossibly long tracking shots have remained … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | 5 Comments

50-50 nations

Posted on October 30, 2002 by Felix

Mickey Kaus says that "a 50-50 tie may be the new equilibrium state of American politics", and helpfully provides links to other people who have said the same thing in the past. It stands to reason that in a two-party … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 2 Comments

Krugman, Lewis and greed

Posted on October 29, 2002 by Felix

The New York Times Magazine has given the cover of its last two issues to what it calls The Class Wars. The first story, by Paul Krugman, glossed the growing inequality in the US, and bemoans the fact that "income … Continue reading →

Posted in Finance | 1 Comment

Frida

Posted on October 28, 2002 by Felix

At the end of Frida, the new film by Julie Taymor, the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) says of his wife, the painter Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek), that "never before has a woman committed such agonised poetry to … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | 5 Comments

A message from my sister

Posted on October 27, 2002 by Rhian

I guess I should introduce myself. I am Felix’s sister, Rhian. Most of you reading this probably know me anyway cos you’re my friends and I’ve told you to read this. But it is Felix’s page and one must assume … Continue reading →

Posted in Rhian in Antarctica | 19 Comments

the girl and the fig

Posted on October 25, 2002 by Felix

Sonoma county, just north of San Francisco, has to be one of the most expensive places in the world. Basic B&Bs cost about $200 a night, with a 2-night minimum at weekends, while small vineyards go for millions. When I … Continue reading →

Posted in Restaurants | 10 Comments

St Francis in San Francisco

Posted on October 21, 2002 by Felix

I’m sure that I wasn’t the only New Yorker to book a flight to the west coast when I heard that the new general director of the San Francisco opera, Pamela Rosenberg, had decided to put on a production of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | 7 Comments

The Trials of Henry Kissinger and Bowling for Columbine

Posted on October 15, 2002 by Felix

Left-wing documentaries are popular in New York City these days. I’ve been to two this week: The Trials of Henry Kissinger on Thursday afternoon, and Bowling for Columbine on Sunday night. Both showings were almost sold out, and the latter … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | 15 Comments

felixsalmon.com redesigned

Posted on October 12, 2002 by Felix

Welcome to the new-look felixsalmon.com! The incomparable Stefan Geens has installed the excellent Movable Type onto my server, and what you see now is the result. It’s going to take me a little while to move all my old postings … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements | 6 Comments

Rosenbaum, Hitchens and the Left

Posted on October 11, 2002 by Felix

Christopher Hitchens has a new book out, on George Orwell. Orwell is one of those figures who tends to mean whatever you want him to mean: he’s been adopted by political partisans (and, indeed, non-partisans) from across the spectrum, each … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments

Secretary

Posted on October 6, 2002 by Felix

Secretary is, at heart, a by-the-numbers love story. Troubled girl meets troubled boy, they fall in love, but their troubles drive them apart before they are eventually overcome and our loving couple lives happily ever after. If the problem with … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | 1 Comment

Barbershop

Posted on October 5, 2002 by Felix

A bit later than I originally intended, I finally got around to seeing Barbershop tonight. If you haven’t done so as well, I highly recommend you follow suit: it’s an excellent film, which pulls off the almost-impossible feat of being … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | Comments Off on Barbershop

Men in uniform

Posted on October 2, 2002 by Felix

Three stories for you: • Two air marshals panic on a flight from Atlanta to Philadelphia, brandishing guns at terrified passengers and arresting a blameless former Army major (of Indian descent, natch) for "observing too closely" what was going on, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Comments Off on Men in uniform