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Buddy’s March for Survival
An African penguin is on the march of (and for) its life right now.
(African Penguin, stock image)
Buddy, an African penguin, was recently discovered stolen by two recklessly misguided students from a South African marine park. A news report from the BBC states that the two students took Buddy as a demonstration, in which the guilty party concocted their high-minded statement to promote animals being reunited back into their natural habitat.
There’s just one minor issue: How high-minded is it to potentially kill the very animal they attempted to save?
“But Buddy was born in the park, and has no idea how to survive in the wild.
Experts say the penguin could last for just two more weeks before he will starve to death.”
–BBC News Online
There’s a significant problem with protestors, which is that the macro cause may be worthy of discussion and debate, but a critical question far too often remains unanswered: “What happens the next day?” This introspective of the micro, a necessary cognitive exercise, is rarely contemplated with any degree of seriousness or consequence within the exhilarating spirit of protest. It needs to be said that protests can be a great, powerful force for good. On the other hand, protests can equally translate into a powerfully reckless and dangerous force for evil. In this situation, there’s no doubt the two students made a statement. Yes, the academic scholars made a declaration akin to animal malpractice that has the heart-wrenching probability of marching an innocent penguin (and its family) to its death.
Buddy was part of a breeding pair, and was looking after his two new chicks with mate Francis when he was stolen.
Since his disappearance, one of the chicks has died, although park officials do not know if this was related. Francis is also now unable to leave the nest, as Buddy is not there to take over from her.
–BBC News Online
Dr. Ian Malcolm famously said, “Life…finds a way.”
Let’s pray Buddy safely finds his way back to his home and family in the coming days.
Not Trusted, but Verifiable
That was a short vacation.
Just one day after Americans took time to enjoy a long weekend by reminiscing and celebrating what they love about this amazing country, FBI Director James Comey and Hillary Clinton brought us back to earth. Back to the gritty, dirty realities of the world around us.
If you thought there were questions for Secretary Clinton concerning her private email server before…
Regardless of political party, trust in the modern era is evaporating. Trust is a precious asset, whether in a person or institution. Politically, dissenting views and distrust from the left, right and middle about the presumptive Republican nominee and Democratic nominee for president seem to get louder by the day (Clinton and Trump are honestly the choices?). Mr. Comey added the FBI to the list of influential institutions Americans will view with a shake of the head and hands up in the air. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Bill Clinton added the Justice Department last week.
Something is wrong and has been wrong for some time now.
Without diving into the details (of which there are sadly too many), Mr. Comey read a laundry list of violations starting at 11:00 a.m. ET this morning by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding her private email server. Then, with no logical turning point, concluded his incriminating statements about Secretary Clinton did not warrant a recommendation to indict Secretary Clinton. His justification relies on the notion that he chose not to see intent.
Literally unbelievable.
(The background music is inappropriately lighthearted for such a serious issue, but the back-and-forth is important to see)
He used the phrase, “extremely careless.” You can bet a few lawyers will be using that defense in the near future.
Even Edward Snowden was confused (his Tweet had a Wall Street Journal link describing the indictment decision).
(Edward Snowden, Twitter)
The larger point is that America’s leaders frequently and blatantly demonstrate there are different rules and standards for those in power versus the public. Moreover, that there’s special treatment for specific individuals. Consequently, there’s a trust gap that continues to grow wider by the day. The yearning for competent leadership and inspiring, yet practical vision may be at an all-time high in this country, even around the world.
Consider Brexit: The leading voices of that movement have “conveniently” removed themselves from responsibility for their actions by not running for the governing position. Was Brexit a good or bad idea in the long-term? That remains to be seen, but the British people likely aren’t comforted by their cowardly leaders, whether they were for the monumental change or not.
The precedent set this morning by FBI Director James Comey was a dangerous one. He will have to answer for his decision in hearings and interviews for a long time. Perhaps, in an effort to maintain an apolitical position and reputation (a term he used this morning) like Chief Justice John Roberts, he was too clever for his own good. The facts against Secretary Clinton and her constant lies for the past year were clear as day as detailed by Mr. Comey (thereby removing any benefit of the doubt for Secretary Clinton), yet the FBI Director chose nonsensical nuance over substance and common sense.
The problem is trust isn’t nuanced. You either have it or you don’t.
Maybe there was an indictment today after all.
Getting the Boulder Rolling (Again)
It’s official: Indiana Jones has tenure with his movie-going fans.
“Steven Spielberg will direct Harrison Ford in the untitled fifth installment in the classic action-adventure franchise, which will open July 19, 2019, Disney announced Tuesday.”
—, The Hollywood Reporter
Nostalgia adds another win in its ever-expansive cinematic column.
Indiana Jones will theatrically throw his hat back into the ring (or cave) and return to the adventure-seeking professor genre to challenge his 21st century rival, Robert Langdon (Inferno arrives in theaters this fall). While rumors of Indy’s next movie has been gently swirling for some time (including a possible successor?), the opportunity for bringing Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall back together clearly proved too good to pass up.
The success of an older, yet still very capable, Han Solo in the 2015 indie sleeper The Force Awakens surely tipped the scales for the actor and director alike to crack the whip fire the gun once more.
Obviously, virtually zero details are known about Indy’s high-five to the franchise’s fans. The only one certainty about this future blockbuster appears to be its release date (3/4 past films premiered in May and one on June 1st).
Three years out, the options for Indy V are officially being weighed by Disney.
Hopefully, in equal, simultaneous fashion.
Dunkirk’s Memento
Christopher Nolan’s next film will be…
Un film Seconde Guerre mondiale (A World War II movie).
Instead of venturing into the deepest depths of our subconscious or navigating towards the the farthest galaxies in space, Mr. Nolan and his wife (who co-founded Syncopy) and his brother Jonathan will travel back in time to the 1940s in war-torn France, possibly in a straightforward, linear fashion.
That, in itself, is a bit of a mind-bender.
“News began to surface over the weekend via French newspapers that Nolan was planning a WWII movie, and that he and his brother, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, had been scouting in Dunkirk. The story centers on the 1940 evacuation of more than 300,000 Allied troops who were surrounded by the German army in the French city of Dunkirk”
–Rebecca Ford, The Hollywood Reporter)
As each new detail about Dunkirk involving the script, casting (of course Michael Caine will be in it), the biggest news is that Mr. Nolan appears to be widening his genre portfolio IMAX-style and, therefore, is taking his second daring step into the mainstream with a war movie.
I’m counting The Dark Knight trilogy as one step.
Is Dunkirk a hint of what’s to come regarding future Christopher Nolan projects?
(“British and other Allied troops waiting to be evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk, France, 1940,” Britannica)
Odds are, we’ll bend our minds trying to answer that question.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 