The Road

Omar Little vrs. Aragorn son of Arathorn
Both hard as fuck.
Omar, the Robin Hood of West Baltimore and Patron Saint of Rippin' and Runnin'. Aragorn, the King of Men.
Micheal Williams - Professional Dancer and Choreographer
Viggo Mortensen - Jazz Musician, Skilled Horse rider, Poet.

I don't even know if they are adverseries in the film yet, but I'll find out. TONIGHT!

We should have some sort of Dinner Party when we're back.

Trivia Question # 2

What is Omar Little's brother's name, where is he, and why?

Trivia Question #1
For what reason does Avon Barksdale retire is his boxing career?

More Crossover

But this time to FOX, not HBO. Daniels from the Wire and Alvarez from OZ are both on a new X-files-ish looking show called Fringe now. I've only watched half an episode, but it looks interesting so far, and I loved X-files. Me and Liza'll be home from about the 20th until the 3rd or so. Any new years plans?

Old Fasioned Porridge Bread

This is the recipe for that loaf of bread I was raving about some while back. It's pretty basic and has some wholesome ingredients.


Oatmeal
2 Cups Dry Oatmeal
3 Cups Boiling Water
3 Tsp Butter

Yeast Mix
5/4 Tsp Yeast (A Teaspoon and a bit)
1/2 Tsp White Sugar
1/2 Cup Hot Water (Tap hot is hot enough, I used the rest of my boiled water once and it didn't rise)

Dough
1 Cup Milk
2 Tsp Salt
8 Cups Flour
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Molasses

To begin throw some water in a kettle to boil. Combine the Oatmeal ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well then set aside to cool. In a separate smaller bowl combine the yeast ingredients and let rise for 15 minutes.

Once risen add to your cooled Oatmeal.

Now add the rest of your ingredients to the large bowl and mix well. Be sure to get your hands in there, but don't go as far as to start kneading your dough.

Let rise for at least 4 hrs or overnight, try not to let the surface dry out to much before converting it into bread pans. This recipe can make 4 reasonably sized loaves. Let rise for at least 1 hour in bread pans before baking it for 1 hour @ 325-350 Fahrenheit.

Some notes I have made.
-Letting bread rise in pans for longer helped with my best batch so far, if you have to leave it over night wait for your 4 hours then split it into the trays and then leave it. Plus then it's ready to be baked for breakfast.
-I have yet to let it sit in the oven for a full hour, and only put my oven on 325, so keep an eye on those loaves.

Howdy Blair. It's been so long since I watched the Wire that I don't think any fresh perspectives are going to wash over me any more. Ah well. I just got the Thighs CD in the mail from S-Dog, it's pretty awesome. Playing in bands is fun. Maybe raccoon should do a christmas show. Or maybe raccon is over forevs and I should move on.
Still haven't found a job, which is super lame and boring. I can't even get a labour job here. Suck. I did just apply to go to Korea for three weeks in January to teach English, but based on my results so far, that probably won't happen. Did CJ ever finish that movie we shot that day at Eau Claire? I'm colab-ing with my buddy shaun on a zombie noir script right now. I'm really sure how much I actually contribute, but it's pretty fun. How's the construction work going? Have you moved up the ladder yet? Bought a house? Did I tell you I saw your bro in Calgary over thanksgiving.
Also, my desktop is now stormtroopers.

Brutal Berriault the Basher

Jeeze John, I don't know what you think Jamie is saying to DW, but you have got to learn to cope.

Cutty and String

On the last episode that I watched, Se3 Ep10(ish), Cutty is looking for the proper permits to open up his boxing club and Herc made the call on Colvin.
When Cutty comes back to the Deacon to explain his frustration I couldn't help think about Stringer and Davis. While Stringer is trying to buy legitimacy he needs Davis to be his liaison through the process. Stringer and Cutty both want something they can't get for themselves and rely on the guidance of politically influential individuals.




hmmm, I read the actor who played Avon Barksdale also played Jimi Hendrix in a made for television Hendrix movie. The review was titled "disappointing".

JON,
So Cj has been to busy making movies and writing papers about other movies to watch The Wire. Her most recent paper was about the film La Bonheur by Agnes Varda. If you can you should find it. I managed to download it some where on the internet, but even just renting the Criterion Collection of her stuff would be well worth the time. The grandmother of French New Wave cinema.

An Indicative Scene?

So, while watching A Serious Man, for some reason a scene from the Wire popped into my head. It was the one in which Marlo steals a lollipop or some crap from a corner store when he knows the security guard is watching, and then when confronted outside says to the guy, "You want it to be one way. But it's the other way." I've been trying to clarify what he is saying. It's important that he says the other way, not an other way. There are, in his view, two possible ways the world can be. One is the way the security guard wants to see it. The first way, the one in which, when he goes outside to talk to Marlo, the security guard engages in a conversation based on mutual respect that ends with Marlo acknowledging that though the law abiding life is not the one he has chosen, it is a valid one. It is a way that, despite the reality of drugs and violence, is based on principles and a kind of moral code. But for Marlo, principle takes second seat to his ego, to his attachment to his "name."
I found the clip on youtube,


and there were some insightful comments following the clip. There were several that caught my attention. The first was about Marlo's obsession with power, which I think is supported very well by the lollitheft. Marlo has no reason not to pay for it, and he makes sure the guard sees him and realizes he can do nothing. The second comment noted the difference between Marlo and most of the other players. Stringer, Avon, Omar, even Prop Joe etc. These men have very different goals from Marlo, and, despite often producing the same results, different ways of operating. I think the closest anyone comes of the four is Stringer, when he mutilates Brandon. I think that "other way" as Marlo expresses it, is the way in which it is whether you win or lose, not how you play the game.
There are many examples of criminals, though breaking the law, following specific rules. The Sunday truce for example, or basically anything Omar does (that guys a walking code of honour). Can you picture Avon stealing that candy, or Stringer. Definitely not Omar, remember the time he robs the stash in that store and then pays for cigarettes?
I think David Simon is demonstrating more than just the differences between these characters. I think that when Stanfield says "it's the other way," he's speaking to us as viewers as well. Most of the characters in The Wire, despite being involved in the drug trade, or crooked police, or part of the structure perpetuating suffering, are sympathetic. We like Avon, we like Omar, we like Brother Muzone. Stringer, maybe not so much, but he is closer morally to Marlo than the others. Marlo is reminding us of the reality. The "game" we see on the Wire, the one Bodie talks about when he is reminiscing about the days before Marlo, is idealized, romanticized, just like what we're watching. The unprincipled reality that we see briefly through Marlo is probably much closer to the real thing than the rest of the show.
Despite the tragedy of the cycle apparent in The Wire, we see Marlo getting "justice" at the end of the series (and here I am deriving from another YouTube comment), through the ruin of his name. This, with the cast of likeable drug dealers and crooked cops, serves to remind us that although this series is closer to reality than the vast majority of crap on TV, we're still watching extremely well written and socially important television. It's still entertainment, and we are seeing it one way, but it's probably the other way.

Now That's Police

In my most recent viewing I caught a few good references. First, Omar and his new boy are sitting in their place when the surviving of the two girls they have been working with walk in. She is distraught about bunk getting to the dead girls family, BUT, what are Omar and his boy watching on TV? OZ I don't know which episode, but it is something heartfelt between Beacher and Keller.
Second, and I think you may have brought this up before. Mrs.Carcetti is listening to Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Vol.1 - Hoodoo Voodoo.
I also noticed that Nike Under Armor must be one of the selected wardrobe designers because everyone is wearing it.

For the last 3 weeks I have been one of a team of bitches for a construction site foreman. My job involves a great deal of lifting broken up by some sweeping. BUT, next week I am starting as a "carpenter's aid", or at least that's what the ad claimed.

A Slight Drought

It's actually been a week or more since I've seen any of McNutty and the gang. Working sucks and I am plotting a scheme to make it so I never have to do it again. When I get something assembled I will be sure to post it...first thing. Going to bed at like 11 really puts a damper on watching The Wire. I have been coming home to eat, try and keep track of some investments, and hopefully watch hockey while listening to Black Sabbath.
BTW Colvin's "Hamsterdam" comes to light some time halfway through the third Season. I like the way you see the idea develop with his character and the epiphany which starts his reveolution. I also like that his character gives the viewer some history with McNulty or "bushy top".

Got to man, this's America...

So, I was thinking about the over-arching themes of the whole series, and I remembered the first scene, first episode, before the opening credits. In it, McNulty talks to some thug at sitting on the stoop, and asks why, if Snot always snagged the cash from the game, they kept letting him play. His answer, of course, is "Got [...] America. Well, this statement is logically questionable in the scenario laid out, but it does point nicely to some of the American ideal that the creators of the series are questioning throughout. Specifically, I'm thinking of the meritorious and equal opportunity aspects of the ideal American state. That is, by working hard and being good at ones job, one will advance to the position one deserves. Ideally, merit is the driver of the system of advancement. What I think is interesting is that in the series, the of the two systems we are presented with (criminal organizations vis a vis the three arms of the law judicial/executive/legislative), one seems to embody that ideal in much more closely than the other.
I refer specifically to the way that the slingers and hoppers etc move upward in their respective organizations, and even the way their leader replace and succeed one another. It seems to me that the most common way is by being good at what they do. Prop Joe, Slim Charles, Marlo, Barksdale, Bell, etc. all got to where they were by being shrewd and careful. Cheese, on the other hand, is a bit of an idiot and thinks in a very limited way about his business future. And he's capped pretty quickly.
On the other hand, the cops, media, lawyers, and politicians that move upward successfully seem to be largely good at something other than their jobs. This is not to say they are categorically bad at them, but along with being at least mildly competent, they all possess a conniving, selfish drive to move upward at almost any cost. I realize that on both sides there are exceptions to this rule, but the overall feeling I got was that, in the sense of America as a Meritorious, rather than Elitist State, the street seemed to embody in a much clearer way the sentiment expressed in that first episode.
Part of this may be due to the fact that many of the politicians etc were either born into money of some fashion, or into political connection etc. This is definitely conducive to the propagation of an elitist system. However, if we look at the best cops, Kema, McNulty, Lester, Bunk,etc, it seems that the ones that are actually good at their jobs are not moving vertically in the system, rather their unwillingness to play the game seems to get them moved laterally or downward. What does this say about the effects of large scale government on a supposedly meritorious system? To what extent can politicians actually represent the people, and does the best man for the job ever get elected, or is it the best looking, most connected man for the job. The answers are probably pretty depressing, even in places where the effects are far less severe than West Baltimore.

H B crOssover

So, anyone who's watched any more than one HBO show probably realizes that there is a lot of actor sharing going on. What I just discovered, though, is that one of the most interesting and thought provoking plot lines in The Wire was first used in the Oz series. I'm speaking of the Hamsterdam experiment Bunny Colvin implements in Season 5? of the wire. The precursor is in Season 5? of Oz, when Tim is fired and Querns (played by the same guy who does Carcetti's advisor in the Wire) decides to try ignoring drugs and sex etc. as long as there is no violence. Are the violence and suffering that accompany the drug trade the real thing that provokes "The War on Drugs," or is it the drugs themselves? Which, morally, should we object to, and why? The drugs or the social effects, some if which can be attributed to the enforcement of drug law and not the sale of narcotics per se.

George Washington Carver

I totally agree with you. The scope moving from effect to cause allows Simon to touch on many of the issues regarding to the drug trade/justice departments. Do you think that "The War On Drugs" may have been the motif in deciding where to move the series?

Do you ever think of who might be polar-corresponding characters? Is there a term for that? The obvious match up is Herc & Carver with Bodie & Poot. Each pair looks at the game from the bottom up and don't put themselves to scheming or climbing. Both a pair of bald soldiers do the dirty work for the men above. Not always understanding the means, but tirelessly providing it.

Man, fucking McNulty. Cj told me that she didn't find McNulty entirely believable, nd I kind of see what she means. He is staggeringly self-absorbed to a point where it comes off as forced. Like in season 3 when can't tolerate them coming of Stringer Bell, even after more than a year of dead ends and dead wires. The character just seems too extreme to be real.

I think just a look a Daniels would tie in to the thought of effect to cause well.
I'm going to have come back at you with at why though.

Some key new terminology I am going to have to look in to:
Gash Hound. As in Tommy "The Gash Hound" Carcetti.
Dress to the Left. I heard Rhonda say that to Daniels while he was flirting with her in her office and I needed to find out what it meant.
Dress Left For Success


There is also a scene where Bunk get stuck worker the case to find Dozer's lost service weapon and he is in the office talking to..Jay I think. The only lead he has is that someone named peanut had bought it on the street. So he is looking through a list of Peanuts and Jay is jeering him about finding it and he's all "What do I look like George Washington Carver or some shit?"
I laughed out loud.

WTf Slam Piece?

The Movement of the Seasons

On the topic of Levy being the real villian: I think you're probably on to something. I'd have to watch the series again (which I will), but it seems to me that the the show moves from bottom to top, or from outside in, or perhaps from effect to cause. That is, season 1, the drug trade, is one of the effects of the politicing corruption in the goverment, all boiling down to greed at much higher levels than the top drug dealers. We move from the street to the docks to the cops, and then to the politicians who, with alot of noise, fail to change anything. And then, finally, in season 5, we get the real problem, the law, the government, the politicians, and the way public perception limits in every way the only tools that are at the police' and the education systems' disposal to find a solution to the problems the whole series was examining. I think David Simon did an admirable job of following the problem up, not resting full blame on anyone, but doing a great job in showing how everyone is complicit, to some degree or another, and how this prevents any one agency from really solving anything. It would be very interesting to re-watch this series with a focus on the way Simon structures the plot, with special attention to the content of each season, what each agency can and cannot accomplish, and particularly to try to extract a reason for the order in which he chose to deliver each season, ie. drugs, docks, cops, politics, press/education/government.

So I've been ruminating and...

Oh man.
I gotta say, S2E6, Omar testifying on Birds court case, probably my favorite scene in the whole series. Fucking Stringer Bell gets his mouth soured, Bird flips his lid and the gawking face of Levy to Omar's riposte hallmarks Mr.Little's repertoire.
Levy is the true villain in Baltimore. A distinguished and respected member of the court who uses that notoriety to save the guilty from their punishments? Comparatively, Stringer Bell is just a business man in a ruthless industry, and Avon, a politician. They came into the game through birthright and inevitable see their ends in it. I believe their characters to be products of their environment; they're archetypes to a timeless system of order. Levy aspired to his position and knowingly defected to aid the people that the institution's he upheld where contrived to oppose.
I suppose if the war on drug was a real war, he'd be a profiteer.

CJ wants you to know that she doesn't like Stringer. I'd tried to attest to his rational fears and stunning manly virtues, but she can't see past him callin' the hit and then sleepin' wit' the man's woman.

Almost done....

So I'm almost finished the series, and then (hopefully) Liza and I will sync our viewing schedules with yours. What epi are you on now? Did you see my comment on your last post. I just noticed a rad connect: In episode one of season 5, Gus explains the term "evacuated" to Alma, how one can't evecuate people, only places. Then, in the second last episode, McNulty explains the same thing to another detective on a homeless murder. Makes me wonder how much I'm missing.

That shit is right.

I love the scene's where Freeman blows everyone away with his case making discoveries when everyone sees him as a "cuddly house cat". He's Police.
In the last episode I watched Omar finds out his boy's been got, McNulty takes down Bird and finds out the Major is after his badge, and Avon is skulking around for fear of his life.
I am surprised they didn't go more in depth with Avon. They do have some heartfelt moments with him and D, but aside from having many mistresses, all we really know is he's the king and a man to his kin. Though maybe that is what defines it from The Sopranos, in that the story isn't about the hierarchy of organized crime, but a panoramic view of the drug war taking place in West Baltimore.

Steve 'fucking' Earle was also in my last episode, but I don't think that Method Man shows up until Season 2.

So I got my Iphone now, it's the polar opposite to what I am coming from. For it I registered on Mapmyride.com and synced it with my phone. Are you on that site? I've kind of been into fitness for the last while so I am going to see how long I maintain interest in it.

Plus long rides with a map is a better way of getting to know Halifax.

"A patrolling officer on his beat is the one true dictatorship in America." Fucking brilliant. It's always disappointing not to get the awe and reverence one hopes for upon showing ones significant other what is perhaps the second best television series ever made (the first being Deadwood). Ah well. I'm well into season four now, and seriously planning to start again with a pen and paper and some wikipedia while I watch. It's surprising how many of the characters or at least character names are based on real people (Denis Wise, Clarence Royce etc.) Hows the 'Fax, what episode are you guys on, and why don't girls know brilliant television when their boyfriends make them watch it?

What did I do?

I started Ceej on her journey through Baltimore today. It wasn't as griping as I had hoped it would be for her; she almost groaned at the mention of 5 seasons. She claims to be commited though, and I can expect to be done the first season by next week I'll bet.

We have come close to settling in to Halifax. Aside from buying a new bed and a
dresser, all of Cj's old stuff is still here. Our new roomate doesn't come out of her room much while her exboyfriend is the only person I really know here, so I doubt he'll be over much. It's rained alot and my bikes are in a sort of disrepair, but in the coming days I plan to hit the roads, WITH A HELMET, cause it's the law here.

Also, my pirated dvds fall short of on the quality and by the end of the first episode it was skipping. WHAT! My Chinese knockoffs fail to emulate their legitimate cousins? Well, I won't feign surprise.

So what is McNulty's connection to that judge? It appears that he isn't looking to instigate the anything, but every time he see's that judge he stir's it up. He say's that he and him "go way back" but it isn't like they would have served in Western together. I can't think of any family background kind of stuff they give on McNulty, so maybe that's all we get: "way back"...

Rawls!

In the gay bar, Season 3 episode 10: 40 minutes 52 seconds in. Crazy. Also, during one of the Carcetti family scenes we get Billy Bragg and Wilco on the stereo. For a show that uses mostly in-show music rather than soundtrack sort of stuff, someone's got some pretty sweet taste. I'm thinking of the Palace poster and Iggy Pop in season 2 as well...

Fucking Toronto

So I am in Dave and Leanne's apartment in Toronto. 

Dave suggests that another subject of our blog be "Trapped in The Closet" by R.Kelly, Whadaysay?

I watched it and found it pretty entertaining, but apparently there is a sequel. ALSO, he has some youtube video's title "Real Talk"

Anyway, it's to hot to sleep here, but I'm going to try anyway.

So I was looking at Dominic West's (McNutty's) IMDB and saw a seperate listing from The Wire called The Wire: Chronicles. It touches on a few pre-series character lines.
I also read about Fellicia 'Snoop' Pearson, that she grew up on the street and was convicted of murder. She is a good character too, the scene with her shopping in the Hardware store is a good cultural juxtaposition. They also mention one of the side character's, a church Deacon I kind of remember, who apparently used to be on of the drug Kingpin's of Baltimore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtvgw4xbRqo

Also, McNulty was in Star Wars Ep 1. Now I have to rewatch terrible movie to find him.

Omar!

First off, Omar is the best character is the series. Hands down. Guess how old that actor is? 30? 40? Nope, he's 43. Holy crap. I thought he was younge than 30 for sures. He's also straight and dropped out of high school to be a dancer, and was homeless for a while. Mad cred. Great party.

This is the funniest thing I have seen in a while.

Shiiiiiiite. I don't if could roll up on those corners in my 92 Honda Accord Station Wagon.
I also saw Ian McShane on a brief CBC new series plug. I don't know what it is, but his IMDB say's he's got a series called "King's" with Macaulay Culkin.

Anyway. What are you doing Friday night AND Saturday night?
Dillon and I wanna Jam once more on Friday, and Saturday I'm going to buy a Keg of Grasshopper, wanna pitch 30$?

Directions, just in case I need to pop by....

Calgary, AB

1.	Head north on Centre St NW toward 7 Ave NE		1.3 km
2.	Turn right at 16 Ave NE/HWY-1 E Continue to follow HWY-1 E Entering Saskatchewan		690 km
3.	Exit onto HWY 39/SK-39 toward Weyburn		68.6 km
4.	Turn right at HWY 39/HWY 6 Continue to follow HWY 39 Entering United States (North Dakota)		195 km
5.	Continue on W Railway Ave/US-52 Continue to follow US-52		12.0 km
6.	Turn left at ND-5/US-52 Continue to follow US-52		126 km
7.	Continue on US-2		17.4 km
8.	Take the US-52 Bus/US-52 ramp to Minot/Jamestown		0.6 km
9.	Turn right at Hwy-52 S/County Hwy-19/US-52 Continue to follow US-52		161 km
10.	Turn left at ND-200/US-52		27.3 km
11.	Turn right to stay on ND-200/US-52		11.3 km
12.	Turn right at 4th Ave N/US-281/US-52 Continue to follow US-281/US-52		69.1 km
13.	Turn right at 1st Ave N/US-281/US-52		1.5 km
14.	Turn left at 10th St SE/I-94 Bus		1.2 km
15.	Slight right at I-94 Bus		1.7 km
16.	Continue on Business Loop E		0.3 km
17.	Take the ramp onto I-94 E/US-52 E Entering Minnesota		508 km
18.	Take the exit on the left onto I-694 E		38.3 km
19.	Take exit 58B for I-694/I-494/US-12/I-94 toward Madison		0.5 km
20.	Keep left at the fork to continue toward I-94 E/US-12 E and merge onto I-94 E/US-12 E Continue to follow I-94 E Entering Wisconsin		399 km
21.	Continue on I-39 S/I-90 E (signs for I-90/Chicago/I-39) Continue to follow I-90 E Partial toll road Passing through Illinois Entering Indiana		286 km
22.	Take exit 21 to merge onto I-94 E toward Detroit Partial toll road Entering Michigan		223 km
23.	Take exit 108 for I-69/I-94 toward Lansing/Ft Wayne		0.3 km
24.	Keep left at the fork, follow signs for I-69 and merge onto I-69 N		56.2 km
25.	Take the exit onto I-69 N/I-96 W toward Gd Rapids/Lansing		9.9 km
26.	Take exit 91 to merge onto I-69 N toward Flint Partial toll road Entering Canada (Ontario)		199 km
27.	Continue on King's Hwy 402 Partial toll road		104 km
28.	Merge onto King's Hwy 401/MacDonald-Cartier Fwy Entering Quebec		642 km
29.	Continue on Route 20 E		29.0 km
30.	Continue on QC-540 N/Route 540 N (signs for Mirabel/QC-40/QC-540)		4.1 km
31.	Take the QC-40 exit on the left toward Montréal/Mirabel		0.1 km
32.	Keep right at the fork to continue toward QC-40 E/TC E and merge onto QC-40 E/TC E		48.3 km
33.	Take exit 80-S for QC-25/T-C Hwy toward QC-20		0.6 km
34.	Merge onto QC-25 S/TC E Continue to follow TC E Entering New Brunswick		517 km
35.	Continue on Route 2 Entering Nova Scotia		515 km
36.	Continue on HWY-104 E Partial toll road		106 km
37.	Take exit 15 to merge onto Hwy 102 S/NS-102 S toward Truro/Halifax		75.0 km
38.	Continue on Hwy 118 S (signs for Dartmouth/111/Halifax/107/118)		15.4 km
39.	Continue on Woodland Ave		1.3 km
40.	Turn left at Victoria Rd		0.6 km
41.	Turn right at Nantucket Ave		0.4 km
42.	Slight right to stay on Nantucket Ave		85 m
43.	Continue on Angus L. MacDonald Bridge Toll road		1.6 km
44.	Turn right onto the ramp to Barrington St		48 m
45.	Sharp right at Barrington St		1.2 km
46.	Take the ramp to Barrington St		0.2 km
47.	Slight right at Barrington St		0.6 km

Halifax, NS