The spin is in

I listened to this story awhile ago on This American Life
The Fix Is In (2000)

About an international price-fixing conspiracy for lysine and other amino acids that are used in food production. One of the executives involved ended up spilling it to the FBI because he figured the FBI is quite savvy and would figure it out while he was under investigation for something else. Eventually, he comes to the realization that the FBI probably wouldn't have discovered it and being an informant is a really big hassle.

Hollywood turned the story into a comedy starring Matt Damon.
The Informant (2009)

Source: www.moviewallpaper.net

Blockbuster in Sunnyvale is going out of business and I picked up a copy for 99 cents.
It's pretty funny. I think it helps hearing the radio story so you don't miss any subtleties in the movie.

The movie portrayed Mark Whitacre as confident, talkative, a bit aloof, not a very good listener (especially to his lawyers) and a compulsive liar that nearly destroyed his company. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but still sentenced to federal prison for embezzlement (a practice that may have been common among executives at the company).

You would think after that unpleasant portrait was disseminated into the public he wouldn't be able to get a job... but he's currently COO of another company.

The movie didn't get great reviews but I still enjoyed it.

Waste Land Perspective

I watched the documentary Waste Land last night.
Half watching, half surfing the internet and doing laundry, but probably a third into the movie I dropped everything and just watched.

Perspective.

Waste Land Trailer. 2010.

The documentary follows a couple different people that work picking out recyclable material in the largest landfill in the world outside of Rio, Brazil. They were each beautiful, good-natured and geniune. Though the work is physically demanding and others may shun such a job because they are digging through garbage and get on the bus smelling like garbage, they all talked about dignity. An artist recruits some of them to create portraits of themselves using the materials they collect each day. Images of the creations are auctioned and shown in museums and the money goes back to the people.

One woman with beautiful skin talked about a recent breakup. She teared up. My heart moved with her. The interviewer made a comment about well, you make good money. She said US$20-25 a day. Sephora.com was open on my browser and I'm pretty sure a large chunk of the products on that site cost more than she makes in a day. A bottle of perfume that costs 4 days wages? Yikes. Money can't buy her beauty.

Each individual ended up working at the landfill for various reasons. During the movie you can see the people transform. A sense of empowerment. Realizing, despite what discouragement they received in the past, they can do something great. Art has that kind power. 

http://www.wastelandmovie.com/

Consumer

“We’re consumers. We are bi-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don’t concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy’s name on my underwear.”

Know what I'm referring to?

Jbear got a new sound system so his entertainment system is finally complete.
 

What a guy. 

Mismatched couches, probably picked up from the side of the road, and two bowls, one chipped.

But I can see every flaw MAC is trying to camouflage on each reality star's face.

And the intro to COD feels like I just paid to experience a bit of Hollywood.

On to the next room?

I enjoying perusing the pages of Dwell but I think I could live with mismatched couches.

I like that about him. Some things just aren't so urgent and important.

Majority of the world lives on much less.

Back to the question.

Yup. Fight Club.

I got him his favorite movie to test out the system.

How fitting. 

A film raging on consumerism in celebration of his new purchase.

“The things you own end up owning you.”