Letters, Wise Guy, and No Doubt
I waited to make sure, but I’m not going to be able to protest this week. Instead, I’m going to send out a letter highlighting New Zealand’s decision to put $6 million toward cultivated-seafood research, and argue the United States should increase its funding for development of the technology.
I only have a couple burner email addresses right now, so hopefully I can get through like half my state newspaper lists before they’re disabled. If you’d like to send your own letters, give this a look: https://slaughterfreeamerica.substack.com/p/how-to-write-letters-to-newspapers-6eb
Anyway, let’s do (Cell) Culture Talk. Here’s what I’ve been watching and listening to lately.
Movie — Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos. I used to rewatch the mob series with relative frequency, but haven’t since the kids were born. So Alex Gibney’s documentary was a treat. There are lots of interesting behind-the-scenes nuggets.
Movie — Love Lies Bleeding. It’s a dark but very good thriller directed by Rose Glass. Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian star as a couple who try to cover up the murder of a domestic abuser. The ending takes an unexpected turn.
Movie — American Fiction. Cord Jefferson’s debut is an excellent comedic drama about a black author, played by Jeffrey Wright, who writes what he intends to be a satirical novel, but which is taken seriously by white readers.
Music — Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt. I bought the CD after it appeared on Rolling Stone’s original list of the 500 greatest albums. I enjoy the 1990s ska sound. The genre seems to have become kind of a punchline in recent years.
Podcast — WTF with Marc Maron. It’s been a long time since I checked in on the show. YouTube served me some of the comedian’s standup and I realized I missed Maron’s sense of humor and surprisingly vulnerable interviews with celebrities. Lock the gates!
Sports — Mitchell Robinson will be out until December or January. I haven’t been plugged into Knicks news much over the summer, but this seems tough with Isaiah Hartenstein gone. I guess New York might play Julius Randle at center some?