cklablog

Here is a brief overview of the life of Count Dante, told in the context of this filmmaker’s documentary about the man.

Webb imagines the film will reflect (Count Dante’s) era as much as the man himself. “It’s the times,” Webb says. “His story embodies every kind of macho popular culture bull crap. It’s got discos and Rush Street and pet lions. . . . You can’t write shit this good.”

I wholeheartedly agree. Disco, a pet lion, a hair salon, fine foxes, ludicrous karate master claims and good old fashioned bare-kuckle fights at the blood-and-guts tournaments of the 60s and 70s . . . this story has it all.

One caveat, however; if you say ‘bull crap,’ why go on to say ’shit’ in the next sentance? Isn’t that like calling someone a ‘gol-durned motherfucker’? It’s like if Roy Williams had Tourette’s Syndrome.

I’m currently reading this book, given to me by my lovely wife for my 38th birthday. She knows that Carrivagio is my best. Painter. Evar. This is only partially due to his technique; in fact, I probably prefer Diego Velazquez or Rembrant for skill and vision. You see, I like Carrivago for he fact that he was as deadly as Count Dante (although his weapon of choice was a sword, not his fingertips).

Michelangelo Merisi de Carrivagio was a duelist; a scofflaw murderer and a pugnacious street-tough who rendered his subjects with an uncompromising naturalism that would make him the most hated and influential Italian painter of his day. Carrivagio was larger than life. He had talent, he had vision, he had severe mental health problems, and he had enemies.

If you decide to pick up The Lost Painting, you’ll get a portrait of the life of Carrivagio, as well as a more detailed picture of the lives of the historians who are trying to peer through the fog of 400 years in order to better understand his work and his life.

Highly reccomended.

Where do you think Count Dante has his county? Italy?

OR TRANSYLVANIA?

From the Wall Street Journal:

Romeo Miller is a 5-foot-10 point guard with a bad knee. He has never played a full season of high-school basketball. This season, he averaged 8.6 points a game for Beverly Hills High School, which finished last in its league.

But next fall, the 18-year-old will suit up for the University of Southern California, a program in the tough Pac-10 conference. And he will receive a full basketball scholarship valued at $44,400 a year.

. . . The scholarship, which is the talk of college recruiters, is a perfect L.A. story, intermingling money, show business and basketball. Besides being an average point guard, Mr. Miller is an actor and singer known as Lil’ Romeo, and the son of a wealthy music mogul. Some question whether the Millers took advantage of their resources — and their relationship with Demar DeRozan of Compton, Calif., one of the top high-school basketball players in America — to win the scholarship over more talented and less privileged athletes.

. . .Yet the school broke no rules, and Tim Floyd, USC’s basketball coach, makes no apologies about Mr. Miller’s potential to sell tickets. “We may have more 11- to 17-year-old girls in the stands than we’ve had in the past,” he says.

. . . Romeo, the oldest of Percy and Sonya Miller’s seven children, has been acting since the age of 11. From 2003 to 2006, he starred in “Romeo!,” a Nickelodeon series that his father produced. He is also a successful hip-hop artist, and has sold 1.5 million albums since 2001.

This is such a typical example of how Things Really Work in LA it’s not even extremely funny.

1. You’re mediocre.
2. Your father is wealthy and powerful.
3. You’re kind of famous because your father actually produced TV shows for you to be in.
4. You want to play Div 1 basketball, but you’re not really good enough.
5. Your father therefore puts you into a “package deal” with a really talented player from the ‘hood.
6. The coach and university roll over and ask for more.

Now, lest I be thought a hypocrite, may I point out that this is not any more shady than hiring somebody’s dad to get a player (Chalmers and Manning, I’m looking at you), but it is a uniquely Los Angeles scenario.

What will happen if Floyd never plays young Romeo the Star ™? Or will he be able to not play Romeo the Star ™?

Here’s to hoping they suck.

Tim Floyd
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or if thou wilt not, be but still on the bench
And I’ll no longer be an Idiot.

Romeo
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Tim Floyd
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy:
Thou art thyself, though never a very good player.
What’s in your Game? It is nor hand nor foot,
Nor arm nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O be some other name!

What’s in a name? That which we call a scrub
By any other word would ride the pine;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that rank mediocrity which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
and for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Sit your ass on that bench and hand people towels.

Missouri Men’s Basketball made their final road trip of the 2007-2008 season this weekend, as the Tigers traveled to Norman Oklahoma where they allegedly gave Oklahoma a basketball game before allegedly losing 75-66.

Details are still unclear, but a hearing to review the loss has been scheduled for their return to Colombia.