The CCP creating dystopias of suppression, control, surveillance, and attempted corruption of culture in Tibet. Much like Hong Kong. It’s just what they do. Good read, and on-the-ground report.

Because, Mr Barnett says, Beijing "wants to turn the lion of Tibetan culture into a poodle".

"It wants to remove things it perceives as risky and replace them with things it believes Tibetans ought to be thinking about; patriotism, loyalty, fealty. They like the singing and dancing – the Disney version of Tibetan culture."
"We don't know how much will survive," Mr Barnett concludes.

The eagle flies on Friday! 🦅

Wow. Though I understand how low the chances are this half-ton spacecraft will hit a populated area… there's also no reason it couldn't. It's exactly like the subplot in Megalopolis — spookily so. Designed to survive intact through atmospheric entry, so it's not going to burn up on re-entry. Hopefully it impacts somewhere in the ocean, which is most probable 🛰️

Had the craziest, coolest dream. Floating through one of my dream cities working with “design agencies” who were insanely artistic. Making film posters, music albums, some of them painting. I think they were making “local movies” that would be released just in the city, like say ad campaigns would be.

Basically fits exactly what I think creative agencies should be in spirit, in real life.

They were also talking a lot and very excited about “the future of animated GIFs,” which I was trying to talk them out of, hilariously – though, from what I remember they were making very cool animated GIFs, so it was difficult.

Revisiting Gene Hackman’s filmography. Was confident I’d have seen every great performance. Nope! Somehow found two that had escaped my attention:

I Never Sang for My Father (1970)
Fits into the same mould as On Golden Pond, concerned with ageing, losing basic competences, and losing parents. And not only is Hackman’s performance great (and atypical for him), the co-lead performance from Melvyn Douglas, who plays his father, is right up there with him.

Night Moves (1975)
Almost a bookmark for the tail end of New Hollywood, which Arthur Penn also started with Bonnie and Clyde. And maybe the most perfectly cast role I’ve seen Hackman play, next to Unforgiven. Superb “examination of American society” drama akin to Nashville in spirit, but in the form of a tense neonoir thriller.