Category: ‘Murica AF

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This One’s For You, Fat Elvis

Happy Friday! Dig! says …

The uplifting 89-minute documentary was directed by award-winning filmmaker Mary Wharton (Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President, Sam Cooke: Legend, Elvis Lives!, The Beatles Revolution) and first debuted in March as an Official SXSW 2021 Selection, winning the festival’s Audience Award. The film went on to win Best Documentary Film at the Boulder Film Festival and received widespread critical acclaim throughout the film festival season. The picture digs deeper into 2020’s critically acclaimed certified gold reissue, Wildflowers & All The Rest (Warner Records) which revealed the long anticipated second half of Tom’s autobiographical masterpiece. The film illuminates an artist at the height of his powers, providing an intimate and emotional look at an enigmatic icon with archival footage of Petty and his band in the recording studio, behind-the-scenes on tour, and at home with his family, providing a view of Tom Petty as he has never been seen before.

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Word

A recent letter to the WSJ in response to a Theranos story:

I am a former biotech analyst. Several years ago, the chairman of a client company told me he had seen an interview with Elizabeth Holmes and thought she was terrific and his company would be interested in working with her. He wanted to know what I thought.

Here is what I did: I went to the Theranos website and looked at the management and board of directors. I immediately noticed two red flags: First, the lack of relevant experience in the CEO’s bio, and second, the board appeared to be decorated with famous names unrelated to Theranos’s business.

Next, I called the company and introduced myself to the person who answered the phone. I explained the reason for my call and that I would like to speak to Ms. Holmes or leave her a message. I was told that there was no mechanism by which I could do that or anyone else with whom I could speak. Red flag No. 3.

It took me 10 minutes and cost my client zero dollars. Any life-sciences analyst would have done exactly the same thing and undoubtedly reached a similar conclusion. No rocket science here. So pardon my skepticism at senior members of corporations testifying as to how much money they spent on due diligence. Perhaps it’s time for their shareholders to make a change.

Elizabeth Silverman

Prism Biomedical Research

New York

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No Matter How Hard You Try

You’re not going to make Crocs cool. I somehow got subscribed to a ridiculously overpriced MAN’S MAN clothing and apparel site (Huckberry – the name says it all) not too long ago. Their copywriters breathlessly oversell everything, but this one really made me chuckle.

Crocs are the shoes that can bring everyone together—from the creative directors we follow for style tips, to our parents, to our buddy who’s really into bowhunting. Over the past couple years, their unreasonably comfy slip-ons have floated into our everyday footwear rotations and aren’t leaving anytime soon. Which is why we’ve been looking forward to their new batch of near-weightless clogs outfitted for the colder months with all-terrain soles, cozy sherpa linings, and Realtree and Mossy Oak camo.

No.

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My Word, She’s From Germany

This song has been stuck in my head for the better part of a week, so I might as well share these great lyrics. What happens when you bring your German girlfriend home to meet your Jewish parents?

How I wished my folks were gracious hosts and not dismayed
But wit and wisdom take a backseat girl when you’re that afraid
Oh no, bring her home and the folks look ill
My word, they can’t forget, they never will
They can hear the storm troops on our lawn when I show her in
And the Fuhrer is alive and well in our paneled den
Oh no, bring her home and the folks look ill
My word, they can’t forget that war, what a war

My word, she’s from Germany
Well, it’s the same old country but the people have changed
My word… Germany
With its splendid castles and its fine cuisine

Well, the car I drive is parked outside, it’s German-made
They resent that less than the people who are German-made
Oh no, bring her home and the folks look ill
My word, they can’t forget that war, what a war, some war

My word… Germany
Well, it’s the same old country but the people have changed
My word… Germany
With its splendid castles and its fine cuisine, its lovely German women
And its wonderful rivers that do flow from her hills

My word, she’s from Germany
Well, it’s the same old country but the people have changed
My word, she’s from Germany
With its splendid castles and its fine cuisine
My word, she’s from Germany
Well, it’s the same old country but the people have changed
My word, she’s from Germany
With its splendid castles and its fine cuisine

My word, she’s from Germany
Well, it’s the same old country but the people have changed
My word, she’s from Germany
With its splendid castles, its fine cuisine
Its lovely German women and you and me!

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Moe Tucker Doc

I came across this somewhat recent documentary on Mo Tucker, and it’s really interesting to see how her playing evolved and the weird kit configurations she used. Fortunately, it makes no mention of her late life conversion to kook.