Game of Thrones: Episode 9 'Baelor'

SPOILERS:

When I first read Game of Thrones I was 16 and spent a lot of time reading fantasy novels. Fantasy is a fun genre but it tends to follow a predictable formula. The farm boy turns out to be destined for greatness and overcomes all odds to triumph against insurmountable odds OR the noble soldier defeats the wicked queen with grit and a bit of luck.

With the death of Ned Stark George RR Martin announced to the fantasy world that he would not be bound by convention. A Song of Ice and Fire really serves a rejection of all the familiar fantasy clichés and archetypes. When they announced the HBO series the death of Ned immediately became my primary concern. It works well on the page and in the scope of a 5000+ page narrative but could it work for TV? HBO built the marketing campaign around Sean Bean and he is easily the most recognizable actor. I can not think of any precedent for a TV show killing of the male lead 9 episodes into the story. Will this turn off fans of the show? Will viewers not familiar with the books leave en masse because of the development? It will be interesting to see. Let me know how you are feeling about it I am curious.

Final thought, I thought the scene itself was perfect. The staging and cinematography were beautiful, I think it surpassed the execution scene in the book which is told in a very sterile matter of fact tone.

OTHER LOOSE GOT Thoughts:

PROS:

Visually stunning, The Eyrie, The Wall, Winterfell

Well acted (Bean, Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Maise Williams) All smaller roles as well (Maesters, Bronn)

Well written, they capture all the big moments. Big deaths, duels, cliffhangers etc.

CONS:

Pacing, only 10 eps left things rushed.

Sexposition: Huge data dumps mixed with gratuitous sex usually with whores. I love tits but it was off putting at times.

Dothraki: Unfortunate nobel savage feel.

Concerns for the future:

Scope only gets larger and more ambitious can constraints of TV manage it. CGI Direwolves, battles etc.

My wife is smart

I was struggling to understand the purpose of the Ground Zero ceremony that occurred yesterday. What exactly were we celebrating? The death of Osama Bin Laden? Justice for those who were killed on 9/11? Certainly not the end of the war on terror.

My wife put it another way, that I find much more satisfying. What we witnessed was America's funeral for Osama bin Laden. As strange as it sounds it makes perfect sense.

Something I have noticed

Every ideologue views themselves as the underdog. Facing a ruthless and organized opponent their movement is always teetering on the brink of destruction. Our very way of life is threatened by Christian Fundamentalism or European style Socialism.

Further, the partisan must protect the movement from dangerous appeasers, who would bend the knee for crumbs. Litmus tests are established to determine the purity of ones belief in the cause.

This can extend beyond politics to any dedicated sub culture.

Restaurant Review: Dozzino - Hoboken, NJ

Dozzino an artisinal pizza shop in Hoboken is a great example of a half baked idea. The concept is simple; serve thin crust pizza, made from fresh local ingredients, cooked in a wood burning stove. The minimalist rustic decor is casual and includes an outdoor patio complete with bocce court. Dozzino does not have a liquor license, but BYOB works well with the casual vibe. Knowing about all these elements led me to be very excited about Dozzino, however the actual experience was a bit of let down.

My wife and I arrived at Dozzino at around 7pm on a Saturday. The restaurant was about half full but we were forced to eat at the "bar" because all the available tables were for parties of six or more. In fact, of the 12 tables at Dozzino only four are two tops. Dozzino has a lot of open empty spaces, they certainly could add more tables and it might a good idea. During the course of our meal at least three couples walked out because they could not be seated.

Once seated our server attempted to open our bottle of wine, after destroying the cork he passed us two mason jars and walked away. Earlier I had wondered why a couple walked in with their own wine glasses, I presumed they were the pretentious sort that refused to drink out of anything but Riedl. Now I understand the only glasses Dozzino has are 6 ounce mason jars. The glasses would be cute if I were drinking an orange juice with brunch, but I was drinking wine and I wanted a wine glass.

We ordered Crostini with baby spinach, walnuts, and pecorino romano. They were promptly served but they were rather dry and flavorless. The walnut pieces were too big while the spinach was bland and the romano was hard to identify on the palate. We tried two pizzas the Diavola(Fior di latte, tomato, red pepper, calabrese salami) and the Tomato(Fior di latte, fresh grape, tomato, basil). The pizzas were very good although I would prefer if they were served piping hot. The Diavola is advertised as being spicy and it lived up to its reputation. The salami was really flavorful and I loved the crust which was crisp but not dry. The Tomato was not my cup of tea, I prefer my pizza with sauce. However it was mild alternative to the Diavola.

During our meal we overhead a fellow customer telling the proprietor that the pizza was even better then Grimaldi's. I disagree, Grimaldi's will always be the measuring stick for pizza in Hoboken and I can say with confidence that Dozzino's is no threat to the crown.

The menu at Dozzino is limited to Pizza a few varieties of crostini and a green salad. This is a problem for anyone with a gluten or lactose allergy. A salad with grilled chicken would remedy that gap, but I don't think the folks at Dozzino are looking to serve a wider audience.

While the food was served quickly the service was rather indifferent. I had to ask for our water glasses to be filled and we had to pour our wine. Perhaps that is part of the laid back aesthetic that Dozzino is trying to achieve. However, I have the sense that the young hipster staff at Dozzino's just don't have any experience in the food service industry. They spent a lot of time milling around the kitchen and talking to each other while looking forlorn.

The Yelp reviews include more stories of inexperience/incompetence including an instance when they ran out of silverware and plates. I also learned that if you want to chill your beer or white wine at Dozzino bring your own ice, because they don't have a freezer. Cash is also a must at Dozzino, they except credit cards but the transactions are run through an ipad which charges the card holder an additional $8.50.

All that being said, I would go back to Dozzino under the right circumstances. On a nice summer evening make a reservation for a big group and request a table outside. Bring your wine(and perhaps your glasses) play bocce and order up a variety of tasty pizzas.

Revenge served cold: The death of Osama Bin Laden

I don't believe in closure. Life carries on, no one gets to start over. That being said the death of Osama Bin Laden is a moment of national catharsis.

I had long been a proponent of the theory we missed our chance in Tora Bora and that Bin Laden died quietly in the Afghan hills. I feared that without a confirmed death Bin Laden would live on as a mythical character. Thankfully we were spared that fate but I feel an emptiness inside that is nothing like satisfaction or closure.

I remember how angry I was after 9/11 and how it colored my thinking on all things for a number years , and I can't help but wonder; is this it?

It is not fair to judge how anyone will react in this situation, but I have found some of the jubilation to be misplaced if not inappropriate. Certainly a smile or a toast shared amongst friends and family is warranted, but celebrating in the streets? Please remind me what we have won? What is our great victory?

When I reflect upon the last ten years I think about all the lives lost on 9/11, as well as in London, Madrid, Afghanistan and Iraq. Can one mans head pay for all that? Can one mans death pay for the trillions of dollars we have spent and will continue to spent in pursuit of an amorphous and unknowable enemy? This was not VE day. The war continues, the spector of terrorism remains, and the shining city on the hill will forever seem less bright.

Things I know to be true...ctd

If you are the drunkest guy in the bar you are going home alone, if you are the drunkest girl in the bar you probably aren't.

Things I know to be true

Don't trust people with over 1,000 Facebook friends*

*excludes people born after 1988**

**you probably shouldn't trust someone born after 1988 either