Hollywood’s scripts always call for a protagonist. Margin Call has none.
Raymond Alvarez: The film Margin Call has to be regarded as a distorted reflection of reality. Just as Michael Douglas stood before a soon-to-be-fired audience in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street, declared greed good, rationalization has become a mainstay. At the end of the day, we’re just cannon fodder.
Continue reading… “The dark hours before the storm: “Margin Call””
Raymond Alvarez: “We are a nation of laws.”
There was a time when another nation found itself confronted with unwanted visitors who ignored their laws. The people fought these squatters and went on to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Cherokee Nation initially lost its case, but won on subsequent appeal.
The process of creating art can take less than an hour or go well into extra innings, extending across years as the artist returns to a work that isn’t complete. Da Vinci’s beguiling Mona Lisa was a work in progress when he died.
Raymond Alvarez: Professionals and students alike may wonder what interest an artist/writer has in learning Ruby on Rails. My quick answer is it can’t hurt. The real answer is coming to me.
Continue reading… “Trust the Process”
Raymond Alvarez: Can you imagine the world if Mozart was unable to record his music? How tragic that would be to lose something that belongs to all generations.
Fortunately, his music survived to our day and has been masterfully reprised and recorded in different formats. I wonder, though, if we are not aware of or have forgotten the lesson of preserving Mozart’s music and the great trove of art and knowledge of civilization. A few have not.
Continue reading… “Our Rosetta Stone”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.