Nevermind about that not posting business. I’ve been inspired again…. I finally saw Helvetica at the IFC Center. A movie about a font. But Helvetica is not just any font. It’s ubiquitous and elegant and modern and universal and clean and everything a font should be. This documentary is eighty minutes of typographic glory. Everyone should see it, if only to open their eyes to the world of type around them.

What IS our problem? It seems to me like the American Dream is the primary problem. It establishes that pervasive sense of “me” over “we” that keeps us mired in this mess. I haven’t felt this acutely frustrated with our nation since I lived in Denmark. It just feels hopeless.

Outside of just the mere fact that the countries he visited have free health care (Canada, Britain, France, Cuba) there were a few points that really were so poignant.

In France: fish and vegetables were the chief household expenses after the mortgage in a middle class family
In Britain: health incentives for doctors, the healthier your patient population (getting patients to quit smoking, lower blood pressure) the higher your salary
In Canada: conservatives still believe in the concept of taking care of those less well off
In Cuba: anything I learned about Cuba is new since I was basically taught that it doesn’t exist

On Monday I will start my job providing high quality health care… to rich people’s pets. Mmmmm love that cognitive dissonance.

Not only does this movie intro have excellent music, but they’ve timed the credits and the movements of the crowd perfectly. RJD2 and a crowd done with photoshop filters? Best.

Another list! These are movies you probably haven’t seen, but should. They’re not necessarily my favorite movies, just good movies. So if you’ve got NetFlix…

The Princess and the Warrior
Trois Couleurs: Bleu, Blanc, Rouge
Goodbye Lenin
The Fog of War
Coma
The Conversation

It’s worth noting that the only reason I’ve seen most of these is my father’s commendable ability to pick good relatively unknown movies to rent. Speaking of my father, I’m leaving for Colorado tomorrow morning for three weeks with my family. I’ll be at a clinic in Vail for two weeks and then (finally) a week of vacation. My brother is getting married the last weekend, so the Cloudman family will soon be +1. Stay tuned for pictures of the trip.