A Bullet List of Recent Movies Seen

 Seen the last month or two.

"A"
HER  (re watched in honor of the AI boom) (eg Amazon etc)

SHARPER (AppleTV; Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, caper movie, 8-fold double cross)

GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (US version, Mara Rooney is stellar, Amazon etc)

"B"

DEVILS CONFESSION (Documentary about Eichmann in jerusalem) (Amazon)

YOU PEOPLE (Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy, 'B" comedy about young jewish & black couple, mishaps ensue) (Netflix)

STUTZ (Jonah Hill, documentary about his psychiatrist, author Phil Stutz) (Netflix)

EXPOSING MUYBRIDGE (documentary about the 1800's photographer and legendary rascal) (Eg Amazon etc)

"C"
Movies I personally did not care for

EMPIRE OF LIGHT (1950's setting for british romance/drama) (HBO MAX or $15 elsewhere)

FABELMANS (Steven Spielberg childhood; but last 4 minutes are a hoot, he meets 80ish John Ford) (eg Amazon premium)

     Last 4 minutes:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POgWODZyUGQ    

LAST LAUGH (Take off on Sunshine Boys, new plot, with Richard Dreyfuss and Chevy Chase) (Netlix)

WHIPLASH (about young jazz drummer, won a zillion awards, great filming, I did not care for it) (Eg Amazon etc)

ChatGPT Writes a Consulting Referral Letter

ME:

I work in medical technology consulting.  I am writing a client who has a United States medical testing company, and needs help understanding market entry to the european market.  I am going to refer him to Steven Hull, president of Hull & Associates, which specializes in international marketing of medical products.   i have met Steven at conferences and i am impressed with him, so i can recommend this referral.   Please draft an email from me to my client explaining why i am referring him to someone else.

#### AI RESPONSE / DRAFT / #####

Subject: Referral for International Medical Product Marketing Expert

Dear [Client Name],

I hope this email finds you well. As your medical technology consultant, I am committed to providing you with the best possible solutions to help your company succeed.

I understand that you are looking to enter the European market with your medical testing products, and I believe that the expertise of a specialized international marketing firm would be invaluable in this endeavor.

With this in mind, I would like to refer you to Steven Hull, President of Hull & Associates. I have had the pleasure of meeting Steven at several conferences, and I have been thoroughly impressed with his extensive knowledge and experience in international marketing of medical products. He has a proven track record of helping companies successfully enter new markets and achieve their goals.

I am confident that Steven and his team at Hull & Associates will provide you with the guidance and support you need to navigate the unique challenges of the European market and achieve your objectives. They have a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and cultural nuances, and they have a network of industry contacts that can help you get your products to market quickly and efficiently.

I strongly recommend that you reach out to Steven and discuss your market entry strategy with him. You can contact him at [contact information].

I hope that this referral is helpful to you, and I look forward to hearing about your success in the European market. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

European and US Shower Technology

 The podcast series EASY GERMAN had an episode on February 14, 2023, that featured discussion of American shower heads (almost always fixed above head level) versus European ones (usually detached and on a hose).  Find it here:

https://www.easygerman.org/podcast/episodes/361

This reminded me of something I was reading recently.  Christa Wolf  (Wiki here, 1929-2011) was an East German novelist and essayist.   In 1992-93, she was awarded a fellowship at the Los Angeles Getty Center, with an apartment in Santa Monica.  She memorialized her year in California in 2010 in the book Stadt der Engel oder The Overcoat of Dr. Freud (2010).  Its translation in 2013 (City of Angels) was widely reviewed (NYT, New Yorker, etc.

From Day 1, she hated the shower.

"I climbed into the shower, whose head, unlike in Europe, was attached to the wall, so that "special techniques" were necessary to reach my whole body."

In different words, exactly the same point as made by the Easy German podcasters during their visit to the US.

https://bqwebpage.blogspot.com/2023/02/european-and-us-shower-technology.html

The book is available in paper and ebook in English, and the German choices include audiobook as well (Amazon.de).

ChatGPT Discusses the Movies NETWORK, WAG THE DOG, and HER

 

ChatGPT discusses.

###

Describe the key features of the role of a television journalist is played by the actor, Peter Finch in the movie NETWORK.

In the 1976 film "Network," Peter Finch plays the character of Howard Beale, a television news anchorman. The character of Howard Beale is notable for his unconventional approach to journalism and his willingness to speak out against the powers that be.

Some key features of Howard Beale's character as a television journalist include:

• Passion: Howard Beale is depicted as a passionate and committed journalist, who is deeply committed to the truth and to exposing the injustices of the world.
• Outspokenness: Beale is not afraid to speak his mind and to challenge the status quo, even if it means going against the powers that be. He becomes known for his controversial and outspoken commentary, which often pushes the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in television journalism.
• Iconoclasm: Beale's unorthodox approach to journalism sets him apart from the more conventional and staid journalists of his day. He is depicted as a rebel who is not afraid to challenge the established norms of television news.
• Engagement with the audience: Beale is shown to have a deep connection with his audience, and he is able to use his platform to engage with viewers in a way that few other journalists can. He is depicted as someone who truly cares about the people he is reporting to, and who is motivated by a desire to help them understand the world around them.

Overall, Peter Finch's portrayal of Howard Beale as a television journalist in "Network" is notable for its boldness, its commitment to the truth, and its willingness to challenge the status quo. These qualities helped to make the character of Howard Beale one of the most memorable and iconic figures in the history of television journalism.

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Can ChatGPT Write Obituaries? And Christmas Letters?

Using the artificial intelligence system CHAT GPT.  I asked it to write an obituary for a fictional Georgie the Clown, built on a few provided facts.  

I then asked it to turn back the clock, and write a matching Family Christmas Letter.

###

Georgie was one of the most famous clowns in the United States.  Born in 1907, he briefly attended college at the University of Delaware in drama, before moving to Jacksonville, Florida in 1927 to join the circus.  He apprenticed to some of the greatest clowns of the day.  He developed several novel tricks using glasses of colored water, for which he was well-known.  In the 1950s, he traveled and performed both in Europe and Japan.   In 1940, he married Abbie, who was also a clown.   She soon retired and devoted herself to home-making.   Georgie had 7 children, six outside his marriage.   He retired in 1967 and died in 1990 at the age of 83.

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