We might as well do some pimping for <i>The Deal</i>
Posted by Prof. Goose on June 16, 2005 - 6:03am
As I am receiving no compensation for this gesture, and in my judgment such a movie may be worth mentioning, I am going to post some information on a new movie entitled "The Deal." I've seen it mentioned a few places, but we might as well post something about it here as well.
From what I have read about it, it sounds like just the kind of pop-culture-and-norm-questioning vehicle for ideas I've advocated here before, kind of like "The Day After Tomorrow" did for global warming. It's a good idea, at least it might get more conversations going.
Here's a paragraph from an email I received from a friend of the movie The Deal.
The movie is called The Deal; it's basically a cautionary tale set on Wall Street, written and produced by ex-Wall Street execs, about the depths to which our country may be forced to descend if we don't kick the fossil fuel habit and develop a real 21st century energy policy. The cast is fairly high profile (Christian Slater, Selma Blair, Robert Loggia, John Heard) and passionate (everyone involved pitched in for a small fraction of what they normally make to get the picture made). Because it plays, for the most part, like a conventional thriller, we think it could be an ideal vehicle for progressives to take their conservative acquaintances to. As a result, we've been trying to load up the movie's site (http://www.thedeal-movie.com) with questions and facts progressives can raise with friends or family after seeing the film together, as well as books and websites they can recommend.
Here's some blurbage for the movie from the website mentioned above:
"Written by a former vice president of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in collaboration with the former head of the Goldman Sachs Oil and Gas department, The Deal is a wake-up call for America. Against the backdrop of a Middle East oil war against radical fundamentalists, The Deal tells the story of a proposed merger between an American and a Russian oil company, and the lengths and depths to which our country will find itself forced to descend in pursuit of the next "black crack fix" unless we dramatically change our ways.
What's more, it's a film you can and should take your moderate and conservative friends to—an entertaining thriller with top-notch stars and a healthy dollop of sex and violence. Made on a shoestring budget rather than allow the major studios to water down its message (or focus group it to death), The Deal also paints an unusually realistic portrait of Wall Street, providing the first clear window on a world that has long fascinated many.
Bottom line: in addition to great entertainment, The Deal is a terrific jumping off point for serious discussions about the real crisis our country will face long before the first Social Security check bounces, and what to do about it."
Well, hell, as long as there's a healthy dollop of sex and violence, I'm in.
At least then it has a chance of being paid attention to by our culture, eh?
Go to the postings for today
Technorati Tags: peak oil, oil
From what I have read about it, it sounds like just the kind of pop-culture-and-norm-questioning vehicle for ideas I've advocated here before, kind of like "The Day After Tomorrow" did for global warming. It's a good idea, at least it might get more conversations going.
Here's a paragraph from an email I received from a friend of the movie The Deal.
The movie is called The Deal; it's basically a cautionary tale set on Wall Street, written and produced by ex-Wall Street execs, about the depths to which our country may be forced to descend if we don't kick the fossil fuel habit and develop a real 21st century energy policy. The cast is fairly high profile (Christian Slater, Selma Blair, Robert Loggia, John Heard) and passionate (everyone involved pitched in for a small fraction of what they normally make to get the picture made). Because it plays, for the most part, like a conventional thriller, we think it could be an ideal vehicle for progressives to take their conservative acquaintances to. As a result, we've been trying to load up the movie's site (http://www.thedeal-movie.com) with questions and facts progressives can raise with friends or family after seeing the film together, as well as books and websites they can recommend.
Here's some blurbage for the movie from the website mentioned above:
"Written by a former vice president of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in collaboration with the former head of the Goldman Sachs Oil and Gas department, The Deal is a wake-up call for America. Against the backdrop of a Middle East oil war against radical fundamentalists, The Deal tells the story of a proposed merger between an American and a Russian oil company, and the lengths and depths to which our country will find itself forced to descend in pursuit of the next "black crack fix" unless we dramatically change our ways.
What's more, it's a film you can and should take your moderate and conservative friends to—an entertaining thriller with top-notch stars and a healthy dollop of sex and violence. Made on a shoestring budget rather than allow the major studios to water down its message (or focus group it to death), The Deal also paints an unusually realistic portrait of Wall Street, providing the first clear window on a world that has long fascinated many.
Bottom line: in addition to great entertainment, The Deal is a terrific jumping off point for serious discussions about the real crisis our country will face long before the first Social Security check bounces, and what to do about it."
Well, hell, as long as there's a healthy dollop of sex and violence, I'm in.
At least then it has a chance of being paid attention to by our culture, eh?
Go to the postings for today
Technorati Tags: peak oil, oil
“Data always beats theories. 'Look at data three times and then come to a conclusion,' versus 'coming to a conclusion and searching for
some data.' The former will win every time.”
—Matthew Simmons, ASPO-USA conference, Boston, MA, October 26, 2006
Contact
- Content: editors at theoildrum dot com
- Tech support: support at theoildrum dot com
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Looks like in reality the USA compaies are too late already as Russia is already being merged with by the Chinese, PetroSur, India, Japan, Iran, and Western Europe. From my perspective, the plot would look better if the Deal was made with China.
More to the point, there's no one left to make a Deal with, at least the type of deal proposed by the movie. Another Deal is possible, one that works to cooperatively Power Down and aggressively reduce carbon emmissions.
There's a little more than 17 months till the 2006 elections. The easiest offices to run for are at the city and state levels. It's one thing to typetalk about Peak and related issues, and quite another to walk it. Bush talks about promoting democracy, but what he and the country (world) need is a very strong jolt of it right here; that's the Real Deal.
karlof--are you suggesting that we all run for state/city offices? :)
I watched the trailer and I'd like to see it but it appears to have a very limited distribution at this point and here in Boulder, Colorado I'd say my chances are seeing it are slim to none.
Also, the reviews page gives us the premise:
"Ruth Epstein's prescient script, penned several years ago, imagines the United States at war in the Middle East, a conflict that has so sharply curtailed oil supply that gasoline goes for $6 a gallon. "
Well, lets see. The United States is indeed at war in the Middle East, there are stories that we (or Israel) are going to bomb Iran's fledgling nuclear program, King Fahd is dying and radicalized Saudis are fighting in Iraq and returning home. According to this insightful piece their aim will be to take down the royal family. The US is currently expanding its military bases in Iraq with an eye toward influencing any regime change in the Kingdom.
A general war in the Middle East seems unlikely but stay tuned....
Well, the old guy here is thinking about running for city council...
I want to make a Peak Oil/Sustainability presentation to our council, and ask them to consider some key changes to city laws (like allowing golf carts on residential streets, with a nice "City Permit" of course. And I want to slow down and restrict development, which most of the people want but the city seems to be trying to always increase our revenue (tax base). If this doesn't get their attention, then I will probably run for council.
I'm open to ideas about the presentation...
Oh yeah, one other thing. Super G and I are going tomorrow. We'll take notes and let you know how it was.
Ianqui,
Sure, run if you can; if not, support as much as you can with your time, which for most local and state electoral contests is more valuable for campaingns than monetary donations (which are still welcome, of course).
J has the right focus; there's much that can be done through city councils.
I say throw all the bumbs out and tear apart the empire. Let the country be made into fifty countries and let the population control what goes on in disney land. Bet that kind of talk gives those repugs and conservatives chills down their spines?? guess what if they keep running the people they way they are its not that far fetched.
Sure you might not see it completely happen but several states will be fighting and ignoring what ever the empire has to say. Its almost there now if you look hard and see whats going on.
JD -
A states rights movement is getting stronger - you're right. But Washington could care less. They take control for granted. Which is why it might get interesting, eh?