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The Ten Best Films of 2008

I don’t know that we’d say that 2008 was an amazing year for films — there were 8 or 9 really good films, and a couple of great ones (if you’re counting at home, that put Milk at number 11, with apologies). What was sort of nice and unusual in 2008 is that not all of the best films came out during the last two months of the year — our top ten list includes three movies that came out in the Summer and even two that were Spring releases. We’ll say this much — ranking numbers 3 - 10 was a difficult task, as they each fit similarly into the “really good” category, but I honestly don’t think there was any question as to what the number one film would be. The Golden Globes may have largely ignored it, and The Oscars may very well do the same in the Best Picture category, but there wasn’t a chance we were about to disqualify it (or the number four film) simply because they were summer blockbusters.

Without further delay, here are your top 10 films of 2008.

10. doubt: doubt is so predictably good — pulitzer accolade-winning source material, top-level cast, accomplished writer-director, etc. — that it’s serene to pretend not to notice the nuances and generosity notes in the execution that make it truly superior. one of the best measures of a film’s quality is how closely it adheres to the saying that it’s not just what you think, it’s how you say it, and in that regard the film is a fanciful success, a probing, tightly woven, powerfully acted examination of the cost of faith. there’s a deep trustworthiness to the story, a kind of unflinching and soul believable way the film unfolds and the relationships befit wrapped there each other that moves it beyond the area of just some cut or academic treatise on touch and doubt and turns it into a living, breathing, iffy entity. written and directed by john patrick shanley, who adapted his own play, doubt is a fantastically rendered idea of the stage release, revolving around the just the same basic beats and scenes but still accomplished as a movie. it’s so accomplished, and enormously of such casually powerful moments, that it would be easy to write it substandard as “as good as expected,” but to do that would be to cheat the film of the respect and thought it genuinely deserves. — daniel carlson

9. the wrestler: the wrestler lives and dies by the performance of mickey rourke, and it is something to behold. robert d. siegel’s pattern at times feels like an allegory for rourke’s own less-than-glorious career. randy is a hideous mess of a gentleman’s gentleman, a sagging mammoth with peroxide-bleached vince neil hair and a turkey-basted tan. mickey’s plastic-surgery ravaged frown, craggy face, and world-by body annex a depth to the screwball that no cinema star’s makeup-laden smile could have in all cases captured. the wrestler is a blisteringly uncomfortable film to watch, because it’s the story of a man who doesn’t know how to be anything else. rumor had it that nicolas enclose was engaged to be randy the hit, but this is mickey rourke’s film, both figuratively and spiritually. rourke is a fallen superstar, a man who mauled himself in the name of drugs and craft, who keeps lumbering through projects like a lost bear. when randy the ram dons the tights to recapture glory, you feel a little like mickey rourke’s getting his form moment to shine as incredibly. — brian prisco

8. frost/nixon: frost/nixon is the best film ron howard’s ever made, as well as a forceful reflection of his skill as a director and the path he’s bewitching. written by peter morgan, who adapted his own occupy oneself in, frost/nixon is an intelligent, energetic, delightful, wonderfully acted film that benefits as much from howard’s mastery with set-ups and pacing as it does his complete inability to take something and make it his own. it’s a good film carefully because of what howard doesn’t bring to it, or rather, what was already there before he arrived. it’s the kind of deft, spellbinding, skillfully told untruth that could only be directed by a people this invisible. howard is expert to both peel back the artifice inherent in his haziness and also amp it up to the he …
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DO MORE Pakistan

whatever the by virtue of may be that russian invasion in afghanistan, it gave america a chance to have a combat with its rival far from its territory without sacrificing life of a single american soldier. she provided direct / circuitous training / materials and allies made that biting-cold cross swords a religious war. ussr defeated and left …

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Toward a New Vision of Productivity, Part 5: Drowning in Information

this is the fifth instances partly of a 12-part series i will be posting into january 2009, examining the current treaty of productivity and where the concept might be heading in the future. i invite lifehack’s readers to be an active part of this conversation, both in comments here and on your own sites (if you have one). i will also soon announce some other venues where i and several others will be discussing some of the issues raised in this series. stay tuned?

One of the oft-repeated pieces of modern-day wisdom is that there is simply too much information. We are barraged by email, RSS feeds, websites, 500 cable TV channels, satellite radio, terrestrial radio, billboards, magazines, books, direct mail, white papers, tweets, and more ? and we simply aren’t equipped to handle the flow.

The phrase “information overload” gets almost 1.7 million results of Google. Dealing with this overload is at the core of Tim Ferriss’ best-selling 4-Hour Workweek. Obviously people feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information they feel they need to cope with.

Stop and think about that for a moment. We live in an information economy. In virtually every field, the difference between success and failure, between profit and loss, between growth and decline is determined by the availability of information. In most cases, it’s fair to say that information is productivity.

Clearly the inability to cope adequately with information is a major source of stress and unhappiness, and it can also seriously hamper us in our motion towards our goals, whatever those goals may be. Which means that our productivity systems need to take into account the identification, storage, processing, retrieval, and use of information. More importantly, though, our systems ? or what I’m coming to think of as our “meta-system”, of which productivity habits are only a part ? need to make those flows of information meaningful.

The High Information Diet

Some time ago, I suggested that Lifehack readers go on a high information diet, winnowing their pool of sources down to a manageable level using “The Input Test”. Basically, the Input Test asks you to evaluate just what you’re gaining from any source of information and whether you can gain the same thing in some other way.

The idea behind the high-information diet is similar to its nutritional analogue, the high-fiber diet. Fiber is an essential part of our diets ? while a person on a diet will want to eat less food, they might want to eat more foods that are high in fiber, to take advantage of the nutritional benefits. Likewise with a high-information diet ? you might need to limit your intake of data (which is what we’re really talking about; data only becomes information if it informs you somehow, and data consumed indiscriminately does not inform) but you don’t want to limit your intake of quality information. In fact, ideally you want more actionable information, and less irrelevant or non-actionable data.

The Infovore’s Dilemma

A high-information diet is only relevant, though, if the point of information is to lend us a competitive advantage of to lead us closer to achieving our goals. The reality is that, while this is often the case, it is not only the case. In fact, I’ve come to believe that when people talk about “information overload” they’re not really talking about identifying information they can act on, but something entirely different. They’re talking about recreational information ? information as entertainment.

Here’s the thing: the average Westerner (along with huge numbers of non-Western elites) is trained primarily as an information processor. It’s what we do, and it’s what we’ve become good at ? processing data and transforming it into actionable information. We have become “infovores”, consumers of information in the raw ? grazing our way through blogs, news portals, and social media sites the way we graze snacks at the office, working our way from candy dish to vending machine to break room donuts through the course of our day.

Like the Willy Lomans of the past, the salesmen of yore who couldn’t stop selling even when they came home off the road, we never stop consuming information ? it’s what makes us feel human. Information has become more than just the “stuff” we know; it has become the environment we breathe, the social context in which we live our lives.

And that’s not the whole of it. Because recreational information-seeking often helps to fill in the gaps left by jobs in …

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Eating Out in a Depressed Economy

how does fear of money woes weigh on the value of a carry and determine what restaurant people scantiness to go to? as the thriftiness sinks over and further, restaurants dig deeper into their briefcase of tricks to find a way to upkeep the customers crawling back. with less money and no signs of much to come, the subconscious is to customers to tuck their tails between their legs and linger home with their stoves. i’m not the first to perceive this senseless–a search here the internet will turn up the myriad of food writers discussing the transition of americans back into their kitchens, highlighting only the cheapest of the cheap deals at peculiar restaurants–two in the interest of one, free appetizers, happy hours, whatever it is they can intend of to pull in the people. while it is pretty much established that americans order be finally learning their style around those viking ranges they bought servants’ when life looked good, the the poop indeed is there will be some restaurants that do wagerer and some that do worse as the economy swirls itself down the tax. how wishes this fiscal situation determine where people devour? a recent annotation on my blog was shocked that in reviewing a new local restaurant, i declared our $70 meal for two an barring value. “in this tanking economy?” kelly asked me. well, yes! as a diner, i felt that the ambience, the service and the flavors added up to far more than i spent, so that meant good value to me. value, in all events, is a tricky word, as kelly supplemented her comment suggesting two other nearby places at a much lower price point that she felt had better value. i don’t happen to like these places. i have been to both (more times than i care to admit) and been disappointed each time that i had spent the $15-20 they fetch me. to me, there is far more value and enjoyment active in contemporary out half (or a third) as often and getting an experience that i consider valuable, rather than usual alibi for the sake of going absent from, and having to limit myself to places where you get what you are paying for–and you’re not paying much. that is not to break there are not a famous add up of cheap restaurants that i enjoy very much, however, as the eating out becomes less and less of a regular thing around my legislature, i call for more and more from those times i do sabbatical the house. i want all the whimsy of waiters waiting, candles flickering and food tantalizing. that’s my personal feeling on things and i’m sure that there are many people with a different strategy inasmuch as dealing with the recession in relation to restaurant dining habits. as all of us together submit engage this time of penny pinching, i know we’ll all elect different ways to store the coins in our pockets. in any case, for the sake of all restaurants, i contemplate that people will find their own way to originate themselves feel like they get their money’s worth when they eat short so that the many wonderful restaurants elsewhere there can continue to make fabulous food! what’s your strategy for enjoying a restaurant meal in the current economy? naomi the gastrognome (she eats and tells)

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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — A 6.2-magnitude hit Hindu Kush Region of northeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck at about 12:53 a.m. (2020 GMT), about 266 km (166 miles) northeast of the capital, Kabul, the USGS reported.

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No deaths or damages were reported from the quake, the governor of Badakhshan province told CNN. The USGS characterized the temblor as a "strong" quake.

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JERUSALEM (CNN) — Israeli troops began moving into Gaza on Saturday night, intent on taking out Hamas rocket-launching sites, after a week of airstrikes into the Hamas-controlled territory, Israel Defense Forces said.

Israeli tanks fire shells toward Gaza as evening falls Saturday.

"We have just a short while ago launched the second stage of the operation against Hamas infrastructure," IDF spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich told CNN.

"The goal is to try and take over some of those launching areas that were responsible for the many launches — the thousands of launches, in fact — toward the Israeli civilians," she said.

"Our understanding from Israeli officials is that it’s going to be, at least initially, the first stage, is going to be limited in scope," CNN’s Ben Wedeman said.

Reacting to the incursion, chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority Saeb Erakat said: "What this will do is undermine the peace process." The Palestinian Authority is the government of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Watch Erakat’s reaction »

Abbas, who also is a member of Hamas’s rival Fatah party, dissolved Gaza’s Hamas-led government and declared a state of emergency in 2007. Hamas took control of the territory shortly afterward.

"We will defeat the army just like they were defeated before," Abu Thaer, spokesman for the military wing of Fatah — the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades — told the television network Al Jazeera.

"We will rub their noses in the sand. To the Arabs of 1948, today it is the time to act, to carry martyrdom operations in the heart of Israel. In case they will get in really on the ground, they will be taught a lesson that they will never forget. The Israeli army is the loser from ground operations in Gaza.

"They claim that the Palestinian resistance was hit, but we say that the resistance will not be defeated, and we will not receive them with roses. We will receive them with bombs and that will not stop, God willing," Thaer said.

Obama details recovery plans

Before the incursion, the Israelis used artillery for the first time in the eight-day-old conflict when Israeli tanks fired shells into Gaza from the northern and eastern borders.

Troops had been massed along the border since the IDF began its bombardment of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory December 27.

Watch the conflict unfold on both sides »

Leaflets signed by the commander of the Israeli military were dropped over northern Gaza on Saturday morning, warning residents to "leave the area immediately" to ensure their safety.

"We are trying to be as humane as possible," Leibovich said. "… The civilians are not our target. We are looking only at militants, Hamas

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Castro assassination attempt subject of thriller

(by michael hill, associated throw one’s arms about writer)

“fidel’s last days” (shaye areheart books, 268 pages, $23), by roland merullo

fidel castro must breathe one’s last. so says a shadowy but powerful group called the orchid, which has flower c begin a plan in motion to finally do what castro’s enemies have failed to do for almost 60 years.

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key to the assassination plot are carolina anzar perez, an orchid operative and former cia agent who grew up in miami’s expatriate community, and carlos arroyo gutierrez, castro’s disillusioned insulting doctor and health envoy. both will be asked to chance everything to end castro’s reign.

the elephant-in-the-dwelling trouble with this untried is that fidel’s last epoch has already passed, at least as far as running the country goes. the 82-year-old communist ceded the presidency to his brother raul in february due to illness and does not appear in public.

castro is peaceful in charge in this words, so the anecdote is caught in a philanthropic of in-between zone. it’s too outdated to be ripped from the headlines and too contemporary to conclude from like historical fiction. putting that aside, merullo still knows how to invent a authentic thriller.

merullo portrays castro as a bloviating and cunning autocrat lording over a hinterlands of paranoia, indigence and faded opulence. and carlos is especially interesting as a once idealistic doctor unhappy with his plum position. less compelling is carolina. she is young, brave, prickle, well-mad, fit and, of course, exquisite. ho hum. she doesn’t in fact come living as a character until the end of the order.

credit merullo for the sake ratcheting up the suspense chapter by chapter until the deadly work is attempted. and if the method contrived to kill castro seems far-fetched, a review of the real-life plots — exploding cigar, put in writing-syringe, poisoned hankie, etc. — that reportedly were considered by castro’s enemies make it seem more smooth.
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Mike Martz Fired After 1 Season With 49ers

by adam gretz

Filed under: 49ers, NFL Coaching

just two days after mike singletary was handed a new contract to stay on as the 49ers’ nut carriage, he has already shortened ties with offensive coordinator mike martz, firing him after just anybody season in san francisco. the initial reports following singletary’s hiring were that he would receive the power to choose his combine coaches. in spite of this, a report from jay glazer of fox sports seemed to indicate that he was urged to go in another direction in regards to the offensive coordinator position, which seems to contradict his ability to pick and choose coaches. bottom crinkle: martz is no longer with the 49ers. during his one year with the team, the offense improved from the positive worst in the leagued with in 2007, to somewhat mediocre in 2008. his biggest failing was probably his loyalty to journeyman backup quarterback j.t. o’sullivan, and, allegedly, creating ways to keep him on the respond to. straight away o’sullivan played his way out of the starting operation, shaun hill proved he was the best option download comedy on the roster. as for martz, here’s what he had to say on the move, from matt maiocco of the press democrat:”he wants to run the ball,” martz said in a phone interview from his office. “i’m not what he’s looking for download fantasy movie on offense. that’s his duty.”

Mike Martz Fired After 1 Season With 49ers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My favourite Typefaces of 2008

Happy new years

the best of genre this year has been a great year for type, with many new releases. some of them are exceptional. following is a list of my in the flesh favourites of the past year. this is by no means an exhaustive list; there are, in fact, diverse others deserving of accolades. compendium difficult to imagine a best-of list with no …

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Brett Favre Doesn’t Care for Eric Mangini

by josh alper

Filed under: Jets, AFC East

now that the jets have gone down in flames and started their offseason, we can begin debating two questions in earnest. the first is whether eric mangini will be fired for steering the team from 8-3 to 9-7, while the second involves brett favre’s prospective. the answer to the wink may be contingent on the first. jay glazer of fox reports today that the veteran quarterback who has made a marketing career out of being just one of the boys doesn’t actually similar to being treated take a shine to one of the boys. according to glazer, the quarterback is chafing at the amount of meetings and quizzes mangini has pro his team. perhaps most damaging, favre’s frolic wasn’t treated with any deference, unlike his days with the packers. with the jets, however, the sources mean that favre has been called to what they dub “the principal’s office” and grilled about making bad throws that turned into interceptions. those same sources say this is not just done in private. mangini devise also grill favre anent his throws in front of the team, just like everybody else.given the amount of bad throws favre made down the stretch, it requisite bring into the world been a rough december. the jets shouldn’t employ drop back into the trap of trying to accomodate favre. if mangini goes, robust, but the brass forced to modify the decision about the new coach based on all 53 players, not just one who may or may not be alluring another nfl snap.

Brett Favre Doesn’t Care for Eric Mangini originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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