Hal smoking dope secretly down in the pump room. Gets call from Orin who is in AZ. Canadian separatism comes up, then a discussion of Ennet Rehab House where people used to be forced to eat rocks. Nice humorous touch--prefer eating rocks to talking to do-gooders . . . next a long (too long) comic scene describing a brick layer who misuses pulley system and yo-yos back and forth, up and down, each time injuring some new body part. Funny at first, but . . . description of Hawaii 5-O as compared to Hill Street Blues. Hawaii 5-O hero is tough guy who does things, solves problems, man on his own. Hero of HSB is bureaucrat, post-Modern hero, who is a hero in the way he manages all the complexities around him, criminals, co-workers, etc. but still gets job done. Liked this section even though I've never seen either program. . . Another black humor section follows. Woman has artificial heart in her purse, attached to her body, working as heart. Purse snatcher steals it and kills her . . . next is a discussion of the negatives of video phones, again insightful, funny, but too long. A little editing is a good thing!
February 1895 (Alice died in 1892) Money problems, jealousy of Wilde; time spent with Lord Wolseley1; off to Ireland to lick his wounds; Irish unrest--Irish landlords boycott all social events; much time spent with manservant Hammond (homosexual attraction again); fancy dress ball, appalling to James, who is only happy in company of Hammond, though Hammond remains a servant and no more; little girl alone on the grounds--inspiration for Turn of the Screw?; conflict with Webster who alludes to Wilde's successful play and HJ's failure; Wolseley was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army . He became one of the most influential and admired British generals after a series of successes in Canada, West Africa, and Egypt, followed by a central role in modernizing the British Army in promoting efficiency. He served in Burma, the Crimean War , the Indian Mutiny , China, Canada and widely throughout Africa—including his Ashanti campaign (18...
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