- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
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This is an urbanization-paranoia fable (my final one thank goodness --- writing this stuff can give you goosebumps!) inspired by the urban-melee films Sin City and Dark City.
I leave USMB more 'cheerful' about TrumpUSA.
I wonder who will have the task of ensuring that Trumponomics will not become like Reaganomics...
Signing off,
====
Alas was a Romanian prince (and vampire!) and wanted to become an American vigilante modelled after the DC Comics masked urban superhero Batman. Alas fitted himself a costume just like the one Batman wears in comics/films and then prowled the city streets of LA on weekend evenings looking for criminals and evil presences. Soon, the LA Times was offering up headlines like, "Batman helps LAPD take down Opium Shipment!" Batman (Alas) was redeeming himself for the sins of his youth, when vampire-cult explorations led to the death of his vampire-girlfriend Elana.
Alas/Batman realized that a new crime syndicate was rising to power known as the Black Hand. The leader of the group, a ruthless narcotics lord named James, had corrupt ties to politicians in Mexico and named his group in honor of the pre-mafia organizations of crime people remembered from earlier days in America (and Italy). Batman knew that taking down Black Hand would require good teamwork, and he found a great ally in Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise. Cruise was busy making a futurama-paranoia film titled Edge of Tomorrow.
BATMAN: You can help me; your films are culturally-symbolic.
CRUISE: I make films that appeal to wide audiences, but how can I help?
BATMAN: I want you to work with the LAPD commissioner; he'll tell you.
CRUISE: I suppose you want me to make anti-drug statements using my media spotlight.
BATMAN: That's correct; if the people think narcotics are losing sway, Black Hand will fall...
CRUISE: You might be right; well, I'll recruit some of my fellow Hollywood friends to help me!
BATMAN: That sounds intriguing, so I wish you the best of luck!
CRUISE: Same to you, 'Batman.'
Soon, Batman had coordinated a mass social effort that worked against the prestige-dominion James had created with Black Hand, and now, Americans were not anxious about the fact that Martin Scorsese was making a dramatization-film about the real Black Hand, the historical crime-organization that pre-dated the mafia. Batman realized James was going down, so he personally retrieved him for the LAPD to interrogate, but the LAPD commissioner requested Batman do a 'pre-screening interview.'
BATMAN: You were going to turn Los Angeles into a 'city of perdition.'
JAMES: That was my aim; people crave leadership, not brotherhood...
BATMAN: I disagree; I've befriended media-personalities who've aided me in my crusade.
JAMES: You're a 'dark knight,' but urban landscapes will always cater to criminality.
BATMAN: No, urban congestion makes crime a symptom of malady, not a 'face of reality.'
JAMES: Your idealism may frighten the handful of women who enjoy Black Hand's 'securities.'
BATMAN: When the Soviet Union collapsed, many Russians were insecure about change-labor.
JAMES: Democracy is indeed a 'crusade' Batman, and I'll advise you to remain 'aloof.'
BATMAN: I will always be a 'shadow-brother,' but at least Black Hand will be history...
JAMES: When Black Hand subsides, the Vampire Legion will arise!
BATMAN: So, James, you're a vampire too...
====
I leave USMB more 'cheerful' about TrumpUSA.
I wonder who will have the task of ensuring that Trumponomics will not become like Reaganomics...
Signing off,
====
Alas was a Romanian prince (and vampire!) and wanted to become an American vigilante modelled after the DC Comics masked urban superhero Batman. Alas fitted himself a costume just like the one Batman wears in comics/films and then prowled the city streets of LA on weekend evenings looking for criminals and evil presences. Soon, the LA Times was offering up headlines like, "Batman helps LAPD take down Opium Shipment!" Batman (Alas) was redeeming himself for the sins of his youth, when vampire-cult explorations led to the death of his vampire-girlfriend Elana.
Alas/Batman realized that a new crime syndicate was rising to power known as the Black Hand. The leader of the group, a ruthless narcotics lord named James, had corrupt ties to politicians in Mexico and named his group in honor of the pre-mafia organizations of crime people remembered from earlier days in America (and Italy). Batman knew that taking down Black Hand would require good teamwork, and he found a great ally in Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise. Cruise was busy making a futurama-paranoia film titled Edge of Tomorrow.
BATMAN: You can help me; your films are culturally-symbolic.
CRUISE: I make films that appeal to wide audiences, but how can I help?
BATMAN: I want you to work with the LAPD commissioner; he'll tell you.
CRUISE: I suppose you want me to make anti-drug statements using my media spotlight.
BATMAN: That's correct; if the people think narcotics are losing sway, Black Hand will fall...
CRUISE: You might be right; well, I'll recruit some of my fellow Hollywood friends to help me!
BATMAN: That sounds intriguing, so I wish you the best of luck!
CRUISE: Same to you, 'Batman.'
Soon, Batman had coordinated a mass social effort that worked against the prestige-dominion James had created with Black Hand, and now, Americans were not anxious about the fact that Martin Scorsese was making a dramatization-film about the real Black Hand, the historical crime-organization that pre-dated the mafia. Batman realized James was going down, so he personally retrieved him for the LAPD to interrogate, but the LAPD commissioner requested Batman do a 'pre-screening interview.'
BATMAN: You were going to turn Los Angeles into a 'city of perdition.'
JAMES: That was my aim; people crave leadership, not brotherhood...
BATMAN: I disagree; I've befriended media-personalities who've aided me in my crusade.
JAMES: You're a 'dark knight,' but urban landscapes will always cater to criminality.
BATMAN: No, urban congestion makes crime a symptom of malady, not a 'face of reality.'
JAMES: Your idealism may frighten the handful of women who enjoy Black Hand's 'securities.'
BATMAN: When the Soviet Union collapsed, many Russians were insecure about change-labor.
JAMES: Democracy is indeed a 'crusade' Batman, and I'll advise you to remain 'aloof.'
BATMAN: I will always be a 'shadow-brother,' but at least Black Hand will be history...
JAMES: When Black Hand subsides, the Vampire Legion will arise!
BATMAN: So, James, you're a vampire too...
====
