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Now if I hadn't read that I would never be wondering...

sneaks off to garage at 1:51am to rotate tyres on commuter bike

What is more, the film seems to want to draw attention to these competing conceptions of morality.

Yes, but in a strange way I think that a single conception is demonstrated as the one as part of the narrative.

I could be biased toward identifying a specific part of the story but I think it's because I have high suspicions that just like Zero Dark Thirty there was strong CIA and military influence on the production. Just better hidden than with Bigelow's movie.

As I said earlier though, I think that Sicario is an exceedingly well made movie, in terms of story, acting, pacing, script, etc. Totally unlike American Sniper which was a one-dimensional snore fest with some fucking sorry acting from the lead.

I will be looking out for the Sicario sequel.

I don't essentially disagree with some of your points.

For me it boils down not to the fact that the US is shown to be complicit in the senseless and immoral deaths of many people, but that its stance is beyond good and evil and lays with the strong, the wolves.

This is the "right of might" I speak of. My saying that it is "good and right" is only within what can be regarded as such within that context.
The weak, then, that are regarded as lesser and in a perverted sense in this regard, immoral and without character, are such people as the law abiding FBI agent whose whimpering, simpering ineptitude in the face of being stalked by "wolves" while clinging to the illusion of the rule of law (though these people purport to be on her side, and the side of justice. It's just that their justice occupies ethical high ground in the alternate universe of the spooks).
Also included in this are her partner whose well meaning and good intentions are impotent in the face of the "just let it happen" as a special forces soldier stands on his chest with a gun to his head as the head wolf roughs up the lamb a little bit to properly "advise her" (Blunt's character).

We see things differently, yes, but I think some thought might be placed in the fact that a sequel has been commisioned starring Del Toro's Sicario. It will apparently be a vehicle solely for him. Placing such emphasis on the very deliverer of death and mayhem is evidence to my mind of the further mythologising of very worst traits in human character produced by the effects of war.
On a simple level you could just say that the most flawed, dark characters make for the most interesting stories but I think that this sort of film operates on different levels and not only one so basic.
Saying that I would actually watch that sequel.

Perhaps finally I can make the argument that film presents two worldviews: that the two approaches by governmental agencies in the film, one; strict, morally grounded, following the letter of the law by individuals with conscience and humanity is trounced, being ineffective and a complete failure in the face of the amoral warrior wolves who will employ any method to achieve their goals.

And they do.

Went into Romania via Hungary by bus once. Passport control involved border police checking everyone's passport briefly, was quite a quick process. But then it was a Romanian bus and I was the only forrin person on there. They regarded me quizzically. Maybe if some strange Englisher turns up with a laden touring bike they might think that you're a gipsy and shoo you off.

Don't know crossing the border the other way as I flew out.

Have you tried emailing Silverfish and asking them if they can locate the part you need? They are quite helpful in my experience.

It's a very good film, yes. But it's essentially a more subtle and seemingly complex justification for the projection of US military industrial complex power than the film I previously mentioned.
There are strong parallels, thematically, between Sicario and Zero Dark Thirty; the latter of which is literally a US MIC funded production.
The methods which the US MIC has been castigated for involving "enhanced interrogation techniques," disdain for legal frameworks nationally and internationally, dehumanisation of those designated "other", illegal intelligence operations conducted both in the US and without, etc, etc, are now reframed within the context of the Mexican/US drug war and shown to be good and right.

Or the right of might.

Whether the director's nationality has any bearing or not (I think not) the film hews to a particular framing of the projection of military force preponderant in Hollywood.

As for Del Toro melting; I think it's amazing that he's getting squintier than ever. Soon they'll have a full time assistant on the set to pry his eyelids open so that he can read the film script. :-D

Either Saturday. totes whatevs.

Some serious ripping and roosting goin' on there. Even sik air.

559: Illuminati: the New Wheel Order:

http://forums.mtbr.com/26/~559-illuminati-new-wheel-order~-958979.html

:-)

Give it ten years 26" will be back in.
The marketing guys will be like: "Yeah, the nimbleness of the original MTB wheel size means that you can turn on a pin. They accelerate faster than a 27.5 or 29er, are stronger as a result of their more compact compressive arch, are lighter, and their steeper contact angle means that jumps are easier to take.
Tight, steep downhill switchbacks are a doddle on a 26er and their decreased tyre contact patch means that drifting in turns is more easily achievable!
Why go bigger and more stable when you can have so much more fun on 559?"

:-D

Rear wheel is 1309g. Not bad. I built a standard 26" MTB rear wheel (Sun Ringle S-Type ETX downhill rim with a Novatex GCC hub) the other day that was heavier than that. :-D

I'll be back then in that case. :-D

Have to get out of London generally for any decent riding. Half decent XC in Epping outside of eternal bog season from what I hear. Also, the XC trails at the Olympic Park in Lee Valley are O.K. if you can't get out of the city.
Check these threads:

https://www.lfgss.com/events/1289/

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/221879/

https://www.lfgss.com/events/1207/

https://www.lfgss.com/events/1103/

https://www.lfgss.com/events/1067/

@BareNecessities organises a good few rides to Epping and such, so have a lookout for his threads. I do some in the Surrey Hills. Might do one for February.

Bumping with Will Greenfield sik edit. Pity we won't be getting to see Rogate like this. Bring summer back quick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOyTdLpjetw

Who is still up for Saturday? Long range forecast gives it as getting cold on the weekend. As long as it doesn't piss down with rain we're good.

Brakes are no longer up for sale.

Wheelset is no longer available.

Wheels are no longer available.

That is fucking great.

Kool. Let us know how they go. :-)

Watched Sicario the other day. Excellent movie with an intense and brutally cold Benicio Del Toro performance, yet still was essentially US MIC propaganda, but was vastly more effective then the dull, obtuse, leaden scripted wankfest that we know as American Sniper.

Also saw The Revenant. Got stressed out by the bear mauling scene.

Saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the BFI IMAX. Despite it being a reprisal of A New Hope, essentially, I sat enthralled, like a little kid.

Cool. I am thinking about posting an event soon, just have to think about when to do this. I'm thinking perhaps February or March. I'll post a link here when I get something going.

.

Chain wear does seem to be an issue, but other than that he seems really happy with the XTR set-up. And when you can buy a KMC 11 speed chain for around £16 it seems he's happy to replace the chains so often.
I'm sticking with a 1 x 10 for the time being as well, though sometime this year I may indeed be going for an 11 spd XTR Di2 set-up.

Just because....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQly80iRVag

That would explain it. The trail bin Indra'd. :-D