Baby-Sitting the Economy

The baby-sitting co-op that went bust teaches us something that could save the world by Paul Krugman.

A Slate oldy, but a very relevant goody.

The Fall

There was a man who found two leaves and came
indoors holding them out saying to his parents
that he was a tree.

To which they said then go into the yard and do
not grow in the living room as your roots may
ruin the carpet.

He said I was fooling I am not a tree and he
dropped his leaves.

But his parents said look it is fall.

—

Russell Edson, What A Man Can See

The Documentary Group

Matt (Ideas) has started The Documentary Group as a “collection of some favorite documentaries by documentary lovers for documentary lovers.” This is my first submission.

The Beaver Trilogy (Trent Harris, 2001) is one of the oddest documentaries I’ve seen. It combines three films: The Beaver Kid (1979) documents cameraman Harris discovering ‘Groovin’ Gary outside his Salt Lake City, Utah news station. Gary is charismatic, doing impressions and just generally pleased to be on TV. He later contacts Harris and invites him to come to Beaver, ID to film a talent show Gary is putting on. Gary will be the main act with his full-drag impersonation of Olivia Newton-John’s “Please Don’t Keep Me Waiting”.

The next installment, The Beaver Kid 2 (1981), features Sean Penn in the role of ‘Groovin’ Larry, recreating the entire first documentary.

The Orkly Kid (1985) is an extended remake starring a young Crispin Glover.

Harris is interviewed in a This American Life episode entitled “Reruns.”