On Saturday I finished the second season of The Wire.  This season, the show focuses on the baltimore docks where much of the city’s drugs enter the city.

Like the first season, the second season of The Wire slowly unfolds a multilayered story that explores both the criminal element and the police.  You start with learning about a slowly dying dock workers union whose leader is accepting money from russian drug traffickers to let drugs enter the city.

You also see some of Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale, the drug dealers that the first season focused on, but this time Avon and Bell and struggling to keep up the supply and quality of their product.  They ultimately end up reselling drugs that have been smuggled into the city by the russians.

But what the Wire does best is to bring viewers into the lives of characters.  You understand the motivations of the dock union leader who is struggling to maintain the union by bringing more ships into the docks.

Similarly, you learn about dock workers struggling for hours, who turn to the drug traffickers to make ends meet.  Sits a somewhat generic theme - turning to crime to make ends meet - but The Wire takes the time to explore the lives of characters.

And in season 2, the old police crew that you saw in season one gets back together.  You see again how the cops work to build a case, and how they go through a long process, that includes wire taps, busts, and strategy to connect the many players in the drug trade.  And of course, you see how the hierarchy of the police department can slow cases and go for the more public busts, rather than invest in longer-term cases with more upside.

The Wire season 2 continues to do a good job of sprinkling a pretty heavy drama with a bit of comedy - both satire and slapstick at times.  This is important for the show, it balances the bleak parts of the show and makes it much more enjoyable.

Like last season, this season of the wire is only somewhat satisfying.  During the last 2 episodes or so, the cops make a lot of progress.  But still, a lot is still left on the table, and many ends are left untied.  Season 2 again speaks to the nature of police investigations, and how politics have a strong influence on how cases are pursued.  It’s disappointing and frustrating at times, and carries on from the frustration of Season 1.

But all in all, Season 2 is a strong effort, and avoids the sophomore slump.  It’s interesting that the second season focuses more on the docks, rather than the inner city, and the show still works.  The acting continues to be compelling and the story solid.  Looking forward to season 3.

I just saw this Honda Element commercial that featured the Honda Element, a crab and a lobster.  The crab is upset because the Element was talking to the lobster.  The crab has sort of a puerto rican accent, and he sort of implies that the Element is cheating on him with the lobster.  I guess this is a gay couple but is the ad targeted towards gays?  You check it out and tell me what you think.

The SF Gate today ran an op ed piece that critically talked about a growing media stereotype regarding the “angry Asian man” phenomenon.  The author Jeff Yang talks about America’s inability to separate race from the actions of people.  If one mentally ill Asian goes on a rampage, it is believed by America that all Asians have the ability on step over the line.  Yang spends most of his time defending Asians (obvious) and attacking stereotypes (of course.)  The point of Yang’s article is a plea for there not to be a backlash against artist expressions that may portray Asians committing violence just because of the negative association with what happened at Virginia Tech.

From CNN.com.

An energy drink named ‘Cocaine’ has been pulled from stores nationwide amid controversy over the drink’s labeling.  The drink, critics contend, glorifies drug use.

But I can’t imagine a kid building street cred with a drink called ‘cocaine.’  I mean, in most public schools, the real drug dealers will laugh at the guy sipping on the cocaine drink - rob him and beat him up.  Even in prep schools, what does the Cocaine drink get you?  Being slightly more cool than the guys with t-shirts written in binary?

If you want cocaine, do cocaine.  If you want an energy drink, have a red bull.  Or some coffee (less calories).  If you want to look like a wanna-be tool, drink Cocaine the drink.