Just some thoughts on the Oscars...
Love Jodie and how apropos that she introed the tribute to the departed, the real departed. If only she'd lighten up a little but it must be tough, as the line in Broadcast News states, it must be tough always being the smartest one in the room. And now we've got Coppola, Lucas and Spielberg and with very little trouble, Lucas could have the Flock of Seagulls hair-do. He's 80% there now. Spielberg is doing the flat-top combover thing and as someone follically challenged, Steven, just accept. The thing under George Lucas's neck also vibrates and resonates deeply when he's trying to attract a mate as in all large amphibians. They gave the Oscar to Martin Scorsese and he is smaller than Ennio Morricone and has eyebrows straight from the magnetic iron filings game. They keep cutting to Nicholson and he has somehow morphed into Lex Luthor, but amazingly Scorsese is doing shtick. He has a 7 year old daughter? Who knew? Oddly enough, Diane Keaton just said Babel and paused and it was if she was defining her acting style and not naming the first nominee for Best Picture. She's just so wacky. Again Nicholson. Shouldn't he be driving Norma Desmond around, or burying a monkey??? The Departed, Best Picture. Good movie, maybe even very good but.... Forest Whitaker started out giving a remarkable, wonderful, inspiring speech but then reality kicks in and they have to mention agents and production companies and all the class and meaning leaves and it becomes a full page ad in Variety thanking agencies and financial bonding companies. I would've loved it if Helen Mirren shook and shimmmied and moved her giant breasts and said "Judi Dench is a wonderful actress. But does she have these???" Alan Arkin needs to play a Jewish crime boss in a film. He is what we all should be at 72 or 85 or however old he is. And doesn't he always look as if he has a great, bile and invective filled speech ready to burst out but he thinks it through and doesn't deliver it??? Jennifer Hudson will probably end up on Lifetime, playing the giant black woman in a succession of giant black women biopics. Aretha sometime in the future, Queen Latifah in the Latifah story maybe as the young Latifah, or just plain Latifah, and she can stunt double Beyonce's butt. Bill Monahan, love ya. Never spit out the gum, bro. There's only a billlion people watching. Way to show how classless American society really is. Michael Arndt, shout out to the dead father. Nice touch. But you didn't dedicate your Oscar to him, as some of the others did. Milena Canonero, who I think won the Preakness 30 years ago, dedicated her Oscar to Mama, Hugh Hudson, and her "great master" Stanley Kubrick. Now that's a dedication. Europeans and Latin Americans are just so much cooler than us. Although Clint Eastwood knows Italian. Didn't you get the feeling that he was just making it up to keep the show moving? Like Roberto Benigni mistranslating the Nazi guard's words in Life is Beautiful? Clint even said "protagonista". He, not Nicholson, is the epitome of cool. I repeat, he plays jazz piano. Up in the balcony with Morricone was Quincy Jones, wearing some sort of silk thing straight out of Curse of the Golden Flower. Quincy has been part of the music scene in America forever. Can anyone name one piece of music that Quincy Jones has written or is responsible for? I know he's always called a genius, but c'mon, name that one song, album, whatever, that he's famous for. Seinfeld was spotted in the audience prior to giving the Documentary Short Subject while they gave the award to Inconvenient Truth. He looked so incredibly disinterested, as if global warming won't be affecting him. Jerry, the house in the Hamptons? Soon to be underwater. Yes, even you. Bring cereal and Superman so you'll have something to talk about as you sink under the waves and the planet dies. Sherry Lansing, nice Hersholt award. Were you going for the Forest Whitaker lazy eye thing or was there an incision somewhere that was snapping your facial flesh back into place? Oooh, nasty. And your 70 year old husband, Billy??? What are you, some meth lab couple from Palmdale? Sherry and Billy. Maybe if your Brentwood or Malibu house explodes out of nowhere the meth idea won't be so crazy. Special thanks to Ari Sandel for explaining just what live action short films are. Kudos to Sid Ganis for being 4 feet tall and still having the blonde trophy wife. And for all you Republicans, hear this loud and clear just as Ellen said it - Without blacks, Jews and gays, there'd be no Oscars. (She then added there'd be no people named Oscar. Close. Go to East L.A. Oscars all over the place. De la Hoya, anyone. Later. Go rent, when they're available, Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth. Still the two best movies of last year!!!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Son of More Oscars 2007
Supporting Actress will be a surprise. Either the kid of the babysitter will win. The Academy does not like TV and that's where Jennifer Hudson came from, American Idol. The Japanese girl from Babel was in the story that most people felt didn't belong, although she went commando long before Lindsay Lohan, Paris, or Britney, but that's not enough. Sharon Stone, BTW, will never ever win an Oscar. Although the French did give her their artistic medal, for her body of work. Write your own joke there.
Adapted Screenplay - Children of Men was brilliant, Borat was brilliantly funny and the other three had their moments of literary lucidity. I'd be happy for either of the first two. But especially Borat.
Original Screenplay - Pan's Labyrinth was the second best movie of last year and Del Toro deserves to be recognized for his writing, as well as Best Foreign Film. The storytelling, the images, the words, brilliant.
Animated Feature - It's L.A., it's Freeways, it's Prius vs. Hummer, it's CARS.
Documentary Feature - AL GORE, AL GORE, AL GORE. If he wins this AND the Nobel Peace Prize that he's been nominated for, he'd better run for President. Of the United Earth!!! That resume sounds suspiciously like the good guy genius Prez in some futuristic 50s sci-fi flick. But he's real. And young people would actually vote. Please, please, please.
Documentary Short Subject - Which one was about the Holocaust or Holocaust survivors or the families of Holocaust survivors? Which one was about people with differing abilitiea? Which one was about impoverished people fighting the vestiges of colonialism AND the ravages of AIDS? That documentary short subject will win!!!
Original Song - And I'm Telling you I'm Not Going can only be sung by the two Jennifers, Holliday and Hudson, and it couldn't be nominated as it was written for a Broadway show over 30 years ago! I defy anyone to sing any of the three nominated songs from Dreamgirls. Randy Newman, a son of the Academy and the man who wrote I Love L.A. wins.
As for the others, good luck and enjoy the singular pleasure of just being nominated. Keep telling yourselves that. And as always, war is over if you want it.
Adapted Screenplay - Children of Men was brilliant, Borat was brilliantly funny and the other three had their moments of literary lucidity. I'd be happy for either of the first two. But especially Borat.
Original Screenplay - Pan's Labyrinth was the second best movie of last year and Del Toro deserves to be recognized for his writing, as well as Best Foreign Film. The storytelling, the images, the words, brilliant.
Animated Feature - It's L.A., it's Freeways, it's Prius vs. Hummer, it's CARS.
Documentary Feature - AL GORE, AL GORE, AL GORE. If he wins this AND the Nobel Peace Prize that he's been nominated for, he'd better run for President. Of the United Earth!!! That resume sounds suspiciously like the good guy genius Prez in some futuristic 50s sci-fi flick. But he's real. And young people would actually vote. Please, please, please.
Documentary Short Subject - Which one was about the Holocaust or Holocaust survivors or the families of Holocaust survivors? Which one was about people with differing abilitiea? Which one was about impoverished people fighting the vestiges of colonialism AND the ravages of AIDS? That documentary short subject will win!!!
Original Song - And I'm Telling you I'm Not Going can only be sung by the two Jennifers, Holliday and Hudson, and it couldn't be nominated as it was written for a Broadway show over 30 years ago! I defy anyone to sing any of the three nominated songs from Dreamgirls. Randy Newman, a son of the Academy and the man who wrote I Love L.A. wins.
As for the others, good luck and enjoy the singular pleasure of just being nominated. Keep telling yourselves that. And as always, war is over if you want it.
More Oscars 2007 - Actors and Actresses and Swag Bags, Oh My!
Best Actress is Mirren's to lose and if she does it's because people just found out she's married to Taylor Hackford. Didn't he do An Officer and a Gentleman? Isn't the Queen just Richard Gere and Debra Winger 30 years down the road? A director with the word Hack in his name? Shouldn't he be doing Wayans Bros. or Sandler movies? Shouldn't it be Joel HackSchumacher?
Best Actor should be Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin Dada, if only for the weird lazy eye thing. Oh, that's a real physical problem? Sorry. Then he wins on talent and ability. And the weird lazy eye thing. Leo is good but Blood Diamond is just too much liberal guilt and not one celebrity client of Harry Winston's jewelry asked for the provenance of their loaned for the Oscars diamonds. Ryan Gosling was wonderful and someday someone will see this movie. Peter O'Toole will always be Lawrence and he has won an Honorary Oscar and Venus was a mere trifle, so no. Will Smith is beloved but the Academy does not reward misspellings. And the many Jewish members of the Academy remember Entebbe, so Forest sees the trees tonight.
Supporting Actor - Arkin is a national treasure and please rent Joshua Then and Now, a forgotten classic, to see him play this role 30 years earlier. Jackie Earle Haley had balls to play that part and lost them to the part but not enough for the voters. Djimon Hounsou was not in Dreamgirls but he does walk through most of West Africa in Blood Diamond. Almost covering as much ground as Keaton and Beatty as they walk across Russia in Reds. And if I have to hear about the dignity he brings to another role I will simply point out that he is given roles that are written as dignified. Please give the WRITERS credit for creating that character and that character trait!!! So it's Wahlberg or Murphy. I loved Wahlberg in The Departed, the best thing in the film. And Murphy wasn't in a fat suit or being arrested for some weird sexual transgression. So is it the guy who was Dirk Dingler or the guy who dingles his dangle and gets arrested for it from time to time? If there's justice, Wahlberg surprises and wins. If there's liberal guilt over Dreamgirls not getting a Best Picture nod, Murphy wins.
Best Actor should be Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin Dada, if only for the weird lazy eye thing. Oh, that's a real physical problem? Sorry. Then he wins on talent and ability. And the weird lazy eye thing. Leo is good but Blood Diamond is just too much liberal guilt and not one celebrity client of Harry Winston's jewelry asked for the provenance of their loaned for the Oscars diamonds. Ryan Gosling was wonderful and someday someone will see this movie. Peter O'Toole will always be Lawrence and he has won an Honorary Oscar and Venus was a mere trifle, so no. Will Smith is beloved but the Academy does not reward misspellings. And the many Jewish members of the Academy remember Entebbe, so Forest sees the trees tonight.
Supporting Actor - Arkin is a national treasure and please rent Joshua Then and Now, a forgotten classic, to see him play this role 30 years earlier. Jackie Earle Haley had balls to play that part and lost them to the part but not enough for the voters. Djimon Hounsou was not in Dreamgirls but he does walk through most of West Africa in Blood Diamond. Almost covering as much ground as Keaton and Beatty as they walk across Russia in Reds. And if I have to hear about the dignity he brings to another role I will simply point out that he is given roles that are written as dignified. Please give the WRITERS credit for creating that character and that character trait!!! So it's Wahlberg or Murphy. I loved Wahlberg in The Departed, the best thing in the film. And Murphy wasn't in a fat suit or being arrested for some weird sexual transgression. So is it the guy who was Dirk Dingler or the guy who dingles his dangle and gets arrested for it from time to time? If there's justice, Wahlberg surprises and wins. If there's liberal guilt over Dreamgirls not getting a Best Picture nod, Murphy wins.
2007 Oscars - Ellen makes Britney hair jokes,world crumbles
Comfy, down-home, just so pleasant Ellen DeGeneres is hosting the Oscars shortly and as the world crumbles and the US moves closer and closer to Roman Empire style fascism (we even get the word from their use of fasces - for god's sake, i think they're even on the back of the dime!!!) wouldn't it be great if in between the Anna Nicole and James Brown aren' t buried yet jokes, and the Britney shaving her head and in and out of rehab daily jokes, wouldn't it be great if daughter of N'awlins DeGeneres took the Smirking Chimp to task and asked point-blank why he and his administration have forsaken the people and the city of New Orleans??? I bet she'd get a standing ovation. After reading last week about pallettes of money airlifted to Iraq and subsequently disappearing, it is clear that our Iraq policy is like an eating disorder, binge and surge, binge and surge. With the same dire results - unhealthiness leading to premature death. And still Guiliani leads any Democrat in winning in 2008!!!
With that note, on to the Oscars.
I saw almost everything nominated for almost every category this year - thanks to screenings at the Arclight and studio DVDs. So here goes:
Best Picture - Sadly, the single Best Picture last year was Children of Men and Cuaron was the Best Director. But the geniuses at that studio released it around Xmas (Santa loves a post-apocalyptic thinker) which was too late for the top reviewers to even include it in the Best of Lists at year's end. Que Lastima, Senor Cuaron. So instead, Letters from Iwo Jima gets the "Eastwood knows what war really is" vote, which is almost an anti-war vote. 62 years after WWII we get a film from the enemy POV. This means, of course, that in 2069, the Repiblican Party will finally understand the first thing about the Middle East/the Muslim World. Prepare for 6 decades of death and destruction. Babel is the ultimate multicultural document but we get beaten over the head with the constant theme of "we don't hear each other, we don't listen to each other". If the powers of Hollywood llisten to their housekeepers and nannies, this wins in a runaway. But they don't. They have yet to hear or listen to their many Marias and Luis's. In a year of humanity and humanizing films, the Queen, or rather, the person of the Queen of England, is far too inhuman to win. Picture, that is. Mirren is a lock for Best Actress. But that's for later. Little Miss Sunshine might just spliut the important votes and sneak in but too many people in L.A. can spell pastiche. So, no go. So it's Scorsese, for a minor work, after getting jobbed for all the major ones. The Departed is at best a "crowd pleaser" (thanks, Alex) and features the two most egregious moments in a Marty Eyebrows film - that lame shot of the rat at the end (WE GET IT! WE GET IT! IT'S A MOVIE ABOUT RATS!!!) and the scene with Leo in the doorway and Vera Famigna (apologies for spelling) actually says something like, "You look so vulnerable", taking us out of the movie completely and into the heads of teenage fan magazines and Leo's agents. But The Departed it is.
Best Director - Or not. Can they give the Best Picture to Clint's film but Best Director to Marty? Watch them do the opposite - Best Picture to Marty but Best Director to Clint. The man's a 100 and he made 2 movies at once. And he plays jazz piano.
Just watch. As Art Fleming used to say on Jeopardy, Stephen Frears, Paul Greengrass, Alejandro Inarrittu, just watching.
With that note, on to the Oscars.
I saw almost everything nominated for almost every category this year - thanks to screenings at the Arclight and studio DVDs. So here goes:
Best Picture - Sadly, the single Best Picture last year was Children of Men and Cuaron was the Best Director. But the geniuses at that studio released it around Xmas (Santa loves a post-apocalyptic thinker) which was too late for the top reviewers to even include it in the Best of Lists at year's end. Que Lastima, Senor Cuaron. So instead, Letters from Iwo Jima gets the "Eastwood knows what war really is" vote, which is almost an anti-war vote. 62 years after WWII we get a film from the enemy POV. This means, of course, that in 2069, the Repiblican Party will finally understand the first thing about the Middle East/the Muslim World. Prepare for 6 decades of death and destruction. Babel is the ultimate multicultural document but we get beaten over the head with the constant theme of "we don't hear each other, we don't listen to each other". If the powers of Hollywood llisten to their housekeepers and nannies, this wins in a runaway. But they don't. They have yet to hear or listen to their many Marias and Luis's. In a year of humanity and humanizing films, the Queen, or rather, the person of the Queen of England, is far too inhuman to win. Picture, that is. Mirren is a lock for Best Actress. But that's for later. Little Miss Sunshine might just spliut the important votes and sneak in but too many people in L.A. can spell pastiche. So, no go. So it's Scorsese, for a minor work, after getting jobbed for all the major ones. The Departed is at best a "crowd pleaser" (thanks, Alex) and features the two most egregious moments in a Marty Eyebrows film - that lame shot of the rat at the end (WE GET IT! WE GET IT! IT'S A MOVIE ABOUT RATS!!!) and the scene with Leo in the doorway and Vera Famigna (apologies for spelling) actually says something like, "You look so vulnerable", taking us out of the movie completely and into the heads of teenage fan magazines and Leo's agents. But The Departed it is.
Best Director - Or not. Can they give the Best Picture to Clint's film but Best Director to Marty? Watch them do the opposite - Best Picture to Marty but Best Director to Clint. The man's a 100 and he made 2 movies at once. And he plays jazz piano.
Just watch. As Art Fleming used to say on Jeopardy, Stephen Frears, Paul Greengrass, Alejandro Inarrittu, just watching.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Worst. Super Bowl. Ever.
Clearly, 41/XLI was the worst of them all and what I have yet to hear is how gutless Lovie Smith was for not pulling Rex Grossman, by far the worst QB ever to play in the Roman numeraled-one and the worst performance in one, quite a daily double! If Lovie pulls him at the half, he gives the Bears a chance to win. If he pullls him late in the third quarter, the Bears still have a chance to win. If he pulls him at the start of the fourth quarter, he gives his Bears a chance to win. But he was gutless and went with a guy who played pathetically bad. For weeks now his defense and his special teams and his running game and even Grossman playing just well enough to not lose, had Lovie and the Bears saying all the right things. Rex is our quarterback, Rex is 15-3. Rex is the starter. Bull! And the team closed ranks and parrotted their coach. Football is all about lockstep. But I'd like to hear what Urlacher has to say now. What anybody on that defense that was on the field all day has to say now. What Devin Hester has to say now. The defense gave up 22 points. Not bad to the #1 offense in the NFL and not bad for not sacking Manning till the end. And not bad for being on the field forever and giving up field position often when the offense, read Grossman, gave the ball up. (Although Benson and the receivers put the ball on the ground quite a bit.) But Rex, you were no Wonder-Dog. You were simply a dog. And Lovie, your job is to put players on the field who give your team the best chance to win. At the half everyone knew it wasn't Rex's night. Like Brando in On the Waterfront, it wasn't his night. But he won't get the big fight in the ballpark ever again. Bears, drop him, sign Jeff Garcia, and with that defense, you will be back next year. And you will win. On the good side, I did win my three bet teaser - Colts +2.5, Bears +14.5 and under 56.5. Yes. Vegas, baby!!!
Saturday, February 3, 2007
super bowl-my god, i've seen them all!!!
So this is my XLIst Super Bowl and included in that is the great game in person with family and friends at the Rose Bowl when the Giants beat the Broncos 39-20 with Simms going 22 for 25 and my Giants finally winning the Lombardi Trophy (first of two! remember Scott Norwood?). I love this match-up - anytime you have the #1 offense going against the #1 defense you have the makings of a great game. Amazingly, when this has happened in Super Bowls past, 4 or 5 times I think I read, the #1 DEFENSE has always won. I actually think it has a good chance of happening again. And here's why:
The Bears are going to play the Colts the same way that Giant team beat the Bills once upon a time. Sadly, the rules prevent them from mugging Andre Reed, I mean Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, downfield, but they will use their Cover 2 and rely on Urlacher downfield to watch Dallas Clark. I actually like the Bears two-headed running back, Jones/Benson, better than Addai/Rhodes of the Colts right now. They run very hard, very strong. And the Colts will not be able to stop them for the entire game. While I feel the Bears D will be able to stop Addai and Rhodes. If Manning throws 40 times, Bears win. The Bears rotate defensive ends, have the two best linebackers on the field (Urlacher and Briggs), Harper has the high-ankle sprain, Bob Sanders is dinged, Devin Hester is the X-factor providing field position on punts and kickoffs, and the pressure is all on Peyton to win. The Bears can just play as full touchdown underdogs, both teams have great kickers, although Vinatieri is special, and Grossman, as lame as he has been, does not make his team lose. And he is back in Florida where he played college ball. I think there are so few expectations of him that if Hester gives him a short field two or three times Sunday, Grossman and the running backs will come through. I look for a 2 or 3 point game, hopefully decided at the end. And don't be surprised if it ends up Bears 26, Colts 24. And even though he isn't the coach any longer, as they used to say on SNL, Ditka'd find a way!
BTW, congrats to Thurman Thomas, who almost beat the Giants himself back in that Norwood game, on making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. To Roger Wehrli, a great DB back when the Cardinals always had an interesting white guy back there - Larry Wilson, Wehrli, Pat Fisher - congrats, Charlie Sanders, great tight end for the Lions back in the day, always liked him on those Thanksgiving games, congrats. Gene Hickerson, you blocked for the best, Jim Brown, and then for Leroy Kelly. Congrats. And Bruce Mathews, all those years, all those positions, all those consecutive games. Wow. Congratulations.
The Bears are going to play the Colts the same way that Giant team beat the Bills once upon a time. Sadly, the rules prevent them from mugging Andre Reed, I mean Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, downfield, but they will use their Cover 2 and rely on Urlacher downfield to watch Dallas Clark. I actually like the Bears two-headed running back, Jones/Benson, better than Addai/Rhodes of the Colts right now. They run very hard, very strong. And the Colts will not be able to stop them for the entire game. While I feel the Bears D will be able to stop Addai and Rhodes. If Manning throws 40 times, Bears win. The Bears rotate defensive ends, have the two best linebackers on the field (Urlacher and Briggs), Harper has the high-ankle sprain, Bob Sanders is dinged, Devin Hester is the X-factor providing field position on punts and kickoffs, and the pressure is all on Peyton to win. The Bears can just play as full touchdown underdogs, both teams have great kickers, although Vinatieri is special, and Grossman, as lame as he has been, does not make his team lose. And he is back in Florida where he played college ball. I think there are so few expectations of him that if Hester gives him a short field two or three times Sunday, Grossman and the running backs will come through. I look for a 2 or 3 point game, hopefully decided at the end. And don't be surprised if it ends up Bears 26, Colts 24. And even though he isn't the coach any longer, as they used to say on SNL, Ditka'd find a way!
BTW, congrats to Thurman Thomas, who almost beat the Giants himself back in that Norwood game, on making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. To Roger Wehrli, a great DB back when the Cardinals always had an interesting white guy back there - Larry Wilson, Wehrli, Pat Fisher - congrats, Charlie Sanders, great tight end for the Lions back in the day, always liked him on those Thanksgiving games, congrats. Gene Hickerson, you blocked for the best, Jim Brown, and then for Leroy Kelly. Congrats. And Bruce Mathews, all those years, all those positions, all those consecutive games. Wow. Congratulations.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
curiouser and curiouser
so last saturday was the anti-war rally here in l.a. there were 100K+ in d.c., thousands in ny and sf, and here in l.a., the second largest city in america, we had maybe 3,500, if that. seriosuly people, we need to be active and in the streets to have more of an impact. when the man who is still not my president remains disconnected and in denial and says straightfaced that sacrifice is simply being upset by images of war on tv, we need to put our boots on the ground to counter his need for boots on the ground in Iraq. we spoke on election day, 2006, at the ballot box. we need to speak louder than words with our presence at the next marches, rallies, and demonstrations. the future, any future, demands our attention.
we have attorney general who willfully misunderstands habeaus corpus. We have a vice-president willfully lying about "success" and refusing to discuss his own daughter's with-child status when the villification of that status was a major part of his political success. we had a secretary of defense who profited from bird-flu scares. we have malfeasance and corruption and incompetence at every level of government since the stolen election of 2000. the plan of this administration was always to do as much harm as possible and therefore keep the focus off any one thing. and in a country where american idol is more talked about than the possibility of voting machine fraud in ohio which led directly to the first four years of bush, we are in deep trouble. so cheney played the press expertly as shown by libby trial testimony? watergate was the last hurrah of the mainstream press. but then a few things happened. the right went on the offensive, and carter, the first post-watergate democratic president, was vilified as an outsider. even the washington press corps, which had been feasting on the corpse of nixon, went after carter. they just didn't like that he wasn't one of them. he might have been a democrat, he might have been liberal in some ways, he might have even had a new and unique way to look at foreign policy (through the prism of human rights)but he was from Georgia, for God's sakes. And then came the Reagan 80s. The press seemingly wanted to forget that they had done their duty by revealing the crimes of Watergate so they gave the Gipper a free pass for 8 years. Because they were making money. And money transcends politics and beliefs and democracy. So we had arms for hostges, and Iran-Contra, and gang warfare in the cities, and no mention of the Aids crisis for years, and instead we got a steady diet of feel-good Gipperdom. He even got credit for bringing down the Berlin Wall and overseeing the end of the Soviet Empire. The fact that for 70+ years the Russians had spent 70% plus of their GNP on defense had nothing to do with that. It was their response to Star Wars that made that wall come down. And the reporters wrote it and made Reagan a hero. A monstrous man, small in his thinking, going back to the McCarthy days in Hollywood, the free press, our best defense against creeping fascism, was bought and sold and left him alone. And our problems continued. So when did the press get their balls back? When Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and yet another Southern outsider, came on the scene. Whitewater, white stain on blue dress, it didn't matter. She went down on the President and they said "He's going down too." And for 8 years they went after him, and the 90s saw the metastisized growth of cancerous right-wing talk-radio. And the money kept rolling in. Clinton was a Southerner, but he wasn't their kind of Southerner; not a Nixon Southern strategy Southerner who hated Blacks and unions and anything that smacked of intelligence or learning or Eastern (read: Jewish and urban) influence. And then, with another Repugnant Republican in office, the press once again went all capon on us. They had money, they wanted to keep it. So they simply shut up. When Peter Jennings died (the longtime anchor at ABC news) I knew the press (print and broadcast) was dead as a constitutional safeguard. He left an estate of some 40-50 million. That's why reporters don't go after Republicans. They might lose their cushy jobs. Republicans will go after them. Hound them on talk-radio. Make them toxic to their employers who don't have the stomach for the constant fight. It's as simple as that. And that brings us to King George the Worst.
we have attorney general who willfully misunderstands habeaus corpus. We have a vice-president willfully lying about "success" and refusing to discuss his own daughter's with-child status when the villification of that status was a major part of his political success. we had a secretary of defense who profited from bird-flu scares. we have malfeasance and corruption and incompetence at every level of government since the stolen election of 2000. the plan of this administration was always to do as much harm as possible and therefore keep the focus off any one thing. and in a country where american idol is more talked about than the possibility of voting machine fraud in ohio which led directly to the first four years of bush, we are in deep trouble. so cheney played the press expertly as shown by libby trial testimony? watergate was the last hurrah of the mainstream press. but then a few things happened. the right went on the offensive, and carter, the first post-watergate democratic president, was vilified as an outsider. even the washington press corps, which had been feasting on the corpse of nixon, went after carter. they just didn't like that he wasn't one of them. he might have been a democrat, he might have been liberal in some ways, he might have even had a new and unique way to look at foreign policy (through the prism of human rights)but he was from Georgia, for God's sakes. And then came the Reagan 80s. The press seemingly wanted to forget that they had done their duty by revealing the crimes of Watergate so they gave the Gipper a free pass for 8 years. Because they were making money. And money transcends politics and beliefs and democracy. So we had arms for hostges, and Iran-Contra, and gang warfare in the cities, and no mention of the Aids crisis for years, and instead we got a steady diet of feel-good Gipperdom. He even got credit for bringing down the Berlin Wall and overseeing the end of the Soviet Empire. The fact that for 70+ years the Russians had spent 70% plus of their GNP on defense had nothing to do with that. It was their response to Star Wars that made that wall come down. And the reporters wrote it and made Reagan a hero. A monstrous man, small in his thinking, going back to the McCarthy days in Hollywood, the free press, our best defense against creeping fascism, was bought and sold and left him alone. And our problems continued. So when did the press get their balls back? When Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and yet another Southern outsider, came on the scene. Whitewater, white stain on blue dress, it didn't matter. She went down on the President and they said "He's going down too." And for 8 years they went after him, and the 90s saw the metastisized growth of cancerous right-wing talk-radio. And the money kept rolling in. Clinton was a Southerner, but he wasn't their kind of Southerner; not a Nixon Southern strategy Southerner who hated Blacks and unions and anything that smacked of intelligence or learning or Eastern (read: Jewish and urban) influence. And then, with another Repugnant Republican in office, the press once again went all capon on us. They had money, they wanted to keep it. So they simply shut up. When Peter Jennings died (the longtime anchor at ABC news) I knew the press (print and broadcast) was dead as a constitutional safeguard. He left an estate of some 40-50 million. That's why reporters don't go after Republicans. They might lose their cushy jobs. Republicans will go after them. Hound them on talk-radio. Make them toxic to their employers who don't have the stomach for the constant fight. It's as simple as that. And that brings us to King George the Worst.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
MSNBC 1/23
Joe Scarborough, who I've learned to respect as a solid American first, rather than most Republicans who are Party first, and then Americans, just said the most amazing thing. He was on the floor in Congress repeating things he'd heard in the cloakroom and he mentioned the words of one legislator who said he was taken with the confidence on the floor as he'd finally heard this President really state, clarify even, the state of Iraq, the Shia-Sunni conflict. Joe liked this. Liked the sense of Bushian confidence it showed. Excuse me? Read a newspaper. Go online. The Shia-Sunni differences have been spelled out for years. My son in high school has known them for years. But finally in 2007 the man who brought us into war in Shia-Sunni land, the man who made THEIR civil war possible, NOW he knows the difference! 3,000 + American dead. A trillion dollars spent. Half a million Iraqis dead. Democracy in America in serious trouble. But he knows Shia-Sunni and how to tell them apart and that gives confidence to a Republican legislator? Time to get that passport renewed.
State of Dis Union/Disunion
So we heard about beating malaria and we heard about beating the terrorists in Iraq and elsewhere. Only one of those fights has a strategy. Only one of those fights has an enemy we can all recognize. And only one of those fights can actually be won, by any reasonable definition of the word "victory". I speak, of course, about the U.S. and the coalition of the willing united in defeating the Anapheles mosquito, the main carrier of malarial death. As for Iraq, nothing new was said. Nothing new was offered. Just the same old, same old leading to the words "win" and "victory". Begs the question - what does winning in Iraq look like? What does winning the war on terror look like? What does victory look like? We're called crusaders. That means there's a thousand years of history working against us in the region. We live in a country of quick fixes and immediate gratification. We're involved in a reckless adventure in a region noted for its timelessness. Babylon is there. The Fertile Crescent is there. Agriculture started there. Cities started there. For God's sake, the city of Ur, which gives us the prefix for anything older than dirt, UR, is there. Nothing happens quickly. There. So we've got to change our mindset. Stop thinking about next spring or next fall and then cutting funding and bringing troops home. Or trying to. No. We will be there forever if we don't start the exit process sooner rather than later. Cause time is measured differently there. A thousand years is nothing. Over there, the Prophet who died 1,400 years ago is as alive today as he ever was. Every day must be used as a day to leave there. Work for peace. Work for alternative energies. Work to make your world smaller and more intimate. Work to make life more meaningful. War is over if you want it.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Doomsday Clock is Ticking
So the other day the scientists who keep the time on the Doomsday Clock (and that's surely a fun place to go to work each day, don't you think) moved the hands another minute closer to midnight. The Bush Administration now holds the incredibly dubious and frightening distinction of being in office while the clock was moved ahead twice - global warming, the invasion of Iraq, the coming invasion of Iran - all contributed to a quicker approach to planetary extinction. Stan Lee at Marvel Comics, who gave us a small TV remote-sized gizmo called the Ultimate Nulllifier which when turned on stopped life, time, and any other nouns that also work as magazine names, AND Galactus, Eater of Worlds (big guy, giant purple helmet, and he employs the Silver Surfer, prior to South Park's Toweley, the character most likely created while under the influence of heavy narcotics), had nothing on the Man who is still not my President, George the Worst. Because the life and time that are going to stop are ours, along with the planet. I think it is time to consider the doomsday scenarios that could occur if, as Darth Cheney says, we leave Iraq. Or the Doomsday scenarios that could occur if we stay in Iraq. Isn't this what they do at Dept. of Defense funded think-tanks? Again, think they're talking about last night's Dancing with the Stars around that watercooler? Or are they discussing what our response would be if radicals, insurgents, or just plain bad guys of any stripe, somehow got Sarin gas or a nuclear suitcase onto the set of the O'Reilly Factor?
So what do we do if:
Saudi Arabia enters the Iraq War to help their Sunni brethren.
Iran enters the war to help their Shia brothers.
While insanity reigns supreme in Iraq, Israel launches a preemptive strike against the Iran nuclear facilities.
Iran responds to Israel with prolonged missile attacks from inside Iran and unleashes Hezbollah and the Iranian military.
Syria joins with Iran in attacking Israel with conventional weapons.
Israel, fearing for their survival as a people and a nation, goes nuclear - Teheran, Damascus, Riyadh?, Mecca? Medina?
What does Russia do if all or any of this goes down?
What does the Man in the White Tower (apologies to Phiip K. Dick, a visionary and paranoid genius), our own Worst President Ever, do?
Remember when Bush said he saw into Putin's soul?
What's to stop these two soulless wonders from realizing that further dependence on Middle Eastern oil is insane (in our case) and having perpetually warring Muslim factions in the Middle East combined with growing radicalized Muslim populations in the former Soviet republics where they actually have oil (in Russia's case), and going in together on their own Mother of all Preemptive strikes and destroy the oild fields of the entire region, thus making North Sea Oil, American oil, and Russian Republic oil, the new standard and the new OPEC. It will not be hard to marginalize Venezuela with the Middle East out of the way. Basically creating Russian/European/American dominance of the world's oil supply, the end of Arab (read: Muslim) influence in world affairs, and a return to 19th century geopolitics.
God, I sound like Karl Rove. But seriously, what if? What is coming three steps after the next step? What is going to happen when the next thing happens? What if the Doomsday Clock starts spinning wildly?
I think we need to be in the streets now. I think we need a general strike in this country if Bush attacks Iran. And by general strike, I mean the European model general strike - students don't go to school, workers don't go to work. We stop doing what we normally do to show our horror at what's being done in our name. We take back our country by bringing business and progress and education to their knees. And we do it for as long as it takes as we say, WAR IS OVER CAUSE WE WANT IT.
No more if we want it. Not even when we want it. Now.
So what do we do if:
Saudi Arabia enters the Iraq War to help their Sunni brethren.
Iran enters the war to help their Shia brothers.
While insanity reigns supreme in Iraq, Israel launches a preemptive strike against the Iran nuclear facilities.
Iran responds to Israel with prolonged missile attacks from inside Iran and unleashes Hezbollah and the Iranian military.
Syria joins with Iran in attacking Israel with conventional weapons.
Israel, fearing for their survival as a people and a nation, goes nuclear - Teheran, Damascus, Riyadh?, Mecca? Medina?
What does Russia do if all or any of this goes down?
What does the Man in the White Tower (apologies to Phiip K. Dick, a visionary and paranoid genius), our own Worst President Ever, do?
Remember when Bush said he saw into Putin's soul?
What's to stop these two soulless wonders from realizing that further dependence on Middle Eastern oil is insane (in our case) and having perpetually warring Muslim factions in the Middle East combined with growing radicalized Muslim populations in the former Soviet republics where they actually have oil (in Russia's case), and going in together on their own Mother of all Preemptive strikes and destroy the oild fields of the entire region, thus making North Sea Oil, American oil, and Russian Republic oil, the new standard and the new OPEC. It will not be hard to marginalize Venezuela with the Middle East out of the way. Basically creating Russian/European/American dominance of the world's oil supply, the end of Arab (read: Muslim) influence in world affairs, and a return to 19th century geopolitics.
God, I sound like Karl Rove. But seriously, what if? What is coming three steps after the next step? What is going to happen when the next thing happens? What if the Doomsday Clock starts spinning wildly?
I think we need to be in the streets now. I think we need a general strike in this country if Bush attacks Iran. And by general strike, I mean the European model general strike - students don't go to school, workers don't go to work. We stop doing what we normally do to show our horror at what's being done in our name. We take back our country by bringing business and progress and education to their knees. And we do it for as long as it takes as we say, WAR IS OVER CAUSE WE WANT IT.
No more if we want it. Not even when we want it. Now.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
okay, okay, more football
Why did I ever think that a Marty Schottenheimer-coached team, seeded first in the AFC, playing at home, with the best running back in pro football, could possibly win a playoff game and advance to the Super Bowl? To be played in San Diego???
The Chargers had field position repeatedly and got nothing. Dropped passes played a big part, but somehow I blame Marty for that as well. And the single biggest play of the game - an interception by San Diego that leads to a fumble and a takeaway, thanks to Troy Brown. Huge. Was it my imagination but with few exceptions, have defensive backs completely lost the ability to catch the ball? I know that's why they're DBs in the first place, but my god, they really can't catch. And Marty burning a timeout challenging the call that it wasn't a fumble... I'll bet that will sit well with the Chargers owner as he prepares to fire him. If you had an old 6 inch blaack and white TV you could tell the fumble was not going to be reversed. Bye Marty. Dream of Elway. Well, I've learned my lesson and now, since I can't imagine the Indy defense playing like the Ravens defense for a third straight week, I like New England next Sunday at Indy. More on this later.
As for the NFC, today's game was Seattle's to win and they blew it. Grossman played a good quarter and a bit at the start but then was a dog most of the day. But still the Seahawks couldn't manage. Well, as with the AFC, I see a team showing up from out of town and if Seattle, with limited weapons, could put up 20+ on Da Bears, I see the Saints matching that, and more. I see overall team speed as the biggest factor in the game, with once again, Reggie Bush being the X factor. I like the Saints. And then what a Super Bowl - 2 of Bill's Boys, Parcells that is - Pats and Saints. 3 out of 5 vs. never-ever in Super Bowl 41. In San Diego. Without Marty Schottenheimer.
As for our insane junta in Washington now going on friendly-to-them media and saying the Dems are irresponsible for not having a plan - I'll just say Kennedy has offered a plan, Biden has offered a plan, and John Murtha has offered a plan. Probably others as well including the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group. All plans. All offered. Oh, but none included invading Iran so their viability was questioned. Silly Democrats, don't you know any plan for peace in Iraq MUST include war somewhere else. Remember, Oceania is always at war with Eurasia. (Thanks, Keith)
And you remember, War is over if you want it.
Reagrds, MLK Jr. Know that in 2006 there are high school students in America who think you freed the slaves. If I remember correctly, this was stated 2 years ago in a History class at Taft High taught by my good friend, Mark Mishkin. Even without the man who is still not my President, I worry about the future of American democracy.
Later, (after the two-minute hate)
The Chargers had field position repeatedly and got nothing. Dropped passes played a big part, but somehow I blame Marty for that as well. And the single biggest play of the game - an interception by San Diego that leads to a fumble and a takeaway, thanks to Troy Brown. Huge. Was it my imagination but with few exceptions, have defensive backs completely lost the ability to catch the ball? I know that's why they're DBs in the first place, but my god, they really can't catch. And Marty burning a timeout challenging the call that it wasn't a fumble... I'll bet that will sit well with the Chargers owner as he prepares to fire him. If you had an old 6 inch blaack and white TV you could tell the fumble was not going to be reversed. Bye Marty. Dream of Elway. Well, I've learned my lesson and now, since I can't imagine the Indy defense playing like the Ravens defense for a third straight week, I like New England next Sunday at Indy. More on this later.
As for the NFC, today's game was Seattle's to win and they blew it. Grossman played a good quarter and a bit at the start but then was a dog most of the day. But still the Seahawks couldn't manage. Well, as with the AFC, I see a team showing up from out of town and if Seattle, with limited weapons, could put up 20+ on Da Bears, I see the Saints matching that, and more. I see overall team speed as the biggest factor in the game, with once again, Reggie Bush being the X factor. I like the Saints. And then what a Super Bowl - 2 of Bill's Boys, Parcells that is - Pats and Saints. 3 out of 5 vs. never-ever in Super Bowl 41. In San Diego. Without Marty Schottenheimer.
As for our insane junta in Washington now going on friendly-to-them media and saying the Dems are irresponsible for not having a plan - I'll just say Kennedy has offered a plan, Biden has offered a plan, and John Murtha has offered a plan. Probably others as well including the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group. All plans. All offered. Oh, but none included invading Iran so their viability was questioned. Silly Democrats, don't you know any plan for peace in Iraq MUST include war somewhere else. Remember, Oceania is always at war with Eurasia. (Thanks, Keith)
And you remember, War is over if you want it.
Reagrds, MLK Jr. Know that in 2006 there are high school students in America who think you freed the slaves. If I remember correctly, this was stated 2 years ago in a History class at Taft High taught by my good friend, Mark Mishkin. Even without the man who is still not my President, I worry about the future of American democracy.
Later, (after the two-minute hate)
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Saturday Football - Results
Okay, if someone had told you that Peyton Manning would have five, FIVE, interceptions in two playoff games - AND THAT THE COLTS HAD WON BOTH OF THEM YOU WOULD HAVE SAID THEY WERE CRAZY. But that's exactly what has happened, and major kudos to the Colts defense, or as they are known, the much-maligned Colts defense. Make that were known. But if there's a goat in today's Ravens-Colts field goal extrvaganza it is the mediocre play of Steve McNair. Call me crazy but for all the talk of McNair as a warrior, playing hurt, etc., I have never ever felt he was a first echelon quarterback. He might not lose games but he also wasn't going to win games he shouldn't. I'm sure he did, but I also feel whatever he had this year might just be what he had left. If I'm Baltimore, I'm looking for a QB. And we know it's not Kyle Boller. And lets not forget his INT down on the goal line. Killer. BTW, before we anoint guys the next LT, the real LT, Lawrence Taylor, or the next Singletary, let them make plays game after game, year after year. Did anybody hear the name Adalius Thomas today? Didn't think so.
As for the Saints-Eagles, you've got to be happy for New Orleans. What a great game. Deuce. Reggie. Drew. Marques. And the defense comes up big when it has to. And the Eagles. Jeff. Brian. Donte. Blitzes. Big hits on both sides. How many of you thought of Marcus Allen reversing his field in the Super Bowl years ago when Reggie Bush goes East then West?
As for tomorrow, the weather in Chicago could be brutal, which means Rex could be worse than usual. And it's another week for Shaun Alexander and his O-line to get healthier. Tommie Harris is still out and I think the Seahawks, been there before in January, will win outright. Doesn't matter that they have no defensive secondary. Doesn't maatter that the Bears beat them like by 30 points earlier in the season. This Bears team, the past few weeks have shon, is not that Bears team. Go teal or whatever color those Seahawks jerseys are.
And as much as I hate Marty Schottenheimer as a coach who is afraid to play to win, I think his defense has too many playmakers for the Patriots to counter. And I think LaDainian will be the best player on the field not named Brady or Merriman. But that still means 2 out of the 3 are Chargers. Only Marty can hurt them nore than Rodney harrison healing overnight. Chargers win. Bolts win.
As for the Saints-Eagles, you've got to be happy for New Orleans. What a great game. Deuce. Reggie. Drew. Marques. And the defense comes up big when it has to. And the Eagles. Jeff. Brian. Donte. Blitzes. Big hits on both sides. How many of you thought of Marcus Allen reversing his field in the Super Bowl years ago when Reggie Bush goes East then West?
As for tomorrow, the weather in Chicago could be brutal, which means Rex could be worse than usual. And it's another week for Shaun Alexander and his O-line to get healthier. Tommie Harris is still out and I think the Seahawks, been there before in January, will win outright. Doesn't matter that they have no defensive secondary. Doesn't maatter that the Bears beat them like by 30 points earlier in the season. This Bears team, the past few weeks have shon, is not that Bears team. Go teal or whatever color those Seahawks jerseys are.
And as much as I hate Marty Schottenheimer as a coach who is afraid to play to win, I think his defense has too many playmakers for the Patriots to counter. And I think LaDainian will be the best player on the field not named Brady or Merriman. But that still means 2 out of the 3 are Chargers. Only Marty can hurt them nore than Rodney harrison healing overnight. Chargers win. Bolts win.
Football Saturday
Okay, so I was wrong about Ohio State-Florida. It's not like I started a land war in Asia. Anyway, I have a new plan for this weekend. Indy and Baltimore - offense vs. defense, advertising wonderboy Peyton Manning vs. double-murderer Ray Lewis, the Colts that left Baltimore in the dead of night with their insane owners who deny their Jewish heritage (the Irsays, nee Israel) and the Ravens who were partially founded by Art Modell, who left Cleveland in the lurch. Lots of bad blood, lots of history. And all I keep reading about is how the Colts stopped Larry Johnson and the Chiefs last week after not stopping the run all year. Well, the Chiefs made the playoffs after an extraordinary set of circumstances on the last day (Broncos lose at home, as did the Bengals) and their coach insistd on playig Trent Green the entire gaame when he simplyh sucked and yes, the Colts stopped Larry Johnson but that's once all season. The Ravens were #1 on defense in almost every stat that matters and why should that stop now? They will not allow Peyton to outscore them, they will score on defense, and they will win. And they will cover the 4, 5 point spread.
Philly at New Orleans should be interesting as well. But consider this - the Giants, the Giants for god's sake, gave the Eagles everything last week and should have won had they scored earlier in the game with the ball in great field position. Leto Sheppard is out for the Eagles, tough cover corner. And yes, they play with emotion, BUT that will be nothing compared to the emotion the Saints and the crowd and the city of NOLA bring to this one. Plus, if there is an X factor in all these games this weekend, it is Reggie Bush. Get him 20 touches - carries, catches, returns - and he will break something. Maybe not all the way but certainly field position. And emotion. Saints win. Saints win.
As for the other news of the week, the man who is still not my President made his Gulf of Tonkin speech on Wednesday and it is only a matter of time before the self-fulfilling prophecy of larger Middle Eastern conflict comes to fruition. Thank you, Republican cowards. Lincoln is spinning in his grave.
Philly at New Orleans should be interesting as well. But consider this - the Giants, the Giants for god's sake, gave the Eagles everything last week and should have won had they scored earlier in the game with the ball in great field position. Leto Sheppard is out for the Eagles, tough cover corner. And yes, they play with emotion, BUT that will be nothing compared to the emotion the Saints and the crowd and the city of NOLA bring to this one. Plus, if there is an X factor in all these games this weekend, it is Reggie Bush. Get him 20 touches - carries, catches, returns - and he will break something. Maybe not all the way but certainly field position. And emotion. Saints win. Saints win.
As for the other news of the week, the man who is still not my President made his Gulf of Tonkin speech on Wednesday and it is only a matter of time before the self-fulfilling prophecy of larger Middle Eastern conflict comes to fruition. Thank you, Republican cowards. Lincoln is spinning in his grave.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
21st Century Sabre-rattling
Isn't it sad that here we are in 2007 and we've got a delusional President who wasn't satisfied with just destroying our Constitution and completely destabilizing the Middle East, but he's actively rattling sabres and letting us know that Iran and Syria are next? That's what was just said in the speech tonight. And we should all be very, very worried.
And I'm sorry, hearing a man say for whatever mistakes have been made, I am responsible, isn't enough. He's got to say just what those mistakes were. And then he can own them. But "mistakes" is a meaningless word when applied to the brutal insanity that is the war in Iraq.
Thoughts on watching MSNBC - Olbermann is in fine form and he loves to use the quotes of Bush against him as he frames his questions. He relishes rehashing and repeating the lame quotes and platitudes that mean nothing. A great way to keep the focus on the actual words that were said.
Pat Buchanan, the man who wrote the Bitburg speech for Reagan, is clearly a bully. He raises his voice to interrupt and drown out Ariana Huffington, to interrupt Michael Crowley, to impose his will. Clearly a bully. He also does something that Republicans are great at, which is framing the argument. He asks, If the Democrats are against this war why don't they just stop funding it? Well, the Democrats have already said that they will do everything in their power to not fund anything new but will continue to fund the folks on the ground now. That is the Democratic position. By responding to his overly dramatic line of questioning, he gets to define things. Don't fall for it.
We are clearly a Saudi client state, keeping Iraqi oil in the ground so Saudi oil can stay high. The Saudis have warned us, warned us, that if we leave they will help their Sunni brethren. And the Iranians will help their Shia brethren. And should our soldiers and Marines start a shooting war with the Mahdi Army, Sadr's militia, we are in for true hell because then the regular man in the Shia street will pick up the gun and start aiming it at our guys. And with the Shia 70% of the country, we are asking for hell.
Someone should ask the President if there are going to be permanent American miliitary bases in Iraq? As in forever. And for what purpose. What is in our best interest? Or what is in the best interests of the Saudis?
Joe Scarborough is an honorable man. He is an American first and a Republican, old-school, second. That cannot be said of this current crop. They are Republicans first. We saw this with Katrina. And we have seen it for 4 years with this phony war. Not to forget tax-cuts for the rich. Pat Buchanan is a Republican. He would have no problem slamming the doors shut on the cattle cars filled with anyone in this country not like him.
Never forget what John Lennon said - War is over if you want it.
And I'm sorry, hearing a man say for whatever mistakes have been made, I am responsible, isn't enough. He's got to say just what those mistakes were. And then he can own them. But "mistakes" is a meaningless word when applied to the brutal insanity that is the war in Iraq.
Thoughts on watching MSNBC - Olbermann is in fine form and he loves to use the quotes of Bush against him as he frames his questions. He relishes rehashing and repeating the lame quotes and platitudes that mean nothing. A great way to keep the focus on the actual words that were said.
Pat Buchanan, the man who wrote the Bitburg speech for Reagan, is clearly a bully. He raises his voice to interrupt and drown out Ariana Huffington, to interrupt Michael Crowley, to impose his will. Clearly a bully. He also does something that Republicans are great at, which is framing the argument. He asks, If the Democrats are against this war why don't they just stop funding it? Well, the Democrats have already said that they will do everything in their power to not fund anything new but will continue to fund the folks on the ground now. That is the Democratic position. By responding to his overly dramatic line of questioning, he gets to define things. Don't fall for it.
We are clearly a Saudi client state, keeping Iraqi oil in the ground so Saudi oil can stay high. The Saudis have warned us, warned us, that if we leave they will help their Sunni brethren. And the Iranians will help their Shia brethren. And should our soldiers and Marines start a shooting war with the Mahdi Army, Sadr's militia, we are in for true hell because then the regular man in the Shia street will pick up the gun and start aiming it at our guys. And with the Shia 70% of the country, we are asking for hell.
Someone should ask the President if there are going to be permanent American miliitary bases in Iraq? As in forever. And for what purpose. What is in our best interest? Or what is in the best interests of the Saudis?
Joe Scarborough is an honorable man. He is an American first and a Republican, old-school, second. That cannot be said of this current crop. They are Republicans first. We saw this with Katrina. And we have seen it for 4 years with this phony war. Not to forget tax-cuts for the rich. Pat Buchanan is a Republican. He would have no problem slamming the doors shut on the cattle cars filled with anyone in this country not like him.
Never forget what John Lennon said - War is over if you want it.
Monday, January 8, 2007
The Worst Jeopardy Category
Was always Potpourri. C'mon, "potpourri"? Why not "sachet", or "smells like Grandma"? At any rate, today contains some loose ends, some bitter ends, and some end notes. As in bye-bye Giants. As in New York Football Giants. Our Kid From Deliverance Quarterback did bring us downfield late in the game to tie things up against the Iggles. But it was yet another Giant game where you never once heard an announcer mention a name of any Giant linebacker. This from the team that gave us LT (Is there anybody on TV aware that there was already an LT and he is in the Hall of Fame and he changed the way the game is played??? Nothing against Ladainian, but please, can he be given another nickname? His mother went to all that trouble to give him a ridiculous first name. Why can't the writers/announcers think of something other than LT... which is already taken!!!) and Harry Carson (HOF), Carl Banks (one letter away from the guy who gave us Scrooge McDuck, Carl Barks), and Sam Huff (HOF). No, this game was lost in the first half when the Giants had the ball around midfield twice after the exchange and came away with NOTHING! Any points there and it's a different game. But Father Coughlin (nows there's a nickname from the 1930s, the days of old-time anti-Semitic radio) and his ultra-imaginative playcalling hurt us yet again.
Oprah, one of those people who really is trying to change the world, opened a school for girls in South Africa, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy. 73 girls, 50 acres. 40 million dollars. Now I may not know everything about real estate values in S.A., but somewhere around Capetown there's got to be a low-bidder who came in way south of 40 mil.
In regards to the Man Who Is Still Not My President, lost in all the cleverness and wordplay regarding Surge Protectors, and the Urge to Surge, is the fact that there are still real men, women and children dying horrible deaths in Iraq on a daily basis. The smartest thing I read in this regard is the blogger who said "call it escalation". That's what it is - ESCALATION. And escalation means more. More death, more destruction. And more time spent not getting out. Remember, War is Over If You Want It.
Tonight is the national championship game and speaking as someone who watched Buckeye teams with players like Rex Kern and John Brockington (Brooklyn's own!) I like them tonight. They are quick and they have a QB. OSU, 34-20.
Over the course of just a few days you could have seen Jamarcus Russell, QB of LSU, and soon a Raider, lucky guy and Demarcus Ware, Cowboy defensive end. Maybe I'm old-school, but doesn't Marcus kind of work on its own, without the little two letter headstart? Marcus Allen (HOF), Marcus Aurelius (History books). Was good enough for them. Although it does remind me of my all-time favorite NFL first name - Marvcus Cotton. Rolls right off the tongue. Poetry, right? "I like Marvin. I like Marcus. I know - Marvcus." Nice going, Cotton parents.
Later, folks. Football time.
Oprah, one of those people who really is trying to change the world, opened a school for girls in South Africa, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy. 73 girls, 50 acres. 40 million dollars. Now I may not know everything about real estate values in S.A., but somewhere around Capetown there's got to be a low-bidder who came in way south of 40 mil.
In regards to the Man Who Is Still Not My President, lost in all the cleverness and wordplay regarding Surge Protectors, and the Urge to Surge, is the fact that there are still real men, women and children dying horrible deaths in Iraq on a daily basis. The smartest thing I read in this regard is the blogger who said "call it escalation". That's what it is - ESCALATION. And escalation means more. More death, more destruction. And more time spent not getting out. Remember, War is Over If You Want It.
Tonight is the national championship game and speaking as someone who watched Buckeye teams with players like Rex Kern and John Brockington (Brooklyn's own!) I like them tonight. They are quick and they have a QB. OSU, 34-20.
Over the course of just a few days you could have seen Jamarcus Russell, QB of LSU, and soon a Raider, lucky guy and Demarcus Ware, Cowboy defensive end. Maybe I'm old-school, but doesn't Marcus kind of work on its own, without the little two letter headstart? Marcus Allen (HOF), Marcus Aurelius (History books). Was good enough for them. Although it does remind me of my all-time favorite NFL first name - Marvcus Cotton. Rolls right off the tongue. Poetry, right? "I like Marvin. I like Marcus. I know - Marvcus." Nice going, Cotton parents.
Later, folks. Football time.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Somebody gave David Lynch $$$$$
Went to see Inland Empire today. Walked out of Inland Empire today. Lasted an hour and a half but any movie that has a Gypsy curse as a plot point (or should I say "plot-less, point-less") and isn't Borat is going to have serious problems in 2007. Harry Dean Stanton bumming money is funny, but doesn't he look exactly like someone who would bum money? And any movie where odd, baroque, sexually ambiguous Jeremy Irons plays the movie's most seemingly normal character is going to have problems. The movie-within-a-movie had a smaller cast and crew than Plan 9. I'm amazed I lasted the 90 minutes.
But the past year did have some remarkable films and I feel I have to join the parade of best-of/worst-of lists.
As stated earlier, the best film I saw last year was Children of Men. Odd, but the dystopian vision of the film looks like America after 8 more years of Republlican rule - immigrants in cages, armed military on street corners, no future for most of the populace - please see this film, think of today and tomorrow, and vote Democratic.
Pan's Labyrinth was wonderful. Again, a hate-filled time, the end of the Spanish Civil War with Fascism winning. But the promise of a better world somewhere, even if it is just in the imagination, is the point. To me, the people who fought Fascism in Spain are the true heroes of the 20th century. They're the ones who stepped up, made their way to Spain to fight alongside their Spanish compatriots, and died there in the first battle against the Nazi war machine. I have always said, if I could go back in time to a place where I could test my courage and humanity, it would be alongside the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, the American volunteers who fought in Spain. Those were people with guts and commitment.
Belated kudos to The Clash back in the 70s for writing a song called Spanish Bombs and bringing that history to a new group of young people. They really were "the only rock and roll band that matters".
As for the worst movie of the year, go back in time to a little place I like to call Versailles. Imagine rich kids eating even richer food and completely unaware that the people outside are starving. Imagine characters that never learn anything, never grow, and are for the most part, nonverbal. Imagine waiting, hoping, for them to have their heads cut off. Imagine reviewers bending over backwards to say good things about this film. But the costumes!!! It was Versailles, for God's sakes! They had great clothes. That's the job of wardrobe. And that shot by Roman Coppola, the A.D., where he put the Converse sneaker in among all the fancy French 18th century shoes. That was funny. No, Sarah Silverman in the Aristocrats is funny. The sneaker in the shoe montage is 2 seconds of product placement. And why did reviewers go overboard for this film? Why did they put away their critiical appraisal skills. Access. Sofia is young, her star friends are young, they'll be working forever. Young reviewers would be committing suicide if they panned this movie. They'd never have access again to this crowd. Access is the new criticism. Marie Antoinette had fun while the people suffered. Her life should be a lesson. Make your life matter. Feed your head, feed your mind. Or you just might end up losing one. Or the other.
As the man said, war is over if you want it.
But the past year did have some remarkable films and I feel I have to join the parade of best-of/worst-of lists.
As stated earlier, the best film I saw last year was Children of Men. Odd, but the dystopian vision of the film looks like America after 8 more years of Republlican rule - immigrants in cages, armed military on street corners, no future for most of the populace - please see this film, think of today and tomorrow, and vote Democratic.
Pan's Labyrinth was wonderful. Again, a hate-filled time, the end of the Spanish Civil War with Fascism winning. But the promise of a better world somewhere, even if it is just in the imagination, is the point. To me, the people who fought Fascism in Spain are the true heroes of the 20th century. They're the ones who stepped up, made their way to Spain to fight alongside their Spanish compatriots, and died there in the first battle against the Nazi war machine. I have always said, if I could go back in time to a place where I could test my courage and humanity, it would be alongside the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, the American volunteers who fought in Spain. Those were people with guts and commitment.
Belated kudos to The Clash back in the 70s for writing a song called Spanish Bombs and bringing that history to a new group of young people. They really were "the only rock and roll band that matters".
As for the worst movie of the year, go back in time to a little place I like to call Versailles. Imagine rich kids eating even richer food and completely unaware that the people outside are starving. Imagine characters that never learn anything, never grow, and are for the most part, nonverbal. Imagine waiting, hoping, for them to have their heads cut off. Imagine reviewers bending over backwards to say good things about this film. But the costumes!!! It was Versailles, for God's sakes! They had great clothes. That's the job of wardrobe. And that shot by Roman Coppola, the A.D., where he put the Converse sneaker in among all the fancy French 18th century shoes. That was funny. No, Sarah Silverman in the Aristocrats is funny. The sneaker in the shoe montage is 2 seconds of product placement. And why did reviewers go overboard for this film? Why did they put away their critiical appraisal skills. Access. Sofia is young, her star friends are young, they'll be working forever. Young reviewers would be committing suicide if they panned this movie. They'd never have access again to this crowd. Access is the new criticism. Marie Antoinette had fun while the people suffered. Her life should be a lesson. Make your life matter. Feed your head, feed your mind. Or you just might end up losing one. Or the other.
As the man said, war is over if you want it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)