11)The Wire-only in the second season, but I'm sure by the time I'm done it will be higher on the list. The episodes slowly build on one another, with amazing results by the time the end of the season comes around. Great acting, and great representation of the difficulties of hierarchy in work place settings.
10)Friends-Wasn't around for the second part of the decade, but it was really good while it lasted. Pretty solid comedy, that's really east to re-watch the second and third time around. TV just isn't the same without Chandler.
9)The Apprentice-Oh the 2000's and the invention of reality TV. This is a pretty good example of that. Who doesn't enjoy watching Donald Trump telling people they're fired. Not such a big fan of the Celebrity version, but what can you do.
8)The Simpsons-Was only good for around 3 years of this decade, but when it was good, it was damn good. Definite consideration for best TV show ever.
7)The Amazing Race-Really great reality TV show. You get to see really cool places all around the world, and secretly everyone really wishes they could be doing some sort of scavenger hunt at any moment.
6)The Daily Show-The place where a lot of people get their news from. Don't really agree with the political slant of it, but still find it extremely funny.
5)Friday Night Lights-The best show on TV dealing with the emotional upheaval teenagers feel. Football is ancillary to the plot, but is still an added bonus. Great acting, and just all around a great show.
4)Dexter-Who knew that one could sympathize, and even cheer for a killer (oh wait, the Sopranos...). This show creeps you out, and has constant plot twists, that are usually awesome. A definite must watch.
3)Survivor-Basically created the reality TV show genre, which for better or worse defined this decade in some way. A somewhat crazy idea turned into a spectacle that millions turned into. Although I'm the only person I know who still watches it, apparently a lot of people still do.
2)Curb Your Enthusiasm-If you like Seinfeld, you'll love this show. A great reflection on the somewhat absurd ways people live their daily lives. Larry sometimes doesn't agree with these minor societal rules, and hilarity often ensues. Really funny music also.
1)The Sopranos-Tony Soprano was objectively a despicable human being, but the show takes you so far into his daily life you start to sympathize with him. He did seem to care about his family, showed a great love for animals, and was a good friend if you were loyal to him. Influenced the many shows that would follow, where the main character was very dark. Great fodder for quotes.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Avatar movie review
So I went to see Avatar on Tuesday Night, and came away with many opinions.
The good:
1)The graphics-It was pretty awesome to watch a movie in 3-d, and it was very sophisticated 3-d, not something you would see at an amusement park. That being said, only certain types of movies should be shown in 3-d, Avatar being one of them.
2)The originality-Props to James Cameron for making up a whole new world with tons of different species and life forms. He apparently made up a whole language for the Na'vi.
3)The plot-Sort of good, but very predictable.
The bad:
1)The blatant political message-I get it. Europeans colonized much of the world, and sometimes treated native populations very poorly. Did I need to be reminded of this during a movie? Not really. Also had direct references to the war in Iraq (mentioned 'shock and awe' campaigns), counter-insurgency terminology (win the hearts and minds of the people), and showed human soldiers burning villages with flamethrowers (like Vietnam). Not only was this annoying, it made no sense within the context of the movie. Why are the characters using 150 year old terms, and why do people still use flamethrowers 150 years in the future? Nobody cares about your political message, we just want to watch an exciting movie.
2)Originality-In some areas it was very poor. For example, why did the humans have such awful technology. The windows on their ships weren't even bulletproof for gosh sakes. They also tried blowing up the Na'vi sacred lands by pushing a sack of explosives out of a moving plane. What is this, World War 2? Where were the ballistic missiles. Freaking birds were flying into ships and destroying them. Super lame.
The animals were also basically animals on earth with a slight twist. Examples include: A slightly more ferocious dog, a rhino mixed with a hammer head shark, slight more vicious birds....
3)Parts that didn't make sense-When Jake goes back to his human body his avatar shuts down. How did nobody notice this was suspicious. It never happened that the Na'vi tried waking him up and nothing happened. Didn't they wonder why he would just collapse all of the time.
Jake turns into an avatar for good, because they pray for him. That's not how science works, I'm pretty sure....
Also why did the Na'vi take him in, in the first place. "Hey, you know I work for this evil company, can I learn all of your ways. My motives are pure, I swear." Seems pretty stupid.
4)The ending-Yay, nature won somehow. Animals suddenly became smart and could differentiate between the good and bad guys. It's not like the humans can't just come back with actual good weapons and repeat the exploitation process.
5)The hair thing-We connect to animals because we all have hair that intertwines with one another. That was pretty lame.
Not to say I thought the movie was bad, but it definitely was not great. Star Wars, this year's Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings are all superior.
If you have any more suggestions of what was good or bad, I would like to hear it.
The good:
1)The graphics-It was pretty awesome to watch a movie in 3-d, and it was very sophisticated 3-d, not something you would see at an amusement park. That being said, only certain types of movies should be shown in 3-d, Avatar being one of them.
2)The originality-Props to James Cameron for making up a whole new world with tons of different species and life forms. He apparently made up a whole language for the Na'vi.
3)The plot-Sort of good, but very predictable.
The bad:
1)The blatant political message-I get it. Europeans colonized much of the world, and sometimes treated native populations very poorly. Did I need to be reminded of this during a movie? Not really. Also had direct references to the war in Iraq (mentioned 'shock and awe' campaigns), counter-insurgency terminology (win the hearts and minds of the people), and showed human soldiers burning villages with flamethrowers (like Vietnam). Not only was this annoying, it made no sense within the context of the movie. Why are the characters using 150 year old terms, and why do people still use flamethrowers 150 years in the future? Nobody cares about your political message, we just want to watch an exciting movie.
2)Originality-In some areas it was very poor. For example, why did the humans have such awful technology. The windows on their ships weren't even bulletproof for gosh sakes. They also tried blowing up the Na'vi sacred lands by pushing a sack of explosives out of a moving plane. What is this, World War 2? Where were the ballistic missiles. Freaking birds were flying into ships and destroying them. Super lame.
The animals were also basically animals on earth with a slight twist. Examples include: A slightly more ferocious dog, a rhino mixed with a hammer head shark, slight more vicious birds....
3)Parts that didn't make sense-When Jake goes back to his human body his avatar shuts down. How did nobody notice this was suspicious. It never happened that the Na'vi tried waking him up and nothing happened. Didn't they wonder why he would just collapse all of the time.
Jake turns into an avatar for good, because they pray for him. That's not how science works, I'm pretty sure....
Also why did the Na'vi take him in, in the first place. "Hey, you know I work for this evil company, can I learn all of your ways. My motives are pure, I swear." Seems pretty stupid.
4)The ending-Yay, nature won somehow. Animals suddenly became smart and could differentiate between the good and bad guys. It's not like the humans can't just come back with actual good weapons and repeat the exploitation process.
5)The hair thing-We connect to animals because we all have hair that intertwines with one another. That was pretty lame.
Not to say I thought the movie was bad, but it definitely was not great. Star Wars, this year's Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings are all superior.
If you have any more suggestions of what was good or bad, I would like to hear it.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Best Movies of the Decade
Oh boy this is going to be tough, as there were a lot of solid movies this decade, but I think these are all pretty excellent.
10)Spiderman- The movie that made it cool to do comic book movies again. Without the massive success of this film, it is probable that we would have missed some of these great movies: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight (not as good as Batman Begins btw, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk (the one with Edward Norton), The Punisher, etc... Although there were a lot of stinkers such as: The Hulk (Ang Lee version), The Hellboy movies (I don't know why people like them), Elektra, X Men 2/3, and even Spiderman 3.
9)Crash- Won the Academy Award best picture in 2005. Was a really great movie that managed to weave several interesting stories together. And that part where you think that little girl gets shot always get me. Unfortunately the most noteworthy thing the (Canadian) director, Paul Haggis, has done since then is to guest star on an episode of Entourage.
8)Traffic- A really gritty movie about the effect drugs has on the USA and Mexico. Really great cast and excellent acting. Interesting to note that Topher Grace was in this movie, while simultaneously being on That 70's Show.
7)Frost/Nixon- A great political movie about the famous David Frost interview of Richard Nixon. Frank Langella, the guy who played Nixon, should have won the best acting Oscar over Sean Penn that year. He was able to perfectly mimic Nixon's mannerisms and speech. A great portrait of a tortured political mind.
6)Waltz with Bashir- Even though I don't agree with the political slant of the movie, it was still beautifully done. Amazing animation which really managed to capture my imagination in a powerful way. If you like foreign films this is a must see.
5)Pan's Labyrinth- The best foreign film I've ever seen. A fantasy story told through the eyes of a young girl during the Spanish Civil War, this movie will really capture your imagination. The monsters are insanely weird, and one is constantly unsure of what is real and what is imagined. The character of Captain Vidal is one of cinema's greatest villains.
4)The Hurt Locker- The best movie this year, and the one of the best war movies ever. Tells the story of a bomb detonation squad in Iraq. The film depicts how hard it is to fight in an urban setting, and makes one think about the rules of war. The soldiers themselves are seen to be decent men, who sometimes have to make disastrous decisions. A definite must see.
3)The Wrestler-I suspect most guys (sorry girls) watched wrestling at some point of their childhood. This movie shows the life of a washed up wrestler, who works at a supermarket in between his infrequent fights. A really sad look at an icon who turns into a nobody. Mickey Rourke gives a stunning performance, one which reignited his career. Randy the Ram is awesome.
2)Gran Torino- Oh Clint Eastwood, you know how to make a good movie. A really under appreciated movie which shows the benefits of hard work, friendship, and generational differences. Clint Eastwood plays an old man, living in a neighborhood which is slowly being filled by minorities. He starts off the movie xenophobic, but eventually befriends a teenager who also shares his values of hard work and sacrifice. Stunning ending too.
1)Gladiator-"Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?" -Maximus. This movie is so epically awesome. I'm sure you have all seen it. If not you definitely need to go and see it, Avatar can wait. I still quote this movie to this day.
Honorable mention: WALL-E,Requiem for a Dream, The Departed, Up, Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Kill Bill.
Anything I missed?
10)Spiderman- The movie that made it cool to do comic book movies again. Without the massive success of this film, it is probable that we would have missed some of these great movies: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight (not as good as Batman Begins btw, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk (the one with Edward Norton), The Punisher, etc... Although there were a lot of stinkers such as: The Hulk (Ang Lee version), The Hellboy movies (I don't know why people like them), Elektra, X Men 2/3, and even Spiderman 3.
9)Crash- Won the Academy Award best picture in 2005. Was a really great movie that managed to weave several interesting stories together. And that part where you think that little girl gets shot always get me. Unfortunately the most noteworthy thing the (Canadian) director, Paul Haggis, has done since then is to guest star on an episode of Entourage.
8)Traffic- A really gritty movie about the effect drugs has on the USA and Mexico. Really great cast and excellent acting. Interesting to note that Topher Grace was in this movie, while simultaneously being on That 70's Show.
7)Frost/Nixon- A great political movie about the famous David Frost interview of Richard Nixon. Frank Langella, the guy who played Nixon, should have won the best acting Oscar over Sean Penn that year. He was able to perfectly mimic Nixon's mannerisms and speech. A great portrait of a tortured political mind.
6)Waltz with Bashir- Even though I don't agree with the political slant of the movie, it was still beautifully done. Amazing animation which really managed to capture my imagination in a powerful way. If you like foreign films this is a must see.
5)Pan's Labyrinth- The best foreign film I've ever seen. A fantasy story told through the eyes of a young girl during the Spanish Civil War, this movie will really capture your imagination. The monsters are insanely weird, and one is constantly unsure of what is real and what is imagined. The character of Captain Vidal is one of cinema's greatest villains.
4)The Hurt Locker- The best movie this year, and the one of the best war movies ever. Tells the story of a bomb detonation squad in Iraq. The film depicts how hard it is to fight in an urban setting, and makes one think about the rules of war. The soldiers themselves are seen to be decent men, who sometimes have to make disastrous decisions. A definite must see.
3)The Wrestler-I suspect most guys (sorry girls) watched wrestling at some point of their childhood. This movie shows the life of a washed up wrestler, who works at a supermarket in between his infrequent fights. A really sad look at an icon who turns into a nobody. Mickey Rourke gives a stunning performance, one which reignited his career. Randy the Ram is awesome.
2)Gran Torino- Oh Clint Eastwood, you know how to make a good movie. A really under appreciated movie which shows the benefits of hard work, friendship, and generational differences. Clint Eastwood plays an old man, living in a neighborhood which is slowly being filled by minorities. He starts off the movie xenophobic, but eventually befriends a teenager who also shares his values of hard work and sacrifice. Stunning ending too.
1)Gladiator-"Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?" -Maximus. This movie is so epically awesome. I'm sure you have all seen it. If not you definitely need to go and see it, Avatar can wait. I still quote this movie to this day.
Honorable mention: WALL-E,Requiem for a Dream, The Departed, Up, Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Kill Bill.
Anything I missed?
Starting up my blog.... again.
I figured since I like writing about stuff, I should start writing my blog again.
I hope you enjoy best of the decade lists for the next week or so....
I hope you enjoy best of the decade lists for the next week or so....
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
What did last nights elections mean?
Last night many different elections were held in the United States, but two governor races in New Jersey and Virginia, and a congressional seat in New York were the most important. They were seen as a referendum on Obama's presidency, fittingly taking place a year after he was elected. A few things we learned.
1)The Republican wins in New Jersey and Virginia don't necessarily portend a huge revival in fortune next year, but it certainly can't hurt. It was a good sign to see Independents heavily favouring the Republicans, which was the opposite in last year's election. Most of these voters said it was not a repudiation of Obama, just a sense of lingering unease about how the economy is going. However, it seems to me that it's not a far leap for worries over the economy leading to a huge loss of popularity for Obama and the Democrats.
2)Although the Republicans lost in NY seat 23, it may actually be a good thing. Odds are that a purification campaign in the Republican party will lead to a more conservative party, but not one that can win any elections. Had they picked the moderate candidate they would have won the seat. Better to have the seat and the person only votes for you some of the time, than never being able to count on a vote. Hopefully this takes the winds out of the sails of the more extreme part of the party.
Side points: Gay Marriage was struck down in Maine under a referendum. That makes it 0-31, showing that the majority of Americans don't seem to favour it.
Bloomberg barely won in New York despite spending tens of millions of dollars on his own campaign. It looks like his star has dimmed considerably.
1)The Republican wins in New Jersey and Virginia don't necessarily portend a huge revival in fortune next year, but it certainly can't hurt. It was a good sign to see Independents heavily favouring the Republicans, which was the opposite in last year's election. Most of these voters said it was not a repudiation of Obama, just a sense of lingering unease about how the economy is going. However, it seems to me that it's not a far leap for worries over the economy leading to a huge loss of popularity for Obama and the Democrats.
2)Although the Republicans lost in NY seat 23, it may actually be a good thing. Odds are that a purification campaign in the Republican party will lead to a more conservative party, but not one that can win any elections. Had they picked the moderate candidate they would have won the seat. Better to have the seat and the person only votes for you some of the time, than never being able to count on a vote. Hopefully this takes the winds out of the sails of the more extreme part of the party.
Side points: Gay Marriage was struck down in Maine under a referendum. That makes it 0-31, showing that the majority of Americans don't seem to favour it.
Bloomberg barely won in New York despite spending tens of millions of dollars on his own campaign. It looks like his star has dimmed considerably.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
SuperFreakanomics- A Review.
I was happy to discover this week that the sequel to Freakanomics came out this past week. On the whole it was probably a bit worse than the first book, although it was filled with interesting facts. It was only 220 pages, which I felt was little short, but who knows?
The first chapter is about women, and their place in the modern world I guess. The section is devoted to an explanation of prostitution in American and how it has evolved in this century. Also examined is the salary difference between the genders. Overall it was ok I guess.
The second chapter talks about death. Learn about a guy making ER'S more efficient. Apparently Chemo barely works for certain types of cancer, but is still given for no reason . Terrorists should buy life insurance to hide that they are in fact going to soon kill themselves.
The third chapter deals with apathy and altruism. It turns out that most people are selfish, and will only help others if there is proper incentive (a theme that runs throughout the book). Asks whether one should be able to sell their own organs to help make up the deficit of people who need them. It sounds despicable morally, but I wonder if one could make the case that it's one own body, and therefore should be able to sell their kidner for a monetary gain. If you put a sticker eyes next to a coffee station at work that says please pay, more people will.
Chapter 4 is about how cheap things can solve a lot of problems. One learns about the man who discovered washing your hands saves lives, and how most doctors today still don't do it. The cheap seat belt saved thousands of lives. Car seats apparently don't do anything.
Chapter 5 is about global warming. The authors reason it is better to try cheap schemes with little chance of success, to combat global warming, then it does to spend trillions of dollars on a plan, which still may not work. Quotes the idea of shooting sulfur into the atmosphere (pretty sure that was in the Economist a few months ago).
Prologue- An experiment was done on monkeys to see if they could understand the concept of money. They then realized if they paid the female monkeys, the monkey would then have sex with him.
Cool things I learned.
1) A cow expels 25 times more greenhouse gas then a car. So next time a Vegetarian tells you you're ruining the environment, tell them that you're saving the world from the cow menace.
2)People will act towards seemingly well thought out plans in strange ways. Example: Charge people by the pound for garbage, then they'll use less waste. Instead people threw their trash in the woods, flushed it down the toilet, etc...
3)Most importantly, sometimes the small simple solution is better than the large wasteful one.
The first chapter is about women, and their place in the modern world I guess. The section is devoted to an explanation of prostitution in American and how it has evolved in this century. Also examined is the salary difference between the genders. Overall it was ok I guess.
The second chapter talks about death. Learn about a guy making ER'S more efficient. Apparently Chemo barely works for certain types of cancer, but is still given for no reason . Terrorists should buy life insurance to hide that they are in fact going to soon kill themselves.
The third chapter deals with apathy and altruism. It turns out that most people are selfish, and will only help others if there is proper incentive (a theme that runs throughout the book). Asks whether one should be able to sell their own organs to help make up the deficit of people who need them. It sounds despicable morally, but I wonder if one could make the case that it's one own body, and therefore should be able to sell their kidner for a monetary gain. If you put a sticker eyes next to a coffee station at work that says please pay, more people will.
Chapter 4 is about how cheap things can solve a lot of problems. One learns about the man who discovered washing your hands saves lives, and how most doctors today still don't do it. The cheap seat belt saved thousands of lives. Car seats apparently don't do anything.
Chapter 5 is about global warming. The authors reason it is better to try cheap schemes with little chance of success, to combat global warming, then it does to spend trillions of dollars on a plan, which still may not work. Quotes the idea of shooting sulfur into the atmosphere (pretty sure that was in the Economist a few months ago).
Prologue- An experiment was done on monkeys to see if they could understand the concept of money. They then realized if they paid the female monkeys, the monkey would then have sex with him.
Cool things I learned.
1) A cow expels 25 times more greenhouse gas then a car. So next time a Vegetarian tells you you're ruining the environment, tell them that you're saving the world from the cow menace.
2)People will act towards seemingly well thought out plans in strange ways. Example: Charge people by the pound for garbage, then they'll use less waste. Instead people threw their trash in the woods, flushed it down the toilet, etc...
3)Most importantly, sometimes the small simple solution is better than the large wasteful one.
UFC 104
UFC 104 was better than expected, due to Shogun not sucking as most people though he would.
Some thoughts:
1)Anthony Johnson looked really good, although him not being able to make weight by 6 pounds is somewhat concerning. If he moves up to middleweight his size advantage might disappear, so if he can cut to 170 he should probably do that.
2)Joe Stevenson looked decent in his win. His striking was better, but he used his main strength (taking people down), to win the fight. Spencer Fisher needs to work on his take down defense, although he did stuff Stevenson a few times.
3)Gleison Tibau showed he has good take downs but nothing else. Neer showed in his last fight he doesn't have a great guard, yet Tibau was unable to do anything. Neer looks to have solid everything else, except stopping people from bringing him down.
4)Cain Velasquez looks like the real deal, except Mazzagatti shouldn't have stopped the fight when he did. You could tell he was just looking for a flurry of punches and then he was going to call the fight. Couldn't really tell anything from Rothwell.
5)Great main event, although Shogun clearly won. I had it 49-46, maybe 49-47, but I have no clue how Machida was given 3 rounds. Kevin Iole wrote a really dumb article saying don't blame the judges, blame Shogun's corner men for telling him he was winning. That makes little sense, objectively Shogun won the fight. How can you blame his corner men from telling him the truth. Iole is basically saying, "well he should have just knocked him out, then he would have won." Idiot.
6)Don't know how Barry-Hardonk got fight of the night...
Some thoughts:
1)Anthony Johnson looked really good, although him not being able to make weight by 6 pounds is somewhat concerning. If he moves up to middleweight his size advantage might disappear, so if he can cut to 170 he should probably do that.
2)Joe Stevenson looked decent in his win. His striking was better, but he used his main strength (taking people down), to win the fight. Spencer Fisher needs to work on his take down defense, although he did stuff Stevenson a few times.
3)Gleison Tibau showed he has good take downs but nothing else. Neer showed in his last fight he doesn't have a great guard, yet Tibau was unable to do anything. Neer looks to have solid everything else, except stopping people from bringing him down.
4)Cain Velasquez looks like the real deal, except Mazzagatti shouldn't have stopped the fight when he did. You could tell he was just looking for a flurry of punches and then he was going to call the fight. Couldn't really tell anything from Rothwell.
5)Great main event, although Shogun clearly won. I had it 49-46, maybe 49-47, but I have no clue how Machida was given 3 rounds. Kevin Iole wrote a really dumb article saying don't blame the judges, blame Shogun's corner men for telling him he was winning. That makes little sense, objectively Shogun won the fight. How can you blame his corner men from telling him the truth. Iole is basically saying, "well he should have just knocked him out, then he would have won." Idiot.
6)Don't know how Barry-Hardonk got fight of the night...
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Facebook quizzes will be the end of mankind.
Facebook as an institution has changed tons of peoples lives in a profound way. The popular site was created so friends could stay in touch with each other. It has now developed into something far more sinister. It has now become the place for people to fruitlessly waste their time on a host of stupid things, and then thinking people will care about the answers to these meaningless details.
Examples of this include:
Joshua took the quiz what type of vegetable would you be? A tomato!!! LOLZ
Joshua took the quiz which U.S president would you be? James Garfield (he got assassinated)
Joshua was asked on social interview.com do you think (insert friend) would be a good representative of the SAG? I answered of course!
(actual quizzes did not happen)
In the immortal words of Alex Rios, "Who gives a f**k".
Seriously nobody cares.
Read a book.
Examples of this include:
Joshua took the quiz what type of vegetable would you be? A tomato!!! LOLZ
Joshua took the quiz which U.S president would you be? James Garfield (he got assassinated)
Joshua was asked on social interview.com do you think (insert friend) would be a good representative of the SAG? I answered of course!
(actual quizzes did not happen)
In the immortal words of Alex Rios, "Who gives a f**k".
Seriously nobody cares.
Read a book.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
NFL announcers and Norv Turner are dumb.
Watching the Broncos-Chargers game yesterday one was struck with a sense of the announcers being really dumb, and Norv Turner too. Of course Josh 'Wonderboy' Mcdaniels came out of the game looking like Bill Belichick.
Some reasons for them being dumb:
1)The Broncos last touchdown got challenged by the Chargers. It at first looked like it would be overturned, causing the announcers to speculate whether they should go for it on 4th and inches (it was 27-23 broncos). One of the announcers was dumb enough to say they should kick the hypothetical field goal instead of going for it. Now these numbers are not concrete but you figure the Broncos would score 85 percent of the time on a 4th and inches, which would then give them a 99 percent chance of winning. Instead this announcer said they should go conservative and give the chargers a 40 percent chance, let's say, of scoring a td and sending it to overtime? Not to mention if you miss they need to go 99 yards for a td.
2)One of the announcers said the chargers shouldn't have gone for it on 4th and 8 on the 38. Instead they should have punted? At least have the courage to say it then, and not with a minute left in the game.
3)Chargers get the ball back needing 11 points (a td with 2 point conversion and field goal). They quickly get to the 26 with 1:45 left. Why not kick the field goal then? You need it eventually, why not get a score as quickly as possible? Rivers then got sacked into long field goal range and the chargers lost their last timeout. If only they had kicked the field goal.
4)Brett Favre should not be loved so much
I should be an NFL head coach.
Onion soup rocks.
Some reasons for them being dumb:
1)The Broncos last touchdown got challenged by the Chargers. It at first looked like it would be overturned, causing the announcers to speculate whether they should go for it on 4th and inches (it was 27-23 broncos). One of the announcers was dumb enough to say they should kick the hypothetical field goal instead of going for it. Now these numbers are not concrete but you figure the Broncos would score 85 percent of the time on a 4th and inches, which would then give them a 99 percent chance of winning. Instead this announcer said they should go conservative and give the chargers a 40 percent chance, let's say, of scoring a td and sending it to overtime? Not to mention if you miss they need to go 99 yards for a td.
2)One of the announcers said the chargers shouldn't have gone for it on 4th and 8 on the 38. Instead they should have punted? At least have the courage to say it then, and not with a minute left in the game.
3)Chargers get the ball back needing 11 points (a td with 2 point conversion and field goal). They quickly get to the 26 with 1:45 left. Why not kick the field goal then? You need it eventually, why not get a score as quickly as possible? Rivers then got sacked into long field goal range and the chargers lost their last timeout. If only they had kicked the field goal.
4)Brett Favre should not be loved so much
I should be an NFL head coach.
Onion soup rocks.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The wrong way to study for a midterm.
9:30-wake up so I'm out the door at 10:05.
9:31-turn on shower.
9:32-brush teeth until the water gets hot.
9:33-9:43-shower.
9:43-9:45-get dressed.
9:45-10-pray.
10:01-decide that since my 10:35 class is filmed, i'll just watch it tomorrow when I have less stuff to do. Therefore until my 12:35 class I'll catch up on sunday tv shows, that way in the afternoon I won't have anything to distract me from studying my exam.
10:05:11:45-watch dexter, amazing race, curb your enthusiasm.
11:50- decide my conference at 12:35 doesn't have a participation mark, therefore decide to skip it and watch seinfeld/catch up on the news.
12:45-1:05-eat lunch, roast beef and coca cola, mmmmmmm.
1:05-1:35-get to class, not very interesting.
1:35-2:25-read monday morning quarterback while intermittently paying attention to German Lit. class. The professor asks why nature is so important in the 18th century, nobody gives a s**t.
2:25-2:50-get home, had to wait 7 minutes to get a subway train!
2:50-3:30-watch man vs. wild. Have learned how to obtain water if stuck on a volcano in Hawaii. Also, lava is dangerous.
3:30-4:30-watch the first 5 fights of GSP's career. He was awesome even back then.
4:30-5:30-random internet articles and Facebook.
5:30-6:00-make a microwave meal as it dawns on me that I should probably study.
6-6:30-start studying!
6:30-6:45-Tetris break (btw when watching tv I play tetris at the same time, so at approximately 3:57 i got 264 lines, which I think is the most lines I've gotten in a game.)
6:45-7:05-study whilst talking to my cousin on facebook.
7:05-7:30-Watch the next 3 fights of GSP's career, damn you Matt Hughes, that armbar was totally after the bell!
7:30-8-Watch Jeopardy. Had a decent day, got 31 right, including Final Jeopardy. The category was notable women (no the answer wasn't Gold Meir), and the answer was Clara Barton. Only one person got it, idiots. Wrote this blog during commercial breaks. Also decided to skip 10:05-11:25 class tomorrow because it's boring, we just did the midterm last week and the exam is in 2 months, and I want the extra sleep so my brain is fresh for the Jewish law midterm at 11:35.
8-12-Probably study with tons of Facebook, GSP, Tetris, and other dumb things.
random observation-the more juice boxes I drink in one day, the less stuff I do on said day.
9:31-turn on shower.
9:32-brush teeth until the water gets hot.
9:33-9:43-shower.
9:43-9:45-get dressed.
9:45-10-pray.
10:01-decide that since my 10:35 class is filmed, i'll just watch it tomorrow when I have less stuff to do. Therefore until my 12:35 class I'll catch up on sunday tv shows, that way in the afternoon I won't have anything to distract me from studying my exam.
10:05:11:45-watch dexter, amazing race, curb your enthusiasm.
11:50- decide my conference at 12:35 doesn't have a participation mark, therefore decide to skip it and watch seinfeld/catch up on the news.
12:45-1:05-eat lunch, roast beef and coca cola, mmmmmmm.
1:05-1:35-get to class, not very interesting.
1:35-2:25-read monday morning quarterback while intermittently paying attention to German Lit. class. The professor asks why nature is so important in the 18th century, nobody gives a s**t.
2:25-2:50-get home, had to wait 7 minutes to get a subway train!
2:50-3:30-watch man vs. wild. Have learned how to obtain water if stuck on a volcano in Hawaii. Also, lava is dangerous.
3:30-4:30-watch the first 5 fights of GSP's career. He was awesome even back then.
4:30-5:30-random internet articles and Facebook.
5:30-6:00-make a microwave meal as it dawns on me that I should probably study.
6-6:30-start studying!
6:30-6:45-Tetris break (btw when watching tv I play tetris at the same time, so at approximately 3:57 i got 264 lines, which I think is the most lines I've gotten in a game.)
6:45-7:05-study whilst talking to my cousin on facebook.
7:05-7:30-Watch the next 3 fights of GSP's career, damn you Matt Hughes, that armbar was totally after the bell!
7:30-8-Watch Jeopardy. Had a decent day, got 31 right, including Final Jeopardy. The category was notable women (no the answer wasn't Gold Meir), and the answer was Clara Barton. Only one person got it, idiots. Wrote this blog during commercial breaks. Also decided to skip 10:05-11:25 class tomorrow because it's boring, we just did the midterm last week and the exam is in 2 months, and I want the extra sleep so my brain is fresh for the Jewish law midterm at 11:35.
8-12-Probably study with tons of Facebook, GSP, Tetris, and other dumb things.
random observation-the more juice boxes I drink in one day, the less stuff I do on said day.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Random news stories you may want to read
Article about how the UN condemned Israel, and not Hamas, about what happened in Gaza. I couldn't help noticing 10 of the 25 countries in favour of the resolution are Muslim majority, which will surely vote favourably against a Jewish state.
Interesting article about a video which highly implicates Iran and its nuclear program. Too bad the UN doesn't want you to see it.
How the Obama presidency is giving countries license to treat Israel like s**t. He certainly is bringing change.
Now to switch tact on article focuses...
After mentioning climate change twice in Parliament in the last 6 months, Ignatieff has now made it the plank of his next campaign. Sounds like he's really passionate about it.
Socialized health medicine. If you're not fit you will be fined. Liberty is awesome. California is also banning people from buying big screen tvs.
1 in 8 girls in some high school are preggers!!! My potential solutions. No glove no love, or kick it really old school and only sleep with your wife.
The situation in Afghanistan continues to get worse. I hope Obama listens to his generals and not Joe Biden.
Up to 138 in Rolling Stone songs list. Most of the old songs are dreck. Good Vibrations while a good song should not be number 6. Also, Let it Be is clearly better than Hey Jude. Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds is better than the Dylan version. Gimme Shelter is pure awesomeness, also Changes by Bowie, gotta love that chorus. Norwegian Wood is a funny name for a song. Songs with gibberish word choruses are good, like LAI LAI LAI in the Boxer, and SHA NANANANA in Brown Eyed Girl. A Jew tops the list, way to go Robert Zimmerman, or Bob Dylan as some call him.
Interesting article about a video which highly implicates Iran and its nuclear program. Too bad the UN doesn't want you to see it.
How the Obama presidency is giving countries license to treat Israel like s**t. He certainly is bringing change.
Now to switch tact on article focuses...
After mentioning climate change twice in Parliament in the last 6 months, Ignatieff has now made it the plank of his next campaign. Sounds like he's really passionate about it.
Socialized health medicine. If you're not fit you will be fined. Liberty is awesome. California is also banning people from buying big screen tvs.
1 in 8 girls in some high school are preggers!!! My potential solutions. No glove no love, or kick it really old school and only sleep with your wife.
The situation in Afghanistan continues to get worse. I hope Obama listens to his generals and not Joe Biden.
Up to 138 in Rolling Stone songs list. Most of the old songs are dreck. Good Vibrations while a good song should not be number 6. Also, Let it Be is clearly better than Hey Jude. Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds is better than the Dylan version. Gimme Shelter is pure awesomeness, also Changes by Bowie, gotta love that chorus. Norwegian Wood is a funny name for a song. Songs with gibberish word choruses are good, like LAI LAI LAI in the Boxer, and SHA NANANANA in Brown Eyed Girl. A Jew tops the list, way to go Robert Zimmerman, or Bob Dylan as some call him.
Which ailment do I have?
I keep on waking up in the middle of the night... with a deep burning....in my wrist!
I think I may actually have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Freaking laptop and gameboy. I should probably go to a doctor. I guess it's true that the things you love the most have the greatest potential to hurt you, except Coca Cola, my teeth love sugar so much they fondly embrace it for several hours. Sneering comments are welcomed (I'm looking at you Eric). Hopefully it's not Lupus.
Seinfeld References=2
In better news, I think puberty has kicked in and I might need to shave twice a week now!
I think I may actually have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Freaking laptop and gameboy. I should probably go to a doctor. I guess it's true that the things you love the most have the greatest potential to hurt you, except Coca Cola, my teeth love sugar so much they fondly embrace it for several hours. Sneering comments are welcomed (I'm looking at you Eric). Hopefully it's not Lupus.
Seinfeld References=2
In better news, I think puberty has kicked in and I might need to shave twice a week now!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thing I saw on the Daily Show or Colbert Report.
Sometime last week A.J Jacobs was the guest on one of these shows, promoting his new book about him becoming a human guinea pig. Seeing as I have tons of spare time, maybe I should do the same thing. That's why my years of musical neglect will now lead me on a quixotic music journey of self discovery. In the next month I will try to listen to the Rolling Stones top 500 song play list, and if I get around to it the 100 greatest songs of Rap and Hip Hop. I guess I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.
If you have any recommendations for good stuff lemme know.
If you have any recommendations for good stuff lemme know.
Movies you should watch: The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker is possibly the best war movie ever, save Full Metal Jacket, that movie was awesome! Anyways, The Hurt Locker is a movie about a bomb disposal team in Iraq. The movie gives a great account of the difficulties there are fighting in an urban setting. Every man with a cell phone can potentially set off a bomb, any stack of garbage can have hidden explosives in it. Despite this, the soldiers act in as humane a way as possible, although one sees behind the scenes the pent up aggression they hold. The soldiers are shown to be unable to live outside of a war setting, despite the constant danger they face every day. This is illustrated near the end of the movie with one of the soldiers doing the mundane task of shopping for groceries, wondering how exactly this is making a difference for his country.
The film is not overtly political, which is why most war movies fail. The film is beautifully shot, with lots of tense scenes. Guy Pierce and Ralph Fiennes make cameos, and the acting is generally excellent. The movie was surprisingly shot by a woman, however this probably gives the movie a different perspective than one is used to.
All in all one should definitely see this movie. It's got everything you need. Bombs, guns, and tanks....
The film is not overtly political, which is why most war movies fail. The film is beautifully shot, with lots of tense scenes. Guy Pierce and Ralph Fiennes make cameos, and the acting is generally excellent. The movie was surprisingly shot by a woman, however this probably gives the movie a different perspective than one is used to.
All in all one should definitely see this movie. It's got everything you need. Bombs, guns, and tanks....
Capitalism: A Love Story Review
So last night I decided to go to see said movie (with my delightful Liberal friend), and came away with many interesting thoughts. The review will probably feel a little scatterbrained, but then again the movie wasn't so coherent either.
Moore starts off the movie by juxtaposing the reasons for the fall of Rome with America today. The reason for this collapse falls at the feet of capitalism, which he describes as evil at the end of the movie. Of course it's debatable if an economic system can have descriptive words attached to it. I guess I'll just proceed with some things I agreed with, and some things I didn't.
Firstly, I do agree that most people in our society are quite selfish. The lust for materials can be quite disheartening. Clearly, a ton of people are not happy, which is puzzling, as they seem to have so much. Maybe possessions and materials do not provide one with happiness. Instead of blaming the collapse on the economy on human greed, which seems much more likely than capitalism, Moore instead pits the evil rich against the worthy poor. Offhandedly he admits that the reason the poor allow capitalism is because they hope they can become rich pricks one day too, kind of taking away their virtuosity....
Moore uses a lot of religious iconography in making his claims. He states that Jesus wouldn't have stood for so much economic disparity, and I'm inclined to believe that. In Judaism one is supposed to give away 10 percent of their salary to charity, let the poor eat from your fields for free every 7 years, and during harvest time leave the corners of your field for the poor. Money is shown to be a corrupting power in the bible, eg the prohibition by a king not to collect horses, in fears he'll be consumed by materialism. Being humble is a virtue, and recognizing that G-d gives one his money keeps one in the proper perspective. But who needs all this, science,the human mind, and unlicensed sexual liberty can make a much better society...
Obviously the stories he brings are heartbreaking, but they must be taken with a grain of salt. If you can't pay for your property you don't deserve it, even if it seems nice to let people live there for free. The philosophical concept of liberty does not allow emotion to get the better of reason. It does also not allow the government to take everyone's money and give it to the poor (only to a certain extent).
Moore yearns to go back to the good old days where one man could raise his family, and you get a car every 3 years. He actually sounds very conservative here as he wants to return to the past in loo of the present. Of course times have changed for people working in car factories. Moore admits America didn't have to compete with Germany and Japan in making cars back then. Now that they do, how does he expect people to get paid the same as they did back then? He rails against Gm (and the air industry) for paying their workers so badly, but fails to mention they lose tons of money. How does he expect these companies to run with thousands more workers, pay them lavish salaries, and still stay in business?
Moore praises unions as the greatest things ever. Like ordinary people aren't greedy. Sure seemed that way to me last summer when the garbage men in Toronto went on strike during a recession for higher wages. The fact of the matter is, industry is dying in America. Countries can build stuff for a lot cheaper than we can, and don't need to pay their workers nearly as much. We are becoming a society where we provide services domestically and internationally. And no offense to some of the workers, but they are not cared about for the simple reason that they can be easily replaced by people with similar skills. It's a lot harder to replace someone with a Harvard degree, which is why they get paid more...
His whole political shlock also makes little sense. Because Reagan's treasury secretary worked for Merrill Lynch means that a sinister conspiracy is in the works? Apparently so according to the conspiracy minded congresswoman he keeps on talking too. George Bush in a stroke of genius planned the whole economic collapse so Larry Summers could make Goldman Sachs the number one financial company on Wall Street. Moore claims the bailout stole taxpayers money, thank the Democratic Congress for that. I wonder what his thoughts are about the health care bill, which will 'steal' a trillion dollars of taxpayer money. I didn't agree with the bailouts either, simply because CAPITALISM would say that these companies should fail. Government intervention is allowing this to go on.
Moore then paints Obama as the heroic figure who so wants to change the world, but is being influenced against his will by Wall Street. Like he didn't get elected to the Senate with the help of rich and powerful people. Obama appointed a 'wall street' guy to be his treasury secretary too. Personally, I don't think that by Goldman Sachs giving him a 500 000 dollar donation, he'll suddenly pass a 700 billion dollar helping them. Maybe -Shocker- the bailout bill can help the common people.
He ends the movie by saying the people are rising up against the rich, to bad this is not even close to the truth. People in industrial towns need to realize the world is changing, and they need new skills. We've had to adjust before and we can do it again.
In summation, capitalism is not an evil system, it is people who are evil and greedy. Seen throughout the movie are examples of businesses where the CEO doesn't get more than the worker, and capitalism doesn't state there is anything wrong with that. Human greed and lack of compassion makes companies act in callous ways. If we want to save our economy, start by looking deep inside yourself, and realize that money isn't everything.
Moore starts off the movie by juxtaposing the reasons for the fall of Rome with America today. The reason for this collapse falls at the feet of capitalism, which he describes as evil at the end of the movie. Of course it's debatable if an economic system can have descriptive words attached to it. I guess I'll just proceed with some things I agreed with, and some things I didn't.
Firstly, I do agree that most people in our society are quite selfish. The lust for materials can be quite disheartening. Clearly, a ton of people are not happy, which is puzzling, as they seem to have so much. Maybe possessions and materials do not provide one with happiness. Instead of blaming the collapse on the economy on human greed, which seems much more likely than capitalism, Moore instead pits the evil rich against the worthy poor. Offhandedly he admits that the reason the poor allow capitalism is because they hope they can become rich pricks one day too, kind of taking away their virtuosity....
Moore uses a lot of religious iconography in making his claims. He states that Jesus wouldn't have stood for so much economic disparity, and I'm inclined to believe that. In Judaism one is supposed to give away 10 percent of their salary to charity, let the poor eat from your fields for free every 7 years, and during harvest time leave the corners of your field for the poor. Money is shown to be a corrupting power in the bible, eg the prohibition by a king not to collect horses, in fears he'll be consumed by materialism. Being humble is a virtue, and recognizing that G-d gives one his money keeps one in the proper perspective. But who needs all this, science,the human mind, and unlicensed sexual liberty can make a much better society...
Obviously the stories he brings are heartbreaking, but they must be taken with a grain of salt. If you can't pay for your property you don't deserve it, even if it seems nice to let people live there for free. The philosophical concept of liberty does not allow emotion to get the better of reason. It does also not allow the government to take everyone's money and give it to the poor (only to a certain extent).
Moore yearns to go back to the good old days where one man could raise his family, and you get a car every 3 years. He actually sounds very conservative here as he wants to return to the past in loo of the present. Of course times have changed for people working in car factories. Moore admits America didn't have to compete with Germany and Japan in making cars back then. Now that they do, how does he expect people to get paid the same as they did back then? He rails against Gm (and the air industry) for paying their workers so badly, but fails to mention they lose tons of money. How does he expect these companies to run with thousands more workers, pay them lavish salaries, and still stay in business?
Moore praises unions as the greatest things ever. Like ordinary people aren't greedy. Sure seemed that way to me last summer when the garbage men in Toronto went on strike during a recession for higher wages. The fact of the matter is, industry is dying in America. Countries can build stuff for a lot cheaper than we can, and don't need to pay their workers nearly as much. We are becoming a society where we provide services domestically and internationally. And no offense to some of the workers, but they are not cared about for the simple reason that they can be easily replaced by people with similar skills. It's a lot harder to replace someone with a Harvard degree, which is why they get paid more...
His whole political shlock also makes little sense. Because Reagan's treasury secretary worked for Merrill Lynch means that a sinister conspiracy is in the works? Apparently so according to the conspiracy minded congresswoman he keeps on talking too. George Bush in a stroke of genius planned the whole economic collapse so Larry Summers could make Goldman Sachs the number one financial company on Wall Street. Moore claims the bailout stole taxpayers money, thank the Democratic Congress for that. I wonder what his thoughts are about the health care bill, which will 'steal' a trillion dollars of taxpayer money. I didn't agree with the bailouts either, simply because CAPITALISM would say that these companies should fail. Government intervention is allowing this to go on.
Moore then paints Obama as the heroic figure who so wants to change the world, but is being influenced against his will by Wall Street. Like he didn't get elected to the Senate with the help of rich and powerful people. Obama appointed a 'wall street' guy to be his treasury secretary too. Personally, I don't think that by Goldman Sachs giving him a 500 000 dollar donation, he'll suddenly pass a 700 billion dollar helping them. Maybe -Shocker- the bailout bill can help the common people.
He ends the movie by saying the people are rising up against the rich, to bad this is not even close to the truth. People in industrial towns need to realize the world is changing, and they need new skills. We've had to adjust before and we can do it again.
In summation, capitalism is not an evil system, it is people who are evil and greedy. Seen throughout the movie are examples of businesses where the CEO doesn't get more than the worker, and capitalism doesn't state there is anything wrong with that. Human greed and lack of compassion makes companies act in callous ways. If we want to save our economy, start by looking deep inside yourself, and realize that money isn't everything.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Seeing the new Michael Moore movie tomorrow..
Will it be better or worse than an Endoscopy? Only time will tell....
Fatah has given up hope......oh no!
It was reported today that in an internal memo circulated by the PA it stated that the Palestinian leadership has lost hope in Obama (despite his Nobel prize win). The reason for this is because Obama has recently backed off his harsh demand of Israel to completely stop building 'settlements', instead they only have to stop building in 95% of them. The sinister 'zionist lobby' in the USA is apparently to blame for Obama's sudden decision.
Firstly, if the Palestinians are complaining of a Zionist lobby is this a group one wants to make peace with?
Secondly, it's called a compromise. Obama demands 100 percent, Israel says it will comply a little bit less, and they agree on that. This is how negotiation works, a fact the Palestinians don't seem to recognize as all they do is demand, and never give up anything in return. In fact I'm strongly critical of Obama for not pushing the Palestinians more on this front. It seems Abbas is content to let Obama pressure Israel into making concessions, while he sits back and does nothing.
Captain Wonderful has some work cut out for him if he wants to get a deal done.
Firstly, if the Palestinians are complaining of a Zionist lobby is this a group one wants to make peace with?
Secondly, it's called a compromise. Obama demands 100 percent, Israel says it will comply a little bit less, and they agree on that. This is how negotiation works, a fact the Palestinians don't seem to recognize as all they do is demand, and never give up anything in return. In fact I'm strongly critical of Obama for not pushing the Palestinians more on this front. It seems Abbas is content to let Obama pressure Israel into making concessions, while he sits back and does nothing.
Captain Wonderful has some work cut out for him if he wants to get a deal done.
Monday, October 12, 2009
I'm back again....
Let's hope I'm not to lazy to keep this going.
I will blog on basically everything, save reviews of desperate housewives and other things of that vein...
I will blog on basically everything, save reviews of desperate housewives and other things of that vein...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Charles Freeman
It was big news this week when it was found out that Charles Freeman was rumoured to become the head of the National Intelligence Council. This rumour immediately stoked passionate debate on how appropriate a decision this was, considering that Freeman is an unabashed supporter of Saudi Arabia and China, and is extremely critical of Israel. Eventually, he took himself out of consideration due to this backlash, but he left in a 'classy' way by saying the Israel Lobby had made up lies about him. Glenn Greenwald on Salon wholeheartedly agreed, with an idiotic defense. His proof: One or two senators said they didn't want him because of his views in Israel. The senators had no say in picking this guy. This was about all the proof he could muster. Everyone who claims there is an Israel Lobby is simply Anti-Israel, and are so dumbfounded that people don't agree with them, simply resort to making up imaginary cabals.
Mark Steyn says it well:
HH: Well, let’s look at one aspect of that. The short-lived nomination of Chas Freeman to be the head of the Intelligence estimates. What did you make of this? I’ve got Glenn Greenwald of Salon coming on next hour, who’s seeing the Israeli lobby behind every stump here.
MS: Yeah, yeah.
HH: What did you make of this?
MS: Yeah, exactly. I love the way that no matter how we’re out of power, you know, it’s the sinister neocons who still control everything. The Democrats control the House, they control the Senate, they control the White House, but still three or four people with Jewish names are making all the key decisions. It’s not, he didn’t get, his nomination wasn’t scuttled because he was anti-Israel. It’s because he’s pro-Saudi. It’s because he’s on the payroll of the House of Saud. It’s because he’s a propagandist for one of the ugliest and most unlovely regimes that’s done a very good job of buying up just about everything it needs to buy up, and everyone it needs to buy up, in the United States. And because he knew he couldn’t withstand the heat of hearings, he pulled out. Most people, if you read the New York Times, Washington Post, they don’t know anything about the controversy, because those papers being friends of Obama didn’t even report it. But Charles Freeman understood that he couldn’t withstand the heat of hearings, because he’s basically been a press agent for the Saudi royal family, which no self-respecting American should be doing.
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/talkradio/transcripts/Transcript.aspx?ContentGuid=6ad0b109-768c-4f24-9090-223ef6772cbe
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/14/robert-fulford-obama-s-curious-intelligence-appointee-suffered-death-by-blogging.aspx
One last question. What lobby pressured Bill Richardson to drop his cabinet post? And the several other appointees who dropped out during this process? Criticism of a man for his past actions does not indicate a shadowy Lobby controlling American foreign policy.
Mark Steyn says it well:
HH: Well, let’s look at one aspect of that. The short-lived nomination of Chas Freeman to be the head of the Intelligence estimates. What did you make of this? I’ve got Glenn Greenwald of Salon coming on next hour, who’s seeing the Israeli lobby behind every stump here.
MS: Yeah, yeah.
HH: What did you make of this?
MS: Yeah, exactly. I love the way that no matter how we’re out of power, you know, it’s the sinister neocons who still control everything. The Democrats control the House, they control the Senate, they control the White House, but still three or four people with Jewish names are making all the key decisions. It’s not, he didn’t get, his nomination wasn’t scuttled because he was anti-Israel. It’s because he’s pro-Saudi. It’s because he’s on the payroll of the House of Saud. It’s because he’s a propagandist for one of the ugliest and most unlovely regimes that’s done a very good job of buying up just about everything it needs to buy up, and everyone it needs to buy up, in the United States. And because he knew he couldn’t withstand the heat of hearings, he pulled out. Most people, if you read the New York Times, Washington Post, they don’t know anything about the controversy, because those papers being friends of Obama didn’t even report it. But Charles Freeman understood that he couldn’t withstand the heat of hearings, because he’s basically been a press agent for the Saudi royal family, which no self-respecting American should be doing.
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/talkradio/transcripts/Transcript.aspx?ContentGuid=6ad0b109-768c-4f24-9090-223ef6772cbe
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/14/robert-fulford-obama-s-curious-intelligence-appointee-suffered-death-by-blogging.aspx
One last question. What lobby pressured Bill Richardson to drop his cabinet post? And the several other appointees who dropped out during this process? Criticism of a man for his past actions does not indicate a shadowy Lobby controlling American foreign policy.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Israel Apartheid Week
Israel Apartheid week is up and running again, and it really is disgusting that such an event is allowed to take place on University campuses, once known to be a bastion of cooperative and intelligent dialogue. Now, debate has been hijacked by the most radical and disgusting of fringe groups. Groups that claim only to be anti-Israel and anti-Zionist, but in truth are Anti-Semetic in action and words. Telling all Jews to die and go back into ovens has nothing to do with Israeli policy towards the Palestinians. It has to do with the world's oldest hatred, towards an identifiable group that has contributed so much. (For those who claim Anti-Semitism relates to Arabs too, because they're also Semitic people, I say to you that you are an ignorant fool. To equate the so called mistreatment of Arabs to the 2000 year old hatred of Jews, leading to them being slaughtered in the Crusades, in the Inquisition, attacked by the Cossacks, years of pogroms, and then the Holocaust, is idiotic.)
Some may claim that this is within the boundaries of free speech, and some of this may be true. However, the event has no reasoned dialogue, rather it is just hatred being spat at the Jews on campus. For a Jew to be in fear while on campus is not acceptable. Unfortunately, the hypocritical Human Rights Commissions would never do anything to stop the extreme left fringe, therefore no matter how badly Israel and Jews are demonized they will never intervene. It is up to brave University administrators to stop this sham.
Nor is anything that the other side is claiming true. To compare the actions of Israel and Apartheid South Africa is intellectually dishonest. One can clearly see that Israel's supposed racist actions were put in place to stop terror. Anybody who lived in Israel before the Intifadas will tell you that Jews would safely go into Palestinian towns to shop. A 'racist' policy wasn't suddenly put into place for no reason. Nor, would a country paralyze its progress by spending all of its money on security, so it could carry out a 'racist' project. Every Arab country is far worse to its own than Israel is, yet so called lovers of peace never mention this. Why don't some of these people go to Saudi Arabia and see how they will be treated? Oh wait, only Muslims can go there, and if you're a women you can't drive, and if you're raped, you shouldn't have shamed your family.
This farce needs to be stopped and be revealed for what it is. History has proven that where Anti-Semitism flourishes, nothing good will come of value to Jews in that society, nor the others who inhabit it.
Some good articles
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/02/jonathan-kay-on-the-lesson-from-israel-apartheid-week-anti-semitism-is-now-a-creature-of-the-left.aspx
http://www.newsweek.com/id/186974/page/1
http://thentherewaslight.com/515_israel-apartheid-week-preaching-hate-choir-2/
See this disgusting poster.
Some may claim that this is within the boundaries of free speech, and some of this may be true. However, the event has no reasoned dialogue, rather it is just hatred being spat at the Jews on campus. For a Jew to be in fear while on campus is not acceptable. Unfortunately, the hypocritical Human Rights Commissions would never do anything to stop the extreme left fringe, therefore no matter how badly Israel and Jews are demonized they will never intervene. It is up to brave University administrators to stop this sham.
Nor is anything that the other side is claiming true. To compare the actions of Israel and Apartheid South Africa is intellectually dishonest. One can clearly see that Israel's supposed racist actions were put in place to stop terror. Anybody who lived in Israel before the Intifadas will tell you that Jews would safely go into Palestinian towns to shop. A 'racist' policy wasn't suddenly put into place for no reason. Nor, would a country paralyze its progress by spending all of its money on security, so it could carry out a 'racist' project. Every Arab country is far worse to its own than Israel is, yet so called lovers of peace never mention this. Why don't some of these people go to Saudi Arabia and see how they will be treated? Oh wait, only Muslims can go there, and if you're a women you can't drive, and if you're raped, you shouldn't have shamed your family.
This farce needs to be stopped and be revealed for what it is. History has proven that where Anti-Semitism flourishes, nothing good will come of value to Jews in that society, nor the others who inhabit it.
Some good articles
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/02/jonathan-kay-on-the-lesson-from-israel-apartheid-week-anti-semitism-is-now-a-creature-of-the-left.aspx
http://www.newsweek.com/id/186974/page/1
http://thentherewaslight.com/515_israel-apartheid-week-preaching-hate-choir-2/
See this disgusting poster.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Brave Decisions
In Israel this week, 2 government figures actually made brave decisions.
First, the Attorney General Menahem Mazuz said he would push to indict Ehud Olmert on fraud, bribery, and more. It's good to finally see that corrupt politicians will get what's coming to them after they deceive the public. It was lamentable that Sharon got away with all that he was charged with, and will never have to face the public for what he's done. One must recognize the courage it takes to prosecute a former Prime Minister, and for that I applaud Mazuz for his actions.
Secondly, Ehud Barak has decided he may join the coalition. It is obviously good for him, as he may keep his defense minister spot, but it is also good for the country, as now the coalition will be more stable and flexible. I think this will bolster support for him and Labour if he can perform his job competently, and act presidential while being part of the coalition. Kadima looks like a bunch of hypocrites, on the one hand telling Likud to join them in a unity government, and then not joining them. It's clear that Livni wants the government to fail and then she'll swoop in to become Prime Minster. Alas, if only the country wasn't going into recession, facing a nuclear Iran, and still contending with ongoing security issues. This is a time where Israel needs the best government possible, and instead of being a part of it Livni is cynically playing politics.
First, the Attorney General Menahem Mazuz said he would push to indict Ehud Olmert on fraud, bribery, and more. It's good to finally see that corrupt politicians will get what's coming to them after they deceive the public. It was lamentable that Sharon got away with all that he was charged with, and will never have to face the public for what he's done. One must recognize the courage it takes to prosecute a former Prime Minister, and for that I applaud Mazuz for his actions.
Secondly, Ehud Barak has decided he may join the coalition. It is obviously good for him, as he may keep his defense minister spot, but it is also good for the country, as now the coalition will be more stable and flexible. I think this will bolster support for him and Labour if he can perform his job competently, and act presidential while being part of the coalition. Kadima looks like a bunch of hypocrites, on the one hand telling Likud to join them in a unity government, and then not joining them. It's clear that Livni wants the government to fail and then she'll swoop in to become Prime Minster. Alas, if only the country wasn't going into recession, facing a nuclear Iran, and still contending with ongoing security issues. This is a time where Israel needs the best government possible, and instead of being a part of it Livni is cynically playing politics.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Go Canada!
Today, Peter MacKay let it know that a Russian jet went into Canadian airspace during the recent Obama visit. Luckily, the brave Canadian air force showed those Commies who were boss and drove them back to Russia. Did they really think they could get past our impenetrable defenses when there was so much hope in the air? I don't think so.
Bring it on Putin, we'll take you to school any time.
Bring it on Putin, we'll take you to school any time.
Monday, February 23, 2009
What planet are these guys on?
The European Union is scared out of it's wits, and for what reason? The big, bad Binyamin Netanyahu is going to form the next government in Israel, and this is bad, because the very 'successful' peace process is in jeopardy. I don't know what the E.U defines as successful, but the bar must be set pretty low if they're worried that Bebe is going to ruin it. Firstly, the West Bank and Gaza are ruled by separate entities, putting the two state solution in doubt. And even if the West Bank is given over to Fatah, who's to say Hamas won't just take it over, which is becoming increasingly likely in the coming years.
Also, in case the E.U didn't notice, there was a kind of war going on last month, which doesn't augur well with the peace process. Basically, at this point, the two state solution and the peace process are a joke. Most Israelis don't want to give back the West Bank, nor do they believe that the Palestinians will keep any agreements they make. On the flip side, the Palestinians continue to seek unreasonable demands, and Fatah's position in power is tenuous.
It's also quite amusing that citizens of these E.U countries blasted Israel during Operation Cast Lead, and now they think Israel will care at all what they need to say. Maybe the E.U should stick to its own problems, such as impending financial doom, and civilization exhaustion.
Also, in case the E.U didn't notice, there was a kind of war going on last month, which doesn't augur well with the peace process. Basically, at this point, the two state solution and the peace process are a joke. Most Israelis don't want to give back the West Bank, nor do they believe that the Palestinians will keep any agreements they make. On the flip side, the Palestinians continue to seek unreasonable demands, and Fatah's position in power is tenuous.
It's also quite amusing that citizens of these E.U countries blasted Israel during Operation Cast Lead, and now they think Israel will care at all what they need to say. Maybe the E.U should stick to its own problems, such as impending financial doom, and civilization exhaustion.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
New York Post Editorial Cartoon.
The New York Post recently published a very controversial cartoon, which many found offensive, as it seemed to portray Barak Obama as a monkey. I honestly don't think that the guy who drew the cartoon meant to insinuate this, rather he made a joke without thinking about the consequences. I mean when I first saw it I did not immediatly think it was shocking, but then I realized that African Americans are sometimes called monkeys, and this is what the controversy is all about. If this was the man's true intention, then he should be vilified for it, like he already is.
The bottom line is, the public has the right to see these images and judge them accordingly.
The bottom line is, the public has the right to see these images and judge them accordingly.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
My Oscar Picks
The Academy Awards is this Sunday and seeing as I actually watched every best picture nomination, I will now precede to judge some of the bigger categories.
Best Picture summary (in order of goodness):
Frost/Nixon- Who knew that a movie about interviewing Richard Nixon could be so awesome? It turns out that Nixon was pretty funny, although he was quite paranoid. Ron Howard has done it again.
Milk- A biopic about a gay Jew, who becomes the first openly gay public official, starring Sean Penn was surprisingly good. The movie gave an interesting look into how gays were treated in the 70's, and stellar casting and directing makes this film stand out.
Slumdog Millionaire- Overall a good film, although the whole love storyline was a bit nauseating. Also the believability of the plot started to annoy me after a while. It was still entertaining, and who doesn't like some good Bollywood dancing.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- This movie was aight, although it was Fiddler on the Roof long, at around two and a half hours. Brad Pitt was okay, but all in all a little disappointing, considering how many nominations it received.
The Reader- The worst Holocaust movie I've ever seen, and perhaps one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The moral problems it raises are idiotic, and frankly I don't know what there is to like about this movie.
Best Picture Winner- Frost/Nixon!
Best Actor Nominees:
Richard Jenkins – The Visitor
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Order of goodness: Mickey Rourke deserves the nod for being awesome in the wrestler. His portrayal of a character on the downside of his career, emulated his own life situation giving his performance extra gravitas. Frank Langella was great as Nixon, while Sean Penn also gave a great performance.
Brad Pitt honestly didn't impress me, and I'm sure the other guy was also fine, unfortunately he was in a movie that only 32 people in the world saw.
Best Actress Nominees:
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Since I didn't see any of these movies I'll give it to the best looking actress.
Congratulations Meryl Streep!
I'm joking, Angelina Jolie wins
Best Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road
I'll give it to Heath, even though Batman Begins is better than the Dark Knight.
Josh Brolin and Robert Downey were also good. Sorry I didn't see your movies other guys.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
What? Marisa Tomei wins another Oscar? What?
George Costanza is fuming he blew his shot with her
The person in Benjamin Button was aight.
Didn't see others.
Best Animated Film:
Bolt – Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda – Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton
Seeing as WALL-E was actually a good movie it wins.
Sorry Jack Black you'll have to win an Oscar another way, maybe Shallow Hal 2?
I'm sure Bolt sucked.
Best Foreign Film:
Revanche (Austria) in German - Götz Spielmann
The Class (France) in French - Laurent Cantet
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany) in German
Departures (Japan) in Japanese
Waltz with Bashir (Israel) in Hebrew - Ari Folman
Whoo Israel! First we get the SI cover, and now Waltz with Bashir wins. If the other movies were in English maybe I would watch them.
Best Director:
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk
I'll give this one to Danny Boyle, seeing as it must have been hard to kidnap all of those young Indian kids and put them in the movie. Solid job by everyone else, except the guy who directed The Reader. He should jump off a bridge, preferably a tall one.
My 10 Favorite movies of the Year:
1) The Wrestler-Every guy loved wrestling at one point, and that's why this movie about wrestling was so awesome. It was also a fascinating look about a man fulfilling his dreams, and receiving no reward for it.
2) Gran Torino-A great movie about Clint Eastwood living in an ever-changing neighbuorhood. A great examination of youth culture.
3) Iron Man- Number 3 superhero movie ever besides Spiderman and Batman Begins. Tony Stark is cool, and there's a guy named Obadiah.
4)Frost/Nixon-See above.
5)Milk-See above.
6)WALL-E- E-VAH
7)The Dark Knight- Oh, how I wish this was the best movie ever, alas it was only decent. Heath was great, but the plot was somewhat fragmented, and all of the gadgets pissed me off. Less moral conflict than the first movie.
8)The Incredible Hulk-Edward Norton was awesome and Liv Tyler was better looking than I remembered. It was also filmed in Toronto, yay Canada!
9)Slumdog Millionaire-See above.
10)Body of Lies- A solid movie with Leo and Russel Crowe. Lots of action with a somewhat political message made for a good movie.
Best Picture summary (in order of goodness):
Frost/Nixon- Who knew that a movie about interviewing Richard Nixon could be so awesome? It turns out that Nixon was pretty funny, although he was quite paranoid. Ron Howard has done it again.
Milk- A biopic about a gay Jew, who becomes the first openly gay public official, starring Sean Penn was surprisingly good. The movie gave an interesting look into how gays were treated in the 70's, and stellar casting and directing makes this film stand out.
Slumdog Millionaire- Overall a good film, although the whole love storyline was a bit nauseating. Also the believability of the plot started to annoy me after a while. It was still entertaining, and who doesn't like some good Bollywood dancing.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- This movie was aight, although it was Fiddler on the Roof long, at around two and a half hours. Brad Pitt was okay, but all in all a little disappointing, considering how many nominations it received.
The Reader- The worst Holocaust movie I've ever seen, and perhaps one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The moral problems it raises are idiotic, and frankly I don't know what there is to like about this movie.
Best Picture Winner- Frost/Nixon!
Best Actor Nominees:
Richard Jenkins – The Visitor
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Order of goodness: Mickey Rourke deserves the nod for being awesome in the wrestler. His portrayal of a character on the downside of his career, emulated his own life situation giving his performance extra gravitas. Frank Langella was great as Nixon, while Sean Penn also gave a great performance.
Brad Pitt honestly didn't impress me, and I'm sure the other guy was also fine, unfortunately he was in a movie that only 32 people in the world saw.
Best Actress Nominees:
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Since I didn't see any of these movies I'll give it to the best looking actress.
Congratulations Meryl Streep!
I'm joking, Angelina Jolie wins
Best Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road
I'll give it to Heath, even though Batman Begins is better than the Dark Knight.
Josh Brolin and Robert Downey were also good. Sorry I didn't see your movies other guys.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
What? Marisa Tomei wins another Oscar? What?
George Costanza is fuming he blew his shot with her
The person in Benjamin Button was aight.
Didn't see others.
Best Animated Film:
Bolt – Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda – Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton
Seeing as WALL-E was actually a good movie it wins.
Sorry Jack Black you'll have to win an Oscar another way, maybe Shallow Hal 2?
I'm sure Bolt sucked.
Best Foreign Film:
Revanche (Austria) in German - Götz Spielmann
The Class (France) in French - Laurent Cantet
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany) in German
Departures (Japan) in Japanese
Waltz with Bashir (Israel) in Hebrew - Ari Folman
Whoo Israel! First we get the SI cover, and now Waltz with Bashir wins. If the other movies were in English maybe I would watch them.
Best Director:
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk
I'll give this one to Danny Boyle, seeing as it must have been hard to kidnap all of those young Indian kids and put them in the movie. Solid job by everyone else, except the guy who directed The Reader. He should jump off a bridge, preferably a tall one.
My 10 Favorite movies of the Year:
1) The Wrestler-Every guy loved wrestling at one point, and that's why this movie about wrestling was so awesome. It was also a fascinating look about a man fulfilling his dreams, and receiving no reward for it.
2) Gran Torino-A great movie about Clint Eastwood living in an ever-changing neighbuorhood. A great examination of youth culture.
3) Iron Man- Number 3 superhero movie ever besides Spiderman and Batman Begins. Tony Stark is cool, and there's a guy named Obadiah.
4)Frost/Nixon-See above.
5)Milk-See above.
6)WALL-E- E-VAH
7)The Dark Knight- Oh, how I wish this was the best movie ever, alas it was only decent. Heath was great, but the plot was somewhat fragmented, and all of the gadgets pissed me off. Less moral conflict than the first movie.
8)The Incredible Hulk-Edward Norton was awesome and Liv Tyler was better looking than I remembered. It was also filmed in Toronto, yay Canada!
9)Slumdog Millionaire-See above.
10)Body of Lies- A solid movie with Leo and Russel Crowe. Lots of action with a somewhat political message made for a good movie.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Why is everybody such a downer?
I haven't written a blog in a couple of days, but others have been eagerly reporting on the demise of Western Civilization. The way I see it is that we have a few problems to deal with, that may lead to a quick and certain Armageddon.
1)Global Warming- Either it doesn't exist, it will kill a large minority of us, or all of mankind will be in mortal peril from this menace. As of now the economy sucks so nobody cares about this issue. Hopefully it isn't so serious, otherwise we will all be eating each other soon, with Al Gore as our benevolent overlord.
2)Nukes-I could probably buy a nuke from Russia, so I have no clue what Iran is doing trying to build one of its own. On that note, how can North Korea build a nuke quicker than you??? And with nobody noticing! Kim Jong Il is a sneaky fellow, you have to give him that much. Anyways, Iran has threatened to nuke Israel, possibly starting a nuclear holocaust in the process. This in turn will lead to us being mutated freaks, and yes people will probably eat each other.
3)Money-Where did it go? Maybe 7 people in the world actually understand what is going on, everyone else just pretends. Seriously, how does getting a journalism degree lead one to be an expert on subprime mortgages. In any event, if we all run out of money we can become farmers again, and I imagine our lives will be like that of Tom Sawyer.
4)Demographics-We don't have enough children, thus we will be overrun by people that do have children. This kid in England has the right idea. Don't let anyone tell you that 13 is to young to become a father.
5)Sad news articles-The situation seems so bad from the news that everyone will spontaneously agree to drink the Kool-Aid.
6)Aliens-You know they're out there, David Duchovney told me.
7)Robots-I'm hoping they'll be like the robots in futurama, awesome. Although they may kill you.
8)Lastly, Killer clowns-Clowns are scary.
Hopefully, we'll stay resilient and manage to survive without eating each other.
1)Global Warming- Either it doesn't exist, it will kill a large minority of us, or all of mankind will be in mortal peril from this menace. As of now the economy sucks so nobody cares about this issue. Hopefully it isn't so serious, otherwise we will all be eating each other soon, with Al Gore as our benevolent overlord.
2)Nukes-I could probably buy a nuke from Russia, so I have no clue what Iran is doing trying to build one of its own. On that note, how can North Korea build a nuke quicker than you??? And with nobody noticing! Kim Jong Il is a sneaky fellow, you have to give him that much. Anyways, Iran has threatened to nuke Israel, possibly starting a nuclear holocaust in the process. This in turn will lead to us being mutated freaks, and yes people will probably eat each other.
3)Money-Where did it go? Maybe 7 people in the world actually understand what is going on, everyone else just pretends. Seriously, how does getting a journalism degree lead one to be an expert on subprime mortgages. In any event, if we all run out of money we can become farmers again, and I imagine our lives will be like that of Tom Sawyer.
4)Demographics-We don't have enough children, thus we will be overrun by people that do have children. This kid in England has the right idea. Don't let anyone tell you that 13 is to young to become a father.
5)Sad news articles-The situation seems so bad from the news that everyone will spontaneously agree to drink the Kool-Aid.
6)Aliens-You know they're out there, David Duchovney told me.
7)Robots-I'm hoping they'll be like the robots in futurama, awesome. Although they may kill you.
8)Lastly, Killer clowns-Clowns are scary.
Hopefully, we'll stay resilient and manage to survive without eating each other.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Congratulations Israel!!
Israeli born Bar Rafaeli is on the cover of the prestigious sports illustrated swimsuit edition.
Perhaps she holds the key to Middle East Peace.
Perhaps she holds the key to Middle East Peace.
T.V Round up
New 24 and Heroes this week, and I plan on discussing what's wrong with them.
Firstly, 24. It was a pretty good episode this week, except for a few really dumb things. For example, the head terrorist (genocide guy) leaves the first husband with his men so he can take care of his girlfriends meddling sister. First of all how the hell does nobody recognize him, as it seems to be that he's on the news all the time killing people. Secondly, how much longer does he expect to be in the country for, that he can continue his dalliances with said girlfriend. Of course this was just to get him out of the place so Jack didn't get him, but then again he could have disappeared magically from a bullet filled room like he did last time. Also Jack stabbed a guy in the gut this episode and the guy died within 13 seconds. It was a puny knife too, he should have least bled out over the course of next episode. The bullet wound of the first husband also jumped a foot or 2 in the changing shots. Besides that Jack Bauer kicks ass.
Heroes, the show I hate yet continue to watch. Why do I torment myself in watching? So I can have an outlet for my anger. I mean seriously, this show makes less sense than Lost, and has worse acting than a Ron Jeremy movie (so I've been told). There were around 50 things wrong with this episode but I'll only name a few.
1) Clair is a 17/8 year old girl yet can beat up fully grown trained men. Not knocking girls here, but she would easily get whupped in a fight. Also how did she climb into the plane through the fuselage?
2) The fast running girl. She ran from Japan to Arkansas. This is around a 10 hour plane ride, yet she got there within a minute. Thus she runs 600 times faster than a plane traveling 500 miles per hour. That is 300 000 miles per hour, enough force to rip her to pieces. Also she had to run over the Pacific Ocean? Also how did she know how to get from Japan to Arkansas? And does she run through stuff at high speeds or avoid them. Seriously, WTF?
3)How does Peter, a male nurse, know how to operate submachine guns and pistols like he has this season?
4)Parkman, who is a worse actor than Pauly Shore, spontaneously discovered the ability to draw the future, and sees dead people.
5)Does the government know Nathan has powers? If so why don't they kill him?
6)How did everyone survive a plane crash with no injuries?
7)How did the powers progress from something maybe possible (i.e super fast healing genes, maybe a gene that makes you run pretty fast) to being able to turn stuff into ice, tell the future, go through walls, and create new dimensions. How is that genetically possible?
Basically Heroes blows as a show, but it's fun to make of.
Firstly, 24. It was a pretty good episode this week, except for a few really dumb things. For example, the head terrorist (genocide guy) leaves the first husband with his men so he can take care of his girlfriends meddling sister. First of all how the hell does nobody recognize him, as it seems to be that he's on the news all the time killing people. Secondly, how much longer does he expect to be in the country for, that he can continue his dalliances with said girlfriend. Of course this was just to get him out of the place so Jack didn't get him, but then again he could have disappeared magically from a bullet filled room like he did last time. Also Jack stabbed a guy in the gut this episode and the guy died within 13 seconds. It was a puny knife too, he should have least bled out over the course of next episode. The bullet wound of the first husband also jumped a foot or 2 in the changing shots. Besides that Jack Bauer kicks ass.
Heroes, the show I hate yet continue to watch. Why do I torment myself in watching? So I can have an outlet for my anger. I mean seriously, this show makes less sense than Lost, and has worse acting than a Ron Jeremy movie (so I've been told). There were around 50 things wrong with this episode but I'll only name a few.
1) Clair is a 17/8 year old girl yet can beat up fully grown trained men. Not knocking girls here, but she would easily get whupped in a fight. Also how did she climb into the plane through the fuselage?
2) The fast running girl. She ran from Japan to Arkansas. This is around a 10 hour plane ride, yet she got there within a minute. Thus she runs 600 times faster than a plane traveling 500 miles per hour. That is 300 000 miles per hour, enough force to rip her to pieces. Also she had to run over the Pacific Ocean? Also how did she know how to get from Japan to Arkansas? And does she run through stuff at high speeds or avoid them. Seriously, WTF?
3)How does Peter, a male nurse, know how to operate submachine guns and pistols like he has this season?
4)Parkman, who is a worse actor than Pauly Shore, spontaneously discovered the ability to draw the future, and sees dead people.
5)Does the government know Nathan has powers? If so why don't they kill him?
6)How did everyone survive a plane crash with no injuries?
7)How did the powers progress from something maybe possible (i.e super fast healing genes, maybe a gene that makes you run pretty fast) to being able to turn stuff into ice, tell the future, go through walls, and create new dimensions. How is that genetically possible?
Basically Heroes blows as a show, but it's fun to make of.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Israel goes to the polls
It's election day in Israel tomorrow, and although every election is important, this one seems to have more importance than previous ones. To put it bluntly, Israel has had a disastrous last couple of years dealing with enemies at home and abroad. In hindsight the disengagement plan has turned out horribly, although one cannot say how it would have turned out had Sharon not had a stroke. Instead Ehud Olmert took power, and turned out to be maybe the worst Israeli Prime Minister ever. First he bungled the 2nd Lebanon War by relying to much on air strikes instead of ground invasion. Despite this failure, he refused to resign, and served incompetently until numerous corruption charges forced him to resign. If there is any saving grace to his legacy it is that this Gaza operation was performed well.
Now to the candidates.
I personally feel disposed to Netanyahu because we share some common political views. Mainly that the Palestinians cannot be trusted at this moment in time, especially with the schism between Hamas and Fatah. I also believe, like him, that if the Palestinians develop their economy they might renounce terror in some way. For better or worse the Western world has showed us that humans love luxury, and do not want to harm their comfort in any way. He has also proven to be a competent steward of the economy, which should be helpful in this global downturn. Although he didn't do so well the first time around, many Israeli politicians are given a 2nd chance and have done better.
Barak was a disaster for many when he was P.M. He offered the Palestinians more than anyone had before at Camp David and they still didn't accept his offer. What's he going to offer them now? Especially since they don't have an Arafat anymore, who could actually get things done. I think he should stick to military matters, where his battle experience helps him, and I hope he joins the coalition and retains the post of Defense Minister.
Livni in my mind is a fool. She bragged about signing the U.N Resolution after the 2nd Lebanon War, and it has proven to be an idiotic move in hindsight. Hezbollah can do whatever it wants in Lebanon and the UN won't stop them. She also was constantly with Olmert or against him, which doesn't bode well for someone in a position of power. She also has done nothing of importance in her current post, besides being able to stay up through long policy meetings, presumably.
Lieberman is to crazy for me, and not in touch with religious people. Although I don't think he's a racist, I still am not a fan of fiery populists who prey on ignorance for votes. His idea of the 2 state solution is something to think about, namely Jews should have their own state sans Israeli Arabs, who would join a future Palestinian state.
There are a lot more small parties, but nobody of substance.
Whatever the decision tomorrow, it will reveal a big paradigm shift in Israeli society.
Now to the candidates.
I personally feel disposed to Netanyahu because we share some common political views. Mainly that the Palestinians cannot be trusted at this moment in time, especially with the schism between Hamas and Fatah. I also believe, like him, that if the Palestinians develop their economy they might renounce terror in some way. For better or worse the Western world has showed us that humans love luxury, and do not want to harm their comfort in any way. He has also proven to be a competent steward of the economy, which should be helpful in this global downturn. Although he didn't do so well the first time around, many Israeli politicians are given a 2nd chance and have done better.
Barak was a disaster for many when he was P.M. He offered the Palestinians more than anyone had before at Camp David and they still didn't accept his offer. What's he going to offer them now? Especially since they don't have an Arafat anymore, who could actually get things done. I think he should stick to military matters, where his battle experience helps him, and I hope he joins the coalition and retains the post of Defense Minister.
Livni in my mind is a fool. She bragged about signing the U.N Resolution after the 2nd Lebanon War, and it has proven to be an idiotic move in hindsight. Hezbollah can do whatever it wants in Lebanon and the UN won't stop them. She also was constantly with Olmert or against him, which doesn't bode well for someone in a position of power. She also has done nothing of importance in her current post, besides being able to stay up through long policy meetings, presumably.
Lieberman is to crazy for me, and not in touch with religious people. Although I don't think he's a racist, I still am not a fan of fiery populists who prey on ignorance for votes. His idea of the 2 state solution is something to think about, namely Jews should have their own state sans Israeli Arabs, who would join a future Palestinian state.
There are a lot more small parties, but nobody of substance.
Whatever the decision tomorrow, it will reveal a big paradigm shift in Israeli society.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A-Rod
Now, I'm not usually one who rushes to judgment, but...
A-Rod is a damn, dirty cheater according to Sports Illustrated (former home of the great Rick Reilly).
According to them A-Rod tested positive in 2003 while playing for the Rangers (he won the MVP that year).
If this is true it places all of A-Rod's stats into dispute, and gives non-yankees fans more fodder to make fun of the yankees.
(Although the whole A-Rod, Cynthia, Madonna love triangle, Stray-rod, and the Joe Torre book are also suitable sources to draw from).
This is especially big, because A-Rod is a good player, despite being an arsehole, and was expected to break many hallowed records while being 'clean'.
This alleged use can explain why A-Rod yelled at Howie Clark while rounding 3rd (Roid-rage), and also vindicates Jose Canseco, who claimed A-Rod took roids in his exceptionally s***ty book Vindicated.
I hope for baseball's sake it isn't true, and if it is, A-Rod should be treated as more of a pariah then he already is.
A-Rod is a damn, dirty cheater according to Sports Illustrated (former home of the great Rick Reilly).
According to them A-Rod tested positive in 2003 while playing for the Rangers (he won the MVP that year).
If this is true it places all of A-Rod's stats into dispute, and gives non-yankees fans more fodder to make fun of the yankees.
(Although the whole A-Rod, Cynthia, Madonna love triangle, Stray-rod, and the Joe Torre book are also suitable sources to draw from).
This is especially big, because A-Rod is a good player, despite being an arsehole, and was expected to break many hallowed records while being 'clean'.
This alleged use can explain why A-Rod yelled at Howie Clark while rounding 3rd (Roid-rage), and also vindicates Jose Canseco, who claimed A-Rod took roids in his exceptionally s***ty book Vindicated.
I hope for baseball's sake it isn't true, and if it is, A-Rod should be treated as more of a pariah then he already is.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Stimulus Bill
I really hope Obama doesn't pass the stimulus bill for several reasons.
Firstly, people are not even sure about how effective the bill will be, and this is no time to be throwing a round a near trillion dollars for something that may or may not be effective. Obama also should not be trying to guilt Republicans into voting for this bill, by saying the country will go down the tubes if they don't.
Secondly, a good portion of this money is going to go towards projects with little importance, and coincidentally most of the recipients of these dollars will be Democrat supporters. Although some of the bill might help, a good portion of it cannot be a partisan payout for loyal supporters, and then expect it to get unanimous approval by Congress.
Obama also made a foolish decision my making a 500 000 year pay cap on all CEO's receiving money from the stimulus bill. 500 000 is relaly not a large amount of money for people at the head of these companies, and they will just go somewhere else where they can make money.
I hope Obama shapes up, it;s not the minoe leagues anymore.
Firstly, people are not even sure about how effective the bill will be, and this is no time to be throwing a round a near trillion dollars for something that may or may not be effective. Obama also should not be trying to guilt Republicans into voting for this bill, by saying the country will go down the tubes if they don't.
Secondly, a good portion of this money is going to go towards projects with little importance, and coincidentally most of the recipients of these dollars will be Democrat supporters. Although some of the bill might help, a good portion of it cannot be a partisan payout for loyal supporters, and then expect it to get unanimous approval by Congress.
Obama also made a foolish decision my making a 500 000 year pay cap on all CEO's receiving money from the stimulus bill. 500 000 is relaly not a large amount of money for people at the head of these companies, and they will just go somewhere else where they can make money.
I hope Obama shapes up, it;s not the minoe leagues anymore.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Obama's bad week
Obama is having a bad week.
First, Iran launches up its first satellite http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304668568&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull.
Second, North Korea wants to do a ballistic missiles test http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96493480&show_article=1.
Third, on the home front, Obama's stimulus bill is going to be met by fierce opposition from the Republicans in the Senate.
Fourth, the E.U is complaining that the bill will hurt trade relations, because it says that only American steel can be used in all of the infrastructure problems http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5655115.ece.
Fifth, his treasury secretary was found to not have paid taxes. Then yesterday his wanted appointment to health czar, Tom Daschle, was found to also not have paid some taxes, and is a lobbyist, breaking Obama's new ethics rules. This follows on the heels of Nancy Killefer and Bill Richardson also dropping positions for embarrassing reasons http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D964904G0&show_article=1.
So, overall a bad week for him.
Hopefully he can fix it.
First, Iran launches up its first satellite http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304668568&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull.
Second, North Korea wants to do a ballistic missiles test http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96493480&show_article=1.
Third, on the home front, Obama's stimulus bill is going to be met by fierce opposition from the Republicans in the Senate.
Fourth, the E.U is complaining that the bill will hurt trade relations, because it says that only American steel can be used in all of the infrastructure problems http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5655115.ece.
Fifth, his treasury secretary was found to not have paid taxes. Then yesterday his wanted appointment to health czar, Tom Daschle, was found to also not have paid some taxes, and is a lobbyist, breaking Obama's new ethics rules. This follows on the heels of Nancy Killefer and Bill Richardson also dropping positions for embarrassing reasons http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D964904G0&show_article=1.
So, overall a bad week for him.
Hopefully he can fix it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Christian Bale
Damn!
Christian Bale went a bit crazy on the set of Terminator 3!
http://www.tmz.com/2009/02/02/bale-went-ballistic
If only The Dark Knight was this entertaining.
That's right, Batman Begins totally owned The Dark Knight.
Christian Bale went a bit crazy on the set of Terminator 3!
http://www.tmz.com/2009/02/02/bale-went-ballistic
If only The Dark Knight was this entertaining.
That's right, Batman Begins totally owned The Dark Knight.
Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail, specifically Patrick Martin, did an important service today by exposing some truth during Operation Cast Lead.
Martin exposes the lie perpetrated by the UN that Israel scored a direct hit on some of their buildings, killing 43 people.
The IDF has claimed that it was retaliating against rocket fire emanating from the courtyard, and evidence has just shown that the shells did in fact land in the courtyard, killing people that were milling around outside.
Obviously, it still is a tragedy that 43 people died, but to compare 43 people dying in what the UN claimed was a deliberate attack on their school, and 43 people dying standing in an unguarded courtyard where rockets had been shot from is ridiculous.
Again and again Israel is blamed for events that they did not perpetrate, leading to anti-Semitic acts, and a skewed view of Israel.
Kudos to the Globe and Mail for running this story.
They have once again proved that the UN are a bunch of Schmucks.
In his piece
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090129.wgazaschool29/BNStory/International/homeMartin exposes the lie perpetrated by the UN that Israel scored a direct hit on some of their buildings, killing 43 people.
The IDF has claimed that it was retaliating against rocket fire emanating from the courtyard, and evidence has just shown that the shells did in fact land in the courtyard, killing people that were milling around outside.
Obviously, it still is a tragedy that 43 people died, but to compare 43 people dying in what the UN claimed was a deliberate attack on their school, and 43 people dying standing in an unguarded courtyard where rockets had been shot from is ridiculous.
Again and again Israel is blamed for events that they did not perpetrate, leading to anti-Semitic acts, and a skewed view of Israel.
Kudos to the Globe and Mail for running this story.
They have once again proved that the UN are a bunch of Schmucks.
Sports news
So this has been a pretty busy week.
Firstly, it was the Super Bowl.
The game was awesome, not quite as good as least year or the Rams-Titans game in 1999, but overall it lived up to its title.
Bruce Springsteen was very, very bad.
I saw Lenny Kravitz at the Grey Cup, and he was even better than that.
Only a repeat of Nipplegate could have gone worse.
Larry Fitzerglad proved that he is still the man in the loss, and Ben Roethlisberger proved that if you throw the ball hard enough at 4 people your guy might catch it.
Michael Phelps was also caught smoking from a bong.
What an idiot!
How did he not expect to get caught?
I guess that explains his legendary eating practices.
My madrich today said, "Hey, pass me a bowl"
I said, "that's what Michael Phelps said."
R-Fed lost to Nadal at the Australian Open.
He should have won, but once again his mental strenght deserted him.
Nor do I think any less of him for crying, real men cry too.
You'll get 14 next time Roger.
Firstly, it was the Super Bowl.
The game was awesome, not quite as good as least year or the Rams-Titans game in 1999, but overall it lived up to its title.
Bruce Springsteen was very, very bad.
I saw Lenny Kravitz at the Grey Cup, and he was even better than that.
Only a repeat of Nipplegate could have gone worse.
Larry Fitzerglad proved that he is still the man in the loss, and Ben Roethlisberger proved that if you throw the ball hard enough at 4 people your guy might catch it.
Michael Phelps was also caught smoking from a bong.
What an idiot!
How did he not expect to get caught?
I guess that explains his legendary eating practices.
My madrich today said, "Hey, pass me a bowl"
I said, "that's what Michael Phelps said."
R-Fed lost to Nadal at the Australian Open.
He should have won, but once again his mental strenght deserted him.
Nor do I think any less of him for crying, real men cry too.
You'll get 14 next time Roger.
Hey
Basically, I have a lot of free time, so I will be sharing my random observances throughout the day
Enjoy
Enjoy
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