Oscar chat

I haven't seen a single movie nominated. From 2005, the top ten grossing movies were:

Revenge of the Sith
Harry Potter
Chronicles of Narnia
War of the Worlds
King Kong
Wedding Crashers
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Batman Begins
Madagascar
Mr. & Mrs. Smith

I've seen just about every one of those movies, so it is not as if I'm totally out of the loop. But, of course, none of those movies have been nominated. The movies that are nominated haven't even grossed, combined, as much as any of the above listed movies. Of course, it must be noted that many of the movies nominated came out late in the year, and are not out on DVD (which is how I see many flicks.) But, this year the difference is that i have absolutely NO desire to see any of the movies nominated for Best Picture.

Brokeback Mountain - chances are very slim I'll ever see this movie.

Crash - Maybe, I'd say this one definetely maybe someday might appear on my Netflix list.

Goodnight and Good Luck- no way.

Capote - pretty doubtful. I read his book, In Cold Blood, isn't that enough?

Munich- there is a slight change I might view it, but only as an action adventure flick, secure in the knowledge that it is only tenuously related to fact.

So my question is- why is the "industry" so interested in making movies no one wants to watch? I understand the the blockbusters are put out by the "Major" players. But, the past year in movies has been the worst in Hollywood's history. Perhaps we're just not interested in their morality plays anymore?

Excuses

Doesn't today seem to be particularly Monday-ish?. Well, it is at my house.

Quick comments:
I hope the liberals are not too disappointed that the Iraqi Civil Wary doesn't seem to be in full swing. By friday, the news-talking-heads were already calling it just that. Unfortunately (for them) it doesn't seem to have taken.

I listened, for just a bit, to Jerry Springer's radio show. I think my IQ fell 15 points.

This and That for Friday

Recent movies I've seen ;

40 Year old Virgin (unrated version) - filled with really filthy language, but I laughed so hard I think I ripped a few stitches. So, this movie is NOT recommended for anyone recovering from donating a kidney, or other major surgery. Or kids.

I am David; simply beautiful. I had tears in my eyes at the end. Great family movie. Go rent it.

On a completely different subject, this morning child number 4 informed me she needed two boy Barbies. Apparently, her female Barbies dolls are tired of invisible dates. Don't you guys think that Ken is too "metrosexual?" I asked her if I could get her G.I Joes instead, and she said they'd have to be the same size (as Barbie.)

Of course!

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed the United States and Israel on Thursday for the destruction of a Shiite shrine's golden dome in Iraq, saying it was the work of "defeated Zionists and occupiers."

Death Penalty issues

Yesterday, Jeff had a long post about the death penalty. His should we/shouldn't we gets summed up pretty well here :

But for me, the complexities both practical and philosophical of death by lethal injection serve as further evidence that we — the people, the state, the United States — have no business deciding who lives and who dies. Life is a state of grace granted us by our Creator, and depriving someone of that state of grace simply isn’t our job. That decision isn’t ours to make. No matter how justified the punishment might be, no matter how egregious the crime that warranted it.

I can respect his position, and I'm not exactly a "gung-ho" advocate of the death penalty.

But then, this morning, I read this in the morning paper. It's a local story. Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Boy and girl start their family. Then boy and girl get murdered in their home by a "Bonny and Clyde" type couple.

Scott was tied up with duct tape and an extension cord," Cataldo said of the Feb. 15 slayings.

"Then he was brutally beaten in the hands, face and head with the butt of (an) AK-47 assault rifle.

"They then put a sock in his mouth, covered it with duct tape, then beat him in the face some more," Cataldo said. "Then they used a hypodermic needle to inject bleach into his veins."

In a small town, 40 minutes away from Detroit, Patrick Selepak and Samantha Bachynski brutally ended the life of Scott and Melissa Berels. The murder was motivated, they believe, by robbery. Melissa s, who was ten weeks pregnant at the time, was murdered first. Fortunately, she was "only" strangled. Her husband appeared to have arrived home before the murderous pair left the scene, which led to his torture (which lasted several hours) and murder. He was bound and gagged first and left in that condition while Selepak went out to buy beer.

These two animals do not deserve to take another breath. Michigan doesn't have a death penalty- so I suppose my argument is moot. But, if Michigan did have a death penalty, I would expect 20 years from now we'd be hearing stories about how the two had reformed. The names of the victims would be nothing but distant memories to everyone besides their families. It is with the passing of time, that perspective is lost over the violent, senseless crimes for which people are given the death penalty. For some reason, those long forgotten names don't even appear to be real anymore. Someone who has been dead 20 years doesn't even seem real anymore. Did they ever exist outside of the newspaper articles, for while their names received short-lived recognition?

I don't know how I feel about the death penalty. But I do know that my sympathy lies NOT with who the criminals might become in 20 years. My sympathy lies with the victims. Scott and Melissa Berels, and their unborn child.

Idiot comment of the day

From one of our illustrious city council members:

In one extreme instance, Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins' office received an e-mail with racial slurs from an employee of a Madison Heights mortgage company. In response, Councilwoman JoAnn Watson called for a boycott of the suburbs.

As Spongebob would say, "Good luck with that." An individual from a suburb used a bad word, and you want to boycott the suburbs. That's as ignorant as Muslims targeting a whole country (or, should I say, the rest of civilization) for the comments of a few Dutch cartoonists.

And, I call her ignorant, not because she is black, and I am white. But, simply because of what she has said. JoAnn Watson - you should NOT be in a position of power. There are plenty of black people who could run our city. You are just not one of them.

Detroit Zoo picture taken by Moi

74460014
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

This is the zoo that has been called "substandard" by some asshat named Jon Etnyre, from Sterling Heights, in today's Detroit News. I would be interested in knowing when was the last time this asshat visited the zoo? He recommended, in his letter to the editor, that we close it up. I recommend, in my blog, that Etnyre have a big cup of STFU.

In more balance reporting of the Zoo issue, Barbara Rose Collins has upped her racisit rhetoric, saying that my (new) hero L Brooks Patterson suggested that the council members were monkeys to be put in a cage. Correction, Mrs. Collins, I think that it was me who made that suggestion.

Says Brooks;

I can criticize Granholm. I can criticize Ficano, but if you dare say anything about the city of Detroit, it's racist."

Amen.

In the most HILARIOUS comment (and one that I suggested yesterday) spokesman Sam Riddle for Monica Conyers (someone please explain to me why they need spokesmen; can someone say "bloated staffs?") said:

The administration keeps wanting council to vote on something they've not had time to review. It disrespects the City Council.

Got that? It disrespects To disrespect, new verb. I would think that a spokesman would speak better, wouldn't you? Even if it were a "real" verb, who gives a flying yahoo if the city council members are not treated with proper respect (note the usage there Mr. Riddle.) Respect is earned. The Detroit City council has not earned such respect.

Nor will they be given it merely because of the color of their skin. I thought there was something about "content of their character" that was supposed to be ultimately of importance.

African trip?

And, why the hell is Kwame and his mommy in AFrica anyway? Who is paying for it? Is his entire family with him? The only information I could find was that he was on a "fact finding" mission. What "facts" do we need Kwame to find?

And, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick was in AFrica only a year ago.

Yea, Ok, whatever

Friday Prayer in Tehran:

Jannati said the Western Culture and Civilizations, and particularly the American way of life, are on the verge of serious collapse, and they are moving in that direction rapidly.

Quoting a Qur'anic verse on the destructive conduct of the Jews at the advent of Islam, he said, "Qur'an says that 'they are destroying their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers.' And that is really what they are doing today. They are destroying their own houses themselves, and intriguing us to help them in doing so."

One culturing is murdering people over cartoons, and haven't "created" anything of value in the last 100 years. Yet "we" are collapsing? Dude ... I want what he's smoking.

Religion of Peace Update 3

I don't know where Leo has been lately, but last time I mentioned Isamic violence against Christians, he got a bit defensive (after all, Christians and white men surely are the source of all evil, right?) So, now there is this. I say, with no degree of hesitation, that I refuse to accept a religion that responds to offense with murder. In "city speak", the Islamo-crazies have been "disrespected", and to them the logical response is to destroy and murder. Those who follow this pattern should be wiped from the earth. They have no place in modern society. They are irrational, stupid, and dangerous to everyone else.

Blogiversary

Go give Partisan Pundit a hit today; he hit the one-year mark.

What did I say?

I dunno, what did I say? I made a comment yesterday that the vote, by the city council, to reject the mayor's plan to save the zoo by transferring the daily operations to the Detroit Zoological Society, was in part a "racial" issue. That the city council rejects anything supported by the suburbs out of some misplaced "black pride." Well, well, well, what do we hear today? in defending her "no" vote, idiot council member Barbara Rose Collins said:

"This is not a plantation. "We are not owned by everyone else. Black folks are not owned by white folks anymore.

So, her vote to close the zoo (in essence) was her "fight the power" moment to stick it to the "white guy" who wants to keep the zoo open. I mean, after all, the zoo isn't limited to visits by black Detroit people. White people go there all the time. Yes, keeping the zoo open by transferring out of Detroit was a HUGE RACIST PLOT. I would joke that we were going to start an exhibition of black children at the zoo but given the irrational thinking of 10 of the 12 Detroit City Council members, they wouldn't figure out that I was merely following their outrageous "the suburbs are trying to be our slave-masters" way of thinking.

Facts- the city is out of money and it's only option is to close the zoo unless it gets "out" of the business. To Collins, this is tantamount to being a slave, so she chooses closing. Any questions?

Pride goes before the fall

The supreme incompetence that runs the city of Detroit has struck again, and this time I am so mad I fear what I might do:

City Council has rejected a proposed agreement to transfer daily operations of the Detroit Zoo to the Detroit Zoological Society, a private group that provides fundraising and program development.

The 7-2 vote came Saturday night following two days of City Council discussions, the mayor's office said in a statement. The plan was part of an effort by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to narrow a municipal budget deficit.

Detroit, as most of you know, is broke. One of the viable options is to "sell" off and otherwise get rid of it's assets. But, in the game of racial politics that is Detroit - this gets interpreted to mean "selling Detroit off to "whitey." It gets interpreted as "the suburb stealing the cities' assets." Now, one of the most ironic things about this, is that the Detroit Zoo isn't even in Detroit; it's in Royal Oak (a trendy suburb about 15 minuets from Downtown Detroit.)

And, to be perfectly honest with you - I have owned a zoo membership pretty much ever since I started my family. We go several times a year; weekends and weekdays. Excluding school trips, I hardly EVER see a black family at the Detroit (a city that is upwards of 80% black) Zoo. So, I don't expect to see an up-swell of anger from the city's population. It's also probably why our city council doesn't care.

At this point, I am too mad to tread softly on this issue. Detroit doesn't care about culture, or it's children. The schools SUCK, the parks are mostly a joke, and now we are on the brink of shipping our zoo off. In all the years of defending Detroit, the zoo has been on the top of the list as one of our jewels. With no, or very little, credit going to the City, since it is mostly run by the Detroit Zoological Society, which is responsible for all the improvements (and there have been many.)

Only Detroit could destroy a jewel. WHY do we run a city in this manner? We elect politicians with no experience and hope they can handle issues of finance. Obviously they cannot. Obviously they rule by ego and ignorance. It is of little comfort that I didn't vote for any of them.

Skin shot

DSC00529
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Thar she blows - at three weeks post-surgery. Do you THINK I was allergic to the steri-stips? That's what the doc said, and they still itch like crazy (raised red bumps where you see the red.)

Fine

Five posts today, and not one comment. I'm going to take a nap.

Chicago tourism

Chicago to the 2008 RNC; no thanks.

You know, Chicago might be a nice place to visit, but there is always New York, or Toronto.

I just can't take it

Bryant Gumbel on the Winter Olympics: So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention.

Because, you know, they would only be the world greatest athletes if they were all (or mostly) black. So, what does have to say about the NBA, or the ranks of college basketball? Those must be the greatest athletes, because obviously teh collective hue is dark enough for Gumbel.

Really, though - I think we should try to get Sharpton and Jesse and Gumbel to encourage their brothers take up cross-country skiing. Or, speed skating. THE WINTER GAMES SHALL SET YOU FREE.

I wonder what Cindy Sheehan's take on this would be?

I wonder what Cindy 's response to thisletter from the Mayor of Tall'Afar, Iraq to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. A snippet:

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

How could the mayor have it so wrong? Sayeth Saint Cindy :

Hundreds of billions and tens of thousands of innocent lives wasted later, what have we achieved? Nothing. Casey died for nothing and Bush says others have to die for those that have died already. (9/18/05)

This is not a Noble Cause, as a matter of fact, it is the most ignoble cause for a war that has ever been waged. We as Americans knew either in the front of our brains, or in the back of our consciousness, that this war was to feed the corporations. (9/17/05)

    And I'm gonna say, "And you tell me what the noble cause is that my son died for." And if he even starts to say "freedom and democracy," I'm gonna say "bullshit."


    You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy.

    Cuz, we're not freer. You're taking away our freedoms. The Iraqi people aren't freer, they're much worse off than before you meddled in their country.

    You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine. (8/5/05)

Occupants of the 270 mass graves left from Saddam's reign had no comment for Cindy. I mean, after all- the dead are dead, how can democracy and liberation help them now?

Our Racist society

How many headlines do we see with the words "Blacks hit hardest" attached to them. It was the subplot of Katrina (which turned out to be a lie). A few weeks ago it was attached to the environment. And now this from today's Detroit News:

Auto cuts slam blacks:African-Americans are hit the hardest as good-paying factory jobs fade away.

Oh, good Lord. I don't know how much more I can take.

Gotta love the MSM

We can't show cartoons, because it might offend Muslims, but the MSM can show 1,000 three-year old pictures from Abu Ghraib prison because ...?

Someone help me out here.

he Pentagon has been fighting those legal efforts, arguing that release of the evidence could violate the prisoners' rights to privacy, endanger U.S. troops in Iraq and incite violence in the Muslim world. After the scandal was first made public in 2004, there were violent protests in many Muslim nations.

Violent protest against freedom of speech (and said speakers) is bad, but violent protest aimed against the US government is good.

WHY does the world need to see more pictures? When a peddler of child porn is arrested, does the world need to see the porn to understand the story? I don't think so.

h/t: File It Under