Posted on August 16th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, Just Dumb, My Life.
The world is akin one of those conveyor belts dubbed “people movers” that you find at Disney World or Universal Studios. You know, those horizontal escalators that drag your lazy carcasses from the parking lot to the park. Well the world is one of those and it’s moving at the speed of a bullet train. You don’t catch much of the scenery when you’re speeding through a countryside on a fast moving train and likewise not much of life is savored whilst being run ragged through the landscape that is living. Passé terms like “hours become days” and “days become weeks” apply in our time. Everything becomes a mash as one moment rushes into the next and there seems to be no end in sight.
Now we’re all consumed with “energy”. How will we survive without the ability to whisk ourselves from one unimportant and irrelevant process to the next? I know, FOUR DAY WORK WEEKS! Yeah, now we’ll have the time to be great parents and better human beings! Wrong. I don’t know about you but I’ve been out and about on Fridays and it seems to me that four day work weeks are already being abused. It’s just an extra day to peruse the aisles of Walmart or the local shopping mall. We’re not going to save anything by going to four day work weeks unless we do it in tandem with something that hearkens back to my childhood… (which was not so long ago), everything needs to be CLOSED on SUNDAY.
I remember Sundays when I was a kid. I remember everything being closed, even gas stations and I grew up in the metropolis that is New York (albeit Staten Island). Sometimes it was inconvenient. Sometimes you WANTED something, but rarely did you NEED something. Somehow we managed to survive the stores being closed on Sunday. Somehow we survived each other’s company. I can remember Sundays, sitting on the stoop at my grandmother’s house watching a colony of ants (they lived in the crevices of that stoop for a long time) rush around doing their busy work… and likely wondering when it was that my small foot would come crashing down upon their heads. I remember thinking how strange it was that they were forever busy running to and fro. Now, I am one of the ants. This world has made us all like those small things crazed in their “rushy rushy”. When I was a kid Sundays were spent with parents, grandparents and family. The work of the day was getting a nice meal to the table. Nobody was rushing anywhere. Nobody NEEDED to do ANYTHING. Now the only thing that feels like every Sunday of my childhood is THANKSGIVING. One day a year to remind me of so many from my youth.
So when I see people saying, “We need a four day work week,” I agree with them and add… “and everything needs to be closed on Sundays.” It isn’t about energy consumption, it’s about people. Do you really need the ability to purchase a plasma television at 3AM on a Sunday morning? Will you die waiting a day to pick up a package of underpants? I mean really people, what’s with the 24/7 Supercenters? A pharmacy is one thing, but does Walmart sell a damn thing that YOU HAVE TO HAVE in the middle of the night?
Instead of looking at just the energy situation, we need to look at the people situation. The world is going mad. We’re under assault day in and day out. An assault of advertising and information that is incessant and overwhelming. Four day work weeks are fine, but we also need to take back OUR Sundays.
Posted on August 7th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Sports.
I’ve contemplated this trade all day. I have gone from thinking that my poor, hapless team had gone and taken on Green Bay’s problem at the expense of their dignity to believing this is a great move. I must admit that it is pretty sad to see Chad Pennington go out this way. He left a part of himself on the field for the Jets and anybody that says different or disparages the guy’s heart is a cynical fool. Chad came back too soon, he hadn’t properly healed and it cost him dearly. He deserved better than this and I can only hope that he comes out of this happy wherever it is that he lands. Just as I have no delusions where it concerns Brett always being a Packer at heart… whoever gets Chad, gets a lifelong Jet at heart.
As for Brett, what’s to say? Even old and washed up as he may or may not be… we’ll all see soon enough if he can get himself back into playing shape… he puts a lot of threats onto the table that weren’t there under Chad or Clemens. He still has a strong gun and as such receivers won’t know off the bat that they are running decoy routes. Brett Favre can get the ball down the field to anybody that’s open. For years the Jets had to rely on Pennington’s ability to be crafty in spite of a weak arm. With Favre defenses will have to respect the fact that the guy has the potential to connect with any of his receivers and the Jets have a pretty respectable lot of them for Brett to toss it off to. The Jets can move away from the smoke and mirrors and get down to beating their opponents rather than out thinking them.
The added bonus in all of this is that Brett has a heck of a work ethic and he can be a real inspiration to a young quarterback coming up in the system. Where Chad had to worry about whether or not somebody was going to take his job, Brett doesn’t. He’s done it all and nobody can ever take that away from him. He can impart wisdom and help to cultivate the talent without fear. That could be a great thing for the Jets in the long term.
So what do I think about the trade? I’m digging it. The Jets by virtue of this trade have managed to get some press in a city that is coming off a Giants Superbowl victory. Even with all the Eli hype (and believe me I love that the kid beat the Pats), Brett brings some credibility to the woefully disrespected Jets. I’d be happy with the playoffs under Brett, but that likely won’t be good enough for crazed fans that are seeing this as “the shot”. I think this is a place to build from, which is funny considering the Jets just acquired a guy in the twilight of his career.
J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!
Posted on August 6th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, News, Political Correctness, Politics.
I can’t help but wonder what the heck the excuse is going to be when Barack Obama loses this election. First he just barely beat Hillary Clinton, a woman that by most accounts is unelectable. Why? A lot of people just don’t find her likeable. So it was a major surprise when Obama just managed to eek out a victory over the shrewish former first lady. Now pundits are looking at Obama’s polling numbers and they’re wondering why he seems to be bogged down and unable to move the electorate. Here’s an article at The Politico that looks at this issue.
Obama remains ahead, depending on the national poll, by low to high single digits. The Gallup Poll Daily tracking survey, which randomly interviews at least 1,000 voters each day, has recently found that Obama leads by 3 to 4 percentage points.
In the first full week of the general election, June 9-15, Obama led by between 2 and 7 percentage points. Just short of two months later, registered voters have not significantly shifted their views, as Gallup finds public opinion still fluctuating between roughly the same margins.
“What’s remarkable this summer is the stability of this race,” Gallup’s director Frank Newport said. “In a broad sense, it is similar to previous elections.”
Uh oh, who could be to blame for this? Which racial/gender group isn’t going along with the plan? The article looks at that too:
If there is a primary explanation as to why the race has remained close this summer, it is that Obama has failed to make gains overall with white voters, who still cast about three in four ballots on Election Day.
As Gore did in 2000, Obama nearly splits white women and loses white men by a large margin, according to an aggregate of polling in June and July 2008, and 2000 polling by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press.
Depending upon the week in June or July, by Gallup’s measure, Obama has roughly fluctuated between splitting or, at worst, trailing by about five percent with white women. In that same period, Obama has only won between 34 percent and 37 percent of white men.
In general — and with men in particular — Pew’s data shows that Obama’s gains with young whites compared to Gore in 2000 are offset by a weakness with older whites.
Obama also seems to have hit a ceiling with Hispanics. Latino support fluctuates between 57 percent, by the latest weekly measure, to 68 percent the week before — roughly the margin of Hispanic support that has marked the entire summer, by Gallup’s measure.
What all this suggests is a general election that is much tighter than many analysts predicted and defined by far more stubborn levels of support.
Translation, the only group that Obama isn’t leading with… white guys, are going to bring down this house of cards that is his run for the presidency. What will the supporters have to say? Will we have to hear that America just wasn’t ready? Will we have to be lectured as to how it is that “the man” continues to engage in his nefarious deeds? Bob Herbert with the New York Times actually went so far as to imply that the McCain campaign intentionally placed Berlin’s Victory Tower in a campaign ad as a means to subliminally imply that Obama was coming for the white women. WHAT? I mean if a stupid ad that features A PLACE BARACK SPOKE AT IN BERLIN is looked on as some kind of funky sexual message by a supposedly learned man like Bob Herbert, what are the average folks on the street going to say when Barack goes down in flames?
Frankly, I am sick of all of the scapegoating. Could it be that people are actually looking at McCain’s stances on energy, Iraq and the world in general and finding them to be sensible? The threat of more oil entering the market is a substantial means by which to apply pressure to the price, even in the short term. I can’t help but notice that Barack has suddenly amended his stance on offshore drilling! Could it conversely be that people look at ideas like “inflating tires” (as a means to combat high oil prices) as NAIVE and indicative of the lack of insight that Barack has when it comes to this situation? Will he bring similarly naive suggestions to the table when facing down threats like Russia deploying nukes in Cuba, or Iran obtaining them?
I really am beginning to believe that Barack Obama could lose this thing. Will the Democrats and Obama’s supporters accept that they chose poorly during the primary and put up a feel good candidate that is also an empty suit? Or will they simply chalk it up to white people and racism? Sadly, I think that Obama’s campaign has been levying the racist charge since the beginning. From Michelle Obama’s declaration that Bill Clinton’s use of the term “fairy tale” was a racist slight against her husband and his chances of being elected because he is black, to the recent quips about not looking like former presidents that appear on our currency it has become apparent. The Obama campaign is ready and willing to make their defeat a conspiracy of race rather than a confidence vote where it concerns the candidate. Unfortunately, folks like Bob Herbert and others in the mainstream media seeing a potential for defeat seem all too ready to take hold of the notion that this is all about race. Talk about steering the election away from the issues. Funny, that’s exactly the kind of allegations they levy against the McCain camp for even daring to suggest that Barack Obama has inserted race into this process from the get-go.
Obama is not qualified to be President of the United States… but sadly that will likely be deemed as irrelevant where it concerns his defeat. While unanimous black support for Obama is declared anything but racist, white support in the range of 60% for McCain is… go figure. Face it libs, you put up a candidate in 2008 that is the equivalent of the “Pet Rock”, a fad that is quick losing his luster. I hope you’ll all be brave enough to deal with that reality when you’re nursing a hangover in early November.
Posted on August 5th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Entertainment, Movies.
Sunshine is a scifi flick that centers around an expedition (Icarus II) which is sent to our dying sun to restart it. This is the second attempt that’s being made the first Icarus having disappeared. The movie is beautifully shot and the cast is first rate. The idea that mankind faced with extinction would be so bold as to embark on such a grandiose mission is at the heart of the story. The sun and the enormity of it as compared to the frailty and smallness of human beings is overwhelming to some of the crew and there is a fair attempt made to explore character issues surrounding that. I think the movie would have been better had they maintained that focus but they add an adventure element to the last third of the movie that is a little disappointing. Still, the film is amazing from a visual standpoint and the deeper meanings explored offer food for thought. It’s an engaging ride… and if you can put yourself into the shoes of the characters for even just a portion of the story it becomes all the more powerful. It’s unfortunate that this movie bombed at the box office, it deserved better than it got and should not have been released as a summer blockbuster. It’s not that kind of a film. If you haven’t seen this movie give it a go and rent it. If you have Bluray all the better, I bet it looks awesome on the format. Here is the main “theme” with clips from ‘Sunshine’:
‘The Fountain’ explores some of the themes that are contained in ‘Sunshine’ and is also shot beautifully. The movie is very deep and a lot of people do not get its meaning. At the center of it all is the story of a couple that are in love but the wife is dying. The husband is a scientist that is looking for a cure to her illness and a way to overcome death in general. There are three distinct story lines interwoven throughout the film. If you don’t understand from the start that this movie is an exploration into love vs. death you won’t “get it”. The three story lines (at least for me) deal with the ways that humanity has sought to overcome mortality. The conquistador deals with the mystical and religious elements, the modern day Tommy deals with the scientific and medical ways we’ve tried to overcome death and then we go to the future where enlightenment and acceptance open the doors to the true meaning of life and death, and how love is central to both. Unfortunately, we as a species are only to the point in our evolution where we look to science for the answers. The movie offers us the hope that we’ll someday come to a point where we understand and accept the natural order of things. This isn’t a popcorn flick. If you’re not ready to think then do yourself a favor and avoid this movie like the plague. If you can embrace the existential then this is a must see. The imagery throughout is stunning and I cannot wait until we have our projector so I can watch this sucker on a big screen. The visuals are just stunning. Jackman and Weisz are both excellent in their roles. You can catch this thing on HBO every couple of months and it’s worth a look.
Both of these movies are of the love em or hate em variety. I happen to love em.
Posted on August 3rd, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, Just Dumb, Politics.
So John McCain’s campaign releases an ad that flashes images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton on the screen and mentions that Barry Obama is the biggest celebrity in the world. Some people frowned on it. It seems that McCain contributor Kathy Hilton aka brood mother of the ridiculous Hilton Clan takes issue with it.
On Sunday, Hilton’s mother, Kathy Hilton, a McCain donor, registered her disapproval.
“It is a complete waste of the country’s time and attention at the very moment when millions of people are losing their homes and their jobs,” Kathy Hilton said in a short article posted on the liberal Huffington Post Web site. “And it is a completely frivolous way to choose the next president of the United States.”
First of all that the comments appear in The Huffington Post, says a lot. Talk about a place for the vapid and vacuous to congregate. I’m sure Kathy Hilton fits in wonderfully over there. Second, did this Mother of All Skanks not get the meaning of the advertisement? America holds up all kinds of imbeciles as idols and examples, this woman’s daughter Paris being one of them. It’s ridiculous that this country is entertaining the notion of electing Barack Obama as President much the same as it’s absurd that anybody in this country would look up to a Hilton or a Spears. I don’t expect that Kathy Hilton would grasp that notion though given that she blamed the system for locking up her precious little trollop after a DWI bust and subsequent driving while suspended/revoked charge.
Lady your kid is a piece of GARBAGE… and I’m sure the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Likewise electing this neophyte Obama because he looks good and speaks well is equally preposterous. Get it now Kathy? Or do you need me to force feed it to you via night vision video? No, you get it? Great… shuffle off then.
Posted on August 3rd, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, News, Politics.
Nah… this guy is humble pie.
O Force One? Is this the kind of nonsense we can look forward to for the next four years? Oh wait, in addition to his claiming to already be the President of the United States, he has also secured re-election in 2012, often stating what he’ll do for the next EIGHT years. What an arrogant fool this guy is. I hope he’s defeated in November and that we see this dopey chair auctioned off on Ebay, along with the rest of this flying rats nest. $500,000.00 to refurbish a plane for perks like this? Yeah, Barry understands the problems of ordinary people alright. Good grief.
Posted on August 1st, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, News, Politics.
Alan Greenspan still plays the part of the sage. My choice of words is not accidental. The man soaked up the ridiculous assertions that he was somehow this learned Master of All Things Economic. He took to the stage, briefcase (or should I say prop) in hand and spewed the nebulous rhetoric of economics as if he were some type of modern day “oracle”. Now we know that nothing could have been further from the truth. The man was a reckless steward of what is now a credit crisis that has brought the economy to the brink, and yet still he speaks. Still true to form he seems to accept none of the blame keeping himself somehow above it all and instead tossing the current Fed and the banks under the bus. The sage was in fact a blind old man and even so we continue to listen.
What does this old fool have to say now? He says that the housing market is nowhere near the bottom. Great, promote the fearful mindset that has beset the economy when YOUR EVERY SOLUTION FOR THE ECONOMY WAS TO GET PEOPLE SPENDING! Worse still, this disciple of Rand is looking for Fannie and Freddie to be NATIONALIZED! Say what?! It’s as if you’re seeking to perpetuate the ruination YOU STARTED. There is but one entity that exists and poses a greater likelihood of damning us to ruination than you yourself and that is the US Government. Bravo! A heck of a suggestion Al.
Alan Greenspan, you have finally tipped the scales from incomptence to out and out idiocy. You are the architect of this national tragedy. Families being tossed onto the street should look right to the top as they ponder how or why… it was your POLICIES, YOUR NEED TO BAIL OUT WALL STREET AND THE DOTCOMS and to secure your legacy that brought about this credit craziness.
Bow your head and shut your mouth Alan. You’ve done enough damage, no need for you to CONTINUE to wreak your havoc. You sir are a disgrace. Kindly do us all a favor and dodder on into obscurity.
Posted on July 31st, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Entertainment, Movies.
Yeah I know, it was a pretty strange movie and most people don’t get the attraction but when I was a kid there were two movies that inspired computer geeks everywhere. One was Wargames and the other was Tron. Now comes this leaked footage of the long awaited Tron sequel TR2N from ComicCon. Notice, Jeff Bridges is back… also notice how damn cool the effects look! Hang in with the video, it clears up pretty nicely at about 39 seconds in. This is obviously footage from some geek’s handheld. Speaking of geeks, listen to the shouts of glee when it hits all of these nerds that this is TRON! I can’t laugh too hard… I was cheering at home!
Enjoy!
Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: News, Television.
Not just a suspect journalist (always looking for the “gotcha” moment) but also an unrepentant political lapdog of the left, I’ve brought back “Most Annoying Person” in order to bestow the honor upon this arrogant carnival barker. From the cocky grin to the shellacked hair is there anybody that can turn the stomach within the nanosecond it takes to flip through the channels to get to some REAL news? I dare say, no. Just a glimpse of this hack is enough to send me running for the Zantac.
Mr. Shuster, I dub thee ”Most Annoying Person”, congratulations. Take a bow. Smile big and pretty now… we need to see those bottom teeth of yours. That’s a good boy.
Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Mark.
Categories: Editorials, News, Politics.
Is there any stopping Barack Obama? Considering the open mouthed, slack jawed and wide-eyed adoration of the masses it seems less and less likely that the reasoned and measured people of this country stand a chance against the pop idol throngs that support this guy. The only thing that can stop Obama now… is Obama. Thankfully, he seems to be a willing accomplice to his own demise. He’s so high on his horse that he cannot even see that he is slowly becoming a caricature of self importance and arrogance. He’s spewed the vapid rhetoric so often that he’s actually come to believe that he’s the one the world has been waiting for. Nonsense.
Press releases that sound like they’ve been issued by the White House, meetings with world leaders in which he deigns to tell them how to be better at their jobs, proclamations of likely victory… all of it is the stuff of a boorish nightmare. Barack Obama is acting more like a spoiled prince than a president. Somebody better reel him in fast, or this whole thing could turn ugly for him in a hurry. John McCain is nothing but humility and humble pie and Americans respond to that. We as a country are off put by the strutting home run king or the showboating wide receiver. Poor Barry needs to learn the first lesson of sport, ACT LIKE YOU’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE.
This country needs a leader, not a pop culture sensation. I can only hope that Obama continues to drink his bath water and that watching it day in and day out rouses the masses from their sycophantic slumber. This man is not fit to be the President of the United States. Hell, he wasn’t fit to be a Senator. He should be running a Boys and Girls Club somewhere. Children need the kind of affirmations he spews, not adults dealing with REAL WORLD ISSUES. Obama said to members of the House, “This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for,” adding: “I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions.” Excuse me? And this guy doesn’t have a messiah complex? Uh huh. If we elect this fellow, ladies and gentlemen we deserve everything we get… we did it with Mr. Bush and now we’re going to follow it up with another daydreaming neophyte. Brilliant. Change? Hardly. We’ve had enough daydreamers… Bush was going to make the world right through war. Barry will make it right through peace and platitudes. How about we DEAL WITH AMERICA for a change so that we’re in a position to help the world? Charity and change has to start here. The Cult of Barry, much like his campaign… is overreaching.