(Song of the moment: "Blade Runner Blues" by Vangelis, from Blade Runner)
Seeing Natalie Portman in a T-top with "kerry me" on it.
Thank you, John Stewart and the Daily Show.
Honestly, the only places I get my national news are National Public Radio and NY Times. Comedy Central is my favorite source, though, for commentary.
Go figure.
NBC - pansies. CBS - stool. ABC - Jennings and Koppel are still good, but overall, still not much to redeem. Fox News is as reliable as an unsupervised child in a candy store. MSNBC is the older kid daring the Fox kid to steal the candy but won't do it himself. CNN is the kid who doesn't want to be there, but is slowly becoming part of the group (although CNN.com is still okay to read - no talking heads summarizing each other's opinions as news). Local news is okay, even from a conservative rag such as The Florida Times-Union. I still read the Daily Report and Advocate from home for my Baton Rouge fix.
TTFN
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Doctors
(Song of the moment: "Bounty of a Wookiee" from Return of the Jedi)
Okay. I went to the doctor last Thursday to establish a record there. Finally going to have a Primary Care Physician. Nurse Practitioner, actually, Regina Nolting. Still, nice.
Well, talk about third degree. I smoke. I drink (on occasion, usually few and far between). Bad, bad. I drink a lot of caffeine. Apparently over 2 liters a day. On a normal day? 3-4 16oz. cups of coffee, a 16oz. Coke/ Pepsi/ Mountain Dew, then maybe one or two 32oz. cups of tea, so, yeah, I drink quite a bit. Then there's the 2-3 cigs a day. Then there may be a jack & coke or a margarita when the mood hits me.
So my liver is paté. Hyperlipidemia. Hypertension. Bad cholesterol. No blood test Thursday, but I'm supposed to check my blood pressure occasionally before an actual physical Sept. 13th.
I'm also supposed to cut down on the sugar (Splenda takes some getting used to... better than Equal, but still... *sigh*) and caffeine (another *sigh*) but well, even if I don't expect to live forever, I want to make it to 40 (at least).
So, not a great prognosis, but I'm young (a pretty decent 31.something) and can work on making it better before I hit Type II diabetes.
Although, at this moment, I am drinking a coke and eating pringles.
TTFN
Okay. I went to the doctor last Thursday to establish a record there. Finally going to have a Primary Care Physician. Nurse Practitioner, actually, Regina Nolting. Still, nice.
Well, talk about third degree. I smoke. I drink (on occasion, usually few and far between). Bad, bad. I drink a lot of caffeine. Apparently over 2 liters a day. On a normal day? 3-4 16oz. cups of coffee, a 16oz. Coke/ Pepsi/ Mountain Dew, then maybe one or two 32oz. cups of tea, so, yeah, I drink quite a bit. Then there's the 2-3 cigs a day. Then there may be a jack & coke or a margarita when the mood hits me.
So my liver is paté. Hyperlipidemia. Hypertension. Bad cholesterol. No blood test Thursday, but I'm supposed to check my blood pressure occasionally before an actual physical Sept. 13th.
I'm also supposed to cut down on the sugar (Splenda takes some getting used to... better than Equal, but still... *sigh*) and caffeine (another *sigh*) but well, even if I don't expect to live forever, I want to make it to 40 (at least).
So, not a great prognosis, but I'm young (a pretty decent 31.something) and can work on making it better before I hit Type II diabetes.
Although, at this moment, I am drinking a coke and eating pringles.
TTFN
Movie Reviews
(Love this song - "After Dark" by Tito Tarantula, from From Dusk 'til Dawn)
I've seen a number of movies recently and wanted to share my take:
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle - An enjoyable toker comedy. While not quite up to Friday, the film is definitely one of the better comedies to come out this year. Funny spots include a runaway cheetah, a psychotic raccoon, some bathroom humor involving sorority sisters and a game called "Battleshits" (which is cringe-worthy), stupid police, and an x-ed out Neil Patrick Harris playing himself. Worth watching sober.
Alien v Predator - Pretty good for a film that the internet has piled plenty of dubious hate upon (due to the director, Paul W.S. Anderson, who I actually like, having brought a passable Resident Evil, Soldier, and Event Horizon to us. Okay, there are gripes and plot holes, but it's still passable.) Although there are plot holes a mile wide, and both franchises have a great pedigree (Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, John McTiernan, monster designers Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, H. R. Giger, Stan Winston, so on) that build expectations a lot, one has to honestly admit that what you want to see is what you get - Aliens killing, Predators killing, and the humans getting frappéd. Chock full of references to previous films that will delight fans, it will satisfy the inner fanboy in everyone.
Collateral - a very good movie from a very good director, Michael Mann. Tom Cruise plays against type as a psychotic hit man (who has a twisted sense of morality) who takes cabbie Jamie Foxx hostage as his driver. Not only is the movie's plot out of the mainstream, but there are definitely unpredictable events in this movie that will make you go "Shee-it!" when they happen. This is the best thing from Foxx since Any Given Sunday, and anything that makes Cruise stretch a little is good. Not better than Cruise's performance in Vanilla Sky, but still pretty damn solid.
Anchorman - stupid funny. Laugh out loud funny. Or pretty stupid, as my brother says. Will Ferrell is pretty good. Jazz flute. Need I say more?
The Village - Can we say pretty damn predictable? Yes, twist at the end. With M. Night, you pretty much expect a twist, even if you haven't heard there is one. Sixth Sense worked. Unbreakable's was expected, and Signs had an attempt at a twist. You get very impressive work from Hurt, Weaver, Brody, Phoenix, and the new girl on the block, Bryce Dallas Howard, but it is all made laughable by the plot twist, which may/ may not have been stolen from a children's book. A shame, honestly. I love Brendan Gleeson, from semi-comedic (in Lake Placid and Braveheart) to heartrending (28 Days Later, Cold Mountain [the only thing good about the movie], Tailor of Panama) to against-type characters (Troy, where Menelaus becomes a villain and Paris still remains a pussy), but he couldn't redeem this one.
I, Robot - Nice. Visually. Plot may be a bit thin (anyone who's seen Tron knows what's going to happen) but nice summer movie. If only Will Smith could avoid playing Will Smith in a movie. Where's the guy who was Ali in Michael Mann's Ali?
Fahrenheit, 9/11 - A Michael Moore film. Dichotomous in nature (first half about 9/11, the second about Iraq, but, hey, isn't that the Bush presidency in a nutshell?) it doesn't have a coherent plot as a documentary, but definitely has a theme. I'll let you guess what it is.
The Bourne Supremacy - Very good. Intelligent. Coherent. Welcoming. Jason Bourne is a younger, hipper, Sean Connery Bond. Brian Cox is excellent as always, as is Joan Allen. The movie just crackles.
Catwoman - Sigh. Okay, while watching Halle Berry slink around in a leather outfit is really nice, paying $8 to see a music video of her slinking around and fighting a has-been (Sharon Stone, way past Casino glory) is not. Find pics, put them in a viewer and play some nu-metal and hip-hop and you have something more enjoyable.
Spider-Man 2 - or as I like to call it The Amazing Spider-Man. Which they should've kept, btw, 'cause hell, if they throw away X-Men United as a subtitle, why can't they call this movie what it is? AMAZING Honestly, this is the best comic / superhero movie out there. Ever. Better than the first, X2, Blade II, Hellboy (which I loved). It is equal to, if not better, than even Superman, which is definitely the best DC movie translation (sorry Bats).
Later.
I've seen a number of movies recently and wanted to share my take:
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle - An enjoyable toker comedy. While not quite up to Friday, the film is definitely one of the better comedies to come out this year. Funny spots include a runaway cheetah, a psychotic raccoon, some bathroom humor involving sorority sisters and a game called "Battleshits" (which is cringe-worthy), stupid police, and an x-ed out Neil Patrick Harris playing himself. Worth watching sober.
Alien v Predator - Pretty good for a film that the internet has piled plenty of dubious hate upon (due to the director, Paul W.S. Anderson, who I actually like, having brought a passable Resident Evil, Soldier, and Event Horizon to us. Okay, there are gripes and plot holes, but it's still passable.) Although there are plot holes a mile wide, and both franchises have a great pedigree (Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, John McTiernan, monster designers Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, H. R. Giger, Stan Winston, so on) that build expectations a lot, one has to honestly admit that what you want to see is what you get - Aliens killing, Predators killing, and the humans getting frappéd. Chock full of references to previous films that will delight fans, it will satisfy the inner fanboy in everyone.
Collateral - a very good movie from a very good director, Michael Mann. Tom Cruise plays against type as a psychotic hit man (who has a twisted sense of morality) who takes cabbie Jamie Foxx hostage as his driver. Not only is the movie's plot out of the mainstream, but there are definitely unpredictable events in this movie that will make you go "Shee-it!" when they happen. This is the best thing from Foxx since Any Given Sunday, and anything that makes Cruise stretch a little is good. Not better than Cruise's performance in Vanilla Sky, but still pretty damn solid.
Anchorman - stupid funny. Laugh out loud funny. Or pretty stupid, as my brother says. Will Ferrell is pretty good. Jazz flute. Need I say more?
The Village - Can we say pretty damn predictable? Yes, twist at the end. With M. Night, you pretty much expect a twist, even if you haven't heard there is one. Sixth Sense worked. Unbreakable's was expected, and Signs had an attempt at a twist. You get very impressive work from Hurt, Weaver, Brody, Phoenix, and the new girl on the block, Bryce Dallas Howard, but it is all made laughable by the plot twist, which may/ may not have been stolen from a children's book. A shame, honestly. I love Brendan Gleeson, from semi-comedic (in Lake Placid and Braveheart) to heartrending (28 Days Later, Cold Mountain [the only thing good about the movie], Tailor of Panama) to against-type characters (Troy, where Menelaus becomes a villain and Paris still remains a pussy), but he couldn't redeem this one.
I, Robot - Nice. Visually. Plot may be a bit thin (anyone who's seen Tron knows what's going to happen) but nice summer movie. If only Will Smith could avoid playing Will Smith in a movie. Where's the guy who was Ali in Michael Mann's Ali?
Fahrenheit, 9/11 - A Michael Moore film. Dichotomous in nature (first half about 9/11, the second about Iraq, but, hey, isn't that the Bush presidency in a nutshell?) it doesn't have a coherent plot as a documentary, but definitely has a theme. I'll let you guess what it is.
The Bourne Supremacy - Very good. Intelligent. Coherent. Welcoming. Jason Bourne is a younger, hipper, Sean Connery Bond. Brian Cox is excellent as always, as is Joan Allen. The movie just crackles.
Catwoman - Sigh. Okay, while watching Halle Berry slink around in a leather outfit is really nice, paying $8 to see a music video of her slinking around and fighting a has-been (Sharon Stone, way past Casino glory) is not. Find pics, put them in a viewer and play some nu-metal and hip-hop and you have something more enjoyable.
Spider-Man 2 - or as I like to call it The Amazing Spider-Man. Which they should've kept, btw, 'cause hell, if they throw away X-Men United as a subtitle, why can't they call this movie what it is? AMAZING Honestly, this is the best comic / superhero movie out there. Ever. Better than the first, X2, Blade II, Hellboy (which I loved). It is equal to, if not better, than even Superman, which is definitely the best DC movie translation (sorry Bats).
Later.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Terror levels
Is it beyond the ken of anyone that Bush, the DHS and other neo-conservatives are whipping up the populace in a way that is so morally disgusting and upsetting?
The terror threats come and the threat level for specific cities rise. Meanwhile, the Democrats just concluded their Convention.
Now, whether the Dems were going to get a bounce or not is immaterial. It is a matter of fact that Bush and the 'Publicans mean to "run on the war" meaning Iraq and terrorism. It is also a matter of fact that people who are afraid of the "big bad" tend to vote 'publican - witness Ike after Korea, Nixon during Nam, and Reagan during the Middle East crisis (Bush rode the coat-tails). This may be a leftover of "Truman lost China" in '49, but it still pervades the American consciousness that 'Publicans and their pro-military stance make for a stronger country when they ('Publicans) are in power.
Bush has already promulgated the idea that the terrorists want to shake up the road to the election (which makes no sense at all due to the fact that if it were to happen, Americans would not flee the party of Bush, but instead embrace it - the overwhelming majority of Americans still support the "War on Terror" even if they do not support Persian Gulf II). Also has been put forth the idea of "delaying the election" if necessary.
So take it for what you will. Personally, it's just more BU--SH--.
TTFN
The terror threats come and the threat level for specific cities rise. Meanwhile, the Democrats just concluded their Convention.
Now, whether the Dems were going to get a bounce or not is immaterial. It is a matter of fact that Bush and the 'Publicans mean to "run on the war" meaning Iraq and terrorism. It is also a matter of fact that people who are afraid of the "big bad" tend to vote 'publican - witness Ike after Korea, Nixon during Nam, and Reagan during the Middle East crisis (Bush rode the coat-tails). This may be a leftover of "Truman lost China" in '49, but it still pervades the American consciousness that 'Publicans and their pro-military stance make for a stronger country when they ('Publicans) are in power.
Bush has already promulgated the idea that the terrorists want to shake up the road to the election (which makes no sense at all due to the fact that if it were to happen, Americans would not flee the party of Bush, but instead embrace it - the overwhelming majority of Americans still support the "War on Terror" even if they do not support Persian Gulf II). Also has been put forth the idea of "delaying the election" if necessary.
So take it for what you will. Personally, it's just more BU--SH--.
TTFN
Pet peeves
Everyone has pet peeves. Something that irks the living sh*t out of them. They feel the need or urge to correct it or let someone know about it. Well, one of mine is pretty obvious.
Granparents sue over jailhouse baby
Not the story. THE HEADLINE Since when did it become "Granparent"? The story labels it correctly. But the composer of the page labeled the link incorrectly!
I admit it, sometimes I misspell things. And I get ticked off when I find them. Moreso when others find them. But CNN? CNN.com? Also, I have to say that this isn't the first time I've seen one. The media propagate the errors by not proof-reading their works. Newspapers have several in any given day now. There's been misspellings on the ticker for FOX News and CNN before. (MSNBC is not worth the time of day, Fox-lite and craptastic anyway.) By sowing the minds of the public with these oversights, they reap the dumbness of America. I personally hate "ur" and "ima", etc.
L33T 5P3@K is one thing. Stupidity and the ruination of the mind of our youth, as well as the degradation of the English (American) language is another.
--TTFN
P.S. Moments after composing this, CNN fixed the error. Bah.
Granparents sue over jailhouse baby
Not the story. THE HEADLINE Since when did it become "Granparent"? The story labels it correctly. But the composer of the page labeled the link incorrectly!
I admit it, sometimes I misspell things. And I get ticked off when I find them. Moreso when others find them. But CNN? CNN.com? Also, I have to say that this isn't the first time I've seen one. The media propagate the errors by not proof-reading their works. Newspapers have several in any given day now. There's been misspellings on the ticker for FOX News and CNN before. (MSNBC is not worth the time of day, Fox-lite and craptastic anyway.) By sowing the minds of the public with these oversights, they reap the dumbness of America. I personally hate "ur" and "ima", etc.
L33T 5P3@K is one thing. Stupidity and the ruination of the mind of our youth, as well as the degradation of the English (American) language is another.
--TTFN
P.S. Moments after composing this, CNN fixed the error. Bah.
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