Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Crazy, crazy Herman Cain, part 3
Wow, conservative Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain is not qualified to commander in chief. Asked to explain his position on President Obama's policy about Libya, Cain looked like a deer lost in the headlights. It was like he didn't know anything about what happened in Libya. Anyway, here's Jon Stewart of the Daily Show giving his funny take.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
A Great Colbert Report
Last night was a great Colbert Report. Now you can see why a lot of people get their news from The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert. Yeah, Colbert is playing a fake conservative, just like Jon Stewart of the Daily Show isn't really a newsman. But they report on real news, they just add jokes.
Anyway, Colbert goes over Michele Bachmann's rage over the "liberal mainstream" media's snub over her campaign. Then he goes over a very important story regarding a proposed pipeline from Canadian tar sands to Texas. Called Keystone XL, this pipeline's increase to carbon gasses will mean "game over" for the climate. Of course, if you watch Fox News, they will tell you that it will create 20K, 50K, 120K to million jobs. Environmentalist Bill McKibben tells Colbert why the pipeline is bad. Then enjoy a very funny piece about vodka tampons. You heard that. And last there's an excellent interview with Thomas Thwaites, a guy who built his own toaster from scratch. Think about it. Within this one innocuous appliance, you can see modern civilized humanity. Funny and profound.
Anyway, Colbert goes over Michele Bachmann's rage over the "liberal mainstream" media's snub over her campaign. Then he goes over a very important story regarding a proposed pipeline from Canadian tar sands to Texas. Called Keystone XL, this pipeline's increase to carbon gasses will mean "game over" for the climate. Of course, if you watch Fox News, they will tell you that it will create 20K, 50K, 120K to million jobs. Environmentalist Bill McKibben tells Colbert why the pipeline is bad. Then enjoy a very funny piece about vodka tampons. You heard that. And last there's an excellent interview with Thomas Thwaites, a guy who built his own toaster from scratch. Think about it. Within this one innocuous appliance, you can see modern civilized humanity. Funny and profound.
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive
There's bad seafood?!
While I was surfing the web, I came across this article by David Zinczenko about five types of seafood I should not eat. Get it surf the web? Eh, sorry for that. Okay, this comes when where supposed to eat more seafood? Now I have to have a list of the type of fish that may have contanminents that outweigh the benefits Oy. Anyway here's the article.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
"J. Edgar" Review
While I was watching Director Clint Eastwood's J.Edgar, a film about the life of J.Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first director, I was reminded of the phrase that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Did Hoover abuse his power? Yes. But while some of his actions crossed the constitutional line of legality, he was not a black and white villain. Some of his actions protected the United States and forced crime detection into the twentieth century.
J. Edgar starts out in the sixties with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) dictating his memoirs to young FBI agents. The movie then flashes back to Hoover when he was an investigator for the U.S. Attorney General where the government was fighting bomb planting Communists. The film then flashes forward and backwards multiple times. We see his involvement with the Lindbergh kidnapping case. We see him build up the FBI and bring modern science into the field of crime detection. There are moments dealing with Attorney General Bobby Kennedy. Then there are the personal moments. We see his relations with his mother Anna, (Judi Dench); his personal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and his right hand man Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer)
What the film drives home is that Hoover initially starts out with good intentions that go bad. He's fighting Communists who want to violently overthrow the United States government. But while his desire to build a modern and professional crime fighting law enforcement agency is commendable, it conflicts with his totalitarian paranoia. It's that fear of what he perceives as un-American that causes him to plant lies about Martin Luther King, Jr., spy on personal enemies and keep dirt on presidents in his files.
The performances are all excellent. Naomi Watts' Helen is portrait of a twentieth century woman. Her Helen Gandy has an inner strength. Judi Dench is the greatest actress of our time. She doesn't get many scenes but in her short time on the screen she conveys her total loyalty to J. Edgar. Armie Hammer comes from a rich and elite background. He is the great grandson of oil tycoon Armand Hammer. But he now has earned applause for his portrayal as Tolson, first as a young FBI recruit who makes Hoover sweat then as the much older agent. Then there is Leonardo DiCaprio. His Hoover is sanctimonious, paranoid and ambitious.
While the performances are fine, J. Edgar has major flaws. You see Hoover's life was shrouded in mystery. For example, there were rumors of Hoover's cross dressing and alleged homosexuality with Tolson his alleged lover. Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) can't commit to dramatic ideas like Hoover was gay. They strongly hint at it but there's no passion between Hoover and Tolson. Another problem with the film is that it dwells way too much time on the Lindbergh kidnapping. Yeah, that case helped to build the FBI with funding from Congress. But the FBI came into noteriety from its fight with Depression era bank robbers. More could have been done with Hoover's blackmailing ability to intimidate presidents.
Criticizing Clint Eastwood is one of the last things I want to do. After all the man is a legendary filmmaker. But his direction is colorless like this film. First, let me ask Eastwood to stop writing the musical scores for his movies. Don't get me wrong, the man can write music. But surprisingly his music doesn't match the movie. His score for this film is romantic with piano accompanied by strings. But his movie is not a love story. I meant it could have been a romance if it went all in on the idea that Hoover was gay and loved Tolson. The better score for a story about a man who was the nations' top cop and was at times corrupt would be one with American themes but at times with touches of clear sarcasm. Late composer Shostakovich comes to mind when throwing in sarcasm in music.
But back to Eastwood's direction of J. Edgar. To demonstrate how dry this movie is, there's a scene where Hoover is in Attorney General Bobby Kennedy's office. There's a discussion on who the FBI should be investigating. Hoover wants to investigate a personal enemy. Kennedy doesn't agree. Hoover quietly throws out that he has evidence that Kennedy's brother, President John F. Kennedy had an affair. Basically, Hoover is blackmailing the President. The problem is that Hoover throws it out like he's talking about the weather. This scene required more dialogue with punch. It required emotion. Instead the scene fizzles.
At the end of the credits, there's a thanks to the FBI for their assistance in the making of J. Edgar. Interesting, since this film is an unflattering view of a deeply imperfect man. J. Edgar is also like its subject. Professional, but flawed. The grade is B -.
J. Edgar starts out in the sixties with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) dictating his memoirs to young FBI agents. The movie then flashes back to Hoover when he was an investigator for the U.S. Attorney General where the government was fighting bomb planting Communists. The film then flashes forward and backwards multiple times. We see his involvement with the Lindbergh kidnapping case. We see him build up the FBI and bring modern science into the field of crime detection. There are moments dealing with Attorney General Bobby Kennedy. Then there are the personal moments. We see his relations with his mother Anna, (Judi Dench); his personal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and his right hand man Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer)
What the film drives home is that Hoover initially starts out with good intentions that go bad. He's fighting Communists who want to violently overthrow the United States government. But while his desire to build a modern and professional crime fighting law enforcement agency is commendable, it conflicts with his totalitarian paranoia. It's that fear of what he perceives as un-American that causes him to plant lies about Martin Luther King, Jr., spy on personal enemies and keep dirt on presidents in his files.
The performances are all excellent. Naomi Watts' Helen is portrait of a twentieth century woman. Her Helen Gandy has an inner strength. Judi Dench is the greatest actress of our time. She doesn't get many scenes but in her short time on the screen she conveys her total loyalty to J. Edgar. Armie Hammer comes from a rich and elite background. He is the great grandson of oil tycoon Armand Hammer. But he now has earned applause for his portrayal as Tolson, first as a young FBI recruit who makes Hoover sweat then as the much older agent. Then there is Leonardo DiCaprio. His Hoover is sanctimonious, paranoid and ambitious.
While the performances are fine, J. Edgar has major flaws. You see Hoover's life was shrouded in mystery. For example, there were rumors of Hoover's cross dressing and alleged homosexuality with Tolson his alleged lover. Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) can't commit to dramatic ideas like Hoover was gay. They strongly hint at it but there's no passion between Hoover and Tolson. Another problem with the film is that it dwells way too much time on the Lindbergh kidnapping. Yeah, that case helped to build the FBI with funding from Congress. But the FBI came into noteriety from its fight with Depression era bank robbers. More could have been done with Hoover's blackmailing ability to intimidate presidents.
Criticizing Clint Eastwood is one of the last things I want to do. After all the man is a legendary filmmaker. But his direction is colorless like this film. First, let me ask Eastwood to stop writing the musical scores for his movies. Don't get me wrong, the man can write music. But surprisingly his music doesn't match the movie. His score for this film is romantic with piano accompanied by strings. But his movie is not a love story. I meant it could have been a romance if it went all in on the idea that Hoover was gay and loved Tolson. The better score for a story about a man who was the nations' top cop and was at times corrupt would be one with American themes but at times with touches of clear sarcasm. Late composer Shostakovich comes to mind when throwing in sarcasm in music.
But back to Eastwood's direction of J. Edgar. To demonstrate how dry this movie is, there's a scene where Hoover is in Attorney General Bobby Kennedy's office. There's a discussion on who the FBI should be investigating. Hoover wants to investigate a personal enemy. Kennedy doesn't agree. Hoover quietly throws out that he has evidence that Kennedy's brother, President John F. Kennedy had an affair. Basically, Hoover is blackmailing the President. The problem is that Hoover throws it out like he's talking about the weather. This scene required more dialogue with punch. It required emotion. Instead the scene fizzles.
At the end of the credits, there's a thanks to the FBI for their assistance in the making of J. Edgar. Interesting, since this film is an unflattering view of a deeply imperfect man. J. Edgar is also like its subject. Professional, but flawed. The grade is B -.
Steelers pound Bengals
Okay, today's Cincinnati Bengals loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was not as bad as my title suggests. The score was 24-17. But the Bengals on the Steelers first two drives were pounded by the Steelers offense. Those drives resulted in two touchdowns. The defense could not stop Benji Roethlisberger. And when the Bengals needed to stop the Steelers in the third quarter, the couldn't.
Rookie QB Andy Dalton had two picks. One bounced off Andre Caldwells' hands. We've seen that before. And the second which killed the Bengals came as they were driving in the fourth quarter. The receiver was supposed to be Jerome Simpson. Color man Dan Fouts suggested that Simpson may have given up on the route. Maybe the defensive back jumped the route. Either way, it was a pick. Game over.
A.J. Green was hurt on his spectacular TD catch. The radio interview after the game indicated that he was okay. But cornerback Leon Hall left the game with an achilles injury. He maybe done for the year. This is the NFL so injuries are part of the game. Next man up. The Bengals will need Pacman Jones aka Adam Jones next week.
I guess the positives are that the Bengals can play with the Steelers. There were five sacks without Carlos Dunlap. They did tie the score after all. That's also the assessment of head coach Marvin Lewis. Now, the Bengals need to learn how to beat them. But I hate losing to the Steelers. Next up, the division leading Baltimore Ravens.
Rookie QB Andy Dalton had two picks. One bounced off Andre Caldwells' hands. We've seen that before. And the second which killed the Bengals came as they were driving in the fourth quarter. The receiver was supposed to be Jerome Simpson. Color man Dan Fouts suggested that Simpson may have given up on the route. Maybe the defensive back jumped the route. Either way, it was a pick. Game over.
A.J. Green was hurt on his spectacular TD catch. The radio interview after the game indicated that he was okay. But cornerback Leon Hall left the game with an achilles injury. He maybe done for the year. This is the NFL so injuries are part of the game. Next man up. The Bengals will need Pacman Jones aka Adam Jones next week.
I guess the positives are that the Bengals can play with the Steelers. There were five sacks without Carlos Dunlap. They did tie the score after all. That's also the assessment of head coach Marvin Lewis. Now, the Bengals need to learn how to beat them. But I hate losing to the Steelers. Next up, the division leading Baltimore Ravens.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
U.S. Troops invade Australia?
What in the wide world of empire building is going on? President Obama has announced that the United States is going to have a military presence in Australia. Really? Is this an exchange for their superior actors such as Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, John Noble and Anna Torv? Let Stephen Colbert make sense of it.
The Colbert Report
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Oops, Rick Perry
Wow, conservative Republican Rick Perry has been having a goofy time of it lately. First there was speech he gave in New Hampshire where he seemed to be high. And now, at Wednesday's debate, he tried to tell the audience of three agencies, he would get rid of, only to keep forgetting the third. Then at the end of this brain fart, he said, "Sorry, oops." Can you see this guy as President? Aide rushes to President Perry. "Sir, you just nuked France." Perry says to the nation, "We just nuked France. Sorry, oops." Anyway, Jon Stewart of the Daily Show and Stephen Colbert had great fun with this. Caution. Stewart's reporters are a "little" too happy. Hey, it's basic cable. And as a bonus, check out Stewart's piece on the New Hampshire speech.
Here's Jon's older commentary on Herman Cain and Perry's loopy New Hampshire speech. Perry in the speech also says, "Oops."
Hey, I find Perry's goofy speech, kind of endearing.
The Colbert Report
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Here's Jon's older commentary on Herman Cain and Perry's loopy New Hampshire speech. Perry in the speech also says, "Oops."
Hey, I find Perry's goofy speech, kind of endearing.
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