The unintentional humor of religion and bureaucracy.

This is a funny picture.

In 1973 the Catholic Church, the Youth Movement had a simple little logo. It is just so 70's.

Oddly, in looking at it now, it could easily be thought to be NSFW. The change of perspective and perception.

More Mitchell and Webb coming

New series of there show is coming. The promo just makes you want it all now.

Another review and snark.

Another fun review source is from That Guy With The Glasses, and particularly, the Nostalgia Critic. He's a little weird and plenty goofy, but wit and snark are always a joy to behold.

A look at part 1 of the the reviewing of Hook.

Bond...Snark Bond

The Agony Booth does some good reviews, picking apart movies and TV with humor and snark. And some are some nice lengthy articles that are a hoot.

They have also started some video reviews. This one from Mr. Meno, looking at 007 in The Man with the Golden Gun. Not the finest outing from Her Majesties best.

Glenn Beck: Fleecing the god fearing, the armed forces supporters, and the rest of the country.

Crooks and Liars:

...

Well, he's really stepping in it this time. He's asking his fans to make donations to a military charity to fund a rally in Washington D.C. - the only problem is that the rally is nothing more than a release party for his new book and well...I'll let GottaLaff tell the rest of the story, keying off this audio report from Bill Press:

[audio at link] ...

Classy, classy Glenn.

...

Yes, you heard right. Beck doesn’t even have a permit for The Big Rally yet. They’ve applied, but they’re still in negotiations. Yet, they’re selling merchandise as if it’s a done deal. He’s selling stuff for an event that may never take place.

It’s also not being held at the Lincoln Memorial, but at the reflecting pool, across the street. Glenn Beck is lying about the location of the rally.

And finally, he’s exploiting a charity by soliciting contributions to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. But see, the fine print says all contributions will first be applied to the rally, the one with Sarah Palin. All contributions in excess of the costs will go to the troops.

Let’s recap:

–He’s desecrating the memory of Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln;

–He’s lying to the (gullible) American people who still choose to give him an ounce of credibility, and

–He’s using a charity set up to raise money for members of the military, and then stealing the money he raises to pay for his little get together. Read on...

...

If only he could stay classy and go back to mocking children and women who lose there children. Remember the good old days he was just happy to openly fear and have contempt for minorities.

Happy Time with a puppy

Here is a bit of joy, in watching a pup meet and challenge itself. "Who is that!"

Conservative Charm Offensive

Republicans and those other conservatives they continue to woo are quite a lovely group, except for all of their positions and statements...and so much else.

There is the great hope Sharron Angle and her great ideas. She has finally done an interview (vid at link) where she has walked back some of her claims, and tried to justify others, including the kinda sorta dismantling social security. It is great to see her face challenges to her claims.

Boehner wants to join Sharon Angle in going after Social Security, the nation's social safety net. Still with the myth that system is broken and doomed...and in the way of war. Love Boehner's frankness. It is great to see how full of it a loathsome Reps are at heart.

And the Senate continues to choose the needs of the rich over the survival of those that are poor or in straits, between jobs. What champions. George Will loves this position, holding that unemployment support is not stimulative. Those poor people will never work if they aren't starving on the street...guess we know how will picks his manor staff. Will continues to amaze with his clear detachment from reality. But it is the conservative axiom, to help the poor is to weaken the workforce. Now, of course, when their is an oil spill and conservative jobs go bye bye, they really love that socialist support mechanism...cause...


Conservatives are so much those of the people...just richer and safer and able to ride out their ideologies impact. Lucky them.

Dog doing his thing

Here is a cute video of a dog blind since a pup, and suffering other ailments, out playing fetch in the backyard. Lacks a sense, but living life and happy.

Finding the Gold Monkey

Don't know if it makes me sad, a nerd, or just old...but I am giddy that the Tales of the Gold Monkey series is available now on DVD.

It was a short lived, but fun action show, with a bit of comedy from the late 80's. It starred Stephen Collins. Along with his adventurer pilot were spies, barmen, mechanics, tricksters, and all sorts you expect in a fun pulp tale.

Personally I loved the show, as it gave some of the period fun much like what was available through Indiana Jones, and other pulp adventure stories.

This show takes place in that fun magical near nonexistent time of the 20's, where major war was seen as a memory, and adventure, mystery, and  the future were exciting.

I do really like this particular period. It is, as said a magical time. The big memories (world wars) of the age are around it, a decade out from WWI, which colors most every character in stories, but is far enough in the past that most have moved on and have built lives again, had kids, lived their dreams, etc., but it is part of the background forever. And another war is looming. Scary Germans. Aggressive Japanese. Officious Italians. And so on. And the tales that is told is smack dab in the center, the world oblivious of what is to come.

For stories like Gold Monkey, it is a story of the South Pacific, drawing on a variety of Pulp (with natives, traders, explorers, etc.), and the history of expanding Japanese power, and the colonial interest. Another shows I love that's like this is Tailspin. It also took this time and made it playful use of the related tropes. I loved the island home and its defenses (large guns guarding high mountain walls with a narrow pass for planes to get through), Baloo and his plane, and definitely that version of Shere Khan (an enjoyable Charles Foster Kane/Lex Luthor with big claws). It is a fun show to take a chance to catch when you can.

Then other tales that used the period are Anastasia (animated), which used a fantasy evil wizard with a lost princess and a mystic and wondrous Europe that never really was. I really liked the film. It had good animation, and I enjoyed the songs. Also it gave us a 1920's fairy tale. We need people to play with fantasy in history in this fun way more often.

As well, there is the Universal Horror series, like Dracula, Wolf Man, Frankenstein, etc. On into the war years these also made use of this long gone idea of a foggy Europe that was fool of werewolves, not Nazis. But it is an impossible time, kinda Victorian and kinda modern (for the day). It marks are ideas of the sorts of movies til this day.


Crimson Skies offered a alternate America of the time, with a disrupted nation, with sky pirates, zeppelins everywhere, and independent and fun states and site.

It is a fun period to enjoy. So I am glad to have this series out for me to enjoy again after all these years.

New season of Warehouse 13, YIPEE!

I am eagerly anticapting the new seasons of scifi fun with new Eureka, and Warehouse 13. Both of which will be crossing over into each others series this summer. Both are starting up in the coming weeks.


Here is a fun bit dealing with one of the artifacts held in the warehouse.

Rush standard class act and Beck's self love society

These two are charmers.

Following on the Beck example Limbaugh decided he needed to ridicule Obama's one daughter. I am startting to wonder if there other daughter is starting to feel slighted by the far right. Here for more or listen to the ass below.



Then Beck haw been on a role in a number of ways, but to see him declare himself great is a marvel. He is a great man, as he writes fiction, he is great as he is a truth speaker, or as his god talks through him to others.

But to see him declare that he is a new Martin Luther King Jr? Come on. He will be apart of the reclaiming of the Civil Rights Movement.

Really. He will reclaim it? Much like his country...when was the movement taken? While conservatives barred blacks and others from drugstore counters, while they were barring them from schools, or while they were setting dogs on blacks and others striving for civil rights? That is just lame on his part.

He compares himself to King, to Parks, and to Ghandi. And it makes me laugh. Because I could imagine him being around them in there day, and bringing them on his show. On the show he would yell at them for what they did and spoke out for. He would also be sure to challenge them as potential communist. Then, of course, he would be sure to challenge them on whether they were terrorist, or going to be trying to kill or harm people like him. Really cringe worthy media. NO doubt. But he has his little dream. Like the one were Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine would be his equals and respect and revere him...and not at all pants him, mock him, and denounce him as a troubled man.

So watch for 8-28 when he reclaims civil rights...for white people? I don't know...

Bad texting advise from Mitchell and Webb

Another vid from Mitchell and Webb, and BBC Comedy.

Jason Bateman - Prom Date

Bateman gets to team up with his old TV bro Will Arnett for an odd little short promoting Orbit gum.

It is odd, quirky, and a real laugh.

Orbit Dirty Shorts gives us - The Prom Date



We do need more Arrested Development. Or, at least, to bring the cast back together with the writers of the show to do some good comedy.

Being a wonder, Wonder Woman

The top tier of women heroes, and in the top tier of the DC Comic heroes, she doesn't always get the respect she deserves from the fan base. More focus is put on her outfit, her looks, and how she sometimes gets seen as a dominatrix type. Not fair for a character with so much potential.

Here you can find a good list of collected stories of Wonder Woman to get into the character and her continuing story.

DC Women Kicking Ass

And some cool shoots of the warrior and inspiration for plenty of young girls.

She is cool, when written well. A vast pool of potential.

More Mitchell and Webb

Some more from the Comedy pages of BBC.

Pit Ponies - The excitement never ends.


Knobshead Morning Visited - The tricks of the temperature knob and showerhead.

Scientology is not pro-Choice.

There is no choice, only the rules. And the team players will enforce those rules, no matter what you think.

The troubling story of what happens to Sea Org members that become pregnant.

Vid from story.

Reading Orphan Annie?

Have you been reading Little Orphan Annie? Probably not as it has been cancelled from the last of the papers it was carried in. Bye to that era.

Here is what was going on.

Yeah. Held by a Genocidal ex-soldier and lost.  Remind you of the red dressed kid with the dog?

Read more.

Good luck Annie. You will need it.

Conservatives and Feminism

There has been a new push for the idea of this being The Year of the Woman. Cue the fanfare. And it is a little odd as it is not as if women don't win primaries, and then multiple ones. Though this time the newbies are Reps, and that may be why. They are good at getting media to run in their preset rings. This is a push by Reps to push up minority members for government to try and seem more big tent, though we have not seen yet if this is more change or ploy. So we will see, and as we do the media is thrilled to have a new event for the moment to chat up.

This has also been a time that Palin continues to try and put herself up for a role as feminist extraordinare. She doesn't really get what feminism is or feminist are eager to work for. She definitely has no record to prove her claim, other than the one from birth stating she is female.

Is that enough. Femocracy looks at this in a series of post that just started. Look at the feminists and the conservatives.

...

And I've watched as Sarah Palin was first declared the final nail in the coffin of "liberal" feminism, only to pull a 180 and become the reviver of a "new kind" of feminism, as dubbed by the media. After the victories of Nikki Haley, Carly Fiorina, Meg Whitman and Sharron Angle, I've watched as women candidates winning became the culmination of feminism's efforts, yet was a "huge blow " to feminism since the outcome helped Republican women. And I've held off writing about it, mainly because the majority of commentators did what the media practically exists to do now, which is to vacillate wildly between extremes with little measured commentary or careful analysis. (I may be biased, but I think the only thoughtful commentary I've read is on websites with a feminist bent, or op-eds by actual feminists, who really focus on these issues and are better positioned to be experts on this sort of thing.) Since this is important to so many women, to the whole country really, I thought it wiser to take a step back, watch it unfold and think about it more deeply. That is, until I read Ross Douthat's column today and decided maybe it's time to formulate my own perspective.

...

Conservative Bad Sportsmanship Olympics

The World Cup is here. Time for some football, or soccer. The varying nationals from across the world are vying to be the winner of the cup. And over the passed so many cups, USA has been in the running, not in the long run, but their is hope.

So with America taking on the world for glory, honor, and bragging rights...you'd think conservatives would be racing to join in. But if you have seen the reaction to the Olympics...their team spirit is meager at best. Hell their Christmas spirit only persists so as to force it on to others.

So the World Cup...not eager? Worse, they are going after it like it has oil it wants.

From Media Matters their is a collection of the attacks, one more loopy then the last.

Beck looks at the World Cup like Obama. Nobody wants it! Go away! We don't like you!  Yeesh! Could Beck be more pissy? The answer is yes, but this is lame. How dare soccer exist! How dare they compete! How dare any American would be involved! But those 3 sentences do fit the opinion of some many of us about Beck.

Liddy (the thief, liar, and advocate of murdering federal agents) calls the game primitive and unAmerican. Meaning lying, thieving, and threatening people's lives is true Americana. And the guest on his show called soccer a game of the violent and unruly.  How much cheaper can you get in trying to imply the lesser humanity of those outside your own borders? This is a lovely look at the face behind the dull mask of conservationism.

And the temp Limbaugh went further down the road of conservative minds declaring soccer the game of the poor. Really. First, huh? American football or baseball, the sport of kings? Hockey, the game of the urban elite?Yeah, many kids who love and play soccer around the world are poor. So? My dad was a poor kid cobbling together a ball to play with, and that makes the game bad? The multitude taking sticks to stand in as the edges of goals are lame? Are the kids finding a stick to act as a bat proof of the lameness of baseball. Or is that part of its greatness?

This is just what conservatives are up to these days. You can't just disagree. You have to hate your opponent. You can't just hate your opponent.  You have to hate and fear everyone not you in the world. And you can't just hate the person you have to hate the sport that there young kid plays and anything and anyone tied to it. There is little that is not sick or messed up with modern conservatism. It is hard to understand how they let themselves get here, or how they can go back to sanity,

BP Fat Cats

Respectful Insolence points to this cute and funny vid:



Those fat cats.

The Cantina just got weirder

Adidas ad using Star Wars.



Hate when the kids come during Spring Break.

That pious reaction to gays

It is odd to see how the more ethical and moral see homosexuality.

Andrew Sullivan:

Here's a charming editorial in the official paper of the Archdiocese of Boston arguing in defense of barring the children of same-sex married couples from Catholic schools. One of the uglier passages:

The third reason is that it seemed a real danger that the boy being raised by the same-sex couple would bring to school something obscene or pornographic, or refer to such things in conversation, as they go along with the same-sex lifestyle, which--as not being related to procreation-- is inherently eroticized and pornographic. He might expose other children to such things, as he might easily have encountered them in his household.

Really? One wonders whether the author has ever spent any time with a married same-sex couple with children. Well, one doesn't wonder. But here's the real kicker:

It was inevitable that either the teacher, or some parent, would deal with the two men in such a way as implicitly to teach my son, or other children in the class, that there is nothing wrong with same-sex relationships. But this is scandal: that is, leading a “little one” astray in some serious matter by the example you set.

Yes, this is what "leading a 'little one' astray" conjures up in the mind of a theocon in the archdiocese once run by pedophile protector - and curia member - Bernard Law. More reaction here.

Abusive priest aren't a problem. The presence of a child aware of how complicated sexuality, love, or family is...a horror.  Lovely.

Then we have our representatives. One congressional chairman, and a Dem, is disturbed about informing kids about gays.  He pondered, "what will mommy and daddy have to say"?  When kids have question...they might need answers...and then then parents will need to teach and share their values and understanding...again...

THE HORROR!!!!

And the idea of sex ed in school where it would be handled and inform kids in a calm and honest manner, that is a HORROR!!! as well.  I can't help but see these people as plain scared of there kids being informed about how other social structures work, or how their own bodies operate.  EEK!

Maybe it is time for them to just say that they are scared of change, differences, and things they do not understand.  Maybe then those with some more compassion can help them out.

David Mitchell and Authenticity

David Mitchell's Soapbox allows him to spend a few minutes wittily discussing things that confuse and vex him, while give us all a laugh.

This week he is troubled by the quest to be authentic.

A Hypatia tale

I do want to see this film, Agora, a nice tale about the historical figure, Hypatia.

Mitchell and Webb hijinks

Here are some humorous vids done by Mitchell and Webb for the BBC.

Almeratron - Less than Meets the Eye




Flightless Bird - Evolution might have been a bad idea.

Whitening America

Roger Ebert wrote a very nice piece considering the new controversy in New Mexico, where a school mural is under attack for having racial diversity.  The attitude of many local residence to the mural and the diversity in town and in school is a sad reminder of how we are truly not in a post racial world.  You see a push is going to whiten the mural and remove all that unnecessary ethnicity.

Ebert gives us some good thoughts to read through and reflect on.

How would I feel if I were a brown student at Miller Valley Elementary School in Prescott, Arizona? A mural was created to depict some of the actual students in the school.

Let's say I was one of the lucky ones. The mural took shape, and as my face became recognizable, I took some kidding from my classmates and a smile from a pretty girl I liked.

My parents even came over one day to have a look and take some photos to e-mail to the family. The mural was shown on TV, and everybody could see that it was me.

Then a City Councilman named Steve Blair went on his local radio talk show and made some comments about the mural. I didn't hear him, but I can guess what he said. ...

Sacrifice the Weatherman!

Armstrong and Miller sketch on the plight of weathermen and the public voice at the BBC.



Text now on sacrificing the weatherman.

Blocking moves

Juan Cole takes note of another attempt to circumvent the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

This time from a Jewish group in Germany.

What I found interesting is how Israel seems to be actively working to prevent Jewish immigration to places like Germany.  It seems strange to try and force everyone of  the Jewish heritage that wants to immigrate to feel obliged to go exclusively to Israel.  Currently the Jewish population of Germany is burgeoning, which seems to trouble officials in Israel.

Seems like a strange attitude.

Astroprank

Great prank at Carleton College in Minnesota.

Turn the observatory into R2D2.

Holmesian Skeptism

Among the enjoyable aspects of the latest variation of Holmes is the maintaining of his skeptical and logical view. As he faces the fear of many that demonic forces are at work, he looks beyond it all to the truth. It is nice to see, as it is in the case of the Baskervilles and of the Sussex Vampire.

Another one I didn't know before now is within the 1944 film, The Scarlet Claw, with Bail Rathbone. He faces an assumed phantom out to ripe the throats of his victims.

Best is how Holmes enters the story. In Quebec, he is meeting an Occult Society. He is talked down to by the groups leader. He is seen as a skeptic. He is closed minded. He won't see the facts. Sound familiar. Holmes takes it all with humor and calm repose. He tries to make clear that he wants to just see facts, as without them there is no reason to believe the idea of the supernatural. And when he is given "proof", that a bell is known to have wrong in a given village, then the next day sheep were found murdered, he is unimpressed. In fact he deduces the events that would follow the tolling bells, heck as a lover of scary stories many of us could. He excepts that the bell did ring. He accepts the sheep were slaughtered. But how that proves the supernatural? Well? That action only confirms the true believers contentions about him.

It shows me why I have loved the character, and like this outing all the more. As Rathbone's Holmes does say, "It is elementary, my dear Watson." A skeptical Holmes is a great Holmes. We need more!

Oz is gonna blacklist you

AMERICAblog notes the changes to access that are coming to Australia.

The government's $128.8 million Cyber Safety policy includes forcing internet service providers to block access to a secret blacklist of website pages...

A new policy to enact a listing that all providers must use. A secret list? Why secret? So people won't complain, or know the focus?

...

Web pages will be nominated for blacklisting by Australian internet users who come across illegal or ''unacceptable'' websites.

...

Great so people will nominate. Almost Athenian. So a site that gets a complaint is all it takes to be wiped from the Aussie net? Wow. How is this considered good?

Sinkhole or Superweapon?

WOW!

It looks like a doctored image, but it is not.

Guatemala City, rain, and sink hole.

And not being able to see the bottom just plays with your head.

So the Silurians striking, the Mole Men in revolt, Mole Man seeking the FF, Darkseid enacting a plan?

Just the environment doing its thing. But always a bit creepy to imagine opening before you or under you.

How she learned to love not being respected.

Hathor Legacy took note of a pretty sad case of a woman who ran afoul of traditional marriage.

See she thought she was "feminist" about her relationship, which she seems to mean she actually expected to be respected, and treated with equality.

...

A female graduate asked to speak about what her time at SCSL meant to her, said she had felt that she was “pretty much all right” when she came to SCSL and came to get closer to god and learn about faith.  “But,” she said, “I used to be kind of a feminist about relationships, because when I was a child, I saw women being weak in relationships and I decided I didn’t want to be like that, and then when I went to the marriage class, I learned how marriage works best when the man is the head and women are submissive and that’s not being weak.”

...

What a great thing marriage classes are. You learn so much, like how to not look your husband in the eyes, and walk behind them. It's just better that way...apparently. I guess some guys will stop hitting you if you do. Not really a good argument.

But it reminds me of so much from conservative thinking. Women should be at home. Women need to focus on kids. No gay families. No birth control. No ability to choose and control what happens with ones (ladies only) body. It is a strange patter, by which I mean troubling. Some in society need to change, for conservatives. And those people (in order of needed change) are women, minorities, men who don't want to "restore" society, Just charming.

It's all just charming.

Newt Gingrich: The Crap Historian and His Friends

Not a historian of crap, I can respect them. But Newt Gingrich, who claims to be a man of knowledge and thought, has proven himself just that a crap historian. I won't comment on his alternate history fiction, as I have never read it. But in dealing with politics he seems to deal with yet another alternate reality. He should leave it in the fiction isle.

But he does not, he peddles it at podiums, on TV, and in the papers. He is so quickly to throw out comparisons to Nazis. Beck does to, but he is an acknowledged twit. Gingrich likes to play as the better man of conservatism.

Gingrich: “The Secular Socialist Machine Represents As Great A Threat To America As Nazi Germany”

Wallace: You also write this on the screen: “The secular socialist machine represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did.” Mr. Speaker, respectfully, isn’t that wildly over the top?

Gingrich: No, not if by America you mean….Just listen to President Obama’s language. He gets to decide who earns how much. He gets to decide when it’s too much.

This is all just crap. Obama decides how much you or I make? Bull. Maybe he's worried about the bonuses of those poor BP execs. Maybe he is scared for the owner of the Massey mines, and his estate. Maybe he is worried about having to pay his own taxes. Pathetic playing up of fears.

And secular socialist? The two chimes of our modern conservatives. Evil secularist, not good Christians. Socialist, not true Capitalist Conservatives. Oh, those banes on us all.

Really, Newt? This is what you peddle. What a sad weasel he is.


PZ Myers has some good thoughts on this lot. Read the quote he has from Sinclair Lewis. It is amazing how apt it is in comparison to today.

...

The book can be summarized in this misattributed quote (Lewis didn't actually say it, but it is a perfect description of our situation):

When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

Look at America today, and we're seeing this phenomenon in progress: think tanks, ideologues, and religious fanatics are insistent that we are a Christian nation — when we are most afraid of external threats, what do they do? Entangle the country deeper in the web of the sacred. ...

A wrapped in the flag, with a cross over the shoulder? That is Newt, that is Beck, that is O'Reilly, that is Hannity, and so many others. They cry out for their Christianity, their Christian nation, and their Christian god.
They do harp on and demand special respect for it all...for the sake of all Americans. And when the other is acknowledged, or when faith is not heralded is just the right manner, it is a true state offenses. Ridiculous. And also not new.

Also I like that Myers notes the history that goes along with this religious fervor. Like with the National Day of Prayer, God on money, etc. It is of interest to me as so often I see the pious seek to talk about the various presidential proclamations or Congressional declarations requesting prayers goings back through the centuries. And it is true, these request have been made. But the National Day of Prayers, and other pushes to acknowledge Christianity have come from the likes of the Cold War terror and paranoia, not the wishes of the Founding Fathers, despite some wishes that it were otherwise. These choices made in government during the middle of the 20th century were wrong, made in error and out of fear. Lines were crossed. And for some pious it is a fear they hold as they lay down for the night...the lines may be recrossed...and the country may truly be a secular one, that won't put there interest over that of the whole.

Quack Toon

A funny little comic strip look at the UK Anti-Vax Quack Andrew Wakefield.

The Facts In The Case Of Dr. Andrew Wakefield

Untraditions

From Cracked.com a list:

6 Supposedly Ancient Traditions (That Totally Aren't)

Thanksgiving, The Pledge, Bushido, etc.

Trouble on the waters: Flotilla edition

Troubling business on the3 way to Gaza. A series of ships were heading to Gaza with the stated claim of giving relief support to an embargoed people. Israel responded poorly to this, and sent forces to stop them. Dropping troops on a ship fighting broke out leave around 19 of those on the ship dead.

Some coverage:

Badass Israel

There is a move to portrait Israeli forces as victims, attacked as they boarded the ship. But the trouble is that the boarded a private ship, in international waters, in violation of no laws. And they boarded armed intent on taking over the ship. They started in the wrong, and proceeded to escalate. 

Videos Of The Raid

Video has been released to show how those aboard acted. And they were definitely violent in reaction to the Israelis. But the Israelis were highly trained, highly disciplined, highly armed, and highly resourced opponents. They had all the advantages. They could sink the ships, knock out there propulsion, tow them off, give political pressure, etc. But they flew out, threatened and dropped down into a throng of angry and resentful folks. They sought a fight, or to scare.

Israel Meets Its Own Fist

The trouble is that Israel wanted to show its strength and resolve. And they have. But it has been in a way that has created disgust and anger in many places around the world. Turkey has now turned upset, as the originator of the ship, and some of its nationals injured. And there is news Americans were aboard and at least one was injured. And the UN will be meeting on this.

It will be curious to see how Israel changes its reaction and stance, and how its allies and enemies as well.

Horror Host fun

Came across some fun had by Neil Gaiman and Malena Teves during filming host segments for a Monster Movie marathon. Funny stuff with Teves.



It was to use with documentary over the Horror Host. And as I have said before I love a fun horror film, and really love a good horror host. It is just a pain that I cannot see them on TV around here. But there is some access on the net. But looking at the doc, American Scary, I will have to get it and enjoy.



And I now found I can watch old Elvira's on YouTube. Cool. Hope to find more old classics, and new ghouls.

Dog finds friend

Cute vid of a dog in desperate need of aid. The very end of the video shows what the dog took away from the event.



Aww.

Bechdeling your movies

A fun and useful primer on the Bechdel Test from Feminist Frequency.



The test is always interesting, as it provokes some people. The point is that is NOT to show a good movie, a pro-Women flick, or a fun scene. The point is, does the script take any consideration of women as anything else than a romantic cog, a being focused on a male lead, or a sexual being. Not that being in a romance is bad, or being sexual. But what interest was there in the females of the story?

As can be pointed out. There are films where guys get a short shrift to, with no focus on any additional dimensions to their character. Very true. The problem is, is that this is an EXCEPTION. With women it far too often is shown to be the RULE. So all movies have to pass the test? NO. Of course not. It isn't a judgement as such. It is just an indicator. One that should make one ask, is there something wrong with how things are done? Can scriptwriters take this issue to heart and accommodate change? Can producers pull their heads out of their asses?

Because women do not get enough respect in Entertainment it seems.

Even in the comic movie world it is a pain. After the Wonder Woman Direct to DVD movie came out, it was decided to just dump ALL the female hero movies on the way into production. Why? Is it because it bombed in the stores? No. It was because it didn't make its money as fast as teh Batman, Superman, and Justice League DVD's. It made the money just not as fast. So all the other plans were scrapped. How often is this sort of excuse trotted out by the execs to push back against female leads in motion pictures? Too often.

Take the test during your next matinee visit.

What you pay for.

Here is a good quick look at some of the prices we pay day to day that we should be thinking about.

Top 5 Retail Markups

No surprise, people pay a lot to get organic, drink bottled water, and get coffee on the go at places like Starbucks.

Here's what I do, get a bottle that had water, if I must, or sody pop, and reuse to carry around tap water, and reuse, and reuse, and reuse... Thing is I love the standard pop bottle design. They are less awkward, hold the liquid at bay, sit in a car, and come with the price of a drink, compared to awkward ones in the dining items area of a store.

Riffing on Metroid

Here is a fun little editted together piece from the newer version of the game Metroid. It was melded with a collection of riffs from Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy. It is an excellent editing job and damn funny.

Telecom attack on Net Neutrality

An interesting look from ThinkProgress to the plans of the telecoms to react to moves to defend access to the internet.

Unsurprising, it involves getting you scared.

Did you know we are going down the road of China to control your access to knowledge? (The corps will save you though. They're great like that.)

Did you know the Man is out to get you? (The corps don't like the Man. They want to fight the Man. Put this suit on, put this tie on, and join the fight against the Man.)

More Star Wars Fun

Eddie Izzard - The Death Star Canteen

Trouble with Facebook

I have been tempted at times to try Facebook. But I am not sure how useful it would be for me. And more there are too many stories of security issues. Then there are the issues with how Facebook uses your personal information, or how it changes privacy controls without warning.

Good look at the issue.

New Ice Ages

Here is a good page discussing the myth that scientist a few decades back believed that we were heading towards a new ice age threat. This plays into attacks on Climate Change, particularly from those that like to go and tar scientist.

But apparently the media loved the story far more than any group of scientist. No support agreement from the institutes, who saw the C02 threat pointing to increased warming then.

But it is such a great libertarian punching bag.

Becking it up

It is worthwhile to keep in mind the crap Glenn Beck spouts.

Beware the schools, get the kids out! Yeah. The schools are lying and poisoning kids minds. It is full of lies Glenn knows. Also the only place people are racing to get to for immigration, or to sneak into is America...really, I heard it from Glenn Beck.

Then there is the secret report that Sec Sebilius was hiding, not really. But Glenn knows the truth.

And then net neutrality. Did you know it is all a secret liberal plot to take over the internet and control your free speech? Glenn Beck does.

And remember Glenn himself says he takes none of it seriously. But people are affected and believe his rants.

NonChristian Nation

I enjoyed Phil Plaitt's look at the fact...

We are not a Christian nation

It is a thoughtful and good look at the silliness of the claims that we are. And I always enjoy the inevitable complaints in his comments when he talk about things other than astronomy. Apparently he should know better. He does, and that is why the good doctor speaks his mind.

Election Night Fun

From Blackadder the Third - Election Night for the Adder Party.

Star Wars fun

Here is the original Star Wars trilogy...in two minutes...in LEGO.



Ta da.

Burn Notice Promos

They have some fun promos for the USA Network, blending Burn Notice, Psych, White Collar, etc.

First Look.

National Day of Reason 2010

Happy National Day of Reason...or howdie NDR...



National Day of Reason



Reason it out.

Net Neutrality news

Will we be regulating broadband lines?

• New U.S. Push to Regulate Internet
• FCC to Overhaul Regulation of Internet Lines
• FCC to Reclassify Broadband, Protect Consumers and the Internet
• Net Neutrality Fans Rejoice: The FCC Will Reclassify Broadband

And I love the threat from telecoms that they will fight in court and cut investment in infrastructure. If they won't maintain and do their duty...maybe they should have their prizes returned to the government to run, or to pass out to those willing to actually do the job.

A thought.

When being Jewish isn't Christian enough.

FOX likes to play the great defender of Christianity (except when they need to be the Judeo-Christian defender). It does lead the defense in matters like "the War on Christmas". They have found another reason to howl about the White House and President Obama. They are not acknowledged Christianity again. Remember, they have plenty of excuses, from meeting atheist to not enough vigor over a prayer day. But this...

Media Matters:

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But if you click through the image, you discover a report about how the White House has not included the phrase "in the year of our Lord" in a proclamation... declaring May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

...

So in honoring a cultural heritage of Jews in the US, Obama and the White House didn't pause to proclaim the glory of the Christian god. That is gall. But it is also all FOX.

When it comes to attacking Obama, there are no holds barred, and no apologizes.

Year of our Lord. Tradition for religious sake. And Christianity, a continuing majority, and ever the victim.

Why are people listening to Brownie?

Michael Brown, was over his head as the head of FEMA. When Katrina hit things were bad.

But he, like so many Cheney and Rove lackies, want to pop up now and do there part going after Pres. Obama.

And Brownie is just full of it.

He claims that Obama wanted the oil to get out and cause damage to fulfill his secret ends to end off shore drilling. It's all a plot. A ploy. A load of crap from him and others like Limbaugh.

Even other Reps want to keep there distance. And let others do the damage...

What is fun though is to listen to his little tirade. If you listen when he hits his stride in attacks the president he starts talking about how many days since the event that Obama did this and that. But what he says is the number of days since the storm, and then he corrects and continues.

The storm? Hello Freud.

Beautiful. We all know what his real beef is.

Better was Gibbs yesterday, just rhetorically spanking a FOX reporter for how the channel is handling claims like this. Oh yeah.

Thankfully, he does seem to be a joke.

Great Whiner

It is almost funny to watch Beck now. He is loosing financial support, viewers, and now he is just whining about how people don't take him serious and give him the attention he deserves.

Crooks and Liars:

Waaaahmbulance, stat! Glenn Beck whines that 'the press' doesn't take his conspiracy theories seriously

Interesting and fun video series

This is a fun 6 episode series online. God, Inc.

Episode 1

Reminder about Minnesota GOP

Next Republican vying to be governor of Minnesota...is an interesting type.

Not the good interesting.

The Minnesota Republican Party's official candidate to succeed Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is looking ahead to a 2012 run for President, is a staunch conservative well to Pawlenty's right who has a long history of "Tentherism," the attempts by the far right-wing to invoke the Tenth Amendment and nullify federal laws on various liberal initiatives. He has even proposed a state constitutional amendment that would allow federal laws to operate in Minnesota only if they were consented to by super-majorities of the state legislature.

...

Who needs Federal law? And who needs this twit in Minnesota?

Miranda...sounds foreign

In the wake of the scare in Time's Square, Reps had a choice. Help calm people, help bring the antagonist to justice, help answer the why's and wherefores, or just plain not help.

Guess where the Reps went.

So what were their first concerns afterwards? Was the blighter mirandized? This is a step taken by rule with those taken in for arrest. A must, by law. But was he mirandized? Like McVeigh once was. Like Dahlmer once was. Like Capone once was. Like some many villains have and will be (hopefully, less conservatives have there way).

But that was the panicked question from Rep. Peter King, and then Sen. John McCain. And so the game continues on.

As before, does it matter that we get useful information? No. That we have caught the near do well? Hell no.

It is a matter of not using any and all means to get info, squeeze it all out. Let us not think about what that means. Heavens no. We do it for England...Or America...Or whatever.  Stiff upper lips, carry on.

Then Lieberman leaped in and wants new law. He wants to strip some of citizenship for their connections, it is unclear if the perceived connection will be enough.

So consider the issues. Do we allow, at the very least, US citizens there rights under the law? When the crime if very severe? Are we a nation of laws or not? You can't piss around. One or the other.

And as to stripping peoples citizenship, and rights... So you take a person, you suspect them of a crime. Then you strip away rights, citizenship, etc. Then after all of this, you look into whether they are actually guilty or not, or if there is any possibility. Then after judging the innocent get their rights back.

Is that how we want to work. Where is the line? Who can and cannot be a citizen now? Or in the future?

The changing tunes of Reps in need

In the wake of oil seeping through the gulf towards their realms, some Republicans see the light suddenly. Hallelujah.

Through oil-fouled water, big government looks better and better

Sen. Vitter - Doesn't want BP to have to take on a cruel burden...Hello Feds.
Gov. Jindahl - Wants the Feds to start to plan for how they will those in need...him.
Same with Sen. Shelby, Sen. Sessions, Sen. LeMieux, and Rep. Miller - Feds will act.

Heck some have even called for BP to pay plenty out. What happen to tort reform, not bleeding the poor corps?

The times they are a'changing...until tomorrow.

A Look in the Glenn Beck closet

Here is a "fun" slide show looking at the work of a fellow that Beck thinks quite highly of. It is one W. Cleon Skousen, who is a pretty twisted fellow. Not to mention is view of history.

Take a look at the slideshow.

Right-wing historian W. Cleon Skousen has seen a posthumous rise in popularity thanks to Fox News host Glenn Beck, who has praised Skousen's book The 5000 Year Leap and said that the 9 principles and 12 values of his 912 Project were inspired by Skousen's "28 principles of freedom." As MoJo's Stephanie Mencimer reports, demand for the constitutional seminars offered by Skousen's National Center for Constitutional Studies has more than tripled since the Tea Party movement took off. A new edition of The 5000 Year Leap (with a foreward by Beck) is flying off the shelves.

So what does Skousen's version of American history look like, exactly? A reading of Skousen's 1986 textbook, The Making of America, and its corresponding workbook, reveal a revisionist—and racially charged—narrative that's pretty different from the one most Americans study in school.

Obama and Net Neutrality

Here are some updates on the state of Net Neutrality, the work and guarantee on internet access.

Bad News on Net Neutrality
The courts aren't friendly to the prospect and have opposed the FEC. Meaning the telecoms would keep control of who has access.

Obama Administration to break promise and cave to telecoms, leave the Internet unprotected?
It is not clear if Obama will continue to fight on this.

In early April, a federal court stripped the FCC of its power to regulate the Internet. Now it seems the Obama administration is considering doing nothing in response, giving power over our Internet to the greedy phone and cable companies.

...

ADDENDUM:

Another story - Obama FCC Expected to Abandon Net Neutrality, Universal Internet

Enterprise in low orbit

Here is a fun video found on MyOuterSpace.com. The Enterprise flies!

Religion, Marriage, and Sex

PZ Myers looks at a quote and a common religious argument about marital duties.

Apparently you have to have sex, if you are married. You just do. It's a chore and job you are obliged to engage in. I can't help, but wonder if the guy feels the same way when he's not in the mood. Or is it completely different.

It is all charming. First, I can guess he fails to engage his partner to woo them, to entice them, to build interest in him. Sad. And if someone doesn't want to do it and says no...What then? I would like to hear about that.

Ironically there are often uses of this logic brought into law. It is strange.

The Beck Experience

Daily Kos has a nice 10 minute run down of the Beck Madness. Damn he is working the art of building paranoia, fear, and hate.



After you watch that we need a break.



Ah. Better.

Not being asked to pray

The Nation has a nice piece looking at the case over the National Day of Prayer presidential proclaimation.

...

You'd think libertarians and tea partyers, who claim to oppose overweening government power, would adore Judge Crabb. Don't tread on me with your federal prayer mandate! But somehow, the government using its massive powers to promote prayer just doesn't grab them like the terrible injustice of someone other than themselves getting a government benefit. Sarah Palin was quick to weigh in with some typically tangled remarks: "Lest anyone try to convince you that God should be separated from the state, our founding fathers, they were believers," she told a gathering of Christian women. "Hearing any leader declare that America isn't a Christian nation.... It's mind-boggling to see some of our nation's actions recently, but politics truly is a topic for another day."


...

Noah's Ark

Well they found it, Christ and Christianity is true then. Though it is old testament, so really, Judaism is true. We're waiting on Christ to do a lineup.

What's that? The ark story is crap...again?

Who would have thunk it?

PZ Myers at the story's start.

What? Question the find?
A person long trying to prove the ark's existence? Chinese group taken in?

And among other issues with FOX News covering it, they seemed bummed out that the guy they brought in as an expert didn't give it any credibility and tore down the claim fast. They seemed to frown at the fact he was a "skeptic" in there minds. Boo hoo.

More on Live Science.