What do you know about Patriot II?
Most of us know that the PATRIOT ACT is an un-American piece of legislation that promotes police state tactics. But what do we know about it's sister, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, more commonly known as PATRIOT ACT II? Well, here are a few points of interest:
Here are some of its provisions:
1) The attorney general is given the power to deport any foreign national, even people who are legal permanent residents. No crime need be asserted, no proof offered, and the deportation can occur in complete secrecy. [St. Petersburg Times, 2/16/03]
2) It would authorize secret arrests in terrorism investigations, which would overturn a court order requiring the release of names of their detainees. [St. Petersburg Times, 2/16/03] Not even an attorney or family need be informed until the person is formally charged, if that ever happens. [ABC News, 3/12/03]
3) The citizenship of any US citizen can be revoked, if they are members of or have supported any group the attorney general designates as terrorist. [St. Petersburg Times, 2/16/03] A person who gives money to a charity that only later turns out to have some terrorist connection could then lose his or her citizenship. [CNN, 3/6/03]
4) "Whole sections ... are devoted to removing judicial oversight." Federal agents investigating terrorism could have access to credit reports, without judicial permission. [St. Petersburg Times, 2/16/03]
5) Federal investigators can conduct wiretaps without a court order for 15 days whenever Congress authorizes force or in response to an attack on the United States. [UPI, 3/10/03]
6) It creates a DNA database of anyone the Justice Department determines to be a "suspect,'' without court order. [San Jose Mercury News, 2/20/03]
7) It would be a crime for someone subpoenaed in connection with an investigation being carried out under the Patriot Act to alert Congress to any possible abuses committed by federal agents. [ABC News, 3/12/03]
8) Businesses and their personnel who provide information to anti-terrorism investigators are granted immunity even if the information is fraudulent. [ABC News, 3/12/03]
9) The government would be allowed to carry out electronic searches of virtually all information available about an individual without having to show probable cause and without informing the individual that the investigation was being carried out. Critics say this provision "would fundamentally change American society" because everyone would be under suspicion at all times. [ABC News, 3/12/03]
10) Federal agents would be immune from prosecution when they engage in illegal surveillance acts. [UPI, 3/10/03]
11) Restrictions are eased on the use of secret evidence in the prosecution of terror cases. [UPI, 3/10/03]
12) Existing judicial consent decrees preventing local police departments from spying on civil rights groups and other organizations are canceled. [Salon, 3/24/03]
I found this at this interesting website: Assistance needed, along with a ton of more information. Open your eyes.
More later...
Paul
Friday, November 21, 2003
Sunday, November 09, 2003
Matrix Revolutions.
I guess I’m just a Matrix fanatic, because I still don’t see why so many critics have chosen to pan the third installment of the Matrix trilogy. It’s as if the mainstream press has finally tired of the Wachowski Brothers Hollywood juggernaut, and the hating has come out in full force. Whatever it is, I think they’re all missing the point.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel that “Revolutions” is a flawed movie, just as I felt there were some problems with the second movie, “Reloaded.” But taken as a whole, “Revolutions” is a kick-ass action movie, fully laden with incredible special effects.
A few critics have taken the movie to task because it wasn’t able to create the same genre-jumpstarting buzz that the first Matrix did. All I can say to that is it is the rare sequel that trumps it’s predecessor. Sure, “Aliens” improved upon “Alien”, but none of the following installments were able to hold a candle to number two. “T2” certainly kicked the original “Terminator’s” butt; the jury is still out on “T3” (which I enjoyed immensely, by the way). And perhaps “Godfather II” was better than the first. But that’s about it. And considering the gazillions of movies that the studios insist upon building into so-called “tent peg” films, those successes are just a drop in the bucket.
My point is that just because “Matrices” 2 and 3 didn’t shock the mind as strongly as the first, doesn’t mean that they weren’t effective movies. Yes, they had problems, but they were still good movies. Ah, I guess I’m just a fanatic.
But like I said, I did find some flaws in “Revolutions”, and I intend to discuss them here, so be forewarned that I am going to reveal some plot points. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you might not want to read any further. Final warning: here comes the noise!
Okay. First problem: why, oh why did they NOT spend more time in the Meringovian’s world? Morpheus, Trinity and Kato (well, I don’t remember his name, but he was the Oracle’s Asian bodyguard, and he seemed a lot like Bruce Lee’s “Green Hornet” character to me) had to confront this evil program in a fetish nightclub called “Hell”. Now in “Reloaded”, the W Bros. opened up a whole new world of possibilities by introducing the Meringovian and his luscious wife Persephone and their slew of vampire henchmen. In “Revolutions”, we see that they like to hang out with a TON of hardbodied freaks in an underground nightclub where the dancing seems to be just one second short of turning into an all-out orgy. Cool. But it ends much, much too fast and easy, and it never really addresses what the heck this guy is all about. And if he really “controls” the underworld of the Matrix, could we please see more of what that means? I also noted that while the Agent Smith virus seemed to infect the entire Matrix, the Meringovian not only seemed totally unaffected, but even blissfully unaware. What, was his McAfee Virus Shield updated?
Moving on, the battle scene at Zion was visually spectacular. The swarming sentinels were fantastic, but on second thought, why didn’t they just attack every living thing in the dock, instead of swarming around in circles? The most questionable part of the whole deal, though, was the idea that it took only one EMP (electromagnetic pulse) weapon to defeat the entire first wave of the invasion. Well, it was a cool idea, and it was executed heroically, but why did they only have these weapons on the ships? As well armored as Zion was, you would think they might have a spare EMP or two laying around, just in case.
Yes, the death of Trinity dragged on longer than necessary, and played to Keanu’s weakness: his lack of ability to emote (some would say “act”). Whatever. The true problem here was that their relationship seemed flat anyway, or at least one-sided. Perhaps we have to see all episodes back to back to follow the arc of their love. In the first Matrix, you really feel her love for Neo when she wills him back from the dead. In “Revolutions”, I sort of didn’t care, even though she risked her life (and those of Morpheus and “Kato”) for Neo. So she died in his arms. I guess that meant she was truly human and not, perhaps, a special program.
Oh yeah, it’s true: Neo is able to use his Matrix-powers outside of the Matrix, that is, he is able to stop sentinels with his mind. What does that mean? Who knows? I guess it means he really WAS “The One”. But he was only able to do it sporadically, and mostly forgot he even had the ability. At least, he didn’t try to use it during his battle with the “humanized” Smith.
The final flaw was the concept that Neo negotiated a deal with the machines to join together to defeat the Agent Smith virus. In return, the machines agreed to spare Zion. So the machines jacked Neo into the Matrix and the battle royale ensued. And just like the STOOPID Neo vs. Smith battle in “Reloaded”, they go through just too many histrionics before Neo pulls out the trump card he held all along. C’mon guys! If the critics have a point about anything, this would be it. Yet most of them failed to pick this one up. Why would anyone get bloodied in a knife fight, when they have a Glock in their pocket all along?
So at the end of the movie, Zion is saved, the Matrix is restored and the machines take Neo’s body…somewhere. Can you say “M4”? I sat through the closing credits, not out of respect or interest, but just to take a few minutes to process what had just happened. I knew I had a good time watching the film, but I also felt let down because my expectations were not met. I had expected the Wachowski Brothers to answer all of my questions, and it didn’t happen. I wondered if it was intentional or just carelessness. And it created the expectation that the story was not over yet. We’ll see.
More later…
Paul
I guess I’m just a Matrix fanatic, because I still don’t see why so many critics have chosen to pan the third installment of the Matrix trilogy. It’s as if the mainstream press has finally tired of the Wachowski Brothers Hollywood juggernaut, and the hating has come out in full force. Whatever it is, I think they’re all missing the point.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel that “Revolutions” is a flawed movie, just as I felt there were some problems with the second movie, “Reloaded.” But taken as a whole, “Revolutions” is a kick-ass action movie, fully laden with incredible special effects.
A few critics have taken the movie to task because it wasn’t able to create the same genre-jumpstarting buzz that the first Matrix did. All I can say to that is it is the rare sequel that trumps it’s predecessor. Sure, “Aliens” improved upon “Alien”, but none of the following installments were able to hold a candle to number two. “T2” certainly kicked the original “Terminator’s” butt; the jury is still out on “T3” (which I enjoyed immensely, by the way). And perhaps “Godfather II” was better than the first. But that’s about it. And considering the gazillions of movies that the studios insist upon building into so-called “tent peg” films, those successes are just a drop in the bucket.
My point is that just because “Matrices” 2 and 3 didn’t shock the mind as strongly as the first, doesn’t mean that they weren’t effective movies. Yes, they had problems, but they were still good movies. Ah, I guess I’m just a fanatic.
But like I said, I did find some flaws in “Revolutions”, and I intend to discuss them here, so be forewarned that I am going to reveal some plot points. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you might not want to read any further. Final warning: here comes the noise!
Okay. First problem: why, oh why did they NOT spend more time in the Meringovian’s world? Morpheus, Trinity and Kato (well, I don’t remember his name, but he was the Oracle’s Asian bodyguard, and he seemed a lot like Bruce Lee’s “Green Hornet” character to me) had to confront this evil program in a fetish nightclub called “Hell”. Now in “Reloaded”, the W Bros. opened up a whole new world of possibilities by introducing the Meringovian and his luscious wife Persephone and their slew of vampire henchmen. In “Revolutions”, we see that they like to hang out with a TON of hardbodied freaks in an underground nightclub where the dancing seems to be just one second short of turning into an all-out orgy. Cool. But it ends much, much too fast and easy, and it never really addresses what the heck this guy is all about. And if he really “controls” the underworld of the Matrix, could we please see more of what that means? I also noted that while the Agent Smith virus seemed to infect the entire Matrix, the Meringovian not only seemed totally unaffected, but even blissfully unaware. What, was his McAfee Virus Shield updated?
Moving on, the battle scene at Zion was visually spectacular. The swarming sentinels were fantastic, but on second thought, why didn’t they just attack every living thing in the dock, instead of swarming around in circles? The most questionable part of the whole deal, though, was the idea that it took only one EMP (electromagnetic pulse) weapon to defeat the entire first wave of the invasion. Well, it was a cool idea, and it was executed heroically, but why did they only have these weapons on the ships? As well armored as Zion was, you would think they might have a spare EMP or two laying around, just in case.
Yes, the death of Trinity dragged on longer than necessary, and played to Keanu’s weakness: his lack of ability to emote (some would say “act”). Whatever. The true problem here was that their relationship seemed flat anyway, or at least one-sided. Perhaps we have to see all episodes back to back to follow the arc of their love. In the first Matrix, you really feel her love for Neo when she wills him back from the dead. In “Revolutions”, I sort of didn’t care, even though she risked her life (and those of Morpheus and “Kato”) for Neo. So she died in his arms. I guess that meant she was truly human and not, perhaps, a special program.
Oh yeah, it’s true: Neo is able to use his Matrix-powers outside of the Matrix, that is, he is able to stop sentinels with his mind. What does that mean? Who knows? I guess it means he really WAS “The One”. But he was only able to do it sporadically, and mostly forgot he even had the ability. At least, he didn’t try to use it during his battle with the “humanized” Smith.
The final flaw was the concept that Neo negotiated a deal with the machines to join together to defeat the Agent Smith virus. In return, the machines agreed to spare Zion. So the machines jacked Neo into the Matrix and the battle royale ensued. And just like the STOOPID Neo vs. Smith battle in “Reloaded”, they go through just too many histrionics before Neo pulls out the trump card he held all along. C’mon guys! If the critics have a point about anything, this would be it. Yet most of them failed to pick this one up. Why would anyone get bloodied in a knife fight, when they have a Glock in their pocket all along?
So at the end of the movie, Zion is saved, the Matrix is restored and the machines take Neo’s body…somewhere. Can you say “M4”? I sat through the closing credits, not out of respect or interest, but just to take a few minutes to process what had just happened. I knew I had a good time watching the film, but I also felt let down because my expectations were not met. I had expected the Wachowski Brothers to answer all of my questions, and it didn’t happen. I wondered if it was intentional or just carelessness. And it created the expectation that the story was not over yet. We’ll see.
More later…
Paul
Kill Bill, Volume I.
You know what? Quentin Tarantino is not the greatest filmmaker in the world. Maybe he wants to be, and that is a noble endeavor on his part. But he’s not there yet, despite what some critics would have you believe.
You know something else? “Kill Bill” is not a bloody movie. Unless you consider bright red colored liquid “blood”. “Kill Bill” IS a truly entertaining movie, though, and there is a LOT of that bright red wet stuff spurting all over the place. It looks so fake that it is very clear that Tarantino MEANT for it to look fake. C’mon, in “Reservoir Dogs” there was a lot of blood, and it looked real, so Quentin certainly knows how to do blood. He was just sending a different message in “Kill Bill”.
This is a lightweight movie. By that, I mean that it is a simple revenge flick, with very few twists or plot complexities. Or at least that’s for this first installment. We’ll see what Volume II will bring. But in this Volume, the plot progresses in a very predictable fashion. We already know, before the movie even starts, that the heroine (the questionably lovely Uma Thurman) is going to get her revenge. The movie isn’t about making us wonder IF she’ll get her justice, it’s all about HOW she gets it. And it’s fun, fun, fun all the way. In a really fake-bloody sort of way.
Hey, if your revenge weapon of choice is a samurai sword, you have to expect a little blood to be spilled, right?
Undeniably, Tarantino brings a lot of style to this film. His choice to break the movie up into titled chapters, his use of black and white, silhouette and anime, even his inspired casting (bringing back his friends Thurman and Michael Madsen; making Lucy Liu seem even bitchier than usual; Darryl Hannah?) all combine to make an absolutely must-see cinematic event. You have to give the guy credit, he puts a lot of thought and work into his films.
The best part of “Kill Bill” for me? The fact that as soon as it was over, I was DYING to see Volume II. Not because of a cliff-hanger ending; there wasn’t one. Just because Tarantino told a story that was so interesting, I just have to know how it ends, even though the ending is a foregone conclusion: Uma WILL get her revenge; I can’t wait to see HOW (and why they wanted to kill her in the first place).
More later…
Paul
You know what? Quentin Tarantino is not the greatest filmmaker in the world. Maybe he wants to be, and that is a noble endeavor on his part. But he’s not there yet, despite what some critics would have you believe.
You know something else? “Kill Bill” is not a bloody movie. Unless you consider bright red colored liquid “blood”. “Kill Bill” IS a truly entertaining movie, though, and there is a LOT of that bright red wet stuff spurting all over the place. It looks so fake that it is very clear that Tarantino MEANT for it to look fake. C’mon, in “Reservoir Dogs” there was a lot of blood, and it looked real, so Quentin certainly knows how to do blood. He was just sending a different message in “Kill Bill”.
This is a lightweight movie. By that, I mean that it is a simple revenge flick, with very few twists or plot complexities. Or at least that’s for this first installment. We’ll see what Volume II will bring. But in this Volume, the plot progresses in a very predictable fashion. We already know, before the movie even starts, that the heroine (the questionably lovely Uma Thurman) is going to get her revenge. The movie isn’t about making us wonder IF she’ll get her justice, it’s all about HOW she gets it. And it’s fun, fun, fun all the way. In a really fake-bloody sort of way.
Hey, if your revenge weapon of choice is a samurai sword, you have to expect a little blood to be spilled, right?
Undeniably, Tarantino brings a lot of style to this film. His choice to break the movie up into titled chapters, his use of black and white, silhouette and anime, even his inspired casting (bringing back his friends Thurman and Michael Madsen; making Lucy Liu seem even bitchier than usual; Darryl Hannah?) all combine to make an absolutely must-see cinematic event. You have to give the guy credit, he puts a lot of thought and work into his films.
The best part of “Kill Bill” for me? The fact that as soon as it was over, I was DYING to see Volume II. Not because of a cliff-hanger ending; there wasn’t one. Just because Tarantino told a story that was so interesting, I just have to know how it ends, even though the ending is a foregone conclusion: Uma WILL get her revenge; I can’t wait to see HOW (and why they wanted to kill her in the first place).
More later…
Paul
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
The Worldwide Dogs of War.
Here's a quiet little story that is sure to send chills down the spines of those "New World Order" conspiracy types...Yahoo! News - NATO Unveils Strike Force, Key to Alliance Future
The only problem with a NATO led "Attack Team" is that it begs the question: who's in charge? And I don't mean who's commanding the so-called NRF (Nato Response Force), but what political body has the authority to send it into action? And who voted them into power? Who is their constituency and to who are they accountable?
What we may be looking at here is a de facto dictatorship, at the very beginning of it's run.
19 Nations currently make up NATO...can you name them? Are they all democratic? Do we trust all of them?
This is huge news, but it's being treated as if it's nothing really important.
More later...
Paul
Here's a quiet little story that is sure to send chills down the spines of those "New World Order" conspiracy types...Yahoo! News - NATO Unveils Strike Force, Key to Alliance Future
The only problem with a NATO led "Attack Team" is that it begs the question: who's in charge? And I don't mean who's commanding the so-called NRF (Nato Response Force), but what political body has the authority to send it into action? And who voted them into power? Who is their constituency and to who are they accountable?
What we may be looking at here is a de facto dictatorship, at the very beginning of it's run.
19 Nations currently make up NATO...can you name them? Are they all democratic? Do we trust all of them?
This is huge news, but it's being treated as if it's nothing really important.
More later...
Paul
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Don't even THINK about voting for the Terminator.
"When I am governor I will prove to women that I will be a champion for women. " So says Arnold Schwarzenegger. (in this article:Reuters News Article)
What about proving it IN ORDER TO BE ELECTED, Arnold? Aren't you putting the cart before the horse?
That's like saying "When I am underweight, I will prove that I am no longer overweight." But what about now?
Mark this guy as dangerously clueless. Too bad there's a good chance he'll be the governor of California next week.
More later...
Paul
"When I am governor I will prove to women that I will be a champion for women. " So says Arnold Schwarzenegger. (in this article:Reuters News Article)
What about proving it IN ORDER TO BE ELECTED, Arnold? Aren't you putting the cart before the horse?
That's like saying "When I am underweight, I will prove that I am no longer overweight." But what about now?
Mark this guy as dangerously clueless. Too bad there's a good chance he'll be the governor of California next week.
More later...
Paul
Monday, September 08, 2003
Where does the $87 Billion come from?
I didn't watch the President's "speech"...I don't believe anything he says. But when I read this story (Yahoo! News - Bush Seeks $87 Billion, Support for Iraq Effort), I have to wonder where the country will get the money from, now that we're already running a huge deficit. I guess it means we're going to charge it. And if that's the case, then what are the interest charges on $87 billion? And how long will it take us to pay it back?
Good grief, is Iraq even worth $87 billion? And that's just the dollar figure...the President also said we can count on more casualties before this thing is finally over. What price can we put on the lives of American sons and daughters?
Bush said this was an "essential victory in the war on terrorism"...show us the proof, Mr. President.
More later...
Paul
I didn't watch the President's "speech"...I don't believe anything he says. But when I read this story (Yahoo! News - Bush Seeks $87 Billion, Support for Iraq Effort), I have to wonder where the country will get the money from, now that we're already running a huge deficit. I guess it means we're going to charge it. And if that's the case, then what are the interest charges on $87 billion? And how long will it take us to pay it back?
Good grief, is Iraq even worth $87 billion? And that's just the dollar figure...the President also said we can count on more casualties before this thing is finally over. What price can we put on the lives of American sons and daughters?
Bush said this was an "essential victory in the war on terrorism"...show us the proof, Mr. President.
More later...
Paul
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Bring 'em Home.
Yahoo! News - U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq; Bush Vows No Retreat
This senseless war is making even less sense, if that's possible. We need to bring our sons and daughters home, because what they are dying for is not worth the price.
Yahoo! News - U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq; Bush Vows No Retreat
This senseless war is making even less sense, if that's possible. We need to bring our sons and daughters home, because what they are dying for is not worth the price.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Yahoo! News - Massive Blackout Hits Northeast Cities
This is not a good sign, even if it turns out to be caused by a "natural occurence", as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg so flippantly put it. Four nuclear powerplants were shut down; mass transit was shut down; two major airports were affected; cellular communications were terminated.
Reminds me of the blackout in "Matrix: Reloaded"...a blackout this widespread means someone is up to something.
More later...
Paul
This is not a good sign, even if it turns out to be caused by a "natural occurence", as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg so flippantly put it. Four nuclear powerplants were shut down; mass transit was shut down; two major airports were affected; cellular communications were terminated.
Reminds me of the blackout in "Matrix: Reloaded"...a blackout this widespread means someone is up to something.
More later...
Paul
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Gigli?
Okay, I admit: it's a horrible name for a movie. But I don't understand why there seems to be so much venom being written about this movie. It's not like Hollywood has never released a bad movie before. I just can't believe that people hate Ben and Jen so much. What's to hate? That they're too cute? Too successful?
That they can't really act? No one should be suddenly surprised by that.
Actually, I think they both do fine as actors. Not that I've seen "Gigli"...the title turns me off. The movie's poster says absolutely nothing about why I should spend $10 to see the film, and now I hear Sony Studios is canceling all TV ads for the film. Sheesh, after one poor showing in it's first week out, the studio is pulling the plug on the ad campaign. I smell a fish. I think the studio engineered the whole "flop" job. I guess Sony needed a write-off.
The weirdest, saddest thing about this whole deal is that now the buzz is out that pairing Ben and Jen in a movie is a BAD IDEA. How stupid is that?
More later...
Paul
Okay, I admit: it's a horrible name for a movie. But I don't understand why there seems to be so much venom being written about this movie. It's not like Hollywood has never released a bad movie before. I just can't believe that people hate Ben and Jen so much. What's to hate? That they're too cute? Too successful?
That they can't really act? No one should be suddenly surprised by that.
Actually, I think they both do fine as actors. Not that I've seen "Gigli"...the title turns me off. The movie's poster says absolutely nothing about why I should spend $10 to see the film, and now I hear Sony Studios is canceling all TV ads for the film. Sheesh, after one poor showing in it's first week out, the studio is pulling the plug on the ad campaign. I smell a fish. I think the studio engineered the whole "flop" job. I guess Sony needed a write-off.
The weirdest, saddest thing about this whole deal is that now the buzz is out that pairing Ben and Jen in a movie is a BAD IDEA. How stupid is that?
More later...
Paul
Friday, August 01, 2003
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Inglewood Blues.
So the jury in Inglewood is undecided on whether it's legal for police to beat a man in handcuffs. Sure, that sentence may be oversimplifying the matter, but oversimplification has been the defense all along. People in favor of unchecked police brutality rarely want to consider the complexities involved in enforcing the law. The facts of this case (which I don't really know because I didn't attend the trial) probably point to multiple areas that caused confusion in the jury room. But instead of deliberating further and gaining more understanding, the jury decided that they couldn't make a decision. And by declaring themselves "hung", they forced the judge to declare a mistrial, letting the officers off the hook and lending credence to the long-held belief that it's okay to physically abuse suspects.
Would there have been a different verdict if the victim were a 19 year old white woman?
More later...
So the jury in Inglewood is undecided on whether it's legal for police to beat a man in handcuffs. Sure, that sentence may be oversimplifying the matter, but oversimplification has been the defense all along. People in favor of unchecked police brutality rarely want to consider the complexities involved in enforcing the law. The facts of this case (which I don't really know because I didn't attend the trial) probably point to multiple areas that caused confusion in the jury room. But instead of deliberating further and gaining more understanding, the jury decided that they couldn't make a decision. And by declaring themselves "hung", they forced the judge to declare a mistrial, letting the officers off the hook and lending credence to the long-held belief that it's okay to physically abuse suspects.
Would there have been a different verdict if the victim were a 19 year old white woman?
More later...
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Is the Draft on the way back?
I don't know what got into me, but I watched the CBS Evening News with Dan "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" Rather last night. I'm not going to get into the many Ratherisms and the story flow, but one factoid stuck out in a bad way: CBS reported that America has military forces in 139 countries around the world.
I can't even name 139 countries.
The point of the story was that we may need to send more troops to handle the ugliness in Liberia, but are troops are already spread thin worldwide, and Senate Armed Services committee is already discussing the need for more people in uniform.
So here we go. The unemployment rate is at a new high, the economy is still in the doldrums, interest rates are plummeting, inflation is rising, the deficit is ballooning and now, any day now, the call will go out to impoverished young men and women across the land: "Uncle Sam wants YOU!"
More later...
Paul
I don't know what got into me, but I watched the CBS Evening News with Dan "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" Rather last night. I'm not going to get into the many Ratherisms and the story flow, but one factoid stuck out in a bad way: CBS reported that America has military forces in 139 countries around the world.
I can't even name 139 countries.
The point of the story was that we may need to send more troops to handle the ugliness in Liberia, but are troops are already spread thin worldwide, and Senate Armed Services committee is already discussing the need for more people in uniform.
So here we go. The unemployment rate is at a new high, the economy is still in the doldrums, interest rates are plummeting, inflation is rising, the deficit is ballooning and now, any day now, the call will go out to impoverished young men and women across the land: "Uncle Sam wants YOU!"
More later...
Paul
Friday, July 18, 2003
This is not what we wanted to hear.
Kobe, you let us down. You let your wife down, you let your daughter down, you let your family down, you let your team down, you let your fans down. I know what you obviously know now: there’s no way that your marital indiscretion with a 19-year-old girl, no matter how hot/nice/sweet/sexy she seemed to be at the time, is worth the price you must now pay.
It may very well be that you are now telling the truth about the alleged assault, but it doesn’t even matter now. You have taken your crystal-clean image and smashed it into a thousand pieces. And, as I feared, you have given racists more fuel for their foul fires. Take a look at this article, and then look at the message board attached. There are hundreds of crazy people just eating this up, using your actions as proof that there is something dangerous about black men. Yes, they would act the same even if you had not had sex with that woman, but brother, you’re not helping things.
I am disappointed in you Kobe. You blew it.
More later...
Paul
Kobe, you let us down. You let your wife down, you let your daughter down, you let your family down, you let your team down, you let your fans down. I know what you obviously know now: there’s no way that your marital indiscretion with a 19-year-old girl, no matter how hot/nice/sweet/sexy she seemed to be at the time, is worth the price you must now pay.
It may very well be that you are now telling the truth about the alleged assault, but it doesn’t even matter now. You have taken your crystal-clean image and smashed it into a thousand pieces. And, as I feared, you have given racists more fuel for their foul fires. Take a look at this article, and then look at the message board attached. There are hundreds of crazy people just eating this up, using your actions as proof that there is something dangerous about black men. Yes, they would act the same even if you had not had sex with that woman, but brother, you’re not helping things.
I am disappointed in you Kobe. You blew it.
More later...
Paul
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Kobe.
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. Please tell us you didn’t grab that little girl’s butt while you were relaxing in Colorado. Please tell us that you didn’t let a little harmless flirtation turn into a sexual assault charge. Please tell us that you had nothing to do with the 19 year old woman, and that this whole thing has been a set-up from the start. Kobe?
This has nothing to do with your formidable basketball skills, you know that right? This has nothing to do with your three championship rings, your scoring records or even your now-on-hold multi-million dollar Nike contract. This is all about the fate of black men across the nation. You were an inspirational figure: clean cut, polite, well-behaved. You had no children out of wedlock. You married early and quietly. You seem to be a genuinely good guy. If it all turns out to be a sham, a manufactured image, then just watch: the reputations of good black men in every state will be called into question. Bigots will have a field day.
“I told you all along they can’t be trusted, ESPECIALLY the nice ones.”
The problem is this, Kobe. You made a mistake. Hopefully, you didn’t make a big mistake and actually do what you’ve been charged with. But unfortunately, you made the seemingly small mistake of being in a position to be compromised. Now it’s international front page news. Did you or didn’t you?
The spin has already started on the woman’s side. An article in today’s Los Angeles Times has begun the process of painting the woman as “a friendly, wholesome young woman” who lives at home with her loving parents. Her friends have described her as “funloving, outgoing and emotional”.
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. I don’t think you did it, but it doesn’t really matter what I think.
More later…
Paul
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. Please tell us you didn’t grab that little girl’s butt while you were relaxing in Colorado. Please tell us that you didn’t let a little harmless flirtation turn into a sexual assault charge. Please tell us that you had nothing to do with the 19 year old woman, and that this whole thing has been a set-up from the start. Kobe?
This has nothing to do with your formidable basketball skills, you know that right? This has nothing to do with your three championship rings, your scoring records or even your now-on-hold multi-million dollar Nike contract. This is all about the fate of black men across the nation. You were an inspirational figure: clean cut, polite, well-behaved. You had no children out of wedlock. You married early and quietly. You seem to be a genuinely good guy. If it all turns out to be a sham, a manufactured image, then just watch: the reputations of good black men in every state will be called into question. Bigots will have a field day.
“I told you all along they can’t be trusted, ESPECIALLY the nice ones.”
The problem is this, Kobe. You made a mistake. Hopefully, you didn’t make a big mistake and actually do what you’ve been charged with. But unfortunately, you made the seemingly small mistake of being in a position to be compromised. Now it’s international front page news. Did you or didn’t you?
The spin has already started on the woman’s side. An article in today’s Los Angeles Times has begun the process of painting the woman as “a friendly, wholesome young woman” who lives at home with her loving parents. Her friends have described her as “funloving, outgoing and emotional”.
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. I don’t think you did it, but it doesn’t really matter what I think.
More later…
Paul
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
The Matrix Reloaded: for true fans only.
I have been perplexed that it has taken me so long to gather my thoughts enough to write a review of this film, but finally, after another viewing and after seeing “The Animatrix”, I am ready to commit words to weblog. So here’s my take: “Reloaded” is a great installment in the Matrix trilogy, but you have to be a true fan of the series to really enjoy it.
If you like action, and if you like long, drawn-out chop-socky fight scenes, then you will definitely get a kick out of this movie. But if you didn’t “get” the first film, if the true subject matter of the story…the battle for the survival of the human race….doesn’t interest you, then the movie will probably seem like so much techno-babble.
As for me, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the fight scenes. Yes, they are masterful pieces of fight choreography, but I kept wondering why Neo (who had figured out the whole Matrix/Agents thing at the end of the first movie) insisted on hand-to-hand combat instead of doing that special, superhacker stuff. Leave the fighting for the “other” humans, Neo was supposed to be “The One”. In “Reloaded”, the main way Neo manifests his “specialness” is by flying around like Superman. And it looked as corny as it sounds. My biggest beef is the scene in which Neo battles a league of Smiths. Once the scene gets too crowded, and the Smiths (heh heh, where was Morrisey?) started getting the upperhand, Neo simply flew off. Why he didn’t do that in the first place really bugs me. What bugs me even more was the Smiths’ reaction: they simply meandered off…to where? Where were they going? Home for dinner?
Mrs. Smith: Hi honey, how was your day?
Agent Smith #245: I’m bushed! We tried to kick Neo’s ass again, but he flew away. Got any more apple pie, babe?
Don’t get me wrong, there were some pretty decent special effects going on (the car chase is incredible), but for me the most captivating parts of the film involved dialogue. The gist of this installment is pretty straightforward: the machines are launching a full-scale assault on Zion (the last outpost of humanity, hidden far underground), using a massive army of “sentinels” (the octopus-like robots that nearly killed Neo, Morpheus et al in the first movie). According to Morpheus (good ol’ Laurence Fishburne again), the “prophecy” states that the battle will be over soon…all they have to do is get some advice from the Oracle. Unfortunately, no one knows where she is. And when they finally do find the Oracle, the only help she provides is to send Neo on an adventure to find another clue in the puzzle, which leads to yet another clue, which leads to….well, if I told you, you’d kill me.
Here’s the deal, though. Even if you are a die-hard fan of the Matrix, you MUST see the “Animatrix”, a DVD collection of 9 animated stories, all written by the Wachowski Brothers and produced by some of the greatest creative minds working in Anime today. These short masterpieces provide the backstory for the entire Matrix series, filling in many of the holes and setting the scene for what occurs in “Reloaded” and the third and final installment of the trilogy, “Revolution” (due in theaters this fall). Trust me on this one: these are not lighthearted cartoons. They are complex, sophisticated, violent, gory works of art and they were definitely intended for mature audiences only. While all 9 stories provide much needed information and fresh perspectives of the Matrix backstory, of particular interest are two pieces titled “The Second Renaissance, Parts 1 and 2”. These shorts tell exactly what happened to generate such animosity between the machines and man. It’s nothing like the Terminator series, in which AI (artificial intelligence) agents just up and decide they don’t need humans around anymore. No, instead we get a story of how man had built machines to serve him, and ended up enslaving and abusing the machines until they wouldn’t take it anymore. Some of the scenes in these clips are downright horrifying.
The Matrix has become more than just a movie, so it’s easy to overlook some of it’s cinematic shortcomings…but they’re there. Most of the actors do very well in their roles. Jada Pinkett-Smith’s appearance was much anticipated, and her character (as Morpheus’ former lover) adds a new wrinkle, but not much more. Hopefully she’ll get a better turn in part III. Monica Bellucci added quite a bit of sensual glamour in her role as Persephone, and while some might see it as a mysterious throwaway, upon further inspection it appears that she brings in a whopper of a clue as to what’s really going on. Plus, she got to strut her considerable stuff in a form-fitting latex dress…yum!
Some fans have complained about the “rave” scene, and after watching it a second time, I can honestly say that…I still don’t get it. Even after Morpheus delivered his speech about not being afraid to the people of Zion, I don’t really know why they decided to have a big throwdown in the face of near-certain death. At first, I figured that it was a tribal thing, like they were doing a massive war dance. But when the camera moved in for closeups, it was obvious that the dancers had just one thing in mind: getting their freak on! It was nice to see that the youth of Zion were all hardbodies and could dance fairly well, though. Must be the low-fat diets they subsist on. If someone else has figured out the meaning behind this particular scene, please help a brother out…!
So how did I really feel about “The Matrix: Reloaded”? I’m looking forward to seeing it a third time. I might really figure out who the heck Trinity really is…!
More later…
Paul
I have been perplexed that it has taken me so long to gather my thoughts enough to write a review of this film, but finally, after another viewing and after seeing “The Animatrix”, I am ready to commit words to weblog. So here’s my take: “Reloaded” is a great installment in the Matrix trilogy, but you have to be a true fan of the series to really enjoy it.
If you like action, and if you like long, drawn-out chop-socky fight scenes, then you will definitely get a kick out of this movie. But if you didn’t “get” the first film, if the true subject matter of the story…the battle for the survival of the human race….doesn’t interest you, then the movie will probably seem like so much techno-babble.
As for me, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the fight scenes. Yes, they are masterful pieces of fight choreography, but I kept wondering why Neo (who had figured out the whole Matrix/Agents thing at the end of the first movie) insisted on hand-to-hand combat instead of doing that special, superhacker stuff. Leave the fighting for the “other” humans, Neo was supposed to be “The One”. In “Reloaded”, the main way Neo manifests his “specialness” is by flying around like Superman. And it looked as corny as it sounds. My biggest beef is the scene in which Neo battles a league of Smiths. Once the scene gets too crowded, and the Smiths (heh heh, where was Morrisey?) started getting the upperhand, Neo simply flew off. Why he didn’t do that in the first place really bugs me. What bugs me even more was the Smiths’ reaction: they simply meandered off…to where? Where were they going? Home for dinner?
Mrs. Smith: Hi honey, how was your day?
Agent Smith #245: I’m bushed! We tried to kick Neo’s ass again, but he flew away. Got any more apple pie, babe?
Don’t get me wrong, there were some pretty decent special effects going on (the car chase is incredible), but for me the most captivating parts of the film involved dialogue. The gist of this installment is pretty straightforward: the machines are launching a full-scale assault on Zion (the last outpost of humanity, hidden far underground), using a massive army of “sentinels” (the octopus-like robots that nearly killed Neo, Morpheus et al in the first movie). According to Morpheus (good ol’ Laurence Fishburne again), the “prophecy” states that the battle will be over soon…all they have to do is get some advice from the Oracle. Unfortunately, no one knows where she is. And when they finally do find the Oracle, the only help she provides is to send Neo on an adventure to find another clue in the puzzle, which leads to yet another clue, which leads to….well, if I told you, you’d kill me.
Here’s the deal, though. Even if you are a die-hard fan of the Matrix, you MUST see the “Animatrix”, a DVD collection of 9 animated stories, all written by the Wachowski Brothers and produced by some of the greatest creative minds working in Anime today. These short masterpieces provide the backstory for the entire Matrix series, filling in many of the holes and setting the scene for what occurs in “Reloaded” and the third and final installment of the trilogy, “Revolution” (due in theaters this fall). Trust me on this one: these are not lighthearted cartoons. They are complex, sophisticated, violent, gory works of art and they were definitely intended for mature audiences only. While all 9 stories provide much needed information and fresh perspectives of the Matrix backstory, of particular interest are two pieces titled “The Second Renaissance, Parts 1 and 2”. These shorts tell exactly what happened to generate such animosity between the machines and man. It’s nothing like the Terminator series, in which AI (artificial intelligence) agents just up and decide they don’t need humans around anymore. No, instead we get a story of how man had built machines to serve him, and ended up enslaving and abusing the machines until they wouldn’t take it anymore. Some of the scenes in these clips are downright horrifying.
The Matrix has become more than just a movie, so it’s easy to overlook some of it’s cinematic shortcomings…but they’re there. Most of the actors do very well in their roles. Jada Pinkett-Smith’s appearance was much anticipated, and her character (as Morpheus’ former lover) adds a new wrinkle, but not much more. Hopefully she’ll get a better turn in part III. Monica Bellucci added quite a bit of sensual glamour in her role as Persephone, and while some might see it as a mysterious throwaway, upon further inspection it appears that she brings in a whopper of a clue as to what’s really going on. Plus, she got to strut her considerable stuff in a form-fitting latex dress…yum!
Some fans have complained about the “rave” scene, and after watching it a second time, I can honestly say that…I still don’t get it. Even after Morpheus delivered his speech about not being afraid to the people of Zion, I don’t really know why they decided to have a big throwdown in the face of near-certain death. At first, I figured that it was a tribal thing, like they were doing a massive war dance. But when the camera moved in for closeups, it was obvious that the dancers had just one thing in mind: getting their freak on! It was nice to see that the youth of Zion were all hardbodies and could dance fairly well, though. Must be the low-fat diets they subsist on. If someone else has figured out the meaning behind this particular scene, please help a brother out…!
So how did I really feel about “The Matrix: Reloaded”? I’m looking forward to seeing it a third time. I might really figure out who the heck Trinity really is…!
More later…
Paul
Monday, June 23, 2003
I bet you didn’t even see it.
This past Father’s Day, 2003, something remarkable happened in the little town of Budds Creek, Maryland. The sun came out (remarkable in itself, as the entire region had been literally flooded with rain for weeks), and James Stewart, Jr. raced his first National Motocross race for 2003.
Why is that remarkable? Well, it wasn’t the fact that he was racing, or the fact that it was only his first race of the season after sitting out the first four rounds with a broken collarbone. What was absolutely remarkable was the manner in which he devastated his competition to finish the day with a perfect 1-1 score. I wasn’t there, but I read enough of the “remarks” on the internet and in Cycle News to know that what James did that day was nothing short of amazing. Or remarkable.
According to the reports, the 17-year-old phenomenon blasted away from the pack and rode off to a dominant 45-second lead in the first moto, absolutely demoralizing everyone else in the 125 class. Then, after falling in the first turn and tangling with another rider, James finally got going in next to last (37th place!) and charged through the pack to convincingly win the second moto. Some of the most experience journalists in motocross have been quoted as saying they have never seen anyone ride a 125 that fast.
How fast was James on Father’s Day? According to the stop watches, James set the fastest lap of the day, even faster than superstar Ricky Carmichael, who was the dominant force in the 250 class! Somehow, young Mr. Stewart was able to will his 38-horspower Kawasaki around the Budds Creek circuit faster than Carmichael’s 50-horsepower Honda. Yep, that is indeed remarkable.
Go James!
This past Father’s Day, 2003, something remarkable happened in the little town of Budds Creek, Maryland. The sun came out (remarkable in itself, as the entire region had been literally flooded with rain for weeks), and James Stewart, Jr. raced his first National Motocross race for 2003.
Why is that remarkable? Well, it wasn’t the fact that he was racing, or the fact that it was only his first race of the season after sitting out the first four rounds with a broken collarbone. What was absolutely remarkable was the manner in which he devastated his competition to finish the day with a perfect 1-1 score. I wasn’t there, but I read enough of the “remarks” on the internet and in Cycle News to know that what James did that day was nothing short of amazing. Or remarkable.
According to the reports, the 17-year-old phenomenon blasted away from the pack and rode off to a dominant 45-second lead in the first moto, absolutely demoralizing everyone else in the 125 class. Then, after falling in the first turn and tangling with another rider, James finally got going in next to last (37th place!) and charged through the pack to convincingly win the second moto. Some of the most experience journalists in motocross have been quoted as saying they have never seen anyone ride a 125 that fast.
How fast was James on Father’s Day? According to the stop watches, James set the fastest lap of the day, even faster than superstar Ricky Carmichael, who was the dominant force in the 250 class! Somehow, young Mr. Stewart was able to will his 38-horspower Kawasaki around the Budds Creek circuit faster than Carmichael’s 50-horsepower Honda. Yep, that is indeed remarkable.
Go James!
The Streetsweeper.
It was definitely serendipity that caused me to come in contact with this wonderfully heartwarming film. I was looking for a movie to see the other night, and titles like “2Fast 2Stupid” and “The Italian Car Ad” just didn’t appeal to me. And who really cares about “Alex and Emma”? Anyway, I found myself in Old Town Pasadena, walking past the United Artists theater and pondering whether I wanted to spend money on something called "The Eye”, when I nearly stumbled into a sign they left on the sidewalk, advertising a movie called “The Streetsweeper”.
So I stopped stumbling and started to read the photocopied reviews that were taped to the sign. Just as I was getting to the heart of the story, this white-haired guy pops out of the movie theater and says to me “If you want to see a great movie, and you don’t care about explosions and car chases and all of that, ‘Streetsweeper’ is the one. It has a great heart” or words to that effect. I looked at him, and he looked like someone who could pass for a madman in a Coen Brothers movie. So that cinched it for me. I took a chance and walked in for the show.
As I said, it is a wonderfully heartwarming film.
“The Streetsweeper” is the story of Enzo (compellingly portrayed by Paul Michael), a kind old Italian American gent living in San Diego, who puts his only son through Harvard by working as a streetsweeper driver. What Enzo’s son (played with conviction by Michael Cavalieri) doesn’t know is that his dad has made some extreme sacrifices in order to pay his college tuition. The story is about their reunion right after graduation day, when the son finally learns the real price of his education. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it is, but it’s even more than that. The film takes a surprising dark turn, and then gets even darker still. And just when all hope is lost, it pulls off a transcendent ending. Kudos to writer/director James Hill for taking a risk instead of staying with the standard formula.
“The Streetsweeper” is definitely a low-budget independent film, but it looks good for the most part, give or take one or two out-of-focus shots and a few wooden lines by non-professional actors. That they shot with the complete cooperation of the City of San Diego is apparent; at times it feels like an advertisement for the San Diego Board of Tourism. But that’s okay because all of the scenes fit the story and San Diego is indeed a beautiful and diverse location. In any case, the impact of the story overcomes the minor visual ticks.
I definitely recommend “The Streetsweeper”, but because it’s on a very limited release schedule, you might have to go out of your way to see it. It’s well worth the effort, though.
More later…
Paul
It was definitely serendipity that caused me to come in contact with this wonderfully heartwarming film. I was looking for a movie to see the other night, and titles like “2Fast 2Stupid” and “The Italian Car Ad” just didn’t appeal to me. And who really cares about “Alex and Emma”? Anyway, I found myself in Old Town Pasadena, walking past the United Artists theater and pondering whether I wanted to spend money on something called "The Eye”, when I nearly stumbled into a sign they left on the sidewalk, advertising a movie called “The Streetsweeper”.
So I stopped stumbling and started to read the photocopied reviews that were taped to the sign. Just as I was getting to the heart of the story, this white-haired guy pops out of the movie theater and says to me “If you want to see a great movie, and you don’t care about explosions and car chases and all of that, ‘Streetsweeper’ is the one. It has a great heart” or words to that effect. I looked at him, and he looked like someone who could pass for a madman in a Coen Brothers movie. So that cinched it for me. I took a chance and walked in for the show.
As I said, it is a wonderfully heartwarming film.
“The Streetsweeper” is the story of Enzo (compellingly portrayed by Paul Michael), a kind old Italian American gent living in San Diego, who puts his only son through Harvard by working as a streetsweeper driver. What Enzo’s son (played with conviction by Michael Cavalieri) doesn’t know is that his dad has made some extreme sacrifices in order to pay his college tuition. The story is about their reunion right after graduation day, when the son finally learns the real price of his education. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it is, but it’s even more than that. The film takes a surprising dark turn, and then gets even darker still. And just when all hope is lost, it pulls off a transcendent ending. Kudos to writer/director James Hill for taking a risk instead of staying with the standard formula.
“The Streetsweeper” is definitely a low-budget independent film, but it looks good for the most part, give or take one or two out-of-focus shots and a few wooden lines by non-professional actors. That they shot with the complete cooperation of the City of San Diego is apparent; at times it feels like an advertisement for the San Diego Board of Tourism. But that’s okay because all of the scenes fit the story and San Diego is indeed a beautiful and diverse location. In any case, the impact of the story overcomes the minor visual ticks.
I definitely recommend “The Streetsweeper”, but because it’s on a very limited release schedule, you might have to go out of your way to see it. It’s well worth the effort, though.
More later…
Paul
Monday, June 02, 2003
Where have I been?
Man, I've been busy! I've seen "X-Men 2", "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Cremaster 3" since my diatribe on Apple's Music Store...but I haven't worked my way into actually writing reviews. So to all of my loyal readers...or, I should say, to my loyal reader...I apologize for the lack of content. Reviews will be coming soon!.
More later...(really!)
Paul
Man, I've been busy! I've seen "X-Men 2", "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Cremaster 3" since my diatribe on Apple's Music Store...but I haven't worked my way into actually writing reviews. So to all of my loyal readers...or, I should say, to my loyal reader...I apologize for the lack of content. Reviews will be coming soon!.
More later...(really!)
Paul
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