Deshon Marman is the football player from Univ of New Mexico who got kicked off a US Airways flight for "baggy pants," however, earlier US Airways allowed the top guy (who doesnt look like a football player) to board a plane.  So what gives?  Dressing in a naughty nightgown transvestite is ok, but a black college student with "baggy" pants is no ok?  What BS ! 

flood storm pittsburgh aug 19th 2011

Driving back to oakmont from Duquesne Univ took 2 hrs, didnt realize the city was flooded.  Forbes ave was closed, i couldn't get out of downtown, finally ended up in Bloomsfield, got caught with 40th st bridge traffic, drove BACK into city to get on Butler and ended up stuck at Route 8 by the Zoo - turns out, a flood there KILLED three people.  didnt realize this until i got home.  I was listening to internet radio, and forgot my phone.  I still cant believe that pittsburgh would flood so bad, or get hit so hard by a T storm.  god bless us all. very very tragic.  made me very humble and thankful i got home late but safe.

Doug Lamborn Jackass from colorado - dumb, racist, clueless

GOP Representative Doug Lamborn from Colorado decided to stir the racial fire in the recent debate over the debt crisis this past weekend. In his remarks about President Obama, Rep. Lamborn said that being associated with President Obama is “like touching a tar baby.”

John Boehner, (big belly, skinny legs) screwing the Pooch: from Newsweek

 As Washington seems paralyzed, our economy stagnates, and America's full faith and credit is on the brink, it is useful to recall how we got here. This was not an act of nature. There was no unforeseen earthquake, no tsunami, no hurricane that wiped out our surplus. It was instead a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Republican president who squandered the surplus. In full possession of the federal government for the first time since Eisenhower, the GOP—with, to be fair, some help from some very foolish Democrats—systematically dismantled the economic and fiscal policies that produced the strongest economy and largest budget surplus in our history.

Specifically, they did four things: cut taxes (with a heavy tilt toward the rich), waged two wars on the national credit card (one of which was against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 and posed no serious threat to America), passed a prescription drug benefit with no pay-for (the first entitlement in American history without a revenue source), and deregulated Wall Street (which helped turn the American economy into a casino and touched off the Great Recession).

I recap all that not to further depress you, Dear Reader. But it is striking how absent that history has been from the coverage of our current crisis. I can understand why the GOP doesn't want to remind folks of how they screwed the pooch. Indeed, they have a competing myth—that Washington went on a spending binge; radical young President Barack Obama went crazy with the national credit card. That, of course, is nonsense. But too few Democrats—and almost no media commentators—have countered the mendacious right-wing storyline.

As the economy teeters on the precipice of a double-dip recession, as millions of Americans search in vain for a job, as tens of millions of homeowners are underwater, as poverty soars and the middle class is hammered, the Speaker of the House is pushing a proposal that—let me repeat Greenstein's analysis—“could well produce the greatest increase in poverty and hardship in modern U.S. history.” Deep cuts in every domestic priority—from education for disabled children to food safety to homeland security to clean air and water. Followed by painful cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. But not a dollar in new revenue. Not one corporate loophole closed, not one billionaire asked to pay one penny in higher taxes.

Oh, and if they don't get their way they will cripple the Treasury's ability to pay the debt—the debt, I hasten to add, that their policies created.

It has become a trope of the right to accuse Obama and the Democrats of trying to remake America in the image of Europe. That, of course, is silly as well as insulting to the people who gave us the Magna Carta and the Enlightenment, not to mention spaghetti. But in whose image would the radical Republicans remake us? Certainly not in the image of the Founding Fathers. The Republicans are already seeking to make Swiss cheese out of Mr. Madison's masterpiece, littering the Constitution with amendments on budgeting, the line-item veto, gay marriage, abortion, school prayer, restricting birthright citizenship, and more.

Seems to me the GOP seeks a banana republic: a toxic blend of right-wing populism, anti-intellectualism, debt defaults, and an end to the ladder of economic opportunity. They would divide us into a few Haves and a lot of Have-Nots. And they would slowly crush the heart of progressive America—the rising middle class created by Democratic economic policies of education and empowerment. All while preserving, protecting, and defending a tiny oligarchy of millionaires and billionaires.

Pilot ditches in Lake Huron, survives

He says he was flying a 1966 Cessna 150, a two seater plane with a small HP engine (150 hp) and he was FOUR HOURS into his flight !  Wait !!!!  that plane has 5 hrs fuel max.  You should have 1 hr reserve, and 30 min extra just in case.  thats 3 1/2 hrs before you land, refuel.  besides, after 3 hrs in a small plane, you need to land and stretch, pop your ears.  And this guy is flying OVER WATER!  I would never fly over water, unless i could glide to land from where i was (depending upon altitude etc).  He ends up ditching, but doesnt leave plane with a life preserver !  He SHOULD HAVE HAD A RAFT !  you can rent them from Sporty's Flight Shop - this guy is really lucky to be alive.  amazing survival story.  Now he is bullet proof - whats the chance that anything like that would happen to him again?!!!

Obama's speech on budget breakdown and default

Pres. Obama gave a great speech tonight, one of his best.  he has great speech writers. but i think it really expresses his sentiments. but look at his gray hair - the job is really aging him.  He is still physically fit, but appears much older.  anyway, if you read the entire text of his speech, it was great.  even referred to ronald reagan.  reminded everyone about George W. and his spending, his tax cuts, how the burden of taxes increased on the middle class and working poor under George W.

John Boehner, on the other hand, gave a speech that can only be described as demagogic. he said things that were patently false, or in the words of the congressman from SC, Joe Wilson, "that's a lie!"  To show that joe wilson is not the only emotional immature member of congress, John Boehner (who oftens cries when he gets emotional) sounded like a 12 yr old brat who is nah nahing someone during recess.  read his full text, and you can see the absolute false hoods.  BTW, take a good look at John:  he gets tanned, his hair is tinted, his shirts are custom fitted, and his ties must cost a small fortune (several $ hundred a piece at least).  And THIS is a guy worried about working people?  His "small business" he ran that he refers to was a restaurant bar he inherited from his parents - all he had to do was pop out of the womb. This is a guy who paid $150,000 in golf fees last year, he belongs to an exclusive all  male club in ohio ( no blacks or jews) and he has playing rights at 16 resorts compliments of his rich cat friends.  This guy is a slick looking Newt Gingrich - where do the republicans GET these guys?  Central casting?  "Get me a congressman who is vain, dresses in expensive clothes, is a member of a sexist-racist country club, someone who has done absolutely nothing in life to achieve success other than emerging from his mother's womb" and voila!  John Boehner shows up :  someone called me? 

Michelle Bachman kidnapped by gay nun in women's restroom

In 2005, the congresswoman ended a town hall event early and rushed to a nearby public restroom when questions arose about her support for a proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. Pamela Arnold, a lesbian, and Nancy Cosgriff, a former nun, followed the Minnesota Republican hoping for some answers.

"Help me! Someone get me out of here!" Bachmann reportedly screamed from the bathroom. "Help! You're holding me against my will!"

"I was amazed and concerned when she erupted in this emotional outburst without provocation... I tried to apologize for any misunderstanding," Cosgriff told theHerald.

"Arnold, who is just over 5 feet tall, was stunned, and hurried to open the door," according to The Daily Beast's Michelle Goldberg. "Bachmann bolted out and fled, crying, to an SUV outside."

Bachmann later told police that she was "absolutely terrified and has never been that terrorized before as she had no idea what those two women were going to do to her."

Declining to prosecute, the Washington County attorney wrote, "It seems clear from the statements given by both women that they simply wanted to discuss certain issues further with Ms. Bachmann."

TrollHunter ! Norwegian film

Trolls !!!!!!!!  yelled the trollhunter.  This is a "documentary" taken from some film that belonged to three college students, presently missing, that shows their activities up until their disappearance.  Turns out, they were stalking a TrollHunter and eventually joined him in his Troll hunting pursuits.  According to this "realistic footage," Norway has a government agency that kills Trolls when they wander into territory inhabited by humans and begin killing cattle, destroying homes, forests, and killing people.  this is of course a secret agency because the "official policy" of the government is that Trolls do not exist.  The film is a very elaborate pseudo documentary, and its really funny at times, and at other times, very realistic.  The director makes you almost believe you are seeing footage from some college students who are documenting a real life Troll Hunter.  Great film, funny at times, and realistic at times due the details included in the dialogue.  For example, a scientist examines the blood of a troll, the TrollHunter has the skin and fur of Trolls in his trailer, the goo from the Trolls looks real - very clever movie, a must see.  Also provides beautiful scenery of norway, and an insight into nowegian folklore.  

great arab films about Algerians and France

wonderful film, kinda depressing at end, the injustice of racism, practiced by the French (of all people, esp after they had to put up with the superiority of the german occupation). Jamel Debbouze stars (Angel-A) and also Roschdy Zem who was in Outside the Law, a great film about the fight for Algerian independence and very controversial in france.

Ghadaffi's fashions: Boutique to open in NYC !

Yes, Pres. Obama has made an offer to Ghadaffi:  leave Libya now, and the US will assist him in opening a boutique in NYC so he can sell his fashions.  He will also be allowed to pitch a tent in central park.

I think this is a great offer:  gets him out of Libya without us spending more on NATO campaign;  starts a good business in NYC and creates jobs;  his millions of $ could be invested in Goldman Sachs, helping to jump start stock trades; his virgin bodyguards would arrive with him, and NYC hasn't seen adult virgins for decades.

Ghadaffi's female snipers and bodyguards

here is report about Ghadaffi and female snipers from Columbia.  Not a bad gig - cool uniforms, weapons training, salary, prestige, - of course you have to kill civilians, and you might get killed yourself, then again, if you were an impoverished woman in Columbia, this job might be attractive.

Or, a woman could sign up to be his bodyguard.  Requirements include being a virgin (i guess they check that?)

I still think Ghadaffi should leave Libya, immigrate to NYC, and open up a boutique featuring his designs.  It would be a hit.  the US government would spend less if they would just offer to set him up in business in NYC.  All he would need is a tent in central park......

"tell them we are being attacked and denounce pacifists as unpatriotic"

It's "guess this quote" time!  Here it goes:
"Naturally the common people don't want war...that is understood.  But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.  Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.  That is easy.  All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.  It works the same in any country."

Ok, time to guess - was it Dick Cheney?  Donald Rumsfeld?  one more guess....Richard Nixon?  NO!!! It was Hermann Goering ! (seen as a young pilot in WWI, and in his Fokker...no jokes about the Fokker...)

You know, Hermann thought that after Germany surrendered, he might be called upon by the allies to lead Germany against a war with Russia - he actually thought the allies would want him, and continue the war only this time against their soviet allies (Stalin at this time was called "Uncle Joe" and affectionate name...)

I don't know about you, but this quote reminds me of 2002 and the run up to the Iraq invasion, and the 2004 re election campaign.  

watch Al Jazeera English

Here is great documentary about US Medevac teams in Afghanistan: proud of those guys! and Gals too! This was filmed by british director, for Al Jazeera, the middle east world news network.  Very positive video about US troops, shown by Al Jazeera, watched by millions around the world.  Here is more info on watching other news from Al Jazeera:  (they have live broadcasts 24/7, also on You.Tube - take that CNN or FOX!!!)

On their web site

On You.Tube

'nuff said...na na na na, goood byyyeeee

War profiteers: The Bush Profit Machine THIS IS CRIMINAL !!!!!

A member of Jordan’s royal family is accusing an American oilman and former GOP fundraiser of bribing the Jordanian government to facilitate his fuel shipments through the country to U.S. forces in Iraq.

The allegation emerged in a civil lawsuit pitting the billionaire American businessman, Harry Sargeant III, against an ex-business partner, Mohammad al-Saleh, the brother-in-law of Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

Al-Saleh, the plaintiff in the case first reported by NBC News in May 2008, claims that he was cut out of a lucrative one-third share in Sargeant’s firm, the International Oil Trading Co., based in Boca Raton, Fla., and replaced by an ex-CIA official with deep contacts in the Jordanian government.

The crux of the bribery allegation involves a $9 million wire transfer from Sargeant’s firm, directed to a mysterious figure in Jordan’s intelligence agency identified in court documents only as “Pasha.”

Let me interpret this for you: Our Republican President invades Iraq, his Vice President arranges no bid contracts for his former firm Halliburton (and KBR) and the head of the Republican Party of Florida gets a no bid contract to Harry Sargeant III and his International Oil company to supply OIL TO OUR TROOPS and Harry arranges a $9 million bribe to Jordan to allow him to ship the oil across Jordan into Iraq.  (and someone in Jordan is suing Harry because they didn't get their piece of the action- yes, suing for their share of the bribe-what lawyer took that case???) We are talking billions of dollars here, to republicans, friends and fundraisers of George W and Cheney.  They invade Iraq and their friends receive massive war profits.  This is obscene.  Why isn't the Justice Dept prosecuting?  Why is there no a select committee on investigating war profiteering perpetrated by the Bush administration?  I mean, even Argentina prosecuted its previous General for war crimes....what gives with the USA?  Would it seem to "partisan?"  oh, those democrats, playing politics by investigating and prosecuting bush and cheney and their friends......we are talking about billions of dollars.  And what about the irony??? We invade the nation with the second most oil reserves in the world and we have to pay this SOB billions to IMPORT OIL TO IRAQ across Jordan.  Where did this jerk off get the oil?  From the Saudi's?  He buys oil on the market, probably sitting in supertankers of shore somewhere, they filled up in saudi arabia, he negotiates any kind of price for oil (no bid contract) he charges USA price plus (his pre arranged % profit, probably 30% just like KBR's contract) and then the ships sail back to middle east, unload and ship oil across Jordan to Iraq, and the oil ends up a few hundred miles from where it was originally drilled, in Saudi Arabia. That way there are lots of middle men to price gouge and lots of profits all around for all the Bush/cheney friends.  See the picture of Gov Crist of Florida, and King Abdullah of Jordan, and the guy in the middle is Harry Sargeant III, the CEO of International Oil Trading Inc.  this SOB should be in jail like that scum Madoff.   But thats not the only investigation: Italy is investigating oil companies that supplied oil to Iraq and bought it from other countries (Kuwait) and supposedly bribed their way into the contracts.  It seems like bribery is the way to go for business success, especially if you have friends in high places.  

I am moving to Quebec asap - I am so sick of the BS we are fed by our government, the lives lost in Iraq, and the billions made by friends of Bush/Cheney. How do these bastards sleep at night?  With drugs?  

Real life "Hurt Locker" - bomb goes off in Thailand

A real life bomb went off while a bomb expert was trying to defuse it.  He survived, but is injured.  Turns out there were 3 bombs on that street, each designed to go off slightly after one another.  Bomb one goes off, responders arrive, bomb two goes off and hurts more people, then they think its safe and bomb three goes off.  Bastards!  Islamic militants were blamed.  If Islamic militants want to demonstrate their moral outrage over the Thai government and society, why don't they target the sex trade?  Try to close down sex harems? Instead of blowing up cars they could be closing places of prostitution, including child prostitution, sex slavery.  That would be constructive, and it would show the moral superiority of their religion.  But i guess that wouldn't  get as much attention as car bombs.  BTW, cars and buses are the perfect platform for bombs: their chassis is strong, but the body is weak, esp buses to save weight, so the bomb goes off sideways and up, not so much down, and does the most damage, esp to the inside of the vehicle, like a bus.  You can search bus bombs israel on you.tube and find deeply disturbing pictures of bus bombs (you have to be 18 yrs old or at least say you are to view).  Bastards!  

Common Cold - Day 8

This is day 8 of my cold, still congested, fatigued.  Colds last 7-10 days so i am waiting for this to be over.  i haven't been sick for over a decade, so i guess my time was up.  Don't know what kind of virus this is but it is something i obviously have not been exposed to before.  BTW, viruses prove evolution if you define evolution as adaptation (which the textbooks do) - cold viruses mutate constantly, so once your B cells recognize one type of virus it morphs into another kind and the body just doesn't have the antibodies T cells to kill it.  It takes the body a while to recognize the new virus and get rid of it.  Remember in 2008, the Republican Pres primaries,  candidates were asked who doesn't "believe" in evolution and half of them raised their hands?  and i bet at least one of them had a cold at the time.  Idiots.......

Michelle Bachman even with Romney in Iowa poll - so what?

So she is even with Romney in some Iowa poll - so what?  The primary is way off, lots could happen, its a caucus primary too, and success in Iowa means little for national fund raising, and running for national office is all about fund raising and money.  Here are some crazy things Michelle Bachman has said.  She obviously has a thing about gays and gay marriage.  I wonder what her views are on other topics?  She has a bunch of children, foster children, kinda like Angelina Jolie only more so.  Is this a family or a residential center for in need of treatment children?  sorry, that was cruel.  Bachman is great with the one liners, great with saying things to excite the conservative fringe.  She is even with Romney in Iowa...so what?  its a long nomination and Romney has the money, the fund raising ability.  The big fear is that these nut candidates will turn off voters when the republicans finally select a candidate, like Romney.  And that the nut supporters will not turn out and vote for the romney-esque nominee.  I am assuming it will be Romney.  The country is split into Urban and Rural voters:  Bachman attracts the rural voters.  the republicans need a candidate who can do that, but also reach out to some suburban and urban voters - that and some funny ballot counts in Florida.  Romney is the closest thing to George HW Bush (#41) that the republicans have, but i think they prefer #43 to #41.  

Plantation loses another slave

ok, i know, i went overboard.  Terrelle Pryor is not a slave. but, everyone knows that NCAA football (esp div 1, 1a, 2) are to the NFL what the minor leagues are to baseball.  Only the football players dont get paid, and the minor leaguers get paid.  of course, football players get an education....sure.  If they can handle academics, if they dont get injured.

Look at the rosters of the NFL - they list the colleges of the players, not that they graduated, but they "attended." of course some graduate, but i can tell you what the average chance of graduating is for NCAA football players (less than 50%) and the chance they will play in the NFL (less than 5%).

Majority of college football players dont graduate, dont play for the NFL, and deal with injuries the rest of their lives.

So Terrelle is out, after getting free tattoos in exchange for signed jerseys, and cashed in bowl rings.  and he wont graduate.  If the NFL ever settles the strike he will play, eventually, and make millions.  of course, those millions will have to stay with him for life - what else can he do?

There should be a category of football teams in the NCAA that have paid players, say, maybe 75 programs.  the top programs.  i dont know how to select them.  maybe ask for applications?  have separate rules for paid NCAA players and their colleges?

who makes money off college football players?  the colleges, the networks, stock owners, advertisers.  the colleges also get additional applications, more contributions from alumni.  the only people not making money are the players, and half of them dont even get a degree.

I mean come on, a black football player, with injuries, doesnt get drafted by NFL, maybe does graduate with a degree in fitness, or sports, or health or something - what kind of job does he get?  Black man with a vague college degree, has some injuries, "football player" type, good luck.

My eldest son once had a biology professor tell him to change his major from biology, because biology is a hard major - he knew my son played football, soooooo, dumb football player, change your major, to something simple that you dumb football players can learn......thats how they are treated.

At Slippery Rock University we just had couple of players drafted by NFL, we also have a coach with a PhD, he is a tenured professor, and a graduation rate higher than average, over 65% (which is good).  SRU is division II football, which means the players are really student athletes.  and we have had some really talented players.  and they are really good students too.

but with Ohio State and D-I football, the competition is fierce, Jim Tressel has to recruit nationwide, has to keep his players, has to get to bowl games, generate lots of income for the univ, it is very big business, and he has run a clean program except for some free tattoos,  i mean come on,  - why doesnt jim apologize, take a cut in pay or something, and get on with the next season.  BTW, i think Terrell needs another year before going in draft - couldnt he apologize, get the tattoo burned off, maybe miss a couple games, and get on with his life.  maybe he could even stay at OSU long enough to graduate.

I KNOW i could get some grad students, have them brainstorm, and come up with a better arrangement than exists now for these semi pro players.  As it is, its a sham, phoney.  Lets fix this!

and Jim Tressel is welcome to coach at SRU as soon as our coach retires.  and Terrell could play out his final eligbility at SRU, we'd love to have him - he has political science major written all over him.

iraq withdrawal: here we go again, JUST LEAVE!

Even as the American military winds down its eight-year war in Iraq, commanders are bracing for what they fear could be the most dangerous remaining mission: getting the last troops out safely.

The resurgent threat posed by militants was underscored Monday when rockets slammed into a military base in eastern Baghdad, killing six service members in the most deadly day for American forces here since 2009. 

OK Here it is:  leave everything there, bring the troops home. the strykers in this picture are beat to crap, driven more miles than designed, the cost of repair too great, costs too much to fly them home. just leave the tanks, the vehicles, everything, in Iraq - disable them somehow, cheaply, quickly.  bring the troops home.  Do what we have done so far in pacifying areas: engage in bribery, payoffs, pay insurgents not to shoot at the troops.  Honestly, i could assemble a group of graduate students to come up with a withdrawal policy, that would protect our troops, be cost effective,  and quick.  this picture above is nuts:  we dont want the vehicles, the equipment - just leave it there, disable the weapons systems, blow up the remaining bombs and  ordinance - everyone knows (yes, everyone in the Pentagon) that our Army and Marine corps is broke, troops exhausted, too many tours of duty, the equipment is crapped out, obsolete, lasted much longer than designed, - our attention should be on manufacturing new equipment that we need for our new wars (small, elite units, temporary conflicts, quick response), helping exhausted troops to recover, recruiting new troops, and caring for our injured, caring for the families who have lost members.  Who are these reporters who  come up with such lame news stories?  besides, we will always have some troops in Iraq, that was the idea all along.  why withdraw all troops when we have such a great strategic location?  Look on a map - we are edged in between Syria and Iran, with our troops, thats like Syria or Iran having troops in canada and mexico, why would they ever withdraw them?  So yeah, we are never going to withdraw all the troops, and further withdrawals should be people only, leave the beat up equipment there its not worth bringing it home.

way to go Israel! Undermine anti Syrian protests, support the Syrian gov!

Israel opened fire on pro Palestinian demonstrators, who were attempting to cross the "border" of Syrian and Golan.  Obviously, there are demonstrations against the Syrian government by Syrians, and the gov has brutally suppressed these demonstrations, killing hundreds of their own citizens.  nothing could undermine the anti gov efforts in Syria more than Israel killing Syrians - rally round the flag, rally round the government, rally round Pres. Assad in standing up to the Israelis.

the anti Assad demonstrations in Syria are good for Israel, just think if the syrian gov was overthrown, Assad is out, and a new gov is in that would recognize Israel, negotiate for some peace treaty including the disputed Golan area, it would be to Israels advantage.

but killing Syrians only increases support for Assads regime.  Israel is self defeating itself.  Poor leadership.  israel is its own worst enemy - some Israelis understand this, but the leaders dont.

sarah palin and American history

She's done it again: Sarah Palin insisted Sunday that history was on her side when she claimed that Paul Revere's famous Massachusetts ride was intended to warn both British soldiers and his fellow colonists.

"You realize that you messed up about Paul Revere, don't you?" "Fox News Sunday" anchor Chris Wallace asked the potential 2012 presidential candidate.

"I didn't mess up about Paul Revere," replied Palin, a paid contributor to the network.

"Part of his ride was to warn the British that were already there. That, hey, you're not going to succeed. You're not going to take American arms. You are not going to beat our own well-armed persons, individual, private militia that we have," she added. "He did warn the British."

The British were marching to Lexington and then Concord, they had two ways to getting there from there HQ in Boston, the long way around the bay, or across the bay on boats.  depending on their route, they would arrive in Lexington earlier if they went by boat across the bay, rather than march around it.  Paul Revere's job, along with other riders (yes there were others) was to alert other "sons of liberty" members (a domestic terrorist group) which route the british were taking.  He rode a race horse named Brown Beauty, a borrowed horse, because he didnt own his own horse.  Horses were expensive, only rich people had horses to ride, esp horses like brown beauty .  Farmers had horses to help with farm work, they didnt "ride" them.  Revere wasnt a farmer, he had no horses, he was a relatively unsuccessful tin-iron monger, living in a small house with a shit load of children.  He was stopped by a british patrol, because he was out late (after curfew) and he was obviously riding a race horse (the soldiers recognized brown beauty, because they would bet on her in races).  They took Brown Beauty, and revere went on ahead on foot.  he ended up at Lexington mass, just before the british arrived.  there were two other members of the Sons of Liberty at lexington (they didnt live there).  the Lexington Militia was drilling on the town square when the british arrived, they were ordered to disperse.  they did.  their guns were not loaded, since they were muzzle loaders, and the powder would get wet if it stayed in the rod too long, esp in the morning with morning dew.  A shot rang out - still a mystery.  the british troops started firing, oddly enough, they either marched with loaded muskets (which would have been strange) or they stopped prior to entering Lexington and loaded.  It was not policy for the british to march with loaded weapons, or to have loaded weapons among colonists (they were british citizens, not an enemy, they were not at war).  the lexington militia members who were shot were mostly shot in the back, they were walking away when the british opened fire.  who fired the first shot?  There were "outside agitators" from Boston, revere and some other sons of liberty, among them Sam Adams (a real prick) - could THEY have fired the shot?  did they fire a shot to start an incident?  Could revere have been a catalyst behind the lexington massacre, or sam adams, who wanted to start a war, so the extent that they would fire a shot and cause the british to open fire?  Sarah Palin has no idea whatsoever about Paul Revere, jesus, i mean, few people do, most  history books are inaccurate, but academicians have research revere and sam adams and the whole lexington and concord events, and the conclusion is that the British march was stupid, unnecessary, nothing was accomplished by the british, the Lexington militia was not poised for trouble, the initial shots were an accident, no british officer gave the order to shoot, but there was a mysterious "shot" that started the firing, and it DID NOT come from either the lexington militia, or the british.  that is for sure.  My opinion? Sam Adams shot a round off while hiding off the village green, or maybe it was Revere, with the intention of forcing the british to open fire.  

Sarah Palin fires shot at Mitt Romney at Bunker Hill

"In my opinion, any mandate coming from government is not a good thing, so obviously ... there will be more the explanation coming from former governor, Romney, on his support for government mandates," Palin told reporters today.  She was referring to Romney's health care plan for massachusetts, when he was governor.  actually, its a good plan, better than anything else that could have been done.  it provides for universal coverage, everyone is required to be covered, there is a "tax" for those who are not covered, and it relies primarily (if not exclusively) on private sector docs and health care providers.  Mandates?  Does sarah mean mandates like: seat belt laws in cars?  education for children? clean drinking water?  Did she ever hear of the Tragedy of the Commons, where individual action results in harm for the public interest, which is why we HAVE mandates in the first place.  and BTW, the big battle of Boston was not Bunker Hill, it was Breeds Hill, the Americans kick british ass on Breeds Hill, then retreated to Bunker Hill. it was only when reinforcements arrived that they left Bunker Hill and retreated.  to this day, seriously, the british regiment that fought at Breeds Hill is still honored for their courage (or stupidity) charging up a steep hill against intrenched pissed off Americans who shot them down like fowl in the barnyard (sorry for comparison- James Longstreet at Fredericksburg when Gen Lee asked him if the union charge up hill would succeed, longstreet said, "even a chicken couldnt survive our crossfire" or something like that).

Romney is the only hope of the Republicans to have a rational, credible candidate that could somehow put the Republican party back together again.  I dont think even Romney could win, the economy should improve by 2012, we will be out of combat roles in both iraq and afghanistan, Katrina hasnt happened so far, Obama seems to be a mentally health well adjusted husband, so he should get re elected. the only question is, will the Republicans nominate someone who is rational, or will they nominate a nut case? 

The Human Centipede: so horrible i couldn't wouldn't go see it

My son noah wants me to review The Human Centipede.  this movie is German, about a couple whose car breaks down, you know the plot, they go to a house ask for help and bang!  crazy psycho guy terrorizes them.  Sounds like the Texas Chain Saw Massacre only in Germany, so it has to be every grosser right? I mean this country invented Xylon 3 or whatever it was, gas chambers, oven, death wagons, so it only makes sense they can make a movie WORSE than Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  anyway, the mad psycho cuts up people, cuts their legs off at the knees,  and connects them together mouth to anus to form a human centipede.  truly disgusting.  I absolutely refused to go watch it when it was at the Regent Square theater, i mean, i watched Dead Snow (Danish zombie movie with zombie nazi's) and Let the Right One In (Swedish vampire movie, the best vampire movie ever) and showed them in my political film class (zombies?  12 yr old vampires?  political? sure, why not, the students loved it).  But i refuse to watch this film.  If i showed this in class i am sure there would be complaints.  Of course its political (everything is political) because the centipede is....is....let me think....the proletariat being exploited by cruel capitalists, yeah thats it....its an allegory about the proletarian nightmare, trapped in a capitalist cage, forced to eat one another's feces, crawling on their knees.......forget it.... this movie is just awful.  I think.. it got good reviews in City Paper.  Supposedly its good.  somehow.  if you can stomach it.  i dont think you should buy popcorn or anything to eat if you watch this in a movie theater.......South Park had an episode based on the the human centipede concept, poor Cartman was number two in line, the Indian guy in front of him wanted to eat something spicey, poor Cartman yelled, NO Dont eat that!!!!

Game Plan: upcoming movie about McCain-Palin ticket controversial

here is teaser about upcoming movie about the McCain-Palin campaign. its conversial because Ed Harris plays McCain and Julienne Moore (Maude Lebowski) plays Palin.  they both look very identical to their real life characters.  Why a film about them?  some conservatives feel its another liberal ass hollywood movie beating up on conservatives, making fun of them, trying to destroy Sarah's campaign. After all, Tom Hanks produced the movie. however, its a great plot:  because it has a tragic hero.

why doesnt tom hanks make a movie about Obama, making fun of him?  well, because Obama won, and he is not tragic, right?  who want to see a movie about a decent guy, with a beautiful intelligent wife and beautiful daughters, who runs an uphill campaign, avoids attempts to destroy him, and emerges a modest and cool leader of the world?  we like movies with irony, pathos, tragedy.  I mean, is there a happy Shakespeare play?  I guess Midsummer Nights whatever....but my point is that the greatest play he wrote was Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.

John McCain tragic hero?  You bet!  here he is, a real kick ass maverick who gets shot down in 'nam, tortured, imprisoned six years (he was punched and knocked down every morning because he refused to bow, count the days, 365 times 6 years, thats a lot of punches) returns home, divorces wife, drinks too much, meets a young rich woman much younger than he is, gets remarried, settles in Arizona, runs to replace Goldwater, Goldwater doesnt like him but McCain emerges as an independent figure in the Senate.  He runs against the republican establishment in 2000, but loses primaries after T boone Pickens finances a negative campaign against him in South Carolina, a phoney push poll campaign where telephone "interviewers" identify McCain supporters and then asks them "Would your opinion of McCain change if you knew he was the father of an out of wedlock black child?"  ...."if you knew his wife was a convicted drug addict and thief?"  Of course, McCain and his wife DO have an out of wedlock black child, they met a baby in Calcutta on one of their travels, and adopted him.  and yes, he is black because Indians from calcutta are very dark.  and yes, Cindy was convicted of drug theft, she had a prescription for back pain, got hooked, was a nurse, started stealing medication - she confessed cooperated had a plea deal that involved treatment and community service, and now she is well, and is a good person.   so he loses to George W. and obviously he would have won a solid victory in 2000 because he would have attracted independent voters and Reagan Democrats, it would not have been a cliffhanger like Bush's election. There would have been no Iraq invasion, Afghanistan
would have been pacified much earlier, thousands of troops would still be alive, Saddam probably would have been overthrown by now (like Mubarek), but instead mcCain had to run again in 2008, saddled with the god awful record he inherited from Bush, and impossible task.  He picks Palin against his own better judgement, and she turns out to be a nightmare opportunist.  And he loses, big time.  and then faces a challenge for re election from the right wing of his own party in Arizona.

Tragic? you bet.  Much more interesting than the Obama success story.  McCain is one of the best Presidents we never had, like Alexander Hamilton, Adlai Stevenson, Robert Kennedy, so year, tragic story.  cant wait to see it, esp Maude Lebowski as sarah Palin!

Mark Ruffalo: kick ass Boston Southie petty mobster movie is GREAT

i really like Mark Ruffalo, i am watching ALL his movies on netflix.  He is an actor's actor, as they say.  He loves acting, has appeared in many films, great performances, but his love is local theater in california.  He runs a local theater, appears in his own plays.  That is his love, not hollywood.  He is considered one of Hollywood's greatest actors, but he carefully picks his films and works around his own local theater schedule.  anyway, this is an incredible movie:  ethan Hawke is also in it.  these guys are petty crooks, since childhood, they spend time in the joint.  Ruffalo's character wants to go straight, because he loves his wife and child too much to go to jail again, and if he gets another conviction, they throw away the key.  he is hounded by a parole officer who is convinced he is no good, a loser.  his buddy Hawke wants one more heist, an armored car robbery.  Will he go along?  Will he risk everything for one last big haul? he works at menial jobs, since he has no skills at anything other than mob work.  His bosses treat him like crap, he barely has money for the landlord, lives in a crap rented flat, but, and this is it:  he is with his wife and child.  what choice! living in poverty, being treated like an inferior, a loser, hounded by a parole officer or......one last big job that will set him up forever.  What a movie!  Ruffalo and hawke really play two Boston southie punk ass wanna be mobsters, they are tough, kick ass tough, great acting.  i mean great acting.  Ruffalo is amazing. i cant stop watching him on camera.

Love story? Never let me Go

Keira Knightly stars in this movie about a group of children who are being raised for a peculiar purpose: to be organ donors.  Its the future, and humans now live for well over 100 yrs of age, longer than that, because of organ transplants.  these children are clones of people who are considered outcasts, such as prostitutes, drug addicts, criminals - i guess having a double of people like this would lead to fewer complications.  but something is missing:  these children are cloned so they are not exactly a copy of the original person - something is missing from their brains, i guess you could say, a soul, feelings, love.  the rumor is, if two of them fall in love, real love, they can get a reprieve from being a donor.  at a mature age (18 i guess) their bodies are "farmed" until they die. Three operations is about it, four max before their own bodies no longer function, nothing left to take out.  But if they fall in love, they may get a few more years.  It gets more complicated - there are questions about what it means to be human, what it means to have a soul, and who is truly human.  are the humans who created these clones superior? or are they the real mutants?  Who really has a soul?  This is a fascinating movie, very philosophical, but i warn you, very very sad, heartbreaking.  

Chinese movie leads to Director's ban: Devils on the Doorstep

Wen Jiang is a controversial filmmaker from China.  he directed "The missing Gun" which is a good whodoneit about a police officer in a small municipality in central china who gets drunk at a wedding, and loses his gun.  Of course, guns are very controlled in china, and losing a gun means someone bad has it.  murders start, and the police officer must find his gun before more are killed, and he is fired and disgraced (or worse).  it has a good ending, very cool movie.  there arent many movies from central or interior china, so its a good portrait of life in a small city in china.  anyway, i read that his works have been banned, denied work, all because of of his film "Devils on the Door Step."  I was curious, what could he have filmed that was so wrong to the government?  well, the film is really good, very complicated, about morality i guess.  a peasant is visited by the resistance during the japanese occupation and is given a blindfolded prisoner, he is threatened with death if he doesnt keep the prisoner for later, the captor will return. however, the resistance fighter never returns for the prisoner, and this poor peasant is now stuck with a Japanese prisoner of war.  If discovered, he will be killed, the whole village destroyed by the japanese.  soon the village comes to his aid, and they help keep the prisoner alive.  they bond with one another.  the prisoner explains he will tell his superiors about the kind treatment he has received, so they let him go.  the japanese are grateful, prepare a celebration thank you dinner for the village,  however, its a trap.  the evil japanese general kills the villagers and the former prisoner of war (for letting himself be captured, and for bonding with the inferior chinese). the sole survivor is the peasant who was initially given the prisoner.  he plots his revenge.  after the japanese surrender, he arranges to attack the surrendering army at the headquarters of the allies (american, british).  He slashes his way to revenge (chinese movies are great with slashing swords).  in the end, however, its the allies who kill our hero, for killing the japanese.  get it?  this poor guy is terrorized by the japanese, gets his revenge as any patriotic chinese man should, but then is punished by the americans-british (the colonialists) for his patriotic deeds.  Now the american-british allies are seen as the new occupiers-enemies.  Mao would soon kick them out.  Wen Jiang thought this was a positive film about Chinese morality, and eventual justice.  also about the misery inflicted on chinese by japanese and americans and british (they're all the same, occupiers, colonialist).  But the chinese gov felt the bonding of the village with the japanese prisoner was counter revolutionary or something, so Wen Jiang was banned for awhile.  he is now back making movies, but he is very very careful about the content of his films.  

Israeli leaders offer peace (at least some of them, anyhow)

best peace deal israel has offered in years - good point of departure for peace talks.  I esp like the return of Golan to Syria.  this might be the best beginning of peace in a long time.  I dont think it can get better than this, given current Israeli leadership (self serving politicians) and the uncertainty of arab regimes.  this might also help Syria and Assads popularity with his own people (return of Golan, fresh apples, and peace).  not sure if Hamas will go along with this, or Hezbollah, or many of Israel's leaders, but hey, its a positive move.

I think future generations would praise current middle east leaders if this goes forth.

here is Tom Waits song, Road to Peace

Snooki-Mania! Don't mess with girls from Jersey Shore -

Here is my dream angel, Snooki, taking names and kickin butt on wrestle mania -

Jar City

Great film from Iceland, a murder detective movie. very dark. very existential. i get the impression that icelanders are very existential people, always waiting for that next earthquake, the next avalanche, the next volcano.