Movie recommendations

Since you threw out some suggestions, I thought I'd reciprocate, Slaps. If you like westerns and amoral violence, you'll like The Proposition.

It's an Australian western with Guy Pearce. I was a little skeptical when I heard he was in a western, but it is pretty good.

Stupid lying previews

So, based on the previews for Smokin' Aces I assumed it would be a fast-paced hyperviolent action-comedy with that sense of cool that Snatch had.

Turns out it was kinda slow and had some pointless serious parts. All in all, I give it thumbs down. Except for Jason Bateman, who was awesome.

Edited to add that the previews were more entertaining than the movie itself.

Best Prison Ever

What is there left to say that the video doesn't say for itself?

Obama tells us what he stands for.

Sex Ed for Kindergarteners 'Right Thing to Do,' Says Obama.

Now that's statesmanship.

I think we knew this already, but...

studies are confirming that the oldest child is the smartest one in the family.

Pagans Angered...

...and threatening "rain magic" to wash away Homer Simpson.

Thank You for Smoking

I have to say I was a bit disappointed by the movie probably because I had read the novel first. The novel was much funnier, and the plot was a bit more complex in the novel. Obviously movies often simplify novels for time and other constraints. I don't know that it was necessary in this case.

One thing I can say about the movie is that it was well cast with one exception-Katie Holmes. If you read the book, Holmes's character has certain physical attributes Mrs. TomKat is lacking.

I would recommend Christopher Buckley. I've only read Thank You for Smoking and some of his short stories in the Atlantic Monthly, but they are laugh-out-loud funny. He was here in Lexington at W&L a couple months ago to give the annual Tom Wolfe lecture, and he did not disappoint in person either.

Two movies that were pretty good

were
"Thank You For Smoking" and "Out of Sight" which is from '98 and I was pretty surprised that I'd missed it.

Re: Concerts only solve...

I agree that the whole "concert for a cause" shlick is madly overrated, especially for something as ludicrously under-scienced as global warming. In response to the rapping over a song (and also Nick's post on covers) I would refer you all to the show Gov't Mule put on at Bonaroo (set list below), an excellent case of fantastically rocking covers (admittedly some of the original artists joined them for the covers of their songs - such as John Paul Jones!!!!!) and rapping (I think) over songs. It was one of the best concerts I've ever seen or heard. But nonetheless, I do agree that covers are typically a waste, especially in the case of store sold albums. And as for the rock criminals, I think we should turn them over to Mr. Lordi:





Mule Show at Bonaroo

Disc 1:
1. Play With Fire with Michael Franti
2. Thorazine Shuffle
3. Banks Of The Deep End
4. A Million Miles From Yesterday
5. Sugaree with Bob Weir
6. Loser with Bob Weir
7. Johnny Bratton Jam
8. It's A Joke with Lewis Black
9. Johnny Bratton Jam

DISC 2:
1. Unring The Bell
2. Drums->
3. Moby Dick Reprise with John Paul Jones on Bass
4. Livin' Lovin' Maid with John Paul Jones on Bass
5. Since I've Been Lovin You with John Paul Jones on Keys
6. No Quarter with John Paul Jones on Keys

DISC 3:
1. Intro
2. Come Back Baby* with Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady & Barry Mitterhoff
3. Death Don't Have No Mercy* with Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady & Barry Mitterhoff
4. Streamline Woman
5. Brand New Angel
6. That's What Love Will Make You Do with Luther Dickinson
7. 32/20 Blues with Luther Dickinson
8. Sweetleaf
9. War Pigs
10. Soulshine Message In A Bottle Tease

Concerts can only really solve one problem...

... and that's a painfully acute deficit of rock.

"Raising awareness" is such a farce, so unquantifiable, and usually bullshit. How much awareness did you raise? Can you tell me that? I wish these concerts in support of causes would reverse the go-large trend and slim down by a wide margin. That might spare us seeing Kayne West trying to rap over Message in a Bottle. Or John Mayer playing along with Message in a Bottle.

Or having to endure a reunited Police sharing a stage with John Mayer and Kayne West. I swear. That's not a rock crime. That's a rock felony.

John Lewis

I don't have a problem with Ashland's mission of promoting Judeo-Christian values, but I saw little evidence of the school promoting this mission while we were there. Pushing Lewis out was an arbitrary act dressed up as defending this long-neglected mission.

Imagine for a minute the administration denying tenure to a left-leaning professor for this reason. (Let's just say we'll never see it happen and leave it at that.) Lewis, being a right-leaning libertarian, was an easy target. The administration could appease those concerned that the University is too secular by getting rid of someone who had no or few allies on the faculty. I'm sure both some conservatives and liberals were glad to see him go. Brad Thompson was treated similarly for his "controversial" views about the Ed department and his politics although he was already tenured.

Professor Thompson was the best professor at the University. His departure significantly decreased the quality of the department he chaired at AU. Professor Lewis was a good professor as far as I could tell. (I only had him for one class.) His resignation will only be detrimental to students interested in classical history at Ashland at least in the short run.

Re: AU and Lewis

That sucks. Officially, the school introduced a new condition for hiring professors a few years ago, that they must uphold the Judeo-Christian values. At the time I thought it perilously close to being a litmus test on the basis of hiring new professors (and something they could use to keep atheists and/or agnostics out). I was particularly worried about the effect it would have on the science/computer/math departments, whose faculty have a better chance of being foreign-born (and therefore not Christian) than most other departments.

I'd like to say that I'm shocked the policy was used to boot Lewis, but I'm not. The Political Science program (and by association the Ashbrook center) is buttressed by a donor base and "friends" that are overwhelmingly Christian Conservative/Evangelical. At the very least this makes things difficult for anyone remotely associated with objectivist philosophy.

So, yeah. None of my money, either.

Ashland news

Apparently John Lewis (the pretty cool history prof) got booted from AU. Officially, he resigned. But the school denied him tenure due to his publications and scholarly interest in objectivism (that Ayn Rand stuff) because, they said, that interest (being atheistic) goes against the school's "judeo-christian values." So I guess silencing academinc speech isn't just for the more liberal side.

That school isn't getting any of my damn money. Ever.

Al Gore's on seven continents? Scary.

Some humorous coverage of Live Earth.

Here ya go Nick

This one's for you. Enjoy!

Dragon Force Hero

I have a new best friend...

Middle Earth Metal

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Another creepy sea creature

This wolf eel skull was found in New Jersey.

World Champion Sexy

Unbelievable sexy!!!