Why Right-Wingers can't review movies

This review on Big Hollywood of "The Messenger" seems rooted in the traditions of critical analysis until you get towards the end when the piece's author, Ted Baehr, pooh-poohs a scene where the two protagonists boorishly gate-crash one of the character's former girlfriend's wedding rehearsal. The issue seems to be not so much the performances, but, and I quote: "a very negative portrayal of America's soldiers."

I have not see this movie, but I've seen drunken soldiers, sailors and marines behaving poorly on the streets of New York and San Francisco. (To be honest, they seemed to be having a great time, a little boisterous, but not exactly the worst behavior.)

I've also read news stories of veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan and committing acts of violence or crime born of their experiences abroad and an inability to come to terms with what they've witnessed, things they've seen, friends they've lost. Again, not the best behavior from our people in uniform. But the point isn't their misbehavior, it's their humanity and ability to err on the side of human weakness.

The deification of men and women in serving in our armed forces does them a great disservice by denying them the ability to be both heroic and human. It's ignorant and the worst kind of blind allegiance.

in reference to: Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » REVIEW: ‘The Messenger’ Trashes America, Troops (view on Google Sidewiki)

Children of the night ...

What mischief they make.

in reference to: New malware scam targets Twilight fans - Network World (view on Google Sidewiki)

But, isn't the whole point the poison?

I've heard the fish itself is mealy and not particularly flavorful and that the whole point of eating it is to tempt fate.

in reference to: Puffer fish Russian roulette ends as scientists breed non-lethal version - Telegraph (view on Google Sidewiki)

Be afraid ... be very afraid ...

The ripples of this failure will impact the mega-wealthy and then we'll get to see how this whole "trickle-down" stuff works. And not in a good way.

in reference to: Dubai Jitters Infect Debt of Sovereign Spendthrifts - WSJ.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

This story gets old ...

Every year someone does a story on how black holes and faster-than-light speed are coming ... very slowly, but coming.

Stop it. Can we have a moratorium on these stories for, like, a decade? Until there is something new to add to the speculation?

in reference to: Future spaceships powered by black holes and dark matter - Telegraph (view on Google Sidewiki)

What next? Goosestepping?

For a party that decries socialism and fascism every chance it gets, why does it insist on draconian litmus tests?

in reference to: GOP Considers 'Purity' Resolution For Candidates (view on Google Sidewiki)

Interesting stuff

These books seem worth reading.

in reference to: Op-Ed Columnist - The Religious Wars - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

The logical comparison

While the Right Wingnuts -- and you know who you are -- berate Obama for actually attempting to think through the Afghanistan issue, it's refreshing that the Vietnam parallels are being replaced by more realistic ones.

in reference to: Soviets' Afghan Ordeal Vexed Gates on Troop-Surge Plan - WSJ.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

The death of the blogosphere is coming ...

If this gambit succeeds and more and more legitimate mainstream media sites pursue pay-to-play search indexing, more and more blogs will have to rely on each other for their content, thus making them far more fringe-like, unreliable and kooky.

in reference to: More emerges on Microsoft’s dance with newspapers (view on Google Sidewiki)

Hypocrisy Alert

So, let me get this straight, outre gay guy bad, but girlfriend abusing guy good?

in reference to: Anger as 'GMA' books Brown - NYPOST.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

We had a priest whose nickname was ...

"Father Feelie" who used to chase us down the corridors of St. Paul's College and then drag us into confession. In the end, he was a sad tragic figure with a drinking problem. I remember on the last day of school in my senior year he passed out during morning mass.

in reference to: BBC News - Irish Church accused of abuse cover-up (view on Google Sidewiki)

Part One of my two-part series on e-readers

"In an industry driven by technological innovation and convenience, a device that has only one function in a multimedia world might not be the best investment."

in reference to: E Reader Competition Between Amazon Barnes Noble And Sony Heat Up - Industry News - Portfolio.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

"Smugipedia" Hits the MSM Wall

About time. I grew weary of the smug attitude that went along with Wikipedia's creators and acolytes.

Like the kind of people who think "flash mobs" are cool, Wikipedia has always had a kind of faux hipness. Supporters mocked people who challenged its "outsider" status, but as the errors mounted up, its reliability as a trusted source became more and more suspect.

Like the mouthy bloggers who disparage the Mainstream Media (without whose content, the mouthy bloggers couldn't survive), they all coalesce into being the MSM when they fail to survive even the simplest of ethical or legitimate tests.
in reference to: Volunteers Log Off as Wikipedia Ages - WSJ.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Wow ...

... and I thought deer were problematic.

in reference to: Kangaroo Tries To Drown Dog, Attacks Owner (view on Google Sidewiki)

And so it begins ...

Murdoch's effort to create paid search begins ...

in reference to: Microsoft, News Corp. Discuss Web Pact - WSJ.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Selling the unborn

Unsettling, to say the least.

in reference to: Al Jazeera English - Asia-Pacific - Unborn children for sale in S Korea (view on Google Sidewiki)