Post Election Blues

Ever since the election results I have been a little sad and depressed and didn’t know why. At first I thought it was because Bush won but really whether it’s him or Kerry the status quo of my life and my family's would remain the same. Any decision they make would have almost no impact on me. But last night I realized the problem.

America got knocked off its pedestal.

The Bush campaign was built on fear and hate. Both very powerful and used for centuries to gather and maintain power. In this case it was fear of terrorists, attacks, and being hurt. Or fanning flames of hate against the unknown enemy, those that disagree, gays in general, gay marriage in particular.

Its other countries such as Germany, Russia, China, Cuba, and Iraq that fell for those hate and fear tactics but not America. I always thought that would never work on Americans. We are to smart, to cynical, and we actually do try to learn from histories mistakes.

However, the election has shown that is not the case. We are simply average, human. No better or worse then any other country in the world. You go for our baser instincts, we react the same as anyone. Maybe my expectations where to high. I don't know.

I just know America has been knocked off its pedestal and I don’t think it can be put back.

Bush or Kerry?

I am a Kerry man. Lots of reasons why. No point in going into them here on the eve of elections. If you haven't made up your mind now, nothing I or anyone else writes or say will help. Just be sure to vote with your head. Yeah I said head, not heart. Nor even gut. This is the future of our country and to a degree the world. That requires you employing your intellect and nothing else. It requires weighing what is important to you but mostly its what is important to the country as a whole. Both foreign AND domestic. Don't let the war on terror cloud you on problems and issues here at home.

If you really are in the mood to be selfish and only care about what you think is important and be damned with the country as a whole...well guess what that is what the House and Senate is for. Vote with your head, heart, stomach, or farts for all I care but with the Presidential election...use your head. Weigh the issues, figure out what is important, figure out if you think a change is needed or not. May the best (or worse) win.

War on Terror...mean War on WMD, uh War for Freedom!

Let see if I have my timeline correct. First we where involved in the War on Terror, then it became the War on Terrorists in Iraq, then it became the War to stop WMD, then it became the War to Free Iraq. Somehow, the why and rules and well everything can change in the middle of a war and the American people as a whole don't see to have a problem with it. Clinton sneezes in the wrong direction, we called it gate something. Bush can basically make up reason for war as he pleases and we just shrug and justify it to ourselves with "we freeing the people praise be!".

I am still confused when it became ok for the United States to force democracy at the end of the sword "you will like it or else!!!". I thought our role was to encourage it, to be the example that it works. Basically to tell the people, "You want it, you must fight for it and we will help you". In the end though it was always the people's fight to win or lose.

Apparently, under Bush this is no longer the case. Spreading democracy by any means necessary is an acceptable course of action. Not only acceptable, but honorable. Shouldn't we then, to bring freedom to other people, for women, "for the children", shouldn't we advocate a campaign against any country that doesn't have a democractic system of government. Why stop with such "easy" targets as Iraq? There are other people that have horrors brought on them, that have no freedom as we define it. Why not conquer Saudi Arabia, Cuba, China, or North Korea? Why not those targets? To hard? Costs to high? Are you not being hypocritical in being choosey about who to spread democracy to and who not to? If you truly adovate this "free the people" mantra, shouldn't it be open season on any country that doesn't practice government as we define it? I guess I just don't understand this "freedom for some by force" for some but no others. I would love for someone to explain the distinction because I don't see it.

Jon Stewart and Crossfire

What's really sad is that the press doesn't even get it. Some thought he was being a dick, others thought he was being a hypocrit (nevermind his show has never sold itself as a news source), and even others just went on about an opportunity that CNN let pass by not putting it on their website while dismissing the content of what Jon was saying.

I don't think the press gets how disgusted Americans are with the media now. They are lazy, irrelevant hacks who can't even be bothered to research a story. If its not written for them by a source, producer or handed to them as "Talking Points" they can't even be bothered. Even the so-called "political experts" such as those on Crossfile, all they do is regurgitate talking points like some mindless puppet. A monkey could do that. No attempt is made to actually discuss or delve deeper into the topics. That would be fine if they didn't then lie to themselves and the audience and claim the contary.

At least Jon Stewart has the integrity to not pretend he is something he isn't. He doesn't call himself a reporter, a source for news, or even an expert. Yet his show consistancy shows to is superior to the networks in all three arenas. Its actually pathetic that the media gets queues from his show (which Jon is fully aware). The press corps is so far gone now though I don't think it will ever recover. I think ambulance chasers have more credibilty now then a member of the press.

Time for Politics

I often post of various boards on the web and decided that since I am making the equilvant of blog entries with my on the fly responses, it would be a waste to not use em here. So here, have a diatribe.

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For some this whole "please make me feel safe and secure from the terrorists" is their entire world. Me, I think terror, I think war but I also think gas prices, medicare, taxes, deficit, laws, order, murder committed by our own, environment, abortion, Supreme Court, .... well you know that whole pesky and inconvient domestic policy that really has nothing to do with a War on Terror...er mean War in Iraq...er mean War for a Free Iraq....oh wait I think its back to War on Terror again this week. Something Bush likes to forget cause domestic policy is hard...poking at a map and say sure blow that up...thats easy.

4 years and Bush's policy for home, when he remembers to have one, is tax cuts. Thats it. He talks all the time about Kerry's record...but look at his. He basically has no record because he has done nothing domestically. I guess if your world is "please protect me from the bad foreign men" thats great. But I prefer a president that has the ability to multi-task. Something Bush's record shows he is incapable of.

Anycase, my point is your warm and fuzzies are important...but you do have remember there is more to running a country then just attacking others and the occasional tax cut.

My Favorite "The Apprentice"

Wow been a while. Need to do better on the blogging.

Just got done watching the Thursday lineup for the day (recorded it). Joey and Will & Grace not doing it for me like it use to. I watch it but more as background noise then really paying any attention to. Recording the Apprentice is great cause take an hour ep and watch it in about 25 minutes since can skip through the boring stuff.

But I always stop on my favorite Apprentice - Stacy Rotner. I am just in lust or something with her. Absolutely gorgeous to me. Maybe its her height (I am not exactly towering), maybe her smile, her confidence, her intellect, or her bluntness. Whatever it is, I would love to meet her and figure it out and learn more. Normally for all these TV personalities, reality or otherwise, I could care less. She is the exception for she strikes me as exceptional.

Sadly this is the end of the line, the last episode with my favorite Apprentice. She was fired and now the reason for watching the show has ended. A sad day for all. Ah puppy love, its been awhile. Hopefully she will return to the airwaves again beyond a reunion show...or at least maybe take a move to Georgia ;).

Oh and her website is http://www.stacyrotner.com so definitely already taking steps to capitalize on her 15 minutes...mmm intellect is sexy.

Yahoo Chat

Had a really long long conversation with girl "met" in online chat room. And she seems great as a person. Would love to meet her. If pic is real she is gorgeous. So basically out of my league. Not really sure what to make of the whole thing. Also note she doesn't know what I look like. Was hoping she would push for pic before now, most usually do. It saves a lot of time cause I am the not the tall handsome blah blah most women online are hoping to find. Should be interesting to see what happens when she does get a gander at me. Will provide updates if anything warrants it.

Lost Opportunity

Sigh. Saw this girl hasn't seen in like five years. Gorgeous girl, great person. We used to work together, nothing came of it cause she wasn't interested in me.

So see her again for first time in a while and what do i do? Nada, nothing, zip, not even a hello. Idiot! Would have anything come of it five years later? probably not. She was always into the jock stereotype and I'm anything but. Still, instead of knowing going to get rejected all i know is i might have been. Idiot!

War on Terror?

Thought that just occured to me. When did the War on Terror become the War to Liberate Iraq? When was the last time heard of any success made by the US against terrorists? For that matter you have Bush declaring America "safer" despite no proof to back it up...yet terrorist attacks are becoming almost a daily occurance. School attack in Russia anyone? I guess cause that only includes children from some other country it doesn't count as a failure for the War on Terror. And where is Osama? Why does noone mention he is still free? Bush spoke of al Quida being gone yet no proof to back that up. They seem to be running just fine thank you very much. Doesn't seem like a whole lot of success for Bush but then Republicans are masters of making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I guess i just assume Osama would be priority one but I guess attacking Kerry and trumping "successes" are more important.

The Daily Show

I couldn't go on long enough but how great the Daily Show is. Not only is it hilarious but its informative and scathing. Its also sadly the last bastion of true journalism. They actually do point on what is incorrect, lies and deceits performed by politicans. Unlike the press corp who sit around taking turns kissing politican of the moment ass. Sadly the press has just become another mouthpiece, feeding the public whatever they are told to feed instead of reporting and dissecting the facts. The press use to be powerful, it use to mean something, it use be a source to cut throug the clutter of sound bytes and garbage...but now it is the garbage.

so instead we have the Daily Show as our last source of decent information. Hilarous great show...but doesn't that just tell you how far the press has fallen?

No increase in gas price?

Am I the only one who found it strange that two weeks or so ago it was announced that barrels of oil reached record heights..yet gas prices in the states barely budged a penny? Normally the announcement alone is enough to drive the cost up, usually on the very same day. They usually don't even bother to wait till that more expensive oil comes to that station. ($2+ a gallon about three months ago would be a recent example.) Yet this time no increase in cost. For maybe the first time ever. Close to an election. An who has Saudi connections and would benefit least from a sudden hike in gas prices?

Just find it interesting.

Overtime Rules change

Here is an example of how the Bush Admin is using the silly Vietnam stuff to distract everyone from stuff that DOES effect you, Bush acolyte or not.

Where you aware that overtime rules have changed? And not for the better. That this change was supported by major corporations (now that should scare you) and pushed by the Bush Admin?

If that isn't a clear indication that Bush cares NOTHING about anyone that isn't rich or able to funnel money to him and his buddies I don't know what will. What really is shameful is the press is too imcompetent to make it a HUGE issue of this election. It makes it pretty clear, you ain't rich, you don't matter to Bush except as the stupid sheep to trick so can get re-elected so can really help his buddies. You think corporations run the US gov't you ain't seen nothing yet if Bush gets elected.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2004-08-23-overtime-now_x.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/2004-08-23-overtime_x.htm

Aliens vs. Predator

Alien vs. Predator seems like an idiot proof concept to me. Take bad ass villain one and bad ass villain two, thrown in human cannon fodder, much chaos and action ensures. A toddler could nearly write this movie. Hell this concept is perfect for the typical movie writing formula of concept first, movie moment’s seconds, finally the story. Here concept is alien vs. predator, movie moments is much action occurs where two beat crap out of each other while the fodder dies, the story would be what ever takes you from action point to action point. Real simple. Idiot proof.

Sadly Alien vs. Predator (directed and written by Paul W.S. Anderson) is proof that nothing is idiot-proof. Somehow, someway, the director/writer screwed up this concept. The story is crap but who cares. The human fodder crap, but again who cares. One thing that sucks is 20 minutes was spent establishing the fodder. Time wasted away from the action. Here is the problem. What action? Where is the Alien vs. Predator? If looking for that, you are not going to find a whole lot. There are maybe two action sequences in this movie. One is a bad ass CGI flash back; the other was a decent sequence that quickly turned stupid.

Maybe you are thinking that at least get to see the Aliens and the Predator do their own bad ass things. Well, kind of, sometimes. Mostly the Predators come across as ugly humans. Another words they are incompetent. The Aliens act mostly Alien like except they sure do grow up fast and make use of the acid way to much. Also the Alien Queen…yeah suddenly here she is T-Rex size and acts just like one too. Basically Anderson stripped away all the coolness of these characters. They are pale shadows of the original creations. The only reason I can think this occurred is the usual Hollywood arrogance. In this case Anderson saw the movies as a kid like 15 years ago and declared himself expert. Through that haze of memory, a lot of decisions at least track. After all how bad ass can a Predator is is got beat up by Governor Schwarzenegger (thus incompetent) or that Alien Queen got killed by Weaver (thus the T-Rex Alien is born). It’s all I got as explanation because nothing else makes sense.

About the only good thing in this movie are the CGI moments. That’s the only time this movie was good when it was obvious some CGI team did the sequence instead of that retarded director. Also the Alien and Predator costumes etc are top notch. Those teams deserve a pat on the back.

Basically this movie is Joel Schumacher level fuck up. A franchise has been utterly demolished under this imbecile’s hand (how these incompetent directors continue to get work baffles me). I could go further but let’s put it this way; the Predator only killed one Alien. That’s it. The rest where just blown up. That alone should indicate how little “vs.” occurred in this movie.

Illegal to Protest?

Bush Protestors Turned Away From Event

Aug 5, 2004 6:23 am US/Central
Mankato, Minn. (AP) Two young supporters of DFL congressional candidate Leigh Pomeroy were turned away from President Bush's quarry rally in Mankato yesterday.

Nick Burkhardt and Matt Klaber of Mankato initially were denied rally tickets after making unfavorable comments about the president while waiting in line for three hours. They later were given tickets, but when they got off the shuttle bus at the quarry they were told they couldn't go in.

They agreed to leave, but a Mankato West High School teacher who was accompanying them says he also was asked to leave when he tried to defend the boys.

Global geography teacher Jim Walz said he wanted to stay and was told by a Bush official that he would be arrested and escorted out if he made any attempt to protest during the rally.

Walz says if appearances by the President of the United States are treated as private political events, then cities are right to bill the campaign for the expenses of local law enforcement.

Source: http://wcco.com/siteSearch/local_story_218072505.html

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Sigh. It saddens me how much freedom people are willing to give up for "safety". Even sadder that people that should know better don't have a problem with it. It started with protest only areas (for safety of course ) now its spread to support agreements and risk of arrest for even COMMENTING negativily about the president. Sometimes slippery slope logic doesn't apply, but when it comes to rights, it does. As the Bush Administration has proven over and over and over and over again for the last 4 years. Seriously both sides of the aisle should have serious problems with this.

Not even allowed to comment negativily. I think thats sick and any candidate or person, even Bush acolytes, that doesn't condemn it is un-American and a traitor. Screw Bush's and Coulters definition, theirs is limited to the Republican party.

Legend of the Bloodninja

Funny site. Sure many have seen it but still worth reading.
http://www.adamchance.com/funny.htm

Never understood cybering. Maybe between people that know each other and will meet and be able to live the little online fantasy, but strangers doing it who will never ever meet. Just don't get it.

The Village

Just got back from watching The Village. Was bored silly. Once again M. Night Schmalyan (schmalyn? bah can't spell it and too lazy to look) crafted a technically good movie that would be good for directing classes in college...but not a particularly interesting or even entertaining movie.

You have most of the ingredients, good cast, acting, plot, set and so forth. Its just the actually story itself is boring. Also the movie is just so damn sloooooooow. You thought Signs developed slowly...this one is practically glacial in pace.

As for the twist...its ok. Really not bad, more creative then what 99.9% of other Hollywood writers would have come up with...except you really just don't care. The problem is you really don't care about the characters and even if you did the twist effects them but doesn't really involve them personally. So you are "oh okay /shrug" instead of "ooh ahhh".

In the end though this movie suffers from the failure of room number one that any movie should aspire to - entertain the damn audience. This movie was simply boring.

My rating for this movie: wait for cable...better yet wait till free on network TV couple of years from now.

Intro

Hello, welcome to my erasend blog. First time done this stuff so could be a disaster but hopefully not. Couple of things. I tend to make alot of grammatical mistakes cause I frankly I am lazy. I just type what i am thinking that moment and post. Sadly that is probably a bad habit and am trying to break it with only so-so success.

The point of my blog is to spout about whatever I feel like. Can't guarentee it will mean a thing to anybody but hopefully those that read it will not feel like they wasted their time.

So anyway...welcome to erasend.