Saturday, March 29, 2003


Layout!

I know the Blogversary is tomorrow, but I'm putting up the new layout now. I'm also thinking about moving those personality test results on the archive page to the long-dormant SPNAs blog (where it really belongs) but I haven't the faintest idea what would go on the page in its place.

So without further ado (hopefully), here's the new layout! Enjoy!
posted @ 7:58 PM  |   0 comments  |  


Chicago

Saw it today and decided to do a breakdown immediately (cuz I forgot to do one for Spiderman). Overall, I think it's a good film, but I've seen better. The two film comparisons for Chicago would be Moulin Rouge and Cabaret, but since I still haven't seen Cabaret, I'll break it down with Moulin Rouge...especially since MR is of the "new" musicals and Cabaret is of the "old" musicals.


Are the songs good?
Moulin Rouge = Yes! They were all 'borrowed' but the rearrangements and new versions were all excellent. Roxanne and Your Song are better than the originals but Like A Virgin stinks worse than it originally did.
Chicago = Sort of. It depends on the song and who is singing it. Some of the songs are original to the feature but others are 'borrowed'. I have no comparison for the originals, but the amount of character thrown into these songs here greatly enhance them.

How well to the gals sing and act?
Moulin Rouge = Yes! Since Nicole Kidman was the only lead actress, there's not much to say there. She can definately sing, but she's still got a tinge of "amateur" about her. She's soprano and sometimes too timid with it. I don't know if this was deliberate or not, but it makes her sound like she has less confidence.
Chicago = Yes! Catherine Zeta-Jones used to be a song-and-dance girl and it shows. She knows what she's doing and she does it VERY well! If you've ever seen her in Mask of Zorro or Entrapment, then you know she can act and also has a sly side. She deserves her Oscar. As for Renée Zellweiger, I've never seen her act in anything else nor have I heard her sing before. She can sing but she's nowhere near as strong as Zeta-Jones. Because of the heavy amount of singing around Renée's character, it seemed that she was using her far-too-quiet voice (I heard her narrate a tv thing once...could BARELY hear her) in what almost screamed to be 'filler' scenes for darn near the whole movie. Indeed, after she shoots the guy, her acting seems to quail as she goes to jail. Can Queen Latifa (sp?) sing? Well, she has a career so her voice is well-seasoned, but there wasn't nearly enough acting spots for her to know if she can act or not. Still got that 'tude about her tho.

Can the guys sing and act?
Moulin Rouge = YES! We all knew ('we' being those that saw Emma) that Ewan could sing and sing very well so it was no suprise that he would sing very well. His voice has improved since Emma which is a VERY good thing. Ewan's also known to be rather fearless in his acting and you could tell that Ewan was TOTALLY in his character. He can act and sing at the exact same time.
Chicago = Well...yeah. There wasn't really any chances to sing and act at the same time for Richard Gere, nor were there really any other lead men in the film so I can't say much in that department. He can sing and his singing voice differs from his speaking voice so it's hard to tell it's him. He does the job of singing/dancing/'tude very well and I think he should do it more often. Likewise, he should have been nominated for the Oscar; nominated, but not win.

Was there sex?
Moulin Rouge = Nothing x-rated but definately some skin.
Chicago = Pushing the envelope in my opnion. Thankfully the scene was edited so that other things kept on cutting in and it all went by quickly.

Skimpy costumes?
Moulin Rouge = Yes. But that's to be expected.
Chicago = YES! That was to be expected...but what wasn't expected was that it would be skimpier than Moulin Rouge. Maybe the difference was the absence of can-can skirts?

Good sets?
Moulin Rouge = YES! Very ornate, detailed, and pleasing sets!
Chicago = YES! Very good for a musical and even the stage. The 'movie' sets were mainly limited to the jail and the few outside shots there were. In other words, it looked more like a musical than a story.

Language barriers?
Moulin Rouge = Yeah there was some "foul language" there, but nothing really embarassing.
Chicago = Oh yeah. Not R-rated, but I really hate the "gd" word, which was overused...tho not nearly as much as some others I've seen.

Peeves?
Moulin Rouge = Yep. Too many underwear shots, the whole Like A Virgin sequence, and those bloody opera singers that kept doing arias over the actors' singing.
Chicago = Yep! TOO MANY CAMERA FLASHES! Had to shield my eyes lest I get several seizures from this film. It wasn't like Entertainment Tonight covering the red carpet from atop a building. Oh no, they were taking snapshots directly into the camera! Too many thong crotch shots too. None of us want to see that thank you very much.

Second viewings?
Moulin Rouge = YES! Took a while to grow on me (by second or third viewing) but I'd happily watch it over and over.
Chicago = Maybe. Because of the strobes, it will be a hard view, but I'd love to hear Catherine Zeta-Jones sing a LOT more.

Overall?
Moulin Rouge = I LOVE IT!!! It goes into the favorites cabinet!
Chicago = It's okay. Doesn't deserve Best Picture, but I can see where mainstream Hollywood would say so.

Recommendations?
Moulin Rouge = Show it to the family provided everyone is over 15. A must-see!
Chicago = High school or over, but don't watch it with someone if you feel uncomfortable in doing so. See it if you want.

That's the bulk of it.
posted @ 7:36 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Wednesday, March 26, 2003


Legitimate question for anti-war people reading this:

How can you be pro-troops but anti-war?

Is it about this particular war or war in general (or both)?

Troops go to war and it perplexes me how you can support someone's job decision but not their job's purpose. Please explain it to me, the comments section is right here.
posted @ 12:00 AM  |   0 comments  |  

Tuesday, March 25, 2003


Just so it can be said

I am in no way against the Freedom Of Speech. I just don't like it when people take it and use it without putting enough thought into it first. I also don't like it when it's used to twist things around and make everyone crazy.

Of course, I don't have to like it and I can chose not to listen to it, but there are times when my L&O sense/wishful thinking come out more often than I would like. I don't wish to insult anyone, I just don't see their point of view.

That is all.
posted @ 11:42 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Monday, March 24, 2003


Another "gift" from RASSM

Looks like Ted did something right for a change by posting this link: Protest Warrior.

Well worth a look. :-)
posted @ 10:30 PM  |   0 comments  |  


Ever hear of the Geneova Convention?

No? Well, to a person who thinks we have no right to goto Iraq and get rid of Saddam: I hope that if you have to find out, it's in a peaceful way. Amoung other things, it means that all POWs get treated like decent human being. That said, the Iraqi regime has executed some of our fine soldiers. They captured them, put them on tv, and executed them live. They've been doing this to their own Iraqi civillians for years.

Still think we shouldn't get rid of Saddam?

I heard this story earlier today and it made me sick. I hope that this sends a wake-up call to the indifferent, ignorant, and just plain stupid. Saddam's a genocidal tyrannical lying madman and this is one of his "tricks". Get rid of that bastard!
posted @ 1:19 AM  |   0 comments  |  


For the first time:

A c/p from aso!!! Here's part of a response of mine (stuff altered to protect the innocent). Yes it's off-topic but with some of my recent comments on the war and the homefront, something very important was relevant to it. See if you're smart enough (and I'm sure you are) to pick it out:

Reminds me of this one clip from The Muppet Show. I don't know the name of the one-time character or even the lyrics to the song but it started out with "On the outside, I am calm and collect. But on the inside..." and then goes on to show him running 99 mph. :-D
I would love for someone to walk up to me and say: you think too much!!!
Well, at least I use [my brain].
posted @ 12:48 AM  |   0 comments  |  


And the Oscar goes to...

Nia did not win for My Big Fat Greek Wedding. :-(

A *VERY* pregnant Catherine Zeta-Jones was given an Oscar presented to her by her Entrapment costar Sean Connery <pause for collective respective sighings>

Kirk and Micharel Douglas presented the best picture award after some wonderful father-son banter (most of it done by Kirk) that was both "award banter" and yet sweet and familiar.

Eminem got an Oscar and he wasn't there!!!! Where was he?!?! I'm glad he won actually but HE WASN'T THERE?!?!?! Cool song dude.

...then we had this one guy win for some documentary or something (don't know don't care b/c of what happened next) who decided to piss his acceptence speech away by harping on Bush and the war for ALL THE WRONG REASONS. The house was SO shocked that hardly anyone responded to him and of those that did- there were FAR more "boos" than cheers. That guy will probably never work in Hollywood again. Steve Martin had a wonderful (and much-supported) comeback for that.

Speaking of comebacks, Steve Martin redeemed himself from last time he hosted. Did not care for his last hosting but there was one line that stuck with me [sic] "There are ___ many people watching tonight and they're all thinking the same thing: we're all gay." Don't know why, but that made me laugh my butt off. His dedication of the ceremony to the troops at the end was one of maybe only 3 *very small* comments throughout the whole presentation that was appropriate. Go Steve!
posted @ 12:16 AM  |   0 comments  |  

Saturday, March 22, 2003


Please don't make me do it...

Please don't make me a full-fledged anti-media blogger by creating a blog that does nothing but rant about the media, the "entertainment" industry, and the moral death of society. PLEASE don't make me do it!!!!

...I got enough blogs as is and I'm also not 100% in 2/3 of that. But then again, those 2/3 are bad enough...
posted @ 11:58 PM  |   0 comments  |  


Bring back Laugh-In!

Or at least release it on DVD- the whole uncensored with bts thing! We need it right about now. Heck, we also need an "updated" version because SNL is SO not doing for me. I also desperately miss the Joke Wall.

There's also a little tidbit from it that's pretty fitting to both my previous post and what's going on now...one of the subtitled message thingies during a party read: "Youth of America arise...you're blocking traffic."
posted @ 11:56 PM  |   0 comments  |  


The media's at it again...

Hours on end they show us realtime footage of shit getting blown up. In other words: the war.

Then they spend the next hour showing us recorded-earlier footage of protesters. In other words: the anti-war brigade.

Finally, they sometimes cut into whatever it is they're showing us at the time to show us (sometimes in realtime and sometimes previously-recorded) footage of the government folks saying stuff. In other words: the war brigade.

So, what *doesn't* the media show us? Well, they don't show us the liberated Iraqis as often as they should (that's the thank-goodness-you're-here brigade), they certainly wouldn't DARE show us the enough-already! argument (the fed-up brigade), and it seems that they've all but done completely away with the let's "sit down and discuss this rationally like civilized people should" thing so we NEVER hear from the voices of reason brigade!

They wouldn't dare- they want ratings, "stories", and something to "sell". They stopped "selling" true reason a long time ago (if they ever "sold" it at all). When will the level-headed get a chance to explain it in plain English to the masses? Easy: get the masses to shut up and calm down long enough to actually understand what's being said to them.

Will it ever happen? No.

Now you know why this whole darn war thing is such a mess. Now you know why I'd rather just watch the war footage than listen to one more minute of people deliberately blocking traffic and thereby making their freedom of assembly not peaceful and getting themselves arrested. If you're blocking traffic, then you're not assembling peacefully. And blocking traffic downtown will have no bearing whatsoever on the hunt for Saddam Hussein and the liberation of Iraq. And no we don't want their oil.

But oil certainly change the channel on *you*!

in case you didn't get it, that was a phonetic pun: oil/I'll
posted @ 11:52 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Thursday, March 20, 2003


Oh and France...

Put down the wine, put down the oil, put down the banners, and pick up some common decent human sense.
posted @ 11:15 PM  |   0 comments  |  


Iraq: Ok, my turn

I'm sure every blogger and their third cousin is blogging their views on the war right about now (but then again I haven't checked, but the "media" certainly is) so not only here are my two cents and thensome, but I also needed to think aloud a bit. So here goes:


The Bottom Line: Saddam Hussein is a genocidal tyrannical lying madman. You don't allow genocidal tryannical lying madmen to run countries because they commit genocide, rule the country as tyrants, lie about anything and everything to anyone and everyone, and they are unstable to run a government. I don't care what year it is, or what Saddam *claims* he does or does not have: he has NO RIGHT to run a country and should be removed.

But Saddam will not go.

Therefore, we have to go get him. Why? Because the USA, like many other nations united in something called the United Nations, have pledged to defend the free world and keep the peace. Genocidal tyrannical lying madmen have no interest in peace, and in fact, Saddam has done nothing *but* prove that he is a genocidal tryannical lying madman. So why is he still there? Because some nations don't want to remove him because they're skiddish about stuff: "Oh we don't want a war cuz we don't want a war...yes I know our pledge but we wanna back out in this case...oh we have 'other interests' don't bother us...we have 'relations' with them and we don't wanna piss off our 'good pal'...we love our reputation so much that we don't want to back what isn't popular cuz we wanna save face."

Must we do everything ourselves? Must we be the only rationally-thinking nation on the face of the earth? The man in DANGEROUS! I don't care what the naysayers say, Saddam is genocidal and if he's bloodthirsty enough to try out his weapons of mass destruction on HIS OWN PEOPLE then goodness knows he won't have any qualms about doing the same or worse to you! You've seen his genocide- you know what that means! I don't care if the ballot box in his last election says he won by 100%! He's a tyrant- anyone who DOESN'T vote for him will be dead! That's what tyrants DO! I don't care what Mr. Hans Blix can or cannot find- Saddam is a LIAR! Of course he's gonna deny having stuff and when his bluff is called, of course he's gonna hide it where you can't see it! That's what liars DO! I don't care if you don't wanna be involved because you 'don't wanna be involved'- you swore to protect people and keep the peace and you can't do that when there's someone on a desert sand dune doing whatever grabs his ass at the current moment (like putting on a bowler hat and shooting live ammo in the air or gasing a few Kurds), there will be no peace as long as those who are not peaceful are in power! Saddam is NOT peaceful! Those who have NO regard for human life, law, sense of right and wrong, or even decency of humanity have NO RIGHT to hold power!

THAT'S why we went to war in 1991. We didn't get him last time, so we're going to go get him this time. In the past 12 years, he's gathered his strength and mobilized to the point that if we don't get him now, he'll get us by the time we get off of our asses to go get him! THAT'S why we're at war now, and that's why I support it. Not because I like war, but because I hate it. Saddam Hussein makes war with his own people every single day by terrorizing them in that they are at his total mercy and I don't believe for a minute that Saddam is capable of mercy. To prevent further crimes of humanity caused by him, we must get rid of him.


The Media: Two grievences and this is ongoing: 1- STOP MISQUOTING THE PRESIDENT!!! I was listening to NPR with my Dad this morning after having watched the speech last night and I'm here to tell you, we heard SO MUCH MISquoting of the President that it isn't funny. With dreadful misquotes such as that, it's little wonder that so many Americans don't approve of this war. There's paraphrasing and then there's twisting the words too much so that it comes out as a downright lie. If you can't at least honor the man who has both the honor and the incredible burden of defending your own freedoms (including the freedom of the press but I'll get to that another day cuz it's so long), then shut the fuck up.
2- I agree that it's a nice idea to have camera crews embedded with the troops and yes it's nice to know where our troops are stationed and what's being done to counter terrorism, but watch where you step: the enemy DOES watch CNN. I heard one reporter slip the location of something important this afternoon on CNN and I have to say it: "I told you so." Yes there are freedoms of the press, but there are just some things that reporters shouldn't know in the interests of protecting not only their own hides, but the hides of those who control their ratings: us. If the enemy wants to know where the troops are- they can follow your camera lights. If the enemy wants to know how to dodge airport security- watch the evening news. Be careful where you step Mr. Media.


The Troops: We love you, we're behind you, be we also know what you have to do. Many of you signed up to fight the war, those of you want to be there and we are very grateful to you. Those of you who know why this war needs fighting, hats off to you! Please everyone fight hard, fight noblely, stay alive, and come on home when you're done!


The UN: You can talk and talk and talk until the cows come home, but no matter what you do or say, Saddam WILL NOT LEAVE. He's a deaf post and you are either shouting at the rain or casting your pears before swine...I'm inclined to believe all of the above. Pieces of paper and diplomatic bullshit thousands of miles away from the objective WILL NOT solve the problem. Hell, Iraq is a member of the UN and it still ain't budging! Talk means nothing unless you're willing to act upon it. In other words: we all know you can talk the talk, now let's see if your talking is honorable enough to walk the walk.


The Peace Activists: I hear you and I get what you're saying, I really do. But let's be realistic here: Saddam WILL NEVER just give up and leave. There are 3 ways and 3 ways only that he will leave: 1: by death, 2: by capture: 3: by the coming of the apocalypse. Since we cannot arrange the third way, the only method by which we can arrange the other two is to go in after him, and there's only one way to do that: get in there and take him. Since we can't just stroll up to the door and knock, and Saddam doesn't exactly put out a welcome mat for anyone except himself, the only way to get in there, is to force an entry. Since Saddam fights back (and figghts real damn dirty I might add), war is the answer. I hate to say it, but there it is. You cannot reason with a madman.


So there you have it. I can't stand it when smart people deliberately don't use their brains for some half-assed 'reason' that's really just a immature excuse. Saddam started it by being a genocidal tyrannical lying madman, and if the national powers that be on earth (the UN) *don't* get rid of him, then they are responsible in part for all of Saddam's future atrocities against mankind because they allowed him to stay there. In the US, that's called criminal negligence and accessory to murder. By *not* acting, the UN is just as guilty as Saddam. Do you really want that? Be realistic, we ARE at the last resort, so either you use your head or you shut the fuck up and go away.

Support the President, support the troops, and support the people of Iraq who are being held in fear from their own immoral 'ruler'. Pray that we catch Saddam quickly so that this war can be over sooner. And the sooner the war is over, the sooner the troops can come home. God bless 'em!
posted @ 11:13 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Tuesday, March 18, 2003


Thanks RASSM?

Thanks to someone on RASSM, there's a new blog in my blogroll: Bloggerheads. Be sure to check out that photoshop section!

Also, I've been considering a new layout for some time as well and since the blogversary's coming up...
posted @ 11:05 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Monday, March 17, 2003


HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!

It may not have been all that grand with all the wartalk going on (heck, not many reporters even wore green today), but I still wore *my* green. Yes, I have a lizard on my shirt. Ok so it's a print, but you can't dispute my socks!!!
posted @ 11:15 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Sunday, March 09, 2003


Friday Find

On Friday night, my hard work of persistence and driving other people crazy has paid off: I found a Chancellor Palpatine figure!!!




Finally got it!!!


And I don't care what the collectors say, I'm taking it out of the box. I ain't saying when tho. :-)
posted @ 11:15 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Wednesday, March 05, 2003


My Big Fat Greek Blogpost

Finally saw that movie today- good stuff. It was odd tho how didn't go for more laughs than it did like Hollywood movies so it was but a bit eerie and very good that this movie was made as an independent cuz you got to see more character development and the funny parts could just be funny without being one-liners and over-blown running gags.

Refreshing actually, and I like how the lead actress wrote the whole thing too. :-)

I know they've made a tv series out of it but since we don't watch ABC and have already missed the pilot, I don't think we'll be able to continue it. :-( I hope she write all the stuff there too cuz it would be a shame if it "went Hollywood" like so many other things. Anyway, good movie and if you haven't seen it yet- do it!
posted @ 11:31 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Tuesday, March 04, 2003


HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!!

<tosses beads around room>

Coins hurt too much to toss in the air. Still got my beads and coins and glass wine thingy from when we did Mardi Gras as the prom theme. Also still got the bean from when we did that hide the bean in the cake thing from French 3.

I don't know why I'm talking about this as I don't celebrate Lent...but then again, I do have some French in me. :-) Not cajun tho. Anyway, to those who are so inclined, Happy Mardi Gras to you. And to those of you who are still level, keep at it.

...and if any of that didn't sound right- it's *your* problem. :-)
posted @ 11:28 PM  |   0 comments  |  

Monday, March 03, 2003


Another interesting date

3/3/3

Too bad I didn't post anything to 03/03/03 at 03:03:03 either am or pm. Guess we'll have to wait until next year at 04/04/04 04:04:04 then. :-)
posted @ 9:58 PM  |   0 comments  |