Timing Is Everything

   So here we are, just about a week after the election, and it's been sort of a rough week for Obama and his gang.  This whole mess with Patreus, new information suggesting the Benghazi attacks were part of a cover up, and now bombs are falling in the middle east.  Whew!  While I don't think the Israel stuff has anything to do with this, I do find the timing quite interesting on the other two topics.

   Does it strike you as odd that all of these crazy, damaging things are coming out now, AFTER the election is over?  I think it should.  The timing is just too convenient.  Had these scandals surfaced two weeks BEFORE the election, is there a chance that it could have turned the tide?  Maybe not, but possibly.  So how is it that two things as big and important as this are only just now surfacing?

   Media.  That's who I blame.  It's no secret that many mainstream media outlets preferred a second term for Obama.  And while you could argue that media is simply a mouthpiece for the people (after all, it's those people who watch the ads that keep those media outlets up and running), is it really media's job to pick favorites and slant things?  I find it a little ironic that the media can do some digging and find things like that Mother Jones video of Romney, or all kinds of other damaging facts and "didya knows" about Romney's background, but then something this big and important just blindsides them.  Still, I guess it's possible... I mean even Fox News, who you would think would be all over this stuff, apparently didn't know anything about it.

   I'm not going to continue harping on this, it's just something I want you to think about.  Consider for a moment that we are actually not as "free" as we may think.  Consider that while you might be proud to say "at least we're not living in an Orwellian society," in fact we are... it's just a different type of society.  We are controlled, but the control comes from us.  We breach our own privacy by posting intimate life details on facebook (or on blogs like this one).  We lazily spout out political or other statements that are spoken by media folks without bothering to do any of our own research or anything to make up our own minds.  We complain about things that we ourselves vote for...

Wait, what?

Freedom of UNintelligence

   I'll admit, I was getting a little "conspiracy theory" at the end of that last bit.  But there's no arguing that young people are depressing.  Oh young people... they think they know everything about everything.  I'm not saying that I was a genius by any means when I was in college, but I certainly wasn't as lost, controlled, or pathetically weak-minded as the youth that are supposed to carry the torch for the next round.

   The latest example: ASU students protesting the fact that the college campus is going "non-smoking," meaning that there will be nowhere for students or faculty to smoke on campus.  They will actually have to leave school to smoke cigarettes.  Now I wholeheartedly disagree with this, and I think it violates the rights of those students... but what's even more depressing than the fact that it's happening is how the students are protesting it.

   I saw a sign that one of these kids was carrying.  It said something like "my lungs, my choice, my right."  Oh you silly, silly child.  Don't you realize that isn't the case anymore?  Now that we have this wonderful universal healthcare, they might be your lungs, but it isn't your choice or your right.  I have a say in those rules, because I am partially paying for your cancer treatments down the road.  I'm the one who gets to help foot the bill for your medical bills.  I get to suffer the consequences of your bad decisions.  And so, as a non-smoker, I say no sir, you cannot smoke on campus.  Not on my dime.

   You know what would be interesting?  I would like to know how many of these protestors voted for President Obama.  I would like to hear their impassioned speeches over vegan lunches, most likely while one of them played the mandolin or some other stupid instrument.  I would love to see how up in arms they got about things like "the man" and "those rich bastards in the GOP who don't care about us struggling students." I'm sure it was extremely emotional and heartfelt.  And wrong.

   You see, silly college students, your votes actually led to your own demise.  It is because of your unwavering support for Obama and Obamacare that you are now having to leave campus to exercise your right to smoke.  How smart do you feel now?

   This is just the beginning folks.  It's just a matter of time before they are telling you how many calories you're allowed to eat, whether or not you can order a soda or a beer, or how many cups of coffee you can enjoy in the morning.  It's all for our own good... and it's all completely un-American.  Awesome.

Short and sweet this week!  Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

It's Over

   Well, it's finally over.  After months of yelling at each other, of trying to act like we all knew what was best for our country (or at least we knew who knows what's best for our country), we've finally made it through the election.  And what do you know, the world is still spinning.  I will say this, I never thought I'd be happy to see regular commercials on TV again, but I am.

   So there's been a lot of talk through this election about how we went through all this trouble for "more of the same."  They're not talking about Obama winning, either.  What they are talking about is the gridlock that has held our country hostage for the past four years.  I heard more than a few frustrated anchors, reporters, commentators, talking about how upsetting it was that we once again had a Democrat in the White House, but a Republican House of Representatives.

   But I for one am glad that we have gridlock.

   Gridlock is what makes this democracy so freakin' awesome.  Gridlock proves to me that the founding fathers were smarter than any of us can imagine.  Gridlock is what sets us apart from most of the rest of the world, and what makes us better than the rest of the world.

   Think back to your high school history classes.  I know it's tough, because honestly who really pays that much attention in history?  You know what I remember from history class?  My junior year, we cut out 20's era cars and folded/taped them together with our own colorful designs.  I'm 17 years old, and I'm taping together a stupid origami car.  But if you can get past all the bullshit in history class, you may recall something that came up in the founding of this country.  Something called "checks and balances."  See, the whole idea for us was to build dysfunction into the system.  In this system, no one part of government could overrule the others.  And it's brilliant.

   Imagine for a second that we had all Democrats in congress and a Democrat President.  Think about how much more stuff would get done.  How many more bills would pass.  How many more laws would wind up on the books and how much more harmonious everything in Washington would be.  It would be great... if you're a Democrat.  But if you're a Republican, it would be a disaster.  The gridlock acts as a buffer... or maybe a safety net.  Well it acts as something to keep this from happening.  The idea here is that no one agenda can control everything, and only the truly bipartisan, smart, or critical ideas will make it past everyone.

   Of course, we've seen both sides get carried away with this idea.  Most recently it's been the Republicans, who basically openly declared that they would do everything in their power to stop Obama and his pals from being able to do much of anything.  They tried that for a couple years, hoping that it would kill support for Obama enough that during the 2012 election a Republican would get into the White House.  Well guess what fellas?  Your plan failed.  Obama is still the President.  And so my request (and all of our requests) I think would be for those Republicans to at least open their ears and listen to what Obama and company have to say.  It's one thing to stand up for your constituents, it's another to act like your children on the playground.

   There's another caveat to this whole "checks and balances" thing too, and that is the Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court is basically a bunch of old people who sit around in funny robes, making decisions every day that have a profound impact on all of our lives.  Abortion?  Gay marriage?  The big stuff.  It all goes through the Supreme Court.  Those guys aren't elected, they are chosen... and I think that's a big mistake.  Plus they serve life terms, which is hilarious to me because as we all know, the older you get the more out of touch you become.  And we've seen from both parties that the choice of who gets on the Supreme Court bench has less to do with education and brains, and more to do with party lines.  That's disappointing.

   So here's to another four years.  Four more years of fighting, bickering, people trying to act like they can save this country if someone would just give them a shot.  It's okay.  I would rather have gridlock than a purely Democrat or Republican government leading us down either path.  I just hope this time around maybe we can act a little more civilized about it.

Gasland

   From Netflix:  In this Oscar-nominated documentary, director Josh Fox journeys across America to examine the negative effects of natural-gas drilling, from poisoned water sources to kitchen sinks that burst into flames to unhealthy animals and people.

   My Take:  When I first popped this bad boy in, I prepared myself for another documentary told by some whiney environmentalist, talking about how gas is going to kill us all.  I thought we'd see some folks light their faucets on fire, then get a bunch of confrontations with politicians avoiding questions, blah blah blah... but I was wrong.

   What really sets "Gasland" apart is the way in which the story is told.  The narrator isn't some over-dramatic buffoon... he's just a regular guy, like you or me.  He's open from the start about why he's making the documentary (his land could be affected by the natural gas frackers), and while he has a definite stance, he never seems to try to convince anyone to believe it.  He's making this movie for selfish reasons, and it just so happens to be an eye-opening experience for you the viewer as well.

   Movies like this need to have more attention.  Not because they will convince you to be an environmentalist, or because they will convince you that environmentalists are nutjobs.  Really this movie needs more attention because it brings up an important choice that we're all facing.  What is energy going to be like in the future for this country?  We have an important decision to make.

   Would you still protest and cry out against natural gas fracking if you knew that stopping it would raise natural gas prices in this country exponentially?  Would you still want to have a solar panel installed on every rooftop if you knew that doing so would eliminate the need for electrical companies and put hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work?  Where exactly is the line?  We enjoy a lot of conveniences... low gas prices, dependable electricity, things that people would probably literally die without.  And yet these are the same people who would protest the very things that make their lives so much easier.  I'm not taking sides, I'm just asking the question.

   Boy I went on a bit of a tangent there.  Anyway, as far as documentaries go, this one certainly doesn't have the best production value, and the main guy is kinda deadpan throughout.  But I do think this is an important topic (obviously) and I do think this documentary is worth checking out.

Flight

   From Netflix:  After his amazing safe landing of a damaged passenger plane, an airline pilot is praised for the feat, but has private questions about what happened. Further, the government's inquiry into the causes soon puts the new hero's reputation at risk.

   My Take:  Oh Denzel... you sly fox.  Just when I think I'm done liking you as an actor, you go and pull of something like this... and TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF.  Actually I did like Denzel's performance in this movie... but his acting (and the other actors' acting) is about the end of what I liked.

   What we have here is a movie about alcoholism, thinly shrouded in a story that was topical about two years ago.  Remember when that dude made the awesome plane landing in the Hudson and saved all those people?  I can just picture some movie producer saying "come on now, we GOTTA make this into a movie."  And Hollywood being Hollywood, I'm sure a lot of people agreed... but I think it's also apparent that the question was "then what?"  Finally, years later, some producer (maybe the same one) woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.  "I GOT IT!" he shouts!  "We'll do it on alcoholism!"

   Bad move capitan.  See, now not only do you have two different movies sort of band-aided together... you're also risking sullying the pilot (who's nickname is actually Sully) who made this incredible landing.  You're taking a guy who was a hero and presenting a major flaw, I get that... but think about the potential consequences.

   And let's move on past the crash, since really that was just the first 20 minutes or so of the movie.  The real meat and potatoes of this movie is Denzel dealing with alcohol and drug addiction.  It was actually a movie about drugs and drinking, not really about any of the other stuff.  And while it was painful to watch, it was also disappointing.  

   I couldn't believe how sympathetic this movie was toward Denzel's addictions.  I mean, am I seriously supposed to feel sorry for this guy because he's an alcoholic?  Was that the goal?  It's not even like the plane is what turned him to drink.  He had the problem long before then.  I dunno, I just felt like it went too far.

   I gotta be honest here... I didn't care for this movie.  Not only was it raw and uncomfortable, it was also just sort of silly the way they portrayed this character.  Yeah let's drug him up so he can do a better job at his trial!  People were actually laughing in the theater when they saw how terribly he had failed at controlling his addiction.  Ridiculous.

In Time

   From Netflix:  In a near future where aging stops at 25, time is the new currency and the wealthy can live forever. When Will Salas inherits decades of life from a wealthy murdered man, he's pegged as the suspect by the corrupt Time Keepers, who enforce the law.

   My Take:  Holy crap this movie was bad.  Justin Timberlake... you, sir, are a whiney little baby.  Even when you're trying to be tough, you're whiney.  I don't know who the other chick was (yes I said other chick), but she wasn't much better.

   The worst part is, this movie didn't have to be bad.  The premise is sound.  Time has become currency.  But instead of making it all cool and hip, they should instead have focused on it being a necessity of population control.  They should have made it grittier, written it better, and they should have cast some real actors instead of hacks.

   The socialist message isn't very suttle in this movie.  The guy is fighting the system to give time to everyone, even though it will destroy all of them in the process.  Equality for all.  Wonderful.  It wasn't hidden in any way, not that it matters because no one smart enough to get it would bother watching this drivel.

   I'm bitter, yes, but it's because I think it's a shame that they squandered such an opportunity.  You had a chance to make something really cool here.  Something along the lines of "Gamer," something with some real commentary value.  Instead you made a bunch of sad-face looks, upset whiney babies, and... well, that's about it.  Congratulations.  Pass.

Skyfall

   From Netflix:  When a serious menace threatens MI6, James Bond is on the case -- putting aside his own life and personal issues to hunt and obliterate the perpetrators. Meanwhile, secrets arise from M's past that strain Bond's loyalty to his longtime boss.

   My Take:  The latest (and supposedly greatest) Bond movie does not disappoint.  While it might not hit on all fronts, it does have some very, very good moments.  I'm not a huge Bond fan to begin with, so fair warning: my opinions might be skewed.  Oh, and also, SPOILER ALERT.

   This movie got several things right: the action was intense.  There was plenty of it.  There were also some very creative scenes (I loved the Shanghai office building with all the glass).  The soundtrack was great (and patting myself on the back, I correctly guessed that it was Thomas Newman).  There were beautiful locales, and it just felt more like a James Bond movie than the last couple.  They even reintroduced some classic characters.  Unfortunately, that's where things begin to get ugly.

   This movie failed on a lot of fronts.  As I said, there was a lot of instense action... but it was shot all wrong.  There were great fight scenes but they were all shot from afar, big wide shots of arms flailing, hits landing, it was a complete waste of some awesome choreography.  The characters were reintroduced, suggesting that we are in fact rebooting the series... and yet he pulls the old Bond car out of a garage.  If you're going to pay homage to the past, then let the past be the past.  But to have that, and then have Moneypenny stroll in as if she's brand new to the group, and that's after M has died... well, none of it makes sense.  You're basically taking one giant shit on the timeline.

   The movie also drags.  It has a nice natural ending, which it simply doesn't take advantage of.  There's an entire 30 minutes after the fact that just don't need to be there.  It's like they wrote two possible endings for the movie, and the producer or director was like "fuck it let's shoot 'em both!"  And then the editor was like "what am I supposed to do with this?"  And the director is all like "DON'T LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKIN' TO YOUUUU."  So then we are treated to a "Home Alone" -esque ending for grown-ups.  It's like what McCauly Culken would have done if that movie were rated R.

   Still, I liked the movie and I think it's worth seeing.  But not in theaters, at least not this weekend.  I gotta tell you, I've never been a big fan of seeing movies in theaters, and this movie just reaffirmed all of my complaints.  The place was packed with smelly, fat people.  The grandparents sitting directly next to me were trying to entertain their little kid, who of course would not shut up through the entire movie (and the "good granparents" weren't going to say anything to him).  Shut up kid, you're not important and no one cares what you think.  I counted at least three babies crying during the movie.  Who brings a BABY to a movie like this?  You should be slapped in the face with a parenting book.  And the best part was when some asshole answered his phone during the movie.  It rang loud, and he picked up.  He says "I'm in a movie."  Then he proceeds to have an entire conversation!  People yelled for him to shut up, but he just kept talking.  What a prick.  So yeah, not a fan of the movie theater experience.

Alright, that's it.  I'm done.  I know I've been kinda phoning it in these past couple of entries.  Thanks for staying with me though.  I'll try to step my game up for next time.