GOP Vixen

Welcome to the black parade

Today, after Friday prayers, a bunch of nincompoops in the Sudan poured into the streets to demand harsh punishment for Gillian Gibbons, the British schoolteacher who let her students name a teddy bear Muhammad, aka  one of the most popular boy's names in the world. The government had the symbolic riot cops on hand, but did nothing to stop the sword-and-stick-wielding rabble. Including this guy pictured, a student named Yassin Mubarak, who said:

"It is a premeditated action, and this unbeliever thinks that she can fool us? What she did requires her life to be taken."

What is wrong with the world today can be summed up in this one stupid, overblown case. I mean, it's a fucking teddy bear. 'Nuf said.

Mired in dental hell

As I noted at the beginning of this week, I was set to have my impacted wisdom teeth yanked on Monday. I was all ready to go and get knocked out, having gladly paid extra for full sedation. However, my itty bitty veins came back to haunt me, and after a full hour of bruising tourniquets, getting whacked on my hands and arms, getting jabbed in my arm and my foot (yep, as bad as it sounds) only to have the veins close after a teeny bit of sedative seeped in, it's official: GOP Vixen must be a zombie. Actually, they were forced to proceed with a novocaine-only bony extraction, which I partly felt, and was particularly evil considering the bad local-anesthesia surgery I had last year where I felt the knife. Recovery has been slow and painful going (mucho, mucho thanks to Scott and Crabtree for their greating posting!!, but I wanted to post a bit before konking out from the drugs.

The Next Cold War?

One disturbing item that has not gotten a lot of press but has raised some eyebrows is the recent refusal of China to allow U.S. ships port entry into Hong Kong. Two of the ships were minesweepers trying to escape a cyclone. In cases where ships are trying to escape a storm it is customary for any country to allow ships into port no matter where they are from. Initially, the Chinese tried to say it was all a misunderstanding but soon blamed the U.S. for the slight. The Chinese claimed arming Taiwan and honoring the Dali Lama was behind their actions.

When you take a close look at what the Chinese have done recently, it’s clear they are looking to challenge the U.S. which could lead to the next cold war. This year alone the Chinese have continued to deploy missiles aimed at Taiwan, conducted a provocative satellite destroying missile test, and have started to pursue building aircraft carriers and stealth fighters. At the same time, China has allied itself with Iran and is cozying up to Russia.

While building up its military might be dismissed as the natural progression of a developing country, flipping off the U.S. Navy reveal a newly aggressive stance that the U.S. cannot afford to ignore.

Huck is Hot

While on a trip to Atlanta I had a chance to catch the Republican debate. The debate started with Mitt and Rudy hammering each other on immigration and both came out looking bad. You could tell it was a soft spot for both of them since they both looked about as embarrassed as a stripper at a tent revival.

From where I was sitting Huckabee came out on top once again. When he was poked about immigration, Huckabee defended himself rather than try to deflect and make excuses, which made both Mitt and Rudy look worse by comparison. Huckabee also got some more airtime for the Fairtax, which always seems to make the other candidates look uncomfortable. John McCain showed why they are uncomfortable as he tried to pooh-pooh the Fair tax and defend the current steaming pile of crap we now call our tax code. It’s like trying to defend Britney Spears right to have a baby.

I was pretty amused when one of the questions basically asked Ron Paul if he was a complete nut. Paul basically answered he wasn’t completely nutty or at least not as nutty as some of his followers. Paul’s answer won the award for the most disturbing of the night.

Oh, and Fred Thompson was there too. Still no pulse.

Skin flix

Director Robert Zemeckis continues his use of motion capture with his adaptation of the English epic poem Beowulf.  The basic story is preserved:  mighty warrior Beowulf shows up to defend a kingdom long terrorized by the monstrous Grendel, and in turn, Grendel's mother and a dragon.  A significant portion of the text was reworked, so there are a few surprises even for those well-versed in the original text.

The movie is something of a mixed bag.  The combination of digital RealD technology (again, I'm a sucker for 3-D glasses) and the motion capture makes for a STUNNING presentation.  I have mixed feelings about the big changes they did to the story-- the changes to Grendel's mother were lame, but the connection made to the second half of the story was a good idea, and so was the horror that Beowulf awakens to.  Winstone's delivery is odd, peppering Beowulf's monologues with brief but noticeable pauses.  A small detail I quite liked was how Grendel's Mother addresses Beowulf, making reference to the meaning behind the titular kenning, which is later manifested in a sail.

Something should be said that while it is PG-13, a factor in it not being rated more adult appropriate was the "distancing" that the motion capture creates over live-action.  Grendel's rampages into the feasting hall are quite graphic, and punctuated by flickering light.  While Angie and co. simply appear to be naked, and strategic coverings and objects are used for the nether bits, the nudity of the characters should be deemed real enough to earn back the initial R-rating.  As a whole, the movie fell short of the hype, but if a nearby theatre is offering it in 3-D or IMAX, it's worth the trip just for the visuals.

I'm not remotely familiar with Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, so I can't say anything on how good the adaptation to the screen is.  But the story is simple enough:  Fermina is a newly-widowed matriarch who comes home from the funeral of her husband to a long-lost flame proclaiming a life-long love for her, which triggers a flashback.  A young boy, Fiorentino,  is enamored with a girl, Fermina, who is out of his league, and when his feelings are categorically not returned, he goes about trying to forget his painful rejection by becoming a playboy while she gets married to Dr. Juvenal Urbino.

Filmed beautifully in Colombia, Garcia Marquez's home country and the setting for the novel, there are several great landscape shots and the creation of the town adds to the feel of authenticity.  Shakira's presence on the soundtrack was a similarly great choice, and I will admittedly see anything with Javier Bardem after seeing him in Mar Adentro. 

But what is supposed to be a great story feels flat after it leaves the page, and instead of feeling engaged, a lot of the film was a yawn for me.  Not to mention the numerous, but brief, love scenes thrown in.  The first two are actually funny, but they quickly fade into "Oooh, there's a bookshelf behind the couple having sex.  I wonder if there's anything good on it.".  I'm also a bit peeved that the movie is in English, instead of Spanish when so many members of the cast (Bardem, John Leguizamo, Catalina Sandino Moreno, etc) are fluent or native speakers.  So like Beowulf, this is very much a mixed bag, but lots of great scenery, haunting Shakira tunes, and the outstanding Javier Bardem, who I'll mention more when I get around to No Country For Old Men.

Mid East Reruns

  Bush is trying to get folks from the Middle East around a table to sing a few choruses of cumbuya and I just keep hearing this must be bad because it’s Bush’s party. Somehow, people have the idea that Bush is only doing this because he is trying to build a legacy. Yeah, you know you are going to make a lot of progress when the Saudis tell you they won’t even shake hands with the Israelis right from the git go. Let’s get real, every president holds one of these dog and pony shows just to show he cares even though he really thinks they all act like a bunch of childish asses. So this is really little more than the obligatory meeting where the president gives the Rodney King, "can’t we just all get along" speech. The only president that built a legacy on Mid East peace was Jimmy Carter. Good job Jimmy! Think Jimmy Carter’s legacy and a toilet bowl flashes through your mind. Hell, Billy Carter has a better legacy than Jimmy in my mind.

Not to be outdone Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is holding what appears to be an anti-peace conference in Tehran. The anti peace conference will host the finest Middle East thug groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. You might wonder what they will talk about since they pretty much agree that Israel should be destroyed, all infidels should die, blah blah blah; but the conference is really quite important when the talk turns to what to name your 76 virgins. After all, you don’t want to be the guy that goes unprepared and has to name one Ethyl.

My biannual two cents

I stick to movie talk around here, but the gay blogosphere is starting to foam at the mouth over the rumor surrounding the surprise resignation of Trent Lott.  Supposing that he did proffer the services of a man-whore, he and every outed conservative/Republican has fallen far short of the ignominy of former governor James McGreevey (D).

While some of them have been creepy old men who IMed jailbait White House pages, and others have kicked it with garcons de joie, only McGreevey abused the powers of his position to bestow upon an unqualified foreign national a Homeland Security appointment.  When the FBI refused to grant the requisite security clearances for Golan Cipel to assume the position (sorry, I couldn't resist), a nebulous "counselor" job was created for him by McGreevey.  That Cipel was either his boyfriend/mistress or his victim only makes McGreevey sleazier.

While I'm not a fan of the outgoing senator for many of the excellent reasons outlined by Dan, even Lott's alleged hypocrisy pales in comparison to the vile actions of McGreevey.  At least he didn't date Mohammad Atta on the side while there was a vacancy in the NJ Department of Transportation. 

Hopefully the gay elite/liberals will be able to keep the fake indignation and schadenfreude over the allegations to a dull roar, because all too many will keep carping simply because simply the idea of a gay Republican sends them into paroxysms.

Sigh- I need to settle down and watch a movie, and not this one.

Using my illusion

I'll be AWOL for a couple o' days as I go under the knife to get impacted wisdom teeth yanked. But afterward, while recuperating at Chez Bridget, I plan to read Slash's autobiography -- and, as a colleague pointed out, it will probably be that much more interesting since I'll simultaneously be taking Vicodin.

I promise to return with a full book report! That which I remember, that is...

Fires return to Malibu

The fires are back, and we're up to 49 homes destroyed in the Corral Fire. According to an update just now on TMZ.com, the home of Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea, which was reported earlier as lost in the blaze, was in fact not burned down. Flea, a former member of the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra and Fairfax High grad, established the nonprofit Silverlake Conservatory of Music that gives a hand to young musicians. There are also reports that Axl Rose's house was damaged.

Just say no to happy-family letters!

In Friday's paper, L.A. Daily News staff writer Dana Bartholomew wrote about the holiday family form letter: that annoying piece of paper tucked into greeting cards that hints at major dysfunctionality by painting one's family with an impossibly perfect brush. Nowadays, it's also known as the thing I don't read. In fact, the weight of a card can often indicate if there is a stiff, 8 1/2x11 sheet folded into fourths lurking within, thus giving the recipient adequate warning.

Really, when did a holiday greeting turn into an attempt to gloat mightily about all the attributes that make you and your kin so much better than the recipient? I don't buy the excuse that this is an opportunity to catch up on the year in review, considering that e-mail has made keeping in touch year-round so much easier. Why not just say Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah, let the recipient know that you're grateful to have him/her in your life, and sign the card? How about using the time that would have been spent crafting the family letter trotting the clan down to volunteer at a homeless shelter, and then resisting the urge to gloat about your charity later to everyone on your Christmas card list?