A bad night to watch TV

In one corner: the 2010 Pro-Bowl. The one game out of the whole NFL season no fan of football gives a rats ass to watch. Sorry Antonio Gates and DeMarcus Ware, I could care less to watch a game that has no meaning to anyone playing on the field.

In the other: the 2009 Grammy Awards. I actually like watching this, but music in 2009 (save Dave Matthews, U2, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen, MGMT, Muse, and Beyonce) sucked. Not a fan of Taylor Swift's country-pop crossover/teenage girl romance shtick, didn't like Black Eyed Peas's latest effort, Kings of Leon are overrated, and Lady Gaga is just a rehash of Madonna back in the 80's. Nothing really stood out to me, unlike last year when Radiohead gave the one-finger to the recording industry with In Rainbows and still made their best album since Kid A; when Coldplay embraced being U2's eventual heirs with Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends; when Auto-Tune reached it's peak with Lil Wayne's amazing Tha Carter III; when British singer-songwriter Duffy stole and broke hearts with her debut album, Rockferry, and so on.

So what's there to watch? Big Love on HBO. I'm completely behind in that family drama, but thank goodness for HBO On-Demand. I can catch up on all the episodes i've missed.

Late Edit by Jonathan: Taylor Swift won Album of the Year. It's official: The Grammys have become a pathetic popularity contests.

Late Edit From The Count: My disdain for 21st century culture is legendary but looking at the Grammy's through the years I see they have always made some head scratching choices.

From 1966: Best Contemporary (Rock and Roll) Recording“Winchester Cathedral,” New Vaudeville Band (Fontana) Um say what? Of course it's all about who greases whoms palms.

I Love It When Trolls Name Themselves After Their Fantasies

Dick Blitskreig
It doesn't matter, Obama has already spent his political capitol and only has 1 year left before he's turned into the almighty lame duck.

Maybe He'll Get Tired And Go Back To Planet Bob

planetofbob.wordpress.com
"...and overlooking the serious, Joe Wilson-like breach of etiquette by Justice Alito"

Boy, you can't let go of that one, can you. I've got an idea, lets put the author of this (or any other) piece on national television, point a camera at them while the president calls them names, and see if they don't respond similarly.

Was it "supreme court like"? Probably not. Were Obama's comments "Not True"? It seems there is still a lot of debate on this one, with a lot of scholars saying that there is indeed a lot of misinformation in Obama's remarks.

Go back and watch the 2005 SOTU address, and watch the couple of times Hillary was on screen. Then tell me that Alito's actions were a breach, and her's were not.

Oh that's right, Bush was giving that speech, so Hillary was right to mouth the words she did.

I see Suicide Bob has been all over newshounds spreading his own special brand of Bullshit all over Newshounds and off topic. The Media is Liberal blah blah blah, Nobody gives a shit what I have to say blah blah blah. Why don't I have any friends? blah blah blah I am leaving and never coming back blah blah blah. Maybe he'll get tired and go back to planet Bob the only place people give shit what he has to say.

And Finally We Have A Winner!!!

Nebraska is off the schneid in Big XII Conference play beating Oklahoma tonight 63-46!

According to a conservative on Blogs for Victory

The Catholic priests who screw little boys: they're innocent! I am not making this up.

Amazona says:
January 29th, 2010 at 9:27 pm

Catholic priests have not, for the most part, engaged in any sexual abuse at all. Those who have have not been,for the most part, pedophiles. Pedophilia is the sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. The sexually abusive priests have been homosexuals attracted to and preying upon adolescent, post-puberty, boys.

BOYS.

In a classic RRL move of misdirection and redefinition, their attack on religion through attacking the Church is dependent on first redefining “pedophilia” and then redirecting the scandal away from predatory gay men to whatever other smokescreen they can invent.

The big move to the Left, the Vatican Council, was responsible for making the priesthood a safe haven for predatory gay men, and setting them up in positions of trust where they could molest young men with impunity.

A friend dated a man who had entered the seminary during that period and left because the atmosphere was so hostil to anyone who was not openly and overtly gay.

But Lefties are deeply invested in protecting and even promoting homosexuality, so the only way they can use sexual predation to attack the Church is to pretend it is heterosexual, and that the sin is one of pedophilia.

Typical RRL lies, start to finish……..

Having sex with a boy doesn't make you a fag...it means that you are an extremely disturbed person who needs psychiatric help. Furthermore, pedophilia and homosexuality are polar opposites. Homosexuality means that you are attracted to the same sex. Pedophilia is considered, in the field of psychology, as a mental disorder where an individual gets excitement out of having sexual intercourse with pre-pubertal or pubescent boys or girls, or has sexual fantasies about boys or girls of a certain age.
It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that homosexuality and pedophilia have nothing to do with the other...hell, a high school student could be able to distinguish the difference between the two.

Strangers In The Night Review.

Strangers In The Night Deluxe Edition ** 1/2/ *****

In the 1960's especially in the field of Country Music it was not uncommon at all for studios to exploit a hit song by getting the artist into the studio having him or her cut some cover versions of current hits along with some material that the record companies wanted buried deep a 12 inch piece of vinyl. What you were often stuck with was 1 or 2 good songs and 10 or 11 songs that were politely called "filler" in the music business. The opposite was often true from albums made from rock and many pop acts in the 60's. These acts were "Album" acts. Their Albums were far greater than their singles or hits making greatest hits packages some of their least satisfying work. The ultimate "Album" artist was Frank Sinatra in fact it was Sinatra who invented the concept of the concept album. In The Wee Small Hours (1955) is considered a ***** by nearly every reviewer who has ever reviewed it and it remains a fan favorite but quick name one song on the album besides the title track...I'll wait...

By the Mid 1960's Sinatra had his own record company which by this point he had sold to Warner Brothers and sadly had fallen into the practice of turning in sub-par studio albums built around the latest single. Often these albums, That's Life, Softly As I Leave You, The World We Knew, Cycles, My Way were far from his best work. While all Of the albums mentioned have something to recommend the ( this is Sinatra after all) only the above average My Way 1969 stands up as anything other than a middling result. One of the worst of these albums might very well be 1966's Strangers In The Night.

With the help of it's title track which would go on to be Sinatra's biggest hit ever Strangers In The Night would also be one of Sinatra's best selling albums but it's far from one of the best. It starts out good enough the first two tracks are the title track which Sinatra hated and seemed to try and sabotage by dry heaving at the end of it with his famous Doobie Doobie Doo scat and the fantastic Summer wind the unquestionable highlight of the album. After those two songs however things quickly go south quickly. Many have said this was Sinatra's first light rock album and an attempt to stay relative or modern and that's a big part of the the problem with the album. The other part of the problem with the album is Sinatra can't seem to decide if he wants to be "modern" or the great singer of the American song book so he tries to make the standards modern and playing it in the middle of the two roads sells both ends short. What you end up with is uncomfortable versions of the Standards that Sinatra is normally so comfortable with. Starting with his 900th version of All Or Nothing At All which is better than the later disco version but that's not saying much. The rest of the album consists of either "OK" versions of standards like My Baby Just Cares For Me and The Most Beautiful Girl In The World or bad versions of bad standards like Yes Sir That's My Baby. However the worst of Strangers In The Night is still yet to come.

In the hands of Petula Clark Downtown and Call Me are OK enough but in the hands of Frank Sinatra they are just wrong. Not Bad Bad Bad Leroy Brown wrong but still wrong. Sinatra seems to hold Downtown in such contempt that he seems to be channeling his inner Art Fern The Tea Time Movie announcer played by Johnny Carson. The 3 extra tracks don't add much to total of the package either. There are 2 tracks Strangers In The Night and All or Nothing At All which are taken from a 1985 Japan concert that was recorded and is available on DVD in every country but the USA. A CD of the concert was made and is not hard to find even if it does officially hold bootleg status. Neither version is bad but it if I already had it you have to assume that 85% of Sinatraphiles also already had it. The third bonus track is a another take of Yes Sir That's My Baby which begs the question dear God why? The alternate take might actually be better than the original for what it's worth but it's not an alternate take or concert version of summer wind either. Just as with the "ultimate" version of My Way last year the sound is great but With the original 10 tracks and the 3 bonus tracks the disk still only runs a shade over 35 minutes. Why not an alternative take of Strangers to go along with the concert version? Why not at least one other version of Summer wind?

When I saw that an expanded version of Strangers In The Night was going to be the next release from the Sinatra family I have to admit I was disappointed. This year being the 40th Anniversary of Watertown I hoped we would get the up graded sound treatment of that fantastic Album and who knows we still might. But from a $ standpoint there is no question that this release makes more sense to the Sinatras than Watertown even if the albums are not close to being of the same quality. Strangers In The Night sold millions of copies in 1966 and with its still recognizable title track will probably still sell a few copies. Watertown which is an Album that tells a story and has no single to boost it's sells originally sold a mere 35,000 copies in 1970 by far the worst selling Sinatra album ever. Strangers In The Night is a listenable 35 minutes of middling or worse Frank Sinatra and while it's true middling Sinatra is often better than most people's best efforts it's still middling. The best two tracks on the CD are widely available elsewhere (Check out Nothing But The Best) so I can't honestly say I recommend this to anybody other than committed Sinatraphiles who already know it's faults and will buy it any way. For the record like the good fan boy I am I must admit even though I have pretty much trashed this album I have already played it twice since it came in the mail today.

Lessons Learned From Kurt Warner

Let's see says I'll announce my decision on whether or not to retire in a few days to not take anything away from the Super Bowl,. He didn't hold press conferences to announce that he hadn't made up his mind. He didn't waste our precious time just for the sake of publicity. There are some other QB's who could learn some lessons on how to handle yourself from Kurt Warner. You'll be missed Kurt.

I Have To Issue A Massive Aoplogy To Ellen

And The Other people who Moderate Newshounds. Having our on blog which of course is not on the scale of yours and having to deal with little snot monsters who somehow think they have a God given right to be heard on our forum I can see where dealing with that problem on a scale several times fold would get to be tremendous headache.

There are somethings and opinions I have said which if I were to go over I would probably still stand by. However What I can't defend, or no longer justify is my behavior towards the way I had conducted myself in the past in regards to how you ran your blog. Looking back at situation I can not honestly think of a worst way of conducting one's self then the way in which I conducted myself on your blog and board in the past. For that I am truly sorry.

I think all of you do a fantastic service with the work you do on this blog not to mention a hugely important service as well.

Thank You For all the work that you have done in monitoring Fox.

Count Istvan

This Neither A Message Board Nor A Democracy

Maybe I should add this as a permanent message on this board and to the regulars who post here on occasion like Godzilla, MLP, Visitor ETC this does not mean you.


There are 3 people who have ultimate control over what gets written here and what does not however there seems to be a misunderstanding by some people who feel they have God given rights to have their posts stay here. In the case of Banned And Dangerous like it or not and with all do respect to our wonderful female Moderator Ralphy fan, we are the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.

We do not mind getting comments here even ones who disagree with us. Providing they can be made in manor that is neither insulting nor as an obvious attempt to troll. However there seems to be one misunderstanding from some of you that needs to be cleared up. None of us our your Mothers. it's not our job to constantly go around patting you on the head saying that's OK Son keep trying at it after we have gone around the place cleaning up all of the little shit droppings that are left by friendless sons of bitches who are only here because it's the only place that they will receive any kind of attention. If you want your own place to shit all over while your grinning ear to ear by all means start it. If you don't want to start your own place may I suggest...

Planet Bob or Coralville Currier

The shitheads who run these blogs will be glad to have you.

So to Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, UberNiperBillyJohn, Chris and any other waste of our precious time ESPECIALLY RALPH think about this when you decide to post here. If and when I see your posts they will be erased. This is not a violation of your rights this is my deceleration that your bullshit has no place here. If you think I care about your feelings or your right to be heard or dissenting opinions think again I honestly do not give a flying fuck.

Count Istvan

Funny Videos For a Thursday Night

First one: Stewie beats up Brian


Wheres my money?

Bruce | MySpace Video

Second one: PG Porn: For people who everything about pornography...except the sex.

Milton Friedman is wrong

New Millionaire has this as a signature when he posts on the O/T area.

Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. -Milton Friedman

That is - in a word - total bullshit. When people criticize the free market system, it isn't out of a misguided belief of freedom itself. It's a lack of belief that the private sector can, or will, be able to regulate itself without government involvement.

If there is anything that is to be learned from this fiasco we find ourselves in, its this: the problem with the free market is that when there's no oversight to keep Wall Street honest, those greedy bastards will line their pockets, find new ways to exploit consumers and clients for a buck, and bribe elected officials to stop legislation that could curb their greedy lifestyles.

Wall Street and Corporate America have proven that they cannot be trusted to regulate themselves, and without strong, meaningful regulations on the private sector, we will end up in the exact same place as we are now.

As the old saying goes: "You give em an inch, and they'll take a mile."

New Millionaire Ranks The Presidents On "Wisdom"

"Smart" isn't important. I'll rank the recent Presidents in terms of "wisdom" instead, from most to least:

1. Reagan
2. G.H.W. Bush
3. Ford
4. G.W. Bush
5. Clinton
6. Nixon
7. Carter
8. Johnson
9. Ford
10. JFK
11. Chimpy Blamegame McFailure
_________________
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. -Milton Friedman

Posted by: New Millionaire on Thu 1.28 8:39pm

Some jokes write themselves.

Oh Good Now "Suicide" Bob Is On Off Topic

Good just what that place needs. If you haven't read his blog before here is what you can count on:

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

I am leaving never coming back.

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

One more reason why I love San Diego

This is FOX 5 meteorologist Crissy Russo. She's the only reason why I watch the weather report. Here's Ms. Russo in action.

Ode To Nebraska's Mens Basketball Team

Words by the Count

Oh My God We Suck
Oh My God We Suck
Oh My God We Suck

Oh My God We Really Really Really Suck

Oh Dear Lord We Suck
Oh Dear Lord We Suck
Oh Dear Lord We Suck

Oh Dear Lord We Really Really Really Suck

Oh Sweet Jesus We Suck
Oh Sweet Jesus We Suck
Oh Sweet Jesus We Suck

Oh Sweet Jesus We Really Really Really Suck

Oh Fuck Sake We Suck
Oh Fuck Sake We Suck
Oh Fuck Sake We Suck

Oh Fuck Sake We Really Really Really Suck

Bob Asks A Question

Our good friend Suicide Bob (not to be confused with Ranger Bob) asked this question

Just Curious Count, What does it take for you to erase someone's comment on sight. Are you that insecure in your own stance that you are afraid to even allow someone with a different viewpoint to state it.

Hell, if I knew I was right about something, I'd welcome opposing opinions with open arms, just to give me an opportunity to prove how right I was.

Then again, if I knew my arguments were shaky, I guess I'd be afraid of having to publicly try to defend them too.

Of course you can look at Bob's blog and either he is erasing opposing view points or nobody is posting on his blog.

The View From My Ass

I know all too well that every toothless hillbilly who had spent the entirety of January 20th 2001 to January 20th 2009 with one hand clutched on their testicles and the other shoved up their ass while keeping a dopey fuck grin on their faces while they completely fucked the country over now get's his panties in a wad every time the new President takes a breath. By GAWD there is no country these pukefucks love more than the GOOD OLE USA unless they of course they lose the election. Then there is no country they hate more. They are so pissed they can't decide whether or not they want to start a revolution or secede. Now it's because of these stupid cockfuckers that I have been selective in saying much negative about the President. I see what he was handed and who he's working with. That being said, Barack, I like you dude. I think you can be a great one so you know I have your best interest at heart. Listen to me Barack... THE IDEA OF A SPENDING FREEZE IS THE DUMBEST FUCKING IDEA SHORT OF PLAYING THE PRO BOWL THIS WEEK. It's been tried dude and it has never worked. It won't work it can't work. John McCain suggested it and I said wow that's fucking stupid I can't vote for that. I don't know who has been giving you McCain's stupid pills but I hope you quit taking them soon before we inaugurate President Whore Of Wasilla.

I know this is Nebraska and any suggestion to make a change on anything is usually greeted by the entire 1.8 million person population simultaneously going poopy in their drawers but I say this is in all sincerity to Tom Osborne, If the Big Ten comes a calling please give them a listen. It's time to tell those fuckers in Texas to take their conference, shine it up real nice, turn that sumbitch sideways and stick it straight up their candy ass. Nebraska wanted to move the football game next fall from Saturday to Thursday ESPN had already asked Nebraska if they would do so and Nebraska said yes but Texas being Texas and being in a position of being judge and jury of the Big XII said they would not play the game on Thursday. When they were asked for a reason why they wouldn't agree to play the game on Thursday originally said hey fuckers we're Texas we don't need no stinkin' reasons then they said well we don't want the kids to miss too much class time. One wonders if they said this with a straight face. Here's the thing that pisses me off more than Texas once again saying he we're Texas fuck you it's that let's pretend for one instance the roles were reversed. Texas has a home game they want to play on Thursday and Nebraska said no. I guaranfuckteeyou that either The Big XII or ESPN would step in and make Nebraska play on Thursday. Why becuase Texas wanted it and what Texas wants Texas gets and if they don't get it in regulation they'll keep putting time on the clock until they do. Or of course threaten secession. Well I say don't let the door knob hit ya where the good lord split ya.

God is he or she real? Fuck no I am not going there. She is.



So my copy of Strangers In The Night The Deluxe Edition is in St. Louis Missouri tonight and it will take Fed EX until February 1st to get it here (according to their estimate) Fuck I can walk the son of a bitch here faster that that. Of course of it were a CD I was really anxious to have I would just go out tonight and buy it. So i'll be patient.

I got the Bing Crosby CBS Radio Years Box Set 1956-1958 7 CD's. Man was it good stuff. I'll save you another what the fuck happen to music rant but What the fuck happen to music?

Sunday is The Pro Bowl and The Grammy's. Take a criminal, the most hardened criminal you can find, make him sit and watch the Pro Bowl and The Grammy's and if he doesn't turn around and kill you then he's fit to be returned to society because nothing could make him want to kill again more than that.

The Friday before last Friday, does that even make sense?, I decided that with Football season coming to an end and do the fact that I can be a true shit head these months I was going to treat the Contessa to a fairly nice night out. Made a reservation to a restaurant that while not being real "upscale" was a pretty nice place and came recommended. ( I won't mention the name in fairness to them) I've ate there before several times myself and never had bad food. I am telling you my food was so burnt you could hardly cut it. It was barely edible. I'm not one to cause a scene so I told the waitress, whom by the way did a great job, that everything was good. The next Friday we went to Summer Kitchen cafe which is mostly a Breakfast and Lunch place and may have 3 things on the menu that cost more than $10. The bill for the 2 of us was a little over $20. I am telling to you the food was so much better than the fancier place it's not even funny. I guess it goes to show you you can't judge restaurant or people by their wealth or perceived class. You'll be wrong most every time.

Bill O'Reilly made some really stupid comments about South Chicago being the same as Haiti. Which to Billo it is. Much like Haiti South Chicago is filled with darker skinned people who both have less money than he does and whom can't stand him. Now I've got to admit I am with Billo on this one down with South Chicago. Not because it has some poorer neighborhoods that are largely African American but because South Chicago gave us this guy...



For what it's worth I imagine Bill O'Reilly's entire knowledge of South Chicago is based on a 37 year old Jim Croce song and even then he's only familiar with the song because Sinatra covered it.

BTW before I go it used to be whenever Billo would say stupid shit like this his gal Friday Damail would show up like clockwork and defend him telling off anybody who dare question her man. What happened to her?

KTF

Stephen

The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown: A look at the 2010 movie season

It's a new decade for the movies, and there's bound to be features that will lead the class of 2010, those who will wearing the 'dunce' cap, and those you'll have to think twice about. Here's my picks of what to watch, avoid, and decide for yourself in the new year.

The Good:
Shutter Island (February 19) - the Scorsese-DiCaprio tandem is going for four straight films where I continue to be amazed at how Martin continues to be a filmmaker on the top of his game, and how Leonardo has come from being teenage heart-throb who was on top of the world, to one of our generation's most gifted actors. This time, the duo are taking us on a psychological mind-bender as two US federal marshals are assigned to investigate the disappearance of a woman from a mental asylum. The trailer looks like a bare-bones horror film (a first for Scorsese), ready to school the audience on what a horror film should be. With a world-class director who's firing on all cylinders at the helm, this will be an exciting and terrifying lecture.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (November 19) - If you thought Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) would go out in one huge bang this year, then you don't know jack about Hollywood. The Potter franchise is the highest-grossing film series in history, so they're gonna milk it for what it's worth and split J.K. Rowling's epic finale into two parts. From what we're told, Part I will be a road movie, with the trio of wizards hunting down the remaining bits of Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Finnes) soul, while avoiding capture from his followers, the Death Eaters. David Yates will finish off the series, and from what I hear about Part I, the more excited I become for the two-part finale.

Toy Story 3 (June 18) - after more than a decade, Woody and Buzz are back for the third installment to the Toy Story franchise. What new adventures will Andy's toy's embark on this time? I have no idea, the wizards at Pixar Animation Studios always keep us guessing in their trailers. What we do know is that these guys have the world's best batting percentage when it comes to their movies (see: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up), and they have no intention of slowing down.

Iron-Man 2 (May 7) - The shot of pure adrenaline that will kick-start the summer movie season. Why do I say this? Look at the trailer with a menacing Mickey Rouke as Whiplash, the last few seconds of Iron Man and War Machine in combat, and a sexy Scarlet Johannson as a brunette, and then tell me you're not excited.


Inception (July 16) - If Iron Man 2 is the muscle of the summer season at the theaters, the Christopher Nolan's mind-bender of a sci-fi drama is its brain. Alternate realities will be made, bent, and shattered entirely, as ones mind can change the entire course of the future...at least that's Nolan's idea with this movie. Trippy? Bizarre? Yes, on both counts. Is it meant to make the audience think and solve the brain games Nolan will no-doubt inflict? Most likely. I am so there.

The best of the rest:
Ridley Scott's remake of Robin Hood has him again teaming up with Russell Crowe, sans green tights, and focused on medical history rather than romanticized myth. Sweet. (May 14)
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are reunited (again), this time to go through the looking glass with his zany, bizarre and amazing update of Alice in Wonderland that could freak out young ones and fry the brains of hallucinogenic users. But Burton hasn't done me wrong, and his movies are always one hell of twisty ride, and this looks to continue the trend. (March 26)
A remake of John Wayne's classic True Grit!? What the fuck is Hollywood thinking?? Wait, Joel and Ethan Coen are directing? I'm in (December 25).

The Bad:
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (June 30) - The battle lines will be drawn this summer - Are you with Team Edward, the handsome, Emo vampire who sparkles in the sunlight, or Team Jacob, the werewolf who'll break out in hives if wears a shirt for more than five minutes onscreen. Sign me up for Team I don't give a fuck. The next installment of this teeny-bopper series will have fathers and boyfriends begging their daughters and/or girlfriends to drag them to another viewing of Sex and the City 2, than watch Bella (Kristen Stewart), choose between her vampire boyfriend (Robert Pattinson) that wants to suck her dry, and her pussy-whipped, wolf-boy friend (Taylor Lautner), all while the audience endures 2+ hours of lame posing and posturing, wooden characters and dialogue, and mediocre F/X wizardry. You want a real and exciting fantasy flick? Wait a few months for The Deathly Hallows Part I.

Step Up 3D (August 6) - James Cameron's Avatar is changing the way we look at movies, combining gorgeous visual effects in 3D and solid storytelling that is destined to be another Cameron classic. Unfortunately, Cameron has opened the floodgates for movies that don't need to be seen in 3D. Hell, Step Up 3D shouldn't even be seen in regular 2D. Its the same flashy dance moves we've seen before in the first two movies, plus such "hits" as You Got Served and Save The Last Dance. Patrick Swayze, the king of dirty dancing, must be rolling in his grave.

Dear John (February 5) and The Last Song (April 2) - I'm including these two because they're both adaptations of books by Nicholas Sparks, and to plead with the suits in Hollywood: please, cease with the movie adaptations of Sparks' novels! Every last one from The Notebook on down have been nothing but chick flick hell! Stop it.

Why Did I Get Married Too? (April 2) - Tyler Perry bust onto the scene with Diary of a Mad Black Woman in February 2005 as Madea, the howlingly funny aunt with a short temper and a .9 mm handgun in her purse at all times. I had a blast with the Madea series, but after seeing the same overly dramatic shtick over and over again, I've grown tired of it, and for that reason, i'm avoiding Perry's sequel to his most mature work to date, Why Did I Get Married?

The rest of the worst:
I like Mila Jovovich as much as the next guy, but I'm not going to sit through Resident Evil: Afterlife, the fourth chapter in the franchise, to do so. I'll happily watch her in The Fifth Element, thank you very much. Plus, haven't we learned from past flops (Doom, Max Payne, Hitman, the entire Resident Evil series) that movie studios shouldn't give popular video games the Hollywood treatment? (September 10)
Yogi Bear!? Warner Bros. is doing Yogi Bear!?!? And you've got Justin Timberlake playing Boo Boo!?!?!? Damn you, Hollywood! Damn you to hell!!! (December 17)
Another Halloween = another year of the Jigsaw murderer. Here's the twist to Saw VII...all the gruesome, grotesque, torture-porn violence will be in blood-splattering 3D! Gag. (October 22)

The Wild Cards:
The Last Airbender (July 2) - After 2 1/2 abysmal movies (The Happening, Lady in the Water, the last half-hour of The Village) M. Night Shyamalan has gone from Hitchcock's heir to one trick pony who's running out of tricks. His new movie, The Last Airbender, based on the cartoon show, "Avatar: The Last Airbender," looks great, but i'm still skeptical. All I know is that he cannot fuck this up, for his career's sake.

Salt (July 23) - Pros: Angelina Jolie is still the hottest, kick-ass woman working, playing an agent who's been framed as a Russian spy. Cons: It looks like the female version of the Borne series. Good thing that I'd follow Jolie anywhere.

Shrek Forever After (May 21) - Antiono's Banderas's Puss in Boots announces: "Alas, we have come the final chapter, my friends." The cartoon series that turned every children's fable on its head for shits and non-stop laughs is being given one more chance to redeem itself for the sins of the unfunny and overly familiar Shrek the Third, but do the writers and the main cast have what it takes to send Shrek, Fiona, Puss, and Donkey out in a 21 guns comedy salute?

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (May 28) - This is what I was referring to earlier: another popular video game being given the Hollywood treatment. The fact it's being handled by producer Jerry Bruckheimer could give off the impression that it's gonna be a brainless popcorn film, but directing the video game adaptation is Mike Newell, director of the exciting and thrilling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. Although he made one of the better Potter movies in the series, Newell faces a much more challenging climb: making the first good video game turned movie.

Sex and the City 2 (May 28) - Confession: I liked Sex and the City: The Movie. There, I said it. Loved the themes of sisterhood and the bond between friends Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, but hated the unnecessary fashion shows, and the 2 1/2 hour running time. And now with the cameos of teen queen Miley Cyrus and Liza Minnelli added to the mix, I'm even more hesitant to be the only male counterpart in the theater.

State Of The Union Address Thread

If You listen to it feel free* to comment. I have just one thing to say. I voted against John McCain because of stupid ass ideas like spending freezes.

* of course there are some people who would be just wasting their time to do so since I will erase their comments on sight.

Does This Mean We Hit The Big Time?

I actually had to turn on comment moderation on old threads because we were getting bombed with bots. I think that means we made it!

A Sample...

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Cryptic Comment Explanation.

I have been listening to the soothing sounds of Bing Crosby all night so maybe that will help with tone in which I write this.

First of all I find the all knowing God thread fascinating. Without having read the thread closely after I commented on it myself It seems that the two people whose views that are somewhat similar to mine on the subject are Early2it and Sergei and I can not tell you how frighting that is to me. Now let me say this both of these guys are smart. I wouldn't argue for a minute that both would ice me on an IQ test but Intelligence in an of itself only takes you so far especially the variety found in a book.

First of all you have a guy who makes YouTube videos saying things that make sense to only him and then cracks up laughing. His OT posts are often every bit as odd as his YouTube videos. Most of the time he's harmless enough especially if he isn't saying things about the American Military that even I would dare not say. My beef isn't with him.

Last night I noticed the usual suspect was back in his usual Sunday condition and I thought he was going out of his way to start something with Sergei so I sent the kid a PM. I say Kid because even though he is over 20 now he's a kid. Anyway I didn't think I did anything too wrong with a PM that basically said I wouldn't take the bait so I see he picked you to fight with. I didn't think this was too wrong. Hell I thought I was being nice.

Sergei didn't think so. It seems that even though Sergei was being followed around last night and pestered all night by the guy Sergei considers the usual suspect a "good friend when he isn't drinking" ( I admit I laughed at this when does he post when he isn't drinking?) And it was my fault ( and others) that the guy shows up once a week gassed looking for a fight because somehow we make him a drunken asshole. Now I can't speak for the other two people the usual suspect has tried to start fights with this month but I refuse to take the blame for the guy being an asshole. I have enough blame to shoulder for being an asshole myself.

Sergei then closed by quoting the Qur'an to me he never misses an opportunity to show off how smart he is which no doubt he is in many ways. But here's the thing. In many ways he's not half as smart as thinks he is. I've always felt that way about him but I've also always liked the kid. His smart ass response to me took care of that.

Sometimes I think the Sergei's of the world get too cocky about themselves. They have worked their ass off for years getting a good education their smarter than most of us and they know it but they make the dangerous mistake of quitting learning.

Anyway there it is and it's dropped.

Minnesota Viking Announcer Paul Allen Is The Count's Hero Of The Week

Seriously What Does It Take To Be Banned?

Ok I should know the answer to that shouldn't I?

But I never showed up once a week drunk off my ass and just looking for trouble and starting fights on each and every thread and I never continuously started threads to disrupt the board. There are 2 people on that board who have to go.

Brett Favre Cost Team Super Bowl!

With his team in position to kick a game winning field goal to secure a trip to the Super Bowl Brett Favre Jesus of Mississippi does what he always does. Threw a game costing interception that lead the way to a Vikings loss. There are tears in the eyes of little Nipigon tonight!


I moved this here Jonathan

Edit from Jonathan:


Every time Brett Farve loses, an angel earns his wings. I'm sure the Count will be dying to feast on his tears like Cartman did with a bully at the chili festival.

________________________________________

The fact that I love is it was Favre who killed his team.

NFL Championship Games (Thread Moved Up)

VS



VS

Inhofe: "I believe in racial and ethnic profiling."

Yes, he actually said that.



Are people in Oklahoman happy that an asshole like James Inhofe is representing their state?

Oh Sexist As Well

No one ever died from lack of health care. They die from heart disease, car accidents, old age, stroke, etc.

If you want some health care, go get it.

"Access" to health care to you idiotarian loser Democrats means access to property that isn't yours. Greedy bitches.
_________________
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. -Milton Friedman

Posted by: New Millionaire on Fri 1.22 6:55pm

A Shorter Batvette

Credit John L. Who complied and posted this on off topic

"There seems to be this bizarre disconnect that we have to physically catch him with stockpiles, as if murderers have to have the weapon in their possession when arrested or they are just John Q Citizen."
Posted by: batvetted on Thu 1.21 10:20pm

Come on, batvetted, you can do better than that. You've never been arguing that we invaded Iraq because of what Saddam did, but because of what you are convinced he was going to do. Your analogy is not just dumb, it is also pointless. The existence of WMDs has never been the reason you support the invasion. Why keep that argument going?

I can see why some people tire of talking with you, you can sound like a parrot a lot of the time. But just for the fun of it, here are a couple of observations about your response to me several pages back.


"I think with this in mind you'd have to begrudgingly admit that just as I cannot guarantee the worst case scenarios of what Saddam was going to do, it's always going to be speculatory to assume if the war did not happen we would be better off in any factors assiociated with it."
Posted by: batvetted on Thu 1.21 2:28pm

That's a bit like saying "If I hadn't robbed the bank, I would be poorer today." That's not a very good defense in criminal law, and it's not a very good defense in international law either. The invasion was illegal under international law.


"My position is "if you think Bush lied to you, then you needed to be lied to".
Big difference. I don't think Bush lied to me."
Posted by: batvetted on Thu 1.21 2:28pm

That's a pretty strange concept, even for you. You don't think Bush lied to you because you don't think he lied, or because you saw through the lies? Have you read his speeches from September 2002 to March 2003? He lied non stop. I saw through his lies, but he lied. Are you saying I needed to be lied to because he had to have his way and his war regardless of how he justified it? If so, say it and defend it. Don't keep making stupid statements like suggesting that few people here have read the Joint Resolution on Iraq.


"I am intelligent enough to realize the TV, media and print are not George Bush. He does not control how many times you heard the term WMD repeated "on the fives" or how the words "national security" or "national interests" end up on the floor of CNN's editing room floor- let alone be responsible for the childish way many people view their nation's governing process.
I say that in view of laughing my ass off that people all assume that part of a President's job is to ensure when he makes a decision for our benefit, he MUST publicly disclose all the positives, negatives and underlying goals to ensure they can make an informed decision."
Posted by: batvetted on Thu 1.21 2:28pm

Jeremiah Crows...but Should be Eating Crow Instead

Time once again, boys and girls, for another deconstruction of your favorite fundie and mine, good ol' Rev. Jeremiah. Are you seated comfortably? Then let's begin.

In his latest foray into our common sense, Jeremiah celebrates the Brown special election victory in Massachusetts. (I guess he didn't read the part of Brown's platform that says he believes an abortion should be a decision "ultimately" made between a woman and her doctor...) But, oh, the dissonant places he goes in his paean to the glory that is Teabagger Brown!

Brown Wins!

I know I'm a little late on this, due to too many irons in the fire, of course, but ... I'd like to take this moment to congratulate Scott Brown on his magnificent victory last night over the Democratic Senator Coakley.

Way to go, Mr. Brown!

So far, so good. No bankrupt talking points, no slander. Honest enough for our Jer.

How long has it been since Massachusetts had a Republican for Senator? Well, from what I've heard, it's been a long time, long even before I was born. I think it's forty some years since Ted Kennedy occupied that seat and even before then, if I'm not mistaken. So that's getting close to the century mark.

Er...wrong. JFK defeated then Republican Senator from Massachusetts, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., in 1952 - still well this side of the 100-year milestone. Still, thanks for playing, and we have this splendid selection of Tupperware and the collected works of Ann Coulter for you.

Also, Jer, when you're looking for, you know, actual historical facts beyond "from what I've heard," The Google can be your friend.

This says something major is happening in our political world, and my thinking is that it has something to do with this healthcare bill that the liberals (communists) in our Congress are trying foist upon taxpaying Americans, is what I think. I know, it might appear as if I've not been keeping up on this, but I have...and I don't like what I see coming from the communist power-structure that has manifested itself in our nation's headquarters. My, what a dangerous bill.

Ooh! Cue the Red Menace rhetoric (after all, what stronger strategy than to call anyone who disagrees with you a communist?). Someone blast out O Fortuna at high volume. Jeremiah's about to expose all the dire peril lurking in this piece of taped-together legislation...

Anyways, this victory in Massachusetts shows that the people are finally beginning to see this for themselves, and are taking advantage of our electoral process to turn it around while we still have an electoral process, because from the signs it was becoming more and more evident that our White House and representatives were going to eventually change all of that if they could fool the American people into going along with it. Thank goodness that's not the case.

Whaaa? That was anticlimactic, Jeremiah, to say the least. Not even the slightest attempt at actual evidence...just this Rumsfeldian "My, what a dangerous bill," which I imagine voiced in the same tones as "Oh, dear me, little Pookie has had another accident on the carpet."

So, a little data-checking:

1) Those Democratic (ooh! Communist!) majorities in the House and Senate were, in fact, Jer, elected by "taxpaying Americans." So it's worth considering that they're not so much in the business of foisting as in the business of enacting the will of their constituents. Well, maybe not you, of course...but then you're not a representative sampling, now are you?

2) You did know, Jer, that Massachusetts already has statewide health care, yes? A program that is, in fact, more generous to the citizens of Massachusetts than the proposed national legislation would be (you can read up on it here). Republican then-Governor Mitt Romney was the one who signed it into law. So, by your lights, Massachusetts residents voted in a national election primarily against a benefit they enjoy as a state...all in order for their guy to work to deny the other states in the Union a less progressive plan than the one they already possess. Somehow, I don't think that's how the average voter's mind works.

3) Also, explain the recurrence of that "communist" label, would you? Because I seem to recall a seminal document of American politics which includes the charge to "form a more perfect Union" and "promote the general Welfare." How does accessible, affordable healthcare for all citizens not serve these worthy goals, pray tell? You seem to be all for going it alone apart from questions of belief, in which cases you would be happy to foist your views on others.

So, it's time to go to work, and put the commie elites in their rightful places, and that's some place getting them a real job, not in Washington D.C.

Such a short sentence, and so much that is wrong contained within it. The biggest dissonance first: "commie elites" and "[get] a real job"? Can you perhaps connect those two in some sane way, Jeremiah? I mean...either all these people you disagree with are elite snobs looking down on and shafting you, Joe Average Applepious (h/t Stephen Colbert for that last), or they're lazy parasites feeding off the public dole at your generous expense. Which is it? Because it sure reads like you're trying to equate apples with turnips.

And by suggesting that none of the jobs in DC are "real jobs," I assume you feel that Scott Brown is actually doomed. And, come to that, I'm curious...what is your "real job," exactly? What do you do that makes for gainful employment - that lines your pockets, or enriches the corporate trough at which you are pleased to feast? You seem to have a lot of time to devote to nature photography and blogging.

Serious challenge, Jer. Tell us what you actually do for a living. Explain those "irons in the fire," please. I'll even start so you don't have to be shy. I co-own and operate a technology web site. Have done for nearly a decade, while freelancing on the side.

If you're currently unemployed and have time on your hands, I'm sure there are some online correspondence courses that will help you build your capacity to craft a cogent, rational argument for a given point of view. Because given the quality of even this brief post, you could do with the tutelage.

Yes The Special program Is Called Google

Our favorite Marine Batvette you know the one who killed the Ayatollah Khomeini and Communism all by himself made a startiling claim tonight. He is in fact a Liberal...

"using RW logic"

notes my polical views:

voted for Obama
thought Bush was a double digit IQ puppet whose public speaking ability was abhorrent.
pro-choice
agnostic leaning toward atheist
pro social services
anti capital punishment
anti-corporate
pro gay marriage
pro gun control

----------------------------------------------

Wow this sure is an about face for old Batty. This is the same Batvette who once posted on Mike Thayer's blog that he wanted to get together with him and combine information. When I posted this on off topic...

Do they know this at the Free Republic?

1.
batvette
batvette. Since Feb 21, 2007. view home page, enter name: ~ About ~ Links ~ Contact ~ In Forum ~. Return.
www.freerepublic.com/~batvette/ -

Let's just say he got peeved...

I don't care.

Most people on the internet don't obsess on compiling the personal views of people in forums, finding a relevant argument a better way of entering a thread.

I wonder what goes on in the head of people like you, ankle biters who never contribute to a discussion but only wage personal attacks- in your case quite creepy, not out of line to describe as stalking. Do you think insulting someone's person makes your position more right?
How much time do you spend tracking down the things people who've owned you in arguments say? Is there a special computer program you stalkers use to make your databases of compiled obsessions easier to manage? Do you make dartboards out of their pictures, or what you imagine they look like, and throw darts at them? Do you own a clown suit and/or an ice cream truck?

Yes that special computer program is called Google.

Oh, crap! The 10 worst movies of 2009

I may be late to the best/worst list, but to hell with it; there's no time like the present, so here's the 10 movies that stunk up the cinemas in 2009.

1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - Instead of seeing Inglorious Basterds, mom takes me to watch the second installment of a bloodless, soulless, agonizing, vampire film that pretends to be my generation's Romeo & Juliet. There's no spark between the glittering - literally, the fucker glitters in the sunlight! - vampire beau Edward (Robert Pattinson) and clingy Bella (Kristen Stewart), the action sequences were uneventful, and the ways Bella uses the usually shirtless teen werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner) as her personal tampon, you'd think it was a miracle that she got the poor bastard clipped without having half her face slashed off as a result. Not going to comment on the acting, mostly because there wasn't any between the three main leads. I get that New Moon is mostly mental masturbation for the 9-16 female demographic who soaked the seats at the sight of a ripped Lautner, but does it have to be this godawful about it?

2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - If New Moon is strictly a two-hour frig-off session for young girls who don't know why their seats are so wet, then Michael Bay's sequel to the 2007 blockbuster shows him shooting his load, blinding the audience with incoherent storylines, non-existent character development, baffling and unfunny crude humor (robot balls and robot humping included), and head-pummeling action which never gives us time to enjoy what's going on. To paraphrase Peter Travers, movie critic of Rolling Stone Magazine - "Revenge of the Fallen has everything. Everything loud, dumb, violent, racist, and misogynistic that director Michael Bay can think of puking up onscreen." Watch Megan Fox (who sizzled in the first Transformers movie) cheapened to porn-star status as she's leaning over a motorcycle in short shorts that would shame Daisy Dukes herself and the two Autobots ignorantly fueling African-American stereotypes as Skids and Mudflap, and you'll wonder how Bay could screw up his own (lack of) talent with a movie like this.

3. My Sister's Keeper - Director Nick Cassavetes' (the same director who spawned The Notebook) latest sobfest about a young girl (Abagail Breslin) suing her cold, bitchy mother (Cameron Diaz) for emancipation rights to her body, wants his audience to bawl hysterically, dab those eyes with Kleenex, but cry, dammit, cry! The only thing I crying over was for this movie to end.

4. Dragonball: Evolution - Being an anime fan, I was excited to watch the live-action version of the Japanese cartoon that became a hit in America, thanks to Cartoon Network in the 90's. Then I saw the actual movie, which lead me to the conclusion that Hollywood must leave popular anime shows alone.

5. Terminator Salvation - Loved the idea of setting the Terminator franchise in the middle of the war between SkyNet and humanity, hated how McG toned it down to get teenage boys in the seats. Loved how the Govenator made a CGI appearance in the film's climax, hated Christian Bale as John Connor (sorry, dude). It looks like the suits at Warner Bros. made the right call in moving Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince toward a summer release.

6. My Bloody Valentine 3D - It's bad enough to watch horror movies these days, so why add to the suck by putting the movie in 3D? All of the tired and recycled garbage is in the movie: a disturbed sociopath wielding a clever disguise and a sharp object (in this case, it's a miner's outfit and the weapon of choice is a pick-axe) starts killing off people in a small mining town. You'd think a place like this would be safe for whores, clueless law enforcement, and drunken teens who usually stack up the body count in these kinds of slasher flicks. Some things never change.

7. Knowing - How bad was this disaster sci-fi flick? The ending itself managed to be more ludicrous than anything M. Night Shyamalan cooked up or can pull out of his box of twist endings. The premise doesn't help matters: an MIT professor (Nicolas Cage) stumbles across a code of numbers that accurately predict violent disasters which leads to a huge cataclysmic event of which no one can escape from. Airplanes fall out of the sky, trains run off the subway and into buildings and streets, and a group of mysterious pedophiles follow his son around. Kidding, but that would make more sense than the actual conclusion to this mess.

8. Year One - What happens when you cross a very funny dude whose shtick is being as wild and obnoxious as possible (Jack Black) and another funny dude who plays the sweet, yet gangly, socially awkward teen (Michael Cera)? The result is Year One, a really shitty pre-historic comedy about our ansestor's invention of the roadtrip. It sucks to see Black, Cera, and the highly underrated Mark Ruffalo resort to sex jokes that don't sting, and using crappy pre-historic humor that would make Fred Flinstone cringe.

9. X-Men Origins: Wolverine - What was supposed to be the rip-roaring, adrenaline shot action film to kickoff the summer movie season, ended up a limp-dick prequel that causes confusion, rather than tie up loose ends. Hugh Jackman still has all the sharp humor and badassery he carried in the X-Men franchise, but his background story - he and his brother, Sabertooth (huh??) have been fighting machines for America dating all the way back to the American Revolutionary War - neither excites, nor engages us.

10. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Great. Another Hasbro doll getting the Hollywood treatment. And, by Hollywood treatment, I mean making a dumb, but fun movie, minus the fun. If you want to see a rip-roaring action picture about our fine military men and women in life-or death situations, rent The Hurt Locker on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Cryogentics Is Not For Me

I just finished watching the HBO documentary on Ted Williams and as many of you know I am not a baseball guy but I had to comment on one aspect of Williams' story, his afterlife.

Now for those of you who don't know the story here it is briefly. Williams will stated he wanted to be cremated. After he died his two youngest children produced a napkin with a statement on it saying they wanted to be frozen and then brought to back to life as a family when Science figures these things out. Now I am not going to argue who I think is telling the truth in this matter but I can tell you my own personal view.

Fuck cryogenics. You were put on this earth to live a set amount of years that usually total less than 100. None of us knows for sure when we will breath our last. But when we do breath our last I believe we were intended to breath our last. I have no problem with my organs going on and bringing forth a better life for somebody else who could use them after I have departed this world. But the thought of someone someday defrosting a 237 year old Count quite frankly angers me more than it freaks me out.

I am not a believer in cloning nor am I a believer in freezing our dearly departed so someday we can be stuck in a microwave and thawed out like Sam McGee.

Wow The Bots Are Getting Testy

The bots at newshounds have been awfully nice lately saying hi to us and telling us how great the board is but not Winston:

Bullshit test

This is just bullshit. Your forum sucks.

wtflandingbullshithere

[url=http://forum.bullshit.com/wtflandingbullshithere]http://forum.bullshit.com/wtflandingbullshithere[/url]

Cheers,
Winston

Who am I? That's the great puzzle.

I feel like talking about my past to anyone who willing to listen.

About the way I am. The shyness, the spurts of depression I get, the lack of a social life I have. And my obsession with Radiohead

Going back to 8th grade, I was, for the most part, a complete loner. You could always find me in the library, reading. Reading about past Academy Award winning movies, actors, and actresses. Reading J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Reading, mostly, to pass the time. The library was my sanctuary, my refuge from all the peer pressure I felt. Sure, I had a few friends and some classroom acquaintances, but as the year went on, I began to shut almost everyone out. I already felt like an outcast at a school that mom and dad hoped that my day didn't include receiving a phone call from the counselor that I was involved in another fight. Hilltop Middle was no repeat of Correia Junior High School where I finally had to learn to defend myself from asshole bullies after getting picked on and harassed constantly, but the disconnect I felt at Hilltop between me and my peers was always there.

They were involved in random activities. I wasn't.
They hung around in groups. I was in the library.
They were into the latest trends. I could have cared less.
Some were beginning to date or hang out on the weekends. My weekends consisted of being on the internet, or being at the movies, or reading.

High school didn't change that trend, for the most part. I still felt like an outcast, but I had friends who took me in and accepted me for who I was. We were on our own, private island, near the vending machine, across from the A.S.B. One thing I did try, though, was asking out this girl I liked. We shared a World Geography class together with a teacher we both thought was a total prick. I asked her if she wanted to go to the movies on Friday night, she said yes. We agreed to meet up at 9:00 at the Regal 16 one Friday night. I showed up, she never did. It was devastating to me. From that point on, I never asked out another girl that I was interested in, out of one bad experience, and out of fear that I would see the same result. If there was a dance, I avoided it like the plague. If there was some girl I really liked, I thought that there was no way in heaven or hell that she would give me the time of day, that I wasn't some jock on a sports team, or some really good-looking pretty boy. That I was Jonathan Purcell Holmes, another fucking loser in this place where you were a somebody or no-one at all.

Contrary to my own belief, I was somebody. I was just know by virtually everyone else as Radio (my given nickname by my friends in P.E.) and the name stuck. I was also featured in the school newspaper with a sharp pallet for writing my opinions about this, that, or the other. It still didn't help with my self-confidence issues, or the fact that the invisible barrier was still hanging around me. Everything I felt: loneliness, my depression, a disconnect from my peers, my shyness - I kept to myself.

That was, until I discovered Thom Yorke and his band, Radiohead, and more specifically, track four from "Kid A."

"That there / That's not me. I go / Where I please...I'm not here, this isn't happening."

It was as if the song, "How To Disappear Completely" was telling me what I had already known, but what I could never accept.The song was telling me that there's a reason for the way I feel, the reason why that barrier constantly surrounds me, like a prison: I have no connection to the things my generation were trying to push on me. It all looked alien to me, bizarre. The trends; the stories of my peers posting pictures of wild, drunken nights at parties; the pop culture of the moment fads most everyone was into - most of it seemed completely stupid, vapid, and pointless.

It all made sense to me. I was.....different. I was in a world where I didn't belong, and didn't care much for on top of it all. I felt as if it was only me. I felt completely isolated. Alone. Like if I told anyone, that they wouldn't understand. Like this was my cross to bear. Eventually I did tell someone, or more specifically, they found out, and understood what I felt. That was later on in my Junior year, and I still had support in my Senior year.

These days, I just try and learn to accept where I am right now. And maybe that's all I'm capable of doing right now.

Sorry for ranting on and on like that, and thanks for listening.

Caring For Your Fellow Man

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34924101/ns/entertainment-arts_books_more/?gt1=43001

LONDON - A British radio DJ is being criticized for playing Van Halen's "Jump" as police tried to talk a suicidal woman down from a highway bridge last week.

A British mental health charity said it was horrified by the incident Thursday morning, and would bring it up with Britain's media regulator.

Disc jockey Steve Penk, who owns Revolution Radio and hosts its morning show, said he played the song at the request of a commuter sitting in traffic on a highway shut down while police negotiators tried to talk the woman off the bridge. He said several commuters had called to express frustration at the delays. Penk said he made no reference to the woman in playing the song.

Jeremiah Gets The Constitution Wrong AGAIN

Ronald Reagan once said,

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
No more perfect time could that be realized than right now, when our leaders are moving us ever further toward total dependence on the government and away from our reliance upon God our Creator for our needs.

So I ask you, won't you pray for America, that the people of this nation would never forget that we are 'One Nation Under God.' That is how the founders of this country envisioned it when they drafted and signed the Constitution of this Republic.

- - - -

I took out the gratuitous link that shunted "pray for America" to an unhinged "one-world-order" screed. If you want it, you can get it via that first link. But, two salient points:

1) Jeremiah offers no objective evidence whatever in support of this "dependence on government" claim. Just a fellow Bible-thumping blog. Way to go, there.

2) I would refer Jer to the lowest common denominator of Internet references: Wikipedia. If he travels here and troubles himself to read the actual text of the original Constitution, he will realize - I hope - that the phrase "one Nation under God" not only conspicuously fails to appear, but that the sole reference to religion occurs in the signature line, in this form:

the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven

How a simple date citation in common usage at the time translates into reliance and endorsement of Jeremiah's preferred Big Dad In The Sky, I quite fail to see. Kind of like saying that your dating of the check on your latest Visa payment endorses the Mayan prediction regarding the 2012 end of the world.

But no doubt Jeremiah is channeling Franklin and Jefferson and Adams and knows their hearts and minds to the full. Yeah, right. More like he's channeling Beck and Hannity and cross-spouting their sanctimony.

YO, Jer. We're tired of you second-guessing the Founders' intents to reinforce your own prejudices and narrow-minded thinking. Broad-minded people are taking back a broad-minded country, whether you like it or not, and we're going to work hard to marginalize your own frankly bigoted and stupid viewpoints and expose them for what they are.

Another Playoffs Thread

I don't know how Jonathan feels but I thinks these games have sucked so far sans Packers-Cardinals. I watched Nebraska-Iowa State play basketball ( don't ask me how that went) so I missed most of the first half of the Colts-Ravens game. The Ravens were out-hustled all night long. That's why so many odd bounces went against them the Colts were just out fighting them all the way. Also I thought when The Ravens did do something the officials made sure that it didn't amount to much. Though clearly the better team won.

The Saints-Cardinals game was fun for about half a quarter then it to sucked monkey balls.

I am so fired up for that Cowboys-Viqueens game tomorrow I am going to sleep through it I won't be up until it is almost over. As for the Chargers game let's hope it's a good one. I know Jonathan wants to see a beat down though.

Late Edit by Jonathan: So far, i'm 1-2 in the divisional round, and a abysmal 2-5 in predictions in the postseason. And if Tony Romo can't making anything happen in his first possession in the 2nd half, I'll probably become 2-6. I just hope the last game, Jets v. Chargers, is the pick i'm right about!

Edit From The Count:

Terrible new out of Chicago:

REENWOOD, S.C. (AP)—Gaines Adams(notes), a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears who was an all-American at Clemson, died Sunday in South Carolina, the Bears said. He was 26.

The team said Adams died Sunday morning at Self Regional Hospital. He had gone into cardiac arrest about an hour before at his family’s home in Greenwood, said Marcia Kelley-Clark, chief deputy coroner for Greenwood County.

An autopsy conducted Sunday showed Adams had an enlarged heart, Kelley-Clark said. She said the condition can often lead to a heart attack, though Adams’ relatives didn’t know of any problems.

“Nobody was aware of any kind of medical condition,” Kelley-Clark said.

Toxicology tests are being run by the State Law Enforcement Division, though drug use was not suspected as a factor in Adams’ death. However, those results probably will not be available for at least two months, Kelley-Clark said.

The 6-foot-5, 258-pound defensive end was well-known among Clemson fans for breaking up Wake Forest’s field goal try and returning it for a touchdown in 2006 to defeat the Demon Deacons.

Late Edit: Interesting 1st quarter in San Diego.
Both Defenses are performing spectacular.
Penalties are killing us, though.
Bolts must compose themselves under pressure.

Late Edit: Congrats to the Jets. Played a great game on both sides of the ball. I'm shocked. How could have this game gone so completely wrong?

Do We Get More Conservative As We Get Older?

in 1987 When I was 13 Morton Downey Jr, the forerunner for both Jerry Springer and Rush Limbaugh had a television show where he would be every night berating feminist, African Americans and every other liberal he could find, some of who I am sure he paid to be a liberal on his show and I loved it. I was 13. Here was this man going after all of the bogeymen I believed were keeping me a poor white kid living in the suburbs down. By the time I was 16 I began to moderate my views though I still considered myself a "Republican" and was set to register as such. By the time I was 18 and able to vote I was very much a Democrat. But even now when I am almost twice as old and twice as liberal I find my views on many subjects going further to the left the older I get.

There is an old joke that is about as funny as swine flu that goes if you're under 30 and you aren't a liberal you don't have a heart If you're over 30 and you're a liberal you don't have a brain. family members would tell me when you get older you'll change you'll see the light. They're right I have. I am no longer against a woman's right to chose, I am no longer in favor of the death penalty, I no longer view feminist and civil rights advocates as professional victims and I don't find homosexuality to be some affront to morality. These are all views that I have found myself becoming more and more in tune with the liberal point of view in the last 20 years. if one get's more conservative as they get older when does it happen?

Finally look at the conservatives we deal with everyday on the net and to be fair we are discussing the absolute worst trash that claims Conservatism as their own. What do 2008, Rev Jerry, Mark Noonan and his stooges, Houndypedophile, G-Dawg, Ranger Bob in all of his forms have in common? They are all 12 years old. Oh sure calendar wise they may be in their 30's, 40's 50's or 60's but in truth they are 12. They have never formulated their thought process beyond that of a 6th grader and their maturity has been stunted a result. Conservatism might just be for those who grow older but never grow up.

I once took one of those online surveys that put your political views on a graph and it said that I was a 78-22 Liberal meaning my views are on the liberal side 78% of the time. Maybe I'll take when I am 70 and be a 78-22 conservative but somehow I doubt it. I'll probably be 90-10 liberal instead.

NFL Playoffs Round Table:

Jonathan's Picks

Dallas at Minnesota - the Vikings must come out of the gates running and pressure Tony Romo early and often to keep him out of sync. Unfortunately, Minnesota is 0-2 in the postseason against the Cowboys, and Farve is 0-5 lifetime against them in postseason play, and I don't expect to see Brett shaking up this formula anytime soon.

Prediction: Cowboys

Baltimore at Indianapolis - Ray Rice was scary good against New England on Sunday, along with Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs to the point where Joe Flacco's performance (4 completions for 34 yards and an int) largely went un-criticized. That's not going to cut it against Peyton Manning. The Colts will be playing with a burden of going all the way or else coach Caldwell's decision to take the foot off the pedal in week 16 will stay with him as long as he coaches in Indy.

Prediction: Colts

New York at San Diego - There's so much to like about the Jets here: they enter as football's ranked no.1 total defense and the no.1 rushing offense. Plus, they have a confidence that they can beat anyone in the tournament. And Darrell Revis is easily the best cornerback playing in a long time. It still won't be enough to contain Philip Rivers and the multiple weapons he has at his disposal. The Chargers are too good of a team to be stopped, especially with the home field advantage.

Prediction: Chargers

Arizona at New Orleans - In this corner: Drew Brees. The Godsend for this Saints football team and the city that needs something to believe in these days. And in the other corner: Kurt Warner. The old man who lives for postseason action. While the Saints have been on a downward spiral the last three games, Arizona lit up the scoreboard against Green Bay with poor defense being it's Achilles heel. Still, when Warner's hot, there's no stopping him.

Prediction: Cardinals


The Count's Picks:

Dallas at Minnesota-As you might imagine I have a interest in this one: The Cowboys have one thing going in their factor. Brett Favre in the playoffs. You never know what game he's going to decide to take his payoff. Does he completely ignore Adrian Peterson? Sorry I just don't trust Dallas. Favre nut sucking committee rejoice I think Minnesota wins this one

Prediction:Vikings

Baltimore at Indianapolis-Now we see the error of pulling your starters too soon The Ravens have all the momentum. They pull an upset

Prediction: Ravens

New York Jets at San Diego- I really like Rex Ryan and I have no problem with his we should be favorites proclamations. But San Diego is a better team.

Prediction: Chargers

Arizona At New Orleans- Now this will be a lot of fun. first team to 50 wins. I am guessing it will be New Orleans.

Prediction New Orleans

Late Edit by Jonathan: ...and i'm already 0 for 1 in the Divisional Round. Superb game by the New Orleans Saints, beating the Cardinals 45-14. Have we seen the last performance from Kurt Warner?

2009 Nebraska Cornhusker Football Highlight Video.

This is a sweet video. Didn't shy away from the heartbreaks (well except Texas Tech) and highlighted the triumphs. sweet job!

The Hasselbeck's To Switch Job's For A Day.

Remember the old sitcoms would always have an episode where the man would say the wife doesn't do anything and then the wife would say ha you couldn't handle my schedule and then they would switch roles for a day to comic results?

Well It's the Hasselbeck's world and we are just suffering in it. Ditz...err Liz Hasselbeck will be on NFL live and other ESPN programing and Tim will be regaling us with the tales from his 19 minute NFL Career on the view



Per Awful Announcing

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a Daytime Emmy Award-winning co-host of ABC’s “The View,” and her husband, ESPN NFL analyst Tim Hasselbeck, are changing jobs – for one day.

Elisabeth will spend the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 19 on the ESPN

campus in Bristol, Conn., where she will appear in Tim’s place on ESPN programs, including NFL Live (4 p.m. ET), to discuss the NFL playoffs and other sports topics.

Tim will complete the job swap Thursday, Jan. 28, at the ABC studios in New York, where he will occupy Elisabeth’s seat on “The View” (11 a.m., ABC) alongside co-hosts Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters. The former NFL quarterback will share his perspective and match wits with the all-female panel as they discuss the latest news, celebrity gossip and events of the day.

“We think fun and sports should go together, and the job swap will be fun for our viewers and for fans of ‘The View’ who will get the chance to see and hear from Elisabeth and Tim in completely different settings,” said ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, who oversees NFL Live.

“So many times we ask, ‘How did work go today?’ ” said Elisabeth. “Undoubtedly we will be finding out the hard way as we switch jobs. The question then will be, ‘What have we gotten ourselves into?’ "

Added Tim: “Hopefully I can pull this off because I see her preparation on a regular basis each week – reading, and watching cable news shows, other television programs and upcoming movies. I will enjoy this because I know they will have fun with me at ‘The View’ and, of course, when I get back to work at ESPN. I’m sure I’ll have a greater appreciation for what she does on a day-in and day-out basis.”

________________________

Now the view I don't care about because I don't watch but ESPN sure picked a swell time to put Lizzy on NFL live huh? I mean it's just playoff time and all.

Shameless...utterly shameless.

My take on Pat Robertson's latest hate-filled comments can be found at Jonathan's Corner. The Count is welcome to cut-and-paste my post onto Banned and Dangerous if he so wishes.
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The images, the reports, and the stories we are hearing out of Haiti are shocking, heartbreaking, and astounding. Reports are that over 100,000 Haitians are dead because of the 7.0 earthquake that hit. The Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, has completely collapsed. Bodies are scattered across the streets, and its people are devastated or wandering aimlessly, looking for survivors, family members, or a safe haven. There's even talk that unless serious humanitarian aid isn't reached quickly, the county could fall into chaos.

These kinds of descriptions and images that capture an international tragedy would shake the hardest of hearts to give sympathy to those suffering.

That is, if you're televangelist Pat Robertson, who couldn't pass up an opportunity to spit into the faces of the Haitians who are struggling to survive tonight.

And, you know, Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, "We will serve you if you will get us free from the French." True story. And so, the devil said, "OK, it's a deal."

Pat Robertson should know all about making a pact with the devil. He and his non-profit outfit Operation Blessing made a similar pact with African dictator Mobuto Sese Seko during the Rwandan genocide.

Far from the media's gaze, Robertson has used the tax-exempt, nonprofit Operation Blessing as a front for his shadowy financial schemes, while exerting his influence within the GOP to cover his tracks. In 1994 he made an emotional plea on The 700 Club for cash donations to Operation Blessing to support airlifts of refugees from the Rwandan civil war to Zaire (now Congo). Reporter Bill Sizemore of The Virginian Pilot later discovered that Operation Blessing's planes were transporting diamond-mining equipment for the African Development Corporation, a Robertson-owned venture initiated with the cooperation of Zaire's then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Robertson's dealings didn't stop with Seko. The article also states that he also was in business with Lybia dictator Charles Taylor.

Absolved of his sins, Robertson dug his heels back in African soil. In 1999 he signed an $8 million agreement with Liberian tyrant Charles Taylor that guaranteed Robertson's Freedom Gold Ltd.--an offshore company registered to the same address as his Christian Broadcasting Network--mining rights in Liberia, and gave Taylor a 10 percent stake in the company. When the United States intervened in Liberia in 2003, forcing Taylor and the Al Qaeda operatives he was harboring to flee, Robertson accused President Bush of "undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country."

Pat Robertson's comments today are anything but compassionate, and his further business deals with Taylor and Seko are nowhere near Christian teaching. He is a charlatan of the first order, a bastard willing to step over his religion and the suffering of other people to make a buck or to push his hateful agenda. I just hope that, if there is a Hell, there is a reserved space for Pat Robertson

Edit From The Count: Jonathan always feel free to post your writing here.