SPORTS NEWS OF THE DAY

        When I head the Germans were playing the Saudis, after the Kissinger ‘can’t they both lose’ moment of thought, I decided I wanted the Jerries to win over the Jihad screamers. I got my wish. Big time. In American football that’s danm near the 1940 NFL championship.

        Looks like the Arab sports highlight remains the 1972 Summer games.

NASTY THOUGHT DU JOUR.

        If I were not afraid of the fallout (literally!) I’d want an all-out war in the Kashmir so India could pound Pakistan’s jihad supporters flat.


        BTW, first was the massive upswing in terror against Israel. Then comes the increased tension in the sub-continent. If I were conspiratorially minded, I’d say the House of Sod is using its Al Qeada catspaws to distract everyone from their complicity in 9/11.

WILLOW THE VAMPY FLAYER

        A quick note on the 'Buffy' season finale. It redeemed this uneven season. Buffy has always been a show about ethics, choices and morality. There have been clunkers this season (aside from the musical episode) but the last 3 episodes gave it a meaning and set things up well for next year. Even Spike.

        BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!


        Let the implications hang menacingly.

DINNER AND MOVIE, PART DUEX

        Actually, it was movie and dinner. AA (a blind date I met via the Net) and I went to see Episode II. My opinion is... mixed. (Spoilers below)

 

 

 

        The Good: Ewan McGregor pulls off the complex task of portraying Sir Alec's youthful precursor. Christopher Lee rocks. Period. End of discussion. as Temuera Morrison Jango Fett was also fun.

        Then there was Yoda and the rest of the special effects. Yes, I cheered at his kung-fu pose before using the Force and his lightsaber to go upside Count Dooku's head. And of course there were the jaw dropping tableaus of massive armies, amazing planetscapes and fantastic cities come to life as never before possible.

        Just as important as the sweeping vistas are the slices of Star Wars Universe life the FX helped to create, from the BladeRunner like traffic jams of Couriscant. Remember the 'Creature Cantina?' Never mind what happened there… it was an alien bar… with a band!

        The Bad: Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen are the acting equivalent of the Sphere of Annihilation. And neither the spirit or soul can be resurrected, even with a wish spell. (1 point ref) Their screen time positively sucks the life out of the movie. Yes, they positively suck. Never mind the implausibility of a princess falling in love with a whiny killer, I can't see his past passion surviving three minutes with her! Portman was wooden in EP1. As for Hayden, I know the surfer dude worked in 1977, but Luke was meant to be a tabula rasa. Anakin is supposed to have hidden depths- the darkness within seeping out. Chirstansen only manages petulance. Lucas should have cast Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the role instead. Witness his work in Gormenghast. Of course I still say they should have cast an older actor in Episode 1, but that's water under the bridge.

        Of course the emotional high points were all mishandled. The revelation that he killed the Sand People left me thinking how a better director would handle both the confession and the massacre themselves. Lucas is too enamored with the 'gee whiz' and forgets basic storytelling. I would have cut after showing Anakin activating the light saber and turning menacingly to the tent opening.

        Lastly, Threepio's presence on the farm raises the question WHY DIDN'T OWEN OR BERU recognize him in Episode IV?

        What Lucas needs is someone to tell him when the ideas are stupid. As glad as I am that he's independent from Hollywood, I wish he paid a bit more attention to other views

        The Ugly: I was one who missed the alleged racism in Episode 1. The whiners attacked Ep II. One idiot complained that Jango was Latino because he has a dark complexion. Never mind the actor is Maori. Delicate PC folks get the vapors at the thought of swarthy villains. Aren't all bad guys blonde haired and blue eyed?

        That having been said, I was bugged by Watto. The blue creature returns. But now he wears a Tommy style helmet and has what seems to be a two-day's growth of a beard. Unfortunately it all makes him look like a caricature from Der Strumer or WAFA.

        I doubt that intended deliberate offense. He is merely oblivious. Still, it points to the need for him to have other voices, even if it is his baby.

JUST ANOTHER BRICK IN THE MALL

        Now I'm pissed. The bastards have finally crossed the line. No, this is not the Middle East, nor the Taxachusetts kleptocracy that has me fuming. This is about toy stores and it's real personal.


        I read this article in today's Boston Globe.

The Children's Story will soon close. About a year ago, Imaginarium, an upscale toy store chain owned by Toys ''R'' Us, opened a few blocks away on Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner. In a scenario reminiscent of the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie ''You've Got Mail,'' the big chain threatened the livelihood of the independent. And like the movie, the small bookstore tried, but simply couldn't compete.

        I love The Children's Story. In a world of cloned mall stores, it was nice to have this funky store that sold unique items. The proprietress knows me by sight (hey, three nieces and two nephews. Gotta indulge them!) and was always friendly and helpful. Oh, and the selection! They have a variety of wood toys and a brigade of plastic animals- especially dinosaurs. There are Groovy Girls, finger puppets and high-end plushies. I can spend hours there. Heck I HAVE! Just about every gift I've gotten (save for books) has come from that store.


        As for the Imaginarium, it's a mallrat's parody of an 'upscale' toy store. Though the floor space is far larger, the selection is not as good and I am not enamored with the items they do have. They have a poor selection of plastic animals and not much in the way of wood toys besides trains.


        There is one item they have that really angers me. They sell a prefabricated lemonade stand. Yep, instead of the tedious process of actually LEARNING how to use tools and writing the sign yourself, have Mommy and current Daddy load you up into the SUV and drive to the mall or the Harvard Street Imaginarium and buy the prefabricated lemonade stand. And in a week, it'll gather dust as you discover how unrewarding having something handed to you is. But hey, Mommy will find you some new creativity-stifling toy keep you distracted so she can tend to her busy social life.


        Normally I have little patience for those who scream about Walmarts moving in. Hey, root hog or die. However, to me the difference is that the Imaginarium may drive out the Children's Story, it will not replace it.


        Well, all I can do is buy as much stuff for their upcoming birthdays and next holiday season. Thankfully there are a few other stores around- mostly in Harvard Square- where I can find the unique gifts that make 'Uncle Totoro's' presents unique.

REPLY FROM GRAND MARNIER

        I wrote to Grand Marnier, writing why I would not be buying their product for a while. I received this reply.

Dear Sir, The only thing I can say is that I couldn't agree more with you! I'm ashamed by our politicians and their constant rambling about how the muslim extremists are not responsible for their actions. Believe me when I say that I am getting sick and tired of their so called politically correct statements which are always backed up by the brain washing medias. Unfortunately for us, we are governed by people most of us didn't vote for... I'm not trying to make you change your mind but only underlining the fact that although French, I've been ashamed of their international policy and their constant propaganda for quite a while now. PS: This situation is unfortunately not new as I recall clearly the same thing happening when the christians were slaughtered by the muslim extremists back in the Lebanon war and this with the blessing of the French governement and many others. Inaction should sometimes be consisered a crime... Sincerely, Gilles Coury Internet & Multimedia Director www.grand-marnier.com

        Being from Massachusetts, I can empathize with having a vote but not candidates.

        When I end to boycott, it’ll definitely be with a snifter of GM. And not on the rocks!

CRUMMY EXCUSE FOR AN UPDATE

        Two excellent pieces in the Boston Phoenix this week. The first, by David Brudnoy, the legendary WBZ talkmaster, tears apart the Israel haters in his genteel manner.

The simple principle that the victor in a war brought on by an attack against it has the full right and a moral obligation to pacify the enemy, including occupying territory from which the aggression was launched (and continues to be launched), makes scarcely a dent in the minds of folks who call talk shows, mine among them, or who trudge off to "peace" rallies. Nor does it influence those who take their cues from the manifestly anti-Israel news reporting on National Public Radio or the opinion pieces in many liberal newspapers and magazines - all of which view Israeli and Palestinian actions in terms of moral equivalence. With press coverage like this, it's not surprising that Palestinian sympathizers see the Israeli presence in the territories as "occupation" in the most illegitimate sense of the term.

       The second is a diary of an Israeli soldier, Adam Harmon.

When Israelis hear all the hoopla about Jenin, mostly coming from Europe and the Arab world, they shake their heads in frustration. Israelis figure that Europeans blame Israel for bad behavior because they want to create a sense of equivalence that will alleviate the guilt they feel about European atrocities committed during World War II. Most Israelis think that European leaders are hostage to Arab oil and money or are possessed by the residual anti-Semitism that has reared its ugly head over the last few weeks. Whatever the reason, the Europeans' eagerness to blame Israel is so knee-jerk that few Israelis take their comments seriously. When it comes down to it, Israelis care only what America thinks.

        Unlike most 'alternative' rags, the Phoenix is defying the lemming left with a pro-Israel editorial stance.

SCHADENFREUDE OD!

        After reading Uri Dan in today’s New York Post, one would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh. Arafat canceled his trip to Jenin because he would face a hostile audience. Here’s one reason why.

Sources said a major reason for anti-Arafat sentiment is allegations that 10 tons of donated food never got there.       Half of the food was allegedly sold by Arafat's Palestinian Authority to raise cash, and the other half went to Palestinian Authority stockpiles.

        Regrettably not included in the online version of the article is this fine whine from an unemployed construction worker named Ahmed Nawasrah. “We’ve lost our houses, we’ve lost our sons and we’ve gotten nothing.”

        Considering Jenin… sorry Jeningrad… was the launching pad for the human anti-shopper/ teenybopper missiles, I’d say Ahmed and company got the inevitable backlash. But they should treasure the big nothing they do still have. The one named Arafat.

        This was in also the article…

The tension in the camp was underlined when, shortly after Arafat left, two members of his Fatah faction argued about who had fought the Israelis more bravely - and one shot the other in the leg.

Absolutely priceless

OH SHUT UP.

        Boss Frog attacks messenger. Jack-off Chirac got snippy at Arik Sharon because Zionists don’t like his Vichy swabs.

During the telephone conversation Saturday with the Israeli leader, Chirac expressed his displeasure over "an anti-French campaign in Israel, aimed to present France as an anti-Semitic country," Chirac's spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said, in remarks printed in Monday's Le Monde newspaper.

        Here’s a hint. The perception isn’t caused by a sinister cabal of the Elders of Zion. It’s caused by reading about your government’s onanism towards the Adjacent Jew-Haters, Judeopathic remarks by clowns in your government, Le Pen and, oh yes, the upsurge in violence against Jews and Jewish institutions that have swept France.


        Maybe Daniel Bernard could help. Meanwhile, here’s a hint, Jack-off. Start booting jihad screamer glutes. Then maybe the perception will change.

        What a sphincter.

OPEN E-MAIL TO GREY GOOSE

Gentlemen,         I wish to tell you how much I have enjoyed your product. I never considered myself a vodka drinker before encountered your product. Indeed there is a half-empty bottle currently in my freezer.         Regrettably, it seems to be the last one I shall purchase in the foreseeable future. I am boycotting French products in protest of the anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli statements, actions and acts of nonfeasance in your country. While Jews are attacked in broad daylight and synagogues are desecrated and burned down, the French government criticizes those who call attention to the violence and only decry it in the most vague and mealy-mouthed terms. What is called for is strong law enforcement. The attackers are not Le-Pen supporters as many in France would like to pretend. They are the Islamic thugs of the suburbs. Their intrinsic political correctness should be no shield from law enforcement. Indeed France needs to learn the lesson of New York and how its crime rate plummeted. The inaction of law enforcement in your country to take corrective proactive measures casts France is a poor light.         Almost as bad is the French government attacking Israelis for responding to Palestinian terrorists murdering women and children in supermarkets discos and bat-mitzvahs. These murders are not a response to ‘occupation’ but a rejection of the peace overtures. And finally I am disgusted that French politicians discussing the subject of Jews and Israel in tones worthy of the black days of Vichy and L`affaire Dreyfus. How dare French politicians demand American Jews be silent and not defend their besieged co-religionists in French and Israel.         I look forward to the day when I can buy Grey Goose Vodka in clean conscience. Until then I shall stick to gin and rum and any and all other booze not made in France.

        I will be sending similar e-mails to the makers of Chambord, Grand Marnier, Cointreau and other spirits made in France.

        BTW, the Grey Goose Website is overdesigned and not user-friendly. It's too hip by half.

ZINGER OF THE DAY

From Rush and Molloy at the N.Y. Daily News.

It was celebrity wrestling at its finest Friday when Jon Stewart and Susan Sarandon grappled over politics and world affairs at Pace University. The activist actress urged Americans to try to learn what is behind the hate that leads to terrorist acts. "When you have a guy who thinks the best act is to blow himself up, along with others, you have to ask, 'What leads to that?'" she asked. "And is the response more violence? A cowboy shoot-'em-up?" Stewart immediately retorted: "Getting us to understand that is like asking black people to understand why the Klan puts on pointy white hats." He then called Sarandon a "pinko." Affectionately. We think.

Accurately, I say.

LATE COMMENTS ON EVENINGS OUT

        I've been meaning to comment about 'Ulster' and the CAMERA dinner- especially the perspectives they give me about the Mideast.

        First 'Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme,' a powerful, if somewhat verbose, play by Frank McGuinness. This production starred Justin Theroux and Scott Wolf of 'Party of Five.'


        The play is about eight Ulster Protestant enlistees in WW1, as recalled by the sole survivor 54 years later. In 1915, the survivor is a cynic who wishes to see himself as an outsider, enlisting in the hopes that he will fall in combat. The others are proud of King & Country and fiercely loyal Orangemen. They loathe the Catholics. They talk about how the shipbuilders who built the Titanic cursed the Pope with every rivet they installed. They laugh about fighting 'Fenians,' even a bullying a boy who painted the tricolor on a wall.


        Remarkably, McGuinness, an Irish Catholic (other plays), presents all the men sympathetically. Even the most thuggish Catholic haters have tender souls under their bluster.
While watching them men deal with their fears of both the Germans and Fenians, I thought of something James Lileks wrote in his blog.

"If Saudi Arabia had a Star Trek, do you think they'd put a Jewish Chekov at the helm? Not anytime soon. It's as if they believe that the very act of hating the Jews ennobles them."

        I tried to imagine an Egyptian, never mind a Palestinian or Saudi, writing such a play about Israelis. Sadly, with the hate endemic in Dar Al Islam, the Jews they would portray would be one-dimensional monsters.

        Western societies wish to see other civilizations clearly. Indeed we are often enamored with them. But in the Islamic world, self-deception and prejudice reign.

        Of course not all who seen to understand Dar Al Islam are enamored with it. Case in point is Steven Emerson, who was the keynote speaker at the CAMERA dinner. Emerson is a very courageous writer. All to often 'courage' is applied to journalists who risk snubs at Upper East Side cocktail parties. Emerson risks ending up dead. As in Daniel Pearl dead. Imagine getting into a cab and seeing, on the front seat, a newspaper with a bulls eye superimposed over your photo on the cover. Emerson does not have to imagine it.


        The honorees had copies of Emerson's latest investigative book, 'American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us' in which he details activities of Islamic radicals and terrorists in the US. The activities include fund raising, infiltration and even murders and terrorism.


        He signed a copy for me. Very nice guy. Very brave guy. We need more investigative reporters like him.


        In one passage, he described one of these Islamofasicst fifth columnists defending killing Israeli children on the grounds that they could grow up to be the next Golda Meir or Shimon Perez.

        Very true. But what is the destiny of the children of Jenin's refugee camps? As they watch their classmates sing odes to the 'martyrs' (sic), we should reflect that they will not be the next Arafat. He will come from the Palestinian elite already in place behind the wrought iron gates of the villas paid for by money extorted and looted from foreign aid. The role of the average Palestinian child is to be fodder for the Jihad. His destiny is to be another member of the downtrodden, politically oppressed masses, just like the majority of citizens in Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

        The jihad screamers do well to fear a society where any child can grow up to be the great leader of a free people. Or rather one of several.
While the Israelis get new blood into office, Arafat, for all his failures, endures with an iron grip though he sinks into senile dementia.

        Every so often, pity tempers my contempt.

LE COMMONWEALTH C`EST MOI

        I dearly love Massachusetts and Boston. The geographically small city is large enough to have wonderful museums and art house cinemas. The college dotted state has the seasons in the right combination: winters with snow, yet not too cold and hot summers, but not oppressively so. It is a good thing I am such a booster for this state, because the political class here is as loathsome as any found across the US.


        Let me explain the latest. A couple of years ago the voters, by referendum, passed a 'Clean Elections' law that, among other things, had public funding for candidates. I did not vote for the law because I am always leery of any 'reform.' But it passed. The problem was the State Legislature did not wish to be bound by the law like the plebian taxpayers. They decided to make the law a dead letter by not funding it.


        Then the scatological material struck the air circulation device. The good government goo-goos retaliated. In time-honored American tradition, they sued. And won. A state judge ordered selling of assets to fund Clean Election candidates. That meant the SUVs with the low license plates and luxurious office furniture. Finneran, the Speaker of the House and the main opponent of the Clean Elections law, nearly had his office suite under the gavel, but a judge decided that was gratuitous.


        Finneran was not amused. Retaliation soon followed. One of his minions added a provision to the latest budget proposal stripping the state judiciary of its power to hire its own clerks and manage itself.


        As for the budget itself, it included a 1.4 BILLION dollar tax increase and was submitted the day after the filing deadline for candidates for House and Senate seats.
        Like liberal pols everywhere, Finneran's ilk hold democracy in contempt, except for the elections against token (if any) opposition. Last time in the Speaker's Soviet, 8,172 voters in his sent him back to his de facto governorship. This year he has no opposition.

        How can you throw the bums out when there are no replacements?

PRIORITIES IN ORDER

Shaenon K. Garrity of the hilarious Narbonic.com tore into me for taking my date to ‘Kissing Jessica Stein.' She is a huge pro wrestling fan. Take a look at these sample strips.

TORTURE THE ANALOGY UNTIL IT CONFESSES

This entry on Oxblog about the internal calls for reform among the Palestinians bring up this semi-related thought. The Palestinians are violence junkies and addicted to hate. The Arab/Islamic world is their co-dependents and the UN and EU are their enablers. They need to hit rock bottom for their moment of clarity.

EUROBASHING

The EU has a new logo, eschewing stars for stripes. To reflect their true character, they need a single yellow stripe.

GO TO NARBONIC.COM!

For some reason today's strip was just perfect.

I have no idea what the dedication means.

        David Carr says, "I think those tectonic plates of history just juddered. Stay tuned." I seem to recall the murder of another controversial leader often called racist. Rabbi Kahane. His killing signaled the beginning of Islamic fundamentalist terror on US soil.


        Pity we did not pay attention even back then. Everyone was too busy assailing Kahane's views.


        Even though his killer was a white Dutchman, Reuters described...

Elsewhere in Rotterdam, police said they responded to a handful of incidents where men of North African origin had been shouting and celebrating Fortuyn's death.

        Celebrating murder. It's déjà vu all over again.

STOCK(HOLM) MARKET CRASH.

        The Swedes could always be relied on to criticize us backwards `Mericans and hold themselves as our superiors. Their system was better at providing for their citizens than racism strapped America. Their foreign policy was morally superior and they were less crime-ridden.

        So much for the Swedish Model. They should stick to kinds of models that prance around in swimsuits.

        "Ah… smug mode” [3 point ref]

OOOOPSIE!

        There is a perfectly good explanation for my lack of updates. I’m utterly useless and lazy. Plus I had a bunch of prior appointments, including hearing Steve Emerson speak at a CAMERA function. I’ll have a few words on that soon.

        I also saw 'Spider-Man' last night. I am glad to say it was very true to the ideas of the original Marvel character. Kirsten Dunst was a bit disappointing, though and Rosemary Harris rung false as well. However, Tobey Maguire was perfect and J.K. Simmons, who is utterly amazing in ‘Oz’ steals his scenes as JJJ. Willem Dafoe clearly enjoyed himself as he chewed the scenery.

        To make this political, I nearly did not make the movie because of the MBTA. It took so long that I walked from Coolidge corner to the Fenway theater. There it was sold out. So I took the ‘T’ to another theater downtown, where, despite the streetcar’s leisurely pace, I (barely) caught the last showing.


        This was not the first time reliance on public transportation nearly caused me to miss a show. This Thursday, despite leaving with, what I had thought to be plenty of time, I barely made the curtain of ‘Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme.’


        So it was with a seething attitude I thought of all the drawbacks to taking public transportation: late, slow cars; the fees; trains ending before the nightlife does (at least in Boston); filthy stations and cars; torn seats; having to trudge from the stops to your destination- or worse, having to take additional trains/buses; and of course other people.


        The chattering classes extol the virtues of public transportation. But the car is still better…. if you can park it.