LIVEBLOGGING FROM THE CONVENTION!

          Yes, I am liveblogging from a convention.... no, not that thing in Manhattan. I am blogging from Noreascon 4, the 62nd World Science Fiction convention and it's here in Boston! So far it's a blast, thought I've been running around madly and late to most everything. I will be doing a talk on sports and SF. Anyhow, i'll report. Really!

THE INTIFADA IS IN ITS DEATH THROES!

          For the schadenfreude lovers out there, check out this grim assessment from an undisclosed location somewhere in Yassir's anarchy theme park...

It's not so much what Zakariya Zubeidi, the fugitive leader of the West Bank Aksa Martyrs Brigades, says, but how he says it. Zubeidi speaks in the vacant tones of a ghost.           And four years after he first picked up a rifle, this peace-activist-turned-local-hero-and-killer eulogized the Palestinian intifada in words similar to those in which he described himself.           "The intifada is in its death throes. These are the final stages - this I can confirm," he said on Wednesday.

          "They sought to destroy Israeli society. They only destroyed their own. Dimwits.



          "Money quote...

"Not only was the intifada a failure, but we are a total failure. We achieved nothing in 50 years of struggle; we've achieved only our survival."

          Of course, the Pals, like the Bourbons forget nothing and learn nothing.

Asked if he intends to trade in his M16 for a briefcase, Zubeidi, who sees himself as a Robin Hood, responded that "such a path is not currently ordained for a man likely to be killed."

          Still, it's good news. Maybe after failing with violence for over half a century, they will try actual negotiation and comprimise.

"It is a double-edged dagger," said Zubeidi contemplatively. "If we give up, then we live a life of humiliation. But to keep fighting – it only brings destruction."

GHOULS AND DOLLS

          Death Pool update: It's not good (from my perspective, that is). Only 3 out of the roster of 15- Ronald Reagan (the most popular pick), Allistair Cooke (two others had him as well) and Francis Crick (a solo shot), have earned points. Ah well. That's life; or rather the lack therof!

OH, BY THE WAY.

          I PASSED THE BAR! WOO! I'M A SHYSTER! WOO!

GEE, WHERE WAS I?

          This long absence from blogging is embarrassing and frankly inexcusable on my part. Suffice it to say inertia took over.

          Sadly, I look through my notes and see a mention of a hate crimes panel sponsored by the CJP which l I attended- but never wrote about as well as discussion of Tillman and the two NFL players who earned Medals of Honor: Maurice Britt and Jack Lummus. I also had notes on Saddam's capture, including this filk.

          I do owe you my poverty/pathology essay, wherein I propose a new term to describe the status of being poor and dysfunctional: 'Patharty,' or pathological poverty. Also I need to find a George Will essay so I can explain why Californians who learn nothing are making Arizona more liberal. I do owe you an explanation as to my cryptic remark why video games prove Eurabia is coming.

          So, why my return? Well, I was attending a National Review sponsored party at Doyle's in the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood. Of course I wanted to meet the Corner gang. In addition to meeting Ramesh, Jonah, Rich and Katie, I also met some local bloggers. One was the poor bastard who is the token conservative on the Weekly Dig- which is like The Village Voice put together in a dorm room where the bong fumes are so thick they obscure the Che posters. Another attendee was Cantabrigian libertarian Steven Jens.

          Anyhow, when I mentioned my name, while introducing myself to some of the attendees and someone recognized it- from the comments on Tim Blair's blog. He also mentioned that it had not been updated since 2003. Big oops.

          About the convention: I have been largely avoiding the DNC footprint. I eschewed downtown during the event- paranoid visions of tear gas and molotov cocktails danced in my mind. Thankfully I was wrong. Indeed, around 2 PM Thursday I was able to drive from Storrow Drive to I-93 southbound in astonishingly little time (For non-Bostonians, Storrow Drive is the generally congested road along the Charles River. I-93, the focus of the 'Big Dig,' is perpetually congested. Both are notorious in a metropolis filled with choke points). Earlier I was in an astonishingly uncrowded Harvard Square. I chatted with some merchants who described the situation as 'quiet.' But the lack of the thronging crowds were eerily reminiscent of Evangelion, an anime that takes place after a catastrophe decimated mankind. As Howie Carr noted, everyone who could flee, has.

          It's not merely north of the Charles, either. Instead of helping local businesses, the convention- with its attendees eating free food at lobbyist parties whilst safely ensconced in their security cocoon is actually harming downtown.

Around Boston, businesses anticipating a boost from the Democratic National Convention were left to stew in the disappointment of streets emptied by warnings about highway closures, rail line disruptions and huge crowds of outsiders.

          Mayor Menino, having been rescued from humiliating 'information lines' by Governor Romney, is undoubtedly less than thrilled with Kerry's high handedness and the detrimental effects of the convention. He is not alone in his anger. At a recent family gathering more than one person snarled about the convention center in South Boston. This white elephant, originally meant for the DNC, is not being used, though Romney suggested it. (There were fears during planning that it would not be completed in time. Though ready, the networks vetoed any use because of camera angle issues. Thanks, Dan, Tom, Peter.) If it were in Southie, there would have been MUCH less impact on the Hub's easily impacted thoroughfares. Additionally, the security would probably end up uncovering the rest of Whitey's death pits.

          Hopefully this disgruntlement will turn into something tangible. Massachusetts is politically odd, but not inexplicably so. Like a labor union, our political overclass is far to the left of most of the electorate, with one notable exception that will be discussed shortly. While many seem to believe that the Democrats and their veto proof majority are detrimental, they never hold their representative rouge accountable, if they even know or vote for the wretch. Of course the state Republicans barely fields any candidates, even for the U.S. Senate race in 2002 against... John Kerry. The one exception is the Governorship- the corner office. (Massachusetts has no governor's mansion.) No matter how much we like our guy, we want at least one break on the rest of the lot.

          However, this convention, held not in the patronage pit built for it, but in the arena abutting the mess from the seemingly endless construction, thus adding further to the chaos, will hopefully cause the voters to consider accountability regarding the party responsible for the building blocks of the fiasco- even if pepper spray did not waft through riot-torn downtown.

          Heck, it's only the second most important convention in Boston this year!

BUSTARDS AND BASTARDS

        Interesting Globe article about friction between the petro plutocracts who travel to Pakistan to hunt the houbara bustard and the local tribesmen who are, prickly at their best. At their worst... well, remember this?

        Brings to mind Wilde's quip about fox hunting, "The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable." Or considering how egregious both sides are, maybe Kissenger's quip on the Iran/Iraq war that it was a shame they could not both lose.

        Anyhow, the oil barons seem to continue the Arab tradition of abusing hospitality and trying to take over for themselves. In Afghanistan, the Arabs of Al-Qaida treated the Taliban as second class terrorists. In Europe (Most of the article requires a subscription, but, according to Peretz, "In Belgium, they already want Arabic as a national language." And let's not forget the Israel.

        The West is damned for its colonialism, imperialism and expansionism. But these days, they are not the most egregious practitioners of such sins.

ANOTHER ONE TO BITE THE DUST

        Death pool substitution on my roster. Bob Dole is out. Replacing his is Joseph Barbera the master of mediocre animation who bears a great deal of responsibility for much of my mis-spent youth.

From Milan, to Yucatan/ Every Woman and Every Man

        I'm back. The tan and magartia hangovers are fading. Just going to post a few quickies before my New Year's eve date.

Weather is here. Wish you were beautiful

        I am taking this opportunity to report live from the Riviera Maya south of Cancun. Rest, assured, gentle readers that your obedient servant is doing more than snorkeling, overeating, buying kitsch, visiting ancient ruins, tanning, sipping tropical cocktails and slamming tequila shooters.

        Really.

        Future updates will include thoughts on cultural imperialism, the Mayan achievements, Lord of the Ring refs, the usefulness of high school Spanish and why the word poverty does not describe the pathologies of the underclass. Now for more Xtabentun!

        ¡Camarero, en me sopa es un mosco! ¿Mosca? ¿Es feminina? ¡Qué buenos ojos!

TWO TRIVIALITIES

1. Yes, I saw Return of the King. For a movie 210 minutes long, moved quickly. A bench warrant has been issued for John Rhys-Davies
   for stealing every scene he was in.
   
   
2. I will be on vacation in Mexico next week. When I return, I'll discuss the film and my speculation about the relationship between videogame sales and European decay.
   

DEATH BE NOT PROUD!

        The ghouls at Amish Tech Support continue their loathsome tradition of the death pool. Being the merrily morbid sort, I joined in. Here are my fifteen choices and the reasoning behind them.

1. Yassir Arafat: The Chairman of the Board among those I hope and expect who will soon be stiff as a board. What can I say about the man? Well, plenty, but mom may be reading. At 74 his body is as rotten as his soul and no matter how many baby wipes the man has, being cornered like the rat he is, thanks to the Tzahal, is quite stressful
   
   
2. King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia: Vegetables spoil eventually. Robert Baer has a creepy description of how far gone that potentate is. Not that it matters much to the kleptocrats of the House of Sod. His brain can be tapioca, so long as his heart beats.
   
   
3. Ronald Reagan: Much the same theory as Fahd of Sod. Apparently the end is nigh for the Great Communicator. The difference is that I will mourn Ronnie's passing.
   
   
4. Glen Campbell: He's 67 years old and still living hard. His liver can't last much longer.
   
   
5. Jay Zeamer: This is one of those, "I hate myself for choosing him. I hope that I am wrong!" types of picks. As Richard Burton said in The Longest Day, "The thing that's always worried me about being one of the few is the way we keep on getting fewer." The 85 year old Major Zeamer is the last surviving Army Air Corps Medal of Honor recipient.
   
   
6. Slingin' Sammy Baugh: Arguably the
   greatest player in the history of the NFL. Like Zeamer, he is the last survivor of his elite class- NFL Hall of Fame charter enshrinees. Though still spry, he is 89 years old and all those tackles do add up after a while.
   
   
7. Mike Wallace, : (The fossil journalist not the NASCAR driver).
   To give you an idea how old Wallace is, he pitched cancer sticks on the idiot box. He was already an established journalist when he went over to TV... in 1951!
   
   
8. Fay Wray: That delicate satin draped frame.
   
   
9. George Habash: So much for the "I'd rather you not die, but you're no spring chickens and I want someone the other ghouls probably haven't picked" choices. Habash, another doddering terrorist, is in my "DIE YOU FILTHY BASTARD, DIE! " catergory. At 78, he may be a bit young to be a great pick, but Palestinian terror leaders tend to have a short life span. And I doubt Yassir would appreciate any competition, especially from a Christian born wannabe, even if he is allegedly retired.
   
   I'm claiming Habash as my commie, BTW. Anyone names his murderous terror troupe 'Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine,' is redder than steak tartare.
   
   
10. Bob Dole: Decorum forbids Viagra quips.
    
    
11. Francis Crick: Yep. Trying to get the Nobel laureate. However it's Watson whose death seems to be awaited eagerly.
    
    
12. Ray Bradbury: Please let me be wrong about this one. But he's another legend who has been around forever and the final curtain is very likely to end his long run sooner than I'd want.
    
    
13. Alistair Cooke: Cooke is best known in the UK as their quasi-anthropologist among the colonials. The USAians remember him as the classy Brit who hosted Masterpiece Theater for two decades.
    
    
14. Joey Bishop: The last of the last. The least flamboyant Rat Packer is the last one standing!
    
    
15. Max Schmeling: The Black Uhlan of the Rhine not only outlived most of his opponents, he probably outlived his sport.
    
    

I`M BAAAAAAAAAACK!

        Miss me?

        <cricket chirps>

        Dang. Guess not.

        </cricket chirps>

        Well, the big news... I`m officially a lawyer! Woo! Party down! I was sworn in at a ceremony at historic Faneuil Hall. So now I`m not just another blogging loudmouth. I`m a blogging loudmouth shyster!


        Of course that was... a while ago. Regrettably I fell out of the blogging habit. But now I`m back. Really.

SEMPER FIDELIS AND OOH-RAH!!

        Rick Leventhal, another embedded Foxnews reporter is claiming the First Marine Division is entering Iraq. Also rumors of certain commanders of the Republican Guard are interested in surrendering.

ROCK OF THE MARNE IS BEGINING TO ROLL

        Greg Kelly, an embedded Foxnews reports that the 3rd Infantry Division reports artillery fire. Also more targets of opportunity are being attacked in Baghdad.

I'M ON AUSTRIALIAN RADIO- WHOA-OH!

        Antipodean blogger/journalist Tim Blair was listening to talk radio and was surprised by the number of pro-liberation callers ABC. The last call he describes is particularly pertinent.

The [call] came from an older woman named Jill. Her family had migrated to Australia after WWII. "I wish we'd had politicians in the 1930s with the guts of Tony Blair and John Howard," she said, her voice catching slightly. "Why?" asked the host.         She answered through a rush of tears. "Because then I'd have a lot more relatives."

IT HAS BEGUN

May G-d bless our Armed Forces and defend them as they liberate Iraq and destroy its totalitarian regime and evil leaders.

I WATCH SHORT SHORTS!

(1 point ref)

        One of the nicest things about living in a major metropolitan area are the cultural opportunities that one can just not get in the hinterlands, or even smaller cities: museums, concerts, theater and movies. It is a real pleasure to be able to eschew the lowest common denominator, intelligence insulting, would-be blockbusters soulless mall multiplex to catch interesting flicks at the art house.

        So, Sunday night I went to the 'The Coolidge Corner Theater' to see a presentation of several of the Oscar nominated shorts subjects. I meant it to be a date. However, the lady did not make it and did not inform me until long after.

        I recovered. Don't worry. On to the program. The Academy has three categories for short subjects; animated, live action and documentaries. The program included all the animated shorts, and three of the five live action nominees. The last item was the sole documentary, 'Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks'

        These features are given short shrift by the Academy and ABC. It seems as though they do everything to distract the viewers from seeing the millisecond of clips they show. I know the camera dollies are cool, but do we really need to zoom around as these artists' hard work is playing for a brief moment on the screen. I know the audience is not paying attention. Or maybe they're only interested in the odd choices of announcers for these segments. But, still, these guys deserve respect.

        Frankly, the pre-Oscar hour would be better dedicated to these flicks, rather than Babwa Wawwa's inane celebrity suck-ups.

        Anyhow, here are my reviews:

Animated Shorts.

        Some years I have been known to care more about this field than Best Picture. Past winners in this category have included giants like Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Nick Park and Walt Disney. The past few years CGI has taken over the field. Three of the five entries are computer generated. Interestingly two of the entries are from major studios and are available on DVD.

• Katedra
  (The Cathedral): Directed by Tomek Baginski. Poland. A wanderer in a wasteland on an alien planet enters a bizarre cathedral like structure, reminiscent of the Mines of Moria designed by H.R. Giger. Based on a story by Jacek Dukaj. The computer animation was gorgeous, but, the story was predictable. I am not sure what statement they were trying to make, but the flick did not, ultimately, have much of an impact.
  
  
• The Chubbchubbs!: Directed by Eric Armstrong. USA. A hapless extraterrestrial janitor at the 'Ale E Inn' (groan) has to shelves his dreams of singing stardom because THE CHUBBCHUBBS ARE COMING! This cartoon is proves my dictum that even a dumb, corny, gag, when well delivered, is hilarious.. The Chubbchubbs! is chock full of goofy SF related sight gags. The computer animation is not as polished as Pixar products, but it's still pretty good
  Available on the Men in Black II DVD.
  
  
  
  
• Das Rad (The Wheel): Directed by Chris Stenner, Avrid Uibel and Heidi Wittlinger. Germany. Two rocks watch mankind's progress from their extended perspective. The workmanship was stunning, especially because the animation was stop motion and not computer generated. It was fairly clever and nice change of pace from CGI. But the message was fairly predictable.
  
  
• Mike's New Car: Directed by Peter Docter and Roger Gould. The gruesome twosome from Monsters, Inc. are back as Mike shows off his new car to his friend. Probably the odds on favorite to win the Oscar, but is is not as good either technically, or storywise, as 'For the Birds which earned the Oscar for Pixar last year. Both shorts are available on the Monsters, Inc. DVD.
  
  
• Mt. Head. Directed by Koji Yamamura. Japan. The only traditional cell animated movie of the group, this bizarre flick is definitely not what we would associate with anime. It tells the story of a stingy man who, after eating cherry stones, finds a tree growing from his head. The story veers rapidly from the grubby to the utterly surrealistic. The movie obviously parodies traditional Japanese storytelling, making me regret not being able to get all the jokes. Because of its foreignness, Mt. Head is the darkest of dark horses in a contest adjudicated by the middlebrows of LA-LA land.
  
  
  

Live Action.

        Only three of the five were screened- all from Europe and two from the Axis of Weasel. Interestingly, both of the 'weasel land' films were less than 12 minutes, combined. Both were essentially single punchline tales that drew comedy from miscommunication.

• J'attendrai le Suivant... (I'll Wait for the Next One): Directed by Philippe Orreindy. France. A young man stands up on a crowded Metro car and announces to a seemingly indifferent world that he is looking for love. A pleasant piece of fluff, this light comedy, while laugh inducing, is utterly forgettable.
  
• Der er en Yndig Mand (This Charming Man): Directed by Martin Strange-Hansen. Denmark. Another romantic comedy, but with slightly deeper meditations on identity and ethnicity. Lars Hansen, an unemployed bookkeeper has discovered that Ida, a girl he used to tease back in school, is teaching Danish to immigrants. Unfortunately his ID number has been confused with a Pakistani immigrant named El Hassan. Thoughtful hilarity ensues. My money is on this one of the three I watched. The Academy voted for The Accountant last year, which indicates to me that they like the slightly longer , more complex stories. While the plot device of assumed identity is older than Shakespeare, it still felt fresh and witty in this flick.
  
• Fait d`Hiver (Fact of Winter AKA Gridlock): Directed by Dirk Beliën. Belgium. A professional, trapped in traffic during a snowstorm tries his new cellphone to call home. This stripped down, darkly comic flick takes an old gag and runs with it effectively and brutally.
  
  
  
  
  

        The last entry was the sole documentary of the evening, Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks, which told the story of the seamstress and activist who helped spark the turning point of the civil rights movement. This retelling used re-enactments, archival footage and narrators (including grandchildren of the participants). Mighty Times has its moments, but the too-clever-by-half style unsubtle style overwhelms and bludgeons its strong subject matter. A sparse, unflashy documentary is more effective. The audience should be regarded as intelligent enough to draw its own conclusions.


        Reportedly, Mighty Times will be shown on HBO. For all its flaws, it is still worth checking out.

IT'S MEAT, MADAM, MEAT!

        The amazing Meryl Yourish declared Saturday 'Eat an Animal for Peta Day,' in reaction for the veggie flakes' stunningly tactless and obscenely offensive ad campaign trying to co-opt the Holocaust. She has been collecting menus from that day. So here's mine. Breakfast was egg whites and lox. Lunch, regrettably was vegetarian. (I was on the slopes of Killington and the only Atkins friendly food was a salad... Well, there was something else, but I did not want to spoil dinner.

        Supper was chicken soup, corned beef and home made turkey chili, made by yours truly, with a little prepackaged help.

AT LEAST THERE IS FREEDOM SOMEWHERE ON CAMPUS

        I live near an abortion clinic. No, I'm not going into Roe v. Wade. My former girlfriend claimed she wanted to slug me after why I said that decision was bad law. (I am pro choice, as a matter of public policy, but I'd rather the decision be made by appropriate entities- state legislators. I am also a damn hypocrite for getting into the abortion issue after saying I'd avoid it, but that's another matter.)

        Now, this clinic has spray-painted a half-circle eighteen feet around the door. Anti-abortion protesters, who occasionally show up with their gruesome photos and religious tracts, are not allowed inside Every time I see that spray painted fluorescent orange line, I think to myself 'now leaving America,' 'The First Amendment ends here,' or similar uncharitable thoughts. In contrast, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in the case of Benefit v. Cambridge, has ruled that the First Amendment protects beggars pestering people trying to enter Harvard Square convenience stores.

        The reason I bring this up is as an introduction to another telling of Political Correctness AKA Pinko McCarthyism on Campus. The University of Maryland has magnanimously consented to allow free speech in two whole locations on campus. While that seems to make the Terrapins more enlightened than others in academe's bestiary,

[University spokesman George L.] Cathcart noted that the university allowed students to hold a rally protesting war in Iraq that drew about 500 people to McKeldin Mall yesterday. McKeldin Mall is not one of the two areas reserved for public speech under the university policy being challenged by the ACLU, and Cathcart said he believes the area is regulated under another policy.

ACLU officials seized on the discrepancy. "The university's willingness to close its eyes when it's a highly public demonstration leads to the inevitable problem of selective enforcement," said staff attorney David Rocah, noting that other student groups, including environmental activists and supporters of former presidential candidate Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr., have been prevented from marching or leafleting on the mall.

        Oopsie. Looks like the Free Speech for Me, And Not For Thee mentality remains the order of the day for the American Left and liberalism. For example, some 'peace lovers' in California destroyed a 9-11 memorial. (via LGF Meanwhile, listeners to NPR (AKA National Pinko Radio) are furious when the other side is presented. (Via Andrew Sullivan) How dare they present other views! Don't they know the way it's supposed to be? You present the Palestinians attacking the Jews, then the Israelis who attack their own government.

        Now that I have brought up NPR, I need to mention something I heard on 'Fresh Air' Saturday. No, I did not listen to NPR willingly. I was in the back seat of the car and my Rio Volt's batteries were running low. Anyhow, the commentator was talking about the word 'protest.' Being a NPR chatterer, he could not resist an utterly unnecessary dig at conservatives, who complained about Barry McGuire's song 'Eve of Destruction.' They used the Fairness Doctrine to protest. The commentator, Geoffrey Nunberg, remarked with typical NPR snideness, "This was before they realized they could live without it." Well, the liberals pine for the Fairness Doctrine, because, as usual they can't handle the marketplace. (Which is why NPR is subsidized. But that's a furious rant for another day.)

        It is no secret that the left in the institutions it controls attempts to create a monolithic ideological culture. Some people have made a good career out of exposing it. The reason is why does current liberalism is so intolerant towards those who disagree? I blame the 60s. Yeah. That's my default position on almost anything, but hear me out. First, as David Horowitz would say, the Left snatched the banner of liberalism. Instead of Scoop Jackson liberals, you had Eugene McCarthy times who were far more disposed to empathize with the Warsaw Pact than their own country. The current left retains the totalitarian instincts of its former Soviet mentors/role models.

        The other problem is that, as the terminology of the day went, they made the political personal. They internalize their ideology to such a degree they can not imagine anyone on the opposite side of the aisle being a decent human being. They can not agree to disagree rationally. If you do not hold their views, you are evil. They see their opponents as warmongers, racists, the avaricious and vile. Such monsters have no right to speak, or if they can not be silenced, must not be taken seriously.

        Of course when you make the political so personal, every defeat is all the more painful. Their desperation to MAKE A DIFFERENCE has been driving them over the edge, with promises to commit acts of sabotage and violence. Hysteria rises in proportion to impotence, and the ensuing ugliness ensures irrelevance. So by trying to get others to shut up, they make those who disagree more attractive. The vicious circle continues.

        Thank goodness.

THE ULTIMATUM SPEECH

        Bush said what needed to be said with no padding or fuss. Vast improvement over the last press conference. Bush does have a talent to cut through nonsense. Too bad he did not use it this winter while the Axis of Weasel played its delaying game on behalf of their client. Well, no matter. This is endgame for Saddam and the UN. Neither will be missed.

        The most important part of the speech, IMO, was the warnings to the Iraqi soldiers and commanders.