McCain, AGAIN

Just a letter I wrote today.

TO : mtp@msnbc.com

I just wanted to express just how incredibly embarrassing and disappointing I found the "news" that Meet The Press decided to devote its entire next episode to interviewing Senator McCain again.

It is apparent to the American people that not only are the Republicans devoid of ideas, they are actively hostile to working with the President on the challenges before us now. Senator McCain has proved himself to be repeatedly at the forefront of the G.O.P. fight to oppose everything that needs to be done now.

Like Senator Bunning's disgraceful performance yesterday in denying a vote to extend unemployment benefits to millions of hurting Americans who need assistance now, Senator McCain has repeatedly refused to work with the Senate majority on any of the critical projects before the country now, and devoting yet another hour to him and his, quite frankly, repellent views will continue to hurt the country and its people. Meet The Press should have its focus on newsmakers who are producing useful and necessary legislation and are actively fighting FOR the American people, and not for their selfish and partisan views.

As the President reminded Senator McCain yesterday, "we are no longer campaigning". Meet The Press should not be giving him free campaign ad space. Let him pay for his own.
~

Kathryn Grayson

Oh. sad news.



Kathryn Grayson, Operatic Film Star, Dies at 88 :

By ANITA GATES
Published: February 18, 2010

Kathryn Grayson, the petite singer and actress whose operatic voice and campus-sweetheart beauty embodied the glamour of Hollywood movie musicals in the 1940s and ’50s, died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 88.

Ms. Grayson, a coloratura soprano, was best known for three film roles: the movie hopeful who attracts the attentions of two sailors (Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra) on shore leave in Hollywood in “Anchors Aweigh” (1945); Magnolia Hawks, the captain’s innocent daughter, who falls for the handsome gambler Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel), in the Technicolor remake of “Show Boat” (1951); and the sophisticated, comically shrewish actress starring in a Shakespearean musical with her ex-husband (Mr. Keel again) in “Kiss Me Kate” (1953), Hollywood’s adaptation of the Broadway hit...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/movies/19grayson.html

I had SUCH a crush on her in my teens - certainly more than 30 years after she made the movies that I was watching on TV in the 70s.



Be sure to listen to her very last note.
~

Hopium

h/t euphronius, rob mule

In spite of the past year, I'm still fine with "Hope" and "Change" being important parts of a Democratic candidate's operating rhetoric.

After the better part of a decade being beaten down by Thugs and their masters, it was important and necessary to inspire voters. The fact that a Dem could win with a mandate and still act like there was a narrow, or even an illegitimate victory, just bugs.
~

Valentine’s Day

Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner in "Valentine's Day"(2010)

“Valentine’s Day” surprisingly did not suck. It was a very lightweight romantic comedy, but they were very careful to make sure that there were no major characters that did NOT deserve a decent ending. The large cast and multiple storyline meant that there was very little padding in the individual stories and performances, and given their fluffy nature, they didn’t need extra time.

There were even a few surprises at the end for the audience that went very well. Two of them involved Julia Roberts, by the way – one of those is in the end credits.

Oh, and somebody needs to get on that Jessica Biel / Jennifer Garner action movie RIGHT NOW, they both looked fantastic.

Having lived there for a while, I thought that spending a day in Los Angeles was going to be a proper drag, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I find myself sort of defending this movie - not for itself but just against a sort of kneejerk response to basic genre movies, where they get saddled with far more weight and responsibility than this kind of project really needs. We need more, not less, simple genre projects like romcoms, and action and Westerns and sci-fi that make going to the movies easier, and more fun.

One reviewer that I read actually mentioned Un Chien Andalou in relation to this movie! Now, if you are seriously referring to Un Chien Andalou a) in relation to fraking Valentine's Day and/or b) even as an example of a Good Movie (feh), you need to have your head examined.

Roger Ebert said it best:

"Moviegoers who knowingly buy a ticket for "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" are going to get exactly what they expect: There is a mummy, a tomb, a dragon and an emperor. And the movie about them is all that it could be. If you think "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" sounds like a waste of time, don't waste yours."

This movie is called "Valentine's Day". Some people need to go watch something else.

I've written versions of this in so many places I figured I'd better post it here.
~

Celebrating Curves

Our fellow commenter at Eschaton brings this to our attention:

Moonbootica, ODST : this blog celebrates curves...

ANOTHER DOSE OF FIERCE: ON THE RUNWAY...

"As the kickoff to New York Fashion Week gets closer and my anticipation builds, I figured for this week’s ‘Dose of Fierce’ I’d post images of plus models working it on the runway! There are images from Elena Miro, Monif C, City Chic, Qristyl Frazier and more! Also there are a few videos from City Chic and Elena Miro’s runway shows. Enjoy!"






It sure the hell does. Damn.

Wow.

Damn.

Go there for the extra goodness. Fabulous.
~

Facepalm

“I know both those guys; they are very savvy businessmen,” Obama said in the interview yesterday in the Oval Office with Bloomberg BusinessWeek, which will appear on newsstands Friday. “I, like most of the American people, don’t begrudge people success or wealth. That is part of the free-market system.”




Goldman: We Won't Slash Pay for '10

Perhaps it is possible to be MORE disgusted. I cannot imagine how.


Here's much more important news:

Comic book fans, of course, are big on first appearances, and the wealthier ones may be excited to own a copy of Detective Comics No. 27. That 1939 issue marks the first appearance of Batman and will be up for bid at Heritage Auctions from Feb. 25-27. According to the Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, a near-mint-condition copy of this comic is worth $450,000. The very fine copy up for grabs at Heritage is expected to surpass $300,000.


Most expensive comic ever?
~

2010 Grammy Awards - Pink Live Performance

The Grammy Awards show literally ended here. Just an incredible, sexy, beautiful, perfect performance:



Pink Performs at 2010 Grammys.


Pink Performs at 2010 Grammys.


Pink Performs at 2010 Grammys.


Taylor who?

(Repost: YouTube had to kill the vid.)

Decisions, decisions

Until Apple announced the iPad,

I was looking at the enTourage eDGe™:



and the Kindle DX:



and the Sony Reader Daily Edition:



I need something to read the PDF textbooks that I get in my classes, so I need the larger format screen.

Similar price point and interesting features, but I'm still drawn to the flexibility, if not the weight of the eDGe.