From the great song Career Opportunities by the great punk band The Clash.
Career Opportunities
(M Jones and J Strummer)
The offered me the office, offered me the shop
They said I'd better take anything they'd got
Do you wanna make tea at the BBC?
Do you wanna be, do you really wanna be a cop?
Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock
I hate the army an' I hate the R.A.F.
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
I hate the civil service rules
And I won't open letter bombs for you
Bus driver....ambulance man....ticket inspector
They're gonna have to introduce conscription
They're gonna have to take away my prescription
If they wanna get me making toys
If they wanna get me, well, I got no choice
Careers
Careers
Careers
Ain't never gonna knock
This song, written during Margret Thatcher's term as England's Prime Minister, reminds me of a man who said on the radio that growing up in England during that time was a lot like growing up in Poland except without the excuse of being a Communist Dictatorship.
Long Live Punk
R.I.P. Joe Strummer
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Movie Review: The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Okay, let me just get this out in the open to start with. I like the Twilight Saga, I actually went to this movie because I thought it would be good. It wasn't. Let me explain.
Okay first, this film was doomed from the beginning as the book that it was based on was a very internal book, there is really no action to speak of and what the book is about is Bella's mental attachments to Jacob and Edward. A movie can't really have most of the action take place in a person's thoughts, so they movie was of course going to not be as good as the book. But there is absolutely no excuse for it to be this bad.
The many terrible casting mistakes which were hidden behind the masterful directing of the first film, called just Twilight and I strongly recommend it, is now way too apparent. Mr. Pattinson may have a great following among the female fans, but his acting is, at times, painful. Watching him struggle through some lines from Romeo and Juliet at the beginning is unbearable.
I have to say though, as both of the lovers, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, are both doing the same thing with their acting I assume that it was because they were told to do it by the director or, alternatively,she saw in the first movie that Mr. Pattinson can not act so she started matching his acting style to make it look intentional. I have no idea why Mr. Pattinson has become such a teen idol, as he is neither talented nor particularly good-looking, and he seems to have no understanding of the character he is playing.
And that is one of the places where this movie, and in some ways the last one as well, falls short of the books, the character of the male romantic lead. In the book he is not as brooding as Mr. Pattinson decides to play him as, also, and this is what really bugs me, is that in the books Edward has a sense of humor which is non-existent in the film. He never seems to have any emotions other than brooding confusion.
Also, and I apologize for hitting on Robert Pattinson so much, he won't say his freakin' lines!!! All he does is insert pauses into places where there should be no pauses! It makes the already bad script worse. It becomes just comical when he says things like "I left so you could have a normal life" with several pauses insert into it.
There is also a lot of blatant attempts to appeal to the teenage girl market with most of the male characters walking around shirtless for most of the movie. In the first scene where a werewolf, who has obviously been pumping some iron(played quite well by Taylor Lautner), rips of his shirt for no particular reason, it is the first time for this movie but by far not the last, the cinema exploded in what was either laughter, which I was participating in, at the sheer stupidity of the moment or cheers at Mr. Lautner's ability to work out or take steroids, whichever.
The movie itself dragged, focusing to much on the dull elements and not enough on the interesting bit. The pace was so slow that one might very well fall asleep during the film, as one of the guys who went with me to see it almost did 4 times.
One last point, there is way way too much kissing. One passionate kiss at the end can be much more powerful than the 5 or so kisses that occour in this film. Actually there was an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in which the lovers never kiss. It felt like the filmmakers knew what their audiences wanted and gave it them, disregarding the fact that it killed the movie. They knew that all the kissing was out of character, they knew that all the shirtless men didn't really make sense to the plot, but they did both of those things anyway.
However my favorite character, Alice, is played very well by Ashley Greene and Michael Sheen is terrifying as the King of the Vampires. Dakota Fanning is also very good as Jane one of Mr. Sheen's minions.
2/5 Stars
Okay first, this film was doomed from the beginning as the book that it was based on was a very internal book, there is really no action to speak of and what the book is about is Bella's mental attachments to Jacob and Edward. A movie can't really have most of the action take place in a person's thoughts, so they movie was of course going to not be as good as the book. But there is absolutely no excuse for it to be this bad.
The many terrible casting mistakes which were hidden behind the masterful directing of the first film, called just Twilight and I strongly recommend it, is now way too apparent. Mr. Pattinson may have a great following among the female fans, but his acting is, at times, painful. Watching him struggle through some lines from Romeo and Juliet at the beginning is unbearable.
I have to say though, as both of the lovers, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, are both doing the same thing with their acting I assume that it was because they were told to do it by the director or, alternatively,she saw in the first movie that Mr. Pattinson can not act so she started matching his acting style to make it look intentional. I have no idea why Mr. Pattinson has become such a teen idol, as he is neither talented nor particularly good-looking, and he seems to have no understanding of the character he is playing.
And that is one of the places where this movie, and in some ways the last one as well, falls short of the books, the character of the male romantic lead. In the book he is not as brooding as Mr. Pattinson decides to play him as, also, and this is what really bugs me, is that in the books Edward has a sense of humor which is non-existent in the film. He never seems to have any emotions other than brooding confusion.
Also, and I apologize for hitting on Robert Pattinson so much, he won't say his freakin' lines!!! All he does is insert pauses into places where there should be no pauses! It makes the already bad script worse. It becomes just comical when he says things like "I left so you could have a normal life" with several pauses insert into it.
There is also a lot of blatant attempts to appeal to the teenage girl market with most of the male characters walking around shirtless for most of the movie. In the first scene where a werewolf, who has obviously been pumping some iron(played quite well by Taylor Lautner), rips of his shirt for no particular reason, it is the first time for this movie but by far not the last, the cinema exploded in what was either laughter, which I was participating in, at the sheer stupidity of the moment or cheers at Mr. Lautner's ability to work out or take steroids, whichever.
The movie itself dragged, focusing to much on the dull elements and not enough on the interesting bit. The pace was so slow that one might very well fall asleep during the film, as one of the guys who went with me to see it almost did 4 times.
One last point, there is way way too much kissing. One passionate kiss at the end can be much more powerful than the 5 or so kisses that occour in this film. Actually there was an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in which the lovers never kiss. It felt like the filmmakers knew what their audiences wanted and gave it them, disregarding the fact that it killed the movie. They knew that all the kissing was out of character, they knew that all the shirtless men didn't really make sense to the plot, but they did both of those things anyway.
However my favorite character, Alice, is played very well by Ashley Greene and Michael Sheen is terrifying as the King of the Vampires. Dakota Fanning is also very good as Jane one of Mr. Sheen's minions.
2/5 Stars
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
quote of the day
Okay so this is a Psalm that some people are putting on bumper stickers, tee-shirts, tedddy bears, and tons of other things.
“Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”
Psalm 109.8
Okay, now I mean absolutely no disrespect to Christians when I say this but, are they out of their freaking minds?!!!!
Is this what their religion, a religion started by Jesus who said "Turn the Other Cheek" and "treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated", tells them to do? Put assassination threats of the back of their cars? The Psalm right after that one says "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow"
That sounds like a death-threat to me, so I've gotta ask the question, what the heck makes these people think that just because they lost an election that means that they should threaten to kill the President of the United States?
Their religion tells them quite simply in the 6th Commandment "You shall not murder" or "You shalt not kill". So when they say borderline insane things like this they are going against sense, against the law, against their religion, and against morality.
“Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”
Psalm 109.8
Okay, now I mean absolutely no disrespect to Christians when I say this but, are they out of their freaking minds?!!!!
Is this what their religion, a religion started by Jesus who said "Turn the Other Cheek" and "treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated", tells them to do? Put assassination threats of the back of their cars? The Psalm right after that one says "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow"
That sounds like a death-threat to me, so I've gotta ask the question, what the heck makes these people think that just because they lost an election that means that they should threaten to kill the President of the United States?
Their religion tells them quite simply in the 6th Commandment "You shall not murder" or "You shalt not kill". So when they say borderline insane things like this they are going against sense, against the law, against their religion, and against morality.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
quote of the day
I give you this quote from Sarah Palin's book as a proud lifelong vegetarian.
“If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?”
“I love meat. I eat pork chops, thick bacon burgers, and the seared fatty edges of a medium-well-done steak. But I especially love moose and caribou. I always remind people from outside our state that there's plenty of room for all Alaska's animals -- right next to the mashed potatoes.”
Sarah Palin can just go and kill God's Creatures all she wants. I just wish to point out that we are made out of meat and if, as I hope, she was making a joke I just wish to say, don't quit your day job, oh wait, you already did.
Eat Vegetarian
“If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?”
“I love meat. I eat pork chops, thick bacon burgers, and the seared fatty edges of a medium-well-done steak. But I especially love moose and caribou. I always remind people from outside our state that there's plenty of room for all Alaska's animals -- right next to the mashed potatoes.”
Sarah Palin can just go and kill God's Creatures all she wants. I just wish to point out that we are made out of meat and if, as I hope, she was making a joke I just wish to say, don't quit your day job, oh wait, you already did.
Eat Vegetarian
lyrics of the week
These are the lyrics for a song called Alla This by Ani Difranco, who I plan to write an article about at some point.
Alla This
(A. Difranco)
i will not stand immersed,
in this ultra violent curse
i won't let you make a tool of me
i will keep my mind and body free
bye bye minutiae
of the day to day drama,
i'm expanding exponentially,
i am consciousness without identity
i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru,
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go
i will maintain the truth
i knew naturally as a child
i won't forfeit my creativity,
to a world that's all laid out for me
i will look at everything around me
and i will vow to bear in mind
that all of this was just someone's idea
it could just as well be mine
i won't rent you my time
i won't sell you my brain
i won't pray to a male god
cuz that would be insane
and i can't support the troops,
cuz every last one of them's being duped,
and i will not rest a wink
until the women have regrouped
i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go
In the next week or so I plan to write a review of Bon Jovi's new album and, of course how could I resist, a rant about, you betcha, Sarah Palin (wink wink) I'll try and find some of her lies and bring 'em to ya.
And That's the way it is.
Alla This
(A. Difranco)
i will not stand immersed,
in this ultra violent curse
i won't let you make a tool of me
i will keep my mind and body free
bye bye minutiae
of the day to day drama,
i'm expanding exponentially,
i am consciousness without identity
i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru,
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go
i will maintain the truth
i knew naturally as a child
i won't forfeit my creativity,
to a world that's all laid out for me
i will look at everything around me
and i will vow to bear in mind
that all of this was just someone's idea
it could just as well be mine
i won't rent you my time
i won't sell you my brain
i won't pray to a male god
cuz that would be insane
and i can't support the troops,
cuz every last one of them's being duped,
and i will not rest a wink
until the women have regrouped
i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go
In the next week or so I plan to write a review of Bon Jovi's new album and, of course how could I resist, a rant about, you betcha, Sarah Palin (wink wink) I'll try and find some of her lies and bring 'em to ya.
And That's the way it is.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Some Funny Political Song Parodies
Here are three Capitol Steps videos. I am sorry, you will still have to cut and paste the link as Blogger is annoying.
This one is a parody of Let It Be by the Beatles called Huckabee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX7V-F1irek
This is a parody of Boulevard of Broken Dream by Green Day called Boulevard of Broken Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DacLFiWmRw&feature=related
And finally one of my favorites, a parody of Don't Cry for Me Argentina by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice called Don't Cry For Me I'm in Argentina.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THdOHyAvcdc&feature=channel
Enjoy!!!!
This one is a parody of Let It Be by the Beatles called Huckabee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX7V-F1irek
This is a parody of Boulevard of Broken Dream by Green Day called Boulevard of Broken Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DacLFiWmRw&feature=related
And finally one of my favorites, a parody of Don't Cry for Me Argentina by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice called Don't Cry For Me I'm in Argentina.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THdOHyAvcdc&feature=channel
Enjoy!!!!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Do Not Mess With The Constitution
So today CNN.com reported that several Republican senators are sponsoring a constitutional amendment that will limit Senators to two terms each and Representatives to three terms each. I personally think this is a terrible idea. The Constitution does not say anything about term limits, and quite frankly I don't see the point. I think the 22nd Amendment is a little silly, why should a President only serve two terms? It was working perfectly fine in the years before that.
But, I think that this proposed Amendment is just totally pointless. Has the Senate been working so poorly that this Amendment is being demanded by the people? Are the people who have served for years in the Senate the worst members of that body? The answer to both these is, of course, no. Ted Kennedy, who is considered by both Republicans and Democrats to be one of the best Senators ever, served for 47 years.
The best part of this whole ludicrous story is that one of the co-sponsors of the bill is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is a strong support of a Senator only serving two terms, and just happens to be in the middle of her third term. Can we say hypocrisy ladies and gentlemen? Her spokesman, who is probably trying to get on Jon Stewart, made this statement
"Throughout her career she has fought for term limits and continues to do so, and that is why she is co-sponsoring this bill, But until it is passed, it would do a disservice to Texas and the people of Texas to do away with the seniority she has gained, unless all the states and all of the senators hold themselves to the same standard."
So, she is for term limits, except when she's against them. Incidentally Sen. Hutchison is expected to resign her seat next year to run for Governor of Texas. So this bill won't impact her.
This is a bad idea that seems to serve no purpose. The long serving Senators and Representatives are normally the best. If the people don't like their Congresspeople, they will vote them out of office. That this crazy new idea known as, oh what's the word...Oh yes, DEMOCRACY!! Stop messing with the Constitution.
But, I think that this proposed Amendment is just totally pointless. Has the Senate been working so poorly that this Amendment is being demanded by the people? Are the people who have served for years in the Senate the worst members of that body? The answer to both these is, of course, no. Ted Kennedy, who is considered by both Republicans and Democrats to be one of the best Senators ever, served for 47 years.
The best part of this whole ludicrous story is that one of the co-sponsors of the bill is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is a strong support of a Senator only serving two terms, and just happens to be in the middle of her third term. Can we say hypocrisy ladies and gentlemen? Her spokesman, who is probably trying to get on Jon Stewart, made this statement
"Throughout her career she has fought for term limits and continues to do so, and that is why she is co-sponsoring this bill, But until it is passed, it would do a disservice to Texas and the people of Texas to do away with the seniority she has gained, unless all the states and all of the senators hold themselves to the same standard."
So, she is for term limits, except when she's against them. Incidentally Sen. Hutchison is expected to resign her seat next year to run for Governor of Texas. So this bill won't impact her.
This is a bad idea that seems to serve no purpose. The long serving Senators and Representatives are normally the best. If the people don't like their Congresspeople, they will vote them out of office. That this crazy new idea known as, oh what's the word...Oh yes, DEMOCRACY!! Stop messing with the Constitution.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Single Reivew: For Your Entertainment by Adam Lambert
Okay, okay I admit it, I'm an Adam Lambert fan. I enjoyed his stuff on American Idol and I planned to buy his album when it comes out next month. However, when he released his first single, called Time for Miracles, I was a little disappointed. It was a very forgetful track that had very generic lyrics and sound. You can't say that about his new single.
It has very David Bowie's Fame feel and, I gotta say, it is weird as heck. To quote the very odd lyrics "Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet (bet ya thought)‘Ya fallen angel swept ya off your feet Well I’m about to turn up the heat (turn up the heat) I’m here for your entertainment"
I don't really like techno or odd lyrics, but this song is so catchy, strange, and totally irresistible I have to say this, Glam Lives Once Again!!! Adam Lambert has the potential to be the next David Bowie with all his oddness and catchiness(I think that's a word). I look forward to hearing Mr. Lambert singing a song written by P!nk in his album. I also look forward to the duet that he will have Lady Gaga. It looks to be a strange album, and I will love almost every second of it.
A few pieces of advice to Mr. Lambert before I go, the first and most important is, would it be too tough to write your own songs?!!!!! I mean seriously, all these pop stars apparently can't write their own songs, why is that? Does the ability to sing a Pop Song suddenly make them unable to write one? They don't have to be good, at least they will be "you".
4.9/5 Rock Scale 2/5 Lyrics Scale 5/5 Artist Scale.
It has very David Bowie's Fame feel and, I gotta say, it is weird as heck. To quote the very odd lyrics "Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet (bet ya thought)‘Ya fallen angel swept ya off your feet Well I’m about to turn up the heat (turn up the heat) I’m here for your entertainment"
I don't really like techno or odd lyrics, but this song is so catchy, strange, and totally irresistible I have to say this, Glam Lives Once Again!!! Adam Lambert has the potential to be the next David Bowie with all his oddness and catchiness(I think that's a word). I look forward to hearing Mr. Lambert singing a song written by P!nk in his album. I also look forward to the duet that he will have Lady Gaga. It looks to be a strange album, and I will love almost every second of it.
A few pieces of advice to Mr. Lambert before I go, the first and most important is, would it be too tough to write your own songs?!!!!! I mean seriously, all these pop stars apparently can't write their own songs, why is that? Does the ability to sing a Pop Song suddenly make them unable to write one? They don't have to be good, at least they will be "you".
4.9/5 Rock Scale 2/5 Lyrics Scale 5/5 Artist Scale.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
R.I.P.
I wish to offer my condolences to the families of both those who died at Fort Hood on Thursday and the family of the man who shoot them. I can only imagine what the family of the shooter are going through right now, the shock, the pain, the regret, and the constant thought of "What could I have done to prevent this". Here is the list of name of the fallen. Rest In Peace, Deus tibi benedicas.
Michael Grant Cahill, 62
Russell Seager, 51
Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19
Frederick Greene, 29
Justin DeCrow, 32 (who has a 13 year old-daughter)
Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, 52
Juanita Warman, 55
Michael Pearson, 21
Francheska Velez, 21 and her unborn baby
John Gaffaney, 56
Jason D. Hunt, 22
Amy Krueger, 29,
Kham Xiong, 23
I leave with the words of the great John Lennon "All we are saying is give peace a chance" and, of course, "You may say that I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us, And the world will be as one."
I salute the dead and wish the wounded a speedy recovery.
Michael Grant Cahill, 62
Russell Seager, 51
Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19
Frederick Greene, 29
Justin DeCrow, 32 (who has a 13 year old-daughter)
Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, 52
Juanita Warman, 55
Michael Pearson, 21
Francheska Velez, 21 and her unborn baby
John Gaffaney, 56
Jason D. Hunt, 22
Amy Krueger, 29,
Kham Xiong, 23
I leave with the words of the great John Lennon "All we are saying is give peace a chance" and, of course, "You may say that I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us, And the world will be as one."
I salute the dead and wish the wounded a speedy recovery.
As-Salamu Alaykum
Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19
Russell Seager, 51
Russell Seager, 51
Monday, November 2, 2009
Quote of the Day
"Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so's he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see. There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And, uh, if that's what the grownups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do. And it's not too late, because this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!"--Sen. Jefferson Smith at the end of the film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
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