WHAT DID WE LEARN IN 2004?
an A.D.D. recap

--A sound-board mix of a concession speech can destroy a candidate's chances.

--The image of an erect penis entering a non-vaginal hole still disturbs just enough people to keep the Southern Strategy intact.

--Dan Rather has the ability to piss off everybody.

--As comedian Mitch Hedberg puts it, "I saw a human pyramid once. It was totally unnessecary."

--A blatant S&M film can be the highest grossing movie of the year.

--Sooooo how's that Mars thing coming along?

--George Bush's people are, it would seem, more effective at bringing down John Kerry than Nixon's people were. Then again, the media, as well as the ways it can be used and manipulated, has changed a lot in the last 30 years.

--George Bush's debate performances proved that failing upward doesn't stop at getting elected President.

--The approximate time it takes for the current administration to say "hey, wait a minute, maybe spending more on relief for the greatest natural disaster in recent memory than on Bush's re-inaguration is a good idea" is 4-5 days.

--Saddam Hussein -- a bad man, by the way -- looks better with the beard.

--The tragedy in southern Asia reminds us all of the awesome power of the natural forces we are unable either to control or often to predict. Give.

I'll have more tomorrow, I'm off to ring in the new year in some fashion.

DON'T FORGET!

Don't forget to make your entry in If Six Was Nine's end-of-2004 music poll! Send your entry to my email address, available on the left-hand side of this blog. Try and do it by 11:59PM on Friday, if you can. (:

Here's the South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami blog, replete with links to and contact info for various aid organizations and other relevant groups. (link via Lambert)

THE AVIATOR - THE REALLY SHORT TFM REVIEW

Until somebody changes my mind, Leo is my Oscar pick. And I'm nearly sold on Blanchett for best supporting actress as Hepburn.

That said, the movie does have a couple counts against it. First among them is the casting of small roles. Gwen Stefani? And Brent friggin Spiner? That took me out of the movie even more than Ted Danson's brief appearance in Saving Pvt Ryan, and I didn't think that was possible. Also, a "live" song at a party in the first five minutes of the movie is so clearly sung by Rufus Wainwright that it once again took me out of the element. Sure, his parents were in the movie somewhere too, but jeez, no modern pop stars singing in nonfiction period movies! Or given Madonna in Dick Tracy, fiction either!

On the other hand... the cinematography is beautiful from start to finish, it flies by even at almost three hours, and most of the supporting cast is quite good (John C Reilly, Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale). TFM officially recommends it.

Not that what I can say matters, but my heart goes out to all who have been affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in southeast Asia and the coastal Subcontinent.

A MOST UNEXPECTED CHRISTMAS GIFT

A morbid gift for the ages?

My brother always finds something interesting for me for Xmas. This year was no exception.

What was the gift? A book:



Looks innocuous enough, right? But if you turn to page 153...




 

Yep, that's exactly what you think it is. (We're a family of devoted Bush-bashers, btw) The Wikipedia entry includes a sample of the same text that appears in the second picture. (you can see him holding the same book in the picture at the Wiki entry)

The story, in this case, can be found in Reading Mastery II: Storybook 1. If you're like us (i.e. evil!) you can find it on Amazon.

I hope all of you Christmas-celebratin' types had a very merry one indeed.

And speaking of the holiday, what Tommaso said.

P.S. Lest you think my family is full of evildoers who want the worst for America, my brother signed his inscription: "Conviction over correctness, Bro". And by "correctness", he wasn't talking about the Shari'a.