also:

A Petition Especially for Obama Voters

People sign “I am a moron” petition without reading the headline.

From Rightwing News

Sean Penn is a bona fide useful idiot, we all know. He doesn’t have two synapses to rub together, it is obvious. Unfortunately, though, his every utterance is reported widely by the star-struck media no matter how stupid he is. Lately his foolishness has turned toward supporting one of the worst dictators in the world,…

Sean Penn is a bona fide useful idiot, we all know. He doesn’t have two synapses to rub together, it is obvious. Unfortunately, though, his every utterance is reported widely by the star-struck media no matter how stupid he is. Lately his foolishness has turned toward supporting one of the worst dictators in the world, Hugo Chavez. While sentient people understand that Penn is a grad “A” moron, the fact that he has such a public platform his blather does need to be countered effectively.

In pursuit of countering a useful Hollyweird idiot, a level-headed celebrity actress has come forward to slap down this infant tyro, Penn. Actress Maria Conchita Alonso has penned an open letter to the king of idiots and it’s a good one.

Dear Sean, WHY?

Even though I have great respect for your artistic talent, I was appalled by a recent television interview where you vigorously showed support for the regime of Hugo Chavez. Therefore, I’ve decided to set the record straight for you regarding the Chavez regime, supporting my case based not only on my political ideologies, but on proven facts you choose to ignore. Otherwise, I believe your position would be different.

Being born in Cuba, a country where freedom of speech is non-existent, it’s startling to observe how Venezuela, where I was happily raised, is fast becoming Cuba’s mirror image: Dismantling of fundamental democratic rights deserved by its people and citizens of the world.

For example, you said that all Chavez-winning elections in Venezuela were “transparent.”

Then WHY didn’t the government allow a manual recount of the votes and computer information when doubt set in? After all, how do you explain how these votes that were strongly favoring the opposition mysteriously reflected the opposite results the morning after, thus permitting Chavez to continue on? On what are you basing your conclusions? I strongly recommend that you read a report by the U.S. State Department written in 2009 entitled “The Fraudulent Elections in Venezuela”.
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It’s more Marxism coming from Hollywood; a man who killed 2o million people cannot be judged as “bad or good” by Stone.

by Big Hollywood

Some highlights form today’s must read article on Oliver Stone’s new Showtime project from the Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed:

Director Oliver Stone’s upcoming Showtime documentary miniseries “Secret History of America” promises to put mass murderers such as Stalin and Hitler “in context.”

“Stalin, Hitler, Mao, McCarthy — these people have been vilified pretty thoroughly by history,” Stone told reporters at the Television Critics Association’s semi-annual press tour in Pasadena.

“Stalin has a complete other story,” Stone said. “Not to paint him as a hero, but to tell a more factual representation. He fought the German war machine more than any single person. We can’t judge people as only ‘bad’ or ‘good.’ Hitler is an easy scapegoat throughout history and its been used cheaply. He’s the product of a series of actions. It’s cause and effect … People in America don’t know the connection between WWI and WWII … I’ve been able to walk in Stalin’s shoes and Hitler’s shoes to understand their point of view. We’re going to educate our minds and liberalize them and broaden them. We want to move beyond opinions … Go into the funding of the Nazi party. How many American corporations were involved, from GM through IBM. Hitler is just a man who could have easily been assassinated.” “You cannot approach history unless you have empathy for the person you may hate,” Stone said during the show’s trailer, which promised to put historical villains “in context.”

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by John Nolte

Earlier this week, Big Hollywood’s Stage Right broke the story of a ”Sesame Street” episode which referred to Fox News as “Pox News” and “trashy.” In response to the episode, PBS also received a number of complaint letters from viewers which prompted a reply from PBS Ombudsmen Michael Getler:

I don’t know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted. Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn’t do it through the kids.

In response to Stage Right using “Sesame Street’s” unfortunate behavior as an example with which to speak for the many, many many parents frustrated with the idea of partisan programming aimed at children, some online outlets responded with the expected and usual dismissive snarky contempt. But now that PBS is on record agreeing with Stage Right, we’re left to wonder if they find PBS ”stupid,” “asinine,” “absurd,” and “idiotic.”

By Big Hollywood

From today’s L.A. Times:

An EIF memo to show runners explaining the project obtained by Big Hollywood describes the initiative as a response to Obama’s push for more community service. But Paulsen said that she and EIF board Chairwoman Sherry Lansing were inspired by hearing both Obama and Sen. John McCain speak about the need for more volunteerism at a service forum during the 2008 campaign. …

Entertainment executives first hit on the idea during a board retreat in summer 2008 when they were brainstorming how to follow the “Stand Up to Cancer” project, according to Mitch Metcalf, NBC’s executive vice president of program planning and scheduling and a member of the EIF board.

“We’re lucky that the Obama administration happened to think this is a worthy cause and the first lady in particular is behind this general effort,” he said. “But that just provides support and shines a spotlight on it. . . . We’re certainly not servicing the White House.”

Just a refresher … the leaked network memo opens with the words, “President Obama has called for…” But this has nothing to do with him.

Glenn Beck takes this on here…

Michelle Mlakin has more:

The volunteerism scandals Hollywood won’t be broadcasting

Hollywood hearts Obama. Obama hearts government-directed national service. That is why you won’t be able to change the TV channel all week without getting lectured about the need to get off the couch and Do Something. (After your favorite shows are over, of course.) Creeped out? You should be.

The entertainment industry, inspired by Obama’s $6 billion expansion of government volunteerism spending, is coordinating plot lines and ads to push public service. “The message will be nearly ubiquitous,” reports the Los Angeles Times, “starting in the morning with programs such as ‘Today’ and ‘The View,’ and then echoed on soap operas, prime-time series and late-night shows.” First Lady Michelle Obama, a relentless Americorps promoter who publicly extolled the Tinseltown initiative last month, will cap off the week with an appearance on the Jay Leno show on Friday.

But don’t expect Leno to ask Mrs. Obama about her reported meddling in personnel decisions at the scandal-plagued Americorps. Or about the program’s long history as a government boondoggle stuffed with make-work jobs, permanent bureaucracies, left-wing slush funds, and partisan lobbyists. More on that in a moment.

Spearheaded by a non-profit called the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), organizers deny any partisan or political motivation. But BigHollywood.com editor John Nolte published an internal memo from EIF titled “Answering the Call” that describes the entire, multi-year campaign as a direct response to President Obama’s call “for a new era of responsibility.” The massive, leftward tilt in Hollywood donations to Democrat campaign coffers speaks for itself. As do the celebrity vows of volunteer-mongers like Demi Moore, who pledged in a recent national service PSA not to be a servant to her fellow citizens or her country, but “a servant to Barack Obama.”
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From Big Hollywood

Whoopi Goldberg defends rape, unless it is a Republican of course.

Whoopi ‘Not Rape-Rape’ Goldberg: Child Advocate

by John Nolte

Toys-R-Us: ”I’m Whoopi Goldberg and I love kids.”

The View: “I know it wasn’t rape-rape. … It was something else but I don’t believe it was rape-rape.”

Are those who declare themselves “child advocates” required to go through some sort of accreditation or licensing program in California? Because if they are, maybe Whoopi missed the part about actually “advocating” for children, as opposed to, say…. millionaire, celebrity child-rapists.

Here’s the definition of “advocate”: to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument;

I must lack the sophistication necessary to understand how this works, but it doesn’t sound like “child advocacy” to me when someone argues on national television that drugging and sodomizing a thirteen year-old girl against her will doesn’t meet the definition of rape. Or could it be that Whoopi’s definition of advocacy is to “speak in favor of” splitting hairs for those who do irreparable damage to children?

Hollywood is desperately trying to come to his rescue. Woody Allen, Debra Winger and Whoopi Goldberg, among others, have come to his defense – in what can only be described as brave acts of selective anti-feminism.

What is a selective anti-feminist? It is a feminist who turns a blind eye to sexual abuse if it`s done by someone who shares their assumptions about the world (like a creepy film director or a left wing politician with a penchant for opening his front door without his pants on).

In other words, they`re “chickenhawk rapists.”

You must remember, during the Bush years, how places like the Huffington Post would call anyone a “chickenhawk” who strongly supported the Iraq war without ever seeing combat. How funny is it, now, that the Huffington Post is saturated with columns supporting Polanski – by people who I assume have never had their underage daughters sodomized by a ghoulish director in a hot tub. And that’s a chickenhawk rapist: a person who supports a scumbag, without actually experiencing the brutality caused by that scumbag.

Surely some of these sympathetic directors and actors must have a teenage daughter. So, to prove their belief that Roman is a truly gentle man exempt from stupid American ideals of justice, these supporters should feel confident enough to leave their daughter alone with the man, in a hot tub.

The upside is, Roman is in his seventies now, so maybe this time the girl will have a fighting chance.

And if you disagree with me, then you`re probably a racist. (more…)

Crossposted from Flopping Aces

Robert’s note: You pledge your loyalty to your country and the Constitution, not any single person. This is beyond dangerous! I pledge to use all of my power to defeat the fascist and his idiot followers!

School Children Asked to Pledge to Serve Obama?

Hollywood libs who would refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance and spit on the flag, are eager to ask school children to pledge service to Obama!

Curt fills us in on how Obama will use a nationwide address to all school children next week to further indoctrinate the young. And if you needed more proof of that, then read on…

The following video was shown to 850 students at a school assembly of the Eagle Bay Elementary School in Farmington, Utah:

“I pledge my service to Barack Obama.”
“I pledge to be a servant to our President.”

Hmmm… I thought public servants were supposed to serve the public, not the other way around!

Near the end, Ashton Kutcher asks “what’s your pledge?” I’ve got one: I pledge never to buy another movie ticket or rent of any film these people are in.

Q: When was the last time school children were asked to pledge to a national leader?

Hint: It was in the first half of the 20th Century in Europe!

Give up? Here’s a video reminder:

Hitler Youth Pledge: “I promise to do my duty in love and loyalty to the Führer and our flag.”

The only difference between the Hitler Youth pledge and the above is that the Hollywooders eliminated any mention of flag or country. I guess hero worship is more important!

Obama Breaks Another Hopey-Changey Promise

Another day, another Obama ch-ch-change promise broken:

A former Treasury official has told the watchdog for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout program that President Obama’s promise to restrict lobbyist access to the bailout was made purely for political reasons.

Months after the administration’s pledge, the lobbyist rules haven’t been implemented and Neel Kashkari, the one-time czar of the agency’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, told the office of the special inspector general for TARP that the pledge to craft safeguards against lobbyist influence was a defensive move.

“Mr. Kashkari believed that this statement was purely for political reasons with Obama’s new entering administration, and that there was no substantive reason for this announcement,” the office wrote in a document obtained by The Washington Times in which the inspector general recounted Mr. Kashkari’s April 30 interview with the auditors.

“He noted that, at that time, there had been headlines in the press regarding lobbyists influencing the process, and Treasury wanted to show that they were taking action,” the inspector general’s office wrote.

Mr. Kashkari, a former executive at Goldman Sachs who was tapped in October by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. to oversee the distribution of TARP cash to vulnerable firms, stepped down in April after serving under the Obama administration since January. Attempts to reach Mr. Kashkari for comment on this report were unsuccessful.

In January, amid concerns that lobbyists would sway TARP decisions, the Treasury Department pledged to write rules to restrict their access, acting “in light of President Obama’s firm commitment to transparency, accountability and oversight in our government’s approach to stabilizing the financial system.”

More than six months later, the rules have not been issued.

200 billion bucks later and no rules, as promised by Obama, have been implemented. Rep. Darrell Issa described it perfectly in the article by saying the Obama administration is “saying one thing while doing another.”

“It’s very apparent that the talk about curbing and limiting lobbyist influence was nothing more than smoke and mirrors in an effort to mislead the American people into believing their tax dollars would be protected,” Mr. Issa said.

“The Treasury Department has actively obstructed our ability to determine what the true value of the TARP investments are worth and what TARP recipients are doing with taxpayer dollars. Until we have full transparency, we will never be able to know how much risk Treasury is assuming on behalf of the taxpayers,” Mr. Issa said.

You know what would be news? When Obama actually kept a promise that he made to get himself elected.

Finally:

The Supreme Leader…Er, President Obama Will Address Our Kids On Sept 8th

We have known for many many years that the left has infiltrated our schools, especially at the university level, and have made life difficult for kids…or for that matter teachers…who have a conservative bent. But this is just creepy. It’s a letter from the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan letting our K6 and under kids know that Obama will be speaking to them on September 8th:

The President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.

Millions of kids will be stopping their day to sit down and listen to this speech.

Now that, in itself, is not THAT creepy, well kinda…but this is:

Things get downright disconcerting when one eyeballs the federally approved lesson plans that the Department of Education has cooked up to support the president’s speech. The preK-6 lesson plans, which were developed with federal funds, devised on taxpayer time, and made available on the Department of Education’s website, exhort teachers to extend the impact of the president’s speech by having students “write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president.” This clumsy bit of cheerleading shows no awareness that ”help[ing] the president” might be construed as an invitation to engage in advocacy rather than instruction or that it might worry those who are not Obama partisans. What’s truly remarkable, however, given recent concerns about intrusive federal government this past month, is the lesson plan’s directive that “these [letters] would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.” (more…)

by Frederick Meekins

In one of the climactic scenes of the conclusion of “Battlestar Galactica”, Gaius Baltar remarks that an unseen hand had been guiding events all along up until that point. Just as the characters were propelled by something from beyond themselves, the producers behind this show may have been driven by ideas originating from sources other than their own fertile imaginations.

Even in the original “Battlestar Galactica” from the 1970′s, one of the underlying premises of the saga was that “Life here began out there with forefathers of the Egyptians, the Toltecs, and the Mayans. There are some who say there may yet be brothers of man who fight somewhere to survive among the heavens.” In the series finale of the contemporary retelling of the sci-fi classic, viewers got to see a bit of how this vision might have played out.

Though most can watch these compelling dramas unaware of the underlying worldviews of the authors, there is indeed a philosophy being presented that if nothing else impacts the authors’ approach to the material at hand.

In the original with the narration provided by Patrick Macnee who went on to play a devil-like figure in that versions mildly Mormonesque mythos, one assumes that, when mankind arrived here on earth, there was no other intelligent life.

However, in the recently concluded version, we realize that it is prehistoric Earth (not even the actual Earth in the reimagining and if you add a third you’ll have to have a crossover show with the Thundercats) that the Galactica fleet has arrived at.

To the casual viewer, both versions do not seem all that different from one another. It may come as a surprise, therefore, that each depiction presents a slightly different viewpoint as to how civilization originated here on Earth. (more…)

From Red Maryland

–Richard E. Vatz

The adjudication of the public clash between the once-brilliant and now ugly CBS comic David Letterman and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin is not a close call. David Letterman’s comments are indefensible — and this writer is one who thought Palin should not have been the Republican Party’s Vice Presidential candidate in 2008.

Let’s sum up the points at issue. On one of Letterman’s “Top Ten” lists days ago, he said that during an “awkward moment” during “the 7th inning stretch” at a Yankees’ game Palin attended that her “daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.”

In an apology that his discerning audience found hilarious, Letterman explained that he was referring to Palin’s 18 year-old daughter, Bristol, not her 14 year-old daughter Willow, who was the daughter attending the game with the Governor.

Forget the error – give Letterman a pass on that one. Forget his “slutty flight attendant look” reference to Palin herself, although the tender mercies that today’s Democratic comedians discriminatorily apply to different parties’ candidates’ families make their humor partly political attacks. Sarah Palin made this point nicely in her interview with Matt Lauer today on NBC’s “Today” show.

The point is this: successful, acceptable comedy in polarized America circa the 21st century may involve tasteless (as Letterman simultaneously confesses and brags about) exploitation of those in the public eye – adults. One feels little sympathy for the public ridicule of the hypocrisies and mendacities of former Senator Larry Craig and his “disorderly conduct“ in a restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, former Governor Eliot Spitzer and his prostitution escapades or even Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her representations of CIA briefings on waterboarding and enhanced interrogation. (more…)

Crossposted from Flopping Aces

You wanna feel nauseous? Check out this video of the many ignorant celebrities who have over the last 8 years done whatever they could to tear down our President, stand in his way of making any progress to protect this country and its future, and insulted him at every chance. What do they say in this video now?

I pledge to be a servant to our President

Funny, isn’t the President a servant of the people? Not the other way around?

Among the celebrities we have Eva Mendez, Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Eva Longoria Parker, Lucy Liu, Alyssa Milano, Ashton Kutcher, Robin Wright Penn, Marisa Tomei and Michael Strahan all appearing and making fools of themselves showing pure obedience to the one.

What hypocrisy.

The whole video is embarrassing but in the final moment when the image pulls out and eveyone of these nimrods is a part of the Obama portrait…then it became downright creepy. You just can’t describe this cult of personality any other way other then creepy and scary.

Michael Strahan said the only thing that should be spoken many many times from other blacks “I pledge to consider myself a American instead of a African American.” Funny how he only said this AFTER Obama is elected. Should of been said a decade ago.

Andrew Breitbart:

Missing are pledges not to kiss the ring of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and other pledged enemies of America. Nor are there pledges not to make movies that glorify these tyrants. Nor are there pledges to take seriously that we are at war, will continue to be at war under President Obama and that our precious and under-appreciated military is fighting an avowed and evil enemy — so that, among other things, Hollywood can continue to make decadent crap that actually motivates our enemy to fight us harder!

What he said.

Also:

Obama Administration Makes “Last 8 Years” Official Scapegoat for the Next Four Years

If perhaps you thought President Elect Obama’s slap at President Bush after the President delivered his gracious farewell address and all he has done to praise Obama and smooth the transition was an off the cuff remark, you would be wrong.

Count how many times incoming White House Chief of Staff and Illinois Governor Blagojevitch buddy Rahm Emanuel used the phrase “the last eight years” during his appearance Sunday on Meet the Press. Four times. He slipped up once by saying that the deficit problem he was complaining about started ten years ago, but quickly corrected himself as he recalled that he was part of the Clinton Administration which was in power then.

Obama has already taken the dubious $700 billion financial bailout President Bush proposed and come up with an even more dubious $825 billion+ plan of his own. And yet, when his monstrously excessive plan doesn’t achieve results he is going to blame it on Bush?

I’m not surprised Obama is adopting this strategy. It’s been a key element in the campaign waged by Senate and House Democrats who were directly responsible for squashing Bush Administration plans to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But that didn’t stop them from blaming the financial meltdown that resulted from their actions on President Bush.

Meanwhile, we all know that like his father, President Bush won’t be criticizing Obama after he leaves office. Sadly, such examples of class and dignity will be a wasted Obama.

From Red Maryland

–by Richard E. Vatz

Saturday Night Live (SNL) historically has been pro-liberal and pro-Democratic in its humor –albeit with shots at both sides — but has from time to time indicated an effort to reverse one-sidedness. When, earlier this year, the show heavy-handedly supported Hillary Clinton against Barack Obama and simultaneously implied that the media were in Barack Obama’s pocket, SNL followed up with some not-completely-positive satires of Hillary, albeit still lovingly.

SNL has — along with other shows involving political humor — been consistently one-sided in favor of the Barack Obama-Joe Biden ticket over the John McCain-Sarah Palin ticket

Last night either liberal guilt or fears of losing part of their audience took over, and some even-handed satire actually emerged – with one crushing embarrassing moment. The show satirized Joe Biden’s diarrhea-of-the-mouth disease. (If I believed in classic psychological syndromes, I might say Joe Biden’s unconscious self-loathing and guilt over stealing the Vice Presidential nomination from Hillary Clinton causes him to undermine through rhetorical overkill his presidential ticket. But I digress.) The opening skit referenced his ill-timed warning regarding the certainty that Sen. Obama’s election would inescapably cause an American military crisis. The same skit reminded viewers – as MSM hardly ever does — of Sen. Obama’s referring to frightened Americans and their clinging to “guns and religion.” (more…)

Crossposted from Red Maryland

Of course, all the hate-mongers are up in arms. But Frederick County Commissioner John L. “Lennie” Thompson has renewed his call for Frederick County Public Schools to release the numbers of students who are illegal immigrants.

Commissioner John L. Thompson Jr. wants the state General Assembly to adopt a new state reporting requirement for the Board of Education.

The report, due March 1 every year, would include the number of students in Frederick County Public Schools whose lawful presence in the U.S. “cannot be reasonably documented.”

Board of Education President Daryl Boffman said the school board would not take a count unless there is a state or federal directive.

“I don’t know whether his actions are going to be successful or not, but I do know that as a system we do not need to be distracted from our purpose,” Boffman said. “The illegal immigration issue is a federal issue, and unless we are directed to do so, we are going to continue with business as usual.”

Thompson released his proposal Monday, asking the commissioners to add it to their 2009 legislative priorities.

It is similar to a failed proposal by Thompson this spring. That proposal threatened withdrawal of funding if the school board didn’t compile a report for the Board of County Commissioners.

Only Thompson and Commissioner Charles Jenkins supported it.

The new proposal would not make the report a requirement for funding.

Okay, so last spring everyone was worried about the budget being hijacked on this issue, now the school budget won’t be.

Here’s is the problem. According to the Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe, U.S. schools cannot prohibit the children of illegal aliens from receiving an education on the public dime. I don’t agree with it, but fine. that doesn’t mean that the schools should have to turn a blind eye to the numbers of illegal immigrant students in their facility. The children are more than likely innocent in their parent’s flaunting of federal law, and I can see that holding them accountable is unfair. However, in any given county in Maryland, half or more of teh county’s budget goes to education and if there is a large portion of illegal immigrants in teh schools, it increases the tax burden on legal immigrants and citizens.
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by Dr. Frederick Meekins

As a discipline, archaeology examines the artistic and technological remains of various cultures in the attempt to learn more about them. Often from these objects, students learn about more than the subject’s material nature but also insight into the beliefs and paradigms important to the human species at a particular time.

Probably the most prominent representative of the discipline in public culture is none other than Indiana Jones, with Stargate’s Dr. Daniel Jackson coming in at second. As a narrative itself created at a particular point in time, the Indiana Jones movies themselves can be placed under investigation to unearth what our own culture has believed at various points in recent history as well as the ideas shaping those having such influence over our own society.

Through comparing ‘The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ and the other films of the Indiana Jones saga, especially with ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade’, one can detect the shifts taking place all around us as to what the broader and popular culture perceives as foundational truth. For example, though the films should not be seen as a systematic theology upon which to base one’s faith, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Last Crusade’ had at their base Judeo-Christian assumption in that artifacts connected with this tradition, namely the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail (the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper) were actual historic objects and, since these objects in legend exude a power that cannot be explained by conventional science, one assumes they are connected to the divine.

In the latest film of the series, ‘Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull’, ultimate wisdom and power is not seen as originating in a traditional conception of God as in ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’ or ‘Last Crusade’ or even in spirits as in ‘Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom’. Rather in the latest installment, the source of enlightenment happens to be those entities with the bulbous heads and lanky limbs we have come to know as extraterrestrials whose crystalline skulls in this story can serve as powerful tools through which to augur the future, communicate with these beings, and to gain control of the world. Though an entertaining story, it may have considerable basis in reality — or at least in the worldviews of its high level producers.

For example, the opening scene with Indy trouncing through the military hanger is set in none other than Area 51 and the top secret project he alludes to working on 10 years prior to the events of the story is none other than the Roswell crash. Some might flippantly dismiss these as urban legends that have taken on lives of their own beyond the significance of any incidents that may have occurred in these locations that now fire the imagination. However, it is pretty hard to ignore the Nazca lines which were not discovered by modern man until the discovery of flight and the existence of a tribe of Indians that mutilated the shape of their skulls to make themselves appear as if they were from beyond this earth.
(more…)

Crossposted from Red Maryland

The Hollywood left always like to rally around the flag of somebody who stands up to Republicans or, more specifically, stand up to the Bush Administration. They are “saying truth to power” as the kids like to say.

Well, actor Jon Voight wrote a column in fact stating truth to power, at least the truth to the powers that be in the Democratic Party:

The Democratic Party, in its quest for power, has managed a propaganda campaign with subliminal messages, creating a God-like figure in a man who falls short in every way. It seems to me that if Mr. Obama wins the presidential election, then Messrs. Farrakhan, Wright, Ayers and Pfleger will gain power for their need to demoralize this country and help create a socialist America.

The Democrats have targeted young people, knowing how easy it is to bring forth whatever is needed to program their minds. I know this process well. I was caught up in the hysteria during the Vietnam era, which was brought about through Marxist propaganda underlying the so-called peace movement. The radicals of that era were successful in giving the communists power to bring forth the killing fields and slaughter 2.5 million people in Cambodia and South Vietnam. Did they stop the war, or did they bring the war to those innocent people? In the end, they turned their backs on all the horror and suffering they helped create and walked away.

A very much needed slap to the face of the Hollywood left.
(more…)

Perhaps you are a Tolkein Fan, but one good thing about owning a blog is you can post what you want….

ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER PETER JACKSON AND NEW LINE CINEMA JOIN WITH MGM TO PRODUCE “THE HOBBIT,” EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED FANTASY ADVENTURE EPIC

NEW LINE AND MGM TO CO-PRODUCE AND SHARE WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS

PETER JACKSON AND FRAN WALSH TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE TWO FILMS BASED ON “THE HOBBIT”

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on “The Hobbit.” New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.
( Via.theonering.net)

It’s a shame he is not directing….

By Frederick Meekins

As a narrative form driven considerably by adversarial conflict, in science fiction a good story must have a villain just as interesting (sometimes even more so) than the primary hero or protagonist. As one of the archetypes from which much popular “space opera” is derived, Flash Gordon did much to perfect this template in the form of villains such as Ming the Merciless.

Part of the appeal of such characters in these contexts is that neither hero nor villain usually allow pressures short of overwhelming force influence the types of things either believed should be stood up for even if it happened to be their own lust for power or megalomania. However, had the original Flash Gordon been saddled with the same politically correct sensitivities as those weighing down the creativity of writers and producers of today, it is doubtful the character would have achieved name recognition as an icon of popular culture nearly on par with Superman and if he had been a real interplanetary swashbuckler our planet would have been laid to waste by Mongo long ago.

Though the series did not premiere until 8/10/07, considerably prior to that airdate publicists and producers had already fanned out across the Internet wringing their hands in an almost Phil Donahue-I-feel-so-guilty-to-be-an-American manner as to why it was necessary to alter the appearance of Ming the Merciless. For you see, in most interpretations, Ming is depicted with a Fu Manchu mustache and the flowing robes of an oriental despot.

Since the 1980’s or there abouts, Ming has become decreasingly Asian in his appearance to the point in a 1996 version of Flash Gordon he was no longer humanoid at all but rather reptilian. The reason often given is the need to avoid racial stereotyping (I wonder that the herpetological and animals rights lobbies have to say about lizards being depicted in such a light then).

Interestingly, this concern is only invoked when it benefits minorities. For example, in publicity shots on the SciFi.com website, rather than flowing robes or even a cape, the Emperor of Mongo is rather depicted in a more militaristic looking ensemble.

Furthermore, not only are all but the visually impaired able to ascertain that the actor portraying the role is blond but in the accompanying text, which is longer for Ming than any of the other characters as it goes on and on apologizing how Ming looked previously throughout comic book and cinematic history, closes by pointing out that the actor playing the part is blond.

Often, we have it so beaten into our heads that we aren’t even to think about race or physical characteristics that I was condemned up one side and down the other for criticizing a version of the Honeymooners featuring Black actors, which most other Americans didn’t think highly of either as the film was probably out no more than two weeks. And if we are to swallow the line that Ming’s evil does not depend on his appearance, then why is hair color being pointed out to us at all?

Furthermore, if we are to be told that a traditional portrayal of Ming the Merciless in inappropriate for fear of stereotyping Asians, couldn’t a pale blond in a moderately looking fascist uniforms lead to prejudice against Germans? But then again, since Germans are part of the White race, their sensibilities don’t count for much anyway.

To what extent should the anti-stereotyping mania be taken anyway? If we cannot enjoy a traditional Ming the Merciless for fear of propagating negative stereotypes about Asians, conversely, aren’t we hindering the imaginative expansion of the minds of minority children by casting the male lead as the typical statuesque blond most have come to expect to play Flash Gordon. (more…)

Crossposted from Flopping Aces

Yesterday, Brian De Palma’s "Redacted" screened at the Venice Film Festival.

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……….Where are the Hollywood conservatives at a time when no less than 8 anti-war movies are coming out at this critical juncture?

David Gritten writes,

there’s no doubt Redacted packs an extraordinary emotional punch. It ends with shocking still photos of Iraqis, dead, disfigured or in extreme distress because of the war. This montage left the audience at a Venice press screening stunned, silent and in a few cases tearful. The combination of De Palma’s visceral style and the horrifying subject matter left me reeling.

What about cutting off faces with piano wire? Blowtorching, eye-removal, drilling holes? Baking children and serving them up to the parents? What about the atrocity of insurgents strapping a suicide vest onto a child with Down’s Syndrome, and then sending him off to explode? Using children as decoys to drive a car bomb through a checkpoint? Or perhaps using children as human shields? What does Brian De Palma’s film have to say about these atrocities? That we’re responsible for these as well, because we’re "over there"? That al-Qaeda and insurgent atrocities are "isolated" cases, whereas the story about the rape of a 14 year old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers in his fictionalized account of it, is typical and representative of our military?

As one commenter, Zhangliqun, on Dennis Prager’s blog points out,

If this is an indictment of American involvement in Iraq, what does it say about the UN, who sent rapist "peace keepers" into Africa?

Or about Socialism, whose soldiers were actually ORDERED by Stalin to rape German women when they invaded Germany?  

Oh, by the way, there were incidents of American soldiers raping German women in WW2 also. I suppose the fear of such a possibility should have left Hitler in power. And Tojo.

Should we hold our soldiers to a higher standard? Of course! We don’t need Brian De Palma’s film to achieve that. All that De Palma’s film does, is it serves al-Qaeda and all the anti-American forces that are working against America and her self-interests; and America’s self-interest just so happens to coincide with what is in the best interest of Iraq. Arrogance? You tell me.

America has done more good for the world than evil. What is evil, is magnifying an evil act and distorting the perception that this is the normal behavior of what is the best military in the world; a military that has gone above and beyond what any military in the history of conflict has ever done to avoid civilian casualties.

De Palma, 66, whose "Casualties of War" in 1989 told a similar tale of abuse by American soldiers in Vietnam, makes no secret of the goal he is hoping to achieve with the film’s images, all based on real material he found on the Internet.

"The movie is an attempt to bring the reality of what is happening in Iraq to the American people," he told reporters after a press screening.

"The pictures are what will stop the war. One only hopes that these images will get the public incensed enough to motivate their Congressmen to vote against this war," he said.

F**k you, De Palma!

Just which reality is he referring to? Showing the horrible images of war and violent death is not an indictment on the necessity to fight this war; it’s an indictment to stick your head in the sand and avoid all wars. The absence of war does not equate with bringing about peace.

"Peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, of law, of order- in short, of government."-Albert Einstein

"They have not wanted peace at all; they have wanted to be spared war- as though the absence of war was the same as peace."- Dorothy Thompson

For those with the stomach for it, (especially for those Venice Film Festival attendees who had their emotion-strings tugged by Brian De Palma’s film, lapping up the propaganda) I recommend you click here for some mild but effective counter images.

It boggles my mind that the peace fascists who hold up signs and photos of dead Iraqi babies is somehow supposed to convince me that ending the war on their terms will somehow cause such images as dead Iraqi babies to go away.

Which side has slaughtered more Muslims? Al-Qaeda, or the U.S.? Which side makes every effort- to minimize collateral damage (and consequently putting our soldiers’ lives at greater risk) and which side deliberately targets civilian casualties to splash across headline news?

Which side builds hospitals, mosques, schools, and infrastructure? Which side shows greater kindness and compassion toward the Iraqi children?

Which side is attempting to bring peace and security to the Iraqi people, and which side wishes to sabotage efforts for peace, subjugate a populace, and create a caliphate as a launching pad for more conflicts and greater wars with the world at large?

A host of anti-war Hollywood movies are on the horizon, and they are rooting for defeat and retreat. The "compassion" of the anti-war left ignores reality and consequence. They crave for peace without consideration that peace is not achieved by "bring the troops home"/"peace is patriotic"/"books not bombs"/ mantras. Removing us from the field of battle does not achieve peace at all. Fighting and defeating our enemies, does.

The casualties of peace- the kind that the anti-war left advocates for- will bring more suffering; not less.

Previous Flopping Aces posts, related:
Sean Penn visit to Chavez
More Leftist Propaganda from Hollywood
Hollywood Set to Launch Anti-War Movies In Time For The Election

Hat tip for this post:
Confederate Yankee
Dennis Prager
Rantings of a Sandmonkey

by Kathy

It is one thing to be against the war, as an American we all have that right. This however is over the line. To actively engage in dialog and trips to see a dictator, a dictator who stood in the United Nations and called President Bush Satan, is Anti-American. To those who wanted to give Sean Penn the benefit of the doubt before, can no longer, Sean Penn is a traitor. Read on..

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has praised Sean Penn for his critical stance against the war in Iraq, saying the two chatted by phone and soon plan to meet in person.

Chavez said Penn traveled to Venezuela this week wanting to learn more about the situation in the country and walked around some of Caracas’ poor barrios on his own.
“Welcome to Venezuela, Mr. Penn. What drives him is consciousness, the search for new paths,” Chavez said Wednesday in a televised speech. “He’s one of the greatest opponents of the Iraq invasion.”

Chavez read aloud from a recent open letter by Penn to President Bush in which the actor condemned the Iraq war and called for Bush to be impeached, saying the president along with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are “villainously and criminally obscene people.”

The socialist president, who shares those views, said he and Penn talked by phone—”with my bad English but we understood each other more or less.”

Chavez said the two plan to meet Thursday. He called the actor “well- informed about what is happening in the United States and the world, in spite of being in Hollywood.”

What’s more, Chavez said, “he’s made great films.” The Venezuelan leader said he recently watched Penn’s Oscar-winning performance in the film “Mystic River.”

For his part, Penn on Wednesday toured Venezuela’s new film studios on the outskirts of Caracas. Penn, whose visit was unannounced, did not speak publicly.

cartoon by cox & forkum

by Frederick Meekins

“Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader” by James Luceno follows the exploits of the legendary Sith Lord as he hunts down a band of Jedi escaping the fate of their brethren as a result of a regiment of clonetroopers that refuse to implement order 66.

Towards the end of “Return Of The Jedi”, Darth Vader turns on the Emperor and hefts the villain to his fate at the bottom of some kind energy reactor. However, from “Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader“, readers learn that this was not necessarily the result of a sudden change of heart upon seeing Palpatine hurl lightening from his fingertips at little Luke.

Rather, it slowly unfolds throughout the novel that the relationship Vader has with the Emperor is not that of a worshipful underling but instead that of a resentful sycophant wanting what his superior possesses.

“Star Wars” fans will enjoy seeing the unfolding development of familiar characters rising to prominence in the years between the two trilogies such as Chewbacca, Grand Moff Tarkin, R2D2 and C-3P0. Also of interest to devoted Star Wars fans will be the prominence given to Kashyyyk and the Wookies in the novel’s climax.

Though “Star Wars” is known more for its faced paced action than its more cerebral counterpart “Star Trek“, “Dark Lord” is not without profound reflective moments relevant to the chaotic times in which we live.

In an exchange with Bail Organa of Alderan, Vader muses, “Harmony is the ideal of the New Order, Senator, not dissension.” And in another insightful passage, the text reads, “The ideals of democracy hadn’t been stamped out by Palpatine … the citizens of countless worlds and star systems, grown weary of the old system, had allowed democracy to die (319).” (more…)