Blogblah
It’s been gangster movie festival here at St. John’s Infirmary lately.
First, the Godfather trilogy of course; followed by Pesci and DeNiro in Casino with Sharon Stone; then, Goodfellows with that knockout Ray Liotto performance. I branched out with the Coen Brothers’ Millers Crossing, but came right back to the good stuff with Pacino and Depp in Donny Brasco and then Nicholson, DeCaprio and Matt Damon in The Departed. Just when I think I’m out, they keep sucking me back in and Public Enemies found its way into the DVD player.
I’d like to get out of the house and do something. Maybe go to the mall and see Inception for something different. Uhmm. There’s a bit of irony in that sentence, but I can’t quite parse it out. Maybe some reader like RebL will be able to help me with that.
I complained in the last post about what a stick figure I’ve become, but to be honest I just don’t feel like eating in this 100 degree and humid weather we’ve been having. By the way, does this hot weather mean that Al Gore is still fat but that climate studies are maybe just a little right? I keep getting mixed up when I don’t watch Glen Beck every day and need someone with mainstream thinking to help keep me on the straight and narrow.
Read an interesting piece about how the radical right is now interpreting the Constitution in the same way religious fundamentalists treat the text of the New Testament. Who knew John Calhoun would take the place of Elijah in legal thinking? I can’t get over this 10th Amendment talk from the Tea Party folks. I suppose they slept through that whole 1860-1865 week in high school U.S. history. Maybe they had the flu or the dog ate their homework. That’s the ticket, as some SNL guy used to say.
I’m really sorry I missed Lady GaGa in town. No, really. I would have liked to see that show. In fact, I would have liked to be the guy who confirmed her gender up close and personal. I might be a sick old guy, but I’m still a sick old guy. Speaking of newer singing acts, will the fact that Pink fell mean that from now on, it’s after the fall?
On the 4th I read the Declaration of Independence, largely signed by Episcopalians, btw, and was interested to note that among the grievances against the King were his restrictions on immigration and naturalization of American citizens. Hmmm. Later, I discovered that a majority of citizens in my adopted state would reverse the 14th amendment. I posted both on my Facebook page thinking perhaps I’d get a fundamentalist interpretation, but, uh, not so much.
In short, yes, the Bible and our founding documents are frequently touted when convenient, pro- Christian, white, male all that, and not so much when they are pro- immigration, equality, privacy and all that. Also, I’ve seen a great deal of anti-tax posts, but little notice that our taxes are the lowest they’ve been in decades. There is much wailing about the budget, which finally has our illegitimate war on the books, and not much gratitude about the transparency in spending or demand for taxes to bring it into balance (or ending the war to do the same).
And why does anyone care where the Clintons are living? I don’t know how you manage to stay on top of politics. What a soap opera!
Shut down the movies and listen to Radio Lab.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/
The kids and I are obsessed.
RebL,
I like to quote Matthew 25 to Tea Baggers. You know, as you treat the poor, sick, old and lame, so you treat me and so shall you be treated in heaven. They don’t seem to be so familiar with the actual words of Christ as you might think.