At the suggestion of my friend Pedro del Owen, I have to put this up (with his dialogue, of course).
"Looking for a good, cheap fock?"

I was e-chatting with a friend this morning, and I asked him if he had seen any good movies lately. He answered, "Well, Star Wars, but I lower my standards for movies in the Star Wars franchise."
Don't we all?
But should we? Does the nostalgia of all us Gen Xers (and those slightly younger than us) give George Lucas a free pass to make movies replete with cheesy one-liners, undeveloped characters, and virtually no heart? I mean, the original three were something completely different from the latest two -- they were live action more than CGI, they had great characters (granted, with some wince-inducing dialogue), and they were a bit overwrought, but who honestly could say that The Phantom Menace is better than The Empire Strikes Back?
Well, I suppose they could say it, but they'd better not say it front of me. I might actually lose it. But see, it's that kind of slavish dedication to the original three that gives Lucas his green light. And Lucas has no problem cashing in on subpar work. It's almost like he's a college student who got one really good grade on a paper in a class, and turns in crap the rest of the semester, hoping to coast through. The prof shouldn't let a student get away with that, and we, the true Star Wars fans, shouldn't let Lucas get away with making movies like Episodes 1 & 2.
Moreover, the magic is missing from the latest Lucas fare. Magic, heart, soul, whatever you want to call it -- I don't think I'm the only person suggesting that Lucas is phoning it in.
Then again, maybe just Han Solo and Chewie are missing...

Want to talk some more about movies? OK, you've convinced me!

Anyway, back to The Bourne Identity...
There are several parts of the Times article that I don't like, but for the most it accurately points out what I liked in the movie. I liked the lack of corny one-liners (Minority Report had lots), I liked the expressions on the actors' faces (confusion, horror, disgust), and I liked the movie's unflashy style. There didn't seem to be much CGI; instead, much of the work seemed to be on location. What? A movie not shot in front of a blue screen? Amazing in this day and age...

A pretty decent article in Sunday's New York Times (link requires registration) makes some good points about a pretty cool movie, The Bourne Identity. I saw it and certainly liked it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what made it better than Minority Report, which I also recently saw.
Well, that's not entirely true. I knew that Minority Report was a Spielberg movie, and that with it would come some sort of heroic resolution -- that is, a resolution towards the good, happy way. You know, the kind of ending where Things Just Work Out. However, if 20 minutes or so had been lopped off that movie, it would have been GREAT film noir.
I don't know how much I should give away, in case any HeadsHeads haven't seen it yet. After all, it did only just come out.
Tell you what: go see it, and email me to tell me what you thought. I'll give my (and Mike J.'s) theory later.

I was extremely pleased this morning to read that my hombre, Victor Davis Hanson (VDH, to his homies) has been announced as the winner of the 2002 Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Journalism! Thanks to Kathryn Lopez at National Review for pointing me in the right direction.
Man, is there anything VDH can't do? Let me answer that question: no. He's a professor of classics, so he's obviously proficient in Greek and Latin; he's a military historian (seems to focus on Ancient Greece); and yet, he's unbelieveably adept at applying lessons from ancient Greek battles to current situations. Kind of reminds me of my late mentor, Dr. Alex Shtromas, who somehow managed to explain the Peloponnesian War to all us boneheads by comparing it with Indepependence Day. Now that's a teacher!
Think about it: here's a guy (Shtromas, not VDH) who's in his sixties, lived under Hitler and Stalin, studied and practiced law in Moscow, expelled from the U.S.S.R. for dissent, relocates first to Britain then to the U.S., teching at Hillsdale...and still has time, while watching the bright-lights/oooh-ahhh of Independence Day, to draw parallels with one of the first recorded major conflicts.
No wonder I want to be a professor.

I'm the kind of guy who has difficulty finding a happy medium. For example, I'm sitting at my computer, knowing I have to write an article for the paper. But, as I sit here, I think to myself "Must...get...back..into...habit..of writing...on site...daily!" So I can either a) post to my site, or b) write my article....maybe I'll try to do both simultaneously.
Don't laugh, because I've done more difficult things in my day.

The accidentally inimitable Toledo Blade -- self-described as "One of America's finest newspapers" -- printed this gem of a headline Tuesday: "Gun Victim Described As Fun-Loving, Outgoing."
What's wrong with that, you may ask? Well, the kicker comes in the seventh paragraph:


A Columbus police spokesman said Mr. Slater was shot while a passenger in a vehicle near 22 East 16th Ave., less than a block from the OSU campus.
Witnesses told police some type of disagreement occurred between Mr. Slater and at least one other person before the shooting.


Whoa. Turns out that said guy was more like a "murder victim" than a "gun victim." That's like saying a guy who was pushed out of a window is a "gravity victim."

Let's talk for a moment about what I've been up to...
After leaving Chicago for Toledo (long story, folks, but maybe we'll get into it someday), I foundered for a bit. Couldn't find a job as rapidly as I wanted to, but all's well now. I'm working again -- bartending, reporting -- and I feel the need to write for myself again. Plus, my father has somehow managed to sound disappointed -- via email, no less -- that I haven't been posting, so I figured I wouldn't let the Old Man down.
I got a pretty cool job a few weeks back, and it's just now kicking into high gear. I'm writing for a small-town weekly called The Mirror, and I gotta admit that I like it. Sure, I occassionally have to cover zoning meetings and local festivals, but I get to take photos and the pay is decent. So I'm not complaining, you know?
I think, however, my photos would turn out a lot better if I had one of those cool photographer's vests. Just a thought...

My work ethic has obviously taken a turn for the worse. Here I am, living in a place with a super-speedy internet connection and cable TV, and I can't put together a single coherent thought to send out to the masses. Hmmm....I've let you down. I'll go now.
Whoa! Kidding! Gonna try to start posting to this mother again. So, thanks to all those who are bearing with me, and many thanks to those who have commented on the site.

Geez, what's kept me from posting to the site? Am I busy? No, I'm not working currently. Is there no news? Again, not really. So what's the deal, my faithful may ask?
Guess it's a combination of a few things. First, I'm back in my hometown, where all my longtime friends are, and I've been hanging about with them. Secondly, the job search -- frustrating under the best of circumstances -- keeps me quasi-busy and fully depressed. And finally, I guess I've just had very little to say that I feel others should take note of. Maybe I've been selfishly saving all my bons mots for people I'm trying to impress.
Anyway, here I am, back with the program (Green Eggs and Ham? Yosemite Sam!). I'll try to keep things more regular from this point on, but Lord knows I'm not about to make any promises. Still looking for that job, by the way. The DC thing didn't pan out (Promoting from within? Why make me fly out there, then?), and funds are quickly drying up.
But I...I will survive. As long as I know how to write, I know I'm still alive. I've got all my words to give and...ah, you know the rest.

By the way, The Arab News is chock-full of stories that drip with anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism. Wander over if you dare. But don't expect to read stories about rescuing kitties from trees -- actually, since it's published in Saudi Arabia, you're more likely to read a story about a kitten being shoved back into a burning tree for not wearing its headdress.

Another (as always) fun little piece from The Arab News, which describes Powell leaving the Middle East with his head hanging in shame, which no doubt stems from his inability to get Palestinians to stop murdering Israelis and themselves.
But, the fact that this article made me realize how the word "humiliation" is thrown around made me take a second look. Jonah Goldberg wrote yesterday about the Middle East being a "shame-based society" -- the ultimate goals in such a society are gaining honor and avoiding humiliation.
It's funny how, in order to denigrate the USA's efforts in the Middle East -- which, ironically enough, would benefit the Palestinians the most (since, let's face it, Israel can take care of itself as long as we're not asking it not to) -- the Arab community ascribes to it the ultimate insult it can muster. And all Powell was doing there in the first place was trying to help, and ultimately, the Palestinain people will suffer the most as a result of Arafat's (and other Arab leaders') knotheaded policies which seek to chase Israel from its land.

As the once-popular rock song says, "It's been a while."
Boy howdy, ain't that the truth? My trip to our nation's capital was rousing, however; I'd have to chalk it up as time well spent. Had a couple of interviews, did a bit of sightseeing (especially around the Capitol), and attended the Israel Rally(read about it here), which pretty much blew me away. It was stirring to see that many people brave some sweltering heat in support of a state that really needs as much support as it can get -- especially since those who vilify Israel are louder, more violent, and more persistent than those who do, and therefore pro-Palesetinan demonstrations get more attention.
A thought struck me while milling about the crowd: Why, I wondered, is everyone so orderly and so positive here at this rally? Where are the professional agitators who go in, get the people riled up, and incite the smashing of things? And then it struck me -- there are none of those types (or very few) that support this particular cause.
Why? Well, I think for a few reasons. First, it's certainly not a cause celebre, like the environment, PETA, or anti-WTO, and therefore doesn't attract as many poseurs who just want attention for themselves and not the cause. Second, and maybe the main reason, is that those who support Israel's right to exist, and its right to be free from constant terror attacks, are necessarily law-and-order type folks. If they (we) weren't, they'd have a much harder time trying to explain why suicide bombing isn't an OK thing to do.
There was no anger, no rage, no stone-throwing, no tire burning, no looting, no smashing, and no fights. The counterprotestors were treated civilly or ignored. There was passion, informed argument, civilized disagreement, and a remarkable feeling of hope, beauty, and kinship in the air. It was the kinship between those from all over the world who support freedom, security, and human life. And, except for some Europeans, most of the attendees were Americans -- white Americans, Jewish Americans, black Americans...hell, just Americans. It was enough to make any American proud.

I'm off to our nation's capital this weekend for a job interview, as well as, I hope, some general merriment. But it won't all be fun and games -- no, it certainly won't.
Flying in on Saturday, so I have that night for fun, as well as Sunday. I have my interviews on Monday, but splitting them is an event that I will luckliy be able to attend.
Many thanks to NRO's The Corner for pointing this out. I'll be there. If you're in DC AND you support democracy, please throw your weight behind the only Middle Eastern nation that does too.

James Taranto extends his streak to 1,347 (rough estimate) consecutive days on which he's made astutue observations and straight-to-the-heart-of-it analyses with this gem:

"'Violence of whatever form, whether one would call it an act of terrorism or an act of resistance, at this point is counterproductive.' That's Secretary of State Colin Powell, commenting on this morning's suicide bombing near Haifa, in which a Palestinian Arab hit man murdered eight Israelis.
Is Powell speaking for the Bush administration here? Is it not the administration's position that the deliberate slaughter of civilians is terrorism, and that it is not merely "unproductive" but evil and intolerable?"

Ouch, James. Ouch. And this is only the first item on today's BOTW, and the only one I've read yet. Can't wait to read the rest.

The Arab News, Saudi Arabia's English-language daily, is a hoot to read -- well, it's a hoot if you find rabid anti-Semitism, willfull mendacity, and utterly insane theories funny.
Here's a tidbit from the Opinions section:


"We are witnessing a great tragedy as it unfolds in Palestine. The Israelis are attacking our brothers there with unspeakable brutality and cruelty. And we seem powerless to do anything but look on with feelings of sorrow, hopelessness and desperation.
The single most dangerous thing that can befall the Muslim nation is hopelessness — the feeling that we are unable to do anything to save these wronged and oppressed people.
The main goal of the Zionist American plan is to instill into us a feeling of desperation so that we remain submissive and servile beneath their feet. We must not give in to desperation because those who believe in God’s mercy and blessings can never be hopeless."


And here's the "War on Palestinians" section, complete with pictures and letters, including some from Americans.
The fair and balanced Arab media at its finest, folks...

Martin Peretz unloads on The New Republic's web site -- unloads in a poetic, moving kind of way. It's a real breath of fresh air; almost as fresh as seeing his name on William Kristol's "Open Letter to President Bush." I don't know, I just get a bit of a tingle when I see support for such an important issue come from the Right and the Left.
And don't talk to me about campaign finance reform. This is real, inspired, across-the-board support for an important issue -- actually, the word "issue" does the situation in the Middle East no justice at all. It's a war on democracy going on over there, led by those who embrace fascism, totalitarianism, and oppression.
I mean, how often does one see the names "Martin Peretz," "Rich Lowry," and "James Woolsey" all in a row? There's gotta be an element of absolute truth to it if all these guys are on board!

Wow. A fiercely argued, finely tuned, and ultimately spot-on piece by Rich Lowry today. Of course, as Lowry states, he didn't have to stretch too far to prove his point -- a Saudi prince did most of the work for him.

I was settling in for a relaxing evening of cable television when I relaized that if my site meter is accurate, more people seem to be stumbling across my site. And, even though cable TV was a much-missed commodity during my yearlong sojurn in Chicago, I was drawn to the computer by what could only be described as a sense of duty. I thought to myself, "It's been a week, and you've relaxed enough. Get to steppin'!"
So, here I am...