Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Ramblings for the Morning (8/30/05)

Kinky Friedman:
I find it hysterical that
Kinky Friedman is getting buzz for his bid for governor in Texas. I like his music, and I think he's a smart guy. More than that, however, I like the fact that he is running a campaign that is unlike most politicians. For example: his slogan is: "Why the Hell Not?" That's brilliant. If he keeps this up, he could win in the same way Ventura did here in Minnesota. College kids voted for Ventura, because he was someone different, and people fed up with all these career politicians wanted a breath of fresh air. Friedman could win in the same way. One of the major points he is hitting on is the need for Bio-Diesel so that we aren't, as he puts it," dancing to the Saudi's jukebox." Sure, he'll get slammed by his opponents for many things. You want a list?
1. "You're not a politician." That's a typical arguement.
2. "You're Jewish." That's been already thrown at him. He can't run Texas, because he's a major minority.
3. "You're Bio-Diesel idea is a bunch of hippie nonsense!" Just wait for it.
Why do I think Kinky would be good for Texas? Because he asks, "WWWRD. That's What Would Will Rogers Do." Look him up and read about his feelings toward politicians. It makes sense.
Online Dating:
I promised a friend I would talk about this. Ok, how do I feel about online dating or dating on the internet? Well, it's a double-edged sword...just like real dating. Yup, you can meet someone online, and they seem absolutely great. At the same time you can meet someone in "real life" and discover he or she is insane. The arguments against online dating usually come around to the same argument: You don't know who you're talking to. But even face to face, you don't really know who you're talking to. Sure, I believe in face to face, because I read people better. I see their body language, their eyes, the way they say things, and that helps determine who they are.
It's extremely hard to date in modern society once you leave school. Why? Well we have to work. It's really hard once the grind gets going to go out and meet people (wow, alliteration). That's why online dating is great for some people. Hell,
USA Today just ran a story this morning about senior citizens using online dating. Old people in retirement homes are using online dating to meet each other. If nothing else, it can give someone companionship. Sure, there are psychos out there, but there are psychos EVERYWHERE.
The bottom line: I, personally, wouldn't use online dating, because I can't read a person then. At the same time, someone might (and I really stress the might) be more honest when online versus in person.

Stale Popcorn:
I'm getting really sick and tired of the people who equate low box office grosses with moral values. It's not because of the "lack of moral values in films," people have stopped going to movie theatres. No, the answer is two-fold:
1. Most movies are not fun and original anymore. Dukes of Hazzard and Bewitched were TV shows. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Herbie, and The Longest Yard were all remakes. Were there no good films this summer? No, there were some great films. Crash, though it makes mountains out of coincidences, was poignant and beautiful. March of the Penguins was a great look at nature. Overall, however, it was all sequels and remakes. If we've seen it before, we don't want to see it again. A broken down car with a fresh coat of paint is still a broken down car.
2. This is more important. Why pay between $18-25 bucks a person (that's a ticket, popcorn, and a soda) to sit around with other people who may treat the experience like TV, when you can pay $4 to rent the film three months after it comes out and watch it in the privacy of your own home. You need food or bathroom break? Just pause it. You can't do that in the theatre.
Just stop trying to say that it's because of the moral values. Oh we hate the violence...except when it's happening to Jesus in The Passion. Look, Mel Gibson recut the film and re-released it, and no one really came out to see it. Was it morals then? No, it was because of DVD.
And while we're on the topic of morals and such, don't use The March of the Penguins to extoll the wonders of marriage. Don't use a documentary about nature for political reasons. The people arguing this forget about two things:
1. The penguins are only monogamous for the year, then they switch partners. Would that be ok with us humans then? "Sorry, honey, year's up. I'm going to Candace."
2. They forget that there are documentations, real documentations by scientists, that show penguins have instances of homosexuality. That's right, males with males, females with females. Many Americans don't want gays to marry, but it's ok if penguins do? Come on.

Hope everyone has a nice day.

6 comments:

Admin Worm said...

Well, be honest leab: if every man were dressed in a tuxedo, wouldn't YOU consider switching teams? I sure would.

There was a good Kinky Friedman piece in the New Yorker a couple weeks ago. Very Jesse-like, especially in respect to the fact that he seems reticent to win, and it's just starting to hit him that he actually might.

The violence in The Passion didn't disturb me, but the extended love scene between Christ and Mary Magdalene on the Special Features disc was a bit much.

Ironic said...

Thank you Judas Priest. As for the Passion...honestly I never saw it because so many people tried to force me to see it so I would have "A religious experience."
It's interesting that you mention the violence not disturbing you, because the moral values folks always argue that violence in movies and such are desensitizing children, then they take them to see the Passion. Go figure.

Admin Worm said...

Uhhh, the violence comment was a joke, leab. A lead-up to the sex scene joke. Sorry, one demerit for poor scene setting on my part.

I rented the film but couldn't bring myself to watch it. My personal opinion is that there's enough cruelty occurring in the world right now to force myself to watch a depiction of something that occurred 2,000 years ago.

You've sort of been on an anti-religion tear the last couple of days. Everything okay?

Ironic said...

Oh, I'm fine. I've just been getting a little too much God foisted (real word) on me in emails and random conversations. I do want to point out, however, that I don't like organized religion, because it weakens, not strengthens people. Yes, that's my opinion, but I hate when people are told that they can't do their own thing, they have to go to a place of worship. Hmm...I should stop before I say something bad or Robertson prays for my death.

Admin Worm said...

Yeah, well then you're going to hell, leab. I hope you enjoy it.

Just kidding. He he he.

Ironic said...

Hey, Ever read J.O.B. by Robert Heinlein? Hell is much better than Heaven. It's like New York...but without the traffic.