Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Wednesday, July 07, 2004 Funny From Bill Luse:
I heard Rush say the other day that he saw Kerry's Botox wearing off. Frowns were appearing once more on the grand dome. posted by Mark Butterworth | 1:48 AM | Dark and lost souls in LA Some time ago I blogged on the comic book movie, dark super hero phenomenon. Here's further proof. Jennifer Garner, who plays the title role in the upcoming comic-inspired movie Elektra, told SCI FI Wire that the movie remains true to the character's dark origins, as depicted in Frank Miller's graphic novels. Look at the Batman series, then Spiderman, Daredevil, the X-men, and whoever else there may be and we see Hollywood portraying people with super powers at angst ridden, conflicted souls who can't seem to decide if they are good or evil themselves. This is Hollywood's own projection on America as the world's great power. Look at how superheroes were protrayed in both the original comics and later movies and TV shows through the 40's to mid 60's to compare. Remember the Spiderman cartoon? (Dreck) Spidey was a good guy and enjoyed himself. Hollywood has traded rationality for emotion. These characters are heroic now in Hollywood's eyes because they "feel" so much, and suffer so much for having "feelings". Whereas the "rational" Superman fought unabashedly for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. I wonder if the day will ever come when we have patriots again in Hollywood who reflect the basic qualities and optimism of the American people. And who portray men as men and not emotional basket cases because, boo hoo hoo, a little rain falls in their life. posted by Mark Butterworth | 1:33 AM | Light blogging I've been pretty sick since last Sunday when I developed an infection in my right ear which has moved into the lymph node and caused great swelling. My ear looks like LBJ's now. If the antibiotics which I started today don't work and the infection increases, I may have to be hospitalized. But I doubt it will come to that. I expect the medicine to succeed. Nevertheless, I have felt pretty miserable, and can only get a little sleep here and there. It's strange in that I always thought that a person can handle adversity better when older and wiser, but I find I have less patience or tolerance for suffering now than I did when younger. If illness is a challenge, I keep finding myself not up to it. posted by Mark Butterworth | 1:25 AM | Today's Quote: All that is human must retrograde if it does not advance. Edward Gibbon This can be put another way. A life or a nation which is not moving forward positively, cannot choose to stand still, be neutral, but must degrade and fail. A recent poll in Canada says that 40% of young people there believe the USA is evil. Canada once produced patriots who bravely fought in the World Wars, and stood side by side with America against communism and for freedom. But those generations are dying off, and the marxists have stolen the positive soul of the nation. Now all they can do is project the evil they accept onto a friend who still resists such retrograde motions. posted by Mark Butterworth | 1:18 AM | Saturday, July 03, 2004 Today's Quotes: I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth. Umberto Eco (1932 - ) Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860) I was going to refute Eco's idiotic statement, but right below it was the next quote doing the job for me. But let's briefly examine Eco anyway. The world a harmless enigma? I guess there's no harm in all the murders, rapes, diseases, and cruelties in the world that humans and animals experience. But wanting to understand life is what makes all those harmless things terrible, because as we all must know -- there is no underlying truth, but then does that mean there's no underlying truth to language and the statements fools make? posted by Mark Butterworth | 11:19 AM | Friday, July 02, 2004 Brando There's some debate about whether Brando was a great actor or not. Terry Teachout has interesting things to say in the negative. I agree that genius is a word tossed around to lightly, but I'm not sure why we should exclude actors from the category simply because they are interpreters (critics, in a way, as terry points out) rather than writers or composers. But then I define genius much differently than most people do. God is genuis. Thus, the closer any person comes to expressing Truth purely, and unobstructed, the more that person may be said to be a genius. This makes genius apply to people in any endeavor. Anyway, Brando. Some point out that Gielgud and Olivier were greater actors, yet as much as I used to worship Olivier, I can hardly watch him now. Nothing he does seems authentic. It looks like all technique. Brando was inauthentic, too, with all his ticks, mumbles, etc, yet he may still be riveting. His inauthenticity often seems more authentic. The Godfather is simply a great role and performance. Brando was fun to watch. Unpredictable. posted by Mark Butterworth | 10:02 PM | Funny The funniest things I have ever read were written by Brad Christiansen. He was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal a year or so ago. He's a reverse spammer. That is, when he gets spammed by Nigerian conmen, he plays along with them, strings them along, and cons them. In the process, he writes hilarious responses and instructions to the con men. The goal is to get them to travel to countries and airports looking to meet him (and his fictious money) for their "deals". The most recent of his exchanges is here. I laughed frequently and hard. Other "dialogues" are here. I don't know if Brad's an acquired taste or not, but he's worth bearing with (sometimes the email exchanges take a while to get in gear). In this reverse scam, Brad insists they meet him on a nude beach in Holland. He makes them sign an affadavit. Dear Senator Musa: He gets this reply from the scammers: Meanwhile, I wish you could explain yourself better To which he replies: Regarding what you call my "no laughing and scratching" stance, I have no problem laughing and joking with a business associate on a nude beach or anywhere else. In fact I look forward to good times and much laughter with you and Senator Ali Sharmarih. However, I would have a huge problem if Senator Sharmarih were to point at my shriveled 73-year-old wiener and burst out in a thunderous belly laugh. I also don't want to be seen on a public beach with somebody who is constantly scratching his private parts. It is for these reasons I must insist on Senator Sharmarih's signature or your signature on the attached affidavit and the signed affidavit's faxed return to me at (XXX) XXX-XXXX. It gets much funnier than this (if this seems funny at all to you). But context is everything with these email exchanges. The absurdity and inventiveness of Brad's imagination is simply a marvel, and a pleasure to read. posted by Mark Butterworth | 3:36 AM | Thursday, July 01, 2004 Today's Quote: Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up. G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) posted by Mark Butterworth | 2:21 AM | Thanks and a Hearty Handshake (You do remember W. C. Fields in The Bank Dick when the bank president gives him a hearty handshake, don't you?) I don't know very much about Paul Bremer and his work in Iraq, but what I do know leads me to conclude that he did as fine and brilliant a job in an incredibly difficult task as anyone has ever done under such stress. He had to invent, improvise, and react with sense, wisdom, patience, and diplomacy under amazing circumstances. From what I've read, he was magnificent in this effort. If Iraq succeeds as an independant and free republic, they have everything owing to Bremer and his people (besides the USA in general). Well done, sir. Very well done. And thank you for your service. God bless you and America. posted by Mark Butterworth | 12:04 AM | |
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