Camera Obscura - Romero's New Dead; 'Jumper' Falls; Sly 'Eulogy'

Is there a scenario more unsettling than hordes of zombies shambling across the de-populated landscape? Perhaps, as in George Romero's new movie "Diary of the Dead", it is a media-saturated culture.

Notice the title is not "Diary of the Survivors of a Zombie Horde."

The low-budget, no-name cast is the latest in a career spanning 40 years of socio-zombie impact. The premise here is that a group of young people head out with armed with cameras to make their own horror movie and discover instead an apocalypse, which they attempt to document via the moving image. Our world today is home to cameras at intersections and attached to phones and generally stuffed into every nook and cranny imaginable. To paraphrase McLuhan, "The medium is the zombie."

And how does his new movie rate? Scott Weinberg wrote this review after seeing the movie in Toronto last fall:

"This time around Mr. Romero seems most interested in the media, and the ways in which it shapes our reactions to life's unexpected tragedies. Icing on top: By using the 'fake movie within a movie' conceit, the zombie lord gives himself ample opportunity to poke fun at the "reality" of documentary filmmaking. And poke he does! The veteran craftsman also seems entirely fascinated by the ways in which information is instantly disseminated over the internet, so there's plenty of geek-friendly cleverness to be found here. To those who simply want a good old-fashioned chomp-fest, rest assured that there's gore galore -- plus a very healthy dose of in-joke horror references that nerds like me always enjoy. And no, the funny stuff does not overwhelm the splat-tastic mayhem. As is often the case, the humor offsets the scary / gross moments and all the components congeal into a full-course genre treat."

Also, you'll hear the voices of Quentin Tarantino, Stephen King, Wes Craven and more as "news-readers" in the movie.

Also recommended reading - a fine interview with Romero at the A.V. Club, where he says:

"I was stunned by the effect of all this emerging media, and how everybody was getting sucked in not only as viewers, but as reporters. It says on CNN that if you see something outside your window, shoot it and they'll put it on the air. "

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There has been heavy TV advertising for the new Doug Liman movie, "Jumper", based on a series of sci-fi books by writer Stephen Gould. The story concerns a young man who has the ability to defy time and space and transport himself to any location. Of course, he meets others with the same ability and even a kind of secret army who seek to thwart the Jumpers.

But here's the thing I most noticed about all the ads - not one mention of the two stars in the movie: Hayden Christiensen and Samuel L. Jackson. Where's the tag line: "Darth Vader and Mace Windu Meet Again!!!"

Oh yeah, that's right - Hayden was terrible in the Star Wars movies and no one knows who the heck Mace Windu is (was) outside of some fan convention.

Now if the duo teamed up for "Snakes On A Plane Part 2" .....

I am huge fan of the films of Doug Liman "Swingers", "Go", "The Bourne Identity", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" - and even genre fave David Goyer ("Blade") aided with the story.

But reviews of "Jumper" usually end up with the movie splayed out on the concrete after, well, after a fateful jump. All the reviews too note the rather blatant There Will Be A Sequel ending. (Did I suggest "Snakes On A Plane Part 2"?) And hey, who cares what critics say? I'm sure all those folks who went to see "Fool's Gold" still tingle with good feelings.

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A 2004 movie that screened at Sundance, "Eulogy", pretty much died on arrival and headed straight to DVD and remains a mostly and unjustly unknown movie. I suggest you seek out this funny comedy which is packed with hilarious performances by Ray Romano, Hank Azaria, Rip Torn, Zooey Deschanel, Debra Winger, Kelly Preston and Piper Laurie.

They are a family who reluctantly gather for the funeral of thier Dad, Rip Torn, whose habits included being unable to remember the names of his children. Deschanel plays Azaria's daughter, who is stuck with the task of writing the eulogy.

Tons of one-liners abound. I liked the one where the funeral home director describes a graveyard as "Sort of like an old folks home where you really don't need to go visit anyone."



This ensemble cast, though in a storyline seen in many other movies, provides very funny entertainment - before, during and at the funeral. Their work together clicks and hums with perfection. And there is this notion that their oddness and dysfunctions are not what seperates them, it's what connects them.

Again, this isn't some astonishing new take on an old story - just a chance to see some great actors having a great time.

Indiana Jones 4 Trailer Now Online

The news won't wait for the Friday movie post -

The new Indiana Jones 4 movie trailer is here at the official movie site.

Sure, a good chunk of it is shots from the first three movies, but so what?

My favorite part of this new teaser trailer - his hat gets some screen time.

Plus, this time out, I am now friends with the parents of Harrison Ford's girlfriend.

Ban The Cartoonists!

At least it didn't happen in Tennessee.

But in Kentucky, a legislator is pushing a bill to define an editorial cartoonist as a lobbyist and hence ban them from attending legislative sessions. State Rep. Jim Gooch is not amused by cartoons nor by opinions, as Sue Sturgis reports at Facing South.

"They want to hurt your credibility. They do it by either trying to make you look stupid or corrupt."

Darn those people who use the evils of wit and pencils!!! And what about the children? A child might run with a pencil in hand and fall and put their eye out! And then, there's a paper cut threat!

Sturgis reminds readers Rep. Gooch has also held hearings on the topics of Global Warming but failed to invite anyone from the scientific community. One imagines a person could testify "Shoot, it looks purty nice outside to me!" and thus end the debate.

Scalia's Defense of Torture

In a maze of hypotheticals and imaginings, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (along with many in the highest level of government) sort of talks about why he thinks the use of torture to get information is an acceptable policy of American jurisprudence. I'm left with far more questions as the debate and discussion of the uses of torture contiues.

His views aside, questions now stand about whether evidence obtained using waterboarding would be allowed in the upcoming court cases against suspects in the 9-11 attacks.

Judge Scalia, Speaking with the BBC, saw this exchange took place:

"Scalia: Is it really so easy to determine that smacking someone in the face to find out where he has hidden the bomb that is about to blow up Los Angeles is prohibited under the Constitution? Because smacking someone in the face would violate the 8th amendment in a prison context. You can’t go around smacking people about. Is it obvious that what can’t be done for punishment can’t be done to exact information that is crucial to this society? It’s not at all an easy question, to tell you the truth.

BBC: It’s a question that’s been raised by Alan Derschowitz and other people — this idea of ticking bomb torture. It’s predicated on the basis that you got a plane with nuclear weapons flying toward the White House, you happen to have in your possession — hooray! — the person that has the key information to put everything right, and you stick a needle under his fingernail — you get the answer — and that should be allowed?

SCALIA: And you think it shouldn’t?

BBC: All I’m saying about it, is that it’s a bizarre scenario, because it’s very unlikely that you’re going to have the one person that can give you that information and so if you use that as an excuse to permit torture then perhaps that’s a dangerous thing.

SCALIA: Seems to me you have to say, as unlikely as that is, it would be absurd to say that you can’t stick something under the fingernails, smack them in the face. It would be absurd to say that you couldn’t do that. And once you acknowledge that, we’re into a different game. How close does the threat have to be and how severe can an infliction of pain be?

There are no easy answers involved, in either direction, but I certainly know you can’t come in smugly and with great self-satisfaction and say, “Oh, this is torture and therefore it’s no good.” You would not apply that in some real-life situations. It may not be a ticking bomb in Los Angeles, but it may be: “Where is this group that we know is plotting this painful action against the United States? Where are they? What are they currently planning?”

I've posted on this topic before, yes, and current events prompt me to point to this particular post again:

"We live at a time where Americans, completely uninformed by an incurious media and enthralled by vengeance-based fantasy television shows like “24”, are actually cheering and encouraging such torture as justifiable revenge for the September 11 attacks. Having been a rescuer in one of those incidents and personally affected by both attacks, I am bewildered at how casually we have thrown off the mantle of world-leader in justice and honor. Who we have become?"

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"Who will complain about the new world-wide embrace of torture? America has justified it legally at the highest levels of government. Even worse, the administration has selectively leaked supposed successes of the water board such as the alleged Khalid Sheik Mohammed confessions. However, in the same breath the CIA sources for the Washington Post noted that in Mohammed’s case they got information but "not all of it reliable." Of course, when you waterboard you get all the magic answers you want -because remember, the subject will talk. They all talk! Anyone strapped down will say anything, absolutely anything to get the torture to stop. Torture. Does. Not. Work."

Is it worth noting the previous legal approach to the use of waterboarding?

"In 1901 in the United States, the military court-martialed and sentenced to 10 years hard labor a US major who had waterboarded a prisoner in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. The United States officially outlawed the practice after World War II, when the Germans and Japanese had both used it against Allied troops. The Allies executed eight Japanese officers for waterboarding British prisoners and sentenced another to 15 years hard labor for waterboarding a US civilian, among other crimes."

Will State OK Verifiable Votes?

The state's legislature is moving forward (at last) to insure verifiable results for the ballots cast in an election, as noted in today's KNS story.

(previously mentioned here and R. Neal has more at TennViews)

The proposal is meant to create a paper trail for votes cast, and though it may be another two years before the new process (if approved) could be installed.

"Bernie Ellis, an organizer for Gather to Save Our Democracy, said Tennessee has been rated as one of the eight states in the nation most vulnerable to vote-counting abuse because of its heavy reliance on the touch-screen system. Only two of 95 Tennessee counties, Hamilton and Pickett, now have the precinct-based optical scan machines.

With the current system, a voter makes his or her choices on a computer screen that disappears when the vote is cast with no paper record. The optical scan system will require the voter to mark a paper ballot, look it over to verify the choices are correct, then run the paper ballot through a scanner that records the vote."

The new process, however, will not improve your choices nor negate any regrets you might have for the choices you made. Still, accuracy and reliability of results is a laudable goal.

Senate Approves of Telecom Immunity

It's dismal how far the current congress has gone to allow and accept lawless governmental policy. When news first broke of the warrantless wiretap programs, there was much loud derision - but the congress has reversed course in no uncertain terms. What were once vices are now habits.

Reviewing the Senate's actions, Glenn Greenwald makes a crucial point:

"Analogously, in 1973, The Washington Post won the Pulitzer Prize for its work in uncovering the Watergate abuses, and that led to what would have been the imminent bipartisan impeachment of the President until he was forced to resign in disgrace. By stark and depressing contrast, in 2006, Jim Risen, Eric Lichtblau and the NYT won Pulitzer Prizes for their work in uncovering illegal spying on Americans at the highest levels of the Government, and that led to bipartisan legislation to legalize the illegal spying programs and provide full-scale retroactive amnesty for the lawbreakers. That's the difference between a country operating under the rule of law and one that is governed by lawlessness and lawbreaking license for the politically powerful and well-connected."

The legislation now moves to the House for approval and their version of the bill currently does not include immunity. Hopefully the debate will more focused on laws and not lawlessness.

Sen. Kilby Reconsiders Dog Laws

I received an email from 12th District Senator Tommy Kilby yesterday in response to my complaints over a bill he introduced to make it a crime to own a certain type of dog in Tennessee. The online and offline furor that bill prompted was mentioned previously and in this post too.

He wrote about withdrawing his original bill, and filing a new one, though there are still some issues to resolve:

"Here is an update on my proposed legislation. I withdrew the original proposed legislation, Senate Bill 2738 and filed a caption bill, Senate Bill 3827. Unfortunately, due to the bill filing deadline, the second bill's wording mirrors the first, which has caused some confusion. Take heart though, the caption bill will be amended so as not to be breed specific."

Here's to hoping any new laws are based in more realistic concepts.

First and foremost for me is specific and significant legal avenues to place accountability on those people who fail to contain any animal they own and allow an attack on a human. It would make no sense to arrest and destroy a gun used in a killing - punishing the owner/user is the typical approach. Likewise, one could do a survey and find a particular model of a car as the most commonly involved in a fatal crash, but arresting the car and banning ownership of that model isn't the right concept either.

FROM DOGS TO DUCKS UPDATE: Worth noting that Kilby is not seeking re-election, so this is really a lame duck term for him. A prime contender for his replacement is Becky Ruppe, Morgan County's first female elected County Executive, and as R. Neal notes, she has launched her election campaign website.

Weekly Best of Tennessee Blogs

The roundup of the best in Tennessee blogs (via TennViews). Also please note the Tennessee Election News group blog posts on the right hand side of this page is being updated often.

The Sunday "Goodbye Super Tuesday, catch your dreams before they slip away" edition of the TennViews weekly blog roundup showcasing the best and brightest bloggers in Tennessee and what they are talking about...

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Caucuses in Florida and Michigan?: The big failure here is with the state and national parties, who betrayed their voters by failing to properly negotiate over the timing of the primaries., plus: Bottom Line: There's one fundamental problem with a McCain/Huckabee ticket: McCain is really old, and Huckabee is really crazy.

• 55-40 Memphis: Electability: I believe that it is much harder to get a woman elected president today than a person of color, all else being equal. As widespread as racism is, sexism runs even deeper and affects a larger proportion of the electorate. Compounding the problem: We are much more attuned to racism, and quicker to call it out, than we are to even blatant sexism. I'd like to see a woman as president as much as anybody would. In any other circumstances, I'd say let's go for it. But Hillary isn't just any woman, she's a Clinton. ... Those polls just confirm what I already know in my heart. 2008 is not the time, nor is Hillary Clinton the candidate, to make the presidential election a feminist cause.

• Ablogination: Death to the Right Wing Fringe: You will no longer find personal gain wrapped in swaddling clothes. You will no longer benefit from dragging Jesus through the political mud, boxing, bagging, buying and selling Him for your personal wealth and power trips. It’s over. You’ve been Left Behind.

• Andy Axel (at KnoxViews): Super Fat Tuesday Clinton Count: This is the rural/urban divide showing up again, and depending on the demographics of the state involved, this can really cut against your candidate. Plus: Tennessee Hearts Huckabee: The evangelicals turn out for the Reverend, throwing a stick in the spokes of the McCain juggernaut.

• Aunt B.: Bill Hobbs Wins ‘Act Like Bill Hobbs Day’ Hands Down!: Bill Hobbs is going to try to pass the Tennessee Democratic Party off as the racist party in our state? The mind boggles. Plus: An Open Letter to the Tennessean: Seriously, if people want to show the world pictures of their dogs, they can get a blog like the rest of us. You, Sirs and Madams, should be a place where I can find out news.

• BlountViews: Blount election day early afternoon report, plus: Finney really REALLY wants to be your state senator

• The Crone Speaks: Here’s An Idea, The Journalists/Reporters Should Fact-Check Themselves Before They Speak/Write: Candidates have to spend hundred’s of thousands of dollars to counter the lies and half-truths with the truth, if they can successfully get out the truth. So, we have these giant media outlets, driving the spending by candidates, another way that media owners have dictated elections.

• Cup of Joe Powell: Election Aftermath: Are Republicans so unhappy over the concept of "conservative purity" that they will sit home this fall and not vote in the actual election? Plus some election live blogging: Hamblen County Election Returns, and an update on the cable cuts: Sea Monster Attacks Internet UPDATE!

• Don Williams (a new addition to the blogroll and roundup): Hillary, Obama, McCain all strengthen their claims to presidency: I’m the first to admit that true substance is scarce in these campaigns. Still, the tone’s changed. Subjects have changed.

• The Donkey's Mouth: Democrats Top Republican Turnout, and: Charmed, I’m Sure: ...who will Rep. Marsha Blackburn support after making three different endorsements already in this race?

• Enclave: "Obama Girl" Didn't Vote for Obama: We can count on younger voters as long as everything stays eye-popping and entertainment-oriented (or there is sex-appeal; cue G4 TV). But I don't seem them turning out in November--regardless of who the nominee is--as strongly as they are in February. The novelty will have worn off of voting by then. Plus: Another Partisan Who Cannot See Beyond Republican Campaign Strategy: It should be perfectly clear to those of us who are not saddled by partisan wishful thinking why Evangelicals would not vote for a Mormon candidate (Mitt Romney). Begging "common cause" assumes that both sides see a cause in common. Evangelicals don't. Also: Happy Anniversary!

• Fletch: The Shacks: It's like a taking a road trip back in time to the 60s before corporate fast food and motels became the norm. Maybe the grass is always greener on the other side, but selling hot dogs by the seashore seems to be an idyllic life.

• KnoxViews (JustJohnny): FL Dems to caucus?: I have been contacted by more than one grassroots organizer seeking support for a push for caucuses here. If FL delegates are to be seated, the DNC appears to be signaling that caucuses are the only way. Plus: An interesting poll on Social Security. And: Super Tuesday Photo Report (by Brian A.), plus: Hung over, exhausted, but the headlines say: Obama, Clinton all tied up after Super Tuesday (Carole Borges)

• Lean Left: A Tie: Last night settled nothing, and its likely that the rest of this month and March 4th will settle nothing as well. It looks as if we are in this for the long haul. Plus: Clinton or Obama?: ...at the end of the day they are just politicians. They are forced to navigate an electorate with diverse and conflicting views and that means compromise and occasionally the failure of policies I hold dear. Also: GOP Losing Evangelicals? (by tgirsh): ...it’s never really a victory when people give up on democracy, and lose faith in the process. And that’s clearly what seems to be happening here.

• Left of the Dial: Super Scary Tuesday: Boy, politics sure took a backseat to Mother Nature last night and this morning for many Tennesseans.

• Left Wing Cracker: Its the Narrative, stupid: Get ready, we are going for a brokered convention. (Jon Carrol) Plus: If Mitt Romney had run this ad, he'd be the Republican nominee! And: A call for help for Tennessee tornado victims.

• Liberadio: Tornado Tuesday Observations, plus: What a tool: There’s simply no other way to react to Mitt Romney’s "suspending my campaign" speech in which he accuses at least half the country of wanting to surrender to terror, having no morals, perpetrating attacks on religion, encouraging sexual promiscuity and pornography, and enjoying an occasional stroll on the Champs-Elysées.

• Loose TN Canon: Can you imagine this guy's finger on the button?: John McCain, who jokes about bombing Iran, is characterized by his fellow Republicans as a "hothead."

• NewsComa: At The End Of Another Political Day: No one never knows in the world of politics. Deals are made. Deals are broken. And the American people don’t know because God forbid we need to know what Britney Spears did today. Plus: The Wind In The Willows: It’s weird covering weather and even weirder when you are covering a primary and weather and a trial with a defendant with a less than stellar personality who was a bit growly. Don’t you love rural media? Tomorrow, I get to go to a car wash that has a pet wash attached to it. I’m not lying.

• Pesky Fly: The White Racist Vote (Jeff): When I look at the Obama campaign, I am most bothered by three things: the apparent encouragement of cultish behavior among volunteers and supporters; the willingness of his campaign and supporters to recycle right-wing Hillary Hate talking points; and his level of support from a media we learned long ago never to trust. This last point should alarm anyone with a brain. Never trust the media or Republicans who offer advice about what the Democratic party should do. Plus: Stupid Democrats: Any Dem (of any stripe) or left-leaning so-and-so who says they'd vote for McCain over Hillary in the General should really consider the state of the U.S. Supreme Court and the fact that the next President will probably get to appoint three new Supremes.

• Progressive Nashville: How Clinton won: Hillary's success so far shows that the tried and true methods of hard work and asking people for votes is still effective at winning campaigns, but it is still vulnerable to a competitor that hits on the right message and has the charisma to sell it. Plus: More voting problems around the country, and: Bob Tuke for Senate?

• Resonance: Promises, Promises (Resonance): It seems we've got some fuzzy math here. $410 billion is 50% of $412.7 billion? I'm no math major, but that just doesn't compute. Plus: Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2007

• RoaneViews: Help a Neighbor: Let's be there for these people. One day it might be our turn, but that doesn't matter right now.

• Russ McBee: Two short notes on Super Tuesday: This is hypnotic and addictive. Google Maps + Twitter + Twittervision + Super Tuesday = a very cool way to watch what people are saying about today's primaries. Plus: Bush's hypocrisy on earmarks: It took George Bush seven years in the White House to notice that the federal budget contains pork-barrel spending. Purely by coincidence I'm sure, it was not until after the Democrats had gained control of Congress that the president decided to focus his attention on budget items of questionable validity.

• Sean Braisted: Are You A Sexist Pig?: ...its best to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume their support or opposition is in good faith, and not the result of prejudices against a race or gender. Plus: Obama Wins?: While Obama wasn't able to pick up some of the Democratic strongholds on the East and West coast, it appears as if, on a delegate basis, he was victorious. ... Yesterday I stood on the corner of Rosa and Jefferson doing visibility, and it sunk in that while I think Obama could win the general election...he ain't likely to carry much of the Southeast. To be sure, I don't think Hillary will either (except perhaps Arkansas), but some of the reactions from the white drivers really disgusted me to my core.

• Sharon Cobb: Not Every Person Who Doesn't Vote For Hillary Is A Misogynist, And Not Every Person Who Doesn't Vote For Barack Is A Racist, plus: So I'm In My Bathtub With No Water In It: I've got my laptop, cell phone, video camera, battery television and xanax in the tub with me. If you're in middle Tennessee and tornadoes are touching down around you, go to the lowest floor in your home, or if you're like me and don't have a basement, go to your tub and stay away from windows. The severe weather started here in Nashville when Hillary Clinton was announced the winner of Tennessee.

• Silence Isn't Golden: So, In Conclusion (Part 2): Obama won last night because he proved that he can make the Democratic Party competitive in places where it hasn't been lately (especially in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain states), while hanging on to Democratic strongholds. Hillary merely proved that she can hold the base. Also: Vote for GoldnI!

• Southern Beale: It’s Always Good For Republicans: Have you seen the latest storyline about Democrats working its way through the media? Apparently, because we have two excellent candidates to choose from in the presidential primary, "Democrats are in disarray"!

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Disenfranchising Hillary's Base: The Undemocratic Caucus: The caucus system is undemocratic. It disenfranchises working class voters who simply do not have the flexible schedules held by the elite class. Unlike the primary, the caucus system does not make voting available all day long to accommodate people with all types of schedules. To make matters worse, most state caucuses do not permit absentee ballot provisions. Plus: NBC Suspends Shuster for Misogynistic Attack on Chelsea

• TennViews: Factchecking the TNGOP: Is it possible to fact check fiction? Plus: Abusive nursing home protection act And: Lieberman no longer a super delegate!

• Vibinc: Super Tornado Tuesday - Live Blog, now from Home!: In weather news the sirens just turned off again, but that doesn't mean anything if there's a tornado like 5 feet from my house...which there isn't yet. Ok, between the polling and reach Haley Barbour is showing his metro-sexual side.

• Whites Creek Journal: Saturday Lazies: John McCain has emerged as the front runner in the Republican campaign to keep the entire Bush administration out of jail.

• Women's Health News: Lipitor Ad Used Stunt Double?: Seriously. Don’t ever rely on advertising to give you accurate medical information or drug advice.

Science of Happiness

Perhaps you are not happy. Perhaps you are like Dr. Mrs. Instapundit and you jes' don't trust happiness.

So let's exile those demons of introspection and apply some Science to Happiness!


How To Be Happy

Sea Monster Attacks Internet UPDATE!

Got an update on the severed underwater cable which provides internet services - mentioned earlier this week. It seems a 5-ton ships anchor was the culprit, according to press reports. Not, apparently, nefarious aquatic monsters nor super-secret underwater hooligans of any sort. The link above even has a picture of the anchor being hauled out of the water by a FLAG Telecom repair ship. Of course, that only explains one of three mysteriously severed cables (there was another in some Arctic fjord but that was blamed on wild weather and roiling seas, according to spokesperson Marty Kuluguqtuq. No I did not make that up. And that's Mister Kuluguqtuq to you, bucko.).

Curious creature that I am, the element of the report of a repair which caught my eye was the reference to FLAG Telecom. FLAG stands for Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe, a company based in India which laid the cable in the late 1990s. The cable in question is part of a worldwide creation - some 28,000 miles long and at only an inch thick, it may well be prone to slicing.

Likely the best source of info on FLAG comes from writer Neal Stephenson, in this massive article from Wired magazine in December of 1996.

"Everything that has occurred in Silicon Valley in the last couple of decades also occurred in the 1850s. Anyone who thinks that wild-ass high tech venture capitalism is a late-20th-century California phenomenon needs to read about the maniacs who built the first transatlantic cable projects (I recommend Arthur C. Clarke's book How the World Was One). The only things that have changed since then are that the stakes have gotten smaller, the process more bureaucratized, and the personalities less interesting."

Stephenson's detailed research reveals the links between the creation of international trade routes and treaties from the 1800s, the rise of telecoms and the current state of how information moves to the FLAG project and makes fascinating reading.

If you have time and energy, his Hugo-award-winning novel "Cryptonomicon" is a stunning tale of history and fiction on the creation of computers and lost gold, U-Boats and ISPs and how everything is connected by being connected. The book should already be in your home as proof of your inner tech Geekness.

Camera Obscura - Online Horror Festival; Rolling Stones Documentary; Make A Dead Movie

It is true I have a film festival in my brain 24/7. It's way swanky.

If you don't, and if you always wanted to attend a film festival, all you need to join one is a computer connected to the internets. In fact, that's the only way you can witness Insomnifest, the world's first Online Horror Movie Festival.

12 movies are featured in the fest, which runs from Feb. 11 thru Feb. 24. The web site for the fest boasts a mega-trailer from most of the movies. I'm thinking this is not the kind of festival one attends hoping to meet the people who actually made these movies or the fans who seek them. At least they did not call it Splatterfest or Cheesefest, but perhaps they could have. And I don't recommend you use your computer at work to bask in the buckets of fake grue.

But you don't have to stand around in the snow like at Sundance, or wade through the beautiful people.

You can enjoy a virtual pressbox seat for the annual Berlin Film Festival, which starts today. The US normally ignores this festival, but the media is hyping it because Martin Scorsese is debuting his documentary of the Rolling Stones, "Shine In Light", and because Jagger's quip at a press conference that this is Marty's first film to NOT feature the song "Gimme Shelter" was actually funny.

The official website and trailer is here. One notable element to this doc - Marty is often onscreen, as the movie is as much about the show as it is about how he filmed the show. And guests like Buddy Guy, Jack White and others perform with the band too.

Sweeping Declaration: The Stones are the best rock band in the world. When your fave band has passed the 45-year mark, then let me know. Otherwise, the Stones are it. (That means if Hannah Montana is packing arenas every year for the next 44 years, she could be in the running. But we know that's not gonna happen. And she'll never have an album with a zipper down the front either.)

In other film festival news, SXSW in Austin is just a month away, and the full rundown on all 64 films is here. Winner of the Best Title Award already goes to Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay.

Also showing at SXSW is the zombie movie my brother is in, "Dance of the Dead", filmed last Spring in Rome, Georgia. He gives the details on the day he spent as a zombie here.

Finally today, writer/director George Romero wants to see your scary movie. In a contest, which ends on Feb 29th, to promote his new zombie movie "Diary of the Dead", you can get your horror movie (of 3 minutes or less) included with the DVD release of Romero's latest.

All the details here at his MySpace page.

Sea Monsters Attack Internet?

There is something fishy happening to some of the transoceanic communications cables which provide internet connections. Three and perhaps as many as five of them have somehow been cut.

No internet for many nations.

How and why were they cut? Could it be sea monsters???



(yes, the week has been far too stressful and serious)

I Don't Approve

A heap of non-factual, semi-factual and otherwise distorted paranoia landed in my email yesterday from someone I know, all about how this person is in a twist because of (whisper the word) "Mexicans."

The massive numbers of non-facts, the furor of fearfulness and my low threshold of tolerating hoo-ha yesterday made me actually write back to refute the info. This person who sent the original email is not a "bad person", but that email pretty much reeked of dangerously bad ideas.

Here's a sample of the email sent to me:

"I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be RIDICULOUS. Now, I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them. I have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year."

My response to that, from the very article cited, was that law prevents any such aid being given to "illegal immigrants". To legal immigrants, yes, aid is given. I'm not linking to the article cited as I am not eager to drive web traffic to that site.

And I also commented that the funding for the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan comes from borrowing money, not from existing tax revenue streams. The response I got to that was the following:

"Do you sense we are being overrun? It's not easy to know know who is legal and who is illegal. Hang out at DHS some day, or the Health Department and just observe. I felt like a foreigner when at the Health Department for a T.B. test last summer. There was not one local in the waiting room, but it was filled with Hispanic people who did not speak English - or let's put it this way, they were not speaking English in my presence. Take a walk through our elementary schools and see even more. And there are days, when crimebeat makes my eyes pop!! I know several legal Hispanics and have a couple that good friends from Puerto Rico and one from Guatemala - so it's not that I dislike these folks, I don't, but it looks like if we continue the way we're going, one day, our local government will look a whole lot different. Hey! That might be a good thing! tee hee"

So I am sadly left with the realization the email was not meant to start a discussion - it was instead an unhappy emotional reaction to having non-whites in the neighborhood. Other problems are obvious in those comments, too.

I know I'm not the only person who gets ramped-up, half-truthful email screeds on some "vital topic" of the moment. And yes, responding to such is fruitless. But if I did not respond, then perhaps my silence could be taken as approval. And I don't approve.

Election Aftermath

The county by county results of the state's primaries are available at the TN Dept. of State website.These are unofficial results, awaiting certification. Statewide turnout was 36% of registered voters.

Curious to see how some counties had very close (sometimes not so close) battles between Huckabee and McCain. Also notable, the number of Democrats voting statewide outpaced the number of Republicans. Are Republicans so unhappy over the concept of "conservative purity" that they will sit home this fall and not vote in the actual election? More on that here. And here, too, Huckabee's win of Southern states ... does this reflect a split GOP and a certainty the next president, no matter who wins the nomination, will be a Democrat?

Or perhaps the question should be - is there any ticket which would allow for a GOP president to be elected?

One clear winner in the elections/primaries -- Knox County got rid of some bad ju-ju.

Hamblen County Election Returns

Some early returns, mostly early voting and absentee ballots (scroll down for full returns), out of Hamblen County --

In the presidential primary for the GOP: John McCain had the lead with about 41% of the votes, followed by Bill Huckabee 32% and then Mitt Romney with 17%

In the presidential primary for the Democrat party: Hillary Clinton with about 66%, Barack Obama with 12%.

The local sales tax increase referendum was a dead heat, with about 51% voting yes, 49% voting no.

Surprising to me is that the ultra conservative district went so largely with McCain, despite many GOP pundits refuting him as a "liberal." On the Democrat side, it's no surprise that Clinton has such a commanding lead. Many women have held and do hold office, while there are no minorities in office. Only two minorities, both men, a father and son, have ever held office in the county.

UPDATE 1: Local radio WCRK news reporters, joined by County Mayor David Purkey on the scene live at the county courthouse, make no bones they hope the sales tax increase is approved. As of 9:15 p.m, the vote favoring the tax leads the No votes by some 130 votes.

Meanwhile, MCain's lead over Huckabee has decreased, with McCain at 38.5%, Huckabee at 33.4%.

Final returns should be in momentarily.

UPDATE 2, FINAL RETURNS: The sales tax referendum fails, with No votes at 5759, Yes votes at 5668. Total turnout estimated at 40.8%.

McCain wins the county with 37.7%, Huckabee 35.3%, Romney 17.9%.

Clinton wins the county with 68.7%, Obama with 22.7%.

No return total votes were given out in the WCRK broadcast in the primaries for John Edwards, Fred Thompson or Ron Paul or any other candidates on the presidential ballots.

UPDATE 3, SULLIVAN COUNTY, STATEWIDE RETURNS: Sullivan County saw Huckabee win the GOP primary over McCain, with 36.9% over 31.4%.

Statewide totals, with only 8 of 95 counties shows Huckabee ahead, 39.94% and McCain with 31.7%, and Romney with 17.5%. Fred Thompson has 3.37%

Rep. Davis Rallies GOP With Old Time Revival

"The crowd responded very enthusiastically when Davis quoted Psalm 33:12, which says: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." He noted that the verse does not say "whose God was the Lord," and pointed out the difference.

"We should protect 'Under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance: return prayer to our schools; maintain 'In God We Trust' on our money; and allow the Ten Commandments to remain on courthouse lawns and walls," Davis said, to considerable applause.

"And finally, we must protect the rule of law," he said. "During the 45 years leading up to the Immigration Act of 1965, 10 million immigrants came to the U.S. and were successfully integrated into American culture." But the onset that began then and accelerated has "overwhelmed our ability to assimilate."

This year, Davis noted, 1.3 million immigrants will enter this country, 400,000 of them illegal.

"If America is to survive as a safe and sovereign country," he said, "We must protect our borders. I call on the president and the Democrat leaderhip in Congress to build the fence now, not later." Davis said extending citizenship to children born in this country should be limited to those having at least one parent who is an Ameican citizen.

All comments from your local Congressman, David davis, as reported in the Greeneville Sun.

Davis was certain to invoke his unending support for war in Iraq, was certain to mention 9-11, and other concerns of the fearful and he did not disappoint. No mention of enforcing the laws on business which relies on illegal immigrants, just distaste for immigrants.

I hope voters take note of all the current office-holders and candidates who share these views. Are they representing you? Or do they represent a view more 19th Century that 21st Century?

Election Nervous Breakdown

The state is among several ranked as "High Risk" for voting machine tampering or malfunctions today. Since Tennessee uses electronic machines, we "do not produce an independent, voter-verifiable paper record that could be used in the case of a recount or audit." The full report on the factors involved is here.

The sad fact is that that since the 2000 presidential election, confidence in the security, accuracy and the counting and casting of votes remains in doubt as little has been done to address the problems. How they work, how we use them, and much more continues to be nebulous quandary for the vast majority of voters. And since 2000, there has not been an election where critical questions on accuracy have not emerged, either locally or nationally.

Nashville filmmaker David Earnhardt has been screening his movie documenting the uncertainties, "Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections" and holding discussions after each screening. The movie website is here.

So in addition to the "act-of-faith" element to a voter's decision in general, there is even more when pondering if and how the votes are counted. If oversight of the just how the machine works and how to correct malfunctions exists only in the hands of the few ....

The state legislature has a Voter Confidence Act Study Committee did meet last week, and committee member Rep. Susan Lynn says some legislation is being reviewed:

"Because of the concerns over ballotless voting equipment, some states reconsidered their use of electronic equipment in the 2006 elections. Congress is currently considering banning equipment without a paper ballot and funding replacement machines.

Tennessee House Bill 1256 would mandate replacement of all electronic voting machines without a paper ballot at a cost of $25 million. I believe that the General Assembly should commit to fund this legislation whether or not Congress sends us the money. HB 1282, legislation that I have sponsored each year since 2004, will ensure that going forward, all new voting equipment purchased in Tennessee will have a paper ballot.

A frightening quote by Joseph Stalin states, "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything." Tyranny relies on secret processes controlled by a scant few. The Voter Confidence Act Study Committee has voted to put the ballot back into the hands of the people. Let us pray the General Assembly will ultimately vote to do the same."

Today, as we vote, none of these proposed changes will apply, even 8 years after the chaos of the 2000 election.

Weekly Best of TN Blogs

It's a Super Bowl/ Super Tuesday edition of the best in Tennessee blogs -- via TennViews. The coverage, the stories and the writing you'll find here is always a great collection.

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Electability: You can argue the merits of one candidate over another, but with three potential Supreme Court appointments waiting for the next president, it is absolutely essential that we elect a Democrat in November. Also: The Kennedy Scorecard

• 55-40 Memphis: Can he?: Think about it. If you work in the White House and Bill stops by your desk, will you tell him politely that you take orders only from his wife?

• Ablignation (a new addition to the blogroll and roundup): Barack Obama: America's Only Hope: With the most unfortunate departure of John Edwards from the Presidential race, we now find our Democratic selves left only with the choices the media picked for us....

• Andy Axel (at KnoxViews): McCain, Rewound...: In this process of self-re-invention, McCain is now opposing legislation that he actually championed, or worse, wrote.

• Aunt B.: My Lack of Unbridled Optimism: Since I was six years old, we’ve either had a Bush or Clinton living in the White House or next in line to live in the White House. That’s no way to run a healthy democracy.

• BlountViews (Farmer John): Fred Thompson for President?: I DEMAND A RETRACTION OF THE ENDORSEMENT!

• The Crone Speaks: Some Specific Questions for Clinton and Obama: We are left with a symbolic vote rather than a vote for real progress at a time when progress is needed most. Plus: Rightwing World: A trip through the Looking Glass

• Cup of Joe Powell: Debating Politics: Perhaps Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee should consider hiring Britney Spears or Paris Hilton to their campaign staff in order to get some media attention. And: A Human Digital Interface (on the Pupblish2 Tennessee election coverage project): It's more than just adding a human editor to search engine algorithms, it's also about how we structure and understand the world around us.

• The Donkey's Mouth: Welcome Huckabee & Co.: The Donkey’s Mouth welcomes Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee to Nashville. ... In case anyone has forgotten, The Donkey’s Mouth brings you this reminder of the last time [Huckabee campaign architect] Saltsman and SALT PAC were in the news...

• Enclave: A Late Breaking Voter Watching the Last Democratic Debate before Tennessee Votes on Tuesday: I wavered and went back and forth, but John Edwards' withdrawal pretty much took my safety net away (although voting for him is still an option for me). So, tonight's debate is incredibly important to my decision on Tuesday. (Ed. note: some good live blogging and commentary.)

• Fletch: Humanscapes. Also: North Carolina Doing Its Part to Keep the Great Smokies Smoky

• KnoxViews: Tough choices Americans shouldn't have to make (R. Neal): It is immoral and just plain wrong that anyone in America has to make decisions like this. Yet millions do every day.. And: Obama: wrong then or wrong now? Also: Tennessee Feb 5th election certification delay, plus: Yes, We Can (mjw)

• Lean Left: Reagan Worship Good For Progressives? (Kevin): I wonder if the necessity of paying lip service to that ultra-conservative, ideologue-above-all myth of Reagan in order to impress the base makes it harder for Republicans to appeal to moderates in the general election. Plus: Voter ID Laws (tgirsch): Last weekend, I pulled a little stunt to make a point about voter ID laws. I chose to use the gun rights movement as an example here, because many of their legitimate complaints about various gun control laws ... apply to voter ID laws.

• Left of the Dial: Just The Two Of Us: An imaginary possible phone conversation between Mitt Romney and John McCain...

• Left Wing Cracker: Maybe he can....: Yes, I have already voted for John Edwards, and I have my reasons. However, for those of you who say that you cannot do that, and that it is down to Hillary or Barack, I will say this...

• Liberadio: Stop Spreading the (Fake) News

• Loose TN Canon: More proof that Bush weakens America: And the GOP front runner McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 yrs...

• NewsComa: John Edwards Asks To Remain On Rhode Island Ballot. And: The Reason I Will Vote For Barack Obama Tuesday

• Pesky Fly: Please Obama, win me: Unity is not an issue. And it shouldn't be an issue because it's meaningless at best and possibly antithetical to itself. (Everybody shows up to the kegger happy, but if there's only a six-pack...).

• Progressive Nashville: Progressive Nashville: America's path: But the most important element in determining America's path is the people. And, Where America Stands: The economy, Values, Health care, and The Truth

• Resonance: Shell Oil Hints At Peak Oil: We now have energy company leaders talking about the upcoming oil supply crunch. Where is the political leadership on this issue?

• RoaneViews: Official Sample Ballot (Corvus): This is an overly complicated mess for a simple choice between two groups of candidates.

• Russ McBee: With Edwards out, things shift: At least until the convention, the race between Clinton and Obama will now shrivel into two camps shouting "Hope!" and "Experience!" at each other, with little discussion of the real problems the country faces. And: Congressional Dems find more streamlined way to cave to Bush

• Sean Braisted: TNR Tennessee Rundown: The New Republic profiles Tennessee's primary today. And: : ...the truth is most people don't pay attention to minute policy differences when choosing a candidate; like it or not, personality goes a long way in making that decision.

• Sharon Cobb: Last Night We Witnessed History: Right now my mind is flooded with all the events of the 60s I participated in, yet I'm smart enough to step to the side and let a new generation of activists take their place in this complex progression. Plus: Snoop Dogg Torn Between Obama and Clinton: I know what you're thinking. Where's the punchline, right?

• Silence Isn't Golden: California Dreamin', On Such A Winter's Day: And the labor unions are dreaming of the candidate who will best support labor now that John Edwards has dropped out. Who might that candidate be? And: A Profound Sadness, And Why I'll Always Be A Democrat: I believe that yes, it is my problem when someone in the wealthiest nation in the world can't afford their medications.

• Southern Beale: Iraq 4 Ever: That is why those of us on the left, written off as “defeatocrats” and worse, have been saying all along that we need to cut off war funding. Period.

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Hillary Fans in CA: 'Yes, SHE Can!!' (Video): As Todd notes, "her opponents underestimate the passion people have for her at their peril." And: Obama Attacks Universal Health Care With the Return of Harry & Louise: What the hell is Obama thinking?

• TennViews (Eleanor A): McCain on the Environment: In contrast to the media's saintly image of Republican Senator John McCain, his voting record is that of a Reagan-era, deregulation-happy extremist. And: Democratic Presidential Candidates - Senate Voting Record Comparison (bizgrrl). Plus: Super Tuesday poll preview (R. Neal). And finally: Ode to Edwards, a Wednesday roundup of reaction

• Vibinc: The War on Krugman: Working to discredit one of the only consistent liberal voices in the MSM is counterproductive to progressives, and ultimately counterproductive to Obama. Take it down a notch Barak, between this and your rabid fan-boys, you’re not winning any friends, you’re pissing a bunch of us off.. And: Sports and Politics: The difference between a national party and a sports organization is that we are the stockholders of the organization. That position gives us more influence in the party than in any sports organization.

• West Tennessee Liberal: Trouble up ahead in '08...: What is wrong with Democratic voters? I feel like we vote to lose...first Gore wouldn't enter the race, and then the party turned on John Edwards, the banner of Democratic Party populism, who was shown to be the only Democratic candidate running who could beat any Republican.

• Whites Creek Journal: Saturday Funnies ("Don't Tease me, Bro!") And: I hear voices...See 'em, too... (a multimedia roundup)

• Women's Health News: Ridiculous Lawmaker of the Day: Mayhall Wants to Ban Obese from Eating: ...this is so offensive that it barely warrants explanation of the offense. Let’s have a go at it, anyway... Bonus: I’m Cranky, and These Labor Nurses Aren’t Helping

National Primary Day Ahead

More minds, ink, attention, web sites, TV and radio are focused on the giant, nearly national primary election day this Tuesday than ever before. (Jack Lail breaks down how the Knox News Sentinel and Publish2, aided by yours truly and several other bloggers are furiously providing coverage on the state primary and much, much more.)

Unlike, say, today's Super Bowl battle where you have a pretty clear idea of who is likely to win - the election is still an unknown. And even with never-before-seen 24 states holding elections on the same day, a clear leader may or may not emerge.

Tennessee offers more delegates for Democrats (85 total) than for Republicans (just 55 total for them). Worth noting too - voters in Tennessee have for 11 presidential elections gone with the eventual winner of the national race.

In-state fundraising efforts so far have given the more dollars to Romney than McCain or Huckabee and for Obama rather than Clinton.

Typically in the past, a state's governor got the state election machines rolling for a candidate - less so this year. Gov. Bredesen, for example, has not endorsed a candidate, and he has had some conflicts with Hillary Clinton. Nationwide, Governors in the Republican Party have shown little support for Romney (getting only 3 of a potential 22 endorsements).

But the usual guides to who might have an edge - campaign fundraising, endorsements, earlier primary results, etc - still point in many directions.

Some things, however, do not seem to change --while teaching some students (ranging from 5th thru 8th grade) yesterday, the topic of the primaries came up and they all agreed that the politicians only do one thing consistently: lie.

A Human Digital Interface

As I mentioned earlier today, I've been asked to participate in a sort of online experiment to cover the Super Tuesday primary in Tennessee (and beyond) as part of a group of bloggers and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Key to gathering all the info and data are the folks with Publish2, and you can see the Publish2 Blog here, which includes the current group effort on Tennessee Election news on the right hand side of the page underneath the Categories. Or just click here to see the latest and complete listings via TennViews.

I like what I've been reading about Publish2 today, and thought Scott Karp's post from last August on the concepts of "Trusted Human Editors In Filtering The Web" was full of fascinating but familiar ideas which are finding new applications on the internet.

And by familiar I mean a long ongoing process where each of us learn to rate and value the information and stories we collect every day based on a complex set of qualifications. In other words, we know some people will relay to us some sound and reasoned thought and some people relay less than sound ideas. What's new is translating that concept into the uses and usage out here on the Wild, Wild Web. It's more than just adding a human editor to search engine algorithms, it's also about how we structure and understand the world around us.

Camera Obscura - Hannah Montana 3-D and Other Concert Films: The Ultimate Big Lebowski

"IDK if I'm aloud to got watch it but I love her!!!!!!"

Such text messages and internet forums are filled with the above comments, a sure sign a tween-aged girl is intent on seeing the concert movie "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Digital Disney 3-D". Clocking in at just under 74 minutes, it really isn't a movie, just a snippet of the live show of the slickly produced singer. But Hannah/Miley is a massive money machine with no signs of slowing down.

As one who was early to diss the "career" of her father Billy Ray Cyrus, I confess I had no idea he would spawn a marketing/manufacturing monster, perhaps even capable of being the first official icon of 21st century entertainment who didn't implode and shatter on the rocks of some rehab center.

I was talking with a group of kids recently who are in the very middle of the Hannah demographic, and asked them what it was they liked so much. The answer seemed to be that she was just simply "theirs" to delight in. She's their icon, and speaks/acts/sings just for them. No adults, no high schoolers, but Pure Tween manifested on the earthly plane.

For all the talk about how Hannah celebrates empowerment, she mostly seems to celebrate shopping and style. Wal-Mart and Disney are already offering 140 items in Hannah Montana shops in the Wal-Mart stores, with items ranging from apparel to decor and anything else that can sport a logo. As the press release says, "Fans who love Hannah Montana will soon find more than they imagined at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart Stores, together with Disney Consumer Products, will bring more families more affordable access than ever before to Hannah Montana merchandise and activities in 2008."

Girl consumers seem to have an Americanized version of Japan street fashion with Hannah/Miley duality, where emulating a lifestyle means you've purchased a lot of products.

To even further signify the line between young consumers and old consumers, the old folks have their own 3-D concert film too - "U2 3D". The title of the concert film even sounds like the name of that droid you liked in "Star Wars".

Irish mega-rockers U2 offer a concert movie which clocks in at 85 minutes, and the 3D tech is truly immersive. While the band and lead singer Bono tend to generate headlines about politics and fame, their concerts are jaw-dropping good. Watching them in the Georgia Dome in the mid-90s, both the walls of sound and the stage presence of the band filled the arena from top to bottom. And when they manipulate consumer urges, it's ironic, so it's ok, right?

Carefully prepped, techno-smart concert movies, however, aren't really very meaningful as a movie experience. For my money, two other movies do far better to capture the event of a concert. That's "Woodstock" and "Monterey Pop". The music is the center of the action, but the films are also about the event itself. If you think the choices are too old-skool for you, then the Beastie Boys concert movie compiled from the videos shot by the audience, "Awesome: I F***in' Shot That!" may suit you better. Almost an anti-commercial effort, it's experimental style is quite unique.

Would you want your Tween to watch those movies? Probably not. But just how much exposure to live concerts by pop/rock stars is right for a Tween anyway?

------

As the Coen brothers eye Oscar gold for their film, "No Country For Old Men," their 1998 movie "The Big Lebowski" has reached a level of fame and fans normally found at a Star Trek convention (or perhaps a Hannah Montana concert??). To aid the newcomers and the diehards, a guidebook is now available.

"I'm A Lebowski, You're A Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What-Have-You" is the ultimate guide to The Dude and the movie.

New Election Coverage Project

I've been asked to join a group blog effort to cover the Super Tuesday primary and the elections in Tennessee by Jack Lail with the Knoxville News Sentinel. The project allows for combined effort from some bloggers here in Tennessee and the reporting of the Knox News folks to create a page that's chock full of sites and stories.

Michael Silence has more info on the project here, and others participating include TN bloggers participating: Newscoma, R. Neal, Russ McBee, Ben Cunningham, Bob Krumm, Les Jones, and Jack Lail .

I see this morning that R. Neal at TennViews already has a nifty sidebar on his site which shows some of the stories and web sites already tagged. He's way techno-smarter than I am. But as soon as I get the details on adding the aggregated links here on this humble but lovable blog, I'll add it in later today, so be sure and check back.

I'll also be adding some of my own thoughts on the election in general, but up next today will be my regular Friday movie news and reviews.

TN Senate Again Targets Abortion

Though the state's Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that our own Constitution takes priority over the federal one regarding a woman's choice when it comes to issues related to pregnancy, the state's Senate has (again, making it the 4th time) approved a plan to amend the Constitution to remove legal rights status on such issues:

"Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion."

The vote breaks down as follows:

Senators voting aye were: Beavers, Black, Bunch, Burchett, Burks, Crowe, Finney L, Finney R, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Ketron, Kilby, McNally, Norris, Southerland, Stanley, Tracy, Watson, Wilder, Williams, Woodson, Mr. Speaker Ramsey -- (23).

Senators voting no were: Berke, Harper, Haynes, Herron, Kurita, Kyle, Marrero, Roller, Tate -- (9.)

It's strange to me to see the GOP in the state focus on this issue, when Tennessee has much to improve on in the arena of providing for mothers, fathers and children. Some just provided info on the "Best Cities to Have A Baby" ranks Nashville 33rd, and offers some other facts to boot:


•Compared to other states, Tennessee has among the least generous family-leave and disability laws in our survey.

•According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Tennessee is especially high.

•12 percent of pregnant women here receive late or inadequate prenatal care. That's the 4th worst score in our survey, compared to an average of 5 percent.

•32 percent of babies in Tennessee are born via Cesarean section, among the highest in our survey. The average is 27 percent.

•State laws do not require health insurance companies to provide or offer any fertility-related services.

•Nashville-Davidson has only 3 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 3rd lowest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 13.

Debating Politics

I tuned in for the Republican debate last night and noted some curious things -

It's odd to me the most prominent thing in the Reagan Library is an airplane. I understand wanting to include the airplane, but maybe they should have called the facility the Reagan Memorial and Museum.

Though there were four candidates at the debate, the media only gave attention to two of them. Perhaps Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee should consider hiring Britney Spears or Paris Hilton to their campaign staff in order to get some media attention. (Maybe the TV news folk could gather all the celebrities for the candidates and we could have a Battle of the Stars team competition to determine who gets the nominations.)

I continue to hear and read a lot of complaints that GOP Senator John McCain is not a Republican. But Republican voters seem to think he's jes' fine. Does that mean the real complaint is that a majority of Republican voters aren't really Republicans?

For more debate thoughts, Volunteer Voters has a selection from Tennessee bloggers. And a fresh new GOP in Tennessee poll says McCain has the edge to win.

Also much unhappiness yesterday, via this collection at TennViews, that John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race. From what I've read, Edwards would have done quite well in Tennessee, though I doubt he could have done better than tie for second place.

I've been trying to get a handle on various issues which the candidates are stumping about as we get closer to the massive primaries next Tuesday and will be blogging often about it and sharing links with you.

The Super Tuesday effect is hitting the media as well, as the recent Pew study notes:

"The presidential campaign continued to dominate national news coverage last week, and the public remained highly engaged in the ongoing contest. Nearly 40% of the national newshole was devoted to the campaign, and 36% of the public listed the campaign as the single news story they were following more closely than any other.

Democratic frontrunners Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were the most prominent figures in the news last week. When asked to name the person they had heard the most about in the news lately, 24% of the public named Obama and 23% named Clinton. In a week when he proposed a major economic stimulus plan, just 5% of Americans named George Bush as the person they had heard the most about. About twice as many (11%) named Hollywood actor Heath Ledger, who died last week."

Presidential Linkage

Some presidential campaign link love for your Tuesday:

-- Alice gives out the skinny on working to assist the John Edwards presidential campaign.

-- Undecided voters in the latest poll on candidate preference in Tennessee will be the deciders. (via Silence Isn't Golden)

-- Neo-con ET blogger David Oatney eyes the primary battle in Florida today and says Romney is the man and fears the liberalness of McCain.

-- Still others say the problem with McCain is that he's too much like President Bush.

-- An overview of the candidates and the primaries in the South.

Thoughts on an Odd Case of Alleged Teen Terror

An arrest last week in Nashville of a 16 year old boy from California has left me pondering many questions. Headlines and TV reports across the country said the teen, flying on Southwest Airlines, was "foiled" in a "botched hijacking" attempt of the airline. Some seriously mistaken reports claimed the teen was going to make the plane crash into a Hannah Montana concert - even though the teen was flying on a Tuesday and the concert in Louisiana was on Saturday. So short of some astonishing time-travel, Hannah was never in danger.

The press reported the teen was in possession of three items, none banned on planes, to effect the "hijack" - a pair of handcuffs, some duct tape and some yarn. The yarn was first reported to be rope, but it was just yarn. Also curious were claims the teen had a "mock cockpit" in his home in California, but no, it was "a photograph of the inside of a small airplane" according to Nashville prosecutor Jon Seaborg.

On Friday, a Nashville judge charged the teen with "juvenile misconduct' and he was sent home - and home is apparently in a small suburb of San Francisco, called Novato.

The Novato Advance reported:

"It could have been interpreted as harmless or a joke, but it still (is) something we have to take seriously. Whether anything could realistically be carried out is irrelevant," Seaborg said in a prepared statement Friday afternoon."

(Perhaps I should ask for some follow-up on this story from Brittney Gilbert, who is now working as a blogger for KPIX in San Fran.)

Anyway, the reports all sort of indicated that the FBI and the TSA had varying accounts of the incident. And let's say the teen did have some actual plan involving handcuffs, yarn and tape. But he apparently took no overt action, so it's pretty tough to imagine how he might have sought to use the items. I was glad to read the judge in Nashville drop charges significantly and send the boy home.

The reporting sure seems a bit hysterical but it does indicate something afoot in the minds of law enforcement - that something you might be thinking about could be a cause for arrest. And that idea has been bugging me since I read about it.

When discussing the incident with some friends, we decided that it takes very little to cause massive leaps in logic to label actions as a threat of terrorism or some other nefarious act of mass destruction. It's as if there is a persistent belief that any one among us could be mere moments away for an act of horrifying destruction.

It's the all or nothing days, as if we live in the most fragile realities and the stakes are higher than a world series of Texas Hold 'Em.

Many times in recent weeks and months, I've read local online news accounts of a wide range of alleged criminal acts and it seems the comments on such reports from the general public take about a nanosecond to decide that the suspect involved should be publicly tortured or maybe just given a hanging or other types of fierce punishments. The thought I am left with most after encountering such items is that the dubiously empowered "court of public opinion" has much in common with the ignorant and superstitious purges of a medieval-era of madness.

Our ready-made suspicions make it difficult to identify all the things that are right with the world, and focus instead on nameless dreads and invisible enemies. Blame for every evil is pointed at The Republicans, The Democrats, at Hispanics, at children, at music, at TV and movies, at Anything Even The Tiniest Amount Not-Me.

I'm more than ready to move away from the Monsters On Maple Street neighborhood and return to less fearful times.

How about you?

The Slipper Tongue

A mini-tempest appeared last week with talk about how President Bush has utterly misunderstood a painting of a cowboy a'ridin' up a hill, and that his skewed view of the painting tells us all much about our president.

The painting is by one W.H. D. Koerner, and while governor in Texas, Bush referred to it by the title "A Charge to Keep", even using that phrase as title of his own biography. Bush said the painting was of a Methodist minister a'ridin' hard and fast up a treacherous hill, intent on spreading his religion to all, no matter the odds. "What adds complete life to the painting for me is the message of Charles Wesley that we serve One greater than ourselves" wrote Bush.

But according to a new book, and as reported too by Sydney Blumenthal in 2007, the interpretation was not exactly the intent of the artist. The painting originated as a depiction of a horse thief trying to escape from a posse. (see the painting in the link)

"Only that is not the title, message, or meaning of the painting. The artist, W.H.D. Koerner, executed it to illustrate a Western short story entitled “The Slipper Tongue,” published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1916. The story is about a smooth-talking horse thief who is caught, and then escapes a lynch mob in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. The illustration depicts the thief fleeing his captors. In the magazine, the illustration bears the caption: “Had His Start Been Fifteen Minutes Longer He Would Not Have Been Caught.”

Now as part of this tempest has been the incredulous shock of some, who say "look at how Bush's mistaken interpretation of a work of art tells us so much about him!"

However - none of us need rely on Bush's views on art to "tell us" about the man and the president.

We have nearly 8 years of his interpretation of the Constitution, the rule of law, the balance of governmental powers, his choices for governmental appointments, and so many more of his actions tell us all about the man and the president.