Ouch!!

One of many reaction shots as Steve Colbert spoke at the recent press dinner. Many more here.

Marvel Comics as WMDs and The Real Star Wars

Geekish fanboy here, with some interesting news about Marvel and some great news that the original "Star Wars" trilogy is headed to DVD this fall.

In the world of comics, politics has often a major player, as superhumans battled Nazis in the 40s and the occassional commie in the 50s and 60s, and DC Comics announced recently that Batman was going after Osama Bin Laden. But today Marvel is releasing a series called "Civil War" in which crusaders such as Captain America are informed by President Bush they must be registered as Weapons of Mass Destruction or face charges of being federal fugitives. Iron Man is ok with it, but Cap'n America isn't. Sounds like Marvel has gone all Hardball. Will Stephen Colbert don tights and cape and make snarky comments?

Marvel Editor in Chief, Joe Quesada says:

"We need to present both sides' arguments, both sides of the coin, as fairly and as accurately as possible, and really let the readers make their own decision Marvel readers come in all shapes and sizes, and we speak to so many different people, different demographics. It's unfair for us to make this our bully pulpit and sit there and say, 'This bad. That good."

Revisting and revising iconic American entertainment is pretty standard, and as a recent editorial noted, the benefits of reading offer readers the chance to explore and examine the world around them, to encourage the individual to think for themselves.

And never underestimate the might and strength of stereotypical "those durned heathen funny-book readers" and rabid fans of iconic works in all forms of media. Which leads to some great news.

Reports today indicate yet another DVD set of the original "Star Wars" trilogy is slated for release in September which will include the original theatrical versions of each of the movies. The fans demanded it. Looks like the Force is with them. I admit to not buying any of the DVDs now available in hopes that the movies I fell in love with in the theatre might one day make it into my own hot little hands.

Geekish fanboy, signing off.

Bebop

It's May. The sun is still up and warm breezes drift through the house. I took a drive in the truck to Knox-vegas the other day with this 75 pound pit bull named Sophie who is as mild mannered as a butterfly. We had the windows rolled down, Sophie steered and I worked the clutch. I was listening to some bebop. We both like May. The other dog here, Groovy, is getting too old to take rides, but will always be The Groovy Dog.

So.

Here is Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins and others in some studio promo bits. In the second scene, that's Buddy Rich on the drums. I got to see him and his band once and his joy was infectious. Charlie, well ... what can you say about a man who smokes cigarettes between riffs on the sax?

And man can I waste some time at YouTube. I can watch Charlie, or Beck or every blessed episode of "Cowboy Bebop", which, you know, has a spaceship named for Charlie's style. The word is Bebop.

World Press Freedom Day

Many contrasts exist in reporting today, as many journalists have been facing death and kidnapping in the Mideast, riots ensued after some calculated propaganda regarding the publication of cartoons, and the ever-expanding and seemingly endless arrival of new web logs every hour. Some may write of recipes or lifestyles, some provide commentary on what they read elsewhere, and some sites offer wide ranges of information from hundreds of blogroll members.

A recent study notes some of the newer trends regarding "trust" in the media, including the following:

"News sources:

• Almost three-quarters of people (72%) said they followed the news closely every day, with national TV (82%) and national or regional newspapers (75%) the most trusted news outlets, according to the poll.
• Online news sources were the first choice among 19% of 18-24 year-olds, compared to just 3% of those aged 55-64.
• Some 77% prefer to check several news sources rather than simply rely on one, a habit particularly evident online.
• Blogs:
• Blogs are among the online sources that people are consulting, although few place ultimate trust in their content: 25% said they trusted blogs, with almost the same number (23%) distrusting them.
• Just 3% of all respondents said blogs were their main news source. The only exception to this trend was in South Korea (17%), where online news is highly popular.
• Younger web brands were also shown to have won significant public trust: Google (30%), Yahoo! (28%) and Microsoft/MSN (27%).

Here's to ever-growing freedoms worlwide and more and more individuals expressing their views via the internet.

Time Out For Our Weirder Web

After the irritation of immigration reforms and protests, a day of election primaries (still waiting in some places, and still waiting for percentages of registered voters who did vote, likely to be a small number) it's time for news that will offer up the wackier side of the old U.S. of A.

First, this East TN headline is too funny. And yes, I know I'm juvenile to chuckle at it, but did anyone really want to see that picture??

Next, one of the more unusual candidates in politics today is a wanna-be independent candidate for governor in Alabama. She offers to flash her bodacious ta-tas if you make a donation. At least she is a distinctively different type of candidate from ousted Judge Roy "10 Commandments" Moore. She also keeps a blog, which reads like one of the funniest Southern novels of the last decade, especially her attempt to see her brother in jail, which she couldn't, 'cause she and her mom were't wearing panties.

A recent study shows students don't really understand where they are or how to locate any other place on the map. Even Iraq. The good news of the study is that if the student uses the internet, they be smarterer.

For some good news, it appears as if the National Park Service won't totally open up the wilderness to widespread advertising signs.

And if nothing else cheeers you, take comfort in the fact that Free Comic Book Day is ahead on May 6! At current prices, each comic is valued at about a gallon of gas, so go find some freebies!

Reforms Could Affect Everyone Seeking Jobs

It simply feeds my natural sense of paranoia when the stats on visitors to this page record that in the last 24 hours I've been visited by someone in the Air Force, the Dept. of Health and Human Services, and the Halliburton Corp. Fortunately, the Air Force reader read the post about Rumsfeld's poetry, the HHS reader came here searching for info on Dolly Parton and Porter Waggoner, and Mr. Halliburton was searching for "immigration reform craig estes". My page popped up there because the words "immigration" and a reference to Craig's List appeared in a post. (And I have no idea who "Craig Estes" may be.)

My mom warned me months ago I was nuts to use my real name on this blog, she says I have a knack for stepping on toes. Which I do - but she and my dad raised me to place a value on speaking the truth, which, doubtless has made me unwelcome in politics and business.

While I do attempt to find encouraging information as well as share information that should raise concerns among most Americans, some folks say I cast a gloomy shadow on the world. Yet, to me, recognizing a problem or issue is the first step to resolving it. I do hope and expect people to read this page, for whatever reasons, and I do try and temper my thoughts and writings with some pragmatism and hopes that information shared will result in opportunities for improvement. And yes, sometimes I'm just a smartass, though far less now than years ago. Honest.

And yes, at the risk of raising more corporate and government eyebrows, there is another point to this post, which is a crucial element and as I see it a powerful flaw in all the current federal legislation regarding immigration.

A fine piece of work at Reason magazine puts it plainly:

"Anyone convinced that America is suffering from excessive diversity should troll through the seven immigration bills now floating around the Capitol. Traversing the conceptual distance, roughly, between the minds of Lou Dobbs and Bill O'Reilly, Congressmen on both side of the aisle are debating how high the walls should be, how onerous the fines, how long the wait to legality. Amid all this robust debate, one steadfast conviction unites the almost-distinguishable ravings of center-left and center-right: The need to keep closer watch on those radical patrons of social unrest, American business owners.

Pick your acronym—EEVS (Electronic Employer Verification System) in the Senate bill, the BEVP (Basic Employer Verification Program) in the widely condemned House version, NEECS (New Employment Eligibility Confirmation System) in the alternate McCain/Kennedy rendition. Each represents a federal database system that will bestow a yea or nay upon every would-be worker in the Land of the Free, whether she is surnamed Rogers or Rodriguez, born in Manassas or Mexico City. The system the ACLU calls "permission slip to work" requires verification from not one but two federal agencies; the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If any of the prominent immigration measures pass as they are now written, every hiring decision will become a matter of public concern, subject to dual bureaucracies, two databases, and an untold number of deciders."
----
"How does the government that brought you the prescription drug benefit debacle plan to manage an electronic system involving every employed person in these United States? The GAO needs a color-coded map to explain, but here is the basic summary: Employers send data for every new hire to DHS, which then sends information to SSA, which then sends information back to DHS, which sends info back to the employer, who can either contest any rejected applicants and begin the process anew, risk fines for not complying, or accept the findings. The burden of contesting mistakes and keeping records lies with employers. The cost, says the GAO, will be about $11.7 billion '—annually' with employers bearing much of the cost."

Lessons From A Day Of Protests - UPDATED with Corrections

While some Hispanic-owned businesses stayed open in Morristown, Koch Foods closed on May 1, according to WATE's report. The report noted as well that "the plant manager spoke by phone with 6 News and confirmed they closed because of the immigrant day off, but he hung up when asked how many immigrants they employ." Oddly, that information was not reported at the local paper's website.

The company's employees voted in favor of forming a union to protect worker's rights last September, a story which was reported in the NYTimes and on this site. The employees are standing together for their rights - whether others agree with their efforts or not.

Given that the city has a "local" chapter of the Southwest's citizen-led border patrol organization who call themselves "Minutemen", it's not surprising to see few Hispanics taking to the streets to express opinions. However, around the nation, walk-outs and marches are attempting to give voice to the concerns of many.

I have a few thoughts about the immigration issue and on the power of protests and boycotts.

It's utterly counterproductive to begin training the state's Highway Patrol to be immigration and border patrol agents. Not only would it detract from their current responsibilities regarding public safety, it also requires even less effort from the federal INS agency (CORRECTION: Thanks to a commenter to this post, the agency was re-organized in March of 2003 as ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which you can link to here. My apologies for the error.) located in Memphis (NOTE: the new ICE office held a formal opening in June of 2005, with info on the operations available at this link). Likewise, adding tens of thousands of border patrol agents in the Southwest seems a mistake, given that so many immigrants, legal and illegal are already scattered throughout the nation. Why not allow for more ICE agents and offices within each state to search for illegals and punish businesses that use illegal labor? (UPDATE: As newly re-organized under the Dept of Homeland Security, which has a regional office at Walters State Community College, it would appear to me that greater enforcement levels would be available to this section of the state, and I'll see what I can find out regarding such programs. Thanks again to the commenter below who set me straight on the current immigration enforcement information.)

One lesson from the events of May 1st is that people who take to the streets with common goals get tremendous attention. And there are pertinent issues that should motivate millions of Americans.

Here's an example. Yesterday, the President spoke before the American Hospital Association, touting his "success" in modernizing the Medicare system, while his Treasury Secretary held a press conference announcing the program will be "belly up" in 2018, two years earlier than previously forecast. He also noted that Social Security will likewise be insolvent in 2040, also earlier than forecast. Proposals for a "commission" of congressmen to study the problem still has no commission members and with no members, of course there has been no meeting or "study". More on that story here.

Now imagine what might happen if all those who receive or pay into Medicare and Social Security were to take a day nationwide to register publicly a call for action and reform. A blog, an editorial, a special news hour on TV won't achieve what citizens can achieve - if they only make use of their rights and their voices.

See The 'Hokey-Pokey' At China's 1st Hooters

Sometimes it is impossible to fabricate or fictionalize the world around us when the actual daily events reach the depths featured in Reuters video odd news round-up titled "And Finally."

Where else could you learn that the first Hooter's eatery opened in China (and check out that amazing rendition of the wait staff singing "The Hokey Pokey"). Or that a life-sized replica of the robot from the old "Lost In Space" TV show can take residence in your home. Or visit the newly created Museum of the Heartbroken. Yeah, I want to pay to view someone else's pathetic memories of Love Gone Wrong.

You can access the video link here. (And yes, there is a commercial first. They're running a business, ya know.)

At least here in America, you can't be jailed for being married because of some angry in-laws. A Pakistani couple was finally released today after five years in jail for the crime of love and marriage. Can an Asian Jerry Springer be in the future?

The Angry Start Of May

Judging by the temper of this first day in May, it's going to be a rather hot, unruly season for Summer 2006. Boycotts, walkouts, war in Darfur or Iraq or fear of Iran, high gasoline prices, and labor disputes in America and Asia .... the political battles between the two party system - you name it and some group is furious.

One editorial via the Tennessean cites a lack of historical knowledge and the presence of immigrant hysteria on this day when Hispanics are protesting.:

"The anger rising from many Tennesseans and Americans over illegal immigration would be comical if not that their response represents a gross ignorance of history.

And that elevates passion and anecdote over perspective and reality, dooming any fair immigration reform legislation from Congress this year. It only ensures polarization over an issue that has plenty of room for compromise."

Another writer via the Knox News Sentinel asks, "Why isn't English the most common language on blogs?"

In Asia, today marks a day for protests about making it tougher for workers to strike.

Perhaps it's no surprise that when even a comedian can rattle the White House and the national media, no one has a sense of humor about much of anything.

Perhaps this is just the kind of world birthed by the endless blaming and hating from drug addled radio talk show land.

Or perhaps, as I have mentioned previously, the Howard Beale Party of the Outraged is gathering strength. But to what end, I could not say. If you Google the news with the word "angry", you'll get plenty of hits. If you substitute "happy", there you'll find some good news, but many of those hits include "not happy with ...."

The name of a recent new hit TV show seems to express the either/or philosophy of all the world of angry folks - "Deal or No Deal".

Contempt for Law and The Constitution

This was rather obvious to many Americans:

"WASHINGTON -- President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution."
-----
"Phillip Cooper, a Portland State University law professor who has studied the executive power claims Bush made during his first term, said Bush and his legal team have spent the past five years quietly working to concentrate ever more governmental power into the White House.

''There is no question that this administration has been involved in a very carefully thought-out, systematic process of expanding presidential power at the expense of the other branches of government," Cooper said. ''This is really big, very expansive, and very significant."

For the first five years of Bush's presidency, his legal claims attracted little attention in Congress or the media. Then, twice in recent months, Bush drew scrutiny after challenging new laws: a torture ban and a requirement that he give detailed reports to Congress about how he is using the Patriot Act."


More on the story here. (And who else in the TN Blogworld but Newscoma would have already tagged this collection of horrors?)

Why Not Katie Couric For Press Secretary?

Talk about missing opportunities - with media darlings like that li'l Katie Couric up for grabs, why didn't President Bush jump in the bidding wars and offer her the job of White House Press Secretary? The endlessly self-referential national media loves talking about her and if The Pres had hired her, can you imagine the gushing love-fest from the White House Press Corp??

We'd get info like what the Commander In Chief thinks about Cruise, Pitt, Paris, hip new diet prgrams, and American Idol!! You know, the stuff Americans are really concerned about. And they could have held press conferences with windows open to fans of the Katie Show, holding signs that read We Luv U! and Bush Rocks Topeka, KA.

Maybe the offer was made and li'l Katie chafed at the term "secretary."

Or maybe he could have gone with the graphic-and -sound-effects laden "Insider" with Pat O'Brien to wow the press corp!

Or how about one-upping the loss of Meridith Viera from "The View" by naming Star "I-Love-Plastic-Surgery" Jones! Imagine the ratings boost for press conferences then.

In all, only 12 presidents have ever used a "press secretary," starting with FDR back in 1937. The second press secretary, J. Leonard Reinsch, used his accumen to later become CEO of Cox Broadcasting Association (now known as Cox Communications.)

Former President Clinton holds the record for highest number of Press Secretaries at four, but President Bush is closing in with Tony Snow marking number 3. I'd bet cash money numbers 4 and 5 are likely.

One person I know who won't be appointed is pretend news anchor Stephen Colbert, who at a recent roast of the President doled out far too much Truthiness in his comedy ("reality has a well-known liberal bias") and many on the dias were heard to mutter "We are not amused."

The Top Poems of Donald Rumsfeld

My creative writing prof waaaaaay back in college once said that the best poetry provides a "gesture of information and emotional intent." And via this article in Slate, the Poet Laureate of America today is a title befitting Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. As statements made via press conferences, the language is nearly incoherent, but as poetry, old Rummy is Singing the Body Electric. Now that's some truly powerful stuff. Some samples:

The Unknown
As we know,
There are known knowns.
There are things we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknowns.
That is to say
We know there are some things
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns,
The ones we don't know
We don't know.

—Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing

Glass Box
You know, it's the old glass box at the—
At the gas station,
Where you're using those little things
Trying to pick up the prize,
And you can't find it.
It's—

And it's all these arms are going down in there,
And so you keep dropping it
And picking it up again and moving it,
But—

Some of you are probably too young to remember those—
Those glass boxes,
But—

But they used to have them
At all the gas stations
When I was a kid.

—Dec. 6, 2001, Department of Defense news briefing

A Confession
Once in a while,
I'm standing here, doing something.
And I think,
"What in the world am I doing here?"
It's a big surprise.

—May 16, 2001, interview with the New York Times

Happenings
You're going to be told lots of things.
You get told things every day that don't happen.

It doesn't seem to bother people, they don't—
It's printed in the press.
The world thinks all these things happen.
They never happened.

Everyone's so eager to get the story
Before in fact the story's there
That the world is constantly being fed
Things that haven't happened.

All I can tell you is,
It hasn't happened.
It's going to happen.

—Feb. 28, 2003, Department of Defense briefing

The Digital Revolution
Oh my goodness gracious,
What you can buy off the Internet
In terms of overhead photography!

A trained ape can know an awful lot
Of what is going on in this world,
Just by punching on his mouse
For a relatively modest cost!

—June 9, 2001, following European trip

The Situation
Things will not be necessarily continuous.
The fact that they are something other than perfectly continuous
Ought not to be characterized as a pause.
There will be some things that people will see.
There will be some things that people won't see.
And life goes on.

—Oct. 12, 2001, Department of Defense news briefing

Clarity
I think what you'll find,
I think what you'll find is,
Whatever it is we do substantively,
There will be near-perfect clarity
As to what it is.

And it will be known,
And it will be known to the Congress,
And it will be known to you,
Probably before we decide it,
But it will be known.

—Feb. 28, 2003, Department of Defense briefing

Now that's some truly powerful stuff. Maybe the whole administration should consider the elements of Poetics to communicate.. Who knows, it might even get favorable features on The Writer's Almanac. (hat-tip to Tits McGee for bringing this poetry to my attention.)

FEMA Tells TN To End Housing Aid For Evacuees

A press release from the state's Dept. of Finance and Administration blasts a FEMA directiive to effectively end housing assistance for evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.

The statement says:

"As directed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Tennessee is contacting Hurricane Katrina evacuees whose housing is supported by FEMA to tell them that the Federal program is changing – and by May 31, many of them will have to once again make other arrangements for housing.

Over 3,000 evacuee families in Tennessee now depend on FEMA for the leasing or rental of apartment dwellings through the Federal 403 Public Assistance Program. Despite protests from state officials – and an alternative plan for staggered lease terminations with individual case management – FEMA is shifting some eligible evacuees to the Individual Assistance 408 Program. Those who are eligible for the program will receive less federal housing assistance, and FEMA is dropping all support for utility hook-ups or bill payment.

“A large concentration of the evacuee population is in the urban areas of Nashville and Memphis and we, along with local government representatives, are concerned about the very real risk of homelessness for this population of adults and children,” said Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director Jim Bassham in an April 21 letter to FEMA. “As this program ends, and evacuee families lose their rental assistance, we will no doubt be forced to open shelters, particularly in the urban areas, to provide services to those evacuees with no other options.

“We expect FEMA to fund these shelters as well as the necessary case management services required to integrate affected evacuees into existing Tennessee services. These evacuees will become and have become Tennessee citizens, but this should not occur without adequate acknowledgement and support from the federal government.”

As the Federal program transitions, state officials are planning to move quickly to open shelters if evacuees become homeless in late May or early June. The state is also developing a plan to provide case managers to work with any shelter population to transition them to permanent housing. The state is also notifying Tennessee’s Congressional delegation of the expectation that FEMA fund any shelter operations and transition cost.

The state has conducted a risk assessment on each evacuee family, and found that as many as 60 percent are unemployed with 80 percent being at high risk of being homeless without rent and utility payments.

Tennessee was second only to Texas in the number of people who came to the state for shelter after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in September 2005. Tennessee is the only state that coordinated the response on a statewide basis, as opposed to shouldering local government with the burden."

Camera Obscura - James Bond and Some Hustle Fu

Let's just get some of the obvious movie stuff out of the way first, then it's on to the real (reel) stuff, including a crime drama that offers an excellent performance by the soon-to-be James Bond, Daniel Craig and this week's must-see comedy-action movie.

On a weekend when most of America is pig-biting mad about the relentless rise in gasoline prices, it's not the best time for a good-natured family film about the fun to be had in an RV, with the gas mileage of 4 miles per gallon. Yet that's the plan for the Robin William's comedy "R.V.", a clone of "National Lampoon's Vacation". If your feeling more pain than comedy at the pump, wait til you plop down 50 bucks for the family to see "R.V." (that's what, the price of an SUV fill-up?) Williams may be able to save some of the lightweight comedy here, and maybe the hackneyed jokes will give viewers another form of gas.

As mentioned last week, a new JJ Abrams version of the old "Star Trek" story is in the works, but Abrams is pretty ticked that details about his involvement and the script details:

"He explains to Empire online, "The whole thing was reported entirely without our cooperation. People learned that I was producing a Star Trek film, that I had an option to direct it, they hear rumors of what the thing was going to be and ran with a story that is not entirely accurate." Abrams won't reveal the true storyline, but hints that it won't feature characters Captain James T. Kirk or Mr. Spock at all..."

Empire also says Jon Favreau is working on an adaption of the comic "Iron Man," and "Shaun of the Dead" director is working on "Ant Man." Also getting a new script is "Nick Fury" (oh please do this right) by Andrew Marlow, writer of "Air Force One" and "Hollow Man." And Will Smith is set to star in a new version of Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend."

(Obligatory "Poseidon" joke: is it more than coincidence that just as Rosie O'Donnell did a gay cruise documentary we get a new ship disaster movie??)

Set for release much sooner is "Talladega: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby", from the same makers of "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." Check out the details and trailer here.

Now, onto the sneak peek of the new James Bond, Daniel Craig. In a seldom-seen award winning crime drama from 2005, Layer Cake. Akin to early Scorcese pics, and in the brutal and oddball crime world of "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," this movie is likely the one that got Craig the job as the new Bond. Lean, tough and above all, a very good actor. His character is a super-smug drug dealer who is attempting to retire, but his companions and his boss have other plans. His best efforts splinter into the worst of all possible situations and while the storyline may seem familiar, Craig reveals some first rate acting chops, along with a host of British character actors (hey, was that Colm Meaney from "Deep Space 9''??)

Twists and turns keep the viewer guessing (if you can follow the VERY british slang) and Craig shows he'll make a compelling and both brutal and witty Bond. The movie also has an excellent soundtrack.

One more recommendation for this week, which asks the question: What do you get if you blend the humor and style of an MGM musical, a Looney Tunes cartoon and a Kung Fu movie? (Yeah, like you've ever asked that.) The answer is a startling, hilarious and highly entertaining romp called "Kung Fu Hustle," from writer, director, actor Stephen Chow.

Set in the 1940s in a cul-de-sac, rundown tenement, which looks like an old set on the lot of MGM, this truly funny spoof of kung-fu and movies in general is loaded with enough jokes to almost land it in the filmmaking school of "Airplane." The story follows what happens in this community of ultra-poor luckless folk when they are accidentally forced into a confrontation with the notorious Axe Gang. Chow plays the lead, a witless con-man who pretends to be a member of the Axe Gang and inadvertently draws that gang into the run down tenements.

What helps keep the visual and scripted surprises flying is the cast of characters - a landlord (played by old Bruce Lee stunt double Yuen Wah) and his pushy wife, a gay tailor and Chow's overweight companion. First time I've seen a kung fu master played as a mouthy woman with her hair in rollers and a perpetual cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth. In fact, all the ragged residents of the tenement don't look or act like anything fierce, but that's part of the charm and the comedy.

As the story brings about fight scene after fight scene, the jokes pile on top of each other, just as the fighters pile on top of each other. Using very funny CG effects and sharp camera work, even non-fu fans will really enjoy this romp. Chow stands out too, almost like a Buster Keaton character who does far more damage to himself while trying to act tough. Attempting to throw knives, the knives all land on Chow himself.

Imagine Mel Brooks and Chuck Jones making "Enter The Dragon". I found the movie much funnier than Chow's last American release "Shaolin Soccer" and I think you'll be astonished at how funny this parody can be.

One last note for this Friday - some years back, some friends and I used to try and find outlandish or unusual movies to challenge each other. The other night, I watched the unrated horror flick "Hostel." Whew! Grim barely describes it. A couple of dim-witted American tourists head to Europe in search of the most hedonistic adventures they can find - then they find themselves the main course in a hedonistic European Let's-Hate-American buffet. It's what I used to call a Clear The Room movie, as few people could withstand how vile the movie becomes. Watch at your own risk,

Me, I'm watching "King-Fu Hustle" again.

Surreal Nature Of FEMA

Some U.S. Senators are calling for the total dismantling of FEMA in favor of yet another, newer, better emergency response agency as the next hurricane season looms for the U.S.

"The first obligation of government is to protect our people," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs investigation. "In Katrina, we failed at all levels of government to meet that fundamental obligation."

She added: "We must learn from the lessons of Katrina so that next time disaster strikes, whether it's a storm that was imminent and predicted for a long time, or a terror attack that takes us by surprise, government responds far more effectively."

The inquiry's final report, given to lawmakers Thursday, faulted New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco for failing to protect sick and elderly people and others who could not evacuate the city on their own. It also concluded that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Michael Brown, who then headed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, either did not understand federal response plans or refused to follow them."

The proposal is laid out in a 28-page document, to be called the National Preparedness and Response Authority, and would fall under the Dept. of Homeland Security, though it would also have the status of a "distinct entity" such as that of the Coast Guard or Secret Service. Among the document's comments:

"The new organization should bring together the full range of responsibilities that are core to preparing for and responding to disasters. These include the four central functions of comprehensive emergency management – preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation – which need to be integrated. Actions in recent years that removed preparedness grants from FEMA and separated preparedness from response weakened FEMA’s relationship with state officials and undermined its ability to utilize “the power of the purse,” in the form of grant funding, to encourage states to improve their preparedness and response functions. A more comprehensive approach should be restored. If NPRA is going to effectively respond to major events, for example, it needs to have been involved in the preparations for such events. The Director, moreover, must be responsible for the administration and distribution of preparedness grants to state and local governments and for national preparedness training, as these are key tools for ensuring a consistent and coordinated national response system."

Gee, ya think??

Confusions abound. A recent attempt to talk to residents in Lousiana in a FEMA trailer park offers a glimpse into the absurd:

"SECURITY GUARD: Yeah, he -- he can't. That’s not his privilege.

AMY GOODMAN: He’s not allowed to talk?

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What's wrong? What's wrong?

SECURITY GUARD: You can go -- get that -- you’ve known the deal since --

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: No, I don't know the deal. Tell me. What is the deal?

SECURITY GUARD: You can go get interviewed as long as it’s off post. Otherwise, you, like I said, I can call the 800 FEMA number and have them come in --

AMY GOODMAN: You mean, he has to come off of the property?

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What is -- there’s a problem being interviewed?

SECURITY GUARD: Turn it off.

Another good location for info on the bizzare aftermath on the Gulf Coast and efforts to restrict just who may or may be eligible to rebuild homes in Louisiana have been tracked by Facing South, one of many posts available here.

Torture In Tennessee

Slowly but surely, several bloggers in the state have been discovering the incident in Campbell County where law enforcement officers went way beyond the norm while on a "drug raid" at the home of Eugene Siler, who was beaten for over two hours - and Siler has an audio tape that should burn your ears off.

Links to the event and the tape and transcripts are here at Volunteer Voters:

"You’re not f***ing listening. You hear what I told you? I told you not to be talking. Didn’t I tell you not to be talking? That’s just the f***ing beginning. This motherf***er right here, he loves seeing blood. He loves it. He loves seeing blood. You’re talking too much. Listen to what I’m telling you. He loves f***ing seeing blood. He’ll beat your ass and lick it off of you."

NIT has a link, as well as Blake Wylie.

The officers involved were sentenced, according to Wylie's post, to sentences ranging from 3 to 5 years.

How often does this happen? Having worked as a reporter since 1985, I could not name all the times allegations of illegal behaviour and scandalous tactics landed in my lap. Ultimately, those invovled decided to stay silent out of fear of reprisals.

One interesting element of this story arrives in a report from Feb. 2005:

"This incident is just another example of the increasingly rampant abuses of power by Byrne grant-funded drug task forces. The Byrne grant program was created in 1988 to provide federal funds to help states fight violent crime and drugs. The largest proportion of Byrne grant funding is used for regional narcotics task forces in which federal, state, and local drug law enforcement agencies and prosecutors coordinate their drug-fighting efforts. There is little federal oversight of Byrne Program grants, and lack of federal supervision has been blamed for recent scandals involving regional narcotics task forces.

Siler's case exemplifies a pattern of controversial and corrupt practices by drug task forces across the country in the name of drug law enforcement. The lack of oversight of these drug task forces not only enables abuse but also creates a lack of financial accountability. Campbell County's Chief Deputy, Charlie Scott, recently admitted that former Deputy, David Webber, the county’s primary narcotics officer and one of the officers involved in the Siler incident, failed to account for $4,000 of the department's drug fund money in 2004, which he received for "undercover drug investigations."

During that same month, Webber helped to organize the biggest drug bust in Campbell County’s history, during which 144 suspects were arrested. Since being hired in 1997, Webber has helped the Campbell County Sheriff's Department become nationally recognized for its zealous "war on drugs" and almost-daily arrests of drug offenders, despite criticism of the Byrne grant criteria, which bases their funding on the number of arrests made.

The Computer Tounge Port

After years of study and experiments, a Florida-based company has (they say) devised a machine which allows for massive sensory and nueral input to be received and processed by the human tongue.

Reports claims the device provides additional visual info, may make night vision goggles obsolete and the military is taking a close look (or should that be "lick"?) at the new technology.

" ... the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition's 30-year neural interface project is yielding fruit -- the kind you can taste. Their Brain Port machine / sensory interface uses 144 microelectrodes to transmit information through sensitive nerve fibers in your lingua, enabling devices to supplement your own sensory perception."

Sad News and Some Good News

A few items worth noting in the lives and events of Tennessee bloggers.

Sad news via Nashville Is talking regarding the sudden death of Terry Heaton's wife. Much sympathy and condolences.

Also, Michael Silence has some hospital woes as well.

And some good news, marking the first anniversary of NIT.

Workshops, panels and more as Progressives plan a state gathering.

And a Hilbilly blogs from the Himalyan Mountains expedition to Everest.

Update On Open Records

A proposal on creating a fine for officials who knowingly obstruct access to public records has been delayed until Wednesday, though another proposal to defer all action to a committee and have it report back next February is likely to trump the bill itself.

The "Sunshine In Government Improvement Act of 2006" has minimal support, sadly. Fears that it will hamper business as usual and deter potential candidates for office are often cited.

The proposed committee to "study" the issue would include members of the TN Press Association, TN Association of Broadcasters, League of Women Voters, The TN Muncipal League, TN Coalition for Open Government as well as elected officials. Interesting too, that this proposal includes these comments acknowledging the lack of ability in providing access to records:

"WHEREAS, Tennesseans get no assistance in navigating and enforcing complex open government laws and rules; and
WHEREAS, a statewide survey of public records compliance in 95 counties showed that many public employees lack training and knowledge about the rights of citizens under Tennessee’s open government laws and transparency mandates of the General Assembly;and
WHEREAS a recent survey of newspaper reports by the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government showed complaints of alleged open meeting law violations increased 45% between 2003 and 2005; and
WHEREAS, a series of appellate court decisions since 1976 have upheld and further defined these citizen rights under the Tennessee Constitution, they are nowhere reflected in statutes to better serve the citizens of the state ...."

If such a committee is approved by legislators - will their meetings and discussions be open to the public? Will the TPA and TAB report on the discussions? Or is this an effort to assign a committee to drain away the current attention placed on the rights of citizens?

Controlling Internet Content

A cynic might say that attempts to control internet content and erase the "neutrality" of search engines was inevitable. A bona fide cynic might say content is already under the control of faceless corporate weasels and government regulations.

Matt has a host of info on the players involved, and the what's at stake, as well as how you can get involved, starting at SaveTheInternet.com. It certainly appears that all users and the many voices of opinon on the internet are bringing tremendous attention.

On their site, details emerge like this:

"Internet Freedom is under attack. Congress is pushing a law that would abandon Network Neutrality, the Internet's First Amendment. Network neutrality prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. Your local library shouldn’t have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to have its Web site open quickly on your computer.

Net Neutrality allows everyone to compete on a level playing field and is the reason that the Internet is a force for economic innovation, civic participation and free speech. If the public doesn't speak up now, Congress will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign by telephone and cable companies that want to decide what you do, where you go, and what you watch online."