Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Forgetting the Election . . . I mean, Sarah Marshall
I'd like to preface this frivolous post by with an embarrassed disclaimer about the whimsy of my posts here: I do feel strongly about this election even though I never seem to post political thoughts on our blog. I have the Audacity to Hope fever and the boogie-woogie flu (and a McCain administration would take away my work-based health insurance, so they might be incurable), and McCain reminds me more of Mr. Burns or the Emperor from Star Wars every day.
But perhaps because times have been pretty intense recently, it made it all the more lovely to finish watching the Jason Segel penned Forgetting Sarah Marshall last night and to discover that the second hour is funnier and more delightfully idiosyncratic and random than the first half. There seems to be a boilerplate romantic comedy in the Adam Sandler or Judd Apatow vein that involves lots of quippiness in the beginning, slapstick farce and raunchy jokes-between-the-dudes, a contrived separation between two winning leads, and then the reunion. All of these things exist in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but it is a more interesting movie than that as well because at moments it actually really brings humor out of daily situations and tensions, even if it transplants those situations to gorgeous Hawaii to make it more blockbuster movie friendly.
And then sometimes it's just outrageous. Make sure you watch the alternate lines special feature if you rent this DVD.
There are three scenes to look for at the end of this movie: the lots of wine scene, competing screams scene, and finally . . . . The Dracula puppet musical scene. I did not make this up, and I actually feel guilty mentioning it because Paul's and my level of surprise made this scene even more delightful. Jim Henson's creature shop, baby, and Avenue Q gone Gothic!
Surprisingly droll movie and fabulous performances all round, especially the British rocker dude who Sarah Marshall starts dating when she breaks off with our lovable hero.
Also I am increasingly infatuated with Jason Segel, screenwriter of the film, singer of Dracula musical songs, goofy hubby to Alyson Hannigan's character in How I Met Your Mother, and contracted screenwriter for the next Muppet movie (!!!!). I like this picture because I can imagine me as the blonde in the background.
If he were a little more Mediterranean looking, I could cast him as Paul in the movie of my life. There were several things about this character (including the fact that, as Sarah Marshall says, he is a really great guy) that reminded me of my honey.
But perhaps because times have been pretty intense recently, it made it all the more lovely to finish watching the Jason Segel penned Forgetting Sarah Marshall last night and to discover that the second hour is funnier and more delightfully idiosyncratic and random than the first half. There seems to be a boilerplate romantic comedy in the Adam Sandler or Judd Apatow vein that involves lots of quippiness in the beginning, slapstick farce and raunchy jokes-between-the-dudes, a contrived separation between two winning leads, and then the reunion. All of these things exist in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but it is a more interesting movie than that as well because at moments it actually really brings humor out of daily situations and tensions, even if it transplants those situations to gorgeous Hawaii to make it more blockbuster movie friendly.
And then sometimes it's just outrageous. Make sure you watch the alternate lines special feature if you rent this DVD.
There are three scenes to look for at the end of this movie: the lots of wine scene, competing screams scene, and finally . . . . The Dracula puppet musical scene. I did not make this up, and I actually feel guilty mentioning it because Paul's and my level of surprise made this scene even more delightful. Jim Henson's creature shop, baby, and Avenue Q gone Gothic!
Surprisingly droll movie and fabulous performances all round, especially the British rocker dude who Sarah Marshall starts dating when she breaks off with our lovable hero.
Also I am increasingly infatuated with Jason Segel, screenwriter of the film, singer of Dracula musical songs, goofy hubby to Alyson Hannigan's character in How I Met Your Mother, and contracted screenwriter for the next Muppet movie (!!!!). I like this picture because I can imagine me as the blonde in the background.
If he were a little more Mediterranean looking, I could cast him as Paul in the movie of my life. There were several things about this character (including the fact that, as Sarah Marshall says, he is a really great guy) that reminded me of my honey.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
"Welcome to the jungle -- we've got fun and games"
Paul obtained a jungle gym for our kitties yesterday, and they are big fans as the above picture will attest.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Outrage of the Day
House republicans are blaming the bailout failure on a speech Nancy Pelosi gave prior to the vote. According to Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH): ""We could have gotten here today had it not been for a partisan speech on the floor of the House."
Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME? House republicans decided to kill the bill because Nancy Pelosi said some mean things about them? The economy is tanking and the reason the republicans give for failing to provide the votes they promised to (and McCain claimed credit for delivering earlier in the day) is that the Speaker of the House said some partisan things? What the fuck? That's one of the most reckless and appalling justifications I've ever heard. The bill may be crap (probably is), but have the balls to say it. Don't spout some baby bullshit that you voted against the most important bill of the year because your feelings were hurt. Just disgusting.
Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME? House republicans decided to kill the bill because Nancy Pelosi said some mean things about them? The economy is tanking and the reason the republicans give for failing to provide the votes they promised to (and McCain claimed credit for delivering earlier in the day) is that the Speaker of the House said some partisan things? What the fuck? That's one of the most reckless and appalling justifications I've ever heard. The bill may be crap (probably is), but have the balls to say it. Don't spout some baby bullshit that you voted against the most important bill of the year because your feelings were hurt. Just disgusting.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Bailout
No, not that bailout. I'm talking about the coordinated bailout of John McCain's floundering presidential campaign. Here's how it has works:
(1) McCain's poll numbers tank. Wednesday, the Washington Post had McCain down 9. Fox news had McCain polling under 40%. Obama up in traditionally red states like Colorado, Virginia, and North Carolina.
(2) The economy, quite understandably, dominates the news and the election. Polls all show that the electorate strongly prefers Obama on the economy. McCain has been utterly incapable of gaining any kind of traction on the issue or of offering a coherent message ("The fundamentals of the economy are strong;" "Fire the SEC Chairman! What, you mean the president doesn't have that authority? Well, I'd make him resign then;" "We're facing a historic crisis!" Seriously, the dude's been all over the place.)
(3) Congress appears on its way to crafting a bipartisan financial bailout plan.
(4) McCain, unable to gain any traction, and floudering in the polls (largely because people prefer Obama on the economy), has to find a way to make himself appear stronger on the economy.
(5) McCain suspends his campaign and pledges to devote all his energy to getting bailout plan in place.
(6) But, Congress is doing that already without him and announces a negotiated plan on Thursday, before McCain ever gets to D.C. Again, he's on the outside looking in.
(7) McCain contacts conservative house members who then announce that a plan is, in fact, not near. McCain stays silent. Mind you, the conservative wing had been silent on the issue and the negotiations prior to yesterday.
(8) McCain says nothing at the White House meeting while conservative house leaders scuttle the negotiated plan. Everything is back in turmoil and uncertainty.
That's where things stand now. Here's the end game:
(9) Congress furiously negotiates with the conservative wing today and some minor changes are made to the framework that was already in place. The conservatives concede and the plan is approved. Conservatives and McCain then scream to the rafters that McCain saved the day and brokered the new bailout plan. There would have been no plan without him! McCain is your economic savior! This has the added bonus of McCain being able to argue that he stood up to Bush. McCain then triumphantly shows up at the debate in Mississippi and claims full credit.
Viola! The conservatives orchestrate a massive bailout of McCain's campaign.
Hopefully, people will see through this charade if it plays out like that.
(1) McCain's poll numbers tank. Wednesday, the Washington Post had McCain down 9. Fox news had McCain polling under 40%. Obama up in traditionally red states like Colorado, Virginia, and North Carolina.
(2) The economy, quite understandably, dominates the news and the election. Polls all show that the electorate strongly prefers Obama on the economy. McCain has been utterly incapable of gaining any kind of traction on the issue or of offering a coherent message ("The fundamentals of the economy are strong;" "Fire the SEC Chairman! What, you mean the president doesn't have that authority? Well, I'd make him resign then;" "We're facing a historic crisis!" Seriously, the dude's been all over the place.)
(3) Congress appears on its way to crafting a bipartisan financial bailout plan.
(4) McCain, unable to gain any traction, and floudering in the polls (largely because people prefer Obama on the economy), has to find a way to make himself appear stronger on the economy.
(5) McCain suspends his campaign and pledges to devote all his energy to getting bailout plan in place.
(6) But, Congress is doing that already without him and announces a negotiated plan on Thursday, before McCain ever gets to D.C. Again, he's on the outside looking in.
(7) McCain contacts conservative house members who then announce that a plan is, in fact, not near. McCain stays silent. Mind you, the conservative wing had been silent on the issue and the negotiations prior to yesterday.
(8) McCain says nothing at the White House meeting while conservative house leaders scuttle the negotiated plan. Everything is back in turmoil and uncertainty.
That's where things stand now. Here's the end game:
(9) Congress furiously negotiates with the conservative wing today and some minor changes are made to the framework that was already in place. The conservatives concede and the plan is approved. Conservatives and McCain then scream to the rafters that McCain saved the day and brokered the new bailout plan. There would have been no plan without him! McCain is your economic savior! This has the added bonus of McCain being able to argue that he stood up to Bush. McCain then triumphantly shows up at the debate in Mississippi and claims full credit.
Viola! The conservatives orchestrate a massive bailout of McCain's campaign.
Hopefully, people will see through this charade if it plays out like that.
John McCain's Farce
The following from the New York Times account of yesterday's White House meeting should put to rest any doubt that McCain's dramatic campaign "suspension"* and return to Washington to deal with the financial crisis was anything but a political ploy:
"Mr. McCain was at one end of the long conference table, Mr. Obama at the other, with the president and senior Congressional leaders between them. Participants said Mr. Obama peppered Mr. Paulson with questions, while Mr. McCain said little."
That's all you need to know. McCain pushed for this meeting and then sat there and said nothing while the conservative House delegation effectively scuttled the bailout framework** that Congressional leaders had been negotiating for days. By all accounts, McCain didn't even offer up a personal opinion as to whether he preferred the negotiated deal or the conservative alternative proposal. He just sat there and let the process unravel. Note that Obama, once again, comes across as the reasonable, responsible, adult in the process. He's engaged, wants information, but refuses to inject presidential politics into delicate negotiations he has not been at all involved in.
So, McCain announces Wednesday night that he's "suspending" his campaign and immediately returning to D.C. Except that he first must tape an interview with CBS (designed, I think, to limit fallout from Palin's disastrous train-wreck of an interview with Katie Couric). Then, yesterday morning, McCain finds the time to tape interviews with all the major networks and personally attend the Clinton Global Initiative. The financial crisis, evidently, can wait for his personal involvement. A bipartisan framework and set of principals is announced prior to his arrival in D.C. Then, he says nothing at the meeting he insisted upon having at the White House. The deal falls apart. McCain does interviews for all the major networks, blames Obama, and doesn't offer up any proposals or alternatives.
Yup. That's exactly the kind of leadership the situation demanded and required. Rather than provide any real leadership, McCain has injected himself and gummed up a process that was progressing along just fine without him. All the while without clearly expressing what he wants. Way to go, John!
*I use fun scare quotes because it's clear McCain never suspended his campaign. Advertisements were up an running (yes, it's a bitch to take down nationwide advertising), he was still conducting interview after interview after interview, Palin held a rally at the Philly airport, his surrogates were all over the news attacking Obama, etc, etc, etc.
**I'm not expressing an opinion on the merits of the negotiated framework. I think that any plan generated in response to the crisis will be flawed. The key is to limit the flaws as much as possible and implement as many provisions for transparency, accountability, and tax payer protection as possible (say strong oversight and an equity stake in the companies that participate in the bailout). I'm only commenting on the absurd and transparently political actions of McCain in response to the situation.
"Mr. McCain was at one end of the long conference table, Mr. Obama at the other, with the president and senior Congressional leaders between them. Participants said Mr. Obama peppered Mr. Paulson with questions, while Mr. McCain said little."
That's all you need to know. McCain pushed for this meeting and then sat there and said nothing while the conservative House delegation effectively scuttled the bailout framework** that Congressional leaders had been negotiating for days. By all accounts, McCain didn't even offer up a personal opinion as to whether he preferred the negotiated deal or the conservative alternative proposal. He just sat there and let the process unravel. Note that Obama, once again, comes across as the reasonable, responsible, adult in the process. He's engaged, wants information, but refuses to inject presidential politics into delicate negotiations he has not been at all involved in.
So, McCain announces Wednesday night that he's "suspending" his campaign and immediately returning to D.C. Except that he first must tape an interview with CBS (designed, I think, to limit fallout from Palin's disastrous train-wreck of an interview with Katie Couric). Then, yesterday morning, McCain finds the time to tape interviews with all the major networks and personally attend the Clinton Global Initiative. The financial crisis, evidently, can wait for his personal involvement. A bipartisan framework and set of principals is announced prior to his arrival in D.C. Then, he says nothing at the meeting he insisted upon having at the White House. The deal falls apart. McCain does interviews for all the major networks, blames Obama, and doesn't offer up any proposals or alternatives.
Yup. That's exactly the kind of leadership the situation demanded and required. Rather than provide any real leadership, McCain has injected himself and gummed up a process that was progressing along just fine without him. All the while without clearly expressing what he wants. Way to go, John!
*I use fun scare quotes because it's clear McCain never suspended his campaign. Advertisements were up an running (yes, it's a bitch to take down nationwide advertising), he was still conducting interview after interview after interview, Palin held a rally at the Philly airport, his surrogates were all over the news attacking Obama, etc, etc, etc.
**I'm not expressing an opinion on the merits of the negotiated framework. I think that any plan generated in response to the crisis will be flawed. The key is to limit the flaws as much as possible and implement as many provisions for transparency, accountability, and tax payer protection as possible (say strong oversight and an equity stake in the companies that participate in the bailout). I'm only commenting on the absurd and transparently political actions of McCain in response to the situation.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Blog Chain Mail
Paul has been exploring weighty issues. Now I'll introduce some frivolous ones.
Jess, this is for you. Answers to the Blog Chain mail you tagged me with...
1. Where were you 10 years ago? I guess I was starting my sophomore year of college, as mind-boggling as that passage of time is. I remember I had a very moody start to my sophomore year (sophomore slump, mayhap), but on the plus side of sophomore fall, I met one of my dearest friends, Kate, that fall when she became my other dear friend Jake's girlfriend. (Now they are married.)
2. What's on your to-do list today? I am through my to-do list for today! I taught today.
4. Name 5 places that you have lived?
5. What are 3 bad habits that you have?
Oh, I am hungry...Salty snacks!
Jess, this is for you. Answers to the Blog Chain mail you tagged me with...
1. Where were you 10 years ago? I guess I was starting my sophomore year of college, as mind-boggling as that passage of time is. I remember I had a very moody start to my sophomore year (sophomore slump, mayhap), but on the plus side of sophomore fall, I met one of my dearest friends, Kate, that fall when she became my other dear friend Jake's girlfriend. (Now they are married.)
2. What's on your to-do list today? I am through my to-do list for today! I taught today.
3. What if you were a billionaire? This is kind of a dopey question. Or at least phrased in a dopey way. It seems like a section of it is left out. What would I do if I were a billionaire? What would the effect on the world order be if I were a millionaire? (Of course, I would aspire to world domination.) "If I were a rich girl . . . "
4. Name 5 places that you have lived?
-Princeton, NJ (blue)
-Sea Girt, NJ (blue)
-Brooklyn, NY (blue)
-Cambridge, MA (blue)
-Columbia, SC (red)-Sea Girt, NJ (blue)
-Brooklyn, NY (blue)
-Cambridge, MA (blue)
5. What are 3 bad habits that you have?
Not sure I should answer this one in a public forum...
Nail-biting.
Foot-tapping.
Jewelry-fidgeting
6. What kind of snack do you like?Nail-biting.
Foot-tapping.
Jewelry-fidgeting
Oh, I am hungry...Salty snacks!
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