Chappelle, Brooklyn, throw 'Party' to remember

Published March 10, 2006
The Optimist

On a September day in 2004, residents from neighborhoods in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Dayton, Ohio, experienced "the greatest single day" of comedian Dave Chappelle's career.

Using his celebrity connections with major rap, hip hop and soul artists, Chappelle gathered his performer friends together to treat a corner of Brooklyn to its own block party, documented in the appropriately named "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" - a testament to the power of music and, as cliché as it is, the American dream.

The documentary/concert film begins with a scene of a Brooklyn bystander whose car won't start. Chappelle has been roaming the streets the day before the concert with a bullhorn announcing the party, and he and his crew film the interaction of the bystander and another man trying to help him start his car.

Next, we travel back two days to Chappelle's hometown of Dayton, Ohio, where he, again, roams the streets, announcing his concert and passing out golden tickets for random residents to travel by bus to Brooklyn for the free show. All types of people agree to come, from young black kids who worship Chappelle because of his Comedy Central show, or older white grandmothers who see him around town and just think he's funny.

It's after seeing the sequences in Dayton that the opening car repair scene makes sense. Chappelle is trying to show real people in real settings, ultimately bringing them all together for a concert, transcending the boundaries of race or social class for the sake of entertainment.

That summary may be slightly bloated. Chappelle's intentions aren't to change the world, just to deliver a great night of music to a variety of people. Still, through his endeavors, he manages to deliver an entertaining glimpse into the lives of the artists performing and those lucky enough to come along for the ride.

The highlights of the show come from Kanye West, Mos Def, The Roots, John Legend, Erykah Baduh, Jill Scott and, reunited for the first time in seven years, the Fugees. Even if you're not into rap or hip hop, watching the performances intertwined with backstage encounters and Chappelle's comedy is sure to have you smiling and wishing you had been there.

A highlight of the film comes from the marching band at Ohio Central State University, a group that's invited by Chappelle to join the caravan of charter buses from Ohio to New York to open the party. The students are star-struck and are thrilled to perform "Jesus Walks" alongside Kanye West, and to talk with Wyclef Jean of the Fugees about their futures.

Jean talks with the students, all of whom are black, about how lucky they are to have the opportunity to have an education and that they shouldn't blame society or any other race for problems in their life. They have a say in their future, and they should make it the best they can. All are wide-eyed and encouraged, having heard what really is the heart of the film: taking advantage of opportunities and following your dreams.

The neighborhood Chappelle selects for the block party is an area of Brooklyn where several famous rappers were raised, from Jay-Z to Mos Def to Biggie Smalls. The artists were fortunate enough to strike it big, becoming successful in their fields but not forgetting their roots. Informal interviews with the stars are interspersed throughout, providing a glimpse into who they are, where they came from and the struggles it took to achieve success.

"Block Party" wouldn't be a Chappelle production if it didn't contain the comedian's biting wit, killer timing and jokes about sensitive subjects, such as racism and the barrier between social classes. He comments about the disparity between certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn, how one street looks like "The Cosby Show" coming back from a commercial break, while a street next to it looks more like "Good Times." The jabs aren't bitter or in bad taste, though, just honest.

"Dave Chappelle's Block Party" is a great return for the comedian, who left his cable show and a $50 million contract in 2004 to visit Africa and clear his head. The talent of Chappelle and all the artists is undeniable, and music fans shouldn't be disappointed. We can only hope that Chappelle decides to return to the mainstream in some way or another, continuing to push the envelope but, most importantly, entertain us.

OH! Now I understand why people get into car wrecks. It's because we're racist...

“And finally, I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while, I think. It’s probably a good thing. Uhm, we’re the ones who talk[ed] about AIDS when it was just being whispered. And we talked about civil rights when it wasn’t really popular. And we, uh, you know, we bring up subjects … we are the ones … this Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I’m proud to be a part of this Academy. I’m proud to be part of this community. I’m proud to be out of touch. And I thank you so much for this.” - George Clooney, accepting his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Syriana

Best acceptance speech from the night.

Alright, Alright. I admit my defeat to my brother. But don't expect any cash or checks in the mail, Daniel. My continued friendship is your reward.

Words can't express how dissapointed I am that Crash won. I watched it for the first time Saturday night and at the end, when the camera pans up to the Los Angeles skyline and fake snow falls, I said "You're kidding me. It can't be over," out loud in my apartment. Granted, it has a few shocking moments, but no substance to justify them or explain them. It was interesting, but Crash was in no way of the same caliber of Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Good Night, and Good Luck, or Munich. Come to think of it, Speilberg's Munich was jipped at this year's award shows. Oh well. I'm going to pretend it didn't happen.

"In popular culture, things are getting worse. You know, I can give you -- I could sit here and give you examples all day. Let me just give you this example, and this is a controversial example. This gay cowboy movie -- and it's going to win, you know, a lot of awards all over, and they're -- the media is pushing this like crazy." - Bill O'Reilly

While some are complaining that Hollywood's "liberal" agenda led to the serious and controversial Best Picture Oscar nominees, they'd should first step back and consider whether any film that had more mild or family-friendly content was as well-executed or on the same par as the nominees. Sure, you might have liked End of the Spear - though I can't imagine why - but you must admit that technically, it sucked. If conservatives are so angry about this so-called agenda of a business almost purely in it for the money, then maybe they should venture into the business themselves or support filmmakers with their values. All the Best Picture nominees deal with pertinent cultural issues in our society. These issues are everywhere - in our churches, schools, work places and in the news. Shouldn't we be discussing homosexuality, the role of the media, the role of politicians, and terrorism in our art? Or is it because the conclusions the the artists come to don't line up with what the conclusions of the conservatives, hence the latter's anger? Can you really not learn anything from one of these movies, even if you don't completely agree with all the subject matter? Quit whining that Hollywood doesn't follow mainstream American "values." Get off your keister and do something about it yourself.

Now, for the Oscar picks. My brother and I are having a competition, though I haven't chosen winners from quite as many categories, and a lot of our picks are the same. If I win, I get a new video iPod. If he wins, he gets bragging rights. Sounds fair.

Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain
Best Director: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney, Syriana
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener
Best Adapted Screenplay: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain
Best Original Screenplay:
My pick: Noah Baumbach for The Squid and the Whale.
Who will probably win: Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, Crash
Best Original Score:
My pick: Dario Marianelli, Pride & Prejudice
Who will probably win: John Williams, Memoirs of a Geisha
Best Original Song: "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," Hustle and Flow
Best Animated Film: Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Best Foreign-Language Film: Paradise Now, Palestine
Best Visual Effects: King Kong
Best Cinematography:
My pick: Robert Elswit, Good Night, and Good Luck
Who will probably win: Rodrigo Prieto, Brokeback Mountain
Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, Memoirs of a Geisha
Best Film Editing: Claire Simpson, The Constant Gardener
Best Makeup: Howard Berger and Tami Lane, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Best Art Direction: Jim Bissell and Jan Pascale, Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Documentary Feature: March of the Penguins
Best Documentar Short Subject: God Sleeps in Rwanda
Best Sound Editing: Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn, King Kong
Best Sound Mixing: Paul Massey, D.M. Hemphill and Peter F. Kurland, Walk the Line

Fast Times at Hogwarts High

Oh, Hermione.

For all we know, this could be a studio still from the set of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which features a scene dealing with the unpleasant—but all too common—realities of underage drinking, in which the young wizards get s***faced on butterbeer and draw genitals on Ron Weasley’s face with their wands after he passes out. Read more at the Defamer's post.

But, for your ultimate viewing pleasure, please, please click on this link and enjoy pictures of Emma Watson drinking with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background.

i actually made this issue's comic

That's me on the left. Good times.

If Gwyneth can wear Birkenstocks, I can wear Birkenstocks.

If I could be anyone else in the world, I'd be Gwyneth Paltrow. 1) She's talented; 2) She's married to Chris Martin; 3) She's beautiful; 4) She's won an Oscar; 5) She's married to Chris Martin; 6) She has a great sense of fashion; and 7) Chris Martin is the father of her children.

The Coldplay concert last night in Dallas was amazing, and words can't really express how I felt during several of their songs, such as The Scientist, Fix You, Little White Shadows, Clocks, In My Place, Swallowed in the Sea, Till Kingdom Come, a cover of Ring of Fire, etc. Some members of the audience were just sitting there, relaxing and taking in the show as if there were sitting at home watching them on TV. I say that if they have come all the way from England to put on a good show and give us their all, then it is our responsibility as fans to give our all to them in return. I sang every word to every song and am surprised I still have a voice. Concerts aren't what they used to be, I imagine, back before the days of MTV and iPods when concerts where the main way to see your favorite bands perform. I still enjoyed myself and hopefully didn't annoy too many people behind me by standing up the entire time.

ID does not belong in science class

I didn't post this earlier, mainly because I don't like a lot of it. But, having received compliments on it from a theologian and a physicist today, both of whom I respect, I'm considering that I might have been too hard on myself. I still don't love it though, but here it is anyways:

Published in Feb. 21 Optimist


No one has ever seen an electron swirling around the nucleus of an atom. Still, we all take quantum mechanics for granted and accept the scientifically proven electron as fact.

This assurance can't be given to Intelligent Design, the latest so-called theory that has slowly crept into the nation's public schoolrooms.

The battle of whether Intelligent Design, a new form of creationism, should be taught in public science classrooms is nonsensical. The pseudoscientific conjecture has no business being taught alongside what can be proven scientifically: evolution.

Intelligent Design conjectures that the account for living organisms is so complex, a supernatural entity must have been behind the formation. Most proponents of this conjecture, who claim it's a theory, do not necessarily want it to replace evolution in classrooms, but rather they want evolution highly scrutinized.

Intelligent Design plays to the commonly used meaning of "theory," which is a hunch or a guess. However, the scientific definition of theory is different. A theory in science can be experimented on and tested. True, the work of The Origin of Species author Charles Darwin leaves questions unanswered, but almost 150 years of scientific research and discovery rests in his corner. Theological questions spurred by the evolution debate are best fought in theology classes.

Christians should not be afraid for their children to sit through a class about evolution, whether out of fear it might hinder the child's faith or because they find the notion altogether beneath them.

Parents should not be afraid their children will doubt creation if they learn about evolution. Even if they begin to doubt, questioning one's faith is paramount to building a stronger faith. Learning about the other side of the debate is key to forming a more solid opinion.

I don't remember when I was taught evolution in middle or high school. The topic was likely discussed in 9th grade biology; but, having grown up in a Christian household, I learned about the theory of evolution while still holding on to my belief in a Creator God.

Students should learn about the realities and complexities of the world and how science, based on facts, helps explains these phenomena. Let them explore the issues and come to their own conclusions on whether a higher power must have been involved in the creation of the earth.

Intelligent Design followers discredit God by refusing to question him or by thinking his works far too complex to figure out. A line exists where one has to decide to believe in God or not, but the line for everyone is different.

Whether we are standing on top of a mountain, watching a loved one give birth or coming to terms with death, as humans we all examine our existence and find our own answers. Some of the greatest discoveries have spurred from man's desire to understand his creator and explore the seemingly unexplainable.

The debate between evolution vs. creation, or evolution vs. Intelligent Design, should continue, but it is not a scientific debate - it's a theological debate. Thus, it should be carried out in a theological venue and not the public school classroom.

The complexities of life have dumbfounded man from his beginning, whether he believes he came from a monkey or the breath of God. This debate should exist in a free and open marketplace of ideas.

After all, what creation is more beautiful, and more necessary now, than the art of speech and expression?

Why is hazing considered "bad?"

A letter I received about the Sing Song column (I left it as is and didn't edit it):

Sarah,
In your article in the Tueday Optimist, you left out the fact that Siggies, also worked very hard for what they infact did deserve. You also left out the fact that two clubs who "rivaled" were brought together by this mistake. I was there when they announced that Sigma Theta Chi won the women's division, and no girl in section A with a siggie shirt on showed much excitement, but only respect for the Alpha Kai girls who were victim to this mistake. Christ's love was shown by both clubs. Maybe you should write an article about that....or maybe that wouldn't get as many people's attention, and I guess that is what writing is all about(not so much about the amazing ministry opportunity you have here). Thank you for reading this
Your sister in Christ,
_____

OK. So many points to make, so little time. And, because they don't let me write rebuttals in the Optimist, this is my only platform.

1. I love it when people try and write intelligently but execute it poorly. They try to use big words or clever wording, but it just doesn't pan out.
2. There's a difference between opinion pieces and news stories. I'm entitled to be biased. Seriously. It's actually best that I have an opinion and occasionally take sides.
3. I didn't say anything about Siggies except the fact that they were the real winners and Alpha Kai girls were upset. I guess I could have mentioned that they handled it well, but it wasn't the point of my column and therefore wasn't worth mentioning. I'd rather write about me.
4. How were they showing Christ's love by competing against each other in two separate groups, groups that compete for members each year and now for a silly title that doesn't mean anything?
5. Don't ever, ever, sign a letter of criticism to me with "your brother/sister in Christ." It's patronizing and self-righteous.
6. Stop trying to make social clubs about God. Sure, some club members are in it for the purpose of making new friends and having a Christian bond or whatever, but percentage-wise, they are few and far between. Everyone wants to feel like they are a part of something, that they belong somewhere. I've seen it in the eyes of girls wanting to pledge one of the large clubs, and they're devastated when they're not chosen to join. The pledges who are lucky enough to win the popularity contest might have an experience where they feel they are growing in Christ, but what kind of Christian message is sent to those who aren't lucky enough to make it? How is that showing them the love of Christ? "Jesus loves you, so it doesn't really matter that we don't think you're cool enough to wear our club's colors."
7. Having a club that's about popularity, parties and socials is fine - just admit that that is what it's about. Why do we live in such an ingenuous culture at ACU? Just admit that you joined to feel cool or something and stop using trite phrases such as "It's a God thing," "As long as we're glorifying Christ through our actions," etc. Seriously.
8. I'm sorry that I didn't use my opportunity to minister to Optimist readers and instead chose the route of using theatrics, sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek phrases to make my points. I appreciate you pointing it out to me, and maybe if I had been in a social club and learned what it means to be "one in Christ" with 100 girls who look like me, talk like me, dress like me and think like me, I would have done otherwise.

...Stepping off of soapbox...Shaking head...Walking away...

Sing Song Gate '06 creates scandal

(Run in the Optimist, Feb. 21, 2006)

(I'm already getting e-mails about this, including one from the president of Galaxy. Oh joy.)

Sing Song Gate, 2006: Kai O's sobbing, Moonies swearing, and bystanders calling for the head of the director of Student Productions.

All of this commotion after a huge upset in the results from Saturday night's show led to a recount of the votes, which showed the women's social club winner changing from Alpha Kai Omega to Sigma Theta Chi, and the men's social club winner remaining the same: Gamma Sigma Phi.

Hopes were dashed, rivalries increased, and various sets of parents attempted to sooth their child's disappointment by reassuring them that their act was in fact the best and should have won.

Watching the hysteria unfold was, of course, a reporter's dream. We live off chaos and controversy. Most of the Optimist staff rushed back to Moody Coliseum on Saturday night once we heard a recount had been called.

We joined hundreds of others standing around until past midnight, chatting with long-time-no-see friends and waiting for Kendall Massey, the aforementioned director of Student Productions, to announce the night's true winners. Sing Song was our only concern.

But, while the mix-up was interesting and heartbreaking for some involved, the controversy only pointed to the truth that Sing Song has become too serious in its ripe old age of 50.

I've been in my class's act for four years now, winning a different place each year. We unfortunately peaked early and only won first place our freshman year as Ice Cream Men. As Merry Men our sophomore year, we were robbed, plain and simple, and I remember crying next to my now-roommate when we placed third, and the then-seniors claimed victory.

Junior year, we were ridiculous, having students from all years join us on stage to jump around and burn pent-up energy, relishing our fourth-place sweep.

But this year, as Jedi, we actually tried. And although the freshmen won (barely), and we placed second, we had the funniest show and ended on the high note of knowing we were the crowd-pleaser.

This semester, I spent roughly 43 hours in either Sing Song practices or performances, and Lord knows how many collective hours I practiced spontaneous choreography during the other three years. But all the energy I spent for a class act really doesn't compare to how hard the large club acts work to either defend or reclaim the first place title.

An extra week of vacation meant a week less of practice, and all groups were pushed to the point of exhaustion to prepare for the show. My Dad, who graduated in 1974, shakes his head at how bloated Sing Song has become and is confused at all the various judging requirements.

Back in his day, groups were simply judged on costumes and vocals. Now, a bent arm during choreography or flat note can determine a win or loss. Similar to sophomore year, the seniors were hosed by several judges who apparently expected a group of college kids to have the vocal precision of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Receiving brutal ratings for trying your hardest doesn't exactly help build self-esteem and, let's face it, sucks the fun out of the event. Healthy competition is great, but the lengths acts have to reach to win Sing Song have reached unhealthy proportions. The only way you can have fun in Sing Song is if your group wins, or if you enter the competition not caring about whether you win or lose.

Massey has done his best to make the production more lively and student-friendly, and the notion of firing him because of a voting mishap is ludicrous. The judging system should, however, be examined, and the dramatic emotions seen on Moody's floor Saturday should not go unnoticed.

The poor Kai O's were upset not just because they had mistakenly thought their club had won for the first time, but because they had put so much time and energy into a show, only to have the results not pay off.

I'm addicted to Sing Song and don't for a second regret my time spent on its stage. I'm still coming to terms with losing, though, and maybe when my kids are in Sing Song, I'll have forgiven my sophomore-year judges.

I only hope that by then, something in Sing Song will have changed and the production is focused on just being a good time, not a fight to the death.

the pictures say enough about my absence. thanks, sing song.

people are talkin'

The latest review: Focus Features provides 'Something' to talk about

funniest/saddest church sign i've ever seen

We saw this sign on our way to Austin this weekend, so of course we had to take a picture of it on our way back. Thanks, Zephyr Baptist Church.

attacking fellow staff members is fun

What the crap is the 'great boa?'

I really, really, really hated this movie. Don't see it.
Spear pummels toward hokiness, mediocrity

Republicans and Nazis...not too far apart

You scored as Democrat. Democrat 92% Anarchism 67% Green 58% Communism 50% Fascism 42% Socialist 42% Nazi 17% Republican 17% What Political Party Do Your Beliefs Put You In? created with QuizFarm.com

you say you want a revolution?

Protests like this would never happen at ACU because a) No one that important would ever come here; b) fellow students would probably shout at and eventually stone the protestors; and c) we signed away most of our First Amendment rights on the first day of Welcome Week, so there are probably rules against protesting. At least I can live vicariously through Georgetown Law students.

Year's best defy labels, exceed expectations

1/20/05


Despite disappointing box office revenues for most of the year, 2005's cinematic finale provided impressive and inspiring steps from daring filmmakers asking tough questions. That's a lot of vague adjectives that don't really mean anything because most of the year's top films are hard to categorize and describe. They're not your average popcorn-munching, building-exploding flicks to which the masses flock.

"Good Night, and Good Luck," which once on DVD will sit on a shelf next to this journalism nerd's copy of "All the President's Men," is perched high on most critics' Top 10 lists for good reason. George Clooney's ode to his journalist father, Nick, is a simple yet pitch-perfect depiction of CBS anchor Edward R. Murrow's battle with Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Communist scare of the 1950s.

Clooney won the Freedom Award at the 11th annual Critics Choice Awards on Jan. 9 for "for illuminating our shared values of freedom, tolerance and democracy." In his acceptance speech, Clooney shared his award with other filmmakers in the room, noting that the spirit of freedom is alive in the year's top films.

"When I look at 'Munich,' at 'Crash,' at 'The Constant Gardener,' we are taking chances, and we are succeeding. This is a great night for the freedom of filmmaking," he said.

Whether in response to current societal trends or political battles, filmmakers are bringing stories of freedom to life, whether freedom from oppression, fear, addictions or prejudice, and the ultimate question of how far one should go to obtain and/or maintain freedom.

Though some provide more questions than answers, such as Steven Spielberg's harrowing "Munich," they refuse to take the easy way out by settling for fundamentalist answers. I was not only entertained or challenged by these films, but also left the theatre appreciating the experience and the artists' messages, which doesn't happen often.

Here are my choices for the Academy Awards Best Picture category if I ran the show:

"Brokeback Mountain"
Expanded from Annie Proulx's short story and directed by Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain has been unfortunately and unfairly labeled as the "gay cowboy movie" since its inception as a screenplay. The story, however, defies labels and forces viewers to question their own beliefs and feelings, whether they're comfortable with it or agree with it or not. The affair between two ranch hands (Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) is heartbreaking. After its recent win at The Golden Globes, Brokeback should and most likely will take home the Oscar.

"The Constant Gardener"
Not only is "Gardener" a mystery and thriller, it's a call to social justice and activism on behalf of the victims depicted: Africans taken advantage of by big pharmaceutical companies and those daring enough to expose them. Ralph Fiennes is so brilliant he almost goes unnoticed, becoming his compliant character so completely you forget he's acting.

"Good Night, and Good Luck"
Clooney brilliantly took a backseat role in this newsroom drama, letting veteran character actor David Strathairn embody Murrow. Shot in black and white, staged on only a few sets all indoors, rated PG and at a length of 93 minutes, Clooney captures the intensity of the time period and the importance of Murrow's words with old-fashioned flair.

"Munich"
When I think of Spielberg, I think of Happy Spielberg, as in the director of "E.T." or the "Indiana Jones" trilogy. I seem to forget that this is also the filmmaker who brought us "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan," easily two of the best WWII films. "Munich" runs along those themes in its depiction of the events surrounding the 1972 Olympics in Munich when 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by a Palestinian extremist group known as Black September. The Israelis retaliate, answering violence with violence. One of the most haunting and disturbing films I've seen.

"Walk the Line"
Winner of The Golden Globe for best picture musical or comedy, neither of which it really is, James Mangold's biopic of country legend Johnny Cash presents a raw look at the singer and his various addictions and struggles, as well as his ultimate redemption. And, unlike most of the above-mentioned films, it won't leave you depressed. Joaquin Phoenix's transformation to Cash can only be rivaled by Philip Seymour Hoffman's impressive transformation to Truman Capote in "Capote," another excellent film. Both won Golden Globes for their roles, but I believe the Oscar will end up with Hoffman.

wake up the dawn and ask her why a dreamer dreams, she never dies

Excerpts from philosophy class, Existentialism & Literature, notes from today:

"...how we view ourselves through the mirror of our own existence..."
"No general account of what it means to be human defines for us what it means to be human."
"...causes us to be in the world and assert interconnectedness of the world, and that's how you find yourself."
"transcendence -- you as a person are not simply reducible to your facticity."

These aren't my thoughts. No, no. These are just snippets of what I heard in class and chose to write down. You'll get to read more of these lines this semester, throughout which I will feel more and more stupid and doubt my existence all together.

To relax after those random lines, go to these Web sites:

Potter Puppet Pals - classic
How tall are you compared to famous people?
Chuck Norris facts (parents - be warned)

I'm officially ready to graduate. These people apparently aren't.

...from 13 original colonies...

Fifteen out of 50 isn't very good, and I only counted Michigan because I've been to the Detroit airport. My brother beat me by one state, but seeing as I can drop lines such as "One time, while swimming in the Atlantic off the coast of Brazil," or "One night, while my friends and I were walking around London," I am the infinitely cooler Carlson. My friends who have studied abroad can beat me, but they don't count. They just don't.

Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of Truth.

Stephen Colbert is the funniest man on television. If you don't watch "The Colbert Report" weeknights right after "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central, then firstly, we aren't friends, and secondly, you're uncool. His current crusade against The Associated Press and journalist Heather Clark is brilliant. In honor of him, I'll have my own On Notice and Dead to Me sections on this here blog. Pray you won't be on one of them one day.

Colbert: AP is America’s ‘number 1 threat’
Comedian wants credit for coining ‘truthiness’

Joel Jeffries / AP file

NEW YORK - Stung by a recent Associated Press article that didn’t credit him for coining the word “truthiness,” Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert has struck back.

The world’s oldest news organization, Colbert says, is the “No. 1 threat facing America.”

On Wednesday evening, Colbert placed the AP atop the Threat Down segment of “The Colbert Report” show. What was No. 2?

Bears.

In October, on Colbert’s debut episode of the “Daily Show” spinoff, the comedian defined “truthiness” as truth that wouldn’t stand to be held back by facts. The word caught on, and last week the American Dialect Society named “truthiness” the word of the year.

When an AP story about the designation sent coast to coast failed to mention Colbert, he began a tongue-in-cheek crusade, not unlike the kind his muse Bill O’Reilly might lead in all seriousness.

“It’s a sin of omission, is what it is,” Colbert told The AP on Thursday. “You’re not giving people the whole story about truthiness.”

“It’s like Shakespeare still being alive and not asking him what ‘Hamlet’ is about,” he said.

The Oxford English Dictionary has a definition for “truthy” dating back to the 1800s. It’s defined as “characterized by truth” and includes the derivation “truthiness.”

Michael Adams, a visiting associate professor at North Carolina State University who specializes in lexicology, pointed to that definition and has said Colbert’s claim to inventing the word is “untrue.” (Adams served as the expert opinion in the initial AP story.)

“The fact that they looked it up in a book just shows that they don’t get the idea of truthiness at all,” Colbert said Thursday. “You don’t look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut.”

Though slight, the difference of Colbert’s definition and the OED’s is essential. It’s not your typical truth, but, as The New York Times wrote, “a summation of what (Colbert) sees as the guiding ethos of the loudest commentators on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN.”

Colbert, who referred on his program to the AP omission as a “journalistic travesty,” said Thursday that it was similar to the much-criticized weapons of mass destruction reporting leading up to the Iraq War.

“Except,” he said, “people got hurt this time.”

ah, the good ole commute

Best editorial I've read in a while. I can do a pretty good imitation of the "Please stand clear of the doors" lady.

A New Tone in Washington

The Washington Post
Thursday, January 5, 2006; Page A14

SO METRO IS canning that nice lady who's been warning us all these years about the closing doors, and replacing her with a sterner voice. In an unusually (for Metro) adept public relations move, the transit system is inviting anyone to submit an audition tape to become the new, more authoritarian Sound of the Subway.

Which is fine, but if they're going to ask us to supply a new tone, can they really dictate the content? Isn't that some kind of violation of our First Amendment rights? We'd like to submit a tape that would go a bit beyond that stale doors-opening, doors-closing routine. We'd be happy to start with the standard, "Please stand clear of the doors." But why not take it a bit further? "Stand clear , we said -- that doesn't mean wiggle a couple of inches away from the door. Move in, for crying out loud. And when people are trying to exit, don't clog the passage, okay? Step out of the train. You can step back in after they've left. We're not going to leave without you.

"And you, big fella -- one seat per customer. You want to sprawl, buy a couch. And that rule about no eating and drinking? It's not optional, and we could do without the applying of makeup, too. No need to yell into your cell phone. And you, young man in Priority Seating -- yes, you -- are you going to pretend you don't see that old lady? All right, then, are we set? Thank you. Doors closing."

Maybe we won't win the audition. But we feel better already.

Considering I have nothing better to post about and have spent much of the past few days watching Law & Order episodes (curse you, New Years weekened marathons), I thought I'd post pictures of our poodle, Rusty, getting a bath. I can't tell you how funny this was.





Rusty is a hyper, fairly high-energy poodle. He's almost 3 and a half and barks at anything he sees and/or hears. It's annoying when his incessant barking wakes you up, but he's just too cute to dislike.







My Mom and Rusty.

I wouldn't be a good character on "Lost." I don't have a past. For my flashback sequences, the confused audience would see me sitting in a college newspaper office, or perhaps sitting in my apartment. Maybe, if they were lucky, they'd see me going to Wal-mart or even Starbucks. No, there is not much mystery behind this college senior, but I guess that's why no one's written about me.

I have, though, become addicted to "Lost" this break thanks to my brother, who brought home the first season on DVD. My Dad and I watched about 5 episodes a night before and after Christmas and now don't know what to do with ourselves. We've already missed half of season two, but I think I'm just going to read re-caps and try and catch up. Just can't live without it now. Thanks, J.J. Abrams.

The Abilene Reporter-News is publishing a series of religious columns I wrote for my Media and Religion class this semester. They chose to start off with this one, which isn't my best, but oh well. They also edited it incorrectly, so one sentence doesn't make sense. The sixth paragraph should start off like this: The PTC, an antiquated watchdog group that uses scare tactics to lure parents into complaining about TV shows not worth complaining about, has campaigns against MTV, FXÂ's show Nip/Tuck and releases lists of the best and worst shows on TV. I guess it was too much of a compound sentence for the Abilene readership. Thanks, Reporter-News. But I guess beggars can't be choosers.

hustlers grab your guns, your shadow weighs a ton, driving down the 101

Even at night, I could see the smog settled over the city as my plane landed, along with crawling lines of countless cars making their way down highways and interstates. An orange tinge from buildings and street lamps ensures that the sky is never completely dark.

My weekend in Los Angeles was filled with In-N-Out burgers, movies, nearly dying in traffic, celebrity sightings (apparently I walked right past Horatio Sans from SNL at the theatre on our way to see Capote, there was an actor sitting near us at Baja Fresh and we saw The Daily Show's Dan Bakkedahl in Hollywood with a camera crew, presumably filming a segment for the show), being a tourist in Hollywood, being accosted by street performers in Hollywood, hanging out in Santa Monica and seeing the Pacific Ocean. The visit was brief but memorable.

Here I am with Anakin Skywalker, Mr. Incredible and Sponge Bob Squarepants down at Hollywood and Highland in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. I hadn't intended on having my picture taken, but I unfortunately made eye contact with Anakin, who beckoned me with his finger and took the camera from my hands before I knew what to do. Daniel loved every minute of this scene and took my picture. After Anakin mentioned twice that they accepted small tips, I gave them each a dollar and we were on our way.

This is Dan Bakkedahl from The Daily Show, talking with various street performers across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars are held. I'll have to keep watching The Daily Show next year to see if this segment, or something like it, makes it on air. After we saw him, we ate at Mel's Diner, which the diner in American Graffiti is based on, and sure enough Dan and his crew came in to eat there as well. I had trouble staring.

The pier at Santa Monica, Saturday night at sunset. Tourists and locals come down for the fishing or for the rides. The best part was the 3rd Street Promenade, a blocked off street of shops and entertainment that was alive with people.





The funnel cake we devoured while at the pier, killing time before dinner and our viewing of Brokeback Mountain at the ArcLight.











The Pacific, and a farewell to California.

Blame Canada

In case you were wondering how demented my brother and I actually are (you probably weren't, but oh well), here is an excerpt from a recent AIM conversation we had. For background, he was talking about reviewing Memoirs of a Geisha and how many are upset that Chinese actors were cast in Japanese roles. This had us talking about actors of different nationalities acting as Americans.

Daniel: i mean, casting a white guy as a mexican is just stupid, like in Touch of Evil. but casting a latin actor to play latin is deemed ok. and canadians play americans all the time, those sneaky bastards. like alan thicke and michael j. fox
Me: mike meyers
Me: tricky
Daniel: yeah
Daniel: they slip right in
Me: it's crazy
Daniel: we should exterminate them
Daniel: or put them in camps
Daniel: or something
Me: why that border isn't protected more is beyond me
Daniel: totally
Daniel: it's so long. too long to be unguarded
Daniel: dangerous
Me: i agree
Me: they just come on over as if they'd been invited
Daniel: elk or whatnot could just roam on down
Daniel: seriously. something should be done
Me: hmmm
Me: we need a plan
Daniel: we should just invade canada. turn it into a ski resort
Me: haha
Me: have you noticed how high up alaska is? they're practically canadian. we should kick them out of the union
Daniel: they're too close to russia. those commie bastards. acting like they're american. then why do your islands stretch like a chain to soviet land, huh? why?
Me: let's get rid of them
Daniel: with nuclear fire
Me: sounds like a plan
Me: blame canada
Daniel: you know bush would do it. he hasn't bombed anything in like 3 months. dude's got a build-up he needs to unleash
Me: if only we were his advisors
Daniel: we could be
Daniel: easily
Me: we could whisper our canada extermination plan into his ear
Me: it's true
Me: we'd have to pretend that we voted for him
Daniel: hmm. then no
Me: exactly
Me: i'll only go so far
Me: i don't really want to put my soul in jeopardy
Daniel: kill puppies? yes. but say i voted for bush? no way
Me: i'd rather be tortured
Daniel: luckily, we have the facilities for that
Me: thanks, cheney
Daniel: seriously, this whole place is messed up
Me: but not as messed up as Canada...those bastards. stop saying 'eh' after everything.
Daniel: and hockey? HOCKEY? no one likes hockey
Daniel: lame ice sport
Daniel: lame
Me: the maple leaf is a dumb flag
Me: sure doesn't beat the stars and stripes
Daniel: tell me about it. a symbol for syrup vs. the bold colors of righteous freedom? eat it, canada
Me: what the crap is up with mounties? your border? like we'd want to cross it. it's the canadians who are the invaders. our country is awesome enough as it is.
Daniel: you're not fooling anyone with your free health care and low crime, either, canada. we know it sucks up there
Me: south park got it right in their depiction of canadians. not really worth drawing.
Daniel: their little heads bouncing around
Daniel: and bryan adams...
Daniel: shame on you, canada
Me: "Let's make it all for one and all for love?" I still haven't gotten over that.
Daniel: i mean, it's a nice sentiment and all, but i don't know how you got sting to be involved with your scarred canadian mug. and what's up with that robin hood song? you made him sound like a wuss
Daniel: you're the wuss, bri
Me: truer words were never spoken.

bah, humbug

Does something about this strike you as inherently wrong? Yes, Christmas is a time for family, but look at it's name: Christmas. I'm sorry that it's stressful putting on a show, I mean, service, for thousands of people, but can it really be called work in the sense of punching a time card for a nine-hour day? And if you're afraid of low attendance, why not try encouraging your parishioners to come. Maybe that's just old fashioned, but at least it's not secular.

This scene is one of my favorites in the film To Kill a Mockingbird, which I just watched on TV. Atticus Finch guards his jailed defendant the night before his trial from the town people out for their own form of justice. My favorite part comes when Scout, Jim and Dill come running up through the middle of the crowd. Atticus looks terrified that his children are there and asks Jim to leave, but he refuses. While Scout is standing next to her father, she looks over and recognizes Mr. Cunningham, who had done business with Atticus. She talks to him and asks him how he is, mentioning that she goes to school with his son, Walter. This goes on for a while, with Mr. Cunningham looking embarrassed and Atticus looking amazed.

He replies back to Scout and tells her he'll tell Walter she said 'hello.' He then corrals the group of men to leave. Scout reminded him of his humanity, something hard to do in the midst of such hatred and mob mentality, something probably only the innocence of children can do.

Melanie's comment on my previous post had me thinking of great film adaptations of books. I have to say, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best. Usually, when I learn of a new movie coming out that is based on a book, I rush out to buy the book before the movie premieres. Right now, I'm reading Memoirs of a Geisha.

Why must all good books be made into probably not-as-good movies? I say this in anticipation of and nervousness toward The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, opening Friday. Let's hope this adaptation will be true to the story and not fall into the melodramatic category Peter Jackson made his own.

Anyone have any favorite book-to-movie adaptations?

five hours of awesomeness

Latest review: Pride & Prejudice. I've seen it twice and you all should see it, too. While it can never replace the 5-hour extravaganza brought to us by the BBC and A&E starring Colin "Wet Shirt" Firth (I stole that), it's still really good. I also, of course, have a mistake in this review as well. I spell the Bennet name incorrectly, although when I pulled out my copy of the book to verify the name - I spelled it Bennett - the back of my book had it spelled that way, which is incorrect. I blame finals, Dr. Marler, my fellow staff members for distracting me, rock 'n' roll, the 40 mph wind we had here, Colin Firth, caffeine, Joseph McCarthy and Jane Austen for this error.

Current reading: The Boxcar Children, Book 1. I have a 5th grade reading level...probably should admit it...

I should be studying right now. I have to figure out what exactly which area of the Intelligent Design debate I want to argue in my editorial for my Opinion Writing final. Personally, I'm tired of reading about monkeys, the Galapagos Islands, crazy people, Dover, Pa., and Pat Robertson. Intertwined with this research comes studying for my Bible final, for which I have to read 1 Samuel through 2 Kings and know random information. If I sit in my room to study, I'm distracted by my computer. I've been sitting in the living room, but if I look up, I see the rows and rows of pretty movies I own sitting next to the TV.

Ah well, I just need to make it through a few more days, then I have one semester left of not being an adult.


OK, one more picture of Colin Firth and I'll go back to studying (this is from the best scene in the miniseries):

concessions of the weak, part 2

Screw them all, screw them all. Screw, screw, screw them all.

concessions of the weak

After reading a never-published story about homosexuality on campus, I couldn't help but be struck by a certain quote. This quote, said by a certain president at a certain private Christian university in a certain West Texas town, was no doubt a typical thing for this man to say considering his title and position. However, I've got a problem with it.

When talking about practicing gay students on campus, this president said that if the university is doing its job, the students should feel uncomfortable on campus, adding that the school should be up-front about it's belief that homosexuality is a sin. "It doesn't matter what society thinks or practices," he said. "God's side is clear."

Again, I understand his need to take a strong stand against homosexuality, but I couldn't help but be bothered by his sentiment. Is making a Christian brother or sister feel uncomfortable about their sin really the best way to approach the issue? Will making gay students feel secluded and condemned open the floor up for dialogue on the subject of homosexuality, or will we really just be turning even more people away from Christ by being self-righteous? Where's the balance?

Homosexuality is only one of the many giant elephants in the room at this certain university. I can't help but wonder when we'll finally be brave enough to truly discuss the issues, not just have a forum where a student who had had same-sex feelings tells how they changed their ways and how you can, too. It's a start, yes, but it's not near enough. Life is just more complicated than that.

going to the chapel

This one goes out to Karen Shields (right), soon to be Mrs. Karen Benavidez. Congratulations on your engagement! Plus, she's graduating in two weeks. I suddenly feel very old.

On a side note, isn't it interesting that our high school friend who went to a public university is now engaged, but those of us who attended the Marriage Factory itself are all graduating single? I guess some of us really can make it out alive.

Congrats again, sweetie!

my glasses are really a disguise

I don't know about the mild-mannered part, but at least I can fly. So there.


You are Superman

Superman 75% Spider-Man 75% Supergirl 67% Green Lantern 65% Robin 47% Wonder Woman 47% Catwoman 45% The Flash 40% Hulk 40% Batman 35% Iron Man 35%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

thanks

Great Thanksgiving editorial in The Washington Post yesterday.

THANKSGIVING IS, for many, the most affecting of the holidays, a complex mixture of memories, emotions and family obligations that has both its happy and somber moments. This year it's been simplified somewhat, at least so far as the spirit of the day is concerned. To state it plainly: We have a lot to be grateful for in this country, and the gratitude we feel ought to beget great generosity. Lord knows, it's needed right now.

In the past 12 months, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced by water, wind, earthquake and fire -- not to mention the usual acts of human violence and the ravages of disease. Each disaster -- tsunami, hurricane, the horrendous quake in Kashmir -- produces its own wave of charitable giving, the responses varying in size and extent depending on such things as media coverage, proximity and other unpredictable factors. But no matter how great the need, one thing is almost certain: The need will exceed, by a considerable margin, the popular attention span for dealing with it. Which is why, last month, not that long after hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the earthquake, you could already find headlines in this paper that read, "Donations Slowing as Disasters Mount Worldwide" and "Charities Report Low Donations for Quake Victims."

This isn't to say that people have lacked generosity. The amounts given for tsunami and hurricane relief have totaled several billion dollars. But more is needed, especially for those facing winter in the Himalayas with little or no shelter and limited food supplies. The series of natural disasters -- including catastrophic mudslides in Central America that seem to have largely escaped the world's attention -- have caused some to speak once again, inevitably, of "compassion fatigue." But look around -- there's little evidence of wallet fatigue in what people are wearing and driving and the places so many of us are living in. During the recent budget debates, Congress argued about cutting $50 billion, and some commented on what a small percentage that was of the national wealth and of budgets that run into the trillions. Small? Imagine what just a fraction of it, added to the fraction already donated, could do to alleviate the suffering that continues in many parts of the world, including this country.

We're into the traditional season of giving. Would that we could deepen and extend it in the interest of charity as much as we have expanded our various holiday occasions in the interest of selling.

the trump shall resound

Column: Thanksgiving evokes bittersweet memories

Review: Phoenix brings Man in Black to life in 'Line' (I made a mistake; Phoenix did in fact meet Cash before he died. I suck.)

funny

Courtesy of The Onion.

and i'm asking people to hire me?

I'm one of those people.
You know, those stupid people who end up on Jaywalking on The Tonight Show or who talk during movies.
As I sat in Environmental Science today, an entry-level course that I cannot mathematically make an A in unless the teacher drops a certain test grade for everyone, I realized I'm not as good of a U.S. citizen as I had thought. We were looking at U.S. map that didn't have states' names on it. Now, I can sing Fifty Nifty United States, which lists all 50 states in alphabetical order, but I don't think I can say where every state is located on the map. Maybe if I had an hour and a set of map pencils, I could, but not this morning. But seriously, can you do it? Try it in your head without writing anything down or looking stuff up. Seriously.

In other news, I locked my keys in my car at the gas station today. Fortunately, a campus police officer was eating lunch at Rosa's across the street from the station and was able to pop my lock. Sometimes, I'm amazed I've lived this long.

countdown

Hooray for villans. An incentive to make it through the week.

The way Kathie Lee needed Regis -- that's the way I need Jesus

Welcome to the suck.

how far should you go to be heard?

"At that period, apparently indifferent, something of a revolutionary thrill was vaguely felt. Whispers coming from the depths of '89 and '92 were in the air. Young Paris was, excuse the expression, in the process of molting. People were transformed almost with suspecting it, by the very movement of the time. The hand which moves over the dial moves also among souls.

Each one took the step forward which was before him. Royalists became liberals, liberals became democrats.

It was like a rising tide, complicated by a thousand ebbs; the peculiarity of the ebb is to make mixtures; thence very singular combinations of ideas; men worshiped at the same time Napoleon and liberty. We are now writing history. These were the mirages of that day. Opinions pass through phases. Voltarian royalism, a grotesque variety, had a fellow not less strange, Bonapartist liberalism.

Other groups of minds were more serious. They fathomed principle; they attached themselves to right. They longed for the absolute, they caught glimpses of the infinite realizations; the absolute by its very rigidity pushes the mind toward the boundless, and makes it float in the illimitable. There is nothing like dream to create the future. Utopia today, flesh and blood tomorrow."

the city i live in, the city of angels. lonely as i am, together we cry

I'm flying to Los Angeles in a little more than a month to visit my older sibling. Things I plan to do:

1. Stalk celebrities.
2. Go on a celebrity homes tour.
3. Take pictures of my favorite celebrities' stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
4. If Daniel can swing passes, run around Disney World like crazy, having my picture taken with Mickey and the gang.
5. Go to the beach.
6. Eat an In-N-Out burger.
7. Go to Rodeo Drive.
8. Take pictures of famous streets and their signs.
9. Annoy my brother by acting like a tourist.
10. Stalk some more celebrities.

If any of you have other suggestions, feel free to share them.

Days left in school: 17 school days, 5 final days.

Current listening: Life in Slow Motion, David Gray and Strange and Beautiful, Aqualung
Current reading: In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Most recent purchase on iTunes: Run, by Snow Patrol (thanks, Courtney)

I'm awesome. My new opinion: you're never too old to trick-or-treat. The Optimist staff had a grand time on Halloween, driving to our professors' houses and begging for candy before we begrudgingly went back to the office to work on our next issue. It took a while for us to convince the guys to join the fun, but everyone loved the excursion.

his only begotten son

Another reason not to live in a red state.

A favorite movie of mine is The American President. In the climactic ending where President Andrew Shepherd is giving a speech defending himself against his opponent, presidential hopeful Bob Rumson, he sums up Rumson'’s stances on issues fairly well. He tells the American public that Bob Rumson doesn'’t care about their problems; he cares about two things and two things only: making you afraid of them and telling you who'’s to blame for them. That's how you win elections.

It appears Middle America has been listening to too many Bob Rumsons. Homosexuals, those who have abortions, unwed mothers, the media and liberals in general have all been blamed for the downfall of our society. We'’ve been made afraid of them, thinking our society will continue to worsen if they are openly accepted. After being afraid of them and then blaming them, we conveniently lumped them into one group and gave them a name: sinners.

The only problem is that we forgot to put ourselves in the group, too. We'’re all sinners, just as much as the next person, white or black, Jew or Gentile, gay or straight. God doesn't view us any differently, so why should we?

Too many thoughts circulate in my mind about this issue, and it's hard for me to adequately surmise the important factors to be taken into consideration. All I know is that I'm tired of it all, and I'm tired of feeling alienated in my own religion.

it's all happening

The latest. I actually like this one (the review, not the movie).

Christmas came early

Don't you think they look alike? I do. This came to me today, sometime between laughing about Scooter being indicted and smiling about Miers withdrawing her name. I'm such a jerk.

searching for my lost shaker of salt

An actual conversation I had with a checker at H-E-B yesterday, sparked on by the ACU shirt I was wearing:

Checker (male, about 19, glasses, nerdy): You know, I hate to tell you this, but Abilene High School is a better school than ACU.
Me: Um, OK.
Checker: No, really. I mean, a lot of our classes are better and we have college-level classes, like Calculus.
Me, confused: What year are you there?
Checker: Oh, I graduated.
Me: Where do you go now?
Checker: Nowhere, I can't afford it.
Me: Well, going to ACU is better than sitting at home and doing nothing.
Checker: I'm not sitting at home, I'm sitting here working to earn money so I can afford to go to school.

I don't think I said anything after than, just made an annoyed face, picked up my bags of groceries and headed for the door. My sitting at home comment was rude, I know, but I was just confused as to why a high school graduate was telling me my education was a sham. Apparently, I've been kidding myself these past four years. I should have just audited Abilene High classes and I'd be good to go. Thanks for the tip, random checker person. Oh, the fun people you meet in Abilene.

Dean Barnard's worst nightmare

So, the Associated Press picked up the story of three ACU social clubs having their pledging halted for hazing investigations, unapproved activities or the resignation of their sponsors. Several papers and networks picked it up, including The Fort Worth Star Telegram and The Houston Cronicle. For a more complete list, click here. This can't bode well for the future of social clubs.

she probably doesn't know what she's talking about, but she at least references "The Godfather: Part II"

Hooray for columns! I like this one and let's pray it's accurate. Miers added to Bush's croney staff. I know I keep only posting my Optimist stuff on here, but life is too crazy because of Homecoming for me to be creative.

you can't take the skies from me

The latest. The review's not that great, but the movie is.

take my love, take my land

I sat in a theatre filled with some normal people, and some strange-looking people. I've decided most of the strange people were there not just because of the movie's subject matter, but because I was at the Mall of Abilene movie theatre on a Saturday afternoon. Serenity was great, but now I want the stories to continue. Maybe if the film is successful, sequels will be in the works. You should all get past the sci-fi/western label of the film and see it. It's amazing. Daniel and I can die happy now that we've seen it.

Oh yes I am, Oh yes I am, Oh yes I am! Oh yes I am Huckleberry Finn, and I am in trouble again...

Apparently, the days of book burning and banning are not behind us, and many people call their local libraries to demand certain books be banned. While I can see their problems with certain titles, though I don't think they should be banned, some of the books on the list are classics and it's worrisome that they're targets. To Kill a Mockingbird? Great book. Kind of controversial...I guess. Actually, no, not really. Just good. I'm glad to see Harry Potter made the top 10, I'm so proud. Some of the children's books are interesting, though. Some of them don't even sound real. Daddy's Roommate? Really can't stop laughing at that one. The Face on the Milk Carton? What's terrible about that one? Wasn't that a TV movie starring the actress from Christy, who was later on ER and killed off by a psychotic patient with a knife? I think so. Ah, this list is just entertaining. God bless the First Amendment.

an unproductive weekend

Hastings employs weird people. As I was in the check out line there yesterday, the cashier said the usual "Hello, how are you," to me. Glad that he hadn't asked if I wanted to add popcorn to my purchase as he had to the two men in front of me in line, I said fine and asked how he was. He answered that he was alright, a little tired. Just alright, I asked? He said yes, because his toes hurt. He then stepped back from the counter and indicated his feet, so I leaned over to get a closer look.

"I had my toenails surgically removed, so they hurt." My face screwed up in confusion at to why I was looking at the holes caked with dry blood that once held his toenails. I asked why they were removed. "Well, they were ingrown for about 10 years, so it was about time." Good to know. He didn't appear to be that old, he might even be late teens or early 20's. He's just one of those guys who probably likes video games too much, and his large glasses were too close to his head. I asked if he was taking medicine for it and he said yes, but he wasn't looking forward to when the pain killers wore off. By then I had finished with my purchase and, after adding I hope he felt better, left.

Would it be such trouble for Abilene to perhaps add a Barnes & Noble or a Borders to its growing list of possible businesses on the north side? Then, perhaps, when I want to buy a book, I will buy it from someone who won't have me look at their toenailess feet. Still, characters like that help make the city what it is.

Stay classy, Abilene.

Joss Whedon is amazing

To make my brother happy, I will try to keep posting my reviews on here so that they are more accessible. So here ya go: "Just Like Heaven."

tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace

These Starbucks cups were banned from the location at Baylor University because the quote was apparently inappropriate for a Baptist university. I should be writing about this, and I'll be sure to post a link to my column next week. Gay or straight, it's a good quote and good advice.

Instead of being in Spring, Texas, right about now, eagerly awaiting the Coldplay concert at The Woodlands on Saturday, I am stuck in Abilene, cursing the name Rita and everything related to hurricanes. I'm crossing my fingers that the concert will be rescheduled. If it's not, I may just have to drive to a random state to see my favorite band play. If ever there were a weekend I needed to get out of dodge, this was it.

Go to this site and see some cool videos done for the Optimist. If you watch the ones for Homer Hiccolm and the Night Riders and look closely, you will see my crazy roommate.

In other multimedia news, this video is hi-larious. Yes, it's old news. But you know what? Tom Cruise is still crazy.

yes, she's a poser, but at least she poses with style.

My latest movie review. You should all go see it.

i'd kill for a coke

Among the sound bites of his presidency that Mr. Bush will most regret, one will surely be "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." That was Mr. Bush's valentine last week to his hapless FEMA director, Michael D. Brown. Many Americans are already frustrated -- justifiably so -- by the administration's unwillingness to candidly acknowledge the difficulties it is facing in Iraq, and the degree to which its own misjudgments contributed to them. They aren't likely to have much tolerance for a similarly inadequate response to a domestic disaster -- nor should they.

I want to be able to write editorials like this one.

detox

I'm not supposed to eat sugar. I went to the doctor yesterday because I get headaches every day. We're trying various things to see what the problem is, and one of his temporary solutions was no sugar, not even sugar substitutes. Have you ever realized how much food has sugar in it? Now, I e-mailed him asking him to clarify this matter. Did he mean no sugar whatsoever, or did he mean no items that have a lot of sugar, such as soda, candy, etc? Hopefully, the latter is the answer. Most everything in my pantry and fridge has some sort of sugar count to it. I'm going through withdrawals. I want Coke. Diet anything is an abomination. I also have to take antihistamine, which just about knock me out. I looked like I was dead this morning and probably throughout most of the day. Sugar is my friend. Who cares if it might give me headaches?

It was a rough transition back into the grind this semester. The Thursday of the first week of school, a day I was battling it out to have my review of The 40-Year-Old Virgin run in the paper, I realized that I had only been in the state for a week. One week, and already I had had stories and reviews and assignments and classes and not enough sleep. It took me days to unpack. I'm still behind on all my stories, and I've been writing everything last minute, thus producing less than great pieces. I think I'm finally settling in, but I probably won't rest until Christmas. If anyone wants to contribute to the Sarah-wants-to-visit-Daniel-in-LA fund, donations are welcome.

I don't know about half of the students walking around campus. I definitely feel more removed from everything this year. I'm content to do my work and then go home, and spend weekends at home. I got pretty used to the routine this summer. Ah, the days of high school and freshman year when I wanted to be entertained all the time. I'm fine with a book or movies on TV, apparently. I feel old all of a sudden.

I had gotten so used to my routine this summer. On my last day, I had to carry several bags and a large picture home from the office. I ran out of money on my metro card and had to use the last bit of change I had to pay my fare, meaning I didn't have any left for the bus. I climbed up the steps of the 622 quite disheveled and Ray exclaimed that he was sad it was my last day. He helped me set all my things down and I began to explain to him about not having change. He waved it away and told me not to worry. A man in a grey suit who I'd never seen smiled at me and told me to take care when he got off the bus at his stop. When my stop finally came, he gave me a hug and kissed my cheek and told me to come back and see him. Who knows if he'll be driving the same shift of the Fairfax Connector by the time I return, whenever that will be, but I'll try and find him just the same.

the best part of waking up

A letter that was printed yesterday in the Express, a short version of The Post that people read on the Metro, made me happy. It read:

 

Who's the Smooth Operator?

 

"Can we identify the Orange Line operator whose soothing voice, moderated sense of humor and signature "Let's be careful out there," enhances even the earliest of morning commutes? There's an art to getting those of us who have yet to connect with caffeine to smile. This guy really gets it!"

 

I totally know who she's talking about! I ride the Orange Line to work every morning, beginning at the end of the line in Vienna, Virginia. Sometimes we have inaudible operators, or those who sound tired or bored, but every now and then I will get on this guy's train and you can't help but notice his voice. He always sounds cheerful, but not in an annoying way. He could do voice overs for commercials, I'm sure of it. So, I was excited that I recognized a reference to the daily routine out here. I felt almost like a local.

 

This morning, as I was walking from the Metro to the office, I recognized a man I saw on the Metro line more than a month ago. He seems middle aged and I think he's deaf, and he mismatches his clothes and carries around a fair amount of luggage. I saw him when I was traveling downtown to go to the Smithsonian back in June, and today I saw him standing on a corner in Arlington next to a 7-Eleven. Probably what makes the commute seem so natural and routine after a while is the fact that I see pretty much the same people every day - various businessmen and women, coming with wet hair and leaving looking exhausted.

 

The group that rides the 622 Fairfax Connector to Vienna at 7:26 a.m. and from Vienna at 6:18 p.m. varies slightly, but I generally see the regulars. One guy seems to be from Texas. I've heard him talking on the phone several times and I got the impression. I named him Dewey. He just looks like one. He has a huge ring on his finger that I assume is from college, and I decided it was probably Tech or A&M. I also decided he is the son of an oil tycoon. One time he wore seersucker pants and a pink tie and I thought he was trying too hard. I haven't seen him wear them again. A woman with short brown hair and brown glasses usually sits next to me on the ride home, and the only thing she has ever said to me was "thank you" when I moved to let her out of the seat. The driver home is named Ray and I can't quite place his accent. He finally asked me what my name is about two weeks ago and I don't think he was expecting to learn that I am still in school. When he learned my major, he asked why I wasn't interning at The Post or USA Today or the likes, and I don't think he understood why I laughed at the notion. He calls me sweetheart and said he is sad today is my last day on the bus.

 

One more bus ride and it's back home.

 

 

songs about rainbows

Too many thoughts circulating to make one post...

1. Boredom Numbs the Work World
Lack of Stimulation Infects Humble and High-Ranking Jobs Alike

By Amy Joyce
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 10, 2005; Page D01

..."We know that 55 percent of all U.S. employees are not engaged at work. They are basically in a holding pattern. They feel like their capabilities aren't being tapped into and utilized and therefore, they really don't have a psychological connection to the organization," said Curt W. Coffman, global practice leader at the Gallup Organization, whose large polling group measured employee engagement.

...That problem -- a lack of autonomy and a job that has very specific instructions -- hits workers from the highest to lowest echelons of the working world. Many spend their days surfing the Internet, writing e-mails or taking care of personal business.

Basically, this article proved what I had already known - that most employees get bored at work and look toward the internet, books, playing hookie or taking extra long lunch breaks to break up the monotony of the day. I have done all of these things this summer. Some times I was quite busy and didn't have time for anything, and other times I had just enough work to be pacing myself and working comfortably. But, for a good portion of my summer here, I have been underworked and bored. My JMC classes and the work I produce for them and for the Optimist have been much harder than anything I've done here. But I guess that's the life of an intern. My only goal now is to find a field and an workplace where I will be both challenged and happy, if that's possible. I think it is, it is just not as common as most people would like.

2. Bookstores such as Barnes & Noble are already displaying the tons of extra copies of The Chronicles of Narnia they've ordered in preparation to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe's theatrical release in December. I also saw there yesterday a book called Finding God in the Land of Narnia, by the authors who wrote Finding God in The Lord of the Rings. This is upsetting to me. Of course, the Chronicles have been well-read by many who know the tales of Aslan, but still, it was not prevalent in our pop culture in my opinion. Daniel once said about The Lord of the Rings, now every idiot knows what a hobbit is, and I feel like I've lost something - or words similar to the effect. Now that they have a mass market campaign to sell Narnia as a fantasy land, saying it's a great story and liking it to Rings or even, which doesn't make sense to me, Harry Potter, everyone will know who Mr. Tumnus is, or Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, and all the other characters and stories. I feel like I've lost something. Do we need a book in order to find God in the Chronicles? They're pretty blatant Christian allegories if you ask me, and the series means so much to a lot of people. Rings wasn't overtly Christian and Tolkein even said it wasn't. That book was dumbed down for the masses in its movies, and I can only hope that the movie version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe won't be as well. The previews look promising, so we'll see. I'm an elitist and I'm not apologizing for it. I just love my books and don't like them being ripped apart for the silver screen.

[stepping off my soapbox...]

3. National Treasure is a surprisingly entertaining movie. What makes it "great" is how the makers went full throttle after the idea of an invisible map on the Declaration of Independence. They didn't shy away from crazy conspiracy theories - they embraced them. The map was a freaking hologram, and secret decoder glasses that Benjamin Franklin designed and hid inside of a brick on a wall at Constitution Hall in Philly show where the treasure is - treasure that's been hidden for thousands of years and worth about $10 billion. Brilliant! They went for it, played with the idea and came out with a product that was both family friendly and entertaining. Of course I was skeptical at first, but I enjoyed it.

4. Congrats to Daniel on his new job at The Hollywood Reporter. Way to be awesome, and thanks again for the present you sent me.

5. I can't wait for Taco Cabana. Five days!

random musings on embarrassment

Why are people embarrassed when they fall down? Walking in a straight line or standing upright shouldn't be that difficult, but we somehow manage to trip or slip and fall. But, if we fall in public, why are we so mortified? Us interns had this discussion because one of us, Lucy, bit it last Sunday while riding her bike on the National Mall. She tried to corner to quickly and flew off the bike, hands and legs spread eagle and face first. She cut her knees so badly she should have gotten stitches, but was too stubborn. She stumbled to a nearby police car and waited for them to return while several tourists stopped to help her. They bandaged her up and the police offered her a ride home, but she refused, hobbling her way back to Georgetown. She told us the detailed story on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, as she was walking from the elevator to the front door of the office in the morning, while talking to an intimidating and important attorney, she tripped on her pant leg and fell forward again. The other staff member present helped her up while the lawyer picked up Lucy's lunch, which had flown from her hand. They had laughed slightly, but not enough to ease Lucy's horror.

Well, Lucy passed on her skills to me because on Thursday, as I was headed to lunch with fellow interns and a few staff members, I slipped and fell backwards. I've argued that my fall was worse than Lucy's second fall because 1. I was in nylons, heels and a skirt, which went a little too far up my legs for my liking, 2. I was in front of three boys, and 3. I fell on the concrete floor of a parking garage. I laughed, and so did Lucy and Courtney, but the three boys didn't really laugh. And here is the problem with falling: Other people make you embarrassed. If everyone had laughed heartily along with me, and not at me, which is different, things would have been fine. But the two staff members looked away, awkward and embarrassed for me, and so did the male intern, Shane.

When I was talking to Shane afterwards, he said he was sorry that he was one of those people who makes situations like falling down awkward for those who have fallen. He told me of how when he taught middle schoolers last year at a private school (that means uniforms - skirts for girls), one of the 8th grade girls, while playing volleyball with classmates, asked him to watch her serve. Of course, she bit it and fell, her skirt flying up completely. Shane said he acted like it never happened and that the girl handled it well, but that he had never been more embarrassed for someone in his life. I'm really embarrassed for her and I don't even know her. When you're young and haven't grown into your body, it's normal to trip and fall and stumble and what have you, but for adults it's a different story. I've seen men in suits trip and it is always startling for some reason. It just doesn't seem natural. I always act like I didn't notice. People should really laugh and joke around though. I think it's when people are embarrassed for other people, and those people sense that, that they make the situation embarrassing.

My situation wasn't really that bad and I don't really care about it. I think my dodgeball incident last Spring takes the cake for recent horrific moments. And again, in that situation, it was the guys who were present who made it awkward. Thanks, guys.