Some spoilers, but honestly, it's so predictable I don't think I'm really giving anything away that you don't already know from the trailers or won't see coming at least a half-hour in advance.

Short review: I liked it better when it was called Logan's Run.

more...

Posted by: Ace at 08:29 AM | Comments (25)
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Did you guys ever read about this? I never have:

WITH hindsight, the defining encounter of the age was not between Mohammed Atta's jet and the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, but that between Mohammed Atta and Johnelle Bryant a year earlier. Bryant is an official with the US Department of Agriculture in Florida, and the late Atta had gone to see her about getting a $US650,000 government loan to convert a plane into the world's largest crop-duster. A novel idea.

The meeting got off to a rocky start when Atta refused to deal with Bryant because she was but a woman. But, after this unpleasantness had been smoothed out, things went swimmingly. When it was explained to him that, alas, he wouldn't get the 650 grand in cash that day, Atta threatened to cut Bryant's throat. He then pointed to a picture behind her desk showing an aerial view of downtown Washington - the White House, the Pentagon et al - and asked: "How would America like it if another country destroyed that city and some of the monuments in it?"

Fortunately, Bryant's been on the training course and knows an opportunity for multicultural outreach when she sees one. "I felt that he was trying to make the cultural leap from the country that he came from," she recalled. "I was attempting, in every manner I could, to help him make his relocation into our country as easy for him as I could."

So a few weeks later, when fellow 9/11 terrorist Marwan al-Shehhi arrived to request another half-million dollar farm subsidy and Atta showed up cunningly disguised with a pair of glasses and claiming to be another person entirely - to whit, al-Shehhi's accountant - Bryant sportingly pretended not to recognise him and went along with the wheeze. The fake specs, like the threat to slit her throat and blow up the Pentagon, were just another example of the multicultural diversity that so enriches our society.

That's new to me. Steyn goes on to, as usual, be brutally funny about things that really aren't funny at all. Heh/Indeed/Read the whole thing.

Belated Hat-tip to Craig. I've had this article open in a window since last night and I'd forgotten where I'd gotten it from.

Mark Steyn Loose Shit?: Arthur writes to say the Bryant story is questionable:

Great way to start the column. But there's a timeline problem
with the Bryant story. FBI says Atta had not entered the country
yet. Lot's of references to questionable validity of Bryant via
google.

Well, maybe. Let's just say I'm not convinced the FBI or CIA have a complete understanding of Atta's comings and goings, either to America or to, say, Prague, just to pick European city at random.

Spongeworthy tips this piece suggesting the FBI has the timeline wrong (based on numerous facts) and yet won't admit they flubbed it.

Posted by: Ace at 07:41 AM | Comments (13)
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To be honest, I don't get this guy's whole schtick, but he does provide pictures.

I like pictures.

Posted by: Ace at 07:31 AM | Comments (4)
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Well blow me over with a feather boa:

That Desperate Housewives carries what one audience member called "a gay vibe" wasn't the goal, [series creator] Cherry said, but he conceded the show inevitably reflects his personality.

"The moment you put a woman in an evening gown mowing the lawn, it's just gay," said Cherry, referring to a slapstick scene with actress Eva Longoria. "It's kind of just what makes me laugh. A lot of my gay brethren get the joke."

Well, I don't get it. So, phew, I passed the next test. We'll see how it goes next week at Chippendale's.

The article goes on to say how excited many attendees at Outfest were about gays at long last getting some creatove power and political influence in Hollywood.

In related news, Indian and Israeli immigrants are said to be "very pleased" that they've finally managed to break into the hired-car-service market.

Posted by: Ace at 01:56 PM | Comments (27)
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Or words to that approximate effect:

'I don't believe movies should deliver messages," says Scarlett Johansson. "After you've paid 10 bucks to see it — 15 bucks with popcorn — you just want to be entertained."

In related news, Tom Cruise is now officially nuttier than a Snickers Bar:

[Scarlett Johansson was] at one point was also attached to "Mission: Impossible III," but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts (and, it has been rumored, a falling out with Tom Cruise when he attempted to convert her to Scientology).

Come on, Tom... do a remake of Travolta's Battlefield Earth. You know you want to. Invest a couple of hundred million dollars of your own money into it and film three entire movies, simultaneously, like they did with Lord of the Rings.

Travolta's film only did poorly at the box office because it didn't tell enough of this wonderful story, nor slip in enough of L. Ron Hubbard's philosophy. With you fronting the project, it could make a fortune.

Posted by: Ace at 01:37 PM | Comments (13)
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And he vows to remain unmarried until Bill Clinton answers him.

I'll answer for him: Umm, no.

I mean, come on. This is his only daughter. He's not going to give her away for some livestock.

It's not like we're talking about something trivial like presidential pardons here.

In related news, Hillary's big-boned brothers have indicated they'd be willing to serve as male concubines in exchange for $100 gift certificates to Sizzler.

Posted by: Ace at 01:21 PM | Comments (12)
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That's how Ann Coulter headlines Andrew Sullivan's obituary of former British PM Heath.

It's sort of a cheap shot; Sullivan's obit, after all, is only half about the man's rumored homosexuality. Still-- funny.

Thanks to Kausfiles, calling Sullivan's obit "predictably antiheteronormative," which is also kinda cheap and kinda funny.

Kaus sure has cottoned to this Sullivan-bashing thing... if only he would ever acknowledge that he has seen further only because he stood upon the shoulders of a giant.

In other words, give me a link, douchebag.

Posted by: Ace at 01:16 PM | Comments (5)
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Lisa Kudrow's new fake-reality-tv-show-about-the-making-of-a-bad-sitcom on HBO -- "The Comeback," about a fairly minor actress from a forgotten sitcom "coming back" older and less in-demand in a bit role on new, awful show -- is pretty funny. She's basically a female David Brent, and has lifted a lot of the cringey sneaky humor from that show. It's much closer to an American version of The Office than the actual American version of The Office.

It's funny, embarassing, and sadly pathetic by turns (sometimes all three at once). Not laugh out loud hilarious, but frequently chuckleworthy, and, just like David Brent, there's so much pathos here you can't help but feel sympathy for her, even though she's a self-absorbed, self-promoting halfwit. Brent-like, she's always awkwardly aware the camera is watching her, and frequently makes absurdly self-serving speeches to the camera.

Kind of funny to hear her keep insisting that what reality tv viewers want to see is "dignity," and how much "dignity" she exemplifies.

It'll do until the new season of Arrested Development.

Oh, and it co-stars Sarah Silverman's little sister, who's pretty cute, but doesn't look or sound much like her sister. She's usually behind the camera though (she's the director of the reality tv show), so you actually don't get to see her all that frequently.

PS: Lisa Kudrow, it turns out, is pretty smart. She was a science major in college -- molecular biology or something like that -- and she's the co-creator and co-writer of the show. Usually I would just call that credit-grubbing by a star, but I figure the credit is legit here.

Posted by: Ace at 12:47 PM | Comments (19)
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Al Qaeda admits guilt.

Someone wrote a while ago that news reports should stop saying a terrorist group "claimed responsibility." That phraseology carries no implication that a crime was committed. The proper way to say it is "admitted guilt," he argued, and I think that's right.

Three points:

1) Contrary to the suggestions sometimes made by anti-terrorists (including myself, when I get sloppy), obviously a lot of Muslims are taken by surprise by this sort of thing too. That has to be kept in mind. They're being murdered too, and directing one's anger at Muslims indiscriminately is both counterproductive and immoral.

2) As far as I know, Egypt doesn't have troops in Iraq, and isn't a big supporter of Israel, so I'm dumbfounded as to why Al Qaeda would attack Egyptians (as well as European tourists, also no fans of our action in Iraq or support for Israel). And yet I'm reliably informed that Al Qaeda is just peeved about Iraq and the Israel/Palestinian conflict, so really, I'm at a loss to explain this.

3) Back to point one. Muslims in Britain (and, I suppose, America and Europe too) are quite upset about what they see as "backlash" against them. Actual "backlash" should be avoided at all costs. No one wants terrorism directed at anyone, including by angry non-Muslims at Muslims.

But Muslims are also being unrealistic and, I think, unreasonable in continuing to insist that no additional police scrutiny be given to Muslims. No minority group wants that sort of interference in their lives, but it's a fact as sad as it is irrefutable that this sort of mega-terrorism is being perpetrated exclusively by radical Muslim jihadists.

Let me ask British Muslims-- if violent backlash did begin, and roving bands of thuggish hooligans were beating and killing Muslims in the streets, would you urge that police give additional scrutiny to non-Muslims caucasians moving through Muslim communities, or would you insist that police attempts to protect Muslims focus on both Muslims and white hooligans equally?

I think the answer is somewhat obvious. So I hope Muslims can understand that the non-Muslim population also wants the police to be on higher alert when it comes to Muslim men between 20 and 40. Especially when they're sweating, acting agited, and carrying backpacks.

Posted by: Ace at 11:06 AM | Comments (51)
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Jeepers, it's almost as if we're all in this together!

Why, it's as if they want to kill nice gay people, no matter how left their politics and no matter how much they seek to understand the "root causes" of terrorism!

Hey, here's a possible root cause: They hate you with a murderous passion and they experience a nearly sexual thrill at butchering you.

But by all means let's continue fighting amongst ourselves about who is sufficiently tolerant and who is a "racist warmonger." That'll learn 'em!

Michael Moore Update: Oddly enough, they don't seem to care very much about whether you voted for Gore or Bush in 2000.

Strange.

One would almost be forced to conclude that they have no noble aspirations of liberation or some reasonable political agenda but merely wish to kill and maim those they consider infidel or deviant.

PS: Now how does killing gays relate to the Israel/Palestinian dispute again...?

Is Nathan Lane Jewish? If he is, I guess there's your "root cause."

Update: GOPVixen has more.

Posted by: Ace at 01:27 PM | Comments (26)
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