1 HR)

Chicagoans have the mutant ability to shoot forcebolts from their fingertips I guess....saw it in a movie once.

O/T -- Zero's got his base voting in this poll.  All you Palin lovers might want to take a whack at 'em.

http://tinyurl.com/23dpcab

I know.  Let's make it illegal to shoot people.  That oughtta do it.

Posted by: I See Dead People at June 28, 2010 02:15 PM (uFokq)

Hmmm.  A hot tip for Weasel's new pool Friday?

Is he trying to say that without the law 60 people would have been shot?

Maybe he thinks 29 is a good number.

Chicagoans have the mutant ability to shoot forcebolts from their fingertips I guess....saw it in a movie once.

Or they have pet AT AT's with whisker canons!

Pshaw!

Twittering sarcastically...

I just don't get how people can't see this line of thinking is stupid. Again and again I've had to argue with liberal friends that criminals don't follow the law to begin with so more laws won't stop them. And yet, again and again they argue that if owning guns were illegal no one would have them.

You would think with all the movies over the years doing such an excellent job of depicting "bad guys" that it would sink in at some point that "bad guys" don't give a rip about the law and have many devious ways around it. Surely Ebert has reviewed some of these movies in his time...

Chicago Style Politics: Lightweight!!11!!

Reuters Intl: Mexico state candidate killed ahead of vote: MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A leading opposition candidate killed... http://bit.ly/bE9p6a

Rodolfo Torre from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, was favored to win the July 4 vote for Tamaulipas governor but was ambushed on his way to the local airport in Ciudad Victoria, the daily Universal reported. Four people from Torre's election campaign were killed in the attack, it said.

Posted by: The Chicken at June 28, 2010 02:25 PM (AZGON)

You know, if someone polled me on the question, "If you were to be told Roger Ebert had been arrested and booked on molestation charges, would you believe it?"  My answer would be, "Oh yeah, totally."

Roger is an idiot. Here are some of his worst reviews.

Thanks for that list; I bookmarked it so I can occasionally read it when I need to remind myself what a simple turd he is.  Those must be from his print reviews because I remember on tv he revealed what a clueless asshole he is by badmouthing Blue Velvet because of all the gratuitous violence to Isabella Rosellini's character.  You could tell by Siskel's response that he considered him a shithead and a douche for thinking that way; particularly somebody who wrote the script for a Russ Meyer movie.  I think his brain rapidly dissolved through the years because he only comes up with embarrassing statements now.  A truly worthless bitter fuck.

Didn't Samson use part of Ebert to kill a lot of people.

I don't get it.

.......Oh wait!  I get it!!!

Except that the donk......well maybe I don't get it.

Roger is an idiot. Here are some of his worst reviews.

I f it were the first "Star Wars" movie, "The Phantom Menace" would be hailed as a visionary breakthrough.

His first sentence demonstrates his idiocy.  If it were the first Star Wars movie there never would have been more.  Ebert himself would have blasted its idiocy, psuedoscientific religiousness, horrible dialogue and humor that never rises above fart and poop jokes.

How clueless do you have to be to think Domino is in any way like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and then compare Kiss Kiss Bang Bang unfavorably to that piece of dog shit?

Posted by: Waterhouse at June 28, 2010 02:35 PM (+mGnn)

Well Domino does have Keira Knightley getting naked and having sex...  and wasn't his lone foray into film making essentially softcore porn?

Maybe Roger should go spend an afternoon with Uncle Ted the way Anthony Bourdain did so he can get turned around on this issue. 

The good part with the guns comes toward the end.

Again and again I've had to argue with liberal friends that criminals don't follow the law to begin with so more laws won't stop them.

Ah, that wonderful belief in The State, despite all evidence.

"This time, the police will be able to catch all the bad guys and lock them up on weapons charges and we'll live happily, and gun-free, after.

74 Ace,

Ace, Buddah Ebert is sort of like AllahPundit in that he enjoys being contrarian just to be contrarian....since the film was getting flamed and he got his analysis of the initial film wrong he was "edgy" and went Lewinsky on Lucas' Little Billy.

Posted by: Deety at June 28, 2010 02:33 PM (aVzyR)

Deety, if your vet won't do it, just start calling the large animal vets in the area.  Someone who deals with Farm Animals will have more empathy for your dog and yourself.

So sorry to hear this. 

I had to put both my dogs in the last 14 months and it was the among the worst experiences of my life. That was with a sensible and empathetic vet who did everything she could to make them comfortable and their final journey a peaceful one.

I couldn't imagine a vet who would challenge your judgement.  Remember that your stress affects your pet greatly, so try and find a way to calm yourself down and spend some quality time setting him/her at ease and reaffirming your love to/for your buddy.

My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

Somebody really ought to sit Ebert down and explain to him that his only "credentials" are that he couldn't make it as a director after film school, relegating him to the overcrowded and pretentious role as a film critic.

Their's an age old adage, those who can't do, teach.  Those who can't teach teach gym and those that can't even manage that become film critics.  I won't bother pointing the incredible stupidity of Ebert's political views, those far more eloquent than I have done so and will likely continue to do so for quite some time in this thread.

No, I will simply point out that it would just be nice, for a change, if folks like Ebert would stop thinking that just because their name is known to more than half a dozen folks that suddenly makes them an expert on every topic under the sun.

Or in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, Stupid is as Stupid Does.

>>> Is this how we rate movies? Maybe the characters are bland, but they're setting up a sequel or two, so... perhaps it's "inevitable."

Ace there's like 11 dimensions to reviewing movies and your only on like the 2nd or 3rd or something.  Don't you get it man?  I'm like bouncing back and forth between 10 and 11 while developing number 12 most of the time so you might want to dial that shit back a little bit ok.  Look I know I make it look like anyone can review a movie but it's just not that simple.

Posted by: ace at June 28, 2010 02:42 PM (SsvUp)

Peter Jackson seemed to have done a pretty good job in Fellowship, making the characters very compelling.  And he knew he was doing 2 more films too.  I would say that has to be one of the dumbest things he has ever said, but unfortunately we're facing a plethora of dumb things from him.

Movie critic: The ultimate fauxcation.

"Look at all the guns that shot people this weekend. Where did they come from? That is the issue," Daley said at a South Side high school Tuesday.

Ten people have been killed and more than 60 others wounded by gunfire since Friday, city officials said. Daley said about 75 percent of the recent shootings involved people who knew each other.

I just found my ass with both hands. I give myself four stars.

Remember the good old days when you excused yourself for Tweeting?

Posted by: Jean at June 28, 2010 02:49 PM (I6dJM)

I'm going to guess that at least half were gang related.  So they probably were returning fire.

"who are the "guilty" gunshot victims"

Those people Mumia took out.

Before the White Man came to America and destroyed the peaceful Native Societies, there were no Horses. The mere sight of a Horse drove these First Peoples mad. 

It is a shame that we only think of them when the Horse Hair has fallen out of our Butt Plugs.

Ebert is one damn ugly old woman. 

Ebert:  "The Phantom Menace was jaw dropping."

Ladies and gentlemen, the winning post for today.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2010 02:53 PM (m2CN7)

I sat through that I am still uncertain.  Was there any plot to that movie?  There was a surprise ending, though.  It turns out that the oilman was the bad guy.

C.H.U.D. was worthy of 2 thumbs up.

I agree.  One of the best horror films of the 1980s.

>>> "Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace," to cite its full title, is an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking.

Maybe he was kissing some Lucas ass in hopes that George would rebuild him into a new super cool half human half robot dude like Darth Vader complete with a new commanding voice that would demand respect.

_{Posted by: Gene Shalit at June 28, 2010 02:59 PM (uFokq})

Not dead, but apparently you have forgotten you Schtick.  Let me give it a try for you. 

'Death Becomes Me?'

My 'HAIR'?

'Funny Girl'.

I'm going to guess that at least half were gang related.  So they probably were returning fire.

And probably shot the other half dead as well.  Ok, so win win.  What's the issue here again?  Lol..

>>> "Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace," to cite its full title, is an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking.

Maybe he was kissing some Lucas ass in hopes that George would rebuild him into a new super cool half human half robot dude like Darth Vader complete with a new commanding voice that would demand respect.

Posted by: Roadking at June 28, 2010 03:03 PM (c+oWt)

Its really not surprising Ebert loved it though.  One of the villains was named Nute Gunray,  in "honor" of Regan and Gingrich.

>>> Its really not surprising Ebert loved it though.  One of the villains was named Nute Gunray,  in "honor" of Regan and Gingrich.

Seriously?

*spit*

Roger Ebert in

Mandible Bites Dog

There was an old SNL skit of Siskel and Ebert reviewing porn that was funny. Can't find it.

If you're looking for it on YouTube and the like, don't bother. NBC guards their material like Ebert guards a gross of Ding Dongs.

146 Birth of a Nation? 3.5 stars!
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans? 3.5 stars!
Plan Nine From Outer Space? 3.5 stars!
Chasing Amy? 3.5 stars!
Sorority Gang Bang 14? 3.5 stars!

Obviously he's underating Sorority Gang Bang 14.  But you do need to see the first 13 otherwise you'll have no clue what is going on.

Godfather II was an excellent movie--I think you meant Godfather III (The Director's Daughter Cut). 

My baseline for movie critics was the hideous and pretentious Magnolia, which ended my brief Indie/Art House phase. 

Roger Ebert in

Jaws VI - The Drooling

On other planets, silicon-based lifeforms there have to worry about their silica footprints and SiO₂ emissions just as we should all worry about our carbon footprints and the way carbon dioxide destroys our planet.

What a shame that we only seem to think about silica whenever we forget that we aren't supposed to eat the "Chiclets" that came with our new stereo.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2010 02:53 PM (m2CN7)

I sat through that I am still uncertain.  Was there any plot to that movie?  There was a surprise ending, though.  It turns out that the oilman was the bad guy.

>>> Its really not surprising Ebert loved it though.  One of the villains was named Nute Gunray,  in "honor" of Regan and Gingrich.

Seriously?

*spit*

Posted by: Roadking at June 28, 2010 03:07 PM (c+oWt)

Are you surprised?  Afterall, Lucas is the genius that came up with "Only the Sith deal in absolutes" for a line.  Nevermind ignoring all his other movies where the Jedi were definitely the good guys, and the Sith and the Empire were absolute evils that needed to be stopped and you should never side with them.

Roger Ebert in

No Mandible for Girlie Men

54  The vet will not euthanize an old dog who hasn't been eating and is in pain?  Uh, get another vet.

(I can see and empathize with the vets I know who try to save young, healthy animals whose owners are just "tired" of them...but this is stepping up to the line of cruelty on the part of your vet -- screw him/her! Yeah, it sorta pisses me off...)

Magnolia was awful.

Memento, by stark contrast, was awesome.

Perhaps Mr. Ebert's pronouncements may henceforth

be known as "Ebortions".

I remember a comic once saying something to the effect that in a perfect world, stupid would be painful.

If it were, we'd have a hell of a lot less damned lefties.

28 btw, I had Sheets Byrd in the Dead Pool and am therefore due a lotta cash

Thanks, Sheets, for beating Ginsburg and Jimmy Carter

Old chap, you can't take a 97 year old in the dead pool. it's just not sporting.

Obviously he's underating Sorority Gang Bang 14.  But you do need to see the first 13 otherwise you'll have no clue what is going on.

I felt the same way. It's a lot like The Wire. Nice to see porn with an ensemble cast of character actors.

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2010 02:53 PM (m2CN7)

Fuck that movie.  I sat through it and thought it was way to long and fucking boring.  What was the point of the kid setting fire to the house for no damn reason or the guy trying to scam Plainview as his long lost half-brother?

Yet all these little idiots thought it was so great and kept repeating that line "I drink your milkshake!" and thought it was sooo great.

Posted by: Dang at June 28, 2010 03:12 PM (Chg7a)

I totally identified with Daniel Plainview (the oilman).  I would have shoved that bowling pin up Eli's ass and made him lick it clean before I got done bludgeoning him to death with it.

I.... DRINK.... YOUR.... MILKSHAKE!   I DRINK IT UP!

The mask has really fallen, reveailing the stupid beneath.

Let me guess, you had a large influx of red neck, racist, teabagging yokels from some unsophisticated place like............oh hell, Texas, in town over the weekend. Or, was Sarah Palin in town and it was her crew shooting up the place up."

It was the few remaining Tea Party Protestors that didn't get arrested after causing a ruckus in Toronto.  They were passing through on their way back home to border states.  Or Arizona.

The worst split between the critics' reviews and how good the movie actually was, I'd say, belongs to Wall-E. It was a piece of shit whose whole message was, Wal-Mart is evil and Americans are fat and stupid. Well over 90% positive on RottenTomatoes.

Therefore I can't get exercised about Ebert's "bad" reviews - I note that amongst them, is a lower review for Full Metal Jacket, an overrated and preachy "antiwar" movie from the beginning of Kubrick's long writers'-block period. Well, sorry guys; the critics were wrong and Ebert was right (in that instance).

Ebert is right on this much - there is groupthink amongst critics and it's his job not to follow that herd.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 28, 2010 02:14 PM (md/wF)

Oh, I thought it was the fat douchebag that died, not the skinny one. So it's the fat one who doesn't understand that criminals have guns?

Posted by: JackStraw

Bite me. No, I am not the VP of the United States.

The worst split between the critics' reviews and how good the movie actually was, I'd say, belongs to Wall-E. It was a piece of shit whose whole message was, Wal-Mart is evil and Americans are fat and stupid. Well over 90% positive on RottenTomatoes.

Therefore I can't get exercised about Ebert's "bad" reviews - I note that amongst them, is a lower review for Full Metal Jacket, an overrated and preachy "antiwar" movie from the beginning of Kubrick's long writers'-block period. Well, sorry guys; the critics were wrong and Ebert was right (in that instance).

Ebert is right on this much - there is groupthink amongst critics and it's his job not to follow that herd.

Posted by: Zimriel at June 28, 2010 03:33 PM (9Sbz+)

That's your interpretation.  You can also argue that it shows what can happen to the world when you let the government be in charge of everything, and relying on them to fix all your problems.  Shit just doesn't get done.  You have to be willing to get up off your lazy ass and do it yourself if you want to accomplish anything and live.

Posted by: Damn Skippy at June 28, 2010 03:31 PM (f7A+e)

Who? Obama?

Continuing O/T from Heather's HealthCare link:

"More than 80 percent of people who die in the United States have a long, progressive illness such as cancer, heart failure or Alzheimer's disease."

They use this statistic as some sort of indicator of how we are wasting money on "helpless" treatments.  Amazing.  I see this statistic as an indicator of how amazingly-awesome our current medical capabilities are.  Basically, if you're going to die in America, you're going to die of something very very serious, and you're going to die of it after receiving all of the treatments that turn the majority of your fellow sufferers around.

Seriously, let's think about the alternative to this statement.  If 80% of Americans weren't dying of long, progressive illnesses, what would we be dying of otherwise?  Short, sudden illnesses.  Colds.  Infections.  Chicken Pox.

Posted by: HeatherRadish at June 28, 2010 03:33 PM (mR7mk)

The "right to die" morphs very quickly into the "duty to die".

Posted by: LincolnTf at June 28, 2010 03:46 PM (Um3jj)

This one?

Or maybe this?

Posted by: polynikes at June 28, 2010 03:40 PM (m2CN7)

I watched Funny People a couple nights ago and liked it quite a bit.  I'm not at all an Adam Sandler fan so him playing an obnoxious dick was pretty good casting.

I saw There Will Be Blood for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I kept waiting for something to happen...some plot development, some insight into the main character, and I got...nothing. The "villain" preacher (how original in a Hollywood movie!) was a weak pussy not really worthy of even being called an opponent.

If you want some interesting movie reviews to read, check out those of John Simon online. He's in his 80s now and hasn't reviewed movies for about 10 years, but he is fearless in calling out many movies (even "classics") if he thinks they miss the mark. He is politically incorrect and scathing towards actors who looks he finds offensive, particularly if they can't act as well as looking bad. Barbra Streisand is his Enemy Number One.

"Miss Streisand looks like a cross between an aardvark and an albino rat surmounted by a platinum-coated horse bun." - John Simon

Fatty McButterpants really should practice keeping his slobber-hole closed. It seems that every time he opens it, stupidity escapes only to be replaced by chocolate eclairs.

245 Seems to me that practically everyone was packing a weapon of some kind in the Stars Wars movies - anywhere and everywhere

That's because most of the locations in SW4-6 were either military installations or else hick planets on the fringe of nowhere. For SW1-3, the viewer was mostly in the company of an aristocracy: Jedi, the Queen of Naboo, retainers. We don't see what "blaster-control" meant for the average, um, Coruscanti.

Cliff Clavin's stint in the Rebel Alliance.

well I'll be.  Done got some learning on me.

"To obtain a permit, gun owners should be required to attend the funeral of an innocent gunshot victim."

Mhmmm. Yes, I see, Roger.

And to obtain an abortion, a woman should be required to attend an abortion. And to get a good close look at what comes out.

And now for something completely different (like O/T type different).

Compare and contrast the two sides of the street, the left side and the right side.

http://tinyurl.com/27hc3x3

Wall-E's first half was one of the best movies ever made, period. A classic, post-apocalyptic Chaplinesque masterpiece. I'm still amazed that I can care so much about a gadget that never speaks a single line of dialog; that doesn't even have a face. (Amazing how those eye-cameras of his reflect his personality, isn't it?)

The second half...meh. Standard Disney pap. I love the movie's first 50 minutes or so, but I rarely watch must past that any more.

Posted by: Monty at June 28, 2010 03:50 PM (4Pleu)

I'll again reiterate the idea that Wall-E is more conservative in message than you would think.  The ship itself is a demonstration of the problems of liberal nannystatism.  A 5 year program ends up lasting centuries.  And one act of kindness by an individual is much better than waiting around for the government to fix your problem.  The guy falls off the floating chair and Wall-E gets him back up well before the ship does anything at all for him.

Here are some choice twitters in Ebert's thread from the enlightened himself:

"To obtain a permit, gun owners should be required to attend the funeral of an innocent gunshot victim."

and

"Supreme Court sides with squirrel hunters and drug gangs against cops and innocent bystanders."

Just stick to movie reviews there, Ebert. Plenty of popcorn and milk duds with none of that heavy "thinking" going on.

"Supreme Court sides with squirrel hunters and drug gangs against cops and innocent bystanders."

That should be "unarmed by the force of law innocent bystanders"

Those wishing to take away the guns of others should have to watch a film of a home invasion/murder.

Henry:  Portait of a Serial Killer

Two (severed) thumbs up!

"Supreme Court sides with squirrel hunters and drug gangs against cops and innocent bystanders."

Is he saying that MS-13 bangers buy their guns legally and with proper I.D.?

Who knew?

Afterall, Lucas is the genius that came up with "Only the Sith deal in absolutes" for a line.  Nevermind ignoring all his other movies where the Jedi were definitely the good guys, and the Sith and the Empire were absolute evils that needed to be stopped and you should never side with them.

ROTFL.. there are enough plot holes in the whole series of Star Wars films to drive several large semi-trucks through and still have room for a few dozen elephants on either side.

My personal favorite?  Ok, your Obi Wan Kenobi.  Your given charge of an infant, Anakin Skywalker's son Luke, and you need to hide him from the Empire. Most specifically from his father. Now, given all of the choices you have, where do you go?

Oh, that's right, you go back to Tatooine, and put the boy in with the family that Anakin's mom married into before she died.  Better yet, you don't even bother to change his last name, just in case you haven't already been entirely too obvious about his hiding place.

Not like the last name of Skywalker is like "Smith" or something.  But hey, nothing to worry about there.  No way that Anakin, who is now Darth Vader, would ever think to look with the closest thing to family the Skywalker's have on the one planet that for whatever bizarre reason seems to be the center of the entire universe.  It must be, it's featured prominently in pretty much every damn movie.

What's worse?  The democratically elected "Queen" of Naboo.  Ok, so Amidala is supposedly a "Queen", right?  But of course Lucas can't burden use with the notion that she came to power by some hereditary claim to the title.  Nope, she was democratically elected and naturally beloved by everyone.  Now, someone else gets elected Queen and Amidala gets elected Senator.

But this of course presents some major problems.  If Amidala isn't a Queen, then what makes Princess Leia a "Princess"?  And even if Amidala is still Queen, if you have to be elected a Queen to be a Queen, then why would any of your kids be considered royalty?  After all, their rule isn't hereditary, you have to get elected to be Queen, it doesnÂ’t just get handed too you cause mom was Queen once.

And even if you call every kid on Naboo who's mom ever got elected Queen (and that must be a lot of kids since they apparently only get elected for something like 2 years and then theyÂ’re out) a prince or a princess, why in the world (any world) would Leia be known as Princess Leia.

She was, after all, adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, and even she didn't know who her real mother was, so she shouldn't have any idea she is a princess, and she certainly shouldn't be gallivanting around using that title. Even Vader refers to her as “Princess Leia”, yet her father is a Senator, not a King or Emperor or anything of that nature.  Only thing I could think of is maybe Mrs. Organa was a serious drama queen, but then you donÂ’t normally call descendants of a drama queen “Princess” as an official title, even if her mom is known as a PIA galaxy wide.

Yup, amazing how these guys make a boat ton of money on these movies, and their this badly written that so many of these really glaring inconsistencies stand out like sore thumbs.

"Supreme Court sides with squirrel hunters and drug gangs against cops and innocent bystanders."

It's true.  Man, do I hate Geoff and his monthly unemployment charts...

Ok, I retract the slobber-hole comment. Didn't realize this guy had part of his face removed.

I'm vicious and meanspirited, but not that vicious and meanspirited.*

^{*Depending on the day.}

Posted by: Stuck on Stupid at June 28, 2010 04:09 PM (e8T35)

The Leia stuff is meh.  Leia is also a member of the Senate and called princess.  I never read the original story of Star Wars, but I do believe that her father was a member of the royal family of Alderaan.  So she was adopted into royalty, thus making her a princess.

The Naboo stuff, yeah that's a complete load of idiocy on Lucas's part.

There is a story from TIME that says the Air Force is considering dropping the ENTIRE FLEET of B1 bombers.

That is the one of the worst ideas I have ever heard!

Our defense is literally being gutted.

Isn't the B1 the POS that's never fought?

 I never read the original story of Star Wars, but I do believe that her father was a member of the royal family of Alderaan.  So she was adopted into royalty, thus making her a princess.

Ok, well that explains a bit at any rate, but if your a baron or baroness or something of that nature your kids aren't going to be a Princess, you don't get that unless your dad is a King.  So if Bail is a King on Alderaan, he .. what, moonlights as the planets represenatative in the Senate as well?  I wonder if he works a part time job on the side as well.. busy guy.

But I suppose it's not completely impossible if your monarchy is like England's and mostly just for show, but still pretty damn weird overall.  And like you, I've never read the original books, so maybe there's a nugget or two in there that might explain a few things - but overall, from a storyline stand point.. horrible writing for the screenplay to say the least.

Ok, well that explains a bit at any rate, but if your a baron or baroness or something of that nature your kids aren't going to be a Princess, you don't get that unless your dad is a King.  So if Bail is a King on Alderaan, he .. what, moonlights as the planets represenatative in the Senate as well?  I wonder if he works a part time job on the side as well.. busy guy.

But I suppose it's not completely impossible if your monarchy is like England's and mostly just for show, but still pretty damn weird overall.  And like you, I've never read the original books, so maybe there's a nugget or two in there that might explain a few things - but overall, from a storyline stand point.. horrible writing for the screenplay to say the least.

Posted by: Stuck on Stupid at June 28, 2010 04:30 PM (e8T35)

Actually most EU stuff establishes Bail as a Prince on Alderaan.  So think of it in similar terms to William and Harry.  They are both Princes just like their dad.  And its not so much original books, because I read the novelizations of Episodes 5 and 6.  I never read a novelization of Episode 4 though so I can't say whether original source work does call her father by any certain title or not.  My point is that Leia, is a Senator and a Princess as well at the same time.

I find this whole Ebert affair utterly depressing....

More than 25 years ago, one of my first jobs was behind the counter at a deli right next to the Sun-Times Building, and Ebert used to come in a few times a week for a chinese chicken salad which I was more than proud to prepare for him.

More than 25 years later, and here we find Ebert drooling and twittering like the mindless leftist he's chosen to become.

I used to make minimum wage preparing this guy's lunch, and while he drools onto his Mac, I'm drawing damn good residuals off of what he always regarded as crap.

Karma's a bitch, ain't it Rog???

Roger Ebert? Me no Leica 

I think the intelligent rebuttals have already been covered, but there's always room for hate.

@22: ""To obtain a permit, gun owners should be required to attend the funeral of an innocent gunshot victim."

No one is innocent.

Roger also KNOWS that forks cause obesity, that keyboards cause hate speech and water causes drowning.

Memo to Roger: Col. Mustard called, suggested you get a clue.

It is a valid tactic in writing to introduce an irritating character that the audience hates that later redeems him(her)self in a noble sacrifice for the protagonist(s). This gives the audience cognitive dissonance, feeling good that their canker sore is gone, and feeling bad about feeling good about the death of the character that was proven to be noble.

Do you really expect me to read all of that?  Boooooooor-ring!