Our current president is such a pussy that he can't recite a speech with an audience of U.S. citizens, or as he views us, denizens of the deep. He has to have the military (in one form or another) to use as his non-resentful backdrop with every recitation he makes these days.
The general public is way too pissed off at Dubya for him to give a speech, oh, say at a shopping mall. There would be hecklers which would throw Dubya off while he was reading from the teleprompter. Not only might he get confused, we all know now Dubya, to a pathological degree, does not like to be contradicted. He might have to think on his feet which always makes the man uncomfortable. I relish the debates with John Kerry when Dubya's style was so rehearsed it was rather embarrasing for the whole crowd.
With our men dying daily, people want out of the Iraq quagmire. Our men are given eight weeks of intensive training, then they are shipped off to defend Iraqis against themselves. Some reports say only SEVEN HUNDRED Iraqis are capable to defend themselves against the local militias. Are the Iraqis that inept at soldiering?
I don't think so. There are too many Iraqis fearful of reprisal after we leave. They don't want to get caught with their pants down after some local chieftain comes in and starts beheading people in the street. They're covering their asses while we send our troops on dangerous missions trying to sniff out the insurgency. That's not we went there for. We went to depose Saddam and get those weapons of mass destruction (supposedly). We're nothing but sitting ducks while the Iraqi young men wait to see which side of the fence they want to be on when the civil war commencesy grow up, I mean, c'mon.
I think it's critical that when Dubya says victory, that will be, BEST CASE SCENARIO: Civil War. The United States had a god awful civil war after we defeated Britain. We easily could have split into two entirely separate countries, we damn near did. With Texas being so independent, we might have been three or four countries. Before Texas joined the U.S., they stipulated they could withdraw from the Union anytime they voted to do so. That remains in their constitution with the federal government.
Our president is so vain he won't even admit that huge mistakes were made in this invasion and should be corrected. Bush 41 outclasses his son ten-fold, and that ain't saying much. I hope when 43's presidential library is made, it doesn't distort reality to the point of discombobulity. Can you imagine what it will be like? Going down the list of his suck-ups of a cabinet who could not even begin to negate anything about his war, his being led by the big chain of Big Dick Cheney.
The country is realizing we're not sacrificing our brave men for the sole purpose of baby-sitting. Maybe a Democratic contender will fess up and admit civil war is inevitable. I say we pull out, let the civil war run it's course, if the leader that emerges from the civil war turns out to be a insane megalomaniac, we go back in and Shock and Awe the fuck out of them one more time. We'll eventually get some guy who has some morals. Maybe we''ll the the whole fucking region alone for it to takes its own course. That might be a sane thing to do geopolitically, which means we'll never do it.
zEN mAN (After viewing George and Laura's "Season's Greetings" card sent to 4.1 million and laughing at the hoopla over secularist, hedonistic liberals (and the ACLU) destroying our country (according to FOX) by taking "Christ" out of Christmas.....Happy Ha Ha Ha to Ya!)
Larry Beinhart: Brand X (huffingtonpost.com)
1. President Loser: Let us count the things that were lost on Bush's watch, then let us hang them around his neck, like big French medals. He immediately lost the budget surplus. Then he lost the World Trade Center. Damn near lost the Pentagon too. Then he lost America's moral standing in the world. He lost an entire American city - New Orleans. Nobody's ever lost a whole American city before. Then, he lost the War in Iraq.
Ivan Eland: TSA Treats for Holiday Travelers (consortiumnews.com)
Editor's Note: For many Americans, the Christmas holidays mean air travel and often frustrating delays. But the post-Sept. 11 airport security also can lead to embarrassing public searches for travelers pulled out of line. Men can be forced to open their pants to show they're not carrying contraband. Women must tolerate inspectors patting down their breasts.
Richard Roeper: Smoking deals, Jen's pics leave me light-headed (suntimes.com)
You know what? The lawyers are right. Yes, Aniston has displayed her assets again and again for publicity. She wants us to see her semi-naked in magazines and her movies. But when she's home, she's home -- even though she should know by now that no matter how many trees she has in the backyard, if she takes off her top, some skeev with a lens is going to capture the moment.
Tim Appelo: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (seattleweekly.com)
Aslan keeps interrupting Narnia to save the kids in a way that makes allegorical sense, not storytelling sense. But I guess you could say the same about crucifixion and resurrection in the Bible. And this is only a PG-rated crucifixion, not The Passion of the Christ. Since everyone will compare this movie to LOTR and Harry Potter, here's how I think it stacks up: a pale echo of the Tolkien trilogy, worse than Alfonso Cuarón's third Harry Potter film, better than Chris Columbus' first two, and about on a par with Mike Newell's new Goblet of Fire.
Outside of the war on terror, this culture war is the most important thing happening in the country today. At stake, whether the USA will turn into a secular country that mirrors Western Europe, or maintain its emphasis on Judeo-Christian values.
Yes, let's put the Christ back in Christmas tree, shall we? As Bob Somerby might put it, this is just Bill's personal way of sticking it to the rubes. Holy Moses, grab the kids and head for the hills, somebody's trying to snuff Kris Kringle.
The So-Called War on Christmas is the most important thing outside of the War on Terrorism because it's Bill's personal crusade. Hey Loofa Me! I guess Bill's mom didn't watch him enough when he was a kid doing belly flops off the diving board at the Holiday Inn, and so now he has to go around making shit up to get people to look at him.
Poor sick, twisted bastard. Why not help him out by slipping over to Doc O'Reilly's Christmas Gifts.com and purchasing a Defense of Marriage Marriage Enhancing Product, like the 7" Fairly Unbalanced Patriot Penetrator.
Or if you prefer, the Myrrh-Scented Baby Jesus Butt Plug.
CBS opens the night with a FRESH'Survivor: Guatemala', followed by a FRESH'CSI: The Original One', then a FRESH'Without A Trace'.
On a RERUNDave (from 11/7/05) are Jennifer Aniston and 50 Cent.
On a RERUNCraig (from 11/3/05) are Charlie Sheen, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Franz Ferdinand.
NBC begins the night with a FRESH'Joey', followed by a FRESH'Will & Grace', then a FRESH'The Apprentice: The Donald (not The Scooter)', followed by a FRESH'ER' (starts 1 minute before the top of the hour).
Scheduled on a FRESHJay Leno are George Clooney, Steve Schirripa, and Trey Anastasio.
Scheduled on a FRESHConan are Luke Wilson, Jack Klugman, and Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson.
On a RERUNCarson Daly (from 11/15/05) are Patton Oswalt, the Sounds, and Max & the Attack.
ABC starts the night with the movie 'Head Of State', followed by 'Primetime'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel it's TBA.
The WB offers a FRESH'Smallville', followed by a FRESH'Everwood'.
Faux has a FRESH'The O.C.', followed by a FRESH'Reunion'.
UPN has a RERUN'Everybody Hates Chris', followed by a RERUN'Love, Inc.', then a RERUN'Eve', followed by a RERUN'Cuts'.
A&E has 'Cold Case Files', another 'Cold Case Files', 'John Lennon Assaassination', and 'The First 48'.
AMC offers the movie 'Young Guns II', followed by the movie 'Above The Law', then the movie 'Chain Reaction'.
BBC -
[2pm] 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' - The Ant, An Introduction;
[2:40pm] 'The Thin Blue Line' - Come On You Blues;
[3:20pm] 'The Thin Blue Line' - Road Rage;
[4pm] 'At Home with the Braithwaites' - Episode 3;
[5pm] 'Monarch of the Glen' - Episode 7;
[6pm] 'BBC World News';
[6:30pm] 'House Invaders' - Ilkeston;
[7pm] 'The Benny Hill Show' - Episode 16;
[8pm] 'Cash in the Attic' - Burrington-Wheatley;
[9pm] 'Silent Witness' - Ep 2 - Death by Water;
[11pm] 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' - The Ant, An Introduction;
[11:40pm] 'The Office' - Episode 5;
[12:20am] 'The Office' - Episode 6;
[1am] 'Silent Witness' - Ep 2 - Death by Water;
[3am] 'The Prisoner' - Ep. 13 Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling;
[4am] 'The Prisoner' - Ep. 14 Living In Harmony;
[5am] 'The Prisoner' - Ep. 15 The Girl Who Was Death;
[6am] 'BBC World News'. (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Party, Party', 'Project Runway', another 'Project Runway', and 'Kathy Griffin: Allegedly'.
Comedy Central has 'Comedy Central Presents', 'Reno 911!', last night's 'Jon Stewart', last night's 'Colbert Report', 'Premium Blend', 'South Park', another 'South Park', and 'Showbiz Show With David Spade'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJon Stewart is Thomas Friedman.
Scheduled on a FRESHColbert Report is Peggy Noonan.
History has 'Modern Marvels', 'Decoding The Past', and 'Boys' Toys'.
IFC -
[6AM] Ready To Wear (1994);
[8:15AM] Passion In The Desert(1998);
[10AM] Sweet Dreams (1985);
[11:45AM] IFC in Theaters(2005);
[12PM] The Last Days (1998);
[1:30PM] Passion In The Desert(1998);
[3:15PM] Julian Po(1997);
[4:45PM] At The IFC Center #8(2005);
[5:15PM] Mighty Aphrodite(1995);
[6:55PM] Ready To Wear (1994);
[9:15PM] Cecil B. Demented (2000);
[11PM] Ghost World (2001);
[1AM] Polyester(1981);
[3AM] Ghost World (2001);
[5AM] At The IFC Center #8(2005). (ALL TIMES EST)
SciFi has 'The Triangle' (part 3 of 3), followed by the movie 'Thirteen Ghosts'.
Sundance -
[7:15am] The Battle Of Algiers;
[9:30am] Hermitage-niks: A Passion for the Hermitage: Episode 3 - Empty Frames;
[10am] Purity;
[11:05am] Northfork;
[1pm] Our House: A Very Real Documentary About Kids of Gay and Lesbian Parents;
[2pm] The Umbrellas of Cherbourg;
[3:35pm] Sabbath Entertainment;
[4pm] Brother;
[4:15pm] Mule Skinner Blues;
[6pm] I Am NOT an ANIMAL: My Fair Mare;
[6:30pm] Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave;
[7pm] The Battle Of Algiers;
[9pm] Slings & Arrows: Episode 6 - Playing the Swan;
[10pm] Iconoclasts: Zellweger on Amanpour;
[11pm] TransGeneration: Episode 3;
[11:30pm] Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train;
[12am] Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band;
[2am] Iconoclasts: Zellweger on Amanpour;
[3am] Fuse;
[5am] Yves St. Laurent: 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris. (ALL TIMES EST)
Former California Gov. Gray Davis, left, looks at his official portrait, painted by San Jose artitst Robert K. Seamans, second from right, after it was unveiled in a ceremony held at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005. At right is current California Gov. Arnold $chwarzenegger. The portrait shows Davis, who was replaced by $chwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election, standing in a field of wildlflowers with Carmel Bay in the background. The portrait will hang in the third floor of the Capitol's west wing.
Photo by Rich Pedroncelli
Ailing British playwright Harold Pinter used his Nobel prize lecture on Wednesday to deliver a fierce attack on U.S. foreign policy and urge the unflinching pursuit of truth to restore "the dignity of man."
Forbidden by doctors from going to Stockholm to receive the 10 million crown ($1.28 million) literature prize, 75-year-old Pinter, who has been battling cancer for years, sent a video recording showing him in a wheelchair with his legs under a red blanket.
His frailty and hoarse voice added to the drama of a speech peppered with the potent silences of his plays like "The Birthday Party" and "The Caretaker," which gave rise to the term "Pinteresque." Behind him in the studio was a photo of the London-born playwright in more robust times.
Already a fierce critic of the U.S.-led war in Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1
Iraq, Pinter said post-World War Two history was full of examples of Washington exercising "a clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good."
Citing examples from U.S.-backed Contra rebels in Nicaragua to the occupation of Iraq and detention of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Pinter said the United States and its ally Britain -- "its own bleating little lamb" -- had traded in death and "employed language to keep thought at bay."
Arlo Guthrie famously sang about the train called the "City of New Orleans." Now he's riding the rails himself, performing in cities along the route to benefit musical venues and musicians who suffered in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Guthrie will perform with various musicians during the 13-day tour, including his son Abe with his band Xavier, his daughter Sara Lee Guthrie, Cyril Neville, Guy Davis, Ramsay Midwood, Kevin Kinney with Drivin' Cryin' and the Burns Sisters.
Guthrie will disembark for shows in Urbana, Effingham, Carbondale and Memphis, Tenn. Willie Nelson is scheduled to perform during the final show Dec. 17 at Tipitina's in New Orleans.
The money being raised and equipment being donated will be distributed by MusicCares, a program of The Recording Academy, and Tipitina's Foundation to performers, along with churches, schools, clubs "and anywhere where music is being played," Guthrie said.
Legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck stands on stage following a performance to celebrate his 85th birthday at London's Barbican Hall, Tuesday Dec. 6, 2005. Brubeck had just given a performance backed by the London Symphony Orchestra, to celebrate his birthday.
Photo by Alastair Grant
Legendary Hawaiian crooner Don Ho was recovering Tuesday at a hospital in Thailand after undergoing an experimental stem cell procedure on his ailing heart.
Ho, 75, known for his signature tune "Tiny Bubbles," underwent a new treatment that has not been approved in the United States. It involves multiplying stem cells taken from his blood and injecting them into his heart in hopes of strengthening the organ, according to Ed Brown, a close friend.
The procedure Ho underwent was developed by TheraVitae Co., which has offices in Thailand and laboratories in Israel, where Ho's stem cells were sent to be multiplied.
The group that traditionally presents the first big U.S. movie awards of the Oscar season said on Wednesday it had delayed announcing its winners after complaints about its voting process.
The National Board of Review awards are sometimes an indicator of what to expect in the race for the Academy Awards in March but frequently its choices are more esoteric and its legitimacy has been called into question by some critics.
One critic this year said the group had omitted directors of such critically acclaimed films as "Capote," "Pride and Prejudice " and "Walk the Line" from its eligibility list.
The delay will cost the NBR its position as the first award of the season since the Los Angeles Film Critics Association is due to announce its film of the year on December 10 -- one of several awards that narrow the field for next March's Oscars.
Dozens of photographer Annie Leibovitz's images documenting the construction of The New York Times' new headquarters are set to go on display around the midtown Manhattan work site beginning Wednesday.
Leibovitz was commissioned by developer Forest City Ratner Cos. to chronicle the rising tower, which will be 52 stories when completed. More than 80 of Leibovitz's images, taken between July and November 2005, will be part of the free public display.
Hundreds of posters will be mounted on the walls lining the site at Eighth Avenue between West 40th and West 41st streets, across from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and 14 giant banners will be hung above the pedestrian walkway.
Barbara 'Not Jenna' Bush, daughter of resident Bush and first lady Laura Bush, holds one of the first family's Scottish terriers, Ms. Beazley, as she accompanies her mother on a visit to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005. The 24-year-old Yale graduate was seen wearing a ring on the third finger of her left hand, but the White House said the jewelry was not an engagement or wedding ring and that she is not engaged.
Photo by J. Scott Applewhite
Valerie Bertinelli and her rock star husband, Eddie Van Halen, are divorcing after 24 years of marriage, Bertinelli's publicist confirmed Tuesday.
"Yes, that's true. They have been separated for four years and it's amicable," Bertinelli spokeswoman Heidi Schaeffer told The Associated Press. She said the actress would have no further comment.
A divorce petition that Bertinelli, 45, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday cited irreconcilable differences.
Nicole Richie and her fiance, Adam Goldstein, have called off their nine-month engagement.
Richie's publicist, Cindy Guagenti, confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the couple have split. She said the breakup had been in the works for several days, but would not give any further details.
Actor Omar Sharif pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he assaulted a valet who refused to accept his European currency.
Sharif, 73, was not required to be in court and his plea was entered through his lawyer. A pretrial hearing was set for Jan. 10.
According to a civil lawsuit filed in October by the valet, Sharif and a female companion were leaving a steakhouse in Beverly Hills on June 11 when the actor became upset that his Porsche SUV was not waiting.
Sharif was belligerent and intoxicated and called the valet a "stupid Mexican" when he refused to accept a 20 euro note, the lawsuit claimed.
The ancient Acropolis Hill is seen during sunset on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005. Moderate weather in the Greek capital has seen temperatures of around 20C, or 68F, in the past few days.
Photos by Thanassis Stavrakis
Mel Gibson is stirring passions again with his latest project - a nonfiction TV movie set against the backdrop of the Holocaust.
Gibson's Con Artist Productions is developing "Flory" for ABC, based on the true story of a Dutch Jew named Flory Van Beek and her non-Jewish boyfriend who sheltered her from the Nazis, The New York Times and Variety reported in Wednesday editions.
Critics claimed Gibson's blockbuster film "Passion of the Christ" was anti-Semitic, a charge Gibson has denied. Gibson's father also is on the record denying that the Holocaust took place.
Quinn Taylor, ABC's senior vice president in charge of television movies, had a harsh reply for early critics.
"Shut up and wait to see the movie, and then judge," Taylor, who oversaw ABC's Emmy-winning miniseries "Anne Frank," told Variety. "I'm not about to rewrite history. I'm going to explore an amazing love story that we can all learn from and, hopefully, be inspired by."
A lawsuit by parents of a teenager who says she was raped during a party at Nick Nolte's home can include evidence of previous drug and alcohol use by the actor and his son, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Nolte's publicist has said the actor was not home during the party. However, the lawsuit claims he was negligent, contending that the home had "a long history of furnishing drugs and/or alcohol to minors."
The suit states the girl, then 15, was given the date-rape drug GHB and sexually assaulted at a party on Jan. 25, 2003.
Superior Court Judge Gerald Rosenberg said prior behavior is "certainly relevant" to the case. He denied a motion by defense attorneys to limit questioning of witnesses to what happened the night of the party.
A replica of Princess Diana's wedding dress sold at auction Wednesday for $175,000, twice its pre-sale estimate.
The ivory silk taffeta dress went to an anonymous private buyer, said a spokesman for auctioneer Cooper Owen.
The dress, complete with silk net petticoat, train one-third the length of the original, tiara and veil, was put up for auction by Madame Tussaud's waxworks museum in London. The museum had been in possession of the dress since immediately after the royal wedding between the then Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles on July 29, 1981.
Douglas Gresham, the stepson of CS Lewis, arrives for the premiere of 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' in London's Royal Albert Hall, Wednesday Dec. 7, 2005.
Photo by Lefteris Pitarakis
California Gov.Arnold $chwarzenegger checked into a hospital in the middle of the night to check on a rapid heart beat, his office said on Wednesday.
The statement said $chwarzenegger, a former bodybuilder and actor who underwent heart surgery in 1997, was released after a few hours and was back at work on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh Brewing Co., the maker of Iron City Beer, filed for protection from creditors under federal bankruptcy regulations Wednesday after failing to pay $2.5 million in water and sewage bills.
Pittsburgh Brewing, which employs about 250 people, will continue to operate while under Chapter 11 protection, said company attorney Robert O. Lampl.
The company had defaulted on sewage treatment payments dating back to 1996 and had failed to pay current water and sewage bills - charges totaling about $2.5 million, said Holly Parada, a spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority.
On Monday, the authority issued a notice threatening to cut off water service if the company's obligations weren't met by the end of the day Tuesday. The bankruptcy filing prevents the agency from terminating water service, Parada said.
The Brussels' Town Hall is reflected in a giant sphere, as a part of Christmas events, at the Grand-Place in Brussels December 6, 2005.
Photo by Thierry Roge
Two New York fashion designers on Tuesday sued Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal, supermodel Heidi Klum and others, claiming they originally developed the idea for what became the television show "Project Runway."
In a copyright lawsuit filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, designers Cynthia Rodriguez and Elizabeth Marie Anne Zwiebach claim they provided a 40-page outline for a reality show they were interested in developing titled "American Runway" to Klum's agents after first approaching the agents with the idea in July 2003.
The designers claim they had previously registered and copyrighted the work with the Writer's Guild of America in March 2003 and that "Project Runway" is "strikingly similar" to their idea.
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Nov. 28-Dec. 4. Top 20 listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.
1. (2) "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 25.5 million viewers.
2. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 23.2 million viewers.
3. (7) "Monday Night Football: Pittsburgh at Indianapolis," ABC, 22.6 million viewers.
4. (6) "Lost," ABC, 21.5 million viewers.
5. (4) "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 20.6 million viewers.
6. (8) "Survivor: Guatemala," CBS, 19.8 million viewers.
7. (4) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 19.8 million viewers.
8. (8) "NCIS," CBS, 18.2 million viewers.
9. (19) "NFL Monday Showcase," ABC, 18.1 million viewers.
10. (10) "Law & Order: SVU," NBC, 17.5 million viewers.
11. (14) "60 Minutes," CBS, 17.5 million viewers.
12. (14) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 16.5 million viewers.
13. (16) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC, 16.5 million viewers.
14. (40) "Biggest Loser 2," NBC, 15.9 million viewers.
15. (12) "CSI: N.Y.," CBS, 15.8 million viewers.
16. (X) "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," CBS, 15.8 million viewers.
17. (20) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 15.5 million viewers.
18. (16) "ER," NBC, 15.4 million viewers.
19. (3) "Without a Trace," CBS, 15.3 million viewers.
20. (21) "House," Fox, 14.9 million viewers.
A baby Ebony Langur is cuddled by its mother in Wild Asia, a warm and lush exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, in New York.
Photo by Mary Schwalm
You have reached the Home page of BartCop Entertainment.
Make yourself home, take your shoes off...
Go ahead, scratch it if it itches.
The idea is to have fun.
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Anything that increased your blood pressure, or, even better,
amused or entertained?
Do you have a great album no one's heard?
How about a favorite TV show, movie, book, play, cartoon, or legal amusement?
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A box set the whole world should own?
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Send mail to Marty
( SuprmChaos at yahoo dot com )
Our current president is such a pussy that he can't recite a speech with an audience of U.S. citizens, or as he views us, denizens of the deep. He has to have the military (in one form or another) to use as his non-resentful backdrop with every recitation he makes these days.
