Froma Harrop: A bad week for blowhards (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Vice President Dick Cheney bared his teeth and warned that politicians who criticize these policies will pay a heavy political price. Sen. Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, coolly responded, "My oath is to the Constitution, not to a vice president, a president or a political party." Expect to hear that kind of thing more often.
MIKE MILIARD: Annus horribilis (.bostonphoenix.com)
The past 365 days have been marked by epic natural disaster, interminable war, terrorist bombs, perfidious politics, and pop-culture inanity. The year was a whole lot worse for some than it was for others. But it was bad for pretty much everyone. Through it all we soldiered on. And forward we march. Because 2006 can only get better. Right?
Jake Halpern: STARDUST (newyorker.com)
Several years ago, on one of these road trips, Braunstein and Jones passed through Hollywood and discovered that Rod Stewart did not have a star on the Walk of Fame. Braunstein called the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and demanded an explanation. The explanation was simple: no one had ever nominated Rod. So Braunstein filled out a nomination form and began raising money for the fifteen-thousand-dollar fee that would be required if and when Rod's star was approved.
Just when you think Bush and NSA's evil cannot be surpassed,
Lisa and her outspoken site ALL HAT NO CATTLE are harassed?
Bush and his NSA resources so vast
Have resurrected the ghost of Richard Milhous past?
Quite a contrast!
No real interest in Osama but all of NSA against this one woman is massed?
I took the whole damn family down to the Grand Lake Theater last night to see "The Chronicles of Narnia"….we're talking a 3 year old, the geezer and everyone in between….hoping for a little fantasmical fun from the pen of a "born again Brit". It seems that I have trouble separating fact from fantasy these days…especially with respect to Politics and Religion…..so why not travel in time through a "Star Gate" door….in this case a wardrobe door…to another place and time!!!!!
What can be so bad about "Lord of the Rings" meets "Harry Potter"????? I'll tell you what……C.S. Lewis threw in "The Passion of the Christ" to the story line and I just had to shut up and stare at the plethora of Chimeras and the parade of CGI creatures all gearing up for the great battle between "Good and Evil"….call me crazy but we do have the "Lordly Lion", Aslan (Liam Neeson's voice) with the mighty mane (and mien)…..versus the satanic "White Witch" (Tilda Swinton) with her icy sled being pulled by two burly polar bears…….
Wait a minute……."Sit back and enjoy the damn movie"! that's what my son said…..So I TRIED….REAL HARD…..
It's WW II in England during the German Air Raids. Mrs. Pavensie (Judy McIntosh - "King Pin" (1985) - "Gloss" (1987) - "Ebbtide" (1994) must spirit her four children off to the countryside as the bombing has come frighteningly close…hitting their home. So they are sent to the Estate of the Quirky Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent - "Work!" (1991) - "Topsy-Turvy" (1999) - "Pride" (2004) and they are consigned to stay indoors and in their rooms.
Boredom turns to a game of "Hide and Seek" and little Lucy (Georgie Henley) finds her way into an immense Armoire or free standing wooden "Wardrobe". As she is listening to her eldest brother Peter (William Moseley) counting…101..102..103 she angles through the fur coats to the back….and falls into to another world…..a frozen and seemingly enchanted forest…where she is greeted by Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy) a fearful "faun" (Satyr like creature with goat legs, furry arms and funny ears) who takes her to his house for tea. He is going to kidnap her and take her to the White Witch (Tilda Swinton - "Orlando" (1992) - "Adaptation" (2002) - "Broken Flowers" (2005) who it turns out wants ALL FOUR of the children (Sons of Adam and daughters of Eve….Humans).
Well, Lucy gets back into the wardrobe and opens the door and tells her brother Edmond (Skandar Keynes) who sneaks back into the Wardrobe and gets sweet talked with chocolate and princely promises….and then put in prison. Lucy finds out and tells her big sister Susan (Anna Popplewell) and her oldest brother Peter (William Moseley) that they have to help her save Edmond…So begins their journey back into the Wardrobe and the World of Narnia…..
So we get Mr. and Mrs. Beaver….ravenous Wolves…a loyal Fox….countless Centaurs, Gryphons, Satyrs, Dryads, dwarfs, giants, harpies, dragons….one Rhinocerous….countless Ogres and one eyed Oglers…monstrous Minotaurs and……..the Lordly Lion …Aslan…..in a battle to save Narnia from the cold clutches of the evil White Witch and to fulfill the ancient prophecy of 2 sons of Adam and 2 daughters of Eve bringing truth and goodness back to Narnia…forever!
SPOILER ALERT
Sooooo….Why did we have to have all this fighting, when the Lion, just like Jesus, dies for the sins of the humans…but is resurrected only to come back and kill the White Witch himself????
He could have killed her in the very beginning and saved all these goddam religious wars!!!!! We wouldn't have needed the great battle scenes and acts of bravery and glory. We wouldn't have had to endure the stampede of asinine CGI creatures (I mean…why a Rhino?). We wouldn't have had to see Peter (he was terrible handling the big sword) being crowned King and all 4 white kids enthroned as saviours of Narnia!
Call me cynical….call me secularist….call me Rico Suave….but the only joy for me in this whole movie was watching my 3 year old grand daughter laughing at the "scary" monsters!
The kid gets to visit Dr. #1 today, and Dr. #2 again next week.
Tonight, Wednesday:
CBS starts the night with a RERUN'Still Standing', followed by a RERUN'Yes, Dear', then a RERUN'Criminal Minds', followed by a RERUN'CSI: The Third One'.
On a RERUNDave (from 11/15/05) are Joaquin Phoenix, Sebastien Bourdais, and Trisha Yearwood.
On a RERUNCraig (from 12/16/05) are Chris Isaak and Sara Gilbert.
NBC opens the night with a RERUN'E-Ring', followed by a RERUN'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', then a RERUN'Law & Order'.
On a RERUNLeno (from 12/13/05) are Steve Martin, Tyler James Williams, and Chris Brown.
On a RERUNConan (from 7/19/05) are Billy Bob Thornton, Patton Oswalt, and the Hold Steady.
On a RERUNCarson Daly (from 11/30/05) are Jon Favreau and Juliette & The Licks.
ABC begins the night with a RERUN'George Lopez', followed by a RERUN'Freddie', then a RERUN'Lost', followed by another RERUN'Lost'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel (from 11/11/05) are 50 Cent, Christopher Meloni, and Morningwood.
The WB offer a RERUN'One Tree Hill', followed by a RERUN'Supernatural'.
Faux has a RERUN'That 70s Show', followed by a FRESH'Stacked', then a RERUN'Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy'.
UPN has a RERUN'Eve', followed by a RERUN'Love, Inc.', then a RERUN'Veronica Mars'.
A&E has 'Cold Case Files', 'Dog The Bounty Hunter', another 'Dog The Bounty Hunter', 'Inked', another 'Inked', 'Criss Angel', and another 'Criss Angel'.
AMC offers the movie 'Halloween 5', followed by the movie 'Scream 2', then the movie 'Above The Law'.
BBC -
[2pm] 'Coupling' - 9 1/2 Minutes;
[2:40pm 'Coupling' - Night Lines;
[3:20pm] 'Coupling' - Bed Time;
[4pm] 'Coupling' - Circus of Epidurals;
[4:40pm] 'Coupling' - The Naked Living Rooms;
[5:20pm] 'Coupling' - 9 1/2 Months;
[6pm] 'BBC World News';
[6:30pm] 'House Invaders' - Solihull;
[7pm] 'The Benny Hill Show' - Episode 30;
[8pm] 'Cash in the Attic' - Episode 1;
[9pm] 'Christmas Lights';
[10:30pm] 'Creature Comforts' - Merry Christmas Everybody!;
[11pm] 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' - The Attila the Hun Show;
[11:40pm] 'The Catherine Tate Show' - Episode 5;
[12:20am] 'The Catherine Tate Show' - Episode 6;
[1am] 'Christmas Lights';
[2:30am] 'Creature Comforts' - Merry Christmas Everybody!;
[3am] 'This Life' - Sex, Lives & Muesli Yoghurt;
[4am] 'This Life' - Fantasy Football;
[5am] 'This Life' - Family Outing;
[6am] 'BBC World News'. (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Blow Out', 'Project Runway', another 'Project Runway', and still another 'Project Runway'.
Comedy Central has 'Crank Yankers', 'Comedians Of Comedy', an old 'Jon Stewart', an old 'Colbert Report', 'Mind Of Mencia', 'South Park', another 'South Park', and another 'South Park'.
Jon Stewart is pre-empted.
Colbert Report is pre-empted.
History has 'Modern Marvels', 'Decoding The Past', another 'Decoding The Past', and yet another 'Decoding The Past'.
IFC -
[6AM] Goya In Bordeaux (1999);
[7:50AM] Wild Man Blues (1998);
[9:45AM] Mediterraneo (1991);
[11:30AM] Clockwatchers (1997);
[1:15PM] IFC Short Film Collection I: December (2005);
[3:15PM] At The IFC Center #8 (2005);
[3:45PM] The Invisible Circus (2001);
[5:30PM] Passion In The Desert (1998);
[7:15PM] The Invisible Circus (2001);
[9PM] Elizabeth (1998);
[11:15PM] Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002);
[1:30AM] Elizabeth (1998);
[3:45AM] Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002). (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[7:30AM] My Babushka - Searching Ukrainian Identities;
[8:25AM] The Housekeeper;
[9:50AM] Her Name is Cure;
[10:20AM] Jesus Christ Superstar;
[12:10PM] John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk;
[1:45PM] The Umbrellas of Cherbourg;
[3:20PM] Cry Freedom;
[6PM] TransGeneration: Episode 4;
[6:30PM] TransGeneration: Episode 5;
[7PM] Jesus Christ Superstar;
[9PM] Margaret Cho's Revolution;
[10:30PM] Sea Horses;
[11PM] Iconoclasts: Redford on Newman;
[12AM] Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train;
[2:05AM] Read My Lips;
[4AM] The Thing. (ALL TIMES EST)
Fans hold up cutouts of the late Howard Cosell, one of the original announcers for ABC's Monday Night Football before the final Monday Night Football game telecast between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey December 26, 2005. ABC has televised a total of 555 NFL games on Monday Night Football for 36 years beginning on September 21, 1970.
Photo by Mike Segar
Films that helped usher in a new era of censorship, changed the way Hollywood thought about the audience, provided a first-hand look at one of the nation's great disasters and introduced the world to the word "gnarly" are among the 25 films the librarian of Congress named to the National Film Registry on Tuesday.
The registry, was created by Congress in 1989 to preserve films of cultural, historical of artistic significance. Selection in the National Film Registry singles out films for preservation either in the Library of Congress' own archive or facilities elsewhere.
National Film Registry selections:
1) "Baby Face" (1933)
2) "The Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of Man" (1975)
3) "The Cameraman" (1928)
4) Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort, S.C., May 1940 (1940)
5) "Cool Hand Luke" (1967)
6) "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982)
7) "The French Connection" (1971)
8) "Giant" (1956)
9) "H2O" (1929)
10) "Hands Up" (1926)
11) "Hoop Dreams" (1994)
12) "House of Usher" (1960)
13) "Imitation of Life" (1934)
14) Jeffries-Johnson world championship fight (1910)
15) "Making of an American" (1920)
16) "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947)
17) "Mom and Dad" (1944)
18) "The Music Man" (1962)
19) "Power of the Press" (1928)
20) "A Raisin in the Sun" (1961)
21) "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)
22) San Francisco earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906 (1906)
23) "The Sting" (1973)
24) "A Time for Burning" (1966)
25) "Toy Story" (1995)
David Pielo installs one of the 72 new Waterford Crystal triangles to the exterior of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball in New York December 27, 2005. The six-feet in diameter, 1,070-pound lighted crystal ball will serve as the centerpiece for the Times Square 2006 celebration.
Photo by Shannon Stapleton
Satellite radio provider Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. said Tuesday it recently topped more than 3 million subscribers to its service and expects a strong finish for the year.
Rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. has more than 5 million U.S. subscribers.
American Indians are petitioning Congress to investigate the elite Skull and Bones society at Yale University and return the remains of Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo to Apaches for reburial.
The online petition describes the desecration of Geronimo's grave in 1918 by members of the society, including resident George W. Bush's grandfather, Sen. Prescott Bush. The men removed Geronimo's head and a prized silver bridle, which had been buried with him.
''Using acid and amid laughter, they stripped Geronimo's head of hair and flesh. They then took their 'trophies' back to Yale University and put them on display in the clubhouse of the secret fraternity 'Skull and Bones,''' states the petition.
Skull and Bones admitted to San Carlos Apache leaders almost 20 years ago that it was in possession of a skull it called Geronimo's in its secret ''museum'' in New Haven, Conn.
Liza Minnelli, Barbara Walters and John Lithgow are forming the supporting cast for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's inauguration on New Year's Day.
Walters will deliver welcoming remarks for the 1 p.m. ceremony at City Hall. After "The Star-Spangled Banner," an introduction will be given by Lithgow, who is starring in the Broadway musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," based on the film about con men taking advantage of rich women on the French Riviera.
Minnelli will close with a rendition of "New York, New York," before the crowd moves on to a party at the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building, a downtown Manhattan landmark dating to 1908.
Tunisian men play Oggaf, or sand hockey, during the 36th Sahara Festival of Douz, southern Tunisia, 330 miles ( 205 miles ) south of Tunis, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, with sticks made of palm tree branches and a ball made of dromedary hair. The festival is a showcase of cultural heritage and traditions, including dance, poetry and crafts.
Photo by Hassene Dridi
Tori Spelling is engaged, just months after separating from her first husband, People and Us Weekly magazines reported Tuesday. Actor Dean McDermott, who has been dating the former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star for several months, proposed Christmas Eve in Toronto.
Spelling, 32, and McDermott, 39, met earlier this year while working on the TV movie "Mind Over Murder."
In October, actor-writer Charlie Shanian filed for divorce from Spelling, a little more than a year after they were married.
McDermott filed for divorce from his wife of 12 years, Mary Jo Eustace, in September. They have one child together.
Comedian Mitch Hedberg died accidentally in March of "multiple drug toxicity," including cocaine and heroin, Spin magazine reports, citing reports filed by the New Jersey medical examiner's office.
The medical examiner's findings were filed in May, according to an article in the January issue of Spin about the convergence of comedy and rock 'n' roll.
Hedberg, 37, died in a hotel room in Livingston, N.J., while on a club tour performing standup. The comedian, who was born with a heart defect, was initially believed to have died from heart failure.
"I'll be back." That pledge from the Terminator traditionally has had special meaning in Arnold $chwarzenegger's hometown.
But now - after the California governor refused to spare two convicted murderers in a row from their death sentences and showed no signs of relenting in another case up next month - the romance is over between $chwarzenegger and Graz, Austria's second-largest city.
Acting on $chwarzenegger's orders two weeks after the Dec. 13 execution of former Crips gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams, city leaders Tuesday deleted all references to the bodybuilder-turned-governor on Web sites linked to Graz. Over the weekend, they also stripped his name from the city's soccer stadium.
And "Arnie," as he is known in the city of his youth, also sent back Graz' highest award - its ring of honor - as part of moves provoked by city council threats to rename the stadium because of his support for the death penalty.
But the dispute goes beyond Arnie. The tarnishing of Austria's idol in his home country is a renewed sign of a general European disenchantment with an America many here consider out of step with their ideals.
Cows walk in a snow covered field as sunset falls in Bearsted, near Maidstone i England, as snow fell on eastern England, Tuesday, Dec 27, 2005. More snow is forecasted for Wednesday.
Photo by Sang Tan
Indiana University has dropped plans to move a collection of Hoagy Carmichael memorabilia to make room for a biology teaching lab.
Officials decided against moving the Hoagy Carmichael Room from Morrison Hall to the Indiana Memorial Union after the songwriter's family voiced concerns, said Neil Theobald, IU Bloomington's vice chancellor for budget and administration.
Carmichael, the composer of numerous American popular songs and a well-known entertainer who appeared in movies and TV shows, grew up in Bloomington and earned a law degree from IU.
After Carmichael's death in 1981, his family donated materials from his life and career to the Hoagy Carmichael Collection at IU. The Carmichael Room, dedicated in 1986, showcases some of the most prized items in a period setting that also provides a space for meetings and concerts.
Oprah Winfrey's private jet was forced to return to the city airport after its windshield was cracked in a collision with a bird, officials said.
Winfrey and her boyfriend, Stedman Graham, were not hurt in the incident, which occurred around 12:30 p.m. Monday just after the GulfStream jet had taken off from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, said Santa Barbara Fire Department spokesman John Ahlman.
The plane will remain grounded until its windshield can be repaired, Ahlman said.
Bolivian coca farmer Natividad Sola and her 8 year-old daughter Liseth Sola puts newly-cropped coca leaves to dry by the sun in the Villa 14 de Septiembre, nearly 200 km (124 miles) east of Cochabamba, Bolivia on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005. Bolivia's President-elect Evo Morales will reject U.S. economic and military aid if the United States requires continued coca-eradication efforts to get the money, a close aide to the former coca growers' leader said Tuesday. Morales also plans to withdraw Bolivia's military from anti-drug efforts and leave the job to police, said Juan Ramon Quintana, a member of the Morales' transition team.
Photo by Dado Galdieri
A state judge has lifted a restraining order granted to a Santa Fe woman who accused talk-show host David Letterman of using coded words to show that he wanted to marry her and train her as his co-host.
Judge Daniel Sanchez on Tuesday granted a request by lawyers for Letterman, host of CBS' "Late Show," to quash the temporary restraining order that he earlier granted to Colleen Nestler.
She alleged in a request filed Dec. 15 that Letterman has forced her to go bankrupt and caused her "mental cruelty" and "sleep deprivation" since May 1994.
Nestler requested that Letterman, who tapes his show in New York, stay at least 3 yards away and not "think of me, and release me from his mental harassment and hammering."
Michael Vale, the actor best known for his portrayal of a sleepy-eyed Dunkin' Donuts baker who said "Time to make the donuts," has died, his family said on Tuesday. He was 83 years old.
Vale's long-running character, "Fred the Baker," became a cultural icon. The ad campaign lasted 15 years, until Vale retired in 1997.
Brooklyn-born Vale studied acting at The Dramatic Workshop in New York City with classmates Tony Curtis, Ben Gazzara and Rod Stieger.
A veteran of the Broadway stage, film and television, Vale appeared in more than 1,300 TV commercials.
Vale is survived by his wife Nancy, son Tracy, daughter Ivy, and granddaughter Violet.
Camels fight during the 36th Sahara Festival of Douz, southern Tunisia, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005. The festival is a showcase of cultural heritage and traditions, including dance, poetry and crafts.
Photo by Hassene Dridi
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