Reflections on Blase

After reading Josh Koo's recent post about America's image worldwide:

www.koo4you.blogspot.com

I have come to a realization. Of all of President Bush's colossal failures (and there were many) the worst will be of the legacy of the United States of America. On September 12, 2001, the world cried while we cried. Bush's approval rating was at a record for a president at 91% and the world was willing to do whatever necessary to help America. We are now viewed as a joke. Think of when George W. Bush became president... The economy was booming, unemployment was low, we were at peace, et cetera. Now look at what the 2008 president must inherit... Massive debt, terrible global warming, wars in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, et cetera. As Josh knows so much better than I do (for the simple matter I have never been to Africa, Australia, South Korea), the whole world is sick of us. Our image will have a giant black eye on it that will take decades and decades to improve. An American should never be embarassed to be an American and that is what it has come down to.

Monday Musings

After a long break from the blog, I am back and I have much to say:

1. The 7th Harry Potter book was very satisfied. I finished it on Friday and I am completely satiated. I won't dive into my thoughts as I am not sure that everybody has read it. If you would like to hear, please call me.

2. It is officially Sharkweek on the Discovery Channel. I don't know why but the whole week fascinates me and I will be found every evening watching documentaries on makos, lemon, Greenland, and Tiger sharks pretty much every day.

3. Have y'all been reading about the Michael Vick dog fighting scandal. For those who haven't, star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons was arrested by the FBI for sponsoring a giant dog fighting ring. What should the proper punishment be? Jail time yes, but how much. I think 5 years should do the trick. He is personally responsible (allegedly) for killing dozens of dogs. He was the highest paid NFL player and I have to think that his career is done. What a Public Relations nightmare for the team that puts him in as quarterback. No one would buy merchandise, jerseys, tickets, et cetera. I wouldn't support the Vikings if they had a convicted dog killer as their quarterback.

4. Speaking of football, the first NFL preseason game is in twelve days!!! The first college game is in 33!!

5. Politics confuses me. I thought there was no way John McCain would not get the Republican ticket and he is currently a distant fourth behind Giulani, Fred Thompson, and Mitt Romney. What happened to the Arizona senator?

6. Hillary Clinton's lead for the Democratic tickets keep pulling further and further away.

7. I heart Obama.

8. On Friday I saw the movie, "I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry".... Meh. I would rent it but save you $9.

9. As much as I hate talking about pop tarts like Lindsay Lohan, I have to feel a little sorry for the girl. Not one week removed from rehab, she is arrested and charged with a DUI and possession of Cocaine. The girl is in need of serious help and I think the papparazzi need to give her a break and let her fully rehabilitate.

10. Sebastian Joe's Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is by far the best ice cream in the world.

Snape

I saw Harry Potter 5 this weekend and I give it a B+/A-. Although I anxiously await ummingbird's critique, it was not horrible. The graphics were fantastic, the casting was brilliant, and they did a decent job of making an 800 page book into a 138 minute movie. It is not easy to make a movie that adults will like, kids will like, people who have read all the books, and people who have never seen one of the movies all enjoy it. I think the director succeeded. For all the Potter fans, MSNBC had an interesting article on its website to day about Snape and whether he is good or bad and the reasoning for him being bad or good.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19718440/from/RS.1/

Live-what???

Before I begin this post, I just read in the newspaper this morning that the head of China's Food and Drug Administration was executed for accepting $800,000 in bribes. People are executed for bribery?!?!?! This is not the day for a death penalty debate but c'mon now; that is more than a cruel punishment.

I have again been caught red-handed reading the Conservative/Republican blogs again and my views on Liveaid have shifted to the right. As many of you know, LiveAid is a giant, seven continent rock show designed to raise awareness about global warming. But unfortunately it turned into, as one of my favorite rock bands, Muse, suggested, it should have been called, "Private Jets for Climate Change". Why don't the artists just call it what it was. It was a giant rock show designed to insult Bush at every opportunity. Who in their right mind does not know what global warming is? Who doesn't know what they should be doing to help the environment more? Recycling is good??? Thank you Macy Gray for informing me. And what hypocrisy by these artists! Madonna took two private jets with her staff, dancers, and equipment for her show. Two private 737 jets! To be honest, I do not know what needs to be done to help the environment. And don't you dare my liberal friends say the Kyoto Protocal. When the Kyoto Protocal vote was put before the senate every single senator (Democrat, Republican, and Independent) every single vote was against it. I am scared like the rest of you about the harmful effects of global warming and I am open to suggestions on what to do.

Sing it Frankie!

I think Frank Sinatra was right on when he sang:

Chicago, Chicago that toddling townChicago, Chicago I will show you around - I love it. Bet your bottom dollar you lose the blues in Chicago, Chicago. The town that Billy Sunday couldn't shut down. On State Street, that great street, I just want to say. They do things they don't do on Broadway. They have the time, the time of their lifeI saw a man, he danced with his wife. In Chicago, Chicago my home town.

I left Thursday night, via Ames, to one of my favorite places to visit, Chicago, Illinois. Along the way I met some new people, had some great converations, learned a lot, enjoyed the beautiful weather, and had a lot of fun. The excursion began with 18 holes at a Barrington Country Club. To say I played terrible wouldn't be fair to the word terrible. I completely sucked it up. Next, I learned that some teams play baseball outdoors. This bizarre concept grew on me as I watched the Twins win 12-0 all while enjoying low seventies weather. I thought U.S. Cellular Field was awesome and I hope Twins representatives are taking notes for their new ball park. The trains were dirty and loud but I still loved them. It's called public transportation Minneapolis!! Get with the program. I also wanted to give a shout-out to St. Nick's. We ate there several times. It is a place where you can get a giant piece of pizza and a soft drink for three bucks. That's awesome!! And the pizza was good. I couldn't go to Chicago without enjoying the nightlife so the boys took me to an area of Chicago called The Goldcoast. It was a trendy, yuppie, fun area where we went to a bar called McFadden's. We caroused, we laughed, I poured two cups of beer on Nimit's crotch, and all in all, it was a wonderful evening. My love affair for Indian cuisine was enhanced to new levels. Anay's family showered me with wonderful food and I really appreciated. I would not be surprised if I went up eight pant sizes on this trip. It was a great trip and I can't wait to head back to Illinois this August.

Jesus Camp

I highly recommend anybody who remotely follows politics or Christianity to rent the movie JesusCamp. It follows a Pentecostal/Evangelical megachurch and their mission to recruit the new Christian Right-Wing Army. Elyse and I rented it yesterday and we both found it fascinating. I also wouldn't even say the movie has any sort of political bias. It just shows what they are doing. This particular church is very proud of what they are doing and then even have some points which I agree with. Anyway, please rent it and then call me up and let's discuss.

The next Ronald Reagan...

Before I start my blog, let me please begin by publicly stating my outrage at the Bush Administration pardoning a felon, Scooter Libby. I immediately called some of my close Republican friends and even they couldn't defend Bush on this one. Just as I was beginning to ever slowly see the Compassionate Conservative emerge in our president, he pardons an individual who released the name of a CIA spy for political gain (felony #1) and then lied under oath (felony #2). He was then convicted by a jury of his peers to be guilty and spend the next 30 months in prison. Thanks to Mr. Bush, he will spend less time in jail then Paris Hilton. Scooter Libby will spend zero time in jail. It pays to be friends with George W. Bush. Whether you are Halliburton, the meat packing industry, corrupt health care, et cetera, as long as you are loyal to Bush, he will be loyal to you.

Now...

Of all the candidates running for president on the political side, I am generally not scared. John McCain is a nobel candidate who is at best a moderate that has a slight tilt to the right. He is fair and would make a fine candidate. Rudy is full of himself, cocky, and I think has no chance to win. Sam Brownback is a joke. Mitt Romney's approval rating is lower then Bush's. But the candidate that scares me the most is Fred Thompson. Fred Thompson is by far the most conservative, die hard, Republican candidate. He will take this country back fifty years. He was born in Alabama, has been a long time actor (most notably on Law and Order) and served one term as senator for the great state of Tennessee. Thompson is a Republican dream. He is in the Rush Limbaugh ilk. He is a tall, portly, man who slicks his greying hair back tight, while puffing away his cigar and drinking a beer. He is a southern gentleman who hates women, believes women should know their place, has publicly challenged Michael Moore to a fight, and on and on. Many Republicans have been angered at these "wusses" in Washington right now who are afraid to kick butt and take names. If a hippie was on fire, Fred Thompson wouldn't waste his own urine putting out the fire. Of course he is also outrageously conservative. He is so similar to Ronald Reagan it is scary. I truly believe Fred Thompson will be nominated for the Republicna ticket and if Hillary is elected on the Democrat side. We will be singing Hail to the Chief while Fred Thompson, on his NRA victory float, will be kissing babies and waving to the crowd. All I can hope is it is a long way to election day and long live Obama.