[scifinoir2] Re: Michael Moorcock fondly remembers Arthur C Clarke
FYI: http://indexed.blogspot.com/2008/03/he-knew-science-fiction-didnt- have-to.html George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, brent wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2267284,00.html Brave new worlds Michael Moorcock fondly remembers his friend Arthur C Clarke, the Ego, visionary and gentleman Saturday March 22, 2008 The Guardian I was a very young journalist of 17 or so when Arthur C Clarke invited me to celebrate his birthday before he returned to Ceylon, where he had recently settled. The party was scheduled for November 5 in north London. Flattered to be asked, I gave up plans to get drunk and do exciting things with explosives and set off into the terra incognita of Tottenham where Arthur's brother Fred lived a modest and respectable life. A bottle in my pocket, I knocked at the door to be greeted by Fred. It's round the corner, he said. I'm just off there myself. He turned a thoughtful eye on the bottle. I don't think you'll need that. snip
[scifinoir2] Presidential candidates as DD characters
FYI: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=1210tag=nl.e138 Enjoy! George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Re: New Amsterdam Thoughts
Eactly! What made Babylon 5 so great, was its tight story arc created and implemented within 5 years by JMS. I get the feeling that both Lost and Heroes are going on... and on... and on... and on... To me, that does not feel like sincere storytelling. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: i feel that for Lost I lost interest and quite watching last year because I couldn't take it when they said the slowly-unfolding- mystery would go until 2010! That's just stretching out a myster that frankly should have been told in three years. But I don't see that with Heroes, it was pretty tight in the first season -- Original message -- From: g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] Why do I like New Amsterdam better than both Lost and Heroes? Frankly, both Lost and Heroes remind me of the daily soaps: General Hospital, As The World Turns, etc. Nothing ever really gets resolved. It's like one long fake-out to me. And to keep viewers interested, the plots get ever more fantastical... unbelieveable. With Google Maps and Streetview, no downed airplane would ever be lost for so long. So, it isn't so much that New Amsterdam is so great. Rather, the others are so boring. So much on TV these days is so boring... like all of the reality TV shows are so boring and repetitive... I watch less and less TV and blog more. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, KeithBJohnson@ wrote: Wow, while I've lost interest in Lost (can't put more time into this mystery show that has frequent repeats, half-seasons, and dragging waaay too many seasons), I like Heroes a great deal. I haven't seen anything in New Amsterdam to make it better than Heroes when the latter's at its best. They're very different shows, too. Why do you like it so much better? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] Re: New Amsterdam Thoughts
Why do I like New Amsterdam better than both Lost and Heroes? Frankly, both Lost and Heroes remind me of the daily soaps: General Hospital, As The World Turns, etc. Nothing ever really gets resolved. It's like one long fake-out to me. And to keep viewers interested, the plots get ever more fantastical... unbelieveable. With Google Maps and Streetview, no downed airplane would ever be lost for so long. So, it isn't so much that New Amsterdam is so great. Rather, the others are so boring. So much on TV these days is so boring... like all of the reality TV shows are so boring and repetitive... I watch less and less TV and blog more. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Wow, while I've lost interest in Lost (can't put more time into this mystery show that has frequent repeats, half-seasons, and dragging waaay too many seasons), I like Heroes a great deal. I haven't seen anything in New Amsterdam to make it better than Heroes when the latter's at its best. They're very different shows, too. Why do you like it so much better?
[scifinoir2] Re: New Amsterdam Thoughts
I like the series a lot. My wife and I watch it regularly on TV, not via the web. New Amsterdam is far more interesting than both Lost and Heroes. George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anyone catch the series premiere tonight? I wasn't really that impressed. The lead actor --who looks like some hyrid of Aaron Eckhart and Dennis Leary--didn't make that much of an impression on me. I guess he's got that brooding, soul-weary thing all immortals have, but it wasn't pulled off that well. I didn't get the angst or sometimes melancholy that say, Duncan McLeod or Angel conveyed in their characters. Also, unlike those two immortals, I didn't feel that the immortality angle was mixed in very well with the plot of the show. It really came off as two disparate stories meshed together: a spare tale of a dude who's lived for centuries and sees life in ways we don't, and a fairly standard procedural cop show. Neither half was scintillating, and the two together weren't that special either. Highlander in its first season was mythic and magical. Angel was exciting and thrilling. New Amsterdam was just kinda there. Anyone remember that short-lived show Blind justice, about the blind cop? For some reason it reminded me of that. The cop is supposed to be brilliant and quirky, kinda nuts at time, gruff, unlikeable. He's timed with a young lady cop who refuses to let him cow her. Sound familiar? Sounds like a ripoff of Life, with immortality replacing incarceration as the cause for the star's strangeness. But it wasn't as catchy as that show either. And I have to say, i outright laughed and groaned at the genesis of his immortality: a reward from Natives for him risking his life to stop a fellow soldier from killing Native women. One, the Natives were so cliched and stereotyped they made me groan. The magic ceremony (complete with mystic smoke),that typical movie Native music with pipes--brother. And I always get irritated at plots where native peoples have this incredibly powerful magic, but instead of using it on one of their own, grant it to some repentent European dude. The lady who gave him his immortality gives some dopey speech about him never dying until he meets his one true love, and breathes some magic smoke on him. She was about as cliched as the lady back in the day who did the adver for Mazola Oil (you call it 'corn', we call it 'maize'). And given what was going on, she might as well have said, Even though you came as part of a raiding party and meant to kill our men, you are a man of honor for not killing our women. so we'll put our best mojo on you, cool European guy, instead of wasting it on one of our noble warriors. That really made me groan. I've been wrong before about shows, and one ep doesn't always tell the story. So I'll give it three or four eps and see what happens. Anyone else? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] Which sci-fi presidential ticket gets your vote?
FYI: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=1156 George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Re: Movie TV writers have written scripts on spec during strike
Welcome to American business practices vs. consumers and unions in 2008, which can be summed up in two words: INTIMIDATION RETALIATION George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It's not surprising -- as has become clear in the giddy productivity and oceanic email volume of these post-strike days -- that many writers turn out to have written scripts on spec over the past few months. Who can blame a harried artist for seizing the rare opportunity of 100 days in a row to put pen to paper and finger to keyboard without the threat of interruption by pedantic studio notes calls, shrill showrunner assignments or agent-mandated meetings? It comes as something of a shock, however, to discover that while the creative half of our business was quietly typing their way ahead of the game, the executive half turns out to have been doing the same thing. Brazenly defying the mandate of pencils down, executives have apparently written on spec hundreds of emails, letters and faxes that are now being proudly submitted to writers across Hollywood. Apparently these documents are pre-prepared rejections of the scripts and screenplays that writers have sent, are preparing to send -- and in some cases, are vaguely considering sending sometime in the future. I was pretty shocked to get the email [from Paramount], says a prominent screenwriter who asked to remain anonymous. At first I was impressed that the studio was reaching out to me so quickly after the WGA vote. But then I read the email, and it was all about how he didn't see a way to take on my screenplay, but thanks for sending it - - 'great hook, good dialogue' -- and how he hopes to work together in the future. The thing is: I didn't have a script yet. I was working on one, sure; but I would come home every day from all that marching and -- I don't know -- my back hurt, and my legs were kind of exhausted, and my wife would get on me about some playdate for our daughter and before you know it the afternoon was shot. I meant to; I just didn't get it done. And now, frankly, there doesn't seem to be much of a point. A prominent television comedy showrunner reports receipt of a similar message, this one a letter from ABC Studios after her Disney- based email account had been disabled with the suspension of her overall deal. I have to say: it was pretty convincing, the scribe admits. Apparently they liked my spec pilot, but didn't see a way to get it on ABC's air, given the amount of reality programming occupying primetime slots and given the general 'uphill battle' that comedy faces. And apparently my concept and characters were not 'female-friendly' enough for their demo. I only wish I knew the story or the characters they were referring to, she considers. I could have made them, I don't know, sisters. Then -- against all odds -- hope enters her voice: Maybe I will. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-weinstock/spec-and-spam- hollywood-_b_86949.html
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Romney Rumoured to Be Suspending Campaign
I live and work in Massachusetts. Romney will not be missed. On the way out, don't let the door hit him where the sun don't shine. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'll be darned! this is the most interesting election year I can remember since, well, the last couple of election years! Good riddance, I say: spend some time looking at how he *used* to feel on issues, and how he feels now, and you talk bout an opportunistic flip- flopper! I'm also amazed at how Limbaugh and the others of his ilk have so embraced this Mormon ( who in other times they'd be attacking as not a real Christian, no doubt), just because they hate the liberal McCain! More interesting is the reaction of many of my co-workers, who are perfect barometers for the ultra-conservative, braindead segment of society. They're all but in morning. Oh, it might be a riot up in here if Obama or Hillary wins come Election Day! ** CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN. Romney had won 270 delegates in through the Super Tuesday contests, compared with front-runner John McCain's 680. snip
[scifinoir2] CIA monitors YouTube for intelligence
FYI: http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/02/cia-monitors-yo.html No joke. George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] It's nice when your work is in a Super Bowl ad
(Yeah, I know this is OT and not about sci-fi.) You can view all Super Bowl ads at: http://www.myspace.com/superbowlads During the 2nd quarter, the Tide To Go commercial aired. At my day job (www.digitas.com) I worked on the web site mentioned in the ad: http://www.mytalkingstain.com/ Be the stain! (smile) George
[scifinoir2] Re: Angry White Man: The bigoted past of Ron Paul
This was changed in Massachusetts. You can vote any way you please in the Primary on February 5th. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Keith, that also means that we'd have to scrap the voting system as is, get rid of voting rules like the one here in Jawja that says that you have to be GOP or Dem to vote. The Powers'll never let that fly.. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: back to my feeling we need a true multi- party system. maybe a small but viable minority could do something to get ideals like his better ones out there -- Original message -- From: Daryle I've heard a lot of this from early in the campaign, and it's amazing to me that the candidate that means me the least good is the one I agree with the most out of all the available Republicans. What also gets me is how no one takes his good points and runs with them. Paul's analysis of the economy is the best of all the candidates, in either party. For the reasons described below (as well as others), there's no way he's going to get he nomination... so why not steal his math homework and look like a genius? On 1/17/08 1:15 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: i missed that, heard him on Meet the PRess saying his message had wide appeal, and, unfortunately, that included some deemed racists-- but that's not his fault or an indication of any negatives in his message. -- Original message -- From: B. Smith This story has been around for a while but it finally seemed to gain traction when it was published in the New Republic. BTW did you see him try to defend himself? According to him Dr. King and Rosa Parks were his heroes and this coming out now because it would erode the support he was getting from the blacks. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Fw: Barack Obama: EXPOSED!
Not to worry. This has been forwarded to the appropriate people. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Amy Harlib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Fwd: Barack Obama: EXPOSED! Thought you might find this interesting: They're loading the catapults. Human Events [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 04:24:44 + To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Human Events [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Barack Obama: EXPOSED! Dear Fellow Conservative, Attached is your requested special report, Barack Obama: Exposed! You'll soon see that, regarding Sen. Obama, the mainstream media has been under-reporting the facts and over-reporting the P.C. nonsense. And if you appreciate the honest reporting in Barack Obama: Exposed!, you'll surely relish the kind of reporting in every issue of HUMAN EVENTS... You see, for over sixty years, HUMAN EVENTS has made it a policy to deliver to intelligent, independent-thinking news readers something entirely different - something you cannot get from conventional news sources. In every issue, you will savor that rare moment in journalism when the thick fog of liberal bias is blown away to reveal... THE NAKED, BEDROCK TRUTH! And today I'm also pleased to be able to give you a free copy of Ann Coulter's best-selling Godless when you subscribe to HUMAN EVENTS right now. Click here to start your new subscription to HUMAN EVENTS! Sincerely, Tom Winter Editor in Chief, HUMAN EVENTS Human Events - One Massachusetts Ave. NW - Washington, DC 20001 Unsubscribe NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may have illegally read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor protection save to call for the impeachment of the current President.
[scifinoir2] Re: [OT] Comcast's new rates -- say wha?
Here in Massachusetts, Comcast's Basic Service is $8.95 per month. It's commonly referred to as antenna service... the stations you'd get with an antenna plus the home shopping channels. While I don't get the SciFi channel, ESPN, C-SPAN channels, TBS, premium cable channels like HBO, I don't pay those sky-high cable rates either. I am very happy with this Basic Service because it also includes HD channels... at no extra charge. I was pleasantly surprised when I hooked up my new Sony Bravia 32-inch HDTV a couple months ago to watch the Patriots make their historic football run. I found several HD stations alongside the low-def stations. Examples: channel 4 is CBS in low-def channel 4.1 is CBS in HD channel 5 is ABC in low-def channel 5.1 is ABC in HD channel 7 is NBC in low-def channel 7.1 is NBC in HD channel 7.2 is NBC's weather channel in HD channel 2 is PBS in low def channel 2.2 is PBS in HD channel 44 is PBS in low def channel 44.1 is PBS in HD channel 44.2 is PBS childrens in HD etc. And so forth. You get the idea. Almost all low-def channels I get in HD, too. My HDTV found all of these embedded HD channels during auto- channel-search. For the cable channels I don't get, I supplement my cable with NetFlix. Everything on the History Channel, Discovery channel, TBS movies, and so forth is available on DVD via NetFlix (or via instand demand via NetFlix). And I don't have a cable box nor it's monthly expense. Add up my monthly cable ($9) and NetFlix ($15) bills and it's STILL far cheaper than Comcast cable's standard package ($54 per month here in Mass). George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Daryle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [source: MediaPost TV Board] Too Much Information -- Or Is Obfuscation The Preferred Policy? by Mitch Oscar, Tuesday, January 15, 2008 I'm a Comcast customer. Recently, included in my monthly billing statement was an IMPORTANT Information alert about Service, Installation Equipment Prices for myself and my neighbors: Level of Service Current Price Basic (3,5) $15.95 New Price February 1, 2008 $17.95 Expanded Basic Service $36.04 $36.54 Standard Cable (2,3) $51.99 $54.49 Digital Starter (4) $55.98 $58.48 1) The minimum level of cable service you may purchase is BASIC SERVICE. As a cable customer, you must purchase BASIC SERVICE to subscribe to any other video service offered by Comcast Service, programming and equipment are subject to availability. All pricing, programming channel locations are subject to change. Please call 1- 866-660-6137 for further information. The purchase of premium channels, packages and a la carte services including iN DEMAND, Pay- Per-View and Channel 1 On Demand) requires the appropriate equipment (c)2008 Comcast. All Rights Reserved. 2) The price for Standard Cable includes Basic Service and Expanded Basic Service. 3) A cable box/converter may not be necessary to view Basic Service or Standard Cable. Please visit www.comcast.com/cablebox or call 1- 866-660-6137 for further information. 4) Digital Starter includes Standard Cable, a discounted Digital Cable Box, a remote control, Interactive Program Guide, MusicChoice and limited Channel 1 On Demand content. To upgrade to a discounted high definition cable box and remote control, an additional $6 equipment fee is required. 5) Discount available to subscribers who are age 65+ and not more than 1 person under age 65 in household. Customers must complete and submit application to Comcast Cable at 21 Old Route 6, Carmel, New York 10512. Restrictions apply. I'm fine with all this information, although I must admit that the fine print didn't really help clarify exactly what I was getting for my dough. Being the curious type of guy that I am, with trepidation I turned to the next page and the next and the next -- and then my head imploded. Too many pricing choices, each with its own arcane definition. Take a look for yourself (left and right, at two out of the three pages. Perhaps this printed exercise was meant to satiate the government as well as obfuscate instead of clarify. Beats me. Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy my Comcast service (though I wish my HD/DVR wouldn't freeze up so often and the set top box would be cooler than a hot griddle). However, there must be an easier, more inviting way to communicate viewing and service options to consumers. Then again, I should be thankful that the Comcast services pricing litany was at least in decipherable English. You should see my family plan monthly wireless billing statement... Mitch Oscar is executive vice president, director of CaratDigital, Carat North America.
[scifinoir2] Re: Connor Terminates Competitors
As much as I hate watching Fox due to the politics of its owner... I enjoyed it. Watched the first 2 eps. The female lead was kicking a$$ as expected, something the femlae lead in the Bionic Woman should have done but didn't. The BW was oh so poorly written. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Fox's Jan. 13 debut of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles scored the best opening-night demographic ratings of any new show in three years, Variety reported. Boosted by strong marketing and a big NFL-playoffs lead-in, the Warner Brothers TV-produced Terminator notched a 7.6 rating/18 share among adults 18-49 and delivered some 18.3 million viewers with its one-hour debut on Sunday at 8, preliminary Nielsen national data showed. The pilot gave Fox its best premiere numbers for a scripted show in eight years, since Malcolm in the Middle became an instant hit on a Sunday night in January 2000. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles moved into its regular Monday 9 p.m. timeslot on Jan. 14. http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0id=47294
[scifinoir2] OT: Good news on the blogging front...
FYI... for those in the New England area... I will be speaking at this ACLU conference on January 26, 2008 during a workshop titled Blogging For Civil Liberties. To learn more, see: http://action.aclum.org/2008conference George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Roger The Rocket Clemens Holiday SOng
You've heard his denials. Now see the holiday song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc36pX10kE4 Enjoy! George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Various sci-fi entertainment
FYI: Death Star Help Desk http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=1028 56 Species of Geek: Which Are You? http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=1041tag=nl.e138 The New KITT Is a Mustang http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=1029tag=rbxccnbtr1 Trekkies Gone Wrong http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/geekend/?p=998tag=nl.e138 Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy New Year! George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Re: Who is Your Favorite Joker?
I saw this poll on Scifi. I wanted to know what you guys thought. With Batman Returns about to premier, i wanted to know, Who is Your Favorite Joker? The Original - Cesar Romero Jack Nicholson The Cartoon Joker - Mark Hamil The New Joker - Heath Ledger My favorite Joker has gone by the nicknames Chimpy McFlight-suit and Dubya. George http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Where I've Been
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. It's been realy interesting watching my street react to this driveby event. Some white and asian folks make the effort to distinguish between the knuckleheads (who happen to be African American) and other African Americans on the street. Others just lump us all together and avoid us. My street is really diverse. We have about equal parts of: - Whites (Irish or German) - Cape Verdean - Vietnamese - African American (US and Caribbean) - Hispanic (Puerto Rican and Dominican) So, on any given data, there are about 5 different languages spoken on my street: English, Spanish, French, German, Vietnamese, and French. The Vietnamese seem to avoid everyone else and many don't speak English. So we'll have to print Crime Watch posters in 3 languages. My life is rarely dull. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I second that. Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: George, mate, take care of yourself. Let's hope those unruly neighbours exit sooner rather than later! Brent g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Tracey had written to me off-list via e-mail asking how I am. I thought that I'd send out a general note. Bottomline: I've been busy with my work and my blog. At work, I have 2 web site re-designs which are launching Oct. 16, 2007. So, I'll be flat out 'til then with long hours in the office. After then, I'll post to SciFiNoir2. In other news... I woke last Thursday night at 3:25 am to the sounds of gun-fire outside my first-floor bedroom window. Boston Police arrived at 3:35 am. Street outside the house next door was littered with shell casings. Car in front of next door had several bullet holes and shell casing on it. snip
[scifinoir2] OT: Where I've Been
Tracey had written to me off-list via e-mail asking how I am. I thought that I'd send out a general note. Bottomline: I've been busy with my work and my blog. At work, I have 2 web site re-designs which are launching Oct. 16, 2007. So, I'll be flat out 'til then with long hours in the office. After then, I'll post to SciFiNoir2. In other news... I woke last Thursday night at 3:25 am to the sounds of gun-fire outside my first-floor bedroom window. Boston Police arrived at 3:35 am. Street outside the house next door was littered with shell casings. Car in front of next door had several bullet holes and shell casing on it. Street was taped off and CSI:Boston arrived shortly thereafter and stayed 'til ~5:15 am. To make a long story short, there was a drive- by next door probably involving the knuckleheads who live next door. At least 2 guns were involved and a 9mm slug found its way thru our living room window and came to rest on the floor in front of my wife's computer desk. MOre shell casing found by the side door of the house next door. Obviously, we are working with neighbors and police to get the knuckleheads next door out and/or in jail... whichever we can effect first. Bottomline: my wife and I are okay. No injuries. CSI:Boston uses little numbered cones just like they do on TV. So we had some little numbered cones in our condo, too. All of CSI reps looked like Gil Grissom clones. NONE of them looked like Sarah Sidle, Catherine Willows, or Sofia Curtis. They wouldn't let us take photos. As of last night, one person was arrested next door and this person didn't live next door. Arrested with drug possession with intent to distribute. Up until this event, our street had been very quiet. A state rep's/politician's family lives across the street. George
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Six arrested, charged in woman's weeklong torture
Thanks. I hadn't heard about this. This reminds me of the group of thugs in Jasper Texas that chained a black man to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him around town until his body came apart. Lifetime in jail sounds good to me. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Has anyone else caught more than a *blurb* about this in the mainstream media? I think I saw a thirty-second clip on a nationally- syndicated morning show. I hate to be the one to play the race card (because, IMO, it makes you the racist), but brand me. Had this been a pretty blonde girl with blue eyes... Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: More on this story... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=14307118sc=emaf /BIG CREEK, W.Va./ September 12, 2007, 11:23 p.m. ET Authorities decided Wednesday not to pursue hate crime charges in the kidnapping and weeklong torture of a black woman, instead going after the suspects, who are white, on state charges that carry stiffer penalties. While federal civil rights or state hate crime charges remain an option, a state kidnapping count that carries a sentence of up to life in prison will provide the best chance for successful prosecution, officials said. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Six arrested, charged in woman's weeklong torture
It'll be interesting to see if this gets more coverage in the news media than the dogs M. Vick and friends killed. 9/11 coverage may have pushed this story aside earlier this week. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Has anyone else caught more than a *blurb* about this in the mainstream media? I think I saw a thirty-second clip on a nationally- syndicated morning show. I hate to be the one to play the race card (because, IMO, it makes you the racist), but brand me. Had this been a pretty blonde girl with blue eyes... Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: More on this story... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=14307118sc=emaf /BIG CREEK, W.Va./ September 12, 2007, 11:23 p.m. ET · Authorities decided Wednesday not to pursue hate crime charges in the kidnapping and weeklong torture of a black woman, instead going after the suspects, who are white, on state charges that carry stiffer penalties. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: My Take - 3:10 to Yuma
Thanks for the plot summary. The plot sounds like the reverse of _High Noon_ (1952 with Gary Cooper in the lead)... getting the bad guy to the train instead of the bad guy getting off the train. Is this film truly the best western since Eastwood's _Unforgiven_? George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Summary: Down-on-his-luck Rancher Dan Evans undertakes a dangerous mission, joining a group of men taking outlaw Ben Wade to prison. They must survive Indians, others out to get Wade, and Wade's own gang in order to get him on the 3:10 train to Yuma. My Quick Take: This is a fun, exciting movie in the tradition of old Westerns. There are bad guys, good (or not-so-bad) guys, and lots of action. Plenty of chases and gunfights, even a few explosions. Russell Crowe as always is a captivating presence, dominating the screen and the scene. Christian Bale--almost a chameleon of an actor-- gets into his role as the desperate rancher. Good supporting cast, great cinematography and camera work, pulse-pounding music. Did I mention the gunfights? And the horse chases? Really enjoyed this pic. My Full Take: At its core, the Western is a morality tale, the story of a basically good man struggling against sinister forces while remaining true to what's right. What those forces areevil land barons, gunfighters, Mother Natureis less important than the struggle the hero undertakes to overcome them. When others abandon himeven when he doubts himselfthe hero stands alone, fighting to the end. Rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is such a man. Dan can barely hold his family together, battling drought, his younger son's tuberculosis, a land owner to whom he's heavily in debt, and his own physical limitations (having lost part of a leg in the Civil War). Dan can't even muster the energy to rebuke his oldest son's increasingly critical and disrespectful remarks, because they echo his own self-doubts. Dan feels his wife slowly slipping away from him, which only feeds his own growing desperation. Things get worse when the land owner's men burn down his barn and drive his cattle away as a warning to pay up or get out. As Dan and his boys later go to fetch the herd, they see in the distance a heist in progress. The infamous Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his gang are attacking a stagecoach. A real menace, Wade has committed over twenty heists, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and the lives of dozens of men. In short order, Wade's gang has killed everyone and stolen the money. The sequence is thrilling, full of hyperkinetic energy as pursuers and the pursued engage in a desperate chase, horses galloping like mad, grizzled, hard-looking men cursing and yelling as they release a barrage of bullets. The whole scene is shot with frenetic close ups and gorgeous long pans, and driven by a musical score that heightens the action. Who needs a car chase? Later, when Wade is captured, Dan agrees to accompany the party taking Wade to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma prisona desperate move motivated by the money he'll receive for the job. The journey is rife with danger: Indians, other men hungry for vengeance on Wade, Wade's own pursuing gang, and worst of all, Wade himself. Crowe's Ben Wade is the kind of smooth villain who does pencil drawings during a holdup, uses his wits as much as his gun, reads the Bible, and treats women with charm and respect. He doesn't kill for sport: Wade spares Dan after the holdup even though his men want to kill him (a decision he later comes to regret). But this is not a bad guy with a good heart. He remains a cold-blooded killer, or as he says, I'm rotten to the core. It's Wade's dual nature that Dan must battle, as he fights to remember why he's risking all to turn in someone who's actually done him no personal harm. Why don't you take the money and go home to your pretty wife? Wade asks Dan. What are you trying to prove? It's a good question, especially seeing that some of Dan's partners are almost as bad as Wade himself. But Dan is driven by his need for money and security. And, increasingly, the need to save the soul of his oldest son William, who starts to admire Wade as a kind of hero, strong where his father is weak. Crazed by his need to do something good for once, Dan pushes on past the point of reason. 3:10 to Yuma gets the Western mythos right. It's full of larger- than-life characters. Dangers lurk behind every rock and bush. There are plenty of chases, fights, gun battles, explosionsenough for even modern tastes. The actors are good across the board. Russell Crowe is great as Wade, at times charming, at times chilling, always commanding. Christian Bale inhabits the role of the thin, bedraggled Dan Evans, a hero not by nature, but by need. The supporting cast is likewise good, especially Peter Fonda in a memorable but too-brief stint as an obsessive bounty
[scifinoir2] Re: Homeland Security Adviser Dismisses bin Laden as virtually impotent
When one is truly incompetent and knows it, sometimes the only protection from getting fired (or impeached) is a thin blue line (or party-loyalists you can easily hire and blame later). --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Unfortunately, true. He reminds me of the Thin Blue Line with the police. I always am amazed at how some cops feel that other cops need to back them up when they do wrong. I get the whole idea of trust, being able to put your life in your partner's hands if need be. But sometimes cops forget that their primary goal is to serve the *people*, and that a cop who's violated our trust isn't worthy of protection. Same with Bush. He and his gang are our servants, not the other way around, and he should be surrounded by people who remind him to do what's right by us, not by his narrow definition of right and wrong. -- Original message -- From: g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] In 6+ years, what I see is W doesn't hire deep thinkers or the brightest folks. W hires party-loyalists who are either connected or have given money to said campaign... folks who drank and continue to drink the cool-ade. People who follow the party ideology blindly until they get impaled on a fence while wondering, 'where did that fence come from?' Only then do they change course, and only then reluctantly while blaming the Dems, Clinton, and everyone else. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, KeithBJohnson@ wrote: Jesus Christ, where does Bush keep finding these idiots?? I don't care if bin Laden was *only* capable of putting forth a few tapes a year, he's still an ideological danger. Don't care if he's tied to a dialysis machine 24/7, if he can't set foot outside his cave (or compound, more likely), he can still rally the faithful who subscribe to his beliefs. Doesn't this idiot lady get the root causes of 9/11 and so much of the hatred America faces in the world? Does she not get that pure military might is the least of the obstacles we face in the world. Absolutely amazing she can make such a dumba** statement * Homeland Security Adviser Dismisses bin Laden as virtually impotent WASHINGTON - Seemingly taunting Osama bin Laden, President Bush's homeland security adviser said Sunday the fugitive al-Qaida leader is virtually impotent beyond his ability to hide away and spread anti-American propaganda. The provocative characterization came just days after bin Laden attracted international attention with the release of a video in which he ridicules President Bush about the Iraq war and reminds the world that he not been captured. Ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes, White House aide Frances Fragos Townsend made a clear attempt to diminish the influence _ or the perception _ of the man who masterminded those attacks. This is about the best he can do, Townsend said of bin Laden. This is a man on a run, from a cave, who's virtually impotent other than these tapes. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Homeland Security Adviser Dismisses bin Laden as virtually impotent
In 6+ years, what I see is W doesn't hire deep thinkers or the brightest folks. W hires party-loyalists who are either connected or have given money to said campaign... folks who drank and continue to drink the cool-ade. People who follow the party ideology blindly until they get impaled on a fence while wondering, 'where did that fence come from?' Only then do they change course, and only then reluctantly while blaming the Dems, Clinton, and everyone else. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Jesus Christ, where does Bush keep finding these idiots?? I don't care if bin Laden was *only* capable of putting forth a few tapes a year, he's still an ideological danger. Don't care if he's tied to a dialysis machine 24/7, if he can't set foot outside his cave (or compound, more likely), he can still rally the faithful who subscribe to his beliefs. Doesn't this idiot lady get the root causes of 9/11 and so much of the hatred America faces in the world? Does she not get that pure military might is the least of the obstacles we face in the world. Absolutely amazing she can make such a dumba** statement * Homeland Security Adviser Dismisses bin Laden as virtually impotent WASHINGTON - Seemingly taunting Osama bin Laden, President Bush's homeland security adviser said Sunday the fugitive al-Qaida leader is virtually impotent beyond his ability to hide away and spread anti-American propaganda. The provocative characterization came just days after bin Laden attracted international attention with the release of a video in which he ridicules President Bush about the Iraq war and reminds the world that he not been captured. Ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes, White House aide Frances Fragos Townsend made a clear attempt to diminish the influence _ or the perception _ of the man who masterminded those attacks. This is about the best he can do, Townsend said of bin Laden. This is a man on a run, from a cave, who's virtually impotent other than these tapes. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Madeleine LEngle, Childrens Writer, Is Dead
_A Wrinkle In Time_ was the first sci-fi I ever read. I was maybe 6 or 7. That hooked me then! Thanks for the notice. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/books/07cnd-lengle.html Madeleine L'Engle, Children's Writer, Is Dead By DOUGLAS MARTIN Published: September 8, 2007 Madeleine L'Engle, who in writing more than 60 books, including childhood fables, religious meditations and science fiction, weaved emotional tapestries transcending genre and generation, died Thursday in Connecticut. She was 88. Her death, of natural causes, was announced today by her publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Ms. L'Engle (pronounced LENG-el) was best known for her children's classic, A Wrinkle in Time, which won the John Newbery Award as the best children's book of 1963. By 2004, it had sold more than 6 million copies, was in its 67th printing and was still selling 15,000 copies a year. Her works poetry, plays, autobiography and books on prayer were deeply, quixotically personal. But it was in her vivid children's characters that readers most clearly glimpsed her passionate search for the questions that mattered most. She sometimes spoke of her writing as if she were taking dictation from her subconscious. Of course I'm Meg, Ms. L'Engle said about the beloved protagonist of A Wrinkle in Time. The St. James Guide to Children's Writers called Ms. L'Engle one of the truly important writers of juvenile fiction in recent decades. Such accolades did not come from pulling punches: Wrinkle is one of the most banned books because of its treatment of the deity. It was a dark and stormy night, it begins, repeating the line of a 19th-century novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, and presaging the immortal sentence that Snoopy, the inspiration-challenged beagle of the Peanuts cartoon, would type again and again. After the opening, Wrinkle, quite literally, takes off. Meg Murray, with help from her psychic baby brother, uses time travel and extrasensory perception to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from a planet controlled by the Dark Thing. She does so through the power of love. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Bush Confesses to Crying a Great Deal
Keith: Yours is a well-written reply below. Chimpy McFlight-suit is full of it and so full of himself. He lied about going into Iraq and now he lies about going into Iran. What's the sayinig? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So, the Prez is an iron man with a heart of gold, eh? Huh, I bet you won't hear Cheney saying that! Ptooey!! I cry too, Mr. Prez: I cry everytime I realize I have to suffer your botched leadership for another year. Just realizing that you come from my home state makes the tears run like I was cutting up onions. The truth that so many Americans bought your line of bull about being a good Christian makes me wanna sob. The lies and manipulations you told to put us at war with Iraq--and knowing so many Americans fell for that bull too--wrack me with grief. Knowing we'll be stuck fixing the mess you made in Iraq for at least a generation brings the water like a faucet. Watching your henchmen and sycophants make gay marriage and immigration more important than poverty, health care, and education makes me wail in despair. Seeing the devastated wasteland that was New Orleans, and remembering how you flew *over* that city without stopping, makes me wanna scream with sorrow. I've got God's shoulder to cry on--yeah, I feel you Mr. Bush, 'cause I'm being moved to tears right now, but I can't take my frustrations out by bombing anyone! ** Bush tells biographer: 'I do tears' By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press WriterTue Sep 4, 6:45 PM ET Under that famously self-confident exterior is a president who weeps a lot. snip
[scifinoir2] OT: American Banker interview
Many of you know that I write a blog about identity theft and corporate responsibility. This morning, I was interviewed by a journalist from the American Banker magazine ( http://www.americanbanker.com )for an article about what companies do after a data breach. The typical company response has been to offer the affected employees and former employees one year of free credit monitoring services. The news article is supposed to run tomorrow (Friday) in both the print and online versions. When the reporter sends the link for the article, I'll pass it along. My blog post which triggered the news story: http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/facts-about-kro.html Kroll's Offering From IBM Deserves Scrutiny Have a nice holiday weekend! George
[scifinoir2] Re: Just checking in to say 'Hi
I resigned as prez effective june 30th. The USS Ronald E. McNair sci- fi club in Boston still meets monthly. The members seem happy to operate without a prez or VP. I was ready to move on, as the title of the last TNG television episode foreshadowed, All Good Things... Since the Trek TV shows ended, we usually discuss other sci-fi topics. Lately, we've discussed some economic issues facing the nation, regarding both the huge, growing national debt and the housing/mortgage problems and how both will affect us all. I go to the club meetings but less frequently. Obviously, for me my blog has consumed a lot of my time. Which is a good thing, I think. I've learned a lot and I think that the blog is raising awareness about some issues. Writing feels productive to me... better than just being angry about IBM's data breach. Maybe some good will come of it, yet. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Welcome back. Your resignation marks the end of an era. Will you still be participating with your group? Godd luck with the Blog. It looks good.
[scifinoir2] Little Mosque on the Prairie
http://www.cbc.ca/littlemosque/ A comedy, going into it's 2nd season. It sounds like Picket Fences but with a Muslim slant. Who knows. Comedy is so subjective. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The other night, while watching Dr. Who on some Canadian cable at my Mom's hotel, I saw a promo for Little Mosque on The Prairie. ( I kid you not) Has anyone heard about or seen it? Tracey
[scifinoir2] Just checking in to say 'Hi
I haven't posted lately. Wanted y'all to know that I haven't forgotten about SciFiNoir2. I've just been very busy in my life, so busy I resigned as president of my local sci-fi club (USS Ronald E. Mcnair in Boston). Anyway, what I've been up to: - My employer got bought in January by a French company. Lots of changes in the office, notably more new business but not enough new staff, so we are over-worked. - My daughter, son-in-law, and my grandson visited for a couple weeks. My grandson is 15 months young. I am enjoying my new grandpa status - I started bloggin on identity theft... chronicles of my dealing with IBM's data breach, it's impact on my life, and highlighting corporate (ir)responsibility issues. Here's how a blogger described my blog: Say for instance, a past employer (Lotus) gets bought out by another company (IBM) and the company that you never even worked for (IBM) keeps your employment records but manages to lose them 16 years after you stopped working for the company they acquired (Lotus). Sound far fetched? It's not. This is the exact scenario that happened to I've Been Mugged: www.ivebeenmugged.typepad.com Feel free to read my blog and to share the URL with friends, family, and peers. George
[scifinoir2] Re: The 50 best movie robots
Thankfully, I never saw #33. And, IMO, #13 should have been #1. Did I read this correctly and none of the robots in Minority Report made the list? George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/a rticle2133609.ece
[scifinoir2] Re: Boston Globe reporter looking for local black fantasy/sci-fi fans]
Tracey: Thanks for posting this. I'll forward this to my Boston area sci-fi club and see if anyone's interested. I've been swamped with work at my job, missed this post, and Brent called my attention to this. George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ussmcnair/ --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Original Message Subject: [SciFiNoir Lit] Boston Globe reporter looking for local black fantasy/sci-fi fans Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:17:42 - From: jonesglobe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, I'm a feature writer in the Living/Arts section of the Boston Globe working on a story about the growing number of black sci-fi/fantasy writers and the people who are reading their work. The story was inspired by the recent release of such books as Acacia by David Anthony Durham and a host of writers such as Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due and even Walter Mosley, who are dabbling in the genre. I'd love to speak to people of color in the New England area (MA, CT, RI, NH, VT) who are fans of sci-fi fantasy and can talk about not only how you've developed a love of this genre, but what the importance is of having black people write in this genre. Please email me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:v_jones%40globe.com Thanks.
[scifinoir2] I Got a Crush...On Obama By Obama Girl
FYI: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU Enjoy! George
[scifinoir2] Cars pick their drivers
FYI: http://www.autobotsrollout.com My employer was hired to bild this site. Currently, there are several trailers, but updates and content will be added thru June. George
[scifinoir2] Re: Cars pick their drivers
If you liked this, then you'll also want to visit http://www.killer3.com . We built that site, too. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: FYI: http://www.autobotsrollout.com My employer was hired to bild this site. Currently, there are several trailers, but updates and content will be added thru June. George
[scifinoir2] OT: do we african americans all look alike?
FYI: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/#53124 Fox News' Bigotry Exposed Again [VIDEO] http://diversityinc.com/public/1957.cfm Do They All Look Alike? FOX News Shows Wrong Black Congressman Indicted Fair and balanced? Ha! Oh, their *new* slogan is We Report. You decide. Well I have decided. We consumers are the deciders. Their reporting is unbalanced, right-slanted, and untrustworthy. A reminder from July 2001: http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1067 The Most Biased Name in News George
[scifinoir2] Re: Atlantan quarantined with deadly TB strain
Should any of the people he infected get seriously sick and/or die, he probably will be sued and held liable in a civil suit. Hence, you hear the guy's lawyer father and in-law saying what you heard them say. The father was also blaming the media for inaccurate descriptions of the events. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Bosco Bosco [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Turns out the guys is a lawyer and his father in law works at the CDC, studying diseases like TB. How awesome is that? I am now definitely thinking he may not be being entirely truthful about what he knew and what he was told. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070531/ap_on_re_us/tuberculosis_infection As the tard population continues to increase exponentially, I am becoming more of the opinion that some people just need to be euthanized for the good of the many. Color my mood facist. Bosco --- g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The guy's doctor advised him NOT to fly. He decided to fly anyway. He flew twice. He didn't bother to buy travel insurance (which would have reimbursed him for the TOTAL of his trip: air, hotel, wedding, everything.) Some folks refuse to accept personal responsibility. Hence, I have no problem with him being locked up. IMHO, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one... especially when there's the risk of of a highly contagious TB infecting a lot of people. Many people have weak immune systems (e.g., the elderly, children, etc.). I travel a lot on cruise ships. It is standard procedure now ships will not let you board if you are sick. They'll give you a voucher to travel later. If you get sick while onboard, they'll quarantine you (and your spouse/family) in your cabin. It's a (brave) new world and people have to learn to adjust to it. Some choose to learn the hard way... and get locked up. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, KeithBJohnson@ wrote: This is wild. Every day, I drive by the hospital where Typhoid Martin is being held. The confusion here stems around what the CDC snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Sci-fi writers join war on terror
This is probably a good idea as long as they don't go over the edge into full-blown paranoia. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-05-29-deviant-thinkers- security_N.htm?csp=34 Sci-fi writers join war on terror By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY Looking to prevent the next terrorist attack, the Homeland Security Department is tapping into the wild imaginations of a group of self-described deviant thinkers: science-fiction writers. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Atlantan quarantined with deadly TB strain
The guy's doctor advised him NOT to fly. He decided to fly anyway. He flew twice. He didn't bother to buy travel insurance (which would have reimbursed him for the TOTAL of his trip: air, hotel, wedding, everything.) Some folks refuse to accept personal responsibility. Hence, I have no problem with him being locked up. IMHO, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one... especially when there's the risk of of a highly contagious TB infecting a lot of people. Many people have weak immune systems (e.g., the elderly, children, etc.). I travel a lot on cruise ships. It is standard procedure now ships will not let you board if you are sick. They'll give you a voucher to travel later. If you get sick while onboard, they'll quarantine you (and your spouse/family) in your cabin. It's a (brave) new world and people have to learn to adjust to it. Some choose to learn the hard way... and get locked up. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is wild. Every day, I drive by the hospital where Typhoid Martin is being held. The confusion here stems around what the CDC and county health officials say they told him, versus what *he* says they told him. I'm trying to understand why, if he's been diagnosed since January, the agencies just now found out he had XDR TB. Not understanding why, even with the less-virulent strains, the health officials only suggested he stay in the States, instead of making it an order. But then, the officials seem to be saying they ordered him to stay here. Also not getting why--assuming he's telling the truth--the CDC didn't make arrangements to fly him from Italy on a CDC jet. I have to assume they would have done something like that, since they'd want him cured to avoid an epidemic. Either way, while I get his fearing ineffectual treatment in Italy, I'm having a hard time with this man jumping on a trans-Atlantic flight, driving from Canada to the States while knowing he had the XDR version. At that point, he could have been extremely contagious. We could have been looking at a chain-reaction of infections if people on that plane, in the terminal, or at the car rental location had been infected by him. Hasn't he seen Twelve Monkeys?! Last year I participated in a seminar sponsored by the CDC here in Atlanta to come up with procedures for dealing with the next deadly worldwide flu pandemic. (And if you want nightmares, read about the flu pandemic of 1918). One of our major concerns was how health officials could track and warn infected people in this world of international travel. Scenarios exactly like this were discussed, where stubborn or fearful people defy orders and do their own thing. How far does the medical community go to issue quarantines to prevent epidemic? When do personal freedosm get abridged for the common good? This is exactly what we meant. Something broke down here. And just imagine if this guy had been infected with a deadly new mutation of influenza. Then we really could have been talking about an pandemic. That's scary... *** Atlantan quarantined with deadly TB strain CDC issues rare isolation order; air passengers warned By ALISON YOUNG The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 05/30/07 An Atlanta-area man infected with a rare, potentially deadly type of tuberculosis is under federal quarantine at Grady Memorial Hospital with an armed sheriff's deputy outside his door following his odyssey on international flights, including some to smuggle himself back into the country. The globe-trotting tale of the man, his fiancee, their wedding and honeymoon abroad and conflicting recollections of what he was told about his disease and whether he could travel culminated Tuesday with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issuing an international health alert. snip
[scifinoir2] OT: Native vs. immigrant: Issue resonates for blacks
FYI, in case you hadn't read this. In my experience, this trend parallels what's going on in corporations... you see more and more asians and latinos, and fewer black americans. It's somewhat sad, but at least there's some diversity being maintained. George - - - - - - - - - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18390590/ Associated Press Updated: 6:12 p.m. ET April 30, 2007 Native vs. immigrant: Issue resonates for blacks High number of black immigrants at U.S. colleges raises diversity questions NEW YORK - Something in the crowd made Shirley Wilcher wonder. As a college graduate in the early 1970s, her black classmates were like herself born in the United States, to American parents. But at an alumni reunion at Mount Holyoke College last year, she saw something different and asked for admissions data to prove it. My suspicions were confirmed, said Wilcher, now the executive director of the American Association for Affirmative Action. She found a rise in the number of black students from Africa and the Caribbean, and a downturn in admissions of native black Americans like her. A study released this year put numbers on the trend. Among students at 28 top U.S. universities, the representation of black students of first- and second-generation immigrant origin (27 percent) was about twice their representation in the national population of blacks their age (13 percent). Within the Ivy League, immigrant-origin students made up 41 percent of black freshmen. Wilcher would like to know why. She asks if her cause has lost its way on U.S. campuses, with the goal of correcting American racial injustices replaced by a softer ideal of diversity as if any black student will do. The study, published in the American Journal of Education, found no definitive answer as to why the change is happening. However, folks I know personally who have worked in admissions have told me that they weren't surprised, said Camille Charles, a University of Pennsylvania professor who wrote the study with three Princeton University professors. The researchers looked at data from a national survey of 1,028 freshmen at 28 top colleges and universities in 1999. The eight-year- old material was used because it was specially designed to help find reasons for underachievement by minorities at colleges and universities. A matter of perception? In terms of student background, it found few differences, noting only that far more black immigrant students had fathers with college or advanced degrees than did other black students. But the authors suggested that the reason for high proportion of immigrant students may lie in how the students are perceived. To white observers, black immigrants seem more polite, less hostile, more solicitous, and 'easier to get along with,' the study said. Native blacks are perceived in precisely the opposite fashion. That idea immediately found detractors. I can't speak for white people, but that's crazy, said Adoma Adjei-Brenyah, a Columbia University student with college-educated parents from Ghana. The director of public policy for the National Association for College Admission Counseling agreed. I reject the notion that admissions officers are somehow deliberately doing this, David Hawkins said. For expert, variety of perspectives is key One legal expert explained the bump in black immigrants by saying that now, decades since the civil rights movement's peak, college diversity is aimed less at correcting American racial injustices and more at creating a variety of perspectives on campus. Besides, how many colleges and universities are looking to stand up and say, 'I'm continuing not to cure the problems of the past?' said Arthur Coleman, a lawyer who co-wrote Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues. Students agreed the subject of native vs. immigrant background remains sensitive. Last month, a Harvard Black Students Association message board asked, When we use the term 'black community,' who is included in this description? A lively debate ensued, with some posters complaining that African students were getting an admissions boost without having faced the historical suffering of U.S. blacks. Jason Lee, the Harvard group's president, echoed another thought in the discussion. There's a historical sense that black Americans are disrespected by immigrants, he said. Parents don't want their kids to play with them, don't want bad habits rubbing off on them. There's a bit of tension there. But Adjei-Brenyah, the president of the African Students Association at Columbia, argued that drawing an admissions distinction based on suffering under slavery is false. If you're going to make a slavery case, people from the Caribbean were also displaced and enslaved. How do you begin to differentiate? he said. An issue at Harvard The issue of native vs. immigrant black Americans took hold at Harvard in 2004, when
[scifinoir2] Re: [Fwd: Terminator Will Be Back, Without Arnold]
I'll bet that one of these future films will be a WWF Smackdown featuring T3 and T2 vs. Alien and Predator. More silliness and a waste of $$$ indeed... enough with the prequels, already! George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: (applause) Daryle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Someone forward this to George Lucas, with the following note: G: THIS, my friend, is silly. sincerely, the people who actually PAY to see movies. How about we stop with the prequels and finish telling a story. The comic book movies are the only ones moving FORWARD. On May 10, 2007, at 3:38 PM, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) wrote: Original Message Subject: Terminator Will Be Back, Without Arnold Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 14:20:30 -0400 From: Gabriel, Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] *Terminator Will Be Back, Without Arnold * by Gina SerpeThu May 10, 5:44 AM ET The Terminator is making good on its coming-back word. The Governator, not so much. The Halcyon Company has announced plans to revive the cyborg-battling movie series with at least three more films, after the production company purchased all rights to the dormant franchise for an undisclosed, though likely eight-figure, sum. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Paris Hilton Going to Jail for 45 Days--Who Cares?
Yes it is sad that crap like this gets a lot of press while folks are dying in the Middle East and others in DC outright lie about a failed foreign policy. BTW, PH couldn't hire a driver? Talk about your spoiled rich girl feeling entitled. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good point! I can say one thing for the series Enterprise. Its point that the Vulcans intentionally tried to keep humans from deep space after 90 years almost makes sense at times. -- Original message -- From: Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] I hear you, Keith. And I hope they're not considering orbital bombardment... [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sorry to destroy some of your brain cells with this, but the ludicrous nature of all the coverage over Hilton's dumb a$$ going to jail is pathetic and funny at the same time. I love the statements from her mother and lawyer who say she was singled out for punishment because of who she is. With all the issues over Iraq, New Orleans' continued sorry state, global warming, etc., what the heck do I care about a spoiled, untalented rich girl breaking the law? I can still here those Vulcans out in orbit. I doubt even creating warp drive will be enough to convince them we're worth contacting any time soon... ** Paris Hilton Going to Jail for 45 Days By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES - A judge sentenced Paris Hilton to 45 days in county jail Friday for violating her probation, putting the brakes on the hotel heiress' famous high life. Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail by June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing. The judge, saying there's no doubt she knew her license had been suspended, ruled that she was in violation of the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. I'm very sorry and from now on I'm going to pay complete attention to everything. I'm sorry and I did not do it on purpose at all, she told the judge before he announced the sentence. She was then ordered to report to a women's jail in suburban Lynwood by the set date or face 90 days behind bars. The judge's ruling excluded her from paying to serve time in a jail of her choice, as some are allowed. Hilton was among a series of witnesses who took the stand during the hearing. She testified she believed her license was initially suspended for 30 days and that she was allowed to drive for work purposes during the next 90 days. She said that when an officer who stopped her in January made her sign a document stating her license was suspended, she thought he was mistaken and did not actually look at the document. Also called to the stand was Hilton's spokesman, Elliot Mintz. Hilton and her attorneys characterized Mintz as a liaison between Hilton and her lawyers.Mintz testified that to his knowledge Hilton did not drive during the 30-day period. He said he then advised her that he believed her license was no longer suspended. The judge called Mintz's testimony worthless and expressed disbelief at Hilton's lawyers. I can't believe that either attorney did not tell her that the suspension had been upheld, the judge said. She wanted to disregard everything that was said and continue to drive no matter what. As a city prosecutor said during closing arguments that Hilton deserved jail time, Hilton's mother, Kathy, laughed. When the judge ruled, Kathy Hilton then blurted out: May I have your autograph? Paris Hilton looked forward and didn't speak to news media as she left court. Her mother looked upset. When a reporter asked what she thought of the judge's decision, a visibly angry Kathy Hilton responded: What do you think? This is pathetic and disgusting, a waste of taxpayer money with all this nonsense. This is a joke. Defense attorney Howard Weitzman said he would appeal. I'm shocked, I'm surprised and really disheartened in the system that I've worked in for close to 40 years, Weitzman said. He said the sentence was uncalled for, inappropriate and bordered on the ludicrous. I think she's singled out because of who she is, Weitzman said... What Paris Can Expect Behind Bars LOS ANGELES - Paris Hilton better like chicken. The hotel heiress was sentenced Friday to 45 days at the Century Regional Detention Center, Los Angeles County's jailhouse for women just south of downtown in Lynwood. Inmates get three low-sodium meals a day, with dinner the only hot meal. Beef and pork aren't permitted _ it's all poultry-based, said Capt. Alice Scott, who oversees the 2,200-inmate facility she describes as a very nice place. Like other high-profile Los Angeles County inmates _ O.J. Simpson, Robert
[scifinoir2] Re: ABC details final three Lost seasons
Funny how an end point of 100 eps is just long enough for syndication (= ). Does Heroes have an end date? If not, it should. So too should Desparate Housewives. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, ravenadal [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/urn:newsml:tv.reuters.com:20070507:lo st_dc__ER:1 ABC details final three Lost seasons By Nellie Andreeva Today at 12:16 am ABC has set an end date for Lost. The Emmy-winning adventure series will run for 48 more episodes over three seasons. Each season will consist of 16 episodes, which will air uninterrupted. Lost executive producers/showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who have been vocal about setting up an endgame for the show, have signed on to stay for the remainder of the series' run. Their separate new eight-figure deals with Lost producer ABC TV Studio include their services on the show as well as multiyear development pacts set to kick in when Lost bows out during the 2009-10 season. Due to the unique nature of 'Lost,' we knew it would require an end date to keep the integrity and strength of the show consistent throughout and to give the audience the payoff they deserve, ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson said. Lindelof said having the end point in sight was incredibly liberating. Like we've been running a marathon and we actually know where the finish line is for the first time. Lindelof and Cuse said they've had a road map for the series with all the major mythological milestones and the ending in place for a while. What we didn't know was how long we had to play the story out, Cuse said. By defining the endpoint we can now really map out the rest of the series in confidence. There will be some puzzle play, too. We sort of view Lost as a mosaic, Cuse said. Now there are only 48 more tiles that go into that mosaic, and we're figuring out, along with all the other writers, exactly where they all go. In January, Lindelof and Cuse said that they envisioned the endpoint for Lost around episode 100. The agreement with ABC will bring the total number of episodes to 120. Lindelof wrote the pilot for Lost with fellow executive producer J.J. Abrams, and Cuse joined the series in October 2004 shortly after the show debuted to big numbers. In addition to its instant commercial success and large following, Lost has enjoyed strong critical acclaim, capped by a best drama series Emmy in 2005 and best drama series Golden Globe in 2006. While the show's ratings have softened this season -- it is averaging 15.1 million viewers to date -- it is the most recorded show on TV, gaining 18% more viewers through DVR viewing. It is also a popular draw for streaming replays on ABC.com, iTunes downloads and DVDs. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Edward F. Boyd Dies at 92; Marketed Pepsi to Blacks - Fought Stereotypes
Thank you very, very much for posting this. It's always good to read about our history. While I did not know this Pepsi story, I do like the link to the pullman rail cars. My Dad was a Pullman porter for many years after WW2. He traveled a lot and saw a lot of cities that I would later visit by air. There is a good movie about the pullman porters experience, titled _10,000 black men named george_ which I encourage folks to see, if you haven't. My dad was a strong supporter of A. Philip Randolph. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, ravenadal [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/business/06boyd.html? _r=1oref=slogin May 6, 2007 Edward F. Boyd Dies at 92; Marketed Pepsi to Blacks By DOUGLAS MARTIN Edward F. Boyd, who as a young sales executive parlayed his assignment to promote Pepsi-Cola to fellow blacks into a war against white racism and black stereotypes, meanwhile selling oceans more soda, died on April 30 in Los Angeles, PepsiCo announced. He was 92. snip
[scifinoir2] French train goes 357+ mph
FYI: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070403/ap_on_re_eu/france_fast_train_record I dream of having something like this for travel between Boston and New York city. George
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Frontline Series News War
Thanks for posting this. I've been watching it. It is good, as it usually is. You can watch/read Al Jazeera via the Internet. IF you want access, you'll have to write to your cable provider and congressional reps. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This series from Frontline is powerful and, I think, a must-see. I know we send a lot of e-mails around, and I know many of us rant and rave about all sorts of issues. Truth, it must be hard somedays to decide what latest issue is worth worrying about, which cause warrants our attention. But the following is worth a look. It's a four-part series about media and how perceptions are shaped in the newest Information Age. When you think about it, just about everything we think and feel is influenced by someone else: whether it's Madison Avenue telling us who's beautiful or what kind of car is hip, American Idol pushing no-talents off as singers, rappers telling us what it is to be real, Hollywood pushing the myth of half-naked Spartans fighting an army of degenerates, or the President influencing our thoughts on everything from religion to social issues, we're bombarded with sights and sounds and slogans that say This is good or This is bad. Nowhere has this been in more evidence recently than the ideological battle of America vs. the Middle East, and America vs.--America, where soundbites, controlled messages, and subtle manipulations have been used to sway the public and pit us against each other. Indeed, I wonder how many of us--even those who think of ourselves as free thinkers--realize how much our minds are influenced by the media, and just how partisan and subjective that media has become nowadays. I watched the fourth part of the series, War of Ideas, last night. It focuses on how Arab and Middle Eastern TV is fast approaching the sophistication of American TV, technologically, and, especially, psychologically. One guy compared an Arab station to Fox, with the same slickly packaged pandering-to-the-crowd format. It touches on Al-Jazeera and its influence, and the regrettable (in my opinion) decision made by all major content providers in the US not to carry Al-Jazeera English, the new entity aimed at brining a Middle Eastern viewpoint to the English-speaking world. Chilling that our government has basically made a decision for us on what we can watch, especially given how many respected *American* reporters have signed on with Al-Jazeera English. Not to mention, the audience of Arab- focused cable and TV outlets is *huge*, and how can Americans make informed decisions about American Mid-East policy if we don't even know what the hell the Middle Easterners are thinking? Perhaps if we'd had some more knowledge taht up front, no one would have been foolish enough to think Shock and Awe would result in a cowed-but- grateful Iraqi populace greeting our troops with open arms. The entire series can be viewed online at the following address http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/newswar/ A brief quote from the synopsis: ...Drawing on more than 80 interviews with key figures in the print, broadcast and electronic media, and with unequaled, behind-the- scenes access to some of today's most important news organizations, FRONTLINE correspondent Lowell Bergman examines the challenges facing the mainstream news media, and the media's reaction, in News War, a special four-part series. Bergman traces the recent history of American journalism, from the Nixon administration's attacks on the media and the post-Watergate popularity of the press to new obstacles presented by the war on terror and changing economics in the media business and the Internet. The topic has special resonance for Bergman, whose career as a journalist for FRONTLINE, The New York Times, ABC News and 60 Minutes has included reporting on the issues that are critical to the current controversies. There has been a perfect storm brewing in the world of news, says Bergman. Not since the Nixon administration has there been this level of hostility leveled at news organizations. [But] unlike the confrontations of 35 or more years ago, today's news war sees the very economic foundations of the business shifting [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: 50 Cent: Publisher - Black books everywhere; not a thing to read
Thanks for posting this. I was mostly unaware of this new genre and can say that I definitely do not plan to read it. I am hoping it doesn't kill of more scholarly works. I guess with the popularity of items like Grand Theft Auto and music from 50 pennies, this was bound to happen. It definitely is another shining example of capitalism... anything to make a buck. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, ravenadal [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink. - Coleridge's Ancient Mariner http://www.calendarlive.com/books/la-ca- gunit18mar18,0,6477447.story?coll=cl-books-top-right 50 Cent's rap meets pulp With G-Unit Books, 50 Cent has become hip-hop's first book publishing magnate. By Chris Lee Times Staff Writer March 18, 2007 YOU'D be forgiven for judging the paperback novella The Ski Mask Way by its cover. The book's jacket artwork depicts a muscle-bound thug stripped to the waist to reveal a tapestry of tattoos: a skull, a spider and the word Un Broken etched across his pectorals in gothic font. Flanked by the silhouette of prison bars, he clutches a woolen balaclava, leaving little doubt as to the shoot'em-up literature within. Let's get that money the fast way the ski mask way, one character says to another, handing him a sawed-off shotgun. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: New Orleans Residents Arming Themselves
Thanks for posting this article and your rant. Both were an interesting read. I agree with another poster's comment that this is yet another item to add to the list of articles of impeachment. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is so sad, I don't have the words. The disgust I feel turns my stomach. That damn criminally incompetent administration is spending hundreds of billions of dollars trying to keep Iraq from the fires of chaos it unleashed, costing the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, all the while telling us that doing so will keep America safe. Meanwhile, their own citizens are living in what might as well be a third-world country in their own back yard. That the citizens of New Orleans are arming themselves as if under siege is inexecusable! But what the hell else can you expect from a leader who didn't mention New Orleans once in his State of the Union, but who famously said, You're doing a good job, Brownie, and, (Circling the Katrina- devastated city from the safety of his plane) As bad as things look from up here, I bet it's twice as bad down there. And this is an administration guided by Christ's principles? Doesn't that include loving your neighbour and helping him when he's in need? * New Orleans Residents Arming Themselves By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS - Sixty-four-year-old Vivian Westerman rode out Hurricane Katrina in her 19th-century house. So terrible was the experience that she wanted two things before the 2006 season arrived: a backup power source and a gun. I got a 6,000-watt generator and the cutest little Smith Wesson, snub-nose .38 you ever saw, she boasted. I've never been more confident. People across New Orleans are arming themselves _ not only against the possibility of another storm bringing anarchy, but against the violence that has engulfed the metropolitan area in the 19 months since Katrina, making New Orleans the nation's murder capital. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Coulter Criticized for Anti-Gay Slur Towards Edwards
FYI. This article explains Coulter and her ilk quite completely: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/cpacs-gay-porn-star- hono_b_42842.html George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I agree. Some of these people may be doing the PT Barnum thing and giving a show, but their core is still full of hatred and contempt. -- Original message -- From: Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yokozuna, I wish I could believe that. There's an absence in her eyes that, IMO, gives something of veracity to the invective she spews. The Yokozuna Of Soul [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Coulter is in show business. She no more believes any of the nonsense she says or writes than Lou Costello was an idiot. This entire issue is fluff and we can expect more avoidance of the issues as we get closer to 2008. On Mar 5, 2007, at 5:57 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Don't you just *love* the American political system? If you go to John Edwards' website, you can see the video clip for yourself. There, you also have the option to click a link to donate Coulter Cash, which is a way of saying you can defeat people like Coulter by donating money to Edwards.https://johnedwards.com/action/ contribute/coulter Politics has got to be the dirtiest, bloodiest game in the world, but I guess you can't fault the Edwards camp for taking advantage of it in this way. I still say that I'm amazed that with all the things Edwards is saying--such as a recent interview in which he said Jesus would be ashamed of America, or the interview on Meet the Press where he said homosexuality is *not* a sin--he's getting such little press. Again, i wonder, if the media covered him as incessantly as it did Clinton and Obama, would his numbers be higher? All that aside, can someone explain to me what the hell is wrong with Coulter? She regularly spouts virulent hatred I'm only used to hearing from white men like Limbaugh or David Duke. What is wrong with her, what's her past? I've never been able to stomach watching, listening to, or reading about her, so have never done the research myself * http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/04/coulter.edwards/index.html Coulter Under Fire for Anti-Gay Slur WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Prominent politicians from both parties and a gay-rights group on Saturday condemned right-wing commentator Ann Coulter for her reference Friday to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards as a faggot. Ann Coulter's use of an anti-gay slur yesterday was un-American and indefensible, Edwards said in a posting on his Web site, www.johnedwards.com. In America, we strive for equality and embrace diversity. The kind of hateful language she used has no place in political debate or our society at large. I believe it is our moral responsibility to speak out against that kind of bigotry and prejudice every time we encounter it. Edwards' campaign posted the video on their Web site, and asked readers to help them raise $100,000 in 'Coulter Cash' this week to keep this campaign charging ahead and fight back against the politics of bigotry. Coulter made her comment in Washington during an address to the 34th annual meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference, during which she gave her opinions about the Democrats' slate of presidential hopefuls. I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,' so I'm - so, kind of at an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards, so I think I'll just conclude here and take your questions, said Coulter, whose comment was followed by applause. CNN has reached out to Coulter's representative, and received no response. But the New York Times reported that she responded, in an e-mail, C'mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean. A spokesman for Sen. John McCain, a Republican presidential candidate, called Coulter's comments to the conservative group wildly inappropriate. In a written statement, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, said, Ann Coulter's words of hate have no place in the public sphere much less our political discourse. Not only should she apologize but those who participated in the conference with her should denounce her shameful and divisive actions. Ann Coulter's use of this anti-gay slur is vile and unacceptable, said Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and the applause from her audience is an important reminder that Coulter's ugly brand of bigotry is at the root of the discriminatory policies being promoted at this gathering. In a written statement, Democratic
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Coulter Criticized for Anti-Gay Slur Towards Edwards
IMHO, there are 3 aspects to Coulter that one needs to remember: First, she's selling her books. She's a capitalist and she knows that the more books she sells, the more political clout she (hopes) to wield. Only difference between her and Limbaugh, one uses radio. The other uses print. Both distort the truth. Her outrageous comments get people, like you, to wonder who she is and to buy her books to find out. (Think of it this way: afte Bull Connor sicked dogs and fire hoses on civil rights protesters, did you need to read his book to understand who he was?) Second, Coulter's rants energize her base. Like Limbaugh and O'Reilly, she is entertainment... an entertaining commentator... someone to hear and make you feel good after you're plunked down $1,000 per plate at a GOP fundraiser. For Coulter's audience, they consider her a balancing force against folks like Michael Moore and Al Franken. (Moore's films pissed off conservatives much more than we progressives realize; as did Gore's film.) For conservatives, anything and anyone that energizes their base to vote, is a good thing. For conservatives, Coulter also combats the supposed left- leaning media -- the usual target is the NY Times. Third, Coulter provides cover for many Repubs. She says what they want to say but don't. It's cowardly, but it is what it is. IMHO, this definitely includes Chainsaw and Dubya. They can stay above the fray while their designated attack dogs (Coulter, Limbaugh) do the dirty work. (Remember how W used PACs to attack Kerry, so he didn't have to.) The trap is attacking her instead of focusing on the issues and attacking the conservatives running for office. I have every confidence that Coulter will get her due. Payback will be a b---h and her's is coming. I am sure that Olbermann is working on something relevant... one aspect of her due. As for your comment below about Edwards' web site, Edwards is doing what is appropriate... using Coulter's own words against her... to energize his base. Yes, all of this is pretty brutal politics. I say better this than outright civil war... remember that politics is a surrogate for actual fighting. And, we haven't seen pols hand fighting (yet) in the house, like they have in other countries... or back in the 1800's. Last, Edwards is one of the few arguing for the poor. I see nobody doing that amongst the GOP prez candidates. They argue for funding for churches (instead of FEMA; or privatization instead of WRAH) to help the poor and suffering... a lazyman's excuse, IMHO, but it appeals to their base. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Don't you just *love* the American political system? If you go to John Edwards' website, you can see the video clip for yourself. There, you also have the option to click a link to donate Coulter Cash, which is a way of saying you can defeat people like Coulter by donating money to Edwards. https://johnedwards.com/action/contribute/coulter Politics has got to be the dirtiest, bloodiest game in the world, but I guess you can't fault the Edwards camp for taking advantage of it in this way. I still say that I'm amazed that with all the things Edwards is saying--such as a recent interview in which he said Jesus would be ashamed of America, or the interview on Meet the Press where he said homosexuality is *not* a sin--he's getting such little press. Again, i wonder, if the media covered him as incessantly as it did Clinton and Obama, would his numbers be higher? All that aside, can someone explain to me what the hell is wrong with Coulter? She regularly spouts virulent hatred I'm only used to hearing from white men like Limbaugh or David Duke. What is wrong with her, what's her past? I've never been able to stomach watching, listening to, or reading about her, so have never done the research myself * http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/04/coulter.edwards/index.html Coulter Under Fire for Anti-Gay Slur WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Prominent politicians from both parties and a gay-rights group on Saturday condemned right-wing commentator Ann Coulter for her reference Friday to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards as a faggot. Ann Coulter's use of an anti-gay slur yesterday was un-American and indefensible, Edwards said in a posting on his Web site, www.johnedwards.com. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Asian paper's 'I Hate Blacks' column assailed
Is this really surprising? I found this very interesting, and not entirely a surprise, for two reasons: 1. Former NBA player Tim Hardaway's comments: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2766213 2. The explosive growth of niche publishing via cable TV, am talk radio, blogs, and the internet allows people with narrow views to reach narrow audiences. This allows people to maintain narrow news sources and not benefit from the perspectives of others. Only occassionally do narrow views (like Eng's) reach broader, mainstream media. I hope that everyone on this list is watching the PBS Frontline series on 'News War as it explores this and other related problems. See: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newswar/ George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, James Landrith [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: There are no words. Well, there are three. Foot. Up. Ass. ___ James A. Landrith, Jr. 703-593-2065 cell 760-875-8547 fax http://www.jameslandrith.com .. Original Message ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: San Francisco Chronicle Asian paper's 'I Hate Blacks' column assailed Leslie Fulbright, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, February 27, 2007 A San Francisco weekly newspaper that bills itself as The Voice of Asian America is facing harsh criticism from that very community for publishing a column Friday titled Why I Hate Blacks. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: Thurmond's daughter says Sharpton overreacted
The parent-child bond is not to be underestimated. People will often cling to it when all logic and facts say otherwise. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I absolutely respect her ability to handle her past with such calm, 'cause I'd still be pissed about it. But I'm surprised she so quickly commented publicly about Sharpton. Here's a man who's spent his life fighting for civil rights, getting the confirmation none of us wants: that his ancestors were owned and sold like cattle. Given Thurmond's segrationist past and secret trip to the slave quarters (so to speak), of course Sharpton is reeling. Miss Washington- Williams made a big point of remaining silent about her own heritage for decades, only coming forward reluctantly when her kids pushed her. So why is she criticizing Sharpton? If she wanted to comment, I wish she'd reached out to Sharpton with understanding and perhaps an offer to meet and talk about things with him. Or give him the same respect she gave her racist father, and just keep her feelings to herself. I felt this when she first came out a few years ago, and I may be wrong, but I think she's a sad example of how the slaves' minds could be warped to love and respect their masters. For her to be able to say Thurmond was a good father in many ways? Sure, he just impregnated an underage Negro woman in a decidedly unfair (possibly coercive) relationship, hid the fact, and then spent decades keeping her people down. Do all the good things he did for Black people make up for all the damage he did to us by setting up institutions whose ill effects are still felt in South Carolina? So I'm to respect the fact that he gave her money? Please. Wonder what she'll say about Sharpton's comments on the Tom Joyner Morning Show this morning? He said that if DNA tests confirm that he is related to the Thurmonds, he'll definitely be looking into legal recourse to get back some of the ill-gotten wealth they obtained from the illegal and immoral ownership of his family. ** Thurmond's daughter says Sharpton overreacted By Austin Fenner and Jose Martinez New York Daily News (MCT) NEW YORK - The biracial daughter of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond defended the segregationist Tuesday and criticized the Rev. Al Sharpton for overreacting when he learned his ancestors had been enslaved by Thurmond's relatives. His reaction, to me, was overbearing. He seemed too upset, said Essie Mae Washington-Williams, who revealed shortly after Thurmond's death in 2003 that she was his illegitimate daughter. In spite of being a segregationist, he did many wonderful things for black people, Washington-Williams, 81, said of her father. I kind of feel that there was a little bit of an overreaction here. Ancestry.com genealogists discovered the link between Sharpton and Thurmond after an intensive two-week search unearthed an 1861 slave contract. The document showed that the reverend's great-grandfather, Coleman Sharpton Sr., was enslaved by Julia Ann Thurmond Sharpton, a distant relative of the late senator. As the New York Daily News broke the story Sunday, Sharpton said, It was probably the most shocking thing in my life. But Washington-Williams said Sharpton should try to make peace with his family's link to the white slave owners. If it had been any other family, maybe he wouldn't have reacted the way he did, she said Tuesday. Strom Thurmond fathered his biracial daughter when he was 22, and her mother, a black maid for the Thurmond family, was 16. But even as he ran for President on a segregationist platform in 1948, Thurmond did not shy away from his duties as a dad, Washington- Williams said. He put her through college and visited her often, she said. We had a 62-year relationship, she said. He's done many wonderful things for my family. Thurmond's other children - whom Washington-Williams referred to as her brothers and sister - have not publicly commented on their family tree. They have always been very quiet, said Washington-Williams, adding that she maintains a good relationship with the Thurmond family. Washington-Williams, a retired educator who lives in California, was in South Carolina to sign copies of her book, Dear Senator, which chronicles her once-hidden relationship with Thurmond. I'm not sure that Rev. Sharpton is aware of the many things Strom Thurmond has done for South Carolina, she said. He just knows about the things said about segregation. When told of Washington-Williams' comments, Sharpton said his situation was different than hers. I was given specific accounting about my great-grandfather as chattel property and used against their will for profit in two different states, Sharpton told The News from Miami. No one should minimize how their family was considered property and less than human. Sharpton said his reaction to the news about his forefather
[scifinoir2] Licensed to pill
Be sure to turn on sound: http://www.cafeoflifepikespeak.com/Videos/Licensed%20To%20Pill.swf Enjoy! George
[scifinoir2] Re: [Fwd: [Blackfolks] Is this what a future Oscar winner looks like?]
Oscar has nothing to do with it. Period. I have no interest in films that make fun of overweight black woman or overweight women. This includes Murphy's latest film, but also includes 2 films by Martin Lawrence (Big Mama's house or something titled like that), and the stage play/film by the other black guy who's name I can't remember. A trend of poor taste. There's so much else that's funny and funnier. BTW, the tv series 'Ugly Betty' is really good. It has much more positive messages in it, for people of all backgrounds. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Academy Award chances After *hearing* about Norbit, I may never watch a movie with him in it again. Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --- Original Message Subject: [Blackfolks] Is this what a future Oscar winner looks like? Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 17:38:38 -0600 From: Mel Cragwell, II Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-wk- norbit8feb08,1,2603410.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews Is this what a future Oscar winner looks like? Some fear 'Norbit' could hurt Murphy's Academy Award chances. By Greg Braxton and Robert W. Welkos Times Staff Writers February 8, 2007 EDDIE Murphy's on the verge of an awards season trifecta his charismatic portrayal of a tragic RB singer in Dreamgirls has already nabbed him a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe, and he's considered a front-runner for a best supporting Oscar. But the most high-profile image of Murphy these days while Oscar ballots are still out is on billboards and in movie trailers wearing a fat suit, garish eye shadow and little else. The tagline for his new comedy, Norbit, poses the question: Have you ever made a really big mistake? Some Oscar observers are questioning the timing of the movie's Friday arrival, and whether it may unintentionally put off potential academy voters, while some black activists are taking Murphy to task for engaging in what they say are demeaning racial stereotypes. Every time I pass that billboard, it makes me sick, said one veteran Oscar consultant, who declined to be identified and is not involved in a rival campaign. I think his performance in 'Dreamgirls' is so fabulous and deserves to win the Academy Award. But, he added, Murphy's latest comedy offering doesn't help. Award season aside, Murphy and Norbit are under fire from some black activists who say the film is just the latest to build a movie around a black man dressing up as an unsophisticated, overweight black woman. Adding fuel to their anger is the movie's release during Black History Month. For Eddie to follow what he did with 'Dreamgirls' with this just doesn't make sense, said Robert M. Entman, author of The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America. There's no excuse for him to lend his prestige to something like this . There has to be a point where African American stars of his stature have to take some responsibility for their actions and just say no. Murphy's stunning turn as James Thunder Early in Dreamgirls has earned him rave reviews and renewed respect for a performer who has had one of Hollywood's most up-and-down careers. He's had his share of hits (48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places and the Shrek movies) and flops (The Adventures of Pluto Nash, The Haunted Mansion.) Now, Murphy is in contention for the industry's top honors, which will be handed out Feb. 25. Ballots are due back Feb. 20. Norbit could end up working in Murphy's favor, the creative forces behind it say, because the comedy demonstrates Murphy's range and ability to morph into multiple characters. It's an approach the actor has used to great success in Coming to America and the two The Nutty Professor films. Norbit, about a wimpy man trapped in a horrible relationship with a woman (also played by Murphy), was co-written by Murphy and his brother Charles Murphy, and produced by the actor's production company. Murphy, who has shunned print interviews for years, declined to comment. The comedy has done well with focus groups, said Stacey Snider, co-chairwoman of DreamWorks: Audiences have always loved it. She added that she was confident that Norbit would have no influence on academy members' evaluation of Murphy's work in Dreamgirls. People can separate the performance in 'Dreamgirls' for the career-defining role that it was . They accept this movie for the comedy that it is . I think people are wise enough and savvy enough to understand the spirit that was intended. They know not to read too much into it. One academy voter, John DiSimeo, who is a member of the public relations branch, agreed. As a voter, it doesn't impact me. We're able to focus on
[scifinoir2] Re: Star Wars gangsta rap
Glad that y'all enjoyed it. So did I. It's good, but not as good as 'White and Nerdy. Geo --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Amy Harlib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] OW! That was a hoot! But it cut off rather too abruptly. ROTFL! Amy In a message dated 2/8/07 2:44:04 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: WARNING! Contains explicit language like most gangsta rap: http://www.glumbert.com/media/starwars LoL! George Oboy. Lucas, what have you sparked. :D -GTW
[scifinoir2] Re: Ousted Pastor ââ¬ËCompl etely Heterosexual
Haggard is as cured as Rush Limbaugh is sober. Set your RSS feed for these two clowns. There's more to come from both, for sure. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Oh, ja, ja... Reece Jennings [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: (tongue firmly in cheek, folks!) Uhhh...this WAS Freudian, right? LOLLOL! _ From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Martin Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 4:43 PM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Re: Ousted Pastor ââ¬ËCompletely Heterosexual Anyone find it odd that on this day, as the Right reverend Haggard announces himself free of homosexuality, a former NBA player, John Amaeichi, comes out of the closet? Maybe Haggard's onto something? (tongue firmly in cheek, folks!) Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:tdlists%40multiculturaladvantage.com aladvantage.com wrote: Especially not in three weeks. I think the most they could accomplish is that they would make them turned off to sex entirely. Tracey Bosco Bosco wrote: I know a lot of gay people who don't feel they could just switch teams given the right set of circumstances. Bosco --- KeithBJohnson@ mailto:KeithBJohnson%40comcast.net comcast.net mailto:KeithBJohnson%40comcast.net wrote: Is it the same therapy used on Gibson, Richards, and Washington? I think I posted an e-mail a couple of weeks ago joking that there ought to be a treatment facility divided into wings for differing types of phobias and prejudices. What do you think? Is homosexuality an illness or behavioural issue that can be cured? I'm not convinced that all homosexuality is genetic or brain-mandated as some feel. (You're either born gay or not, they say). Look at all the ancient societies where homosexuality--or bi-sexuality, I should say--was practiced: Sparta, Rome, others. Surely not every soldier and citizen who engaged in that behaviour was born gay? I think the lifestyle and cultural mores might have done that to them. Are some people born gay, and others simply become such due to environment? -- Original message -- From: ravenadal [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:ravenadal% 40yahoo.com com mailto:ravenadal%40yahoo.com There was a great bit on The View today. The women mentioned that parents sometimes make a child caught smoking smoke a whole pack of cigarettes as a form of aversion therapy. They pondered what sort of aversion therapy had been employed to make Haggard change his orientation in just three weeks... ~rave! --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:scifinoir2% 40yahoogroups.com ups.com mailto:scifinoir2%40yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) tdlists@ wrote: Forced by a gay sex scandal to resign as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Rev. Ted Haggard now feels that after three weeks of intensive counseling, he is ââ∠âcompletely heterosexual,âââ¬Ã says an overseer of the megachurch Mr. Haggard once led. The church official, the Rev. Tim Ralph, said in an interview published yesterday by The Denver Post that Mr. Haggard had also told the board of overseers that his only sexual relationship involving another man had been with Michael Jones, the onetime Denver prostitute who exposed that three-year affair last fall. Mr. Jones said then that he was making it public because Mr. Haggard had acted hypocritically in promoting a constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage. Mr. Haggard, who as a result of the scandal was ousted by the overseers in November as senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, broke a three-month silence over the weekend when he contacted members of the church by e-mail to tell them that he was healing. His three weeks of counseling, in Phoenix, felt like ââ ∠âthree yearsâââ‰â¢ worth of analysis and treatment,âââ¬Ã but now ââ ∠âJesus is starting to put me back together,âââ¬Ã Mr. Haggard wrote in the e-mail message, which was published in The Colorado Springs Gazette on Monday. ââ∠âI have spent so much time in repentance, brokenness, hurt and sorrow for the things Iâââ‰â¢ve done and the negative impact my actions have had on others,âââ¬Ã he said. Mr. Haggard could not be reached for comment yesterday. Mr. Ralph declined through a spokeswoman to comment, and there was no response to telephone calls and e-mail to another overseer or to a New Life spokesman. But Mr. Ralph told The Denver Post that Mr. Haggard had come out of the counseling convinced of
[scifinoir2] Re: White and Nerdy
Did you find all of the Star Wars references in this vid? There are at least 4 Star Wars references and 2 Star Trek references. Geo --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is too d--- funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xEzGIuY7kw George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston)
[scifinoir2] Star Wars gangsta rap
WARNING! Contains explicit language like most gangsta rap: http://www.glumbert.com/media/starwars LoL! George
[scifinoir2] Re: Astronaut Arrested for Assaulting Supposed Rival
One question: what qualities did Oefelein see in Nowak? Obviously, he must have been diddling her to get the type of response from Nowak which the article outlined. I assume that Nowak's husband will have something to say to Oefelein. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sorry Keith. I missed this. Tracey [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From the Shameless Gossip category. This is the wildest story I've heard all month! This lady is a career military person, has become the best-of-the-best as an astronaut, flew on the Space Shuttle--and is a complete loon! Married with children, Nowak nonetheless drove *900 miles* to confront a lady who she thought was having an affair with a male astronaut Nowak loved. And check it: Nowak wore *diapers* so she didn't have to stop for restroom breaks! She says she just wanted to talk? Uh-huh: you need a mallet, knife, rubber tubing, pepper spray, and garbage bags to to have a conversation? And like something from a bad movie or novel, she started crying before attacking Shipman. Years ago I saw a crappy TV movie called something like Murder on Space Station 12. It was a soap-opera type affair about an astronaut who murders another in space. Man, if things had proceeded, that might have happened. Can you imagine if Nowak had been in space with Mr. Oefelein and decided he'd betrayed her? She might have jacked him up with that robotic arm, or grabbed the controls on re-entry, screaming If I can't have you, nobody can! Now what? NASA gonna have to screen flight crews to make sure they don't have hidden personal issues? I guess even rocket scientists can lose their minds... ** Astronaut Charged With Kidnap Attempt ORLANDO, Fla. - An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts. U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail and is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday. Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman. Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said. Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship, according to an arrest affidavit. Police officers recovered a love letter to Oefelein in her car. NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak's status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged. What will happen beyond that, I will not speculate, he said. Hartsfield said he couldn't recall the last time an astronaut was arrested and said there were no rules against fraternizing among astronauts. When she found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate, authorities said. Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry. Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said. Shipman drove to the parking lot booth, and the police were called. During a check of the parking lot, an officer followed Nowak and watched her throw away a bag containing the wig and BB gun. They also found a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags inside a bag Nowak was carrying when she was arrested, authorities said. Inside Nowak's vehicle, which was parked at a nearby motel, authorities uncovered a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves and e-mails between Shipman and Oefelein. They also found a letter that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein, an opened package for a buck knife, Shipman's home address and hand written directions to the address, the arrest affidavit said. Police said Nowak
[scifinoir2] Re: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Stunt Results in Terrorist Scare
Feel free to forward my comments and please add this one: Yesterday on the news, many of the supporters of the 2 guys arrested described them as kids. Both are grown men aged 28 and 29. They are not kids. They are adults (at least physically and some would argue they aren't adults mentally/emotionally). Sometimes, the level of codependency in society is simply staggering. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: George, Do you mind if I copy this response and e-mail it to some other folks? In another chain about this I started, one guy said it was just stupid white folks over-reacting. I'd like to present your point of view as something for him to consider. Keith -- Original message -- From: g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] I live and work in Boston. This has been all over the news here. Our government incurred a large expense with the bomb disposal squads, police overtime to stop traffic; and for a time the subways were shut down. IMHO, the marketers definitely had an obligation to do 2 things: a) notify local law enforcement about their intent to put these devices, and b) ask the permission of the private property owners upon whose property they placed the devices. They didn't do either. I don't know what you've read, but devices were hung on both private and public property here in Boston. Regarding the youth that support this guerilla marketing, their approach to any physical space is the same as their approach to content on the Internet... anything and any space is fair game for their purposes. They don't seem to understand (or don't care) that placing the devices on people's private property without their permission is the same as defacing walls with graffitti... not that graffitti is acceptable anywhere. People, especially the youth, need to remember that this is the town where 2 planes took off from our airport that crashed into buildings on 9-11. So the heightened state of vigilance here is understandable and appropriate. IMHO, the people that yell today about our local government's supposed over reaction would likely be the same people yelling if the government didn't respond and it was a true terrorist attack. It is unclear if the devices were up for 3 weeks here. They were up longer in other cities, but most people here say they weren't up long here. People need to remember that there is already some unease in Boston. There are 2 nuclear reactors within a 1.5 hour drive of the city; plus several biochemical facilities within city limits, and one of the 4 larges LNG terminals is across Boston harbor in Chelsea. With all of those high-value targets nearby, a heightened state of vigilence is very appropriate, IMHO. I definitely believe that the Turner Network and the Cartoon Network should reimburse my city for their expenses. I don't want to pay those expenses thru higher taxes, to fund their self-interested marketing stunt. If they don't pay, you can bet I'll work hard for a boycott of their cable channels. George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, KeithBJohnson@ wrote: I'm not sure what to say about this publicity stunt. Seeing as how the devices aren't small, and they are lighted advertisements, didn't the marketers have some kind of obligation to get permission to put them out? This was a little more than nailing a sign to a telephone pole, after all. If nothing else, I'd have obtained some type of permission from the city before dumping several dozen electronic devices on bridges and stuff. They might have been simply destroyed at best. And, I have to say, this marketing campaign wasn't all that effective if the things sat unnoticed for three weeks. I live in Atlanta, spend all my time in the city where this campaign should be most noticeable. Most of all, I drive by the Cartoon Network headquarters at least ten times a week, and I *never* saw a one-foot cartoon character giving me the finger! Did any of you in Austin, San Fran, Chi-Town, or NYC notice these things? ** 2 Men Held on Bond in Boston Hoax Case By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer 3 hours ago BOSTON - Two men who authorities say placed electronic advertising devices around the city were released from jail Thursday, apparently amused with the publicity stunt that stirred fears of terrorism and shut down parts of the city. snip [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] Re: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Stunt Results in Terrorist Scare
I live and work in Boston. This has been all over the news here. Our government incurred a large expense with the bomb disposal squads, police overtime to stop traffic; and for a time the subways were shut down. IMHO, the marketers definitely had an obligation to do 2 things: a) notify local law enforcement about their intent to put these devices, and b) ask the permission of the private property owners upon whose property they placed the devices. They didn't do either. I don't know what you've read, but devices were hung on both private and public property here in Boston. Regarding the youth that support this guerilla marketing, their approach to any physical space is the same as their approach to content on the Internet... anything and any space is fair game for their purposes. They don't seem to understand (or don't care) that placing the devices on people's private property without their permission is the same as defacing walls with graffitti... not that graffitti is acceptable anywhere. People, especially the youth, need to remember that this is the town where 2 planes took off from our airport that crashed into buildings on 9-11. So the heightened state of vigilance here is understandable and appropriate. IMHO, the people that yell today about our local government's supposed over reaction would likely be the same people yelling if the government didn't respond and it was a true terrorist attack. It is unclear if the devices were up for 3 weeks here. They were up longer in other cities, but most people here say they weren't up long here. People need to remember that there is already some unease in Boston. There are 2 nuclear reactors within a 1.5 hour drive of the city; plus several biochemical facilities within city limits, and one of the 4 larges LNG terminals is across Boston harbor in Chelsea. With all of those high-value targets nearby, a heightened state of vigilence is very appropriate, IMHO. I definitely believe that the Turner Network and the Cartoon Network should reimburse my city for their expenses. I don't want to pay those expenses thru higher taxes, to fund their self-interested marketing stunt. If they don't pay, you can bet I'll work hard for a boycott of their cable channels. George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm not sure what to say about this publicity stunt. Seeing as how the devices aren't small, and they are lighted advertisements, didn't the marketers have some kind of obligation to get permission to put them out? This was a little more than nailing a sign to a telephone pole, after all. If nothing else, I'd have obtained some type of permission from the city before dumping several dozen electronic devices on bridges and stuff. They might have been simply destroyed at best. And, I have to say, this marketing campaign wasn't all that effective if the things sat unnoticed for three weeks. I live in Atlanta, spend all my time in the city where this campaign should be most noticeable. Most of all, I drive by the Cartoon Network headquarters at least ten times a week, and I *never* saw a one-foot cartoon character giving me the finger! Did any of you in Austin, San Fran, Chi-Town, or NYC notice these things? ** 2 Men Held on Bond in Boston Hoax Case By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer 3 hours ago BOSTON - Two men who authorities say placed electronic advertising devices around the city were released from jail Thursday, apparently amused with the publicity stunt that stirred fears of terrorism and shut down parts of the city. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Fwd:convictions start for Ohio's 2004 Stolen Election - Officials say Recount Was Rigged]
It's about time. Too late though, buat the crooks still need to be punished... all the way up the food chain. All of us citizens will be paying for decades for BushCo's arrogance and mistakes. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: First criminal convictions from Ohio's stolen 2004 election confirm recount was rigged */Columbus Free Press/* *by /Bob Fitrakis Harvey Wasserman/ January 27, 2007* The first felony convictions of two Cleveland poll workers stemming from Ohio's stolen 2004 election confirm that the official recount in that contested vote was, in the words of county prosecutors, *rigged.* The question now is whether further prosecutions will reach higher up in the ranks of officials who may have been involved in illegalities throughout the rest of the state. snip
[scifinoir2] Why we should watch Battlestar Galactica and don't
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/china-is-shooting-down- sa_b_39194.html The commentary is a reminder, IMHO, that the best sci-fi is sci-fi that challenges us about issues that are important and which we don't immediately recognize their importance. George Captain The USS Ronald E. MCNair (Boston)
[scifinoir2] Re: [Fwd: Instant viewing -- Netflix delivers over the Web]
I with you. I can't see the logic in watching a movie (or a tv show) on my cellphone. Definitely can't watch a foreign film, with subtitles, on a cellphone either. Can't read the print. A former coworker watches BG on his video iPod. I don't see the sense in that, either, but this guy swears by it. He watches an ep on the commuter train. The only application I can think of where I *might* watch a film on my phone is inflight on an airplane (train or bus) where I a) don't want to watch the airline's canned and edited film, and b) don't have a portable DVD player (with its larger screen) with me. But this situation is so infrequent, it doesn't justify the expense. Cellphone cameras are good at catching stuff that needs to be caught. Michael Richards' rant and Saddam's final exit are two examples of that. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Does anyone even relish this idea, watching a movie on your phone? I can't get myself around the notion of being able to see a movie while I'm at a restaurant or on the train or anything like this. I see lots of folks doing just this here in Atlanta on MARTA. Me, I don't even like going to the theater anymore. Inceasingly, I find myself waiting until a movie hits DVD, then deciding whether 'tis nobler to drop the $20 for ownership or $4 for a day's enjoyment, all in the confines of my bedroom, where I can react to it as I choose. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good point, but I think that's coming anyway. There's a lot of movie development for cell phones going on in Asia, and now picking up here. There's lots of possibilities that movies will be produced especially for iPods. So I think the development of little mini-films tailored for small screens and shorter viewing times is here to stay. Since it is, we have to really, really hope the suits will try to develop some good content. Personally I think the You Tubes and other distribution methods coming into vogue will produce a type of permanent class of developers who'll create content for these new methods of viewing. -- Original message -- From: Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] Suggest deployment of umbrellas... I can see one problem with that. If this paradigm does shift to the point where we can get movies faster online, then expect H'Wood to shift its own paradigm by pushing out more movies. Did I leave out the word crappy? [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Fascinating. Every week, it seems Comcast and ATT (formerly BellSouth)--the two major broadband carriers in Atlanta--promise faster and faster download speeds. I think I get about 5 mbps on average from Comcast, and I heard a promise of six recently. Couple that increasing speed--which still lags far behind the average speed in most other industrialized nations--with more realization of the Net's usage, and we may see that paradigm shift sooner rather than later. Already I understand the Nielsen folks are pullilng out their hair trying to capture true ratings when people often forego first- run broadcasts of shows on TV in favor of DVR, reruns on broadcaster's websites, and iTunes purchases. Exciting -- Original message -- From: Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Original Message Subject: [Blackfolks] Instant viewing -- Netflix delivers over the Web *Instant viewing -- Netflix delivers over the Web* POSTED: 10:04 a.m. EST, January 16, 2007 http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/01/16/instant.netflix.ap/index. html LOS GATOS, California (AP) -- Netflix Inc. will start showing movies and TV episodes over the Internet this week, providing its subscribers with more instant gratification as the DVD-by-mail service prepares for a looming technology shift threatening its survival. The Los Gatos-based company plans to unveil the new Watch Now feature Tuesday, but only a small number of its more than 6 million subscribers will get immediate access to the service, which is being offered at no additional charge. Netflix expects to introduce the instant viewing system to about 250,000 more subscribers each week through June to ensure its computers can cope with the increased demand. After accepting a computer applet that takes less than a minute to install, subscribers will be able to watch anywhere from six hours to 48 hours of material per month on an Internet streaming service that is supposed to prevent piracy. The allotted viewing time will be tied to how much customers already pay for their DVD rentals. Under Netflix's most popular $17.99 monthly package, subscribers will receive 18 hours of Internet viewing time. The company has budgeted about $40 million this year to expand its data centers and cover the licensing fees for
[scifinoir2] Re: [OT] Murphy, Rock, Tucker To Swim In New Ocean
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I wanna see an all-Black martial arts flick. Something that blends the action of Kill Bill Volume 1 with the cool of Shaft (the real one with Richard Roundtree). I'd pay to see a crazy punch-and-kick fest with the likes of Gabriel Union, even Vivica A Fox, maybe Blair Underwood for a serious addition. Can someone get on that? Oh yeah, and can we please *not* cast Will Smith in it?! All black martial arts film? One was made and it starred Bruce Leroy. LOL! See: The Last Dragon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089461/
[scifinoir2] Re: 'Lost' looks to find an end
How freakin' hard could it be to find an ending for this show? Geez. Try this one: Iran decides to test fire one of their new nukes and picks both islands not knowing they are inhabited by the Others and the crash survivors. There. Ending solved. I gave up on this series long ago when it plodded along like a daytime soap where nothing ever really gets resolved. That's insincere story-telling... which Desparate Housewives also suffers from. But I understand that the drive for $$$ encourages this kind of story-telling. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/television/1 6469720.htm Posted on Tue, Jan. 16, 2007 'Lost' looks to find an end By David Bianculli New York Daily News (MCT) PASADENA, Calif. - ABC's Lost will return to some of the storytelling methods that made the mystery-laden series popular in the past, the producers said Sunday. For instance, the rest of the season will be more like the show's first year, focusing on relationships among the familiar (but, in this season's first six episodes, largely missing) characters, the producers told members of the Television Critics Association. Jack (Matthew Fox) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) will be prominent, as will Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) and Claire (Emilie de Ravin). Jack, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Kate (Evangeline Lilly) will escape from the other island - and, perhaps most intriguing of all, the producers are in discussion with ABC to decide when to end the series, so they can plan accordingly and intentionally. It's time for us to find an end point to the show, executive producer Carlton Cuse said, comparing it to J.K. Rowling's decision to announce well in advance that Harry Potter would stop after seven novels. The decision to revert to tried-and-true methods comes as the show has faced stiffer competition in the Nielsen department and lost some of its earlier buzz. Cuse also referred to The X-Files, calling it a great show that probably went two seasons too long. The answers to the show's biggest questions, he and series co-creator Damon Lindelof said, would be held until the end, but they don't want to stretch Lost thin just to keep going. None of us want to be doing the show that is the stalling show, Lindelof said. You know: `We're building sand castles this week!' To those judging the entire current series of Lost based on six episodes shown in the fall, Cuse warns against making premature assessments. If we only showed you the first six episodes of last year, he said, you'd probably think, `What? Has the show just become about the tail section people?' And those characters are basically now all dead. By time we got on through the entire season last year, we feel like we covered everyone's stories. And I think the same will be true when you see the third season in its totality. You'll have a much better sense of what everybody's been doing. --- © 2007, New York Daily News.
[scifinoir2] Colbert vs. O'Reilly
FYI, in case you hadn't seen this: http://www.ifilm.com/video/2815044 This is s good. George
[scifinoir2] Re: FDA Approves Weight Control Pill for Dogs
Question is: how many dog owners will take the pills themselves 'cause they are overweight, too. Remember all of the poor senior citizens (on fixed incomes) who ate dog food 'cause the they couldn't afford regular food. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I don't even know what to say about this. Talk about a superficial society that's focusing on the wrong things! Bad enough humans cram down pills to offset self-inflicted health problems. Now we're creating drugs to deal with our obese pets??? Man, when i was young and my family's dogs seemed to be getting a little sluggish, I'd take 'em for long walks, which included quite a bit of running too. Of course, my mom forbade animals in the house, so all our pets lived in the backyard, meaning they got lots of exercise just running around, playing, chasing squirrels and birds and whatnot. Not that this is always the case, but I bet a lot of owners who turn to this have house-only dogs that rarely get to spend significant time outside, and the owners obviously don't walk 'em a great bit. Personally I'd be embarrassed with myself if I were so self- indulgent and lazy that I couldn't find a natural way to keep my dog or cat at the weight nature intended. Sheesh! And I thought city dwellers who spent a lot of money hiring people to walk their dogs for them were lazy... Doggie diet drug a new solution for pudgy pooches By ELIZABETH LEE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 01/06/07 Pudgy pooches have a new weapon in the battle of the bulge: the first diet drug for dogs. Like two-legged Americans, dogs have gotten heavier. About 40 percent are overweight, the American Veterinary Medical Association says. Many owners have trouble keeping their dogs on a diet or exercising them. snip
[scifinoir2] Captain Kirk never had this gadget!
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/the-apple-iphone/ iPhone George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ussmcnair/
[scifinoir2] Re: OT: The History of Oil
Thanks for posting this. I haven't watched all of it since it is very long. I like how 1953 was summarized... an event few Americans (and obvioiusly, few Britains either) know anything about and something the news media seems never to mention. I've forwarded this to a few folks who, ideology-wise, sit on both sides of the isle. George - - - - - - - - I'm posting this link because I can't control my enthusiasm for this piece. Although, I confess the most skiffy aspect are the theater lights powered by a bicyclist. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7374585792978336967 Tell me what you think.
[scifinoir2] Re: NBC ready to bring back 'Bionic Woman'
There's no need for a new Bionic Woman TV series when we can watch Joan Rivers on the TV Guide channel run her bionic mouth. (smile) Many parts of her are artifical replacements, too. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Brent Wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/03/television.nbc.reut/index.ht ml NBC ready to bring back 'Bionic Woman' January 3, 2007 LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) - The pilot pickup season began in earnest Tuesday, with NBC greenlighting three one-hour projects, including a new take on The Bionic Woman. The original series, a spin-off from The Six Million Dollar Man, starred Lindsay Wagner as a woman whose body is mechanically enhanced to save her life. It ran on ABC and then NBC for three seasons in the mid-1970s. NBC's order is contingent on casting. The other pilots in NBC's order are a cop show and a spy comedy-drama. snip
[scifinoir2] Re: Fantastic Four / Silver Surfer Preview
Try this: www.apple.com/trailers/fox/fantasticfourriseofthesilversurfer/ George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: the link won't work for me Said Kakese Dibinga [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: (http://www.apple. com/trailers/ fox/fantasticfou rriseofthesilver surfer/large. html) http://blog.thebayindogroup.com/ __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] La'V' is always watching...Be careful who you talk to. - The Side Street Chonicles by C.W. Badie __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[scifinoir2] White and Nerdy
This is too d--- funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xEzGIuY7kw George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston)
[scifinoir2] Re:Film Review: Curse of the Golden Flower
Thanks for the review, question: Is it worth mantinee or full price? IMHO, full price. Funny thing... my wife and I were the only non- Asians in the cinema here in Boston. We caught a 2 pm showing on a Saturday. Cinema was ~ 50% full. It may go to video/cable quickly. George
[scifinoir2] Film Review: Curse of the Golden Flower
Anybody else seen this film? Curse of the Golden Flower http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movieid=9491 And: http://www.sonyclassics.com/curseofthegoldenflower/ My wife and I went to see it Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was thick with intrigue... it kept the audience wondering who the good guys were, who the bad guys were, who was conspiring with whom, who had betrayed whom, and who would win the final showdown. The visuals were absolutely stunning!! You must see this on the big screen and NOT on the small screen. I almost didn't recognize Chow Yun-Fat! The attention to detail in the Imperial Palace sets and choreography of actors made me feel like I was really there. Of course there were some martial arts fight scenes, but they didn't dominate the plot and sub-plots. Without revealing too much, the clean-up scene before the Chrysanthemum Festival was more impressive than the pre-festival fight. I highly recommend this film. George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston)
[scifinoir2] For dog lovers!!
Where is Porthos (and Captain Archer) when you really need him? Anyway, this is for the dog lovers on this list. Two coworkers of mine, sisters, operate this web site: http://www.pooptalkin.com/ If you have a high-speed Internet connection, you'll want to view their poopcasts (episode 4). Be sure to turn up the volume on your computer's speakers. If you are a cat owner, don't bother writing to Sheri and Kim. Their site explains why they focus only on dogs. Sheri and Kim are looking for more photos of dogs doing what dogs do, especially large dogs since they own small dogs. I'm not kidding. Read the site and the 'About Us' section. Enjoy! George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ussmcnair/
[scifinoir2] Are you Jedi worthy?
Fellas: http://www.ziddio.com/contest.zd?dispatch=landingcontest=2 Nerf Herder Hahaha! This could resurrect Vanilla Ice's career... not that we'd want that to happen. Anyway, while you fellas play with your light sabres, I'll gladly herd the two barely-dressed babes on the dance floor. BTW, I'm back from vacation. Spent a week in Key Largo at my daughter's wedding. She lives there with her new hubby, who is a ranger at the Pennecamp State Park. To the good, my vacation felt like some much-needed shore leave on Risa. DIdn't find the tox Uthat. And no, I didn't buy a Horgon. Don't need one... George J. Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ussmcnair/
[scifinoir2] Re: FW: Republican Leader who raised 7 million for Bush caught in scandal
Yep, agree with Keith's post/rant. Now for a little humor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-hipp/meth-and-man-ass_b_33326.html Be sure to turn up the volume on your computer's speakers when you listen to this song. Enjoy! George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Amy Harlib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Couldn't agree with Keith's comments more. It is the Good Book itself that says: Judge not, lest ye be judged and of course, there's always the Golden Rule! Passionately Progressive/Color me Green, Amy (applause) Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What an ironically funny understatement ends this report: Members of Haggard's 14,000-member megachurch were stunned. No chit!! I assume the timing of the release of this was intended by the accuser, but he should have a care, for it may backfire. Hopefully it'll make the ultra-conservative right so disgusted with their leaders they'll stay home next week. (Abstaining from voting is all one can hope for from ultra-conservatives. They sure as hell won't switch to more liberal candidates!) But I hope that it doesn't rile up the religious right who'll view it from the gays-trying-to-take-over mindset, and flock to the polls to protect themselves. snip Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Staying the Course?
I hope so. I pray so. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Do I hear the impeachment engines warming up? g123curious [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jq0j80UB_c From the mouth of the flip-flopper-in chief. George Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Jericho Premieres Tonight on CBS
The other day--yesterday?--I posted something about all the TV shows with slowly unfolding clues, and that keep you guessing as to what's what for one or more seasons. That's great, intelligent, suspenseful TV. Well needed in what's become a wasteland of reality shows and one-shot CSI/Law and Order clones. But yeah, too many of such shows starts to become a strain. If you were watching Lost, 24, the new Vanished, Kidnapped, Prison Break etc., you'd indeed have to watch every ep to stay up. And actually a good show with action and suspense--24, Prison Break--at least doesn't keep you guesing. As you said, too many of these shows with cleverly placed clues, slowly doled out revelations? Becomes overwhelming. I know I sound as if I'm being ungrateful, as it's the intelligent TV I wanted, but some of the themes simply don't warrant the format. You don't sound ungrateful to me. It sounds like you want quality TV and you're not getting it. Everyone assumes that slowly unfolding clues is the only way to deliver quality TV. It isn't. These slowly unraveling shows can be just as bad as any other. I find many of these slowly unraveling clues shows a stepsister to the daily soaps... and hence, I don't watch either. Nothing is ever really resolved. To keep the plot twists coming and to develop new secondary plots, the writers often use totally stupid or unrealistic actions. Bad character development and poor story developement are such whether it's a standard 1-hour TV show or one of these slowly unraveling clues shows. As far as Jericho, this is trash IMHO. I watched the pilot and I find in highly contrived to keep this town isolated. It's the same as keeping isolated a planeful of 150+ passengers on an island in Lost. With satellites, Google Earth, and other such stuff, these lost on an island sci-fi shows require an absurd suspension of belief. To me, they are soaps in disguise. (If you wnat something entertainingly absurb, the other night I listed to the Iranian prez's speech to the U.N. on C-Span2.) Also, I don't trust the network or the local affiliate to air the eps in the correct order. I am willing to wait a season and watch the few shows I do like on DVD... in order and without commercials. I want my TV when and how I want it, not the way the networks or affiliates want to show it to me. This translates into me wathcing less and less TV when the eps first air. About the only live TV i watch are sports... and event then I'll tape a 3.5 hour football game so I can bypass the commercials and timeouts and watch a 60- minute football game in about 60 minutes. Times are a changing... George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Happy as a clam
Just got the 3rd season of Las Vegas on DVD. NBC finally did it right and replaced some PG scenes shown on TV with some more adult scenes that are unrated. Afterall, this show is set in sin city. And the eye candy is definitely entertaining. DW and I have watched about 9 of the 23 eps so far. George J. Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Eureka premieres tonight on Sci Fi
Keith: Thanks for the bio and background on Richardson. Obviously, I have led a sheltered existence and I have not watched nearly enough films or TV. I haven't seen any of the films you mentioned below, nor have I seen any of the TV series you mentioned below, except DS9. I did see all of DS9 and I do remember the DS9 ep you mentioned... but I didn't make the connection. Then again, I may have been distracted by the Dabo girls in Quark's Bar (heh-heh) or by the actress that played Sisko's wife in the series pilot (who was killed at Wolf 3-5- 9 but resurfaced again in one of those universe cross-over eps). Then again, there were a lot of fine-looking actresses on DS9... regulars and guest actors. As far as Richardson being more talented than Berry, I can't comment. Ask me later after I've seen more of Richardson's work. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Yeah, George, where you been not to recognize Salli??? :) She first came to my attention when she played in Mario Van Peebles' Posse, looking every bit like a lovely Black/Native mix, which I think she was playing. (Richardson herself is part Black, Native, and Caucasian). She later made a name for herself when she voiced the character of Lieutenant Elisa Maza (sp?) in Gargoyles, the human detective who worked with and aided the gargoyle clan. Incidentally, her character in Gargoyles was portrayed as being of mixed race, half white (Jewish) and half black. She also had a gig on the TV series Family Law. Richardson did a guest starring role on DS9. In the ep Second Sight she played an alien married to an old white scientist (Richard Kiley?). She wanted out of the marriage, but couldn't get out because her people mate and bond for life. Her psychic powers provided an outlet for her misery by subconsciously creating an energy copy of herself, which met and fell in love with Sisko. The energy being's continued existence was draining her powers and killing her, but she was in a fatal loop, as she was miserable but couldn't leave the marriage. Her husband committed suicide to free her of the trap. The show was significant because it was the first time since his wife's death that Sisko had allowed himself to care for another woman. Richardson also played in the little seen film Once Upon a Time when We Were Colored. It's a great movie from Tim and Daphne Reid that deals with that time period just before Civil Rights. Richardson plays that local woman we all had in our neighborhood who was always showing up in the clubs causing trouble just by being there and looking good, causing the men to fight over her. Seeing Richardson in that tight red dress--wow! She's done dozens of other film and TV roles, but those are the ones that I've noticed her in. In interviews I've seen with Richardson, she comes off as intelligent, strong, self-assured, proud of her Black heritage (as seen by being married to a Black man), and her white side (as seen by all the white love interests she has in her roles, including *two* white dudes fighting over her in Eureka). Although she's done very well, I've always wished she could have gotten more exposure and acclaim, especially seeing as how other less talented woman of color (Halle Berry) seem to have gotten so much more. Maybe Richardson just isn't willing to play all the games other actors do to climb that ladder. Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: The Hard Drive Turns 50
Da--! I'm older than the hard drive. Thanks for the history lesson. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Said Kakese Dibinga [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The Hard Drive Turns 50 Melissa J. Perenson, PC WorldWed Sep 13, 3:00 AM ET Today, the hard drive is found everywhere--from the PCs we use daily to MP3 players and memory keys so small you can toss them in your pocket and forget you're carrying around a hard drive. But when the hard drive was first introduced on September 13, 1956, it required a humongous housing and 50 24-inch platters to store 1/2400 as much data as can be fit on today's largest capacity 1-inch hard drives. snip Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Eureka premieres tonight on Sci Fi
Hello! Since I no longer get the SciFi Channel (e.g., I get the antenna service version of cable since it is cheap -- $8 per month), a friend Tivoed the pilot of Eureka and I was able to watch it Sunday. I found it quite entertaining and enjoyable. The show seemed like oa mix of Northern Exposure, X-Files, and Picket Fences. I was only able to watch the pilot episode, so my comments are limited to it. It was far more enjoyable than ANY episode of Enterprise and more appealing than the horror stuff the Sci-Fi channel tends to show. I wouldn't describe the residents of Eureka as superior beings. Rather, I'd describe them as high-IQ because they still do some stupid stuff, which causes lots of mayhem, humor, and confusion. And we all know that high-IQ folks aren't superior... they may be smarter, but definitely aren't superior. Especially if that high-IQ isn't balanced with social skills and such. The DoD rep was stunningly beautiful. I hope that she's around on the show for a while. Does anyone know this actress' name? I'll probably watch Eureka like I watch Las Vegas... via NetFlix... when the DVD is released. George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Great, I still have last week's Stargate premieres on tape, along with Avatar, and now another new show pops up. This one is Eureka, a Sci Fi original about a town of apparently superiour beings. It looks to be some good quirky fun, especially fitting for the summer. Long as it doesn't suck, I'll give it a try, if for no other reason than the fact that Salli Richardson-Whitfield is in the series, looking more fetching than ever! Whew! Oh, there's also going to be an extended trailer from season 3 of Battlestar Galactica played sometime during Eureka's premiere. About the series: As World War II came to a close with mushroom clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the impact that science and technology would have on the continued security of our world became catastrophically apparent. America nearly lost the race to build the atomic bomb; it could not risk such a close call again. With the help of Albert Einstein and other trusted advisors, President Harry S. Truman commissioned a top-secret residential development in a remote area of the Pacific Northwest, one that would serve to protect and nurture America's most valuable intellectual resources. There our nation's greatest thinkers, the über-geniuses working on the next era of scientific achievement, would be able to live and work in a supportive environment. The best architects and planners were commissioned to design a welcoming place for these superlative geniuses to reside, an area that would offer the best education for their children, the best healthcare, the best amenities and quality of life. A community was created to rival the most idyllic of America's small towns with one major difference: this town would never appear on any maps. At least, none that haven't been classified eyes only by the Pentagon. Thus, the town of Eureka was born. But for all its familiar, small- town trappings, things in this secret hamlet are anything but ordinary. The stereotype of the absent-minded professor exists for a reason, and most of the quantum leaps in science and technology during the past 50 years were produced by Eureka's elite researchers. Unfortunately, scientific exploration is rarely what one expects, and years of experiments gone awry have yielded some peculiar by-products. From unrequited love to professional jealousy, from addiction to depression, the problems of Eureka's townsfolk stem from life's myriad of everyday challenges. But with the population's unique talents, troubled psyches and limitless resources, these small-town concerns have a way of becoming big-time problems. It is at that intersection, where human frailty and super-science collide, that Eureka begins . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Pirates' Rings Up $1 Billion
Carlos Mencia on his Comedy Channel cable show Mind of Mencia did a spoof of the Pirates film. His spoof was absolutely hilarious. See it. George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin Pratt [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Considering the dreck that come down the pike before and since, I'd have to say that it's not as much It's a great movie! as It's better than the rest of this crap... Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Is the film that good? No one I know who saw it says it's better than the first one, though all say it's entertaining. _ From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) Sent: Thursday, 07 September, 2006 19:47 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: [scifinoir2] Pirates' Rings Up $1 Billion Pirates' Rings Up $1 Billion Disney's treasure chest for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is expected to swell to more than $1 billion today (Thursday) as the film continues to dominate the overseas box office and manages to attract decent business domestically as well. Only two other films have preceded Pirates into the exclusive $1-billion club, Titanic, which accumulated $1.83 billion, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which grossed $1.13 billion. Pirates principally owes its box-office success to its drawing power in the U.K., where it has so far earned $94 million, and in Japan, where it has raked in $78 million. On Tuesday, its total overseas gross stood at $583 million and its domestic gross, at $414 million. http://www.imdb. http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2006-09-07/ com/news/sb/2006-09-07/ Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Will Crocodile Hunter's Final Scene Be Televised?
Snuff film? That analogy seems way over the top and excessive. We've all seen JFK's assassination in the Dallas motorcade. What's different about this? If it is aired, the world won't stop or explode. Life will go on. I just want to see what happened, not be TOLD what happened. And then form my own opinion. I can see this being restricted to adults and not children. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Will Crocodile Hunter's Final Scene Be Televised? Although Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin once remarked in a TV interview that he hoped his death would be caught on camera, the Discovery Channel has said that it will not broadcast footage taken at the time he was fatally attacked by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef Monday. Journalism ethicists have applauded the decision. Martin Kaplan, a media analyst with the USC/Annenberg School for Communication, told the Associated Press that the footage is tantamount to a snuff film. Samuel Freedman, who teaches media ethics at Columbia, added similarly, It would be purely titillation and necrophilia if anyone were to show this. The footage is currently in the hands of the local coroner's office, which is investigating the death. Which raises the question, what if the tape shows that Irwin could have been warned about the attacking stingray? Or what if he was seen taunting it? What if it shows in some other way that the attack could have been prevented? On Wednesday, Australian survival expert Ray Mears commented, The voyeurism we are seeing on television has a cost and it's that cost Steve Irwin's family are paying today. http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2006-09-07/ Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Fw: Death of the Crocodile Hunter
What a freak accident! So dad! I think of the thousands of people who have swam with stingrays in the Grand Cayman, like your truly: http://www.ircruise.com/2003/photo293.html George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Amy Harlib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Subject: For Those Who'd Like To Leave Condolences for Steve Irwin's Family Go here: http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/steve/statement.html Vibes and hugs, Amy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Fw: Death of the Crocodile Hunter (typos corrected)
What a freak accident! So sad! I think of the thousands of people who swam with the stingrays in the Grand Cayman, like yours truly: http://www.ircruise.com/2003/photo293.html That stingray I'm holding/kissing inthe pix was about 4 feet in diameter. George Captain The USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Amy Harlib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Subject: For Those Who'd Like To Leave Condolences for Steve Irwin's Family Go here: http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/steve/statement.html Vibes and hugs, Amy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Paramount Dumps Tom Cruise
Thanks for sharing this article. IMDB does some things well and others not so well. This article is an example. IMHO, one chief reason Cruise got dumped was his public dissing of Brooke Shields about post-partum depression and anti-depression drugs. While Cruise is entitled to his opinions, he is not a doctor and he is a poor source about pharmaceutical information and post- partum depression. His comments were very dangerous about a very serious subject... and it alienates a large portion of the audience (e.g., women) Paramount needs to sell tickets to. Why IMDB neglected to write about this baffles me. There are some better articles: http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/08/23/redstone-cruise-viacom- cx_po_0823paramount.html http://www.kfoxtv.com/entertainment/9729716/detail.html http://www.kfoxtv.com/entertainment/9712702/detail.html http://www.iesb.net/index.php? option=com_d4j_ezinetask=readpage=1category=2article=226Itemid=2 9 Nor does the article mention the South Park episode Cruise didn't want Paramount to air. That probably figured into the mix, too, since Parker and Stone just inked a new production deal with Paramount. It also didn't help Cruise when he demanded that reporters hear a scientology lecture before interviewing him on set during filming. For Cruise, it's all about the ego. George Captain USS McNair (Boston) --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Tom Cruise has been unceremoniously dumped by his Paramount studio partners for his sofa-jumping antics on TV. Revered Paramount boss Sumner Redstone has ended his company's 14-year relationship with Cruise/Wagner Productions because he no longer wants to be associated with the movie star. Redstone tells newspaper The Wall Street Journal he believes Cruise's bizarre antics on TV shows like Oprah and Today had a negative effect on the box office take of Paramount's 2005 summer blockbuster War Of The Worlds. He snipes, As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal... His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount. Cruise's Producing Partner Slams Paramount Tom Cruise's producing partner Paula Wagner is furious with the treatment the pair have received from Paramount Pictures and insists they were the ones who turned their back on the studio after failing to reach an agreement regarding their contract. The studio announced on Monday it was severing ties with the pair after 14 years, citing Cruise's unacceptable offscreen behavior, which included promoting his relationship with Katie Holmes and his beliefs in Scientology. Wagner says, We had ceased negotiations. I'm not sure why this happened. You need to respect your artists. I don't understand why this would be turned into a personal attack. Because that's what it is. Wagner says the pair were planning to strike out on their own and have raised a revolving fund of $100 million from two hedge funds to establish an independent production company. Cruise had been a lucrative asset for the studio in the past with his films grossing more than $2.5 billion for Paramount. According to sources close to Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone, who owns Paramount, the studio estimated that Cruise's uncensored off-screen antics were thought to have cost the studio $150 million in lost box office receipts for Mission: Impossible III. Top Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has made several movies with Cruise including Top Gun and Days Of Thunder, has come to the star's defense. He says, He's as viable an actor as he always was. He's a worldwide star and a lot of people want to work with him, including me. http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2006-08-24/ Tracey de Morsella The Multicultural Advantage Phone: 888-750-6132 Email: tdemorsella AT multiculturaladvantage.com Find Diversity Career Fairs, Scholarships, Fellowships, Jobs, Internships, Grants, Mentor Programs, Leadership Institutes and Sponsorship Offerings at: http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/opportunity/opportunities.asp Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Black hero has race changed in 911 movie]
Wow! Arrogant and very insulting. What other facts did the movie makers miss? George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Original Message Subject: [AFAMHED] Black hero has race changed in 911 movie Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 13:16:34 -0400 From: Boyce Watkins - Syracuse Finance [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Boyce Watkins - Syracuse Finance [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 'WTC' casting error draws flak from African-Americans Wednesday, August 16, 2006 By L.A. Johnson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06228/713723-254.stm A hero of another color in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center has some people again balking at the whitewashing of a black character in a Hollywood film. http://www.post-gazette.com/popup.asp?img=http://www.post- gazette.com/images4/20060815ap_wtchero_450.jpg snip Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Saw Snakes on a Plane
Congrats on a thorough, well-written movie review. And since Americans will watch just about anything, congrats to Samuel Jackson on an excellent payday. I'll pass on seeing this dribble. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This movie had more cheese than the whole state of Wisconsin! It was cheesy, camp, corny, overdone, overblown, melodramatic, stupid, silly, forced, full of gratuitous nudity and gore--and I LOVED it! SoAP, as Sam Jackson says, tells you up front what it's about. It's not Shakespeare, not even trying to be as serious as the great '70s disaster flicks like Airport or The Poseidon Adventure, which actually were intended to be real dramas, no matter how we remember them. No, Snakes was obviously conceived, written, and directed to be a silly movie. The first scenes were over the top. I won't spoil it for y'all who haven't seen it, but the bad guy is so bad he might as well have worn a moustache to twirl. Of course he's a hands-on kind of leader (think Robert DeNiro's famous Batter up! scene in The Untouchables and you get the idea). He's so bad he's funny. And of course since he's Asian, we get treated to a completely unnecessary scene of him oiled down, muscles glistening, as he beats the crap out of a sparring partner during a martial arts training session. (Don't all Asian criminals practice martial arts in between dealing drugs and killing government witnesses?) Then the film uses the old staple long used by disaster flicks and shows like the Love Boat: introduce a whole bunch of characters in quick succession, only giving sketch profiles of each. The background info is very surface--just enough to be useful later when they die. For example, there's *always* a kid or two in an airplane disaster flick who's traveling without parents for the first time, so you can later ooh and ahh at how brave they are. SoAP had 'em. There's always the dude who's so terrified of flying he's a basket case. Again, got one in this flick. The randy young couple who's gonna get offed while their clothes are off and they're doing something nasty? Check. The obnoxious jerk who everyone in the audience is just waiting to see die? Yep. Some kind of cute/irritating animal that half the audience wants to see live, and the other half wants to get eaten? On the list. The really cool- seeming hearthrob who's actually hiding a coward inside? Right-O. The pilot(s) who manage to do something stupid to get killed so someone else has to save the day, but who go out in heroic fashion? You got it. And finally, the unlikely hero who pulls everyone's fat out of the fire, often someone other than the main star. Again, SoAP's got it. The movie was one long list of cliched character types. I kept half-expecting Jimmy JJ Walker or Vicki Lawrence to show up, and Captain Stubing to be flying the plane. But it's all good: you only need to know enough about the caricat--er, characters- -to get a thrill when they get bitten. And get bitten they do! The snakes, driven wild by some type of pheromone in a completely bogus plot, are crazed beyond belief. They're crawling faster than I can run, spitting venom, hissing, baring fangs, biting everything that moves.They even bite electrical wiring! Every body part imaginableI mean *every* oneis pierced through by sharp teeth at some point in the flick. The slimy creatures even manage to crawl inside one persons skull through her eyeball socket! Think Anaconda but with a few dozen reptiles, and you get the idea. Who knew snakes could crawl up a flight of snares so fast?! Like I said, so nuts are they that they bite through key wiring in the avionics systems, causing all sorts of malfunctions. (Oh yeah: Major storm attacking the plane? Check. Major mechanical problems on said plane? Check, and check). The movie stalls a bit now and then when they try to act, but fear not! We're always only seconds away from another bite or venom-spit scene. The action's fun and funny. Some of the scenes are a little gory, especially when dangling body parts get chomped, but it's more funny-silly gross than anything else. The group I went witheven those who were squeamishwas laughing a lot, as were the people in the theatre. Sam Jackson is pitch-perfect in his B-movie role. He's not as over-the-top corny as I expected. The I'm sick of this muthafu*** snakes... line was funny, but i wanted a few more of them. Jackson's playing the role fairly straight. Come to think of it, with given all the comic carnage surrounding him, is actually probably a good move. But that mug, those facial expressions, and that voice? They're perfect. The rest of the case is appropriately anonymous and unmemorable. After all, they're only props to move the action along. The FX were decent. Some of the snakes were ob vious fakesI'm from Texas and I know snakes, but can't ever remember seeing rattlers with almost
[scifinoir2] Re: Black hero has race changed in 911 movie]
As I read the article below, Gray's comments reminded me of the movie, Memoirs of a Geisha what had several Chinese actors portraying Japanese characters. The actors were all fine actors but this film's casting approach pissed off people, too. George Captain USS McNair --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Original Message Subject: [AFAMHED] Black hero has race changed in 911 movie Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 13:16:34 -0400 From: Boyce Watkins - Syracuse Finance [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Boyce Watkins - Syracuse Finance [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 'WTC' casting error draws flak from African-Americans Wednesday, August 16, 2006 By L.A. Johnson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06228/713723-254.stm A hero of another color in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center has some people again balking at the whitewashing of a black character in a Hollywood film. http://www.post-gazette.com/popup.asp?img=http://www.post- gazette.com/images4/20060815ap_wtchero_450.jpg Bebeto Matthews/The Associated Press *Jason Thomas of Columbus, Ohio, helped rescue Port Authority police officers John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno on 9/11. In Oliver Stone's movie, World Trade Center, a white actor was cast to portray Thomas. ** This time it's the character of Marine Sgt. Thomas, one of two former Marines who help rescue New York Port Authority Officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin from beneath 20 feet of twisted metal, broken concrete and sparking debris in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. In the film, white actor William Mapother -- who's Tom Cruise's cousin and who played Ethan Rom in the first season of Lost and Quecreek miner John Flathead Phillippi in ABC's The Pennsylvania Miners' Story -- plays Sgt. Thomas. Last week, the real Sgt. Thomas -- a black, former Marine named Jason Thomas of Columbus, Ohio -- came forward and told his story. Someone needed help. It didn't matter who, Thomas told the Associated Press. I didn't even have a plan. But I have all this training as a Marine, and all I could think was, 'My city is in need.' So, instead of heading to class at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York that fateful morning, he headed toward the devastation. At ground zero, he ran into another ex-Marine and Connecticut accountant, Staff Sgt. David Karnes, and the two decided to search for survivors. Eventually they found Jimeno and McLoughlin. Karnes, who couldn't reach Manhattan's 911 from his cell phone at ground zero, called his sister in Munhall, Joy Karnes. She helped relay information to New York emergency services that helped them pinpoint the trapped men's location. Film producer Michael Shamberg apologized to Thomas for the racial inaccuracy in the film, saying they realized the mistake only after production had already begun, the Associated Press reported. That apology comes a bit late for Paradise Gray, 42, of Wilkinsburg who sent out e-mails to hundreds of thousands via African-American list serves and Internet groups, such as the Luv4Self Network yesterday calling for a boycott of the film. You want to apologize to me? Mr. Gray says. Stop it. Black men so rarely are portrayed or presented as heroes in popular culture and the media that when the opportunity to do so arises, they should be, he says. It's so natural for Hollywood to assume that every hero is a white man, Mr. Gray wrote in his e- mail. Hollywood has always changed facts and edited history. From Charlton Heston as Moses and Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. They are only continuing their tradition of whitewashing our history. He also criticized the black community for not speaking out more. The Jewish community's mantra is never forget while the black community's mantra is forgive and forget, he said. The black community should speak up every time this happens. Six years ago, there was a similar controversy surrounding color-blind casting in the film Pay It Forward. Kevin Spacey's white burn victim in the movie actually was a black Vietnam veteran in the book. Though disappointed his character in the World Trade Center movie wasn't black, Thomas, who lived on Long Island during the attacks and now works as an officer in Ohio's Supreme Court, told the Associated Press he's not upset. I don't want to shed any negativity on what they were trying to show, he said. The movie is much bigger than him, Thomas told the New Pittsburgh Courier, and it's the people who lost their lives who need to remembered. -0- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Queen Latifah pitches new Excedrin product
http://www.ircruise.com/fun/Excedrin_queen.wmv Enjoy! George Captain USS Ronald E. McNair (Boston) Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: say good bye to the thongs?
Nope. I work in the Boston office (HQ) of an advertising agency ( www.digitas.com ) and the young 20- and 30-somethings females in the office (overwhelmingly Caucasian, single, blonde, and from Connecticut) wear just about anything. As a hetero and married male, it makes for interesting eye candy. Besides thongs, the latest trend is the see-thru blouses with netting that stop above the belly button. This bare midrift or de-clothed zone (DCZ) from above the belly button to the top of the low-rider jeans makes it quite easy to see thong straps when my coworkers walk around the floor or sit in a chair at a meeting. The tattoos are usually in the small of the back waist level. George J. --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I, for one will be glad when the low rider jean fad is over. Don't get me wrong, it is a good look, but only on a small minority of the population. That style with its accompanying thong can take a good looking, relatively in shape woman and make her look like a cow. Meanwhile, she prancing around like she looks good. I've had to avert my eye on numerous occasions to hide my amusement and sometimes discuss. George, don't you work on a government office? Tracey g123curious wrote: This product wouldn't be necessary if women who shouldn't wear low-rider jeans didn't wear them. (smile) I see waay too many thong straps while at work. It's hard to take a person seriously when their thong strap and tatoos are hanging out there for the world to see. George Captain USS McNair --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) tdlists@ wrote: OK guys, i swear this is scifi. i'm sorry, I had to send it. Buttless underwear!?!?! C V wrote: Did you all know there was such a thing as 'backless underwear'? I swear...I'm getting old and have seen it all. AND they're having a sale now! where the heck have i been? http://www.backlesslingerie.com/? cid=1134sid=4029pid=0mid=494 Camille [perhaps its 1/2 off??] LOL Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: How to Sing The Blues
Tracey: Thanks. This is so funny! George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How to sing the Blues If you are new to Blues music, or like it but never really understood the why and wherefores, here are some very fundamental rules: 1. Most Blues begin with: Woke up this morning... 2. I got a good woman is a bad way to begin the Blues, unless you stick something nasty in the next line like, I got a good woman, with the meanest face in town. snip Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: US Post Office to Issue Superhero Stamps
Hahahaha! The Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey went evil, too. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Daryle Lockhart [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Even though it's Hal, I may have to get me some GL stamps. On Jul 19, 2006, at 10:06 PM, Keith Johnson wrote: I hadn't heard about this before. Interestingly, they're going with the Golden and Silver Age characters. You oughta dig Supergirl's hairstyle! snip Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/TISQkA/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager
Thanks. That was very funny. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, brent wodehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Fun Time-Waster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wGR4-SeuJ0 Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: Jeri Ryan Agrees to New Voyage
Smart move by the producers of Shark. Get a hot babe (and a hunk) to star in your series. It's been done plenty of times before. For example, each of the CSI series has a babe (and a hunk). George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I think it was Tracey who mentioned that Jeri Ryan could be considered one of the most successful Trek alums. Well, I read in this article about her upcoming nuptials that she's staring in yet another TV series, the legal drama Shark, coming this fall. That's what? Four series where she's been a regular or a long-running guest star. And that's not including all the one-time guest appearances and TV movies. Still think the most successful, though, has to be Shatner, Nimoy, Stewart, or Dorn. Jeri Ryan Agrees to New Voyage 'Tis a sad day for Trekkies. Seven of Nine is going off the market. Jeri Ryan announced Monday that she and her boyfriend and business partner, chef Christopher Emé, are going to make it official next year. The 38-year-old actress told the media the good news while promoting the CBS legal drama Shark during the ongoing Television Critics Association press tour. Ryan plays the tough boss of James Woods' defense lawyer-turned- prosecutor on the freshman series, which is scheduled to follow CSI on Thursday nights. snip Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- Yahoo! Groups gets a make over. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/XISQkA/lOaOAA/yQLSAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[scifinoir2] Re: [Fwd: Americans' circle of close friends shrinking]
I wonder if there is a difference between church goers and non- goers. In my experience, those regular church goers have a fairly large network. And I wonder if this varies by age. One's network of friends seems to diminish with age; or it is more difficult to make friends as you age. Or, has the definition of close friend changed over time. George --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Martin Pratt [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So, they just frelling noticed? Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Original Message Subject: Americans' circle of close friends shrinking Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:43:14 -0400 From: Mel Cragwell, II [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] very interesting... http://tinyurl.com/ejtvk Americans' circle of close friends shrinking By Amanda Beck Mon Jun 26, 8:48 AM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported on Friday. Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had zero close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants, most often immediate family members, the researchers said. snip Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
