Planetarium - politics/music/culture/smarts

Some new entries to what you should at shouldn't see at the cinema this week, courtesy of various reviews I've culled, primarily from the New York Times (you need to log in, it's easy, they don't ask for anything) and the true geek site, Ain't It Cool.

So the good news: Go see the new remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It's amazing, and you will be entertained if a fan of the clever horror genre. If not, again, like Cabin Fever, this is a good place to start.

Kill Bill, the new Quentin Tarantino film, is going to blow you away. This is exactly what hipsters don't want to believe. A friend of mine recently mocked it, syaing there's "no way I'd see that." Thesis: If he saw the exact same preview, but without Tarantino's name attached, he'd be super-pumped about it. So don't believe the dissing, and check it out.

Lost in Translation is amazing, but you already knew that. Why haven't you seen it yet?

Posted by alex at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's official: Up is down, front is back, and the Bush Administration are not crooks.

Allbaugh was part of the president's so-called 'Iron Triangle' -- the other two being Karl Rove and Karen Hughes. And now Allbaugh's running an outfit that helps your company get the sweetest contracts in Iraq? That sound right to you? Think he'll have any special pull?

We live in a banana republic.

Posted by alex at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Once again emphasizing my point that Clark is just not the candidate we need, today's Drudge Report offers this rather unpleasant quote from Wesley Clark just two years ago:

During extended remarks delivered at the Pulaski County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 11, 2001, General Clark declared: "And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice... people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there."

Oops. That'll look good on the evening news.

Posted by alex at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember the "we're ashamed to be from Texas" comment? That made me like the Dixie Chicks. This letter from their lead singer makes me love them.

Posted by alex at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I know not everyone's a fan of "The West Wing". But to those of us who are politicos on the left, just about everyone, including those greenies, progressives, and Gore Democrats, all of them like watching a nice idealized view of the White House we all WISH existed. If you don't watch it, I'd highly recommend checking it out. You could start at the beginning, if you want to.
So: Tonight's season-opener was the first episode sans Aaron Sorkin, the creator and writer of every episode up 'til now. And the result of a new staff of writers was: so-so. It had good parts, bad parts, the bad parts notably being a slight change in character and tone for the show. When Mr. Jewish leftie Tobey says "If we close the markets, the terrorists win", it's a rather strikingly out-of-character statement. There was a good attempt to keep up the rapid-fire dialogue and pacing, but it occasionally veered into merely difficult-to-hear, a problem that also plagued the last season of Buffy, another similarly intellectual show. But what can I say: it still was fun, and a nice hour of fantasy where we could all pretend that politics still made some sort of rational sense.

What worries me most of all? The statement by NBC that, in an effort to attract more moderate (read: corporate) fans, the show would become more balanced in its viewpoints between both right-wing and left-wing agendas. Does the idea of "Crossfire" as an hour-long drama appeal to you? Me neither.

Posted by alex at 01:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's outrage comes courtesy of Atrios:

Speaking of contracting out, an administration move to privatize air traffic control at 69 airports has sparked opposition from labor groups, which contend it would compromise safety.

The administration had proposed 71 airports, but House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska), who supports the effort, got someone to strike the two Alaska airports on the list.

Posted by alex at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I guess it's fair to say that everyoe has an achilles' heel. Something, be it long lines at the supermarket, or a President who;s a big liar, that sets them off ranting near-incoherently. I guess that's my charitable way of introducing the sad fact that otherwise respectable progressives still begin foaming at the mouth and sounding like screaming nine-year-olds when it comes to good old Ralph Nader. The newest normally sane person to fall victim to this bizarre addiction is Eric Alterman (sorry, just lost the link), who begins shrieking hysterically at the fact that Nader is still going to be involved in political issues.

News flash, Eric: Your boy Gore WON THE ELECTION. It was stolen by Bush, not Nader. Next time tell your candidate to demand that all the votes be counted. Oh, and by the way, a small suggestion: Next time you choose a candidate, think about finding one that possesses at least one-twentieth of a percent more credible progressive beliefs, and maybe a few of those Greenies will actually vote for your sad excuse for a Democrat. I.e. one who doesn't keep Africans dying of AIDS from getting drugs so that the Pharmaceutical industry can keep posting record profits; one who doesn't shill for the WTO every chance he gets; one who doesn't stand to the right of Clinton on most economic issues; in other words, a Democrat.

Posted by alex at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another slight delay in the ol' Planetarium empire. No fears, all is now well again, and there will be a glut of good stuff coming your way Monday.

Till then, gentle reader, perhaps continue your reading by picking up the new Neal Stephenson book. It may be weird, uit may be long, the only thing you know for sure is that it'll be great.

Also, anyone out there who's gotten their hands on an advance copy of David Foster Wallace's new book? And if so, can you tell me about it?

Posted by alex at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know I can't be the only one to have pointed this out already, but I'm getting rather tired of these right-wingers who are falling over themselves to endorse Arnold, when these self-same idiots spent the past four months bad-mouthing every single actor in Hollywood who spoke out against the war in Iraq. Remember all the statements like "They have no business talking politics, they don't know anything about it", as though only people conceived in the Lincon Memorial and birthed on top of the Liberty Bell should get to talk politics? Me too. Notice how they're saying "Arnold's got really great ideas, I think he'd bring real passion to the governorship"? Yeah, their heads should, by all rights, explode in the face of such obvious contradictions.

Posted by alex at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the eve of what is likely Wesley Clark's announcement that he's throwing his NATO-encrusted hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination, perhaps it's worthwhile to reflect on the following:
They're going to tear him a new rear end.
Why, you ask? Well, it's simple: he's going to be raked over the coals for giving anti-war speeches at rallies organized by ANSWER, also known as the international Socialist Brotherhood. That's the kind of thing Joe Schmo in Ohio just isn't going to stand for, no matter how decorated the dude's military career is. Mark my words: If Clark runs, he'll be completely discredited by the mainstream media by the time of the Iowa caucas. Which is too bad, because I honestly think he'd make a pretty great prez. I don't need to provide any links- every major news outlet will have this as page 1 tomorrow.

Posted by alex at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Calpundit points out in this post, the Dems should really get off their stupid intra-party-squabbling butts and start hammering home, again and again, that Bush is A LIAR. A non-stop, 24/7, lying liar who lies. And Dick Cheney, too, as his recent hilarity-inducing appearance on Meet the Press only proves. Real "pants on fire"-degree lies. If they would just start saying this, over and over, and hold up the proof, the press would have to start conceding the point. In fact, they already are. I'll see if I can't find the link to the story, but Tucker Carlson, not exactly a Democrat, spoke to Salon about the fact that Bush and Co. will simply "lie, knowing that you know that THEY know they're lying, and they'll lie anyways."
We live in a Banana Republic.

Posted by alex at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To begin with: run, don't walk, to your nearest theater and see Cabin Fever, a film I'm almost certain should become an instant cult horror classic. The sort of Sam Raimi-by-way-of-David Lynch-meets-Romero that most directors only dream of. To quote Jack Black in High Fidelity: "It's a brilliant movie! It's so funny, and violent, and the soundtrack kicks ass."

RECALL, RECALL, RECALL

California's recall election has been delayed. While it's true that at the moment the Dems are winning, I don't think the extension's gonna hurt anything much. McClintock will stay in the race and continue to siphon the crazy right-winger vote away from Ahnuld.

Posted by alex at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Something a little different here on Planetarium today, and that is a ringing endorsement of Audrey Niffenegger's debut novel, The Time-Traveler's Wife. The story of a married couple, wherein the wife first meets her husband-to-be when she's 6 and he's, um, not- see, the thing is, he can't control his time-traveling. It's always refreshing when something genuinely different makes some waves and does well, and you should support this by reading the book and enjoying it. Um, or something like that. Man, leave it to a Sunday to make prose as limpid and uninspired as possible.

Posted by alex at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alright, it's official. Can I please vote for Paul Krugman for President? This new piece just seals the deal for me. Krugman has the biggest platform in the country for saying these kinds of things, and God bless him for using his bully pulpit to the fullest extent of his abilities.

Posted by alex at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's friday, and that means you have a sacred duty this weekend to go see Cabin Fever and make it extremely successful, so that Eli Roth gets to continue making incredibly brilliant cult horror films. I'm serious, you need to see this, and if you don't usually like horror, well, this is the place to start developing an appreciation for the genre. Okay? Okay.

I guess Once Upon A Time In Mexico is also opening this weekend. And while I certainly plan to see it, that doesn't mean you need to, also.

Can George Will get any stupider?

Posted by alex at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's funny how the blitz of 9/11 remembrances from the media this year are being presented as a small, "less-intrusive" memorium that people don't care about as much this year. Most of the pieces I've seen are, if anything, even bolder and moreall-consuming than those of last year. Why is that? Perhaps something to do the way we like to pretend that we don't remember things.

So a quiet day here at Planetarium, though not because we shouldn't be talking as much, if not more. But in the meantime, I'd like to propose a ban of blogs that take up valuable space but never, ever post more than once every couple of weeks. It's annoying, irritating, and I'd like you to please get off the INternet and stop pretending you have a worthwhile site. Happy Thursday.

Posted by alex at 02:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm starting to think there's something extremely masochistic about being a leftist in this country. You have to reallly appreciate irony, horrifying facts, and occasionally, like today, completely bizarro lack of intelligence:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 — Invoking the memories of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush prodded Congress today to "untie the hands" of law enforcement and enact broader search-and-seizure powers and wider use of the death penalty to combat terrorism.

"The House and Senate have a responsibility to act quickly," Mr. Bush said at the F.B.I. Training Academy in Quantico, Va. "Untie the hands of our law enforcement officials so they can win the war."

Anyone who can explain how wider use of the death penalty helps one "win a war", you win a trip to Bushland, where the sky is yellow, and clouds are made of potato chips. If you want more free-associative thinking, read it here.

Posted by alex at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bush "war on terror" proposal - $87 Billion

Funding of Homeland Security Department - $41.3 Billion

Health and Human Services Dept. - $66.2 Billion

Education Dept. (includes all K-12 funding) - $53.1 Billion

State Dept. and Foreign Aid - $27.4 Billion

Bush Tax Cuts - $107.8 Billion

(source: White House Fiscal Year 2004 Budget)

Posted by alex at 09:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

okay, it's about 1 a.m. I am unfortunately unable to sleep, because about 27 minutes ago I was adjusting my TV antennae so that Conan O'Brian didn't look purple, when I somehow managed to electrocute myself. My whole face was literally tingling. I have no idea how it happened. But, with the help of a vodka/rum/creme de cacao/lime-Aid mixer, I'm feeling a little better. Somehow I doubt that will still be the case when I wake up in six hours. Anyhoo....

A small list of things that will either cheer you up or terrify you:
-all economists seem to agree- if Bush is re-elected in 2004, we are royally screwed.
-Dirty Pretty Things is a pretty good movie.
-I still sincerely doubt Howard Dean could win it. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't try. Sadly enough, he may be our best shot at this point. And this will, similarly, also be the ONLY time I buy the "lesser of two evils" argument.
-"The West Wing" is finally coming out on DVD.
-Where have all the good musicians gone? At least this should make you smile.

Posted by alex at 01:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just when you thought William Safire couldn't get any stupider, along comes a piece like this to remind you that Safire will always manage to find a new bottom to the bottom of the barrel. Today he's building one of the most ludicrous straw men I've ever seen. Read the essay and tell me if these concerns sound ANYTHING remotely like actual opposition to the administration that you know of. My favorite quote:

In what is called here "the Daily Schadenfreude," the impression is being marketed that the rebuilding of Iraq is a colossal flop. That Arabs are culturally incapable of self-government.

Is there any way possible within the realm of sanity outside of Safire's head that the second sentence logically follows the previous?

Posted by alex at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Molly Ivin's latest awesome offering:

• "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised." -- Bush, March 17, 2003.

• "Well, there is no question that we have evidence and information that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical particularly." -- Fleischer, March 21, 2003.

Lastly comes this gem from Bill O'Reilly of Fox News: "And I said on my program, if, if the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clear he had nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again." -- March 18, 2003.

Posted by alex at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From the polling-company-of-note, Zogby, comes good news:

A majority (52%) said it’s time for someone new in the White House, while just two in five (40%) said the president deserves to be re-elected. Last month, 45% said re-election was in order, and 48% said it was time for someone new.

A like number (52%) said the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 40% said it is the right direction.

It's currently listing Dean in first place, but in a boost of support to Planetarium's theories, Kerry's nipping at his heels in second. I'm not claiming the guy's a winner, but he's got a lot more of a chance than a lot of lefties seem to think. Again, they mistakenly place too much emphasis on how well a candidate can debate. Lest we forget, Gore ran circles around Bush in those debates. Our current Prez couldn't argue his way out of a paper bag. Perhaps there's other things the American people like....? (Of course, that doesn't necessarily speak well about us Americans.)

Posted by alex at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's New York Times has a front page story, entitled "Democrats Split On Pushing the Personal or Political." It talks about how Gephardt and Edwards are taalking a lot about their hard-working parents, sharing down-home life anecdotes, whereas Dean is instead choosing to focus on the President, and red-meat issues. Gee, I wonder which one seems to be succeeding more with the public? I know that as a voter I'd much rather hear stories of how Pa Kettle used to fix the old boiler with bubble gum than hear about how we're going to improve the economy.

Posted by alex at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, my recent note regarding the absolute disaster that's passing for music writing at the Village Voice these days has apparently struck a nerve here and there with a few folks. Let me be clear: I didn't say YOU were an idiot for reading it- I say that THEY were idiots for writing it. Let me re-phrase that: THEY are complete, utter morons, the most pompous, self-satisfied pack of bastards that should be wiped off the face of the Earth, preferably with a large stack of White Stripes records.

Let me offer some rebuttals to these folks: Lester Bangs' Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung is music writing. Michael Azerrad's Our Band Could Be Your Life is music writing. Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk is music writing. Great writers, all three. And it's admittedly a difficult job. This dreck is an example of what is NOT good writing, almost a picture-perfect example of the kind of self-important crap I'm arguing against. You be the judge.

Posted by alex at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Okay, you gotta admit: Al Franken is damn funny. It's helps that he's pretty on the mark politically, too. So what you should do is head over to NPR's Fresh Air website and listen to the interview he did for them yesterday. It's full of great little tidbits, including this great statement about Schwarzenegger's campaign: "The thing is, I don't like that he's friends with Kurt Waldheim. Maybe it's just me, that I'm a Jew, but I don't like Nazis."

Posted by alex at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, well, after perusing the lovely Kate Silver's blog today, and seeing how very likable and easy-to-read those "personal" blogs can be, I was a little moved. Especially by the lists of what music she's listening to right now. So, I decided to try it myself, and offer up to you, dear reader, the five "most unexpected" albums of the recent past. For example:

"Most disappointing album after a logical dose of High Expectations":
- De La Soul, Art Official Intelligence Vol. 2: Bionix
This album inspired me about as much as an episode of Gilligan's Island. It sounds bored with itself. De La had found an amazing path to maturity on AOI Vol. 1, and so to hear the follow-up be essentially the same thing- in other words, the guys got lazy- was a bummer. Especially from one of the best groups around.

There's 4 more...

"Most surprising album I didn't want to love but did":
- The Postal Service, Give Up
Whoo-ee. I really wanted to hate this. I mean, hate it like I hate the guy's other band, Death Cab for Cutie. Passionate hate. Vitriolic hate. Imagine my surprise when all that pappy crap he was whining about in his emo band sounded really good once you lost all the instruments and just threw some drum machines behind it. I'm embarrassed to say that this album, with its godawful cheesy lyrics and shameless pandering, has moved me like few albums in recent memory. Take that, Planetarium's street cred. If you'd like, you may purchase it here.

"Best attempt to make a rock record that sounds good in this day and age":
- Idlewild, The Remote Part
Okay, first of all, they toured with Pearljam. Second, they're Scottish. Third, they try to be arty. I know, it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but this is one of the only straightforward, wall-of-guitars, midtempo, melodic and hummable "rock" albums I've wanted to listen to for quite some time. In fact, stop wasting time- go buy it. Or it's predecessor, 100 Broken Windows. But not the 1st record. It sucks.

"Most unexpected attempt to not totally suck as an artist"
- Missy Elliott, Under Construction
You heard me- Missy actually came through in a pinch. Why doesn't this make me want to scream like so many other things she's done? I mean, the woman is responsible for half of Mariah Carey's ouevre. She's got a pretty solid losing streak to go by. Trying to sell an album by her isn't exactly a blue-chip stock pick. It's more like trying to sell explosive diarrhea. So who knew? I do now. This is great- go get it.

"Most desirable forthcoming record that you just KNOW is going to rule"
- Superchunk, Cup of Sand
Fact: Nothing they've ever done has been bad. Fact: They're one of the better live bands you'll ever see. Fact: This is a collection of b-sides. Fact: Superchunk's b-sides are better than anything you've ever done in your entire life. Fact: This doesn't mean you're worthless- you can still create meaning for yourself by buying this album.

Posted by alex at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mad props go out to my man Atrios for providing this story about how the US is setting new standards of tact and diplomacy:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States sneered at plans by four European countries to create an autonomous European military command headquarters near Brussels separate from NATO, referring to the idea's proponents as "chocolate makers." In unusually blunt language that drew surprised gasps from reporters, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher scoffed at Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg for continuing to support the proposal that they first introduced at a mini-summit in April.

As Atrios himself points out, "This would all be funny if these buffoons weren't killing our soldiers and trying to usher in the rapture by screwing up North Korea."

Posted by alex at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another chink in the armor of the supposedly unquenchable American lust for the Death Penalty. The New York Times today reports that over 100 sentences have been overturned in Western states, once again prompting John Ashcroft to choke on his breakfast croissanwich.

Not only that, but Arnie reports smokin' doobies and having group sex back in the day. Could all of this point to signs that perhaps Dean really could win? This website is still a little dubious, but hope springs eternal....

Posted by alex at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey, anybody want to buy it for me? Or, you know, Season 1 has been out for a while, too. If not for me, then do it for yourselves. You've earned it.

Posted by alex at 01:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

hey everyone. Sorry I unexpectedly disappeared for several days, I had a long-planned vacation that came up a little more abruptly than I'd anticipated, and so I left without having time to write a note saying I would be away. My sincerest apologies. On the upshot, there is a plethora of things to talk about since my absence. So- stay tuned, big day today....

Posted by alex at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)