A.M. Links: Sandy U.S. Death Toll at 48, Mitt Romney Resumes Campaigning, Disney Working on Third Star Wars Trilogy

Your morning news

• The U.S. death toll from Superstorm Sandy is up to 48. The New York City subway may take several weeks to several months to come back online after Hurricane Sandy. NASA, meanwhile, is working on hurricane drones, because the space agency now focuses on weather and clime almost as much as space exploration. And Mitt Romney resumed campaigning today because everything's almost back to normal, except if the election is postponed.

• Fresh off news that it's bought LucasFilms, Disney announced a third Star Wars trilogy is in the works.
• A former Democratic congressional candidate pled the fifth in his FEC filing.
• A West Virginia lawyer who beat his client with a baseball bat will have to undergo psychiatric evaluation before he can get his license back.
• Rioting in Kisumi, a Kenyan city near the birthplace of Barack Obama's father, continued for a second day after a local candidate was assassinated.
• Nine new species of tarantula have been discovered. Happy Halloween.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Disney announced a third Star Wars trilogy is in the works.

The Revenge of Jar Jar.

[RightNut]

Lucas already murdered the Star Wars franchise, I'm not sure Disney can do any worse to it.

[Res Publica Americana]

Don't even, dude. Disney's got some miracle workers, and it's also got some downright retarded production teams, too, so don't give them any ideas like that.

[DJF]

Don't worry, as part of the deal Lucas will spend his time reediting episodes IV, V and V1 to add Jar Jar into every scene.

[db]

Three words:

Darth Jar Jar.

[Tim]

I hope to see Jar Jar walking around Disney World so I can twist his eye stalks together and punch him in the nuts.

[LTC(ret) John]

I'd contribute $50 toward bail for you if you did that.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Seems like it would be labeled a hate crime.

[Loki]

Because Jar Jar is an ethnic stereotype, or because he's gay?

[AlmightyJB]

Well it is Disney so must likely the Enterprise will travel back in time and Captain Kirk will have sex with Jar Jar.

[db]

That might explain how Jar Jar walks.

[AlmightyJB]

Might also explain Captain Kirk's son

[alittlesense]

Ewwwww.

[Whiterun Guard]

As long as I get more Hayden Christiansen or however the hell you spell it, I'm happy.

[Res Publica Americana]

Oh Lord, he's such a dreamy sex machine. BEST ACTOR EVER.

[Citizen Nothing]

If I were ever to go gay, it'd be for Ewan McGregor.
No gay.

[Whiterun Guard]

For me, it'd be Lena Dunham.

[Auric Demonocles]

I had to google to find out who that was. The two things I discovered are:

1) It was a joke.

2) WG's a girl.

[Whiterun Guard]

Only one of those is true.

[Auric Demonocles]

Oooooh, it's a double layered joke. Deep.

[ant1sthenes]

I thought WG was a Far Cry 2 bad guy?

[Groovus Maximus]

Aha! I knew it! All the signs pointed to it, and now you have confirmed it!

[Groovus Maximus]

Aha! I knew it! All the signs pointed to it, and now you have confirmed it!

[Xenocles]

Only one of those is true.

So you're actually attracted to Dunham?

[Rich]

The Disney Channel starlets as Ewoks might be a box office draw.

[Art Vandelay]

Mmmmmm, Ewoks pr0n.

[gaijin]

Maybe they can hire Mel Brooks to do 3 prequels to SpaceBalls.

[Citizen Nothing]

Who plays Jew Jew Binkstein?

[gaijin]

Woody Allen?

[Whiterun Guard]

Mel Gibson?

[Zeb]

I hope it is parts 7, 8 and 9 and Leia becomes a cruel despot with Han Solo as her Che Guevarra like brutal enforcer who throws Luke down that hole that the Emperor fell into.
If that even makes sense. It's been a long time since I've seen Star Wars.

[sloopyinca]

Well it doesn't make fucking sense because that hole was on the second Death Star that Lando destroyed. Why would the Galactic Empire after being decimated or the Rebel Alliance after newly coming to power engage in such a costly venture like rebuilding the second Death Star? Especially without putting in some more restrictions on access to the power core and some taller railings/safety features after Palpatine's fall?

Come on, man. Think!

[Zeb]

Oh, right. How stupid of me.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Odds on original characters playing older versions?

[sloopyinca]

Not too high, in my opinion. I can see Hamill coming back, but Fisher and Ford are getting way too old to reprise their characters and still have continuity with their age difference from Hamill in the original (and only existing) trilogy. Maybe they could pull it off with Fisher, but no way with Han Solo. And no way are the people at Disney dumb enough to try and replace his character with another actor. They'll write him out or have him off doing something for the Galactic Senate (Reformed) like recruiting Jedi.

My question is this: what kind of plot can you have that doesn't involve the new government comprised of old Rebels becoming the good guys in some benevolent "Top Men" kind of way? There just has to be a central government, right? That was the whole premise in the non-existant Episodes 1-3. The wrong "Top Men" just happened to wrest control. Ep's 4-6 were just a battle of those new Top Men trying to keep control from the old Top Men they took it from. Either way, the lack of individual liberty or a free market anywhere other than Tatooine was strikingly obvious...and everybody was OK with that, as long as their guys were in charge of shit.

[Trespassers W]

Don't they mean a second trilogy?

[OldMexican]

It would be a third trilogy.

[Flyboy]

Return of the Licensed Merchandise

[Fist of Etiquette]

The New York City subway may take several weeks to several months to come back online after Hurricane Sandy.

The Big Apple's last legal Big Gulp.

[Whiterun Guard]

Will it still have that urine smell?

[SugarFree]

They actually add that.

[db]

You used to be able to buy spray cans of it in NYC gift shops until they banned aerosols. Now they just offer scented oils and potpourri.

[Rich]

Fools! Have they never seen what scented oils do to painted surfaces?

[Ice Nine]

There goes the graffiti.

[Whiterun Guard]

At least you can see all the racist ads now.

[Bee Tagger]

Nine new species of tarantula have been discovered

I believe the official wording was "nine new species of eight-legged freaks" due to the scientists' love of the movie by the same name.

[Whiterun Guard]

That's like 71 new legs, man.

[Auric Demonocles]

Is this another WG joke I'm not quite getting?

[Whiterun Guard]

I just figured one of them would lose a leg somewhere.

[Art Vandelay]

-1

[Res Publica Americana]

Sandy Helps Push Gasoline Prices Lower

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/.....23514.html

Gasoline prices are likely to keep falling, after Super Storm Sandy shut down highways and air travel across the East Coast.

"We're not going to see prices move higher because of this storm. We're going to see prices move lower," said Tom Kloza, oil analyst at OPIS. RBOB gasoline futures were down a half percent, at $2.62 per gallon in afternoon trading Tuesday.

Gasoline at the pump continued to decline, with the national average for unleaded regular $3.53, a penny lower than Monday and 11 cents cheaper than a week ago.

Kloza and others said gasoline could move higher in the short term but the dynamic favors lower prices.

"My guess is we'll have 20 to 25 states that will have prices below where they were a year ago," he said. "It could be in the $3.40s (a gallon) by next week. There's a huge swatch of the country that's going to be get closer to $3."

[SugarFree]

OMG! DEFLATION!

[Citizen Nothing]

Start the presses!

[Res Publica Americana]

HOARD DA GAZOLIN

[Tim]

Wheelbarrows of Deutsche Marks!

[Julio Cesar Samper Uribe]

You know who else had to buy bread with wheelbarrows of Reichsmarks?

[Slithery D]

Einstein?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama gets to look commander-in-chiefy and gas prices drop? I smell a rat.

[Citizen Nothing]

I smell a rat.

I think the smell of all those drowned, bloated rats is gonna work against him, though.

[Ice Nine]

Negative - they always leave a sinking subway.

[Res Publica Americana]

But is it a trap?

[db]

I'd like to see Obama (or any politician) try to start up a refinery.

But let me sell my stock in that company first.

[Whiterun Guard]

By Sandy, you mean Obama, right?

[Jordan]

BUT... BUT... TEH SPECULATORS!!!111 /economic illiterate

[mad libertarian guy]

Gas in Lexington, KY shot up over $.20 a gallon yesterday.

[Bee Tagger]

A West Virginia lawyer who beat his client with a baseball bat

Man who represents himself has a fool for a client and so on.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Swing for the legal defenses.

[gaijin]

You're first and funny 😉

[Fist of Etiquette]

Shut up, baby. I know it.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Are you proud of that?

[R C Dean]

I'm sure procedures were followed, and nothing else happened. If only clients would STOP RESISTING, amirite?

[Whiterun Guard]

What do you call a lawyer with a baseball bat?

A good start.

wai-

[db]

Only 6 days, 15hr, 53 min, 30 sec left.

[DJF]

Before the horrible realization hits that Romney or Obama won and we are doomed.

[db]

Yeah but at least all the speculation should be over by then.

[Bee Tagger]

As I long as I set my mind to oscillate on a high speed between the thoughts "romney could lose" and "obama could lose", the two thoughts begin to bleed together and it seems like they both might lose. I won't be able to do that next week.

[db]

"It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is through the juice of Java the thoughts acquire speed; the hands acquire shakes; the shakes become a warning. It is through caffeine alone I set my mind in motion."

[Groovus Maximus]

+decaf mentat

[Francisco d Anconia]

Didn't I see that in a movie somewhere?

[Groovus Maximus]

Whatever do you mean, FdA? I think you are imagining things.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Must be teh drugz.

[Ted S.]

Doesn't Ohio wait several days before dealing with all the absentee/provisional ballots? That's the nightmare scenario: the election not being conclusive on the morning of November 7.

[Rich]

Plus the purported Sandy-produced stuff like conversions to paper balloting.

[Bee Tagger]

Who will be our next Lester Holt? His meteoric rise, I was surprised to find, only had him doing man-in-the-hurricane tv spots on Monday.

[LTC(ret) John]

He should have never left Chicago.

[Ice Nine]

Yeah but at least all the speculation should be over by then.

You've obviously never heard of hanging chads.

[mad libertarian guy]

And the schaudenfraude begins.

It doesn't really matter who wins, but I REALLY want Obama to lose so I can taste the salty ham tears of the left as they watch their anointed one sink in the abyss of political death.

[mauricegirodias]

This.

[Kaptious Kristen]

On the flip side, their preening and gloating will be so insufferable if he wins, I really may have to move to Canananaananda.

[Resto Druid FTW]

Indeed, well said.

[The Hammer]

Oh please. The "Obama 2016" bumper stickers will be out by November 8th.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Not anymore.

[Whiterun Guard]

Yep, postponed election, followed by Obama win.

Can this year get any better.

[db]

Since when?

[Whiterun Guard]

Since just wait.

[John]

They are not postponing the election. The storm wasn't that bad. Most people will have power by Monday.

[Zeb]

And the Dems know that they will win NY and NJ no matter what.

Reminds me of some of the more excitable lefties 8 years ago who thought it was likely that Bush was going to declare some emergency and cancel the election or something.

[Rich]

"Bomb, bomb, bomb, ...."

[Pro Libertate]

Not for me--I voted about an hour ago. And yes, I voted for Gary Johnson. And against most of the 1,000 amendments proposed to the Florida constitution.

[Brett L]

I did have to vote to retain Judge Ron Swanson. Other than that, the ballot was utter shit. I wrote myself in for Senator. Connie Mack or Bill Nelson? That's possibly worse than Obama or Romney.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, I'm still irked that the GOP couldn't put up a better candidate than Mack. I liked his dad well enough, but that's irrelevant. Nelson could be easily defeated by a decent candidate. He might even lose to Mack, but it's much less likely than it would've been.

I'm mildly surprised that Bush didn't run for Senate. He could've easily won.

I bounced all of the Supreme Court justices, but I did vote to retain some of the appellate court judges.

Also voted against almost all of the amendments.

[Brett L]

Jeb will be Sec of Ed if Romney wins. It will piss off everybody on the left, and he will continue and expand Arne Duncan's undermining of the teachers unions' power in the system (One of two bright spots in the Obama administration). With luck, he might also have enough credibility and power to scuttle NCLB. But that's probably wishful thinking.

[Pro Libertate]

The smart Bush.

[Xenocles]

Six months ago I booked a two-week family vacation out of the country, starting tonight. About a week ago I realized what a huge bonus side effect we were getting with the timing.

[John]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/.....JEhvqCX-YK

Interesting article. It appears that the Dems are getting their hardcore supporters to vote early while Republicans are getting soft supporters to vote early. If this is true, that is a very bad sign for Dems. It means they are using their most reliable voters just to keep up in early voting. Who do they have left to counter the GOP hard core supporters on election day?

[robc]

Who do they have left to counter the GOP hard core supporters on election day?

They vote again.

[wareagle]

and there are the dead, a crucial and reliably Dem demographic.

[LTC(ret) John]

So you live in Cook County, IL do you then?

[Ice Nine]

Very bad sign in view of the polls showing that the Dems' early voters aren't keeping up.

[Ted S.]

I find that poll hard to believe in light of all the empirical evidence on the numbers of voters requesting absentee ballots/early voting.

(From what I've read, Republicans are doing better than they were in 2008 in early voting, but with more Democrats generally voting early.)

[Jordan]

They keep their army of dead voters and fictional characters in reserve.

[VG Zaytsev]

Who do they have left to counter the GOP hard core supporters on election day?

The dead, homeless and undocumented workers voters.

[db]

WTF is with early voting? When did this shit start? I don't remember this before about 8 years ago. Also, I don't remember absentee voting results being reported early back in the day.

[Xenocles]

I haven't voted in person since I left for college, but I agree that early voting seems to have become a normal thing all of a sudden. It takes a bit of the mystique out of the whole thing.

[robc]

Normally, my assumption is that Disney will fuck up anything it buys.

However, LucasFilms was being run by a moron, so it can only get better. I do worry about things like Darth & Droids, because Lucas was pretty loose with allowing others to play in his universe. I could see Disney C&Ding; a whole bunch of stuff.

[Ted S.]

Normally, my assumption is that Disney will fuck up anything it buys.

I'd say that's a pretty good assumption.

[Auric Demonocles]

I do worry about things like Darth & Droids, because Lucas was pretty loose with allowing others to play in his universe. I could see Disney C&Ding; a whole bunch of stuff.

Oh shit, I never thought of that. They've still got 2.5 movies to do!

[robc]

5.5 movies now.

Also, I thought of it, because I recently reread the April Fools Day episode during Movie 1 where they claimed to have received a C&D from Lucas and so they were using self shot recreations of the movie stills.

[thom]

I'm still trying to figure out how they plan on getting an acceptable return on their $4B investment. They would have to make a lot of blockbuster films to recoup that. Hopefully they are planning a Star Wars Theme Park.

[Auric Demonocles]

Shitloads of merchandising.

[Art Vandelay]

"Spaceballs, the Flamethrower!"

[Brett L]

If they did weddings there, it would recoup $4B in under 2 years. Sadly.

[SKR]

They paid 4bil for Marvel and they pulled 1.7bil in box office worldwide from Avengers. I don't think they are sweating their ROI.

[SKR]

They paid 4bil for Marvel and they pulled 1.7bil in box office worldwide from Avengers. I don't think they are sweating their ROI.

[Xenocles]

Pixar is still pretty good.

[Ted S.]

A West Virginia lawyer who beat his client with a baseball bat will have to undergo psychiatric evaluation before he can get his license back.

If he had been a cop he would have gotten a promotion.

[Citizen Nothing]

If he had been a cop he would have gotten a promotion.

After a 60-day paid vacation, of course.

[Ted S.]

The lawyer was just following procedures. Does the code of ethics say anything about not being able to beat up clients?

[R C Dean]

We are certainly aren't trained not to beat up our clients.

[db]

There you go. The employer-provided training was inadequate, therefore paid vacation+retraining is in order.

[Ted S.]

I believe you meant to write "not" instead of "aren't"?

[darius404]

Whatever happened to good ol' CRIMINAL evaluations?

[Res Publica Americana]

Why Hurricane Sandy might cost Obama the popular vote?but not the presidency

http://news.yahoo.com/why-hurr.....25687.html

This year's black swan arrived on a rush of wind.

Once again, a highly unlikely, unanticipated event has roiled the waters?literally?late in the campaign cycle. Twelve years ago, it was the revelation of George W. Bush's long-ago drunk driving arrest that likely cost him the popular vote and almost cost him the White House. Four years ago, the September collapse of Lehman Brothers and the near-collapse of the global financial universe turned a likely Obama victory into a certain one.

And this year, the impact of Hurricane Sandy makes it more likely that we'll see a presidential election where the winner winds up winning fewer votes than the loser.

Even before Sandy struck the East Coast Monday, an observation was gaining hurricane force: What if Sandy had struck a week later? What if, on Election Day, tens of millions were without power, with mass transit shut, roads flooded, polling stations shut or inaccessible? Would states or the federal government postpone the voting?

-------------

Yahoo's editors and their wishful thinking, eh?

[John]

Usually which ever side is talking the most about the electoral vote and not needing to win the popular vote is the most desparate.

[Res Publica Americana]

You can almost feel the rage, can't you?

[John]

And panic. I can remember the McCain and Dole campaigns saying the same things. It is what losing campaigns do.

[VG Zaytsev]

The funny thing about 2000 is that it was the Gore campaign talking up EC victory even with a popular vote loss in October.

[Pro Libertate]

It's not going to be close enough for the popular/electoral business to matter. Obama's going down hard.

[wareagle]

I hope you are right, but that's mostly because I am far more interested in an Obama loss than a Romney win. Does that make me a bad person subject to the recriminations from karma?

[Pro Libertate]

No, because Obama sucks in a way too great for reality. He belongs in fiction, which is where he'll be when sad Obamaniacs write books about the alternative reality where he gets reelected.

[Tim]

Of course not, the media pathos will be epic.

[Zeb]

Since there are no federal elections, I don't see how the Federal government could postpone the election (though I guess I could imagine them doing ti anyway). I could see it being postponed in certain states, or even just parts of some states. The constitution does not require that all states vote at the same time.

[Xenocles]

There is one federal election: the vote of the Electoral College. And that is constitutionally required to happen on one day (not a specific day; that's up to Congress, but all the electoral votes have to be cast on the same day).

[Stormy Dragon]

Article II, Section 1, Clause 4:

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing [sic] the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

[Zeb]

OK, so congress can make the states vote on the same day, but they don't have to. The electors all have to vote on the same day, but in an emergency, some states could have their election of the electors on a different day if Federal law allows. Which I bet is what would have happened in NY and NJ had the storm come next week.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rioting in Kisumi, a Kenyan city near the birthplace of Barack Obama's father, continued for a second day after a local candidate was assassinated.

No word yet on rioting near Junior's birthplace.

[Rich]

Newt predicts *two* "October surprises" are forthcoming

[Ted S.]

And we're supposed to care what Newcular Titties has to say because...?

[Pro Libertate]

Well, there is the name.

[Tim]

I predict Newt's career is over.

[Atlas Stoned]

Was it not already?

[LTC(ret) John]

Yeah, what "career"?

[gaijin]

The problem with this is that big surprises need some time to seep in among the proles...a big announcement of malfeasance doesn't just magically permeate the consciousness. So anything that comes about in the last 4 days runs the risk of missing the mark I'd say. Would be more effective if it had actually happened in early October.

[Tim]

There are no surprises, Newt is full of shit and desperate for attention.

[Ice Nine]

Would be more effective if it actually didn't rely on "major networks" to reveal the incriminating emails to the public.

[db]

Are they floppy and hairy?

[Whiterun Guard]

Well that's not surprising at all.

[Gomer Pyle]

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

[John]

http://www.realclearpolitics.c....._pigs.html

Chris Matthews, "global warmning deniers are pigs". If the Democrats lose badly next tuesday, how epic will the Matthews meltdown be? Will they have to escort him off the set?

[tarran]

No. As long as he's planting butts in seats in front of the TV or computer monitor and eyeballs perusing advertisements, MSNBC will keep him around.

[DJF]

Doesn't most of MSNBC viewers come from people who have lost their remotes and can't change the channel?

[Ice Nine]

There will be at least one viewer with a perfectly good remote watching it on election night for the sheer joyful lulz.

[mad libertarian guy]

If Obama is losing, absolutely.

[Ice Nine]

I guess you've discovered how I think the election is going to go.

[mad libertarian guy]

I'm kind of witb you.

I think Obama is going to lose too. But you never really know until all is said and done.

What are the odds on there being a lawsuit if Obama loses?

[wareagle]

but isn't it better if the planted butts are there because they are interested in what you have to say rather than anticipating your next meltdown? If NASCAR only depended on folks who want to see crashes, it would soon go out of business.

[Zeb]

They got rid of that other dickhead they had on. Seems like Matthews might be at least as much of a pain in the ass as Olberman.

[Ted S.]

Isn't it funny that when a year's worth of hurricanes turn out to be less strong than forecast, one isn't allowed to argue that the alarmists' models might not be right, but as soon as there's a disaster, it always proves global warming?

[Pro Libertate]

To be fair, this one hit New York, just like in that movie.

[mad libertarian guy]

According to CNN, it isn't Hurricane Sandy, but SUPERSTORM Sandy!

[Zeb]

It was an unusual confluence of weather systems, which means that it tells you nothing about general climate. It was bound to happen at some point.

[mad libertarian guy]

I went through Andrew. It was my 16th birthday. I saw entire neighborhoods utterly destroyed.

I have absolutely no sympathy for people who might be without power and public transit for a few days. Fuck those who have hyped this storm to be the worst storm ever to hit anywhere.

[Stormy Dragon]

http://www.businessinsider.com.....to-2012-10

[Pro Libertate]

The area affected by this storm was unusually large, and I'm certainly sympathetic to the victims, but I'm curious to know why Florida or the other Gulf states don't get this kind of coverage when we have entire towns wiped out by incredibly more powerful storms. Why is that?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Again, Florida and the Gulf states don't have the population density that the Bos-Wash corridor has.

Media, as a business, sells to its market. There are more customers, so more coverage, because people like reading about "themselves".

Capitalism 101, bro.

[Pro Libertate]

What market? They don't have power!

[Zeb]

It wasn't the worst storm ever for wind or rain, but it was one of the bigger storms you are ever going to see. Pretty sure there are quite a few neighborhoods destroyed in NJ. Not saying it is as bad as Andrew, but is it really impossible to have sympathy for anyone who has not been exposed to something as bad as the worst thing you have ever experienced?

[Pro Libertate]

I'm awash with sympathy.

[Matrix]

Frankenstorm

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.thepostgame.com/blo.....-too-white

This is the link I fucked up last night. It's about some race-baiting assholes and their belief that the Minnesota Timberwolves are "too white."

--------------

"Minnesota Timberwolves fans may notice something different about their team this year. In a league in which American-born black players made up 75 percent of roster spots in 2011, the Timberwolves will have an opening-day roster comprising just 33 percent black players (five out of 15).

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, this year's squad will be the league's whitest since the 1980s Boston Celtics.

Is that a problem?

Some civil rights leaders in Minneapolis think so. Tyrone Terrell, chairman of St. Paul's African American leadership council, told the Star-Tribune that he thinks the unbalanced roster could be seen as a ploy by the ownership to sell the team to a majority-white fan base.

"How did we get a roster that resembles the 1955 Lakers?" Terrell said to the Star-Tribune. "I think everything is a strategy. Nothing happens by happenstance."

[tarran]

Yes, because racists want to pay money to watch members of their own race lose to teams made up of lesser races.

[Bee Tagger]

Plus, do people who are that racist feel fine with a Spaniard at point guard?

[John]

All white people look alike to Mr. Terrell.

[wareagle]

the T-Wolves tried a mostly black roster and have mostly sucked since inception. It's not a like a change would make them worse. Meanwhile, all those racist fans in places like Miami, Boston, LA, etc that lap up tickets to watch mostly black teams. How does Terrell rectify that?

[Xenocles]

" How does Terrell rectify that?"

Obviously racists enjoy watching black people perform for your amusement.

[Xenocles]

Wow, I didn't mean to leave that as "your," I started off writing the sentence a different way and neglected to change it. I suppose it might be funny that way.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Yes, because racists want to pay money to watch members of their own race lose to teams made up of lesser races.

Well, the Harlem Globetrotters did pretty well...

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Well, this is Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Manifestations of Passive-Aggressive Behavior.

[Atanarjuat]

How did an obvious racist become a civil rights leader? Everything is a strategy, after all.

[Pro Libertate]

There might be something to this. I lived in Minneapolis during the 1992 draft, and it was clear they wanted Laettner, even if O'Neal had dropped to #3. If it wasn't racism, it was at least stupidism.

[R C Dean]

this year's squad will be the league's whitest since the 1980s Boston Celtics.

It might help their accusation of racism if the last too-white team they are pointing at hadn't won a boatload of championships.

[Auric Demonocles]

That jumped out at me too. The coaches of the other teams were probably white racists and threw the playoffs.

[Auric Demonocles]

Additionally, accepting their argument, wouldn't the fact that 75% percent of the leagues players are from a group that make up 13% of the country suggest that basketball is racist against white people?

[Groovus Maximus]

Larry Bird and Kevin McHale aren't really white people, RC.

[LTC(ret) John]

And don't get me started on Danny Ainge...

[Xenocles]

Damn it! This is what I get for being late.

[Xenocles]

"...since the 1980s Boston Celtics."

You mean the team that went three for four in the NBA Championships?

[Red Rocks Rockin]

And were coached by a black man as well.

[Xenocles]

I counted wrong; it was three for five.

[Enough About Palin]

I would think that to be non-racist, the NBA should cap the number of black players to 12%.

[Calidissident]

I didn't mind the other link you posted

[Hurricane Sandy]

I took a shit on New Jersey once.

[Jordan]

Sandi? Is it really you? What a great week for commenting! First Barfman returns, and now Sandi.

[Enough About Palin]

I have never seen Barfman and Sandi together at the same time. Odd that.

[Rasilio]

Why would it be surprising that the National AERONAUTICS and Space Agency would be researching atmospheric phenomona like Hurricaines?

I mean a legitimate argument could be made that perhaps this should be a private organization but if you are going to have a government NASA then this is an entirely appropriate activity for them to undertake.

[Ted S.]

Isn't that what NOAA is supposed to be doing?

[kinnath]

Well, NOAA would order drones, and NASA would acquire them I suppose.

Figuring out how to build an unmanned aerial vehicle that can operate in the middle of a hurricane is closer to NASA's charter that NOAA's.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

jesus christ, dood. if you are going to make a point about the words within the acronym NASA, you could at least google the fucker and see that it's NOT "National AERONAUTICS and Space Agency", it's

National Aeronautics and Space ADMINISTRATION

[R C Dean]

Aeronatics is about, you know, flying around and shit, right? Not the weather?

[Heroic Mulatto]

True, but the weather is VERY important to flying. Air temperature and pressure directly affect lift and thus the amount of runway you will use before take off. Every pilot needs to now what the weather will be before they even start the plane as it will affect their control of the plane.

[LTC(ret) John]

FAA anyone?

Gah, overlapping government agencies EVERYWHERE!

[thom]

I would imagine this research will have direct applications for future missions to other planets.

[Ice Nine]

NASA, meanwhile, is working on hurricane drones

Think of it - Obama could have killed Sandy on a whim!

[Bee Tagger]

The next hurricane will be a drone, duh.

[SugarFree]

Drone Storm, coming up next on SyFy.

[sloopyinca]

Yes but he also would have killed the tropical depressions near Sandy before they had a chance to develop into full-fledged tropical storms or hurricanes.

[Rich]

Nothing like nuking a tropical depression in the bud, I always say.

[Tim]

The drones drop Prazac on the depressions, thus disarming them.

[Res Publica Americana]

Fuck, guys. We're not going to get an Old Republic-era trilogy. Predictable.

"The seventh movie, with a working title of "Episode 7," is set for release in 2015. Episodes 8 and 9 will follow. The trilogy will continue the story of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia beyond "Return of the Jedi," the third film released and the sixth in the saga. After that, Disney plans a new "Star Wars" movie every two or three years. Lucas will serve as creative consultant in the new movies.

"I'm doing this so that the films will have a longer life," Lucas, the 68-year-old creator of the series and sole owner of Lucasfilm, said in an interview posted on YouTube. "I get to be a fan now ... I sort of look forward to it. It's a lot more fun actually, than actually having to go out into the mud and snow."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/.....30937.html

[John]

But if they can keep Lucas' paws off of the movies, they might be good. Surely Disney realizes how bad the prequals were. Isn't this pretty much what everyone has been hoping for? Someone buys the Lucas universe and turns it over to a decent writer and filmaker?

[robc]

The problem is, its Disney.

Their model is to make one high quality film, then make a series of cheap straight-to-video sequels.

Not that they would do it with Star Wars (and Pixar fought them on this leading to good Toy Story sequels), at least not with 7-9. But after that, I could see some cheesy stuff coming out.

[Whiterun Guard]

It's just about potentialities, man. I mean there's a chance that Disney might make a good prequel or sequel, while we KNOW that Lucas never will.

I don't know why he quit after making just three movies, but he did.

[John]

Whatever they do it is hard to imagine anything as retched as the prequels. And just think, they will eventually go back and redo the prequeals. You watch.

[robc]

On that I agree.

But that is like voting for Romney. Sure, he is better than Obama, but so fucking what?

They could have sold to someone better than Disney.

[John]

Disney made the Pixar movies. So it is not like they have never made a good movie.

[robc]

No, Disney distributed the Pixar movies.

Although, after they bought Pixar, I could guess you could say they made them.

But, look at the whole story about Toy Story 2. Disney didnt understand why Pixar was trying to make a quality film and bringing back the same big star, big money voices. Disney had the model down, and they didnt understand why Pixar wasnt playing along.

And then when Toy Story 2 was a theatrical release, they didnt want to count it towards the 3 picture deal with Pixar.

They wanted TS2 to be a cheap knockoff with cheap voice actors and go straight to video.

[kinnath]

Disney bought Pixar around the time that Pixar's contract with Disney for distributing their films was about to expire. Disney would have been in a world of hurt if they lost the Pixar films. So they bought Pixar outright.

Pixar continues to run as an independent studio. Disney has not confirmed that LucasFilm will operate independently.

[db]

Most Star Wars fans I know will eat up the cheese with gusto simply because they want more video stories of their favorite 'verse.

[SugarFree]

For example, an on-going series of 10 novels over the last 16 years about a character with about three minutes of screentime.

[Rasilio]

Um

X Men First Class
Iron Man 2
Thor
Avengers

All made since Disney acquired Marvel and all were at least decent.

In fact I can't think of a truely horrible movie Disney has made in the last decade with the exception of those specifically targeted at the teen/tween crowd

[mr simple]

"We really like Star Wars potential on TV, and Disney XD would be a great home for that."

They are going to drive this franchise into the ground.

Just think, we'll have more fodder for the best Star Wars movie moments ever in a few years

Doubt it.

[JW]

Not that they would do it with Star Wars (and Pixar fought them on this leading to good Toy Story sequels), at least not with 7-9. But after that, I could see some cheesy stuff coming out.

You're looking at it all wrong.

They can finally make the Ewok Christmas Special the way it was meant to be seen!

[Xenocles]

"I could see some cheesy stuff coming out."

Yeah, the holiday special and the prequels were top-drawer stuff.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The thing is, Pixar had some very strong personalities in place to continually put Disney in their place.

The main problem with the Star Wars franchise in general is that Lucas and the fan base could never reconcile two primary facts--that Lucas always envisioned it as something to appeal to children, and that the first fans who grew up on the original trilogy grew up (well, physically if not emotionally) and expected far more adult characters and storylines. This is why the first KOTR game was such a hit--the original fanboys finally had a well-written, relatively mature storyline with an epic theme and strong characters to latch onto. Lucas has never been able to provide that on his own (it's no coincedence that Empire was neither written nor directed by him) because he has an inherently childish view of how to tell a story.

[SugarFree]

At least farm the cartoons out to Pixar. Clone Wars is so ugly, the promos alone make me retch... I can't imagine sitting though an entire episode.

[Res Publica Americana]

The new one is really bad, in pretty much every in-universe sense you can imagine, not to mention the awful art style.

Samurai Jack with lightsabers rocked, however.

[SugarFree]

Yes. That briefly managed to make it interesting again. The wordless one, where Mace Windu is up against the giant machine, was amazing.

[Res Publica Americana]

The slammer thing, right? Yeah. That, and the Battle of Coruscant, was some seriously good action.

[JW]

Agreed. That was some top-notch cartooning.

[JW]

Clone Wars is so ugly, the promos alone make me retch... I can't imagine sitting though an entire episode.

That's because you're 30 years outside their target audience.

[SugarFree]

That's even worse. They're teaching kids that ugly is acceptable.

[JW]

Have you seen Cartoon Network fare lately? Childhood is dead and those latent clown-fuckers killed it.

[Heroic Mulatto]

As I said last night, imagine if the Clone Wars looked like this!

[robc]

Once Lucas is dead, Im hoping Disney throws out Eps 1-3 and gets someone competent to redo them.

With the comment of "feel free to throw away everything Lucas did in them".

[Joe M]

The only time retconning would ever be appropriate.

[Mike M.]

The "Thrawn Trilogy" books were written years ago, and I assume the new movies will be based on those.

[Res Publica Americana]

I hope so. Or the Vong War.

[mnarayan]

Keep seeing this...is there anything other than wishful thinking going on here?

TBH, I'm not sure how well the books would translate over to movies...while I'm not going to claim that they're deep, they have enough going on that it would be difficult. Also, their heavy use of Luke, Leia, and Han from roughly the same time as Revenge of the Jedi would making casting pretty tough.

[sloopyinca]

This actually bodes well, as the best story arc (post-ROTJ) is the Zahn one. Even money says they go down that road, which will be cool. Also, they can just use the original cast, saving us from some new, beefcake Skywalker.

[Mike M.]

I can't believe that Harrison Ford is 70 now. Damn, I'm getting old.

[kinnath]

They could make an interesting film with Han Solo being 70 and Princess Leia being an overweight alcoholic.

[kinnath]

It could be a psuedo-documentary where these characters all talk about life falling apart after the excitement of the big victory faded away and everyone had to get down to the business of rebuilding.

[mr simple]

Like an Office or Parks & Rec style show about them running the New Republic? That could be a hilarious short.

[Pro Libertate]

What, you object to the KOTOR HBO series in the works?

[Heroic Mulatto]

I thought the HBO series was set after the Clone Wars but before Ep. 4.

[Pro Libertate]

Nope, the agreement said that none of the already filmed characters can get naked.

[Trespassers W]

What what WHAT?

[Pro Libertate]

My comment wasn't based on any factual information, so don't get excited. Though my wild predictions have proven correct in the past, on occasion.

[Trespassers W]

Spoiler alert: Darth Revan is you, HBO viewer!

[Butts Wagner]

From Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Director Michael Bay...

[John]

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....williamson

The need to kill FEMA. What the article doesn't realize that FEMA's wasting of huge amounts of money is exactly why it is so popular in Congress. PKEMRA saved FEMA. It gave FEMA control of all of the law enforcement grant money. They then used that to buy lots of friends in Congress, especially Democrats from big cities whose police departments get the lion's share of the grants.

[sarcasmic]

I got nothin. Daily Fail failed.

[Bee Tagger]

The greatest morning of Sage's life.

[Whiterun Guard]

Are you done?

[Rich]

LOL

"To a golden crisp!"

[Ted S.]

Woohoo!

[np]

FreeStaters have wrecked the State of New Hampshire!
During a candidate debate, John R. White (D), concludes that Freestaters have taken over the New Hampshire Legislature and are the cause of all that ails the Live Free of Die State.

[Whiterun Guard]

Wow, that happened even earlier than they planned.

[Res Publica Americana]

Bitchy pinko is bitchy.

[Whiterun Guard]

Grr, blocked out of the video, please tell me he's in histrionics and tears please.

[Citizen Nothing]

If that's true, I might have to start looking for a summer place in NH.

[Heroic Mulatto]

What makes you think I want you yahoos as neighbors?

[Groovus Maximus]

Ahem...if I didn't already have soon to be realized plans, I would have considered NH. I think you would have accepted me as a neighbor. -)

[Heroic Mulatto]

That's only because my daughter is six. Ten more years and the machine gun nests get installed on the border of my property.

[NeonCat]

"Good minefields make for good neighbors."

[Zeb]

More evidence that having daughters breaks people's brains.

[Numeromancer]

Nonsense. I have 5 and I'm fine. Or was it 3? Uh...

What'2 2+Moose?

Ack Pthhh

help

[Greg83]

Freestater roommates secure both Democratic and Republican nomination in same Manchester statehouse race.

http://freekeene.com/2012/10/2.....ee-stater/

That's one way to win.

[robc]

Can we go back in time and find out which posters mocked the Free State Project?

Maybe even a poll of reason writers, which ones said it couldnt ever achieve anything?

I want to know who to "Ha Ha" at.

[Citizen Nothing]

It certainly makes more sense than all the floating micronations/independent Honduran cities/seabedsteading plans that seem to get so much attention in these parts.

[Pro Libertate]

You forgot space-based libertopias.

[db]

It's a great idea but New Fucking Hampshire? I can't possibly think of a reason why surrounding your little liberty experiment with states that can strangle it with infiltrating statist populations could ever be a bad idea.

[robc]

I thought Wyoming was the obvious choice, but as I wasnt moving, I didnt really get a say.

[db]

I would have moved to WY in an instant over NH. Unfortunately, chemical engineering jobs were hard to come by back then in those states.

[robc]

I think that was the point...NH was more likely to have the high-tech jobs that a lot of FSPers wanted.

[Brett L]

Not like they don't have cheap rent and internet in WY.

[Pro Libertate]

It's nice there. I'd like a libertarian enclave in, say, Jackson Hole.

With our luck, it would work, then two weeks later Yellowstone blows and annihilates the entire state. Except for a bison named Frank.

[mr simple]

Then I guess we shouldn't even try. Don't get me wrong: Franks a good guy; but I doubt he has what it takes to start from scratch on a project like this.

[db]

I'm not saying it shouldn't be tried, not at all. I think NH presents more challenges than other states, is all.

[mad libertarian guy]

WY IS the obvious choice.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I can't possibly think of a reason why surrounding your little liberty experiment with states that can strangle it with infiltrating statist populations could ever be a bad idea.

We're counting on the fact that the statists will think like you do.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

I agree db. You make it into a nice place that people actually want to live and then the newcomers will vote for the same policies that wrecked the place they came from.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I agree db. You make it into a nice place that people actually want to live and then the newcomers will vote for the same policies that wrecked the place they came from.

And Wyoming has some magical force-field that prevents people from doing that?

[db]

Well, of the surrounding states, only Colorado has a significant liberal presen e.

Also, the main problem with NH is the ease with which people can move in from MA. These folks can keep their jobs in MA and commute from NH. The benefit of a WY like state is the difficulty of commuting. Plus there is a significant cultural barrier to Progressives wanting to move there. The diffusion factor acroas the borders that you see in the Northeast hasn't softened WY enough to make it hospitable for Progs.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The diffusion factor acroas the borders that you see in the Northeast hasn't softened WY enough to make it hospitable for Progs.

The only place you really seem to find them is in the Jackson Hole area, and in Laramie due to the university. JH has kind of become the new Aspen for limousine liberals.

[np]

I think NH's small size helps mitigate some of that by concentrating free staters and building up inertia.

Plus, the migration is not all bad it seems. This girl moved from MA. She also mentions about 12,000 who've signed up to the FSP. I'm really thinking about it myself now.

[Zeb]

This is why I think that we should just give the Nashua area, and probably the whole south-east corner of the state to Mass.

[Zeb]

I think they are having a definite influence, but to say "taken over" is a bit premature. After the election it should be clearer whether the 2010 shift back to heavily Republican legislature was a fluke or a trend. I'm slightly optimistic about the direction things in NH are moving.

[Res Publica Americana]

Octomom Nadya Suleman checks into rehab

http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/god.....17251.html

Nadya "Octomom" Suleman is seeking help for addiction.

The 37-year-old has checked into Chapman House Drug Rehabilitation Center in Orange County, California, for a prescription drug problem, her rep confirmed to TMZ. She will be there for a 28-day stint, separating the single mother from her 14 children.

Sharing that Suleman has become dependent on the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, her rep told the website, "Nadya wanted to get off the Xanax she was prescribed by her doctor and learn to deal with her stress, exhaustion, and anxiety with professional help with a team of doctors. Nadya wanted to deal with her issues and make sure she is the best mother she can be."

------------------

I sense an award-winning reality show in the works.

[Ice Nine]

Dr. Drew impregnates Octomom?

[Rich]

By artificial insemination, you mean, right?

[Ice Nine]

Yeah, unless he has a spare 2by4.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A former Democratic congressional candidate pled the fifth in his FEC filing.

He didn't even get to make it to the big leagues, where graft gets covered up for you.

[mr simple]

Fresh off news that it's bought LucasFilms, Disney announced a third Star Wars trilogy is in the works.

If there were any doubt that Lucas hates his fans, the sale to Disney should quell that. The next generation will wonder why anyone ever liked those silly 9 children's movies. I wonder when they're going to do a remake/reboot.

[Res Publica Americana]

Romney Faces Scrutiny on Aid in Storm's Wake

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-f.....28257.html

There's nothing like a natural disaster to test the depth of politicians' preference for small government.

And so Mitt Romney found himself on the hot seat after superstorm Sandy battered the East Coast. Only last year, as Romney hewed to the right while battling for the GOP nomination, he appeared to suggest in a debate that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be shuttered and its responsibilities left to the states.

"Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction," Romney said at a debate last year. "And if you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that's even better."

Asked by moderator John King of CNN whether that would include disaster relief, Romney said: "We cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids. It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids."

------------

*Facepalm*

[John]

I love the heads I win tails you lose logic of these assholes. If Romney had done nothing, the story would have been what an uncaring plotocrat he is who won't do anything himself but wants to kill the government too. He actually does something with his own money and we get this.

He is on the hot seat because he took some time and money and helped people? Who do thing is going to believe this?

[John]

I saw Argo last night. It is a really kick ass movie. Because of his association with Matt Damon and later Jennifer Lopez it is easy to forget that Ben Aflac actually can act. It is just a great Hollywood suspense and adventure movie. And John Goodman and Alan Arkin as old guy Hollywood types pretty much steal the movie.

No one in the media will ever make the connection. But it is an interesting contrast to watch the CIA go to such great lengths to save six low level American diplomats and then think of our curent government leaving a US Ambassador to die in Libya.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

ben affleck CAN act. he just sucks in action'er roles in general and DEFINITELY as jack ryan. his sweet spot is comedies, with some romance thrown in, although jersey girl could make you doubt that 🙂

[Dunphy (the real one)]

ben affleck CAN act. he just sucks in action'er roles in general and DEFINITELY as jack ryan. his sweet spot is comedies, with some romance thrown in, although jersey girl could make you doubt that 🙂

[Pro Libertate]

I like Alan Arkin. Good to see him still working.

[John]

The original The InLaws with him and Peter Falk is epic. Don't ever see the trash remake. The original is a great comedy.

He is like Elliot Gould or Donald Southerland, a guy who went from being a pretty big star into settling into a great character actor in his old age. People like him and Goodman are the glue that hold together great movies

[Citizen Nothing]

Serpentine, Shel. Serpentine!

[mad libertarian guy]

Chasing Amy.

[Pro Libertate]

Catch-22.

[Zeezrom]

The Black Hole is actually a pretty decent movie.

[John]

I agree.

[db]

I saw it aeons ago and liked it as a kid.

[Tim]

They prefer the term "singularity".

[Ted S.]

Always with the racist holes.

[Stormy Dragon]

It's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in space (everyone seems to forget the original novel ended with the Nautilus being destroyed sailing into the Malestrom).

[Res Publica Americana]

http://news.yahoo.com/police-1.....17397.html

Police: 10-year-old boy sorry he shot neo-Nazi dad

The 10-year-old son of a neo-Nazi leader casually told police he had shot his father as he slept but then became agitated in the back of a patrol car and asked an officer if his father would survive, a police officer said.

Officer Michael Foster, who responded to the call of a shooting death on May 1, 2011, testified Tuesday on the first day of the boy's murder trial in Riverside County juvenile court.

"He was sad about it, he wished he hadn't done it," Foster said. "He asked me about things like, 'Do people get more than one life,' things like that. He wanted to know if (the father) was dead or if he just had injuries."

Jeff Hall, 32, was an out-of-work plumber and a regional leader of the National Socialist Movement. He organized rallies at synagogues and a day labor site after his sister-in-law was killed six years ago by a hit-and-run driver who was an illegal immigrant, according to testimony.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://news.yahoo.com/sd-execu.....21465.html

SD executes man for rape, death of 9-year-old girl

Donald Moeller, 60, received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls, marking South Dakota's second execution this month in an unusual surge for a state that has carried out just two other death sentences since 1913.

When asked if he had any last words, Moeller replied, "No sir," and then said, "They're my fan club?"

Moeller then was administered a lethal injection at 10:01 p.m. He took about eight heavy breaths before the breathing stopped and Moeller turned slightly pink.

Moeller's eyes remained open, and his skin turned ashen, then purple. The coroner checked for vital signs, and Moeller was pronounced dead at 10:24 p.m.

Moeller kidnapped Becky O'Connell from a Sioux Falls convenience store, where she'd gone to buy sugar to make lemonade at home. He drove her to a secluded area near the Big Sioux River, then raped and stabbed the girl. Her naked body was found the next day; investigators said her throat had been slashed.

---------

Good fucking riddance.

[John]

If you get involved in gangs and shoot someone or kill your wife in a fit or rage, you might some day be fixable. But if you go out and murder some small child, there is no fixing you.

[wareagle]

my view toward the death penalty has always been that the condemned should die in exactly the same manner as his victim. And if the victim's relatives can carry out the sentence, all the better.

[mad libertarian guy]

My view towards the death penalty is that it is fiscally irresponsible.

It costs as much to house an inmate on death row for a year or two as it would to house him in the general population forever.

Let that fucker rot. Killing him changes nothing, and costs a fuck-ton of cash. It's also arguable that allowing him to be in the general population for the rest of his life is actually a MORE fit punishment than the death penalty.

[Whiterun Guard]

Was that fan club comment about people in the fish bowl? If so, that's pretty funny.

[R C Dean]

Shame it took so long.

[H. Reardon]

Sheriff of local PD involved in poker raid decided to defend himself in comments and gets trolled (by me).

http://www.tampabay.com/news/p.....aw/1258385

[MWG]

Okay, that was pretty cool.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://news.yahoo.com/police-g.....22687.html

Police: Gene Hackman slaps homeless man in NM

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) ? Police in New Mexico say Gene Hackman was acting in self-defense when he slapped a homeless man who had become aggressive toward the Oscar-winning actor and his wife.

The Albuquerque Journal (http://bitly.com/WZgtVf ) reports that the incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in downtown Santa Fe.

Police didn't immediately provide any additional details. A message seeking comment was left for Hackman's publicists at Guttman Associates in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Hackman and his wife have a home in Santa Fe.

The 82-year-old actor has won two Academy Awards and been nominated for three others over a career that has spanned five decades.

Hackman took the Best Actor trophy for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection" in 1971, and the Best Supporting Actor award for "Unforgiven" in 1992.

[Pro Libertate]

The homeless guy must've told Gene that the Moon landing was a hoax.

[Res Publica Americana]

I CAN SEE THE CARDBOARD BACKDROP IN THE SALUTE PHOTO HAHAAHAAHA

*Falcon punch*

[Pro Libertate]

I'm seeing a buddy pic, with Aldrin and Hackman touring the country, slugging unbelievers.

[db]

Gene Hackman? Aw, he's good in anything!

[Pro Libertate]

He played an astronaut in Marooned, so he's prepared for this role. I see double Oscars for him and Aldrin.

[sloopyinca]

As long as it's not a revenge flick with a fact-based plotline, I'm fine with it.

[Pro Libertate]

Oh, no, more surreal than that. Terry Gilliam to direct.

[db]

Sorry dude, the final act is in California.

[John]

In honor of Disney buying Star Wars, I offer the greatest movie review ever done.

http://redlettermedia.com/plin.....om-menace/

[Res Publica Americana]

I watched his entire series of reviews about a week ago. Amazing shit.

[John]

They are all good. But they never topped the one for the Phantom Menace. It is the most tasteless, brutal and truthful moview review ever done. I laugh so hard I cry whenever I watch it.

[robc]

They hit the hard truth -- no one would say NO to George.

[John]

And his refusal to shoot on location anymore. You can't expect actors to act in front of blue screens and give appropriate responses. All of the actors, some of whom had some ability, sleep walk through the entire movies because they have nothing to act against.

[Pro Libertate]

I really like his reviews, especially the ones ripping on the prequels.

[Jordan]

Yes, Plinkett's reviews are amazing. It's pretty telling that the review is far more entertaining than the movies.

[Brett L]

Nah. This one makes me laugh until I can't breathe even now.

[John]

A round up of reaction to the Star Wars deal.

Josh Greenman: ""Episodes 44-47 were way cooler than Episodes 57-60." - an American 12-year-old, 2073"

James Lileks: "I know, 'fool me four times, shame on me,' but I'm actually looking forward to Star Wars Ep VII. Finally move the story forward."

Doc Zero: "Simba to Luke Skywalker: You know, your dad sounds a lot like my dad."

Ben Domenech: "Look on Lucas's face as he says 'I will take $4 billion to never hear your stupid complaints any more' is priceless."

VodkaPundit: "Admit it. Part of you is excited to see the Ewoks replaced by thousands of bouncing Tiggers."

Mark Kirkorian: "Remember, Disney owns Pixar, too, so Buzz Lightyear will be in Episode VII."

[Tim]

3 new movies and 9 new tarantulas on the same day? I'm satisfied.

[sloopyinca]

Movie question: I am an adherent to the theory that Jaws is a perfect movie. Last night, I watched the last 20-30 minutes of Grosse Point Blank absolutely must be thrown into that category as well. And yes, I know it has Joan Cusack in it, which would usually push it down in stature, but I'm convinced it could not be improved upon in any way possible by either addition, deletion or a change in cast.

Thoughts?

[tarran]

I think the movie is perfect... I can't think of any actor who could play the role better than John Cusack - it requires a person whose affect is completely inappropriate for the situation they're in.

[sarcasmic]

I suppose a turd could not be improved by the addition, deletion, or change in kernels of corn. Some turds are perfect.

[John]

I remember seeing it and liking it at the time. And I know it is about a guy who kills people for the government who goes back to his high school reunion and hooks up with Minnie Driver. But I don't remember anything else. So if it is perfect, it is not memorable.

[Pro Libertate]

That's funny, because I was thinking the same thing. I remember her, him, and someone getting killed with a pencil. I thought it was okay, but it must not have made a big impression on me.

[robc]

I dont typically buy movies, it is one of the handful of DVDs I own.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm not saying it's bad and heaping scorn on those who like it. It just didn't do that much for me.

[SugarFree]

"And don't say do it because I don't do it. I ingest it on orders from my neurophysiologist."

[robc]

I know it is about a guy who kills people for the government

Actually, he is free-lance. He USED to kill people for the government. That is part of the big confrontation scene with Driver.

The justification is bullshit, he was good at it and eventually, he got to like it.

[R C Dean]

The subplot is that the free-lance assassins are trying to form a union.

Lulz (punctuated with gunfire) ensue. Just like real life.

[tarran]

First, it's one of those movies that has a great, impeccable even, soundtrack.

Second, Alan Arkin's portrayal of a psychiatrist who is terrified of his hit-man client and their interactions are very funny.

Third, Benny Urquidez. That is all.

Fourth, Minnie Driver.

"No, a psychopath kills people for no reason; I kill people for money... wait, that came out wrong."

Dan Akroyd trying to get people to join his hitman union: "No scabs!"

Joan Cusack splashing gasoline around her while dragging on a lit cigarette...

It's an awesome movie.

[Pro Libertate]

It has some really nice elements--liked Arkin and Aykroyd in particular. Just didn't completely work for me as a whole, that's all.

[robc]

The Joan Cusack scene were she is switching back and forth on the phone between yelling at a friend over a soup recipe and yelling at an arms dealer who didnt send the right ammo.

[db]

That's one of my favorites.

"Well I DON'T GIVE A GODDAM WHERE IT IS, YOU GET IT HERE NOW!...

...no, it's not going to be a boring soup! Carrots and potatoes are just the base of a soup!"

[John]

See Argo above. Alan Arkin is brilliant in any movie he is in. And I like Minni too, even with her funky jaw line.

[tarran]

I think the funky jaw line works - it's kind of depressing how Hollywood is converging on actresses who really look so similar that at times it's hard to tell them apart.

[John]

It is. Natalie Portman, Kiera Knightly and Emma Watson could be sisters. Minnie looks like an actual attractive woman you might meet.

[Joe M]

Kiera Knightly was the decoy Amidala in SW Episode I even.

[John]

Supposedly the crew had a hard time telling them apart.

[Pro Libertate]

I see it with Portman and Knightly, not as much with Watson.

I like Portman because she seems to have not fallen at all into the Hollywood lifestyle. Went to college after she was already a star, etc. Watson seems to be similarly motivated.

[John]

Portman let her metro sexual French boyfriend knock her up. That is pretty Hollywood. She probably did it on advice of her agent. I work with a woman who knew her at Harvard. Said she was incredibly tine, reasonably nice, but really had a very bland personality.

[robc]

"Go see some old friends. Drink some punch, visit with what's-her-name. Don't kill anybody for a few days; see what it feels like."

[JW]

I don't get the hate for either of the Cusacks. Both are very good tradesmen in comedy and John can do decent drama as well. John gets big kudos from me for daring to question the Emperor Obama's clothing choices.

And yes, Grosse Point Blank is highly underrated.

John Cusack has the the esteemed place in my collection for 2 of the movies with the best soundtracks of popular music. Hi Fidelity is the other (and a very decent flick to boot).

[John]

Hi Fidelity is an excellent movie. And I still can't figure out how the hell Iben Hjejle didn't become a huge star. She was smoking hot, had this great girl next door look about her but was just exotic enough to be interesting.

[sloopyinca]

Well, when you're a female in a film with Lisa Bonet and Catherine Zeta-Jones, you tend to get overlooked unless you're Venus de fucking Milo is my guess.

[John]

Bonet is a skank. She is not even in Hhejle's league. I will give you Jones. But her and Jones play totally different kinds of parts.

According to her wiki, she turned down the Liv Tyler part in the LOR trilogy because she didn't want to be that far from home. I guess she just doesn't like to leave Denmark, which kind of limits her career.

[Heroic Mulatto]

You're welcome.

[R C Dean]

Wasn't Cusack in the Malkovich Malkovich flick (the name escapes me)? I thought that was just excellent.

[John]

The name that escapes you is "Being John Malkovich". And yes he was.

[R C Dean]

I knew it had a Malkovich in there somewhere.

[Zeb]

Yeah, that movie was great.

[robc]

I think Joan Cusack is brilliant in that movie.

There is one part or two with some rough editing, that I think some stuff hit the floor that probably shoudnt have, but all in all, I agree, a damn good movie with the exact right people in the rolls.

[robc]

roles, even.

[SugarFree]

GPB has a soggy third-act, but most movies do. And the transition that begins the fourth-act is a bit sudden and creaky at the same time.

This is not to say that I don't really, really like the movie. And I can't imagine anyone better for the lead than Cusack.

[Brett L]

If only his name had been Lloyd Dobbins and it were an unofficial sequel to Say Anything. "The kickboxing thing didn't work out, so I became a professional killer."

[db]

I think it is a sequel in spirit.

[SugarFree]

That has always been my dream.

[Jordan]

All I remember about that movie is Dan Aykroyd yelling "Popcorn!" and being killed by a microwave to the head. Or was it a TV?

[db]

GPB is in my top five list of films. Absolutely not a bad scene in it.

[NoVAHockey]

The fact that Cusack didn't want to join the union b/c there would be meetings resonated with me.

Marty: This union, there's gonna be meetings?
Mr. Grocer: Of course!
Marty: No meetings.
[They continue shooting]

[Rasilio]

I don't know that I would say Grosse Point Blank was a perfect movie but I do think it was a pretty damn good one.

If you want a perfect movie from John Cusack's Resume I'm going to pick "Better Off Dead"

[Pro Libertate]

Did you see his buddy flick with Hitler? Not that it was as good as his comedies, just throwing that out there.

[SugarFree]

The Sure Thing is just great as well. I'm baffled as to why it's not one of those movies in heavy rotation on basic cable and Encore-level premiums.

[robc]

Agreed.

Lets sing showtunes!

[SugarFree]

"I flunk English, I'm outta here. Kiss college goodbye. I don't know what I'll do. Dad will be pissed off. Mom will be heartbroken. If I play my cards right, I get maybe a six-month grace period and then I gotta get a job, and you know what that means... That's right, they start me at the drive-up window and I gradually work my way up from shakes to burgers, and then one day my lucky break comes: the french fry guy dies and they offer me the job! But the day I'm supposed to start, some men come by in a black Lincoln Continental and tell me I can make a quick 300 just for driving a van back from Mexico! When I get out of jail I'm 36 years old. Living in a flop house. No job. No home. No upward mobility. Very few teeth. And then one day they find me, face down, talking to the gutter, clutching a bottle of paint thinner. And why? Because you wouldn't help me in English, no! You were too busy to help me! Too busy to help a drowning man!"

[Pro Libertate]

For a while, Rob Reiner couldn't make a bad movie.

[John]

The Sure Thing is a brilliant movie. The fact that it is almost forgoten and that tiresome snot nosed trash Farris Beuller is remembered shows justice does not live in this world.

And Daphne Zuniga for the win.

[Brett L]

Agree with Better Off Dead. Its aged a bit, but still brilliant.

[Pro Libertate]

Two dollars!

[db]

"Language. Lessons. Inspired words from a man who knows how to ski."

[Fatty Bolger]

I want my two dollars!

[John]

What a year 1985 was for Cusac.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

It's aged a lot--watching it is like putting on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the movie or the series, take your pick). You end up remembering everything about that particular time period, if you happened to live through it.

It's still one of the most quotable movies ever, though.

[Lord Humungus]

Tube Amplifier Update -

I got the metalwork in yesterday:
http://imageplay.net/img/tya22.....re_001.jpg

and started intalling hardware. Next comes wiring:
http://imageplay.net/img/tya22.....re_002.jpg

[Groovus Maximus]

Thanks, LH! That is fascinating! I look forward to hearing what you concoct with it. -)

[Rasilio]

Here is a suggestion.

Next time you're gonna put that much effort into a project, make it a BOOB amplifier.

Much more beneficial to mankind

[Ted S.]

I don't think you want to see Lord Humungus with amplified boobs.

[John]

http://www.slate.com/articles/.....orsed.html

Dave Weigel whines about newspapers who endorsed Obama in 08 but are endorsing Romney this year. What exactly is tortured logic about saying Obama fucked up beyond even his worst critics' expectations and now anyone would be better?

[Pro Libertate]

I don't get it. Obama is an abject and total failure, and his continued holding of office could be very bad for the country. This isn't rationally debatable.

Romney's not much of an alternative, but he's less likely to keep ignoring the economic problems, doesn't have a history of messing everything up, and, from the rational leftist position, he's really quite moderate. In fact, he's quite close to the kind of candidate the Democrats used to support.

Weigel seems shockingly in bed with left-statists, much more than one would think possible for a former Reason staffer.

[Joe M]

...for a former Reason staffer.

Drink!

[Pro Libertate]

Well, it's true. I'm not one of the people who bashed Dave while he was here, but it's hard not to notice how far left he lurches.

There is not and cannot be a left-libertarian alliance in any general sense until the left rejects its undying love of the state.

[robc]

I was one of the people that based him while he was here, he was obviously not a libertarian.

[Pro Libertate]

No, I thought that he was impure back then, but I figured he must just be one of those libertarians who gets confused about how FUNDAMENTALLY IMPOSSIBLE IT IS TO MIX LIBERTARIANISM WITH STATISM. Appears I was wrong.

[John]

Did you see Richard Cohen's "endorsement" of Obama? It basically admitted that Obama has been horrible in every way. But then went on to conclude that you had to vote for Obama to keep Romney from sacking the government. Does Cohen really believe that? How can you think a Massachusetts Rockafeller Repubican is going to "sack the government"? It is like some kind of mass psychosis.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

It's for the same reason as Sherman Alexie's horrible 90 Days contribution--they don't like what Obama's done to damage the Democrat brand, but Romney's on The Other Team, so we better vote for him anyway.

[Fatty Bolger]

With the news blockade on Benghazi crumbling, a switch to delaying tactics:

Benghazi issue won't go away or be resolved very soon

The Obama administration has some explaining to do. With four Americans dead overseas, their fellow citizens rightly want to know why they couldn't have been protected. But the answers will not fit neatly, or in time, to make 30-second campaign ads. And there may be new revelations but definitive answers can't be expected before election day.

[ant1sthenes]

I think it's great. Maybe Obama will win and then be impeached anyway for treason when it comes out he didn't want to send backup in because it would come out that we were trading arms to our nominal enemies, or something equally damning.

[Fatty Bolger]

A Zombie Is a Slave Forever

She wrongly conflates Voodoo zombies with movie zombies, probably knowing better but using it as a hook for the article. Still thought it was interesting.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Yes, but the movie zombie, as we know it, started with Night of the Living Dead, where the zombies were seen as "slaves" to mainstream 1960's suburban consumer culture. There were zombies in earlier movies, like White Zombie, where the zombie was the zombie of Haitian myth.

[SugarFree]

The consumerist salve angle didn't start until Dawn.

The article remains a massive over-reach, conflating working for a market-driven wage with by a drug-addled slave held in thrall. Just more false consciousness tripe from the dipshit left.

[Fatty Bolger]

True. But if you ignore the first paragraph and the next to last, it's fine.

[SugarFree]

Amy Wilentz, the author of the forthcoming book "Farewell, Fred Voodoo," teaches in the literary journalism program at University of California, Irvine.

But if you don't add in the skewed conclusions, is it still "literary"?

[Fatty Bolger]

Hey, she knows who butters her bread. Write an interesting article, then bookend it with some comforting progressive blather to make her employers at UC and NYT happy.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The consumerist salve angle didn't start until Dawn.

I disagree. It wasn't explicit until Dawn, but if you contrast the heroes of Night (all "Others") with the zombies (all conformist, and if I remember correctly, all White), there is definitely a counterculture message.

[SugarFree]

The heroes were all white, except for Ben and a few black zombies were seen. There is an anti-racist message, in that Ben is the only one with a brain, but anti-consumerism didn't really figure in.

[Groovus Maximus]

How is the message anti-racist? Ben dies for being mistaken as a zombie, feeding (ha!) the notion that, "They all look alike."

True, Ben was the level headed (and ethical) one of the bunch, but I really didn't see an anti-racist message there either.

The first time I watched it, I took away from it more of a "ARGH! Mass disease! Whatever will we do!?" And since the government stoolies were the ones (supposedly) who got a handle on the zombie epidemic, it was more of a "Government will save us from ourselves!" kind of message.

[SugarFree]

In 1968, the idea that the black guy is both the leader and only competent member of a group of white people was an anti-racist statement.

[Heroic Mulatto]

And considering how Blacks are usually represented in the horror films today, it's still an anti-racist statement.

[Groovus Maximus]

That is no doubt true for 1968. I guess I just viewed it sans the 1968 mentality. I just remember being very angry that Ben is killed after managing to survive the ordeal surrounded by incompetents; race honestly didn't enter my mind. I took it as the futility of fighting against something that ultimately wins, like "death", "the state", etc.

Your observation is valid and point conceded.

[db]

But I've been told that zombie apocalypse is just a dog whistle for race war! How can zombie movies be anti-racist?

[Zeb]

I thought they were just about the dead coming to life.

I like a good zombie movie now and then, but I'm getting really tired of the whole zombie thing.

[Citizen Nothing]

The Atlantic calls Columbus the third most fashionable city in the U.S. after New York and L.A.
My devotion to aloha wear finally pays off.

[Pro Libertate]

Even you don't believe that. I lived there. I know.

[Fatty Bolger]

I had no idea that Buckeyes hoodies and loose jeans were so fashionable.

[Pro Libertate]

It's the "The." You know, The Atlantic. The Ohio State University.

[Citizen Nothing]

Dude. Your moving out is what jumped us up three spots in the rankings.

[Pro Libertate]

While I agree that's possible, you know and I know that even the locals often refer to Columbus as a cow town.

It's a nice city, for the most part, but it's inherently boring.

[Citizen Nothing]

As a C-Bus lifer (and a travel writer) I've made my share of "Columbus is a nice place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit here" jokes.
But you might actually be surprised by the current state of affairs in the cow town.
Best of all, to me, is that it has slowly become a really good restaurant city.

[Pro Libertate]

It was a fair restaurant city when I lived there. Liked that German deli a lot.

It is a nice place, unobjectionable and even pretty in some places (esp. up in Dublin and Worthington way). But it's not terribly exciting, and I missed the sun something awful.

[db]

There are some good restaurants there, and I like the Columbus Brewery a lot. I've never made it into the German sausage place, mainly because I was always with a group and the wait has been infinite every time I tried to go.

[sloopyinca]

I love you, Pro Lib, but go fuck yourself.

[Pro Libertate]

Dude, I'm not ripping on Columbus. I liked it okay, but I don't see it as the center of fashion or excitement. I'm sure you don't, either. I know what locals think of Columbus--I lived there for three years.

For Ohio, incidentally, Columbus is a fucking Eden.

[sloopyinca]

I grew up in Cincy, so of course Columbus is an Eden. My city was a shithole confluence of Kentuckistan and all things wrong with southwest Ohio (like the unions, the filthy air and water for 5 months out of the year and the malaise of a defeated people). Of course we have Skyline Chili, which removes much of the stain but I digress.

No, that comment comes from mocking our use of "The" before OSU. Hell, for many Buckeyes, it's the only reason to watch the first 5 minutes of Monday Night Football.

[Pro Libertate]

I think I told you this, but I caught some crap from OSURF for omitting the "The" in one of my publications. I laughed and laughed and didn't make the correction.

It is pretty funny. I could see Miami doing that, to avoid confusion with the University of Miami (which, incidentally, is far dumber with its "The U" crap, which smacks of John Belushi's "College" sweatshirt to me), but exactly what is OSU going to get confused with? OU? No way.

[Groovus Maximus]

Careful, Pro'L Dib. I actually prefer the correction, so the Buckeyes and The 'Pokes don't get mistaken in conversation.

[Pro Libertate]

But that's not going to happen unless they use the initials only, and it's usually OSU, either way, despite the occasional attempt to type tOSU. Which, incidentally, is a lower-case 't'.

[sloopyinca]

but exactly what is OSU going to get confused with?

Nothing. And that's why they have the "The" before the rest of the school's name.

Seriously, though, don't most schools just have "University of ______" on their degrees? tOSU actually has "The" on theirs, and IIRC, I think it started out as a little bit of an inside joke that stuck. Now, of course, it only means something when NFL games are being played and we all wait for someone to say "The Ohio State University" just so the buddies we're watching the game with can bitch and moan about it and we can laugh at their sandy vaginas.

[Pro Libertate]

It strikes me as some kind of stupid PR gimmick, which is why I don't like it. That and my personal reason.

[Ted S.]

Oregon State University? Oklahoma State?

Of course, everybody knows the correct name is AN Ohio State University.

[Citizen Nothing]

For Ohio, incidentally, Columbus is a fucking Eden.

I think this is what's happening, actually.
If you're young, talented and ambitious and want to stay in Ohio (yeah, I know, I know) Columbus is really the only option left.
My oldest son (the law school one) really would like the option to return and locate close to home someday -- Columbus is the only place in-state he'll really consider, I imagine. Although I'm sure there are corporate jobs in Cincy that would be worth a look. But, fuck, it's Cincy.

[Matrix]

Woman wants memorial to honor dead fish

Of course she is with PETA. Oh wait, they aren't fish.. they're SEA KITTENS, right? Yeah, she deserves to be laughed at.

[OldMexican]

The article says that she wants a roadside memorial for her dead fish. Was the fish killed by a drunk driver?

[OldMexican]

Fresh off news that it's bought LucasFilms, Disney announced a third Star Wars trilogy is in the works.

It's a trap!

[Pro Libertate]

He'll be replaced by Nemo.