Shorter Oscars Post

I let the Oscars waste my time, again. It is actually regressing as an event. But here are the highs and lows of an evening in the filthy entertainment world:

I'm glad they saved the time by handing out some lessor awards to people at their seats. On the other hand, if the Academy cares so little for them, why not just hand those out with the nerd versions?

The Gothamist notes something that was completely odd. The Pepsi commercial creepily using footage from Spartacus. Not a good ad. And who licensed that out? (More here from the Sun Times)

It took Eastwood and company 37 days to bring home the gold. Scorsese must just hate to hear just how cavalier Clint churns out these films. I also like how he just walked back to his seat both times shunning the press. Too bad he couldn't have gotten a better performance out of Hillary Swank's acceptance speech. Oh, and what about Clint's 96 year old mother being there? As Roger Simon notes, "Has Clint just gotten started? His mother's 96. What genes. This victory for this incredible man has one simple message: never think about retiring."

Two words: Antonio Banderas. Who green lit his singing engagement with Santana? And speaking of Santana...nice Che t-shirt. How cute. I totally heart commies and thugs too. Not. Ann Althouse adds, "It's the sort of thing where if you wandered into a bar and this was going on, you'd turn around and walk out."

Will the Real Crash Davis please standup?

I know. It's Oscar night, shouldn't I be writing about that? Maybe. But first, this story (via Baseball Musings and Athletic Nationabout Oakland's gritty catcher Jason Kendall who it seems to think he is the real Crash Davis. [SF Gate]

Great story.

More on the Power of Condi

When I heard about last night's bombing in Tel Aviv, I thought, that this could be another slide down the road to violence. Having already made a pretty good case for a chain reaction of democracy and reform happening in the region, I was disappointed that somebody would blow them selves up killing four, and wounding 50, yet again.

But then, I read in the NYT that both Israeli and Palestinian forces each made arrests today. Everyone was wondering what the response of Abbas was going to be. So far, so good I guess. Then reading that Secretary Rice canceled her official trip to Egypt and in wake of that decision - prompted by the desire to see some reforms - Egypt's leader Mubarak announced some much needed and immediate political reforms. The change seems to be coming faster than ever, which is promising. Go Condi!

Whoa - Canada Balks on Missile Defense

Mr. Dithers finally made a decision on participating in the Missile Defense program with America. I can't believe he said we aren't going to help. Not that they really care - but it seems clear now, more than ever, that we have no strategy to protect this nation, or participate in world affairs.

Meanwhile Condoleezza Rice seems to be strutting around the world without a care of what we did on this. The Washington Post described it this way:"The coat, with its seven gold buttons running down the front and its band collar, called to mind a Marine's dress uniform' or the "save humanity" ensemble worn by Keanu Reeves in "The Matrix.'" Whoa. Indeed.

Update: Fark says it all: "Canada opts out of U.S. missile defense plan. Will stick with their existing moose-in-a-catapult plan."

Wrong turn

It's 2005. Did I really just see Sylvestor Stallone and Jimmy Caan doing a little buddy schtick on Las Vegas? Stallone, where did you go wrong?

Bush Offensive 2005

Just because I can, and just because when I talk like this it drives my comrades nuts at work, my obligatory George W. Bush is "the man" post.

First, Mickey Kaus speculates on what another round of secret Bush tapes would mean. Approval ratings hitting 70 perhaps?

Of course, at the same time, Mr. Bush is in Europe today making nice with the Europeans. What's next Bush calling French leader Chirac a cowboy?

Baked Ravioli - A Tuesday Link-off

Not sure if you follow this blog often, but you may notice recently that I added the item "Take Out" to the site descriptor. I have no idea why. But I digress. Here is what I'm thinking about tonight - in no particular order.

• No wants North Korea or Iran to have them, but a Japan with nuclear weapons is, according to CDR Salamander, not Lost in Translation. [Via Goldberg]
• Rumors that, mercifully, Joey Potter is finally single again. Way to go Katie Holmes.
• Uh oh. Canadian Blogging Conference alert. You see, it has a moose in the logo, so it's "Canadian" blogging. Found this on the Gothamist's newest blog Seattlest. Ironic, non?
• Virginia Postrel thinks that Diet Coke with Lime and regular Diet Coke bottles look the same.
• Ahhh. Tuesday. Another kick to the crotch of the U.N. Mark Steyn you are the man. Ice cream and dog feces are mentioned.
• Robot soldiers. One step closer to launch.

Finally, a Conservative for the people

Stephen Harper? We don't need you anymore. We have our new leader. All hail Rona Ambrose. Or something like that. While Harper fights his own political last stand on gay marriage, we clearly have been missing out on what Bourque describes as an, "uppity hottie."

An evening with Al & Tipper

Least Interesing keynote speakers ever? You be the judge. But is there anything less interesting than an evening with Al and Tipper Gore? Bravo Scotia Bank group, bravo. Perhaps the same Gore's talking about "A Nation Divided: In the War Room, The Boardroom, and the Bedroom". He lost. He is as interesting as a board, and, well, that's just gross.

$21 Million Art

It's been about 3 hours since I watched 60 Minutes. No, I'm not going to talk about Jose Canseco. But what is up with "The Gates" of Central Park by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. I'm not sure I really get it. Ann Althouse has a good round up. I like the orange, and while I doubt that has any connection to the Ukraine revolution, it seems kind of interesting nevertheless.

Guilty Pleasure


Thanks to Graham at work, we've listened to the new Kelly Clarkson song about 100 times - okay maybe not quite that much - in the past two weeks. There I said it.

But seriously, if Whatevs.org is talking about her, it can't be that uncool can it? And hearing this, "Regardless of how, whenever someone fits the pathos and triumph of such an experience into a three-minute cherry bomb like this, you pay your respects in the proper way-- you turn the damn thing up." Well, that just makes it okay, non?

Reagan. In Stamp Form.  

Apprentice Blogging

Donald Trump should just should fire the entire cast of The Apprentice. Seeing those two incredibly miserable commercial attempts was ridiculous. Street Smarts? Book Smarts? Whatever this can simply be described as no smarts. And what was that no-name acctress? Worst. Advertising. Ever.

Churchill's First Museum

I'm heading to Europe in late March with my Dad for a trip to see everything from the War Rooms in London to the beaches of Normandy. So I was interested to read about the Churchill Museum in the New York Times tonight.

Miscellany

Here is a Tuesday filled collection of links.

• How good is this new VW "Singing in the Rain" or I guess that is is "Blinging in the Rain". Creepy or not...you be the judge.
• Limited edition Pixies cd's? Hello.
• Dave Mathews. What happened dude?
• Yes. Please. More commies up here. [New York Times]
• One word: Lileks.

Esquire

This is the March issue of Esquire. Our department at work put in some long hours coming up with 4 pages of ads and creating a really hot looking pullout. It was a blast working on it and I hope it works out well.

More Orange...

Is 2005 going to be the year of Orange? Let's sure hope so. Instapundit finds the revolutions spreading through Central Asia, even as Georgia seems to be getting the hard love from Mother Russia.

Worse than the UN?

Is there a split coming to the Conservative Party again? Adam Daifallah diffuses the situation outright. (Or read the other's side's view at Peace, Order and good government eh?) I agree that a split is almost unimaginable, but I haven't talked to one person who has a good thing to say about Stephen Harper and that his policies on gay marriage are about as smart Ralph Wiggum.

But if there isn't a fight to lead the party, there sure as hell should be. The party should be talking about three things right now: cutting taxes, cutting spending, and strengthening the military. Could it be that collectively the Canadian parliament rivals the United Nations as the most useless deliberative body in 2005? I'm just asking...

But hey, at least there is one lone bright spot for the party. MP's Belinda Stronach and Peter MacKay are dating.

Deep Throat

Was Bush 41 Deep Throat?

Condi

Condie Rice on fire. "There cannot be an absence of moral content in American foreign policy," she says. "Europeans giggle at this, but we are not European, we are American, and we have different principles." (via Jonah Goldberg)

Get Kinky in 2006

You have to love a good old fashioned loose cannon in politics. Enter Kinky Friedman in 2006 for governor of Texas.

Pork Strategy

Paul Wells breaks sums up the Paul Martin "pork for the provinces" strategy. "This is another of those clarifying moments in the history of our nation. The most province-friendly prime minister since Joe Clark has discovered that hundreds of millions of dollars in extra taxpayer-funded generosity buys him nothing but contempt in the province he represents in the House of Commons."

A small scene playing over and over again in Paul Martin's head:

Homer Simpson:Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer Simpson: Ham?
Lisa: No!
Homer Simpson: Pork chops?
Lisa:Dad, those all come from the same animal!
Homer Simpson:Heh heh heh ... ooh ... yeah ... right, Lisa. A wonderful ... magical animal.

Hoobris man. Nothing but hoobris.

Lileks on The Towering Inferno. As you were.

Lenin tattoos?

Read the Georgia Straight. Every week I pick it up, and every week there is at least one thing to remind me of just how many hippies and socialists there are here on Canada's left coast.

Reason #344: Funhouse Tattoo. This quaint little tattoo parlor's advert featured a charming tattoo of Lenin and a tag line to back it up. "We make marx permanent." As Barney on The Simpsons would say, "Go back to Russia."

Best. Chair. Ever.

Can I just say that my new chair at work is the greatest thing ever? Yes. I think I can.

SOTU 2005

I’ll get to the speech – I only caught it at work in the background because we were in a meeting. So more reax when I get it - but from the key clips I've seen, it may have been the best 43 speach ever.

Thank goodness for our new flat panel TV in our design studio. But is anybody but me wondering why the Democrats chose to show the world Nancy Pelosi? Was Barack Obama unavailable?

Tommy Lee Jones Jumps Shark

Tommy Lee Jones. What went wrong dude.

What went wrong.... (Don't click the link. Just don't)

Action Figures

It's hard to even muster a Jon Stewart-esque "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?" on the curious case of the Al Qaeda action figure hostage. It's really all down hill from here.

Jonah Goldberg: "If reports are true and the terrorists have murdererd one of our dolls, we must stand firm. We will destroy ten of their dolls. We will smash their rock-em-sock-em robots. And we will leave the lids of their Play-dough until it grows dry and flaky! We cannot tolerate this aggression."

Best Headline: "Zarqawi quits al Qaeda, joins C.O.B.R.A."

Simply Washington

The front page of Washingon's newest paper - The Examiner - looks pretty good and Fishbowl DC and Wonkette weigh in. And the baseball images and front page news is a great way to crack into this month. [Newsdesigner.com]

And speaking of baseball, is it even possible that pitchers and catchers are reporting for duty on 13 days. Shortest. Off-Season. Ever. Go Sox.

Democracy. Vodka. Sexy.

I love this story about the CIA getting some coal miners drunk with vodka to prevent them from making trouble in Ukraine. Porter Goss you're a genuis. (Via Instapundit)