I just finished watching "Pitch Black" on the SciFi channel. The "f" word was said several times, but SciFi dutifully blanked out the word so our virgin ears would not be contaminated. Of course, they were OK showing human victims being torn in half at the torso and having the top half of the torso being winged away by the creatures. What is this??? It's OK for children to see violent, tortuous acts be done to the human body, but NO, NO, NO...keep the poor children from hearing those heinous words!!!
Why is it that violence is all right with the family watching, but foul language is not? George Carlin in one of his first albums said (I'm paraphrasing here) that he would rather have his children watching two people making love than violent acts. I agree.
Here's another good one. ABC put a graphic before "Boston Legal" Sunday night that said partial nudity might offend viewers. The "partial nudity" was a character who came into the office without his pants, so we saw his buttocks. Let's see...I have a butt...you have a butt...children have butts...what is the problem here?
In the early days of TV, married couples could not be seen in bed together, thus twin beds. Toilets were verboten. We have come a long way; however, we still have a long way to go.
BTW - If it's OK to write four letter words at this site, please let me know!
Monday, October 04, 2004
Sunday, October 03, 2004
More Musings...
1. I am a life-long Dodger fan. I admit that in the last few years I have not really followed them like I used to during the 60's and 70's. I also have to admit that yesterday's comeback in the bottom of the ninth to win the division was really spectacular! Go Dodgers!
2. It's good to know know that the pundits agree with what I said yesterday that Bush was not that sharp a tack in the debate. Hopefully, it will be enough. This coming Friday's debate, based on a town hall meeting format, should be really telling. I don't expect him to come through, but we'll see.
3. I think that Scott Peterson is guilty of murdering his wife Laci; however, as far as I can tell from the prosecution's evidence, I think he will be found not guilty by reasonable doubt due to lack of any hard core evidence. I hope I am wrong. Shades of O.J.!
2. It's good to know know that the pundits agree with what I said yesterday that Bush was not that sharp a tack in the debate. Hopefully, it will be enough. This coming Friday's debate, based on a town hall meeting format, should be really telling. I don't expect him to come through, but we'll see.
3. I think that Scott Peterson is guilty of murdering his wife Laci; however, as far as I can tell from the prosecution's evidence, I think he will be found not guilty by reasonable doubt due to lack of any hard core evidence. I hope I am wrong. Shades of O.J.!
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Ponderings...
1. Congratulations to Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners for besting George Sisler's single season hits. Beating an 84-year-old record is quite an achievement. It was a nice touch that Sisler's daughter and family members were there. During the 70's a friend, cousin and I would play Sports Illustrated's All Time-All Star baseball game (used dice). When picking the players for our team we always fought for George Sisler. He was one of the best in the game. I wish it was still around. It was a great game!
2. As I said at the first post, I am a liberal, but I have to say that Bush dropped the ball on the debate. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. His "um's" and "er's" really didn't do him well. I'm not saying that Kerry hit a home run; however, he held his own and looked a lot more polished than Bush. For the record, I will vote for Kerry, because I feel Bush is real trouble for our country if he is re-elected.
3. I lived in Las Vegas, NV when the 2000 Presidential election occurred. At that time, Bush came into Nevada and was asked about the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Storage facility. He said at the time that he would wait for the scientific evidence before making a decision whether to give the go ahead or not. My friends and I were aghast that Nevadans bought that line of feces from a male bovine. Sure enough, he arbitrarily gave the go ahead to make it a nuclear dump without waiting for the scientific results. Now I'm told that Nevada is a "swing state." What???? Bush jobs the state and the populace, endangering them without waiting for the final scientific results, and there is still enough forgiving that he might carry the state? Shame on Nevadans for even THINKING about voting for him after he lied about his decision-making!
2. As I said at the first post, I am a liberal, but I have to say that Bush dropped the ball on the debate. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. His "um's" and "er's" really didn't do him well. I'm not saying that Kerry hit a home run; however, he held his own and looked a lot more polished than Bush. For the record, I will vote for Kerry, because I feel Bush is real trouble for our country if he is re-elected.
3. I lived in Las Vegas, NV when the 2000 Presidential election occurred. At that time, Bush came into Nevada and was asked about the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Storage facility. He said at the time that he would wait for the scientific evidence before making a decision whether to give the go ahead or not. My friends and I were aghast that Nevadans bought that line of feces from a male bovine. Sure enough, he arbitrarily gave the go ahead to make it a nuclear dump without waiting for the scientific results. Now I'm told that Nevada is a "swing state." What???? Bush jobs the state and the populace, endangering them without waiting for the final scientific results, and there is still enough forgiving that he might carry the state? Shame on Nevadans for even THINKING about voting for him after he lied about his decision-making!
Thursday, September 30, 2004
On the QT
I just saw "Kill Bill Vol. 1" and I must say that Quentin Tarantino has done it again. This guy is a wonderful, innovative filmmaker serving up a story with style and panache. I first disovered him when I saw "Reservoir Dogs" so many years ago. I still can't hear "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheels without seeing that torture scene with Michael Madsen in my mind.
The anime was a very cool touch, even though Roger Ebert pointed out it was rather a necessity. I look so forward to the next Volume!
A great homage to spaghetti westerns and Japanese films...a great filmaker...
The anime was a very cool touch, even though Roger Ebert pointed out it was rather a necessity. I look so forward to the next Volume!
A great homage to spaghetti westerns and Japanese films...a great filmaker...
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Cable News Beef
I love to watch cabel news in order to keep up on the latest developments; however, it really bugs me that the same news is played over and over, day after day on all three cable networks. I would guess that 30 minutes per hour (Approx. 20 min. devoted to commercials) are devoted to two subjects: Iraq (Here is a prediction...a bomb via car or sucide will go off tomorrow in Iraq) and the Pesidential Election (Currently, they've now added extensive coverage on the debate coming up tomorrow and hammering it over and over and over...). I know these are extremely important issues (And if something major happens, of course it should be extensively covered), and I'm not trying to trivialize them, but must we hammer them to death on a daily basis? There are other very important things going on in the world and U.S. (An example: In the words of James Carvell - "It's the economy, stupid!)!
The networks then leave about 10 minutes for "Oh, by the way, here is other news..." And that means it's Laci Peterson time! What gives????
Also, whenever the President speaks (I'm generic about this...nonpartisan), all three networks cover his speech from beginning to end. Most of the time he speaks platitudes relating to the people he is addressing. Why not either rotate the coverage or just not show every speech but tape it, and if he has anything important to say at the time, the networks can then cut to the speech.
The two shows I watch that somewhat get away from this is Dan Abrams' "Abrams Report" and Keith Olberman's "Countdown." They devote a smaller portion of time regarding these issues.
I just saw a ratings poll for the cable news networks this morning. Fox has more ratings than the others combined! It would seem to me that the other news channels might want to be a bit more daring and innovative in their news coverage instead of plodding along behind Fox and doing the same thing Fox is doing. They can't lose much more than they already have!
The networks then leave about 10 minutes for "Oh, by the way, here is other news..." And that means it's Laci Peterson time! What gives????
Also, whenever the President speaks (I'm generic about this...nonpartisan), all three networks cover his speech from beginning to end. Most of the time he speaks platitudes relating to the people he is addressing. Why not either rotate the coverage or just not show every speech but tape it, and if he has anything important to say at the time, the networks can then cut to the speech.
The two shows I watch that somewhat get away from this is Dan Abrams' "Abrams Report" and Keith Olberman's "Countdown." They devote a smaller portion of time regarding these issues.
I just saw a ratings poll for the cable news networks this morning. Fox has more ratings than the others combined! It would seem to me that the other news channels might want to be a bit more daring and innovative in their news coverage instead of plodding along behind Fox and doing the same thing Fox is doing. They can't lose much more than they already have!
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Welcome to DD's Blog!
The dictionary says that a "dilettante" is "a dabbler in an art or a field of knowledge." I love to dabble in many arts and fields of knowledge. I am very opinionated, and I hope that my opinions will spur vigorous debates between all of us. Any subject, from the arts to politics (I admit up front that I lean to the left), sports and beyond, is open to discussion. I plan to discuss anything that comes to mind on the days I add to this. So let the games begin!
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