Deep Something

Open Letter to App. State Chancellor

April 29, 2009 B. John 527 Views 2 Comments Virginia Foxx, Matthew Shepard, Hate Crimes Act, Congress, a.s.u., appalachian state university, homophobia, hate, Boone, Fifth Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents the congressional district that includes my alma mater, and she has attended ASU events and activities to advance her political career and give her an undeserved credibility. Over the past several days, Rep. Foxx has made a number of inflammatory statements during the House’s consideration of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. Today, Rep. Foxx crossed a line when she took to the floor of the House, claimed that Shepard was killed as part of a robbery, and called the hate aspect of the crime “a hoax.”

Politics Presidency Society Crime Featured

Tortured Logic on Torture

April 26, 2009 B. John 524 Views 0 Comments Bush, Congress, cheney, torture, V.P., america, mccain, secret, Dick Cheney, republicans

Sen. John McCain was on Face the Nation Sunday morning, and the contortions he went through to let the previous administration off the hook for their illegal torturing was astounding. He tried to claim that it was all just the result of some bad legal advice. Early in the interview McCain makes the claim that he believes no other Administration will ever make the same mistake (of using bad legal advice…I guess), and torture again.

Featured Politics

The Republic of Texas – On The Road Again

April 26, 2009 B. John 358 Views 3 Comments texas, Rick Perry, Austin

According to a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of Texans, Republicans there are equally split when asked if Texas would be better off as an independant nation. I thought Austin was a great city with very friendly people, but if that’s how people down there feel, let ’em go. They can worry about the border, and figure out how to solve their many social problems. AsGny. Sgt. Hartman says to Private Cowboy in Full Metal Jacket, “only steers and queers come from Texas.”

Culture Movies

The Soloist – A Movie Review

April 26, 2009 B. John 560 Views 2 Comments Jamie Foxx, Joe Wright, Biopic, Friends, Robert Downey Jr, Music, Homeless, Art

This is a powerful, heartfelt, emotionally moving, human drama with two very talented actors who pour themselves into the story. It lives up to it’s promises, and is definitely one of the best films of the year. If you’re looking for an inspiring story, then look no further. This is Director Joe Wright’s best film. It is an extremely well told story, and worth every minute you spend in the theater.

Culture Movies

Zack and Miri Make a Porno – A Movie Review

April 26, 2009 B. John 357 Views 0 Comments Craig Robinson, Kevin Smith, Porno, gay porn star, Comedy, Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen, Jason Mewes, Katie Morgan

As Jackie Treehorn laments in The Big Lebowski, pornos these days lack plot, and production values, and feelings. Kevin Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” would make Jackie quite proud. “Zack and Miri” gets very good performances from everybody and it manages to do what a lot of romantic comedies this year have not been able to do, which is earn the laughs and earn the love of it’s two characters. It’s funny and fun and worth every minute.

Culture Movies

Hellboy II: The Golden Army – A Movie Review

April 26, 2009 B. John 304 Views 1 Comment Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Guillermo del Toro, Action, Adventure, Horror

For sometime I had felt like, based on the trailer, that it would be a stupid movie. Then I read a few reviews, and it got reviews very different from my expectations. Lay and I were both surprised at how much we liked this movie.

Culture Movies

Jumper – A Movie Review

April 26, 2009 B. John 289 Views 0 Comments Action, Science Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen

The concept is an intriguing one…this idea of being able to teleport one’s self to anywhere in the world. What a fun power that would be, and lead character, David, discovers the power during his high school days, and heads off to from an unhappy home to learn to use his power. It’s not terrible, but it certainly goes to low-end of my scale.

Gay Issues Right Wingnuts General Religion Society

The Gathering Storm of Gay Marriage

April 10, 2009September 29, 2018 B. John 322 Views 1 Comment Gay Marriage, Vermont, Iowa, Eric Schumacher, Northbook Baptist Church

The krazy kristian kooks have their knickers all in a wad over the gay marriage situation in Iowa and Vermont, and their responses are predictably idiotic. Basically we can’t allow equal protection under the law because it violates their religious sensibilities.

Culture Music Fun Stuff

The Central Station in Antwerp Belgium

April 9, 2009 B. John 230 Views 0 Comments Sound of Music, Antwerp

Sometimes you just have to have a lite moment in the day. Here it is.

Culture Movies

In The Realms of the Unreal – A Movie Review

April 8, 2009 B. John 233 Views 0 Comments Biography, Documentary, Dakota Fanning, Henry Drager, Jessica Yu

Henry Darger, an elderly recluse, spent his childhood in Illinois’s asylum for feeble-minded children and his adulthood working as a janitor. He lived a quiet, nearly solitary existence, but his imaginary life was exciting, colorful and sexually provocative. When he died in Chicago in 1973, his landlady discovered in his room 300 paintings, some over 10 feet long, and a 15,000-page illustrated novel (The Realms of the Unreal), which told the epic story of the virtuous Vivian Girls leading a child slave revolt against the evil Glandelinians. Featuring Dakota Fanning (Hide and Seek) and Larry Pine (The Royal Tenenbaums) as narrators and imaginative animation of Darger’s work, Oscar® winner Jessica Yu (Breathing Lessons) brings to life one of the twentieth century’s greatest self-taught artists. This is a very interesting story with a surprising dose of an undercurrent of suspense about what will happen next. It was worth watching.

Right Wingnuts Featured Religion Science Society Gay Issues

Rick Warren Screws Himself All Around

April 8, 2009September 29, 2018 B. John 288 Views 0 Comments evangelicals, Proposition 8, Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Larry King Live

Mark Twain said, “Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Rick Warren, darling of the “intellectual evangelicals,” is learning that lesson the hard way this week after an appearance on Larry King Live. Obviously I don’t agree with the evangelical view on homosexuality, and believe they are misreading the Bible based on many years of misinterpretation by their clerics, but I understand their right to believe as they wish. One thing, though, I’m fairly clear about is that lying is pretty much frowned upon throughout the Bible, yet Warren decides to play fast and loose with the truth. Now, even the evangelicals are mad at him.