Barbra

I am adding Barbra Streisand's website to the Links section. She's a great singer, absolutely. But I'm adding her because of the excellent statements she puts up. I've been following her entries for about a year-and-a-half. If you don't want to read the rantings of another lefty celebrity, you probably shouldn't bother visiting her site. Otherwise, please do. I find reading her articles is therapeutic.

http://www.barbrastreisand.com/

War & Terrorism

Are there really that many differences between America's cause and the terrorists' cause?

Now, as you know, I have very strong feelings on GWB and his cronies. For starters, they were not legitimately elected. It is widely accepted now that Al Gore received more votes than George in the 2000 election. And Gore won the popular vote by over 500, 000 ballots. But five judges on the Supreme Court, fulfilling their roles as loyal friends to the dear Bush family, ruled that George would become president-elect. Worth acknowledging though is that four judges voted in favour of Gore. There was a one-vote difference. So, in effect, the result of the 2000 US Presidential election did not come down to votes from the public, but votes from the bench.

I was genuinely devastated when John Kerry failed to win the 2004 election. He would have brought intelligence back to the White House. Kerry is a deeply intelligent man. He actually fought in war (in Vietnam) and won two (or three?) Purple Hearts. He then, after returning home, joined the anti-war protests and spoke out about the despicable behaviour of the US Government and some US soldiers in their treatment of the Vietnamese (and the constant violations of the Geneva Convention.........very interesting...Abu Ghraib springs to mind). He sees complexities in all issues. Learning about him throughout his campaign, it became clear that, for him, nothing is simple. Everything involves thought and analysis and time. In other words, an intellectual. And yet, this was one of the key factors resulting in his election loss. The Republicans painted him (successfully, as it turned out) as a wishy-washy liberal who wasn't clear and straight. In other words, Kerry didn't say simplistic things like "you are either with us or against us in the war on terrorism" (GWB, 2001). He would have made a truly great leader. What a contrast a Kerry Administration would have been to the current one.

Of course, the Democrats' loss in 2004 also meant another four years of George. And I was, and am, so concerned about what that means for the world and its future. I am keeping a constant hope that the right thing is done, and George is impeached before too long. After all, Clinton was impeached... And his mistake didn't involve fraud, money laundering or death. In fact, we can argue that it didn't even concern the public.

I want to put this question out there... Is launching a war/invasion more morally acceptable than committing a terrorist act? When the White House launches a military invasion, it knows that innocent human beings, as well as their own soldiers, will be slaughtered as a result. And even though terrorists carry the actual intention of killing the innocent, it occurs in both acts of terror and acts of military action. I think this question is particularly relevant in a time of pre-emptive strikes.

AFI Movie Quotes

The American Film Institute released what it believed to be the top 100 movie quotes (from U.S. movies) earlier this year. I was recently reading the list with interest. As to be expected, most of the quotes are pre-1980s. A lot of great lines can be found in post-1980 films (some of which are indeed listed), but it seems that most of these sorts of lists are packed with oldies. Which, of course, I have nothing against. The older films were usually more dramatic, and contained very aloof, theatrical dialogue: "What do you take me for? Some jumbo-sized sucker?". Anyway, I've selected seven of my favourites from the AFI top 100. For the complete list, go to http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/22/film.moviequotes.list.ap/. And tell me what your favourites are, be they from the list or any others.
















"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
- The Wizard of Oz (1939)

"After all, tomorrow is another day!"
- Gone With The Wind (1939)

"Here's lookin' at you, kid."
- Casablanca (1942)

"Here's Johnny!"
- The Shining (1980)

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Striker: "Surely you can't be serious."
Rumack: "I am serious... And don't call me Shirley."
- Airplane! (1980)

"Listen to me, mister. You're my knight in shining armor. Don't you forget it. You're going to get back on that horse, and I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight, and away we're gonna go, go, go!"
- On Golden Pond (1981)

Letter-to-the-Editor in The Weekend Australian (15/10/05):

"There is one question that I would like the Prime Minister to answer. If it is true that at the moment Australia is experiencing record growth, low unemployment and low inflation, then why these changes to industrial relations? I further question the need for the proposed changes when the good economic climate we enjoy has been achieved under the current IR system. It is further perplexing when one considers the fact that Australia has recorded low levels of industrial disputes. So where is the threat to our future economic growth coming from? What was it that you said, John, during the republican debate? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

- Theodora Cherry (Parkside, SA)

Check out the official website for Prime.

http://www.primemovie.net/site/

It's a great site, and the music is very cool.

Transcript

Take a look at the transcript of Kerry O'Brien's interview with Howard from Monday night. The ABC have the best journalists in the country, and probably the world. Here's one section...

KERRY O'BRIEN: What does it say about openness in government that you would brief business groups for an hour yesterday [on the IR reforms] but give the media, whose job it is to report the changes to the rest of the country, literally two or three minutes to absorb a 68-page package of change before walking into a press conference and exposing yourself to questions?

JOHN HOWARD: The media has plenty of opportunity to analyse this document.

KERRY O'BRIEN: But why wouldn't you give it to them at the same time as you gave it to your business leaders?

JOHN HOWARD: Yes, well, Kerry, the media is normally provided with statements of this kind when news conferences take place, unless they are part of the lock-up.

KERRY O'BRIEN: And that would be I assume so they've got little time to prepare the tough questions?

JOHN HOWARD: Kerry, I think you've had plenty of time to prepare the tough questions for tonight, so I think we're wasting the viewers' time. It's a rather circular...

KERRY O'BRIEN: Alright. Let's go for it.


Read the entire transcript at http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1479023.htm

Choicest entertainment news

(Image from http://www.simplystreep.com/)

All Meryl fans (and, dare I say, all sensible followers of film) await her upcoming productions. The above image is of Streep on the set of Prime, to be released in Australia on November 17th. It also stars Uma Thurman. Funnily enough, it's not the sort of movie I would go to see in a non-Streep situation.






















(Image from http://www.simplystreep.com/)

Currently filming in New York City is The Devil Wears Prada. The above image shows Streep on set in Manhattan. The film is based on the book of the same name, and Streep is playing the sophisticated editor of a fashion magazine. It also stars Anne Hathaway. I'm really looking forward to this one. How savvy does she look!


Also, Robert Altman's new film, A Prairie Home Companion (which might end up being called 'The Last Broadcast') is in the post-production stage. The cast includes Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly and Lindsay Lohan (who plays Streep's daughter).

The trailer for Woody Allen's Match Point, starring Scarlett Johansson, can be seen at
http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/match_point/.
I am unsure of the date for its Australian release.

Much to anticipate...

Another thing...

Bill Leak, The Australian (theaustralian.news.com.au)

I just want to say something else on the counter-terrorism issue.

Something that I and others have noticed is a major contradiction to be found in what is said and what is done by Australia's politicians and lawmakers.

We are all familiar with the rhetoric used by leaders in response to terrorism...


'This will not change our way of life.'
'They can destroy our buildings, but they cannot destroy our values.'
'We will continue to fight for our freedom.'

(I think you know the drill...)

And YET, in almost the same breath, these very people who are apparently devout defenders of 'ways of life', 'values' and 'freedom', proceed to pass the draconian, severe, almost tyrannical laws that infringe on people's rights and traditional freedoms. The very freedoms that we used to think came with democracy.

This is necessary, we're told. We have to give up some of our freedoms in order to combat this threat. We have to understand that these are dangerous times that call for tough measures. BUT terrorists will not change our way of life. Because if our way of life is changed, the terrorists win. Huh?

Just be straight with us. The terrorists are achieving their goals. Our way of life has been and will continue to be significantly altered. They can destroy our buildings and, yep, they can destroy our values as well. They're pretty damn good at it.

In other words, the terrorists are winning. They are absolutely winning.

________________________________

This is a badly worded entry... I can't articulate myself very well today. And I know why. The heat Brisbane is experiencing is horrendous. It is sickly. I simply cannot believe how hot it is, and it's still early October. There are two months left in this so-called season of Spring. Then there is about four months worth of full-on Summer (March is hot too). How am I expected to get through the next six months? Shit! I feel like the Apocalypse is nearing. It is sooooooo hot. Tomorrow is set to be 37 degrees. It feels about that right now actually. Stuff Brisbane. I'm getting out of here when I can. Siberia awaits me.

Counter-friggin-terror

The Federal Government's attitude is really, really getting to me... And not only can I myself doing absolutely nothing about it... But nor can any of the government's opponents. All governments have a hint of arrogance. But this Senate control has brought in a new kind of arrogance... An open, unashamed arrogance. Though perhaps it is not the Senate control itself that bothers me as much as what that control is actually being used for...

The Telstra sale went through... The so-called counter-terrorism laws will go through as well...

The nation is too preoccupied with terrorism. We are told that the threat is large and looming, and that we face something that has never been faced before. And we are told that, in order to combat the threat, police should be able to hold people without charge. Hold people without charge. Hold people without charge. That person will not be informed of what it is they have been arrested for. They will be unable to contact a legal representative. They will be unable to contact their family. Then, if after fourteen days, the police cannot find anything to officially charge the person with, they will say "off you go". Among other things, police will also be able to plant tracking devices on people they suspect are involved with terrorism.

'If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear', some might say. But I don't think this approach holds much water anymore. As much as the government would like to persuade us otherwise, people are prejudiced. A police badge does not suddenly take this away. My belief is that those with a Middle-Eastern appearance or some sort of look that distinguishes them from the majority will be the target of these new powers and will be discriminated against to an even greater extent than they are now.

Police in London shot dead a Brazilian man running for his train. A dark-skinned Brazilian man with a suitcase. That was apparently all the police needed to decide that a bunch of bullets in the brain would be the correct course of action. And it has since been revealed that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner did his best to twist the story. My intention here by using this example is not to target these police officers specifically. Rather, this absolutely atrocious incident stands as proof that crazy things happen in crazy times. And anyone who thinks that these new laws will be used to a minimum and only in cases where the authorities are sure, will be surprised.

Premier Beattie described the laws as "Draconian" (yet proceeded to approve them anyway), and the Prime Miniature described them as "unusual but necessary". What is the next step after these laws? A police state? No, don't roll your eyes. We are already witnessing the formation of a society in which dissent is quashed and in which anyone who openly speaks out in disagreement is labelled as "un-Australian", "anti-American", even a "terrorist". These people will also be the target of the new laws. Yes, peace activists with long hair. Cat Stevens.

Anthing can happen in a society that re-elects blatant liars as a result of their conclusion that, "Oh well! Don't all politicians lie?".

...Hmmmmmm, just going over this entry, I've realised that I shouldn't be surprised if I hear a firm knock on the door tonight...


P.S. I hope all this energy that's been put into dealing with terrorism (which, by the way, is not a new problem) has not resulted in neglect of solutions for the bird flu. From what I've learned, the bird flu is going to impact on more people than any terrorist attack ever will.