I've added "The Apartment" to my list of movies to see at least once. It is directed by Billy Wilder who wrote "Sabrina," "Some Like It Hot" and "Stalag 17" in addition to "The Apartment." These are just a few of his screenplays and there are many of his screenplays that he directed and/or produced as well.
A favorite of mine, "The Apartment" is about a not-so-good girl who meets a rather nebbish good man in an interesting way. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine are believable in their roles. All in all a really good movie to put on your "Must See" list.
"The Apartment" is on TCM tomorrow night (Saturday, March 8) at 8:00 EST.
Friday, March 7, 2008
"A Spoonful of Rhetoric"
Today at National Review Online, Charles Krauthammer writes about Obama and whether we really know him. In fact he says the only way McCain and Clinton can defeat an opponent as dazzlingly new and fresh as Obama is to ask: Do you really know this guy?
Good point. If you ask people who support Obama why they support him you'll not hear actual accomplishments as a freshman Senator. You'll hear an adoration and awe as one might experience in church. Of course in the church setting the object of awe and adoration is God, not man. Ask any supporter why he supports Obama and you'll hear things like he's articulate, that he will unite the country (the how seems unimportant), that he gives us hope. So basically supporters swoon for his rhetoric. Really, they swoon, if you've been watching the reporters following his campaign. Women have fainted as they are as overcome with his rhetoric. His rallies have been likened to religious revivals.
"Obama coats the bitter pill of his myopic leftism in super-sweet sophistry," says Krauthammer. In grandiose terms he says he is a healer, a uniter, a conciliator, but never gives us the details. Yes, there will be college education for everyone, healthcare for everyone and a chicken in every pot. Who he is will be found in the details. So far there have been no details; what does that tell us about who he is?
Good point. If you ask people who support Obama why they support him you'll not hear actual accomplishments as a freshman Senator. You'll hear an adoration and awe as one might experience in church. Of course in the church setting the object of awe and adoration is God, not man. Ask any supporter why he supports Obama and you'll hear things like he's articulate, that he will unite the country (the how seems unimportant), that he gives us hope. So basically supporters swoon for his rhetoric. Really, they swoon, if you've been watching the reporters following his campaign. Women have fainted as they are as overcome with his rhetoric. His rallies have been likened to religious revivals.
"Obama coats the bitter pill of his myopic leftism in super-sweet sophistry," says Krauthammer. In grandiose terms he says he is a healer, a uniter, a conciliator, but never gives us the details. Yes, there will be college education for everyone, healthcare for everyone and a chicken in every pot. Who he is will be found in the details. So far there have been no details; what does that tell us about who he is?
Big Brother Is Watching
Yesterday as I watched coverage of the bombing of the military recruiting office in New York City, I saw the photographs of the bomber approach the building. It bothered me even though I know cameras are all around us. I wonder if those cameras will become 'Big Brother.'
I support whatever it takes to defeat terrorism. However, I am concerned that one day terrorism will be interpreted to include the activities in our lives that we take for granted. I wonder what will happen with a federal government that wants to control more and more of our lives, Will attending church be considered a terrorist activity or bad for society? What about smoking or home-schooling or having a carbon footprint too large?
I trust the Bush administration to respect our right to privacy, but I wouldn't trust any liberal administration. That may seem biased but it's liberals who don't seem to trust an individual to make choices for himself. Which is why they are bent on expanding a federal government where the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. It only takes a liberal federal judiciary to redefine privacy that limits just about everything we do.
We need to be vigilant and vocal about our right to privacy and elect conservative representatives who will respect and defend our right to privacy. We need to elect a President who will appoint Supreme Court Justices who are strict constructionists of the Constitution and who won't redefine privacy. Or we may find Big Brother watching us.
I support whatever it takes to defeat terrorism. However, I am concerned that one day terrorism will be interpreted to include the activities in our lives that we take for granted. I wonder what will happen with a federal government that wants to control more and more of our lives, Will attending church be considered a terrorist activity or bad for society? What about smoking or home-schooling or having a carbon footprint too large?
I trust the Bush administration to respect our right to privacy, but I wouldn't trust any liberal administration. That may seem biased but it's liberals who don't seem to trust an individual to make choices for himself. Which is why they are bent on expanding a federal government where the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. It only takes a liberal federal judiciary to redefine privacy that limits just about everything we do.
We need to be vigilant and vocal about our right to privacy and elect conservative representatives who will respect and defend our right to privacy. We need to elect a President who will appoint Supreme Court Justices who are strict constructionists of the Constitution and who won't redefine privacy. Or we may find Big Brother watching us.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
"All Scripture is God-Breathed"
In my devotional today the subject was being faithful to the Scriptures. Starting with the first lie of Satan to Eve that God didn't really mean what He said, the writer made the point that Satan is still peddling the same line.
"If you're sincere, it doesn't matter what you believe."
"We must not offend anyone."
"There is truth in the Bible, but not all the Bible is true."
"Jesus was a great philosopher like Mohammed and many things He said are relevant like feeding the hungry, rescuing those living in poverty and not judging."
According to Paul, "All scripture is God-breathed," (2 Tim. 3:16) and Isaiah says "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20.)
There are certain truths in this world, such as the number of pounds in a ton, the number inches in a foot, 2 + 2 = 4. These have always meant the same thing and people don't make their own interpretations. They are as relevant today as they always were. They have not changed with the times.
In the same way, the Word of God is as relevant today as throughout the history of all time. They are not to be shaped to fit our own beliefs just to rationalize our behaviors. They do not change with the times, with political philosophy or Hollywood. And scriptures are not to be picked and chosen out of context. I have heard more often than I care to count people say, "The Bible says not to judge and Christians are so judgmental." I heard Charles Barkley say this on CNN, although he identified all conservatives as judgmental Christians.
Does God mean what He says? Has He always meant what He says? And do I live like I believe it? Am I unfaithful to the Scriptures. I'm afraid I am in so many ways. But I know God can change me and give me a passionate desire to be faithful to what He says.
"If you're sincere, it doesn't matter what you believe."
"We must not offend anyone."
"There is truth in the Bible, but not all the Bible is true."
"Jesus was a great philosopher like Mohammed and many things He said are relevant like feeding the hungry, rescuing those living in poverty and not judging."
According to Paul, "All scripture is God-breathed," (2 Tim. 3:16) and Isaiah says "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20.)
There are certain truths in this world, such as the number of pounds in a ton, the number inches in a foot, 2 + 2 = 4. These have always meant the same thing and people don't make their own interpretations. They are as relevant today as they always were. They have not changed with the times.
In the same way, the Word of God is as relevant today as throughout the history of all time. They are not to be shaped to fit our own beliefs just to rationalize our behaviors. They do not change with the times, with political philosophy or Hollywood. And scriptures are not to be picked and chosen out of context. I have heard more often than I care to count people say, "The Bible says not to judge and Christians are so judgmental." I heard Charles Barkley say this on CNN, although he identified all conservatives as judgmental Christians.
Does God mean what He says? Has He always meant what He says? And do I live like I believe it? Am I unfaithful to the Scriptures. I'm afraid I am in so many ways. But I know God can change me and give me a passionate desire to be faithful to what He says.
Considering Mortality
This morning I heard someone talk about how sickness makes him think about his own mortality after having the flu twice. He said when he dies, he wants to go peacefully in his sleep like his grandfather - -
Not screaming and howling like his passengers!
Not screaming and howling like his passengers!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Mitch McConnell ROCKS!
Senate Republicans did themselves well when they elected Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Minority Leader in 2007. He has what the past 2 (Trent Lott and Bill Frist) Republican Majority Leaders were missing: a pair of big ones. He also has a backbone that hasn't turned to mush. He is bipartisan, but understands the values of the Republican party and listens to those he represents. For example, he was on the fence with McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill, but after the outcry by the majority of the country and an overwhelming outcry by Republicans he decided to lead the Minority against the bill, which did not pass.
This time he played Harry Reid (D-Nevada) like a harp. Reid wanted to bring up bills requiring immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq. Or didn't he? He figured McConnell would rouse the minority to prevent the 60 votes needed to bring the bills to the floor for debate as he's done in the past. This has been used by both parties to accuse each other of partisanship. Reid never thought the bills would never make it to the floor for debate. This time, however, McConnell did the unexpected and the bills will make it to the floor for debate. His strategy is to have both sides of the aisle on the record, which will hopefully work in Republican's favor in the upcoming election. I love it!
This time he played Harry Reid (D-Nevada) like a harp. Reid wanted to bring up bills requiring immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq. Or didn't he? He figured McConnell would rouse the minority to prevent the 60 votes needed to bring the bills to the floor for debate as he's done in the past. This has been used by both parties to accuse each other of partisanship. Reid never thought the bills would never make it to the floor for debate. This time, however, McConnell did the unexpected and the bills will make it to the floor for debate. His strategy is to have both sides of the aisle on the record, which will hopefully work in Republican's favor in the upcoming election. I love it!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A Moment Never Wasted
I was reading National Review's tribute to William F. Buckley this morning and learned some new things about this great man. First there was his faith as related by Pete Wehner. I didn't know that Buckley interviewed Malcolm Muggeridge on Firing Line. I imagine he managed to interview many Christian spokesmen. I would have loved to have watched each and every one. Buckley's eloquent speech would have been beautiful when talking about Christianity.
Another story by Jonah Goldberg (Liberal Fascism) stressed the joy with which Buckley lived his life. I never thought about it before, but it fits my own experience of Buckley
Buckley was known for his unexpected and witty sayings. One I heard this morning was when he was asked why he always sat when talking. His response was, "It's hard to stand when carrying the weight of what I know." He was probably the Shakespeare of the 20th century.
One theme about Buckley that comes through every tribute and memory being expressed about him is that he never wasted a moment of his life. One said this morning that it was telling that he was found in his study on the day of his death.
Another story by Jonah Goldberg (Liberal Fascism) stressed the joy with which Buckley lived his life. I never thought about it before, but it fits my own experience of Buckley
Buckley was known for his unexpected and witty sayings. One I heard this morning was when he was asked why he always sat when talking. His response was, "It's hard to stand when carrying the weight of what I know." He was probably the Shakespeare of the 20th century.
One theme about Buckley that comes through every tribute and memory being expressed about him is that he never wasted a moment of his life. One said this morning that it was telling that he was found in his study on the day of his death.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Goodbye, Mr. Buckley
William F. Buckley, Jr., the founder of the National Review (that begat National Review Online), has passed away. The conservative, known for his intelligent and humorous arguments against liberalsim, led the way for the right's rise "from the fringes to the White House." He was the father of the conservative intellectual movement which led to the conservative political movement. He was best known for his intellectual political writings.
My first memory of Mr. Buckley was during the 1968 Republican convention when he debated Gore Vidal (One of the first of the far left "hate America first" crowd along with Noam Chomsky.) My Father was greatly influenced by Buckley and was a stalwart conservative, I think, because of him. I can still see him lean back in his chair, raising his eyebrows with word rolling off his tongue and answering a question like he was amused that anyone should ask that particular question since they should have known the answer. Buckley made mincemeat of everyone who dared debate him.
One of the comments I heard is that Buckley begat National Review which begat Barry Goldwater who begat Nixon and Reagan who begat George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Today's great conservative intellectuals owe their very being to William F. Buckley. MSNBC's website's touching tribute to Buckley can be found here. One of my favorite parts of the article is the following:
"'Editor, columnist, novelist, debater, TV talk show star of “Firing Line,” harpsichordist, trans-oceanic sailor and even a good-natured loser in a New York mayor’s race, Buckley worked at a daunting pace, taking as little as 20 minutes to write a column for his magazine, the National Review.
Yet on the platform he was all handsome, reptilian languor, flexing his imposing vocabulary ever so slowly, accenting each point with an arched brow or rolling tongue and savoring an opponent’s discomfort with wide-eyed glee.
“I am, I fully grant, a phenomenon, but not because of any speed in composition,” he wrote in The New York Times Book Review in 1986. “I asked myself the other day, ‘Who else, on so many issues, has been so right so much of the time?’ I couldn’t think of anyone.”'
Goodbye, Mr. Buckley, and thanks. We are richer because of your life.
My first memory of Mr. Buckley was during the 1968 Republican convention when he debated Gore Vidal (One of the first of the far left "hate America first" crowd along with Noam Chomsky.) My Father was greatly influenced by Buckley and was a stalwart conservative, I think, because of him. I can still see him lean back in his chair, raising his eyebrows with word rolling off his tongue and answering a question like he was amused that anyone should ask that particular question since they should have known the answer. Buckley made mincemeat of everyone who dared debate him.
One of the comments I heard is that Buckley begat National Review which begat Barry Goldwater who begat Nixon and Reagan who begat George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Today's great conservative intellectuals owe their very being to William F. Buckley. MSNBC's website's touching tribute to Buckley can be found here. One of my favorite parts of the article is the following:
"'Editor, columnist, novelist, debater, TV talk show star of “Firing Line,” harpsichordist, trans-oceanic sailor and even a good-natured loser in a New York mayor’s race, Buckley worked at a daunting pace, taking as little as 20 minutes to write a column for his magazine, the National Review.
Yet on the platform he was all handsome, reptilian languor, flexing his imposing vocabulary ever so slowly, accenting each point with an arched brow or rolling tongue and savoring an opponent’s discomfort with wide-eyed glee.
“I am, I fully grant, a phenomenon, but not because of any speed in composition,” he wrote in The New York Times Book Review in 1986. “I asked myself the other day, ‘Who else, on so many issues, has been so right so much of the time?’ I couldn’t think of anyone.”'
Goodbye, Mr. Buckley, and thanks. We are richer because of your life.
Why We Whisper
I heard an interview a couple of weeks ago with Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) who has written a book, "Why We Whisper: Restoring Our Right to Say It's Wrong." We have slowly given up our First Amendment rights to speak up against wrongs. This has happened subtly over time with the appointment of judges with lifetime tenure who are judicial activists more interested in making law rather than interpreting it. The American public, espcially conservatives, should be outraged. It is ironic that while our First Amendment right to speak against that which is contrary to Western values, those who embrace everything except traditional values are given a pass. Senator DeMint's blog is here where he writes about these issues. I recommend a look at it.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
History
I heard on the news that President and Mrs Bush are recommending that art be used to teach students about history. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How about teaching HISTORY?
There are millions of us Baby Boomers who learned history from teachers and textbooks, although I believe our textbooks were actually historically correct if not politically correct to make it into today's schools. History was required from elementary school through high school. And for those of us who attended college in the 'olden days' were required at least 6 hours of college history. No one got out of it. When I went to college I had to take 3 hours of US history and 3 hours of World history.
The history we learned presented facts without political bias. I never knew in 13 years of history where my teachers stood politically. They taught the facts. As Sargeant Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say,"The facts, ma'am, just the facts." I will say that every history textbook had art of the particular era whether paintings, artifacts or photographs. These visualizations were important in learning history, but the art supplemented the text, not the other way around.
I think this more evidence of the dumbing down of America. History should be of the utmost importance in a curriculum. If we don't understand where we've come from, we will never know where we're going.
There are millions of us Baby Boomers who learned history from teachers and textbooks, although I believe our textbooks were actually historically correct if not politically correct to make it into today's schools. History was required from elementary school through high school. And for those of us who attended college in the 'olden days' were required at least 6 hours of college history. No one got out of it. When I went to college I had to take 3 hours of US history and 3 hours of World history.
The history we learned presented facts without political bias. I never knew in 13 years of history where my teachers stood politically. They taught the facts. As Sargeant Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say,"The facts, ma'am, just the facts." I will say that every history textbook had art of the particular era whether paintings, artifacts or photographs. These visualizations were important in learning history, but the art supplemented the text, not the other way around.
I think this more evidence of the dumbing down of America. History should be of the utmost importance in a curriculum. If we don't understand where we've come from, we will never know where we're going.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Word of the Day
The word for today is VISCERAL.
Definition:
(1) Obtained through intuition rather than from reasoning or observation.
(2) Characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect.
I will try to use it 5 times today.
Definition:
(1) Obtained through intuition rather than from reasoning or observation.
(2) Characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect.
I will try to use it 5 times today.
Indiana Jones
I saw the trailer from the new Indiana Jones movie. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." By the way, its release is "88 days, 14 hours, 53 minutes, 34,33,32 . . seconds." I have mixed feelings seeing Harrison Ford swing and fight his way through the movied. I mean he's 64 years old! He does have a younger sidekick to appeal to generation X movie-goers. This sidekick is a "motorcycle-riding greaser" who arrogantly banters with Jones. The movie takes place in the 1950's and the Nazi's have been replaced by Soviet spies. I doubt younger viewers will get it since they've never been taught about the Cold War and its importance. I will see it, of course. Indiana Jones is a part of my life experience. I don't see how it could be better than "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but I bet it will be good. Probably the highest grossing movie of 2008. Lots of people my age and older will see it since it is a part of their overall life experiences. I remember what it was like to watch the "... Lost Ark." We saw it several times and then bought the DVD when it was released. From the trailer I think the writers and director play on Indiana's advance age which is a good thing. Don and I will see it and enjoy it for sure!
Experience
Since I am in Texas I have luckily (NOT) seen political ads on TV. One Obama ad has him talking about being raised by a single mother and his grandparents implying that he knows the pain of the lower and middle classes. But compare it to the life experience of John McCain: 6 years in a Vietnamese prison camp. When he was offered the chance to be release he chose instead to stay with his fellow prisoners. Now that's a story!
NIE vs IAEA
Two years ago the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) reported that Iran was working to develop nuclear waepons. Then a few months ago the NIE said that Iran had stopped their nuclear program in 2003. There were protests that this report was politically motivated since it was written by 2 people. Yesterday the UN's IAEA reported Iran was still developing nuclear weapons and had never stopped. It looks like the NIE's latest report was indeed polically motivated.
McCain
I find it interesting that after the NYT's story about John McCain and a lobbyist, donations to his campaign went way up. And the most interesting aspect of it is that he's getting donations from conservatives!
Juno
I watched "Juno" last night. The reviews have been raves, so I was curious to see what the fuss was about. It's the story of a high school student who gets pregnant and decides to have the baby. However, she realizes that she's too young to keep the baby and so she decides to give it up for adoption. She never wavered in her decision to give the baby up which I thought was admirable. The movie sends a positive message about choosing life over death, and choosing to give an infertile couple what they always wanted. I won't give any more away about the plot because it's worth seeing and going through all the ups and downs. Ellen Page is great as Juno, the girl with a heavy decision to make. She was a truly memorable character. I loved that her family was accepting of her pregnancy and her decision to give the baby up. I will admit that I cried at the end, but I cry at a Hallmark commercial. However, this was much better than that. I hope you will take the time to see "Juno." It won't be a waste of time.
This movie does not yet have a release to DVD date.
This movie does not yet have a release to DVD date.
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Faith
I heard Charles Colson on Bill Bennett's radio talk show this morning. Colson has written a new book entitled The Faith. He makes the point that Christians are biblically illiterate today. The Bible is not read faithfully. Children no longer are steeped in the Word. Rather they are steeped in video games and TV. Children no longer hear about King David and his life an the life of Christ. They do not know about miracles or parables. The no longer know what Christians believe. Colson made a point that a majority of Christians think Sodom and Gomorrah were married. I fear for our culture if we do not know what Christians believe and why they should believe it. I am convicted about my own lack of knowledge but am I convicted enough to change? I hope I do.
Corporate Taxes
McCain and Obama differ greatly on corporate taxation. McCain wants to lower the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 25%. Obama who has demonized corporations thinks they are not paying enough. Anyone who has studied basic economics knows that raising taxes on corporations will drive them overseas along with jobs. We've lost jobs to other countries because the cost of doing business in the US is too expensive to continue to stay in the US. McCain, on the other hand, understands that when corporate tax rates are reduced there is an incentive for companies to stay here and produce more and hire more. With that government revenues will increase just as the Reagan and Bush tax cuts have proved.
Obama's Substance
I read an article by David Limbaugh about Obama's flowery speech. He is not empty headed and given to lofty oratory inspiring hope by platitudes. According to Limbaugh, "His generalities-laden, silver-tongued optimism conceals a hard-core leftist blueprint for this country that would make Dennis Kucinich look like Milton Friedman." Obama's speech reveals a lack of realism. His is the false hope that his plans are going to be easy. That change will automatically happen once he is sworn in. In this he is either believing his own rhetoric or deceptive. He will have to deal with the public who don't want retreat from Iraq just as we on the cusp of winning because of the long-term effects a surrender will have on terrorist groups who desire our destruction. What will he do if the US attacked again? Will he resort to negotiations or action? Will the public support socialized health care once our taxes are raised to the point of not having any discretionary income? And what will the people do with more entitlement programs? And what about dealing with the Republicans in Congress? Obama is the most liberal member of the Senate. I've found that liberals tend to be about feeling good while conservatives tend to consider the long-term consequences of such feel-good programs. An Obama presidency will give the people less freedom as Big Brother tells us what to buy and how to live.
Mrs. Obama
I was doing my daily reading of articles at Townhall.com. I found one entitled "Habla Usted English, Mrs. Obama?" This dealt with the statement she made about being proud of America for the first time in her life. Afterwords Barack's spinmeisters stated what Mrs. Obama really meant. “What she meant is that she’s really proud at this moment because for the first time in a long time, thousands of Americans who’ve never participated in politics before are coming out in record numbers to build a grass-roots movement for change.” If that is what she meant, why didn't she say exactly that? She's a priveliged Princeton graduate who, I would assume, was able to go to an Ivy league school because she was able to communicate exactly what she meant before graduation. Princeton doesn't exactly graduate slackers. I doubt she had to have someone else translate what she meant during her college years. So why now? Frankly I believe she caculated exactly what she said in order to show that she is one of the people. Of course I have to ask if the Obama's who together make over $1 million a year, live in a $1.6 million dollar home and whose children attend private prep schools are really one of the people.