A Follow-up on Mark Sanford

So he used state money to finance his sleazy fling while refusing stimulus money. He cheated on his wife who basically ran his gubernatorial campaign. He his four sons on Father's Day. Yes, it's Spitzer/McGreevy/Edwards all over again.

With one big difference.

The fact that Mark Sanford is a Republican doesn't make his circumstances any different than the many, many Democratic politicians who cheated on their spouses. I live in a state whose former governor put his gay lover, an Israeli sailor/poet, on the state payroll as the head of homeland security. I live right next to a state whose former governor who transported his mistress prostitute over state lines. Both these men were Democrats, so I can't be all holier-than-thou towards Sanford. Because, you know, that's his job.

The unfortunate edge that James McGreevy (who, by the way, lives right here in Plainfield) and Eliot Spitzer have over Mark Sanford is that, unlike Sanford, McGreevy and Spitzer do not belong to a political party that has spent the better part of these past two decades obsessively branding itself as the party of "family values." Sanford played no small part in this; in 1998, he voted to impeach President Clinton, calling his affair "reprehensible" and saying that "I think it would be much better for the country and for him personally to resign."

And now Mark Sanford stands up there, weeping to South Carolinians to let keep his job.

If Mark Sanford is any bit of a man, he will personally apologize to Bill Clinton for attempting to punish him for affairs that were none of anyone's business. He will admit the blatant hypocracy of his stance that gay marriage will "destroy the sanctity of marriage."

Family values my ass. Mark Sanford has made it clear that Argentinian pussy overrides any family values he may once have had. And on Father's Day, of all days. Meanwhile, that liberal elitist Barack Obama was giving speeches on the importance of fathers as a role model, while continuing to show the country that he is a fiercely loyal father and husband. Mark Sanford could really take a lesson from that arugula-eating socialist.

Ten Best Pictures

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (or, as it's called in Hollywood terms, simply "the Academy") recently voted to expand their best picture nomination to ten nominees.

Here's the problem: It's not that the Academy doesn't nominate ENOUGH movies, it's that they nominate the WRONG movies. This year, the only "best pictures" who actually deserved to be in that category were Slumdog Millionaire and maybe, maybe Milk. As for the other nominees? There was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a movie that, by all accounts, was tailor-made to be an Oscar nominee. It was understated, emotional, and, last but not least, really, really long. Was it good? Yes, I suppose; it fulfilled a movie's minimum obligation by being at least entertaining. Yet there are two things wrong with this nominee. The first is that they should recognize what is easily the weakest of David Fincher's works, but ignore his early, explosive masterpieces such as Se7en and Fight Club. Another is that, if they really wanted a movie that would fit their "epic" quota, then they should have nominated a little thing called The Dark Knight, which was a philosophical tour de force, a phenomenon in acting, and just a hell of a lot more fun than Benjamin Button.

Next there was Frost/Nixon, which I didn't see. I know that it was based off a Broadway play, and that its director, Ron Howard, is - well, he's actually best known in the film community for being extremely generic. Again, I did not see the movie, so it would be unfair for me to judge, especially since this one got very good reviews. Yet I can't imagine it doing anything as impressive as, say, telling a heartfelt and socially-relevant love story with almost no dialogue. Because there actually was a movie that did that - it was called WALL-E. They should have nominated that.

And last there was The Reader. I didn't see this one due to my own judgement; it received a barely-passing "fresh" grade on Rotten Tomatoes. This means pretty consistent "C+" and "B-" grades from critics. This is not bad, per say, just extremely mediocre. This movie was obviously thrown in there so that they could have a low-budget "indie" film among the mix. Hey, you know what? The Wrestler was low-budget, and it was a really good movie that was unanimously hailed as one of the best movies of the year! So, why not that and why THE FREAKING READER?!

I can't think of how to end this post right now. So did you know that The Wrestler was filmed here in Union County? That just makes it even more awesome.

About Michael Jackson...

Let us not forget the immortal King of Pop who passed away this week, who changed music forever and whose downfall is that of a tragically misused life, of self-bastardized images of perfection overshadowing one's monumental talent. I have no doubt that, in the end, Michael Jackson will be remembered for the visionary that he was and not for the absurdity he had become. Rest in peace, Michael.

Let us also not forget those who passed away in the tragic crash on the Washington Metro. May them and their families be forever blessed and not experience any more hardship.

Let us remember the brave men and women who, as I write this, are risking their lives for freedom in Iran, and let's let them know that the world is on their side.

And, finally, let us not forget the men and women of the United States Military who are fighting for our safety and security oversees.

Shalom L'Kulam.

Stay Classy, BK

Yeeeaaaaahhhhh..... nooooooo.

Yay Street for J Street

Thought I'd let everyone know about this great political action committee named J Street, a pro-Israel PAC that lobbies for peace.

It's a shame that whenever the MSM tries to talk about Israel, you get only these two opinions:

• All Israelis are war criminals and it doesn't matter what the Palestinians do Israel has done nothing but oppress them

or

• Everything Israel does is right and all Arabs deserve to be bombed.

Now, I know for certain that the majority of Americans - especially American Jews and Muslims - do not feel this way. Yet these fringe opinions get a disturbingly high amount of attention as the main voices of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This is why a group in Washington like J Street is so important - it brings pragmatists to the table. Despite what the controversy-loving media might tell you, it is possible to defend Israel's right to exist while still being sympathetic towards the Palestinians. It is possible to think that the Palestinians deserve their own homeland while still condoning suicide bombing.

I'll get more into these issues later, but for now I recommend taking a look at J Street.

Governor Sanford's Magical Adventure (Or, Appalachian Fail)

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford disappeared a few days a go, leaving many in the state confused and frightened as to the whereabouts of the person who is supposed to be running the state. Not even Sanford's wife and kids knew where he went. So yesterday Politico reports a staff member coming forth with Sanford's mysterious location: now that the legislative season is over, Governor Sanford decided to pack up his things and spend a few days connecting with nature on a nice hike down the Appalachian Trail.

Sounds charming. Hell, I could use a nice hike right about - wait, WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!

So let's say you're in elementary school or high school or whatever. Your teacher hasn't shown up for class in days. Nobody know where this person is. Though the concept of repeatedly missing classes sounds enticing, the concepts of summer school and a report card F bring you back to reality. Then, one day, the principal walks into the classroom just as you're throwing a paper airplane at the hapless substitute and Brian is feeling up Heather from under the desk and Tyrone just busted a cap in Lorenzo's ass (this is a very diverse school). Your principal tells all you goofballs, sexual deviants and convicted felons that since the midterm season is over, your teacher has decided to skip work and stroll on down the Appalachian Trail without informing anyone. Don't worry, says the principal, she won't be fired. She'll be returning in a few days to continue to make a big deal over how her class doesn't need any of the school's chalk and then quietly taking the chalk anyway when no one is looking.

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!?

If Mountain Mark had any other job - whether it be janitor or postman, real estate agent or airline pilot, tax attorney or corporate vampire hunter - he would get a stern telegram reading "LUCKY FOR YOU, NOW YOU CAN HIKE ALL YOU WANT." I mean, don't the people of South Carolina deserve a government that is always looking out for them and whose leader doesn't go wandering off just because the legislative season is kind of slow? At least in New Jersey we know that it is unlikely that Jon Corzine will start wandering through the Pine Barrens - oh shit, that image is scary.

Update - Turns out he wasn't hiking after all, but rather he was sailing in Argentina. Even though it's, you know, winter there. Point is, Mark Sanford is a really weird dude.

Isaac's Movie Thoughts: Up

This summer's Disney/Pixar film, Up, is already a few weeks old. Yet after seeing it for a second time - and being the insufferable film geek that I am - there were certain things that stuck out about the movie that I didn't quite catch the first time. Basically, these are just random analyses of the film. If you haven't seen it already, then don't read these, because they are spoilers. Also, if you haven't seen it already, then what the hell is wrong with you? Go. Now.

• We don't know much about Russell's life, but we can assume from his language that he is unaware that his father is dead. In the opening montage, we see that Carl and Ellie wanted to have a baby but were unable to since Ellie was infertile. So, in a way, Russell gets a new father and Carl finally gets a son. At the end of the film, Carl is living with Dug, the talking dog. Along with the trip they never got to take, Carl's adventure also yielded him and Ellie with the family they never had.
• Russell joins a long list of Disney characters, such as Nemo and Simba, to have only one parent.
• In the very beginning of the movie, we see a young Carl yelling "No!" as a movie theater newsreel informs the viewers that Carl's hero, the explorer Charles Muntz, was declared a fraud due to his inability to bring back the complete "monster." Yet the entire third act of the movie is dedicated to Carl and Russell stopping Muntz from capturing the "monster" - a large tropical bird named Kevin. Little would the child Carl know that it would be he who would stop Charles Muntz from ever completing his mission and therefore being perennially deemed as a scientific fraud.

• The blimp that Muntz flew to Paradise Falls was called The Spirit of Adventure. This name turns out to be literal - in the end, we see Carl is living out of the blimp while his and Ellie's house remains left behind on top of the waterfall. The meaning of this, of course, is that through his travels he left his normal life behind and gained - though late in life - the spirit of adventure.

Just some thoughts on the best movie of the year. Got anything else? Just call. Or, post, rather.