50 FOX "News" Lies in 6 Seconds

This is the Vine video mentioned by Jon Stewart in the previous Daily Show post. 50 lies in 6 seconds, with annotations (click the image to pause it at any point). It's rather illustrative of a point made here over the entire eight year existence of this blog. In fact, if you go back to my very first post, you'll see that indeed FOX "News" (I only leave off the quotes around "news" when it makes punctuation confusing) was one of my motivations in creating the blog in the first place.
 

Lazy Weekend: Mad Movie Roundup

So, over the last three weeks, I've been binging on the J.J. Abrams series, Fringe. Yes,  a Fringe binge.  But, I basically wrapped that up, early on Friday. 100 episodes in three weeks. I loved the show, and I'll seriously miss it, but that's a lot of the same thing in a short period of time, isn't it?

But the funny thing about a binge like that, is once it's done, you don't quite know what to do with yourself. It's summer, so there's mostly crap on actual TV.  So, should I start a new binge? Too soon. No. Need a breather, I think. So, what then? Well, one thing I really ought to do is use all of the crazy amount of media I'm paying for, whether I use it or not. So, I thought I'd go ahead and use some. The Other Half was away for most of the weekend, and I had no particular obligations.

I managed to do my chores, get some errands done, and watch some stuff I don't usually get around to. But just wait to see the bizarre choices I made. . .

1) The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011) - Having seen the intensely bad original, I knew I was what I was in for, or thought I did. This is one of those things you watch just so you can say you did. I didn't expect much. What I got, was a desensitizingly awful film that renders all further horror/gore films moot. It covers just about every awful thing that could happen to a body in every disgusting way, but told in the most grindingly boring way possible.

I should clarify, I grew up in the era of the Mom 'n' Pop video store, where VHS rentals were mostly either bad horror movies, or porn. I saw 'em all (the horror movies, silly), and so I have a soft spot for the odd gore fest. This one though? It goes so far, for so long, that it leaves you with the inability to be further shocked. One thing I liked: our demented killer in this one is not a skilled surgeon, so his methods are decidedly messier than what happened in the first film. It leant a small amount of credence to an otherwise incredible story.

2) Devil (2010) - Another horror film, but one that was a bit more mainstream, Devil almost plays like an extended Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents kind of episode. It feels too small to be a feature film. It was all right, but light weight. I love Chris Messina, and liked seeing Jenny O'Hara. I guess it's an okay Netflix viewing, on a slow weekend, like I had. But don't make it a main event.

3) The Evil Dead (2013) - I suddenly remembered that I had this on a shelf, and thought, "why not?" Well, as it turns out, after The Human Centipede 2, this movie just has no punch. And after The Cabin in the Woods, the tropes are just too obvious. Plus, I kept thinking, "Hey, it's the girl from Suburgatory!" It's a gore-fest, it's not an improvement on the original, and it's just kind of pointless. Plus? Human bodies don't take that kind of punishment, and still allow you to function as these people functioned. At the point the protagonist pulls her hand off to escape, and then manages to wield a chainsaw? I'm just like, "really?"

4) Scary Movie 5 (2013) - This movie series was burning out either on part 3 or 4 (and part 2 sucked), so, I didn't expect much with this one. And I didn't get it either. The first Scary Movie was a Wayons Brothers effort that was way over the top, but hilariously funny. Part 2 had a very different tone, and a creepy Chris Elliott. It wasn't funny. So, Part 3 brought in David Zucker, 1/3 of the Airplane!/Naked Gun team. It was scatter-shot, but--seemingly accidentally, if you watch the outtakes--quite funny. Part 4 barely had a laugh. This one is worse. Don't bother.

5) V/H/S/2 (2013) - This is the second part of a horror anthology series, kind of a modern day Creepshow, with the conceit of "found footage" from video cameras, and still with a linking story around the vignettes. The first part was kind of headache inducing, but it had a couple of standout segments, so I gave this a view. And you know what? It's kind of fun! I mean, it's very low budget, and you won't confuse this with quality film making. But if this is the kind of movie you're looking for? It's not too bad! Most of the gore and scares come off as gags, more humorous than scary.

6) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - I never read the trilogy of books behind this film, but did watch part 1, so thought I'd give this on a go. It was actually pretty good. It is hamstrung by the same problem as part 1 though, the fact that they expect you to have read the books. There isn't much to let you know where or when this dystopian world is. Is it Earth? Is it the future? A little research via Wikipedia spelled it out a little for me, and filled in some blanks. I've got to think that if you have some of that knowledge going in, that you'll enjoy this film a lot more. But it's clearly a quality production.

And that was my after Fringe binge movie binge! I realize that the last one in particular doesn't really fit, but that's the way I roll. In all I can only recommend the last one, and only if you're into that sort of thing!

In Case You Missed It: Yes, Benghazi Was Because of the Video

Partly, at least, the attack on Benghazi was--according to one of the main guys behind the attack--about the video, Innocence of Muslims. It was also at the root of unrest in many other areas of the Muslim world, so why it is surprising that it might have something to do with Benghazi, I literally have no idea.

Maybe a conservative reading this, maybe one I'm friends with (hello, Dan!) might be able to explain to me why there is an obsessive focus in Right Wing World over whether or not the video had anything to do with it? Maybe, while you're at it, you can explain the laser-like focus on the Sunday show appearances of Ambassador Susan Rice--who is now vindicated, by the way, send your cards of apology--five days after the attack? I've never understood the key points of contention on the right. Like, at all. When Hillary Clinton said, "What difference, at this point, does it make?" that is what she was referring to, and I was in total agreement with her frustration.



Conservatives, please send your cards of apology.
A fruit basket, or edible bouquet might be nice as well.

It's time to put the Benghazi attack in the perspective it deserves: an attack on Americans, and get past this nonsense, especially now that the right has lost one of their key talking points (even if I don't understand why it was a talking point).

[Excerpt]

Benghazi Suspect Said He Was Moved To Take Revenge For American-Made Video

Benghazi attack suspect Ahmed Abu Khattala, who was captured by U.S. forces on Sunday, told people the move against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya was intended as revenge for an American-made online video that was seen as an attack to Islam, according to the New York Times. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Gap in Romney Tape Doesn't Mitigate What He Said

So, apparently there is a gap in the recording of Mitt Romney that Mother Jones' David Corn released. The video is in two parts, and apparently there is a lapse of one or two minutes between the parts. This is being jumped on by the right as a disqualifier of the entire video, and James O'Keefe/Andrew Breitbart comparisons are being levied. Which is hilarious, when you consider how fervently O'Keefe and Breitbart have been defended on the right.

Question, though: what difference does it make? First, there is absolutely no evidence that this is in an effort to mask anything, and no evidence that Corn lied when he said he'd release the whole video. If indeed the camera stopped for a couple of minutes, this is the whole video. Nobody anywhere has said that the entire Romney fundraiser was captured by video. I'm frankly surprised that so much was recorded. [Story continues below]



Now, before you say I'm making excuses, I have no allegiance to Corn or Mother Jones. I have seen one issue of the magazine, ever, and have been to their website maybe four or five times in all the years I've been blogging. But I'm having difficulty seeing what in the world could have occured in the two missing minutes that changes a thing about this video. Even being generous, and allowing for the wildest of speculation, what could Romney have said that would mitigate the rest of the video?

Regardless, it doesn't change a) what he said that was captured, and b) the fact that Romney called an impromptu press conference to explain himself. If indeed he said something between part 1 and part 2 that changes the tone and context to something different, wouldn't he have said it then?

This is a desperate attempt by the right to erase the impact of what Romney had to say, but it doesn't wash. Surely, Sean Hannity will wave the "missing two minutes" around for time immemorial, but so what. Romney denounced nothing from the video. Unless he does, this is just pointless.

[Excerpt]
 
#missing2min: The Romney tapes' two missing minutes

The secretly recorded tapes of Mitt Romney speaking at a fund-raiser in May were released first in clips on Monday, and later in their full form on Tuesday.
At least what appeared to be their full form: David Corn, the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones, the magazine that first posted the tapes, says "one to two minutes" of the fund-raiser were never captured, according to the person who recorded it. . .

Read more at: CNN

Sarah Palin Releases Video Responding to Arizona Shooting

Without comment, for now, as I'm at work and just heard this on the radio. 90 seconds to post something while at work? Acceptable. Longer? Not fair to employer. More later!


Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

UPDATE: First impression? It's a face-palm, step-on-a-rake, call the waaaambulance, playing-the-victim, foot-in-mouth, epic FAIL. Upon reflection? Well, Keith said it best. . .

Frivolity Break: SNL's Body Fuzion

Watching Saturday Night Live's tribute to Amy Poehler last night, I got to see one of their more brilliant parodies. It wasn't really a spotlight on Poehler, because it featured guest host Drew Barrymore, and Kristin Wiig more than anybody. But the brilliance of this piece was as much in the technical aspects of it, as it was the comedy.

Back in the 80s, workout videos were all the rage. And they didn't even have to work, they just had to be successful. Jane Fonda had a huge second career as a video workout maven. The funny in this spot has more to do with the presentation as with the material. VHS video tapes were notoriously bad in quality, with harsh lighting, bad video reproduction, and "tracking."

If you aren't old enough to remember, think of digital glitches in DVDs, only much more so. This parody nails the technical limitations of 80s video in a way that defines "you just had to be there."

Hillary Clinton Suspends Campaign, Backs Obama

And none too soon. This torturous phase of the Presidential election has finally come to a close. Or has it? Hillary Clinton is one of those politicians who chooses her words very carefully. She did not concede the primary to Barack Obama. She is not releasing her delegates. She's pressing "pause," and waiting to see if something big blows up in the Obama campaign, that would allow her to step right back in.

This may just be like a pre-nuptial agreement to her: not really hoping to need it, but protecting herself just the same. And I guess that's OK. But if she's counting on something going wrong, hoping for it. . .that would kind of suck.

Clearly, her fans at HillaryClinton.com are in the latter camp. They want Hillary Clinton in 2008 or in 2012. And they don't mind cutting off their noses to spite their faces to get there either. They'll gladly vote for John McCain in the hopes that Hillary will get to run against him in four years. It's almost cultlike in Camp Hillary, delusional and scary. The fact that Clinton allows this on her own site speaks volumes to me.

If she were to say, "Stop this nonsense, right now!" it would go a long way toward fostering party unity.

[Excerpt]



Clinton suspends campaign, endorses Obama

Hillary Rodham Clinton suspended her pioneering campaign for the presidency on Saturday and summoned supporters to use "our energy, our passion, our strength" to put Barack Obama in the White House.

"I endorse him and throw my full support behind him," said the former first lady, delivering the strong affirmation that her one-time rival and other Democratic leaders hoped to hear after a bruising campaign. . .

Read more at: Washington Post