The Den of Mystery

TPH Returns – "Fiscally Conservative, Socially Realistic"

thedenofmystery — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:13:00 +0000

The Political Hoedown returns, now with no foolhardy attempt at regularity.

*Is there room in the US for a moderate party? Can self-styled “progressive” or reform Republicans (think Teddy Roosevelt or *gasp* Barry Goldwater?!) and, in their own way, “Blue Dog” Democrats (who’re fighting DNC leaders about the Health Care reform bill as currently drafted) find a common slogan to rally behind?

*Palin-tology: the future of our maverick-y sled dog.

*Today’s polls mean little for next year’s mid-term. No big expansion on that point; just don’t trust them. …okay, I’ll expand a little.

***

I don’t mean to alarm you, but there’s a lot of partisanship these days. The situation isn’t as bad as 2006; that was a bitter election year, especially with Iraq still in “quagmire” territory. Both sides emerged calcified and eager for a full-fledged electoral tussle in ’08.

Now that we’ve had that brutal fight, with the GOP emerging battered and the “conservative” agenda at risk of fracturing amidst regionalization, you’d think the winners would be magnanimous. Not so, dear friends.

Legislation is veering sharply Left – for good or bad, as it veered Right during Bush’s first term – and one sees the image of a steamroller driven by a donkey chasing an elephant. For nearly all bills can now be passed without a single Republican vote, and it’s not healing the wounds of the last eight years to go about business as though 40% of the government doesn’t exist.

And by ignoring the opposition, diminished as it greatly is, one also ignores its agenda items. Not every piece of conservative/Right/Republican policy calls for prayer in school while Gay heavy metal CDs are melted in a bonfire lit by Jerry Falwell’s ghost.

So some Democrats are coming to remember.

They are called “Blue Dog” Democrats, and they represent the fiscally conservative, if socially liberal (or middle-left), wing of the DNC. There are currently 52 Blue Dogs between House and Senate: 16.6% of the total Dems in Congress, no small number. Currently they’re up in arms about the Democrat-drafted health care reform bill and their objections are those of fiscal conservatives – traditionally the Republican stance.

In the Republican camp, there’s been a war brewing for three years (or maybe since Teddy Roosevelt broke ranks in 1912) between those who place social conservatism ahead of economic conservatism and vice versa. Is this a time when a “Blue Dog” type Republican might emerge – moderate socially, economically Conservative? I, of course, refer to these as “Reform” or “Progressive Republicans,” as these moderates have a forward view on science & technology, and the private lives of US citizens.

And if this other caucus-within-a-caucus is born, will our great Union witness another?

A national third party is the dream of pundits, basically a massive monkey wrench in the gears of “politics as normal.” There are two possible breakaways* that could be formed: the above mentioned “Fiscally Conservative, Socially Realistic” (moderate, in other words) party, similarly to Libertarians; and the “Moral Right,” which is the Palin wing of the GOP along with a few “Christian Democrats,” those who are part of the Religious Right but have a (D) after their name.

The Republican Party is in shambles, leaderless and objectiveless. Their only collective, coherent thought is to block Obama if at all possible. But as the Democrats found out in 2004, when they ran on an “Anything is Better than Bush” platform, hate doesn’t drive success. Ideas (and Roveian campaigning) do.

*(of course, really four if you count the Independence movements in Alaska and Texas, stronger than they have been in years.)

***

Palinpalooza!

By now, we all know that Sarah Palin has announced 1) she’s not running for reelection as Governor of Alaska and that 2) she will resign July 26th, handing the reins over to her Lt. Gov Sean Parnell. There’s still well over a year of her term left.

What’s shocking is that there are some out there who think she still has a chance at the 2012 Republican nomination. In fact, they say this move will help her chances. I hope I can pop this little bubble of electoral hope: she’s finished.

Arguably more of a lightning rod during the last election than even Obama, Palin entered the national political stage in a whirlwind of pit bulls and hockey sticks and knocked-up teens. She would go on to win the hearts of a chunk of Americans and the scorn of many more. In a nutshell, she’s divisive, seen as flighty and in no ways a candidate that can capture a national majority.

So she’s done, effectively. While there will be people who rally to whatever cause she takes up, and as we gear up for the 2012 primaries, listen to her, the citizenry as a whole do not endorse a political future for this woman. Who she eventually supports will turn into the early frontrunner (I don’t buy her as a kingmaker, but she will bring publicity), though that person will take on all the negative connotations of “Sarah Palin’s Pick.”

The resignation is good for all parties: she gets to reevaluate her life, spend time with family and maybe salvage her image. The DNC gets fodder for the mid-terms (“Why elect member of the party that chose a QUITTER for their VP?!”) and media drones. The GOP clears an ugly debit off its books and can really go about reforming and reorganizing the party.

She’s headed off to write a book, and after that stump for those candidates who share her views on certain issues (Democrat of Republican). How many times do you think she’ll hear “Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t make it” ?

***

Right, those polls. Rasmussen has Obama’s “strongly disapprove” rating higher than his “strongly approve” (though his overall number is still greater than 50%); they also show (R)s leading (D)s in eight of ten key issues, with the gap closing on the remainder. This is a two-week running affair, the GOP getting the upper hand on issues, but it means next to nil.

We are a year from serious mid-term campaigning and two and a half years until the 2012 primary season. A lot can change. Look at the political landscape last year. Few could map that twisted path from Obama’s Iowa blowout to the reversal in New Hampshire, McCain’s gradual rise, the most drawn out Democratic presidential primary in recent memory, Sarah Palin, the economic disaster. There was no crystal ball for those events.

we need to remember that going forward. Follow the legislation that’s been introduced since Election Day, the Obama-backed stuff. He’ll sink or swim on the last eight months’ worth of policy from his proxies and party. Health Care can get reformed, Iraq solved but if the economy is in ruin in early 2012 (or late 2011), he’ll face stiff GOP opposition (with the winds of anger at their back) or potential insurrection in the DNC.

Democrats haven’t had a dynastic period in the White House since FDR got in. Republicans have won all but three elections since 1968. They want to win, and Obama might pull a “I’ve accomplished all I set out to do” speech if the stimulus packages and spending choices (blunders) fall flat.

***

Next time…who knows?

-Hooper

Moonwalking with the angels…under strict supervision.

thedenofmystery — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:28:00 +0000

A glimpse of the future

thedenofmystery — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:48:00 +0000

I thought this was too fun not to share, especially since I’m a child of Transformers and Hooper is a child of G.I. Joe.

Funny Videos Funny Cartoons More Video Clips

I find David Lynch’s Koosh Ball unnerving.

-Buck

Update the blog often? Not on my watch!

thedenofmystery — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:50:00 +0000

On Friday night, I went to see Terminator: Salvation. I really meant to post some manner of review before now, but things like weeding the vegetable garden and re-seeding the lawn got in the way. (Ah, the perils of being a new homeowner.)

I will say that I don’t quite understand all the negative press the film has gotten, because I found it to be very enjoyable. My only major critique would be that it doesn’t really do all that much to further the mythology; at the end of the film we’re basically at the same place we started. But the performances were good and the effects were teriffic (Especially the sound work; can’t wait to try this one out on the new surround sound.). I’ll try to expand my thoughts by the end of the week.

-Buck

Not a fan of the gays, America?

thedenofmystery — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:58:00 +0000

What happened last night, compatriots? I’m not talking about the Sox winning or the exciting last minute of the Cavs game. Kris Allen winning American Idol: bwah?!

I’m not saying he isn’t talented or a good singer. As a musician, he’s probably better than Adam Lambert, the to-this-point odds on favorite. But he was so…whitebread college town bar singer. Adam knows he’s a star.

Is it the boy-kissing, America? Certainly Adam would’ve been the most “fabulous” idol, and he makes no bones about that (!). His appearance is over-the-top fancy emo, and that voice! Bordering at times on the absurd, it always invigorates his song choices and shows why all season he’d been considered in a class on his own. It soars and swoons, that voice.

But it also sounded, some weeks, like he should’ve been in drag, aping Liza. Can I chalk that up as the reason for his loss?

I’m not convinced Tuesday’s performance did it for Kris and did in Adam. Like Carrie Underwood, Adam had been nigh untouchable in the elimination rounds. He was a shoe-in, even over Danny Gokey, he of the sob story and the early fav. Then Kris sang Heartless, astoundingly well, and it seemed – to me – that people could now justify their votes for him. Favs dropped in his path, and he clinched it with his more marketable voice.

So that means people were waiting for greatness to justify why this guy the Red Eye said would go out before the top 10 had stuck around while better, or more favored, singers left. With Gokey gone, his fans – more similar to Kris’ than Adam’s – latched on to the only “traditional” thing left.

Alas, alack.

Though I may be called paranoid, I’m not convinced this underdog story occurred naturally. I’ve said it before, let’s repeat the chorus: it’s fixed. If election after election Chicago’s Democratic Machine can massage the votes enough to get their people in, then of course we can legitimately call shenanigans on American Idol. The producers got a great story arc out of this – the dark-horse-who’s-apple-pie-America – and the means to drum up post-show dollar votes for Adam (feel he was cheated? Buy his album and show ol Slidejaw Allen who really deserved the dandy crown).

It is a show, and therefore not important in the grand scheme, but I would’ve really liked an Adam victory. He rocked it with KISS and Queen (well…Brian May and Roger Taylor). That showmanship, that voice and atypical sense of personal acceptance made him the clear winner. A shame it wasn’t made official.

-Hooper

Buck Reviews 24: Day 7, 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM

thedenofmystery — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:47:00 +0000

And we come to the close of another harrowing day in the life of Jack Bauer.

Hour 1
• How much you think a video set-up like that costs? That’s a snazzy teleconference Olivia’s taking part in.
• Kim is sadly still a little slow on the uptake, especially for someone who worked at CTU for a couple of years and lived with a former agent.
• Is it too much to ask that we have a season where Jack doesn’t have to go rogue? I know I’d find it refreshing.
• At least he was able to tell Renee what’s really going on. It plays better that way.
• Clever, Mr. Almeida. Someone was watching Incredible Hulk last summer when Stearns reverse-engineered Banner’s blood from that tiny sample.
• It’s so weird having one of the Kiefer-narrated Bank of America commercials come on during a 24 break. It’s calm, collected Kiefer vs. angry shouting Kiefer.
• I greatly enjoyed Olivia’s little freakout.
• If Kim stabs this dude with that pen it just might make up for the entire cougar debacle.
• A shoot-out in an airport? Quick, get Bruce Willis and Dennis Franz on the phone!
• Okay, she can stab the woman. I’m not picky.
• A frustrated “Dammit!” from the next Bauer generation? Awesome.
• Commercial for American Idol finale with Simon voice-over: “Only one can win.” So it’s like Highlander then. Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Cowell. (Seriously, I loathe the show, but that’s the best soundbyte they could find?)
• See what kind of fun you get when I watch the live broadcast instead of watching it on Hulu? You’ve been missing out on my witty commercial commentary these past 5 months.
• Please don’t have Kanin strip-searched. I love Bob Gunton, but I have no desire to see him nekkid.
• Good lord, is that a CompactFlash memory card? All the technical doodads in the White House and it’s not recorded on a SD card?
• Evil Doctor should really have an accent. British, maybe, or perhaps something eastern European.
• I apologize for the earlier comment that Kim didn’t remember anything she learned at CTU. Thought to grab the laptop and knows how to get the data off of it. Good show.
• Product placement? What product placement? Now sit down and enjoy the Hyundai Genesis—I mean, show.
• Scalpel to the jugular! Neck stabbing! Neck slashing! Neck breaking! You do NOT fuck with Jack Bauer and his spinal fluid!
• Gotta say I’m a little disappointed, as I thought the final hour was going to be rescuing Jack, which would have been a nice twist. But looks like we’ve got Renee and Kim finding Jack while Jack goes for revenge on Tony. Not what I wanted, but I’ll take it.

Hour 2
• Oh, good. For a minute I thought they were going to have a recap for the hour that just ended.
• Jack was going to immolate himself rather than let Tony get his blood? That’s commitment.
• I was wondering how Will Patton’s character fit into everything. And I have to say that I never really believed Charles Logan came up with everything on his own, so this works for me.
• Tony is really off his nut. Jack also killed to revenge his wife’s death, but he didn’t kill everyone that got in his way to do it. I doubt he’d even have killed Nina in Season 3 if she hadn’t threatened Kim.
• Last-minute rescue? That’s how we do things at the FBI. (I actually typed CTU without thinking, then realized what I’d done.)
• Having a seizure while strapped to a bomb? Jack is just not having a good day.
• Renee Walker: Action Woman!
• Michelle was pregnant? Make her death hurt a little more, why don’t you, 24 writers?
• Moment of truth. And Jack goes for the non-killing shot. Son of a bitch, that looked like it hurt.
• Interesting that we appear to be leaving the door open for a possible Tony return in the future.
• That was a really nice scene between Jack and Renee. He’s met a lot of people this season who have helped him come to terms with what he’s done in the past.
• That’s not how it works, Henry. When you’re president, you don’t get to just pick and choose what’s legal and what isn’t. Oh, wait…
• Taylor totally made the right call. Even if it has the potential to ruin her marriage. But David Palmer got through it; she will too.
• Knowing Renee’s back next season, I can’t wait to find out what happened in that interrogation room.
• Kim goes for the stem cell procedure to save Jack as we tick away the final minutes of Season 7.

Thoughts

This was quite possibly the best 24 finale since Season 1. Seeing Jack look for forgiveness on his deathbed, from a Muslim, no less, was an outstanding turn for the character, and Sutherland nailed it. The teaful confession, “You don’t know the thing I’ve done,” was handled with grace rather than being melodramatic.

As for the Taylor family, it’s impossible to not see shades of David and Sherry Palmer circa Season 1. As hard as it was for Allison, her daughter broke the law and a man died because of it. She has to pay the price for that. And how about a round of applause for Cherry Jones as the president? Here’s hoping she’s back next year, because I want to see what direction she takes the character in following what looked to be the complete dissolution of her family.

As for the rest…

Kim proved she’s a Bauer through-and-through and will do whatever it takes to save her father’s life (though we already know he’ll be back next season). I know I’ve given Kim as much crap as anyone, but after the way she was handled this time around, I’m all for her returning next year.

Renee got to go on quite a journey over the course of this day, didn’t she? I’m pretty sure Annie Wersching’s been confirmed for next season, so it should be interesting to see what happened to Renee following her…aggressive questioning…of Alan Wilson.

Which brings us to Tony Almeida. Carlos Bernard was fantastic this season, and despite what he did, you can’t help but feel just a touch sorry for the man, considering what he’s lost. I can’t wait to watch this season again knowing Tony was playing both sides the entire time.

And a final shout-out to the late, great Larry Moss. I am really sorry he’s gone, because after Bill Buchanan’s noble sacrifice, he was shaping up to be a new colleague Jack could turn to and maybe even confide in. He was definitely my favorite of the new characters we saw this season, and it’s a shame he didn’t get to stick around.

I might just be basking in the post-finale after glow, but I have nothing but praise for this season of 24. See you all in January.

-Buck

City of Crime

thedenofmystery — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I stumbled upon this yesterday afternoon and…well…it’s pretty much the greatest thing ever.

-My name’s Buck. I carry a badge.

Buck Reviews 24: Day 7, 5:00 AM – 6:00 AM

thedenofmystery — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:14:00 +0000

This week, I didn’t follow my usual method of typing my thoughts as I watch the episode, so that may be why there aren’t as many bullet-points. Or it could be that it was another build-up episode to what is hopefully a slam-bang finale. Read on.

• The subway ride was a little tense, but not exactly action-packed. That was a little disappointing.
• I was surprised to see the bio-threat stopped in this hour. I’d expected a virus cliffhanger leading into the final two hours.
• So is the kidnapping of Kim part of something larger, or is it just the Cabal’s way of saying, “Fuck you, Bauer. You really screwed up our day.”
• Much as I like Chloe, it’s nice to see her get one-upped every once in a while.
• Loved Agent Pierce’s “I’ve just about had it with this crap” scene with Olivia.
• Jack’s wailing on Tony was a little brutal, but you really felt the emotion in every punch.

Thoughts:
• Another 24 final-hour switcheroo, but it’s shaping up to be a good one.
• Lots of focus on loyalty and family this year (and in a good way, unlike last year’s Bauer family debacle). Jack’s families, both blood and CTU, the problems in the Taylor household, etc. It’s interesting to see the final crisis of the day involving Kim in danger. We really haven’t seen that since Season 1 (I refuse to acknowledge The Cougar Incident).

-Buck

Star Trek

thedenofmystery — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:36:00 +0000

I’ll expand this with more words of praise later, but just had to say how damn much fun Star Trek is. J.J. Abrams and Co. did an outstanding job and created one of the most enjoyable sci-fi films I’ve seen in a long time. If you weren’t planning on seeing it, I strongly urge you to reconsider. And it’s not just for die-hards. You can go in having never seen an episode of the original series and still enjoy it.

UPDATE: Not a full review, but more thoughts after the jump. Minor spoilers if you haven’t seen the film.

• Casting was great. No one really goes for the “I’m playing the actor who played this character the last time around” bit, and the movie is all the better for it. Karl Urban certainly channels DeForest Kelly, but it’s not an impersonation. He’s one of the best bits in the film.
• It’s damn funny. I *heart* Simon Pegg.
• I will say that there are plot holes you can reflect on, but it’s such a darn fun film they won’t dawn on you until days later, and even then they won’t ruin the film for you. Thou shalt not nitpick thy films, for that path leads to dickhood.
• Eric Bana’s villain Nero is a little underdeveloped, but his motivations are fairly simple to begin with so it’s not all bad.
• You get to see Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru test.
• I felt that the casting gave us feasible versions of the favorites, updated for modern audiences. Sulu’s a bit more macho, but I doubt John Cho would have wanted everyone to think he was as “fabulous” as Takei.
• Bruce Greenwood’s perfect Capt. Christopher Pike, who hopefully at least gets to cameo the next time around.
• I was very surprised by the Spock/Uhura relationship, but I felt it worked and it added some interesting layers to both characters.
• While I think they could have gone with a straight reboot instead of using an old character to start a new timeline, Nimoy was perfect and it was delightful to see him interacting with the new actors. Still, the creation of a new timeline allows for new stories without crapping on the continuity of old. Though I do agree with this fellow’s perspective on Star Trek canon.
• It’s just…it’s just a really enjoyable movie. Pure fun and entertainment, despite a not-quite-there script. Probably the most satisfied I’ve been upon leaving a theater since Bourne Ultimatum (Dark Knight and Iron Man being right up there as well).

-Buck

Feeling Blue…

thedenofmystery — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:06:00 +0000

[Click to enlarge.]

-Hooper