Bigger and Steamier

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Quark - (02/07/05) A terribly underrated show, shamefully ignored in the ratings. Richard Benjamin was great as usual, and Tim Thomerson showed his vulnerable side. Betty was truly mesmerising, and Betty was, as well. This show may have been at the bottom of the barrel, ratings-wise, but it was hardly trash.

Oh, I'm sorry, were you thinking of some greedy troll? At least he had good fashion sense. The only reason we don't see more Ferengi fashion on the streets is a jealousy-fed conspiracy by the so-called "fashion moguls" like Donna Karan and Tommy Hilfiger.

Queen Latifa - (02/09/06) Cocoa Goddess, indeed! Beautiful inside and out. I would love to sit down at tea with her and just chat. A fantastic role model for young girls of any race. Very good actress, as well. "I wish every woman would love herself and embrace what she was given naturally." quoted in WOMAN'S WORLD (6-7-05)

[Index]

Racism

Real Genius

Real Estate Agents (see also Realtors)

Realtors

Republicanism

Republican Party (see also Democratic Party)

Retail

Rich People

Ron Glass - (02/06/06) Why is this man not working more? Yes, Joss Whedon should be slapped for what happened to Book in Serenity, but the actor is certainly still alive, and his talent is just improving.

Rush Limbaugh

[Index]

"School Choice" (see also School Vouchers) - (02/09/06) School choice already exists everywhere in the country. If you want your child to go to a different school, all you have to do is move to the district covered by that school. *You* decide what's more important- living in the same place, or putting your child in a better school. No special rules are needed

School Vouchers

Science

Scientology

Scrapbooking

Sex

Sex Before Marriage (see Premarital Sex)

Sexism

Slavery

Slavery Reparations - (02/06/06) I firmly believe that those who actually owned slaves should pay reparations to those who actually were slaves. Since I personally have never owned slaves, this means that I do not owe reparations, either directly or indirectly though my tax dollars. Moreover, I've never met anyone who was a slave, so I don't know anyone who is entitled to slavery reparations. As far as those in this country who may have slaves as ancestors, particularly those whose ancestors were slaves as of the end of the War of Southern Rebellion, since none of them have ever been slaves, none of them are entitled to reparations. Moreover, for those who claim that anyone who has enjoyed the benefits of slavery (and claim that the modern US is such a benefit) should be required to pay (either directly or through tax dollars), I say to them that, since they live here and are thus enjoying the benefits of slavery, feel free to be the first to write a check for reparations. The modern day descendents of slaves are enjoying the benefits of slavery if they live in this country, so they should be the first to provide reparations. Of course, since there are no current survivors of slavery from the War of Southern Rebellion, there's nobody to receive reparations.

Smokers

Smoking

Space Station Freedom

Socialism

Social Security

"Sovereign Citizens"

Space Exploration

Spelling

Stargate

Star Trek

Star Wars

Stem-cell research

Stock Market

Sturgeon's Law - (02/11/06) This website is a magnificently optimistic example.

Success - (02/07/06) "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill

Suicide

Sunrise - (02/07/06) If God meant for use to see the sunrise, he would have put it in the afternoon.

Sunset
[Index]

Tax Cuts

Ted Sturgeon

Tenants

Terrorism (see also War on Terror)

The Last Temptation of Christ

The Passion of the Christ - (02/09/06) Mel Gibson is a fine performer, a great role model for his faith, and a really good role model even for those who don't share his faith. Still, when I was done watching, my response was "Eh". Not over the suffering and brutality, but that pretty much that's all the film was about. It had no effect on my faith at all, because I already appreciated the sacrifice that Jesus made. On the other hand, I was very pleased with the film from a technical point of view: I remember watching clips showing the animatronics and CGI used during the whipping scenes, and they were done so well that I couldn't find them even when I was looking for them. Gibson also gets points for having the balls to shoot the film only in Latin, Aramaic and Hebrew. I let the subtitles run for part of the movie, and it helped a little, but I'm already sufficiently familiar with the story that they weren't necessary. I'll probably watch it again, then it will end up in the yard sale. The effects of the movie on the industry, on the other hand, were almost nonexistent. Saved was the liberal response, and they seemed to be at a loss as to why the same people who watched The Passion didn't watch Saved. That's because, as expected, they completely missed the point of the reason why people went to The Passion. They went because the movie helped to strengthen their faith. Saved was a parody. The marketing plan for it seemed to be "Hey, it's religious, too!"

I expect more movies to be made using private money. The toughest part seems to be getting distribution. If it hadn't been Mel Gibson, I doubt the movie would have been able to find a distributor. That's a shame, but it's an expected consequence from the consolidation of screens by the big box chains. The rules have been rigged, in part by the behavior of moviegoers, so that a theater has to have a dozen or more screens in order to generate enough business. Shame on you, America!

The Simpsons

Thomas Edison

Ties (see Neckties)

Trespassing

Truth

Truthiness - (02/12/06) Truthiness about a subject exists when you have convinced yourself deeply enough that what you wish were true about something actually is true, to the point where no amount of evidence to the contrary can convince you of the actual state of the subject. You really believe that what you want to be true is true, regardless of the facts. For example, some people have convinced themselves that humans are responsible for global warming, even though there's no clear evidence of it (and can't be, because we don't have near enough data to make such a conclusion), or even that global warming exists.

Found some recent quotes (in Star-Crossed Orbits, by James Oberg):

"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies." - Nietzsche

"The greatest obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents and the oceans was not ignorance but the illusion of truth." - Daniel Boorstin

"It ain't what you don't know what'll make you look like a fool, it's what you do know that ain't so." - Will Rogers

(02/11/06) From an interview with Stephen Colbert:

"Truthiness is tearing apart our country, and I don't mean the argument over who came up with the word...

"It used to be, everyone was entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. But that's not the case anymore. Facts matter not at all. Perception is everything. It's certainty. People love the president because he's certain of his choices as a leader, even if the facts that back him up don't seem to exist. It's the fact that he's certain that is very appealing to a certain section of the country. I really feel a dichotomy in the American populace. What is important? What you want to be true, or what is true? ...

"Truthiness is 'What I say is right, and [nothing] anyone else says could possibly be true.' It's not only that I feel it to be true, but that I feel it to be true. There's not only an emotional quality, but there's a selfish quality."

Turtles
[Index]

This page was last updated 10/06/2006 07:09:23 PM