Non-Hoosiers rarely have an appreciation for Indiana's rich basketball tradition. And as Indiana produces fewer and fewer unique basketball stories, the legends fade and the state's youth forget what once was.

At 23, I believe my generation is just at the cusp. We've listened to our parents and grandparents retell stories of state championships played in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, of Milan's cinderella story (retold in Hoosiers), of pick up games played on farmyards, and of the emergence of great players such as Oscar Robertson.

Sure, my generation has inherited knowledge of this era from those whose memories are direct, but our connection to it is far less intimate. How many of us will be able to instill this same sense of Indiana's basketball lore in the next generation?

But as legends fade, new legends are formed. Indiana is one of the few states in the nation whose percentage participation in high school football is growing. Who knows how history will describe our current era.

Skeptics may ask what the big deal is... it's just sports. But of course, sporting events are rarely just athletic competitions. The loyalty, pride (good pride not bad pride), and spirit that sports engender, inevitably spill over into the community. Go into a bar in downtown Indianapolis during a Colts game and watch two relative strangers jump up and shout in unison and maybe even clap hands, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

But don't be so myopic to think the spillover is relegated to such a small example of bonding. Read this excellent piece in the Indianapolis Star to see how the effect works on a larger scale:

'50 years ago, Crispus Attucks became the first all-black high school in the nation to win an open state sports championship. More important, its success helped to mend a racially frayed city.'

I'm serious. Read it. I wouldn't have linked so many words had I not really meant it :-)

I did fairly well. Of the awards I picked (mosts of the total awards), I was 14 of 17.

See the full winners list here...

update: I will make one final Oscars prediction... a certain blogger will inevitably whine about some aspect of the Oscars today, but he will not reveal his real reason for his Oscar distaste this year. :-)

update 2: told ya... but he's got a funny photo of Katie Couric on there, so it's cool

Actually, according to this article, Syria turned him in.

Oh! And by the way, this dude (right) looks a lot like the NYTimes' columnist Thomas Friedman (left). Just thought I'd point that out.



[thanks to Dan Ornelas for the story]

Best Picture

Who SHOULD win: Million Dollar Baby
Who WILL win: The Aviator


Directing

Who SHOULD win: Martin Scorsese
Who WILL win: Clint Eastwood


Actor

Who SHOULD win: Jamie Foxx
Who WILL win: Jamie Foxx


Supporting Actor

Who SHOULD win: Thomas Haden Church
Who WILL win: Morgan Freeman


Actress

Who SHOULD win: Hilary Swank
Who WILL win: Hilary Swank


Supporting Actress

Who SHOULD win: Cate Blanchett
Who WILL win: Cate Blanchett


Adapted Screenplay

Who SHOULD win: Sideways
Who WILL win: Sideways


Original Screenplay

Who SHOULD win: Hotel Rwanda
Who WILL win: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind


Best Animated Film

Who SHOULD win: ??
Who WILL win: The Incredibles


Art Direction

Who SHOULD win: The Aviator
Who WILL win: The Aviator


Cinematography

Who SHOULD win: The Aviator
Who WILL win: The Aviator


Costume Design

Who SHOULD win: Ray
Who WILL win: The Aviator


Documentary

Who SHOULD win: ??
Who WILL win: Supersize Me


Film Editing

Who SHOULD win: Million Dollar Baby
Who WILL win: The Aviator


Make-up

Who SHOULD win: The Passion of the Christ
Who WILL win: The Passion of the Christ


Original Score

Who SHOULD win: The Passion of the Christ
Who WILL win: ??


Original Song

Who SHOULD win: ??
Who WILL win: ??


Sound Editing

Who SHOULD win: Spider-Man 2
Who WILL win: ??


Sound Mixing

Who SHOULD win: The Aviator
Who WILL win: Ray


Visual Effects

Who SHOULD win: Spider-Man 2
Who WILL win: Spider-Man 2

Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva


-Beatles, "Across the Universe"

A blast outside of a Tel Aviv nightclub yesterday killed 4 people and wounded several others, endangering the tedious cease fire between the two sides. This is the first suicide bombing in Israel since November 1.

Despite this bad news, a few elements of the story shed some hope. First, in a rarity for Palestinian terrorist groups, none of them are taking credit for the attack. Some anonymous sources have accused Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, but both groups deny involvement. This seems to indicate some success by PA Prime Minister Abbas, if Palestinian terrorists now are afraid to admit their acts.

Secondly, check out this statement by Abbas: "The Palestinian Authority will not stand silent in the face of this act of sabotage. We will follow and track down those responsible and they will be punished accordingly." This is much stronger language than anything Arafat would have used.

Unfortunately, Israel's statements following the attack highlight a divergence in the two sides' strategies in curtailing the militants.

"The concept on which they (the Palestinian Authority) built this renewed hope and agreement and compromise with terrorist groups collapsed tonight," [Sharon spokesman Raanan] Gissin said. "Condemnations and excuses aren't going to bring back the dead or heal the wounded."

This statement is unreasonable and unrealistic. Neither Abbas's forces nor Sharon's for that matter will be able to sufficiently suppress Palestinian militants to eliminate all terrorist attacks. The United States army cannot stop 100% of the terrorist attacks in Iraq; why should the measly PA security forces be able to stop all of them in Palestine/Israel?

No force by itself will be able to accomplish complete security.

If Osama bin Laden had a T-Mobile Sidekick, he'd be so busted by now. -- Hotline

In other news, here is Paris Hilton's phone book.

Sideways

Directed by Alexander Payne (also About Schmidt, Election), Sideways was never destined to be a blockbuster success, but it did have 'Oscar' written all over it from the beginning. The film's tagline, "In search of wine. In search of women. In search of themselves," is more likely to grab the average New York Times 'Arts' section reader than the average USA Today 'Life' reader.

Miles Raymond (played by Paul Giamatti) is a middle-aged author struggling to get published. Jack (played by Thomas Haden Church), a once successful actor now relegated to doing commercials, was Miles' freshman year college roommate and has been a friend ever since. Jack is set to get married in a week and the pair decide to go on a wine tasting tour in California's wine country.

What Miles expects to be a casual tour where he can indulge his complacency in an orgy of wine tasting, collapses into a week of hell for him, as Jack's goal for the trip, getting laid, quickly diverges from his own. What ensues is two hours of painful hilarity.

As the movie advances, you begin to really feel sorry for Miles and despise Jack. But by the movie's end there is change in realization regarding the characters that is so subtle yet powerful that only the highest quality screenwriting and directing could have accomplished it. While on the wine tour, Miles is confronted by a female, and he is confronted by himself.

Paul Giamatti is near perfect as Miles, getting a snub from the academy, but Thomas Haden Church stole the show in my view. There could not have been a better casting choice.

This movie is smooth-- perhaps too smooth, as I was never fully grabbed by it. But perhaps that is it one of its' strengths; its occasional ridiculousness helps break down your shield, so perhaps you can more easily absorb its message.

As the film's title suggests, this story is about going through life without progressing, without moving forward. How much of our daily routine, our friends, our occupation is the result of a daily oppressive complacency?

You'll ponder this question after seeing the movie, and for some odd reason you'll also have an acute thirst for a Pinot, not a Merlot, not a Merlot.


[Sideways was nominated for the following Oscars: Thomas Haden Church - Supporting Actor; Virginia Madsen - Supporting Actress; Directing; Adapted Screenplay; Best Picture]

The Pentagon says that robot soldiers are in our near future and they will behave like humans to hunt down and kill the enemy...

I find this risky on several levels.

Well, more than you might think. Zach Wendling at InTheAgora takes a look at smiles, finding among other things that the British smile differently than we do, and that women who smile more in college have happier lives down the road.

Wait... Never mind... This is funny

In my Chinese Ways of Thought class sophomore year at Notre Dame, I learned that "a white horse is not a horse."

Now 3 years later, in Contracts law, I learn that a barren cow is not a cow. (for those with Lexis or West access: Sherwood v. Walker; 33 N.W. 919)

... and then passed around the net like a cheap hooke... never mind

Many of my readers are probably aware that Indiana was a bastion of the KKK in the first few decades of the 20th century. But do they [you] also know that the conviction of a klan boss and Indiana political leader of homicide in 1925 was one of the initial catalysts in the downfall of the KKK across the nation? And did you know that this guy's conviction lead to the resignation of several high ranking Indiana official? And did you also know that the trial and subsequent affirmation of the conviction upon appeal marks a major case in criminal law jurisprudence?

Click here and read all about it... I promise you won't be able to take your eyes away until you finish reading this incredible watershed story.

Today I review The Aviator, Friday I review Sideways, and keep a look out on Sunday for my Oscar picks and predictions in the major categories...


The Aviator

With The Aviator, director Martin Scorsese strikes again. I say "strikes" because in similar fashion to Gangs of New York, in which Leonardo DiCaprio was also the lead, Aviator drops on the audience like a bomb: overwhelming in scope and desiring in focus.

The film tells the story of famous aviator, businessman, and movie-maker, Howard Hughes-- from early childhood nearly to death. We are introduced to the several gorgeous women in Hughes' life, to his ground-breaking and budget-breaking movies, to his air speed records, and to his battle as TWA's President with PanAm.

As a backdrop to the film's multitude of events-- which are only tenuously connected-- Howard Hughes' Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is shown rearing its ugly head in many of Hughes' actions and mannerisms. DiCaprio does a tremendous job depicting this aspect of Hughes' life, and deserves his Best Actor nomination (which says a lot, considering my usual distaste for DiCaprio's roles).

While Hughes' OCD is artistically displayed and acted, Scorsese does the viewer a disservice by implying that Hughes' ailment is somehow a result of his treatment by his mother. OCD is the result of conditions within the brain, and no studies have linked it to upbringing or environment-- similar in that respect to autism or other related diseases.

This aspect of Hughes' life and how it affected his relationships, particular with the women in his life, would have made for a tremendous movie in and of itself, but must compete and indeed take second stage to the "macro conflict" that Scorsese has a penchant for including in his recent films, which destroys focus.

The "macro conflict" in this film is the battle between Hughes' TWA and PanAmerican airlines. In contrast with the other events portrayed in the film, such as Hughes' film projects, this conflict eventually dominates the plot.

But perhaps I have been too harsh a critic. Cate Blanchett did an incredible job playing Katharine Hepburn, and the film shines in ways that show off Scorese's mastery of the cellulose. Make-up, sound effects, costume, and cinematography all make this movie a tremendous visual and aural experience.

Go see this movie and you will learn a ton about Howard Hughes, and you will be taken on a wild ride. Just realize that you won't know where this ride ended or even why you took the ride to begin with.


[The Aviator was nominated for the following Oscars: Leonardo DiCaprio- Best Actor; Alan Alda- Best Supporting Actor; Cate Blanchett- Best Supporting Actress; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Film Editing; Sound Mixing; Original Screenplay; Directing; Best Picture]

Read this story first..., and then this story.

More protests in Beirut demand Syria to leave Lebanon...

Bush and Chirac pressure Syria to leave...

From this Washington Times article:

Starting Dec. 5, couples will be able to notify the register office at their local council that they intend to form civil partnerships. After a 15-day waiting period, they will sign an official partnership document in front of witnesses.

"This legislation is going to make a real difference to these couples, and it demonstrates the government's commitment to equality and social justice," said Deputy Minister for Women and Equality Jacqui Smith.

...and I do not have the day off from law school. While I'm disappointed that some schools choose not to honor this day, I do believe that our founding fathers would probably be pleases to see us toiling and learning.

That said, here is a funny anecdote from Property class this morning:

A student's computer plays a loud sound indicating he or she had received an e-mail. The professor peers in the general direction of the sound but not does know which student's computer made the sound. He says, "That must have been an important message... Was it?" This is followed by utter silence-- no admission of guilt. Finally, the prof states firmly but jokingly, "Abe Lincoln would have spoken up."

Basketball is in a state of disarray in Indiana, and ND is left to carry the pride of the Hoosier state.

DC blogger, Chris Letkewicz, has his own blog now: Musings of a Domer. Check it out. My blogging "children" grow to two.

Thus far, I have reviewed Hotel Rwanda and Million Dollar Baby for the Oscars. In the coming week before the award ceremony on Sunday, I will also review Sideways and The Aviator. Today, I review Ray, which I watched on DVD last night. I have no plans to watch and review Finding Neverland.

Ray:

Telling the life story of Ray Charles, this film's simple title gives way to its simple yet powerful style. For most of us of the younger persuasion, Ray Charles is a romanticized figure-- our strongest memories of him from Pepsi commercials or perhaps even from his cameo in The Blues Brothers. Ray does not pull any punches or make any excuses in portraying the real and dynamic life of Ray Charles, a star musician with humble roots-- who was blind 'but never a cripple.'

The main plot of the movie takes us on a journey with Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx) beginning and progressing in his music career. As his career develops the viewer follows along as Ray enjoys the increased fame, money, and women his success bring him, but he also suffers these things in a manner we are used to seeing on VH1's "Behind the Music": drugs, affairs, strife with record labels, etc. The film's strong writing and acting present these flaws without the crassness of "Behind the Music."

Interspersed throughout the movie are flashback scenes of Ray's childhood. We see the poverty he grew up in, a tragic event which Ray witnessed before he lost his sight, his ordeal with losing his sight, and the tough lessons his mom taught him to overcome his challenges. This was a far more effective technique than merely showing his early life at the film's beginning and then fast-forwarding to his adult life, although the cuts to these scenes were much too abrupt for this viewer's tastes; abrupt and rough cuts are present throughout the movie and nearly interrupt the film's flow. This flaw also shows itself with an abrupt end to the movie.

Jamie Foxx does an incredible job portraying Ray Charles. His gestures, his facial expressions, his sound... flawless. In fact, his acting is so good that the film's other actors and actresses struggle to compare; though Regina King (who plays Ray's "road wife" Margie Hendricks) does admirably.

Gladly, the film does not obsess with Ray's blindness or with the actual loss of his sight as a child. It is presented as an important part of who he was, but is not dwelt upon. Ray followed his mother's lessons to overcome the challenges of his blindness, but he must reuse these lessons to overcome his other challenges in life. Some adversity fate deals us. Learn from it and we may be able to overcome that adversity we deal ourselves.


[Ray was awarded the following nominations: Jamie Foxx- actor; costume design; directing; film-editing (I don't believe this one); sound mixing; Best Picture]

The message that the Indiana government is sending gays is clear: do not expect a serious debate over equal rights in this state.

Read the story here...

The University of Notre Dame, the alma mater of so many who are near and dear to this website, has decided for the umpteenth consecutive time to raise its tuition rate. Whereas in 2004-2005, the cost of a year at ND was $37,100, for next year it will increase to $39,552. If you're doing the math in your head: stop! That's about a 6.5% increase.

Director of Student Financial Services Joseph Russo was concerned that he might receive some phone calls from parents asking "why our costs are going up higher than the rate of inflation". Well, yes... one might ask that very question. A more pointed inquiry, however, would be to ask: why does it consistently go up at nearly three times the general rate of inflation?

For 2004, overall prices rose somewhere between 2.5% and 2.75%.

What justifies this education tax-hike? Russo offers only illusory answers, such as "up-to-date technology, new books, maintaining the power plant and retaining and recruiting top-flight professors." Russo also stressed another cost - employee benefits. The cost of health care for Notre Dame rose 13 percent in the calendar year 2005"'.

New books? I'm assuming Russo is referring to those purchased by the library. Hopefully the administration is smart enough not to force itself to buy their books from Hammes.

Maintaining the power plant? ND has had that plant for years now. Haven't we found a way to better anticipate the costs associated with it? If not, perhaps we should contact the cosmology department to have it reclassified as a black hole.

Employee benefits? Well, while it's certainly true that the cost of health care has risen dramatically in the past few years, the same could be said for any corporation. GM's cars don't cost $40,000. Apple's computers aren't priced at $10,000. Why has the education sector been hit so disproportionally hard by the health care crisis? And specifically, why has ND, most of whom's employees are non-union, been feeling the crunch of employee benefit costs.

Perhaps the real reason is hubris. "Notre Dame is ultimately trying to "move our charge more in line with the rates charged by peer schools." Indeed, other major universities are not cheap. In the 2004-2005 school year, Harvard had a $39,880 tuition, room and board price tag; Princeton's was $38,297. Georgetown, often compared to Notre Dame due to its Catholic mission, charged its students $40,492; Northwestern, another midwestern private school, asked for $40,686. "

Anyone else snap their necks while reading that? Pricing yourself at the rate of peer schools does not make you a peer school. One thinks academics, perhaps, might play a larger role in the U.S. News rankings. Further, Harvard, Georgetown, and Northwestern are all located in or around major metropolitan areas, and they must take the costs of city living into account when sending out their bill. ND is in the middle of northern Indiana, where beer and land are shockingly inexpensive.

Russo tries to explain away the increased costs by stating, "the University designated financial aid as the primary beneficiary of the tuition hike. Since 1999, there has been a 39 percent increase in tuition - but the University has increased its investment in financial aid by 151 percent in that same time period."

So in other words, ND is playing "Robin Hood". They take from the rich (which at ND, can have a very loose definition) and give to the poor. While I agree that Regis' kids shouldn't be entitled to Pell grants, there is perhaps a better solution that could help students of all economic backgrounds: DON'T RAISE TUITION!

A 39% increase since 1999. If any other product or service went up that much in 5 years, Congress would be holding hearings for price-gouging.

This was on a couple nights ago, but if you didn't see it the first time, you absolutely have to watch this clip from the Daily Show:

Lee Corso is a nut-case. Listen to this sound clip of him going off on a radio show...

[link from Kelly Green]

That's DNI: Director of National Intelligence

Pardon my mixed emotions regarding this post.

Oh wait. The Canadians might be mad. :-)

There has been a lot of posturing recently in the Middle East, and I'm not sure what to make of it all. Stories are coming out of Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, some obviously connected, but others seemingly not.

On Monday Lebanon's ex-Premier, Rafic Hariri, was assassinated by a car bomb in Beirut. Subsequently the U.S., while being careful to not directly blame Syria for the killing, has insinuated such a connection, including withdrawal of the U.S. envoy from Damascus.

Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, swiftly condemned the incident as a terrorist attack, but mourning Lebanese have nevertheless taken to the streets protesting Syrian occupation of their nation, which has lasted for more than two decades. The U.S.'s insinuations are clearly calculated to bolster anti-Syrian sentiments in Lebanon and around the world, in an effort to isolate Syria.

In related news, Russia has recently agreed to sell anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, according to Israel, which is concerned that these weapons could find their way to militant groups in Lebanon. This is a transparent move by Russia to further its policy of strategically opposing us around the globe. Bewildering narrow-sighted of them, but that's a post for another day.

So what of Iran? Well, Iran's "vice president" recently pledged support for Syria: "Our Syrian brothers are facing specific threats and we hope they can benefit from our experience. We are ready to give them any help necessary." As a friend in the know recently confirmed to me, expect meddling from Tehran, but nothing overt to defend Syria, should the event come.

Oh yeah, so about Iran... Israel says that Iran will be able to build a nuke in 6 months. (Remember what Israel did to Iraq's nuke program when it was allegedly months away). The U.S. obviously is concerned that Iran's nuke program is advancing, hence our flights of the Predator spy drones over that nation, which the Washington Post thought wise to inform the world of for some mysterious and disturbing reason. Iran says they will shoot these drones down, but that begs for the inquiry: why haven't they been doing this already... or have they? These drones are easy targets.

And if none of this was enough to have you edgy, how about a blast near one of Iran's nuclear reactor sites-- without an agreed upon cause.

Cake: meet icing.

A Hollywood Apple store associate had the following to say about:

Melanie Griffith... "She then proceeded to get pissed off at me personally because we didn't have any [pink mini iPods] in stock," the associate said. "She said we have a special stock of iPods for people like her.... I hadn't seen any celebrities there up until then, so at first I was like, 'Oh wow, cool, Melanie Griffith.' But then she opened her mouth and used me as a doormat, and I was like, 'What the f**k is this s**t? Milk Money sucked.'"

LeVar Burton... Burton "began shouting at me to ask anyone in the store who he was, all the while telling me that he left his ID in the car and he didn't want to have to go get it," the associate said. "I finally caved in, only because I could see a vein pulsating in his forehead and I didn't want to be the one responsible for causing the blind dude from Star Trek to have a stroke."

[Thanks to Ted for the link to the story]

And others impress us with the heights of human achievement; the ingenuity and genius of the human mind seems to have no bounds:

New Motorola cell phone has built-in iTunes and plays full-resolution video clips and live 2-way video chats...

Blind student hears in color...

Altered HIV attacks tumors in mice...

Some stories make us laugh at human absurdity:

Woman Drunk On Listerine Sentenced To 2 Years Probation...

German zoo scraps plans to break up gay penguin couple...

The Baltimore Sun had it's lawsuit against Maryland governor Bob Ehrlich dismissed by a Federal judge yesterday. The Supreme Court has ruled in the past that the government may not "chill" a media organization by limiting it's access in response to the content of their reporting. However:

Byron L. Warnken, an associate professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, said he was not surprised by the lawsuit's dismissal because the directive applied only to two journalists, not the newspaper's entire staff. Nitkin and Olesker could still attend news conferences and gather information through other means. "The level of intrusion on their First Amendment rights is so minimal" as to not constitute a violation, he said.

"You think the RNC could get this many people of color into a single room? Maybe if they got the hotel staff in there."

- Howard Dean, speaking at the democratic national committee caucuses last week

Notre Dame head football coach Charlie Weis had a Q&A with ND students early yesterday morning. He's blunt, he's ambitious, and it looks like he gets it. My buddy Sean has a first-hand account of the talk.

Surprise Surprise, I was Bon Jovi. Which one are you?

Today is Valentines Day, a holiday that polarizes the "have's" and the "have-not's" perhaps more than any other. Today is a day for couples to celebrate their love. For singles, or those detached from their significant other in some instances, today may engender feelings ranging from apathy to morosity. ("Happy singles awareness day" read one of my friend's away messages)

I like Valentines Day, in that I see it's evolution as a microcosm for society's attitudes on love, marriage, and yes, sex.

Personally, I think Frank Sinatra's maxim, "Love and marriage, Love and marriage, / Go together like a horse and carriage / This I tell you brother / You can’t have one without the other," sums up the matter quite nicely. But as this wonderful New York Times article on the history of Valentines Day explains, love and marriage have not always been so connected.

So let's talk about sex. (...baby, let's talk about you and me, let's talk about all the good things and the bad things that could be... shoot, what a shame that Salt n' Pepper lyrics entered my head there; not a very productive digression). But to be serious, I referred to St. Valentines Day rather than just Valentines Day in this post's title, for a reason.

As the article also points out, the Church enacted Valentines Day, named after a Christian saint, as a replacement for the Roman fertility festival that had boys draw lots to match them with their sexual partners. Some in the Church, many more back then, taught that sex was inherently "bad" on some level, even within marriage.

Of course, some today still hold this belief, but they are less outspoken. I resolve the issue of the morality of sex by tying it into love. Even the Catholic Chuch, which is often thought to be very strict on its sexual teachings, accords what it deems a "unitive" value to sex. That is, sex can bring a couple closer in their love, in their marriage.

As with many activities in life, one's attitude in doing a certain act greatly affects the morality of that act. For example, eating is not inherently evil, but eating without regard to moderation or an appreciation for the gift of food and taste, is often considered sinful. Similarly, sex, even within marriage, if done purely for the physical pleasure of the event, may not be altogether morally perfect. Rather, I believe the Christian ideal is that sex be done out of love, commitment, and a shared intimacy with one's spouse.

Just ask Frank... Wait, on second thought, maybe you shouldn't ask Frank.

Somebody should ask the Grammy people that question. :-)

Update: Apparently I'm not the only disinterested one

With Million Dollar Baby Clint Eastwood again showcases his masterful ability to craft films that delve into the human soul when it's tasked with gut-wrenching moral decisions in the face of incredible human hardship.

This film's pacing is similar to Eastwood's Best Picture-winning Unforgiven, even and deliberate, and is likely to frustrate the impatient and hyperactive movie viewer. (I recently saw a commercial for a drug that purported to treat adult attention deficit disorder-- it is sad that a movie needs twenty cuts per minute to keep many people's attention.) Nevertheless, this slow pacing allows the acting and writing to progress the story with the proper moral gravity that sets this film apart from most others.

Besides directing the film, Eastwood plays Frankie Dunn, a weathered boxing trainer who comes to accept Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a precocious (relative to the 70+ year-old Frankie) thirty-one year old, as his trainee. The interaction between these two characters is special. As Frankie guides Maggie in the ring, she, through her example and actions, guides him to peer inside and learn a few things about himself.

Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman), a former boxer, helps out at the gym Frankie runs, and acts as Frankie's ego-- and the film's superego. In one of the film's primary themes, Dupris acts as a living reminder to Frankie in his struggle to balance ambition and protection: physically and emotionally.

The characters in Million Dollar Baby are fighters, they are obstinate, and they are animated by spirit from the depths of their hearts. But alas, they are also human, and therefore subject to the physical reality to which the story subjects them. They are forced to answer the questions that we ask ourselves every day: what is it that shapes our identity? what is it that drives us? For what (whom) do we fight?

Dupris, who narrates the story at certain times, asks us at the end to accept Frankie as a good man. Should we? And there was a sign on the gym's wall which read, "Winners simply will do what the losers refuse to do." But what are the consequences?

Watch the film. There are no easy answers.


[Million Dollar Baby was awarded the following nominations: Clint Eastwood- Actor; Morgan Freeman-Supporting Actor; Hilary Swank-Actress; Directing; Film Editing; Adapted Screenplay; Best Picture]

This week Virginia state legislators took on an issue that threatened to tear apart the state's fabric. That's right, state legislators attempted to pass a law that would institute a $50 fine for anyone wearing pants low enough that a significant portion of the person's underwear is showing. Apparently, Virginia state legislators have solved the problems of crime and poverty and have moved on to the role of fashion police. Members in the House of Delegates eagerly embraced this new role, passing the bill by a vote of 60-34. Unfortunately, those in the Virginia Senate were not as eager and killed the bill , amidst international scorn for pursuing this measure. So rest easy the next time any of you visit the State of Virginia because you can wear your pants as low as you desire.

The Democratic Party plans to commit collective electoral suicide tomorrow, when it officially elects Howard Dean as the new party chairman.

Screaming aside, Dean represents a poor choice for a party that has had their hats handed to them since 1994, with the exception of the second Clinton election. At time when the party needed to reach out to the "red states", to offer a step in the way of moderation, the Democrats have chosen to be led by an uber-liberal. After complaining that a stiff-necked New Englander lost what should have been, in their minds, an easy-win presidential election, they elect a stiff-necked New Englander to lead the whole party!

If I remeber correctly, during the 2004 primaries, the Deaniacs tried to pass off Howard as really being a moderate, who was only labeled as a liberal by (the "conservative" MSM, the Clintons, the vast right wing conspircacy, aliens) to stall his bid for the presidency. Perhaps they are right. Perhaps Dean's losses to Kerry in the primaries were not due to his vitriolic anti-war rhetoric, or his Berkeley-inspired social policies, or his abrasive condescending attitude about anyone who lived beyond a beltway. Maybe it really was a coordinated effort to cast Dean as someone he isn't.

But if that were the case, wouldn't established party moderates be rushing to his defense? Consider the comments of Indiana's former Congressman Tim Roemer (ND man), who was among the last challengers to drop out of the race to lead the DNC.

"I got into this race five weeks ago to talk about the devastating loss we experienced in November. It was not about 60,000 votes in Ohio. It was about losing 97 of the 100 fastest growing counties in the country. If that's a trend in business or politics you're in trouble."

Roemer went on to say that he wished his party would accept his and others more moderate views on abortion and other values-based issues. But he also stressed that the primary reason that the Democrats went down in flames in 2004 was that, ultimately, Kerry and his comrades failed to convince the American public that they could keep the country safe.

97 of the 100 fastest growing counties.... that's a ticking time-bomb indeed. I hope the Democrats know what they're getting themselves into. After all, National Review summed up our perspective of Dean quite nicely when, during the presidential campaign, they placed his picture on the front cover, with the caption, "Please nominate this man!"

More good news that the Israel/Palestine peace process is moving forward in a meaningful way.

Amazing what the death of a terrible and corrupt leader can do, isn't it?

Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller announced yesterday that he is retiring from basketball after this season.

Reggie's last-minute 3-pointers against the Knicks, the Bulls, and just about every other team in the league, as well as his positive attitude, have made him an Indiana basketball icon, indeed a national icon.

This IndyStar article lays out Reggie's career quite nicely, along with some of his career stats. He is the all-time NBA record-holder for 3-pointers, did you know that?

Many of my readers are surely familiar with the early 90s kids cartoon, "Captain Planet." In that show, which incidentally I despised, five stereotyped kids of varying ethnicities fought bad guy polluters, which inevitably were industry or business leaders, to save planet earth.

Therefore it is with the utmost irony that the nuclear power industry could very well be the key to saving the planet today. Afterall, a nuclear powerplant manager would be the type of villain one would expect to see Captain Planet and his multicultural entourage fighting with their powers of virtue-- not an ally in their good fight.

Luke, please dispense with the reckless verbosity an