Click painting to enlarge---o0o---
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Painting: Chief Justices of The Supreme Court Of The United States: No. 1, John Jay
Click painting to enlarge
Saturday, July 16, 2005
The Godfather Part III Chapter Titles: The Rest Of The Story
El Snoozo commented today that my Godfather chapter titles left out the third movie. It's true. When I first saw Godfather 3, I disliked it. Over the years, I have begrudgingly come to like it more and more. It is almost Shakespearean. . .more so than the other two films. It is a apt end to the saga and contains some of Al Pacino's best acting. Unlike many people, I also liked Andy Garcia. Joe Mantegna was good. Talia Shire is just right. George Hamilton is perfect in his role. Sofia Coppola, not so much. And I doubt if she would disagree either. Her direction is another story (I really like both of her films so far).
One problem is that these titles are neither so evocative nor slyly humorous as the previous ones. How can you ever top "how's the Italian food in this restaurant?" spoken by the crooked Lieutenant played by Sterling Hayden. . .moments before Michael Corleone assassinates him? Or "I'm Moe Green," or the chapter with the touching scene between Michael and the Don "I never wanted this for you"?
What about "You can have my answer now," to The Senator in Part II, or "I know it was you Fredo..."? "You can kill anyone," one of the last scenes in Part II, spoken by Michael as they try to find a way to assassinate Hyman Roth, who is in federal custody.
In Part III, Coppola lost all sense of humor or the DVD titling job was relegated to a studio functionary with no imagination all:
1. Michael's Letter
2. Party at Michael's Apartment
3. Anthony's Decision
4. The Trouble Between Vincent and Joey Zasa
5. Who Sent You?
6. The Archbishop asks for Michael's Help
7. Shareholder's Meeting
8. The Vatican Bank, Rome
9. Atlantic City Massacre
10. Just When I Thought I Was Out
11. Mary Visits Vincent at the Club
12. Street Fair
13. Michael at the Hospital
14. Returns to Sicicly
15. Michael Tells Vincent His Plan
16. Confession
17. Michael Shows Kay Sicily
18. Pope John Paul I
19. Give Me A Chance to Redeem Myself
20. Teatro Massimo
21. Cavalleria Rusticana
22. Revenge
23. Finale on the Steps
24. The Death of Michael Corleone
25. End Credits
---o0o---
Friday, July 15, 2005
The Godfather Chapter Titles
My family gave me The Godfather box set for father's day. I have probably seen the movies fifty times since they came out, and it's great to actually own them now. I am utterly fascinated by the chapter titles Coppola gave the scenes.
If you know these movies, the chapter titles are totally evocative of the movie, and just four words can bring the entire scene flooding back into your mind. This must be one of the most fun parts of creating DVDs for movies.
The Godfather:
1. I Believe in America
2. The Wedding
3. Johnny Fontane
4. Tom Hagen Goes to Hollywood
5. Meeting With Sollozzo
6. Shooting of Don Corleone
7. Luca Brasi Sleeps With the Fishes
8. Michael at the Hospital
9. It's Strictly Business
10. How's the Italian Food in This Restaurant?
11. The Don Returns Home
12. The Thunderbolt
13. Sonny Gives Carlo a Warning
14. Michael Marries Apollonia
15. I Don't Want His Mother to See Him This Way
16. Apollonia's Murder
17. We Are All Reasonable Men Here
18. The Don Puts Michael in Charge
19. I'm Moe Green
20. I Never Wanted This for You
21. Baptism and Murder
22. Don't Ask Me About My Business, Kay
23. End Credits
Godfather Part II (DVD 1):
1. Funeral in Sicily
2. It's Not His Words I'm Afraid Of
3. Ellis Island, 1901
4. Party at Lake Tahoe
5. You Can Have My Answer Now
6. Frankie Pentangeli's Complaint
7. Bedroom Shooting
8. New York City, 1917
9. Vito Meets Clemenza
10. Keep Your Friends Close, But Your Enemies Closer
11. I Remember She Was Laughing
12. Welcome to Havana
13. I Know it Was You, Fredo
14. Was it a Boy?
15. Fanucci Wants to Wet His Beak
16. Murder of Fanucci
Godfather Part II (DVD 2):
1. You Can Never Lose Your Family
2. The Dog Stays
3. Senate Hearing
4. You're Nothing to Me Now
5. Pentangeli Sees His Brother
6. Michael, You Are Blind
7. My Father's Name Was...Antonio Andolini
8. Mama Corleone's Funeral
9. You Can Kill Anyone
10. Like the Roman Empire
11. Kay With Her Children
12. Hail Mary, Full of Grace
13. Surprise Party
14. End Credits
---o0o---
Chief Justice Rehnquist Says He'll Stay On SCOTUS
Bursting the media bubble, and stilling all the hot air coming from the blogs and web sites, including All This Is That, Chief Justice Rehnquist announced last night that he is not going anywhere!Jul 14, 9:21 PM (ET)
By RON FOURNIER and GINA HOLLAND
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, denying rumors of his retirement, said Thursday he will continue heading the court as long his health permits. "I'm not about to announce my retirement," he said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press.
"I want to put to rest the speculation and unfounded rumors of my imminent retirement," said Rehnquist, 80, and ailing with thyroid cancer. "I am not about to announce my retirement. I will continue to perform my duties as chief justice as long as my health permits."
Rehnquist released the statement hours after being released from an Arlington, Va., hospital after being treated for two days with a fever. [click on the title to link up with My Way and the full Associated Press story].
Thursday, July 14, 2005
In Support Of Karl Rove
Whitehouse.org, that fascinating site with a web address oh-so-close to the White House's, today put up this letter you can email to Karl Rove in his time of trouble... go there if you'd like to let poor beleagured Karl Rove that you're behind him 1001%.
-----Original Message-----
From: [YOU]
Sent: [NOW]
To: Karl C. Rove [karl_c._rove@who.eop.gov]
Subject: AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU KARL!
Dear Karl Rove: I just wanted to tell you that no matter how much indisputable evidence those fact-obsessed intellectual reporters release about you betraying America, I join the President in not caring diddly-squat about so-called national security when the only war that matters is the one we're waging against Democrats. So that makes you TOPS in my book!
Anyway, however it happened, that bimbo Valerie Plame got what she deserved for marrying a moron who spouted crazy talk about Saddam bin Laden not having all those Nukepox Laser Deathrays you made President Bush promise we'd find. Heck, she should be happy that you only assassinated his CHARACTER!
Well, I would say don't let this 'Plame Game' get you down, but I'm sure you're already orchestrating your greatest-yet Machiavellian stratagem (replete with Clintonesque legalistic parsings) to slither out of doing any prison time - especially since you were polite enough not to use Mrs. Wilson's first name.
So good luck with the indictments and likely cover-up conspiracy investigation, and next time you're whispering him sweet nothings, please tell Bob Novak I think his waxy tufts of silver ear hair are massively SEXY - in a totally non-homosexual way, of course!
Sincerely,
[YOU]
The Alien Resistance Movement
While the rest of us are sucked into The Hive, the The Spread the Word Alien Resistance Movement has fought against "abuses toward humanity demonstrated by so-called alien entities."
One of their tools in this fight, besides education, is the dissemination of free stickers. Send them a couple dollars and they'll send you a roll of 1,000 stickers. Maybe you will sleep better?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
News Flash From Italy: Men Like Seeing Naked Women!
ROME (Reuters) Mon Jul 11, 9:15 AM ET - Most Italians think nude sunbathing is perfectly natural and don't mind crossing paths with bottomless beach-goers -- even when those bottoms are unsightly, survey results released Sunday said.While topless sunbathing is widely practiced in Italy, bottoms are usually required and nudists can face fines of more than 500 euros ($595) on some beaches, the Italian Naturalist Federation said.
But the federation said a poll it commissioned from a mainstream media outlet found nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said they would sunbath nude if everyone else did it. More than 80 percent said nudism was not erotic, but natural.
Women were more frequently bothered by nude sunbathing than men. Just over 40 percent of women said they did not like seeing other naked females on the beach, while just 5 percent of men shared their opinion about nude women.
The survey found nearly two-thirds of men said they weren't bothered by nude male sunbathers.
When it came to unattractive or "brutto" sunbathers, most of those surveyed in the country that champions physical beauty said they didn't object to seeing them naked either.
Only about 16 percent said they were vexed by unattractive women nudists and 9.7 percent objected to unsightly men.
The Federation said the survey would bolster their hopes of getting more beaches set aside for nude sunbathing.
---o0o---
Pope Benedict XVI Does Not Like Harry Potter And The Book's Ability To Warp Formative Young Catholic Minds
It seems that Pope Benedict is no fan of the Harry Potter series of books. He apparently wrote a series of letters in response to reports that Pope John Paul II was a fan of the books...Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Vatican City March 7, 2003
Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby!
Many thanks for your kind letter of February 20th and the informative book which you sent me in the same mail. It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.
I would like to suggest that you write to Mr. Peter Fleedwood, (Pontifical Council of Culture, Piazza S. Calisto 16, I00153 Rome) directly and to send him your book.
Sincere Greetings and Blessings,
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
The Coast Guard Escorted Me Home This Weekend
Keelin and I spent this weekend on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. We sailed on the Washington State ferry from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C. and drove up the island coast to Point No Point, near where the Pacific meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In Seattle, I live a couple of blocks from Puget Sound, which feels like a bay, but at Point No Point you get actual waves, rocky shores, and waves more like the ocean. It is an amazing, pristine spot. The next two days we spent in Victoria. . .a town which impresses me more every time I am there. . .mainly because I associate it with seeing my daughter Claire, but also because it is a really nice city and I like Canadians. We ate outside at a restaurant, walked all over town, and stopped to watch a Zydeco show at the folk festival.On the way home, moments after The Elwha pulled out, the Captain announced we would have an escort on the ride home. No, not Orcas or Grey whales, but the United States Coast Guard. The escort was due to "the heightened security conditions" following the London Tube and bus bombings.
The ferry was escorted all the way from Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada to Anacortes, WA, USA by two boats, one on our port side, and one starboard. One boat said U.S. Coast Guard; the other, U.S. Border Patrol.
They were nimble, fast boats and stayed very close. Whenever we passed another boat, whether a cabin cruiser or sailboat or yacht or barge, the Coast Guard moved between us and the boat. The Coast Guard boats spent a lot of time doing circles/doughtnuts and looked like they were having a grand old time. In retrospect, those doughnuts were a sort of Maginot Line.
Everyone was a little baffled as to what they could do to save us if a plane ran into us, or if someone on board had a bomb. It seemed a little silly. We seemed to have been briefly profiled as our cars pulled in, but compared to air travel, the security was meager.
We later realized they must have been armed with rockets or some kind of heavy artillery in case a boat tried to ram or bomb us. Needless to say, we made it back in one piece. I wonder if they are escorting the Superferries to Bainbridge Island that carry four times more people, and twice as many cars?
---o0o---
White House Stonewalling Leak Questions
The White House is changing their story, and swinging from full discslosure about the leak of the CIA operatives's name. Yesterday, White House Spokesman Scott McClellan stonewalled all questions, backing off from his (and The President's) previous defense of Karl V. Rove. And backing off from POTUS's earlier statements to reporters, like this one he made on Sept. 30, 2003, to reporters at the University of Chicago [1].Q. Do you think that the Justice Department can conduct an impartial investigation, considering the political ramifications of the C.I.A. leak, and why wouldn't a special counsel be better?[1] Source: Federal News Service
A. Yes. Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington. There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.
And so I welcome the investigation. I - I'm absolutely confident that the Justice Department will do a very good job. There's a special division of career Justice Department officials who are tasked with doing this kind of work; they have done this kind of work before in Washington this year. I have told our administration, people in my administration to be fully cooperative.
I want to know the truth. If anybody has got any information inside our administration or outside our administration, it would be helpful if they came forward with the information so we can find out whether or not these allegations are true and get on about the business.
Q. Have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him …
A. Listen, I know of nobody - I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing.
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