- I’ve finally found a politician I can wholeheartedly throw my support behind and it could not matter less that he is a state legislator who isn't from my home state. New York Rep. Peter King is a hero to me because he’s the first public figure I’ve heard who has the kahones to say what I’ve been saying all during the complete circus that has ensued since Michael Jackson’s death, namely that people need to stop celebrating what a great person he supposedly was and how much his “genius” had made the world a better place. As someone who is not at all a fan of Jack-O’s music and especially not of the life he led outside of his music career, I’ve found it disturbing and revolting to see the flow of unbridled adulation flowing from every direction since news of Jack-O’s death became public. Rep. King is stepping up to back me up, calling on the media to "knock out the psycho-babble" and stop covering Michael Jackson because "this guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country.” His comments came in front of the American Legion Hall in Wantagh, or as I like to call it, a haven of truth in an otherwise dishonest world. “We're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, 'We don't need Michael Jackson.'" King, a nine-term Republican representative from New York's Third Congressional District, declared. I’m going to overlook your unintentional sleight of me, Rep. King, because I know you were simply too caught up in your anti-Jack-O vitriol to recall that I have been adamant in not praising, honoring or lionizing this guy. And sure, Rep. King did perhaps play the clichéd, people-are-dying-in-battle card that individuals often like to use when pointing out how out of perspective our society has become in some respect, but don’t hold that against him. “There are men and women dying today in Afghanistan. Let's give them the credit they deserve,” King added. Don’t let that tired cliché obscure the fact that King is right on the money. Whether you believe, as I do, that Jackson is wildly overrated musically and is not in any way the musical genius he’s made out to be, or whether you simply believe that people who (allegedly) molest children and then pay off their families with a $20 million settlement are scumbags through and through, join Rep. King and I in our battle. Should Rep. King follow through on his previously stated plans to run for the Senate next year and take on Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who replaced Hank Clinton as New York's junior senator, support him in that as well. Anyone who has the courage to stand up and take the right side in the Jack-O battle is worth supporting in my book………
- People of Seattle, how would you like to relive some of the most painful moments in your city’s history and do so on the big screen? If that sounds like your sort of torture/fun, then filmmaker Jason Reid is the man for you. One year after owner/douche bag Clay Bennett hijacked the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics and moved them to Oklahoma City, Reid is looking to chronicle the Emerald City’s loss of its NBA franchise in a documentary. “Now I think the time is right, a year later, to start going over everything that happened and try to figure out why we lost our team,” Reid said. He has interviewed former players, politicians and citizens who were involved in the messy situation that went to court numerous times. Brian Robinson, the co-founder of the “Save Our Sonics” group that staged a grassroots effort to keep the Sonics in Seattle, is also participating in the documentary. “It's really, I guess, therapeutic in a way for me now," Robinson declared. “Tell some people what we did, what we tried to do and where we went wrong.” The documentary is a labor of love and in Reid’s estimation, an effort to examine what went wrong and how other cities in similar situations could prevent a similar situation from happening in their city. "And maybe figure out why it happened and why it shouldn't happen again," Reid observed. The film will first premiere for the people of Seattle some time in September or October, after which it will be released for free on the Internet on October 12. Not that any of this is going to make basketball fans in Seattle feel any better; a piece of crap who was dishonest and disingenuous at best ripped their NBA team from them and moved it for purely financial reasons, so anything short of having a new team in town to root for probably isn't going to salve those wounds. However, the film could be a unifying force to pull the fans together one final time and give them a bit of closure on what is quite possibly the saddest thing to ever happen on the sports scene in their city……..
- There was no one film that won the box office earnings race over the weekend and I’m not just saying that because I’m a bitter, jaded misanthrope who hates most of the garbage that passes for movies in the local multiplex these days. No, there was no one film that could declare itself the winner because two movies tied for the top spot: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I stated how underwhelmed I was by Transformers when it debuted last weekend, so needless to say I’m not all that thrilled to see it earn an estimated $42.5 million to finish in a tie for first place during its second weekend. For Ice Age, it was a solid opening weekend and the $42.5 million brings its total to $67.5 mil since opening last Wednesday. Sadly, the $42.5 million Transformers made pushes director Michael Bay’s bloated blockbuster over the top as the year's highest-grossing movie with a running total of $293.5 million to date in gross. That nudges it past Pixar's Up ($264.8 mil to date), which was actually a much better film even though it’s a kids’ movie. The rest of the top five movies for the weekend were and Christian Bale's Public Enemies ($41 million), The Proposal ($12.8 million – or as I like to say, $12.9 million more than it should have made) and The Hangover ($10.4 mil). Also, Hangover remains the most singly divisive movie in recent memory, pushing everyone who sees it to the extreme of either loving it and thinking it’s the funniest movie ever or hating it with a passion and believing that it’s the most overrated piece of cinematic crap they have ever watched. Stay tuned this coming weekend to see if our cinematic senses continue to be dulled enough to keep Transformers at the top of the earnings race……..
- Where is the happiest place in the world (and no, guys, hiding in the closet in the master bedroom at Megan Fox’s home is not an option)? According to a new survey, the answer to that question is none other than freaking Costa Rica – yes, that Costa Rica. The study ranked 143 countries around the world nations using the "Happy Planet Index," which seeks countries with the most content people. In addition to happiness, the index by the New Economics Foundation considers the ecological footprint and life expectancy of countries. Using the index, the independent research group found that Costa Rica had the happiest citizens of any country. "Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada)," the organization said in a statement. So what is it that makes Costa Ricans so freaking happy? Well, there is the abundance of lush rain forests and pristine beaches, which would brighten anyone’s day. Then there’s the bitchin’ locale, wedged in between Nicaragua and Panama. Maybe Costa Ricans are jazzed about their nation having an extremely modest carbon footprint, meaning they are doing much less damage to the environment than the countries around them. Actually, Latin America dominated the study overall, with Latin American nations in nine of the top 10 spots. The Dominican Republic finished second in the rankings, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala and curiously enough, Vietnam. I guess that if you live in ‘Nam rather than invade it in a misguided, unjustified war spanning the better part of a decade, you tend to enjoy the country much more. More developed nations didn’t fare as well, with the United States coming in waaaaay down the list in the 114th spot. Why so low with all of our technology, entertainment and luxury? Well, because of our hefty consumption and massive ecological footprint, the NEF felt that Americans aren’t all that happy by and large. Worse still, the U.S. was greener and happier 20 years ago than it is today, the report said. I suppose that in the end, a study can’t tell you how happy and satisfied with your life you should be, but I really don’t have time to sit around and debate. After all, I’ve got a plane to Costa Rica to catch…….
- If you’re coming to the City Community Church in Austin, Tex., bring two things: your Bible and a pooper scooper. See, City Community Church is a place where both you and your pet are welcome. Pastor Robby Forsythe and his congregation throw open their doors to one and all when they meet meets at the La Zona Rosa bar on Fourth Street in downtown Austin every Sunday morning. "That's part of our philosophy," said Forsythe. “We want to be a blessing. Everyone is welcome. We decided people can bring their dogs too.” The church has even come up with a name for its unique approach to worship: the Canine Christ Connection. The Connection began started when church members began handing out snacks and dog treats to joggers and their pets on Sunday mornings. When those pet owners asked if they could bring their dogs to the service, the church decided that it was a good idea. "It's fun to be able to have a church that incorporates your lifestyle and what's important to you," said Jamie Patterson, a church member. I suppose it’s not surprising that people who can turn a bar into a church every Sunday and feel comfortable worshiping there would be accepting of something as unconventional as bringing dogs to church. So far, no problems have been reported from having the dogs on hand during services. The church meets meets at La Zona Rosa at 11 a.m. every Sunday, so if you’re in the area with your dog and in the mood to worship, you know where to go…….
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