Category Archives: arts and entertainment

Waking the Sleeping Killer: B-Movie Horror, the Plague, and Two Flus

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"[Y]our scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should." – Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park

Scott Paulsen cracks me up. 🙂

"Fellas! Come in here! Look what I just made!"

"This week, government scientists awakened a sleeping killer, when they were successful in genetically recreating an influenza virus last seen in 1918. Using preserved lung tissue samples from two soldiers and a frozen Alaskan woman, each of whom succumbed to horrible, painful suffering deaths, the team of scientists brought one of the worst killers in the history of the world back to life from a dormant state."

"Gee. What could possibly go wrong? "

Read the rest.

Art and the “Jesus Event”

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“An artwork that shows Star Wars characters nailed to crosses has sparked controversy before its public debut at a Melbourne gallery in two weeks. The Herald-Sun reports that the controversial piece called Crusci-fiction consists of a roomful of 25 replicas of robot C3P0 hanging on crosses.”

At first I didn’t react very strongly to this story. I just rolled my eyes and chalked it up as just another example of hateful garbage masquerading as art. It’s not the first nor will it be the last we’ll see. I’d rather these craptastic works of modern “art” not be inflicted upon the world, but I see them as inevitable. After all Christ siad, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.” (John 15:18-21)

What really caught my interest in this article was the difference between the Catholic and Anglican response.

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CBS Smites Joan

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One of the few shows I turn the TV on to watch is Joan of Arcadia (JoA). Quietly on 5-18-05, CBS cancelled the show. I just found this out from my wife who also watches it.

We were wondering what happened when there were no commercials about the show. We didn't imagine that they canceled it. We are extremely disappointed.

I just hope CBS or some other network picks it up sometime soon. Even people that aren't religious watched it. It's a good show amongst so many that aren't even close (CBS is keeping "Yes, dear". Blah.).

If you'd like to sign a petition to save the JoA, go here or here.

Cop Show Copycats

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I couldn't resist quoting a comment Wojo made at Grabass.

"I think we need Law And Order: Parking Violations Unit."

I love the original Law and Order, but even that has jumped the shark and devolved into a parody of itself. LaO: Special Victims Unit is pretty good, but it's getting a little old. I mean, how long can you sustain a series based on perverts and psychos? I've gotten to point that if I'm going to subject myself to the dark side of humanity, I'd rather watch something on Court TV that's based on real crimes, real victims, and real law enforcement heros. LaO: Criminal Intent lost my interest pretty quickly. I could only take so much of Vincent D'Onofrio's impression of Columbo on drugs.

CSI has similar problems. The characters are still interesting enough, however, that I don't always ditch it in favor of Forensic Files. I don't watch the spin-offs, though. I don't watch much TV and one CSI is certainly enough for me. At least it's not reality TV (Documentaries and education programs don't count.). Don't even get me started on that crap.

Anyhow, with all of the real crime and mayhem in our society, why do we need so many cop shows? Is it because justice isn't served in Real Life™? Are we trying to hide from society's ills by bombarding our senses with stories about people who are usually ok in the end and in which the bad guys are more often than not caught? Food for thought…

How Many Strikes Until You’re Out?

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hulk steroidsSo Rafael Palmiero failed a drug test. Maybe he's guilty of steroid use. Maybe he's not. It doesn't really matter. Even if he is, I'm sure he'll only get a slap on the wrist from the league. Heck, Darryl Strawberry got more chances than cats have lives. On the other hand, Pete Rose was caught gambling once and will never be eligible for the Hall of Fame. The league is basically saying, "You can do all the drugs you like; we'll forgive you. However, if we catch you gambling on baseball, may God have mercy on your wretched soul."

I think MLB's policies toward drug use – steroid, narcotic, whatever – should be made tougher. I'd be tempted to suggest a zero-tolerance policy, but I'm a big fan of second chances, so I'd be happy with a 1-warning policy. The first time a player's caught, in addition to whatever punishment the league imposes, he should be told that the next offense will result in being banned from the league.

This brings to mind a far more serious problem – multiple DUI convictions. Take this woman for example. She's been convicted of DUI charges nine times before and is only facing prison time (and finally having her license revoked for life) now because she injured another driver. What the heck?! Thirteen charges and ten convictions and she's only now losing her license for life and spending a measly eight years in prison?! People get worse sentences for tax evasion!

In my not-so-humble and rather fed-up opinion, I think the federal government should force states to enact tougher DUI laws. Since Congress can't constitutionally make nation-wide traffic laws, they "encourage" states to make the changes they want by threatening to withhold road maintenance funds. They could easily apply that technique to pushing for tougher DUI laws.

What sort of laws would I want? Just look at my above baseball drug policies to know. I think drunk or drugged drivers should get a warning and appropriate punishments for the first offense. If there's a second offense, the driver's license should be revoked for at least twenty years, if not for life. If, however, the first offense resulted in a death, there would be no second chance and the license would be revoked for life. If driver is convicted of DUI while driving with a license suspended because of a prior DUI conviction, the license should be revoked for life and the driver should serve some jail time. I could go on and explain other particular scenarios, but I think you get the picture.

Drunk and drugged drivers get treated too nicely in this country. If we don't stop slapping them on the wrists, they won't stop driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. I'm all about forgiveness and second chances, but just because I forgive you, doesn't mean I trust you behind the wheel of an automobile.