WATCHING:
Green Zone
Starring: Matt Damon

Another “Why are we at war in the Middle East” films, this is about a squad in Iraq detailed to find the WMDs that are spelled out in intelligence docs…but are not there.

Based on a true story; still left slanted. Whatever.

Just wasn’t that good a movie. I like Matt Damon, and he was good here. But that’s not enough.

Like “The Hurt Locker” (which I still think is overrated but, crap, give any of those soldiers over there whatever they want. Not pretty…), it showed how crazy it is for the US to be in the Middle East – and for the most part – the US doesn’t “get” the Middle East.

Bottom Line: I’ll never watch again nor recommend. Questions?

All movies

A quick list of stuff I’ve been thinking about recently have not blogged about:

• Manhattan’s “Ground Zero Mosque” – Not a mosque, not at Ground Zero. It’s a community center (swimming pool, classrooms etc.). OK, it’ll have a prayer room. Does this make it a mosque? Chicago’s O’hare Airport has a chapel, so we should consider the entire airport a Christian structure? O’Hare Cathedral? To me – even if I agree/it offends me – it’s up to the local government to approve such a center. Manhattan’s Zoning Board overwhelmingly approved same. Why are out-of-state Republicans – “state’s rights” champions – decrying local democracy?

  Finally, there are a lot of cries that this “mosque” will be a “victory” mosque – Islam 1; USA 0. Yes, the 9/11 killers were radical Muslims (all 11 or so plus planners). So these 11 represent the views of 1.6 billion Muslims?

  Overall, I think this is just a political wedge issue, but – as a wedge issue – some folks are buying the BS. I kinda fault the “folks,” but mainly fault the politicos spreading what may or may no be true without any underlying facts.

  I have a lot of thoughts about this issue; I’m trying to keep it low-key:

  • Lot’s of talk about “too close to Ground Zero” for this “mosque”: Yet no one will commit as to what “NOT too close” is. Three blocks/three miles/different state?
  • Have the right but…Most opponents of the “mosque” say the Muslims have a right to build same, but they should not build the center to spare the feeling of the families of 9/11 victims. Potentially a valid point; it may cause additional pain for some of the victims’ relatives. But: The first black couple to move into a white neighborhood have the right to do so, but shouldn’t do so to not hurt the white couples/families who are not comfortable with non-white couples/families. Extrapolate: Mixed-race couples; gay couples etc. I honestly don’t think a sorta-mosque 2 & 1/2 blocks from Ground Zero will upset the relatives of the 9/11 attacks. And if it does, well, this a Rosa Parks moment.

   

• Yahoo finally officially shedding HotJobs (what do they have left?). GeoCities killed; BOSS crippled; Pipes dead/abandoned; Yahoo personals outsourced to Match.com – what’s the status there? Yahoo sliced and diced.
   
• AOL pulling out Netscape headquarters Thurs 8/26 (Lights Out). Ah, end of an era.
   
• Sarah Palin is a kingmaker – Like/neutral/hate her, she can – with Twitter and Facebook – make “who?” a contender, sometimes a winner. (TPM Kingmaker?) A little head-scratching, but a reality. Is this just an aberration (for SP) or is it another way to advance causes? Interesting.
   
• Apple trying to kill jailbroken iPhones. Really? Trying to piss off everyone, or is there some Master Plan we’re missing? Because the tight leash of Apple has made a good portion of handful Mac fanatics I know to bail on the iPhone (ATT is a big part of this, but the control issue is also a factor).