I'm having a tough morning filled with procrastination rather than motivation or inspiration, but I swear that a new rant on IFC's continuously depressing show Ultimate Film Fanatic is coming as soon as I pull some "choice" quotes from my DiVo.
In light of yesterday's opening of the DNC in Boston, though, I'm feeling a little bit political. Unless you're an absolute all-things-Clinton hater, how could you not love Billy's speech last night. In fact, that speech, and more importantly its presentation, is the exact reason why Kerry might fail in his bid for the White House. Kerry could never give that speech with the rousing emotion and enthusiasm that Clinton did. Like Gore, but only slightly less stiff, when Kerry talks, it's a politician talking. As Chris Matthews mentioned on MSNBC's coverage after the speech last night, when Clinton talks, it's like listening to a Southern Baptist minister who gets his congregation on its feet shouting Hallelujah! Dubya isn't Clinton either, but people enjoy listening to his cowpoke nonsense more than to Kerry's serious tone. Edwards has something similar to that Clinton charisma, and it's why he'll trounce Cheney in any debate, but he's only running for VP, and as Dan Quayle proved 16 years ago, ultimately, people really don't care about the guy in the second chair.
So, with all that said, I present you with some serious and some not-so-serious political chatter that have been making the web (and I'm sure blogosphere) rounds, but in case you've missed them are worth your while.
First, this little animated ditty has even been broadcast on the cable and broadcast news networks, but it's funny as hell. It may take a little time to download, but it's worth it (especially for the one shot of Clinton asking, "What'd I do?"). And if the first link doesn't work, try using this one direct from Atomfilms.
Second, and not really satirical at all, is Hal Crowther's column "With Trembling Fingers" from the June 1 issue of The Progressive Populist. While even I find some of his vitriol a bit too strong and even counterproductive, and although this piece won't actually change the minds of any of the 40-Million Bush-supporters he mentions, it's a magnificent piece of writing that truly illustrates the anger and resentment so many people in the country feel towards this administration. It provides a perfect example of how one of Bush's main campaign themes in 2000 -- that of being a "uniter" rather than a "divider" -- is possibly the biggest broken promise of them all. Even if heaven forbid you're a diehard Bush supporter (and if you are and you're reading this blog -- cool!), I'd love to hear your side's arguments against the assertions (are they facts? I guess in today's day and age, it depends on what one's definition of "facts" is) in Crowther's piece, and hopefully you got your information from your own reading of the news and the "facts" rather than from Rush's or Hannity's talking points which are no less "lies" or "propaganda" than Michael Moore's film seem to be to you. Today, sadly, it's all spin.
Finally, in a far more important fight than that going on between democrats and republicans, I have determined the clear winner in the "lower-carb" soda wars. That's right; having conducted several taste tests between Coke's C2 and Pepsi's Pepsi Edge, C2 is far and away the better soda. Pepsi Edge is actually kind of nasty, and I couldn't even finish the bottle. C2 actually seems a lot like the old "New Coke," but with some of the sweetness tempered. It's sweeter than regular Coca-Cola Classic, but still not quite as sweet as normal Pepsi. Edge seems like Pepsi's attempt to make Tab cause it has that carbon/tar gross aftertaste that I always used to hate in Diet Coke's predecessor. Of course, both sodas are ridiculous in that drinking these lower-carb-but-not-no-carb beverages aren't really going to be any better for anyone. And ultimately, I'm sticking with the best tasting of the bunch: Diet Vanilla Pepsi. That shit rocks!
PLEASE don't let up on UFF! As I wrote on my blog earlier this week, you are doing such an excellent job of tearing it to shreds.
I do hope somebody at IFC reads your letter.
Posted by: Filmbrain | Wednesday, July 28, 2004 at 01:09 PM