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And yet with globalization, we seem to have developed a strange apprehension about the efficacy of our ability to apply the innovation and hard work necessary to successfully compete in a complex security and economic environment. Further, we have misunderstood interdependence as a weakness rather than recognizing it as a strength. The key to sustaining our competitive edge, at home or on the world stage, is credibility — and credibility is a difficult capital to foster. It cannot be won through intimidation and threat, it cannot be sustained through protectionism or exclusion. Credibility requires engagement, strength, and reliability — imaginatively applied through the national tools of development, diplomacy, and defense.

The Y Article

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

H/T AB

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AdLib
Admin

Elon Musk is updating the logo for his “X” site so that it’s more in (goose)step with his views.

comment image

pinkpantheroz
Member

Hi folks!
Long time no write, but I hope to contribute more in the future. I am checking out of SFO this evening, so can’t do Vox. Just please know I think of you constantly and treasure the friendships that have developed over the years. Please all stay safe.

Oh, BTW, President Biden has just announced on Twitter:
‘This Court has made it clear it will not protect the rights of women.

I will. That’s why today I’m signing an Executive Order to protect access to reproductive health care.”

No doubt we’ll get more details later, but, HUGE!!!!!

AdLib
Admin

Have a great flight! Had a great time with you this week. look forward to the next time and maybe with more Planeteers in attendance.

Glad Biden has been moved (by all of us pressing for a more aggressive response) to announce this and take steps to protect women and young girls.

Hard to believe that the U.S. is struggling to remain a democracy and treat women as equal citizens but that’s where we are and we’ve got our work cut out for us!

Safe travels and looking forward to seeing you back on The Planet soon!

AdLib
Admin

Think you know how moronic and crazed Repubs are? Check out this clip of the Republican primary debate for Governor in AZ:

AdLib
Admin

Or take a peek at the unhinged WY Republican debate:

Khirad
Member

I feel my mental health slipping.

I want to check in to someplace but “unfortunately we do not except medicare or medicaid”

I’ll pull through… but, I don’t even have a snarky comment. I mean, at least I’m not into firearms. And this is why. I sometimes can go to dark places. Not about hurting others; but, myself.

I’m speaking in confidence here. I don’t need police to come and check on me and send me to a hospital where they will turn me away and I walk 50 miles… back to my parents’ home after they tried to get me help – but, since I’m uninsured.

Even the Salvation Army wouldn’t take me – that was a couple years ago. Why? Because I take antidepressents. I kid you fucking not. I’m not being men’s rights – but; in Arizona, they might take you if you’re a battered woman… and even then – I wouldn’t count on much.

I’ve done that all.

This has helped a little.

I feel scared and alone and wish I had the luxury – had the insurance – to check myself in somewhere.

But, well. Suck it up buttercup.Right?

AdLib
Admin

Khirad, I found this facility that does accept Medicare, please do visit them and see if they can help:

https://www.sonorabehavioral.com/

Also, here are some crisis line numbers to call:
Pima County Crisis Line: (520) 622-6000
and a different one:
Nami Hotline (520) 622-6000 or 1 (866) 495-6735

No, you don’t need to just suck it up, we all need help for physical or mental health issues, please try Sonora and/or a crisis line.

You’re not alone, people care what happens to you, never forget that.

kesmarn
Admin

Khirad, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to visit the Planet (and for many reasons I have been silent on Facebook for about a year… maybe more on that later).
I see that this comment was posted about 10 days ago but I missed it, so I’m hoping that in one way or another things are easing up by this time. Have you been able to locate a facility that’s able to actually do something for you? Are you feeling better? (I realize that those kinda spontaneous remissions do occasionally happen.)
Please know that good old St. Dymphna and I are praying for you. The number of people I’ve encountered recently who are battling some pretty significant mental health challenges is really astonishing. So, to say that you’re not alone — while it does sound trite — is indeed true.
I know this is going to sound odd, but if you have access to a computer in a place where you can watch YouTube without disturbing folks, may I suggest that you watch a few NHK (Japanese) video documentaries. One is called “Fukushima Monologues II.” Another is (I believe) “Thatched Season.” And the third is “Lessons From Granny Mochi.” Okay I can sense a little eye rolling there… But give it a chance! Wishing you all the best,
kes

AdLib
Admin

Hey Kes, I don’t know how Khirad is feeling overall right now but I was pleased to hear from him since this comment.

Thanks so much for being the compassionate and concerned person you always are.

kesmarn
Admin

And thank you for those kind words, AdLib. I’m glad you’ve had more recent contact with him. There are days when I think that anyone who feels zero anxiety or stress in the America of 2022, is probably in need of an evaluation him/herself!

AdLib
Admin

Even my dog has anxiety and she doesn’t follow politics!

We take for granted how much stress everyone is under now, it’s all pretty much relative but it isn’t normal and if we ever right this ship called America, we’ll look back and shake our heads at how we had to bear up with one big disaster after another.

It’s like God is booking us on a 9/11 flight to Wuhan with a stop in Ukraine on our way to board the Titanic.

The madness never seems to stop.

Khirad
Member

I like flags. So do others. We have a subculture meme called country balls. Enjoy

Khirad
Member

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously – said Noam Chomsky as a linguist. Arthur Rimbaud talked of the purposeful derangement of the senses. Nietzsche said sometime the point is to be misunderstood. This isn’t soluble fish (cf. Andre Bréton), but

I am being kicked out of my apartment for flying the Ukrainian flag.

Did they say that as much? No? But am I paraniod for hearing between the lies?

I’m talking with another resident right now. We seem to be being picked on for Ukrainian stuff specifically. Folie à deux? Hi (that’s no in Urainian – run fact, and Gift is poison in German, and Barfi is a delicious ice treat in Hindi… I digress… into linguistics again)

Anyway, I’m more red than green but I am furious and wish the skies could rain with Zach de la Rocha. A whetstone of lyrical … digging for windows.

Anyway this was my unautomatic writing.

A poem of the meaningful un-nonsensual common unsense (cf. Owell).

I’m not like them, but I can pretend. I’m very ape. (Cobain)

In the end, it might not even matter, no matter (Linkin Park)

——————

I dream in 7/8
Dolphin meat

Gluttenous silver

recedes to iron

thoughts

of

doctrinal filth

&

blood as soap —

an elipses of values

of

mirth in

ice.

The condescention precipates

my

patience with dryness

a drought I drink

twain both your

chapped lips.

——————-

So yeah, nonsense. But it helps to just write out my anger. And yes, you may LITERALLY read between the lines.

My real name is Kurt, and that no-sense is mine. So, no stealing. I’m kidding, I don’t care my apartment is being stolen from me.

They gave me a month with no reason – told me to turn in my keys.

I – and I’m being real right now. I went in and handed in a twisted key.

The actual and only key I have to my apartment.

There might have been to much poetry to that statement, because, as I was walking out, she asked if I wanted a new one.

I replied:

“What would be the point?”

*******MIC DROP********

In any case, and I’m not bullshitting you – I pay my rent and follow the rules.

It’s about the Ukrainian flag.

Feel free to leave a comment @

https://overlookatpuschridgetucson.com/Contact.aspx

AdLib
Admin

So I assume you rent month to month? And if so, what are the renter laws like there, do they need to have cause or give you more notice than 30 days?

That is fucked up.

Did they ask you to take it down or else? What did the letter to vacate say?

I think the way you are dealing with it is brilliant. Using art as an outlet for anger which can be self-destructive is such a thoughtful choice.

Purposeful derangement can be a good thing unless it is the description of the mentality of someone who he was in the WH.

Still, I’m left wondering if there are rental advocates who could help in this apparently MAGA caused situation?

AdLib
Admin

ps. Check their reviews on Yelp. I’d recommend you spread the word to others to post negative reviews on Yelp. This can have an impact.

Khirad
Member

I’m not a conspiracy nut, but if I were, Cassidy Hutchinson is straight from central casting and a certified RILF.

Khirad
Member

*Edit, what I mean is Sarah Palin did nothing for me, but I’d hit this.

I mean, my loins…….

comment image?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1

Khirad
Member

What I saying is, my tongue would never go dry (Okay, Khirad, we get it). So, to clarify, I’m not being KISS. I have better taste than that.

comment image?w=1200&h=0&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89

AdLib
Admin

Enough beating around the bush, what are you trying to say?

AdLib
Admin

Palin never seemed attractive to me, aside from being a clearly racist, ignorant and obnoxious person which were the main things I saw in her that disgusted me, she had the appearance of the crass mom.

Of course, Repubs are into domination so that worked for them.

AdLib
Admin

Okay, I’m not current, what is the “r” for?

AdLib
Admin

Got it! Repub?

pinkpantheroz
Member

Watching Phase 2 of the hearings. Nothing yet.

AdLib
Admin

So that it’s handy and please share with anyone who missed the 1/6 hearing tonight, here is that initial video that was so powerful:

MurphTheSurf3
Editor

WHAT I SAY WHEN I WALK AWAY FROM GROUPS THAT PURPORT TO BE OPEN AND COMMITTED TO DIALOGUE, BUT ARE NOT…….FEEL FREE TO CO-OPT ANY PART OF THIS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND OF USE….
============================================
I have shared this with several individuals here in conversation about decisions to leave groups that purport to be diverse socially and politically but are, in fact, the opposite of that. Most recently I have resigned from “Dabiscan” and “The American Conservative.” When asked why by members of those groups who have contact with me on other channels here is how I reply…….

“I have lost interest in groups like yours. The members are ill informed, narrow minded and combative driven by ignorance, fear, anxiety playing into mad conspiracy theories and faith in those who would bring down the Republic by undermining democratic institutions and supporting insurrection. I regard much of the membership as beyond redemption. Every moment spent on them is a moment when I could be moving forward and doing my best to to engage the like minded hoping to call them to action.”

    FWIW

For What It’s Worth

FEEL FREE TO BORROW FREELY FROM MY EFFORTS AND MAKE THEM YOUR OWN

AdLib
Admin

That’s pretty powerful and principled. The sad thing is, those who are like this are so myopic and threatened by the truth that they are likely to wholly reject it all.

At least openly, I do think it can live inside of them that they could be the very evil that they think they’re rebelling against. Maybe some of them will eventually realize it and peel off. But this is a period of growing insurgency sponsored by the RW wealthy and powerful.

As power, wealth and quality of life are drained from the 99% by the 1%, the need to whip up civil conflict and turn the anger over this into division grows stronger…to keep the majority of Americans from coming after them, the true architects of the destruction of America and the standard of living for all Americans.

AdLib
Admin

I’ve never really watched Jimmy Kimmel but he was on fire tonight, destroying MTG over the back and forth they had today then following it up with an excellent piece applying Hannity’s attacks on Biden to Trump, really well done. Here’s the video starting with the Hannity/Trump part but you can scan back and watch Kimmel just crush MTG too.

AdLib
Admin

Okay…this photo from the Trump rally incredibly says everything about Trump and his followers that people have used thousands of words to try and describe.

comment image

AdLib
Admin

Nazi, Trump as Jesus’ 2nd Coming, Christian/fascist cult leader, confederate flag, no concern about publicly displaying any of this.

Seems little difference between Russians marching goose step behind war criminal Putin (though many are not) and Republicans.

If Repubs win back power, be prepared, this will be unleashed around the country and backed and motivated by the GOP.

Unless Dems keep Congress and add 2 net seats in The Senate this year and can fix the anti-democracy laws in too many states, we may be on a collision course with a long battle against America as an aggressively fascist state.

Khirad
Member

There is no way I could make this up. Look at the flag.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novorossiya_(confederation)

kesmarn
Admin

Well, “creepy” doesn’t begin to describe that flag…

AdLib
Admin

I’m also weirded out by all these images of Trump as Jesus. They are so nail-on-the-head about being cultists who want a theocracy and at the same time call themselves “patriots”.

In their minds, patriots overthrow democracy so America can be ruled by a religious tyrant.

It would probably be amusing to ask them why they think there was an American Revolution.

kesmarn
Admin

I was thinking the same thing. Instead of a Broadway musical like “Hamilton,” they’d be flocking to buy tickets to “George III.” Paul Revere would be shouting: “Thank God, the British are coming!” (To believe them of the burden of voting for their own government.) And tea would be proclaimed the national beverage.

AdLib
Admin

🙂

So funny! They probably saw this and were bewildered why the audience wasn’t cheering.

Khirad
Member

My outrage is kinda fatalistic. Of course – but, I’m … I used to laugh during the Bush years saying – let them all win and turn the country to shit and then…

Well… I kinda just hate humans. They wallow in shit and they love it. No offence to pigs.

Khirad
Member

Mississippi is almost 40% African American. Now, I’m not saying to take black votes for granted, and I’m not saying there’s not a legacy of Jim Crow and voter suppression… but there’s also: our vote don’t matter learned helplessness bullshit that I as a white person can’t address but bewilders me. I mean, shit, vote Republican, just vote.

We’ve seen it with Latino voting – it is mixed, but the people it affects the most don’t get out.

Even as a young person, which I’m not anymore so much I was so pissed off with the complaining. I would say did you vote? No, who cares? Fuck you and STFU. If only students had their own AARP.

And all my life for 20+ years I’ve voted by mail. Got it in the mail, sent it back. Checked the secretary of state’s registrar webpage to see my vote counted.

I’ve only voted in two states: Washington and Arizona. They could not be more different except they are both not Eastern states. Yes, I said it. I’ve been to the East, and it’s … very slow to adapt to some modern things.

kesmarn
Admin

AdLib, I don’t know whether you’ve encountered Brad Onishi and Dan Miller yet, but they have a wonderful podcast called “Straight White American Jesus.” They’re both college profs and authors (formerly ministers) and they do a terrific job of presenting the current (dare we call it?) “thought” in the bizarre realm of Christian Nationalism.
https://straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/series/straight-white-american-jesus/

AdLib
Admin

Kes! So nice to see your comment!

I’ve heard of them and their podcast but haven’t listened yet. After your recommendation, I absolutely will.

These religious extremists are so blindly rabid about installing their theocracy while they simultaneously are ignorant of history and what has happened to every theocracy in the Western world.

Seriously, how do they think the majority of Americans, backed by the majority of the military and National Guard, would ever let them overthrow our democracy for any meaningful period of time?

Especially after they’ve been so crazed about expanding the 2nd Amendment.

BTW, I saw an item today that some people are proposing a floating medical facility in the gulf that could provide abortion and women’s health services to anyone in an anti-abortion southern state. I thought that’s at least brilliant, out of the box thinking.

This country is too open, the surveillance state Repub states want to prevent abortions is too expensive and massive, they could never afford to staff and maintain it since it’s all a loss for the state, they may think they’ve won but overall and in Nov, they’ll eventually learn that they haven’t won anything but the wrath of the majority of Americans.

kesmarn
Admin

That floating medical facility in the gulf sounds like a really practical solution to a problem that, of course, was totally (wo)man-made. This SCOTUS! My god… just when Americans have been pounded by a pandemic, inflation and a tremendous mental health crisis to name just a few, they decide it’s time to go back to 1932.
I see that CA is going to be making its own insulin supply too! Humans do have this creative ability to react to tyranny with innovative ways to resist. That gives me hope!
I think these “christian” Nationalists think they’ll eventually be able to institute a set of absurd new laws. (Mandatory church attendance, anyone? Dress codes for women only?) As you said, they might have a major surprise awaiting them.

AdLib
Admin

Yes, it’s such a simple concept and in fact, since some ports are federal, it could just remain docked at a navy port with no need for it to be out at sea.

Yep, the SCOTUS overthrow had the timing to come in the midst of an attempted overthrow of our democracy. However, it may ironically be the thing that saves our democracy since this Nov looks like our one last chance and the Roe ruling has much of the population angry and rising against the Repubs.

As for CA and insulin, sometimes ambition can be a good thing. It’s clear to many that Newsom wants to run for president and he’s stepping into the void left by Biden’s more passive and reticent responses of late to the assault on democracy and women’s rights and health care. This is brilliant and the kind of thinking we need in Federal government. It will save countless lives and prevent the financial ruin of many.

I do think Biden has done a good job so far but the times seem to be overtaking his milder, bipartisan sensibility. As I’ve said, he is a good peacetime consigliere but to fight the assaults we’re under now, we really need a wartime consigliere. But then there’s the concern of a bitter and divisive Dem primary as happened in 1980 when Kennedy challenged Carter and that mess opened the door to Reagan winning. Ideally, I would like Biden to do as he said he would do, be a transitional president and having done his best at that, allow the transition to continue to more of the fighter and out-of-the-box-thinker that Dems and the country needs. If Biden insists on running for re-election, I think Dems like Newsom may step up to challenge him in a primary.

Agreed, since the religious extremists don’t care about truth, science, logic, reason or humanity, they’re simply incapable of seeing the big picture and imagining that their attempts to build a theocratic tyranny to rule over the majority are doomed to failure.

I’m pretty sure that blue states will do just what red states did when they passed unconstitutional laws against abortion, blue states just won’t follow the SCOTUS rulings or any laws a Repub majority might pass to make religious beliefs into law. Just like many have done as Sanctuary States for immigrants. And the extremist bills that are following and promised, to outlaw contraception, LGBTQ rights and marriages, etc., will only whip up a bigger army of the American majority to fight back. There is no way to force this hateful and primitive thinking on the majority, it will not stand or prevail in the end.

Khirad
Member

You are banned for hate speech because algorithm.

AdLib
Admin

New sci-fi series, “Facebook AI Becomes a Person”.

Khirad
Member

As I’ve said before, I’m not scared of the Robots, let alone the whole engineering department at MIT ever getting my sarcasm.

AdLib
Admin

Sarcasm and humor are a foreign language to algorithms and AI that can be poorly imitated but never properly integrated into them.

I remember seeing AI generated “jokes”, they were more banal and insane than funny.

Khirad
Member

Ooh, I want Rosie the Robot saying them.

Also not the future Star Trek House but I was on a bit of a Katy Stoll … well … because reasons (and I love Some More News) – I guess this fits

AdLib
Admin

Did you see the AI created Batman script? Now that’s robotic entertainment!

Khirad
Member

Also, there is a liberal opposition to Orbán in Hungary. In this case, the liberal is amorphous – and basically just not Iron Guard I guess? Plus, she’s hot. And yes, I am that shallow but not enough to learn Hungarian.

AdLib
Admin

They’ve got their work cut out for them as does the rest of the free world:

“ Viktor Orban calls Zelensky an ‘opponent’ after winning Hungary election”

https://apple.news/AV6NnJTpNRaGZA0_dsiemoA

Khirad
Member

Chris rock was the better one.

What a slap though…

If I were pissed about something I’d knock the fucker out. Scottish martial arts.

This was staged.

Time stamp me.

AdLib
Admin

Chris Rock took one for The Academy. He could have walked off, shouted obscenities, hey, he could have ducked, tried to block the slap and/or tried to hit back. But Rock held his hands behind himself and just took it.

That is one strong man who cared about bigger things and his responsibility.

Will Smith is a coward, an elitist who sees himself as entitled to do whatever the hell he wants to do and that perception of him is solidified with each passing day.

The regrettable people who tried to justify his criminal battery, claiming Jada had a disability (WTF? Alopecia is not a disability, how does it prevent her from any typical human activity? It is an unfortunate condition affecting hair growth with the identical symptoms as male-pattern baldness…so now everyone who’s bald gets to use the Diamond Lane?) and Smith was “defending” her?

He was laughing until he met her eyes and she shot lasers at him. And this coward who was afraid of how pissed his wife was at him, went up and attacked a comedian for telling a joke about her. Whether Rock should have made that joke is up for discussion, it’s easy to make a joke about someone’s appearance and can be cruel but comics do that all the time.

This was 100% real, it was not staged. All you have to do is look at Smith’s acceptance speech, he was hysterical and out of his mind. And check the footage that wasn’t broadcast of Rock in shock and trying to recover.

I don’t blame you for thinking that though, it’s so unbelievable that it happened, at the time even people there thought it was staged. But when Smith followed it up with maniacally screaming, in the midst of The Oscar telecast, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fuckin’ mouth!”, it was clear that it was real and Smith was deranged.

A lot of people don’t know how fucked up many performers are, they only know them from how they appear in their movies, concerts, etc.. But so many are neurotic, hyper-insecure and just plain fucked up. Smith has been a Scientologist, is in an open marriage and was so intimidated by his wife’s facial expression that he hit another celebrity in front of tens of millions of people at the biggest show business event.

Will Smith is a messed-up human being and should always be remembered as that and not as anyone who should be respected or revered.

Khirad
Member

I did think it was staged because it was the first I heard about the Oscars in hmmmm running out fingers, I guess my toes? Maybe? In not the first time, but the most exciting that circle jerk ever was after Mid-Atlantic speech faded.

And hey, don’t talk about fucked up performers. 75% of us are. It’s just the ones who looney-toons beyond eccentric so far up their own ass… I mean, I don’t even think he was on anything?!

That’s what freaks me out. Confidence – I wish I had half of his… but, how many people have run over like a sociopath. It’s not just the playa it’s not just the game in Philly. It’s a system. A toxic system.

I’ve never looked up to any sports star or actor or singer. I mean, I liked Kurt Cobain, but didn’t look up to him. I related, and he hated it. No reason for any of that, but my point is I respect those that work their craft, and don’t give a shit for the glitz.

And if you show up, like Ricky Gervais said: thank your god, and fuck off. We don’t need to hear your speech. It’s such an easy foil for conservatives when even I think it’s preachy and inappropriate. It’s its own ossified pantomime to be for something.

Like there are those that are for something and they do that something. Shout out is cool. Don’t take us through the whole process – we can find the making of later.

Shame was, I was kinda one of those into the editors and sound and stuff. But, even I don’t need to see that. We could make this an 1:30 even hour show. And there will still be the red carpet… I loved it – I forget what awards show – but when South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone were balls deep on acid and in a J-Lo dress.

How dare you besmirch the sanctity of the holy institution!!!

Nope, I was right there with them. If I want to see anything, it’s the orgies after. That’s a show.

Anyhow. Fuck Conservatives. We hate it too. Come up with zombie Teddy-Ruxpin singing Ozzy backwards or something. I mean, that sounds pretty fresh for the FOX mind. Just like yesterday with those jail pail kids. And yes, I voted safely for Nader in Washington against Gore because fucking Tipper hating the kids music and putting labels on them which automatically made everyone want them. Genius!

Anyway, best takedown and he’s never living this down:

AdLib
Admin

Indeed, it was so surreal, it made sense to first believe it was staged. But having a little time to think about it, clearly, having assault and battery at the Oscars, which is aimed to promote the film industry to the world, is not a helpful incident for The Academy. That said, some of the scripted jokes could also be charged with assault.

I make the point about actors having issues because so many people see them as superior and powerfully confident people because they only see them in their fictional roles as heroes of one kind or another. Most actors are not anything like the characters they’re known for and the dichotomy is pretty fascinating.

I’d argue that Smith did not exhibit confidence but as you say, the confidence to do something very wrong can be the result more often of delusional or sociopathic thinking than confidence. I didn’t see Smith as confident when he did that, I saw a very insecure man who was shamed once he saw he was laughing while his wife was furious and act in the self-entitled, elitist way he’s grown accustomed to. He felt he had the right to trash the entire Oscars, criminally assault a comedian who was hired to tell jokes and get away with it all because as a wealthy actor, he was entitled to do whatever he wanted and screw anyone and everyone else. To me, that is not a confident man, that is an insecure narcissist and elitist.

When I was younger, I definitely looked up to remarkable social and political figures as well as artists. I don’t think anything is wrong with that, many deserve respect and their example to a “fan” can be inspirational in their pursuit of their career and the way they live their life. But once you discover an idol to have clay feet, you recognize that like everyone else, even they are imperfect and flawed human beings and in some cases, their true personality is undeserving of respect. I don’t think slavish worship of anyone else is a good thing but in some cases, when a person hasn’t done something severely awful, you can separate appreciation for someone’s work from who they are. In Smith’s case though, trashing one of the few institutional events that hadn’t yet been trashed by nasty entitlement types like him and committing a violent attack on someone exercising free speech, disqualifies Smith in my book, I have no interest in watching anything he’s ever in again.

Agree with Gervais’ sentiment too but believing in free expression, the winners can say whatever they want though long lectures about life, the world or politics that are over the top deserve the ridicule they get.

I think all the winners, especially the less appreciated tech folks, deserve their moment. Many are smart enough to know they should just thank their spouses and such but it is a tv show and in the end, it’s about getting ratings and entertaining. Not life or death to me how they do it but maybe a better way could be conceived that doesn’t relegate more and more winners to the short bus.

That comic in the video is pretty raw, some of his jokes are very funny, some are harsh but like most people, I just shrug at the ones I think go too far. Insult comedy can be very clever and can be just mean spirited. But after Smith’s attack on Rock, I think most comics want to punch back against Smith…with wit and jokes, that is. So even insult comics reflect principles that the entitled Smith doesn’t.

Khirad
Member

Here’s my my thing. The Oscars are irrelevant. Period. I don’t know the demos, but…I care more about Rotton Tomatos really. And the Oscars have gotten it wrong so many times.

And yes winners can say what they want, and I’ve enjoyed some that were succinct and heartfelt. But assume Jon Voigt won something and went off?

And yes, by confidence I met bullyness. Because every bully is deeply insecure but good at acting … I hope we meet one day – I’m not an actor. I am who I am. Innefectually authentic at life.

I can do roast comedy in bits. It’s not my go to, and that guy could be a prick, but they had it coming. Like, the Comedy scene has done their thing. It will die down tomorrow, it’s not the biggest deal.

I would just suggest, and you will disagree eloquently, that award shows are bullshit. I don’t know anyone under 40 that gives a shit.

If anything the slap was a denouément; a coups de grâce; fittingly, to an already stale, empty and dead ritual.

AdLib
Admin

All award shows are irrelevant, including The Oscars, Emmys, etc. They are primarily just marketing and promotion events. Films that won Oscars get lots of publicity and bring in more money. Same thing with Grammys. And as I mentioned, they’re also self-promotional for that industry, to market their image and their top attractions.

So no, they never “mattered” to the majority of people in the world. One could argue that Entertainment doesn’t matter but of course, it can enrich life or just waste time, depending.

As for how the Oscars pick films, there are many factors that go into which films win. Often, Academy members are primarily looking at what film gives the best image of the business to the public. Films about regular people beating the odds, overcoming adversity, dealing with difficult illnesses, physical and mental issues or are about important social issues are always the front runners. It’s all about symbolism, films that represent the movie business as noble.

And you are absolutely right about younger people not caring about awards shows the way older people have made it a tradition. That’s why the Oscars keep trying to remake their show, to appeal to younger people, this year they brought in Packer to give it a twist that might attract younger people.

The flip side and perhaps the explanation is that many younger people, you and many others excluded, don’t have any literacy about the past in many areas including art, music, film, US and world history, etc. Understandable, there is so much entertainment today that is contemporary but in previous generations, there wasn’t so much and art/music/films/tv from the past were part of young people’s entertainment diet.

So there isn’t as much reverence for film history and the institutions that represent film past and present among younger people. Add to that the corporate takeover of the entertainment industry which has strangled creativity and diversity in films (almost all films in theaters are now based on comic books, books, other films, etc. and aimed to appeal to teenagers and China, all of this makes bottom line sense to corporate bosses).

So people who were inspired by edgy and unique films in previous decades number far less because films and tv are so derivative and clinically manufactured today.

All that said, to those who actually are fans of film as art, creativity, humanity, and social influence (and escapist entertainment too), the slap was a real kick in the balls that denigrated one of the last bastions of film and the Oscars as a representation of art being something that matters and deserves respect.

Now, it’s just a punchline. Literally.

Khirad
Member

That’s the AdLib I know. John Waters was in decline with Cecil B. Demented. And I grew up with my mom watching Cary Grant and such. And my film teacher followed me out of class to tell me his thoughts on the Seventh Seal. Because I was a Senior in High School, but even though an easy A, I actually took it seriously. I mean, we watched Mel Brooks so not that seriously, but yeah. I kinda get it.

Also, the Cabinet of Dr Caligari is expressionistically cursèd!

It needed a kick in the balls. It sucks. I’ll buy you a tiara. We’re going to agree to disagree. And, that’s okay. I mean, Oscars you do your thing. I’m not cancelling them. It will … I wasn’t supposed to be here today – always suck my balls. Or, Les Quatre Cents Coups.

If I want trash,

AdLib
Admin

Have a soft spot in my heart for Cecil B. Demented, has its flaws but so clever and fun.

I saw Seventh Seal in High School as well. I tried to really get into Bergman but remained kind of an outsider, appreciating the mind behind his films but feeling distanced from them.

Cary Grant though, what a natural. North by Northwest may be my favorite role of his but so many great films and roles for him.

Big fan of Mel Brooks, The Producers was truly biting about the entertainment industry. Accidentally saw his first film, The Twelve Chairs and didn’t realize until later that Brooks directed it.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a classic and remarkably edgy film for its time. The suspense and horror films of that era were so well done while having to shoot on shoestring budgets. And was always a fan of the gangster films too, Robinson and Cagney especially, some amazing Art Deco/Film Noir visuals in them.

I don’t know that the Oscars needed physical assault as a kick in the balls. A better one would have been a filmmaker brave enough to use their acceptance speech to hammer Hollywood for squeezing the soul out of feature films due to the greed and narrow-mindedness of the corporations that own it and noting that celebrating one night to promote its image as caring is a whitewash of what the majority of the film business is, how exploitive it can be and how shallow and lowest-common-denominator it is.

Of course, anyone who did that would be famous for a while but they would have their career blown up.

But that dose of reality would have been an effective and constructive kick in the balls.

Otherwise, I just saw this assault and battery in the middle of the biggest traditional movie event as further spread of the denigration of decency and respect for institutions. Right in line with every other American institution being debased and brought down to the gutter.

On the most serious side, the 1/6 scheme to overthrow our democracy, the conversion of the SCOTUS to a theocratic dictatorship, the transformation of the GOP into a mirror of Putin and his totalitarianism.

So this is not a critical loss in terms of the everyday lives of people but IMO, it continues to validate that society is deteriorating and that the elite are becoming more and more self-justifying at tearing down the norms of society we’ve taken for granted as long as it leads to their immediate or long term gratification.

Not news, elitists have always been like this but the brazenness and rampant nature of this sensibility should concern every one of us as the GOP moves forward to retake power for the last time in perhaps our lifetimes.

Khirad
Member

AdLib
Admin

Good breakdown of Carlson. RWs have no sense of irony, listening to the elite and privileged heir to the Swanson’s fortune act bitch about how ignorant, white supremacists are so much smarter and superior to the elite…especially to those who are PoC and achieve remarkable things.

If only they were born with a frozen food silver spoon in their mouths, they could have been a downtrodden, average white guy like him.

But at least he’s white enough to be the decider on which black people are legitimately black.

Khirad
Member

I’ll figure this out I swear… are we embedding like it’s 1999? ?

AdLib
Admin

Heh! Nope, it’s an anti-spamming precaution, spam comments often include a bunch of links.

How much do I have to pay not to hear Bari Weiss read bad poetry?