Thursday

A Canticle For Leibowitz


I finished A Canticle For Leibowitz today. I hope I am not alone in feeling utterly and hopelessly confused about the very end. Well, not the Church being blasted into space, that I get. But what was up with the talking head? Why was she innocent and why did she have the preternatural gifts? And what happened to Mrs. Grales? Thoughts, anyone?
I really liked that last abbot, I have to say. His rebuttals to the euthanasia happy doctor were awesome. As was his lecture to the sick mother with the sicker baby. (Radiation poisoning)
" 'If I am being a little brutal,' said the priest, 'then it is to you, not to the baby. The baby, as you say, can't understand. And you, as you say, are not complaining. Therefore--'
'Therefore you're asking me to let her die slowly and--'
'No! I'm not asking you. As a priest of Christ I am commanding you by the authority of Almighty God not to lay hands on your child, not to offer her life in sacrifice to a false god of expedient mercy. I do not adivse you, I adjure and command you in the name of Christ the King. Is that clear?' "
It's clear to me! Man, I love that guy. I think we could stand to have a few more priests like him around in these days of murky compromise.

Tuesday

Oferte Vobis Pacem

I don't dig the sign of peace. The only time I saw a sign/kiss of peace that seemed appropriate and a good call was at John Paul II's funeral. Anytime you've got the Ayatollah of anything shaking hands with the Prime Minister of Israel you've got a miracle. Which seems especially appropriate at Mass. Or you can do the sign of peace before Mass, which makes much more sense. You know, dropping whatever you have against your brother before you approach the altar. But why do we have to smash the mood during the liturgy of the Eucharist? Talk about spiritual whiplash. One moment you're listening to the Sanctus, praying the Pater Noster, still in a state of contemplation after the Eucharistic Prayer, when BAM! Some nut next to you is grasping your hand with a seamy smile of fraternal love. Be it a sweaty palm or a sandpapery one, it's inevitably jarring. And then you're supposed to snap back into it for the Agnus Dei and communion. I suppose the key phrase here is "killing the mood" because Mass is not about how you the worshipper feel but about how the Worshipped is treated. On the other hand, I do think it might be more reverent to postpone the convention and hushed babble until afterwards. I can't imagine it would be anyone's first reaction to witnessing the Crucifixion..."Let's hug!!!" Maybe I'm wrong and crabby. (Perfectly possible answer) But I'm pretty tired of this thing.

Thursday

Things that annoy me

1. Calling Vietnam "Nam" or "the Nam" 2. Bob Dylan's harmonica 3. The word "tasty" 4. Rumpled tablecloths on tables and unmade beds 5. John Travolta 6. The McLoughlin Group's theme song ( I know it's not really a song) 7. Conspiracy theories. Especially people who think the moon landing was a hoax 8. A table set with the spoon on the wrong side of the knife 9. Communists and the t-shirts they wear 10. People who yell at refs

Wednesday

best star wars fan film ever

I figure that if Ben's going YouTube crazy, so can I. I can't do whatever it is Ben does that puts it up on the screen, but check this out. I love it.

Tuesday

Monty python - Black knight (star wars)

I might as well start a series of these...

Star Trek Meets Monty Python

Just watch it.

Thursday

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

This is a trailer to a very interesting-looking animation short that was nominated for an academy award last year, I think. Still trying to track the whole things down..

And in the meantime, here's the new single from KT Tunstal. Shweet. If your computer's too slow to stream it, you can always right click and "save as" to download.

Hold On

Tuesday

Animation...

Last night, I saw The Tripelts of Belleville for the second time, a bizzare, completely original, and beautifully animated french film. It's really hard to explain. You just sort of have to experience it at your own risk.

Monday

Horatius Superbus




It's time for one of history's fabulous stories: Horatius at the bridge.


Lars Porsenna and Tarquin were on their way. Thousands of Etruscans were hitting the road for Rome, murder on their minds, sword hands twitching.

There was only one man Rome could look to in this desperate hour!


HORATIUS!


With his faithful sidekicks, Spurius Latrius and Herminius, Horatius made for the bridge over the river, the only route the Etruscans could take to Rome. As a legion of burly workers hacked and burned the bridge, Horatius stood tall and proud, shild on arm and sword in hand. No Etruscan would pass while Horatius drew breath!


A dust cloud gathered in the distance, and Horatius' eagle eye discerned Lars' flashing helm. He gripped his sword tighter and strengthened Spurius' and Herminius' reselove with a manly glance. The moment was near!


Five hours later, Etruscans were swarming the point that Horatius and co. held firm. Behind the Romans, the workers were nearly finished, hacking and burning with as much might and valor as their aching muscles allowed. The goal was nearly accomplished. Suddenly Horatius heard a bellow of pain to his left. Spurius had fallen, a battle axe through his cranium! Screaming with rage, Horatius grabbed the axe and whirled it round his head, once, twice, thrice! It rose into the air like a giant bird of prey and landed square on the crest of Lars' aide de camp. Herminius gave a shout of triumphed, only to be silenced by the snaking blade of a swarthy Etruscan.


Darkness veiled his eyes.
Horatius experienced a warp spasm. The situation was intolerable. His frightful countenance caused the enemy to fall back with cries of fear. His rage was fearful to behold. Raising his mighty sword, he laid to. Right and left and center swept the awesome blade and the Etruscans fell before this single man as wheat in the harvest. He was a force to be reckoned with.
A shout of delight found his ears above the din of battle and he realized that the bridge was destroyed at last! Aiming one last derisive laugh at his hopelessly distraught enemies, Horatius lept into the churning waters. His friends on the other side cried out in distress to see their hero thus cruelly taken from them. They need not have worried. Within minutes, Horatius surfaced, gasping but triumphant, on the Roman side.
He clambered up the steep bank and turned to roar his contempt at those Etruscan killers-of-friends! Those sacks of wine! They had been utterly frustrated in their attempt to pillage Rome.
Horatius received laurels and wine and adulation and lived out his life forever known as the savior of Rome.


Saturday

Dark Knight Trailer!!

Need I say more?

Invasion!! Again

While we're on the whole Invasion theme, here's the trailer to Nichole Kidman's remake of Invasion of the Body-Snatchers, which is what the Eisley song was based on. Oh, and did you know Eisley's name was originally Mos Eisley, after the Tatooine city, but they had to change it for (obviously) copyright reasons? They're nerds!! :D