Jeffrey Symynkywicz with an analysis of Bruce Springsteen's song Badlands.
Monthly Archives: March 2011
Feature Film Review: The Lincoln Lawyer
A courtroom drama about a wheeler-dealer defense attorney caught in a tight squeeze that tests his ethical integrity.
Feature Film Review: Paul
A frolicsome comedy in which two Englishmen encounter a smart, witty, and gifted extraterrestrial on their pilgrimage to famous UFO sites in America.
Feature Film Review: The Music Never Stopped
Touching story about the emotional uplift of music, the tenderizing of a family member's heart, and a father-son reconciliation like nothing you've ever seen before; one of the best films of 2011.
DVD Feature Film Review: The Switch
A spiffy romantic comedy about secrets, friendship, love, nurturing, and the human race.
DVD Feature Film Review: Hereafter
A poignant, meditative, and meaningful movie about the human desire to know more about the afterlife and to communicate with the dead.
DVD Documentary Film Review: Waste Land
An astonishing documentary about an art project that celebrates the pickers who work in the world's largest garbage dump in Rio de Janeiro.
DVD Feature Film Review: The Fighter
A combination biopicture and dramedy that has us rooting for a working-class hero as he struggles to find his style in the ring and outside the ring within his dysfunctional family.
Book Excerpt: A New Heart
Robert Morneau on the demon of joylessness.
Book Excerpt: Solitude
Robert Kull on spending time in solitude in the wilderness.
Poll: Zimbabweans Ready to Risk Lives to Vote in 2011
A new survey of public opinion in Zimbabwe has revealed that despite the risk of higher levels of violence and intimidation associated with an election campaign, the majority of Zimbabweans would prefer to hold elections in 2011 rather than maintain the current government of national unity.
Egypt Limits Observers’ Access to Referendum Vote
Freedom House is disappointed with the decision of Egypt's Judicial High Committee, which is supervising this Saturday's referendum on constitutional amendments, to limit the access of domestic and international monitoring groups to the polls.
Demonstrators in Syria Face Harsh Government Crackdown
Freedom House strongly condemns police violence against protesters in Syria and urges the government to end human rights violations and release its political prisoners.
Freedom House Condemns Closure of Human Rights Watch in Uzbekistan
Freedom House today joins Uzbek human rights organizations in condemning the government of Uzbekistan's expulsion of Human Rights Watch (HRW) from the country, calling the move an unequivocal strike against transparency and accountability in the Central Asian state.
Delays in Prisoner Release Process in Cuba Condemned
Freedom House welcomes reports that the Cuban government has released well-known political prisoner Oscar Elias Biscet, but renews its criticism of the long delay in the political prisoner release process.
Freedom House Condemns Crackdown on Activists and Journalists in Azerbaijan
Freedom House strongly condemns the intimidation and arrest of activists and journalists by Azeri authorities over the weekend and calls for the immediate release of all detained.
Journalists’ Arrests Signal Growing Press Freedom Backslide in Turkey
The ongoing harassment and detention of journalists in Turkey, including a number who have been held for two years without trial, represents an alarming threat to press freedom.
Freedom House Condemns Violence in Bahrain and Yemen
Freedom House strongly condemns the use of force against protesters by authorities in Bahrain and Yemen and urges both governments to use restraint and to respect the rights of citizens.
Rebecca Black viral Video teaches Teens Seat Belt use not cool
A little un-intended Libertarianism?
From Eric Dondero:
According to HotAir.com the new video by Rebecca Black has 10.5 million YouTube hits.
The phrase “Rebecca Black” has been one of the top 10 highest trending terms on Twitter for a solid week, and an appearance on “Good Morning America” is in the works. It’s an Internet phenomenon.
But is there more to this cheezy pop video than just trite teeny boppism?
The Teens can be seen throughout the entire video blatantly violating California's tough seat belt laws.
V C Section 27315 of the DMV code for the State of California clearly states:
(e) A person 16 years of age or over shall not be a passenger in a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person is properly restrained by a safety belt.
Further:
Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 42001, a violation of subdivision (d), (e), or (f) is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than twenty dollars ($20) for a first offense, and a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50) for each subsequent offense. In lieu of the fine and any penalty assessment or court costs, the court, pursuant to Section 42005, may order that a person convicted of a first offense attend a school for traffic violators or another court-approved program in which the proper use of safety belts is demonstrated.
California has a primary offense seat belt law, meaning officers of the law may pull over anyone driving a vehicle for no other reason than a seat belt violation.
Hot Pakistani Actress taunts prudish Muslim Cleric on Indian National TV
From Eric Dondero:
Veena Malik fled to India for her acting career. Now Pakistan's Culture Police are on her tail, attempting to lure her back to Pakistan.
From IBNLive.com:
Pakistani actress Veena Malik has received a "death threat" from a purported Taliban commander for appearing on the Indian reality TV show "Big Boss", her media manager said on Saturday.
"Self-styled Taliban commander Ahmed Masood issued the death threat in a hand-written letter sent to Veena for appearing on the Indian show," Sohail Rashid, her media manager, said.
"Veena is in India but she will not seek asylum there or in any other country on security grounds," Rashid said.
The exchange on-air from YouTube (does not allow embedding):
CLERIC: I believe she was... promoting hollow ideologies, which are not appropriate for a famous and great person like her.
MALIK: I would feel a burden on my conscience if I had done anything wrong. I have not done anything wrong. I am just an entertainer. And if anyone can prove that while living in this country I've done anything against the law - whether Islamic law or stat law, you can punish me for that.
CLERIC: If she has not the pangs of consciense because of what she did, then I would tell her to awaken her conscience. No one in Pakistan can look at her pictures in the presence of their daughters.
[Look of utter disgust from the Actress]
MALIK: As far as Islam is concerned, Islam is a vast religion... Let me also tell you that you are not allowed to set eyes on me in your present condition. You should be punished... Clerics can look at a woman once, but if they look at her a second time they can be punished. You deserve to be punished.
