FRIDAY FROTH…

Carla — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0000

The Green Zone is a new movie that deals with the war in Iraq, specifically the first months of engagement. While it’s not nearly as good as last year’s The Hurt Locker, I did find parts of it interesting and most of it entertaining. Matt Damon has the lead role as an officer who takes his team out in search of the now infamous weapons of mass destruction. He soon learns that he is getting bad intelligence, and it’s too easy to tell that his Pentagon superior, played by Greg Kinnear, not only knows this, but also will do anything to prevent the world from finding out. This is where the movie turns political, taking easy jabs at the Bush Administration and reducing the Green Zone to black and white. It misses an opportunity to expand on an Iraqi interpreter, Freddy, who is helping Matt Damon’s character. Freddy’s is an interesting perspective into a very complex situation and I would have liked to see it explored further.

The camera work will make some seasick, but I liked its shock-and-awe movement. If you can get past the politics and the incredulity of Matt Damon going rogue in Baghdad and just enjoy your popcorn and some good action, you’ll have fun.

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The tabloids were reporting yesterday that Sandra Bullock’s husband, Jesse James, was having an affair. Mr. James has issued a statement saying that most of the allegations against him are untrue; he goes on to say that he is sorry for the pain that he has caused his wife and kids. I’m betting the affair part of the story is true. The “other woman” appears to be a tattoo model looking for attention and celebrity. I won’t delve into the reasons Mr. James may have committed his infidelity. What I do find fascinating and want to comment on are the women that go after the husbands of beautiful and successful women. This phenomenon is nothing new, but as more women are becoming high profile, we are seeing an increase in this type of affair. And, if the husband appears to be an adoring husband, these “other women” seem all the more eager. It seems these women can’t find a way to be successful on their own so they think that by enticing a successful/beautiful/confident woman’s husband to pay attention to them, they have achieved success—that by slipping into another woman’s bed you also slip into her life. Or, sometimes, these “other women” just want to take someone who appears to have too much going for them down a notch or two. These are the same insecure girls that in jr. high made-up ugly rumors about other girls. These women are less interested in getting in bed with the husband than they are in “screwing” the wife. Girls, where is the solidarity?

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It would be remiss to not mention HEALTH-CARE–a vote is expected on Sunday. It is amazing how many people are paying attention. Does anyone remember the Clinton’s health-care of the 90’s? I have a theory that people were captivated by the 2008 presidential election because for the first time, we had a woman and a black man in serious contention for the White House. Politics became captivating and we kept watching even after the presidential outcome was decided. Then we became horrified! Oh, the deficits, the bickering, and the utter contempt for the American public! There is very little good news about health-care–it’s contentious and the process has been fraught with dirty deals. The good news is that people are not only paying attention now, they are getting involved. Warning: Be very careful Washington, We The People are back, we are watching, and we will hold you accountable.

A Little Respect Please

Carla — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:08:00 +0000

Over the weekend I was in Pennsylvania where I happened to catch Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz as I was perusing Sunday morning television. Ms Schwartz, a democrat from the 13th Congressional District, was being interviewed on health care. The Congresswoman, like most people, feels that something should be done about the rising cost of health care. However, unlike most people, she supports the Obama backed plan that came out of the House. When asked if she had held any town hall meetings, Ms. Schwartz answered by saying that she had talked to a lot of people one-on-one and had her office talking to people–I took that as a no. It’s understandable that she wouldn’t want to subject herself to the hostility that the town hall meetings have been generating, but please Ms. Schwartz, you don’t get elected to only hear the good news. I too wish that people at the town hall meetings yelled less and talked more. But make no mistake, it’s the people’s right to express what they want done in Washington and it’s the elected officials’ job to listen. However, this is not the part that really bothered me. I actually got past her evasive, somewhat condescending and patronizing attitude until she said that something had to be done because “we (congress) pay for forty-six percent of health care bills.” Excuse me! No! Taxpayers pay for forty-six percent of health care bills. In fact, for the most part, it’s the same taxpayers that pay for private health insurance for themselves and their families plus health care for others via taxes.

The American taxpayer is feeling frustrated! The government has rescued people that took out loans that they couldn’t afford, banks for giving loans that they shouldn’t have given, bailed out car companies that refuse to make cars that Americans want to buy and now they want to overhaul our health care system. At this point, we aren’t feeling confident that you have our best interest in mind.

To all of you that represent us in Washington: We expect you to read the health care bill–all of it. We expect you to understand it and then to communicate that understanding to us. We expect you to listen to our feedback–even if it hurts your ears. We expect respect–we pay the bills, including your salary.

» health-care

FRIDAY FROTH…

A Little Respect Please