Proud to be an American

Okie from Mikogie

Jimi Hendrix: Star Spangled Banner

Neil Young: America the Beautiful

"Stand by your Man".

"I'm forever Blowing Bubbles" would be in there......

These are some conservative songs that might be on the list the National Review is putting together and charging to see.

I just love the way Garrison thinks! He is truly our great cultural thermometer... along the lines of Will Rogers tempered by Walt Whitman... He sure hears America singing!

His take today on Eugen Onegin was so fine it brought tears. And made me regret not paying my 19 bucks and taking the afternoon 30 miles away to the AMC. I did listen to that glorious opera by way of another miracle, over the internet in the comfort of my study here in rural Texas....

Also thankful that my Grandmother kept her copies of those thick, one-sided old 78's of Caruso and Galicurci and all the singers first recorded my Mr Edison's machines so I could grow up hearing them on the gramaphone with the cactus needle of my youth! Some 30 years after they were made!!!

OF COURSE. IT'S OBVIOUS. Gore!!!! The most qualified. But it is always 2000!!!! YTK again. Will Florida and the Supreme Bench let him lead this time?

Ms. Rowling sure has brought a whole world to life in her Harry Potter series. So many of us, of all ages, find them absolutely irrisistable reading! Each book reveals new depth, the story embraces the vital themes embracing personality and life of the characters with plenty of overtones of real world people, politics, religeon, strife: embracing a good chunck of modern reality. The witching and wizarding world reflects our own.

I agree with some of the predictions, that things are pointing to heroic fullfilment of Neville, of the strange villiany of Snape, Bellatrix, Draco, Pettigrew whose weaknesses may trip them up, combine to help Harry finally vanquish Voldemort. Dumbledore has been presented too noble and cleaver to merely die, the phoenix being a clue, and may be in some wizard temporary exile, maybe in the land of the Giants, despite that grand marble stone beside Hogwarts lake... and return as needed... And so will Serius Black..... Cedrick?

And the Harry scar, the final horcrux. Hermoine and Ron will give their support for the final showdown... and Hagrid? another bumble his undoing?

Do you think traffic will stop for a day as the world sinks into the finale, the Harry Potter septology complete? For many a smitten bookworm, a day off has been set aside.

It is a wonder that the 870 pages of the book could be condensed and still make sence. I kept wondering as I watched last night at the local midnight screening, what I would make of this had I not read those pages. I had seen the previous four films for the first time without having read Rowling's books! Started catching up after Goblet of Fire! In Phoenix, much left out, some things changed. The quiditch games, the romance that failed after Harry's and Chow's first kiss, Ronnie-Hermoin-Lavender triangle, Drako and the Sliverin mafia abreviated... Neville's role as emerging contender deminished....

Reading Goldenberg's interview, I was reminded once again about all the movies now, and perhaps forever, are made by a committee, a meld of author's story, screen play adption, production budget, actors, actors, actors, producers and directors supervision, sometimes ending in a confused scrample.

It made me wonder why I liked this series, and I know that reading the books made the difference. And to get to the positive about the movie, Snape got the some welcome laughs! By saying a few words very softly, and camera angled up from below the neck at Rickman's incredible face. Professor McGonnagal putting Delores Umbridge in context. Umbridge, the pink toad, with her mewing cat plates! Harry Potter. Daniel Radcliffe's emerging acting ability, able to cope with his character's emerging sense of who he is, where he came from, and what is expected of him. Scenes shot it mist and smoke, blurred like Voldemort's terrifying vissage... Dumbledore getting more distant, and more human at the same time...

I will see it again. And again.

Oh lets hope not. As suggested there is a real chance Rudi could make it!!! This downward spiral, the dumbing down of the electorate? Or do the fear and devisive tactics that got our present top dog elected twice going to determine this race as well?????

Never can tell!!!!! Maybe I really will have to become an Expat!!! But the shame of it all.....

Perhaps Larry is not gay. But how ironic that a man with strong homophobic tendencies must go through this humiliation! Maybe, like fecless Jesus, he is bearing the marks of sinful queers. Idaho is next to Wyoming where Matthew Sheperd was a real martyr, I keep thinking.

We will probably not ever know the real senator, because Craig seems to be so genuinly concerned about his hetero image, that confusion breaks loose everytime he opens his mouth!!!! (At least according to the transcript with the arresting officer, and the damning plea) Is he guilty? Guilty of what? Tapping his foot in a bathroom stall???? Big deal. WTF? Is entrapment the real crime here?