Like this: 'S's.

The daughter of Priam and Hecuba of Troy, Cassandra, who was given the power of prophecy by Apollo, had that power cursed when she did not return his love for her. While she still knew the future, no one would believe her. She predicted the fall of Troy, but none believed her. Later, she was awarded (?) to Agamemnon and was part of his demise on his return home.



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You may have read about this, but if not, I present The P-P-P-Powerbook (a.k.a. Scamming the Scammer)


Speaking of stupid, you have to wonder who clicks on the spam e-mail entitled "Our franchise businesss scheme." Never mind that you call it a "scheme," but you can't even be bothered to spell business with the requisite three (not four) 's'es. (Hey, Grammar Gods, how do you pluralize 's'?)



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yeah... I guess in a way it's kind of sad about Meg Ryan isn't it? But then again 40-some-odd years tend to have that effect. Or so I'm told. However on the up side, MAJOR props to her for being a key figure in the I'm-over-40-but-I-can-still-be-sexy club; a club that I'm happy to say is growing in numbers (ie Madonna, Goldie Hawn, etc). And although it will still be a while before I'm oggling Diane Keaton, I can't applaud her enough for doing her part to make older women feel all that much more confident about themselves. Popular culture, and cinema in particular, has an incredibly profound impact in determining social approval (or the lack thereof). Movies that feature aging actors cast in appropriately sexy roles can only be a good thing. Men have had this priveledge in popular cinema for a long time (with modern-day examples being found in actors like Richard Gere and Sean Connery), but it seems that allowing women similar roles is a much more recent phenomenon, and one that should be embraced.

While reading Ed today, a particular article reminded me that Estee Lauder believed being sexy is a state of mind. While she is clearly a recognized pioneer in proving that women can be beautiful at any age, I'm optimistic that her concept can be taken one step further. For her, being sexy was a state of mind that had to be adopted by the individual... but today it seems that the job is made that much easier for said individuals since part of that burden is beginning to be shared by society. Such social-acceptance is of course still relatively minor, but actors like Meg Ryan have sown the seeds of change, and only time will prove their ultimate viability.

The positive evolution of culture is inextricably intertwined with the development of that cultures art. It is unfortunate that this is not reflected in the funding given to arts programs by government and educational institutions. But with an increasingly capitalist mindset, cultural value doesn't necessarily translate into monetary value. I encourage everyone to support artists of all types who are pushing the boundaries creatively. Whether this support comes in the form of paying to see Diane Keaton's next 'pornographic' movie, demonstrating in support of freedom-of-speech, purchasing a painting at the local gallery, or attending a performance at the fringe festival, every little bit counts. Your support continues the process of artistic development which in turn feeds positive social growth.

And as artists we must all remember to attempt to push the envelope of the medium.

So yeah... that's my rant for tonight. And since I have to work tomorrow morning, I must now bid you all good night.

http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com

Garden Gnome Darts

http://www.vierkanteogen.nl/

Hey you prudes, who the hell cares about the top 10 movies of 2003? Nobody gives a flying fucktard about your movie-knowledge prowess. Now HERE'S a truly useful and functional movie list for 2003... I am proud to now introduce you to THE TOP-15 BEST NUDE SCENES OF 2003!!!! And yes, Meg Ryan gets her dues of course.

fair enough Hirj. i sorta disagree with your choice of Capturing the Friedmans, though an excellent film, i think the weight of the subject matter wrongly grants the film more importance than a documentary more lighthearted like Spellbound. but admittedly some of that footage is pretty moving (like holy shit, those video diary entrees)

but if you want to be super technical the English subtitled City of God WAS actually released in 2003, the French one came out in 2002. but no need to split shits.

anyways, since in light of it being Hot Docs season, be sure to check out these schwickedly cool documentaries:

at the Metro Sat May 29
Stupidity: The Documentary
21:00, Sat May 29
Director: Albert Nerenberg
Canada 2003, 75 min, Betacam

"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former" Albert Einstein. The biggest hit of last year’s Hot Docs Film Festival, Stupidity is an urgent exploration of the issue of willful stupidity in the modern world and the dumbing down of North American culture. Stupidity embarks on an exhaustive search into its origins and true meaning, careening at warp speed through sound bites from television news, reality TV shows, internet sites and popular films.

“What starts out as an entertaining romp through mass culture soon becomes ominous as cultural critics, authors, academics, entertainers and people on the street reveal the economics and politics behind the dumbing down of contemporary culture. Hilarious, smart and very scary.” Lynne Fernie, Hot Docs

(this fellow is also responsible for trailervision.com)

at the Garneau from 05/28/2004 06/28/2004
Super Size Me
Why are Americans so fat? Find out in Super Size Me, a tongue in-cheek - and burger in hand -- look at the legal, financial and physical costs of America's hunger for fast food.

Ominously, 37% of American children and adolescents are carrying too much fat and 2 out of every three adults are overweight or obese. Is it our fault for lacking self-control, or are the fast-food corporations to blame?

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock hit the road and interviewed experts in 20 U.S. cities, including Houston, the "Fattest City" in America. From Surgeon Generals to gym teachers, cooks to kids, lawmakers to legislators, these authorities shared their research, opinions and "gut feelings" on our ever-expanding girth.

During the journey, Spurlock also put his own body on the line, living on nothing but McDonald's for an entire month with three simple rules:

1) No options: he could only eat what was available over the counter (water included!)
2) No supersizing unless offered
3) No excuses: he had to eat every item on the menu at least once

It all adds up to a fat food bill, harrowing visits to the doctor, and compelling viewing for anyone who's ever wondered if man could live on fast food alone.

The film explores the horror of school lunch programs, declining health and physical education classes, food addictions and the extreme measures people take to lose weight and regain their health.

Super Size Me is a satirical jab in the stomach, overstuffed with fat and facts about the billion-dollar industry besieged by doctors, lawyers and nutritionists alike. "Would you like fries with that?" will never sound the same!

http://supersizeme.com

percy, the program is called "pocket informant" made by webIS.

if you want I'll burn you a disk one of these days with all the software I've found useful

actually ngz, most of the films on the list are not major studio releases. not to mention studio release doesnt' mean a damn, since even so called "independent" studios are often subsidiaries of major studios. i didn't include spellbound cuz it was not important enough to warrant the title of a great film. City of God would have made the list, but it came out last year. and well i loved finding nemo, but i can't knock elephant out