Thank you John McCain

I had lost respect for this man, but tonight he brought it back in spades.

Thank you, John!

True Blood - Episode 4

Episode 4 - "Escape from Dragon House"

Dawn is dead! -- Sookie, being a good little employee, discovers Dawn lying dead in her bed. She's shocked, but before you know it Jason arrives and it's a family affair. Dawn's death brings the Bontemps body count to two in one week, and Bontemps police force is once again called to duty. The town is reeling and the crime scene takes on a macabre feel as everyone gathers in the neighborhood. It's exactly what you would expect from a small town.

Jason Stackhouse is the prime suspect and Detective Bellefleur puts him in the back of the police car. Even Sheriff Dearborn is starting to think Jason is guilty, though he's convinced the women are being killed by a vampire. Jason was the last one with Maudette. He was also the last one to see Dawn alive, but is he a killer? Me thinks Jason is too stupid to be a killer. Yet, he has forgotten about the illegal “V” in his pocket. One swallow...yuck! But, the "V" is all gone.

Lafayette warned Jason and we see why when the “V” takes hold. A boner a cat couldn’t scratch doesn't do enough to define what happens next. Even as Detective Bellefleur is grilling him, Jason’s package grows and grows…and grows. It’s actually quite a sight in HD.

Granny Stackhouse shoots from the hip! -- Two murders in such a small town is two too many! Thankfully, someone mentions that and I’m not surprised it’s the down-to-earth Adele Stackhouse. She tells Sookie to use her gifts to find the killer, or else watch the police frame her brother for the murders. It’s that good ole country sense at work.

Tara and Sam have their morning after routine, though she high-tailed from his house after she caught him “barking” in his sleep. I guess her standards are high…

Jason is still trying to cure his priapism, but beer and porn isn’t working too well. In fact, he’s been going at it so long he’s got a callous on his thumb. Wow! That adds something novel to "hand job".

Poor Sookie, we finally understand what it’s been like for her. Imagine hearing everything someone thinks in their head. The night of Dawn’s murder and not one person has a good thing to think or say. She’s convinced people are the last dregs of the swamp when she overhears a good thought.

I’ll have a bottle of O negative -- You just don’t hear that on HBO all the time. Melotte’s has decided to cater to more than just living folks, but poor Bill can’t catch a break. As soon as he enters the bar, the crowd gets silent. He’s not anyone’s favorite vampire…except Sookie, and since she’s decided to clear her brother’s name she asks Bill to take her to the local vamp bar in Shreveport. The aptly named Fangtasia

Sookie dresses up as "vampire bait" and heads to Fangtasia with Bill. Jason heads to the doctor with Tara. The juxtaposition of Sookie and Bill at Fangtasia and Jason and Tara at the hospital is too funny. On one hand you have the over-the-top vampire characterization, and then you have the funniest thing I have ever seen on television. If you ever wondered what would happen to a man with an incurable erection, HBO just detailed a pretty graphic answer in this episode. It’s hilarious and I won’t say more, but it’s exactly what you think!

Fun times at Fangtasia -- We’ve met a few other vampires beside Bill, but Fangtasia introduces a host of new characters. There’s Longshadow, the bartender, and Pam, the hostess. However, the most compelling character was Eric. When he imperiously waved his hand at Sookie, I got a bit of a tingle. Aside from being tall and blond, he commands immediate obedience. It’s obvious there’s some underlying tension between him and Bill, but the club is raided by the cops before the fun begins.

Bill drives a BMW -- I don’t know why that struck me, but it fits his uptight image. He’s a man of few words, but he’s obviously the person you want to be with when the cops pull you over. Guaranteed! You won’t get a ticket. Bill uses his “glamour” to terrorize a cop that pulled him over for the dreaded DWV…that’s driving while being a vampire if you didn't know. Unfortunately, Sookie realizes there’s a lot more to her new boyfriend then meets the eye. And Sam…not only barks in his sleep, but he also smells the bed's of dead women…

Overall, this was a very funny episode. Jason’s never-ending erection was the highlight. I laughed so hard I’m sure my neighbors weren’t happy. The menagerie at Fangtasia was also very interesting. Sookie is being drawn into a web by the compelling Bill. She's definitely the fly to his spider.

Stay tuned...

True Blood - Episode 3

Episode 3 - "Mine"

Sookie’s Mine! – Sookie goes to Bill’s house at night to drop off a list of electricians. What a noble thing, but poor Sookie is rewarded by showing up during a vamp party. Clearly, Sookie is an unwanted guest and right before one of them tries to turn her into a party favor, Bill comes to the rescue.

It’s Electric, baby – The pity party for the lovelorn starts right after Merlotte’s closes for the evening. Tara and Sam have a nice ditty of a conversation about their respective lives. Tara questions Sam about his feelings for Sookie, while he challenges her about the torch she’s been carrying for Jason, Sookie’s brother. Speaking of Jason Stackhouse, the last time we saw him he was tied to Dawn’s bed. When Dawn returns from work, she’s surprised by an intruder, who coincidentally is wearing a paisley robe and a headscarf to cover his face. After a little rough foreplay, we discover the mysterious attacker/molester is Jason Stackhouse! Big surprise, though for a second I did wonder. There’s more Bill and Sookie…and more masturbation.

You’re on your own – Jason discovers what it’s like to be lonely after Dawn kicks him out. Of course, he lost his erection during sex, so the blame is totally on him. Yet, poor Sam woke up alone in his bed because he barks in his sleep. And finally, we get to meet Tara’s mom in all her unvarnished glory. The woman is truly a menace, and I do feel sympathetic for Tara’s plight.

Lafayette wears gold pants! – They looked good on him too! Lafayette, the black, homosexual, drug-dealing, short-order cook for Melotte’s is too funny. His presence adds something indefinable and the actor, Nelsan Ellis, appears to relish the role. After Tara’s horrible encounter with her mother, Lafayette provides some medicine in the form of two vicodins and a Mary Jane spliff. Tara sucks it up (literally), but we discover Lafayette deals other sorts of drugs when Jason Stackhouse arrives. I still liked those gold pants though!

Overall, this was a pretty good episode. There were plenty of laughs…and surprises. The sleepy town of Bontemps is proving to be a hotbed of activity. There’s mystery around every corner, and some of the characters are fascinating to watch. This week we got to see a lot more Tara, and Sookie and Bill growing closer. Jason will probably be implicated for Dawn’s murder, but we know he didn’t do it. So, the question is who killed Dawn? Is it the same person who killed Maudette?

Phew!

I have to admit I've been on pins and needles waiting for the first presidential debate. It took over my mind for about a week and a half...so...I'm glad it's over! I have other things to do. One thing is to re-watch TrueBlood and think about some different things. Yet, this article from The Atlantic caught my eye. Joshua Green says what I've been trying to say for a while. KARL ROVE RUINED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!! Green's article is so good I read it twice!

I'll get to TrueBlood and other things later...right now I need a break!

McCain's Left Eye

Maybe there is another reason for the eye, but the big "C" seems likely. Also running a presidential "campaign" can't be good for your health.

John McCain needs to release his medical records.

San Diego Congressmen Respond!

NBC San Diego.com has highlighted some Congressional responses to the proposed federal bailout.

San Diego's congressional delegation weighing in on the federal bailout plan.

Rep. Darrell Issa: "How can any American look their neighbor in the eye and suggest that they should bear the losses for the mistakes and greed of America's wealthiest financial firms? I am emphatically against it."

Rep. Susan Davis: "A rescue plan should be about protecting average Americans from this crisis and not shielding Wall Street from it excess, and it should include help for homeowners in danger of foreclosure."

Rep. Brian Bilbray: "Ultimately, the devil will be in the details that are still being crafted and it would be irresponsible to force a vote on a hastily crafted bill...." He also said Congress should stay until the job is done, not adjourn as scheduled this Friday.

Rep. Bob Filner wants major changes to, "ensure that America's homeowners are directly helped and that company executives do not benefit further from golden parachutes and buy out plans."

Rep. Duncan Hunter office says he's concerned about the markets and is still reviewing the proposal.

McCain wants to suspend Friday's debate!

So, I'm watching CNN and there is breaking NEWS! John McCain wants to postpone this Friday's debate and suspend his campaigning to handle the burgeoning financial crisis on Wall Street.

Sounds kind of desperate to me! McCain is trying to take the high road because he's been on the defensive about the economy. He's wants to drive the media and control his message by seeming above the political fray. Of course, that is a smart move on his part, even if it is desperate, but hopefully Obama won't fall for it!

Obama has to call out McCain, Bush and the Republicans. If he suspends his campaign and takes McCain's bluff then he will appear weak.

Stay tuned...

Update:
Can McCain multi-task? Why can't he go to Washington and do the debates?

Update:
Obama says he's inclined to continued with the debate, and Ole Miss says a cancellation would be horrible.

Update:
CNN just reported that McCain will NOT participate in the debate if a bailout package is not passed by Friday!

Update:

Ignoring Joe Biden

What is wrong with this dude? Does he not think before he speaks? I actually know a lot of people who do that, so I am familiar with it when it happens, but I just can't believe he's made it this far in politics.

Joe Biden is a well-known gaffe-machine, but I guess no one is really listening. Again, I wish Obama had choosen Hillary Clinton...but I guess that's a moot point. Luckily, the news cycle has been dominated by one Veep choice, and thankfully that hasn't been Joe Biden. My only hope is everyone keeps ignoring him...

True Blood - Episode 2

Well, there's good news for TrueBlood. HBO ordered more episodes, which hopefully means the show won't go the way of Rome.

Last week delivered little punch, but the scenes between Bill and Sookie left me craving for more. This week I forgot about the exaggerated characterizations and focused on the story. It is an interesting story, and I want to see more. Still, I'm put off by the daily lives in Bontemps. If I read about these characters in a romance book I'd probably feel differently, but this isn't a romance book. It's HBO! Anyways...here is my review.

First Impressions:

Blood drinkers and Fore-head Lickers – Sookie is being beaten within an inch of her life by the Rattrays, yet you know it won’t be long before Bill saves her. Soon after the credits finish, Jason is sprung from the “big house”, then we get more Sookie and Bill…hooray! As a fan of vampire romance, I loved the blood drinking scene. It wasn’t the prettiest thing to watch, but I still got a little tingle. Then there’s Bill licking the blood from Sookie’s forehead. Yes, it sounds disgustingly sick, but I still got another tingle… Call me a weirdo if you wish!

Still No-Love for Tara – I finally got to see Tara in her element, and guess what? She’s a liar who likes to screw with people’s mind because she’s terribly insecure. That’s nice!

Close-ups and long shots – I noticed this in the first episode, but the long shots and close-ups aren’t cute. It’s as though the director is forcing the twist so the audience has no choice but to wonder. Take the obvious clues with the dog. There is something with the dog! I got that the first few times. However, after the next fifty close-ups and long shots, the theme became old. Then there were other shots without context. For instance, in the first episode the there is a close-up on one of the Rattray’s ring. Yet, there was no significance for that shot. At least, there was none I could see.

Two-Thumbs for Anna Paquin – She’s just wonderful, and she’s fantastic with the cheesy lines. That speaks highly to her skills as an actor, and she’s made Sookie believable. She actually makes a lot of this story believable, which is a hard feat considering the subject matter.

Overall, there was a lot to be liked about this episode. Pretty much every scene with Bill and Sookie was fantastic. We also got introduced to more vampire politics, and at the end of the episode Bill had some very unsavory houseguests. Ultimately, this is a character-driven series, but this episode did very little to progress the story forward. That may be end up being a good thing, but I’m hoping to be more engaged next week.

Stay tuned…

Proposition 7 and the Pickens Plan

BallotPedia - California Proposition 7, would, if approved, require California utilities to procure half of their power from renewable resources by 2025. In order to make that goal, levels of production of solar, wind and other renewable energy resources will more than quadruple from their current output of 10.9%. It will also require California utilities to increase their purchase of electricity generated from renewable resources by 2% annually to meet Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)requirements of 40% in 2020 and 50% in 2025. Current law AB32 requires an RPS of 20% by 2010.

As a Californian resident, I'm all for "going-green", but with the current budgetary crisis I wonder if this sort of measure is doable. Plus, it's a little disconcerting to have an oilman like T. Boone Pickens supporting the plan. I like his current commercials, but I can't forget he and his cronies engineered the damaging Swift-boat ads against John Kerry. Another reason I am skeptical is oilmen like him are one of the main reasons car companies like GM shelved plans for hybrid/electric cars in the 1990s. The Associated Press says, "The state's utilities already are having trouble meeting California's current mandate to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2010. A recent report by the state Public Utilities Commission projects California will miss the target by at least three years."

This leads me to ask how the state expects utility companies to meet the 50% target if they can barely meet the current mandates? I don't know about anyone else, but my electric bill has gotten so high I feel as though I've been forced back to the stone ages. I can't even turn on the A/C, so I'm forced to swelter in stifling heat like I'm living in a hut in Africa!

The Locke Experiment

The last time I read about Locke High School in Watts, California, was when the school was involved in a massive lunch time brawl. It was just the type of story you'd expect to hear. So it was a pleasant surprise to read about a "new" Locke in the Los Angeles Times. Recently, parents and teachers fought the state of California to release the school from district control. Now Green Dot Public Schools has taken over. This new direction for the students of Locke, and their parents, is a change from the school's gang-infested, violence fueled past. Students are now required to wear uniforms, and parents are required to volunteer and participate in school activities. Of course, there's no telling what this will actually mean for the students. Locke HS, like many other low-income schools, faces challenges which have nothing to do with education. Often times teachers are faced with changing their student's perception of their own reality, and the benefits of a good education are not always readily apparent. The faculty and staff will have to work really hard, but this move is a promising sign.

Joe Biden is Alive!

Barbara had a gaffe

whoopi slavery
by dollarsandsense123

The crazy thing is what she said wasn't that bad. It was a joke, and that is obvious, but the forum was serious at the time. It comes off badly.

True Blood - Episode 1

First off, there are of plenty of professional reviews for Trueblood and if you’d like to read those they are here. I am not a professional reviewer, so these are just my thoughts.

Impressions:

Quick-Change Fangs --- The show starts off with some college kids looking for thrills, which includes a hand-job and a trip to the liquor store for “trueblood”. I'm interested, but then I'm sidetracked by a pair of quick-changing fangs. One moment the guy had normal teeth. A nanosecond later (literally) he had fangs. Maybe it's the actor, but I'm laughing…and not in a good way.

WTF SHE SAY! --- On the other hand, the dialogue is very modern, and at times a lot sexy! People are talking like real human beings, and I am struggling to understand. Some may not like that, but it's a good thing because I'm forced to pay attention.

"Bill the Vampire" --- As for Sookie and Bill...well, I'm undecided. I feel as though I've been hit over the head with a characterization stick. Or better yet, a walk through pop culture. Again, maybe it's the actors, but there wasn't a lot zing in this first episode.

My overall impression is I have to wait and see more. Actually, that'll probably be my overall impression until the season finale. I don't want to "jump the gun" and cast absolutes after one episode only (that's what happen to Firefly and Blade: The Series), and personally I'd like to see where all this is going...

"Sambo beat the bitch"

This is a direct quote from Gov. Sarah Palin and it shouldn't take too many guesses to figure out who she is talking about. If you need a hint, "sambo" refers to Sen. Barack Obama, and the "bitch" is Sen. Hillary Clinton. Unfortunately, this quote isn't starring on Youtube.com, so there is no telling if these allegations are true or false. However, this does raise questions about Palin. Is she a racist? Does she use terms like this on a regular basis?

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised to find out this story was true, but I would have liked it a lot better if there were some video. Racism caught on tape is the best!

What if???

I've questioned Obama's decision to choose Joe Biden. The pundits have been calling Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama a "dream ticket" for months. Why in the world wouldn't you choose to go that route instead of going with this"gaffe-prone" senator? This election would have been in the bag if Obama had choosen Hillary, and I think Sen. Obama knows this now .

So...what if Joe Biden mysteriously drops his name from the ticket? Wouldn't that be a shocker? And what if the person who replaced him was Sen. Hillary Clinton?

Okay, the gimmick is transparent and an obvious response to the Palin-pick, but what if it was for a "good reason"? There are plenty of "good reasons" to drop out of an election race, especially if say...ones health becomes an issue. In fact, a medical reason would be a valid excuse to leave the ticket.

I certainly am not wishing ill-health to Sen. Joe Biden, but I am saying that is one way to respectfully leave a ticket.

Welcome!

Welcome to Committed but Uncommitted...my own personal blog site to track my crazy thoughts, actions, and deeds. Of course, I don't plan on revealing details about my personal life, but I am pursuing a teaching credential and a masters in poltical science. For these reasons I will be tracking different topics that appeal to my sensibilities.

Hmm...who knew blogging would be a way of keeping things straight...