Solipsistic

Saddam's verdict was originally scheduled to be announced on October 16th. But the verdict date was postponed and moved to November 5th. Significance of this date?

What's happening on November 7th?

Saturday Night Live is not improving. This year's skits are reminiscent of the Gail Mathius and Tony Rosato years. (What you've never heard of them?) Mad TV shows constantly on Comedy Central these days and surprisingly much of Mad TV appears better in comparison.

Hugh Laurie is a great comic actor and he was utilized adequately, but why did they choose to lead with the farting skit? Who is writing this stuff? "Weekend Update" is still kind of funny. Beck, though, was fantastic and it was the rare case in which the musical guest was the highlight of the show.

Worst of the current cast? Jason Sudeikis. Grinds his skits to a halt. His Howard Dean was tedious and painful.

You stay classy, Saint Louis.

One of the elders in my church prayed this morning that the elections would preserve the current "balance of righteousness" in Washington.

Exactly which members of Congress are righteous?

Anyone? Anyone?

I think it has something to do with the Executive's right to control space and time during periods of war.

Ole Miss (2-6) stuck around for four quarters against Auburn on Saturday. For Auburn fans this was more of the same. A defense that gave up too many yards against a poor opponent and an offense unable to pull the trigger in the red zone. John Vaughn, Auburn's most consistent player, is now the school's all-time high scorer. Sure, great for him, but can the Tigers please start finding the end zone more frequently.

I still believe that Auburn will finish the season with one loss, but someone really needs to light a fire under this team. On paper, Auburn should handle Georgia in two weeks, but anyone who has watched the Tigers this year knows this game will likely be a nail biter. Next weekend Auburn gets the 5-3 Arkansas State Indians. I predict a lackluster win by 12 points. (That's four field goals from John Vaughn.)

Cause for hope: the offensive line has not allowed--I believe--any sacks on QB Cox since the end of the first half against Florida.

Temple University snapped a 20 game losing streak by beating the Falcons of Bowling Green.

The USC-Oregon State game was fantastic. (USC lost 33-31.) USC, though not quite as good as in recent years, is a great team to watch on Saturdays. Their combination of talent and inexperience makes for exciting, high scoring games. If you want defensive prowesss, watch the SEC.

Which Auburn team shows up each weekend? This is the key to their continued success, or lack thereof. Tubbs seems to get the team up for the big games, but not for playing the underdogs. Auburn looked uninspired against Tulane and Buffalo and inexcusable against Arkansas. (Not to take anything away from the Hogs. They played an amazing game.)That being said, the rest of the season is a minefield because we are favored in every single game. They will be ready to play Alabama and Georgia, though, given the intensity of the rivalries. I think Ole Miss is the most likely candidate for an upset. Which Auburn will show up tomorrow? The one with the energized explosive D and balanced offensive attack, or the sluggish, not-ready-for gameday guys who played Arkansas?

Watched this classic western last night--the Director's Cut--and I was not blown away. My Video Hound says that this is the Best Western Ever. Better than "The Searchers"? "True Grit"? "Lonesome Dove"? "The Outlaw Josey Wales"? I didn't think so. I liked Peckinpah's "Ride the High Country" much more. It's a much tighter, less showy film.

The story, for the unaware, involves a group of past their prime outlaws setting out for one last score while the law doggedly pursues them. Standard action fare. The film is unique in that these outlaws aren't really wininng. They're pretty bad guys willing to fire into a group of civilians for the thrill of it.

The violence is bracing and the opening is creepy and unsettling. The scene of young children feeding scorpions to ravenous ants is inspired. (Although in the age of "Saw" and "Saving Private Ryan," the violence no longer has the punch that it undoubtedly did upon the film's release.) The middle hour and a half of the film, though, is curiously flat. Director Peckinpah uses this section to fill out character backstory and to better define his anti-heroes, but they never materialized for me. They remain types--a genre staple--instead of individuals, so the film doesn't put its running time to good use. Upon release, I think Peckinpah's balletic violence and flaunting of his anti-heroes was fresh and uncompromising, but these elements don't make it stand out in the very gory, cynical modern action marketplace.

I know this is part of the film canon, but it seems to have not aged well. Am I the only one who feels this way about this classic?

Letterman and O'Reilly rematch tonight on Late Night.

NBC's making bad decisions these days. The recently decided to cut hundreds of jobs and shift to producing more game shows and then this:

The Weinstein Co. is claiming that NBC and the CW have refused to air national ads for the new Dixie Chicks docu "Shut Up & Sing."

But while the Peacock has specifically said it won't accept the spots because they are disparaging of President Bush, a rep for the CW strongly denies the Weinsteins version of events.

Barbara Kopple's docu, which opens today in Gotham and L.A., revisits the fierce fallout that occurred in 2003 after lead singer Natalie Maines said she was ashamed that the president is from Texas, her home state.

The national spot shows a clip of Bush authorizing troops to fight in Iraq, then cuts to a clip of Maines' comment. Next is a clip of the president saying publicly that the Dixie Chicks shouldn't have their feelings hurt if people don't want to buy their records anymore. The final frame shows Maines saying that Bush is a "real dumb (bleep)."

TWC wanted the national ads to begin running next week in preparation for the movie's expansion on Nov. 11. Company said it hasn't heard back yet from the commercial clearance departments at ABC, CBS and Fox.

"It's a sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a movie about a group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted for exercising their right of free speech is now itself being blacklisted by corporate America," Harvey Weinstein said in a statement. "The idea that anyone should be penalized for criticizing the president is profoundly un-American."

According to the Weinstein Co., NBC's commercial clearance department said in writing that it "cannot accept these spots as they are disparaging to President Bush."

Via Daily Kos.

"30 Rock" is getting better and has definitely improved from its first week. So glad we haven't heard any more ads for the GE Trivection Oven.

Jack McBrayer as Kenneth the NBC page is hilarious. This is basically the same character he played in "Talladega Nights," but it's still very funny.

Tina Fey worked so well with Tim Meadows in "Mean Girls." Wouldn't mind seeing him on the show.

Not supporting stem cell research by posting this, but now it makes sense why Rush was making fun of Fox's Parkinson disease (though not acceptable):

FLEMINGTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new national study revealed that American voters' support for stem cell research increased after they viewed an ad featuring Michael J. Fox in which he expresses his support for candidates who are in favor of stem cell research.

The study was conducted among 955 Americans by HCD Research and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (MCIPO) during October 24-25, to obtain Americans' views on the stem cell research before and after they watched the ad.

The participants included self-reported Democrats, Republicans and Independents. They were asked to view the ad and respond to pre-and post-viewing questions regarding their opinions and emotions concerning the ad.

Among the study findings:

Among all respondents, support for stem cell research increased from 78% prior to viewing the ad, to 83% after viewing the ad. Support among Democrats increased from 89% to 93%, support among Republicans increased from 66% to 68% and support among Independents increased from 80% to 87% after viewing the ad.

The level of concern regarding a candidate's view on stem cell research increased among all respondents from 57% prior to viewing the ad to 70% after viewing the ad. Among Democrats, the level of concern increased from 66% to 83% and Republicans' level of concern increased from 50% to 60%. Independents' level of concern increased from 58% to 69%.

The perception that the November election is relevant to the U.S. policy on stem cell research increased across all voter segments, with an increase of 9% among all respondents pre- and post-viewing from 62% to 71%. The Democrats' perception increased from 75% to 83%, Republicans' perception increased from 55% to 62% and Independents' perception increased from 60% to 68% pre- and post-viewing.

The advertisement elicited similar emotional responses from all responders with all voter segments indicating that they were "not bored and attentive" followed by "sorrowful, thankful, afraid and regretful."

The vast majority of responders indicated that the advertisement was believable with 76% of all responders reporting that it was "extremely believable" or "believable." Among party affiliation, 93% of Democrats 57% of Republicans and 78% of Independents indicated it "extremely believable" or "believable."

Respondents were asked to indicate what candidate they would vote for in the U.S. House of Representatives election if it was held today before and after viewing the ad.

Republicans who indicated that they were voting for a Republican candidate decreased by 10% after viewing the ad (77% to 67%). Independents planning to vote for Democrats increased by 10%, from 39% to 49%.

Via Daily Kos.

The number of American soldiers who have died in Iraq this month.

Last night's show was okay, but I don't think the flashback was great. We all know James is a con artist so the twist in his story was not that surprising. It was okay, but definitely a lull before the upcoming climax.

Thought I'd put up my short review about this Scorsese movie that came up short. This was featured on the Roger Ebert blog:

The film is no slouch in the style and verve department, but the characters never came alive. The only character who really stood out to me--fleshed out, interesting, dangerous--was Wahlberg's investigator. Aweseome performance.

It is a great genre picture, but it is not Scorsese's best. I just never got emotionally invested in Damon or DiCaprio and the danger they were both facing was never fully palpable other than in the scene where they are chasing each other down alleyways.

My favorite Scorsese pic and one of my top five in moviedom is "The Aviator." Transcendent, amazing, has to be seen on the big screen. The "Wild Angels" scenes alone are stunning.

Quoting Rachel Ray from an interview in Entertainment Weekly:

“I would smile all day long, every day, if it guaranteed a unicorn getting punched in the face. I find them really annoying.”

Another fall, another turn of the century tale of magicians. Seriously, why did we get "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige" in the same season?

Don't confuse the two films, though. "The Illusionist" was a fun romp compared to director Christopher Nolan's ("Batman Begins," "Memento") take on showmanship, revenge, and evil. I would recommend not reading any more of my review if you want to be surprised by this impressive, haunting film.

While "The Illusionist" was a movie about sleight of hand and good triumphing over evil via craftiness, "The Prestige" is a study of craftiness destroying. Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are magician's apprentices who both desire to someday be the greatest magician on the London stage. A tragedy early in the first act divides the men and leads to an escalating series of increasingly nasty and complicated revenge schemes.

The two performers spend the film trying to one up and destroy the other. When Borden devises a trick that seemingly allows him to transport himself from one closed compartment to another, Angier becomes obsessed with trying to figure out the secret of "The Transporting Man." This leads him on a journey to Colorado Springs where he seeks the help of electricity wizard Nikola Tesla (David Bowie in a fantastic, subdued performance) and begins delving into actual magic/science. As Angier becomes more focused on destroying Borden, his friend and production engineer (Michael Caine) tries to temper his destructive impulses.

The film uses a fascinating storytelling device that hops all over the place chronologically. Both men discover each other's diaries and this leads to a series of flashbacks upon flashbacks. Are the diaries reliable? Can we believe the stories they are telling us?

As the film nears its conclusion, we keep waiting for the sleight of hand moment where we discover that the impending tragedy is just a device, a trick meant to enthrall and fool the audience. But Nolan is not Shymalan and he is crafting a genuine tragedy. No one gets out of this tale unscathed. It's a haunting film with fantastic performances and impeccable storytelling. It's a tragic epic that will alienate many audiences. They're gonna feel that they were owed a happy ending.

For the more adventurous, though, this movie is worth the price of admission. For storytelling acumen alone, "The Prestige" is a must-see.

Missed it this weekend due to some circumstances too boring to recount. It appears that the Auburn offense stepped up, but the defense took a step back. The defense tightened up when the Green Wave got in the red zone and they created some turnovers, but they gave up too much yardage. They won 38-13 against Tulane, but I know all us Tiger fans would like to see a balanced, energized attack against Ole Miss next week.

Auburn drops to #5 in the BCS polls falling behind West Virginia. Auburn may slide again after their matchup against Arkansas State. A big component of the BCS standings is strength of schedule and by playing Ark. State, Auburn won't be doing themselves any favors in the polls. (Play weak teams and the computers will give you no love. Known as "The Citadel" effect.)

I don't think I'll ever be a true Cardinals fan, despite living in my baseball obsessed city. (Too many years of living in southeast Alabama and being obsessed with the Braves.)

Last night's game, though, was fantastic. When Chavez robbed Rolen's homerun with his spectacular leap and grab and then still turned the double play--well that was amazing. ESPN had Yadier Molina's game wining two-run homer as the play of the week, but I don't think I've ever seen a better clutch play in the postseason then Chavez's grab.

After Suppan and Wainwright's performances in the series, I can't help but pull for the Cards. The Red Birds were inspiring last night. (Except for Rolen's sloppy throw to first that nearly lost it for the Cards. Look Rolen, I know you're mad at La Russa, but get over it and get your head in the game.)

Check out this clip of a classic Randy Newman tune. Skip the first minute of the old British guy talking.



Via Crooks and Liars.

Auburn University warned to quit blaring Ozzy during the game.

Via Think Progress:

[T]hree years later, electricity levels in Baghdad are at an all-time low. Residents of Baghdad are receiving just 2.4 hours of electricity this month, compared to an average of 16-24 hours of electricity before the U.S. invasion. The lowest level prior to this month was 3.9 hours/day.

When the power went out in my neighborhood, a relatively quiet place with some property crime and no ongoing civil war, things got a little nutty--neighbors shooting fire arms, folks not obeying traffic laws. People expect power. It's an expected accoutrement of much of modern civilization. When folks don't have power, civilization starts to break down. (See the film "The Trigger Effect.")

Enjoyed last night's episode. Did anyone catch "The Neverending Story" reference? Still trying to figure out if that was intentional or not.

So can Desmond see the future? Is he from the future? Did he pull a Bishop and come back to try and make things right? Pretty cool. There is also the possibility that the folks on the island are developing powers and in that case the Lindelof, Cuse, and Abrams can't be happy with NBC's "Heroes."

We shall see.

From Glenn Greenwald:

MORT KONDRACKE: Well, as to that human rights watch spokesperson, it's just false that this is — you can lock them up and throw away the key is not correct. I mean, these detainees have a right to go to a military — they have been tried in a military tribunal. The case goes on appeal to the U.S. district — the Circuit Court of appeals for the District of Columbia, second highest court in the land, which reviews the evidence. And so there is judicial review of a conviction, at least, and so, you know, it's just flatly false.

Under the new legislation signed into law yesterday, it is at Bush's discretion to lock up even US citizens indefinitely. These detainees/citizens will only be tried at the president's discretion.

Watched this forgotten Aykroyd/Belushi movie last night. (Belushi's last film.) It's a real oddity, but worth tracking down. The movie starts out as a pretty standard farce about a milquetoast (Belushi) being terrorized by the wild new neighbors (Aykroyd and a fantastic Cathy Moriarty).

By the end of the movie, though, it has veered off into a weird dream logic where all the standard rules of comedy and storytelling have gone out the window. When Belushi opens a door, you're not really sure what he's gonna find on the other side. Fans of the Coen brothers should check this one out.

Not a fantastic movie, but very unpredictable with some great performances. It's fun to see Belushi as the straight man and Cathy Moriarty is wonderful as the femme fatale.

(I don't know if the video I watched was edited--the running time seemed short by about ten minutes--but it was the cleanest R-rated film I've ever seen. Maybe this was the television edit.)

Watch this show. Not doing so well in the ratings, but an excellent show.

Take a look at it here.

This show is not getting better. The writers only write Lorelai one way--manic. It's tedious and growing worse by the week. Everyone's pretty manic these days on the show. That trait used to just belong to Taylor, Babette, and Paris, but now its becoming standard. Someone said that the show is starting to play like fan fiction and that seems pretty apt. A pale imitation.

The only thing that's keeping me watching is years of goodwill and a fading desire to see "what happens next." It's akin to the inertia that gets people hooked on soaps.

Also, "Veronic Mars" is growing less dark. To its benefit? Detriment? Any VM fans care to chime in?

Love this Onion political cartoon:

Max Brooks story of the worldwide war against the zombies is a fast and fun read. Surprisingly low on gore--particularly for the genre--Brooks tells his story by interviewing those who lived through the war. From the military to politicians to scientists, we hear first hand accounts of the war.

Like Romero, Brooks uses the his zombie tale as a political/social critique. A few of the book's interviewees observe that the failure of the Iraq war demoralized America to the point where we did not take an aggressive posture as quickly as we should have against the zombie hordes. But the book isn't an overbearing political screed. There are plenty of good scares, Zatoichi, and even some submarine battles. The book is a big thrilling genre mash-up.

Particularly enjoyable is the tale of Cuba's rise to thriving world power on the backs of American refugees.

From Think Progress:

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) explains the Iraq war by citing Lord of the Rings: “As the hobbits are going up Mount Doom, the Eye of Mordor is being drawn somewhere else,” Santorum told a newspaper editorial board. “It’s being drawn to Iraq and it’s not being drawn to the U.S. You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don’t want the Eye to come back here to the United States.”

Here's the infamous fight from this weekend's Miami game.

This clip is not completely gratutious. Check out the clueless, thuggish commentary offered up by a former Miami player from the Comcast production booth. Also, marvel at Miami's post-fight celebration.

Maybe its time for university president Donna Shalala--yes, that Shalala--to give the school's football program the death sentence.

Krugman offers up this telling example of Congressional priorities:

The current Congress has shown no inclination to investigate the Bush administration. Last year The Boston Globe offered an illuminating comparison: when Bill Clinton was president, the House took 140 hours of sworn testimony into whether Mr. Clinton had used the White House Christmas list to identify possible Democratic donors. But in 2004 and 2005, a House committee took only 12 hours of testimony on the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

John Stirratt of Wilco teamed up with his sister Laurie of the late Blue Mountain--one of my favorite all-time live rock shows--for the 2004 release "Arabella."

If you like singer-songwriter, alt-country stuff, you got to check out this album. It's a bittersweet, melodic album that improves with each listen. It's full of the kind of songs that indie film directors will use for years to come in scenes where their characters stare dreamily/forlornly out moving car windows.

In the comments section last week, one of our readers gave us a hard time about Auburn's loss to Arkansas. Something along the lines of Auburn losing to an unranked team. (I believe this was from a good friend of mine so please don't take the following too badly.) On his behalf, I want to offer the following list.

Things Auburn will never do this season:

--Give up 51 points.

--Lose after being up by 17.

--Fall out of any of the national polls.

Go Commodores. (This weekend, the Vanderbilt Commodores, perennial underdog, beat the Georgia Bulldogs 24-22.)

What a game on Saturday night. The Auburn D, looking sluggish in the first half, comes out fired up and shuts down Florida's two-headed QB monster. Where was this defense against Arkansas? Will the real Auburn please stand up? Why can't Tuberville gets these guys fired up for the non-marquee games. Seriously, when Auburn plays against the nation's elite in high profile match-ups--barring that USC game in 2003--they show up with passion and fire.

Auburn's red zone offense still looks anemic, but Brad Lester and Kenny Irons are getting solid yards. (Thank goodness for kicker John Vaughn.) Cox needs to take the next few games to develop a more solid passing game. Start hitting those receivers. This won't happen if that offensive line keeps looking so porous. Cox has displayed poise in the past, but he needs that line to be stronger to consistently complete passes.

The defense and special teams played amazingly well in the second half of the game, though, and showed themselves to be among the nation's elite. If the offense can step up and Auburn can get fired up, there is an outside chance Auburn will be playing for the national championship.

The BCS rankings favored Auburn this week, but Auburn will need 1)USC to lose--likely, 2)Arkansas to drop a couple of SEC games--probable and 3)Ohio State, Michigan, Louisvile, and West Virginia to have about three or more losses combined--iffy. This would put Auburn back in the driver's seat for the national championship.

We'll see. Things certainly got much more interesting and my mood has improved substantially.

This study has been getting much press attention. Take a look at it for yourself.

Frightening.

Been very sluggish this week. Hard to write. Hard to get excited about stuff. Thanks for those who have been checking in. Look for better content in a day or two.

Jackie Harvey, entertainment reporter for The Onion, thinks Dane Cook is hilarious:

I was hearing more and more about this Dane Cook, but couldn't find anything about him. Well, after watching Entourage (I admit it! I'm hooked) one night, I saw that he had a show on about his comedy tour. I gave it a whirl, and you know what? Everyone is right. Dane Cook is an extremely funny man. True, I usually prefer a more family-oriented comedy, but there's room under my tent for all types, from the clean stuff like Robin Williams on talk shows, to the dirtier stuff like Robin Williams before he stopped taking drugs. There's a good joke about relationships…well, you just have to hear it yourself. I won't spoil it. Oh, and he's in a movie with sexy Jessica Simpson? I think I'll be first in line.

Padilla is the U.S. citizen held by the government, without charges, with the possibility of being detained indefinitely. Here is what life was like for Padilla, via Glenn Greenwald:

In an effort to gain Mr. Padilla’s "dependency and trust," he was tortured for nearly the entire three years and eight months of his unlawful detention. The torture took myriad forms, each designed to cause pain, anguish, depression and, ultimately, the loss of will to live. The base ingredient in Mr. Padilla’s torture was stark isolation for a substantial portion of his captivity.

For nearly two years – from June 9, 2002 until March 2, 2004, when the Department of Defense permitted Mr. Padilla to have contact with his lawyers – Mr. Padilla was in complete isolation. Even after he was permitted contact with counsel, his conditions of confinement remained essentially the same.

He was kept in a unit comprising sixteen individual cells, eight on the upper level and eight on the lower level, where Mr. Padilla’s cell was located. No other cells in the unit were occupied. His cell was electronically monitored twenty-four hours a day, eliminating the need for a guard to patrol his unit. His only contact with another person was when a guard would deliver and retrieve trays of food and when the government desired to interrogate him.

His isolation, furthermore, was aggravated by the efforts of his captors to maintain complete sensory deprivation. His tiny cell – nine feet by seven feet – had no view to the outside world. The door to his cell had a window, however, it was covered by a magnetic sticker, depriving Mr. Padilla of even a view into the hallway and adjacent common areas of his unit. He was not given a clock or a watch and for most of the time of his captivity, he was unaware whether it was day or night, or what time of year or day it was.

In addition to his extreme isolation, Mr. Padilla was also viciously deprived of sleep. This sleep deprivation was achieved in a variety of ways. For a substantial period of his captivity, Mr. Padilla’s cell contained only a steel bunk with no mattress. The pain and discomfort of sleeping on a cold, steel bunk made it impossible for him to sleep. Mr. Padilla was not given a mattress until the tail end of his captivity. . . .

Other times, his captors would bang the walls and cell bars creating loud startling noises. These disruptions would occur throughout the night and cease only in the morning, when Mr. Padilla’s interrogations would begin. Efforts to manipulate Mr. Padilla and break his will also took the form of the denial of the few benefits he possessed in his cell. . . .

Mr. Padilla’s dehumanization at the hands of his captors also took more sinister forms. Mr. Padilla was often put in stress positions for hours at a time. He would be shackled and manacled, with a belly chain, for hours in his cell. Noxious fumes would be introduced to his room causing his eyes and nose to run. The temperature of his cell would be manipulated, making his cell extremely cold for long stretches of time. Mr. Padilla was denied even the smallest, and most personal shreds of human dignity by being deprived of showering for weeks at a time, yet having to endure forced grooming at the whim of his captors.

A substantial quantum of torture endured by Mr. Padilla came at the hands of his interrogators. In an effort to disorient Mr. Padilla, his captors would deceive him about his location and who his interrogators actually were. Mr. Padilla was threatened with being forcibly removed from the United States to another country, including U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was threatened his fate would be even worse than in the Naval Brig.

He was threatened with being cut with a knife and having alcohol poured on the wounds. He was also threatened with imminent execution. He was hooded and forced to stand in stress positions for long durations of time. He was forced to endure exceedingly long interrogation sessions, without adequate sleep, wherein he would be confronted with false information, scenarios, and documents to further disorient him. Often he had to endure multiple interrogators who would scream, shake, and otherwise assault Mr. Padilla.

Additionally, Mr. Padilla was given drugs against his will, believed to be some form of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or phencyclidine (PCP), to act as a sort of truth serum during his interrogations.

Throughout most of the time Mr. Padilla was held captive in the Naval Brig he had no contact with the outside world. In March 2004, one year and eight months after arriving in the Naval Brig, Mr. Padilla was permitted his first contact with his attorneys. Even thereafter, although Mr. Padilla had access to counsel, and thereby some contact with the outside world, those visits were extremely limited and restricted. . . .

The deprivations, physical abuse, and other forms of inhumane treatment visited upon Mr. Padilla caused serious medical problems that were not adequately addressed. Apart from the psychological damage done to Mr. Padilla, there were numerous health problems brought on by the conditions of his captivity. Mr. Padilla frequently experienced cardiothoracic difficulties while sleeping, or attempting to fall asleep, including a heavy pressure on his chest and an inability to breath or move his body.

In one incident Mr. Padilla felt a burning sensation pulsing through his chest. He requested medical care but was given no relief. Toward the end of his captivity, Mr. Padilla experienced swelling and pressure in his chest and arms. He was administered an electrocardiogram, and given medication. . . . .

The cause of some of the medical problems experienced by Mr. Padilla is obvious. Being cramped in a tiny cell with little or no opportunity for recreation and enduring stress positions and shackling for hours caused great pain and discomfort. It is unclear, though, whether Mr. Padilla’s cardiothoracic problems were a symptom of the stress he endured in captivity, or a side effect from one of the drugs involuntarily induced into Mr. Padilla’s system in the Naval Brig. In either event, the strategically applied measures suffered by Mr. Padilla at the hands of the government caused him both physical and psychological pain and agony.

It is worth noting that throughout his captivity, none of the restrictive and inhumane conditions visited upon Mr. Padilla were brought on by his behavior or by any actions on his part. There were no incidents of Mr. Padilla violating any regulation of the Naval Brig or taking any aggressive action towards any of his captors. Mr. Padilla has always been peaceful and compliant with his captors. He was, and remains to the time of this filing, docile and resigned – a model detainee.

Mr. Padilla also wants to make clear that the deprivation described above did abate somewhat once counsel began negotiating with the officials of the Naval Brig for the improvements of his conditions. Toward the end of Mr. Padilla’s captivity in the Naval Brig he was provided reading materials and some other more humane treatment. However, despite some improvement in Mr. Padilla’s living conditions, the interrogations and torture continued even after the visits with counsel commenced.

In sum, many of the conditions Mr. Padilla experienced were inhumane and caused him great physical and psychological pain and anguish. Other deprivations experienced by Mr. Padilla, taken in isolation, are merely cruel and some, merely petty. However, it is important to recognize that all of the deprivations and assaults recounted above were employed in concert in a calculated manner to cause him maximum anguish.

It is also extremely important to note that the torturous acts visited upon Mr. Padilla were done over the course almost the entire three years and seven months of his captivity in the Naval Brig. For most of one thousand three hundred and seven days, Mr. Padilla was tortured by the United States government without cause or justification. Mr. Padilla’s treatment at the hands of the United States government is shocking to even the most hardened conscience, and such outrageous conduct on the part of the government divests it of jurisdiction, under the Due Process clause of the Fifth Amendment, to prosecute Mr. Padilla in the instant matter.

Life in Bush's America.

Yesterday's Auburn loss--do I really need to go into the gory details--was a real blow for me.

While watching the first quarter, I made a snap prediction: Arkansas 24, Auburn 14. (The final score was much worse: 27-10.) It was clear from the start that Auburn was not going to win this game. They were lackluster, outplayed, outcoached, and not ready to play. Anyone who has watched Auburn this year knows they don't have an explosive offense, so as Arkansas kept pulling away it was clear that Auburn did not have the ability to put together the necessary quick scoring drives. Auburn's only hope of winning was to play solid defense.

President Bush grabs more power for the Executive. From TPM, via the AP:

President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department’s reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists.

In the law Bush signed Wednesday, Congress stated no one but the privacy officer could alter, delay or prohibit the mandatory annual report on Homeland Security department activities that affect privacy, including complaints.

But Bush, in a signing statement attached to the agency’s 2007 spending bill, said he will interpret that section “in a manner consistent with the President’s constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch.”

Drudge is trumpeting this story about major theater chains "refusing" to show controversial Bush assasination film "Death of a President." This, though, is pretty much a non-story and will actually only increase an audience's desire to see the film.

Why is this a non-story?

a)The movie is being released by Newmarket Films. Newmarket is a boutique organization that releases indie, arthouse, and low budget affairs. I'd be surprised if any multiplex has ever showed a film from Newmarket.

b)The film is a low budget, faux-documentary. Hardly a film with mass audience appeal. Why show this movie when you could put "Employee of the Month" on five screens at once?

This is a movie that was always destined to play the art houses. If Landmark Theaters, a large art house chain which the story states is showing interest in the film, drops the movie, then we will have a news story.

On "The O'Reilly Factor," Mark Foley's name was presented on screen followed by this designator: (D-FL).

Ugh.

Little confused by all the critical love for this show. Yes, there are possibly some interesting mysteries to be revealed as the story of the bank heist unfolds. And the cast seems up to the task. (It's always good to see Chi McBride. Definitely the best part of the ridiculous "Boston Public.")

But the happy reunion at the end of the show strains credibility to the breaking point. These nine ex-bank hostages have been through the most horrific fifty-two hours of their lives--there may have been sexual assault, family members were killed, relationships shattered--and they all decide to meet up at the end of the show to laugh together and have coffee and pie in a diner. "Remember that horrific time we were hostages together and your sister was killed and my daughter was scarred for life. Those were the days." Dumb. I found the contrived third grade reunion of "The Class" more believable. (Which, by the way, is getting better. Jason Ritter is starting to show some of the comic timing of his famous father.)

I was only slightly more impressed by this serial than the goofy "Six Degrees."

New shows more worth your time than "The Nine": "Heroes," "Friday Night Lights," "Studio 60."

I've been unable to write movie reviews for two of the lackluster movies I've seen this Fall. September stinks. Here goes some quickies:

"The Black Dahlia"--confusing Elroy adaptation. Kind of cheap looking. Hartnett can't handle the load, but Fiona Shaw is fantastic as grand guignol mistress worthy to share screen with Aldrich diva Bette Davis. Makes you appreciate Elroy adaptation "L.A. Confidential" all the more.

"All the King's Men"--this movie was shelved for a year for a very good reason. Long. Overstuffed. Too much exposition, not enough character. (So common in adaptations.) Turned my favorite novel into a curiously flat fable about political corruption. Skip it.

This image is very effective. Looks like a promotional still for the HBO series "Oz." That guy on the left really scares me.

Or so I'm predicting given this news.

From TPM:

A senior congressional aide said Wednesday he told House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office in 2004 about worrisome conduct by former Rep. Mark Foley with teenage pages -- the earliest known alert to the GOP leadership.

Kirk Fordham told The Associated Press that when he was told about Foley's inappropriate behavior toward pages, he had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene."

The conversations took place long before the e-mail scandal broke, Fordham said, and at least a year earlier than members of the House GOP leadership have acknowledged.

Hastert's only hope was that the story died. Soon. But it appears to have legs

"Friday Night Lights" is fantastic. Like the movie on which the show is based, this show understands football and how to present it on film. The final game is gripping and is short enough to keep non-fans interested.

If you have seen a sports film before you will probably figure out where the story's going, but you won't care. This is a slick, quality production that's gonna get its hooks in you if you give it an hour. The conclusion packs an emotional wallop and it doesn't feel cheap.

Pilots--first episodes of a series--have the burden of establishing characters, setting, and mystery. This heavy burden often stifles dramatic momentum, but producer Peter Berg in about forty-five minutes creates both an amazing pilot and great stand alone story. This is one of the best pilots in recent memory. (Up there with "The Sopranos," "Oz," and "Lost.")

The story: New high school head coach Eric Taylor (the perenially reliable Kyle Chandler) leads the Dillon Panthers through a season burdened by expectations of greatness. The town of Dillon stops dead on Friday nights and AM radio is non-stop Panther talk including constant critiques of the coach and players. Coach Taylor cannot have a losing season. The town would crucify him.

Connie Britton ("Spin City") stands out in the often-thankless role of coach's wife. I also enjoyed the Damon-esque Jesse Plemons who plays Landry Clarke, weirdo best friend of backup QB Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford).

You can watch the show here, or catch it again tonight at 7 on NBC. (It normally airs at 7pm on Tuesdays.)

(Why did NBC premiere its sports-centric show the opening night of the baseball playoffs? Are they burying this? I hope not.)

"Heroes" is just getting more interesting. Loved the ending. Watch last night's episode here.

I'm liking "Studio 60," but the skits in the show are a little weak and way too highbrow. Even "New Yorker" readers roll their eyes at commedia dell'arte references. Highbrow does not equal clever.

What a tool.

Anyone else find it odd that the price of gasoline has dropped so precipitously in the last month? And this drop was shortly after BP shut down their massive pipeline which was supposed to push the price of gasoline even higher.

>Some answers about gas pricing from Bob Woodward:

[..]But, elsewhere in his narrative, Woodward provides compelling evidence that the real problem may be worse — the rogue's gallery of outside advisors who do have regular unmediated access to the president. It is not accidental that "State of Denial" begins with a reprise of the Bush family's intimate relationship with a former Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar. At the instruction of his father (Bush 41), Bush (soon to be 43) met with Bandar in 1997 and confided, "I'm thinking of running for president … And I don't have the foggiest idea about what I think about international foreign policy." You do not have to be a Michael Moore-style conspiracy theorist to find it worrisome that a Saudi prince is put in charge of giving a future president his worldview.

Bandar, who may now be much more willing to go public with Woodward since he has returned home to Saudi Arabia, keeps popping up in the narrative in chilling ways. The administration's infamous rendition policy … may have begun shortly after 9/11 when Bush told Bandar, "If we get somebody and we can't get them to cooperate, we'll hand them over to you."

The book also describes Bandar's Oval Office meeting in early 2004 with Bush, Condi Rice (then the national security advisor) and White House chief of staff Andrew Card (another source, since he has now left the administration). Bush, Woodward writes, "thanked Bandar for what the Saudis were doing on oil — essentially flooding the market and trying to keep the price as low as possible. [Bush] expressed appreciation for the policy and the impact it could have during the election year."

...Woodward says that Bandar understood that economic conditions were key before a presidential election: "They're [oil prices] high. And they could go down very quickly. That's the Saudi pledge. Certainly over the summer, or as we get closer to the election, they could increase production several million barrels a day and the price would drop significantly."

Or so I'm hoping. I seem to be one of the few--besides my wife--who thinks "The Aviator" is a jaw-droppingly awesome, fantastic, visceral movie experience. It's in my top five.

I have very high hopes for "The Departed." Hopefully more "The Aviator" then "Gangs of New York."

One more for the pile:

LARRY KING: We're back with Bob Woodward. The book "State of Denial." Tell us about Rumsfeld talking about Mission Accomplished banner on the ship.

WOODWARD: This is May 1st, 2003, the very famous speech the president gave on the aircraft carrier, the Kennedy. You know there was that sign, Mission Accomplished. And I asked Rumsfeld about it and said he was -- Rumsfeld was in Baghdad and they sent him an advanced copy of the speech. And he said, I almost died because mission accomplished was in the speech. And he said, I got it out of the speech but I didn't get the sign down. Now they've always put out the story that it was the Navy that put up the sign. And there's the secretary of defense saying it was in the speech.

Remember, Bush blamed that foolish mission accomplished banner on the Navy. You should now feel completely okay mocking Bush for saying/implying "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq.

Rolling Stone has an essential article detailing the life of a Gitmo prisoner. If you support the president's torture and detainment policies, then you must read this eye-opening story. It should give you serious pause.

Attacking Iraq was not a last resort after UN inspectors and weapons searches failed. It was a long-planned-for event.

The run-up to the war was all political theater meant to bamboozle the American public. Whether or not we were lied to is a moot question at this point.

Mark Foley, who sent sexually explicit messages to underaged men, may irreperably harm his party's leadership. The Dems--who have failed so often to be a principled, opposition party--may ride this one all the way to control of both houses of Congress. And yet, while I don't doubt there are some giddy party operatives who are happy to see this scandal emerge, the reasoning behind the Democrat calls for investigation are sound.

If the GOP leadership knew of the scandal and covered it up, those involved should resign.

Dennis Hastert, who is on the hot seat, is actively pursuing a cover-up of the scandal. It's clearly time for him to go. If not from Congress, then he should at least step down from his position of leadership.

Woodward's interview last night on "60 Minutes" did not reveal much new about the Iraq war fiasco. What continues to materialize is a picture of a president who believes that winning in Iraq will happen, must happen, and will be his legacy. Nothing will get in the way of this vision--not the situation on the ground or the critics in his own administration. Bush is acting on faith on this one and will not entertain criticism.

Surprises from the interview:

--every week there are over 800 attacks against coalition forces.
--Henry Kissinger is advising the White House on the Iraq War. Woodward states: "Kissinger is refighting the Vietnam War."

You can see the "60 Minutes" report here.

Check out this blog from Emma, one of our readers from across the pond. She's got plenty o' movie reviews--my kind of blog--many for movies us yanks haven't seen yet, like "Volver" and the intriguing Justin Timberlake film "Alpha Male."

"Saturday Night Live" got off to an inauspicious start last night with its new slimmed down cast. This is the first season I ever remember not having a featured as well as starring cast.

Dane Cook, who also hosted last year, gave another lackluster performance. Cook seems to think the louder you speak, the funnier it is. I would be happy to never see him host again.

Glad to see Maya Rudolph back in heavy rotation. She was the highlight of last night's show. Next to Darrell Hammond, the best of the current cast.

Good to see Seth Meyers as the co-anchor on "Update." The Brian Williams cameo was a nice surprise. Liked Hader's Pacino impersonation, though the skit was a little weak.

If I was gonna grade the episode: C+.

Last night's best game was USC at Washington State. What a nail-biter. This game was far better than the overhyped Ohio State at Iowa blowout.

Washington State almost pulled off a huge upset that would have made me one happy man. A loss by USC would have pushed Auburn into the #2 spot in the Coaches Poll and left them in the national championship driver's seat. Auburn should be there anyway, though. USC and Auburn will not face one another in the regular season, but Auburn destroyed Washington State 40-14 and USC struggled against them, 28-22. Voters should give AU the slight edge, but that has not happened. But it looks like USC will lose 1-2 games in their regular season. (I'll ask again: if Auburn should beat Arkansas convincingly as USC did at the beginning of the season, will they similarly leap over USC?)

The media needs to stop calling Auburn the #2 team in the nation. Why? Because they are only ranked second in the AP poll. In the Coaches--the poll that actually has championship implications--they are #3. The AP ranking is somewhat meaningless.

Did Vanderbilt cover the 33 point spread against the Temple Owls? Not quite. Final score: Vanderbilt 43, Temple 14.

Though Auburn struggled against South Carolina on Thursday, this win will appear more impressive as the year goes on. The Gamecocks are a great team under the leadership of QB Syvelle Newton and can conceivably win the rest of their games this season, even upsetting Florida. South Carolina will finish the season with 9-10 wins.