Ranting On...SB 1062

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

All right-I’ve been a bit lax recently with my posting (a bit would actually be wildly generous).  But February has sort of consumed my life, and travel, work, the Olympics, and dating have all taken over my free time, so I haven’t been able to devote the time I would have hoped to the blog (this exact thing happened last year-perhaps I should remember this twelve months from now that February is a free time suck).

But March is coming, and for the blog it’s coming in like a lion, as I want to write more posts, starting with today’s.  I know that this could be moot by as soon as a few hours from now, since Gov. Jan Brewer is almost certain to announce her support or opposition to SB1062 in the next 48 hours, and my gut is telling me it will be the latter considering the overwhelming cover she has from the business community and her state’s two Republican senators supporting a veto.  That being said, though, it says something that SB1062 was able to be passed at all, and considering other like-minded bills floating through the concaves of the Republican Party, it calls into question what the GOP needs to start doing on gay rights.

I’m not going to argue whether the bill is a good idea or not-it’s clearly a terrible idea on nearly all fronts.  People are generally sympathetic of the religious struggles people encounter when it comes to gay marriage and their beliefs, particularly when they are civilians and not politicians (if you can’t make up your mind as a politician, don’t run for such an office).  However, only a moron would assume that they could refuse service to a GLBT citizen and not endure some sort of backlash from the community at large.  Maybe I’m being a bit naïve here (I obviously have heard stories of florists or photographers refusing to work at gay weddings, and businesses like Chick-fil-A and Papa John’s are still around), but even the most conservative areas of the country have a sole purpose in business-to make more money.  I am openly gay and live in a relatively liberal part of the country, but last weekend I went to a deep red state.  I was still openly gay, and yet when I bought gas, groceries, and food at a restaurant, I was never once asked about my sexual orientation, and that’s because the people I was interacting at these businesses didn’t care.  They only cared that I could pay for the goods and services that I was purchasing.  That’s the whole point of business.

And that’s what John McCain and Jeff Flake and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of typically and reliably conservative leaders are aware of as well-this could take a serious hit on the Arizonan economy.  Look at happened when the state pulled a similar stunt with not allowing MLK Day to be a federal holiday in 1992, which resulted in them losing the Cowboys/Bills Super Bowl.  A similar event could well happen if Brewer doesn’t veto the bill this next year, as Arizona is scheduled to host Super Bowl XLIX next year in Glendale.

It’s also worth noting that this would be a large hit on the businesses of the state, and the reputation of the state’s business community.  How will it help with recruiting talent from other states to come and work for you if you have a harsh anti-gay law on the books?  Why would gay tourists consider visiting your state (and Arizona in particular relies heavily on tourism dollars)?

And what does it say now about the Republican Party that this is the direction they’re taking with the anti-gay (for lack of a better term) movement.  The other major gay news of the week was Jack Burkman’s bizarre and pointless move to try and get Congress to ban gay men from competing in the NFL, spurred by the likelihood that Michael Sam will become the first openly gay member of the league.  The bill has no hope of passing through Congress (it’d struggle even in the Republican-led House, and I’m guessing Harry Reid would take personal pleasure throwing it in the garbage if it made it to the Senate), and likely will just put Republican lawmakers into extremely uncomfortable positions in the “do I have more of a risk in a primary or a general election,” and will surely give senate candidates like Steve Daines heartburn.

The reality is, though, that with the GOP controlling a host of governor’s mansions and state legislatures, this is an issue that is not going away.  Even if Brewer vetoes the bill, there’s definitely going to be a high-profile state that pushes such a bill claiming religious freedom.  Heck, look at how many states don’t actually ban employment discrimination even today or how State Sen. Al Melvin, one of the chief proponents for the bill, is running to replace Brewer in November’s election.  This is probably going to get worse before it gets better in red states, and I have to say, there’s a giant Midterm election coming up that could put some fear into Republican governor’s who are in support of such legislation.  Usually Democrats and gay-friendly supporters don’t have a lot of options in one-sided elections, but that’s not the case in a host of Romney-won states this year.  Major gubernatorial elections in dark red states such as Kansas, Texas, South Carolina, and of course Arizona, as well as Senate races in West Virginia, Montana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, and Alaska are all surefire ways to say that you don’t support a bill like this.  I know that Brewer could well veto the law, but it says something that this did indeed pass the legislature, and that your vote does matter severely in this particular fight.  So cast it well.

Olympic Images of the Day: Days 11 & 12

Okay, I think most of these are actually from Day 12 (no one wants to see Bode Miller cry, so I won't put photos of it here).  Actually, until I realized that it would be unfair to just feature two people in this post, I almost didn't put anyone except America's newest sweethearts, Charlie White and Meryl Davis.  But here's three of the cutest (seriously-is his hair animated by Pixar?!?) photos I found:

Gold medals for all!

I would be remiss, though, if I didn't point out the bizarreness of Steve Langton-the guy looks like an adonis, but for some reason no one wants to ask him any questions (did anyone else notice how bizarre that was?)-everyone was just talking about Steve Holcomb.  So in honor of that, I will only put a picture of bronze medalist Steve Langton, the Rodney Dangerfield of the bobsledding world.

I need to get back to writing about movies and politics before people start seeing all these shirtless photos and get the wrong idea about this blog.  Oh well-tis the (Olympic) season.  Happy Tuesday!

Olympics Images of the Day: Days 9 & 10

I've been watching every second, even if I haven't been blogging it all (lots of unexpectedness this weekend kept me from tackling 95% of my To Do list).  Here are some highlights from the weekend:

America's new favorite human being, TJ Oshie, helped carry the United States to a stunning shootout victory over the Russians.  I watched almost the entire game, and I have to say-an absolute nail-biting and sublime piece of athletics.

American skeletoner Nicole Pikus Pace, also known as the nicest person ever (did you see the videos of her with her family-adorable) took home a silver medal at her final Olympics.  From her exuberant reaction, it was certainly good as gold.

No, he didn't win a gold medal...or a silver or a bronze.  But skeletoner John Daly looks like a greek god crossed with the boy next door with a pinch of a Ken doll, so you know, he's already better off than all of us.

Here's one more of him:

Olympic Images of the Day: Days 7 & 8

My eyes are starting to look like Bob Costas's (is it possible to catch an infection through the television?) after what was a painfully long week.  However, there are Olympians that certainly have worked harder than me, and we must recognize them!

In a fantastic-to-watch tie, Tina Maze of Slovenia and Dominique Gisin of Switzerland tied in women's Alpine Skiing.  This is particularly exciting for Slovenia, who enjoyed their first Winter Olympic gold with this victory (ever!).

For only the third time in Winter Olympic history, the Americans swept an event.  Joss Christensen Gus Kenworthy, and Nicholas Goepper took gold, silver, and bronze (respectively) in the men's ski slopestyle in an incredible performance that helped catch the US up in the medal count.  Also, what sort of conditioner do you think I would need to use to have Nicholas Goepper's hair, because that is something I want to sign up for?

And finally, I know that it didn't have the jaw-dropping appeal of Jeremy Abbott recovering from his quad or Evgeni Plushenko retiring on the ice, but I just like Patrick Chan of Canada better and think he's adorable, and so he gets my last picture.  It's my blog, it's Friday, and I'm doing what I want! :)

Those are my bratty thoughts coming out of the Olympics-did you have a favorite moment over the past two days-are you ready for wall-to-wall hockey coverage and (soon) the instant celebrity that is about to be bestowed on Gracie Gold and/or Ashley Wagner if they get in medal contention?

Olympic Images of the Day: Days 5 & 6

Days 5 and 6 are now done in Sochi, and after a fairly solid start, the Americans have taken a bit of a backseat to their European and Canadian counterparts.  Major stars such as Bode Miller and Shaun White have both missed the podium in high profile races.  But that doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of great stories (plus, my blog is read by people around the world, and I don't want to just show American favoritism here).

Iouri Podlatchikov (no wonder people call him iPod) took the gold in the race that "Shaun White lost" (if you're from the US, you'll understand that rather insulting headline, as that's what most of the news outlets put instead of iPod's victory).  Also, is it just me or does everyone in snoboarding look like they are in a Neutrogena ad?

Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir (the world's tallest man...I like tall guys, what's it to you?) managed to crack the Top 10 in figure skating, and while there were other, better skaters, I'm really just looking for reasons now to put pictures up of their height difference.

And then of course there were the Mulder Twins in speed skating (I got into a disagreement with my friend Diane about the excitement factor in speed skating, but this is not really my favorite event).  Either way, twin brothers and a Dutch sweep of the podium is worth celebrating, so well done to them.

In fact, I'll drink to that.

That's it out of Sochi-stay tuned for something tomorrow (not sure what's on tonight, but I shall be watching with bells on).  And get better Bob!!!

Olympic Images of the Day: Day 4

I stayed up way later than I should have and had way too much spaghetti last night, but it was all worth it to spend time with more Olympics moments (I always have to get off of a high whenever I watch these things-I feel like I'll be doing imaginary triple salchows in my dining room for days).  Here are some highlights:

Okay, I don't have a photo for this one, but can we all just agree that Mary Carillo is the greatest human being on the planet-I love her spunk and candor.  She's like the anti-Scott Hamilton.

I will readily admit that up until last night, I was getting a very Tara Lipinski vibe from Gracie Gold (I'm very much Team Kwan), but she won me over with a vibrant long skate.  I am starting to wonder if she's about to become the next household name of the Olympics-the Americans haven't won a gold medal in the women's figure skating since Sarah Hughes, and the country seems primed for another trip to the podium.

You know those pointless petitions about the Death Star and Justin Bieber people submit to the White House?  Can we start one to get Charlie White and Meryl Davis to be dating?  Because between her grace and poise and his curly blond hair and quads of granite, I think them procreating would create a superhuman that would save mankind.

Jamie Anderson picked up the gold medal, the second for the Americans of the Games, but I'm going to admit-as awesome as Jamie Anderson is, there's possibly someone even cooler...

...and that would be Jamie Anderson's mom.  Because while mothers everywhere are always a major fixture of the Olympics, how many people have mothers who are waving a "Team Every1" banner?  Pretty darn cool, the Andersons are.

Olympic Images of the Day: Day 2 & 3

I had a fun day out on the town yesterday (caught the animated short nominees-more on that later!), but first, we have to get to some of the great Olympic images of the past two days (am love, love, loving this Olympics just as much as I always do).

The agony of defeat...such a cool concept that didn't quite get there (though I hear that in Russia they showed a shot from rehearsal so it did in fact work).

The thrill of victory...nothing quite beat the elegance of that Olympic flame, outdoors and amidst all the beautiful, snowy landscape.

Sage Kotsenburg, one really chill dude (I'm not 100% feeling the "hey man" attitude of the snowboarders quite yet, but I'll get there), blew away the competition in one of the biggest nail-biters (for me) of the game so far, winning the first American gold of the game in the Slopestyle.

More tonight (and possibly another photo of Charlie & Meryl, my two new beloveds that I'm afraid to Google search for since they may compete today and I had an issue with that yesterday with the ten-hour difference and my aversion to spoilers), but what's been your favorite moment of the Games so far?

Top 10 Greatest Oscar Dresses

For me, the Oscars are all about the movies and the performances and the celebration of the cinema.  That being said, I'm more than aware that for some people it's a giant fashion show that somehow gets bogged down by clip shows and shiny gold men.  For those people, this is for you.  I am not a fashionista, but from my remembrance (and from photos), I have given below my Top 10 favorite Oscar dresses (year listed is the year of the ceremony).

10. Halle Berry in Elie Saab (2002)

When you know there's a good chance you're about to get a very historic Oscar and you happen to have the body and face of Helen of Troy, going outside the box is a great idea.  Only Berry could pull off a sheer floral top with the burgundy skirt, but that's who wore it so it makes the list.

9. Grace Kelly in Edith Head (1955)

The black-and-white photos have never done this elegant, subtly mint green dress justice-just the faintest hint of color pops when offset by Kelly's alabaster skin and elbow-length white gloves.

8. Uma Thurman in Prada (1995)

Thuman has only ever received one Oscar nomination, and she sure made the most of it with a spectacularly gorgeous lavender Prada dress.  Her makeup and statuesque beauty highlight it, but the thing that pulls this together is the supremely luxurious shawl.  This is a woman who knows classic movie star glamour.

7. Elizabeth Taylor in Dior (1961)

Liz had just had one helluva a year with the death of her husband Mike Todd, then she ran off with Debbie Reynolds' husband Eddie Fisher and nearly died (you can see her tracheotomy scar in this photo).  The Oscar was certain to be hers, and she owned the red carpet in her Dior (in fact, Melina Mercouri, Deborah Kerr, and Shirley MacLaine all skipped the ceremony Taylor was such a frontrunner).

6. Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy (1954)

Hepburn basically invented great Oscar fashion (and made herself a fashion icon for all-time) when she won her trophy for Roman Holiday and sported classic white Givenchy (don't you love that she totally pulls off the belt?).

5. Nicole Kidman in Dior (1997)

Joan Rivers famously hated it ("here comes Nicole Kidman in the ugliest shade of green I've ever seen"), but I cannot get enough-hyper elegant, slightly exotic, and a color no one ever rocked before (or really has rocked so well since).  The top bead work reminds me of Berry's dress in the sense that only Kidman could pull it off, and she would remain a fashion icon for the upcoming sixteen years.

4. Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive (2007)

I honestly could put ten Cate Blanchett dresses on this list and just be fine with it.  Between she, Kidman, and the woman at number two on this list, that's pretty much my entire fashion lexicon.  If in doubt, I'll always list one of them as the best-dressed of the night.  Though she didn't win for Notes on a Scandal, Blanchett clearly demanded the red carpet and looked like a goddess in this chic metallic gown.

3. Susan Sarandon in Dolce & Gabbana (1996)

I'm aware that some of you may hate this dress, but I don't care.  I have always been obsessed with the confidence of this gown (along with the sunglasses).  Copper is a color that only some people can pull off, but Sarandon surely is one of them.  An actress at the height of her fame and power.

2. Kate Winslet in Ben de Lisi (2002)

Winslet always hits a home run, in my opinion.  I even loved her dress at the 1998 Oscars.  I have to admit, though, that I'm with the consensus-this gorgeous red Ben de Lisi dress is the clear winner.  Winslet, like many before her on this list, didn't win her Oscar that night but this was a clear victor.

1. Julia Roberts in Valentino (2001)

 I honestly wasn't sure where I'd go with the number one dress, but how could it not be this?  Perfectly blending modern Hollywood with its classical roots, Roberts found elegant, simple lines with this black and white gown that brilliantly highlighted not only her beauty, but the ultimate accessory: Oscar himself.

Those are my choices-how about you?  What is your favorite Oscar dress?

State of the Race: The Governors, Part 2

Where last we left off, we were looking into the seats where the Democrats were on the defense.  Now, though, it’s time to discuss a bit of offense, as there are far more Republican seats up than Democratic ones.

Republican Open Seats

State Sen. Wendy Davis

While Denny Daugaard (SD) and Matt Mead (WY) both haven’t officially announced that they are headed for reelection, both almost certainly will and even if they don’t the Democrats have absolutely no shot of winning in either case.  Moving on, there’s just three seats that are open and none of them look super promising for the Democrats.  The most likely to be retained by the GOP is probably Nebraska, where a half dozen Republicans are running to replace Governor Dave Heineman (who is term-limited and oddly turned down a certain Senate seat).  The Democrats have a Grade-C candidate who will run a respectable but unsuccessful campaign in Center for Rural Affairs Director Chuck Hassebrook.

The most high profile race in this trio is the one pitting Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott against liberal superstar State Sen. Wendy Davis.  Davis became famous in June of 2013 for her multi-hour filibuster regarding abortion rights, starting a major Twitter campaign (if you’ll recall, I “stood with Wendy”) and becoming a celebrity overnight.  As a result, her fundraising is absolutely spectacular, and money in a race where she’ll need tens of millions does not seem in short supply.  That being said, a liberal state senator is going to have an extraordinarily difficult time running in Texas, and her campaign has had a number of hiccups (particularly surrounding alleged inaccuracies in her biography) and what was once a longshot is becoming longer by the day.

The state Democrats could actually win in an open election is Arizona, which has been closer for the Democrats in the past few years and the growing Latino/Hispanic community in the state has increased the odds for Democrats running here (it’s only a matter of time before the Democrats take either this spot or one of the Senate seats).  However, there’s a number of Republicans in the race (and Governor Jan Brewer keeps trying to find her way to another term), so I wouldn’t bet on Arizona Board of Regents Chair Fred DuVal.

Republicans Running for Reelection

Instead, the Democrats will probably have to do what they tend to do well in order to win seats-taking out incumbents.  While Robert Bentley (AL), Sean Parnell (AK), Butch Otter (ID), Terry Branstad (IA), Brian Sandoval (NV), Susana Martinez (NM), Mary Fallin (OK), and Bill Haslam (TN) all are certain to win their races (the Nevada and New Mexico seats stick in my craw too that we’re just giving them up, but you find me a candidate worth cheering for in those blue-purple states), but there are still nine other races that are within the Democrats’ grasp.

Rep. Allyson Schwartz

The best shot they have is surely the Keystone State.  I don’t know that an incumbent governor has ever lost reelection in Pennsylvania (if they have, it hasn’t been in modern history), but Gov. Tom Corbett has appallingly bad approval ratings, and Rep. Allyson Schwartz (his likely opponent) has been taking advantage of them quite readily on the campaign trail.  When you have your own party wondering if you should step down as an incumbent, you know you’re in bad shape and his head-to-head matchup numbers have been double-digit deficits against Schwartz.  If the election were held today, this would be a blow-out, and Corbett seems assured only one term.

Probably the next closest race right now is in Maine.  Gov. Paul LePage is wildly unpopular, and if he were in a traditional head-to-head with Rep. Mike Michaud, we’d all be calling him a goner (more than even Corbett), but Maine has a strong tradition of third party candidates, and Independent candidate Eliot Cutler (who actually outperformed the Democrat four years ago for this same office) will take away vital progressive votes from Michaud.  Michaud is a better candidate than State Sen. Libby Mitchell, and Democrats are more aware now that LePage is a real possibility for a win in a three-way race.  I would imagine that Michaud takes this, becoming the first openly gay man elected governor of a state.

In Florida, as is evidenced by polls that came out yesterday morning, former Gov. Charlie Crist (R-I-D…it depends on the day, but he’s sporting blue at the moment) is in great shape to pick up a crucial victory for the Democrats in the Sunshine State.  Gov. Rick Scott is fairly unpopular, but has an estimated $218 million in personal money and is not above spending it.

These three states stand today as the Democrats’ best shots at pickups, but there are a few other races that are still possibilities, though I’d say the Republican has the edge (the first three states I’d side with a Democratic pickup right now).  Three of those vulnerable Republican governors are in states that President Obama won in 2008 and 2012: John Kasich (OH), Scott Walker (WI), and Rick Snyder (MI).

Rep. Mark Schauer

On paper Snyder of course makes the most sense, as he’s in the bluest of the three states and has the worst approval ratings, but as others have proven before him, Midwestern Republican governors tend to do well when they run for reelection.  Snyder’s opponent isn’t great either: former Rep. Mark Schauer would be fine, except his last race was a recent loss (2010), and he only has one term in the House to boast of while running.  This hasn’t stopped people from getting promoted before (just ask Maria Cantwell), but the Democrats’ thin bench is allowing Schauer this nomination; the state, thanks to the longevity of its House incumbents, sports the weakest bench in a blue state in the country.  That said, if this ends up being a generic Republican vs. generic Democrat sort of battle, Michigan is a consistently blue state.

I have frequently discussed my disdain for recall elections, and you can look no further than Wisconsin for evidence-the Democrats start out in a severely weakened state heading into this race, since Scott Walker has now won twice in the past few years, and is still my dark horse guess for the Republican nomination two years from now.  Former Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Mary Burke has deep pockets and a decent resume despite little elected experience and her profile would be acceptable if Walker becomes vulnerable.  National Democrats, after the idiocy of their treatment of Barbara Buono in 2013 (considering bridgegate, she should have won that race with a little more sleuthing from national Democrats), should be banging on every door in Milwaukee to try and take down the only serious Republican nominee for president up for re-election in 2014 (aside from Paul Ryan, and there’s no beating him).

Lastly, there’s Kasich, who is an outside contender for the national ticket in 2016 (then again, is there a Republican governor who isn’t mentioned for it at least in passing?), but not nearly to the extent that Walker is.  Considering his recovering approval ratings, this is the least promising race of the three, but Ed FitzGerald, a Cuyahoga County Executive, has kept this race surprisingly in the margins, and shouldn’t be discounted.

It’s worth noting that with states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, and Michigan being mentioned here that no one wants victory for the Democrats more than Hillary Clinton.  When Terry McAuliffe won in 2013 in Virginia, Clinton gained a crucial ally (with a winning GOTV team) that she could utilize in a battleground state.  I would imagine that the Clintons will be making appearances on behalf of Crist, Schwartz, FitzGerald, and the like in the upcoming months in hopes of gaining favors with potential governors that they’ll need to carry crucial 2016 states.  I’d also expect people like Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, and Jeb Bush to also be out on the campaign trail for the GOP side (those endorsements could come in handy).

State Sen. Jason Carter

We’ll end with three red states that for some reason are still in play: Georgia, Kansas, and South Carolina.  While governor’s mansions are far more swing-between-the-parties than federal races, it’s hard to see Nathan Deal, Sam Brownback, or Nikki Haley (respectively) losing in today’s environment.  That said, none of them have strong approval ratings, and in the case of Brownback, he’s actually doing quite poorly.  I would wager all three come through in the end, but their challengers aren’t slouches.  State Senator Vincent Shaheen (SC) ran a very tight race against Haley in a landslide Republican year in 2010, State Sen. Jason Carter has political legacy (he is the former President’s grandson) and a great campaign partner in Michelle Nunn, and Minority Leader Paul Davis has continued to poll outstandingly well for a Democrat in the Sunflower State.  And since everyone wants to know what these seats mean for 2016, it’s worth noting that Haley has a pivotal early primary state (one that southern governors like Mike Huckabee and Jeb Bush will be paying attention to), Carter represents a state with shifting demographics (Hillary is certainly looking at the Peach State in the same way Barack Obama looked at North Carolina in 2008), and Davis…well, a Republican incumbent losing in a state like Kansas would be weird and worth noting even if it would mean squat in 2016.

And those are my thoughts on the gubernatorial races.  We’ll soon dive into the House races, but first-anyone have any thoughts on the gubernatorial elections?  Which incumbent do you most suspect will be collecting unemployment come January?  Share in the comments!

Everybody's Linking for the Weekend

Who needed a Friday?  I know I sure did-here's what you may have missed this week.

In Entertainment...

Kristin Scott Thomas

The Guardian: In a deeply reflective and excellent interview (seriously-why can we not get interviews like this stateside from interesting artists?), Kristin Scott Thomas discusses everything from anti-semitism in France to aging to her impending retirement from film.  Hopefully this doesn't stick, as Scott Thomas is one of the greatest actors in the world, but maybe a break for a while will help her recharge on the stage.  A permanent retirement would be a tragedy, though.

Film Experience: Nathaniel takes a very level-headed approach to the entire Woody/Mia/Dylan debate raging in the tabloid press.  Definitely worth a read, and I echo him on almost every point.

Vidiocy: A truly great article about the complicated relationship between Pauline Kael and one of her nemeses Meryl Streep.  I have never once read Meryl give a remark that cutting about anyone (she's one of the most polished celebrities around), so it's worth it just for the calculated shade.

Los Angeles Times: I'm sure everyone's had a thought on this, but J.K. Rowling has declared that Ron and Hermione was a pairing she regretted in hindsight.  While I love that Rowling continues the conversation about this world, part of me wonders if she should have just done the recommendations.  This is particularly directed toward the Dumbledore outing, which would have been monumental if she'd had someone say something in the actual books.  Here, I'm a fan of this coupling (opposites attract), though if you want to splash a the cold water of reality on the pairing, she's right-this wasn't meant for paradise.  In real life, opposites end up in couples therapy.

In Politics...

Second Lady Joan Mondale

CNN: In one of the nastiest moves so far of the election season, the NRCC has launched a series of fake websites meant to mimic their opponents, such as Montana Democrat John Lewis.

Also from CNN: Congress so rarely passes anything anymore, it's kind of stunning when they do.  While there's a lot of things to not like about the farm bill (I probably would have supported it, but with a heavy heart), here's some of things you should know about it.

New York Times: Former Second Lady Joan Mondale passed away this week at the age of 83.  Interesting fact: I met Mrs. Mondale once.  I was nineteen, and was attending a law school event on my campus.  The Vice President was speaking, and afterwards, I went up to former Minnesota Attorney General Miles Lord to introduce myself.  We chatted a bit, and he said he was going to go and speak with the Vice President.  I shook his hand, and he asked if I wanted to go meet the vice president.  I got waved through security and chatted for several minutes with both Mondales.  Definitely one of the most surreal moments of my life, and she was delightful.

Ambassador Max Baucus

CBS News: The U.S. Senate approved Sen. Max Baucus to be the next Ambassador to China.  Aside from this being a large post for Baucus and in general (before Baucus, two governors held the post), this could cause a major trickle down effect that could impact the 2014 elections.  Baucus's departure means that Ron Wyden will take over at Finance, and that Mary Landrieu, vulnerable in 2014, will become the head of the Senate Energy committee, a powerful tool for her reelection in Louisiana, a state which greatly relies on energy for its economy.  Additionally, Baucus's departure means that Gov. Steve Bullock (D) will be able to appoint a replacement, and the smart money is on Lt. Governor John Walsh, who is already running.  With incumbency, Walsh will be able to start building a voting record and have more access to donors, franking privileges, and just name recognition in general.  In fact, this is such a good idea I really wish that President Obama would give some post quickly to Jay Rockefeller so that we could start a similar push with Natalie Tennant in West Virginia.

New York Daily News: I love Joe Biden more than life itself, and his comments regarding LaGuardia are dead-on.  Considering New York City is the greatest city in the world, why is it that their major airport LaGuardia looks like a strip mall?  The only reason that anyone prefers JFK (which looks like a slightly higher-end strip mall) is because LaGuardia is the uglier guy making it look good.

RT: Fracking is one of my greatest pet peeves because of the truly horrible things it does to our environment and water supply, and this is just another log for the fire-some of the areas suffering from the worst droughts in the United States are also having some of their precious water supply being used up by this dangerous practice.

Just One More...

Bleacher Report: Chris Kluwe, whom I've discussed before on the blog, is potentially looking at legal action against the Minnesota Vikings over his controversial firing and the retention of a coach who made homophobic comments (allegedly).  Kluwe can do no wrong in my book, so I'm behind this, and we'll probably continue to cover this story as it unfolds, even though football is not in my regular forte.

Olympic Images of the Day: Day 1

THEY'RE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot tell you how excited I am that we're back in the world of the Olympics, and like last time (scroll down a bit and you'll see London), I'll be doing photos of some of my favorite moments of the day after each day's worth of events (I'm finishing up right now on viewing!).

American pairs skaters Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli doing some incredible twists.  I'm not going to make all of these photos of figure skaters (mostly because I cannot stand Jeremy Abbott and his dismissiveness of homophobia), but I am in love with Simon and Marissa's crazy 16-inch height difference.

American Gold Medalist Hannah Kearney crushed it in the moguls, setting herself up for the Finals on Saturday to defend her title.

Russian snowboarder Alexey Sobolev poses with his snowboard, which bares the insignia of the band Pussy Riot, members of whom were jailed for their support of GLBT rights and public denouncements against Vladimir Putin.

Those were some of my standout moments from the first day-what were yours?  Are you excited to see the opening ceremonies tomorrow?  Share in the comments!

OVP: Nebraska (2013)

Film: Nebraska (2013)

Stars: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk

Director: Alexander Payne

Oscar History: 6 nominations (Best Picture, Director, Actor-Bruce Dern, Supporting Actress-June Squibb, Original Screenplay, Cinematography)

Snap Judgment Ranking: 2/5 stars

I swear I used to like Alexander Payne movies.  I remember adoring Election the first time I saw it; so snappy and full of cuts and bruises and truth.  I remember thinking that Sideways, while yes, a tad overrated, was a strong movie with some great sequences and a killer performance from Virginia Madsen.

Yet when I saw The Descendants, all of that changed.  I no longer got the appeal of his wandering camera.  His routine got so staid, much like that of his characters.  Even the bits that I loved about The Descendants (Judy Greer was dynamite in that movie) are gone in Nebraska, which may be the least of the films I have seen in Payne’s résumé.  This is a boring, tired movie with occasional insights but rarely anything approaching realism or perspective.

(Spoilers Ahead) The film is the tale of Woody Grant (Dern), a man who is at the end of a long and unremarkable life.  In the throes of dementia, he confuses a junk mail scam for a $1 million lottery win, and sets off from Billings to Omaha, Nebraska, to get his inheritance.  His son David (Forte) is constantly trying to stop him from going on this pointless (and at his age, dangerous) journey, and his wife Kate (Squibb) is frustrated that her husband won’t let this belief die.

Woody and David set out on a mission to get the million dollars (or in the case of David, prove that it’s just a scam), and are eventually joined by Kate and David’s older brother Ross (Odenkirk).  They stay for a while in Woody and Kate’s hometown of Hawthorne meeting with family who believes Woody wholeheartedly, and they, along with Woody’s old business partner Ed (Keach) decide to see if they can get their share of the winnings from a drifting away Woody.

The film has a great plot, and on very rare occasions, says something about its subject.  There’s a scene late in the film (easily the best scene in the movie, and the only one of any significance in regard to Squibb’s acting ability) where Kate and David take on the rest of the family, and secret resentments start to spill out from a family that clearly used to be close but time and alcoholism (Woody is clearly dependent on the sauce, and his son fears he could get there soon) have driven a split between them.  It’s this sort of thing that Payne is at his best with-the ugliness of day-to-day life, and the way we live with such few significant achievements that something that happened decades ago can still feel fresh.

But that’s about it in a movie that tries too hard to be cute, especially in the first half.  It’s easy for the audience to be able to tell that Woody is slowly going away in his mind, and it’s beyond ludicrous to assume that everyone would trust the drifting Woody and not his rational son David.  The movie also doesn’t find time to resolve some of its more interesting plotlines, such as the part with Angela McEwan, who plays a woman whom Woody dated in his youth and she clearly hasn’t let go of, or the nastiness of Woody and Kate’s marriage (I hated that last little kiss, since it ran contrary to almost everything before it).

This would be a film that would be easy to forgive, but like American Hustle before it, it decided to be nominated for an Oscar, and so that tougher lens goes up (I honestly wouldn’t have thought about this film for a second and dismissed it as a small work from a significant director were it not for those six big Oscar nominations).  While I thought that Dern was fine, I don’t see anything truly great going on here-this is a man who drifts through his performance, but stoicism and keeping the same expression doesn’t mean deep and nuanced, and I feel like we’re projecting a bit on Dern rather than him lending to us.  Squibb’s work is even less consequential-she’s an old woman swearing and talking about sex, which for some reason people always respond to, but that’s it.  In a year where Sarah Paulson was finding such in-born evil or Octavia Spencer was struggling with tough love and Emma Watson was channeling vapid and materialistic, this is a slot the Academy decided to just give away?  Over even Oprah Winfrey and her scene-stealing in The Butler?  Come on-you can do better.

And before I end this diatribe, I have to say that the most disappointing nomination was Phedon Papamichael’s for cinematography.  Just because a movie is in black-and-white doesn’t make it serene and beautiful.  It’s just a lack of color, and to get it over Lubezki’s captivating To the Wonder or Sean Bobbitt’s bayou murkiness in 12 Years a Slave is an absolute crime.

Those were my thoughts-what are yours?  Do you agree with Nebraska’s nominations?  Do you think that it will win any Oscars?  And what do you wish Alexander Payne would tackle next?

2013: Assessing the Twenty Acting Nominees

For today’s Oscar article, I thought it would be fun to dive a bit into the actors that are nominated for Oscars this year, getting to know them a little bit better and sharing my opinions (and embarrassing truths regarding them).  Without further ado…

Best Actor

Christian Bale in American Psycho

Christian Bale

Born: January 30, 1974

Oscar History: Bale is on his second nomination-his first (which he won for) was for The Fighter.

My Favorite Role: For me, it’s probably Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.  I don’t super subscribe to some of his later work and find his earlier stuff to be way more interesting.  His hyper-macho serial killer in American Psycho is truly magnificent stuff, though.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Unlike some of the other actors, I feel like I’ve hit a good chunk of his work.   Probably something like The Prestige or Velvet Goldmine.

Bruce Dern

Born: June 4, 1936

Oscar History: Dern is enjoying his second Oscar nomination this year, 36 years after his first Oscar nomination for Coming Home.

My Favorite Role: I haven’t seen much of Dern’s work-like several actors in this list, he just hasn’t been someone I’ve seeked out in an active way.  That said, I will love him forever for bringing Laura Dern into the world.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I cannot believe I am saying this, but I’ve never seen Coming Home.

Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic

Leonardo DiCaprio

Born: November 11, 1974

Oscar History: This is Leo’s fourth nomination (he was previously cited for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, and Blood Diamond).

My Favorite Role: Unlike the other actors in this category, I can eagerly say that I’ve seen almost every major film in Leo’s filmography (save one) and though I’m a HUGE fan, my heart belongs to Jack Dawson forever and always.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: The only major film in his filmography I am missing is Blood Diamond, which is not far away on my Netflix list.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Born: July 10, 1977

Oscar History: This is Mr. Ejiofor’s first Oscar nomination.

My Favorite Role: Almost certainly Solomon Northup, but I did enjoy the desperation he brought to Luke in Children of Men.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I truly wish that I could have seen his take on Othello in the West End, as it apparently was something to behold.  I will settle for Dirty Pretty Things out of things that are possible, though.

Matthew McConaughey

Born: November 4, 1969

Oscar History: This is Mr. McConaughey’s first Oscar nomination.

My Favorite Role: There’s no beating Magic Mike.  I genuinely feel that McConaughey will never be able to top this role (and he was solid in Mud, so he can certainly act).  It was tailor-made for him, and it’s a crime that his Oscar nomination  (and even win) happened for Dallas Buyers Club and not his excellent work as Dallas.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I have somehow missed 1990’s cult classic Dazed and Confused-it’s somewhere buried on my Netflix list and I’ll catch it eventually.

Best Actress

Amy Adams in Junebug

Amy Adams

Born: August 20, 1974

Oscar History: Adams is now a five-time Oscar nominee, with Junebug, Doubt, The Wrestler, and The Master getting her her first four (all in supporting).

My Favorite Role: I know this is a big cliché, but Ashley Johnsten stays my favorite performance of hers-she was so fresh and wonderful in Junebug, and no director has caught that ease on the camera since.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I have seen every major Adams film, but I missed Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day which piqued my interest at some point, so I’d probably go there with her.

Cate Blanchett

Born: May 14, 1969

Oscar History: Cate has been on a bit of a break with Oscar, but at 44, she’s still way ahead of almost any other actor: she now has six Oscar nominations, and (so far) one win, for The Aviator.

My Favorite Role: Ooh, I had forgotten about Blanchett being nominated when I decided on this feature, and I am having trouble here.  I’m going to lean ever-so-slightly toward Kate Hepburn in The Aviator over Jude Quinn in I’m Not There, but both were splendid.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: While I’m missing one Blanchett nominated performance (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), I’m probably most curious about her very early work in Oscar and Lucinda.

Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping

Sandra Bullock

Born: July 26, 1964

Oscar History: Bullock made a late career bounce a few years back and won her first nomination and win with The Blind Side; this is her second citation.

My Favorite Role:  Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (While You Were Sleeping) is a principle part of my childhood, so I cannot quite say that I’d dump her for Dr. Ryan Stone in Gravity, but repeat viewings may steer me toward her nominated work this year.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Like most of America, I’ve actually seen the bulk of Bullock’s filmography, but for some reason I never caught A Time to Kill.  So that’s probably it, though I don’t have any real inclinations to catch it (is this a mistake-should I see it?).

Judi Dench

Born: December 9, 1934

Oscar History: Dame Judi Dench is on her seventh Oscar nomination with Philomena; she has won once for her brief but memorable turn as Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love.

My Favorite Role: As you’re about to find out, I’m missing one of the most crucial moments in Dench’s filmography, so my favored performance is probably Notes on a Scandal, a piece of work that has grown on me in the years since I saw it.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: More than almost any other performance on this list, Dench in Mrs. Brown is the biggest “hang my head” moment.  Since the film is obviously part of the OVP (it won Dench her first Oscar nomination), I’ll surely see it someday, but I’m as perplexed as you as to how it has never come up.

Meryl Streep

Born: June 22, 1949

Oscar History: We all know that Streep is Oscar’s Queen-18 nominations with three wins make her the acting champ.

My Favorite Role: I believe there’s some sort of law that states I have to say Sophie’s Choice, but can I just mention that it may well be The French Lieutenant’s Woman?  Is anyone with me there?

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I am missing five nominated performances from Streep: Silkwood, A Cry in the Dark, Postcards from the Edge, The Bridges of Madison County, and One True Thing, so it’d be one of those five.  Which do you think it should be?  Share in the comments.

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi

Born: April 10, 1985

Oscar History: This is Mr. Abdi’s film debut and therefore his first Oscar nomination.  Also, as a result, I have nothing else to compare him to for both favorite roles and “eager to see!”

Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook

Bradley Cooper

Born: January 5, 1975

Oscar History: Cooper is on his second Oscar nomination-he was cited for Best Actor last year for Silver Linings Playbook.

My Favorite Role: I wasn’t really into Cooper (at least talent-wise...libido-wise is another story) until the past two years, but I’m becoming a big fan.  I actually think I preferred Silver Linings Playbook to his work here, but both are strong.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Where his career goes, if we’re being honest.  With back-to-back Oscars, I’m genuinely curious where this still very handsome leading man heads-does he stay constant prestige like DiCaprio, get an action-movie franchise like Damon, or balance strong films with cash-grabbing garbage for a while like Renner?

Michael Fassbender

Born: April 2, 1977

Oscar History: Fassbender, after years near Oscar, finally landed his first nomination for 12 Years a Slave.

My Favorite Role: Lately, Fassbender can do no wrong in my book-everything he’s in is stunning, including this year’s performance.  That said, it will take a lot of work for him to top Shame, a breathtaking character study for which he was criminally ignored by the Academy.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Some of his earlier work-both Fish Tank and Hunger are on my Netflix queue.

Jonah Hill

Born: December 3, 1983

Oscar History: Hill famously got a nomination two years ago for his work in Moneyball, defying all expectations regarding his career trajectory.  This is his second nomination.

My Favorite Role: The Wolf of Wall Street is definitely my favorite-he sells the crap out of that smarmy, horrible sidekick.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Like Cooper, I’m going to cop out here and say where his film career takes him.  Unlike Cooper he isn’t traditionally handsome, so he will probably have to go the character actor route, but actors such as Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti have proven that it can be done.  Maybe he'll be what John C. Reilly once seemed like he would be before he fell into the land of crappy gross-out comedies exclusively?

Jared Leto

Born: December 26, 1971

Oscar History: This is Mr. Leto’s first Oscar nomination.

My Favorite Role: I’m really unfamiliar with Leto’s filmography.  I’ve seen films like American Psycho, but have little memory of him in them, so I don’t really have a “favorite role.”

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Film-wise, surely it’s Requiem for a Dream, but if we expand to all mediums I really want to understand his appeal, so I’ll go My So-Called Life.

Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins

Born: April 27, 1976

Oscar History: This is Ms. Hawkins’ first Oscar nomination.

My Favorite Role: I don’t have one yet-I wasn’t wild about what she was doing in Blue Jasmine, and I am missing the other big role in her filmography…

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Literally the next film in my Netflix queue is Happy-Go-Lucky, so soon I will be able to move this to favorite role (hopefully).

Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone

Jennifer Lawrence

Born: August 15, 1990 (anyone else think it’s weird that this is the only time that Lawrence was the youngest acting nominee?)

Oscar History: Lawrence is the youngest person ever to gain three Oscar nominations; she won last year for Silver Linings Playbook.

My Favorite Role: It remains Winter’s Bone, the grittiest and realest of her three Oscar-nominated works, but I genuinely enjoyed her in all three performances.  Her winning role is ironically the least of the three for me.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: Thanks to the youth of her career, I’ve seen everything I’m hoping to see, but I’m eager for more.

Lupita Nyong’o

Born: March 1, 1983

Oscar History: This is her film debut and first Oscar nomination.  As a result, it’s also my “favorite role” and I have nothing eager to see, though she does have Non-Stop coming up with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.  Anyone excited about Taken in the air?

Julia Roberts in Notting Hill

Julia Roberts

Born: October 28, 1967

Oscar History: Roberts, after a long drought, received her fourth Oscar nomination this year.  She won at the peak of her fame for Erin Brockovich.

My Favorite Role: Like Streep, I feel we’re all bound to say one specific role, but I usually lean more toward Anna Scott in Notting Hill than Erin Brockovich…it depends on the day though.

Role I’m Most Eager to See: I have never seen Roberts’ breakout role in Mystic Pizza, something I should correct at some point (though can it possibly top Jenna Maroney’s musical version?

June Squibb

Born: November 6, 1929

Oscar History: This is Ms. Squibb's first Oscar nomination.

My Favorite Role: I feel compelled to go back and see some of her earlier work, as I've seen most all of it, but nothing jumps out.

Role I'm Most Eager to See: I wasn't a huge fan of this performance (all surface-level), but the woman knows funny, so her upcoming stint on my beloved Girls is honestly the one I'm most looking forward to seeing.

And I'll turn it over to you-what are your blind spots and favorite film/acting memories of these lucky nominated twenty?  Share in the comments!