"Wicked" Little Changes

Hmm--this blog seems to be in a "green" mood of late...  That being said it's time to explain why I chose Stella Triangularis as the "fractal cookie" for today's review of Wicked.  If you've seen the poster for the show you know it's black, white and green--like this image (and that's why I chose it).  So--on with the review!
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I'm an unabashed (and completely unapologetic) fan of the Broadway musical Wicked.  The story of perennial outsider Elphaba who never seems to catch a break somehow resonate with me.  Further the show asks important questions on the nature of Good and Evil.  Is it real or merely a matter of perception?  (In these turbulent times it's an important question to ask).  Most of the complexities of the book have been altered or eliminated altogether but it works on stage.  The show can be enjoyed without delving into the deeper layers of the plot but they are there for those who choose to look.  A few small changes have been made in the script but they only serve to tighten up the show and clarify a few points that were left a bit murky in the older productions.
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All the musical numbers you know (or will know) and love are left in tact and the six-piece touring orchestra is augmented by nine local musicians giving the show a much fuller sound than many touring musicals.  The special effects are there and work as well (if not better) this time around.  There seem to be a few fewer chorus members than I remember from the first time I saw the show and they aren't quite as musically able either.  (Still, you'd have to be a trained musician or have a real familiarity with the show's music.)  I find Natalie Daradich to be ever-so-slightly disappointing as Galinda; her reading of the character is way too similar to Billie Burke's "Good Witch of the North (from The Wizard of Oz) for my personal taste and she had a tendancy to go a bit sharp on her big notes.  Anne Brummel as Elphaba had her own issues with the music as well but she usually managed to cheat her way through the songs without the majority of the audience noticing.  The rest of the cast ranged from quite good to excellent (although I didn't spot any standouts).  The sets and costumes are first rate even if the choreography was a bit less than spectacular.  Still, these are minor quibbles and you'd have to have a shriveled little soul NOT to be moved by the show  (I'll leave you to decide whether my soul is shriveled or not.)  Robyn and I saw the show with our friend Art Plinski (a Wicked virgin) and he seemed to really enjoy it.
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No doubt it's only a matter of time until Wicked is released to Regional Theaters and then local productions.  I'm not sure how well they will be able to pull off the special effects in the show so I'd suggest you see the show in all it's glory if you get an opportunity.  I guarantee you won't regret it.
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FINAL GRADE: A     

Sure An' It's All Th' Bad St. Patrick's Day Jokes Ye'll Ever Need

It's a post that's (sorta) for Saint Patrick's Day so naturally I decided to use Irish Cross as today's fractal cookie.  That being said--on with the jokes!
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Q: what's green and sits out in the back yard all summer?
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A: Paddy O'Furniture!
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If you iron a Four-leaf Clover on Saint Patrick's Day you're pressing your luck.

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An Irishman visited a local faire and found a man claiming he had an elephant which could accurately guess his age.  "Sure an' there's no way that great creature could guess me age!" the Irishman said.  "If he's wrong the boothie replied, "I'll give you your money back!"  This seemed like too good a deal to resist so the Irishman put down his money and the elephant sniffed him indelicately with his trunk.  A moment later the elephant broke wind and then stamped his foot twice.  "Faith an' begorrah!" the Irishman exclaimed.  "How could he know I'm farty-two???"

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Imagine the scene as Saint Patrick comes out to his parents: "Mom, Dad, I'm Gaelic..."

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An Irishman named O'Malley proposed to his colleen on St. Patrick's Day.  The ring contained a CZ instead of a diamond.  Taking the ring to her father, a jeweler, the girl discovered the deception and returned to her swain enraged.  "Sure an' I did it honor of St. Patrick's Day" he told her earnestly.  "I gave ye a sham rock!"

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Q: why does the Irish Stew recipe require 239 beans?

A: because one more would make it two farty!

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Q: what would you call an eight-foot tall leprechaun carry a 200 pound club?

A: Sir!

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Q: what do you get when you cross Quasimodo with an Irish Football Player?
A: the Halfback of Notre Dame 

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Q: why can't you borrow money from a leprechaun?

A: because they're always a little short!

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There are tons more Irish/St. Pat's jokes out there.  But these are all the ones you really need.  In the meantime have a wonderful day and stay away from the green beer!

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'nuff said.                    

Reflections On "You Might Be A Teabagger If..."

So today I'm sort of randomly posting and there was really no image that I had ready to use as your fractal cookie.  Therefor I had to come up with some random reasoning for why I chose Araby 65.  It, like the post I'm reflecting on is slightly bent and it's mainly green (as is tea).  Yes, I know this is a flimsy justification but it's all I got folks.  Take it or leave it.
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Recently one of my Facebook friends posted a link to a post called You Might Be a Teabagger If... from the The Pragmatic Progressive Forum.  I won't be linking to said post because I'm copy it in it's entirety here.  It don't know who wrote this so I apologize in advance for not giving you proper credit.  Still, I found this to be a delightful bit of satire.  My comments will be in gold and the original text will be in bold green.  So--read on if you dare!
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 YOU MIGHT BE A TEABAGGER IF...

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1) You’re offended at any suggestion that the Tea Party is racist, even though nobody objects when people show up at your rallies with blatantly racist signs and slogans.  Time and again Tea Party representatives have said something along the lines of "we're not about racism--we're about tax problems."  I get that.  Still, I find it disturbing that the Tea Party seems to encourage racist extremists.  Does the one preclude the other?  Honestly, I don't know...

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2) Ronald Reagan is your hero because he was against raising taxes and big government… even though he raised taxes 11 times, doubled the national debt, and tripled the size of government.  All I have to say is, check the record folks--it's in there!

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3) You mocked Nancy Pelosi for getting emotional when she reflected on the murder of her friend, Mayor George Mosconi, but you think it’s manly when John Boehner blubbers when he watches reruns of Flipper.  Even Sarah Palin has commented on the double standard in American politics.  Personally, I think the "Weeper of the House" tends to cry a bit too much (and for all the wrong reasons) but if guys get a pass for showing their emotions SO SHOULD THE LADIES!
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4) You were all in favor of George Bush bringing “Democracy” to Iraq by invading and killing hundreds of thousands of women and children, but you think Obama “blew it” by staying out of it when the people of Tunisia and Egypt toppled their dictators in popular revolts.  Me, I just find myself wondering why so many folks think the United States has some sort of moral obligation to be the world's police officer.  If we left these people to solve their own problems we'd be far better off financially.
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5) You think Climate Change is a big hoax because Senator James Inhofe, firmly in the pocket of the oil companies says it’s bogus.  Global Warming is a FACT--deal with it.  Yes, there is some doubt whether people are responsible or it's just part of a normal planetary cycle.  (We've had global warmings before--some that nearly cooked the planet.)  Whatever the cause, this is something that our children are going to have to deal with.
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6) You think president Obama’s birth certificate is a forgery, and that he managed to fool the CIA, FBI, NSA, Secret Service and the entire US government archive of documents with one Photoshopped image.  This one particularly bothers me because so many people JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT!  Tine to let this tempest in a teapot go once and for all.  If you want to hate Obama--there are so many better reasons!
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7) You think president Obama is a socialist, because he wants all Americans to pay their share of taxes, including the rich, and all Americans to enjoy the same benefits of an equitable society, including the same health care that Congress enjoys.  Do I really need to comment?  No, I don't think so.
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You think Glenn Beck’s theory of a Code Pink/Muslim/Communist alliance conspiracy to take over the world in a 21st Century caliphate makes perfect sense.  If there really is such a theory out there all I can say is that somebody has been smoking something seriously good!
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9) You believe the Citizens United decision was all about corporate “free speech,” yet you’re against the Fairness Doctrine being reenacted, because you think it’s contrary to “free speech.”  I've already said in this blog that I think the Supreme Court's decision in favor of Citizens United is going to be a disaster of epic proportion for all American--whether you are Republican OR Democrat.  Attacking the Fairness Doctrine (which requires broadcasters to present controversial issues in an honest, equitable and balanced fashion seems a bit--odd.  Preventing open and honest debate (and failure to get info from all sides) is never a good idea!
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10) You are absolutely pro-life, under all circumstances — except when an abortion doctor is executed in his church, because he asked for it.  Testify!
-11) You thought it was cool when Sarah Palin “targeted” Democratic seats on her website with crosshairs, including Gaby Giffords. But when Giffords was shot in Arizona, you didn’t see any connection.  Sorry--I have to disagree here.  (I even wrote a post about it.)  The connection here is, at best, vague, and Liberals lose credibility when they try to harp on this issue.
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12) You think Sarah Palin would make a good president because she’s a feisty conservative, but that Diane Feinstein should be run out of town, because she’s a feisty liberal.
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13) You think George Soros, a Hungarian born American citizen, is an enemy of freedom because he uses his vast wealth to meddle in foreign affairs. But you think it’s great that Rupert Murdoch, an Australian citizen, uses his vast wealth to meddle in American affairs.  So true!
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14) The main reason you despise George Soros, is because he helped bring down three foreign governments; the Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, and Soviet Georgia. Three communist regimes. Ronald Reagan on the other hand, took down one communist regime: Grenada… Reagan: 1, Soros: 3. Ergo, Soros is an un-American commie. Besides, Sean Hannity said so.  I have to admit, I know nothing about this--but I DO worry when so many folks on both sides tend to get their info from limited sources without even bothering to check the facts!
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15) You think being a Teabagger makes you more patriotic than liberals, because you own more guns than them wussies.  This has been bothering me for quite a while (since right after 9/11 in fact).  The growing tendancy to imply that those in the left are somehow less patriotic or love our country less because we happen to disagree with their viewpoint.  What happened to an America where ALL viewpoints were represented?
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16) You screamed bloody murder when president Obama rescued GM and Chrysler, because they were “going to fail anyway.” But now that they’re both on the road to recovery, you think George W. Bush deserves most of the credit.  Can't WAIT to hear the reply to this one!
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17) When Barack Obama was sworn in, the Dow Jones was at 6500. Today, it’s at 12,400, almost double where it was. And at that time, the economy was shedding 700,000 jobs per month, a trend that has been arrested and reversed ever since. From that, you deduce Obama’s the one who wrecked the economy.  And this one...
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18) You still believe Saddam had WMDs.  Yeah, this one!  When former CIA Director George Tenet admits in his book that when General Colin Powell was speaking before the United Nations General Assembly (and you can see Georgie Porgie sitting in the audience right behind him) that the CIA KNEW there weren't any such weapons in Iraq that should be enough to end it right there.  And yet this epic lie is still out there...
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19) You are dead-set against “judicial activist” judges, but you were okay with it when the five conservative justices of the Supreme Court voted in favor of Citizens United, effectively guaranteeing our politicians will be bought by the highest bidder, rather than elected by the people.  And now you know why I so strongly object to the Citizens United decision.
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20) You’re strongly opposed to gay rights, because you claim it’s not biblical. Except in the case of Ken Mehlman, Mary Cheney, and Ted Haggard, because they still vote “right” on the issues.  No comment.  (None needed.)
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21) You want all illegal immigrants rounded up and deported, ASAP, no exceptions, period, period, PERIOD. But you don’t want any criminal charges filed against the corporations that have been hiring them en masse in violation of law.  Think about it folks.  Really...
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22) One of your stated concerns with Barack Obama’s candidacy, was that he was too inexperienced for the job, yet you want Sarah Palin to challenge him next year.  Honestly, I think the author may have gotten this one wrong: Sarah Palin at least had some experience governing a state.  Obama only had two years in the House.  That being said, who can truly be prepared to be President of the United States?  Too many variables in the job make it virtually impossible to be prepared for everything.
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23) You hate tax cheats, and people who abuse their status for personal advancement — but you admire Clarence Thomas, and have no problem with his wife “speaking on behalf of her husband” at the Heritage Foundation, a far right-wing organization.  Don't know enough about this to comment.
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24) You went ballistic when an illegal immigrant murdered an American in Texas two years ago, and you demanded justice. But when three members connected to the Tea Party murdered 9 year old Brisenia Flores, you and your right-wing media barely even mentioned it, nor the conviction.  Now this one I'm half-way willing to put down to the fact that it was only a local-interest story.  And, in all honesty, I can only find a tenuous connection to the Tea Party.  Still, the murders of a Mexican-American family in their home deserved more coverage.
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25) You equate being a “community organizer” to being a Marxist, yet you claim to worship a God whose entire life was being a community organizer.
-26) You claim Barack Obama is soft of terrorism and that he’s sympathetic to Muslim extremists. Yet during his first two years in office, his administration captured or killed more terrorists than George Bush did in all eight years of his presidency.  I'm going to have to see proof before I sign off on this claim.  Just sayin' folks.  Gotta keep it real here...
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27) You cheered as Andrew Breitbart and his faux journalists brought down ACORN. But when Breitbart got caught doctoring footage of Shirley Sherrod, which brought into question his veracity, you accused her of waging a “race war.”  I have nothing but contempt for anyone who deliberately doctors footage in order to "make a point."  IMHO Breitbart didn't get half the crap he deserved.  Further, I'm pretty sure we haven't heard the last of him: he'll be back mucking around sooner or later.  (Lets just hope that folks take a closer look at his so called "journalism.")
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28) You support Israel’s policies regarding the West Bank and Gaza, because Israel is a democracy, like us. But when Arabs democratically voted in anti-American and anti-Israeli governments, it bewildered you.  Sorry to tell you this folks but democracy includes the right to be anti-American.
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29) Your spiritual hero, the Grande Dame of the conservative movement, is Ayn Rand; the dedicated anti-socialist. And yet, she herself in her later years, had no problem secretly cashing in on social security and Medicare.  So many people fall into this trap...
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30) You still think fascism and socialism are the same thing, because Glenn Beck has convinced you of that with his magic blackboard. This way, nobody can accuse you of being similar to the Nazis… even though you are.  Honestly, I didn't really understand what Fascism was until I looked it up for this post.  If you're not certain maybe you should look it up and see for yourself.  You might be surprised...
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'nuff said.

The First "Must See" Movie of 2011!

I chose Circulo Antigua as today's fractal cookie for two reasons: the colors are the same ones used to render the title character Rango and the title carries something of the atmosphere of the movie.  So--on with today's review!
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Rango is that rarest of birds--a movie that is actually BETTER than the trailers and ads.  (All too often the best stuff gets put in the previews and the rest of the movie is drek--but not here.)  Rango is both homage and send-up of of every Western ever made, classic or otherwise.  Yes, the plot of a stranger saving a town in distress (populated by the usual character archetypes) is as old of the hills but the writers manage to give it a delightfully twisted quality that is rarely seen.  (Dunno what everyone involved with this movie was on when they were making it but it had to be some seriously good sh#t!)  Even the most familiar scenes take a turn for the bizarre.
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Johnny Depp, provides the leading voice (and inspiration?) for Rango and is matched in twisted glory but the other players Isla Fisher (Beans), Abigail Breslin (Priscilla), Alfred Molina (Roadkill), and Stephen Root (Merrimack).  The villains of the piece (voiced by Ned Beatty as the Mayor and Bill Nighy as Rattlesnake Jack).  The movie is directed by Gore Verbinski who has worked with Depp and Nighy on some of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. 
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In spite of the fact that Rango is animated--this is NOT a kid flick: I saw a matinee with children and adults--and the kids didn't get most of the jokes.  There are a few moments where the kids laughed but mostly it was the adults who were belly-laughing.  The computer animation is effective (and sometimes starkly beautiful) if not ground-breaking.  Is there a deeper message in the script?  Honestly I don't know (and I don't really care).  AII I can tell you is that Rango works on the big screen and I'm sure it would work equally well on television.  There's a lot to enjoy for a lot of folks--so long as they are old enough to appreciate the movie.  In my opinion, Rango is the first "must see" of 2011!
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FINAL GRADE: A+ 

2011 Academy A"Bore"S

The stars came out for the 2011 Academy Awards (broadcast as usual on ABC).  Since my dear friend, "the lusciously-shrieking Al-Bal" needs my take I decided to review.  The fractal cookie is Simple Gold Star--and now that you know that on with the review!
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I long for the days when there was a tiny bit of surprise in the Academy Awards.  The stunning upset in a major category, a Presenter going off-script and sending the show into a ditch, a Recipient doing something controversial, a total fashion disaster--anything to relieve the tedium.  Sadly, this show didn't have it.  Yes, co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway fell flat but I almost ended up to waiting for the next train wreck of a script.  Hathaway had no fewer than eight costume changes and looked fabulous in all of them (even the Tux) and gave it a game try even when the material was drek (and there was much drek in the show).  I'd say Franco "phone in" his performance (but I think his phone broke early in the show).  He'd clearly given up before the first hour had rolled by.
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As for the awards, there were no surprises their either: The King's Speech took Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay awards and Colin Firth snagged the Best Actor statuette.  Only Geoffrey Rush lost out (to Christian Bale) in the Best Supporting Actor category.  Natalie Portman, as expected, won Best Actress  for Black Swan (and looked utterly fabulous in her draped purple gown.)  Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo dropped the "F" Bomb but she dropped an even BIGGER bomb with a gown that looked like a bunch of doilies crocheted together.
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Speaking of fashion--my "Best Dressed for the night was 14 year-old Hailee Steinfeld looking awesome (and age-appropriate in a beaded pink tea-length gown and diamond headband.  There were reports she helped design the dress (and if this is true she could certainly show a lot of older gals how to do it for later awards shows).  Other standouts on the carpet included Penelope Cruz (in flaming red fabulosity): Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway's arrival gowns were varying shades ofred and all great looking.  Another favorite (for me at least--although many "fashionistas" might disagree was MIla Kunis in lavender and lace.  (To quote Garth <Dana Carvey> in a recent SNL skit "I could make a mila off her kunis!")
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There were a lot of looks that were OK but didn't make me go gaga.  Halle Berry (in a nude-colored ruffle and crystal encrusted confection), Reece Witherspoon (looking retro-chic), and Jennifer Hudson (showing off her bangin' body in tangerine satin).  Gwyneth Paltrow donned a sparkly silver column dress with flatironed hair that was straight out of 1966 (and carried it off): too bad she felt a need to sing on the show.  Michelle Williams looked like a ghost in a dress that was the same shade as her skin and hair.
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As far as "worst-dressed goes" there were no utter disasters: even Helena Bonhomme Carter's steampunk-influenced corset and pouffy black-velvet skirt wasn't utterly horrible.  Russell Brand didn't approach Mickey Roarke horror in his black and blue ensemble but at least he gave the folks something to talk about.  Sharon Stone had a bad pompadour and an explosion on one boob but I didn't hate it utterly: the same could be said for Marissa Tomei's ill-fitting vintage gown.  A lot of fashionistas loved Cate Blanchett in her fashion-forward purple and yellow: me, I thought it looked like a wedding cake threw up on her.  Florence Welch would have looked fabulous--at a wedding in 1977 (I think my sister Tanya worse pretty close to this dress at her wedding) but it didn't work on the Red Carpet.
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There was one interesting (at least semi-controversial) bit during the show: it came during the acceptance speech for Best Documentary.  Charles Fergusson had just won for Inside Job (commenting on the recent financial meltdown) began his speech by saying: "forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after our horrific financial crisis caused by massive fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail, and that's wrong."  Yes, it's political (and, yes, I find myself agreeing it to this) but, more than anything, I'm just glad there was a bit of excitement in the show!
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So, there you have it, this year's Oscars in a nutshell.  Hopefully next year will be even better!
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'nuff said. 

Putting The "Duh" In "Dumb" (dare I say it) PART DUH!

I chose Squared Arabic 30 as today's fractal image mainly because it's a cool image and because I think the color is a little like a tiger.  Why is that important?  Check out today's post to find out!
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It seems that "photo follies" aren't restricted to the Republican side of the Congressional aisle.  Now Representative David Wu (D-OR) has his own "scandalette" to deal with.  For reasons unknown and unexplained (other than by "I wasn't in a good place then") the man sent photos of himself wearing a tiger costume (at 1:00 AM from his private congressional account).  Yesterday I had a good link to the story from The Washington Post but I can't find it today: still--here's a link to their follow-up on the story.   http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/22/AR2011022206844.html .
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IMHO this wasn't as "white trash" as the married congressman who sent shirtless pix of himself to a woman not his wife but it's still decidedly DUMB!  In the Post article Wu says "I think a take-home lesson from this is while they were very, very unprofessional, you shouldn't ever send photographs of yourself in a Halloween costume."  Dude--duh!  This sort of things makes folks question your judgement: if you do something this dumb in one aspect of your professional life (not matter how stressful your personal life might be) it's going to cause repercussions.
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Wu said he sought "professional help" for his trouble and I truly hope he did.  Dunno anything about the guy (other than that he's a 7 term Congressman from his district--which means the folk ther like him).  Still, this is truly stupid: luckily for him stupidity isn't a criminal offense--otherwise this guy would be doing a looon stretch in the hoosegow.  Let's hope he gets better.
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'nuff said.

Say "Yes" To Gno(meo and Juliet)

Since Gnomeo and Juliet takes place mostly in a garden I chose In The Garden as today's fractal cookie.  (Notice also the prominence of red and blue in the image--which highlights an important point of the movie.  So, on with the review!
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Lets start with a tawdry confession: I hate to admit it but I don't find Garden Gnomes at all cute.  In fact, I think they're kind of creepy (and I'm not EVEN going to get into a discussion of the people who feel the need to display these horrid little critters as yard art).  As such, I didn't have high hopes for Gnomeo and Juliet.  Furthermore, Romeo and Juliet has been re-set countless times and ways (West Side Story and The Fantastics to name two)  Still, Robyn wanted to go and the afternoon was cold and rainy so off to the theater we went.  Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a pretty good little movie.
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Yes, you've heard the story before (the plot was probably old when William Shakespeare wrote the source material) and yes, the endless "gnome" jokes and wordplay can be a bit labored at times.  Likewise, some of the Elton John songs seems a bit shoehorned in but that's surprisingly OK.  The voice cast is where Gnomeo and Juliet really shines.  James McAvoy gives Gnomeo the right combination of sweetness and swagger while Emily Blunt as Juliet sells pluck and cuteness wholesale.  Jim Cummings as Featherstone the daft, love-crazed Flamingo channels Father Guido Sarducci but it totally works.  Jason Satham oozes "badass" as Tybalt (about the only "nasty" character in the flick).  Fine supporting work is turned in by Michael Caine (Lord Redbrick) and Maggie Smith (Lady Bluebury), the heads of the rival clans of gnomes.  The addition of Ozzy Osbourne gives Fawn a weird mix of menace and addlepatedness.  Hulk Hogan has a shriekingly funny cameo as the pitchman for the Terrafirminator.  Patrick Stewart channels his American Dad character for the voice of Bill Shakespeare.
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Is Gnomeo and Juliet a great movie?  No, but it's a pretty good little movie.  The kids can enjoy the action while the adults can find lots of humor to enjoy.  The pace never lags so you don't have to start thinking about where the film slips.  This is a good movie for Mom and Dad to enjoy with the kids but don't feel like you need to run out and see it before it comes out on DVD.
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FINAL GRADE: B