CHRISTIANS,MUSLIMS HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON: HATRED OF GAYS

Uganda is considering a new law that not only makes the practice of homosexuality illegal (it's already illegal in Uganda anyway) but they are considering a law that will put gays in jail for life or execute them.

Christian and Muslim religious leaders have strongly supported the measure. Check out this bill of sale from CNN:

• Gays and lesbians convicted of having gay sex would be sentenced, at minimum, to life in prison
• People who test positive for HIV may be executed
• Homosexuals who have sex with a minor, or engage in homosexual sex more than once, may also receive the death penalty
• The bill forbids the "promotion of homosexuality," which in effect bans organizations working in HIV and AIDS prevention
• Anyone who knows of homosexual activity taking place but does not report it would risk up to three years in prison

"Love the person; hate the sin" say many Christians. I'm not sure what that means and none but one have ever attempted to site specific examples of this mantra being used appropriately. Maybe someday. Until then, the persecution of gays will continue, and all in the name of Jesus and apparently Mohammad.

HAVING LOW EXPECTATIONS CAN WORK OUT

G.I. JOE did not suck. For me, that's a glorious statement for several reasons: 1) Tthis was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. I had the toys (still have some of them) and I played the wheels off them. I relished the war element of the soldiers defending our country. 2) I like mindless action flicks. 3) Snake Eyes was so cool.

The trailers killed any interest in seeing the movie in the theaters. I knew better than to waste good money on it. The review simply secured my belief that the movie was flotsam. As it turned out, that low expectation worked out well for me. Knowing full well it had a 30-some percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes I was prepared for a horrible script and worthless action. What I got was a bad script with decent action. Some of the action was too long and pointless, the characters cardboard cutouts, stupid disability stereotypes (i.e. people with facial scaring always turn out evil and hate the world), and a poorly thought-out script. The good side was that it exceeded my tanking expectation enough that the movie did not suck ... too much.

So I enjoyed it, even if it was a goofy movie. It did occur to me that the current generation might see this movie as I saw PREDATOR. I look back and see quite a bit of stupidity there, but it is a movie that appeals to my childhood fantasies. It had that cool rotary 50 caliber Gatling gun. Perhaps G.I. JOE is the same?

So I watched it. Don't hold that against me. I didn't spend much money on it (thank you Netflix) and I didn't drag my wife and daughter to it. I waited until they had something to do before watching it. I might be inclined to give it 3 stars for entertaining me throughout most of the movie; the ending was too long. Script might get 1 star – maybe 2. It could have been worse. I could have watched  TWILIGHT or some damn romance movie with Hugh Grant. 

SIX MENTAL ILLNESSES MYTHS THAT HOLLYWOOD LOVES

Hollywood is not known for its accurate portrayals of historical, scientific, religious or psychological events or conditions. Can I get an amen? The movie machine can sure butcher a good book. Cracked.com has noticed this revelation as it applies to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV-R) which deals with mental disorders.

For you psychie types out there, you might enjoy reading about the load of BS that Hollywood continues to propagate all for its convenient plot lines. 

WE ALL HAVE DOUBTS

The daughter had a friend come over this afternoon so Skinny Kitty and I used that time to fit in a grown-up movie. We love the Pixar cartoons, but we miss Mommy-Daddy date night movies, too.

I DOUBT I could have watched a better movie on a Sunday. Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymor Hoffman were f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c. I love the tension between the "did or or didn't he?" dilemma. You never really know for sure and the movie sparks so many questions.

DOUBT is a top notch drama that addresses the issue of institutional and religious molestation from a much different angle. It is calm, pointed fair and unsettling. There is no graphic imagery of any kind. It's all suspicion which is what creates the tension.

Worthy of its Oscar nods.

WEAKNESS BEGETS BLOOD

A friend and I went out yesterday, not to fight the shoppers, but to watch a movie: NINJA ASSASSIN. When I took him home his wife commented that we were so keyed up that we were shouting as we told her about it. Shouting. It was so loud and violent that we were shouting when we simply retold the plot.

That's becauase it was it was the most hyper-violent blood ballet to date. I'm talking copious amounts of limb lobbing, decapitations, gut slices, blood spurting, skin lacerating flick I've ever seen, and I've seen a ton of them. The music was loud (l.o.u.d) and it took my heart rate up several beats just being exposed. I don't mind admitting that I liked the feeling.

Blood.

Buckets of it.

It was a symphony of violence that is worth screaming about. A veritable veg-o-matic of human flesh. Written by some dude then rewritten by J. Michael Straczynski (comic creator extraordinaire) it was a ninja movie with a decent plot – not great but decent. There are a few holes – it is a ninja movie after all – but it provides its key demographic (males ages 15-35) plenty of what it is supposed to: death. 

The character development was surprisingly good for a film of this type. We saw, in fine detail, why the ninjas in this clan kill so willingly. They were young orphans who were kidnapped, brainwashed, and trained to be heartless killers. Period. As the "father" often said, "weakness begets blood" and he used that mantra to train his boys.

NINJA ASSASSIN is a ramped up speed ball of throwing star action. The blood gushed from the get-go and didn't let up until the end.

Our discussion afterward focused on the rating. Should this movie be rated R or NC-17. Heavy P was solid in his argument that it deserved a no children should ever be allowed. We both agreed that the 8-year-old boy that was watching it with his Dad should not have been there. But could a 16-year-old see it? How about a 15 year-old? 13?

We also talked about our society's hang-up on sex while we simultaneous have no problems with extreme violence. Watch THIS MOVIE IS NOT YET RATED for more information. I really enjoyed this film because it gave me exactly what I wanted it to: ninjas who kill. What else do you expect from a ninja movie?

Oh yeah, the ninja hero doesn't get the girl in the end. We liked that.

I don't recommend this film for children, women, or those with a low tolerance of violence. Those of us who are twisted enough will enjoy it immensely. I highly recommend seeing it in the theater and with a group of your closest male friends. It's a guys-night-out kinda movie.

BLACK FRIDAY CAN SUCK IT!

Oh yeah, I am bragging – rubbing my success in your face! 

Skinny Kitty and I have completed our Christmas shopping save a couple of items for some kids in the family who are too teen-like to know what they want yet. Our Amazon.com order started coming in yesterday with one box still on the way. We also shopped locally, but the bulk came from Amazon. It's easier.

The progeny asked to spend time with friends last night so wifey and I took that opportunity to finish the holiday shopping on the local level. Yeah, I said "holiday" and not Christmas. That's cause I feel snarky. As strange as it might sound we considered it a date night and we had the best time holding hands and shopping for others. Not really romantic I guess, at least not in the flowers-and-candlelight sense of the word. I'm sure Oprah might counsel us otherwise, but we really enjoyed the time together When you are married with children anytime alone is precious time, even if you are shopping.

We did have dinner together and that was nice. Nothing fancy. Our iced tea came in plastic cups but the grub was good (and cheap). We pride ourselves on the fact that we finish our shopping before Thanksgiving. It's a thing with us. It sure makes the holiday less stressful and more enjoyable.

Now we can sit back, relax and wait for the annual War-on-Christmas idiots to write their typical letters to the editor. It's as if they think no one's heard that old argument before. That's their thing. I like our thing better.

PARDON THE STUFFING

For the budget or waist-line conscience this Thanksgiving the old fat guy suggests you forgo the traditional stuffing-rich dinner and substitute the following:

• Choose chili and soup instead
• Small turkey breast
• Steamed veggies
• Fresh fruit

When dindin is done, put it all away in the fridge. It's been an annual tradition at Skinny Kitty's house and I have come to really appreciate the celebration. It's low-key and fat friendly. It takes some getting used to. When we are accustomed to our annual food hangover it can be difficult to go without. It gets easier with time.