Rex Kickass

No real big surprise here. As exiting Senate Majority leader and as exiting Senator from TN, his party's standard bearer squeaked by in a race that should have been a walk and his party lost six seats when a year ago, they weren't expected to lose more than one or two.

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 09:15 AM) Chicago Creates a Nativity Scene by Natalie Finn Just when Wal-Mart was finally going to be wishing shoppers a "Merry Christmas" again, rather than saying "Happy Holidays," Chicago officials have decided to make a downtown Christmas festival a little less Christian. Concerned that ads for the upcoming Xmas-themed film The Nativity Story might alienate non-Christians, city officials asked the organizers of the German Christkindlmarket to drop New Line Cinema as a sponsor this year. A spokeswoman for the Mayor's Office of Special Events said that the city of Chicago did not want to appear to be endorsing one religion over another, and that there would still be a nativity scene set up in Daley Plaza—along with a Hanukah menorah and other religious symbolism—and items for sale related to baby Jesus' birth. "Our guidance was that this very prominently placed advertisement would not only be insensitive to the many people of different faiths who come to enjoy the market for its food and unique gifts, but also it would be contrary to acceptable advertising standards suggested to the many festivals and holding events on Daley Plaza," Mayor's Office executive director Jim Law said in a statement. According to studio executive Christina Kounelias, New Line had planned to spend $12,000 in advertising at the festival as part of its nationwide Nativity Story campaign, which includes screening clips of the movie. Kounelias told the Associated Press that, as far as she knew, this was the only instance in which the studio's sponsorship was turned down. "One would assume that if [people] were to go to Christkindlmarket, they'd know it is about Christmas," she said. Echoing Kounelias' sentiments was Paul Braoudakis, a spokesman for the Willow Creek Association, a group of more than 11,000 churches of various denominations in Illinois. "The last time I checked, the first six letters of Christmas still spell out Christ," Braoudakis told the AP. "It's tantamount to celebrating Lincoln's birthday without talking about Abraham Lincoln." Or, according to the Parents Television Council, whose job would be made easier if all TV and film pregnancies were achieved by Immaculate Conception, Chicago's stance is one of "anti-religious bigotry." "What we haven't seen in decades from Hollywood is a reverent recounting of the birth of Jesus," PTC president Brent Bozell said in a statement Tuesday. "The New Line studio is filling that void with its new movie The Nativity Story, which simply retells the story of the first Christmas. "The City of Chicago’s decision not to be associated with a film like The Nativity Story is a form of anti-religious bigotry and indirect censorship. It is ludicrous that the city would blatantly attack a movie that will be exceptionally well-received by millions of people in and around Chicago, most of whom are members of one Christian denomination or another." The Nativity Story, which on Sunday became the first film to have its world premiere at the Vatican, stars Whale Rider's Keisha Castle-Hughes (who happens to be expecting her first child in real life, too) as Mary, 24's Shohreh Aghdashloo as John the Baptist's mother, Elizabeth, and Oscar Isaac as Joseph. Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) directed the film, scheduled to hit U.S. theaters Dec. 1. This film recounting the birth of Jesus also happened to be partly filmed in Matera, the same Italian town where Mel Gibson shot his similarly controversial opus about the death of Jesus, The Passion of the Christ. The American Center for Law and Justice said Tuesday that Christkindlmarket organizers and Chicago officials should definitely rethink their decision to ban The Nativity Story promos. "To suggest that a movie about the birth of Jesus Christ should not be included in a Christmas festival is absurd," Jay Sekulow, the ACLJ's chief counsel, said. "This transcends political correctness and centers squarely on religious bigotry…The city and festival organizers must respect the First Amendment and put an end to the discriminatory practices." Copyright 2006 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All rights reserved. So, let me get this straight. The City of Chicago allows a nativity scene on public property, allows a Chamber of Commerce to hold a traditional Christmas market on public property, but is somehow against Christmas because they don't want to market a film about Christmas during the event?

EM: I agree with you in that I don't think that the government shouldn't be involved in rebuilding the city beyond reestablishing the infrastructure that a city is supposed to provide. I do think that there should definitely be efforts on the local level that should keep the working class who made NO their home before the storm, in NO should they choose to stay/return.

Vinicius de Morais - Cartao ao Tom 74 Bomfunk MC - Freestyler The Postal Service - This Place Is A Prison Frank Black - The Marsist Bis - This Is Fake D.I.Y. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (My Jam!) The Police - Secret Journey Franz Ferdinand - Whatcha Waitin For? (I'm a sucker for the novelty cover) Hard-Fi - Tied Up Too Tight Muse - Soldier's Poem And the bonus 11th because I'm not in the mood to listen to Muse: Jurassic 5 - Where We At

Actually his leadership in helping to quell the Israeli/Hesbollah conflict in Beirut exceeded that of his superiors. He did a much better job than I would have thought given the poor guidance our administration provided in our policy.

Weird to realize how much liberals and conservatives actually have in common, eh?

Usually the cost and the ability to have assigned seats. Southwest has no assigned seating and flies out of Midway. UA and AA fly out of O'Hare and have assigned seating.

Eat with your next Soxtalk President, and together we can make a Kickass Presidency in 2006!

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/55694

Just seems like the way a KGB spook would off another spy.

1. Ween - Freedom of 76 2. Billy Bragg - The Last Time 3. Bettie Serveert - Hell Is Other People 4. Taj Mahal - Chevrolet 5. Jens Lekman - Jens Lekman's Farewell Song to Rocky Dennis 6. Sergio Mendes feat. Stevie Wonder - Consolacao 7. Massive Attack - Protection 8. Buffalo Daughter - Elephante Marinos 9. The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You 10. Supergrass - Je Suis Votre Papa Sucre And the bonus Rex takes a shower bakers dozen - 2 track? Gnarls Barkley - Smiley Faces

They knowingly voted for the war. Whether they knew that we were going in for the right reasons is up for debate.

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...D=2006611240557

I just picked up the Sufjan Stevens Christmas box set. This could be the first Christmas album I've looked forward to since El Vez's Merry Mex-Mas.

Saturday Night Spectacular! 1. Helium - Pat's Trick 2. Scott Walker - 30th Century Man 3. dEUS - I Don't Mind Whatever Happens 4. Muse - City of Delusion 5. Bis - Chicago 6. Sergio Mendes feat. Black Thought, Chalie 2Na, Debi Nova and Will.I.Am- Yes, Yes, Y'all (Everytime I hear Will.I.Am ruin the genius of Sergio Mendes, I feel the need to take a shower) 7. Billy Bragg - Introduction (Live) 8. The Beatles - It's All Too Much 9. Supergrass - Sun Hits The Sky 10. Brazilian Girls - Ships In The Night (first album way better than their horrid latest "Talk to La Bomb")

Bruce grew up in Freehold, NJ but I'm thinking the Calliope crashed to the ground has to do with the Asbury Casino Palace burning down around 1970.

"For Your Consideration" was awful and I love Christopher Guest movies. Personally, I think Spinal Tap is tied for second with A Mighty Wind in his repertoire behind Waiting for Guffman. This movie just falls flat. I see a great setup in every scene and then the joke just isn't there.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Nov 25, 2006 -> 12:58 AM) blue, pinkerton and i would even say green.... everything else :puke I refuse to admit the existence of any Weezer album after Pinkerton. Pinkerton = best Weezer album ever. I got the "generic" fender acoustic when I was 12 and I still play it now and play it badly! But it has taken its knock and is still fun to use.

Friday Night Shuffle (Soundtrack to Scrambled Eggs) 1. Kanye West - Gone (live) 2. REM - At My Most Beautiful 3. Junior Senior - Itch U Can't Skratch 4. Billy Bragg - The Clashing of Ideologies 5. George Harrison - Give Me Love 6. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #2 (Laika) 7. Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz (acoustic) 8. Frank Black - Men In Black 9. Marianne Faithfull/Robbie Sly and Robbie - Lola R. For Ever (Lola Rastaqouere) 10. Phoenix - Second To One And this mix goes to 11.... Chavez - Theme from For Russ

I'm thinking there might be at least one or two references to Asbury Park.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 02:52 PM) I had to TIVO "Plushies Gone Wild, Part 8" Didn't know you were into that "sort of thing."

I hear it had something to do with the love that dare not speak its name, you know... Kevin Federline.

Well, I'm sure you're well aware that it was a PRADA bag. Which is just one letter away from PRAVDA, the news organ of the Soviet Union. I think we all know what that means.... And sewn within the bag there may have been evidence linking the Bilderbergs to an Illuminati that the world has never seen.....

QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 24, 2006 -> 02:19 PM) The Staying Home Instead Of Shopping Shuffle: Reel Big Fish - She Has A Girlfriend Now The Replacements - Anywhere's Better Than Here Blue Oyster Cult - Burnin' For You Queen - Keep Yourself Alive OK Go - There's A Fire Sex Pistols - The Great Rock n Roll Swindle The Alarm - Strength Gnarls Barkley - Crazy Brides Of Destruction - I Don't Care Sifl & Olly - United States Of Whatever I hated Sifl and Olly when it first started, now I miss it.

Flashin the yellowcard here. If this gets personal, we can all move along and talk about something else. Thanks.