Asymmetric

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

A musical tour of Cuban cities with Beny More.
2008-05-31 00:05:00
**updated** Map of Cuba, pre-revolution, with its original provinces: Pinar del Rio, La Habana, Matanzas, Las Villas, Camaguey, Oriente. Beny More loved Cuba. I can arrive at such a conclusion through simple deduction: People devote their energy and try to be close to what they love. Beny More left a lucrative career in Mexican music and film to return to Cuba (foot-vote). He also stayed in Cuba after the revolution of 1959 while many of the best Cuban singers, like Celia Cruz, left. Beny More sang about Cuba- alot. Many singers sang about Cuba in general and some sang about cities, but Beny is the only one who paid musical tribute to more than one city. Not only that, but he often gave those non-universal and potentially less lucrative tribute songs his best melodies and music. Therefore, Beny More loved Cuba. With that in mind, let's take a tour of Cuba with Beny as our guide. You can get the albums below. All aboard the Guagua (autobus for my non-Cuban brothers): Read more ...
More About: Musical , Cities , Tour

Lost season finale
2008-05-30 23:25:00
The last episode of Lost didn't contain any great revelations or increase our understanding of either the island or characters. I didn't find the island's movement very dramatic (I'm sure Hillary Clinton wishes she could have moved Puerto Rico to the coast of North Carolina a couple of weeks back.). That the corpse was Locke's didn't deliver the punch the dramatic direction suggested it should have. Sawyer jumping out of the helicopter was almost too much, but the camera reminding us that Hurley was the more logical choice, contrasting heroism with mere goodheartedness, made the scene effective. The episode wore on me in the second hour. Instead of feeling regret that the series was ending, I wanted it to hurry up and do so. I was happy for Penny and Desmond. I didn't get the whole baby-Kate-Jack thing.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Season , Finale

I won't be reviewing Sex in the City this weekend
2008-05-30 19:57:00
I thought I'd do something less painful than watching Sex in the City like viewing a loop of the Olbermann-McClellan interview while vultures pick at my liver. I may be normal, insensitive, or both, but I usually can't stand female-female buddy movies like Beaches, Boys on the Side, Thelma and Louise, etc. Something about those "Oh, I'm so naughty (or wild)" and "Oh my God, I can't believe you said that" jokes that grate. also, I wonder if women look at Sex in the City like men look at James Bond movies: As the screen manifestation of their exciting, idealized, life fantasy- the kind of existence that's unattainable for 90% of women (99.9% worldwide), "What a fun job! The men!, The shoes!" I don't usually watch horror movies like The Strangers either-much less one that's gotten such poor reviews . It's time to fire up the DVD player. Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Weekend , Reviewing , In the City

What's a better cast: Facts of Life or Sex in the City?
2008-05-30 17:06:00
Choice please. Sex in the City : Sex in the City Cast Facts of Life : Facts of Life Sex and the City - The Complete First SeasonPowered by b2evolution.

Obama and Michael Pfleger
2008-05-30 16:13:00
Rev. Michael Pfleger is certainly more exciting than my priest. Take away the hysterics and you have a pretty middle-of-left discourse: 1. White people today have benefited (and continue to do so) from past racism. 2. Whites should acknowledge that fact and continue to pay some kind of price to even it out- affirmative action, etc. 3. Hillary Clinton felt "entitled" to the presidency. It's an opinion that I've heard from the right and the left many times, although it people may not say that it's specifically because she's white. So, besides the "going native" speaking style, I don't see anything he said as a big deal. Obama "distanced" himself, adding to his under-bus carnage.Powered by b2evolution.

Scott McClellan
2008-05-29 17:02:00
Conservatives seem to have concluded that because McClellan is sub-par professionally and personally that he has nothing to say- the classic throw dirt in the air and hope that it blocks out the truth. Democrats, on the other hand, think that because McClellan said something against Bush, it's important. Wexler, a congressman who can't find enough things to waste his time on, wants McClellan to testify. McClellan said three things of note: 1. He saw Rove talk to Scooter Libby. I'm continually puzzled why anybody thinks the whole Valerie Plame affair is any more important than Brittney Spears' choice of underwear. Anyways, he thinks that because two people talked together that they must have been talking about what was on Scott McClellan's mind. 2. The second thing is Katrina. Yes, Bush failed at public relations and possible made some bad decisions. OK. 3. Bush tried to spin the war. It doesn't sound very noble, but I kind of expect politicians to "sell" the things t...

Samantha Carter of Stargate for McCain's vice president.
2008-05-28 17:42:00
Can Hillary of Kathleen Sibelius work a leather cat uniform like Samantha Carter ? Michael Medved goes over McCain's running mate choices today on Townhall. I'm grateful to Medved for his sound analysis, but he neglects one outside-the-box choice, former Stargate SG-1 team member Samantha Carter. The Asymmetric staff (thanks, honey) has prepared the following addendum to Medved's list: Pros: 1. Military experience. Carter has served her country on all seven continents including Antarctica and two galaxies including the battleground galaxy of Andromeda- no chicken hawk here. She's single-handedly taken down whole Goa'uld mother ships, and we owe her our very existence several times over. 2. Multiculture. Carter's not multi-racial, she's multispeciel. As she's blended with the Tokral Goa'uld Jolinar, Carter knows what it's like to be a minority. 3. Smarts. Ph.D. in astrophysics (Beat that, Mr. Harvard.). Samantha Carter has developed alternate sources of power from Na...
More About: President , Vice President , Vice

I wonder what Democrats would be saying about Hillary if...
2008-05-28 02:45:00
...Barack Obama had dropped out. Would they still attack her with such hatred? Call her a liar, complicit in assassination attempts, cold, calculating, a witch?Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Democrats , Hillary

Barack Obama and the Auschwitz gaffe
2008-05-28 01:10:00
"I had a uncle who was one of the, who was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps," Obama said, slowly and methodically. "And the story in my family is that when he came home, he just went into the attic, and he didn't leave the house for six months. Alright? Now, obviously something had affected him deeply, but at the time, there just weren't the kinds of facilities to help somebody work through that kind of pain." This is not the lie you're looking for. This isn't the 2008 version of Al Gore's internet invention or the Obama version of Cliton's Bosnia lie. In the first, Gore just looked dumb, not a liar and in the second, Clinton was talking about her own experience, not that of a family member. Let me translate what Obama said: "Somebody in my family helped liberate a Nazi camp (He probably knew of Auschwitz from the movies or some diversity seminar.), he was greatly affected by it, and we need more spending on gover...
More About: Barack Obama , Barack

Obama to raise ghost army- attack oil companies
2008-05-27 17:04:00
Obama addresses the troops. Gaining inspiration from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Barack Obama plans to "raise an unbeatable army of the fallen" to go after "unscrupulous lenders, oil companies, forces of division in politics, supporters of Bush's failed policies, voices of the past, the hopeless, and Pakistan." Obama will recruit the army by using his "healing powers to free the soldiers of their earthly obligations." Obama says the unusual recruitment technique is necessary after the G.I. Bill enticing soldiers to leave the service. Barack Obama will do away with the "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy in force since the time of Aragorn in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields Addressing the troops, Obama began: On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes — and I see many of them in the audience here today — our sense of patriotism is particularly strong. The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Platinum Series S...
More About: Companies , Ghost , Obama , Army , Attack

Ballad of the Green Berets Barry Sandler and others.
2008-05-27 15:16:00
I love this song. It's plaintive recognition of people willing to die for their country (and encourage their son to think similarly) is the closest to a martial virtue post-forties popular music gets. Bonus! In Spanish too. Andrew Sisters Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. The 1940s- When strait white men danced: Johnny Horton and the Battle of 1812. Honoring those new Americans who fought the British in that most senseless of American wars. Cadence, a military phenomenon I don't often miss. Shockingly un-PC. Next week: the best anti-war songs, although you can say these are, in a way.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Green , Ballad , Barry

Indiana Jones whips box office competition
2008-05-27 15:10:00
If Harrison Ford can be Indiana Jones, John McCain can be president. 1 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) $126M $151M 2 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) $28.6M $96.7M 3 Iron Man (2008) $25.6M $258M 4 What Happens in Vegas... (2008) $11.2M $56.4M 5 Speed Racer (2008) $5.21M $37.4M 6 Baby Mama (2008) $4.21M $53M 7 Made of Honor (2008) $4.2M $39.9M 8 Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) $2.2M $58.7M 9 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) $1.2M $36.2M 10 The Visitor (2007/I) $917K $4.57M I'm a little disappointed that Narnia dropped off so much, but it still did OK. It looks like we're getting more superhero- comic book movies. Yeah?Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Office , Competition , Whips

Canoga Park Memorial Day parade
2008-05-27 02:45:00
I was settling in for a nice afternoon of surfing and listening to music when my conscience panged. "It was Memorial Day and I should do something besides blog about it, action being twice as valuable as thought (unless you're Plato or something). Besides, I have my paternal responsibilities, examples to give, etc.." I looked on the internet and saw that Canoga Park in the Valley above Los Angeles was having a parade and decided to attend. It's nice to see that a couple thousand of my fellow citizens and another couple thousand potential citizens (Both the crowd and the marchers were demographically representative of Los Angeles.) out of 10,000,000 can make it to one of these events. It was a good effort by those involved and I appreciate that people take time to plan these things. Mexican cowboys with the American flag on parade. I forgive Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa his ineffectiveness on this day as he extends his hand to me. American Cowboys With Wikipedia, it's now im...
More About: Parade

63rd fallen comrades memorial
2008-05-27 00:33:00
I planned on paying tribute to all of my comrades from the 63rd who have died while on deployment, but I didn't finish. It seems as though their tribute pages aren't available outside of the unit either. Anyways, better some than none, right? I apologize to those missing. Go here for some 63rd's (and some others') best.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Memorial , Fallen

Caribbean songs for Memorial Day- Beny More and Daniel Santos
2008-05-26 17:54:00
Throughout our history, Hipanics have participated in America's wars, fighting and dying alongside their fellow Americans, performing, as a group, excellently, and earning more than their fair share of decorations. I've had the pleasure to work with many Puerto Rican soldiers during my time in the Army. I was able to find a couple of songs that serve as a musical testament to their sacrifice. Daniel Santos was the most popular Puerto Rican performer of his time. He had a wonderful baritone that would effortlessly slide into and out of phrases in a uniquely languid slur. He himself did not serve, but he captured the relationship many soldiers have with the bugle in "El Corneta," or the Bugle. Those who have served understand the feeling of being roused out of sleep by that infernal instrument. The next song, "Despedida," is about a soldier getting ready to deploy (Korea, I'm guessing) and whose primary concern is who will take care of his mother. The last one h...
More About: Songs , Caribbean , Memorial Day , Memorial

A jobs program that will cost Americans nothing
2008-05-26 01:43:00
Check that. It will actually make Americans richer and more secure. Come to think of it, it will annoy some very bad people in the world to boot. The answer is: Allow American corporations to explore for oil on American ground and off-shore (Maybe we can get some of the Caribbean oil before the Chinese drink our milkshake.). Such a policy will: 1. Lower energy prices which will, in turn, enable Americans to keep more money with which they can then buy more health care or save for college or organic foods or whatever. 2. Provide thousands of high-paying jobs. We may even need more low-skilled immigrant labor. 3. Fill the treasury with even more billions of dollars from the oil corporations. If we really want to improve the environment and reduce the already low unemployment rate, how about building nuclear power plants? Nahhh, too easy, right? There's no fun in societal improvement when the government's not directly involved.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Jobs , Cost , Program

A thought for Memorial Day
2008-05-25 19:15:00
Whether or not you think America was justified in every war in which it participated, you have to admire those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for what they consider a cause greater than themselves. One way to appreciate those men and women is to imagine the alternative. Picture living in a country where nobody would fight, risk death, or, in fact, die, as those we honor today, for their country. Would you like to live in such a country? God keep our fallen soldiers. God bless America. Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Thought , Memorial Day , Memorial

I finally figured out what's wrong with Battlestar Galactica
2008-05-25 07:49:00
This boxing episode was one of the worst as well. Why is the show so boring? Along with Stargate, it has one of the best built-in premises in Space Sci-Fi. Here it is: It has too much filler. If they just focused on the search for Earth, the battle with the Cylons, and, even the origin/truth/theological question, the show would be excellent. Some of the social allegory is OK, but some of it is the entertainment equivalent of a Bill Richardson policy paper. Instead, we get the relationship/inter--personal detritus. My attention goes jumps into hyperspace every time I see Rosalyn and admiral Adama together. I don't like the phantom Six that (not "who") follows Baltar around. The hybrids are boring. Almost every scene with Starbuck is horrible. Her marriage, her "destiny," and her psychological problems turn the show from interesting to performance-art-boring faster than a Viper changes direction. The worst episodes are the military documentary one, the one where Adama's old f...
More About: Battlestar Galactica , Finally , Wrong , Galactica

McCain is old- not that there's anything wrong with that
2008-05-24 21:27:00
Oh, did I mention he's old. I'd respect Bud Jackson, Democratic consultant, more if he were just honest and say, "If McCain's age polls like it'll be a net gain for us (create more doubts amongst squishy middle than turn off fair-minded and old people), we'll keep pounding away." That's a tricky dance; hence, the tone of the article. Hem-haw story. Look, if something happens to McCain, the vice president will take over. It's not just the man, it's the ideas- the direction. Whoever's the vice president, will be a smart guy, I'm sure.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Wrong

Obama flips on Cuban embargo
2008-05-24 18:11:00
Thanks to Henry on Babalu. Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Obama , Cuban , Embargo

Barack Obama courts Cuban voters in Miami
2008-05-24 03:09:00
Some points: 1. How is Bush responsible for Chavez if Chavez was elected in 1999? Don't many Obama supporters like Danny Glover and Sean Penn support Chavez. The two I mentioned visited Chavez! Hello! Earth to Obama! 2. Mentioning Bush in every sentence with McCain is an effective tactic for wooing stupid people, one of his major constituencies, I guess. 3. Obama voted against a trade agreement with our best (only?) ally in South America, Colombia, but it's Bush (and McCain who is Bush) who is alienating them. His solution, like his solution to everything else, is to give away my money; this time, in aid. 4. He did say he'd meet without pre-conditions but then changed. Who cares? He doesn't know what he's saying. 5. I suspect that the main reason Cubans are Republicans is their more entrepreneurial attitude and firm grip on the middle and upper rungs on the economic ladder, not because of Cuba policy. Article below. MIAMI — Sen. Barack Obama , who once said he w...
More About: Miami , Courts

Hillary Clinton and Bobby Kennedy remark
2008-05-24 02:43:00
Man! When people hate, they do it all the way (See Huffington Post). It seems to me a very uncharitable interpretation of Hillary Clinton 's remarks to suggest that she was calling on somebody to assassinate Obama. She was just reminiscing about June campaigns. How many have gone into June? Wouldn't the 1968 one be one of the most memorable? Sheesh! Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Bobby , Kennedy

McCain's last three veep choices-Jindal, Romney, and Crist
2008-05-22 15:22:00
I guess it's smart to send up this trial balloon. Let's see how the Corner and other conservatives react. Let's look at polls and see how this shakes out. I'm surprised by Pawlenty's absence. Of the three, I like Jindal because he's the freshest, both in age and ideas, although Jindal may highlight the age issue instead of diffuse it. Oddly, his Asian-ness may help McCain win back some of the college crowd for McCain. Romney just doesn't have electoral pull. The only reason conservatives liked him was that he was the conservative alternative to McCain. McCain's already up big in Florida and shouldn't need Crist . Story. John McCain is hosting several officials considered to be potential running mates at his Arizona retreat over the Memorial Day weekend — but his campaign insists the gathering is just a social affair. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee plans to host two-dozen guests, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and form...
More About: Choices

No education crisis for boys say university women
2008-05-22 15:01:00
In related news, the French declare deodorant an unnecessary expense. People print this with a strait face? 60% of undergraduate college students are women, but boys are OK (Are women better off by being the majority on college campuses?). Here's what the university women did: They looked at SAT and ACT tests and determined that since men score higher, there's no problem. Well, of course! Those tests correlate to IQ, a factor that doesn't change much despite disparities in education. Some minorities still do worse, the women pointed out. Hmmm, why would they point that out? (Hint: We need action for our favored groups!) Anyways, my hypothesis is that, except for the sciences, school has become a place for girls. In high school, at least, if you look at literature anthologies, you'll notice that most of the stories involve an initially misunderstood person or group whom the dominant group accepts later on. In other words, the Oprah selection for months May through November (You ...
More About: Women , Education , University , Crisis , Boys

Obama previews his negotiation technique with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
2008-05-22 12:32:00
Obama: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , what's up? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: What's up? Obama: Well, just wanted to see if we could meet, you know, uuuuuh, work things out. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Picture first. Obama: Sure. (Somebody speaks to him) What's with the bunny ears, Mr. Ahmadinejad? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Sorry. it was just a joke. (Aside) We got it? Obama: OK, as you know, we think you might be building a nuclear weapon and you say you want to destroy Israel. You can see how people are worried, uuuuh, yes? Mahmoud: That's a lie. Well, I mean we're building a nuclear bomb, but we're not going to bomb Israel- not that they don't deserve it, the stinking corpses. Obama: Hey, hey! uuuuhhh, stop right there! Mahmoud: What, the truth about Israel bothers you? Obama: No. Would you please stop with the bunny ears! Mahmoud: Of course. Well, we're building the bomb. Obama: Nothing I can say, huh? Mahmoud: No. Obama: OK, but no Israel talk. Mahmoud: OK. We promise. No mo...
More About: Technique , Obama , Negotiation

Best Friends Abstinence program works
2008-05-22 12:15:00
Girls are 6 times less likely to have sex if they're enrolled in the best friends program. Good! I've started my own abstinence program in the Guirado household with my own children (My wife has her own program which takes effect every time she gets angry.). Whom would these results upset?Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Friends , Works , Abstinence , Program , Best friends

Govindini Murty at Heritage First Principles conference
2008-05-22 08:16:00
Govindini Murty after her presentation. I attended the Heritage "First Principles " conference yesterday. It was a wonderful event- choc full of smart, nice conservatives (although the ritual sacrifice wasn't at their usual high standard). Govindini Murty, co-founder of the Liberty Film Festival and a woman as personally gracious and articulate as she is stunningly beautiful, spoke on the history and present state of conservatism in Hollywood. "What?" you ask, "That's like talking about the funk scene in seventies Salt Lake City." Well, no, apparently. According to Murty, Hollywood was once a pretty conservative place. Not as ideologically pure as today's movie industry, but still, a city in which a guy could park his Coolidge-stickered 1924 Pierce Arrow in front of the Brown Derby and ask for a caramel macchiato (or, whatever they drank) without fear of vandalism. 1924 Pierce-Arrow Ford, Capra, Ginger Rogers, Mayer, Heston, Jimmy Stewart, and various other studio heads and t...
More About: Conference

Obama and Hanford ignorance
2008-05-22 04:02:00
I'm going to side with Obama on this one. The guy didn't know about Hanford. There are many local issues and I don't expect a presidential candidate to know every single one. It reminds me of McCain's admission that he didn't know as much about the economy as he does foreign policy- honest and not damning in the least. Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Ignorance

Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: Better than the first
2008-05-22 03:36:00
About a quarter way through Prince Caspian, I resigned myself to a delightful, mildly thrilling, and imaginative movie like the first Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Instead, Caspian evolved into something more mature, thrilling, thoughtful, and even profound. It's better than Lion in every way and I guarantee your enjoyment (Not literally- so don't send me your ticket stubs.). First, for those of you keeping score in the allegory playoffs, so far we have: Christian- 2 The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition) Atheist (Golden Compass)- 1 It looks like New Line will forfeit the rest of the series as well. The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition) Communist- 1 Antz Environmentalist- 1: Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer Gay rights- 1 Happy Feet (Widescreen Edition) Al Gore- 1 Phenomenon You can add more, I'm sure. Anyways, by the time of the second film, after the...
More About: Review , Prince Caspian

Political Dictionary: Low down and Detestable
2008-05-19 17:22:00
Low class: Adjective. 1. Effective political attack. 2. True. Detestable: Adjective. 1. A statement or line of political attack which the speaker regrets not having thought of first. Sen. Barack Obama ripped into a Republican ad today that targets comments made by his wife, Michelle, and called the GOP tactic "low class" and "detestable." Here. Synonyms: 1. Mean spirited. 2. Malicious. As a reference see any defense of Democratic ideas or statements by Howard Dean.Powered by b2evolution.
More About: Political , Dictionary