Avatar

Avatar: Highly recommended (in 3D). The cinematography alone justifies the $14.00 tickets and 2 1/2 hour length, and the drama, action sequences, and love story more than meet what you can expect from Cameron (who, with *Avatar,* has surpassed anything in this kind of genre that we used to expect from Lucas and Spielberg, and has even surpassed what he himself did with *Titanic,* both in spectacle and box office receipts).

However, the message was political and of the kind we got from Roland Emmerich in *10,000 BC.*

Indeed, in theme, it was practically a futuristic, alien take on that racist (i.e. anti-Anglo), anti-Western, and Rousseauan Noble Savage silliness (and crap) that we got in *10,000 BC*--though, unlike Emmerich's movie, the similar political message of *Avatar* was marginalized by the spell-binding cinematography and did not distract from the excellent movie experience.

It came pretty close to doing just that, though, with cheap, gratuitous digs at Operation Iraqi Freedom, like when the mercenary Marine leader called for a "Shock & Awe" campaign against the luscious moon Pandora's indigenous humanoid culture (for the sake of a natural resource--think oil-- and corporate greed for it--think Halliburton).

Someone should remind Cameron that the Na'vi in no way resemble the brutal, Baathist dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, or the Taliban, for that matter.

However, drawing parallels with Native Americans and the Na'vi and their respective situations with genocidal, alien invasion works and is legitimate.

The Verdict From A Supreme Court Judge

In other words:

Wow! A Twofer!

Air America Goes Off the Air

AP

Air America Radio is shutting down its operations after company files for bankruptcy.

Air America Radio, a progressive radio network that once aired commentary from Al Franken and Rachel Maddow, said Thursday it is shutting down immediately.

The company founded in April 2004 said it ceased airing new programs Thursday afternoon and will soon file to be liquidated under Chapter 7 bankruptcy. It began broadcasting reruns of programs and would end those as well Monday night.

Air America said 10 consecutive quarters of declining ad revenue and the difficulty of making money on the Internet contributed to its financial woes.

"The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a `perfect storm' in the media industry generally," the company said in a statement on its Web site.


Yes. "Generally." Just ask Limbaugh!


According to a story covered by the Drudge Report, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has signed a record-breaking deal to keep his program on the air through 2016. The total value of the deal is said to be over $400 million, including a nine-figure signing bonus.



Encore:

"This election is about the importance of not just winning, but breaking their backs and crushing their spirits."

...

"This isn't about winning. It's about destroying the conservative movement, and their dangerous incompetence has given us an historic opportunity to deliver a killing blow."


Encore (and up another notch):