Beltmann

I prefer the normal-looking interpretation... you know, the whole "banality of evil" thing.

As I understand it, MrRain pre-ordered the DVD of this new movie under the assumption that it was a "how-to" video.

Since patient satisfaction is dependent upon expectations, and expectations are driven by a host of factors--including what a unique population has come to tolerate, demand, or assume--such scores might be scale specific and therefore unable to be used as a point of comparison. (Granted, I have no idea how the patient satisfaction data in question was actually acquired, so my skepticism might be unfounded.)

Well, it's obvious: Michael Moore is fat, and therefore there is no health care crisis in America. That happens now. There are people with good insurance who have poor exercise and dietary habits, and their choices ultimately affect the premiums for others. This is not an argument against universal health care, unless we believe that the uninsured population disproportionately represents the negligent rather than the poor.

Tempting. I like both of these, but I'm not sure I must see either one. (I've seen Bird live before, and I'm not itching for more.) We'll see. Stacy and I might be there.

I really, really like that album. NP: The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home

As someone who believes "I crap bigger'n you!" is the perfect rejoinder and can never be overused, I hardly qualify as an intellectual.

I see what you did there.

I love to listen to during really long road trips.

If hate were people, I'd be China!

The movie has three stories, and in the last Marcello Mastroianni nearly goes berserk trying to get Sophia into the sack. (In the first, she plays a woman about to be arrested, but discovers a loophole: As long as she's nursing a baby, the cops can't put her in jail... so she just keeps getting knocked up, over and over. Both stories use her, um, physicality to great advantage.)

I think "Misunderstood" is, at least partially, a deliberate jab at those who expected Being There to be like UT or A.M. Perhaps the best part of the jab is that it's followed by the very traditional "Far, Far Away."

Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis Here's a nifty video for

I saw that in the theater when I was a kid, and it has been a favorite ever since. (And when I think of Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, or Mandy Patinkin, I always think of this movie first.) I'm happy to see that it has had such a long life... as a teacher, I use about 8-10 minutes from it to illustrate the concept of frame tale, and the kids always know the movie by heart. I can't wait to share it with my own daughter! Unfortunately, we're still a few years away...

Huh.

I have these on the shelf: The Ben Stiller Show Curb Your Enthusiasm Seasons 1-5 Errol Morris' First Person The Office USA Seasons 1-2 Police Squad! Seinfeld Seasons 1-7 Simpsons Seasons 3-6 Sledge Hammer! Season 1 V: The Original Miniseries; The Final Battle; The Complete Series

After her rock star husband dies in an overdose, junkie Maggie Cheung tries to go clean in order to see her young son. Although it travels familiar territory, it brings a unique tone to the proceedings--there's nothing hysterical or shrill or melodramatic about this story. It's the first Olivier Assayas film that I've really responded to, and I much prefer it over Irma Vep, his previous collaboration with Cheung.

Yeah, I seem to remember something like that, too.

Yeah, Rosemary's Baby is not-to-be-mentioned in our house anymore. Damn shame.

Wives rock. My wife and I had Wilco tickets during the summer of 2004, but when our daughter was born two days prior to the show, Stacy told me "Go," and she meant it. I went.

Stacy and I will try to be there!

Convinced me that Wilco might be the best band in America.