March 01, 2005 - 00:12 [z-05:00]

RANDOM THOUGHTS

       Was it just me, or was Chris Rock, who is normally a very funny guy - dirty but funny - not funny at all last night? I tuned in at the very first to see if he would be funny. I knew already that he was infected with liberal cranial edema, but I like some of his stuff that isn't political. It was as if he had been infected by Lettermanitis. It was dreadful. Like a wake for a cynic.

SUPERBOWL FOR LADIES I do think Rock was right about one thing - the Oscars is not for straight men of any color, creed, or previous origin. But it reminds me a lot of the Superbowl. Except it's for women. Who else would want to watch all the little catty remarks about bad dresses and seethrough dresses and just plain silly dresses?

       Now, I'm assuming that this is what happened this year, because, as in seasons past, I did not watch. But you can't help but find out what went on for all the gushing that goes on afterwards on all the various channels.

IS IT BRAVERY to let others die so that you can have the freedom to disagree? Or do you just surf until the wave ends and try to hop on another one?

DID PAUL VERHOVEN realize that he was making an elegant argument against everything he believed in when he made Heinlein's Starship Troopers into a movie? He thought he was showing how war is bad. He tried to hoke it up and make the values of heroism and sacrifice seem insignificant. He hired two-bit actors but they never acted better. Some went on to win emmys in other vehicles. And, try as he may, he couldn't bury the ideals. He didn't even use Heinlien's words and they still came through, "Service guarantees citizenship." Zounds, what an idea!

WILL MICHAEL JACKSON get a fair trial? Did he get a jury of his peers? Does he have any peers? (rim shot, please)

HOW MANY TIMES A DAY do we pass by or ignore small miracles without seeing them? Are they really just little coincidences? When we all go into that great hereafter, will the only thing we have to hang on to be those little coincidences? I'm not talking about on the other side. This is a quiz for the living in transition. Dylan Thomas would have us rage at death. But anger is a form of fear. Only those who are confident will go "gentle into that good night."