As IF Times

link BBC News – US plane attack suspect quizzed after ‘terror attempt’

Don’t you love that word used in the story, that the suspect was ‘quizzed’, as in a snap math exam? Here we go again. This time, the would be martyr had explosive powder attached to his upper thigh because the shoe thing was so 2001. Somehow this most recent iteration of the human fuse was able to elude suspicion and scrutiny at airport security even though the suspect’s name was ‘on a database indicating a significant terrorist connection’ according to the report.

In fact, the perp had a valid U.S. visa and ‘all security procedures were followed correctly’. Hmm. So, apparently, he was made to take off shoes, expose his laptop computer and passed the electronic wand test, but the name on a database ‘with a significant terrorist connection’ didn’t set off any alarms.

Maybe it’s just me, but 2 things are evident from this story. Firstly, whatever means the homeland security people are using to compile their list of dangerous fliers must have some validity. Secondly, the standard screening methods presently imposed on travellers are unable to pick up the most recent schemes of sabotage by the mullahs of mayhem. We should all cringe at the likelihood that from now on, ALL air passengers will be groped in their upper legs for similar devices. At least the President is on the case. He has ordered tighter security, whatever that means. Maybe everyone has to board in gym shorts.

Or, how about this? How about profiling those who are likely to be dangerous to the flying public and concentrating the security efforts on those candidates and less time on Aunt Eunice and her walker? It would certainly speed up the ‘strip and feel’ process at airports today if they spent less time on the 80 year olds, the kids under 12, goofy teenagers, business people or anyone NOT ON A DATABASE WITH A SIGNIFICANT TERRORIST CONNECTION.

The whole PC mentality about airport security is expensive, is cumbersome, is invasive and most importantly is not keeping the public safe. Apparently, the intelligence tools are available to effectively identify possible idiots, so why don’t we employ them? Why do we inconvenience and endanger entire populations because of the nefarious actions of an identifiable few? Maybe we worry less about a few hurt feelings and worry more about a planeload of innocents.

link The mysterious case of Sherlock with a six-pack – Film – Entertainment

Since this is movie season, we are once again exposed to Hollywood’s latest servings of culture and entertainment. The blockbuster film and must see this season is Avatar, a truly massive undertaking of production rumored to have cost over 200 million dollars to create. The early reviews are effusive and gushing for the CG effects and attention to detail in the 3-D format. For greater than 200 REAL large, I guess you’d better get more than actors in rubber masks. In regards to the story line, the opinions are a bit more mixed as some see the plot as a thinly veiled allegory to Americans’ appetite for oil.

I suppose that’s possible and given Hollywood’s leanings over the past generation, probable. However, it would be nice to have entertainment for the sake of entertainment without the sanctimony. It would be nice if the Wizard of Oz was just a puffed up insecure egotist and not an allegory of Adolf Hitler, but maybe that’s my age showing.

It does bear mentioning that the best stories/movies in history have something to say about the human condition, that speak to common experiences and emotions of everyone. Timeless movies explore human frailties and also achievements of spirit. Many movies of the past decade fall into the category of visual stimulation, akin to watching a pinball game for 90 minutes. Junk food movies essentially. How many times can you watch cars blow up or someone kung fu 20 people and still have his hat on?

Incidentally, as much as Hollywood loves to paint their their projects as high art, it is useful to observe how much of what comes out, isn’t. In fact, it’s amusing to see how much of the product is re-packaged cliches. When you consider some of the questionable offerings for the mass eyeball market, it’s as if there’s a big cut and paste studio somewhere in Burbank that spits them all out.

It’s well known by everyone by now that in movies and on TV, a shopping bag will always have a stick of french bread protruding from the top, but the things I refer to are more particular to our present culture and time.

For instance, notice that anytime someone is working on a computer, it’s always a notebook and it’s always an Apple.

Notice that most men have the unkempt/unwashed hair look regardless of their station in society. Related to this, notice that men are portrayed as shaver challenged, appearing scruffy in all aspects of life. This is the case even in Mcdonald’s commercials. Not sure how that creates empathy. Interestingly this may create a self fullfilling prophecy as men who watch these images think it’s alright to be slobs and thus life imitates art.

Notice that all people somehow are competent martial arts experts regardless of actual job, age or sex. As observed in the link at the top of the page, notice that all the protagonists have buff physiques, especially the particular fascination with six pack abs. Of course, during a fight scene, somehow our hero is stripped to the waist to display this. Even Sherlock Holmes!! How did he find time to do crunches while smoking his pipe and all that deducing? If movies are really a reflection of society, historians years from now will deduce that all men subscribed to Men’s Health and worked out in the mornings before the beginning of a crime fighting day.

Notice that office buildings are lit darkly to provide maximum dramatic effect as if fluorescent tubes didn’t exist. This is especially amusing in autopsy type scenes. I’m sure most forensic activities take place in the dramatic glow of a 40 watt bulb. And the forensic doc is always a babe.

Notice that the always short tempered and hard nosed police sergeant is a black man or woman that loves to collect people’s behinds like charms on a bracelet. All police detectives are just this far away from being canned.

Notice that geeky kids are always articulate and are able to hack into FBI/CIA computers with the aforementioned Apple pc. The more articulate/geeky and troubled the hero, the more attractive they are to the heroine. Wonder if there’s some projection on the part of writers and producers….

The President of the United States is always portrayed as this god like character with sage like utterances surrounded by humorless G men. In reality, during ANY administration, the man in office is just another politician loathed by most.

The future is always portrayed as a dark and bleak place where a dehumanizing big brother environment is the norm. As if that can happen….

And let’s not even talk about sequels.