Move Review: "Rambo"

If you are looking for some straight-up action and cinematic excitement, forget the fact that Stallone is over 60 and go see "Rambo". Well paced, brutally intense fighting and action sequences and awesome sound immerse the audience in Rambo's rescue of a group of well-meaning, if naive, religious aid workers from the clutches of the armed forces of the repressively-run junta nation of Burma.

You will have to see the movie to discover: (1) whether the good guys win; and, after battling a vindictive small-town sheriff, returning to Vietnam for some payback on the Vietnamese army (as well as meddling and misguided American bureaucrats) and taking on the Russian army, (2) whether there is a hint of closure for Rambo at the end.

A Star in the Dope Show

Tomorrow night I am going to see Marilyn Manson, and am totally pumped! I have spent days assembling the de rigeur all-black attire.

Click here to see his interview with the local paper.

Unusual But Awesome Drink

I was recently introduced to a great breakfast drink. Mix soy milk (regular or vanilla) with some Diet V8 Splash; pour the soy milk in first.

This combination packs in a bunch of vitamins and is quite refreshing. Don't be freaked out by the consistency, which gets a little chunky. Consumption of this concoction is a terrific way to start one's day.

New Gadget

I am really not a big gadget guy. They are of a particularly impermanent nature, and the purchase of one gadget begets the inevitable purchase of accessories and more gadgets.


Indeed, until recently I was using a walkman (yes, the one that plays tapes) at the gym. After a discman went kaput, and in light of the fact that I have dozens of tapes, the walkman has served me very well.


However, I wanted to try an ipod device for gym or running purposes (not for storage of my entire music collection), and picked up an ipod shuffle. It's actually really cool and, for 2 runs outside and 1 session of lifting weights, has worked out great so far. The coolest thing is its size, which is roughly that of a wheat thin cracker.

Miami Makes a Federal Case Out of Chavez's Cash

"[T]he appearance of six perfect, dense rectangles inside a suitcase" at the Buenos Aires airport has led to the question of why $800,000 in Venezuelan cash was on its way to Argentina???


As always, there is a south Florida connection, as several of the folks involved live down here. However, it is the author's opinion that the U.S. has little interest in bringing a case relating to this transaction other than busting Chavez's chops.

Pre-Iowa Caucus Punditry

Having been a participant in the 1992 Iowa Caucuses (which were basically conceded to Senator Tom Harkin and thus lacked much drama) all the way through the State Democratic Convention that summer, allow me to interject my take on the day prior to the 2008 Caucuses.

The only prediction I will make is that Hillary Clinton will not win Iowa. There is a large percentage of undecided voters, and a very small percentage of them will ultimately go to Clinton. If one was not with her already, she is not going to gain such supporters at the last minute. While stopping short of an outright prediction, I think that John Edwards is most likely to win the state and, indeed, the Democratic nomination.

The Republican field is so underwhelming that I hesitate to make any prognostications as to the eventual nominee here. Giulini is a fascist, McCain is too old, Romney is too fake, Huckabee is too inexperienced, and Thompson is too laggard.

Right now the general election is the Democrats to lose. However, as the general campaign gets underway later this year, do not underestimate: (1) the Democrats' potential to screw things up; and (2) the GOP's potential to play dirty tricks and, if necessary, somehow steal (yes, steal) the election.