Quote of the Week- Jean-Luc Godard

Last week, on our sister blog "The Daily Vampire," we quipped that we had quoted John Waters more than any other film director except Woody Allen and Jean-Luc Godard.

Today, we are hence quoting both of them.

The latest Godard film available on dvd appears to be "Notre Musique" (2004), which I gave a modest six out of ten on the Internet Movie Database.

Here is this quote which Quentin Tarantino, a devout fan of Godard, who turns 79 on Dec. 3, seems to have taken to heart:

"A story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end.....but, not neccesarily in that order."

Facebook Messages We'd Really Like to Post

Why was Fred Flintstone a Republican?



Because he went barefoot, lived in the Stone Ages and drove an American car.

Far-Right Republican Becomes Governor of Virginia

The National Rifle Association (NRA), The Heritage Foundation and The Christian Coalition now have one of their own (two of these groups are based in Virginia!) as arch conservative, fringe right-winger Bob McDonnell has been elected governor of Virginia.

McDonnell, who beat moderate Democrat Creigh Deeds, is an alumnus of Pat Robertson's Regent University. At a debate at Roanoke College in Salem, Va., McDonnell pledged that he would be a moderate governor in spite of his staunch pro-life, Christian right views.

This is a very sad day for all Virginians, and it should be a lesson to fellow Democrats, independents and even moderate Republicans that if you become politically apathetic, these guys can win and then we must all suffer the consequences as it happened when George W. Bush became our president for eight long years.

Special Quote of the Day- Chevy Chase

According to my friend Moviezzz's blog, one of my all-time favorite cinematic flops, "Under the Rainbow" (1981) is finally being released on dvd today.

The movie revolves around what may have gone on during the production of the movie "The Wizard of Oz."

It has been 28 years since I saw the film as an 11-year-old child, but I still remember how remarkably bad it was.

The film actually had a very talented cast, including Chevy Chase, Carrie Fisher and the late Bill Barty (actually, I should double-check to see if he is indeed dead on the IMDB- yes sorry to say he died in 2000.)

I quoted Fisher on our sister blog "The Daily Vampire."

Here, we go with a quip from Chevy Chase, who now stars in the NBC sitcom "Community," which alas comes on Thursday nights when I have to teach, though "Rolling Stone" said in a recent article that it is indeed a good show.

Chase turned 68 on Oct. 8.

Since today is Election Day in Virginia and New Jersey (for gubernatorial races) his quote seems all the more appropriate:

"Anyone who wants to run has to be a Jimmy Swaggart, minus the default."

Silly Photo to Fill Space- Dog Washing

We normally post the Silly Pictures to Fill space pieces on Tuesday, but today we are posting it on Monday to make everyone in Virginia aware that tomorrow is Election Day.

And, I desperately want to see Democratic state senator Creigh Deeds from Hot Springs, Va., beat out his far right opponent.

If you are a Virginia resident and you happen to see this, I will come to your house and wash your dog if Deeds wins tomorrow. I don't care if you live in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Grundy, Arlington, Woodstock, Abingdon, Boones Mill, Hopewell, Danville, Floyd or Newport News. We really, really need this one folks!

I wish I could do more but alas I live just over the border in North Carolina now.

I also want to mention that there is an animal shelter in my hometown of Salem, Va., which desperately needs folks to adopt animals, so this is not a mere political entry, but I do sincerely believe that Deeds' opponent Bob McDonnell will be a nightmare for Virginia in the same way that George W. Bush was for us as Americans.

Quote of the Week- Alan Ball

We are quipping playwright/screenwriter/tv producer Alan Ball whose HBO shows "Six Feet Under" and "True Blood" have been among the most inevetive shows to air in recent years.

Ball, along with the likes of John Waters, will be a guest at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville this weekend.

I recently watched all 63 episodes of "Six Weeks Under" over a three-month period. It was certainly an interesting show, and after watching an episode where a man lost his life through a freak elevator accident, I will probably be more inclined to use the stairs!

Ball's quote here is in reference to "Six Feet Under":

"What the series is all about is: We die. So while we're here, let's live fully."

Know Your Mayors (Entry 11) Charlotte's Pat McCrory

The state of North Carolina will see many municipal elections on Tuesday, but few will probably be as closely watched as the one to replace current mayor Pat McCrory.

McCrory is the longest-serving mayor in the Queen City's history as he is now finishing up his seventh two-year term. The current election will mark the first time that McCrory has not been on the municipal ballot in 20 years.

The Republican Charlotte mayor ran for governor in 2008, but lost to current governor Beverly Perdue.

McCrory is an alumnus of Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, NC (outside Greensboro and High Point) and Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. He worked for Duke Energy for many years before turning his attention to civic politics.

McCrory has managed to become a long-serving mayor in spite of the fact that Democrats and independents in Charlotte outnumber Republicans by a three-to-one margin. According to today's "Charlotte Observer," the mayor has a sixty percent approval rating.

The mayor is credited with lowering Charlotte's violent crime rate by adding 330 new police officers. He is also lauded for bringing the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the Queen City.

Charlotte is the 18th largest city in America with a population of 687,456. The city's suburbs now stretch into South Carolina, and include my mom's hometown of Rock Hill, SC, which was once a college town with a farming community. The city has grown by 20 percent since McCrory was first elected.


UPDATE: Democrat Anthony Foxx won the highly contested election.



The race for McCrory's succesor will between Democrat Anthony Foxx, and African-American who is 38, and Republican John Lassiter who is 55.