Check out MI-5

I just finished watching the third disk (episodes 5 & 6) of the 5th season of "MI-5." I have watched this show from its beginning on A&E on American TV. It is one of the best spy/political/thriller shows you'll ever see.

In Britain, it goes by the name "Spooks." (I guess they can't use that term over here - remember it caused the downfall of the protagonist in Roth's great recent novel "The Human Stain.")

Trust me on this. Rent it from the first season on and you will not be disappointed. But don't get too attached to a character because jaw-dropping stuff happens that would never happen on an American show, except for maybe "The Wire. " (The deaths, etc. in the Sopranos were rarely surprising).

Heading up to our place at Tahoe/Donner tomorrow for a week. I hope to be able to have some time to blog more frequently.

Ciao for now,

Tom

Obama: Crank up those "24" reruns...

I saw a rerun of an early "24" episode the other day, with Dennis Haysbert as the President - a fine actor with a great screen presence. I realized how much of an effect that show has had on the general populace's acceptance of the idea of a black President. I realize that many of you are/were not enamored with "24" because of the torture, and arguably right-wing drift, but that makes it all the better for my larger point. The show has been hugely popular with a wide demographic, especially white men of the "Joe Lunchbox" flavor. And they thought President David Palmer was totally kick-ass and a great leader. Think about that. Television and movies can have a powerful impact on how we perceive race, gender, sexual orientation and other prejudice-producing differences between all of us.

And, after David Palmer actually is killed in later seasons, the new president is his brother Wayne, another black President.

So, Obama should grease somebody's palm and get those reruns going in earnest.

~ tom

Fight the Smears

Following up on my two previous posts:

Here is the first manifestation of the Obama campaign's fight against the smear onslaught.

This is a nice site because all of the rebuttal is in one place in a summary format that won't turn off people with short attention spans.

~ tom

Great minds think alike!

Please refer to my last post wherein I suggested that Obama create a "Swift Boat Task Force."

Well check this out!

It reminds me of when Oscar Wilde was asked at customs whether he had anything to declare and he responded: "Only my genius."

Bowing proudly with a bit of a smug smirk,

Tom

Swift Boat Task Force

With all the money Barack is raising, I think he can afford to create a "Swift Boat Task Force" with the sole job of quashing and debunking the smears, lies, and slime that the Republicans are going to promulgate. Read this short post for a perfect example. Not only should the task force rebut and unmask the wrongs, but they should also affirmatively attack the perpetrators, exposing and shaming them in the public sphere -- remember how effective Welch was in finally confronting and shaming Joe McCarthy? Along with this, Obama needs to keep on the high road as he did in the primaries. With the task force shoving these jokers onto the stage, ugly and naked, the comparison with BO's campaign will be compelling to decent Americans.

Tom

The Dap!

The whole Obama victory speech was truly moving and historic. But there was one moment that was so cool and so sweet it made me smile and tear up a bit. Apparently, I was not the only one who noticed it. Check it out. And take the time to read the comments

~Tom