Bullfighting Ban in Spain

Photo by: Independent Co. UK

Okay, to be correct the ban is not nationwide is for the Spanish region of Catalonia. The regional parliament voted on it Wednesday and already they are being taken to task by the sport's top organizers. Promoter Luiz Alvarez pledged, "We are going to launch a huge battle" against this "outrageous" action. His group Mesa del Toro, a pro-bullfighting lobbyist group, sees the ban as unconstitutional claiming that the government only has the right to regulate bullfighting not restrict it.

For most of us bullfighting is one of the defining characteristics of Spain's culture and heritage. The image of the brave matador performing as both an artist and an athlete, sweeping away his red cloth as the raging beast storms by inches from our hero has become iconic to us. The beauty of the scene has been expressed by great artist from Hemmingway to Picasso.

What should be understood is the division amongst Spain's culture. Catalonia has for some time now been threatening its succession from the state. The region is really its our culture on to itself with its distinctive painters and poets. However, under the dictatorial regime of Franco, culture differences were surppressed and bullfighting was promoted as the national sport (bloodsport) of a unified Spain.

I just really hope this doesn't gain such a momentum that they ban the Running of the Bulls. I really want to do that. I get it PETA, but that looks like too much fun.

Blago Trial Finale

Photo by: The Judiciary Report

Around noon today final remarks were finished and the jury began deliberation over the trial of former Illinios Governor Rod Blagojevich. Blago was impeached from office in January 2009, but he has for the past couple months been facing extensive criminal charges: 24 various felony counts including racketeering, wire faud, extortion and bribery. The most infamous of these charges covers the attempts by Blago to auction off Obama's vacant Senate seat to the bidder offering the highest campaign contribution or cushiest new job.

Throughout the impeachment and following criminal trial Blago has proclaiming his innocence and working to woo the public. On AM radio show he has worked to redirect the finger around towards a corrupt state government claiming to the audience that he has been "illegally and unethically hijacked from office."

The son of working class immigrants, Blago always worked in his campaign to portray himself to voters as a hard working David aiming to shakeup the Chicago's Machine's Goliath. He seems to have worked to carry this message for his campaign for Governor into a campaign for innocence. Yet at the same time Blago has made some rather questionable PR manuevers. Apart from appearing on Celebrity Apprentice (in which he was fired despite a bond of bad hairstyle preference between Trump and himself) Blago appeared at a street festival as an Elvis impersonater alongside a Fabio look-a-like.

Whether Blago will be facing jail time or if he's cries of persecution and innocence will be valued is kind of up for grabs. The FBI tapings of Blago's phone calls are pretty damning, but there is some issue over whether he can actually be said as doing something wrong. While he appeared to very adamantly solicit bribes, no deal was ever actually sealed for the selling of the Senate seat. What the tapes do seem to show is a rather disturbing insight into a man who really probably should have held office.

Movie: The American

New secret goverment agency hitman movie! Yes! I really like the way George Clooney has been going recently with his. This whole mid-life crisis, regret filled yet nihilistic, ever man thing with Micheal Clayton and Up in the Air and now this. Oh and then the whole secret agent; I love that stuff! Awesome! I'm going to go out on a limb and say, if there are any CIA recruiters reading this, I will drop out of school and rush over to Langley if you train me to be Jason Bourne.

Swiss No Return Polanski

I'm going to give a little background, because it seems to be the fault of my generation to possess a complete disregard for history.

Roman Polanski is a very renowned and accomplished film director. He is responsible for such works as Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, and, if you have honestly never heard of either of these, you need to stop reading this, turnoff Transformers II or whatever over-budgetted piece of crap HBO is showing, call up Netflix or hightail it to Redbox or whatever, and get your hands on some genuine, good quality, classic film making, because you're breaking my heart over here.

Anywho, Polanski's brillance as a director earned him quite a great deal of notarity within the US in the late 60's and throughout the 70's. Unfortunately, the spotlight was also cast his way in some more infamous circumstances. The first, in August of 1969, while Polanski was working in London on a new film, members of Charles Manson's "family" forced entry into Polanski's Los Angeles home and savagely murdered his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, a beautiful and famous actress at the time.

Then in March of 1977 Polanski was arrested for sexual assaulting Samantha Geimer, then 13 years of age at the time. After a year of litigation and a disagreement over the terms of a plea bargain, Polanski escaped on bail to France where he still maintained his native citizenship.

Now kind of largely because the French are such art snobs and revere brilliant artists (such as a brilliant director), they have for all of these years refused to extradite Polanski on the basis that he is technically a French citizen and nah-nah-nuh-boo-boo America. And, so, for these 30+ years Polanski has been in France doing the movie making thing. In fact, in 2002 he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on the Pianist. You may also notice in Rush Hour III at the very end; he is the rather short French police officer who appears in the final scene with the fountaion to nab the bad guy and save the day.

BUT, in September of last year, Polanski, while traveling to the Zurich Film Festival to accept a Life Time Achievement Award, was nabbed by Swiss authorities. And for a time it looked like we would be able to bring him back for prosecution. However, now the Swiss are starting to change their minds about whether to give him back or not.

Part of the reason has to due with a 2008 documentary, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, produced by HBO and directed by Marina Zenovich, which explores the years of Polanski's career leading up to the incident and the controversy surrounding the trial. The film brings to light some unethical, or at the very least, questionable actions on the part of the judge and other matters that seem to muddle the circumstances of the case. As a result of this information, the Swiss believe they would be sending Polanski to a biased litigation when really the issue appears to be somewhat more complicated.

As it stands now, it looks like Polanski may return to his life in France.

"Barefoot Bandit" Caught

I'm going to admit I had never heard of this guy before all of this happened, but apparently he had developed a significant internet fan base and for pretty good reason. This kid, Colton Harris-Moore, is pretty damn remarkable. I mean some of the stuff he has pulled off. He is only 19 and after going on the lamb a few years back Harris is believed to have evaded police while stealing at least 5 small aircrafts, 2 cars, and a boat and burglarizing at least 100 private homes. The kid freakin' taught himself how to fly those planes. What a run!

Anyway they caught him now. He was arrested in nothern Bahamas after authorities discovered the power boat he had stolen.

Colton Harris-Moore Fan Club

Bombing in Uganda

Sunday terrorist bombings occurred in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. The two explosions took place in public venues while citizens gathered to watch the final moments of the World Cup. Reports say that at least 74 people were killed with several others severely injured.

A little more than a year ago, that is right were I was. Kampala was the city we spent probably 65% of our time while in Uganda. Fortunately this year's group had already returned to the States a few weeks prior. That is just completely bizarre.

The attacks are being claimed by a Somalian militia group linked with Al Queda, al-Shabab. The terrorist group claims to be targeting Uganda because of its involvement in suppling troops for a African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. The hardline, extremist group is advocating a ultra-conservative Muslim culture in which sport, song, and dance are considered sinful. How do you get to this point? It's just completely unreasonable.

LeBron James Decides!

The anticipation is over. The "King" is going to Miami to join up with a dream team along with the Heat's star guard, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors' former power forward.

Needless to say Ohio is PISSED. I mean LeBron's native blood, and, so of course, it really hits hard when the home town guy that you place all of your hope on winning the title just takes off on you for greener pastures. The Cavs' owner, Dan Gilbert, basically disowned him. He just went like crazy off on LeBron. It's pretty harsh.

Rainy 4th

Photo by New Harmony Kiwanis Club

It's RAINNY!!! Arrgh! All weekend is supposed to just grey and wet and just all wrong for the 4th of July.

But you know what? We're going to do it all any way. I have spent a crap load on fireworks and maybe the city's going to put off their show, but I'm going to shoot off all of it and add a few more stars to the sky.

Plus! Plus! Since the city is moving all of their stuff to Saturday, that just means we're going to have twice the celebration. Hey, this is America. If we want to have two independence days, then we're going to freakin' do it.