Comments Posted By Tony Lafauce
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If one were to follow this story from its inception it would be immediately apparent that the parallel to Watergate is alarming. In both instances leakes from inside the WH caused repercussions that quickly went out of control. In Watergate, Nixon's temper got the better of him when each morning Jack Anderson's column ran leaks from the previous day. It was so bad that the "Plumbers" were born, only to stop leaks, hence plumbers. The plumbers were employed by John Dean to bug a room at the Watergate Hotel. The story from here on is well known. The Dems armed with information from Dean himself threatened to impeach Nixon if he didn't resign. See how the patern emerges. The crux of the matter is simple "leaks" from mid level bureaucrats privy to inside information leaking that information to the press. The informer has an axe to grind and the print media wants to make headlines. It happened with Daniel Elsberg when the NYT printed a Vietnam battle plan. The moral of the story is that sensitive material in the hands of the wrong people can and will destroy a presidency. In this instance this is a non story by a mid level, has been,ex member of the State Dept. who just happened to marry a CIA administrative person. Joe Wilson was a small fish whose career was over. The lies and political manipulation by Mr. Wilson have cost numerous wasted hours by the special prosecutor and not a little angst by WH officials. There should have been a firewall to prevent the naming of a Special Prosecutor before this non-story even got started. Charges should have then been brought against Mr. Wilson for lying on a report and wasting tax-payer money.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 11.04.2006 @ 19:39
Well just when everyone thought it couldn't get any more exiting it did. On your comment vis-a-vis President Logan's leers and sidelong glances revealing his character, the audience by this time should believe that no look by a character is accidental. Consider that if the director wanted a character to appear sinister, uncertain (as Ms. Hays) or troubled as Audrey has been at times, or slimy as Miles, there is a story board that the director is following and a look is worth a thousand words. ergo: There is a beginning a middle and an end to the saga, unlike as I mentioned before "X-files" which the writers made up as they went along. The surlyness of Miles, the brazeness of Chloe, the sinister looks of the Vice President are dramatic devices that are far from accidental and that being so, expose writing that is superlative. The fact that Chloe has magical computer skills or that CTU has equipment that surpasses anything the general public has are only minutae meant to highten the action and if needed to be explained would be painstaking to reveal, one must take those devices on faith, not unlike Buck Rogers Ray Gun or Captain Kirk's transporter. Although I can visualize downloading satellite imaging to a PDA easier than a computer smashing my bodily atoms and molecules and beaming them up to a spaceship.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 11.04.2006 @ 11:40
The most insidious part of this entire episode is that President Bush thought to bring to Washington a kinder, gentler administration. Ergo: Leftist holdovers from the Clinton administration remained in place. Far from merely destroying computer keyboards the Clintonistas made their top prioity the sinking of the Bush Administration. The moral of the story is simple, Washington politics have in fact become "A Blood Sport" as James Stewart so aptly wrote. The sad fact is that there can be no Kinder and Gentler government therefore it must be harsher and more punitive to exist. I am loathe to see the result of this new government.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 8.04.2006 @ 07:44
DREAMS AND MYTHS: HOLLYWOOD AND 9/11
If Hollywood serves to remind America of the horrofifc chain of events that served to eclipse cataclysmic events vis-a-vis Pearl Harbor then the movie has to be made. Americans are want to forget unpleasantries while we dwell in Oz numbed with poppy like trance. During WWII events like Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Bataan etc. were seized upon in bigger than life battles with bigger than life heroes. The movies served to keep alive the hostile feelings toward an enemy abroad and moved the country to a patriotism not felt since the our Independence from the yoke of King George. "Lest We Forget" was the battlecry of America, as we reenacted Pearl Harbor. Because of the movies America rallied to our men and women in uniform and those who served the war effort in defense plants etc. The nation was together and our national ethos was celebrated in art as with Norman Rockwell, music from Glen Miller and movies from "Back to Bataan" to "Stagedoor Canteen". "Rosie the Riveter" was the symbol of women behind the was effort. So united, the Allies defeated the Axis and Hollywood again celebrated victory with movies "Patton" "D-Day" " etc.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 4.04.2006 @ 10:24
If it is Hollywood's intention to again unite the people of America against out common enemy then there is no question the movie has to be made if only to keep the events of 9/11 fresh in our minds. I fear though that the anti USA crowd on the Left Coast has other things in mind. Oliver Stone has a reputation for Conspiracy theory and sensationalism. If the movie is about the falling of the Twin Towers and not about the attack by Jihadists and subsequent war or that the President knew about the attack in advance (Erika Jong)of the declaration by Al Queda then Oliver Stone be damned and the "Horse he rode in on."
Rick: I hope I didn't leave the impression that I objected to the using of the cliffhanger device to heighten the drama was bad writing. On the contrary I respect the writers using every dramatic ploy they can to seduce the audience into watching their episodes week after week. It actually shows a profound respect for the listeners/watchers. Writers have a nasty habit of forgetting for whom they are supposedly entertaining. Not so in this case.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 4.04.2006 @ 19:29
For those blog readers and those Monday night 24holics who are under 70 years old, or those movie nuts otherwise familiar with the "Perils of Paulineish", "Flash Gordon" or "Zorro" cliffhangers. Tonight's episode of Jack Bauer "All American Boy" tops them all,right down to Jack walking out of the flames with Bierko draped over his shoulder. I had all I could do to restrain myself from leaping up (as I did as a kid) and screaming "Way to Go Jack". But as the evening went on, my question became,"Can they (the writers) drag this on yet another season? Apparently not, as the surprise of surprises is sprung, President Logan is the ultimate villain. Or is he? Here's where Oliver Stone would come in handy. Is the UN the higher authority? Does President Logan have higher aspirations that just president of the US? Is the Secretary of the UN the pot of gold? Is it President Logan of the World? Will Jack be able to save us yet again? Well maybe or not, we will watch anyway. It did satisfy the romantic in me to have Audrey remain loyal to Jack and her team at CTU. Obviously they will ride off into the sunset together.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 4.04.2006 @ 11:22
The conclusion or rather the
resolution of this rather convoluted drama is heightened by the daily episodal adventures of Jack. Last week were shocked by the mistaken idea that Audrey Raines was an accomplice to the conspiracy, tonight we are made aware of President Logan's involvement next week I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that President Logan has an evil twin that walks in and out of the WH with impunity. Regardless, the writers keep us rivited with the "Adventures of Jack Bauer" just as the writers of the Saturday Afternoon serials kept us going back week after week to the Bijou.
Pant! Pant! Pant! Wow! If the episode wasn't exciting enough, the review certainly was. As good a review as some of those Hollywood high priced TV critics. One of the the most salient points left out of the criticism though is how the action moves forward and after each minor crisis there is a small resolution. Good writing I suspect. The fact of the matter is that although the plot is at times confusingly convoluted it takes "24" junkies like the readers of this column to keep up.(With a little help from our friends of course) Here in old Cape Cod, the neighborhood is tuned in each Monday Night and then anxiously awaits Mr. Moran's tryst with his muse each Tuesday.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 28.03.2006 @ 11:19
As for speculation of the conclusion, I'm as "up a tree" as anyone but I would have Jack and Audrey riding off into the sunset after having saved the country from a hostile takeover by the VP, Aaron gets promoted to head of DHS, Bill gets back control of CTU, Chloe gets a major makeover and meets the man of her dreams. and oh! Grandma Hays is led off the CTU premises in leg irons with a raincoat over her head.
One major problem I have with the series is the changing of terrorist identities from Islamist to Russian to whatever just because CAIR protested. I believe it changed the script from terrorist intention of mass murder to an internal power struggle in the WH. Jack would have found the Jihadists a more formidable opponent and the audience would have found some vicarious relief from the suicide bombers et al in Iraq and etc.
Thanks for a great Review
A.J. Lafauce
Falmouth, MA
Gentlemen: I hate to interfer with a private discussion but; the ruckus started over the Mexican reconquistadores is nothing compared to the Islamist Jihad and their militant cells in this country. While we debate our immigration policies (which by the way could be solved by withdrawing all welfare for illegals, including free health care) the Moslem community is having a field day in controlling our foreign policy, subverting our culture and using oil as the ultimate weapon against us. Both Mexico and Islamist Fascist have learned to use our laws against us and our government foolishly capitulates and condescends. I fear that we have already crossed the point of no return in dealing with our internal problems. The Mexicans have LaRaza and the Islamists have CAIR that leaves we few with the likes of the ACLU. What alternatives remain for the poor American slob trying to eke out a living and prepare his children for a better life in the good ole USA?
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 28.03.2006 @ 07:56
"AS THE FATES RULE THE AFFAIRS OF MEN"
The similarities of "24" to Sophocles Oedipus or better yet to all of Greek Drama is a bit lofty for a television drama. However I admit it's fun to speculate and attempt to apply the rules of Greek Tragedy to explain the deaths of characters that we have come to enjoy or at least have gotten used to, understanding of course that Greek Drama should have a loftier goal of merely saving America from extinction. It should have a "there but for the Grace of God go I" element enabling the audience a catharsis of kinds. No such comparison here. If that were the case though Edgar's death would have to be at the least Gluttony if not Pride, anger and a little sloth. McGill of course will have to die because of his enormous pride, and an added 8th deadly sin of arrogance. Tony , anger etc. However it is more practical and a little more realistic to call "24" what it is rather than what it is not although I will agree that Jack Bauer in spite of his bigger than life role and his super-human gifts, is a rather tragic figure. Why he has not gained greater prominence by his peers, is beyond me and why he remains an ambivalent figure in spite of his saving the world week after week is even further beyond me. He has to be the most mis-understood character since Don Quixote. My guess is that the writer(s) either didn't realize the show's popularity or wrote themselves into a corner.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 14.03.2006 @ 11:04
That being said, the answer to the enigma is probably more that the series is ending than anything else. If not there would have more confrontations with Jack and McGill and/or resolutions of the differences between Jack and Audrey. Be that as it may, there is still tons of action in the offing with the advent of the sinister Homeland Security crew and more adventures with Jack and Chloe and Audrey and President Jellyfish. I shall (at least for a little while longer) look forward to each and every Tuesday's chorus explanation at rightwingnuthouse.
sincerely
T.L.
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME
Wow! amazingly lucid for 7:00AM. What I always say what is one man's Islamophobia is another man's Patriotism. Well I don't really always say that but I think it often. It's ironic that a part of the world that hasn't progressed since 650AD should wind up with all the oil in the world. Any, I say, "let them drown in it, I can alter my lifestyle to accomodate the bus line. I quit smoking didn't I? The one thing in the entire mess is how gullible we are as a nation. i.e. We can't shut off the money to Palestine because the people will suffer. Well if they suffer enough, maybe next time they won't vote for a terrorist government. But before I give myself away, (I'm really a Patriot myself) - with just a tad of belicostic tendencies. Can't wait for your Tuesday take on 24.
Comment Posted By Tony Lafauce On 10.03.2006 @ 10:33
T.L.
