I liked the movie,

These stars have rough lives.

Never Let Me Go, a lot.  But I could definitely understand some folks not liking it.  I have not read the novel.  I do not want to talk much about the film and I would suggest if you have not seen it but would like to, do not do any research or read any reviews.  There are some outstanding performances, especially the children in the First Act, and Ms Mulligan and Andrew Garfield (Wardo in The Social Network) also do v fine work.  I will say one thing:  I love how the main characters' lives are completely ruled by "rumors and theories." I understand how the film might be a matter of taste.  I loved it.  It has a composed, gently pulsing, eerie quality that reminds me of some of Peter Weir's work, notably Picnic at Hanging Rock, Fearless, and Witness.

************

SO, ... right smack-dab in the middle of Black History Month, as some of you might have already heard, but I am going to talk about it anyway because it makes me frickin' ill, The Mississippi Division of Sons of Confederate Veterans are proposing the state honor Nathan Bedford Forrest with a commemorative license plate.  

Forrest, the "entrepreneur."

Those are some mighty sick folks down there in Mississippi but sicker even still are the "Alibi Ike"s out there polluting political blog comment boards and facebook threads, apologizing for these assholes or defending Forrest 'cause he "moderated" his views late in his life.  What a load of shit!  


You know, it is the usual tired, pathetic arguments:  "The Civil War was not really about slavery"; "The North was/is racist, too" (Yeah, no shit, Sherlock); and, "Sure, Forrest was an asshole but what a brilliant tactician he was!" 


Nathan Bedford Forrest does not deserve to have a landfill named after him.  


I am done.  I feel like I need to cleanse myself.  I am going to watch some Watts/Stax, listen to Booker T. and the M.G.s all day.  


Love you all.