Snubs
Nadia Brunson - Marketing Executive
Alan Hirschfeld - Executive
George Little - Costume Designer
Paul Apted - Sound Editor
H. R. Giger - Designer
Sanford Reisberg - Marketing Executive
Dick Smith - Makeup Artist
Charles Champlin - Film Critic
Pennie Dupont - Casting Director
Frank Yablans - Executive
Ten names that were included in the In Memoriam Segment of Sunday night's Oscar telecast.
Names that were omitted, conspicuous by their absence:
Joan Rivers
Richard Kiel
Taylor Negron
Jan Hooks
Polly Bergen
Donna Douglas
I'm having trouble understanding something. I get it that the Oscar telecast can't pay tribute to every single person who acted, wrote, directed or produced a film; who died in the year before the telecast. What I can't wrap my head around is why marketing executives and film critics would be honored ahead of people who stood in front of the camera and performed in films. Hell, Joan Rivers didn't just act in films, she wrote and directed one. Polly Bergen appeared in nearly two dozen feature films. Richard Kiel is a lot more iconic in the minds of many than Geoffrey Holder, who was honored on Sunday's telecast. Unless of course, the AMPAS powers that be think this commercial is more important that being one of the best-remembered villains in the James Bond franchise.
If AMPAS wants to honor some actors over others, fine. But honoring people who market films over actors is just plain wrong.
* * *
On the CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley on Wednesday evening, 2/25/2015; an investigative report will uncover another scandal at the VA, this one truly frightening. The VA's Benefits Administration division administers programs that provide $95 billion in benefits to veterans. The CBS investigation reveals that over 13,000 informal claims for benefits that the VA received between 1996 and 2009 were stuffed into filing cabinets at the VA's Oakland Veterans Benefits office without being acted on. Informal claims are letters from veterans who are seeking benefits. Federal law mandates that such claims be responded to with a formal application for benefits and instructions on how to file that application. In July of 2014, the VA sent out a letter that thanked a veteran for submitting a disability claim. Problem is, he submitted that letter in 2004 and then died in an accident seven years ago.
Worse yet, when this massive pile of unprocessed claims was uncovered in 2012, VA management instructed the administrative staff dealing with these claims to mark them "no action necessary" and then set them aside again.
Half of the veterans who had filed claims had died before their request was ever processed. The widow of the Army veteran who filed in 2004 and died seven years ago lives in a home without electricity today.
This is unconscionable. Horrific. It is evidence that what was uncovered at the VA facility in Arizona involving secret lists of veterans who were being denied access to care is just the tip of the iceberg.
Please watch the report on tonight's news and then write your congressperson and U. S. senator. Let them know this is unacceptable.
* * *
In the wake of these new revelations, one cannot help but wonder if Robert McDonald, the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs is the right man for dealing with this task. Clearly honesty and integrity have been lacking at all levels of this government agency and a man who lies to a veteran; even with the best of intentions, may not possess those qualities in sufficient supply to deal with this massive mess.
Brian Williams is a journalist and his employer considers his veracity so critical, he was suspended for six months for lying about his deeds in war time. Bill O'Reilly is a pundit and his honesty is seriously in question at the moment as he squirms to try to justify his alleged falsehoods. So why is President Obama giving Secretary McDonald a pass on this?
He shouldn't. If you're dealing with a veteran, telling him or her that you also served is enough to make that connection to establish common ground. I never saw a shot fired in anger (except perhaps one time when I was pissed at myself for nearly failing to qualify as expert with the M-16 rifle) and so I don't have the experiences of those who saw 'action.' I don't need to do this to talk to them:
But okay. The president wants to give Secretary McDonald a pass on this. Fair enough. Clean up this mess and I'll give you one as well.
* * *
News Headlines and thoughts on them:
Three Americans tried to fly to the Middle East and join up with ISIS. Reporter's note: While we have lots of freedoms in this country, the freedom to betray the nation and kill others on behalf of terrorists isn't among those freedoms.
Doctors treating Bobbi Kristina Brown tried to take her off of some of the medications she is receiving, but she suffered seizures. Doctors resumed medicating her. However she continues to breathe through a hole in her throat. Reporter's note: They say she has little to no brain activity. If a family wants to continue to hope for a miracle and pay for care, they should be allowed to do so.
Eddie Lee Routh, the former Marine convicted of murdering American Sniper Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield will spend the rest of his life in a Texas prison. Reporter's note: If Kyle's friend and fellow SEAL Marcus Luttrell (he's the guy who was portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in "Lone Survivor") has it right, it may be a short life for Routh. Luttrell thinks that Routh's fellow inmates will not take kindly to the fact that he killed an American hero.
* * *
Only One Random Pondering today:
This is one way to steal the spotlight from the bride at a wedding reception:
Alan Hirschfeld - Executive
George Little - Costume Designer
Paul Apted - Sound Editor
H. R. Giger - Designer
Sanford Reisberg - Marketing Executive
Dick Smith - Makeup Artist
Charles Champlin - Film Critic
Pennie Dupont - Casting Director
Frank Yablans - Executive
Ten names that were included in the In Memoriam Segment of Sunday night's Oscar telecast.
Names that were omitted, conspicuous by their absence:
Joan Rivers
Richard Kiel
Taylor Negron
Jan Hooks
Polly Bergen
Donna Douglas
If AMPAS wants to honor some actors over others, fine. But honoring people who market films over actors is just plain wrong.
* * *
On the CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley on Wednesday evening, 2/25/2015; an investigative report will uncover another scandal at the VA, this one truly frightening. The VA's Benefits Administration division administers programs that provide $95 billion in benefits to veterans. The CBS investigation reveals that over 13,000 informal claims for benefits that the VA received between 1996 and 2009 were stuffed into filing cabinets at the VA's Oakland Veterans Benefits office without being acted on. Informal claims are letters from veterans who are seeking benefits. Federal law mandates that such claims be responded to with a formal application for benefits and instructions on how to file that application. In July of 2014, the VA sent out a letter that thanked a veteran for submitting a disability claim. Problem is, he submitted that letter in 2004 and then died in an accident seven years ago.
Worse yet, when this massive pile of unprocessed claims was uncovered in 2012, VA management instructed the administrative staff dealing with these claims to mark them "no action necessary" and then set them aside again.
Half of the veterans who had filed claims had died before their request was ever processed. The widow of the Army veteran who filed in 2004 and died seven years ago lives in a home without electricity today.
This is unconscionable. Horrific. It is evidence that what was uncovered at the VA facility in Arizona involving secret lists of veterans who were being denied access to care is just the tip of the iceberg.
Please watch the report on tonight's news and then write your congressperson and U. S. senator. Let them know this is unacceptable.
* * *
In the wake of these new revelations, one cannot help but wonder if Robert McDonald, the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs is the right man for dealing with this task. Clearly honesty and integrity have been lacking at all levels of this government agency and a man who lies to a veteran; even with the best of intentions, may not possess those qualities in sufficient supply to deal with this massive mess.
Brian Williams is a journalist and his employer considers his veracity so critical, he was suspended for six months for lying about his deeds in war time. Bill O'Reilly is a pundit and his honesty is seriously in question at the moment as he squirms to try to justify his alleged falsehoods. So why is President Obama giving Secretary McDonald a pass on this?
He shouldn't. If you're dealing with a veteran, telling him or her that you also served is enough to make that connection to establish common ground. I never saw a shot fired in anger (except perhaps one time when I was pissed at myself for nearly failing to qualify as expert with the M-16 rifle) and so I don't have the experiences of those who saw 'action.' I don't need to do this to talk to them:
But okay. The president wants to give Secretary McDonald a pass on this. Fair enough. Clean up this mess and I'll give you one as well.
* * *
News Headlines and thoughts on them:
Three Americans tried to fly to the Middle East and join up with ISIS. Reporter's note: While we have lots of freedoms in this country, the freedom to betray the nation and kill others on behalf of terrorists isn't among those freedoms.
Doctors treating Bobbi Kristina Brown tried to take her off of some of the medications she is receiving, but she suffered seizures. Doctors resumed medicating her. However she continues to breathe through a hole in her throat. Reporter's note: They say she has little to no brain activity. If a family wants to continue to hope for a miracle and pay for care, they should be allowed to do so.
Eddie Lee Routh, the former Marine convicted of murdering American Sniper Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield will spend the rest of his life in a Texas prison. Reporter's note: If Kyle's friend and fellow SEAL Marcus Luttrell (he's the guy who was portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in "Lone Survivor") has it right, it may be a short life for Routh. Luttrell thinks that Routh's fellow inmates will not take kindly to the fact that he killed an American hero.
* * *
Only One Random Pondering today:
This is one way to steal the spotlight from the bride at a wedding reception:
posted by me at 9:05 PM
<< Home