'TBH Politoons'
Baron Dave Romm
The Knights Templar
By Baron Dave Romm
There has been a lot written about the Knights Templar, some of it probably true. I've written two essays on the history of the Templars and speculation about the Templar's connection to Christopher Columbus.
The Knights Templar is an organization just made for Grand Conspiracy Theories. It came out of nowhere, its origins a mystery, and was one of the richest and most powerful organizations in the world for two centuries before being officially dissolved by Papal Decree around 800 years ago. Some of its power clung to people who clammed up, much of its money disappeared without a trace and its mystery has been claimed by organizations still around today.
Power, mystery, murder and money. The perfect backdrop to a successful novel and a popular movie. Except maybe for the religion part.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, touches upon the religion part but doesn't confront it head on. (Brown also makes the understandable but annoying decision to use the painter's surname, derived from his place of birth, rather than his given name. The Leonardo Code may not have the same ring of Old Mystery, but would be more historically accurate.) The novel is a murder mystery set in modern times. Only one murder takes place on stage, but it sets off a chain of events that takes us to some of the most famous hiding places in Europe. Brown, continuing the plot structure from his previous Robert Langdon novel Angels and Demons: It's not a Whodunnit, but a Whohiredthewhodunnit. Just who sets everything up? And again, the actual denouement is less impressive than the set up.
But what the heck.
As Robert Langdon and Sophia Neveu (the granddaughter of the murdered Louvre curator; her name translates roughly to new learning, says my Obscure Spidey-Sense), run around just ahead of the police and solve some nifty puzzles along the way. You have to keep an open mind, and you have to realize just how repressive organized religion is. This is not a book for The Left Behind crowd. Indeed, the book is very empowering to women and other groups that the sphincter conservatives have tried to cast into a lesser role.
The Da Vinci Code delves into the various mysteries surrounding The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, The Gnostic Gospels and the various religious symbols that mean something a little different than what you're used to seeing. You probably didn't even know they were hiding something. And indeed, they may not; this is a work of fiction, after all. But Random House is playing along. Play Uncover the Code Contest, which is sort of fun, but you have to be specific. (If you make it all the way through, let me know...)
The Da Vinci Code is highly recommended. Don't wait for the movie starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard.
As much as I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, I liked Angels and Demons better, and I recommend reading the earlier Angels and Demons first. Robert Langdon runs around Rome and delves into architecture and the Illuminati. Perhaps I liked it better because I was less familiar with the territory being explored. Perhaps I liked it better because it was bloodier. I dunno. But I eagerly await Dan Brown's next novel.
Maybe his next novel will be about George W. Bush and the Skull and Bones Society. heh
The Masons claim descendence from the Knights Templar. While their precise relationship has been called into question, the Masons clearly inherited (or reclaimed) much of the Templar code. Are the Masons some part of a deep dark conspiracy or are they just an old boy network using a bunch of old rituals? I won't get into that, though personally I think they're much, much closer to the latter than the former.
On the other hand, many of those Old Boys signed the Constitution of the United States. And therein starts the hunt for the National Treasure.
National Treasure doesn't really make a lot of sense, and it's best not to analyze the plot or character motivations too closely. Still, it's nicely acted with fine understated performances by terrific actors in minor roles. In their starring roles, Nicholas Cage and Jon Voight almost make it convincing. The character interactions work pretty well. The sets are fine, and the location shooting is pretty good.
The basic plot revolves around the Masons and the treasure of the Knights Templar having made it to the US and the signers of the Constitution hiding clues all over the new country. I worked hard to suspend belief, but the twists got dumber and dumber. The fun is in seeing what's hidden not quite literally in front of the eyes of millions of Americans every day.
On the Shockwave Rating System from 9 to 23, I give National Treasure about an 18. Fun, with some nice dialog and acting, but ultimately just eye candy. I hope the DVD will have some great extras that explore more of the mysteries touched upon in the movie. I suspect that they'll just promote the adventure part, which will be too bad.Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here, you can order Shockwave Radio Theater CDs, and you can hear the last two Shockwave broadcasts in Real Audio here (scroll down to Shockwave). Thanks to everyone who has sent me music to play on the air, and I'm continuing to collect extra-weird stuff.
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Reader Recommendations
from Bruce
Joel Havemann: If it ain't broke...The Bush plan to fool you about Social Security
Even before settling on a proposal to privatize part of Social Security, President Bush is mounting an aggressive campaign to convince the public of something that many Democrats and economists say is mistaken: that the massive government retirement system is hurtling toward disaster.
Reader Response
Re: obit for Jerry Scoggins
"...the obit for Jerry Scoggins. "
Oh crap, now I feel bad.
Peace --Joe
"Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want to impress people they don't like."
- Will Rogers -
manisteedems
Heh - Don't worry about it, Joe.
Besides, if I'd wanted you to feel badly, having been raised in a tradition of guilt & shame (catholic), I would have started my rebuttal with a hearty 'Indeed!' (thank you, Sister Agnes Terese). ; )
Purple Gene Reviews
'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
Purple Genes' review of Larry Davids' HBO sitcom "Curb Your Enthusiasm" - Episode 1.10 called the "Group" :
My brother, JD, always tells me that TV Sucks!!! For the most part, this is painfully true....network news, reality shows, stupid weeknight sitcoms..."must see TV" its a wasteland of commercially generated CRAP. I spend a lot of time watching Cable....All the Movie Channels, Comedy Central, Sundance, IFC...etc! But there are the new sitcoms on cable that get my attention via my roving remote THUMB.....Sex in the City, Sopranos, Six feet Under...all on HBO....are incredibly well written and directed.......I just happened to get hooked by a half-hour HBO sitcom called "Curb Your Enthusiasm" written and starring Larry David....the writer responsible for "Seinfeld" ! The first time I tried to watch this show, I must admit, I actually had a hard time staying with it. Larry David plays his real life self but with completely fictitious plots and characters......But I started to like watching this annoying idiot get himself into the most riotous situations..........
So last night I watched an episode called the "Group" and I was just belly laughing through the whole half hour........
Larry is laying in bed with his wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines). They are about to fall asleep and Cheryl leans over and says to Larry, "Honey, why am I always the one who has to initiate sex?" Larry says, " Listen, I'm ready to go any time. Do you want me grabbing your breasts every minute? If you want to do it just tap me on the shoulder and I'm there!" The next day Cheryl finds out from Larrys Manager Jeff (Jeff Garlin) that a director named Wendy wants Cheryl to do the "Vagina Monologues". Cheryl is thrilled. As they are walking out, Larry and Cheryl run into an amply breasted woman named Lucy (Melanie Smith) who used to be Larrys' Girlfriend.....feeling uncomfortable with her, Cheryl goes ahead to the car while Larry stays and talks to Lucy. Lucy tells Larry that she has something really important to talk to him about...could they meet over lunch? Larry says, "Did you have my baby"? She says "no", but they agree to meet for lunch.....
Back in bed that night, Cheryl taps Larry on the shoulder......Larry says "Honey I'm "Tapped out"...Cheryl says, "Do you mean that you already did it? Like were you thinking about Lucy your Ex and her large breasts while you were doing it?" Larry says, "Just in the first part. But I promise, I won't THINK about her when I DO IT ever again!"
The next day, Larry is on his way to lunch with Lucy and Jeff the manager sees them and shows unnatural prurient interest in her....David and Lucy sit down by themselves for lunch and Larry says, "What did you want to talk to me about?" Lucy says, " Larry, remember when we were going together and I told you that I was an Incest Survivor? And that you are the only person in the whole world that knows?" Larry says, "Yes'! Lucy says, "I want you to accompany me to an Incest Survivors meeting!" Reluctantly Larry agrees...and at that very moment Larrys' wife walks into the same restaurant with her girlfriend and finds Larry and Lucy. Cheryl says, "Larry, why are you meeting Lucy here?" Of course now Larry can't tell her why because his ass is sworn to secrecy....Oh shit....could it get stickier?
So Larry goes to the Incest Survivors meeting with Lucy and it is being run by Wendy who, unbeknownst to Larry, is also the director of the "Vagina Monologues". Well each woman, starting with Wendy tells their seedy, salacious and sick stories of Incest. Oh shit it's Larrys' turn! He thought he was here to listen. He says his name is Todd and has to make up a story about being molested by his UNCLE when he was 12 years old. "None of this can ever leave this room"!
This all remains under wraps until Larry takes Cheryl to meet her new director....Wendy...from the Incest Survivors meeting....Of Course Wendy calls Larry Todd and Cheryl wants to know why and Oh Jesus this is getting weird and Cheryl Quits the show and walks out.
That night in bed, Larry tells Cheryl the whole story and she is sympathetic and shocked and they decide to call Wendy back and try to get the part back by telling Wendy that Larry told her about his "gambling" problem and now she knows why Wendy called him Todd! Well it's too late....because Wendy already gave the part to Lucy, Larrys' EX, because Larrys' manager, who has the hots for Lucy, got Lucy the part......Is all lost?......Well Jeff the manager get Lucy in a hotel and they get drunk on Johnny Walker "Blue Label" and driving away get in a car accident and Lucy gets hurt and can't do the Vagina Monologues....Wendy calls Cheryl. All is well...or is it.......So it's opening night and Larry decides to bring his UNCLE to the first show.
Oh my god....well they go back stage to see Cheryl and Wendy comes out and Larry introduces his UNCLE to Wendy.......Thinking this is the UNCLE that molested Larry, Wendy goes ballistic.....she starts screaming "Get out of here you fucking piece of shit, you cocksucker, you bastard............" Larry looks at Cheryl....end of show!
Purple Gene gives This episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" 10 Larry David disgusting nose hairs out of 10 for being so well written and funny.
Purple Gene
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Overcast morning followed by a sunny afternoon.
The kid has another cold. Ack.
Wins 'Survivor: Vanuatu - Islands of Fire'
Chris Daugherty
CBS's "Survivor: Vanuatu - Islands of Fire" came down to two highway workers, but only Chris Daugherty was able to drive home with the $1 million prize and a new car.
Daugherty, 33, outplayed, outlasted and outwitted Twila Tanner, 41, in the 39-day contest. Daugherty received five of the seven-person jury's votes.
Daugherty, who lives in South Vienna, Ohio, works for the Ohio Department of Transportation. Tanner works for the Missouri Department of Transportation.
At the end of the reunion, the location for the 10th season and yet another twist was revealed. Twenty castaways - past seasons have only included 16 or 18 - are headed to Palau, an island nation located in the Pacific. Host Jeff Probst promised "everything the survivors have come to expect will be wiped out in the first 10 minutes."
Chris Daugherty
Names Its Top 10 Movies of the Year
AFI
The superhero adventures "Spider-Man 2" and "The Incredibles" made the American Film Institute's list of 2004's top 10 movies.
Also on the list released Sunday were the not-yet-released Howard Hughes film biography "The Aviator" and boxing drama "Million Dollar Baby."
Rounding out the group's list, which did not rank the films, were the hit-man thriller "Collateral"; the quirky romances "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Sideways"; the football drama "Friday Night Lights"; the drug-smuggling drama "Maria Full of Grace"; and "Kinsey," a film biography of sexuality researcher Alfred Kinsey.
The institute's top 10 television programs of the year were HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Deadwood," "The Sopranos" and "Something the Lord Made," ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," FX's "Nip/Tuck" and "The Shield," Fox's "Arrested Development" and Comedy Central's "South Park."
AFI
Among Museum-Store Customers
Bill Clinton
A Socks the Cat doll that meows could show up in a stocking stuffed by Bill Clinton this year. Thousands of people from around the world - including the former president himself - have spent more than $400,000 at the Clinton Museum Store since it opened Nov. 15.
Clinton placed a phone order from Chappaqua, N.Y., on Thursday, calling museum store manager Connie Fails to order, among other things, Air Force One toys that emit the sound of plane engines when squeezed, neckties, stuffed donkeys and a Socks the Cat doll that says "meow."
"I'm still totaling up the bill. Yes, he has to pay for it," Fails said.
Bill Clinton
Shut Down In Atlanta
'Naked Boys Singing'
Police shut down a bar that was showing a successful musical revue featuring nudity because the business didn't have an adult entertainment license.
The manager of The Armory bar in midtown Atlanta, Doug Youngblood, said police overreacted Saturday night. He said the show had been running since August and is theater - not adult entertainment.
The revue, "Naked Boys Singing," has spent six years off-Broadway in New York and road show versions are playing in several cities. The gay-themed show, billed as celebrating "the splendors of male nudity in comedy, song and dance," features six male actors who are in the buff for much of the performance.
The show received generally good reviews in New York City, where it ranks as the 10th longest-running off-Broadway show. In August, the city's tourist bureau pulled it from a list of discounted offerings for visiting Republican delegates after the Republican National Committee complained it wasn't suitable.
'Naked Boys Singing'
Back to Teach New Lessons
'Davey & Goliath'
After a nearly 30-year hiatus, Davey Hansen and his faithful dog Goliath are back to teach values to a new generation of young people.
The Lutheran church is reviving the 1960s-era animated series for a holiday special, "Davey & Goliath's Snowboard Christmas," on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 19. It airs at noon, and will be repeated the same time on the day after Christmas.
The original series was produced from 1960 to '65 and distributed for free to television stations. Many eagerly aired the 15-minute episodes on Sunday mornings; as public licensees, it was a solid PR move to show wholesome children's programming with a religious component.
Ruth Clokey, daughter of a Lutheran minister, and her husband, Art, were the producers. Art created the Gumby character - remembered as much for Eddie Murphy's "Saturday Night Live" skits as the original shows - and the quirky, stop-action animation that was its signature.
Production of "Davey & Goliath" was discontinued but the Lutheran church funded more episodes made between 1969 and 1971. A handful of specials were also made, the last in 1975. Repeats were a staple on TV until the early 1980s. It mostly disappeared after stations recognized the money they could make by selling advertising for other religious programming, often made by conservative Christians.
'Davey & Goliath'
2 More Episodes
George Lopez
ABC has ordered two more episodes of family laffer "George Lopez," bringing the show's season total to 24.
Now in its fourth season, "George Lopez" has averaged 8.6 million viewers this fall. Show moved to Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. this year, having aired last season as part of the "TGIF" Friday lineup.
George Lopez
Rare Copy to Be Auctioned
'Scarlet Letter'
The town's historical society hopes to make more than $250,000 this week by auctioning the oldest known copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" - not bad for a manuscript that spent more than a century in a drawer before someone recognized its significance.
A relative of Hawthorne donated the corrected page proofs in 1886 to the organization that became the Natick Historical Society. The pages are covered with more than 700 proofreading corrections and comments, many believed to be in Hawthorne's own hand.
The gift spent the next 118 years in a drawer, until trustee Roger Casavant came across the manuscript earlier this year while cataloguing the society's collections and identified it as the oldest existing copy of "The Scarlet Letter."
'Scarlet Letter'
Eminem Crew Raps Oz Officials
D12
US rapper Eminem's group D12 has reportedly accused Australian immigration officials of taking the country "back to the dark ages" after the musicians were lectured on how to behave ahead of a tour Down Under.
Sydney radio station 2UE said the Detriot-based rap crew was angered by the lecture from immigration officers after they arrived in Perth on Saturday.
Tour promoter Arash Madden said the rappers were told not to "incite" young Australians.
D12
To Be Played Out in TV Movie
Disney Feud
The bitter business relationship of Hollywood heavyweights Michael Eisner and Mike Ovitz will be played out again in a television movie.
"Two Blind Mikes" is being developed by Showtime with writer Frederic Raphael, who co-wrote the Stanley Kubrick film "Eyes Wide Shut," Daily Variety reported Friday.
A shareholders' lawsuit, now being heard, contends that Disney's board was negligent in hiring Ovitz to a lucrative deal and for agreeing to a $140 million package settlement.
Disney Feud
New Wheels In Swaziland
King Mswati III
Swaziland's King Mswati III has bought himself a 500,000-dollar (390,000 euros) luxury sedan while his debt-ridden country continues battling AIDS and crippling poverty, a newspaper reported.
Southern Africa's last absolute monarch now joins an elite circle of four "super rich" people in the region who own the Daimler Chrysler flagship Maybach 62, according to the Mbabane-based Times Sunday.
Swaziland has the highest AIDS rate in the world at 38.8 percent, unemployment stands at 40 percent, almost 70 percent of the nation live on an average income of 11 dollars per month and about a third rely on food aid for survival.
King Mswati III
Fan Based Death On Sherlock Holmes Case
Richard Lancelyn Green
The mysterious death of Britain's leading Sherlock Holmes expert appears to have been a bizarre suicide plot deliberately based on one of the cases tackled by the fictional detective himself, a report said.
According to friends of Richard Lancelyn Green, he appears to have dressed up his suicide as murder in an attempt to get at an enemy from beyond the grave, a notion lifted from one of Holmes's adventures, the Sunday Times said.
According to the report, Lancelyn Green had become bitterly depressed after learning that a collection of papers belonging to the creator of Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was to be broken up and sold at auction.
The Sunday Times said that friends believed Lancelyn Green based this on "The Problem of the Thor Bridge", one of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes adventures.
For the rest, Richard Lancelyn Green
In Memory
Gary Webb
Gary Webb, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who wrote a controversial series of stories linking the CIA to crack cocaine trafficking in Los Angeles, has died at age 49.
Webb was found Friday morning at his home in Sacramento County, dead of an apparent suicide. Moving-company workers called authorities after discovering a note posted on his front door that read, "Please do not enter. Call 911 and ask for an ambulance."
Webb died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Sacramento County coroner's office.
Webb was part of the San Jose Mercury News reporting team that won a 1990 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
Webb's 1996 series in the Mercury News alleged that Nicaraguan drug traffickers had sold tons of crack cocaine in Los Angeles and funneled millions of dollars in profits to the CIA-supported Nicaraguan Contras during the 1980s.
Born in Corona, Calif., to a military family, Webb dropped out of journalism school and went to work for the Kentucky Post and the Cleveland Plain Dealer before landing at the Mercury News.
Webb worked in state government after leaving the paper, most prominently as a member of an audit committee investigating former Gov. Gray Davis' controversial award of a $95 million no-bid contract to Oracle Corp. in 2001.
Webb is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Gary Webb
