The Associated Press:

“I think it borders on treason,” Bachus said. “In treason, one definition is to undermine the effort or national security of our country.”

In a statement released Monday night, Maher defended his support for the American armed forces.

“Anyone who knows anything about my views and has watched my show knows that I have nothing but the highest regard for the men and women serving this country around the world,” Maher said in the statement.

Bachus said he was appalled after watching a rerun of the show shortly after returning from a visit to Germany, in which he met with a paralyzed American soldier in the hospital. He has since written to Time Warner, HBO’s parent company.

“I don’t want (Maher) prosecuted,” Bachus said. “I want him off the air.”

Wait – let’s go over this real slowly.

There’s a problem the Army has with some recruiters encouraging potential recruits to lie, forge, and not to worry about their drug habits. These recruits, who don’t meet the requirements of the Armed Services — who would be turned away by honest recruiters — may someday be soldiers in the U.S. Military.

But Mahr is the dude Bachus thinks is close to commiting treason?

I think a drugged-out soldier who forged his high-school diploma is a greater danger to National Security then a comedian. Of course, that might just be me. But from everything I’ve read, Bachus is an effin’ moron!

Oh, and that last bit of his? That’s censorship. I shouldn’t be surprised, he is from Alabama.

Ogre has taken up the black arts so that he can bring his blow-up doll to life. At the stunned silence that greeted this news, he clarified, “I saw it in a movie.”

The sad thing is, neither Greg or I could decide if he was joking or not.

My interview is Thursday at 9am.

I’m nervous.

According to Moviehole, Mathew Newton has been approached by George Lucas for a role in the upcoming tv series …

The now colorful banner at the top of the page is, if you’re curious, the work of artist and friend Alan Fore, also responsible for the fine illustration of elephants holding up the world.

(Finally, the blog looks less bleh.)

Looks like there are still a few kinks to work out with the banner …

The interview today? Wasn’t an interview, much to my surprise and, I’ll admit it, delight. I forked over my driving record, license, and social security card for photocopying and then signed some paperwork. I was told to expect a call from a UPS representative on Thursday to schedule an interview.

On the bright side … now I’ve got time to get a red tie.

UPDATE for clar-ama-fictation purposes
(Just so the record is clear on this … I was, in fact, told that it was, indeed, an interview. Also, upon looking over some of stuff I had to sign, this job pays considerably better than I thought it did. I think its a season position. I also think its with the Landover branch … not Burtonsville. I still don’t think I’ll get it.)

The Sith Sense

Best Vader comebacks:

“The force is not even remotely with you.”

“Intelligence does not appear to be your … thing.”

“That is a load of Bantha fodder!”

Best Computer Followup Question:

“Is it shaped like a hot dog?”

*Possible Film Spoiler!*

Q: After their battle on Mustafa, after Obi-Wan Kenobi has defeated his former student and current Dark Lord, Darth Vader, and left him limbless and burning on the slopes of the lava-planet, what does the former Anakin Skywalker say to Obi-Wan Kenobi?
(more…)

So, I have a job interview tomorrow with Brown.

My neverousness exists on several levels — the interview is at Arundel Town Center, where I’ve never been. I have to be there at 9am, which means I get to experience the rush-hour commute, and since I’ve never been there before and don’t know how long the average commute from Timonium to my destination is, I’m hoping I don’t miscalculate and arrive either waaay early or waaay late. This is the first job interview I’ve been on in, oh, seven years? And this is the first job interview that is actually for a career position … in other words, the first job interview that actually matters.

But the thing causing me the most nervousness is my ability to tie a tie. See, I don’t know how to tie a tie. I actually remember going to Sears once, taking an already tied-tie off a manequin, and buying it, because I needed a tie and I didn’t want to ask anyone for help learning how to tie it. How sad is that?

But tonight I made the decision that I would actually learn how to tie a tie, and thanks to this website, I think I’ve actually pulled it off.

… don’t worry, I’m going to keep practicing.

(And yes, I am going to shave before tomorrow).

(In all actuality, I’ve got a sense of calm tonight about this. I’m almost positive I won’t get the job, so I’m looking at it more like a dress rehearsal than the actual opening night performance).

(I thought I had nice dress shoes, but I found out last night that I didn’t. So I got up early to go to DSW before work, but found out they don’t open until 11 on Sundays – the same time I had to be at work – and they close before I’d get out. So I panicked and hurried over to the Walmart next door, but couldn’t find their shoe section, so I assumed they didn’t have one. I was going to run down to Target when out of the corner of my eye, I did indeed see the “SHOE SECTION” sign on the back wall.)

(I was going to wear a white shirt, but then I started thinking that the light blue shirt might be a better choice. Decisions, decisions!)

UPDATE:

(I wish two things. One, I wish I owned a clip on tie. I think I’ve gotten the hang of tying this thing, but it looks a little clumsy. Two, I wish I owned a tie that wasn’t black).

So, uh, don’t do any of this?

Many bored candidates were spotted continually checking their watches, and one interviewee asked the hiring manager to speed things up so he could catch a bus. Another job seeker booked it out of the interview upon hearing about the drug test. But the weirdest story came from a hiring manager who said, “One applicant said the company had a black aura and left.”

One job hopeful arrived at his interview displaying a hairy chest, medallion, strong cologne and a wad of gum in his mouth. And which is worse: the applicant who wore a housecoat and slippers or the one who wore his slippers with a bathing suit and T-shirt?

One applicant raised eyebrows when he asked whether spousal abuse would prevent him from getting the job. Another said she had serious health problems and needed the company’s insurance. And one job-hopping hopeful disclosed that he planned to retire in two months. Another admitted he didn’t do all of the duties listed in his résumé – but he assured the hiring manager that didn’t matter.

I think I can handle that …

There’ll never be another one like him.

(He looks a little like Bob Sagett there, don’t you think?)

I don’t care what you say – I’m so buying this!

Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith grossed $50,013,859 from showings at 3,661 theaters and more than 9,000 screens around the country on Thursday, including special midnight shows, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

That beat the one-day record set in May 2004 by Shrek 2, which sold $44.8 million on a single Saturday — its fourth day in theaters.

The George Lucas film, which features the transformation of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker into the evil Darth Vader, also beat the opening day record held by Spider-Man 2, which grossed $40.4 million when it opened on a Wednesday last June.

“Fifty million is a good opening weekend, let alone a single day,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations. “This is the box office equivalent of a 100-year flood.”

USA Today also had another article – that I can’t find now – that the midnight showings alone raked in $16 million of this $50. That’s pretty damn incredible.

“When you absolutely, positively, have to kill every fucker in the room, purple bladed lightsabers are where it’s at.”

Fool is prophetic.

Somehow, I ended up adopting the purple one. It hung from my belt loop for most of the evening. I am sure someone is in possession of a picture of that tragedy.

Why … yes, yes I am.

(I was also surprised Fool didn’t totally kick my ass at lightsaber dueling).

I’d say things were a rousing success. I met Tuesdayscoming at Atomic Books, and we drove here. We were the first ones to arrive, but only by a matter of a few minutes, as these guys showed up maybe five minutes after our arrival. He and she showed up within moments of each other, and were followed in some order by him, her, them, and her. I briefly met the guy behind Baltiblogs – Nathan? – and saw Jeff Price & his wife at a nearby table. He showed up towards the end of things as we had all migrated to tables and were trying to eat before the show.

It was all quite a great time – turns out Viddy This! actually lives closer to me than I thought. I’d judged from some photos he posted on his blog that he lived across York Road, but he’s probably walking distance from my apartment – this is good, because it means I can steal his Jeep without having to leave my car. He’s also got a very attractive wife, and somehow I wound up hugging her twice in the confusing jumble of goodbyes as the “on to the movie” crowd seperated from the “Star Wars sucks” crowd.

The Happy Hour aspect of the gathering was poorly planned – too little time was allotted to meet and greet bloggers — especially since it was this dude’s first happy hour! — and while it was an intimate group, I think it was me and JWER who were looking at Jeff Price’s table (there was someone else there …) and trying to figure out if they were supposed to be with us or not.

I’d parked my car on Belvedere Avenue, and the line for the 7:30 showing stretched down York, then up Belvedere, damn near to my car. We all got into the theater and took seats in the very back row on the far right. Like has been observed: there’s no such thing as a bad seat in The Senator.

Whatever I ate did not agree with me, so right before the movie began, I was able to get myself into an empty stall in the bathroom and … well, it was bad.

Epiphany lost his cell phone. After the movie we were all on the floor looking for it, there was an usher helping us … and then Tuesdayscoming found it hiding in plain view.

There was a “War of the Worlds” trailer attached to the film. There was also a five-minute film before the showing documenting Star Wars fans waiting to buy tickets to Episode I waaaay back in 1999. Highlight: “I SLEEP WITH GOATS!”

(When I saw the movie yesterday AM at Regal, there was a “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” trailer.)

It was good fun. If you came, excellent! If you didn’t, why?