I Love It When Democrats Do This To Themselves. Ah... the Irony.

Elections Have Consequences

Chinese Professor Explains the Downfall...

Review: Sanctuary Kali Part 3

 As a fan of Amanda Tapping and the whole Sanctuary crew, I can't help feeling just a tad bit disappointed in Sanctuary's Season Premier Kali Part 3.  In parts one and two we are treated to another amazing Sanctuary plot of a special spider, called a Macri, that lives inside a human host.  The Macri provides a sort of telepathic link to its sea going cousin, a giant crab like arachnid affectionately called "Big Bertha" by Dr. Magnus, a creature capable of creating huge bursts of electromagnetic waves that can affect plate tectonics and even water.  (Never mind physics guys).  Supposedly, Dr. Magnus euthanized Big Bertha and reported her death to the Sanctuary network, but lied in order to keep Big Bertha a secret.  Will accidentally becomes the host of the Macri, but it is forcibly removed by the villain who swallows the spider in order to manipulate Big Bertha to do...uh... something... with her.  Since the Macri does something to you to make it impossible for you to live without it, Will is immediately bought a ticket to the afterlife, with the train departing fashionably late.  Will, being Will, sees visions of a beautiful Indian woman and is told she is the embodiment of Big Bertha.  After skinny dipping with Bertha (in female form of course), Will figures out he has to dance in order to get her attention, or at least cop a feel in the bathtub again.  This leads us to the end of Kali Part 2 with a genuine Bollywood dance scene that had me laughing, all the while respecting how the story writers managed to poke fun at Indian cinema while creating a visually exciting and workable reason to actually dance.  It was great. I loved it.

Then came Kali part 3, where the Sanctuary team really just needed to find away to close up all the various holes and tie off the loose strings.  And my god.... it was awful.

First of all, conveniently, the Macri died, which leaves our villain with a change of heart.  Since we had only assumed his intentions were for personal gain and evil, since his methods were brutal, aggressive, and more than slightly murderous, his apparent turn around now HE has a ticket to the afterlife is more than a little convenient.  And odd.  If only all villains turned their lives around when faced with immanent death.

Then there is the subplot of Terrance through all three parts, played by Stargate:Atlantis actor Paul McGillion.  McGillion does a good job, since I hated his guts as Terrance, an egotistical asshole who is about as aggressive as the villain.  He also happens to be an abnormal himself - some sort of human gila lizard.  Oh yeah.  He spits.  At one point Henry (the werewolf) goes canine on Terrance and it doesn't go anywhere.  Too bad.  That would have been kick ass, especially if Henry had assumed command of the vessel for Magnus and helped with getting Big Bertha to quell the horrible tsunami she created with... yes... her MAGNETIC FIELD.

Now, to make things clear, Bertha didn't move the ground to create a shockwave that made a tsunami.  Nope.  She just went POP and out came this energy wave that pushed the water into a tsunami.  Um... yeah.  Physics suffers another blow on SyFy, but hey in Star Trek gravitational fields move faster than light.  Oh yeah, and light moves faster than light.  And conventional rockets move faster than light, so I guess we'll forgive Sanctuary for thinking that electromagnetic fields can push water around.

But how is Kali resolved? Simple.  The bad guy has a change of heart now he's dying.  Magnus discovers that Will can speak to Kali upon his death, so he dies early, hoping to save lives.  Terrance launches rockets against Big Bertha, but instead of pissing her off or killing her, they knock her unconscious and underwater.  Two mysterious spirits that were never referred to earlier in the story (another convenience) create earthquakes to stave off Bertha's tsunami, and oh yeah, whatever the Macri did to Will has been reversed, so when he snaps awake after being dead for eight minutes, (the first five of which he had no artificial respiration), not only is he not dead or brain damaged (more than usual), but he's healed of whatever the Macri did to him too!  Isn't that nice?  No lingering affects.  Oh yeah, and he doesn't remember what happened.  So everything goes back to the status quo...

Except... what the hell was going on with the whole Sanctuary Network?  Isn't Magnus the head of it?  How do the "heads" of the other houses have the power to depose Magnus?  It's HER bloody system!  And how did a meglomaniac like Terrance get power in the first place?  At one point Terrance declares HE is in charge of the Network, and at another he says he has his orders from the other heads of house.  WTF?  Which is it?  And what happens to the loser?  None of this is addressed.

Not a phenomenal start to Season 3 for the Sanctuary team, but I suppose it means it can only get better from here.

Freedom Is Colorblind

Illegal Immigration Isn't A Joke

John Cornyn Says Meet The Hand

Right after I found out that the National Republican Senatorial Committee, run by Texas Senator John Cornyn was interfering in the primary election in Alaska between Joe Miller and and Lisa Murkowski, I wrote my esteemed senator and demanded an explanation.  I object, quite passionately, with Cornyn's committee influencing internal primaries in order to support incumbents, especially when a wave of anti-Washington sentiment is in there air.  Conservatives are not just angry with liberals and Democrats, we're angry with Republicans as well, because they promised us one thing and did the other.  No longer will conservatives sit quietly on the side lines and allow the Washington insiders too control the agenda of the party.  We've thrown the coffee out.  Have some tea.

That said, I waited (over two weeks) for a response.  Today, I finally received one via e-mail.

Dear Sir,

Thank you for contacting me about my role as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign (NRSC).  I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

While Senate ethics guidelines preclude me from using taxpayer-funded resources to comment on NRSC activities I welcome the input of citizens who take seriously their civic responsibilities, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should relevant legislation be considered by the Senate. I appreciate having the opportunity to work with you on behalf of the people of Texas.  Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

JOHN CORNYN

?  Tax-payer resources?  This isn't a reply, it's palm in the face and a snicker.  My response was just a tiny bit more passionate.

Dear Senator Cornyn,

Thank you for your recent response concerning my letter about the NRSC and your interference with Republican primaries.  While I am gratified you responded at all, your ethics excuse does nothing to reassure me that you are aware of WHY I objected to the NRSC's interference.  You claim that you aren't allowed to use tax payer dollars to write me about it.  Fine.  Explain to me how EMAIL costs taxpayer dollars?  Or if that is too difficult for one of your staffers too contemplate, try using some of your campaign funds, because if you DON'T write me and explain yourself and tell me you will stop interfering in primary elections, you won't have my vote next time you run for anything, despite the fact I've been pleased with your performance in Washington.  I wait in breathless anticipation of hearing from you.

So we'll see what happens next, won't we?