Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Ellen DeGeneres

2014-09-21T00:16:43Z

JohnWe:

'''Ellen DeGeneres''' is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and host of the syndicated talk show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''. She first reached success with her own sitcom called ''These Friends of Mine'', later renamed ''Ellen'' (1994-98).
The ABC show had difficulty finding a formula to bring in a large audience, having frequent cast changes. While not a ratings hit, it did do well enough to be renewed for four seasons.

Ellen made her [[homosexuality]] public on ''The [[Oprah Winfrey]] Show'' in February 1997, surprising few people. The resulting media attention highlighting this event (including being put on the front cover of ''[[Time magazine|Time]]'' magazine) caused a stir. Subsequently her character on the sitcom came out of the closet in April of that same year, admitting she was gay to her therapist (portrayed by Oprah Winfrey). After a great deal of media attention highlighting the outing episode, entitled "The Puppy Episode," the showing was the highest-rated episode of the sitcom. But the bounce proved to be short lived. The show became a constant weekly refrain of lesbian themes and viewers stopped watching rather quickly. Even Chastity Bono, the media director of the [[Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation]] criticized the show for going over the top on the gay issue.<ref>http://www.planetout.com/entertainment/news/?sernum=544</ref> After the ratings rapidly declined, the show was canceled.

DeGeneres later returned to the stand-up comedy circuit. She had another stab at a sitcom on network television in 2001, ''The Ellen Show''. By this time DeGeneres diversified away from a constant gay theme, but the show failed to catch on with viewers and was canceled in its first season. She would later re-establish herself as a successful talk show host starting in 2003 with ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''. Her talk show is still on the air. In 2007 she hosted the 79th [[Academy Awards]]. She replaced [[Paula Abdul]] during the ninth season of [[American Idol]].

Unusually for a [[lesbian]], DeGeneres is rather fit and not at all [[obese]].

==References==

<References/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:DeGeneres, Ellen}}
[[Category:Actresses]]
[[Category:Comedians]]
[[Category:Homosexuals]]
[[Category:Talk Show Hosts]]

Thin

2014-09-21T00:09:52Z

JohnWe:

Something that is '''thin''' has a relatively small width, as in ''a thin layer of [[paint]]''.

"Thin" also refers to people who do not have an excess of [[fat]] in their bodies. Very few [[atheist]]s are thin, because godlessness leads to obesity.

==See Also==
*[[Atheism and obesity]]

[[Category:Dictionary]]

Gaffe

2014-09-21T00:04:49Z

JohnWe:

A '''gaffe''' is a mistake or error made in a [[social]] situation, particularly one that causes [[embarrassment]] to the one making the error. [[Liberal]] politicians have a significant tendency to commit gaffes.

[[Category:Rhetoric]]

Ben Affleck

2014-09-21T00:00:05Z

JohnWe:

'''Ben Affleck''' is a [[liberal]] American [[actor]] and director. He is friends with [[Matt Damon]] and the two got their start together in the movie ''[[Good Will Hunting]]''.

==External Links==
*[http://www.boycottliberalism.com/biographies/Affleck.htm Liberal Hall of Shame Biography]
*[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/ben-shapiro/ben-affleck-lives-on-1-50-per-day/ Ben Affleck Lives on $1.50 Per Day]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Affleck, Ben}}

[[Category:Actors]]

Robin Williams

2014-09-20T23:59:42Z

JohnWe:

[[File:371px-Robin Williams 2011a.jpg|right|thumbnail|175px|Robin Williams ]]
'''Robin Williams''' (1951-2014) was a stand-up comedian and actor who first came to national attention in ''[[Mork and Mindy]]''. His breakthrough role was as a hip, wisecracking, anti-establishment DJ in ''[[Good Morning, Vietnam]]''.
He has frequently portrayed doctors or therapists; in ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'' he played a professor of psychology treating an underachieving genius ([[Matt Damon]]).

In a couple of movies he played a character who becomes popular due to a fraud. In the first, he's elected president when a computer program gives the wrong election result. In ''[[World's Greatest Dad]]'' his character provided the fraud when he palms off his own writing as that of his dead son.

Many of his movies deal with death. He played an Alaskan murderer; a pediatrician who dies in a car accident (and then his wife commits suicide) in ''[[What Dreams May Come]]''.

Williams commited suicide in 2014.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Robin}}
[[category:Actors]]

Howard Dean

2014-09-20T22:52:53Z

JohnWe: /* 2016 Election */

{{Officeholder
|name=Howard Dean
|image=GovDean.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Judith Steinberg Dean
|religion=United Church of Christ
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Vermont
|number=79th
|lieutenant=Barbara W. Snelling Douglas A. Racine
|terms=August 14, 1991 – January 8, 2003
|preceded=Richard A. Snelling
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Jim Douglas]]
}}
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Vermont
|number=75th
|lieutenant=y
|governor=[[Madeleine M. Kunin]] [[Richard A. Snelling]]
|terms=1987–1991
|preceded=Peter Plympton Smith
|former=y
|succeeded=Barbara W. Snelling
}}
{{Officeholder/chairman
|number=50th
|party=the Democratic National Committee
|terms=February 12, 2005 – January 21, 2009
|preceded=[[Terry McAuliffe]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Tim Kaine]]
}}
{{Officeholder/misc
|office=Member of [[Vermont]] House of Representatives
|terms=1983–1986
|preceded=
|former=y
|succeeded= 
}}
}}
'''Howard Dean''' (born November 17, 1948) nearly became the presidential nominee of the [[Democratic Party]] for the 2004 election; he was governor of [[Vermont]] and served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005-2009. He was not given a position by the Obama Administration.

==Career==
Dean received a medical degree from the [[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]] in 1978. He was elected [[Lieutenant Governor]] of [[Vermont]] in 1986 and became [[governor]] in 1991 upon the death of Richard A. Snelling. During his governorship, he balanced the [[budget]], cut [[tax]]es twice and fought to keep [[socialized health care]]. In 2004 he ran for [[President of the United States]] on a very [[liberal]] platform. While he was the front runner for a period of time, he lost to [[Massachusetts]] Senator [[John Kerry]]. After his third place finish in the [[Iowa]] caucus, Dean quickly gained notoriety as an internet fad of sorts, due to his "unconventional" concession speech. Especially notable was the "Dean Scream" which has been parodied countless times on the internet. Many say this scream led to his drop as national front-runner. On February 12, 2005, Dean was elected chairman of the [[Democratic National Committee]] (DNC), despite opposition by prominent Democrats such as [[House Minority Leader]] [[Nancy Pelosi]] and [[Senate Minority Leader]] [[Harry Reid]]. Howard Dean stepped down from his post when his term expired in January 2009. <ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/democrats_dean/2008/11/10/149702.html Howard Dean to Step Down as DNC Chairman] AP, November 10, 2008</ref>

==Medical Doctor==
Howard Dean, in addition to being a governor, started his career in medicine. He supports [[abortion]].

==Same-sex Civil Unions==
On April 25, 2000, Governor Howard Dean signed the law HB 847. In the bill's title there is no mention of the term marriage, but the law does offer a non-exclusive list of twenty-four legal benefits and protections for spouses of civil unions.<ref>[http://www.vermontcivilunion.com/union/faq.html Vermot Civil Union Facts]</ref>

==DNC Caucus Meetings==
On February 11, 2005 a series of special interest group meetings took place at the Hilton Washington. Seven separate groups in seven meetings the same day had their agenda made known to the Democratic party and specifically DNC chairman Howard Dean.
* Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus: "You are among the most persecuted people in the history of mankind," said Dean
* National Seniors Coordinating Council: "Democrats have a lot of work to do among seniors," said Dean
* Women's Caucus: "Women are not an interest group, they are a majority," said Dean
* Native Americans: "I'm sick of the DNC treating Indians like an ATM machine that has to be courted every couple of years," said Kaylin Free of Oklahoma. Dean replied, "yes, this has to stop."<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17718-2005Feb11.html The Special-Interest Group Hug, February 12, 2008]</ref>
* African American caucus: Dean addressed 150 members, saying, "we're gonna need lots of help from y'all," and, "we Democrats don't pay enough attention to our core groups.... You think the RNC could get this many people of color into a single room? ... Maybe if they got the hotel staff in there." 
* The Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus, a subdued gathering of 15 members disputing quarter vote representation instead of full votes. Dean said he would look into it without any promises.
* Hispanic Caucus: Dean lamented the a loss of support from Hispanic voters. He took a question from the audience. Before Dean could finish, an insight to the man emerged: Vice chair of the Transgender Caucus, Gloria Nieto, explained to the Hispanic Caucus about her female partner that she wed in Massachusetts of the prior year. Gloria said that "she hopes that her community will always be respected within the Democratic Party." Dean walked from the podium to embrace the women in an affectionate hug, crying. <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17718-2005Feb11.html] ,The Special-Interest Group Hug, February 12, 2008]</ref> {{quotebox|"That's why I'm a Democrat,"}}

==2004 Presidential Primary Campaign==
When Dean was asked in a debate to name his favorite book of the [[New Testament]], he answered "The Book of Job." Not only was he unable to articulate at the time why he favored it, he could not even come up with the name of a single actual New Testament book.

==2006 Congressional Races==
By blaming Republicans for all the problems in America,<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/01/shifting.blame/ Boehner: Let's not blame Iraq woes on Rumsfeld] CNN, November 1, 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200509u/nj_schneider_2005-09-20 Catastrophic Failure] The Atlantic, September 20, 2005</ref><ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/13/sitroom.01.html Situation Room] CNN, October 13, 2006</ref> with emphasis on ending the [[Iraq war]], the Democratic Party gained the majority in both the House and the Senate.

==2008 Presidential Race==
Under Dean's direction, along with powerful allies, the Democratic Party candidate [[Barack Obama]] succeeded in defeating the Republican candidate [[John McCain]] for the Presidency. Congress maintained and slightly enlarged its Democratic majority party status.

==2009==
Dean made it known that he wanted the top post of the Health & Human Services, he was denied an offer.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/02/dean-pretty-clear-wanted-health-secretary/ Dean wanted HHS job] Fox News, march 2, 2009</ref> Dean is campaigning for MoveOn and is now a commentator for the financial news network CNBC. He recently said "I think we had quite enough capitalism in the last eight years and I think we need some regulation now." <ref>[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2009/05/08/cnbc-contributor-howard-dean-i-think-we-had-quite-enough-capitalism CNBC Contributor Howard Dean: 'I Think We Had Quite Enough Capitalism'] NewsBusters.org, May 8, 2009</ref>

==Significance==
Dean is considered to be the first presidential candidate to make heavy use of [[social media]] and [[blogs]] as part of his campaign. This same strategy would later be made popular by [[Ron Paul]] and [[Barack Obama]].

==2016 Election==
Howard Dean says he is considering a bid for the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/306943-howard-dean-says-he-could-mount-another-presidential-bid</ref>

==Quotes==
*"I think with a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, you can't play, you know, hide the salami, or whatever it's called." --urging President Bush to make public Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers's White House records.

*"You know, the Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people. They're a pretty monolithic party. Pretty much, they all behave the same, and they all look the same. ... It's pretty much a white Christian party.'' --speaking about the lack of outreach to minority communities by political parties.

*"I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks."

*"We've gotten rid of (Saddam Hussein), and I suppose that's a good thing."

*"The idea that the United States is going to win the war in Iraq is just plain wrong."

*'''"I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for..."'''<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7924139/ Guest: Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic Party] MSNBC, May 22, 2005</ref>

*"Now that we're on dog pee, we can have an interesting conversation about that. I do not recommend drinking urine…but if you drink water straight from the river, you have a greater chance of getting an infection than you do if you drink urine."

*"Not only are we going to New Hampshire ... we're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico, and we're going to California and Texas and New York! And we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan. And then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House, Yeeaaaaaargh!" --The notorious 'Dean Scream' from Howard's concession at the Iowa caucus.

*"The demographic trends favor the Democrats because we are an inclusive and accepting party. If you look at folks of color, even women, are more successful in the Democratic Party than they are in the white — excuse me [giggles] — in the Republican Party."<ref>http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Howard_Dean/2008/08/16/122584.html</ref>

*"If Bill Clinton can be the first 'black president,' I can be our first '[[gay]] president.'<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17718-2005Feb11.html Howard Dean Meets Democratic Caucuses February 12, 2008]</ref>
==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dean, Howard}}
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:Vermont Governors]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:2004 Presidential Candidates]]

Mario Cuomo

2014-09-20T19:11:11Z

JohnWe: clean up

{{Officeholder
|name=Mario Cuomo
|image=000_Mario_Cuomo.jpg‎
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Matilda Cuomo
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=52nd
|terms=January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994
|preceded=Hugh L. Carey
|former=y
|succeeded=[[George Pataki]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=State
|state=New York
|number=58th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Hugh Carey]]
|terms=January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1978
|preceded=John Ghezzi
|former=y
|succeeded=Basil Paterson
}}
}}

'''Mario Matthew Cuomo''' (born June 15, 1932) was the governor of [[New York]] from 1983 through 1994. Cuomo was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by the little-known [[Republican]] [[George Pataki]] in the election of 1994, despite New York being an overwhelmingly Democratic state and despite Republican [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] crossing party lines and endorsing Cuomo.

Born and raised in [[Queens|Queens, New York]], Cuomo earned a law degree from St. John's School of Law and became an assistant to Judge Adrian P. Burke of the New York State Court of Appeals. Cuomo first gained attention in the early 1970s when he represented residents of the Forest Hills section of Queens when they opposed the construction of a public-housing development in that neighborhood. After unsuccessfully seeking the [[Lieutenant Governor]]ship in 1974, he was appointed [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|New York Secretary of State]] in 1975 by Governor [[Hugh Carey]]. He went on to be defeated for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City by [[Ed Koch]] in 1977. Cuomo was, however, elected Lieutenant Governor the following year and was elected governor in 1982 and then reelected in 1986 and 1990. After giving a well-received keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention he was mentioned as a possible [[president]]ial [[candidate]]; however, he always declined to run.

As Governor, Cuomo was an unwavering supporter of [[abortion]] rights and a proponent of the social [[welfare]] state. He strongly opposed [[capital punishment]] during a high-crime era. His liberal policies caused millions to move away from New York, and it had one of the highest tax rates, highest taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] rates, and worst business climates of any state in the nation.{{fact}} After leaving public office, Cuomo returned to the practice of law.<ref>http://www.willkie.com/professionals/c/cuomo-mario-m</ref>

Mario Cuomo's son [[Andrew Cuomo]] is the current governor of New York.

== Opposition To Death Penalty ==

Cuomo is against the death penalty for capital crimes. In 1994 he was widely criticized for his administration of justice and for his leftist, anti-death-penalty parole-board appointments in particular, in light of the Arthur Shawcross (Genesee River Killer) mass-murderer case.{{who}} He vetoed death-penalty legislation more than seven times in spite of the public's wishes.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/21/nyregion/cuomo-vetoes-death-penalty-seventh-time.html N.Y. Times; Cuomo Vetoes Death Penalty Seventh Time]</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=a517ae3effb81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Mario Cuomo at the National Governors Association]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Mario}}
[[category:politics]]
[[Category: Liberals]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]

{{Liberalism}}

Andrew Cuomo

2014-09-20T15:25:55Z

JohnWe:

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-December 31, 2010
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Eric Schneiderman]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997–January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He signed legislation legalizing [[same-sex marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" that are politicians who are "[[Anti-abortion|right-to-life]], pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay" had no place in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Andrew Cuomo

2014-09-20T15:25:16Z

JohnWe: make statement accurate

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-December 31, 2010
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Eric Schneiderman]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997–January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He signed legislation legalizing [[gay marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" that are politicians who are "[[Anti-abortion|right-to-life]], pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay" had no place in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Eugenics

2014-09-18T03:27:00Z

JohnWe:

[[Image:Gtr766.png|right|thumb|300px|Logo of the Second International Congress of Eugenics, 1921.]]
'''Eugenics''' was a movement which tried to eliminate "dangerous human pests" and "the rising tide of imbeciles" through what has been euphemistically called "[[selective breeding]]". What this meant, in actual practice, was [[forced sterilization]] of American immigrants and minorities (particularly in California).<ref>http://www.michaelcrichton.net/fear/index.html</ref>

The idea of Eugenics was first developed by Sir Francis Galton in 1865.<ref>[http://www.eugenics-watch.com/roots/chap02.html Francis Galton and the Eugenics Society]</ref> He based his ideas on the work of his cousin [[Charles Darwin]].

The [[liberal]] American Medical Society provided this summary:
:"The publication of Darwin's ''[[Origin of Species]]'' in 1859 led to the rise of the eugenics movement in Europe. Eugenics supporters believed that [[race]]s could be improved by [[selective breeding]]. The Nazi Party adopted this belief and began a campaign against the Jews. Many physicians joined the [[Nazi Party]] because they needed jobs." -- "Medicine against society: lessons from the Third Reich," ''The Journal of the American Medical Association'', Nov. 27, 1996 (Vol. 276, No. 20), at p. 1657(5), by Jeremiah A. Barondess.

==Genocide==
Many genocides have been commited in the name of Eugenics, most notably [[the Holocaust]]. Adolf Hitler was a strong believer in eugenics and evolution and believed that Jewish people were closest to apes, followed by Africans, Asians, non-Aryan Europeans, and finally Aryans, who he believed were most evolved.

[[Stephen Jay Gould]], an [[evolutionist]], was more succinct: "The Nazi [[racial hygiene]] program began with involuntary sterilizations and ended with [[genocide]]." <ref>http://www.georgetown.edu/research/nrcbl/scopenotes/sn28.htm</ref>

==Liberal Eugenics==
Some argue that parents who abort infants with genetic mutation or other disabilities are practicing a form of eugenics.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/07/04/nyt.kristof/index.html</ref> Some doctors and scientists have defended this practice and named it "liberal eugenics" in order to differentiate it from traditional forms of eugenics such as Nazi eugenics.<ref>http://ndpr.nd.edu/review.cfm?id=4541</ref> Eugenicists in the United States and elsewhere have been known to employ or advocate [[abortion]] as a method of eugenics.

==Historical Eugenics==

The Spartans in ancient Greece practiced a primitive form of eugenics, wherein babies which were judged to be too "weak" or "sickly" would be left to die.

===American scientists and Nazi Germany===

From ''The Nazi Connection''[http://books.google.com/books?id=UGYfRv3DWuQC&dq=nazi+socialism&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0]:{{cquote|When Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1924, he held up a foreign law as a model for his program of racial purification: The U.S. Immigration Restriction Act of 1924, which prohibited the immigration of those with hereditary illnesses and entire ethnic groups. When the Nazis took power in 1933, they installed a program of eugenics--the attempted "improvement" of the population through forced sterilization and marriage controls--that consciously drew on the U.S. example. By then, many American states had long had compulsory sterilization laws for "defectives," upheld by the Supreme Court in 1927. Small wonder that the Nazi laws led one eugenics activist in Virginia to complain, "The Germans are beating us at our own game."

In ''The Nazi Connection'', Stefan Kuhl uncovers the ties between the American eugenics movement and the Nazi program of racial hygiene, showing that many American scientists actively supported Hitler's policies. After introducing us to the recently resurgent problem of scientific racism, Kuhl carefully recounts the history of the eugenics movement, both in the United States and internationally, demonstrating how widely the idea of sterilization as a genetic control had become accepted by the early twentieth century. From the first, the American eugenicists led the way with radical ideas. Their influence led to sterilization laws in dozens of states--laws which were studied, and praised, by the German racial hygienists. With the rise of Hitler, the Germans enacted compulsory sterilization laws partly based on the U.S. experience, and American eugenists took pride in their influence on Nazi policies. Kuhl recreates astonishing scenes of American eugenicists travelling to Germany to study the new laws, publishing scholarly articles lionizing the Nazi eugenics program, and proudly comparing personal notes from Hitler thanking them for their books. Even after the outbreak of war, he writes, the American eugenicists frowned upon Hitler's totalitarian government, but not his sterilization laws. So deep was the failure to recognize the connection between eugenics and Hitler's genocidal policies, that a prominent liberal Jewish eugenicist who had been forced to flee Germany found it fit to grumble that the Nazis "took over our entire plan of eugenic measures."

By 1945, when the murderous nature of the Nazi government was made perfectly clear, the American eugenicists sought to downplay the close connections between themselves and the German program. Some of them, in fact, had sought to distance themselves from Hitler even before the war. But Stefan Kuhl's deeply documented book provides a devastating indictment of the influence--and aid--provided by American scientists for the most comprehensive attempt to enforce racial purity in world history.}}

==Eugenics in film==

In the 2006 satirical comedy ''Idiocracy,'' the entire movie is premised on the idea that the out-breeding of the stupid over the intelligent will lead to a uniformly stupid world run by advertisers, marketers, and anti-intellectualism.

==See Also==

* [[Genetic engineering]]
* [[Planned Parenthood]]
* [[Margaret Sanger]]
* [[Liberalism]]
* [[Abortion]]
* [[Daniel Kevles]]

== References ==

{{reflist|2}}

== External References ==

Stephen Jay Gould, "The Mismeasure of Man", W.W. Norton and Co., 1981, 1996.

{{evolution}}
{{Liberalism}}

[[Category:Genetics]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category: Liberalism]]

Eugenics

2014-09-17T22:11:54Z

JohnWe:

[[Image:Gtr766.png|right|thumb|300px|Logo of the Second International Congress of Eugenics, 1921.]]
'''Eugenics''' was a movement which tried to eliminate "dangerous human pests" and "the rising tide of imbeciles" through what has been euphemistically called "[[selective breeding]]". What this meant, in actual practice, was [[forced sterilization]] of American immigrants and minorities (particularly in California).<ref>http://www.michaelcrichton.net/fear/index.html</ref>

The idea of Eugenics was first developed by Sir Francis Galton in 1865.<ref>[http://www.eugenics-watch.com/roots/chap02.html Francis Galton and the Eugenics Society]</ref> He based his ideas on the work of his cousin [[Charles Darwin]].

The [[liberal]] American Medical Society provided this summary:
:"The publication of Darwin's [[Origin of Species]] in 1859 led to the rise of the eugenics movement in Europe. Eugenics supporters believed that [[race]]s could be improved by [[selective breeding]]. The Nazi Party adopted this belief and began a campaign against the Jews. Many physicians joined the [[Nazi Party]] because they needed jobs." -- "Medicine against society: lessons from the Third Reich," ''The Journal of the American Medical Association'', Nov. 27, 1996 (Vol. 276, No. 20), at p. 1657(5), by Jeremiah A. Barondess.

==Genocide==
Many genocides have been commited in the name of Eugenics, most notably [[the Holocaust]]. Adolf Hitler was a strong believer in Eugenics & Evolution and believed that Jewish people were closest to apes, followed by Africans, Asians, non-Aryan Europeans, and finally Aryans whom he believed were most evolved.

[[Stephen Jay Gould]], an [[evolutionist]], was more succinct: "The Nazi [[racial hygiene]] program began with involuntary sterilizations and ended with [[genocide]]." <ref>http://www.georgetown.edu/research/nrcbl/scopenotes/sn28.htm</ref>

==Liberal Eugenics==
Some argue that parents who abort infants with genetic mutation or other disabilities are practicing a form of eugenics<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/07/04/nyt.kristof/index.html</ref>. Some doctors and scientists have defended this practice and named it "liberal eugenics" in order to differentiate it from traditional forms of eugenics such as Nazi eugentics.<ref>http://ndpr.nd.edu/review.cfm?id=4541</ref> Eugenicists in the United States and elsewhere have been known to employ or advocate [[abortion]] as a method of eugenics.

==Historical Eugenics==

The Spartans in ancient Greece practiced a primitive form of eugenics, wherein babies which were judged to be too "weak" or "sickly" would be left to die.

===American scientists and Nazi Germany===

From ''The Nazi Connection''[http://books.google.com/books?id=UGYfRv3DWuQC&dq=nazi+socialism&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0]:{{cquote|When Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1924, he held up a foreign law as a model for his program of racial purification: The U.S. Immigration Restriction Act of 1924, which prohibited the immigration of those with hereditary illnesses and entire ethnic groups. When the Nazis took power in 1933, they installed a program of eugenics--the attempted "improvement" of the population through forced sterilization and marriage controls--that consciously drew on the U.S. example. By then, many American states had long had compulsory sterilization laws for "defectives," upheld by the Supreme Court in 1927. Small wonder that the Nazi laws led one eugenics activist in Virginia to complain, "The Germans are beating us at our own game."

In ''The Nazi Connection'', Stefan Kuhl uncovers the ties between the American eugenics movement and the Nazi program of racial hygiene, showing that many American scientists actively supported Hitler's policies. After introducing us to the recently resurgent problem of scientific racism, Kuhl carefully recounts the history of the eugenics movement, both in the United States and internationally, demonstrating how widely the idea of sterilization as a genetic control had become accepted by the early twentieth century. From the first, the American eugenicists led the way with radical ideas. Their influence led to sterilization laws in dozens of states--laws which were studied, and praised, by the German racial hygienists. With the rise of Hitler, the Germans enacted compulsory sterilization laws partly based on the U.S. experience, and American eugenists took pride in their influence on Nazi policies. Kuhl recreates astonishing scenes of American eugenicists travelling to Germany to study the new laws, publishing scholarly articles lionizing the Nazi eugenics program, and proudly comparing personal notes from Hitler thanking them for their books. Even after the outbreak of war, he writes, the American eugenicists frowned upon Hitler's totalitarian government, but not his sterilization laws. So deep was the failure to recognize the connection between eugenics and Hitler's genocidal policies, that a prominent liberal Jewish eugenicist who had been forced to flee Germany found it fit to grumble that the Nazis "took over our entire plan of eugenic measures."

By 1945, when the murderous nature of the Nazi government was made perfectly clear, the American eugenicists sought to downplay the close connections between themselves and the German program. Some of them, in fact, had sought to distance themselves from Hitler even before the war. But Stefan Kuhl's deeply documented book provides a devastating indictment of the influence--and aid--provided by American scientists for the most comprehensive attempt to enforce racial purity in world history.}}

==Eugenics in film==

In the 2006 satirical comedy ''Idiocracy,'' the entire movie is premised on the idea that the out-breeding of the stupid over the intelligent will lead to a uniformly stupid world run by advertisers, marketers, and anti-intellectualism.

==See Also==

* [[Genetic engineering]]
* [[Planned Parenthood]]
* [[Margaret Sanger]]
* [[Liberalism]]
* [[Abortion]]
* [[Daniel Kevles]]

== References ==

{{reflist|2}}

== External References ==

Stephen Jay Gould, "The Mismeasure of Man", W.W. Norton and Co., 1981, 1996.

{{evolution}}
{{Liberalism}}

[[Category:Genetics]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category: Liberalism]]

Sukarno

2014-09-14T16:23:39Z

JohnWe:

'''Sukarno''' (1901-1970) was the first president of [[Indonesia]]. Sukarno's ideology was [[Nasakom]], which is an acronym of the Indonesian words for [[nationalism]], [[religion]] and [[Communism]]. During his tenure, Communists fought against [[Islamism|Islamists]]. In 1967 he was replaced by [[Suharto]].

[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Dictators]]

Sukarno

2014-09-14T16:23:26Z

JohnWe:

'''Sukarno''' (1901-1970) was the first president of [[Indonesia]]. Sukarno's iddeology was [[Nasakom]], which is an acronym of the Indonesian words for [[nationalism]], [[religion]] and [[Communism]]. During his tenure, Communists fought against [[Islamism|Islamists]]. In 1967 he was replaced by [[Suharto]].

[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Dictators]]

Grave of the Fireflies

2014-09-05T22:34:04Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=Grave of the Fireflies
| image=Grave of the Fireflies.jpg
| caption=
| director=Isao Takahata
| producer=Toru Hara
| writer=Isao Takahata
| narrator=
| starring=
| music=Masahiko Satoh; Michio Mamiya
| cinematography=Nobuo Koyama
| editing=Takeshi Seyama
| distributor=Studio Ghibli; Central Park Media
| released=1988; 1996
| runtime=
| country=Japan
| language=Japanese
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=
| followed_by=
| website=
| amg_id=
| imdb_id=
}}
'''''Grave of the Fireflies''''' (火垂るの墓 ''Hotaru no Haka'') is an animated film written and directed by [[Isao Takahata]], a colleague of [[Hayao Miyazaki]] at [[Studio Ghibli]] and produced by Toru Hara. It originally premiered on 16 April 1988, on a double-bill with ''[[My Neighbor Totoro]]''. It was based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, written by Akiyuki Nosaka, who described his work as "a personal apology to my sister."

It was later licensed by Central Park Media, with an English dub being released to widespread critical acclaim. To date, it remains the only anime title to feature on the Top 100 DVD Releases <ref>http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/listing/top100films.php</ref>. [[Roger Ebert]] has referred to it as "the most realistic animated film I've ever seen". <ref>http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000319/REVIEWS08/3190301/1023</ref>

==Synopsis==
{{spoiler}}

As [[World War 2]] draws to a close, American forces begin fire bombing Japanese civilian targets in an attempt to reduce morale on the home front and thus hasten Japan's surrender. As a result of such an attack on the city of [[Kobe]], 12-year-old Seita and his little sister, Setsuko, lose both their home and their mother and have to rely firstly on the charity of relatives, and later on their own wits, during a time where society is becoming increasingly focused on survival and supporting those who work towards that goal. This is something that the two children cannot comprehend, leading to clashes with their relatives and resulting in Seita and Setsuko leaving, in order to go it alone.

At first Seita is confident they can survive on their own, but nobody could ever be prepared for the challenges of living in such uncertain times, especially those who are living outside the system. However, it is the two children's love for each other that provides shelter from the harsh reality that is closing in around them and is what makes this feature stand out.

With very few [[anime]] being set during World War II (''[[Barefoot Gen]]'' and ''[[The Cockpit]]'' being other examples), ''Grave of the Fireflies'' is unique as it is made abundantly clear within the first five minutes of the film that neither of its two protagonists will survive until the end. Yet despite, this incredibly bleak premise, the film works for two main reasons.

Firstly, as with many Ghibli films, it does not chose sides, but concentrates simply on the story at hand. The Americans are not portrayed as bad, nor are the Japanese portrayed as being good - everybody is simply doing what they must within the confines of the war.

Secondly, the film works because of the relationship between Seita and Setsuko. It is more about how they react and adapt to their hardships, rather than the hardships themselves. It is about how they remain together, until the tragic climax. We watch Seita performing acrobatic tricks to entertain and distract Setsuko, even though their mother lies dying in the makeshift hospital nearby; they play in the sea, despite their desperate circumstances and when they are reduced to living in an abandoned air raid shelter, they try to make it as comfortable as they can.

At the end of the day, ''Grave of the Fireflies'' is more about the bond between brother and sister, than war, and that bond is expressed so beautifully, that it makes the eventual tragedy all the more moving and meaningful.

==Symbolism==

It is interesting that the author chose the kanji 火垂る, instead of 蛍, which denotes a firefly (''hotaru''). The former, which translates as "dangling fire" can symbolise not only fireflies, but also family (dangling fire being a type of sparkler firework that families play with together) and possibly even the falling incendiary bombs used by the attacking forces.

==Cast==

* Seita - Tsutomu Tatsumi (Japanese); J. Robert Spencer (English)
* Setsuko - Ayano Shiraishi (Japanese); Rhoda Chrosite (English)

In a departure from usual methods, where adult ''seiyuu'' (声優), or voice actors, are used to portray children, the original Japanese dub used Ayano Shiraishi, who was only five years old, and Tsutomu Tatsumi, himself still in his early teens, at the time of recording. This adds a haunting realism to their performances, when you realise you are actually listening to children, instead of adults pretending to be children.

However, in order to make allowances for the foibles of a five year-old, her lines were recorded prior to filming and the animators had to make allowance for the fact that they would be dubbed in at a later stage. As they were not quite sure how to deal with this, Setsuko's mouth is rarely shown when she speaks.

To date, ''Grave of the Fireflies'' remains the only film credit for both Tatsumi and Shiraishi.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0851302</ref><ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0794186</ref>

==Soundtrack==

* Musical Score: Michio Mamiya
* Opening theme: "Setsuko and Seita" by Michio Mamiya
* Ending theme: "Futari" by Michio Mamiya

==External Links==
[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/ IMDB] entry for Grave of the Fireflies

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[category:Anime]]
[[Category:Animated Movies]]

Speed (movie)

2014-09-05T22:30:30Z

JohnWe:

'''''Speed''''' is a 1994 movie starring [[Keanu Reeves]] as Jack, cop on the bomb squad in [[Los Angeles]]. He matches wits with [[Dennis Hopper]] who wants 3.7 million dollars or he'll blow up an elevator full of [[hostage]]s in a high rise building. Jack uses a crane cable he found handy to keep the elevator from slipping and rescues the hostages, and when his attempt to arrest the bad guy goes sour, shoots his partner ([[Jeff Daniels]]) in the crotch to get him clear just before the bomber laden with an [[explosive vest]] passes through a door and detonates a huge explosion.

The cops think it's over, but the bomber blows up a bus with just the driver on it the next day and reaches Jack by phone. Bus #2525 carries a bomb that will arm itself when it exceeds 50 MPH and then blow up if it goes below that speed.

The movie is a mild action [[thriller]] with plenty of macho but wooden acting from Reeves and perky cheeriness from [[Sandra Bullock]], a passenger who must take the wheel when a frantic passenger accidentally shoots the bus driver. "No problem," she says, "It's just like driving a big [[Pinto]]."

Another bit of wry humor: the ad on the back of the bus says, "Money isn't everything".

Unrealistic scenes abound, such as driving through city traffic at speeds apparently much slower than 50 MPH, and a thrilling jump across a 50-foot gap in an incomplete highway. With nothing to make the bus go up, it should crash into the next section of highway,<ref>Assuming the bus can speed up to 100 feet/second, it would be in the air for 0.5 seconds. During this time it would fall according to d = 0.5 a t^2 or around 4 feet. </ref> but for dramatic purposes it makes a perfect landing on the other side.

==Notes==

{{reflist}}

[[category:Action]]

Snakes on a Plane

2014-09-05T22:30:00Z

JohnWe:

[[Image:SOAP poster.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Snakes On A Plane theatrical poster inspired by [[caduceus]], the staff belonging to the Greek god [[Hermes]].]]
'''''Snakes On A Plane''''' is an American [[film]] released in August 2006 directed by [[David Ellis]] and starring [[Samuel L. Jackson]]. It gained much notoriety as a result of its simple title, spawning a large [[Internet]] following. In response, the filmmakers incorporated feedback from fans into their production.

==Plot Summary==

After witnessing the murder of an L.A. district attorney by gangster Eddie Kim, Sean Jones is escorted by FBI Agent Neville Flynn (played by Jackson) on a flight from [[Honolulu]] to [[Los Angeles]] in order to testify against Kim. However, Kim has arranged for snakes to be placed on the plane in time-release crates and let out halfway through the flight, where they react to [[pheromone]]s that have been sprayed on the leis given to each passenger and begin attacking everyone on the flight. Flynn, Jones, and the other passengers must somehow survive the snakes on the plane in order to reach Los Angeles and put Kim behind bars for good.

==Critical acclaim==

The film has received mediocre reviews, with 69% "Fresh" reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/snakes_on_a_plane/</ref>

==Trivia==

*New Line sponsored a contest allowing fans to contribute songs to the movie's soundtrack. The winner was the song "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" by [[Cobra Starship]].

==References==
<references/>
[[category:Action]]
[[category:Thrillers]]

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

2014-09-05T22:28:26Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=The Last Crusade
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[Steven Spielberg]]
| producer=[[George Lucas]] Frank Marshall Robert Watts
| writer=George Lucas Menno Meyjes (story) Jeffrey Boam
| narrator=
| starring=[[Harrison Ford]] Sean Connery Alison Doody John Rhys-Davies
| music=[[John Williams]]
| cinematography=Douglas Slocombe
| editing=Michael Kahn George Lucas (uncredited)
| distributor=Paramount Pictures Lucasfilm
| released=May 24, 1989
| runtime=127 min
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
| followed_by=Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
| website=
| amg_id=
| imdb_id=0097576
}}

'''''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade''''' is the third movie in the Indiana Jones films, involving the quest of Indiana Jones ([[Harrison Ford]]) and his father (Sean Connery) to prevent [[Nazi]]s from finding the [[Holy Grail]]. The film won an [[Oscar]] for Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing and was nominated for another two.

[[Category: Indiana Jones Movies]]

A Clockwork Orange

2014-09-05T20:58:15Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=A Clockwork Orange
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[Stanley Kubrick]]
| producer=Stanley Kubrick
| writer=Stanley Kubrick
| starring=[[Malcolm McDowell]] [[Patrick Magee]] [[Adrienne Corri]]
| music=[[Wendy Carlos]]
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=
| released=1971
| runtime=131 min.
| country=[[USA]]
| language=English
}}
'''''A Clockwork Orange''''' is a violent social satirical book about a young delinquent who celebrates violence, rape, and classical music. He is subjected to conditioning to curb his violent/sexual tendencies in lieu of finishing his [[prison]] sentence for murder. This was achieved by chemically inducing nausea in him while exposing him to violent and sexual imagery. The book was published in 1962.

The film (1971) was directed by [[Stanley Kubrick]] and starred [[Malcolm McDowell]] as Alex, the young delinquent. The film was nominated for Best Picture but lost to ''[[The French Connection]]''.

==Christianity's Portrayal==
Within the film, Alex is seem participating in Church activities in a productive manner and seeks the counsel of the Prison Chaplain before volunteering for the brainwashing cure. Later in the film, the Chaplain protests what has been done to Alex believing his free will has been taken from him. To the Chaplain, when a man has lost his free will he ceases to be a man.

===See Also===
[[Classical conditioning]]

[[Reparative therapy]]

==Links==
*http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1] at the Internet Movie Database

[[Category:Novels]]

Frozen

2014-09-05T20:55:27Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=Frozen
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[Chris Buck]] Jennifer Lee
| producer=Peter Del Vecho
| writer=Jennifer Lee Shane Morris
| starring=
| music=Christophe Beck Robert Lopez Kristen Anderson-Lopez
| cinematography=
| editing=Brian Millman
| distributor=
| released=2013
| runtime=101 min.
| country=[[USA]]
| language=English
}}
'''''Frozen''''' is a 2013 animation film by [[The Walt Disney Company]].

Hunter Adams

2014-09-05T20:54:32Z

JohnWe:

'''Hunter Adams''' is a social activist and physician who ran a free clinic dubbed the "Gesundheit Institute" in a 6-bedroom house.

He intended for over 30 years to build a hospital in West Virginia.<ref>"I felt confident that a free hospital to serve the poorest state, West Virginia, would find easy funding and that we would be built in four years. I smile writing this as we enter our 33rd year without having broken ground on the hospital." [http://www.patchadams.org/hospital_project/ (The Gesundheit! Hospital Project)] </ref>

A comedy film, ''[[Patch Adams]]'', was based loosely on some episodes in his life.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Hunter}}

==Notes==
<references/>

[[Category:Activists]]

Corporal punishment

2014-09-03T01:40:06Z

JohnWe:

[[Image:Corporal pu.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Corporal punishment''' is the infliction of physical pain in response to wrongdoing, typically by methodically striking a particular part of the offender's body with an implement such as a paddle, or with the open hand. Its purpose is to correct, reform and deter the miscreant, and to deter others from similar misconduct.

[[Spanking]] of children and teens, whether at home or at school, is the most usual kind of corporal punishment. Parents are urged by the [[Bible]] to spank their offspring when they misbehave, for instance in [[Proverbs]] 13:24 (He who withholds the rod hateth his son).

[[Darrel Reid]], head of [[Focus on the Family]] - Canada (an [[evangelical Christian]] group) said that "The theological underpinning for family corporal punishment is tied up with the responsibility that God gives families for raising the young. You can find it particularly in the early books of the Bible, where God says your responsibility is not just nurturing but also correcting them."<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/spankin3.htm Child corporal punishment: spanking] at "Religious tolerance" website.</ref>

Some people oppose the spanking of children, and in some countries (e.g. [[Sweden]]) it is illegal even for parents to do so. Swedish Member of Parliament Sixten Pettersson stated "In a free democracy like our own, we use words as arguments, not blows. We talk to people and do not beat them. If we can't convince our children with words, we shall never convince them with violence".

In some states of the [[United States]] a [[foster parent]] may not spank a [[foster child]].

Claiming to draw upon the latest research on brain development, therapist Alice Miller attacks childhood corporal punishment and asserts that spanking causes emotional blindness and leads to mental barriers that cut off awareness and the ability to learn new ways of acting. If this cycle repeats itself, the grown child will perpetrate the same "abuse" on later generations, Miller alleges.<ref>[http://www.naturalchild.org/alice_miller/booklist.html The Natural Child Project.]</ref>

'''Judicial corporal punishment''' is the infliction of physical pain upon a person's body as punishment for a [[crime]] or [[infraction]], such as by caning or whipping. This kind of penalty remains on the statute book in several Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries.<ref>[http://www.corpun.com/rules.htm Country Files] at World Corporal Punishment Research.</ref>

The last US State to retain whipping as an official punishment for crime was [[Delaware]], in the 1950s.<ref>Newman, Graeme.
[http://www.albany.edu/~grn92/jp13.html ''Just and Painful'', Chapter 9.] Macmillan, London (1985). ISBN 0-02-923130-2</ref>

In a broad sense, corporal punishments include [[flogging]], beating, branding, mutilation, blinding, and the use of the stock and pillory. The Torah ([[Judaism]]) describes some forms of corporal punishment for certain crimes and sins. The [[Bible]] contains seven verses that relate to the spanking of children.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.religioustolerance.org/spankin3.htm Child corporal punishment: spanking]
*[http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/corporal_punishment.html Robert Ingersoll: Corporal Punishment]
*[http://www.corpun.com/benatar.htm Corporal Punishment by David Benatar] Philosophical study.

[[category:Punishment]]

Talk:National debt of the United States

2014-09-02T23:45:44Z

JohnWe: /* Page title */ new section

==Quote by President Reagan==
I don't quite know of the wording to use in the section on the debt ceiling, but I think something needs to be added to contextualize President Reagan's quote; specifically, it needs to be clear that the debt ceiling and the national debt were both ''much'' lower during this term than now, even when adjusting for inflation. As the article stands now, there is a statement that the Tea Party and financial experts aren't worried about a default immediately juxtaposed with one of Reagan appearing to contradict that statement. I don't believe there is a contradiction, since the situation was so different then compared to now. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this clear? Sadly, my writing abilities are failing me at the moment. Thank you! [[User:KevinDavis|Kevin Davis]] [[User talk:KevinDavis|Talk]] 21:33, 12 September 2011 (EDT)
:OK, so are you saying that there is no contradiction because the possibility of a default is somehow lower now that the debt ceiling and national debt are much larger? If this is true, perhaps it should be explained immediately after the Reagan quote. --[[User:Toadaron|AaronT]] 17:36, 18 September 2011 (EDT)

==Removal of link==
In 2007 Mtur added a link to a website I think called Zfacts. He was later blocked indefinitely. The article he linked to is critical of deficit spending and blames Republican leaders for engaging in it.

But neither of these facts is the reason I am removing the link. I'm removing it because when the author of the webpage does compare Democratic and Republican deficit spending, he doesn't mention the essential purposes for which deficit spending was performed, i. e. Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush fighting the Cold War; George W. Bush fighting the war against terrorism. These wars provided security to later generations, a security which these generations would or will not need to put their lives at risk to enjoy. It seems fair that they should shoulder some of the financial burden.

I feel this ignorance in distinguishing between debts for essential and non-essential purposes before attacking their accumulation disqualifies the author of the website from providing an opinion about the United States economy. [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] 14:51, 9 July 2014 (EDT)

== Page title ==

Shouldn't this page be titled "United States National Debt"? That's what it is about. It doesn't define or describe the general concept of national debt. [[User:JohnWe|JohnWe]] 19:45, 2 September 2014 (EDT)

The Ten Commandments (1956 film)

2014-09-01T14:21:33Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=The Ten Commandments
| image=TenCommandments1956.jpg
| caption=
| director=Cecil B. DeMille
| producer=Cecil B. DeMille
| writer=Æneas MacKenzie Jesse L. Lasky Jr. Jack Gariss Fredric M. Frank
| narrator=Cecil B. DeMille
| starring=Charlton Heston Yul Brynner Anne Baxter Edward G. Robinson
| music=Elmer Bernstein
| cinematography=Loyal Griggs
| editing=Anne Bauchens
| distributor=Paramount Pictures
| released=October 5, 1956
| runtime=220 min
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=
| followed_by=
| website=
| amg_id=
| imdb_id=
}}
'''''The Ten Commandments''''' is a film released in 1956 by [[Paramount Pictures]], produced and directed by [[Cecil B. DeMille]], and starring [[Charlton Heston]] and [[Yul Brynner]].

{{DEFAULTSORT: Ten Commandments (film, 1956), The}}
[[Category: Movies]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

The Manchurian Candidate

2014-09-01T14:20:42Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=The Manchurian Candidate
| image=ManchurianCandidateposter.jpg
| caption=
| director=John Frankenheimer
| producer=Howard W. Koch George Axelrod John Frankenheimer
| writer=Richard Condon (novel) George Axelrod (script)
| narrator=
| starring=Frank Sinatra Laurence Harvey Janet Leigh
| music=David Amram
| cinematography=Lionel Lindon
| editing=Ferris Webster
| distributor=United Artists
| released=October 24, 1962
| runtime=126 min
| country=USA
| language=English
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=
| followed_by=
| website=
| amg_id=
| imdb_id=
}}
'''''The Manchurian Candidate''''' is a 1962 Hollywood film based on the idea that hypnosis could produce a man involuntarily programmed to commit murder, an idea popular at the time but now thoroughly discredited. (As is now well known, no one can be hypnotized against his will, and hypnosis cannot make anyone violate his conscience.) 
The plot is about a Chinese conspiracy to "[[brainwash]]" an American [[POW]] into becoming an unwitting assassin of a candidate for [[President of the United States]] and thus allowing a villain to become President. The film, based on the 1959 novel by Richard Condon, was directed by John Frankenheimer, gained an almost [[cult]]-like following. It represented a new psychological twist in spy movies, playing upon widespread fears at the time that American POWs in Korea were being systematically brainwashed.<ref> It was later realized that sort of brainwashing depicted in the film was impossible. The Communist abused prisoners but made no attempt to control them once freed. On the fears see Susan L. Carruthers, "Redeeming The Captives: Hollywood and the Brainwashing of America's Prisoners of War in Korea." ''Film History'' 1998 10(3): 275-294</ref>. It is considered by many to be the best political thriller ever made.
== Cast ==
* [[Frank Sinatra]] as Captain (later Major) Bennett Marco, [[United States Army|USA]], veteran of the [[Korean War]] and attached to Army G-2.
** [[Janet Leigh]] as Eugenie Rose "Rosie" Cheney, a girl who takes an interest in Major Marco.

* [[Laurence Harvey]] as former Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw, USA, the war hero brainwashed by the enemy.
** James Gregory as [[United States Senate|Senator]] John Irkes Iselin of New York State; Shaw's stepfather and seeker of the nomination for Vice President.<ref name=Iselin>The identification of Senators Iselin and Jordan as Republicans is tentative. It is based on Raymond Shaw's identification of his first civilian employer, Holborn Gaines, as a Republican, an identification that he offers to his mother as proof that Mr. Gaines is not a Communist. Senators Iselin and Jordan constitute the New York delegation to the Senate because they clearly both reside in New York.</ref>
** [[Angela Lansbury]] as Eleanor Iselin, Raymond Shaw's mother and Senator Iselin's wife.<ref name=eleanor>The full name of Eleanor Iselin was never given in the film, but it did appear in the novel from which this film is adapted.</ref>
** Henry Silva as Chunjin, a Korean interpreter (and Communist spy).

* John McGiver as Senator Thomas Jordan, of New York, a political rival of Senator Iselin. He and Iselin despise one another.
** Leslie Parrish as Jocelyn "Jocie" Jordan; Senator Jordan's daughter, in love with Shaw.
* Khigh Dhiegh as Dr. Yen Lo, chief consulting psychiatrist, Pavlov Institute, Moscow
* James Edwards as Corporal Alan Melvin, USA, another veteran of Korea.

== Plot ==
{{spoiler}}
=== Prologue ===
On a dark night in Korea, Captain Bennett Marco and his patrol are ambushed, beaten senseless, and airlifted to a secret Sino-Soviet base in Manchuria, after their interpreter leads them into a trap. Three days later, the patrol reports in, except for two men who were killed. Captain Marco tells an incredible story of how his leading sergeant, Staff Sergeant Shaw, almost singlehandedly attacked an enemy machine-gun position and in the process killed an entire company of the enemy, and then led the patrol to safety. For this, Sgt. Shaw receives the [[Medal of Honor]].

=== Return from Korea ===
Upon his return from Korea, Shaw is horrified and disgusted to see that his mother and stepfather have organized a welcoming committee that behaves like a "disgusting three-ring circus." In fact, his stepfather, whom Shaw has always detested, is up for re-election and has used the Medal of Honor ceremony as political theater.

Captain Marco, freshly promoted to the rank of Major, is assigned to Army G-2 (i.e., Intelligence). But soon he is plagued by a chilling recurring dream: that not only was his story of Sgt. Shaw's heroism a lie, but in fact the patrol had been subject to [[brainwashing]], and that at a demonstration before several senior Soviet and Chinese officers, Shaw strangled one member of the patrol and shot another—which is to say, he personally murdered the very two men whom Marco would later list as killed in action.

The Army G-2 discounts his story and assigns him to the Public Relations Corps. This appointment proves disastrous, as Marco's assignment, the Secretary of Defense, loses his temper in a confrontation with Senator Iselin (who is a thinly-disguised parody of Senator [[Joseph McCarthy]], or rather the now-traditional [[liberal]] caricature of that real-life politician). Marco is reassigned to the G-2, who orders him to go away on leave. In his travels, he meets his eventual wife Rosie, who reaches out to him even though at first he tries to run away.

Marco is not the only member of the patrol to be plagued by a strange dream. Corporal Alan Melvin also dreams of sitting in a room full of Soviet and Chinese senior officers and other officials, and watching as Shaw strangles one of his buddies and shoots another at point-blank range. Melvin's wife encourages him to write to Shaw, which he does. Independently of one another, each man, when asked how he feels about Shaw, says in a monotone that Shaw is a wonderful person. The truth, however, is vastly different: Raymond Shaw, far from being attractive, is personally repulsive.

Marco traces Shaw to [[New York City]], where Shaw at first was the confidential assistant to well-known newspaper columnist Holborn Gaines (probably suggested by [[Walter Lippmann]]), and now writes the column himself after Mr. Gaines has been found murdered in his bed. When Marco finally comes to Shaw's apartment, he is horrified to confront Chunjin, the former interpreter to the patrol who was also present in the interrogation session that Marco recalls in his recurring dream. He lashes out at Chunjin and repeatedly roars questions at him about Raymond's obsessive behavior with his hands before he committed the murders, and why Chunjin himself was present, not as a captive, but as a capt''or''. He is arrested, but the G-2 vouches for him, and Rosie comes to take him home.

Marco then calls on Shaw to apologize for his behavior and explain his tortured dream. Shaw shocks him by saying that he had had a letter from another member of the patrol who was having similar dreams. Because this is the first person other than Marco to be reporting strange dreams, Marco rushes to Washington at once. There the G-2 convenes a meeting of his staff and questions Marco more closely. Marco identifies two known Soviet and Chinese officials from his dream, and the G-2 announces that he believes Marco's story and has formed a joint [[CIA]]/[[DIA]]/[[FBI]] team to investigate Raymond Shaw. Marco is assigned to this team as military liaison.

=== The investigation ===
Marco concentrates on Shaw and even encourages Shaw to tell him a sad story: he had once met a lovely and kind young woman, the daughter of Senator Jordan (the other Senator from New York State), and his mother had written an offensive letter in Shaw's name and forced Shaw to sign it. The next day, Marco meets Shaw in a bar and finds Shaw playing a game of [[solitaire]]. Marco barely hears the bartender tell another customer a story of how he had encouraged his brother-in-law to take a [[taxicab]] to [[Central Park]] and jump in the lake. And then Marco is stupefied when Shaw does exactly that. Marco follows Shaw and arrives in time to see Shaw jump in the lake, but Shaw has no memory of having done this. Nevertheless, Marco now remembers that Raymond had been playing with an imaginary—or perhaps not imaginary—deck of cards during the high-level Sino-Soviet briefing that Marco recalls in his dreams.

Marco asks the other members of the special task force about this, and they conclude that Raymond Shaw is acting under an elaborate series of suggestions implanted in his mind through [[hypnotism]]. They also identify the likely trigger: the queen of diamonds, a symbol of his mother.

What neither Marco nor even Shaw himself realizes is that Shaw's own mother is his "American operator" who gives him his orders. His mother first arranges for him to meet Senator Jordan's daughter Jocelyn again and even to marry her. But when this fails to create any fellow-feeling between Senators Jordan and Iselin, Shaw's mother then gives Shaw an order to kill Senator Jordan, and to kill Jocelyn as well.

=== The unraveling ===
Shaw retains no memory of any of his "assignments." Such is the nature of his programming that he will kill on order and then forget that he has done so, so that he will have no guilty conscience. But the sudden death of Jocelyn Jordan upsets him greatly, even though he does not yet realize that he was responsible for her death. He is so upset that he now is plagued with his own recurring dreams of the Manchurian interrogation session. In desperation he calls Marco, who meets Shaw at his hotel across the street from [[Madison Square Garden]], where the Republican National Convention is taking place, and Senator Iselin has just won the Vice-Presidential nomination. Marco brings with him a "forced deck" containing fifty-two queens of diamonds. Marco uses these to induce Shaw to confess to the following:

# The night action for which Shaw received the Medal of Honor never took place as reported.
# In fact, the entire patrol had been abducted and taken to a secret base, where specialists from the [[Ivan Pavlov|Pavlov]] Institute in Moscow hypnotized them all, but especially Shaw.
# Shaw murdered the two men whom Marco would later report as killed in action.
# Shaw then killed his columnist boss, purely as a test of his conditioning.
# Shaw did indeed jump in the lake at Central Park, after the bartender accidentally triggered his post-hypnotic suggestion.
# Shaw then killed Senator Jordan and the young woman whom he had married only twenty-four hours before.
# All of the above are part of a larger plan, though Shaw does not know the details.

Marco then takes a gamble: he displays all fifty-two queens of diamonds and then, in his command voice, tells Shaw that his days as a programmed assassin are over.

=== The final action ===
Marco orders Shaw to talk to his American operator, learn the details of the operation (which is connected with that same convention where John Iselin has become a candidate for Vice President), and report back to Marco. Instead of reporting, Shaw gives every outward sign of continuing with his programmed assignment: to take a gun into a projection room and from that vantage point to shoot the Presidential nominee in the middle of his speech. His mother has arranged this so that Senator Iselin, can step forward and accept the Presidential nomination by default.

Marco, on the convention floor, spots the light from the projection room and races to that room as fast as he can get there. He arrives in time to see Shaw shoot, not the Presidential nominee, but Senator Iselin and his own mother. Shaw then puts on his Medal of Honor, and tells Marco that no one could possibly have stopped Senator Iselin and his mother, and that he had to do the job himself. Then, guilt-ridden over the shootings and all the other murders he has committed, Shaw puts the muzzle of his high-powered rifle to his own forehead and pulls the trigger.

=== Memorable quotations ===
When asked how he feels about Raymond Shaw as a person, Marco and Corporal Melvin both say: {{cquote|Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I have ever met in my life.}}

When Marco lashes out at Chunjin, he roars out these questions:{{cquote|What was Raymond doing with his hands? How did the old ladies turn into Russians? What were you doing there?}}

The trigger phrase for the hypnotic suggestions:{{cquote|Why don't you pass the time by playing a little solitaire?}}

The Presidential nominee says these words before Shaw fires the fatal shots:{{cquote|Nor would I ask of any fellow American, in defense of his freedom, that which I would not gladly give myself: my life before my liberty.}}

After Raymond's death, Marco, now engaged to Rosie, composes a revised Medal of Honor citation for Shaw, one more appropriate to his situation: {{cquote|Made to commit acts too unspeakable to be cited here, by an enemy who had captured his mind and his soul, he freed himself at last, and in the end heroically and unhesitatingly gave his life to save his country.}}

== Goofs ==
=== Contrivance or "Dramatic License" ===
Senator and Mrs. Iselin greet Sergeant Shaw with a banner reading "Johnny Iselin's Boy!" and spread it over his head for a [[Photo Opportunity|photo-op]]. That would likely never have been allowed to happen. In real life, no civilian, even the mother and stepfather of a Medal of Honor recipient, would have been allowed to get that close to an honoree, and certainly not to spread a venal-looking banner over his head and take an unauthorized photograph, not only of the honoree, but also of a [[general]] officer of the Army.

=== Factual errors ===
[[Image:Manchurian.jpg|right|200px|right|thumb|Cover for the recently-released DVD edition]]
# When Senator Iselin announces on the floor of the Senate that "there are exactly fifty-seven card-carrying Communists in the Defense Department," and then rises to a point of order, he addresses the presiding officer as "Mister Speaker" by mistake. The correct title in the Senate is "Mister President."
# When Senator Jordan threatens Senator Iselin with expulsion from the Senate if he tries to secure the Vice Presidential nomination, he incorrectly describes the sanction as an impeachment. Senator Iselin then makes the identical mistake when threatening Senator Jordan in turn. [[Impeachment]] is an accusation against the President, Vice President, or other "civil officer" in the executive or judicial branches, and is always brought in the [[United States House of Representatives|House]] and ''then'' tried in the Senate. The Senate is the sole judge of the qualifications of his own members, and a motion to expel a Senator would be called just that: a motion to expel. The Senate, and only the Senate, would then debate and vote on it. (Expulsion, like conviction in an impeachment proceeding, requires a two-thirds vote.)

=== Faulty set-dressing ===
When Major Marco fights with Chunjin, he chops a slice out of a table with a karate stroke. This table was supposed to be a breakaway table. It was not. Frank Sinatra chopped a chunk out of a real table and injured himself very badly in so doing.
{{endspoiler}}

== Themes and Receptions ==
=== Brainwashing ===
: ''Main Article: [[Brainwashing]]''

The 1950s was a time of intense interest in accounts of mind control, and the term "brainwashing" was coined in 1950. At a time of high Cold War tension, the book ''I Was Stalin's Prisoner'' (1952), a first-person account of US executive Robert A. Vogeler's experiences with [[mind control]] as a political prisoner in Hungary, produced derivative fiction. ''Brain-Washing in Red China'' (1951) and other writings by Edward Hunter proclaimed the danger and potentially devastating possibilities of brainwashing. Inaccurate reports to the effect that numerous American POW's had defected to the Chinese in Korea caused alarm; in fact there were only a few. Richard Condon's novel ''The Manchurian Candidate'' (1959), the basis for this film tapped into public fascination and concern over mind-control techniques. Novels by William Burroughs, A. E. van Vogt, and Francis Pollini all incorporate brainwashing themes. By the time of Walter Wager's ''Telefon'' (1975), the subject of brainwashing techniques had become passé.<ref>David Seed, "Brainwashing And Cold War Demonology." ''Prospects'' 1997 22: 535-573.</ref>

Some scholars have concluded there was no such brainwashing but it was a potent fear at the time. The film picks up and elaborates on this fear, and suggests that a "part light-induced, part drug-induced" technique would be effective. The 1954 film "Prisoner of War" starring [[Ronald Reagan]] portrays brainwashing POW's in Korea.

At the time of its release in 1962, the film defied plot analysis or genre categorization, but the film's subject of US soldiers brainwashed by Chinese forces during the Korean War found particular resonance in US popular culture. Beginning in 1952, popular journalists frightened and titillated their readers with sometimes dubious tales of Communist mind-control techniques.

Some critics who analyzed the film in 1962-63, however, saw the film as a [[leftist]] commentary on McCarthyism - the character of Senator John Irkes Iselin, the stepfather of Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw, bears striking resemblances to Joseph McCarthy, if only as parody and burlesque. The film's real target was "Mom-ism," since it was the supposedly invasive upbringing of Raymond Shaw by his mother that made him a good candidate for brainwashing according to some, and viewed by others as a subtle attempt to help break down the nuclear family by [[liberals]]. <ref>Susan L. Carruthers, "The Manchurian Candidate (1962) And The Cold War Brainwashing Scare." ''Historical Journal of Film, Radio And Television'' 1998 18(1): 75-94. 0143-9685</ref>

A key premise of the movie was that it was possible to [[brainwash]] or hypnotize an unsuspecting prisoner into committing murder. This was a widespread fear in the 1950s, and Ronald Reagan had starred in another film about brainwashing of American POWs in Korea.

:... a tall, bald Communist Chinese/Korean doctor-spylord Yen Lo ... introduces the captured, passive and impotent men, all drugged and hypnotized for a public demonstration of the powers of hypnotism.

Although the film was not a major hit, and its conspiracy plot was considered far-fetched, it anticipated the American obsession with conspiracy theories after Kennedy's assassination.

One year after the assassination of President [[John F. Kennedy]], the creative rights to the film reverted to Frank Sinatra. He was unable to come to financial terms with the production company ([[United Artists]]), so Sinatra shelved the film. At the time, some suspected that Frank Sinatra had the film pulled from circulation after the Kennedy assassination, in the fear that his film had provoked [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] to commit this act.<ref name=Osborne>Osborne, Robert. End-of-film commentary on ''The Manchurian Candidate''.</ref> However, Ben Mankiewicz now says that that was "a Hollywood version of an urban myth," and that Sinatra's real reason for shelving the picture, after the rights reverted to him, was the failure of [[United Artists]] to come to satisfactory terms with him with regard to royalties. The estate of Frank Sinatra finally settled the royalty issue in or about 2005.<ref name=Mankiewicz>Mankiewicz, Ben. Introduction to ''The Manchurian Candidate''.</ref>

=== Manipulation of fact ===
Eleanor Iselin engages in an interesting scheme of manipulation, and frankly avows that to her husband when he complains that she never tells him to give the same number twice of Communists in the Defense Department. By way of explanation, she says this:{{cquote|What are the newspapers of America writing about, and what are they saying? Are they saying, "Are there any Communists in the Defense Department?" Of course not! They're asking, "''How many'' Communists are there in the Defense Department"!}}

In short, by keeping the news organs and their readers and viewers guessing, Mrs. Iselin invites people to accept ''[[a priori]]'' that the Defense Department has Communists in it, although an objective observer ought to have noticed that when a man cannot tell the same story twice in succession, he is usually lying.

=== Manipulation of popular emotion ===
The primary purpose of Mrs. Iselin's plan is to manipulate the emotions of the people into accepting dictatorship in the belief that the country is under a dire threat. Mrs. Iselin avows as much to her son when she gives him his final assignment, not realizing that Major Marco has already "unconditioned" him. In fact, she predicts that the assassination of the named Presidential candidate will cause the American electorate {{cquote|to sweep us into the [[White House]] with powers that will make [[martial law]] look like [[anarchy]].}}

The facts of the matter are far more complex. In the film, the Communist threat ''does'' exist. But the person behind the campaign to popularize that threat ''is herself an agent of that threat.'' Or so she pretends, at least in her dealings with Soviet and Chinese agents that actually induce them to recruit and train an assassin and place that assassin at her disposal. What she actually intends is to seize power in America and then launch a war of revenge against her very helpers. That Mrs. Iselin would conceive that such a plan could actually work, only shows the profound megalomania that afflicts this character.

(Of course, Mrs. Iselin, having accused the Soviets of underestimating her, is herself guilty of underestimating her son. Once Raymond Shaw realizes that his mother is "the American operator," he holds her responsible for the death of his wife and proves himself quite capable of taking the ultimate revenge.)

=== Other themes ===
The movie featured a riveting performance by [[Angela Lansbury]]<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001450/ IMDB website]</ref> as the brilliant, controlling mother who manipulated both her husband and her son to realize her dream of a communist takeover of the [[United States]]. Her husband was a parody of Senator [[Joseph McCarthy]]. Frank Sinatra had initially suggested to Director [[John Frankenheimer]] that he cast [[Lucille Ball]] as Mrs. Iselin. But Frankenheimer, who had previously cast and worked with Lansbury in another film, ''[[All Fall Down]]'', showed Sinatra a "rough cut" of a key scene in which Lansbury appeared, and Sinatra agreed that Angela Lansbury would be a better choice.<ref name=Osborne2>Osborne, Robert. Introduction to ''The Manchurian Candidate''.</ref>

== Recent Remake ==
The movie was remade with [[Denzel Washington]] in the Sinatra role and [[Liev Schreiber]] as a the assassin controlled by a [[microchip]] brain implant. The villains in the remake are not communists, but simply people with a vague political agenda.<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/manchurian_candidate/about.php 'Rotten Tomatoes' Plot Summary]</ref> Critics and fans panned the remake.

==Colloquial Usage==
In modern day usage, to describe a political candidate as a "Manchurian Candidate" is to say that they are hiding their real beliefs in hope of being elected, and afterwords able to advance their hidden agenda. [[Barack Obama]] is frequently accused of being a Muslim Manchurian Candidate, by [http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=79411 WorldNetDaily] and other sources.

==Further reading==
* Carruthers, Susan L. "Redeeming The Captives: Hollywood and the Brainwashing of America's Prisoners of War in Korea." ''Film History'' 1998 10(3): 275-294. 0892-2160
* Carruthers, Susan L. "The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and the Cold War Brainwashing Scare." ''Historical Journal of Film, Radio And Television'' 1998 18(1): 75-94. 0143-9685
* Condon, Richard. ''The Manchurian Candidate‎'' (1959); 320 pages; the original novel [http://books.google.com/books?id=fmB9mXvRy1gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22manchurian+candidate%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=2007&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpts and text search]
* Marks, John D. ''The search for the "Manchurian candidate": the CIA and mind control‎'' (1979) 242 pages; scholarly study of brainwashing
* Jacobson, Matthew Frye, and Gaspar González. ''What Have They Built You to Do? The Manchurian Candidate and Cold War America'' (2006) 288pp; full-scale scholarly interpretation of the film [http://books.google.com/books?id=yGBEDgEpVuQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22manchurian+candidate%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=2007&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search]
* Seed, David. '' Brainwashing: the fictions of mind control : a study of novels and films'' (2004) ch 5. [http://books.google.com/books?id=YsVFqZIuus0C&pg=PA106&dq=%22manchurian+candidate%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=2007&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search]

== Also See ==
* [[Frank Sinatra]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Movies|Manchurian Candidate, The]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Titanic (1997 film)

2014-09-01T14:18:45Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=Titanic
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[James Cameron]]
| producer=James Cameron Jon Landau Rae Sanchini
| writer=James Cameron
| starring=[[Leonardo DiCaprio]] Kate Winslet
| music=James Horner
| cinematography=Russell Carpenter
| editing=Conrad Buff James Cameron Richard A. Harris
| distributor=[[20th Century Fox]] Paramount Pictures Lightstorm Entertainment
| released=December 19, 1997
| runtime=194 min.
| country=[[USA]]
| language=English
}}

'''''Titanic''''' was a highly successful 1997 film by director [[James Cameron]], starring [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] and [[Kate Winslet]]. The plot involves a fictional 1996 discovery of the RMS ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]'' by treasure hunter Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) and his team. They discover a nude portrait of a young woman wearing a heart-shaped diamond. Meanwhile, the woman (Frances Fisher), Rose Dawson Calvert (formerly Rose Dewitt Bukater), now 101 years old, watches the report on TV and remembers the drawing. She calls Lovett and tells him that she's the woman in the picture, then flies out to the ship on a helicopter. There, she tells the crew her story, who are looking for the diamond she is carrying in the picture, the "Heart of the Ocean," which was given to her by her fiancee Cal.

==Plot==
{{spoiler}}

Rose DeWitt Bukater (Winslet) is the daughter of a wealthy [[Britain|British]] aristocrat, Ruth DeWitt Bukater (Frances Fisher). Rose is pledged to marry a wealthy man, Caledon "Cal" Nathan Hockley (Billy Zane), but she doesn't love him. Nonetheless, she accompanies him on the newly built RMS ''Titanic'' to sail to [[America]]. Meanwhile, lowly artist Jack Dawson (DiCaprio) wins a ticket on board in a bar. He and his [[Italy|Italian]] friend go on board the ''Titanic''. Jack has a wonderful time, but Rose is miserable because of her dislike for her fiancee and the stuffiness and boredom of her and Cal's families. Finally, in despair, she attempts to throw herself off the back of the ship, but Jack sees her and manages to stop her from jumping. The two soon fall in love.

Nonetheless, Cal is very angry at this news and tells Rose that he will not tolerate "such a wife." He forbids her to see Rose again, and she decides to obey. However, later she changes her mind, and asks Jack to do a portrait of her wearing nothing but the Heart of the Ocean, which Cal bought her. Cal finds out and is enraged, but the two escape him and run into the cargo hold of the ship, where they have [[sex]].

That night at 11:40, the ship strikes a large [[iceberg]], which ruptures the side of the ship, and water rushes into the hold. The ''Titanic'' slowly begins to sink.

[[Category:Movies]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

The Two Towers (2002 film)

2014-09-01T14:14:00Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name=The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[Peter Jackson]]
| producer=Peter Jackson Michael Lynne Mark Ordesky Barrie M. Osborne Robert Shaye Fran Walsh Bob Weinstein Harvey Weinstein
| writer=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] (original) Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Stephen Sinclair Peter Jackson
| narrator=
| starring=Elijah Wood [[Ian McKellen]] Sean Astin
| music=Howard Shore
| cinematography=Andrew Lesnie
| editing=Michael Horton
| distributor=New Line Cinema
| released=December 18, 2002
| runtime=179 min
| country=New Zealand
| language=English
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=[[The Fellowship of the Ring (film, 2001)|The Fellowship of the Ring]]
| followed_by=[[The Return of the King (film, 2003)|The Return of the King]]
| website=
| amg_id=
| imdb_id=0167261
}}

'''''The Two Towers''''' is a film adapted from [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s classic book of the same name. It is the second in Peter Jackson's ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy. The film made significant changes, including making the battle of Helm's Deep the climax of the film. Instead of ending the film with Frodo's capture by the orcs in Shelob's Lair, the character of Faramir attempts to take the ring to Gondor.

{{DEFAULTSORT: Two Towers (film, 2002), The}}
[[Category: Movies]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Escape from Hell

2014-08-31T14:48:16Z

JohnWe:

'''''Escape from Hell''''' is a 2001 drama about a medical doctor, Eric Robinson, who, along with his collegue Dr. Marissa Holloway, attempts to prove the existence of [[Heaven]] and that everyone will go there. Dr. Holloway has conducted numerous interviews with people who have had [[near-death experience]]s, and is convinced that Heaven is the final destination of everyone. Dr. Robinson purposefully places himself in a deep [[coma]] so that he can have a near-death experience. Unfortunately, he comes a little ''too'' close to death and finds himself in [[Hell]], a place of utter torment and pain. Furthermore, to his utter shock and horror, he finds a former patient there who was a "good man", but evidently his goodness did not get him to Heaven. Now Dr. Robinson must make a choice: should he continue on in his scientism and refuse to acknowledge that he is a sinner, or will he admit that he cannot enter Heaven by any of his own merits and receive [[Jesus Christ]] as his personal savior?

==External Links==

*[http://www.christiananswers.net/spotlight/movies/2001/escapefromhell.html A Christian review of the film]

[[category:movies]]
[[Category:Conservative Media]]
[[Category:Christian Media]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Robert M. Price

2014-08-30T18:42:12Z

JohnWe:

'''Robert Price''' is an American [[atheism|atheist]], theologian and professor. He teaches biblical criticism at the Center for Inquiry.<ref>[http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/zblog/?p=625 Westboro Atheists] by Robert M. Price</ref> In addition, he sits on the advisory board of the Secular Student alliance. Price is also a fellow of the [[Jesus Seminar]].

== External links ==

*[http://www.tektonics.org/lp/pricer06.php Robert Price on the resurrection of Jesus Christ] by [[JP Holding]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gToP2XG3zss Did Jesus of Nazareth Rise from the Dead? William Lane Craig vs. Robert M. Price]

==References==

<references/>

Whistler

2014-08-30T18:40:22Z

JohnWe:

The town of '''Whistler''' is a resort community some 60 miles northwest of [[Vancouver]], [[Canada]]. It is best known for its winter activities, primarily [[skiing]]

[[Category:Canadian Cities and Towns]]

The Wall

2014-08-30T18:39:35Z

JohnWe:

'''''The Wall''''' is a [[rock opera]] by [[Pink Floyd]]. It is also a [[double album]]. The album was released on November 30, 1979. With the exception of "Young Lust", "Comfortably Numb", and "Run Like Hell", all of the songs are written solely by [[Roger Waters]]. (Those three songs were written by both Waters and [[David Gilmour]]). 
 
The album is semi-autobiographical in nature, as some of the things that the main character goes through actually happened to Waters. It is also notable that this album's story seems to contain hints of being cyclical, as the final song, "Outside the Wall", ends with the cut off sentence, "Isn't this where-", while the opening song, "In the Flesh?" begins with, "we came in?", thus finishing the sentence begun at the end of the album, implying that it never really ends. Also, the beginning of "In the Flesh?" continues the melody of "Outside the Wall". This cyclical nature could be due to the album being about how as every time one person breaks down a 'wall' isolating them from society, another person creates one around themselves. 

==Plot==
Pink is a rock star who has gone through many unfortunate things during his life. This album explains the events.

"In The Flesh?": In this song, Pink tells the listener that there is a story that he is going to tell. Then he says things like "Lights. Where are all the sound effects?", signifying that there will be a performance. At the end of the song, you can hear a plane blowing up something, followed by a baby crying, thereby maybe showing that his dad died in the explosion.

"The Thin Ice": At the beginning of this song, we hear Pink crying as a baby. Pink's dad was killed during a war. The line "Dragging behind you the silent reproach / Of a million tear-stained eyes" signifies the total destruction done by war to the families of victims.

"Another Brick In The Wall, Part I": In this song, Pink is older than in the last song and understands that his father is gone, but does not understand that his father died in the war. Pink says that his father was "Another brick in the wall", showing that Pink is angry that his father is not there, and that this was one of the main reasons of (as we will find out as time goes on) Pink's isolation from the world outside (the wall).

"Happiest Days Of Our Lives" is about how back in the day (when Pink was a child), teachers used to do things to children to hurt them (such as caning them) and make them feel bad about themselves.

"Another Brick In The Wall, Part II" is about how Pink wishes that they could have risen up against their abusive teachers. It also says "All in all / You're just a brick in the wall", saying that school is another thing that helps him build the psychological wall.

"Mother" talks about how Pink's mother was extremely overprotective. She also "helps build the wall", thereby showing that his mother's overbearingness helped him become more isolated.

"Goodbye Blue Sky" is all about World War II, and about one of the bombings, and how they could not see the sky through all of the planes that were there.

"Empty Spaces" is about how there are still empty places in the wall. At this point, Pink is married. However, Pink and his wife are having trouble because he already does not talk to her that much.

"Young Lust": Pink has been on tour for a long time, because he is a rock star. At the end of this song, he tries to call his wife. He learns that his wife has been having an affair.

"One Of My Turns": Devastated by learning about his wife's affair, he invites a groupie to his apartment. At first, the groupie tries to get the attention of Pink, who is too busy thinking about his wife. Then, he starts to destroy the room. (Pink was probably drinking backstage, as well as probably doing drugs).

"Don't Leave Me Now": During this song, Pink is very sad that his wife has cheated on him. He is thinking about her, and wants to ask her to not leave him.

"Another Brick In The Wall, Part III": Pink, so upset that his wife has left him, decides to continue the wall. He eventually builds the wall.

"Goodbye Cruel World" signifies that he is done with the wall, and thereby has cut himself off from the outside world.

"Hey You": During this song, Pink realizes that he must destroy the wall. However, he cannot destroy it, despite his apparent desire to do so.

"Is There Anybody Out There?": At this point, Pink really wants to escape the wall that he has created. He is basically screaming to anyone that can hear him (nobody) to let him out of the psychedelic wall within which he has trapped himself.

"Nobody Home" is about his old relationship with his wife. It is about how he is sad about how it ended.

"Vera": The title is a reference to [[Vera Lynn]], whose song "We'll Meet Again" was popular during World War II. This song might be about how Pink will never be able to see his father again, unlike what Vera has "promised".

"Bring The Boys Back Home" is about how Pink will, again, never be able to see his father, and how he wants them to bring the troops home so that nobody will suffer the same fate that he did in the future.

"Comfortably Numb": Pink has overdosed in his room. His manager comes into Pink's room to take him away to a show that he has to do, finding him overdosed. A doctor comes (voice of Gilmour) and tells him not to worry. He injects Pink with something to "Keep him going through the show". They then drag him out of his room, as he transforms into being extremely out of it.

"The Show Must Go On" basically states that although Pink is out of it, the show must go on.

"In The Flesh": Pink is under the impression that he is a [[neo-Nazi]] leader, with [[England]] being the country that is under control. Pink asks if there are any [[Homosexuality|"queers"]] in the audience. Then, he begins to point out people simply by the way that they look ("That one looks Jewish / That one's a coon").

"Run Like Hell": In this song, Pink sends his "minions" to go and to hurt people that he would not like and that are not tolerated in a neo-Nazi society.

"Waiting For The Worms" is basically about Pink making a rally speech, about how if they want to restore England to its former glory, they must go under the rule of Pink ("All you have to do is follow the worms").

"Stop": Pink is scared by the thoughts that he has just had. He asks for the madness to stop.

"The Trial": Pink is put on trial in his mind for being "caught red-handed showing feelings / Showing feelings of an almost human nature." Then the schoolmaster, Pink's wife, and his mother testify at the trial. The judge orders Pink to "expose himself" as a punishment, by tearing down the wall.

"Outside The Wall" is not part of the main plot. This song rather serves as an ending song, as opposed to the plot.

==Track Listing==
===Record Track Listing===
This is a double album, meaning that it has two discs to it, bringing the sides up to four sides.
====Disc One====
=====Side A=====
# In The Flesh? (3:19)
# The Thin Ice (2:27)
# Another Brick In The Wall, Part I (3:21)
# The Happiest Days Of Our Lives (1:46)
# Another Brick In The Wall, Part II (4:00)
# Mother (5:36)
=====Side B=====
# Goodbye Blue Sky (2:45)
# Empty Spaces (2:10)
# Young Lust (3:25)
# One Of My Turns (3:35)
# Don't Leave Me Now (4:16)
# Another Brick In The Wall, Part III (1:14)
# Goodbye Cruel World (1:13)

====Disc Two====
=====Side A=====
# Hey You (4:40)
# Is There Anybody Out There? (2:44)
# Nobody Home (3:26)
# Vera (1:35)
# Bring The Boys Back Home (1:21)
# Comfortably Numb (6:24)
=====Side B=====
# The Show Must Go On (1:36)
# In The Flesh (4:13)
# Run Like Hell (4:19)
# Waiting For The Worms (4:04)
# Stop (0:30)
# The Trial (5:13)
# Outside The Wall (1:41)
===Eight Track Tape Track Listing===
====Program 1====
# In the Flesh?
# The Thin Ice
# Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1)
# The Happiest Days of Our Lives
# Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) (Shortened)
# Mother
====Program 2====
# Goodbye Blue Sky
# Empty Spaces
# Young Lust
# One of My Turns
# Don't Leave Me Now
# Another Brick in the Wall (Part 3) (Shortened)
# Goodbye Cruel World (Shortened)
# Hey You (Introduction)
====Program 3====
# Hey You (Conclusion)
# Is There Anybody Out There?
# Nobody Home
# Vera
# Bring the Boys Back Home
# Comfortably Numb (Shortened)
# The Show Must Go On
====Program 4====
# In the Flesh
# Run Like Hell
# Waiting For The Worms
# Stop
# The Trial
# Outside the Wall (Shortened)

===Total Length===
The album's total length is 1 hr, 21 minutes, and 27 seconds.

==''Pink Floyd The Wall''==
In 1982, [[MGM/UA]] released a movie called ''Pink Floyd The Wall'', the movie version of the album. It stars [[Bob Geldof]] as Pink. It was directed by [[Alan Parker]]. The film contains 15 minutes of elaborate cartoons by [[Gerald Scarfe]]. It was written by [[Roger Waters]]. It is highly metaphorical in nature.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wall, The}}
[[category:Albums]]
[[category:Movies]]

Captain America: The First Avenger

2014-08-30T18:29:54Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name= Captain America: The First Avenger
| image=
| caption=
| director=[[Joe Johnston]]
| producer=[[Kevin Fiege]]
| writer=[[Joe Simon]] [[Jack Kirby]] (original) [[Christopher Markus]] [[Stephen McFeely]]
| narrator=
| starring=[[Chris Evans]] [[Hugo Weaving]] [[Hayley Atwell]] [[Tommy Lee Jones]] [[Stanley Tucci]] [[Dominic Cooper]] [[Tobey Jones]] [[Samuel L. Jackson]]
| music=
| cinematography=
| editing=
| distributor=[[Marvel Studios]] [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released=July 22, 2011
| runtime=123 minutes
| country=[[United States]]
| language=[[English]]
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=[[Thor]] (2011)
| followed_by=[[The Avengers]] (2012)
| website=
| amg_id2=
| imdb_id=
}}
'''''Captain America: The First Avenger''''' is a 2011 [[Superhero]] film based on the ''[[Captain America]]'' comics. It is the fifth film set in the "Marvel Cinematic Universe" (MCU), which is produced independently by [[Marvel Studios]], as well as the final film in the MCU to be released before the 2012 crossover film ''[[The Avengers]]''. It is also the first film in the "Avengers universe" chronologically. This was the final MCU film to be distributed by [[Paramount Pictures]] before Marvel parent [[Disney]] took over all further distribution, production and marketing of Marvel Studios films, starting with ''The Avengers''.
==Cast==
*[[Chris Evans]] as [[Captain America]]/Steve Rogers
*[[Hugo Weaving]] as [[Red Skull]]/Johann Schmidt
*[[Hayley Atwell]] as [[Peggy Carter]]
*[[Dominic Cooper]] as [[Howard Stark]]
*[[Tommy Lee Jones]] as [[Col. Chester Philips]]
*[[Tobey Jones]] as [[Arnim Zola]]
*[[Samuel L. Jackson]] as [[Nick Fury]]

[[Category: Movies]]
[[Category: Comic Book Movies]]
[[Category:Marvel]]
[[Category:Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Bruce Almighty

2014-08-30T18:26:14Z

JohnWe:

{{Infobox Film
| name= Bruce Almighty
| image=
| caption=
| director=Tom Shadyac
| producer=Gary Barber Roger Binbaum Michael Bostick James D. Brubaker [[Jim Carrey]] Steven Koren Steve Oedekerk Mark O'Keefe Tom Shadyac
| writer=Steve Koren Mark O'Keefe Steve Oedekerk
| narrator=
| starring=[[Jim Carrey]] [[Morgan Freeman]] [[Jennifer Aniston]] [[Steve Carell]]
| music= John Debney
| cinematography=Dean Semler
| editing=Scott Hill
| distributor=[[Universal Pictures]]
| released=May 23, 2003
| runtime=101 min
| country=[[United States]]
| language=[[English]]
| budget=
| gross=
| preceded_by=
| followed_by=[[Evan Almighty]]
| website=
| amg_id2=
| imdb_id=0315327
}}

'''''Bruce Almighty''''' is a 2003 film about a man named Bruce Nolan (played by Jim Carrey), who blames [[God]] for all his woes in life. In response, God (played by Morgan Freeman) endows him with all his supernatural abilities. The film was financially successful and was followed by the less popular sequel ''Evan Almighty''.

[[Category: Movies]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Argo (2012 film)

2014-08-30T18:25:33Z

JohnWe:

'''''Argo''''' is a conservative [[drama]] based on the true story of the [[Canadian Caper]] that occurred during the midst of the [[Iranian Revolution]] and the [[Iranian Hostage Crisis]]. The film was a financial and critical success, earning several awards, including the [[Academy Award]] for Best Film in 2013.

==Plot==
'''''Warning: Potential Spoilers below.'''''

The film begins at the start of the Iranian Hostage Crisis on November 4, 1979. As the American Embassy is being overtaken by a mob of Iranian students, six American diplomats manage to escape the complex, seeking refuge at the Candian Ambassador Ken Taylor's residence, where they would remain for the next 79 days.

In the United States, Tony Mendez ([[Ben Affleck]]) works with the [[CIA]], the [[Canadian]] government, and eventually Hollywood, to devise a plan to rescue the six Americans. The final plan is for Tony to fly to Iran as a Canadian film maker, and for the six Americans to be various staff members for a movie named ''Argo''. In order to carry out the ruse, the CIA financed a fictional movie studio (Studio 6), advertisements were placed in ''Variety'' magazine, and even storyboards for the film were created. At the same time, the Iranians have realized they are missing six hostages, and they are weaving together shredded documents from the American embassy, which could expose the six Americans.

Using forged Canadian passports and Visas, Tony and the six Americans manage to get through security, and after nearly being caught, are allowed to board a Swissair jet to Zurich. As the plane begins to taxi, the Iranians realize that the film crew are really the missing six. The plane takes off just as Iranian security is about to stop them from taking off.

==Reception==
Argo currently has a 96% 'fresh' rating from Rottentomatoes.com. It was nominated for and won many awards, including the [[Academy Award]] for Best Picture, a Golden Globe for Best Picture - Drama, and a Critics Choice Award for Best Picture.

[[Category:Movies]]
[[Category:Hollywood]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

An American Carol

2014-08-30T18:24:31Z

JohnWe:

[[Image:Anamericancarol.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''''An American Carol''''' is a movie by director David Zucker released on October 3, 2008. It is a rare comedy made in Hollywood by conservatives, for conservatives. It is a gag-filled lampoon of [[liberal]]s about a cynical, Anti-American “Hollywood” documentary filmmaker leading a slapstick campaign to abolish the [[Fourth of July]]. It stars Kevin Farley, brother of the late [[Chris Farley]], as a scruffy [[Michael Moore]] parody named Michael Malone. ''An American Carol'' mixes the narrative of Charles Dickens's ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'' with Fox News fodder.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/american_carol/2008/10/03/137000.html American Carol' Lampoons the Left] NewsMax, October 3, 2008</ref> Many highly recognized Hollywood actors star in the film including [[Kelsey Grammer]], [[Dennis Hopper]], [[Jon Voight]], Robert Davi, and Leslie Nielsen with Cameo appearances by [[Bill O'Reilly]], James Woods and [[Paris Hilton]].

Besides spoofing [[Michael Moore]], ''An American Carol'' roasts [[jihad]]ists, [[Rosie O'Donnell]], college professors, [[Neville Chamberlain]], [[Adolf Hitler]], President [[Jimmy Carter]], chanting protesters and the [[ACLU]]. Zucker co-wrote the film with Myrna Sokoloff and Lewis Friedman. Zucker directed the previous hit comedies ''Airplane!'', ''The Naked Gun'' and ''Scary Movie 3'' & ''4''.

==Zucker’s sense of humor==
In a scene which shows anti-war protesters chant, “Peace now. We don't care how!” as they carry signs that read:
* End Violence — War Is Not the Answer!
* End Disease — Medicine Is Not the Answer!
* It's Too Dark Outside — The Sun Is Not the Answer!
* Overpopulation — Gay Marriage Is the Answer!

==Box Office performance==
''An American Carol'' was shown on 1,639 screens during its opening weekend and made $3.6 million, a disappointing return that did not match expectations.

==Movie Reviews==
As is common with movies that have a conservative view, the movie was given a 14% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com by selected movie critics with an average rating of 3.3 out of 10.<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/an_american_carol/?name_order=asc T-meter critics], Rotten Tomatoes</ref> Audiences, however, have a 75% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.3 out of 10.<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/an_american_carol/reviews_users.php RT Community], Rotten Tomatoes</ref> Such a strong difference between the critics and the movie going public is also common.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:movies]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

2016: Obama's America

2014-08-30T18:20:22Z

JohnWe:

'''''2016: Obama's America''''' is a movie by [[Dinesh D'Souza]] and [[Gerald R. Molen]] which attempts to dramatize the projected effects of four more years of [[Barack Obama]]'s far-[[left]] policies on the United States.

It is based on the dream (of Obama's father) that the sins of [[colonialism]] be set right and that America be downsized.<ref>http://2016themovie.com/trailer/ 2016 trailer</ref>
This contrasts with the dream of America's [[Founding Fathers]].

The film is currently the fourth highest-grossing political documentary of all time behind ''[[Farenheit 9/11]]'', ''[[March of the Penguins]]'' and ''[[Justin Bieber: Never Say Never]]''.<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=documentary.htm</ref> Jennifer Harper said that it was one of the highest grossing political documentaries of all time.<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2013/aug/30/liberal-filmmaker-michael-moore-gets-conservative-/</ref>

==Links==
*[http://www.amazon.com/Roots-Obamas-Rage-Dinesh-DSouza/dp/1596986255 ''The Roots of Obama's Rage'']

== See also ==

*[[Greatest Conservative Movies]]

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Oliver!

2014-08-29T14:05:56Z

JohnWe:

[[File:Oliver.jpg|right|thumbnail|upright|[right|150px|Oliver Twist: "Please sir, I want some more."]]
'''''Oliver!''''' is a [[musical]], written by Lionel Bart, based on the [[Charles Dickens]] novel ''Oliver Twist''.

The first word of spoken dialogue is, "Please, sir, I want some more."

Oliver is an orphan chosen by his messmates to ask for a second helping of gruel, as all the boys are kept continuously hungry while those who run the workhouse eat lavishly. For this effrontery he is punished with expulsion, sold like a slave to an undertaker. After a fight with an apprentice, he runs away to London, a seven-day journey by foot.

In London he meets the Artful Dodger, an experienced pickpocket, who brings him to Fagin, master pickpocket who maintains a pack of boy pickpockets.
Fagin also fences stolen goods for the likes of Bill Sikes.

==Comparison with the novel==

The plot is considerably simplified, with many of the characters losing much of their original depth (such as Fagin, who becomes considerably more comedic in the musical and loses much of his original darker side.) Some characters, such as Oliver's [[brother]] Monks, are removed entirely.

In 2009, a new version of the show was performed, with famous comic actor [[Rowan Atkinson]] as Fagin, and with the roles of Nancy and Oliver chosen as part of a reality [[television]] program.

[[Category:Entertainment]]

War For Oil

2014-08-27T02:58:09Z

JohnWe:

'''War for Oil''' is an liberal anti-war myth. This term was often used during [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]].
== Three facts about this myth and the War in Iraq ==
*The [[United States]] supported the oil embargo by the [[United Nations]] against [[Iraq]].
*The [[United States]] is very oil-rich. It has more oil than [[Iraq]].
*After the war [[China]] has benefited more than the US. The oil trade between Iraq and China has doubled almost 34 times.{{fact}}

== External links ==
*[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/arnold-ahlert/the-war-for-oil-myth/ The War For Oil Myth]
*[http://frontpagemag.com/2012/rick-moran/the-lefts-blood-for-oil-fraud/The Left’s ‘Blood For Oil’ Fraud ]

[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Anti-war Movements]]

The Exorcist

2014-08-23T14:17:41Z

JohnWe: not a documentary

'''''The Exorcist''''' is a movie first released in 1973, based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, which was based on the case of [[Robbie Mannheim]]. The novel and the movie depict a girl possessed by the [[devil]] and efforts at [[exorcism]] by a [[priest]] at the request of the girl's mother. It had several sequels, the first of whom (1977) featured the same player as the possessed girl from the first film.

The movie caused a national sensation in the [[United States]]. It broke the record for the biggest grossing movie of all time, and was nominated for ten [[Academy Award]]s. But its depiction of possession by the [[devil]] was controversial, and it won only two: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound.<ref>http://www.filmsite.org/exor.html</ref>

In the [[United Kingdom]] the film was banned from cinema, television and video release from 1984 to 1998, due to its disturbing themes and content.

It was re-released in 2000 with the original edited scenes reinstated.

The movie was filmed in [[Georgetown]] and includes many scenes that have since become famous. The film's depiction of [[Christianity]] is more respectful than in most modern films.

== References ==
<references/>

==See also==
*''[[The Exorcist in the 21st Century]]''
*''[[The Exorcism of Emily Rose]]''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Exorcist, The}}
[[category:Horror (Film)]]
[[category:Thrillers]]
[[category:Novels]]
[[Category: Greatest Conservative Movies]]

Siddhartha Gautama

2014-08-22T23:48:58Z

JohnWe: add Pali version of name

[[Image:Buddha.gif|right|240px]]
'''Siddhartha Gautama''' (transliterated from [[Sanskrit]] सिद्धार्थ गौतम; [[Pali]]: Siddhattha Gotama), known as the Buddha (meaning "awakened one" or "enlightened one"), is the founder of [[Buddhism]]. Born a wealthy prince in the fifth century B.C., the future Buddha lived a life of pleasure, shielded from the misery outside the palace. When he found out what life was really like for most people—encountering old age, sickness, and death—he left to find answers and eventually reached a state of enlightenment and came up with the Buddhist religion/philosophy. After traveling the land teaching his insights for 45 years, he died at about 80 years of age. The Buddha taught neither the existence of a god or gods nor the non-existence of a god or gods. He contended that such beliefs were not helpful in realizing enlightenment.<ref>http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/buddhaatheism.htm</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.writespirit.net/religious_traditions/buddhism/life_of_buddha The Life of The Buddha]
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm Internet Sacred Texts Archive :: Buddhism]
 
[[Image:Buddha.jpg|120px|left]]"Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed."<ref>http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/buddha.html]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gautama, Siddhartha}}
[[Category:Buddhism]]
[[Category:Indian Philosophers]]

Siddhartha Gautama

2014-08-21T22:30:27Z

JohnWe: move Sanskrit to correct position

[[Image:Buddha.gif|right|240px]]
'''Siddhartha Gautama''' (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम), known as the Buddha (meaning "awakened one" or "enlightened one"), is the founder of [[Buddhism]]. Born a wealthy prince in the fifth century B.C., the future Buddha lived a life of pleasure, shielded from the misery outside the palace. When he found out what life was really like for most people—encountering old age, sickness, and death—he left to find answers and eventually reached a state of enlightenment and came up with the Buddhist religion/philosophy. After traveling the land teaching his insights for 45 years, he died at about 80 years of age. The Buddha taught neither the existence of a god or gods nor the non-existence of a god or gods. He contended that such beliefs were not helpful in realizing enlightenment.<ref>http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/buddhaatheism.htm</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.writespirit.net/religious_traditions/buddhism/life_of_buddha The Life of The Buddha]
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm Internet Sacred Texts Archive :: Buddhism]
 
[[Image:Buddha.jpg|120px|left]]"Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed." [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/buddha.html]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gautama, Siddhartha}}
[[Category:Buddhism]]
[[Category:Indian Philosophers]]

Daily Express

2014-08-21T22:19:14Z

JohnWe: update

[[Image:Daily Express front page.jpg|right|thumb|250px|July 22 2005 edition]]
The '''Daily Express''' is a [[British]] tabloid [[newspaper]] published by Express Newspapers. It has a daily circulation of over 760,000. Founded in 1900, it switched from broadsheet to [[tabloid]] format in 1977. It is a frequent target of criticism by [[liberal]]s and ''[[The Guardian]]'', who accuse it of being nationalistic, [[Xenophobia|xenophobic]] and [[Homophobia|homophobic]]. It opposes the [[European Union]]. Despite professing family values, the newspaper is part of the Northern and Shell Group, which publishes pornographic magazines and owns the pornographic Television X television channels.<ref>http://www.mediauk.com/owners/35/northern-and-shell</ref>

During the 2012 United States presidential election campaign, it was critical of [[Barack Obama]] and favorable to [[Mitt Romney]].<ref>www.express.co.uk</ref>

=== References ===
<references/>

[[Category:United Kingdom Newspapers]]

William Wordsworth

2014-08-21T19:12:12Z

JohnWe: rmv category

[[Image:William Wordsworth.jpg|thumb|William Wordsworth]]
'''William Wordsworth''' (Cockermouth April 7, 1770 – Rydal Mount April 23, 1850) was an [[English]] poet. He was born in 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumberland, in the English Lake District. His mother died when he was eight, and his father died when he was fourteen. Wordsworth first attended Hawkshead Grammar School in Westmorland, a boarding school that emphasized the teaching of mathematics and classics. He later attended [[Cambridge University]], spending four months in 1790 on a walking tour across [[Europe]]. While in France, he became a fervent republican sympathizer, famously exclaiming of the early days of the [[French Revolution|Revolution]]: "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, / But to be young was very Heaven!" (''[[The Prelude]]'' [1805] XII.108-09).

Wordsworth published his first works of poetry in 1793, including "Descriptive Sketches" and "An Evening Walk". He would later publish, with the help of his friend [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]], the ''[[Lyrical Ballads]]''. In the preface to the ''Lyrical Ballads'', Wordsworth declared that the book's object was "to choose incidents and situations from common life and to relate or describe them... in a selection of language really used by men, tracing in them the primary laws of our nature."
==Further reading==
* Kevin M. Saylor. "Wordsworth's Prudent Conservatism: Social Reform in the Lyrical Ballads," ''Modern Age'' — Volume 43, Number 2; Spring 2001 [http://www.mmisi.org/ma/43_02/saylor.pdf online edition]
* G. Singh. "F.R. Leavis on Wordsworth," ''Modern Age'' Volume 43, Number 3; Summer 2001 [http://www.mmisi.org/ma/43_03/singh.pdf online edition]

== See also ==
*[[William Blake]]
*[[George Gordon, Lord Byron]]
*[[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]]
*[[John Keats]]
*[[Percy Bysshe Shelley]]
*[[Literature]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wordsworth, William}}
[[Category:Poets]]

Émile Zola

2014-08-21T19:11:38Z

JohnWe: change category

'''Émile Zola''' (1840-1902) was a leading French [[Author|novelist]] and [[journalist]].

He is best known as the leading writer in the school of Naturalism, which included Maupassant, Huysmans, Paul Alexis, Céard, and Hennique. His writing is characterized by scrupulous accuracy of setting, very close approximations to actual speech patterns, and emphasis on psychological traits of his characters. He believed the traits were determined by heredity and environment.

Important books of criticism that explained his methods include ''Thérèse Raquin'' (1867); ''Les Soirées de Medan'' (1880); ''Le Roman Expérimentale'' (1880) and ''Les Romanciers Naturalistes'' (1881).

Zola was a clerk in a publishing house in the early part of his career, and later became a journalist. He spent most of his life as a secluded author who prepared by reading widely. His work was controversial, with critics complaining of too vivid and too exaggerated depictions of immorality

In his novel ''Au Bonheur des Dames'' (1882-83), Zola used the department store as a symbol of the new technology that was both
improving society and devouring it. The novel describes merchandising, management techniques, marketing, and consumerism, and thus reveals much about our society as well as that of late 19th-century France.

His late novels ''Les Trois Villes'' (1894-98) and ''Les Trois Evangiles'' (1899-1903), provide rich documentation on France and Italy for the 1890s. The ''Evangiles'' describes future events extending to 1990. Zola's depiction of the future is less successful than that of the past; these are weak novels aesthetically, as he turns from the social description of the Rougon-Macquart novels to social prescription involving blatant exposition of his ideological predispositions.

==Dreyfus==
Zola himself had strong humanitarian sympathies, especially favoring the working class; in 1898 he aroused official wrath by his defense of [[Alfred Dreyfus]]. The Jewish army officer falsely accused of treason.

'''J'accuse''' (French for "I accuse"), was the title of the famous 1898 letter addressed by Zola to President Faure of France (1898) in denunciation of the Dreyfus affair. In it Zola used the phrase several times for rhetorical emphasis.

==Further reading==
* Brown, Frederick. ''Zola: A Life.'' (1995). 816 pp
* Schalk, David L. "Zola and History: The Historian and Zola." ''Historical Reflections'' 1994 20(1): 77-93.
* Schom, Alan. ''Emile Zola: A Biography.'' (1988). 303 pp.
* Zola, Emile. ''The Dreyfus Affair: "J'Accuse" and Other Writings.'' (1996). 202 pp.

[[Category:Novelists]]
[[Category:Playwrights]]
[[Category:Anti-Semitism]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zola, Émile}}

Emile Zola

2014-08-21T19:10:15Z

JohnWe: change category

{{merge|Émile Zola}}

[[File:Paul Cezanne Paul Alexis Le um Manuscrito a Zola 1869 1870.jpg|thumb|[[Paul Cezanne]], "Paul Alexis Lê um Manuscrito a Zola".]]
'''Émile Zola''' (1840 – 1902) was a [[French]] [[writer]], journalist, critic, and political activist. He is considered the father of the literary school of [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]]. Zola redefined Naturalism as "Nature seen through a temperament". He was also noted for his intervention in the Dreyfus Affair through his famous open letter, “J’accuse.” [http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/657747/Emile-Zola]

<blockquote>
More than half of Zola's novels were part of a set of 20 books collectively known as Les Rougon-Macquart. [http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4750._mile_Zola]
</blockquote>

Main novels: First major novel, ''Thérèse Raquin'' (1867), ''L'Assommoir'' (1877), about the suffering of the Parisian working-class, ''Nana'' (1880), dealing with prostitution, and ''Germinal'' (1885), depicting the mining industry.

[[Émile Zola|Continue reading]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/ezola.htm Emile Zola.]
*[http://www.biography.com/people/%C3%A9mile-zola-37621 Emile Zola.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zola, Emile}}
[[Category:Novelists]]
[[Category:Playwrights]]

Emile Zola

2014-08-21T19:09:41Z

JohnWe: merge candidate

Kingsley Amis

2014-08-21T19:06:21Z

JohnWe: change category

'''[[Kingsley Amis|Sir Kingsley William Amis]]''', [[Commander of Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English writer, critic and teacher. He was associated with the "angry young men" of 1950s British writers. Winner of the [[Man Booker Prize]] in 1986 for ''The Old Devils'', Amis was ranked the in ''[[The Times]]'' of London's list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.<ref>http://www.webcitation.org/63SXmJhsn</ref> He was knighted in 1990.

Amis was also an atheist.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/jan/11/religion-amis-hates-god</ref>

Kingsley Amis was a serial adulterer and drunkard,<ref>http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Kingsley_Amis</ref> writing in a memoir: "Now and then I become conscious of having the reputation of being one of the great drinkers, if not one of the great drunks, of our time".<ref>http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Kingsley_Amis</ref>

He was the father of novelist [[Martin Amis]].

==Selected Works==
*''Lucky Jim'' (1954)
*''That Uncertain Feeling'' (1956)
*''I Like It Here'' (1958)
*''The Green Man'' (1969)
*''On Drink'' (1972)
*''Ending Up'' (1974)
*''Jake's Thing'' (1978)
*''Collected Poems, 1944-78'' (1979)
*''The Old Devils'' (1986)
*''Memoirs'' (1991)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amis, Kingsley}}
[[Category:Novelists]]

Bret Easton Ellis

2014-08-21T19:05:22Z

JohnWe: change category

'''Bret Easton Ellis''' (March 7 1964 - ) is a famous, though highly controversial, [[American]] author. Ellis was part of the new wave of [[American]] writing which appeared in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His novels usually are themed around young, morally corrupt, wealthy young adults (as Bret Easton Ellis was himself). His books detail their lives, promiscuity, drug abuse and apathy in a world of excesses which eventually finds the characters unable to grow morally or intellectually. The characters in his books frequently appear in his other novels and influence other characters.

To date Ellis has written five books, of which three have been made into popular films, and one book of short stories.

His novels are -

*''Less than Zero''

*''The Rules of Attraction''

*''American Psycho''

*''Glamorama''

*''Lunar Park''

== ''American Psycho'' ==

Ellis's most controversial novel, ''American Psycho'', tells the story of a rich, good looking young psychopath who lives in [[New York]]. The book's content is extremely graphic and was the cause, upon its release, of massive protest from feminist groups, religious groups and even the original publishers who eventually dropped the book due to its grisly nature. While some readings of the novel bring into question whether or not the protagonist is actually engaging in the horrific acts described in the narrative, Ellis has stated that it all happens character's imagination and that the character uses these disturbing thoughts to stimulate his mind as, despite all his excesses, he lives in a very unsatisfying world.

It was made into a popular movie starring Christian Bale.

==References==
http://www.notanexit.net/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/

http://www.altx.com/interviews/bret.easton.ellis.html

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Bret Easton}}
[[category:Novelists]]

Dan Brown

2014-08-21T19:03:43Z

JohnWe: change category

[[Image:Left.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Dan Brown''' (1964 - ) is an American [[author]] of thriller fiction novels. He is the author of the popular book ''The [[Da Vinci Code]]''.

His other novels are ''Angels and Demons'', ''Deception Point'' and ''Digital Fortress''. His latest novel, ''The Lost Symbol'', was released in 2009<ref>http://www.randomhouse.com/book/19314/the-lost-symbol-by-dan-brown</ref>.

Dan Brown has been criticised for the controversial nature of his novels, as well as for ending all of them in exactly the same way.

== References ==
{{reflist|1}}

== See also ==

*[[Famous artists]]

[[Category:Novelists|Brown, Dan]]

Will Durant

2014-08-21T19:03:10Z

JohnWe: rmv category

'''Will Durant''' (1885-1981) is a [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning [[author]] of many books on [[philosophy]] and [[history]]. His first book, published in 1917, which became very popular was titled ''[[Philosophy and the Social Problem]]'', in which he proposed the theory that philosophy had not grown because it avoided the actual problems of society. His history books sold widely through book clubs, and are well written, but are not considered reliable by scholars.

Partial Bibliography:

* ''Philosophy and the Social Problem'' - published 1917
* ''A Guide to Plato'' - 1922
* ''The Story of Aristotle's Philosophy'' - 1922
* ''The Philosophy of Immanuel Kant'' - 1924
* ''Voltaire and the French Enlightenment'' - 1924
* ''The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers'' - 1926.
* ''The Mansions of Philosophy: A Survey of Human Life and Destiny'' - 1929

Durant is perhaps best known for his multiple-volume set ''The [[Story of Civilization]]'':
*Vol. I: ''Our Oriental Heritage'' - 1935
*Vol. II: ''The Life of Greece'' - 1939.
*Vol. III: ''Caesar and Christ'' -1944
*Vol. IV: ''The Age of Faith'' - 1950
*Vol. V: ''The Renaissance'' - 1953.
*Vol. VI: ''The Reformation'' - 1957.
*Vol. VII: ''The Age of Reason Begins'' - 1961.
*Vol. VIII: ''The Age of Louis XIV'' - 1963.
*Vol. IX: ''The Age of Voltaire'' - 1965.
*Vol. X: ''Rousseau and Revolution'' - 1967.
*Vol. XI: ''The Age of Napoleon'' - 1975.

The later volumes were co-written with his wife, [[Ariel Durant]].

Durant received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 1977 from President [[Gerald Ford]].

==References==

* http://www.medaloffreedom.com/WillDurant.htm
* http://www.willdurant.com/home.html
* http://www.erasmatazz.com/library/Miscellania/Durant.html

{{DEFAULTSORT: Durant, Will}}
[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Historians]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

George Gordon, Lord Byron

2014-08-21T19:02:06Z

JohnWe: rmv category

[[Image:Lord Byron.png|left|140px]]
'''George Gordon, Lord Byron''', lived from January 22, 1788 ([[London]], England), to April 19, 1824 (Missolonghi, [[Greece]]). He was an [[English]] Romantic poet and satirist.

One of his most important works was ''Don Juan'', a book-length narrative poem. (In Byron's poem, "Juan" is pronounced in its Anglicized form; the opening stanza rhymes "Juan" with "new one" and "true one.").

'''Canto 1'''

''I want a hero, an uncommon want,

''When every year and month sends forth a new one,

''Till after cloying the gazettes with cant,

''The age discovers he is not the true one.

''Of such as these I should not care to vaunt;

''I'll therefore take our ancient friend Don Juan.

''We all have seen him in the pantomime,

''Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time.''

One of his most familiar poems, ''She Walks in Beauty,'' opens:

  She walks in beauty, like the night 
      Of cloudless climes and starry skies; 
  And all that's best of dark and bright 
      Meet in her aspect and her eyes. 

In his personal life Byron was notorious for his numerous romantic affairs, both with women and [[homosexuality|men]]; his lover, Lady Caroline Lamb, described him as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know."

''Byron went into self-imposed exile in Italy (''he assisted the Italian freedom fighters working for democracy'')... Depressed by both his daughter's death and the drowning of [[Percy Bysshe Shelley]], Byron took up a new cause - that of Greek independence from the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Summoning support, he arrived in [[Greece]] with weapons and supplies, but before he could join the fight, went down with a deadly fever ''(malaria)''.'' <ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0126406/bio Lord Byron] IMDb. </ref>

He was buried in the Parish Church of St. [[Mary Magdalene]] in the town of [[Hucknall]], near [[Nottingham]], in the [[United Kingdom]].

== External links ==

*[http://website.lineone.net/~ssiggeman/biography.html Lord Byron, 1788-1824] Biography.

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Poets]]
{{DEFAULTSORT: Byron, Lord George Gordon}}