Being Shakespeare

As I work on my novel this afternoon I'm watching Hamlet with Kenneth Branagh. I am completely in awe of Shakespeare, the power of his lines so beautifully and passionately rendered. I have paused from writing more than a few times to feel the lines as they are spoken. Here is Branagh delivering the Soliloquy:



Kenneth Branagh and the entire cast, including Kate Winslet in the role of Ophelia, are awesome. (It's about time Winslet won an Oscar for The Reader. She's a fine actor.) There are many captivating moments in this production of Hamlet. Watch this:



The cast delivers stunning performances. But, of course, Shakespeare had to first write stellar lines.

Being Al Green

This is some kind of love, eh? And how about Al?



Let's Stay Together

I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is alright with me
'Cause you make me feel, so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you

Me sayin' since, baby, since we've been together
Ooo, loving you forever
Is what I need
Let me, be the one you come running to
I'll never be untrue
Ooo baby

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

Oooo oooo ooo ooo, yeah
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad

Why somebody, why people break up
Oh, and turn around and make up
I just can't see
You'd never do that to me
(Would you baby)
'Cause being around you is all I see
It's why I want us to

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether

Ah, you gotta love old school!

Being Named

On his show today Glenn Beck accused President Obama of being a radical because when he transferred to Columbia he went back to using the name that his parents had given him at birth.

BECK: He chose to use his name, Barack, for a reason. To identify, not with America -- you don't take the name Barack to identify with America. You take the name Barack to identify with what? Your heritage? The heritage, maybe, of your father in Kenya, who is a radical? Really? Searching for something to give him any kind of meaning, just as he was searching later in life for religion.



Media Mattersbreaks Beck's comment down perfectly:

OK, let's break down the problematic parts of this, just so there isn't any room for confusion. First, the suggestion that certain names, such as the African name Barack, are un-American. Second, the idea that Obama, in embracing his African name, was doing so at the expense of his American identity, as if the two are mutually exclusive (someone relevant to this discussion once talked about the 'the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too'). And third, the implication that Obama's father's Kenyan roots are linked to his 'radical'-ness.

That's the best I can do for you, Glenn. I can't break it down any further. If you don't see why some people would get upset that you accused the president of adopting his African name in order to repudiate his American identity and connect with his father's radical Kenyan heritage, then I'm afraid you might be a lost cause.

Here is how President Obama explained why he assumed his given name after transferring to Columbia University in Newsweek in 2008: "It was not some assertion of my African roots ... not a racial assertion. It was much more of an assertion that I was coming of age. An assertion of being comfortable with the fact that I was different and that I didn't need to try to fit in in a certain way."

It is no surprise that the poll taken by an independent pollster for the Daily Kos indicates that...

* 36 percent of Republicans believe Obama was not born in the United States, 22 percent are not sure, 42 percent think he is a natural citizen.

* 31 percent of Republicans believe Obama is a "Racist who hates White people" -- the description once adopted by Fox News's Glenn Beck.

What I find really amazing about this is that Beck and his followers think that Barack Hussein Obama has chosen his name as if their names were not given to them at birth. And, with regards to names, young people assume nick names all the time and as they grow up they go back to their given name. Do we have a country of radical would-be-presidential youths?

Being Apologetic

In recognition of Black History Month NBC served up a mean meal:



NBC later apologized. I guess I'm trying to understand why. This is a meal that could have been served at our house or any of my relatives' home on Sunday after church.

Is this the silly season so soon?

Being Republicans

According to a recent poll of 2,000 Republicans here are some standout figures:

* 39 percent of Republicans believe Obama should be impeached, 29 percent are not sure, 32 percent said he should not be voted out of office.

* 36 percent of Republicans believe Obama was not born in the United States, 22 percent are not sure, 42 percent think he is a natural citizen.

* 31 percent of Republicans believe Obama is a "Racist who hates White people" -- the description once adopted by Fox News's Glenn Beck. 33 percent were not sure, and 36 percent said he was not a racist.

* 63 percent of Republicans think Obama is a socialist, 16 percent are not sure, 21 percent say he is not

* 24 percent of Republicans believe Obama wants "the terrorists to win," 33 percent aren't sure, 43 percent said he did not want the terrorist to win.

* 21 percent of Republicans believe ACORN stole the 2008 election, 55 percent are not sure, 24 percent said the community organizing group did not steal the election.

* 23 percent of Republicans believe that their state should secede from the United States, 19 percent aren't sure, 58 percent said no.

* 53 percent of Republicans said they believe Sarah Palin is more qualified to be president than Obama.

Are these views mainstream? If not, how can the Republican party ever win the presidency again?

Being Jimmy Scott

Here is the legendary Jazz singer Jimmy Scott singing "When Did You Leave Heaven."



Scott's voice is so passionate. I hope you enjoy this unique talent.

Being Non-News

Roger Ailes, president of Fox News, should be ashamed of himself for deliberately obfuscating and backing Fox News' misleading reporting on health care reform. See it for yourself. When Paul Krugman challenges Mr. Ailes he continues with more of the same.

How can Roger Ailes call Fox News news?



I defy anyone to show me any president of a news station agreeing with misleading news and/or whose news station has been caught repeatedly engaging in unethical behavior such as changing background scenes in order to favor a particular author as they did with Sarah Palin.

Fox news continuously repeat untruths spoken by the mouths of their analysts that go unchallenged in order to favor a particular side. This is not news. Mr. Ailes should be ashamed of himself. But he isn't. Later on he even defends Glenn Beck saying that his words were not directed at President Obama. Everyone knows this is a lie.