Alexander

You'd think that this is from "The Onion," but no...it's real! Passion tickets bear 'mark of the beast' Monday, March 1, 2004 Posted: 9:34 AM EST (1434 GMT) ROME, Georgia (AP) -- Tickets at one movie theater screening Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" are being deemed decidedly unholy. The number 666, which many Christians recognize as the "mark of the beast," is appearing on movie tickets for Gibson's film at a Georgia theater, drawing complaints from some moviegoers. The machine that prints tickets assigned the number 666 as a prefix on all the tickets for the film, said Gary Smith, owner of the Movies at Berry Square in northwest Georgia. The 666 begins a series of numbers that are listed below the name of the movie, the date, time and price. "It's from our computer and it's absolutely a coincidence," Smith said. "It has nothing to do with the film company or any vendor. It's completely in our computer." In the Bible, the book of Revelation says 666 is the "number of the beast," usually interpreted as Satan or the Antichrist. Several patrons have made comments about the numbers, and one person who was uncomfortable having 666 on her ticket asked for a pass to be substituted for a ticket. "A lot of people have asked what the numbers mean, some said it seemed odd, some said it was inappropriate," said theater employee Erica Diaz. The movie, which opened Wednesday, is a bloody depiction of Christ's final hours and crucifixion.

I didn't watch the Oscars, but I looked at a list of the winners... Everybody who was favored to win in the major categories won, I think. No surprises at all. I am glad the LOTR won, though. Peter Jackson deserves it. Look out for NEXT year! I predict a ton of (undeserved) nominations for "The Passion."

I did...it was back in December. Had a really nice day with my wife and daughter. Oh and happy birthday to Jim!

Well, yeah, that too, but I'm trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. One problem I have with the book is the way the author constantly hedges and qualifies his statements. "Robert Johnson wasn't all that important. Well, he was. Obviously he was. But he wasn't all that important at the time. Except to the people he influenced. He was important to them. But he wasn't as important as Bessie Smith. Which I mean in a wider sense. Johnson's importance was played up by white critics and blues collectors in the sixties. Not that there's anything wrong with that..." It's like Wald REALLY doesn't want to offend anybody, so he's constantly checking over his shoulder to make sure that he's covered his ass. That's what I mean about the writing being annoying.

Everybody missed my birthday too, but I didn't see anybody starting a thread about it...

It's been noted elsewhere that the universal "pointing up" gesture (accompanied by a shaking finger) denoting shame has different meanings in different countries. In Russia, it means "God in heaven is watching you." In Germany (I think) it means "something is coming to you" and becomes the representation of a club or truncheon. Wish I could rememeber where exactly I read that (aside from Nabokov's "Pnin" which makes a reference to this phenomenon).

When I was in elementary school (late 1970s) "ooooooh" was used in the cafeteria whenever anybody broke a plate (which happened quite often, as I recall). The cafeteria monitors hated this and would hold up two fingers (the "v-for-victory" or "peace" sign, depending on your generation) to quiet us whenever it happened. I can still remember, very clearly, how all conversation would cease as soon as a plate broke, and the whole cafeteria would erupt with "oooooooooooh!"

Picked this up during the past week. Great disc! Thoroughly enjoying it. Definitely some great interplay between the members of this trio. The saxophone-rhythm trio is too often neglected, but has such great potential...

I'm reading it now. It's quite interesting, although I find the writing to be a bit annoying...

My obsession du jour is BASIE. I recently got the Columbia box, and I've been playing it like MAD. I also recently got "Basie at Newport," and I can't get enough of it. It's the best of the Old AND New Testament bands in one super package! Pres, Jimmy Rushing, Frank Foster, Jo Jones, Joe Williams...what a show THAT must've been! I've also been heavily into Dave Douglas lately. The new one ("Strange Liberation") is getting a lot of play, as are "Soul on Soul," "A Thousand Evenings," "Freak In," and "The Infinite." Great stuff!

Jazz: Correct me if I'm wrong, but my impression is that Jesus was SPECIFICALLY sent to earth to atone for the sins of man. In other words, he was BORN a human so that he could LIVE as a human, and eventually DIE as a human. Now how much do you think that death would mean if he had lived until 90 (way beyond the human life span at the time, btw. Jesus would have been considered a pretty old man at 30) and died in his sleep? Not very. In fact, I doubt very much that we'd be talking about him today (if he existed, which I doubt) had he NOT died on the cross. So, just so we're getting things straight here: God, in order to save mankind, becomes human (Jesus) and dies on the cross. Everything, from birth to death, was a part of the plan. Every human being, therefore, acted in a specific way, taking specific actions, that would eventually end with Jesus getting his hands and feet ventilated. Now, where is the free will here? Let's say that Judas, excersizing his free will, says "No. I'm not going to betray my friend." and he doesn't. And Jesus doesn't die on the cross. Therefore he doesn't suffer. Therefore he dies in his sleep at 90 and nobody gets saved. So you're saying that it would have been a good thing for Judas NOT to betray Christ to his death, thus denying the rest of mankind salvation? Let's use logic here: If Jesus's death was both preordained AND a necessary sacrifice to save mankind, than no one involved is guilty because they were simply instruments of God's will. Remember what God did to Jonah when Jonah refused to act in accordance with God's will? If Jesus's death was NOT preordained, then those responsible for killing him ARE guilty. But if you could jump Jesus without him seeing it coming, how divine WAS he anyway? I thought God was all-seeing and all-knowing? Another possibility is this: Jesus's death WAS preordained, BUT the individuals involved had free will. In other words, SOMEONE was going to betray Jesus. If it wasn't Judas, then it would have been someone else. The actual betrayal and death was going to happen, but the individuals involved were subject to change. Still, if it was going to happen anyway, what difference does it make who acted in which part? Would the world be significantly different if Simon had betrayed Jesus instead of Judas (other than the fact that we'd say "Simon Goat" instead of "Judas Goat")?

I only have his new CD, but I'm really digging it (but I'm a Nu Fusion fan)...

nope. dutch version is: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! iedereen die lacht je uit! or: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! alle kinderen lachen je uit! nênnuh nênnuh nêê nêê Care to translate? Are you Dutch and living in Germany, or German who happens to know some Dutch? I have heard tell of some antipathy between the Germans and the Dutch (I was once told that if you wanted to endear yourself to a Dutch host, don't tell them how much their language sounds like German). Any comment on that?

They opened for Dylan one time in the late 80s when I went to see him in Saratoga. It was a HORRIBLE set (Dylan wasn't too great either, come to that). The thing I thought was interesting was that there were a BUNCH of people who had bought tickets JUST TO SEE THE ALARM. These folks all left after the opening set, and were replaced by OTHER people who had come to see Dylan. I made it a point to miss opening acts in general after that experience (although I do regret missing Laura Nyro before she died).

A Dutch friend of mine once used "neener-neener-neener" in a letter, and I wrote back that I hadn't the faintest idea WHAT she was talking about. She explained that it was a childhood taunt. I said I'd never heard that one, but that where I grew up "nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" had the same function. It seems probable that both are sung to the same tune (they have the same meter). Can anyone confirm this?

Yeah, I've tried point stuff like that out to my wife too, and she usually just gives me one of these:

The Jackie McLean in (I think) Spring of 1994.

I have a bunch of Mosaics (maybe twenty or so), but I've really calmed down in the last few years when it comes to them. Like some others, I keep my box set discs mixed in with the general population, so they're always available should I want to listen to them, but the fact of the matter is that I DON'T listen to them very often. Part of it, I think, has to do with the nature of box sets: they seem to demand more time and attention than individual albums, which are much easier to digest. I have some box sets (not just Mosaics) that I've listened to all the way through exactly ONCE (and it's a bit of a project when I do that). There are some I listen to more often than others (the Miles "In A Silent Way" set, for example) but I find that I'll listen to one or two discs from that set a lot, and hardly listen to others at all. I even own a small handful of sets that I've NEVER heard all the way through because they're just so damn long. I guess part of me RESENTS the way box sets seem to demand attention. Listening to music shouldn't be work...it should be fun. It's not fun if I feel pressured to listen to one thing rather than another. I realize that this is entirely MY hang-up, btw. I'm sure there are lots of people who don't feel anxious when they think about their box sets...

Woman dies watching 'Passion' - this is total bullshit. I can't believe it. How do they know that the film caused the heart attack?! Unbelievable. It's great that they published this bullshit even before the autopsy. Maybe they should start making those announcements they used to make at the beginning of all those cheesy seventies slasher flicks: "ATTENTION!!! Will patrons with heart conditions please leave the theater now! The management cannot be responsible for any deaths that might result from this SHOCKING tale of MURDER and REVENGE!!!"

By fate?! Fate nothing! If, indeed, Jesus Christ was the Son of God sent to redeem our sins, then Judas Iscariot, the Jews, and the Romans - everybody who helped nail the sucker up, in other words - were playing a role that was assigned by no less a figure than God Himself! That's why I could never figure out the stuff about Judas' "betrayal" or the "murder" of Christ by the Jews...If Jesus was truly the Son of God (and could walk on water, heal the sick, etc.) then there's no WAY anybody could kill him unless he specifically WANTED to be killed. Wasn't that the point of the sacrifice? That Jesus LET himself be killed? Can't have it both ways, guys. Either the big J died as a part of a larger plan, which absolves everybody involved (it was preordained, right? Didn't Jesus announce at the Last Supper that he would be betrayed to his death?), or he didn't, in which case he wasn't all-powerful. This is the great thing about religion. It doesn't make any sense when you try to work it out, so you're supposed to accept it - contradictions and all - on faith.

I read that there are flashbacks to the sermon. In fact, the actor playing Jesus was reportedly struck by lightening while shooting the sermon on the mount! If that's not a criticism, I don't know what is...

I'm actually torn about whether or not to see this. On the one hand, I don't want to give Mel Gibson my money, mainly because I think his reasons for making "The Passion" are far from pure. From what I've read, Gibson has made some crucial omissions that play up the complicity of the Jews in Christ's death (failing to show the same hesitation on the part of the priests that he depicts in Pilate, for example). Given that the film is basically one long guilt trip for Christians (look at the agony of Christ! In full color! And in slow motion!) it's kind of hard to imagine that people aren't MEANT to become angry with the Jews for putting someone through all that. On the other hand, I'm kind of eager to prove that it's possible to sit through it and NOT be religiously moved (just grossed out). I'd also like to heckle it! During the sermon on the mount I could shout: "Did he just say "blessed are the cheesemakers?"" "Blessed are the Greek?" And then sing "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" from "Life of Brian" during the crucifixion....

What makes you think those are the people that went to the show? I went to two shows when he played there in July '97 and I hardly think of myself and other people who here there as "uber-conservative". I am not suggesting that either you or anyone else who expressly went to see Ornette is "uber-conservative" (which I mean musically, by the way, not politically). But there are, you'll admit I'm sure, season ticket holders and other culture-fans who would go see ANYTHING the LCJO did. THAT is the conservative audience I was referring to. Most hard-core avant-gardists I know don't make the LCJO a priority...

Forget Ornette (I'm sure he just enjoyed watching Wynton squirm), I want to know what the uber-conservative Lincoln Center audience thought about all this (especially the version of "Free")! Ratliff doesn't focus on this (except at the very beginning of the concert). I'm pleased that Wynton even acknowledged Ornette's music (and putting Dewey on the program is pretty cool too), however watered down it may have been. Maybe there's hope for him yet.

Thank you, one and all, for your recommendations. I'll let you know what I find.