Tangents & Tirades

Happy, not Hostile, Gilmore. I guess when you're an actor you have to mold yourself into an entirely new person. This seems to work out well for most successful actors and actresses and I think those in charge of choosing which actors are right for which roles do a good job, for the most part, in most major big screen titles. But whoever thought casting Adam Sandler in a dramatic role was a good idea was sadly mistaken. I'm looking at you, Judd Apatow, and this summer's less than masterful Funny People. Trying to mold the hilarious Adam Sandler into a depressed and hostile character will always be a fruitless endeavor. This is a person who was born to make people laugh, not to provoke any other emotion in his audience. When I hear his shouts of anger and austerity in movies like Funny People and The Longest Yard, I can't even attempt to take him seriously and can't shake the simply awkward feeling his yells bring. Adam Sandler yelling at people, with any other intention than being hilarious, is an act against nature. Adam Sandler is good at making people laugh, so he shouldn't deviate from it. Maybe that makes him a one trick pony, but that one trick is Happy Gilmore and an attempted second trick is Spanglish.-Chris Slavin '12

Congremillionares. "I never can think of Judas Iscariot without losing my temper," said Mark Twain. "To my mind Judas Iscariot was nothing but a low, mean, premature Congressman." The Center for Responsive Politics reported that there are now 237 members of Congress who are millionaires. The news comes even as Americans continue to struggle to find jobs, with unemployment numbers rising above 10 percent. Center for Responsive Politics spokesman Dave Levinthal said, "What we see through these figures is that many [in Congress] have riches well beyond [their congressional salaries], supplemented with securities, stock holdings, property, and other investments." The fact that 44 percent of our nation's highest lawmakers, many of them Democrats, have net worths of over a million dollars is largely ignored by the main stream media. Meanwhile, Wall Street's top CEOs can hardly go a day without being chastised for their high-paying salaries. In addition, from both Capitol Hill and the media, Americans are told of the high taxes that our nation's wealthy ought to pay in the name of "spreading the wealth." It is the worst type of government that concerns itself with limiting the assets of others while at the same time increasing its own. -Mark Scirocco '10

I Really Don't Want to Talk about Health Care, But... It seems like that is currently the issue that will inflame people more than abortion and gay marriage do. But I cannot believe there is such a strong sentiment against people getting health care. Those opposed to this current health care overhaul will say that they are not against people receiving health care, but they do not believe the government has a place in it and that private markets will take care of the problem. Except that private markets have created the problem in the first place and there are millions of people without basic health insurance. I understand the principles of conservatism in the distrust of government and unwillingness for the government to "take over" health care (which it would not, really). The problem is that they are willing to stick to this ideology when evidence to the contrary is plainly available. The private market has failed to keep health care costs under control and provide adequate, affordable insurance for everyone. The talk is that this will add to the deficit, but this overhaul actually will cut the overall costs of healthcare, making it much more expensive if we do nothing. I understand sticking to certain principles, but when the lives of people are in our hands it is criminal to do nothing.-Andy Kowal '10

Get Your Days Straight. On the 11th day, of the 11th month, at the 11th hour, the Armistice was signed by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, resulting in a ceasefire that saw the end to World War I. To celebrate this, Nov. 11 used to be called Armistice Day, until it was changed to Veterans Day after World War II. The last Monday in May is known as Memorial Day, and was originally intended to honor the fallen Union soldiers after the Civil War, but after World War I, it was to include all men and women who lost their lives in military service. Since I have been involved in both of these services (playing taps), I have noticed that the general public doesn't realize the difference between the two days. I often hear people talk about the men and women who have died on Veterans Day and about veterans on Memorial Day. I know that people want to feel as though they are being respectful of our war-heroes, but when people mix up the days, it seems to undercut all meaning of the holiday. It is analogous to celebrating Christmas and Easter. I know this is a stretch, but it is frustrating when people don't understand the difference between these two important holidays. While we're at it, why do we have Columbus Day off from school, but not Veterans day?-Jeff Gahan '11

Rude Awakening. Have you ever felt like you were invisible? As if your walking space is inconsequential to others? People cut in front of you in line or pull in and take the parking space that you have been waiting for, with your blinker on, for a solid five minutes. People are rude. I thought that it might change once I was no longer a "teeny-bopper," but it hasn't gotten any better. Take, for example, when I go to Shaw's with my mom, and mothers of six let their children run rampant through the aisles. As they fight over Dunkaroo's or Gushers (an epic battle) these mothers attempt to regain control of their children while their carriage ends up in the middle of the frozen food aisle and no one can get by. Lady, the universe recognizes that you have issues, but MOVE! Some of us have things to do. My favorite acts of blatant rudeness occur at the mall. You've just walked out of American Eagle and you get stuck behind Henry and Agnes-the old people that everyone gets stuck behind. You only seem to stumble upon the dynamic duo when you're in a hurry. They walk agonizingly slow as they scrutinize their coupons. Being old doesn't give you the right to be oblivious. My brother and I have decided that elderly people, except my grandparents of course because they are perfect, should only be allowed out of their homes between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. because the rest of us are either in school or at work. Yes, I am being ageist. But you all know you've had the same thoughts. So move it, Grandma!-Jenn DiPirro '12