Ben Stein's Oscar beef, plus how Sudie spends a Saturday night...

OK...I'm not sure about my stance on the war (as in, "Should we be there or not?") other than let's just get this thing over with. I don't really have an opinion on the matter beyond that one thought.

Why?

I don't really feel I'm qualified to have one.

I don't know enough about why we're there, and to me, the people who are affected by this the most are the military folks and their families. I feel for them very much, because I'm sure they wonder if anything will happen from one hour to the next. They probably wonder which is worse - if they die in combat or if they live with post-traumatic stress syndrome and other after-effects.

Bush Jr. is just struttin' around in his boots and if it weren't for the fact that our people are being killed every day, I'd be laughin' my sizable ass off.

But one man is angry...and this person is not one I've ever seen angry, or happy, or sad, or anything other than blank.

That person? Ben Stein, of "Win Ben Stein's Money", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and other projects. Below, in its entirety, is the AP story about his thoughts on this year's Oscar ceremonies.

Ben Stein: Troops Were Snubbed at Oscars

Sat Mar 18, 3:38 PM ET

Ben Stein says the people who were snubbed on Oscar night weren't the stars who were passed over for Academy Awards, but American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The conservative humorist, writer and political pundit said movie stars and film industry professionals failed to highlight the sacrifices of soldiers during the awards ceremony on March 5.

"Not one prayer or moment of silence for those who have given their lives," Stein said, speaking Thursday at a Republican Party fundraising dinner.

He said the real stars aren't his Beverly Hills neighbors but the soldiers
"wearing body armor in 130-degree heat, pulling 24-hour shifts" in the Sunni triangle, the dangerous area of armed insurgents in Iraq.

Stein, who starred in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and hosted a game show
titled "Win Ben Stein's Money," noted that Hollywood executives have complained about falling box office revenue.

"Stop spitting in the face of Americans and maybe we will go to the movies," he said.

I only have two words: he's right.

Whatever your political agenda is, I think everyone is savvy enough these days to know that whatever stance you take, it's obvious the government officials, Cabinet members and the President himself is not doing the work in this war.

The ones who are doing the work are the men and women who (voluntarily) dedicate themselves to the active and reserve troops of this country. Whether you're pro or anti-military, it's undeniable - they're the ones in the line of fire every day. They're doing it because it's what they think they should be doing. I may not agree with the reasons of the President for being in this war, but I agree that the military personnel who are in the thick of it should be honored. Not just with moments of silence, but by reaching out to their families, asking what you can do to help their time away be a little more comfortable, anything to make the waiting less harsh...either stateside or in the Middle East.

So way to go, Ben.

Off my soapbox now...

_________________

Well...I'll bet you all wonder what the hell Sudiegirl does for fun on a Saturday when she's not fending off "LITOMs" (see the 3/12/06 entry for definition).

OK...let's run through this past typical Sudie Saturday, shall we?

7 AM:

Kind of sort of wake up. Look at clock, make face, roll over, go back to sleep.

8:30 AM:

Millie licks Sudie's face. Sudie wonders when she got a dog with a raspy tongue. Sudie pushes Millie away, Millie comes back and licks her face some more. Sudie rolls over and Millie finally gets off. For two seconds.

9:00 AM:

Sudie finally decides to get up and take her meds to start the day. Sudie trips over Chelmsford (who is running away in fear of a ball-point pen he found on the floor) and staggers into the bathroom. She takes her morning medical cocktail, and hears D go, "Yuck! Millie, quit licking me!" Sudie swears she can hear a feline laugh, if there is such a thing.

9:15 AM:

Totally unhealthy breakfast at McDonalds. I'm so glad I have no children to set an example for.

10:30 AM:

Come home, check E-mail, comments, blog stats, news, comics and what's good on TV tonight. D takes nap before he goes to work.

12:30 PM

D leaves for his part time job. Sudie takes nap.

4 PM

Sudie wakes up after a series of false wake-ups. Sudie goes to living room, melts brain with cable TV drek.

10 PM

Husband #2 calls; Sudie advises H#2 of his "guest blog" entry being posted. H#2 says thanks, then rants (justifiably) about one of his siblings being a total, complete, evangelical Republican jerk. Sudie commiserates.

10:45 PM

D comes home after day at work and Tower Records. Sudie ends phone call, drags D out of bed because she wants to go eat something.

11:00 PM

Sudie and D leave apartment, and just as door shuts, they both (in perfect synchronization) ask, "Did you remember your keys?" They both say, "No." They both smack foreheads in perfect unison and go off in search of phone to call locksmith.

11:15 PM

Sudie and D find the only person at home in DC on a Saturday night, and she graciously assists our idiotic protagonists with their quest. Sudie and D go back home to wait for the locksmith, who says it'll be about 40 minutes before they get there.

11:45 PM

Sudie discovers that the steps inside her building are very cold and she now has a block of ice in place of a butt. D keeps contemplating climbing up the balconies like Tarzan because we DID leave the patio door unlocked. Sudie and one of the neighbors talks him out of this.

12:15 AM

Sudie's butt still cold, but she did find useful pizza coupons in the hallway for when they get into the apartment.

12:30 AM

Sudie's butt is still cold.

12:31 AM

Locksmith arrives. D and Sudie are happy. Locksmith brings gadgets of various sorts, and Sudie decides that she wants to be a locksmith someday. That would rock. Especially if you get to play with power tools and lock picking kits.

1:00 AM

Sudie and D are once more able to enter their palatial condominium. D sees bill, but magically does not faint.

1:06 AM

Sudie is in bed, relaxing and reading...D comes in and says, "I'm hungry." Sudie starts laughing maniacally and almost falls off the bed.

So in closing, I'd just like to say (from "Mary Poppins"):

It's a jolly Saturday with Sudie/even though she sleeps all day/some folks think that Sudie might be moody/but we know it's not that way!

Just be sure the door won't lock behind her/or else she'll have to make a call or two...

When Sudie's mind is clear/she has no fear/although her set of keys may not be near...

Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Sudie/no wonder that it's Sudie that we love!!