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Philosophy in the Rain

I have reached recent conclusions about public life.

To whit, there are two kinds of politicians: Believers, who are extremely dangerous, and Men Who Believe in Nothing, who are equally dangerous.

Hitler was a Believer. 'Nuff said.

Bush is a Believer, Lord help us.

Mayor Sam, perhaps the most dangerous politician this sleepy, gentle berg has ever seen believes deeply in a program that is destructive and without that most necessary of all human commodities - Hope.

The Men Who Believe in Nothing have a simple agenda: Personal Aggrandizement. More money, more power, more accolades, more free lunches, plane rides and golf trips. These pathetic worms cannot bend over fast enough to take the Boss' imperative up the yahoo for a buck and a quarter. Their values are in the wind.

In Robert Bolt's magnificent play, "A Man for All Seasons," Sir Thomas More is betrayed in Cromwell's court by a snivelling rat, named Richard Rich. (See the brilliant film with Oscar-winning Paul Scofield as More and a young and brilliant John Hurt as Rich, and the late, great Robert Shaw as an overwhelming Henry VIII.)

More turns to Rich, now bedecked in furs and finery and lying through his rotting, borrowed teeth, and asks, "Is that the sign of Wales around your neck, Richie?" For his calumny, Richard has been awarded the Chancellorship of Wales. Rich, visibly shaken and embarrassed by the question, admits that, "Yes, so it is." And then comes the famous and telling line.

"Oh, Richard, it little profits a man that he sell his soul for the whole world...but for Wales???"

There are two political operatives scurrying about these parts these rainy days, one more notable than the other, but each Backroom Boys to the Core. They are huddled behind various curtains with Mayor Sam and whispering in the ears of Ottawa to further their own careers. Unlike Dr. Strangelove, they don't believe in substitute drugs or much of anything else.

But they like ever so much to fly first class and order the bestest of wines with their filet mignon. No matter that they might help enslave more human beings in the hopeless traps of narcotics, legal or illegal.

So Believers and Non-believers in public life are to be feared and watched with a hawk's eye.

When, o when, will we meet the Third Man?

OSCAR, SHMOSKER

The annual ritual More Precious than All Others is haste, upon us. (Forgive me, I'm working on 2 Shakespeare plays. Would Will have ever won a statue? Maybe after giving the Bard a pass 19 years in a row, the Academy would finally give him one for "lifetime achievement," when he was finally "sans eyes, sans ears, sans taste, sans everything.")

If you want some real fun, go to the Alternative Oscars brought to us each year by Graham Peat's wonderful Videomatica store. Here's how: www.videomatica.ca/alternativeoscars.

Meanwhile, here's my ruminations on all things Hollywood for tomorrow evening.

Haven't seen all the contedahs, won't in time see all the contandahs and will tape the whole mess for much shorter viewing later in the evening.

Helen Mirren has already been rightly crowned The Queen. All others go to the bar and order a double double.

Although Peter O'Toole is wonderful in Venus and he should have been given a shelf full of statues for Lawrence of Arabia and Becket (he wasn't), the Oscar goes to a much deserved Forest Whitaker for his bringing to rich and funny and scary life Idi Amin In The Last King of Scotland. Mr. Whitaker has been blowing our minds for years as one of America's very best actors in a host of memorable movie appearances, and this piece of work is one for the ages.

The Lives of Others is up for the award in the Best Foreign Language Film, and I will tell you that it is a great work of art, it is unforgettable and mesmerizing, and not only that, we really like it a lot! Give it the prize already.

Movies like Little Miss Sunshine and The Departed (should be, The Deported) have no business being nominated; Little Miss Sunshine, because it is a tiny, charming amusement, not much more than an extended comedy sketch with a muddled and unsatisfying ending; and The Deformed, because it is a dreadful piece of highly crafted nothing. Everybody shoot everybody, wake me when it's over.

But little Marty has been sucking Hollywood overtime for years and he'll probably win several entirely undeserved awards. Feh!

PARTY TONIGHT!

Two weeks ago, I told you all about the Big Bash happening tonight at the Law Courts in downtown Vancouver. Dinner, silent auction and Live Auction of some pretty spectacular trips and other alluring goodies. All in aid of senior health care.

A few tickets remain. Please check this Fun Time out now, and JOIN US!

LIBERTY VS. SECURITY

"The overarching principle of fundamental justice that applies here is this: before the state can detain people for significant periods of time, it must accord them a fair judicial process."CHIEF JUSTICE BEVERLEY McLACHLIN, of Canada, in a ruling striking down a law that allowed the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects.

The Federal Government is now in a challenge position, having being asked by the Supreme Court to revise its Anti-Terrorism bill in accordance with the Charter. How, in a civilized democracy, can we justify holding people in detention without any due process of law, when the the very nature of a civilized democracy is due process of law?

For the full story, read the New York Times version here.