Mr. Kurtz's Neighborhood

A New Thing

Long Shan: Home of the Mountain Dragon

My personal screed on Chinese film and associated topics. Reviews, commentary and the occasional essay on movies, persons and whatever I find to while away the time when I'm not glued to the screen. There will be ads, for which I am not paid, simply to promote vendors and sites which I find valuable.

I am a movie fan, not a self-involved academic or Art-House politician - all posts originate from the center of my universe: me. Later, there will be some "guidelines" for comments. Note: This is not a democracy.

Mr. Kurtz's Neighborhood will cling to life (for now) as a repository for political ravings and photography.

Dancin' Feet

It's Tuesday and time for another Cotillion Ball, this week hosted by:

Ilyka

Kellipundit

Sisu

Portia Rediscovered

Read the best.

The Ball Begins Again

Wow! Its not only that time of the week again, but courtesy of Tammy, of A Mom and Her Blog for a spanking new design, and Shano, with more of her dynamite illustrations, The Cotillion Ball has a stunning new look.

Spreading the wealth, this week features four hostesses:

Beth, of MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy,

Claire, of e-Claire,

Sadie at A Fistful of Fortnights

and Denita, of Who Tends the Fires.

You will not find better.

Ladies' Day

Tuesday rolls around and that means another Cotillion Ball.

This week's gracious hostesses are Dr. Sanity, Beth, at MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, Annika, of Annika's Journal and Girl on the Right. You will not find better on the web.

Flash SISU has got her iMac G5. It's not exactly jealousy I feel; more like high-minded envy. The Boys don't look too impressed, but then one never know, do one?

Around and Around, Required Reading

So, while my brain, and apparently my server, thaw out, here is some superior reading for the day. This will also minimize heat-generating movement as we are looking at 108º - 109º today. Personally, I think it's going to wimp out at 105º.

The invaluable Arthur Chrenkoff has some "Good News" about a young British Muslim prizefighter and this, less sanguine report.

"On Saturday, during a funeral for children who died in the bombing on Wednesday, a unit of the Iraqi police stopped a suspicious-looking man approaching the funeral procession and discovered that he was wearing a suicide vest filled with explosives and ball bearings, the American command reported Sunday.

An explosives team disarmed the man, a Libyan, and no one was hurt, according to the American military.

"The bomber was high on drugs and is being treated for the potential overdose," said Col. Joseph DiSalvo, an American commander. The bomber, he said, "came here to kill the grieving parents of the children who were killed on Wednesday."

"I cannot imagine a worse crime.""

SondraK references a superb article by Victor Davis Hanson on Our Wars Over the War: "The fault is not in our stars" Also at NRO Online, but if it isn't my server preventing access, it's theirs, at the moment.

That Avatar of Elegance and Intelligence, Sisu, waits for her iMac G5 and muses on a London - Columbine meme re. youth culture, plus a lovely photo of "The Boys". (The Lavender Hill Mob?) "Effete exudations", indeed. Many good links here, especially to Betsy's Page on just how much Pakistan President Musharraf is, or isn't, doing about the pernicious madrassas spreading jihadism in that country.

Follow her link to Stuart Taylor Jr. at The National Journal on "5 Reasons Not to Choose Alberto Gonzales.

The Belmont Club highlights Think Globally, Act Locally, re. the war on terror's many facets.

Although the fight against terrorism has been called the Global War on Terror, in practice it is being fought locally, often over specific issues, in a variety of countries. Reuters reports on Thailand:

Bill, at INDC Journal has a quote to follow.

...If we want to maintain a civil - a decent - society here at home, then we cannot be decent with our enemies abroad who consider decency to be a weakness.

And Charles Johnson at LGF notices "How to be a Jihadist" books proliferating in Sydney bookstores.

They're Baaack!

And a fine thing it is, to be sure.

[Drumroll]

The Cotillion Ball

Step right this way, folks, for another fabulous spectacular. At least a week's worth of wit, wisdom and wreading.

Hosting are Cassandra, of Villainous company,

Christina, with some Feisty Repartee and the inimitable

Sissy Willis.

Shamefully enough, I have yet to read them all, being somewhat consumed by the other launch, but I am assured that all will be up to the usual standard of excellence. So for starters, try:

Jody at Steal the Bandwagon, for thoughts on terrorism and blame,

Portia Rediscovered and

Beth, of Yeah Right Whatever,

Take a lesson in The Language of Terror from Right Thinking girl.

Many more goodies from Zendo Deb at TFS Magnum,

Denita of Who Tends the Fires and

E M Zanotti, the American Princess musing on "Roe" with a link to Thomas Sowell.

Required Reading

With so much excellence out there it's hard to   link to 1, 2, 3, ... as if they're ranked. They're not, but consider the first two as co-equals. primus inter pares

LMC at the Llamabutchers links to a moving post from Blackfive about Special Forces Sergeant Andy McCaffrey and his struggle to return to his Special Forces Team after losing his right arm. Do not pass this up.

Sissy Willis quotes and links to blogs from three Vietnamese-Americans that we all should read and heed. Minh-Duc of State of Flux, on July 4 and "I Heart America" Viet Pundit and Scott Pham at A Free Viet Nam

Arthur Chrenkoff has Good news from Afghanistan, part 14 up including articles on the September election.

A new voter registration drive is off to a good start for the October election:
Voter registration for September elections in Afghanistan has been overwhelming despite security worries including an attack on a registration site at the weekend, organisers say.

No one was hurt in the attack in the southeastern province of Paktika on Saturday, but police battled gunmen for hours, delaying the site's opening, Bronwyn Curran, a spokeswoman for the Afghan-UN election body, said on Monday.

She said security and other problems, such as sandstorms and flooding, had prevented registration at 59 of 1052 stations nationwide, but 73,000 people had registered in the first two days of the month-long process that began on Saturday.

More than 10.6 million people registered for October's presidential polls won by Western-backed incumbent Hamid Karzai.

Parliamentary elections are set for 18 September and organisers aim to register up to two million people who were either too young for the October vote, did not previously register, lost their registration cards, or have moved.

The Coalition forces will be providing increased security for the election: the Netherlands are sending a marine battalion, Spain 400 soldiers, France 300 troops and some airplanes, Romania is sending 400 extra troops, and Austria additional 100. Overall, 2000 more NATO peacekeepers will be deployed throughout the country at the election time.

FWIW, I save every one of the "Good News" posts.

On a somber note, it is reported that the body of the fourth missing U.S. Navy Seal has been found in Afghanistan. The Army says he was definitely killed in combat, not as a result of capture.

Go forth, and read.

Around and around

I have been remiss. What with some measure of Blogennui and home improvement week, I have neglected the Cotillion.

This week's fabulous ball kicks off with a July 4th Gala, featuring another smashing design by Tammy of A Mom and Her Blog and highlights Debutants in Boots as well as many MilBlogs from our defenders.

Next, the weekly Cotillion Ball, hosted by Jody, of Steal the Bandwagon, Little Miss Atilla, The Anchoress, and new to me, Charmaine at Reasoned Audacity.

There is at least a week's worth of great reads here and always some to save, and next week They'll be back!

Michelle Malkin posts on the Kelo decision and highlights a new resource.

The Castle Coalition

She also links to John Hinderaker's alternate take in the case at The Daily Standard and at Power Line, John writes on a Continent in Trouble, "...and it isn't Africa"

"Some have suggested I want to abandon Europe's social model," Blair told the European Parliament last month. "But tell me: what type of social model is it that has 20 million unemployed in Europe, productivity rates falling behind those of the United States; that is allowing more science graduates to be produced by India than by Europe; and that, on any relative index of a modern economy -- skills, R&D, patents, IT -- is going down not up."

Y'all go read some of the best of the Web while I strangle my server - I started this post three hours ago.

Put on Yer Dancin' Shoes

The third Cotillion Ball has opened, this week hosted by Tammy, of A Mom and Her Blog, Crystal Clear and Sadie of A Fistful of Fortnights.

The expected snark, musing and wisdom on wry, plus a whole bevy of new Members. Check them out.

Absinthe and Cookies
Annika's Journal
Baldilocks
Bobo Blogger
Dr. Sanity
Just a Girl
Maxed Out Mama
Portia Rediscovered
Reasoned Audacity
Right ThinkingGirl
Villainous Company

About half of these ladies are regular reads and half are new. All are more than worthwhile.Thank you ladies, for getting my attention.

This is pathetically late, my excuses being; painting the house trim, judging photos for final printing, mounting, etc. and my server apparently getting into the Seconal. Oh, yes, and rebuilding my Cotillion Blogroll. :-)

Remember, your card is filled on Tuesdays. Go. Read. Think. Comment.

Around and Around...

A sight case of ennui today or, in my case, plain old dullness of the mind. Therefore, some references to the sharper end of the spectrum.

Wear Red on Fridays from SondraK. This is a brilliant concept for us to join with our defenders and to organize and publicize our support for them.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.
FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!! GOD BLESS AMERICA. Tomorrow is Friday.

From Merri, posting at Beth's, reflections on parental responsibility in light of the latest action in Idaho by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood against the state's proposed abortion law.

"I should be able to help my child work through life-altering events such as pregnancy - it is my obligation and responsibility as a parent to teach my children right from wrong, to share my beliefs and other life lessons and to help them weigh all sides when making decisions that will impact them the rest of their lives."

Fausta, at The Bad Hair Blog, has an informative and intriguing post on the Iraqi kidnapping industry and possible connections to the Romanian Secret Police, Syria and endemic Middle East corruption relating to the recent release of hostages Douglas Wood of Australia, and French journalist Florence Aubenas.

Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom highlights the absolute loopiness of Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M and former Bush cabinet member Morgan Reynolds' contention that the collapse of the World Trade Center on 09/11/01 was caused by a "controlled demolition". Naturally this could not be done without the complicity of the administration and faulty engineering analysis. And this time it isn't Karl Rove. Go see the answer. Also many great comments.
Moonbattery at it's "best", but not even this fool can keep me from being a proud Aggie.

And this from Lois Charbonneau at Rooters:

U.S. says Iran has not come clean about nuke work

"It is evident that Iran has not come clean about its past or present nuclear activities," U.S. ambassador Jackie Sanders said in the written text of a speech to the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In a speech to the board, IAEA deputy chief Pierre Goldschmidt said Tehran had admitted to misleading the IAEA about secret experiments in 1998 to create plutonium -- which has few uses apart from fueling atomic weapons -- five years later than Iran had previously acknowledged.

Sanders said: "Iran has also been caught, yet again, misleading the IAEA about its past plutonium separation experiments, claiming until confronted with scientific proof to the contrary that it stopped its undeclared reprocessing experiments in 1993.."

Chorus: "When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.