Happy Feet?

False. I was really looking forward to a peppy, upbeat movie about a penguin that was "different" from the rest, somehow winning the affection of the other penguins. Well, I did get that movie. Unfortunately, I also got three other movies, all rolled into one incoherent package.

Not only do we get a movie about fitting in, but also a musical, an episode of the Twilight Zone, and a heartwarming nature conservation flick. George Miller, the director, must have put different plots into a hat, thrown the hat into a wood chipper, then collected the pieces and rearranged them arbitrarily.

If they wanted to make an environmental film, they should have done so from the beginning. Instead, they trick you into thinking that you'll care about this lovably different penguin, only to change course two thirds of the way through and start preaching about how we're killing off all the penguins by fishing in their waters and leaving soda pop rings on their heads. What does that have to do with a kids' movie?

Perhaps I'm too critical. Perhaps you are a fool.

In all honesty, it wasn't a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination. The animation was very good, and most of the characters were well developed. It just tried to do too much. I wasn't a fan of the sexual undertones throughout, nor was I pulled in by singing and dancing penguins. The baby penguins were pretty cute, but there was just too much singing.

The movie's premise of the penguin trying to fit in regardless of how poorly he was being treated was its biggest flaw. Life is not about fitting in with the jerks; it's about accepting yourself for who you are. If you like different things, you don't need to prove to others that your interests are legitimate. To heck with the penguin's love interest. If he needs to save the penguin race to gain her love, then she's not worth his time.

53 minutes into "Happy Feet", after a seemingly important event in the movie, I turned to Stef and said, "I don't know how they're going to squeeze 55 more minutes into this movie." Stef agreed. If they had ended the movie right there, you'd be reading a positive review. No such luck.

R8R H8Rs

Is it just me, or are A's fans and Raiders fans two completely different breeds? It's very common to see someone rooting for the A's between April and October, but then switching sides of the bay come football season. I know that I certainly like the 49ers more than the Raiders. Maybe we're trying to distance ourselves from the "bad boy" image associated with the Raiders.

Strangely, I don't know if I've ever met a Giants/Raiders fan. When I was growing up, my Dad was a diehard Giants/Niners fan, so I have always liked both San Francisco teams. However, I always went to A's games with my best friend, and I ended up gravitating towards the A's. I've stuck with the A's, Niners, and Kings through the good years and the bad, yet I only really care about the Giants if they've made the playoffs.

As for the Raiders, I despise what they've done to my beautiful baseball stadium. I remember looking out at the Oakland hills, watching people walk behind the scoreboard. Now, all I see is a huge mountain of glass and concrete.

I'm sick of Rex Hudler

The TV broadcast team for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Los Angeles is really getting on my nerves. With MLB.TV being my only window to the A's, I have to settle for the Angels' broadcast. The A's have traditionally played some very close series with the Angels, and this one has certainly been no exception. Tonight, with the A's down 2-1 late in the game, Nick Swisher was up to bat with Eric Chavez on second base and nobody out. John Lackey was ahead in the count, 0-2, after Swisher took a couple of herculean hacks. Rex Hudler, the color commentator for the Angels, spouted out this nonsense:

Rather than taking a big swing, he could always shorten it up and do something to help the team.

I'm not disputing the fact that Swisher didn't necessarily need to hit the ball deep in order to help the team. There are many ways that he could help out: a ground ball to the right, a bloop single, a walk, a bunt (obviously not going to happen).

Somehow, in Rex Hudler's mind, moving a runner over is the only way to help the team. Shame on you, selfish Nick Swisher, for wanting to drive in the tying run. Be glad that you got beaned, because any kind of true offensive production, such as a home run or double, would have killed the rally.

Hudler also had this gem during Thursday night's game, referring to Jose Molina's bloop-single into right field:

He's not going to try to kill you, I'm just going to try to doink you.

Run.