Bob Woodward "State of Denial" commentary.

Once again Bob Woodward has helped produce a piece of journalistic work which is making waves at the highest level possible. I sometimes wonder what he thinks of the more current method of journalistic king making/destroying which always seems so slipshod in comparison to the slow steady work which he has done for so many years. How influential is this one? Well I don't think it is going to lead to a presidential abdication of office. However, I'd make a Coca-cola bet this book is what provided the motivating force to replace Rumsfeld at Sec Def and what pushed Bush to finally say on record that Iraq was in a shambles.

Granted it wasn't Woodward per say so much as what he was able to get from folks inside the administration (Including Rumsfeld himself) to say 'on the record' that gave his book this kind of influence. Woodward through the years has defined the epitome Journalistic integrity and it is with that weight behind his words that this book has forced this administration to stop hiding from the truth that has been so obvious to rest of the 'real world' for at least a couple of years.

Some might suggest Woodward was part of the problem in the way he supported this administration in his previous two works regarding Bush's presidency. However in my view he was simply reporting the facts. When last he took on the Bush administration the war was relatively new and the dust had yet to settle on the fall out. The operation to take over Iraq and oust Saddam was an unmitigated success. This book deals with the fallout, the aftermath and the continuing debacle that has come to be the 'restoration of Iraq'. He doesn't change his tune here. He is specifically calling out what Iraq has turned into.

All in all this is a book that is on the short list to read for ANYONE who is interested in what is going on with Iraq. I could go on and on and make my own points but I simply could not make them as well as what you will find in this book. Read it.

Eragon, Movie Commentary

First off if you have not read the book or seen the movie and are worried about spoilers do not read this commentary as it may give away plot points.


First and foremost, I imagine the immediate question on anyones mind who read the book is "Did they do a good job?". The answer is a most certain and heart wrenching NO. They didn't even get close IMHO. As a movie it stands well enough on its own as a swords, sorcerers, and of course Dragons epic. However, it uses the book only for its broadest outlines and characters. The imagery is fantastic but by and by its hollow. It is like a game with fabulous graphics and zero substance.

Disapointing in the extreme for those that loved the book such as myself. It had such potential for continuing Hollywood's recent string of surprising success with epic fantasy stories.

More details? Jeremy Irons is horribly under used, The kid that Plays Eragon does a fair job at what he was handed but the scripted Eragon was a shell of the book character, Malcovich was miscast not to mention was not supposed to be seen in this part of the story anyway. Durga is played fairly well by Robert Carlyle.

As an example of how they changed the story? The Werecat is gone (budget cut I imagine). Saphira magically grows in short order and names herself. There is almost no training relationship between Brom and Eragon, just a single 10 second long fight with sticks used to prove Eragon can't use a sword well (he then goes off pell mell like he is a master dealer in death). We see little of Murtaugh and have almost no time for him to establish himself before being revealed as a potentially dangerous character to the Hero.

All in all it was a typical Hollywood hatchet job to make a mindless piece of entertainment at all expense of telling a deep and engaging story.

Ahh well. Such is life.