Why Are We Back In Iraq?

Why the hell not? Everybody's doing it. This will be the first official Why Are We Back In Iraq? annual wrap-up (according to Colin there will be at least four more but that's not exactly a neoconservative figure).

Even though - for the purpose of this (whatever-this-is) blog or post or article or agitprop tomfoolery - I'm going to concentrate on the "best" elements of 2004, there is no getting over the "worst" this year had to offer: an unending war and an unending W. And (though it should go without saying) to me, November 3rd was the worst day of the year in America; other countries may have experienced worse days (especially over the last week) but no day will echo longer or further.

On to the "best."

Best Films - I still have a lot of catching up to do so I reserve the right to revisit this list: (10.) Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol. 2" (9.) Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (8.) Takeshi Kitano's "Zatoichi" (7.) Coen Bros.' "The Ladykillers" (6.) Zhang Yimou's "House of Flying Daggers" (5.) Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" (4.) Sam Raimi's "Spiderman 2" (3.)Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2.) Lars Von Trier's "Dogville" (1.) David O. Russell's "I Heart Huckabees."

Best Acting Performances - (10.) Irma P. Hall in "The Ladykillers" (9.) Tony Leung in "Hero" (8.) Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill Vol. 2" (7.) Tobey Maguire in "Spiderman 2" (6.) Macaulay Caulkin in "Saved" (5.) Kirsten Dunst in "Eternal Sunshine" (4.) Tadanobu Asano in "Zatoichi" (3.) Nicole Kidman in "Dogville" (2.)Kate Winslet in "Eternal Sunshine" (1.) Mark Wahlberg in "I Heart Huckabees."

Best Albums - (10.) D12's "D12 World" (9.) Masta Killa's "No Said Date" (8.) The Roots' "Tipping Point" (7.) Young Buck's "Straight Outta Cashville" (6.) U2's "How To Dismantle a Nuclear Bomb" (5.) Wilco's "A Ghost Is Born" (4.) Danger Mouse's "The Grey Album" (3.) Usher's "Confessions" (2.) Kanye West's "College Dropout" (1.) Nas's "Street Disciple."

Best Songs - (10.) Nelly's "Flap Your Wings" (9.) Immortal Technique's "Bin Laden" (8.) D12's "How Come" (7.) Juvenile's "Slow Motion" (6.) Destiny Child's "Soldier" (5.) Jadakiss's "Why?" (4.) Mobb Deep's "Got It Twisted" (3.) Usher's "Damn" (2.) Usher's "Confessions" (1.) Kanye West's "Jesus Walks."

Best Speech - Reverend Al Sharpton at the DNC.

Best News In New York - Minimum wage increase.

Best Sporting Event - Red Sox/Yankees (regular and post season).

Best Presidential Debate Moment - "Wanna buy some wood?"

Best Personal Political Moments - A tie between my gotv effort on election day in Pennsylvania and protesting outside Madison Square Garden during Bush's speech.

Best Blogs - (10.) At Ease (9.) Loaded Mouth (8.) My War (7.) Xymphora (6.) Cannonfire (5.) The diaries - and the diaries alone - at Daily Kos (4.) Eschaton (3.) Democratic Underground (2.) Watching The Watchers (1.) It's my fucking list so I'm voting for me.

Best 'Best of the Year' List - The Common Ills Year In Review not only because they selected my blog as one of the "Web sites that Nourish the Heart, Mind and Soul." Well...maybe I'm lying. Thanks!

Best Blogger I Love To Hate - Blonde Sagacity

Best Newspaper/Periodical - Ha.

Best TV Moment - A TIE between John Stewart on Crossfire and Janet Jackson as Condi Rice on Saturday Night Live.

Best Hope For The Future - Air America Radio.

Person of the Year - Greg Palast

And farewell to Marlon Brando. And to ALL those who lost their lives in Iraq.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 12/30/2004 01:56:00 AM