Iraq Parliament Elections

I got my question answered about the Iraq Election from the Baghdad Bureau of the At War, Notes from the Front Line blog on the New York Times.

Reader Q. and A. on the Iraq Elections
By ANTHONY SHADID

As the results from Iraq’s March 7 elections finally coalesce, our Baghdad correspondent Anthony Shadid is responding to readers’ questions about the election, its outcome, and the likely winners and losers in the complex negotiations that are certain to follow. Mr. Shadid joined The New York Times earlier this year after winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2004 for his Iraq coverage.

Q. Will the parties be able to use the number of seats they win in Kirkuk right away in negotiating for a coalition, since they are only provisional according to the Election Law? Will those Kirkuk seats be able to cast votes in Parliament before they are finally confirmed? Will this affect the Parliament’s vote for president, prime minister and speaker?
Noah
San Diego

A. All these are possible. My sense is that you won’t see any breakthrough – in ways good or bad – any time soon in Kirkuk. The Kurds, of course, could protest their showing in Kirkuk, but I there’s enough American engagement there right now to head off any conflict. That won’t be the case long term. My sense is that the election will solidify a balance of power that promotes a temporary status quo, with a pledge to negotiate long-term sovereignty in, say, seven years or so. On your question about the seats themselves, nothing is confirmed until the results are certified, so Kirkuk’s representation will await the seating of everyone else. The seats themselves will probably fall in line with larger coalitions that are gathered to name a prime minister. Kirkuk is a little different, since there is a provision to allow a challenge of the voter rolls, but in the end, I’m not sure that challenge will affect the final balance of the seats.

Film: Observe and Report (2009)

DVD: Enhanced 16x9


"You! I know what you did. You set me up. You left me out there. That's all there is to it. Admit it."
"Yeah. I set you up. What are you gonna do about it, huh, Ronald? What are you gonna do?"
"I'm gonna thank you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I knew you wanted to see if I had the chops to become a police officer and I did it, man. I did it and there are six dead crackheads that can confirm that. Thank you, Detective Harrison. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in me. Get used to seeing Ronnie Barnhardt around here."

Review: This is a hilarious dark comedy that consistently twists the expected outcome in every scene. Seth Rogan is excellent as a mall cop who is arrogant and delusional but has strong principles. A store robbery and a serial pervert flashing women in the parking lot gives him the opportunity to prove himself in the eyes of the police and the hot girl at the cosmetics counter. But both think he is an annoying idiot.

"Oh, Brandi! Brandi! Oh, God, Brandi! Brandi... Brandi?"
"Why are you stopping, motherfucker?"
"Oh, sorry. Oh, God, I'm sorry."

"Let's go. We'll talk about it, but you gotta get out."
"You can go outside. This is my world."
"We don't want to hurt you, Ronnie. You wanna get hurt?"
"You didn't bring enough pigs to stop me."

"I just want you to know, I'm ready to make a change."
"You gonna stop drinking?"
"I'm switching to beer. I can pound those all day and still keep my shit together. And I'm doing it for you."
"I'm so proud of you, Mom."

4 1/2 out of 5 Stars

TV: Dexter - 1st Season (2006)

DVD: 4 Discs - Enhanced 16x9


"My name is Dexter. Dexter Morgan. I don't know what made me the way I am, but what ever it was left a hollow place inside. People fake a lot of human interactions, but I feel like I fake them all, and I fake them very well... But that's my burden, I guess. I don't blame my foster parents for that. Harry and Dorris Morgan did a wonderful job raising me. But they're both dead now. I didn't kill them... Honest."

Review: Amazing show! I went out right away and bought the DVD after watching it for the first time. Dexter is a serial killer who only hunts other murderers. He works as a forensic scientist for the Miami police department and the first season deals with the hunt for the Ice Truck Killer who likes to play games with Dexter. After every episode, I couldn't wait to see the next one.

"Harry was a great cop here in Miami. He taught me how to think like one; he taught me how to cover my tracks. I'm a very neat monster."

"No blood. No sticky, hot, messy, awful blood. No blood at all. Why hadn't I thought of that? No blood. What a beautiful idea."

"The only real question I have is why in a building full of cops, all supposedly with a keen insight into the human soul, is Doakes the only one who gets the creeps from me?"

"I suppose I should be upset, even violated, but I'm not. No, in fact, I think this is a friendly message. Kind of like, Heh, want to play. And yes, I want to play. I really, really do."

"Jorge Castillo. Number three on the department's list of suspects, but the only one even remotely close to the park where Molino was supposed to drop the money. They never got enough evidence for a search warrant, but I don't need permission to keep an eye on this guy. No neighbors, no foot traffic. It's promising. A good place for human trafficking... or worse."

"The worst thing about finally putting together a puzzle is finding there are missing pieces. He came back and left nothing behind but a message. Come find me... and I will."

"You're shaking. What the hell happened up there?"
"Um, I'm okay. I just need a little air."
"Well, something finally got to you. I guess you're human after all."
"Cut him some slack, all right."
"I hate to disappoint you, but I think it's just low blood sugar."
"Tell us what you saw, Dex. How many dead?"
"A lot. But no bodies, just blood. Maybe fifty, sixty liters."

"You have better have a hell of a reason for being here."
"I'm looking for my sister."
"In a cargo box?"
"Yeah, I'm kinda working on a theory."
"Did you forget you work for the cops? We love theories. C'mon, spin me a story, asshole."
"What I do on my time is my business, Sergeant."
"Yeah, me too and I'm on my time now. There is no lieutenant here to save you're ass. So don't fuck with me, Morgan."
"Okay, you got me. I ordered some furniture from Thailand and I was waiting for it to be delivered."

"Okay, Deb, don't be dead."

5 out of 5 Stars

Film: Gangs of New York (2002)

DVD: Enhanced 16x9


"Ears and noses will be the trophies of the day. But no hand shall touch him! NO HAND SHALL TOUCH HIM! He'll cross over whole in honor."

Review: The first three quarters of this movie is perfect, but the last bit after Amsterdam is exposed seems rushed and unfocused. I've heard there is a longer cut that fixes this problem, but it may just be a rumor.

This movie about ethnic gangs in New York during the Civil War is an entertaining slice of the city's history. Daniel Day-Lewis is amazing as Bill the Butcher, a horrifying but fascinating figure. An Oscar-worthy performance. Jim Broadbent is excellent as well as the corrupt William Tweed.

"Mulberry Street... and Worth... Cross and Orange... and Little Water. Each of the Five Points is a finger. When I close my hand it becomes a fist. And, if I wish, I can turn it against you."

"On the seventh day the Lord rested, but before he did that, he squatted over the side of England and what came out of him... was Ireland. No offense son."

"We're burying a lot of votes down here tonight."

4 1/2 out of 5 Stars