If you have never seen it, and I am betting you have not, do yourself a favor and rent a copy of Big Trouble. Released too soon after 9/11-when America had no patience for stories with naked cops running through airports while nuclear suitcases were being smuggled through airport security (”it’s a garbage disposal…”)-the film (which is based on the book by Dave Barry) deserves to be seen. It’s irreverent. It’s ineptly violent. It has goats on runways. It’s glorious. And at the very end, the marvelous Stanley Tucci (I love!) is still hallucinating, dragging his wall-unit behind him trying desperately to escape the Martha-Stewart-Terrier and howling, “make it stop! God in heaven, make it stop!”

“Make it stop,” is how I am feeling about the world; about news, instacommunications, blogging, the nightly need to figure out what to cook for supper and the unbelievable amount of email that I can’t plow through, no matter how hard I try!

“Make it stop,” sent me to church to sit before the Tabernacle in silence for a blessed hour, casting aside every bit of the monkey-chatter that fills up any synapses I might not be using of a moment. If a thought came in and would not leave, I took the advice of St. Benedict and smashed it against the cross of Christ Crucified, and that worked, too.

I have a piece I want and need to write, but before I can do anything I MUST clear my tabs of everything I thought you would be mildly or greatly interested in, so here goes.

Dom DeLuise: I loved him – if you missed it, he was part of one of the funniest moments on tv. I remember watching this live.

Obama & the Fifth Amendment: Sounds like 60’s boy-girl group, doesn’t it? (Like Obama On-Star). Gabriel Malor explains what we need to think about it. More here.

Amity Shales suggests this presidency is also a Thug-o-cracy, and that seems to be a corroborated fact, but the press doesn’t really care. I think they think it’s cool.

Can Obama be converted on Abortion? Anyone can be converted, but first they must be the tiniest bit “open.” This piece by Edward T. Oakes, S.J. suggests he may well be that.

The Dignity of the Human Person: If Obama is “convertable” on this issue, this presentation by the great Mary Ann Glendon may explain precisely why. And here are the pope’s remarks.

Support for Abortion: is down quite a lot, actually

Culture of Corruption: Oh, Jonah, don’t you know, that’s so 2007! So is lobbyists drafting bills being you know…a bad thing!

Uncle Screwtape: Defining the day!

Lorie Byrd: Channels Alexander.

Torture: Still mean to write on it, one of these days when I have the time, but here’s some cleverness on it, and of course, there’s a Pew poll out that has people who take polls seriously grinding their teeth or shouting hallelujah. Meanwhile Jake Tapper looks at What Churchill thought. The world is very strange.

Catholic Evangelicals: Sort of.

Catholic New Media Awards: Nominations are open. I had no idea. Also, I am nominated over at Carolina Cannonball’s establishment. Nice. Happy Anniversary to Julie who has more on “awardish things”.

Liturgical dancing makes Baby Jesus cry, and it turns off the men, too. I know quite a few men (and women) who long for the days when priests were more Spencer Tracy and liturgy was more of a “man up and take a knee” than “everyone is so special.” There must be a way to find a happy medium!

Could you imagine if such a presentation were made about the left?

Defining who is poor: Well…perhaps being poor in America is just not the same as being poor anywhere else, and that is a good thing. II’m betting our Appalachian poor, who no politician besides Bobby Kennedy ever paid attention to, perhaps do not have as much instrumentation and gadgetry as the rest of America.

My Nagging has Paid Off: Sister Soapmaker creates an OATMEAL hand creme. Thank you sisters! Also, they’ve got their new soaps on the market!

Mormons and the Cross: Whatever

Angels and Demons at Starbucks