I got you now Jester

BLM WHM SMN SCH THF RNG BRD MNK WAR DRK PLD > 99

I love TOP GUN. It's one of those movies that you squirm and try to remember some scenes and wonder if you really wanna watch it again, but after the tape goes in and the bass heats up and the music and the words set you up for what the movie is going to be about and after the jets heat up and then take off as much as the music does, you're toast. You had better hope you got yourself some popcorn or something cuz there's no commercials in movies.

One of my favorite scenes is when Maverick goes after his instructor, whose callsign is Jester. His instructor is the best in his field but being the best also limits your innovation. With noone better out there to compete against, your skills wane, as they did for Jester who didn't see that jetbrake-move coming and was almost defeated.   After he showed what being in charge was all about, by breaking rules that your opponent CAN'T, it was his turn to teach Maverick a lesson which was to never go into battle alone.  As Maverick relishes in the fear of his prey, Jester, who was forced to cheat the last time and must be cowering in his pants now knowing that his DAY has come and he will be defeated, as he selfishly RESPONDS to what looks like easy-meat he utters those fateful words "I got you now Jester... you're MINE" At which point he is "tomahawked" with a missile lock from VIPER... a trap. 

( EDIT:  I saw this on Lawrence and was quite shocked to find that it wasn't Jester, it was Viper,  BIG oOPS man, lol, that's why he makes the big bucks!)

It was because of this movie that I often played myself at pool or played "the ghost" as Dave once put it to me.  That's why I'm always SECOND best.

The Jester was also second best if you remember. VIPER was the best of the instructors and even though you might discount the Jester as the one that was beaten, you shouldn't discount the value of LOSING to the right students.

Three reason to watch Bill Maher that don't include laughing out loud(lol) every time he utters those oxymoronic, copied from 3-man, prophetic words "new rules".

1. I wouldn't know why Guantanamo is still open if not for him. Fact is, if we gave them access to a trial by jury the first thing they would call for was reparations for being tortured. And how much you think they deserve you think? And what about all of the information they gave while under duress, is that in our constitution? It's a whole 'nother country for those men in Cuba because they don't have access to rights and we can't give them access because they have been wronged by someone official in our government.

... doesn't ... remind me ... of ANYONE.

2. Veterans Hospitals can't afford regular doctors but if it wasn't for Maher's show I wouldn't know the fundamental reason for why it's so hard for our government to provide care. That guy said it last night on the show. The Veterans Hospitals can't compete for regular doctors. They can't afford to pay them. AKA, there aren't enough doctors working for the government to take care of our soldiers. And far be it from me to offer a possible reason for this but it could have something to do with the World Trade Center. Yeah, fact is most things that are funded by the government, can be abused by people that just don't care how they are charging Mr. Fancypants. You see the Jacksonville Courthouse is another famous example of people that know the taxes are going to be used to pay for it and so now it's time to change the contract, up the cost, these chairs are for who, then triple the price. The FBI should open up a new branch of government just to deal with price-gouging of the government because it happens EVERYWHERE. People just have to say this is for the courthouse or for the world trade center or for STAR WARS and for some reason you can just throw out all good sense and stamp a "free market" seal of approval to YOUR selfishness.

3. Thirdly, one thing more you could learn from Bill is that you aren't going to find him leading a movement. We aren't going to rush the Kochs or raise flags of altruism or even yell foul at the Dystopian-ity of the modern age. We are here to laugh at what we know and don't know and if you come out of the show that much wiser to the ways of the world, so be it.

And let me address still one more thing before I let Bill get off scott-free of insult. There is a lot to be said of the Jester. I call it Jester-politics. Because while the jester is laughing up and down the King's court jabbing at the FAT farmer or stepping on the toes of the barefoot miner, he makes it obvious to the KING who his enemies are. Yeah. It's a cold day in hell when the king looks at his nobles and slowly tilts his head because THAT'S the day the king realizes ... it's not funny anymore.

Monsanto might actually be not only supplanting genes in their food but might have OTHER plans.

Fracking might be a neato idea whose time might have come but how about we just take over Iraq INSTEAD of poisoning our own water?

Global warming sure was a stupid idea that noone can prove, let's just ignore the entire sphere of scientific influence for a couple of more years and see what happens.

You see, the jester is laughing it up working for chump change but one day a year... the king SEES his nobles, one day a year the king hears what everyone is afraid of .. and it ain't him; one day a year everyone in the kingdom realizes the jester is the smartest one of all.

And the day that everyone is as aware as the jester is, the jester has done his job well. The Jester has become KING for a DAY.