Here’s the latest from the Arnold Schwarzenneger watch: apparently they are making a “King Conan” movie, called King Conan: Crown of Iron. It remains to be seen whether Arnold will stay true to his promise of not taking on any acting roles in the near future (or if the movie will even be made, for that matter). My exposure to the “King Conan” saga came to me through a comic book series that I read growing up. It was actually my favorite of all the Conan titles that was out there, because Conan couldn’t just go around slicing people open and saving “wenches.” He actually had to plan and manage a kingdom. He also had this really cool elite guard who I think dressed in black and kicked all kinds of ass. Anyway, that youthful part of me is sort of intrigued that they would make this into a movie. But another part of me is a little weirded out. This is the part of me that sees (following sites like Etemenanki) intentional psychological conditioning sometimes occurring in mass media events. The fact that many people have picked up on this emerging “President Schwarzenneger” narrative makes me even more suspicious. Think about it: wouldn’t a movie where a simple foreign barbarian becomes king of a great warlike empire be a pretty effective campaign strategy? Not that I believe presidential elections are “real” as it is, but it seems like it would be a wild way to put forward what might possibly be a really crazy agenda.

One other thing I’ve been meaning to write about. What if they manage to amend the Constitution in time and Schwarzenneger runs against Hillary Clinton? Wouldn’t that be a kick in the nuts? Pretty much the ultimate battle of the sexes, I think. Especially since Arnold represents the alpha-male, testosterone-fueled warrior. And Hillary represents the ultimate in “liberated” feminist. I think the underlying story told by her opponents will be that she’s so liberated, that she couldn’t even keep her man from straying. Only they’ll find a clever shorthand way of saying that (like how they used “flip-flopper” to obliquely suggest Kerry has a limp dick). And if she gets her ass beat (which she almost certainly will) it will be a huge symbolic defeat for feminism, and I expect a rapid and fearful decline of women’s rights. Um, sorry, I mean more rapid than what’s happening right now.

[King Conan info found via Foolish People]