Hitler's Just 'Out of Context'

Bringing round a friend; non smoker, veggie, bit of a painter... it's f*ckin' Hitler!

Director Oliver Stone belittled the Holocaust during a shocking interview with the Sunday Times, claiming that America's focus on the Jewish massacre was a product of the "Jewish domination of the media."

The director also defended Hitler and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and railed against the "powerful lobby" of Jews in America.

Stone said that his upcoming Showtime documentary series "Secret History of America," seeks to put Hitler and Communist dictator Joseph Stalin "in context."

Stone said that, "Hitler did far more damage to the Russians than the Jewish people, 25 or 30 [million killed]."

The Sunday Times interviewer then asked why there was such a focus on the Holocaust.

"The Jewish domination of the media," responded Stone. "There's a major lobby in the United States. They are hard workers. They stay on top of every comment, the most powerful lobby in Washington. Israel has f***** up United States foreign policy for years."

The director, who recently met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad, also slammed the U.S. policy toward Iran as "horrible."

"Iran isn't necessarily the good guy," said Stone. "[B]ut we don't know the full story!"

The Scarface screenwriter had even more encouraging words for socialist Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, who Stone called "a brave, blunt, earthy" man. The director has recently been promoting his Chavez-praising documentary called "South of the Border."

When the interviewer pointed out that Chavez has had a less-than-stellar record on human rights, Stone immediately dismissed the criticism.

"The internet's fully free [in Venezuela]," said Stone. "You can say what the hell you like. Compare it with all the other countries: Mexico, Guatemala, above all Colombia, which is a joke."

While Stone has not been as blunt about his views on Jews and the Holocaust in the past, he has been outspoken in his fondness for Chavez and his disagreements with the U.S.'s policy on Iran.

On ABC's Good Morning America on July 28, the director told anchor George Stephanopoulos that he "absolutely" believes Chavez is a good person, and claimed that there was "there's no pattern of censorship in this country [Venezuela]."

Stone also said that if the U.S. pursued sanctions against Iran, "it's going to be like North Vietnam again."

"Hitler was a Frankenstein but there was also a Dr Frankenstein. German industrialists, the Americans and the British. He had a lot of support," Stone told reporter Camilla Long during the interview, which can be found behind the paywall on the Sunday Times' website.

Yeah, I mean, what about all the good things Hitler did, man? Volkswagens, Autobahn? Yu know?

Chavez seizes oil service firms

In an attempt to recreate the opening chapter of Atlas Shrugged, and to show America the next step in 'real' socialism - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has sent the troops in to take over companies that provide services for his oil industry.

"This is a revolutionary offensive," he told workers near Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela's main oil-producing area.

Military vehicles were used as the state oil company [You'll remember that Mr. Chavez nationalized his country's main oil assets two whole years ago] seized supply boats and two US-owned gas facilities. It seems the dip in oil prices put his finances under pressure?

The move places hundreds of boats, several ports and an estimated 8,000 oil workers under state control.

My thought on is that on the surface he'll save some money - at first. However, no one with half a brain will invest or build infrastructure in Venezuela - if such a person still existed? The revenues eventually lost by the lack of service providers to Venezuela in extraction, support, and transport will eventually cost him more than he's gaining on this take over move. The Oil companies will simply wait out the rest of Mr. Chavez's political life - they are very patient people. And seeing as how (in my useless opinion) he will eventually drain the pocketbook quicker - his political life is now significantly shorter.

If you would like to help end Mr. Chavez's reign of terror on his people, I recommend that you stop filling up at Citgo stations. Citgo is incorporated in the US, but is owned by Venezuela.

Vote with your pocketbook.