Life Imitates Kubrick

Asia Times Online, October 31:

US Army snipers from the "painted demons" platoon of the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division allegedly took part in "a classified program of 'baiting' their targets" to lure insurgents within their sniper scopes.

"Basically, we would put an item [like a spool of wire or ammunition] out there and watch it," said Captain Matthew P Didier, the leader of the elite sniper platoon in a sworn statement. "If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual as I saw this as a sign they would use the item against US forces."

Full Metal Jacket, 1987:

A Marine Corps helicopter flies across the Vietnamese countryside while a machine-gunner in its open door sprays bullets at everyone he sees below.

Door Gunner: Anyone that runs is a VC. Anyone that stands still is a well-disciplined VC! . . .

Joker: How can you shoot women or children?

Door Gunner: Easy -- ya just don't lead 'em so much! Ain't war hell?

Life Imitates Ghostbusters

Attorney General Gonzalez:

I acknowledge that mistakes were made here. I accept that responsibility and my pledge to the American people is to find out what went wrong here, to assess accountability, and to make improvements so that the mistakes in this instance do not occur again in the future.

Ghostbusters:

Stantz: Gozer the Gozerian? Good evening. As a duly designated representative of the City, County and State of New York, I order you to cease any and all supernatural activity and return forthwith to your place of origin or to the nearest convenient parallel dimension.

Venkman: Right, that oughta do it. Thanks very much, Ray.

Life Imitates George Carlin, Part I of Many

Pentagon officials have moved rapidly to respond to reports of horrifying conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center: they've banned soldiers from talking to the press.

It's about the same as a joke George Carlin first told in a fake newscast bit many, many years ago (quoting from memory):

A guy shot five people on the downtown bus, then got a transfer and shot three more people on the crosstown bus. In response, authorities plan to eliminate the transfer system.