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Movie "Review": Indigo
1/30/2005

Having no real previous exposure to the idea of "indigo children," I agreed to catch a screening of this movie written by two 'spiritual gurus' of our times, Neal Donald Walsh (Conversations with God) and James Twyman.

The screening was held at a local Unity church, which is an organization branched from the New Thought movement of the early 20th Century. I had never been to a Unity church, so this was also a new experience for me.

The church was very nice, with a circular chapel and plenty of space. Upon our late arrival, I noticed the Christian undertones of the Unity church, as opposed to the more 'universal' approach of the Science of Mind center I have grown accustomed to attending. Though the ideology of each 'religion' is generally the same, Unity focuses more on Christ and the bible than I am comfortable with. I am rather put off by Western religious symbolism and ritual, but it wasn't a distraction for watching the film (which, in its own way, emulated my feelings).

Now back to the review. The basic plot centers around a little girl with special powers and her chemistry with her cynical grandfather. Through allegory, we are presented the recycled messianic ideology of "Indigo Children." Basically, these children have psi abilities, and they are able to heal with their hands. They communicate on a psychic energy grid, and they have 'indigo' auras that give them special abilities. The general theory behind IC is that Mother Nature has taken an extreme leap of evolution so that we could have a race of humans capable of saving us from ourselves. At least that is my impression of the idea at first glance.

It all seems a bit airy-fairy to mee, but first to the technical/artistic review.

The film suffers from lack of artistic depth. Regardless of who is directing (Stephen Simon, who produced the brilliant and somewhat depressing film Somewhere in Time), it feels like a made-for-Lifetime-TV movie, but worse. The acting - by nearly everyone involved - is cardboard dry and occasionally nauseating. No character has any real conviction, though the little girl sure is cute; like a high-school play, everyone is simply going through the motions and playing out their lines. I wasn't expecting Werner Herzog or even Stephen Soderburg, but one expects more than basic home computer editing for a $10 price tag (and no Popcorn!). While it wasn't entirely painful (and believe me, I know what painful is - can you say Manos: Hands of Fate?), I feel my time and money was wasted on this film.

The story is nothing new. I looked up "Indigo Children" and she plays the part well enough, with some rather miraculous enhancements. According to indigochild.com:

• They come into the world with a feeling of royalty (and often act like it).
• They have a feeling of "deserving to be here," and are surprised when others don't share that.
• Self-worth is not a big issue. They often tell the parents "who they are."
• They have difficulty with absolute authority (authority without explanation or choice).
• They simply will not do certain things; for example, waiting in line is difficult for them.
• They get frustrated with systems that are ritually oriented and don't require creative thought.
• They often see better ways of doing things, both at home and in school, which makes them seem like "system busters" (nonconforming to any system).
• They seem antisocial unless they are with their own kind. If there are no others of like consciousness around them, they often turn inward, feeling like no other human understands them. School is often extremely difficult for them socially.
• They will not respond to "guilt" discipline ("Wait till your father gets home and finds out what you did").
• They are not shy in letting you know what they need.

So basically, I am an indigo child. I fit every one of these points extremely. This is the root of the problem I have with the film. It's a charming little attraction, this indigo meme. It reminds me of the Star Child meme, and the ADD meme (not saying that some people don't have ADD, but it's become too much of a fad for everyone to THINK they have ADD).

In fact, looking at everyone I know, I probably fit the mold better than any of them. But alas it is not to be, though it would be easy to buy into the idea if I needed an esteem booster. So I am not a believer.

I can't begin to explain the disdain and full-on wrath I have for this film. It was so terribly shallow, and it makes the organizations promoting it look silly. The idea that certain children have special abilities that nobody else has makes for great comic book reading, and it's nice that they can see angels and dead people, but I just don't buy the package that they have woven together. The reason I got away from Christianity was because it taught separation, that Christ himself was an unattainable goal, that he and his kind come down to earth and do a little miracle jig as if to say "Hey, we're these great supernatural beings with all these special powers that you can't have, and you must worship us and nurture us." This idea of indigo children reeks of similar intent on a subtle level, and that is why I am uncomfortable with the idea.

Anyone's entitled to their beliefs, of course. But if it smells like shite, it's probably shite. While somewhat more convincing than the 'charged water' karma-busting computer treatments that were peddled via the New Thought circuit a few years ago, this makes it all the more important to stop this meme and get on to something with some depth and intelligence.

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 30, 2005, , links to this post

A Nothing Weekend

Spent most of my time this weekend behind the computer, catching up on Alias season 3 and tinkering around with a client's web site. Got caught up re-organizing my Netflix and Greencine queues, then took off for a cheap, casual dinner at the local pizza buffet. Crapola pizza is still great when it's $3.99 for all you can eat. Like chewy cardboard with cheese, yet somehow still satisfying and filling.

My wife expanded her flea market booth two weeks ago and is doing a good job making her weekly rent. The market tends to keep us apart on the weekends, except for the evenings when we try to plan something special (a movie, a dinner date, something nice). We went to see a movie last night, Indigo, and I'll gripe all about it in a subsequent post.

Haven't been getting many orders for my new CD, so I'm feeling a little discouraged by the whole thing. Will try CDBaby, but at this point I've given out so many discs for promo purposes that I won't even make my $450 back. Next time, I don't think I'll be ordering pro CDs. I'll instead invest in some home equipment and build my own arsenal.

TTFN

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 30, 2005, , links to this post

Mr. President, Freedom Doesn't March
1/28/2005

But armies do.

Are we at war with Eurasia? Will our chocolate rations be increased? Is the boot of tyranny made out of cowhide or snakeskin?

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 28, 2005, , links to this post

This is the bottom of the barrel for humanity
1/27/2005

Apparently, some nice American is driving around Kentucky with this on the back of his truck:

That's just one of about 2 dozen stickers this dude is sportin'.

Here are a few more:

THOUSAND YEARS OF EVOLUTION AND STILL THE ONLY THING ARAB MUSLIMS CAN DO IS THROW ROCKS AND BLOW THEMSELVES UP.

THE U.N MUST RECLASSIFY A-RABS MUSLIMS AS AN ANIMAL OR INSECT FOR THEY HAVE PROVEN THEY ARE NOT HUMAN

BOYCOTT ALL TAXICABS DRIVEN BY DISGUSTING ARAB MUSLIM MAGGOTS

And they just get worse. Check out the original post here on This Modern World, then go take a bath because you will feel more than disgusted afterwards. Why can people sink to such levels? If a really clever person in his home town had the gumption, they could make some fairly similar looking stickers (but with positive messages) and do a bit of tailgate hacking in the night. Maybe the fucker won't notice for a few days.

posted by novachild @ Thursday, January 27, 2005, , links to this post

Slimy Bastards

It was cold and late, and I was driving home from Dean's and in somewhat of a hurry. Suddenly the dashboard gasoline light kicks on, and mild panic ensues. I do not like being this low on gasoline!

So I pull into QT, slide my debit card into the little slot, and put about 5 bucks in. Because we have a separate gasoline budget, I don't like to use my card for complete fill-ups. So I put just enough in to get me home and up to work in the morning, snag my receipt, and take off.

And today, lo and behold, my debit card balance is less than $2. Which is very bad because there is supposed to be much more in there. It's worse because this is ALL the money I had until payday, and no groceries.

Angry and confused, I called customer service for the card. They were about as helpful as an iron with nails welded to the bottom. Apparently, it's common practice for gas stations to put a $30 hold on any accounts using credit at the pump, and this amount is not released for 7 days. A feeling of rage passed over me, and I resisted the urge to call the support person every foul thing my little violent brain could come up with. I felt a Revenge Tragedy being written right before my eyes. At least she could have been sympathetic, but instead she puts on the attitude of a city worker that just doesn't give a shit about anything.

So I get the number for Quik Trip. Of course, nobody is available to take calls after 5, so I leave a partially comprehensible message with a telephone number thrown in somewhere. I'm sure they're going to call me at work tomorrow without a clue as to what I was saying between the Fucks and the Bullshits and the Jesus Effing Christs! At least it will make my day more interesting tomorrow.

My final thoughts about this situation: Why are all of the big companies taking the stance that their customers are shit? I call Dell tech support, they treat me like shit. I call the water company to arrange payment; they treat me like shit. I call the satellite people; they treat me like a subhuman. I call to make hotel reservations; they act like they don't need the business. Do these people realize that it's hard working folks like myself who keep them in business?

So, after my rage and anger subsides, I come to the conclusion that I will never spend my hard-earned bucks at Quik Trip again, not unless they make something good of this situation. Some groceries for the weekend would do!

posted by novachild @ Thursday, January 27, 2005, , links to this post

Are Dems Prejudice for Voting Against Rice?

The Christian Coalition is falsely accusing the Dems that voted against Condi Rice as 'prejudiced' against successful Conservative minorities. What a bunch of horse hockey. They voted against Rice because nobody in their right mind would support someone so essential to the decline of US foreign policy and the Iraq War travesty. She is one of the key purveyors of the bullshit George W. Bush unleashes upon the world. She isn't straight with the American people. She lies. And then she gets tetchy when her bluffs are called. Anyone with an ounce of informed insight would have not supported her.

It's correct, as well as politically acceptible, to think that they voted against her for her Conservative views. But it's completely unfair and just plain ignorant to call the anti-Condi dems prejudiced against race. It's this kind of shit that makes republicans look like complete idiots, and the party ought to disavow the Christian Coalition for their sorry-ass hillbilly ways.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." -Voltaire

posted by Edward Svengali @ Thursday, January 27, 2005, , links to this post

Paul Dell Should Not Be Forced to Give Up His Domain

Paul Dell owns Dell Web Sites. He lives in Spain and isn't hurting anybody.

Dell Computers is a global presence, and they are getting bigger and meaner by the day. And now, similar to Microsoft's beef with Mike Row (for mikerowesoft.com), Paul Dell is being needlessly harrased by one of the largest computer makers in the world.

What slimy bastards.

I sent Mr. Dell a personal email, and he confirmed the story and 'will be buggered if he's going to change his business name.' So I call on the blogger community, however tiny and insigificant I am, to make this story more public and help reveal the motives of the slimy corporate greedmongers.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Thursday, January 27, 2005, , links to this post

Condi Goth!
1/26/2005

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, January 26, 2005, , links to this post

Another Thing...

Republicans who are 'alarmed by the new Bush Budget,' and they now see what it is that half of the rest of the voters voted against.

I don't understand how so many people can be so ignorant of the facts when it is necessary to make a decision, but then after they cast their vote they wise up. Where was the grey matter before the election? Sheesh.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, January 26, 2005, , links to this post

People (like Gonzales) who Condone Torture Should Not Be Appointed to High Offices

This is my official NO vote on the appointing of Gonzales to the position of Attorney General.

What I find particularly interesting about the Bushies: they've managed to find two cabinet members, both of them representing minority groups (a rarity for the Repubs), who are just as corrupt and slimy as they are.

If we are going to sanction torture, we then violate and desecrate the foundation of our nation and of the treaties we sign. Politicians should be ashamed of themselves for allowing people like Rumsfeld, Rice and Gonzales to exist at all in the political sphere. By condoning these actions, and by appointing people with degenerate views on how to treat prisoners, we have become our own worst enemy. The biggest act of terror has been done by ourselves, undermining our own principles for which we pretend to fight.

I urge the Senate to carefully consider the facts before letting these people take charge of anything. Vote no for Gonzales and Rice. And impeach Bush for being the lying, snivelling, warmongering bastard that he is.

Read this post at Daily Kos.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, January 26, 2005, , links to this post

Something's Wrong Here
1/25/2005

Something's wrong when the US pledges $350 million plus some army assistance for the tsunami relief effort, but then we turn around and spend over $150 BILLION dollars on an illegal war in Iraq. And just this week King Dubya has asked for another 80 Billion dollars for war.

BushCo is promoting needless suffering throughout the world in his quest to 'spread freedom,' yet BushCo turns a blind eye on the real problems. I am so ashamed of them, and I can only hope that we dig ourselves out of this crap.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Tuesday, January 25, 2005, , links to this post

Uncomfortable Days
1/24/2005

As long as I feel dissatisfied with the way things are, I guess I might as well feel dissatisfied doig something constructive. So I've decided I want to go back to school. Get my CompTIA certification, Cisco, maybe MCSE. Then branch out into intranet development or something more interesting once I get my 'trade' down.

This is all brainstorming, but my imagination is stirring. Maybe this is what I need to get my mind working in a different direction for awhile. I'm already excited a little bit!

posted by novachild @ Monday, January 24, 2005, , links to this post

Conservatives Ruled The Airwaves on Inauguration Day
1/21/2005

Novachild was complaining about this yesterday, and here's the evidence:

Between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Republican and conservative guests and commentators outnumbered Democrats and progressives 19 to 7 on FOX*, 10 to 1 on CNN (not including a Republican-skewed panel featuring Ohio voters), and 13 to 2 on MSNBC. Moreover, the rare Democrat or progressive guest usually appeared opposite conservatives, whereas most Republican and conservative guests and commentators appeared solo or alongside fellow conservatives.

Unfortunately, I don't get CSPAN 2, which covered the protests for some time. I also no longer get Free Speech TV, an excellent station on Dish Network that airs some pretty heady leftist/anarchist material. Those of you that do are fortunate, and very blessed indeed.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 21, 2005, , links to this post

I Cannot Help But Laugh ...

... at this article posted at betterhumans.com. "Smarts May Protect against Suicide."

At first, I thought I was reading something syndicated by The Onion, a well-known parody newspaper/web site that is a constant source of toiletside entertainment. But no, it's a real study. Researchers actually invested mucho dinero to fund this study (in Sweden, mind you).

Smarts may protect against suicide, suggests a study linking intellect to a lower risk of suicide in young men.

Can anyone say 'Duh?'

But now that I think about it, the results of the study are somewhat surprising. When I was in high school, the 'intelligent' kids were the undersexed and over-mathed kids, or the thespian drama queen prog beauties that always got straight A's (you know who you are). They tended to be more suicide-prone than the oversexed jocks and cheerleaders, or at least they wrote more poems about it (and listened to Morrissey and The Cure all the bloody time, which could make anyone suicidal). But it seems the times have changed, probably because it's so 'cool' to be a geek now (do geeks get all the girls these days?).

So gone are the days when we can pity the nerd. After all, she gets all the breaks these days.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 21, 2005, , links to this post

The Devil Himself - Leading God's Crusade through the Holy Land!

My daily contribution:

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 21, 2005, , links to this post

It's Now Official...
1/20/2005

Bush was inaugurated today for his second term. I was sick with a terrible cold, but I managed to crawl to the TV to catch bits of the parade, though I missed the speech (more of the same, I reckon).

What amazed me was that CSPAN 2 was actually covering the protestors for at least an hour nonstop. I felt like I was there in a way, joining them as they 'turned their backs on Bush.' And of course, I did a little channel surfing amid the boring parts (it is CSPAN, you know), catching the 'journalists' on FOX and MSNBC carrying their long-winded tradition of providing fair and balanced neoconservative opinions instead of objective reporting. So I tune them out, along with the other networks that do nothing but pander to the conservative base. It's really a shame that the only place I can find nonpartisan news is NPR, and even that seems to be eroding as more and more government funding is pulled from public radio and is replaced by large donations from corporations.

Among our liberties, the freedom to be the voice of dissent is perhaps the most important, and it's also the most dangerous public voice to the secret designs of an elitist regime that is hellbent on perpetuating war, fear and greed (while calling it 'freedom and peace'). The eyes and ears of a free society must always remain critical of the activities of their leaders. Especially when they are greedy opportunists and corporate swindlers posing as purveyors of freedom and peace. And if the mechanisms of government continue to bear down on the public senses, if people become so deluded with pointless news and garbled opinions, there is nothing represented to actually vote FOR. So in essence we have become blind and deaf by those who depend on our votes.

If the Bush Administration has taught me anything, it's never to trust the peaceful language of a leader who jumps to his guns at a moment's notice. In one hand, he carries a flag of freedom. In the other, he carries an army in which to decimate cities in foreign lands, plundering them for their riches and sharing the wealth with large US corporations, with the excuse of a sacred duty in spreading this 'freedom' across the world.

When our political message must sweep like a religious fire and fury across the world, we can no longer remain a just and free society. We ultimately become our own enemy, eating ourselves inside out while those with grudge sit and laugh at our slow demise.

Freedom is spread by example, not by force. Democracy is not something we can force down people's necks. They will not respect us for it, and the outcome will be such a bastardization of our message that we won't even recognize it as our own doing. Hopefully, we will eventually learn to elect leaders who can step up to the plate and take responsibility for our failures and help make this country great again.

It took the Roman Empire longer to fall than the amount of time the US has been in existence. If we are running out of steam so quickly, it is only because we are failing to stand by our principles of government.

So I celebrate Bush's 2nd inauguration by blowing my nose on a Puffs Plus and tossing it into an overflowing waste basket.

posted by novachild @ Thursday, January 20, 2005, , links to this post

Is it a Blog, Or a Journal
1/17/2005

This is probably a stupid post. So warnings in advance if I seem to be slightly deluded or hopelessly dim. But I've been wondering about this journal.

The evil duo has been posting mostly news-related rants - probably because news is what gets our hearts pumping. But one feels the urge to define what something is, or is mostly, at any rate. It's a human impulse, no matter how unimportant it might seem, to classify and clarify. So is TFI a blog? Or a journal?

Is there really a difference? I'd like to think so, mainly because of semantics (I think the word 'blog' is just silly; it sounds like the noise a water cooler makes). Should we flip a coin, make it official, or even give it a moment's thought?

The word 'blog' seems to imply that TFI is part of some large uber-community of socially-conscious 'grassroots' folks with a political or social agenda. Truth is, we are just 1.5 people with too many opinions - and we thought this would make things easier for our friends to keep tabs on our current state of affairs. If we manage to save the world along the way, then that's an unplanned effect, a happy accident.

This article discusses the difference, and of course it's all up to personal opinion, but I think it's quite clear as to where TFI lies:

In short, and in my humble opinion, a traditional weblog is focused outside the
author and his or her site. A web journal, conversely, looks inward — the
author's thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Some sites, of course, do both. So
to better see the "perfectly blurred" line, you have to step back a bit.

We are journal. We will not be a-bloggilated. It is now official.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, January 17, 2005, , links to this post

EU Considers Ban on "Nazi Symbol"

While I agree in principle with their desire to 'smash out' symbols of hate, after a brief intellectual mulling I have come to the conclusion that banning the swastika is no less a crime than using the symbol to represent the nazi regime. Both uses of the symbol are a disgrace to the thousands of years of tradition and meaning this symbol represents to many faiths and cultures.

The symbol was not invented by the Nazi party. They 'lifted' its use, just in the same way that the Christians 'lift' the use of many pagan symbols. It has been connected with many major world religions, as well as native american traditions, in times much earlier than the 20th Century. Some of its uses have been to promote good luck, rebirth, resignation, etc.

Here's a good thread over at Chamber of Secrets that discusses the 10,000-year history of this symbol.

Wikipedia on the Swastika

The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit स्वस्तिक, svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck. It is composed of su- (cognate with Greek ευ-), meaning "good, well" and asti a verbal abstract to the root as "to be"; svasti thus means "well-being". The suffix -ka forms a diminutive, and svastika might thus be translated literally as "little thing associated with well-being", corresponding roughly to "lucky charm".

The swastika appears in art and design throughout human history, symbolising many different things — luck, Surya (the sun), Brahma, or the Hindu concept of samsara. In fact, the swastika is used primarily as a religious symbol by Hindus – it was first mentioned in the Vedas, the holy texts of Hinduism – but transferred to other Indic religions like Buddhism and Jainism. It also occurs in other Asian, European, and Native American cultures – sometimes as a simple geometrical motif, sometimes as a religious symbol. The almost universally positive meanings of the swastika were subverted in the early twentieth century when it was adopted as the emblem of the National Socialist German Workers Party. Since World War II, most Westerners see it as solely a fascist symbol, leading to incorrect assumptions about its pre-Nazi use and its use in other cultures.

History is always more complicated and rich than what most can see on the surface. What the Nazis did was horrible, and may it never be repeated. While the Nazis executed millions of jews, artists, freethinkers, homosexuals and gypsies, they were doing this under the moniker of an ancient symbol that had nothing at all to do with their agenda. If they used a Christian cross instead (and they did - the iron cross), we would not ban its use.

As a relic of thousands of years of human culture and religion, the svastika should not be 'banned.' Not only does it remain a reminder of what can happen when governments become too powerful, oppressive, and dangerous, but also it provides an educational opportunity to reveal the roots of the symbol and its true meanings. If we hide it, we dishonour ourselves by giving it away freely to the Nazis. Let's not do that.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, January 17, 2005, , links to this post

Revenger's Tragedy
1/16/2005

Revenger's Tragedy - great little movie directed by Alex Cox and starring Christopher Eccleston as the "Revenger." Probably not for young audiences (language, violence), but is timely and loads of quirky, chaotic fun.

"Let the man who seeks revenge remember to dig two graves." This is the message the film begins with. How apt, considering the nature of the film and the state of the world's affairs.

Christopher Eccleston is a brilliant actor; he will be the perfect Doctor, perhaps even a bit more schizophrenic than Tom Baker was in his heyday - but much more convincing. Here, he plays a tortured man on top of his game of seeking revenge for the murder of his bride. He's a 'bone-setter' by trade, and he even carries around his bride's skull and rants and raves with it (but not in the hamlet fasion; no, this is much more tortured and anarchistic than anything Shakespeare has ever done).

Derek Jacobi plays the villainous, lecherous duke who is the target of revenge. With such a determined performance, one would not believe that the actor was paid little to nothing for his involvement.

Eddie Izzard plays a son of the Duke and the next in line, and a reluctant power junkie.

If you've seen Repo Man, Sid and Nancy, and Straight to Hell, take that impression and combine it with a jacobian revenge tragedy (language and all), add Eccleston and Eddie Izzard, with little or no budget, and you have a memorable way to spend 2 hours of your life. This won't be a remembered or highly-sought after film, but then again, the truly unique ones never are.

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 16, 2005, , links to this post

Cobb County Sticker Parodies

Check out this page for parodies of the Cobb County sticker travesty and read further below on the page for ways you can help promote common sense over irrational fears and tyranny. Know that the struggle for re-separating Church from State still continues, and it is in everyone's best interest (Christians included) that it be separate. Otherwise, we become nothing less than the religion-infused governments that this country was founded to escape the tyrrany of.

Went to see The Grudge at the dollar theater last night. While it might make teenage girls jumpy, it did nothing but put me to sleep halfway through. It showed potential but ultimately failed to capture my interest.

What's up with all of these dull, cliche films that hollywood (and beyond) have been crapping out lately? It's a shame that Sarah Michelle Geller opted to make this over an 8th Season of Buffy. I wonder what Joss Whedon thinks of the movie?

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 16, 2005, , links to this post

My Thoughts on the Whole Evolution Stickers Thing
1/14/2005

Today in Atlanta, a Judge ruled that stickers placed on science books labelling Evolution as a theory are unlawful because they push a religious agenda. Another victory for common sense.

To all the Creationists out there, here's something to think about:

Where does one stop in labelling these books? At what point of disagreement does one dictate when a sticker needs to be placed?

If I place a sticker on every book I don't agree with, I will be very busy stickering because there's lots I don't agree with. Just read this blog for proof.

'Well, we don't believe in evolution. We don't believe that the universe is more than 5,000 years old, so we'd better make another sticker.' Pretty soon, the covers of our children's learning books will be filled with mind-numbing stickers! Of course, once the Christian community has had their day with stickers, the other religious communities will come out of the woodwork, the ones the Christians probably don't want to have stickers of their own. And in typical American fasion, a religious war will heat up in the hearts and minds of people that are supposed to be pursuing peace and understanding.

"Hey, we don't believe this and that and we want our own dang stickers." So the war wages in the one place it's not supposed to be. Where the kids are. Their precious minds are trying to develop to the point where they can make their own determinations about the world, while all the adults are strangling each other to make sure their kids are spoonfed with enough fucking stickers! Instead of communicating family traditions and ideals openly, and giving the kids room to make their own observations, the religous community has now stormed the public schools like a deraged pack of commandos, tossing morality around like smoke granades and expecting everyone to think this is ok.

If you want to raise your kids with certain viewpoints, then talk to them. Don't expect a sticker to 'keep them straight,' and don't push your religious fury onto people who don't share the same sentiments. Kids are a lot smarter than you think, my friends, and they will eventually make their own determinations. And, if they are anything like me, they probably will laugh at your lunacy all the way to the pearly gates.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 14, 2005, , links to this post

I remember all of the doom and gloom news reporting of my childhood. We had the end of the cold war, the AIDS crisis in full swing, lebanon, lybia, Ronald Reagan conspiracies, communist plots from Russia, the war on drugs, MTV. The future seemed to be a particularly nasty place to be back then (remember Max Headroom?), and things were not going so well already.

Today, mere days after the White House closes down their search for WMDs, this news report is released: Terrorists Likely to use Biological Weapons Against the US.

News like this puzzles me, because it doesn't appear to be news at all. It reminds me of a dodgy 5-day weather forecast. Sure, the patterns may appear to lead in one direction, or perhaps it's government propaganda (after all, aren't biological weapons considered WMDs?), but it seems counter-productive to officially expect the worst. Call me a closet-case optimist, but I'd rather not expect the world to be more hostile in the future, even though my own intuition (and history) dictate otherwise.

I remember grouchy smurf. He hated everything. So, in turn, everything he did was miserable, and he was no fun to be around. I'll admit to being something like grouchy smurf on occasion (every other minute, perhaps), but I know some things about how the universe works. I know that if I expect things to suck, they are going to suck. I know that if I expect good things to happen, nine times out of ten good things will happen, regardless of whether or not I get what I want. GIGO. This isn't morality, or ethics. This is just the way it works.

Because so many people are watching, and because so many people will believe anything to be true even when it hasn't happened yet, predictive reporting can have a lasting negative effect. It's an excellent tool for pushing an agenda and creating opportunities, both positive and negative. Because what people believe in is what usually happens, whether it's right or wrong (then there's that whole problem of who's going to take the rap).

To summarize, there is a place for speculation. Blogs are a good place for that, because they aren't 'official doctrine' or bound by journalistic rules of ethics. And I really don't blame official government speculation on the outcome of our global state; it's just not rational. But speculative reporting has some effect on the shaping of the future, both positive and negative. These reports give optimists an opportunity to say "Remember folks. Your thoughts and beliefs affect the outcomes of your daily lives." And they also give doomsday prophets the opportunity to instill fear into a spin-sedated mass culture.

Somewhere inbetween, I think, lies the truth.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, January 14, 2005, , links to this post

I've Been Cursed!
1/13/2005

There are two types of Christians.

1) There is the rare-breed Christian who actually tries to follow in the footsteps of Christ and practice compassion, love and right action (I've met three in my entire life).

2) There is the common-breed Christian who uses religion as a tool for preserving their own fears and inadequacies (sp?) so they don't have to confront the harsh realities of their own narrow-minded mental constructs and prejudices. Of course, Christianity isn't the only organized religion to attract these people. But it seems to be the biggest magnet.

Seems we found another #2, because I was cursed today. I suppose this one won't be trying to save my soul, at any rate, which is something of a relief considering I've already been saved a dozen times (my father is an Evangelical preacher). Just for reference, here is the comment 'anonymous' left today:

Father, in the name of JESUS I send the judgment of God to the writer of this article. I pray Deuteronomy 30:7, Psalm 109 and 140, Isaiah 54:17, and any like Scriptures on them, and anyone else coming against us Christians, in the name of JESUS. Amen

And for reference, here are the scriptures and some comments from moi:

Deuteronomy 30:7 - And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee

First of all, look around. Little old geek computer hardware tech is not your enemy. In fact, I'm probably your best friend when it comes to taking a beating. You've cursed me, after all, and (gasp!) I'm helpless! Honestly, I don't know what fantasy you are playing out, but life isn't a sword and sandals epic, and enemies are NOT around every virtual corner just waiting to be vanquished by your mighty God.

Second of all, I don't hate you. Heck, I don't even know you. I probably don't want to know you, but then again, you might be a lot of fun at parties.

Thirdly, if you think my little bitchfest is 'persecution,' then I invite you to take a peek at these web pages:

Christian Atrocities
Christian Apology for the Crusades
Protest to Support a Museum of Christian Atrocities

I think if anybody knows about persecution, it's the people who lay it on the thickest.

This next one is a bit lengthy.

Psalms 109: A Cry for Vengeance

Such kind, Christian tidings. It's a wonder Christians ever WANT to convert anybody, what with so many great curses scattered throughout the Old Testament to use against infidels and heretics.

Yet another from Psalms

Psalms 140: A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

Lovely day for a curse, honey.

Some parting words, before I go do something more constructive:

All of us are experts at practicing virtue at a distance. ~Theodore M. Hesburgh

posted by novachild @ Thursday, January 13, 2005, , links to this post

REF: Top Democrat Slams Bush ...
1/12/2005

"After a search that has consumed nearly two years and millions of dollars, and
a war that has cost thousands of lives, no weapons of mass destruction have been
found -- nor has any evidence been uncovered that such weapons were moved to
another country," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
"President Bush has refused to concede what has been obvious for months --
the primary justification for the invasion of Iraq was not supported by fact,"
she said.

I can hear republican heads popping whilst trying to manufacture a creative way to convince themselves that this is not happening. (pop! Pop!)

Another senior Democrat in Congress, Joe Lieberman , broke ranks with Pelosi,
saying that even though no WMD were found in Iraq, the invasion of Iraq was
justified.

I always knew that Joe Lieberman was a closet republican. He shares many of their views.

A Republican senator, Johnny Isakson, appearing with Lieberman on Fox, agreed
that the Bush administration made the right decision in overthrowing Saddam,
even without hard evidence of WMD. "We found lots of evidence of programs
and contributors to programs while we've been in Iraq. So I think we absolutely
did the right thing," Isakson said.

Ok, this does not make sense. You don't go to WAR, killing thousands, on faulty evidence that many people considered shoddy at best. Then you have to come up with justifications for the war AFTER THE FACT?

"Oh, sorry I beat my wife officer. I found her in bed with another man the other day, so last month's beating was because I just knew she was going to do it."

Whatever.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, January 12, 2005, , links to this post

The Bastards Finally Admit that WMAs Do Not Exist in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) The search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has quietly
concluded without any evidence of the banned weapons that President Bush cited
as justification for going to war, the White House said Wednesday

It was an obvious goose chase from the very beginning, designed to distract the 'masses' while the corporate-loving neocon republicans hijacked the US military to lay waste to an entire country. The US takes the blame/credit and is forced to 'rebuild,' thus creating a money machine to end all money machines. "Fighting terrorists on foreign soil," my ass.

Who benefits? Large private corporations, investors, the Bush family bank accounts (I mean, really, if the country you are leading only pays you $400,000 a year, but Saudi oil companies are paying you millions, where are your loyalties going to shift?). All this while us lower-middle class people suffer from job loss, inflation, and devalued, meager wages.

The Iraq Survey Group, made up of some 1,200 military and intelligence
specialists and support staff, spent nearly two years searching military
installations, factories and laboratories whose equipment and products might be
converted quickly to making weapons.

And before that, weapons inspectors. It's hard to believe that it took 1,200 people to confirm what we already knew from the beginning. And truly, honestly, regardless of whether they had WMDs, it was never a reason to go to war as long as we ourselves have them. As long as Brazil, and Russia, and North Korea and dozens of other countries have them.

''If they have any reports of (weapons of mass destruction) obviously they'll
continue to follow up on those reports,'' McClellan said. ''A lot of their
mission is focused elsewhere now.''

Like in trying to find an exit strategy that won't make us look even stupider to the rest of the world? Or in finding the next country to invade? What is our mission now that the primary reason for being there in the first place has been completely dissolved? I'm sure we'd all like to know.

Chief U.S. weapons hunter Charles Duelfer is to deliver his final report on the
search next month. ''It's not going to fundamentally alter the findings of his
earlier report,'' McClellan said, referring to preliminary findings from last September. Duelfer reported then that Saddam Hussein not only had no weapons of mass destruction and had not made any since 1991, but that he had no capability of making any either. Bush unapologetically defended his decision to invade Iraq.

This Administration is less than a joke. Plain and simple. This report is proof of that.

Bush has appointed a panel to investigate why the intelligence about Iraq's
weapons was wrong.

Why don't we have an independent panel not appointed by the primary suspect in this fiasco? In criminal trials, you never allow the suspect to pick and choose the investigators. So why does Bush get to?

I can tell you why the intelligence was wrong: your good buddy Dick Cheney, yourself and several colleagues hyped up the evidence, using your religion (either consciously or not) to perpetuate and justify your fear of other cultures. The ideology that you push onto the world, 'letting freedom reign,' is being shoved down people's throats that don't want to listen. Whether you are right or wrong, not everyone shares your opinions, and bombing people into submission over a political and religious ideology is not the American Way. If you, Mr. Bush, wish to promote liberty, freedom and justice, you need to do some soul-searching and make an example of yourself. What would Jesus do?

Instead, you allow simple-mindedness, ego, pride, greed and fear get in the way of whatever intelligence you actually possess. And if there is a Great God in Heaven Above, he's probably not very pleased with you.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, January 12, 2005, , links to this post

Fucking Blogger
1/11/2005

Sometimes I really hate blogger. It ate the best, most heartfelt and personal post in the history of my blog. GRRRR!

Super Summary: Life isn't the way I want it (whine whine whine). I've done lots of shit, but I'm eager to really dig into the meat and potatoes of what life is all about. Time to do something different. After all, I'm a Gemini, so that's a good enough excuse as any.

I think I'll start off with some introspection, really get in there and explore what makes me tick. But not in a violent, uprooting way. A little gentle soul medicine instead. Perhaps a retreat to St. Francis of the Woods, or Heart Song in Deer, Arkansas. Or maybe an internal retreat over a long 3-day weekend. Away from my nasty house and all the dusty animals. Away from my family, friends, and all the people that I am regularly in touch with.

I get this way about once a year. And then I do a few silly things before losing interest and going back to my 'survive survive survive and have a few good laughs' lifestyle. This journal might help me to keep track of my thoughts, keep me on course, etc. One hopes. Hell, if I can quit smoking (it's been over a year now), I should be able to take a nice mental break and dip my soul into some good introspective peace and healing every now and then. It seems a lot easier than quitting a nasty habit, but it's not. It requires making a decision, something I'm not very good at after hours.

That said, it's probably time to get off this stinking box and get ready for bed.

BTW, you might notice posts from another name. This is my partner in crime, Edward Svengali, master of disguise. He's too lazy to set up his own blog, so I thought I'd lend him the use of mine to make things a little more interesting. He likes to bitch about neocons, republicans and other seedy folk far more than I, so we'll just let him do that. And in the process, maybe I'll get a break or two.

G'night.

posted by novachild @ Tuesday, January 11, 2005, , links to this post

Dawn of the Dead (2004) Extras and Dean Candidacy

I rented the new (2004) Dawn of the Dead Director's cut. While not my favorite zombie flick, it's good enough for a renter. The original Romero flick is far better, in my opinion, and I don't like the idea of zombies who can sprint (I know I know. They did it in 28 Days Later, but technically rage-infested people are not zombies).

The interesting bit is found in the extras. The late Richard Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin in Babylon 5 and passed away earlier this year, appears in some unused footage (rather extensively). He plays the part of a news reporter, providing the 'last news broadcast' before the airwaves are taken over by the EBN. Even more interestingly, the newsfeed includes an audio message from the President of the United States (in this case, Bruce Boxleitner, who of course plays John Sheridan in B5). And just before this, there's a bit of footage on how to kill a zombie, and the narrator/instructor appears to be Gary Cole, who plays Gideon in the short-lived Crusade.

I could be wrong about that last bit, but the guy really sounded like Gary Cole. Strange that so many B5 people were involved in this movie and then were subsequently cut. Esp. the Richard Biggs footage. He is already missed, and I didn't even know him!

Lastly, it seems that Howard Dean has officially announced his candidacy for chairman of the DNC. Yippee! The screaming candidate was my favorite pick to beat Bush; it would have been a real treat to see these two going at it, much more animated I'm sure than the Kerry/Bush debates (although I did think Kerry did splendidly).

And I know it's posted elsewhere on the net, but for the sake of permanence and for my personal reference, here is Howard Dean's announcement letter. Read it, because it's eloquent and true, especially the bit about not giving in to the rhetoric of the Republican right.

Today, I'm announcing my candidacy for the Chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, and I am asking for your vote.

Terry McAuliffe will soon step down, leaving the Democratic Party solvent and poised for growth for the first time ever after a presidential campaign. As a result, our Party has an enormous opportunity to build on the energy and experience of the last election -- and your decision about our next leader will be critical to building a party that grows our base and creates a lasting majority.

We need a party focused on more than the next election. We need to build an infrastructure now that will remain in place not only in 2008, but in 2005, 2006, 2007 and beyond. There is only one way to do this: together, we must build from the ground up.

The states are a central piece of that strategy. The Democratic Party needs a vibrant, forward-thinking, long-term presence in every single state. We must give our state parties the tools and resources they need in order to be successful. We must be willing to contest every race at every level. We can only win when we show up.

Another integral part of our strategy must be cultivating the party's grassroots. Our success depends on all of us taking an active role in our party and in the political process, by encouraging small donations, by taking the Democratic message into every community, and by organizing at the local level. After all, new ideas and new leaders don't come from consultants; they come from communities.

As important as organization is, alone it cannot win us elections. Offering a new choice means making Democrats the party of reform -- reforming America's financial situation, reforming our electoral process, reforming health care, reforming education and putting morality back in our foreign policy. The Democratic Party will not win elections or build a lasting majority solely by changing its rhetoric, nor will we win by adopting the other side's positions. We must say what we mean -- and mean real change when we say it.

But most of all, together, we have to rebuild the American community. We will never succeed by treating our nation as a collection of separate regions or separate groups. There are no red states or blues states, only American states. And we must talk to the people in all of these states as members of one community.

That word -- 'values' -- has lately become a codeword for appeasement of the right-wing fringe. But when political calculations make us soften our opposition to bigotry, or sign on to policies that add to the burden of ordinary Americans, we have abandoned our true values.

We cannot let that happen. And we cannot just mouth the words. Our party must speak plainly and our agenda must clearly reflect the socially progressive, fiscally responsible values that bring our party -- and the vast majority of Americans -- together.

All of this will require both national perspective and local experience. I know what it's like to lead hands-on at the state level and I know what it's like to run for national office.

My organization, Democracy for America, has already begun creating the kind of organization the Democratic Party can be. This past election cycle, we endorsed over 100 candidates at all levels of government -- from school board to U.S. Senate. We contributed close to a million dollars to nearly 750 candidates around the country and raised millions of dollars more for key candidates, including John Kerry.

We helped elect a Democratic governor in Montana, a Democratic mayor of Salt Lake County, Utah and an African American woman to the bench in Alabama. Fifteen of the candidates we endorsed had never run for office before -- and won.

I also have experience building and managing a local party organization. My career started as Democratic Party chair in Chittenden County, Vermont. I then ran successful campaigns: for state legislature, lieutenant governor and then governor. In my 11-year tenure as governor, I balanced the state's budget every year.

I served as chair of both the National Governors' Association and the Democratic Governors' Association (DGA). And as chair of the DGA, I helped recruit nearly 20 governors that won -- even in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi.

All of these experiences have only reaffirmed what I know to be true. There is only one party that speaks to the hopes and dreams of all Americans. It is the party you have already given so much to. It is the Democratic Party.

We can win elections only by standing up for what we believe.

I look forward to speaking with you and hearing your thoughts in the coming weeks. Please feel free to contact me at 802-xxx-xxxx or via e-mail at xxxxx.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

posted by novachild @ Tuesday, January 11, 2005, , links to this post

Waterstone Employee Sacked for Writing Blog

Shame on Waterstone's! Shame on any company that feels they own the lives of their employees. This reminds me of a similar thing that happened about 2 years ago with Border's. An employee there wanted to start a worker's union a few years ago, and Border's fired her. What was her name?

Regardless, it seems that now they DO have a union of sorts. The IWW, a 'union for all workers,' represents a number of 'industries.' Their goal is to remain open to all workers and organize the employee, not the job. Pretty interesting stuff.

Side note. An open-source 'google' without the ads is being developed. The creator expects lots of legal trouble with Google, but apparently he has some pretty good arguments for what he's doing. Check out the story here and Scroogle here.

Ed Svengali

posted by Edward Svengali @ Tuesday, January 11, 2005, , links to this post

Illinois Senate and Gay Rights

Why anyone would want to question or limit the rights of people based on sexual inclination is beyond me. However, it is still a big victory for civil rights in Illinois that their senate passed a measure prohibiting job and housing discrimination against homosexuals.

Still, it is evident that 28 members of the Illinois senate seem to think that gay people are subhuman. Why would anyone want bigotry in their lawmakers? Answer: because so many people in this country are still bigots, even after all the freedoms we've 'fought for' in the past. All of our rhetoric about people being equal doesn't seem to mean shit to these poor bastards.

If anything, common sense and fairness will win out. There is no doubt of that. And when the 'other group' gets smaller and smaller, perhaps we can start some programs to help them get their sick heads straight.

Ed Svengali

posted by Edward Svengali @ Tuesday, January 11, 2005, , links to this post

Review: White Noise
1/09/2005

The movie we were supposed to go see yesterday was White Noise, but instead we watched The Life Aquatic, the second worst film I have seen at the theater. Don't get me wrong; I love adventurous, off the grid movies. But Life Aquatic was deadpan for the sake of being deadpan, and nothing more. I love to hate this movie.

Tonight, to recoup our losses, we went to see White Noise - the film debut of director Geoffrey Sax and starring Michael Keaton. Geoffrey Sax is better known in fandom circles as the director of the ill-fated 1996 fox version of Doctor Who. Michael Keaton, as you probably remember, was Batman in the 2 Tim Burton movies (not the suck-ass sequels).

As this is Geoffrey Sax's first film for the big screen, I wasn't expecting Alfred Hitchcock or Stanley Kubrick (though this film would have shone greatly under the late Kubrick's direction). What we get is a bit more than standard Hollywood fare, though with a few too many cliches, and a potential glimpse of better things to come from this Director.

Michael Keaton plays a successful business owner (architect) named Jonathan Rivers. He is married to a beautiful, successful writer named Anna Rivers. She dies, and depression ensues. Through a series of events, he becomes obsessed with trying to receive communications from her via EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). Things get strange. And scary. But he keeps on walking through the scenery. When all is said and done, why do people continue to walk into danger in horror movies? Why don't they just listen to their common sense, turn around and go home?

What is EVP? In the 'real' sense, ghost hunters plan trips to haunted places, bringing tape recorders and microphones with them. When they arrive, they turn on the recorder and ask a series of questions out loud, then play the tapes back when they get home. Occasionally, strange voices appear on the tapes, so they isolate them for further analysis. There are a ton of web sites from ghost hunters around the world with EVP available for your own listening pleasure, and I've even composed a song out of a series of EVP (borrowed, of course). The idea was to conduct a symphony of voices from beyond the grave. One day I will post it.

Anyhow, the EVP featured in this film revolves around the use of AM band 'white noise' and off-channel television snow. This isn't what most 'ghost hunters' do when searching out EVP; however, it works for the film and creates an atmosphere in which the grieving husband can experience his self-inflicted derangement and obsession. He begins to think that his dead wife is (spoilers) helping him to prevent deaths by showing him 'visions' in the static on the TV; however, the big cliche here is not new. "Don't mess with that stuff," says the psychic. Like oija boards, tarot cards, dowsing, a relatively Christian perspective is probably what gives this film its creepiness. Without it, the cliche just wouldn't work.

The scenes of the TV static are especially unsettling. More than worth the price of admission. But the ending was a bit rushed. Any film that doesn't use an over-abundance of CGI should not end with a giant CGI climax. It just doesn't fit.

All in all, a very enjoyable, atmospheric film. Watch out for bigger and better things from this director. However, if you are already familiar with EVP, it's likely that you've already heard some things much creepier than any movie will provide you.

More about EVP:

Back in the early 1950's, William S. Burroughs was at the height of his heroin addiction. He claimed he could record speeches and communications from dead persons on his reel-to-reel recorder in a sound-proof room. Much earlier, Thomas Edison was attempting to build devices that would allow him to communicate with the dead. So was Nicholai Tesla, I believe. Nowadays, interest in the 'other side' has more of a casual flair, as ghost hunter groups are forming all over the world to explore, experiment and experience phenomenon to PROVE the existence of an afterlife, or of noncorporeality, to themselves.

Google for EVP, and you will find lots of info, from interesting to eye-rolling. It's all there.

Another source is past Coast to Coast radio shows. A certain couple (their names escape me at the moment) meet up with Art or George about every 3-4 months with a series of new EVP clips. They play them ON THE AIR. Last time I heard them, we were driving home from vacation and practically ran off the road a couple of times. Some of this stuff is very creepy.

Anyhow, that about does it for me today. Good popcorn flick; might need to see it again someday, though I'll probably forget all about it next weekend when Electra shows up on the big screen!

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 09, 2005, , links to this post

Review: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Sometimes a movie comes along that is so unique, so chock full of great ideas and wonderful actors and spilling over with such creativity and good vibes that you wonder why it ends up being such a sad, pointless farce.

I really wanted to like this movie. I tried my hardest to appreciate it. But in the end, I wanted my two hours back plus interest for the agony.

The plot is fairly nonexistent (not that I NEED plot for a good movie), and the characters are uninteresting (as in paint drying). Wooden acting, disconnected and self-indulgent sub-plots. It's as if someone took all of the boring bits from Fellini's movies and had them re-directed by a hybrid between John Hughes and Terry Gilliam. Then someone came along and spiked all the actors' drinks with THC. It's a little bit wierd, and I like wierd, but even the surreal moments seem contrived.

Then there's the scene where the dog gets whacked in the head by a nasty Jeff Goldblum. I don't like movies that display animal cruelty in a 'humorous' way, so there's another point against it.

I can see where the creators where trying to do something different, and in a way they succeeded. Visually, it's like listening to Radiohead; always something emotional just boiling under the surface. I love the soundtrack; Mark Mothersbaugh is a GOD, but even his contribution doesn't save the wasted celluloid that is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

I've seen wierd 'art' movies and loved them (Track 29, Delicatessen, Brazil, etc.). I've seen bad bad movies and liked them (Plan 9, Manos, anything with 'blood' in the name). I love every minute of Until The End of the World, the Director's Cut (all 4 hours). But I can safely say that I will never, ever watch this movie again.

Somehow, it's gained a 7-star rating at imdb.com. That's really odd.

posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 09, 2005, ,