When the world is falling apart at the seams and all its guts are spilling into the streets only to be trampled on by opportunistic, self-absorbed, narrow-minded conservative zombies, it's time for artists, poets, and creative persons to come out of their shells, come out of hiding, and get together to share ideas, promote justice and equality, and enjoy the creative spirit for all it is worth while they still can.

I've been doing this - getting out of my shell. I've been checking out local venues for self-expression, and last night I stumbled upon a rare, surreal, yet somehow enticing little place just outside of space and time. It's called Seekers Gallery. And they were holding an open mic.

My wife and I pulled into the tiny parking lot when a familiar face walked by. Mac'roi, who frequents another venue I have been performing in recently, strolled up with guitar in hand. He is, to me, a fine example of individuality embracing the creative ideal. We have a nice little enthusiastic chat - I explain my typical reluctance to try new things, because I've often been disappointed by the local scene. But I'm willing to step inside (and I HOPE they have food because I haven't eaten dinner). I ask if it's as structured as Gypsy; he says absolutely not. There isn't really a structure at all. Free-form, mostly, and very laid back. He says we really need to check out the artwork, too. After all, it's an art gallery. And last time he was there, one or two pieces caught his eye and nearly made him reach for his wallet.

So in we go, and we are suddenly transported back in time to anothe era - a time of free spirits, creative madmen and long-hair tie-dye armies. The powerful odor of Nag Champa assaults our nasal passages, and a subtle scent of mildew (we later find out that the roof's been leaking, and they are desperately trying to raise funds to repair it). There is very little organization about the place. Artwork is hung in little stalls, but not in any particular order of arrangement. Pieces range from complex, LSD-induced tapestries to simple abstract texture, with random bits of hyper-realism thrown in. Even the doors and ceiling tiles are painted with washes of color, minimalistic faces and childrens' handprints. It's groovy, man. Straight out of a 1960's exploitation flick, or the pages of a Tom Robbins novel.

I immediately look for familiar faces. There's Mac'roi, Alice (or Alison), and Laney (the host), a spacy, far-out mother with creamy milk skin, a beautiful 'infinity' tattoo, and her cute little boy Meridian. And quite an arrangement of eccentrics, artists, teenagers and hippies. The air is a melancholy vibe, but exciting and filled with an almost sexual tension; not in the same sense as a bar or a meatmarket, but more of an openness and comfort in the way that people are, the way they came, without too much pretention or desperation to be anything other than comfortable. There is cleavage here, and warm, beautiful bodies, and groovin' souls admiring the creative spirit. There are grandmothers, mothers, sons and daughters. There are hairy armpits, bra-less females, and teenage folk guitarists with dirty tee-shirts. And more guitars, amps and hand instruments than one can shake a stick at.

The only thing that would make all of this perfect: espresso bar. Maybe some wine (I later discover that a bottle of white wine is being passed around, but as I am the driver for the evening I decide not to pursue it).

Seekers is the antithesis of Gypsy. Where Gypsy has order and rules (justifiably so), Seeker's has none of these things. The place is wired with a general consensus approach, not a list of rules. And this is refreshing, even if it means some of the performers go on a bit too long. The one rule that I don't miss is the 'original material only' rule. It's wonderful to hear cover songs from the '60s evolve into 20-minute jam sessions with audience participation. Getting into the zone is what it's all about, the zone where people are less uptight about 'perfection' and embrace the enthusiasm of what everybody is doing.

Through this little exercise, I realize how amazingly uptight I have become over the years. A decade ago, I would have been the perfect example of free spirit. I would have blended right in. But I've become so wrapped up in the news, political events, and crusading for common sense that I might have forgotten the essential importance of what it means to not carry around so much baggage.

It's that kind of pace. Seekers doesn't cry out for perfection, it just is what it is. A synchronious platter of whoever arrives, measured only by the sum of the creative energy that is injected by the people present. While a little organization might uplift the atmosphere, it might also take away some of its innate charm. So I appreciate it for what it is, and I will definitely be coming back. And next time, I'll bring bigger drums.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 29, 2005, , links to this post

"Terror" On The Rise
4/27/2005

One would figure that after $165 BILLION dollars, thousands of lives lost and countless thousands of people who are now permanently disfigured, the 'War on Terror' might have resulted in fewer "Terrorist Acts." But apparently not. It seems all the hee-hawing and aw-shucksin' has been for naught because ...
The number of serious international terrorist incidents more than tripled last year, according to U.S. government figures, a sharp upswing in deadly attacks that the State Department has decided not to make public in its annual report on terrorism due to Congress this week.

I don't know. It's utter fucking madness. And it must end. We have already passed the point of no return; no American alive, nor our descendants, will be immune to the backlash of our inability to oust a President so hell-bent on bloodshed, greed and opportunism. We need a Robin Hood about now.
"Last year was bad. This year is worse. They are deliberately trying to withhold data because it shows that as far as the war on terrorism internationally, we're losing," said Larry C. Johnson, a former senior State Department counterterrorism official, who first revealed the decision not to publish the data.

Are we losing? Or are we provoking more violence? When does the peace start, Mr. President? Before or after you put away your own bombs?

We will feel the shockwaves of the Bush Administration for many years to come, I am afraid, and the people who voted for him will continue to pretend that he is the saviour of this god-fearin' Nation.

Now if we waged a War on Stupidity, then I might just support that.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, April 27, 2005, , links to this post

Tidbits
4/26/2005

Nothing astounding, angry or urgent to post today. Just browsing other blogs and enjoying a day without too much travesty.

Good 'neighbor' Miss M noticed something unusual in a Revlon commercial. The actresses eyes are different colors. Check this out. Isn't she just pretty with those two different colors (it's called Heterochromia iridium)? My late lamented dalmation doggie friend Lucky had eyes of two different colors. One was blue, and the other was brown. Not sure if it's quite the same thing, though.

For more info about how eyes can be different colors, read this article from Scientific American.

I have noticed that my eyes change hue and lightness, depending upon my mood. My high school sweetheart, I believe, mentioned it first. Apparently there is no scientific explanation, and experts usually state that it has something to do with the ambient lighting or the predominant color of the local environment. But I have stared at myself in the mirror and watched them change from dark to light, so I know it's happening independent of my surroundings. Perhaps the change in fleshtone has something to do with it, like when one gets angry or hot and bothered? Nevertheless, I'm a freak of nature. One way or another.

Looks like another good 'neighbor' lŭḱē is an Art Teacher now. How cool is that? I want to be an art teacher! Man.

Lastly, I'm not going to allude to the fact that this seems rather gay, especially given 'our' President's stance on homosexuality. But it does look like he'll do just about anything for oil. I can only imagine what that Middle Eastern food must smell like on the Crown Prince's breath. Maybe a little saffron tossed in for good measure...

Perhaps it's just the Kissing Booth at a Saudi School carnival?

Gimme some sugar, Baby. And watch that tongue!

Heh. The funny thing is, I read somewhere today that if all cars' gas mileage was improved by 6.5 mpg, we would completely eliminate our dependence on Saudi oil. But I guess the huggin' and kissin' was a lot more fun!

posted by Edward Svengali @ Tuesday, April 26, 2005, , links to this post

Have I Ever?
4/25/2005

Regular visitors to this blog know exactly how I feel about George Bush, Republicans, the self-righteous bastards pretending to be the right hand of God, etc. etc.

But I never have mentioned my opinion of former President Clinton. Let's just put it this way. He's a centrist. A people pleaser. And while I admire his courage during his second term to basically outwit the media on the sex scandal issue (I'm all FOR a human President), I still think he is a far cry from the kind of leader this country needed. Or the UN for that matter.

So this story only validates my mistrust in 'old-style' democrats. This is the kind of crap that kept me as an independent for so long, and why I haven't actually MAILED my new voter registration to become a Democrat (yes, at the last minute I chickened out and yanked it out of the mailbox).
Appearing on a giant screen at a Labour Party meeting in London, the former Democrat leader (Clinton) warned that when a country has "a progressive government in power, people get a little easily disillusioned".
I'm wondering if Clinton has actually met George W. Bush. Perhaps he's a little confused?

So I'm still independent, though people like Barbara Boxer, Howard Dean and (to some degree) Senate Minority Leader Reid compel me to make the change. It's people like Clinton and his regime that make me leery of forking over that application. And unless someone would like to persuade me to take the plunge, I'll probably stay right where I am.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 25, 2005, , links to this post

Read This
4/22/2005

Read this and then try to tell me that current Republican leaders aren't the most corrupt, self-indulgent bastards that ever walked the earth.

They are going against their own majority here. They are going against common sense and 200 years of Senate History. When this hits the fan, it's going to hurt them pretty deep, and I won't be one to feel sorry for them.

And Dick Cheney still eats cats for breakfast. ;-)

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 22, 2005, , links to this post

Onward Forum Soldiers

I browse Christian forums occasionally, not entirely for self-abuse but also for enlightenment. And I love a good theological argument. It gets me all excited to see believers and non-believers duking it out like a couple of fightin' roosters. (Hey, I know it might be sad and pathetic, but most people like to watch a bunch of dumb-ass football players slapping each other on the ass for hours for the same kind of kicks. Ask yourself: which is worse?)

Many 'non-believers' post in Christian forums, and occasionally their posts are absolutely brilliant. Not offensive, not aggressive and rude, but beautifully written and well-established, sincere perspectives of why they just don't buy the creed. Like this one. And at that point, it is the believer's job to tear their perspectives to shreds while struggling with the 'face value' of the role they have adopted. In other words, they not only reject the thesis, but also they reject any notion that the 'non-believer' can justifiably feel the way he does, based on a scriptural text that the nonbeliever doesn't even consider valid. It's really an impossible gesture on both sides; one guy believes the scripture to be the only source of truth, and the other guy believes that the scripture is simply hearsay handed down from hundreds of years of verbal tradition. This makes the debate occasionally interesting, but usually it's just a fun 'duke-em nuke-em' for the whole family. The controversial argument of two distinctly oppossite perspectives creates a sort of paradox, and paradox has a way of turning normal everyday people into raving madmen. Anyone read Pratchett, lately?

Here is a line that I see every time a 'non-believer' posts his reasons as to why he/she doesn't believe in the existence of Jesus, and uses a non-gospel historical document to justify his thesis:
You can't base anything on non-gospel accounts.

And then further in the discussion, the 'Believer' asks the 'non-believer' to quote all of his sources for all of the reasons why he doesn't believe Jesus exists. The 'Believer' has already expressed the opinion that they aren't valid. So why does he/she suddenly need sources? Only to debunk them, one by one, which points the way toward their true intent NOT to discuss or explore, but to continue to twist words in such a way to support their perspective. This is antithetical to the logical process.

Some docemented proof, please.

Then the 'Believer' nearly always gets snarky and bullheaded. The non-believer, who came for intelligent discussion, is now offended by the snarkiness and the self-righteousness of the 'Believer/s' and either gets heated and stupid or just walks away, feeling somehow cheated or slighted and probably even more disgusted with Christianity as a whole.

So I'm not a Christian. But I can give advice. If you see these guys in your forums, you can either masturbate to a number of biblical passages and tear their ideas to shreds, or you can be a little more human about it and be OK with them having their perspective. Put away your agenda and just talk, person to person. That's what any good-natured 'non-believer' would do.

And while I think many non-believers are well-intentioned in their sharing of viewpoints, I also think it is a futile gesture. Especially in a public Christian forum. Kind of like this journal entry.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 22, 2005, , links to this post

A NOVEL (regarding the TDWVS)

Novachild asked me to post this for him, as he forgot to do it last night. It's a letter to the Tulsa Dr. Who Viewing Society, of which he has been the Organizer for six years.

Greetings, fellow Whovians:

Being the "Organizer" for the Tulsa Dr. Who Viewing Society has been many things to me over the last six years. I have enjoyed it immensely, and I feel enriched by the experience. I want to share some of my experience with all of you, and then make an official announcement.

The Beginning:

I began posting announcements about the TDWVS in February of 1999, shortly after I obtained a significant amount of episodes on VHS. I wanted to share the experience with other fans, get them together and see what happened. I knew there had to be other fans of this fantastic show around here, and it was exciting to find out just how many!

(My wife) helped me a lot. She liaisoned with the library and came to every meeting. She would go to Kinko's to print the newsletter when I was running behind on other things. I really miss that, but now she has to work weekends so it's just not practical for her.

In the beginning, it was all excitement and nerves. I was a different person then. I had no exposure to fandom of any kind, and suddenly I found myself knee-deep in it.

We were meeting in the Story Time Room for the first six months, on horrible a/v equipment and speakers I brought in myself (boom box speakers). It was surreal at the beginning, but everyone who came was very enthusiastic and willing to share a great deal of their energy with others.

I will always remember the first meeting as the "Whovian Anonymous" meeting. When I asked everyone to introduce themselves, it became a round of confessions, and it was hilarious! I counted 17 heads that day, but (my wife) and Tim have corrected me a number of times by saying that it was well over 20. I remember Scott Montgomery especially, because he was decked out in his Pertwee costume and was rather flamboyant and a lot of fun. And I remember Tim; he was a little thinner then and generous with his space and his libation.

Lifelong friendships and acquaintances were made that day, and I still keep in touch with many of those old TDWVSers.

A lot more people showed up the first year. We averaged around 15-16 people per meeting, and we even had a newsletter that I put together every month for two years (Timelord Invasion). I eventually had to stop making the newsletter, because it was costly and extremely time consuming. We used to take donations back then, and the donations dwindled to the point where they were no longer covering the costs of printing. I offered it up for others to take up the mantle, but alas nobody volunteered, so I let it die a quiet, painless death after 24 straight issues.

Because we stopped printing a newsletter, I decided to stop accepting donations. This was probably a bad idea, now that I look back on it. Imagine what sort of money we could have raised for big events by now!

Nobody seemed to notice much when the newsletter went away, which was a big relief for me! I didn't want to have to answer for my actions. Frank noticed it the most, probably, because he was always very supportive of them and said he was collecting them all. So was Scott Montgomery, a member I haven't seen in awhile and miss dearly. I felt honored that somebody would value the newsletters the way they did, and the submissions from Joel, Scott and others were always well received.

Sadly, none of them exist electronically, and I didn't keep very many, so Frank's collection is likely all that remains of my newsletter.

When we moved into the Lecture Room, things improved because we didn't have to worry about being AS quiet. Since there were no windows, we could actually enjoy the presentation, because we could see it! I purchased some rather expensive Bose indoor/outdoor speakers so we could hear the show better, and before every meeting I had to run a hundred feet of speaker wire under the chairs and hope that nobody would trip over them. If I remember correctly, Ned tripped over them once or twice and put a nice little dent in the speaker casing. So I started putting the speakers on the floor instead :)

When we moved into the auditorium, it was like someone handed us the keys to their Lexus. I never thought I'd see Doctor Who on a screen that size, and those of you who were around before, you can remember how wonderful it was. When I was a kid, this was how big the screens were at the theater! And here we were, watching Doctor Who in all its shaky-set glory. Fantastic.

We even managed to wrangle enough money to get John Levene (Sgt. Benton) down here for a weekend. I met him in St. Louis (many thanks to Zoe!). He was wonderful, but unfortunately the attendance was rather low and we didn't make enough money to pay him for the event (aside from hotel, meals, and transportation). He gave his heart and soul that evening, and we proved that we could do BIG THINGS with our 'Organization' if we really wanted to. John was still grateful for the weekend vacation - even though we basically stiffed him! We still keep in touch to this day, through email and the occasional telephone call (he's a bit nuts, but I enjoy him anyway). I think that my relationship with John and Jennifer has taken on a life of its own, outside of the appreciation I have for the show. It's a wonderful thing.

This year, we've started some great projects. We're having a garage sale this month to raise money for a TDWVS-sponsored video room at Conestoga. I'm (someday very soon) going to design our second Tee-Shirt, the funds of which are also going to pay for the video room and another event if there are funds left over. Attendance has increased because we have a new series to watch, and our perseverance has paid off a great deal in the last few meetings.

My Announcement

After 6 long and wonderful years of being the "Organizer," I'd like to hang up my 'title' and role for awhile. I think I've done a good job at it, and I'm so thankful to have been such an integral part of it. I think I deserve a break. I held on until new DW was available, which was my original goal anyway!

I just need a fresh start; a clean slate. It would be a disservice to all of you for me to continue in this role, as I've worn myself out of the desire to maintain it!

The TDWVS has been one of the great successes of my life. I never realized it would affect me on such an emotional level. But it has, and here I am, exalting the experience and passing it on with a bit of a tear in my eye. I've made excellent friends, and I've been influenced by some of the most wonderful and positive people I've ever met. The TDWVS can survive without me at the helm, especially if we all remain positive, enthusiastic, and supportive of whoever takes up the role.

I wish to thank every one of you, past and present, for supporting the TDWVS and my role in it. Zoe, for your encouragement. Chris, for your perseverance and support. Ned for your volunteerism. Scott Montgomery, for your submissions to the newsletter and your hospitality. Joel Getter, for your submission to the newsletter and your enthusiasm for what we do. Tim Smith, for generosity and kindness that knows no bounds. Elizabeth and Michelle, for your constant loving affection for the show and your willing participation in everything. Dean Harvey, for your generosity and amazing loyalty. Serendipity, for your supportive presence, communication, and willingness to come down and help us celebrate our birthday! And so many people who are here in the sidelines, or gone to other things, I give you all my thanks and appreciation.

That said...

The TDWVS Always Needs an "Organizer"

One of you will be the next Organizer, or there just won't be one. Don't assume you know who it will be; let's give everyone a willing chance to step up. Let the idea sink in, and this Saturday, I expect to see posts from people willing to take the role.

Before I completely dissolve my role, we need to go over some important facts about what an Organizer is and isn't.

First of all, an Organizer listens. He/She isn't a 'boss' at all. Being an "Organizer" really means being an uber-volunteer, somebody that does legwork to make sure things are done, somebody that shows up whether he/she wants to or not, someone that remembers to consider the input and ideas and enthusiasm of other members before making decisions, and someone who doesn't get heated and short-tempered when things don't go so well (it's ok every now and again, but not a good habit).

That said, an Organizer should be appreciated by everyone involved. He/She is making a serious effort, sacrificing time and resources to smooth out the creases and make things go in a positive way. One should not constantly embattle themselves with the Organizer unless it is sincere, and positive, and constructive. One should not gang up on the Organizer unless one is prepared to take on the role him/herself. Keep it apolitical and civil.

An Organizer is able to delegate tasks when needed, take on responsibilities when no one steps up to the plate, and not complain too much about it when others don't meet their 'expectations' (best not to have any). After all, it's a Viewing Society, not a day job.

An Organizer needs to be able to inject enthusiasm in others, and draw out talents of others for the betterment of the Group Experience. An Organizer is responsible for arranging meeting dates, times, and equipment with the Library's Media Center. The Organizer is responsible for maintaining positive relationships with the Media Center, too (he he). That includes not stomping on Security Guards just because they treat members like crap (I've been tempted beyond belief).

Oh, and the Organizer gets everyone out on time, regardless of whether the screening is over or not! Otherwise, no more TDWVS at the library.

And when an Organizer feels that he has done all he can with the enthusiasm, patience and tolerance that he has, he needs to find support within the group to urge him on for another year or two before hanging up the hat. Trust, talk, and be sincere. And don't leave an unresolved situation.

That's what it's like to be an Organizer. And now I ask all of you: Who wants to be the Organizer now?

Don't respond immediately. Take your time to really think about it. Respond with a Yes or No sometime on Saturday, April 23 AFTER the meeting. Come to the meeting pretending to be the Organizer. I'll make a poll with the names of the delegates, and we'll decide it that way. I'll hang on til the first May meeting and give everyone time to really think about it.

Thank you for your patience, kindness, understanding and support. I appreciate you all in many ways, and could never have lasted this long without you.

Best of Luck to the next one.

Yours Truly,
(Novachild)

P.S. I still wouldn't mind keeping the non-DW poll, though! I've got LOTS of unused material.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 22, 2005, , links to this post

Garage Days
4/18/2005

A friend posted this in a YahooGroup I'm subscribed to, and below is my response. I wanted to share it here because it resonates with me, and it's a strong memory, and some people reading my journal might benefit from knowing a bit more about my passion for music. Because I don't really talk much about it.

My friend:
When I listen to the CDs I can still feel the Bass in my hands, the sweat on my clothes, the microphone, the clammy Nebraska heat and the bitter Nebraska cold. I can still see everyone, standing, playing, jumping up and down, laughing, getting annoyed when others screwed up the take. It is the very picture of bittersweet. God help those who don't have such powerful memories or music in their lives.
My Response:

Halle-fecking-Lujah.

I miss my band. I miss my best friend, who disappeared after our band split up nearly a decade ago. I miss him terribly, and there's some bad blood there I'm sure. But the passion and the fury and the intensity of that bass in my hands, the screaming and jiving and long awkward moments in the garage rehearsing, the not-quite-successful studio recording, the few gigs and eventual disappearance of our band from the local circuit. And the seclusion that sets in afterwards. And then the discovery of Computer Music and tools to allow me to take care of all the parts. And the desire to go back to find 'synergy' with others ...

I don't regret a minute of it. And I'd probably do it all again in a heartbeat. I LOVED opening up for the Bullweavils, and NOTA, and playing in basements packed with punk rockers, skinheads, hippies, trendies. The sweat, the heat, the ecstatic wave that hits once the show is over and people are happy enough with it to clap.

Now I just need to figure out how to get THAT on a stage with just me and some hardware. Is it possible, I wonder?

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 18, 2005, , links to this post

A Crowd of Thoughts

I've discovered something (though it isn't new, and I seem to keep rediscovering it about every 3-4 weeks). Much of my day-to-day anger, feelings of rage, insanity and general unhappiness is the result of the news I read about the world around me.

Granted, I read a LOT of news. And so I deduct with a high probability of accuracy what is 'going on' in the world. Though sometimes I get the feeling that I'm just being sent for a ride by the Ministry of Propaganda, it's hard to dispute the reports of 20-30 reputable gloal news sources when their facts line up. Once you distill the facts, connecting the dots is usually fairly simple.

I am also very proud of my 'gut feeling.' When I don't have all of the facts, my intuition usually doesn't let me down. Still, I try not to take most of this crap seriously, and if I'm wrong, then it's not the end of the world (and so what if it is?) - we can all go about our business. Most of the time the world is just repeating things that didn't work the first time, over and over.

It's no surprise that I tie my general feelings of depression to the news I read. In my experience, thought creates the world around us, and I'm soaking myself in bad news nearly all the time. I can't help it, really. Just living here means I've got no choice really but to sit in the 'apocalyptic stew' with the rest of humanity.

For those who don't believe me about thoughts creating reality, just think about this for a minute. Where do we think all this crap comes from? Somebody had to think of it first. Plastic tampon applicators didn't just pop into existence all by themselves. Some clever person had to think of it first. And where does that thought come from? Perhaps it emanates magically out of Robert Tilton's holy ass, or perhaps in an infinite universe, infinite possibilities will arise at every point of experience?

Besides, we've got to have SOMEBODY to blame when we get suckered into spending 8 bucks to see another remake of another semi-interesting '70s horror film (ala the dumbed-down yet somehow more suspenseful remake of Amityville Horror with a sappy Waltons-esque ending).

I create the world around me, and I need to take responsibility when it craps out on me. Everything else is sheer speculation.

This is basic stuff in the realm of philosophy, of metaphysics, of general human behavior and of computer science. Garbage in, Garbage out. GIGO. Surprisingly, I learned about GIGO from a wild Christian evangelist during a seminar back in 1982 (Willie George). This guy used magic tricks, 'flaming bibles,' goldfish-swallowing and an annoying penile-looking purple puppet to spread the word of G-O-D. But at least he grasped one aspect of the Truth that many people just don't see (probably because they're too busy yakking on their fucking cel phones or looking at clocks or wasting their lives on pointless ego trips and pleasure pursuits). Though the whole religion thing might work for some people, the cinematics, the self-righteous flare, the aggressive, pulse-pounding 'christian soldier' attitude, it detracts from the real message. And everything else is circumstantial.

Back to my point.

Because everyone has a different point of view, a unique subjective experience, (to borrow a phrase) Another Man's Trash IS Another Man's Treasure. Therefore, the absolutist fundamentals of GIGO work on a system-by-system basis, meaning that each mind/brain unit is funcionally unique. Unlike so many fire-and-damnation spewin' evangelists, I'm mostly concerned with my place in the universe on a personal level, a way to translate MY experience as somehow connected or affecting the universe around me, and less concerned about 'fitting in' to an impossible mold. This is the difference, I think, between the 'religious' mind-set and the person being honest and rational and impartial and truly searching for testable hypotheses. And once someone can 'get a feel' for how they affect change, how their ripples crash onto the shores of others' experience, then they can perhaps learn to grasp and appreciate the idea of responsibility as well as how to genuinely give of themselves.

Ernest Holmes, founder of Science of Mind, says this:

"What you will really learn in life will be what you tell yourself, in a language you understand, that you accept... because it is rational enough to accept, and inspirational enough to listen to with feeling..."
But perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson says it best in his essay on Self Reliance:

"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."


Crowd being not just people, but activities, habits, thoughts. Crowded thoughts.

Of course, my biggest battle, the one that will probably KILL me, is my torn desire to embrace metaphysics a la Emerson, and at the same time embrace the harsh, calculating and intellectual postmodernism of existentialists like Nietzsche. It's difficult for me to disagree with him, even when he contradicts things I know to be self-evident.

But that's another long post...

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 18, 2005, , links to this post

Nothing to Say...
4/15/2005

Except that I feel like I'm trying to climb up a mountain today.

I've been getting such good sleep at night. But last night, I stayed up past midnight, and I've felt drained and dead all day today. I haven't really accomplished anything and I've been feeling flush and kind of overheated. Perhaps it's a mild case of something?

Whatever the case, I'm too drained to think. The inside of my head feels like a giant stale marshmallow. Trouble breathing, trouble being observant. Why do I feel this way?

Signing off, probably for a few days. We'll see.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 15, 2005, , links to this post

Crazy Fucking Brilliant Insanity
4/13/2005

Last week, as I was screaming 'pinko commie fascist pig' or some such nonsense into the microphone, a cop walks by in full uniform with a cup of coffee in his hand. I was completely oblivious to this fact and kept on with my angry tirade.

It was a classic moment for me, regardless of how insignificant it probably seemed on the outside. And now I love free speech all the more.

Tonight, total fucking insanity. My poetry recital was shite. I was nervous, over-coffeed, and my wife wasn't there. So I did rather badly I think. But there was some talent going on, and "Macroi" is a brilliant songwriter/guitarist that I highly encourage everyone to hear.

The madness started AFTER the mic was closed. I stepped outside to leave, but there were a couple of interesting fellows at a table. One I recognized as a poet, and the other I didn't recognize. The poet fellow was very drunk on expensive Australian wine, and they were discussing a rudimentary grasp of metaphysics. I got dragged into the conversation and dropped a few names, namely Ernest Holmes, Ralph Waldo Emerson and a few other New Thought/metaphysical writers and thinkers.

Things escalated. The stranger in the trio made a confession that his day job involved being a call center attendent for televangelists. He's the guy that helps rake in the money and give prayers out. And he was really struggling with the morality of his work. Obvious the guy was starting to see through the veil that separates the religious from the truly inspired, and it took a drunken poet and a raving coffee-addled madman to hold his attention long enough to realize how on the path he really is.

It was sheer insanity bliss. I can't begin to describe the synchronicity of the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if this meeting of the minds was a seed for the sprouting of a new kind of reactionary awareness in the world. It all starts somewhere, usually with two or three crazy fuckers in a coffeeshop, or whatever. I'm being romantic, of course, but this was like Neal Cassidy, Kerouac and Ginsberg all rapping and being crazy and smoking and passing the wine (no, I didn't have any, for the record) and screaming at moloch all around us and discussing philosophy and metaphysics and architecture and dropping concrete benches on our silly big feet and me almost but not quite taking up a Nat Sherman and puffing it down like I hadn't ever stopped smoking.

But agendas have to rear their ugly head. The threat of not getting enough sleep prompted me to grab my keys, say my farewells and head home. On the way I was supposed to make a bill payment at a late-night 'payment facility,' but they falsely advertised their hours and now I'm stuck wondering if I will have running water tomorrow. The bastards. But I don't expect anything but complete incompetence from the Tulsa Utilities people. They have got to be the absolute bottom of the barrel in customer service and support. Of course, they own the fucking water, so what can you do but bitch and moan on some pointless journal that nobody in their right mind is going to waste their time on, anyhow?

One of the highlights of the evening was Pauly Hart. He's a lot of fun and isn't terribly dramatic like so many others. He's a christian in the christ sense of the word. He read a wonderful rant about the ills of faux christians and the Tulsa religious community; it was beautiful. Unfortunately, like so much artistic expression there, it was half-heard by the teenagers who couldn't shut up for five minutes. That's just got to change. I figure if enough truly creative and passionate people are drawn to the place, the example will be set.

I wasn't even going to go 2nite. What the hell. I have to go next week, because I said I would. We'll see.

posted by novachild @ Wednesday, April 13, 2005, , links to this post

FYI
4/11/2005

Ray Bradbury will be on during the first hour of Coast to Coast AM tonight.
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2005/04/11.html. Though I still haven't forgiven him for giving Michael Moore such a hard time about the title of his documentary, I still admire and appreciate his lifetime achievements. I especially like his creepy, stylish and surreal novel Death is a Lonely Business, as well as many other works. Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and of course - Farenheit 451.

His influence is extremely evident in the series Carnivale. If not for Bradbury, this show probably would have looked elsewhere for it's 'mood inspiration,' and would have been the lesser for it.

Kevin Mitnick was also on last month. If you don't know who he is, then you probably haven't used a computer very seriously for more than a couple of years.

So you see - it's not all about wacko UFO nutcases. Just most of the time.

posted by novachild @ Monday, April 11, 2005, , links to this post

FYI

For the record, I actually DON'T like the new version of the Doctor Who theme. The orchestral thing has already been done (Fox movie), and it was just as unimpressive as this mix. And don't get me STARTED on the 8th Doctor audio theme. Blech! They hired a professional to do THAT?

In fact, I like MY version better, and so I'll post it one of these days. It's probably not something they'd ever use on the show, though. A little too "Warp Records" for Prime Time I think.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 11, 2005, , links to this post

Lawrence Miles Reviews Unquiet Dead

Sheesh. This guy needs to find a way to relieve himself before he explodes!

If there's anything I've noticed about Miles, it's that his aggressive single-mindedness is about as intense as his imagination. Then again, I've met more than a few writers who act like this, which is why they tend to drink heavily and avoid making public appearances. To the benefit of us all, I think.

Perhaps it takes this level of passive-aggression to fuel the need to write long novels? I don't know.

I loved Interference; it's perhaps my favorite story in the entire run of Doctor Who novels (and so I decided to stop reading them at that point). But the Lawrence Miles I've read in interviews and reviews tends to be OTT, occasionally tactless and single-minded. In the case of his review of The Unquiet Dead, episode 3 of the new DW series, he's fairly busy trying to cover all of the bases to support his rather narrow opinion of the story.

I admire enthusiasm and energy, sometimes even when I don't agree with it. It's engaging to be in a heated discussion, as long as nobody hits anybody or pulls a weapon out. But Miles goes way over the top in basically accusing the new DW team of promoting a right-wing, quazi-fascist agenda - spoon feeding it to the kids. All that from a 45-minute episode of Doctor Who!

Some people should just settle down, really. Repeat to yourself "It's just a show. I should really just relax."

Reading LM's stories is often like an acid trip gone horribly wrong. One can feel the tightening of the neck muscles, feel the little shadows stirring up behind the eyes and that firey sensation in the stomach. Reading Faction Paradox-related material is like shoving one's brain through a meat grinder and enjoying it. t's deliciously self-indulgent and nerveracking, borderlining on Clive Barker territory but taking it further into realms only touched by Jeff Noon and inhabited by various cyberpunk writers. I enjoy his writing. But it doesn't excuse him in the case of this review.

That said, I universally LOATHE Mark Gatiss's writing, with the exception of Night Shade and perhaps this episode of Doctor Who (though it's fairly unoriginal territory in my opinion). Which makes it quite odd that I would be criticizing LM's opinion of a Gatiss script.

I can relate to his fury and passion. But I think he reads wayyyyy too much into Unquiet Dead. His review is so matter-of-factly, bent on proving itself as the only way to interpret events.
"The Unquiet Dead" is a story, made at a point in time when the big electoral issue is whether the British should put up with foreigners at all or treat them like scrounging gypsies, about a bunch of REFUGEES - about a bunch of ASYLUM-SEEKERS - who ask the Doctor for his help and then turn out to be EVIL ALIENS WHO JUST WANT TO SWARM YOUR COUNTRY NYHAH HAH HAAAAAH WE WILL RAPE YOUR WOMEN AND DEFILE YOUR CORPSES.
Yes, but in the beginning, the Doctor accepts their story, in due part because of his heavy burden of 'guilt' in relation to the "Time War" that keeps popping up. Or at least that's my take on it. Which leads to the idea that the 'evil aliens' in this story are aware of the Doctor's sensitivity and planned on using it to their advantage from the very beginning. Then never WERE asylum-seekers to begin with; they were simply decieving the Doctor. One can interpret this as allegory all day long, but in the end it's just another run-of-the-mill alien possession story. Nothing spectacular.
When he tells her that she's got to stop thinking as if her customs are automatically the right and proper ones, it's one of the most admirable moments in modern television. And then it turns out that Rose was right all along, because the aliens are really body-snatching wogs who deserve to be blown up.
What was important about that scene was in showing his honest-to-goodness sensitivity, his morality, regardless of circumstance. So what if the aliens turn out to be evil and want to take over the earth (like that's anything new in Doctor Who)? The important thing is that the Doctor gives them the benefit of the doubt. He doesn't automatically assume that they are malicious, like Rose does. This happens to be something Rose will need to learn from him if she intends to keep travelling in the TARDIS.

And to talk about how effing stupid the aliens are: It was only their silly, premature decision to start gloating over their apparent success that defeats them. "I have you now, Doctor." That sort of mentality. Give me an eye-rolling break!

I really don't know much about the politics of Britain right now. I'm too focused on my own country. But I hardly see an episode of Doctor Who as a right-wing fascist threat to the television audience, and I just don't see how the episode adds up to the frightening thing that LM wants it to be. I'm almost convinced that he's inventing a crisis to vent some rage at a writer he just doesn't like. But that's just a speculation. And I don't pretend to know the intent of either writer. It just seems foolish to give a single episode so much negative power over one's opinion of the writers and producers.

Not that any of you actually give a shit about ANY of this.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 11, 2005, , links to this post

Armageddon Eve! Get Ready!
4/08/2005

Of all the things that might appear in my mailbox today, this arrived.

My gut instinct was to vomit, then hop in the car and find the sick bastards who sent this sad, wasteful piece of rubbish to my mailbox. But no, I think twice, and the second time around I chuckle a little bit. I had nearly forgotten how fun 'fringe christianity' can be. Not that any self-respecting christian would even give these nutjobs the time of day.

Apparently, this seminar is the "Eve of Armageddon," so we'd better watch out for April 24! Woo hoo. I'm even tempted to show up; after all, it's not too far away from where I live and I'd like to know what kinda sick shit is going on in my backyard. Plus I might just start writhing around in the isles. Bring some split pea soup and learn a few latin phrases. Could be fun.

"And don't forget to bring your kids!" How sick is that? "The end of the world is coming, but we can offer you hope and confidence.' Yeah, right. Women and children first, as long as they are southern fucking baptists. At least they promise to reveal who the antichrist really is. And all this time I thought it was me.

This fear-borne anti-intellectual bullshit is what is keeping people in bondage. It's nothing but a freakshow, not even a very good one, designed to exploit the deepest of all fears in a destitute population, suck their wallets dry, and move to the next town. I'm really considering attending. This is like the "Backward Masking" seminars my parents used to go to, only ten times nuttier. I thought christians were supposed to be out there helping the poor, the sick, and the unfortunate, practicing compassion and love, not spreading hate and fear like a bunch of sheet-wearing klansmen or zealous nazi. This is a sad, pathetic bunch, and I can't wait to meet 'em.

I wonder if Jack Chick will be there? haha

Addendum: I love how they don't even bother to mention who is putting on the show. And a whois search on their domain reveals absolutely nothing. I wonder what they have to hide? This prompts me to consult the mighty google and get some straight answers.

The mailing lists the 'From' Address as Northwest Evangelism Institute - a PO Box in Vancouver, WA. Hmm. I google on.

Here's another victim of the mailing. He/she seems to be just as irritated as I was.

This url comes up in the search: http://www.atomorrow.com/. Looks like a 7th Day Adventist messageboard. More searching reveals Sureword Ministries. Looks like a patch job and a bunch of nutcases to me. I can see now why they wouldn't want to advertise their denomination here. Tulsa is overrun with Baptists and Evangelicals, and Adventists aren't really at home here (of course, neither are Pantheists, but I just can't seem to leave). So better they keep that part a secret so they can sell a few books and sermons on tape before they skip town, eh?

A little more searching. The name BJ Boles pops up. So I search that name and I find http://www.discoverprophecyseminars.com/. Yep, looks like nearly the same shit. Bobby Boles is the speaker for this particular event, and he promises that "The bible will be our only textbook" (no wonder these guys are such idiots). Which is a statement also published on the flyer I received. So I think I might've found our culprit. Bobby Boles and the 7th Day Adventists.
My favorite line from his bio:

"All will be thrilled as they study the Scriptures in a relaxed, non-threatening atmosphere."

So tell me if any of these seem particularly non-threatening to you.

If this is the kinder, gentler and non-threatening side of religious fundamentalism, I'd really hate to see these people on an unguarded day. Heck, they might look like they are PROMOTING the end of the world. Agging it on. Terrorizing our mailboxes. Surely not; wouldn't these be considered terrorist activities to undermine the peace and stability of the world by promoting the return of Christ? Hmmmm.

Bobby Boles is the pastor of the Cherokee Seventh Day Adventist's Church in Woodstock, Georgia. Not to far from another friend's house. So it looks like this "Discovery Prophecy Seminars" is just a front organization for an Adventist nutcase and his loopy end-times rant. He apparently USED to pastor at Atlanta North Church. But he's no longer listed at their web site. I wonder what he did?

Why are Adventists Scary?

Remember WACO? The Branch Dividians are an offshoot sect of the Adventist Church.

Here's some info on the Adventists.

During this search, he (William Miller, the founder of the Adventists) came upon Dan. 8:14, the 2300-day prophecy. The cleansing of the sanctuary he understood to mean, as did most of contemporary Christendom, the purification of the world by fire, or the second Advent of Christ. After elaborate study of this prophecy in its Biblical context, he concluded that this period would end between 1843 and 1844.
One would think that after the founder was proven wrong, they'd all pack up and head home. But apparently not. While this isn't scary, per se, it is a little foolish, and I can't imagine anyone with a brain cell in their head would believe their doctrines.

And here's the truly creepy part:

U.S. membership is about three quarters of a million but Adventists have maintained an aggressive foreign missions program. Worldwide membership is estimated at 9.7 million, in 205 different countries. Sabbath School attendance boasts some 11.4 million members.

Poor kids. They'd be better off in homeskool.

And to top that off, Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, a former Adventist pastor in Rwanda, was sentenced by a UN Tribunal for assisting in genocide.

Well, I got a curse from a Christian the last time I had a long rant like this. So I don't expect any less this time. At least I agree with the vegetarian diet bit. That's an excellent way to practice compassion.

Looks like it'll be a fun conference, then.

posted by novachild @ Friday, April 08, 2005, , links to this post

Fundie 500

Just a quick post mainly for my reference (for later pursual and fun!)

The Fundamental 500! Crazy batshit fun.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Friday, April 08, 2005, , links to this post

TV Musings
4/06/2005

Right now, because Carnivale is off the air and its future is still undetermined (gimme more HBO!), I am still left with a few decent programs. Lost and Alias have been renewed for next year (yipee!). But I would give them all up to see a 3rd Season of Carnivale.

Except Doctor Who, of course.

I kind of hope they kill of Alias after 5 seasons. Or come up with some 'big' concept to revive the central theme of girl struggling with secret life and trying to maintain a 'normal' life too. That is when it worked best, in my opinion; the Rimbaldi stuff is kind of fun in a tinfoil hat sort of way, but it never seems to resolve into anything truly cool and monumental.

When Buffy got away from its central theme, from Season 5 onwards, it started to skin its knees on the way down the gravel path. Same thing here. The few eps of this current season I've managed to catch have been spotty, and they have started adding this 'one gross-out scene' per episode trend. Which Carnivale also did, but they were so tasteless about it that it was almost entertaining. It's a little irritating, because there is suddenly more focus on violence and gore across the board rather than storyline. I want to see my Alias end with dignity, not dragged across the boards and milked for all it's worth. Big concept, or grand finale.

Lost is touted as a non-sf genre series. I hope it resolves at some point, and that it doesn't disappoint, and they really ought to start revealing some big things before these flashback stories get old and worn out. But it's still a great show, with an amazing cast. Crossing my fingers that they KNOW how it's going to resolve. If not, what a wasted opportunity. Maybe JMS could get involved? Now that would be interesting, esp. with David Fury no longer writing for the show. Maybe the island is some place in the world of Jeremiah, and that the girl in Jeremiah Season 1 arrives in her little gas-powered boat (the girl I met in Eureka Springs, briefly). Wouldn't that be a trip.

bla bla fucking bla.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, April 06, 2005, , links to this post

Thoughts about Nightly News

If you haven't already heard, all three of our major news anchors, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, and now Peter Jennings, are going away (the latter may or may not be a permanent change).

I don't know about you, but it seems odd that they would all simply get up and walk away at the same time (relatively speaking). I am being tempted to don a tinfoil hat in my oversimplification of the facts, though I must state that I am aware of the distinctly different 'reasons' for each of them to remove themselves from our TV screens. Nevertheless, it reeks of something under the surface. Or perhaps the are simply sick and tired of reporting in a gone world.

I know I would be, but I simply haven't anything else to do with all this thinking.

In this very same USA Today story as linked above, former NBC President Reuben Frank is quoted thus:
"In television, almost every day is the end of an era," former NBC News president Reuven Frank says. "Even as cable news is supposedly taking over from network news, blogger news is preparing to take over from cable news. How long will the average American be content to slog through the blogs for his news, and when will he go back to news that someone has figured out is more important, or more interesting, than other news? Sooner or later, somebody is going to ask, 'What the heck is going on?' "
The answer is simple. When people 'slog through the blogs,' they are looking for the real deal, not the edited highlights and single-mindedness of cable and network news. With so many online papers and blogs at our disposal, we don't need to trust the jaded opinions of reporters spouting off for Rupert Murdoch. We don't have to rely solely on the right-wing agenda peddled through Faux News and its ilk. 'Slogging' is the only way we are able to get a healthy cross-section of what's really going on.

We've already asked "What the heck is going on?" Why go back to the networks that we can no longer trust to provide 'fair and balanced' journalism? Why pander to the corporate media machine that tells us only what it wants us to hear? Sure it's a sad day that the BIG 3 are fading into the sunset. But it's an even sadder day when the truth has been so well hidden from many unsuspecting, duped souls across this nation that still have faith in nightly news highlights.

I used to watch the news. But they left out too many details, and they didn't report the important news anymore. When OJ and MJ and crap like that takes center stage, yet stories like Gannongate and Iraqi body counts and important things get shoved into the closet, it's time to take off the gloves and fill the gap left by the lying elite. Many blogs do that, and it's the reason we read them.

Now 'they' want to control and regulate the blogs. Much like the MPAA and the RIAA want to control and eliminate their competition, p2p software. It's about control. Eliminating the free people's outlets, bottlenecking the age of information and relegating our very culture to one or two major sources controlled by corporations and politicians. It's not just about money. It's about power. It's about homogenization. It's about ego and death.

So farewell big 3. You are the last of a dying age of oversimplified news stories and media personalities. I'm sure you will be replaced by an onslaught of angry, conservative 'reporters' or right-leaning centrists with pretty faces. And dumbed-down America will continue to be spoonfed while another world goes on around them undiscovered.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Wednesday, April 06, 2005, , links to this post

Strange Day
4/05/2005

It began rather dull, the bigh whimper, from waking up to going to work to trying to get something done to not giving a fuck whether I accomplish anything or not because of too many goddamn fucking interruptions telephone calls conversations heads up type this do that look this up. Fuck.

5 hits. Storm is coming. Wife calls just before work is over, mentions something about big hail falling around the house. Perfectly clear and sunny at work, just 5.5 miles South of home. The wind from the south kicks up fierce, then someone kicks on a bloody television in the other office. Radars, tornado warnings, all the oklahoma excitement of potential damaging storms. It's like a football game of charts, graphs, scientific jargon and promotions of the latest, newest storm tracker. Like I give a fuck. It's a storm; I can see it out my window.

Get home, but the place smells pretty bad because something died in the house. A mouse or something. Go do laundry, cook a frozen bloody pizza. Take out some fake bacon and add it as a topping, then shake on some garlic salt, oregano, basil, thyme and damn I don't have any extra virgin olive oil.

So it goes in anyhow.

I toss laundry into the washer, run back up from the basement, aerate my shirt because it's been in that stinky house all day, and I can't wear a work shirt to a poetry recital.

The activity never ceases.

So I get to the coffeeshop, signup for position number 5. Recognize a couple of performers, we hit it off in conversation. Meet a new guy, Todd. He's 2 years younger than me, very eloquent, enthusiastic and charming. We go inside, find seats, and get ready for the show.

What amazes me a little is how much talent is coming to this thing. When I first started frequenting Gypsy, there were 2-3 decent performers and 5-6 horrible ones. My plan is to latch onto enthusiastic people with talent, get them to sign up, take up the space so the mundanes have no stage to go to, and then blow the fucking roof off with hard-nosed, quality poetics. At least that's the theory. And it works, subjectively. But a lot of people sincerely don't give a rat's ass about poetry, so those people can't be reached anyhow.

I read one poem. S'ok. A little introspective. Then I move into angry mode. That's over, then I pull out the most angry, violent thing I've ever written, and at the end of it everybody's literally screaming and people I don't even know are hugging me. Very surreal. I guess they liked that last poem.

Macree (sp?) once again proves that none of us really have any talent at all. This guy is brilliant on his guitar. It's his baby, and he handles her with compassion and fervor and joy and intensity. He brandishes her like a fine wine, a drawn sword, a knight's armor gleaming. He gets screams and applause. He deserves so much more that we can't give.

Feature poet, Pauly Hart. What a neat guy. His own thing. Seeing the mistakes of my 40-minute monologue last week, he appeals to the senses of the audience and gets them involved in a group participatory mode. I'm too high-strung and hiding behind my little poetic papers to think of such an idea. Simple. Eloquent. I only wish he'd talk a wee bit slower so we can chew on the words a bit. But he's his own engine, and it comes out the way it comes.

The best line of the evening was written by Todd. "We were naked save for our smiles."

God, that was good.

posted by novachild @ Tuesday, April 05, 2005, , links to this post

Global Report

I hope this doesn't seem too tasteless, but I can't help but find some humor in this story: Tractor driver suffocates under pile of manure.

Also, some good news (old news) about Tony Blair (for once). When he's not busy sucking up to the Bush Administration, he's at least showing a little dignity by encouraging politicians to take God out of things. My favorite quote:
"I don't want to end up with an American-style type of politics with us all going out there and beating our chests about our faith," he said."
I have to admit that was eloquently put.

posted by Edward Svengali @ Tuesday, April 05, 2005, , links to this post

Thundercrack!
4/04/2005

After a gruelling, chained-to-my-desk Monday at work, I was pleasantly surprised to see another Nicheflix envelope in my mailbox. My evening plans were immediately set; I would run out, grab some Taco Hell, then settle down behind the PC for a cinematic feast whilst relaxing the body and mind.

How much more wrong could a person be?

Thundercrack! is an 'art porn' slash exploitation slash horror b-movie all rolled up into one unsettling, low low budget package. Marion Eaton, a strange, obscure but brilliant 'stage' actress, stars as a drunken, middle-aged widow living 'all alone' in a country cottage. She is charmingly insane, perverse, and her performance is over-the-top but exceedingly well done.

Back story: Her husband was eaten alive by a swarm of locusts years before. In her madness she pickled him and keeps his gristly remains in a couple of tall jars in the basement. Her son, a seeker of all things erotic, is kept in a locked closet because of his elephantitis of the scrotum, which enlarged his testicles to monstrous proportions. To her, 'he no longer exists,' and there is a little more than a hint at incest, though we never actually see her son (except for a brief flicker of his large testicles). Apparently he has a thing for enemas.

Add two groups of strangers looking for shelter from a horrible storm, a snack of peeled (used) cucumber ad nauseum, toss in a deranged, over-caffeinated carny in love with his big, mean gorilla mama (for real), throw in more than a few straight/bisexual explicit sex scenes, and the end result is over 2 hours of celluloid that would at once please and nauseate anyone from David Lynch to John Waters.

I won't go into a detailed review, because I'm saving that for the remastered, restored version that should be coming out sometime in the near future. I will force myself again to sit through 150 minutes of restored Thundercrack! And I will live to tell about it.

Oh, did I mention that it was super cheap, and filmed entirely in black and white?

I have never in my life sat through a film so stupefying and bizarre. This is a one-of-a-kind experience, I must say, and I recommend it wholeheartedly for any fan of the bizarre, the twisted, and the just plain fucked up. Definitely not for the squeamish. No real gore, but there are a couple of gross-out scenes and several truly adult sex scenes. I can't begin to describe the effect of this movie. It's like a love/hate relationship. Kind of like sitting through a painful tattoo, knowing that you will come out afterward a permanently changed person but having to undergo some rather intense pain in the process. Or wiggling a loose tooth for two hours. It was one part Eraserhead, two parts Manos: Hands of Fate, one part Pink Flamingos and two parts sleazy '70s 'shock' porn. Crazy crazy shit.

Check out the OFFICIAL Thundercrack! web site here. Not much there, but enough to visit.

posted by novachild @ Monday, April 04, 2005, , links to this post

Open Letter to SF Supervisor Sophie Maxwell

In response to this story:

Dear Sophie Maxwell:

'Blogging' is an activity, much like reading, writing, sleeping. Technology has been designed to make it easier for people to blog. Much of it is open source.

No single person, government, nobody owns the rights to 'blogging.' It is an activity, like reading or writing or shopping or sleeping. The desire to regulate it can only be born out of a desire for complete control over the individual's freedom of expression. And this is antithetical to everything our Constitution stands for.

If this is just a ploy to get the idea 'out in the open,' it's a dangerous one at that. Please stop this embarrasing behavior. To say it's unamerican would be an understatement.

Your name, Sophie, is derived from Sophia, a greek word meaning 'wisdom.' Please consider the wise choice, maintain integrity and drop this nonsense.

Sincerely,
Ed Svengali
Concerned Citizen, Oklahoma

posted by Edward Svengali @ Monday, April 04, 2005, , links to this post

Ratings for "The End of the World"
4/03/2005

OK, I'm not gone. More to type:

Ratings Per RADWM per Viewingfigures.com:

Doctor Who 7.27 million 36.05% share
Ant and Dec 6.024 million 30.86% share
Casualty 7.5 million 34.3% share

Still came out on top this week. Good sign. And after this episode, I don't see it going down. Of course, Wonderfalls was probably the best thing Fox ever had in their grubby little paws, and look what evil TV execs did with that. 4 fucking episodes and it was canned!

So, as a rabid fan, I know not to get excited until after the fact. Much like the Carnivale situation at the moment (no news of renewal yet, and the clock is ticking). And DW does have one thing going for it that other shows can't live up to: regeneration. The news of a NEW Doctor tends to always overshadow the loss of the old one.

On that note, who would I like to see play the Doctor the next time around:

This new guy they keep mentioning, the 33-year old Scottish actor David Tennant from a series I've never seen (Casanova). He's simply TOO YOUNG and odd-looking. No. We need somebody already famous, like Eccleston, but with a better contract. So here is my list. In order.

James Marsters (Spike, Buffy, Angel). Sure, he's American. But his British accent is as good as the real thing. And he needs work! And he's already more famous than Eccleston in the US, and probably in the UK as well.

Anthony Stewart Head (Giles, Buffy). Was my first pick for awhile, but if they ARE going to take a slightly more romantic angle with the companion, I wouldn't want to see kissy-kissy between Tony Head and a 19-year-old companion. It would feel too much like some Buffy fanfic I ... erm, haven't read.

Rick Mayall (The Young Ones, Drop Dead Fred). If he isn't all old and wrinkly, of course. Must have that crazy Sid Vicious hair like he had in Grimm's Tales, but I think he'd make a very intense Doctor.

Sean Pertwee (son of Jon Pertwee, the 3rd Doctor). He's already got that square-jawed action hero look, much moreso than his father even. And he's still in his '40s, meaning he's older but not TOO old to snog Rose (who wouldn't want to?). He can act well enough from what I can tell. And it would be a great bloodline continuation of perhaps the Greatest Doctor of All time.

Paul McGann (8th Doctor). Maybe the Doctor just liked the way his 8th incarnation looked, so he picks that face again?

That's my list. I like Rose Tyler, so I hope she sticks around for at least another couple of seasons. It would be nice to have another Tardis companion along the way, so new people could get used to the idea of people coming and going before Rose Tyler has to leave the show.

Now off to bed...

posted by novachild @ Sunday, April 03, 2005, , links to this post

Doctor Who: The End of the World

Wow.

This post is for all the Whovians that might find or have found my blog. And also for Jeremy, who reads it but probably works on Saturdays. You need to come to the next TDWVS meeting! April 9. 1:00-4:45. Get there by 3 at the latest.

Remember when you first discovered Doctor Who, and you watched that one REALLY GREAT episode that had you smiling for the entire time, and you went and told all your friends about this great TV show you found? Well, this was that episode, I think, for a lot of people watching it for the first time yesterday. I simply couldn't stop smiling tonight; even 2 hours afterward I'm still grinning about it and feeling very excited.

"The End of the World," this week's installment of the new series of Doctor Who, is significantly more story-oriented than the first episode 'Rose,' which was about introductions and ice-breaking. Now we're getting on with the story.

We find out some new things about the Doctor's past, but I can't give it away here for fear that fellow local Whovians will accuse me of dishing out spoilers until they've had a chance to see it. We also get to see the budget for what it really is. Finally Doctor Who has an FX budget to be PROUD of.

Those who missed it this weekend (and who live in the Tulsa Metro area) can come to the official TDWVS meeting on Saturday, April 9 (more information at http://tdwvs.novachild.com).

Other Thoughts, Observations

For several days I've been angry about the news of Christopher Eccleston leaving the show. But I decided to just hope for the best and maybe it will all work out in the end. The BBC are literally fuming over his decision to quit, blaming him for using them to further his career etc. etc. And the fan response has been outrageously angry in the newsgroups and forums.

As angry as everybody is, I hope that they still continue to remain enthusiastic about the show. Just think what would happen if Babylon 5 stopped when they decided to get rid of Sinclair? Granted, Eccleston's talent is miles above Michael O'Hare (though once he's no longer a Captain, Sinclair does get a lot more interesting). And Blake's 7 just got BETTER after Blake left the show. I hope you get the point.

We've all got to remember something; it's a fantastic show, but still a SHOW, and it will survive on its own merits. It doesn't matter who is playing The Doctor; not really. We as fans know this to be true, or we wouldn't enjoy the different eras for different reasons. I urge all of my Whovian friends and readers to watch the show from this perspective, not one out of anger at the actor playing the Doctor. He's giving it all he has, really, probably too much if he feels it's such a grueling job! Appreciate that, and hope for the best. Because the alternative is just squirming in our seats, being pissed and unable to actually do anything about it. What a waste of energy.

What I saw tonight put an end to my fears about the show not continuing, because it was simply wonderful, and Eccleston's performance - I just loved it. If we only get one season of this Doctor, then it's bound to be a Season nobody will forget. It's a shame we couldn't have this caliber of a show in 1989. Money isn't everything, you know. The Hinchcliffe era proved that well enough, I think.

That's all from me 2nite. Cheers.

PS The Real Doctor is a Welshman!

posted by novachild @ Sunday, April 03, 2005, , links to this post

Saturday Mornings
4/02/2005

I miss the Saturday mornings of my childhood, getting up at 8:00 to watch Land of The Lost, Superfriends, and later (when I was far too old to be getting up for cartoons) Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

But here I am, not watching television (because there's nothing on worth watching on Saturday's anymore). Instead, I'm surfing the web for the latest news on Doctor Who casting, now that Christopher Eccleston has stepped down from the role after only one season (bloody ponce). Looks like the buzz is that a scottish actor in another Russel T. Davies series is being considered. Not sure how excited I am about this.

Anthony Stewart Head really ought to be considered. Sure, he's pushing well past the 'sexy' male age of 20-40, but he's a brilliant actor and he's already proven his merit. Please please please give Tony a chance!

The second episode of the new series is being aired tonight, and because there's still no US distribution, I'll be skipping over to D's house tomorrow to watch it. Can't wait!

Nothing much going on today. I've done a bit of web surfing, read a fantastic review of Carnivale's Season 2 finale, and that's about it. Haven't really decided what to do with myself.

Last night, my wife and I caught Sin City at the Movies 8 in Broken Arrow. It was a unique little film, a little too pointlessly violent and 'male power trip' for my tastes. However, the middle segment with Mickey Rourke as a superhuman, disfigured antihero is well worth the price of admission. I'd have enjoyed the Yellow Bastard sequence, but I have too much respect for Nick Stahl (who plays Ben Hawkins in my other favorite series, Carnivale) to appreciate this singularly-minded cardboard baddie. And it's just disturbing, and not in a Lynchian sort of way.

Which is all so strange, because I love Frank Miller's work. Esp. Electra Assassin and Arkham Asylum. But this was just too singlularly-minded, no real depth to anything. Just raw, unadulterated violence and gross-out bloodshed. Great for teenage kicks, but I'm a little older and wiser now. I've seen all this shit in other forms already.

Oh well. I will most definitely praise the day, however, when Frank Miller's Batman gets to play out on the big screen. 'Arkham Asylum' the movie would be a real mindfuck for everyone expecting something similar to past attempts (and weren't most of them simply awful). If that ever happens, I'll probably be scraping my jaw off the floor in stupefied bliss.

Hitchhiker's Guide will be out in a couple/few weeks to renew my faith in celluloid. And it looks to be straight-on and faithful to the work. I can't wait to find out.

I still haven't written about my feature night at Gypsy. It was fun, a lit