The Cult of Ron Paul

As I drove by Northpark Mall last night on my way home I passed a small group of Ron Paul supporters waving signs and generally having a good time showing their support for Mr. Paul.  The fact that the Texas primary isn't for a couple of months didn't seem to matter to them.  I have seen them there before and I have to wonder what they are hoping to accomplish?

Ron Paul, who is more a libertarian than a Republican, is a perennial candidate for President.  He began his quest running on the Libertarian ticket in 1988. He ran again as a Republican in 2008 and is currently in the race for the nomination in 2012, though he is overshadowed by the two front runners Gingrich and Romney.

From a policy standpoint, Paul is pretty extreme, especially when it comes to social issues.  He believe s a fetus should have all the rights of an individual from the moment of conception.  He is notoriously blunt when it comes to matters like sexual harassment.  Mr Paul says in one of his books, "Why don't they quit once the so-called harassment starts? Obviously the morals of the harasser cannot be defended, but how can the harassee escape some responsibility for the problem? Seeking protection under civil rights legislation is hardily acceptable."   I suppose he doesn;t understand that some people who are harassed need to keep working to support their family, pay bills etc.

He has a weird idea of monetary policy that consists of abolishing the federal reserve and returning to something akin to the gold standard.   Nice idea but about 100 years too late.

I feel pretty sure I will be attacked by Paul supporters for saying anything about him that smacks of calling hims a fringe candidate, but so be it. 

Paul supporters have all the trademarks of Ayn Rand fans.  They believe in the absolute power of laissez-faire capitalism and ignore the fact that that particular idea is what got us the housing bubble and current financial crisis.  Laissez-faire capitalism is pretty much where China is today, with the singular exception of free elections.

These folks seem very driven, so I am surprised that they can't seem to muster sufficient support for Paul to win a nomination. I admire their optimism, but I just worry about their blind devotion.

OK Let the flaming begin. 

Santorum Gives Up On Florida

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum has left the Sunshine State for the cooler climate of his home.  Seeing an inevitable loss to either Gingrich or Romney, Santorum has decided to pull up stakes in Florida and save his meager campaign chest for future primaries.

His next best shot at the nomination will come in Arizona and Michigan which hold primaries at the end of February.  My guess is he will call it quits before then.  His lagging poll numbers and dwindling funds make his victory very much a long shot.  Even with the backing of the evangelicals and a few remaining Tea Party folks, Santorum's campaign looks pallid and on the verge of collapse.

Santorum Says Gays Don't Have Equal Rights "Because they are not healthy for society"

Why do I get the feeling Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum would be a strong supporter of Eugenics? 

In a recent public appearance he told a woman who asked why her gay son didn't have the same rights as every other American, that certain rights are reserved for people who perform activities that are "healthy for society."

 "There are certain things that government does that gives people privileges in order to promote activity that are healthy for society and are best for society, and those things we promote would give people advantages or benefits, government benefits because we think that is healthy activity. Mothers and fathers coming together, forming healthy marriages, having children and raising those children. Every American child has the right, and the government should support the right to have and know their mother and father and be raised by their mother and father."

I suspect if a bill ever came before Congress to sterilize "undesirables", Santorum would be leading the charge.  This kind of thinking is outdated and frankly un-American.  The idea that LGBT people are "unhealthy" is groundless and just plain bigotry.  Enough said.

Hate-Filled Pastor, "God hates soft men"

Sometimes people get so angry they almost become comical, almost.  Take the case of Rrv. Ken Hutcherson of Kirkland, Washington.  He doesn't like "the gays" and has said so many times.  He even calls on his god to justify this hatred.  "God hates soft men", said the football star turned pastor. Just so his congregation didn't mistake his meaning he went on to say, "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I'd rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."

Nice!

The reason this hate-filled Reverend has come to the forefront is the pending legislation for Same-sex marriage in Washington state.  Speaking about the state's governor,Christine Gregoire, Hutcherson compared her to the man who assassinated Lincoln.

"She might as well change her name to John Wilkes Booth because what she’s doing now is trying to put a bullet in the head of one of the greatest traditions that has ever existed and has built our society, and that is marriage between one man and one woman."

This kind of blind hatred and overheated rhetoric is a disgrace to the teachings of Jesus and I am appalled that this guy claims to be speaking for God.

I guess the extravagant grace of God can extend to him as well, but I wonder if he will be able to understand it.

Adieu Kodak. The Age of Celuloid is Over.

When I first picked up a Super 8 camera and began making movies back in the 1960's, I longed for professional equipment.  16MM!  By the time I was actually doing film production and directing commercials and music videos, I was indeed shooting with professional equipment.  16mm cameras delivered a pretty good image once it was transferred to video for the final edit, but for commercial work I shot on 35mm with a big honking Panavision camera. 

I haven't made commercials in a while, and my personal film making was confined to 16mm and more often video.  Most recently I have been shooting everything on digital cameras and editing at home in my own edit suite with my Mac and Final-Cut Pro HD.

I guess it should come as no surprise that the medium I grew up trying to master changed out from under me, and I changed with it to an extent.  The idea of shooting anything on film now seems anachronistic.  The final product will end up as a series of ones and zeros and will be seen on flat screens or through the magic of DLP projection on a big screen.

That change is most likely what led to the demise of Kodak, the premier maker of professional motion picture film as well as the film for your home cameras.  Now it's hard to find a still camera that uses film, and even harder to find a lab who really knows what they are doing.

A few months ago the word came that Panavision, ARRI and Aton the three biggest camera companies were ceasing production of film cameras.  They have developed super high resolution digital versions that deliver every bit the resolution of film and more.  Son we will see motion pictures presented in HFR Digital projection.  This means High Frame Rate.  The usual rate is 24 frames per second, but the new HFR cameras shoot at 40 to 60 frames per second which will totally eliminate the flicker of current projection technique. More than that, it will make the screen seem to vanish, an effect I have witnessed at demonstrations and had my breath taken away.

I embrace the new technology because it makes the art of movie making easier in many respects.  Yes the "look" of film won't be the same, but I suspect some day we will lament loosing the "look" of good old low resolution TV.  Luckily, the huge libraries of film sitting in vaults around the world are slowly being scanned and converted to high resolution digital media, and I applaud the effort.  It will keep many cherished films around for a long time.

Meanwhile, I have waxed nostalgic for the whole process of loading film into cameras, dealing with jammed magazines, checking the film gate to be sure no dust was present when the last shot was made.  I will miss the physicality of film, but it is inevitable.  Times change.

Luckily the art of story telling using moving pictures has not changed, only the medium.  But I still miss the feel of the film itself.  Think I will go home and thread up my projector and watch a movie....oh wait, I don't have a film projector any more!

Colbert's Former Super Pac Goes Rogue!

Newt Gingrich Family Values Include Open Marriage

Personally I have no problem with open marriages or polyamory or whatever, but for a guy who touts his "family values" I just don't think Newt's idea of an "open Marriage" sis going to play in Peoria or to the GOP base.

In an interview with his second ex-wife Mariann on ABC News, she detailed how Newt asked her for an "open marriage" arrangement so he could have his mistress and wife simultaneously.  That mistress is now his wife, so you can see how well that played out. 

This is one of the numerous GOP voices condemning "gay Marriage" as the root cause of decline of Western Civilization.  I guess because I wanted to marry my partner, Newt felt compelled to try the "open marriage" ploy?  Go figure.

Rick Perry Finally Does Something Right - Quits!

Rick Perry, the zombie candidate of the GOP has finally stumbled upon a good decision. He is announcing he will pull out of the primary race.  The decision comes after a dismal showing in both Iowa and New Hampshire and a series of gaffs that helped to sink his campaign, once thought tp be the leviathan that would save the GOP from Romney.

I mistakenly figured that Perry would stay in the race until at least Florida or such a time as his campaign funds ran out.  I suppose he finally came to his senses and realized he didn't have a chance in the race which seems to be moving more and more to Romney's favor.

Perry, still a deluded individual, will throw his support behind Gingrich.  Strange since Gingrich is far from a "family values" guy, but such is the machinations of GOP politics.  Perhaps he just doesn't want to face another debate where he would undoubtedly provide more fodder for the press with his inevitable gaffs?

More soon.

This Site Intentionally Left Blank - Stop SOPA!

CONTACT YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE.

SOPA Protest Blackout Tomorrow - Jan. 18

This blog along with thousands of others will be "dark" tomorrow in protest of the draconian rules contained in the SOPA bill in Congress.

The screen will be black and this message will appear. "This is what the web could look like under SOPA".

Sites like Wikipedia and others will be offline tomorrow in protest.  Join us.  More info here.

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

A wonderful quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that is often overlooked is this one about the relationship between science and religion.

"Softmindedness often invades religion. ... Softminded persons have revised the Beautitudes to read "Blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God." This has led to a widespread belief that there is a conflict between science and religion. But this is not true. There may be a conflict between softminded religionists and toughminded scientists, but not between science and religion. ... Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary."

To the fundamentalists out there, read this and open your mind to the really great truths scripture reveals, not the softminded revisionist interpretation you give to it.  

Rick Perry - Zombie Candidate

He roams the earth, not really knowing he , or at lest his campaign, is dead.  He is dead candidate walking.  He is Rick Perry!

Talk about a guy who doesn't know when to quit.  Perry has polled in the low single digits in most states, he was almost invisible in Iowa and New Hampshire and now has been tossed off the Virginia ballot because he didn't challenge his disqualification soon enough.  He just doesn't get the message.  His campaign is over.

As I have long suspected, his staff knows how much money is left in his campaign coffers and is trying to run out the clock.  Spending as much as possible for as long as there is money to spend.  After all, what have they got to lose?

Meanwhile the deluded zombie candidate says South Carolina is not " his campaign's Alamo".  He intends to campaign with social conservatives to boost his votes.  Only problem is the evangelical base has already backed Rick Santorum (another Zombie). So now Perry will stagger off spouting his idiocy and making more flubs as he drains the last of his funds.

It is a sad state we live in when we have a zombie as our governor.

S**t Homophobic People Say - The Real Thing!

Lambda Legal has put together this lovely little video that shows the real shit Homophobic people say.  WARNING:  resist the urge to hit your screen!

Tennessee Bathroom Harassment Act - Making Transgender Lives Hell

The sole purpose of this crazy bill is to make transgender people's lives hell.  If you doubt that take a look at what the bills sponsor recently said about a non-existent "threat" he fears from transgender people.  Here are State Rep. Richard Floyd's (R) kind words:

I believe if I was standing at a dressing room and my wife or one of my daughters was in the dressing room and a man tried to go in there — I don’t care if he thinks he’s a woman and tries on clothes with them in there — I’d just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry.


Don’t ask me to adjust to their perverted way of thinking and put my family at risk. We cannot continue to let these people dominate how society acts and reacts. Now if somebody thinks he’s a woman and he’s a man and wants to try on women’s clothes, let him take them into the men’s bathroom or dressing room.

This guy need some serious education about transgender people and specifically about his irrational fears.  I know a lot of transmen and transwomen and the idea of going into a bathroom to try on clothes when the bathroom is of the opposite gender you present is crazy.  But it's the kind of stuff I guess I should expect from a guy who has learned everything he knows about transgender people from dirty jokes.

Already Sen. Bo Watson (R) has withdrawn his version of the bill.  Watson saw the light and realized that there were far more pressing issues for a legislator to concern himself with than harassing transgender folk.  I also suspect the media attention on Mr. Watson came into play.  He looked like a stupid hillbilly introducing such a zany bill and he already has an image problem with his ubiquitous bow ties.

Let's hope Representative Floyd gets a similar message and reconsiders his hateful words and bill.

Latest Newt Attack - "Romney Speaks French!"

This is the silliest political ad I have seen in a long time.  The Newt 2012 group produced this slap dab attempt to smear Romney as a "moderate".  Now apparently that is just as bad as being a "liberal".  Oy vey!

Tennessee Legislature Tries To Encourage Transphobia

As though Tennessee wasn't tied with the backwoods mentality race with Texas and Oklahoma with regard to LGBT rights, now Republican Senator Bo Watson is introducing a Bathroom Bill (SB 2282) which will make it illegal for transgender people to use public restrooms unless they use the ones that match their birth identity.

So if you are a transwoman, you have to use the Men's restroom which will automatically cause a ruckus and most likely lead to either arrest or getting beat up.  Once again institutionalizing violence against LGBT people. 

This also makes it really tough on companies with trans-inclusive policies.  Like retailer, Macy's and others.

For the life of me I don't understand what difference it makes if a transman or transwoman uses the rest room of the gender they present as.  These crazy people need to get over their bigotry and get on with really important legislation like cleaning up mining and toxic waste sites, or maybe finding ways to create jobs?

More here on Think Progress.

Romney Says Complaints About Income Inequality Are About "Envy"

Only a man who is so out of touch with the everyday lives of the 99% of Americans as Mitt Romney would have the hubris to say that concerns about income inequality are about "envy".  In case Mr. Romney hasn't noticed we have an income disparity that matched Uganda and is actually greater than Ivory Coast, two of the worst third world countries when it comes to income disparity.

Our country has the biggest gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" since the Great Depression.  Only a man who is perched on so lofty a pedastal could fail to see where this is a problem, and those at the bottom aren't upset because they are envious, they are just struggling to make ends meet while predatory equity firms gut companies, send jobs overseas and sell the scraps off piecemeal.

By the way, Romney was one of those folks when he worked with Bain Capital, a company he is still making a bundle from in his "retirement" 13 years ago.  He has received a share of the profits ever since as part of his package. 

Envious?  Well, personally I am just furious at these guys who add no value at all to our country while shuffling paper about and pulling out profits.  The destructive practices of Wall Street and the banks put us in the "Great Recession" and yet most of the folks who caused it are still flying high.  I know that my life and the lives of many of my friends would be better off if the whole housing bubble, credit-default-swap bubble and whatever other bubble the "wise guys" at the top caused.   If just wanting to see the people who cause the pain actually experience some of it is envy than I guess I need a new dictionary.

Iranian Nuclear Expert Assassinated - Israel Implicated

The chemistry expert, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan wqs killed by a magnetic bomb that was attached to his car by a man on a bicycle.  Clear evidence of a covert operation and not some random act of violence.  Why?  Because Roshan was working as the director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran.

The Iranian government was quick to blame Zionists and the British government for the attack though both countries denied involvement.   Of course that is the nature of "covert" operations. Still signs point to Israel and specifically because of a statement made by Israeli Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz who told a parliamentary panel that 2012 would be a "critical year" for Iran — in part because of "things that happen to it unnaturally."  More of the story in USA today.

Israel has show a willingness to carry out assassinations in the past and has a well organized secret operations arm of the Mossad.  Iran accused Israel of the cyber attack in 2010 using the Stuxnet virus.  It seems like a likely scenario, even though everyone denies involvement. 

In the Middle-East, Israel has always had to be scrappy and defensive and for good reason, but today they have a lot of power and very well organized intelligence. It remains to be seen if they can slow the Iran nuclear program or whether they will only succeed in strengthening Iran's resolve to have the bomb.

I am reminded that there already is a nuclear power in the Middle-East, and that is Israel.

New Video from Bye June

OK, this is a bit sappy, but I am a sucker for sappy.  Also, this has shadow puppets and with my history of puppetry it struck a nerve. Enjoy the new video from Bye June.

New Hampshire Debate - Romney Fest!

As the remaining GOP candidates fought it out in New Hampshire, they neglected to do the one thing they should have and that is go after Mott Romney.  They seemed to almost avoid going after him and as the front runner he should have been the target.

Rick Perry, our brain dead governor, said little other than he would send troops back to Iraq.  He is obviously an empty suit and could do nothing but smile stupidly at the end of the stage.  His only other answer that I can remember was when asked what he would normally be doing on a Saturday night, he said, "I'd be at the gun range."  He also apparently believes that Iran can defy physics and "move at the speed of light."

Meanwhile Gingrich tried his best in the final minutes to toss a few grenades to Romney but failed to score, and Jon Huntsman actually ansered one question in Chinese!  What?

Overall another silly example of the GOP trying their best to avoid picking Romney as their candidate.

Oh yeah, and Rick Santorum is still a frothy mix!