I was so amazed and proud of Burt Hummel Kurt’s father in Glee ep. 120 Theatricality.  He says so succinctly the problems of using words of hate and the hope for a new kind of dude.  Watch the clip of the scene Below.

Why can't you work harder at blending in

This is a softer question of hate.  Denying who we are lessens us as a whole.

The person who is “working harder at blending in” is spending most of their energy on that instead of creating a better life for themselves, their friends and family and for their community.  It’s like saying mow the lawn but we want you to work harder while doing it so use a push mower instead of a riding one.  By the end of the lawn one is more tired from the extra effort and does less in their day for it.

Then there is the psychological damage.  Knowing ones true self is an amazing liberating thing that opens up so many opportunities to experience life.  This is after all what we all seek, moments of being truly alive.  Denying one’s self is the opposite of that.  The person in denial misses those experiences of being alive. This leads to depression, increased drug use to get the feeling of being alive and suicides which is a major problem in the gay community.

Words of Hate

I was so proud of Burt for not tolerating Finn using the word Faggy.  In addition to that he really puts the word into it’s true context as a word of hate.

Saying a word of hate toward an inanimate object when it is meant for an individual in your head is still saying it at a person.  The hate is still there.

He asks Finn “Do you use the N word?”  “Do you call Becky (the girl with down syndrome) a retard?”

Words of hate don’t loose their hate just because it’s against a different group of people.  After all it’s really what’s behind the words hate and that is the same from word to word.  That is the poison that hurts the one spouting it and those who come into contact with it.

Before you use a word, think: ‘Does this word come from a source of hate?’  ‘What am I really saying when I use the word?’

New Kind of Dude

“I thought you were some kind of new dude who was cool about it.”  The disappointment in Burt’s voice was so poignant.

It’s always about evolving, growing both as people and as a society as a whole.  We all benefit when removing hate from the situation.  Finn could have addressed his lack of comfort with Kurt, his need for a more private room, and been more engaged in the decorating coming up with a productive solution if he would have left hate out.

Gene Roddenberry is a great example of the new kind of dude that Burt talks about.  His concept of IDIC is a great example of that

IDIC comes from Star Trek meaning Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination.

The New kind of dude:

• Celebrates our diversity as a cultural strength


• Knows ones self and continually seeks to know ones self


• Stands up against hate and it’s poisoning effect.

A lot of discussion has stirred over M. Night Shyamalan's casting for the up coming movie The Last Airbender.  SCI FI Wire came out recently with posts for both the YES position and the No position.  I applaud them for putting forth conversation on both sides and would love to spend several posts refuting points of issue in those posts but we must keep perspective.

The Conversation to this point has boiled down to this:

• Shyamalan cast white-skinned heroes and brown-skinned villains for the movie based on a show which has distinct ethnicity in its characters except for the Avatar.


• He claims that his casting was color blind and those actors & actresses were the best that showed up for the role.

The main arguments have hit a point of impasse until we watch the movie and see how the acting pans out.  If the acting is brilliant then maybe it was just an unfortunate set of events that caused the casting to be the way it is.  That helps with most of the arguments except it still does not deal with a particular problem that fandom is very much against.

The Real Beef

Speculative Fiction for all of its progressive thinking tends to fall short when it comes to cultural sensitivity especially on the topics of race, gender, and homosexuality.  This sensitivity is best described by Gene Roddenberry.

Humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day they begin not just to tolorate but to take a special delight in difference in ideas and differences in life forms.

We tried to say that the worst possible thing that could happen to all of us is for the future to somehow presses us into a common mold where we begin to act talk think and look alike.

If we can not learn to actually enjoy those small differences, take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind on this planet then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that's almost certainly out there.

Avatar The Last Airbender is an incredibly culturally progressive SF show.  Instead of going for characters with no particular cultural background they featured many specific cultures.  It celebrated the cultures even of the Fire Nation demonstrating an amazing level of cultural sensitivity.  The movie's casting erases that entire level of the show.

Blind casting in this case is an attempt to press all of us into a common mold, wiping away those cultural diversities that should be celebrated.

Inaction is still a choice just as harmful as action.  A lack of cultural diversity is still distilling a society down to one common race.  We need to embrace the cultural diversity and celebrate it.  Avatar the Last Airbender is a brilliant example of how you can have villians of a particular race and still celebrate their cultural diversity.

As for me I will watch the film and hopefully find the performances brilliant to distract me from the show's lost opportunity.  Maybe by the second movie M. Night Shyamalan will be able to put back in the celebration of different cultures.

For more read:

• 
  

  Racism in The Last Airbender Casting and Margaret Cho

  
  


• 
  

  Racebending in The Last Avatar: Removing the Excuses

  
  

Check out the video above for Ben Lee’s music video: Song For the Divine Mother of the Universe.  The video is titled Space Monkey.

This is a nice moving video.  It starts out sweet then uses a dystopian warning to move me into action.  Not only do I get the ecological importance from the video but it also has two other warnings: the dangers of global war and the importance of our space program.  After all this is our only planet for now, the space program and humanity spreading out into space would increase the odds of us as a people surviving global catastrophe.

I really like the  Planet of the apes feel to the video as well.

...developed in collaboration with the World Wildlife Foundation Australia to “raise awareness of the devastating impact the human race could have on the planet, unless a more meaningful, healthier and sustainable way of life is adopted to help preserve its future.”

(via /Film)

To a large degree，the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment．Irrespective of what happened yesterday or last year，and what may or may not happen tomorrow，the present moment is where you are －－always．

Without question，many of us have mastered the neurotic, the art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things －－all at once．We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments，so much so that we end up anxious，frustrated，depressed，and hopeless．On the flip side，we also postpone our gratification，our stated priorities，and our happiness，often convincing ourselves that ‘someday’ will be better than today．  Unfortunately，the same mental dynamics that tell us to look toward the future will only repeat themselves so that ‘someday ’never actually arrives．

John Lennon once said，‘Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans．’When we’re busy making ‘other plans’，our children are busy growing up，the people we love are moving away and dying，our bodies are getting out of shape，and our dreams are slipping away．In short，we miss out on life．

Many live as if life were a dress rehearsal for some later date．It isn’t．No one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow．Now is the only time we have，and the only time that we have any control over．

When our attention is in the present moment，we push fear from our minds．Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future－－we won’ t have enough money，our children will get into trouble，we will get old and die，whatever．

To combat fear，the best strategy is to learn to bring your attention back to the present．Mark Twain said，‘I have been through some terrible things in my life，some of which actually happened．I don’t think I can say it any better．

Practice keeping your attention on the here and now．

Your efforts will pay great dividends．

Being Beautiful

Everyone shares in a desire to be accepted by their piers, to be beautiful.  This creates a lot of pressure to become what others want you to be rather then who you are.  Glee episode Home is about finding that recipe for success.  What is real beauty? What does it really mean to be beautiful?

Sue Sylvester's Recipe for Success

1. Water


2. Add maple syrup for glucose


3. Add a lemon for acid


4. Add cayenne pepper (1 tablespoon) to irritate the bowls.  For fun there is a BBC article on how Cayenne Pepper Kills Prostate Cancer Cells


5. A dash of ipecac (pour in several tablespoons) for a vomiting agent.


6. Optional add sand.  This modification is thanks to Brittany

This is hilarious drink that makes me think of many of the other diet drinks out there that are just as outlandish but the real message is sharp and true

The amount of crap that we put ourselves through to be acceptable for others consumes us and changes us.  Like the drink we become other things but not beautiful:

• Too sweet and empty.


• Too bitter and sour becoming corrosive to everyone around us.


• Too irritable that we burn those closest to us.


• Too volatile that even the smallest interaction causes an explosive situation.

Change yourself to be like what others want you to be... Thankfully Quinn becomes the voice of reason.   "If I'm willing to eat right for my baby then why won't I eat right for me?"  Do it for yourself.

Be who you are that is how one becomes truly beautiful.

Real Recipe for Success

Mercedes sings it best.  Watch the Glee clip of Mercedes singing her cover of Christina Aguilera's song Beautiful above.

When it's hard to breathe, getting insecure from all the pain and shame remember you are beautiful no matter what they say.  Words can't bring you down.  You are beautiful in every single way.

John The Rogue Demon Hunter asks:

With all the Buffy and Angel cast getting older, would the fans being willing to accept further adventures in the animation style of Star Wars: The clone Wars?

Fans would be willing to accept further adventures of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly in an animation style.  The bigger question is would the general public accept further adventures in animation style?  Would the studios have the patience to back and distribute further adventures in animation style?

Joss Whedon has already transitioned those settings and characters into a comic format.  There is great acceptance and love for the continuation of the series in print comic form.  This leaves a short step to move from print to animation.

The current success of animated shows both on TV and in the direct to DVD markets also support the plausibility of doing more animated shows.  Clone Wars had a rocky start getting accepted though most of it was due to the new style they used in animation that took some getting used to.  The Simpsons had a lucky start with "bartmania" that still gets large ratings decades latter.  Both DC and Marvel’s direct to DVD animated movies prove both quality in animated projects and how they can cater to the adult market.

We face several problems that are hindering future projects.

General Public Prejudice

The general public in the American market has a prejudice against animated shows.  When first approaching an animated show they presume it is for children not adults.  Many don’t even bother to give those shows the time of day unless they are bringing their kids to watch it.

Though this public prejudice has decreased some in recent years it is still rampant.  I could not count the number of adults that give subtle nonverbal clues of disdain when they find out I’m watching Clone Wars or Planet Hulk.  Others still voice their prejudice by replying “I thought that was a show for kids?”

Many creators of animated projects have their demons to wrestle with too.  First, before the project is even done they have to admit they won’t win any prizes for the work due to the prejudice in viewing it as less no matter how brilliant and deserving.  Look at Avatar, the movie would have been better going full animation but instead it went with live action parts so that it could be a “movie with cool special effects”.

This prejudice holds back studios from giving a green light to an animated project that is not targeted toward the children / young adult markets.  This forces many good projects to include in kidsey elements and to remove some of the better adult elements.  Clone Wars season one is a great example of this problem.  The show was so much less than it could have been.  Once they got past the prejudice it got better in season two.

I Find Their Lack of Faith Most Disturbing

Because of the prejudice against animated projects they tend to take longer before picking up larger audience share.

Studios have been trending toward a less lenient policy when it comes to new projects.  They have been quick to cancel projects that don’t show immediate success.

This is a recipe for failure by proclamation instead of giving the project time to get over the inherent hurdles.

A New Hope

I hope that the American public continues to learn from the Japanese, and Korean animated markets.

I hope that we continue to see the trend in the decline of prejudice against animated projects.

I would love to see the continuing adventures of Firefly and Buffy the vampire slayer in animated format.

I've always wanted a Faith The Vampire Slayer series and wrote up a series outline. Maybe one day I will hook up with some animators.

I hope John finds some animator to help him with his Faith the Vampire Slayer project and that they then check in with us for many more projects.

• Get your copy of Serenity Comic: Those Left Behind from amazon


• Get your copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comic lovingly called Season 8 from amazon

Jason Palmer Studios is selling prints of a new painting by Jason depicting  River's one woman war against the Reavers,  I might have to pick one up for the office!

Isn't this how the Civil War started?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri House members have given preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that asserts the state's right to reject federal actions.

The measure says that Missouri will not enforce or recognize various federal policies. Those policies would cover subjects such as hate crimes, gun control and allowing civil unions or same sex marriage (KFVS12).

So the right of someone to beat up or kill a Faggot, keep us from having equal rights, and ready access to guns are so important that they have to be enshrined in the state constitution... and why are they mixed together like that... that doesn't make me feel very good...

Since the Nullification Crisis of the early 1800s, the US has recognized the supremacy of federal law over state law.  This is one cycle from the past we can skip... ugh

Titled:  The most useless machine ever!

Though it may be useless it's really captivating.  I just can't take my eyes off the image.

Update: Video and instructions to make your own

Thank you very much SaskView from SaskView.com who was inspired by a video of the machine made one of his own and shared the instructions on how to build it with everyone!

Build It Your Self

SaskView's instructions consist of 9 steps.  I love how he takes the first step to cover the background on the project, how he got into it and who built the original.  The second step goes into the how it works which is great because this gives the understanding to help with not only building but for the builder to add their mods and personal touches to the process.  The remaining 7 steps gets into the meat of the instructions.  Get all the steps here from Instructables

Video of the machine

(via FFFFOUND!)

Hilarious.  It's like a picture take with Captain Subtext's camera from Coupling.

Weather staged or not the truth in the picture still persists.

Fun footnote:

Anonymous said...

Its an advert for South African newspaper Die Burger. Uncropped version here

(Roving Bandit)