I was quite impressed today when I heard the following quote:
"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
Just a little food for thought as people begin to allow the executive branch higher power for the 'protection' of our nation. To me, it kind of sounds a bit Hitler-ish...
25.9.08
23.9.08
There he goes.....there he goes again!
Labels:
Politics
Check the Facts.
It appears as though Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin have a bad habit, and it seems to be getting worse.
It appears as though Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin have a bad habit, and it seems to be getting worse.
17.9.08
Al Gore was SO 1999!!
Labels:
Politics
That's right, there's a new inventor in town. Oh, you haven't heard? I thought everyone knew that John McCain invented the BlackBerry. Seriously, isn't this like...oh wait, wha?!
Heh, in a move vaguely familiar to us all, John McCain's campaign advisor held up his BlackBerry and exclaimed, "Eureka!" Just kidding, he held it up and exclaimed: "You’re looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create!"
Good thing Mr. McCain doesn't know how to use e-mail and can't type on a computer (due to injuries sustained during Vietnam, NOT--as many people think--because of his technological incompetence...although that may contribute. Gotta love thinking about a country being ran by a man incapable of programming his VCR...)
Heh, in a move vaguely familiar to us all, John McCain's campaign advisor held up his BlackBerry and exclaimed, "Eureka!" Just kidding, he held it up and exclaimed: "You’re looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create!"
Good thing Mr. McCain doesn't know how to use e-mail and can't type on a computer (due to injuries sustained during Vietnam, NOT--as many people think--because of his technological incompetence...although that may contribute. Gotta love thinking about a country being ran by a man incapable of programming his VCR...)
15.9.08
A Stupid America
Labels:
Politics
I am incredibly indebted to my good friend Brett. Recently, he's made a good point that a lot of people don't have the time to research the issues surrounding national campaigns. While I understand that, I have a hard time allowing myself to let that slip by as an excuse for people supporting a candidate that they haven't researched.
As I connoted before, the entertainment industry and all parts of it have a great intellectual influence on America. So do the commercials that play between that entertainment.
Brett recently linked to a NYTimes Opinion article that I had also read. It highlights, indirectly perhaps, the ploys that certain politicians are doing with their own published media (read: campaign-supported commercials). It's an interesting, and, like most NYTimes OpEd's, concise read.
Link here.
As I connoted before, the entertainment industry and all parts of it have a great intellectual influence on America. So do the commercials that play between that entertainment.
Brett recently linked to a NYTimes Opinion article that I had also read. It highlights, indirectly perhaps, the ploys that certain politicians are doing with their own published media (read: campaign-supported commercials). It's an interesting, and, like most NYTimes OpEd's, concise read.
Link here.
9.9.08
Why I Do
Labels:
From the depths
It's interesting...your whole life, you are told that you can do whatever you can dream. Seriously, that is the American Dream. We are infused with a belief that no one can tell you what your life will be except yourself. So, you go through life, accomplishing what is important to you at that time, and then you make certain decisions that you hope will bring that dream for you. Sometimes you make bad choices, rather, just not-good choices, that you find out actually hinder you from accomplishing your dreams. But, you rebound.
Is that not what we're taught?
If not explicitly, certainly implicitly.
It's been an interesting few years as I made the choice to switch from pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree, to a Mechanical Engineering degree, to a Film Studies degree, and I've been absolutely aghast at the response from my peers and family.
You see, I was very successful throughout high school with my studies, especially mathematics, and was named Valedictorian of my graduating class. I came to University with an immense passion for learning, and went through the motions to go into the Bio-med field. I quickly realized that I didn't want that--I felt like I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I eventually switched to Film Studies for various reasons, but explaining it to people just never worked. I was martyred, in a sense, as people criticized me for turning my focus from helping and saving people to a profession that is oft-misunderstood and seen as the quickest way to the devil (maybe that's just where i'm from?). I was never able to articulate my passion and desire to pursue film until today.
I was at school and we had a guest lecturer, Jason Todd Ipson, an up-and-coming director whose most recent feature, Everybody Wants to be Italian, is opening around the city soon. He talked about his past and how he's working to establish himself as a figure in the industry. The interesting thing about him, is that he was a surgeon finishing his residency (at the U!) when he decided to drop out of med school and go to USC for a MFA in film production. People thought he was crazy, and I understood where he was coming from. But he said something to this effect, and it articulates well what I've been trying to say: I love education. That's why I'm into film. I never want to stop learning and teaching, and film was/is the best way for me to continue that passion.
It's so simple, yet exactly why I love what I'm doing. You can't do a film about spaceflight, without researching and understanding spaceflight. You can't do a film about World War II without researching and understanding WWII. Selfish, you may say, until you understand yourself the second part of education. It's not just about learning, but it's about teaching. Why do we research and learn about WWII? So we can make a film and teach the viewer about WWII?
Granted, I realize that many people eat Hollywood alive for the "artistic liberties" taken when a topic is presented, but I stand firm that it's still a viable, even one of the best, forms of education that we have learned.
Anyway...go see Jason's movie. It's a low-budget independent, so the story's got to be good.
Is that not what we're taught?
If not explicitly, certainly implicitly.
It's been an interesting few years as I made the choice to switch from pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree, to a Mechanical Engineering degree, to a Film Studies degree, and I've been absolutely aghast at the response from my peers and family.
You see, I was very successful throughout high school with my studies, especially mathematics, and was named Valedictorian of my graduating class. I came to University with an immense passion for learning, and went through the motions to go into the Bio-med field. I quickly realized that I didn't want that--I felt like I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I eventually switched to Film Studies for various reasons, but explaining it to people just never worked. I was martyred, in a sense, as people criticized me for turning my focus from helping and saving people to a profession that is oft-misunderstood and seen as the quickest way to the devil (maybe that's just where i'm from?). I was never able to articulate my passion and desire to pursue film until today.
I was at school and we had a guest lecturer, Jason Todd Ipson, an up-and-coming director whose most recent feature, Everybody Wants to be Italian, is opening around the city soon. He talked about his past and how he's working to establish himself as a figure in the industry. The interesting thing about him, is that he was a surgeon finishing his residency (at the U!) when he decided to drop out of med school and go to USC for a MFA in film production. People thought he was crazy, and I understood where he was coming from. But he said something to this effect, and it articulates well what I've been trying to say: I love education. That's why I'm into film. I never want to stop learning and teaching, and film was/is the best way for me to continue that passion.
It's so simple, yet exactly why I love what I'm doing. You can't do a film about spaceflight, without researching and understanding spaceflight. You can't do a film about World War II without researching and understanding WWII. Selfish, you may say, until you understand yourself the second part of education. It's not just about learning, but it's about teaching. Why do we research and learn about WWII? So we can make a film and teach the viewer about WWII?
Granted, I realize that many people eat Hollywood alive for the "artistic liberties" taken when a topic is presented, but I stand firm that it's still a viable, even one of the best, forms of education that we have learned.
Anyway...go see Jason's movie. It's a low-budget independent, so the story's got to be good.
Messiah McCain
Labels:
Politics
"It's amusing to listen to a man in his fourth term in the Senate (after two terms in the House) rail against evil "Washington," as if he weren't one of this modern-day Sodom's most prominent denizens." --Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
It's always interesting when a *very* conservative paper produces opinion columns like this. I guess it's bound to happen.
I praised McCain for choosing Palin in an effort to afford him his Maverick status again. But I hope I didn't give the impression that I thought it was a *good* choice. McCain is risking way too much with this woman, but I'm appalled at the results. I've talked to young men that are voting for McCain on the sole premise that "Palin is hot."
Impressive, John, but if you did plan that, that's pathetic. It's also interesting that hardly *any* of Palin's own "Maverick" ways, or her so-called corruption-fighting days, have held up to real scrutiny--even by Republicans.
Anyway, that's my two bits...
It's always interesting when a *very* conservative paper produces opinion columns like this. I guess it's bound to happen.
I praised McCain for choosing Palin in an effort to afford him his Maverick status again. But I hope I didn't give the impression that I thought it was a *good* choice. McCain is risking way too much with this woman, but I'm appalled at the results. I've talked to young men that are voting for McCain on the sole premise that "Palin is hot."
Impressive, John, but if you did plan that, that's pathetic. It's also interesting that hardly *any* of Palin's own "Maverick" ways, or her so-called corruption-fighting days, have held up to real scrutiny--even by Republicans.
Anyway, that's my two bits...
4.9.08
Happy Campaigning
Labels:
From the depths,
Politics
Well, I must say, I was impressed by the quality and humor of JibJab's media when I first was cued into it back in 2000. Then again with the presidential comedy of the 2004 elections, I enjoyed watching. Now, I think they hit quite the home run with their current video: "Time for some Campaignin'."
If you haven't checked it out, I would highly suggest it. Here it is below:
If you haven't checked it out, I would highly suggest it. Here it is below:
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