Don't Ask (or think), Don't Tell (or think)

Normally, I wouldn't care about the whole "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" of the Military issues facing over country. This isn't because I'm homophobic or I don't support gay rights, it's just because I believe there are many other things that are facing us as a Nation and our military besides this issue. I guess I think we should be behind it all.

Except if it weren't for the 'twisted' (to borrow from one of the below "commentators") comments it generates. Here below are just the few more prominent ones (and my comments to these quotes are in bold below them):

Bryan Fischer of The American Family Association said: "The new Marine motto: 'The Few, the Proud, the Sexually Twisted.' Good luck selling that to strong young males who would otherwise love to defend their country. What virile young man wants to serve in a military like that?"

Most of those who have served to date. And many know who is gay in their unit anyway from what I hear. Oh, and the most "virile" young men I know, also happen to be gay. Being very proud of their bodies is part of that whole "Twisted" thing.

Tony Perkins of The Family Research Council: "It is clear why this was done: not to enhance the military's ability to accomplish its mission or to enhance national security. Rather, it is a political payoff to a tiny, but loud and wealthy, part of the Democratic base."
Isn't this the (Tea) Pot calling the kettle black?

Notice how when we stand up for part of our community, it's paying off the "loud and wealthy, part of the Democratic base." When hypo-Christians do this, it's called "standing up for Liberty and the American Way." Or for Jesus. Or for... Whatever they want to spout.
Peter LaBarbara of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality: "If the lame-duck Congress succeeds in ‘gaying down' our military this weekend, it will take a disastrous leap toward “mainstreaming” deviant, sinful homosexual conduct."
Like “mainstreaming” this country into being a "Christian Nation" even though it no longer comes close to that. 

It's nice that we can waste our time on doing what should be (and hopefully will be soon) a matter of policy, and not have to fix the big issues -- like the worlds ecology breaking down. (How about the monsoons in LA? At least it isn't snowing yet [but I shouldn't say that too loudly].)

Taxes, Welfare and Socialism! Oh, My!

[Sorry I didn't finish this the other day...]

The Hue and Cry among the Far Reich, is that any money going out to anything that they don't agree on (Welfare Cheats, "bogus" Art Programs, NPR) should not be funded by our Guvment. That of course doesn't apply to our Foreign Wars Programs (like Iraq, that is still costing us upwards of 300 million per day) or to other things that they want funded (like when a hurricane or a flood stikes where They Live). What they sdon't agree on is "Socialism." What They do agree on is Americans.

And yet, those persons who live in the state of Alaska (which I will now refer to as the Socialist State of Alaska), get a check from the very Guvment that they seem to so dislike that is their 'fair share' of the oil revenues from their states oil production (never mind that said oil production comes from oil fields that were funded in large part by Guvment Money). Guvment is good when we get Our Fare Share; Guvment is bad when it goes to others living here who don't deserve it.

I am of course, simplyfying this whole senario, but not by much. And the simplification of our countries issues and solutions by those who would, yes, tend to use Guvment, or Big Guvment, or Big, Bad... Well, you know. And they are the ones that think that They Are in Charge Now (as holy ordained).

I don't want to rise to these judgments, but my rage is rising and I need to have my fair share in the venting process.

No Money? No Job.

"It takes money to make money," is going to a whole new level in this economy.

I have been trying to get work. But everytime I try to do a job search for work, I come up with the same old problem: someone (a corporation) wants me to pay to get access to employers through their website. It's bad enough if you're already either over qualified for a job, or qualified in a wrong direction (I've been self employed for the most part for most of my adult life, and that disqualifies me -- I'm not a "team player"; I don't play well with others because I like to play by myself).

I don't like being told what I can and can't do. I know many of you are saying, "Oh, well. Welcome to the real world." But what I'm really saying is, 'I can do what you need me to do just fine.' I don't like however, being told that I have to play the corporate game (pay ahead to get ahead), in order to just play, and that's what this 'pay for access' feels like to me.

So here I am. Over qualified and under qualified. Wanting to do what I do best.

Too bad I can't play others nasty control games.

Jesus, Inc.

Around this time, my mind turns towards religion and its implications for our modern world. Well, ok, my mind turns there often.

So today I was on the bus and sitting next to a young woman with bright oragne hair and red lipstick, reading a book. I'm thinking that she's in college and it's a text book. And then looking closer, it's a book by some Born-Again group on how not to be a sinner.

I'm tempted to engage her, just to find out why she'd reading it. Pardon my judgements, but to me she didn't look like someone who would be reading such a book. I decided not to pursue the matter, but get off at the stop I had intended to get off at.

But this 'encounter' stuck with me. Once upon a time, I was such a one as her looking for answers (other than my own churches or my fathers) and do became what was then known as a "Jesus Freak" long hair and all. I believe very differently now from what I did then.

It came to me however (since I am doing research for a novel at this point that revolves around the 'Christian' tradition and how it has changed from the Originators time) that there is (and has been) something that in modern terms would be called "Jesus, Inc." It is the personification of what I believe the Originator was against at the time of his teaching.

Jesus, Inc. basically follows thusly. They tell you that most books on the library shelves are either trash or even outright blasphemy. That the only book you should be reading is (basically) The Bible; that all answers are foudn there.

Except that they want to sell you on their books explaining The Bible and what it really meant. In essense, "Say as I do, don't buy as I do." There is very big money in all of this, and of course, they know it and justify it in the name of "spreading the Word." They themselves aren't particularly known for 'spreading the wealth' as Jesus originally told those of means who came to him for advice.

One such was a young man, who asked, "Lord, what do I need to do to follow you?" To which Jesus replied, "Liquidate all of your wealth, give it to the Poor, and then come and follow me." Needless to say, the young man walked away dejected, finding that too hard to swallow.

In Jesus, Inc. however, having great wealth is a sign that "God has blessed you." Never mind what Jesus told the young rich man himself.

Do as I do. "Whatsoever you do to the least of these..."

Sigh. Jesus loves you. And I have a book to prove it, telling you in even greater details than he did what to do.

I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore

Last night was a strange night in LA.

It was cold and fiercely windy for most of the day, and then it calmed down and got downright balmy and then on the hot side. And then it got windy and on the chilly side right after that, threatening rain and a return to the earlier blow.

Weather front after weather front does not bode well for the weather. Changes like that coming right after another in the Mid-West pressage a tornado, usually with golf ball sized hail.

No, I don't think we're in LA anymore, Toto.

They Just Don't Get It

The Republicants rail against "no new taxes" (including the infamous "death tax") and yet continue to want to raise new programs from the dead and pay for them by cutting other services (like social services). They don't want to raise taxes on the Filthy Rich because that is who backs/controls them and their "Tea Party" (may they be dumped in the severly poluted rivers and bays of our major cities).

They want their cake (like the infamous, and apparently incorrect Marie Antoinette quote) and they want us -- the rest of Us; the middle and lower classes -- to pay for it.

And they got "Them" "thrown out" in the last election ("Them" being Democratic long time members of Congress) whilst neglecting their own "Us" (Republicant long term members).

No, Elephants, you can't have your massive cake (or portion of the pie) and eat it too. It's Tax the Rich time.

Creativity and Other Errant Gestures

I am working on novelizing one of my screenplays (I suppose the correct way of putting it is "adapting" one of my screenplays -- although the process usually goes the other direction. At least I was working on the novel.

In the last week though, I have started and finished two short stories and started and gotten several (to six) pages into several more. I am not experiencing writers block, just at this time, novel block.

And when I tell someone about this, they ask, "Why don't you just finish the novel?" -- as if that were an easy task I could accomplish this weekend, if I would only stick with it. I then have to explain the writing process, and how creativity works for me (it's not a start/finish/stop process).

When I am stuck on a longer piece, it is sometimes easier to do a short piece. Feels less frustrating that way for some reason. If I try to continue to slug it out with the novel, it only gets frustrating, especially since the novel is 'already finished' if you will -- the basic plot is down and just needs to be 'filled out' 'some.' Usually a lot 'some.' 

Hence, the short story.

Now what I really need to finish are several articles. But that requires research. Oy! Now that's 'work.'

New Years Non-Resolution

I would like to make a New Years resolution to avoid/neglect/disavow anything having to do with politics. I rant, I rave, I get those of the 'other side' ready to bring out their fire arms. So I would like to not comment/hear about/ or otherwise have anything to do with politics.

That would mean stopping all conversations of political discourse. Not looking at any newspapers, periodicals, news reports, web pages that insist on having 'politics' to 'keep us informed.'

But then, I can be on a street corner, minding my own business when a car passes with some right wing idiot-logical claptrap on it and be set off.

My sister even has a "no politics" rule to be adhered to at holiday time with me and my brothers who have ideological viewpoints that are 180 degrees in opposition (doesn't work).

And that is why this is a resolution guaranteed to fail. We are political animals. I have spent all of my adult life involved in politics, on one level or another. I know it doesn't help my blood pressure.

But...

You can't argue with a Sick Mind

Ah, the Tea Party! Set in the November election to take over Congress, and finish off the Planet in the tradition of Mad King George the Second (the previous Administration; soon to be "Mission Accomplished" II).

But what happens when the Crazies take over the Country? Will things be 'set right?' They will be set Right, that's for sure. And Jesus better come quick to save us from his followers, cause The Planet is about to be set on its wrong side.

Soon I won't have to worry about not going to the Beach in LA: because there won't be one. Forget most of the East Coast, too.

Defeat Prop 23.

Morning in Seattle. I mean, Los Angeles.

As to the aforementioned weather...

I live in West LA. I moved here mainly because of wanting to be an Actor. But secondarily to that of course, was The Weather. If I'm gonna live somewhere where it wasn't my first choice, it has to have it's good points. For LA, that was the weather, followed closely by The Beach (which I almost never go to, but to which I travel to Santa Monica periodically to view; to remind myself that I actually live in LA).

But with Global Warming, that's all changing.

Yesterday, the fog started rolling in about five o'clock in the afternoon. Just like in San Fransisco. Except I don't live in SF. And the temperature these days if it goes above 80, is a hot day. Almost makes me want to move to the San Fernando Valley. At least it's warmer there.

Batter Up!

So here is the first post of this new blog (superceeding my previous blog on that myspace place).

[edited for content--9/18] Tonight finds me on an episode of a show that I cannot name now because I had to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement to appear before camera (i.e. get paid). First time for everything.
Last week I was in an episode of the new show The Whole Truth (starring Rob Morrow from the previous show "Numbers" on CBS). I had a scene where I had what in the business is called a 'money shot' reacting to his character getting onto a bus at "Rikers Island" prison. Once again, I'll know whether or not I appear when it airs.

That's the thing about being a Background Actor (otherwise known as an "Extra" ). You just never know until you watch, or until friends around the country call/email to congratulate you on being in a movie they just watched. Except in this case ("Blades of Glory") I didn' know that I had had a scene in the movie. I had just been on set as a Background performer.

And when I called the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) about it, I was asked, "Was it ten seconds or longer?" To which I had to answer "No," unfortunately.

Life in The Industry.