Monthly Archives: May 2009

An Amusing Contradiction

Takes a look at this picture. It a group a group of people protesting the agenda of the current administration to expand healthcare coverage in this country.
(It is interesting to note that there has not been a detailed plan put forward, do people are protesting the mere idea of expanding coverage not the method by which it is expanded.)
ocare1

There’s a very good chance that every person in this picture is currently on Medicare. Medicare is socialized medicine, the very thing that they are ‘protesting.’

Government healthcare for me but not for thee?

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Doctor Murdered

Breaking news today of an abortion providing doctor shot dead while at his church. It’s terribly that there are those who when they feel powerless strike out with violence and vengeance. I expect that for at least the next two years, and maybe longer, we will see an uptick in this sort of right-wing terrorism. I am not saying that because I think the right is more prone to terrorists acts than the left. Eco-terrorists and animal rights activist as engage in terrorist activity to promote there causes. While I do not have the data at my finger tips I would not be surprised to to find that the left-wing terrorist actions spiked from 2000-2006. During that time the congress, both houses, and the executive were controlled by the conservatives. The extremist faction on the left feeling powerless and helpless before their enemies would then become more prone to violent action. I think the same dynamic is at work now, but on the right. the Liberal control the congress, both houses, and the executive. the extremists on the right are going to feel powerless and under attack. That is a recipe for violence. We should not condemn everyone on the right or everyone everyone who feels that abortion is not a right. (That does NOT include me. I feel it is a right protected by the 9th amendment.)

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This is Seriously cool

First you have to know that this is not a real movie trailer. Evidently some people have been fooled by it even though the scenes used are from iconic films and very recent trailers.
That said, this is one of — if not the — best fan trailers for an unreal project I have ever seen. A friend of mine who doesn’t like superhero movies watched it and said “Damn I want to see that film.”

A major hat-tip to betnoir for putting this up on her livejournal.

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Prop 8 & The California Supreme Court

I can’t say I am surprised by the decision of the California Supreme Court to uphold proposition 8 and revoke the right to marry for gay couples, but I am saddened and concerned that we have to travel down this road.
My personal belief is that it isn’t the government’s business who we marry. I’m a fairly libertarian kind of guy always preferring to live and let live. However, because I want gay people to have fully the same rights I have does not mean I will gnash my teeth and spit venom over this ruling.
The state constitution is unclear what is a revision and what is an amendment. I could see the argument to overturn Prop 8 based on that premise — that it is a revision and not an amendment — but I can also see the weakness in the argument. The argument did not carry the day and now the fight returns to the ballot box. In the end I think the fight will be won by the right side and if the GOP continues to align itself strong with the opposing side then they are in for hard times.
However there is cause for concern. Right now in California any right not already secured and protected by the federal government is subject the whim of the majority. Fifty percent plus one is all it takes to revoke a right in California.
A constitutional republic is supposed to be about protecting the right of the minority and then has been terribly weakened this week.

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A Bad Buffy Idea

So there is talk about a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie.
But wait, I hear you say, there already was a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie back in 1992 and it sucked.
You are correct. Of course since then there has been a TV show that was produced my Joss Wheadon and showed us the true potential of his vision. (Seasons six and seven excepted of course.)
So maybe you ask, is Joss coming back to make a movie but done right, you know, like with Serenity?

Nope.

The people who made the original Buffy The Vampire Slayer want to make a reboot. Like with Batman and Star Trek and while they are open to working with Joss, it’s not high on their list of requirements.

I smell the stink already.

A bad Buffy Idea

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No work tonight

Despite getting some really good editing idea from the Workshop at Baycon 2009 I am not going to be working on my writing tonight.
The ride home from the day-job turned into an ordeal of pain. The brake-lines on the buss were off and every time the bus topped or remained stopped it sounded like a very loud and badly tuned woodwind instrument.
I had a migraine before I was halfway home.

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Late Update from BayCon 2009

Well this day has come to an end and I a still having fun at Baycon 2009. Overall I have been happy with this convention and I a quite happy that I came. (Even with a 9 hour car ride each way.)

Today was primarily a writing sort of day. The first panel was called IRON EDITOR. People brought 2 pages of Manuscript to be edited on the spot. I did this. The Manuscripts were projected on a screen and the panel editors then had at it.

mine did not escape undamaged, but it wasn’t mortally wounded either. It was a very interesting process to watch.
Next was the three hour writer’s workshop. That was very interesting and very helpful. I brought the first chapter of Love and Loyalty to be workshopped. the submission guidelines indicated that if you brought a section of a larger work you should include a synopsis of the larger work.
While the feedback on the chapter was useful, the feedback on the synopsis was invaluable. That was practically worth the trip alone.

I have a slight headache now but I will tour the parties and tomorrow we start our trip home.

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Convention Update

Not really much of an update as I have been having too much fun to write on my blog.

I feel sorry for everyone who is not here.

Off to my writers Workshop now.

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