Bonnie Tyler - Literal Video Version

For Teenagers, Hello Means ‘How About a Hug?’

A greeting is so common, some students complain of peer pressure to hug, and some schools have banned hugging.

Hugging appears to be a grass-roots phenomenon and not an imitation of a character or custom on TV or in movies. The prevalence of boys’ nonromantic hugging (especially of other boys) is most striking to adults. Experts say that over the last generation, boys have become more comfortable expressing emotion, as embodied by the MTV show “Bromance,” which is now a widely used term for affection between straight male friends.

Another generational divide. (Via NYT)

Memorial Day Fun

Jesse Ventura Interview With Hannity

I've never heard Ventura's political views until just recently. I always thought MN was a bit odd of electing a WWF champ as governor. But now listening him, I can understand why MN people voted for him. His politics are very populist. Very in the moment.

And he makes the excellent counter point to Cheney's claim, being made on every talk show today, that the Bush/Cheney administration kept the country safe for SEVEN years! Why seven? Why not EIGHT?

Reagan and Clinton, each, kept the country safe for eight years.

Bill Murray Revival Weekend

I watch "Lost in Translation", "Ghostbusters", "Caddyshack", "Meatballs", "The Royal Tenenbaums", "Rushmore" and "Stripes". He's such a great talent.

Puffy Cheeks and Sore Knees

About two weeks ago, I noticed my cheeks started to feel puffy. Okay, I changed my face lotion recently, maybe I was allergic. I changed back to my prior lotion. My cheeks still felt puffy. What else?

Okay, I started drinking Bud in the evenings. I thought maybe I was allergic to the preservatives. Who knows, right? I stopped drinking Bud. Nothing changed. Cheeks still puffy. What could it be?

Then I stepped on the scale at the gym: 205! Oh shit. Typically, I'm below 190.

I started running 6 miles a day, and twice cycling 50 miles. Additionally, I started recording all my calorie intake on My Daily Plate religiously, not exceeding 2000 cals a day.

Today, I stepped on the scale, and presto: 188!! No more chubby cheek, but now I have sore knees.

On So Many Levels...

President Barack Obama bends over so the son of a White House staff member can pat his head during a family visit to the Oval Office May 8, 2009. The youngster wanted to see if the President's haircut felt like his own.

Can you imagine W doing this or any of the past Presidents for that matter? Okay, maybe Nixon.

I'm Learning

A while back, I came across a passage in a screenwriting book stating that all screenwriters must practice the "craft". Being arrogant and a know-it-all, I completely dismisses it. Telling myself only idiot screenwriters need to practice the "craft". Talented screenwriters, like myself, didn't need to bother. Well.

After receiving repeated comments from script analysts complimenting my characters and dialogue, but chiding me for weak structure, I purchases this book (it was highly recommended on Amazon.com): "Secrets of Screenplay Structure" How to Recognize and Emulate the Structural Frameworks of Great Films" by Linda Cowgill and the "light" turned on! After struggling to understand what structure was by watching films to no avail, this book REALLY enlighten me. It especially helped me understand REVERSALS and REVELATIONS. All screenplays need at least on REVERSAL. I didn't know that. Now I do.

Screenplay Structure basically goes as follows:

Seven Points of Reference
1. Inciting Incident (s)
2. Climax - Act I
3. Midpoint
4. Act II Climax - Must relate to inciting incident)
5. Act III Climax - Protagonist learned something from Act II climax and uses it now.
6. Twist - Protagonist's “need”, which only makes sense at this point, is resolved.
7. Resolve – Protagonist is changed person.

Screenplay MUST include:
1. REVERSALS
2. REVELATIONS
3. Conflict, Obstacles, Complications
4. Surprise
5. Suspense

Obstacles
1. The Antagonist
2. Physical
3. Inner
a. Intellectual
b. Emotional
c. Psychological
4. Mystical Forces (really stupid in my opinion)

If Real Estate is about Location, Location, Location, then a movie is about EMOTION, EMOTION, EMOTION. A plot must be pushed by emotion, not characters.

LIVE AND LEARN. The first two screenplays that I wrote really lacked structure, but the third - "Doris" (which about a farmer and his loyal cow named, Doris) I imposed heavy structure. Personally, I still feel structure is unnatural and unrealistic, but I'm learning movies are basically very unnatural and unrealistic. I should hear back regarding the "Doris" screenplay in about a month's time for so.

Back to School

Now that I've finished three screenplays (I'm waiting to hear back from the script analyst) and developed a business plan (I'm waiting for comments), I've decided to enroll in two more courses (cinematography and editing) at NYU this summer. The courses finish late summer, then possibly I'll be making a few short films. Last time I made short films was at Cornell, I've forgotten a lot since then. I've also been told by many, short films are good calling cards for full length films. The journey continues.

COURSE : Cinematography Intensive

Develop your creative vision while learning effective lighting techniques and how to shoot 16mm film and digital video. Capture motion picture images using ARRI-SR2 cameras. Become familiar with SD and HD video formats along with camera functions using Panasonic DVX-100 and HVX-200 cameras. Through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on practice, discover how film stock, exposure, light, and composition affect the quality of an image. By experimenting with film and DV formats, develop your production skills and learn to select the right format for any project.

AREAS COVERED
• Aesthetics, concepts, and techniques of cinematography.
• The role of the cinematographer.
• Interpreting the script visually.
• Lighting, camera operation, and lens selection.
• Working with a crew and a lab.
• Duties of the camera assistant.
• Film stocks and Els.
• Using exposure meters.
• Filming exteriors and interiors.


COURSE : Editing: Final Cut Pro

This intensive is a comprehensive two week training program in Final Cut Pro editing software. This course combines the content of Editing with Final Cut Pro I and II into one continuous program of study. Students progress from basic operations to a familiarity with advanced functions including sound editing, motion graphics functions, and DVD authoring with DVD Studio Pro. Progressively more demanding in-class exercises help students apply what they learn and advance in technical expertise.

Jesse Ventura: What A Character!

Ventura also came out against the Bush administration, calling George Bush the "worst president in my lifetime" and saying he has "no respect for Dick Cheney."

Claiming that he was water-boarded as part of Navy Seal training he received during the Vietnam War era, Ventura says:

[Water-boarding] is torture... It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a water board, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.

(Via Huffington Post) Check out the video. I can't believe he was once Governor.

The Killers - "A Dustland Fairytale"

With a full orchestra....

I don't love The Killers, but I like them about 95%. Hence, my fascination with them. I think.

We're All Euro Now

One of the more disconcerting statistics is government spending as a percentage of GDP. In 1903, the figure was 6.8% for the U.S. In 2009, it's projected to be 44.72%—a greater than 8% increase over the average of the previous 5 years—not particularly encouraging. Less encouraging are the comparisons with major Western European countries. In 2007, France was at 61.1%, Sweden and Denmark 58.1%, Italy 55.3%, the UK 50%, and Germany 48.8%. Yep, we're on the march to be the equal of those paragons of economic stagnation.

Government Spending at 45% of GDP! Very disconcerting. The underlying theme seems to be: it doesn't matter who's in office (dems or reps) government spending will increase! All elected officials like spend.

(Via Chuck Dietrick)

Sugar Snacks

Next time you want a Coke have ten sugar cubes instead! Incredible, innit? The 1 liter bottle 27.5 cubes! Water? Zero calories.

More Sugar Stacks

Swine Flu and Media Hype

The media looking for revenue. Why not create a little fear to bust earnings? It's good for the economy.

The Big Fat Gay Anti-Hate Collaboration

When did teenagers become so young?!

This Week In Holy Crimes....

Check it out over at Joe.My.God.

Nobody can hind on the internet. And it's week after week after week.

Colbert: Satire or Rightwing Rant

News about the Economy

While I really hate Olberman. I find him to be a talking head that preaches a leftist view of a topic, and never really examines a topic. But this piece on Colbert, I found somewhat interesting.

Were Did all the Money Go?

President's Economic Progress Reports state by state.

Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President Obama started his Presidency with decisive action -- proposing and quickly passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

It was not free, but would have a depression cost more? Don't know.

The good part is that rich America is paying for it. Their taxes increased.

Stepping Out

I'm going to check out the final showing of "Handsome Harry" tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival, but it doesn't start until really late. So to round out evening I found this the announcement above. It starts at 7PM.

Written and performed by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene and directed by Maija Garcia, Volcano's Birthright{s} is a one-woman, multi-media theatrical production that fuses poetry, choreography, film and music. In an intimate setting, this Nigerian dyke poet and daughter of immigrants illuminates her experience of love and heartache, art and activism, culture and roots. Fly spits raw poetry and unleashes uncensored monologue at once seething with rage, deeply humorous and intensely loving…Volcano's Birthright{s} is bleeding with humanity…In the face of genocide and war, this work asks of itself and the world: are poems enough?

(Via The Tank )
(Via Volcano's Birthright(s) )

Times are a Changing

"Take gay marriage, legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut and now Iowa, with Vermont coming aboard in September. At its low, in 2004, just 32 percent of Americans favored gay marriage, with 62 percent opposed. Now 49 percent support it versus 46 percent opposed -- the first time in ABC/Post polls that supporters have outnumbered opponents."

"Moreover, the number of Americans "strongly" opposed has declined from 51 percent to 39 percent, while the number strongly in favor of gay marriage has advanced from 24 percent to 31 percent."

Plus changing views on legalizing marijuana, immigration and gun control.

(Via ABC News Poll )

"Although public opinion has not shifted much in the past couple of years, gays can expect to add to their gains. Young Americans are much more laid-back than their elders: those aged 18-34 are twice as likely to support gay marriage as those over 65. They are also twice as likely to have a close gay friend or family member. Familiarity breeds tolerance, which makes it easier for gays to come out."

(Via Economist)