Wisdom of the Sages
Episode V
Spring 2008
Hello People of the World!
This month’s edition will be a little light. Sorry that it is out so late, as well. I actually got an video editing gig. Which is cool. Someone saw my stuff and asked me to put together a promo for them. Hopefully, it turns into something consistent. Oh well, whatever, never mind:
:[ I was sitting in the Border’s Café on Randolph, having purchased a cup of coffee and a snicker doodle (curse you Pocowachit!). I just got done visiting with the pretty African-American lady behind the counter, her grandmother is Blackfoot, and was I hoping to get some writing done. Another, very suburban, Anglo-blonde, who was standing there doing nothing the whole of my purchase and several other people’s purchases after, walks up to the same black lady and starts talking about her roommate’s inability to pay rent or something.
Now, what caught my ear was the way she talked to the black girl. She got all ghetto in her syntax. Her "black-cent" disappeared when she finally took over the register and completed some purchases. Now, why did she feel that she had to talk to the black girl like that? The black girl spoke perfectly fine to me. Hm. Or maybe I’m being racist.
:[ A lot of people have been complaining about the long, drawn-out road to picking a Democratic candidate. I’m with Bill Maher on this one: This is what Democracy looks like. When people cannot decide, or have chosen a side, and work hard to get their candidate elected, the process should be slow, so every one can make some kind of informed decision.
I also think that Clinton should not be against a combined ticket. I mean, either way you slice it, it will be historic.
So, who am I voting for?
:[ The new CTA Credit Card Machine: Best invention EVER!
:[ John Phillip Law Passes Away - Diabolik has finally been captured by that Valmont in the Sky. Most remember Law as the mute Angel in Barbarella. I must admit tha I first saw him on Mystery Science Theater 3000's "Space Mutiny" episode. Then, later as Danger: Diabolik in the final MST3k episode. I have since looked up his career and found he had a vast portfolio of films including "The Russians Are Coming", "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad", and a little seen western, "Death Rides a Horse."
You shall be missed.
:[ I’ve been working hard lately to se more movies in theaters. I have started making regular rounds to the Gene Siskel Center. I felt maybe I should try to re-kindle my love of movie-going and inspire my movie-making in the process. Anyways, I’ve been seeing more movies at the theater is all I’m saying....
:[ Whatever happened to rap music? You know what I’m saying? Remember when it was deadly and serious? You looked at Snoop Dogg and you were scared of him. There was its' power. Scaring you into hearing about the social ills of an entire economic class of people.
Now? They got him dressing up in costume and wigs. He’s a clown now, basically. All that power, when he scared the crap out of people, is gone, every time I see him dressed up like a 70's pimp clown in garish colors and huge fake afro. Sorry Snoop. I wish you were scary again.
The same can be said for Flava Flav of Public Enemy. He scared the bejeezus out of white people with his enormous, um, clock and gold teeth, and made them stand up and take notice of what was going on the Black Community. Now, he's wearing crazy horned hats and shuffling around in the background while skanky chicks fight with each other.
America is good at taking something that challenges it and commercializing it to depower it. Look at street dance. Now, constant movies are being made like "You Got Served" to show how good suburban kids can become at dancing and once again, that African-American voice is depowered and relegated to shuffling around in the background while skanky chicks fight with each other.
The same can be said for Native Americans. I just wish Rap Music was scary again, instead of being about how much money the Rapper signed for.
:[ You know your "angst" movement has failed when rich, white, suburban kids are emulating you....
:[ A Whole Slew of Short Movie Reviews - Corresponding to my seeing movies in theaters again, I have a ton of very short movie reviews that I want to pass along. Both on DVD and in theaters. Sorry. But with so many, I could not just post a series of full reviews. And once you see the dearth of the movies I have seen, you will understand. Hopefully. Now up at WOS Reviews.
:[ Does Intelligent Design make God stupid?
God designed us to question him. He designed us to evolve into his image and find him in everything BEYOND organized religions. Preachers who tell us that God's Will is me converting or accepting something is really just usurping God’s intention for me and my life. Is there any bigger sin than thinking you know better than God what’s good for me? Because of Free Will and such. God designed and gave us free will to live our lives, correct? Then, why preach my lifestyle, or theirs, or anyone else's, is corrupt and sinful and wrong and evil, when because of God’s design of Free Will, I am doing God's Will. And who is Pat Robertson and the like to usurp that intention?
God is omnipotent and to declare God’s intention is usurping his role in our existence, right? All these preachers telling us "God’s Will" are really trying to take over God’s role for man. If I remember my religious stories correctly, one Angel tried that already, correct? Got cast out and all? Hm. We were design to evolve, I think. Designed to achieve "Him Image", if you will. Or else, what would be the point of our existence? To live out some sort of video game play reality? In my opinion, I thankful for a God intelligent enough to design Evolution, solid rubber tires, and hot dog meat. To take so much on faith in some sort of rigid, grand plan makes God look like a Seventh Grade Drama Queen, "You can’t hang out with those people or else I won’t like you anymore."
:[ Three Kingdoms UPDATE: Two-volume, Updated, Unabridged Version.
A nine minute preview debuted a Cannes. And it rocks. The talk backs are just so happy that John Woo is making quote "a LIVE ACTION DYNASTY WARRIORS MOVIE". (emphasis, mine.) Please. He’s making a movie based on the 600 year old novel, not your silly video game. Grow up. Anyway, here it is.
My reading has stalled to other things happening in my life (I'm getting way too into crosswrod puzzles.): The editing job, other books that have caught my attention, and more. But my screenplay sits, happily unfinished, but outlined. I am considering a proposal to the National Geographic All Roads Film Project. I mean, if National Geographic can fund a 3D U2 concert film, I imagine they will not turn away an action movie. Right? They have standards, right?
:[ Walking down the street I saw this guy wearing a t-shirt that read "Got Beer?" written in the same font as that "Got Milk?" campaign. I wanted to stop, point at his shirt, and chuckle saying, "Heh-heh, that’s really funny because, you know, ...you’re alcoholic."
Anyways, I walked by without a word.
:[ Even though I think the guy is a pathetic, opportunistic, money-losing as$h0le, the new Trump Tower coming up in Chicago looks pretty nice so far and I think it will add to the city skyline.
:[ Kids today have more spending power than previous generations. Nothing exemplified this more than my 9-year-old buying her and her sister movie snacks with her own money when we went to see Indiana Jones 4 last night....
:[ I was talking with a co-worker on the train the other day about Mister Thomas Johenssen Cruise. While we liked his work we felt him to be one of those socially-awkward successes. I mean look at "The Color of Money", and "Collateral" (He frickin’ rocked in that.), and we see him jumping on couches ‘cause he’s dating a girl? Let’s face it. He’s just a geek....
:[ People will be quicker to forgive Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson before we forgive Brittany Spears and Lindsey Lohan.
:[ I can understand the need for Right of Way for pedestrians at the crosswalk. People are driving 2-ton steel and plastic machines capable of killing a person walking alongside the street or road. (No one thinks: "I’m driving something capable of killing someone", but "I’m in a BIG CAR so get out of my way.") But, when a car gets stuck in the intersection because of the stop lights and needs to get out for on-coming traffic, why do those same pedestrians turn into Jerkwads and not allow the car to pass, but, take their "sweet-a$$" time, even rubbing up against the bumper, to cross the street? I guess every one in needed right away....
:[ Just when I think I am a jaded, self-righteous, idiot, I see a little girl walking down the street, clutching her baby doll like she loves it, and probably does, and my heart is warmed and I am moved to tears. Nothing like the innocence of children to make you focus on things.
One of my fondest memories of the reservation is my niece walking out of the HUD house, clutching a kitty, and chomping on a cupcake. She walked like everything was right with the world....
:[ My item on "Native Experience" will have to be relegated to "The Redshade Report" as I have much to say about it and how it ties into Native Identity.
:[ Lastly, there was a truck spill south of Chicago. Two lanes of traffic were closed due to a truck sliding off the road and spilling the contents of the trailer. I wish I had been there to help clean it up as the good were not damaged. What was the truck hauling?
Oreos.
That will do it for this month. Whoa. I though it was going to be a bit light. But like any sumptuous feast, you tell yourself that you will only eat a bit but end up embarrassing yourself when you get caught filling your pockets with shrimp cocktail. So, fill those pockets my friends. Fill them with Ernest Knowledge, go on, it's okay....
Until next time;"If you didn’t see him... He’s there."
:[ You know your "angst" movement has failed when rich, white, suburban kids are emulating you....
:[ A Whole Slew of Short Movie Reviews - Corresponding to my seeing movies in theaters again, I have a ton of very short movie reviews that I want to pass along. Both on DVD and in theaters. Sorry. But with so many, I could not just post a series of full reviews. And once you see the dearth of the movies I have seen, you will understand. Hopefully. Now up at WOS Reviews.
:[ Does Intelligent Design make God stupid?
God designed us to question him. He designed us to evolve into his image and find him in everything BEYOND organized religions. Preachers who tell us that God's Will is me converting or accepting something is really just usurping God’s intention for me and my life. Is there any bigger sin than thinking you know better than God what’s good for me? Because of Free Will and such. God designed and gave us free will to live our lives, correct? Then, why preach my lifestyle, or theirs, or anyone else's, is corrupt and sinful and wrong and evil, when because of God’s design of Free Will, I am doing God's Will. And who is Pat Robertson and the like to usurp that intention?
God is omnipotent and to declare God’s intention is usurping his role in our existence, right? All these preachers telling us "God’s Will" are really trying to take over God’s role for man. If I remember my religious stories correctly, one Angel tried that already, correct? Got cast out and all? Hm. We were design to evolve, I think. Designed to achieve "Him Image", if you will. Or else, what would be the point of our existence? To live out some sort of video game play reality? In my opinion, I thankful for a God intelligent enough to design Evolution, solid rubber tires, and hot dog meat. To take so much on faith in some sort of rigid, grand plan makes God look like a Seventh Grade Drama Queen, "You can’t hang out with those people or else I won’t like you anymore."
:[ Three Kingdoms UPDATE: Two-volume, Updated, Unabridged Version.
A nine minute preview debuted a Cannes. And it rocks. The talk backs are just so happy that John Woo is making quote "a LIVE ACTION DYNASTY WARRIORS MOVIE". (emphasis, mine.) Please. He’s making a movie based on the 600 year old novel, not your silly video game. Grow up. Anyway, here it is.
My reading has stalled to other things happening in my life (I'm getting way too into crosswrod puzzles.): The editing job, other books that have caught my attention, and more. But my screenplay sits, happily unfinished, but outlined. I am considering a proposal to the National Geographic All Roads Film Project. I mean, if National Geographic can fund a 3D U2 concert film, I imagine they will not turn away an action movie. Right? They have standards, right?
:[ Walking down the street I saw this guy wearing a t-shirt that read "Got Beer?" written in the same font as that "Got Milk?" campaign. I wanted to stop, point at his shirt, and chuckle saying, "Heh-heh, that’s really funny because, you know, ...you’re alcoholic."
Anyways, I walked by without a word.
:[ Even though I think the guy is a pathetic, opportunistic, money-losing as$h0le, the new Trump Tower coming up in Chicago looks pretty nice so far and I think it will add to the city skyline.
:[ Kids today have more spending power than previous generations. Nothing exemplified this more than my 9-year-old buying her and her sister movie snacks with her own money when we went to see Indiana Jones 4 last night....
:[ I was talking with a co-worker on the train the other day about Mister Thomas Johenssen Cruise. While we liked his work we felt him to be one of those socially-awkward successes. I mean look at "The Color of Money", and "Collateral" (He frickin’ rocked in that.), and we see him jumping on couches ‘cause he’s dating a girl? Let’s face it. He’s just a geek....
:[ People will be quicker to forgive Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson before we forgive Brittany Spears and Lindsey Lohan.
:[ I can understand the need for Right of Way for pedestrians at the crosswalk. People are driving 2-ton steel and plastic machines capable of killing a person walking alongside the street or road. (No one thinks: "I’m driving something capable of killing someone", but "I’m in a BIG CAR so get out of my way.") But, when a car gets stuck in the intersection because of the stop lights and needs to get out for on-coming traffic, why do those same pedestrians turn into Jerkwads and not allow the car to pass, but, take their "sweet-a$$" time, even rubbing up against the bumper, to cross the street? I guess every one in needed right away....
:[ Just when I think I am a jaded, self-righteous, idiot, I see a little girl walking down the street, clutching her baby doll like she loves it, and probably does, and my heart is warmed and I am moved to tears. Nothing like the innocence of children to make you focus on things.
One of my fondest memories of the reservation is my niece walking out of the HUD house, clutching a kitty, and chomping on a cupcake. She walked like everything was right with the world....
:[ My item on "Native Experience" will have to be relegated to "The Redshade Report" as I have much to say about it and how it ties into Native Identity.
:[ Lastly, there was a truck spill south of Chicago. Two lanes of traffic were closed due to a truck sliding off the road and spilling the contents of the trailer. I wish I had been there to help clean it up as the good were not damaged. What was the truck hauling?
Oreos.
That will do it for this month. Whoa. I though it was going to be a bit light. But like any sumptuous feast, you tell yourself that you will only eat a bit but end up embarrassing yourself when you get caught filling your pockets with shrimp cocktail. So, fill those pockets my friends. Fill them with Ernest Knowledge, go on, it's okay....
Until next time;"If you didn’t see him... He’s there."
