Death Penalty

(an excerpt from another blog)
Before I get into comedic related issues a quick statement on the death penalty (due to some Facebook chatter on my page). I am against the death penalty in all cases. The recent revelation in Texas that an innocent man was executed for arson and capital murder in 2004 for allegedly setting fire to his home, which killed his two young children should be huge news. Can you imagine the man’s anguish (he never pleaded guilty)? But I am against it even when the person is actually guilty (yes even if DNA and videotape corroborate it). I think it is barbaric. China, parts of the Middle East and the U.S. are the world’s executors. No one else I believe.
One argument for the death penalty I get is - what if it was your friend or family member they killed – you’d be for it then? Well, being human I would want vengeance. But the government is in place to elevate society (at least we hope) beyond Old Testament justice, not to enforce it. It has no deterrent effect and I don’t think satisfying some sort of blood lust should be our main justification for imposing a punishment. Isn’t that why people get to watch UFC and MMA fights? This is to say nothing of the racial disparity in the application of the death penalty. It is a flawed and barbaric system because it relies too much on passion and prejudice, which is exactly what the law is supposed to reign in. There is a reason that a police officer can shoot someone during a potentially dangerous or lethal situation, but not when the criminal has his hands behind his back handcuffed and is unarmed. Of course the person is not convictedof anything yet, but even after conviction does he/she pose any more threat to society locked away for the rest of his life than the unarmed person on the sidewalk with his hands cuffed?

Any Questions?

Ethos: the source's credibility, the speaker's/author's authority

Logos: the logic used to support a claim (induction and deduction); can also be the facts and statistics used to help support the argument.

Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional language and numerous sensory details.

Angel Oak

About a month ago I went to Charleston, South Carolina. Now, in the general vicinity there is a very old and large tree. Every once in a while, genetics fuck up during cell reproduction and create a new genetic allele. Most times these mutations don't do much of anything, but other times they have massive results; like a single tree that covers nearly half an acre of land and is still growing after 1400 years. While there another member of the production crew (I was there on business) picked up an acorn as a souvenir. I did the same, but I decided to plant mine when I got back. Now, more than a month later it is sprouting. There is only a small chance that it will contain the same genetics as the angel oak tree, because oak trees pollinate with other oaks rather than with themselves and a lot of mutations are ironed out during reproduction. But here is hoping!

To the aid of friends

I was looking at facebook today and I arrived at the page of one of my exes. We are facebook friends now(the drama is over), but one of his friend had posted on his wall (just something random). Now. the moment we broke up, she deleted me as a friend and for some reason took it personally, saying things like "I invited you into my home..." and "My parents really thought you were great, but I guess not".
I was always rattled by those things. It wasn't what she said, but the fact that she said anything. The breakup was between him and me, but she was all offended by it. This confussed me for years. To be honest, I still don't know why she acted that way.

Moral: Some people are overly loyal. They are offended by osmosis.

sexism

Sexism saved a woman and her family the other day. She beat an intruder with a nearby iron after he broke in. If she hadn't had a huge pile of laundry that her husband had condemed her to, the iron would not have been near, and the family wight have been killed.

So... go make me a sandwich, woman!

One Phone Call Can Change Your Life!

I was watching television a few hours ago today and saw a commercial for the next episode of some show about rich people. On the commercial a guy says "Most people don't know what it is like to get a phone call that changes their lives".
uhm.. what? hold the press you egotistical piece of television crap. You honestly thing that you are the only one who can have their entire fate decided by someone on the opposeite ond of a telephone? Or perhapse it is just that you have had sucha stable and padded life that the idea that it could be so quickly ripped out from under you is so foriegn that you have never heard of it before. I think that everyone who has ever had to work for something can look back on a wowent and say thath they were not in control. Med students waiting to get into residencies, actor's praying for a role, cancer pationts on the verge of tears about bioepsy results. Wo have all had to admit that we are at the whims of fate.
Moral: People are not as different from eachother as you tnhink.

Six More Beautiful Movies

I have 4 Films in line for the second volume of my collection of beautiful movies and 2 shorts. I am not going to tell my readers what they are. But, I promise you will like them. These first four are very good! In my last release, five of the six movies were from after the turn of the millennium, all were in vivid color and the spoken language was English. So far I have one that is in black and white and one that is French with English subs. These films are so much more diverse.
Please stay patient, it won't be too long.

Tech week

A while ago I met a fellow who I feel I touched. Uhm... don't take that the wrong way. I mean, I met a guy who I helped shape into what he is now-- partially, of course. What I mean to say, is he would be different in at least one aspect if it weren't for me. I would be different, too if I had never known him. I don't even remember how we met. He probably remembers, but I don't see that as an important detail. What is important is that the course of both our lives has (have been?) changed for knowing the other. What is important is the times we spent together outside of the studio. We are going to call him "Fellow A". He is continuing with lighting because of me. Obviously I didn't cause him to enjoy lighting tech more than any other type of theater tech, but I did show him the ropes, and I did enjoy leading him around more than any other student. He has worked with me on several projects, more than half he received only praise and in rare cases; a listing in the credits as "Assistant Lighting Designer-- Fellow A".
But this blog isn't about showing how I touch people, it is about how people can touch me and the readers get a front row seat (in his case a backstage pass.) I would not be as successful today as I am if it weren't for him. Really, he gave me the undoubting trust that I needed. Sometimes it was as simple as "Uhm... that looks even... I think... uhm... I don't think anyone will notice." Other times he deciphering my crazy magic sheets (they are paperwork that lists a bunch of important lighting data) was just what I needed while a director breathed down my neck.
Needless to say, our friendship isn't just about lighting, but this post is already too long.

Moral: A line stolen from the musical, "Wicked": Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

Thanksgiving

I know a man who when he came out to his sister, she replied, "I forgive you". This was a testament to his whole family (luckily my family had the one outlier who wasn't cool with it). No wonder he doesn't see them often.
Anyways...
I got an invitation to Thanksgiving at this man's house. I know that i will always have a seat at his table, he is very generous. In fact, I'll bet a near stranger would be welcome at his table. I also know that he invites his family every year, but that they never come. It is really their loss.
I just wanted to share this with you now. because early November is approaching and many people start making their plans right about now. I am not going to tell you to spend the holiday with family, but I am going to tell you that the holidays are a time for spending with people who matter (and after all, those who matter don't mind and those that mind don't matter).

Moral: if you missed it in the above paragraph, REREAD!

"reality" TV

You know how I know reality TV shows like "parking wars" and "operation repo" are fake? Because nobody is going to sign a waiver to appear on television if they are being towed/ticketed.

Apparently the costume designer got in trouble for Katy Perry's cleavage. It isn't like she is in a bikini or anything...

Megan is now a Vegetarian, lite Vegan

Megan has taken up the lifestyle of a Vegetarian with Vegan influences-- what ever the hell that means. Point being that I told her that she can't expect to be healthy like that. Being that I am a believer that you need a well rounded diet; just as all your protein shouldn't come from red meat, neither should it all come from tofu. She said she is feeling healthier than ever, and her energy levels are a nice even state all day. I of course was a little confused about this, so I did some research.

I did a little reading to discover this (many of you might already know these terms, but here is a right brain approach to healthy eating):
The nutrients needed in the largest quantity by the body are called Macronutrients.

These include:
Carbs
Proteins
Fats

These are mainly what gives our bodies energy to live. Because of this, when we are lacking in them, we feel several effects rather quickly. We get hungry, we get headaches, and we feel weak.

Some Macrominerals we need, but that don’t necessarily provide us with immediate energy, include:
Salt (sodium)
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium

When we’re hungry and when we have cravings, our bodies are lacking in these nutrients, and their telling us we need to replenish them.

Unhealthy foods are high in -- you guessed it-- fats, sugars, carbs, and salts. Taking in these gives your body a huge blast of energy, a spike in your day.

Once you’re in a habit of eating incredibly unhealthy food on a regular basis, your body functions on the never ending cycle of spiking and plummeting of blood sugar and intake of fat and sugar. When you are on this cycle, you have intense cravings all the time. Your brain is accustomed to that spike.

If you are in the habit of eating healthy, balanced foods, there are no spikes! Energy and nutrient intake is much more balanced. The usual intense cravings go away. In Megan's case, you have a nice smooth day.

Pretty awesome, isn't it? Kinda makes you want to try eating nothing but healthy foods for a month, just to see if I am full of crap.

It also kinda makes you compare bad food to drugs... just for a second.

Many updates

I apologize about not updating for so long, it has been hectic around here. But I have several updates. First off, I no longer work were I used to work. I had feared the failure of the restaurant for sometime. Turns out the paycheck I picked up the day I had my little discussion with my previous managers actually bounced. Yep, so I was dead on: the restaurant is failing.*
Secondly, driven by the sorrow of unemployment, I felt the need to be fruitful in some aspect of my life, any aspect of my life... I now have a 5 gallon tank with two fiddler crabs inside. They are so cute!!! Actually they are ugly little things, but that isn't really the point.**
Thirdly, I leave for South Carolina soon. If I am not able to stash away enough money for an emergency exit (should anything go terribly wrong and I need to jump ship on the project) I am going to have to borrow erin or josh's credit card.***

*Moral: if you think that your job (or any aspect of life) is doomed for failure, get out before you are at the point where you aren't getting anything for your time.
**Moral: When life is out of control, any little thing that you feel you have accomplished can make you feel better.
***Moral: Make sure you are safe, always give yourself an exit. I still stand by my philosophy that you are responsible for your own safety. (I have posted before my thoughts on drunk sorority girls waking up in a strange guy's bed)

Hate Mail

I sent out an email exposing, what I feel is, a biased video on Youtube. I am not going to go into detail about the subject matter of the video nor my email, but I think it was important to say what I said. The funny thing is, I hate pushy people. And of course pressing my views in that way was very pushy. I am a hypocrite. dam.
Now I aw going to wake up tomorrow with a mailbox full of hate mail.I I have already decided that I am not going to respond anymore on the subject, even if someone responds to me. Is that cowardice? To say something so bold and then walk away from the situation? I know some will respond. But as long as they are thinking for themselves and not just blindly believing what they read or see on Youtube.

One over Another

Occassionally in life we have to choose one person over another. Sometimes this is very difficult. This time it is not, but sometimes it is. I recently rekindled a friendship. I was then faced with a dilema. The friend doesn't care for one of my facebook friends. Now normally in a case like this one person bitches about the other until some resolution is reached- and with me, I usually drop the bitchier friend who has the audacity to tell me who I can and can't be friends with. But in this case, nobody said anything. Likely because they are both unaware or perhapse just don't give a flying shit. Either way- I feel that I cannot be friends with both. It isn't them, it is me. (By the Way-- never believe anyone who says that to you (just a side note)) this time I choose the old friend.

moral: sometimes you have to push someone out, but often times they weren't really that close.

Addition: I didn't even have to think twice about it.

Timed Events

The Last Airbender

I was very excited to see the live action movie, but it was a disappointment. Upon the advice of a certain Chris W. i began watching the cartoon. It is much better.

Moral: Great things are celebrated for a reason. They turned the cartoon into a movie because the cartoon was great, not because the live action movie was to be great.

My Favorites

Clive Barker's Jericho
Diablo 2
Dragon Age
F.E.A.R.
Titan Quest
Turok


There. Enough said.