Young Hillary Clinton

Hilarious spoof of one power-mad child-woman:

Californians: Vote YES on Prop 98 and NO on Prop 99

Californians, there will be a statewide election on June 3rd, 2008.

Contrary to lies you may have heard on the radio, Proposition 98 is real eminent domain reform. Proposition 99 is the sham.

Prop 98 protects all private property from eminent domain abuse: homes, small businesses, family farms and ranches, rentals, and houses of worship.

Prop 99 protects almost nothing: some homes, some of the time. Homes must be owner-occupied for over 12 months. Even then, homes can be taken if the city merely claims there are "health and safety" reasons. Entire residential neighborhoods can be re-zoned into non-existence.

What about rent control?

It's true that Prop 98 prohibits government from establishing rent control. However, tenants already living under rent control are protected. Rent control will apply to them for as long as they live in their residences. Furthermore, Prop 98 prevents government from taking rental property and giving it to private developers. Thus, Prop 98 increases protection for current tenants.

By contrast, Prop 99 allows government to take rental property and give it to private developers. Current tenants would be worse off under Prop 99.

ABC News Can't Spell

In the ABC News article, George's Bottom Line on Clinton for Veep, the author (there's no byline on the article) misspells "principle."

The author writes: "That's the principal they're running on right now."

Yet it should be "principle," not "principal."

This is not a "typo," which is when a person knows the correct spelling but hits the wrong key. This is a misspelling. This is ignorance.

Clinton Cackles. People Die.

Former Democratic Senator Mike Gravel is now running for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination. Gravel has a longtime antiwar record, opposing the draft during the Vietnam War and reading The Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record.

Until recently, Gravel was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. He got in some good jabs against pro-war Hillary Clinton.

Lady Magdalene's Culver City Press Junket

Filmmaker J. Neil Schulman's Lady Magdalene's will screen on in Culver City's Backlot Film Festival, on April 3, in preparation of which he organized the below press junket:

The Trouble With Indie Films

I love indie films, for many of the reasons that filmmaker J. Neil Schulman (Lady Magdalene's) doesn't. However, Neil makes so many valid observations about indie films, I asked if it were okay for me to reprint them here:

"Independent film has become, in its own way, as strict and narrowly selective as commercial movies. I did not set out to make an arthouse film for a limited audience. I set out to do what I have always done, first as a novelist then later as a screenwriter, which is to make an entertainment for as large an audience as could possibly be receptive to my own admittedly idiosyncratic esthetics and opinions. I have always enjoyed suspense and strong plots. Many in the indie film community today consider plot to be atavistic or bourgeois. My favorite books and movies have always been uplifting, romantic, and driven by heroic characters. This is at odds with the spirit of much of independent film today, which is existentialist, naturalist, and tends to regard good as less powerful than evil. I am not a Candide who sees only the rosy side of life; but I do feel it to be my job as an artist to make it easier, not harder, for the person I entertain to confront the challenges in their own lives. To me, the purpose of fiction and drama -- even comedy and farce -- is the same as myth: to infect us with hope, and silence despair.

"We did everything we could to make an entertaining movie with appealing, memorable characters as well as a strong plot, and as high production values as we could achieve on our budget. I think if there is such a thing as a formula for box office success, this is it. But the only way anyone can know for sure is to be offered to an audience and let them decide.

"That opportunity is what we're working towards."

Rocket Science Censors Christ from Battle Hymn of Republic

I don't know if this was intentional, but it is curious.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic has five stanzas. It's the epitome of a Judeao-Christian song, in that it combines Old Testament imagery with specific reference to Christ. You thus have both the "Judaeo" and "Christian" parts.

But I guess the "Christian" half of Judaeo-Christianity bothers some people.

The recent indie film, Rocket Science, features a modern version of The Battle Hymn of the Republic over the end credits. The first four stanzas are sung. There's time enough to sing the fifth stanza, that one that references Christ. Instead, the song repeats the refrain a second time.

I wonder, was somebody at HBO/Time-Warner uneased by the Christ reference? And if Christ was censored out, did that decision come from the creative or corporate end? If you're gonna do the first four stanzas, it makes sense to sing the fifth as well.

You hear about "liberal" Hollywood. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but it's a curious omission.

Rocket Science itself is a so-so indie film. A teenage, coming-of-age film; the difficulties of being an outcast, finding a girl, dealing with oddball parents and hippy-dippy teachers or guidance counselors. (The clueless speech thearpist in Rocket Science reminded me of the clueless teacher in Heathers -- a far superior film.)

For the curious, here are the complete lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic:


Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on.

REFRAIN: Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps,
His day is marching on.

REFRAIN

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My Grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

REFRAIN

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His Judgement Seat.
Oh! Be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

REFRAIN

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

REFRAIN