How Do We Fix the Divide?

Four More Years!

I know most of you are as happy as I am about the results of yesterday's election. But there are plenty of folks who are not. Buzzfeed today ran a piece called 'The 31 Worst People on the Planet,' and while I am fairly certain that murderers; child molesters and dictators are probably worse than these people, the 31 blatant racists who had no problem Tweeting their hate for all the world to see are undoubtedly awful people. Tell me again, Ann Coulter, that racism is dead in America.

Then there was has-been comedienne and lunatic-fringe "Christian" Victoria Jackson who Tweeted: "America died today" and "I just can't stop crying." I posted on Facebook: "I hope she cries so much she dries up and blows away like a dead leaf" and Tweeted back to her "And I can't stop laughing at how pathetic you are."* And Donald Trump (who Brian Williams so brilliantly described as "driven past the exit to relevance") went on a multi-Tweet rant, just proving Williams' point so perfectly. Then there are those who were also soundly defeated in the election: anti-abortion, rape-redefining, Republican wingnuts Todd Akin (MO); Richard Mourdock (IN); Roger Rivard (WI); Joe Walsh (IL); Tom Smith (PA) and John Koster (WA). They must be wondering why their extremist views didn't win them their seats.

Just who are all of these anti-Obama; anti-gay; anti-women's rights; anti-progressive loons? They sure sound like Bondian villains, attended by their minions in secret lairs buried deep beneath volcanoes (and no doubt, a few of them may well be - Michelle Bachmann certainly is).

The truth is, the vast majority of them aren't. They are simply misguided folks who truly believe in what the espouse. Long ago, an acting teacher told me that even the worst villain has to believe that what he's doing is the right thing, no matter how misguided or wrong that belief may be. And that's certainly true of the people I'm talking about here (except maybe Coulter, who I am convinced is evil just for the sake of being evil - I can only suppose her only real hero is Machiavelli). They all believe in their heart-of-hearts that they are right and that their views should be everyone's views. That in itself, doesn't make them "bad" people. Unenlightened, maybe. Afraid of what they don't understand, probably. Mislead by antiquated religious doctrines, almost certainly. And a dying breed, most decidedly, as evidenced by last night's election results.

So, how do we close the divide between the Old, Rich White Guys (and Gals) and the rest of us? I'm not sure. It seems to me that their actions and opinions are informed purely by fear and ignorance. Education might help, though I doubt it. Thankfully, the generation coming behind mine seems to get it. But I think nothing short of contact with an advanced alien race who says "Hey! A-holes! You're wrong and here's the proof," will convince them. And should that happen, I still think many of them will cling to their fear and reject the higher wisdom. Maybe we just have to wait for them to die off, like the dinosaurs they are.

Until such a time, the rest of us have to keep fighting; keep protesting and keep making our voices heard. Yesterday's victory for progressive thought was won by too narrow a margin for my taste.  We need to find some common ground and come together as "one nation, indivisible." The so-called 'Culture War' won't end soon, though I have hope that it will end well. I don't know why but I keep looking for the best in people, as should we all.

Back to my usual nonsense, tomorrow (I hope) and then I'm off to Los Angeles for a few days on Friday. I can't wait to go somewhere warm and fun, especially since it's cold and snowing here in Southeastern PA!

*Don't forget, you can follow Uncle P on Twitter @Caliban761.

More, anon.
Prospero

I Will Sleep Well Tonight

Holy crap! I just lost three paragraphs thanks to Google's new version of Blogger. WTF?!

Anyway, I am thrilled to learn that it's all but a formality and President Obama has been reelected for a second term. This means that the repeal of DADT will stand; DOMA will be struck down and ENDA will finally be approved. And it also looks as though a Democrat-heavy Congress will actually be able to back up the reforms he's been trying to pass for the last four years. 

It's actually heartening to know that most of America hasn't drunk the Rmoney Kool Aid; saw through his lies and sent the Kolobian packing. Of course, as of this writing, Mittens has yet to concede, claiming that Ohio was called too early. Boo-hoo! I just want to see the poor loser licking his wounds through his magic underpants.

Of course, my joy is tempered with sadness for those still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy. There are still many thousands without power and/or homes. I am hapy though, that FEMA will still be around to help them. I also feel bad for the kids in my town. Trick or Treating was postponed to tomorrow night, just when our area is supposed to be hit by a Nor'Easter that may dump 2 to 4 inches of wet snow on the area. I'll still have my bowl of candy ready, just in case a few brave souls knock on my door. 

Keep believing in Hope and Change. Donate to the Red Cross' Hurricane Relief and volunteer if you can and know that America's future is a little bit brighter, now. Oh - Clinton/Booker in 2016. Who's in with me?

Update - Romney has conceded. 

More, anon.
A Very Happy Prospero

VOTE!

I missed last week's "Walking Dead" recap due to Sandy and while I thought this week's episode was exceptionally exciting, emotional and powerful, I'm skipping the recap to talk about something near and dear to my heart. Something with which I know most of you already agree, but it's my last chance to rant about it, so I'm going to.

Tomorrow is the Presidential Election in the U.S. Personally, I don't understand how any LGBT person; any woman; any elderly person; any disabled person or otherwise disenfranchised person would vote for 'Rmoney.' He doesn't care about you. He claims he's going to create 12 million new jobs? Out of thin air? Maybe he intends to reinstate the WPA (something I think would actually be good for the country and our decaying infrastructure), but he has yet to show anyone how he plans to do that. He claims he's going to reduce taxes for the middle class, but his infamous "47%" video proves otherwise. He claims he wants to move the country forward, but his stand on social issues would actually move the country back by 50 years or more. His religious views certainly inform his views on government and anyone who allows religion into the governance of a decidedly secular country simply cannot govern fairly.

If you are a U.S. reader of this blog, I know you already feel the same as I do about Mitt Romney and his decidedly anti-LGBT; anti-women; anti-progressive stances. The man can simply NOT be allowed to run this country. It would be devastating to everything we have fought for in the last 30 years or more. He wants to overturn Roe V. Wade. He wants to abolish Planned Parenthood. He wants to redefine 'rape.' He wants to reinstate DADT; enforce DOMA and abolish ENDA. Basically, he wants to force his personal religious beliefs on the entire country. 'Disgusting' doesn't even cover it. And let's not even go into his flip-flopping and lies.

President Obama, on the other hand, has delivered on more campaign promises than any other President  in recent memory. He repealed DADT; ended the war in Iraq; authorized the mission to get Bin Laden; saved the auto industry; started the end of the recession and publicly endorsed Marriage Equality. How much more do you want in four years? Let's give him four more and see what happens.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, here. I know that 99.9% of you agree with everything I'm saying. But none of that matters if you don't vote. Vote. Because our lives depend on it. Vote. Because you know what's right. Vote. Because a country under the leadership of a millionaire who believes God lives on a planet called Kolob, is a country governed by a very dangerous lunatic. Let's keep loonies out of politics, shall we?

More, anon.
Prospero

Obsessions Will Soon Collide

Some of the Cast of Iris at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles

In a little less than six days, I will be sitting in the Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre) watching Iris, Cirque du Soleil's "journey through the world of cinema." It's been about three years since I've seen a Cirque show (the absolutely astounding Kooza, which was a return to the kind of  breathtaking feats of acrobatics that make Cirque so amazing).

If you've never seen a Cirque du Soleil show live, you should. You will never forget it. It's truly circus as theatre. For ethical reasons, they employ no animal acts, displaying feats of human dexterity only. Incorporating music; dance; song and non-traditional clowning, each Cirque show is unique, using an amazing array of sets; costumes; makeups and lighting effects to create thrilling and beautiful productions worldwide. There are currently 20 Cirque shows, both on tour and in permanent residence. Iris is the only permanent show in California. There are several permanent shows in Las Vegas, as well as one in Orlando, FL (La Nouba) and Biloxi, MS (Allegria). The shows I've seen include Saltimbanco; Allegria; Quidam; Dralion; Quidam; La Nouba; Kooza and Wintuk. I first fell in love with them when I saw the HBO version of their first U.S. tour, We Reinvent the Circus. You can often catch video performances of their older touring shows on A&E. 

With a score by prolific film composer Danny Elfman, Iris examines the history, genres and technologies of one of America's few truly original art forms. As a professed cinephile from a very young age and a professed Cirque fanatic for the last 20 years, I am honestly salivating at the thought of seeing Iris.

You can be sure I'll talking about the show again, after I get home next Sunday.

And here's the trailer for Kooza, the last Cirque show I saw (with K).



More, anon.
Prospero

Six "Must See" Movies This Fall

Life of Pi

Sandy put the kibosh on plans to see Sinister with Dear D for his birthday this week, though I am hoping we get to go one night before I am off to L.A. next Friday. 

Still, there are at least six films on my "Must See" list for this fall. While I doubt I will get to see all of them, a boy can dream... In no particular order they are:

Skyfall. This much-delayed and highly anticipated entry into one of the most successful film franchises of all time finds Daniel Craig's James Bond up against Javier Bardem's Silva, a possibly gay villain who wants to take down MI6. Most who've seen the film agree that it's a return to the dazzling gadget-filled, action-packed Bond movies of the early Connery days. With director Sam Mendes (American Beauty; The Road to Perdition) at the helm, I have high hopes for this entry in the long-running franchise. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Adele has recorded an awesome theme song, reminiscent of Shirley Bassey's best.

Life of Pi. Based on the novel by Yann Martel, Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) brings the tale of of a young Indian boy who survives a s shipwreck along with several animals from the the zoo his family was moving from India to Canada. Lee has consistently proven to be an exemplary director (despite 2003's Hulk) and the trailer's visuals are simply remarkable.

Rise of the Guardians. I have always been a fan of imaginative animation and Dreamworks Animation seems to have another hit on their hands with a story about Santa Clause; the Easter Bunny; the Tooth Fairy; Jack Frost and other childhood favorites banding together to defeat an evil being known as 'Pitch' Featuring the voices of Chris Pine; Hugh Jackman; Isla Fisher; Alec Baldwin and Jude Law, Rise of the Guardians seems like the perfect film for the Holidays.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Director Peter Jackson's first of three parts of J,R.R. Tolkien's 'prequel' to "The Lord of the Rings" has fanboys and geeks drooling at the bit. The story of Bilbo Baggins and his first encounter with the Ring has been adapted (less than successfully) by animator Ralph Bakshi. Given Jackson's track record with Tolkien's work, I can only imagine his Hobbit trilogy will be just as good.

Les Miserables. The most successful stage musical of all time, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, finally comes to the screen in this film adaptation from The King's Speech director Tom Hooper.  Starring Hugh Jackman; Anne Hathaway; Helena Bonham Carter; Sacha Baron Cohen; Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried, the film is being touted for using live performances, rather than lip-synced singing. The last musical to do so (Peter Bogdanovich's At Long Last Love) was a massive flop. I hope Hooper knows what he's doing.

Django, Unchained. Quentin Tarantino's tale of a freed slave seeking revenge on the men who took his wife looks like it will be both brutal and hilarious, following in the footsteps of the director's best films. With a cast that includes Christoph Waltz; Jamie Foxx; Leonardo DiCaprio; Samuel L. Jackson; Kerry Washington; Amber Tamblyn; Jonah Hill; James Remar; Don Johnson; Michael Parks; Tom Savini; Robert Carradine and Bruce Dern, Django may well be Tarantino's most entertaining film since Pulp Fiction. 

What movies are you looking forward to seeing this fall?

More, anon.
Prospero

On the Merits of Hot Water

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, Uncle P had no electricity, heat, Internet access or landline phone between Monday night and Thursday afternoon. And as of this writing, I know several people in my area who still have no power or heat. Of course, there are folks to the east and north who have lost far more and my heart goes out to them. I cannot begin to imagine the kind of devastating losses they are suffering and I am so very grateful to just have a roof over my head, at this point. Indeed, uprooted trees have deprived many in my town of even that.

While this may well seem like a First World problem rant, I really want to talk about how the past week has given me a new appreciation of the plight of folks in the Third World, who deal without electricity and heat on a daily basis. 

I grew up (as probably most of you did) in a world where I took things like hot water and TV for granted. When the power would occasionally go out during a storm, it was usually a minor inconvenience, lasting few hours at most. When Katrina hit the Western Gulf Coast, I clucked my tongue and railed against a seemingly unresponsive Bush administration. I was horrified by the destruction and saddened by the many deaths left in the storm's wake. Last year, when Irene caused so many problems in New Jersey and New England, I did much the same. It wasn't until Sandy hit so close to home that I truly gained perspective on either storm. Even then, the relative minor inconveniences I experienced pale in comparison to the losses suffered by so many others in Sandy's path of destruction.

This morning, my Facebook status read "Oh, glorious hot shower! I shall never take you granted again." My sweet, gorgeous friend David commented "Of course you will. Your (sic) human."  And while David is probably right, I hope to make a conscious effort to appreciate all that I do have in a new light. The hot shower I took this morning was practically revelatory and as much as I loved it, I couldn't help but think of those nearby who still didn't have that luxury, which led me to think of those who have never had that luxury. While I hate to distill such episodes to platitudes and cliches, I can't help but think "I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."

Be grateful every day for what you do have and never take it for granted. Complain only when it is truly warranted, but always know there are others worse off. Help those in need when you can and appreciate everything you have. You never know when it might all be wiped away.

Were I a religious man, I might say: "Thus endeth tonight's lesson." And even though I am not religious in any way, I think it still applies.

More, anon.
Prospero

Turkey Month Begins

A Turkey from Turkey

While Hurricane Sandy put an all-too-soon end to Shocktober here at Caliban's Revenge, Uncle P soldiers on. 

The year's penultimate month is known as "Turkey Month" at the Revenge, where every Thursday I post about a bad, bad movie. And since the month starts out on a Thursday this year, I thought I'd talk about a Turkey from Turkey. 

1982's Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam (The Man Who Saves the World) is often called "The Turkish Star Wars," and while the producers may have blatantly stolen footage from George Lucas' 1978 ground-breaker, the plots couldn't be more disparate.

Two men crash land on a desert planet they believe is inhabited only by women, only to find out it is Earth 1000 years in future, under the control of an evil wizard. There are zombies; skeleton warriors; an evil queen; a giant monster and "golden ninjas." At the end, we are 'treated' to a speech about the human brain being "the strongest weapon in the universe." Stealing its soundtrack from Raiders of the Lost Ark; Moonraker; Ben-Hur; Flash Gordon and The Black Hole (among others), 'director' Cetin Inanc has made what many consider to be the worst Turkish film of all time  - and that's saying something, especially if you've ever seen other Turkish films. Slack copyright laws and budgets that put many U.S, independent films to shame, helped to make Dunyayi Kutaran Adam a very sad reality. And the mismatched aspect ratios (is that the 'Death Egg?') certainly don't help.

Still, a reviewer from Istanbul had this to say on IMDb:

"One can not put this movie into any categorie (sic) because it has created a new categorie (sic) in film world. It might be classified as cult-scifi (sic) but in a very different way. Some people might think that it is a comedy but it is absolutely a very very serious movie which is made under very difficult circumstances. Very very low finance has forced the producers to use incredible items, and creativity is at the extreme measures. If you are interested in extra-ordinary movies, don't miss it."

Really? Truth be told, after sifting through several clips from this film, I'd personally rather spend another three days without power than sit through the whole thing (available here, if you're brave enough).  Here's a trailer (or at least, a hodgepodge of scenes):

My head actually hurts just from watching that. I hope you got through it without puking or having a seizure of some kind. I can only imagine that the Turks must be starved for real entertainment and I can only thank the circumstances of my birth that I am not one of them.

In case you're wondering, power was finally restored here at about 2:00 PM, though many in my area are still without. My thoughts are with them and all those still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy. If you are able to do so, please donate to the American Red Cross' relief efforts.

More, anon.
Prospero