Wow.  It's so hard to stay productive sometimes. 
the new Avengers movie is coming out soon and I can't help but be super excited.  I'm not really an Avengers fan, but I do appreciate a good story.  And Joss Whedon knows story.
I'm not even talking about Buffy.  He's written co-written Toy Story.  Pixar is king when it comes to story, and they put it best: "At Pixar we sand the undersides of the drawers." - John Lasseter
Also he created Firefly and its movie Serenity, featuring very well fleshed out characters and interesting plots.  Even people who hadn't seen Firefly loved Serenity and were able to follow the plot and love the characters.  This alone tells me that he is capable of giving a balanced plot with well used ensemble characters.
Unfortunately I am looking forward to this more than the new Batman.  I hope it will be as good as The Dark Knight, but I doubt it.
Largely because I will not be able to suspend my disbelief.  I cannot believe that Anne Hathaway could kick anyone's butt, or be intimidating in any way.  Sure, she's pretty.  So was Michelle Pfiffer, but she also carried a deep psychologically scary factor.
Well, its a small tidbit from my brain right now, but more should be coming, now that I have a little bit of time.
Th 
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Idea Factory 03/25/2012
 
While visiting friends I found out that one has another friend in the movie industry.  I made a suggestion about a character in a movie that may be made soon and there was certainly some excitement.  Maybe it will be my foot in the door to fame and fortune.
In the news one of my advance copies of the novel I wrote came back with a great review.  Being told that "I couldn't put it down" is a real ego booster.
So all in all things are looking up.  It makes ranting kind of difficult right now, though.

Track 11 from Linkin Park's Meteora is still applicable in my life, however.
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Out of time 03/21/2012
 
The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.
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What if the story of Satan testing Job wasn't about Job? What if it was a story about God trying to reconnect with his "prodigal son"?
One thing I think that Christians should understand about the bible: it was never written for you. 
Every religion has its creation myth (here "myth" meaning "story told to convey a truth").  The Jewish texts that the Christian bible claims as its foundation was not written for the modern day white man, or even the gentiles that lived two thousand years ago.  The story of Genesis is the story of how the Hebrew race came to be, not how the Native Americans came to be, or Inuits, or the Chinese.  This makes a little bit of sense when Cain is sent out into the world marked and there are already other people there.
When people say the bible was written for everyone, do they also believe it was written for the angels, the original Sons of God?  Probably not.  I wonder if the angels have their own bible?  Another tangent for another day.
The stories that permeate the bible leading up to Jesus do not include other breeds of humans.  Jonah was not Hindu.  Noah was not Chilean. 
The morals and lessons can be extrapolated to other people, yes.  But taken as a personal genetic history?  Only the Jews can claim that.  Truth is truth.  It's application differs, however.
This makes me wonder about the angels.  The myth in the New Testament of the prodigal son seems applicable.  What if the "son who stayed" will share the inheritance of the prodigal son?  The new testament says Satan will be chained for a thousand years.  So is forgiveness arbitrary and applicable only to a few?  If Satan asked, would God forgive him?  Or is the quality of mercy strained?
The bible wasn't written for angels, or even with their side included.  We almost should give Satan some credit: everything written about him was from one side. 
Not that I would actually listen to his argument.
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Wake up 03/08/2012
 
I think to remain motivated I need to get up earlier, regardless of how late I stay up.
Deep, thought provoking stuff, huh?

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Recently (yesterday), a group of nutritional scientists decreed that sugar should be a controlled substance, like alcohol and tobacco.
This is one step closer to the politically correct future of my nightmare, as wonderfully designed by one of my favorite science fiction writers, Kage Baker.
To go into a little detail, Baker lived in Southern California, where a lot of bizarre rules and laws have come into place, IE: you are no longer allowed to have a pet, you have a "co-habitant".
In Kage's future every fringe political group has basically come into power. Zoo's have been emptied of all animals and only golden epitaphs of each creature remains to remind us of how we tortured them. Animals are not allowed as pets. Procreation is severely restricted, but almost unnecessary as most of the remaining population do not like children ( as they are like children themselves; selfish and pedantic). Meat is an illegal substance, as is sugar and salt. People are allowed to have a religious belief system, so long as they have a deep psychological exam. This occurs after the Wiccan religious bombings of the 23rd century.

Now, with the sugar thing, people are going to immediately jumps sides. The people who care only about their fear of others telling them what to do will cite how the government can't tell us how to live. The bean counters will complain about how this will cost us so much money and not be effective. The health conscious will applaud while trying to cover their deep loathing of anyone with body fat (I'm pretty sure they're the ones who control the modeling industry).

If it were up to me I would totally put those laws into place. The Catholic Church is right, the masses shouldn't think for themselves. We've had the masses making choices for themselves for the last 150 years. What have we gotten out of it? Massive pollution, overpopulation, extinction of numerous species, etc.

What advances have we really made that benefit future generations or even other species? Canadian medical scientists are on the verge of a cure for cancer, at least. America sure isn't.

But will curing cancer actually be better for us? It means that there will be MORE humans.

An acquaintance relayed an experience his significant other went through: After spending five years in an impoverished country helping the starving populace she left for two years. During those five years, the first two were spent teaching the people how to farm and sustain themselves by doing all the planting and work for them. Then two years were spent working together with the people, showing them how to farm and letting them do the majority of the work. the last year was just to observe the impoverished people to make sure they understood all that was needed to feed and cloth themselves. Then she left for two years to start again with a different group of people. When she returned to the original group, all the crops had died due to neglect and the people were starving again.

I don't think feeding starving people is really going to help anything. Feed a starving population and their numbers will increase, causing further starvation.

We need to get rid of about six billion people, in my opinion. And that's not going to happen unless we start thinking of ways for people to willingly kill themselves off.

So let's put sugar in everything! Legalize every drug! Create suicide machines for people that hate being morbidly obese but refuse to change, or people so drugged out of their minds that they can no longer stand life!

In the land of Rights and Freedoms, who can tell anyone what do do? Let them choke on their lollipops as they scream about individual rights.
Smoke up, Johnny! You have every right to get lung cancer and die.

My point? Let's get rid of the "They are going to do it anyway" mentality.
Examples: Let's give teenagers condoms instead of telling them how sex may feel good but it has life altering consequences because "They are going to do it anyway".
Let's give them clean prostitutes in the library so at least we can regulate their intercourse because "They are going to do it anyway".
Lets give them clean needles and legalized pot instead of showing them how wonderful the word can be with a clear mind because "They are going to do it anyway".
Let's give them guns to rob liquor stores to support their habits and feed their babies they had at thirteen because "They are going to do it anyway".
And then, when they are in jail because we have failed them so badly, when they have no hope or belief in themselves because we refused to fail them in school because it would hurt their feelings, when we have told them "yes" to every impulse and demand the people made instead of teaching them restraint and patience, when they don't know how to react when someone tells them "no" except with fists and knives and massive over-eating, and they finally want to kill themselves, let's give them the rope to hang themselves.

Because "They are going to do it anyway".




Maybe I write all of this because I don't care. I'm not sure. If I really didn't care, would I bother to write about it? I want peace on earth and good will toward all (hu)mankind. I just don't think we are going to get there with legalized pot, criminalized sugar, individual rights.
The individual rights should pertain to cruelty, only. Everyone should have the right to be free of bullying (in the schoolyard sense, not in the modern hippy sense where these people have grown up bucking any kind of personal responsibility, and then call cops "pigs" and "bullies" because they broke the law). In a society the individual should not be thinking of only themselves.

Robert A. Heinlein put it best in his social essay Starship Troopers (not to be confused with the movie which ignored much of the book and focused on the Bugs).

The overall theme of the book is that social responsibility requires being prepared to make individual sacrifice. Heinlein's Terran Federation is a limited democracy with aspects of a meritocracy based on willingness to sacrifice in the common interest. Suffrage belongs only to those willing to serve their society by at least two years of volunteer Federal Service – "the franchise is today limited to discharged veterans", (ch. XII), instead of, as Heinlein would later note, anyone "...who is 18 years old and has a body temperature near 37 °C". The Federation is required to find a place for anyone who desires to serve, regardless of his skill or aptitude (this also includes service ranging from teaching to dangerous non-military work such as serving as experimental medical test subjects).

There is an explicitly-made contrast to the democracies of the 20th century, which according to the novel, collapsed because "people had been led to believe that they could simply vote for whatever they wanted... and get it, without toil, without sweat, without tears." Indeed, Colonel Dubois criticizes as unrealistic the famous U.S. Declaration of Independence line concerning "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness". No one can stop anyone from pursuing happiness, but life and liberty are said to exist only if they are deliberately sought and paid for.

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Watching Cowboys vs. Aliens recently, I came across a thought that maybe only those who study culture and cinema would notice.

Villains in the older movies tended to be evil on purpose, as though they knew what role fate had cast them in (tongue firmly in cheek), and embraced it.

(The scene I cite is where a snotty brat harasses the local bartender and then extorts money from the citizens while thanking them for their "Christian charity". By invoking this religious philosophy the character is openly defying a concept of morality by mocking it).

Contrasted to the films of today where the villain is almost a tragic figure, convinced that what they are doing is just as valid and right as the hero character.

Sure, no one wants to be wrong. We all justify the things we do. It has become almost an excuse now, and it really undermines personal accountability.

Like in The Grinch, starring Jim Carey. In the original story, the Grinch hated the denizens of Who-ville because they were always good, no matter what. It galled him. He chose to be isolated. He chose to be mean because of what he didn't understand, and the overwhelming goodness of the Who's changed him. In the film? The Who's were cruel and teased the Grinch mercilessly.

This was done under the auspices that people can't relate to goodness.

Fortunately or unfortunately life is not like this. Many of our modern day antagonists or villains are the dreaded psychopath.

Psychopaths are not created, per SE. They are often "born" that way, with certain environmental triggers that reinforce or encourage their antisocial behavior. And therapy seems to actually make these individuals worse, as they learn the tricks to hide their dark motivations more effectively.

These "bad guys" can't be reasoned with. They cannot be made to feel sorry, or empathetic to anothers suffering. Much like Joker in the recent Batman films. What made Joker so much more threatening and dangerous was that no one knew what his motivations were, he made them up as he went along.

I'm not saying all films and novels should do this. Sometimes the villain just doesn't need an origin.

In the Seven Faces of Dr. Lao starring Tony Curtis, the main antagonist rancher Clinton Stark has this to say, "every time I bet on weakness, corruption, fallibility… I want to lose. But I always win."

This seems to imply that the villain wants good to win, and understands that what he is doing is wrong. This is the opposite of the Joker. Stark is searching for a sign, some greater purpose not just for himself, but in general, and going about it the wrong, selfish way. This seems more interesting to me than the I was hurt so now I hurt others motif. The Joker on the other hand just wants to watch the world burn, and take others with him. Both are compelling in their desires, and dangerous because of it, but they do not make any excuses for what they do, it is just who they are.




In Unbreakable with Samuel L. Jackson, his antagonist's character Elijah Price says, "Now that we know who you are... I know who I am. I'm not a mistake! It all makes sense, in the comic you know how you can tell who the arch villain is going to be? He's the exact opposite of the hero! And most times they're friends, like you and me. I should've known way back when. You know why David? Because of the kids! They called me Mr. Glass."

This is a twist on the I was hurt so now I hurt. Here Elijah doesn't become the villain because he was made fun of by children. This teasing was, for him, a sign of who he was supposed to be. This villain is trying to find his place in the world, he thinks he is the bad guy and so designs elaborate tests to find the hero, using cliches like rescuing children. His hypothesis complete, his character reaches a fully defined arc at the same time as the hero. He is not made a bad guy, he is the bad guy. He just didn't know it.




Villains aren't usually interesting to me. To misquote Faulkner: "(the Villain) is an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." He is pomp and flair disguising that he is empty, and bereft of that which makes a person. I know many others who say that the bad guy is more interesting and to me that states the effectiveness of the portrayal of the villain. Evil is seductive by nature. It presents itself. Evil and wickedness seem more prevalent in our society because evil draws attention to itself. It is vain. It cries out "Pay attention to me! Watch what I can do! See? I am amazing!"

While goodness and good people are quiet and diligent. They stand up when others would sit, work when others would steal. Their path is the long way around, taking time to build, and therefore lasting longer.

Don't believe me? In the context of cinema this is proven with almost every film. Take a look at the screen time of the average antagonist.

Go on.

Compare the minutes of Spider-man on screen to that of the Goblin. Compare Mr. Potter's screen time to George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life. The Joker to Batman. Tai Lung to Po in Kung Fu Panda. They are all bumps on the hero's path. A hero does not need a villain, but his deeds seem greater by contrast.




Ben Bova, a writer, would disagree with me. "In the real world there are no villains. No one actually sets out to do evil. Fiction mirrors life. Or, more accurately, fiction serves as a lens to focus what we know of life and bring its realities into sharper, clearer understanding for us. There are no villains cackling and rubbing their hands in glee as they contemplate their evil deeds. There are only people with problems, struggling to solve them."




There are, though. There are many people dreaming and scheming how to hurt others, or steal from them. They laugh at the misfortune of others and strive to cause it. Just because they are blind does not mean they are innocent.




My point in all of this? Not sure. Except that I'm tired of the bully who was bullied villain story.

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I have often thought of harvesting my dreams for ideas. Those of you that have actually read parts of my site will remember the Thor-with-ice-horse dream I had.
I really should record them sometime, because many of my dreams happen in the third person, and have a cast of celebrities.
Or, like my favourite ones that have repeated over the years; I am in Batman: the animated series. Yes, my dreams have been drawn and colored sometimes.

Here's an example of a dream I once had that could have been a movie:

A battered green Neon sits by the side of a highway in what could be outside the Seattle area.  A man (played by Christian Bale in the dream)wakes up to tapping on his car window. He rolls down the window and says to a police officer,

Man: Sorry, officer. I was tired and I didn't want to fall asleep at the wheel, so I pulled over here. I know it isn't legal, but I figured killing someone wasn't either.

Cop: Step out of the car, sir.

Man: Sure. Yeah. Look, hey. The car isn't mine. It belongs to a friend. He knows about it though. So it's okay.

Cop: Sir, could you please step out of the car.

Man: Sure. Do you want me to take my licence out?

Cop: Just get out and keep your hands where I can see them.
(The man gets out of the car slowly. He is wearing a demin jacket and denim jeans with tan construction boots. He moves awkwardly in the clothes, like he's not sure where he fits inside the clothes)

Man: Can you tell me what the problem is, Officer?

Cop: Sure thing. The licence plate on this car matches its make and model, and was reported stolen over seven months ago. Mind telling me how you got it?

Man: I told you. It's my friends car. I borrowed it Friday, so it can't be missing that long (laughs). I borrowed it 'cause my truck is in the shop, and I gotta get out to this job. I got laid off recently.

Cop: Well it sure isn't Friday, less you mean to say you planned on borrowing it Friday. Today is Thursday.

Man: Thursday? No. I didn't sleep that long. (Scoffs) I couldn't have slept for a week. People can't do that. You're wrong. It's Sunday. How can a car be stolen for seven months when I just borrowed it?

Cop: Sir, is your name Eric Shye?

Eric: (warily) Yes.

Cop: Sir, you've been reported missing as well. Please turn around and put your hands on your head.



And that's how the dream started, like a movie. It followed a begining, middle and end, and involved escape from a psychiatric ward, electrocution, and a reconciliation with an estranged wife.
In fact, I may pursue this story. Perhaps in actual script form....

hurm?

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I am now left with a few more hours in the day.  To be honest, its hours at night and it's mostly because the newborn is up at those hours (Yes, he finally came!)
Our trip with Lex (still in utero) to the hospital was an eventful one.  We called a cab at 2:30 in the morning and while we were waiting a cab pulled up.  It wasn't the company we called but we were in a hurry so we hailed it.
Well, the person getting out of the cab is...how shall I say this politely...a "woman of the night". 
And she had just finished giving the cab driver a "massage".
All this during a snowstorm.

So now I will have more time to devote to my family and during the wee hours of the morning, time to write and update this blog, aptly named Failed Daily.
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