All in the Game?

Three years ago, in 2012, a young African American male living in Florida, Trayvon Martin, was beaten and shot to death by a Hispanic American Watch Patrolman of dubious importance.  One year later, the shooter, George Zimmerman, was found not guilty of murder in the first degree.  Protests, outrage and other cries for justice ensued.

In July 2014, a Staten Island, New York African-American male in his mid-to-late 40's, Eric Garner; was chokehold to death by NYPD officers taking unnecessary and outright criminal approaches while accusing Mr. Garner of selling unlicensed and untaxed goods in order to make a decent living for himself and his family.  This was filmed on the spot; you can hear the last words Mr. Garner stated clearly; "I Can't Breathe" at least several times.

The attacking officer, a White male with rather impulsive judgments past and present, was not charged by a federal grand jury.  This despite the fact that the video evidence clearly shows malice aforethought on the part of the officer involved.  Protests, outrage and other cries for justice ensued; indeed, some actions did become violent.

Early in August 2014, a younger African-American male from Ferguson, Missouri, Michael Brown: was attacked by a white male cop on the suspicion of shoplifting a convenience store of some sort.  While that may be true, the actions taken by the cop were proven fatal; Mr. Brown was shot to death as a consequence of these actions the cop took.  No charges were filed on the cop by a federal grand jury.  Protests, outrage and other cries for justice ensued; riots took place in Ferguson which has left irreparable personal damage to lives.

Two weeks ago, a 27 year old African American male from Baltimore, Maryland; Freddie Gray, was severely beaten by white male cops while being arrested and perhaps resisting arrest over trivial matters.  This resulted in a spinal cord injury, and subsequently a lapse into a coma and then Mr. Gray's death.

Tomorrow, we are expected to hear from Maryland political figures, including Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD), on whether or not charges will be filed against the police officers.  Knowing pretty much that it is unlikely the cops will be charged; protests, outrage and other cries for justice are ensuing.  This has spread to effectively causing Baltimore to effectively cease functioning.  And in all honesty, perhaps this is for the best.

These are only four out of many examples within the last two years of a newer racism afoot.  This would be white male cops going against black males and killing them.  Now, this extends to all different races and economic barriers; much of which is not talked about to make the police look good.  None the less, a pattern has been approaching when these killings are made public.  What baffles me is these cops think the populace will always be on their side.  That is not the case now.  Being a cop does not give anyone the right to use law and punishment as they please. 

We all can talk about the need for peace and calm.  I would agree; yet I see an undercurrent of white people telling black people to keep the peace without adhering to the same standards.  This implies a double standard; which I have never been comfortable with and am against categorically.  Until that is settled, expect more protests and violence to prove a point and send a message.  And in these matters, the protesters will be in the right; whereas law enforcement will be in the wrong end of the issues. 

I will have to say later on.  Have a good night;

Robert

What can be said?

Recently, there have been news reports, interviews and a heck of a lot of attention on a particular personal interest story.  This is one of those times where if I mention how I feel, it would be similar to what others have said.  Thus, I found on YouTube a higher quality video of a song which, though never a hit, became a staple for two artists.  The first, Robert Palmer (1949-2003) found it to be one of the better songs he did without having written it.  The second, Andy Fraser (1952-2015), wrote this piece just before coming out and declaring his sexual orientation.  Both were highly influential pop and rock artists that lived different lives that I do not have time to delve into.  Yet, the message of this song is one I agree with.  And it is a high watermark on both these artists' lives. 

As an added bonus, here is Andy Fraser performing a song many of you will recognize that he also wrote.

It was amongst the last gigs Andy Fraser did before he passed away last month.  Both of these artists are missed immeasurably. 

Talk to you again fairly soon (honest!),

Robert

The Root Problem

This past week, I was watching local news stories and reading in New York newspapers the growing number of children and families opting out of the New York Regents Standardized Tests for English and Math for Grades K-8.  These tests are more well known nationwide in different formats as The Common Core.  The Common Core, initiated in 2010 and advancing from the Leave No Child Behind Act of 2002, is a ongoing of series of tests given throughout the school year (September of one year through June the next year) that are used to give elementary, middle and high school students a leg up on using critical thinking and newer approaches to problem solving. 

It is designed to we hope have students in the United States be in close proximity with the achievements of students in most other countries.  For example, students in the US are 27th in mathematics development amongst so called first world nations; this is out of 34 countries.  They are one above Sweden and one below Slovakia.  Think about that.  In the likelihood that High School students will be going to university, and the certainty that at least one math course is required, the math classes will most assuredly Not involve simple arithmetic and algebra and calculus.  These will involve problem solving matters and statistical data that actually make a difference in one's life.  It was the approach I was given in my mathematics course at Hofstra University, including writing essays that involved mathematical approaches to determine the legitimacy of opinions.  If a student does not understand math at an early age, how will that student understand anything for problem solving in post high school life?

Put it another way, and this does tie in with English testing:  knowing only basic knowledge of a literary work such as plot, themes, statements and intent can be explained by any educator until they are blue in the face.  It usually does happen that way.  Once the tests come, and it has occurred in many cases, the questions in multiple choice and short answer form are more specific to the inner details of the literary work more so than in what was talked about in class.  Here is an example:

1.  Explain what the author was attempting to say on our current everyday lives with the shifts in character development towards the end of the novel.  This should be in essay form and will be worth 5% of the grade.

2.  What did the main character eat on page 159?  This will be worth 95% of the grade.

I note this is an extreme look, yet understand the purposes of the value of these questions.  The what did the character eat question is far more important, for one known reason.  It will determine whether the student actually read the novel!  Platitudes and meme knowledge of a novel is one thing; any person would know the answer.  It is more important to read the novel and know of what you write and speak.  If they cannot answer #2, it proves they did not even read the novel.  And since they did not read the novel, they have no idea what the fowl they are talking about. 

This is as if a division problem is solved by a calculator; it is needed, but you do not know how it needed to be divided.  The need to go deeper in thought and approach to anything is of such great importance in this ever changing world in which we live in.  Along with an approach to have students be committed to do what needs to be done in the tests and not just get by. 

It is rather upsetting to me that blame is being put on educators, administrators, parents, society at large, political leaders like Gov. Andrew Cuomo, etc. that are all in one form or another fighting like children.  There is really only one grouping of people that need to be held accountable for the success or lack thereof in tests and life advancement.  It is going to stun and shock many of you, yet these people are:

The Students Themselves!

Look, an educator, administrator, parent, political figure and other adult leader can pontificate, educate, enlighten, open minds and do whatever is necessary on their end.  Yet, it is not them that are taking these tests; it is not them that will be facing newer futures in a more technology driven world; it is not them that are now in a position where university enrollment is more active than even when I graduated from Hofstra 9 years ago.  It is the student that is causing the problem, or will cause the success. 

When I graduated from Farmingdale High School in 2001, there were some 80 or so seniors that were not going to graduate due to effectively being poor students, if not being ne'er do well people at the time.  One of my educators, who also happened to be an important figure with the Farmingdale Federation of teachers and is now retired, mentioned that the not graduating list that year was the largest he had seen in his then 35 odd years teaching.  I assume that list in years hence has only grown, though slightly.  In the end, those kids chose the path to a life without an education as opposed to a life with one.  I guess this is because, particularly when high school comes, students look at school as a social outing filled with cliques, love interests, sports, popularity and other like minded stuff we see in movies and TV shows.  I am here to you it is not; it is the time to learn before we are needed to gather together to get through this thing called life.  When one turns an advanced age, the world pretty much welcomes you with a middle finger if you are not careful.  Everything needs to be earned through knowledge. 

The Common Core is at least a start in the right direction for turning students into actually being ready for High School, University, and life afterwards.  It provides them to think about the correct answer, and not just state the answer.  And it is the indication that a student knew and read the literature and media provided, instead of by meme memory which usually gets twisted into simple parody easily.  And yes, the Common Core gives the true purpose of what a pre-University education should be; a learning apparatus for our younger ones.  It never was for me a social gathering petri dish; indeed while I have attended a 10 year reunion and still will go to future events, I did not go to the prom, and I am proud of it!  I will say that many of my fellow classmates thought otherwise, although they did passed their grades.  For me, the high point was getting out and going to Hofstra University. 

Now for a pop quiz:  here is a music video named amongst the oddest ever made.

Question 1:  Name the song referenced in this Daryl Hall and John Oates hit song from their lyrics.  It is worth 10 % of the grade.

Question 2:  Explain the video that Hall and Oates themselves have difficulty in explaining.  This will be worth 90% of the grade.

Talk to you all soon,

Robert

Bonus question:  I referenced two songs during this essay.  Please name the songs. 

Choose your leader

Here is what I think of some though not all of the political figures that will want to jockey for the Presidency of the United States.  For some not aware, the Presidency has sharply fallen in relative prestige since the 1960-1980 era; the era that Arthur Schlesinger Jr. would call The Imperial Presidency.  In my opinion, only President Bill Clinton from 1992-2000 was able to revive The Imperial Presidency, the most optimal and economically sound of presidencies that the United States has.  I do not consider the Presidency of Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) a success at one bit.  But that is another essay for another time.

Pres. Barack Obama:  I believe he will run for a third term, considering Obama's need for a legacy which has been failing precipitously every year from a promising beginning.  At this point in time right now, the 44th President of the United States would outright lose a November election.  I say outright since the 2012 election had fraud occur on all political sides. 

Sen. and Sec. of State Hillary Rodham Clinton:  She is the best choice; frankly, Clinton is the only choice to have both a return to The Imperial Presidency, a clear Democrat leader and a far better future by reconciling with the recent 90s past.  I am concerned that Secretary of State Clinton will not get the Presidency due to her being a nearly 68 year old female with more testicular fortitude than certain male leaders.  Already political internet journalists like Michael Rivero are foaming at the mouth at the prospect of a Clinton Presidency, wanting to stop it at any price.  I thus ask Mr. Rivero of What Really Happened: what are you hiding? And why have you and the website lost what once made you great?

Sen. Rand Paul:  He talks well in approach; yet Sen. Paul is a fraudulent man.  Libertarianism is not a workable approach to anything.  Sen. Paul's father, Dr. Ron Paul, is even worse.  Yet, the internet world is in awe of the Paul family; a family leading their flock to the same cult like fate of their predecessors. 

Sen. Marco Rubio:  Not worth my time and paper.

Sen. Ted Cruz:  He will be a surprise to many, though I have no plans to vote for him.  Not many Senators can lay claim to altering political life in only 4 years; Sen. Cruz has, though not to my liking.

Gov. Scott Walker:  The only Republican talking about the need for ethanol and the near literal conservative in the field.  Gov. Walker might get the nomination if more people listen.  Provided of course people are willing to lend an ear. 

Jeb Bush:  This third Bush in line may very well steal the Republican nomination.  If so, GOP should thereby stand for Gluttons Of Punishment.

Gov. Sarah Palin:  A decent enough person, though decency has not gotten Gov. Palin the coveted nomination.  I think she may have sold out a while ago.

Carly Fiorina:  A non-starter.  She lost to Sen. Barbara Boxer 5 years ago; why would Fiorina do any better now?

Dr. Ben Carson: Being a Doctor does not make one a President.  A cut above the rest, but that is not saying much.

Sen. Bernie Sanders:  He will stay till the bitter end, running as an Independent.  I would be surprised and excited should Sen. Sanders lead a poll; though again, not my first choice.

Gov. Chris Christie:  A fat, egotistical, bullying, condescending piece of shit. 

George Pataki:  Why???????????? 

Martin O'Malley:  The prior Governor of Maryland would have been a formidable Democratic candidate; had a Democratic won the Governorship last year.  Now there is nothing to back O'Malley up.

Jim Webb:  A potential dark horse candidate; I am not sure what to expect from the former Senator.  Though Webb's track record is exemplary.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren:  She is running, let it be known.  While I like Sen. Warren, I do not think she or any other Democratic candidate not named Clinton can win a November election.  However, it seems we are heading to multiple primary challenges from many political fronts.  This, including a Sen. Warren candidacy, will cheapen the Presidency further still.

Vice President Joe Biden:  No; I am sorry, but no.

Mike Bloomberg:  Do not think the former NYC Mayor has Not considered a Presidential run.  An arrogant man who did little for New York as far as I am concerned.

Dr. Jill Stein:  A brilliant individual.  Dr. Stein however is not going to be President.

Al Gore:  A most important person, and a personal hero of mine.  Yet, the Nobel Peace Prize winner's time has passed to ever become President. 

Rep. Paul Ryan:  I am concerned about this well spoken yet politically obtuse Congress Member.  Rep. Ryan does not know economics like he thinks he does.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo:  I find it odd no one has taken Gov. Cuomo's imminent run into consideration.  This will alter everything; just like Gov. Cuomo's election in 2010 did in New York.  Not my choice though.

Pope Francis: This one is obviously a joke, yet it appears as if the Catholic Church is returning to its ways of being arbiter and ruler of all.  I am from the Church; yet I am greatly concerned about what has been done these last two years. 

David Miscavige:  Only if a Scientologist becomes a politician, and I do not ever see that happening.  Miscavige is still a most frightening, megalomaniacal and short man.

The Rothschilds:  Our rulers whom have decided all of this from the beginning.  Much like wars, the Rothschilds finance all political parties; thus even if the people win, they also win. 

I will obviously have more to say as the days go on.  Suffice to say, my first choice is Sen. and Sec. of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.  And yes, the way to move forward is to reconcile and follow the 1990s.  The fifteen years since Bill Clinton's Presidency ended have been times of growing up and becoming aware; yet we as a people have lost so much since then. 

One thing we have not lost is our imagination to tell a story.  And I am anxious to see how this story plays out ten years since the last story.

Talk to you again soon,

Robert

Going Deeper to explain While We're Young

Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second.
Jean-Luc Godard, 1960.

The new Noah Baumbach movie While We're Young is, I think above all, a look at what one sort of people who grew up in one area consider the need for truth as opposed to another more youthful sort of people.  Now, at this point, I am going to explain more of the structures and plot this movie has towards the last half hour or so.  I mention this for a reason:  a number of film columnists and reviewers like Richard Roeper have said the film turns somewhat differently that for them dampened the movie from being amongst the better films this year.  I tend to disagree; if anything, the last half hour, while still humorous, goes deeper in thematic approach than one would consider.

For those not aware, the Ben Stiller character (Josh) begins to have many in his life tell him what needs to be done to have his documentary on war be presentable.  Quite obviously, the Charles Grodin character (Leslie) is the first to offer suggestions; namely that Josh (Stiiler's) film is 6 1/2 hours long with drawn out lectures, like a retelling of the Turkish Civil War, that could be cut.  Now, there are times when cutting something is completely asinine: the Claude Lanzmann masterpiece Shoah needs its 9 1/2 running time, for example.  Yet, in the movie, the Turkish Civil War discussion is roundly criticized by all but Josh.  While these reevaluations occur, Stiller's character notices in the documentary the Adam Driver character (Jamie) that it appears their interview subject, played by Brady Corbet, knew Driver and Amanda Seyfried's character well before. 

Thinking this is way of revealing the documentary as being more fictionalized than anything, and after the Amanda Seyfried character effectively leaves Jamie (Driver), Josh heads to Lincoln Center where Jamie's film is premiering and a life achievement is being given to Leslie (Grodin).  I was rather impressed in how Stiller and Driver's discussion at the balcony is interspersed with first Peter Bogdanovich lamenting the form of documentaries from the past to how it is done recently, and then Grodin's acceptance speech citing truth and authenticity.  No fighting, no abject embarrassment, yet three actors speaking about the truth in cinema. 

Now, normally the movie would conclude with the fabricator exposed and everything going well for all other characters.  This is not that kind of movie.  In Noah Baumbach's script, the revelation of Jamie's loose interpretation of facts is given a shrug; including from Leslie!  How the other characters, including the Naomi Watts character, see it is that the truth of how a documentary is made matters little if the filmmaker has something important to say.  For instance, Werner Herzog has stated quite a few times that certain scenes in his documentaries are prepared before the camera rolls.  That fact , however, does not diminish the overall truth and knowledge brought forth on the subjects in question.  In the end, the filmmaker has the decision to choose where his or her documentary will be looked at by viewers.  What I think Baumbach has presented in While We're Young is that while people Josh's age will be drawn to the Robert Flaherty/Errol Morris examples of  their craft; people Jamie's age will feel more at ease with Herzog/Spike Lee/Michael Moore non-fiction films where the filmmaker is just as important as the subject.  Leslie's acceptance of this might baffle some, after a speech citing truth and realness as of significant matter.  Yet, it is still the truth to the filmmaker and the writer; just done differently.

The movie ends rather uniquely: Stiller and Watts' characters are on their way to Central America to take home their adopted one month old daughter, fulfilling a desire both had in expanding their family.  Driver is interviewed by Vanity Fair for the documentary on the Corbet character; thus indicating the form of filmmaker as both subject and journalist.  The last shots are of Josh (Stiller) looking at a two year old boy becoming some sort of a prodigy on his iPhone.  Their is in the movie, and was in the audience, both excitement and concern on this young man; again only reiterating Baumbach's thoughts on younger people and their adherence to technology that they feel has always been there and the sort of artificial worldview that comes with it. 

You know, for myself I tend to follow the idea that a filmmaker of a documentary is also eventually its subject; in that what he or she needs to say is the crux and important function of what we are seeing.  The idea for a movie needs to start somewhere for someone to get interested.  I tend to think Noah Baumbach might look at it that way as well, though it would be more interesting to merge the two fields of filmmaking.  Indeed, while we do not see the finished product of Josh's film, he does cut the Turkish Civil War sections as he appears to consider newer trends and esthetics.

Yet, perhaps at its heart, While We're Young is more a look at relationships today and what differs the older generations from those following their footsteps.  More time is discussed on these personal ideals than the ideals of truth and filmmaking itself.  It is that for me, this allowed Baumbach's film to elevate a rather typical romantic comedy outlet into a rather clever discussion of filmmaking and a growing if not yet noticed cultural shift taking place.  And as I mentioned before, certain works are presented as one idea yet in deeper analysis are more layered; bringing forth the need to view, read or hear at least a second time to fully grasp the author's intentions.  Noah Baumbach has made one of these multi layered films that I would hope gets viewed and even studied by many. 

It is intelligent filmmaking; a form of art that I feel is beginning to fade away.  In another weblog post, I will at some point present my ideas on why cinema is not what it once was; and where we as a collective people could now find common interests and discussions.  For me at least, I will amongst other things continue to do what I have done for the last 14 years: see for the most part one movie in theaters a week.  It is an art form that needs to be rediscovered before it loses its own purpose and ideals.

Talk to you again soon,

Robert

PS.  I will also have a lot more to say about the coming elections, both in the UK and the US, as the days and months go on.  In much of America, people follow politics.  Where I live in New York, politics follows You!  I am fine with it, but many I know are not.

Growing Up by way of Thinking Young

Noah Baumbach has become a most refreshing voice in independent cinema; a Gen X child who has blurred the eras between the self assertive adults and the technology saturated youth.  For those who do not know what a Gen X child is: A person of Generation X is generally an American born In the late 1960s and early 1970s who politically came of age during, I would say, the 1992 elections.  Many of the Gen X children at that time were first eligible to vote, and President Bill Clinton was their political figure who was rather hip, cool, with the times and smarter than others. 

Since the halcyon days of 1992-2000, which we hope may come again, Gen X people have somewhat become more like their parents than they realize.  Eventually careers, children, social economic and political ideals, nostalgia and uncertainty follow.  This will eventually come to people my age who were not even supposed to still be alive after the mid 1980s, if it has not happened already.  That sort of wistfulness and crossroads uncertainty has been apparent in many of Noah Baumbach's films: an amalgamation of Woody Allen humor, Peter Bogdanovich esthetics, Louis Malle intimacy, Whit Stillman East Coast sensibilities, Wallace Shawn writing and Andre Gregory philosophy.  One can see this in past works like Kicking and Screaming (1995), The Squid and The Whale (2005), or even films that he co-wrote for Wes Anderson; The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou (2004) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), a personal favorite of mine.  It is in these ideals and personal concerns that Mr. Baumbach has written and directed a hidden gem that I think is one of the better films I have seen this year, even though it was completed in 2014.  This movie is named While We're Young, a rather funny, smart and opinionated film that I hope will find a wider audience before the year is out.

It stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a married couple without children in their early to mid 40s who are in the business of making documentaries.  While they have experience in wisdom and life, they do lack that certain something that makes fulfillment attainable.  Perhaps it could be the matter that Stiller's character (Josh) is trying to measure up to doing a great film like his father-in-law, played by Charles Grodin in a welcoming return to acting.  The current project Josh (Stiller) is doing has been 8 years in the making, largely due to hours upon hours of filmed interviews with a fictionalized version of Dr. Noam Chomsky.  That character, used intermittently yet with importance, is played by Peter Yarrow; yes, Peter of Peter, Paul & Mary.  What he says is of course correct in many ways of our political futures; though it was quite a shock to hear Mr. Yarrow drop the f-bomb at one point. 

Perhaps it is because their neighboring couple and best friends have a child of their own, a baby we see in the first shot while a toy piano version of the Sir David Bowie classic Golden Years is being played by James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem).  The couple with the child themselves seem to have moved forward, only slightly, from their more bohemian younger selves.  They are played rather convincingly by Tony Award winner Maria Dizzia and Adam Horowitz, better known to us as Ad-Rock from Beastie Boys.  Even though they have a child, and another on the way, there is still a sense that the most important people in their lives, as intimated by Horowitz later in the film, are still themselves.

This existential crisis Stiller and Watts have becomes further observed when they become friends in several ways than one with a younger married couple of mid 20s age that live a rather hipster throwback and artsy life.  These two, played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried, are the sort of couple that many would think are what the Millenial kids should be at best: youthful with respect to their elders, yet also willing to consider ideas and objects their own to share.  Driver's character is also a filmmaker interested in documentaries, while Seyfried's character is kind of a free spirit who enjoys making organic artisanal ice cream and co-producing films.  There are of course different approaches to their documentary filmmaking; while Stiller's and Grodin's characters are presented in the same way as we see Robert Flaherty, Errol Morris, D.A. Pennebaker and the Maysles family (Albert Maysles having just passed away): Driver's filmmaking approach is clearly reminiscent of Michael Moore, Andrew Jarecki, Spike Lee and Werner Herzog, in which the filmmaker is as important as the subject. 

This comes at a certain point in which the Adam Driver character (Jamie) approaches Stiller and Watts for help with his eventual documentary.  It starts out as Jamie (Driver) decides to actually film a reunion with a Facebook friend from his high school days.  The friend, played by Brady Corbet, turns out to have served in Afghanistan and every so often has difficulties in emotional matters.  Thus, the documentary being made goes from one matter to another more important matter. 

What occurs afterward takes us to an interesting look at growing up, reconsidering priorities, the art of storytelling, reclaiming one's youth, and most surprisingly yet most tellingly how we tell stories in the newer forms of documentaries to at least make a personal statement.  These theories and ideals will be explained later in my next weblog post; one that will divulge into plot details and what Noah Baumbach, and to an extant Scott Rudin, are attempting with relative success to say regarding film and the person who claims authorship.  Unlike my review of It Follows, I do not think While We're Young is a film that needs the plot to be the end point of how we look at the movie.

Suffice to say, I came into seeing While We're Young expecting one entertaining look at relationships in our current age.  What came out of the screening was a lot more thoughtful and multilayered than even I would have expected.  In some ways, it is kind of like when you watch a program on Adult Swim; it presents itself as one thing, then becomes another thing entirely which becomes more ambiguous in message.  I think Movie Bob explains this concisely in a recent video of his when discussing the Adult Swim esthetic.

Getting back on point; the Noah Baumbach film While We're Young is one of the better films I have seen this year, and might still be among my personal favorites before 2015 ends.  Do go see this film; I will have more to say on this with my next weblog post.  Please do comment and reply if you are able to. 

More Coming, Stay Tuned,

Robert

Conned them all, of course

I can remember being a very young child, seeing commercials for a commemorative edition of a self book that was now in place to be sold in bookstores everywhere.  The commercial was pure 1980s: synthesized electronic music, early computer graphics, and vague quotes being shown on a black background. 

This, as you can see, was a paperback revised edition of Dianetics.  It was a public reintroduction to the writings and ideas of L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), incorporating more information that supplanted the initial 1950 publication.  Some time went on, and nothing significant came of Dianetics in my life; apart from reading the book at a library and being confused.  Sometime in the early 1990s, that changed.  In the golden age of informercials, Dianetics was given its own 30 minute spot on television.

This intrigued me, partly because among the interviews in that program was Nancy Cartwright.  I do remember the spot emphasizing the need for self help and letting go of the reactive mind.  The net result was to go clear; in the mind, the body, the soul and the self.  Now, I can understand those ideas.  Yet, I had been reading the source materials at my library and seemed quite confused at the noted contradictions and problems in obtaining "clear".  It might have made more sense to someone older than the age of 10, you might say.  Perhaps, yet I was a prodigious reader even then and knew a lot of terms and concepts most others my age were not familiar with. 

Years later I came across an interesting program on A&E named Investigative Reports, hosted and produced by Bill Kurtis, that had on one night a multi part look at the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard.  It was on that show that I became aware of Hubbard's crowning business, the Church of Scientology.  Now, this was odd: a church that was effectively founded by someone that had died only about 10 years before?  And one that was taken seriously by both celebrities, governments and common people alike? 

Well, it happened.  By now I suppose you all know what Scientology is.  You likely have seen or read Battlefield Earth; the absurdity presented there is quite similar to what Scientologists believe.  Still many like you and I have seen the Paul Thomas Anderson film The Master; pretty much convinced the self help solutions are stolen from better texts and philosophers.  Yet for myself, nothing prepared me for the truth to be revealed, in more ways than one, as I and others read the Lawrence Wright book Going Clear. 

I do not think a full synopsis is needed, though let me point out this fact.  Scientology is a cult that due to intimidation and financial tomfoolery has become amongst the most suppressive and abusive religions known to man.  How anyone can go this deep into effectively becoming mere trash for one man's whims (that man now being David Miscavige) is beyond my imagination.  I was and still am particularly disturbed with the idea of disconnection, to say nothing of The Hole. 

Two weeks ago, documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney premiered his 2015 adaptation of Going Clear on HBO. This was done with the full support of Lawrence Wright, and includes interviews with Wright, journalists, former Scientologists including Paul Haggis and family members.  What mostly is of interest are the stories coming from people who are not famous; people that can detail what they saw and what they felt.  The interviews are quite emotional and feel unscripted; unlike what the Church of Scientology have been doing to counteract the revelations being brought forth. 

There is one person in this religion that rules all, and he is David Miscavige.  Believe me when I say the book and documentary do not even go to explaining the more gorier events surrounding Miscavige.  For one thing, David Miscavige's own wife has been missing for 8 years.  At this point, Shelly Miscavige might be dead; yet no one in the church is investigating the disappearance, and neither are police and governments.  Still many others that are likely in The Hole are probably in that same fate too. 

If there was any justice in this world, David Miscavige would be sentenced to life imprisonment at least for really the last 29 years.  Yet, even though it is an HBO film coming off of the success of the miniseries The Jinx; it is sadly well known that this man:




will not be prosecuted and be continued to be revered unlike this man:



To let you know, the last photo is a picture of Robert Durst.  As I mentioned before, Durst will be brought to justice one day for what he did; mainly because Robert Durst matters little to us.  While David Miscavige is not an important figure in my life; yet he is the supreme being for any Scientologist.  Put it this way: Pope Francis will not personally attack me or my family because we do not go to Mass and have differences with Catholic dogma.  Go take a look at any Scientology response to the truth being made known and you will see a vast difference. 

I urge my fellow readers and passers by to see and read Going Clear.  This is another gem from Lawrence Wright and Alex Gibney that I think will garner attention and ideas in the years to come.  Perhaps in time, David Miscavige will one day reveal the truth, if only to himself.  It did occur with Robert Durst.

When that happens, what will the response be?  I am not sure, yet I am rather concerned none the less.  

Talk to you all sooner rather than later,

Robert

It is that month again!

Baboon, spittoon, balloon
Harpoon, typhoon, lagoon
Moon, June, goon
Noon, loon, prune, soon
It must be April

The Brain; Pinky and The Brain, "Broadway Malady"

April is a month quite a number of different things occur.  Of course, that is an understatement.  More than a number of world events have occurred when April arrives that alter the rest of the year; and not always in the best way.  Some examples during my lifetime include:

1993, April 19:  The siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas ended when the BATF bulldozed, razed and firebombed the compound killing all inside.

1995, April 19:  The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was bombed by at least two paramilitary militia sorts; killing 168 people.

1999, April 20:  Two high school students enrolled at Columbine High School in Colorado, along with implied help, shoot a bunch of fellow students, before they themselves are found dead from a likely self inflicted wound.

2001:  The Bush Tax Cuts were put into place, beginning the process of altering and screwing up the world economic system.

2003:  Gulf War II was suddenly declared over, even though it never was in an ending phase.  This came only when two different news journalists died while embedded with the US troops; thus allowing much of the US media the need to get out of Iraq.

2013, April 15:  A false flag terrorism assault occurred in Boston, Massachusetts; following the Boston Marathon, 4 died and many were injured near the finish line.  This resulted in Boston being in near lockdown measures for a few days until a scapegoat was named.  This, for me, solidified my abject disappointment, if not outright condemnation, of international policy that President Barack Obama has initiated.  These actions mainly have had the right intentions; yet they seem to go awry at some point.

2015, April 1 and April 2:  A deal on nuclear armaments with Iran has been announced, at least some of it.  I have my doubts on the authenticity of such a deal; were Mahmoud Ahmadinejad still President of Iran, I would feel differently.  In a somewhat related matter, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has been indicted on Federal corruption charges.  Sen. Menendez is someone I expect to fight to the bitter end against these charges; perhaps even be found not guilty of these purported crimes.  Interestingly, Sen. Menendez has also been skeptical of the deal brought forth.

We are not even done with April, yet world geopolitical concerns are being felt already.  In a later post, I will analyze my thoughts and opinions on these two recent events; and the intertwined relationship that has been known to many on these events.  Now, while there is time left, here is what I referenced above. 

Please disregard the spotlight in the center.  This is one of the few ways to show an older series on YouTube without avoiding copyright, I think. 

More to come before the holiday weekend,

Robert

Short yet necessary

Are the rumors true?  Is this the restart after 6 years that we have waited for?  Let us hope so!

It has been a long time coming.  One of my next posts will be a look back at Homestar Runner, I would think the most important non-political website that has influenced myself and many others. 

Do you remember 13 years ago

Robert