The Great Debaters and Atonement

Atonement won the Golden Globe for Best Drama.
[Double Click to enlarge]



This was a good year for movies. All of these are fine movies (well, we haven't seen There Will Be Blood yet). I didn't get a chance to post about Atonement yet, and we just saw the Great Debaters tonight.

Atonement stands out from the others by how it tells the story. American Gangster and Michael Clayton seem to have simply condensed their books into movies that told the basic story but lost the details that made the stories rich. Eastern Promises and No Country for Old Men both told there stories well. But Atonement was a movie. Yes, it was based on a book, but it used the medium of film to tell the story. The camera transcended the words skipping over time and then back to see how we got there. A significant part of the story was conveyed visually. And the story it told was about what happens inside people's heads. About knowing and judging but not knowing and having to live with the consequences. A powerful film.


The others were good films, but didn't take advantage of the medium of film nearly as spectacularly.

The Great Debaters had me shaking my head. It's a good movie. Americans should see it - to remind them if they knew, and to tell them if they didn't - of the history of race relations in the US in the first half of the century. It's a great way to learn about what happened. But the story is such a movie cliche - obscure school wins competition against all comers, and then faces "The Big School". We've seen it with football, basketball, spelling bees, you name it. And I'm not giving anything away because it is obvious what is going to happen from the beginning. The story is how it unfolds. And the actors, the photography, the story, all are done well.

Back to Court Tomorrow at 8am

They called numbers 1041-1079 last night. But tonight they called 1080-1091 and I got snagged. The people who went in today didn't have to be there until 10am, but I have to be their at 8 again.

Judge Volland seems to be doing this differently from how Judge Sedwick did it. I like this better. The jurors don't all have to stick around while they weed people out. But this trial doesn't have all the publicity that ones Judge Sedwick presided over. So tomorrow maybe I'll find out what is going on. As long as I know nothing and I can blog.

Sun and Beauty and Cold

White heat 93 [92,955,820.5]
million miles later lights sky
becomes white cold.

The blue is outside. Red inside. Converting from Fahrenheit to Centigrade
0 Fahrenheit = -18 Centigrade

Unfuck the World - From Kathryn Blume's Boycott

Click the yellow button.
unfuck-the-world imported by AKRaven

I had no idea what we were going to see. Friends called, they had extra tickets, did we want to go? But I like the intimacy of Cyrano's and we wanted to see our friends, so sure.

It didn't start out well for me. This woman (Kathryn Blume) walked out onto the pretty empty, stage with the painted floor. You can see it in the picture before the performance. As she started to tell her story, it came across stagy, rather than genuine. I hate that. But as she continued I started getting used to it, and I think it also got more real sounding. It was funny because all the voices she did sounded more real than her own voice. Huh?

Well, there were two stories going on. First was the Kathryn Blume telling us how and why she wrote this play - basically she felt she had to do something about Global Warming. She'd write a movie that would star George Clooney and Susan Sarandon, the First Lady who starts a national women's Boycott of sex until the President signs the Rio Treaty on climate change.







The second story is the movie itself, which she acts out - a whole slew of characters including a frog. The onstage action switches between the two stories. But it all came together for me at one point when one of the characters challenges us all to "unfuck the world." That is, I realized, what the environmental movement is all about. And then there it was as a song. After the play the song was on the speakers again, so I caught enough on my camera to put it up here.


I wasn't sure the sound was good so I bought a CD when I left. I was feeling a little bad about posting the music from the CD, but I did buy the CD. But I looked at www.arthurblume.com and there was the song out in the world for anyone to download. So that was a better way to go.

Kathryn did get her own voice much more natural and the play manages to get a global warming message out and be funny at the same time. It'll be here through January 27 at Cyrano's.

The Erosion of Freedom - Today's Losses

Two stories that mark today's erosion of liberty. I'm starting to think that one of the purposes of all the different rules we have to obey getting onto airplanes is to accustom us to obeying more and more rules. They just keep adding one indignity after another until we simply accept anything they ask. Perhaps we need to start standing up to the TSA. If people decide not to fly because of the TSA hassles, they should contact the airlines they didn't fly on and their Congressional delegation. We have to start saying no to 4 inch baggies for our toothpaste and all the other nonsense. Ideally in a way that doesn't result in a felony. Send in your suggestions for clever ways to protest how we get treated getting onto planes.

In the first story, the seventeen states said "no" and now Bush is punishing the citizens of those states saying they can't board airplanes without the right kind of driver's license. Maybe this will be the last straw and people will stand up and say "No more."

The second story - the government is drugging people involuntarily? Is this America? And we just sit back and take it? At least the judge said, "No."

These were both short items in the Anchorage Daily News. I could only find the second one online in the ADN, the other was apparently taken from the LA Times. (Why doesn't the ADN credit the LA Times?)

By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 12, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration hit the brakes Friday on a controversial law requiring Americans to carry tamper-proof driver's licenses, delaying its final implementation by five years, until 2017.

A number of states have balked at the law, objecting to it largely over cost and privacy concerns. But under the administration's new edict, states that continue to fight compliance with the law face a penalty: Their residents will be forbidden from using driver's licenses to board airplanes or enter federal buildings as of May 11 of this year.

The rest of the story is here.

U.S. immigration agents must not sedate deportees without a judge's permission, according to a policy change issued this week. Immigration officials have acknowledged that 56 deportees were given psychotropic drugs during a seven-month period in 2006 and 2007 even though most had no history of mental problems. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit over the practice in June.

The full story is here.

Sarah Palin and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Governor Sarah Palin yesterday stood up to Conoco Philips and said their deal is no deal for Alaska. Calling the legislature back into session and leaning on them with the weight of her considerable popularity with Alaskans to revise the Petroleum Profits Tax was also an example of what a principled politician can do. Think about Frank Murkowski, Bill Allen, the large oil companies and their PR flaks as you read the opening to John Perkins' Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other foreign "aid" organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet's natural resources. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.

John Perkins' book is hard for Americans to believe, even liberals. It contradicts most of the key interlocking stories that Americans learn:

Story I: The United States of America is the exceptional great nation where freedom and democracy were introduced to the world.
Story 2: The USA is basically good. Those who commit crimes will be punished. Those who work hard will succeed and do well.
Story 3: The Constitution and the Rule of Law are sacred in the USA.
Story 5: Capitalism is the only economic system that promotes freedom and justice
Story 6: What's good for General Motors is good for the USA (Today we can substitute whatever large corporation, such as Conoco-Philips)
Story 7: In other countries the press is not free, but in the US there is no censorship

While we all know there are exceptions to each of these, most Americans down deep tend to believe these stories. Thomas Kuhn (link to Science Friday audio about Kuhn), whose The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Wikipedia link) introduced the word paradigm into the modern American vocabulary, said that even when scientists (he used the word only about scientific paradigms) know their paradigm isn't quite right, they hold onto it until they have a better one with which to replace it. So even though we know there are problems, we stick to our old stories about the USA because we don't have an acceptable alternative. Churchill is said to have coined this phrase that shuts down those who challenge our system: "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."

But I don't think we have to challenge the system or the stories. Perkins' story doesn't challenge the values of democracy and freedom. Rather he challenges those who wrap themselves in the sacred stories of the system, while they pervert the system for their own power and wealth.

Instead of US policy and corporations being about helping other countries, he says its about conquering them economically and stealing their resources. This is a story Alaska is all too familiar with - starting with the Russians who were after furs, then those after copper and gold, fishing and timber, and oil. The original Pebble Mine folks were so brazen they even called their company Northern Dynasty. What sort of ego names their company "Dynasty?"

While the tactics are a little different when working within US territory, the basic purpose is to gain access to resources as cheaply as possible by buying off those responsible for protecting them. After the trials of Anderson, Kott, and Kohring, Alaskans can no longer believe the myths that our politicians are all working for us, or that the oil companies are giving us the best deal. The posturing of the oil companies this year is right out of Perkins' play book.

Perkins would go into a country to do an economic assessment for developing a power infrastructure. His instructions were to greatly inflate the future power needs of the country and design an infrastructure that would support the industrial needs of the corporations waiting to come into the country. They would snow the country leaders into applying for loans from the World Bank and other such international lenders. Loans they would never be able to repay. Once the countries had overwhelming debts, they essentially became the pawns of US foreign and economic policy.

If the leaders were reluctant, there was plenty of money with which to convince them. If the leaders still refused, the CIA backed real hit men to get them out of the way. The book is dedicated to two such leaders, who Perkins said were principled and stood up for their countries, Jaime Roldós, president of Equador, and Omar Torrijos, president of Panama, both of whom

died in fiery crashes. Their deaths were not accidental. They were assassinated because they opposed that fraternity of corporate, government, and banking heads whose goal is global empire.

I don't expect Governor Palin to die in a fiery crash, but she is pissing off people who aren't used to being refused. You've heard the arrogant tones of the oil companies and their supporters in court and on talk radio and in the newspapers.

I've held off on writing about Perkins because there was one aspect of the book that has bothered me throughout. If what he was being asked to do was so evil, why did he do it for so long? I think I'm irked especially because he was a Peace Corps volunteer and should have known better. He raises this question frequently in the book and I don't think he does that good a job of answering it. The words are there, but it's hollow for me. I think because it is an emotional issue and he doesn't do emotion very well. He writes about being born into "generations of puritanical ancestors," so that may play a part. I also think it's hollow because he does still feel guilty for his part in this. But I've looked on his website and listened to his short Democracy Now interview and I think I'm convinced.

Basically, his recruiters did a very good job. He had a day of interviews while hooked up to a lie detector. They pulled out of him all of his insecurities and weaknesses - his sex life, how he felt about money, his resentment for being the poor teacher's son at an exclusive prep school, etc. And then they used his insecurities to trap him into his job. He also knew what happened to presidents who crossed his bosses, what might happen to him? Besides, he got used to the expensive life he led, traveling the world, feted at international meetings, working with world leaders. It's heady stuff.

His website shows that he has been 'repenting' ever since. He held off writing because he was paid half a million dollars to keep quiet. He used that money he says to develop projects aimed at helping the people he'd harmed. Finally, with the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, he felt he could keep quiet no more, and pulled out the manuscript he had started several times.

So, for understanding the power plays between Gov. Palin and the oil companies, as well as understanding why the rest of the world, particularly the less developed world, might not see the American Way quite the same as our stories of it, read the book. You don't have to agree, you don't have to believe it. But at least read it. Then tell me where it is inaccurate. In specifics.

Fresh Snow

out back

out front

Revelation Now - in Wendy Williamson Auditorium

We got this in the mail. Let's see, how can I put this? I have difficulty understanding the appeal of flying lions, tigers, black panthers, and dragon like creatures as part of a serious religious message. So I'm trying to figure out why I look at this differently than I did some of the Hindu gods such as Ganesh, the elephant god. I don't know. Maybe because the Hindu gods stem from a 2000 + year history. They are part of tradition. Anyway, Bible Lecturer, Jac Colón is going to

present a penetrating look at the real meaning of rapidly changing current events. You will understand the fall of communism, the erosion of freedom, the rise in power of religious movements, and more.

It begins Friday, January 11,, 7:15 p.m., Nightly (Except Wednesdays and Thursdays). Friday begins with:

• 666, the Antichrist and the Mark of the Beast Who is the Antichrist? Understand the true meaning of that mystical number 666. God's most dreadful warning is to avoid the Mark of the Beast What is his mark? How can you avoid it?

Basically, I have no problem with anyone renting a room at the University for their events. The rates for the Wendy Williamson according to the UAA Website are:

Facility Specifications House Rules Rental Rates Reservations Theatre for Young People Williamson Auditorium

Williamson Auditorium Rental Rates UAA Department & Non-Profit Organizations Performance Rental Rate: $600.00/performance Rehearsal Days: $300.00/day Dark Days: $100.00/day Technician $25.00/hour Weekend Custodial: $150.00 For-Profit Organizations Performance Rental Rate: $800.00/performance Rehearsal Days: $400.00/day Dark Days: $100.00/day Technician: $25.00/hour Weekend Custodial: $150.00

I assume these are all at the non-profit per performance rate of $600. Plus $25/hour for a mandatory technician to be present. The Williamson holds 910 people. Admission is free. The return address is Northwest Evangelism Institute, PO Box 871150, Vancouver, WA 98687. There's also a website: Revelation-Now.com.

But I hope that no one reading the brochure and seeing that this is held at the University thinks that this is a University sponsored or approved event. I'm sure for some people reading the brochure, though, seeing that it is being held at the University will give it more credibility. I suspect the university should adopt a rule that advertising for events where space is merely rented should say something like, "This is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the University of Alaska Anchorage."

Jury Duty - Day 1

I took the bus downtown on this snowy day. Certain people were called, including yours truly, to fill out a 23 page questionnaire. No one told us not to say anything and I haven't been selected for anything. There were a lot of questions about racial epithets, carrying concealed weapons, and Pacific Islanders. By 10 am were given new numbers and told to call back tonight and Sunday night and Monday night. The down side is that this trial is expected to go for three weeks. I've been planning to leave town to do some volunteer work in Thailand, though the exact date hasn't been settled yet, but it was going to be late January. I did put that down and hope that will make a difference. As interesting as it might be to sit on a jury, a three week murder trial was not what I had in mind for the month of January.

I called in and they don't need any jurors for tomorrow. We have to call Sunday, and then Monday. I assume this is the last you'll hear about this until I'm dismissed from the jury pool or the trial is over.

Voting Machine Security Studies Show Continuing Problems

Anonymous commented on a previous post that raised questions about the security of Diebold voting machines. Diebold changed the name of its voting machine division to Premier Election Solutions in August. Anon pointed to the State of Alaska website with information on the State's ongoing study of Alaska's voting machine security. The project has been contracted to the University of Alaska Anchorage (the Department of Engineering seems to be doing the work.) A key aspect of this study is the review of studies already done by other states. The whole Phase Ia report was contracted to cover:

Overview-level evaluation of recent studies relative to existing Alaska systems,
technologies and procedures
Inclusions:
• A brief review of studies and tests that have been undertaken that might be relevant to Alaska’s situation.
• A summary of the University of California’s and Florida State University’s tests and conclusions, analyzing the recommendations that were made and are applicable to Alaska’s optical scanning technology.
• Research and assess improvements made by Premier (formerly Diebold) based on
California and Florida studies and their applicability to our systems
• Assessment of existing Alaska systems and equipment and ability to upgrade security functionality
• Research other states that are conducting similar research. Determine potential points of collaboration, partnership and leverage
• General evaluation of Alaska’s election policies, processes and procedures
• Provide repository for public input via Division of Elections website. Use this input to guide suggested approach for interactive public input/response in Phase 2. Ensure that both UAA and Division of Elections have record of public input. ....

From the Phase 1 Executive Summary we get synopsis of the overview of studies done by other states:

What did the California and Florida studies find?
As part of Phase I, we reviewed a number of election-security studies done in other states. But our reviews of the California and Florida studies were the most detailed—and those states use the same or similar electronic equipment as Alaska. Generally speaking, the studies identified a number of worrisome vulnerabilities, including:
• Vulnerability to the installation of malicious software that could allow incorrect recording or miscounts of votes.
•Susceptibility to computer viruses that could spread from voting machine to voting machine and to election management systems.
• Insufficient control of access to and management of machines, potentially making them accessible to unauthorized people.
The manufacturer of the equipment—Premier Election Solutions [Diebold]—made improvements in its software and machines, based on these studies. Follow-up studies by Florida investigators found that newer versions of Premier software and hardware corrected some but not all the flaws identified.
• Identify areas of risk in Alaska’s absentee and questioned ballot system.
• Assess vulnerability of paper ballots to tampering, and contrast with risks in electronic system.
• Determine points in the election system where there should be more redundancy in personnel or procedures.

I don't have time to get all the details at the moment. Above are the highlights from the summary. You can go to the full Phase 1a Report. The Overview of Studies begins on page 29 of the report (p. 36 on the PDF file). It looks at reports on

• Maryland
• Cuyohoga County, Ohio
• University of Connecticut Voting Technology Research Center Report
• State of California “Top-to-Bottom Review” (TTBR) Report (and Diebold's response)
• Florida Software Review and Security Analysis Summary

I would guess these are among the more objective looks at voting machine technology in use. Perhaps we can get more into this later. A giant tip of the hat to Anonymous for the link.