Doctor Who is the Center of all Sci-fi

http://scifiwire.com/2010/06/doctor-who-is-proven-to-b.php

Old Spice Made Another Commercial.

I'm on a motorcycle.

Why Christians are Jerks

Online, that is.

Jon answers over at CNN.

Cats and Dogs

An old one, but still seems to fit the bill.

Using the Snopes Scope

Over at Stuff Christians Like, Jon suggests that maybe, maybe, juuuuust maybe one might want to verify a wild rumor before e-mailing it out one's entire friend's list.

He also gives a few hints on when you should be suspicious of a "I heard it from a friend so you must send it on" forwarded e-mail.

May I add:

-After claiming that you must get word out about how Obama is conspiring with China to ensure that all Gerber's products contain lead paint and hemlock, it concludes with, "Send this on to fifteen friends, and you are guaranteed to come across found money within seven days!"

-It claims "urgent action must be taken!" and "if we don't get enough e-mails in five days," but there is no date on the e-mail.  (Chances are it has been circulating for over a decade.) 

-It assumes limited scope and ability of mega-corporations.  As in the notion that Apple would be unable to find people to test the I-pad -- unless you help!  Or that Facebook has no access to technology that will let them know if a user's account is inactive -- unless you forward this e-mail!

-In the body of the e-mail, in contains the phrase "insert name of current celebrity here."

-I would also suggest that if it too readily confirms something outrageous that you really want to believe, you need to garner the self-discipline to check before forwarding.  For example, if you are an ultra-libbie war dissenter, and you get that conspiracy e-mail showing a picture of Bin Laden living in the guest house of a certain Crawford, TX rancher, you might want to check your sources before sending it on.

Not saying it isn't true, just saying you might want to check.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

Staring Contest

The drummer from OK-Go gets into a staring contest with a drummer from another famous band.

He never stood a chance; that other guy's an animal.

Thanks, Jason, for the link.

The Fellowship: Scarier than the Big Red Eye!

Has a greater evil ever been unleashed in Middle Earth - or any Earth for that matter?

In Honor of Releve - A Quote for the Day

"I got kicked out of ballet class because I pulled a groin muscle.  It wasn't mine."

-Rita Rudner

And a Little Musical for the Weekend

Enjoy.

From Around the Interweb

First, something for the industry insiders:  Over at Hollywood Roaster, a screenwriter stands up for himself.

A few pickups from Tyler Stanton's weekly six:

The OK Go guys are at it again:



VW is showing us how to have a little fun:



I can think of a few staircases that should have such a fast lane.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

Ashes and Hope

This is the Theatre where Cath acted and worked for ten years, and I was Managing Director for five years.

Feels like watching home movies.

I Could Care Less

No, really.  I could.

No Sense of Decency

This week in History: 

June 9, 1954, a pivotal turn in the Senate Investigations Committee meetings when Army counsel Joseph N. Welch confronts Senator Joseph R. McCarthy with this stirring exchange (transcribed from memory):

Welch:  “Have you no sense of decency, sir?  At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

McCarthy:  [long uncomfortable pause, as McCarthy looks to his Senate colleagues, who only shrug] “Uh, you do know that I work in Washington, right?”

Welch:  [breaking out into laughter] “I know, I was only yanking your chain!”

[entire chamber shares a good laugh]

McCarthy:  “You had me going there for a second.  Good one.”

Welch:  “Just trying to lighten things up a bit.  Now where were we?”

[chamber resumes business as usual]

Just my thoughts,

Sean

It's a Passenger Plane of Some Sort...

"How to Writer Badly Well" continues to educate.  Today's theme: Describe the wrong things.

I think I can do that.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

World Cup Cantina and All the Summer Music in One

I don't follow the World Cup, but I did appreciate this:





I don't listen to a lot of current music, but boy did I appreciate this:

Call of the Artist

So you wanna go into the arts?

I mean as a way of life – not just a dabbling.

I think we’re all meant to dabble – in fact, built to dabble.

To sing in the shower. To paint pictures for funsies. To make up stories for our kids at night.

But some feel a need to make more of it – to make art their profession, their vocation.

In other words, some not only feel the need to create, but feel led to the combination of devoting themselves to creating AND seeking to find an audience for that creation.

At times, a paying audience even.

So how does one know that they should make the jump from the shower to the stage? (Please, dry off and get dressed first.)

Over at Resurgence, they did a little article on how to tell if you are called into the ministry, and there were a few points that seemed to fit the bill of “artist” as much as “pastor.”

Mostly from John Newton. He has three indicators that one is meant to be in ministry. I’ll think of these as three indicators that one is meant to devote their life energy to writing things like “Amazing Grace.”

One: “a warm and earnest desire to be employed in this service.”

‘Cuz it is a service folks. Those cats at the American Idol audition who want to be famous – yeah, they aren’t called to be artists.

Two: “some competent sufficiency as to gifts, knowledge, and utterance.”

If you weren’t given the gift, you weren’t given the call.

Okay, that’s only sort of true. Let me modify: if you weren’t given the gift, then you are likely misinterpreting the call.

Can’t tell you how many people meant to be working behind the scenes thought they were meant to be on the stage. Most happily get it eventually, and find the place where their gifts meet their passion.

Others still struggle to be in the costume, when they were gifted to make the costume.

Third: an “opening in Providence, by a gradual train of circumstances pointing out the means, the time, the place, of actually entering upon the work.”

Are the doors opening?

Or the windows?

Or the transom?

If not, again, maybe the interpretation of the calling needs another look see.

You feel like you passed the test? Well, not done yet.

Martin Luther also had a few criteria for the calling to ministry; and two seem oh-so designed for the fool wanting to go into the arts:

“Willing to venture body and blood, wealth and honor in the work”

And

“Suffers himself to be mocked and jeered by everyone.”

For anyone delusional enough to think their work will be above derision, just remember that Sandra Bullock won the Best Actress Oscar and the Razzie in the same year.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

Good Script Gone Bad

A common question that comes up in my line of work:  after watching a movie, someone will ask, "How in the world did that script get made into a movie?"

There are many answers, in many colorful varieties.  Sometimes it is the writer, or the re-writers, or the development process.

Sometimes it's hiring a bad director, or a bad cast.

And sometimes, sadly, it's because a good director or good actor got hired.

Here's a case study of how the script Nottingham went from being the hottest script in town to the drab movie called Robin Hood:

A summary.

The long version.

A lot can happen after a production starts moving.  Puts me in mind of another recent movie.

Script got greenlit -- everyone very excited.

Big star hired to play the lead (a very good actor), everyone more excited.

Big star decides he wants to play a side character instead of lead.  Been done - think Arnold turning down the lead in Terminator so he could play the villain.  Everyone still excited.

Big star decides the side character's part is too small.  Rewrites commence, making the side character into a co-lead character.  Everyone starts to worry a little bit.

Big star's part overshadows the original lead part, everyone starts to wonder what the movie is about.

Movie is made, as is the decision to put all emphasis on big star, making original lead more or less a subplot. Sorta.  Everyone wondering why they were so excited at the start of the project.

Movie comes out, critics bash it in part because the main story was kinda boring compared to the subplot (the original main plot) which, according to the critics, should have been its own movie.  Everyone blames the writer.

And the circle of life goes on...

Just my thoughts,

Sean

Wanna Know From Funny?

Couple of helps towards humor.

First off, Jane Espenson's blog -- specifically Sunday, May 16th: The Dangling Kitten (how Glee correctly told a joke);  Monday, May 3rd, Not Loving It (how McDonald's ruined a joke); and Sunday April18th, Go With the Flow (how Progressive saved an old joke).

Smart lady, smart advice on humor.  (She also worked on Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Buffy, Angel and Gilmore Girls -- I think I may have seen one of those shows...)

Then wander over to Jon Acuff's article at Relevant, where he talks about the difference between satire and mockery.  (As a side benefit that Relevant may never have imagined, you get insight as to why the Daily Show really works when it works, and why when it doesn't, it really doesn't.)

Just my "I'll get you a kitty" type thoughts,

Sean

Measure of Good Writing

Here's the wrap-up of a LA Times review of two television shows -- I'm re-posting here since it seems to be a good goal for all writers.

"Both shows are smart without being snarky, realistic about the limitations of the human soul without being jaded, carefully plotted without being overly clever.  Sex is present but not exploited, marriage is respected but not revered and love, though in the end binding, is never reduced to syrup."

Extra points if you can guess what shows she is talking about...  (I just started watching one, have not seen the other.)

Thanks to Chris for pointing me toward the review.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

How To Write Badly Well: Bible Edition

How to Write Badly Well advises that a good technique for writing poorly - try too much to be the Bible.

"...and then three more who had just turned up, throwing the numbers off."

Priceless.

Just my thoughts,

Sean