“You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt”

Tags: “Tennessee” Ernie Ford ∙ Merle Travis ∙ guest content ∙ video ∙ music

Tags: patriotism ∙ NAB ∙ mj1956 ∙ Tomorrow Media ∙ Jim Kirk ∙ Voice of Freedom ∙ lyrics ∙ America ∙ USA ∙ Billboard Hot 100 ∙ 1980 ∙ guest content

““Our enemies are never as evil as we think they are and maybe we are never quite as good.””

— Justice League Unlimited

Tags: evil ∙ good ∙ enemy

It's not about abuse of power. It's not about moral failings.

Tags: guest content ∙ video ∙ Computing Forever ∙ Story

❝❝Just going to point this out. Princess Leia was a badass.

When we first see her, her ship has been captured by the much larger star destroyer. What does she do? She hides the secret plans where nobody will find them and records a message. After that she grabs a blaster and holds off stormtroopers. When she's finally captured, she faces down Tarkin and Vader telling them both off and giving a "the reason you suck" speech. When Luke and Han break her out of her cell, she grabs a gun and breaks all of them out of the detention level.

All while never using her sexuality to get what she wants or letting anyone forget she is a woman.

Leia turned the whole damsel in distress thing on it's head. And arguably has the least character development of any of the "face" characters in the first trilogy.

But she's the one who impacts the heroes. The formula isn't damsel in distress. It's catalyst for change.

Going back to Casablanca, Ilsa wouldn't be Ilsa if she didn't have to choose between two men she loved. Yes, part of it was the cause and the circumstances, but it is Ilsa's struggle that defines the film, even as it changes Rick because he can't have her.

Back to the original Terminator, Sarah Connor started as a wimp defined by her victimhood. By the end of the film, she's gone beyond mere survival to drawing a line in the sand and dedicating herself to a higher cause.

Scarlett O'Hara is perpetual victim who ends the story hoping that another man will come along and rescue her.

There's a way to do a strong woman character, and they don't have to be over sexualized or a kick-ass commando. If they start as a victim, they don't end up as a victim. And their impact on the people around them is all out of proportion to their ability.

---

*nods*

The problem with Rey isn't that she is a strong character. The problem is that she is not a hero because she doesn't change. Other than having magic force powers literally given to her, how is she different in at the end of her second movie than she was in the beginning of the first? We don't know anything about her other than she breaks all the rules for force manipulation and Jedi training.

Why the blazes are we supposed to care about her?

The story is not about Rey's journey to be a hero, it's about establishing that women as a class can be heroes too. It's a collective benchmark instead of an individual achievement. It's not Rey that is successful, it's about all women through Rey.

And it's as boring as stale nachos and flat beer.

---

The thing is, we saw the roots of change in Luke. We saw him "trust his feelings" to blow up the Death Star. The scenes where he met Yoda, he and the audience learned not to take things at face value. The bit where he saw under Vader's mask in the tree. And the climax of the second film when he discovered just how outclassed he was.

When have we seen Rey struggle?

I agree that Finn and Poe have changed. But they aren't the viewpoint characters. Part of me can't help but wonder if the films would be better if Finn was the viewpoint and Rey was just the catalyst like Leia was.❞❞

Tags: Princess Leia ∙ badass ∙ sexuality ∙ woman ∙ damsel in distress ∙ hero ∙ Casablanca ∙ Ilsa Lund ∙ Terminator ∙ Sarah Connor ∙ Scarlett O'Hara ∙ perpetual victim ∙ Rey ∙ Star Wars ∙ Luke Skywalker ∙ Finn ∙ Poe ∙ struggle ∙ Yoda ∙ Jedi

““Everywhere she goes, evil men die, and we cheer her for it. And she grows more sure that she is good and right. She believes that her destiny is to build a better world for everyone. If you believed it; if you truly believed it, would you not kill anyone who came between you and paradise?””

— Game of Thrones

Tags: Game of Thrones ∙ good ∙ right ∙ evil ∙ cheer ∙ destiny ∙ better world ∙ kill ∙ paradise

““The first law is that the desire of authorities in charge of security for information will continue in a straight line with no limits in time and space short of the heat death of the universe. The second law is that the willingness of their authorities to supply them with the budget they need to do that has very definite limits, both in time and space. Hence the third law, which is the one we are now operating under. The information assembled by security authorities invariably overwhelms their ability to analyze the information. They are, in effect, suffocated by their own insecurity.””

— David Weber, Cauldron of Ghosts

Tags: David Weber ∙ authority ∙ security ∙ information ∙ budget ∙ overwhelm ∙ analyze

❝❝There's a part of me that can't help but wonder what ol' Walt would have thought about a bunch of stormtroopers marching around the Disney parks. Even if it is May the Fourth.❞❞

— NeoWayland

Tags: maxims ∙ Walt Disney ∙ May the Fouth ∙ stormtroopers

Tags: guest content ∙ video ∙ GrayStillPlays ∙ Citystate ∙ anarchy ∙ lawless ∙ game ∙ simulator ∙ rule of law ∙ responsibility ∙ libertarian ∙ anarchism

Tags: video ∙ guest content ∙ Zama Rripa ∙ libertarian ∙ Wendy McElroy

““The pragmatic survive, and the determined thrive, but faith manages.””
     — Babylon 5

Tags: Babylon 5 ∙ faith manages ∙ pragmatic ∙ determined

““Let me help.””
     — as explained in The City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek The Original Series

““I can do better than that!””
     — some anonymous hominid far back in time

Tags: Star Trek ∙ I can do better than that ∙ let me help ∙ human ∙ history

People can do most things on their own without government help, direction, or control.

Tags: Donald Trump ∙ trust ∙ none of the above ∙ disrupt ∙ press ∙ publicity ∙ Democrats ∙ Republicans ∙ progressives ∙ talking points

❝❝There's a vast difference between a character who happens to be X and a X character.

The emphasis should be on character, not the label. Character is about the human condition, the label is about the labeled condition.

Next, it's acting. Fictional. If the actor is good enough, they can play the heavy and the hero. They can play the pauper and the prince. And they can play whatever sexual orientation is necessary.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: maxims ∙ character ∙ label ∙ human ∙ condition ∙ fiction ∙ sexual orientation

Tags: culture ∙ video ∙ guest content ∙ Thoughty2 ∙ music ∙ Beatles ∙ harmonic complexity ∙ timbre ∙ timbral diversity ∙ homogenized ∙ pop music ∙ orchestra ∙ loudness ∙ Keyboard ∙ drum machine ∙ sampler ∙ computer software ∙ creativity ∙ originality ∙ similar ∙ melody ∙ rhythm ∙ Patrick Metzger ∙ millennial whoop ∙ familiarity ∙ lyric intelligence ∙ Flesch Kincaid Readability Index ∙ Max Martin ∙ Lukasz Gottwald ∙ hook ∙ dynamic range compression ∙ dynamic range ∙ risk ∙ brainwash ∙ saturation ∙ mere-exposure effect

“Tell a joke now and who knows who you might offend? Identity politics is taking the fun out of just about everything. This is – no fooling – a very serious problem. Actor/Comedian Owen Benjamin explains why and what needs to be done about it”

Tags: video ∙ PragerU ∙ comedy ∙ Owen Benjamin

Tags: sports ∙ viewers ∙ FBI ∙ Attorney General ∙ Jeff Sessions ∙ FOSTA ∙ prostitution ∙ crimminal probe ∙ sucession ∙ Elizabeth Warren ∙ CFPB ∙ Southern Poverty Law Center ∙ conservative ∙ Congress ∙ budget deficits ∙ free range kids ∙ RussiaGate ∙ Hillary Clinton ∙ Barack Obama ∙ Donald Trump ∙ special counsel ∙ labels ∙ pronouns ∙ power over speech ∙ Google ∙ Amazon ∙ EU ∙ Facebook ∙ NOAA ∙ climate change ∙ adjusted temperatures ∙ lawsuit ∙ David Hogg ∙ speech wars ∙ digitalships ∙ double standards ∙ diversity ∙ public safety ∙ Florida ∙ Palm Beach County

““I’m not addressing that. I do not get into that. Of course I have my opinion about everybody and everything. But I learned a long time ago, keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business. I’m not in politics. I am an entertainer.””
     — Dolly Parton

Tags: Dolly Parton ∙ show business ∙ opinion ∙ memes

““First, there is nothing either intrinsically right or intrinsically wrong about liberty or slavery, democracy or autocracy, freedom of action or complete regimentation. It seems to us, however, that the greatest measure of happiness and of well-being for the greatest number of entities, and therefore the optimum advancement toward whatever sublime Goal it is toward which this cycle of existence is trending in the vast and unknowable Scheme of Things, is to be obtained by securing for each and every individual the greatest amount of mental and physical freedom compatible with the public welfare.””
     — E. E. Smith, First Lensman

Tags: E. E. Smith ∙ Lensman ∙ right ∙ wrong ∙ slavery ∙ democracy ∙ autocracy ∙ freedom of action ∙ complete regimentation ∙ happiness ∙ wellfare-being ∙ freedom ∙ public welfare

““Hello, everyone. Guess who. Please, point a gun at me if it helps you relax.””
     — The Doctor, A Good Man Goes to War

Tags: Doctor Who ∙ gun

I remind you that no American political fact for the last two years has been easily ascertained. Or static.

Tags: Sweden ∙ culture ∙ DACA ∙ Democrats ∙ Donald Trump ∙ woke police ∙ smart house ∙ Newsweek ∙ grid girls ∙ Clarence Thomas ∙ commerce clause ∙ Internet of things ∙ IRS ∙ blockchain ∙ bad cops ∙ rape

““This long, solemn wake is an over-reaction that’s led to boredom and disinterest from the general public who actually pay to watch movies. People still love sex, sizzle and controversy — but the entertainment industry is too afraid to serve it up right now.””
     — Johnny Oleksinski, The woke police have ruined entertainment

Tags: Johnny Oleksinski ∙ woke ∙ sex ∙ controversy

Tags: Bill Nye ∙ science ∙ Amazon ∙ Democrats ∙ Real ID ∙ White House ∙ Nunes Memo ∙ Dreamers ∙ CDC ∙ Berkshire Hathaway ∙ JP Morgan Chase ∙ unemployment ∙ Donald Trump ∙ State Of The Union Address ∙ FCC ∙ 5G network ∙ healthcare

“Street Artist Trolls Golden Globes with ‘We All Knew’ Artwork”

Tags: clipping ∙ guest content ∙ Sabo ∙ Harvey Weinstein ∙ Meryl Streep ∙ Golden Globe Awards ∙ Daniel Nussbaum

Headlines that don't merit their own entry

Tags: Donald Trump ∙ Iran ∙ corporatist ∙ milirarist ∙ coup ∙ global warming ∙ police misconduct ∙ freedom ∙ Washington D.C. ∙ establishment ∙ voters

““Good men don’t need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.””
     — The Doctor, A Good Man Goes to War

Tags: Doctor Who ∙ good man ∙ rules

“This video looks at the concerning trend toward the sexualization of children through shows like Big Mouth, provocative toys like Bratz, and the dangers of advocating acceptance of attraction to children.”

Tags: Roaming Millennial ∙ video ∙ guest content ∙ child sexuality ∙ sexualization of children

❝❝I've taken stands for gun rights, alternative sexual practices, the value of the family with men and women role models, religious choice, the free market, and good movies.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: maxims ∙ gun rights ∙ sex ∙ family ∙ men ∙ women ∙ religious choice ∙ good movies

❝❝You haven't lived until you have an evangelical Christian and a radical atheist both trying to save you from your “folly” at the same time. After a bit they forget about you and argue with each other.

Great entertainment.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: maxims ∙ Christian ∙ evangelical ∙ radical ∙ atheist

❝❝I think it has a lot to do with how connected someone feels to their church/temple/circle/whatever. I think that big institutional churches appear more interested in putting butts in pews than any genuine mission. The church members just give a little time every week and put some cash in the offering. Easy peasy. I really don't understand how those “megachurches” work. To me, if a normally-sighted person can't see the pulpit clearly from the back row without a huge television screen, then it's not really a church. It's an entertainment palace.

What can I say? My own practice demands personal involvement. Even without that, I've got a bunch of preacher ancestors who would disapprove.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: connections ∙ churches ∙ megachurches ∙ personal involvement ∙ maxims

““What I do is not up to you.””
     — Wonder Woman (2017 film)

Tags: hero ∙ Wonder Woman

Tags: John Wilson ∙ video ∙ guest content ∙ Sonny & Cher ∙ Three Dog Night ∙ Black & White ∙ Maggie McNeill

Tags: Obamacare ∙ health insurance ∙ transgender ∙ Coast Guard ∙ Donald Trump ∙ FBI ∙ social media ∙ 2016 election ∙ fake news ∙ Hillary Clinton ∙ Venezuela ∙ Australia's Bureau of Meteorology ∙ immigration ∙ social engineers ∙ Republican shadow campaign ∙ New York Times ∙ Dunkirk ∙ job growth ∙ Barack Obama

Our heroes are defined by what they have done and how they inspire us.

Tags: Doctor Who ∙ Firefly ∙ Alexander Hamilton ∙ Clinton campaign ∙ Hillary Clinton ∙ short ∙ science fiction ∙ hero ∙ BBC

““Winning? Is that what you think this is about? I’m not trying to win. I’m not doing this because I want to beat someone, because I hate someone, or because, because I want to blame someone. It’s not because it’s fun. God knows it’s not because it’s easy. It’s not even because it works because it hardly ever does. I do what I do because it’s right! Because it’s decent! And above all, it’s kind! It’s just that… Just kind.

If I run away today, good people will die. If I stand and fight, some of them might live. Maybe not many, maybe not for long. Hey, you know, maybe there’s no point in any of this at all. But it’s the best I can do. So I’m going to do it. And I’m going to stand here doing it until it kills me. You’re going to die too! Some day… How will that be? Have you thought about it? What would you die for?

Who I am is where I stand. Where I stand is where I fall.””
     — the Doctor, The Doctor Falls

Tags: Doctor Who ∙ 12th Doctor ∙ winning ∙ kind ∙ beat someone ∙ hate someone ∙ blame someone ∙ fun ∙ easy ∙ right ∙ decent ∙ kind ∙ run away ∙ good people ∙ stand and fight ∙ where I stand

“In Congress, July 4, 1776”

Tags: clipping ∙ Perry Metzger ∙ and a pony ∙ minimum wage ∙ $175 per hour ∙ old-age pensions ∙ free health care ∙ weekly massage ∙ spa treatments

It's not what you think it is

Tags: video ∙ Adam Ruins Everything ∙ guest content ∙ Christmas ∙ Christianity

❝❝...On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."

"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."

"I did," said Ford. "It is."

"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?"

"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."

"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"

"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."

"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"

"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in."❞❞

Tags: election ∙ Douglas Adams ∙ So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish ∙ skimmed ∙ Wendy McElroy

The Imperious Leader has is trying to phase out coal

Tags: RadFem ∙ hero ∙ FamousFeminists ∙ Snoopy ∙ Charlie Brown ∙ Peanuts

The FBI and the DoJ don't believe the U.S. Constitution applies

Tags: FBI ∙ Apple ∙ privacy ∙ John Oliver ∙ video ∙ guest content

❝❝Does that person threaten you or yours?

Does that person take or damage your property?

Then why are you trying to control them?❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: liberty ∙ generalized argument ∙ liberty argument ∙ statist ∙ Doctor Who ∙ secret weapon ∙ quickest way ∙ maxims

Our military is mostly honorable people who want to do the right thing.

Tags: honor ∙ short

The FCC sneaks in the back door on the cable companies

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Stephen Colber ∙ Congress ∙ Truman Committee ∙ immigration reform ∙ Democrats ∙ Republicans

Roundup of the headline links

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Roger Ebert ∙ Barack Obama ∙ criticism ∙ Rush Limbaugh ∙ faith ∙ libertarian ∙ racist ∙ Tea Party ∙ religion ∙ wingnuts ∙ Presidency ∙ Office of the President Elect ∙ post-racial ∙ transparent ∙ closing Gitmo ∙ healthcare ∙ Bill Clinton ∙ Glenn Beck ∙ Obama Administration ∙ Treasury Department ∙ International banks ∙ Iraq ∙ military advisors ∙ favorites ∙ classic

This is a page from the original version of Pagan Vigil. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.paganvigil.com/C127135145/E20100903114934

Rogert Ebert wants critics of Obama to "Put up or shut up"

Funny how that only works if there is a liberal President

Roger Ebert stepped over the line.

Here's the thing. Just because someone happens to be President doesn't mean that he shouldn't be criticized. He should be. Loudly. Publicly.

But for pity's sake pick the battles.

The fact is that there are those who lambast both Glenn Beck and Barak Obama (all hail the Imperious Leader, may his toenails never shrink!).

If it were a Republican President, Ebert would be at the head of the pack criticizing him. Oh wait, that already happened. Numerous times.

Sometimes I really hate being proven right again and again.

Now that it's "their guy," liberals like Ebert don't want anyone criticizing the President. And they will go out of their way to paint the most public opposition as "nuts."

Just like happened with conservatives and Bush.

Me, I say that the problems start because government tries to control too much of your life.

Yes, elected officials should be criticized. Loudly. Especially if they break their own rules and promises.

And if that doesn't work, just remember that the rule of law works both ways. If the "elite" won't abide by it, there is no reason you have to submit.

Posted: Fri - September 3, 2010 at 11:49 AM

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Roger Ebert ∙ President ∙ criticism ∙ Barack Obama ∙ Glen Beck ∙ liberals ∙ elected officials

Are you ready to think about these neighbors? What would you do?

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Neighborhood Game ∙ favorites ∙ classic

Headlines that don't merit their own entry

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Neighborhood Game ∙ favorites ∙ classic

Critics of my criticism

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Neighborhood Game ∙ favorites ∙ classic

These older blog entries have been reformatted and entered into the current directories.

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Neighborhood Game ∙ favorites ∙ classic

What does the call for a "progressive judge" on the United States Supreme Court really mean?

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ classic ∙ Lensman ∙ Robert A. Heinlein ∙ Ronny Ray Gun ∙ Pax Americana ∙ favorites ∙ Margaret Thatcher ∙ John Paul II ∙ libertarian ∙ Christianity ∙ Isaac Bonewits

A few thoughts on the big summer films and declining box office revenues

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ originality ∙ sequels ∙ remakes ∙ market research ∙ War of the Worlds ∙ King Kong

This is a page from the original version of Pagan Vigil. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.paganvigil.com/C149884619/E102079043

'Isms' are not good

““It's not that I condone fascism....or any 'ism' for that matter.  'Isms' in my opinion are not good.  A person should not believe in an 'ism', they should believe in themselves.  I quote John Lennon, 'I don't believe in Beatles...I just believe in me.'  A good point there.  After all, he was the walrus.  I could be the walrus, I'd still have to bum rides off of people!””
     — Ferris Bueller's Day Off

One of the great all time arguments against isms of any kind.

Posted: Sat - May 21, 2005 at 02:45 PM

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ Ferris Bueller ∙ isms ∙ humor ∙ short ∙ skimmed

Douglas Adams Passing Day

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ humor ∙ Douglas Adams ∙ towels ∙ short ∙ skimmed ∙ passing day ∙ calendars