The Golden Compass - A Movie Review - Part I

I've started watching it, and even though I haven't finished I have some thoughts. Most of the dialogue so far is expository: what the world is, how the universe works, who each of the groups mentioned are and a complete dictionary full of weird new terms used, which serve no purpose at all, etc. That is a lot of exposition to sit thru for so little characterization. Most of the actors feel wasted (Chris Lee?)

The story seems to be about a kidnapping and a rescue. Do we really need all those earlier things explained? They are unnecessary and should be cut out.

You wanna see how it's done? See Howl's Moving Castle, for example. Another universe with different laws, visually beautiful, but does not waste any time in this exposition, instead, it focuses on the characters, and even though one character (Howl himself!) fails the rest make up for it.

In Harry Potter and Narnia (or other similar movies) we also have a lot of exposition, but it is justified, because Harry and the Pevensies are being introduced to a new world/universe, thus they stand in for the viewer.
In this world all dialogue feels artificial because characters are constantly explaining to one another what words mean, what things are, and how they operate, things that should be taken for granted by people who've lived there their whole lives!
If the dialogue was written this way (taking all of this for granted,) it would explain less or at least in a slower manner, but it'd be more effective, because, really, we don't need any of these explanations, as they have nothing to do with the basic suspense generating premise (the kidnapping)!

Why treat the story as a mystery? Isn't it enough that we are discovering a new universe? Do we also need a mystery within it to make it even more interesting?

Why cheat to the audience into thinking the kids are enemies (or in danger from each other,) while using terms the audience does not yet understand ("gobblers") only to learn a few minutes later that it is only play, and that there really are gobblers in the story, but these are not them, the danger actually lies somewhere else? The kids are not the gobblers, but are playing at being gobblers. The real gobblers are actually another group, which we've yet to meet! Why have the mom urgently try to stop the kids from this play, if she knows it is only play, even if the audience does not yet know it?

This endless audience manipulation does not work, here or in any other movie. I resent it and probably other audience members do. And it works even less when it is pointlessly used, why do we need to think that these kids might be a threat?

The use of the word "daemon" is unfortunate and unwise. Yes, some of us know the difference, but most will be confused.
Why not use something like "Dopple" instead? Any word would have done.

But anyway, the concept is weak, having two vulnerable connected bodies does not make sense. Why would I want my soul to be trapped in a small bird or mouse? I would think that people would not live very long in this universe ("oops! sorry, I stepped on your mouse, o wait, you're already dead",) unless they were able to strengthen their souls early in their childhood.

Some of the other concepts also do not make sense, and we just have to accept them.

Why are there bandits in a snowy waste, where nobody in their right mind would travel? Who do they live off? Why call them bandits at all?

Oh, we call them bandits because we want the audience to know they are evil...

Why are there polar bears warriors? Isn't it sorta established in the beginning that this is somewhat of a peaceful and prosperous world? Where is the war taking place?

How useful can a polar bear be as a warrior (even if he is armored,) when you've got plenty of technology which renders the concept of an armored warrior obsolete?

People stopped wearing armor as soon as gunpowder was invented. Doesn't the writer have any idea of this? He must, because at the point where the bear is surrounded by people with guns no one bothers to shoots him.

Isn't a polar bear limited by geography? Why not have him be simply a giant or an ogre or troll of some kind?

Oh, we have bear warriors, because they are cool, and marketable and good Coke pushers, and we might need them later on...

I'll have more comments when I finish the movie...

Lounge Music

What I'm doing right now.

Listening to some Lounge Music.

Recommended site:

http://www.basichip.com/

You were fired, terminated, dismissed, discharged or laid off... ...What now?

This is a practical list.

As you can probably deduce, we've had a job discharge in the family.

This is probably some pretty good timely advice. Unemployment claims have gone up in the last few month.

Lots of employers seem to be looking for ways to create cause to fire employees rather than lay them off... ...just so as not to have any rate increase in their unemployment premiums.

It is stressful losing your job... ...it is more stressful being denied unemployment... ...so be sure to stay calm and not say anything stupid or irrational to your employer or respond emotionally with a letter addressing personal issues and red herrings. Keep correspondences professional and well thought out.

This is one of the reasons I haven't posted anything in a while. I'll probably be kept busy for some time with this issue. Please bear with me.


This is a list of the things we've done.

I am putting it down as a guide for others so that they don't have to rewrite the book we've already written.


Please advise, comment or write your own experience. This is to help others.



Don't send the angry letter to the employer.

That is mistake number one.

You should have requested meeting with upper management at the time of discharge.

If it was given to you, you are lucky, that was your opportunity to state your case.

If it was denied, you are outta luck. They don't wanna talk to you.


You may have a chance to state your case...

...If you are lucky.

Even if you have a chance to have your say it will be delayed beyond satisfaction.

For the most part you may not have an outlet for your anger.

You have to be careful that you do not get in bigger trouble than what you are in right now, you want other people, including that judge, on your side.

Be careful what of you say and, more importantly, what you write.

It is good to have a second opinion on your emails before you hit that send button.

Apply for unemployment insurance.

You may have a right to it even if your ex-employer denies it.

Make a narrative of everything that went on. Some of these procedures last for years. Do it now while it is fresh.

Make sure you include all the evidence you can: Memos, emails, letters from clients, coworkers and supervisors, personal notes, etc.

Be careful about proprietary and confidential information, make sure you are aware of all employment agreements you signed at the time of hiring.

You don't wanna get in trouble cause of that.

At the time of discharge you should have requested a copy of your employee file (good luck with that, but it doesn't hurt to ask!)

Internet searches are OK, but not good if you do not know what you are looking for. Legal information is vague and disheartening.

Some of the terms that were useful to us were:

Unlawful discharge
EEOC Investigation
Wrongful termination, discharge
Unfair dismissal
Constructive dismissal

Make sure you know what your rights are.

The EEOC is the federal agency to contact if you feel you've been discriminated for your age, disability, equal compensation, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion and sex. Cases of sexual harassment. Cases of retaliation (this means that they went after you because you made a report or complaint, or even simply protested, of discrimination or harassment.)
It's all good for them.


Make an appointment or simply stop by. They'll take good care of you (it's free, too!)


http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=26331 very thorough explanation directed to employers.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2036885_prepare-eeoc-investigation.h...



http://resources.lawinfo.com/cobrand/en/Videos/EEOC-Violatio... news reports videos.



http://youth.eeoc.gov/filingfaq.html this is a very simple explanation for working youth.



http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/investigations.html



http://www.workworld.org/wwwebhelp/equal_employment_opportun...



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090129073402AA... sample cases with questions.



http://www.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/workplace/employment... How the EEOC investigates discrimination claims

If you feel you've been illegally treated, but no discrimination is involved, then talk to a labor lawyer.

There is no way around this. You need to know if you have a case.

You don't have an income, make sure you request a free consultation. Or at least work something out so that the employer pays for legal fees.

Time is of the essence. You probably have less than a year to file charges, depending on what your next step is.

You better get moving!

Visit your library. Some books that were useful to us were:

Fired, laid-off or forced out : a complete guide to severance, benefits and your rights when you're starting over
Busse, Richard C.

Laid off? Don't stress! : how to get from mad to glad
Wiemelt, Kitty.

Career comeback : 8 steps to getting back on your feet when you're fired, laid off, or your business venture has failed--and finding more job satisfaction than ever
Richardson, Bradley G.

Reserve them from a local library and check them out.


You are gonna be fully (100% capacity) stressed for at least a month (however, legal procedures can take years!)

Make sure you watch lots of intense horror movies to take your mind off work problems and help you relax.

Chabelo y Pepito contra Los Monstruos - DVD review

A very Mexican Phantasm meets Monster Squad meets Die Monster, Die.

It is hard to say how the Chabelo phenomenon came to be. Chabelo was already old when I was a kid. But I guess the US equivalent would be sort of a novelty Nightclub/Vaudeville comedy act in which a baby faced adult with a high pitched voice plays a kid.

While it is common for many comedians to be child-like, Lou Costello, Jerry Lewis, Pee-Wee Herman and Rowan Atkinson have done it, it is less common for them to play actual children.

There have certainly been instances in which US adult comedians played children. Stan and Ollie did it. Martin Short did it.

Chabelo is just such a comedian. As far as I know he has played a kid all thru his career. A familiar face on Mexican sitcoms, and some movies, the Chabelo y Pepito movies are probably his best work. He may have started in radio, but I think he is more of a nightclub performer than anything else. Even now, in his seventies(?) he's still doing the same kid act.

In the early 1970's he was teamed up with a little kid called Pepito for a series of films. Pepito is typically the name of the kid in Mexican jokes, so it's an apt name. Every single kid protagonist of a Mexican joke, dirty or not, is named Pepito. Just imagine as if the name Bart Simpson has been used, time immemorial, in every kid joke.

In Chabelo Y Pepito Contra Los Monstruos Chabelo and Pepito are cousins. Chabelo is actually younger than Pepito, but is what is commonly known as a glandular case. He is constantly eating and when he is not eating he is loudly complaining that he will die of hunger.

Chabelo and Pepito are boy scouts and they go on this camping trip.

News reports of a vicious gorilla escaping a zoo are seen on TV.

Pepito's older sister (Silvia Pinal's daughter, Silvia Pasquel) tags along as she is dating the troop leader. None of the boys are happy about this female intrusion, but they can do nothing about it.

The boys help a man in a cart and he warns them not to go the the Devil's House, which is nearby. The man has a curious deformity. This is one of those freaky scenes I remember even though I pretty much did not remember anything else about the movie.

Chabelo and Pepito are so upset about Pepito's sister that they secretly take off in the morning to investigate the Devil's House...

The troop notices they are missing and tracks them to the caverns below the Devil's House...

Lots of strange goings on, some very creepy moments, a few very funny lines, with one an absolute classic, and ultimately a kind of happy ending.
To say more would be to spoil some of the surprises.

But you do meet lots of monsters as listed on the title, no cheats at all (well, cheats of a sort, but genuine chills and thrills.) You will see death and actual red blood on screen, plus a few disturbing off-screen deaths.

This is a very fun movie that goes from one thing to another without a wasted moment.

Yeah, the adult-as-kid is strange if you are not familiar with Chabelo, but it fails to get to Michael Jackson creepy territory, though there are a couple of opportunities for that.

Wait to see the aged Chabelo on TV for that!

Some non-PC seventies Mexican macho culture humor, the English subtitles don't quite capture the flavor of the jokes, but are definitely PG-13, not cleaned up at all!
Still, family fun if you can accept a different culture and a different time.

Recommended!!!

The other two movies I remember are Chabelo y Pepito y la Lampara Maravillosa (The Magic Lamp,) and Chabelo y Pepito, Detectives. Those I don't even remember as well as this one, other than a pirahna pool in one of them.

Chabelo y Pepito, Detectives is a direct sequel to Monstruos. In the last scene of Monstruos C & P have been deputized by the police to help them investigate other cases.

The movie starts with a destruction and mayhem scene worthy of Msrs. Laurel and Hardy. C & P meet with the police and are asked if they are willing to go undercover to investigate a rising in kid crime and some child disappearances. C & P participate in some set-up thievery in a local Mercado Sobre Ruedas, get away with the loot and are soon contacted by a ciminal kid gang.

They agree to join. The get trained by the gang and soon graduate to another, more sinister organization...

Where Monstruos focused on Gothic Horror, this entry is their Science Fiction episode. This movie is now a blend of Los Olvidados, Enter The Dragon, Village Of The Damned plus a caper film of your choice.

Yeah, for a monster kid it is not as much fun as the horror episode. The laughs don't come as often, yet they are still there. I think I laughed more at this one than the other one, however.

Chabelo's big appetite is still there though more subtle. You really wouldn't want this to be simply a copy of the other one.

So here you got your basic Mexican science fiction conspiracy caper comedy.

Recommended if you got kids. My kids are now hooked and they want me to get Lampara Maravillosa for them, which is the Fantasy chapter in the trilogy.


As a side note, I heard rumours that Chabelo had recently been a victim of a kidnapping in Mexico City, and when the kidnappers recognized him, they let him go!


Mmmmm, chuletas de vampiro!

Faith versus Facts

What does faith have to do with evidence?

As soon as you have evidence the view you hold is no longer based on a belief.

If you understand the nature of belief or faith, that is, that you are able to believe without evidence, then I do not understand why you would be insulted when someone else labels it as fiction. The failing is in the person feeling insulted, not in the doubter. The most you could say is that the latter is tact deficient. The least you could say about the former is that their faith is weak.

To clarify my point:

Faith entails an individual's belief without proof. Others who do not share the same faith are bound not to see eye to eye with the faithful. It is inevitable. This is the reason why in an open society there needs to be freedom of faith/belief.

Faith is a term which is often misused.

When proof comes into it, such as with the knowledge of the earth being round. Faith no longer comes into it. We typically call this a fact. Fact is something that is empirically true and can be supported by evidence: that is information gained by means of observation, experience, or experiment.

Fact is also a term which is often misused.

I could say the earth is flat (as was done in the past, and still is, apparently,) but experimentation would prove that this is not the case. Thus I can say for a fact that the earth is not flat.

Contrariwise, I could believe or have faith that the earth is flat, even if evidence points to the contrary.

On the one hand Science cannot possibly explain the whole of the Human experience. On the other hand we have Faith (we also have stuff like Film, Literature, Poetry, Art, Humor, Myth, etc.) These are things that science cannot measure or dissect, but still have bearing on the Human experience.

It does not good to try and mix and match, much like asking someone to prove their faith (or, equally, trying to disprove someone's faith,) but only when Science and the Humanities come together do we have the whole (or an approximation) of the Human experience.

Although Religion openly uses Fiction, as in Parables (or even other things, but I don't want/need to get into that,) to teach important lessons, Religion and Fiction are not the same thing.

Someone who equates them is making a mistake.

As an example I'd like to cite Joseph Campbell trying to explain the meaning of Myth on a TV program, and the host of the program can only respond: "Oh, a Myth is a Lie."
The guy is missing the point.

If Mr. Campbell cannot make him see this, then I would not even try.

I do have a problem with forcing others to respect all beliefs.

While I could respect an individual, as an individual, even if he/she believes the earth is flat, I don't think I could respect his/her faith.

This person is simply ignorant, and nowadays he/she has no excuse to be so.

I still wouldn't be insulting, I think you can see from my post I am expressing myself very carefully and respectfully, but that is just me.

I don't think I have the right to request others to respect his faith.

Simply put, they have every right to think him/her ridiculous and to behave in any manner they choose, even if it is insulting.

Ridicule does sometimes serve a positive purpose.

Is there any such thing as "a right not to be insulted?"

I don't think so.


This kinda stuff happens to me all the time in my family:

My Mother-in-law, for example, will have an outrageous faith-based opinion, which is additionally based on ignorance.

I will respectfully point out the facts as I know them, I will point out that the decision that she is about to make is based on a false belief, and that the results will not be as she wishes them to be, and that she should change her course of action.

If, after a few minutes, I cannot change her mind I will announce I have done my best, and that I will no longer speak of the matter.

And I'm not joking, this happened just last weekend.

If she clings to whatever course of action she was going for, this will not make me respect her more. I can assure you that.
In my view, ignorance and stubbornness are a deadly combination.

If I respectfully allowed her her beliefs, just because they're faith-based, then I would be failing myself.

In my example I am citing that my Mother-in-law believes that an asphalt driveway sealant is a good way to waterproof a flat concrete roof, because the guy that is fixing the roof for her told her it is. She claims this is done all the time, and that this is the way the roof was fixed four years ago, it lasted four years, didn't it?

That fits my definition.

When she disputes me, it is because she thinks it is a case of my word against his. All of this is faith based. It doesn't occur to her that she could read the packaging and trust what is described there.

I actually have no proof that asphalt driveway sealant is the wrong product. But, for example, my arguments include the fact that the warranty will be voided if the product is not used per the manufacturer specifications.

In our society, typically, Faith does not put us or our neighbors in immediate danger.
Someone living in the rain forest is not affected by whatever their belief of the shape of the earth might be.

But there definitely are exceptions: Just think of dangerous cults (such as Heaven's Gate,) or practical day-to-day beliefs, such as my example, not dangerous in this case, but costly.

When we get to the red areas in the dial, it is important to recognize it and point it out in a clear, loud voice.
We need to have the freedom to do this, even if it is uncomfortable for some.

I choose to show respectful behavior, even though I may think the person does not deserve it. This has nothing to do with them, and everything to do with the way I choose to live my own life.
I do not mind being challenged in my assumptions and beliefs, this is something I deal with pretty much on a day to day basis, but I know for a fact that some people do not want to be challenged or contradicted.
I think it is generally a good idea to live this way, but I cannot impose my own lifestyle on others. Everyone should be free to live their own way even if I do not agree with them.

As I've said, there are some issues which should not be left to faith, when there is proof that the faith is badly placed. For example: Selecting the proper products in fixing a roof or even choosing the correct vehicles in a trip around the world.

And there are some issues where faith works as it should, dealing with matters where other disciplines cannot possibly go. For example: Dealing with spirituality or the afterlife.

Recommended viewing: The Power of Myth - Joseph Campbell

Recommended website: Flat Earth Society

The Long And Winding Road

This came to me in a dream:

Once the shortest path is found it will be always be used.

But, no, that cannot be right.

How about:

Once the shortest path is found it will often be used.

Even that is wrong:

Once the shortest path is found it will not be used again, and soon will be forgotten.

Much better.

Life is not about finding the short paths. If that was the case, then people would commit suicide as soon as they figure out they can do it.

Life is about making the trip enjoyable and interesting and as long as possible. People go out of their way to take the long, winding road.

I was discussing this at the office, there was a concern that the geniuses of the past would remain in the past.

Specifically we were discussing the nowadays lack of outstanding and creative engineers. We will no longer have DaVincis or Michaelangelos. People do not seem to want to educate and prepare themselves and always seem to seek the easy answers.

The creative solutions seem fewer and fewer. They are dying out.

I did not and do not agree. I think people are exactly the opposite, though it is not immediately apparent. There will always be people who seek the difficult road, who seek a challenge: People who make it hard for themselves.

How do you otherwise explain people who take joy out of the most astoundingly difficult hobbies?

There will always be people who focus on the details and try to achieve the best results possible.

I don't think we can avoid it. I believe it's in our genes. It is what has help us survive all these millennia, it is what made the first men and women come up with language, with writing, with music, with technology.

All of the survival solutions did not come out of the need to survive; they came out of the need to do something, anything!

Many times we see people who do incredibly dangerous or even stupid stunts. These people are not stupid; they have an unchanneled drive to do these things from which they can achieve either Death or Immortality.

Many times these stunts will cause the death of those involved, but those other times... ...Oh, those other times. We will discover America, discover flight or even take that first step on the Moon.

So, no: I don't think Mankind is changing for the worse. We are and will be what we've always been.

We'll find those solutions, we will make it work.

Recommended video: The Long and Winding Road

Another Job Well Done

I don't like doing the dishes.

But once committed to do them, I will do a good job of it.

First you set up the space so that you can work properly. This means organizing and stacking similar items to reduce the amount of space they use, thus liberating more space for you.

While you do this, you also want to start soaking things. So I put the larger dishes in the bottom of the sink, which is full of warm soapy water. Then the smaller platter goes on top, and so on.

You don't want to stack heavy stuff on top of glasses or fragile things, so these are scrubbed and laid aside in an organized manner.

Cutlery you can throw in the space between the plates, with knives and sharp thing facing away from you. You don't want to start bleeding in the middle of the job.

If you use a dishwasher which we do, basically for rinsing and drying, then you can start with the larger pieces, like dinner plates. Give 'em a good scrubbing and place them on the rack.

Again, you want to have everything organized with similar objects close to each other, using the trays properly, dishes with dishes, and glasses with glasses.

Then the cutlery is next, scrub it and place forks, spoons, knives together. I'll make it easier on you when it's time to put them away.

Once all the main stuff is in there you can place odds and ends in the remaining spaces, taking care to pay attention to the way the water will spray and flow.

You don't want to place an object out of the way of the spray, or where it will block other objects from rinsing.

You also don't want to fill a container with water and let it stagnate.

Once I'm done the dishwasher is a thing of beauty: Organized, functional, even color coordinated.

Pretty simple, no?

Well, not quite.

I've mentioned before how I live with my mother-in-law.

You can be certain that when she does the dishes all of this will be ignored and you will have heavy pots on top of delicate crystal, knives pointing every which way, plates facing each other, out of the way of the water spray and a mess of intermingled objects as if everything was simply thrown inside the machine.

Needless to say they come out dirty.

I've seen this happen before. Old folks stop caring about what once seemed important.

Just so you don't think I pick only on the in-laws, here is an example with my own mother.

I've seen my mother offer grandkids staying with her if they want to have ice cream for breakfast.

That would never happen when I was growing up.

She has given up.

She figures she did her job and now she doesn't need to care anymore.

Here's another with my mother-in-law.

I'm fairly sure most people living in a modern society know that metal objects are not to be used inside a microwave oven.

My kids know it.

In fact, it was my daughter who mentioned that grandma put a glass container with a metal ring inside the microwave oven, turned it on and left to do something else, ignoring or not noticing the blue and pink sparks inside the oven.

My daughter was the one who turned it off.

My wife tries arguing with her and going over what she is and isn't to do.

But I don't think it's going to work.

We can not make her care again (if she ever did.)

I don't think my mother-in-law is senile. She is too young for it.

I think she just doesn't care.

But then again, maybe that is where senile dementia starts.

People just give up; they cease to care about little things, then bigger things.

They let go.

Others may think it is too soon, but for them it isn't.

My mind is very important to me.

I hate to think it's going to go one day, and I think I'm going to try to keep it working all the way to the end.

There is no reason why it needs to go.

I've seen lots of old folks remain sharp all the way to the end of a long fruitful life.

Maybe this is the key.

Don't stop caring about the details.

Once important, always important.

Be creative.

Read.

Write.

Teach.

Care for yourself and for others.

Eat and exercise properly.

Do the dishes every once in a while.

Recommended reading: Book of Mr. Natural: Robert Crumb