Like a lot of obsessive film fans, I’ve spent much of the weekend poring over the individual critics’ lists at the Sight & Sound movie poll, looking up favorite titles, searching for trends, and pondering inexplicable patterns. (My favorite discovery so far is the fact that of the four critics who included Eyes Wide Shut among their list of the greatest films of all time, three of them also included The Killing of a Chinese Bookie by John Cassevetes, which also received only four total votes. I have no idea why this is the case, and if critics Craig Keller, Adrian Martin, or Stanislav Zelvensky want to enlighten me, I’m all ears.) Yet if there’s one conclusion I can draw from these lists, it’s that there’s something genuinely mysterious about most great works of art. You can’t just disassemble Vertigo or Tokyo Story or L’Atalante to see how they work, and even movies that ostensibly show us their moving parts, like Citizen Kane, become all the more enigmatic with time. As a writer, I’ve learned a lot from great movies, but less than you might think: it’s often in the flawed, the mediocre, and the outright terrible that the fundamentals of storytelling can most clearly be seen.

Which brings us to Mystery Science Theater 3000. There was a time in my early teens when I was convinced this was the best television show ever, or at least the ultimate distillation of the culture of my generation, and I don’t think I was entirely wrong. When I first saw those wisecracking silhouettes at the bottom of my television, I didn’t quite understand what was going on, and the moment when it all clicked into place—it was during Time of the Apes, if you’re curious—still feels like an epochal revelation. Watching this show at its peak, which, as in the case of The Simpsons and Mad Magazine, often means whenever the viewer first encountered it, was like being given the access card to a mad scientist’s laboratory where the building blocks of the culture around us were being taken apart, analyzed, and recombined in surprising ways. Godard says that the way to criticize a movie is to make another movie, but MST3K did him one better, by turning bad movies into commentaries on themselves until the result almost achieved sentience. And it was impossible to watch it without relating to movies on an altogether different level.

What made the show special was right there in its premise: the writers talked back to the screen. They took movies designed for the laziest, most passive of audiences—the exploitation film, the TV movie, the sci-fi cheapie—and engaged them with savage humor and intelligence. Each episode was like a miniature war against shoddiness, cynicism, and cliché, and the moral was that if we can’t prevent bad movies from existing, we can at least confront them on our own terms. The show turned bad filmmaking into comedy in a way that bears comparison to the best of found art, and its ad hoc influence has been incalculable, especially among fans who were inspired to hack the elements of pop culture into something undefinable and weird. The show’s greatest popularity happened to coincide with the rise of Internet fan fiction, which included MST3k-inspired commentaries on other works of fanfic, and much of the show’s spirit lives on, for better or worse, on sites like TV Tropes, in which the layers of commentary on shows like, say, Stargate SG-1 expand into something far more interesting than the original series itself.

That’s why the host segments were so crucial, and it’s the element of the show I miss the most, even as its legacy lives on in successors like RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic. If the show done nothing but made fun of bad movies, it would have seemed arch and disdainful, but the host segments made it clear that the show’s creators were in the same boat as the filmmakers they were mocking: constrained by low budgets, cheap sets, and recalcitrant robot puppets, even if the result was delivered with far more wit and imagination. Much of the show’s appeal arose from the fact that it looked like it had been filmed in someone’s garage in Minneapolis: its funky aesthetic made you want to go out and try it yourself, as a lot of fans undoubtedly did. As a result, there was a DIY sweetness under the snark that made it endearing in a way that a lot of its imitators don’t understand. The show wasn’t just about making fun of awfulness, but about turning it into something better, to the point where, as in the case of The Girl in Lover’s Lane, they rewrote the ending of the movie itself. And the result was undeniably empowering. If life gave us bad movies, the show said, we didn’t have to sit back and take it. Maybe we could even do better ourselves.

The national Santorum campaign put out a convention flyer instructing his grassroots people to work with the Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich campaigns to defeat Romney’s gang of dirty tricksters intent on stealing delegates for their master. 

The Reagan Wing started in 2004 as a conservative watchdog over the corrupt RINOs ruling GOP politics in Washington State.  As constitutionalists, they support Dr. Ron Paul’s candidacy.  As conservatives, they have been documenting caucus fraud from around the state; naming names of the RINOs who are in the business of corrupting the process to deny victory to any conservative.  Their latest stories document the sandbagging of Santorum delegates with videos, emails, etc. 

http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/predator-exposed/

http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/dullain-ehrlichs-lies/

http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/the-eileen-twitchell-lies-intercepted-email/

http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/how-gary-pagon-jane-milhans-grant-peterson-and-craig-keller-are-working-for-mitt-romney-while-pretending-to-support-rick-santorum/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017881363_apwastaterepublicandelegates1stldwritethru.html

LTG

With 5 minutes to go before that “cut-off,” Senator Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville, Adams County) motioned for consideration of SB 5407, a bill “Concerning the issuance of drivers’ licenses, drivers’ instruction permits, juvenile agricultural driving permits, and identicards.”

Senator Schoesler was attempting to allow the Senate to vote on the bill that was blocked from the Senate calendar by the Democrat Speaker Lisa Brown (Spokane). His motion failed 23-25 with this bills primary sponsor, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, (D-Camano Island) joining the ‘No’ votes.

Of that apparent ‘flip-flop,’ Haugen said,

“Nothing is ever dead in the Legislature. I’m going to go talk to the governor. I’d ask the governor that she needs to stand and take leadership in this role. She needs to recognize what’s happening in this nation.” 

When was the last time governor Gregoire actually stood up for citizens in Washington State? If the Democrat Speaker refuses to recognize what is happening in the country, what makes her believe the Democrat governor will?

Indicating that Haugen’s efforts with the bill were not as altruistic as we might think, we read where she says “for years she had stopped similar bills because she was worried about the impact on the farm industry, which employs a significant number of illegal immigrants using fake identification,” adding that “her bill would put restrictions on identification fraud by imposing stricter rules on state residency, [and] illegal immigrants in the state would have not been affected by the proposed law.”

From The Daily News online we read, “Washington state is one of [only] two in the country that let illegal immigrants obtain driver’s licenses. New Mexico is the other state that still allows such practice, but lawmakers there are also considering bills to close the access.”

Soon, Washington State might be the ‘ONLY’ state that will grant those in the country in open violation of our laws driver’s licenses without some proof of citizenship.

Little wonder Washington State sees a 35% increase in Illegal Aliens over the last 3 years.

Gregoire indicated previously she would sign the bill if it passed, but she is safe now what with the efforts of Democrats in Olympia to prevent from coming to a full vote. She will not have to take a definitive stand, even though we see there are 300,000 more driver’s licenses in the state than drivers.

In the meantime, unemployment in Clark County and elsewhere remains in double digits and scarce benefits are growing scarcer.

Arguing against the bill, Pramila Jayapal, executive director of OneAmerica says

“lawmakers are trying to fill the void left by the federal government’s lack of action on immigration law, but that restricting the licenses does not address immigration issues.” 

Neither does turning a blind eye to the issue and embracing lawbreakers with full benefits and entitlements. That makes her next words even more ironic as she added, “This bill was a threat to road safety, would have driven up insurance premiums for everyone, and costs money that we can ill afford as a state.”

In an email sent out, Craig Keller organizer for Respect WA, a group working to curb Illegal Immigration in the state informs us,

“Currently Washington State and New Mexico are the only 2 of 50 states whose licensing application does not screen for U.S. lawful presence. Consequently, this lack of compliance with the Federal “Real ID Act” will prevent Washington State residents from boarding commercial airplanes after May 11, 2011 using a Washington State drivers license alone. Due to Wash. St. DoL’s failure to verify U.S. lawful presence upon issuance, many states now refuse to accept the Washington State Drivers License as proof of U.S. lawful presence of those moving from Washington State.” 

Governor Gregoire has the option to follow suit like former Oregon Governor Kulongowski and issue an Executive Order to the Department of Licensing to begin verifying U.S. lawful presence.

I have little faith she would do so.

We citizens can also advance Respect Washington’s I-1122 to the November 2011 ballot by collecting of 241,153 signatures by July 8th.

Contact information for Clark County, if you would like to help out is STEPHANIE TURLAY
CHAIRWOMAN, VANCOUVER, WA email: Stephanie@RespectWashington.us

I urge all that can to get in contact with Stephanie, or Craig through the website above and let’s show Democrats in Olympia that we want to see an end to their acceptance and embracing of lawbreakers in Washington State.

We are expected to respect the law, why allow open violators of the law more respect than law-abiding citizens?

Washington Citizens’ Group Files Petition for Release of Disqualified Juror Information

Group Seeks to Remove Ineligible Voters from Rolls

A citizens’ watchdog group, Respect Washington today filed a petition Tuesday in King County Superior Court seeking release of “non-juror information” from King County and the other 38 Washington counties. Non-juror information pertains to individuals who were deemed unqualified for serving on juries because of citizenship status or other reasons. Respect Washington is seeking access to this public information in order to verify that ineligible individuals are not registered to vote in Washington. Respect Washington was assisted by the Immigration Reform Law Institute.

Cross-referencing non-juror information in Douglas and Pacific Counties in 2006 and 2007 revealed that many of the individuals who were deemed ineligible for service as jurors were registered voters. In Douglas County, 42 percent of those rejected for jury service were on the voter rolls, and 56 percent of those ruled ineligible for jury duty in Pacific County were registered to vote. Each of the five criteria used to disqualify individuals from jury service would also make them ineligible to vote.

Attempts by Respect Washington to gain access to non-juror information from King County were denied. The petition filed in King County Superior Court seeks release of this public information.

“Protecting the integrity of the election process and ensuring that only legally eligible voters determine the outcome of elections in Washington is a matter of public interest and a responsibility of county registrars,” stated Martin Ringhofer, who was denied access to the information by King County officials.

“In addition to the high percentages of non-jurors who were found to be on the voting rolls in Douglas and Pacific Counties, the integrity of Washington’s voter registration system is susceptible to fraud in other ways. The state requires no proof of citizenship to register to vote. Washington is one of just three states that still issues driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, making it easy for them to register to vote while obtaining a license. And Washington’s vote by mail system precludes any citizen scrutiny of the election process. Given all of these opportunities for ineligible individuals to register and cast votes, it is imperative that citizens have access to information that is necessary to ensure that widespread abuse is not occurring,” argued Craig Keller, co-founder of Respect Washington.

The petition filed today cites case law that guarantees public scrutiny of non-juror information under Article 1, Section 10 of the Washington Constitution and the First and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In addition to cross-referencing non-juror information with voter registration rolls, the petitioners intend to request that ineligible voters are purged.

“Every Washington citizen has a vested interest in ensuring that the outcome of elections in the state are free, fair, and decided by eligible citizens over the age of 18. The people of this state have a right and a compelling interest in knowing whether their franchise is being adequately protected. There is no good reason why the public should not have access to the public information that King County seeks to withhold,” concluded Ringhofer.

####

Media Contact: Craig Keller, co-founder/volunteer Respect Washington

206-935-4625, craig@RespectWashington.us

May 1st… International Workers Day, a day when all the downtrodden workers of the world march in a global celebration of the social and economic achievements of the labor movement. It was also a day when the old Soviet Union used to parade out all of their latest, greatest, fiercest, and (butt)-UGLIEST war machinery… and i am not talking about the women in the Soviet military.

Maybe i’m getting my wires crossed here but… someone tell me: what does May Day, or rather International Workers Day and the Communist Party ruled Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have in common with all the protests for “Immigration Reform” have in common?

Oh! Oh! Wait, wait… i know this one!!!

“Gimme, gimme, gimme… and if you don’t, we’ll do our damnest to tear you down and destroy everything we can to show you that we are just the people you want invading your country”.

Have you noticed just WHO it is that is doing most of the whining and cry-babying about being reminded that they are in this country ILLEGALLY?

Who is it that is yelling the loudest that they want to get the same rights as all Americans, but they forget that they have done nothing legally to earn those rights?

Who is it that stands before a camera and threatens that they “will take up shovels and pick-axes’ and “use them against you (sic)Americans”.

Hint: it is NOT the illegal immigrants from Russia, China, Thailand, England, Somolia, Sweden, Japan, Greece… no, these people are just ecstatic to be and even though illegal, to live a piece of the dream which is America.

Do these people bring with them a mass crime wave in the form of some of the most violent and vicious gangs history has ever plagued us with?

MS13, Raza Unida, Barrio Azteca, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate… (the list goes on and on).

Oh, because we don’t REALLY have a secure border, they bring along members of Al Qaeda into our SOVEREIGN nation. Remember Al Qaeda: they are the radical Islamic TERRORISTS to whom murder is just a way of life – especially the MURDER of American citizens. That’s us; you, me, your children, my little cupcake, our loved ones (wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends…) – ALL OF US are their targets.

Pointing to the Friday attack about 50 miles south of Phoenix on Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy Louie Puroll as proof something had to be done, supporters say the Arizona law that is being protested is necessary.

Deputy Puroll was shot and wounded when he came across a band of suspected drug smugglers. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer acknowledged that the attack shows a growing problem with the porousness of the border.

“The horrendous violence we see by narco-terrorists is uncontrolled, and our own federal government refuses to fulfill its responsibility to secure our border,” Brewer said in a statement.

Yeah, it’s just one of many stories we can all think about that surrounds a small percentage of the illegal alien population: remember a few years back when we heard all about how the Russian Mafia was terrorizing everyone in Brighton Beach, NY? Small time hoods compared to the vast network of Hispanic gangs out there now.

And before you start to whine about racial profiling: explain this one to me – is it racial profiling when almost invariably members of ONE group/Nationality (56% of the illegal alien invasion) is responsible for the above-mentioned crime-wave?

Now, you ask: “What was all this rambling about?”

Good question – This past Saturday (May 1st, May Day, International Workers Day…) was the day members of the invading illegal alien force of Mexico chose to gather to protest the Constitution and laws of the Untied States.

They protested in Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Miami…

All saying the same thing:

‘Change your laws, or we will take up shovels and pick-axes and hurt you’ with them.’

…

“Give me what i want or i will, with force, TAKE it from you.”

And we are to respect someone who is on our doorstep illegally and threatens us if we don’t give them more… ?

OR… do we kowtow to them and their threats of “Give me what I want or I will boycott you and your businesses…”?

There is a list (you knew i’d link to it) that is being passed around in an attempt to intimidate Arizona companies with.

Don’t know about you, but i definitely know who i’m going to be supporting as much as possible. May even drop them an email telling them how much i appreciate spending my money with them… just a thought.

i know that i am a simple man, and i may be a beat behind sometimes… but can someone PAH-leeze tell me why we should bow to this thug/gang mentality.

But then… Every time they march, more Americans unite against them.

In the state of Washington, Craig Keller, is heading up an initiative I-1056 that will bring Washington into the fracas on immigration reform. His effort will result in an initiative that would require state and local governments to enforce immigration law. It would also require the verification of immigration status before public benefits and driver’s licenses could be issued. I-1056 uses Arizona SB 1070 as its model, which was drafted in part by a University of Missouri law professor: Kris Kobach.

Similar measures are also being considered in Texas, Utah, Georgia, Illinois to name a few of the states who have had enough and are not waiting any longer for the federal government. In fact, isn’t it the federal government who is looking into how this law can be circumvented?

I also want to make one thing PERFECTLY CLEAR: not ALL illegal aliens are bad people. Most of them come here in search of a better life for themselves and their children… Good for them that they care about their children’s futures. They just NEED to it within the LEGAL framework of the law. It’s what millions have done before them. We could not slither across the border into Mexico, walk to Guatemala, fly to Venezuela… and stand on a street corner shouting that ‘I am here, you owe it to me to take care of me!’.

If you do try that: gimme a call when you get back here after a number of years of having to endure, i mean, enjoy the ‘hospitality’ they will force upon you…

Oh, be sure to smear some refried refrieds on their cars and office windows in your showing them what an exemplary citizen you will be.