Zogby - Republicans are OUT OF THERE !!!!!

Obama - 273

McCain - 146

Too close to call - 119

I made my contribution today. Did you? (click here)

...a sincere thank you...

That was the last of the films I viewed at the Fourth Traverse City Film Festival. There was still another day to the festival, but, responsibilities were to call me home.
There were so many exceptional films I could have stayed easily one more day to the closing ceremonies and perhaps next year I will.
I want to thank all those involved with the festival, the State Theater restoration and the burgeoning film industry of Michigan for a completely enjoyable stay and a chance to find a higher conscience to events that shape the life and times I enjoy.
Until next year.

I Am Because We Are

Ubuntu is an African word. It is a noun. Its definition is humanity or fellow feeling; kindness. It orginates from the language spoken by the Nguni (click here). In translation it means, "I am because you are." (click here). It is a word used to relate the concept of 'society' we live in. Society is supposed to be benevolent. Kind.

I was not one of the lucky winners to the tickets of this film at the State Theater. I was not one of the lucky winners of tickets to the simulcast at The City Opera House. I was however a lucky person willing to stand in line at The City Opera House hoping there would be a few seats not taken that might be accommodating people as unlucky as myself. I was not alone, there were others as unlucky as me. But. Alas. Even that wasn't my reality. So, how did I get in? A couple attending the simulcast literally walked up to myself and the gentleman in front of me and asked if we would like tickets to the film. It was that simple. I didn't pay a dime and I got to see the simulcast in its entirety. There is a god. I still have the ticket as a souvenir. I gave the $25.00 I would have paid at the State Theater, if I attended there, as a donation to Madonna's charity for these children.

The film was incredible and "No, it wasn't an ego trip for Madonna." She was absolutely lovely that evening. Her story was fascinating.

She states she received a phone call. Now, I am sure that is the case, but, I know for a fact if I tried to call Madonna she would not be available to me nor would I know where to begin to find a phone number for her.

She received a phone call from a person working with an NGO in Malawi (click here). The country was in a state of emergency due to the high number of deaths of adults caused by HIV/AIDS. The person at the other end of the phone stated, "Can you help. We need someone to bring attention to their plight and you would be a person with enough recognition to move people to focus on Malawi's children." Madonna stated back, "I would help, but, I don't even know where Malawi is." The woman phone caller stated, "Look it up." and hung up the phone. That was the beginning of Madonna's venture into a reality few people knew existed. Needless to say she fell in love with the children there and adopted a seriously ill boy (click here) whom will soon have an adopted sister.

Desmond Tutu appears in the film and helps explain the crisis in Malawi and why the world's attention is so critical. During most of the film I had this haunting reality lingering in my thoughts as to 'What the heck happened to the aid the USA was sending these people?" (click here)

The children are profoundly disaffected by HIV/AIDS as some were born with the disease subsequently losing their parents as well. A result were literally children attempting to care for children. They were in survival mode with no resources to sustain them or anyone to teach them how to survive. It was more than sad to realize the level of neglect these children existed in and it was a reassuring reality to come to that a single Pop Star would be their salvation.

I mean for real here. What if that phone call was never made? What if Madonna never had conscience enough to go to their assistance. Do you know the dangers that existed for her when entering a country without infectious disease controls enough to protect its children? There just aren't words enough to describe this reality.

Children now respond to the structure afforded them by Madonna's efforts and receive medicine if they need it, while turning away from survival to more joyous events such as learning and playing. Their childhood is not completely lost to them.

An entire nation of children survives of the ravages of HIV today because a SuperStar cared. It is a global responsiblity for people to now give these children a chance at life, learning and rebuilding a country they inherited, but, a country in shambles from disease. We should all be grateful Madonna received the call.

Redacted

It is a Brian De Palma film. Like. WOW.

I knew going into the festival I would be seeing at least one film about Iraq. I have seen fictious films about Iraq. Films that claimed to portray reality. I didn't bargain for this.

This was a low budget film by De Palma. I think the figure was $2 million. You couldn't prove it by me and there is something to be said about 'seasoned' film artists and getting the biggest bag for the buck.

The film captures the 'dirty potential' of Iraq. It was adapted from real headlines. One might say that Brian De Palma 'had had enough' of the censorship surrounding this war and he decided to throw a small budget film together to entertain the imagination of a nation excluded from a 'real discussion' regarding this war and its more heinous aspects.

The story takes place with GIs stressed by their own sad reality in a country where language barriers are half the issue of American deployments. These soldiers are isolated from any relief to their circumstances and on prolonged deployments without any reality checks.

The circumstances of the film are more than possible. Where American troops are 'law and order' in a country void of any other authority, there is nothing to prevent abuse of citizens for personal purpose and reward to any soldier.

Despite this being a work of fiction, there was so much potential to its circumstances the audience was completely disgusted with its content. One man was so angry at its potential he stood up and walked out while yelling, "Fuck you, America." One got the feeling he might have been a war veteran.

The 'sting' came at the end of this film where actual pictures of dead Iraqi civilians appear with one being the young girl victim of the film. The ending was very surreal.

It is a film any self respecting adult should attend with an open mind to the 'idea' of its reality. It gave profound credence to priorities to leave Iraq and to leave it to an authority 'of, by and for' the Iraqi people.

Thank you, Mr. De Palma.

The Shorts

Mike features 'short films' during the festival. They are shown before regular feature films. They are entertaining and help capture the 'adventurism of the mind' which is the real commodity Mike deals with during this festival.
Another feature of the experience is that it is 'commercial free.' Really commercial free, not like the cable station idea of commercial free, but, sincerely lacking any distraction from the purpose of attending great films.
There were always 'credits of the festival' at the beginning of any film at all the venues. These credits were 'Thank You Notes' to sponsors and to people no longer with the festival that were significant to its development.
It's nice at Traverse City for their annual film festival. Very nice.

A President to Remember: In the Company of John F. Kennedy

It was a film about JFK. It showed his personality and his willingness to be The People's President. He was a great man. Our country has suffered immeasurably because of his assassination. His loss is palpable as is Bobby's death.

I can't say anything about this film that the subject doesn't already say. I simply loved this film and it was so very refreshing to see him and hear his voice again.

Trouble the Water

This was my last day at the festival while enjoying the dinner fare of the city.

The Day started with a quintessential film about Katrina survivors. This has to be the definitive film regarding the hideous priorities of a nation whereby over a thousand of its citizens died, many still missing and thousands more displaced from their homes.

One would almost say it wasn't necessary to make another Katrina film, but, this one had to be made.

The film used actual footage taken by the people in the picture above. They were stranded in the storm. The woman is Tia Lessin, a rap artist. She happened to have a camera and video taped many of the realities the people of New Orleans were faced with when attempting to stay alive.

She managed to protect her film footage, then next thing she knew she was speaking to people connected to films like Fahrenheit 911 and the rest is history.

The film is compelling. The American government completely failed people along the Gulf Coast. This storm was 'expected' by so many in that region of the country. People planned their survival for more than a decade by placing axes in their attics to hack through the roof of their homes to escape rising flood waters. That is NEGLECT of a government. The American people need to sincerely examine the chronic denial they live in as a result of poorly placed priorities.

The film should be a staple in everyone's home. This level of government neglect due to denial of the truth is more than just a 'Katrina thing,' it is a citizen thing. The next time it might be a Homeland Security issue that involves you and the ones you love. This film isn't about 'just' Katrina, it is about how well the government listens and responds to its citizens.

Are the Russians leaving?

NO !

There is not going to be a conflict between the USA and Russia over the emergency in Georgia. The President of Georgia created this emergency and now the Russians are going to contend with it.

Ever since the Soviet Union restructured into Russia and other smaller nations, Russia has fretted and worried about the people of these small nations. Georgia literally turned on its own people in the two break away regions.

Russia is not going to stand by and allow more of the same. Russia is interested in 'one thing' and 'one thing' only. They are interested in stable political states. Stable political states mean there is 'order.' Where there is order, people can live 'predictable' lives. Whether those lives reflect democracy or not isn't the priority of Russia. Any country that sees Russia as 'Anti-Democracy' is sadly mistaken and is raining propaganda in 'fear' of a Russian dominated global environment.

Russia is not going to leave Georgia. Just that simple. The Georgian President thought he could play god with his citizens' lives to invoke a Western backed war. HE WAS WRONG !

U.S. troops arrive with aid for Georgia (click here)

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. military personnel arrived in Tblisi, Georgia, delivering humanitarian aid to thousands of people displaced by the Georgian-Russian conflict.
A senior U.S. Department of Defense official said the relief effort was meant to demonstrate to Russia that the United States "can come to the aid of a European ally and that we can do it at will, whenever and wherever we want," The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported Thursday.
In ordering the mission, U.S. President George Bush said Wednesday he expected Russia to honor the cease-fire and ensure that "all lines" remained open for "the delivery of humanitarian assistance and for civilian transit."...