Secure Your Rights

Liberal Pragamtic, with horrible spelling. Discussion and venting on the arts, politics, and the future of America.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Sweet Home...?

The time has come. I will be out of town, and virtually nonexistent for the next three weeks. Huntsville, Alabama will be my place of residence until the second week of June.

I do see a benefit in this, when I shoot a movie I tend to divorce myself from current events - even when I'm shooting here in the DC area. So I will not have the usual amount of rage that must be vented. I will be doing my own :constructive: part in the war effort - keeping Soldiers from blowing themselves up.

Many people have asked my how I can justify the work I do in my day job, since much of it revolves around the military. I have to say that at first I thought like they did, but as I got to know the people in the military, the real Soldiers who do the work - it became apparent to me that they have a job to do, and are allowed to ask fewer questions than those in the civilian world. Further, they do not make policy - they enforce or execute it. It gives much more credence to the mantra "the troops have done a fantastic job, the president has lost the war."

This may or may not be wholly accurate. As in any profession there are those who do a better job than others. But they have to do what they are told. They can't just give two weeks notice. They can't debate the finer points of their orders. They have to do what their commander in chief tells them to do. No questions.

So if I can stop even one Soldier from falling victim to an IED - I will have succeeded and not have a "conscience" problem.

I may find the time to post some updates from a very Red state on days off, depends on how much is going on in the hotel business center - but rest assured, I will be back with more ranting and probably more perspective in June. Almost everyone I will be working with down there has been to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. And I have already gleaned that what the majority of Americans think of this war, the majority of Soldiers do too.

Monday, May 07, 2007

My Scout Trip

In the last 10 days I have been to Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina. Some things I have noted during my travels.

Everything is closed on Monday in Alabama - you would think that there was more Theater.

Of those three states, only North Carolina prohibits all smoking inside the airport.

All DOD contractors wear ugly plaid short sleeve button down shirts with khaki pants.

Writers are full of shit, whether they work for you or are outside contractors.

Operating bomb disposal robots is easier than playing Halo.

I can't get on a plane without something going wrong - 2 delays, and a canceled and poorly rescheduled return flight.

Just when you need "IED-proof" vehicles - they finally send them to Iraq.

Writers will promise clients anything -since they don't have to do the work.

The military is doing a good job, too bad about the commander in chief.

Blowing up all those GI Joe figures in my backyard was good training for my future training film job.

I leave for Alabama again on May 17 - no time for blogging down there.

Did I mention that writers are a pain in my ass?