Disney News Mitchellany

In lieu of other national news, there are a couple of Disney news items that caught my attention and that I wanted to share.

First, Disney revealed its corporate media structure plans for post-20th Century Fox acquisition.  What's interesting about the new structure is how it reveals the primary reasons for the acquisition: content and streaming.  This new plan reveals an unprecedented growth in executive titles at the Walt Disney Company.  Disney will place current 21st Century Fox president, chairman, and CEO of Fox Networks Group Peter Rice as Chairman of Walt Disney Television and Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks, reporting directly to Bob Iger.  The new organization under him will include chairmen for Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment, FX Networks and FX Productions, National Geographic Partners, Disney Channels Worldwide, and ABC News.  From this we see the content domains, particularly for television that Disney is interested in:  traditional Disney and ABC programming, more adult programming on FX, National Geographic for brand recognition and association, and ABC news programming. From a streaming component, with the acquisition, Disney will have 60% control of Hulu, it's streaming sports platform ESPN+ has passed 1 million subscribers, and more and more information keeps coming out regarding "Disney Play," the likely name of Disney's branded streaming service.  With Disney clearly defining its domains and brands, it becoming clearer how they are going to segment their offerings in light of the acquisition.  Interesting times.  And with Fox ready to close the deal January 1, 2019, we are quickly proceeding to that new world.

Second, Disney has announced that its fourth planned luxury hotel at the Disneyland Resort has been canceled.  This one is interesting because of the local politics at play.  Disney had originally planned and announced an "Eastern Gateway" project which would include a luxury four diamond hotel just west of Disneyland proper in a current parking lot, giant parking garage to capture traffic coming in from the south (a compliment to the exiting parking garage for traffic from the north), relocated security closer to the parking garage, and a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Blvd on the Eastern boundary of Disneyland.  This announcement displeased the many hotels and businesses that had cropped up along the Eastern border, as it would have cut off their quick access to Disneyland.  After raising complaints to a city council that had become more hostile to Disney's expansion, Disney quietly shelved the Eastern Gateway. 

From there, Disney announced plans to renovate Downtown Disney on the west side, shuffling around hotel plans to allow them to build an additional parking garage on the west side, as well as a luxury four diamond hotel now in the remodeled Downtown Disney area.  The luxury hotel was a key component of both plans, as it enabled the company to qualify for a city tax rebate.  Disney went forward with closing several stores and restaurants in Downtown Disney to prepare including an AMC theater, Rainforest Cafe, ESPN Zone, Starbucks, and Earl of Sandwich. 

Disney then ran into two problems:   first, it discovered buried gas pumps that had not been properly disposed of in the proposed site for the new hotel (from the old Richfield service station), and two, the city somehow recognized late in the game that the location of the new hotel had shifted, leading to the city declaring the new hotel was not eligible for the tax rebate.   A combined wrinkle arose with a proposal on the Anaheim city ballot for November that would raise the minimum wage to $18 for business that have accepted a "city subsidy."  Under the argument, the tax rebate would constitute a city subsidy.  This put the construction on hold.  Disney found itself as an interesting position then to proceed without the tax rebate and build a hotel anyway, to guarantee it would not be under the higher minimum wage if passed, or to do whatever was necessary to have the hotel be in compliance, even if it was just a check-in at the old address.  Everyone expected Disney to wait until November to announce its plans either way.

Disney defied convention in two ways.  First it asked the city of Anaheim to drop its theme-park tax incentives, ending any question of whether they would be under the higher minimum wage requirement if it passed.  Second, Disney has now announced that the new hotel has been canceled.  This puts Downtown Disney in a very awkward state.  They were able to rush Earl of Sandwich back open at least temporarily, but there is now a large vacant section Disney is lining with food trucks and a stage.  They still have the Richfield pumps that need to be addressed, requiring demolition of at least part of the theater.N  The one upside is that it has allowed the addition of an elevated pedestrian walkway from the new parking garage under construction to Downtown Disney. 

The current speculation is that the new relationship with Anaheim will likely lead to a re-development of the Eastern Gateway plans after the November elections.  The hotel/new resort complex may be moving to Garden Grove, depending on the election.

All in all, lots of interesting changes for what will likely be soon the largest entertainment company in the world.

Developing.

The Disobedience of Paul

"After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. 'After I have been there,' he said, 'I must visit Rome also."

Acts 19:21

"Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost."

Acts 20:16

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me."

Acts 20:22-23

"After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos.  The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.  We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail.  After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.  We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo.  We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days.  Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."

Acts 21:1-4

"Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seve.  He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.  After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, 'The Holy Spirit says, "In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles."'  When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.  Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?  I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'  When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'"

Acts 21:8-14

File this under "things I never noticed before." 

As we were reading to our children from the Big Picture Bible, we came to the end of Paul's third missionary journey and read through a summary of the verses quoted from Acts 21.  And I know I've read this passage several times, but I never before caught the implication here.  

The passage reads as if Paul disobeyed the Holy Spirit by proceeding on to Jerusalem despite an instruction not to and a warning of the consequences.

In reading commentaries, Paul's saintliness is so lauded that the commentator's cannot begin to believe that Paul would have erred.  An unwillingness to attribute any fault to him.

Reading Matthew Henry's commentary, the directive in verse 4 is not mentioned, the warning is seen just a a preview of what awaits him, and the urging by his friends after Agabus' prophecy is seen as misguided and misplaced.  "But we see in them the infirmity incident to us all; when we see trouble at a distance, and have only a general notice of it, we can make light of it; but when it comes near we begin to shrink and draw back."  I believe this conclusion comes at the exclusion of the whole passage.

From a more contextual reading, I see Paul slipping into a very real danger Christians face in fervent service to the Lord - letting their own desires rush the general plan of the Lord ahead of his time table.  This was Abraham's problem in trying to rush God's promise, leading to the birth of Ishmael and a competing nation to that of Israel.

I see a similar pattern here in Paul. From chapters 19 and 20, we see that Paul had been led by the Spirit to proceed to Jerusalem.  This seems a general directive, a general direction Paul is to be traveling.  And God does give us these directions.  General parameters of where we are supposed to be moving.  Go to "the land that I will show you."

We also see that Paul had a great internal desire to get to Jerusalem as quickly as possible.  He wanted to get there by Pentecost.  We perhaps see the reason behind this desire in Romans 9:1-5.

"I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit - I have a great sorrow and anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own raise, the people of Israel.  Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs is the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen."

Paul had a great desire to be back among his people, the Jews.  Though he knew and was fulfilling his mission among the Gentiles, he longed to be back home. 

And from this reading, it seems that Paul used God's general direction, for him to go to Jerusalem, to accelerate that time table.  He sailed past Ephesus, missing another stop there and avoiding spending time in the Asian province.  And perhaps it's this rushing that leads to the spirits warning.

For the disciples in Tyre to warn him through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem.  Luke makes a point to record that this warning was coming through the Holy Spirit, not from the disciples' personal affection.  And the language used was emphatic.  They were exclaiming to Paul through the Spirit "Do NOT go to Jerusalem!"  To Paul's general directive, this was a specific instruction.  While he may be needing to move toward Jerusalem, now is not the exact time to go.

But Paul pressed on.

Because of this Paul gets a second warning, a stronger, visual warning.  This time reminding him what awaits him in Jerusalem.  Imprisonment at the hands of the Gentiles.  And Paul responds to this with what can be seen as a very noble and pious statement.  That he is ready to die for the cause of Christ.  

The problem occurs, though, when you are placing yourself in a position to die for Christ where Christ himself is calling you to live for Him.

We see from the whole context that Paul was always going to end up in chains and imprisoned, but what if his lack of heed to the Spirit's direction caused him to be imprisoned earlier than he should have been?

Should he have spent more time in Asia and on his missionary journey instead of rushing to Jerusalem?  Would we have more letters and more guidance from his time with those groups of believers?

That is the great unknown.

But we do get a warning regarding running ahead of the Holy Spirit.  Regarding putting our own desires ahead of the specific direction of God.  Regardless of how noble the intention.

And from his prison letters to Corinth, to Ephesus, and to Phillipi, we see the grace of God.  To be able to take our mistakes and to make beautiful art with them.  To advance His kingdom and purpose.

Lord, I pray to follow Your direction and to not let the desires of my heart influence my steps in that way.  To not fool myself to believe my desires are noble, but to follow the letter of Your word.  Continue to move me and shape me as needed.

For further reading, I recommend Paul's Mistake, by Ray Stedman.

201, and counting!!

Time again for a celebratory post, as the blog hits post number 201.

I want to thank you all for your readership and your kind words.  I remain humbled by the response.  To everyone who has let me know you are reading, ever liked a post, or commented, thank you.  It is appreciated more than you could know.

I also wanted to use this time to post a reminder of the blog rules and regulations, and to provide advance warning.  There will be blogs that will either make you mad or will upset you or challenge your position on a particular topic.  The blog is my personal writing exercise and soap box, so it will reflect my biases and my contrarian streak, but I am open to civil discourse on almost any topic.

I also wanted to pass along again, in case anyone feels they are missing the posts on Facebook thanks to the new algorithms there, I have an email subscription option on the page.  With that, you'll receive an email link each time a new post is added.  There is also an RSS feed option, in case anyone prefers that method.

With that, an update of the reminders previously posted:

1. This blog represents largely a writing exercise and an outlet for me to get thoughts out of my head.  It contains my opinion on variety of issues from serious to silly and is filtered through my experiences, biases, etc.
2. I promise, I will post on topics that are so niche-focused, so utterly nerdy that anyone but me is going to be bored to tears.  I try to keep those to only once or twice a week and to rotate through a variety of topics throughout the week to keep it interesting.  I use the labels so that you can screen out certain topics if you want to.
3. I will post things that you will disagree with and that will potentially make you upset.  I know I am more liberal than the majority of my audience.  Probably regarding doctrine and politics both.  These are both topics I'm going to write on from time to time.  I personally favor moderation and lean center-left, but will post on a variety of viewpoints from center-right to hard left (maybe even hard right in a few instances).
4. I am going to be harder on Republicans than I am on Democrats.  While I am not a fan of many politicians of many different political parties, I am growing to despise what the Republican party is becoming.  And I reserve the sharpest criticism for them due to one fact above all: the perverse mixture of politics and religion that Republicans promote. Because they purport to hold themselves out as the Christian party, I'm going to hold them to that impossible standard.  I also hold them more accountable partly because they are in power, and I'm going to criticize whoever has power more than those in the minority.
5. I am likewise harder on churches and Christians than I am on non-believers.  Those who profess to believe have identified themselves as recognizing a higher standard.  To put it simply, "we should know and act better."  And do so based on a reading of the entire Bible.  Sadly, we all to often fall far short of this.  While I do want to extend grace to those that slip, when errors occur as abuses of power in the church  or in ways that belittle the faith they claim to hold, I will be discussing it. 
6. I am completely open to disagreement and debate. Honest and open dialogue is the only way we can move forward in any civilized society.  However, I have a few ground rules for debate:

• I will not tolerate name calling or muckraking.  When the thread resorts to calling each other racists, "liberal snowflakes," "libtards," or four-letter words, I will shut it down.  Likewise, I'm not going to let stereotypes and sweeping generalities go unchallenged.  All liberals do not want the destruction of our country, all conservatives are not bigots, etc.
• I hope for discussion that will foster conversation, not end it.  So I expect more than "guns don't kill people, people kill people" in a discussion on gun control, for example.  I will not let those conversation-enders stand unchallenged.
• Compromise is not a dirty word.  And likewise, I do hope people change their mind from time to time based on what they learn. Including me.
• I follow this hierarchy for the value of information: facts then informed opinions then general opinions.  Saying "that's just my opinion" is going to get nowhere with me if it is not supported by the facts.

Again, thank you for reading.  Here's to the next 100 posts!

First Baptist Church Buna Centennial Celebration

This weekend, the First Baptist Church of Buna is celebrating its 100th Anniversary.  Though the official anniversary is in December, the church is taking this weekend to serve as the culmination of a year-long centennial celebration. 

Today, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the FBC Buna is celebrating with a day of fun, fellowship, and food.  The church is offering the following activities:

• At 10:00 am:
• Dominoes
• Mexican Train
• 42
• Photo booth
• Water Tournament
• Horseshoes
• A bounce house for children (under 7 yrs. old)
• From 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, links, hot dogs, chili, chips and drinks will be served
• At 12:30 pm, there will be a historical reflection in the Youth Building with J.C. Smith, Jerry Clark, and Bobby Rankin.

Tomorrow, the church will offer a special service and luncheon.  Bro. Byron McWilliams will provide the message, and music will be led by Bro. Blake Northam, reuniting the former FBC Buna pastor and worship leader team.  The luncheon in the Christian Activity Building will have a conversation from another former leadership team, as Bro. Jerry Redkey and Bro. Tom Hawk will share memories and stories of their time at FBC Buna.

The weekend is sure to be a great celebration of the history and life of FBC Buna and should be a time of great worship, fun, food, and fellowship.

First Baptist Church of Buna can officially be traced back to a congregation founded in 1918, though there are records of meeting minutes dating back to 1899.  In the early decades, the church had many "Baptist" names, many pastors, and struggled to survive.  By 1921, the faithful members were able to secure land and build the first building.  By the mid-1940s, the church proceeded to expand the building by adding a two story T-wing to the building and purchase a house to serve as a parsonage for the pastor.  In the 1950s, the church began buying available blocks of land south of its location and voted to move the church to the current site.  As more land was purchased, a new parsonage was built near the church.  As the 1960s started, a new brick sanctuary was built and mission outreach beyond the church began with "Radio Buna," taking the Gospel message within a thirteen mile radius of Buna.  Also a music minister was added, a new brick parsonage was built and the old church building was remodeled as a fellowship hall.  During the 1970s, missions were expanded when the church started a mission church in the Old Laurel community and went on numerous mission trips to various locations world-wide.  A Christian Activity Building (CAB) was completed in 1987.  By the mid 1990s, the church had out-grown the 300 seat capacity of the sanctuary, and a new 700 seat building was built.  The next two decades saw expanded nursery and education facilities, remodeled and updated buildings and loans retired leaving the church debt free.  Missions remained the emphasis with work support in the Ukraine, Africa, Canada, and South Texas as well as the Helping Place for the needy in Buna.

God has blessed First Baptist Church and the future is exciting!

If you are looking for a church family, or would like to help the church celebrate, please visit.  More information for FBC Buna can be found here.

Top 10 Favorite Monsters

In the spirit of this spooky season, a top 10 list of my favorite creeps, spooks, ghouls, ghosts, spectres, haunts, haints, bogeys, and monsters.  Be fair warned.  These are the things that go bump in the night.

• The Phantom of the Opera (Weber) - I have always had a soft spot for this musical and I love the role of the Phantom.  Music of the Night is a great signature tenor solo and Past the Point of No Return is one of the most menacing and sensual songs in musical theater.  That iconic mask has always fascinated me.
• Dracula (Christopher Lee) - While Bela Lugosi will always be associated with the role, my favorite has to be Christopher Lee in the Hammer film series. Lee brought a gravitas and menace to the role that became so much more visceral in color.  
• Werewolf by Night - Marvel perfected the werewolf curse with its character Werewolf by Night.  Jacob Russoff, aka Jack Russell, carried a family curse of lyncanthropy, started from the Darkhold, the Book of Sin.  Sometimes a hero, always an interesting protagonist, my favorite Marvel Comic monster.  Plus a werewolf named Jack Russell is just one of the coolest comic book names.
• Frankenstein's Monster (Karloff) - No one tapped into the character of the Frankenstein Monster better than Karloff.  Karloff tapped into all facets of the character including the broken and damaged soul longing for the love of his maker, human connection, and friendship.  A master at work.
• The Ghost Host (The Haunted Mansion) - This all comes down to that signature voice.  Paul Frees was a master voice actor and the Ghost Host is a prime example.  Equally menacing and humorous, our Host provides the perfect narration for the mixed tones of the attraction.
• Xenomorph Queen (Alien) - One of the best creature designs ever.  H.R. Gieger created such a horrific creature that preyed on our natural fear of parasites and insects.  One of the most terrifying creatures ever created for the screen.
• The Headless Horseman (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad) - Such a great, simple design.  The use of negative black to create the form and the laugh by Billy Bletcher help make this segment of the movie a truly suspenseful cartoon.
• Oogie Boogie (Ken Page) - A delightfully creepy creature of burlap and insects, this boogie man provides such a great contrast to the Pumpkin King.  A Cab Calloway type song and a great vocalist in Ken Page. 
• Audrey II (Michael-Leon Wooley) - This is a specific voice.  While others may have a specific affection for Ron Taylor or Levi Stubbs, my Audrey II will always be Michael-Leon Wooley.  There's a specific timber to his voice that I have a great affinity for.  To here him sing Feed Me (Get It) is just excellent.  A great bass voice.
• The Sanderson Sisters (Hocus Pocus) - My favorite witches.  The humor that Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker bring to the roles is so enjoyable.  The Sanderson Sisters have been brought back as entertainment at the Magic Kingdom for Halloween to great affect.  Plus, they perform one of my favorite versions of I Put A Spell On You. 

And a special Honorable Mention:

• Fin Fang Foom - had to include a great giant monster and to do so I turn to one of my favorite classic 1950s Marvel Monsters.  Besides a great alliterative name, Fing Fang Foom has a great look as a giant green dragon in purple pants and a great presence.  Plus, I'l never forget "Fing Fang Foom put you in his pants" from Nextwave.

American Prodigal

"Jesus uses the younger and elder brothers to portray the two basic ways people try to find happiness and fulfillment: the way of moral conformity and the way of self-discovery.  Each acts as a lens coloring how you see all of life, or as a paradigm shaping your understanding of everything.  Each is a way of finding personal significance and worth, of addressing the ills of the world, and of determining right from wrong.
...
     Our Western society is so deeply divided between these two approaches that hardly anyone can conceive of any other way to live.  If you criticize or distance yourself from one, everyone assumes you have chosen to follow the other, because each of these approaches tends to divide the whole world into two basic groups.  The moral conformists say: 'The immoral people - the people who "do their own thing" - are the problem with the world, and moral people are the solution.'  The advocates of self-discovery say: 'The bigoted people - the people who say, "We have the Truth" - are the problem with the world, and progressive people are the solution.'  Each side says: 'Our way is the way the world will be put to rights, and if you are not with us, you are against us.'"

Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God, Chapter 3

Reading The Prodigal God for Journey Group has been a very eye-opening and educational experience.  In many ways, it has helped me see the divide between elder brothers and younger brothers that goes to the heart of society, not limited by religious influence.  As Keller indicates, the difference in the elder and younger brother is the root separation in the way that they try to find happiness and fulfillment.

The elder brother sticks to moral conformity - by doing all the right things, by following the rules, and meeting expectations, he finds his sense of worth.  He is the "good son," taking pride in this title, in his accomplishments and the delayed gratification that they may bring. His worth is nominal - he is defined by his status, by his perception, by his reputation.  In many ways, he is defined by the things he does not do.  He is further defined by his relationships - he is defined by his family, by society, by his associates, and their expectations.  He is what he is expected to be.

The younger brothers is following the path of self-discovery.  He is the one who needs to go explore, to "find himself," and to do it now.  His worth is experiential - to see, taste, touch, do.  He is defined by the things that he does.  He is further defined only by the terms he sets.  He is his own man.

And we definitely see both types of brothers in the modern church.  In our couples devotional, Life Under God, The Kingdom Agenda by Tony Evans, we just wrapped up two days that were on isolationist churches and conformist churches.

Isolationist churches are elder brothers to the nth degree.  In an odd pairing of terms, they are so focused with moral conformity to the strictest of God's standards, that they are determined not to be affected by the wicked world.  Put another way, they are so concerned about not being of the world, that they refuse to be in the world.  They lean heavy on the side of truth with very little love (from the previous post here).  They remain cloistered off in their building of meeting, exploring the scripture, but preaching only to the saints.  The salt for the earth that refuses to leave its shaker; the light of the world that hides under a bushel.

Conformist churches are younger brothers gone rampant.  They are so open to self-discovery, they dilute God's word and commands to the lowest common denominator.  They are so in the world, they often start looking exactly like it.  They lean heavy on the side of love with very little truth (or at least avoiding the harsher truths).  So concerned about feelings, they can endanger the eternal for temporal comfort.

I believe this paradigm can also be used to explain the great political divide in our country, for Republicans/Conservatives have come down squarely on the side of moral conformity and Democrats/Liberals have come down squarely on the side of self-discovery.

Since even before the advent of the Moral Majority and Religious Right, Conservatives have pitched their tent with the elder brother.  "The moral conformists say: 'The immoral people - the people who "do their own thing" - are the problem with the world, and moral people are the solution.'"  I have seen these exact posts on Facebook and other social media from the Conservative view point, the ones seeking to rid the world of all the people that they deem as "immoral" (read: Democrats/liberals) so that morality can reign and cleanup our society.  They generally believe in absolute black and white on most issues, and expect the rest of society to believe as they do.  If you do not, you are wrong.  You have to stand and salute the flag at all times.  Authority and in particular police authority cannot be questioned or held to account.  Respect trumps all.  So long as you say the right things and check the right boxes you are good. Individual freedom is de-prioritized for an adherence to social norms and expectations.  You do good because that is what is expected, you go to church because that is what is expected, etc.  And so long as those expectations are met, everything works fine.

Liberals pitch their tent with the younger brother, with self-discovery and self-expression.  The ultimate in personal freedom.  "The advocates of self-discovery say: 'The bigoted people - the people who say, "We have the Truth" - are the problem with the world, and progressive people are the solution.'"  And again, I have seen these images on social media as well.  Nominally, this is what the support of Trump has been linked to - to the push back against being called a bigot for disagreement with the advocates of self-discovery.  Liberals generally see intolerance and social injustice as the worst things in the world.  They believe everyone should be able to engage in their own self-discovery and self-expression so long as it does not interfere with anyone else.  And because each person must find their own path to self-enlightenment, there are multiple truths that can be embraced.  Expectation and social norms are things to be fought against, as it is up to each person to find their own way.  And for everyone else to get out of their way.

And, as expected, whether between individual brothers or people, among churches, or politically, the two groups clash with the fiercest of disagreements.  "Each side says: 'Our way is the way the world will be put to rights, and if you are not with us, you are against us.'"

The most amazing thing about the parable of the prodigal son is that Jesus says two things about both brothers: 1) they are both equal and 2) they are both wrong.  In the parable, Jesus presents each brother as a sinner in need of forgiveness.  Both needing their father's forgiveness, both receiving their father's forgiveness, and both being offered a seat at the feast.  This is the ultimate shock of the story, particularly to those hearing it when first presented.  The Pharisees and Sadducees would have expected the younger brother to be seen as a sinner, they would not have expected the elder brother to be seen as one also.  After all, they were the older brother.  Beyond the shock of the younger brother being forgiven, the elder brother being seen as unrepentant sinner would defy all thought.  And yet, Jesus presents his sin as more serious, because he cannot see past his sin to receive his father's blessing, consequently making him estranged.  The parable ends with the younger brother repentant and restored, but the elder brother unrepentant and separated from his father.

Beyond presenting both brothers as equals, Jesus also presents them both as having the wrong worldview.  As having a wrong view of their sin.  Declaring that both moral conformity and self-discovery are the wrong method by which to live.  For both views present an improper view of sin in the brothers lives.  The self-discovery view says that "if it feels good, it cannot be bad."   The view that so long as my action does not hurt anyone else, and it brings me pleasure, it is permissible.  We know this to be false.  There is a higher standard.  The moral conformity view says that so long as I do this list of things and avoid doing this list of things, I'm ok.  It's a works theology, which would have made sense to the Jewish listeners of the day and still resonates with a large group of people today.  The idea that "good people go to Heaven."  As The Prodigal God states, though, this view enables people to falsely believe that they don't need Jesus as a savior.  To allow people to believe that they do not have anything they need saving from.  "I'm not a bad person."  Not recognizing that the list of dos and don'ts is impossible to follow and is designed to reveal that truth to us.  To point us to our inability and insufficiency.  To point us to our need for a savior.

Jesus instead presents a third way.  A third path for fulfillment and happiness.  The only Way.  Where we accept our need for a savior, and follow Him, imitating His life and following His directives.  It's not a compromise or a blending of the two previous paths.  It's something different entirely.  And it is through this way, and this way alone that the world is changed.  That the two camps are bridged.  That sees healing.

And that remains true whether the divide is between people, between churches, or between parties.  Whether individually, religiously, or politically.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

What path are you following now?  Where do you find fulfillment and happiness?  Do you know there is a better way?

If you are a younger brother, is it time to turn away from the path of self-discovery and destruction that you are on?

If you are an older brother, is it time to recognize your inability and to cast off the weight of expectation, to take up a lighter yoke?

And to us all as citizens, can we put aside this entrenched partisan bickering and find a better path forward?

Let's stop being older brothers and younger brothers.  Let's just be brothers, and treat each other accordingly.

If I Were Disney CEO Part 25 - Walt Disney Feature Animation

I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.

Walt Disney

It's important to start the Studio Entertainment portion at the very beginning, with the studio that started it all: Walt Disney Feature Animation. Before any other division was part of the Disney Company, Disney was synonymous with animation.  Theatrical shorts since 1928 and then feature animation beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.

The primary goal for each department in this division is to provide a mission statement for the department.  Each department should have a unique purpose and style of film that makes it an integral part of the whole.  Walt Disney Feature Animation cannot just be animation, as PIXAR is an animation studio as well and Disney would be foolish to divest it.  WDFA has started engaging in computer generated animation, so the line between it and PIXAR has been blurred over the past few years.  To determine a specific niche and purpose for Walt Disney Feature Animation, I would turn to former Disney animator Glen Keane.

"There are differences between PIXAR and Disney.  If you reduced PIXAR to a phrase it would be: "Wouldn't it be cool if?' Like if a kid was looking at their toy: What if the toy could talk? All their films are like this.

If you reduced the Disney films it would be: 'Once upon a time...'"

And I agree, but believe Walt Disney Feature Animation has two specific purposes in the past that should be its guiding light for the future:  to tell classic fairy tales in a timeless fashion and to advance the art of animation.  The first fits the "once upon a time" synopsis.  It's Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Tangled, and Frozen. The second is Fantasia, One Hundred and One Dalmatians (xerography), Dinosaur (computer generated photo realism), etc.

These two principles will be my guiding forces in creating a film slate for Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Primary Goals for the Division:

• Bring back the shorts - Each feature film should be accompanied by a theatrical short film.  This is a great testing ground for new technology (like the Paperman technology) and new artists.  As PIXAR has done, it helps round out the theatrical offering, creating a specific, Disney experience. 
• Bring back hand-drawn animation - Walt Disney Feature Animation was built on hand-drawn animation and it is a distinctive from PIXAR that could be easily adopted.  I still contend the hand-drawn concept art of Tangled and Frozen has more character than the entire movie (though those are both excellent CGI films).  Hand-drawn also helps develop the next goal.
• Explore new art forms - Classic Disney films drew unique inspiration from distinct art styles for each film.  Sleeping Beauty has a medieval tapestry inspiration.  Hercules from Grecian urns, Mulan from Chinese watercolor, etc.  The CGI look is homogenizing the film offerings.  I would love to bring back that distinct tie to great art inspiration.
• Push the art form forward - Disney should be continuing to push forward the art of animation to develop new and unique ways of presenting animated features and shorts.  Further, Walt Disney Feature Animation should be in all styles of animation (hand-drawn, stop motion, computer generated, motion capture).
• Explore the world - Disney should continue telling classic stories from around the world.  This has a great benefit to the audience, to the exploration of art, and has a more crass financial motive.  There should be a Disney princess of every type, color, hair color, etc.  And there are plenty of great stories, animators, art styles, artists, and actors that should be utilized.
• No more sequels - "You can't top pigs with pigs."  The full Disney feature animated canon contains only two sequels: The Rescuers Down Under and the upcoming Ralph Breaks the Internet.  There is no need for a Frozen 2.  There is no need for any other sequels, but rather to continue to focus on bringing new and varied additions to the canon.

With that, I want to now turn to a few specific film slate and sub-divisions I envision for Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Traditional Walt Disney Feature Animation Canon:
I would focus on a couple of different types of films for the primary animation canon. First, I would add a few new Fantasias.  While these have never been the largest profit makers, there is a new revenue stream that has been developed for the Fantasia films: symphonic licensing.  One of the new trends in Orchestral and Symphonic seasons has been to add a performance where the symphony provides the live score for a movie.  A series of Fantasias would provide a greater library to choose from.  In this regard, I would propose the following Fantasias for initial development:

• Fantasia Animato - a showcase of the various animated style of Disney and its studios
• Sorcerer's Apprentice (as the carry over from other films)
• A new number by Walt Disney Feature Animation
• A number animated by PIXAR
• A number animated in stop motion perhaps by Henry Selick or Tim Burton
• A piece in motion capture - perhaps to Invitation to the Dance
• Something animated by Studio Ghibli
• Fantasia Musicana - a world music Fantasia taking from some pre-existing shorts
• Lorenzo
• One by One
• The Little Matchgirl
• Destino (Disney and Dali)
• A Studio Ghibli piece
• Fantasia Americana - all American music and composers
• Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin (as the carry over from other films)
• Copland's Appalachian Spring
• Barber's Adagio for Strings
• Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite, perhaps even using the live action short
• Miller's In the Mood
• And pieces by Sousa and Joplin

Further, I would propose animated features based on the following classic stories and fairy tales.

• Aida (this already has an Elton John and Tim Rice soundtrack, two princesses, and songs that are begging to be animated)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn
• The 13 Clocks (animated in the style of Thurber)
• The Quest for the Holy Grail (the one exception to the sequel rule as it is a completely different story than The Sword and the Stone; would be great to get a few Python's if possible for voices)
• Hansel & Gretel
• The Prodigal Son
• Esther (Jewish Princess?)
• King David (could utilize the oratorio written by Tim Rice and Alan Menken) 
• The Nutcracker
• Babes in Toyland (using some of the classic music, but updating as needed to really create the nursery rhyme world)
• Chaticleer/Reynard (there's already concept art for this one)
• Don Quixote (there is already concept art for this one)
• The Wizard of Oz (the original story with silver slippers, both the Good Witches of the North and South, and Shanower/Young style art from the Marvel comics)
• Juan Darien
• The Tempest
• Roald Dahl's Gremlins
• Rumplestiltskin
• Hiawatha
• Swan Lake
• The Princess and the Pea or Once Upon a Mattress
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• Journey Into Imagination
• The Odyssey
• Sinbad the Sailor (Perhaps titled The Storybook Voyage of Sinbad after the ride, with a more Persian feel)
• The Emperor and the Nightingale
• The Fool's Errand
• Jack and the Beanstalk or Gigantic
• The Country Bear Jamboree

Disney Double Dare You:
In 2009, Disney announced a imprint named Disney Double Dare You to be a more scary themed venture with Guillermo Del Toro.  The venture has not panned out, but I like the name and the concept.  I would create an imprint for hand-drawn animated features based on classic gothic horror tales.  PG-13 versions of these classic monster and ghost movies for bridge generations.  These would be hand-drawn animation because of the ability to use heavy blacks and shadows in those films which are just not possible in computer generation yet.  I would propose a film slate of the following:

• The Haunted Mansion (animation is going to be the best way to bring this to life)
• Dracula (Stoker)
• Frankenstein (Shelley)
• Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Stevenson)
• The Picture of Dorian Grey (Wilde)
• The Phantom of the Opera (Leroux)
• Werewolf by Night
• Lot #249 (Doyle's mummy tale)
• The Invisible Man (Wells)
• The Fall of the House of Usher (Poe)
• Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles (Doyle)
• The Call of Chthulu (Lovecraft)

Other Imprints:

I would also seek to create imprints for specific types of animation.  If Laika were  not paired with Universal, I would seek to acquire that company, as I believe they have the same qualities as PIXAR.  Instead, I would seek to develop a stop-motion imprint seeking to woo Henry Selick back or to keep Tim Burton connected with the studio.  Further, I would push motion capture but would focus on the types of pictures that get the most benefit from the process - musicals.  Something where the actual movement of a human needs to be translated to the screen, like dance.  There's no need or motion capture in something like Mars Needs Moms.  Something closer to Happy Feet makes sense where you are translating Savion Glover's actual taps.

This would give the studio a full slate to continue to develop and should bring a lot of interesting possibilities.

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As always, thanks for reading.  Next in the series, Disney live action.

Justice Kavanuagh Confirmed

The Senate voted on Saturday, October 6, 2018 to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh as the next justice to the Supreme Court of the United States.  He was sworn in later that evening, moving him quickly into the seat vacated by Justice Kennedy's retirement.  He is seated today, hearing his first cases on the court, regarding longer prison terms for repeat offenders.  With a vote of 50-48, his confirmation was one of the closest confirmation votes since 1881.

And with this process completed, I wanted to offer a few thoughts on what this status brings.

1. It's sadly not over. - Though Justice Kavanaugh is now confirmed and seated, the controversy surrounding him is not over.  The American Bar Association is re-opening their evaluation of Judge Kavanaugh due to new information of a material nature regarding his judicial temperament, particularly in light of his fiery testimony on September 27, 2018.    Kavanaugh has also received around a dozen judicial misconduct complaints regarding the same fiery testimony, which are being forwarded on to the Supreme Court.  More extreme democrats have even raised the specter of impeachment.  President Trump has called the allegations a hoax, and is calling for tougher libel laws to potentially allow prosecution of the accusers (particularly Avenatti).  Dr. Blasey-Ford has announced, through her attorneys, that she does not plan to pursue further action against Kavanaugh, though it is a little unclear as to whether this references the mentioned impeachment action or legal action. It is also still unknown how Ms. Ramirez will proceed from here or whether she will pursue any further investigations of their accusations. The political fight over this particular issue is over, but the circumstances continue and you can guarantee this will be a sticking point in the mid-term elections.
2. For much of the country, his tenure on the bench will have an asterisk by it. - There are very likely equal populations that are celebrating and commiserating this event.  For while many view this as a circumstance in which justice prevailed, there is an equal population that sees this as a miscarriage of justice; an incomplete investigation that found the conclusion it was hoping to find.  And how we proceed from this, recognizing this divide, is to be charitable to each other.  To recognize there are valid reasons for each side's beliefs, not ascribing the worst possible motives to everyone against you.  There are reasons to be concerned about his tenure, beyond the accusations, particularly in regard to his views on executive power and accountability.  For those supporting, Kavanaugh has been groomed for this job and has been preparing for it for his entire tenure.  His record of supporting women in clerkship's and their advancement has been noteworthy.  Beyond his guilt or innocence of the accusations, there are credible reasons for concern and celebration.  We should recognize this and stop treating the other side as one lump group that is all represented by the worst of its members.  Perhaps in doing so, we could engage in meaningful conversations with people we disagree with to understand those opposing viewpoints and recognize the validity of various aspects of the other side.
3. There is no official finding of guilt or innocence regarding the accusations against Kavanaugh. - The FBI investigation and the hearing reached no conclusion on Kavanaugh's guilt or innocence; they merely reached a vote.  Both only provided information.  The conclusions were drawn by the Senators and have been drawn by each of us.  Ultimately, we are still at a place where the veracity of the allegations come down to each individual person's reading of the evidence, and likely feelings on the adequacy of the investigation.  As anticipated, we are still at a point where we have largely what remains a he said/she said scenario.  Barring further investigation and an actual case, we will likely never have more than this.
4. We've seen that much has changed since the Anita Hill testimony, but much remains the same. - In many ways, much similarity in the situation.  A reluctant testimony from a woman accusing a Supreme Court nominee of sexual misconduct, followed by a fierce and emotional response from the nominee, just days before a scheduled vote on the nomination.  Both justices confirmed in the process.  And both women vilified to a degree for coming forward with the accusation.  Now, Dr. Blasey-Ford has not been vilified to the degree of Anita Hill, but she has still not been able to return home due to death threats.  And while the Republicans on the committee chose not to grill Dr. Ford during her testimony, to avoid the appearance of the Anita Hill testimony, the mocking waited until after hearing both sides.  Trump mocked Dr. Blasey-Ford at a rally. And while others have said he was not helping the matter, many celebrated these statements or explained them away.  We as a country have divided into "I believe him" and "I believe her" camps.  And we are recycling many of the same tired arguments that arose after the Anita Hill testimony.  You can see them on Facebook and other social media.  The overt hostility to and distrust of any allegation that does not meet specific expectations.  The downplay of various forms sexual harassment as things that should not be issues in someone's past.  "Boys will be boys."  "They're only after one thing." "It's locker room talk."  "Why would anyone not come forward immediately?"  Perhaps there may be one silver lining from the similarities.  In the 1992 election following the Anita Hill testimony, a number of women were elected to seats in the United States Senate including Senators Diane Feinstein and Patricia Murray, who are both still serving today.  That election was dubbed the Year of the Woman.  Maybe the similarities will continue in this way as well.

The question then is how do we proceed.  We definitely have to get better at addressing sexual assault and harassment allegations as a society.  We have a long way to go in this aspect.

Further, we need to treat each other better in general, especially to stop demonizing those who disagree with us.  I've seen the images going around social media now that paint the horror stories of how all of American society will crumble if Republicans are not voted into office (I wish I were exaggerating) or how America will fall into tyranny if Democrats are not elected.  Neither image is correct and we need to stop playing that game.  It's not all or nothing.  It's just us.

And we need to start voting for people over party.  For those who are willing to buck their parties expectations.  For those who will accept limits of power.  And for those who move past the grandstanding and into service.

To organize and see a constitutional convention organized to place term limits on congressmen and women.

If you are not registered to vote, there is no excuse.  Today is the last day for your registration.  Go to https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/where-to-get-an-application-2.html to register online now.

Get informed and vote November 6, 2018.

Don't vote straight party. Read up on the candidates and vote for those that best represent you. There is a world of resources on the web to find out information on the candidates and issues on your ballot, including the two below.

Ontheissues.org
VoteSmart.org

There's never a better year to start than now.

Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day

Today is the observance of Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day, likely depending on your location.

Columbus Day was first observed in 1866, and made a federal holiday in 1934 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  It's observance has been fixed on the second Monday in October since 1971.  Primarily it is a bank and federal agency holiday, with schools frequently celebrating as well.  The holiday officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492 and is and has been celebrated not only in the United States, but across Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.

Increasingly, there has been a push to distance the holiday from a celebration of Christopher Columbus.  From an appropriate outcry of both Columbus and other European's actions against the indigenous population, to concern over Columbus' character, slavery, and other treatment of the native people, to the question of celebrating a "discovery" which had been accomplished by others before and of a land that was already populated.  This movement is pushing for a celebration of an Indigenous Peoples or Native Peoples Day.  A day to celebrate the indigenous peoples of America and commemorates their shared history and culture.  This holiday began in 1989 in South Dakota as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day, but is growing in popularity and support.

I'm appreciative of and sympathetic to the Indigenous peoples Day movement, and would be happy to see it overtake the day.  There should be a time and a way of celebrating and recognizing those people who were stewards of this land long before our families ever thought of coming here.  And our history with and general treatment of them should be a national shame which we should be seeking to repair.  An opportunity to celebrate their cultures, to learn from them, and to honor them is a small step in that direction.

And while Columbus did not "discover" America, there is reason to recognize his contribution to world history.  The larger opening of the "Old World" to the "New World".  The connection of these two continents to the growing world population and facilitation of trade that it sparked.  Particularly with food.  For a better discussion of this history, I point you to one of the blogs I follow, here.

So, whatever you are celebrating, I hope you are enjoying the day and remembering this momentous change in world history.  Remembering the people of this land, and the impact they have made.  And remembering the good and the bad of those who forever changed the course of these continents.  And to plan for our future as a more connected whole.

Playwright Life Update Continued

In the previous update, I mentioned that I was still waiting for word from Samuel French regarding their licensing of Pygmalion for productions.  Their webpage gave no insight into exactly what they were licensing, so it appeared in some way they were attempting to be the sole licensor for all productions of Pygmalion.  This did not seem right as the original text of Pygmalion is in the public domain.  The original play by Shaw was published in 1913 and copyrighted in the United States in 1916.  As a general rule, anything published before 1923 is in the public domain (with very few exceptions).  Accordingly, I needed to know exactly what Samuel French was claiming.

I received their final confirmation late last week.  From their reply, they acknowledge the original text of Pygmalion is "no longer under copyright and may be performed without submitting a request" through their site.  They did caution that some versions of the text are still under copyright as they have additional material provided by Shaw (which I was aware of).

Further, I noticed yesterday that they have removed Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts by Shaw as a title which you could request a license from their site.  They still sell the script, but are no longer claiming a license in the work.  That is a swifter action than I expected and am grateful to see that it has been changed.

This removes the last question mark in front of Thou Fair Eliza.  With UIL approval and the confirmation that Samuel French has no claim, the stage is set, pardon the pun, for the upcoming production.  Very exciting.

Now all that remains is the long waiting game for the copyright approval.  Will keep you posted.

Top 10 Horror Comedies

So, with yesterday's post, it's clear my Halloween tastes likely run a little lighter than most in terms of favorite films for Halloween.  So I thought I would start with a narrower list: my favorite horror comedies.  The films on this list mostly have minimal gore and scares, but instead rely on humor within typical scary movie settings.  These films run the gamut from classic to cult, from the 1940s to the 2010s, and range from slapstick to satire. Just a few favorite not-so-scary classics.

In order of release:

• Arsenic & Old Lace (1944) - a classic comedy with light horror touches and a Halloween backdrop.  Truly one of the funniest premises ever written.  Raymond Massey doing a great Karloff.  Peter Lorre.  And Cary Grant at his best one of my favorite comedies.
• Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - Peanut butter and chocolate.  The horror icons Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, and Lon Chaney, Jr. combined with the excellent comedy Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.  The slapstick you expect, but with some great quick lines as well.  Always a favorite.
• Young Frankenstein (1974) - There is such a loving devotion to the classic Frankenstein films present in this satire that is amazing.  These are the best comedians at the top of their game.  And Peter Boyle has to be the second greatest Frankentsein's monster behind Karloff.  My second favorite Mel Brooks film.  I loved seeing this with Mel Brooks introducing it at the TCM Film Festival.
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - The cult classic that is just as much fun to interact with.  This is THE Tim Curry performance.  The music is put together better than the film itself, but its still so much fun to watch.  Let's do the time warp, indeed. One year - the goal is to see this at a midnight show, in costume.
• Ghostbusters (1984) - Another group of amazingly talented comedians at the top of their game.  Such an iconic song, such a great movie.  
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - The music makes this.  Levi Stubbs as Audrey II.  That's classic.  A great cast and another great premise.
• Beetlejuice (1988) - One of the best Tim Burton films.  From the Handbook for the Recently Deceased to The Banana Boat Song at the dinner table.  Delightfully whimsical and such great performances.
• Bubba Ho-tep (2002) - I never knew I needed an elderly Elvis fighting a reanimated mummy.  Add the fact that Elvis is played by the always great Bruce Campbell.  And then add Ossie Davis as someone convinced he is JFK. A great B-movie with several fun quotes.
• Shaun of the Dead (2004) - I adore the Cornetto Trilogy and while I might have a slight preference for Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead is just as excellent.  I love that it spells out the plot in the first few minutes.  I love the way Edgar Wright works and this is such a great ensemble.  
• Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) - This is the most violent and gory film on the list, but it is so hilarious.  I love Alan Tudyk and Tyler Levine in general and they are on in this film.  Two good natured hillbillies who are mistaken for crazy killers.  This premise is mined for such comedy gold.

What are your favorite genre mixtures?

This is Halloween, This is Halloween

It's October and that means it's Halloween.  The apartment is decorated, the movies are out and ready.  It's Halloween time!

I love this season, but I have a confession to make.  And for those of you who know me, it should not come as a surprise.

I'm a chicken.

You will not get me to go through a haunted house.  I will not watch most scary movies, so there are definite gaps in my movie appreciation.  There are even specific topics in scary movies that are just non-starters in any form.  I've always had an overactive imagination and images like that stick with me for far too long.

But I become fascinated around this time.  I read Wikipedia entries on monster lore and various horror topics.  I select a couple of classic books to read for the season (last year Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Halloween Tree, this year The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other tales by Washington Irving, and likely Dracula).  I watch movies that Jamie wants to see (because she loves scary movies).  And I work through some of my favorites.

I love classic, gothic horror and love the versions in the early Universal and Hammer films.  I love suspense and the Alfred Hitchcock filmography.  I like when horror touches sci-fi or vice versa.  And I love the macabre, the dark.  A particularly fun part for me as well is the mixture of horror and comedy, from the Haunted Mansion ride, to the Munsters and the Addams Family, from great movies in that genre, to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  And especially Treehouse of Horror.

So, for the coming month, there will be several posts with the Halloween label, touching on various components of the season or of horror that are favorites.

Beware.

Two Wrongs

Two wrongs don't make a right.

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

I had not intended to write about Kavanaugh again for today, but I was in a position where I had to listen to Fox News for a large portion of the day yesterday and got a little worked up.  I still don't really want to write about Kavanaugh, per se.  I will attempt to write about a larger ill that I see plaguing society, of which, the controversy and theatrics surrounding Kavanaugh serve as a very recent and prime example.

The increase in whataboutism.

Whataboutism refers to a logical fallacy that attempts to discredit an opponent's position by charging them with hypocrisy without directly refuting or disproving their argument.  Usually this takes the form of pointing to another parties bad actions that the opponent did not get upset about.  We've seen several examples of this just in the past few months and even discussed them here.  Asking someone supporting Rosanne Barr's twitter-based firing about their stance on Samantha Bee or the View or Bill Maher.  Or asking someone who supports James Gunn about their stance on Rosanne Barr.  It's named for the typical first words of the reply "what about..."

And what we're seeing now, is that it's being used to justify one parties wrongdoing by pointing to wrong doing in the past by the other party.  Two wrongs and all.

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Let's refer to the Kavanaugh hearing.  The allegations are fraudulent because its part of a dirty political by the Democrats in delaying to the last minute.  But that's okay, because the dirty politics of the Democrats are excusable because of the dirty political maneuvering by the Republicans in arranging for a dump of documents at the initial hearing process, limiting the possibility for questions.  Or because of the dirty political maneuvering by Republicans in the refusal to hear and confirm Merrick Garland.  And on, and on, and on.

The thing is, those are four separate instances of alleged wrongdoing that all need to be investigated and for someone to be held accountable for.  No one instance in that chain excuses or diminishes the other.

The refusal to hear and confirm Merrick Garland is a political move the Republicans will have to answer for at some point in the future.  The resolution will be political.

The document dump and one-sided use of Committee Confidential is something that should be investigated within the Senate and the Senate judiciary committee.  And it should lead to stricter rules on how the Committee Confidential designation in particular can be applied.

The timing of the release of the Ford allegations by the leak should be investigated.  It should be determined who leaked the letter and there should be consequences.

And the allegations of Doctor Ford should be fully investigated, regardless of the apparent political delay by the Democrats on the committee.  The Democrats' actions do not make Dr. Ford's allegations any more or less credible.  The timing of her allegations and the timing of her various statements since 2012 preclude entangling the two.  Further, since she is now a willing participant and someone who is seeking for further investigation into the claims, that request should be honored, to the point that her allegations are determined to be correct, to the point they are determined to be merit-less, or to the point where they are determined inconclusive.  In other words, investigated fully, as we would hope and expect.

Further, Kavanaugh's guilt or innocence of the allegations exists separate and distinct from the political steps of the Democrats or Republicans.  No amount of political grandstanding on either side can change that.*

It's possible to recognize that these are all wrongs that must be addressed.  To believe, first that both the Republicans and Democrats have both played dirty politics and that they should be accordingly held accountable.  To believe that the Democrats inappropriately delayed in revealing Dr. Ford's allegations, but to also believe that with the allegations out there, they must be investigated fully.  To believe that the bad actions of another do not allow us to refuse to do what is right in another area.

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My children are four years old and nearing two years old.  And while it's above the almost two year old's head, we are working on the four year old with respect to "two wrongs don't make a right."  To not hit her brother back when he hits her.  We try to explain that he doesn't understand, but she knows better.  And we're getting there.  Slowly.

I think we need to re-learn that as a society.  Maybe it's by barring any phrase that starts with "but what about..."  That way leads to false equivalencies.  To red herrings.  To non sequiturs and other tangents.  To excuses.

It cements us further in tribalism.  It allows us to continue to paint a whole section of society with a broad brush of "other."  Democrats are evil because they do this, but then ignore x, y, and z.  Republicans are monsters because they will bring up 1, but what about 2, 3, and 4.  Substitute any opposing groups you wish.

I'm most interested in this being re-learned and honed among those of us who claim to follow Christ.  For we have a much higher standard and calling to be holding ourselves to.

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit blessing.

1 Peter 3:9

We, especially, have to recognize that the bad actions of others don't matter in the long run.  We're not just to repay them with neutrality.  We're to repay them with blessing.  We're to do what is right, always, and regardless of the actions of those around us.  To bless those who curse us, who insult us. To love our "enemies" and to perhaps recognize that there are not as many "enemies" around us as we might visualize.  Just other broken people.

To wrongs don't make a right.  But two rights can get us turned back around.

Maybe that's what we need.

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*There is a separate and much harder question regarding how much it matters, especially given the lapse of time since the allegations and Kavanaugh's history and reputation since that time.  One that cannot be adequately explored here.  The veracity of the allegations is a threshold question to this deeper philosophical issue.

If I Were Disney CEO Part 24 - Studio Entertainment (Film) Overview

As I transition between corporate units, from Parks and Resorts to Studio Entertainment, I wanted to preface the change with an overview post, similar to how I started the Parks and Resorts division.  The goal for this post is to outline overarching ideas and goals for the Studio Entertainment division as a whole and how that will impact decisions for each individual film studio.

Walt Disney Studios is currently the largest of the "Big 6," with 21.82% market share.  When the purchase of 20th Century Fox is finalized, the combined market share will jump to 34.74%, cementing Walt Disney Studios as the dominant player in Hollywood.  With a wide variety of studios under its belt, Disney literally has a studio for every demographic.  The challenge becomes ensuring that the studios as a unit are complementing and not competing with each other.  That becomes an issue of scheduling and purpose.  Scheduling is easier, purpose though can be elusive.

The overall strategy for Studio Entertainment will differ a little from Parks and Resorts, as there is more opportunity for acquisition, redevelopment, and rebranding in order to fully develop the studio's film slate.  Accordingly, I will be exploring all options.

As before, there are a few goals that carry through this division:

• The primary goal is to cement each studio's unique identity.  To identify and finesse what makes a film from that studio. 
• How does a Walt Disney Feature animation picture differ from a Pixar Animation feature and do we need both?  
• What exactly is a Disney live action feature?  
• What is a 20th Century Fox film?  
• These basic questions must be answered and each studio must have a specific niche and purpose for existence.  Therefore, each entry in this portion of the series will have a specific thesis/purpose statement for the studio.
• A secondary goal will be to identify additional studios that should be created or promoted to fill in gaps in the Disney theatrical film offering.  
• Put another way, are there films that previously used to be "Disney" films that do not fit within the existing studio's mission statement.  
• A prime example of this category of film would be the sports film.  Disney has a long history of sports stories, which do not clearly fit in with the existing studio structure.
• A secondary goal is to bring useful storytelling tools and methods from the various studios and apply them to the whole unit as appropriate.
• For example, it is my firm belief that each studio should have a chief creative head or heads and advocate(s), like a Kevin Fiege.  Someone who knows the ins and outs of that particular studio and what makes it unique and who is able to fiercely protect the studio from higher executives.  There are three studios that currently have such a setup, but others which are floundering because of a lack of a visionary in charge.
• Further, the Pixar Braintrust is a great idea that should be implemented across most all studios.  It creates a structure where there will always be a baseline of quality in every Pixar film.  Some may soar higher than others, but the story itself will always work.
• Finally, another main goal will be to flesh out ideas of particular films and franchises that each studio should be developing.

With that framework, the following studios will be discussed over the coming weeks.

• Walt Disney Feature Animation
• Walt Disney Pictures
• The Jim Henson Company/Muppet Studios
• Pixar Animation Studios
• Marvel Studios
• Lucasfilm
• 20th Century Fox
• ESPN Studios
• National Geographic

This should give a little bit of a preview for some of the changes that I would implement and will serve as a continuing guidepost for the entries over the coming weeks.

As always, thank you for reading and continuing through this journey with me.

False Accusations

There's a disconnect at a societal level that is currently hindering our ability to have a conversation on one of the most important topics that is facing our nation.  We see it in the #metoo and #timesup movements, we're seeing it in the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and investigation, and we've seen it in connection with the 2016 presidential election.  A conflict centering on when we should presume the truth of a sexual assault allegation, particularly focusing on the concept of "false allegations."

"False allegations", of course, referring to the idea that the person making the allegation is completely fabricating the allegation, usually for some presumptive malicious purpose.  And everyone plays out the worst possible scenarios in their head.  What if a woman has consensual sex one day, regrets it the next, and decides it was not consensual?  What if someone gets dumped and decides to accuse their ex of rape for revenge?  What if it's just for attention?  What if it's just completely fabricated to ruin someone's life?

And while we do have high-profile incidents that we can point to of false rape accusations like the 2014 Rolling Stone article, later retracted, regarding a brutal gang rape at the University of Virginia or the 2006 accusations against the Duke lacrosse team, the reality is that false accusations are exceedingly rare.

It is estimated that only 2% to 10% of all reports of rape are estimated to be false.  The Washington Post put it - reports of rape are murky, but rarely false.  Even this percentage range is very likely over-inclusive, as all jurisdictions have a distinct classification of false accusation, with some including a variety of case types including those where an accuser does not physically resist the suspect or sustain injuries under a generic heading of  "unfounded" or "unproven."  Due to these varying definitions, the actual percentage remains unknown.  Further, the data used to generate this statistic comes from reviews of data for investigations and prosecutions within the criminal justice system, not from an actual academic study.  The goal of the two is different, as the goal of a criminal investigation is to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, not to determine if there is enough evidence to classify as "false" or "true."  Put another way, criminal investigations are looking to see if there is enough evidence to prosecute and win.  If a case cannot meet that bar, it doesn't matter whether the allegations are true or not.  It would still be "unproven."

To put this visually into perspective:

As you can see, we have a bigger problem than false accusations.

And yet, false accusations claim such a big place in our discussion of sexual violence.

Why is it we fear the potential damage to a man's reputation from false allegations more than the very likely sexual assault and ensuing trauma that a woman will face?

If we look further into the possibility of damage to a man's reputation, we also find that those fears are overblown.  Upon further investigation, we see that false rape accusations almost never have serious consequences.  First, it's exceedingly rare for a false rape allegation to end in prison time.  According to the National Registry of Exonerations, since 1989, in the US there are only 52 cases where men convicted of sexual assault were exonerated because it turned out they were falsely accused.  In that same period of time, 790 people were exonerated for murder.  Further, the British Home Office had a very detailed study conducted in the early 2000s on sexual assault reporting to the police.  Of the 216 complaints that were classified as false, just over half (126) got to the stage where an accuser launched a formal complaint.   Only 39 of those actually named a suspect.  Only 6 then led to an arrest and only 2 led to charges being brought before they were determined to be false.  What we see is that even in the rare case where someone is the subject of a false rape complaint, the greatest likelihood is that the charges will be dropped before he or anyone beyond the accuser and police ever learn of the allegations.

Sadly, the media plays into this heavily.  Incorrect assumptions about false rape allegations increase the likelihood that a person who reports rape will be blamed or disbelieved.  In Deviant Behavior, author Megan Sacks states that the media perpetuates rape myths when reporting sexual assaults, reporting the ones that are typically sensational and not corresponding to the reality of most cases.  An example would be reporting on rapes by a stranger, playing into that primal fear, when the reality is that most rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.  Laura Niemi, a postdoctoral psychology associate at Harvard has speculated that the mythologizing of rape can contribute to the idea that "no normal person" could rape, leading to people commonly having difficultly believing someone they know or like could be a rapist and contributing to the idea that the victim who reported the rape is at fault.

While rape victims have no unifying traits, false accusers on the other hand, do have a bit of a profile.

The most common kind of false accuser is a teenage girl who tells her parents she was raped to avoid getting in trouble, sometimes citing an unwanted pregnancy, but often having a trivial reason like "missed curfew."  Troubling is that these false accusations are often lodged by someone other than the alleged victim, like a parent.  Adult false accusers, almost invariably, have a previous history of bizarre fabrications or criminal fraud.  The Duke lacrosse accuser was this type of archetypal false accuser.

I raise this all because it's way past time to stop making our first reaction to sexual assault allegations one of fears of false accusations.  It's time to stop worrying about whether men can be alone with women anymore.  It's time to stop worrying for the future we're creating for our sons.

It's time to believe women who come forward with an allegation until there is reason shown to doubt their claims.   And to decry them as false only when we have ample evidence to do so.

As most of you know, I have both a son and a daughter.

I have a lot of worries for them both.  I'm worried about teaching them well.  Teaching them how to treat everyone as equals.  Teaching them to speak out against anyone not respecting boundaries. I'm worried about the things I teach sticking.  I'm worried about teaching them to speak up (though that's not a problem now).

I'm not worried about my son being falsely accused of rape.

I am much more concerned about my daughter being sexually assaulted and not believed.

Because that, sadly, is still much, much more likely.

Posted before, but it bears repeating:

• Every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
• And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child.
• 1 in 6 women have been sexually assaulted or raped.
• 3% of men have experienced sexual assault or rape (likely higher due to under reporting).
• An average of 63,000 children a year are victims of sexual assault.
• 9 out of every 10 rape victims are female.
• 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will actually see prison.
• About 2 out of 3 sexual assaults go unreported.
• 7 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.

For more information on False Accusations and the infographic used above, check out this website.

Jonah and the Elder Brother

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.  He prayed to the Lord, 'Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home?  That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.  I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.  Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.'"

Jonah 4: 1-3

In my daily reading through the minor prophets, I've currently hit on the story of another "elder brother" in the Bible.  The Book of Jonah.

The beginning of the story of Jonah is a very familiar one.  God commands Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance.  Jonah refuses to go and attempts to flee to Tarshish.  While on the boat fleeing, a great storm comes up, causing the sailor's to wonder who has brought this on them.  Jonah indicates that he is the reason and has them throw him overboard, where he is swallowed by a great fish.  While in the belly of the fish, Jonah repents, and God instructs the fish to vomit Jonah back up on the shore.  From there, Jonah heads to Nineveh to preach the message God had initially given him.

Most everyone who spent anytime in church as a kid has heard the story of Jonah and the "whale."  The story of what happens after, though is less well-known.  For once Jonah preaches to Nineveh and warns them of God's impending judgement, the citizens of Nineveh repent.  Even the king orders the city into fasting, sackcloth, and mourning for their sins.  The city follows that instruction we discussed in the Beatitudes on Sunday, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."  The city mourned for its sins.  And God heard their cry, stayed His hand, and comforted them.  This pleased everyone.

Except Jonah.

Jonah became angry.  Jonah was actually angry that God had shown mercy on Nineveh because of its repentance.  He expected this result and it was why he did not want to go in the first place.  He did not want to see Nineveh spared.

We are given no reason for Jonah's dislike of the city and its inhabitants beyond their wickedness.  The capital of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh would have been the capital of an enemy of the Jewish people.  The book of Jonah portrays their wickedness of worthy of destruction.  And we see that in the apocryphal Book of Tobit, Tobias, Tobit's son, celebrates Nineveh's destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus as apparent fulfillment of Jonah's prophecy.

But Jonah's reaction should give us pause.  Jonah's anger at Nineveh's repentance calls into question his very motives for following God's commands.  This is the equivalent of going into a location to witness and getting angry when someone actually responds.  It would seem Jonah was hoping to go and prophecy the destruction of the city, so that he could actually see it go forth.  He probably would have roasted marshmallows over the smoldering embers.

And his response symbolizes that tug between truth and forgiveness, between justice and mercy.  In Jewish rabbinical idea, Jonah, the son of truth (his father's name is Amitai which means truth) seeks only truth.  In refusing to go to ask Nineveh to repent, he wants to proclaim the truth of their destruction.  For there to be no opportunity for forgiveness.  Their sin has damned them and that should be the end of it.  It's the same idea as the older brother in the Prodigal Son.  The younger brother's wild living has brought him low, and that's where he should stay.  There is no room or cause for forgiveness or mercy.

Ironically, both Jonah and the older brother cannot see their own sin of pride.  The sin that allows them to put themselves above those others.  Above the Ninevites, and above the younger brother.  Jonah and the older brother are better than them.  They have no need for God's forgiveness, for God's mercy.  And they certainly do not want to see it exercised on those wayward people.

The cannot see their own need for mourning over their sin.

In both tales, the story ends with God and His parable substitute, the Father, reminding these "older brothers" that God will show mercy on those that He chooses to show mercy.  That God will have pity on a great city like Nineveh which is composed of the work of God's labor just like Jonah.  And that God will celebrate when a child of His that was lost has been found.  That what was dead has been made new.

For while we serve a God of justice, who will proclaim a city's road to destruction and who will ultimately pronounce the death sentence on the sin in our lives, we also serve a God of mercy, who pays the punishment Himself.

That is a story of comfort.

Six Months

Friday marked six months since I started writing this blog.  And in that time, I've maintained nearly daily entries for the entire period.  That to me is crazy, as I've never been one before who could journal or similar.  Introspective writing on a recurring basis would just get tedious.  This at least has presented a challenge, addressing issues as they arise, and allowing the muse to lead in the direction it needs to take.  It's allowed me to get ideas out of my head that have been up there for far too long.  It's helped me find my voice.  That was something that had been developing through rants on social media, but this allowed it to get more refined.

In that period of time, I've adapted a play, condensing Pygmalion and adding scenes and characters as needed to bring forth Thou Fair Eliza(r).  Things I would have never expected to do.  Thou Fair Eliza is working through the copyright process and has been approved for use in One Act Play, both incredible blessings.  Even more exciting is to have an idea and a structure for the next thing.  And to be ready to move to it.

I know I've repeatedly said that I am humbled that anyone takes the time to read this blog and it remains true.  I realize there are many, many other things out there that can compete for attention and for anyone to take even the briefest amount of time to read anything I write, I am truly grateful.

Thank you all for reading.  I have no plan to stop anytime soon, so continue to be on the lookout for random and assorted musing on any topic under the sun.

Until next time.