COACHELLA REPORT # 1 (pictures soon)

Yesterday, after a long night of drinking way too much whiskey and Heineken, we woke up to a clear day. The sun was baking our tent like an oven. Getting ourselves showered and cooled down, we headed into the fest and began a very busy day. I actually ended up seeing the majority of bands I wanted to.

Highlights in order of coolness:

Sigur Ros
Wolf Mother
Depeche Mode
Kanye West
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

A whole bunch of hipity-hopity people were around me during Sigur Ros. I got really close to the stage and all these Kanye West people were left over from his set before. When Sigur Ros started playing GLOSOLI, some people started jumping around like it was Dr. Dre or something. By the time GLOSOLI ended, they were all standing still, staring at the stage, with most of them pouring tears out of there eyes. That's how fucking amazing Sigur Ros was.

Wolf Mother took me by surprise. They were a "buzz band" and so I stepped in and got my ass kicked. Oh. My. God. They lifted the roof. Really loud, really fast, really fucking rocking. Check them out. Trust me.

Well, I've got a line a mile long behind me to use the computer, so I'll wrap things up here for a while. I'll post pictures later on. Madonna plays tonight so hopefully I can run from the YEAH YEAH YEAHs and get within 5000 feet of Madonna and maybe hear SOMETHING....

STEVEN
Coachella Music Festival

"Blogswarm"

Here's Utah Policy's list of those who posted about the BLM and their position as the position maker on the Nuclear storage deal. Also, here's Pete Ashdown's letter.

Good times.

• The Senate Site blog,
• SLCSpin,
• Part of the Plan,
• Utahnia,
• Jen's Green Journal,
• The Utah Amicus,
• JuniperWest,
• Reach Upward,
• Dee's 'Dotes,
• Media Relations,
• Obiter Dicta by Steve,
• Eric Hamilton's Reality Check,
• Political Spyglass,
• Josh Ewing,
• Wilf Sommerkorn,
• Rural Blogging,
• Utah Conservative,
  
• Charley Foster
  

New Short Story

There's a new short story up. You know the drill.

Make a comment about it. It's called "Bryan and the Mystery of the Disappapearing Playboys."

I like it.

UPDATE: It's actually there now. There was some type of glitch with blogger, but it's there now.

Here's the direct link.

Iraq War = More Terrorists?

Well, it seems as though the CIA has released a report confirming the suspicions of some anti-war bloggers like myself. It seems as though they are officially asserting that being in Iraq is actually creating more terrorists.

So. We can thank those who wanted to get into this war so happily for creating more terrorists and more terrorist attacks than there were before.

It seems as though each and every assertion people against the war have made, this included, has come true. History and facts have proved this war to be completely and utterly without reason, merit or morality.

Sometimes, I hate being right.

Conservative Family Values

The Conservative Family Values that are embodied, as we're told, by the Republican party, seem to include prostitutes now.

Duke Cunningham, the former Republican representative from San Diego who has already been convicted of accepting $2.4 million in bribes, might have been dabbling into hookers on lobbyists dimes as well.

Awesome, huh?

Read that article in the Post. It's hot stuff. I wonder how many scandals like this can happen before people stop with that "Conservative Family Values" nonsense. Politicians, conservative and liberal alike, are generally whores. The ones that are embedded in politics (as the Duke was) are the worse. The new blood isn't so bad, I suppose.

In the immortal words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "They are only interested in those who fund their campaigns."

We need to find out if there are any other escort services that service our elected officials. Maybe reporters should get off their duffs and find out about who's paying for it and who's receiving it.

San Diego

Steve went to San Diego yesterday.

He told me to go read about it in todays paper. And I did.

This is ridiculous.

Apparently this was going on:

Mauss walked up to the ticket counter and asked for two tickets [To Richard
Dutchers States of Grace].
"Are you Christian?" the girl at the ticket
counter asked.
Mauss was surprised but responded in the affirmative. It was
her next statement that surprised him.
"She responded, 'Well you need to know
that this film, it's being advertised as a Christian film, but it's really a
Mormon film.' "
From further questions, Mauss learned that the theater's
supervisors had told their employees to "warn" ticket buyers about the film.
They had complaints from people upset because the movie wasn't what they
expected.

Steve went out there to lead a protest of this. As did, it seems, Josh Ligiari, one of the guys who worked on This Divided State in it's shooting phase.

"No Way Day"

Paul Hollingshead over at Utah Policy sent me (and other bloggers in Utah, I'm sure) an email asking to blog about tomorrow's "No Way Day" that is being put on in coordination with the Governer Hunstman, Orrin Hatch and Jim Matheson.

Basically, the BLM has the final say, it seems, on the issue of storing spent nuclear fuel in an above-ground facility 50 miles from Salt Lake City. This seems like lunacy to me that it's even an issue. Lawmakers should be preventing stuff like this from happening from the get-go, but that's a different issue.

Anyhow, the BLM is accepting public comment on the issue until May 8th. Storing spent nuclear fuel above-ground, that close to people is an act of madness.

Here's all the contact information for the BLM so you can write them. I did.

Contact: Pam Schuller
E-mail address: pam_schuller@blm.gov
Fax number: (801) 977-4397

Send letters to:
Bureau of Land Management
Salt Lake Field Office
2370 South 2300 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84119

There's also a press conference and rally tomorrow at noon in the State Office Building auditorium behind the Capitol. Everyone is invited.

Editing

Jason (my brother) and I have been in the editing room since yesterday. We're cutting what we have of that low (read "no") budget movie we've been shooting on Sundays.

It's about two kids who work at a dollar theatre and decide to rob the place.

It's a comedy.

We have about a third of it done. Perhaps a little more than that.

We've been shooting for six Sundays now (with only a break for Easter) and will continue shooting Sundays until it's done. Hopefully in the coming month I'll have enough of the footage I want to cut a trailer.

I AM NOW OFFICIALLY A MEGA-STAR

I kid you not... there are now TWO anti-Steven Greenstreet websites. This is serious business, folks. Somewhere out there is some college kid in his boxer shorts, eating Frosted Flakes while scratching his balls and mumbling, "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... I hate you Steven Greenstreet!" I wonder if any of these guys (I know they're guys cuz girls tend to have less penis envy) are stalking me. That would be awesome.



And I'm pretty sure this kid is one of the Obsessive Greenstreet Haters:


His name is Scott Larson and I'm pretty sure he's a tool. But I can't be sure since I've never really met the guy. From what I hear, "he's in a band". I'd bet his band name is "The I Hate Greenstreets".

HONG KONG PICTURES # 3

HONG KONG PICTURES # 2

Smoking my dragon pipe at the Temple Market in Kowloon.

Lady I bought a tea pot from at the Jade Market.

Waiting for the ferry from Kowloon to Wanchai.

One of many temples in Wanchai.

Our hotel, The Cosmopolitan. Located in Happy Valley. I kid you not.

A poster sized festival write-up for THIS DIVIDED STATE. The Chinese translation of the title was, "Who's Afraid of Michael Moore?"

Kay Anderson continues to baffle audiences...

Q & A session afterwards.

Meeting with the audience afterwards. Giving out business cards.

She was really cute.

Happy Birthday

Consulting the IMDb I found that today was Michael Moore's fifty-second birthday.

We'll be shooting all day today on that no-budget feature film.

More posts tomorrow.

DENMARK PRAISE (packed theaters for This Divided State)

I didn't even know about these screenings in Denmark, but someone just commented my on Myspace saying that she went a "very packed" screening. And then I got this email:

"To the people at Minority Films,

My boyfriend and I went to see This Divided State at the NatFilm Festival in Aarhus, Denmark on April 7th this year. I must say that this film was the best one I saw during the festival. I would like to congratulate you on making such a great film. However, to me it was also a very frustrating film. I was shocked to witness the documentary of such a conservative and narrow-minded community as the mormon community that was the center of your film. Even more shocked because I know that the Danish society aspires to assimilate to American culture in general. One of my university professors once told me that what you see in America at this moment - this is what it's going to be like in Denmark in 10 years' time. I just hope that we can all stand together fighting for our hard-earned freedom, equality, and human rights. When I left the movie theatre, I remember that my cheeks were all red and I was rather angry - mainly due to being utterly shocked by the horrendous opinions of characters like Sean Hannity (he must be one of the most unsympathetic people I have ever seen). Anyway, Michael Moore is quite popular in Denmark, so there's very little chance that the movie wouldn't be loved here. It is very important that movies like This Divided State is made - especially in this time and day when war, intolerance, prejudice, and hatred are sneaking up on us - and without us noticing it apparently... very scary... But thank God films like yours are being made so that we are forced to think about these issues.Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Mette Kurtyka Johansen,
Aarhus, Denmark."

HONG KONG PRAISE

My computer crapped out, so I'll post more pictures later. Here's one of quite a few emails I've gotten from Hong Kong students who showed up to the screenings of THIS DIVIDED STATE:

"Hiya, i'm Taka, the japanese guy with the green bandana you met after your film showing in the space museum. It was one of those strange films to watch, one of those 'I know this is true - but I can't imagine myself being there' or a 'bloody hell, so this is what Utah is like' films. Its good stuff, and i'm glad you're showing the world whats going on in people's heads. Take care on your travels elsewhere, and hope people don't close their minds even further.

Adios, Takahiro Goto"

Advice for Hollywood

Stop remaking films. Start re-releasing them.

How's that sound? I mean, there are a few notable exceptions to this rule. If Peter Jackson wants to remake King Kong, fine. Martin Scorsese wants to remake Cape Fear, more power to him. Sergio Leone wants to remake Yojimbo and Sanjuro into westerns, awesome. But there is no reason that we need to be treated with all of the remakes to movies that didn't need to be remade.

The most recent example of films that could have been re-released instead of remade that has pissed me off the most was the Steve Martin Pink Panther movie. Blake Edwards films stand up on their own still. Why not spend $1 million plus prints advertising a re-release instead of paying Steve Martin ten times that to shit on Peter Sellers' grave. I'd pay $6 plus popcorn to see A Shot in the Dark in the theatre. Steve Martin's remake is hard for me to justify seeing for free at the discount movie theatre I moonlight at.

People see re-releases. People like going to the movies. People like taking their kids to movies they enjoyed themselves as kids. My parents used to be thrilled to take us to see the old re-issues that Disney used to do in the eighties. I'd love to take my son to see a real Pink Panther movie. I'd also kill to see some more older movies.

Remember Stanley Donen's "Charade" with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn? Of course you do. That movie is amazing and it still holds up. Which would you rather go to see at the theatre? The original? Or the Jonathan Demme remake with Mark Wahlberg reprising Cary Grants role? I'm going to bet you'd have gone to see the original and not the remake. Why would you bother with a sequel to Oceans 11 when most people haven't seen the classic Rat Pack original? It would be a hell of a lot cheaper to re-issue it than blow $50 million on the cast of a new one.

My point is, if you're going to spend effort thinking about all of these classic old movies, the effort would be better spent just re-releasing them. Let people making films make original films. Maybe a few of them might be good.

Karl Rove

Back in October (!) I wrote a piece for this blog about Karl Rove's loyalties and two differing scenarios. You can read that original post here. It's worth another look.

I point it out because I outlined the two likely scenarios that Rove had facing him before the mid-term elections.

It seems as though he played exactly into the second scenario I described and his loyalties aren't exactly with Bush, but with the party.

Here's another post (from back in October) that outlines why Rove is bad for the political scene in general. It's an interesting shift in Bush politics to have Rove leave, but at the end of the day, Rove is still a bad man. And what if this decision to leave is part of an insulating strategy to prevent further damage in this whole Plame Affair? Who knows.

Sadly, Rove knows what he's doing and he's not going to stop putting poison in the political watering hole (so to speak) anytime soon.

Too bad.

What Elias is up to (Part 1 of 1)

Reading:
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Doctor Fischer of Geneva by Graham Grene

Listening to:
Pretty Girls Make Graves "Elan Vital"
Zeke "Death Alley"
Death by Salt Vol.II

Drinking:
Orange Juice

I can't go into much more detail than that, for security reasons.

I want to apologize to everyone about the lapse in posting. Elias and I have been working overtime sorts of hours at our day-jobs and putting together Sundance Institute submissions Steve is vacationing in Hong Kong with the film. (Not that Elias ever posts anyway.) So, I'm filing this note from work actually.

Normal posting should resume tomorrow, if I have anything to say (not that not having anything to say has ever stopped me before.)

And I'll take it as a hint that no one cares or knows anything about Rex Harrison's stories of love.

Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love

I'm reposting this. No One had any information about it before. Our hits have gone up hundreds a day since I last posted this. Maybe someone has an idea.

Does anyone have any information about this or any idea how to get a hold of it?

Apparently Rex Harrison tried hosting this unsuccesful show, but they actually filmed Kurt Vonnegut's short story masterpiece EPICAC. I don't know if any of you are familiar with EPICAC, I think it's been published in a couple of places, principally Welcome to the Monkey House (It might be a different collection, but I'm putting money on Welcome to the Monkey House). It's about a government super-computer that learns what love is and then kills itself. It's great.

But if anybody could even give me an idea as of to how I can get a hold of it, that would be dynamite. (I'm almost positive that there is no way I'll ever be able to see it, but one can dream can't he?)

And is it just me, or is anyone else thinking: "What business does Rex Harrison have hosting stories about love? Especially in 1974?" That's comedy in and of itself.

BRYAN'S RADIO INTERVIEW

I just got this email from San Francisco Indy Media:

"Last summer when the film [THIS DIVIDED STATE] played at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco, we did an interview on the indybay.org radio station with Bryan Young. I recently re-edited the interview and made it more timeless. It can be found at http://radio.indymedia.org/news/2006/04/9348.php
"

So, there you go. Maybe Bryan might remember Elias and I making fart sounds while he was on the phone for this interview. Maybe you'll hear them in the back ground...

NOTE FROM BRYAN: Yeah. This interview was an hour. It was also less an interview and more a history lesson from the radio host. And they called me, asked if they could interview me and before I could say, "Call Steve instead," I was on the air.

And the interview was well over an hour.

And by the last half-hour, Steve and Elias were, indeed, making fart noises and calling out innapropriate things. It was great fun.

Here's my original post from the time it happened.

HONG KONG PICS # 1

First batch of pictures up from Hong Kong. I'll add commentary later...

STEVE and streets of Hong Kong

KRISTI and streets of Hong Kong

Muslim Cemetary behind my hotel.

Kristi, Bamboo, and Flowers.

God Damn it. I can't get away.

Kay Anderson baffles the Asian Audience.

THIS DIVIDED STATE festival post, in english and chinese.

Q and A session with translator.

Answering a question.
Film students from the University of Hong Kong after the screening.

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

I just got to my hotel here in Hong Kong. 22 hours of flying. Bleh. Tonight is the first of two screenings of THIS DIVIDED STATE during the Hong Kong International Film Festival. I'll put up some pictures tonight or tomorrow and I'll keep you informed on how things are going...

Rumsfeld

A number of retired Generals came out recently and called for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. They felt that the chief architect of the Iraq war and subsequent American occupation should be held accountable for the chaos there. I agree with this.

He should be. For this, too: Rumsfeld knew of the abuse in Guantanamo and allowed it.

I think he should be for the same reasons the generals gave in addition to the torture at Guantanamo fiasco. I think Bush should want him to (even though he doesn't want him to) because it would advantage him politically.

Bush's poll numbers are in freefall and have been for quite a while. American faith in the war in Iraq is at an all-time low. Who's chiefly responsible? Other than Bush, it's Rumsfeld. If Rumsfeld stepped aside, Bush could appoint someone else with a speech to the effect of this: "We've made mistakes in Iraq. We know it. Don did the best he could with what he had. The job is stressful. It's time to bring some new blood in and change course a little bit. Things will straighten up fast."

It's still bullshit and it wouldn't keep his numbers from falling completely, but it would at least offer him the benefit of the doubt on the Iraq policy for another year or so (in the minds of the conservatives that are jumping ship anyway.) At that point, problems can be blamed on the new Defense Secretary. "Of course, this is a transition period. We knew there would be problems."

This would take the edge and pressure off of the Republicans a little bit for the mid-terms. As far as the Iraq issue is concerned anyway. Personally, I think they're boned on the Immigration issue enough for it to matter very little what else they do, but I think the scenario I suggested would help them a little. And I guess every little bit helps.

Anyone else have any feelings about this?

Proportional Voting

Here's an interesting piece in the Salt Lake Tribune.

I think we need to do what we can to make this proportional electoral voting in Utah a reality. If we can't just axe the electoral college outright, this is the next best thing. The way the electoral system in this country works is a sham and it causes votes by the minority party in all but swing states to be regarded as useless.

Why should my vote for Ralhp Nader or John Kerry or whomever just go away because I happen to live in Utah?

If this were the case, we wouldn't have had to suffer through eight years of the Bush regime. (Well, it wouldn't have matttered in 2000, I guess. That election was rigged from the get-go.)

If anybody has anymore information about this initiative, feel free to let me know.

Massachusetts Health Care Plan

I've been reading a lot about the Health Care plan in Massachusetts and it seems like a step in the right direction. Just a little one.

Requiring Health Insurance in the same way that you would require car insurance and then offering it to the poor if they can't afford it is, in fact, a very good step in the right direction. There's still a lot more work to be done. At the end of the day, we need universal health care.

The biggest step we need to take, and I know this will sound revolutionary, but we need to mandate that the Health Insurance industry is no longer a for-profit industry. It's a multi-billion dollar a year profit making industry. If were not-for profit, we could cover everyone who didn't have health insurance with the money that would normally line the pockets of the giant conglomerates that own the companies.

I know this seems radical, but it is, in my opinion one of the best next steps to make.

Of course the insurance industry will lobby hard against it, but we need to hold fast against their evil and greed. The point is, we should not profit from keeping people healthy. Especially when those people can't afford it in the first place. At that point, you're profiting from human misery and that is, in my opinion, morally objectionable.

The next big step to take is to convince people that Health Care isn't a privelege. It's a basic and fundamental human right.

Once people know that it is their right to have health care, then we can start moving in the direction of Universal Health care even faster.

Channel 101 in Time?

I read this article in Time about Channel 101. I didn't realize it was as big as it is.

I've been watching it enthusiastically for a long time (and a little less enthusiastically more recently). It deserves the recognition it's getting though.

A Prairie Home Companion

I don't know about anyone else, but I am excited as all hell about Robert Altmans upcoming A Prairie Home Companion.

It just has everything going for it: Altman at the helm of an interesting cast, PT Anderson in an assistant to Altman sort of role, Lake Wobegone...

I don't know. Elias and I watched Short Cuts for the first time the other day (it was really, really good. PT Anderson obviously loved it. Watch Short Cuts and then Magnolia and you'll see what I mean) and the man can handle a big cast. And I've always like A Prairie Home Companion on the radio. I've listened to NPR pretty exclusively since just after I got out of High School and just sort of kept listening when Garrison Keilors show was on.

I don't know...

Anybody else want to see this as bad as I do? Watch the trailer HERE.

Iran

Is it just me or does this whole Iran debate seem a little too familiar?

You've got the Bush administration claiming that Iran has nuclear ambitions and that it needs to be stopped at any cost. You've got Iran saying that it's for purely civilian energy purposes, screaming their defense. You've got Seymour Hersh saying there are plans in the works to prepare for a possible attack on Iran (this seems most likely). And, you've got the international community lukewarm on the idea of invading, or even sanctioning, Iran. All of this sounds ridiculous. The kicker though, is that you've got intelligence analysts saying that their intelligence picture of Iran is actually worse than the pre-war intelligence of Iraq. And even by the best estimates of American intelligence (John Negroponte), even if Iran was allowed the civilian technology, nuclear weapons are still a decade out.

Wow. I hope this doesn't end up the same as Iraq.

It seems to me that there is something inherently arrogant behind the idea of stopping a country to use peaceful technology. Granted, it could turn bad, but if they would be willing to have the IAEA start an office in Tehran or something to keep an eye on it, the US should back off.

I'm not saying it would be good to have a nuclear armed Iran, but from everything I read this debate is just reinforcing the Iranian public's support in their government. As far as I knew, their support of their government was waning and analysts have been saying that Iran is ripe for an internal revolution of the people any minute now. So when we challenge something that can be viewed as "The World" against Iran, that would seem to me be a catalyst to reunite the people and keep this government in power longer. And then you've got the Hawks inside the administration calling for regime change already.

The way we're going about things just seems ass-backwards to me.

But what do I know? I'm just an asshole who reads the news a lot. I could be wrong, but somehow I doubt it on this one.

BYU Hypocrisy

Check this out.

"This Divided State" isn't appropriate for viewing on campus, but "Pulp Fiction" is available at the library for checkout because professors want to use them in Film Classes.

Awesome, huh?

How fascinating; how bizarre.

BYU's HONOR CODE POLICY ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

At Brigham Young University, the LDS Church-owned school's code of conduct directly addresses sexual orientation:

"Brigham Young University will respond to student behavior rather than to feelings or orientation. Students can be enrolled at the University and remain in good Honor Code standing if they maintain a current ecclesiastical endorsement and conduct their lives in a manner consistent with gospel principles and the Honor Code. Advocacy of a homosexual lifestyle (whether implied or explicit) or any behaviors that indicate homosexual conduct, including those not sexual in nature, are inappropriate and violate the Honor Code."

Americans Ahead of the Curve

It seems as though the marches yesterday had the desired effect and are putting pressure on the Senate to pass compassionate immigration legislation.

Pressure needs to be maintained on the officials that seem to think that kicking people out of the country is a smart thing to do. Pressure needs to be kept on people who are foolish enough to think that the economy of this country isn't propped up on the backs of the very same immigrants they are villifying.

I read this article in the Post and it was reassuring to see this piece:

But amid partisan finger-pointing, the Senate left town Friday for a two-week recess, having failed to pass a bipartisan immigration compromise that appeared to have the support of a clear majority of the Senate. The deal also appears to have overwhelming support among voters. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 63 percent of those surveyed backed letting immigrants who have lived in the country a certain number of years apply for legal status and eventually become citizens.

In contrast, only 14 percent favored a plan to let illegal immigrants work for a limited number of years before having to return to their home countries -- an alternative pushed by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). An additional 20 percent said illegal immigrants should be declared felons and offered no temporary work program, a stand that corresponds with the legislation approved by the House.

It seems as though Americans are ahead of the curve on this issue and the reason the Senate doesn't want to vote on it is becuase the know it.

According to this poll, 63% of Americans are in favor of the slightly compromised version of the legislation that went through the judiciary committee.

The thing that worries me about these numbers though is the last one. 20 percent said illegal immigrants should be declared felons and kicked out of the country. This is insane. Madness. Lunacy. The part about this that's worse is that, that means only 20% actually support the version of the legislation that passed through the House.

Things are very confusing. Aren't elected representatives supposed to "represent" their constituents?

I would advise calling your congressmen and senators and tell them how you feel about Immigration. Write them. Let them know... I do. All the time. I'm sick of getting form letters from Orrin Hatch telling me how nice it is to hear my opinion and how saddened he is that our opinions differ on "this issue" and that he hopes to find common ground with me on other issues.

Here's a copy of the note I sent him today. If I get another form response, I'll post it here as well.

Senator Hatch,

I've been keeping a close eye on the Immigration debate and I can't help but notice that you voted against the version of the bill (drafted by Senators Kennedy and McCain) that went through the Judiciary Committee, of which you are a member. I find it odd that you do this for a couple of reasons. First, the measure has the support of a majority of Americans, including some in your contituency. Second, it's the most humane legislation to be proposed yet. Being a good Christian, I'm sure you're interested in treating the least among us, whether they are from this country or not, with the utmost respect and care. Third, the bill, although you've called it amnesty, is not "amnesty." I would advise you read the editorial in the New York Times that appeared on March 29, 2006 on the opinions page entitled, "It's Not Amnesty." It would be quite enlightening and explain the falsehood of the argument you've been stumping with lately.

I would hope that your Christian ideals prevail and you switch positions on this issue. As one of your constituents, it would cause me great sadness to know that the men representing me in the Senate lack compassion and understanding on the complex issue of immigration.

I would love to hear back from you, maybe not another form letter, but with a public response explaining why you've decided to change your position on this issue.

Thank You

Bryan Young
thisdividedstate.blogspot.com

Patriotic Americans

So, hundreds of thousands, possibly more than a million patriotic Americans will be marching across the country today in support of better treatment of Immigrants to this country, illegal or otherwise.

These people will be marching on the National Mall and in cities across the country.

This is the face of a new movement. These people seem to represent the ideals of the American political scene better than the politicians. They are the people and they are voicing their opinion. They are voicing it in the best way they know how because it seems as though our elected officials are letting them down. No. Our elected officials ARE letting them down.

What these bigoted congressmen don't seem to understand is that this is a significant voting block that they are effectively turning their backs on. In the '04 "election" brilliant political wrangling (credit where credit is due...) offered the Bush incumbency and their allies an advantage with the hispanic vote. No matter how in support of the Guest Worker program Bush is the backlash of his party's hesitancy to address this issue in a compassionate manner will affect those whom he supports.

If this current congress battle this issue to a stalemate, the midterm elections could be very bad for the Republicans indeed.

ANN CUNTER'S NEW BOOK

(from Drudge Report) "The title and theme of a book which received one the largest advance paid to a conservative author can now be revealed: Ann Coulter's GODLESS is set for release on 6/6/06.

The book -- which condemns what Coulter calls "The Church of Liberalism" -- will have a startling first printing of 500,000 copies, a publishing source tells the DRUDGE REPORT.

With chapter titles such as ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD RESTED AND LIBERALS SCHEMED, and THE HOLIEST SACRAMENT: ABORTION, controversialist Coulter ups the ante in her fourth book for CROWN FORUM."

Wow. What a stupid, hateful bitch. But she's also a smart, hateful bitch cuz she's gonna make millions.

BYU Vs. Notre Dame

I read this article and was thinking to myself that BYU could take a page out of Notre Dame's playbook. Notre Dame is to the Catholic Church what BYU is to the LDS church. Despite what people might say, devout Catholics and Mormons are quite similar.

The standards and values debates that occur at BYU happen at Notre Dame as well.

I read this article and think that BYU could learn a lesson from this model. The President of Notre Dame decided NOT to ban a performance of "The Vagina Monologues" or the "Gay and Lesbian Film Festival."

Why?

Rev. John Jenkins' decision comes about 10 weeks after he said he was considering restrictions on those events as part of a broader discussion of potential conflicts between academic freedom and the Roman Catholic university's character.

However, Jenkins said Wednesday he generally will not allow fundraising or publicity that could imply the endorsement of views expressed during controversial events. He also said such events should include diverse discussions that include the Catholic viewpoint. Panel discussions following "The Vagina Monologues" performances this year included the views of theologians and anthropologists, for example.

"This is a model we can move ahead with," Jenkins said in an interview Wednesday. "We have reached a better understanding of how to foster debate that presents challenging viewpoints and presents them in a balanced way and, when appropriate, a Catholic view is presented."

Wow. Seems like a clergy-man has learned how to balance his roles as an administrator of a top University and a man of the cloth.

Maybe someone should tell this to the administrators at BYU.

On a sidenote, General J.C. Christian, Patriot, wrote a letter to one of the administrators responsible for pulling the plug on that BYU screening of This Divided State.

Read it. It's funny.

BEST OF UTAH PARTY

The Salt Lake City Weekly held their annual "Best of Utah" Party last night and I was invited to attend the VIP reception with Kristi because THIS DIVIDED STATE got an award for "Best Documentary". It really surprised me that we didn't get any recognition last year. Last April, we had just finished the movie, we had prominent national papers (such as The Washington Post) writing articles about us, and I was about to start a 24 college campus national tour with the film. During ALL of this, The City Weekly didn't write one word about THIS DIVIDED STATE and all its awards and recognitions despite the fact that it was a locallly made film.

So I guess this year, someone on the staff actually watched our movie and said "Why the fuck didn't we give these guys an award LAST year?" And the rest is history.

City Weekly's BEST OF UTAH PARTY in Salt Lake City

One of probably 387 awards passed out that night.

Kristi (producer) and me.

Me with the SLUG MAGAZINE girls. Hot damn.

The Horns at The Urban Lounge after the party.