February 12, 2007 by jess82.

I had never really given much thought about the American film rating system until I had this documentary recommended to me. This film is a combination of interviews with filmmakers and directors, as well as an attempt to illuminate the inner workings of the secretive MPAA. Although the rating system is “vountary”, it is in reality necessary for proper advertising, exhibition, and sale of films. The MPAA is one of the last vestiges of unregulated censorship on American media. Who are these people controlling our media anyway? One of the most powerful parts of the movie for me was an interview with the director of “Gunner Palace” a documentary of the every day life of American soldiers in Baghdad. How is it possible to rate reality? What kind of message is the MPAA trying to send when they aren’t willing to let the horrors of reality in to mainstream society? I recommend this documentary to anyone that is interested in film or issues regarding free speech and censorship.

4/5 stars

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/

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February 10, 2007 by p00ky.

it had to happen this way, the R.I.P. notice in the channel topic window, the sharing of the passing of Gdfather, entered by, thankfully, his aide and confidant, jayme, who knew him best among us and was there until the end.

Gdfather and i first met some twelve years ago, when IRC and #gayportland were orgasmically new (to me) and fascinating as a microcosmic glimpse into the cultural-anthropological-study for which gd so scolded me. 

Long before t-gun, having ignored the channel for too long, passed the torch of #gayseattle to gdfather, gd and i labored in dialogue over the politics of it all… the emerging incivility, the roll of the dimly enlightened despots and their surrogates, and the forecast and eventual decline of IRC.  In the later years gd retired to the Board of Directors of #gayseatle, and, never fretful of decline, was instrumental in breathing life (with thanks to z2e) into the new if somwhat subdued era of #gayportland.

As i never met Gdfather in the flesh (our fault but mostly mine), and given the turmoil of takeovers and bannings and power that largely consumed the early days of IRC, it is not extraordinary that the topics of cyber-reality consumed much of our conversation. Sometimes we talked about fishing, and his life as a cop, and the deer that would visit his land near seattle… and seemingly endless stuff that happily consumed a sunday afternoon.

What we did not speak of much is what you endured physically, gdfather: the fused vertebrae, the chopping of things, the inexorable punishment without charges, or trial, or peers.

What emerged from those conversations, largely in private, and demonstrated in public channel, was a man of enormous character, who took the time and had the guts to share his considerable life-experience within the context of words in a “virtual” community.

Ron, as you remind us that life is not always a minuet, you have taught us to save the best hooch for the beast one brings shamelessly to the ball, for courage and honesty is always deserving of a stiff one.

Mentor, friend, the loss, my loss, lies in not having known you better.

Once in a while, the heavens release the best to the earth for a time. The odd gods were generous in their gift of you, Gdfather, and in the gift of Jayme to be at your side when it counted most. Thank you for sharing the gift, Ron.

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