This evening, I learned that very few heart attacks are caused by prescription (or other) drug abuse while cardiac arrests (especially if there is no underlying coronary disease) are more likely to be caused by drugs (prescription or illicit) or chronic conditions like Anorexia. Several family acquaintances are coming forward to talk about Jackson’s effort on and desire for a wildly successful “comeback tour” which was supposed to start on July 13th. Staying in a rented house, Jackson had been reported to be working incessantly on the show. In a variety of interviews, people would say he was like Anna Nicole Smith, a casualty to fame, incessant drive and self-serving sycophants. IMHO, Anna Nicole Smith didn’t have the talent, stature or global impact that Michael Jackson did. So, perhaps Michael Jackson is this generation’s Elvis Presley.

I remember Elvis before he was fat; I remember when Elvis was all talent and sass and music. His voice blared from radios everywhere. We watched him on television, in movies and on concerts. And then he was obscenely famous. He became more isolated. The only people who were allowed near “The King” were the doctors and handlers who gave him whatever he wanted, whatever would keep him going, regardless of the consequences for his health. I saw a photo on the Daily Mail of Jackson on his 50th birthday (left) and was stunned at how emaciated he appeared in the photo. Frail. It was shocking. Lisa Marie Presley must have some interesting karma to have been touched by both of these remarkably talented, remarkably charmed, remarkably doomed men. Of course, this is the moment for the caveats … the official cause of death is yet to be determined, yet to be announced regarding Michael Jackson. At this point, it’s a collective web experience of the unexpected, premature passing of one of this generation’s most amazing musical talents.

The film is set in a world ravaged by centuries of war between humans and vampires. People are congregated in cities for their “safety and protection.” The skies are polluted, there is little privacy, daily religious observance is required. Only rebels and outcasts dare to live outside the city walls in the Wasteland. Gigandet will play a sheriff who is part vampire who joins the rescue team to save his niece. Michael De Luca, Josh Donen, and Mitchell Peck will be producing the film.

There were, at the same time, things I abhorred about Facebook. I couldn’t really cover things in depth as I could on my blog. There were these things called Notes and another thing called Pages that let me write more about things I found interesting … but those things didn’t really get into the main flow of the conversation. There were sidelined and overlooked quite easily. So, if I found something related to film production or web production or wanted to discuss a new technique, I’d return to my blog. It was as media-rich or user friendly but it did have substance.

Recently, I discovered two things that are the BEST plug-ins and features ever. First, there’s a fabulous WordPress plugin called FOTOBOOK that was written by Aaron Harp. It’s a self-installing wonder that pulls my Facebook albums directly into my blog. Effortlessly. Efficiently. It’s just wonderful. AND, I also discovered that Facebook let’s me pull my BlogPosts directly into my Notes (which are then published into the general conversation). I still have to go back and forth between the blog and Facebook but, now, both venues are doing double duty so I’m getting better quality with less effort. If you look in the sidebars, you’ll see my photo albums (including my recent research trips to New England). There’s also a RANDOM photo feature that changes every time someone visits. Just something to keep it fresh. Now, I’m working on RSS feeds AND looking for a way to manage video. If anyone has suggestions, I’d love to hear them. Remember, I’m Mac-based.

If you know of a FOTOBOOK-style plugin that pulls video in from Facebook as effortlessly as stills my life is perfect … however briefly.

Eleven hours later, the 25-year-old man was found — unconscious. The Sheriff had been trying to get the city to release funds so they could get the cell phone turned on when word came in that he had been located. So, Verizon won’t face a wrongful death lawsuit (because Lord knows that would cost far more than $20 to defend that). I can only hope that the Court of Public Opinion punishes Verizon appropriately. When did life become so cheap?

If you are a Verizon subscriber, be sure to keep your account up to date. If you’re not a Verizon subscriber, perhaps you should think twice about it. Original article.

Public Service - Las Vegas Sun
Breaking News Reporting - The New York Times Staff
Investigative Reporting - David Barstow of The New York Times
Explanatory Reporting - Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart of the Los Angeles Times
Local Reporting - Detroit Free Press Staff and Ryan Gabrielson and Paul Giblin of the East Valley Tribune, Mesa, AZ
National Reporting - St. Petersburg Times Staff
International Reporting - The New York Times Staff
Feature Writing - Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg Times
Commentary - Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post
Criticism - Holland Cotter of The New York Times
Editorial Writing - Mark Mahoney of The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY
Editorial Cartooning - Steve Breen of The San Diego Union-Tribune
Breaking News Photography - Patrick Farrell of The Miami Herald
Feature Photography - Damon Winter of The New York Times

LETTERS, DRAMA and MUSIC:

Fiction - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Random House)
Drama - Ruined by Lynn Nottage
History - The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed (W.W. Norton & Company)
Biography - American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham (Random House)
Poetry - The Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin (Copper Canyon Press)
General Nonfiction - Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by Douglas A. Blackmon (Doubleday)
Music - Double Sextet by Steve Reich, premiered March 26, 2008 in Richmond, VA (Boosey & Hawkes)

A shout out to Ryan Gabrielson for winning a Pulitzer Prize … he was the reporter who covered the Maricopa Community College District during the whole scandal and retribution period. He was a great reporter. Congrats to him for all of his hard work!

“The definition of “power” is subjective, of course. For the purposes of this list, I considered it to mean someone who is known by a large cross-section of the population, within or outside the lesbian community, is at or near the top of her chosen profession, or who is in some other way a well-known personality and long-time influencer. I aimed for inclusion rather than exclusion, but tried to pick those whose impact in their fields or in the world at large is widespread and lasting. I intend this to be a fun list, not to be taken too seriously, so let me know if I’ve missed anyone you deem worthy.

I’m including the names of partners, even if one person is not as well known, in order to acknowledge the contributions of both people to their households and to each others’ achievements. (I may have missed a few partners, however, if their names are not public, and blurred matters if one partner came along when the children were older. I was not able to find last names and professions for a few others. Someday I’ll be able to hire that research staff.)

Out only has 12 women on their list, two less than last year, so I’m hoping my suggestions may help them find a better balance. If I can come up with the names of over 50 powerful people who are not only lesbians but also moms (a few less if we omit less-known partners), surely Out can add some more lesbians to its Power 50. Out gave more weight to political clout in all its picks, whereas I looked at overall clout, political or professional. And yes, the balance of power still swings male in our society, so maybe it’s not Out’s fault. But still, I can’t believe the balance is so skewed.

I’ll also add that we must each define success for ourselves. It may mean choosing to stay home with one’s children, or to forgo career advancement for the sake of one’s family. For those who strive to achieve in both career and family, however, these moms are inspirational.

Of course, the thing about motherhood is that your kids always think you’re the most powerful mom(s) in the world, and it’s their opinions that really matter.

In alphabetic, not rank, order by last name of the generally more well-known partner:

• Susan Arnold, former vice chair and president of global business units at Proctor & Gamble, and Diana Salter (profession unknown)
• Amanda Bearse, actor and director
• Elizabeth Birch, LGBT-rights advocate and former head of HRC
• Lisa Brummel, senior vice president for human resources, Microsoft
• Beth Callaghan, co-founder of Our Chart; director of Web operations, for technology site All Things D, and former editor-in-chief of PlanetOut
• Greta Cammermeyer, Colonel, Washington National Guard (ret.) and LGBT-rights activist, and Diane Divelbess, artist
• Ilene Chaiken, creator and executive producer of The L Word
• Debra Chasnoff, Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
• Mary Cheney, public relations executive, political campaigner, and vice-presidential daughter, and Heather Poe, former U.S. Park Ranger
• Cat Cora, “Iron Chef,” and Jennifer Cora (profession unknown)
• Judy Dlugacz, founder and president of Olivia, and Rachel (last name and profession unknown)
• Karla Drenner, Georgia State Representative
• Amy Errett, partner, Maveron (a venture capital firm), former CEO of Olivia, former chief asset gathering officer, E*Trade, and Clare (last name and profession unknown)
• Melissa Etheridge, musician, and Tammy Lynn Etheridge née Michaels, actor
• Jodie Foster, actor, and Cydney Bernard, film producer (I’m adding their names with the caveat that it is debatable whether Foster’s thanking of “my beautiful Cydney” during a speech in 2008 was meant as a coming out, and whether the two split later that year per tabloid rumors. Their children bear both their names, however, which to me is indicative enough to warrant their inclusion here.)
• Jenny Fulle, executive vice president of production and executive producer of Sony Pictures Imageworks, and pioneer in opening up Little League to girls
• Sara Gilbert, actor, and Alison Adler, TV producer
• Judy Gold, stand-up comedian and two-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer of The Rosie O’Donnell Show
• Lisa Henderson, general manager, Olivia, and partner (name and profession unknown)
• Dr. Delores A. Jacobs, chief executive officer of The San Diego LGBT Community Center, and Dr. Heather Berberet
• Nina Jacobson, film producer, currently at DreamWorks SKG, and formerly president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group
• Cheryl Jacques, administrative judge for the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents, former head of HRC, and former Massachusetts State Senator, and Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council
• Jolie Justus, Missouri state senator
• Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Sandy Holmes (profession unknown)
• Honey Labrador, designer, television personality, and former model, and Nikki Flux, actor
• Annie Leibowitz, photographer
• Dr. Susan Love, president and medical director of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, and leader of the breast cancer advocacy movement, and Dr. Helen Cooksey, surgeon
• Del Martin (d. August 2008) and Phyllis Lyon, activists
• Mary Beth Maxwell, candidate for labor secretary and founding Executive Director of American Rights at Work
• Cynthia Nixon, actor, and Christine Marinoni, education activist
• Rosie O’Donnell, actor and television personality, and Kelli O’Donnell, founder of R Family Vacations and former Nickelodeon marketing executive
• Hilary Rosen political commentator and former head of the Recording Industry of America (RIAA)
• E. Denise Simmons, mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Mattie Hayes
• Kara Swisher, Wall Street Journal columnist, co-executive editor of technology site All Things D, and Megan Smith, vice president of new business development at Google
• Sheryl Swoopes, professional basketball player and three-time Olympic gold medalist, and Alisa Scott, former basketball player and coach
• Linda Villarosa, author, journalist, public speaker, former editor of the New York Times and former executive editor of Essence Magazine, and Jana Welch, marketing executive”

The sort of list that would be unlikely to show up on Amazon.com … stop erasing us … visibility is vital.

Former Sundance programmer Roberta Munroe

If you’re thinking about making a short film, RUN (don’t walk) to the nearest bookstore. The book is a bible for short filmmakers. Among the things Roberta covers: how to keep your story fresh, getting your story to the right length, finding and keeping a great producer, finding the money, getting the talent, getting into an A-tier festival and using your film to launch your career. It is simply excellent. There’s even a cliche list of things to avoid. It is painful to find something you wrote on the list but infinitely better than losing a shot at a festival because you didn’t know every lame short has that cliche in it. Get the book. Read the book.

There’s even a better option for short filmmakers. Roberta offers a one-on-one consulting service. She’ll review your script, let you know if it’s worth your time and effort to make and, if it is, offer notes and detailed advice on how to strengthen it for the A-tier film circuit. If you’re working on a feature, she can help you with that as well.

I sent her a short script I’d been loving for a couple of years and the guys were wanting to shoot. Before we committed the time to do it (because we have so many other projects going on), I wanted to get her thoughts on it. She was direct and thorough in her analysis of the characters and the story. She offered concrete suggestions (without rewriting it or making it her story) to bring it up a notch. She cut to the chase and now I’m more enthused than ever about doing it. More importantly, the film will be stronger because of her input.

So, if you’re a short filmmaker, read the book and consider having Roberta read your material. It may make the difference between a tepid response and a rapid rise in the festival circuit.

My blogging has been atrocious, of late, and I am quite disappointed in myself. I have a really good excuse this time (of course, I always think I have a really good excuse). This time it’s a really good one. I just got back from Los Angeles where I went to see Jordan Pack, a former animation student, win a student Emmy for an animated film he produced. The film was entitled KITES. The film is the story of a boy who comes to deal with his Grandfather’s death by doing something they always did together, flying kites.

Following his graduation from MCC, he was accepted in the Animation and Film program at Brigham Young University. He produced this film his senior year at BYU. He now works for Avalanche (Disney’s gaming arm) were he is a generalist (meaning he does all facets of the gaming production including design, texturing, modeling and such).

Jordan is a really terrific guy … talented, hard-working, creative, generous and kind. He even offered the director (Jed Henry, standing behind him) one-half of the prize money because of all his hard work. He’s just a really decent guy.

Anyway, the ceremony was on Saturday evening at Sony’s Culver City Studios. Fourteen awards were given out. The top three candidates in each category were in attendance. The winner was announced that evening (no one knew who would be the first prize winner). Jordan, James and Jed’s film KITES was the first place winner.

During his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked his wife, his crew and his teachers. He mentioned two professors from BYU (who were in attendance with me). He also thanked Mesa Community College professors Jim Garrison and Cyndi Greening. It was pretty cool to be called out in front of everyone.

Among the presenters were Chris O’Donnell who played Robin to George Clooney’s BATMAN, Masa Oki who plays Hiro from the television show HEROES, and Pauley Perrett who stars on NCIS. There were tons of other industry folks there. Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua (writer/producerrs of EL TIGRE: THE ADVENTURES OF MANNY RIVERA) were the presenters for the animated film category. During their speech, Jorge revealed that he had won the Student Emmy ten years earlier and it had completely changed his life.

Click on the image above to see the photos from the event.

Inspired by the Rachel Maddow show, the GOP is LOST and in Exile, with Arizona Senator Jon Kyle at the front of the pack since he thinks Obama is unwise to appear on the Leno show.

Next, they’ll be upset Michelle Obama is putting a garden in the Whitehouse because it’s not proper either.

On the DESERET NEWS website, there was an article about the upcoming episode … one of the commenters said it far more succinctly and eloquently than I can …

Respect??? | 8:12 a.m. March 13, 2009
So it’s okay for the LDS to butt into the issue of gay marriage in CA, misrepresent the issues to maximize the scare factor, then claim that they were just acting out of love for gay people and nobody should take any offense because they were only exercising their constitutional rights.

And it’s also okay for LDS to continue baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims posthumously because it’s part of the church’s core doctrines, and once again, it’s only done out of love so nobody should take any offense.

Now, let HBO exercise its constitutional right to air the LDS temple endowment, and go to great length and expense to ensure it’s accurately portrayed, and showing as much respect as possible while still staying true to the story line, and now the LDS are all about respect for others and the right to be left alone to practice their most sacred beliefs in private.

Whether the producers of Big Love are acting as part of a personal vendetta or not, you can’t say you didn’t ask for just what you’re getting.

A bit more than two years ago, I was “in a poetry phase.” I’d recently re-watched SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE and was enamored of the written word. I started messing around with sonnets … again … almost with the same enthusiasm as when I was in college. Soon, the rigor of the form dampened creativity and the sonnet lost its appeal. So I started playing with free verse and, for inspiration, I spent time re-reading my favorite poets. I stumbled back into Emily Dickinson. Her biography was well-known to me. Unmarried, probably agoraphobic, woman dies with only ten (10!) poems published. Following her death, over 1700 (that’s one thousand, seven hundred) poems are discovered in her home in bound books she called “fasicles.” One thousand, seven hundred.

I started writing a poem a day using Dickinson as my standard bearer. I loved her imagery, her cadence, her style.

Her breast is fit for pearls,
But I was not a “Diver”–
Her brow is fit for thrones
But I have not a crest.
Her heart is fit for home–
I–a Sparrow–built there
Sweet of twigs and twine
My perennial nest.

I started noticing the tenderness and longing and eroticism in her writing. So, how does a reputed agoraphobe have these sorts of thoughts? Did she have relationships in her adolescence of which I was unaware? So, I started reading more. More on her biography and more of her poetry.

WILD nights! Wild nights!
Were I with thee,
Wild nights should be
Our luxury!

Futile the winds
To a heart in port,—
Done with the compass,
Done with the chart.

Rowing in Eden!
Ah! the sea!
Might I but moor
To-night in thee!

Who the heck is she mooring in? Wild nights with whom? Whose breasts? Doesn’t sound much like a (male) editor that she’s pining for, does it? And then I find information on Susan Gilbert Dickinson, her sister-in-law. A woman she knew from school, a woman who married her brother, Austin, and lived next door to family home for Emily’s entire adult life. About half of Emily’s correspondence was to Susan and many poems were written TO her or ABOUT her (in spite of efforts by others to obliterate Susan from Emily’s writings.

Scholar Martha Nell Smith’s wonderful books OPEN ME CAREFULLY and ROWING IN EDEN offered a more complete, richer biography of Emily. Using the poetry and correspondence of both Emily and Susan, Professor Smith brought an entirely new understanding of Emily Dickinson and her work.

Tomorrow, more about the mistress of Austin Dickinson and the writings of Susan Dickinson. If you haven’t figured it out, I’m working on a screenplay about the Dickinsons.