After having a few days to really let my Avatar IMAX 3D really sink in, I've been thinking a lot about some of the characters and themes that the film portrays and discusses. On the whole, Avatar is really nothing new in a storytelling sense. Before the credits even began to roll, I found myself thinking of heavy parallels with both Dances with Wolves and John Boorman's The Emerald Forest. In terms of filmmaking and the technical aspects, I think more than enough has already been said that can be said.

One of the most interesting things to me about the film though remains the character Colonel Quaritch, which was portrayed superbly by Stephen Lang. For those of you that are American Civil War and/or film buffs, you'll remember that the height of Lang's film career thus far was easily his stunning portrayal of Confederate LTG Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson in Ronald F. Maxwell's flawed Gods and Generals. Although Gods and Generals was a huge dissapointment to me in several ways (not to mention a commercial dud), Lang brings the same intensity and believability to his character in Avatar.

In Avatar, Colonel Quaritch is clearly one of the film's central (and most important) antagonists. It is his character that leads the mercenary contingent protecting human economic interests on the moon of Pandora. He is a career soldier, ruthless and driven in his quest to protect human interests at the expense of all others. By the end of the film, Quaritch is killed by Neytiri and Jake Sully, and his character is ultimately seen to represent all that is shameful and wrong with the human race.

But I see Quaritch as something much different. Quite the contrary to the general belief of him as a ruthless soldier hell-bent on the destruction of the Na'vi, I instead see him as the real hero of the film. It is Colonel Quaritch that truly understands the importance of the concept of natural selection on a universal scale, and the necessity of human expansion for the sake of continued existence. Did he enjoy destroying 'Home Tree' and killing scores of Na'vi? Probably yes, but only out of a sense of absolute dedication to the cause of humanity and the continued survival of the human race.

I justify my thinking because of a strong belief I have grown to have in the importance of what I see as several key factors in the survival of the human race: Procreation, education, communication, creativity, protection and expansion. To me, the most sacred and important thing any human being can do is to procreate and raise educated, well-adjusted children that positively contribute to the further survival and expansion of the human race. The second most important thing that any human being can contribute is anything that directly or indirectly leads to more favorable chances of the ultimate survival of the human race.

Avatar does not make clear the question of if Colonel Quaritch has any children. On this point, I would assume that he has none and so by this measure alone his existence can best be described as a failure. But on the second point (contributing to the ultimate survival of the race), Quaritch is without question absolutely dedicated to and actively involved in human efforts contributing directly to the survival and expansion of our race. Yes, his methods are certainly cruel and mechanical. But to him, what is at stake is nothing less than the continued survival of humanity. And while the Na'vi/Pandora represent a significant ecological and cultural treasure, they must unfortunately be subjected to the laws of nature without any regard for emotional attachment. Is it a pretty position to take? Certainly not. But what is at stake is nothing less than our very existence in the universe!

If the Na'vi (or the entire moon of Pandora) must be consumed or destroyed so that humanity may survive, then so be it. And it is in this sense that Quaritch becomes the true hero of the film. With his death, Quaritch becomes a martyr for the just cause of humanity. An unfairly simplified and maligned character that in truth was probably the only human character in the film that understood that to survive (as a race) in a violent and unpredictable universe, humanity must constantly grow and ruthlessly expand if we are to have any chance at all at existing a thousand or more years from now. And while some say we would certainly lose our very humanity in the process, I would argue that human evolution and technological advances will hopefully compensate somewhat for what certainly is a grim, hard path towards the goal of ultimate survival.

Link: http://www.24hourcomicsday.com/

On October 2nd and 3rd last week, I participated for the first time in the 24 Hour Comics Day Challenge at ACME Comics in Longwood, FL. It turned out to be one of the most awesome things I've done for myself in recent memory, and I met a bunch of super-talented and cool-to-talk-to artists that live in the area. Several of those attending such as Ron Salas and Derrick Fish are published artists with face-melting talent. At first I was extremely intimidated (you have no idea...), but these guys were all class and not once did anyone make me feel like I was out of my league. To my honest disbelief, I actually received several compliments and statements of encouragement.

Just to back up a minute, for those actually reading this that have no idea what the '24 hour comics day challenge' is, let me elaborate. The challenge originally started several years ago like many things do: Small. Artist Scott McCloud challenged his friend and fellow artist Steve Bissette to create a 24-page finished comic book in 24 hours. Both of them tried to do it, and thus the challenge was born on a dare. Since that small beginning, the challenge mutated into an international event, with thousands of artists participating at hundreds of locations across the globe.

I went into the challenge knowing that I was ill-prepared and not exactly skilled enough yet for something of this intensity. But it's in my nature to fling full-force at a thing even if I'm not prepared, or know it will burn me out or kick my butt. To add more difficulty to my own situation though, Cate had a death in the family last week that left me very nearly dropping my plans for the event so that I could be there for her. I underestimated my wife though, and she insisted that this was something that was too important to pass up. In hindsight, I totally agree with her.

I arrived at the event at around 11:45pm on Friday night, just as the rest of the guys were getting all the tables set up and ready. After this, everyone got their materials ready and Marc at ACME gave us the short 'good luck' pep speech as we began. I ended up choosing to do a comic that is basically an autobiography, with a focus on how my friends, family and past relationships are shaping my thoughts and feelings as I prepare to become a dad. It was apparent to me before I started that this was tremendously over-ambitious from a drawing standpoint, but I figured it would at least be something easy for me to write since it is already in me.

Throughout the event, the staff at ACME (mostly Marc, because he was with us most of the 24 hours) were fantastic and extremely supportive. They even went as far as to setup an art table in the main area of the store so that we could rotate over there where customers could see our work as we did it. Too cool! We were also catered for breakfast, lunch and dinner by both the store and local businesses that are friends of the store, which was super awesome as well.

By the time the event had formally ended at midnight on Saturday, nearly all of us that had started the event had also finished it. In the end, I only actually completed three full pages. But I (hopefully) ended up making a few great new friends and found new energy in all the fantastic art that was being created around me.

This was definitely the spark I needed to revive my efforts at becoming a successful sequential artist, and I have no doubt now that I can make it happen.

Next stop, biweekly drawing sessions at ACME and live model sketching on the Sundays at Crealde...

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/21/remakes/

CNN.com posted a story today talking about what most of us film fans have been grumbling over for some time already: Movie remakes.

I consider myself a serious moviephile, but the bottom line is that if it's a good movie then I don't care if it's a remake or not. Of course I was upset when I heard about the Karate Kid remake, but I'm over it because in the end it should be enjoyed in it's own right and not compared directly to the original to declare success or failure.

And I'm not sure about others, but I am VERY excited about the prospect of another big-budget re-imagining of Frank Herbert's DUNE by director Peter Berg.

On another note, here is a great link to a site called Screen Rant for all you fellow film (& TV) lovers out there.

It seems as though the staff of NBC's 'Today' have made it loud and clear that they think having a baby outside of a hospital is irresponsible and dangerous; so says their so-called 'investigative reporting' on the subject in a recent segment. As anyone reading my blog may or may not know, my wife and I are about to have our first baby this November, and after much deep thought and research on the subject we decided that a drug-free birth in a local birth center is what we wanted.

So to our total disgust, NBC's Today Show did a segment on September 11th called 'The Perils of Home Births' (watch it here) in which they focused on a home birth couple that lost their baby. While it was truly sad and tragic what happened to this couple, the segment on the whole was unbalanced, biased and downright yellow in it's portrayal of home birthing in particular and midwifery in general.

The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) issued the following response a few days later:

September 14, 2009

Dear Producers of The Today Show,

A real opportunity to educate women about safe and high-quality maternity care in the United States has been lost. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is extremely disappointed with the imbalanced reporting done by The Today Show’s September 11 segment “The Perils of Midwifery.”

The segment (later renamed “The Perils of Home Births” online) highlighted a single tragic story of a family’s loss of their baby during childbirth at home with a midwife. Our hearts go out to the McKenzie family. We hope that they are receiving the support they need in this extremely difficult time.

It would be inappropriate for ACNM to comment on the specifics of this situation. What we can say is that adverse outcomes can happen in any birth setting. Sometimes they are preventable, and sometimes they are not. Health care providers in every setting—home, birth center, or hospital—know the tragedy of loss.

In telling this story, The Today Show failed to do the research needed to provide insight on either homebirth or midwifery, relying instead on a series of sweeping, misinformed statements. Women choosing midwifery care were described as simply following a fashionable “trend” made popular by celebrities, rather than as women making thoughtful, well-considered decisions. Childbirth “without drugs or doctors” was labeled “extreme birth,” decades of published research on perinatal outcomes were ignored, and the midwifery profession overall was badly misrepresented.

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are well-educated, licensed, and certified health professionals who are experts in normal birth and women’s health. They provide comprehensive care during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. They practice as independent providers within a health care system that provides for consultation, collaborative management, or referral as needed, with physicians and other health professionals. Their skillful, attentive care maximizes the likelihood of a healthy baby, a healthy mother, and a satisfying birth experience. In 2006, CNMs and CMs attended more than 317,000 births in the United States—nearly 11% of all vaginal births—in hospitals, birth centers, and at home. Overall, midwife-attended births have increased by about 33% in the past ten years.

This rising popularity of midwife-attended births has been supported by a growing body of research demonstrating that the best outcomes for low-risk women occur with midwifery-led care, continuous support, and low-technology strategies during labor. Unfortunately, women in US hospitals are not routinely provided with these options. Most Americans would be surprised to learn that, in spite of a vast array of technologies and medical interventions, the US has nearly the worst maternal and perinatal death rates in the developed world. This fact is a major reason why women are seeking alternatives in childbirth.

A review of the published research on childbirth reveals that midwives are leading providers of maternity care in most developed countries, and that midwifery care is an excellent option in the US. Here are just a few research–based publications from the past year alone:
Evidence-based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve cites several systematic reviews showing improved outcomes associated with midwifery-led care.

A recent Cochrane Review concluded that midwifery-led care is the best option for women with low-risk pregnancies.

An April 2009 British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology study concluded that planned homebirth is as safe as a planned hospital birth for women with low-risk pregnancies.

Authors of two recently published studies from two different Canadian provinces (September 2009 Canadian Medical Association Journal and September 2009 BIRTH) concluded that women who planned homebirths attended by a registered midwife had outcomes that were at least as good as women who planned hospital births.

Lastly, also missing from this story was the voice of ACNM, the professional association representing most midwives in the United States, as well as the voices of those who have dedicated their lives to improving the health and well-being of women and infants by promoting evidence-based maternity care. If we had been consulted, The Today Show would have been in a better position to deliver useful information to women and families about their childbirth choices.

ACNM urges The Today Show to produce a different story—a well-balanced account of midwifery and what current research tells us about the risks and benefits of childbirth in homes, birth centers, and hospitals. We welcome the opportunity to participate in such a story. In the meantime, we urge families to focus on educating themselves to make the healthiest and safest decisions for themselves and their babies. The research clearly shows that a midwife is an excellent choice.

Sincerely,
American College of Nurse-Midwives

I was so upset with the Today Show's segment that I felt I too needed to send them my thoughts on the subject:

Good morning,

I am writing this today because I am extremely disappointed by the very apparent lack of research that went into your September 11th segment on the ‘perils of midwifery’. This segment was clearly biased towards hospital birth care and failed to provide any data or perspective from the side of midwifery/homebirth other than to imply (quite offensively) that couples choosing natural birth are ‘extreme’ or are following ‘fashionable trends’. And while my heart goes out to the couple featured in the segment, I believe this was an extreme example to use, and it was obvious that their story was clearly abused in order to create an emotional, sensationalized segment that I find offensively irresponsible for a major news media outlet such as yours to broadcast.

My wife and I chose to have our baby in a local birth center after much research and investigation. After all the information was gathered, we felt it was a safe and wise alternative to a drug-induced and surgery prone hospital birth. We were not driven by trend, but by careful informed self-education on the subject, and I again find it highly offensive to imply that our informed choice to not have my wife and our baby exposed to unnecessary drugs or surgery during birth is a reckless, trendy, and dangerous choice.

I expect the Today show will show better due diligence in future stories (at the least), and I think that your show owes a huge apology to hard-working and educated midwives throughout the world that routinely assist parents who make a choice not to birth in a ‘traditional’ hospital setting. We are preparing for our baby’s birth in November, and I look forward to sharing what we anticipate to be an amazing birth center experience with you.

Yours,

Jonathan R Walters
Orlando, FL

To prospective mothers and fathers about to have a baby or thinking about having a baby soon, just remember- YOU HAVE A CHOICE! I'm not going to say that home birth or the use of a birth center is for everyone, but you owe it to both you and your child to at least become informed on the differences between hospitals and home or birth center birthing.

Don't let so-called 'journalists' like those working for the Today show form your opinion for you. Take the time out to do the research and learn the facts. Your child is too important to not do so.

For those interested, the following are some excellent online resources for those interested in midwifery, home birthing and natural birth:

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/
http://betterbirth.blogspot.com/
http://www.hypnobirthing.com/
http://www.mybestbirth.com/
http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/

He had is share of problems, but now don't we all...

I'll always remember him for personal favorites of mine like Road House, Red Dawn, and (of course) Point Break.

Thanks for the memories, Patrick... Vaya con Dios.

Representative Kosmas,

I was extremely disappointed to hear the audio recording of your recent telephone town hall meeting in which you repeatedly stated your opposition to the public insurance option in healthcare reform. I have written to you previously about this and have been disappointed a second time by a lack of response at all.

If you truly value both the concept of true healthcare reform and the stated will of over 70% of Americans, then I strongly urge you to support the President's plan for the inclusion of a competitive public insurance option that will provide access for those needing or wanting alternatives to those provided by the insurance industry.

I supported and voted for you during the last election cycle hoping that you would listen to the will of the people on issues and not act on personal opinion alone. Please show me that my vote was cast wisely for you, and that you have the will to follow through with support for an absolutely vital piece of the healthcare reform package.

Link: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/autos/0908/gallery.cash_for_clunker_trade_in/5.html

I volunteered for President Obama at the phone banks. I got my transparency, but I don't particularly like what I see.

This quote comes from an article on CNN Money talking about the Cash for Clunkers program. The person quoted, Michael Molino of Staten Island, NY, was apparently a little peeved that he missed the cutoff for inclusion into the program by ONE MPG.

Link: http://www.paris-air-show.com

This year's Paris Airshow at Le Bourget seems to be pretty interesting so far, mainly because of two big pieces of news.

The first is that the European 'budget' carrier Wizz Air has made an agreement to purchase 50 more A-320s from Airbus, which is a major deal that will mean around $3 billion in sales for the company at a time when it is needed most (read below).

The other significant piece of news was the notable lack of both the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus Military A400M. As many know, both aircraft are centerpiece projects for their respective companies that are both experiencing severe cost overruns and technical delays. The A400M program in particular found itself in jeopardy when it was announced that the payload capacity was found to be below what was initially specified, which instantly caused the German government to question the viability of the program and it's participation in it.

The A400M problems come close on the heels of Airbus' issues with A380 development, which eventually led to orders being retracted for all A-380F cargo models that were to be produced. Not a good trend for the European aerospace giant!