Wes Anderson Research

Possible research paper topics re: Wes Anderson's cahier du cinema-- 1.) Absent or distant fathers 2.) Pets and accidental death 3.) The play's the thing 4.) Juvenile tobacco use 5.) The use of red 6.) Odd headwear 7.) Religious symbolism in Moonrise Kingdom

Why Do You Seek the Grail? (repost fom Brian Kannard)

"You see, he was going for the Holy Grail. The boys all took a flier at the Holy Grail now and then. It was a several years' cruise. They always put in the long absence snooping around, in the most conscientious way, though none of them had any idea where the Holy Grail really was, and I don't think any of them actually expected to find it, or would have known what to do with it if he had run across it." Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court My long time friend, Charlie Millson has always been supportive of the work here at Grail Seekers. He’s one of those friends that much of the topics I cover in the blog interests him, but has not plumbed the depths of the underground stream very much. Charlie was a history teacher for a number of years, so he is naturally attracted to the crypto-history Grail studies brings up. As such, Charlie asks questions and brings a point of view that is much different than those I have regular correspondence with. I received an email this week with the following in it, “Taking the Shakespearean meaning of ‘wherefore’ as ‘why’, I didn’t see any link or commentary on why people seek the grail. Why do you? A standing editorial, perhaps, might be a good starting point.” You’re exactly right Chuckles. Often I get caught up in the hunt and forget the “why” portion of the equation. I think that it is much easier to take action than it is to take stock of one’s motivations. My trip to New York for the Bloodline press conference is a prime example. Taking the steps to make that trip happen was difficult, but a much simpler task than asking myself what possessed me to do so. Percival had the same issue that I am now realizing I have. For him, the action of the quest was the simple part. Answering the question of, “Whom does the Grail serve?” was his stumbling block. I decided to look within myself to answer Charlie’s original question, “Why do you?” The answer I came up with wasn’t earth shattering or particularly insightful, although it turned out to be instructive to me. I seek the Grail because it is the ultimate end point. I realized that I have turned the Grail into an Ayn Rand knot of selfishness. No matter what your vision of the Grail is, by finding it all of one’s questions would have to be answered. It’s not the world changing power that the Grail might hold I wish to hold. The usefulness of such things is better left up to others I think. But my desire to simply have the questions answered on the myriad of topics that hit on the Grail, is why I seek. Now this doesn’t help in making me the sort of pure of heart character that is worthy enough to answer, “Whom does the Grail serve?” As my wife Laura can tell you, I’m much too cranky and temperamental to fit any type of Joseph Campbell heroic mold. However, I do have an answer to the original question. That’s a start. This also got me thinking about some of the correspondence I’ve gotten in the two years I’ve been writing the blog. From time to time I receive e-mails from readers that allude to why they are searching for the Grail. After writing the Nanteos Cup article, I got an e-mail from a woman that wanted to know if I had contact information for the Mirylees family. She had a sick family member and wanted to be able to use the Nanteos Cup for its legendary healing purpose. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve received e-mails from folks that believe they are the end point of the Bloodline, those who know where the Ark of the Covenant is at, and have seen evidence of the Grail floating in the sky. So why do you seek the Grail? If you're willing to share your thoughts with the rest of the group, e-mail me your answers. It might help others out there to see some of the "whys"out there to answer their own questions.

Pet Sitting

You’ve found that perfect vacation; you’ve booked the tickets, and you’ve given the hotel your credit card. Now, what to do with your pet? Most casual pet owners opt for the easy way out and simply board their pets with a convenient vet and pay from $15 to $30 a night for the kennel. This practice is not without its risks, however. Kennel cough is the least of your worries. Most animals’ lives revolve around routine and familiar places and events. The kennel or vet’s office can cause confusion for your dog or cat as their daily routine is disturbed by the schedule of the boarding facility. Your animal may return home disoriented or ‘not himself’. There might be a better way to take care of your pet while you enjoy your vacation. The answer? Pet sitting. For about the same money you’d pay to board an animal, a pet sitter can stay at your home while you’re away, watching both your house and your pets. Most sitters love animals and this love is evident when they come in contact with any animal. Here is a list of things to consider when you go ‘shopping’ for someone to stay with your animals: 1.) Does this person have a client list? Can you contact another client? This information will go far in determining whether or not you feel comfortable having this person in your home and taking care of your special animal. 2.) How often will the person be at your home? Some pet sitters will agree to not actually stay at your house, but come by often enough to make sure your pet gets plenty of food, water, and potty breaks. Plus, the sitter can get the mail and change the lighting in the house to make it appear that someone is home. 3.) Bring the prospective sitter to your house to meet your animal. How does the animal react to the sitter? The old adage is true: You can trust the reactions of animals and children! 4.) Is the sitter licensed/bonded? This will help to insure that you’ve found someone who takes the job seriously. 5.) Ask the sitter why he or she does the job? The answer may help you decide if you feel you can trust this person. 6.) The best way to find a sitter is word of mouth; ask your other pet-owning friends if they know of someone they can recommend. These tips can help you begin your search to find someone who can take care of those precious animal friends while you are on your trip. The perfect trip can be spoiled if you’re worried about your pet in the kennel. A pet sitter can not only take good care of your pet, but you can also enjoy your vacation knowing that your loved one is in good hands

The 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision that categorized gun ownership as an individual right actually hurts our liberties. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution at the behest of states that feared, as many of us do today, the increasing power of a federal government over the power of state governments. Despite what some gun owners and gun groups say, the Second Amendment pertains to power, not rights. It is not about the right to keep/own guns. Individual rights that the states' rights supporters of the late 18th century feared were endangered by a strong federal system were addressed in the First Amendment: speech, assembly, press and religion. If the Constitution were to address the issue of gun ownership as an individual right on this level, it would have placed that protection there, in the First Amendment. In the power struggle over ratification of the Constitution, the Second Amendment is about the states' right to regulate -- allow, with safeguards -- gun ownership. The states feared that the new federal government could come in with force and compel them to follow federal laws that could harm individual freedoms. One way to ensure this does not occur is to ensure that, "A well regulated Militia" be maintained -- not by the federal government but by the states, a militia that is obviously "necessary to the security of a free State." That last word, "State," does not mean the nation. The primary allegiance of many Americans of the day was to their state governments. In this context, therefore, "a free State" meant Georgia, or South Carolina, or New York. It did not mean the United States. The fear, therefore, was that the power to control that entity -- the militia -- that was "necessary to the security" of the state would be taken from the states and given to this new, more powerful federal government. They saw the Second Amendment as being key to keeping this right on the state level -- where government had the greatest impact on their lives and needs. In its recent ruling declaring the Second Amendment to be under the aegis of individual rights, the Supreme Court struck a blow against states' rights. The court took the regulation of militias -- and, thereby, guns -- away from the states and placed it with the federal government. In essence, the Supreme Court did exactly what the states' rights proponents over 200 years ago feared in the new Constitution; they subjugated the power of the state government.

Final Frontier Fears

For many of the 1960s children, space fascinated, attracted, and, at times, consumed us. Not this little Ameronaut. The beautiful pictures of our solar system sisters in the books, filmstrips, and on TV held no sway over my innocent heart. No, they filled me with another emotion: Fear. The images I saw showed not exciting and alluring worlds to explore; they showed empty, airless space surrounding these planets. All that stark emptiness left and still leaves me practically gasping for air. There is no attraction seen, only suffocation. Ironic, isn't it? In the vastness of all of space, I find the universe getting too small to even fill my lungs.

Mixed Messages and the Troops

The astonishing numbers of American soldiers returning from the Bush/Obama Wars with severe emotional issues say to me that there is a harsh disconnect going on. At home, we gung-hoingly (if Sarah P. can do it...) supported the rush to war. Now, a decade on, we don't care as the national attention span rivals that of a crack addict. We don't know or care that death happens there; it has nothing to do with us going to Wally World and buying more shite. Yet, we send our sons and daughters there to witness death, cause it, participate in it, and expect them to return to the apathy of a nation that willfully ignores the wars and resents its (rare) intrusion on our consumption. One can see that such a dissonance--the chaos there and the blasé here--would cause the stripping of emotional gears even in the stoutest among us. We must bring them home, now.

Voter ID Solution

The answer we came up with in our town to get around the asinine law requiring photo ID to vote was a simple one. The poll workers simply ignored the law and let our friends and neighbors vote as they always have. Now, this may not work in the cities, but it sure did in our small town. And we all felt a gret deeal of patriotic pride that we helped keep the right to vote for our town. So, to all those who try to disenfranchise some Americans, we say, "Nyaaaah!"

rcp?

Yes.

Renaissance because my fecund and furry little mind has its hand in and around a jillion ideas and projects that range far and wee.

Couch potato because an object at rest tends to stay at rest.

This will be the forum from which I shall launch my mental barque upon the world.*

*My barque being worse than my byte.