I created a new thread under the Discussions section because I found a non-game related KickStarter project that I thought people here might be interested in: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/220588101/an-honest-liar-the-amazing-randi-story I actually first encountered The Amazing Randy when he was giving a talk and demonstration at a Worldcon Science Fiction convention. He demonstrated all sorts of tricks that psychics and other paranormalists use in their repertoir (everything from mind reading, clairvoyance, spoon-bending, etcl) It was both fun and interesting. He's a former magician turned skeptic who's become famous for debunking all sorts of scams, myths, dangerous products, and so on. He's a fighter against homeopathic remedies, mediums, psychics, con artists, and so on. And he's set up a 1 million dollar award for anyone who can prove, under controlled conditions, that "there exists paranormal, supernatural, or occult powers or events". Anyway, he's one of the most well-known icons of the skeptic movement today, and a personal hero of mine. So I'd love to see this movie get made. If you agree with me, maybe you'll want to donate.
Just an update -- with 16 days left, the Amazing Randy movie has nearly met its goal. This is the only non-game related kickstarter that I've supported, and it's one that I really want to see succeed. As someone who regularly sees normal people get taken in by alt med quacks and the like, who lives surrounded by superstitious neighbors, who has seen alt med quackery infiltrate hospitals and other medical establishments in my area, a film like this I feel is very important.
The reason I will not support this one is not merely financial. I also have a problem with him merging problems that I think should be resolved immediately with those that are not fit even to discuss here. He defeats the one thing I would gladly support by expecting me to support a "Lifestyle" that is not my business, combined with his support of illegal activities. (Lets leave it at that. His partner is his choice. But if I say my name is Haldurson and swear to it in a court of law, I *DESERVE* to have the book thrown at me.)
What are you talking about -- they are different issues. The movie is about Randi, it's not for Randi. He happens to be cooperating with its making. He's not part of the kickstarter. It's about his life, not the issues, so it's going to include things that you may not be happy about, but he's happy enough to discuss it on camera. His lifestyle is now a part of the public record. The issue that I think you are talking about concerns, not him, but his boyfriend, who he admits lied about his identity in order to escape from a bad political situation. Randi is not on trial, and I didn't think that his sexual orientation was relevant to whether or not I think he's doing good in the world. Even If his boyfriend happened to a murderer (which he's not, so far as I know), it still wouldn't be relevant, since it's not Randi who's being charged with murder. In any case, you can freely oppose the making of the movie, for whatever reason you may have. I just don't happen to agree with the logic behind it. I personally don't know all the details of the legal case, but it concerns his boyfriend, not him, and if anything, it makes the movie much more interesting, imho, regardless of what you believe should happen to the boyfriend.
Wow. Everyone thinks I am homo bashing? Read my post again. I said his lifestyle is his business. Not mine. That is where the mention of that ended in my post. But he is actively supporting a person who used an assumed name for legal documents. Any support I offer to him, regardless of how noble his goal may be is going to invariably support that fraud. Think I am a monster if you want, but do not delude yourself that this is about his lifestyle choices. I really do not care either way what he likes or dislikes in that regard. That is not my business. Not to be a jerk, but did everyone understand me that time?
We didn't say you were being homophobic, we said your post could easily be interpreted as that, especially as "his lifestyle" is often used as a euphemism for "being gay", i.e. if you say you don't want to support "his lifestyle" it can easily be interpreted as you don't want to support him due to his sexual orientation.
Here. a quote from the kickstarter itself. "Recently, Jose was arrested when it was discovered that “Jose Alvarez” is not, in fact, his real name. Now the couple is at risk of being separated after 26 years together as “Jose” faces possible deportation to Venezuela, his country of birth.This story is still unfolding in front of our cameras." So according to the kickstarter, we should be supporting this fraud for the supposed purpose of exposing all frauds? How does that make any sense?
Well, that was not quite what I meant. I leave it to him to decide what is best for him. The quote above should help to clarify why I cannot in good faith support this kickstarter. *Edit* To further clarify, I used quotes around lifestyle, because I remember the last argument we all had on this very forum about such things. They are against the rules to discuss. I just wanted to be explicit and avoid what invariably exploded in my face... Sorry everyone.
I just want to say one more thing on the subject -- had his boyfriend been a girlfriend instead, they would have been married, and this would never have been an issue -- he would NOT have had to lie about his name to avoid deportation to a country where gay people are persecuted. So I think this is a little bit more than black and white. Second, OF COURSE he's supporting his live-in boyfriend -- they've been a couple for YEARS. It would be as if your mom, after being married for 15 years (or whatever it was) was arrested to be deported overseas. Would you abandon her just because she did something illegal by staying in the country? Did he do something illegal, of course he did. But I disagree that RAndi is doing anything wrong by supporting the person he's lived with, essentially as a spouse, for so long. So before you make a judgment, at least see that this is a lot more complex than it seems on the surface. And consequently, I'd like to see what Randi has to say about it and how the documentary treats it. I think it would be fascinating. You don't have to agree with what he did in order to feel that this documentary ought to be made. If it wasn't so complex, it simply wouldn't be so interesting.
I cannot remark on anything you said without another senseless derail. So I will just say that I am aware of the facts. Back to the real subject, besides the kickstarter that seems to be set in stone, how else can one oppose idiocy and deceit?
Omni has an amazing ability to say exactly what he means and have everyone else read into it what they expect to hear. After a few incidents on other boards, I've learned that you have to really look carefully at the literal meaning of every word Omni uses and not assume any bias. Fortunately for me, my wife is exactly the same way, so it's reflexive, but I can totally see where y'all got that from. I for one saw "problems that should be solved immediately" and "not fit to discuss here" and got immediately that it was a LGBT thing, but "should be solved immediately" and "none of my business" come off way more as 'libertarian' than 'phobic.'
I did not interpret Omni as objecting to anything other than the fact that this guy committed a criminal act by hiding his identity and staying in the country illegally. I was just trying to point out that the issue is more complicated than that, and that I think it would be fascinating and educational, to see the story play out on camera. We can't say for sure how it's all going to play out. Either his boyfriend will be deported or not. You don't have to believe it should come out one way or the other in order to be interested in viewing the outcome. Randi is supporting the kickstarter, he's the subject of the kickstarter, but he's NOT the kickstarter. The people supporting the film are NOT giving the money to James Randi. it's the Film makers who are getting the money. I'll give you another thought experiment. Let's say that you regularly give money to some charitable organization that you know does good work. Then you find out that the wife of the head of that organization is an illegal alien living under an assumed name, their marriage is not legal, and the woman is being deported. Do you stop supporting that charity? Should it make you feel any less about that charity? For me, the answer is no.
Then I don't see how me and Daynab can be at fault for assuming the worst may have been intended, considering how some discussions on this board have gone down. The thing is me and Daynab are experienced enough here to know that it wasn't the case, but the interpretation still needed to be pointed out due to this site constantly getting new members and visitors.
Daynab was honest about what he saw of my post. I was not banned for a possibly bad move, and was given time to react and explain myself. Same for Althea. Reactions sounded offended, so I tried to mend some fences by being my usual rude self. If you read what Essence said and think about it, he is basically saying I have an idea, but jump the gun and state it how I see it, and my choice of words often could be better to convey what I intend. I do not know what the money will be spent on for the kickstarter. But I would not be one bit surprised to learn that a big chunk went to expenses for protests and such for the "Illegally documented" person. That is just what I do not want to support. I have no concern that this man who admits to being a liar, and who committed what could be argued to be damaging criminal activities by running a scam and then saying it was just to show people how stupid they are... Is in trouble for doing this. He is a con artist by his own admission! Sorry, but I have little or no respect for the message if it is delivered at my expense along with a "Ha! You are stupid! I suckered you for years!" sign. At this point the only thing honest about this whole thing is that deception is central to it. That is absolutely undebatable in my opinion. These guys can go by any assumed names they want in real life. But in legal matters, I would *BE* in prison if I lied about who I am. There would be no chance for not being deported if they thought I was from another nation. They would find who I am and send me back postage due. For example, how many violent offenders are illegally in this nation under a false name? I have no idea, but I am sure there are thousands or even tens of thousands. That is just *ONE* reason why you absolutely must declare your proper identity when you enter another nation. And that is why it is a serious crime to perjure yourself as another identity when crossing into another nation. Do I think the guy in question is a violent offender? No. I really doubt he is. But that is not the point. If I ask him his name, he is free to tell me anything from Mary Poppins to adolf hitler. (Intentionally uncapitalized.) But when crossing the border, you are required to swear that you are who you claim to be. And to make people fear getting caught if they lie, there are even penalties for breaking this simple law. (Gasp!) As I have already said, I like the idea of exposing the deception that is commonplace and makes victims of innocent people. That part of the kickstarter goal I like. But bundled with the rest I am left feeling I cannot in good conscious support it. This is just me, a random crazy person who is certainly not known as OmniaNigrum in real life. My opinion does not really matter. Support the kickstarter if you feel right doing so.
Or, to sum it up, various people have various ways of saying/writing the same thing. Omni thinks of something and as soon as he arrives to a conclusion, he starts talking about it quickly and a lot, choosing words not for how they can be interpreted but for how they lend themselves to the "speed" of this rapid-fire talk, which sometimes makes him appear as being some sort of a rebel even though he is not (not as radical as his words, when interpreted by many people, would make them think he is). I think carefully before writing anything, and often find myself correcting everything before going back, but sometimes tend to be seen as pretentious due to not using simple words, which I sometimes don't use simply because it was natural for me to choose other words. Other people have other styles, and every style has its own pros and cons. And each style can be misunderstood, sometimes. Though there likely was no point in me saying that, but I like talking so "whatever". Anyway, in this case I'll just say that I won't support it because I'm not one for movies, but I like the idea in general. Even if I don't necessarily agree with everything about this movie (but which elements I do not agree with will be left at my discretion).
OK, this is Indiegogo, not Kickstarter, but same difference: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free-the-press-buy-the-tribune-company They've raised $133,000 of the $660,000,000 goal (yes, that 660 MILLION dollars -- where's Doctor Evil when you need him?). It seems to me to be a totally absurd goal. That said, I admire their ambition, so I thought it would be worth spreading it around. BTW, I'm on the East coast, not the west, so it's not like I read the L.A. Times (I did occasionally, when I was in school in Pasadena, and I didn't think it was a very good paper, at least by NY Times standards. That said, we still don't need Rupert Murdoch or anyone like him controlling any more of the media.
Wow. What asylum did that idea come from? If they had 660 million the big names would just raise the price. And what could be worse than all major news services owned by one group? This seems poorly thought out at best.
Although at current most of the major news services are either owned or sponsored by a unified group of like-minded businesses. I still think that replacing one problem with another one waiting to happen is a mistake. I remember when Bell telephone was one massive company. But the federal government decided via the justice department to order them to break up. Now AT&T is in much the same position of universal power that Bell telephone was in at the time. I could list dozens of massive companies and why it is bad for them to be so massive, but the point is that over time this will happen again. If it is all bought by a group with different and very rigid political opinions opposed to the current owners/sponsors then the subscribers will cease to exist. I am not a finance or media expert. But I do not think this Kickstarter can achieve anything better than a very temporary stalemate. There are other papers waiting to hire the suddenly desperate writers who refuse to work for a company that does not follow their affiliations. Sure, you can rehire workers who share the affiliations of the owners and/or sponsors. But can that work over any real length of time? At best I have major doubts about this. At worst it is a money grab and an attempt to destabilize the current major media outlets.
