The Butterfly Circus: A Short film by Joshua Weigel

A friend from work emailed me the link to this movie, and I can't think of a single reason why I shouldn't share it with every one of you. In fact, there are more than a few people facing their own challenges lately that I would like to send this out to.

So, here you go Ethan, Kelley, and Mom. Remember that your limitations begin where your goals end. Dare to dream. But be prepared to work hard to see those dreams to fruition. I should take my own advice.

Sis, you are about to undertake the great undertaking: Child rearing! Go the way you would into any other challenge that you have faced; with great strength, courage, and determination. Pass onto that child the love and goodness that our parents instilled in us.

I hope you all enjoy The Butterfly Circus as much as I did.

Kirk out.

(Two posts in one day! I'm back!)

Roman Polanski arrested in Switzerland

Roman Polanski, director of several critically acclaimed films including the Oscar worthy Chinatown and The Pianist, was arrested by Swiss police on Saturday while attempting to enter Switzerland to attend the Zürich Film Festival. The arrest was made in relation to Polanski's conviction in 1977 for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, and his subsequent flight from U.S. authorities to the U.K. during a 90 stay, which was given to would allow him to finish his (then) current project. The conviction was a result of a plea bargain that dismissed the original charges of rape (through use of drugs), sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, perversion, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor.

Many international film industry folks are calling for his release, suggesting that Polanski has paid for the sins of his youth with his self imposed exile. Some would like to see the charges completely dismissed. French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand said that Polanski was "thrown to the lions", and that, "In the same way that there is a generous America that we like, there is also a scary America that has just shown its face."

Here is a link to the AP article where I obtained most of the information in this post. Notice that the article opens with the statement that the US is attempting to have Polanski extradited "to face justice for having sex with a 13-year-old girl..." Having sex implies consent. That's a far cry from drugging and forcing intercourse and sodomy onto a teenage girl, in my humble opinion. It's interesting the wordplay that goes into twisting public opinion.

I personally think that the self imposed exile stuff is a bunch of horse shit. The guy was convicted of raping a little girl. That's typically frowned upon here in the US, except when it is done by an artist of note? I wonder why the hell he was even allowed to finish his "current project", which allowed him to travel abroad, and facilitated his easy flight from authorities in the first place. Do you think you would be able to finish out even a work week if you were convicted of such a heinous act? I think not.

So my question to you is: What's your take on it? What would you have authorities do? Should he go free or be made to pay for the crime that he was too afraid to face the first time around?

I look forward to your comments, for or against.

Kirk out.