Lancer Kind

Lancer in his office doing a pre-reading workout.

I’d like to report that the same number of people who entered the RASP event at the Bella Bottega Tullys had indeed left under their own power.  There was no external trama, however I cannot speak to whether there was internal damage.  But hey, at that point, the burden of proof is on them.

Anu Garg, founder of WordSmith.org was the featured artist.  He gave a great talk about words and their private lives.  I picked up a copy of The Dord, the Dilgot, and an Avocado or two.  I got it signed and then left it un-attended for only a minute and my mother was engrossed in reading it.

I took it away from her so she would be attentive to me reading The Dukes’ New Hazard.  (Sorry mom, but you know I was never bucking for the “good son” award.)  She got over it when exposed to the really “weird” I was reading.  Hopefully this girl meets boy story, (where Daisy Duke is the girl, and a merman is the boy) set in a dystopic Hazard county (you didn’t know Hazard bordered the Pacific, did you), didn’t warp too any minds. But hey, who else would be crazy enough other than the Duke boys to go after someone kidnapped by Mermen while there was a war brewing.  (The Merman were upset with us over fishing the oceans.)

Yes, no one seemed to be injured, which is a good thing.  I’d hate to be the one responsible for a new insurance industry around policies for insuring fiction against liability.

Show up at the Redmond Tully’s (near Bella Botaga) at 7:00 PM to learn how Daisy Duke’s marine activism lands her in trouble in a dystopic story of the future.  I’ll read this as part of RASP’s open mic.

The other day I was traveling from Seattle to Canada and it was drama, it was action, it was like Firefly: I discovered my alternator was going bad, I didn’t have cell coverage to call for a tow unless I crossed back into the US, I had to make it through an alliance checkpoint (well the US in this case). I nearly made it.

The US border patrol flashed the green light for me to pull up to their booth and as I rolled forward the alternator completely ceased working. The good news is that the inspectors helped me push it into the US where I called up a tow. (The US border patrol at the Peace Arch were very professional and nice. The Canadian border patrol is very professional however cranky as hell this year.)

The tow truck driver was from a small town called Sumas, population 900. He gave me and my truck a lift back to the Seattle area. The drive was over two hour. He talked about how he thought living in the city would be hard because you have to lock everything down or someone takes it: your car, your kids, your front door. He said he didn’t have home insurance because he wasn’t worried about anyone stealing his things. He also told me he only had recovery truck insurance in case of an accident and not because he was worried about theft. I agreed with him. I grew up on a farm, population 4. My parents never did have keys to the house. The only times I used the locks was to lock my brother or the babysitter out. (Entertaining both times.)

The tow truck driver said he couldn’t imagine living somewhere where he didn’t know his neighbor or everyone in town.

True, I said, but in a city, your social circles are different. In a city, rather than wasting time getting to know a neighbor with whom the only thing you have in common is geo coordinates, you can socialize with those who have interests common with your own.

For example, this Friday, I went to a Battlestar Galactica party (BSG). Though I don’t live near any of them, we had a great time watching the show and then hanging out because our love of BSG brought us motherfrakkers together.

This motherfrakker is serving a 13th colony vintage.

So though the country mouse knows his neighbor, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter or he’ll get lonely. The city rat can choose to know his neighbor or not, and even if he’s a motherfrakker, in the city, you’re just another motherfrakker among many. So go out and visit Meetup.com and find your own.

I’ve got this essay about the conflict between the military that runs the Galactica and the President who presumes to represent the civilians.  I’d love to just post it below but if I do that where just anyone on the Internet can see it, then I’ll have troubling selling it to a magazine.

But I can post it in such a way that subscribers can read it.  This gives the editors comfort that only people who care about what I think would read it, and that can’t possibly be a large enough number for them to worry about the “freshness” of the article.  So the below article will ask you to register to continue reading.  I know it’s a pain, but think of the act of registering as a commitment to pretending that you care what I think.  Don’t take registering as a commitment to actually caring–maybe you love the TV series and want to make sure I didn’t screw it up.  That’s OK too.  A list of subscribers who pretend to care will make me feel loved.

Democracy through Battlestar Galactica
by Lancer Kind

Battlestar Galactica 1978

The new Battlestar Galactica signaled from episode one how different it would be from the 1978 original series.  Its daring peaked in a scene with the sexy, tall Cylon named Six standing next to a human mother.  The mother allows Six to hold the baby.  Six cradles it in her arms and coos to it, making noises of admiration.  Then she puts her hand beneath its head and snaps its neck.  Soon after that, the Cylons nuke the cities on Caprica.  Contrast this scene with the opener of the original series where the largest emotional impact was seeing people dodge laser blasts and a boy’s dagget (dog) being killed off camera.  Times have changed.

New Battlestar Galactica

The new Battlestar Galactica (referred to as Galactica from here on) didn’t stop there. [HIDEPOST]THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RE-IMAGINED ITS TIRED ORIGINS OF SAVING HUMANITY FROM SPACE ROBOTS INTO A PLATFORM OF THEMES THAT WE SEE IN THE NEWSPAPERS TODAY: TORTURE/RAPE, WAR ATROCITIES, ABORTION, THE MORALITY OF SUICIDE BOMBING, AND MANY MORE.  IT’S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A SCIENCE FICTION SHOW TO TOUCH UPON ONE OF THESE THEMES EVERY TEN OR SO EPISODES, BUT THIS BATTLESTAR JUMPS INTO THE MIDDLE AND SHOWCASES THEM ON CENTER STAGE.

THE PRODUCERS MADE DECISIONS TO GIVE THE FICTION A CONTEMPORARY FEEL.  THEY REPLACED THE BLASTERS AND LASERS FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES WITH THE WEAPONS THAT WE SEE DEPLOYED AROUND THE WORLD TODAY.  THE AUDIENCE SEES MUSHROOM CLOUDS OVER CAPRICA, BULLETS TEARING INTO A VIPER, OR MISSILES SPEEDING AT SHIPS.  THE VIEWERS GET THE FEELING THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE SCREEN ISN’T FAR FROM REALITY.

IN EPISODE 307, “A MEASURE OF SALVATION”, GALACTICA DISCOVERS A CYLON BATTLE GROUP DRIFTING IN SPACE.  GALACTICA SENDS A BOARDING PARTY AND THEY DISCOVER THAT THESE CYLONS ARE DYING FROM AN EPIDEMIC.  THEY RETURN TO GALACTICA WITH THE SURVIVORS WHO ARE ON THE BRINK OF DEATH.  ADMIRAL ADAMA DISCUSSES WITH PRESIDENT ROSLIN THAT THEY COULD USE THESE INFECTED CYLONS AS BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS TO WIPE OUT THE CYLON RACE.

HELO, A GALACTICA OFFICER, OBJECTS, SAYING THAT GENOCIDE SHOULD NEVER BE AN OPTION SINCE NOT EVERY CYLON FEELS THE HUMAN RACE SHOULD BE EXTERMINATED.  HE USES HIS OWN LIFE AS AN EXAMPLE.  HE’S MARRIED TO ATHENA (A CYLON) AND HAS FATHERED A CHILD WITH HER.  HE ARGUES THAT IT IS WRONG TO WIPE OUT A RACE OF INDIVIDUALS JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE AT WAR WITH THE GROUP.  BUT PRESIDENT ROSLIN SAYS THAT THESE MORAL CONUNDRUMS DON’T MATTER IF THERE AREN’T ANY HUMANS ALIVE TO DISCUSS IT.

ADAMA TELLS ROSLIN THAT HE NEEDS HER PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL FOR THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.  SHE ACCUSES HIM OF PASSING THE BUCK.  HE AGREES WITH HER AND SAYS, “WE START DESTROYING ENTIRE RACES, EVEN MECHANICAL RACES, WE’RE LIABLE TO TEAR OFF A PIECE OF MAN’S SOUL.”

WHEN HELO TELLS HIS WIFE WHAT IS HAPPENING, SHE SAYS SHE WILL SUPPORT THE ORDER TO EXECUTE THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE PLAN BECAUSE HER OATH WAS TO DEFEND GALACTICA AND SHE HOLDS THAT ABOVE ALL ELSE, EVEN HER RACE.  SHE CHALLENGES HER HUSBAND: “LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, HELO. MY PEOPLE MAY DIE. MY ENTIRE RACE MAY BE WIPED OUT…BUT THIS CYLON WILL KEEP HER WORD, EVEN IF IT MEANS SHE’S THE LAST CYLON LEFT IN THE UNIVERSE. CAN A HUMAN BEING DO THAT?”

HELO’S CONSCIOUS TELLS HIM THAT WIPING OUT A RACE IS WRONG.  THERE WILL BE COLLATERAL DAMAGE AND IT’S NOT HUMANE.  AS GALACTICA POSITIONS ITSELF TO EXECUTE THE PLAN, HELO REMOVES HIS DOG TAGS AND LEAVES HIS POST.  HE SABOTAGES THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FOR THE CYLON’S CELL AND THEY ASPHYXIATE.  LATER THE CREW LEARNS THAT THE CYLONS HAVE BEEN KILLED.  WHEN ADAMA REPORTS THIS TO ROSLIN, SHE ASKS WHO WILL HEAD THE INVESTIGATION TO FIND OUT WHO WAS BEHIND THIS.  ADAMA SAYS “NO ONE.  I’M CLOSING THE BOOK ON THIS.”

HELO’S GOVERNMENT HAD GONE THROUGH THEIR CHECKS AND BALANCES AND HAD MADE ITS DECISION, YET HE TOOK ACTION ON HIS OWN AND BROKE HIS OATHS OF MILITARY SERVICE TO THWART THE PLAN.  IS HE A TRAITOR OR PATRIOT?  ADAMA FEARED THE CYLON THREAT BUT ALSO FEARED HIS PEOPLE COULD LOSE THEIR HUMANITY.  HE SUSPECTED HELO COMMITTED TREASON BUT HE CHOSE NOT TO INVESTIGATE.  IS HE A RESPONSIBLE LEADER?  ROSLIN PARED THE PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATE TO ITS BASIC ENDS–DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE HUMANITY’S SURVIVAL.  DOES ROSLIN BELIEVE THAT SURVIVAL JUSTIFIES ANY MEANS?

THROUGH THESE CHARACTERS, WE SEE THE WRITERS AND MEMBERS OF THIS COUNTRY ARGUE AND FIGHT ABOUT THE MORALITY OF GENOCIDE.  EVEN AT THE END, IT’S NOT CLEAR WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS BECAUSE GALACTICA ISN’T USED AS A PLATFORM FOR PROMOTING THE “RIGHT ANSWER”, IT IS A PLATFORM FOR PRESENTING THE QUESTIONS AND ALLOWING THE VIEWER TO SEARCH ON THEIR OWN.  ON A REGULAR BASIS, GALACTICA TAKES ON THE BIG QUESTIONS THAT THIS COUNTRY WRESTLES WITH AND PUTS THEM ON SCREEN.

SHOWS LIKE GALACTICA PERFORM AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION IN A DEMOCRACY BY CREATING DIALOG ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.  IT’S WONDERFUL TO HAVE THIS DIALOG WOVEN INTO OUR ENTERTAINMENT BECAUSE MORE ARE ATTRACTED TO THE GLITZ AND GLAMOR OF AN ENTERTAINING STORY THAN UNFILTERED NON-FICTION.

AS MANY HAVE SAID, SCIENCE FICTION ISN’T ABOUT THE FUTURE, IT’S ABOUT THE PRESENT.  IN FIGHTING THE CYLONS, GALACTICA EXPLORES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN, AND THESE EXPLORATIONS ARE RIDDLED WITH CONFLICT JUST LIKE THE BATTLE THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY.

AND IF THAT DOESN’T GET YOU EXCITED, REMEMBER THIS: THE SHOW IS LOADED WITH HOT WOMEN!  AND I’VE HEARD THAT THE MEN ARE PRETTY EASY ON THE EYES TOO.

[/HIDEPOST]

Every now and then life throws something at you and you have to stop what you’re doing and re-assess your priorities in life in order to figure out how to “do the right thing.” I was backing my car out of my garage when my neighbor, Luda, waved me down looking very upset. She told me a college friend of her’s who is a doctor has prostate cancer, and she was beside herself in trying to figure out how to help him. He flew from Ukraine to Seattle to see his daughter and prepare to die because he couldn’t afford the procedure he could only have performed in the U.S. His daughter found a non-profit hospital in Florida to help him but it would still cost $33,000. A doctor in Ukraine earns a monthly salary of $300.

When Luda had spoken to me, she and Dr. Shevchenko’s daughter had only raised $5,000 through phoning/emailing friends and family. Dr. Shevchenko’s visa would soon run out and he was preparing to go back to Ukraine to do his job until cancer killed him. So she asked my wife and me for help. We could only donate some money but that was only a step. Shelli and I talked and we realized that we needed to do some publicity work to raise enough money.

We put together http://docneedshelp.blogspot.com and mailed out press releases to Seattle area media outlets. So far the press release hasn’t generated any interest which is too bad. If we could get someone to interview Luda for newspaper or radio, her story of how she knew Dr. Shevchenko would compel the audience to help and enough money would be raised. It’s so important that people share this story, especially since cancer can cost a lot of money. Due to this cost, people will struggle and often will need to seek help. This is, unfortunately, the case for this family. Whilst their story hasn’t been shared just yet, they’re still hoping to find financial help from somewhere. It was suggested that they could also consider getting in touch with some local organizations that help cancer patients financially. That might be a good idea. A lot of cancer patients struggle financially, so it’s important to make use of these organizations that want to help patients.

If you know some way to get this story out, contact me (425 466 9766). This humanitarian who has helped save the lives of many of his patients now need help.

Dr. Anatoliy Shevchenko

If you can help by donating even a little, visit http://docneedshelp.blogspot.com.