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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Over the past few months I've been experiencing a growing sense of disconnect from my creative passion. More and more the thing that I love to do is becoming just "a job". Without knowing it, I'm turning into one of those writers who I swore I'd never be -- I have it all and I hate it all. I'm a fairly self-aware cat, so when I get to these places, I am forced to ask myself, "How the fuck did I get here?" In my inventory process I was surprised by how little I had to dig to reveal the truth. It's quite obvious what turns passion into dissatisfaction - money.
Every writer has their own process, but for me, creating an imaginary world, characters, conflict, mythology is almost a spiritual exercise. I know that sounds goofy, but it's the only way I know how to describe it. You see, I didn't become a writer -- ten years ago, I was given the opportunity to realize that I have always been a writer. Telling story is my gift, it's the thing the universe demands that I do. That discovery was a grueling and painful process for me. But that's why I love to write, it's why I'm driven to obsessive perfection -- I'm making up for a decade of lost time. I see every word on the page as divine direction. Really, I do. Hence, the Messiah Complex.
Which leads me back to the path of disillusionment...
Good writers begin with a deeply personal process that generates inspiration that we hope ultimately lands on the pages of a script. After that experience, we take that work to market, with the desire to impress and engage others with our art. If so, that body of work is purchased and transformed into a commodity. In that instant, our creation is no longer a personal extension of ourselves, it is now a tool of commerce that serves a greater entity. Here in lies the painful paradox as I see it -- from that point on we are still expected to generate deeply inspired work even though our baby is enslaved to a different master. So we sweat, bleed and toil for the thing we love without nearly the same level of gratification. It doesn't matter who you work for or the nature of your project, the guy in the suit can tell you he's all about the creative process, he understands artists, this is a safe forum... it's ultimately all slick shit. Once you generate something that has commercial value, creativity falls low on the list. You are owned and money will always be the directive. Yes, that's an extreme generalization, but the point is, especially with TV, the medium was solely created to generate income. The stuff that happens in-between commercials is secondary. Always was, always will be.
I guess that inevitability is catching up to me on Sons. I was under the false impression that the more successful the show became, the more room I would get to do it. But the opposite has occurred, the better the show becomes, the more corporate scrutiny I experience. This reality is chipping away at my spirit. At the end of my 80 and 90 hour weeks I start to ask myself, "Why am I doing this?" Lately, my answers aren't that convincing. And when "money" is my only response, it's time to walk away.
The solution? I'm not sure. I'm not a quitter and my ego is too big to entrust the show to anyone else. I've contemplated setting myself on fire at Pico and Motor, but that seemed a bit extreme, even for me. So I guess I press on and continue to make the emotional and creative adjustments. In recovery, we talk about how expectations are future resentments. That's very true in this case. I guess I need to stop going to the butcher shop for candy. I show up wanting something sweet and tasty and always end up with a slab of bloody entrails.
I love what I do and need to find a way to bring back that love. My life is always about finding the balance between love and fear. Perhaps that's the bigger lesson here -- learning to stay focused on the love while I'm being bombarded with everyone else's fear. Easier wished than employed. Guess I have some tuning up to do this hiatus. I know I didn't work this hard to be miserable.
58 comments:
- WyzWmn© said...
here's hopin this is more about you being exhausted than throwing in the towel...
I love to watch SOA - but you need to be happy to write what it is that makes all of us happy...
we all know yer the real deal...do you?
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:40:00 PM
You're not just doing it for the money Kurt, you're doing it for the fans. We love you. We love Sons. Don't you feel this love coming back to you?
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:40:00 PM
- Lisa Magee said...
I'm not fortunate enough to be a writer on a creative level like yours. I'm a technical writer. Everyday I toil over words that inevitably becaome fluff and glossy sales pitch. It's hard and most days the creativity is whipped out of my sails by the end of the day.
I'm not sure this is inspriation-worthy in your world but for what it's worth - I effin' LOVE your show. It's well written, it's got plots that go somewhere. You have characters that I love to hate and characters that I know we're only seeing the slightest glimpse of the great strength they will hopefully grow to channel and somehow still reign in.
I wish every day was Tuesday so at the end of the day, I could go home and kick back and escape to Charming and watch the tangled webs our heroes are weaving in your world. So for what it's worth, thank you for putting up with the Corporate greed. I hope you find a way to keep on keepin' on.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:42:00 PM
You have to find a way to separate it. Too bad you can't pay someone else to deal with the "suits" and the bullshit. Just remember, you don't do it for them, you do it for yourself and for the fans who appreciate and respect it. I for one thank you for what you create. It is one of the highlights of my week. Rarely do I get excited about a television show. Much love.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:42:00 PM
I understand, but thanks for writing this for all of us to read and hopefully understand.
This is "the human condition" and unfortunately you're working too hard.
But we sure don't want to lose you and the SOA show. We love it.
Thanks so much for all your hard work.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:43:00 PM
I understand that the passion for what you do is dwindling. I think we've all reached that point in our lives where we forget why we do what we do, even when it's something we love. All I can do is wish you the best, Kurt, and hope you find that spark again.
As a huge fan of the show and of you, I'll support whatever you end up doing. You've created such a fantastic world and I hope you find it within yourself to complete the vision you set for these characters... and for yourself.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:44:00 PM
- Unknown said...
As a writer i can feel your frustration. I hope you can find whatever the money machine has damned and bring back the joy in what you create. It is brilliant and enlightening to some of us on the other side of the box. Fuck the eternal revenue machine and bring back the heart. Barbara
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:44:00 PM
Damn. Wish I was a writer with something profound to offer but, alas, I got nothin'.
All I can say is that I, like a lot of others, love your work and hope that you can find a way to continue with the brilliance that you have shown in the first two + seasons of sons.
God be with you in this struggle.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:45:00 PM
- Dana Kaminski said...
It's why I quit acting.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:47:00 PM
- Chris H said...
I can relate to that feeling of having your 'baby' being driven in the wrong direction by its 'master', I'm a professional wrestler and sometimes we want our character to be used one way and it just doesn't happen. But I want you to know that the people that watch Sons will always watch for the art, nothing less. If we wanted commercial bullshit, we'd watch MTV. Don't give up.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:47:00 PM
Started watching SOA based on your previous work on the Shield. You did not disappoint! Thinking this funk you're in is probably a natural occurrence that many a Showrunner experiences when heading up a successful show for a few years. Hope the hiatus is productive. Getting away from the corporation usually helps. It took nearly a year for me to realize that being part of the machine can strangle your creativity so I started writing. Not gonna look back...
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:50:00 PM
Mr. Sutter, I am sorry for your angst, but I think you do a wonderful job! I absolutely love you story lines, creativity, and obvious love for what you do. Don't let the 'rectums' get you down, and remember when all is said and done, we, the fans, love and appreciate what you do for US! So from one ardent fan, keep fighting the money grubbers and please, keep loving what you do and doing what you love.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:52:00 PM
Ebbs and flows sir. Everyone has a time when they become disillusioned with their lives, being a creative person means your life is in your work whether you want it there or not. The constant criticism you must face as a writer, a creator of something so amazing must be disheartening. As bad ass as you are, it's still gotta sting when someone doesn't like or get your creation. Must be like someone not getting or liking your kid. I hope that's why shows go on hiatus. So the "man behind the curtain" can be just a man, not the great and powerful Oz everyone expects him to be when engaged in his craft. Your show is powerful, and entertaining. It's the third season, it needs background and back stories or the fourth season would be the last. Can't all be gang rapes, naked asses and dead hookers (that's what adult channels are for). That's just my take. Take some time, enjoy life and the wife and kids. We'll still be here when you get back, and you'll still be Bad-ass!
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:53:00 PM
- Maria said...
What you describe sounds pretty much like everything else in life. And like everything else you need to find a way to keep it fresh for yourself.
Does it help to know that your work is appreciated? That each week we all wake up Tuesday with a little more bounce because YOUR show is on?
You may feel like a rat in a cage but maybe that's just exhaustion talking.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:53:00 PM
This article speaks to why you are a great writer. It's raw and we feel your frustration. How do we change the engine though? Barbara Bush said, "when frustrated, she reminds herself to count her blessings". My husband always says when everyone is stressed, "don't worry, no one has died". I hope you don't read these as platitudes, 'cause their not. These are the two quotes I use for myself, all the time.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:54:00 PM
Maybe it's time to do what many shows don't- stop while at the top of their game instead of plodding on even after the will to go on isn't there any more. You don't seem like someone who'll just do it for the paycheck.
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:54:00 PM
I am so sorry to hear this. I think you are a great writer and I love the show. I hope all works out and you keep writing! If you don't you will be missed (and so will Sons) Good luck on your journey!!!
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:55:00 PM
It's amazing how wise and clear point of view you have. When "money" is the only response, you have to quit. It's a pity most of people don't do it. That's the reason why we have so much shit in television nowadays. But even if commercialism will be trying to push over Sons I believe you will be still standing on. You're not a kind of person people can buy, I'm sure you're not. Your wisdom and experience won't let you to be bribed. So please go on with Sons as you do it now and make it even better! We won't let you fall down :)
- Oct 20, 2010, 1:56:00 PM
I feel for you, the pain and disillusionment you are so obviously feeling as your passion and love for Sons is gradually being crushed under the weight of corporate scrutiny and expectation shines through so clearly. I can only offer my small portion of encouragement as one who avidly watches your creation as it is revealed to me on a weekly basis. It inspires me, reminds me of why I live the lifestyle I do and gives me hope that there are still artists such as yourself who retain their integrity and do their utmost to remain true to their own vision despite the ever increasing pressures that you find yourself under.
Keep the faith bro... long may you prevail.
Chris "Gypsy Wolf" Bowskill
Bradford UK
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:01:00 PM
- Jesse Blume said...
Dear Kurt,
I admire you in more ways than one. Posting your feelings of disillusionment here is most definitely a ballsy move, but it's also refreshing that you decided to be this honest with your fans and readers. I can't think of very many creators who would do so.
The other primary reason that I admire is more professional. I'm an aspiring writer, and you should know that I've been taking notes on "What to Do," on SoA and some of your old episodes of "The Shield."
I'm a college student right now, which makes finding time to really write difficult, but I always make time to catch SoA to get my weekly lesson with my best friend and writing partner Derick. (By the way, Season 3 is doing great!)
I recently entered a submission into a Creative Writing contest called the Last 72, which was an essay about what we would do if we found out that we only had 72 hours left to live. After a while, I decided that if I did only have so little time to live, I would make sure that both everybody I know and love, and those that I've been inspired by would know exactly what they have done for me. I'd do this by writing letters to them.
I am not dying, (Thank God!) but I've decided that I definitely do need to do the letters thing anyway. The reason you're reading this know is that you're very high on the list of people who inspire me the most.
I've been a fan of SAMCRO since the first time I met them all those months ago, and I can quite honestly say that I have never this kind of relationship with a TV show in my life. I am in consistent awe of this intelligent, eternally surprising, masterfully constructed and performed series. You, your wife, your cast and crew all do your jobs extremely well.
On the feeling of disillusion, I offer this bit of advice. If you can find no other reason why you're doing what you're doing, just know that you are both influencing and instructing two future creators in Texas.
Thanks again to you, Katey, Charlie, Ron and every single other person that is involved with the show!
Yours Truly,
Jesse Blume
P.S. I think maybe you should have a chat with Uncle Stephen King. He may be able to give you some words of wisdom on your situation.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:06:00 PM
- Tahoe Thom said...
Kurt, It sounds as if your "at war" with a process you can neither control nor regulate.
Consider this Zen quote:
"A man of peace is not a pacifist; a man of peace is simply a pool of silence.
The man of peace is creative. He is not against war, because to be against anything is to be at war.
He is not against war, he simply understands why war exists."
~ Zen: The Path of Paradox ~
Understanding why the war exists may help you to detach yourself from the "suits" to engage yourself fully in the creative aspect you excel in.
Steady on, friend.
The success of Sons is due to great story lines presented in a no BS fashion. Simple.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:06:00 PM
Kurt - I only recently discovered Sons in spite of the great word of mouth I heard about the show. I started with Season 3 and ended up buying Seasons 1 and 2 so I could get all the back story. One of the things I admire so much about the writing is that you don't always lay everything out neatly for the audience. Sometimes we have to THINK about what just happened or a line of dialogue and I'm glad the writing isn't spoon feeding it to us like so much of the other options out there.
Everything you said in this post rings true as money makes the world go around but I've been priviliged to have watched some great drama both on the big screen and the small and in the end, the good stuff always shines through.
Keep on getting pissed off about shit like this and channel it into the great writing I've found on this show. Don't let the bastards grind you down.
Sometimes you win by letting them think they've won. Oh, and Katey's really great!
Tim in Houston
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:06:00 PM
- Unknown said...
By no means am I a professional or expert in entertainment, but as someone who was rasied on the idiot box and the box office, I have to say this latest blog post scares me. I've been a fan since day one, and since that day I've been a huge promoter of your work! (Are you looking for a PR person? HA!) The reason this post scares me so is because it's your passion that makes this series in particular so amazing. It's because of your drive and love for story telling (and your amazing ability to do so) that keeps myself, and the rest of the viewing public tuning in. I, like many others out there, would rather see you end the show abruptly, than have you half heartedly "punch in" everyday for the paycheck.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:09:00 PM
- Laurie Hefner said...
Hey Kurt,
Don't ever compromise yourself. It's not worth it. You have leverage. Just breathe and trust in you. :)
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:10:00 PM
- wfz said...
Kurt, I recommend you read some Robert Twigger! You can find his blog stuff at robertwtigger.com and search his name on Amazon (or Google). I know writers are not always keen on reading other writers beyond a certain point, but I think Twigger might be some nice medicine for yah at this point. All the best, will (William F. Zachmann)
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:10:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Jeezus H man!! Do I need to call the Waaambulance? Could you not whine so loud! Boo-hoo, you had a revelation that your creative product has been turned into a commericial enterprise. Puh-leeze, man, wipe the snot from your nose. You are able to live a life with your gift. How many others would sacrifice their left arm for your opportunity??!! Did you really think you were that relevant in the "creative" world?? You created a great show for television and you got paid for it. Now you are feeling sorry for yourself because why? Because your not the modern day Paddy Chayefsky?? Brother, I hate to be the one to have to slap you so hard considering I enjoy watching the show but it ain't all about you. Wanna be relevant and meaningful and creative and all that other mamby pamby bullshit you were sniveling about? Go live in a cave, be a hermit, write all the creative masterpieces you want and don't let anyone read em or enjoy em and never publish any of it till after your dead and even if then. Oh, and by the way, don't forget to change your name to Kurt Salinger when you do!!! Now, get back to work!!! --Mark Weiss
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:11:00 PM
I truly appreciate the predicament that you are in as I am at the same crossroads in my chosen profession. It really puts the "suck" in "success." To quote from one of my favorite movies: "A man has an idea, like-minded men join him, the idea becomes an institution....What was the idea?" When it is no longer fun to do something there are only two raods to go: Either find a way to make it fun again or find something else to do. Good luck to you and I hope it works out.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:15:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Reading this was a bit painful since I love your show so and it makes me uneasy to consider that you might not feel the same way. What flashed for me was the point Robert Pirsig made in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance about how art and function are really one. Perhaps if you could re-frame the money as being part of function and take his theory for a ride, it might help you feel less divided. It stands to reason that a brilliant philosophical work that uses different approaches to motorcycle maintenance to illustrate its points must have some relevance for a guy writing a show about a biker gang. With respect, Laura M.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:24:00 PM
Wow Kurt, How you even find time to write this is beyond me! You got your due and now its all turned around, It would be a sad thing to see you lose your passion for something that truly is your calling.with that said however doing something that you now have resevations about and discontent is even sadder, I for one dont have a whole hell of a lot to show for my life, But do have happiness true happiness in my life. If your loosing that your already lost my friend, I'm a nobody in most eyes and dont really care, maybe in a way its better that way, and i will sign my name because I'm proud of what I've done in my life and you should be too. dont sell out to the suits, Your pride is all you have. P.S. You can tell I'm not a writer! good luck and best wishes , Bryan P. Curtin. Greeneville Tn.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:24:00 PM
- Unknown said...
"You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like."
Phyllis A. Whitney
Love SOA!!! #1 Show on television!
Love your "craft" Kurt! Keep up the good work!
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:25:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Keep the faith brother.
they always say If you can get paid to do what you love, you will have the best job ever or some nonsense like that. All I can say is what I know,continue to write this awesome show but give yourself time apart from it to write for yourself.
We consider the Sons to be 1%, who do the sons consider to be 1% of 1%
just a thought.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:25:00 PM
Kurt, I understand what you are saying creativity/money interests...I truely hope you find that balance you are looking for. I need you to know Sons is an exceptional show...I haven't been this excited about a show in my memory..we have a housefull on Tuesday nights..its a party waiting for this show because it it's got plots that entrigue me. You have characters that are multidimensional good and bad and I know we're only seeing the slightest glimpse of their complexities. In short this is the entire family and friends favorite show..not for this year..but in my 46 year old memory. I've never loved a show more than yours and it must come from your love and creativity...I hope you find your way...we love and support you and your AMAZing show...
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:28:00 PM
- Danny said...
Hey, it could be worse.
You could be working your ___ off to produce your the kind of art that you love making and not be making any money at all doing it. (as is the case with me)
ps Love the show.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:29:00 PM
- Dana Kaminski said...
Here's the rest of my comment-doing this from phone, not letting me write after a period!
There's almost a diametrical opposition to:
Creationary process from the sweetspot chanelling bliss
Creative for hire, Creative in Hwood, maybe even Creative-according-to-show-bible or Creative-cranking-out-acc-to-schedule.
The more authentic a "Creative" is, the wider the chasm.
I never was addicted to drugs or alcohol, my reasoning was always that I am in love with creating, and I believe them to be similar; in patterns of and effect on the person.
It's a hell of a love affair with dopamine. I think I read where you said , in other words, that it's not like the thrill of the first time and you keep trying to get it back, and ya don't know why.
You poke fun of yourself by the last line in the paragraph where you describe what it feels like for you, when you are truly authentically creating; but I think all creatives, all true ones, know that natural high when we are in our creative mode, that sweet, sweet place.
It's what separates those who are creatives and choose careers with no security, whatsoever; but instead a promise to "work" in the sweet spot of their creative mode! (Everyday, all day, who needs pay.)
Yesterday a study was in the news where scientists found that male alcoholics, especially, had a greater dopamine dump in their brains after drinking. The report said that that's why there are more men then women alcoholics.
My theory is that it is the same for Creative Artistic Types.
The network suits are the baby laxative that it gets cut with. Too much directive, directed, planned creativity also may affect the true thrill (dopamine release?) of the creative work because it puts a rudder in. Cuts out some of the free flow, channelling-like-part. That may be where the thrill is. Or much of it.
Maybe you need another project, in addition. One that gets you jazzed, especially bc u will be creating from new. (sa--weeeet)
Then, you can still work on SOA bc audience loves it. Maybe once you take the (dopamine) performance pressure off of it, your creative charge may even return.
(What the ef do I know? )
Dana Kaminski
PS My earlier comment, which I refer to, said "That's why I quit acting."
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:29:00 PM
Eh..F*ck 'em. Do what you do. Let THEM work out the rest.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:29:00 PM
- WB Philp said...
God damnit Kurt. I wish I had the luxury of "walking away." Only those with money can complain about it being the root of their problems. Quit feeling sorry for yourself and continue to entertain me with the best show on the tube. You're one talented mother fucker and the show helps us working humps get through the week. Hopefully you can find some motivation in that.
Sometimes even writing becomes an assembly line job. Just work through it and let the next inspiration happen!
Bill Philp
Tampa, FL
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:33:00 PM
- Janet said...
Write a book. Write about all the industry shitheads and nonsense that goes on. "Fiction" of course. ;) Please don't stop writing great TV though.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:37:00 PM
- NitroJoe said...
Absolutely Love what you're doing Kurt. Hope you fight on and keep writing. not just for the show but for all things. Of course with that
being said I definitely Love SOA it's really the only reason I watch TV anymore period, except for a few, and I mean a few other shows. SOA Rules!
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:37:00 PM
It's easy as a fan to sit here and tell you that you are a tremendous writer, and that you should, and need to continue doing what you do best. I am completely hooked on SOA, I've even planed my classes around the show...I know its sick. However, if you are doing it for the money and not for the love of it, is it really worth it? I definitely do not want to see the show end but only you know when the time is right. Look within yourself and to your beautiful and wonderfully talented wife for the answers you seek. I wish you nothing but the best and perhaps if we the fans are lucky here's to many more seasons of SAMCRO!
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:39:00 PM
- Debi said...
Whatever you decide is best for you, we've got your back. For our own selfish reasons, we hope you find your spark and continue on. If you can't, it's been a helluva ride, thanks for that. Go play with the baby, that will always make you smile.
- Oct 20, 2010, 2:43:00 PM
Would really like to know why i cant get this awsome fucking show in Colombia, South America??? Really Why the Fuck Not........ I have followed your damn show from the begining and now, Not a fucking chance not even on the computer... Whats up KURT
- Nov 9, 2010, 1:44:00 PM
I suggest you get on your bike and ride like hell for a couple of days...then turn around and head home to your family. You'll feel like a new person. I teach high school and that's what I do when I want to quit...Ride safe...Love your work.
Sunny from the Inland Empire So Cal
- Nov 9, 2010, 10:12:00 PM
- Unknown said...
I feel for you man. It sucks when the thing that makes you get up and go in the morning suddenly turns into to a heart wrenching exercise. But as a fan of (GOOD)TV writing, I want to thank you for all that you have already done. If you were to quit tomorrow I would not blame you. (Please don't quit tomorrow... LOL)
All this is to say, one episode of great TV writing is worth 10 seasons of ANY "REALITY" show. I could care less about any of the sponsors that make the show possible except that they are the reason you are able to get paid.
I usually DVR the show every week and delay the start of it for about 25 minutes so that I can skip the commercialism....
Anyway, don't lose heart. This is great writing, and you ARE a great writer. And I would visit Charming even if it moved to the form of novels....
- Nov 10, 2010, 6:52:00 AM
- Electronic Sole said...
Mr. Sutter,
Sons touches something deep within millions of people, millions. I see your struggles in your characters and I identify. Right now my life is pretty much shit, unemployed, broke and living from the kindness of friends and family. Life can a field of shit sometimes. It may seem endless but it is not. I know there is an end that will lead to good times. For now I ask you to find a metaphorical shovel. Lean on people you care about, take a Caribbean vacation, or get laid. Whatever you do, find a shovel, because even if you cannot see the end of the field of shit, you can use your shovel(s) to get through the shit and reach the better stuff more efficiently.
Charles Bukowski said this more eloquently than me here
Things will get better, because men like us don't quit.
Jack - The Ananchronists - Nowhere (and tomorrow)
- Nov 10, 2010, 10:46:00 PM
Dear Mr. Sutter, I have never been compelled to write a comment until now. I worry that the ever-present "man" is trying to hold you down and/or you are in dire need of a couple of hundred mile ride around Cali. I have learned that sometimes we do what we have to in order to get away with doing what we want. Our legacy will always be defined by the work, memories, and experiences we leave behind. Writers especially. As a biker and Mexican-American, I usually start my legacy 2 notches down in society. It is through my actions, character, and work that I demonstrate to not only be the opposite of the negative stereotypes that I am cast in, but also provided with an opportunity to provide a big F--- Off to the society that pegs me as such. Keep writing what you want, saying what you need, and doing what you love. Success will always find you when you remain true to your ideals. Sometimes success is measured in financial wealth, physical health, or in public recognition. However the greatest success is the personal satisfaction that you not only lived as you wanted, but you defended that right to the end be it bitter or sweet. I am a fan of your work and hope you keep cranking out work that is more "yours" than "theirs". Don't let the suits get you down and always remember that we are fans of the ideas you created not the boxes they decide to put it in. Write more, fight more, ride more, and let the chips fall where they may. If not...well I guess there's always youtube...even I can get on that.
Your friendly neighborhood hooligan
- Nov 12, 2010, 2:21:00 AM
Quit and I'll totally go all kinds of Annie Wilkes on your ass.
- Nov 12, 2010, 10:26:00 AM
- Linda Nelson said...
Gratitude and Acceptance. Sometimes I have to put up a sign to remind myself how bad it could be again. Hope you can stay inspired for seven seasons. Since I sold my bike I have to get my fix from SOA.
- Nov 13, 2010, 4:38:00 PM
I'm being extremely selfish here, but I hope you'll continue.
I love the show, although I've only seen up to season two, episode ten as season three hasn't yet been scheduled in Australia, so I'm holding off on watching those last two precious episodes of season two for a day when I just can't wait any more! I have a background that includes an association to a similar club, and although I've left the lifestyle way in the past now, it still holds a fascination for me, and to have the vicarious experience you provide in the show, is a little like going back there.
I've been reading your interviews with various members of the press, and from these I understand that you have a plan for the club, and in particular for the character of Jax (which I selfishly would love to follow on the show), I hope that when you have those really crappy days, when you feel as though the creativity is being squeezed out of you, that the plans you have for the characters will keep you going.
With all the support I can muster,
- Nov 14, 2010, 8:10:00 PM
- Unknown said...
there is a lot of evidence that suggests when we are rewarded for doing something that we enjoy we are less likely to do that thing at a later time without said reward.
what you do is also your job, so i understand that it is not exactly the same thing. however, it could be that what you are experiencing is because you want to create your BEST product while battling higher powers who want you to do this, that, or the other thing without being able to see or understand your vision.
i admire the fact that you are willing to open yourself up about these feelings and want you to know that i LOVE sons and i think you are doing an amazing job! since i am a fan i guess it's not exactly a surprise, and i am only one person.
i hope you are able to get over the hump and love what you're doing again!! but even if it is hard for you, i still think that your work is fantastic!
- Nov 15, 2010, 1:35:00 PM
Mr. Sutter,
i hope you would consider that: in the collective immaginary of people, after Easy Riders, there's SOA. It means that you're a gifted man. An Amazing storytellers! Your creation is a truly inspiration for anyone, even for unknown musician like me. i know, sometimes it's hard to swallow that kind of situation. But out there there is a huge folks supporting your amazing piece of work. We'll always stand by you, proudly. DON'T EVER THINK TO GIVE UP!
- Nov 15, 2010, 8:32:00 PM
- Andrew said...
I'm new to the SOA world. Living on the road right now but recording all of Season 3 at home. Just finished watching Seasons 1 and 2 last night.
Amazing story Kurt. You are an inspiration to me - to give up working for a paycheck and become what the universe calls me to be.
If only I'd be so brave.
That being said, SOA is yours. Fuck um, fight for what you want and do what your called to do.
In terms that would get one laughed out of the SOA universe, "Find your happy place" and hopefully that means you continue creating this wonderful and amazing story.
Be true to you and your story.
The rest doesn't matter.
-AP Allen
- Nov 29, 2010, 9:09:00 AM
- thegraceland said...
Kurt - Please please don't stop writing or writing SOA for that matter. You are a genius writer with an immense gift. I along with everyone who wrote you on the blog feel that what you've created is something special. Something rare. I discovered SOA after season 1 and before season 2 aired. I watched Season 1 back to back. I couldn't stop watching and i've been obsessed since.
I work in TV Production in LA and see what it does to people and their creative spirit. I get it I really do. This industry will suck the life out of you and leave you wondering why. You give me a world to escape to every week that I have grown to love. Characters (your bad ass wife for one) who floor me every week. You should be proud of what you put out there and know we as fans only see the good so thank you for taking it up the ass by corporate.
- Nov 30, 2010, 7:00:00 AM
- Taradisechic said...
Kurt Kurt Kurt. I wish I could wrap my arms around you and Squeeze. Sounds like You need a Huge Hug & A long bike Ride my Friend. As a rider I know things always look better after you ride out a couple tanks of gas!! As far as the Money. I have the Solution for you. I will be GLAD to take the money of your hands since no Real estate is Selling & my income is non existent lol. I could use a new Motorcycle too. Hell buy us two & I will meet ya halfway to better times! I'm sorry but You CANNOT quit what you started, I can't let you- I have a confession to make. Hello My name is Tara my biker friends call me Taradise & I am a Jax Teller Addict(LMAO) I cannot go without my Jax Fix Kurt. You don't want to see us girls Suffer in pain do you? No I don't think so.(Anytime you might want to give Jax a additional Tara I am a click away"wink") In all seriousness Kurt you have a gift. Don't let the bullshit get in the way of the process or let it ruin such a beautiful thing as the show you have created. Breathe new life into it anyway you can. Ask more crazy Bikers like me & Fans for Show ideas or what they think would be "The Shit" for SOA. Just maybe the fans love & passion we have for the show will bleed back on to you & give you that excitement you had when You first created SAMCRO. I know a man with your extraordinary talent, the fans behind you, & balls the size of Georgia (Anybody that will tell the Hell's angels to kiss his ass) Will Not let your dreams die off for no Bullshit. You WILL find a way to get the Passion to write back & we will be there handing you the Pen. Good luck Kurt & we love ya & SOA. You are NOT alone!!
Tara Healan
- Dec 1, 2010, 4:42:00 AM
- Richard Evans said...
You ever want to try something else, maybe writing comicbooks, drop me a line. Trust me, nobody fucks with your comic stories, I guarantee that.
As long as you don't sell the rights to Hollywood.
My contact info should be with my profile here.
- Dec 2, 2010, 12:13:00 PM
- Lady Writer said...
I've been there. I feel you. And, I say to you: I'm sending you love and support. I believe in paying it forward, and another filmmaker (writer-director) sent this article to me. I love her for it. Thank you for sharing, and keep pushing. We must maintain a community to be there for each other when the shit hits the fan. And, I'm sure the shit will hit the fan often. Stay strong, and fight for your creative integrity even if it's a guerilla warfare, or viral attack. :)
- Dec 3, 2010, 6:35:00 AM
Interesting that you slam Weiner for fighting for the very thing you claim to have lost control of.
Interesting also that for a person who writes a show ostensibly about outcasts, anarchy, and outlaws, you have consistently taken managment's position in other people's contract negotiations, as well as against your fellow writer's during the strike.
I hope that this is the "first step" in a long journey of realization that judging others exeriences without understanding the nuances of the argument is a one-way ticket to hypocrisy.
Good Luck.
- Aug 15, 2011, 11:43:00 PM
Kurt, I would like to preface this comment by stating that I am a young, uneducated fan of your work. I wanted to leave you feedback because I was touched by what you wrote and inspired by your work. I think it is a beautiful thing that you had the courage and tenacity to post your true thoughts, regardless of who would be reading it. I understand what you are saying about creative expressions becoming a profitable medium. It's disgusting and revolting, a representation of our selfish and greedy society but unfortunately it's a part of what our society is as a whole. I applaud you for having grit to share your thoughtS on this. This alone shows that you are crazy and it's the crazy ones that make a difference in this world. This comment is starting to get a little deeper than I intended it to but I guess what I'm trying to say is listen to yourself, walk in only your shoes. It's the product of you doing this that has inspired so many "non-suit-and-tie" people. I hope you find personal fulfillment in whatever you do but don't ever forget to listen to your inner voice, it's usually knows what you truly want.
- Sep 14, 2011, 3:51:00 PM
Christ, does anybody read these posts?
Kurt came from the biz, seen the biz, in LA and is wondering why he has limited creative control? Really?
It's a corporate world baby.
It's a soap on bikes. Grandma watched
All my children, I watch Sons. We both like it. New day same formula.
It's TV.
- Oct 6, 2011, 7:05:00 PM


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Photos from last night's premiere red carpet outside the Leicester Square Odeon, for the new David Cronenberg film, Eastern Promises. Viggo Mortensen wasn't around, but Naomi Watts was there looking fairly fabulous. Also in attendance, film director and former Python Terry Gilliam, former supermodel Elle Macpherson and Martin Freeman from The Office and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.
It was fairly dark, so the pictures are a little blurry - my little camera can't cope with the dim light and long ranges. Colin Firth was there too, but didn't linger for pictures... sorry ladies.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Russell 3000, which covers roughly 99% of the U.S. stock market, is among the Tacoma, Wash.-based firm's expanding product menu. Derived from the Russell 3000 are subsets like the Russell 1000 and 2000 that are linked to narrower segments of the equity universe like large cap and small cap stocks.
In addition to offering traditional market cap weighted benchmarks, Russell also offers indexes that use equal, dividend, fundamental and factor weightings. ETFs linked to these types of strategy indexes can be used for the core of an investment portfolio or to complement an investment allocation built around plain vanilla index funds.
In 2011, the firm introduced its own lineup of Russell-branded ETFs, giving it a unique perspective as both an index provider and investment manager. And while Russell remains a pioneer in the evolving index world, by creating indexes that expand beyond traditional beta, it's already carved out for itself an impressive place as an ETF provider.
To learn more about what lies ahead for the ETF marketplace and Russell, we talked with David Koenig, CFA and director of investment strategy for Russell ETFs.
The low interest rate environment has more investors digging for income and the Russell Equity Income ETF (EQIN) could be the ticket. What's the fund's strategy?
The Russell Equity Income ETF (EQIN) is one of a family of 10 Investment Discipline ETFs built on the foundation of Russell's more than 40 years of experience analyzing the behavior of professional investment managers. Each Investment Discipline ETF is designed to track a corresponding rules-based Russell Discipline Index that focuses on a unique set of characteristics specific to its targeted discipline.
With a total expense ratio of 0.37%, EQIN is designed to provide a new,cost-effective way to access a total return investment approach. This ETF focuses on a codified set of yield and quality characteristics typically targeted by equity income managers. It invests in companies that have historically paid dividends and exhibit traits which support the potential sustainability of the dividend, such as low earnings variability. Quarterly rebalancing helps maintain exposure to the targeted equity income characteristics, and sector and individual security limits help ensure diversification.
Russell offers ETFs that target beta and volatility. What types of investors might these products appeal to?
Russell Factor ETFs are a series of 13 U.S. and international equity ETFs focused on individual risk factors such as beta, volatility and momentum. The new indexes for these ETFs are based on familiar Russell large cap and small cap indexes and focus on the subset of index constituents that exhibit high beta, low beta, high volatility or low volatility. These ETFs provide an efficient, cost-effective new way to target distinct factor exposures, help manage risk and potentially enhance diversification.
With Russell Factor ETFs, investors have access to risk management strategies that had previously been available only to the largest, most sophisticated asset managers. Russell High and Low Volatility ETFs can be used to directly manage exposure to volatility within a portfolio and target potentially smoother equity performance over time. Russell High and Low Beta ETFs give investors the flexibility to directly manage their portfolio's equity market sensitivity in a single trade.
A number of broad market stock ETFs weight stocks by various value metrics. How is the Russell Low P/E ETF (LWPE) different?
The Russell Low P/E ETF (LWPE) is designed to provide access to a portfolio of stocks that exhibit the characteristics typically targeted by professional investment managers who practice a low P/E investment discipline. The criteria emphasized within the underlying rules-based index include below-average valuation ratios based on multiple metrics, including earnings, cash flow, sales and book value.
In terms of weighting, Russell's research has found that portfolios typically constructed by professional investment managers tend not to be purely market cap weighted. As such, the Russell Low P/E Index is constructed using a blend of 75% market cap and 25% equal weight to reflect the overall weighting characteristics typical of portfolios constructed by low P/E managers.
The traditional indexing camp stands behind market cap weighted benchmarks, whereas the fundamental indexing camp advocates alternative weighting methods. What does this mean for financial advisors who need to make a decision about which route to go?
There is room for more innovation in indexes and this has created a number of new opportunities for financial advisors and their clients. Whether it is alternative weighting methods or a variety of new index approaches, the important thing is for the advisor to understand these new indexes and how they work so he or she can help the client evaluate whether they may be a fit. The advisor should recognize that choosing a market cap weighted index strategy provides them with a market return while alternative weighting methods provide the opportunity for excess return. They need to decide whether they are comfortable achieving market returns (and potentially focusing their energy on other activities) or whether they believe they can provide additional value to their clients by trying to beat the market return.
Are there any best practices or advice for financial advisors to consider before investing in ETFs linked to completely new or unfamiliar indexes?
With the growing number of ETFs in the marketplace, it is important for investors to understand each ETF's underlying methodology. ETFs that may have similar names and similar strategies at first glance might have significantly different construction methodologies. These differences in investment universe, underlying index, construction criteria and level of transparency can result in meaningful differences in exposure and risk/return profile. At Russell, we believe in a fully transparent methodology so that investors have access to the information they need to help make informed investment decisions.
For example, many ETFs and actively managed mutual funds include "Equity Income" as part of their name and stated investment objective. Based on differences in how they're constructed and managed, however, these funds may have very different performance patterns. A transparent, rules-based methodology, such as that used for the Russell Equity Income ETF (EQIN) seeks to provide focused, ongoing and transparent exposure.
The ETF marketplace is still dominated by products linked to indexes. Do you see actively managed ETFs changing that?
Index-based ETFs are a powerful innovation that has helped reduce investment costs and democratize access to asset classes for all investors. These types of ETFs have grown rapidly in number and assets and should continue to be relevant for investors. A second generation of index-based ETFs is now entering the marketplace that moves beyond market cap weighted, pure beta exposures. These types of ETFs have been referred to as "intelligent beta" ETFs and provide new ways for investors to target focused exposures, help manage risk and potentially enhance diversification within their portfolios.
Russell believes that along with intelligent beta products such as Russell Investment Discipline ETFs and Russell Factor ETFs, active products are the next frontier in ETF development. Although actively managed ETFs are in their early stages of development, we believe that actively managed ETFs may play an increasingly important role in portfolio construction in coming years.
Russell's ETF lineup is mostly focused on equities. Looking ahead, is Russell planning to add other asset classes like bonds or commodities to the mix?
Russell has a long history of delivering innovative and relevant institutional-quality investment solutions based on its more than 75 years of experience and more than 25 years of index expertise. At Russell ETFs, we are constantly conducting research and evaluating new opportunities across all asset classes. We are committed to continuing to bring relevant new ETFs to the marketplace that can help investors construct well-defined portfolios based on their unique investment goals and tolerance for risk.
What other major trends do you see in the ETF market?
Given the elevated volatility and low yield environment of recent years, two major issues investors face today are how to manage volatility and how to generate income. ETFs focused on risk-based solutions, such as Russell Factor ETFs, are a major development that can help investors more directly manage risk within their portfolios. ETFs focused on income in a total return context, such as the Russell Equity Income ETF, are another major development that can help investors seeking access to portfolios of high-quality, dividend-paying companies.
At Russell ETFs, we believe that intelligent beta ETFs such as Russell Factor ETFs and Russell Investment Discipline ETFs are a significant major trend in the ETF market today, and that actively managed ETFs may play an increasingly important role in the future. L


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To celebrate Ireland's presidency of the EU, a new book and app is attempting to tell the story of Ireland in 100 objects. Not surprisingly, it brings with it some amazing tales
Summing up the history of an entire island is a tall order, but Ireland has attempted to do just that – in 100 objects. And for the month of March the resulting book is free to download, "a gift from the people of Ireland to the world", in celebration of Ireland's EU presidency, and St Patrick's Day.
Fintan O'Toole from the Irish Times took the recent BBC Radio 4 project "A History of the World in 100 Objects" as his inspiration. Initially, he believed that using objects would simplify the task. "When so much about the past – especially Ireland's past – is contested, physical things seem to provide secure anchors in history."
He was mistaken; even the simplest questions challenged accepted wisdom and threw up surprises.
The objects range from a 7,000-year-old fish trap to the contribution made by unexalted "women's work" – lacework and linen-making – that built world-leading industries.
Emigration, that other shaper of modern Ireland, is told through tender, humble objects, such as a teapot, rather than official documents. And there are things that throw up surprises: a collar and fetters reveal Dublin as a 12th-century slave-trading centre, where Ireland's own people were bought and sold.
The story beside each object gives both domestic context and its international resonance. Bronze Age jewellery shows design techniques shared across Europe; religious vestments feature Renaissance stylings; an essay on a 20th-century Eileen Gray modernist chair becomes an exploration of Ireland's unequal relationship with Europe and America.
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In choosing what would feature in this mammoth undertaking, O'Toole had to set rules: "They are not intended to be the 100 most remarkable objects on the island. They are chosen simply for their ability to illuminate moments of change, development or crisis."
Each object had to be a single, man-made entity, so no buildings, and they had to be freely accessible to the public. At the end of each caption there are details of where the object can be seen – most are in the National Museum of Ireland – but many are all over the island of Ireland.
The objects are so beautifully presented and lit that you can see them in great detail. But as O'Toole explains, however you examine them, there's an intangible magic that belongs to the thing itself.
"What makes it pulse with life is the idea of the people who touched and were touched by it," he says. "It is the hands that made it, the eyes that feasted on or feared it, the terror, wonder or delight it evoked. It is the simple, awe-inspiring thought – this thing connects me to my ancestors."
It's also food for thought to many of us – if you could tell your Ireland story with a single object, what would it be? Tell us...
A History of Ireland in 100 Objects is free to download until the end of March. It is available on Apple iPhone and iPad, for most Android tablets and on the Kindle Fire, or via the internet onto computer, smartphone or ereader.
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Small arms, big trouble
NEWSPAPER headlines sometimes pass you by. I remember reading something a few weeks ago and thinking 'how odd'. But I didn't give it more attention than that until suddenly the news began to fill the pages of all our local newspapers.
The story was about scrap dealers in Delhi and elsewhere in whose yards bits of scrap metal suddenly started exploding - in one place the explosions actually killed a few workers. As the mystery unravelled it became clear that the scrap had come from Iran and Iraq and was actually the leftovers of war - metal shells, spent bullets, bits of shrapnel and so on. Not surprisingly it included some live ammunition.
The first explosion took place in a scrapyard, the second in a rubbish dump. The men who died were not even remotely connected with the wars from where these leavings came. They were poor workers, struggling to keep their lives together by earning a meagre wage. When death came, it left their families defenceless, resourceless and hungry. Who would have thought the long arm of war could extend so far?
But it does. Wars are no longer confined to those places where they are fought or to people who actually fight them. They cross boundaries, infiltrate people's private lives, create fear and insecurity. And then people look for ways to feel more secure - some go out and buy guns, others hire security companies. And some, who cannot afford either of those, make up self-styled militias, using whatever weapons come to hand.
About the same time that I read those newspaper stories, I found myself browsing through The Small Arms Survey of 2004, a recently published document which reveals some startling statistics. Today there are at least 1,259 companies in more than 90 countries manufacturing small arms and light weapons. As production increases, managing stockpiles of small arms becomes a major problem and theft is rampant. The Small Arms Survey estimates that every year around the world at least a million firearms are stolen or lost from government armouries and from private homes. When wars end or well-armed governments collapse, these figures shoot up dramatically - as in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, when the Iraqi people were said to possess between seven and eight million small arms.
'Wars are no longer confined to those places where they are fought or to people who actually fight them. They cross boundaries, infiltrate people's private lives, create fear and insecurity'
But it's not only that small arms are bought and sold. It's also that when there's excess, as after the US attack on Iraq, countries in the South provide convenient dumping grounds. Weapons find their way to us through legal and illegal routes and end up fuelling small wars and insurgencies. And the 'waste' finds its way to us through regular market channels. We're willing to buy it because we have a use even for dangerous 'scrap'. And the sellers are happy to get rid of it since it's just one more commodity to unload.
Small arms are now so widely and easily available that they are believed to be adding to crime, as well as to injuries and suicides, in many different places. Police statistics from Peshawar in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan show that homicide rates range from 8 per 100,000 in urban areas to 12 per 100,000 in rural areas. Roughly 90 per cent of these murders are the result of small arms and the weapons are also used in robberies, tribal disputes and sectarian violence. All you need do to purchase one is visit any of the 1,900 blackmarket arms shops in Peshawar.
There's a gender dimension to this as well which is only gradually emerging. For example, in the US, firearms are used in 59 per cent of the murders of wives and partners by men. Even though studies show that women are more likely to be murdered by a gun than protected by one, more and more women are beginning to buy guns for their own protection - and the vicious spiral goes on.
Then there is the issue of security. Whether it's the Philippines, Indonesia, India or Sri Lanka there are guards, gates and fences everywhere you look. In Ghana there are now more than 110 security firms while in Zambia the amount of money spent on private security is twice the budget of the criminal justice system.
The rich have security guards, the poor form militias. And some companies even help governments fight wars: in Bougainville, the Papua New Guinea Government hired a security company to quell an uprising and the company in turn farmed out the work to another security company. So the borders between war and peace become increasingly blurred.
Just because some of us may live away from war zones and sites of conflict doesn't mean that violence will not come knocking at our door. The person in the scrapyard or at the rubbish dump could have been any of us. The long arm of war stretches far and wide and its leavings can be found in places quite other than those where wars take place.
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the January-February 2005 issue
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Savannah, GA, US
see all...Viewing 3 out of 4 projects
My name is Maribel Franchesca Barba and I am from Puerto Rico. I am currently a architecture graduate student at Savannah College of Art and Design. I am currently looking for a job in the architecture field. I am a big traveler so I am open to go anywhere in the world.
US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, GA, US, Engineer Technician
Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, US, MArch, Architecture
Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah Hills, TN, US, Bachelors, Architecture
Undergrad Graduation Honorable Mention


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NH inmate accused of trying to hire fellow inmate as hitman
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) � An inmate at a New Hampshire county jail is accused of offering money to a fellow inmate to kill his girlfriend.
Ciro Scognamiglio (SEER'oh skon-yam-EEL'-yoh) of Hillsborough has been in jail since he was arrested on a charge of second-degree assault in October. Police said he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend.
Officials at the Valley Street Jail told police they developed information about the offer. The 59-year-old Scognamiglio was charged Monday with criminal solicitation to murder.
It wasn't immediately known if he had a lawyer.


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November 14th, 2002, fell on a Thursday. Day 318 of 2002. Decade: 2000s.
17 years, 6 months and 22 days have passed since November 14th, 2002.
Events that occurred on November 14th, 2002:
Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on November 14th, 2002:
What movie was on top of the box office?
Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on November 14th, 2002.
"Chicago" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2002.
Movies released in 2002 included The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Spider-Man, Men in Black II, Signs, Die Another Day, Ice Age, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, 8 Mile, Gangs of New York and The Ring.
Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova is listed as FHM's sexiest woman in 2002.
"The Whistleblowers" are listed as the Time Person of the Year for 2002.
Popular music artists in 2002 included The Calling, Jennifer Lopez, Linkin Park, Puddle of Mudd, Ashanti, Usher, Vanessa Carlton, Eminem, Ja Rule, Jimmy Eat World, Nelly, Avril Lavigne and Missy Elliott.
"Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones would go on to win a Grammy for 2002's Record of the Year.
In the summer of 2002, a rock music genre called Emo began to rise in popularity.
Basic facts and information about this date:
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Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 2002.
"Jimmy Neutron" - "The Fairly OddParents" - "My Wife and Kids" - "Lizzie McGuire" - "Grounded for Life" - "Malcolm in the Middle" - "Rocket Power" - "Dora the Explorer" - "SpongeBob SquarePants" - "Ed, Edd n Eddy" - "Bob the Builder" - "The Powerpuff Girls" - "The Wild Thornberrys" - "That '70s Show" - "CatDog" - "Dawson's Creek" - "Bear in the Big Blue House" - "Pokemon" - "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" - "7th Heaven" - "Dexter's Laboratory" - "Friends" - "Rugrats" - "The Simpsons"
Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 2002:
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Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to November 14th, 2002. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.
Here are some fun statistics about November 14th, 2002.
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The officers involved in the fatal shooting of a mentally ill man have been identified, Los Angeles police said Thursday.
The officers involved in the shooting of Ezell Ford in South LA on Aug. 11 were Officers Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas, both assigned to the Newton Area Gang Enforcement Detail, police said in a statement.
The officers shot him after they said he ignored their instructions and went for one of their guns during a struggle.
U.S. & World
Earl Ofari Hutchinson, the president of the Los Angeles Urban Roundtable, said conflicting accounts of the shooting have emerged.
Witnesses said that Ford was not resisting, that he had mental challenges, and that police officers in the area aware of him and his condition, Hutchinson said. A family member has said that Ford had schizophrenia and other disorders.
Hutchinson called the release of the names a "first step in insuring an transparent and impartial investigation."
Hutchinson said he had made the call for officer identification in two meetings with Assistant LAPD Chief Earl Paysinger and other LAPD officials.
"The identification of the officers involved in the Ezell Ford slaying allows us to determine if the officers performance record and that includes discipline for any prior instances of or pattern of misconduct or involvement in other officer shootings," Hutchinson said in a statement, adding that Wampler was involved in a prior use of force civil lawsuit. "The report that one of the officers was the subject of a civil suit for force is of major significance. This could be major factor in the investigation to find whether excessive force was used in the Ford killing."
Wampler was named in a civil rights lawsuit filed three years ago that claimed he, along with other officers, entered a family's home without probable cause, the lawsuit stated.
The suit alleges that the officers subjected them to unlawful searches, intimidation and assault.
"The majority of the family, the adults in the family, were abused, like physically hit and beat," the family's lawyer, James Segall Guttierez, told NBC4. "One of the brothers was being, his head was being held underwater in a kiddie pool."
Wampler was commended years before the suit for his role in the arrest of a double-murder suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported.
When asked for comment, LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith said the department is prohibited by law and policy from discussing personnel complaints.
A funeral for Ford is planned for Saturday. The incident came two days after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The Brown shooting touched off days of protests.
Robert Kovacik contributed to this report.


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Re: Favorite band?
I personally find Dragonforce both epic and oddly badass, but to each his own, right?
Favorite band....that's a hard one, picking favorites just isn't nice.
Overall I think I'd have to say Rise Against, but if I could I'd have an enormous tie along with:
Disturbed (Mayhem Festival was insane, by the end of the mosh pit I was pretty bloodied up - I mean really, why is it always enormous guys with at least like 75 lbs on me?)
Bon Jovi
Foo Fighters
3 Doors Down
Breaking Benjamin
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
and probably a few more that don't come to mind....like Nightwish, might as well throw them in too.


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If the Playoffs Started Today
Tampa Bay Rays (55-36) vs. Texas Rangers (53-39)
Chicago White Sox (50-41) vs. New York Yankees (58-33)
Colorado Rockies (50-41) vs. Atlanta Braves (54-38)
St. Louis Cardinals (51-41) vs. San Diego Padres (54-37)
League Leaders
Batting Average – Josh Hamilton (TEX) .347
Runs – Carl Crawford (TAM) 70
Home Runs – Jose Bautista (TOR) 25
Runs Batted In – Miguel Cabrera (DET) 79
Stolen Bases – Juan Pierre (CHW) 33
Wins – Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) 15
Saves – Heath Bell (SD) 26
ERA – Josh Johnson (FLA) 1.62
Strikeouts – Jered Weaver (LAA) 142
WHIP – Cliff Lee (TEX) 0.94
Roster Movement
To the Disabled List: Kerry Wood, Mat Latos, Mike Adams, Eric O'Flaherty, Reed Johnson, Matt Wieters, Justin Morneau, Doug Davis
Return from the Disabled List: Zach Duke, Manny Ramirez, Chad Durbin, Carlos Beltran, Jason Heyward, Placido Polanco
To the Minors: Jason Jaramillo, Dan Meyer, Brandon Hicks
Called Up: Allen Craig, Lorenzo Cain, Josh Bell
- The Braves traded SS Yunel Escobar and P Jo-Jo Reyes to the Blue Jays for SS Alex Gonzalez and minor league prospects Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky.
Top Stories and Weekly Links
- The All-Star Game festivities were this week, so there were only 4 days with games on them. The National League finally managed to get off the bench and win one, as they defeated the American League 3 to 1 on Tuesday. Brian McCann had the deciding hit, and was named the game's MVP. Manager Joe Girardi of the American League received a small ration of grief as well for not pinch running Alex Rodriguez for David Ortiz in the bottom of the 9th inning, but overall the game was pretty well played and well managed.
- The Home Run Derby on Monday was won by David Ortiz, and since the majority of the players participating had very little home run derby experience, it was nice to see them get so much national exposure.
- Sadly, the Yankee family lost a titan on Tuesday, with the passing of owner George Steinbrenner from a massive heart attack. I wrote up my thoughts on the Boss here.
- The All-Star break ended with a surprising trade, as the Braves sent their starting SS Yunel Escobar to the Blue Jays for their starting SS, Alex Gonzalez. It appears that Escobar was not well liked in the Braves' clubhouse, and there seemed to be constant concern with a lack of effort from Escobar. A true challenge trade, it remains to be seen which side will win this trade in the end, but I actually think it could be good for both teams.
- It had been widely discussed that Padres' ace Mat Latos would be on an innings limit, and there was talk that he might be placed on the disabled list so that he could be skipped for his next start and help to keep him near that innings limit. The surprise was the "injury" that he sustained to put him there. Apparently he tweaked a muscle trying not to sneeze. At least it's not a deer meat injury.
From the Twitter Followers and Friends
If you aren't yet, you can follow me over at Twitter here. These are some of the better reads I found from the previous week.
- From Wezen Ball – A guest post by Bill from the Daily Something about the Best Seasons by Players Who Never Made an All Star Team
- From the Kings of Kaufmann – They did a write up on what's next for prospect Eric Hosmer now that he has been promoted to AA. I wrote about Hosmer in the offseason, and I think he's really turned the corner at this point.
- From Colorado Springs Fantasy Baseball Addict – Daniel Aubain posted a link to an article by Eriq Gardner of Fantasy Ball Junkie where he talks about the two types of Fantasy Analysts, and I think his points are pretty dead on about it actually.
Upcoming Posts This Week:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: I will be continuing on with my series of posts about the 2003 BA Almanac, going over both the Minor League All-Stars the Top 20 Prospects by League, and the 2002 Top 100 Prospect List
Friday: Trade Retrospective of Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs. This one is a huge trade, since 4 teams were involved in it, and also clearly had an impact on the pennant races as well.
Other News
I also wanted to let everyone know that in addition to writing for Fake Teams, I am also now a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. The group of over 200 blogs has writers who cover nearly every aspect of baseball you could think of, and honestly a couple I had not thought of yet.
The BBA has, as a secondary aim, the goal of producing year-end awards in a similar fashion to the Baseball Writers of America. These awards can be found here in October with links back to the voters, ensuring transparancy and, most likely, the onset of some good baseball arguments.
Over the coming weeks, I will be taking a look at a lot of them (there are so many!), and may potentially writeup a few of them. We'll see what happens, but I'm really excited to be here!
One Other Thing
Lastly, I wanted to bring up a charity that the Baseball Bloggers Alliance has taken up. Here's the official word, and what you can do:
Pitch In For Baseball is delighted to have been selected to participate in State Farm's 'Go To Bat' campaign. Now we need your
'Go To Bat' was launched nationally during the State Farm Home Run Derby. 'Go To Bat' gives entrants a chance to win tickets to the upcoming World Series and selected charity partners the chance to receive significant financial support.
Here's how to play and how to help Pitch In For Baseball:
* Go to www.statefarm.com/gotobat to register for your chance to win World Series tickets.
* As you register, you will get a chance to designate a charity that could win up to $25,000/week.
* To designate Pitch In For Baseball as your charity, select PUBLIC GOOD as the charity category and then choose Pitch In For
Baseball from the drop down list.
* Revisit www.statefarm.com/gotobat each day and play the 'Go To Bat' online game to increase your chances for tickets and Pitch In For
Baseball's chance at financial support
Thanks to all the readers who help out with this. You can find a lot more information about Pitch In For Baseball at their website


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Welcome to Grant County in Beautiful Southwest Wisconsin!
COVID-19 Updates: Area food service businesses are continuing to serve food while the "Safe at Home" mandate is in place. See the complete list of businesses serving food as this information will be updated regularly. Please support our local businesses throughout this challenging time.
Businesses are welcome in Grant County WI. Economic development opportunities are available in every community. With modern industrial parks, financial incentives and a ready workforce, Grant County is the place to relocate or build your business. Access to first-rate communication, energy, technology, and transportation infrastructures, and quality schools, including UW-Platteville and SWTC at Fennimore, makes Grant County and our communities an ideal location. You and your employees can experience a wonderful quality of life.
With the Mississippi River bordering on the west and the Wisconsin River defining our northern border, Grant County abounds in recreational opportunities. Here you'll find historic sites, beautiful scenery, great recreational opportunities including fishing, hunting, hiking, and biking, just to mention a few.


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The 2009 AFFD is over, and I'm glad I participated as much as I did. In fact, I wish I could have seen more that I ended up seeing.
The event was held at the Magnolia, which ended up being a great venue. Parking is always a little tight in the West Village and you could cut the snobbery with a knife on the way in the door, but once inside I was consistently greeted with an upbeat crowd of film enthusiasts who were genuinely having a good time. It also helped that the Magnolia has a bar, since the festival was primarily sponsored by Chang Beer, and it sure is nice to watch a movie with a beer in your hand.
When I learned that the festival was coming to town and saw the awesome trailer that they put together, I spent a little time at the website deciding which films I was going to make it into a priority to see.
After a few minutes of browsing around I was positive that I wanted to see IP man, Legend of the Mask and Ichi, and I was pretty sure I wanted to see The Beast Stalker, Between the Folds, Neko Ramen Taisho (Pussy Soup) and the animated short compilation. There were a few others that I had on a lower tier of interest, but since I knew I had to prioritize both for time and cost reasons (tickets were $9-12 each) I made sure to target the priority ones first. My only complete miss was on Legend of the Mask, which I managed to miss entirely.
The plot synopses are contained in the links above, so I won't rehash them. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on each in the order that I saw them.
First up was The Beast Stalker.
Before the film started the hosts asked who was drinking a Chang beer. The one guy in the theater who had one raised it up and was awarded a sweet blue Chang soccer jersey. Immediately after the film everyone from theater rushed to the bar and bought out the supply of Chang in anticipation of the next film. I drank Chang for the rest of the week there. It wasn't bad.
This film set a very high bar for the rest of the festival. From my own attempts at writing a screenplay for a short, I know how difficult it is to make complex plot developments happen in a logical and believable way, and The Beast Stalker is a clinic in multiple parallel story lines. Its also shot, acted, and edited very very well.
The film centers on a single car crash with multiple heroes, villains, and innocents involved - but it really just uses that as a platform on which to build the characters and dramatic situations that propel it forward. Its funny because it never really felt as though the plot was twisting around as much as it felt like it was running in multiple parallel lines at high speed.
I came away from this one very impressed with every aspect, and I gave it a 5 out of 5 rating in the survey as we walked out the door.
Day 2 started up with Neko Ramen Taisho
This is a film about a cat who makes ramen in a noodle house in Japan, and they passed out Ramen to everyone in the theater before the film started. The ramen had a cool touch in that it had a sticker on the package with the logo of the cat's ramen shop on it. I invited the wifey to go with, but she though it would be horrible and passed. Her loss.
The film's production style is cheesy because it uses a stuffed cat as the protagonist, but it comes off in a "this is a cheesy production style" kind of way - not in the "this is the best we can do" kind of way. Its just typical "Japan: WTF" kind of stuff. Good clean fun.
The only production thing they did that was a little distracting was the huge hand in the cat glove grabbing the scalpel or the chopsticks. The proportions were all wrong. I bought everything else though.
Surprisingly, the story was great. The tempo was quick, the jokes were funny, and the end result was a fun time had by all. The theater was not shy about laughing and yelling, which made for a great environment in which to watch this film. I rated it 4 out of 5.
Next up was Ichi.
A story about a blind girl who kicks butt with a blade, I was very excited about this one going in.
Unfortunately, the projectionist was playing the film back about 10% too fast, and everyone sounded like chipmunks. The AFFD directors stopped the film and explained what was going on. He said that the theater could refund our ticket prices or we could continue to watch the film in high-speed. To my surprise about 90% of the theater said that they didn't even realize that the film was playing back too fast, and that they would stick it out then and there. I couldn't handle the idea of missing out on what I knew was a great sounding film, so I got up to leave. On my way out, the rep for film's sponsor Funimation handed me and a few others her card and said that if we emailed her our contact info that she could send us a screener DVD of the film. This made me feel much better, and I had emailed her from my phone before I reached the exit.
A few days later I received the DVD and watched the film in my living room.
While I really loved the concept and the technical execution of the film (top-shelf foly and sound design throughout) I had problems with the story and the villains. The story was really too full of holes, and left too much unexplained. People's actions werent really believeable given the events that happened in front of them.
My other problem was the with the villains. I felt that the executon of the main badguy (a kind of phantom of the opera gang leader) was far too much a charicature of what it could have been. It was a huge missed opportunity for some real darkness and evil, and the main villain came off as campy and cartoonish in an otherwise artful and serious context. Juxtaposed against the brilliant and subtle female protagonist, this shortcoming was even more glaring. I also didnt like the ending.
I left the film feeling that I didnt really reach its potential, and would have rated it a 3.5 out of 5.
Day 3 started with the animated film compilation.
I had pretty high hopes for this compilation as well, but ended up a little disappointed. The shorts ranged from really great to really terrible, and some of them seemed to not fit in at all. Subject matters ran the gamut from playful aliens to dark cannibalistic women, and there wasn't really much of a flow from one short to the other. The submissions were primarily student films, and as such the sound was often either very stripped down or even amateurish. Given that the medium is animation, sound is even more important to the storytelling than it would be in other contexts, so the level of audio production in these shorts was a little disappointing overall - with a few notable exceptions. Playback in the theater was also very loud for this series, which was pretty distracting given the source. This was the only film I saw where there was no applause from the theater at the conclusion, but that could be because they closed with the cannibals.
I rated it a 3 out of 5, and that was probably a little generous.
The animations sucked my stamina a bit, but I decided to hang around for Between the Folds, a doc on origami.
Green Fuse Films did a very nice job putting this together. I was again a little disapponted with the sound in the theater because it was distorting a little in the speakers during playback, but that certainly wasn't the fault of the filmmakers. It also wasn't nearly the issue for a doc that it would have been for a sound-heavy kung fu production.
This documentary did what most docs should do: tell a tight, succint and interesting story while leaving the audience wanting just a little more. You wouldn't think that origami is interesting enough to watch for over an hour, but the filmmakers tell a compelling story about the art and science of it all. People from all walks of life devote hours to creating these incredibly complex and beautiful sculptures from a single sheet of uncut paper. Origami is different from most other forms of sculpture because it is not additive like plaster casting or model building, and it is not subtractive like cutting into stone or wood. It starts and ends as a single sheet of paper, and yet it has boundless opportunities.
The film seamlessly weaved the stories of the old Chineese innovators with the new M.I.T. geniuses - all creating origami for the love of the art and the advancement of mankind.
I rated it a 4 out of 5.
On my last day I had the privilege of seeing IP Man, the first film that I had highlighted when planning my show interary weeks before the AFFD began.
I bought my ticket for this one right after Neko Ramen Taisho let out because they said that it was already selling out. Before the film began the line stretched out into the hall.
My friend and I were waiting in line and I turned to him.
"You want a beer?"
"There's beer!?"
"Hold my spot. I'll be right back."
I went and got a couple of Changs. When I arrived back in line, a girl in front of us noticed the beers.
"There's beer!? Listen, I don't know you but..."
I rolled my eyes.
"Hold my spot, I'll be right back."
I left and came back with another beer.
When we were seated in the theater we were all doing the wave and bouncing a beachball around. The girl from the line happened to be in the row with us. The AFFD board were busy thanking us and each other for a successful festival, and were handing each other gifts.
"You guys want another beer?"
I gave the thumbs up and she left. A few minutes she came back with a bucket filled with six Changs.
That just doesn't happen at Transformers man. Even IMAX.
We were then treated to what is probably the best Kung Fu movie I've ever seen.
Ip Man is spectacular for its basis in reality, its rock-solid story, its top-shelf aesthetic, and its mind blowing fight scenes.
My personal reviews can't do the film justice. Suffice it to say that I think this is a better film than House of Flying Daggers, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, anything Bruce Lee ever did, Kill Bill, and anythng Jackie Chan ever did.
And I love those movies. A lot.
I'll just post another fight scene and let it speak for itself.
The pure speed and the brutality of some of the blows in this film surpass anything I've ever seen in cinema before. My jaw was dropped to the degree that I regretted giving The Beast Stalker a 5 out of 5 earlier in the week because I wanted to rate this film higher. And I loved The Beast Stalker.
This was a great film. I'll leave it at that.
The AFFD was great throughout. The vibe was cool, the films were solid, and the people were great. I'll definately be back next year.
As a side note, we saw the trailer for RoboGeisha a lot during this festival. It's on youtube. Don't look for it unless you...
Well, just don't look for it.


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