Charles Root Fan Site Blog

Hollywood and Hidden Creativity

2011-09-29T13:54:00.005-04:00

Update 10/11/11: In a timely piece of related information. Disney get's sued for patent infringement in regards to a way to create animation.

http://www.law360.com/media/articles/276533/disney-faces-software-ip-suit-over-hit-animated-films-

This is an article I wrote detailing the lack of Intellectual Property creativity in the film industry.

Discovering Intellectual Property Behind the Camera

The film industry is a business sector that is well acquainted with protection of intellectual property (IP). Unfortunately, that protection has historically focused on digital media rights, trademarks, and copyright and has overlooked the numerous other aspects of IP that offer potentially lucrative outcomes.

Having worked on several movies and seen firsthand the inventive and creative processes of not only the actors, but the crew on the set, I can say with some authority that there are inventions, trade secrets, and processes that are passing in and out of the soundstage door on every movie being made.

Even months before the first frames of “film” are shot (very few studios actually use real film these days; most film digitally), as well as throughout shooting, dozens of people are working in the background setting up the soundstage or location shots. In addition, there are people creating storyboards, costumes, and music. All of these skilled craftspeople, regardless of their title (be it Camera Operator, Construction Coordinator, Gaffer, or Costume Designer) are presented with unique challenges to meet the needs of the movie and the director’s vision of the script.

As the old adage goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And given some of the challenges presented by creating an entertaining film, there is a great deal of need for invention in this process. While there are tried and true methods of filmcraft, as any industry, the unique challenges presented by making the words on a page come to life are unlike those of any other job. Let’s pretend for a moment you are given this piece of script:

1 Exterior Overhead Shot – Old Western City

A non-descript city circa 1845. We can see activity in the streets. Horses and people move about. The sunlight is not like anything on Earth.

Suddenly an explosion destroys one of the buildings; a chunk of iron flies towards the camera.

The task before you is daunting: Do you shoot this as a full city-sized mock-up, as a miniature model, or perhaps all as computer graphics? How do you get the metal to fly at the camera? How do you protect the camera? What sort of chemical mixture will you use for the explosion? What kind of lens filter should be used to create the sunlight?

Through that process of identifying and executing your task, comes invention. Perhaps you shoot the scene in miniature and insert the horses and people using computer graphics - all standard movie-making stuff. But perhaps you take a different approach to create the filter for the sunlight. Perhaps you go into your kitchen, grab some plastic wrap, color it with your kids’ finger paint, smear some oil on it, hang it from a bent coat hanger, and make sure the distance is exactly 4.5 inches from the camera lens. You very well may have just created a new type of lens filter and a new process for using such a filter; something you could recreate, sell, or license, and if the movie performed poorly at the box office, perhaps actually make more money from this lens filter invention than from the movie itself.

Sadly, such inventions are created all the time on movie sets, but given the massive time constraints on a film set and the crew’s lack of understanding of the invention process, such inventions are usually discarded after one use, or kept solely by the creator and never brought to market.

Movie studios, and even more specifically executive producers, need to be aware of the income potential from inventions being created by the crew on their film shoots. Creating a patent portfolio of techniques, structures, compositions, and devices could create a completely new stream of income to the studio through sale and/or licensing of IP.

There needs to be a way to capture on-set innovations created on the fly and bring them to the attention of someone specifically tasked with gathering and protecting these unique ideas. Even a basic one-paragraph description of the invention accompanied by some photographs (there should be plenty of cameras around…) should be sufficient for said person to bring to the studio in order to expand on the inventions and have proper invention disclosures created, or have any new trade secrets documented.

An Intellectual Property consulting company such as ipCapital Group (www.ipcg.com) , based in Williston Vermont, can be an exceptional asset to this process, whether through on-set participation as the point person for IP “harvesting,” or by helping to sort through the copious amounts of data being generated. ipCG has done this in other “IP-naïve” industries and can help anyone through the process.

I imagine once this neglected revenue stream is focused upon by one studio, then, just like other forms of IP already used in the industry (e.g. copyrights), all the studios will aggressively put in place processes for harvesting IP. The first studio to embrace the new culture of “IP on set, all the time” will be in a much stronger position within the entertainment industry than its competitors.

Thorium Nuclear Reactors

2011-09-21T14:49:00.004-04:00

I had a nice lunch time discussion today regarding some of the needs for the State of Vermont. One item that came up was the need for reliable cheap power and that it was agreed that Thorium nuclear power plants (as I mentioned in my Shadow State of the Union speech) are a spot on solution for the state of Vermont.

One of these plants could be built in Newport and one of them could be be built where the existing Vermont Yankee plant is.

Below is a link to a great graphic detailing why these nuclear plants can be the future of America's energy needs.

THORIUM NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS GRAPHIC

Also here is a nice story from The Telegraph talking about Thorium Nuclear Power:

Thorium by the Telegraph

The Budget Compromise...A Total Crock of &$#@!

2011-04-15T16:19:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I've blogged to you all, but something is happening that you really need to be aware of, and that's the continued hoodwinking over the Federal budget. You see our "leaders" clapping themselves on the back for cutting $38 Billion off the budget with the latest extension. This is NOTHING on a $4 trillion dollar budget.

Philip Greenspun a political blogger explains it oh so eloquently below.

News accounts on the latest federal budget deal gave the numbers in a vacuum, e.g., “The deal cuts $38 billion from last year’s budget. It’s being called the largest domestic spending cut in U.S. history” (source). How can an individual voter make sense of quantities that are ordinarily written in scientific notation? I think the easiest way is to divide everything by 100,000,000 (10^8).

Let’s start with federal spending. The FY 2011 federal budget is approximately $3.82 trillion (3.82×10^12). Of that, approximately $2.17 trillion will be paid for by taxes collected and the remaining $1.65 trillion will be borrowed from our grandchildren. If we divide everything by 100 million, the numbers begin to make more sense.

We have a family that is spending $38,200 per year. The family’s income is $21,700 per year. The family adds $16,500 in credit card debt every year in order to pay its bills. After a long and difficult debate among family members, keeping in mind that it was not going to be possible to borrow $16,500 every year forever, the parents and children agreed that a $380/year premium cable subscription could be terminated. So now the family will have to borrow only $16,120 per year.

MY State of the Union Speech

2011-01-26T20:05:00.004-05:00

Charles Root State of the Union Address

So Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address was an hour of my life I can’t get back. So filled with lies it was, peppered with flip flop statements, stunning ignorance, and patriotism he obviously doesn’t believe in. In response I feel compelled to write my own address and tell you how, if we are to get this country back on track to prosperity and individual freedom, what needs to be done.

**********************************************************************************

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congress, Our Military Leaders, Mr. Vice President, Distinguished guest, the state of our union is, precarious.

We as a nation are facing a mounting fiscal debt that is non repayable! We have created an entire class of people with an entitlement mentality. We have stretch our military forces to the breaking point, and we have lost our ability to create consumables domestically.

In order to repair our country I am going to take the following immediate actions, and direct congress to facilitate the changes where their authority is required.

First I am eliminating several government agencies that have no constitutional right to exist and handle matters that should be decided by the states or are better handled by private industry. The EPA, The Department of Energy, The Department of Education, and NASA are but a few, the list will be scores long and fully disclosed tomorrow.

Second, we can no longer act as the policemen of the world. Effective immediately I will be recalling all soldiers, sailors and marines to American soil, and will begin the shutdown of all American military bases on foreign soil worldwide, this is to be completed within the next 180 days, with sale or return of foreign lands to their respective countries.

Third, Illegal immigration is a threat to our sovereignty. I will be mobilizing national guard forces to militarize the border between the United States and Mexico immediately. If need be after review we will also militarize the US – Canadian border. If you want to come to this country you will do so legally through a legal entry point. As for immigrants currently here illegally, we will be stepping up immigration enforcement, if you are here illegally and caught, you will be deported, including dependent children regardless of citizenship.

Forth, there will be a completely overhaul of the tax system. We will be going to a flat tax for all peoples and corporations. The first $45000 you make is yours to keep tax free. For every dollar afterward it will be taxed at 12%. There will be no deductions. In addition there will be a 1% sales tax initiated nationwide. Currently the US has the highest corporate tax in the world, this will make the US the 8^th lowest. This will allow for substantial business growth, and job creation.

Fifth, we will be imposing tariffs on all imported goods, that are made in countries that do not allow their currency to fluctuate with the market, or do not have a minimum wage equal to that of the lowest state mandated wage. Currently Kansas at $7.25 an hour.

Sixth, If you receive government assistance but are able to work you will be given a list of available jobs nationwide. It will be your responsibility to acquire one of those jobs. If you need to move to another state, then you will need to do so. You will receive your salary plus government assistance equal to $45,000, but you will work a minimum of 30 hours a week.

Seventh, We are going remove the authority of the Central Bank and Reserve from setting any monetary policy, and over the next 12 months recouple our currency to physical metals.

Eighth, I will be making a list of items that are not in the preview of the Federal Government, and are entirely the responsibility of the states, for example universal healthcare, gun control, and abortion. Federal laws pertaining to these subjects will be put before congress for immediate repeal.

Ninth, We can no longer be dependent on foreign oil for our energy. We will undertake a substantial infrastructure creation of Thorium nuclear power plants and interior oil drilling.

Tenth, I will be directing the Interior Department to begin the sale of unused government lands to private citizens starting immediately.

I understand that these measures will be difficult. I understand that many government workers will be losing their jobs, but the number of jobs gained by these measures in the private sector will offset these loses. I know families may be ripped apart, but if you are a criminal you need to make things right. I know that other countries that have lived off our largess for decades will now need to fend for themselves. This is not our concern, but we are your friends and will be happy to advise you over these difficult transitions.

These ten points are only the beginning, in six months I will give another State of the Union speech outlining more measures, more government reduction, more repeal of federal laws.

We must never again allow our federal government to grow so large. To quote Ronald Reagan, government is not the solution to the problem, it is the problem. If we don't turn our backs on omnipotent government we risk returning to the same servitude that our forefathers fought to free us from 235 years ago.

My fellow Americans good night and God Bless.

Buck Rogers Begins Fund Raiser KickOff

2010-06-30T11:50:00.001-04:00

As most of you know, I'm the Co-Executive Producer of the new series Buck Rogers Begins. We've launched a KickStarter site to request donations for us to be able to move the project along.

Check it out here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1796708800/buck-rogers-begins

Obama a Failure on all fronts

2010-05-24T15:26:00.001-04:00

I rarely repost in my blog, as I like the stream of consciousness to be my own. But Michael Goodwin
absolutely NAILS the Obama failure today in the NY Post.

Bam's daze of the weak - NYPOST.com

Commander Scott Get's Mad

2010-04-20T11:04:00.003-04:00

Here's a little teaser shot from the upcoming Star Trek Phase 2 episode "Kitumba". It's a first look at a recently promoted Mr. Scott to full Commander and apparently he's pretty upset about something. You'll have to wait till the episode to find out. You'll also get a chance to learn all about Mr. Scott's promotion in an upcoming Phase 2 E-mag!

Vermont 3rd Highest Taxed State in the Union

2010-03-31T16:39:00.003-04:00

Nice little piece in Forbes today about the highest taxed states. Guess what, Vermont made the top 3! Only Connecticut and Hawaii are taxed higher then we are! Even Massachusetts, that every Vermonter jokes is called TAXachusetts, doesn't come close to us.

If there's any lawmakers out there reading this blog, I'm just curious, how does that make you feel? What's it like knowing that YOUR decisions are crushing the family's and businesses of this state?

I can tell you this, we're at a breaking point in this state, we can't have any more liberalism, we just can't. Everyone in Montpelier needs to be voted out and soon!

An Old Engineer & A Young Cadet

2010-03-21T11:32:00.003-04:00

Figured that Facebook shouldn't get all the cool shots (plus I'm trying to revive my blog LOL) A nice shot of me and Matt Ewald in the Green Room of Retro Film Studios.

Why Target Won't Build In Vermont

2010-03-17T16:11:00.003-04:00

UPDATE 9/2011: Finally after years of work, TARGET is finally coming to Vermont! They are building in Williston

For all the Burlington Free Press readers looking for this letter, here ya go!

Global Warming Supporters in CYA Mode

2010-01-11T11:09:00.003-05:00

This is a repost from a facebook discussion that I felt was worthy of further propagation:

I think you will see the Global Warming defenders in the coming months get even more fanatic and desperate as reality clashes with their fantasy data and theory. Reason? Very simple, human vanity. Imagine, take any topic, that for whatever reason you believe in with all your soul, and then you pour years of your money, time, and thoughts in to. Hell even completely change your lifestyle for, and then it's proven false. The embarrassment of your adherence to fallacy would be exceptional, would it not? The veracity of Global Warming Hoax Adherents, is now completely tied to personal vanity and efforts to save personal credibility. Honestly will we ever be able to take anything any supporter of Global Warming says seriously ever again? Unfortunately by blind faith in a false theory they have branded themselves unwittingly as liars. It will be a long road for them to recover any level of trust.

The NY Times Proves Itself The Liberal Rag I Know It To Be

2009-11-23T14:35:00.004-05:00

So unless you've been locked up in a tree house somewhere by now you've heard the news story of the hacker (nay Hero!) that broke into the servers at the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, in the UK and discovered a trove of data and e-mails that showed a massive cover up of data by scientist showing that Global Warming is indeed NOT happening to the planet, and in fact the Earth has cooled in the last 15 years. Do a Google search for more information on this fantastic story of scientific subterfuge.

Where you WON'T find any results in your Google search is from the liberal rag known as the New York Times. Once the agency of record, the mighty "Gray Lady" is but a former ghost of itself, and like a star that is dying it occasionally flares bright, but unfortunately these flares aren't of journalistic brilliance and integrity, but they are unfortunately the purest forms of it's core liberalism put vibrantly on display.

Let us take the Global Warming Coverup story as shining example of the NY Times leftwing cognitive dissonance. On Friday NY Times reporter Andrew C. Revkin said of the hacked information "The documents appear to have been acquired illegally and contain all manner of private information and statements that were never intended for the public eye, so they won’t be posted here."

Wow how utterly upstanding of you Mr. Revkin, to bad that stellar example of journalistic integrity doesn't extend to national security data breeches, when during the Vietnam War, The NY Times happily, in fact, eagerly printed the Pentagon Papers. Indeed as recently as 2006 New York Times executive editor Bill Keller wrote an extensive piece disclosing the previously confidential details of the SWIFT program, which was designed to trace terrorists’ financial assets. Then joyful bragged on CBS face the nation "One man's breech of security is another man's public relations". We won't even get in to the example of all the information the NY Times printed in their hallowed pages of Sarah Palin's hacked e-mail account last fall. Nope no problems or ethical dilemmas printing information that doesn't require them to save the public face of their fellow liberals. Disgusting!

One must stand up and cheer though at the comment Michael Goldfarb of the Weekly Standard opined regarding the shameful collusion of the NY Times and the Liberal Agenda , “As a journalist, there is no greater glory than publishing materials that were not meant to be published If I could, I would only publish emails and documents that were never meant to see the light of day — though, unlike the New York Times, I draw the line at jeopardizing the lives of American troops rather than jeopardizing the contrived “consensus” on global warming."

So while liberals unendingly and incorrectly bash Fox News, yet remain blinded to the copious sources of real journalistic bias, highlighted by filth such as the NY Times. You can point them to this blog entry and hopefully their stupidity won't be so stellar anymore.

Health Care Reform That Trumps Obamacare

2009-09-04T14:56:00.002-04:00

This is a plan presented by the CEO of Whole Foods Markets that actually makes sense and enables personal responsibility at a reasonable cost.

Thank you my pal Al Hartman for pointing me to this article:

HEALTH CARE REFORM ARTICLE LINK

An Argument AGAINST Goverment Health Insurance

2009-08-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

How to Reform American Health Care

As the Obama administration attempts an almost fascist takeover of your life by orchestrating universal health care, which will morph in to a single payer system, and then enable the Government to control just about anything you do or ingest in the name of “saving money”. I have put some thought in to this and created a simple outline on how as a country we could dramatically reduce health insurance cost.

FIRST – We require massive tort reform. Medical malpractice lawsuits that are like lottery tickets for the plaintiffs cause significant inflation of medical cost. Requiring doctors to buy malpractice insurance that can cost $12000 a month! It’s time to stop the silver tongued lawyers (a’ la John Edwards) who become fabulously wealthy by suing doctors. Medical malpractice issues should not be decided by a jury of 12 class envy layman swayed by an eloquent lawyer’s speech. They need to be decided by a panel of 12 doctors. Doctors that can objectively and knowledgably determine if there was flagrant negligence during a procedure. The awards then need to be capped at a reasonable amount.

This would:

A) Lower the cost of insurance

B) Remove the “get rich quick” aspect of frivolous lawsuits.

C) Bring more and keep more people in to the medical profession, creating competition, thus lowering prices

SECOND – Allow insurance to be sold across State lines. Allow any company that sells insurance to sell it in any State. For example right now in Vermont there are only 3 choices of health insurance companies because Vermont doesn’t allow its citizens the freedom to buy insurance out-of-state.

THIRD- Allow for variable plans. Right now we all pay the same rate regardless if you’re an overweight, 3 pack a day smoker, that drinks 8 Budweiser’s every night and likes to snort coke on the weekends, and I’m a granola eating, mountain biking health nut. This is ludicrous! I mean if you’ve got 4 DUI, 2 speeding tickets and 3 accidents on your record, you pay a MUCH higher car insurance rate then I, with a clean driving record does. Healthy choice people pay less, simple as that. You want to pay less? Drop the Big Mac.

FORTH – Require a clear menu and statement of cost for all procedures at a medical facility so that patients can easily price compared. Right now it’s like a secret when you go get something done at a doctor’s office. Procedures need to be uniformly labeled and prices easily accessed. This will create massive competition, driving down prices.

FINALLY – Allow the young to buy only catastrophic policies if they so choose with $10,000 deductibles.

All Americans should be mad as hell and scared as hell that the Government wants to take over health care in this country. Don’t give up your freedom of choice in the name of financial expediency, and don’t let the Government convince you they are the solution, they never are.

American Economic Might

2009-03-24T16:58:00.005-04:00

Haven't posted in a while, been mainly hanging out on Facebook, but didn't want my blog to go in to a world over neglect, so I'm popping in with this quick post.

With all the doom and gloom about the American Economy and honestly folks it's not as bad as the media makes it out to be, I think it's important to remember just what a heavyweight the USA is, so let's take a quick peek at some comparative GDP's. Guaranteed to warm your heart:

I'm on Facebook

2009-02-20T11:36:00.003-05:00

Yawn... I joined Facebook like many of the other nameless WWW hoards! So if you are inclined you can check me out over there.

License Secured for Buck Rogers

2009-01-20T15:36:00.003-05:00

I am very happy to announce that the company I helped found Retro Film Studios and cooperation with Cawley Entertainment Company have secured the exclusive world wide license to create new webisodes of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

I will be a Co-Executive Producer of the show along with James Cawley, Flint Dille and Gary Evans.

This will be a very "retro" Buck harking back to his days in the comic strips of the 20's and 30's

You can visit our website at www.buckrogersbegins.com

Promoting A Friends Blog

2008-12-18T09:51:00.002-05:00

My friend Doug Drexler (ahem! Name drop, Oscar Award winning friend Doug Drexler ) has started a new blog it is over at: http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/

Some super inside information on Star Trek and some of the other movies he's worked on, along with industry updates.

Check it out!

Disney's "The Black Hole" Remake

2008-11-20T17:06:00.005-05:00

In this age of Science Fiction remakes (ala Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek) there is a movie that has NEVER gotten the appreciation that it deserves and is ripe for a remake, Disney's 1978 masterpiece "The Black Hole"

The work that went in to producing this film is simply stunning. The SFX you need to remember are long before CGI fest stuff. All of the stuff you see is hand drawn animation on top of models. Some of the most detailed models ever made for any movie.

The film would be killer as a remake. Hmmm maybe it's time for my movie studio Retro Films to go a calling to Disney??

Outrageous Corporate Behavior

2008-11-19T15:22:00.004-05:00

So those of you that know me, know that I am a staunch conservative and pro-business guy. I hate paying taxes, and think that Government needs to stay out of markets and if that precludes businesses in those markets going under and the possible "devastating" consequences then so be it. Nature abhors a vacuum and if there is a failure of a business even a big business like the auto makers there will be eventually someone to come in and fill the void.

Which makes me all the more pissed to see the big 3 automakers up on capital hill begging for my and yours money to get them out of the mess THEY created for themselves, but what frost me even more is these arrogant people arrive in Washington DC on private jets at $20,000 a flight. Am I the only one that sees the hypocrisy here!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T16:10:00.003-04:00

Hey Fans! Just a quick word to say Happy Halloween and to remember that you can have fun tonight and still glorify the Lord. Don't let your activities wander down the path of Satanism!

Have a great night!

CR

Dogs in Stores

2008-08-27T14:38:00.002-04:00

So I was walking out of my local Rite-Aid this afternoon and a women was walking in, trailing behind her, her Cocker Spaniel. This women wasn't blind, and another women was talking to her so I assume she wasn't deaf, she was walking with no problem, so she didn't seem differently able'd in anyway, so that must leave one thing, she's an idiot that equates dogs with children.

Oh I'm sure you've seen them too, these clueless people that think it's ok to bring their dogs with them everywhere, like they were just little hairy kids. Any store seems open game for these people Home Depot, Best Buy, and now apparently pharmacies!

I need to know really, what could possibly make you think that brining your dog in to a private store unless they are an assistance animal is an appropriate thing to do.

You know what, here's a thought for you, I don't like your dog, as much as you do, and much like second hand smoke I don't want to be exposed to it in a indoor area.

LEAVE YOUR DAMN DOGS AT HOME MORONS!!

Digital New Age Entertainment Launched

2008-08-12T16:34:00.004-04:00

I'm very happy and proud to announce the official launch of Digital New Age, Entertainment (DNA).

This is a new production company that I am associated with out of the Atlanta area.

More info over on our official blog at:

DNA BLOG

UPDATE 08/27/08: The website is now up also! www.digitalnewage.com

Burlington Vermont Waterfront Casino

2008-08-01T16:11:00.006-04:00

If you have ever been to Burlington VT, you know we have two tourist attractions. The Church Street Marketplace and The Waterfront.

While the Marketplace is about as interesting as you are going to get it, the waterfront is to put it bluntly a completely boring experience.

We also have another issue here in the state besides the lack of entertainment, and that is significant budget shortfalls.

So in early 2008 I made the following proposal to our Governor I have yet to hear back:

(Original Letter Edited For Clarity)

As a native born Vermonter of 38 years, that has been active in our community I have a very keen insight into the desires of Vermonters as well as other citizens of our region, such as people from New York and Quebec. As such I feel I may have a unique solution to our problem.

Whether the State likes to admit it or not, we are in the gambling business plain and simple. We like to whitewash it with platitudes as to where the money goes, and our “play responsibly” motto’s but when it comes down to it, the state still promotes gambling. My idea, we have the state expand its gambling operations and build a Riverboat Casino on the waterfront in Burlington.

Now before you crumple this letter up. Let me point out some items:

Currently there are more the 5 casinos within 3 hours drive of most Vermonters. Why have those Vermont gambler dollars go out-of-state?

True Vermonters and not simply organizations like the C.L.F. or other out-of state entities, actually want these type of diverse entertainment options in our state.

If the Abinaki's get Federal Tribe recognition, they are going to build an casino in Swanton no doubt about it. It would be better for the State to be first with such an endeavor

Modeling law changes to cover “off shore gambling” are much less complex then if the casino was to be built on land.

A State run casino will prevent undesirable side issues of certain types of crime from becoming a problem.

I would recommend some certain items should a Riverboat Casino be built on the waterfront:

No on-site parking, shuttle buses or pedestrian traffic only. Place the parking garage near Church St, so there’s a massive influx of shoppers there.

Casino closes at 2:00 AM just like the bars.

Use Burlington police officers as security and profits from the casino to cover the expansion of the department.

A final note, the 2 closest casinos to Vermont, The Montreal Casino and The Akwesasne made more the $100 million each in their first year of operation and continue to make similar profits now.. What kind of things could we do to reduce property taxes here in Vermont with that kind of money, and how nice will it be when nearly 55% of those dollars are from out-of-staters? Kindest Regards
Charles Root

So if you are a Vermonter or vacation here and like the idea of a little casino action once and while, speak up and forward this idea to your legislators! Let's make this a reality!

WHOA!! MAJOR UPDATE AS OF 12/18/08 THE IDEA OF A RIVER BOAT CASINO IS OFFICIALLY ON THE LIST OF IDEAS FOR MAKING UP VT'S BUDGET SHORTFALL

Bring Back the $500 Bill

2008-06-23T16:33:00.004-04:00

The US $500 dollar bill, once not uncommon to our more affluent grandparents, but now extinct except to collectors of old bills.

I'd like to propose that the Federal Reserve begin printing the $500 bill again. Yes, yes I know the $500 and $1000 bill were stopped in order to make it harder for drug dealers and other unsavory peoples to conduct business.

I would argue that, that may have been true in the 70's and 80's but here in the 21st century with gas at nearly $100 a fill-up and Blue-Ray DVD players in the $500 plus range, the need for a consolidated currency is more relevant.

Certainly the Federal Reserve would like us to all go to a "cashless" society where we use nothing but credit/debit cards, but really do you want the banks and government to be able to track every transaction you make, and isn't there time when you just don't feel safe making a debit card purchase (Restaurants come to mind with who knows how trustworthy wait staff skimming your card!)

The EU already produces the 500E as a bill as well as other European countries. Carrying around a Latvian 500 LVL is like having $1000 US in your pocket. Which is another nail in the coffin against the crime argument. US Greenbacks isn't the currency of choice anymore around the world. The continuing devaluing dollar makes it much less attractive to do even legitimate business in. Heck even some entertainment biz pros are asking to be paid in Euro's not Dollars.

The $500 bill might just be a currency booster for us as well, as people use it more and more to make big purchases worldwide, I might not want to have 50 $100 bills in my pocket, might carry 10 $500 bills.

If the $500 bill is unpalatable to the US Treasury. Then how about we meet half way and make a new bill the $250 dollar bill. Ronald Reagan could be front and center on it!

How Much Longer on the Foreign Teet?

2008-05-16T16:21:00.002-04:00

This is an excerpt from an AP story today, my comments follow:

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's leaders made clear Friday they see no reason to increase oil production until customers demand it, apparently rebuffing President Bush amid soaring U.S. gasoline prices.

It was Bush's second personal appeal this year to King Abdullah, head of the monarchy that rules this desert kingdom that is a longtime prime U.S. ally and home to the world's largest oil reserves. But Saudi officials stuck to their position that they will only pump more oil into the system when asked to by buyers, something they say is not happening now, the president's national security adviser told reporters.

"Saudi Arabia does not have customers that are making requests for oil that they are not able to satisfy," Stephen Hadley said on a day when oil prices rose above $127 a barrel, a record high. "What the Saudis wanted to tell us was we're doing everything we can do ... to meet this problem, but it's a complicated problem."

The Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, announced that the kingdom decided on May 10 to raise production by 300,000 barrels at the request of customers, including the United States. He said that increase was sufficient.

"Supply and demand are in balance today," he told a news conference. "How much does Saudi Arabia need to do to satisfy people who are questioning our oil practices and policies?"

So how much longer does the United States, the UNITED STATES!! have to bow down to these countries that support terror, and treat women as animals? We are (though you could certainly question it) the most powerful nation on the planet, yet we let dictators tell us how we are going to consume and how much we are going to pay for energy.

What is it going to take to get the democrats that bow to the neo-liberals and the environmentalist that will need to stop blocking efforts for the United States to exploit it's own energy reserves. Such as in the Gulf Coast, off the coast of California, and in ANAWR?

I know, I know, everyone says "This is why we need alternative energy" but we can't even get these wacko's to pass legislation to put that in place. Wind energy, to many NIMBY voices. Nuclear, Might as well suggest burning kittens in their eyes. Hydro, oooh kills the fishys. These people are NUTS I tell you.

Not to mention that I don't think ANYONE has any idea just how much "alternative energy" sources it would take to satisfy just the residential and commercial energy needs of this country.
We'd have to build nearly 900 nuclear plants or 103,000 wind farms to meet 100% of our energy needs. Completely unrealistic.

In addition when you start talking about alternative vehicle energy, you open an whole new can of worms regarding delivery infrastructure or the just plain fact that unless someone figures out how to make current gas using vehicles run on something else with say a conversion that cost less the $100, then people WILL NEVER GIVE UP THEIR GAS USING TRANSPORTATION. I mean come on even if you made energy so cheap that you could give it away, and therefore people could plug in electric cars and get the energy the need to move them at no cost, unless you gave the cars away for free also, how long do you think it would take before everyone would be able to or afford to get rid of their old gas cars and buy new electric cars. I'd imagine a pretty long time.

So that leaves us friends with one option. Oil. This country's infrastructure is built on it, for better or worse and we better wake up to the fact that we need it in order to enjoy the lifestyles this country has for the last 100 years. No amount of tree-hugging denial is going to change that.

Phase 2 (New Voyages) Filming 4/26

2008-04-28T16:11:00.008-04:00

Haven't posted about Phase2 (formally known as New Voyages) in a while, and what better time to post then after a pickup shoot!

We needed to reshoot some of my scenes this weekend in order to begin the final edits on Blood and Fire, which is looking like a June or July release time. It also looks like the DAVE school will be doing some additional animation for us. They were the effects studio that did the incredible work in World Enough and Time.

My wife Amanda got in the action during the reshoots, and played a crew member helping out in sickbay!

Enjoy!

The West Addison Asses

2008-04-21T14:44:00.002-04:00

When I get in the car and drive over to the Retro Film Studios, where New Voyages, er excuse me Phase II as we now call ourselves, is filmed, the drive takes about 2 hours.

During that 2 hours there are personal mile markers that help me pass the time and confirm mentally that, yes this long boring ride is actually progressing.

1 of those mental mile markers is "Ollie" the camel, his pen is right on RT7 and he's usually out in the summer, looking at traffic, with a "Don't care about you attitude" Ollie was in the barn when I drove by this past week, so no pic of him

But another marker is what me and the wife call "The Asses", apparently there is a farm in West Addison that breeds them (they also, no kidding, teach sky diving there, presumably only to humans though)

Most of the time the asses are just huddled up next to the barn, but sometimes, when it's not raining or two hot (these asses are somewhat picky about their weather) they will come out in to the field.

It's so funny to see all these little fat asses standing around. In the Spring after the females get knocked up and push out a new ass, the little ones can be seen bounding and kicking all over the place.

Ahhh Vermont, and the things that keep me sane on my trips to New York

The Bakken Oil Formation

2008-04-02T16:43:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone

Just wanted to report some exciting news, especially in the light of $3.50 a gallon gasoline.

If there is one thing that this country needs to have a national priority is our energy independence.

You can pretend all you want that "alternative energy" sources can replace oil, but you're dreaming or have no concept of just how much oil we use in the country, not just to run our cars, but all the stuff we consume. That keyboard you're at right now, made from oil baby, the monitor you're reading this on yup made from hydrocarbons. Anyway, here is a story that the liberal media hasn't been reporting on, but needs to get out there. Full credit to Next Energy News as the source:

Massive Oil Deposit Could Increase US reserves by 10x

America is sitting on top of a super massive 200 billion barrel Oil Field that could potentially make America Energy Independent and until now has largely gone unnoticed. Thanks to new technology the Bakken Formation in North Dakota could boost America’s Oil reserves by an incredible 10 times, giving western economies the trump card against OPEC’s short squeeze on oil supply and making Iranian and Venezuelan threats of disrupted supply irrelevant.

In the next 30 days the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) will release a new report giving an accurate resource assessment of the Bakken Oil Formation that covers North Dakota and portions of South Dakota and Montana. With new horizontal drilling technology it is believed that from 175 to 500 billion barrels of recoverable oil are held in this 200,000 square mile reserve that was initially discovered in 1951. The USGS did an initial study back in 1999 that estimated 400 billion recoverable barrels were present but with prices bottoming out at $10 a barrel back then the report was dismissed because of the higher cost of horizontal drilling techniques that would be needed, estimated at $20-$40 a barrel.

It was not until 2007, when EOG Resources of Texas started a frenzy when they drilled a single well in Parshal N.D. that is expected to yield 700,000 barrels of oil that real excitement and money started to flow in North Dakota. Marathon Oil is investing $1.5 billion and drilling 300 new wells in what is expected to be one of the greatest booms in Oil discovery since Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938.

The US imported about 14 million barrels of Oil per day in 2007 , which means US consumers sent about $340 Billion Dollars over seas building palaces in Dubai and propping up unfriendly regimes around the World, if 200 billion barrels of oil at $90 a barrel are recovered in the high plains the added wealth to the US economy would be $18 Trillion Dollars which would go a long way in stabilizing the US trade deficit and could cut the cost of oil in half in the long run.

St. Patty's Day!

2008-03-21T16:30:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone, had a real big treat this past St. Patty's Day.

A band that I used to listen to in college called "Bootless and Unhorsed" that used to play at a bar called "The Last Chance Saloon" that is long since been converted in to a dance hall for the Flynn Center, got together for a sort of St. Patty's Day Reunion.

I used to go and listen to these guys every Friday night for literally years. They played the Burlington area for nearly 15 years before I started listening to them. Suffice to say they are a local legend!

They play traditional Irish music with a rowdy twist. If adult language and occasionally violence (or at least barfing on stage) offends you, then these guys probably aren't your cup of tea. But anyway some of the best memories of my youth revolve around this band and my many friends drinking the night away listening to them.

Here are some pics of the event, I'll post more on the main Charles Root website when I get a chance.

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-03-10T13:53:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note to everyone that has sent cards, emails and gifts for my (ugh!) 38th Birthday.

I had a fantastic day on Saturday (the weather didn't co-operate, but hey who cares!) with my Wife, my Father, his wife Barb and my Father-in-Law

I got some very very nice things, and an overly generous amount of cash and gift cards.

Some pics from the day!

A card and a book I had been wanting!

A new bandsaw from the wife!

Forgiveness

2008-02-07T13:55:00.000-05:00

I was recently sent an e-mail through my website from someone that "wronged" me many years ago, they inaccurately quoted scripture asking "if wronged 7 times the Lord said forgive 7 times" For the record the correct passage is:

"Then coming up to Him, Peter said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?

Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven.
Mathew 18:21-22

I tend to get leery when the Bible gets quoted to me wrong by someone, as it makes me wonder whether they made just a simple error or they are using my grace as a Christian to manipulate me, but that aside.

Let it be known to that individual, that you have been forgiven many years ago.

I won't detail all the reason why forgiveness is so important psychologically and spiritually, but I will detail this:

WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT:

To forgive is not to forget the harm someone caused you. Nor is it simply letting your anger, pain or resentment fade over time. Failing to address your negative feelings is not forgiveness either.

To forgive is not to excuse--by forgiving someone who has offended you, you do not overlook or in any way condone that person's harmful words or actions.

To forgive is not to pretend that you were never hurt or harmed.

Forgiveness is not reconciliation between the hurt person and the person who imposed the harm. Reconciliation requires the effort and participation of both persons involved to settle their differences, whereas forgiveness only requires the determined effort of the person harmed.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that once forgiven that a relationship will return to it previous status and state, nothing could be further from the truth. You can forgive someone and then for your own health and safety, sever all ties to the perpetrator of the crime. Forgiveness in no way means putting yourself in a position to be victimized again.

The point is that forgiveness is not for the other person, for the perpetrator, for the transgressor. Forgiveness is for the one who is doing the forgiving.

I would encourage this person if they are truly contrite and wish further peace to turn to Jesus Christ read His Word through the Holy Scriptures. If reading the Word is to daunting then I highly recommend:

Inspired by . . . the Bible Experience: The Complete Bible (Audio CD)

Available at Amazon.Com (Click HERE)

Peace & God Bless

Charles

His power is great!

2008-01-28T16:05:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to say that today I sit here again humbled by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I prayed very hard to Him for a friend that was diagnosed with cancer and after further medical review it seems to have been a missed diagnosis. Only a last minute second opinion saved this person from surgery within hours.

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. Psalm 117:1

2008-01-14T16:22:00.001-05:00

Friends

Sorry it's been so long since my last update, but frankly with the Holidays and building this house, I'm at my freaking wits end! LOL

I did want to let everyone know that I've got something cool in the works. The script I wrote "Virtual Disaster" is under consideration to be purchased from me! Wow guess I might be able to call myself a writer if I actually get paid right?

Keep in touch

Thanks

Charles

Money And You The Taxpayer

2007-10-26T14:03:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago Representative Pete Stark said the following on the floor of the U.S. House: “You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president’s amusement.”

Not to dig in to repulsiveness of Starks comments, because that would be a 10 page post, but I do want to address the theme of his comments and that is the spending of American taxpayer money.

Stark made his comments after the President vetoed the SCHIP expansion bill (State Child Health Insurance Program) and is apparently upset that we don't have money to fund his desired expansion of the government nanny state or to continue the war in Iraq.

I think it is necessary to point out to Representative Stark and anyone else who apparently thinks that we don't have enough money to cover the war that they are simply and completely wrong, we have tons of money to spend on the war. Hows that you say? Well this may seem crazy in the era of activist judges and the complete disregard and knowledge of the document this country was created with, and from which all governmental authority is derived, but let's take a quick look at the United States Constitution, specifically the preamble:

The Constitution of the United States of America

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Okay let's look at that little beautiful piece of literature, you will notice I highlighted two words. PROVIDE and PROMOTE, and they my friends are two very very different concepts and responsibilities.

According the Constitution the US Government is to PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE that means they are obligated to do it, to spend whatever resources necessary to accomplish that task, be it treasure and/or blood.

The Government is then also directed to PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, to promote something means to encourage and educate about it, it is no way shape or form an obligation. Items such as health insurance for kids clearly falls under this category of general welfare promotion.

Are you beginning to see and understand the difference, one issue is to, by law, be addressed with all possible effort, the other is to be addressed when convenient.

All the nice things the Government supplies to us through social safety net programs, and even perceived necessities like say air traffic control are promotion of the general welfare. Putting a gun to our country's enemies head and pulling the trigger is to provide for the common defense. Providing is an obligation you need to spend money on, promoting is not.

According to the Constitution it's the Governments requirement to take money that is spent on promotion and use it for providing, to argue any other interpretation would require the arguer to take a remedial English class.

So now that we have the ground rules established, let's look at the issue of fiscal distribution again.

Currently the budget of the United States is around 2.5 Trillion dollars. Of that 17% goes to defense, on the other hand 33% goes to Social Security and Medicare combined. So some quick math shows that around $450 billion goes to defense and around $850 billion goes towards social programs. The cost of the war in Iraq may come in somewhere around $750 billion. Looks to me that there is plenty of cash to spend on our OBLIGATION as opposed to our OPTION. More importantly any future spending should only be considered for use in the war as opposed to programs like SCHIP.

Think I'm joking, let's put this little scenario out there for you to consider:

It's a beautiful July day in 2010 , people are gearing up to go back to work after celebrating the long 4th of July weekend, suddenly TV stations and radio stations all break their regular programming to announce a major news story, US military bases in Germany, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have come under massive missile bombardment! US forces were taken completely by surprise are fighting back against the unknown enemy, but it is night and the ferocity and quickness of the attack makes for a difficult defense. Theories that the forces are Iranian backed militia are strongly suggested, as it has been reported for months now that Supreme Leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was planning a major response to the attack on their nuclear facilities by a joint US-Israeli assault force.

Suddenly the TV goes dead, so does the radio then the power goes out completely, you go down in to the cellar and dig up a hank crank emergency radio you got for this past Christmas. Strangely all the stations have nothing but static on them. What's going on you think? You go over to the neighbors and surprisingly they are experiencing the same exact problems. You go to get in the car to drive in to town and it's also dead as a door nail. Suddenly your other neighbor the "gun nut" down the road comes running up yelling something. When you finally get him to slow down, he tells you this. Thanks to his well shielded generator and shortwave radio that survived the invisible electromagnetic pulse that fried your electronics, he has learned that the following cities have just suffered 5 megaton nuclear detonations. New York, Las Angeles, Miami, Houston, Seattle. (Surprisingly Washington DC wasn't on the list) a good portion if not all of these cities have been destroyed. It also being reported the USS Ronald Reagan in the Persian Gulf has been sunk by a similar nuclear explosion.

If these events were happening to you on that future July day, do you think grandma would be getting her social security check that week, do you think little Suzie would get her free government provided checkup by the local doctor tomorrow. Would you even want the money spent on those things?

Think about it people and then think about being a little less liberal, and then think about if you want the Government to do anything it should be to return to abiding by the Constitution, not using it for toilet paper.

MoveON.org completely clueless.

2007-09-20T16:05:00.000-04:00

So there's a growing chorus of liberals in the United States led by psychos like MoveOn.org that say the "War in Iraq is unwinnable"

First off this is simply insulting of the most powerful military on the planet and second it's just plain wrong.

There is a HUGE and I mean HUGE difference from the ability to win a war and the desire to win a war.

The liberal left has sufficiently brainwashed the United States populace(through the use of video media) that wars can be fought completely septically, with smart bombs and pin point strikes, only the "bad guys" will die and/or should only be the ones that die. Kill enough bad guys and only the good peace loving populace will be left in their intact city to go about their peaceful way.

Nothing could be further from the truth! When you fight this type of war what you get is an enemy populace that becomes more and more bitter especially if one of smart bombs goes dumb and drops on some guys house killing his family. Then phase 2 happens the liberal media gets right in there with there cameras showing the dead babies and saying "look look how terrible this war is, the US is a horrible nation"

In addition you get a non-combatant populace that has no problem helping enemy soldiers or "temporarily" joining their ranks for a weekend killing spree. What do they have to worry about. If they get caught, What? maybe they go to jail?

Let's look at a little history shall we:

Fire Bombing of Dresden in WWII

Dead bodies stack up in Dresden Germany

Cologne Germany Gets Leveled!

About 60 years ago when we really wanted to win a war and our soldiers weren't handcuffed by our politicians nor scrutinized by the media, we'd go from one city destroy everything and kill anyone that even looked at us wrong. Then we'd go to the next city and if there was any resistance there we'd kill everyone Men, women, children and level their businesses, factories, and homes.

This resulted in a demoralized populace, that would not resist our rule or fight a guerrilla war, cause they knew if they did, then in a few hours the bombers would be over head and Ma and Pa and baby Susie would be blown to bits. We could now control the non-combatants and they didn't help or hide enemy soldiers, that kind of action would end up with you against a stone wall and a bullet in your head, too much of it and once again in come the B17's for a little "population indoctrination" to our way of thinking.

A destroyed infrastructure, a shell shocked spirit crushed populace, a terrified nation, THAT'S how you win a war.

You don't win a war by sending in two F16's to blow up a radio antenna at 3:00AM when no one is there and then have your soldiers play cops and robbers for years afterwards.

Our distaste for seeing the horrors of war have made us ironically draw out and make war easier to start. Hey if we can "win a war" with some smart bombs and none of our guys die and for damn sure we better not see any dead babies on TV, then what the hell let's open the cage for the dogs of war to once again piss on humanity.

People are completely and utterly of the wrong mindset when it comes to using our military now. It should be the most horrifying prospect to think that the US military is coming to you nation, cause soon you'll all be dead, so guess what you better round up your troublemakers before we get there.

I'm very afraid that our inability to wage unrestricted war now in the middle east is simply going to allow the situation to simmer instead of coming to a rapid decisive conclusion, and unfortunately that simmering pot may one day explode in to this:

THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE!

The Next President of The United States

2007-09-06T17:33:00.001-04:00

You have seen in my previous post that I am a Fred Thompson supporter. If you want to support Fred as well here is you chance with a donation link below:

WTF! Russia

2007-08-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

You know like there's not enough problems in the world with dumbass terrorist scum, but that douchebag Putin wants to start the Cold War up again. What a Jerk!

British Jets Intercept Russian Bomber Over North Atlantic

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Two Royal Air Force jets have intercepted a Russian bomber over the North Atlantic.

"RAF Typhoons from Numbers 3(F) and XI Squadrons launched to shadow a Russian Bear-H aircraft over the North Atlantic Ocean on Friday 17 August 2007," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

In a separate incident, the Reuters news agency reported Wednesday that a Russian fighter jet violated Georgian airspace by at least 3 miles. Russia quickly denied the claim made by Georgia's Foreign Ministry.

It was the first time the Eurofighter has been scrambled on a genuine alert since it took over defense of Britain's airspace in June.

and

Putin: Russia Will Be World's Largest Military Aircraft Maker

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he is determined to make Russia the world’s leading producer of military aircraft, the Guardian reports.

Putin said Russian-made aircraft would be a priority after decades of taking a back seat to the West.

"Russia has a very important goal, which is to retain leadership in the production of military equipment," said Putin, who made his comments during Russia’s air show.

• Click here to read the full story.

• Click here to see photos from the air show.

The announcement comes amid tense relationships with the West and just a week after he said long-range missions were to resume, with patrols flying over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic for the first time since 1992. The strategic bomber aircraft are capable of hitting the United States with a nuclear weapon.

Russian officials hinted production of Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers could be resuming soon since the aircraft are flying "combat missions" and would be used as a "means of strategic deterrence," presidential aide Alexander Burutin told Interfax.

Putin also said Russia would resume the large-scale manufacture of civilian planes.

Run Fred Run

2007-08-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

If this country is lucky you are looking at the picture of the next President of the United States of America. Fred Thompson

Being a bit of a political junkie I've been looking at the conservative candidates out there and while Sam Brownback is truly the most conservative, without exception Mr. Thompson's has the clout to pull off a win.

This country can't afford to have a liberal democrat in the White House in 2008.

More on this later

Kudo's To The Wife

2007-08-05T00:25:00.000-04:00

A few months ago my wife, Amanda started her own home based business, selling jewelry. Like any business it has it's ups and downs, but this month she landed her first representative working under her and is in line to be promoted to Branch Manager. CONFRATS to her!!!

If you are interested in seeing her "wares" you can go to www.amandajewelry.com

Thank You Jesus

2007-07-10T17:17:00.000-04:00

So today I get an e-mail that was to say the least "harsh in tone" involving a project I'm currently involved with. After reading it I prayed to the Lord to help me with my burden. Not 6 hours afterwards I got a phone call (different person then who sent the e-mail) with some fantastic news also dealing with the same project.

I want to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for answering my prayer!

Charles

Resume Above Ground Nuclear Testing

2007-02-13T16:48:00.000-05:00

Today I was reading an article on using Yucca Flats in Nevada as a test site for development of moon bases, and technologies.

A little history about Yucca Flats, it is where the Nevada Test Site for testing nuclear bombs from 1951 to 1992 is. It also the location of the largest man made crater in the world called Sedan Crater.

Anyway this got me to thinking about the nuclear test ban treaty, rouge states, and our aging supply of nuclear weapons and how we could kill two birds with one stone.

Resume nuclear testing specifically above ground nuclear testing, but only for 1 bomb. Have congress authorize the test, have the press fully present for it.

What would this accomplish?

1) We would get desperately needed test data on our old bombs.

2) We'd not so subtly remind countries like Iran and North Korea, that we have perfected nuclear technology and what a mushroom cloud looks like, should they continue on with their stupid antics.

Just my two cents!

Vermont My Nanny State

2007-02-09T09:31:00.000-05:00

From a story by the AP today:

Vermont lawmakers are considering a measure that would ban eating, drinking, smoking, reading, writing, personal grooming, playing an instrument, "interacting with pets or cargo," talking on a cell phone or using any other personal communication device while driving. The punishment: a fine of up to $600.

Similar bills are under consideration in Maryland and Texas, and Connecticut has passed one that generically bans any activity that could interfere with the safe operation of a motor vehicle.

"Cell phones attracted people to this issue," said Matt Sundeen, a transportation analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Now that people are more focused on distracted driving issues, they're beginning to talk about the broader range of distractions."

So as a resident of the Socialist Republic of Vermont you can't possible imagine how much this has pissed me off.

Beyond the fact that it should be individual responsibility about how you behave and the consequences from them, even if you can say Cell Phones are a distraction in their own class, you've got to be kidding me about the food and drink clause of this bill.

This clown Thomas F. Koch. (R) thinks that taking a sip of soda while driving is such a dangerous prospect that it needs legislation? This is lunacy, this guy needs to step down from his elected post if he really thinks that.

In this guys world if you're traveling through Vermont say from Bennington to Newport, every time you get thirsty you will need to pull over on to the side of the road and take a sip of your soda. Seems to me that it would be more dangerous pulling on and off the road surface then if you just drank the damn soda.

Beyond all that though, this is government at it's worst, it's nanny government, by a law maker who had a bad run in one day with an idiot driver so he feels justified in making a blanket law that punishes everyone.

It's also one of those things where people say "oh it will never be passed in to law" and low and behold it slips in under the radar.

There's so much more to worry about in this state, it disgust me to see lawmakers wasting my money and state time on junk like this.

Man We Rock

2007-01-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

You know I thank the Lord that I live in the United States. Sure we have our problems but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! Take this in to consideration:

1) We have the largest GDP in the world, even on a rainy Monday our GDP of $12.8 trillion is 25% larger then our nearest competitor China at $9.4 trillion.

2) Our military is simply the finest on the planet. The size of our military budget is larger then the amounts for the next 14 highest countries combined

3) Our ability to produce food is amazing we are the worlds top producer of corn, soy beans, rice and wheat

4) We're the only country in the world to put humans on another celestial body.

5) Our educational system is second to none, more noble prize winners are from the United States then any other country our Education Index is 99.9 making us #1 in the world.

6) We created the Internet.

7) We have more billionaires then rest of the world combined.

Yes the list can go on and on, but man what a place to live!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

Family - Friends -Fans

I just want to take this opportunity to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon me in the past year, and specifically for giving me the honor and privilege of having all of you in my life.

I am beyond unworthiness for the bounty the He provides me, and in this holiday season want to remind everyone that celebrates it, that the only reason for this time of year is because of the birth of our Lord, it's not the commercialism of presents, it's not all the noise of other religious or secular observances or fleeting holiday symbols, its the fact that God Himself decided to send part of his Holy Spirit to us people in the form of a man Jesus Christ and then to take that man who had no sin and allow him to be sacrificed in substitute for us, for our sins.

I wish everyone a prosperous, joyous and loving 2007!!

Kind Regards & God Bless

Charles E Root Jr.

A Thin Green Line

2006-12-20T14:21:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge supporter of the men and women in Law Enforcement that
everyday keep our society from turning in to a cesspool of scumbags
preying on the weak.

The following is some information that I think everyone should know
about!

Two U.S. Border Patrol Agents have been sentenced to a
decade long prison terms for apprehending an illegal
alien at our border!

Almost as outrageous is that the illegal alien drug
smuggler, who was given immunity for testifying against
the agents is now suing the U.S. for $5 million, claiming
he was permanently injured!

I have just signed a petition calling for the President
to pardon these two Border Agents and I’m asking you to
join with me by clicking here for the full story and the petition:

http://www.grassfire.org/142/petition.asp?PID=12077601&NID=1
Thanks!

A Long Road...

2006-09-11T16:41:00.000-04:00

Well Root fans it's been about 5 months since I updated my blog, and yes how lazy can I be, but I've been busy dammit! ;-)

I did want to take a few seconds and let you know what has been going on.

Just came back from Dragon*Con in Atlanta where we talked about New Voyages and all things Trek. I also sat on a Trek vs StarGate panel that was a lot of fun.

About to start shooting World Enough and Time and here's a teaser for you fans that actually read this blog that you won't hear anywhere else. The episodes got new sets you've never seen before that has to do with, let's just say etheral things.

Finally I wanted to comment about energy (yea I know a bit off track, but it's my blog)

I just love the fact that if anything happens to oil output, could be just the threat of something happening like a storm, and oil shoots up 5 bucks a barrel. Now when we get some good news like the huge oil find by Chevron in the Gulf, it's hey no big deal, won't effect prices, blah blah.

Personally I think enviromentalist have something to do with being a wet blanket on that oil find news. They were delighted to see gas spiking, hell they were hoping to see $6.00 a gallon at the pumps. In their minds it would force alternative energy sources and higher milage cars (which is great don't get me wrong), but now that there is a chance that the US could start to ween itself off the foreign oil tit with this find, it's hey no big deal.

and that's my 2 cents on that!

Hot NEW Charles Root Gear

2006-04-20T14:16:00.000-04:00

Hey fans, just wanted to let everyone know that there is new gear with an all new logo at www.cafepress.com/charlesroot

Buy early, buy often! I want to put a bowling alley in my house!

NEWSFLASH- Ben Affleck Dumb Ass

2006-04-10T13:35:00.000-04:00

This from Mr. Affleck on 4/8/06:

Reminiscent of Al Franken on the Late Show last October, on Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, actor Ben Affleck charged that President Bush “probably also leaked” Valerie Plame's name and so “if he did, you can be hung for that! That's treason!”

Well Mr. Affleck apparently you know nothing about the Presidents authority to declassify anything he wants, without anyone elses, say like you, or congresses approval. If the President decides that he wants something reported in the paper it's his perogative, that very event makes whatever it is declassified.

No crime has been committed here dumb ass, go look for something else to hang your Bush hating hat on.

Operation Dead 1

2006-03-24T16:31:00.000-05:00

Just a note to tell everyone that I will be guest starring in a new movie (not Trek related) called Operation Dead 1. Check it out at www.operationdead1movie.com

Mind Blowing Video Game

2006-03-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

Came across this link for a game called SPORE, basically the game is a shooter-RPG-RPS-mmorpg rolled in to one. You start off as a cell and build to a terraforming race.

Check out this 35 min video of the game here:

Spore Video

and the official site here:

www.spore.com

Anyone seen our spine?

2006-03-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

From the AP today 3/8/06: VIENNA, Austria — The United States on Wednesday was threatened with "harm and pain" by Iran for its role in bringing the Islamic republic to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program.

You know I think the rest of the world has forgotten who actually has the largest nuclear arsenal on the planet.

Is it just me or are these rouge countries getting a little to lippy, there was a time not to long ago when a statement out of Iran like that would have had B-52 bombers warming up on runways.

During WW2 this country obliterated it's enemies, there was no worry of "collateral damage" if there was resistence from a city, wipe the city off the planet. Odds are the next city would be much more compliant.

Unfortunately our government is too worried about it's public image then our security. Hey if one dead baby is shown on the news and all the liberals have a fit about it, and poll numbers dip, well we can't have that now can we?

Meanwhile Iran a country with no such moral apprehension, builds nukes and openly threatens us.

It's time to take the velvet gloves off.

New Space Flight Portal

2006-03-07T11:44:00.000-05:00

So I was looking over the web and I noticed that there is really no comprehensive site for people to go to if they are interested in buying tickets for a ride in to space. Being the entrepreneur that I am I started up:

www.consumerspaceflight.com

Right now it's a portal, I hope to make it more flashy (unless it get's bought out) but check it out it's got some neat links

-Charles

New Voyages News

2006-03-01T16:46:00.000-05:00

Well looks like we're going to be doing some pick-up shots late April, so there will some fun photos from that coming up. Also we hope to have an awesome yet unannounced guest star shoot some footage that week.

The new trailer for "To Serve All My Days" is up and wow what a response.

The first vignette is essentially done, it's currently in Ron Moore's hands to add some small effects and it will be posted, I'm thinking maybe a week or two tops.

Thanks for the support!

It's Valentines Day Not Christmas

2006-02-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

So I'm watching TV last night and Radio Shack is running those ad's where people sit in the chair and tell others what they want. Well apparently they were so sucessful over Christmas that they continued the trend for Valentines Day.

This haired out women sits in the chair and says something to the affect of "Last year I told you not to get me anything for Valentines Day, and well you didn't. Well guess what sometimes that means the exact opposit and you should have got me something" Then she whips out the new Motorola Cell Phone d' Jour and says "get me this"

Now I'm not going to point out the quality of the commercial or the grating personality of the actress, after all it is just a commercial

BUT I am going to point out that I refuse to go down a path of rampent consumerism over a made up holiday. Buy you a freakin $300 cell phone for Valentines Day are you frakkin NUTS?? This is holiday made up buy a card company based on a Catholic Feast Day, it's NOT Christmas

Here's Radio Shack trying to convince people that they should be dumping hundreds of dollars on others for VALENTINES DAY, Really how damn gullible do you think we are? What's next Cell Phones for Arbor Day?

How about just writing your loved one a nice letter expressing how much they mean to you, and give them a flower you grew. Wouldn't that mean more to them?

No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

2006-02-09T21:08:00.000-05:00

But there is such a thing as a free dinner, and you should never pass one up!

I do work for a company that performs "Secret Shopping" basically you go out to a certain retail/restaurant location, shop the place and then turn in a survey, and get paid, plus (at least with this company you get to keep the stuff you buy/eat (plus it would be hard to return an eatin dinner in any manner someone would want))

Anyway tonight I secrect shopped a local steakhouse and had a FANTASTIC dinner, the food was perfect, the waiter witty but not annoyingly so and it taste so much better free.

If you can get yourself hooked up with one these outfits I highly recommend it!

Evil Government Spying

2006-01-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

So is the government listening in on your call to grandma?

This entire flap over whether the President has the authority to authorize warrantless wiretaps is just insane.

First off the government is only listening to conversations from suspected TERRORIST to people in the US, not from you to your pot dealer down the street, or you and your mistress, or you and your psych doctor, so unless you have known terrorist calling you, you don't have much to worry about.

Next when you come back in to the United States from a foreign country, how many hoops as a citizen of this nation do you need to go through to get back in? You have to show paperwork, be subjected to questioning, and searches of your belongings and even of your body if they want, and yet people are having a fit that the government might be listening in on their communications that are coming in to the country, seems a little weird to me.

How about your false sense of security when your on the phone anyway. Everytime you use your cordless phone, and everytime you use your cell phone that communication is going over the air unencoded, and with a full spectrum analyzer from Radio Shack for about $800 I can tune in to those phone calls and listen to them like it was an FDR fireside chat. Don't even get me started on how easy it is to read your e-mail or tap in to your VOIP calls.

Finally who does have the authority to authorize wiretaps, a judge you say. So let me get this straight, you feel that essentially a glorified lawyer, who's rank in the political spectrum of things is slightly more then your local selectboard has the authority to authorize a wiretap, but the President of the United States, the man who's has the final decision on whether to launch nuclear weapons, can't have the authority to authorize a wiretap or appoint people to have that authority? You've got to be kidding me.

Think about it the next time some liberal tries to ram the argument of "Bush gone wild" down your throat. Unless he's talking about the Bush twin daughters, don't listen to him.

New Voyages News

2006-01-14T23:41:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't seen all the great announcements over at www.startreknewvoyages.com, looks like there's going to be a good number of Original Series stars joining us in the near future.

Grace Lee Whitney - George Takei ahh the story that is there, people worry about another time travel episode, I can assure you it's not.

Keep watching!

New Voyages News

2005-12-29T13:42:00.000-05:00

So lot's of changes over at New Voyages huh kiddies?

Well I can tell you this, it's all for the better, in any expanding organization you're going to have growing pains. There's going to be differences of opinion and new, but unrelated, opportunities that present themselves through all the contacts you're expanding business makes.

In a situation such a New Voyages and Retro Film Studios the production company where it is filmed, explosive growth sometimes goes unmanged because there's so little time/money to do all the management necessary. Fortunately during post-production of To Serve All My Days we've had the chance to get all our ducks in a row, alot of what you're seeing regarding the changes at New Voyages is exactly that.

In other news I've seen the first vignette "Center Seat" what can I say other then WOW! Ron Boyd and John Lim have awesome chemistry on screen. Ralph Millers sound effects give it incredible ambience and the Max Rem special effects OH MAN! there's this one shot of the Enterprise... but I can't give away any more then that.

So look for an all new New Voyages starting in 2006. You're going to be blown away with what's coming.

Free (well almost) back rubs

2005-12-22T16:21:00.000-05:00

Have you had the opportunity to check out these new Shiatsu Massage Cushions? Holy Crap are these things sweet!

I tried one out yesterday and it was like getting a massage from a (insert appropriate massuse joke tag here) , but no really it's awesome.

I asked for one for Christmas. Do yourself a favor and get one!

See I can be sweet too.

2005-12-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

See I can hold a child and not have it freak out!

Most of you know me as a unloving, uncaring, conservative, but kids really know the truth, I'm nothing but a big softie!

A Vermont Transportation Issue

2005-12-19T16:41:00.000-05:00

Circ-Williston EIS Commentary
by
Charles E. Root Jr.

There is a disease and plague in the State of Vermont, the disease is liberalism and the plague is out-of-state interference, unfortunately both these pox have infected the circumferential highway project.

The Circ. project has languished in this state for decades, the citizens of this state a generation ago saw the need to divert traffic away from urban areas yet here we are with precious little of that vision actually completed so many years later. Originally the delay centered around cost, but eventually the tree huggers (Vermont Smart Growth Collaborative ) and out-of-staters (Conservation Law Foundation) that want to treat Vermont like their own private environmental Disneyworld insinuated their unwanted and unsolicited opinion in to the project. Now the state has to jump through a three ring circus of legal hoops erected by liberal activist judges sympathetic to the obstructionist entities opposed to the project.

Imagine, if you would, the State of Vermont without Interstate I-89 or Intrastate 189. If these projects were being proposed today undoubtedly they would face the same amount of encumbrance faced by the circumferential highway project. How would the state be fairing right now economically, environmentally, and socially if those major highway project had been stopped? I think we can all agree not very well.

The opponents of the Circ would like you to believe that once the Circ is built areas in and around Chittenden county are going to turn in to downtown Manhattan with sprawl sending houses halfway up the side of Mount Mansfield. This alarmist, untrue position can be refuted with one word, zoning. The towns that are close to the Circ’s route have stringent zoning laws especially Williston, that for example, has several thousands of dollars in fees for building permits and maximum allowable growth of 64 new homes a year. Where’s the unregulated sprawl there, I don’t see it.

I think Circ oppositionist, besides being dishonest are disillusioned. Chittenden County is the urban center of the State. That urban center has its bedroom communities and places like the Church Street Market Place, IBM, IDX, Costco, Home Depot, and Walmart People need to have an efficient way to get from home to these locations and back. My God, take a look around Chittenden County! Does it look anything like Orleans County or Windsor County? No of course not, because they are different places, with different needs and different people. If the Circ was being proposed for one of those areas I might be able to see the desire to oppose it, but Chittenden County is not those places. Chittenden County will never go back to pristine wilderness and farmland and no amount of wishing, hoping, lying, or legal maneuvers will change that. Any other assessment is being offered by someone living in a fantasy land.

Circ oppugnants would like you to believe they have the areas best interest at heart. Nothing could be further from the truth! They offer up plans like placing rotaries along route 2A or building “the Circ Rd” a road that follows the same path as the Circ Highway, but stopping short of route 2. I almost choked when I read these plans. Let me briefly tell you why these are disasters in the making.

Rotaries – A feel good European traffic device that liberals will enjoy pointing out work great in France (boy wouldn’t liberals love it if Vermont was part of France, but that’s another argument). There are two rotaries in Chittenden County one on Shelburne Rd. and one on Maple Tree Drive, both are dismally ineffective at controlling traffic. Having to use the rotary on Maple Tree Drive every single day I can tell you from experience. People don’t yield, people dart out in front of oncoming cars, semi trucks can’t turn around them. Others treat them like an obstacle in a slalom course and actually increase speed as they approach them. If you were to put these along route 2A you’d essentially be turning it in to a drag strip and cars waiting to get on from side streets would be waiting a mile deep. Semi trucks turning on to Industrial drive would block traffic while they slowed and backup and shimmied to make the turn. Of course proponents of the idea tell you they could make them big so that traffic could navigate them easier. How? By seizing the private land which boarders the road? Private land that also includes a memorial to our Veterans. What a nice liberal idea of governmental power, land seizer. Then there’s the chill inducing thought of a rotary at Essex Five Corners, FIVE CORNERS FOR GOODNESS SAKE!! I can’t imagine it, it would be a traffic nightmare, throw a train blocking certain outlet roads, you might as well call it the Essex Five Corners Parking Lot.

Circ Rd. – This is the idea for a road that follows the path of the Circ, but doesn’t connect to I-89. It’s real easy to tell you what’s going to happen here. Cars will get off this “Circ Rd” and go through residential neighborhoods to weave their way to Williston and I-89. Great idea, good thinking there. Let’s increase traffic where our children play. The very suggestion of this idea makes me wonder about the honesty of Circ opponents. Wouldn’t this road create the same amount of pollution and noise?

Building the Circumferential Highway should be a no-brainer. The land is already bought and it goes through already developed areas, it’s not like we’re mowing down the Green Mountain National Forest or turning over 2000 acres of farmland to build this. Storm water runoff can be controlled by effective engineering, you need not just let it pour directly in to Lake Champlain.

I invite you to swing by Essex Five Corners during rush hour and sit there for literally 20 minutes, or drive north on I-89 and marvel at the line of traffic attempting to get off at exit 12, and you tell me that the Circ shouldn’t be built or that we should play Mickey Mouse games with “alternative” suggestions. We are only going to continue to grow in this county and things are only going to get more and more congested on our existing roadways. I would ask Circ adversaries at what point will the addition of new roads in this area be okay? When the population grows from 146,000 to 200,000? 250,000? What’s the magic number or do you think that the current roads will allow for effective traffic flow regardless of how large Chittenden County gets?

Chittenden County needs the Circ. Citizens want the Circ and the iconoclast minority that wish to defeat the project need to know how much they are opposed by a silent but very large majority.

Success in Iraq

2005-12-13T15:40:00.000-05:00

What you're seeing above is success in Iraq.

Is Iraq as peaceful as say Maine, No.
Is Iraq as Democratic as say Florida, No.
Is Iraq as wealthy as say California, No.

Is Iraq as dangerous as it was 3 years ago, No.

and that my friends is the key. What you're seeing above is soldiers voting in an election that is free and fair (no more 100% of the vote going to Saddam and opponent ending up dead)

This new freedom has come at a heavy price 2000+ young Americans dead, 300+ supporting nations soldiers dead and over 30,000 Iraqis dead, but what you are seeing above is the same event that happened 60 years ago in Japan and Germany when fascist were overthrown and the cost then was in the millions of human lives.

So yes while the road has been hard and the struggle is not yet over. Don't let anyone tell you it hasn't been worth it, don't let anyone tell you it's been in vain or we've been defeated, because that picture above proves them wrong.

When your grandchildren are vacationing in Iraq 50 years from now visiting their Arab friends in the vibrant world city of Baghdad, you will KNOW it was worth it.

The dreaded Christmas Party

2005-12-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

The Christmas Party a staple of this time of year. They can be form of torture if not done correctly

How many times have you been to a party only to wish you were home all curled up watching TV? I think the worst part is the contrived gift exchange. If you're forced to exchange gifts with people you don't even know, I ask, what's the sense. Save your $10.00.

Then there's the booze, inevitably someone doesn't know when to say when, and ends up making a total ass of themselves to the embarrassingly of everyone there. This can really happen at family Christmas Parties, because people seem to feel free to say anything they want, I mean hell their family right?

There's the wonderful, "Let's all go to a restaurant" Christmas Party, where your group of 15 garners a bill of over $1000.00 and there's always the math whiz in the group that doesn't understand that yea while you only had the salad and water and it came to $15.00, you're on the same tab as everyone else. Therefore your $15.00 salad just turned into $40.00 when you count your share of tip and tax on a $1000.00 tab.

Of course the weather can be an issue, nothing like sliding home on ice covered roads only to go in to a ditch and have to dig and push the car, while in slacks and wingtips.

Yes it truly is a wonderful time of the year.

New Voyages News

2005-12-10T12:58:00.000-05:00

Ahh the things instore for the future of New Voyages.

Last night James Cawley the Executive Producer and creator of New Voyages was in California meeting with the Hollywood movers and shakers that will be involved in the next episode.

There's going to be some big names so make sure you check out the New Voyages website www.newvoyages.com probably on Monday to read our big announcements.

Tis the Season

2005-12-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

SHOP! SHOP! SHOP! The commercialism of Christmas is shoved down our throats starting somewhere around Labor Day now, so sick of Christmas shopping do people get that the whole idea of a Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth goes the way of flipping off the driver who just took your parking spot at the mall.

But that's not the type of shopping that I wanted to talk to you about today, I wanted to talk about a type of shopping that I find relaxing just about everytime I do it (now some of you will groan when I tell you this), but I love grocery shopping.

I was getting my lunch today at the local massive mart and the weather had been crappy all morning but as soon as stepped on the polished floors and the endless produce section a smile came to my face.

There's just something about walking up and down the isles loaded with every conceivable can of vegetables grown world wide that relaxes me.

I think it has something to do with the fact that I love to cook and entertain and that when I walk by some box of ingredient du jour, I begin to think about standing in the kitchen, nice jazz playing on the stereo, a pan sizzling with my latest creation. I know it's weird, but it's better then the alternative a relaxing six pack of beer.