Solitude and Hope: Y'all Come Visit!

This growing collection of video favorites includes humorous, artistic and commemorative videos found on the web. The selections presented here now include: Crazy Dolphins vs. Mad Cows, South Park: Trapped In the Closet, Tyger, The Saint of 9/11, Helen Thomas: First Lady of the Washington Press Corps, The Grateful Dead: The American National Anthem, and John F. Kennedy: The Church and the State. Watch for many others to come!! View them here, or on my companion website, Et Cetera.

Wild Dolphins vs. Mad Cows

You have to take a look at this batty, but charming video. "Crazy Dolphins vs. The Mad Cows" is an animated expose of kids talking about how Mad Cow Disease is now killing the poor, helpless Dolphins. Via Karate. You could just listen to the kids on this video spin their Cow versus Dolphin yarns all day long!!!

Link: Wild Dolphins vs. The Mad Cows

South Park: Trapped in the Closet

This South Park episode that was banned in Britain and pulled from its television schedule in the United States by Viacom has been nominated for an Emmy. The Emmy nominee for best animated program is the episode of South Park that was said to have angered both Tom Cruise and Isaac Hayes. The episode called, Trapped in the Closet, implied that Cruise was gay and lampooned Scientology. The episode can be viewed from the link that is provided below:

Link: South Park: Trapped in the Closet

“Tyger”: A Musical Animation Inspired by William Blake

Salon has unearthed this visually stunning animation by Guilherme Marcondes. It was commissioned and produced for Cultura Inglesa, a festival arranged annually by the British Council in Brazil. The only stipulation for the commission was that the work should indirectly evoke attention to English culture in some manner. Accordingly, Marcondes chose William Blake’s “The Tiger“ for inspiration.The story of the animation takes place in Sau Paulo’s chaotic urban setting. The tone of the piece moves between wonder and fear, marvel and danger. In doing so, it leaves the viewer free to experience a perspective of society undaunted by the pessimism engendered by unbridled romanticism. Marcondes writes on his website that he loves the poem because it “gives us a hint of wonder along with a fear of progress.” Watching this beautiful piece will leave you in a state of unbelievably quiet, unexpected admiration.

Link: Guilherme Marcondes" "The Tyger"

The Saint of 9/11

Saint of 9/11 is a documentary about Mychal Judge, the late FDNY chaplain who died in the 9/11 WTC tragedy. Some reviewers of this documentary expressed the hope that it will get national distribution so that many others will be able to see it.

Judge was gay, which would have caused him to be barred from the priesthood under the current Pope. He closely guarded the knowledge about his sexual orientation, because he was keenly aware that it could become an obstacle to his work with some of the beloved firemen to whom he ministered.

For many, the remembrance of his labors with and on behalf of persons suffering with AIDS during the early years of the crisis means the most. Beginning in the early 1980s, when HIV first began to emerge with its fury of terror, Mychal Judge was there to care for those who were alone, isolated from society and abandoned by their families. His kindness serves as a role model for us all.

A moving memorial to Mychal Judge, and an introduction to the documentary about him, is presented by the Equality Forum.

Link: The Saint of 9/11

Helen Thomas: First Lady of the Wahington Press Corps

Former White House Bureau Chief Helen Thomas has for years been recognized as The First Lady of the Washington Press Corps. Thomas served as the major journalistic pioneer who almost single-handedly spearheaded the destruction of barriers against women reporters in the media. During her years reporting news at the White House, she provided coverage of every President since John F. Kennedy.In November, 1960, Helen Thomas began covering then President elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January, 1961 as a member of the UPI team. It was during this first White House assignment that she began closing presidential press conferences with "Thank you, Mr. President." She was the only woman newspaper journalist to travel with President Nixon to China during his breakthrough trip in January, 1972. She also traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. During the course of of those years, she covered every Economic Summit. Sources have frequently cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America.

Ann Coulter, Eat Your Heart Out....

A Video Presentation of Vintage Helen Thomas:

Helen Thomas with Jon Stewart

The Grateful Dead: The National Anthem at Candlestick Park

On April 12th, 1993, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Vince Welnick of the Grateful Dead sang The National Anthem in Candlestick Park, San Francisco. A large group of Vietnam Veterans was present to join with the Grateful Dead at that memorable event. It had multi-layered meanings as a statement of the perseverance of young Americans in the name of preserving our freedoms. And so it does for many of us today. The link below provides access to a video that returns us just for a moment to that historic occasion:

The Grateful Dead: The American National Anthem

President John F. Kennedy: The Church and the State

During his first presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy spoke directly about the Consitutional demand for the separation of Church and State in America. This is, of course, a timely issue now, with the many concerns today about the Evangelical Christian movement's influence upon the Bush administration and its political decisions. A link to the video of this historic address is accessible from the site below:

Link: John F. Kennedy: The Church and the State

posted by D. Patrick Zimmerman, Psy.D.  # Sunday, July 09, 2006