I am engaged!

To learn more, check my new blog here:
www.davidmay.name

Or the Wedding blog here:
www.adriannadavid.blogspot.com

Best,
-dm

I’m moving my blog!

While I will probably continue to use this blog for different things, my personal blog is moving here:

http://yamdivad.blogspot.com/

2009’s Christmas letter is already posted.

Keep in touch,
-dm

Pusan West Film Fest

Last weekend the Pusan West FF occured at Chapman University in Orange, CA. I’ll be brief… it was awesome.

Some pictures I took

Best,

Reviews:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/iwnow/archives/pusan_west_to_launch_at_cas_chapman_university/

http://www.sparkoc.com/event/detail/440505071

http://www.ask.com/web?q=Pusan%20West%20Reviews&o=101483&l=dis

Secret Project Post #1

For those of you who know me, I try to do at least one ‘filmmaking’ project per summer since I graduated.  Two years ago, I was “On the Lot” and last year I created the “New Media Recruitment initiative for Chapman University.”

This summer I’ve been working on the ’secret project’ which I’ll post a trailer for hopefully in a few weeks.  I just finished capturing footage from this summer’s shoot.

::more to come::

-dm

Audit the Fed’s new website

http://www.auditthefed.com

It’s now easier than ever to show your support for transparency.

-dm

Audit the Federal Reserve… why not?

Anyone interested in the Federal Reserve?  It’s easy to be upset about the billions that were allocated for bailouts… but what about some TRILLION dollars that the Fed can print out of thin air, and pass out to their friends?

You can literally research the Federal Reserve for hours… and I recommend starting.  Inflation (which the federal reserve creates) is a hidden tax on all of us.  If the people truly knew how much money Washington spent, we would not allow many of these programs to exist.  When a government can’t tax the people anymore, they often break the ties to things like gold (which we did in the 70’s) and begin to print money out of thin air.  This devalues the dollars that we have worked hard to collect and works as a hidden tax on the people.

The (private, buy the way) federal reserve has never been truly audited.  Support HR 1207.  Contact your representatives and google or youtube “federal reserve transparency act.”

It’s much better entertainment than American Idol, Lost, etc and is far more significant.

Did you ever play “Fate?”

Here’s a link to a “choose your fate” youtube webesode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlZPJChPu8Q

-dm

I Just Wrote My Representative

…and here is what I said.

_____________________________________

Hello Honorable Edward R. Royce,

I wanted to contact you and encourage you to support H.R. 1207: Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 by by cosponsoring the bill with Rep. Ronald Paul of Texas.

Unfortunately there is a growing distrust of government amongst American/Californian citizens.  A line is being drawn and on one side there are good politicians, and on the other side there are corrupt politicians.  I believe the road to earn trust is (naturally) through telling the truth; being honest and straightforward long enough to establish a record of trust.  Unfortunately many individuals in government are not following this path of truth.

I believe, as many of my coworkers, friends, and family do in transparency.  Unfortunately the Federal Reserve is a very secretive organization that does not share this vision of transparency.  In addition, it has become far too powerful.  Democrats and Republicans alike can respect a simple request to have the truth told to them.  That is all this bill asks.  We the people want to know the truth as it relates to the Federal Reserve.

If you are not able to cosponsor this bill, or support it in any way I would like to know why.  I do not ask that in a pestering tone.  I admit it is possible that I don’t understand exactly why the Federal Reserve is so mysterious.  If that is the case, I’d like to be educated to understand why H.R. 1207 can’t be supported.  However, since the request is simple transparency, I can’t imagine a reason to oppose it.

Thank you for your time, and service.

Will Obama Pay MY Mortgage?

This email was sent to me as a forward and I wanted to throw it out there for conversation (I did not write the email).

________________________________________

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for  helping my neighbors with their mortgage payments. You know, the ones  down the street who refinanced their house several times and bought SUV’s, ATV’s, RV’s, a pool, three HDTV’s, an X-Box, two Wave Runners,  new flooring for their home, an enlarged patio, and a Harley..

I was  wondering, since I am paying my mortgage and theirs, could you arrange for me to borrow the Harley now and then?

Richard Ford,
Queen Creek ,  AZ

P.S. They also need help with their credit  cards, when do you want me to start making those payments?

P.P.S. I almost forgot  – they didn’t file their income tax return this year. Should I go  ahead and file for them or will you be appointing them to cabinet posts?
____________________________________________

Government Programs V.S. Private Charity – what works better? (part 1)

I’m working on a blog that compares the success of government programs as compared to private charities.  I do frequently compliment the left about having their heart in the right place as far as helping the poor and disadvantaged.  However, I believe there are plenty of folks on the right that are just as compassionate – perhaps more compassionate than the folks on the left.  I emailed a friend of mine and he said something very insightful that I wanted to share.

I’m not aware of any charts like you are looking for – but I will say that that is kind of the point. The government is more likely to see it as a top-down stats driven mission because they are primarily concerned with numbers. Private charity organizations, on the other hand, care less about the numbers and more about actually helping people. So their results will tend to be less quantifiable (in my opinion).

What it comes down to is you simply cannot do charity work at the point of a gun, it’s an oxymoron. Charity means love, not force.

–Brandon

I feel this way: paying taxes is not helping the poor – at least not directly.  Before that money makes it to the poor, it first has to pass through the hands of greedy politicians and I’m sure in many cases their special interest groups.  By the time it actually gets to the poor (if it ever actually does) who knows how much is left.

Would it not make more sense to simply give money directly to the poor?  Could we create incentive for private giving with more tax breaks for charitable donations?  Would the poor not get more direct help that way?  Think beyond money – would the poor and disadvantaged not be better helped if YOU actually went down and got YOUR hands dirty?

This blog was inspired because I had a public verses private sector debate with a close friend of mine.  His goal seemed to be to make me feel as though I was selfish.  I donate on a regular basis, and am part of a non-profit organization.  I’m on mailing lists for a few others.  Some friends and I are currently raising money for a water well to be built in Africa for a village whose inhabitants do not have the basics of life – clean drinking water.  I am beginning to be annoyed by folks on the other side of the isle who don’t really participate in charity at all but feel that paying taxes excuses them from that social responsibility.

Paying taxes is not charity – let’s face it.  If hearts on the left really bleed for the poor, they should stop lining the pockets of the politicians and begin their charitable work themselves.

As I’m still researching this topic, if anyone has any statistics on this topic or articles/books I should read, please post them below.  As always, I am interested in hearing from both sides.  Thanks!

-dm