Paul Haggis Humbly but Heroically Stands up to Scientology

I've met the guy several times, I assisted in designing his loft here in NYC.  He's a passionate, thoughtful, thorough guy.  He wrote Crash, In the Valley of Elah, Million Dollar Baby, and others.  After having lived in LA for seven years, I'm still not sure quite what the "Hollywood Type" is --  I've heard so much false testimony and seen various and met many glorious -- but I don't think you could give him any of the derogatory aspects of that title.   He has, recently proven his thoughtfulness, compassion, and bravery by breaking with his church of many years over it's treatment of gays.  His story is chronicled finally and wonderfully in the New Yorker and here is the LINK.  Enjoy.

Terry Gross interviewed the article's author on NPR's Fresh Air and that interview is shorter and HERE.

This guy deserves a parade.

Cabin pressure has taken on a new meaning in the post-9/11 world of increased "security" measures, protracted wait-times, and some say Draconian cut-backs in service.  Enter Steven Slater, disgruntled flight attendant, and Grand Wizard of Dramatic Exits, who after dealing with a classless tool on a recent flight arriving at JFK, ranted over the PA, and then deployed an emergency slide, slid down to freedom and then ran to the parking lot and drove home.  Kudos.  Of course, he was later arrested, and the passenger who pushed him over the edge by breaking regulations in the cabin is, I assume, scott free.  Full NYT story HERE

Creator of Crash smites Xenu, wins my vote.

The more you know about Scientology, the freakier it gets, and one of the freakiest bits is how impossible it is to break out once you're in . . . and Paul Haggis was way in. His reasons for taking the risk associated with creating a rift between his family and this very dangerous church are pretty amazing too.

"I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated."

That and the madness of the church telling his wife that she must cut ties with her parents . . . par for the course for Scientology . . . were the final straws. Read more HERE.