In Santa Rosa, CA late last week, a small kitten was found burning to death in a small cage. While still alive, the kitten, now named Adam, is barely hanging on. As a pet owner, and a cat owner in particular, I was moved and angered by the story. Apparently two girls watched, laughing, as the kitten was burning alive, and thankfully Adam was soon rescued by a kind neighbor.

While a small local story, much smaller than navigationally-challenged whale story that unfairly dominated the news some weeks back, I still feel compelled to write about it. I’m saddened that people will sit idly by, even worse, take pleasure in a defenseless, tiny, animal crying for life in front of them. Speaks ill of the children, and frankly of the parents as well, oh, and society too.

Part of me hopes that the girls and whomever decided to end Adam’s life that day, are caught (there is $6000 reward and counting), and given more than a small taste of what Adam experienced that day.

If you wish to donate to the welfare of Adam or find out how he is doing, please visit Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. I am sure any support you can provide would be of great help to Adam and those taking care of him as they do a great service for our community.

I would like to apologize to Randy Quaid on behalf of the gay community. Seems the world-famous actor of such notable and immensely profitable films as “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” and “The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns” feels he was duped into receiving a lower salary for playing the homophobic rancher in the recent hit Brokeback Mountain. He is now suing Focus Features for $10 million. Mr. Quaid claims that the film’s producers lured him in with their fancy talk, and he accepted a nominal fee for the role in what was described as a low-budget film with no commercial potential. Just like 99% of all the gay-themed movies ever made.

Mr. Quaid indicates that his usually salary is in the neighborhood of 7 figures, and after reviewing the rich tapestry of his work on IMBD, it is clear why. Mr. Quaid is an actor of immeasurable talent, and it is clear he was taken in by a business that favors low-budget and low-gross projects over more commercial and profitable fare. Brokeback Mountain’s tremendous commercial success had clearly been planned from the beginning, and it is painfully obvious that their intent was never to share that profit with Mr. Quaid, but instead with the third-rate actors he starred with.

Here’s hoping that residuals from “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle” will carry him through until the suit is resolved in his favor.

It is with great admiration that I and the gay community give Mr. Quaid the single finger salute.

We caught a late but packed showing of Spiderman 2 the othernite. Unlike other films we have seen this year (and I put Shrek 2 and Van Helsing at the top of that list), Spidy 2 was actually worth the $10 and 10 minutes of commercials we had to endure before the previews started. It definitely feels more like a Sam Rami film, with a number of signarture shots this time. Good performances all around with hats off to Alfred Molina, who plays Doc Oc.

As usual the actions sequences were over the top and for the most part brilliantly executed. As of late I have grown numb to action sequenece (all things Lord of the Rings accepted of course), but this film delivers. It was actually nice to feel a little adrenaline pumping and some genuine excitement for a change.. somthing I thought “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Van Helsing” had all but drained from my veins.

It’s not all marigolds however. There were far to many speeches about honor and love and sacrifice. WAY TO MANY. And like the first film, the special effects vary wildly in quality. Doc Oc’s extra arms are amazing while Spidy still looks like Playdo… and did you catch those helicopters at the end? Ouch. I also had trouble with how Spidy stopped the train… too much like Superman. Spidy is all about agility, speed, intelligence, and those web spinning wrists… not about brute strength. And the explanation for the existence of Doc Ocs fabulous tentacles? Tenuous at best.

But then I am gently reminded that it is a comic book afterall. So I shrug my shoulders and enjoy the ride.