![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* The Palestinians have been upgraded to a Non-member Observer State by the UN.
* Meanwhile in Syria, the Opposition in Aleppo have shot down three plnes that were bombing civilians. Assad has responded by stepping up bombing in places children are likely to be because he considers even unarmed toddlers playing to be part of "terrorist gangs. Still, the only terrorists I'm seeing are the Assad government. All internet has been cut in Syria. No one has claimed responsibility, but it is assumed to be Assad trying to stop people uploading video of the atrocities he's committing and to make communication harder for freedom fighters. There is worry he will use the blackout to launch a major offensive.
* "Saudi Arabia implements electronic tracking system for women:" http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/22/saudi-arabia-implements-electronic-tracking-system-for-women/
* Law enforcement has raided the ranch where the FLDS rapes children again, and surprise! They were still raping children there. Texas is now trying to seize the rape compound. The courts have previously ordered the sexually abused children to be returned to the rape camp so don't hold your breath for it being stopped long term. Texas looks to be seriously anti-pedophile, but the Utah legal system is pro-pedophilia, as many officials in that state consider raping children to be a first amendment right, so odds are the child rape cult will move back there. However, it's nice to see Texas treating them like the criminal enterprise they clearly are.
* The House Republicans have decided to have all the committee chairmen they appoint be white men, thus showing exactly how much they meant their promises about diversity during the election.
* Four men are suing a Jewish reparative therapy organization called JONAH. As there is a huge amount of evidence that reparative therapy doesn’t work but causes huge and often irreparable harm to the victims, all reputable authorities are against it. I think the young men have a good case that they were harmed and I hope massive class action suits follow against all the reparative therapy charlatans. I would love to see them driven out of business and their assets to go to the survivors of their torture and abuse.
* "Fischer on Rubio: ‘Eyewitness account’ in Bible proves Earth created in 7 days:" http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/21/fischer-on-rubio-eyewitness-account-in-bible-proves-earth-created-in-7-days/
* Zombie Microbes: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/2012/11/20/mycoplasma-ghosts-can-rise-from-the-dead/
* "Why Malcolm Is My Civil Rights Patronus:" http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/1101020.html
* Fish Update: The Old Cichlid does not like the New Cichlid, but there's been progress. At first, OC chased NC into the pleco tunnels every time the interloper was spotted. These days the chase ensues only if one of them comes closer than six inches to each other. NC's fins aren't damage and there's lots of plants and hides, so while not as ideal as the initial pair, I think it'll be okay long term. The orange fry are now proper fish, still tiny, but too big to be eaten. The colony clearly has enough genetic diversity now to continue. In the last week I have spotted blue guppy and platys fry. They are small enough to be eaten and I won't be comfortable until they start reaching too big to eaten size. Signs of successful reproduction are a big first step though.
* "Growing up a girl geek and becoming a geek girl.:" http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/479208.html
* A bunch of my answers to Skyfall related questions. References Spoilers. Seriously, don't click if you haven't seen it and still plan to:
I honestly like this set as a trilogy and I do agree that the previous one had more social relevance. Skyfall was more about character. I think there’s value in both.
Again, I’m not the target audience, so all opinions should be taken with a grain of salt.
The thing I liked about the Craig trilogy is that it actually did achieve art at times, which is more than most action movies do.
I’m not drawing a strong line on Severine as I think it’s debatable. My issue is that her situation is so rife with one form of coercion or another that is unclear to me if she thinks it is safe to say no ever. I fully agree that you can read it both ways. 1. That this is the first time she has ever been able to freely consent. or alternately 2. That her status as a slave means that she can not freely consent to anyone who is free.
I’m not saying it’s one or the other, just that I do not think I’d be comfortable assuming that her consent is free given how much he does know and how much he doesn’t, if that makes sense. I am likely expessing this very badly.
If they do see the new balance to critique and/or deconstruct systemic sexism, then I can see potential for that to be interesting. If it’s return to Bondverse status quo fuck them and the horse they rode in on. I am willing to keep an open mind, but I am understandably wary given both the original source material and the fifty year history of often incredibly sexist decisions.
* Meanwhile in Syria, the Opposition in Aleppo have shot down three plnes that were bombing civilians. Assad has responded by stepping up bombing in places children are likely to be because he considers even unarmed toddlers playing to be part of "terrorist gangs. Still, the only terrorists I'm seeing are the Assad government. All internet has been cut in Syria. No one has claimed responsibility, but it is assumed to be Assad trying to stop people uploading video of the atrocities he's committing and to make communication harder for freedom fighters. There is worry he will use the blackout to launch a major offensive.
* "Saudi Arabia implements electronic tracking system for women:" http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/22/saudi-arabia-implements-electronic-tracking-system-for-women/
* Law enforcement has raided the ranch where the FLDS rapes children again, and surprise! They were still raping children there. Texas is now trying to seize the rape compound. The courts have previously ordered the sexually abused children to be returned to the rape camp so don't hold your breath for it being stopped long term. Texas looks to be seriously anti-pedophile, but the Utah legal system is pro-pedophilia, as many officials in that state consider raping children to be a first amendment right, so odds are the child rape cult will move back there. However, it's nice to see Texas treating them like the criminal enterprise they clearly are.
* The House Republicans have decided to have all the committee chairmen they appoint be white men, thus showing exactly how much they meant their promises about diversity during the election.
* Four men are suing a Jewish reparative therapy organization called JONAH. As there is a huge amount of evidence that reparative therapy doesn’t work but causes huge and often irreparable harm to the victims, all reputable authorities are against it. I think the young men have a good case that they were harmed and I hope massive class action suits follow against all the reparative therapy charlatans. I would love to see them driven out of business and their assets to go to the survivors of their torture and abuse.
* "Fischer on Rubio: ‘Eyewitness account’ in Bible proves Earth created in 7 days:" http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/21/fischer-on-rubio-eyewitness-account-in-bible-proves-earth-created-in-7-days/
* Zombie Microbes: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/2012/11/20/mycoplasma-ghosts-can-rise-from-the-dead/
* "Why Malcolm Is My Civil Rights Patronus:" http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/1101020.html
* Fish Update: The Old Cichlid does not like the New Cichlid, but there's been progress. At first, OC chased NC into the pleco tunnels every time the interloper was spotted. These days the chase ensues only if one of them comes closer than six inches to each other. NC's fins aren't damage and there's lots of plants and hides, so while not as ideal as the initial pair, I think it'll be okay long term. The orange fry are now proper fish, still tiny, but too big to be eaten. The colony clearly has enough genetic diversity now to continue. In the last week I have spotted blue guppy and platys fry. They are small enough to be eaten and I won't be comfortable until they start reaching too big to eaten size. Signs of successful reproduction are a big first step though.
* "Growing up a girl geek and becoming a geek girl.:" http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/479208.html
* A bunch of my answers to Skyfall related questions. References Spoilers. Seriously, don't click if you haven't seen it and still plan to:
I honestly like this set as a trilogy and I do agree that the previous one had more social relevance. Skyfall was more about character. I think there’s value in both.
Again, I’m not the target audience, so all opinions should be taken with a grain of salt.
The thing I liked about the Craig trilogy is that it actually did achieve art at times, which is more than most action movies do.
I’m not drawing a strong line on Severine as I think it’s debatable. My issue is that her situation is so rife with one form of coercion or another that is unclear to me if she thinks it is safe to say no ever. I fully agree that you can read it both ways. 1. That this is the first time she has ever been able to freely consent. or alternately 2. That her status as a slave means that she can not freely consent to anyone who is free.
I’m not saying it’s one or the other, just that I do not think I’d be comfortable assuming that her consent is free given how much he does know and how much he doesn’t, if that makes sense. I am likely expessing this very badly.
If they do see the new balance to critique and/or deconstruct systemic sexism, then I can see potential for that to be interesting. If it’s return to Bondverse status quo fuck them and the horse they rode in on. I am willing to keep an open mind, but I am understandably wary given both the original source material and the fifty year history of often incredibly sexist decisions.