(no subject)

[gwydion]

* In Kenya there are protests because the men who ganged raped a teenaged girl so brutally that she is now in a wheel chair got a sentence of having to mow the police station grass: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24755318

* A man with an assault rifle attacked LAX today. One TSA officer is dead; three others were wounded. The suspect was shot multiple times and is in custody. It is sounding like he passed civilians over to hunt TSA, which may indicate motive.

Surreally, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara were there and Tory lived tweeted it while TMZ filmed the panic. The Internet age is a strange time to live.

* We went off the hunger cliff today. We could make up the money by asking the richest 40 people in this country to pay their share in taxes. Instead, we have decided to starve children and the working poor. According to the Republicans, starving children is moral thing to do as it will teach those toddlers the dignity of work, as they are only hungry because they are lazy. After all, we know how many well playing jobs there are out there for three year olds and it's totally their fault they can't make enough money to eat. Similarly, Congressional Republicans claim people working two or three jobs wo still can't make enough to live on are incredibly lazy, unlike Congressional Republicans who are to lazy to pass legislation. Remember, every dollar spent on Food Stamps/EBT/SNAP is worth two dollars in economic activity, creating jobs and generating tax revenue; while the tax cuts for the rich the Republicans are protecting is worth .30 for every dollar of cuts, since the super rich fuel money out of the economy into Cayman Islands bank accounts instead of using it to create jobs. Since fully funding SNAP is the fiscally responsible thing to do and maintaining tax cuts for the rich is fiscally irresponsible and Republicans are against anything that makes fiscal sense... Yeah. We are doing this horrendously cruel thing to children in the name of Jesus and fiscal irresponsibility. Republicans were actually saying Jesus hates the poor and wants to punish them this week in support of their cruelty and illogic.

* "If They Violate Your Privacy in the Woods, Do You Make a Sound?:" http://www.loweringthebar.net/2013/10/if-they-violate-your-privacy-in-the-woods-do-you-make-a-sound.html

* "Conservative Attorney Larry Klayman Calls For Coup Against Obama:" http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/conservative-attorney-calls-for-coup-against-obama

* "On Telling President Obama to Go Back to Africa:" http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/on-telling-president-obama-to-go-back-to-africa/281038/

* "Retiring chimps are latest victims of Washington budget mess:" http://americablog.com/2013/10/chimpanzee-retirements-put-hold-federal-budget-mess.html

* "Few Problems With Cannabis for California:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/us/few-problems-with-cannabis-for-california.html?hp&_r=1&

* "The American Health Care System Sucks:" http://www.businessinsider.com/the-american-health-care-system-sucks-2013-10

* "Pacific Ocean warming 15 times faster than before:" http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/10/31/global-warming-pacific-ocean/3324251/

* "Solid gold bronze age bracelet goes on show at Ely Museum:" http://www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/solid_gold_bronze_age_bracelet_goes_on_show_at_ely_museum_1_2920553

* "The Problem With Queenie on American Horror Story:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2013/10/the-problem-with-queenie-on-american.html

* Greenwick found, "The Cost of Gender:" http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clpmag/the-cost-of-gender

* "Tampa Area Media, Read Your AP Stylebook:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/11/tampa-area-media-read-your-ap-stylebook.html

Tampa area media decided to disrespect Coko McDonald even though she was the victim of a violent robbery.

* Squirrel has been sick all week and is currently miserable. I likely have had it all week too, but am always sick and pasted together with an exciting array of pharmaceuticals, so am somehow still functioning, if utterly miserable. (I'm crappy enough that symptoms are poking through the masking meds, and those symptoms match Squirrel's.) I am only able to sleep a couple of hours at time.

I don't have time to be sick honestly.

I got keys to the new place, but wasn't able to unlock the on sight gym. I measured stuff for the floor guys, went home to read paperwork, and make phone calls. I went back for more paperwork at the realtor, set up an appointment with the floor guys, got gas, ate, checked some leads on book shelves, got keys made, dropped books off at the library, and picked up provisions for Squirrel, and made yet more phone calls. I feel genuinely terrible. I don't get to sleep in tomorrow as I need to meet up with the painter. Sigh.

* "Images from the glorious world around us that we never see:" http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/11/images-from-the-glorious-world-around-us-that-we-never-see/

* America's States labelled by an Australian who's never been there and knows nothing about its geography: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=8184#more-8184

* Recently it occurred to me that while I am familiar with the style and trappings of Japanese Horror films, I've never actually seen one. Similarly, I liked the one Korean Horror film I saw, but I'd never seen any others. (The Ring and it's remake played here, but didn't look interesting at the time. At least one of the Grudge movies played here, but it had flashy lights bad enough I had to leave the theater during trailers as it through me into sensory overload. It was likely a remake and/or sequel, but I steered clear of all versions to be safe). Anyway, I solicited suggestions on the BPAL board and the first batch arrived from the library this week.

Suicide Club was not to my taste. I suspect there was an element of culture without context for me here, as at the end, I was pretty sure I was missing something basic that made it interesting to other viewers. I do admit that that one detective was kind of hot though.

A Tale of Two Sisters was interesting and atmospheric, but more a psychological thriller than a proper horror film. The acting rocked and it seemed well shot with some lovely set design.

I had seen some of the Dark Water remake and found it boring enough to turn off before it went anywhere, so I wasn't expecting much from the original Dark Water. It turned out to be much better done than the remake fragment I watched. The thing just worked so much better atmospherically in it's original context. It also was beautifully shot and atmospheric. I wish it hadn't been so painfully predictable with everything telegraphed heavy handedly, but the psychology and subtext worked for me and kept me engaged throughout.

I've a few more on the way, but would love more k and j horror suggestions if folks have them. My criteria are as follows: 1. No extreme flashing lights. 2. I don't mind gore, but I'm not into torture porn. 3. I am particularly pleased by atmospheric, psychological, or character based story designs, but also enjoy a good old fashioned ghost or monster.

Comments

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

"Remember, every dollar spent on Food Stamps/EBT/SNAP is worth two dollars in economic activity, creating jobs and generating tax revenue; while the tax cuts for the rich the Republicans are protecting is worth .30 for every dollar of cuts, since the super rich fuel money out of the economy into Cayman Islands bank accounts instead of using it to create jobs"

This is something that enrages me so much because it's so blatantly OBVIOUS. You give a poor person money and they spend it because they NEED to. They need to eat, they have a list of things they need to replace/improve/get for the first time. Rich people getting richer - well there's a limit to how much they CAN spend; it doesn't get funnelled back into the economy becuase they don't need to spend

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

It enrages me too.