Archive for the ‘media’ Category

“Rape Rape” and Hollywood Shenanagins

Monday, October 5th, 2009

I generally try, really, to avoid posting on current events in the world, and especially the media. Sometimes, though, I can’t help it.

My kids love to make believe.

They play house, firefighter, Star Wars, ballerinas, rock stars…

But the ridiculousness of Hollywood makes me want to recant my pledge to support them in any career they choose.

And it damn well means I’m looking at every child modeling/acting opportunity as more dangerous than walking to school alone (which they don’t).

First of all, Whoopie Goldberg. Shame on her. With regards to the Roman Polanski statutory rape fiasco, she diminished it by questioning if it was “rape rape.”

This is disgusting.

Nobody asks if it was “murder murder” or “theft theft.”

Rape is sex without consent.

In the US, the age of consent is 18.

Thus, sex between an adult and child is rape. No matter how you slice it legally.

Beyond legally, how many teenagers make wonderful choices with regards to sex? Now drug them and answer again. I didn’t make the best choices. I know that much.

Once again, disgusting.

Then there’s the cadre of Hollywood personalities actually defending him. Makes me really wonder how many of them really think it’s ok.

The only person with a right to make this go away is the victim/survivor. In this case they want just that. That is their choice, and theirs alone.

I can’t think of anything tasteful to say now, so I’ll end it here.

This post was prompted by a story on the blog “My Bottle’s Up,” written by the wonderful Nic.

Posted in Bullshit Flag, media, Social Norms | 2 Comments »

Just belt it!

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

So I’ve come to a realization regarding my blog content. I am trying too hard to come up with something that doesn’t fit into any of my interests.

Why I have been doing that, I haven’t the foggiest idea.

Well enough meta-blogging, time for real content!

In my opinion, one of the greatest musical moments ever is in Jesus Christ Superstar. We have a DVD of a very well done TV revival of the musical from 2000, and the moment in question is during the Last Supper scene.

Standing amongst some very tired, drunk, and freaked out Apostles (who hasn’t been there at some point?), Judas Iscariot and Jesus are having it out, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber style. Judas is trying to tell Jesus exactly why he’s about to betray Him, and Jesus isn’t having any of it. Jesus finally tells Judas to “Get out! They’re waiting! They’re waiting for you!” During His last jab, Judas is winding up for the biggun. He gets right up in Jesus’ face and belts it, totally changing the balance of the argument and the music shifts to the familiar “Superstar” melody.

“Every time I look at You I don’t understand
Why You let the things You did get so out of hand
You’d have managed better if you had it planned
Ahhhhhh ahhhh ahhh ahhh ah ah ahhhhh”

There’s no other way to sing that except to belt it. Blow your lungs out. I can rewind that part over and over again. If you don’t want to watch the whole scene, the part in question starts about 5 minutes in. But I recommend watching, since the Apostles portrayal as a bunch of drunken, if peaceful, frat boy types wondering where the hell all the drama came from is priceless.


Posted in media, Music | 1 Comment »

Not sensorchip: Common sense

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

In reference to the CNN story found at http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/23/us.iraq.newspaper.censorship/index.html

In a story on its Web site, the newspaper known as Stripes said the military violated a congressional mandate of editorial independence by rejecting a request to embed reporter Heath Druzin with the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, which is attempting to secure the city of Mosul.

Ok, sounds like censorship at first, yes, but…

The military cited various problems in Druzin’s reporting on previous embed assignments with units of the division, according to the story.

One example noted by the military was a March 8 story that said many Mosul residents would like the American soldiers to leave and hand over security tasks to Iraqi forces, the Stripes Web site said.

“Despite the opportunity to visit areas of the city where Iraqi Army leaders, soldiers, national police and Iraqi police displayed commitment to partnership, Mr. Druzin refused to highlight any of this news,” Maj. Ramona Bellard, a public affairs officer, wrote in denying Druzin’s embed request, according to the Stripes story.

The military since the Gulf War or so has been very, very good abut accommodating reporters with their embedded reporting program. Why? Because there’s no reason not to. With the exception of a few isolated incidents (like prisons and such), our military is a bunch of professionals doing a job well.

It’s is no secret that a lot of people want us out of their country. So moch so that I don’t see the point of reporting on it. And I have relatives and friends on the ground in Iraq who have witnessed horrible travesties of biased reporting.

An embedded reporter with a friends’ unit chose to do a “story” on the death toll and insurgent activity. There was nothing new in this story, nothing that took effort. It was numbers. He was typing this up, while the unit was doing repairs to a school building and handing our supplies to children. Why did he go with he story that he did? “Nobody wants to read that nice stuff”.

I’d beg to differ, but I don’t beg, so I’ll just differ. It brings a HUGE smile to my face when I see stories about the good things happening around the world, and especially with our troops.

So, the military didn’t “censor” this guy. The offered to have a different reporter even. I don’t blame them for a bit.

Posted in media | No Comments »