So... I'm kinda switching over to wordpress at the moment. So anyone who still reads this can see my stuff at lizthrilla.wordpress.com and ethicalporn.wordpress.com

I might update this as a personal thing, later on but yeah...

Great. My secret weapon is PMS. That’s just terrific. Thanks for telling me.

During the original run of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, there were two major camps: fans of the movie and fans of the series. It’s died down since the series ended, but there are still rabid fans that despise the other incarnation of they’re favorite slayer.

Until the past few years, I was firmly in the movie fan category, and was a rather disappointed 12 year old when I first watched the series. I remember reading about the new Buffy series in TV Guide, but when I first watched it 1997, I didn’t recognize it. If you can’t tell, I love all things camp! The more ridiculous and campy a movie or series is the more I’ll probably enjoy it. The series was lacking the purple spandex and took itself far too seriously for my liking. Then I just became anti-anything that had to do with the WB, so it took until the 6th season episode, “Once More with Feeling” for me to finally change my mind. Through the years I’ve grown to enjoy and love the series, thanks to some research on Joss Whedon and the complete series on DVD.

I might love the series now, but I still prefer the movie–even if it’s a “bastardization” of Whedon’s original script. I’ve found my favorite episodes of Buffy tend to be the most over the top ones. For example, “Once More with Feeling” or the one where we follow Xander around for a night, while Buffy and Co. try to save the world in the subplot. My love for the movie probably explains why I prefer Spike to Angel (not as a love interest) and the nerd villains of Season 6–because they capture the over the top humor from the original film.

I realize Kristy Swanson isn’t nearly as kick-ass as Sarah Michelle Gellar in the role, but she captures the frivolity of a cheerleader from the valley who’s realized her life plan–involving graduating from high school, going to Europe and marrying Christian Slater–has been permanently interrupted by a pre-determined destiny involving mythical creatures. Of course, the difference in characterization is partially due to the fact the series and the film introduce Buffy in two very different places (in the series, she already knows she’s the slayer and has seen the destruction it causes to her, her family and her friends).

However, I must say the biggest reason I love the film was the way Buffy can sense vampires through menstrual cramps. The character of Buffy was created by Joss Whedon as a response to the horror genre tropes, where bubbly, blonde “cheerleaders” are usually the first to die. Buffy is unsuspecting and that is her appeal. However, taking something that every woman deals with (menstrual cramps) and turning it into a super power to help her fight evil was brilliant. I know I wish my monthly cramps would signal something more than the shedding of my uterus. Don’t you?

Anyway, this stemmed from the news I just received (and I realize I’m probably slow to the game) that they are trying to “relaunch/remake” the film for 2012. It seems it won’t involve the TV Series cannon nor Whedon in the production, which makes sense as his original script underwent so many changes to make it “lighter.” However, I have one request: keep the cramps!

Popular: The WB at it's Campest

I don't know how many people remember the TV series Popular from the WB's 1999-2001 seasons, but it's an awesome gem that suffered an early death by cancellation. Before I get into the reasons I love this show, let's go over the history of the WB circa 1999.

The WB launched in January 1995 and for the first two years didn't really have any "hits" outside of 7th Heaven, and to a lesser extent the Steve Harvey and Jamie Foxx Shows, though I personally enjoyed Unhappily Ever After, and to a much lesser extent Sister, Sister. Then Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired in March 1997, which changed the WBs course forever. Instead of focusing on broad comedies or family oriented dramas, the powers-at-be decided to go for the teen market, and quickly following Buffy's success, they churned out Dawson's Creek that catapulted the station and it's stars to the stratosphere. Following James Van Der Beek and company, the WB launched Felicity and Charmed in the Fall of 1998.

The WB wasn't the first station to reel in the teen market, but it was the first one to cater primarily to teenagers. Fox had Beverly Hills, 90210, but also The Simpsons, and Married With Children--while popular with the younger demographic, they weren't aimed specifically at teenagers or about them. ABC had TGIF, but Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Boy Meets World, didn't have the bite that the hour long Dawson and Buffy had.

Dawson, Buffy, and 7th Heaven shaped every program the WB launched until it joined to form the CW Network. The "Dawsons" were shows about young adults, featured impressive dialogue for the character's age groups, love triangles, relationship dilemmas, and never really found an audience beyond the teenage girl demographic. These included, Felicity, Young Americans (a Dawson's Creek spin off), Hyperion Bay and D.C. (back-to-back shows with Mark-Paul Gosselaar that both failed), Glory Days (which could be considered a Buffy but it's from Kevin Williamson), and One Tree Hill. The "Buffys" obviously had supernatural aspects and loads of action and included Charmed, Angel, Smallville, Supernatural, Roswell, Birds of Prey, Tarzan and a few others. Finally, the "7th Heavens" were family or generational dramas: Everwood, Jack & Bobby, Just Legal, The Mountain, and Related. Gilmore Girls is perhaps the only one I hesitate placing in the "7th Heaven" category, as the character development and dialogue quite easily fit in with the "Dawsons," it's ultimately about the family of relationships between Emily, Loralei and Rory.

So here we are, 1999 and the WB is in full swing, they launch a Friday night schedule, Angel, Roswell, and Popular. Although a dark comedy, Popular was generally scheduled around the other successful teen dramas, which did not make for good bed fellows. It was never very successful. It was pure camp at it's best, and bad, forced drama at it's worst. Personally, I believe the show was canceled due to the second season, which became a train wreck when the writers/creators/producers attempted to conform to the "Dawson" genre by adding drama and loosing a lot of the comedy. Of course, the comedy also suffered when Leslie Grossman negotiated her contract to allow her every 4th week off due to the intensity of her performance as Mary Cherry. Understandable, but with her out ever fourth episode or so, the writers, who relied on the character for most the humor, created dramatic story points to make up for it--unsuccessfully. However, while the second season was the final straw that canceled the show, I think the reason it was unsuccessful was because it's gay.

I mean it. It might not have any openly gay main characters, but it has a gay sensibility, aka it's one of the campest show's I've seen on network television. Mary Cherry is a straight up drag queen, Ms. Glass (aka "Sir" aka "Claw) is a closeted, butch lesbian who deals with her own sexuality through the course of the show, and most importantly, it doesn't fall into the homogenized "Buffy," "Dawson," or "7th Heaven" genres, which is why it's the only WB show I ever watched (excluding Buffy which I only started watching a few years ago after it had been off the air). The only other show that ever attracted my attention like Popular, was the short lived Gross Pointe--a satirical look at Beverly Hills, 90210. Much like Popular, Gross Pointe parodied the other network shows.

This is only the beginning of a series of posts I will be writing about Popular. For my birthday, I received the complete series on DVD and I plan to write an article on the most notable episodes (if not all/the majority). Eventually, I might do the same with other WB shows, but seeing as I only have Buffy on DVD and I don't know if I could ever get myself to watch even a whole episode of Dawson's Creek, we'll see how that goes.

Jet lag

There is nothing more annoying then when you are trying to get over jet lag and you take an accidental three hour afternoon nap. Now I'll be up all night AND I didn't accomplish anything I planned to do today. Oh well, to be honest there are far worse things in life than napping.

iPhone say what

So my old phone was dying and I couldn't be bothered replacing it with only three months of contract left so... I have an iPhone now!!!

If you're in the Kansas City area...

Then come on down to the Stilwell Summer Film Series at the Stilwell United Methodist Church! This week we're showing Transformers and Star Trek: Wrath of Khan! The movies and popcorn are free, drinks will be available for purchase, and overall it's going to be lots of fun.

This is my brain child and my first attempt at this sort of thing. Next week is WALL-E and Persepolis, and we end it the Friday after that with High School Musical 3: Senior Year and American Graffiti! I hope who ever reads this and is in the area will stop by and check it out.

For more information visit stilwellfilm.org or stilwellfilm.blogspot.com.

Deborah 13: servant of God

im watching this documentary on bbc about a thirteen year old girl who is going to go out into the world and spread her beliefs to a wider audience. I haven't gotten to the part of how she is doing this, but they are making it seem like she will be leaving her family, which seems rather wrong. However, what i find interesting that such a devout evangelical girl, who wants to save the world, obviously has a gay brother. Just a random thought...

Correction: Previous Post

They started the video podcasts on the 2nd not the 3rd for the Rachel Maddow Show.

The Rachel Maddow Show-Podcast

If you don't have a tv (or don't have US television stations), MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show is free on itunes in video and audio podcast form! I had never watched the show before, but while browsing for new podcasts I saw it was available, checked it out, and I love it. It only became available on video this week (as they only have videos for 3/3/09 and onward), but they also have an audio version (great for when I'm trekking around town).

I'm one of the only people who never really got into The Daily Show, and I think that's because ultimately it's a comedy show that does news. The Rachel Maddow show is a news program that does comedy (usually dry and sarcastic). I have mad respect for Jon Stewart and the whole Daily Show crew--but it just ain't my style. I also can't get it for free on itunes, so there. Oh and Jon Stewart isn't the first out and proud lesbian reporter with her own show... that's pretty bad ass if you ask me.

The March 3rd episode is great when she talks about republicans in exile and has Arianna Huffington from Huffington Post and Hal Sparks to discuss it. When she first said his name, I thought "Is there a reporter or politician named Hal Sparks that I don't know?" Oh no, no, no! She brought in comedian Hal Sparks from Queer as Folk and I Love the 80s fame! How he ended up on there, I'm not quite sure; however, he did a good job and I do kinda love him so Maddow officially won me over with his presence. But one request for Hal: CUT YOUR HAIR!

Donkey Punch the Movie?

OK, I can handle a lot of stupid shit but who decided a donkey punch would be a good premise for a horror film? And when did they decide that it could POSSIBLY be an accident, because last time I checked punching a woman in the back of the head didn't normally happen during sex. Not to mention, who wouldn't assume that there would be at least SOME major damage?

Well, last summer a film called Donkey Punch came out over here in the UK. Some how I missed it. I get the premise--it's rather I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Urban Legend--a bunch of young people vacationing meet up, decide to party it up on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean. They talk about the urban sex myth called the "donkey punch" (while orgasming a man will punch his partner in the back of the head) then they all pair up and dun dun dun someone actually does the titular act and a young woman winds up dead, so what do they do? Throw her body overboard and say it was an accident; however, wrap her in a sheet first because THAT is how people usually fall off yachts and drown.

I have two major problems with this though, a) it's basically glamorizing sexually assaulting women, cause I'm pretty sure she didn't sign up for the blow to the head even if it wasn't meant to kill her, and b) what kind of friends let some guys just throw your friend's body over board? Yeah, you're in the ocean, yeah you are out numbered 3 to 2, but still, have some damn respect for your friend! I think I'll make it a requisite for all my future travel companions that if someone donkey punches my head in, that my friends won't let them throw my body over board.

Ok, I realize the girls do end up fighting back and what not, but still, I think there was a bit more they probably could have done prior to throwing the body overboard. The trailer just makes it seem like AFTER the body is off the boat the girls start getting upset. I guess, I'll just make sure I never have sex on a yacht with some drunk guys I've just met in the middle of the sea.

Anyway, here's your trailer:

Thoughts on THE UNFORGIVEN

The Unforgiven

My father grew up on a farm in West Texas, and like all good Texans, he thinks he's a cowboy. Well, he longs to be a cowboy--or a pirate. He's really not picky, but the point is, his desire to be a cowboy has manifested in his love for Westerns. He lists The Searchers, Rio Bravo, and High Noon as some of his favorite films and becomes rather depressed when none of his 5 daughters (or wife) want to watch one of these films. Of course, my mother's favorite Western is McClintock, the classic John Wayne film that is basically the Western version of The Quiet Man. This is probably my favorite John Wayne film as well, but then it is more of a screwball comedy set in the Old West rather than an actual Western.*

At the same time, my father is very proud of his Native American heritage. One of my great, great grandmothers was full blooded Cherokee, and my father has expressed his disdain for Andrew Jackson's treatment of the Native Americans (specifically the Trail of Tears), yet he still lists The Searchers as one of his favorite (and ultimate) Westerns. What I seem to be unable to understand is how he can be in favor of Native American rights but love Westerns?

Thanks to the Glasgow Film Festival's celebration of Audrey Hepburn, I was able to watch The Unforgiven. In this film, Hepburn plays Rachel, a Native American woman who was adopted as a baby and raised by a white family in Texas. Soon the local tribe discovers she is one of them and hound the family for her return--though they deny that she is Indian. At the same time, the local cattle ranchers turn their backs on her and her family, and, like in High Noon, Burt Lancaster rallies his small family (including Lilian Gish as the matriarch) for a final showdown with the Indians. Rachel is safe, the family loves her regardless of her true heritage--unlike their racists friends.

While the narrative displays the Zachery family as a family unit who consider Rachel one of their own, and will love her no matter her race, it has the same message most Westerns have: White men good, 'Red man' bad** and Rachel must deliver the final blow--killing her 'brother' who has come to rescue her. Rachel turns her back on biological family in favor of her adopted family, but she also rejects herself and kills off the 'evil Indian blood' within her.

I understand that for some this is an adoption story. That she may be biologically related to the local tribe, but the Zachery's are her true family, and she will fight to protect them. However, she is also ashamed and chastised for not being white. The story goes beyond who her family is, but who she is. She cannot stand to be part of the 'others' and thus when she kills an Indian she is killing off the 'dirty' part of herself. To further prove this point, she must be the one to kill the last Indian.

Earlier during the final battle, Rachel is caught off guard and unable to kill one of the Indians when he looks at her and says “sister.” This is the first time it is made clear to her that these are 'her people' and that she was taken from them as a child. However, at the end, her 'Indian brother' enters into the root cellar, where she is alone with her wounded white brother. They stand face to face for a moment before she kills him and ends the fight.

Ultimately, she chooses to be white and as they exit the destroyed house, all is peaceful in the world because she has purged herself of her Indian blood. The birds flying across the beautiful blue sky reinforce that she made the right decision.

Anyway, I can't really answer for my father's preference for Westerns while complaining about Andrew Jackson's Native American policies, but it kind of reminded me of Rachel's identity confusion, and how she falls for the classic genre trappings.

*Of course my father and I have had many debates over what constitutes a Western. He refuses to consider Blazing Saddles as a Western (and I usually do not either); however, many people experience their first Western through the Mel Brooks' parody. It adheres to most rules while also mocking it. Much like the debate of whether Shaun of the Dead is in fact horror or parody as well. This is why my father does not truly consider McClintock a Western, much like he wouldn't consider Mel Gibson's Maverick one either. To him, they are (romantic) comedies set in the Old West. However, McClintock stars John Wayne and when you think of John Wayne you think of 'Westerns' and 'War Movies,' and to be a Western it often needs to star a certain actor or be directed by a certain director.

**I use this term only because it is regularly used in these genre films.

blood thinners... again?

And the reason I'm back on blood thinners is I'm a genetic mutant. Three times over!

I'm currently taking suggestions for my X-Men name.

The love/hate for the NHS

I absolutely love the NHS, specifically that I get great health care at no price. However, with socialized medicine there are some minor set backs, which, while minor, can really annoy the hell out of you.

Today, I went to the doctor to get put back onto the Anti-Coagulant clinic's roster as I "hadn't been attending" since I had been removed from blood thinners (b t dubs, I'm back on them for what looks like the rest of my life), and the only way is to have my doctor call in for me. I tell the receptionist at my local doctor's that I need to talk about my warfarin and INR as soon as possible with the doctor and she gives me an appointment for the following Friday (mind you this is a whole week away at the time). Fine, whatever.

I wait it out, and go to the doctor today only to get lectured that I should have come to them sooner, that my INR might dangerously high, and I could have to spend the night in the hospital hooked up to a Vitamin K drip. Sounds like a stellar Friday, right?

My doctor asks me to call back at 5 PM to find out what my INR levels are. I call, the receptionist tells me they will call me Monday. I try to explain that I have to talk to the doctor on call tonight as my doctor instructed me to do so, she tells me to call back Monday (as that MUST be what my doctor really meant). Finally, I tell her that I need to talk to him to see if I have to spend the night in the hospital and that it's a near emergency at this point. Finally, she puts me through. I'm fine. No hospital tonight!

I think my major problem is that I don't know the magic words to get around the receptionist. I think I'm saying things to express the urgency, but it doesn't seem to work, and in order to get an urgent appointment, I apparently need to convince her it's really important. If anyone has some tips, please let me know. I've tried warfarin, i've tried INR, I've tried "the doctor told me to call back at this time" and yet it doesn't seem to work. Grr.

Okay, that complaint was more about the receptionist than the NHS, but it's kind of the same problem that I have with the whole NHS. It's not that you have to wait so long for the appointments as most people think, it's the bureaucracy of it all. You have to walk through so much red tape (hence the "I HAVE to see the doctor to get onto the clinic's list again but then I get in trouble for not getting the INR checked earlier"), that it slows down the process.

Many people have asked me about the NHS and socialized medicine as it was a hot topic during the election. As I've put it, if I feel I need something done quickly (that isn't an emergency) I'll get it done when I'm in the States. However, when I spent a week in the hospital for my stroke, I didn't have to pay a dime! Or I guess a 10p. So really, I shouldn't complain so much, but it's bureaucracy that's so prevalant in every day life in the UK that drives me nuts some times.

Update (and things i don't like)

I'm trying to start this back up. The film festival is coming up so that might get me to blog a bit more. They're doing a retrospective of Audrey Hepburn (last year was Bette Davis), and although I was against the idea of going to Audrey Hepburn movies (she's a great actress but the fandom full of edgy hipsters/fashionistas is annoying), but I was talked into seeing Sabrina on Valentine's with my friend, then The Unforgiven (a less popular Audrey film), and ending the festival with MY FAIR LADY!!! I'm so excited to see that on the big screen. The costumes, the scenery, the ascot opening day! It's going to be brilliant to see it the way it was meant to be.

So far I also have tickets to see Drama/Mex (they're doing a whole strand on Mexican films and this one sounded the most interesting--next to my mexican shiva, I might have to check that out soon), Bronson (youtube it, it looks interesting, brutal, and theatrical), and finally Let the Right One In. Now I saw Let the Right One In back in Kansas over the holidays, BUT, this time the director is supposed to be coming to answer questions and introduce it. I'm very excited for that night.

B T Dubs, it was fun going to the volunteer induction and those in charge remembered me! Even Allison, one of the programmers and a such a fun lady. This year I plan on networking more. Going to the gala, working events, etc. I'm really going to try to get out there and do more. I told the women in charge I'm just doing research so I have a basically free schedule, that I'll help out prior to festival, and I might end up as a volunteer co-ordinator. They needed some more and they liked the idea of having someone who had volunteered before to 'run the show,' in that sense.

Anyway, as the title suggests I have a mini rant of one of the things don't like, and that would be Sky. We canceled our service in time that we wouldn't be charged, and yet they keep saying I owe them. Although, every time I would call about this they would say there is no debt on our account. So now they sent some debt collectors after me. I still call sky, they still say it's a mistake...

I ended up paying it. I don't need this over my head while they are deciding my visa. I'll talk to sky, but I'll at least get my name away from that. I don't need legal action taken against me while my passport is at the border agency. However, I ain't too happy about this, and someone will be getting a piece of my mind.

Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge (Review)

With the anticipation I had for Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge, I'm very disappointed in how long it took me to finally watch it. However, I'm finding it hard to decide how I feel about the sequel as I've seen the original enough times to quote it and have developed it from an 'impressive porn' to a tale of female sexual discovery that nearly matches The Blue Lagoon. Needless to say, I'm being harsh on the sequel.

From the beginning, Pirates II promises to go above and beyond its predecessor. The teaser trailer featured more impressive graphics than the first, and the film's visual quality is up there with the best straight to video horror films blockbuster pulls out just in time for Halloween. However, I feel some of these graphics are direct rips from the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. I realize this is an homage to the Hollywood blockbusters, but when you see a ghost ship popping out of the water, you really do wonder if they just sourced the DVD. A similar reaction occurred during the scenes with the giant worms, expect Dune wasn't nearly this high tech, so I'm pretty sure these are original graphics.

Special effects aside, Stagnetti's Revenge really builds upon the high standards the first one set. I enjoyed creating a "12 Days of Christmas" song as I counted the threesomes, real boobs, and of the course the "5 hairy va-jay-jays" featured prominently. It needs to be noted, that Pirates II has diversified by having two Brunettes, 2 Asian female leads, and roughly 7 real sets of breasts. Not to mention a crazy Armenian obsessed with gold, a homoerotic Governor (Ben English--who I originally assumed was faking his English accent), and a near male rape scene between Jules (Jesse Jane) and Edward (Evan Stone). Compared to the boring blonde-performers-with-mas

sive-and-obviously-fake-tits of the original porn, its quite refreshing to see a least a hint of the traditional in what is a 'straigh male porn.' DP is really trying to attract everyone!

Sadly, gone is my personal favorite Serena (Janine Lindemulder), who is replaced by her sister Olivia (played by Belladonna). However, Joone makes it up to me by providing Steven St. Croix (Marco) with more scenes to showcase his various 'talents' and great lines such as "I don't need you to love me, because I love myself." Who knew a porn would give actual relationship advice? Well, other than Bend Over Boyfriend of course. Now, while I do love me some Steven St. Croix acting, I think his final threesome involving Jules and Ai (Shay Jordan) expresses all the problems with this porn.

First, I don't want to necessarily point fingers, but Joey Pulgadas really let me down this time. As editor for both Pirates, I don't know what happened, but he seems to have forgotten anything he knew about continuity editing. I know this is just porn and you can't hold it to the same standards you would a Hollywood film, but when a woman is riding a man with her back to the camera then suddently is in the same position but facing the camera you're going to get screams of "wow! That woman has a hairy butt." Jump cuts like that just don't work in porn. Similarly, I know the majority of the audience doesn't need to see the foreplay, but it is distracting when they cut about 10-15 minutes and people are suddenly naked (except for the socks, Mr. Governor). Also, is it too much to ask for you to show the various sexual positions for a bit longer than a speedy cut a la Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge? Apparently.

Second, I could see why men find Jesse Jane attractive to watch, but I hope they watch her with the sound off. Her sex scenes are painful as she's always so angry and attacks her partners like she's a zombie feeding off of them (and this isn't an exageration, nor is it erotic) and she's obnoxiously loud! Anyone who's seen one of her movies knows she spasms and cries like a cat being skinned alive, and some people do get off on this, but do you need two painful screamers in one threesome? Shay Jordan is just as bad and the two women combined is just nuts (although you gotta love when Jordan proclaims "Ai come!"). I nearly had to turn the sound off during their threesome with St. Croix, but I (and my viewing partner) toughed it out, but this leads me to another major issue with this porn: gagging. If you are gagging while trying to deep throat, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Yes, yes, two girls-one cup proves that people do find vomiting arrousing, but she never actually spews on the penis so do we really need the excessive gagging sounds? I was afraid someone was going to have to perform the heimlich in order to extract St. Croix's penis! Is this just another way DP is trying to diversify their films, by utilizing a variety of fetishes? Personally, I find gagging a sign that you can't deep throat and kind of defeats the purpose and shames the 70s class as Linda showed no signs of a gag reflex.

Overall, I think its a great porn, but the first is far surperior. However, I have extremely high hopes for the next in the series, and there better be one or I'll personally find Joone and slap him upside the head for dangling a sister in distress and an all-female pirate ship in front of me. Oh, but leave out the vagina spankings. It's getting a bit excessive.

Click for review of the first Pirates.

"What do I get out of this?" or "orgy of spending"

I'm watching the debates right now and I have a few things to say...

1) BBC.co.uk shows the debates live but only in the UK, mydebates.org, a branch of myspace is showing all the debates as well.

2) "Orgy of spending" in reference to Bush's economics, which got us into the current cluster fuck, is perhaps my new favorite phrase. It might be up there with "You forgot Poland" and "The only Bush I trust is my own" for amazing political phrases. Though the Polish phrase is amazing because it's hilarious that he even said it, I think "orgy of spending" is a great description of the past 8 years or so and I just like that Obama said orgy in the debates.

3) What do I get out of all this? Honestly, I would love to hear both candidates sit down with a family from the lower/middle class and tell them EXACTLY what they would get out of both of their plans. They speak in ideas and abstracts, but I wonder what would happen if they set down with me and told me what would benefit me, a Grad student with no health care, no job (yay credit crunch), and loans my grandchildren will be paying.

4) McCain says "we're not going back to the cold war." To be honest, I'm not sure we ever really left it. Yeah, we didn't fear the Soviet Union would try to nuke us, but we've replaced that fear with terrorism. We are a nation of fear, it doesn't matter what the 'evil opposition' looks like it's still the same underneath it all.

5) You know, I've been joking about running whorehouses in order to raise money if there was ever another Great Depression... it's a bit disturbing that it might actually be a possibility.

Update

Lately, I've been trying to work on my dissertation and having some major issues with feeling like it'll never get done. But I know it will.

Of course one of the major distractions from this is the biggest and best news I've had in over a year... drum roll please!

no more blood clot!!!!

That's right kids, the CT scan came back and I'm in the clear. Sadly, most celebrating has been put on hold until the 15th.

Olympic Opening Ceremony

The Olympics start today and I've been watching the opening ceremony. Regardless of the human rights and international issues of the Olympics being in China, the opening ceremony is pretty damn cool. They've been doing short sample performances of various parts of Chinese culture. They had some puppets and Chinese opera music and what not. It's quite fascinating, but I have an issue with the "oh the Chinese are so precise... they're all about precision. They're so good at being precise" comments I'm getting from the BBC one commentators. Just comes across as one dimensional, slightly racist, and overall that they don't really much appreciation for Chinese traditional arts. From what I remember nearly every country does some mass precision performance at the opening or closing but whatever, it's apparently more fascinating when it's the Chinese.

On the other hand, the part where they progress through the various dynasties and "32 pillars reach towards the heavens" has hundreds of "serene women" walking along in these gorgeous gowns and I have to say I want one of those gowns. They're seriously amazing and beautiful. Full, floor length ball gowns basically, in pink and red and blue. Just gorgeous.

Some other highlights, 2,008 tai chi performers while children paint and recite poetry about nature (and the commentators point out how polluted China is), space men on wires fly around while a giant globe rises from the ground with people running around and doing acrobatics on wires "seemingly defying gravity," and Sarah Brightman with some guy (who's name I didn't catch) sing.

We've officially gone from being cool to being cheesy with Brightman singing while people hold giant pictures of various childrens' faces. All we need is Josh Groban to duet with Whitney Houston on "I believe the children are the future" and it would be the cheesiest Olympics ever.

Anyway, I think it's now about time for the marching and I'm losing interest. Judith Butler is calling. I'm outie, but everyone should check out the opening ceremony.

A Scottish 4th of July

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Primarily because it means drinking cocktails by the pool and chillin' with the fam. Well being as I'm spending this summer in Scotland, supposedly writing a dissertation, I had to do my own 4th of July celebration. A few friends came by my place, I had a barbecue, water guns, beer, and a near by park to help make this an awesome day.

Well, while it was fun and entertaining, there was one mishap that nearly ruined it.

In the park, my friends and I were sitting around, shooting pigeons with our water guns and overall just goofing around, when suddenly a few of us noticed a man grabbing his crotch near by. We assumed he was peeing at first, and though a bit odd that he didn't try to fake any modesty, seeing as it was 6 in the afternoon, still very bright, with a couple eating at a picnic table and a family playing ball near by, we didn't think too much of it. That is until he undid his belt, unzipped his pants and had a wank right there in the park! We reported him to a man who works in the park, but the guy had left by then. While quite humorous in some respects, the children near by kind of hindered the full comedic effect.

A bit disturbing but as I said, it would only happen to ME. Only when I try to celebrate an American holiday in Scotland does a man start masturbating in front of us. It truly is only "me" because after that we headed to another 4th of July party and while a cat did jump in through the window and refuse to leave, there were no flashers or perverts. Well unless you count my advertising for the Pirates II dvd release in September, there weren't any perverts.

Movies that fall short of the "expectations" surrounding them

I'm often over critical of films, especially those with a lot of hype around them. I also like to consider myself a feminist. For these reasons, I refuse to see Sex and the City: The Movie.

It's been the long awaited movie of the summer (thought my long awaited movie is Mamma Mia: The Movie Musical) and really, I could care less. I've never gotten into the show. I've tried. I really really have. When friends have wanted to watch it I've joined them. When there was nothing else on in the hotel except for reruns on HBO I watched it, I will admit, I even watched the first season on HBO in demand, so don't say I didn't try to get "into" the show. I put forth a lot of effort through the years.

However, I still don't like the show and I REALLY don't like the characters. From the get go I hated Charlotte. Her focus in life being predominately to get married and have children just made her boring and one dimensional. Supposedly, she's a successful at whatever she does at the art gallery (owns it maybe?), but really, I can't help but think of Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate, and not in the good way I like to think of her. At one point of the film, she's lying in bed talking to Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) and he asks her what she studied at college. She studied Art History before she got knocked up and had a shot gun marriage. If I recall correctly, the young women in Mona Lisa Smile also study Art History, in their spare time when they are not getting married or waiting for a proposal. I'm sure there are other examples of this in many other films, but what does this equate to? Women who study Art History have few ambitions or alternatives other than the job of housewife and mother. I'm NOT saying this is true of present or past Art History students, but that at least in mainstream media a BA in Art History = BA in Housewifery. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is that Charlotte, like many of her hollywood fore-mothers, is of course only interested in marriage and babies to the point that it makes her a caricature, boring, and a cliche. Hence, why I never liked her to begin with. I realize she's supposed to be annoying and whiny, but what does it say about society when women go "oh i'm such a charlotte!" Really, is this the equality we've been looking for?

The one I hate only slightly less than Charlotte would be Carrie. I think she is the reason I never got into the show. You really should like the main character. Well, I don't. I find her neurosis annoying as well. I find her to be a more flamboyant package of Ally McBeal. She allows for this man to continuously love her and leave her. Even when he's married he still messes with her head. I realize that partly why so many women love this character is they too have an unattainable guy in their life that they just can't seem to get over. I mean, who hasn't? I know have, but I'm only 22. Most teenagers and women in their 20s do at some point, but I would hope that a woman nearly twice my age would be more sure of herself and have greater self esteem. Apparently not, apparently we never get over that one guy. But the thing is, must like in When Harry Met Sally, this isn't based in reality! You don't end up with your "Big," your "Big" ends up with someone else. Someone who isn't neurotic. Someone who does let me walk all over you emotionally. Sorry girls, but it's true. The real world does not function the same way High School or College romances do. I think this is why I really hate Carrie, perhaps even more than Charlotte who I try to just ignore, is that women can "identify" with her, but what does that say about us? That we are also neurotic women pining over men we can't have, allowing men to treat us like trash, and throwing away the stable, loving ones who just aren't as exciting. Well, that excitement is actually the fear and possibility that he will up and leave you for someone who isn't as neurotic or stupidly obsessed with him.

Moving right along. When I first watched it I enjoyed Samantha a lot. She was probably my favorite, maybe because I'm loud and don't care what people think. I'm definitely the one at the luncheon table who will shout "cock," "pussy," "fuck," et all and wonder why everyone else is blushing. I was always the "Samantha" in the group. But while some people find Samantha to be the "sexually liberated feminist" of the group, she's really not. Her character and story lines, like the other female characters, is based on, and dependent upon, men. She gets the laughs and outrageous moments, but only because of her constant craving for a "phallus" (should I get all freudian on you? I'll pass that for now). You will have to set aside the season where she was in a lesbian relationship, but when you think about it, it really follows a similar pattern as her sexual romps with men. However, the point is she is just as dependent upon men as Charlotte is for meaning, and Carrie is for neurosis.

Looking back on the show, the one character I truly like is Miranda. Perhaps she's the most realistic of them all. Sure she is also looking for love and dating, but she's often forgotten, shoved under the rug, "closested" if you will. The first few seasons, the stylists for the show made Miranda look like the biggest cliche of a lesbian ever. They desexualized her through her hair, make up, and wardrobe. However, while the least glamorous, she's one of the most truthful characters ever featured on the show. She has a love hate relationship with men, she decides she doesn't need a man for her to keep her child (see Knocked Up) and while she does eventually get with Steve, it's not because she feels she HAS to get married or have a man, it's because she wants to and loves him. I might also be biased based on the episode where she gets upset that Steve (i think it was Steve) wants to cuddle and falls asleep on her pillow. Honestly, I can share blankets, I can share bed (I have two younger sisters I had to share hotel beds with on vacations so I'm used to that), but give me my damn pillows or I'll shove you off the bed.

To wrap this up, I refuse to see the movie. I really do. I don't think they needed to make a movie out of it, I think the series was more than enough, and if they make a sequel I may have to kick someone. I'm not saying everyone should avoid this movie (as it's impossible since most my friends already have), but I will not see it in the movie theaters. Perhaps, later, on a plane, or at a friends I could be convinced to see it (see 27 Dresses), but until it's free for me don't even bother. And even then, be prepared for a struggle.