sundries

[rm]

Nine teenagers have been indicted on a range of charges including statutory rape, criminal harassment and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury in the case of a girl who was systematically bullied until she hung herself. People -- students and teachers -- knew what was going on, and did nothing. If you see something, say something.

Snyder's of Hanover is planning to market some "gluten-free" pretzels that won't actually be certified as gluten-free because "it's too much trouble." That's okay, Snyder's of Hanover, because it's not too much trouble for me to tell the Internet that I will never buy another Snyder's of Hanover product, even one that naturally includes no gluten-containing ingredients, because you don't care if I'm in pain, if I can't work, or if I develop cancer or epilepsy! In an interview with an executive they were incredibly disrespectful about the disease and the needs of people with it. You might want to write them a note (info at the link) or be all Google-bomby like me! Snyder's of Hanover has issued an update about their gluten-free product launch, however, it's still deeply problematic and we're waiting on more information.

The silence of Maghen David: Only 30 Jewish people are left in Kolkata, which once held thousands.

The time-travelers have relented and CERN finally seems to be working.

In an attempt to pass a bill that would prevent officials in Oklahoma from enforcing the parts of the federal hate crimes law designed to protect LGBTQ, the state senate has somehow managed to pass a bill that actually stops officials from enforcing the parts of the federal law about race and religion instead.

A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit against a New York school district with the district now agreeing to protect LGBTQ students from harassment. This was the case where before the settlement was reached the DoJ actually filed a motion to intervene on the student's, who was being harassed due to perceived sexual orientation, behalf.

Finally, for the news portion of the day, Half of Americans would support a gay president. *peers at Torchwood West Wing/The American President AU again* Apparently, a gay quarterback in the Superbowl would be even more okay. I live in a world with queer superheroes, so I'm not sure I even really understand why we need polls like this. Who anyone fucks: not about you, unless it is you.

Angel watch - 1.11, 1.12, 1.13

- 1.11: "Sonambulist" Pretty good, although I feel like everything that happened happened too fast -- Kate accepting vampires, Kate not trusting Angel, Kate trusting Angel, blah blah blah.

- 1.12: "Expecting" Loved this. Now is there anything RTD didn't swipe from Angel for Torchwood? Okay, I realize "fucked up alien pregnancy episode" is as required as much as "random Nazi allegory episode", but still! Lots of fun, seriously ridiculous. Wesley manages to NOT fuck something up. Actually, I'm impressed here, and actually in each of these episodes, how tender Wesley is with scared people. It's sort of out of nowhere, but it's rather lovely because it doesn't seem smarmy or like he's trying to get something out of them by doing it.

- 1.13: "She" Hrrrrr. I liked it. I suspect a lot of people hated it. There was a lot going on here, most of it disturbing, but the level of clutter in the episode made it harder to focus in on the elements of the thing, which was a shame. I'd like to see these aliens (wait, are they aliens or demons? I find the Whoniverse makes me call everything aliens. Demons?) and their culture resurface later. I also feel like when I finally get to Dollhouse, I'm going to want to come back to this episode to look at Whedon's issues. Episode was like a cross between the terrible Gor books at the St:TNG "gay" episode. Thought the episode would have been slightly more effective if the "unmade" girl had been more present and obedient rather than quite to empty. *shrug*

General stuff:

- OMG, Wesley/Cordelia/Angel is so still my OT3 of the week. Show me the fic, people.

- Wesley's self-hatred is being played for laughs, but it's hitting me where I live. I don't identify with him, but I feel really, really bad for him.

- Hahahahaha, the dorktastic dancing!

- I find myself developing a fond curiosity about Los Angeles. And I swear I hate it -- I've been there three times, and I keep it away from me -- I'm there for a job or a con and I go to the In-and-Out burger and then I go home. It's a bad place, the enemy. I can't drive; I'm not attractive or successful there. It's a terrible, frightening, specter of failure place for me. But I see this show, and regret a little that I never quite gave it a go, that living in New York has meant I never had to.

Comments

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Do you want me to be your cheerleader for the Torchwood/West Wing/American President AU?

I will, 'cause I'm utterly self serving here and really want to read it!

I really liked Somnubalist, but I then I like religious symbolism that means absolutely nothing to me :)
She could have been awesome. Too much happening and clunky ending.

[iterum.livejournal.com]

That Oklahoma thing should be exploited to show it for what it really is -- "Hey, guys: it only takes a numerical typo to make a law like this say that Oklahoma doesn't care about violence against Christians. Is that really the sort of thing the state should be allowed to vote on?"

It's probably too much to hope that the error was introduced on purpose to create just this sort of "teachable moment."

Of course, on the general principle involved (states' voting to ignore federal laws), see this from today. It doesn't mention Oklahoma, but it does point out the not-so-fine tradition of using state sovereignty to undercut human rights.

[liminalia.livejournal.com]

However, I'm reasonably sure that while they can vote to ignore it all they like, that doesn't mean the feds will actually let them. SCOTUS case law on this issue is pretty clear.

[zmayhem.livejournal.com]

Damn you, you're the first person who has ever made me want to go back and rewatch "She." (I'm one of the tiny handful of people who stuck with Dollhouse through the crappy beginning all the way to the messy, incoherent but deeply interesting end; it has a lot of fail and some major Fail, but it's a ridiculously interesting, worthwhile failure. And now your talk about "She" is making me say, hmmmmm.

(Plus, dorktastic dancing!)

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

I made the mistake of looking at the comments on CNN. I hate people. A lot.

[iterum.livejournal.com]

Very true, although the Nullification crazies have historically tried to nullify SCOTUS decisions, too. But the case law should still be a brake on this state law's going anywhere.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

One of the things I love about Wes is that he can be both genuinely caring and completely uncompromising and it's not contradictory, it's just brilliant characterisation. The self-loathing... heh, well. Whedon isn't really about fixing people in Angel. I adore Wesley's arc but lots of it I find very hard watching, and it's always those small, sad, personal spaces where it hits me, and actually the very fact you're talking about his kindness is breaking my heart, because that's so not what's going to come back to him.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

E-mail fired off to Snyder's. I use to eat their pretzels. Really good ones, too. But no more.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[1-mad-squirrel.livejournal.com]

And Alexis Denisof just knocked my socks off in later seasons.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Who anyone fucks: not about you, unless it is you.

YES THIS

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

SECONDED.

[marita-c.livejournal.com]

I think Angel's version of LA is a little like how the city looks like from an insider's POV.

Personally the place terrifies me. LA, the city and the experience, kind of looms in my future, and I have to make a conscious effort to treat it as something exciting, a challenge, ground I can concur (or have a lot of fun trying). Whenever I stop making the effort I revert back to more pessimistic (realistic?) thoughts, that I'm completely inadequate, that LA will squash me like a bug and I'll run back home crying (where everyone will mock me for ever deluding myself).

So yeah, I get how LA is the enemy, but at the same time, I think that very thought is probably the obstacle to making it there...

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

*Nods* As an actor, he's just like his character - fierce and impressive in ways you'd never even guess.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

I have been bitter at Snyder's of Hanover since they discontinued their hot dog flavoured potato chips. Punks!

[stephl.livejournal.com]

Wesley has one of my favorite arcs in all of fiction, and Alexis Denisof handles it so beautifully.

Hahahahaha, the dorktastic dancing!

This redeems "She" for me.

"Sonambulist" Pretty good, although I feel like everything that happened happened too fast -- Kate accepting vampires, Kate not trusting Angel, Kate trusting Angel, blah blah blah.

My regret about this episode is that I would have loved to see vampire Penn around for more than one episode. I liked him a lot.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Now is there anything RTD didn't swipe from Angel for Torchwood?
No.

re: Somnabulist -Penn, btw, was up for an Academy Award this year, along with Sally Sparrow. Yay the SF ghetto!

Also, I hate Kate. RTD did her A LOT better in Gwen.

re: Dollhouse. It's definitely all of Whedon's issues front & center. It's just too bad it sucks.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's so... Australian! You know they do "burger flavored" and "chicken flavored" chips, right? With Homer Simpson on the bag!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Why do you hate Kate? I find her inoffensive (and that's really the most offensive thing about her so far).

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

I DESIRE THIS HARD.

I know Europeans get all kinds of flavours we don't get, because everyone knows Americans only like bland, salty, or sweet, but that doesn't mean I have to like it!

I want soy flavoured Kit Kats too!

[graene.livejournal.com]

ditto, to the sending email and boycott.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Also: re Jews of Calcutta -- that is SO SAD. I love that community. And that bakery. This is one of the reasons I don't believe in religious states. This is what we lose when people go.

[liminalia.livejournal.com]

You and me both.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I find her "I'm okay with this, no I'm not, yes I am, no, you MONSTER" + self righteousness to be the most grating thing ever. Also, I hate that character -- the human cop in vampire world; it's been used a bunch, and I always find it distastful. Finally, the actress is like fingernails on chalkboard to me.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Soy... flavored Kit Kats? Would there be chocolate involved as well? Or only the Kit Kat crunch & shape?