sundries

[rm]

Child brides in Afghanistan.

At least ten people have been killed as Israeli fires on ships intended to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. There is, I think a temptation in the US to ignore what goes on with Israel because it's a big awkward mess for us as a national politically and emotionally, but this is Very Bad and Very Significant and we should be paying attention. And, eventhough I just linked you to the New York Times, if you do follow this, you should be reading the BBC and Al-Jezeera as well.

So there's this contest that John Scalzi and Wil Wheaton have put together to raise funds for the Lupus Alliance for America. If you follow the link you'll see the contest is to write fanfiction based on a picture, and the winner gets $$ and it published. Anything is allowed -- except slash. I have to wonder if they meant (the perfectly reasonable) "anything is allowed expect explicit sex" in a (sort of annoying) misunderstanding of what slash generally means, or if a couple of guys volunteering themselves to be the subject of RPF to benefit charity really went and said "you can write anything about us you want as regards to a picture in which one of us in an orc and the other is riding a flying unicorn kitten, except icky icky homosexuality." Charity Good. Situation kinda uncomfortable even if it is about a hideous painting that... well, go to the link. Thanks for penguineggs for the heads up. Also, scalzi comments below.

In case you were unclear, as some people on the thread are: slash is not inherently porn and queer content is not inherently about sex.

TERROR: My XXX-flavour vitamin water has special packaging to promote Eclipse, the latest movie in the Twilight series. I am full of shame.

Last night on Angel and Buffy:

Mental institution episode on Buffy -- on one hand, trite device; on the other hand, well-executed. Also effectively has some interesting meta thoughts about judging response to stories. Demon summoned with digeridoo? kinda offensive. But you know, it's Buffy and you get used to it.

Also? Xander left Anya. Glad that that wasn't really Xander's future we were seeing, but the whole thing felt forced and not like it had enough arc and the episode didn't know what it wanted to be. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Curious to see what Anya will choose, as that choice seems critical to whatever the message the show is or isn't trying to have.

On Angel Gunn needed Wesley's help to save Fred and Wesley gives that speech about he forced himself to live so he could see his friends and explain what he'd done. Oh the burning, burning hate there. Time eight billion and seventy three where my reaction to Angel is to find deaths on Torchwood merciful.

There are a couple of "people need help" things going on out there, but I'm waiting to post until tomorrow when people are back on the Internet.

Comments

[sevendayloan.livejournal.com]

The demon was summoned with a digeridoo because the actor who plays Andrew, Tom Lenk, knows how to play one. To be honest, I'm not seeing it as any more offensive than calling a demon with an oboe. And I don't feel like it in any way ties together evil magic and Aboriginal culture, given that the digeridoo is played by enthusiasts all around the world.

That aside, these are two of my favorite episodes of Buffy, and I particularly loved Hell's Bells. Of course, Anya being a favorite character, I think that I'd love this episode regardless of what happened in it. I'm pretty sure I just saw, "Ooh, Anya! Oh, tragedy!" and stopped there. Perhaps a rewatch is in order...

About the slash thing, I'm glad to see that it was a misunderstanding, and I hope that Scalzi and Wheaton will change the rules to make things clear. :)

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

the digeridoo is played by enthusiasts all around the world.

Reminds me of the quiet joy I felt seeing a busker in downtown Portland, OR playing one.

[sevendayloan.livejournal.com]

That's so cool. Somehow the combination of buskers (awesome) and digeridoos (awesome) is making me smile like a lunatic.