sundries

Just got off the phone with Virgin America. They say that the storm is "not looking as bad as what you guys got hit with last time" and "we do not expect we will have to cancel any flights." To be frank? I think they are crazy, but I live in hope.

I certainly live in hope of making it to Gally in time for my panels. If I wasn't excited before (and I was), the lovely shout-out from Paul got my gears going, and I'm particularly glad he mentioned that we'll be doing criticism. I want the audience to know what this is and isn't -- it is not a debate on "should Ianto have been killed off." It is a discussion on "what makes these sorts of events hurt the way they do" with a focus (at least from my end) on the design of the canon/text (whether with intent or not) for maximum impact.

On that note, here's my theoretical Gally schedule:

Thursday, 8pm -- arrive (hopefully), check-in, see you in the bar.

Friday -- I'll attend some programming, but will probably be easiest to find at the bar.

Saturday, 1pm, Scottsdale Room
It's The End, But the Moment Has Been Prepared For: Fan Reactions to Character Deaths
I'll be joined by Tina Beychok, Paul Cornell, Kate Orman, David Wise, Tammy Garrison

Saturday, 2pm, St. Louis Room
The Crossplay Equation
I'll be joined by Sarah Underwood, Jessica Montague, Salina Conlan, Miriam Hardin

Note: These two panels are, as you can see, back to back. If you want to chat with me re: the character death thing, please find me AFTER the crossplay panel. Meanwhile, if you're coming to the crossplay panel, please be forgiving of the fact that I won't be in full costume, but I just _can't_ for the character death panel, because it's too bloody weird since in this fandom I cosplay Jack and only Jack.

Saturday, 11:30pm, Scottsdale Room
It's Not Porn, It's Research!
I'll be joined by Tara O'Shea, Tammy Garrison, Jan Fennick

Hey, we've always known Doctor Who is filthy.

The language of touch.

Because abortion is illegal in Nicaragua, a pregnant woman cannot receive chemotherapy and will likely die, leaving her ten-year-old daughter without a mother.

So yet again, it seems it needs to be said: TRUST WOMEN.

Trust women to know if they want to fuck you or not. Trust women to know whether or not it was rape. Trust women to do their jobs. Trust women to make their own choices about their own health. Trust women to walk home. Trust women to drive. Trust women to invent things. Trust women to fight. Trust women to feed themselves. Etc., etc., etc., etc.

And on a similar theme, Dear Apple App Store, don't blame women being uptight (and the sensitive eyes of children -- because that's the same, you know) for you taking the non-big brand sexy (because apparently Playboy is fine) out of your app store. You made a branding/marketing decision. Fine. Don't be condescending and nasty about it. Don't promote the BS that only women care about the degradation of women.

A beauty queen quotes Bible verses she believes indicates homosexuals should be put to death (i.e., their shitty translations). Why do you care? You probably don't. But as a former pageant competitor, I have no patience for this shit -- a huge number of the women who compete are in the closet and the pageants thrive on the behind the scenes talents of gays and lesbians. The whole thing infuriates me.

Also, while I've not been following Olympic iceskating as closely as many of you, I'm infuriated by the crap being dished out to Johnny Weir in particular and about men's skating in general. Lots of homophobia, transphobia, misogyny (because, let's remember, it's all related) and concerns about "butching up" the sport. Guess the people worried about such things missed the rugby player who came out. Butch has got nothing to do with it.

Meanwhile, it's the daily Buffy update:

- So Wesley has a thing for Cordelia? Hrrrr. On the one hand, she's an idiot (as far as he knows) and so his being into her on that score is pretty annoying. On the other hand, damn they make an attractive couple. Meanwhile, I'm glad they are actually acknowledging the whole "dudes watching over teen girls" thing and the way that older students and young teachers often wind up in weird situations, at least in their own minds. Speaking of which, Giles totally checked out Willow's tits when she was wearing her doppleganger's outfit.

- That whole episode about Faith killing someone and the aftermath was sort of crap. Everyone wants to save Faith from herself and no one is really worrying about the cops until a random line gets thrown in so we know they don't have enough evidence? I just... there were practical concerns, but instead we're having an intervention? Also, I'm with Wesley and Willow on this, maybe she does need to be locked up.