This and that

[cleolinda]

We put up my mother's Christmas village yesterday, which was fun. I always like looking at the houses and trying to pick which one I'd like to live in. We also had such a surplus of Christmas knick-knacks that I took a few to get more into the spirit

Panels and presentations have been announced for the Phoenix Rising convention. I was actually involved with vetting some of the proposals (I figured it was better to stay mum at the time). The convention'll be in New Orleans, May 17-21. They've gotten the Sheraton, you can register now, it all looks good. The one time I visited New Orleans, it was July, so I've always wanted to go back when it would be cooler. Unfortunately, I think we're planning a trip to Quebec for September, and that's going involve some hard saving as it is, so traveling anywhere else is out of the question this year. So y'all go have fun for me, is what I'm saying.

And I totally forgot to mention how NaNoWriMo turned out, possibly because I came in so ignominiously at about 30,000 words. I'm starting to think that NaNo is a great idea for the right kind of writer. That writer just isn't me.

More fantastic email spam:

From: Jaslyn Broadus
Subject: Re: coconut indiscretion


Raul Castro extends olive branch to U.S. Yeah, Fidel's totally not going to get better.

Rumsfeld memo: Iraq tactics not working.

Scientist Fights Church Effort to Hide Museum's Pre-Human Fossils.

Pfizer ends cholesterol drug development.

Rockwell found behind wall sets record.

"Prison Break" actor in car crash that killed teen. Lane Garrison, who plays Tweener?

'Feet,' 'Royale' still rule box office.

American Indians hail 'Apocalypto' cast.

'Daily Show,' 'Colbert' producer leaving.

Is there such thing as bad publicity for stars? As O.J. Simpson has finally proven: Yes. Yes, there is.

Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan have been charged with obscenity. For what looks like two kisses, as far as I can tell, in Dhoom 2. Apparently Indian culture is much more reserved in public, and the scene has not gone down well with a lot of people.

themadfish: "Operation Migration is an organization that's been trying to rebuild the migratory Whooping Crane population. They're using ultra-light aircrafts to lead captive reared crane chicks from Wisconsin back to FL. This year for the first time, a pair of their aircraft led cranes had two chicks. One of the chicks has died from a predator. However, the pair and their surviving chick has just begun their migration to FL. However, every year they have trouble rising enough money to cover the costs of leading the birds on their migration route. This year they have only a little over half of the total miles covered. Chart of their currently sponsored miles, and how far they've flown this year." (I meant to post this the other week but let it get lost in my email. So sorry!)

eldritch_flame: "Bristol-Myers is donating one dollar to AIDS every time someone goes to their website and moves the match to the candle and lights it."

Comments

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

From Scientist Fights Church Effort to Hide Museum's Pre-Human Fossils:

"We have grave concerns that the museum wants to enhance the prominence of something presented as fact which is just one theory."

You know, I try to be respectful of the beliefs of others, really, but GAH. ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR SMASH!!

[koritsimou.livejournal.com]

I think it's more like "rational people smash!".

The don't want the museum to promote a "theory"... that there's actualy physical evidence for?

I believe that this is the equivalent of a two-year-old sticking his fingers in his ears and going "LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".

[splits_thesky]

Being Indian myself, I want to say that's not the first movie kiss we've had. I might be wrong, but I have some vague recollection of another kiss a while back. Don't remember when or what movie, though, so I miiiiiiight be making this all up. :/

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was discussing it on another journal and someone did mention another kiss. They suggested that Aishwarya Rai being involved was what spurred someone to file or sue or whatever, because it would get more publicity.

[bardintraining.livejournal.com]

The no-kissing rule seems to be rather off and on, from what I've seen. Domestic films that are comedies and action movies targeting families and youth audiences seem to be stricter about PDAs than more dramatic fare that usually seems to do well in the foreign market. Bride & Prejudice (counts as Indian cinema in my view, even though Chadha as a director kind of throws it over to the British side of things but let's just go with this one,) was just getting to what seemed ridiculously swing-and-a-miss to me by the end, but in Monsoon Wedding more than one couple was all over each other, including the bride-to-be smecksing up her married lover in the backseat of a car three days before her wedding to someone else.
Although Mira Nair seems able to sneak around the censors pretty well, considering she knew to use a fake title in order to film Kama Sutra in India, and even then it was later banned from being screened in India and Pakistan.

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

but in Monsoon Wedding more than one couple was all over each other, including the bride-to-be smecksing up her married lover in the backseat of a car three days before her wedding to someone else.

Thank you! So I'm not the only one!

[redcoast.livejournal.com]

Bride and Prejudice doesn't have any kissing in it.

[bardintraining.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that's what I meant by the hit-and-miss thing. They'd be diving in for the kill and then just end up snuggling.

[redcoast.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't think that it's true that Indian movies are more prudish. As far as I can tell, there's just a social taboo against kissing for pretend, which makes sense to me. I mean, exchange of bodily fluid? Ewww.

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

That's my guess too. The Indian public has never been too kind to Aishwarya, maybe because of her ambition to be an international star and not just settling with Indian movies. Indian gossip mags have been talking about her imminent engagement/wedding without much evidence, so this just seems like more of the same: publicity. Of the bad kind, but still.

And it's not like sex is taboo in Bollywood anymore. Not really, not like it used to be. Only the big family movies won't have kissing, but there will still be half-naked girls dancing around in most movies anyway.

Okay okay, I'm stopping...

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

Monsoon Wedding has a kiss and car sex. Did this movie not show in Indian theatres?

[bardintraining.livejournal.com]

Heck, Monsoon Wedding's got it all. Car sex, muchas smooches, cursing, dick jokes, molestation/pedophilia/incest (all from the same person, not surprisingly,) and it still manages to be one of my favourite feel-good movies of all time.

Just wondering...

[mollyblack.livejournal.com]

"Garrison, 26, was inside his sport utility vehicle when it crashed into a tree in Beverly Hills at about 11:50 p.m. local time, Sergeant Shan Davis said, adding that police were still investigating which of the car's four occupants was driving and what caused the collision.

Garrison received minor injuries, but a 17-year-old boy was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Medical Center following the accident. Two 15-year-old girls were also injured, one critically.

Not that it's any of my business and it might be relatives of his, however does anybody else find it strange that he's 26, driving around with a 17 year old boy and two 15 year old girls?

Re: Just wondering...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

... Yeah, I kind of noticed that myself.

Re: Just wondering...

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

relatives?

Re: Just wondering...

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

Could be, but what struck me about it was: a) the released the name already (although could indicated relative because the family would know) and b) usually if it's family that information is released early on. If it was his family, and the name was already released, why wouldn't it be noted that they were related. Not to be harsh, but it would play up sympathy for the family and guy himself. Plus- it's obvious that leaving that bit out makes people start to ask questions, especially since the other passengers were so young.

Re: Just wondering...

[thyroyalmajesty.livejournal.com]

Gossip sites are saying that the teens recognized him and asked him if he'd like to go to a party with them, and he was driving them to it. (Which says to me, they were all drunk and on drugs and on their way to have nasty dirty sex. Or something.) Wish I could remember more, but I can't find the page -- I'm pretty sure that it was on Oh No They Didn't.

[desafinada13.livejournal.com]

Wow...that *was* really good linkspam.

[pugfantus.livejournal.com]

According to the "Light the Candle" website, they are only donating $100k, and they already have over 600k lights.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awww. Well, that was at least smart of them, if they didn't want to end up a million billion dollars in the hole.

[ellaafleck.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had a friend last year explaining to me that kissing was forbidden in Bollywood films, so I'm not suprised that they're up in arms about it. Guess they're trying to change things.

[edda.livejournal.com]

*leans back, crosses arms, raises eyebrow cynically*

Well-played, Mel Gibson. Well-played.

[ironclad1609.livejournal.com]

Is it just me or is anyone else bothered by the excellent Bond movie being behind frikkin Penguins doing step dance???

Oh and hooray for the church showing once again that they don't give a damn about science or what really happened. *rolls eyes*

[youngcurmudgeon.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean, but this penguin movie is not to be missed, if only for the animation, which is leaps and bounds above most CGI stuff. It's on a Pixar level, kid you not.

[thegeneralerin.livejournal.com]

it's definitely one of the best CGI films in recent times, in animation, story, script, etc.

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

the church
It's just one particular congregation (Kenya's Pentecostal) that's behind this particular move. Not all theologians are small minded enough to have their faith threatened by the existence of scientific theory.

Some people have even managed to incorporate evolutionary theory into their religious beliefs.

Anyway, it's still a stupid request, if what this congregation is trying to do is protect their intellectual authority. But by trying to hide the opposition's evidence they only weaken their own case by suggesting that their case CAN be defeated by that evidence.

[kateshort.livejournal.com]

Penguins is enjoyable for ages 7 and up (with parental guidance), while Bond is certainly a little less family-friendly of a film. Two different audiences.

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

ARGH, to the Bollywood thing. This isn't the first kiss onscreen. There have been tons of those, and movies that are pretty much sex romps as well. This isn't even Aishwarya Rai's first kiss on screen. I have no idea why the drama is coming out now. *facepalm*

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

know what else?
U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton is resigning (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061204/ap_on_re_us/bolton_resigns)

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

HOORAY! sorry- my "dirty liberal" is showing... Actually it's more like my International Relations and Policy is showing.
Relations 101: angry jingoist 'ambassador' = bad international juju.

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

I hear ya.

My International Relations/Diplomatic/non-partisan self is trying REALLY hard not to be too super-happy about this.

And anyway, his replacement might be worse. So will make an effort to refrain from dancing in the streets too much.

[soleta-nf.livejournal.com]

Where are you going in Quebec (if you want to share)? I might be able to give you some tips. I live in New Brunswick (on the right side) now and lived in Ontario (on the left side) for 10 years. I love Quebec, especially Montreal - a very cosmopolitan city with many English speakers. Quebec City is very nice as well, especially vieux Quebec. The two towns I stayed in for French courses and recommend are Riviere-du-loup (between Quebec City and New Brunswick; very small but charming) and Trois Rivieres (half-way between Montreal and Quebec; much bigger with good night life). Definitely check out the night life. I find Quebec culture so different than English Canada and the U.S., and you can really see it at the bars. For example, your most vanilla dance bar will suddenly feature strippers (a weekly boy-girl thing in Riv-du-Loup, and Chippendales when I was in Trois Rivieres). Just a very different culture, and fascinating.

Oh, and the stuff you hear about snotty French people is hogwash. Try to speak French in downtown Toronto and you'll see snotty; most Quebekers will bend over backwards to practice the little bit of English they know with you, and feel badly when they can't communicate fluently.

Also, about Nano - 30k is frikken AWESOME. The secret to Nano, I've since learned, is not to reach the apparently magical 50k finish line, but to start a project that otherwise wouldn't have fermented. The 50k number is just something for people to aim for, but even writing 5k is a huge accomplishment. 30k is phenomenal! Congratulations. :)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I actually don't know where we're going, except that Montreal seems likely. It's more of a vague idea ("Let's go to Quebec!") than any kind of plan. I'm dead serious, by the way--my friends just got an itch to travel somewhere, anywhere, and Quebec was what they picked.

[soleta-nf.livejournal.com]

I believe you. I remember reading about your Quebec/Tibet misunderstanding before, and how you were trying to figure out a place you all hadn't been, etc. I think Quebec is a good choice! Let me know if you have any questions when you start planning it. :)

[evilbearhunter.livejournal.com]

If you're going to Montreal in the summer, try to catch the fireworks festival at La Ronde (it's an amusement park). It's international, and other countries have way, way cooler fireworks than the US. I caught the Japanese entry a few years back and it was beautiful.

[maggiebloome.livejournal.com]

I was going to give you linkspam, but I couldn't find the link, os here's the spam and maybe your new-finding skills are more 1337 than mine: according to the Russian news here in Sydney (hence my trouble finding a print source), a 100,000 pound house in Britain is being sold for a measly 1000. Guess why? They've discovered it was built over an abandoned mineshaft which has already claimed a vegetable patch. The whole house could disappear into the earth at any moment. According to the giggling Russian news anchor, a buyer for the little house on the precipice has not yet been found...

[colean.livejournal.com]

Here's a linky (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=420263&in_page_id=1770) for it from dailymail.co.uk :)

[maggiebloome.livejournal.com]

Haha, thanks.

[rachnye.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you want to add this to future linkspam, but www.heromiles.org is a place to donate your frequent flier miles for a good cause. "The program allows troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan to fly home on leave for free. It also gives family members of wounded servicemen and women free plane tickets to visit their loved ones recovering at military hospitals across the country." I donated my measly 8000 miles (one guy donated 73,000!) and I feel really good about it.

[valancy-s.livejournal.com]

Apparently Indian culture is much more reserved in public

If you're not a regular Bollywood watcher you might be surprised, as I was, by what IS allowed (http://valancy-s.livejournal.com/52555.html) as long as the actors aren't kissing on the lips. Why kissing on the neck is less 'obscene', I'm not sure...

[adoresixtyfour.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to let you know that my copy of Movies in 15 Minutes arrived yesterday. I started reading it on the train this morning--and laughed all the way to work (where, of course, the laughing stopped because it's, y'know, work). You, like, rock and stuff, Cleo!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Aww, yay! I've gotten to that point where all I see when I flip through the book are things I wish I could change, so it's good to hear that.

[adoresixtyfour.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. Whenever I look back at any of my work--whether it's an essay on my site or a poem I wrote 20 years ago--I want to change something, even if it's just a single word in a paragraph or a line break or a bit of punctuation. That way leads to madness, though--or, at the very least, loss of sleep and/or hair. Besides, MI15M brings the funny. For serious. And these days, I'll take all the funny I can get, yo.

[artemis-archer.livejournal.com]

I still need to see Casino Royale!

And apparently LOST is going to be bumped back an hour (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=17838) when it returns in February.