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Thursday 28 April 2011

News of the Sick Sad World

Haven't done this for a while. Random browsing of some news sites, followed by the devouring and spitting back up of said news to dissect it. This may have been spurred on by my 3am news feed session this morning when I couldn't sleep. I finally got to some article about how swearing apparently helps you more than softie words (oh, gosh darnit) when in times of need. Then my phone magically leapt to the floor from my outstretched hand and while sleep claimed me, my phone claimed all of its battery as compensation. Whoopsies. Anyway, here we go.

From the Herald Sun: Baby Bonus Blues

An independant MP wages war on the baby bonus after Anglican churches do the same.

"It concerns me that some people who aren't really in a position financially or in maturity see the bonus as a short-term gain but in reality it's a lifetime responsibility that requires much more," Mr Windsor said in a statement.

I don't have children meself, but I do think he's got a point about that. We're already taxing our natural resources and hey, money doesn't grow on trees either. Plenty of families I know of just keep popping out babies when they honestly can't afford the ones they already have. There are concerns about women using a loophole regarding stillborns VS aborted children to claim the bonus as well. I agree with the sympathetic baby bonus for parents that have suffered a stillborn birth, but if people are abusing a loophole when they get rid of the child the money is intended for and still get it - that's sick.


From Brisbane Times.com.au : Ute Man Forsaken For Beer

In which a Victorian man visiting NSW died after he fell from the back of a ute and hit his head. The people in the ute stopped - to pick up some beer that had also taken a tumble, doing nothing for the man.

All I can say is... really? That right there is what's wrong with society. Kind of reminds me of that story a few years back when some idiot strapped the beer into the car and left the kid hanging loose. I don't understand how you could just drive off! I'm guessing they were quite drunk but even so, that's no excuse.


These next two are kinda similar. It's a topic close to my heart.
Firstly, from the Daily Telegraph: School Recognises Porn Link
then from the Courier Mail: Rapist Is Evil

So in the first story, a new school program identifies the problem of porn culture. Boys especially are targeted through games, movies, television, music and the internet. The big issue is that it's so easy to access these things, but much harder to reach out and send the message that 'no, this isn't right.' Case in point, the news article tells a tale about a Yr 9 girl who had two boys lift up her skirt and reach down her shirt. In class. Those boys got detention, something they might also get for not doing the homework. Things only changed when the girl's father demanded action, resulting in suspension and an apology.
Reckon the boys understand what they did wrong? Probably not.

Which leads into the next story. Man rapes his young neighbour. Man gets 3 year jail sentence, suspended after 12 months. This is for, you know, rape and a bit of extortion on the side.

Judge Dorney, in sentencing the man, said the sexual assaults involved "some rough handling", but no "serious violence".

I know, right? I hate it when people confuse rape with something important. This man had been lusting after this girl. They were friends. He abused that trust, and abused her, but because he didn't break any bones, give her a black eye, send her to the hospital... it's nothing serious. Really. This will affect this girl for the rest of her life but he's skipping out, dodging the slap on the wrist on the way out. We need better laws than this. We need to show criminals that they are wrong and they will pay, but so far all I'm seeing is that violent crimes and assaults don't seem to attract much in the way of years behind bars.. however, rob a bank or deal drugs and you're up law enforcement river with a stolen paddle.

This has to change before we end up like these American stories of not-rape and victims are actually only accusers (via RH Reality Check)

Finally, on the lighter side - From ABC : Chasers Chase Comedy

First of all, good on the ABC for sticking up for themselves. Secondly, boo! I like the Chasers! Okay, fair enough, the royal family doesn't want people making fun of the wedding, that's understandable. I wouldn't like it, I would feel very vulnerable in my puffy dress, unable to run or kick people in the nuts. I would like Kate and Wills to have a nice wedding. I would prefer them to do it in private so I wouldn't have to hear about it every five minutes. They are in the public domain of course, so it's kind of unavoidable but jeez.

Restrictions on the use of royal wedding footage mean it may be used for news or documentary programs but not comedic or satirical programs.

This is where it gets messy. Where do you draw the line? Can you show royal wedding footage on the news, but not if the reporter is going to make a generic wedding joke? I mean, the Chasers do get headlines, and things they do can get blown out of proportion but I don't think that some commentary they do on the wedding is going to be any worse than the fashion commentary about it by some women's magazine.
It's a very Australian thing to do, poking fun at things, seeing the bright side. I used to grate at hearing 'toffee nosed Londoners' etc, but now I wonder if it could be true.
I suppose you wouldn't find much funny if you had toffee stuck up your nose, either.

Thursday 21 April 2011

THE GOSH-DARNED LIVE SHOW

Yes, the Batman Live Arena Show!
Holy crap I want to go. Apparently they hope to make Australia part of their 3-5 year plan, but I guess it depends on how well the show is received in London and surrounds.

I found out too late about it and I kinda do need to save money, so that sucks. There's so many things I'd love to do in England, after all I was born there but I haven't been back since...
Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for all the opportunities this country has offered me, but I'd like to see my original home. I want to visit my mum's relatives, put flowers on resting spots, check out the wax museum and historical spots.. I just want to get out there and do it.

Although the time frame here is a little bit off and I can't rearrange my schedule around a live action comic book show. (moan....)

So I've been keeping up with the news on Twitter, Facebook and their actual website. It all looks fantastic! I did hear that it was mostly about Robin (huh, which one? lol) and that was also a factor in my choice not to go straight away. I mean, Harley wasn't even around for that back story, how much of a part will she have on stage?

The costumes look very Jim Lee/Hush Batman, and they translate well into real life. Although for some reason.. Harley Quinn is the only one not in her original outfit. She's wearing some sort of.. super diamondey red and purple tutu number. Then instead of liliropes she has....... um, Heidi-pigtails. Well, that's different. I mean, it's kinda cute but it's just like... why is her outfit the only one that's insanely different?

Surely it can't be a legal thing. I did notice the drawing on the website was more purple than red - oh no, thank YOU Arkham Asylum the Video Game - but she was wearing her usual costume. She's the only one that really HAS a steady costume. Everyone else keeps changing over the decades. Harley is too young for that but it appears she's making up for it in a very short space of time.

I don't mind her new video game outfits.. although the emo-nurse skank bit was obviously thrown in there for the fan boys only. I haven't played the game but I have watched it being played and I have to say, I really hate all the super skanky one mold fits all female game character business.

Example: Harley struts along a hallway, Poison Ivy pleads for freedom from her cell. Harley hesitates because Pammy isn't on the 'guest list' but Poison Ivy makes an impassioned cry for help because her plants are in trouble, they need her! Harley relents and what happens next? Poison Ivy stripper-struts her way slowly down the hall. Hold up. Her babies are in danger and she has to urgently rescue them, and she does so by catwalk modelling her prison standard tighty reddies down the runway? What? Does no one else see anything wrong and out of character with that?

Arkham City looks a bit more promising. They've gone back to the red and black colouring and it does look like something she would wear - a bit like her hench girl gear in the one shot Joker novel. I mean, seriously, who the hell suggested Harley should wear red and PURPLE?? Let's dramatically change her costume, and then switch the colours that would otherwise be a dead giveaway. Riiiiiiight. Probably wanted her to match the Joker, or something stupid like that.

So I have no idea what's going on with this stage Harley. Although I suspect it could be a throw back to that hideous original sketch design. Must admit, I am liking the giant mallet.
If you'd like to watch what I just saw, here's the link.

SFX YouTube - Batman Live Press Clip

Wednesday 20 April 2011

COS-PLAY-PLAY

I like to dress up. Not talking up to the nines, although that's fun too. I mean cosplay, animal ears, crazy socks. One of the best compliments I've ever had was from a friend of mine who told me she wished she could dress like me. This was amusing because at the time I wasn't even wearing anything spectacular, and this friend's an actor and dresses crazy all the time on stage. Not to mention I can be a mass of nerves and paranoia. Although I'm getting much better at ignoring all that. Think and act confident, then you will be.

Over the last two years I've been a 1920's flapper, a pirate, Maleficient, the Cheshire cat and Harley Quinn. Later this year I intend to dress up as Roman Dirge's Lenore and Suckerpunch's Babydoll. Non character wise I'm going to be a pirate, an evil pixie, a devil and hopefully a tiger.

It's just fun. There's nothing like indulging your childhood dreams of escaping and being something, someone else, if only for a little bit. Not that I don't enjoy being myself, far from it. Being me is fantastic! If only everyone could try it! Haha. Hmm, in a way I guess cosplaying every now and then is saving the general populace from over-exposure to the awesome I am on a daily basis.

Well, a girl can have her theories. :-P

Was a bit disappointed by my friends this year, chickening out because they didn't want to wear their facepaint on the train ride. The beautiful thing about that is that everyone at the convention doesn't bat an eyelid. Unless you're something awesome, like Daft Punk.

Everyone should get out more and have fun with it. My workplace had a masquerade ball last year and so many people just didn't bother. I want to throw a Halloween party this year, and something tells me I'll have more success if it's held at a house when people can drink. That's pretty sad. If anyone turns up in a half ass costume or as their usual self, I am going to lay the smack down... uh, down. Yeah.

Sing Along Stupidity

Alright, so lyric writing is a tough business. Maybe not in today's world of samples, autotune, chipmunk syndrome, the way rappers seem to think that they can sing, or rap, or write, or spell.... or... do anything well..

Moving on. Some lyrics don't have to make sense and the song can still be awesome. Others, you listen to and it ruins the whole thing because you're sitting there with your head to the side going.. what the heck? Then some you listen to and just get angry....


GWEN STEFANI - 'HARAJUKU GIRLS'

Avoiding the more obvious 'Hollaback Girl' scene is a song that I kinda like, but kinda don't. I love Japan and it's culture, this is just a cute song about it all with some irritating flaws. It's a little sickening to have a giddy Japanese girl you paid to be in your entourage squeal 'Gwen Stefani, you like ME?' (grovel, grovel)
She then goes on about how she hasn't seen anything like it in America, further on she asks if they saw their inspiration in her latest American shameless plug (I mean, clothing line) but then she sorta says that they'll love to get their hands on it. So.. what? They HAVEN'T seen it then? Don't you time travel with me, missy! The pseudo-Japanese accent is one thing BUT the most irritating part?

'Super lovers, tell me where you got yours
(at the super lovers store)
'

No Way! That's the last place I would go for a Super Lover's shirt. Amiright?

 
AFROJACK FEAT EVA SIMONS - 'TAKE OVER CONTROL'

This song is awesome and it's getting constant airplay. Such a shame it opens with this line.

'Let's go take a ride in your car
I will take the passenger seat'


It just bugs me.  She loves the way he takes over her, while she's taking over the car. It's alright, honey! Let's go take a ride in your car... I will let you waste all your petrol...because I forced you to take me on a drive to nowhere.. unless you feel pressured to take me somewhere epic.. Ugh.
Maybe it's just the way she spells it out.. It's your car, so I'll sit here, on the passenger side so no listeners get any funny ideas about who gets forced to drive. 

LADY GAGA - 'BAD ROMANCE'


'I want your leather studded kiss in the sand'
I just don't get that bit. 

KATY PERRY - (ANYTHING SHE CHURNS OUT)

Katy Perry is a stupid invention. She busts out on the scene with her fake-lesbian I just broke out of a religious household bad girl 'hit', and just didn't go away. She sued someone for having a clothes label with her name... only, it's the designers REAL name and Katy is just a stage name for our little whinger. I just can't stand her. Always around with her 50's pin up crap and coloured wigs and making headline for no apparent reason. Also, she can't sing. At all. In 'I kissed a girl' her voice is so strong and confident.. and then in songs like 'E.T', 'Hot n Cold' and 'Teenage Dream' she does this weird falsetto sort of whisper thing like she knows she's trying to sing beyond her own pitch/skill level. It's just like when you hear someone singing to Mariah Carey. They, and everyone else in the world -  will never reach the sounds of her vocal freakiness, but God help them they are going to try. 

So basically all of her songs annoy me but here are the main rage inducing lines I've found. 

HOT N COLD

'You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes'

Hey Wonder-tart, don't lump us all together in the one stereotype or anything. Not all of us have a wardrobe crew. 


E.T


'Take me, t-t-take me
Wanna be a victim
Ready for abduction'

There is nothing creepier than hearing your fan base of tweenage girls sing this. NOTHING. It gives SATAN the heebie jeebies!! Also, where did that stutter come from?

I KISSED A GIRL


'It's not what good girls do, not how they should behave.'

Fascinating the way I think she means 'good girls don't cheat on their boyfriends for no reason with a girl they don't know' but it comes out like 'good girls don't kiss other girls, i'm so naughty!'
All lesbians are now in Miss Manner's firing line. 

WAKING UP IN VEGAS

'We need a taxi 'cause you're hung-over and I'm broke
I lost my fake ID but you lost the motel key'

Alright. One bad example of English, and one bad example to young fans. 'Nuff said. 

CALIFORNIA GURLS

'Katy my lady (yeah)
Lookie here baby (uh huh)
I'm all up on ya
Cuz you're representin' California (ohhh yeahh)'

This makes the list even though it's Snoop singing it. C'mon Snoop, that rap was the most painful thing I've sat through and I've had all of my wisdom teeth extracted! You can't even call it a rap because it's more of a wrap - up of what Katy's already 'sung'. She drives a jeep. She's in California. Great. Um, why are you in the song again? A fine thing, using Katy Perry to 'represent' all of California. She doesn't look like the girls she's describing, and telling us that Califon-i-ay is the best place in the world, boys are perverts and everyone there likes to have sex on the beach is just more stereotyping. 
Sex on the beach is nasty... basic health guys.. and the Beach Boys reference? Pathetic. You, my dear, have overdosed on your own boobie-cupcakes. 

KE$HA - 'BLOW'

'Go insane, go insane
Throw some glitter, make it rain on 'em'

You're right, it does blow. Ke$ha doesn't exactly make for wonderful songs. I chose this lyric because I know I would go insane if someone 'rained' glitter on me. Glitter sucks, it gets everywhere, then comes back in the morning in places you didn't even get any glitter near. Curse you, unreasonable glitter!! I just don't get Ke$ha, or her obsession with glitter and ugly guys like Mick Jagger. I can only listen to 'Tik Tok' in the form of 'Boink Bonk'. I suggest you try it. 


DESTINY'S CHILD - 'NASTY GIRL'


'Nasty put some clothes on, I told ya
Don't walk out your house without no clothes on, I told ya'


I can only vaguely remember what this song sounds like but I'll always remember it because it was big when I was in highschool and still watched RAGE every now and then, and I happened to see the film clip. The best bit about the Mean Girls film was when they said something like  'don't bring other girls down, it just gives the boys an excuse to do it too.' So, here we have three girls ganging up on one girl and calling her a skank, whore, nasty, AIDS ridden louse. Then they show everyone else in the street laughing at her. Which riles me because they're all 'Independant Women/Pround of Jelly/Girl Power Whoo' and then they have this pop anthem which doesn't even try to get into why this girl acts so 'nasty'. Maybe she was abused as a kid, maybe she wants affection but goes about it the wrong way, maybe all the other girls are just freakin' bitches so she prefers the company of men! Sounds likely. It just bothers me that all the things she's done that are so bad.. Destiny's Child does too. Only, they're famous, so it must be okay. BARF.
All those derogatory body shots of the whore while the trio only have glamourous headshots, then they transform those nasty skanks into normal people just like them, and everyone heads over to the LAMEST. DISCO. I HAVE EVER SEEN. I mean, really.. that is some... pathetic... whatever that is. Especially the one hopping around in a circle like a stupid rave bunny. 


THE BLACK EYED PEAS - 'I GOTTA FEELING'


'I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good, good night'

Aaaaaan that's about it... I gotta feeling you just ruined MY potentially good night because I just realised that you keep making money of being repetitive and drunk, BEP! Your songs don't even have lyrics anymore, they just repeat themselves until your ears bleed and you can't hear them anymore. (But you know they're there, waiting, and repeating..) What happened, guys?  


ENRIGUE - 'I LIKE IT'


Oh, a catchy new party track. Great, what does he like?


'My girlfriend is out of town
And I'm all alone
Your boyfriend is on vacation
And he doesn't have to know'

....oh. He likes being a cheating douchebag. Aww, you're all alone, poor diddums. I guess the obvious answer would be to go out of town with the girlfriend next time, wait for her to get back, or dump her and be with the other cheating douchebag you seem to prefer. Thanks for spreading all the STD's around, that's reeeeaaal likeable that is. 

Well, that should probably do it for now, I'm all worked up and it's ten to one. Stuff goes pretty fast when you hate on it. Except work and study. It just makes things worse..

Monday 18 April 2011

TRU....LY BLOOD.....Y AWFUL.

Okay, review time. I like to read. I will re-read the TV Week seven days straight if I forget to bring a book to breakfast. Or even if I don't. I really, really like to read. I thirst for it... like a vampire.
Sooooo I got conned into reading someone's Sookie Stackhouses... and I just have to say.. Sookie? Really? Some heartless bastard named their kid after Sookie La La? Is that even legal??

Alright, they weren't bad, but they were pretty repetitive. If you've just read seven of these books, you don't need to told all about seven in number eight. If you do, maybe you should actually go and re-read the previous books. What I did like about these books is that Sookie is a waitress. She has to ask for time off to do vampire antics! Working long hours for butt all pay! Being looked down on! She's just like us!

That bit is good. She's a good old fashioned gal. I just wish she wouldn't keep referring to her word a day calendar and then using that word all the time and telling us where she got it from. I also liked the Tru Blood idea, bottled nutritional blood substitute, and the whole 'coming out of the closet.... where I keep my coffin' business. Most other vampire books stick to the underground society thing, so I found it refreshing. A good vampire series will actually show traditional vampire weaknesses too. The worst thing about Twilight... uh... ONE of the worst things about Twilight was that Smeyer loved her little sparkle vamps too much that she made them unkillable. Faster, stronger, shinier, mind reading, emotion calming, premonitioney mutants that don't sleep. Of course, they could destroy the 'evil' vampires. (READ: 'evil' = 'ones I was rooting for')

Sookie has no intention of becoming one of these desirable vamps - she's got standards, damnit! Of course, she does get into a surprising amount of inter-furry sex situations.. but she won't suck blood. ...Mostly. Now, the TV show... all I've ever heard of it is how sex-ay it all is, how hawt the main guy is yadda yadda yadda. So I watched the first three episodes.. and that's enough for me. It wasn't sexy at all! The into tried to be Dexter... and failed. All these weird non-book things happened. The sex was all boring, the main guy.. well, he smouldered, if smouldering means not looking happy about anything. Then the vampires turn up... and I stared in horror. Really? Hissing and fang showing like you're in a bad 80's gore flick?

Tara... or how it's pronounced 'Terror' - really is. It's like they bottled the essense of every sassy, wise crackin' tell it like it is black woman and threw it on the screen. Which... okay, sounds bad. Like racism bad. Although that's fine, who doesn't need a sassy person? Except, she really upstages the main character. Having her around, especially in the bar scenes.. makes everyone else's acting look worse than it is. She really gets into her character, and no one else makes the same effort.

My first foray into the world of Tru Blood was when I purchased some comic issues for this fan. Then I read the books and the TV show followed. So I was like.. wait... LaFayette died?! But... but he's in the comic.... an the TV show... what?
In another creepy Twilight twist.. it kinda does seem like Sookie, like Edward.. is mostly attracted to the mystery of Bill/Eric/Mary Su- I mean, Bella because of the peace and quiet one gets when one cannot telepathise one's loved one's brain thoughts.

Oh, I dunno.. I guess I mostly enjoyed them. I liked all the murder, plots and investigations. I just wish that someone would have given me a heads up about the urge to speak awwl luhk ah southernehr. Gawsh.

I AM LUCKY, READ ME ROAR!!

You know, guys, I had the craziest year. Well, I think I did. Maybe I imagined it. But the important thing is that I am much more myself now, and by that I mean that I'm still a tad insane, but at least I can maintain appearances in public without getting locked away. I HATE when that happens. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that... I'm back. I'm not scared anymore, I am back in my own skin and boy have I missed blogging.

The weiiiirrrrd thing is that I blog in my head. All the time. Really. They are the best blogs you have ever.. EVER read in your life. Then... well, I guess I come on here, don't remember the greatest blog in the world, and make a kind of tribute. Ha ha... see what I did there? (insert crickets here..)

So here's a warm up blog, I guess. This year I am going to live more. I am going to treasure my beloved Panda more, my job will be better, my figure will be awesome, I'm going to go on holidays, and work on my comics and my life will get back to being awesome!!

Fair enough, you're all like.. um, so what? Where's the latest on Justin Beiber?? Yet I care not. This is, after all my blog. Although *my* latest news on Justin Beiber is that great, good for him, he's a franchise worth billions. Everyone that bags him is probably forgetting how mad they were about their pop idol when they were tweens. Sure, I don't like his music much but I think I'm above beating up on a kid. I think the problem is with today's social media being what it is, it's all so up in your face 24/7.

I remember the days of Hanson (nooo, I wasn't a fan, although I did think Taylor was cute and one or two of their songs weren't all bad) I was hearing about them a lot but it wasn't as bad as this. It's probably twitter's fault. Who let all these tweens have tweets?! Seriously. Isn't there an age restriction of like, thirteen?

Getting off track here... have to work on that. So basically... yeah. This is gonna be my year. I will make it so. It probably won't be newsworthy (Yeah, you breathe that sigh of relief, Beiber) but it matters to me.