Neon Angel

I can’t believe I missed posting about this earlier! Chalk it up to a very hectic life and my still trying to get my land legs in my new job, which I hate but you web development doesn’t pay the bills when you suck at it, lol.

As everyone already knows (but I just have to gush over) President Obama produced his long form birth certificate. The next day he gave a hilarious, albeit mean spirited, roast of Donald Trump and a few other choice idiots at the White House Correspondence Dinner and to top it all off? The United States has finally done away with Osama Bin Laden – or so we’re told, but I’m inclined to believe that you’d need to be a whole other kind of stupid to fake something like this when about to run for re-election.

No matter how it all came about, I have to say that it’s some serious bad-assery on Obama‘s part. Still, the Birther’s rage on. I wonder if they just need a hug or something? Or a nap?

At any rate, hopefully that dies and is done with. Of course, as soon as this happened my mom (a psycho conservative) started referring to Obama as “My President”, so that’s just weird. If you’re going to be stupid, at least stand up for your dumb ass convictions.

Now onto this Bin Laden thing. The speech about that was intense, though a bit long winded. We gathered around the White House livestream like people used to huddle around their radio and listen to the latest news from Washington. We knew for almost an hour beforehand that what the President would announce was most likely the death of Osama Bin Laden, but we listened anyway and it was actually fairly inspiring. Of course we’re in no way safe, but at least we’ve got something to show for this stupid war – not sure if it offsets the cost, though. In money or lives. Also seems a bit convenient for it to happen at the beginning of Obama‘s bid for re-election, doesn’t it? All of this to happen at once?

Convenient or not, still very cool. Bush can suck it, Palin can suck it, Beck can suck it, Trump can suck a couple more. Congratulations Mr. President on your Best Week Ever!

Originally published at Neon Angel. Please leave any comments there.

I just had a fun time over at at Big Hollywood, which I was referred to during a chat with a friend of mine in Oregon. It seems that Atlas Shrugged is being adapted for the big screen, and the best part? Conservatives are rallying around it like it’s Passion of the Christ II.

Now, I have no issues with them adapting it for film. In fact, I think it’s a good idea since it seems like most of the people who use Rand’s concepts as armor haven’t even read the book and it may be easier in an age of rapid-fire information to take it in visually like that.

I actually don’t like the book, or a lot of Rand’s work. What I didn’t realize is that being outspoken in some places is a capital offense. In their defense, what I said was snotty (albeit, not aimed at anyone) – I basically said I thought Rand was an idiot (though I should have clarified, I actually meant delusional and egotistical), that Atlas Shrugged isn’t about what people think it is in my opinion, and that people who don’t get it are making odd, weird statements about it and applying it where it doesn’t belong and it flat out makes America look stupid.

See? Snotty, lol. Since I was being a smart ass (which I’m used to being), I thought I’d get a couple of just as snotty comebacks and maybe come out of it either a little wiser or with a new perspective. If those things cost a million bucks? Would’ve gladly paid it, because what I got was ridiculous.

In one post alone? 3 or so different people went off on me. Because I didn’t agree with them, and dared say so, I was a Troll. I was ignorant, angry and came there looking for a fight. Well, it’s too bad I didn’t because that’s what I got.

The first person to respond to me was fairly civil (we exchanged a few blows, but it seems like we were both confused as to what the other one was saying) – we parted on decent terms. The other two were a nightmare and a treasure. The treasure was a troll himself disguised as a regular, trying his damndest to make me angry but it just came out kind of sad. The other one was purposely (it seems) misinterpreting what I was saying to try to make it sound like I was presenting a different argument. The whole thing was more or less frustrating.

Well I surfed around to the other posts and made a comment, a disagreeing comment but I tried to be nice about it – chopped my head off. So I went to another one, this time a post about the Muslim Brotherhood and asked NICELY what it was, because working with Conservatives I’d heard about it before but I didn’t really know what it was.

It all seems to come down to, “If you don’t agree with me, either I’ll force you to or you’ll just disappear.”

One commentor actually mentioned, on a post I was smart enough not to get too involved with, that all Muslims should be kicked out of America because it just ‘safer that way’. Um. Who, exactly, is safer that way? Then we remove the Chinese because of fair trade issues, so no more Chinese people in America. Then we remove the Mexicans, all of them, even the legal ones or the four or fifth generation ones because of those who are illegal.

Then we remove anyone else who’s brown or yellow because, well, why not? Then it’s time for anyone who’s not Christian to go. Then it’s time for the Christians to duke it out amongst themselves to figure out who’s REALLY Christian and who has to leave. Once that’s narrowed down, then it’s men vs. women – if you open that can of worms, which usually begins with hate? It’s very hard to close it. I can see where you’re coming from but kicking an entire religion or people out of our country strips us of all of our freedom bragging rights. We should probably rip The New Colossus off of Lady Liberty, because it no longer applies.

Do unto others applies here, think whatever you want in your head but when you speak? Do so with respect, do so with compassion. Don’t go onto a hostile public forum and blame an entire people for the stupid actions of a few or we’ll have to be able to do that with everyone. I know I’m guilty of thinking, and sometimes saying things like that but I haven’t dedicated an entire website to it.

Nice does NOT work. Three or four people in a row jumped on me, called me names, right off the bat – for asking a question! Nicely! Why, exactly, do I bother trying with these people? Why bother having a place to debate if no one’s allowed to have a different opinion than you? Giving people a chance bites.

Originally published at Neon Angel. Please leave any comments there.

Last night Yvonne and I went to the Rigney to see the latest Harry Potter film, Deathly Hallows Part One. I can’t say enough about it, it’s my favorite of the Harry Potter films so far and if this one doesn’t at least get an Oscar nod then the awards are all rigged.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has, by far, the loneliest feel to it. It’s broad and expansive, and if J.K.R. isn’t trying to put a mirror up to society then she’s getting extremely lucky. I’ve heard a lot of schlock about it being too long, or being boring and that’s just not the case. HP7 is easily the best of the films, and I’m glad now that I put off reading the 7th Harry Potter book until I’d seen the Deathly Hallows (still have to wait for part 2 before I can read – might make me crazy).

Dan Radcliff, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint all put in their best performances in this film, and you’d think by now they’d have stopped trying, wouldn’t you? The rest of the cast is amazing, the only time I was bored during the entire film was during the preview for Red Riding Hood (which looks like a bowl full of dog doo, to me).

HP7 is scary, moodly, thoughtful, touching and exciting.
Rating:

Originally published at Neon Angel. Please leave any comments there.

Not a ton of pics but one of our lonely but adorable ‘kitty in a boot’ Will-o-the-wisp. It was extremely festive today weather wise, we had a good time – hope everyone else had a safe and fun holiday!

Originally published at Neon Angel. Please leave any comments there.

I can’t even tell you how much I adore the It Gets Better Project campaign on Youtube, I think it’s one of the greatest effing things I’ve ever heard of, and if you haven’t heard of it get ready, because I’m about to blab your ear off.

The background for the IGBP is a sad one. A young kid, only fifteen years old, named Billy Lucas was the subject of intense and horrific bullying and harassment by his classmates with a homophobic small town mentality. They called him gay, fag, you name it, and repeatedly told him to kill himself. Which he did, by hanging himself in his grandmother’s barn. He was found by his mother.

When IGBP founder Dan Savage (author of the Savage Love column, which you need to read if you get a chance – I hope he’s going to John Stewart‘s Rally to Restore Sanity) heard this, he was deeply upset. He wished that he had been given the chance to speak with Billy for a few moments to let him know that this phase of torment does end, and life can be great – in other words, he wanted to let him know that it gets better. The problem is that homophobes in the school system and PTA would never allow something like that – to have a happy, well adjusted but openly gay man talk to kids about their lifestyle doesn’t sit well with them, and they’d likely not let the children take any advice even if it were able to be given.

But after all of this happened, instead of doing what many do and sitting on his thumbs Dan took matters into his own hands. He made a PSA wherein he explains to anyone who needs to listen that he’s living proof that it does get better. Only a few short months later and the movement is huge, over 100,000 public supporters including the likes of President Obama (video below) and a footlight parade of celebrities, as well as regular Joe’s making their own videos to try and reach out to not only LGBT but also to anyone who’s suffered from such awful bullying that they felt they couldn’t go on.

I can’t tell you how much I support this project, so much so that I’m considering making my own video and I’ve already taken the IGBP Pledge to continue to speak up against intolerance wherever I find it – I hope you do the same! Below are Dan Savage and his adorable guy Terry, and President Obama. If you can, please do make your own video or share your stories – or better yet, contribute to the cause. Dan, you’re my hero!

Originally published at Neon Angel. Please leave any comments there.