#and i quoted prostituting myself for justice

[scenequeensgstringfloss]

I just realized my dad was a nudist in the hopes of grooming a prostitute. He likely paid my sexual assaultist to do that to me because he realized how repulsed my older sisters were by his junk and not attracted to him. I get the feeling he tried to coerce his older daughters to ultimately have sex with them, but he abandoned ship before they would catch on because they weren't even sorta into it. He knew I was shy of him cuz his vibes were putrid and I immediately knew I wanted nothing to do with him. He scared the living shit out of me. I was afraid of Ron too, and I hated that he was right about that. So I was taught how to hate instead. And a few years after that, I learned to fear that wrath, how to stop it. and then not that long ago, I learned how to use it for justice. I want to be a warrior like Captain America. I want to be a mother like Mary Poppins. I want to be a friend like Auntie Mame. To be a force for positive change like Mrs. Harris. To be as comforting as Mr. Rogers. To be as soothing and gentle as Bob Ross. To have the curious zeal of Steve Irwin. To have the childhood wisdom of Sesame Street and Arthur. To have a critical thinking mind like Cyberspace. To have the group problem solving skills from Dragon Tales. To have an appetite for reading from Reading Rainbow. An appetite to learn about science from Bill Nye and the Magic School Bus. To be a benevolent manipulator like Professor Harold Hill and Burt from Mary Poppins. I want to live with my heart wide open for everything, including the things that are going to kill me. I will not wait for the dying of the light, I'll stomp it out myself and go down swinging, with my boots on. I can live on movie quotes alone now.

[faireladypenumbra]

A Life Thoroughly Lived: Review of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (Spoilers Ahead)

(Cover, Titan Books UK). I have this distinct memory from when I was twelve: sitting in a McDonald’s after a morning in my homeschool e-learning program, eating french fries and reading the school’s library copy of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart. This book was groundbreaking for me for a multitude of reasons, but one of its quotes became firmly stuck in my mind. Meggie’s father and secondary protagonist, Mo, reflects on books through this line: “Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” This line becomes entangled with my 12-year-old psyche, and I never quite let it go. The idea fascinated me: not only the novel idea of comparing books to nourishment, but the point that some books are not made to be read quickly and once. Some books are chewed and digested thoroughly.

I read that quote in 2005, and even then, at the cusp of the digital tipping point and prior to the smartphone, you could feel the inglorious pressure to consume anything you read if you read for pleasure at all. Conversations with my peers about books were rare, and what bonds I did have about creative writing were made over the internet via fanfiction.net: that wouldn’t change again until Twilight hit it big a few years later. To enjoy a book was to binge it and consume its content only, and so this quote wasn’t entirely understandable until I entered college- and became a writer myself, when I discovered the merit of craft.

This feels like a long way of saying I enjoyed one book, but I cannot stress the rarity of true craft in fantasy fiction. Genre fiction in general has a history of shaving off literary merit and form in favor of YA-style writing and clipped, action-oriented narration. It is what’s popular and there’s nothing wrong with this style of writing, but it is a style of writing made to be devoured. I often hoped to encounter that one modern fantasy novel, made to by chewed and digested slowly.

This brings me to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

If you exist on the internet’s writing/reading spaces, you probably know V.E. Schwab, whose prolific career now spans a decade. Her most popular works, including her Villains and Shades of Magic series, tower over the 2010s as important entries to the SFF world, alongside a young generation of female authors— Naomi Novik, Leigh Bardugo, Seanan McGuire, N.K Jemisen, to name a few, who have helped change the definitions of SFF and what it means for women to participate in male-dominated writing spaces.

This is perhaps what makes Addie LaRue so visibly important, because its role as a serious, literary work as well as a groundbreaking fantasy novel, fully cements Schwab’s role as an important author of the 2010s.

The story of Addie LaRue is simple enough: in a small French village in 1714, Adaline LaRue finds herself at odds with her world: her desire to travel, her attraction to the old gods, and her want to experience life are combated by a world that expects her to marry and have children, living and dying in the same plot of land. With an arranged marriage at her heels, Adaline only desires freedom, adventure, and more time in a dwindling, small life. Against the advice of her village’s wise woman, Estele, Adaline prays to any god that will offer her a means of escaping this cruel fate.

Her desperation attracts the wrong god, who agrees to take her soul in exchange for a life without limits. This grants Adaline immortality, neither aging nor dying. But at the cost of her presence: anyone who encounters Adaline LaRue forgets her, the moment she is out of view. Any mark that Adaline leaves is erased, any suggestion of her past life is smeared from existence. The god— or Devil, erases her being in hopes of making her give up her soul. Adaline spends the next 300 years in limbo, forgotten and invisible to the world, until a New York bookseller catches her stealing from his shop and remembers her face.

The story itself oscillates being Addie’s present: New York in 2014, and her past, reaching back to pertinent flashbacks about her life in rural France, out onto the wider world over 300 years of life. Rather than clashing, these two timelines compliment each other, allowing Addie’s past to compliment the unending road that is Addie’s future. And unlike some immortal characters, the weight of the 300 years can be felt in Addie’s character while she wanders the labyrinth of a modern New York.

While heavily populated with 300 years-worth of characters, the novel uses most of its time on Addie, her infernal deal broker, a supernatural being she calls Luc, and Henry Strauss, a bookseller in New York with his own set of secrets and heartbreak. One might argue that the relationships between Henry, Luc, and Addie constitute a love triangle label, but their dynamics are far more complicated given the “magic” and sexual identities involved.

One refreshing element about Addie LaRue is that both main characters, Addie and Henry, are explicitly bisexual in a way that feels humanistic and real. Addie’s view on relationships is complex, simply because she cannot maintain a relationship beyond first encounters. Her liaisons, modern and historical, become a conversation with her personal relationship with eternity. Her relationship with Luc is also complicated, evolving from lustful daydream about the “perfect stranger,” to willful tormenter across her deathless existence, and finally, a troubled companion in a lifetime where only Luc understands Addie’s painful existence.

Henry Strauss comes to Addie’s life as the first human to remember her in over 300 years: their romance is sweet, passionate, but forever marred by the fact that both parties are somehow cursed. Their existence together is fragile, and as presented by the novel, a tenuous moment in a long life. Henry changes Addie’s trajectory, simply because his existence feels so short in the scope of her eternity.

With all that said, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueisn’t so much a love story about Henry Strauss or Luc, as it is about Addie LaRue understanding herself. It is a love letter to a young woman, forever trapped in her early 20s by a single, impulsive choice. 500 pages (at least, on my edition) and most of book is spent on Addie’s life: the evolution of her moral justifications for theft, prostitution, and overall survival. Her strained views on humanity as her lovers and acquaintances age and die around her.

A particularly interesting, recurring flashback is Addie’s annual trip to her childhood home, Villon-Sur-Sarthe, in which she returns to witness the passage of time in the village. Like Dorian Gray and his portrait, Addie’s home withers and folds into the extended woods before it is bulldozed into modern land, all while she remains the same. Her family is buried, her friends are gone. Addie attempts to leave signs of her ghostly existence in the village by planting a tree, only to discover it struck down in a storm during her final visit. When she blames Luc for the destruction, yet again, her reminds her: “I know I can be cruel, but nature can be crueler.”

Unlike Dorian Gray, this is no polite justice to strike down Addie LaRue, which complicates the morals of the novel. Addie LaRue’s narrator is not interested in moral judgements or rounded poeticism as we observe the long life of this immortal woman, instead exploring Addie’s personal, sexual, and internal changes as a matter of an existence beyond the shackles of normal humanity. The narrative choice of third person, present tense lends itself considerably to this fact, allowing the reader to experience Addie’s life in real time and alongside her present and past selves. One very interesting narrative choice, during flashbacks, is the occasional intrusion of the narrator by way of the word “will.” Moments of tragedy and difficulty will flash through past-Addie’s life, only for the narrator to gesture elsewhere and let us know what impact this choice “will” have on Addie’s life later.

It is a very clever slight of hand, since it keeps the audience moving between past and present without distracting away from the story overall. Rather than tipping its hand too heavily, the narrator offers breadcrumbs to the audience in an overfolding adventure, encouraging us to follow Addie from rural France, out to Paris, Venice, Berlin, over into the Americas, from Chicago to New Orleans. These locations and details would feel massive and glossed over, if not for the narrator’s active participation as a storyteller.

This narration also helps the reader comprehend the scope of Addie’s growth, offering a more mythical perspective on a woman who is human— but not quite. Addie is cursed, yes, but finds strength and power in weaponizing the curse against Luc. She plants herself in the minds of artists, musicians, and writers who find ways to pepper her presence along history, as delicate as the seven freckles that constantly appear in her portrayals. Addie LaRue is forgotten but reaches across history in a deep desire to be remembered and ageless.

The novel’s end, without spoilers, arguably accomplishes this goal. I’m not sure yet if the ending is supposed to be happy or not, which is perhaps why I enjoyed it so much. The book required more thought than the average fantasy piece: it was written with the idea that it should be read slowly and digested thoroughly. Every word, detail, and choice are made with reason, like a cog that helps move a clock’s gears. Nothing is wasted in this novel, both craftsmanship and good storytelling coming together for a truly enrapturing experience. I will try to revisit The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in the near future, to draw more magic from its well. I hope you’ll consider exploring its pages too, and I have high hopes for the future career of V.E. Schwab.

[darriness]

So I finished Hollywood! And now I can come back on Tumblr lol 

As I was watching I kept an ongoing note on my phone of random musings and thoughts (to keep myself from coming on here) and I thought I would share them with you now. These thoughts are unabridged, unedited for the most part, spoiler ridden (so don’t read if you haven’t watched and don’t want to be spoiled), and at some points potentially incoherent. They are ‘organized’ by a stream of beginning to end but I didn’t bother organizing them by episode.

Just ask if you need/want clarification lol

Click the read more to read my thoughts on Hollywood!

love Rock

Love Rock/Archie

Cheered when Raymond got his movie

Laughed at Ernie’s ‘big cock’ joke

Very much enjoyed the not quite sex scene between Raymond and Camille

So strange to hear/see Sheldon Cooper say/ do some of this stuff such things as ‘come here so I can suck your cock’ - not because of the gay thing just because...Sheldon had to have dice tell him how to talk sexually

Episode 3 ‘that’s a penis!’

No I did not rewind it...twice...immediately to rewatch the scene of Camille riding Raymond...

Claire’s waist is TEENY TINY

Raymond being unaware and confused about the ‘market’

Raymond leaving before the penises show up :( lol

I really like Rock! ‘Well I belong to you!’ 🥺

Yes Raymond. Roll up your shirt sleeves and lean against that dresser

Shiny eyes optimism!

I like the pink fuzzy sweater

Jeremy overacted the scene where Jack asked him to put in a good word

I want to be that pencil...

I feel like either Raymond or Camille had the wrong...emotion in that scene...it didn’t feel right

Look at that scarf ❤️

Poor Rock :( he’s trying his best and thinks Raymond’s his dad! He’s just nervous

Way to not acknowledge him at all afterwards Raymond - he was just trying his best!

There HAS to be a conflict of interest here. With BOTH girls. One’s the studio exec’s daughter and the other’s fucking the director...

Love Raymond watching the others during  Camille’s screen test for their reactions

‘Sorry I just called her pig’

67 takes!

Every time Ernie coughs? I think of Covid - putting current fears into the 1940s

Love Raymond just full on climbing in the bathtub fully clothed because he’s so excited

I forgot Queen Latifah was in this

Now it’s a pink Fuzzy sweater vest. It’s like Blaine and the red polos - can’t have just one

‘Hair. I mean what the fuck, Sharon?’

I love how Rock is hunched over his script during the table read

Raymond during the table read <3

Is Claire supposed to be a villain or no?

OMG Rock is rehearsing his lines after the table read while everyone is relaxing (have I mentioned how much I love Rock?)

See now tears and dramatics in this scene IS warranted. I understand why Jack is crying. He did that well.

I forgot Queen Latifah was in this…and I’m not sure I understand who she is or why she was there…should I know who she is?

‘She didn’t bring a goddamn rope ladder in her purse!’

Me likes  ‘Do What I Tell You’ Director Raymond

Oh no, Raymond’s getting a talking to (deservedly but still)

OMG IS HE GONNA BE A PROSTITUTE?! HE’S GONNA BE A PROSTITUTE! (why am I excited about this…Does that say something about me? lol)

That scene between Ellen and Dick :(

Well that makes Jack’s life a lot easier…

Rock and Archie being cute domestic boyfriends!

‘*A* producer. And producer should be in quotes.’

Raymond wanting to live on the lot but Camille not wanting to - I’m not sure what comment I’m making on that but I felt it important to note

No prostitution for Raymond :( (WHY DOES THAT MAKE ME SAD!?! lol)

Page boy hats are a thing for me apparently

Ellen and Ernie?! Maybe?

Awww Jack thinking he shouldn’t be crying <3

Also Raymond’s outfit looks a little Miami Vice

Harry, the old editor hahaha

I will say there’s never anything wrong with a musical number

Awwww Raymond and Harry the old editor! So cute

OMG PROPOSAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh no wait - NOT a proposal - I don’t know how I feel about this - but I guess it IS the 1940s

THIS IS STILL CUTE AS SHIT

‘This is real?’ - I LOVE ROCK HUDSON!

So I guess Claire ISN’T a villain

Poor Ace (I mean he wasn’t really nice until this episode - but still)

I fucking LOVE Harry the old editor

‘this stupid fuck is recutting your picture’

‘Hey! What’s the big idea!’ - His indignation is amazing

WHAT?! They’re burning the movie?! BUT BUT BUT BUT  BUT BUT

I thought it was going to be Ernie who died. I’m glad it wasn’t

Have we seen Raymond smoke this whole series yet? I’m pretty sure we haven’t. WHY IS IT ATTRACTIVE?!

HARRY THE OLD EDITOR!!

‘IT WAS STRAIGHT UP CUNNILINGUS’

HARRY SAVED THE MOVIE!!!!!!

Raymond clapping at the movie talking about Camille <3

Oh look, Queen Latifah - still don’t know what’s she doing here lol - maybe I should

He’s in a roooobbbee <3

He’s excitement about being nominated - the way he paused before ‘best director’ <3

Look at him all small next to her

Also, they didn’t give Archie guff? Did they try to stop him from going in?

Awwww Raymond and Dick crying together into their handkerchiefs <3

Poor Jack! But he took it really well!

I don’t think he NEEDED to propose. I don’t think that was needed. I mean good for them but…I’m not sure it was deserved in the story you know?

Raymond standing for Archie <3 and his ‘oooh’ after the kiss

HEYYYYYY HE WON!

Jack picking him up! <3

I know this moment is about Camille but the tears from Raymond <3 (there are lots of hearts in these ramblings)

Raymond and Camille’s little moment during the pictures after the awards <3

This moment between Rock and Henry would have felt more justified after a longer period of time - Longer than seven episodes

‘And I’ve gotten into bonsai lately’ - ROCK HUDSON IS MY FAVOURITE OKAY?!

OMG NO! This is dumb. I am not okay with this. No thank you at all.

Jack being gay for pay? lol

In conclusion;

I REALLY liked this show. It had some flaws (a few overacted scenes - not enough time and arc to really give some of the storylines they were trying to do justice - killing Dick) but overall I thought it was well done and hit just the right note emotionally.

As for the performances, I really enjoyed everyone’s performance. I didn’t feel like one person stood out over the rest - I enjoyed them all equally (despite my above love of Rock but that was more just a few moments that I found hilarious or adorable in an oafish kind of way lol)

I felt like Darren did a really good job with what he had to work with (and I don’t know if it’s because of how I feel about Darren but I wish he could have had more).

Overall? I’ll definitely be rewatching this show and can’t wait to talk about it more!

[thesevenactsofmercykayla]

Characterisation

As soon as I got cast as Lavinia I jumped straight into working on characterisation. I knew from seeing the play before and the scenes I had already done for the audition and the recall process that she was a very strong willed character, feisty character but I knew there must have been more to her than just that. When googling the play there isn’t much that comes up other than The Royal Shakespeare Company version of it, there is no overview of the play or character analysis as the play is still fairly new and there aren’t many known productions of it. When searching for clips of Lavinia on youtube there isn’t much more that comes up over than the ‘Meet the characters: Lavinia’ video by the RSC that was quite helpful.

It is hard to work on characterisation when there is very little guidance from online sources or even from the author but it did leave me with a bit of freedom when it came to creating my version of her. At first I found this quite daunting, as this caused a bit of doubt within me as to wether I could do Lavinia justice without much guidance. Instead of allowing this to get to me too much I decided to see the fun in it, my interpretation of Lavinia could be however I want it to be, I started to look into character analysis to help break her down a little bit.

I started looking into different techniques to perfect for our performances. I found out about overall and scene objectives, taking risks, substitution (which is changing the character you’re working with for someone in your personal life that relates to the scene), Emotional diaries (which involves writing a diary to your substitution that starts with “I need you to...”, you keep writing until you can’t write anymore and it has to end with “...or I’ll die” this is a great way to get yourself ready and in the right headspace for a scene and also a good way to make sure you win your objective), Doings and inner monologues. All these techniques were very helpful to make my performance a lot more believable. As a class we followed a mantra which is; “Acting is living truthfully under the imaginary given circumstances of a script”, the key word here being ‘truthfully’ it’s so important as actors to give a truthful performance because it allows the audience to relate, attach to and root for the character more. A great way to live truthfully in a scene is to put all your attention on the other actor in the scene ​‘put your boat on their river’ ​and just go with it. You are only as good as the actor you’re working with so it’s important to only react if they make you react, this way your performance will be real. When choosing objectives it’s always a good idea to choose something that most if not all of the audience can relate to, that way it will be so much more satisfying for the audience when you win.

Building a background

I looked at things like, what type of person is she? Does she have any family? Is she in a relationship? What was her earliest childhood memory? Does she have any friends? Obviously I was in a position where I could make up my own answers for these questions whereas Alex or Liam playing Caravaggio had the option to look up up Caravaggio’s history. I personally really enjoyed giving my own backstory to Lavinia and it definitely made me grasp the character a lot more. 

We did a hot seating exercise where we answered all questions along these lines in character. This was to help us with our characterisation and it really did help get in the mindset of the character. Below is a clip of part of my hot seating video I did.

Personality 

During rehearsals some days you would act, some days other actors would act and you’d be sat on the sidelines for most of the day. During this time sat on the sidelines I decided to write how Lavinia and her journey in the play comes across to me. I’ll add in a photo of what I wrote in my notebook but I’ll translate it here as my handwriting is hard enough for me to read. 

Lavinia - She is strong, powerful, fearless and a bit of a free spirit, she’s optimistic despite everything. She doesn’t care what people think about her but with Caravaggio it seems different, she wants to prove herself to him and he also wants to prove himself to her in a way. He sees her selfworth straight away, he’s impressed and knows she can amount to great things and so decides to give her that opportunity (of becoming a painter). She finds it hard to trust; she is a lone wolf, she’s been used and disposed of by so many men that she doesn’t even know what trust is anymore. Showing her artwork to Caravaggio takes so much for her, it is a huge step. She, for the first time in a long time finds a friend in Caravaggio and he gives her some hope that she can flee her life but she can’t keep her good news to herself and ends up paying the price. She figures she’s better on her own and leaves Caravaggio. 

I’d like to think that Lavinia did eventually find the courage to give her dreams a go as she seems so driven that she can do better than the life she is stuck living but unfortunately we don’t find out what comes of Lavinia as she slips back off to her life of prostitution. 

Physicality

We took some time looking into the way our characters would move and hold themselves to add to our characterisation. We used a technique called the Laban effort which helped us break down the movements of our characters. After looking into this technique I figured Lavinia is ‘glide’ as she is free moving and light on her feet but she is also direct.

Lavinia is a very confident character, not much phases her. She goes through life taking each day as it comes and so I made sure to work that into her physicality, I made sure to walk with my back straight and my chest out, I put a bounce in her step almost as if she skipped everywhere she went, to help her come across as carefree but to also show the audience a physical change in her when she comes in later in the show haven been cut up, I want her to drag her feet and have her arms held close to her to show how closed off she now is because of what has just happened.

Looking into Lavinia’s job

I took it upon myself to take some time looking into Lavinia’s profession - she’s a prostitute, and part of her character traits is that she feels as though she is better than her job, however she doesn’t try to hide the fact she’s a prostitute in anyway. I wanted to understand more about prostitution, more so how a girl falls into doing such a job. Ivana Chubbuck’s book ‘The power of the actor: The technique’ she has a page where she touches on playing a character who is a sex worker. She gets very deep into the background of most prostitutes and talks about how many were molested or raped when they were younger and they use prostitution as a way of regaining their sexual power over men that they didn’t have when they were younger. Lavinia mentions a few times how much she loved her father and they seemed to have a good relationship and so although I understand Chubbuck’s analysis I decided not to use that with Lavinia, I feel as though she fell into prostitution more down to the era she was brought up in, it very much was a man’s world but she is never frightened by men or allows them to belittle her. 

I found some quotes when looking into playing the role of a prostitute that I think fit Lavinia perfectly and they were ‘The hooker with a heart of gold’ and ‘A tart with a heart’ I feel like she’d willingly introduce herself as the second one as she has good banter.

[thenightlymirror]

I think that it would be very important to portray Raskolnikov as sympathetically as possible. His argument really needs to seem ironclad. And when he is explaining his grand thesis to Porfiry, it really needs to be the sadness, the seriousness, and the hopefulness, of anyone who has ever seriously considered killing someone for justice, for fairness, for the New Jerusalem.

Because that’s the weird zone that Dostoyevsky, and this story, lives in. It’s not only the arrogance of thinking only a few will see what must be done and have the singular audacity to act on it. It’s the absolute truth of it. It’s seeing the utter nihilism that occurs every second of the day, and thinking, maybe it’s distasteful, but if everyone is going to suffer in abject immiseration like this, in filth, starvation, and prostituting themselves in every way imaginable, why not make somebody pay for it? It’s so simple. That landlady absolutely deserves an axe in her head. That’s all there is to it. They all do. But, she, is a particularly clean kill. And that needs to be clear.

As to Raskolnikov’s theory of who becomes “exceptional” (excuse the scare quotes), he doesn’t really know. But I think it makes more sense to me, and I wonder what Dostoyevsky would have thought about it. Raskolnikov refers to “destroyers”. I think this is exactly the right word. The exceptional individual is, of course, not only an agent of justice, an agent of the future, they are the victim. They are the most shaken from themselves by the condition of this world, and without any future in it. Only a rupture from the ordinary would save them. But also, they really can’t help it. You are alienated from any moral intuition, you feel anger about your victimization but can no longer sympathize with anyone, and want to act out to hurt someone not realizing you are replicating what created you.

And I’m not sure Dostoyevsky is going to go that deep, because I don’t know that he has that inventory of experiences to see that. I have often thought to myself that all the ordinary people will inherit this New Jerusalem, and it’s up to us broken people to rip this old world down. The Destroyers. The exceptions. They will thank us.

But my version is sadder. There’s no Napoleons. Only terrorists and petty vandals and arsonists on a final suicide mission. But, in keeping with the true spirit of Dostoyevsky, let me go out on a limb and say it is also Bullshit. You aren’t broken or exceptional. You have no idea that you are going to wake up tomorrow and be hit by a bus of love. You dumb fuck. You have no idea. You don’t know what’s going to fix you or anybody. And all the sudden you will realize the future to defend and nurture and grow has you right in the center of it and you better protect it and everyone else too. And pull the destroyers up with you, so everybody can come up for air and shake off this nightmare world we never asked for but all have to overcome together anyway.

[todd--chavez]

what are your other favorite shows? (have you seen community?)

I have a problem with Community and Brooklyn 99 as a series. Their episodes in and of itself are great. They make me laugh. But when I binged them, the episodes started to blend together and I felt like I was watching the same thing over and over again because it felt so formulaic. I mean yeah 5 seasons into Brooklyn 99 I still laugh and smile but it wasn’t that enjoying to binge the show. But that might just be me. I think what the producers are doing with Community is great, I just got tired of watching it after a while.

But here’s my list of shows that I always tell people to watch (in no particular order). And yeah I essentially only watch animated films. I’m basically a kid. 

1. Bojack Horseman

I don’t need to explain it to you, you follow this blog.

2. King of the Hill

Especially with it’s animation style it’s an acquired taste. But it is definitely underrated and I think people need to give it a chance. I think there’s a huge misconception that it’s simply a conservative show because it’s about rednecks. But it’s a lot more progressive than you think. The characters may be conservative, but the show is much more liberal and acknowledges their character flaws and ideals. And some episodes, the characters develop and come to realize that their ideals are wrong and change for the better. I also love the very unique story lines they think of for the episodes, like Hank being diagnosed of having too small of a butt, or Bobby Hill unknowingly cooking meth. There are episodes that touch on gender equality, racism, sex, religion, political stance, drugs, near death experiences, prostitution, and lots more. And there are 13 seasons, there has to be a reason it lasted that long.

3. The Goode Family

The exact thing as King of the Hill(I think it’s the same producer) but instead of a conservative redneck family, it’s a family of social justice warriors. The ratings were so bad that it was discontinued after 1 season but I thought it was hilarious.

4. Moral Orel

Not for the faint hearted. I found out about this show after I finished Bojack Horseman and asked the internet what to watch if I liked Bojack Horseman. This show makes you wonder what happened to the director when he was a kid to have produced such a sad show. The word is that the show got cancelled because it was too depressing. But there’s 3 seasons and you can find them on youtube, and there’s also a prequel(You have to watch it after everything else). Each episode is 11 minutes so it’s super easy to binge. The first season is mostly just making jokes off of religion and the plot doesn’t really start until the end of season 2. I highly recommend this show to anyone who is interested in religion, or is religious or was involved in a religious community. I wouldn’t say the beginning is great commentary, but later on and the story as a whole is actually really good and even though a lot of fucked up things happen, it’s commentary on religion is very tasteful. Even though it makes fun of religion, it’s not an “atheist” show.

5. Mission Hill

I don’t know why this only has one season. You can find all the episodes on youtube. It was a very well done show with really cool animation. This show was created back in the 90′s and includes a gay couple and the community treats them regularly so I think that was very progressive for that time. Also there was an episode that talked about masturbating which is also another taboo topic. There’s actually an episode of Moral Orel about masturbating but it was in one of the episodes of season 1 that was more focused on making jabs at religion than masturbation itself. Aside from these two, the only other show I know of that talks about masturbation is Big Mouth, but I watched the first two episodes and couldn’t bear it. I’m not a fan.

6. F is for Family

Imagine if Bojack didn’t get rich, and instead worked at an airport and had a family. I loved that they showed the whole gender inequality and racism that was rampant of the 1960′s(or 70’s?) and the mom’s struggle to be more than just a mom in season two made me want to cry. Humor overall is great and the characters and their development are all very well done. I can see a little bit of myself in each of the characters of the family.

7. The Boondocks

I wouldn’t say it’s the same type of humor as Bojack Horseman but I would say if people enjoy the Bojack Horseman humor they will probably enjoy the Boondocks humor. This is one of the funnier shows that made me laugh out loud. It has a lot of commentary on racism and portrays several different type of black people and their attitude and approach to racism and prejudice. It’s also a very relevant show that used real life events the way South Park does. I love the main character and his self awareness and deep quotes.

8. Daria

If any of you are in high school, I would recommend watching this show first because it would be the most relevant. Like Mission Hill, it’s a lot older and it may take a while to get used to the animation style, but basically about a cynical angsty teen girl(like Lady Bird) and she’s really smart which I love. Also lots of deep quotes and lessons to learn from this show that I think would help anyone who’s in high school. Also the season finale with applying to colleges and graduating really hit close to home and I think was really accurate with the whole college admissions and seeing where other people were going.

9. Dr, Katz Professional Therapist

I think a lot of them got taken down from youtube so I’m not sure where you would see them. Out of all the videos, this is definitely going to be the hardest to get used to the animation. “Squiggle animation” or whatever. But this is the closest thing to stand up comedy that I can enjoy. For the record if you don’t know, I absolutely hate stand up comedy. Or at least I haven’t seen any that I liked yet. But it’s by the same creator as Bob’s Burgers and the voice of Bob Belcher plays a pretty big role here. This is a dialogue based show which it really has to be given it’s animation style but that’s nice because you could listen to the show while you’re doing stuff. I actually downloaded the mp3 file of the shows and so sometimes when I’m driving or running I listen to it instead of music. The relationship between the dad and the son is hilarious and definitely has that Bob’s Burgers feel to it.

10. Home Movies

This is another show that I believe involves a producer from Bob’s Burgers and Bob Belcher’s voice. It also started out with the squiggle animation but I think they changed it 2 seasons in because they felt the squiggle animation was iconic to Dr. Katz Professional Therapist. It’s about a kid who’s in like second grade, but I love how the mom talks to him as if he’s an adult. Even though it’s pretty light hearted overall, there is the thing with his parents being divorced and Coach McGuirk(Same voice as Bob Belcher) is an alcoholic so there are some mature content. But it was a really great show and I think it really goes to show how much story matters because even though the animation is so basic, it was very entertaining.

[leastrachan123]

Making performance 2 blog Performance overview The key themes and issues within our performance were, sex trafficking, violence, abuse, sex, rape, prostitution, grooming, abuse, child abuse, suicide, and nudity, loss of identity, curupt society, and modern society. Our vision for the performance was to create a documentary piece that would educate, entertain and enlighten. By including statistics in our script it made the performance become a reality. Linking the performance to delight, We wanted to put our own twist on it and how the victims can gain back their identity and the delights in life. Enlightening our audience on the matter and structuring the performance in a way that does not horrify them meant we enlightened them on the subject, and did not push them away from wanting to help and educate others. In relation to the dramaturgical decisions, we took a lot of time discussing what movements would work and not, throughout the performance we made pre recorded sequences which included, cat walks, chair duet, and walking sequences. The reasoning for these choices was to make our performance as physical as possible and now covid regulations have changed we thought we would make the most of it, and give the audience a sense of liveness online and in person. The start of the performances started with Iona, Josh and I with bags on our heads and a pre-recorded video beforehand, we used breathing techniques at the start to create an atmosphere for the performance which then led to the opening monologues. Our lighting remained neutral for the monologues however we used red lighting in our pre recorded videos to represent the colour of love and sex, despite us playing the victims it represented how the victims are treated /perceived, yet a simple thing like sex which is so personal and private has been taken away from them, and is viewed by them as unsatisfying and tiring. We used props such as stockings, toothpaste, red lipstick, condoms and perfume. We wanted to make this live section very intense and seductive. Despite the realisation that the victims are being forced to work for traffickers it showed their day to day life of getting ready, we physically spat out our toothpaste, we slowly put on the stocking to create a sensual atmosphere, applying lipstick slowly and then getting close to the camera asif we was kissing the audience, little moments like these really structures the performance. The last section of monologues included our shadow work, we made the movement slow and meaningful and in one section the victim would get slapped which then sped up the rhythm of the piece, we ended the piece with Iona playing a victim who is spotted by charity workers, you see her struggle with leaving the pillow case and walking off, which then led to our last pre record video of a fire that had all the victims names on pillowcases that were then placed into the fire. Research into For our performance we chose the genre documentary, this meant that we would have to devise and write our own script, whilst researching possible sources and interviews which we could use within our script. Before deciding on this we did research into Derek Paget and all the information we needed to create a successful documentary performance, ‘when Derek Paget first wrote of the use of tape recorders to make documentary theatre, he noted that documentary forms were situated at the ‘edges of the professional theatre’ (1987: 317, sited by Cantrell, 2013:1), documentary theatre has come a long way and has become very popular, and today is seen as a ‘mainstream british theatre tradition’(Cantrell, 2013:1). We found sources from interviews, articles and government reports, which helped put together our script and what angle we wanted to take to structure our performance. Documentary drama is also known to contain many other elements and theatre techniques,‘The genre typically includes or is referred to as verbatim theatre, investigative theatre, theatre of fact, theatre of witness, autobiographical theatre, and ethnodrama’(Wikipedia, 2021). This genre has allowed us to be more creative and develop our own performance around a very significant matter, sex trafficking. Our two main influences for our performance were frantic Assembly and Berkoff, we decided on these because we wanted to focus on physical theatre. Whilst researching frantic assembly we thought it was crucial to follow some exercises that frantic assembly would do in workshops, ‘In the early stages of rehearsal we may ask our performers to improvise using rolls and lifts without ever coming off the floor, (Hoggett, by Scott Graham and steven, 2004:87). With our performance being so physical, exercises like these really helped create ideas for our physical movement/moments. Berkoff and Frantic Assembly both have similarities as they both like to focus on physicality, Our monologues/dialogues within our script was well thought through, therefore too much movement would distract the audience from the dialogue, however whilst researching Berkoff it was found that ‘Berkoffian actors use techniques such as background movement, repetitive actions, and mime to explore further the ways in which Berkoff approaches exchanges between two characters’, in our performance we worked with shadowing and background movement so that it does not distract the audience, but still creates meaning. Both Berkoff and Frantic Assembly worked well together with our research and gave us ideas/techniques on how we could make our performance physically successful, whilst still focusing on the speech. Sex trafficking was the most interesting to research into for me individually, as it was educational and shocking when finding statistics and articles. Shockingly from our findings it is aparant there is far more sex trafficking happening then what we know about worldwide, and although ‘UK authorities have began to launch aggressive anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts to uncover trafficking and identify victims’, the media and individuals still have a guard up around the sensitive subject. After researching individuals who have been victims of sex trafficking we wanted to share their experiences and stories, looking into research studies it was found that ‘one participant talked about being angry at anyone and everyone, another participant talked about being angry specifically at her trafficker, herself, and that no one had ever come looking for her’(Mumey et all, 2021:187). It was evident our main focus was to create justice for all the victims and create a physical piece that would symbolise all the emotions developed before and after being trafficked. Victims’ attitude and views of the world soon changed after being trafficked, and some would say ‘all men became potential “clients,” relationships became transactional and not for pleasure, and family became the other individuals working for the same exploiter’(Mumey et al, 2021:187). Reviews and analysis Shakesqueer by Tom Marshman Tom Marshman executed a wonderful digital performance, creating a sense of liveness, a montage of shakespeare plays, and queer atmopshere. What I took from the performance and would use in my own work was the idea of a moveable trolley, so that movement can be more fluid and moments with the audience could be more intimate,e.g getting close to camera and using eye contact and facial expressions. He embrased his sexual ora and used it in his favour to create a queer alternative view on shakespears plays, whilst also enteraining the audience. He quoted in the Q&A that his inspiration was heavily focused on David Bowie and his use of mime, this is also something that was used effectively and created an abstract illusion with the editing to create a mirrored effect of Toms face, whilst also quoting from A midsummers night dream. His change of costumes and backdrop developed on the idea of how crazy and vibrant shakespeare plays are, him and the tech team used appropriate music to compliment the scenes, overall the performance was very creative, however when performing we have to try and remain in character and focused despite whatever distractions occur. Sharps teeth Sherlock in Homes Sharps teeth did an amazing job of creating a live murder mystery and really engaged their audience, the main element/moment for me was the idea of breakout groups, this allowed them to create a personal relationship with the audience and also use improvisation for them as their character. We would ask the character we was investigating questions about the murder and at the end of each investigation they would give us a slight hint about the muder and leave, for me this small technique seemed to draw me in even more, even when i knew it was coming. Another element that impressed me was the costuming and background, they really did embrace their characters and not hold back, for me this virtually allowed me to put myself in that exact room with them and see in the backgrounds of the potential tools they used to kill the victim, which was also purposefully intended by the director. This performance brought many emotions alive and really made the audience active members whilst also entertaining them. Chang and Eng and Me Chang and Eng and Me was a well devised abstract performance that investigated many ideas of what theatre is and can be, one moment i vividly remember is the touching and sculpting of clay, which linked to the quote ‘I can count the times i’ve feared for my safety of my ethnicity on one, maybe two hands’, whilst quoting this the use of hands and pressure into the clay almost represented society and the anger ethnic individuals have towards society, yet feel stuck and trapped just like clay itself, for me this was a visual metaphor which was used so emotively/discreetly. The digital performance was not like many i have watched before and used the online platform to create liveness, what i also think worked well was the discussion of sexuality/race and the bareness that came with the performance, by getting changed infront of the camera and showing vulnerability just like many homosexual individuals feel scared about doing, it almost connoted that you should love yourself for who you are. I also picked up on the focus of puppetry and how these items can speak to audiences meaningfully, the focus of this performance was very creative and artistic with the use of drawing and sculpting e.g it painted a story without having to physically say anything. ShakesQueer. Tom Marshman. (2021). [Online, 27th February]. -Sherlock in Homes: Murder on Ice. (2021). Sharp Teeth Theatre. Directed by: Stephine Kempson. [Online, 4th March] Chang and Eng and Me: Wattle and Daub Figure theatre (2021) (online, 14th May) Evaluation following the performance Originally i developed the idea of an online meat auction, which we all as group discussed and put forward different ideas for, this was to symbolise that the victims are treated as meat and can be sent off globally, with this idea we explored breakout groups however the concept became too complex and we had a creative block for the middle section, therefore instead of still continuing with the idea we explored other ideas and researched into physical theatre. The research we found within sex trafficking and physical theatre inspired us to make the performance about physicality, the bareness of victims and how they are invisible, feedback from Laura helped us understand that if we was to approach the performance by making the audience feel to uncomfortable and shocked, it would make them less likely to keep watching, so after we had fully developed our script we decided to make a lot of the dialogue upbeat so that it would juxtapose with the speech itself. As a group we all worked very hard and put in a lot of time and effort, me and iona were the main editors for our flip grids and material for the piece, my strengths within this performance was to motivate and make sure everyone was always there, thinking of the slight movements and moments needed within the piece, charlotte and myself became the creative directors for the physical theatre (chair duets), personally i naturally take on a directing role, however we all equally put in ideas and bounced off eachother, and was definitely my favourite group to work with so far, my weaknesses are that i can be overwhelming with ideas, but the group helped turn these ideas into what became our performance. If we were to change our performance I would definitely like to explore some type of breakout room, however research and extra technical help would definitely be needed to make it successful and easy to follow. We were put off by making it too physical as our research from Berkoff shows that background movement can be more symbolic than up close and personal physicality. For me this year of online theatre making has changed my outlook on acting and theatre, we have managed to create an appropriate, well thought out/rehearsed performance about a topic that does not get spoken about enough, whilst also including all the dramaturgical elements i have learnt and explored this year, what i learnt mostly from devising 10,000 cases was that audience like repetition and difference, so by using the catwalks as a motif it allowed the audience to take in what was being said without even saying anything, and the repetition was the continuing of monologues with the pillow cases over our heads, and we used these to lose our identity and make the audience really listen to what was being said. I learnt a lot of elements in our rehearsal time and in class sessions. This year has definitely made me open to creating online pieces and understanding that theatre can be anything that you make it. Bibliography Cantrell (2013) Acting in documentary theatre. Acting Psychological aspects.; Acting; Experimental theater. Available at: https://www.vlebooks.com/Vleweb/Product/Index/680079?page=0 Mumey, Audrey; Sardana, Srishti; Richardson-Vejlgaard, Randall; Akinsulure-Smith, Adeyinka M (2021) Mental health needs of sex trafficking survivors in New York City: Reflections on exploitation, coping, and recovery. Available at: https://library.bathspa.ac.uk/items/eds/pdh/2020-79438-001?resultsUri=https%3A%2F%2Flibrary.bathspa.ac.uk%2Fitems%3Fquery%3Dsex%2Btrafficking%26checkbox%3Deverything%26facet%255B0%255D%3DEdsRecordOptions%253A%2522IsFullText%2522%26target%3Deds#availability Morgie BTECH acting ( 2015) Steven Berkoff’s techniques. Available at: http://morgiebtecacting.weebly.com/epq-extended-project-qualification/steven-berkoffs-techniques Graham, Scott, 1971- author; Hoggett, Steven, 1971- author (2014) The Frantic Assembly book of devising theatre. Improvisation (Acting); Frantic Assembly (Group); Theatrical companies Great Britain.; Experimental theater Great Britain. Available at: library.bathspa.ac.uk/items/eds/cat06393a/bath.106158?resultsUri=https%3A%2F%2Flibrary.bathspa.ac.uk%2Fitems%3Fquery%3Dfrantic%2Bassembly%26checkbox%3Deverything%26facet%255B0%255D%3DEdsRecordOptions%253AIsFullText%26target%3Deds#availability Wikipedia (2021) Documentary theatre. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_theatre#:~:text=Documentary%20theatre%20is%20theatre%20that,altering%20the%20text%20in%20performance. Wikipedia (2020) Human trafficking in the united kingdom. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking_in_the_United_Kingdom

[katrinapavela]

“Weakness is our strength; it’s what makes us human. It’s where our compassion lies.”--FitzBAErald Grant

I recall tearing up when Fitz was bold enough to say the above quote during his town hall-style presidential debate with Reston (211). It solidified for me exactly who the character of Fitzgerald Grant was. I said, now that? That’s a man right there. I made myself a Stan card that day and never looked back. A Criminal, A Whore, An Idiot and A Liar gave us our first character focus on Fitz, and his fight for the presidency. Day 101 gives us our second in depth study of his character, and it is the beginning of his fight for a life not defined by the power and perils of the presidency. I have some thoughts I want to express about what Fitz said nine years ago and it’s relevance to current character journeys right now. 

Here’s what I want to focus on real quick:

Rowan framing Fitz as Olivia’s weakness

Rowan’s lack of compassion and determination to breed the same out of Olivia

Olivia barely resembling a human right now

Back in S3 or S4, I had a series of back and forths with a poster #onhere about Fitz being weak, and about how Olivia was being dragged down by this supposed weakness. Much of what I said  is still relevant, and some prescient (Part I, II, III, IV.).  I just did a deep dive on how the very idea of qualities like love/vulnerability/compassion/grace are perceived as ‘weak’ because they are associated with the feminine. And because we live in a culture that sees strength and power in the kind of masculinist terms that depend on dominating or obscuring that which is feminine. Patriarchal binaries see man as the ‘not woman’. Therefore, in these terms, the worse thing a man can be is like a woman. And for a woman to be seen as truly strong, she must adopt the kind of strength defined narrowly by masculinity. Blah, blah, blah. This is all relevant to what I say below, but, anyway…

Rowan framing Fitz as Olivia’s weakness

I am completely fine if I end up being wrong about the motivation behind Rowan’s appeal to Fitz to save Olivia from herself. I do not trust him, nor has he done anything to warrant my trust. Mere months ago Rowan wanted Fitz to run B6-13 as a check on Olivia’s power. Besides the fact that we knew he intended to use Fitz as a way of running the organization himself, now I’m supposed to believe that he’s distraught over the emotional effects this will have on Liv? The organization that Liv said nearly destroyed her life and that of her father’s, Rowan didn’t give one fucking iota if it was gonna ruin Fitz’s life AND continue to be an obstacle to Olivia and Fitz’s relationship, ensuring Olivia as his “champion”. This requires Olivia’s dedication Rowan as the primary male influence in her life. Didn’t give a shit about that. But NOW he needs Fitz’s “weak” ass to keep Olivia from destroying herself through B6-13. 

Rowan has tried everything he possibly could to eliminate the love between Olitz: B6-13 prostitutes, shaming Olivia for not using Fitz in transactional ways to become what she now is: Chief of Staff (301); framing Olivia’s mother as the murderer of Fitz’s child (318); playing a hell and high water chess game to get Olivia to seclude herself on an island, away from Fitz (S3);  telling her that she must never choose any man over him (408); encouraging her to burn Fitz in the name of justice (419); insinuating himself into their relationship after it barely got started and compelling Olivia to “choose” him (506-507); directing her toward this White House path with the fucking ex-wife of the man she loves (5B); and let’s not forget the general chaos he has sewn in the girl’s life to keep her “fire” burning. And I won’t bother getting into my S4 theory about Rowan’s involvement in Liv’s kidnapping also being about destroying the idea of Fitz for Olivia.  Spare me this kind of supposed love. 

My point is this: after ALL of the above, Olivia and Fitz still love each other. Rowan knows this. He has the goddamn temerity to name Fitz as Olivia’s weakness. It seems to me that the love Rowan has worked nearly a decade to destroy has stubbornly endured. How is that weak? Sounds like true strength to me. Sounds like something that’s powerful to me. But…

Rowan’s lack of compassion and determination to breed the same out of Olivia

Rowan laments that try as he might, all he could do was recreate himself in Olivia (701). I agree. And if this is true, then Olivia is on course for the “sad and lonely” old man life that Olivia pronounced him as having (409). (I think I told you guys of my nightmare last year. In it Olivia, in the series finale sits down to dinner with her father in her dungeon. They are the only two people there. In the end all they have left is the sadness of their lives and their achievements to validate them. Olivia shows a whisper of this realization on her face. And the scene fades to black). 

Now he’s afraid that he overstepped. How come this realization only came when she sidelined his power as Command? He called her a predator. I mean I don’t completely disagree, but 

It’s just funny to your girl that he can suddenly see the destructive path Olivia is on once she gave him a forehead kiss and told him he was retired. Once she gave him no options. My, my, my what a tangled web we weave when we first conspire to deceive.

Olivia barely resembling a human right now

If our compassion is what makes us human, then Rowan lacked that for so long. He certainly had not compassion toward his daughter, or he would not have abused her and called it tough love. Olivia now is lacking compassion in all sorts of ways, and it is exactly why I said, in my pre-season thoughts and recent essay , that Olivia is a shell of a human being right now. She has time for nothing and no one who is not of service to her (at work or in her vagina). There is no compassion. There is no humanity. Congratulations, Rowan, on what you have wrought. You created a monster. Now you have the audacity to try to ‘son’ Fitz, like he’s one of your damn agents, to carry out YOUR mission. 

Negroe,

At least Rowan approaching Fitz is some acknowledgement that compassion is necessary in life. That love has some kind of benefit. Obviously I do not trust that an ulterior motive is missing, but you know…baby steps. 

[yennefers-geralt]

Arya and Dany: Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors

After posting this gifset, there was some debate about the Hogwarts sortings for Arya and Daenerys with some insisting that they were both Slytherin. So I thought I would explain why I see them as fitting into Hufflepuff and Gryffindor rather than the other two houses. This got long, so I’m putting it under the cut.

TL; DR: Even though both characters have Slytherin and Ravenclaw traits, it is, IMO, their Hufflepuff and Gryffindor characteristics that most significantly form their characters, influence their choices, and represent their values.

Why Neither is Predominantly a Slytherin

Both Arya and Dany do have a number of qualities that fit with that house, such as ambition, cunning, resourcefulness, determination, self-preservation, cleverness, etc. But the novels don’t show either of them as being driven by these qualities. They don’t value the traits above others nor are their actions dictated by those traits. Instead those are qualities in both of them that are motivated by other, more dominant characteristics.

So while it’s true that Dany has been amassing power, showing great cunning in her fight against the slavers, and plans to claim the Iron Throne, that ambition is born out of duty to her family and a newfound duty to those she can protect with her position.  

“Why do the gods make kings and queens, if not to protect the ones who can’t protect themselves?“  – ASOS

In other words, she’s not seeking power for ambition’s sake, but so she can have the power to protect others and herself. She is also seeking the Iron Throne because she sees it as her duty as the last of the Targaryens. Initially, she supports Viserys’ claim and then Rhaego’s claim. It isn’t until they both die that she wants to pursue the throne herself. Several times she wishes she could have a normal life and wasn’t a queen with the responsibilities of the blood of the dragon. If Dany really was a Slytherin, she would have been more likely to embrace her own claim and not see it as a burden. And when she reached Astapor to buy the Unsullied, her priority would have been to head straight to Westeros with them. It wasn’t as though she knew the people being enslaved at the time or owed them anything. Yet, to the determent of her own cause Dany halts her own plans to help them. 

As far as Arya goes, the novels show her to be ambitious since she wants a position of power such as a king’s councilor or high septon. She’s also shown as extremely clever  and cunning. But while these are traits she has, Arya’s character and choices aren’t shaped by them. Like Dany, Arya often puts helping others above her own goals. For instance, as much as she yearns to reunite with her family, Arya puts a high priority on Gendry and Hot Pie’s safety as well.

She would make much better time on her own, Arya knew, but she could not leave them. – ASOS

If  Arya fit in Slytherin, she would be more likely to put her own needs and her own self-preservation first. 

Why Gryffindor?

It seems like Dany and Arya’s Gryffindor potential isn’t up for debate, but I’ll touch on it anyway.

A solid case for Gryffindor!Arya can be found here. The long and short of it is that Arya not only possesses traits like bravery, nerve, courage, and daring, but those are also traits that she values. What a person values has a significant influence, if not an all out determination, of who they are. She uses Syrio’s “fear cuts deeper than swords” mantra to inspire bravery in herself and pushes herself onward, even when she’s completely terrified. 

“I am a wolf, and will not be afraid. She patted Needle’s hilt for luck and plunged into the shadows, taking the steps two at a time so no one could ever say she’d been afraid.”  

In this and in countless other examples, Arya shows she will continue on even in the face of fear, which is the ultimate show of bravery. In other moments, she feels shame at not being able to show bravery and criticizes cowardliness in others. In all of this, her character and choices are guided by Gryffindor ideals.

With Dany, her Gryffindor traits grow as the series progresses. Like Arya, she has a mantra that she uses to draw strength and courage in the face of fear.   

"I am the blood of the dragon,” she whispered aloud as she followed, trying to keep her courage up. “I am the blood of the dragon. I am the blood of the dragon." 

As stated before, going forward even when afraid is the definition of bravery, particularly in this series. Even though Dany initially doesn’t have the opportunity to push herself to be brave since she is under her abusive brother’s thumb. But even then, she recalls moments where she stood up to him in the past and gains the confidence to do so more often. by the time we get to ASOS, she’s wanting to lead battles and in ADWD, she’s facing down a plague to help her people and witness their suffering for herself.

Why Hufflepuff?

The more I went over the Hufflepuff traits that guide Arya and Dany’s actions, the more I realized that this is probably the house their characters naturally fit the best. Like Slytherin (and all the Hogwarts house, tbh), Hufflepuff is often misunderstood. I’ve seen it casually regarded as a house for weak characters or for the left overs. The latter is due in part to this line from one of the sorting hat songs:

"I’ll teach the lot And treat them just the same.”

While the other founders are quoted as preferring specific traits in students, Helga Hufflepuff will welcome all of them. This kind of tolerance and acceptance of all different sorts of people is exactly what Dany and Arya are about. Just looking at the variety of characters from all sorts of backgrounds that Daenerys is surrounded by proves this. She accepts all sorts of people and actively tries to be a queen to everyone. For Arya, her tolerance for a wide variety of people can be best described with this quote:

Sansa knew all about the sorts of people Arya liked to talk to: squires and grooms and serving girls, old men and naked children, rough-spoken freeriders of uncertain birth. Arya would make friends with anybody. – AGOT

This is proven throughout the novels as Arya makes friends with a butcher’s boy, a blacksmith apprentice, the lord of Starfall, an archer from the marches, prostitutes, the lady of Acorn Hall, mummers, and on and on. 

Along with the tolerance and acceptance of others detailed above, other significant Hufflepuff traits are justice, loyalty, and hard work.

Hard Working

Even as a queen, Dany is hard working to the point that Barristan suggests she start delegating instead of taking everything onto herself. Arya also doesn’t shy away from hard work whether it’s foraging with the Night’s Watch recruits, performing back breaking labor in Harrenhal, or working in the House of Black and White.

Loyalty

Arya’s loyalty to Mycah is consistent through the novels. She not only befriends him despite his station, she fights the crown prince to protect him, and tries to get justice for him once he’s been murdered.

In some ways, it could be said that she is loyal almost to a fault. Not only is Arya unable to abandon Gendry and Hot Pie, who are slowing her down, she also takes on additional work to cover their tracks and puts herself at risk for them. Her loyalty to Gendry and insistence on rescuing him are part of the reason she and Hot Pie are captured in ACOK. She also puts herself forward and tries to hide her friends’ whereabouts from the Brotherhood, when they’re found in ASOS. 

Similarly, Daenerys hurts her own cause several times by staying loyal to the freedmen and women she’s trying to help.

The raggle-taggle host of freedmen dwarfed her own, but they were more burden than benefit. Perhaps one in a hundred had a donkey, a camel, or an ox; most carried weapons looted from some slaver’s armory, but only one in ten was strong enough to fight, and none was trained. They ate the land bare as they passed, like locusts in sandals. Yet Dany could not bring herself to abandon them as Ser Jorah and her bloodriders urged. I told them they were free. I cannot tell them now they are not free to join me. – ASOS

“I would sooner perish fighting than return my children to bondage.“ – ADWD

"I will not abandon Meereen to the fate of Astapor. It grieves me to say so, but Westeros must wait.” – ADWD

Justice

Many refer to what Arya and Daenerys do as revenge, but primarily, for both characters it’s about justice.

Arya has a strong sense of justice that was instilled in her by Ned. The reality that most of the world, including her own country men and Ned himself, don’t uphold those standards is a harsh blow for her. But it only gets worse as she witnesses atrocity after atrocity. That leads her to take action in enforcing justice.

I should kill them myself. Whenever her father had condemned a man to death, he did the deed himself with Ice, his greatsword. “If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look him in the face and hear his last words,” she’d heard him tell Robb and Jon once.

Looking at the list of names Arya recites, one can see that each character earned their place by committing a crime, usually murder. This isn’t about petty revenge for her.

Daenerys’ dedication to justice speaks for itself: 

Dany set great store by Ser Jorah’s counsel, but to leave Meereen untouched was more than she could stomach. She could not forget the children on their posts, the birds tearing at their entrails, their skinny arms pointing up the coast road. – ASOS

Harsh justice is still justice. – ASOS

“He was no true king,” Dany said scornfully. “He did no justice. Justice … that’s what kings are for.”

In the end, if Dany and Arya were somehow dropped in a Hogwarts universe, in my opinion, they would both be more likely to choose Gryffindor than Hufflepuff. They both have aptitudes for each house, with a possibly high aptitude for Hufflepuff. But their value and reliance on courage seems to outweigh most everything else. 

@themagicaljess, @shegryffindor, @fleiur

[qualitytimewithpeteanddeb-blog]

Quality Time With Pete and Deb - Happy New Year

Peter Grosz and Debra Downing are alums of The Second City Theater, writers, actors and husband and wife, living in Brooklyn, NY. This piece was composed at home on their computer exactly as you see it. One person would write and the other would respond, essentially like an improvised written “conversation”. The content was not pre-planned. They only decided to talk about the New Year. They wrote it on January 5th

PETE: Happy New Year, Deb. Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? I did. Mine is to ask people if they made any New Year’s resolutions. Every year I make the same resolution and I always quit by mid January. I’m the worst.

DEB: I actually did not make any resolutions. I am always so down on myself and forever reading self help books and trying to be resolute in being better so I figure I’ll give myself a break for New Years. I’m kinda out of sync with the holidays. At Halloween I’m always struggling for a costume because I feel like I’m always wearing a costume. (Cut to a family member commenting on my outfit, “My you are… certainly creative” – in a tone that is anything but complimentary. Another one of my favorites was, “You are… very brave my dear.” There was nothing “dear” about it.) But Happy New Year anyway. Aren’t you supposed to eat blackeyed peas on New Years Day? We blew that. I wonder if it counts if you listen to the Black Eyed Peas? We didn’t do that either. I think the only thing I did on New Years Day was research where Zika is in the Caribbean. It’s everywhere by the way. Happy New Year!

PETE: We should all give ourselves a break. The New Year should be a time to reflect and think about what you’d like to change but it’s impossible to change big things in your life in a day. January should be a month of transition, where you psych yourself up to make the change. Then February is the “OK, now I’m really going to do this” month. Then March some other shit comes up and April it’s kind of raining and there’s Easter or Passover and Spring Break so by May you finally get down to making the change. That’s more realistic.

DEB: I like your attitude, kid. I’m gonna start giving myself more credit for the little things I do. Here are some examples of things I have done recently I am very proud of.

1)    I changed the filter in the water purification pitcher (That sounds extremely formal!)

2)    I waxed my face!

3)    I went to the Urologist!

4)    I found the doggie surprise! (I’m not going to go into great detail here because of the great respect I have for you, dear reader. Let’s just say I dealt with it accordingly. The surprise not the doggie, now think no more of it.)

5)    I really cleaned the coffee maker. This is not a euphemism. I just really cleaned the coffee maker.

Well, that’s it for now, but there is always next year.

PETE: Impressive list but I changed two light bulbs the other day. I hear CNN is going to nominate me for one of their CNN heroes in 2017. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be better people when we know we will never compete with truly good people? Those CNN heroes are incredible. They’re so selfless and committed to making people’s lives better. They make Mother Theresa look like Vladimir Putin. Also, speaking of Halloween, little known fact, for her last Halloween, Mother Theresa went as Vladimir Putin.

DEB: If only Vladimir would dress up like Mother Theresa we’d be getting somewhere!

Mother Theresa said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” I like that. I can get my mind around that.

PETE: Well if we’re talking about inspiring quotes Vladimir Putin once said, “The arc of history bends towards justice.” No, wait that was Martin Luther King, Jr. Putin said, “If you cross me, I poison your sushi.” Same diff

DEB: Message received. Cancel my Dragon Roll. I wonder if a hundred years from now the term “a great quote” will be replaced by “a great tweet”. Someone once tweeted, “America great again, CIA bad, Putin BFF, Crooked Media, Exxon -Amazing Environmentalist, The Mentalist – best show ever!”

PETE: Well, I thought that was Donald Trump you were referring to but that part about The Mentalist made me think again. Was it Simon Baker, star of The Mentalist? I guess we’ll never know. Damn, I wish I was a mentalist. Then I could read your mind. Or whatever is it that guy does on The Mentalist. What does he do?

DEB: I think he solves crimes using his intuition? I’m not sure. I just always loved the title of that show. It seems so high class. I never watched it because it seemed a bit above my station. You know, at Downton Abbey I’d be more of the scullery maid than the Lady’s Maid. Although on Halloween I did dress as a Lady’s Maid! Maybe my self worth is slowly getting better! America is great again! Next year- a Footman!

PETE: Yeah, how come everyone doesn’t measure their “progress” as a human being by the evolution of their Halloween costume? “I used to dress up every year like a hobo but now I go as the Monopoly Man! I’ve really made it!” Maybe we should be making simple, more achievable resolutions like “This year I’m going to watch The Mentalist.” Or even easier, “This year I’m going to Google The Mentalist and find out what it’s about.” I think we’d be much happier.

DEB: Yes! Aim low. Reach for the stars but assume your arms are going to fall off. Wait – don’t quote me on that. I never was good at coming up with quotable sayings. My Mom had some good ones like if you were complaining she’d say, “Just be thankful you have two arms and two legs!” Or if you were telling a sad story that she didn’t think was so sad she’d say, “Well let me get out the violins!” I simply must try to be more quotable! Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin seemed to have a lot of good quotes like “I like France” and “How can I get myself electrocuted?” I forget who said what.

PETE: Those guys are tough to keep separate. One of them said, “Wow! You’re the best French Prostitute I’ve ever slept with” and one of them said “Wow! You’re the best slave I’ve ever slept with”. I forget who said what. Too bad they didn’t have Twitter back then or we’d have a record of who said and thought what at any given moment. And what they thought of The Mentalist. That’s been on CBS for almost 250 years!

DEB: It’s the only reason the country hasn’t fallen under British rule. Wait – isn’t the Mentalist British?

PETE: Oh my god… He… is? Honestly I have no idea. He’s either British or Australian. Or South African. Or New Zeelandish. Or American.

SUDDENLY SIMON BAKER, THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST, ENTERS

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: I’m actually from Australia. I was born in 1969 in Launceton, Tasmania but I grew up in New South Wales. In 1998 I married Australian actress Rebecca Rigg after five years of living together. We have three children. In July 2009 I told PopMatters that I was raised Catholic but I’m now agnostic.

PETE: Oh my god. How do you know all that? Is it your Mentalist powers?

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: No. It’s all right there on my Wikipedia page.

PETE: But you used your powers to know all that info would be on there. Amazing…

DEB: Are you the Tasmanian Devil?

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: No, that is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania.

PETE: Holy shit. Your powers are incredible.

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: Do you not have Wikipedia here or something?

PETE: Hey Simon Baker, the actor who plays the Mentalist, how’s making The Mentalist going?

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: Well actually the show ended its run in 2015.

PETE: No way. How did you know that? You must have gotten that off Wikipedia, right?

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST STARES AT PETE ANGRILY.

DEB: How can it be ended? We never even got to see it?! What kind of mentalist mind game are you playing at Mr. Mentalist, if that is your real name!

SUDDENLY BEN FRANKLIN ENTERS

BEN FRANKLIN: Did someone say French Prostitute?!

PETE: Yeah but like 5 minutes ago. Get out of here, Ben Franklin.

BEN FRANKLIN: Damn. I missed it! (TO SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST) I’m a huge fan.

BEN FRANKLIN LEAVES.

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST: Anyway… I’m going to leave now. I’ve got to wax my face and go to the urologist.

DEB: Happy New Year!

SIMON BAKER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MENTALIST LEAVES

PETE: Damn it! I forgot to ask him if he had made any New Year’s resolutions. I’m the worst…

[2paclegacynet]

MTV News Spends a Day with Tupac at Venice Beach [October 27, 1995}

In 1995, Tupac Shakur and MTV News correspondent Tabitha Soren as they walked down Venice Beach in California. During the 20 minute conversation, Pac gets personal: talking about his Baltimore upbringing, his relationship with his mother and father, starting a community center with Mike Tyson, and more. See also: 1995-10-27 / Tupac Interview With Tabitha Soren (MTV) 0:01 What does Tupac Amaru Shakur mean? 0:41 Moving to the West Coast and dropping out of art school 3:07 Moving out to the West Coast and being broke 3:53 Tupac on his mother, Afeni Shakur and drug addiction 5:16 Childhood and growing up 5:41 Dealing with traumatic experiences 7:42 Going from making pizza to joining Digital Underground 9:14 Tupac gets a tattoo 9:43 Getting introduced to the 'thug mentality' 10:51 Growing up without a father 13:34 Working hard and success 14:27 Justice and finding the person who shot him 16:02 How life would be different if Tupac had a father 16:32 Tupac on being a father 17:46 Being in touch with his feminine side 18:15 Starting a community center with Mike Tyson 19:11 Distancing himself from a 'thug life' mentality 19:39 Being able to live a 'normal' or 'happy' life TRANSCRIBED Tupac: They call this place weirdo beach. I don’t know it ain’t that weird to me. MTV: Alright, give me a characterization of your childhood. Tupac: was the total opposite of what I am now. I was quiet, withdrawn, I read a lot, I wrote poetry. MTV: At what point in your early life were your exposed to this quote unquote thug life mentality? Tupac: When I was out there by myself with no where to stay and no money MTV: Which city? Bits of it was in Baltimore. Pieces of it was in Marin City and then the rest came in Oakland. MTV: And what was your first introduction? Tupac: Drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes. That’s really it. Criminals. They just the only people that cared about me at that point when I had nowhere to go and I was hungry. MTV: But you said your mother always cared about you. Tupac: She did but she was lost at that particular moment. She wasn’t caring about herself at that particular moment. MTV: What was that like? Tupac: I love my mom. She the bomb to me so. MTV: I know she is now but what about then? Tupac: It was hard. It was hard because, you know, she was my hero. MTV: And what did you do when you stopped going to school? Tupac: I only had two jobs ever in my life. One was at Roundtable Pizza, I used to make the pizza but it was good, it was the perfect job, Tabitha, ’cause I was hungry and I got to like eat all the toppings of peoples pizza. That’s where I ate ’cause everything is right there. If you imagine I was making pizzas on the side, bringing pizzas home, I’m calling in my own deliveries. MTV: Hello? Tupac: I’m saying we’re on Venice Beach that’s what you’re supposed to do. I’ve been in jail for 11 months, Tabitha. You got let me get a look once or something . MTV: Do you think it’s important to tell your fans that it’s not cool for you to end up in jail? Tupac: I don’t have any problem telling people it’s not cool to go to jail ’cause I’ve been there and it’s not cool. MTV: So just tell me how you have been feeling with all the stuff that’s been going on in the last couple of weeks. Tupac: Good. Relieved. Happy to be home. It’s a trip when you know that last week you were in jail and I was in this little cell and it was real dirty and not have any hot water and dudes were telling me when to shower and when to eat and all of that and then next week I’m up “Manny’s” with champagne, filet mignon and lobster and shrimp. MTV: Did you feel like your life was ever threatened in jail? Tupac: By the guards not by the inmates. ‘Cause they did just everything they could do to try to break me because I used to talk a lot of shit, you know, coming out of jail. MTV: No, not you. Tupac: I know, I know it’s hard to believe, Tabitha, but you just got to picture it. But, uh, you know, they would say things ’cause they would call you, uh, jail was the first place where I can go and they just went as soon I got there they went, “There he goes.” He goes, “Who?.” “There is the rich ****.” I was like, “Oh shit, he said ****, he said ****!” and everybody was looking and me like, “So?.” I was like, “Oh my God, this is where I’m gonna be staying. He said ****.” MTV: Well you got s in one of your records. Tupac: Nigga. They’re talking about s. s was the ones on the rope hanging out on the field. Niggas is the ones with gold ropes hanging out at clubs. MTV: Well maybe not everyone is not aware of the differention. Tupac: They don’t have to be. Everyone if your not a nigga and you don’t use that word you don’t have to understand it. It’s not one of those things. MTV: How did you meet the girl in the alleged rape? Tupac: I met her in the club. Some guys introduced me to her. MTV: And she was very forward with you? Tupac: Extremely MTV: And what happened? Tupac: She did some things and… MTV: Sexual things? Tupac: Yeah, she did some things there at the club and we got together later that night. I saw her again another time with the guys that introduced me to her, um, everybody was having a good time. Not we didn’t do anything sexual, just having a good time. Me and her went in there, she gave me a massage, came out, went to sleep, woke up. She’s screaming, “Rape, rape.” I raped her and the next thing I know I’m going to jail. MTV: So in your opinion there was no truth to the sexual abuse charges? Tupac: Not on my part at all. MTV: If you could go back to the night when the sexual abuse occurred is there anything you would do differently? Tupac: Yeah MTV: What? Tupac: I would not have closed my eyes till she was out of the room, until everybody was out of the room. MTV: I’ve grown up with tons of wild stories from lots of legendary rock bands and things they would do with their groupies. Do you feel like there is a double standard for black artists and white artists and how they entertain their groupies? Tupac: Yes it is a double standard because America is scared of a black mans sexuality. and they only see us as groups who could only go, “Ugh, ugh,” and they just can’t imagine us being another way and that’s why it was so easy for people to believe I could do this. MTV: It seemed like there was a time though that you were definitely reveling in the image of being wild and crazy. What got you off that path? Tupac: Five hot bullets. MTV: Tell me what happened at the recording studios in Time Square. Tupac: I got shot five times. I walked in, some dudes walked in and shot me up, um, took some jewelry. MTV: Do you know who shot you? MTV: No? Is that a no or is that a maybe? Tupac: No, I don’t know who shot me. MTV: So does that mean that you also have no idea why they shot you? Tupac: No, I have no idea why they shot me. MTV: Do you think they shot you just to get your jewelry? Tupac: I don’t know. It’s like anybody’s guess. I don’t know. I don’t really like to talk about it. MTV: At any point did you think you were going to die after being shot five times. Tupac: No. No, I didn’t. Immediately I was like, “Oh Man.” I know how it’s gonna be when I die it’s gonna be no noise you know you won’t hear people screaming. I’ma fade out. MTV: You were on trial for sex abuse charges at the time of the shooting. Tupac: I was on trial for rape and sodomy and gun possession and forcible kidnapping about 18 charges that’s why I wanted to die at that point. ‘Cause I was like you know I mean I’m tired but I lived and I was like well I can’t check out. MTV: So you felt suicidal? Tupac: Oh, definitely. It wasn’t like I was one day waking up and wanted to commit suicide just all around I felt suicidal but I couldn’t kill myself I just wanted somebody to kill me for me, you know what I mean? MTV: Yet you were still happy you survived the five gunshot wounds. Tupac: Only reason I was happy was I didn’t want them to take me out. You know I want honor man. These suckers that wanna rob you, taking you out, you know what I mean? That’s cowardly. MTV: Do you feel rehabilitated? That’s what they try to do in jail. Tupac: Nah jail is not a rehabilitation thing. I feel like I’ve grown and matured I don’t think jail had anything to do with it. MTV: Tell me what you’ve been recording in the studio since you got out of jail Tupac: Euphanasia is the name of the album. It’s a double album I’ma release it for Christmas. It’s gonna have Snoop on it, me and him did a song called “Amerika’z Most Wanted.” MTV: Do you feel like rappers should be more responsible for their lyrics? Tupac: Um, yes. MTV: What would you define as irresponsible? Tupac: You talk about murder and death and you don’t talk about the pain or you talk about killing and robbing and stealing and you don’t talk about jail and death and betrayal and all things that go with it. MTV: A lot of people would characterize your music as gangsta rap. Do you? Tupac: No MTV: Why not? Tupac: Marlon Brando is not a gangsta actor. He’s an actor. Axel Rose and them are not gangsta rock ‘n’ rollers. They’ve got rock ‘n’ rollers right? So I’ma rapper. This is what I do. I’m an artist. MTV: Does anything that Bob Dole says make any sense to you as far as rap is concerned? Tupac: Nah, I have no disrespect towards Bob Dole. I know he don’t know what he’s talking about. He’s just talking. Some card that somebody gave him he’s just reading off that card. But he’s cute, you know what I mean? He’s my grandfather. MTV: One of the characterizations made of rappers often is that they’re very boastful. It seems like right now you’re taking pain to be humble and look at things from a very realistic perspective. Is that accurate? Tupac: Yes, I think being humble is sexy. That’s my new put I’m pushing humble. MTV: You’re being humble to get chicks? Tupac: I’m starting to turn you on, Tabitha. As a matter of fact, I’m hoping my humble thing is gonna get to you . MTV: So you got married in prison? Tupac: Yeah MTV: What happened with that? Tupac: It didn’t work. Not because of her or me or jail it just wasn’t the right thing to do at the time. I married her for the wrong reasons. MTV: What were the reasons? Tupac: I cared about her but I married her because I was in jail, I was alone and I didn’t want to be alone. MTV: How would you compare to fame and fortune in 1995 to how you did a couple years ago? Tupac: I believe I’m more responsible, more mature and more focused and I will be more focused and even more responsible and even more mature in time. MTV: It seems like the two sides of Tupac are constantly battling with each other. One minute your spitting at TV cameras, the next you’re talking about Shakespeare. Have you reconciled those two? Tupac: Hopefully. I’d like to think so. I think that I’m really I was a reactionary and now I don’t do that anymore. Same person, just I don’t react. Before I reacted I didn’t like the cameras, I’d spit. MTV: The last time we talked you said that you were best known for your big mouth. What do you feel you’re best known for now? Tupac: Taking five bullets. Surviving. I’m known as a survivor now. I hope so for the jail thing, bullets, and the everything. Controversies and everything. I hope so. And I wanna be in the future known as somebody, you know, I want people be talking about me like, you know, “Remember when he was real bad? Remember when Tupac was real bad?” You know what I mean? They do that about a lot of actors now. Like John Travolta I read stories and it’s like, “Remember when you were wild?” And all these other people they now are sweethearts. We all should get that chance. I just want my chance. Read the full article

[gracedman]

In Search of the Prodigal Son Pt. 2

Chapter Two - Candidate Number One

I use the word “candidate” in the sense of a “nominee” or a “strong possibility” because only in heaven will we be able to really discover an issue such as this. On a certain level, it isn’t as important to reach a final conclusion as it is to dig and search the scriptures for God’s heart. That being said; I would like to suggest that Judah be considered our top candidate. Personally, I believe Jesus used him as his source for this parable.

The life and story line of Judah himself are found in the book of Genesis. You probably know that he was the son of Jacob and one of the twelve tribal heads of Israel. Later when the kingdom was divided, the southern portion was called “Judah”. But for many of us, the rest of his life is a mystery.

Judah was the fourth son of Leah, the wife of Jacob (Gen. 29:35). Like the Prodigal, he had elder brothers. Yet, it is not until the 37th chapter of Genesis in verse 26 that Judah is mentioned again in any significant way. There he is quoted as the one who suggests that it would be better to sell Joseph into slavery than to kill him. Perhaps, his true heart motives are revealed i.e. He is in love with Money. One can easily imagine Judah as the one who took the lead in the transaction with the Midianite traders, as the rest of the brothers listened and helped. Reuben seems unaware of the transaction. Did Judah eventually end up with most of those 20 shekels of silver in his own pocket? What a battle and a burden they must have become. When they all lie and deceive their father, it is not hard to imagine that Judah found fewer and fewer of his brothers eager to share in their ill-gotten gain. Perhaps, they even secretly returned their portion to him, unwilling to bear the blood money that had caused such anguish and sorrow in their father’s heart. Jacob cried “I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus, his father, Jacob, wept for Joseph. Genesis 37:35. In Genesis 38:1-ff, (Note that all these Hebrew Names had literal Meanings) Judah departs from his father and brothers to dwell with a certain Adullamite (Human Justice), whose name was Hirah (Human Nobility or Noble Race). There he met a man named Shua (Wealth) and married his daughter. They had three sons and end up living in Chezib (A Lie). Sound a bit like the Prodigal’s far country and riotous living!

What seems pretty clear is that Judah leaves the covering that his father and family provided to live with the people of Canaan. There it is also reasonable to conclude that Judah made a habit of visiting prostitutes or Tamar wouldn’t have taken that route in her deception. She knew his lifestyle and exploited it. Read Genesis 38 and doesn’t he mirror and fit the description, “this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots” Luke 15:30.

What is undeniable is the severe famine. With Joseph in Egypt and exalted because he properly anticipates and prepares Egypt for the famine based upon Pharaoh's dreams, back in Canaan, Judah repents and is restored to his father and his father’s house. He quickly regains leadership in activities with his father and with the unrecognized Joseph. The actual story is more complex than the Prodigal Son’s, but it doesn’t seem far fetched to me that Jesus redacted the basis of his narrative from Judah’s life. Note the progression in the following verses:

Before he left his father and family:

Genesis 37:26-27 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened.

Then after he returned:

Genesis 43:8-10 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. "I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time."

Genesis 44:14-18 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?" Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found." But he (Joseph) said, "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father." Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.

Later, sounding a bit like Jesus’ Prodigal, Judah revealed the deep work of God in his heart:

Genesis 44:32-34 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.' "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. "For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?"

Luke 15:18–19 (ESV) I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

Later Jacob demonstrated his full confidence in Judah:

Genesis 46:27-28 …. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.

At the end of his life Jacob, showed God’s gracious future for Judah’s life and family:

Genesis 49:8-12 "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.

Surely, We can see elements of the Prodigal in Judah’s life.

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Wednesday 15th August 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Even though it’s a clear sky this morning, it feels humid, or “Sticky” as my Mother used to say, Bella agrees as she does an impression of a cartoon dog with her tongue having almost to the floor, but we will not complain, we are out together walking sharing the start of the day with each other.. as we pass the church I notice two ladies dressed in black, waiting at the door for the priest to let them in, looks like another member of the dwindling congregation had crossed the great divide, and as if to confirm my thoughts the great bell in the steeple starts to toll…..

TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER JAN ULLRICH HELD FOR 'PROSTITUTE ASSAULT'…. Tour de France-winning cyclist Jan Ullrich has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a prostitute in Frankfurt. "He is in police custody," a police spokesman told AFP news agency, adding that the German national "was under the influence of alcohol and drugs". The 44-year-old won the race in 1997. He was also arrested the previous Friday in Majorca after reportedly jumping over a neighbour's fence and making threats. Mr Ullrich said he was only trying to talk to his neighbour. The neighbour was revealed to be German actor and director Til Schweiger, who starred in Quentin Tarrantino's Inglourious Basterds. He told local media he would not be pressing charges against his former "good friend", but a restraining order was issued. The latest incident happened in a luxury hotel. Police said he argued with an "escort lady" and "physically attacked and injured her". German news site Spiegel said his lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

RISE IN WOLF ATTACKS ALARMS DUTCH SHEEP FARMERS…. Dutch sheep farmers are worried that a sharp rise in wolf attacks may force them to install expensive electric fencing to protect their flocks. In the first half of this year wolves killed 138 sheep in the Netherlands, but the total for 2017 was less than 20, a wolf expert told the BBC. It is a new problem for the Dutch - March 2015 was the first time for 150 years that a wolf had been confirmed roaming in the Netherlands. Maurice La Haye, a biologist at the Dutch Mammal Society, said: "It's very difficult to protect against a lone wolf - you can place electric fences round the sheep, but it's expensive." He told the BBC that young lone wolves looking for mates were entering the country from Germany, expanding their territory and posing a risk to farmers. But the threat has to be seen in perspective. He pointed out that the Netherlands has about 800,000 sheep, and dogs kill as many as 13,000 every year. Wolf attacks can be very distressing for farmers, however. It has just been confirmed that one wolf in June killed 12 sheep and savaged 14 others, which had to be put down. So the farmer, in Lierderholthuis near Zwolle in the eastern Netherlands, lost 26 sheep because of one wolf. The DNA result confirming it was a wolf came back only this week.

COWS ALLOWED TO VISIT SWEDISH NUDIST BEACHES IN HEATWAVE…. Cows are common sights on some European beaches, but Swedish nudist bathers in the south aren't happy. The government in southern Sweden have granted permission for cows to visit nudist beaches during the prolonged summer heatwave, despite complaints from locals, it's reported. According to The Local news website, nudists have been complaining to officials in provincial Smaland about livestock visiting their beaches, saying that their presence is "unhygienic and could pose a health risk". It says the roasting summer heat affecting much of continental Europe has led to drought throughout the country, and has meant that farmers have been struggling to feed their animals. This has meant that some farmers have decided to slaughter their cattle earlier than usual; but others have instead decided to bring their livestock to nearby nudist beaches, in order to cool them down, public broadcaster SVT reports. "When it's this dry, you don't want cows to be brought to slaughter out of necessity. They need to be able to bathe, eat and drink," municipal official Peter Bengtsson says. Complaints from bathers have led to municipal Vaxjo's Culture and Leisure Department taking a vote on whether the cattle were ok to visit, and have ruled they "have just as much right to be there as the human visitors".

PRESIDENTIAL REGALIA STOLEN FROM CAR IN BOLIVIA…. Bolivia's historic presidential medal and sash have been stolen from a car parked in a red light district in the city of El Alto. A military officer said he had left the historic emblems in a rucksack in his car, while on his way to the airport. The bag was later found by police in a local church after a tip-off. The gold medal is studded with emeralds and dates to the country's foundation in 1825, when it was presented to national hero Simón Bolívar. Quoted by AFP news agency, former Bolivian President Carlos Mesa compared the crime to "the theft of the crown of Queen Elizabeth II of England". President Evo Morales was due to wear the emblems at the annual celebration of the armed forces on Wednesday but appeared without them. The officer in question had made his way to El Alto airport, west of the capital La Paz, in order to fly to Cochabamba to give them to Mr Morales. However, the officer missed his flight and the items disappeared while he waited for his rescheduled departure. When he returned to his car, he found the rucksack was gone. The guard has been arrested and an investigation is under way, the country's defence ministry says. Containing 22-carat gold and almost 200 years old, the medal is usually kept with the sash in the vault at the Bank of Bolivia. The items are only taken out for ceremonial use.

BULGARIAN COW SAVED FROM SLAUGHTER AFTER STRAYING OVER EU BORDER…. A pregnant Bulgarian cow which was facing imminent slaughter has been saved, according to the Conservative MEP who waded into the diplomatic row. Penka was due to be put down after straying to non-EU member state Serbia. Bulgarian officials said strict EU importation rules meant the animal had to be destroyed. John Flack, who represents the East of England and lives in Swaffham, said: "I'm delighted common sense and compassion have prevailed." "I'm thrilled that Penka and her unborn calf have been spared this cruelty." Penka had wandered away from her herd and crossed a nearby border into Serbia. Although she was returned to the farm fit and well, a "super strict" reading of EU health regulations for animals brought into the EU was applied, Mr Flack said. Under EU rules, bovine animals must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate upon entry, detailing "requirements in relation to BSE". Mr Flack wrote to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to stop what he called "a travesty of justice". Penka was placed in quarantine and on Monday the Bulgarian Food Safety Authority said it had given her a clean bill of health and removed the death sentence. Mr Flack said: "The original decision lacked all humanity and sensible judgment. "I am so pleased that things have been reconsidered and a kinder approach is being taken. "Sadly, animals face deplorable treatment every day all over the world, but if just one blatant wrong can be righted, then it is worthwhile having a go."

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are such a lovely combination of Blue and White...

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 15th August 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Travel #News #Blog

[losdesnudoscas-blog]

The World's Vanity

Has there ever been a place where people do not get treated as human beings but treated as tools? If not, welcome to Earth. The majority of civilizations around the world are ruled by misogynistic governments, dictatorships or kings. Women in this world are treated as objects rather than living beings. The film, La Pantalla Desnuda by Florence Jaugey, takes place in Nicaragua. People here in the U.S, like myself do not take into consideration that these Nicaraguan people go through the same things everyone does. To be more specific, in the film it takes a perspective that is posed in order for the view to relate to its raw nature. Since it takes place in a third world country, the effects of their poverty come into play with the struggles they have. Florence Jaugey tackles the issues, such as oppression or misogynistic views. This film depicts what women have to deal with on a deal basis by including raw scenes that show women's struggle to deal with the double-standard set by society, express their sexuality and a way to maintain empowerment.    

Sexual orientation is a virtue that is unequal on both sides but just like always, women get it the worst. La Pantalla Desnuda takes place in Nicaragua, where the people are in this mostly general catholic perspective of both men and women. Children who are born in the United States that are first generation and have parents that migrated, still place these ideals onto their children. This is relevant in the sense that Alex and Esperanza are attending a Catholic Aragarian, meaning that religion also plays a role in their academic and social life. However, it is apparent through the film that not everyone abides by the "holy" aspect of how people should behave. The movie then proceeds to show the intimate scene between Alex and Esperanza, Alex suggest that they should record themselves having sex. Esperanza takes note of this and heeds to tell him to turn it off because she does not like the idea of being recorded. He does as she asks but he then does it again and she brushes it off her shoulder. One thing to notice is since Alex was recording the video, his face did not show. He then tells her that it will be a memory for them when they are older. Now here is where the injustice comes. It is injust for Alex to have recorded that video without having consent from Esperanza. This none consent that comes from Esperanza can be due to the fact that she does not want anyone to question her purity, being raised with Catholicism. Yet it is her right to express her own sexuality and show how she can ignore the set double-standards.

In La Pantalla Desnuda, there is the scene in which Esperanza is in the bathroom and she is being teased about her sex tape being released. This is seen after Ocatvio had release the video and posted it on a social platform, specifically what they call NicaTube.The tease that they play is they make moaning noises similar to what Esperanza does in the video with Alex. In the movie they mimic the noise she made of "Ya, ya, ya". They mock her moaning in the sense they are calling her a slut and that she is sexually active. The girls in the bathroom put up the façade that they are better than Esperanza because they still consider themselves "pure". Esperanza is then put into thinking that she is not who she is just because she is being judged for having sex. This whole demenor can be because of the fact that they are in a religious school and are taught to save themselves for marriage. However, only women are told to do this and not men. Why is that men are praised for being sexually active but women are degraded? In another scene in La Pantalla Desnuda is where Alex is leaving his classroom and he is greeted by Octavio and Octavio praises him for sleeping with Esperanza and because he has a video about it. Something to note about the video is that only Esperanza's face is shown and not Alex's. Could this be because if a man is the thumbnail for a sexual video it will receive less view than it were to be a woman? This goes onto show the double-standards society has. If a woman is being sexually active, it is seen as sexually desirable by men by as an insult to the purity that women allegedly have to maintain. The struggles that women have for their expression on their sexuality should be as equal as men. In this movie, this is not the case. One important point that I want to state is that Octavio's family is religious and yet he does not abide by the religious aspect of doing good. Octavio's mom is a contradicting character because she can sympathize with the way that Esperanza is seen because she is a woman herself. She then notices the strange behavior that Octavio has. Since Octavio's mom has seen the video, it is a weird way that she does not try and defend Esperanza. To jump around for a bit, towards somewhat the middle/end of the movie, Octavio's mom tries to destroy Alex's phone because it can be used as evidence to use against Octavio in order to blame him for the video. Why does the mom do this and not bring justice to Esperanza? She is a catholic woman and she chose to destroy the personal identity of another girl to keep her son from getting in trouble. How does this abide to the religious aspect of right over wrong? It is sad to think that women themselves bring each other down when one wants to be sexually active and empower themselves.

Women who are raised along religion are taught to be powerful because of their status to bear kids and be the foundation of a house, yet it is these confines that bring down the empowerment of women. This film's main aspect is how a young woman is being brought down for expressing her sexuality. Why can men be sexual beings but women cannot? This question is an important one to address because of the background that this movie took place. In a previous paragraph I mentioned that this movie is taken place in Nicaragua at a religious school. Now I will take the whole movie in analysis by the way it depicts women in different aspects. A scene in the movie that shows women being empowered is the sexual desire that Esperanza has because it is virtue that every woman have the right to have. The specific scene that I am talking about is when Esperanza wants to have consensual sex at the what seems to be a motel.  However, boys growing up are not really watched upon with what they do with their bodies. Women have to live in constant fear if they are sexual beings. A scene from the movie that was graphic on what women experience is when two guys follow Esperanza and eventually ask her to get in their truck with then but she refuses, which make the guys following her angry and that is when they try to rape her. Now to dissect this scene a little more. The men in the truck before they try to rape her are calling her in a somewhat passive-aggressive manner in order to sway Esperanza. Is this correct thought? In actually, the way that men talk to Esperanza is in the aspect of how they would talk to a prostitute. After she gets in the car, they treat her as if she was a tool of pleasure.  It is astonishingly scare to think that some men think it is okay to rape women because they are sexually active. This treatment of women is just not correct. Technology has amplified this by so much. With the technology that we have today, it is very easy to manipulate the way women are portrayed. In social media, women are exposed on the daily and so are men but it doesn’t happen as much as women. A quote from the song "Bandera Negra" that is supporting the idea that women should do what they please and only for themselves is, "On the platform wearing high heels not because I'm a piece of ass, I like looking good while I sing on the mic". This quote/lyric goes to show that even high heels are stigmatizes with sexuality of women. Articles of clothing have always been associated with how women act, which is completely preposterous. Men do not have these problems, however when men wear pink, they are suggested to be gay which is also wrong. An image by Lily Avcevedo that shows how girls have to be pretty and proper regardless of where they are is where it is a little girl and a blue background with her thoughts leading to memories. An interesting point to notice is in one of her depictions, a little girl sitting on a swing set with guns holding up the swing set itself. This can be interpreted it in many ways but the one that is obvious is that the little girl looks like she is accustomed to that lifestyle.

The way governments and social rule have been established is with men on top and only men. This is how women are placed so low on socio-economic statuses. A specific quote from "Bandera Negra" to tackle this aspect is, " I don’t look for power because I am anarchist" Women in other parts of the globe are seen as way more superior then men for reasons such as women being able to give life and they have superior mental strength. These patriarchal systems are still currently set in place without regards of women. A quote/lyric from "Bandera Negra" that is symbolizing unity is "I fight the power that colonizes minds". Furthermore, the quote/lyric relates to how Europeans came to the Americas and the United States to colonize people's minds in to a singularity that they thought was right. Rebeca Lane is coming from another third world country, Guatemala. She is seen in many views. Her being an anarchist, she can be seen as a radical because she does not follow everyone else does. Feminist believe that women are equal to men however, technology has shaped this to be out of proportion. Misogynistic men think that when women gain power they will bring chaos. Another thing that these men think is that since men have always been in control, women could not do the same as men. The movie empowers women in being comfortable with who they are and not to be ashamed of who they are because they are human being just like everyone else. Women of color have it the worst in the world. These women have to struggle so much through racism and oppression. A graffiti art image that supported the empowerment of women is by Malu. The graffiti depicts a beautiful woman with hibiscus flowers in her hair which implies that she is a beautifully strong woman. Seeing that this is in the streets, Malu wants to show people on the streets that women are beautiful regards of where or who the people are. Another quote/lyric from "Bandera Negra" that demonstrates that women have a voice regardless of skin color is " I will cut silenced throats with one slash". This quote/lyric is one of the best symbols that women need to express their voices and to stand up together so they can be heard in this world.

In conclusion, Florence Jaugey tackles the issues, such as supression on women by women themselves and men. This film shows what women have to go through on the day by day basis by including scenes that show women's efforts in order to deal with the double-standard set by society, express their sexuality and a way to maintain empowerment. Women are equal to men in every way and deserve recognition. The film La Pantalla Desnuda, does an good job of showing how women are treated. This can be applied anywhere in the world and regardless of religious aspect. The dark side of this film is that the movie shows women degrading each other instead of standing up and uniting with each other to rise against oppression.The women of Central America that were mentioned in this essay are examples of beautiful strong women who empower who they are and do not let anyone stop them. The film gives all of its viewers a perspective that not every movie has a happy ending. Technology's advancement can also be seen in this movie more in a negative perspective since the way the video spread was through a phone and that an internet café shut down.

   Works Cited Page

Lane, Rebeca. Bandera Negra. C.S.O Casa Naranja. 2014

La Pantalla Desnuda by Florence Jaguey

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[24movieworld]

Movies so bad that they’re fun: Review of Tokyo Gore Police

Have you ever seen a movie so bad, that as you were watching it, you paid less attention to what was going on and more to the fact that you’re still allowing your brain to process it? Have you ever seen a movie so bad that the longer you watch it, the more horrified and worried you become at the sheer size of the balls on the director and screenwriter? Like if they would go that far then what would they do next? I’m prepared to admit that in my exhaustive search to give you my opinions on some of the best Asian cinema out there…I have often come across the worst.

Now I too have seen the dark side. And its kung-fu is strong. One in particular that I just have to get off my chest is Tokyo Gore Police. I think a moment of horrified silence would be appropriate here.

…Done? Ok. Here’s what happened. I’m breezing through info on the movie Death Bell and I happen across a phrase that was new to me. Torture porn. As I said in the Death Bell review, I didn’t see the correlation between that phrase and the actual movie. I wondered about it but eventually moved on. Apparently though my subconscious was working against me because the next movie that I decided to check out is TGP. Now that I know what torture porn is I wished I didn’t. I’ve seen some pretty pointless, and idiotic movies in the U.S (in particular a movie where a man’s penis is cut off and then inches across the floor like an earth worm, only to later leap on and strangle the woman whose attempting to kill his…owner.) but nothing like this.

The hot girl on the cover in the high heels, thigh highs (complete with garter), and shiny sword is a lie. A decoy. A trick to lure in the unsuspecting and innocent like lamb to the slaughter.

Which is what makes it so great. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s a bad movie. I don’t want to offend anyone who liked it but to me it sucked. But I will admit that that suckage is what makes it awesome. Let me explain.

Basically TGP is set in futuristic Japan. The city is being terrorized by a serial killer called the Key Man (Itsuji Itao), who’s created a virus. Once infected, a human will turn into monster hybrid thing that basically only thinks about killing. The only way to get rid of them is to cut off the body part where the virus is hiding or they’ll come back. To help fight them off the Tokyo police have privatized a group dedicated to hunting the Engineers (the infected humans). Ruka (Eihi Shiina), who’s been assigned to help the specialized team since she’s so good at killing Engineers, is the main character. She cuts herself and doesn’t like people, but she can cut a man’s face up like sliced ham with a chainsaw with the best of them. The movie is dedicated to Ruka’s search for the Key Man and also her father’s murderer. During her search she not only loses a few of more loved ones, she also loses her sense of justice when she begins to uncover the depth of corruption and cruelty that the specialized force is actually capable of.

Really, the storyline seems like just an excuse to kill something, but that’s alright since the actual killing is done with such flare. Whether she’s cutting herself or someone else, the amount of blood spilled in this movie could sink an ocean liner. The little nicks sends gallons of blood, not just seeping, but gushing like a broken fire hydrant for what seems like hours. It gets to the point where that’s all a scene is. Blood. Had the director been trying for the shock effect, I would have rimmed him a new one. But since his aim was more a celebration of blood and guts he did a great job. That much of the stuff eventually makes a person numb to it, and appropriately enough each successive scene was worse than the last.

For instance the genitals fight was a particular envelope pusher for me. These prostitutes have been made into Engineers. Whatever is cut or damaged reforms with an inanimate object and becomes a part of that person’s body. So one prostitute was made into a flesh chair. No head, no arms. Just her legs and torso formed into a sitting chair. At first she looks dead but then you see the chest rise and fall and the crowd who was bidding on the hookers starts to applaud. I hated that part.

One prostitute alteration I liked was this one chick whose whole bottom half had been fused with a shark I guess because instead of legs and a VJ (censorship practice) there’s these rows and rows of killer teeth ending in a black hole. She bites off this guy’s who-ha and he shoots her in the whoopsy-daisy before turning into an Engineer himself. Then…and you guessed it; his thingermabob is recreated into this, literally, ten foot monster that acts as a sort of bullet proof shield against rocket launchers, swords, and other assorted weapons. Then there’s a high-schooler Engineer with a giant razor for an arm and machine gun boobies. And not fun ones like the ones on Austin Powers either. Creepy ones.

And so ends the genital wars.

There’s this scene, a useless one in my book, where Ruka drags this guy from a train after accusing him of touching her but. Then she cuts off his hands and the blood, expectedly enough, gushes forth at such a rate that it fills the air with red rain for the full five minutes it takes Ruka to walk off screen in slow motion.

The one thing I liked was the commercials. In the movie it keeps panning to show these commercials that are being broadcasted in the city. They’re hilarious. One has a guy who didn’t buy the right cell phone or something, so he had to commit ritual suicide. He cuts his stomach open and his guts fly out like confetti and he dies for like two seconds before popping back up with a smile and saying something completely inappropriate for the situation. Like call toll free now for a quote or something to that effect.

Another one had this psycho running into a group of kids playing soccer until he, is in turn, shot by the specialized force. Then the police cut up his body and play soccer with the kids with the guys head replacing the actual soccer ball.

Then there was one for your own murder Wii. A father and son are slashing a criminal open with their Wii sword and mom comes in from backing cookies and joins in. It’s family fun.

The best one was for self-cutters. They advertise a handy little razor that comes in several different colors. Apparently it’s super kawai, and if you want to be cool you need to get the latest in cutting technology. The blade is sharp and the bleeding high schoolers are just so happy. It’s so demented that it works. I wish we had commercials like that, but the U.S has this stupid censoring thing going on right now, so no luck there.

I also liked some of the character designs. The woman with swords for arms and legs and a slave mask for a face was brilliant. Especially since she walked around on all fours, on sword tip, and acted more like a dog than an actual person. The fight sequences with her were flawless and I wish there were more scenes involving her since they were the most engaging. Mostly because there was little to no bloodshed during that fight. With knife appendages you’d think they would have run with it.

Go figure.

Shot and released in just two weeks Tokyo Gore Police appeared on screen in Japan in June of 2008. The movie received, surprisingly enough, rave reviews, even from critics. People loved it, especially in the U.S and its earned 100 points on RottenTomatoes.

Again. Go figure.

If you aren’t really into pointless gore, avoid watching this movie unless you’re with people who can help you make fun of it. I messed up because I saw it the first time by myself which means that I can never see it again unless I’m heavily sedated and or surrounded by friends…Or weed. I bet a stoner would get a kick out of this movie. I say good for you stoner. Have fun.

Tokyo Gore Police was written by Kengo Kaji, Sayako Nakoshi, and Yoshihiro Nishimura and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura.

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[jonboudposts]

What We Never Talk About When We Talk About Race

On 17 August 2017, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said we need to have a talk in this country about sexual abuse, in the wake of Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion standing down from the Shadow Cabinet after her comments that Pakistani men only rape and abuse white girls.

This was in reference to the criminal case in which a group of eighteen men and one woman were jailed for grooming and sexually assaulting young girls in Newcastle.  The routine follows a well-worn structure; vulnerable young ladies not fully on the radar of social services or police, often coming from homes with problems that prevent the functioning of everyday life proceeding easily, are targeted by sexual offenders.

The response has, as ever, been extraordinary for the wrong reasons and equally followed a structure. The routine was to forget any action or circumstance carried out by anyone who is not one of the South Asian men who committed the crimes.  Almost like we were trying to promote racial intolerance and hide the terrible extent that child abuse runs in British society.

Sarah Champion does not to want to discuss all this though.  During an interview on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on 10 August, she merely wanted to use this opportunity to bash the left and scream that we have a ‘problem with Pakistani men raping and abusing white girls’ in this country - apparently she is also concerned about increases in Islamophobia when she discusses this issue.  She went on to whine about a politically-correct conspiracy by management in social services to deny the ethnicity of perpetrators.

Here we go again.

Champion later went on to publish an article saying the same thing in the national hate rag The Sun; all while she was SC Minister for Women and Equalities.

Today the press are trying to make a big thing of her departure but frankly she got off lightly. The only criticism I have for the Labour leadership in this case is they did not fire Champion; instead letting her resign from her Shadow Cabinet position.  She is no better than a hate preacher and has no place in public life.

On the same edition of the Today programme, Lord Ken MacDonald made his now-oft-quoted point that this was ‘a profoundly racist crime’.  This is wrong from the off (prejudiced it might be but not racist) but also plays into the narrative.

Later on in the day we got some sense and balance, courtesy of Woman’s Hour, where Jenny Murray interviewed Laura Seebohm from an organisation called Changing Lives; plus Detective Inspector Claire Wheatley who worked on the Operation Sanctuary. Changing Lives has been involved in helping out women with traumatic and abusive lives for ten years

Laura spoke of the victims sharing treats like previous abuse, poor mental health and sexual violence in their lives; being groomed sometimes from childhood.  Girls and women in these situations often fail to come forward for fear they will not be believed.

DI Wheatley spoke of concerns that had existed over the victim’s behaviour and ‘certain lifestyle characteristics, helping to create for many the feeling they were not victims and making it difficult to identify where abuse was taking place.  It was ‘absolutely the case’ some victims thought these criminals were their boyfriends according to Laura.

So by engaging with victims and support groups, a better understanding for all is achieved, sex offenders stopped and jailed and vulnerable people better empowered. Meanwhile, the media shouts about the criminal’s ethnicity and achieves nothing.

One result of this is to make victim services stronger and more bespoke; including knocking the police into line to take this shit seriously.  DI Wheatley talked of the ‘massive cultural change’ taken place within the police force in understanding sexual exploitation and moves to improve prevention. Funding cuts also made the job more difficult.

Both speakers agreed the case in Newcastle was extreme, not any kind of norm. Ongoing investigations involving white offenders have so far failed to catch media attention in the same way (though no doubt of some perpetrators turn out to be Eastern European they will be all over it).

Woman’s Hour made an effort along with their guests to look at the complex narrative going on, the details of the victim’s lives and what put them in harms way, the ‘reality of life’ as Laura put it of girls and young women known to social services for some time, perhaps through the criminal justice system or homelessness, with the sadly common drug and alcohol dependency thrown in too. In partnership with the police, Changing Lives were able to engage with the girls directly and help bring this case against their abusers, gaining a full understanding of the level of grooming.

It is a terrible judgement of the supposedly flagship news programme Today that they spit out their venomous shite; while Jenny Murray and co show them how it is done an hour later, but that is for another article.

But still, we need to talk about race.  Not avoid it and duck the important questions right?

The biggest problem with any discussion about race in Britain is we never talk about white people. White people are not a race it seems; we are just ‘normal’, average (well most of you are certainly that) and when we commit any crime, our race goes unmentioned.  In the case of child abuse, this is a particularly problematic oversight.

White people have fucked kids for years.  They like fucking their own kids; pre-teens in particular.  Within the institutions: the family; the scouts, sports clubs and public schools. The Catholic Church have fucked many unwanted, vulnerable children, they have taken away children birthed by vulnerable young girls who suffered moral judgement and then for many years taken into a form of slavery.

None of us talk about these crimes in the same way.  The Catholic Church is not seen as some humanity-hating outside force that has come into ‘our’ society from outside to pollute and destroy it.  Nobody tries to pull the crosses from around the necks of any woman walking down the street (thankfully).

Here’s another thing to discuss; the girls who were victimised here had something in common. ‘They were all white’ I hear you cry. They were all vulnerable too.  Why were they vulnerable?  

Lord MacDonald repeatedly referred to the idea of how these girls are seen as ‘trash’ who can be exploited easily. As other abuse scandals have shown, social services and the police were often directly involved in letting down the victims of these terrible crimes, either through lack of resources or on purpose.  We know police were often informed about inappropriate relationships between grown men and teenage girls and just as often this was dismissed.  Parents of victims were told their daughter had made a lifestyle choice; no investigation necessary.  Some were even suggested to be actively working as prostitutes (another group of people treated like worthless shit in Britain).  One officer in Newcastle was eventually fired because he refused to investigate one of the now-jailed perpetrators.  

Then the terrible news breaks and we hear from many quarters (such as known far right extremists) that we ‘knew’ this was happening all along.  Really?  Then why didn’t you do something about it big man?  Where have been the patrols of concerned white men and women in these towns and cities looking out for vulnerable white girls being pulled off the streets and into the clutches of Muslim sex beasts?  

British society sees these victims as trash.  Infamous polls have been taken where alarmingly high amounts of people respond that the way a woman dresses in public can lead to rape.  We pass groups of youths in the streets every day and do not give a rusty fuck what they are doing and who with.  The police are too busy to care.  The social services are fighting for dear life on skeletal budgets cut for political reasons.

I have heard it said that Muslim girls are never treated like this.  Well, some of them are and they suffer as much as anyone, but they also get ignored because they are not politically useful.  ‘Ah but what about the cultural aspect’ I hear some cry.

Let us talk about a cultural aspect here.  Young Muslim girls, as part of cultural practices, can be subjected to scrutiny in ways many (myself included) find invasive, with parents making decisions for them, etc. Again they are not the only group who live like this but it does happen.  One perhaps positive aspect though is parents have more potential to know where their kids are, certainly in the evening or later.

Young people are often vulnerable and like other groups, they are often this way because wider society and it’s institutions do not care about them or fail them in some way. There is no judgment from me towards parents or social workers or anyone else that does a job so hard it makes my head ache thinking about it; but where these failures take place, it produces vulnerability and it is not like the rest of society take up the slack on protection and care.

No doubt the perpetrators of all this vileness look down on their victims, but which sexual predators do not? In fact if you go to many places in the world including countries closer to home, there is often an assumption that English women and girls are ‘easy’.

Most of the people who claim to be worried about this are not.  It does not matter to them, just like everything else they complain about. Most live very materially-easy lives. You only really care about yourselves and the suffering of others is immaterial.  In order to justify this, certain narratives must be told, invented and firmly believed in to make you feel less horrible.

There is no South Asian Muslim sex conspiracy at work here; there are no councils who do not want to face the issue of ‘Muslim rape’ in their local areas and there is no concern for the victims among the far right scum who look to make political capital from thee terrible situations.

So, another group of young girls were subjected to systematic sexual abuse at the hands of an organised gang of sexual predators, able to do so in part due to the low status the victims had in British society; a society where some of the most well known people and highest institutions have been directly involved in terrible acts of sexual abuse too and never been punished.  

Yes Mr Javid, let’s have a good, long talk about sexual abuse in Britain.

‘How long will this go on?’ screams the ever calm and balanced Daily Mail.  As long as Britain does not give a fuck about it’s most vulnerable.