Just two things!

First: Read this story
(link: http://diannesylvan.typepad.com/dancing_down_the_moon/2008/02/for-racu-an-ane.html)

Excerpt: "If you walk up to a black man and call him that dreaded "n word" or tell him he should be tap dancing and eating fried chicken, you'll be thought of as a bigot, but if you insult someone's appearance to their faces in public or tell a fat woman she should be on Atkins, it's considered "helpful advice." You don't know this woman, why she's fat, or anything about her life, but it's okay to be cruel, because obviously she's lazy and self-indulgent and you, as a skinny evangelist, have the right to say whatever you want if you think it's for her own good. People don't believe this kind of shit happens, but it happens every day."

and secondly this picture:


I think you get what "side" I'm on here. This is wrong, wrong, wrong! Give Palestine their land back!

-C.S.

Leaked Torture List

Not what you thought! I don't know how real this is suppose to be but apparently this is a leaked playlist of songs played while the U.S. military tortures people or something along those lines. Take a good look at some of those songs!!



Barney?

-C.S.

Done

ah, the joy of being done.


however...




-c.s.

sleepless in university

I'm pretty tired right now. I'm trying to get a detailed outline done for my essay due on Wednesday. I've just looked at my calendar and realized that I shouldn't be allowed to go home or relax at all because of all that I have due. One/two things a week. And I thought November was rough!

There is one thing that keeps me going during these stressful weeks. I have less than 40 days to go before I am done with my BA! (I'm praying to God that the Bachelor of Education doesn't involve this amount of stress. I'm honestly hoping that I can BS my way through it.)

If the BEd turns out to be more stressful than I think I can always fall back on this profession:




-C.S.

I don't want to be offensive but....

Aren't they taking it a bit too far?

I am sick of reading articles about how Muslims are taking everything to be offensive. Recently I just watched a youtube video of one of my favourite vloggers BenLoka who recently appeared on a British TV Show. He was warned prior to airing that he would not be allowed to play any of his Hare Krishna songs that he is famous on youtube for because the Muslims find it offensive.

Then there's the whole Doritos factor. Muslims are now upset because some brands of Doritos contain trace amounts of alcohol.

Now Pakistan has blocked youtube because it contains some videos offensive to Islam. I'm pretty sure that you can find a video on youtube that is offensive to any sentiment, religion, politic standing, etc.

Muslims are also boycotting Wikipedia for having images of Muhammad.

Then there was that fiasco where the kids chose to name the teddy bear Muhammed.

I just read that they found some Burger King ice cream cones to be offensive because, if you look at them in the right light and from the proper angle they look somewhat similar to the word for Allah.

A book called "The Three Little Cowboy Builders" which was originally shortlisted to win an award was completely cast off the list because it might be offensive to some Muslims.

You can actually find a full list here: http://amboytimes.typepad.com/the_amboy_times/2007/02/the_list_of_thi.html

I just think the whole thing has been taken a little too far.

I am well aware that the Muslim concerns are heightened since the Iraq war but this is no excuse to demand that everyone bend to your will. Ray Bradbury wrote once that we will no longer have anything to write about if we are afraid of stepping on people's toes. We can't write books about cats because it will offend people who like dogs yet we can't write a book about dogs because it will offend the people who like cats. "For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be tey dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphi, nuclear-head or water-conversationalist, pro-computerologist or Neo-Luddite, simpleton or sage to intefere with aesthetics. Fire-Captain Beatty, in my novel Fahrenheit 451, described how the books were burned first by the minorities, each ripping a page or a paragraph from the book, then that, until the day came when books were empty and the minds shut and the library closed forever". This is applicable in a larger sense. We have got to stop being afraid of stepping on toes. Get out there and charge!!!!!!

-C.S.

What the US needs to do to reinstate themselves in the world!

Just a few thoughts from me. I don't think these policies are too extreme and are implement-able. Bascially the US is a laughing stock in the places unaffected by their terrorist policies and feared where their bony hands reach to snatch their life-rugs from under them. These are just a few things they could do to re-instate their position in the world.

1. First off they need to apologize for all the CIA-supported governments that they have placed throughout the world.

2. Deconstruct the CIA.

3. Forgive foreign debt to developing countries.

4. Disallow all future presidents, senators, and other political members from having affiliations with corporations such as stock investments and executive positions.

5. Relax their Free Trade policies (this would also help the US).

6. Disallow Monzanto from destroying world agriculture by withdrawing government support.

AND LASTLY!
Let people know what Roswell was all about!

I'm sure I'll think of more later!

-C.S.

p.s. Here's a video for you!

R271 Sneak Peek!

After getting frustrated with trying to draw my own characters I spent fruitless hours on deviantart looking for ideas and one came. "Screw drawing. Find famous people to play them in the movie". So I did just that. I always read or write as if I were watching a movie and it would be awesome to one day have R271 made into a movie (as long as I write the script, direct, produce, cast, etc. etc. [jk]). Anyways, without all this nonsense...here are my choices for characters based entirely upon looks. (We'll worry about acting later!)


RANON CAUD (the young son of some exiles): This little guy is Nathan Gamble. He was in Babel.


SENOR DAIS EXERBUS (the priest): Played by John Malkovich. Imagine him with a long long beard, that's what Senor looks like. What movie hasn't he been in? The movie I know him from is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He played that thing with the many mechanical legs!


TOMAS CAUD (an exile): played by Benno Furmann. He's gorgeous! Too bad it isn't a bigger role and the character always wears a hat so you can't see his hair. Anywho, the move I know him from is The Order where he played the Sin-Eater.


JAFIR al-HAIF (the weapons trainer): played by Naveen Andrews from Lost. This picture is almost exactly what Jafir looks like minus the outfit of course.

JENA LEBAR (the empress): Cate Blanchett is perfect for this role. She played Queen Elizabeth I in the Elizabeth movies and she was a pretty powerful elf in Lord of the Rings. This is pretty much what the character looks like, dress and all.



MATS HELYK (the geneticist): played by David Nykl from Stargate Atlantis, a Canadian. I'm debating whether I like the longer hair or shorter hair?


PETER LEBAR (the emperor's brother): In my character description I wrote "looks like Al Pacino" and that was all I wrote. LOL! If you don't know Al Pacino then shame on you!

RAFE LEBAR (the "prince"): Charlie Cox is just so adorable. Just imagine his hair longer like how it was in Stardust. (Couldn't find a good picture from there sorry)



CHASE BLOOM (Jena's favourite): Chace Crawford. I stole the characters name him and Orlando Bloom. I was leaning towards Orlando Bloom but he's a bit too old for the role. Chace is in Gossip Girls, I think??

ENORA CAUD (exile): played by Morena Baccarin. I almost died when I saw this picture of Morena. It was exactly how I imagined Enora. Fighting since I semi-stole the name of her character on Firefly: Inara. She was in Firefly (duh) and Serenity (double duh).


AGUSTUS "GUS" (street kid): played by the amazing James McAvoy. I had to have James McAvoy in here somewhere. But I didn't choose him just because I think he's gorgeous. I thought long and hard about who I wanted to play Gus because of the attitude that needs to be pulled off and after watching James in Rory O'Shea was Here I knew he had attitude. He's probably best known to you as Mr. Tumnus from Narnia or from Becoming Jane.


JACK (alien): played by Doctor Who, I mean David Tennant. Adorable, ci? You probably recognize him as Barty Crouch Jr. from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (the guy who kept sticking his tongue out strangely)!



JACQUE LEBAR (Grandfather to Rafe): Anthony Hopkins is the perfect type of old person for this character. Just imagine him in a wheelchair and kind of drooling due to senility.

ADAM SASSIL (earth minister): Jason Isaacs aka Lucius Malfoy, need I say more?



BAI SHONG (tutor): Kenneth Tsang. I searched high and low for the properly aged Asian actor to play Bai and I found this guy! He played The General in Memoirs of a Geisha. Just imagine him bald and with a goatee and he's perfect.


BAYARD LESTAT (CEO on Earth): played by Michael Fairman. I know him as Niska from Firefly. I don't know what else he has done but he'd be awesome for my evil CEO.

BIK (alien captain): played by Jason Momoa. Don't let his good looks and smily face get to you. If you've seen Stargate Atlantis you'll know that Jason can be mean when it calls for it. It was difficult to cast an alien because they are appear different to everyone. So this is how R271 would see Bik and how I would like to see Bik.


CAIL LEBAR (emperor): John Hurt! Just imagine him with a mustache! That picture is perfect for Cail! John Hurt played the bad guy in V for Vendetta and Mr. Ollivander in Harry Potter!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!
R271

R271 (main character): played by Masami Nagasawa. I don't know if she's fluent in English and I haven't seen any of her movies but she looks like the perfect R271!!

Well there you have it. Character appearances in a nutshell! LoL!! I hope you enjoyed it!


-C.S.

Today

I actually did dishes today! Aren't you proud of me?!? Then I vacuumed and did laundry. I must be coming down with something. Aside from that I also rearranged my room a bit. Well, I just moved my dresser because it's the only thing I can feasibly move in my room.

I've finally finished my character descriptions for R271 and I have a general outline worked out in my head. I just have to work on chapter outlines. I'm so excited that I'm getting it done so fast and that I have a clear vision of what I want to do. The first time I tried to write a novel I just put my pen to paper. I didn't have a clear notion of where the story was going or who the characters were. I had a few well-written chapters, if I may say so myself. The biggest problem was the ending. I didn't know if I wanted the main character to die or not. For now that story is shelved to make way for R271.

I want to take this opportunity to plug a great product. Firefox! If you aren't using it you really should. You can download all these applications that make it more personable, fun to use, and even make you more productive. Plus you can type random things into the address bar and it will take you right to the website. For example: I just type facebook and it takes me right to facebook.com or I type in Neil Gaiman and it will take me right to his web page. I actually find using Internet Explorer a pain in the butt. And if you accidentally close a tab, there's a button that opens recently closed tabs. It's free to download just google "mozilla firefox" and follow the links. It has an amazing ad blocker plus you can download an application that blocks inscreen ads so you don't have a seizure when those flashing ads pop up unexpectedly.

Aside from writing, cleaning, and downloading applications I have also been watching more and more Full Metal Panic. I'm on the last season now so after this I'm going to take a break from anime and concentrate more on R271. I also have a 3000 word project due on Wednesday about a Sandinista Women's Group in Nicaragua. I'm tres excited and already have everything worked out so I'm not too worried about it.

Here's a picture:



It's not of the women's group but if he was a part of it, whatever "it" is, I would join!

-C.S.

Poetry Attempt # 1

Heartless sentiments, pleasing to the ear
sometimes good to hear.
Epigrammatic witticisms empty
not always what they seem to be.
Neglecting pre-existing emotions
feeling unchosen.
Replaced! Maybe others sympathsize?
Don't individualize!
LIES! LIES! LIES!

-C.S.

Animated Shorts

I made a collection of 13 animated shorts that I've enjoyed on youtube. Here's the post: CLICK ME!
If you can't click the link then copy and paste! http://youtube.com/profile_play_list?user=inmygenes

I highly recommend the Garto one; it's hilarious!

Anywho, today was a busy day...perhaps even productive.

I went grocery shopping. I hesitated a little because I couldn't remember what bus I had to take. Thank God for those maps! Just before that I had to pick up a letter to confirm that I am in school and not just carelessly mooching off my parents as the insurance company probably thinks I'm doing. Aside from that I haven't done much else. I watched a good movie called Popcorn. I really liked the way it worked in background noise with the foreground. You have to watch it to understand I guess. You can do so here: CLICK ME AGAIN!
or: http://quicksilverscreen.com/watch?video=31126

Boring really but watch the animated shorts and/or the movie and all will be right with the world again. Unless it really messes you up...

Enjoy!

-C.S.

Finish the Story: The Complete Story

CHICAGO. I winced at the sign as we whizzed by it. It had only been two weeks since my Dad had told us that we would be leaving Toronto to go live in the States. His job had offered him a manager position with a huge raise; the only catch was that he would have to leave the country. The only thing I thought when I heard the news was all the reasons I could be arrested. I had read articles that the freedoms I enjoyed in Canada were not so readily available in the US. We arrived at our new house after a 10 hour cardrive. It was an old brick house and I lugged one of my suitcases up to my new room. I set it down and sat on top sulking.

I missed my old bedroom, even though it was unbelievable cramped. Sure, this house was larger, more spacious than our old house in Toronto, but it wasn't the same. I didn't even know if I'd be able to sleep in this house, with all of the creaking that was so unfamiliar to me. And so I sat, head in my hands, just wishing I would wake up in my old room, in my old house, in my old life. How could my dad do this to me? Less than halfway through my last year of high school, and he decides to pick up and move. Not just across town, oh no, but across the border into another country! Did he even consider what this would do to me? Did he even ask me if I wanted to leave my life behind? No no. He did what was best for HIM. God, I hated him for it.

It was always about Dad. Mom just happily did everything he wanted, much to my dismay. I would not be surprised if one day I would come home from the place where I was to learn about American History to see her in pearls, high heels and an apron. I really felt like I was back in the fifties! As Dad left for his first day in his new office, I couldn't help but whince. I knew that after a breakfast of cold cereal, I too, would be leaving to enter my first day of high school that I knew would just hate.

As I trodded my way back up to my room to get dressed for school, an idea struck. I realized that I had to make the best of this situation, and that was exactly what I was going to do. I wasn't quite sure exactly what I was going to do yet, but I knew that this was definately the right opportunity. I figured since I would be starting at a new school, I should use that to my advantage...but how? I quickly scanned my room. Everything was still packed. Then it hit me! It was perfect, it was more then perfect, all I needed to do was find it before I had to leave in 10 minutes for school. I began to look through my boxes. After tearing open nearly all of them, I finally found what I was looking for. I carefully put my hands in the box and pulled out...

a gun and then he died

I thought I was scotch free! After the funeral we went back to the house.
"We may as well go back to Toronto now" said my Mom.
We made plans to leave the next day.
As I was laying in bed thinking about everything I had done, I felt a twinge of guilt. I eventually fell asleep and had a strange dream about dancing toothbrushes and robotic dogs. I woke up with a start as I heard a scratching nose. It was coming from my door. I crept out of bed and towards the door. I could make out a shadow behind the door. I hesitated but reached out anyways and opened the door to find...

the ghost of elvis...he gave me some advice....it was ...be who you wanna be and

"don't forget to watch your diet cause you don't want to get fat and die like me." Then he sort of chuckled as he shook his head. Pulling out a record from thin air he begin to spin it on his fingers like a basket ball, producing the sound from it as if he himself was a record player. " You like this music kid?" He asked, "This is my 1961 hit Blue Hawaii, music from the movie...maybe you've seen it? Well all this is just to remind you that just as this record spins, going around and around so you should never forget that what goes around, comes around. Do you get my drift?"

Hey hold on a minute I am actually considering the words this aahhheemmm person is saying, how I can I respect any druggy..be gone old Elvis! Surely there is someone of intellect behind that closet door. Just as I spoke those words the door swung revealling......

joan of arc.....

she looked at me with sad eyes. "Elvis is right" she said. "Whatever you send out, you get back times three. WATCH YOUR BACK" then she slammed the closet door, MY closet door, in MY face. I was shocked. Did Joan of Arc, Saint Joan of Arc just threaten me???

I stepped back from the closet in disbelief. Two dead people in a matter of five minutes with the same advice. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I had a sudden revelation as my long blonde hair whipped around my head. I didn't want to leave Chicago. This would be a place that I could change, adapt, become who I really wanted to be. Plus there was a cute boy just across the street that I had just seen after turning around. I glanced back out the window. He had shaggy black hair and the brightest blue eyes. I rubbed my eyes to make sure he wasn't a hallucination as well. I decided then and there what I had to do. I ran down the stairs and out the front door.
"Hey You", I shouted at him.

He turned and looked at me, eyeballing me from head to toe, smiling a sheepish grin. He was sculpted, gorgeous, rugged. Just the type who would not give me the time of day in Toronto. He waited for me to catch up, and introduced himself as Dave Green. I told him I was Emily Toosh, just moved here from CAnada. He was impressed. He asked if I would be interested in going for a real authentic Chicago style pizza then sit in on an Oprah taping. I can't stand Oprah, but somethimes she had some good guests on, and I was dying to try some of this famous pizza that I had heard so much about, so I accepted his invitation. I reached for my cell phone in my purse that resembled more of a suitcase, and called Mom and told her what I was doing.
Mom, in her usual robotic way, said.....

"Are you sure he isn't gay?"

UUUgghhh Mother's.. Even if he were gay I want to hang around to find out!!Besides gay guys can make the best BFF's. Dave and I walked slowly to a little hole in the wall place called Mama Peitro"s Pizza. I was amazed at the art work (though some might call it grafitti) that adorned the building. Suddenly I was struck by a vividly painted S resembling a python. I was too stunned to move, "what's up " said Dave "It looks like you seen a ghost". Little did he know..that S was my deceased boyfriend Sebation's tag...right down to the colours. Looking through the window of Mama Peitro's I saw him......

But how could it be? Sebastion had died three months before I moved here. I felt responsible for his death, for it was two days earlier that I had told him about he move my family was about to make. I asked Dave to excuse me, and I went outside. Sure enough, it was Sebastion, and he was happy to see me. I slapped him across the face for having done this to me, and he asked me to go with him and he would explain everything. After a lengthy conversation I went back into the restaurant and sat next to Dave. "What the hell is a Witness Protection Program?"

Jack Bauer came skulking up along side of me and said " The special ops team and I will get you out of this mess in less than 23 hours and 59 secs." We got your back just come to the heliopad and we will whisk you out of this mess. The President knows of your political leanings and wants this mess cleared up before Obama and Oprah take over Washington. Your new moniker from this day forward will be......

Jane Doe! You have been infiltrated by the Gambini family and your life is in severe danger. Once again we will have to take Sebastion and change his identity also. Your descision from here is do you want to be with him. It can be arranged we have the technology! You can be known as the Doe family and we will place you in Springfield right beside a nice family named the Simpson's.....

I could not believe this was happening to me. Dave just sat there in stunned silence, listening to this Jack Bauer fellow try to convince me to turn my back, yet again, on my old life. "Are you freaking nuts?!?!?!?!?!" I cried. "I've been in this town for less than a month and you're telling me I've been infiltrated??!!?? What the eff does that even mean, I've been infiltrated??!!?? You seriously need to get some help, mister, cause I think you're losing it...and for the record, 24 is a T.V. show, not real life you looney" I derisively turned my back on this weirdo and continued eating my pizza, which was just as good as the rumors said it would be. Dave, however, was still just staring at me, along with everyone else in the dining room.

"Is it?" Jack replied. "How do you know it is a tv show...just because it is on tv...actually, Ms Doe, it is reality, but nobody knows that. Now will you certainly have to come with me, this secret cannot escape. We will explain everything to you and Sebastion down at head quarters. If you decide to stay behind, you will not live to see your next morning..I am not threatening you, it is a fact. Sebastion just looked at me and said, we have to go, they will explain it all...

"Oh HELLLLLLLLLS NO" I replied. "I'm not going anywhere with my 'dead' boyfriend and some dude who thinks he's Jack Bauer. I'll take my chances here, since i don't know anything and I haven't seen anything." "The choice is yours" the crazy said, and then he and Sebastian crept to the door, looked out, and ran off into the night. "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight" was all Dave could say. I could tell that this little date was over before it began. He walked me home and crossed the street to his own front door. I waved at him, and he hesitantly waved back. At least he didn't slam the door and lock it as quick as he could, I thought as I climbed the stairs to my room. But all thought of Dave left my head when I entered my room, and once again my closet door was open and...

...empty. All my clothes had disappeared. I ran around the house screaming for my mother but she was no where to be found. I ran outside and saw a bonfire with Sebastian.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I screamed at him.

he got angery and pulled a knife on me
"AHHHH" i said
then he thrusted his knife into the chest of mine and carved a w into my chest .

"WHAT THE HELL I WRONG WITH YOU?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!ARE YOU FREAKING NUTS??!!??" I screamed at him, as I tried to stop the flow of blood from my chest. Dave came running out of his house, upon hearing my screams. He tackled Sebastian and wrestled the knife away from him. I ran into the house and called 911. I told them to send an ambulance because my chest was bleeding, and a fire truck because my front lawn was on fire. By the time I went back oustide, Dave had found some rope and had hog-tied Sebastian to a stick. He was trying to hoist him over the fire. "Ummmmm Dave? What are you doing??" I asked. He replied...

"Didn't you know that we practice cannibalism in Chicago? Why do you think our pizzas are so good?"

"Hahahahaha...you're joking, right?". "No, I'm serious...where do you think you're parents went? Wasn't our pizza tasty??" I couldn't even breathe. Did I really eat my parents?

THE END

Thank you everyone for participating! Hope to see you the second time round!!

Feeling Political

The difference between the right and the left:

The far right are selective in the news they choose to witness; I don't know how else they could hold the policies that they do. They are either sadists, enjoying the suffering of others, or willfully ignorant. The facts and information are out there, you just have to look. (MONEY)

The far left are more open to news--even if it is not left-leaning. They witness the world and they change their lives to accommodate and acknowledge the existence of people other than themselves or their business partners. (HUMANS)



Why Free Trade Won't Work:
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single company in possession of free trade, must be in want of cheaper labour. They claim it makes products cheaper. However, by moving their manufacturing to another country and taking away jobs from their own country they are committing a slow suicide. They are eliminating the working-class who are the major consumers of their goods. If their jobs are consistently being exported, then they do not have the disposable income (or any income) on which to spend on goods. The system is inherently unstable and will eventually implode upon itself. In the United States this is going to become more aggressive since the US has funneled all its money into Iraq causing a massive debt that will further impoverish the wage-earning class.

-C.S.

p.s. To lighten the mood:

Introduction

"Okay enough with the blog switches. GAH! It's just like the stupid email addresses! Make up your mind already."

Calm down! Let me explain a little.

Technically this is not a blog switch! Before you mumble under your breath something about lying...my other blogs were very topic-oriented. I set out with this wonderful idea.
*start dream sequence and calm piano music*

I wanted separate blogs where I could post about different things instead of having one general blog getting too b(l)ogged down. My ambitions were set high and I was prepared to begin.

*dream bubble pops*

But alas I'm too lazy?--nah procrastinating...I procrastinate too much! So I settled for a blog about me, about everything that encompasses me. *big Lockhart grin*

STOP!

I'm not that conceited! This is a blog about me in that I will write about things that interest me. post pictures that interest me:



...and do other stuff.

To clarify: no more blogs except this one which will be about everything and me!

-C.S.