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I've been having various discussions with people online who insist that race (or gender, etc) is no longer a problem. The 14th Amendment says everyone is equal so everything is fine. And anyone who says otherwise has a victim mentality or is overreacting or wanting special rights or so on.

Some people I've been going back and forth with argue that hate is hate...that it is all the same. I was trying to explain that a black kid punching a white kid isn't actually the same as a white kid punching a black kid because of institutional racism. In Jena Louisiana nothing happened to the white high scool kids, but the black high school kids got arrested for attempted murder, and the town mayor has been quoted on White Supremacist web sites being supporting of those groups. I was mocked when I tried to tie prejudice with institutional oppression...because the laws say we are all equal.

Well, another incident just happened, this one right here in Los Angeles. A high school girl was assaulted by a high school security guard and her wrist broken by him. Her crime? She dropped a piece of birthday cake and despite cleaning it up three times, she did not clean it up to his satisfaction. So the wrestled her against a table calling her a nappy-head and broke her wrist in the process. Then she got suspended and arrested for assault and littering. When her mother went to the school to demand the guard be fired, they arrested her as well...and she got suspended from her job (she works for another school in the same district). Of course, since it is 2007, the whole thing was captured on a student's cell phone video. The video taping student and his sister were also assaulted, arrested for battery, and suspended.

You can read about the story here:
http://feministing.com/archives/007831.html
http://infowars.net/articles/september2007/280907Cake.htm

Something jacked up with racial overtones happens, and when people complain, the power structures close ranks.

Even pals of mine who aren't random internet people refuse to see a difference between prejudice of the oppressor towards the oppressed that is backed up by the institutional power structures of our country and prejudice of the oppressed towards their oppressor...which doesn't have any institutional backup.

Ah well. Happy Monday.

Funky Meme

Sep. 13th, 2007 01:23 am
trooper6: (Default)
Copy this list. Leave in the bands you've seen perform live. Delete the ones you haven't and add new ones that you have seen until you reach 25. An asterisk means the previous person had it on their list. Two asterisks means the last two people who did this before you had that band on their list.

(It will probably be hard for me to hit 25...but we'll see)

1. Guns n Roses
2. The Cure*
3. k.d. lang
3. The Indigo Girls
4. The Bobs
5. Melissa Etheridge
6. Helen Reddy
7. Sinead O'Connor
8. New Model Army
9. Tori Amos*
10. Angelique Kidjo
11. Heather Nova
12. Joan Osborne
13. Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
14. Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums featuring Miss Carmen Getit
15. The Royal Crown Revue
16. Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
17. Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer
18. The Osborne Brothers
19. Third Tyme Out
20. The Kathy Kallick Band
21. The King's Singers
22. Jan Allain
23. Olivia Newton-John
24. Melissa Ferrick
25. Bill Evans (also with Tony Trishka)

I ganked this from [livejournal.com profile] inscrutable
trooper6: (Default)
But I'm not...why is that?
I mean...I was asleep...

Let me go back to the beginning.

I few days ago I woke up with a couple of red, swollen, painful, itchy insect bites. That was annoying...I wondered what they were.

The next night I decided to sleep completely under the covers. No new insect bites...except for on my finger...which was exposed. I began to suspect mosquitos.

Last night I hear a mosquito by my ear in the middle of the night...wake up with more mosquito bites. And I even see the mosquito...though I was unable to kill it.

Tonight I come back from San Diego exhausted. But I stay up in my room looking for the bugger. I find it, and kill it.

Then I go to bed happy. At 2:30am I am awoken by the sound of mosquito buzzing in my ear. I spring out of bed. I have 3 new bites on my forearm...there was a second mosquito! I find it and kill it. Then I go back to bed. It is now 3:42am...why am I awake? Because I heard another mosquito in my ear--but I can't see it in the room. I don't want to go to bed without killing it...but I can't see it anywhere.

*shakes fist*
trooper6: (Default)
Some random things:

1. Damages is one of my new favorite shows. It is dynamite...it is a like a thriller...but a TV show...and it is amazing...and Glen Close is just amazing. I hope she gets a Best Actress Emmy. The show is soooo good!

2. The Army gave me a lot of physical training...a lot of which has withered away. But, as I've discovered in boxing classes, one thing oddly has stayed with me. I can hold my feet 6 inches off the ground for a long time without being too stressed by it.

3. Driving back from boxing classes, I hear Whitney Houston's "I'm Your Baby Tonight" followed by "Lady Marmalade" by P!nk, Christina, Mya, et al. And I thought a few things.
Whitney Houston was a dynamite hit maker in her heyday. And we rarely hear all of her great songs on the radio...generally only "I will always love you"--which is also a good song...but...well, that was her at her most melismatic...but "I'm Your Baby Tonight" has barely any melisma at all...neither do a lot of her other songs. Listening back to her, she was quite tasteful and artful in her use of melisma and power. Then I was listening to "Lady Marmalade" and thought...the young power singers...many of whom I like...seemed to only have picked up on the melisma and not the rest of it...I mean...that Lady Marmalade gets a bit crazy with the melismas everywhere. They all have good voices...but they put too much in I thought.

4. On Friday, [livejournal.com profile] illiaanya and I were in the office working when we sort of got onto this renditions of national anthems kick. So we watched quite a few and noted that there are very few male solo singers doing renditions of the Anthem. We watched Whitney Houstons...which was moving as always and made us both a bit misty. And then we watched one by Destiny's Child...and I think it is a great rendition of the national anthem, and the are seriously working a Supremes-like poise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUy9xbnun6Q

That's all for my randomness for today.
trooper6: (Default)
I just had a dream about my mom.

Dream of my Mom )
trooper6: (Default)
So I was listening to my iTunes, and Heart's "All I Wanna Do" popped up. I was struck by their euphemism for orgasm. So I thought, since I have lots and lots of musically oriented folk on my friends list, I thought it might be fun to come up with a list of lyrics that are euphemisms for orgasms (not just for sex...but for orgasm). So dogpile on! And debates of euphemism validity are welcome!

Here's my contribution:

-He brought the woman in me, so many times, easily. -- Heart, "All I Wanna Do"
-There'll be 15 minutes of kissing, then you'll holler please don't stop. There'll be 15 minues of teasing, 15 minutes of pleasing, and 15 minutes of blowing my top. -- The Dominoes, "Sixty Minute Man"

Now I don't think this actually counts as euphemism..but...

-Relax don't do it, when you want to suck to it. Relax don't do it, when you want to come. --Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Relax" -- speaking of relax, I think this is another euphemism for orgasm in that song: Shoot it in the right direction, Make making it your intention. Live those dreams, scheme those schemes. Go to hit me, hit me, hit me with those laser beams.

Okay, y'alls turn!
trooper6: (Default)
Hi all,

I don't know everybody's political feelings on the matter, but there is video game drama brewing up in Sacramento. And for those who want to take action, here's a way to do it.

Info on the California Anti-Video Games Bill )
trooper6: (Default)
I thought I'd repost this. I got it from [livejournal.com profile] clawfoot and thought the folks I know who don't know [livejournal.com profile] clawfoot should probably see this. It is just gross.

Copied message from the website:
--------------------------
I just learned about a case of segregation-era oppression happening today in Jena, Louisiana. I signed onto ColorOfChange.org's campaign for justice in Jena, and wanted to invite you to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=2528-221090

Last fall in Jena, the day after two Black high school students sat beneath the "white tree" on their campus, nooses were hung from the tree. When the superintendent dismissed the nooses as a "prank," more Black students sat under the tree in protest. The District Attorney then came to the school accompanied by the town's police and demanded that the students end their protest, telling them, "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy... I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen."

A series of white-on-black incidents of violence followed, and the DA did nothing. But when a white student was beaten up in a schoolyard fight, the DA responded by charging six black students with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

It's a story that reads like one from the Jim Crow era, when judges, lawyers and all-white juries used the justice system to keep blacks in "their place." But it's happening today. The families of these young men are fighting back, but the story has gotten minimal press. Together, we can make sure their story is told and that the Governor of Louisiana intervenes and provides justice for the Jena 6. It starts now. Please join me:

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=2528-221090

The noose-hanging incident and the DA's visit to the school set the stage for everything that followed. Racial tension escalated over the next couple of months, and on November 30, the main academic building of Jena High School was burned down in an unsolved fire. Later the same weekend, a black student was beaten up by white students at a party. The next day, black students at a convenience store were threatened by a young white man with a shotgun. They wrestled the gun from him and ran away. While no charges were filed against the white man, the students were later arrested for the theft of the gun.

That Monday at school, a white student, who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses, taunted the black student who was beaten up at the off-campus party and allegedly called several black students "nigger." After lunch, he was knocked down, punched and kicked by black students. He was taken to the hospital, but was released and was well enough to go to a social event that evening.

Six Black Jena High students, Robert Bailey (17), Theo Shaw (17), Carwin Jones (18), Bryant Purvis (17), Mychal Bell (16) and an unidentified minor, were expelled from school, arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. The first trial ended last month, and Mychal Bell, who has been in prison since December, was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery (both felonies) by an all-white jury in a trial where his public defender called no witnesses. During his trial, Mychal's parents were ordered not to speak to the media and the court prohibited protests from taking place near the courtroom or where the judge could see them.

Mychal is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31st, and could go to jail for 22 years. Theo Shaw's trial is next. He will finally make bail this week.

The Jena Six are lucky to have parents and loved ones who are fighting tooth and nail to free them. They have been threatened but they are standing strong. We know that if the families have to go it alone, their sons will be a long time coming home. But if we act now, we can make a difference.

Join me in demanding that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco get involved to make sure that justice is served for Mychal Bell, and that DA Reed Walters drop the charges against the 5 boys who have not yet gone to trial.

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=2528-221090

Thanks.
----------------------
End of copied message.
trooper6: (Default)
Just finished watching Star Trek The Original Series episode "This Side of Paradise"

So...um...the women's dresses are really, really short. I had sort of forgotten. Dang! They must have gotten cold on set. Someone should have given them a few more yards of fabric!

Other point. So the whole point of that episode is that Kirk doesn't think that humans should be happy. That humans should be violent, angry, and unhappy. Kirk's wierd quote about how humans aren't meant for paradise...that humans are supposed to march to the drums, not to the lyre? What's up with that? That happiness isn't good for us as a species? What sort of messed up messages does this show give us?

Poor Spock.

But on the other hand, I don't always believe him...he's all..."I'm a Vulcan, I can't feel love...I can't feel happiness...I can't feel anything...blah blah..." See first off, he's only half-Vulcan...so methinks he protests a bit too much...and secondly...if Vulcans are truly only creatures of logic and so on...then Sarek would never have married Spock's mom. I mean, that isn't logical. One presumes that Sarek loved Amanda Grayson...I mean, otherwise, why would he even marry her?

See...I think Spock lied a lot about Vulcan culture to his human battle buddies. Spock is all..."Vulcans can't feel things..." then he's all, "Vulcans don't lie" -- yeah, yeah...I don't think we can trust the things that Spock says about Vulcans.

Kirk rhymes with jerk...I don't think that is a coincidence.

I wish we could have an entirely new Star Trek movie about entirely new people in Star Fleet Academy. I don't really feel the need to see more Kirk being a ho. But this time, a younger ho. What is this going to be...a strange odd couple buddy movie? What-evah.

I need to be sleeping right now.
trooper6: (Default)
Isn't interesting that heather gray is more or less the official color of work out gear, especially T-shirts?

Why heather gray? (which was also the color of the Army's work out uniform)

I mean, there are lots of work out clothing items that are black, but wearing a black T-shirt doesn't necessarily read: Work out! Yet...can you wear anything heather gray without it looking like work out clothes?

Who decided heather gay and why has it stuck?

On a related note, boxing classes are kicking my butt. And I like it.
trooper6: (Default)
I'm not yet ready to make a big post, I'm still coming together.

But I have a few quick notes.

1. People in the Bay Area drive about 10mph slower than they do in LA. It is annoying when you are used to driving 40 on Olympic and you find yourself driving 20...everywhere.

2. I'm going to a boxing gym--and boxing workouts kick my butt and make me sweat...a lot.

3. My bedroom is now clean...as are my windows. Now to my living room (which I really have to do so I can find my tax return....so I can fill out my FAFSA...so I can get paid for the summer. As soon as I finish this post, it is off to the shower and then to cleaning.

4. Today I'm speaking on a panel to discuss the sketchy, sketchy film "The Gendercator" for Outfest. I'll let you all know how that goes.

And now for the whole reason for this post.

So, Congress wants to hold Harriet Meiers et al in contempt of Congress for not testifying about the firing of federal prosecutors scandal (wherein it is alleged that the Bush Administration fired federal prosecutors who didn't toe their party line). The White House is claiming executive privilege. Now, the normal procedure for contempt of Congress is that Congress asks the same federal prosecutors in the Justice Dept. that the scandal is about to go and convene and Grand Jury bring contempt charges against the folks who are being contemptuous of Congress. Needless to say, the Justice Dept will probably not do it. Thus, compounding the problem. BUT! There is another way...and it is awesome.

From the last paragraph of the NYT story:

"Congress has another route to enforce its will, an inherent power of contempt. But that has not been used since early in the 20th century. It has long been deemed unwieldy in the modern era as it entails Congress stopping all work to hold its own trial and imprisoning any offenders in the basement of the Capitol."

Imprisoning people in the basement of the Capitol? Bring it on!

Update

Jul. 2nd, 2007 06:08 am
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This morning, at 4:22am my mother passed away. She had just turned 54 years old.

I'll be dealing with arrangements and supporting my sister and my dad right now.

Sometime later I'll post about what an awesome person my mom was for those who never got to meet her.
trooper6: (Default)
I'm still in the Bay Area.

I don't know when I'll return.

My mother is dying.

I'm spending all my time in the hospital.
trooper6: (Default)
Discussion of a 70s Porn film...cut in case you don't want to read about such things )
All of that aside, I'm still listening to Kylie over and over. I really need to move on to another album. But I can't help it!

I am going up to the Bay Area today!
trooper6: (Default)
So that meme where you post the first line of the first 15 songs that come up randomly on your playlist is making the rounds again...so I'm doing it again...I don't know why...but there is something I like about it. And also, it is amazing how hard it sometimes is to ID songs when looking at lyrics with no music attached. So without further ado.

Step 1. Put your playlist on random.
Step 2. Post the first line from the first 15 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3. Strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly. NO GOOGLING.

Note: Since I listen to a lot of really odd songs...a few of them might not be identifiable...sorry bout that...while others might be really easy. Ah well...the joy of randomness. Oh...I disqualified songs that I couldn't understand the lyrics of.

The Songs )
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I had another one of those French Gulch dreams last night.

I have this recurring dream where I drive back to French Gulch and try to find the cabin I lived in, El Diablo.

The trouble is, I was 3-4 years old when I lived there...and the cabin burned down a long time ago.

But I know that it was off a dirt road that went up into the mountains...and I think there were only two cabins along that road (that probabbly isn't true though).

In the dream I wander the main road until I see the side road up into the mountains that calls to me. I walk up there, and I find the signs of a burned down cabin...burned down long ago...but I don't know if that actually is El Diablo or some other place. The townspeople are all suspicious....because they don't know who I am.

I would like to go back to French Gulch...but I don't even know what it looks like anymore.
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So Axe has his whole add campaign where they again equate the bow-chicka-bow-wow with porn/sex...and it seriously annoys me. One of these days I'm going to have get that paper of mine published...or [livejournal.com profile] ichbinkelsey needs to publish her version of the paper...because seriously somebody has to.

Of course few academic journals would actually publish...and I really do have things to worry about other than that paper. But still! Annoying!

The gig at LA Pride seemed to go really well.

Um...I'm tired and just want to sleep. But I have to grade, clean my house, pay bills, and so on.

Oh...the Real World Vegas Reunited is on TV right now, and may I say, the people on that show are totally...dumb. And the guys are especially dumb. It is embarrassing. I am embarrassed for those people. And seriously? Trishelle is one of the least dumb people there right now...and that is saying something....something bad.

Okay. I really need to take a shower and go to [livejournal.com profile] skrelnek's pad.

Cabaret

Jun. 7th, 2007 11:46 pm
trooper6: (Default)
So the cabaret is over.

The cast pulled it together and were awesome...especially awesome were [livejournal.com profile] complainr and [livejournal.com profile] ichbinkelsey...not just because they are awesome performers (like the rest of the cast)--but because they helped with the behind the scenes business in ways that were invaluable.

ibk, got the room opened at 2pm, so while I was still teaching class, people were able to do final run-throughs; complainr, way back when this started, had me over to her house and played through the pieces on the piano and helped me figure out what to do.

Awesome. Know I've got to pay some people some money for copies of a recording of it. Once I get copies, I'll give copies to all cast members (and others who should have a copy).

That performance is done...one more to go.

I'm playing at gay pride. I've got a great bassist and guitar player...here's hoping that will go well too.

All I'm saying is this...soon I will sleep.
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Quick Post.

I just got finished watching a really emotional episode of Eastenders, the twohander where Kat tells Zoe she's her mum and not her sister. It was amazing as all the twohanders of theirs I've seen are.

In my post episode watching googlefest of the two actors who play Kat and Zoe, I just found out that Michelle Ryan (Zoe) is the new Jaime Sommers in the new re-imagined Bionic Woman...and that David Eick (of BSG fame) is the producer. And that Katee Sackhoff is in the pilot as a bad, bad person.

So now I'm officially excited about one of the new shows for next season.

Congrats to Eastender Zoe for the Hollywood job!

(Note: I'd talk about school...but I just can't bring myself. In a week the bulk of it will be over).
trooper6: (Default)
So, my part of the Transgender Summit just finished airing on ET. I thought it was pretty good.

Just one nitpick. Well, it isn't really a nitpick...it is actually sort of big. They do the..."There is a flipside to the story of Transwomen..." enter me. Then they say, "No would guess that Trooper6 was born a woman...then they show a picture of some woman who isn't me! Some random black woman...and a femmey one at that! Dress and girly hair...that sort of thing. Then show show an actual photo of me pretransition...then back to me here and now. But seriously...who was that random feminine female they passed off as me? I'm sure it was just some sort of honest mistake, but she didn't even look like me!

Harumph!
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