Timewaster's Guide Archive

Wow.  This line of reasoning is so racist I can hardly stand it.  Yummy!  If the skin colors were reversed you'd immediately accuse the whites (sacrificing the dark girl) of jumping at the chance to use a less valuable offering.

On the other hand you assume that the blacks are too dumb to grasp the idea that Kong probably wants a nice female gorilla with luxurious back hair rather than a human of any stripe.  Racist.

Skar, you make me laugh. I'm just amazed that you're so quick to call someone whom you don't even know a racist---someone who was merely expressing what -could- be considered a racist element in a plot. I know, I know, you've said that those who protest too much are often the most guilty ones themselves. But is it too much to ask to try to have a civil conversation about a concern/observation regarding a movie? Also, is it my logic that is "racist" or the point itself that I'm arguing? After all, I'm in no way saying that whiteness is superior but only that Western society has defined it as such and has reinforced that in various ways.
Next, I wonder what the heck my observations have to do with thinking blacks are too dumb to know that Kong would prefer a girlfriend of his own kind. I mean, what does that have to do with anything? Ah, the absurdity of it all is so . . . confusing.   Basically, Kong is unhappy. The natives know this and have been offering up their women time and again. I've no doubt that they probably prayed for a female Kong to stumble onto the island. But no such luck! Instead, a white woman comes...
Anyway, honestly, I'm disappointed because all I was trying to do is express some interesting concerns of mine and get others' opinions. Instead, I get what feels like a personal attack.
Second, given that the time-period was rife with racial tension between whites and blacks, I was only suggesting that the hegemonic coding of whiteness as superior -might- have found its way into the plot. Is that such a leap in logic? Is that proof that I'm racist? Well, go ahead and think what you want to. You've already seem to have made up your mind in any case.

Yes, Naomi looks like she's carrying off the role well. I think the movie looks like it'll be fast-paced and fun with some good character development. I'd like to see it just for its own sake, not for the other versions. Actually, what sort of bothers me about the movie doesn't  have anything to do with feeling somehow obligated to go so as to honor my geekish heritage.
Instead, I feel a little bothered by the primitivism overtones of the storyline. You know, the savage natives who sacrifice their own dark women to the beast until, finally, they offer up the white--and therefore much more "beautiful" and "valuable"--woman as the ultimate means of placating the fearsome beast.
Lo and behold, the stunning white woman tames the wild beast insomuch that he protects her with his life even though (if I'm remembering right) he killed (ate?) all the others.
I dunno, it just seems like a prime example of the stuff that whiteness studies has a field day with. Of course, this movie was written a long ways back, so, for the time, it wasn't an issue that'd trigger any red flags. For them, it was a cool story of savagry and adventure condemning man's desire to cage everything and make it serve them--or else.  Still.... I'm kind of uncomfortable with the primitivist message that goes unchallenged (?) in the film.

True. I have only myself to blame in a way, I suppose. I knew she had two little dogs before I came out here to Boston. I was actually sort of excited because I miss my dog. Unfortunately, they aren't all that well-trained. *sigh* Still, it can be very nice to come home from a cruddy day to have doggies to great you.  

Okay, here's a scenario for you folks. (Warning: some material may not be suitable for the squeemish.)

Your roomie has two miniature dauchshunds, one of whom is named Flash. He is a delightful little animal most days. A strange one, too, because you've never known a dog who bites its nails.  Anyway, one quiet evening, upon looking in Flash's ear, you happen to discover what looks like a plump, brown tick.

[Ewww! Get it awaaay! Yes, that was my response also.]

But, further, after alert your roomie, she suggests that you put vaseline on the icky invader.

"Are you okay with that?" she asks, nervously holding the dog's little head and looking at you with pleading eyes.  

"Ummm, well, okay," you say.  So you coat the gross thing with vaseline. After all, poor Flash shouldn't suffer because his owner is faint of heart. Of course, you aren't even sure if it's good to put vaseline on ticks.

The epic scenario doesn't end here, however, because the tick seems quite happy where it is, despite being slathered with the finest vaseline that Johnson & Johnson produces.

Then your roomie gazes at you as if you're supposed to know what to do.  Thus, you hesitantly suggest to do something that you've always heard will work: put something hot on or near the disgusting tick so it'll back its head out. She agrees, though she kept worrying that you'll burn poor Flash's "sensitive hairs" around his ear.

You fire up a burner on the gas stove and plunge the tip of a pairing knife into the blue flames while she keeps reassuring the trembling doggie. Wouldn't you feel like you were in a bizzare episode of some show called Ways to Gross Out Your Roommate?? Wouldn't you want to walk off the set?  

Yet, no--you're committed.  The danger is clear and present. The dog is distressed, your roomie is even more so.  You must act.  

She insists that she can't bear to hold the knife. And, while I'll spare you some of the details, I will say that you won't want to hear anything sizzling for a long, long time....

But it gets better! She bestows upon you the great privilege of wielding the tweasers to remove the disengaged tick. Isn't that just swell of her??

So here's my question:  don't you think, after performing such a great service, you should receive some sort of glorious recompense. Say... no dishwashing for two whole weeks? No taking out the garbage for a month maybe? Well, I suppose I'd settle for a Best Roomie Ever Award. Seriously, I'm way too nice sometimes, I think...  ICK!! GAG!!

If you're going to post things you have no buisness posting on the board, leave me out of it.  

Whoa. My sincerest apologies, really. I didn't think it was a big deal. It was a simple misunderstanding at the time, and I just thought it was funny. I didn't think it reflected poorly on you or Stacer or else I wouldn't even have mentioned it, period.  
I mean, we've all probably mistaken someone's identity before. ("Hey, Kate, how's it goin'?" / "Uh, I'm Jamie." / "Oops, sorry.") That said, I'd be happy to modify my post to delete that part. In fact, I'll take care of that right now. Again, sorry I offended you.

Yeah, I knew about that actually. Thanks, Sprigg. It's just that I know how EUOL leans much more towards fantasy, that's all. But now that I ponder some more, I vaguely remember how, when he dropped by TLE one night to sign copies of ELANTRIS, he may've mentioned something about a new sci fi story for the special anniversary issue. Hmm. I suppose the torturously horrible slush I was reading that night did a number on my memory core.

e: I accept your offer of conditional friendship with unconditional enthusiasm.

Stacer: yep, that's me. We met at LTUE after one of Brandon's panels.
Anyway, I'm really liking Boston. I've gone on a trolley tour and wandered around taking photos. The Common is fun, and I like how easy it is to get around on foot. If only I had some money, I know I'd love the shopping out here! As for money, I did get a partial tuition scholarship, so that's certainly a great help.
By the way, I was sort of disappointed when I found out you moved all the way to Seattle! I'd been thinking we'd get together once I got out here. But I'm glad you found a job (and finally got all your stuff delivered by those movers....)
To answer your other question, I'm in LP1. Actually, the way I found a place to live was through Bishop Lazenby. He directed me to the ward's housing website. Immensely helpful. So my roomie, Rozanna, and I go to church together.
By the way, I met a friend of yours. Evan Thacker. Cool fellow. I'm the ward newsletter editor (yippie!), and so I met with him in order to get details about my calling.  
I actually live in Quincy--barely 1/2 block from the beach. Great view of the city skyline. Very pretty at night. Rozanna and I share the 2nd level of this house. Extremely spacious. Big kitchen, a washer and dryer (no coins!), large living and dining rooms. Of course, her two little weiner dogs make the place seem really small sometimes. They're cute but not what you'd call well-trained.
Once they got into my zipped up backpack to get at this granola bar wrapper and, in the process, decided that my ipod earbuds looked tasty. Grrrr! The earbuds were the expensive kind with the silicone earpieces. I fully expected Rozanna to step up and pay to replace them. Nope.
"I wasn't here to supervise them," she protested. Hmmph. So what, they're still her dogs, right? Oh, well. Still, we get along pretty well. I'm glad to be out here. Still adjusting to things but I know this is where I want to be.
Thanks for saying "hi."

Oh yeah, me too. I think that's the one I actually get my name in.   If it's not that one, I should find the correct issue and pick it up.

That reminds me--I gotta see if they'll mail me my free copy for being a slush puppy. (Assuming, of course, that they remembered to list my name. I DID go over four times even though I dropped off the face of the earth before I made the big move from Orem to Boston.) However, I'll probably have to pay for shipping so that basically negates the whole "free" part of the deal. Ah, well.

Anyway, a sci fi story from EUOL? How interesting. I wanna read it asap. Of course, I've still got his e-ms of WELL plus two other new fantasy books I bought that I haven't been able to finish yet. *sigh*