Thanks for all your thanks and comments to my previous entry. Since there was much more interest to this topic then I expected, I decided to share more photos.
This post is image heavy.
( Read more )
This post is image heavy.
( Read more )
Global warming! World hunger! War! Pedophiles! These are the things that we seem to wring our hands about as whole societies. This is what we see on the TV and hear on the radio. It makes for good news. Especially if you have a celebrity talking about it, because celebrities are better than the rest of us and because we are all personal friends of theirs ("Oh yes, I know (him/her)! I read (his/her) twitter every day!).
Groan.
When I walk around outside I see the seeds of society's failure every day. I see the failure of most of the population around me to recognize that their wellbeing depends upon their cooperation with others.
I live in a busy city. I used to work in the heart of it every weekday. And every weekday, while on my way to work, I would have to cross several streets as a pedestrian. There were always dozens of other pedestrians waiting at the lights to do the same. Quite regularly the street we were waiting to cross would be quite packed with cars, such that they was one or two in the middle of the intersection. Large city buses often did this, knowing that the traffic ahead would move momentarily (the next light is green). Quite often, though, the lights would change just as the bus was crawling out of the intersection.
What do you think happened? As soon as the lights changed, 50 pedestrians would begin to cross. The vast majority of them would cross in front of the bus. There was now a space for the bus to move into, but that didn't matter to these people. They had the pedestrian light, so they were crossing. End of story. Meanwhile the bus was blocking the cross-street. Hundreds of cars had to wait until the next lights because this bus was in the way. And behind them, hundreds more had to wait at their lights because these cars in front of them weren't moving.
But what if those 50 pedestrians had waited for all of 10 seconds and let the bus through? Well, then everything would have been fine. No gridlock, no enraged drivers. Just some pedestrians waiting for 10 seconds.
It happens on an even smaller scale. There is a driveway into a warehouse around the corner from me, on a busy street. Occasionally while walking down the footpath I see a car waiting to enter or leave the driveway. There is a light up the road. If the light is red, the car has a chance to get in or out. If it is green they certainly will not be able to do so until it changes again. But in just 4 weeks, I have on several occasions watched as other pedestrians strolled obliviously across the driveway, blocking the car that had a brief chance to get onto the street. Had they waved the car through, or just walked behind it, that driver would have been able to get out. Or more importantly, get in, and not block 100 meters of traffic behind them.
I could make similar rants about the crap I've been hearing on the radio about how pubs have to close because alcohol is evil, or speeding drivers, drugs, what have you. It always seems to come down to the failure of just a few people to get some situational awareness as they live their lives.
What's the explanation? Are people stupid? Oblivious? Or is it just a lack of social responsibility? How do we teach this?
Groan.
When I walk around outside I see the seeds of society's failure every day. I see the failure of most of the population around me to recognize that their wellbeing depends upon their cooperation with others.
I live in a busy city. I used to work in the heart of it every weekday. And every weekday, while on my way to work, I would have to cross several streets as a pedestrian. There were always dozens of other pedestrians waiting at the lights to do the same. Quite regularly the street we were waiting to cross would be quite packed with cars, such that they was one or two in the middle of the intersection. Large city buses often did this, knowing that the traffic ahead would move momentarily (the next light is green). Quite often, though, the lights would change just as the bus was crawling out of the intersection.
What do you think happened? As soon as the lights changed, 50 pedestrians would begin to cross. The vast majority of them would cross in front of the bus. There was now a space for the bus to move into, but that didn't matter to these people. They had the pedestrian light, so they were crossing. End of story. Meanwhile the bus was blocking the cross-street. Hundreds of cars had to wait until the next lights because this bus was in the way. And behind them, hundreds more had to wait at their lights because these cars in front of them weren't moving.
But what if those 50 pedestrians had waited for all of 10 seconds and let the bus through? Well, then everything would have been fine. No gridlock, no enraged drivers. Just some pedestrians waiting for 10 seconds.
It happens on an even smaller scale. There is a driveway into a warehouse around the corner from me, on a busy street. Occasionally while walking down the footpath I see a car waiting to enter or leave the driveway. There is a light up the road. If the light is red, the car has a chance to get in or out. If it is green they certainly will not be able to do so until it changes again. But in just 4 weeks, I have on several occasions watched as other pedestrians strolled obliviously across the driveway, blocking the car that had a brief chance to get onto the street. Had they waved the car through, or just walked behind it, that driver would have been able to get out. Or more importantly, get in, and not block 100 meters of traffic behind them.
I could make similar rants about the crap I've been hearing on the radio about how pubs have to close because alcohol is evil, or speeding drivers, drugs, what have you. It always seems to come down to the failure of just a few people to get some situational awareness as they live their lives.
What's the explanation? Are people stupid? Oblivious? Or is it just a lack of social responsibility? How do we teach this?
Good morning, busybodies. It is Friday, and we have a new page for you today.
http://www.otherpeoplesbusiness.net/com
( Click here to read the commentary )
http://www.otherpeoplesbusiness.net/com
( Click here to read the commentary )
Send in the trains!
Ok, so all this environmental news has got me thinkin'. Everyone is busy talking up the technology-gospel as our way out of this mess. Hey, really, all we need to do is buy enough solar panels and everything will be fine. I'm not sold on this idea. In fact, I think it is the exact opposite. Technology is of the devil.
Take the tractor, for instance. We all like the tractor. The tractor lets a single person farm 20 acres a day. That is very impressive. Very efficient, right?
No, not at all. That stupid tractor takes 200 people to make, ship and sell. Thta's ok though, because the tractor makes enough food for the extra requirement of people. Nuclear power? Sweet. We get like 1.21 jiggawatts from a plutonium atom, or something. Of course, that nuclear power plant requires 2000 people to make, run and sustain. That's ok, our new carbon-free tractors can be used to grow even more food. Food that is now genetically engineered and sold by a team of 350 scientists, 600 grad students, 50 HR reps, 12 executives, and 1000 clerks.
Wait a second here, I'm starting to see a pattern. It appears that technology simply drives our ability to consume, and historically speaking, simply feeds our voracious desires and enables ever greater heights of consumption and thus, pollution. The idea that just getting rid of emissions will fix our problems is silly. The idea that technology will do anything other than drive our ability to destroy everything is silly.
I'm going Amish. The simple fact is that we are supposed to spend 14 back-breaking hours of heavy labor a day just to barely sustain ourselves. Oh, but what about our lovely musics and arts? Culture? Advancements?
I don't know, it all just seems like the Titanic at this point. I mean, it appears that the natural balance of nature is predicated upon animals doing two things: eating, sleeping, mating. Three things, then. Zeus was right to punish Promoetheus.
We need more trains!
I'm going Amish. Convert me away from my new lifestyle.
Ok, so all this environmental news has got me thinkin'. Everyone is busy talking up the technology-gospel as our way out of this mess. Hey, really, all we need to do is buy enough solar panels and everything will be fine. I'm not sold on this idea. In fact, I think it is the exact opposite. Technology is of the devil.
Take the tractor, for instance. We all like the tractor. The tractor lets a single person farm 20 acres a day. That is very impressive. Very efficient, right?
No, not at all. That stupid tractor takes 200 people to make, ship and sell. Thta's ok though, because the tractor makes enough food for the extra requirement of people. Nuclear power? Sweet. We get like 1.21 jiggawatts from a plutonium atom, or something. Of course, that nuclear power plant requires 2000 people to make, run and sustain. That's ok, our new carbon-free tractors can be used to grow even more food. Food that is now genetically engineered and sold by a team of 350 scientists, 600 grad students, 50 HR reps, 12 executives, and 1000 clerks.
Wait a second here, I'm starting to see a pattern. It appears that technology simply drives our ability to consume, and historically speaking, simply feeds our voracious desires and enables ever greater heights of consumption and thus, pollution. The idea that just getting rid of emissions will fix our problems is silly. The idea that technology will do anything other than drive our ability to destroy everything is silly.
I'm going Amish. The simple fact is that we are supposed to spend 14 back-breaking hours of heavy labor a day just to barely sustain ourselves. Oh, but what about our lovely musics and arts? Culture? Advancements?
I don't know, it all just seems like the Titanic at this point. I mean, it appears that the natural balance of nature is predicated upon animals doing two things: eating, sleeping, mating. Three things, then. Zeus was right to punish Promoetheus.
We need more trains!
I'm going Amish. Convert me away from my new lifestyle.
Website: The Bones of Borley by Andrew Clarke
Summary:
The Bones of Borley is a collection of essays that were written to explore a particular thought or theme. They do not attempt to construct an encyclopaedia on the subject of the haunting.
Review:
Tucked away on a relatively obscure local history website is this delightful and illuminating collection of essays about the building which was once notorious as 'The Most Haunted House in England' (see Wikipedia page). It is a subject over which there has been considerable ink shed in the past century or so, but very few of the printed books take the down-to-Earth common-sense tone of Andrew Clarke and in my opinion his simple analytical style more than makes up for any slight deficiencies in the writing.
Relentlessly he takes apart the individual phenomena related by various local residents and occupants of the Rectory and subjects them to withering scrutiny, and finds plausible explanations for all of them, yet does not adopt the dismissive attitude of many ghost-debunkers; rather, he seems astonished that such ordinary events could have been exaggerated to such an astonishing degree, and he looks for explanations in the frankly unusual personalities of many of the people involved.
These essays will probably only be of interest to anyone who already has a passing acquaintance with the Borley story, or anyone intrigued by the mechanism of legends. Anyone more generally interested in ghosts and haunts should probably read one of the other widely available books about Borley first and then look at The Bones of Borley for contrast; if you started here, you probably wouldn’t want to read more!
And to those who don’t like to have their myths exploded, I can say this; whilst most of the detailed phenomena reported may have been either mistakes or deliberate pranks, the place itself has a very sinister feel to it and there is certainly 'something in the air'. After all, the question left unanswered by these essays is 'What prompted the first report of supernatural activity at Borley?' Having cleared away most of the smoke from the fire, the source of the original spark must always remain a mystery - and I must say I prefer it that way.
Summary:
The Bones of Borley is a collection of essays that were written to explore a particular thought or theme. They do not attempt to construct an encyclopaedia on the subject of the haunting.
Review:
Tucked away on a relatively obscure local history website is this delightful and illuminating collection of essays about the building which was once notorious as 'The Most Haunted House in England' (see Wikipedia page). It is a subject over which there has been considerable ink shed in the past century or so, but very few of the printed books take the down-to-Earth common-sense tone of Andrew Clarke and in my opinion his simple analytical style more than makes up for any slight deficiencies in the writing.
Relentlessly he takes apart the individual phenomena related by various local residents and occupants of the Rectory and subjects them to withering scrutiny, and finds plausible explanations for all of them, yet does not adopt the dismissive attitude of many ghost-debunkers; rather, he seems astonished that such ordinary events could have been exaggerated to such an astonishing degree, and he looks for explanations in the frankly unusual personalities of many of the people involved.
These essays will probably only be of interest to anyone who already has a passing acquaintance with the Borley story, or anyone intrigued by the mechanism of legends. Anyone more generally interested in ghosts and haunts should probably read one of the other widely available books about Borley first and then look at The Bones of Borley for contrast; if you started here, you probably wouldn’t want to read more!
And to those who don’t like to have their myths exploded, I can say this; whilst most of the detailed phenomena reported may have been either mistakes or deliberate pranks, the place itself has a very sinister feel to it and there is certainly 'something in the air'. After all, the question left unanswered by these essays is 'What prompted the first report of supernatural activity at Borley?' Having cleared away most of the smoke from the fire, the source of the original spark must always remain a mystery - and I must say I prefer it that way.
Set shortly after Cast in Shadow, the humans of Elantra trust the telepathic Tha’alani even less than they did before. Concerned by increased violence to the Tha’alani, the emperor orders the royal playwright to write a play designed to make the humans more comfortable with them. Having more experience than anyone else with the Tha’alani, Kaylin and Severn are assigned to be his consultants. Meanwhile, their Leontine commander, Marcus, is accused of murder (committed in public, no less) and has been jailed. Marcus and his wives are also essentially Kaylin’s foster parents, and Marcus’s replacement is too by-the-books for anyone’s comfort.
The book starts out heavily focused on the Tha’alani plot, then shifts focus almost entirely to the Leontine plot. Part of me thinks it’s because there are more women for Kaylin to interact with there (and kudos to Sagara for depicting a polygamist society that doesn’t make me want to hate all men, as tends to happen with me and polygamy in fiction), but also because the Leontine plot is introduced and wrapped up here, whereas I suspect the Tha’alani plot will continue for some time. Unlike previous books in the series, I doubt Cast in Fury would be accessible at all for new readers, as much of it is heavily based on previous books.
Other people have complained in the past about Kaylin’s thickheadedness in needing to have things explained to her at times, but that’s never bothered me much, as it’s primarily been Sagara’s way of cluing the reader in to what’s up with the various societies and histories. It’s a narrative necessity, and explanations to the lead are way better than five pages of infodumping. This book is an exception, as it’s Leontine society being explained to Kaylin, and that’s something she should be familiar with. On the other hand, she gets to explain the Tha’alani to someone in a similar way, which was a nice bit of payback.
The already-backburnered romantic plotline is almost completely nonexistent here, which is fine with me, but may be less so for others. We also learn more about the “magic tattoos” on Kaylin’s body, and get hints about her eventual destiny.
One day, I really should read more of the Luna line, as all I’ve read so far are these and Mercedes Lackey’s first two fairy tale books for the line.
The book starts out heavily focused on the Tha’alani plot, then shifts focus almost entirely to the Leontine plot. Part of me thinks it’s because there are more women for Kaylin to interact with there (and kudos to Sagara for depicting a polygamist society that doesn’t make me want to hate all men, as tends to happen with me and polygamy in fiction), but also because the Leontine plot is introduced and wrapped up here, whereas I suspect the Tha’alani plot will continue for some time. Unlike previous books in the series, I doubt Cast in Fury would be accessible at all for new readers, as much of it is heavily based on previous books.
Other people have complained in the past about Kaylin’s thickheadedness in needing to have things explained to her at times, but that’s never bothered me much, as it’s primarily been Sagara’s way of cluing the reader in to what’s up with the various societies and histories. It’s a narrative necessity, and explanations to the lead are way better than five pages of infodumping. This book is an exception, as it’s Leontine society being explained to Kaylin, and that’s something she should be familiar with. On the other hand, she gets to explain the Tha’alani to someone in a similar way, which was a nice bit of payback.
The already-backburnered romantic plotline is almost completely nonexistent here, which is fine with me, but may be less so for others. We also learn more about the “magic tattoos” on Kaylin’s body, and get hints about her eventual destiny.
One day, I really should read more of the Luna line, as all I’ve read so far are these and Mercedes Lackey’s first two fairy tale books for the line.
Posted on behalf of ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
ritzypheonix who kindly sent this in response to my request for more audio recs, but it was tucked away in 'comments' and should have a much wider airing.
- - - - -
Title: This American Life
Host: Ira Glass, with contributions from many others
Produced by: Chicago Public Radio
Length: 395 hour long production
Genres: Nonfiction, Essay, Short Stories, Comedies, Horror, anything and everything
Link: This American Life
Summary: This American Life is an hour long public radio show that features a theme, and then does three or four acts on that theme.
Review: Although I recommend all of the episodes of This American Life that I have listened to, it is hard to review as every episode is so different. Even within an episode, the stories can vary by quite a bit.
Therefore, I am going to recommend a few episodes to start with.
319: And the Call Was Coming from the Basement
Scary stories that are all true, from Halloween 2006. I especially like the last act, contributed by David Sedaris, about the dead people he worked with in the morgue. It's hilarious.
27: The Cruelty of Children
Stories about kids being mean. The second, a short story about a man children found trapped in a well, is very powerful. And Act Three: Human Nature, The View from Kindergarten, a story about a teacher who instituted a rule: "You can't say 'You can't play.'" is an interesting take on Nature v. Nurture.
355: The Giant Pool of Money, 365: Another Frightening Show About the Economy and 392: Someone Else's Money
These shows - The Giant Pool of Money and Another Frightening Show About the Economy are about the the recession and housing bubble, and Someone Else's Money is about our health care system - may only be of interest to Americans, but I have to recommend them heartily because they managed to explain at least some of these huge issues and be entertaining at the same time.
This American Life is available as a free weekly podcast through iTunes, some episodes are available for free at their website, This American Life, and all episodes can be bought through the iTunes store, or at Audible.com.
ritzypheonix who kindly sent this in response to my request for more audio recs, but it was tucked away in 'comments' and should have a much wider airing.- - - - -
Title: This American Life
Host: Ira Glass, with contributions from many others
Produced by: Chicago Public Radio
Length: 395 hour long production
Genres: Nonfiction, Essay, Short Stories, Comedies, Horror, anything and everything
Link: This American Life
Summary: This American Life is an hour long public radio show that features a theme, and then does three or four acts on that theme.
Review: Although I recommend all of the episodes of This American Life that I have listened to, it is hard to review as every episode is so different. Even within an episode, the stories can vary by quite a bit.
Therefore, I am going to recommend a few episodes to start with.
319: And the Call Was Coming from the Basement
Scary stories that are all true, from Halloween 2006. I especially like the last act, contributed by David Sedaris, about the dead people he worked with in the morgue. It's hilarious.
27: The Cruelty of Children
Stories about kids being mean. The second, a short story about a man children found trapped in a well, is very powerful. And Act Three: Human Nature, The View from Kindergarten, a story about a teacher who instituted a rule: "You can't say 'You can't play.'" is an interesting take on Nature v. Nurture.
355: The Giant Pool of Money, 365: Another Frightening Show About the Economy and 392: Someone Else's Money
These shows - The Giant Pool of Money and Another Frightening Show About the Economy are about the the recession and housing bubble, and Someone Else's Money is about our health care system - may only be of interest to Americans, but I have to recommend them heartily because they managed to explain at least some of these huge issues and be entertaining at the same time.
This American Life is available as a free weekly podcast through iTunes, some episodes are available for free at their website, This American Life, and all episodes can be bought through the iTunes store, or at Audible.com.
I thought this might be interesting for the community, some pictures I took a couple of weeks ago at Kasugayama castle in Echigo.
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Good morning, busybodies, and welcome to another day of stickin' your nose in Other People's Business.
Uh, so, the comic can be found here:
http://www.otherpeoplesbusiness.net/com
( Click here to read the commentary )
Uh, so, the comic can be found here:
http://www.otherpeoplesbusiness.net/com
( Click here to read the commentary )
Here’s a story of mine, set in 1571. It’s an AU, since it’s mentioned in vol. 20 that Kagetora and Naoe never as much as spoke to each other during their first lives. So this is basically a what-if-they-had scenario.
Summary: Considered to precious by his adoptive father to come to harm on the battlefield, eighteen year old Uesugi Kagetora incognito joins a small unit of Kenshin’s army led by one Naoe Nobutsuna…
Rating: T
Warnings: none for the first chapter. On the contrary. Since I’m not sure when the historical Naoe Nobutsuna was born, I made him Kagetora’s senior by only six years. So the two of them are much closer in age than they are in the books/anime.
Enjoy :-)
~
There Is No Such Place
One
“Naoe Nobutsuna-dono?”
My eyes narrowed at being addressed like this from a mere messenger. Instead of answering at one I gave the one who had spoken to me a quick once-over. He was wearing the modest armor of a common soldier. There were no insignia of rank or birth to be seen anywhere. His face was hidden by a helmet that he obviously didn't feel inclined to take off. He hadn't introduced himself, either. Instead he had asked for me to affirm my identity. He hadn't even undertaken the trouble of dismounting his horse!
“I am,” I finally said after a pause long enough to get the impertinence of how he was carrying himself across.
At that answer he gracefully sprang from the saddle, bowed and extended a tiny scroll to me. Seriously, what were they teaching today's youth about the proper attitude towards superiors? From up close I realized that I was indeed dealing with a very young one. His eyes were at the level of my chin. They were fearless and curious and all that was visible of his face.
“Uesugi Kagetora sends you this,” he informed me.
Irritably, I turned my attention toward the scroll which as I saw now indeed bore the Uesugi family crest. I frowned. Of course, I knew of the youngest son of Hojo Ujiyasu who had been given to our Lord Uesugi Kenshin as a hostage in the wake of the peace settlement between the two clans. Also, I was aware of Hojo Ujihide formally having become Kenshin-kou's son by adoption. But although Kagetora – as Kenshin-kou had named him – had been living with the Uesugi for over a year now, I had yet to meet him in person. Despite our peace contract with the Hojo, we had been at war constantly during the last years. It wasn't unusual for my father Sanetsuna and myself not to see our home of Echigo for several months in a row.
It was however unusual for us to take over the job scouts on enemy territory. Several of my men had complained that this was a task hardly worthy of samurai, but I was having none of it. We were to serve Kenshin-kou however he saw fit. If he wanted us to observe Oda territory and otherwise lie low, that was what we would do. I knew he had his reasons. Even if it bugged me beyond belief to keep out of the battles which were being fought a day's ride from where we were staying.
But now there was this note: short, firm and professional. Kagetora informed me in an unadorned handwriting that certain steps were to be undertaken to secure the right flank of Kenshin-kou's army which was marching against Oda. He further let me know that the one who had brought me this letter knew the rest.
Still lost in contemplation of this note and what on earth Kenshin-kou's adopted son could be thinking to send a message this cryptic and entrust it to this rude youth, I heard a sharp and quickly stifled gasp from one of my men behind me. I looked up to see that the messenger had taken off his helmet. For a moment I forgot what I had wanted to say.
The face revealed belonged to a lad clearly under twenty - oval, with high cheekbones and a slender nose. The skin was so light and unblemished that it seemed to glow in the dim light of the forest. His almond-shaped eyes under the strong, black brows were dark and pensive.
“Kagetora-dono sent a single man with a mission this crucial?” I asked when I found my voice again.
“He chose to since it is easier for a single person to go unnoticed,” the boy replied calmly. If he was aware of his effect on us, he didn't show it. “And what he wants to be done doesn't require a lot of manpower so he decided that a small unit like yours would suffice.”
“It wasn't possible for him to oversee the mission himself?”
The boy shrugged. “Kagetora was ordered by Kenshin-kou to stay at Echigo for the time being, but understandably he still wishes to be of help. He sent me because he trusts me to explain the necessary to you.”
“You are welcome to. Apart from that, I really don't think it's appropriate for you to speak of him in such a disrespectful manner.”
He blinked. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Did no one ever teach you to use an honorific when you're talking about your lord?” I scolded.
He was silent for a moment. “I assure you, I didn't mean disrespect by that. He and I go way back, that's all. We're the same age and grew up together at his brother's court in Odawara. Actually,” a brief smile enlightened his features, “no one could have more interest in Kagetora-dono getting the respect he deserves than I do.”
I shook my head, trying to convince myself that I wasn't indulging him because of the radiance of this smile. “Do you have a name, too, messenger?”
“Certainly,” he said in a tone that implied his considering me to be a bit on the slow side. “It's Saburo.”
-
So far the evening had turned out to be quite interesting. After being out in the field for months without as much as a minor diversion, I found myself unable to state which fascinated me most: suddenly being called on by Kenshin-kou's adoptive son, the prospect of being able to contribute to the victory – or the unusual deliverer of the message.
I wasn't sure I liked his being here, though. I noticed how the eyes of several of my men were glued to him. They hadn't seen, far less had a woman in a number of months now, and it worried me a bit. I could perfectly do without them savaging the boy or fighting each other for his graces, thank you very much.
But in all honesty, I couldn't blame them - I could hardly avert my gaze from the slender figure with the translucent skin walking next to me either. It was quite courageous of Saburo to come here all alone. He didn't seem the overly obedient type, so I concluded he must have come out of devotion for his lord. I decided to keep him as close to me as possible to avoid any unpleasant incidents.
My father looked up from cleaning his sword when we entered his tent.
“Father,” I said after we had bowed to him, “we've received word from Echigo.” I handed him Kagetora-dono's letter which he read intently.
Nodding, he looked at Saburo. “What is your name?”
I had to bite back a laugh when I saw how my father's eyes, too, hang on Saburo for just a second too long. Again, the boy didn't indicate that he had noticed the attention.
No, I thought to myself, this kind of bravado cannot be real. He noticed. He's just too clever to reveal any insecurities.
Saburo introduced himself again and at my father's hint explained his lord's plans to us in great detail and with an eagerness as if he had thought them up himself. What he had to say was impressive – revealing the kind of intelligence that makes you think when confronted with it: why the heck didn't I think of that? – still I found myself drawn to the gestures of his hands and the quick, lightning-like flashes of his eyes as they flickered between my father and me. I didn't exactly miss what he was speaking about, but his appearance proved a great distraction. It irritated me.
When he had finished, my father smiled. “It seems Kenshin-kou adopted a military genius.”
Saburo's face lit up.
My father was turning the letter around in his hands. “His tactical skills could be of great use to our armies. Maybe Kenshin-kou will reconsider leaving him at home next time.”
“I daresay it is what my lord hopes for,” Saburo answered lithely.
“It was a wise move of his to lay matters into your hands.” My father shook his head. “I wish I had servants that always understand so clearly what I'm trying to tell them.”
A smile tugged at Saburo's lips but he said nothing.
-
After announcing to my men that we were heading for the borderland first thing tomorrow, I fetched something to eat for myself and Saburo and showed him the place where he would sleep. He had wisely kept himself in the background when I had addressed my officers. Following me around the small camp, he gave the perfect picture of a commoner that has stumbled into a domain of military men.
I felt like teasing him a bit. “You are one of Kagetora-dono's servants, then?”
The youth hesitated almost unnoticeably. “Yes.”
I fought to keep my mien straight. “Then you can answer me a question that has been occupying me for quite some time.”
“…Yes?”
“Is he indeed as handsome as everyone says?”
Saburo froze, something akin to anger flickered across his face. “I suppose he is not completely unfortunate-looking,” he bit out.
What a thing to say about one's lord! I suppressed a laugh. Secretly, I thought his reaction intriguing. Not only did he reveal the true strength of his temper for the split of a second but also it implied that this kind of topic made him uncomfortable. Maybe he even harbored a bit of jealousy for his young lord who allegedly possessed the beauty to stop people dead in their tracks.
I tried to imagine what it must mean for Saburo to hear this kind of sentiment time and again. Considering Saburo's own appearance, it seemed a superfluous but strangely endearing emotion to be envious of somebody else's looks or the attention they brought to their owner. It made the elfin creature by my side more human. So did his ability to let himself be taunted.
As for me, I had rarely felt the urge to push someone's buttons, but now I had to restrain myself not to pursue the subject any further and see what other reactions I might coax out of him.
What's the matter with me, I thought as we settled down for the night. Something about him just irked me. I had encountered beautiful people before. Even if none of them had had a face that could make you believe in love at first sight. But there was something else about this boy, something really intriguing – a will-force as cold and unfaltering as sword-steel.
Oh, he hid it quite well and the better for him as it was absolutely intolerable in a peasant's son turned servant. However, I easily recognized this trait in others because I, too, possessed it. And just like Saburo, I had learned to hide it from my superiors for I knew it would only get me into trouble otherwise. As a result, it had never been measured against somebody else's.
Until today, I thought, looking over to where I knew Saburo was sleeping. I'd be damned if I had ever expected a pretty underling to provide me with the possibility, but…
Here was my challenge now.
~
** Like it? :-) There are six chapters and an epilogue. You can expect one every three days or so.
Summary: Considered to precious by his adoptive father to come to harm on the battlefield, eighteen year old Uesugi Kagetora incognito joins a small unit of Kenshin’s army led by one Naoe Nobutsuna…
Rating: T
Warnings: none for the first chapter. On the contrary. Since I’m not sure when the historical Naoe Nobutsuna was born, I made him Kagetora’s senior by only six years. So the two of them are much closer in age than they are in the books/anime.
Enjoy :-)
~
There Is No Such Place
One
“Naoe Nobutsuna-dono?”
My eyes narrowed at being addressed like this from a mere messenger. Instead of answering at one I gave the one who had spoken to me a quick once-over. He was wearing the modest armor of a common soldier. There were no insignia of rank or birth to be seen anywhere. His face was hidden by a helmet that he obviously didn't feel inclined to take off. He hadn't introduced himself, either. Instead he had asked for me to affirm my identity. He hadn't even undertaken the trouble of dismounting his horse!
“I am,” I finally said after a pause long enough to get the impertinence of how he was carrying himself across.
At that answer he gracefully sprang from the saddle, bowed and extended a tiny scroll to me. Seriously, what were they teaching today's youth about the proper attitude towards superiors? From up close I realized that I was indeed dealing with a very young one. His eyes were at the level of my chin. They were fearless and curious and all that was visible of his face.
“Uesugi Kagetora sends you this,” he informed me.
Irritably, I turned my attention toward the scroll which as I saw now indeed bore the Uesugi family crest. I frowned. Of course, I knew of the youngest son of Hojo Ujiyasu who had been given to our Lord Uesugi Kenshin as a hostage in the wake of the peace settlement between the two clans. Also, I was aware of Hojo Ujihide formally having become Kenshin-kou's son by adoption. But although Kagetora – as Kenshin-kou had named him – had been living with the Uesugi for over a year now, I had yet to meet him in person. Despite our peace contract with the Hojo, we had been at war constantly during the last years. It wasn't unusual for my father Sanetsuna and myself not to see our home of Echigo for several months in a row.
It was however unusual for us to take over the job scouts on enemy territory. Several of my men had complained that this was a task hardly worthy of samurai, but I was having none of it. We were to serve Kenshin-kou however he saw fit. If he wanted us to observe Oda territory and otherwise lie low, that was what we would do. I knew he had his reasons. Even if it bugged me beyond belief to keep out of the battles which were being fought a day's ride from where we were staying.
But now there was this note: short, firm and professional. Kagetora informed me in an unadorned handwriting that certain steps were to be undertaken to secure the right flank of Kenshin-kou's army which was marching against Oda. He further let me know that the one who had brought me this letter knew the rest.
Still lost in contemplation of this note and what on earth Kenshin-kou's adopted son could be thinking to send a message this cryptic and entrust it to this rude youth, I heard a sharp and quickly stifled gasp from one of my men behind me. I looked up to see that the messenger had taken off his helmet. For a moment I forgot what I had wanted to say.
The face revealed belonged to a lad clearly under twenty - oval, with high cheekbones and a slender nose. The skin was so light and unblemished that it seemed to glow in the dim light of the forest. His almond-shaped eyes under the strong, black brows were dark and pensive.
“Kagetora-dono sent a single man with a mission this crucial?” I asked when I found my voice again.
“He chose to since it is easier for a single person to go unnoticed,” the boy replied calmly. If he was aware of his effect on us, he didn't show it. “And what he wants to be done doesn't require a lot of manpower so he decided that a small unit like yours would suffice.”
“It wasn't possible for him to oversee the mission himself?”
The boy shrugged. “Kagetora was ordered by Kenshin-kou to stay at Echigo for the time being, but understandably he still wishes to be of help. He sent me because he trusts me to explain the necessary to you.”
“You are welcome to. Apart from that, I really don't think it's appropriate for you to speak of him in such a disrespectful manner.”
He blinked. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Did no one ever teach you to use an honorific when you're talking about your lord?” I scolded.
He was silent for a moment. “I assure you, I didn't mean disrespect by that. He and I go way back, that's all. We're the same age and grew up together at his brother's court in Odawara. Actually,” a brief smile enlightened his features, “no one could have more interest in Kagetora-dono getting the respect he deserves than I do.”
I shook my head, trying to convince myself that I wasn't indulging him because of the radiance of this smile. “Do you have a name, too, messenger?”
“Certainly,” he said in a tone that implied his considering me to be a bit on the slow side. “It's Saburo.”
-
So far the evening had turned out to be quite interesting. After being out in the field for months without as much as a minor diversion, I found myself unable to state which fascinated me most: suddenly being called on by Kenshin-kou's adoptive son, the prospect of being able to contribute to the victory – or the unusual deliverer of the message.
I wasn't sure I liked his being here, though. I noticed how the eyes of several of my men were glued to him. They hadn't seen, far less had a woman in a number of months now, and it worried me a bit. I could perfectly do without them savaging the boy or fighting each other for his graces, thank you very much.
But in all honesty, I couldn't blame them - I could hardly avert my gaze from the slender figure with the translucent skin walking next to me either. It was quite courageous of Saburo to come here all alone. He didn't seem the overly obedient type, so I concluded he must have come out of devotion for his lord. I decided to keep him as close to me as possible to avoid any unpleasant incidents.
My father looked up from cleaning his sword when we entered his tent.
“Father,” I said after we had bowed to him, “we've received word from Echigo.” I handed him Kagetora-dono's letter which he read intently.
Nodding, he looked at Saburo. “What is your name?”
I had to bite back a laugh when I saw how my father's eyes, too, hang on Saburo for just a second too long. Again, the boy didn't indicate that he had noticed the attention.
No, I thought to myself, this kind of bravado cannot be real. He noticed. He's just too clever to reveal any insecurities.
Saburo introduced himself again and at my father's hint explained his lord's plans to us in great detail and with an eagerness as if he had thought them up himself. What he had to say was impressive – revealing the kind of intelligence that makes you think when confronted with it: why the heck didn't I think of that? – still I found myself drawn to the gestures of his hands and the quick, lightning-like flashes of his eyes as they flickered between my father and me. I didn't exactly miss what he was speaking about, but his appearance proved a great distraction. It irritated me.
When he had finished, my father smiled. “It seems Kenshin-kou adopted a military genius.”
Saburo's face lit up.
My father was turning the letter around in his hands. “His tactical skills could be of great use to our armies. Maybe Kenshin-kou will reconsider leaving him at home next time.”
“I daresay it is what my lord hopes for,” Saburo answered lithely.
“It was a wise move of his to lay matters into your hands.” My father shook his head. “I wish I had servants that always understand so clearly what I'm trying to tell them.”
A smile tugged at Saburo's lips but he said nothing.
-
After announcing to my men that we were heading for the borderland first thing tomorrow, I fetched something to eat for myself and Saburo and showed him the place where he would sleep. He had wisely kept himself in the background when I had addressed my officers. Following me around the small camp, he gave the perfect picture of a commoner that has stumbled into a domain of military men.
I felt like teasing him a bit. “You are one of Kagetora-dono's servants, then?”
The youth hesitated almost unnoticeably. “Yes.”
I fought to keep my mien straight. “Then you can answer me a question that has been occupying me for quite some time.”
“…Yes?”
“Is he indeed as handsome as everyone says?”
Saburo froze, something akin to anger flickered across his face. “I suppose he is not completely unfortunate-looking,” he bit out.
What a thing to say about one's lord! I suppressed a laugh. Secretly, I thought his reaction intriguing. Not only did he reveal the true strength of his temper for the split of a second but also it implied that this kind of topic made him uncomfortable. Maybe he even harbored a bit of jealousy for his young lord who allegedly possessed the beauty to stop people dead in their tracks.
I tried to imagine what it must mean for Saburo to hear this kind of sentiment time and again. Considering Saburo's own appearance, it seemed a superfluous but strangely endearing emotion to be envious of somebody else's looks or the attention they brought to their owner. It made the elfin creature by my side more human. So did his ability to let himself be taunted.
As for me, I had rarely felt the urge to push someone's buttons, but now I had to restrain myself not to pursue the subject any further and see what other reactions I might coax out of him.
What's the matter with me, I thought as we settled down for the night. Something about him just irked me. I had encountered beautiful people before. Even if none of them had had a face that could make you believe in love at first sight. But there was something else about this boy, something really intriguing – a will-force as cold and unfaltering as sword-steel.
Oh, he hid it quite well and the better for him as it was absolutely intolerable in a peasant's son turned servant. However, I easily recognized this trait in others because I, too, possessed it. And just like Saburo, I had learned to hide it from my superiors for I knew it would only get me into trouble otherwise. As a result, it had never been measured against somebody else's.
Until today, I thought, looking over to where I knew Saburo was sleeping. I'd be damned if I had ever expected a pretty underling to provide me with the possibility, but…
Here was my challenge now.
~
** Like it? :-) There are six chapters and an epilogue. You can expect one every three days or so.
Hello everyone~ I’ve been a fan of MoB for a long time but have only managed to locate Collections I-III, the anime soundtrack and the off vocal CDs. Is there a way I could get the Special CD Collection Volume IV from anyone? :x
- Mood:
hopeful
Posted on behalf of slytherin_gypsy
- - - - -
Title: A Little Princess
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Length: Novel
Genres: Children’s Literature, Drama
Warnings: Character death
Summary:
Sara Crewe is a young girl who was born in India and is sent by her father to a boarding school in England. Despite being constantly indulged and very rich, she is not a spoiled child, showing kindness from the youngest pupil to the scullery maid and delighting in learning. But her life is turned upside down when her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her penniless. From being treated like a princess, she goes to live as a servant, enduring humiliations and hardships. Yet Sara refuses to let her spirit be destroyed and through her imagination and strength will prove that, no matter what happens, she will always be a princess.
Review:
As I’m not a native speaker of English, I ended up reading many books that are considered classic “Children’s Literature” after I was no longer a child. A Little Princess was one such book, though it has become much more than that to me.
What makes it so special? Besides the well crafted plot, it’s Sara herself that really makes the reader get engrossed in her tale. Her boundless imagination enchants us; her intelligence and kindness captivate us; her dignity and strength in face of all her adversities leave us felling humbled. Yet the author managed to avoid making her a picture of perfection: Sara has her moments of childish indulgence and despair, which only serve to make her more appealing. Add to all that the cast of great supporting characters (devoted Becky, faithful Ermengarde, little Lotte, the cruel Miss Minchin, and the mysterious Indian gentleman) and you get a beautiful, timeless classic for reader’s of all ages.
Available On Project Gutenberg: A Little Princess; being the whole story of Sara Crewe now told for the first time.
slytherin_gypsy- - - - -
Title: A Little Princess
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Length: Novel
Genres: Children’s Literature, Drama
Warnings: Character death
Summary:
Sara Crewe is a young girl who was born in India and is sent by her father to a boarding school in England. Despite being constantly indulged and very rich, she is not a spoiled child, showing kindness from the youngest pupil to the scullery maid and delighting in learning. But her life is turned upside down when her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her penniless. From being treated like a princess, she goes to live as a servant, enduring humiliations and hardships. Yet Sara refuses to let her spirit be destroyed and through her imagination and strength will prove that, no matter what happens, she will always be a princess.
Review:
As I’m not a native speaker of English, I ended up reading many books that are considered classic “Children’s Literature” after I was no longer a child. A Little Princess was one such book, though it has become much more than that to me.
What makes it so special? Besides the well crafted plot, it’s Sara herself that really makes the reader get engrossed in her tale. Her boundless imagination enchants us; her intelligence and kindness captivate us; her dignity and strength in face of all her adversities leave us felling humbled. Yet the author managed to avoid making her a picture of perfection: Sara has her moments of childish indulgence and despair, which only serve to make her more appealing. Add to all that the cast of great supporting characters (devoted Becky, faithful Ermengarde, little Lotte, the cruel Miss Minchin, and the mysterious Indian gentleman) and you get a beautiful, timeless classic for reader’s of all ages.
Available On Project Gutenberg: A Little Princess; being the whole story of Sara Crewe now told for the first time.
Title: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006)
Lead Actors: Bradley Whitford, Matthew Perry, Timothy Busfield
Length: Twenty-two 40 minute episodes
Rating: 12
Genres: Humour, Romance, Social commentary
Warnings: One comedic beheading
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485842/
Summary:
Behind the scenes with the cast and crew of a fictional Friday night topical sketch comedy series.
Review:
If you know the work of writer Aaron Sorkin from his time on The West Wing you will find the mise-en-scène of Studio 60 very familiar; take a first-rate cast, give them a series of bizarre situations to cope with and some dazzlingly intelligent things to say, and you have a sure-fire recipe for entertainment.
You would expect stellar performances from actors of the calibre of Whitford and Perry, but this is an ensemble cast which never puts a foot wrong. Among the most engaging are Timothy Busfield as Cal Shanley, Nathan Corddry as Tom Jeter and Nate Torrence as Dylan Killington. Sarah Paulson, as committed Christian Harriet Hayes, carries the moral weight of the series; there are interesting conflicts between her formal religious faith and the freewheeling attitudes adopted by other cast members - in particular Perry's character Matt Albie, her former love interest.
With much of the dramatic tension revolving around the two on-again-off-again central relationships - Matt's with Harriet, and Danny Tripp's (Whitford) with Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet) - it is a relief to report that there does seem to be genuine chemistry at work within the two couples. However the latter develops rather more quickly than any of those involved probably intended, no doubt as a result of the actress's real-life pregnancy.
As for storylines, the two-part story 'Nevada Day' - a bizarre sequence of events which starts out with a sketch about 'taking the name of the Lord in vain' and builds towards a surreal encounter in a rural Nevada Sheriff's office - is a winner, but Cal's despair in 'The Harriet Dinner' after a snake goes missing under the studio floor (an hysterical reworking of the nursery rhyme about the old lady who swallowed the fly) and the incident in '4 a.m. Miracle' where Tom is entrusted with Jordan's 'practice baby' are moments of pure comedy gold which hardly have an equal anywhere. Also, anyone who can remain dry-eyed during 'The Christmas Show's tribute to the people of New Orleans is probably made out of stone.
West Wing fans will recognise much of the writing, the characters and many of the situations - and the actors, too. It took a little while for me to get past that, as I was constantly relating back to the earlier show. That doesn’t mean, however, that Studio 60 is in any way inferior or derivative; it's just a different use of many of the same materials, and I wish it had been given more of a chance by the network - in which case it might have been as successful as its 'elder brother', more successful than it was, and even perhaps as successful as its redoubtable assemblage of talent so richly deserved.
Lead Actors: Bradley Whitford, Matthew Perry, Timothy Busfield
Length: Twenty-two 40 minute episodes
Rating: 12
Genres: Humour, Romance, Social commentary
Warnings: One comedic beheading
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485842/
Summary:
Behind the scenes with the cast and crew of a fictional Friday night topical sketch comedy series.
Review:
If you know the work of writer Aaron Sorkin from his time on The West Wing you will find the mise-en-scène of Studio 60 very familiar; take a first-rate cast, give them a series of bizarre situations to cope with and some dazzlingly intelligent things to say, and you have a sure-fire recipe for entertainment.
You would expect stellar performances from actors of the calibre of Whitford and Perry, but this is an ensemble cast which never puts a foot wrong. Among the most engaging are Timothy Busfield as Cal Shanley, Nathan Corddry as Tom Jeter and Nate Torrence as Dylan Killington. Sarah Paulson, as committed Christian Harriet Hayes, carries the moral weight of the series; there are interesting conflicts between her formal religious faith and the freewheeling attitudes adopted by other cast members - in particular Perry's character Matt Albie, her former love interest.
With much of the dramatic tension revolving around the two on-again-off-again central relationships - Matt's with Harriet, and Danny Tripp's (Whitford) with Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet) - it is a relief to report that there does seem to be genuine chemistry at work within the two couples. However the latter develops rather more quickly than any of those involved probably intended, no doubt as a result of the actress's real-life pregnancy.
As for storylines, the two-part story 'Nevada Day' - a bizarre sequence of events which starts out with a sketch about 'taking the name of the Lord in vain' and builds towards a surreal encounter in a rural Nevada Sheriff's office - is a winner, but Cal's despair in 'The Harriet Dinner' after a snake goes missing under the studio floor (an hysterical reworking of the nursery rhyme about the old lady who swallowed the fly) and the incident in '4 a.m. Miracle' where Tom is entrusted with Jordan's 'practice baby' are moments of pure comedy gold which hardly have an equal anywhere. Also, anyone who can remain dry-eyed during 'The Christmas Show's tribute to the people of New Orleans is probably made out of stone.
West Wing fans will recognise much of the writing, the characters and many of the situations - and the actors, too. It took a little while for me to get past that, as I was constantly relating back to the earlier show. That doesn’t mean, however, that Studio 60 is in any way inferior or derivative; it's just a different use of many of the same materials, and I wish it had been given more of a chance by the network - in which case it might have been as successful as its 'elder brother', more successful than it was, and even perhaps as successful as its redoubtable assemblage of talent so richly deserved.
Hi everyone, I'm a canadian highschool student and i'm looking for some advice.
I'm interested in fields related mostly to criminology and abnormal psychology, but i'm confused as to potential careers in those fields.
I love trying to figure out how people think, what they will do in certain situations, etc.
Any ideas for careers???
To be honest the closest I've come to finding a "match" is from watching Criminal Minds (lol.) but i'm fairly sure the job title "profiler" doesn't exist..and if it did it would be extremely limited and competitive.
I suppose a Detective/Special Agent is also really close.
Can anyone also recommend any University Courses? Or a series of Courses to get me where I want to be?
Links are appreciated.
I'm interested in fields related mostly to criminology and abnormal psychology, but i'm confused as to potential careers in those fields.
I love trying to figure out how people think, what they will do in certain situations, etc.
Any ideas for careers???
To be honest the closest I've come to finding a "match" is from watching Criminal Minds (lol.) but i'm fairly sure the job title "profiler" doesn't exist..and if it did it would be extremely limited and competitive.
I suppose a Detective/Special Agent is also really close.
Can anyone also recommend any University Courses? Or a series of Courses to get me where I want to be?
Links are appreciated.
Good morning, busybodies of my heart, and welcome to Issue 3, The Wicked Stepsister. The site repairs are underway, so in the meantime, you can find the comic here, where the commentary lives.
( Click here to read the comic and the commentary. )
( Click here to read the comic and the commentary. )
43. Rich Benjamin, Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America
A pop non-fiction book about what the author calls "whitopias": fast-growing, often exurban or rural, conservative, majority white (usually over 90%) communities. Such whitopias are becoming more common, he argues, and many of them are some of the fastest growing areas in the country. Against this backdrop, Rich Benjamin (a black guy) decided to try living in three such communities (St. George, Utah; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Forsyth County, Georgia) and researching many more (including Carnegie Hill, in Manhattan and only a short walk from my own apartment, though that's a walk that covers a lot of change) to see what they're like, and what kind of people choose to live in them. These aren't sundown towns- obviously, since Benjamin managed to find places to rent in them- but are more like an extreme example of white flight. I picked this book up because I've been reading a lot of books about PoC communities, and I thought it would be interesting to get a black perspective on white communities.
I really enjoyed this book, perhaps because I'd read James Loewen's Sundown Towns over the summer, and Searching for Whitopia is the perfect follow-up to that (Sundown Towns is an absolutely amazing book, and I encourage everyone to read it. It is very worth its enormous length and many footnotes, though, the author being white, it will not count as one of your![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
50books_poc books). And Searching for Whitopia really is an update; it manages to include research from 2009 and I always think it's very impressive when someone can manage to get a book from the writing-stage to the in-bookstores-stage that quickly. And that recent information is particularly impressive because Benjamin covers a lot of topics, from Latino/a immigration, to the history of the conservative movement in American politics, to the New Urbanism city planning philosophy. Benjamin approaches his topics with a light touch, in particular giving way more of the benefit of the doubt to the people he interviews from whitopias than I would have. He even gives several pages to defining the difference between interpersonal racism and structural racism, a distinction which most people reading this community probably don't need help with. Because of that, though, I think this book would make an awesome gift to someone who's not that knowledgable about these issues; Benjamin is very careful to not offend, and there's things to interest people who wouldn't normally pick up this sort of book, including an entire chapter on golf.
So, a book which doesn't have much in-depth information, but has good, up-to-date information on a variety of topics, which is fun and easy to read: overall, pretty nice!
A pop non-fiction book about what the author calls "whitopias": fast-growing, often exurban or rural, conservative, majority white (usually over 90%) communities. Such whitopias are becoming more common, he argues, and many of them are some of the fastest growing areas in the country. Against this backdrop, Rich Benjamin (a black guy) decided to try living in three such communities (St. George, Utah; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Forsyth County, Georgia) and researching many more (including Carnegie Hill, in Manhattan and only a short walk from my own apartment, though that's a walk that covers a lot of change) to see what they're like, and what kind of people choose to live in them. These aren't sundown towns- obviously, since Benjamin managed to find places to rent in them- but are more like an extreme example of white flight. I picked this book up because I've been reading a lot of books about PoC communities, and I thought it would be interesting to get a black perspective on white communities.
I really enjoyed this book, perhaps because I'd read James Loewen's Sundown Towns over the summer, and Searching for Whitopia is the perfect follow-up to that (Sundown Towns is an absolutely amazing book, and I encourage everyone to read it. It is very worth its enormous length and many footnotes, though, the author being white, it will not count as one of your
50books_poc books). And Searching for Whitopia really is an update; it manages to include research from 2009 and I always think it's very impressive when someone can manage to get a book from the writing-stage to the in-bookstores-stage that quickly. And that recent information is particularly impressive because Benjamin covers a lot of topics, from Latino/a immigration, to the history of the conservative movement in American politics, to the New Urbanism city planning philosophy. Benjamin approaches his topics with a light touch, in particular giving way more of the benefit of the doubt to the people he interviews from whitopias than I would have. He even gives several pages to defining the difference between interpersonal racism and structural racism, a distinction which most people reading this community probably don't need help with. Because of that, though, I think this book would make an awesome gift to someone who's not that knowledgable about these issues; Benjamin is very careful to not offend, and there's things to interest people who wouldn't normally pick up this sort of book, including an entire chapter on golf.So, a book which doesn't have much in-depth information, but has good, up-to-date information on a variety of topics, which is fun and easy to read: overall, pretty nice!
- Mood: cheerful
Posted on behalf of slytherin_gypsy
- - - - -
Title: Love Actually
Lead Actors: Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman
Rating: R
Length: 135 minutes
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Warnings: R rated due to sexuality, nudity and language
Summary:
Love Actually follows the five weeks before Christmas in the lives of different people who are interconnected. Juliet, who has just married Peter, has to deal with the apparent animosity his best friend, Mark, has towards her. Their friend Jamie, after finding out his girlfriend cheated on him, goes to France to write a book and ends up falling in love with his Portuguese maid, Aurélia, even though they don't speak the same language. Meanwhile the newly elected Prime Minister, David, falls in love with one of his employees while his sister, Karen watches her husband be seduced by a coworker. Working in the same office, Sarah finally decides to act on her feeling for Karl, but is held back by personal obligations. There’s also Collin, who goes to the US in hopes of attracting women with his English accent, Daniel, who has just lost his wife and has to help his stepson attract the girl he has fallen in love with and John and Judy, who fall in love while working as stand-ins for a sex scene in a movie. All these stories are accompanied by the story of Billy Mack, an aging rock and roll star who was persuaded by his manager, Joe, to record a Christmas variation of "Love is All Around" to revive his career.
Review:
There are dozens of movies that are Christmas themed and many have become classics for the season. Love Actually has become my personal favorite for this time of the year, as it has everything I consider indispensible for a good Christmas movie: romance, friendship, low doses of angst, a bit of light humor and an overall happy ending.
I’ll confess outright that those that criticize the movie as being mushy do have a point. Being a movie dealing with different kinds of love and their outcomes (which can be happy, hopeful or bittersweet) it does get a bit melodramatic and corny at times. Yet the fantastic ensemble cast and the way the different storylines interconnect make the movie work. All in all, this is a great movie choice for those who want to cuddle up on the couch during the holiday season.
slytherin_gypsy- - - - -
Title: Love Actually
Lead Actors: Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman
Rating: R
Length: 135 minutes
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Warnings: R rated due to sexuality, nudity and language
Summary:
Love Actually follows the five weeks before Christmas in the lives of different people who are interconnected. Juliet, who has just married Peter, has to deal with the apparent animosity his best friend, Mark, has towards her. Their friend Jamie, after finding out his girlfriend cheated on him, goes to France to write a book and ends up falling in love with his Portuguese maid, Aurélia, even though they don't speak the same language. Meanwhile the newly elected Prime Minister, David, falls in love with one of his employees while his sister, Karen watches her husband be seduced by a coworker. Working in the same office, Sarah finally decides to act on her feeling for Karl, but is held back by personal obligations. There’s also Collin, who goes to the US in hopes of attracting women with his English accent, Daniel, who has just lost his wife and has to help his stepson attract the girl he has fallen in love with and John and Judy, who fall in love while working as stand-ins for a sex scene in a movie. All these stories are accompanied by the story of Billy Mack, an aging rock and roll star who was persuaded by his manager, Joe, to record a Christmas variation of "Love is All Around" to revive his career.
Review:
There are dozens of movies that are Christmas themed and many have become classics for the season. Love Actually has become my personal favorite for this time of the year, as it has everything I consider indispensible for a good Christmas movie: romance, friendship, low doses of angst, a bit of light humor and an overall happy ending.
I’ll confess outright that those that criticize the movie as being mushy do have a point. Being a movie dealing with different kinds of love and their outcomes (which can be happy, hopeful or bittersweet) it does get a bit melodramatic and corny at times. Yet the fantastic ensemble cast and the way the different storylines interconnect make the movie work. All in all, this is a great movie choice for those who want to cuddle up on the couch during the holiday season.
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- mirageofblaze :: kat_tyan : More photos from Kasugayama [+2]
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- mirageofblaze :: boukun_rashiku : Vocals~ [+1]
- real_world_recs :: theficklepickle : BOOK - A Little Princess [+0]
- real_world_recs :: theficklepickle : TV - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) [+0]
- goodbyechains :: heykidzcomix : [Goodbye Chains] Act 2, Page 88 [+5]
- sociologists :: so_corrupt : Potential Careers, What Courses to Study In? [+2]
- otherpeoplesbiz :: crotalus_atrox : Comic HERE. Issue 3, pg. 1. [+32]
- 50books_poc :: wordsofastory : Rich Benjamin, Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America [+0]
- real_world_recs :: theficklepickle : MOVIE - Love Actually (R) [+3]