Outside The Interzone: May 1, 2011

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Saturd80's

The Cult, She Sells Sanctuary:

Depeche Mode, Dreaming of Me:

Peter Gabriel, Games Without Frontiers:

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

This Is Not Wednesday...

But close enough for me. That dress is AWESOME!

Via Darius Whiteplume's Tumblr.

Happy Star Wars Day!

(FilmCritic.com.au; click for full size) May the fourth be with you!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Phobos is the inner and larger of Mars' two moons. It is named for "fear" (Greek, Phobos, the son of Ares, who in turn was the god of war). Like Mimas a couple weeks ago, this moon suffered a collision earlier in its history that was very large compared to the moon itself, and as you can see from the fractures radiating from the large crater on the right limb, the moon was almost destroyed by the blast. Image from The Big Foto, where there are a number of other stunning pictures of this moon and a couple of Deimos as well.

Never Forget Who the REAL Enemy Is

Fox News, via all over the place.

Happy Codpiece Day

Others have noted the irony of Bin Laden's killing on the eighth anniversary of dubya's carrier-deck strut and Mission Accomplished bravado.

(All Hat, No Cattle) Golly, whoda thunk that gathering intelligence- and paying attention to it- responding with a focused plan, and carefully targeting your objective might have a more positive outcome than initiating unplanned hostilities against a poorly armed, fractious nation whose leader threatened your daddy and your masculinity?

Here's the thing: I don't want to underplay the importance of killing Bin Laden. I honestly don't know how important he is/was at this point; if reports are accurate, he has been thoroughly out of the loop. I think kudos and more are in order for those involved in this operation: well done! I wish it was as easy for me to assure you of proper health care and the benefits you deserve when you return to civilian life. Lord knows our country and citizens owe you at least that much, but we both know you're going to have to fight tooth and nail to even get attention, let alone the support you're due.

But what really disturbed me last night as I realized what had happened was the mood of celebration. I was watching Twelve Monkeys- an appropriately surreal, grim and depressing film, when I started hearing fireworks, cheering, and chants of "USA! USA!" I didn't pay much attention. Danged Greek kids will use anything as an excuse to make noise and get drunk... one gets inured to it after a while. Then I took a break and checked the web. Oh my. Celebrations in New York and DC. Obama interrupting Celebrity Apprentice Dance Survivors (or some such) for an officious statement. Boo-yah. A guy is dead. Go USA!

Really, people? Yeah, he was an awful person, a prick, a monster, even. Yeah, he planned an event that killed 3000 American Citizens within our national boundaries (I think it's that latter detail that gets everyone's panties in a knot- we sure as shit don't give a fuck when American citizens are killed overseas by ambushes and IED's.) But I had been under the impression that our country was built based on the principle of the basic dignity and assured rights of each and every human being. It's one thing to see a few self-selected yahoos celebrating the execution of a criminal in Texas (after, I might point out, the application of due process of law, however flawed that might be); it's another to see a huge portion of my country celebrating what amounts to a military execution as if it was a game-winning three point play in the closing seconds of a playoff game.

Listen, assholes: this is not a game. These are not the closing seconds- we have been warned that GWOT will likely go on for decades. Bin Laden was a human being, not a basketball. Celebrating the death a human being, however awful he was, cheapens ALL human life, including your own.

I'm reminded of Tommy Sand's song, There Were Roses:

Isaac was my friend! he cried, he begged them with his tears
But centuries of hatred have ears that do not hear
An eye for an eye, it was all that filled their minds
And another eye for another eye till everyone is blind

And the tears of the people ran together.

Again, let me be clear: I am in no way saying Bin Laden's death is a bad thing. I would have preferred his live capture and trial, but as best as I can tell, actually following our own law is distasteful and unworkable for our current legislative and executive branches. It's much more pragmatic to throw suspects into a box in Guantanamo, with assurances we'll sort them all out with military tribunals in some nebulous future. Given that fact, and the potential for his martyrdom or becoming an even more powerful symbol, I really don't feel that execution by Special Ops force is a bad alternative.

No, what disgusts me is the idea that we can treat the end of a human life- any human life- as a source of cheap entertainment, nationalism, and a reason to celebrate.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Sunday Funnies: May Day Edition

Nearly 70 and sunny... WTF am I doing inside? Oh yeah. Compiling my weekly compendium of stuff that brought a smile to my mug.

Very Demotivational

Will you look at what the cat dragged in? Senor Gif

Erasing your data: you're doing it right. Senor Gif

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. Frankly, LL should feel relieved; she probably wouldn't survive the experience.

So Much Pun

LolCats

With all due respect to George Bush, Sr., I quite like broccoli. And not just to swing from. Picture is Unrelated

Senor Gif: Penguin vs. Butterfly

LolCats

Cyanide and Happiness

Sober in a Nightclub. Error 404: Fuck not found.

Very Demotivational

Tree Lobsters; various items of clothing with this logo for sale here.

Sober in a Nightclub

Yes, this is a real book which will really be released in October; you can really pre-order it now for 40% off. Sample verse:

The cats nestle close to their kittens now.
The lambs have laid down with the sheep.
You're cozy and warm in your bed, my dear
Please go the fuck to sleep.

And you can really see a sample page (with a different verse) here.