Eye of The Beholder

The world as beheld by the lovely Lady Jabberwock -- a realm of interesting, funny, cute, bizarre... basically anything that takes her fancy. WARNING! THIS BLOG IS A RANDOM EXPERIENCE -- If you are looking for predictable, you won't find it here. Proceed with caution. While you're here, check out my other Tumblr, Favourite Things -- it's updated on a near daily basis. You'll find the link on the grey ribbon below. My Current Mood:

[ladyjabberwock]

Google is the Devil -- Apparently

See that Google Doodle up there? That's Cesar Chavez. Today is Cesar Chavez Day. (It's not a federal holiday, but President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as "Cesar Chavez Day" in the United States, urging Americans to "observe this day with appropriate service, community, and educational programs to honor César Chávez's enduring legacy.") But apparently, Cesar Chavez (even though he's dead and good works not withstanding) is a bastard and Google is the spawn of Satan because Google decided to honour him over something Easter themed.

That's right. Today, there was major controversy because Google (who hasn't done anything Easter themed since 2000) decided to honour this remarkable man on his designated holiday. Because Google didn't do what Bing did, which was to throw easter eggs (a pagan and sometimes secular symbol) all over their page. Because Google didn't do what they've never done, use some religious symbol (like "The Empty Tomb") to acknowledge the Christian holiday. Since they didn't do these things, the obvious assumption should be that Google is anti-christian, right? Let's all change our homepages and run to Bing, who understands Christianity so much better!<sarcasm>

Are people really that stupid? Google has always been secular with their Doodles, for one. For two, just because there aren't pictures of Jesus or "The Empty Tomb" or even dubious easter eggs and bunnies, doesn't mean that Google is anti-christian. All it means is that Google chose to do what it's always done -- pick a significant person or event to honour today. That they didn't pick Jesus Christ is not a slight, but par for the course. They never pick anyone/anything that is strictly religious. If it doesn't have a secular side, Google doesn't do it. (Even the few Saints days they've honoured have secular or nationalistic sides.)

As for honouring Cesar Chavez (who some people out there seem to be confusing with dictator Hugo Chavez), I think it's highly appropriate. It is his designated holiday, and ... if you really want to get down to it, his civil rights activism was prompted and guided by his Christian faith. He is an exemplar of all that is good in Christians. He did what Jesus the Nazarene did in his lifetime -- helping the abused, the downtrodden, and the disenfranchised. So why are so many Christians so angry seeing him honoured today? Simply because he's not Jesus? We've already established that Google doesn't do strictly religious themes, so Cesar Chavez seems an excellent choice. For non-Christians, his life and work remind us to seek fairness and freedom for all. And for Christians, he serves as a living example of conducting one's life as Jesus taught his followers.

The vile hatred of Google and the Doodle today seems the opposite of that. A very un-christian outpouring of vitriol on a purely secular company, and on a dead man -- who, in his life, did absolutely nothing to deserve such unfounded spite. It's ironic that on the anniversary of Jesus' supposed resurrection from death by crucifixion, it's Cesar Chavez (a man who lived the Christian creed) who is being crucified by a narrow-minded and vicious public. With all the howling out there today about the Risen Christ, it's bizarre that none of those protesting ever stopped to think about one of their most famous slogans -- WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). I'm absolutely sure it wouldn't have been this.

[ladyjabberwock]

Recreational Is Not Acceptable

"Getting drunk and driving 100 miles an hour is also fun, but it’s still illegal. Same with crystal meth. The point is there is a social cost to allowing recreational gun ownership, and gun owners need to acknowledge we are all paying a certain price for their entertainment. For those of us who never have and never will own a gun, it is most definitely not worth it."

Not So Fun (via wilwheaton)

Lady Jabberwock says:

This is one of the problems I see regarding responsible gun ownership. There shouldn't be any such thing as "recreational" gun ownership. Guns are not toys. Guns are tools, that happen to be weapons. If you are shooting them for no other purpose than the excitement of shooting a gun, you are an idiot. And that's why I think people who own guns need to be taught not only how to shoot, but when to shoot. However, I don't think the right to own guns should be restricted to a select few or eliminated. For one thing, it leaves only the criminals and the government with access to guns, and if that doesn't scare you, it should.

For those of you too stupid to know why and when to shoot a gun, here's the short list:

Practising accuracy and skill on a safe range

To kill animals for food purposes

To serve your country during a war

To defend your life and/or the lives of others from another person with a gun pointed at you or innocent bystanders

See that last one? The wording is important. If your potential assailant is unarmed, or armed with something less lethal than a gun, shooting them doesn't have to be your first option. See the part where the gun should be pointed at you or other innocent people and that those lives are in danger? The assessment of the threat is just as important.

The point? Guns are weapons. They are meant to kill things. And there are legitimate reasons you might have to do so. But without proper training, anyone with a gun is potentially dangerous. Gun control/restriction isn't the answer. Education is.

(See my post below for how my opinions on this relate to the shootings in Sandy Hook Elementary.)

[ladyjabberwock]

Better Gun Control? Maybe Not...

Since hearing about the Sandy Hook Shootings this afternoon, I have heard at least half the people I encountered raging wildly about how we need stronger gun control laws in this country. That, if the laws were stricter, tragedies like this one wouldn't happen. And I find myself respectfully disagreeing. (Mind you, I'm an Assistant Medical Examiner, and I see and work on cases of gun violence frequently. And I abhor it. But I still disagree.) And I'll tell you why....

Fact #1 (in this case): The guns used in this shooting were not illegally purchased guns. They were not even guns legally purchased by the shooter. They were legally purchased and registered by his mother. The question for me now becomes this -- why were these firearms not secured in a locked gun locker? Why did the shooter have such easy access to guns registered to his mother? This fact is what caused part of this tragedy. Had he not had access to these firearms, he could not have perpetrated this crime so easily.

Fact #2: Even without the easy access to his mother's firearms, the shooter could have just as easily stolen someone else's legally registered weapon. Illegal firearms account for a relatively small percentage of the gun violence I see in our morgue. (I'm excluding cases involving drug trafficking and organised crime.) More often, the weapons used in the crime are legal, registered, and in a number of cases, appropriated from their owners (stolen) by the shooter to commit the crime.

This says to me what we need isn't more gun control, but more education and emphasis on control of your own guns. Secure them, people. A drawer, a closet, under a pillow or mattress -- these are not appropriate places to keep a gun. (Note to convenience store owners/couriers/doctors/other individuals who keep guns because of high risk jobs: keeping it under a counter/in a bag/in a drawer is also useless. Buy a holster. If it's not on your person, then for protection purposes it might as well be on the moon.)

Fact # 3: People who want to shoot other people always find a way. I know that's not a comforting thought. I know it makes people feel better to think that if there were fewer people with guns, there'd be less gun violence. But it simply isn't true. Shootings which happen solely because a gun was a weapon of opportunity (i.e. an unplanned crime) are rare, and often (but not always) involve domestic violence in addition to the gun violence. The only thing that keeping guns out of the hands of responsible people does, is make them more vulnerable to those who have guns. Illegal guns will not go away with stricter gun control laws. Criminals will always keep avenues open to get firearms.

But the key word here is responsible. I think that there is not enough training for people who purchase guns legally. Too many people buy guns without even really knowing how to use them responsibly, let alone safely secure them. (A few  sessions at a gun range don't count as knowing how to use them responsibly.) Rather than more gun control laws, I would advocate mandatory gun safety courses. Not just teaching how to shoot, but when to shoot. Teaching how to secure a weapon properly when storing, and how to secure one properly if carried.

Fact #4: Even if one eliminated all guns, everywhere, it would not eliminate scenes of mass killing. Guns are not the only means by which a criminal can go on a killing spree. It's just the easiest method. Any person determined to cause harm to large numbers would find another method. (Explosives are also relatively easy, though they require more planning and time.) There are no easy answers to save people from such individuals. Even community vigilance rarely works, because such individuals tend to keep a low profile until they commit their crimes.

Conclusion: So what are we to do? The truth is, there is no reliable method of prevention. You can only make the law-abiding more educated about the guns they possess, and punish those who commit acts of gun violence. I wish I could lie and say that better laws will make us safer, but they won't. Because you're talking about individuals who don't respect any laws. Until the human race evolves beyond violence (which may never happen), we can only do our best to deal with the aftermath of violence, and teach those law-abiding citizens who possess weapons how/when to use them and how to protect others from their weapons.

I know that at times like these, we'd like the solution to a be a simple one. Something to prevent these sorts of tragic events from ever happening again. Especially when it involves children. But that's really like trying to slap a band-aid on a six inch gash. It might make you feel better for having done something, but it doesn't solve the problem. There is no panacea for this problem, only steps we can take to fix some of the symptoms. The disease has been with us from the beginning of mankind, and likely will never have a cure. We can only battle it as we move forward.

My heart goes out to all those affected by this tragedy, and I hope they can see a way to find peace after such horrific and senseless violence. It is their needs that we as a community should focus on now, and see that they get all the help and support they need to move beyond this event.

[ladyjabberwock]

Speaking Into The Silence

I don't talk much about my work with anyone, for good reason. My job, however necessary to society, is one society would rather not even think about. It's a difficult thing to think about for most people. But I doubt they ever consider how much more difficult it is for me, who must witness and experience it, but never discuss it. Unlike nearly everyone else, I can't talk about having a bad day at my job, because even on a good day, the topic is taboo.

Don't get me wrong. Most days, I love my job. Difficult as it can be at times, I take great pride in what I do. I get to speak for those who can't speak for themselves, bring closure to families, and sometimes, bring justice to those who deserve it. But some days, the facts and the answers don't bring satisfaction. Some days, it feels like there's too much senselessness in how life and death plays out.

I've had that situation the past few days. And it brings me to a moment when this work is overwhelming. I'm feeling angry, frustrated, and my faith in humanity has been dealt another crushing blow. But for selfishness, insensitivity, and general callousness, the case I'm working on shouldn't have happened. I keep asking myself why no one reached out to help, why people turned a blind eye to what was right in front of them. What in the world was more important than this person's life?

And while I have done my job now, and spoken for the dead, there's no one for me to speak to, to vent and make sense of the senseless. I go to bed angry and upset, and loathing that part of human nature that makes some turn away when they should take action. Life could have triumphed, and instead, there is death. This malaise will pass. It always does. But until then, I struggle with the one set of answers I can never reconcile or understand.

I know this wasn't the most cheery post. For that, I'm sorry. But I send it out into the ether to resolve it for myself, rather than for the entertainment of anyone. Here, I can talk to no one, and everyone, and it helps me. For those who have stuck with my venting thus far, thank you. You are a wonderful and compassionate person, something the world needs more of.

[ladyjabberwock]

This is a scene of my perfect home, it really is. This is the home I would love to have -- asian, tropical, and full of nature. I've stayed in homes with gardens like this throughout South-east Asia many times, but never one I could call my own. One house I stayed in even had to be paddled to by boat just to get to the front door. It was lovely, isolated, and peaceful. I don't know where the photographer, Jane Legate, took this, but it's gorgeous. Her other photos are just as fantastic -- check them out!

[ladyjabberwock]

"It takes no compromise to give people their rights... it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression."

~ Harvey Milk

[ladyjabberwock]

While I don't know how much of what Mr. Takei had to say sank in with The Donald, I'm so very happy George chose to discuss this topic with him anyway. So many people see closed minds like Mr. Trump's and say nothing, thinking it's a waste of time and words. But if you never try to show people another perspective, how can they learn? Even if this little luncheon did nothing to change Trump's mind, I applaud Takei for trying. He reached out and tried to make a difference. Bravo, George!

[ladyjabberwock]

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Penny: You're not really interested in the homeless, are you?

Dr. Horrible: No, I am, but... it's a symptom. You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on, consumes the human race. The fish rots from the head, so they say. So I'm thinking, why not cut off the head?

Penny: [pause] Of the human race?

Dr. Horrible: It's not a... perfect metaphor.

[reneelouiseanderson1deac]

Visit Original Link

Gabrielle Aplin - “Please Don’t Say You Love Me”

[ladyjabberwock]

Lady Jabberwock says: I've never been good at expressing my feelings, really. Some people, over the years, have taken this for indifference or even apathy. This song expresses part of how that works with me. Sometimes words just build walls....

[ladyjabberwock]

This song reminds me of my youth, and a thought I have often regarding time and space: though I have continued moving forward, carried onward by the river of time, somewhere I have left behind me that girl who believed those halcyon days would never end. And in a strange way, perhaps she was right. Somewhere in the grand scheme of time and space, she still exists, living those perfect moments until the end of time. And though I left her behind me a long time ago, at times I can almost feel her still. And she whispers out of that long-ago past, "This time will never end, never be spoiled, never fade...." It's true, because I remember those days. And in that moment, for just a moment, she and I are one again, and I taste immortality....

Never Fade lyrics

Pinning polaroids on a cold brick wall Hanging fairy lights on the garden porch Gravitating to the nearest brawl We're only young so we'll come back for more And we'll let lanterns off at midnight Looking for that cinematic view We don't listen to advice We're living dreams of sweet maroon Sweet maroon.... This isn't over 'til it ends This is the one thing that we want to keep And when it's done we'll still pretend 'Cause we're the ones that never sleep Never sleep.... Lights are burning fast in front of us Our money's been inside collecting dust We'll stay awake at night We don't want to waste a second of our time Of our time... We only lie when asked if we're okay We lock ourselves up, we only pray That we wont be the sterling silver that turns grey We are the sparks that never fade Never fade....

[ladyjabberwock]

Lady Jabberwock's Top Ten Star Trek Babes

I'm letting my geek flag fly today. I've spent the last few days buried up to my eyeballs in nerdtastic books, T.V. shows, movies, and comic books -- so I decided to update the blog with some of my favs. In this post, and the ones following it, you'll find a few of my geeky obsessions. (Though by no means all of them.) But Star Trek was my first, and so in honour of that, I present my all time top 10 Star Trek babes. These are the very first people I ever "fell in love" with from a television show.

Now, being bi-sexual, my definition of "babes" is dual gendered -- so this list should have something for everyone. To make it easier on those of you who have gender preferences, I've broken the list up into 5 & 5. Enjoy!

Top Five Male Babes of Star Trek

#5 - Geordi La Forge

I fell in love with both his smarts, and his incredible vulnerability -- being dependant on technology to see scares the hell out of me!

#4 - Harry Kim

One of the most unlucky bastards on Voyager. I think that's why I loved him so much -- I can't resist an underdog.

#3 - Jonathan Archer

I think this may be a long running crush, stemming from Scott Bakula's days on Quantum Leap -- but I don't care. Even now, he's still a babe to me.

#2 - Spock

Those ears, those broody eyes, those coolly logical statements interrupted by exciting bursts of emotional enthusiasm -- who could resist!?

#1 - Wesley Crusher

Yes, I admit it, I loved Wesley! It's not really a mystery why -- he was the first person on Star Trek I'd seen my own age. (As for Wes' eventual fate, I just pretend the events of ST:TNG Journey's End never happened. As Paramount seems to have done as well.)

Top Five Female Babes of Star Trek

#5 - Nyota Uhura

Yell all you want about Yeoman Rand, hot androids, and sexy green Orion slave girls, Uhura was the hottest of them all on TOS.

#4 - B'Elanna Torres

What can I say? I like the smart ones -- B'Elanna enhances that with a fiery temper and a beauty no brow ridges could ever hide.

#3 - Hoshi Sato

She speaks 40 languages, she invented the Linguacode translation matrix, and yet is painfully isolated socially/emotionally. I relate to Hoshi the best on a personal level, and that may be why I love her so.

#2 - T'Pol

I like T'pol for much the same reasons I like Spock -- a mix of unadulterated logic and passionate emotions. It doesn't hurt that she's exotically beautiful, either.

#1 - Seven of Nine

I see Seven as the best of both species, Borg and Human. Physically/mentally enhanced, with just the right balance of the best of humanity and few of it's flaws. I also see her as a techno-fied Norse Goddess, but that may be just me.

Honourable Mentions:

Julian Bashir

Another enhanced human -- I think I'm giving myself away here. I really am attracted to the paragons, and Julian certainly was one of those. The only reason he's dropped from my top five is that I never could quite get around his annoying personality.

K'Ehleyr

Beauty, brains, brawn, bravery -- what more can you ask for in a girl? In spite of only two episodes, she made a strong impression on me.

So that's my top ten Star Trek babes, which I know not everyone will agree with. But that's the beauty of fandom -- there's something for everyone. Think I really did miss someone from my list? Leave a comment or reply to my post and maybe I'll do another list.

(pics via Memory Alpha)

[ladyjabberwock]

My love of Babylon 5 knows no bounds, but by far, my favourite character on the show was Ambassador Delenn. Whether you prefer her pre or post chrysalis, in every respect, she's compelling. I'm not a person given to emotional outbursts, but I cried when this show was ended. (Especially since the number of good sci-fi shows was already on the wane.) But now the complete B5 is on DVD, so I can enjoy this awesome show all over again.

[ladyjabberwock]

“The men in the room suddenly realized that they did not want to know her better. She was beautiful, but she was beautiful in the way a forest fire was beautiful: something to be admired from a distance, not up close. And she held her sword, and she smiled like a knife.”

~ Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens

[ladyjabberwock]

This man is my ultimate nerdgasm -- I've loved him (in a crush-on-a-actor sort of way, not a creepy-like-a-stalker way) since I was a kid, when I first saw him in "Stand By Me". Since we're the same age, we've sort of grown up together (though I realise this is my one-sided view). And after reading his blog for the first time, I realised we grew in similar directions, with similar interests. Since we are so like-minded, I enjoy his blog posts and respect his opinions (most of the time).

But why should you? Because he's not just "that kid who played Wesley Crusher on ST:TNG". He's a thoughtful, internet-savvy, culturally-aware, intellectually-impressive erudite writer, too. The fact he's a geek god doesn't hurt, either. But while many of his posts appeal to nerdom, he has a lot of worthwhile thoughts in that fez-topped head of his. He'll enlighten you, entertain you, and make you go "Hmm". He's worth more than a few minutes of your time, I promise.

(image reblogged from fuckkyeahwilwheaton)

[ladyjabberwock]

Firefly: Objects In Space (Ep. 14)

Mal: "But she does have an oddness to her. And I ain't just talking about her proficiency with firearms. Girl knows things. Things she shouldn't. Things she couldn't."

Jayne: "Wha-...are you-are you sayin' she's a witch?"

Wash: (sarcastically) "Yes, Jayne. She's a witch. She has had congress with the beast."

Jayne: "She's in Congress?"

Wash: (amazed) "How did your brain even learn human speech? I'm just so curious."

[ladyjabberwock]

Visit Original Link

One of my all time favs in nerdom is Jonathan Coulton. Now you geeks out there know who I'm talking about -- but for those of you less nerdy, this man is a phenomena. Not only does he write and perform some of the best geek-culture music ever to have existed, but he's done most of it for free, without a recording contract, and he's made serious cash doing it. He did it not just by offering his music free on the internet, but by engaging with his fan base, making it a two-way street, and effectively cementing geeklove for him and his works for all time.

So don't believe the RIAA when they tell you to be a success you have to do things their way or not at all. It simply isn't true, and JoCo is living proof of that.

As for his music? You do not have to be a geek/nerd to love Jonathan's stuff. Even if you don't get some of the more nerdy references, the music is as catchy as anything mainstream, and in many cases, more so. It's about fun, and laughter, and just enjoyment of the music. So give him a try. You'll be glad you did.

A personal note about why I chose this song: while I personally relate better to "Re: Your Brains" (a JoCo song that mixes corporate culture and zombies), I have a soft spot for "Code Monkey", because my SO is one. And since this song is about such a compusimian romance, it makes me feel all mushy and cuddly. That is all.

[ladyjabberwock]

Another of my geek favourites by Jonathan Coulton are the Portal songs. Is it just me, or would this be the best nerd break-up song ever? I think so.