What A Slacker!

Amazon.com Equals Censorship and Discrimination

Add comment April 12th, 2009

I found out today that Amazon.com has started de-ranking what they deem to be adult content. Funny thing about that though is that the only thing that Amazon seem to be flagging as adult content is gay and lesbian themed books. They are stripping these books of their sales rankings within Amazon so as to keep them from showing up on searches.

I knew when they yanked the ultra violent video Rapelay that is was a sign of more to come. Granted that video is horrible and needed to be removed. But this latest development only proves that censorship of any kind opens the door for further discrimination.

The problems I am seeing with what Amazon is doing is the out and out homophobia. While they are removing the gay and lesbian books they are continuing to allow mainstream, yet extremely trashy sexual, books such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Incubus Dreams to have sales ranks. How is that?

Mark R. Probst is an author who is affected by the changes. He has posted the response he got back from Amazon about the removal of sales ranks on his books over on his blog. Amazon’s reply clearly states it is a new policy for adult content, yet other people are posting that they are getting responses from Amazon that it is a glitch, an oddly specific glitch, but a glitch.

This has obviously caused quite the stir across the net with much of that fervor coming from the Twitter community, where they are flagging posts with #amazonfail and in the past hour nearly 3000 posts with that tag have come through.

I have to say I agree with their requests from Amazon.com users to stop supporting the site until this is either reversed or sales ranks are removed from all adult content not just that with gay and lesbian subjects. There are plenty of other stores on the web (many of them with better prices and service) so if you can please avoid them. Thanks.

Update: for even more information check out this call for a boycott of Amazon until the fix this issue.

Here are a few more articles for your enlightenment:

• Amazon Rank
• Is Amazon Homophobic?
• Is Amazon Censoring LGBT Books?
• Go Tell Amazon to F*** Itself
• Amazon Censors Its Rankings & Search Results to Protect Us Against GLBT Books

• Amazon Accused of Removing Gay Books from Rankings

National Coming Out Day

Add comment October 11th, 2008

In honor of National Coming Out Day (which is today by the way) I am watching Troma Films CRAZED. It is supposedly Kathy Bach (aka Daisy Dukes) only lesbian film. But like all Troma films it is totally whacked.

The synopsis from the Troma Entertainment website: The Troma Team is proud to present Crazed, a spine-tingling suspense thriller that plunges into the darkest depths of dementia.

Nicole (the legendary Leslie Caron, An American in Paris, Gigi), a reclusive widow who lives alone in her mansion with only her housemaids and butlers to keep her company, leads a decadent and lustful life. Using her volumptuous body and her vast fortune to manipulate those around her, Nicole is obsessed with controlling all the people in her life. When she finds love with a dashing suitor (Ramon Bieri, Sorcerer) and a friendship with a beautiful young aspiring dancer (Catherine Bach, “The Dukes of Hazzard”), Nicole begins to change for the better… until she suspects her new love may be cheating on her. Sanity takes a backseat and the blood begins to spill as Nicole slips into an alternate reality of violence, sex and paranoia.

Featuring Catherine Bach’s only nude scenes, Crazed is a deranged shocker which will leave you damaged.

Worst movie ever, even by Troma’s standards!

Dreams of Theaters, Bikers and Lesbians oh my

Add comment September 20th, 2008

I just had one of the weirdest dreams. But then again what dream isn’t a bit strange?

I am in a hotel room with about three other people. I think they are friends or family, but I never identify them in the dream I only feel familiar with them. We are on computers, working, playing who knows. Then we head to the cars to go to the movies. The guy I am with gets on a CB radio (do they even make those any more?) and is talking to a guy three cars down in the parking lot. End scene.

A group of people, me included, is sitting around discussing the movies we just saw. End scene. I never see the theater in this dream, which is kind of odd as I do have a reoccurring theater dream, but this dream did not include that theater.

I was sitting with a bunch of women discussing politics when in walks Sarah Palin. We were in my dead Grandmother’s living room. She and someone on her “team” started telling us about the opposition and that they were having a meeting with an online chat. We were told to go and disrupt the meetings in any way we saw fit. Since I absolutely hate smear campaigns (and that is all the republicans seem to be doing in at their own convention where they already had the support) thought this was horrible. I followed another woman back to the bathroom and asked her if she felt this was wrong and she totally agreed with me. End scene.

Moving down a road (3 or 4 lanes on every side) to a very busy intersection. I am not sure how we are moving, driving or walking. In front of us we hear all this screeching and screaming. It was a group of about twenty kids walking and running around in the middle of the highway pretending to be driving. We yell at them to be safe. End scene.

Walking toward a tight, high walled corridor with a large group of people next to that highway (so I guess we were walking too). We see a couple of bikers turn at the intersection. One had a rifle strapped to his hog. One of the kids from earlier yells, “he’s got a gun.” We are now in the corridor and I notice the people around me and I lean into one of the bigger, burlier looking biker dudes and said, “Yeah, so who doesn’t ride a bike and carry a gun.” He laughed at that and we keep walking. Then I am approached by a kind of hot biker chick (not as scary as the big guy, but a little tough) and we start chatting. She’s telling me about all the guys she is always with (hanging out with that is). We are walking toward a movie theater (second one in this dream sequence), but this one is more like a dingy basement or warehouse room with rows of sofas, a screen and projector in it than a real theater. As we get to the door my new friend is saying how the guys are nice and some are gay, but it is hard being a lesbian and meeting women. She then turns to me pointing out a sofa for me to get us seats. She wants me to sit between a lone girl and two other women who are sprawled across the sofa making out. So I go over ask the politely to let us sit there and sit down and wait for my new lesbian biker friend to come back. End scene.

At this point Boris (the 25 pound moose cat) jumps on my chest and wakes me up. He follows me into the bathroom where my thoughts oddly enough turn to thinking of what movies are playing down at our new IMAX Theater.

Assimilation Is Not a Family Value

Add comment September 5th, 2008

I have had this bumper sticker on my car for more than two years, maybe even three by now and every time my mom sees it she asks me what it means. So I explain about the borg and assimilation etcetera and hope that will be the end of it (we do not speak of the other meaning in my family, but I am sure other “family” members get it). I am getting a little tired of saying, “it’s a borg thing, you wouldn’t understand” to people.

This has even gotten me in a little bit of hot water with the local rednecks too. So now that it is faded I think I will replace it with another Star Trek inspired bumper sticker. Not exactly sure which one. Maybe I will get the Boldly Going Nowhere one or one of the red shirt society ones. I’ll let you know what I decide (and I am up for suggestions too).

What Are These Naked Guys Doing

9 comments May 17th, 2008

Naked headless star trek toys!

Hey, what do you think these two are saying? Leave a comment with your conversation for naked, headless Captain Kirk and Klingon.

Four Minutes with Rosie

Add comment April 29th, 2008

Some how I wound up on Rosie O’Donnell’s website last night which reminded me about her blog. Why reminded me? For some unknown reason I was watching some celebrity expose (I never watch biographies let alone tabloid TV so I am not quite sure why I was watching that show), any who, she said something about how a news show or magazine (not sure which) had quoted her from her blog. Well the quote happened to be lyrics from a song and not an actual quote from her. That’s what I had remembered while poking around her site.

I was just about to click on the blog link to see if I could find anything of interest when I scrolled down the homepage and saw a little blurb about a movie I had seen a trailer for one night while watching a DVD. The movie is called Vier Minuten (or Four Minutes in English) it is a German film about a very talented and troubled piano player. The trailer floored me and I had written the name of the film down to remember it when it finally comes to DVD. That was month’s ago. The only information I can find on the web for it is the art film scene last year and the original German release in 2006. When is it coming to the USA? I really want to see this film. Of course Rosie.com while telling us it is a good film does not say how or where we can see it. In fact when you click on the ‘more’ link it only takes you to another listing of films and Vier Minuten is not even listed! Rosie help a girl out and tell me how to find this film. I realize that being a star you most likely were sent a screener (I  get them too for my ScifiSlacker.com site, but since this is not a sci-fi film I can’t see them sending me one). I just need details when or if this will be available.

Andy’s Film World has a great write up on Vier Minuten and also posts the YouTube video trailer for the film. Head on over and check it out.

Any one with info on Vier Minuten / Four Minutes coming to DVD or where I can see this film please post it here in the comments. Thanks!

Another Mangled Mailing

Add comment March 30th, 2008

What is it with me and getting Star Trek stuff in the mail? Or is it just anything via mail order these days?

I just received my copy of Brent Spiners new CD Dreamland. Well actually I just received my second copy of this disc. My first one came to me a bit mangled and the plastic part that holds the CD was broken and the disk was scratched.

Since I paid extra to get a signed copy and being the big ole Star Trek collecting geek that I am I had to get another one since the first one was no where near mint.

I have not had time to listen to the CD yet. I am too busy listening to the Philip Pullman books in the His Dark Materials series. Already finished The Golden Compass and I am about half way through the second in the series, The Subtle Knife. Once I complete these I will through Brent Spiner’s Dreamland into the MP3 player and give her a listen. I have a feeling I will like it as I liked what I heard before I bought it.

While I am on the topic of Brent Spiner, I have been hearing rumors and questions from people wondering if he is gay. Quite honestly I would have to say no. The ole gaydar has been ringing for years with him but I think it is a false positive. Hey people seem to think Wil Wheaton is gay too, but he is married, I think. I never got that from him either. Most likely people are just reading their geekiness as homosexuality, but I could be wrong all around. Wouldn’t be the first time you know. As far as I know the only out gay member of any star trek cast is George Takei. Again, this does not mean there aren’t others.

Heath Ledger Dead at 28

Add comment January 22nd, 2008

Heath Ledger died today in a Manhattan apartment said to be owned by Mary-Kate Olsen [this is most likely not true]. According to CNN.com he was pronounced dead at 3:30. We still don’t know the actual cause of death as of yet, but police say it may be a drug overdose as over the counter sleeping pills were found next to the body. He was only 28 years old. He will be missed. We will get a chance to see his last finished film later this summer. He played the Joker in the film Batman: The Dark Knight.

He will live on in his many films like Brokeback Mountain, Monsters Ball, The Order, A Knights Tale and the upcoming Dark Knight to name but a few.

Update [sort of]: This is what you get for going with the first news source. Bad, incomplete and wrong information. Apparently it was his appartment and the pills were perscription. Most likely an accidental death. And the rumors abound. May his family find comfort in knowing their son was loved by the American public even if though the weirdos out there are louder than the rest of us. What’s up with the “heath ledger mind control victim” rumor that’s going around any way?

V for Vendetta

Add comment January 14th, 2008

Watching V for Vendetta again. Agent Smith from The Matrix (you know him as Hugo Weaving) makes a great masked vigilante known only as V. Man he has a very distinct voice. Natalie Portman gives an excellent performance and she doesn’t look half bad with a baldhead. (Unfortunately for this film Britney Spears had to have her break down causing me to see her instead of Ms. Portman during that scene in the film.)

This film has a strong message about intolerance and of the government taking away our rights and freedoms. Freedoms we often take for granted. If we don’t want a bleak future like the ones the films V for Vendetta and 1984 portray we must take the necessary actions to avoid them now. With 2008 being an election year now is the time to ensure we continue to enjoy the freedoms we do have and to make sure we extend those same freedoms to all human beings no matter their gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Here’s hoping we make the right choice for all our futures.

Whatever Happened to Our Lesbian Batwoman?

1 comment January 8th, 2008

After hearing about Batwoman being a Lesbian in the 52 comics way back in 2006 I could not wait for the first issue to hit the stands. Even though she did not appear until issue 11. The idea that finally a main character was going to be portrayed as a strong lesbian had me reeling. Heck, she was the only reason I ever even picked up the first issue let alone all 52.

I was disappointed that we did not get to see more of her and Renee Montoya through out the series. But by the end of the story I had fallen in love with the character. I really wanted more. I still do. Both of these characters are strong enough to continue their stories outside of 52.

I only recently read that the proposed new Batwoman books were cancelled and it broke my heart.

Since DC has tried to bury the Kate Kane storyline and only keep it within the pages of 52 while releasing several of the other boys from the series, which is a big shame. We need more strong female characters. And what better to keep fan boys reading it than the typical lesbian fantasy.

Please DC bring her back out of the bat closet.

Renee as the Question is also a VERY good story that needs to be told, and perhaps the one place you can try giving us back Kate Kane even if only as a periodic guest in a new Question book.

Comics have not been for kids for a very long time. Kids comics are still out there fear not. But the majority of the comics are geared toward adults so the demoralization of our nations children cannot be the issue here. So what is DC comics so afraid of?

The character was popular enough for you to make an action figure out of it. Why not keep it going. Don’t tell me the Christian right is in control of the comics industry. They can’t be or we wouldn’t have any comics on the shelves. What are you afraid of? A little press? I thought there was no such thing as bad press. Any press is good press, right? I have been reading through some of the garbage written by some of the moral majority and I cannot believe the crap they are spewing forth. As if one lesbian superhero is going to make all the good little boys and girls turn gay. Hell, if it does we better ALL get toaster ovens for that.

What’s the big deal?

Add comment December 13th, 2007

Yesterday I posted about Jodie Foster possibly outing herself at the recent Women in Entertainment Breakfast. While this is important to me I don’t really seeing it as being big news. But it appears that it is. Just google it for yourself. You’ll get all the little blogs like mine but a lot of big news outlets too.

It is important to have celebrities come out and show the world at large that being gay is okay. But really why is America so fascinated by the news of who’s gay and who’s not gay? Jodie’s coming out is no big surprise to those of us with a working gaydar [that’s gay radar for those of you not in the know]. And the nonchalant way she went about it as if it were an everyday thing with no importance at all was so cool. She should be able to continue to live her life as she always has without so much as a hiccup in how she will be treated. Those of us who have always loved and respected her will continue to do so.

Well this is a good way to end 2007 with two great entertainment icons coming out of the closet. First Dumbledore and now Jodie Foster.

Jodie Foster Out or Not?

Add comment December 12th, 2007

Looks like Jodie foster may have just outed herself after all these years of wondering. During her recent acceptance speech for the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at the 16th Annual Women in Entertainment breakfast she publicly thanked her long time friend Cydney Bernard. She thanked her by saying, “my beautiful Cydney who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss.”

Fans have often wondered if not wished she were a lesbian. Now it seems she is a little more comfortable with it and is letting the rest of us in on the secret. Jodie has always been good at staying out of the tabloids and I don’t see her coming out [if indeed she did] would make her any more of a target for them.

All I have to say is — way to go Jodie and congrats on that award too.

Now that’s a game I might have to get…

Add comment November 17th, 2007

The new Microsoft game Mass Effect has been banned in Singapore due to graphic content.

What is that graphic content you might ask? Well, two women kissing. The game has a scene in which a human woman is kissing and caressing an alien woman. Singapore’s Media Development Authority reportedly banned it.

Singapore has a ban on sex between men, which was recently upheld by their parliament and their Prime Minister said the city-state should keeps its values and not allow rights to homosexuals. [Pigs!]

So far Singapore is the only closed-minded country to ban the game.

Guess I am going to have to get someone to buy me an XBOX 360 and a copy of this game. Has anyone posted a video of this scene on YouTube yet.