Do I look like someone who cares what God thinks?

[vovat]

I did a little Christmas shopping last night. Really, I don't have that many people to buy for, so it shouldn't take that much longer. I just need to talk to a few people about what they want, and then knuckle down and finish shopping. Anyway, at Wal-Mart, there were only around five or so lines open, out of upwards of twenty. It seems pretty ridiculous for this to be the case on a Friday night in December, but then, it IS Wal-Mart we're talking about. At Target, bethje and I picked up the new Simpsons Season 7 DVD set (the box that wasn't in the form of Marge's head, of course) for ourselves. We haven't had a chance to watch any of it yet, though, since we had a Netflix copy of Hellraiser IV: Bloodline to watch instead.

From the beginning of the movie, I wasn't expecting that much from it. Directorial credit was given to the infamous Alan Smithee, and it started out in outer space, which is often a good sign that the filmmakers are out of ideas for a series. It was pretty much your typical Hollywood future, with a space station full of robots and staffed by quasi-military science officers. I didn't think it turned out to be so bad, though. It was probably better overall than the third movie in the series, if only because there weren't any lame Cenobites who threw CD's or had TV cameras in their heads. I also thought the origins of the puzzle box were interesting, as was the interaction between Pinhead and the Princess of Hell. Since the movie shows Pinhead and the forces of Hell as still active but frustrated in their ultimate goal in the late twenty-second century, it pretty much requires that the other movies in the series will end up as stalemates (unless they ignore the continuity established in this one entirely). Really, though, I don't know that I would have expected anything else. I still think the second Hellraiser is the best in the series so far, and I doubt any of the four direct-to-video additions will surpass it (although I still intend to watch them). I do think it's kind of weird that, after establishing Leviathan as the ruler of Hell in the second one, Pinhead seems to be essentially a free agent in the next two. I mean, I know he's the most popular character (and rightfully so), but a little continuity with respect to the Hellish hierarchy would be nice.

Hmm, the guy who played Peter in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was named William Moseley, which is also the name of the guy who played Otis in House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects. This kind of coincidence of names generally interests me, even though I know there's no real significance to it, any more than there is to the fact that the guy who plays Macnair in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (but not in Goblet of Fire) is named Peter Best. I guess being kicked out of the most popular rock band in history WOULD be likely to make someone turn to Voldemort's side, though. {g}

On the radio this morning, I heard someone ranting about a proposed smoking ban somewhere in New Jersey. I'm generally against that kind of thing, because I think that's something business owners should be able to decide for themselves. Most restaurants I go to, for instance, either have non-smoking sections or are totally smoke-free. There are other businesses, however, where not letting people smoke would probably result in a decline in patronage. I'm very much opposed to smoking in general, but I don't think banning smoking in public places would actually lead to a decrease in said behavior.

One possible exception here is the concert venue. If the only place in your area where your favorite band is playing allows smoking, you technically have the choice not to go, but is that really fair? Now, really, most concert venues that I've been to are pretty crappy overall anyway. When you're wedged in a room with a bunch of pushing and shoving people, forced to stand up through a show that doesn't start on time, with a sound system that doesn't work properly, the amount of discomfort added by a little cigarette smoke is negligible. Still, some people have extreme reactions to smoke. Maybe such places should start having assigned smoking sections. I know they won't, though.

Banished Scholar You scored 19 privilegedbirth, 37 scholarliness, 17 ruthlessness, and 33 outspokenness!

You're lucky to be banished! Most guys like you end up with their entrails on the front steps. You rose from your lowly birth with learning, but you forgot to keep your mouth shut. Nobody likes a party pooper, and pointing out the foibles of Roman society did not earn you that nice cushy position tutoring the Senator's feeble-minded offspring. It is suggested that you never set foot in Rome again, but I hear things are much milder and more tolerant down in Judea, so maybe make your way over there. Cheers!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 24% on privilegedbirth You scored higher than 46% on scholarliness You scored higher than 22% on ruthlessness You scored higher than 56% on outspokenness

Link: The Who in Ancient Rome Are You Test written by chickennibbler on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

I started reading Gregory Maguire's Son of a Witch today. As a big fan of the original Oz series, I think Wicked might have bothered me more than it would someone who knew only MGM, yet I was also able to get things out of it that non-book-fans might not have picked up on. I'm not a big fan of Maguire's writing style, and much of the dialogue is in the same basic style as the narrative. So far, though, Son of a Witch has held my interest more than Wicked did in its early chapters. There was even an amusing reference to Henry Littlefield's infamous populism interpretation of The Wizard of Oz.

Comments

[loz]

!!! Alan Smithee? I've always hoped for something /someone like that to exist. I didn't know it was a real occurence, ha. Hahahaha. This amuses me so much.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Where had you seen it used fictionally?

[loz]

Is this a trick question?

[vovat.livejournal.com]

No, but perhaps a poorly phrased one.

[loz]

I don't recall ever having seen it used fictionally. I just always thought it would be funny. Like anonymous.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I believe that the nuclear plant's recruitment film in the Simpsons episode "D'oh-in' in the Wind" was "an Alan Smithee film." The joke went over my head at the time, but I think it was on the Simpsons newsgroup afterwards when I first learned about the meaning of "Alan Smithee."

[loz]

And when have I ever shown your encyclopedic knowledge of all things Simpson? :p

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I don't even remember that particular episode so well in general.

[revme.livejournal.com]

There was a movie about a director whose real name was Alan Smithee who wanted to take his name off his picture.

Funnily enough, that FILM was directed by Alan Smithee.

Lest you try to see it, rest assured -- that is the ONLY funny thing about that movie. And that's not even that funny.

[kristenjarrod.livejournal.com]

>>Anyway, at Wal-Mart, there were only around five or so lines open, out of upwards of twenty. It seems pretty ridiculous for this to be the case on a Friday night in December, but then, it IS Wal-Mart we're talking about.<<

My Wal Mart is pretty good about lines, but every Target I've been to, I've had horrible problems with the lines.

I hated the Homer Head box, but I like the Marge head box.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the lines really depend on the store, and how many customers there are. At this time of year, though, I can't really see why they wouldn't open as many lines as possible. Maybe they're understaffed?

I hated the Homer Head box, but I like the Marge head box.

I don't like the design on either one. The problem with the Homer box wasn't just the look of the thing, though, but also that stuff fell out of the box when you opened it. Maybe they fixed this with the Marge box.

[bethje.livejournal.com]

Hm, yeah, couldn't only Leviathan make a person into a cenobyte? Because Pinhead just went ahead and made those twins into one. Maybe 200-odd years later Pinhead got the power to do so. I doubt it. I really liked the ideas of Leviathan from part 2, and I find it disappointing that the other movies don't seem to be addressing that entity.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Well, Part 3 only took place a few years or so after Part 2, right? Pinhead also made people into Cenobites in that one. I agree that there's a contradiction there.

[(Anonymous)]

"On the radio this morning, I heard someone ranting about a proposed smoking ban somewhere in New Jersey. I'm generally against that kind of thing, because I think that's something business owners should be able to decide for themselves. Most restaurants I go to, for instance, either have non-smoking sections or are totally smoke-free. There are other businesses, however, where not letting people smoke would probably result in a decline in patronage. I'm very much opposed to smoking in general, but I don't think banning smoking in public places would actually lead to a decrease in said behavior."

I live in NY where they instituted the ban on smoking in public places (restaurants and bars, etc)a year or two ago. The logic behind it was actually to improve the health of restaurant workers who are exposed to really unhealthy amounts of smoke during a typical work shift. I was pretty skeptical of the smoking ban myself but I have to say that when I go to states that do allow smoking I am a bit taken aback these days. The smoking ban makes restaurants and clubs much nicer places to be. There is nothing worse than eating a meal and having the taste ruined by smoke smell drifting over from the "smoking section" (as though you could contain smoke). Many businesses worried that the smoking ban would hurt their bottom line but in most cases that has not turned out to be the case. Smoking is still allowed on outdoor patios and the like so most people just go outside.

Courtney

[vovat.livejournal.com]

The logic behind it was actually to improve the health of restaurant workers who are exposed to really unhealthy amounts of smoke during a typical work shift.

Yeah, that makes sense. I hadn't really thought of it from that perspective. Of course, there's also the option of a business saying, "Hey, we allow smoking, so if you're not okay with it, don't bother applying for a job here." Most jobs require working under certain conditions that not everyone would be comfortable with.

I can see not allowing smoking in family restaurants, and I know some of them have made this decision without a governmental mandate. I'm a little less sure about bars, though. I tend to think that, when going into a bar, people EXPECT an atmosphere made up primarily of smoke. I don't like that kind of atmosphere, so I don't go to bars. Still, I'm sure there are people who like drinking heavily in a dark, dank, crowded room, but don't like the smoke. But then, aren't there already some non-smoking bars (as well as ones that aren't dark, dank, or crowded)? I don't really know enough to say, but I wouldn't be too surprised.

Smoking is still allowed on outdoor patios and the like so most people just go outside.

Even in the dead of winter? Honestly, I've always been somewhat incredulous at people who complain that they have to go outside to smoke. These people are filling their lungs with toxins, and they're concerned about FROSTBITE? Ever heard of priorities? Nevertheless, I have to wonder if it might result in smokers avoiding such places at the colder times of year. Perhaps not, though. Maybe they just wait to light up until they go back to the car, or something. I do have to wonder at how addicted some of these people are, where they can't even wait an hour or so after eating before lighting a cigarette. So I can see it both ways.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

I live in NJ and am hoping that the smoking ban gets passed. I really dislike smoke. It is such a treat to visit New York and not have it in the clubs or restaurants. Now, when I see shows in clubs or dine in restaurants in NJ, it is tremendously irksome to have any kind of smoke around.

Whoever that person was who was ranting on the radio should be reminded that smoking is a privelege and not a right.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Whoever that person was who was ranting on the radio should be reminded that smoking is a privelege and not a right.

True. Of course, you could technically say that eating at restaurants and going to clubs and bars are also privileges. They're privileges that don't, under normal circumstances, hurt the people around you, though.

I suppose the important question here is that of government control versus the rights of businesses. I am not, as a general rule, fond of laissez-faire capitalism. We've all seen what happens when businesses are able to run with little or no regulations--child labor, people losing limbs in factory machinery, employees working for next to nothing while the owners buy mansions and private yachts. But there are certain areas where I think the market will basically sort itself out. Is the smoking issue one of them? Perhaps. I know there are non-smoking restaurants already, and probably non-smoking bars and clubs as well. As I've said, though, there are occasions when non-smokers are going to want to go to the places that allow smoking, for whatever reason. So it's not necessarily as simple as all that. I will say that, in my personal opinion, I'd love for smoking not to be allowed in any place where I might be going. Hell, I'd love it even more if the world's tobacco reserves were to vanish from existence. But since smoking exists and is legal, does it make sense for the government to regulate the rights of businesses to allow or disallow it as they see fit? I can't say I know for sure, but I guess I have my doubts.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

It is considered etiquette to ask the permission of those around you if you may smoke. Lamentably, this custom has gone by the wayside although some people still observe it.

I believe, as was previously stated in your anonymous commenter's post, the NY law was based on the health hazards second-hand smoke posed to employees working in certain establishments. Now, one may debate whether second-hand smoke really is a health hazard. Anecdotally, I was peripherally taking care of a never-smoker not much older than I, who is dying of Stage IV lung cancer. The only risk factor she relates is that her husband is a chain-smoker.

One could also argue that employees can choose not to work in a smoking environment. I shall thus posit that neither do our employees have to work in our office, yet we still have to maintain a safe working environment for them.

Smoking exists and is legal, but that doesn't mean that it has to be allowed in public areas.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I really don't know enough about the effects of second-hand smoke causing cancer to make a call on it, but that anecdote does seem to support the fact that it does. The thing is, even if it doesn't, it's pretty obvious that it can hurt people in other ways. I suspect that I might be mildly allergic to it myself, although I rarely have any reaction unless it's really close.

What constitutes a safe working environment is debatable, but I see your point. I certainly wouldn't want to work in a place with a lot of smoke in the air.

[onib.livejournal.com]

Did you ever hear any of the Wicked Broadway soundtrack? We picked it up a month or so ago and enjoyed it quite a bit, but decided that anyone who had not read the book or seen the show would never be able to follow the plot from just the songs.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I've never heard any of it. I wouldn't mind seeing the musical, but I'd rather wait for them to make a movie out of it, which they probably will. I have nothing AGAINST live theater, but it's rather pricy and out-of-the-way for me.

I've seen descriptions of the plot of the musical, which is apparently considerably less dark than the book. I also understand that it places more emphasis on the familiar Wizard of Oz characters, giving the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman alternate identities that contradict both the book of Wicked and Baum's original story.

[onib.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that the tour group for Wicked was coming through Philly in March, but the tickets were pretty pricy. We might have to rearrange the budget a bit so we can see it. It's been a while since we've been to a professional musical, and it does seem much less dark, as you said. I like the idea in the musical that all the characters weren't just randomly meeting once Dorothy arrived, but that almost every character had been changed, seemingly for the worst, because the witch had tried to help them.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I think the Lion's story, at least, is pretty much the same in the Wicked book and musical. The Tin Woodman's origin story in the book is the same as the one in Baum's original book, although he changed it somewhat for The Tin Woodman of Oz. (The original story was that Nick Chopper fell in love with a girl whose employer paid the Wicked Witch of the East to get Nick out of the way. In the later version, the girl worked for the Witch herself.) The Scarecrow's origin is given in Ruth Plumly Thompson's The Royal Book of Oz, and it has nothing to do with the Wicked Witches.