Green Room - Week 26 - Day 1

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I thought this was interesting: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/10/21/357629765/when-women-stopped-coding

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Also of interest (to me) - and not at all related in any way whatsoever to the idea of a lessening of women in the field of computing over the years - Nope, none at all, was the number of people (both male and female) who replied to Felicia Day's statement about being "doxxed" (just found out what that is!) after posting some thoughts on Game Gate, by telling her how she is their celebrity crush and/or how pretty they think she is.

She works in television. I'm *pretty sure* that at some point there was another human being who thought she was pretty. ;)

I somehow doubt she is going to be reading and go "OMG, I am so flattered that someone thinks that I'm hot when I'm dealing with people putting my personal information out onto the internet. I want to go have massive amounts of sex with them right now!"

I could be wrong though. Based on the sheer number of people who are doing it, maybe it *has* worked before! ;)

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Something that *always* works is eliminations. They are painful, but they work to move the competition further into the heart of darkness.

We had one such elimination tonight: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/797157.html
There was also a new topic for the main competition: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/797204.html as well as one for Last Chance Idol:http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/797508.html and a Work Room (for both) http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/797925.html

Comments

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

Yeah, um. I own a gun (locked in a safe with the bullets not in it but also in the safe) and while I don't hunt, I'm fine with it in theory as long as you're not just killing animals for a head on your wall or whatever. I know how to fire the gun and have practiced with it but would probably never use it unless there was a zombie apocalypse or something.

I am fine with background checks, enforcement, and getting rid of open carry. My guess is that none of those things would have helped in this particular situation (Marysville) but I have yet to hear a good reason we need open carry.

What I don't get is the psychology behind it. Why didn't this happen when I was a kid? People owned guns; there weren't a ton of gun control laws as far as I'm aware (I grew up in the South and you have been able to open carry here all my life, not that I have ever seen many people do it). What the hell is happening?

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

Maybe there IS an actual link between violence today and violence portrayed onscreen and in video games.

All I know is that we can't keep throwing more guns at the problem... but of course the first step is to get people in this apathetic, lazy-ass country, to admit there is one.

I have no problems with responsible gun owners and users. I'm tired of the irresponsibility that allows such a powerful tool/weapon to be so easily placed in the hands of our children and mentally ill.

Those who pervert their proper use for protection and the feeding of family, for power-tripping destruction and hate are the ones who piss me off the most.

Not you sweetie. :)

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

If I came off as defensive or anything, I'm really sorry! I knew you didn't mean me. Most people I've talked to who are calling for gun control just want tighter enforcement, not criminalization of all gun ownership.

But I mean, wanting to ban private gun ownership is a valid opinion to have, too--even if the Second Amendment was really meant to entitle private citizens to own guns (I know some people believe it was not meant that way), it doesn't mean that over 200 years later, with a country this size, it's still a good idea. I'm not really one of those "you can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" gun owners. Although I live in the South, so I know some. XD

I think it's definitely worth considering how we can prevent guns from falling into the hands of, well, teenagers, for one. How and why are kids getting these guns and then managing to smuggle them into school? I mean, one pretty decent argument for complete banning of private gun ownership (which I know is not what you advocated above) is that it might make it harder for minors to obtain guns. Well, some minors in some areas. Maybe?

The mental illness thing is such a hard issue. I mean, how do you judge whether someone is mentally ill? I'm about six flavors of nuts, but I'm not likely to get violent with anyone. You could go by documented history of violent behavior, but does that end up being perverted the way the sex offender laws have?

I'm totally rambling, sorry. I just think there are so many layers because the fact of these shootings means there is something really broken in this country and I have no idea how to fix it. It almost feels like a really extreme change like outlawing private gun ownership is the only thing that would do much, unless we can find and fix the underlying causes.

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

Agreed... there are many layers to this onion.

huggz... am having router troubles if I don't ramble back!

[ellison.livejournal.com]

I agree that it would be wonderful to find and fix the underlying causes of violence in general. I wonder if there's just a serious lack of empathy, and that it's worse than it used to be? I don't know. I have no basis for that, other than meeting a lot of people who have no clue how to put themselves in someone else's shoes... It just is so sad, and I want so badly for us to find real solutions, so that it doesn't become completely normal for there to be "just another school shooting." As it is, I've seen a lot of people shake their heads and say "such a shame." No one is crying around me and tearing up the way we did when Sandy Hook happened. But I think partly that had to do with there being many more victims, mostly 6 yr olds, and it being so close to Christmas. Anyway. It's a hard subject, and there don't seem to be any easy answers, though I really wish there were.