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Good news out of India as they today the Delhi high court overturned a colonial-era law banning same-sex sexual relations between consenting adults, according to the BBC.

The High Court's decision to overturn the 145-year-old colonial ban sets a milestone as first time ever that an Indian court went on record to say that sexual minorities are not second-class citizens, and that they cannot be discriminated against. Under Section 377 of the Indian penal code, gay relations were considered as an "unnatural offense" and was punishable by a 10-year prison sentence. While actual criminal prosecutions were few, the law had frequently been used to harass people.

The move to overturn the law had been opposed by India's religious leaders. For example Reverend Dominic Emmanuel, spokesperson of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, said the Catholic church has nothing against gays per se, he stressed, "We strongly believe that sex between same sex partners is immoral, unnatural and unethical." The Catholic Church's stance has been that the removal of the law will encourage pedophilia and shield pedophiles from justice.

Yes, you read that right - the Catholic Church in India is against shielding pedophiles from justice and claimed that keeping gay relationships illegal would ensure that.

...

Sometimes I think Henry VIII was our greatest monarch.

Although, of course, it's Victorian imperialism that gave India the law in the first place, but after we got kicked out, I would expect people to do a little bit of redecorating.

Sometimes I'm an evil man. I mean, I know Transformers: ROTFL has had epically bad reviews, being described variously as "like being hit over the head repeatedly with a very expensive, very loud train set", "simply despicable", "repugnant", "tedious, crass and despicable", "The Worst Movie of the Decade", "a horrible experience of unbearable length", "a fundamentally shitty movie", "like watching paint dry while getting hit over the head with a frying pan", "a lumbering idiot of a movie", and "a dishwasher loudly shitting in your face for 2 hrs."

Then there's been the incredible video rants. Like this (so many good points there between the rage), this or this.

But it was this review in that last link which has me in stitches. If coarse language offends, I'd suggest you don't read on:

"This movie….

…..was a worthless, mindfucking, pathetic, absolutely unredeemable, assrapingly godawful waste of time film filled with NOTHING but scenes of dogs fucking each other, horribly offensive racist caricature that was mindbogglingly horrendous, padded with NOTHING but constant, rambling absurd, shoot-your-self embarrassing and nonsensical dick jokes, obnoxious, grating, boring, ridiculous garbage on an unmessurable scale, and a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE excuse of a film.

This film…. was so fucking incoherent, so pathetic, so absolutely desperate, and such a miserable, half-assed, failed, fucking piss-poor excuse for anything that could even reasonably called a “movie”, that even calling it a “movie” is an insult to ALL movies.

Calling this a “film”, or a “movie” does nothing but cheapen the term itself, and makes the art of cinema as a combined whole seem inconceivably worse because of it.

There is absolutely not one single, solitary second or conceivable moment, anywhere to be found in this film that isn’t an embarassing, shitsucking, piece of absolute gutter trash that has EVER… and I mean EVER been so fantastically puked onto a theater screen before, and most probably, since.

You cannot MAKE a movie this bad. One simply cannot MAKE something on this order of useless tripe if one TRIED to do so.

Rather, there is not ANYONE that exists in the nearest or farthest corner of god’s green and fertile earth today who can make a movie as bad as Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen if they had actually made the SPECIFIC effort to make a film this atrocious.

Even by ACCIDENT, the idea that garbage like this could be assembled in such an impossibly asinine and utterly abysmal fashion is incredibly remote and almost goddamn impossible to conceive or imagine.

Even for the incredibly, utterly, low, rock bottom standard of what could presumed typical of a Michael Bay SHITFEST can be, it is almost infinitely difficult to imagine, as to how, why or in what galaxy or entire dimension of suck that something this indescribably awful on every conceivable level as Transformers 2 is, could ever remotely come into being.

This movie is honestly, and undeniably, a goddamn, mother fucking plague of dark ages proportions.

And do you know what? Saying what you’ve said, and me saying what I’ve said as well, is actually being POLITE towards this movie. Much more so than it deserves.

This movie cannot be rated on a scale determinable by any possible number that we know of to exist, including reaching into negative numbers or even extending back to an infinite horizon of negative numbers."

Sad to look at this pic and realize that only Frank Thornton is still with us.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/jul/01/mollie-sugden-comedy-actor

Ever wondered why the T-800 looked and sounded like an Austrian body builder?

Wonder no more.


I'd never seen this before. I can see why it was cut. Way too funny for T3.

• 15:21 Happy Gary Busey Day. #
• 15:28 It's got to the point where I'm finding the incredibly witty scathing reviews for Transformers: ROTFL more entertaining than the movie was. #
• 16:37 This country doesn't really do air conditioning, does it? But my office needs it. Bad. #
• 16:52 With a name like "The Toad in the Cistern" no wonder this pub closed. I suspect it's not appealing even if you're NOT familiar with Othello. #
• 18:49 I feel a bit of a fraud doing comics related stuff at the moment. Since I haven't been to pick up any new issues in almost a month. #

I only just realized that Diamond's estimated sales figures were released while I was away on holiday and I missed them. Which makes this month's rundown a little late. So I'll be skimming through more briefly than normal. New Mutants debuts this month, so it'll be interesting to see how that does.

May saw a huge crash in the comics market, down 19% on this time last year. Despite staying ahead so far this year, that sudden and major downturn's attributed to both the lack of huge "name" titles hitting the streets this month, but also the rising cover prices seeing a large number of people deciding that an increased financial drag isn't justified in the current financial times.

Not one title broke the 100k mark and that's a bad sign that will most likely see the big two cutting back. In the long term it's likely to see more of those big flashy crossovers to pull people in, rather than focusing on smaller books, and also (and perhaps wisely) less obscure spin-offs.

Speaking of spin-offs, last time I mentioned Wolverine: Weapon X debuting at #3 with sales of 98k. The second issue sees a huge drop off, down to 59k. That's kinda steep for a second issue drop, but understandable if sales are dropping across the board. It'll be interesting to see if it levels out, however. Ahead of it, the parent Wolverine title shipped #92 and #93 to sales of 87k and 83k respectively.

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• 15:59 Someone was kind enough to just call me up and say "I just heard something really shocking - Michael Jackson is dead!" Finger meet pulse. #
• 16:00 I did respond "Oh, didn't you hear? He got better." They weren't amused. #
• 17:42 Note to self - rehang my Doctor Who and the Daleks STARRING ROY CASTLE poster later. #
• 17:51 ♫ From exotic locations, in heavy rotation, for your further titillation and world domination: Bring on the girls! ♫ #
• 21:00 Okay, Martin Bashir "leading tributes to Michael Jackson" is mind-blowing. Just... wow. If I was him I'd have kept my head well down. #
• 21:07 Am I the only one who's really warmed to Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire? The swinger cyclops in the last ep was very funny. #
• 23:56 Not wanting to sound harsh, but I won't go green. I think the last thing Iran needs is another badly informed foreigner claiming solidarity. #

Well, Michael Jackson died. I suppose this is the Elvis moment for my generation, but I'm surprised how indifferent I am to his death. Or maybe not. Let's face it, I don't think anyone was expecting him to die in his own bed at the age of 83, surrounded by loving family.

It'd be hypocritical of me to express deep grief, since I had little time for him when he was alive, but it has surprised what a big deal this appears to be. Because of the "weren't we all expecting this?" element, but also, isn't it about 20 years since anyone actually cared about the man and his music?

But, see, I say that and then think, "Huh, but then, every year on X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent or whatever else, you can guarantee that at least once a show someone's going to sing or dance to a Michael Jackson number." Usually kids who weren't even born when he was popular. There appears to be a certain sector of the population with whom Jackson was still hugely popular. His greatest hits still sold through the roof. But I don't think I've ever met one of these people in my whole life.

I'm genuinely more sad about Farrah Fawcett, not because I believe her to be a greater talent, but that her death is being overshadowed. Her battle with anal cancer, after she went public chronicling her treatments, made people more aware of this rare form of cancer and did a lot of good to raise the profile of this smoking related disease.

Anyway, it's all pretty sad, but I'll not be hypocritical by saying I've a strong emotional response either way. At least I can claim to be less of a cock than this Perez Hilton bloke, who's clearly determined to set the world record for being punched in the face.

That incident raises a curiosity though. Watching the news break and people's reactions online was an interesting experience. It shows just how instant news is now and how one site kicked things off and how the story spread before finally being confirmed elsewhere. It just goes to show how alive news is in this day and age where we can watch it change literally by the second. No wonder the print medium is struggling.

Bad news for my industry.

• 10:15 Lip up fatty, ah, lip up fatty, for the reggae! ♫ blip.fm/~8sd4h #
• 10:23 The Eleven Doctors? uk.tv.yahoo.com/blog/article/207058/ #
• 11:07 Good news for us porkys - bit.ly/s27Jo #
• 11:17 Hrm, wait... Burton's Alice in Wonderland isn't an adaptation but a "sequel with Alice returning to Wonderland at age 17"? Why, Burton, why? #
• 11:28 And now I've seen a copy of the script. Damn, my hopes for this movie just came crashing down. AIWINO. www.sendspace.com/file/7cf9tc #
• 16:11 "I write drama about other peoples lives, I don’t want drama in mine!" Perez, when you scream "FAGGOT!" in someone's face EXPECT to get hit. #
• 16:18 And glad to see you're getting it from the LGBT community too, you odious little man. #

Probably the greatest review of our time. And I thought his review of the first one was good.

• 12:15 So, I'm back, online and active. Had a good break. Now back to it. Yay. #
• 12:30 I, for one, do not believe the identity of The Stig has been truly revealed. #
• 17:00 My brain's aching. Maybe it's still the fall out from that Transformers drinking game. Those Xs and Zs were a bastard. #

I'll do an update on my week off when I'm back home and can upload the photos. So in the meantime, have a meme, as yanked from amorvoloexsisto

What's the last thing you did, where you technically broke the law?
Speeding yesterday coming back from London. I clocked myself doing 96 mph. Oops.

Have you ever cried so much you just couldn't cry anymore after that certain point?
Not that I recall.

Is there any television series that you've been meaning to catch up on, which one?
Several. True Blood and Heroes spring to mind because they're shows I don't have ready on DVD for the catchup.

When's the last time you went swimming?
Week before last at the gym.

Where were you the last time you saw someone you thought was super cute?
Um... motorway service station yesterday.

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• 09:52 Everyone in the office has just spent the last ten minutes talking like the Lovely Wobbly Randy Old Ladies. Very Colin Hunt. #
• 11:40 That GI Joe rumor certainly seems to have legs, despite Lorenzo Batnipples' denial. Hmmm. #
• 11:51 Embarrassing confessions #1: I google myself. #
• 14:37 If I don't get a caffeine fix in the next 30 seconds I shall end you all. #
• 22:49 Not much point going to the gym then forgetting my swimming shorts. No sauna for me, damnit. #

I've been faffing about on the guitar and occasionally video recording it over the past few weeks. And I'm sure everyone wants to see me slaughteringsinging a few classics.

So here's a roundup of my Youtube vids:

Weird Al - "Good Enough For Now" cover

Bob Marley - "Redemption Song" cover

Carter USM - "Do Re Me (So Far So Good) cover

The Verve - "Drugs Don't Work" cover

Nick Cave - "The Mercy Seat" cover


EDIT: And as an extra special bonus my Tom Waits meets Nick Cave styled version of "The Curse of Millhaven".

Yanked from schmevil

Here's a nice "getting to know you, getting to know everything abooooout yoooouuuu!" meme.

The problem with Livejournal is that we all think we are so close, but really, we know nothing about each other. Hence, I want you to ask me something you think you should know about me. Something that should be obvious, but you have no idea about. Then post this in your LJ and find out what people don’t know about you.

• 14:33 Today I need some tea. I DEMAND to have some tea. And cake. #
• 14:38 Marvel really are doing their very best to make me hate the X-men. Sorry, but drafting in Paul Cornell won't help with this Dark Reign crap. #
• 15:42 I now have tea. It's safe to approach me. #
• 16:46 Nerdrock! ♫ blip.fm/~81fws #

Get your own Big Lebowski Last Supper painting here.

"Something smells fishy."

EndTimes Tells You What He Has Heard: GI JOE Director FIRED!

"So the story goes like this-

After a test screening wherein the film tested the lowest score ever from an audience in the history of Paramount, the executive who pushed for the movie Brad Weston had Stephen Sommers, the super hack director of the film fired. Removed. Locked out of the editing room.

Stuart Baird, a renowned "fixer" editor was brought it to try to see if it could be made releasable. Meanwhile producer Lorenzo whose turkey IMAGINE THAT explodes this weekend as the new bomb in theatres (also championed by Weston) was told his services were no longer needed on the film either.

Sommers was then forced by his William Morris agents to pretend that he was working on Tarzan over at Warner Brothers doing design work, even though that film doesn't even have a good script yet. When word of the firing started to be whispered about in Hollywood, Sommers was summoned back to the editing room- but only to save appearances, Baird is still editing the movie with studio input.

Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, who turned down other offers from the property to go with the script that was rushed in 8 weeks by Stuart Beattie because of the writer's strike is frantic that this will destroy the brand and is distancing himself from the pending catastophe.

NONE of this needed to happen, except someone who did not know the mythology, Lorenzo was in charge of the film and never contradicted Sommers on anything. Lorenzo, so you know, was Chairman of Warners and had GI JOE under option there (not as a producer) for SEVEN years and he refused to greenlight the film, stating that because he gre up in Italy he had no knowledge of it. If you google enough, at one point you will see he wanted the film to be about an action hero named MANN (Action Man, get it) and he clearly had no clue what the GI Joe world really was.

And the hapless hack Sommers? Where did he come from? The confused Jon Fogelman at William Morris, who signed Hasbro away from CAA, had to find a director in a hurry for his new clients and gave him the only guy who he repped who would do it. A sad end to what COULD have been a great franchise. Acceleration suits indeed."

• 13:00 Katie Perry was on Chris Moyles this morning. Only a vague idea who she is, but by god she's annoying. Coked-up fool desperate to be "wacky" #
• 13:05 An yes, I am cranky today. #
• 14:27 Looking at that Google map street views thing. Found my hotel in Manhattan. Want to go back to New York /so/ much now. #
• 14:38 Wappers! ♫ blip.fm/~7yzid #