8268 - Lesser v review, a minor political rant, walkabout.

[scottobear]

So, what did I think of V?

Well, on ts own it was entertaining enough. they could've cut some fat and added some meat... but it was acceptable when not viewed next to the source material. Hardly a masterpiece, but not a dud, either. Six of ten. Better than average, but not much.

As an adaptation, it missed the boat. I feel that it added a few elements, but Moore was right to ask his name off of the film. Despite over a decade and a half lag between reading and watching, the discrepancies were pretty glaring (especially the last third of the film).

That's all I really have to say about the movie off the top of my head.

---

As for revolution, I have my doubts about folks in a first-world country standing up en masse against a country's armed forces. Too many of us live within an "acceptable range of comfort", and as long as we can eat, sleep, have orgasms and watch TV under a climate-controlled roof.... most of us won't fight the system for fear of losing those things. We're too comfortable, too complacent, and too selfish to look at the bigger picture for the most part. Many of us speak out about issues. A few of us throw money or time into pet projects, but things don't really change. There won't be a revolution, because most of us won't be bothered to act until it is too late. Bread and Circuses, and all that.

example - less than a third of the USA's population is happy with the competencies of our president and staff... but he'll keep his job until the term expires. Laziness of at least 66% of the population is my only guess. What's worse is that I figure the next guy will be merely "almost as bad" or "well, he's better than what we had before". Mediocrity is the best we can hope for, it seems. I can be considered a cynic by some, but I'm not going to give up and just assume everyone who runs for office just sucks. We just have to change the rewards system... make it worthwhile to work in the interests of everyone, not just folks with money. If anyone works that out, let me know.

I'm no better than most... if it came down to it, I'm not laying down in front of a tank. If a revolution ever comes, I'm taking the cat and heading offsite.

Speaking of my dislike of authority figures abusing power at the cost of my liberty - I've had my living space invaded twice, and had a gun held to my head both times, by people who supposedly are there to serve and protect.

They serve and protect me by putting my life at risk, and invading my home.

To this day, there's a piece of my hindbrain that wants to kill every single one of those cops who pointed a gun at me because a non-violent junkie who shares my last name tried to steal a boat worth less than $5000. It tells me that they don't mind putting me in danger if it means they have the drop on a bad guy who is actively running away... or me, a person that answered the door politely, and met all of their requests. If you've never been held at gunpoint, I'm not sure I can explain what it's like to think that you could die at any moment - a sneeze, a twitch, some guy had an argument with his wife, whatever.

People make mistakes at work. I'm positive that I make a couple every day. I might even make a mistake someday that could (through my lack of getting to the person in time) contribute to the death of a child. But... I don't have a procedure in place that involves at least five gunmen to put an innocent in harm's way "just to be safe". Things need to change, but odds are that they won't. see above. Additionally, I suspect that most cops are like most politicians - start off trying to do some good. Unfortunately, to be a successful cop, you either have to be a jerk, have infinite patience with other jerks, or both. Unfortunately, to be a jerk is the path of least resistance.

I think that I'm a good person, and that my existence makes the world a little bit better place to be. I help others wherever I can. I try to do work that's constructive, to educate, and to be caring. I wonder how many people sit down, and reflect on their lives? It seems like most people coast most of the time.

Newt Sez - enough of that ramble.

---

Regarding Walkabout-

I went back to Boca on walkabout on my second attempt to find uberbastard's buddy's comic store, Boca Comics.

I found it.

Sadly, despite the sign and website saying it's open... it's changing over to new management. And was closed. No Comic books for Scotto that day! That's ok... I have plenty at home.

Nonplussed, I walked to a park I used to hang out in back when I lived in Boca, years ago. The hurricanes or city ordinances cleared a lot of the trees. While roaming around, I spotted some goodies on a bench - A Nancy Drew book older than me (Publish date inside said 1966), and an adult bible study guide. Random Scotto factoid - I've read all of the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift and Nancy Drew mysteries published before 1980.

A backyard shot with colored carp. I *just* missed a huge soft shell turtle that lives in the lake, too. He was sunning himself by the bridge, but slid into the water and swam away before I could get in position.

I think I'll visit the tree zoo next weekend... and hopefully, I'll have a nicer camera by then, too. I'm due for a little techno-treat. I hope the weather holds out for a few more weeks.

---

Minor good deed, cleaned up the bus stop of all litter while waiting for the bus to arrive. I should remember to keep a grocery bag on me, in case of overfull trash cans.

---

Ah, Nertz. Monday meeting! Until later, dear journal!

---

1 year ago - Easter, Deadbolt, Danny recap, K, piccies, personality test, heard from everway gamers, kitties video, walking octopus, waterbus,

2 years ago - Procrastination, Henchman, search warrants/LA, booger eaters, vacuum cleaners, Brian Blessed, heroclix, zombie pinups

3 years ago - jkg, TAG, souls, Bahá'í, soul & body, leaving FMM

4 years ago - dream, dented the door with my mitt, sleepy and grumpy, how I sleep w/newt, small hands=rude, army men, Dan Bfast, lab grown meat, dali museum, secret fun spot, 2 dead celebs

5 years ago - lj bump, baby newt pic, one ring, mush, thebot, palm art, John Denver

Comments

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

well, Fortunately (?) I was held at gunpoint by cops both times rather than hoodlums out of uniform. Most of the folks that read my journal probably remember when those things happened... once was in feb '03, the other in mid 2000. (I had lj entries for each) When I get home form work, I'll track down the entries and append them here, for reference.

Yup, I'm a pedestrian rather than a car-driver. I prefer to walk or be driven by mass-transit to points elsewhere.

[mental-circles.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm. I did many years on the walk and bus system. Finally got my drivers license at 21, and I don't think I'd ever go back. I once got stranded near the corner of Federal and Oakland in Massage School uniform of all white, in a torrential downpour. The two hour bus ride home was very very chilly.

I do miss having time to read and nap during travel though...of course, I get to sleep much later now.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

Yikes... yeah, it can get mighty chilly if you're soaked through, and we both know how pointless an umbrella can be in the worst florida rains.

I actually stopped driving after surgery, and just never went back. I got used to it.

I do most of my reading on the bus up and back... 2 hours on the bus? where were you living back then? I usually get from work to deerfield inside of 90 minutes, and that's across the county!

[mental-circles.livejournal.com]

Sideways rain defies all forms of avoidance! Five minutes in that mess, and I was wetter than I'd have been after a shower. Ugh. Welcome to the Sunshine State.

Luckily I had my massage linens with me. (Extra Large Bath Sheet and set of twin sheets. Saved my life I'm pretty sure.)

I lived in northwest Coral Springs and went to about Federal and Oakland. I may have over estimated the time...it has been about 10 years, but it was a long ass ride with a transfer.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

Florida is the only place where I've had rain go up a pants leg.

Glad you survived!

[mental-circles.livejournal.com]

I actually stopped driving after surgery, and just never went back.

What kind of surgery?

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

lower back, s3 area. I had a herniated disc removed, and a fusion done at the base.

[mental-circles.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Did it actually turn out OK? I know back surgery is usually very dodgy as to how much you improve from it.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I still walk with a limp, and have some minor side-effects, but there is no pain, and I walk like a man, not an ape, so it turned out well!

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

I got held at gun point by a cop once two. We were dropping some stuff off at the store I managed at the time one night after store hours, and neighbors saw a truck a U-hall the place and called the cops. The first guy was plain clothes and didn’t even identify himself as a cop, wasn’t until I saw other cops that I knew for sure who was shinning a flash flight and pointing a gun at me. The guy real jerk who once things were cleared up, and the other cops were apologizing, acted all put out at the situation like his time had been wasted cause I wasn’t a burglar.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that at least the other cops were civil. Was tha tthe event where you got brambles stuck to you?

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

Yeah though it was the guy with me, Richard, that got laid face down in the brambly grass, I had walked behind the back of the truck to make sure we'd closed it when they came up on me so I was on the asphalt. Good memory though.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

do you have hostile memories toward that guy, still?

I don't think about it very often, but when my event comes to mind, I still want to rip his lungs out.

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

Yeah when I think about it gets me riled up.

The thing that irks me the most is how his actions could have gone wrong, by he not identifying himself, as I was starting to walk back to the cab some guy behind me cries out at for me to stop while shinning a flash light on me, he had no uniform on, I looked back and saw the gun, there was a part of me that considered making a break for it, but luckily I chose not to, he then told me to turn around hands held out and put down what I was carrying, I had a coke, at this point was pretty sure he wasn’t acting like a mugger, and they don’t usually shine flashlights on you, but in the moment you just don’t know for sure in any case I must love my soda because I chose to argue with him about a little, “It’s just a plastic coke bottle” and tried to find out what was going on. He just insisted more forcefully that I drop it, so being he had the gun and all I toss it aside. He then told me to lie down, at that point I was weighing my options I didn’t want to lie down for some mugger to put a bullet in my head, and continued to try to find out what was going on, he just kept repeating himself more forcefully it was at this point I saw that the other cops show up around the corner, so I did as I was told as I now knew for sure they were cops and knew this would get sorted out.
Afterwards he was storming around all pumped up like he was some jock that has just scored a touchdown, as it became clearer that this was all a mistake he seemed to get ticked off and eventually wandered off. The other cops were much friendlier and seemed to suspect his was nothing from the get go by the way we were acting.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

see, that could've ended very badly, indeed - putting your life at risk. I'm glad those other cops arrived when they did... I don't know how I would've reacted in the same situation, but I suspect a similar response.

Even if he'd shown some sort of ID, I think I'd have been leery, without actual other-cop backup, at that point.