is a friend from London I mostly know through LJ, but have met at Synthetic Culture and the Head of Steam a few times. We’ve been talking serious stuff; specifically, about her experience of rape. Entry from that I just his submit on:
Reading the Britblog roundup guest hosted by Philobiblion this week, there are several articles on the worrying Amnesty Report on British attitudes to rape. Unsurprisingly, this has also been a topic of conversation amongst some of my friends, and, well, I’ve already chosen my nomination for next weeks round up.
It’s from a friends personal journal, normally the source of frivolity and light hearted banter. Not today however. You see, she, like Rachel has also, in the past, been the victim of a rapist. And she wants to do something about it. Specifically, she’s read the Amnesty report, and finds it’s questions to be biased and leading, and the media reports have blown the numbers up out of proportion to the actual answers. Doesn’t mean there isn’t a worrying number of people who do still blame the woman when she’s raped (or the man, for that matter, it does happen). However, that’s not her main concern. Her real concern are the separate, but linked reports, of the court case involving the drunken girl and the security guard.
Now, when I first heard about this, I agreed with the verdict. She was drunk, and didn’t even remember the event, it only came out it had happened because he admitted to it. He said it was consensual, she didn’t know one way or the other, case closed. However, I’ve been persuaded that it shouldn’t be. Yes, under current law, he’s innocent. But why? She was so drunk her friends were worried about her. So drunk that she needed to be carried home. So drunk she didn’t know what she was doing. We’re not talking ‘just failed the breathalyser, give me a break officer’ drunk here, we’re talking ‘unable to look after herself properly’ drunk. So drunk, in fact, that she’s unable to give consent to anything. Is that right?
Is it right that a sober man can have sex with someone unable to think for themselves and not face any consequences? If it was Rohipnol, then no. But if it’s alcohol? Debi thinks the law should be changed. She’s persuaded me of her case. Now I want to get others to join in, or, if you do disagree, explain why, and give reasons we can try to answer. I find rape to be the most reprehensible of crimes, and I find the attitudes of certain sectors within society to be, well, wrong. No means no, but yes should not be the assumed state.
Any takers?
Please, regardless of opinion one way or another, go comment on her journal or on my blog post? Either support and agree, or try and find holes, if the law is to be changed, the argument for the change has to be solid.
*I know, I didn’t get to Exeter today as planned, I was in an antisocial mood, so stayed in and got myself involved in something, again. Edit changed the opening paragraph because that’s what Bloggers backlinks quote, and a few of the blogs I’ve linked to are showing this entry up.
November 28th, 2005
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Randomly clicking on people commenting in friends journals, I see this:
Does anybody know of any hot drinks that don’t contain caffeine (tea), make you wee excessively (hot chocolate), or taste like dishwater (camomile), sweat (ginger and lemon) or battery acid (fruit tea)? I have an inkling I’m going to be drinking a lot of hot squash this winter…
I hate camomile, so I go with the hot chocolate option. Camomile dos help me sleep (, have you ever tried it? It may help), but, well, that’s not a big enough benefit to buy it. Drinking it when it’s supplied is another issue though.
Shame ’s offline at the moment, ’tis her who keeps giving me the stuff to drink.
Harry gets the hots
By Nicholas Barber
Published: 20 November 2005
Welcome back to Hogwarts, a school with such a shameful record of appointing teachers who are actually murderous demons in disguise that it should have been shut down by Ofsted. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is now in his fourth year, and, wouldn’t you just know it, the malevolent minions of Voldemort are once again plotting to give him a few more scars to match the one on his forehead. Just as frightening for Harry and his pubescent pals are the exchange students who are boarding at Hogwarts for an inter-school magic contest. Ron (Rupert Grint) is ooh la la-ing at the jeunes filles from France’s Beauxbatons Academy, while Hermione (Emma Watson) gets some eye-candy, too, in the shape of the Durmstrang Institute’s crewcut stormtroopers.
This is the most gratifying film of the series . Indeed, it’s the first one that’s been made as a distinct entity in its own right , as opposed to a scene-by-scene re-enactment of the source novel. J K Rowling’s notorious ly elaborate mystery plot has been pared back to basics, so although the book is a disc-slipping 630 pages, the film never feels as bloated as the previous instalments. The action set-pieces are genuinely thrilling , hence the 12A certificate, and the scenes without any broomsticks are almost as good. Mike Newell has made no bones about sending his young stars to acting classes, and it’s a move that’s paid off : the boys’ adolescent awkwardness with the opposite sex recalls the same director’s Four Weddings and A Funeral. Mind you, the idea that Hermione might fancy Ron seems a lot more convincing in the book than in a film where, frankly, she’s out of his Quidditch league.
That last bit is true, she almost looked good in the ballgown. For a kid far to young for me, anyway.
November 27th, 2005
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Must read more often.
Both from another Worthy contest. Lots of pics on that page, takes awhile to load for us dial-uppers…
I’ve been making new filters and adding more blogfeeds (again). I really do like the LJ syndication features, RSS readers take an age to load feeds on dial up.
November 27th, 2005
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It’s patchy, sometimes I get something, other times Ihave no idea. The recent comments link is great, and now bookmarked, but I miss getting everything in my inbox almost immediately.
I hope they fix whatever problems they’re still having, I’m having problems setting up some feeds as well. Bored though, I’m stomping everyone in the Civ game I’m playing, I think I need to up the difficulty for the next game. Ah well…
November 26th, 2005
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Why this incredible eulogy for a “sporting genius” who hasn’t done anything for 30 years?
That’s the question just asked on Any Questions. To which my response is I don’t know, I don’t care, he was a drunken old sop who wasted his life and the only thing he’d done since I was born was work through a succession of gorgeous women he didn’t deserve.
It’s the top news headline on Radio 4, the Independent had an 8 page supplement and 5 whole news pages for me to get passed before I got to something I cared about. People die, we move on. People who get replacement livers and still drink despite being told not to were going to die early, can we just get over it and move on now?
November 26th, 2005
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Me:
I won’t see much snow though, Torbay’s microclimate will kill it all
here.
Snowed in this morning in Torquay, had to clear the screens and get the driving gloves out; didn’t wear them all last winter. If it’s this cold in the Bay, it must be bloody freezing in the rest of the country. Driving in was a nightmare, too many idiots on the roads.
November 25th, 2005
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Bugger, lost track of time, if anyone is watching this, or has watched it when it’s done, LMK what it was like?
I’m not expecting fair or balanced coverage, and I fully espect anyone who likes alternative music of any type to be portrayed as a nutjob, but, well, y’never know.
I mean, I’m not a fan of Death Metal, and Slayer, well, suck, but I know at least one perfectly well adjusted death metal fan, and I hate it when media scapegoat minority interests instead of look to root causes; let’s face it, Ted Bundy blamed Playboy, Columbine was blamed on RPGs, etc, etc. Ah well.
[Edit:] has the key quote from the Independent article that isn’t online:
“Heavy metal gigs are some of the most non-violent and accepting spaces in the country. If you want to look for places that give rise to fear, hatred and violence, I suggest you look more closely at Churches, Mosques, Parliamentary Chambers and Council Offices.”
- Louise Chambers, media researcher and lecturer.
November 25th, 2005
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Received today at work from a colleague:
FREE KITTENS
I’m desperately searching for an animal lover, trying to help a
friend get rid of the last 3 of a litter of kittens.
She lives close to the Glen Rose nuclear power plant. Please
look and see if any of these little guys touch your heart.
We really need to find a good home for them. Thanks so much for
your help
You are a Sluagh!! You have a quiet, haunting
element about your nature, which both
captivates and unnerves those around you. Some
would call you Gothic, but you go by no titles
save your own. Keep your ears open and guard
your words carefully. Because while your voice
may be quiet, your words will be anything but.
Which Changeling Kith Best Fits You?
brought to you by Quizilla
I don’t play the game, but at least it knows I’m not an Elf.
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You scored as The Great Gonzo. You might be far out there, but you sure know how to have fun! People love you for the wacky things you do! Whoopeee!
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The Great Gonzo
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88% |
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Sweetums
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75% |
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Kermit the Frog
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63% |
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Rowlf the Dog
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63% |
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The Swedish Chef
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63% |
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Statler and Waldorf
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63% |
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Sam the Eagle
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50% |
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Pepe
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50% |
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Robin the Frog
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38% |
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Rizzo the Rat
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38% |
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Janice
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38% |
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Fozzie Bear
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25% |
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Animal
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13% |
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Miss Piggy
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13% |
Which Muppet are You?
created with QuizFarm.com |
Right… That’s, um, accurate.
November 24th, 2005
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Leo Blair that is.
Large flash animation, 4.8mb. Worth it, even for dial up, unless for some reason you think Blair’s a good Prime Minister, in which case, well, I despair.
Another funny from
G’night all.
November 23rd, 2005
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