Meme.

[active_apathy]

1. Comment on this post.
2. I'll choose six of your icons and kind of o.O at them.
3. You'll explain what they mean, or why they exist, or why you use them.
4. If you want to, post your answers and this explanation in your journal so others might play along.

Today's selection of icon!explanations was made by kittydesade.




This one comes from Sugarshock! issue 3, which I'll elaborate more on when I get to...



this one, which is also - oddly enough - from Sugarshock!, an online comic written by the Whedon and freely available from Dark Horse Presents, or: the only part of MySpace I'll ever, ever use. It's fun, it's ridiculous, and it's very... Joss? Jossy? Josslike? However you turn the Whedon into an adjective, it's that.

There are, according to some sources, Plans afoot for more Sugarshock! when the Joss has time.

Note that Sugarshock! is properly spelt with the exclamation mark, kind of like SplatterCon!!!



This one was an attempt at making a fun, seasonal icon, which would've originally involved just some kind of Cylon with a hat. The eye-sweepy thing comes free with every Cylon raider (limited numbers! order now!), so the hat-sweepy thing seemed like an amusing follow-on from that.

I may or may not remake it with a centurion at some point.



This one was really just for fun, and was one of the three Serenity gag reel icons that I made (the others being the 'TRAP!' and 'fucking fly' ones). I've been told it looks like Mal goes over to get a new Inara every few seconds; it was entirely accidental, but quite fun.



This one was an idea that I had one day while doing something completely unrelated. And, once that had happened, I just wanted to see if I actually could make it like I wanted within the 40k limit. It took five different attempts - each time I gave up for anywhere from five minutes to an hour, but by the end of the fifth one the icon was made.

And then surprisingly popular - not in an 'I expected people to hate it' sense, but instead a little bit of surprise at the flood of 'OMGICONCANIHAVEITANDUSEITPLEASEPLEASEPRETTYPLEASE'.



And this one was the product of... um, random chance? I think I may have seen something that somehow related to Whitman somewhere, remembered the yawp thing, and then wondered how it'd work for a pirate. And a fo'c'sle can be as good as a roof, so. Icon.

Comments

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

Erm, hi.

You don't know me, but I added you because somehow I landed on your journal in the middle of the Australian elections. Given that I am so obsessed with Canadian politics and love to learn about other political systems around the world, I figured we have a passion of politics in common...

Other than that, from the other posts I've read, I think you're hilarious.

Anyways, what better post than a meme-type post for us to get to know each other, insert stereotypical Canadianehhere?

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

Allo allo allo.

Hmm. This encourages me to spend the year posting at length about how the US electoral system MAKES NO SENSE. But! There is a meme, and icons must be chosen. So.

Cuter money. Dr McTightpants. Parliament (the one with the tulips). Katherine and TR. Tough PMs. Dr Feel.

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

Yes! For some reason I am fascinated by the US elections this year, and the active_apathy treatment would be awesome. Doitdoit. Do it.

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

I second this motion.

The question is as follows;

Should active_apathy cover the US elections to explain it to us non-US residents?

All readers in favour, please say yay.
All readers opposed, bah, irrelevant. ;)

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

Woe! I have no division bell!

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

I declare this motion carried, then?

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

Well, there's no dissenters, so the not-actually-a-voice vote seems good enough.

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

I second this motion

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

Welcome to one of the best journals on LJ. Glad you made it, stay for the ride. It's well worth it.

I'm also Canadian, but am pretty oblivious to politics. Seems pretty much no matter what happens, we all end up fucked in the end.

Unless the Bloc somehow comes into power, then we'll all be "le fucked"

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

I have to say, that kind of cyncism makes me real sad. I left my crappy hometown thinking that I can somehow save the country, and hold on dearly to the hope that one day I will.

I figure that the only way we are fucked is we all give up on it. The more people that get involved to keep people accountable and tell them to smarten the hell up, the better. Much like a computer is only as smart as the person operating it, a political system is only as awesome as the people participating (or refusing to participate in it), no?

< / end cheesy sentimentalism >

It's what gets me through my day. I've been working on Parliament Hill since I got to Ottawa.

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

For all the "participation" that the vaunted glory of "democracy" is supposed to give us, we really don't have much of any power at all.

You can start with the general institutionalization of the political system. Things are so entrenched that nobody can make a real dent on it in the first place. Anyone who tries anything remotely radical will promptly find themselves facing a vote of non-confidence and an election... or simply removed from power, depending on the position they held.

Politics hates change, and it's self-insulating against that. Party politics forces you to tow the line or get out of the boat. Free votes are rarely on anything of real significance - they happen for publicity purposes, really. When is the last time a free vote actually instated any real change in anything?

Speaking of getting out of the boat... politics doesn't even give you the choice of Sink or Swim. Either you're on a Party boat, or you drown.

Yes, Andre Arthur was elected as a non-incumbent Independent. These things happen from time to time. Last time that happened was 1984 with Tony Roman. Sorry if I'm cynical, but if it takes 22 years to get elected as a genuine independent, I don't think I'm out of line in saying "You're with a party or you have no chance."

Once you're in, you can't be radical at all. Don't rock the boat, or it's political suicide. You have to pander to as wide a voting base as possible in order to keep your job, and this means having the most mushy, watered down, inoffensive policies possible.

You're going to step on someone's toes, but if you do it very gently, you're at less risk next election. The best policy of all is to blow lots of hot air, and posture wildly, while actually doing nothing. Rattle on and on about abortion, and then take no action. Your talk gets you the conservative votes, your lack of action keeps your liberal ones.

Politics is a machine, and the politicians are simply interchangeable parts - cogs and gears that make it go, but easily replaceable with functionally identical parts.

The proof is in the scandal. More accurately, the constant string of scandals, corruption, exposes and other shenanigans that are par for the course up on the Hill. No matter how bad things get, no matter how many people are sacked, no matter how many reprimands issued, no matter how many by-elections there are... nothing changes.

Same shit, different day, different names. There's still scandal, corruption, lobby abuse, backroom dealing, empty campaign promises and an overwhelming lack of real change or action going on.

Politics is ruled by the old. The old and wealthy. Only the young have the enthusiasm and naivete to think that things can be changed for the better, the grand delusion that they can fix things from within. Only they truly believe that the little people, the blue collar shlubs living from paycheque to paycheque, have any real political power. I can't do shit in Ottawa - I have no money. I can't even do squat in Victoria for the same reason.

But last election, we had the ultimate proof that we, the voters, mean jack shit all in this system.

This proof is called David Emerson. Less than 24 hours after being elected as a Liberal, he crosses the floor and joins the direct opposition. On top of that, the Ethics Commission found his innocent of any wrongdoing in this act.

So really... you're telling me that I can cast my all important vote to support the party I believe best represents my interests... and that the person my vote elects can then join the enemy and support everything I'm opposed to...

And this is perfectly legal and ETHICAL... Yet somehow, my vote matters?

Yes. I'm cynical. I haven't seen a damn thing come out of the political system since my birth to give me one whit of reason to not be cynical.

You are more than welcome to try - I encourage debate and discourse, and you can see that I have a lot to say on politics for someone oblivious to politics.

No, I won't be able to debate specific people or bills or votes - I don't pay any mind to those things. But I can discuss politics in general, the failings of democracy and other related issues and would be happy to.

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

I'll debate with you, email me at my lj address, I just don't necessarily want to hijack this post ;)

I'm still very young, and wasn't willing to suffer through a Poli-Sci degree, which is why I'm still naïve enough to think that I can affect change.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

Pfft. Hijack away.

(also: effect. :) )

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

(you'll have to forgive me: my mother tongue is actually French. I should know better, but I often have brainfarts such as these :P)

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

Your command of English is excellent. I would have never figured you as a francophone.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

(English has native speakers who don't get homophones, so it's really not that bad. :D)

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

I was going to say that you pretty much encourage hijacking. If nothing else, it should make for interesting reading :)

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

Also, beyond voting in elections, have you participated in the political system in other ways? For example, have you voiced your displeasure at the appropriate sources (ie. David Emerson)?

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

I've never seen the cost-benefit of such actions to be worthwhile, so I freely admit that I have not.

Emerson took action, and there was a strident outpouring of disapproval for his actions. His response was pretty much to ignore it all. "Yes, you're cranky, but I made my choice and I'm sticking to it."

I am not in his riding. He won't listen to massive public and media pressure to begin with, why would he listen to one person he doesn't even "represent" and who has no political clout whatsoever?

Politicians typically only pay mind to money (corporate interests, significant donors, lobby groups and the like) or exceptionally noisy and pestiferous activists.

Sadly, like politics, activism is a hobby that's pretty much reserved for the well-to-do. It's hard enough to support myself working fulltime. How am I supposed to take time off work to engage in activism, pay for the assorted flights I'll need to travel to the necessary places, and still make ends meet?

I am no activist, I am no possessor of wealth. While I may have a way with words, my rhetoric is not that strong and my political grounding is nil. I have no political power beyond my one vote, and in the case of Emerson, my vote is irrelevant to him as I'm not in his riding.

What is my one voice going to do? What can it do that all the others have failed to? Absolutely nothing.

So why would I waste my time, money, effort and energy doing so? It's rather illogical to do so.

Politics has shown that it doesn't give a damn about me, and I'm returning the favour.

Part 1. :(

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

As posted here. (http://ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com/224768.html)


I got this one during a Canada Day icon yoinking spree. I laughed when I first saw it, because it reminded me of my exasperated, non-sensical responses when I get flustered debating with people. And dammit, our money is cuter: people comment on how much they like the colours, and I love that they updated most of the bank note series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banknotes_of_the_Canadian_dollar#Canadian_Journey_Series) in the last decade, to include not only political and historical figures, but national symbols and literature on them. I usually use it when I have to capitulate in a debate that is going 'round in circles, or to be snarky.


After watching Desperate Housewives, Waitress, and Firefly (all in succession), I marvelled at the fact that I did not yet have any icons of Nathan Fillion, fellow Canuck and object of me and the Unholy Trinity's desires. (The Unholy Trinity is a coalition formed by three awesome and amazing women on my flist who prey edumicate unruly individuals on our flists. I'm a latecomer to the Trinity (although I have been appointed Mother Superior), so I guess it's not a Trinity anymore... whatever, we don'T abide by the rules of logic. WOW THIS IS A LONG PARENTHESIS.) Thus, my Dr McTightpants icon. The caption on it should say it all. So say we all.


Our seat of government, symbol of our capital, my place of employment... I hope to work there for a long time to come. I can't even begin to tell you how at home I feel on the Hill. In my hometown, I felt like an outsider. Arriving in Ottawa, and on the Hill, something immediately clicked, and I fit right in (with bilingual people with identity complexes and issues with language politics and an unnatural interest in the political scene). The tall structure is the Peace Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Tower), "so named to honour the thousands of Canadian men and women who sacrificed their lives for their country in World War I. (http://www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/text/explorepeacetower_e.html)" The tulips are there because it is one of the major touristy attractions of Ottawa. "In the fall of 1945, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands presented Ottawa with 100,000 tulip bulbs. The gift was given in appreciation of the safe haven that members of Holland's exiled royal family received during the Second World War in Ottawa and in recognition of the role which Canadian troops played in the liberation of the Netherlands." Since then, whoops! We has a Tulip Festival (http://www.tulipfestival.ca/en/FestivalHistory/).

Part 2! :(

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

1) I used to be very obsessed with Grey's. Just like I used to be very obessed with St. John Ambulance. Both complemented each other very well. I've kind of lost my interest in both, in favour of other interests (*cough* theatre *cough*) and one more so than the other.
2) Katherine and TR play my favourite characters.
3) As per the comment, "It's like watching a train wreck." I use this when I feel helpess about something. Or when I'm watching one of the three targets of the Unholy Trinity fight for their lives.


Love Actually is one of my favourite movies of all time (I saw it 13 times in theatre; it was my feel-good movie during my first year of university.) This one is a little bit more political than it should be, since I'm technically supposed to be politically neutral. For those of you who have not seen the movie, Hugh Grant is the Prime Minister of Britain and Billy Bob Thornton plays the US President. Billy Bob comes to the UK on a diplomatic visit, and he plays hardball with Hugh AND he tries to seduce Hugh's sexecutive sexatary. Hugh does not take very kindly to this, and at the next press conference, the following occurs:

Given that Canada is so deeply intertwined with the United States, it would be extremely difficult to stand up to the United States like they did in the movie. On some issues, however, I kind of wish that we would stand up to them more. Not petulantly, and not to undermine the certain spirit of cooperation we have going on, just enough to look out for ourselves a little more. For this reason, I give a thumbs up to Jean Chrétien, and a thumbs down to Stephen "I take it up the ass from GWB if he asks me to" Harper. Ask me about the play I wrote where I pretty much personnified Canada and the countries that it has a relationship with.

Sidebar: "I hope to see much more of you as our countries work toward a better future" is the sleaziest pick-up line evar.


Dr. Feel - as much as some people may find Dr. Phil McGraw a crackpot (and on somethings I totally agree with y'all!), I still like him. A lot. But mostly because he reminds me of my daddy, both in the way they look and in the way people who seem incapable of thinking logically or rationally boggle Dr. Phil and my Dad's brains. I thought it was hilarious that there was a puppet made in his image, and I use it as my general "Get over it" icon.

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

I'm endlessly mystified that there aren't more people who say that about Love Actually, because it is utterly brilliant. So. There's a play about Canada?

Unfortunately, there's this kind of odd thing happening in my brain where he's kind of picking up something of the Swedish Chef. It's... bizarre, really - and that says a lot, when I live with my thoughts all day, every day.

[ifeverangelsbe.livejournal.com]

There's a play about Canada?

There are many plays about Canada.
I ended up writing one myself.
In this one, Canadian history is depicted as a girl's family history...

Her parents hooked up long ago, had two kids, but her mother (Brittany) was only after more money/power. Momma kicks Poppa (Jean-François) out of the house, which is fine by him, because hey, he has more bitches to go and badonkadonk. So Brittany is raising these two kids alone, right (among other chillens from other relationships) and Sam, her oldest, gets rebellious and leaves home. Brittany, scared for her life, steps away from the Sam, and focusses on Chantal. Chantal was a bit of a Daddy's little girl, and Brittany tries everything in her power to remove Jean-François' influence on Chantal, but to no avail... But Jean-François is the least of Brittany's worries, because now Sam is manipulating and bullying his little sister.

It talks about history, about language issues, about identity politics... and does not in any way shape or form resemble my experience in high-school *taps noes*

It is also fully bilingual, written in a way that even unilingual people can understand the dialogue in the other language.

Looking back on it after six years, (and following a degree in theatre) it needs major work and heavy re-writes, but I was pretty proud to have come up with that concept!

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

Let me just point out that the money thing won't always work. :D

So say we all. *wonders if teh Olmos might turn up to shout it properly*

And, ooh, shiny. I thought that one might have had a story. :)

Re: Part 1. :(

[palmer-kun.livejournal.com]

The Aussies have cooler money than we do... but not much.