Plagiarism for a paycheck!

So the other day... I was mad. I'm that way a lot these days I guess. Anyhow, I decided to waste some time in the second hand book store and find something to read on the bus these days. What to my amazement but one of my favorite authors, Orson Scott Card, had a series I hadn't read, and the first book was only $3. Score. Or so I thought. The book was called, "The Memory of Earth". So if you don't know me very well, I love books. I obsess about them, and they can be the highlight of life at times. Also, since Card wrote this book, I had expectations. This was going to be good. I could feel it.

For those of you who don't know, Card and I are both Mormon. We have the same religion. Cool right? Well, you'd think. I started reading it, and partway through, I realize, that he's plagiarized our religion for a paycheck! This whole "story" is pulled straight from the Book of Mormon, describing how a dad in a family gets a vision, and flees with his family out of the city. Then they have to go back for something... Yeah, I know the whole story by heart, and therefore knew what was coming in this book. It was the story of Lehi and Nephi, and returning to get the plates from Laban. I knew the ending to the book, but kept reading, hoping it wasn't really ripped straight from the Book of Mormon. But it was, it was the science fiction version of my religion. Wow. Epic fail. Utter disappointment. Honestly. Really? All that for a paycheck? That desperate? Screw you Orson. You suck.

You want to know the dumbest part of this whole thing? I want to get the second book in the series to see if he really follows the next part of the Book of Mormon and plagiarizes that, again! What a turd.

Another thing that's bugging me? Tropic Thunder. Yeah, that new movie that's out? Well, I'm part of the Society for Disability Studies, and the movie did a major faux pas by not correcting or addressing the bias portrayal of persons with a disability in the film. They did so with the black community, and not the disability community, and there are some offensive parts that show clear bias towards persons with mental disabilities. It really is atrocious if you think about it. On the other side, it's comedy. The reason is funny is because you're mocking the stereotypes and the realities of life. The line, is thin though. Just because you call it comedy, doesn't give you a get out of jail free card. You have to play the line tactfully or else it leaves the spectrum of comedy, and becomes a form of hate speech. Also by addressing and communicating with the black community in the making of the movie, but not the disability community, shows that the disability community is devalued in society, and by the producers. Okay, I'm done rambling. I'm not going to see the movie, but I'm disappointed by the reactions of both sides on this "issue".

Oh! Bingo! Guess what I just did... I ran across the kitchen of my house in my underwear to put something away, just hoping that no one saw. It was liberating. But really, it was.

Right... so I've been talking about Russia, for a while now. All through college actually and how dangerous it is, and how people don't realize how powerful it really is as a superpower in today's world. Everyone for the past few years has looked at me like I'm psychotic, like I'm suggesting painting cats pink. Honestly... But, a couple days ago, I got an email from a friend with the subject "Holy shit, you were right!". It was about the threat Russia made against Poland to nuke them if they cross them, essentially. Then, my Dad was like, so what do you think about what Russia is doing in Georgia... Suddenly people are seeing what I was saying, and they're like... Oh, I get it! It almost makes me angry that now they want to talk about it, about my research. But at the same time, I like people seeing what's really going on in the international political scene. Wow. I'm such a political science nerd. I thought I'd escaped it. Alas, I have not.

Lastly, my love life is so upside down right now. So funny things. I think I mentioned that, Derek and I are taking a break, and are currently not together. I hate it. Really, it blows. Suddenly every asshole I know is suddenly thinking that because I'm heartbroken and single, maybe they can get in my pants! Yay. Not! They're retarded. I got sick of sending the angry emails, so I just made it a facebook status, which had it's own messy repercussions. Funny though.

So funny stuff that has happened since our breakup. My brother Jeff left on a mission, and at his going away party, I got there, and a woman I know goes, "So, I heard you got dumped". Embarrassing enough in itself. But... she was on the other side of the place, so she had to say it loudly so I'd hear... me, and everyone else there. So suddenly, EVERYONE was asking. It was so ironic, I had to laugh. Something else funny happened. Funnier actually, but I cannot for the life of me, remember what it is... huh. Oh well.