Thoughts on Star Trek fan fiction and Review of Star Trek Continues episode 2: "Lolani"

Recently, CBS & Paramount decided to issue some really draconian 'guidelines' for fan films. These new rules essentially curtail any attempt at making a fan film, as we have known them. I won't go over them here because you can read them for yourself in the link provided above. However, limiting stories to a total of 30 minutes and NOT allowing any kind of series is just plain low.

Personally, I suspect this is because they lost the lawsuit against the Star Trek: Axanar production, where they tried to claim the Klingon language was their intellectual property. Of course that was was going to fail because you can't copyright a language. Despite what CBS/Paramount thought, Klingon actually has, amazingly, become a real language. It's spoken by real people. It also evolved passed the guttural utterances, words and phrases invented by James Doohan (That's right, Scotty himself) and Mark Okrand for the TV Shows and Movies. That can't be copyrighted. And no, I don't speak that language.

In addition to that, I suspect CBS & Paramount are also jealous of some of these fan productions. Forget the amateur stuff you see on YouTube that was obviously shot with a handheld camcorder. I'm talkin' about the fan productions that actually put out a product that's up to Hollywood cinematography standards like Star Trek Continues. CBS & Paramount should be jealous. The 6 episodes produced (so far) have actually been quite impressive. They've certainly impressed me. The stories from this fan production could easily have been made as episodes of the original series. Yes, they really are that good.

Their first episode, Pilgrim of Eternity, was a continuation of the TOS episode Who mourns for Adonais?. It featured the Greek god Apollo as the antagonist. Like so many other Star Trek stories pitting Humans against Godlike Aliens, the Alien learned a few good lessons. Unlike most of those other episodes though, Apollo actually had a good end this time. He became a benevolent figure again, just like he's remembered in Greek mythology.

The third episode, Fairest of them All, was a continuation of the story from the TOS Classic Mirror, Mirror. It tells the story of Mirror Spock deciding to mutiny against his universe's incredibly brutal Captain Kirk. He had good reasons too. I won't spoil it for you. Just follow the link provided and watch it for yourself. If nothing else, it will at least be comforting to you that, even in an evil mirror universe, Mr. Spock still has a conscience.

The fourth episode, The White Iris, is an episode for the Kirk lovers. It offers a pretty fascinating look into his psychology. Despite his reputation, Kirk isn't really a 'love them and leave them' type. This episode explores some of the guilt he had with some of those failed relationships in his past. Specifically, the relationships that ended with his love interest getting killed. That includes Miramanee from the episode The Paradise Syndrome and Edith Keeler from City on the edge of Forever. It also included another of Kirk's loves that was never born, but I won't spoil it for you. All I will say is that it was a very powerful moment for Kirk and the audience as well. If you have a soul, it will bring tears to your eyes.

I don't feel that I can comment on the fifth and sixth episode, since I've only seen them once. I don't fully understand them yet.

However, my favorite is the second episode, Lolani. This episode discusses something that canon Star Trek never did: slavery. I can understand why. Like religion, it's way too sensitive a subject for television networks to want to touch. The show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, didn't want to deal with the controversy. He was fine with episodes talking about the conflict in Vietnam (A Private Little War), racism and Civil Rights (Let that be your last battlefield), the Cold War possibly going hot (Errand of Mercy) and the spectre of nuclear annihilation (A Taste of Armageddon), but religion he didn't want to touch. When it was casually mentioned at the end of the episode Bread and Circuses, it was the studio doing it behind his back when he was on vacation.

All that being said, some things, regardless of how controversial they are, should be addressed. Slavery is one of them. Most Americans don't want to mention that slavery ever happened in this country, for fear of offending certain people. That's unfortunate since slavery still exists in the world today. The rest of the text in this blog post is full of spoilers. If you don't want to see any spoilers, skip the text and go down to the embedded video of the episode.

The episode Lolani is about an Orion Slave Girl that was found aboard a derelict spacecraft, belonging to the Tellarite that purchased her. He and his crew died in a fight over her. They also tried to rape her, thinking of her as a sexual object instead of a person. Sounds disgusting, heh? It should. Most of the slaves of today find themselves in situations like that in the Islamic world. Women there are nothing but property and thought of as just things for pleasure and procreation. (Notice how I use the word 'thing' here to describe a certain group of people?) Arab Oil Sheiks with ridiculous amounts of money are the usual customers since Islam allows men to have up to 4 wives, if they can afford them. Unfortunately, slavery is still also an American issue as well. A great many of the teenage girls that go missing in America today (especially some counties of Maryland) end up being sold into sexual slavery in the Islamic world and other places.

After the Enterprise crew report back to Starfleet about Lolani, things only got worse for her. Orion law required her to revert back to the property of the slave trader that sold her to the Tellarite. That slave trader inspired a LOT of fear in Lolani because he was a very brutal man. Starfleet took a 'Not my monkey, not my circus' kind of attitude (Miserable cowards...) and told Kirk to give her back to the slave trader. All to avoid an interstellar incident. They were not interested in granting asylum to Lolani, either. Being a man of moral courage, Kirk did his best to convince the slave trader that making Lolani a slave again was wrong. Sadly, it didn't work. There's no reason why it would have worked, either. Like the slave trader said, slavery had been a part of Orion culture 'since they learned to make fire.'

There's also a scene where Kirk had to fight this hulking slave trader (masterfully played by Lou Ferrigno) when he caught him hurting Lolani. It ended in a draw. Under Starfleet orders, Kirk had to let him take Lolani back. However, it didn't sit well with him. Before he even got back to the bridge, he decided that he wasn't going to let this happen. He orders Sulu to pursue the slave trader's ship. Moments later, this ship explodes. The bridge crew's hearts are collectively broken in an instant.

Kirk leaves the bridge, wandering the corridors of the ship to collect his thoughts and work through his feelings. He finds himself going back to the guest quarters that Lolani used. He finds a book that he gave her earlier in the episode, describing it as 'a book about an ancient Earth civilization that fell because it drifted from the values that made it great.' That book was about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

Inside the book, he finds a data disk left by Lolani with a video message. It explains her actions in destroying the slave trader's ship, wishing to die than be a slave again. She also expressed her hope that her sacrifice would inspire others to liberate the women and girls currently being enslaved by the Orion Syndicate. Kirk played that part for the entire crew on the ship's PA system. Like I said about The White Iris, it will bring tears to your eyes if you have a soul. Gene Roddenberry would have been really proud of this episode. It would fit right in with the original series. Even more than that, it actually has the power to make me emotional. If it can have that kind of an affect on me, I can only imagine what it would do to Neurotypicals. It's virtually impossible for films or TV episodes to get to my emotions, but this one did. If nothing else impresses me about this show, that would be more than enough.

Instead of essentially banning fan fiction like this, CBS & Paramount ought to hire these people to make new TV shows and movies. Who better to give Star Trek fans what they want than actual Star Trek fans? I have every confidence in Bryan Fuller, who is producing the new series currently in production. He is a fan and has previous experience working on Deep Space Nine and Voyager. However, I doubt he'd mind getting some help from knowledgeable folks. Hell, I'll gladly work as a consultant on that show.

The cast and crew on Star Trek Continues wanted to make fan fiction that would be like the original series picking right up where it left off for a 4th season. I say they have succeeded with flying colors. CBS & Paramount, I strongly suggest you re-evaluate your position and allow Fan Fiction to thrive. If nothing else, you'll at least have a ready-made talent pool for writers, directors, actors, make-up artists, et al. who already know the franchise.

- Publius

Why you DO need an 'assault rifle'

Yet another terrible mass-shooting, yet another golden opportunity to cram gun control down people's throats. Or, at least, that's how the Democratic Party usually treats these tragedies. Individual Democrats will have different opinions but, the Party is just determined to restrict/remove my 2nd Amendment rights.

As usual, they are screaming at the top of their lungs that 'You don't need an assault rifle!', usually referring to an AR-15.

First of all, the AR-15 is not an assault rifle. It merely looks like the military's M-16 series rifles. Functionally, it's equivalent to an ordinary hunting rifle chambered for .223 Remington. That rifle is FAR removed from being an assault rifle of any kind. An assault rifle would be full automatic. The AR-15 does not have that capability. Neither do the M-16's being used by today's military. All they have is a burst fire mode that fires 3 rounds with each trigger pull. The original M-16A1 model used in Vietnam had full automatic capability but, it was impossible to control. That's why the Army went to burst-fire for the A2, A4 and M-4 Carbine models in use today.

Second, there are already a LOT of Federal laws on the books that would make it near impossible for a civilian to get a full automatic weapon so, why are the Democrats bitching so much? They already have what they want on that part of the gun rights debate.

All that being said, I still think they are full of shit and not living in the real world.

Getting an 'actual' assault rifle isn't possible for most people. The permits would be too expensive. However, an AR-15 (or something similar) could come in handy. I will now explain why a person might need one...


1.) Rifles do a better job of defending a home than pistols, especially in bad neighborhoods.

If I lived in the Ghetto, you better believe I'd get the best damned firepower my money could buy. An AR-15 might be one of the weapons I'd choose. Why? Because it is almost guaranteed to put a home invader or gang-banger down on the ground and make sure he stays there. Pistols may not do that, even if it's a large caliber like .45 ACP.

Even if you don't live in the Ghetto, the cops will still be minutes away when seconds count. The more powerful the weapons you have at your disposal, the better chance that you have. And for those who say that an AR-15 would be difficult to handle in any kind of close-quarters environments like a hallway... Well, you're right. That's why you can get AR-15's with shorter barrels and stocks that resemble the M-4 Carbine. That was specifically made for just that kind of close-quarters battle scenario. So, using that fallacious argument against my owning an 'assault rifle' is also quite invalid.

2.) You never know when your neighborhood can turn into a war zone...

No, that's not hyperbole. I'm not talking about bad inner-city neighborhoods with lots of gang wars and drug deals going sour. I'm talking about ANY neighborhood.

Here in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina, virtually ALL forms of Law and Order simply broke down. At least a third of the NOPD abandoned their posts and the ones remaining were hapless and helpless. They could not stop the riots, looting and general mayhem that had befallen the city. Ordinary citizens were on their own until help arrived from the State Police and National Guard. Due to the utter incompetence of the governor at that time (who also happened to be a Democrat), the National Guard and State Troopers were delayed for several days.

I evacuated the area like 93% of South Louisiana's population did. The ones who stayed behind were embroiled in one of the most horrifying examples of a Hobbesian Nightmare that America has ever seen. And since most people are pretty civil, they had no idea how to protect themselves from the thugs who couldn't (and didn't want to) leave. We all remember the scenes of horror on the news at that time. We all have heard a million stories, most of them exaggerated. I had even heard that the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office shot 8 looters dead in my neighborhood. I don't know if it's true or not. Either way, it would be nice to have a means to protect myself.

If I had stayed and had to deal with that mess, I would want the most powerful and intimidating weapon I could get. An AR-15 would have done the job quite well. Since most people are not as well-versed in firearms as me, they wouldn't know that it was just a glorified pop gun... That a trained marksman can use to hit targets from several hundred meters away...

3.) You never know when you may need to help defend the country.

For this, we will need to take a look at the exact text of the Second Amendment...

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

So, why would the Founders want people to keep rifles and form militias? Simple. America did not have the world's most powerful military when we first started out as a country. We wouldn't have the finest military money could buy until the middle of World War II at the earliest. So, the Founders and Framers made gun ownership a Constitutionally protected right so that people can always defend themselves from a foreign aggressor. Hell, we usually wouldn't even have a military until a war was declared. The militia was the only way to defend the republic in peacetime. And when war was declared, those militias would be organized into formal military units, just like how National Guard units often go overseas to fight in our foreign wars today.

Yes, this Amendment is still quite necessary and we do still need a militia. It is at least theoretically possible, however unlikely, that our military could be defeated. Or, they can be simply avoided and our enemy can attack the civilian population. That's what Islamic Terrorists do. They do it because they think civilians are 'soft' targets. With so much Anti-Gun nonsense taking root in the media and popular culture, it's no surprise that they would get this idea. Why do you think they picked places like Southern California and a gay nightclub in Orlando for these recent attacks? They were counting on the fact that the people in those places were very left-wing and would not have a gun. Thankfully, the gay community has seen the proverbial light on this issue and are now buying guns in record numbers. Too bad it took such an awful event like the mass-shooting in Orlando to get the point across to them.

The Hajji bastards also once tried a few attacks in Texas at some public event that featured unflattering cartoons of the FALSE Prophet Mohammed. Since Texas actually understands and embraces the 2nd Amendment with gusto, that attack did not go as planned. It's unlikely that any of those goat-fuckers are likely to try something there again.

And yes, I know it was cops who shot the two desert bandit pieces of shit in Texas. And that's the whole point. The people in that event were lucky enough to have cops around. You and me may not be so lucky. So, there should be no reason why we can't keep and bear arms to protect ourselves. Even in the most authoritarian nightmare of a country, the cops can't be everywhere at once.

And, finally, the reason that will upset Democrats the most... 

4.) You never know when you may need to overthrow the government...

No, I'm not a paranoid conspiracy freak or part of any right-wing organizations. I'm looking at this from the Founder's point of view. When the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written and ratified, the War for Independence was still fresh in everyone's mind. Those two most holy of documents were ratified in 1787 and 1791 respectively and the War ended in 1783. Everyone alive still remembered how tyrannical the British Crown had become and they wanted to make damned sure nothing like that could ever happen again. Having an armed populace makes it VERY difficult for a government to become tyrannical.

And no, the military could not and would not crush the civilian populace like a bug. I can say that with confidence as a veteran of that military. First of all, the military has about 3 or 4 million members at most, many of which would not do well on a battlefield. Not everyone is cut out for Infantry. They would be MASSIVELY out-numbered by the civilian populace, which numbers at least 300 Million. That's 100 to 1 odds. Even some jackass wearing butter bars that just graduated OCS or ROTC can tell you that is a no-win scenario.

Plus, there's also the fact that those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are also Americans themselves. Do you honestly think that any of them would take an obviously illegal order from some rogue general or politician that would have them point rifles at American civilians?

I can promise you they won't. ALL of us who wore the uniform would know that's not legal because it would violate Posse Comitatus, a federal law specifically restricting the military from carrying out any kind of law enforcement roles on American soil. Trying to misuse the National Guard wouldn't help, either. Just like the active duty forces and reserves, they would also refuse to accept what they would consider an illegal order.

Furthermore, the chances are good that the military would then turn on the politician giving that illegal order. Even if they didn't specifically decide to shoot that POTUS that wanted to become Dictator, they also wouldn't stand in the way of the angry mob coming for him. Some of my co-workers and I actually discussed this issue while I was still in uniform. We all agreed, Democrats included, that we would rather turn our rifles on the politicians than on our fellow Americans. Even the soldiers with the worst character flaws still held this view. So, it's quite unlikely that any attempt on the part of a wannabe Dictator is going to get anywhere. That's just a good way of having hundreds of millions of rifles pointed at you with lots of itchy fingers on the trigger.

==========================

I don't expect most Democrats to agree with this post or understand my point of view. They view their political party and government control of their lives as a form of religion. They are also *quite* devout. It's literally like the Inner Party out of George Orwell's 1984, complete with their own version of Newspeak called 'Political Correctness.'

Thankfully, most Americans are not that insane. And those people are the ones I hope that I can reach with this post and the whole blog in general. Remember, a politician that wants to take your gun is either a fool or a wannabe tyrant. Don't believe a damned thing they say. No politician, especially the one you voted for in the last election, ever really has your best interest at heart. They are only worried about building and maintaining their own power. And since power attracts those who are easily corruptible, it makes perfect sense to have some means of defending yourself against them.

Sincerely,

Lord Publius

What is Rape Culture?

What the hell is 'Rape Culture'? Does anyone know? To me, it sounds like something that some radical Leftist made up to divide people against each other. I sincerely doubt that any such thing actually exists since the mere term 'rape culture' indicates that there's a culture somewhere that actually thinks rape is acceptable. Here in the Free World, that is not even remotely true.

The only area where that would be even close to true is the epidemic of unreported/not prosecuted rapes in the U.S. military. Many victims, male and female, are afraid to report it for fear of retribution (which sadly does happen) and most unit commanders will want to sweep it under the rug. Why? Because actually investigating and prosecuting these rape incidents would mean their leadership failed in a really tragic way. Those unit commanders are doing what's expedient for their careers instead of doing what's morally right. This was one of the reasons why I left the Army. It heavily contributed to a crisis of conscience. I became disgusted with the utter lack of morality and failure of the Army to even live up to it's own professed values. I just couldn't stand to wear that uniform anymore. However, we've already beaten that horse to death. Back to the topic at hand...

I looked up Rape Culture on Wikipedia and then wished that I hadn't. The article was about as academic as any Wikipedia article but, right from the start, I knew it would be filled with more opinions than facts. After all, it started off with the words 'In feminist theory'. That's a clear signal that the whole idea is likely to be ill-defined at best. That, and it was Wikipedia. That isn't always the most reliable source. However, it can and usually does provide a good general starting point when you know nothing of the topic at all. Here's what the first two paragraphs said...

"In feminist theory, rape culture is a setting in which rape is pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes about gender and sexuality. The sociology of rape culture is studied academically by feminists. There is disagreement over what defines a rape culture and as to whether any given societies meet the criteria to be considered a rape culture.

Behaviors commonly associated with rape culture include victim blaming, sexual objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge the harm caused by some forms of sexual violence, or some combination of these. The notion of rape culture has been used to describe and explain behavior within social groups, including prison rape, and in conflict areas where war rape is used as psychological warfare. Entire societies have been alleged to be rape cultures."

Entire societies being accused of being rape friendly, heh? What societies would those be? Is it the Islamic world? I can believe that since they treat women like shit in that part of the world. How about the Communist world where life is considered cheap and expendable? There certainly was a 'rape culture' when Chairman Mao instituted a 'cultural revolution' and the Red Guards went around raping as they pleased. (Not to mention looting, murdering, tyrannizing, terrorizing and destroying priceless archeological treasures...)

Let's go on reading this article and pick apart its non-sense, shall we?

"Michael Parenti believes that rape culture manifests through the acceptance of rapes as an everyday occurrence, and even a male prerogative. It can be exacerbated by police apathy in handling rape cases, as well as victim blaming, reluctance by authorities to go against patriarchial cultural norms, as well as fears of stigmatization suffered by rape victims and their families. Other sociologists posit that rape culture links non-consensual sex to the cultural fabric of a society, where patriarchial worldviews, laced with misogyny and gender inequality, are passed from generation to generation, leading to widespread social and institutional acceptance of rape."

That sounds a lot like the Islamic world as I have come to know it in the last 15 years... The reluctance of authorities to get involved and fear of stigmatization also sound like the military rape epidemic. Why aren't Feminists bitching about those two tragic situations for women? That would be an area where Feminism could (theoretically) do some good. I think I know the answer when it comes to Islam. They are afraid to stand up to the terrorists that have poisoned Islam from within years ago. As for the military's many sex crimes-related sins... Well, I don't know why they are so reluctant to comment on that one.

"Chris O'Sullivan teaches that acts of sexism are commonly employed to validate and rationalize normative misogynistic practices. For instance, sexist jokes may be told to foster disrespect for women and an accompanying disregard for their well-being, or a rape victim might be blamed for being raped because of how she dressed or acted. O'Sullivan examines rape culture and fraternities, identifying the socialization and social roles that contribute to sexual aggression, and looks at "frat life" and brotherhood ideals of competition and camaraderie. In these groups, sex is viewed by young men as a tool of gaining acceptance and bonding with fellow "brothers," as they engage in contests over sex with women. In O'Sullivan's article, sexualized violence towards women is regarded as part of a continuum in a society that regards women's bodies as sexually available by default."

Oh, great... Here we go blaming fraternities... Wasn't there a fraternity at Duke University a few years ago that had some of its members accused of raping a stripper, only to be exonerated by DNA evidence? Yes, I do believe there was... And it led to people losing their jobs, including the overzealous District Attorney prosecuting the case, Mike Nifong. He was also disbarred and jailed for his role in that farce.

Just because someone claimed to be raped does not mean that it automatically happened. People do lie about even the most horrible things. Proper investigation and Due Process should ALWAYS be conducted, no matter how obvious things might seem. We live in a society that is governed by the Rule of Law, not the whims of an angry mob. That's what was going on with that case where some of Duke's Lacrosse players were wrongfully accused. Everyone bought the media's false narrative and tried them in the court of public opinion. Even after being exonerated, those people will still have this miscarriage of justice following them like a spectre. That is not right.

"Rape culture is closely related to slut-shaming and victim blaming, in which rape victims are considered at fault for being raped. Scholars argue that this connection is made due to a culture that shames all female sexuality that is not for the purpose of reproduction in a hetero-normative married household. That some victims do not report rapes to the police due to fear of not being believed is often cited as a symptom of a rape culture. 6% of women who did not report rape said it was because of fear of not being believed by police."

Those 6% were wrong. Society will not blame them, even if some random jackass makes comments about the victims choice in clothes. That being said, a little modesty would not hurt. Dressing in a short skirt doesn't make you a whore but, you do have to admit that is part of a hooker's uniform. :P

Also, have any of you out there ever heard a single person ask what the victim was wearing when they were raped? I haven't. I can't help but wonder if that actually happens often or at all. It might but, I have never heard that phrase uttered even once. Maybe it's because I don't purposely associate myself with judgmental assholes?

And that leads us to the next paragraph...

"Victim blaming is part of a phenomenon known as 'Rape Myth Acceptance,' a term coined by researcher Martha Burt in the 1980s. It is defined as prejudicial, stereotyped or false beliefs about rape, rape victims, and rapists which can range from trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, labeling an accuser as a liar, stating that most rape accusations are false, refusing to acknowledge the harm caused by some forms of sexual violence, or accepting that the victim "deserved it" because she was defined as a slut."

Who would trivialize such a horrible crime? Also, some people do lie about being raped. That stripper making false accusations against the Duke Lacrosse players demonstrates that as being factual. It may not happen often but, it does happen. I'm just wondering if it was some kind of scam to get money or if the stripper was mentally ill. (Maybe both?)

"Pornography has been commonly targeted as a contributor to rape culture because of adding to larger patterns of oppression. Feminists frequently link rape culture to the widespread distribution of pornography, which is seen as an expression of a culture that objectifies women, reducing the female body to a commodity. Accounts of rapists often feature fusion of several pornographic motifs."

BULLSHIT. Porn can be a pretty bad thing for a lot of reasons but, it doesn't make someone a rapist. It's just a sleazy form of entertainment that some people masturbate to sometimes. It also objectifies men too, sometimes just as much as the female performers. In those flicks, Men are usually just a cock with a body attached. The same can be said for the women starring in these films who are 'being treated like a piece of meat' or as 'just a pair of tits and a vagina.' Everyone is being objectified in those films. That's what happens in exploitation flicks. It's not real. It's just a sleazy movie or set of pictures. However, no Feminist will ever point that out, no one really complained about it and, sadly, no one actually cares.

In fact, if Porn makes you a rapist, why have I never raped anyone? Goodness knows I've certainly looked at enough of that kind of material over the years. I should be the most infamous rapist in the world if Porn actually contributed to rape statistics. I'd probably be the modern-day Jack the Ripper or a real-life Patrick Bateman, picking up hookers from wherever and making a mess out of them. And yet, this has never happened. Either I am a lot more saintly than I give myself credit for OR maybe the idea of viewing porn contributing to Rape is flat out ridiculous.

"Rape culture can be perpetuated via language used in everyday conversations, as well as through overt violence. The frequency of rape jokes on the internet has been cited as an example of the belittling of rape that characterizes rape culture. Prison rape is a topic about which jokes are abundant. Linda McFarlane, director of Just Detention International, states "Humor is part of the cultural attitude that (prison) is the one place where rape is okay.""

I make lots of sick jokes about lots of things. That doesn't mean that I approve of those things. However, Rape is one topic I don't joke about because I don't think it's funny. Not even if you're raping a clown. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself...)

"According to political scientist Iris Marion Young, victims in rape cultures live in fear of random acts of oppressive sexual violence that are intended to damage or humiliate the victim. Others link rape culture to modernization and industrialization, arguing that pre-industrial societies tend to be "rape free" cultures, since the lower status of women in these societies give them some immunity from sexual violence. In industrial rape cultures, women emerge from their homebound roles and become visible in the workplace and other areas traditionally dominated by men, increasing male insecurities that result in their using rape to suppress women. Others also link rape culture to environmental insecurities, where men objectify women as part of their struggle to control their immediate environment. It is also linked to gender segregation, and the belief that rape proves masculinity. Other manifestations of rape culture include denial of widespread rape, institutional apathy toward the problem of rape, minimization of rape cases by government officials, and excusing rapists as social anomalies."

BULLSHIT!!! There was plenty of rape before industrialization happened. Why do you think proper gentlemen were always taught to protect women? Also, you do realize that a housewife can still be raped by her husband, right? Not to mention delivery men, male house servants, gardeners, the mail man, the milk man, etc. etc. etc.

I can't read anymore of that stupid Wikipedia article on this subject. It just goes on to talk about Slutwalks, victim blaming and 'toxic masculinity'. There is a section on the criticism of the idea where even prominent feminists question its validity. The names mentioned are exactly the ones that I expected: Camille Paglia and Christina Hoff Sommers. They're both from a more old-school brand of feminism. In their day, the movement was actually worried about female equality rather than female domination like the 'Third Wave' Feminists of today. Those Third Wave Feminists also try to demonize these two for not towing the party line.

I'm actually surprised that they haven't been accused of secretly supporting the Patriarchy yet. I've been accused of that by at least one Feminazi over Facebook. I just rolled my eyes. The mere idea of this Patriarchy is complete BULLSHIT but, every new religion needs a Devil. For Feminazis, that will be a secret conspiratorial cabal of men that are determined to keep women in their proper place: the kitchen. If that sounds crazy to you, then I say Congratulations. You still have a sense of objective reality about you. Too bad today's Feminists don't.

Also, I would NEVER want to keep a Feminazi in the kitchen. She'd probably use it as an opportunity to poison me with the sandwich that a good woman would make for me without even being asked...

'Would you like a Peanut Butter and Rat Poison sandwich, dear? How about Bologna and Strychnine?'

No thanks, honey. I'm good... :P

And if any of this actually offends your delicate sensibilities, then all I can tell you is...

Soooooo many Feminazis are going to have a stroke over this one...

- Publius

Ideas for a Horror-themed cover band called 'The Sleeping Bag Murders'

After scheduling Jason-related videos for the Friday the 13th in May 2016 on my Facebook music page, I was inspired by my oft-frustrated musical muse. Since so many of the videos are Hard Rock tributes, it gave me an idea for a themed cover band. I will be blogging about that idea today. (EDIT 14 May 2019: That page is now defunct since I don't like Facebook anymore.)

So, here's the idea...

Band name: The Sleeping Bag Murders

This is a Horror-themed cover band playing Rock and Pop songs from Horror movies, as well as famous horror movie themes. (Halloween, F13, ANOES, Psycho, et al.)

The name is taken from a particularly brutal murder performed by Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood. In that murder, Jason takes a female camper who thought she could hide (lol) by simply zipping herself up into her sleeping bag. He just grabbed the sleeping bag, slammed her into a tree and fractured her skull. Rumor has it that the kill was supposed to be incredibly bloody but, the MPAA nixed that idea. Damned Censorship Nazis...

Band line-up...

Each member of the group will be dressed up as a horror movie villain. If that seems extravagant or ridiculous to you, just remember that the 'Hottest Band in the World' features 4 guys in costumes and kabuki-style face paint. And they've been kicking the world's ass with their music since 1973.

BASS Player

Jason Voorhees as the Bass Player, complete with his weapon of Musical Mass Destruction being a Gene Simmons Axe. He can 'kill' a few dummies dressed up as teenagers in a sleeping bag just before his solo. We'll be sure to pack the dummies with a lot of squibs which will explode on impact, creating a bloody mess.

The Lead and Rhythm Guitar Players

Michael Myers for the rhythm guitar player. 'Nuff said.

Doctor Victor Frankenstein for the lead guitar player, in a lab coat and other traditional Mad Scientist garb.

Drummer

Frankenstein's Monster on the Drums. His solo is preceded by an onstage re-enactment of his 'birth' with Dr. Frankenstein using a lightning rod to re-energize the Monster behind the drum kit. I would prefer that he look like the Frankenstein Monster from the classic Universal Studios pictures with Boris Karloff playing the role. That version is easily the most recognizable.

Keyboard player

Since many of the Pop songs this band would cover come from 1980's horror movies, we are going to need a horror movie monster/villain playing an electronic keyboard. I tend to associate that instrument (and the 80's Pop songs made with them) as being something made by European weirdos because, well, it was usually made by European weirdos. So, what horror movie villain can fill that role? None other than the King of European weirdos: Count Dracula. And I mean one of the actually scary versions of the Count like Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee. None of this Twilight inspired BULLSHIT about Vampires that sparkle. *shudders*

Dracula will also have to be the one playing the Halloween theme... at first. We can (and probably will) create a Metal version of the song. Naturally, the rhythm guitar player dressed up as The Shape will take prominence on center-stage during that one.

The Singer(s)...

As for the singer, we have several possibilities here...

1.) Captain Spaulding, Pennywise or some other EVIL clown...

2.) An Elvira/Vampira/Lily Munster/Morticia Addams clone in a really short, low cut black dress...

3.) A masked man that resembles the Phantom of the Opera. If Paul Stanley of KISS can play the role in an adaptation of the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber play circa 1999, then we can have a singer playing the Phantom in this band. However, I doubt it will ever be as awesome as Paul Stanley's performance of the character.

In fact, we should have 2 singers, one female like the one described above and one dressed as the Phantom. Then, we could do the Phantom of the Opera as part of the set list. And that leads us to...

Short list of Songs covered

213 - Nightmare (Used in the end credits of A Nightmare On Elm Street.)

Black Sabbath - Johnny Blade

Black Sabbath - Psycho Man

Black Sabbath - Selling My Soul

Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper (Used in the first Halloween movie.)

Blue Öyster Cult - Godzilla

John Carpenter - Halloween Theme

John Carpenter - Theme from Halloween II

Crazy Lixx - XIII (Used in advertisements for Friday the 13th: The Game)

Crazy Lixx - Killer (Used in advertisements for Friday the 13th: The Game)

Alice Cooper - Hard Rock Summer (Used in the soundtrack for Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives.)

Alice Cooper - He's Back (The Man behind the Mask) (Used in the soundtrack for Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives.)

Alice Cooper - Teenage Frankenstein (Used in the soundtrack for Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives.)

Alice Cooper - Welcome to my Nightmare

Dokken - Dream Warriors (Used in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.)

Dokken - Into the Fire (Used in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.)

Theme from Friday the 13th Part 3 (Played by Dracula on his keyboard. Maybe a show-opener.)

Godsmack - Vampires (Why hasn't this one been used in a vampire movie yet?)

Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark (The name says it all.)

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Judas Priest - Love Bites (It's about Vampires.)

Judas Priest - Monsters of Rock (Could make a good show opener ortrack that plays when band takes the stage. If MetallicA can use The Ecstacy of Gold, then the Sleeping Bag Murders can use a Judas Priest track.)

KISS - Creatures of the Night

KISS - God of Thunder (And it should be performed the same way KISS did it...)

KISS - Unholy

KISS - War Machine (Because nothing is more frightening than war...)

MetallicA - Call of Ktulu (Hail Cthulhu!)

MetallicA - Enter Sandman (The song is about nightmares, after all...)

MetallicA - Sad But True

Nightwish - The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover)

Ozzy Osbourne - Bloodbath in Paradise (Song about the Manson murders.)

Ozzy Osbourne - Facing Hell

Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser (The Motörhead version used in Hellraiser III is awesome too.)

Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley (Song about real-life Sorcerer Aleister Crowley. Also has synthesizer opening that's played by Dracula.)

Paul Stanley & Desmond Child - Shocker

Pseudo Echo - His Eyes (SynthPop song from Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning.)

The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil

Skillet - Monster

Stone Temple Pilots - Sex Type Thing (It's a song about date rape. VERY scary stuff for anyone violated that way...)

ZZ Top - Sleeping Bag (Seems kinda obvious, considering this band's name. Could make the song tongue-in-cheek by changing the lyrics to reflect Jason's favorite murder method.)

There will be other songs added to this list over time. They'll all be songs that are either Horror-themed or were used in Horror movies and sound creepy as Hell.

Seem crazy? Well, it is crazy. I won't argue against you on that one. Hell, if we can have a McDonald's themed tribute/parody of Black Sabbath called Mac Sabbath (Yes, that is a real thing) then, we can definitely have a horror-themed band covering Rock/Pop tunes from horror movie soundtracks. As crazy as it is, I think this band could work. :)

- Publius

ADDENDUM 17 December 2016

I thought of another song that would be perfect for this group to cover: 'Psycho Man' by Black Sabbath. Not only do the lyrics fit with the group's theme/shtick, it also has a great fanmade music video on YouTube that uses scenes from the classic Alfred Hitchock film Psycho.

ADDENDUM 14 May 2017

Added a few more tracks to the list from Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne's illustrious solo career.

\m/O_O\m/

ADDENDUM 31 MAY 2017

Added 2 tracks by Crazy Lixx used to advertise Friday the 13th: The Game, now available on Steam, PS4 & XBOX One.

\m/O_O\m/

ADDENDUM 10 May 2020

Just added tracks from KISS, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, MetallicA, Iron Maiden & The Rolling Stones . You're welcome.

\m/O_O\m/

ADDENDUM 31 Oct 2020

Just added tracks from KISS, MetallicA, Godsmack, Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead, Stone Temple Pilots & Alice Cooper. Happy Halloween.

\m/O_O\m/

ADDENDUM 26 Apr 2021

Added 2 tracks from Judas Priest.

\m/O_O\m/

ADDENDUM 3 Dec 2023

Added a ZZ Top song that I can't believe I never before thought to add to the song list in the old post.

🤘

Rant: How the Army made me hate BDSM

I know this is a strange topic to bring up out of the blue, but it needs to be done. This is another of those life-altering experiences from the Army that I would have rather not had. How did the Army get involved in this?, You ask? Well, the one experience I have with this phenomenon (for lack of better term) came about because of a fellow soldier that I won't speak to any longer. We'll refer to him as 'BKD'. I'm not going to use his name, but I will use his initials. So, any of my former co-workers who I do still talk to who also know that sick fuck can probably guess who I'm talking about here.

So now, we delve into why, despite being a bit of a horn dog (like any Human male that's still drawing breath), I definitely do NOT get off on this kind of kink...

I don't remember the exact date this happened. I think that it was in January or February of 2013. I do remember it was on a Friday night.

1.) A supposed 'friend' that I had in the Army years ago took me to a party without telling me that it was a 'fetish party' for the BDSM crowd. Needless to say, I did not like what I saw and felt about as horrified/disgusted/out of place as I ever had in my entire life.

I have briefly mentioned the individual involved in today's story before with another blog post from June 13th of 2014. And now, we will go into more detail on that individual known only as 'BKD'...

BKD wanted to get me out of the barracks more often. That's understandable and even laudable under most circumstances. The only reason I stayed in my room so much was because I was always mentally/physically exhausted from the work week. I didn't like spending money, either.

He invited me to go to a party with him and this chick he met on the internet. That chick was physically good lookin' and a redhead. Normally a good combination in my book. However, her personality turned me off. Her admitting to doing some 'escorting' on two occasions in the past didn't help much. BKD got rid of her after that night for various reasons I won't mention here. However, I will say that they were very good reasons. Among other things, she turned out to be a bit clingy and psycho. Gee, who would guess that a 'model'/part-time hooker you met on the internet would be mentally unbalanced? I'm just so freakin' shocked...

This meme will never get old...

Anyway, after a brief trip to the Wal-Mart in Frederick, MD, we were off to some town on the other side of the state (I don't remember which one) for this party. I thought it was weird that BKD was so hesitant to even tell me what kind of party this was when I asked. I wanted to make sure I was wearing the right kind of clothes, if I needed to bring something, et al. He simply said that a T-Shirt and Jeans was fine. It seemed strange that he'd be so deliberately vague, but I didn't think of it at the time. I really shouldn't have been so trusting...

We get to the party and they let us in free after showing our military I.D. at the door. Once we're inside, I see a lot of strange set-ups, torture devices and, oddly enough, a coffin. There's also people getting naked and doing the sort of things that they should probably do in private. And no, I'm not talking about sex acts. That came later. I looked at BKD and his date and said 'What the fuck is going on here?!' That's when he finally explains what kind of party this was... If I had used my own vehicle instead of riding with him in his car, I would have immediately walked out and drove back to the base.

Over the next 4 or 5 hours, I saw things that I wish could be unseen. BKD getting naked and being tied-up/whipped by a stranger... His date doing all kinds of weird shit with people and getting a lap dance from an overweight black woman... Seeing that same black woman have random strangers fuck her with various toys she brought along like vibrators and something made with an electric toothbrush... Two very skinny, virtually flat-chested women, one white and one Asian, going down on each-other... That same scrawny white chick getting fucked by a dildo on the end of a Sawzall that was nicknamed 'The Fucksaw'... And really getting off on it too... (And I thought that sort of thing was only mythical!)

Suffice it to say, I was NOT diggin' this scene. It took every ounce of composure and self-control that I had to not go apeshit on these demented perverts! I did not like what I was seeing and made sure not to make any kind of unnecessary eye contact with these weirdos, either. Despite the sick shit I saw there that night, there was no male-on-male activity at all. That's strange considering that just about anything else you can imagine happening in porno actually did happen there that night. Not that I'm complaining about not seeing one queer corn-hole another...

BKD wanted to stick around after the 'party' for a few minutes and talk to people. Even if I wasn't an Aspie, I really would NOT want to talk to these weirdos. I was already about a step away from makin' like Jason Voorhees in that place with all the medieval torture implements hangin' around and he wants to converse with these heathens?! What in the actual Fuck was this dude's major malfunction?! And one of the dudes he talked to at the end didn't even bother to put his pants back on, just strutin' around with his boner out on public display. He was talkin' about how he was an Army veteran and asking BKD about his service. I'm standing there thinking 'Would it kill you to put some pants on, already? It's not like your man meat is really all that impressive anyway, ya fuckin' queer-o-sexual!'

When we finally did leave, I was more than a little relieved. From the tone of the conversation in the car, I got the impression that BKD and his date both felt bad for me. They thought it was sad that I didn't do a damned thing the whole night. I can't say that I was sorry about that...

After returning to the barracks, I quickly got out of BKD's car, said goodnight and made a beeline for my room. Then, I went straight into the shower. BKD's date with the very loose morals actually said to me 'sorry that you didn't meet anyone' or something to that effect. I didn't feel the least bit sorry since that was clearly NOT my crowd. Even if I was into this weird shit, the night still would have been a disappointment. There wasn't a single person there that was even remotely attractive to me.

After that night, I no longer trusted BKD in any way. I never thought of him the same way again. I started socializing with him less and less. He also became more and more of a horrible person over time, for reasons that are unrelated to this story. However, he would never know what I thought and felt about him after that night. That's just how good I am at hiding my true feelings from public view. No one, not even one of my own (supposed) friends could guess what I was thinking, feeling or what I might say/do next. And some people think of Asperger's Syndrome as a disadvantage... Ha! That built-in poker face seems to have served me pretty damned well over the years!

2.) I don't get off on pain... And it wouldn't be natural for anyone to get off on pain, anyway...

Getting beaten with a whip or something is what gets you off? Really? So playing with a pair of tits or having the nice lady touch your peepee isn't good enough? What the fuck is wrong with you?! Seek help, guy... Or gal... Or whatever the fuck you are since you're some demented bipedal shitbag that has a dick, identifies as a pineapple and wants to use a woman's restroom...

Seriously, pain is not supposed to cause pleasure! It's the body's way of telling you that something is wrong!

3.) It tends to attract some real weirdos...

And yes, the BDSM thing does attract a LOT of strange people. If it was enough to freak me out, I promise that it will scare the bejesus out of virtually anyone else. And the things that I saw the weirdos in question doing cannot be unseen...

4.) I don't want to take someone's freedom away, even if they asked me to do so...

It doesn't feel right. It goes contrary to all my beliefs as an American and a Christian. Also, I will never know why someone thinks being physically restrained is sexy. It would cause a great panic in me. I'd be totally unable to defend myself from attack! I don't care how much I may trust the woman that tied me up (and vice versa), that is still something I will not do. It's just a good way to freak out a Veteran with anger/mental health issues and that's not the one you want.

The only time you should take someone's freedom of movement away from them is when they're being arrested or restrained to prevent them from harming anyone. Any other reason, regardless of whether consent is given or not, is something that I regard as completely immoral.

5.) It can be pretty dangerous when you don't know what you're doing...

One of the many things I saw that night that really disturbed me was a young 19 year-old couple engaging in some whipping with the woman on the receiving end. Apparently, these two didn't have a clue that ALL forms of physical activity require proper hydration. She ended up passing out and the guy had to rush to get her some water.

He asked me to watch her while he ran off to go get that water. I sat there with her on the floor, but did not touch her at all. Stupid kids... I should have smoked the shit out of that girl's boyfriend so that they'd never forget to properly hydrate again! That fuckin' dumbass could have gotten his girlfriend killed! If I wasn't so freaked out by everything going on around me, I probably would have too. Who cares if I wasn't an NCO? I'm a good enough actor to fake like I was and make it convincing for both active duty and veterans alike. A lifelong civilian like that dumb kid would have never known the difference.

I can only imagine what might have happened if that dude workin' the Fucksaw messed up... Oh, the horror!!!

6.) I think EVERYONE's sexuality should remain private and OUT of public view.

And the BDSM weirdos attending that fetish party were all too happy to put their depravity on proud public display... inside of an empty building they rented. And I wouldn't be surprised if that was only because of the law and the cold weather outside.

They have a legal right to do what they please, provided they don't violate laws or hurt anyone. However, I never wanted to be a part of those activities, even as just a passive observer trying very hard not to get too visibly creeped out. What BKD did was really shitty of him. I should have known something was wrong the moment he wouldn't give me any details on what the party was going to be like when I asked him. Yet, he kept assuring me that none of that really mattered. I should not have taken him at his word.

======================================

I didn't immediately disassociate myself from BKD. He was still useful as an unwitting mole among the unit's NCO's. He would often tell me what was being said in the NCO meetings with the First Sergeant, especially if it was something about me. (I just couldn't get one moment's peace out of those fuckers...) Funny how no one in that unit (or the others I had) ever realized when I was subtly manipulating them to do my bidding... And it's also really sad that I'd have to resort to such tactics.

Psychological warfare, including goading info out of a soldier with some loose lips, should be reserved for the enemy. It should not be used on the other soldiers in my own damned unit! And how did it prove to be so easy? Are all NT's that naive? I used the same tactics on him (and certain others) that I used on idiot kids in High School and it worked like a damned charm! Hell, I think I might have even told some of them about how I messed with teenage minds in High School for fun and they still never suspected. That leaves me feeling very worried about their ability to maintain sufficient levels of OPSEC.

Also, for what it's worth, I didn't start out with the intention of having them unwittingly do my less-than-noble bidding in that place. The circumstances (which some of them helped create) forced my hand. I didn't like myself or what I was starting to become in those days. That was a major driving force in my eventual decision to leave. Bottled up frustration and rage do not have any kind of positive effects on a man or his soul.

I won't besmirch BKD anymore here. However, I will say this much: When I left Ft. Detrick for my Terminal Leave in April of 2014, I started thinking about which former co-workers I was going to stop talking to/block on social media. He was the first to get ejected from my life. To this day, I am wondering if I should have reported him to a trustworthy NCO (what few there were) or directly to the Inspector General for misleading me that night. Even though nothing happened to me (other than seeing things I didn't want to see), it was still NOT cool.

Several more former 'friends' went off to 'Go-fuck-yourself-land' over the course of the next year. The reason that ALL of them went, including BKD, is because they all turned into assholes. They just couldn't handle the fact that I hated the Army after so many bad experiences (which they freely acknowledged had actually happened) and decided to move on with life. It was like a bunch of cultists trying to shame me into going back to the cult. Not a chance of that happenin', assholes. After all, many of you have read that '17 reasons why I left the Army' post by now. You've also probably seen that post explaining why I will never go back. If those two posts didn't make it plainly obvious to anyone who could read (which only just barely qualifies some of the dopes I met in uniform) why I left, then nothing will.

How sad you all are... Wrapping your whole sense of identity around a crappy government job that can (and possibly will) get you maimed for life or killed. How bad did you get indoctrinated? How bad did your life suck before you enlisted? Being in the military is supposed to be a 'necessary evil' type of public service. You perform those duties when necessary and quickly leave it behind when the mission is done. It's not supposed to be a lifestyle.

There are no words that can possibly express just how glad I am that I will never see any of those poor losers ever again. They are the epitome of hopelessly lost souls. Worst of all, I don't pity them in the slightest. They brought this on themselves by becoming willing servants of that devil called 'Uncle Sam' when they entered his special form of Hell.

Burn in that Hell, you sick fucks. Burn good, too. Preferably with some surplus napalm that somehow didn't get destroyed during the Clinton Administration. After all, if it sticks to kids, it should certainly have no trouble shuffling you off the mortal coil in truly horrifying fashion. Fuck you ALL with a goddamned cactus in the hole on the tip of your dick and get Cancer. I have fucking spoken!

- Publius