Okay, this is damn spoilery, so I'm hiding it...

But it answers the age-old question about the book The Giver...( Did Jonas and Gabe die at the end? )

Okay, now that this is done. It can officially be confirmed that we have a crossover from The Giver into Gathering Blue, which was a very good book in its own right. The third one, though, I read it today, I didn't like it as much. It's called Messenger, and it just seemed less in-depth than the other two, as well as a little too influenced by current politics.

Also, some things were never explained at all... for example, how the villagers were able to trade away what they were, and why the trademaster accepted this, and how it started. Or how people managed to come from miles away to join the village when people outside the village didn't really know about them in the first place. And why, exactly, the collapse of civilization as we knew it made certain people develop marginal psychic abilities. These were much more focused on in this book than the other two, and I doubt there'll be another (because there's been a happy ending there AND in Kira's village, and possibly in Jonas' community as well), so that issue should've been dealt with here.

And of course, it's shorter. I never like that in a book. There's some short books I like, such as Letters from the Inside, but they are the exception. Books need to last me through most of my commute, or they aren't worth buying.

Still, despite all that, I'd say you should read it, if only to finally finish off the trilogy. Can't leave things unfinished. And besides, it DOES clear everything up nicely. Finally.

*wanders off again*


( Some random wonderings )

Link that's made a few rounds...

Bushbashing

Okay, all easily verifiable, meaning that I will sit on my lazy ass and not verify a thing and just be mindlessly scared (I'm strange like that). Though if challenged on any of the points in the animation, I can and will look up the quotes myself to see if they're true.

However, I have something a little more picky in mind. Basically, a rant at the nice people over at Buzzflash.

What is up with the Nazi comparisons? Yes, I know, Bush and Hitler and similar comments and all. But really, those quotes stand on their own. We don't need the comparison between him and Hitler, it just cheapens your argument. Since the second world war, EVERYbody who was even slightly evil has been compared to Hitler. It's at the point where everyone not only disregards such comparisons but, instead, decides that the person making them is probably a crackpot and is better avoided.

The same goes for the rhetorical questions at the end. Yes, peace-loving biblical quotes over images of dead people is brilliant. Okay, it's been done, but it makes the point nicely and nobody misunderstands. It's good. We really don't need the point hammered in with you asking if this is what God really meant when he said that the peacemakers are the children of Go- um, himself. Bit insulting, that. Makes it look like you think we can't figure out your point all on our own. I'd really rather not see that in my political flash movies, thanks. I like to think I'm *smarter* than those I dislike, and would appreciate it if my beloved commentators treated me in the manner I think I deserve.

My next-to-last-post sent me to Amazon.com...

( More Silly Reviews )

I have a question, now. Are teachers now requiring students to put reviews on Amazon.com or something? Because more and more of these reviews are of the "book report" sort where the person explains every detail of the plot like they think this is useful or helpful or wanted.

Update for my pant-hating friends...

http://www.livejournal.com/users/calnhobbes/84225.html

There we go. Read away. I promise, there's no orange in it to scare the wary.

On using things as crutches...

Today, I managed to hear from two people, talking about two other people, about "not wanting to use something as a crutch". I'm not completely sure why, but this phrase bothers me. It assumes that crutches are a bad thing. Maybe they are. But let's look at my mother, who had to use a crutch, literally, when her foot was broken. She often didn't, and is STILL having trouble with it over a year later. Is it okay to use a crutch as a crutch? When you really need it?

One of the people who is presumably against crutches pointed out that she was depressed for two years, and she just dealt with it without taking any medication or talking to anybody or anything, and then implied (or said, rather) that people who use such crutches, especially medications, are weak. Maybe. But who cares? So they're weak. While you're muddling through, and possibly not getting through your depression at all, they can be living their lives. Some people don't need that sort of help, and if you don't, I'm happy for you, you saved a lot of money. But others really do, and if they're using medication as a crutch, big deal. Isn't that the whole point, to use it as a crutch until you're better?

I'm sure they mean "use something you don't need as an excuse to avoid helping yourself", or something equally convoluted, but I don't see that as the same as using a crutch. Sometimes crutches are a good thing, not a horrible unspeakable evil from beyond the grave.

*sighs*

And that was today's mini-rant. Tune in next week for one (finally) summing up the Pledge, because I'm bored and running out of non-political stuff to say.

On some advice (thankies!) I checked out the LotR comments at Amazon

As is my wont (cool word, that, wont... Wont wont wont!) I went straight to the negative comments, because they're usually more interesting. Oh man. ( Read more... )

I'm done. Thanks for tolerating me. Djusk' a.

OMG!!!

Seth can apparently stand up and take one, two steps. !!!

Ana can't do that yet (although she can walk quite well if somebody holds her hand she is a bit of a perfectionist and doesn't like to try things completely until she has it RIGHT) but she can sing. Not as in "hear music and make noises" but "hear music and hum or babble along AND IN KEY". She also dances to music she hears, swaying or bouncing somewhat in rhythm to the music. I can see where her parents' money is going to go in later years, I just don't know if that's for ballet and music.