"Uganda: Promptly Investigate Killing of Prominent LGBT Activist"

Published on January 27th, 2011 on Human Rights Watch [www.hwr.org/].

"Police in Uganda should urgently and impartially investigate the killing of the prominent human rights activist David Kato, Human Rights Watch said today. Kato had dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender persons (LGBT) in Uganda, facing threats and risks to his personal safety.

The government should ensure that members of Uganda's LGBT community have adequate protection from violence and take prompt action against all threats or hate speech likely to incite violence, discrimination, or hostility toward them, Human Rights Watch said.

"David Kato's death is a tragic loss to the human rights community," said Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "David had faced the increased threats to Ugandan LGBT people bravely and will be sorely missed."

Witnesses told police that a man entered Kato's home in Mukono at around 1 p.m. on January 26, 2011, hit him twice in the head and departed in a vehicle. Kato died on his way to Kawolo hospital. Police told Kato's lawyer that they had the registration number of the vehicle and were looking for it."

There you have it folks, once more, the LGBT community faces a blow in their quest for equality.

Stay tuned for a lovely rant on humanity today. <3

Much love,
The Night Thief

Titanic in 3D?

When someone says "Titanic", what do you think of?

Personally, I think of James Cameron's movie, the one with the young and incredibly hot Leo Dicaprio, the passion between Jack and Rose, the beautiful blue diamond... That's what I think of.

However, in a year, will I be thinking of things in...3D?

The following review/rant has been taken from Screen Rant. It is not my work, my words, or my opinion.




If you didn’t think Roland Emmerich’s disaster spectacle 2012 had enough destruction in it – and lacked a pivotal third dimension – then here’s some news you’ll be interested in. James Cameron’s Oscar-winning and box office behemoth, Titanic, will be getting a 3D re-release in the Spring of 2012.

We’ve heard rumblings for a long time that Titanic would eventually get a 3D release and more recently Cameron said the aim was to release it in spring of 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the titular ship’s sinking. Now Los Angeles Times – in a piece celebrating Titanic actress Gloria Stuart’s 100th birthday – has confirmed the aim by saying that Cameron is, “converting the blockbuster into 3-D for re-release in April 2012, the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.”

Now that we know that Titanic will be coming at us in more than two dimensions, it begs the question does it really need to be converted? Aren’t we overrun already with new 3D movies without delving more than a decade into the past and converting a film for re-release? That’s the way I look at it.

However, with Titanic being the second highest-grossing movie of all time (behind Cameron’s own Avatar – he really IS the king of the world! ), I’m sure Cameron is confident it can add a lot more to its $1.8 billion gross, especially with the extra cost of 3D ticket prices.

The thing that bothers me most is not the fact that Titanic is getting a 3D re-release but that it’s being converted into 3D. Now I know that’s an inevitability – unless Cameron can utilize some of the Terminator time travel technology – but this will likely mean the crappy kind of 3D that comes from adding the extra dimension after-the-fact. Those of you unlucky enough to catch Clash of the Titans, for example, will know just how bad post-production 3D conversion can be. Yes it’s Cameron, the Avatar pioneer himself doing the converting, but still…

We’ve now gotten to the point where it’s not just new movies that are in danger thanks to the 3D craze – old movies can’t even hide under the cover of the past. Watch out Wizard of Oz…

What are your thoughts on Titanic getting a 3D re-release? Up for sinking once more, this time in 3D or is this taking things too far? Sound off in the comments below.

Look for Titanic 3D in theaters sometime in April, 2012.

***

Personally, I think it's a good idea. I can't wait to see it.

There's a good chance I'll be at the nearest theater at midnight that night to see it's grand opening. :3

I'm baaaaaaa~ck!

Hello again, dearest stalkers!

It is I, the one and only Night Thief!

And, contrary to popular belief, I did not die.

I know.

Astounding idea, right?

Well, so so you know what's going on, I'm a college student now. (I KNOW! I can't believe it either. And to top it off, I've been at college for almost a full semester now. I feel so OLD! ._.)

My grandpa died rather recently, so I've been dealing with the aftermath of that.

And, of course, with the ending of a semester comes the ever-dreaded finals.

I have a final....pretty much every day until the end of next week.

*facepalm, headdesk*

But just so you know, I did not forget about you. .... Well. I did. But that's beside the point.

I've unforgotten.

And I've got bunches of awesome stuff to say.

Like....

Reviews on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Let Me In, and Megamind!

.... Haven't read much lately. ... Except Hamlet. And Emma. And misc stuff for a class I dropped. >>'

Meh. Whatever.

I feel bad for not reading as much, but the fact remains that I don't have much time to read.

.... Sigh.

I've got a bunch of new books to read. So maybe I'll just write out some 'views while I'm at it. Let The Right One In.

And Pretty Birds. x3

Okay.

So I'm just killing time until dinner.

Sue me. xD

OH! My friend's back.

He's working on something for theater. Cutting down a song to use for lighting. .... Or something cool like that. :3

*totally lurking*

Ever yours,
and totally having a blast at college
cause I'm a MUSIC MAJOR!
The Night Thief

Book Review :: "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

I’ve gotten into the habit of scanning the teen literature section of my town’s local Target store whenever my mom and I visit. Even if we’re only there for one or two things, I always go back and scan through the books. If any of them catch my intrest, I write them down and look them up the next time I’m at the library.

It was through this procedure that I stumbled across the book “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman.

The name didn’t hit me at first, but after after grabbing the book from the library, I recognized the hardback-cover as one of the books that had been discussed during the most recent writing club. It had gotten a good, but very sketchy, review. So I put aside the other book I had been reading (“Girl in the Arena” by Lise Haines), and began to enlighten myself as to why the review had been so empty.

Novel::

“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

Summary::

Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, adoring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. Then, in an instant, almost all of that was taken away from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left -- the most important decision she'll ever make.
Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, and loving.

My Thoughts::

“If I Stay” was another one of those books that grabbed me with the first few lines. Of course, it also revolved around music, even from the very beginning, so that was definitely a quick and easy attention-grabber.

This novel was a roller coaster ride of emotions. In a good way, of course, but a severe ride nonetheless. One moment things were going good -- everyone’s outlook was great, smiles all around, jokes in the air, and then disaster strikes and it’s like fighting a losing battle.

The main idea doesn’t exactly show its face until about a third of the way through the story, but once it appears, everything makes sense. My favorite part, the best part, the key to everything:

“It’s okay,” he tells me “If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.” His voice cracks with emotion. He stops, clears his throat, takes a breath, and continues. “But that’s what I want, and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It’s okay if you have to leave us. It’s okay if you want to stop fighting.”

I don’t often get emotional over books. Movies? Sure. Books? Not so much. But this. This... It was phenominal. I finished that paragraph and tears had begun prickling at my eyes. I finished the remainder of that section and I was crying those silent tears of deep, sorrowful ache.

“If I Stay” is most definitely a must-read.

Rating::

FIVE out of FIVE stars!!

And that’s all for now. Maybe I’ll post a rant or something later?

I’ve seen several decent and not-so-decent movies in the past few weeks. ... And college begins in less than three weeks. So there’s that, too. XDD

Birthdays, adultness, and SuJu

Dear Blawg readers,

I'm an adult now.

"Holy freaking crap on a stick" is right. Me, ranter of rants, childish heathen of an unmentionable hell, is now legally an adult.

Things I can do now as opposed to this time last year ::

Vote! (Yay?)

Go to college! (WOOOOOO~!)

Buy cigarettes! (.... Well. I can buy 'em for mom now, I guess?)

Yeah. Not a huge list. I know. And, unfortunately, my birthday pretty much sucked balls. Mom forgot to take it off work so she worked all day, I couldn't hang out with any of my friends because they were all out of town or we were fighting, and I was stuck babysitting my brother. And he'd cheerfully taken it upon himself to terrorize me to the point of hysterics.

So, like I said, my birthday sucked.

BUUUUUUT.... I've recently stumbled upon something that totally makes up for it.

Super Junior. 13 undenyably HOT pretty boys (12 Korean, 1 Chinese). They're now down to just 10 members, all being Korean, but they still rock my rocks. Their music is awesome. I love it to death. And the best thing? They all fit together so well!

Literally, everyone in the band was in some fanmade skinship couple. *fangirl grin*

My favorite? The two fishies - Lee Donghae and Lee "Eunhyuk" Hyukjae. Totally hot and nomable~

And.. I guess that's all you get. :] I'm going to back to my Super Junior music and my EunHae stories.

Happy early birthingday, Heechul oppa!!

Ever Yours,
The Night Thief

ps - I have a Live Journal account now... If anyone wants it?

Rantrantrant- Oooh, Shiny!

Hello my lovies! Did you miss me much?

Fine. >: I didn't miss you either.

Now, the reason I've been MIA for weeks is because, well, summer break and slothliness absolutely hate me. I recently realized, much to my disbelief, that I've made more friends in the underclassmen from my school that I have in the graduated class of seniors. That is both sad and a little weird, am I right?

Okay, so... Today has been... A weird day. Like... Incredibly über freaking weird. And right now... I hate it.

So let's begin our rants, yeah?

[rant=life]

Okay, folks. I thought we cleared the air up pretty well before, but I guess people still don't understand things. So let me simplify things a bit more...

Life is not supposed to drive people to suicidal conditions, okay? It's really not. And with what I've been witnessing recently, it has been. Too much pressure from adults, too much pressure from school, too much pressure from girl/boyfriends, too much everything!

What ever happened to just being a kid?

Oh. Wait. That's right...

Our economy's failing. Obama sucks. Our school systems are going down the drain. Spastic weather. Psychotic natural disasters. I could go on for hours... But I think you get the drift.

So I suppose that means that what we once knew as adolescence is now obsolete. We in Generation Y, supposedly the genius generation, go straight from childhood to adulthood with no period in between.

What a suckish hand of cards that our generation has been dealt.

I don't have much else to say on this topic for now except... Live like there's no tomorrow and fuck those that try to stop you.

[/rant]

[rant=love]

Love sucks.

Seriously.

It fucks with our heads and messes with everyone around us.

So why do we put up with it?

Because. Without love, humanity is nothing more than an educated beast.

In this 21st century, the most deady disease is that people feel unloved.

So love. Love like there's going to be no tomorrow, because one day there won't be.

[/rant]

[rant=music]

I <3 music.

:]

Music = Life.

Music on. World off.

[/rant]

And I'm done for now.

Class is about to end, and I've gotta find somewhere to go if I'm going to continue skulking around the school.

Happy birthing day, Zack.

Ever yours,
The Night Thief

Two Rants and a Smidge of Relief

Well.

It’s done.

The senior project I try my best not to complain about? Yeah. It’s done.

So that’s where I’ve been these past couple weeks. Pulling up a class grade from 44% to 74%, skittering around to finish the forms, throwing my portfolio together... And passing Senior Boards.

And now I’m one step closer to graduating. Finals on Monday and Tuesday. A couple dozen letters to write for friends. Graduation on Thursday. ... I’m totally ready for this.

But, in other news, my friend is totally not ready for life. And that brings me to my rant(s) for the day.

[rant=life]

First things first.

I don’t give a flying fuck who you are, if you’re a parent and you have a young kid going through a stressful period in their life, it is not your job to pull them aside and tell them to get over it. It may be your job to aid them in choosing a life direction, but it’s absolutely not your job to make them choose during the afore mentioned stressful period.

Personally, I’m lucky enough to have a mother that ‘remembers’ how it feels to be a teenager and a father that truly doesn’t give a shit.

Other people? Not so much.

So let’s say it now and get this nonsense over with.

Unless you can accurately fill the shoes of your kid, don’t try and tug their life around. Especially if they’re from BSHS. They get a lot more shit than adults think, and that school is sinking into the ground like a lead weight in quicksand.

Don’t act like you know it all. Just let your kids be kids for a while. Our economy sucks balls. Let them enjoy being young while they can.

[/rant]

One down, one more to get through.

[rant=love]

Dear Stupid Retards That Think They Know Everything,

FUCK YOU!

You have absolutely no RIGHT to tell me who I can and cannot love. I’m loud, I’m proud, and I will never change. Nothing you do will ever make me stop being me, so get over yourself and get the hell outta my sight.

And that means that the fact that I like other chicks? My decision. If that grossses you out, the door out can be found in the back button. Click it and get out. We don’t want you here.

Guys liking guys not your thing? Ignore it. You’re probably a closet case anyway.

So get over your trip and join the club. Love is love, no matter the gender.

Nuff said.

[/rant]

Now. We all clear? I think I’ve made my point very clear... But feel free to ask questions.

And on to new topics...

I passed senior boards. ... Did I already say that? Yeah. Whoops.

CAUTION~ Floating letters ahead. :D

Yeah.

And.

... I want a Kodoma/forest spirit/imp from the movie Princess Mononoke. ... Like, bad. D:

Okay. I’m shifting from topic to topic. It’s obvious that I need sleep, so I’ma shift out.

Night, all.
Ever Yours,
but unusually über tired,
The Night Thief