Monday Melange

Main Entry: mé·lange
Pronunciation: mA-'länzh, -'länj
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from mesler, meler to mix -- more at MEDDLE
: a mixture often of incongruous elements






A reading meme: do you peek ahead?

From Mei Flower comes these questions:

1. Do you cheat and peek ahead at the end of your books? Or do you resolutely read in sequence, as the author intended?
2. And, if you don’t peek, do you ever feel tempted?

I completely agree with Mei on this. To both questions: NO, never.

As Mei says, reading is a journey. You let the book unfold. To peek at the back of the book would completely defeat the purpose.

I can think of only one exception: if I've pretty much given up on a book, but am just curious enough to want to know how it ends, I'll read the ending.

How about you? Give me your answers in my comments section, please!

Pornography: not funny, not cute, and not a victimless crime

I was very happy to read that an enormous worldwide pornography ring involving pedophilia has been broken up by British authorities.

Normally, I'm a rather passive, nonviolent person. But pornography, especially (but not limited to) that involving and victimizing innocent children, is enough to send me into a rage. To me, the lowest of the low scum of the earth would perpetrate something so awful, so heinous. In my opinion, pedophilia is the absolute nadir of depravity.

Coincidentally, author Angela Hunt mentions television's portrayal of porn in a blog post about the supposedly family-friendly TV show, "Kyle XY"...which is apparently not that family-friendly. Writes Angela:

"In another scene, the kids were tussling with a box that contained a Oujia board. The ninth grade boy didn't want his sister to play the game. The reason why became obvious when the box spilled, revealing the boy's stash of pornographic magazines. At that point, all the kids in the room laughed, and an 11th grade boy said, 'Dude, I've got one word for you: Internet.'

I'm sorry, but I personally know too many adults whose marriages are on the rocks because of Internet pornography. Yet here it was, presented as innocent, funny, natural, normal..."

I've seen porn portrayed as funny and harmless on countless TV sitcoms. Actually, it's not a laughing matter. Just ask its victims.

UPDATE: Apparently La Shawn Barber has even less tolerance for these people than I do. The woman has convictions of steel!

Second Weddings

An interesting article in the USA Today about second weddings. Apparently, second-weds aren't settling for a quiet ceremony in front of a judge, with the bride wearing a beige suit. They're going all out...and some of their friends and family, who have already shelled out for gifts, showers, etc, in previous weddings, aren't too thrilled with the idea. Any thoughts?

Related Tags: Mei Flower, Angela Hunt, USA Today, second weddings