on politics and livejournals and mailing lists

Short Political Note

Okay, so the entire political thing is boring, but I have to keep up somehow. Official policy doesn't allow me to talk to a legislator, a reporter, or any member of the media.

Does my LJ count?



This is news to me. I mean, not news-news--there's a section in training on how to handle court cases where we have to act as witnesses or defendents or what-not, and I believe in personal privacy almsot as deeply as I believe in God.

But. It's one thing to refuse to disclose personal information about my clients--quite another thing to be told not to answer questions. Again, *this* is not new either--God may know, but I do not, how many cases the state has pending against it. But it *is* new to be reminded that this ban doesn't just cover a specific circumstance--apparently, should I be, for some insane reason, contacted by a legislator, I am *not to answer any questions*, but refer everything to my supervisor, who will refer it up, etc.

For the life of me, I can't figure out what I could say that would be of *any* interst. I mean, if they want snark, they can listen to the radio.

A current legislator has discovered this little policy. Let us say, he is not amused. He's ordered down the commissioner and the supervisor of the poor chick he scared to death in HHSC to his office for questioning, because he called in for information adn apparently couldn't get a straight answer after playing Our Very Special Version of the Telephone Game..

And here I was all, huh, about the resignation yesterday of dep commissioner. This is starting to make sense. I tend to think anyone who says they are resigning "for health reasons" combined wiht "more time with the family" is actually saying "I am trying to get away before I am lynched in the streets, 'kay? Bye!"



I'm torn on taking all my entries on this stuff and locking them to my work filter. None of it is actually inflammatory information. On the other hand, Jenn Seperis doesn't work for the state either, she writes kinky gay fanfiction.

Happily in this case, I am so far down the food chain that there's no reason for anyone to be *curious*.

Hmm. Will debate further when I'm less amused by everything and more paranoid.

People Who Think

If you aren't reading pandarus, you should be. Three long, fascinating meta posts on the nature of fandom, fanfiction, and so forth, running off of Jenny-O's Ten Unpopular Fannish Opinions thing, and is that thing making a comeback on the meta circuit?

Meta gives me hives, but I've been thinking on the List Versus LJ thing again, mostly because I'm in a fandom that does feel like it has a very *definite* split between list culture, which *seems*--and this is pure perception here, so work with me, I could be wrong--composed of the more veteran writers/readers of the fandom, and the LJ contingent, which is the qaffers-come-lately post-season-three. Not to say that there isn't crossover. There is. Just not that much.

Again, could be wrong. I'm wrong a lot. Of course, a lot of my perception of the mailing lists, not to mention the forums, is the complaining about the LJs that went on early on, and pretty much twice a month for the last year. Because really, nothing makes *me* feel more warm and fuzzy in my fandom of choice than seeing my primary method of interaction being bitched about.

I sometimes think I don't bitch enough about things that annoy me in fandom. I should make a list and get it all out of my system. Like, a cleansing, maybe?

Hmm. I should think about this. With coffee, even.

Comments

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Huh. Going to check out the meta.

[mi-nion.livejournal.com]

The LJ is the lovechild of Satan and fat Elvis arguemnt has cropped up again?

Is it that time of the year already?

[seperis.livejournal.com]

God, I hope not again. That would be excessive even for them.

*g* Most of my residual bitterness comes from my memories of the forum last year. I felt freaky even *thinking* about participating there after reading some of the comments on teh subject.

*raises eyebrows* Not that some of the commenters don't have LJs themselves now. Go figure.

[mi-nion.livejournal.com]

*raises eyebrows* Not that some of the commenters don't have LJs themselves now. Go figure.
hahahahaha

[punkdoc.livejournal.com]

The QAF MLs preceded significant QAF fan activity on LJ, so I think your impression about there being more "vets" on the MLs is true.

But from what I've been able to observe, there are quite a number of the ML "vets" over here -- some who already had an LJ before there was much QAF activity over here, others who were chasing after good QAF fic/graphics, etc. There are definitely people on the MLs that seem suspicious of LJ/resistant to change. I think that's just as well, however, because it means that most of the "vets" that are willing to give LJ a try are the more fun, creative ones.

I do think that when you started watching the show tends to color your viewpoint a bit. I started with Season 1, and although I've loved every season, none of the subsequent season have ever matched Season 1 in my estimation. Whereas people who started with Season 2 or 3 don't seem to give Season 1 the same hallowed status.

I've lurked on the MLs, sho board and now-defunct Television Without Pity Board, and I've been an active participant at the QAF Refugee board (started by TWoP vets). I've found LJ the most enjoyable way to interact in the fandom.

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

I started with Season 1, and although I've loved every season, none of the subsequent season have ever matched Season 1 in my estimation.

Me too, except I didn't care for season 2 much.

[rhiannonhero.livejournal.com]

I do think that when you started watching the show tends to color your viewpoint a bit.

I 100% agree with this. I mean, I watched the show in order, i.e. S1 through S4, but I came into the show spoiled enough to know that B/J were the sexy couple that I saw in the icons on my FLs, and that they seemed to be the main couple of the show, so I never really stood a chance as a true B/M shipper (although, I really don't think I ever would have fallen into that category).

But, beyond being spoiled, I think that the experience of seeing the show, or in my case S1-S3, in the span of less than one month, WITHOUT the input of other fan's interpretations, has really impacted how I see the characters versus people who've been in the fandom from the very beginning.

It starts to bring to mind whether or not there is a 'true' perspective on things, (obviously there is not), but I like what I feel is my more 'pure' perspective on things--i.e. not as influenced by other people's perspective. I enjoy the show a lot more than I think I otherwise would.

To compare it to my other fandom, the Mikey-hate in QaF is much more baffling to me than the Lana-hate in Smallville. I'm not sure if I'd hate Mikey if I'd watched from S1--somehow I doubt it because I don't hate Lana, and I watched SV from the beginning--but, I might understand the hate better.

Uhh, sorry, this is getting long, and I'm not sure that I'm making sense. I'm quite sure that one way is not 'better' than the other to experience the show, but personally, I'm glad that I saw all three of the first seasons in a virtual vaccuum--except for knowing that B/J were going to be together for awhile.

[brancher.livejournal.com]

Well, *I* am a member of the media, so you're talking to *me.*

Seriously, if I were, for example, writing an article on slash, or about lj, or about internet politics, and I wanted to quote your lj I would not scruple to do so, but I would not have your real name to attach to your quotes. So you would not be quoted as speaking in a professioanl capacity. Therefore, I cannot imagine such a circumstance to breach your employer's dumbass policy.

[rhiannonhero.livejournal.com]

I sometimes think I don't bitch enough about things that annoy me in fandom. I should make a list and get it all out of my system. Like, a cleansing, maybe?

I would love to do this, but I have a feeling that if I did, I would be accused of trying to tell people what they can and can't do in fandom. *rolls eyes* And that reaction alone would be on my list of annoying things about fandom.

[xoverau.livejournal.com]

I've found that bitching about things rarely makes them any better, unless you do the bitching privately or to someone who's objective. In fandom, bitching tends to generate more bitching and spin out of control into misquotes and misinformation, and you find yourself making twelve arguments you never meant to make with people you don't care about, but who hate you. :) IMHO.

The privacy stuff is creepy. I've been thinking a lot about it the last few days, because a friend of mine and I were talking about starting a nonprofit aid organization and I was all "I wouldn't sign any of the Patriot-act-inspired paperwork and they could kiss my butt if they came looking for private records", and she was all "But I have kids! I could never stand in the way of the government because I could be imprisoned!" and...yeah, now she's not so sure she wants to be in business with me. Crazy stuff.