So you want a horror story

This morning I come home from work and turn on the TV, by chance I had left it tuned to a news channel instead of TBS when I left.  What was I greeted by?  The news of Tyler Clementi who had apparently jumped to his death off the George Washington bridge. The police officially ruled it a suicide.  Tyler was a 18 year old freshman at Rutgers, and by reports a talented musician.

With so much bad news, honestly this just registered as just another sad story.  I hate to admit it but I went on about my daily rounds with little attention, but did make a mental note to look it up and find out more.

Before I had time to change the channels however, I heard about Asher Brown.  Asher was a 13 year old from Texas who died of a self inflicted gunshot wound.  Another tragedy.  What besides the obvious do the two teens have in common?  Both were the subject of harassment and bullying.

Asher was bullied because he was small for his age.  Small kids typically have a hard time and are the target of the stronger bully types.  However Asher was also a Buddhist, and also gay.  This made him the perfect whipping post for other kids.  Kids raised by homophobic, right wing parents.  Kids who make themselves feel stronger but beating down those who can't fight back.  maybe he could fight back if it was a fair fight but with gang mentality he never had a chance.  It's sad he chose the path of terminating his own life.  Suicide is not the answer but in Asher's case I can't call it the "easy way out." To a 13 year old kid, just coming to grips with his sexuality, with nothing to look forward to except being an outcast it had to seem to be the only way out.

With Tyler it wasn't bullying in the traditional sense, but betrayal and public embarrassment.  He was recorded by his roommate while engaged in a sexual encounter.  That recording was then posted to the Internet and the roommate tweeted about the prank inviting people to watch.  Sure , maybe it sounds like a harmless prank, but once again played upon a young man, dealing with his sexuality, a sexuality still frowned upon by so many and looked on as a source of humor.  Now in the Internet age embarrassment isn't just something between a group of people, your embarrassment can be broadcast worldwide.  What escape did Tyler have except for death?

I don't condone the suicide of either, but I do understand.  We live in a bigoted, intolerant society.  A society where if you do not fit in you don't have a right to privacy, intimacy or even life.  It would be bad enough if it were only these two, but it isn't.  I just read of an unnamed California teen, 13 years old, who hung himself due to being tormented about his sexuality.

Bigotry, racism, homophobia, hatred and fear.  When will we grow out of them?  When will we step up and do something to stop our children from killing other children?  Until that time hope your child isn't the one being tortured.

Asher Brown victim of fear and bullying

Tyler Clementi

For those who do care, please remember these kids and let's work to end this so no other parent has to lose their child this way.

WM3

As I am typing this right now the latest attempt to gain a new hearing for Damien Echols of the WM3 is ongoing in Arkansas. Will justice finally be served or will paranoia and fear reign supreme? You can watch the hearing live
http://arkansas-sc.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

SyFy's Sharktopus Trailer

The Human Centipede 2: teaser trailer

Chiari

Just a quick update to spam a link
please take the time to read and share this

New Pinhead revealed

Warning Sarcasm Ahead
In a move surely to leave horror fans bouncing with excitement, especially Doug Bradley and Hellraiser fans, it looks like a new Pinhead has been cast for Hellraiser: Revelations.  Now in all fairness to the lucky sap, err actor, Doug Bradley, the one and only Pinhead did turn the role down.  Honestly that should be a clue for anyone involved that maybe this project should just be left to die a natural death.  But it is Hollywood after all and poor bastard Stephen Smith Collins has landed the "no way to win" role of the decade.  At least Jackie Earle Haley had a bit of a following before the Nightmare snooze fest.  Plus this was a reboot, while the Hellraiser is a continuation of a series.  I won't lie and say the last few Hellraiser's were classics, but at least we had Doug Bradley waiting to tear our souls apart, even if it was just for a few minutes on screen.

At least this is being helmed by a solid director in Victor Garcia ( warned you).  I am sure everyone rembers Garcia from that Horror classic in the making Return to House on Haunted Hill.  A movie that that had us all repeating "Why the hell isn't Cerina Vincent taking her top off?"

Now before you all go rushing to IMDB to see what this guy has been in let me just tell you.  Tell you that I don't have a f'ing clue and really don't feel like checking.  Does it really matter?

The New Pinhead

Poor guy

Living with Chiari

I first took notice of Chiari Malformation when I found out a friend was living with Chiari. She had been diagnosed before I met her, and I would have never guessed that she suffered from anything other than a bright and cheerful attitude. Working in the medical field I knew of the condition but as far as I know I had never before encountered anyone with Chiari. Like so many other bits and pieces of information I had picked up in school it got shuffled into the background.



For those who do not know Chiari Malformation is a congenital condition where a part of the brain protrudes through a opening in the base of the skull called the foramen magnum and into the spinal canal. This part of the brain, known as the cerebellar tonsils, which normally lie above the foramen, puts pressure on the spinal canal. This pressure can cause pain in the back of the neck and radiating upward. Other symptoms of Chiari vary widely and can include blurred vision, muscle weakness, unsteady gait, facial numbness and trouble swallowing.



A related disorder found often, but not always in people with Chiari is Syringomyelia. Syringomyelia is when cerebrospinal fluid, also known as CSF, enters the interior of the spinal cord. There it forms a syrnix or cavity. The syrnix can expand over time which destroys the center of the spinal cord. In most cases Syringomyelia, like Chiari, is congenital. However a second form of Syringomyelia can be brought on by trauma. In people with Chiari the protruding part of the brain blocks normal CSF flow and can cause a syrnix. However not everyone with Chiari will develop Syringomyelia.



Treatment for Chiari Malformation can range from pain management with medication in mild cases to surgery. The surgery is known as posterior fossa decompression. In this surgery small portions of bone form the back of the skull are removed. This allows the tonsils to move back into their normal position in the skull and reduces compression of the brain stem. This surgical procedure gained notoriety in the horror movie Saw. The villain Jigsaw, though not suffering from Chiari had the surgery to remove pressure from a brain tumor.



Surgery is the only viable treatment for Syringomyelia. While in mild cases  continued at

http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/living-with-chiari/

My friend Alicia who is living with Chiari