MetaFilter posts tagged with violence and death

Love, Rockabilly Style

andihazelwood — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:03:12 -0800

How to best show your love if you're a rockabilly singer in the 50's? First, claim you might cry. Or die. Or commit suicide. If that doesn't work, you can threaten her vaguely, threaten her with a baseball bat, or even threaten her with death. Oh, you're female? Try the gun/sex metaphor (NSFW images) or just go hog wild and claim you'll blow his head off with nitro. Touched on previously. Can't be bothered with multiple YouTube links? Here are the songs and pertinent lyrics in order: Everly Brothers, Bye Bye Love: "Bye bye, happiness // Hello, loneliness // I think I'm a-gonna cry." Elvis Presley, Heartbreak Hotel: "I get so lonely I could die." Johnny Burnette Trio, Sweet Love on My Mind: "The river looks cold and the bottom is a long way down // If you're really leavin' baby that's where I'm gonna be found // When the mailman comes in the mornin', there's a note upon my door // Bring my mail to the bottom of the river I don't live here no more." Eddie Cochran, Mean When I'm Mad: "I need your lovin' and I need it bad // Watch it now baby if you make me mad... But don't resist me, a-baby // 'Cause I'm mighty, mighty mean when I'm mad." Big Joe Turner, Honey Hush: "Come in here woman, stop all that yackety yack // Don't make me nervous, 'cause I'm holdin' a baseball bat." (It's not rockabilly but it has been covered by several rockabilly bands including Johnny Burnette.) Elvis Presley, Baby Let's Play House: "I'd rather see you dead, little girl // Than to be with another man." Janis Martin, Bang Bang: "Cock your pistol and rooty-toot-toot // Bang-bang-bang, bang-bang-bang (etc)." Wanda Jackson, Fujiyama Mama: "Well you can talk about me, say that I'm mean // I'll blow your head off baby with nitroglycerine."

Life and death of a black and white

mrducts — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:47:48 -0800

Texas executes Mexican national who was denied consul visit. Jose Medellin, a Mexican national, was born in the border town of Nuevo Laredo, just across the Rio Grande river from Laredo,TX. Medellín moved to the US when he was 3 years of age, and was 18 years of age in June of 1993 when he participated in the gang rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman, 14 and Elizabeth Pena, 16 in Houston,Texas. He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to death. In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that the Bush Administration must reconsider the case because Medellin was not informed of his right to contact Mexican consulate officials under the Vienna Convention. After the ruling, President Bush asserted authority under the Constitution and the various laws of the United States to order states to review the convictions and sentences of foreign nationals who had not been advised of their Vienna Convention rights. On March 25, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the arguments of the Bush Administration, and ruled that President Bush can't force Texas to reconsider, even if in violation of the International Court of Justice.[Previously]

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hadjiboy — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:45:54 -0800

Bombs exploded outside the Mecca Masjid today as people were offering their Friday Prayers. Out of the more than 8,000 worshippers present, a total of 12 have been reported dead, and 50 injured. Also, this comes in the wake of the violence that has been taking place in the State of Punjab.

They have infiltrated every branch of public service and every political office they can get their hands on.

amberglow — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:25:36 -0800

Operation enduring chaos: ... the death squads are the result of US policy. At the beginning of last year, with no end to the Sunni insurgency in sight, the Pentagon was reported to have decided to train Shia and Kurdish fighters to carry out "irregular missions". ... From killing everyone named Omar (a Sunni name) who passes thru the wrong checkpoint, to simply marking businesses (and their owners) they want gone with red crosses, how various squads and militias and "armies" and "brigades" are running Iraq.

...another less attractive but probably more realistic version of modern warfare in Iraq today ...

amberglow — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:31:40 -0800

Pentagon to Soldiers: Don't Post those Trophy Videos Online ... another said it made him feel good to bring the gruesome reality of a soldier's life in Iraq to those living safely behind their "clean, white picket fences at home". ...the taking and posting of trophy video served as some kind of relief from the psychological stresses of serving as a soldier in such a violent and acutely dangerous place. ... and from PBS' Mediashift: Your Guide to Soldier Videos From Iraq

In Soviet Russia...

spinoza — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 12:11:41 -0800

NewsFilter: Squirrels attack

The right to party ends in violence

urbanwhaleshark — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 14:09:47 -0800

In the Czech Republic over the weekend a free and legal techno party was stormed by heavily-armed riot police. One person died and dozens of participants were injured. The unprecedented attack has been heavily condemned by the League of Human Rights and the Czech Shadow Minister claiming it was politically motivated. See also 1 and 2. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek (Social Democrats, CSSD) defended the action stating: The core of the techno enthusiasts is made up of "obsessed people with anarchist proclivities and international links," who "provoke massive violent demonstrations, fuelled by alcohol and drugs, against the peaceful society".

Videos: 1 2 3 4 and 5

Photos: 1.

Super Scapegoat

Frank Grimes — Thu, 23 Jan 2003 13:26:45 -0800

"Highway Deaths Spike After Super Bowl" says a study in today's New England Journal of Medicine. The Super Bowl has also been blamed for a spike in domestic violence and increased usage of water systems. Some articles try to set the record straight, while others try to debunk the debunkers. I prefer to concentrate on the real meaning of the Super Bowl, the commercials.