Also changing subject: Unfogged has this very amusing short review of Dragon War:

I did go see Dragon Wars today and it was really just an extended metaphor for The Academy: A tenure-track position for dragons opens up only once every 500 years and last time around the hiring committee defunded the position instead of awarding it. The two candidates were pissed. This time, neither of them was going to let anything stand in their way.

As a fat person I think it is simply that being chubby is seen in the U.S. as a moral failing, so strangers on the street feel free to say randomly nasty things to chubby people.

I know I am fat, and I do understand that people think it is a moral failing, but the thing is, even if you think it is a moral failing, do you yell at people on the street for it? I rarely comment on anyone's moral character unless asked, and even then, I am pretty circumspect! What makes people do this? They are grown-up versions of kids who used to yell out the bus at me-- "Hey, do you know you are ugly?!?"

ETA:

I think part of it is a class issue. Oveweight is something those nasty poor or working people do. So someone fat, and in a suit -- well you are faking. Because now that I think of if, I get my worst comments wearing a suit. A fat guy or gal wearing a suit: we are fat trash faking being professionals. We need to be put in our place.

That makes a bit more sense of the comment? I couldn't quite figure out what they were trying to say-- I thought maybe they were using "professional" in the hooker meaning, or something!

I comfort myself with the knowledge that these people must lead really empty, horrible lives if that's how they get their kicks. Fuckheads.

Steve Blair, for instance, a University of South Carolina exercise scientist and a co-author of the AHA-ACSM guidelines, says he was “short, fat, and bald” when he started running in his thirties and he is short, fatter, and balder now, at age 68.

I don't know whether this makes me feel better or worse. I gained weight when I was training karate six days a week and the guys around me were all plotting ways to get more calories into themselves or they'd lose weight. One guy drank sweetened condensed milk. When we went out to eat after training, I had a plain hamburger and they had "supersize the whole menu."

More amusingly, I think the only thing anyone's ever shouted out of a car at me was one time in high school someone called me and my mom "Lesbos!!!" when we kissed goodbye on the street.

This cracks me up! Actually, I think I am just confused by the impetus to shout anything out your car window to anyone, unless a) they are on fire or otherwise in danger or b) they just cut in front of you. And if a person has cut in front of me, I am much more likely to mutter under my breath!

They are grown-up versions of kids who used to yell out the bus at me-- "Hey, do you know you are ugly?!?"

they really are except they haven't grown up at all.

My favorite random thing yelled out a car at me was "Why don't you act like you know?" from a dude who was at impatient behind me at a drive up p.o. box. What did he mean??? Who knows? But I totally incorporated it into my insult bank.

The only thing I've ever yelled from a car window was "Cause you gots the flavah!" What? I was drunk and the dude driving had a bullhorn in the car.

Actually, I think I am just confused by the impetus to shout anything out your car window to anyone,

I yelled out a car window at some local teens having a completely stupid fight on the street. I can't remember what I yelled though. It was post-bar time and I was rather loaded (I was a passenger!) but I know it was hilarious (to me and my companions at the time anyway).

ETA BWAH, GC! Drunk car yellin' xpost

Slap my hand now!

Now, I am not upset, really, but it has stuck with me all day and night, in terms of wondering-- what makes people so mean?

I don't understand random attacks of malice. I can kind of understand when a person thinks he's been wronged in some way and hits cranky overload, but being verbally assaulted just because I'm standing there? WTF, dude.