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| Sunday, September 7th, 2008 |
thatcrazycajun
|
6:33p |
Today's Meme™: Obama or McCain, based on the issues? Civically cadged out of ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tenderstone by way of mdlbear: Which of the Big Two presidential candidates is most in line with your views on the issues of the day? ( Go on, take a guess. You'll never believe it. ) Current Mood:  calmCurrent Music: "Get Out and Vote," Johnny Standley |
peteralway
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5:14p |
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cellio
|
4:46p |
voting strategically I've been thinking about this November's election, and the presumption
that PA is a swing state and That Matters, and voting for the lesser
plausible evil versus voting one's conscience. I started to write
about this in comments in someone else's journal (where it was
arguably off-topic), so I figured I should bring it here.
Most of the time we vote in elections to address that particular election
-- a tactical move (and an important one), in the grand scheme of
things. I'm coming to the conclusion that no third party can ever
advance so long as everyone does that, so I'm strongly leaning toward
making a strategic vote this year, recognizing that the payoff
will be delayed if present at all.
( Read more... ) |
redaxe
|
4:22p |
The downside of weekends... ...is that some of the best webcomics (that are otherwise daily) take Sunday and, in many cases, Saturday, off. |
batyatoon
|
4:02p |
O my f-list, I turn to you for aid! ...In this case, for aid in collection of trivia, that skill at which so many of you excel.
I am trying to compile a list of fictional characters who self-identify as evil. (Ideally with a note as to whether said self-identification is ironic or not -- though this is, of course, subject to interpretation.) Said self-identification can happen at any point in the character's arc, but must be present self-identification; "I am evil," rather than "I was evil."
Starting with this guy! *points at new icon* |
thatcrazycajun
|
1:53p |
A Democratic response to two Republican columns today Conservative pundits George Will and our own local paper's Jim Wooten have writings published today that fairly cry out for a liberal-Democrat response. ( Cut for length and those who have no patience for my political rants. ) Current Mood:  irritatedCurrent Music: "Creation Science 101," Roy Zimmerman |
cellio
|
12:41p |
weekend bits I bought a new calendar today and, to my surprise, among the candle-lighting times on each page it lists Pittsburgh. (Usually we don't make the cut.) While looking at this I noticed that sunset in September is moving by about 12 minutes per week, but that in March it only moves by about 8 minutes a week. Shouldn't it be symmetrical? (The delta for sunrise and sunset changes over the course of the year, with the widest swings being at equnoxes and the smallest ones at solstices. I grok that; I don't grok that they don't match.) Friday night I saw something unusual at services: a man lit candles and a woman made kiddush and there was no special occasion dictating that. For all that egalitarianism is a core principle in my movement, I don't think I have ever seen a woman make kiddush in our sanctuary before, unless there were special circumstances (sisterhood service, a bat mitzvah, etc). Gee, maybe there's hope that someday I will be offered that honor after all. (There's still another barrier: there is a strong meme of giving that pair of honors to a couple. This was violated this week, too.) Yesterday morning after services our newest rabbi (hmm, I need a shorthand notation for him -- the others are "senior rabbi" and "associate rabbi") talked with the group about adult education. He wanted to know what we want to learn, when we want to learn it, and how we want to learn it. It was a good discussion; I wish im luck in distilling down feedback that, in aggregate, meant "all of it". :-) He seemed a little surprised by the idea that, actually, we'd love to learn on Shabbat -- ideally right after services, but late afternoon leading into havdalah would be acceptable to some. I hope that idea bears fruit. (Of course, he was asking the group of people who self-selected to stay around after services for the discussion... but every option doesn't need to appeal to every congregant, only to a critical mass. And we also discussed the idea of giving the same class multiple times, in different kinds of timeslots -- a teacher's dream, but for some reason we don't tend to do it.) At the end of the discussion he said something interesting, so after it broke up I asked him "did you just imply that you're available for individual study?" and he said yes. Heh. I'll be in touch. Short takes: I assume that everyone has by now seen Jon Stewart on election hypocrisy. You might not have seen Language Log's discourse analysis on Karl Rove. (I have not posted about the election; it's not because I don't care, but because there's so much as to overwhelm and lots of other people are already posting good, thoughtful pieces.) I recently found myself in a discussion about internet discussions and used the phrase on the internet nobody knows you're a dog. I later went looking for the cartoon; it shouldn't surprise me that it has a Wikipedia entry, but it did surprise me a little that Google suggested the phrase after I'd typed only "on the internet". That real-time search-guessing thing is good sometimes. (I also went looking for a recipe for a dish I ate last night at Ali Baba's, and when I'd typed only "mujdara" it offered two completions, "recipe" and "calories".) Speaking (sort of) of internet discoveries, this article from Real Live Preacher taught me about the Caganer, a figure we don't often see in nativity scenes these days but apparently quite normal in times past. This article on using the internet for identity theft (link from Raven) didn't have anything new for me, but it's a good summary to give to people just getting started. It did remind me how annoying I find the canned security questions used by most banks -- things like "mother's maiden name" and "city of your birth" were way too easy to crack even before the net was ubiquitious. (And the ones that aren't tend to be non-deterministic, like "favorite color".) Fortunately, in most cases your bank doesn't really care about the answer; it's just a password. So lying adds security at little cost, assuming you can remember the lie. (What do you mean my first pet wasn't named "as375m~@z"? :-) )  |
mamadeb
|
12:49p |
I am unemployed
This was not a surprise - I've been waiting for the job to end, as the business was doing VERY badly - boss had mortgaged his house to support it.
And I do appreciate that they let me enjoy the vacation before, well, extending it.
I'll get unemployment, I could use the time not working before Yom Tov (wasn't planning on doing much paid work during Elul), I have another project in the works. It will be fine. Plus Joel said he'd write me the highest recommendation, and I believe him.
I will, however, give up comic books (not a sacrifice - I've been losing interest) and start doing my own laundry. :)
And, who knows? Maybe I'll write a bit more. |
kyttn
|
12:27p |
Help wanted from my norther VA/MD area friends A friend of mine here in C'ville has recently gotten divorced. Her self-esteem is low to say the least. She wants to go away for the weekend, somewhere where she isn't known, to a not-too expensive hotel with a bar, so she can safely "drink and flirt" (her words) and not have to worry about driving or small-town gossip. She's not looking to find a one-night stand, just to go somewhere where she might be able to do a little drinking and dancing and "feel pretty". I told her I'd ask here in case someone might be able to suggest somewhere. She does want me to mention that she isn't a small woman (she's a little larger than me), so would be glad to find a place with "ordinary looking people", not "glamorous skinny girls". She's actually got gorgeous green eyes and a pretty smile, and is fairly vivacious, so I doubt she'd have trouble getting flirted with. Any suggestions? She's willing to drive 2-3 hours from here to stay for a weekend somewhere. Current Mood:  curious |
almeda
|
10:22a |
Many good changes on the way I know I've said this before, but just because a change is good doesn't mean it's not stressful, or that it's not going to be a lot of work. This one's no different. Some of the work it involves is explainy work, so here goes. Early/mid May, John and I finally managed to conceive. We're expecting our firstborn in mid-February, which means I may well not make it to Capricon this year, though if I'm feeling well I'll do my darndest. The gestation is going very well; my 'worst' side-effects and symptoms only rise to the level of annoyances, and I certainly do know how rare that is. For those of you who like the numbers, this is Week 17. For those of you who read this entry back here, this may confuse you -- I am still a transsexual. I mentally identify myself as male, and intend over the next several years to take medical steps to make that my legal identity as well. However, I still have a working uterus and ovaries, and John and I want kids, so the medical steps will wait until after we're done with that. However, the first legal steps on that journey will be happening SOON -- I will be changing my first name from Eloise to Elliott on my paperwork, even with an F in the gender marker. This is because I consulted with Lambda Legal's free-advice helpdesk, and discovered that Illinois is bound and determined to never change parent-name information on a birth certificate. We intend to cross international borders with our kids (at minimum to visit their grandparents in Toronto!), and homeland security may well get pissy if the parental names on our passports then do not match the parental names on the kids' birth certificates, so it eases the path if I change my name before it goes on a birth certificate. All y'all can keep calling me whatever you're most comfortable calling me; I certainly don't expect my (increasingly vague) grandmother to keep it straight, she's known me too long under my old name. However, since my dad (and other family members) are going to be coming to visit me while I'm in the hospital, and they'll be looking under the wrong name if I don't tell them I've changed it, it means the 'coming out' conversation has to come rather sooner than I'd been expecting it too. Oh well. Drama now puts off legal problems later, I suppose. :-> On the plus side, it means for future transcript purposes, my HWC records will have the right long-term permanent name on them. |
bikergeek
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11:27a |
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marcgunn
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9:32a |
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sodyera
|
8:37a |
Writer's Block: Google Founded
Back in the 20th century when I was a kid, you had to go to this big building full of books to find out anything, and I'm a little dyslexic, so I'd give up early. The Googleverse has made me hate research less. I still hate it, just not as much. Current Music: "Song of the Whale Pt. 2" Tangerine Dream |
browngirl
|
7:16a |
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nelladarren
|
12:51p |
Postcards Of Where I Live - The Neighbourhood
finding beauty in the neighbourhood
And Flickr puts all the pictures on the map.
Reminder
The meme is:
Post postcard quality pictures of where you live. Imagine stocking a local kiosk's postcard rack with cards a tourist would choose to write home. Of course you can post older pictures if you already have some meeting the requirements. Indulge!
|
peteralway
|
4:07a |
What my books are for!
This video is captioned:
1/62 scale scratch-built Vostok, on one D12-3 and four A10-PT motors. At the moment of ignition, the video slows to 1/2 actual speed. Note how the mini A10-PT motors kick the model off the pad, even before the central D12-3 comes up to full thrust. The 4 A10's pack quite a kick!
I built this model from scratch, using Peter Alway's "Rockets of the World" for reference.
My next R-7 variant is under construction now, a 1/40 Sputnik R-7 booster with 4 18mm motors in the core.
This was a NOVAAR launch that I attended along with a couple of other NARHAMS folks.
|
peteralway
|
3:29a |
The things you find when you google yourself. Someone had asked some online forum about rocket nozzles, and I replied to the question with an explanation of the de Laval nozzle in language appropriate to the question. Evidently my technical experties made an impression. I'm going to guess that the original question and answer appeared in rec.models.rockets. ( Read more... ) |
poltr1
|
12:33a |
The Keith denounces the 9/11 Highlight Reel.... From the Daily Kos, specifically, here: Bet your bottom dollar that there will be a Special Report from him on this topic Real Soon Now. Current Mood:  anxious |
| Saturday, September 6th, 2008 |
thatcrazycajun
|
11:34p |
Archbishop Tutu rebukes his church on its misplaced priorities You may have heard that the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church USA is a part, has been in something of an internal tizzy the last few years since the ECUSA named an openly, actively homosexual bishop to its hierarchy, the Rev. Gene Robinson. More conservative elements in the church have been tossing around the word "schism" with increasing frequency lately as the American church has steadfastly refused to defrock Robinson or demote him from his bishopric. Now comes Nobel Peace Prize winner and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu to remind them of all the people suffering in disease, poverty and violence while they argue about a supremely asinine matter instead of working to help them. Rather forcefully, in fact, and you can read about it here thanks to BBC News. Money quote: "I must imagine that God is weeping, and the world quite rightly should dismiss the Church in those cases as being totally irrelevant." Archbishop Tutu accused some of his fellow Anglicans of going against the teaching of Jesus in their treatment of homosexual people by "persecuting the already persecuted." You tell' em, Your Eminence. They will never in all likelihood listen, of course, but when J.C. does finally return to judge their sorry asses, they can't say they weren't warned. Current Mood:  pleasedCurrent Music: "Living in Wartime," Romanovsky & Phillips |
quadrivium
|
10:02p |
If I am going indulge . . . . . . Making homemade pizza using my favorite focaccia bread bread recipe is not a bad way to do it. The other day, Simon wanted Pizza Hut pizza really badly. And I thought "Gee! It's been a really long time since I've had pizza. I'll have a slice as an indulgence today." I didn't even make it through half the slice. It was very greasy. Either A) Pizza Hut pizza just isn't as good as it was when I was in high school (Priazzo anyone? YUM.) or B) perhaps I don't enjoy pizza anymore. Tonight, I ruled out answer B). It was a fairly simple pizza. 1) Crust made with three parts Better for Bread flour to one part wheat flour, olive oil, yeast, salt, and water. (Next time, I'm adding rosemary like I used to.) Baked lightly before the toppings were applied, then baked again. 2) Fresh Basil from the garden sliced thinly and put directly on the crust. 3) Classico Spaghetti sauce (Yes, I should probably research a sauce too, but I *like* Classico) 4) Part skim, Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese 5) Mild Italian Sausage cooked before it went on the pizza and into the oven. I ate two slices of pizza (and a few sausage bits that teleported into my mouth -- Honest!) I can't eat like that very often, because fried sausage has a lot of fat in it. (Mmm fat.) The crust was beautiful and non greasy -- much unlike a certain pizza franchise's. Truly, it was the best part. Warm, light airy, crusty on the outside, soft and silky on the inside (but fully cooked). Yay! Indulgence. :-D What's your favorite food? Current Mood:  pleased |
saffron_zephyr
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11:06p |
Be aware, everyone that had the old ones-I've got new phone numbers now. I'm not going to be posting them here, but anyone who want 'em can ask over IM. :3 Tearing apart my TV/DVD player/PS2 tomorrow. Eeeeek...last step in packing! EEEK-SIX DAYS! Current Mood:  sleepy |
sodyera
|
6:48p |
The Hanna Cookout
Tropical Storm Hanna is set to cover New York. It's already raining heavily, dew point about 75 degrees (F). The news described the atmosphere here as "equatorial". My knees are aching. My window is open but the rain isn't coming in. The fan is on, and the smell of barbecuing hangs heavy in the air. Somebody on a ground floor terrace (patio, alley) a couple of buildings away has actually fired up his BBQ in the middle of a major storm. My city is truly the home of fanatics. |
lemmozine
|
4:28p |
Great minds think alike
I should oughta check google to see if my brilliant ideas are new & original before I share them. Apparently, Alaskans came up with "palintology" some time back. And the one I suggested in a comment on Tom Smith's blog, "hate-based initiative" is not new either. I guess this means I either picked these up subliminally or psychically, or the punnish mind lacks uniqueness due to the limited ways in which a particular word or phrase may be distorted.
Ever written a brilliant song parody only to find out someone else used the same idea for the same tune long ago? I have. It hurts.
It's nearly impossible to come up with a truly original idea for a band name. If you don't believe me, come up with three clever band names, then check the band name registry online. I think my band name, Blind Lemming Chiffon and his Allergic to Bluegrass Ramblers, may be safe, but for how long, who knows? |
36
|
10:55p |
Spot the improvement...  My Grandad was 81 today and I'd decided to draw a birthday card, as is fast becoming a tradition. As my grandad paints wildlife pictures as a hobby, I decided to re-draw the kingfisher I drew for my mum's birthday in late June. Due to having more housework, socialising and stress with discontinued medications than anticipated I didn't actually start until Thursday night and ended up working on this while entertaining my brother and partner who were staying over at mine on Friday evening. Sadly it took more than the 7 hours I'd already put in by that point and I ended up working on it during a lot of the party! (Which was actually another 90th birthday party for my gran, but that's a different story). I missed most of the evening part of the party and only had it finished as a card 20 minutes before the end. I lost track of how much time it took in total but it was at least 9 or 10 hours work. This was based on two source images and coloured by eye. I used a tablet PC, I drew a sketch layer, which took an hour, coloured underneath it then removed it at about 3 hours in. All colouring was produced using the airbrush tool. Parts of the moss at the edges are supposed to be slightly out of focus. I'm not sure how well that effect worked. I've never tried drawing out of focus before... I'm quite pleased with this one, even though I missed my deadline and ended up finishing it in a terrible rush. It looks particularly good when compared to the kingfisher I drew in late June -- that's some quite significant improvement in less than two and a half months, especially when you consider it used the same base source image! Current Music: Darnell Swallow - Cookie Love |
katyhh
|
9:46p |
View over the Alster lake (Jun 05) for nelladarren ... ;-) Well, this was taken in June 2005, but that view's kinda unchanged when the weather is good ... |
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filkhaven
delightedly curious
