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| Monday, October 13th, 2008 |
bikergeek
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3:33a |
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l33tminion
|
1:00a |
Weekend Fun and Anticipation I found a used copy of Snow Crash, so I'm rereading that. Good times. Saturday evening, I went to karaoke (Japanese style, your group in a private room) with friends (Xave, Neruson, Ginneh, DJ, and Kelcy). Was a ton of fun. I'd never done karaoke before (not counting with marketing class in Japan when we toured that record label's studio), and I'll have to do it more often in the future. I really don't sing much these days, hadn't realized that was something I missed. Today, Xave's TV got repossessed by the friend he was borrowing it from, and I found a new one for cheap on Craigslist. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite fit in our TV cabinet. On the plus side, this is because the TV was even larger than advertised, and it seems to work perfectly. We were still able to set up the TV in a decent spot, even though the arrangement is aesthetically sub-optimal. I counted my spare change jar (actually a plastic bag), so I have some money to donate to charity. I asked this before, but if you didn't have a response then (or if you did but have a different one now or want to repeat your previous one), any suggestions for where my funds might do the most good? I've also ordered an XBox360 for the sake of preordering Fallout 3. I loved the first two games in the series, and the next one looks extremely promising. I'm going with the console release because I don't want the experience marred by computer hardware troubles and because there are some other games drawing me to the 360 as well (this one just pushes that incentive over the required threshold). I hope that the game won't be a disappointment. Some fans are worried about the transition from 3/4 overhead turn-based tactical combat to a hybrid turn-based and first-person system, but I'm less concerned about mechanics than world-building and story. Maybe the game won't live up to the originals, but I'm glad that Bethesda picked up the series rather than let it die an ignominious death. Current Mood:  cheerful |
mysticnightsky
|
1:13a |
Catching up with Twitter Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter |
jtroutman
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1:08a |
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| Sunday, October 12th, 2008 |
aarrrggghhh
|
11:14p |
Stuff I'm thinking about, because I don't WANT to focus on what I'm supposed to be fucking reading.
people won't like you if you tell the truth, what is in your heart is hurtful and does not conform to your selfish and shallow needs. Nobody will respect you if you make things easy, your too easy people can just use you for your purposes then your easy to get rid of when less desireable, because your easy, your forgettable, stress, pain and chanllenge are allot harder to forget, when life is cushy but not exciting who remembers anything? you body really can't tell stress an excitement apart, it's like drugs it all depends on the situation and how you roll with it, but either way you will get gradually higher tolerances until you are somewhat chemically a different person.
only way to be someone who can make their life easy and be amiable with people but also have real friendships and respect the heart is someone who really really worked at it and probably shows they are much more in control of themselves than others. and probably the only way altruism can begin to exist.
When I was younger I was just about convinced everyone lied to me about 100% of the time, especially when they said something nice or something I wasn't skeptic about myself, I didn't trust their hearts to be genuine if it didn't make sense to me.
and in retrospect, I think I was right to, and I still can think about how full of shit so many of them were.
I'm not so m much like that now, I try really damn hard to never give a person any reason to need to lie to me. And if they do I just assume their stupid more than liers as I still find it very hard to trust anyone, but if you have to lie to me.... then what the fuck are you trying to gain? What do you have by doing it?
I think I did it backward, with people, i don't trust them or distrust them, and it's not as much about earning my trust, as that can only be proven by just being consistent about some things. But it more involves earning my distrust, by not being able to hold yourself to the thing they may totally voluntarily say.
At this moment when it comes to people, I just don't want to put the effort into it either way. Which is quickly making me even more content to be left alone.......and generally just an observer and casual interactor, but one who can walk away very easily if he desires.
******To be fair I always play with a whole lot of ideas, I never even know if they are true to me or the world until i think them up and then spend time observing them in action. So I realize I could be sort of inconsistent with my own thinking, I don't mean to be. I think being called moody and somewhat unpredictable by some, I tend to jump around in mind sets as well. But then again we are all actors are we not? |
woodwardiocom
|
10:31p |
Books: Maybe I Should Only Count Comic Collections As 1/3rd Of A Book . . .
Serenity: Better Days by Whedon, Matthews, ConradThis one suffers from much the same problems as Those Left Behind; the art doesn't support the writing well enough, so I had trouble figuring out what was going on. Also, it's too darn short. Three issues isn't enough for a decent story. However, seeing what everyone would do if they got rich was fun. Mildly recommended to Firefly fans, otherwise, not so much.Silver Surfer: Requiem by Straczynski, RibicSpeaking of comics written by guys better known for their TV work . . . A solid, non-canon tale of what it's like to be the Silver Surfer, Herald of the Apocalypse, Angel of Mercy, Wielder of the Power Cosmic, Ascended Mortal, et cetera. It's hard to do a good Surfer story that isn't fundamentally religious, and JMS doesn't try, but it remains a fine tale, and I even got a bit misty at the end. (Hmm, remind me to tell you someday about "My Boyfriend is a Surfer", a comic I want to write someday.) Recommended.New Mutants: Back to School by DeFilippis, Weir, Grant, RobinsonDon't let the cover fool you; the only "classic" New Mutants in this book are Mirage and Karma (with a comatose cameo by Magma). It is, ne'ertheless, a fine story of Professor X recruiting one of his old students to track down emerging mutants and invite them to his school, with the usual complications of bigotry, fear, out-of-control powers, and psychotic cyborgs. It's nice to see characters who get to age, and I like the confidence Mirage and Karma show. Recommended.The Road to Civil War by Manny ManosI largely picked this up because it has two issues of Fantastic Four that aren't collected elsewhere (the ones where Doom tries to lift Mjolnir), but it also has the debut of Spider-Man's red-n-gold costume (built by Tony Stark), and Illuminati, the tale that revealed that Prof. X, Doc Strange, Mr. Fantastic, Tony Stark, Namor, and Black Bolt have been secretly meeting behind the scenes, for years, to pool data, and subtly guide their fellow heroes. While the Civil War event as a whole had big flaws, the stories collected in here are pretty good. Recommended.Fantastic Four: The End by Alan Davis and Mark FarmerThis is a "what-if" story set decades in the future, after the genius of Reed Richards has made Earth, and the Solar System, into a utopia . . . at the cost of his own family, who are either dead or estranged. A confluence of threats, however, are about to draw them back together . . . Davis thinks big and his art is gorgeous. I might complain that this comic would be impenetrable to newcomers, and that he draws the Invisible Woman as if she was stacked like She-Hulk . . . but those aren't really problems for me, per se. Recommended.Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go by Tatsuo YoshidaTo coincide with the recent movie, DMP Books released a boxed set of the original Speed Racer manga, created simultaneously with the original anime. It's . . . it's predictably primitive, and not terribly deep, but it does dip into the well of imagination in ways I like. Yoshida doesn't hesitate to push the envelope. On the flip side, one of Speed's scenes with Racer X from volume 1 is repeated panel-for-panel in volume 2, which makes me cranky . . . Only recommended to Racer-philes. |
buxom_bey
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7:35p |
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lady_anemone
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8:05p |
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myindigodreams
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7:36p |
Salmon Chowder
3 T butter or olive oil
1.5 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
2 T. garlic
1/2 lb thick sliced bacon, cubed (have used bacon bits in a pinch)
2 pounds red potatoes, diced
3 c. carrots, diced
50 oz chicken broth
1 lb salmon, cut into 1 inch cubes (or 32 oz canned salmon salmon)
1 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
1 t. dill weed
1 t. tarragon
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. paprika
30 oz creamed corn
2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and garlic until onions are tender.
Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, spices and salmon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in milk, cream, corn and cheese. Cook until heated through. |
nathanw
|
7:24p |
batch 32, 33, and 33a
Last week I brewed my first batch since moving to the new apartment. It was a pretty straightforward English bitter, and the brew day went well - having a shaded yard with a picnic table, hose faucet, and an electrical outlet was very nice. That batch was part of a grander plan, however, which took place today. I brewed my biggest beer yet, stretching the limits of my system, and made a barleywine. 22 pounds of grain for about six gallons of beer at 1.100 gravity, and it just about filled my mash tun. When it was cooled and ready for pitching, I racked it directly onto the yeast cake from last week's batch (having decanted that beer into a smaller carboy), and sure enough, it took of fermenting in under two hours. The mash also produced some second runnings, so I made a small beer with the remainder, and got a 3-gallon batch of about 1.040 as a result. So now I have 13-14 gallons of beer, in various versions of English styles, happily fermenting away.
Aside from taking up nine hours and making my back hurt a bit, it was a fine way to spend a day. |
ornoth
|
5:09p |
Where the streets have no name Last time I was up in Maine, my mother handed me an old book my aunt had
salvaged from the library where she works. “Boston Ways: High, By, and
Folk” by George Weston.
The copyright is 1957, so in addition to being half a century old, it
predates all the changes of Boston’s modern era: the razing of the West
End to make way for “urban renewal”, the emasculation of the Charles
River embankment by running Storrow Drive right through the middle of
it, the erection of the brutal Government Center where Scolley Square
once stood, and the swath of destruction created when the elevated
Central Artery cut its way straight through the heart of the city.
It provides a slightly distant perspective on some familiar landmarks,
and I thought I’d share a couple things I noted. I won’t vouch for their
veracity, save to say that these are what the book said.
Boston was named after an English town of the same name in Lincolnshire.
The original name was “Botolph’s town”, after St. Botolph. St. Botolph’s
feast day is June 17th. That’s also the same day as the Revolutionary
War’s Battle of Bunker Hill, and the 1972 fire at my condo (the former Hotel Vendome) that killed nine firefighters.
According to the book, in Puritan times, marriage was considered a
purely civic affair, to the extent that it was illegal for clergy to
officiate at weddings. Which provides an interesting contrast to the
whinings of the religious right about marriage being primarily a
religious institution.
Even in 1950 people were falsely saying that Boston’s chaotic streets
were paved-over cowpaths. In truth, the few streets that are descended
from actual cowpaths are among the straightest in town: Winter Street,
Park Street, Bromfield Street, and High Street.
John Rowe, for whom Rowe’s Wharf is named, was part owner of the Elanor,
one of the ships looted in the Boston Tea Party, and was also one of the
instigators of the infamous act of revolt.
I used to work on Canal Street. Canal Street is called that because
it was the site of a canal that ran from the old Mill Pond (North
Station) to Dock Square (where Faneuil Hall is).
Boylston Street was originally named Frogg Lane, after the frogs that
lived noisily along the shoreline.
The Boston Public Library, the oldest such institution in the United
States, has the names of famous artists running around the outside of
the building. Originally, these were ordered in a way that their
initials spelled out the names of the building’s architects: McKim,
Mead, and White.
The First Baptist Church (aka Brattle Square Church) at the corner of
Comm Ave and Clarendon was informally known as the “Church of the Holy
Bean-Blowers” because of the angels with trumpets at the corners of its
tower. The frieze that includes the bean-blowers was done by Frederic
Bartholdi—the same man who designed the Statue of Liberty.
The campanile of the New Old South Church (just outside my bay window)
used to be 260 feet high. However, by 1920 it was more than three feet
off plumb, and had to be rebuilt. In the process, its height was
also reduced by 14 feet.
There was a fountain in Post Office Square dedicated to George
Angell, founder of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. Not sure if it’s still there or not.
Finally, in a fine example of how language has changed in the past
fifty years, consider this citation.
The typical Bostonian is pictured as cold, remote, and unemotional.
Never believe it! […] Sometimes the most staid and proper citizen
will become involved in an orgy through no fault of his own. This is
always unfortunate and frequently amusing.
Amusing, indeed! Don’t you just hate when that happens? |
aarrrggghhh
|
4:25p |
Apparently having to watch CNN at my work just wasn't bullshit enough, so they changed it to the Fox news channel, what's it going to be tomorrow firefighter's dog bites Obama supporter? Experts say global warming helps polar bears exercise? Obama blows load on Ayers? today I had to see all about how acorn is committing massive voter fraud (but as it was asked, yes they signed up fake names but was there proof anyone actually voted?) This was talking about 2004, while they couldn't possibly mention Diebold, New Mexico, Indian Reservations, 8 hour lines in the rain for blacks, provisional ballots. Of course that wouldn't fit with their slant. oh and Murdoch is actually an Obama supporter, this is the guy who stopped programming to air the Regan funeral. Again deregulation, corporatism. Wasn't Fox just so in love with GW. They play this McCain angle anf voter fraud but it's all bullshit, they also keep talking about how Obama is in the lead and is probably going to win, and how McCain needs to catch up, what he can do etc etc. But to be totally honest, one thing I'd trust Fox on is who they say is going to be the next president. Even in Bob Woodward's book State of Denial, he would talk about how Bush just could not make things public because the press just refused to cover it when he needed it covered. Noam Chomsky talks about similar power situations on the press http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/may/30/rupertmurdoch.wallstreetjournaland here I get into arguments because "realistically, James the two people on the news are......" conversations and people just accept it as that. there is a book I had to read for my Media, Democracy and Development Class Called "Flat Earth News" http://flatearthnews.net/a book that is not out in the United States (Feb I think) but is meticulously critical of the Media and tells real horror stories about the Irresponsibility, worldwide (but from a British Journalist, where they supposedly publish Stories about America that never make it over here, and he's claiming total bankruptcy of the news in England, so what can you say for us? Sad as our country still actually does have the strongest amount of freedom of speech in the world but due to self censorship of the media and such, it seems to be becoming totally vestigial. if you want to buy the book go into the Coop go upstairs into the Harvard school bookstore part and look in the Extension school area under Journalism. I only found out it wasn't avaliable yet in the Sates by looking it up on Amazon and found it weird I just bought a unreleased book on this continent. It's really relevant, written this year, I was surprised about how many things being mentioned in it were just on the news, or just happened. .......And seriously do you really want to vote for the same guy Murdoch is supporting? |
ashkes_muse
|
3:09p |
Nick Fenris Francis, 1982-2008 Nick "Fenris" Francis, a long time member of the Come Again Players, passed away Saturday evening in Springfield, MA after a long battle with cystic fibrosis. He was surrounded by friends and family as he passed from this world to the next. By all accounts, he lived his life, his way, right to the very end, fighting until he had nothing left. At this time, I have no information about the funeral service, expressions of condolences to his family or donations in his memory, but I will share it when it becomes public, unless another cast member beats me to it. Last night, at the insistence of the family, the Come Again Players did their weekly midnight show in South Hadley, MA in memory of their fallen comrade. Donations were collected in his honor, and, in a final show of love and respect, Nick was cast in the roll of Riff Raff (one of his three regular roles), and the cast performed one man down. Particularly poignant was the moment of Riff's first appearance on stage. When the spotlight came up, and the music began, the circle of light illuminated an empty stage. We will miss you, our cast cripple, and hold you in our hearts forever. This is cross-posted to the many Rocky LJ comms that I am a member of. This bit, though, will remain here. I feel like a coward for not being able to be there or visit him before the end. I didn't want my memories of him to include seeing him with all the tubes keeping him alive, an excuse that seems lame now that it is too late. If any part of him can know this, I hope he can understand and forgive my weakness. Rest well, brother wolf, and a speedy return. Current Mood:  sad |
myindigodreams
|
3:16p |
Sleepy Sunday I am supposed to be furiously knitting on a hat today... but I just don't want to. I've emptied the dishwasher, read 2 paperbacks and started a loaf of bread in the breadmaker (haven't done that in eons). Dinner tonight with will shortcut salmon chowder (using canned salmon) since we are between paydays and I didn't want to go to the grocery store. I think I am going to go take a nap and see if I have more energy when I get up. But if the 3 cups of tea today haven't done it, I don't know if a nap will. Like I said, a sleepy Sunday. Oh, if you want to know what I did yesterday besides stitch n bitch, check out ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) kailyn25's post here. |
|
r_ness
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2:11p |
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| Saturday, October 11th, 2008 |
laurenhat
|
3:08p |
question for the LJ hive mind
If you live in the Boston area, the Bay Area, or Seattle, I have a question for you: Do you use AT&T or T-mobile or something else other than Verizon? If so, how is the reception in general? If you've been to my house and used your phone there, how is the reception there?
I'm interested in switching away from Verizon to a cell phone company that will give me web access without charging a ridiculous amount. And that will let me text and call a whole bunch. And, perhaps most importantly, that will have good reception at my house & office & all the places I frequently go (including the Bay Area and Seattle suburbs).
I'm thinking of going with T-mobile for various reasons, but if you've got feedback, I'd love to hear it first. Thanks! |
| Sunday, October 12th, 2008 |
steelwngs
|
9:51a |
thepiratecity.org watch full movies over the internet
|
woodwardiocom
|
9:05a |
Book: Astounding Hero Tales, edited by James Lowder Unlike Chabon's two "pulp" anthologies, this is a modern anthology of pulp stories in more than just name, consisting of nostalgic excursions into the genres of the early 20th century. Authors include William Messner-Loebs, Robin D. Laws, and my old friend rdansky. Very recommended. |
thanos73
|
3:31a |
You aints stick that in their!
So I have been writing a brief out line for a class I want to do in the near future. NEDS wants me to do a class and I am kinda bored with doing the same old classes. The girl and I had a talk about doing more classes because she likes doing them and I want to do a different kind of class. We discussed some things and decided on female genital torture as a class. So instead of just half assing it like I normally do in a class, I decided to actually write down and script a full class. While writing some of the out line it occurred to can I be held liable if someone who attends the class, uses the techniques I show and hurts some one? I do not believe I can but just in case does any one know what I would need to do to not be held liable, if I could be held liable at all.
The other question I have is, what is a good title for a class on female genital torture?
Current Mood: awake
Current Music: Justine Timberlake: I'm Bringing Sexy Back |
spacehawk
|
2:37a |
Amazon Dot Com
Hey folks...
If you are going to buy from Amazon.com, I ask you all to please click through one of the links to an Amazon.com product listed on our website (Joe Haldeman's bio has a lot of books to click, for example). A percentage of the proceeds of whatever you buy will go to supporting our magazine and increasing diversity in speculative fiction, whatever you buy.
Right now it only works for the products we specifically have listed, but it should be up and running for all products very soon.
Thank you! |
miss_chance
|
1:10a |
yay
I'm pretty sure I don't have the skill to write about how great today has been.
Honk! was really just all that and a cherry on top. Perfect weather, sunny with a cool scent of autumn, and a Davis Square full of people dancing and playing, and out enjoying life. And Oh! the life! How much music can one small corner of one small city contain? Joyful Noise! Everywhere!
Sound, sound, color, life. Movement and joy wrapping itself around and through the familiar features of the square, transforming it like Christmas morning transforms a child's living room into a place barely recognized.
Laughing and clapping and dancing with friends and hundreds of people who all felt like part of a big tribe or wildly gregariously extended "family of choice," to borrow a phrase I've heard and appreciated.
It was a relaxed and energetic day, and good for the soul.
A list of lj user shout-outs for today would be silly, and I'd miss people I wouldn't want to miss. Today was full of lovely, lovely, people, and I was delighted to see all of you.
For those of you I either missed at Honk!, or who had Other things to do (and especially including y'all I'm missing who are out of town), I hope to see you soon.
Good night everyone. |
bikergeek
|
1:36a |
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mysticnightsky
|
1:14a |
Catching up with Twitter Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter |
| Saturday, October 11th, 2008 |
derien
|
10:09p |
meme-o-licious You are an Eco-Avenger, also known as an environmentalist or tree hugger. You believe in saving the planet from the clutches of air-fouling, oil-drilling, earth-raping conservative fossil fools. |
shadesong
|
9:56p |
In other news...
* The walk today went very well, financially and physically. I managed just fine as long as I kept moving; body revolted as soon as I stood still, though, and I napped for several hours. Glad I did it, though.
* Come to Harvard Square Oktoberfest tomorrow! I'll be tabling for BARCC from 2:30-5, and I'd love to see some friendly faces. :) |
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polyboston
busy