Leaving aside why anyone would create a stretch Hummer, why on earth would you park it at Kroger's on a Saturday night?
| Unshelved | by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum |
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Saturday, July 31, 2004
Eyes Burn! Aggghhh!
Bush/Kerry Pals Classic Thong
And you know what's worse? The fact that I could imagine Bill Clinton in it (yes I know, it's women's underwear...the image is still burnt into my brain).
And you know what's worse? The fact that I could imagine Bill Clinton in it (yes I know, it's women's underwear...the image is still burnt into my brain).
And what do I use my new-found audio for?
JibJab's 'This Land'...I saw it without sound earlier today, a pale shade of its glorious self. (Although I'm still scarred by the image of Kerry in S&M gear being whipped by the UN.)
I do love equal-opportunity parody. :)
I do love equal-opportunity parody. :)
And there was much rejoicing
: Happy Windows Sounds
: Groovy
- I got my state pay today, so Cerys and the cats have food, the car has gas, and I might be able to swing some of my medicine, although not all.
- After an hour of tinkering, downloading a new driver, etc., I finally got the sound back on my computer. Haven't any idea why it suddenly dropped away, although the only software I'd added was Microsoft Reader, which has a speech component, so that might have contributed to the glitch, though it was working fine at first. I put it down to gremlins.
It is quite muggy, and it's hard to believe that just a couple of days ago it was 73°F as a high! If anything, the rain seems to have made it more muggy than less.
On the flip side, I came across a couple of...well, disturbing things today, which I won't explain fully due to privacy issues--and no, neither really have to do with work or with friends, so any of you reading this, don't get paranoid. It has to do with people on the periphery of my acquaintance. One involves a document I stumbled over that had some surprising, public information about someone, and I'm not exactly sure how to take it, or whether to share that information with another person who knows him better. In the past, I'd just disseminate information (look what I found!) without considering the consequences. I'm not sure that's necessary in this case. However, I respect both enough to think the truth wouldn't damage the relationship. The other issue has to do with a business that, in the name of reorganisation, seems to be using tactics worthy of Ashcroft or even Torquemada. I don't know the whole story--it was based on hearsay, after all, and those in the know seem to have been gagged. I can see why things are being shaken up so thoroughly, but at the same time, it's putting a lot of good people who have devoted years of service under stress and the stability they were promised may have just flown out the window. As you can imagine, I can relate. And for now anyway--given my lack of knowledge--I'm going to watch and wait, and see how it goes, no matter how much I could see it as a cause to rally around. Ironically enough, it could cause job openings in a market that's almost impossible to gain entry into, hopefully without anyone actually losing a job but perhaps new positions could be created as sometimes happens with 'retoolling'--but then there are questions over whether to take advantage of the chaos others are undergoing or, for that matter, whether to become part of such a system at all. I don't know; maybe I'm thinking too much, but the ethics of the situation seem sticky.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Boom*Thunder*Hail
I was getting ready to leave my conference and head over to the station to pick up my paycheque when I decided, hey, I'm at a major research library, let's look up one troublesome question I've received.
Well, I'm a little closer to the solution, but even more importantly, about the time I sidled into the movable shelving stacks, a thunderstorm alert came out over the security guard's radio, followed almost immediately by the unmistakable sounds of a deluge beginning.
So, it did save me a drenching. Since my umbrella is in the car, and since it's coming down so quickly that the umbrella wouldn't help, anyway, I think I'll park myself here for a few minutes more.
Oh, by the way, my favourite thing about the University now that I'm not here regularly? The fact that they have free feminine napkins in the ladies' bathrooms. Sometimes being caught without one of those is as bad as being caught without an umbrella. :)
The thunder's still going, but it sounds like the rain has let up...I'm going to go take a closer look, then hopefully be on my way.
Well, I'm a little closer to the solution, but even more importantly, about the time I sidled into the movable shelving stacks, a thunderstorm alert came out over the security guard's radio, followed almost immediately by the unmistakable sounds of a deluge beginning.
So, it did save me a drenching. Since my umbrella is in the car, and since it's coming down so quickly that the umbrella wouldn't help, anyway, I think I'll park myself here for a few minutes more.
Oh, by the way, my favourite thing about the University now that I'm not here regularly? The fact that they have free feminine napkins in the ladies' bathrooms. Sometimes being caught without one of those is as bad as being caught without an umbrella. :)
The thunder's still going, but it sounds like the rain has let up...I'm going to go take a closer look, then hopefully be on my way.
Think you know your portions?
Came across this via a colleague whilst going over consumer health info at a seminar.
Take the portion distortion quiz.
Take the portion distortion quiz.
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Got my blood tests back
and pardon me for posting them here (as if any of you care), but it'll be good to be able to search them out if I need to later.
They were pretty decent...triglycerides 119 (<150 is good), total cholesterol 181, good cholesterol (HDL) is 53 (should be over 40), with the LDL at 104, well under 130. That wasn't fasting, so they're actually probably even better than that, the doctor's assistant said. I came out negative for H. pylori, so I don't have that bacterium underlying occasional gastric issues. My thyroid is good, too, at 2.76, which is good from a metabolic standpoint. I do need to drink a little more water judging from the renal measures, but that's not unexpected and actually I've been doing that already, and not hitting so much in diet colas.
The only concern is my HbA1c, which measures my blood sugar over three months...my score is 6.8. Last October it was 6.0, and the year before that, it was 5.0. But, on the other hand, it isn't bad for someone with diabetes...it means my blood sugar's been up into the 135-160 range on average--decent for diabetes, but still something to watch. I have noticed a difference in ups and downs, but hadn't been able to test regularly. I'm hoping now that I have a reliable glucometre, that I can increase my glucose control.
I forgot to ask about the liver enzymes (my mom and I both tend to run a little high, they don't know why) or the metabolic panel, but they'll be sending those results soon anyway, and I'm sure the endocrinologist I'll be seeing in August will discuss those.
I feel like I'm taking some steps forward in feeling more healthy, anyway. My blood pressure stays somewhere about 120-128/65-78, and my resting pulse is usually under 70, so all in all I feel good about going back to an exercise programme. We are going to check next month to see if my blood pressure changes when I'm tilted into different positions, to see if that explains some of the dizziness and the amount of falls I've had lately. Apparently that's something that can happen in diabetes, too. They're also going to check me over to see what's causing the numbness in my hands. So, wish me luck.
They were pretty decent...triglycerides 119 (<150 is good), total cholesterol 181, good cholesterol (HDL) is 53 (should be over 40), with the LDL at 104, well under 130. That wasn't fasting, so they're actually probably even better than that, the doctor's assistant said. I came out negative for H. pylori, so I don't have that bacterium underlying occasional gastric issues. My thyroid is good, too, at 2.76, which is good from a metabolic standpoint. I do need to drink a little more water judging from the renal measures, but that's not unexpected and actually I've been doing that already, and not hitting so much in diet colas.
The only concern is my HbA1c, which measures my blood sugar over three months...my score is 6.8. Last October it was 6.0, and the year before that, it was 5.0. But, on the other hand, it isn't bad for someone with diabetes...it means my blood sugar's been up into the 135-160 range on average--decent for diabetes, but still something to watch. I have noticed a difference in ups and downs, but hadn't been able to test regularly. I'm hoping now that I have a reliable glucometre, that I can increase my glucose control.
I forgot to ask about the liver enzymes (my mom and I both tend to run a little high, they don't know why) or the metabolic panel, but they'll be sending those results soon anyway, and I'm sure the endocrinologist I'll be seeing in August will discuss those.
I feel like I'm taking some steps forward in feeling more healthy, anyway. My blood pressure stays somewhere about 120-128/65-78, and my resting pulse is usually under 70, so all in all I feel good about going back to an exercise programme. We are going to check next month to see if my blood pressure changes when I'm tilted into different positions, to see if that explains some of the dizziness and the amount of falls I've had lately. Apparently that's something that can happen in diabetes, too. They're also going to check me over to see what's causing the numbness in my hands. So, wish me luck.
Rabid Reference Question #7
Dear Rabid Librarian:
What is a mâche plant? Where is it from?
--Curious
Dear Curious,
Mâche is a salad green from France. It is also known as lamb's lettuce. It is one of the mildest-tasting and softest-tasting greens out there. Like most greens, it does well in cool weather, but mâche also tolerates heat, and so does well in northern or southern gardens. Hope that helps. :)
What is a mâche plant? Where is it from?
--Curious
Dear Curious,
Mâche is a salad green from France. It is also known as lamb's lettuce. It is one of the mildest-tasting and softest-tasting greens out there. Like most greens, it does well in cool weather, but mâche also tolerates heat, and so does well in northern or southern gardens. Hope that helps. :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
I like to think I'm not incredibly fat phobic
Yes, I'd like to weigh less. Yes, I'd like to have better health and more energy. But this month's Fat @ National Geographic Magazine was enough to make anyone phobic. I didn't learn anything new, really, since I'm pretty up on why we as a culture are getting fatter. But the illustrations were very useful. Unfortunately, the most compelling weren't on the website. Scariest? The centerfold full body scan MRI of a 40-year-old woman weighing, 5'6", 250 lbs with a BMI of 40.3--less than me, mind you, as compared to an inset of a 36-year-old, 5'5", 120 lbs, BMI of 20. But there is also a great illustration of using common items to depict proper portion sizes (potato=light bulb, fruit=baseball, cheese=domino, steak=playing card, burrito=bar of soap, butter=die, pasta=computer mouse) and the growth of portions in the past decades. I plan on showing our dietician, who has long argued that portion-sizes are the number one issue in the supersizing of America.
Nice thing? I'm not dieting per se, and I haven't actually made it back to the gym yet, although Dr N did give me the okay to, but I have been eating more aware, trying the Carb Smart ice cream he suggested (it's made by Breyers/Good Humour, and it's actually quite good), drinking more water, and just trying to eat a variety of foods, and I've lost almost 10 pounds since Wednesday. I know it's likely water, but the odd thing is that I hadn't started the dieuretic yet, I'd already by last Wednesday receded to my norm rather than the swelling up at the ankles that spurred the consult, and I just started my period (as a surprise, a week earlier, but so did another co-worker, and we seem to have been magnetically drawn to Dwana's cycle). But I should still be dealing with PMS bloating, unless it just took my body by surprise.
Anyway, weird.
Nice thing? I'm not dieting per se, and I haven't actually made it back to the gym yet, although Dr N did give me the okay to, but I have been eating more aware, trying the Carb Smart ice cream he suggested (it's made by Breyers/Good Humour, and it's actually quite good), drinking more water, and just trying to eat a variety of foods, and I've lost almost 10 pounds since Wednesday. I know it's likely water, but the odd thing is that I hadn't started the dieuretic yet, I'd already by last Wednesday receded to my norm rather than the swelling up at the ankles that spurred the consult, and I just started my period (as a surprise, a week earlier, but so did another co-worker, and we seem to have been magnetically drawn to Dwana's cycle). But I should still be dealing with PMS bloating, unless it just took my body by surprise.
Anyway, weird.
Viruses are learning to search and grab
Welcome to the Tucson Citizen
Well, I wouldn't call them computer-savvy if they're opening unknown folders or attachments. This is certainly an interesting method of exploitation, but also find it interesting that although this article lists the other three search engines hit (Yahoo!, AltaVista, and Lycos), most only mention Google. Sure, it's getting ready to go public, but still...it says a lot about Google that it got all the attention, as well as the fact it's actually entered our language (we google something). I have to admit, I am somewhat in awe of the phenomenon that is Google.
That said, it's reassuring that librarians, who do use Google, of course, also have a plethora of other resources for finding information, some of it online, some of it in databases, but some of it in collections of (gasp!) books. I sometimes amaze people when I reach for a particularly useful reference text because I retrieved the same information in a couple of seconds that they spent 2 hours looking online for. And although viruses hit both computers and people, no one's developed one for books yet. Well, unless you count budget cuts. :)
The latest version of the MyDoom e-mail virus, MyDoom.M, fooled tens of thousands of computer-savvy workers into triggering a disruption that knocked Internet search sites Google, Yahoo, Lycos and AltaVista off line for several hours yesterday.
Well, I wouldn't call them computer-savvy if they're opening unknown folders or attachments. This is certainly an interesting method of exploitation, but also find it interesting that although this article lists the other three search engines hit (Yahoo!, AltaVista, and Lycos), most only mention Google. Sure, it's getting ready to go public, but still...it says a lot about Google that it got all the attention, as well as the fact it's actually entered our language (we google something). I have to admit, I am somewhat in awe of the phenomenon that is Google.
That said, it's reassuring that librarians, who do use Google, of course, also have a plethora of other resources for finding information, some of it online, some of it in databases, but some of it in collections of (gasp!) books. I sometimes amaze people when I reach for a particularly useful reference text because I retrieved the same information in a couple of seconds that they spent 2 hours looking online for. And although viruses hit both computers and people, no one's developed one for books yet. Well, unless you count budget cuts. :)
Monday, July 26, 2004
I missed this, having not read the paper regularly as of late
Tolerance.org: Lost History in Lexington?
The Herald-Leader dropped this bombshell in the July 4th issue:
This understatement was the beginning of a series of articles hoping to rectify that somewhat. I did see a few of the articles, though, and people's remembrances that were published. I thought it odd timing (usually they do something like that in February, and it was nice to see stories written the 'rest' of the year, and the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. The Board of Education passed in May, so I wasn't sure what prompted it. Apparently a speech given by a former editor on journalism ethics sparked today's editor to start the ball rolling. Now I know--the local paper was coming clean, decades late, but clean nonetheless. Way to go...even though I'm sure some may think it too little, too late, it's at least an acknowledgement, and a start in the right direction.
Back then, of course, it was two papers, the Herald and the Leader. They were both put out by the same publisher even then. And news of the civil rights protests was downplayed as a matter of course, out of fears of inciting violence and a belief that it might all blow over. But in doing so, those editorial decisions excised an important part of Lexington's history, a part has been slowly making its way back to light because scholars and others refused to let it lie dormant. Now, at least the archives of the paper will contain some of those stories, too.
Anyway, this is part of an ongong effort. The paper has set up an e-mail address and has invited people to share their stories. In the meantime, it's getting some national recognition, as evidenced by this story.
The Herald-Leader dropped this bombshell in the July 4th issue:
It has come to the editor's attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the Civil Rights Movement. We regret the omission.
This understatement was the beginning of a series of articles hoping to rectify that somewhat. I did see a few of the articles, though, and people's remembrances that were published. I thought it odd timing (usually they do something like that in February, and it was nice to see stories written the 'rest' of the year, and the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. The Board of Education passed in May, so I wasn't sure what prompted it. Apparently a speech given by a former editor on journalism ethics sparked today's editor to start the ball rolling. Now I know--the local paper was coming clean, decades late, but clean nonetheless. Way to go...even though I'm sure some may think it too little, too late, it's at least an acknowledgement, and a start in the right direction.
Back then, of course, it was two papers, the Herald and the Leader. They were both put out by the same publisher even then. And news of the civil rights protests was downplayed as a matter of course, out of fears of inciting violence and a belief that it might all blow over. But in doing so, those editorial decisions excised an important part of Lexington's history, a part has been slowly making its way back to light because scholars and others refused to let it lie dormant. Now, at least the archives of the paper will contain some of those stories, too.
Anyway, this is part of an ongong effort. The paper has set up an e-mail address and has invited people to share their stories. In the meantime, it's getting some national recognition, as evidenced by this story.
A Pagan translation of the Iliad
by Troy Caperton
The Iliad, of course, is the Homerian epic describing the battles between the Achaeans and the people of Troy, a war in which Gods played as much a part in as men. Western scholars have, of course, revered the text, but often translations have shown the bias of Christian scholars or Victorian prudishness. Having never mastered ancient Greek beyond the aorist case, I'm not expert enough to review its scholarly adherence to the original, but...
It is a fact that many people study Greek texts totally without regard for the cultural and religious context within which they were created, and this seems to be an attempt to restore the text to that context. Although a prose translation, the epic elements seem, from the sample I read, to be firmly intact. I'd like to see a complete copy.
Neo-Pagan scholarship has, for many years, been quite abysmal. It used to be that no one would crack open a classic work but just quote something someone else concocted five years before. But there are plenty of Pagans trained in academic research and writing who, I think, will bring a fresh perspective to ancient topics. Even Llewellyn, which used to have a reputation (at least among most of the people I knew) as a crack-pot, we'll-publish-anything-new-agey, seems to be improving, although they still run the gamut. Anyway, it's nice to see a version where they won't gloss over the relationship between Achilles and Patroklos, for example, or treat the Gods as Deities rather than merely meddlesome manipulators.
The Iliad, of course, is the Homerian epic describing the battles between the Achaeans and the people of Troy, a war in which Gods played as much a part in as men. Western scholars have, of course, revered the text, but often translations have shown the bias of Christian scholars or Victorian prudishness. Having never mastered ancient Greek beyond the aorist case, I'm not expert enough to review its scholarly adherence to the original, but...
It is a fact that many people study Greek texts totally without regard for the cultural and religious context within which they were created, and this seems to be an attempt to restore the text to that context. Although a prose translation, the epic elements seem, from the sample I read, to be firmly intact. I'd like to see a complete copy.
Neo-Pagan scholarship has, for many years, been quite abysmal. It used to be that no one would crack open a classic work but just quote something someone else concocted five years before. But there are plenty of Pagans trained in academic research and writing who, I think, will bring a fresh perspective to ancient topics. Even Llewellyn, which used to have a reputation (at least among most of the people I knew) as a crack-pot, we'll-publish-anything-new-agey, seems to be improving, although they still run the gamut. Anyway, it's nice to see a version where they won't gloss over the relationship between Achilles and Patroklos, for example, or treat the Gods as Deities rather than merely meddlesome manipulators.
It finally happened
: 'Bonny Swans' by Loreena McKinnitt
:
Immeasurably Better
Okay, I know this shouldn't be funny, but...
Dwana stopped by to drop something off and Spock (my beautiful, yet unaware ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
(as I was saying before the big lunk stepped on my keyboard)
and stupid cat wanted to be near her so much he blithely swatted his tail into the candle before I could intercept him. There was a bit of a popping sound like when a fuse lights and a bit of singed-hair smell but I scooped him up and patted down his tail before he had a chance to get hurt, so no harm done. What did he do? Press into me and purr really loudly, oblivious to how close he came to being chat flambeau.
For the record, I don't leave candles burning unattended, and Spock rarely will do much more than sniff one. He just lost his head in the presence of the Dwana. And almost his tail. :) Now he is on the comic box at my feet, happily snoozing. Sixteen years old, but he's still just a great big kitten. Have I mentioned he really is a special needs kitty? But I do love him so. Even if he does have awful messy reactions to worming medicine.
Welcome to the world, Seth
Dwana had left a message on my machine yesterday that our co-worker Becky had gone into labour Friday (apparently those weren't false pains, because she'd been feeling what she thought were Braxton-Hicks contractions at work, then went home, and her water broke). Five hours later (and only 9 minutes of real pushing) her son Seth was born. Apparently the baby started coming before the doctor could get there, and the nurse kind of panicked, and Becky actually wound up calming her. :) Anyway, one of us guessed the day, but he's smaller than any of us thought, being in the 7lb-something arena rather than the 9 lb one we thought he'd be, given his brother's size at birth. Anyway, congratulations to them. If all deliveries went so smoothly!
My friends, I give you, Kombucha
I was looking up stuff on mushroom identification (seeing as we have such a wonderful crop this year with all the rain) and stumbled upon Fungi Perfecti:the manchurian mushroom (aka: the Blob). :)
And before you go running out to get your own, keep in mind that it's an inexact science with potential for contamination, as shown in this report from the CDC.
And before you go running out to get your own, keep in mind that it's an inexact science with potential for contamination, as shown in this report from the CDC.
Things I've learnt today
1) The Roman emperor Hadrian (one of my favourites, along with Marcus Aurelius and Julian II) never put his name on anything he built.
2) Do not give cats worming medicine without confining them to a non-carpeted surface.
The first was because I was researching the Pantheon for work. The second way, unfortunately, pure experience.
By the way, I also found this site (not related to the building, but rather the grouping of the Gods of a particular religion)--Pantheon: Encyclopedia Mythica.
2) Do not give cats worming medicine without confining them to a non-carpeted surface.
The first was because I was researching the Pantheon for work. The second way, unfortunately, pure experience.
By the way, I also found this site (not related to the building, but rather the grouping of the Gods of a particular religion)--Pantheon: Encyclopedia Mythica.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Once again, we save the world
I got a lot done today. I stopped by Dwana's and picked up their paper and turned out the outside light, because I realised I'd left it on and didn't want anyone thinking they were gone. The boys (read, kitties) seemed to be doing well, and Lily, the outside cat, came running up to me. I'd fed her the evening before but hadn't actually seen her. So I got her some fresh water and more food and then headed on, happy that I'd avoided anything such as Simba pulling a quick getaway that he sometimes does at the door.
I'd started out giving my own dog a bath today, then went on to wash three more! I really need to do my cats, too, but that will have to wait for another day, because I'd rather wash an entire pack of dogs over one cat. Whew!
We played a marathon session today of the Cthulhu game, which ran for about 8 1/2 hours. Short version (I'm to tired to emote, and you probably don't care), we averted Armageddon (we think), we saved Brenda's character, his wife, and all the kids, and managed to write a program to siphon off funds from the big evil mult-national company of doom so that we could continue our fight against Cthulhu and his minions (think of Ghostbusters...how many paying customers do you think they have?) :) Dee was able to come for awhile and Brenda was able to play later than normal, so we went ahead and finished everything up. Then I did some typing on our gaming project. Now I'm home but I will not...repeat...will not play on the computer but will just go on to bed because I have a library committee meeting in the morning.
I'd started out giving my own dog a bath today, then went on to wash three more! I really need to do my cats, too, but that will have to wait for another day, because I'd rather wash an entire pack of dogs over one cat. Whew!
We played a marathon session today of the Cthulhu game, which ran for about 8 1/2 hours. Short version (I'm to tired to emote, and you probably don't care), we averted Armageddon (we think), we saved Brenda's character, his wife, and all the kids, and managed to write a program to siphon off funds from the big evil mult-national company of doom so that we could continue our fight against Cthulhu and his minions (think of Ghostbusters...how many paying customers do you think they have?) :) Dee was able to come for awhile and Brenda was able to play later than normal, so we went ahead and finished everything up. Then I did some typing on our gaming project. Now I'm home but I will not...repeat...will not play on the computer but will just go on to bed because I have a library committee meeting in the morning.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Sleep = Energy to enjoy the weekend
Last night I slept for 12 hours straight. Then it was off to a lesson--it's a study day, after a hiatus, and my tutor was not particularly pleased by my lack of recall, so we're going back over some of it again.
This was followed by a visit with friends culminating in the Great Pepper Mill and Cuisinart Hunt which was actually the most fun I've had at Fayette Mall. In my life. (The Paxil must be working). :)
Later I went over to Dwana's to cat sit and do my laundry (isn't it great when doing something for someone actually helps the other person, too?) Doing the laundry gave me about 4 hours with the cats, who were doing pretty well in their people's absence, but I think they appreciated some companionship. Simba and Baby Kitty (he really doesn't answer to his name, Midnight) curled up with me pretty well. At one point I got something out of the refrigerator and Midnight pawed in the air madly, trying to catch the door. He's quite silly, but he let me hold him a couple of times, and purred. Simba is a very big boy, over 20 lbs, and likes his comfort (he looks like he needs a remote control and beer and he'd be right at home). He seemed annoyed at me for taking his spot, but eventually shared. Armed with a remote control and cable after having none since April, I wound up watching Court TV and A&E's City Confidential. Suffice to say that once I made it home, I was feeling lucky not to have been raped and murdered on the way. Maybe forensics shows aren't the best late-night fare, after all. But the kitties saw me through.
There's a lot I should be doing. I cleaned the catbox and at least I have clean laundry, but I feel I should be doing some unpacking, etc. But you know what? It's the weekend, my day off, and maybe it's just good to get a little rest.
This was followed by a visit with friends culminating in the Great Pepper Mill and Cuisinart Hunt which was actually the most fun I've had at Fayette Mall. In my life. (The Paxil must be working). :)
Later I went over to Dwana's to cat sit and do my laundry (isn't it great when doing something for someone actually helps the other person, too?) Doing the laundry gave me about 4 hours with the cats, who were doing pretty well in their people's absence, but I think they appreciated some companionship. Simba and Baby Kitty (he really doesn't answer to his name, Midnight) curled up with me pretty well. At one point I got something out of the refrigerator and Midnight pawed in the air madly, trying to catch the door. He's quite silly, but he let me hold him a couple of times, and purred. Simba is a very big boy, over 20 lbs, and likes his comfort (he looks like he needs a remote control and beer and he'd be right at home). He seemed annoyed at me for taking his spot, but eventually shared. Armed with a remote control and cable after having none since April, I wound up watching Court TV and A&E's City Confidential. Suffice to say that once I made it home, I was feeling lucky not to have been raped and murdered on the way. Maybe forensics shows aren't the best late-night fare, after all. But the kitties saw me through.
There's a lot I should be doing. I cleaned the catbox and at least I have clean laundry, but I feel I should be doing some unpacking, etc. But you know what? It's the weekend, my day off, and maybe it's just good to get a little rest.
Friday, July 23, 2004
So sleepy must head to bed
It's been a long, long week, so I'm heading on to sleep after a very nice visit with friends and reading the first chapter of Jean Lorrah's Savage Empire. I'll catch up with you all later.
Ooh, very nice
Tile Catalogue Contents
They have custom-made tiles in Arts & Crafts, Birds, Sacred Trees, and Narrative Murals based on Tolkien.
They have custom-made tiles in Arts & Crafts, Birds, Sacred Trees, and Narrative Murals based on Tolkien.
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Well, finally, at least my fantasy net worth is up
When I collated all the alternative links for this blog under BlogShares, it skewed the results badly for a few days, leading the price to bottom out temporarily, then skyrocket once it was finally re-indexed. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to put a lot into it, since I didn't have many B$ and had reached my transaction limit at the point I needed to really buy, and then, since I'm a dabbler at best, got involved in real-world projects and didn't come back and cash in on the deal. Still, it was a great opportunity. Now, if I could just figure out how to take advantage of that sort of thing in the real world. In the meantime, I'm ranked 5032 overall in the game, have had my worth grow over 400% this month, and have a total worth (in BlogShares dollars) of over B$178,000. Not bad, even if it is just a game.
BlogShares - The Rabid Librarian's Ravings in the Wind
BlogShares - The Rabid Librarian's Ravings in the Wind
It was a good run, though
Dennis Kucinich, the long-shot candidate whose views most mirrored mine, has endorsed the Kerry/Edwards ticket in a bid for Democratic Party unity.
I can only hope that Kucinich's voice for change will be heard by the party in general, and that some of the ideas that I support are embraced by the Kerry/Edwards campaign. Although I didn't agree with everything, I agreed with most of it, and I have a lot of respect for the Congressman, particularly because he never once tried to make the election Naderesque, but rather just ran a decent campaign that appealed to progressive Democrats.
I can only hope that Kucinich's voice for change will be heard by the party in general, and that some of the ideas that I support are embraced by the Kerry/Edwards campaign. Although I didn't agree with everything, I agreed with most of it, and I have a lot of respect for the Congressman, particularly because he never once tried to make the election Naderesque, but rather just ran a decent campaign that appealed to progressive Democrats.
Rabid Reference Question #6
I hope that this question fits within your guide lines. And thanks for the offer of assistance!
Many -- a great many -- of Wal-Mart's employees make around $7.00 an hour. Also many of the Wal-Mart employees do not have health insurance. It would be great if Wal-Mart could pay at least $10/hr. and give health benefits.
How much would Wal-Mart's prices rise if they were to institute such a policy?
Many thanks in advance for any assistance
Bill McGown
On a bayou in Mississippi where it is VERY hot and muggy but otherwise wonderful
"Laws are like sausages. You sleep far better the less you know about how they are made."--Otto Von Bismarck
Dear Bill:
I'm sorry it's taken me a little while to get back to you (you should have been question #2, but it was a little more involved than most. I'm not sure this has been a total success, because I don't have a direct answer, really. I must say I now have learned a lot about Wal-Mart that I did not know before, beyond the usual concerns of giant retailers driving out the 'little guys', so thank you for your question. I had no idea just how many controversies Wal-Mart was involved in, from child labour violations to gender discrimination, to sweatshops and overseas exploitation.
I cannot give you a definite answer per se but below please find some sites that relate to your question. Specifically, I haven't found in any of my sources (and I'm sure they're out there, I just don't have access to them, but your local public or academic library probably does--I don't subscribe to business indices, unfortunately) what Wal-Mart pays per employee for its health plan or what specific percentage of employees take advantage of the plan. If you look through the sites below, you can tell how many employees there are (over 1.3 million associates) and the average pay ($8.23/hr). Also, the Workers World link below does indicate that a majority of employees do not participate in the plan, and that it would cost about 20% of their wages to do so, whereas Responsible Wealth reports that
Wal-Mart workers pay double the share of health costs as the average Fortune 500 company (40% compared with 20%), according to the Institute for Southern Studies, who also found that taxpayers spend an average of $420,750 to subsidize the average Wal-Mart store through welfare programs used by employees.
At 3,200 stores in the US, that's $1,346,400,000 in welfare subsidies.
Wikipedia
Wal-Mart Statistics
Wal-Mart Benefits
Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart's Magic Numbers
Wal-Mart Profits While We Pay the Bill
Wal-Mart foes detail costs to community
UFCW 770
Case Watch
Workers World
Responsible Wealth
However, the question as stated is how much prices would rise if they were to be paid $10 an hour and received full benefits. I'm afraid that would be very much up to how Wal-Mart implemented such an increase. At this point--and let me make this clear--we leave the territory where I'm a reference librarian, and go into speculative blogging. Now, I'm not an oeconomist, and I'm not that great at math, either, so take what follows with a heap of salt, because it's not taking into account all the variables an expert would. In the fiscal year ending in 2003, worldwide sales were (as reported on their website $244.5 billion. If you raise average to $10/hr (not everyone, but at least a start), that's an average $1.27 increase. For 1.3 million people, if you assumed 40 hours per week (which, admittedly many associates do not receive), that would be an extra $31.43 billion per year. Without the concrete numbers on benefits, you could estimate by adding in the money listed above as welfare subsidies, since if the company were taking care of its workers, they would be paying instead of the taxpayer. That brings the total to $3.278 billion dollars. I don't know Wal-Mart's margin of profit, but it's got to be better than, say, the 50% I've received as a small business retailer ordering goods. The increase in outlay is about 1.34% of total sales, anyway. Some retailers could probably do that without actually raising prices. But whether Wal-Mart would is anybody's guess, although I think many would express doubt.
A little bit of irony, by the way...I received this question a little after talking to an aunt and uncle whose town is eagerly awaiting the opening of a store because they really don't have much else in terms of employment (small town, deep South). My uncle is hoping to get on as a greeter. Of course, he's retired, and maybe doesn't need the same benefits as a young mother with children, for example. Also, that same day I was in Wal-Mart (I live a block or two away from one) and overheard associates discussing the fact that they were not signed up for health plan. Now, I think I understand why. Also, I find it interesting that back when I could afford to contribute to my retirement, the main fund I had was specifically supposed to be a 'socially responsible and aware', and it included Wal-Mart. I wonder if that is still the case? I had to cash that out last year, at a loss, actually, so I guess I can at least say I didn't profit from my time as a shareholder. :) But I think I'll have to rethink shopping there.
I also have a better appreciation for where I work. Sure, the pay is substandard compared to other libraries, but I could have a baby for a total of $10, any hospitalisation is covered 100%, medicines and exams have relatively small co-pays, and I pay something like $20/month for my medical and dental combined.
PS I grew up in Louisiana, so I understand the appeal of bayou country. I saw something the other day here which looked like a very spindly cypress and had a pang of memory, of the good old days of popping water hyacinth, mosquitoes the size of birds, avoiding 'stickers' (Bermuda grass), playing with crawdads, running from bobcats, pretending to fish with coke can tabs, and falling off a cypress ledge and fortunately not into a nest of cottonmouths (I don't know how we survived childhood before they started putting safety everything on kids). Oh, and then there was an alligator (Old George, I think they called him) who would be taken to the south of the state and let loose and then slowly walk himself back up to his lake until they decided to move him again. We were outside Shreveport, at Barksdale, so not quite the same as the lower part of the state, although I went to summer camps down near Baton Rouge. An odd environment, but I have to admit, sometimes, I miss the swamps. :)
Hmmm...an interesting artefact in Bolivia appearing to have proto-Sumerian text
As a post-script to the last post, the same site that reprinted the entire Economist article, naturally, given its name, explores other mysterious artefacts. So I stumbled on this Fuente Magna - Rosetta Stone of Americas
I haven't seen much online in terms of verifying or decrying the authenticity of the piece, although it was apparently originally dismissed as a fake.
I'm one of those people who walk a middle road on such matters--on the one hand, I believe it's easy to jump to conclusions, to put imagination over evidence, etc. There are a lot of crackpots out there, after all. But skepticism isn't necessarily based on truth, either, because in some ways 'science' is taken as much on faith as any other belief system. That which can be measured does not preclude the idea that there are things we do not have the capability or understanding to quantify. I was always taught that a true scientist does not become hidebound in her theories, but searches for new methods of discovery. I also believe that academia's penchant for specialities sometimes precludes a search for truth. After all, if something is true, then archaeology, history, and geology should agree, although admittedly it is usually our interpretations, subject to human failings, that cloud our understanding.
So, these things interest me--both sides of the debate do, in fact. I thought you might want to take a look, too.
I haven't seen much online in terms of verifying or decrying the authenticity of the piece, although it was apparently originally dismissed as a fake.
I'm one of those people who walk a middle road on such matters--on the one hand, I believe it's easy to jump to conclusions, to put imagination over evidence, etc. There are a lot of crackpots out there, after all. But skepticism isn't necessarily based on truth, either, because in some ways 'science' is taken as much on faith as any other belief system. That which can be measured does not preclude the idea that there are things we do not have the capability or understanding to quantify. I was always taught that a true scientist does not become hidebound in her theories, but searches for new methods of discovery. I also believe that academia's penchant for specialities sometimes precludes a search for truth. After all, if something is true, then archaeology, history, and geology should agree, although admittedly it is usually our interpretations, subject to human failings, that cloud our understanding.
So, these things interest me--both sides of the debate do, in fact. I thought you might want to take a look, too.
Rabid Reference Question #5
Dear Rabid Librarian:
What is the Antikythera Mechanism?
--A Reader
Dear Reader:
The Antikythera Mechanism is a device found in the early part of the last century off the coast of the island of Antikythera. Its bronze gears indicate that it may have been used as an astronomical calculating device. Others suggest that it may have been a model for the epicyclic motion of planets. It appears to date from around 80 BCE. Its existence has caused scientists to re-think ancient technology.
Here are some links about the device:
A history of the device
Pictures of the assembly
The Economist
Animations of the Mechanism
A Longer Version of The Economist Article as it Appeared in Print
There are some books you might want to check at your local library or order through stores. Among them:
- James, Peter and Nick Thorpe. Ancient Inventions, 1995. (This is an excellent book which I used to have, until I loaned it to a classmate. Must re-order at some point!)
- Price, Derek. Gears from the Greeks: the Antikythera mechanism--a calendar computer from ca. 80 BC, 1975.
- Murray, Charles. Human accomplishment: the pursuit of excellence in the arts and sciences, 800 BC to 1950, 2003.
Priceless
Two things happened on Wednesday afternoon that were just wonderful.
1) I went to the doctor. Now, you're probably thinking, 'and this is good...why?' Well, Dr N is the first doctor I've ever had who
And that, folks, is truly priceless. Want a great physician who treats the whole person and live in the Lexington area? Dr N is your man. Feel free to drop me a line for specific glowing recommendation. He's also the only one in the practice, and his staff were quite nice, too. And thanks, D for referring me.
The second great thing was I went with five friends to see Auntie Mame at the Kentucky Theatre summer classics series. Cheap fun, but also one of my all-time favourite movies (as opposed to the dreadful remake, Mame). Rosalind Russell was even more vivacious on the big screen, and I noticed details I'd never seen in video (like the sheer amount of garden gnomes at Upson Downs). It was really quite magical. Four of us had seen the movie before, although never in the theatre. Two were complete Auntie Mame virgins. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I'm not afraid to admit it...I was once so Agnes Gooch (but I think I am finally discovering my bust!) It left me wanting to 'Live! Live! Live!' to the fullest. They just don't make films like that anymore.
1) I went to the doctor. Now, you're probably thinking, 'and this is good...why?' Well, Dr N is the first doctor I've ever had who
- Is very much a plus size himself--although he's lost 60 lbs since March on South Beach, had the notches on the belt to prove it.
- Put me immediately at ease with his manner and his Canadian accent.
- Never had me even sit on the damn table and instead used it to draw on when explaining stuff.
- Who did the entire exam without having me take my clothes off, because he has a nifty stethescope that has a battery that can pick up the sounds through clothing.
- Who, upon hearing that my last doctor had declared that 'we treat ulcers and heartburn the same way' (thereby ignoring the 80% of people who have H. pylori infections that cause ulcers) guffawed and then wrote the order to have my tested.
- Who took the time to explain the difference between good and bad cholesterol, and was so on top of it he included an explanation of the brand-spanking-new recommendations that came out this week.
- Who immediately set up neurology and gynoecology appointments for me--in essence, really coordinating my care, which is what I really need.
- Who gave me a sheet with everything clearly printed out, with prescriptions to help with the swelling and also with the hirsutism caused by the polycystic (what, you mean I don't have to shave?)
- But most importantly...looked me straight in the eye, treated me as a person rather than a number and said, 'The first thing we need to work on is a change of how you think about yourself. No one can tell you what weight you should be at, what your numbers should be. What matters is getting you to a point where you feel healthy, where you have the energy to do what you want in life.'
And that, folks, is truly priceless. Want a great physician who treats the whole person and live in the Lexington area? Dr N is your man. Feel free to drop me a line for specific glowing recommendation. He's also the only one in the practice, and his staff were quite nice, too. And thanks, D for referring me.
The second great thing was I went with five friends to see Auntie Mame at the Kentucky Theatre summer classics series. Cheap fun, but also one of my all-time favourite movies (as opposed to the dreadful remake, Mame). Rosalind Russell was even more vivacious on the big screen, and I noticed details I'd never seen in video (like the sheer amount of garden gnomes at Upson Downs). It was really quite magical. Four of us had seen the movie before, although never in the theatre. Two were complete Auntie Mame virgins. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I'm not afraid to admit it...I was once so Agnes Gooch (but I think I am finally discovering my bust!) It left me wanting to 'Live! Live! Live!' to the fullest. They just don't make films like that anymore.
A quiz related to one of my favourite book series
And you know, somehow I knew I would be Barney.
Results...:
Barney
Which 'The Dark Is Rising' Sequence Main Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Results...:
Barney
Which 'The Dark Is Rising' Sequence Main Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Okay, I don't get it...
What's with all the 'remakes' of movies or series where the lead is played by a minority? I'm thinking things like 'Walking Tall' or 'The Manchurian Candidate' or even 'Wild, Wild West'. Now Kojak? These are immensely talented actors in their own right, and I'd hate to think that things in Hollywood were so bad that they could not get good movie deals on their own without some sort of 'revisioning' of something that's already been done. What's next? A black 'Man of Steel'? I'm not saying it's wrong, per se, and it wouldn't preclude me from watching, but it's almost like some sort of blaxploitation trend. For the record, I'd love to see Ving Rhames or Will Smith or Denzel Washington or Dwayne Johnson or a score of other entertainers in their own movies. Or, for that matter, more original material in movies in general, as I'm really getting tired of all the remakes of things from my childhood, whether it be the Brady Bunch, Starsky & Hutch, Scooby-Doo, or Charlies Angels. Can't anyone come up with anything new these days?
Ananova - Ving Rhames to be the new Kojak
Ananova - Ving Rhames to be the new Kojak
Upright walking a sign of brain changes?
Ananova - Monkey starts walking like a human
Of course, this will probably set off a flurry of studies where scientists try to replicate the brain damage in Natasha, and I don't think that's really necessary.
Of course, this will probably set off a flurry of studies where scientists try to replicate the brain damage in Natasha, and I don't think that's really necessary.
Oh, yay
This is going to make life a lot easier for people with food allergies.
Food labels to list allergens
Food labels to list allergens
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Sometimes taking things from the library gets you more than just fined
Former Security Advior under Clinton Sandy Berger is being investigated for taking classified documents from the National Archives (and in some cases destroying them). The investigation has apparently been going on for awhile, but it has only been recently leaked to the press, causing hoopla on both sides of the political fence.
CNN.com - Berger says he made 'honest mistake' - Jul 21, 2004
I can see taking something out in a briefcase, or even a pocket. But if it turns out he did stuff things into his socks and in a variety of different hiding spots, that's going to be very, very bad for Berger, and I'd say rightly so, if the allegations are proven. (Hey, just because I'm a Democrat doesn't mean I'm slavish about it. Politicians acting badly should get their comeuppance regardless of party.)
CNN.com - Berger says he made 'honest mistake' - Jul 21, 2004
I can see taking something out in a briefcase, or even a pocket. But if it turns out he did stuff things into his socks and in a variety of different hiding spots, that's going to be very, very bad for Berger, and I'd say rightly so, if the allegations are proven. (Hey, just because I'm a Democrat doesn't mean I'm slavish about it. Politicians acting badly should get their comeuppance regardless of party.)
Interesting, but after seeing the movie yesterday, a little creepy :)
BBC NEWS | Technology | Robots get bookish in libraries
Little worker drones busily reshelving books, shelf-reading, detecting missing books, even digitising books...hmmm; fortunately the true worth of librarians is very hard to build into a machine, so I don't think we have to worry about replacement. But visions of killer robots trying to make the library absolutely efficient do spring to mind. :)
Meanwhile, I'm not sure how I feel about the comment about the library being a 'perfect environment' for robots. How does that reflect on us? :)
Little worker drones busily reshelving books, shelf-reading, detecting missing books, even digitising books...hmmm; fortunately the true worth of librarians is very hard to build into a machine, so I don't think we have to worry about replacement. But visions of killer robots trying to make the library absolutely efficient do spring to mind. :)
Meanwhile, I'm not sure how I feel about the comment about the library being a 'perfect environment' for robots. How does that reflect on us? :)
People are silly
IMDb :: Boards :: I, Robot (2004) Take special note of the grammar discussion, which ensues ad nauseum despite the fact that you can't reason with the irrational. Also, it amazes me how many people comment about what they think a movie is going to be like based on very short trailers, and often have no intention of seeing the movie before making up their minds. Reminds me of all those silly parents convinced Harry Potter will lead their precious little ones into witchcraft who never crack open a page.
By the way, I saw I, Robot, and I enjoyed it immensely (okay, the surfing away from the explosion with cat firmly under arm was a bit much, but otherwise....) I won't get into any disputes about how closely the movie follows the book, because frankly I cannot remember anything beyond the Three Laws, or for that matter, whether I read the stories in the first place or not. It was a long, long time ago, if at all. Besides, it isn't really meant to be a faithful adaptation, but rather is 'inspired' by Asimov's work.
Favourite quotes: 'You just have to die!'; 'Don't make me call your grandmother.' I have also decided that if we are ever presented with something like the freeway scene in our Cthulhu game, it's time to just piss our pants and run.
What I did like about the movie...it deals with prejudice, and how that prejudice was used (banked on, actually) to bring about the events of the movie. The fact that the prejudiced character is played by Will Smith, who is black, helps underscore the issues playing out in the background, such as slavery, revolution, dismissive trust, and sentience--things that all played into the racial history of our culture, but applied to a new form of life. It also examines the problems when life is so unbalanced as to be strictly logical or strictly emotional, and how some prefer the logical, less-human messiness because it is somehow safer, while others fear that the logic lacks a soul. True life, true art, I think the movie is saying, requires an infusion of both, plus a little faith. I saw the movie surrounded by a lot of pre-teen or early teen boys, and although they probably came for the special effects (which use CGI without being so blatantly CGI, for which I'm grateful), I heard them passing plot points and motives around, and they 'got' the full ramifications of what was going on, so even though there's quite a good jumping point in terms of philosophy and what makes us human and sentient, it wasn't lost on them.
I rather like how Will Smith has taken roles and 'made' them his own, infusing his personality and humour without it grating. In Wild, Wild, West it was totally anachronistic, but it was also campy 'Steam Punk' style alternative history, and wasn't meant to be taken seriously. In this, it's a much more serious film, albeit science fiction (although his manner does help keep the tension from building too quickly to climax.) But you could see a man with his beliefs and incredibly weird luck bucking the system everyone else believes in. He also seems to be able to get naked in his movies and make it work. :) In this one, there is a rather...breath-taking shower scene, completely non-sexual, but I do admire the man's physique.
And although it was slightly tangential and could easily have been left out, I rather like his interchanges with the adoring white kid who goes into the hip-hop mode and just gets told to stop cussing, because he isn't good at it, and go on home where it's safe. :) If a kid is actually raised in a neighbourhood where everyone talks that way, it's one thing. When nice little surburbanites start wearing their pants down to their knees, gesticulating all over the place, and using 'yos' and 'homies' a lot, it's silly, and a bit pathetic. Oh, and I wouldn't take on the grandmother for anything. That lady would whip them all into shape.
One last thing, before going to bed. The CGI was lovely, but because my brain works in sloppy, bizarre ways, I had for a moment an image after coming out of the movie of what a 'Sonny'/'Gollum' hybrid would be like, and it was really quite disturbing--really. Shiver.
By the way, I saw I, Robot, and I enjoyed it immensely (okay, the surfing away from the explosion with cat firmly under arm was a bit much, but otherwise....) I won't get into any disputes about how closely the movie follows the book, because frankly I cannot remember anything beyond the Three Laws, or for that matter, whether I read the stories in the first place or not. It was a long, long time ago, if at all. Besides, it isn't really meant to be a faithful adaptation, but rather is 'inspired' by Asimov's work.
Favourite quotes: 'You just have to die!'; 'Don't make me call your grandmother.' I have also decided that if we are ever presented with something like the freeway scene in our Cthulhu game, it's time to just piss our pants and run.
What I did like about the movie...it deals with prejudice, and how that prejudice was used (banked on, actually) to bring about the events of the movie. The fact that the prejudiced character is played by Will Smith, who is black, helps underscore the issues playing out in the background, such as slavery, revolution, dismissive trust, and sentience--things that all played into the racial history of our culture, but applied to a new form of life. It also examines the problems when life is so unbalanced as to be strictly logical or strictly emotional, and how some prefer the logical, less-human messiness because it is somehow safer, while others fear that the logic lacks a soul. True life, true art, I think the movie is saying, requires an infusion of both, plus a little faith. I saw the movie surrounded by a lot of pre-teen or early teen boys, and although they probably came for the special effects (which use CGI without being so blatantly CGI, for which I'm grateful), I heard them passing plot points and motives around, and they 'got' the full ramifications of what was going on, so even though there's quite a good jumping point in terms of philosophy and what makes us human and sentient, it wasn't lost on them.
I rather like how Will Smith has taken roles and 'made' them his own, infusing his personality and humour without it grating. In Wild, Wild, West it was totally anachronistic, but it was also campy 'Steam Punk' style alternative history, and wasn't meant to be taken seriously. In this, it's a much more serious film, albeit science fiction (although his manner does help keep the tension from building too quickly to climax.) But you could see a man with his beliefs and incredibly weird luck bucking the system everyone else believes in. He also seems to be able to get naked in his movies and make it work. :) In this one, there is a rather...breath-taking shower scene, completely non-sexual, but I do admire the man's physique.
And although it was slightly tangential and could easily have been left out, I rather like his interchanges with the adoring white kid who goes into the hip-hop mode and just gets told to stop cussing, because he isn't good at it, and go on home where it's safe. :) If a kid is actually raised in a neighbourhood where everyone talks that way, it's one thing. When nice little surburbanites start wearing their pants down to their knees, gesticulating all over the place, and using 'yos' and 'homies' a lot, it's silly, and a bit pathetic. Oh, and I wouldn't take on the grandmother for anything. That lady would whip them all into shape.
One last thing, before going to bed. The CGI was lovely, but because my brain works in sloppy, bizarre ways, I had for a moment an image after coming out of the movie of what a 'Sonny'/'Gollum' hybrid would be like, and it was really quite disturbing--really. Shiver.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Okay, I hadn't forgotten, this was the last 'to post'
on the list.
But then I read Aaron's blog and my exasperation came back to the forefront.
I regularly donate blood about twice a year. I've always considered it a public duty (the only time I every forged my mom's signature was to donate when I was 17; I had her oral permission and was away at college, forgetting I needed it in writing), especially as I have O+ blood (almost universal donor, except for the Rh factor) and somehow managed to avoid anything that would defer me permanently from donating. I am also, by the way, on the National Marrow Donor Registry. I believe that it's important to donate, because you very well could save lives.
Now here's the hard part. I, like several other family members, am
latex allergic. This means that I am allergic to materials made from the rubber tree, including natural latex gloves and a whole plethora of equipment in the medical world. Latex allergy can range from eczema and hives to full blown anaphylaxis and death. Exposure to latex can increase your chances of adverse reactions. In terms of allergy, it tends to be on the severe side, say, along with peanut and shellfish or beesting allergies. Many people with latex allergy carry epinepherine with them in case they have a life-threatening reaction. No one can predict whether or not someone having relatively 'mild' reactions will one day go into shock. For that reason, people with latex allergy are told to avoid it as much as possible, to alert medical personnel, and educate themselves. Websites like the one above and various groups have spent the last few years educating people and companies about latex allergy. The incidence of latex allergy blossomed quickly after medical personnel started using latex gloves to help protect against HIV and other blood-borne diseases. Latex allergy is most prevalent among healthcare workers, plant workers where latex products are made, people with certain urinary or spinal disorders (especially spina bifida), people with multiple surgeries, or people (like my family) with multiple allergies. In addition, certain foods can cross-react with latex allergies (it's one of the reasons I can't eat melons anymore, although I'm okay with bananas, which are probably the number one fruit that's an issue).
It used to be there was just not much info out there to protect us. But OSHA issued warnings about this several years ago, and theoretically, most workplaces (at least in healthcare) should have a clue by now. In fact, ignoring it could bring about legal liability for anyone not treating their workers right.
Which is where I get to this rant. Aaron works for the same organisation where I give blood. When I gave a few weeks ago, they, as usual, were woefully unprepared for a latex-allergic donor on the bloodmobile. They sometimes have a few small gloves, but very rarely. So, I had picked up a tourniquet and gloves from our lab in the hospital (since we treat spina bifida, we are very cognisant about latex and even ban latex balloons in the hospital). I always forget, though, that there are two people who have to use the gloves...the person who checks my iron level and the actual phlebotomist.
Well, I have actually had the finger-stick people forgo gloves before, in order to protect me, although technically they could be risking themselves. This time I pointed out that I take my blood sugar for my diabetes anyway, so I'm used to sticking myself, and we worked out something where I did the fingerstick and filled up the tube, and then the person donned latex gloves to handle the tube and lancet, but didn't touch me. However, it is a somewhat different fingerstick, requiring more blood than a glucometre, so she had to talk me through it.
Then, when I got to the actual blood draw, I saw a woman putting on gloves and told her I was latex allergic and it turns out she is too. The gloves she was putting on weren't latex, or nitrile. They were COTTON. They went down to her knuckles and were worn under LATEX gloves to help protect her skin...but it really wasn't proper protection. The idea of a latex allergic person being required to handle latex materials every day as part of his or her job when the organisation should certainly be aware of the health risks and liability of such is mind-boggling. I don't think they were given much (if any) training on handling latex allergy at all. Theoretically, I take a chance going into a bloodmobile (which is a closed environment with iffy air circulation) because the latex proteins can become airbourne. But I do it only a couple of times a year. If I could feel more comfortable giving blood in a latex-free environment, I'd probably do it every couple of months. It should not be a matter of taking your life into your own hands to help others, when it is much easier today to avoid latex in terms of medical supplies. However, latex-free materials are generally more expensive, or at least have been. Perhaps a higher demand will drive the priced down. And when it comes to it, I think money is the issue with the organisation.
Our lab supervisor had suggested I use a comment card, but I didn't see any. I think an actual letter may be in order instead.
In the meantime, if any of you are latex allergic, please educate yourself on the dangers of this allergy and the ways you can protect yourself. And keep in mind, latex isn't just found in the medical field. It's all around us. One special area for which there isn't a lot of research is practising safer sex for the latex allergic. I've written an article [.pdf file!] addressing that elsewhere.
But then I read Aaron's blog and my exasperation came back to the forefront.
I regularly donate blood about twice a year. I've always considered it a public duty (the only time I every forged my mom's signature was to donate when I was 17; I had her oral permission and was away at college, forgetting I needed it in writing), especially as I have O+ blood (almost universal donor, except for the Rh factor) and somehow managed to avoid anything that would defer me permanently from donating. I am also, by the way, on the National Marrow Donor Registry. I believe that it's important to donate, because you very well could save lives.
Now here's the hard part. I, like several other family members, am
latex allergic. This means that I am allergic to materials made from the rubber tree, including natural latex gloves and a whole plethora of equipment in the medical world. Latex allergy can range from eczema and hives to full blown anaphylaxis and death. Exposure to latex can increase your chances of adverse reactions. In terms of allergy, it tends to be on the severe side, say, along with peanut and shellfish or beesting allergies. Many people with latex allergy carry epinepherine with them in case they have a life-threatening reaction. No one can predict whether or not someone having relatively 'mild' reactions will one day go into shock. For that reason, people with latex allergy are told to avoid it as much as possible, to alert medical personnel, and educate themselves. Websites like the one above and various groups have spent the last few years educating people and companies about latex allergy. The incidence of latex allergy blossomed quickly after medical personnel started using latex gloves to help protect against HIV and other blood-borne diseases. Latex allergy is most prevalent among healthcare workers, plant workers where latex products are made, people with certain urinary or spinal disorders (especially spina bifida), people with multiple surgeries, or people (like my family) with multiple allergies. In addition, certain foods can cross-react with latex allergies (it's one of the reasons I can't eat melons anymore, although I'm okay with bananas, which are probably the number one fruit that's an issue).
It used to be there was just not much info out there to protect us. But OSHA issued warnings about this several years ago, and theoretically, most workplaces (at least in healthcare) should have a clue by now. In fact, ignoring it could bring about legal liability for anyone not treating their workers right.
Which is where I get to this rant. Aaron works for the same organisation where I give blood. When I gave a few weeks ago, they, as usual, were woefully unprepared for a latex-allergic donor on the bloodmobile. They sometimes have a few small gloves, but very rarely. So, I had picked up a tourniquet and gloves from our lab in the hospital (since we treat spina bifida, we are very cognisant about latex and even ban latex balloons in the hospital). I always forget, though, that there are two people who have to use the gloves...the person who checks my iron level and the actual phlebotomist.
Well, I have actually had the finger-stick people forgo gloves before, in order to protect me, although technically they could be risking themselves. This time I pointed out that I take my blood sugar for my diabetes anyway, so I'm used to sticking myself, and we worked out something where I did the fingerstick and filled up the tube, and then the person donned latex gloves to handle the tube and lancet, but didn't touch me. However, it is a somewhat different fingerstick, requiring more blood than a glucometre, so she had to talk me through it.
Then, when I got to the actual blood draw, I saw a woman putting on gloves and told her I was latex allergic and it turns out she is too. The gloves she was putting on weren't latex, or nitrile. They were COTTON. They went down to her knuckles and were worn under LATEX gloves to help protect her skin...but it really wasn't proper protection. The idea of a latex allergic person being required to handle latex materials every day as part of his or her job when the organisation should certainly be aware of the health risks and liability of such is mind-boggling. I don't think they were given much (if any) training on handling latex allergy at all. Theoretically, I take a chance going into a bloodmobile (which is a closed environment with iffy air circulation) because the latex proteins can become airbourne. But I do it only a couple of times a year. If I could feel more comfortable giving blood in a latex-free environment, I'd probably do it every couple of months. It should not be a matter of taking your life into your own hands to help others, when it is much easier today to avoid latex in terms of medical supplies. However, latex-free materials are generally more expensive, or at least have been. Perhaps a higher demand will drive the priced down. And when it comes to it, I think money is the issue with the organisation.
Our lab supervisor had suggested I use a comment card, but I didn't see any. I think an actual letter may be in order instead.
In the meantime, if any of you are latex allergic, please educate yourself on the dangers of this allergy and the ways you can protect yourself. And keep in mind, latex isn't just found in the medical field. It's all around us. One special area for which there isn't a lot of research is practising safer sex for the latex allergic. I've written an article [.pdf file!] addressing that elsewhere.
Rabid Reference Question #4
Dear Rabid Librarian:
There was a book I read when I was younger, a children's book that I seem to recall was green and may have won a children's book award. There was a map inside, and illustrations, but it was a chapter book. It involved a girl who shrinks down to the size of ants. There are some ants that smell like cinnamon, and some that smell like vanilla. I seem to think there was also a beetle, or perhaps a dragonfly (the dragonfly is iffy). The ants were black and red. The girl has to find an opal that figures in the plot. I never got to finish the book. Can you find it for me?--Desperately Seeking This Bit from My Childhood
Dear Desperately Seeking:
These are the questions that you'd think would be easy to answer (because of all those nice keywords) but in fact can thwart the librarian. However, in this case, I think the book to which you are referring is:
Knee-Deep in Thunder by Sheila Moon
There are two related books, Hunt Down the Prize and Deepest Roots. A girl named Maris travels to the Great Land where she rides on a dog-sized beetle in an underground land in search of a mysterious stone. The books incorporate Navajo mythology. It's never stated that she's shrunk but the insects are in proportion to her size. She befriends a red ant and also encounters a catepillar and a tutelary spirit called the Mantid. In the later books she returns to the Great Land with a companion, Zeke, and her dog. Does this sound right?
By the way, after I found this, I came across a wonderful site with a 'Stump the Bookseller' form for just such questions, and the solutions. (I'll keep that handy for future reference.) Also, another great place to look is the Novelist database, if you have access to it through your local public library (ours has it, for example, and if you put in your library card # and PIN, you can search as if you were at the library).
It sounds like an enchanting series, akin to one of my favourites, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising, in terms of weaving mythology into the story.
I'm curious if the immunity is wearing off
or if this is the result of all those years where parents, concerned about immunisation hysteria--particularly having to do with the pertussis vaccine, which can cause physical reactions--might have found loopholes in school requirements for immunisation records, etc. Remember, it wasn't so long that parents ago that parents were holding 'chicken pox' parties to expose their kids rather than take what was a feared immunisation, even though the complications (including death) for the disease far outweighed any from the shot.
Whooping Cough concerns prompt the FDA to consider a teen booster
Whooping Cough concerns prompt the FDA to consider a teen booster
I don't normally condone bombing
But this could have saved so many lives
60 years ago, Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg and others attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in a coup attempt to oust the dictator. Stauffenberg and several other army officers were shot within hours. Hundreds of other men and women linked to the plot were later executed or sent to concentration camps.
For more on the plot, including comments a survivor of the plot, check out Expatica.
60 years ago, Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg and others attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in a coup attempt to oust the dictator. Stauffenberg and several other army officers were shot within hours. Hundreds of other men and women linked to the plot were later executed or sent to concentration camps.
For more on the plot, including comments a survivor of the plot, check out Expatica.
From another area of the world where coal is a hard, dangerous job
my condolences and prayers.
Death toll rises to 31 in Ukraine mine blast; fire hampers rescue efforts
Death toll rises to 31 in Ukraine mine blast; fire hampers rescue efforts
I'm waiting for cries of the 'mark of the beast'
But I think the idea that every person on the planet could have his or her own domain address to be, well, neat-o.
New Technology Heralds Unlimited Web Sites
New Technology Heralds Unlimited Web Sites
This is quite nifty
Colophon Blog 1976design.com
The panorama at the top changes with the time of day, weather, and moon phase to mimic the actual view from the author's parents' home. This includes sheep milling about. The page explains how the panorama was made. As Random mentions in his blog, 'Only in England.'
Though I must say, I rather miss the sheep on the family farm. Well, and the farm, since it was sold over 10 years ago. :( So virtual farm panoramas are actually a bit intriguing.
The panorama at the top changes with the time of day, weather, and moon phase to mimic the actual view from the author's parents' home. This includes sheep milling about. The page explains how the panorama was made. As Random mentions in his blog, 'Only in England.'
Though I must say, I rather miss the sheep on the family farm. Well, and the farm, since it was sold over 10 years ago. :( So virtual farm panoramas are actually a bit intriguing.
Monday, July 19, 2004
You've got to love someone who considers himself an expert on Modesty Blaise. :)
Random, a member of Twenty Questions.
His website is called Random Incident and will go onto the sidebar under 'nifty blogs'.
His website is called Random Incident and will go onto the sidebar under 'nifty blogs'.
Hmpf, okay, maybe I'm just feeling a little testy...
Apparently, they've instituted a policy where you can search inside the book at Amazon--but only if you provide verifiable credit card info. They say you won't be charged, but I don't really see much reason in giving my credit card info--on top of my normal account info--just to view a quote. I've ordered from Amazon, proven I'm a real person (since I paid them), but they need extra proof to keep publisher's happy? Hmpf. I don't know if it's a general thing or just for the book I was looking in (some reference books obviously won't let you search, since they were meant to be bought to look up quick bits of info, but this was a book where I was trying to determine how well a diet would work for a vegetarian, came up with only one mention of the word within it, so I was wondering how it dealt with vegetarianims. Ironically, I'm trying to compare various vegetarian-friendly, diabetes-friendly diets, and my friend Brenda has had very good success on Sugar Busters!, the book I was looking in. :)
For now, Ithink I'll stick with my Dean Ornish book and I've read enough about nutrition and the glycaemic index to work things out. As one reviewer put it, just about any diet works on keeping down portions, keeping down empty calories, and getting a decent amount of exercise, anyway. :)
For now, Ithink I'll stick with my Dean Ornish book and I've read enough about nutrition and the glycaemic index to work things out. As one reviewer put it, just about any diet works on keeping down portions, keeping down empty calories, and getting a decent amount of exercise, anyway. :)
Just one more reason why television is silly
ABC, NBC accuse Fox of stealing ideas for shows
The sad thing is the 'reality' show concept--or unreality, as the case may be, usually means lame shows anyway, but they're cheaper to produce (and copy) then coming up with an original dramatic series. Also, women are portrayed and minorities are portrayed pretty well on scripted series, but not in reality shows. Maybe the executives should wake up and realise that the truly innovative shows are mostly on cable, or in syndication.
Give me cable, or give me nothing.
The sad thing is the 'reality' show concept--or unreality, as the case may be, usually means lame shows anyway, but they're cheaper to produce (and copy) then coming up with an original dramatic series. Also, women are portrayed and minorities are portrayed pretty well on scripted series, but not in reality shows. Maybe the executives should wake up and realise that the truly innovative shows are mostly on cable, or in syndication.
Give me cable, or give me nothing.
Ewwwww
I woke up this morning dreaming about waking up next to someone and caressing his nipple with my tongue. Which in and of itself is not so bad, except it happened to be one of those 'kind of like X, but not X' things you find in dreams and in this case X was someone I consider to be a brother.
And I say ew again. The sad thing is that this is someone I once fell very hard for, then kind of went crazy because not only was it unrequited, but never possible at all (and here I always thought that only happened in fiction), and I have been quite comfortably thinking of him as a platonic family member for quite some time. Never mind that the attraction was more an emotional bond rather than a sexual one (yes, there was a bit of that early on, but it was a very fleeting bit of infatuation.) I suspect that when he reads this, it'll quite creep him out. Sorry, I really don't think of you that way, but I think I have such a dearth of available males about (um...none, actually) that I had to put someone's face in. Sigh. Maybe I should tap into the regional collective infatuation network and work Orlando Bloom's face in instead. :)
And I say ew again. The sad thing is that this is someone I once fell very hard for, then kind of went crazy because not only was it unrequited, but never possible at all (and here I always thought that only happened in fiction), and I have been quite comfortably thinking of him as a platonic family member for quite some time. Never mind that the attraction was more an emotional bond rather than a sexual one (yes, there was a bit of that early on, but it was a very fleeting bit of infatuation.) I suspect that when he reads this, it'll quite creep him out. Sorry, I really don't think of you that way, but I think I have such a dearth of available males about (um...none, actually) that I had to put someone's face in. Sigh. Maybe I should tap into the regional collective infatuation network and work Orlando Bloom's face in instead. :)
'Twas the night before the workweek and all through the house...
it has gotten very, very quiet. Spock is asleep under a chair behind me. Darius is in my laundry basket. Cerys is tucked into a blanket near her food dish that is serving as a sleeping annex in case the cats might want to steal her food. It's before 1 am and I'm poised for going to bed at what is actually a reasonable hour. Life is good. Now, just one game of Freecell before retiring...really, just one. ;) Well, I do feel a bit peckish, and my sugar seems low, so perhaps I should eat something beyond the carrots I had, what, 3 hours ago?
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Politics of Language
Via: Immutably Me (who was not amused).
What do you think about this ad? (it's a video clip).
I actually have to admit, I laughed. Yes, it's a bunch of stereotypes strung together...akin to saying that the French are xenophobic shits (which isn't true, I'm just saying, stereotypes work both ways.) But it was well-done. Also, keep in mind, I'm a 'stupid American', and here it's all based on colour, with very little on nationality per se, so I don't think we quite grasp the gravity of Phonic, Cultural, and Nationalistic Protectionalism. Well, unless we're on the lunatic fringe who want all the immigrants--illegal and legal--thrown out and practically want to cut Spanish from the air before it can sully our Anglophone ears (despite the fact that the USA as a whole has no 'official' language, although not for lack of trying).
I think it would make a lovely college classroom exercise in fallatious arguments or how statistics can be used to make anything SOUND true (or yes, even how advertisers can use words to make the customer think whatever they like).
I also think it also says more about Anglophobes than anything else. ;) Of course, I've always been more interested in descriptive rather than proscriptive linguistics, and think that anyone who takes language too seriously needs to lighten up (but at the same time, spelling and grammar is important in business, education, and, well, just making sure people don't laugh at you).
Of course, I'm not sure this was meant for wide-distribution (one commentor said that it was a demo), but I do know it would never be shown in the US because we're so terribly prudish in terms of suggested sexual content (a bed! shaking! with a shoe! off!) but kids can watch things get blown away without anyone batting an eye. Ah the joys of living in a multicultural world--and I wouldn't have it any other way, although maybe I should be boning up on my French (I can read it, for the most part, due to my Latin, but my pronunciation sucks because I'm thwarted by nasals, just like when I took Sanskrit)--Canada is looking like a nice place to live. I wonder how they are on librarians?
Also, I think it's interesting that the same person offended by the ad seems to have no compunction about equating the USA and the actions of our addle-pated politicians with the people of the country. Don't blame me, I voted for the winner of the popular vote...it's all the electoral system's fault.
What do you think about this ad? (it's a video clip).
I actually have to admit, I laughed. Yes, it's a bunch of stereotypes strung together...akin to saying that the French are xenophobic shits (which isn't true, I'm just saying, stereotypes work both ways.) But it was well-done. Also, keep in mind, I'm a 'stupid American', and here it's all based on colour, with very little on nationality per se, so I don't think we quite grasp the gravity of Phonic, Cultural, and Nationalistic Protectionalism. Well, unless we're on the lunatic fringe who want all the immigrants--illegal and legal--thrown out and practically want to cut Spanish from the air before it can sully our Anglophone ears (despite the fact that the USA as a whole has no 'official' language, although not for lack of trying).
I think it would make a lovely college classroom exercise in fallatious arguments or how statistics can be used to make anything SOUND true (or yes, even how advertisers can use words to make the customer think whatever they like).
I also think it also says more about Anglophobes than anything else. ;) Of course, I've always been more interested in descriptive rather than proscriptive linguistics, and think that anyone who takes language too seriously needs to lighten up (but at the same time, spelling and grammar is important in business, education, and, well, just making sure people don't laugh at you).
Of course, I'm not sure this was meant for wide-distribution (one commentor said that it was a demo), but I do know it would never be shown in the US because we're so terribly prudish in terms of suggested sexual content (a bed! shaking! with a shoe! off!) but kids can watch things get blown away without anyone batting an eye. Ah the joys of living in a multicultural world--and I wouldn't have it any other way, although maybe I should be boning up on my French (I can read it, for the most part, due to my Latin, but my pronunciation sucks because I'm thwarted by nasals, just like when I took Sanskrit)--Canada is looking like a nice place to live. I wonder how they are on librarians?
Also, I think it's interesting that the same person offended by the ad seems to have no compunction about equating the USA and the actions of our addle-pated politicians with the people of the country. Don't blame me, I voted for the winner of the popular vote...it's all the electoral system's fault.
This is sort of like the Reach Out and Read project in which I participate
Give a child that magical First Book.
Cacophony
I just came in from letting Cerys out, and a question hit me (yes, it has before, but I forget to write it down)...
If aliens came to earth, what would they make of the loud, unnerving (for many) sound made by cicadas or the phosphorescence of lightning bugs?
Even as a child I loved these two insects, collecting cast-off cicada exoskeletons or catching and releasing fireflies. But you have to admit, they're rather odd.
Anyway, I was basking in the glow and the sound tonight. I find it hilarious that people were acting like Martians were invading when the first cicadas of the year starting arriving in droves. I was pretty sure they didn't eat crops, etc. and indeed, adults, like mayflies, are all about mating rather than eating. For more on cicadas, try the Cicada FAQ.
PS I know I write about bugs a lot. I like bugs...always have. I wanted to be an entomologist (although I also love entymology) when I grew up, and did a 4-H project (modified, as I didn't want to actually kill the critters) on insects when I was about 9 or 10. I've always been fascinated with the world they encounter (which must be very different from ours, where a pebble is a hill and a rock is a mountain...it's like Flatland in action. I was the only kid in the neighbourhood who would calmly let a mud dauber fly onto her and walk around (because I knew that they were unlikely to sting, and even less likely if you just stayed still rather than flap around). This, along with punching the nose of a particularly annoying bully who was picking on a 4-year-old and getting banned from one yard for pretending to be pregnant with a doll up my shirt (I was 9, how was I to know the other kids didn't know where babies came from?), were my main claims to fame with the neighbourhood kids.
If aliens came to earth, what would they make of the loud, unnerving (for many) sound made by cicadas or the phosphorescence of lightning bugs?
Even as a child I loved these two insects, collecting cast-off cicada exoskeletons or catching and releasing fireflies. But you have to admit, they're rather odd.
Anyway, I was basking in the glow and the sound tonight. I find it hilarious that people were acting like Martians were invading when the first cicadas of the year starting arriving in droves. I was pretty sure they didn't eat crops, etc. and indeed, adults, like mayflies, are all about mating rather than eating. For more on cicadas, try the Cicada FAQ.
PS I know I write about bugs a lot. I like bugs...always have. I wanted to be an entomologist (although I also love entymology) when I grew up, and did a 4-H project (modified, as I didn't want to actually kill the critters) on insects when I was about 9 or 10. I've always been fascinated with the world they encounter (which must be very different from ours, where a pebble is a hill and a rock is a mountain...it's like Flatland in action. I was the only kid in the neighbourhood who would calmly let a mud dauber fly onto her and walk around (because I knew that they were unlikely to sting, and even less likely if you just stayed still rather than flap around). This, along with punching the nose of a particularly annoying bully who was picking on a 4-year-old and getting banned from one yard for pretending to be pregnant with a doll up my shirt (I was 9, how was I to know the other kids didn't know where babies came from?), were my main claims to fame with the neighbourhood kids.
What happened to the moon?
(Appropriately enough under dark of the moon...)
I used to have the following module on the sidebar: Moon Phases :: Calendars
but I've repalced in in favour of the Navy's because I've noticed discrepancy with the former and my own observation; I don't know if it's a calculation glitch or what, but I found the new link, and as a Pagan, the correct phase of the moon is important for me to know...I use it as a reminder, even though I'm pretty aware as to where it is when I'm out, too. By the way, you can also follow that link and plug in any date from 1800-2199 and get the moon phase, so say, you want to know the moon phase for a birth or event (great for those of you who play Werewolf and need to know an auspice).
I used to have the following module on the sidebar: Moon Phases :: Calendars
but I've repalced in in favour of the Navy's because I've noticed discrepancy with the former and my own observation; I don't know if it's a calculation glitch or what, but I found the new link, and as a Pagan, the correct phase of the moon is important for me to know...I use it as a reminder, even though I'm pretty aware as to where it is when I'm out, too. By the way, you can also follow that link and plug in any date from 1800-2199 and get the moon phase, so say, you want to know the moon phase for a birth or event (great for those of you who play Werewolf and need to know an auspice).
The Brunching Shuttlecocks have technically moved on to other things
but it's still really, really fun to play with the archive. Perhaps someday Hell will freeze over, and we'll get a return of the 'Weather in Hell', which is currently stuck on raining eyeballs.
In the meantime. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...
Gaydar the Magnificent
PS Speaking of Hell, I was talking with a friend the other day, and we decided that every couple should celebrate a 'Mark of the Beast' Anniversary (the gift is Meat). That is the sixth year, six month, sixth day. I had been listening to the radio about how the days of each month that match the month's number 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, etc. had a certain name that escapes me now, and then we were talking about his next anniversary and somehow the 666 anniversary came up. Mind you, this is what happens when you get a Pagan and a Jew with odd senses of humour together. :) I never made it to mine, which would have been April 25, 1992 (I left with four months to go, and the divorce was final less than a month before that date.) But then, there was something hellish about that whole thing, for all involved.
Anyway, my theory is that if you can get past that, you're doing pretty darn well as a couple, and should applaud yourselves and go out for a nice anniversary dinner. And if meat isn't your thing, try some of that canned vegetable-protein substitute, which is unholy in and of itself (and that's from a vegetarian)!
By the way, another fun site that isn't updated but is still up is More Weather in Hell from the movie Little Nicky.
In the meantime. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...
Gaydar the Magnificent
PS Speaking of Hell, I was talking with a friend the other day, and we decided that every couple should celebrate a 'Mark of the Beast' Anniversary (the gift is Meat). That is the sixth year, six month, sixth day. I had been listening to the radio about how the days of each month that match the month's number 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, etc. had a certain name that escapes me now, and then we were talking about his next anniversary and somehow the 666 anniversary came up. Mind you, this is what happens when you get a Pagan and a Jew with odd senses of humour together. :) I never made it to mine, which would have been April 25, 1992 (I left with four months to go, and the divorce was final less than a month before that date.) But then, there was something hellish about that whole thing, for all involved.
Anyway, my theory is that if you can get past that, you're doing pretty darn well as a couple, and should applaud yourselves and go out for a nice anniversary dinner. And if meat isn't your thing, try some of that canned vegetable-protein substitute, which is unholy in and of itself (and that's from a vegetarian)!
By the way, another fun site that isn't updated but is still up is More Weather in Hell from the movie Little Nicky.
Thank goodness I don't have these problems in real life
: 'One Thing' by Finger Eleven
: Productive
One of the special things about our Cthulhu game is that it has depth, ethics, and a sense of sacrifice to it. This goes way beyond chopping up tentacled things in the sewers (yes, Hellboy was an excellent movie for gamers).
No...every week we deal with trying to protect humans from eldritch horrors (and sometimes, themselves) with very little thanks from the world (who, after all, is not supposed to know about what we do, in order to protect their sanity). But I can live with that. We, all, so to speak, 'signed up for the Corps'.
No, the complicated thing is to minimise collateral damage to the innocents. Our characters are not allowed to kill humans--or at least humans who have not given themselves over to the 'Dark side except in self-defence, and only if it can't be avoided. We can't kill with our enchanted mystical blades at all, without having a feedback that literally will enforce those vows.
Unfortunately the bad guys have no such code. So whilst we were slowing trying to gain information to prevent one of our own who had been taken over as an avatar of the Haunter in the Dark form of Nyarlothotep, we got an unexpected twist. The character's wife, who was caring for her own children and some of the rest of our character's, was kidnapped, along with all but one of the children. They are meant to be sacrifices for the Starry Widom cult within a couple of weeks, when 'the stars are right' and a comet hangs in the sky. So, we know where Ash is, and therefore where the children will most likely be taken, but we can't move because with his powers he could literally make us stop breathing before we could even get near him. Also, if saving the world wasn't enough incentive, there are now six children's lives hanging in the balance, including two of my characters'. Sigh. The only good news? A wraith whose entire existence is to preserve the Trevanian family line is inside the evil's headquarters and she has two of her descendants and one cousin on the way there, because the kids are related to her. Go, Rowan!
Stepping outside of the game, I know most of this won't make sense to some of you, although those who have gamed and those familiar with HP Lovecraft will get it. And so will the other three in our game. As an aside, Dee was able to come back and play (she's been on hiatus for school) just in time to put her science character to work coming up with astronomical alignments. Much better than answering the phone in the background for several months. :)
Anyway, I'm home now. I've fed the animals, cleaned the cat boxes, taken out the trash, swept the floors, and put cleaner in the toilet bowl. In other words, weekend chores. I'll mop in a little while, but for now I think I'm going to go look at a book of artwork that one of the hospital volunteers brought in because she knew I liked ancient Aegypt. It's a collection done by David Roberts, a Scottish artist, and has delicately coloured lithographs painted before much of the Aegyptian artefacts were plundered by the West. She belongs to a book club and got a very nice deal. I'll have to ask her if she can still order one, because it would literally save $100 and it's a lovely book for anyone interested in the subject. (It's also in a Harrods Knightsbridge bag, which thrills the Anglophile who never has escaped the former Colonies). :) She included a photo album of her own trip to Cairo and the surrounding area and the captions show quite a puckish humour, including a comment on infidel tourists getting in the way of Muslim worship (they also got in the way of several otherwise splendid shots, particularly of mosques).
Oh...one last thing. It's hard to believe, but Brenda was dropped off by her 17-year-old today, who was the first child (outside my family) where I knew the mom whilst in the baby was in the womb and kept contact with the family over time--he was born in 1987. I was 20 years old and starting my junior year of college. I was up during the summer for the first time and going to SCA events with friends. I remember how uncomfortably pregnant Brenda was for Border Wars that year. That wasn't too long ago. Really. Was it? This bothers me a bit. Where did the years go, anyway?
Saturday, July 17, 2004
13 Essential Songs for Driving
: Relaxed
: Once More, With Feeling (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Musical)
The following are things I love to crank up and sing my heart to during driving. Oddly enough, most people probably wouldn't identify them with me--but they strike a chord with me (pun not intended) anyway.
13. Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd
12. New Year's Day by U2
11. Cecelia by Simon & Garfunkel
10. Something in the Air Tonight by Phil Collins (yeah, I confess, I own the 'Miami Vice' soundtrack)
9. Unforgiven by Metallica
8. Enemy Within by Rush (my Cthulhu character Rosalind's song)
7. Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode
6. Jack and Diane by John Cougar Mellencamp
5. Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (hey, it's about heroin and LA, but I love it)
4. Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (pure sex, pure dance)
3. Play That Funky Music, White Boy by Wild Cherry (David Duchovny and Orlando Jones, 'nough said)
2. Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones
and most importantly...
1. American Pie by Doug McLean
For Brenda
What if the Tolkien classic had been written by someone else?
Alternative Lord of the Rings
The Ernest Hemingway version truly sent me back to my most hated book ever, The Old Man and the Sea. Okay, maybe I was young and couldn't really appreciate it. But then, I never could abide Tolkien's prose either, although I love his stories and the genre that owes so much from them.
Alternative Lord of the Rings
The Ernest Hemingway version truly sent me back to my most hated book ever, The Old Man and the Sea. Okay, maybe I was young and couldn't really appreciate it. But then, I never could abide Tolkien's prose either, although I love his stories and the genre that owes so much from them.
Speaking of Battlestar Galactica
What happened to the black people?
They've 're-envisioned' the series. I'll try not to judge it before I see it, but BG was my favourite childhood TV series, and we've already gone through the travesty that was 'Galatica 1980'.
So I'm looking at the new 'Galactica'. Adama is played by excellent actor Edward James Olmos (whose voice might actually make-up for a lack of Lorne Greene). Baltazar --> Baltar who looks like he'll make a good evil guy who maybe has more depth than in the original series. Starbuck's a woman...okay, I can deal with that...no one short of a young Dirk Benedict was truly going to be Starbuck for me, so it's good to have a different kind of character entirely. Boomer is an Asian woman. The original names have become nicknames. Okay. Tigh is a white guy...wait, actually, it took some digging, but I finally found a petty officer who will be on the bridge. I do believe casting should be fairly colour-blind, but one of the things I liked about Battlestar Galactica (and the British shows from the seventies I loved--Space: 1999 and The Tomorrow People) was an attempt to give a truly multicultural feel. I think if I were casting a show that represented humanity, I'd put in a good mix of actors from all sorts of backgrounds--including indigenous Americans, Indians, and others you don't see as much, in a non-caracatured way. But, hey, I'm not a casting director, so more good actors and actresses will have to claw their way up the top without my help. :)
They've 're-envisioned' the series. I'll try not to judge it before I see it, but BG was my favourite childhood TV series, and we've already gone through the travesty that was 'Galatica 1980'.
So I'm looking at the new 'Galactica'. Adama is played by excellent actor Edward James Olmos (whose voice might actually make-up for a lack of Lorne Greene). Baltazar --> Baltar who looks like he'll make a good evil guy who maybe has more depth than in the original series. Starbuck's a woman...okay, I can deal with that...no one short of a young Dirk Benedict was truly going to be Starbuck for me, so it's good to have a different kind of character entirely. Boomer is an Asian woman. The original names have become nicknames. Okay. Tigh is a white guy...wait, actually, it took some digging, but I finally found a petty officer who will be on the bridge. I do believe casting should be fairly colour-blind, but one of the things I liked about Battlestar Galactica (and the British shows from the seventies I loved--Space: 1999 and The Tomorrow People) was an attempt to give a truly multicultural feel. I think if I were casting a show that represented humanity, I'd put in a good mix of actors from all sorts of backgrounds--including indigenous Americans, Indians, and others you don't see as much, in a non-caracatured way. But, hey, I'm not a casting director, so more good actors and actresses will have to claw their way up the top without my help. :)
Area hospitals brace for mass swooning
As filming for Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown (2005) has begun in nearby Versailles (for those of you unintiated to the weirdness that is Kentucky, it's pronounced...and yes...I cringe...'Ver-SALES'). The movie stars Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, and Susan Sarandon, so you can imagine that fans are swooning, or at least appreciating a little glow from Hollywood (the last movie that drew this much attention was Seabiscuit, filmed in part at Keeneland Race Track, starring Tobey Maguire. The cast and crew are staying here in Lexington, so there's been a bit of celebrity-spotting (especially regarding Orlando Bloom, as you can imagine, who has literally set young friends into oohs of excitement with his looks, his accent, and apparently, his politeness (setting aside his lunch tray to shake hands and introduce himself, etc.)
Sigh. Okay, most of the swooning is for the 9-12-year-old set, but I understand--I don't go wild for Orlando Bloom, but I do quite 'get' his appeal. And I don't have the least attraction to Ashton Kutcher, who was originally slated to be in the movie.
Give me a man with a British, Irish, or Virginia Tidewater accent any time, and like so many other American women, I turn to jelly. I was watching the premiere of Stargate: Atlantis last night and although I do quite like the lead male actor Joe Flanigan, the one that I just clicked with immediately was the Scottish Dr Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion).
Incidentally, I was immediately hooked by this show. I loved the movie Stargate, and have enjoyed what episodes of SG1 I've managed to watch (oh, to not have cable!), but this one made me want to truly be a part of the team. It has a lot of potential, all the good aspects of, say, Space: 1999 and ST: Voyager (marooned in another galaxy, encountering new friends and foes). Unlike SG1's stark military-mission style, this is about scientific and diplomatic exploration, with a very organic feel.
I'm hoping to be able to watch it regularly (and get cable before the new Battlestar Galactica series comes out). Now that SciFi is on our basic cable system, it's well worth getting.
Sigh. Okay, most of the swooning is for the 9-12-year-old set, but I understand--I don't go wild for Orlando Bloom, but I do quite 'get' his appeal. And I don't have the least attraction to Ashton Kutcher, who was originally slated to be in the movie.
Give me a man with a British, Irish, or Virginia Tidewater accent any time, and like so many other American women, I turn to jelly. I was watching the premiere of Stargate: Atlantis last night and although I do quite like the lead male actor Joe Flanigan, the one that I just clicked with immediately was the Scottish Dr Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion).
Incidentally, I was immediately hooked by this show. I loved the movie Stargate, and have enjoyed what episodes of SG1 I've managed to watch (oh, to not have cable!), but this one made me want to truly be a part of the team. It has a lot of potential, all the good aspects of, say, Space: 1999 and ST: Voyager (marooned in another galaxy, encountering new friends and foes). Unlike SG1's stark military-mission style, this is about scientific and diplomatic exploration, with a very organic feel.
I'm hoping to be able to watch it regularly (and get cable before the new Battlestar Galactica series comes out). Now that SciFi is on our basic cable system, it's well worth getting.
Friday, July 16, 2004
A joke from Dwana
A woman gets home, screeches her car into the driveway, runs into the house, slams the door and shouts at the top of her lungs: "Honey, pack your bags. I won the lottery!"Okay, back to report writing.
The husband says: "Oh my! What should I pack, beach stuff or mountain stuff?"
"Doesn't matter," she says. "Just get the hell out."
Freak Out!
I'm sure my arachnophobic friends will grin at the payback of my going the bathroom this morning, changing the toilet paper, doing my business, and then noticing the smushed spider (I presume, from the legs, as it was no longer in any coherent articulation) in the bit of tissue I'd just used. I like spiders. I don't particularly like spiders ON me, and there were a few moments whilst I calculated whether the creature had been on the toilet paper or on me, and whether I'd killed it in using the paper (it's something I'm not supposed to do, at least on purpose, religion-wise, sort of like Jews not eating pork).
And before they say, 'I'm never coming into your house again!', it's an aberration, and for all I know it was in the roll from the store.
Second bit of freak-out:
So, I'm on my way to work, tooling down Beaver Creek Drive, and there is a pickup truck with a full-blown, stuffed DEER in the back, missing an ear, and without any sort of rack, so it may have been a doe. Besides the mind-boggling cost of taxidermy, it just was too surreal. Granted, I live in a state where many small newspapers print photos of the latest 'catch', with a proper record of points, but...this was just weird. Not to mention, if the deer were taxidermied, I don't think anyone actually ate it, and that is a waste. Even though I'm a vegetarian, I'm not entirely opposed to hunting--I just believe that if you kill it, you should be willing to eat it, and vice versa. I'm surprised they didn't just tie it to the hood as some sort of ornament. Sheesh.
PS I've been told by some acquaintances who are more familiar with deer hunting that it might be a target used for practice, since they can be very lifelike. On the other hand, it seemed to have the fur of an actual deer, and it didn't seem to have holes or anything in it. Any ideas?
PPS It is indeed a deer target; I drove by on the way home and it's modular foam from the back, and less life-like. Also I was informed that deer, like horses, have hair, not fur (although I thought technically people were the only ones who had hair; there's a question to research for myself). Still, it's probably like the difference between fruit and vegetables...tomatoes are technically fruit in the botanical sense, but they're recognised as a vegetable by most, that sort of thing.
And before they say, 'I'm never coming into your house again!', it's an aberration, and for all I know it was in the roll from the store.
Second bit of freak-out:
So, I'm on my way to work, tooling down Beaver Creek Drive, and there is a pickup truck with a full-blown, stuffed DEER in the back, missing an ear, and without any sort of rack, so it may have been a doe. Besides the mind-boggling cost of taxidermy, it just was too surreal. Granted, I live in a state where many small newspapers print photos of the latest 'catch', with a proper record of points, but...this was just weird. Not to mention, if the deer were taxidermied, I don't think anyone actually ate it, and that is a waste. Even though I'm a vegetarian, I'm not entirely opposed to hunting--I just believe that if you kill it, you should be willing to eat it, and vice versa. I'm surprised they didn't just tie it to the hood as some sort of ornament. Sheesh.
PS I've been told by some acquaintances who are more familiar with deer hunting that it might be a target used for practice, since they can be very lifelike. On the other hand, it seemed to have the fur of an actual deer, and it didn't seem to have holes or anything in it. Any ideas?
PPS It is indeed a deer target; I drove by on the way home and it's modular foam from the back, and less life-like. Also I was informed that deer, like horses, have hair, not fur (although I thought technically people were the only ones who had hair; there's a question to research for myself). Still, it's probably like the difference between fruit and vegetables...tomatoes are technically fruit in the botanical sense, but they're recognised as a vegetable by most, that sort of thing.
And the 'reinventing the wheel' prize goes to?
Health Information - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Some librarians are questioning why this was made on top of MedlinePlus at the National Library of Medicine (which is part of The National Institutes of Health. I figure someone decided the more ways you can get the information out there, the more likely somebody will stumble over it. But the new site describes MedlinePlus as a health database (which it does contain, but it really is a lot more), and doesn't mention that it is specifically geared towards consumers.
Granted, NIH did roll out PubMed after realising that the Entrez system that another department had come up with for searching for genetic research had better end-user capabilities than the old Grateful Med for searching MEDLINE, and the rest was history.
PS According to subsequent discussion, the mission of each page is different. The NIH page exists to show the public the results of public funding for research, on a site clearly within the NIH, whereas MedlinePlus is for broader health information.
I think we as librarians are sometimes a little super-sensitive to anything where the library--a wonderful reference--might be looked over in favour of other depositories of information, especially given that we know the efforts put into our cataloguing, indexing, etc., and sometimes we assume that we do it best. In truth, we probably do it better than most, and certainly the web's chaos would be easier to navigate with more librarians to whip it into shape, but we don't have a corner on the market. :)
Some librarians are questioning why this was made on top of MedlinePlus at the National Library of Medicine (which is part of The National Institutes of Health. I figure someone decided the more ways you can get the information out there, the more likely somebody will stumble over it. But the new site describes MedlinePlus as a health database (which it does contain, but it really is a lot more), and doesn't mention that it is specifically geared towards consumers.
Granted, NIH did roll out PubMed after realising that the Entrez system that another department had come up with for searching for genetic research had better end-user capabilities than the old Grateful Med for searching MEDLINE, and the rest was history.
PS According to subsequent discussion, the mission of each page is different. The NIH page exists to show the public the results of public funding for research, on a site clearly within the NIH, whereas MedlinePlus is for broader health information.
I think we as librarians are sometimes a little super-sensitive to anything where the library--a wonderful reference--might be looked over in favour of other depositories of information, especially given that we know the efforts put into our cataloguing, indexing, etc., and sometimes we assume that we do it best. In truth, we probably do it better than most, and certainly the web's chaos would be easier to navigate with more librarians to whip it into shape, but we don't have a corner on the market. :)
Who would guess
That my blog would pop up with the following search?
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?FORM=SMCRT&q=oral%20sex%20postions%20pictures
Poor horny bastards...trust me, it's been waaay too long; I doubt you'll find anything of what you're looking for. (But feel free to look around anyway.)
Okay, my feet are swollen again, and I think I have a chance of going to sleep relatively early tonigh, so I'm going to head on to bed. 'Night.
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?FORM=SMCRT&q=oral%20sex%20postions%20pictures
Poor horny bastards...trust me, it's been waaay too long; I doubt you'll find anything of what you're looking for. (But feel free to look around anyway.)
Okay, my feet are swollen again, and I think I have a chance of going to sleep relatively early tonigh, so I'm going to head on to bed. 'Night.
I love this song
And thanks to Kimsiz?, I know the band's actual name. Whenever I heard it on the radio, I thought they said, 'Finger Loving', which is a whole different visual. :)
It figures that the licence plate we love to hate
actually won Best License Plate Award for 2003.
WKYT 27 NEWSFIRST & WYMT Mountain News - Kentucky license plate wins top honors from national group
Mind you, it is a particularly customisable licence plate. I've seen stickers put over the smiley face to look like bullet holes or sunglasses (and that was a suggestion from the clerk's office!) I've tinkered with the notion of printing up some magnets to decorate it for holidays.
I used to have a licence plate that was one of the pay-more-for-charity ones that had a 'I care about kids' logo with...yes, a sun, as if drawn by a little kid. It helped fund child abuse prevention programmes. When I got this car, it already had the new plate. Somehow, the sun on my other plate didn't bother me. I think it's the Toontown (for those who remember Roger Rabbit) or breakfast cereal qualities that just make me want to gag. Well, that and the 'It's that friendly' logo. Fortunately, I don't really have to look at the one on my car that much, and they're now so ubiquitous that I ignore them on others.
WKYT 27 NEWSFIRST & WYMT Mountain News - Kentucky license plate wins top honors from national group
Mind you, it is a particularly customisable licence plate. I've seen stickers put over the smiley face to look like bullet holes or sunglasses (and that was a suggestion from the clerk's office!) I've tinkered with the notion of printing up some magnets to decorate it for holidays.
I used to have a licence plate that was one of the pay-more-for-charity ones that had a 'I care about kids' logo with...yes, a sun, as if drawn by a little kid. It helped fund child abuse prevention programmes. When I got this car, it already had the new plate. Somehow, the sun on my other plate didn't bother me. I think it's the Toontown (for those who remember Roger Rabbit) or breakfast cereal qualities that just make me want to gag. Well, that and the 'It's that friendly' logo. Fortunately, I don't really have to look at the one on my car that much, and they're now so ubiquitous that I ignore them on others.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Ooh, Blogger just keeps getting better, easier
New features include a compose-vs.-code screen with word processor-like formatting, and blogging via e-mail. Thanks, guys...I like. :)
Ugh
I made an appointment with a new doctor today. He comes highly recommended by Dwana, who has known him personally and professionally for years. Among other things, he is very thorough and treats the whole person. Given my health issues (diabetes, acid reflux, polycystic ovarian syndrome, insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome, fibromyalgia, asthma, sleep apnea, allergies, and anxiety issues), I think it's important to have someone who will take time to deal with all of the issues and recognise that they interact. He also has specialties in family practice, general practice, emergency medicine, and neurology, so that's a pretty impressive background.
The last time I went for a checkup at the practice I normally go to, in October, I felt that it was rather cursory and aimed at just the basics--pap, bloodwork, and writing a prescription for any drugs I've been on. They seem rather symptom based rather than cause-based. For example, I was treated for an ulcer with Nexium with no mention of testing for H. pylori, which is now recognised to be the culprit in about 80% of cases. While it did improve for awhile, I think it was just a temporary fix. I'd rather go for the underlying problems. Also, since most of my issues are actually inter-related, I really feel they need to be treated that way.
Normally I have to be dragged to the doctor. But the last few days I've been having edema (swelling) in my joints, especially my ankles. For a fat woman, I normally have nicely shaped ankles, but they're bulging by midday up to 2 inches more in diametre, and are painful and make it difficult to walk. I've been soaking them in cool water and trying to elevate them. This has been going on for about four days now. Today, for example, I had to take my shoes off right after lunch, then came home, got in bed, elevated my feet and lost a good three hours or so that I could have been unpacking or doing housework. Sitting at the computer or driving around makes it worse. It only seems to be relieved if I can prop a pillow under my knees. Even once the swelling went down, the pain stayed. I have to admit, I just feel blah. I do occasionally have trouble with swelling, especially in the summer, but not usually this bad. My diet really hasn't changed in terms of salt, etc., but I have been eating more wheat, dairy, and eggs--foods I'm allergic to but can usually tolerate. My blood pressure has been checked recently and it's been normal. Given the hormonal issues I have and the fact that I should be ovulating, I rather wonder if I didn't this month, leading to Progesterone Low or Estrogen Dominance, which can cause edema, osteoporosis, and irregular periods. If that's the case, it might be alleived with progesterone, or at least another diuretic. I'd like to get back into a regular routine at the gym, too, but the pain in my ankles and knees have made me less inclined to go. I suspect it would actually help, since sitting makes it worse, but I want to check with the doctor first.
In the meantime, I've taken a cool bath that seems to have helped and I've got my feet propped up on a comic book box. My appointment is next Wednesday.
The last time I went for a checkup at the practice I normally go to, in October, I felt that it was rather cursory and aimed at just the basics--pap, bloodwork, and writing a prescription for any drugs I've been on. They seem rather symptom based rather than cause-based. For example, I was treated for an ulcer with Nexium with no mention of testing for H. pylori, which is now recognised to be the culprit in about 80% of cases. While it did improve for awhile, I think it was just a temporary fix. I'd rather go for the underlying problems. Also, since most of my issues are actually inter-related, I really feel they need to be treated that way.
Normally I have to be dragged to the doctor. But the last few days I've been having edema (swelling) in my joints, especially my ankles. For a fat woman, I normally have nicely shaped ankles, but they're bulging by midday up to 2 inches more in diametre, and are painful and make it difficult to walk. I've been soaking them in cool water and trying to elevate them. This has been going on for about four days now. Today, for example, I had to take my shoes off right after lunch, then came home, got in bed, elevated my feet and lost a good three hours or so that I could have been unpacking or doing housework. Sitting at the computer or driving around makes it worse. It only seems to be relieved if I can prop a pillow under my knees. Even once the swelling went down, the pain stayed. I have to admit, I just feel blah. I do occasionally have trouble with swelling, especially in the summer, but not usually this bad. My diet really hasn't changed in terms of salt, etc., but I have been eating more wheat, dairy, and eggs--foods I'm allergic to but can usually tolerate. My blood pressure has been checked recently and it's been normal. Given the hormonal issues I have and the fact that I should be ovulating, I rather wonder if I didn't this month, leading to Progesterone Low or Estrogen Dominance, which can cause edema, osteoporosis, and irregular periods. If that's the case, it might be alleived with progesterone, or at least another diuretic. I'd like to get back into a regular routine at the gym, too, but the pain in my ankles and knees have made me less inclined to go. I suspect it would actually help, since sitting makes it worse, but I want to check with the doctor first.
In the meantime, I've taken a cool bath that seems to have helped and I've got my feet propped up on a comic book box. My appointment is next Wednesday.
How to wow everyone around you
: Kind of surprised
Yesterday afternoon I took the plunge and had my hair cut short. I had been thinking about it for awhile, but decided to go ahead and do it to express some solidarity with a friend who was going quite short after years of luxuriously long hair that others would kill for. I had been quite hot, which led to my hair just getting stringy (I have baby fine hair, so it doesn't take much for that to happen). It also had gotten quite flyaway and generally a nuisance. I wasn't sure, given how full my face is, how well a short cut would do (you know, little tiny head on great big body looks like a Weeble).
Well, the lady who cut my hair had a round face as well, and took her time to shape and layer a lot. And now...it's perfect. It's poufy up on top, where it normally just hangs. I have a rather flat head, so I can't hope that the shape of my head really would help achieve height. Granted, she put a lot of putty in my hair that kind of gave me helmet hair (and later, anime hair), but after washing it and playing with it, it comes out soft, with my natural wave put to good use rather than putting up a fight. I saw my three dearest friends yesterday, and it passed muster. One has been trying to get me to do this for years, but at the same time recognised that if I went too short it would be a disaster, having seen me do that once.
At work, I had people not recognise me, or just stop and go 'wow!' Our resident dedicated-to-long-hair guy who mourns when women crop their hair had to admit that it was just what I needed, and that it worked for me. So, apparently it was a hit all around.
It's easier to take care of and takes a lot less work and product, which is great because I really hate to spend time on my hair. The biggest challenge, actually, is to do whatever I'm going to do to it quickly, because it dries so fast.
The other nice thing is that rather than accentuating my double chin(s), it draws attention to my eyes, which are a much better feature. I look thinner, and apparently younger, which is nice, as associate short hair with older women and was afraid I'd start looking my age. :)
So, I'm happy with the results. I have to admit I was nervous when I realised how much was falling to the floor during the cut, but it came out quite nicely.
I hadn't checked on this in awhile...
BlogShares - The Rabid Librarian's Ravings in the Wind
Current valuation=B$5,935.99
Analysis: This is a growing blog (BUY). This stock is underpriced (BUY).
An outgoing link is worth: B$65.61.
The highest anticipated future value of an incoming link is B$992.93 (from London Underground). John's various blogs are also nicely valued. :)
BlogShares is fun, because it gives a look at the interaction between blogs, and makes the stock market almost comprehensible for those of us who are business-challenged.
Current valuation=B$5,935.99
Analysis: This is a growing blog (BUY). This stock is underpriced (BUY).
An outgoing link is worth: B$65.61.
The highest anticipated future value of an incoming link is B$992.93 (from London Underground). John's various blogs are also nicely valued. :)
BlogShares is fun, because it gives a look at the interaction between blogs, and makes the stock market almost comprehensible for those of us who are business-challenged.
We all make mistakes
But it's really bad when basic spelling and grammar mistakes makes your readers come crashing to a halt. Hopefully the errors in the The Washington Dispatch will be changed; the comments tell the tale, though.
Rabid Reference Question # 3
I'm counting this, even though it wasn't submitted to Rabid Reference per se. A fellow librarian was looking for the average reading level for a county in North Carolina, and neither she nor the public library were having any luck. I came across this, which listed mean literacy levels, in a way that should be able to be converted to reading level. It was an interesting document (it's in .pdf form) Literacy in North Carolina. An HTML version can be read here.
The great things about librarians is that although individually we are usually information dynamos, each of us has various areas of esperience or speciality, and so if there's something we can't find, we can solicit help from others, either by calling colleagues or placing requests on lists. When you ask a librarian a question, you aren't just getting his or her expertise, but tapping into the collective ability of thousands of information professionals. So, if you're ever in a library and feeling reluctant to 'bother' the librarian, go for it. We like it. It's one reason we go into the field. Random bits of info to be found like a needle in a haystack gets our juices going. And trust me, contrary to media portrayals, librarians are juicy.
PS This also demonstrates the need for reference interviews, because sometimes even when librarians ask their question, it's not what they're actually looking for. In this instance, the person was actually looking for what grade level patient information guides should be written in (a common request in the health field), which really had nothing to do with the question asked. This would explain why they 'weren't having any luck'--I'm sure they found what I did, and dismissed it as not being exactly what they wanted. I just wish that when requests are put out on lists, they were as specific as possible. We sort of expect that of other librarians, because unlike patrons, we know how the system works. But, hey, it happens.
The great things about librarians is that although individually we are usually information dynamos, each of us has various areas of esperience or speciality, and so if there's something we can't find, we can solicit help from others, either by calling colleagues or placing requests on lists. When you ask a librarian a question, you aren't just getting his or her expertise, but tapping into the collective ability of thousands of information professionals. So, if you're ever in a library and feeling reluctant to 'bother' the librarian, go for it. We like it. It's one reason we go into the field. Random bits of info to be found like a needle in a haystack gets our juices going. And trust me, contrary to media portrayals, librarians are juicy.
PS This also demonstrates the need for reference interviews, because sometimes even when librarians ask their question, it's not what they're actually looking for. In this instance, the person was actually looking for what grade level patient information guides should be written in (a common request in the health field), which really had nothing to do with the question asked. This would explain why they 'weren't having any luck'--I'm sure they found what I did, and dismissed it as not being exactly what they wanted. I just wish that when requests are put out on lists, they were as specific as possible. We sort of expect that of other librarians, because unlike patrons, we know how the system works. But, hey, it happens.
This was a very interesting article
one about terrorism published on a women's financial news site even though it's usually outside of their perview because of the experiences of one of their writers on a domestic flight. It examines the problems in balancing the safety of passengers without racially profiling, and how scary suspicous activity can be. It also was an incident that didn't really get covered by media, and might have been ignored had the author not been aboard. I heard about it when one of the author's friends called in to a radio programme. I don't know what was really happening on that flight, but it certainly would be considered suspicious.
Terror in the Skies, Again? - WomensWallStreet
Terror in the Skies, Again? - WomensWallStreet
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Rabid Reference Question #2
Dear Rabid Librarian:
Awhile ago I heard about a system for moving that used some sort of plastic pod that could be packed and then moved. Can you tell me more?
You Know Who I Am
Dear Y (and indeed, I do, for I know all, I see all--wait, that's you),
Few people know that the Rabid Librarian is quite taken with anything modular, from assorted anime vehicles to domed cities to space exploration systems to her own toothbrush. So, the object of your quest truly warmed the cockles of her heart. The system to which you refer is called PODS: Portable On-Demand Storage. Their website will give you all the information you could want. This is really quite a cool concept and I so wish I could have utilised it in my recent move. I also love anything with a multi-function (I own no less than three multi-tools in addition to two Swiss Army knives), so I pleased me to see that not only can you pack a POD to move, you can also just put it right into storage. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. :)
Awhile ago I heard about a system for moving that used some sort of plastic pod that could be packed and then moved. Can you tell me more?
You Know Who I Am
Dear Y (and indeed, I do, for I know all, I see all--wait, that's you),
Few people know that the Rabid Librarian is quite taken with anything modular, from assorted anime vehicles to domed cities to space exploration systems to her own toothbrush. So, the object of your quest truly warmed the cockles of her heart. The system to which you refer is called PODS: Portable On-Demand Storage. Their website will give you all the information you could want. This is really quite a cool concept and I so wish I could have utilised it in my recent move. I also love anything with a multi-function (I own no less than three multi-tools in addition to two Swiss Army knives), so I pleased me to see that not only can you pack a POD to move, you can also just put it right into storage. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. :)
I can't believe I did this
I went through a drive-through for Schlotzky's, and I'm not that familiar with their menu, and I couldn't find the one thing I have had there in the past.
Me: Do you have an Italian pizza? I've had one before but I don't see it.
Clerk: We have a Mediterranean pizza. It has Feta cheese.
Me: (I haven't really gotten to the point of loving Feta, so I groan a little). No, it had tomatoes on it, I remember that.
Clerk: Tuscan Herb?
Me: That's it! I'd like one of those please.
Clerk: Just one?
Me: Yes, that's fine.
It occurred to me at that moment, in a flash of embarrassment, that I had done the equivalent of every librarian's pet peeve...the 'Do you have this book, I think it's red' patron.
Patron: I'm looking for a book.
Librarian: What kind of book are you looking for?
Patron: It's red. (Voice tone seems to indicate this is meaningful.)
Librarian: Do you remember the author, or what it's about?
Patron: Um...there were a couple of kids in it. I read it as a child. It was my favourite. (Must not have made that much of an impression, though).
Librarian then asks a series of questions aimed at getting the one piece of information that will let him/her latch upon the correct book. This varies. For example, a red children's book about a bull is probably Ferdinand. One about a couple of kids is going to take a lot more, especially when covers update over years.
Anyway, I apologised to the clerk for being an idiot. I know how she feels. :)
Me: Do you have an Italian pizza? I've had one before but I don't see it.
Clerk: We have a Mediterranean pizza. It has Feta cheese.
Me: (I haven't really gotten to the point of loving Feta, so I groan a little). No, it had tomatoes on it, I remember that.
Clerk: Tuscan Herb?
Me: That's it! I'd like one of those please.
Clerk: Just one?
Me: Yes, that's fine.
It occurred to me at that moment, in a flash of embarrassment, that I had done the equivalent of every librarian's pet peeve...the 'Do you have this book, I think it's red' patron.
Patron: I'm looking for a book.
Librarian: What kind of book are you looking for?
Patron: It's red. (Voice tone seems to indicate this is meaningful.)
Librarian: Do you remember the author, or what it's about?
Patron: Um...there were a couple of kids in it. I read it as a child. It was my favourite. (Must not have made that much of an impression, though).
Librarian then asks a series of questions aimed at getting the one piece of information that will let him/her latch upon the correct book. This varies. For example, a red children's book about a bull is probably Ferdinand. One about a couple of kids is going to take a lot more, especially when covers update over years.
Anyway, I apologised to the clerk for being an idiot. I know how she feels. :)
Tiger's Owner Calls Shooting 'Murder'
Tiger's Owner Calls Shooting 'Murder'
You all know I'm an animal lover. But...
You all know I'm an animal lover. But...
- Tigers are wild animals. They are meant to be in wild. They are not meant to be kept in a maze of cages in Florida.
- I really question menageries kept by private citizens. It's hard to tell just how they're being kept, what sort of safeguards there are, etc. We have a local lion that is someone's 'pet'. Wild animals are not pets. Big cats are in no way domesticated.
- This guy has already been involved in the mauling (by another tiger) of a visitor already.
- No, man, it's not necessarily all about you. Most people encountering a lose tiger who happened to have a rifle would probably shoot. It would be better if the tiger could be sedated, but it had been running around for more than a day in a residential area. Even if someone opened the gate, why on earth would security be so lax that they could?
- Me-thinks playing Tarzan went to the brain. Granted, I don't know the man, I only know what I've read. But based on that, it's an opinion.
- Why would you de-claw a tiger? To make it 'safe'? What next, pull a Yukon Cornelius and tap it's teeth out? Sheesh. So it can't live in the wild. It doesn't sound like it has a true habitat (running free within a preserve, etc. What tiger wouldn't walk out, given the opportunity?
- Anytime a person adopts an animal, he or she is ultimately responsible for the animal's behaviour. If your dog bites someone, you're liable. If your dog bites many people, you're harbouring a dangerous animal and need to find an alternative so that it doesn't encounter strangers or euthanise the animal as humanely as possible. The attitude of 'Bobo was a helpless animal who wouldn't hurt anybody' reminds me of people I've known who wouldn't put a leash on their dog because they thought it was cruel, then got upset when the dog either was hit by a car or injured someone else. We used to have a German Shepherd in our neighbourhood (named, aptly enough Doofus) who would run and jump up on you. For kids and elderly, it was dangerous. For those who may have been bitten by dogs or were afraid of dogs, it would be terrifying. For one friend, it was annoying, and he blocked her from putting muddy feet on him by putting his knee between his chest and hers and the owner ran up said, 'Don't hurt her!' like he was flaying the dog. I once nearly had to kill a Jack Russell who ran up and attacked one of my dogs (and me) and had it in my hands ready to dash its brains out when the guy finally came out and intervened, and never once apologised for the bites. I never thought I would kill an animal, but it was tenaciously on me, and I didn't see a choice at that point.
Granted, sometimes they slip out of that safety, and I've chased my fair share of loose animals. But every responsible pet owner knows that losing a pet is a real, viable possibility for a moment's distraction, and does what can be done to prevent it, out of love for the animal. - I'm curious who pays for a round-the-clock chase of a tiger. The public? The pet owner? I'm sorry, but if you're going to keep them, you should pay for the overtime and expenses of rounding up your 'pet'.
Woo-hoo
Senate cuts off debate on a constitutional ban on gay marriage, defeating it for now. Good. Maybe they'll get some work done. Regardless of where you stand on gay marriage, many senators (including John McCain) recognise that there just isn't the support out there for a full-blown amendment to our Constitution over it.
Obviously, I am for gay marriage. It bothers me that an amendment is being considered specifically countered against a group, primarily to detract from bigger issues during an election year, when many of the amendments have traditional expanded the rights of citizens, rather than close them (Prohibition is the only one of the latter I can think of at the moment, and it was eventually overturned).
It's a long road to getting an amendment through, thankfully. We learned that with the Equal Rights Amendment, which never quite got enough states to put it into the Constitution. I will say that if a ban on gay marriage ever makes it through the whole process but the ERA couldn't, then I may really have to consider moving to Canada, because my faith in the average American and the system is going to be shot to hell.
Obviously, I am for gay marriage. It bothers me that an amendment is being considered specifically countered against a group, primarily to detract from bigger issues during an election year, when many of the amendments have traditional expanded the rights of citizens, rather than close them (Prohibition is the only one of the latter I can think of at the moment, and it was eventually overturned).
It's a long road to getting an amendment through, thankfully. We learned that with the Equal Rights Amendment, which never quite got enough states to put it into the Constitution. I will say that if a ban on gay marriage ever makes it through the whole process but the ERA couldn't, then I may really have to consider moving to Canada, because my faith in the average American and the system is going to be shot to hell.
I have to admit
Phillipines Capitulation in Iraq Widely Questioned
I'd like to see peace in Iraq, I never agreed with us virtually unilaterally going there to begin with. I question the real reasons behind it, and how much was bad intelligence and how much was lies. I would like to see the troops back (once the country is either stable enough that its own government can provide its people security or a multi-national peace-keeping mission--the preferred method in the first place--can help during the interim)
But...any country that gives in to terrorists' demands comes off as a real weenie, and makes it all the harder for everyone, as terrorists will be encouraged to use kidnappings, blackmail, and murder to further their aims. It particularly sends an image of weakness when you pull out and you only had 50 troops in country and were going to be leaving the next month anyway--and you just went through elections and then almost immediately lose face in international relations. Determination, grit, and strength are almost more important in world leaders than smarts. Look at GW Bush. Many of his own people (including me) think of him as an absolute idiot who is a slave to big-business interests, but no one would ever accuse him of being a weenie. A he'll probably be re-elected, no matter how much damage he does to the country and world relations, for that very reason. Jimmy Carter, an all-around good guy and a lot better president than I think he was ever given credit for, did come off as a weenie, and suffered politically because of it. It may be a bit mad, but it's the way the world works. Furthermore, Islamic cultures tend to value strength...and so you lose face to the Islamic militants, too.
I hate to see anyone killed--but you can never really trust that capitulating is really going to save that individual (after all, terrorists are not expected to be rational, law-abiding individuals).
I'd like to see peace in Iraq, I never agreed with us virtually unilaterally going there to begin with. I question the real reasons behind it, and how much was bad intelligence and how much was lies. I would like to see the troops back (once the country is either stable enough that its own government can provide its people security or a multi-national peace-keeping mission--the preferred method in the first place--can help during the interim)
But...any country that gives in to terrorists' demands comes off as a real weenie, and makes it all the harder for everyone, as terrorists will be encouraged to use kidnappings, blackmail, and murder to further their aims. It particularly sends an image of weakness when you pull out and you only had 50 troops in country and were going to be leaving the next month anyway--and you just went through elections and then almost immediately lose face in international relations. Determination, grit, and strength are almost more important in world leaders than smarts. Look at GW Bush. Many of his own people (including me) think of him as an absolute idiot who is a slave to big-business interests, but no one would ever accuse him of being a weenie. A he'll probably be re-elected, no matter how much damage he does to the country and world relations, for that very reason. Jimmy Carter, an all-around good guy and a lot better president than I think he was ever given credit for, did come off as a weenie, and suffered politically because of it. It may be a bit mad, but it's the way the world works. Furthermore, Islamic cultures tend to value strength...and so you lose face to the Islamic militants, too.
I hate to see anyone killed--but you can never really trust that capitulating is really going to save that individual (after all, terrorists are not expected to be rational, law-abiding individuals).
Somehow I missed the memo about WorldCat going for open access
as a means of promoting libraries directly to the public. Then I stumbled on this whilst searching for a book: Open WorldCat pilot [OCLC]. (This is what happens when you're a solo librarian in a tiny library--you miss this stuff.)
The really great thing is that the user doesn't have to start with WorldCat...rather, he or she puts the info wanted into Google or Yahoo! and the hits are returned as part of the regular search set.
It's a pilot for now, and libraries must ask to participate (and must be contributing to WorldCat records). Check out their FAQ for more.
The really great thing is that the user doesn't have to start with WorldCat...rather, he or she puts the info wanted into Google or Yahoo! and the hits are returned as part of the regular search set.
It's a pilot for now, and libraries must ask to participate (and must be contributing to WorldCat records). Check out their FAQ for more.
Does he micromanage the rest of state government?
All Headline News: S.D. Pulls Plug on Part of Library Site - July 14, 2004
Basically the governor moves to shut down an entire teen section of the state library website because of a link to Planned Parenthood because in his expert opinion as a politician, he doesn't believe teens should be able to access any organisation that lobbies to keep abortion legal from a state agency. So much for whatever policies are in place, channels, etc. I wonder if he swats mosquitoes with a baseball bat, or better yet, just shoots them with a gun?
Basically the governor moves to shut down an entire teen section of the state library website because of a link to Planned Parenthood because in his expert opinion as a politician, he doesn't believe teens should be able to access any organisation that lobbies to keep abortion legal from a state agency. So much for whatever policies are in place, channels, etc. I wonder if he swats mosquitoes with a baseball bat, or better yet, just shoots them with a gun?
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
This is a great take/satire/whatever of the Meyers-Briggs personality test
Jenny Turpish Slapped Me: Quizzes - Better Personality
I am an SEDF (Sober Emotional Destructive Follower) aka an evil genius.
Wackiness: 44/100
Rationality: 52/100
Constructiveness: 44/100
Leadership: 46/100
I am also apparently on the cusp of everything. Does that make me more balanced than I thought? Nah. But I could have just as easily been a golden god.
Okay, definitely time to eat.
UPDATE: I work with--a menace to society (J); a mob boss on the cusp of dictator (N--although I rather think that Y may be that as well), and a golden god (C). :)
I am an SEDF (Sober Emotional Destructive Follower) aka an evil genius.
Wackiness: 44/100
Rationality: 52/100
Constructiveness: 44/100
Leadership: 46/100
You are an SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you an evil genius. You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting.
Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable.
You are not to be messed with. You may explode.
I am also apparently on the cusp of everything. Does that make me more balanced than I thought? Nah. But I could have just as easily been a golden god.
Okay, definitely time to eat.
UPDATE: I work with--a menace to society (J); a mob boss on the cusp of dictator (N--although I rather think that Y may be that as well), and a golden god (C). :)
I'm being opinionated today
On top of offering my opinions on the information monopoly of Ovid-Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins, and their cecession of free access to institutional print subscribers on my medical library list, I offered the following advice to a library colleague looking to set up a professional resources blog who knew I had a blog and wanted to know how I started/what software I liked. Note that my comments were made from a professional point of view...those of you LiveJournal folks out there with personal blogs are out there doing what LJ does well. I've just always found it cumbersome, and I don't like wading through happy faces and dozens of the same pictures of the same folks to get some info. I should also say that I've seen very good, professional blogs done with LiveJournal, but it seems like any service, after it becomes popular, lots of people jump on the bandwagon, often saying nothing at all. Some of the worst blogs I've seen have been LJ blogs. But hey, it's my opinion, and I'm feeling curmudgeonly today. I also developed tech snobbery back in the 80s when we were on things like BITNET and 300-baud Compuserve on an Atari and the graphical web was still science fiction. :) I'm sure flames will now commence (maybe I should dress the Rabid Librarian avatar in asbestos?)
Maybe I need food...badly?
A friend of mine was using Blogger (http://www.blogger.com) and I was intrigued, signed up, and just starting typing. I still use it, and it's the one I would recommend for any beginner, because it works well for total beginners and people who like to play with HTML, is customisable, etc. It has recently added some features, like the ability to host images and commenting, that had it lag behind Movable Type and similar software. MT is, by the way, very good for blogs you want to instantly categorise; it also works well with the Track Back system to see where you're being talked about. :) But I haven't used MT beyond a quick trial because 1) it costs money and 2) you need to be able to host PHP on a server, something I'm not sure my webspace with the phone company will do. :) There are a host of tools--most of which work with Blogger, which was one of the original blogging systems and so it's sort of like Microsoft in that everyone designed for it, things to help with blogrolls (the sidebars of links), etc. I do all those on my own, though, because...well, I'm a librarian. I like to organise things.
One of the other popular blogging sites out there is LiveJournal, but it's really better for silly people who want a bunch of 'peeps' interacting with emoticons and webcams. Okay. Sorry that was totally age-biased. Suffice to say it's not particularly user-friendly, requires that someone with a LJ send you a code (or you pay for one), and in terms of serious blogs, I give it about the same as an aol.com address for websites. I just haven't had good luck with it. Whereas I've seen some very good blogs on blog*spot (the area that Blogger provides for blogs), and of course, Blogger can be configured to publish to any other directory, say, if you have your own domain.
Also, for whatever reason, blogs (especially those at Blogger) seem to rank extraordinarily high in Google (perhaps because Google owns Blogger now--and I must say that it has really helped Blogger, as opposed to the train wreck that happened with Yahoo! gobbled up GeoCities and eGroups; that may be because the same people work at Blogger who developed it; they just get paid by Google and it's a partnership now).
Anyway, that's my 2 cents' worth.
Maybe I need food...badly?
Monday, July 12, 2004
No one ever believes me when I tell them about Spider Goats
except, of course, the person who first told me about them, who loves goats, hates spiders, and thought this was an unholy thing. I have to admit, this kind of tinkering with nature really bothers me. So, anyway, here's a link for future reference.
SPIDER SILK FROM GOATS' MILK -- HINTS OF A NEW INDUSTRIAL
New Spin on Spider Silk
PS I was actually looking at lovely pictures of orb spiders (I have two great white beauties, one on either side of the back door of my apartment, that come out every night) and argiope spiders, which are freaking huge even by my standards, write zigzags into their webs, and tend to hold their legs in a cross pattern. Since I have many arachnophobic friends, I won't post links here. The above articles have no pictures to worry about, either. ;)
I'm afraid I'm very much in the minority, being arachnophilic. The spider figures in to some of my religious beliefs, and I consider it taboo for me to kill one. My middle name even means spider, or web, in Latin (Aranea). Oh, well. I think they're useful, grand creatures, although terribly unappreciated. I'm sorry others don't feel that way. On the other hand, I'd rather not be bitten by a black widow or brown recluse, the only spiders in our area poisonous to humans. :)
SPIDER SILK FROM GOATS' MILK -- HINTS OF A NEW INDUSTRIAL
New Spin on Spider Silk
PS I was actually looking at lovely pictures of orb spiders (I have two great white beauties, one on either side of the back door of my apartment, that come out every night) and argiope spiders, which are freaking huge even by my standards, write zigzags into their webs, and tend to hold their legs in a cross pattern. Since I have many arachnophobic friends, I won't post links here. The above articles have no pictures to worry about, either. ;)
I'm afraid I'm very much in the minority, being arachnophilic. The spider figures in to some of my religious beliefs, and I consider it taboo for me to kill one. My middle name even means spider, or web, in Latin (Aranea). Oh, well. I think they're useful, grand creatures, although terribly unappreciated. I'm sorry others don't feel that way. On the other hand, I'd rather not be bitten by a black widow or brown recluse, the only spiders in our area poisonous to humans. :)
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Okay, web design got the better of me
: "Live' by Jennifer Marks (love that song)
: Sleepy
Since I'm revamping a lot of web files for work, I thought I'd look into a decent, free web authoring tool. See, I'm used to coding everything by hand, because that's how I learned to and frankly, it's often quicker. At work we use Macromedia's Homesite, but although I like certain aspects of it (Dreamweaver, too), the way they tend to be set up gets in the way of the design process, especially with Homesite, where you go back and forth between coding and preview, and can't change anything directly on the screen. (And one of these days I need to figure out how to turn the automatic 'close' feature in Homesite off. Sometimes I just want to change the first one.)
Basically I wanted a drop-and-drag/WYSIWYG editor (for the non-techies out there, that stands for What You See Is What You Get; in this case, you can just move the text or images. But what are the chances of finding one that works and doesn't cost hundreds of dollars? Oh, and works on a PC, because I don't have access to a MAC for design.
And then I found WebDwarf V2: Free WYSIWYG Web Page Editor. It is exactly what I need, and it is indeed free. They have another packed with more features called Site Spinner, but I'm happy with these features for now. I don't know if I could use it on the station's pages, because I don't know if it complies with their standards--ah, the corporate evironment--but I'm free to play with it on my site, and I give you this as comparison:
The old version
-and-
The new one
I'd be interested if those of you with older browsers or something funky (non Internet Explorer) could check it out and see how it looks. And I'd be happy with any other critiques you might make. I think it looks more 'professional'. And you've got to love any company that uses a dwarf in full battle armour as their symbol--and offers so much power for free. :)
Oh, and if you try to download it and it doesn't work the first time, try again. I think there's a quirk at Download.com that gets a short little blurb instead of the 4 MB program download. I tried again and had no trouble.
I'm not familiar with this sculptor
but I thought it was very interesting. Boccioni's Unique Forms of Continuity in Space (1913). So, here's your art link for the week (yes, I'm working on the gallery). :)
Well, I'll probably wrap upand go on to bed around one; but I did get a couple hours' worth of work in, on top of some of the household chores I'd been neglecting.
Well, I'll probably wrap upand go on to bed around one; but I did get a couple hours' worth of work in, on top of some of the household chores I'd been neglecting.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
What needs to happen to make this a thing of the past?
Well, short of annihilating the human race, anyway.
Systematic Slaughter Unfolds in Sudan
Regardless of whether it is genocide or not--and I believe it is, but frankly, more important than that debate is making sure that humanitarian aid can reach those in need and that order is restored, either by the Sudanese government or perhaps an international cooperative force. The Sudan has long been an area of tension, and most recently gained attention for the practice of slavery still being practiced there.
Many areas of Africa are in crisis. Those of us who watched the results of Ethiopian famine years ago as part of Live Aid, etc., realise too that funds for food and medicine are one thing--getting the supplies past warlords and anarchy is far more difficult. Add the AIDS crisis--with 2/3 of worldwide AIDS cases in Sub-Saharan Africa, plummeting life expectancies within Africa, and a burgeoning number of children who, if they escape the disease itself, have become orphans, many of whom no longer have access to school, as it costs money and they are lucky to be have food and shelter.
The politics of hate, of genocide, of how some conflicts--even with modern technology--are covered and others are covered up, is an academic interest of mine. I have studied the genocides of the past hundred years--Armenian, Holocaust, Stalinist, Cambodian, Balkan, and Rwandan among them, but I have no answers for how to stop it, except that every country and its leaders must be held accountable for such crimes, humanitarian aid and refugee shelter must be allowed, and the media must show the world what's going on. Areas that are isolated either geographically or politically are in the most danger, of course. But descriptions of genocide, no matter how horrific, tend to be a reported as blips that often get loss in the shuffle as new news stories happen. Plus, it seems to be an unfortunate truism that the true horror of genocide is usually only opaque once it is either over or has been going on for some time, making it harder to end the suffering early. And short of money--and yes, if I won the lottery, tolerance and genocide prevention is one thing I'd fund extensively, voting for candidates willing to do something (and most mainstream politicians get pulled into what is politically viable than what is right per se), or pulling up roots and working directly in the humanitarian field (difficult for those with families, limited resources, or without the proper skills needed), it can be difficult to know what to do when these crises come to light. It's almost paralysing--individuals, countries, and international agencies may want to do something, but talking about it and doing it are two different things.
There are times I think I should have worked for the United Nations or that I should drop everything and join a humanitarian group to put my hands where my mouth is, but realistically I see that my own health is an impediment for working under such conditions, and I don't have direct medical, formal counseling training, or building skills. I have offered in the past to volunteer my information skills, though, and that offer stands. If any of you know how I can help this situation with my super librarian powers, let me know. In the meantime, I hope they will not let this become another Rwanda.
Systematic Slaughter Unfolds in Sudan
Regardless of whether it is genocide or not--and I believe it is, but frankly, more important than that debate is making sure that humanitarian aid can reach those in need and that order is restored, either by the Sudanese government or perhaps an international cooperative force. The Sudan has long been an area of tension, and most recently gained attention for the practice of slavery still being practiced there.
Many areas of Africa are in crisis. Those of us who watched the results of Ethiopian famine years ago as part of Live Aid, etc., realise too that funds for food and medicine are one thing--getting the supplies past warlords and anarchy is far more difficult. Add the AIDS crisis--with 2/3 of worldwide AIDS cases in Sub-Saharan Africa, plummeting life expectancies within Africa, and a burgeoning number of children who, if they escape the disease itself, have become orphans, many of whom no longer have access to school, as it costs money and they are lucky to be have food and shelter.
The politics of hate, of genocide, of how some conflicts--even with modern technology--are covered and others are covered up, is an academic interest of mine. I have studied the genocides of the past hundred years--Armenian, Holocaust, Stalinist, Cambodian, Balkan, and Rwandan among them, but I have no answers for how to stop it, except that every country and its leaders must be held accountable for such crimes, humanitarian aid and refugee shelter must be allowed, and the media must show the world what's going on. Areas that are isolated either geographically or politically are in the most danger, of course. But descriptions of genocide, no matter how horrific, tend to be a reported as blips that often get loss in the shuffle as new news stories happen. Plus, it seems to be an unfortunate truism that the true horror of genocide is usually only opaque once it is either over or has been going on for some time, making it harder to end the suffering early. And short of money--and yes, if I won the lottery, tolerance and genocide prevention is one thing I'd fund extensively, voting for candidates willing to do something (and most mainstream politicians get pulled into what is politically viable than what is right per se), or pulling up roots and working directly in the humanitarian field (difficult for those with families, limited resources, or without the proper skills needed), it can be difficult to know what to do when these crises come to light. It's almost paralysing--individuals, countries, and international agencies may want to do something, but talking about it and doing it are two different things.
There are times I think I should have worked for the United Nations or that I should drop everything and join a humanitarian group to put my hands where my mouth is, but realistically I see that my own health is an impediment for working under such conditions, and I don't have direct medical, formal counseling training, or building skills. I have offered in the past to volunteer my information skills, though, and that offer stands. If any of you know how I can help this situation with my super librarian powers, let me know. In the meantime, I hope they will not let this become another Rwanda.
Ah, finally
Well, the laundry is as finished as it will be. The dryers don't seem to work so well here, so I either have to run it for longer, make smaller dryer loads, or just resign myself to a little damp laundry.
I just ran out and got some dog food for Cerys, and now I'm in for the night. I still need to clean the cat box and sweep and mop the kitchen floor (I had some broken glass to deal with earlier, and there may still be a few shards that I'd rather not find with my feet, especially since I have diabetes). I'd also like to get a little unpacking done this weekend, but for now I'll be happy if I can get some work for the station in and take care of those two things, plus put away the laundry.
I had originally planned to do a lot more, but I slept till five in the afternoon and finally enough sleep to function, although I don't think I'll be completely caught up until after tonight. Tomorrow I plan to go to the game early and do some typing on our project, since I didn't make it over there today (sorry, Y). And I'll start back at the gym next week. Really. :)
I just ran out and got some dog food for Cerys, and now I'm in for the night. I still need to clean the cat box and sweep and mop the kitchen floor (I had some broken glass to deal with earlier, and there may still be a few shards that I'd rather not find with my feet, especially since I have diabetes). I'd also like to get a little unpacking done this weekend, but for now I'll be happy if I can get some work for the station in and take care of those two things, plus put away the laundry.
I had originally planned to do a lot more, but I slept till five in the afternoon and finally enough sleep to function, although I don't think I'll be completely caught up until after tonight. Tomorrow I plan to go to the game early and do some typing on our project, since I didn't make it over there today (sorry, Y). And I'll start back at the gym next week. Really. :)
How bizzare
: 'Ordinary' by Train
: Rested
It was worthy of a Dwana experience (since she's a social worker, and it blazes in neon above her head).
I put my clothes into the washers and decided that since the pool was vacant, the cloud cover made it less like for me to turn into a lobster, and the pool is right next to the laundry, that I would take some time and relax, float, do a little swimming.
I tend to smile, nod, or say hello to everyone regardless of gender, race, age, etc., unless they're obviously in the midst of a psychotic break and dangerous, anyway. I guess I just like to acknowledge people's existence (and obviously I've never lived in really big cities, where you're discouraged from this). So I'd said hi to guy as I passed with the first batch of laundry. Later on, he saw me swimming and struck up a conversation that started with the pool, went on to where he worked (a large grocery chain that apparently just acquired the second-largest in the area), then how he and his wife of twelve years are in the midst of a divorce (he'd hired someone to put on an addition to the house and now the guy's moved in, he's out, and she served him divorce papers at work), how he's trying to work through things and still be in his kids' lives, that sort of thing.
Now mind you, he's not a raving loon or anything--the conversation was not solely monopolised by him, and everything had proper transitions, etc. I think he was just someone who needed to talk to someone and didn't really have anyone to lend a sensitive ear, and he sensed I'd talk to him, and oddly enough, he picked someone who had 1) worked for the same company in the past 2) was the product of divorce as a child and could offer advice from a kid's point of view and 3) had been the innocent party in a divorce herself. I don't think he was coming on to me or anything. (Being Baptist, I don't think we would necessarily click on many of our views, for example--but again, what little religious upbringing I had was Baptist, so I understand their views on divorce). He stayed outside the fence and I stayed in the pool. I think he left feeling better. I went and put my clothes in the dryer, then headed back to the apartment because a storm's blowing up. But it was a little surreal.
Maybe I need to hang a 'the doctor is in' sign up next time? I hope it helped him, anyway, and goodness knows I need practice talking to unfamiliar people. Considering I was in a bathing suit, in a pool, without my glasses on, I think I did pretty darn well. :)
Speaking of comfort, my dog is getting very antsy with the storm and needs comfort and I should probably unplug the phone line from the computer. I've got a little time before the dryers should be finished. Ta.
Check out Jonny Glow--the toilet system that allows you to find the bowl without turning on the light
Toiletology 101: Misc. Toilet Repairs
My handle has become loose from lever. I thought so, and it seemed silly to call maintenance under something that minor. That would be like calling them to put a doorstop in the wall. :)
Okay. I have slept away my exhaustion. I have eaten. I have gone and gotten quarters for laundry. The lady has come for the boxes (ironically enough, during the short time I went out for quarters). I went over to work and used their change machine, thus avoiding any of the local stores' mournful cries of having no quarters on weekends. On the way back my brake pedal sank a bit, something it did last night when I thought I was just sleep-deprived and hallucinating; I love the Internet. I found out how to check my brake fluid in 5 seconds flat. Fortunately, I live within a block of an auto parts store, various gas stations, a car dealership, and Wal-Mart. :)
Cheers.
My handle has become loose from lever. I thought so, and it seemed silly to call maintenance under something that minor. That would be like calling them to put a doorstop in the wall. :)
Okay. I have slept away my exhaustion. I have eaten. I have gone and gotten quarters for laundry. The lady has come for the boxes (ironically enough, during the short time I went out for quarters). I went over to work and used their change machine, thus avoiding any of the local stores' mournful cries of having no quarters on weekends. On the way back my brake pedal sank a bit, something it did last night when I thought I was just sleep-deprived and hallucinating; I love the Internet. I found out how to check my brake fluid in 5 seconds flat. Fortunately, I live within a block of an auto parts store, various gas stations, a car dealership, and Wal-Mart. :)
Cheers.
I was looking up chainless toilets (I have one) and came across this piece of urban legend lore
Warning to arachnophobic: it involves spiders, but no pictures of same. Do not go to this site if you will freak (and I know who some of you are).
Attack of the Two-Striped Telamonia - BreakTheChain.org
Attack of the Two-Striped Telamonia - BreakTheChain.org
Boo, Hiss
ABCNEWS.com : Bush Seeks Amendment Against Gay Marriage
Here's a suggestion: how about concentrating on pulling the country out of hole that is partly of his making rather than worrying about whether two people of the same gender want to show their committment to love?
I honestly don't see what people see in this man.
Here's a suggestion: how about concentrating on pulling the country out of hole that is partly of his making rather than worrying about whether two people of the same gender want to show their committment to love?
I honestly don't see what people see in this man.
I always see myself as left of centre, but apparently I'm a little more left and down than I thought
But in the political vein, I took a test at The Political Compass, which graphs you based on your answers on an X/Y axis where X=Œconomic Left/Right (and I'm -6.50) and Y=Social Libertarian/Authoritarian (and I'm -5.03)...that places me in good stead with Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, and Dennis Kucinich, soI can deal with that...it seems most politicians, especially successful ones, are much more on the Authoritarian side, and generally to the œconomic right, even people like Kerry, Dean, and Blair, by comparison.
The site has a very nice explanation for why we call it 'left' and 'right' (it derives from post-French Revolution seating in their house of government), how the opposite of fascism is not communism but anarchism, and it shows that Hitler, Hussein, and other traditional 'bad guys' are not right-wing...in fact, Saddam Hussein is on the left authoritarian side, whereas George W Bush is on the right authoritarian. So it shows politics in a more complex dimension.
Okay, having had my political bit for the day, I'm going back to sleep for a bit to make up for all that insomnia this week. I got up briefly to take my dog out, eat and put out boxes for someone in the Lexington Freecyclers group and send her an e-mail saying as much. Must pull self away from computer now. On the plus side, I can now see the middle of my living room floor. And I have to admit, freecycling is a great thing for a (hopefully former) pathological clutterer. I can get more Zen and not feel like I'm wasteful at the same time. :)
The site has a very nice explanation for why we call it 'left' and 'right' (it derives from post-French Revolution seating in their house of government), how the opposite of fascism is not communism but anarchism, and it shows that Hitler, Hussein, and other traditional 'bad guys' are not right-wing...in fact, Saddam Hussein is on the left authoritarian side, whereas George W Bush is on the right authoritarian. So it shows politics in a more complex dimension.
Okay, having had my political bit for the day, I'm going back to sleep for a bit to make up for all that insomnia this week. I got up briefly to take my dog out, eat and put out boxes for someone in the Lexington Freecyclers group and send her an e-mail saying as much. Must pull self away from computer now. On the plus side, I can now see the middle of my living room floor. And I have to admit, freecycling is a great thing for a (hopefully former) pathological clutterer. I can get more Zen and not feel like I'm wasteful at the same time. :)
Hmm...sounds a bit buggy
Dems Credential BLoggers; GOP Will, Too
I think I'd be rather pissed if I'd booked a hotel and plane and then was told by the Dems that 'oops, it was a mistake, you can't come to our party'. And I think I would have tried to make sure where on the political spectrum a blog perched either wasn't factor at all or a representative, diverse group was chosen--especially when you're supposed to be the 'party of the people'. Do they choose regular journalists based on ideology, I wonder? I suspect not. Still, it's the first year, it's a learning curve, and hopefully they'll have established, less-subjective criteria next year. I'm sure the GOP, having been cautious and not announced their intent until after the Dems plunged into the morass of the blogosphere, will make fewer mistakes. There's something to be said for being innovating, and I suppose something to be said for being cautious.
I have to admit, I'd have liked to go, although I don't have the money for travel, this isn't a political blog per say, and although it's got a healthy readership, it's probably nowhere near the pundit blogs, so I didn't seek the credentials. Still 30 out of 200 applicants...surely a drop in the bucket of wider media coverage. No one said they had to provide meals or space (although that's nice). Isn't it just a matter of maybe doing a background check to ascertain the likelihood of someone shooting a candidate or causing other mischief and then issuing a little pass so they can mingle? Maybe that's not how it works these days, but one does wonder what fears lurk in the hearts of politicians for the lowly, yet mighty blogger that they're opening the door just a smidge. Bloggers are, after all, as liable for libel/slander issues as any journalist, albeit a little harder to locate, but they'd have to have an address on file for the credentials, wouldn't they? :)
I think I'd be rather pissed if I'd booked a hotel and plane and then was told by the Dems that 'oops, it was a mistake, you can't come to our party'. And I think I would have tried to make sure where on the political spectrum a blog perched either wasn't factor at all or a representative, diverse group was chosen--especially when you're supposed to be the 'party of the people'. Do they choose regular journalists based on ideology, I wonder? I suspect not. Still, it's the first year, it's a learning curve, and hopefully they'll have established, less-subjective criteria next year. I'm sure the GOP, having been cautious and not announced their intent until after the Dems plunged into the morass of the blogosphere, will make fewer mistakes. There's something to be said for being innovating, and I suppose something to be said for being cautious.
I have to admit, I'd have liked to go, although I don't have the money for travel, this isn't a political blog per say, and although it's got a healthy readership, it's probably nowhere near the pundit blogs, so I didn't seek the credentials. Still 30 out of 200 applicants...surely a drop in the bucket of wider media coverage. No one said they had to provide meals or space (although that's nice). Isn't it just a matter of maybe doing a background check to ascertain the likelihood of someone shooting a candidate or causing other mischief and then issuing a little pass so they can mingle? Maybe that's not how it works these days, but one does wonder what fears lurk in the hearts of politicians for the lowly, yet mighty blogger that they're opening the door just a smidge. Bloggers are, after all, as liable for libel/slander issues as any journalist, albeit a little harder to locate, but they'd have to have an address on file for the credentials, wouldn't they? :)
Friday, July 09, 2004
Yaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!
(Okay, I got a little exhuberant the first time and had to go back and shorten the Yay! so you could actually see the whole page at a time.) :)
I remember thinking just the other day that it was surprising no one had made a movie of these books. And lo, it is announced: FilmForce: Earthsea Miniseries Announced
Ursula K LeGuin's Earthsea quartet is, quite frankly, one of the classics of modern phantasy that will endure for future generations.
December, eh? Maybe I can afford cable by then; SciFi is in the basic lineup now....or perhaps some fellow fan of the series will let me watch? Please? Pretty please?
In return for this information, I imparted news about the upcoming made-for-TV movie with Noah Wyle as a Librarian guarding mysterious artefacts with the help of a female martial artist. Intriguing, no? But Earthsea is quite a bit more stupendous. I hope they do a good job.
I remember thinking just the other day that it was surprising no one had made a movie of these books. And lo, it is announced: FilmForce: Earthsea Miniseries Announced
Ursula K LeGuin's Earthsea quartet is, quite frankly, one of the classics of modern phantasy that will endure for future generations.
December, eh? Maybe I can afford cable by then; SciFi is in the basic lineup now....or perhaps some fellow fan of the series will let me watch? Please? Pretty please?
In return for this information, I imparted news about the upcoming made-for-TV movie with Noah Wyle as a Librarian guarding mysterious artefacts with the help of a female martial artist. Intriguing, no? But Earthsea is quite a bit more stupendous. I hope they do a good job.
Rabid Reference (Kick-Off) Question #1
Dear Rabid Librarian:
I was talking to my uncle, who lives in Southwest Georgia, and he mentioned how nice it was to walk on real Kentucky Bluegrass rather than the Centipede Grass that grows where they live. It sounds like Centipede grass is coarser, but what is it, exactly, and where did it get such a funny name?
Blue in the Bluegrass
Dear Blue:
Centipede Grass gets its name from the appearance of the grass, which is rather short and tends to spread out along the ground, like a centipede walking. A native to Asia, it is used in lawns in the Southeastern United States, because it is low-maintenance, tolerates poor soil, and does well so long as it doesn't freeze. Just about everything you'd ever want to know about this grass can be found at Texas A&M's Plant Answers. A good picture of Centipede Grass (especially compared to others) can be found at OutsidePride.com. As you can see, compared to other grasses, Bluegrass does look blue, hence its name--especially when it goes to seed, even though it really is green. Apparently, it's a softer, lusher grass than Centipede Grass, so you should count your blessings. Of course, even your lawn has other grasses mixed in for best performance. :)
It's funny how we tend to take the grass in our lawns for granted (well, except for those who really get into the art of lawn care). Most people probably can't tell the difference between fescue and bluegrass and bahia, but they'd be most upset if their lawns died suddenly because they'd planted the wrong type.
I was talking to my uncle, who lives in Southwest Georgia, and he mentioned how nice it was to walk on real Kentucky Bluegrass rather than the Centipede Grass that grows where they live. It sounds like Centipede grass is coarser, but what is it, exactly, and where did it get such a funny name?
Blue in the Bluegrass
Dear Blue:
Centipede Grass gets its name from the appearance of the grass, which is rather short and tends to spread out along the ground, like a centipede walking. A native to Asia, it is used in lawns in the Southeastern United States, because it is low-maintenance, tolerates poor soil, and does well so long as it doesn't freeze. Just about everything you'd ever want to know about this grass can be found at Texas A&M's Plant Answers. A good picture of Centipede Grass (especially compared to others) can be found at OutsidePride.com. As you can see, compared to other grasses, Bluegrass does look blue, hence its name--especially when it goes to seed, even though it really is green. Apparently, it's a softer, lusher grass than Centipede Grass, so you should count your blessings. Of course, even your lawn has other grasses mixed in for best performance. :)
It's funny how we tend to take the grass in our lawns for granted (well, except for those who really get into the art of lawn care). Most people probably can't tell the difference between fescue and bluegrass and bahia, but they'd be most upset if their lawns died suddenly because they'd planted the wrong type.
And this is only one of many reasons I'm not a member of the Republican Party
GOP makes time for Patriot Act vote
Leaders successfully beat back challenge by extending roll call
The defeated measure, incidentally, would have weakened an area of the USA-PATRIOT Act that allows the FBI to monitor patrons' reading, e-mail and Internet activities at public libraries.
Hmpf. 'Grand Old Party', indeed.
The only Republican presidents I've ever cared for (and admittedly, I wasn't alive during their eras) were Abraham Lincoln and Dwight D Eisenhower, and even those I wouldn't have backed 100%. But my, how things have fallen.
Leaders successfully beat back challenge by extending roll call
The defeated measure, incidentally, would have weakened an area of the USA-PATRIOT Act that allows the FBI to monitor patrons' reading, e-mail and Internet activities at public libraries.
Hmpf. 'Grand Old Party', indeed.
The only Republican presidents I've ever cared for (and admittedly, I wasn't alive during their eras) were Abraham Lincoln and Dwight D Eisenhower, and even those I wouldn't have backed 100%. But my, how things have fallen.
Missed this until a friend asked me to research it
Lexington Herald-Leader | 07/08/2004 | Women bikers group defends sign at parade
and I found it because of a blog devoted to motorcycle news.
This is one of those grey areas. 'Bitch' can be a pejorative or not. It, like many other 'four-letter' words can have different meanings, and this is especially true depending on the context. It's fine if you're talking female dogs or even using it as a verb. You start getting onto dangerous ground when using it to label a woman, though. For example, members of various groups (gays, blacks, etc.) call people within their communities words that would never be tolerated from someone outside the community. And whilst I understand the meaning and context from the point of view of the women on motorcycles, it was within a larger context of a parade with people from all walks of life, some of whom--especially children--would not understand the finer points of the label. I've marched many times for Fairness or gay-rights groups, for example, and I can't remember signs using 'fag' or 'dyke'. I certainly haven't seen black groups using the 'N' word, either, and I expect chaos would result, no matter what intent to 'own' the word for themselves there might have been. I don't see this as particularly different.
and I found it because of a blog devoted to motorcycle news.
This is one of those grey areas. 'Bitch' can be a pejorative or not. It, like many other 'four-letter' words can have different meanings, and this is especially true depending on the context. It's fine if you're talking female dogs or even using it as a verb. You start getting onto dangerous ground when using it to label a woman, though. For example, members of various groups (gays, blacks, etc.) call people within their communities words that would never be tolerated from someone outside the community. And whilst I understand the meaning and context from the point of view of the women on motorcycles, it was within a larger context of a parade with people from all walks of life, some of whom--especially children--would not understand the finer points of the label. I've marched many times for Fairness or gay-rights groups, for example, and I can't remember signs using 'fag' or 'dyke'. I certainly haven't seen black groups using the 'N' word, either, and I expect chaos would result, no matter what intent to 'own' the word for themselves there might have been. I don't see this as particularly different.
I'm trying to bring my lunch more often
and when given my druthers of prepared food (rather than overly processed/starch stuff we have in our cafeteria) I find I just fill up so much quicker. Today's lunch:
Spring greens with organic shredded carrots, organic hyrdoponically-grown tomato, and a cucumber from my mom's garden that has never seen wax (I hate wax on my cucumbers). 7-grain bread with melted Havarti cheese. Terra sweet potato/russet potato chips, and really wonderful strawberries from the co-op. Because it was all so fibre-y, I ate about half of the meal and left the rest for later.
Not only is it cheaper, it's healthier. I'm also thinking it's time to go back to the gym; getting back into a routine will help my sleep issues. I'm going to run some errands with a friend this afternoon and do some laundry tonight, but tomorrow I'm going to start back with the cardio and weight training. I lost some weight during the move, and it's be fluctuating water-wise up five or so pounds since then; my pants have been looser to the point of feeling I might just lose them even though I technically haven't lost weight...I think I'm just more active and so I'm more toned, even though I haven't been actively exercising for awhile.
Spring greens with organic shredded carrots, organic hyrdoponically-grown tomato, and a cucumber from my mom's garden that has never seen wax (I hate wax on my cucumbers). 7-grain bread with melted Havarti cheese. Terra sweet potato/russet potato chips, and really wonderful strawberries from the co-op. Because it was all so fibre-y, I ate about half of the meal and left the rest for later.
Not only is it cheaper, it's healthier. I'm also thinking it's time to go back to the gym; getting back into a routine will help my sleep issues. I'm going to run some errands with a friend this afternoon and do some laundry tonight, but tomorrow I'm going to start back with the cardio and weight training. I lost some weight during the move, and it's be fluctuating water-wise up five or so pounds since then; my pants have been looser to the point of feeling I might just lose them even though I technically haven't lost weight...I think I'm just more active and so I'm more toned, even though I haven't been actively exercising for awhile.
Show them why they should vote...
Rock the Vote Official Merchandise
I like the 'Censorship is UnAmerican' one, although not so much the art. And, it would be nice if they added a 2X (we fat girls vote, too!)
I like the 'Censorship is UnAmerican' one, although not so much the art. And, it would be nice if they added a 2X (we fat girls vote, too!)
Well, it's one way to get them into the library
Pass the chocolate-covered worms, please
although it's not kosher, unless you get the specific locusts covered in the Bible. :)
although it's not kosher, unless you get the specific locusts covered in the Bible. :)
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Brand Spanking New Quiz
One of my friends came up with this one. Too much info, probably, but hey, it's a slice of the Rabid Librarian.
Apparently I am the only one of my co-workers (other than the woman who made it) who recognised Labyrinth, Wang Chung, and 'Another Postcard'. No one else really 'got' them. I don't know if that means I have a broader understanding of pop culture than I thought, or if she and I just think freakishly similarly. At least we differ on Rod Stewart.
1. Who is the last person you spoke to?
A creditor. Word to the wise...it's easier to talk to creditors and work out payment arrangements whilst operating on 2 hours' sleep.
2. I know you're listening to music. What's in your cd player at this very moment?
Incubus' 'Drive'
3. Jelly or Jam?
Spreadable fruit (no extra sugar)
4. And do you prefer grape or strawberry?
Strawberry (but blackberry is best!)
5. Hot or cold?
Cold. I can always pile on more blankets, but haven't figured out a way to step out of all my clothes, my skin, and fat yet, and I'm hot-natured.
6. Your parents were cooks. What else did they consider naming you?
Margaret, nicknamed Gretchen. That didn't fly because taken with Broadbent the family thought it would be too long. Grace. But that was chucked for the same reason I'd never name a daughter Willow. Love the name, but it's bad for a child with fat and clumsy genes. For a boy I've been told two possibilities: Gregory Scott or Dwayne. Both make me gag, but if I were Dwayne, that would be three friends starting with 'Dw' and that would be a sure sign of the Apocalypse. (Later I was asked why Gretchen was short for Margaret, given the 'garet' --> 'gret'. I pointed out Peggy is also short for Margaret. Sometime the name gods just play games.)
7. What were you doing 10 years ago?
1994? I had gone back to school because I couldn't find a job anywhere (not just libraries; groceries included) except the bagel place where I was hoofing myself 2 miles down Waller Avenue across the train tracks where the serial killer was later found to be operating and no streetlights at 5 am for a measly $5 an hour. Classics looked way better at that point.
8. Ever been skiing?
No. Did I mention the lack of grace part? Trees, hillsides, snow do not combine for fun for the ungraceful. Oddly enough, I did have opportunities whilst living in California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. I contented myself to watch from afar. I'm just happy not to fall off level sidewalks.
9. What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
Pampered Chef makes this doo-hickey where you make a sandwich, press with the gadget, and out pops a sealed sandwich. It has no real important purpose. It's just fun. Useful gadgets are way better, but this one warms the cockles of my gadget-loving heart.
10. What is the coolest thing you think you own?
A lamp that swirls around colours into distilled water whilst plastic coloured marbles go up and down. I would say I could watch it for hours, but the gentle rain-like bubbles put me to sleep.
11. Any hidden talents?
Finding random things in the store for other people, although never for myself. Sometimes I can find lost items, too. Much more useful than a former friend whose psychic talent was to see what other people's bathrooms looked like when he met them.
12. There seem to be two distinct Rod Stewart camps: love him or hate him. To which do you belong?
Listening to Rod Stewart is like going to the dentist. You dread it, it's painful, but the comfy chair puts me to sleep. I think he should have stayed with football.
13. Admit it. You've broken the law.
Yes. Hangs head. I have a criminal record (one count theft by deception, because of a post 9/11 anxiety trip to Slone's for comfort food, where the cheque bounced but I never got notice to pay before they sent it to court). Made restitution and paid court fees. After 18 year of driving, I was pulled over on April Fool's for going through a yellow light (the nice officer said it was red, and I had no one to back me up, so you don't argue with the nice officer). Paid that off, told them I was interested in traffic school because I didn't want the 3 points on my licence (it's the same amount of money totally either way), then found out that since I hadn't actually scheduled traffic school in the midst of the move, they suspended my licence (which was worse than I'd have gotten if I'd never asked to go to traffic school. Go figure.) Unfortunately I found that out upon opening a letter at a stop light on the way here, then had to drive down to the clerk's office, ask for a traffic school date (still don't know when that will be...by schedule, they just mean pay that last $15 and we'll send you something within about 6 weeks), get my address on my licence changed by Elvis (I'm not kidding, have you been to the clerk's office lately? I was waiting for him to pop out with 'Hunk-a-hunk of burning love'--but he was very nice, especially since I'd been told to renew before going to schedule traffic school and it needed to be the other way around. He kindly pointed me down the hall and didn't make too much fuss about the suspension.)--and now I'm in good graces. Sigh. Why couldn't I have used my juvenile record for some of this? I was too goody-goody back then--never even shoplifted with the rest of the chicks, toilet papered anyone's house, or knocked over mailboxes. In retrospect I also have had 2 parking tickets and occasionally tried alcohol before I was 21. (Quick note to one of the respondents: It's okay for the consumer to tear off the tags, just not the seller.)
14. Toilet paper roll: pull from the top or pull from the bottom?
Top. Anything else simply will not do, and I must admit I judge people slightly by how they orient their rolls. (But having no orientation, say, by not putting it in the holder is fine).
15. Do you like to clean your ears?
Yes. Obsessively. I also obsessively clean the ears of my and other other people's animals (but I do seem to have the right touch, so even feral cats will let me do it). Worse than the earwax, which is annoying, is any dead skin. I sometimes use pen tops for that, which irritates a friend to no end. I once complimented someone on their shiny, clean ears, and fortunately she has a similar pet peeve about ungroomed ears, so took it well. Other people would just call me a freak.
16. Do you put both socks on and then move on to shoes or complete one foot at a time?
Both socks, then shoes, with occasional aberrations that makes the OCD girl twitch but I never know why I do it.
17. Are you only happy when it rains?
No. Rain makes me sleepy and depressed. Must have big ball in sky unobscured for happiness, although it does rob me of my shape-changing powers.
18. Do you sleep with socks on?
No. I have a friend who has threatened to put me in adult-sized footed pygamas when I'm in 'the Home'. I cannot abide anything on my feet if at all possible. Not socks. Not covers. First thing off is my shoes when I get home. Sandals are better than shoes. Barefoot is better than anything.
19. Do you ever wonder what would happen if everyone really did Wang Chung tonight?
Yes. I also worry that the Hokey Pokey is really what it's all about. I think the Earth would tip on its axis and bring about climatic upheaval if we all Wang Chunged at the same time, especially as Americans are getting hefty.
20. Did you hear that the New York Post erroneously reported that Kerry picked Gephardt as his running mate?
Yes. But who believes the Post?
21. Firesafe cigarettes? What?
Oh, gee, but where would we get our stories of spontaneous human combustion from?
22. You remind me of the babe.
Who do (Hoodo)? You do? I looooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeee that movie (and had a terrible crush on Jennifer Connelly for years). She dressed just like I would at that age if I'd had access to nifty phantasy clothes. Oh, wait...the garbage heap is a little like my life, too. Hmmmm....maybe I am Sarah.
23. What's on your nightstand right now?
Alarm clock, phone, King James Bible, job-finding oil, job-finding powder, Alba emolient lotion, comb, brush, Hekate Soteira, Greek Religion, The Magickal Life, The Diary of Anaïau;s Nin, a carefully folded paper towel, a pen, and a few random notes.
24. What is your biggest fear?
You know, for someone with anxiety issues, I can't really think of a real, honest-to-goodness fear. I guess a lot of my issues are abandonment related. And now that we're getting older, I'm a little worried about losing my mom, especially as she's smoking like crazy and already has emphysema and diabetes, but I don't fear dying myself.
25. You've been picked to be one of the pioneer moon colonists. What job would you want?
Cruise director. After the moon blasts out of orbit on September 13, 1999. Ooops, that's right, we passed that (and I didn't even have the money to throw a party...not that most people I knew had any idea what Space:1999 was, seeing as they were either toddlers or not even conceived yet). And we still don't have flying cars, either. We were ripped off! And I want a Jetsons house and Rosie, too. I've been playing Moon Tycoon (think Sim City with moon base modules) a lot lately. I'm thinking horticulture specialist for the hydroponic O2 generator with giant domes for plants. So long as I have Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Silent Running to help.
26. Are you crafty?
Hmmm...Crafty as in Odysseus? Crafty as in making paper in a blender? Crafty as in sneaky? Crafty as in the esoteric sense? Oh, yeah. I guess it's yes to all of them, although for the life of me I think I'm knitting-challenged. It's the same problem I have playing piano. Cannot. Make. Both. Hands. Work. Doing. Different. Things. I can do anything with either...but can't make them work together. Hmmm...kind of like the English vs. Metric systems. I can only remember 2.5 cm to an inch; all other conversions require my PDA. Typing, though seems to work, because it's coming from my head and not some piece of paper.
27. If you had a mailbox full of postcards from chimpanzees, would every one be addressed to you?Yes. But the ones that would bother me most are the ones in jack boots.
28. What's your favorite office supply?My Bad-Girl-a-Day tear-off calendar. A close second is my sticky notes that say, 'Things to do: 1. Breathe in. 2. Breathe out.'
29. Speaking of Pac-Man, what's your favorite 80's arcade game? (I later found out the creatrix of the quiz had likened staple removers to Pac-Man. It didn't come through on the one I received.)
Dig-Dug. Which my mother kept for years until she moved on to Super Nintendo. Unfortunately, by the time I finally got it back, my Atari computer had stopped working, and she'd given away hers. Fortunately you can get it online, and she gave me a Power Joy (not what you're thinking) that has 80 games on it, including Dig-Dug. So I think I may e-Bay my old Atari games.
30. Okay, I know it's been a while. Have your answers to questions 1 and 2 changed?
Yes. 1) A mother of one of our patients. 2) Faith Hill 'Somebody Else's Dream'
[Yep, I'm listening to vol. 2 of the semi-autobiographical CDs I burned during therapy, can you tell? It'll eventually get to Genesis, Staind, Kansas, Creed, Train, Dido, Garth Brooks, The Righteous Brothers, Eve 6, the Rolling Stones, The Police, Dixie Chicks, Lee Ann Womack, The Hooters, Uncle Kracker, Journey, and Louis Armstrong. Vol. 1 has of Simon & Garfunkel, Depeche Mode, Yes, The Cars, Pink Floyd, Abba, Martina McBride, Live, a-ha, Peter Gabriel, Paula Cole, Alannis Morissette, Loreena McKinnitt, Queen, The Turtles, etc.]
Apparently I am the only one of my co-workers (other than the woman who made it) who recognised Labyrinth, Wang Chung, and 'Another Postcard'. No one else really 'got' them. I don't know if that means I have a broader understanding of pop culture than I thought, or if she and I just think freakishly similarly. At least we differ on Rod Stewart.
Good to the last drop
I knew I was forgetting something, and in the wee hours of the morning, after blogging through insomnia and lying awake for a long time for more insomnia, I remembered it. This was the other thing I heard about during my 'weird funny stuff' day:
Two teens injured using a sledgehammer to extract gunpowder from shotgun shells and bullets to make homemade fireworks.
Okay, I'm sure, given their injuries, that they and their faimilies are probably not amused....
But you have to admit, it is evolution in action, worthy of a Darwin award (well, an honourable mention, anyway, since they were only injured). If I were a judge, I'd be tempted to sentence them to summer science classes. But that actually might make them far more dangerous, no?
By the way, what does it mean when you finally sleep and everything you dream involves India in some way? I haven't checked the news yet to see if anything stupendous happened there, but I had Indian flute players involved in intrigue (in Danville, no less), Indian hospital and culture centre for women along a lake oddly placed by Rose Street, and at some point Dwana was also Indian. Have no idea why that was.
Two teens injured using a sledgehammer to extract gunpowder from shotgun shells and bullets to make homemade fireworks.
Okay, I'm sure, given their injuries, that they and their faimilies are probably not amused....
But you have to admit, it is evolution in action, worthy of a Darwin award (well, an honourable mention, anyway, since they were only injured). If I were a judge, I'd be tempted to sentence them to summer science classes. But that actually might make them far more dangerous, no?
By the way, what does it mean when you finally sleep and everything you dream involves India in some way? I haven't checked the news yet to see if anything stupendous happened there, but I had Indian flute players involved in intrigue (in Danville, no less), Indian hospital and culture centre for women along a lake oddly placed by Rose Street, and at some point Dwana was also Indian. Have no idea why that was.
Every day has its humour
Today:
I'm sure there were more, but those are the ones that stick out. No matter what life gives you, you can look at it two ways: as an incredibly stress-wracked test you're never sure you'll pass, or material for one big monologue that shouldn't be taken too seriously. I prefer the latter, because it keeps me sane. If I can't find something funny about a day (and face it, even the smallest things can be an adventure, especially if Dwana and I are together), then you know I've sunk back into the depths of depression.
PS On a bit of a serious note, at some point today Dwana and I were talking about the paralysing, scary 'emotional storms' I used to have, the ones where I'd have to talk myself into holding out another 20 minutes without driving into a wall/slashing my wrists/something else stupid. She said they were a form of panic attack, and that does make a lot of sense--and explains why they got better with the Paxil, since that's one of the things it treats. Yay, Paxil. The odd thing is that I forgot to take it for probably a week (yes, I know, stupid...but it was an oops) and it was the week of PMS...and I felt fine. I'm thinking I might actually be able to go down in dose, although I'll probably not be off of it entirely, due to the OCD. But I did fine in crowds during the July 4th festivities, having panicked, haven't had too much trouble focusing, and only one mild headache as withdrawal, etc....although I have had trouble sleeping. Anyway, once I recognised my mistake (and transferred the medicine into one container as a reminder), I took it, and so I'm back on track. Still, maybe I've found other ways to cope with the anxiety issues with therapy and the non-depressed outlook on life. Hmmm...
- Listening to Bob & Sheri reruns getting ready this morning and being brought to a total halt listening to one of the world's only jazz bagpipers, Rufus Harley and a woman's description of the intricacies of dog dancing. (My brain cannot purge the picture of her wheeling a terrier out in a red wagon done up like the Titantic, with the terrier dressed in the famous necklace from the film, then taking a backflip off the bow.)
- Me: What's that on the salad bar? (Pointing at an intensely purple creamy dish).
Dwana: It looks like blueberry yoghurt. (Pause). Or Barney diarrhoea. (This made my day. I'll never be able to look at Barney or blueberry yoghurt again without thinking of Barney poop. Mind you, I had blueberry yoghurt for lunch, just the kind already in the cup.) And for those of you who may not know, Barney is an insipid purple dinosaur that toddlers love and adults hate. A lot. - A keychain for Dwana's stepfather (who calls most people freaks): 'Too many freaks, not enough circuses'.
- The sad commentary on a burgeoning population (in girth rather than number) in that the local gas station has ready-made sandwiches in a case with drinks on the top shelf, because of course people are too lazy to walk six feet to the drink case for a pop.
- Wrestling with a friend's alternate persona that specifically exists to let him sleep, with a complete conversation that he doesn't remember taking place, with Zul, the entity who never knows the capital of Bolivia, patently leading me astray so that I don't bother the Master.
- Brian & Sticky's dramatic radio theatre show where they read 'Rex Morgan, MD' (a soap opera comic with usually 2 or 3 frames, tops) each day. Today's challenge: audition Sticky for the part of the kid hanging on a cliff face without him using (in their words) the 'prison rape' voice. (Man, I'm going to get strange hits from search engines on that one).
I'm sure there were more, but those are the ones that stick out. No matter what life gives you, you can look at it two ways: as an incredibly stress-wracked test you're never sure you'll pass, or material for one big monologue that shouldn't be taken too seriously. I prefer the latter, because it keeps me sane. If I can't find something funny about a day (and face it, even the smallest things can be an adventure, especially if Dwana and I are together), then you know I've sunk back into the depths of depression.
PS On a bit of a serious note, at some point today Dwana and I were talking about the paralysing, scary 'emotional storms' I used to have, the ones where I'd have to talk myself into holding out another 20 minutes without driving into a wall/slashing my wrists/something else stupid. She said they were a form of panic attack, and that does make a lot of sense--and explains why they got better with the Paxil, since that's one of the things it treats. Yay, Paxil. The odd thing is that I forgot to take it for probably a week (yes, I know, stupid...but it was an oops) and it was the week of PMS...and I felt fine. I'm thinking I might actually be able to go down in dose, although I'll probably not be off of it entirely, due to the OCD. But I did fine in crowds during the July 4th festivities, having panicked, haven't had too much trouble focusing, and only one mild headache as withdrawal, etc....although I have had trouble sleeping. Anyway, once I recognised my mistake (and transferred the medicine into one container as a reminder), I took it, and so I'm back on track. Still, maybe I've found other ways to cope with the anxiety issues with therapy and the non-depressed outlook on life. Hmmm...
Well, drat
Despite carefully writing things down in my chequebook, I apparently was $4 off somewhere (being somewhat math challenged). However, this is a momentary setback. Fortunately I just got paid, but again, drat, because the back pay I'm supposed to be getting for my market increase doesn't seem to be included. Must check that out tomorrow.
Exciting new feature for Rabid Librarian fans
I have been inspired by Bubby, whose blog is a sort of question-and-answer format akin to advice columns. I was falling asleep last night, thinking of how to turn that to good use for a librarian, and came up with...
Dum, dum, dum.
Rabid Reference. Yes, this is your opportunity to ask a reference question of an information professional and have it published here. Do you know how often I've watched people in various libraries do anything short of hanging themselves in the rafters to not ask the nice librarian the very question burning in their hearts? I don't know if this is shyness, intimidation (strange that, like nuns, librarians are seen as unassuming, retiring, and intimidating all at once; it must be from those images of horn-rimmed harridans sneaking up in crepe soles). So I thought it would be nice to have someplace to go on the net where you can ask without having to endure this. I won't identify those asking a question with any names, etc. (feel free to supply an appropriate monniker). The e-mail for submissions is:
rabid.reference@gmail.com
Now...as to, as they say in Fairly Odd Parents, 'Da Rules'.
Okay, feel free to run amok! (Oh, gee, what have I let myself in for?)
Dum, dum, dum.
Rabid Reference. Yes, this is your opportunity to ask a reference question of an information professional and have it published here. Do you know how often I've watched people in various libraries do anything short of hanging themselves in the rafters to not ask the nice librarian the very question burning in their hearts? I don't know if this is shyness, intimidation (strange that, like nuns, librarians are seen as unassuming, retiring, and intimidating all at once; it must be from those images of horn-rimmed harridans sneaking up in crepe soles). So I thought it would be nice to have someplace to go on the net where you can ask without having to endure this. I won't identify those asking a question with any names, etc. (feel free to supply an appropriate monniker). The e-mail for submissions is:
rabid.reference@gmail.com
Now...as to, as they say in Fairly Odd Parents, 'Da Rules'.
- Your question must have an answer available through standard means (Internet, books, etc.) I obviously can't come up with the answer to what brand of underwear you wear unless I know you very, very well (and there are only about three of you out there I can claim that of). Also, I don't have access to lots of fancy schmancy databases. If it's in something free--like Medline, of stuff I can get as a Kentucky citizen through the Kentucky Virtual Library, fine. But if it is something I don't have access, but know how to get, I'll at least point you to where you can get it (like your public or university interlibrary loan).
- Please make sure you actually use a real e-mail address. I won't do anything beyond reply with the address, honest. But in librarianship we have this nifty magic thing called a reference interview. It allows us to find out what you really want/need, even if you don't really know yourself. Sometimes people ask the wrong question entirely. Sometimes they ask things like: what was the name of the red book I liked so much as a kid? Obviously more info is needed to give you a good answer.
- What we're talking about here is ready reference. This is the bulk of a reference desk's questions (more in-depth than 'where is the bathroom' but not providing the bulk of research for your thesis, which after all, you should be doing.) As in: fact, source, everybody's happy.
- The nice thing about this, though, is that reference questions are, by their nature, small bits of weirdness. Things that are totally off the wall to some are really, really important to others. I won't dismiss any request without reason, although given the fact that this isn't an X-rated site, I'll feel free to weed out any obviously lewd, spurious, or just plain annoying e-mails, as well as spam. On the other hand, if you have a drastic need to know what vulvodynia is, that's entirely legitimate. If the number stays manageable, I'll post them here. If not, I'll at least try to respond privately. Points will be given for particularly interesting topics or stumping the librarian (a rare thing, currently with only one person managing, of all things over the meaning of a surname...but hopefully a trip to the library will change that...I'm beginning to twich everytime I pass the name on a sign. Who knew it was so common here in Kentucky?--although apparently nowhere else!)
- It also means that if it's not something out there on the Net, then it will be indexed here for someone else searching.
Okay, feel free to run amok! (Oh, gee, what have I let myself in for?)
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Politickin'
Bubby called it: Kerry & Edwards
And, yes, until the Democratic Party officially makes its choice of candidates in the upcoming convention, I'm still supporting Dennis Kucinich, who people tend to forget is still running and has said that he will support whomever receives the party's nod. But I can live with a Kerry/Edwards ticket. A friend supported Edwards from the beginning, although now I think he's afraid the move may have lost Florida, which might have been salvaged by Graham.
Oh, well. I have it on good authority that Bush will win, but I'll still vote to oust him. I think at this point I'd pick Cthulhu if it would get rid of Bush, but apparently at some point even he has become the lesser evil.
And, yes, until the Democratic Party officially makes its choice of candidates in the upcoming convention, I'm still supporting Dennis Kucinich, who people tend to forget is still running and has said that he will support whomever receives the party's nod. But I can live with a Kerry/Edwards ticket. A friend supported Edwards from the beginning, although now I think he's afraid the move may have lost Florida, which might have been salvaged by Graham.
Oh, well. I have it on good authority that Bush will win, but I'll still vote to oust him. I think at this point I'd pick Cthulhu if it would get rid of Bush, but apparently at some point even he has become the lesser evil.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Fun with anagrammes
Internet Anagram Server / I, Rearrangement Servant : anagrams, wordplay, solve, crossword, transmogrify, pangram, shuffle, fun
I was using this for some evil in the game and put in my original name, got many anagrammes, the most hilarious being: A BASEBOARD TINKLY
The winner for my name now:
I HEAR AN EERIE ALABASTRINE OWL, RAH!
Go have some fun yourselves.
I was using this for some evil in the game and put in my original name, got many anagrammes, the most hilarious being: A BASEBOARD TINKLY
The winner for my name now:
I HEAR AN EERIE ALABASTRINE OWL, RAH!
Go have some fun yourselves.
So this is good news, I guess
Soldier who was kidnapped and said to be beheaded supposedly free, apparently under the condition that he not return to the military.
I don't know what stories to believe these days. But I do hope he's alive and well.
I don't know what stories to believe these days. But I do hope he's alive and well.
Monday, July 05, 2004
Oh, the fun of Cthulhu
Because of the holiday, we moved Sunday to Monday, meaning it was Game Day. No, not football--roleplaying. (Although just once I'd like to hear...CTHULHU...cthulhu...SUNDAY...sunday echo about).
The things you never have to deal with if you don't play a game embracing both Cthulhu mythos and World of Darkness:
Good news: Cecelia 'They're in the Sewers!' Halloran's intuition kicks in and realises that her half-brother has not been smashed into a propane tank to a fiery doom, but taking by the lord and master of great evil, Nyarlothotep.
Bad news: The forensics lab doesn't seem to see any reason to do DNA testing on a burnt-out corpse that's already been identified by dental records.
Good news: It helps to have another half-sibling (ah, that randy Lord Trevanian) who's a disenfranchised European princess, with enough money to buy the forensic lab enough equipment to make it worth their while. [Give me your wish list. If I can't pay for it, I'll ask Maman for an advance on my allowance.]
Good news: Brenda's beloved character Ash is not dead, despite dental record identification. Yay, DNA.
Bad news: Ash stuck his brain where he ought not (tried to read the mind of a kid who was a host for the Hunter in the Dark, an avatar of the Crawling Chaos himself, Nyarlothotep.) Note to gaming newbies: This. Is. Not. Good. In fact, it can be suicide. In this case, it might also get the rest of the world killed..
Good news: We might be able to stop the avatar, since the body of the creature can be killed.
Bad news: This means killing Brenda's beloved character Ash (and frankly, one of our favourites, too).
Good news: A Greater Elder Sign might do the trick to drive the evil out of him.
Bad news: Assuming we can get five Guardians near someone with Nyarlothotep's aura and the combined powers of a powerful psychic, Fianna, and Crawling Chaos. Without just being killed one by one. Oh, and without zorching the nice Guardian in the middle, since GESs always produce bizarre results when someone with an elder sign stands in the middle.
Good news: But maybe the Shining Trapezoidhedron can be used against him...and we have that, finally.
Bad news: We know it can be...we don't know how.
Bad news: Our friendly neighbourhood synthroid was also possessed, this time by an evil warlock who was lurking in the Internet and popped in when he plugged himself up to the computer. Gives a whole new meaning to antivirus issues.
Good news: Child of Gaia's ability to channel away energy attacks, including electricity (I'm not even sure which game system that's from, just glad my character is alive) means that she and her Bunyip coven mate don't both get zorched and have their necks broken by possessed synthroid.
Bad news: Ninja moves don't really work on synthroids with high Strength.
Good news: Hands of Grasping Earth does (yay, Ars Magica).
Bad news: CeCe will kill us if we break her synthroid boyfriend. You know the one from another dimension, the one she joined the mages for, the one she finally got back after accidentally blowing him up years ago because we didn't know the proper Latin commands?
Good news: CeCe called in the cavalry in terms of her fellow Glass Walkers, who could fix everything except the zorching from the family ghost, and that's coming along on its own.
Add that and the very strange case of taking an adolescent Deep One to his people and Innsmouth rather than handing him over to the mages to vivisect, and well, it was an odd game. And yes, I realise that unless you are playing our particular campaign this makes no sense whatsoever, except to those of you who at least know what Nyarlothotep, the Werewolf tribes (or in our case traditions, as they aren't actually werewolves), and Elder Signs are. Suffice to say, someone made a major oops and we're quite literally up the creek and heading for that post-Apocalyptic game our gamemaster has always wanted to run, and just narrowly missed losing 3 characters, 5 if you count the ones dodging the thugs with huge probosci who suck out your lungs.
Ah. Joy. When you've met every week for the most part of thirteen years to create an interactive story, it can get a little...complex. Welcome to a window on my main source of entertainment. The scary thing? This is not the oddest scenario we've ever had by any means. I'm still not sure which one fits that, although the Killer Clowns and the Ancient Midget Nazi Shamans are right up there.
The things you never have to deal with if you don't play a game embracing both Cthulhu mythos and World of Darkness:
Good news: Cecelia 'They're in the Sewers!' Halloran's intuition kicks in and realises that her half-brother has not been smashed into a propane tank to a fiery doom, but taking by the lord and master of great evil, Nyarlothotep.
Bad news: The forensics lab doesn't seem to see any reason to do DNA testing on a burnt-out corpse that's already been identified by dental records.
Good news: It helps to have another half-sibling (ah, that randy Lord Trevanian) who's a disenfranchised European princess, with enough money to buy the forensic lab enough equipment to make it worth their while. [Give me your wish list. If I can't pay for it, I'll ask Maman for an advance on my allowance.]
Good news: Brenda's beloved character Ash is not dead, despite dental record identification. Yay, DNA.
Bad news: Ash stuck his brain where he ought not (tried to read the mind of a kid who was a host for the Hunter in the Dark, an avatar of the Crawling Chaos himself, Nyarlothotep.) Note to gaming newbies: This. Is. Not. Good. In fact, it can be suicide. In this case, it might also get the rest of the world killed..
Good news: We might be able to stop the avatar, since the body of the creature can be killed.
Bad news: This means killing Brenda's beloved character Ash (and frankly, one of our favourites, too).
Good news: A Greater Elder Sign might do the trick to drive the evil out of him.
Bad news: Assuming we can get five Guardians near someone with Nyarlothotep's aura and the combined powers of a powerful psychic, Fianna, and Crawling Chaos. Without just being killed one by one. Oh, and without zorching the nice Guardian in the middle, since GESs always produce bizarre results when someone with an elder sign stands in the middle.
Good news: But maybe the Shining Trapezoidhedron can be used against him...and we have that, finally.
Bad news: We know it can be...we don't know how.
Bad news: Our friendly neighbourhood synthroid was also possessed, this time by an evil warlock who was lurking in the Internet and popped in when he plugged himself up to the computer. Gives a whole new meaning to antivirus issues.
Good news: Child of Gaia's ability to channel away energy attacks, including electricity (I'm not even sure which game system that's from, just glad my character is alive) means that she and her Bunyip coven mate don't both get zorched and have their necks broken by possessed synthroid.
Bad news: Ninja moves don't really work on synthroids with high Strength.
Good news: Hands of Grasping Earth does (yay, Ars Magica).
Bad news: CeCe will kill us if we break her synthroid boyfriend. You know the one from another dimension, the one she joined the mages for, the one she finally got back after accidentally blowing him up years ago because we didn't know the proper Latin commands?
Good news: CeCe called in the cavalry in terms of her fellow Glass Walkers, who could fix everything except the zorching from the family ghost, and that's coming along on its own.
Add that and the very strange case of taking an adolescent Deep One to his people and Innsmouth rather than handing him over to the mages to vivisect, and well, it was an odd game. And yes, I realise that unless you are playing our particular campaign this makes no sense whatsoever, except to those of you who at least know what Nyarlothotep, the Werewolf tribes (or in our case traditions, as they aren't actually werewolves), and Elder Signs are. Suffice to say, someone made a major oops and we're quite literally up the creek and heading for that post-Apocalyptic game our gamemaster has always wanted to run, and just narrowly missed losing 3 characters, 5 if you count the ones dodging the thugs with huge probosci who suck out your lungs.
Ah. Joy. When you've met every week for the most part of thirteen years to create an interactive story, it can get a little...complex. Welcome to a window on my main source of entertainment. The scary thing? This is not the oddest scenario we've ever had by any means. I'm still not sure which one fits that, although the Killer Clowns and the Ancient Midget Nazi Shamans are right up there.
Sunday, July 04, 2004
I'm excited
: Fireworks (Happy Birthday, America!)
: Muddled
about two upcoming events. First, Toby Lightman is playing at the Dame on Monday, July 12th. I've been wanting to go to a concert, get out, listen to music around other people (yeah, ain't Paxil wonderful?) and most of the Dame concerts are pretty reasonable ($12/evening, $3 late night). Plus, as a non-smoker living in the blessed indoor-smoke-free Lexington, I feel that I should go and check out places that, admittedly, are feeling the impact, and I have a reliable source that the Dame is one of the bars concerned with dropping revenue. Also, the Dame has become the spot to listen to a variety of live music in Lexington, carrying on the legacies of Lynagh's Music Club and the Wrocklage.
Now, I was looking into going, and the only thing stopping me was my need to conserve money and not, as one friend put it, spend it on magic beans. And I do really like Lightman's 'Devils and Angels', and her soul/rock sound. And I've heard good things about local band Mother Jane, which is also playing. So...you can imagine my delight when I found out that CD106.3 was sponsoring the concert and offering free tickets. I'm hoping I can get one on Tuesday, maybe see if N, J, or D might like to go, too.
The second thing is that the schedule for the Kentucky Theatre's Summer Classics Series includes one of my favourite movies--Auntie Mame. Since my passion is shared by quite a few of my friends, and there are a couple who haven't seen it but thought it would be worth seeing, several of us are going to go. None of us have seen it on the big screen. The Classics series movies are only $2.50. I'm tempted to go the week before, too, because they're showing To Kill a Mockingbird, another of my all-time favourites.
It occurred to me recently that despite a little more time and plenty of free or cheap things to do in the area (go to museums, historical tours, etc.) and my relative freedom from having a car this summer and some extra time due to the layoff, I really have not been taking advantage of my opportunities. Now that I have for the most part conquered my depression and anxiety, it's time I stopped living in the past and what I didn't ever get to do, and start doing the things I'd like to. I still have certain limiting factors--responsibilities such as work and pets, and trying to work within a limited budget, but there are things that I can treat myself to that are either free or at least much cheaper than a standard movie ticket.
Dwana was telling me we have an aviation museum here in Lexington (never heard of it), and I'm even tempted to go down to the children's museum even though I don't have a kid (do you think I could rent one?) UK's art museum is a great way to spend a summer Saturday. And the Shakespeare Festival is starting soon, and I at least want to see Jesus Christ, Superstar, which is one of my favourite musicals, especially as my friend Brenda has been working on the costumes, and perhaps The Tempest, which is one of my favourite of Shakespeare's plays.
If you know of other Lexington or area cultural or just plain fun places to go to, let me know. :)
PS Poor Cerys, she really, really wants to go out, but when I take her she turns around and scurries back down the hall to our door. She is having none of this boom-boom, crackle stuff of the fireworks. Now that she's older, and has cataracts, she seems to be more sensitive to really loud noises. I learned to stop taking her to the fireworks down at Idle Hour a couple of years ago--she'd just tremble. Now she's become afraid of thunderstorms, too. Poor puppy. Well, they'll die down eventually.
PPS Turns out that one of the women from Mother Jane is J's cousin, Beth, so she'd like to go. Yay!
The Web can make life murky for terrorists too
ABCNEWS.com : Group Denies Killing U.S. Marine Hostage, claiming that statements posted on websites in its name are false. The status of Hassoun, a US soldier of Lebanese heritage, is unclear. Here's hoping he's alive and well.
In the meantime, it shows that the Internet can be a two-edged sword, providing a means to spread terror and to spread misinformation that makes things so confusing it rather waters it down.
The same can be said for news. Ironically, there are things I've known of first because the stories broke online, yet it can be difficult to trust the veracity, and sometimes they make it into the traditional media unfiltered, so it's difficult to verify any story. Thankfully there are those out there who try to debunk hoaxes, but still, it's a difficult challenge to find the 'truth', one that has always existed in terms of the media and the bias of eyewitness accounts, but is magnified a thousand-fold in today's arena of instant information access.
In the meantime, it shows that the Internet can be a two-edged sword, providing a means to spread terror and to spread misinformation that makes things so confusing it rather waters it down.
The same can be said for news. Ironically, there are things I've known of first because the stories broke online, yet it can be difficult to trust the veracity, and sometimes they make it into the traditional media unfiltered, so it's difficult to verify any story. Thankfully there are those out there who try to debunk hoaxes, but still, it's a difficult challenge to find the 'truth', one that has always existed in terms of the media and the bias of eyewitness accounts, but is magnified a thousand-fold in today's arena of instant information access.
This is so true
Food Deserts make it difficult for the poor to find adequate nutrition
Until I moved a month and a half ago, I had spent seven years in food deserts, albeit urban ones. There are no groceries in downtown Lexington; the closest are between a mile and two from the city centre, and if you have no car, which I didn't for the most part, going to the grocery meant taking the bus (which has become increasingly unreliable of late), a cab (expensive here, where there has only recently been any taxi company competition), or walking (which usually meant a limit to what could be carried). Going to the local food co-op was even harder, because it is on a road not serviced by the buses, so I had to do a combination of both riding and walking. It could easily take me four hours for one grocery trip. For someone who was elderly, it would have been even more difficult. Thankfully, for the last three and a half years I did have access to some groceries at Walgreens, including soy milk even, but no produce. Prior to that, there was at least the Farmer's Market during part of the year. Ironically, I have a car now and that enabled me to move further out from my work and away from the other services I need, and because I am now in suburbia--but right off a main intersection, I live within a couple of blocks of a Kroger, a Wal-Mart, a library, and a hospital. (Since there's only one general hospital located away from the UK area, you can probably pinpoint my area within a half-mile or so.)
Of course, before I moved to Lexington, I'd lived in small towns with only one or two groceries max, and on or near Air Force bases where we'd do one monthly trip to the comissary.
I'm glad they're studying this, though; I think the way we do unplanned development really wreaks havoc on our communities' landscape and affects lives. New neighbourhoods really should be planned so that you can walk to the store or ride a bike; it's not just the convenience of fast food that leads to our epidemic obesity today; it's the fact that many people cannot safely go anywhere for necessities without getting into a car and driving there. Here in Lexington we have Hamburg Pavilion, the world's biggest strip mall, and you can't even walk from store to store without taking chances with your life...at some point they stopped going into the parking lots with the buses and I could just imagine some poor lady with a cane trying to deal with that.
We need sustainability community planning, with multi-use and diverse areas, one based on logic, not politics. I just don't know how to get cities to go for that. I do think we're heading towards it--the growth of the 50s through the 80s I think made many feel like they were fighting the Hydra. But I hope we can eventually get our communities back--and help everyone in the community access basic services by building for people--something that also should be good for business.
Until I moved a month and a half ago, I had spent seven years in food deserts, albeit urban ones. There are no groceries in downtown Lexington; the closest are between a mile and two from the city centre, and if you have no car, which I didn't for the most part, going to the grocery meant taking the bus (which has become increasingly unreliable of late), a cab (expensive here, where there has only recently been any taxi company competition), or walking (which usually meant a limit to what could be carried). Going to the local food co-op was even harder, because it is on a road not serviced by the buses, so I had to do a combination of both riding and walking. It could easily take me four hours for one grocery trip. For someone who was elderly, it would have been even more difficult. Thankfully, for the last three and a half years I did have access to some groceries at Walgreens, including soy milk even, but no produce. Prior to that, there was at least the Farmer's Market during part of the year. Ironically, I have a car now and that enabled me to move further out from my work and away from the other services I need, and because I am now in suburbia--but right off a main intersection, I live within a couple of blocks of a Kroger, a Wal-Mart, a library, and a hospital. (Since there's only one general hospital located away from the UK area, you can probably pinpoint my area within a half-mile or so.)
Of course, before I moved to Lexington, I'd lived in small towns with only one or two groceries max, and on or near Air Force bases where we'd do one monthly trip to the comissary.
I'm glad they're studying this, though; I think the way we do unplanned development really wreaks havoc on our communities' landscape and affects lives. New neighbourhoods really should be planned so that you can walk to the store or ride a bike; it's not just the convenience of fast food that leads to our epidemic obesity today; it's the fact that many people cannot safely go anywhere for necessities without getting into a car and driving there. Here in Lexington we have Hamburg Pavilion, the world's biggest strip mall, and you can't even walk from store to store without taking chances with your life...at some point they stopped going into the parking lots with the buses and I could just imagine some poor lady with a cane trying to deal with that.
We need sustainability community planning, with multi-use and diverse areas, one based on logic, not politics. I just don't know how to get cities to go for that. I do think we're heading towards it--the growth of the 50s through the 80s I think made many feel like they were fighting the Hydra. But I hope we can eventually get our communities back--and help everyone in the community access basic services by building for people--something that also should be good for business.
This shelter is in dire need of help
Pike County Animal Shelter has taken in over thirty animals from a local puppy mill and is trying to find room for the 70 or so others. The puppy mill had over a hundred dogs stacked in cages.
On tonight's newscast on WTVQ they broadcast pictures including a dog skeleton still tied to a tree, numerous dogs with hair loss and wounds, etc. So far the only online link I've been able to find is at the Appalachian News-Express.
On tonight's newscast on WTVQ they broadcast pictures including a dog skeleton still tied to a tree, numerous dogs with hair loss and wounds, etc. So far the only online link I've been able to find is at the Appalachian News-Express.
I don't get it
Muslim extremists often claim to be fighting the infidel. Although a US soldier, Wassef Ali Hassoun is also a Muslim with family in both the US and Lebanon. I know that you can't lump all Muslims together or lump Arabs, Persians, and various ethnic groups within Islam together. But somehow, I didn't expect this kind of crime. I hope it's a lie, and that the soldier is still very much alive, both for his own sake and for that of his family.
ABCNEWS.com : Iraq Militants Claim Marine Beheading
I know the beheadings are meant to shock. Certainly they are successful in that regard; those of us not involved in the conflict, not immersed in the culture of terror, no doubt feel as if we've stepped back in time to a less civilised world. And while atrocities are always part of war, we have increasingly widened the audience through instant media access in recent years. In tact, this is so much so, that frankly no matter how awful, every news story has an expiration date. The first beheading may have been shocking. After awhile, though, like anything else, they become statistics. No matter how empathetic--and many people are short of empathy, or we wouldn't have these crazy conflicts at all, people not directly involved move on with their lives. That's kind of tragic, too. Every American, Iraqi, and other nationality who has died in this conflict has a name, a family, a smile, a passion. It's criminal to forget that, and yet, for some its the way to cope.
All I can say is that I pray that this madness will end soon, that Iraq can become a stable and free country, that the deaths will end, and that there will be no more statistics.
Unfortunately, I think we're seeing on the tip of the iceberg.
ABCNEWS.com : Iraq Militants Claim Marine Beheading
I know the beheadings are meant to shock. Certainly they are successful in that regard; those of us not involved in the conflict, not immersed in the culture of terror, no doubt feel as if we've stepped back in time to a less civilised world. And while atrocities are always part of war, we have increasingly widened the audience through instant media access in recent years. In tact, this is so much so, that frankly no matter how awful, every news story has an expiration date. The first beheading may have been shocking. After awhile, though, like anything else, they become statistics. No matter how empathetic--and many people are short of empathy, or we wouldn't have these crazy conflicts at all, people not directly involved move on with their lives. That's kind of tragic, too. Every American, Iraqi, and other nationality who has died in this conflict has a name, a family, a smile, a passion. It's criminal to forget that, and yet, for some its the way to cope.
All I can say is that I pray that this madness will end soon, that Iraq can become a stable and free country, that the deaths will end, and that there will be no more statistics.
Unfortunately, I think we're seeing on the tip of the iceberg.
Saturday, July 03, 2004
I have always found this actor creepy
Now I know why...
Jeffrey Jones, the principal from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, dad from Beetlejuice, and Rev. Steenwyck from Sleepy Hollow has been charged with failing to update his address in a sex offender registry, a condition of his probation after pleading no contest last year for having a 14-year-old boy pose for sexually explicit photos.
Interestingly, there is someone who used to be in my life that he has always reminded me of, someone else who I believe was sexually inappropriate with a child--me--whom the neighbourhood kids were afraid of, and he's the same age as this man. Unfortunately, I don't have much in the way of concrete memories; so much of my childhood is a blank--a coping mechanism that no doubt helped at the time but is maddening now, and I puzzled it more together based on circumstantial rather than concrete evidence, so I'm not sure I'll ever be confident enough to yes, without a doubt, I know this to be fact. But it is the only thing that makes sense when you put the puzzle pieces together, and it explains some of the emotional reactions and flashbacks I've had. Still, I can't trust my own memories, and I was so isolated as a child, I doubt I could find anyone to corroborate.
Still, if I sometimes seemed overly concerned about child abuse--especially for someone who is childless, with any abuse, with the erosion of self-esteem and the trials of mental illness, it's the reason. Other than a few dear friends and my therapist, I've never shared that belief. It is incontravertable that I was a emotionally neglected child without much in terms of stimuli to nurture my social and cultural development, and one that did experience emotional and verbal abuse that left me insecure and believing that I could only fail. And I know there were circumstances that led to that, the personal weaknesses, and the lack of parental models involved, and I can forgive those failings. Those experiences are corroborated. I can remember those much more clearly. I have access to adults who can remember; I've talked to them over the years and they, too, realise now how skewed things were. Nor did it help that my experiences set me up for my one and only disasterous relationship. Maybe, just maybe, the emotional abuse was severe enough to explain some of the issues I've had since. I do know for certain that I was molested--my doubt concerns the perpetrator. I know who I react to emotionally, who had access, who the most logical suspects were, and can weigh the case. I sometimes wonder if it were muddied by more than one abuser...I know of one person who was caught attempting to do it at least once, and yes, I do react with strong negative emotions to him, but it pales compared to some of my other reactions. I may never know the truth, but more importantly, I recognise the wound exists, so I'm trying to work to heal it a little at a time through my relationships and let people in a little more each day, with the idea that someday I might be able to trust enough for a loving, intimate relationship.
Jeffrey Jones, the principal from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, dad from Beetlejuice, and Rev. Steenwyck from Sleepy Hollow has been charged with failing to update his address in a sex offender registry, a condition of his probation after pleading no contest last year for having a 14-year-old boy pose for sexually explicit photos.
Interestingly, there is someone who used to be in my life that he has always reminded me of, someone else who I believe was sexually inappropriate with a child--me--whom the neighbourhood kids were afraid of, and he's the same age as this man. Unfortunately, I don't have much in the way of concrete memories; so much of my childhood is a blank--a coping mechanism that no doubt helped at the time but is maddening now, and I puzzled it more together based on circumstantial rather than concrete evidence, so I'm not sure I'll ever be confident enough to yes, without a doubt, I know this to be fact. But it is the only thing that makes sense when you put the puzzle pieces together, and it explains some of the emotional reactions and flashbacks I've had. Still, I can't trust my own memories, and I was so isolated as a child, I doubt I could find anyone to corroborate.
Still, if I sometimes seemed overly concerned about child abuse--especially for someone who is childless, with any abuse, with the erosion of self-esteem and the trials of mental illness, it's the reason. Other than a few dear friends and my therapist, I've never shared that belief. It is incontravertable that I was a emotionally neglected child without much in terms of stimuli to nurture my social and cultural development, and one that did experience emotional and verbal abuse that left me insecure and believing that I could only fail. And I know there were circumstances that led to that, the personal weaknesses, and the lack of parental models involved, and I can forgive those failings. Those experiences are corroborated. I can remember those much more clearly. I have access to adults who can remember; I've talked to them over the years and they, too, realise now how skewed things were. Nor did it help that my experiences set me up for my one and only disasterous relationship. Maybe, just maybe, the emotional abuse was severe enough to explain some of the issues I've had since. I do know for certain that I was molested--my doubt concerns the perpetrator. I know who I react to emotionally, who had access, who the most logical suspects were, and can weigh the case. I sometimes wonder if it were muddied by more than one abuser...I know of one person who was caught attempting to do it at least once, and yes, I do react with strong negative emotions to him, but it pales compared to some of my other reactions. I may never know the truth, but more importantly, I recognise the wound exists, so I'm trying to work to heal it a little at a time through my relationships and let people in a little more each day, with the idea that someday I might be able to trust enough for a loving, intimate relationship.
Friday, July 02, 2004
I finally got to read The Da Vinci Code today
Just finished it as I didn't want to put it down and come back to it later. Fortunately I'm off tomorrow, so it was okay to stay up late reading.
The book was well done. I can see why it's causing people fits. At times I was afraid it would get a little pedantic with a compensatory ascension of the feminine, but it actually maintained a good balance, and also had a good balance of intrigue and action. Just as things have gone off-kilter over the centuries towards the male side of things, people tend to overcompensate and go on about women, matrilinealism, matriarchy, and peace like they're all one thing and all good, even when there's no evidence or conflicting evidence, and that's just as annoying. I do love a well-crafted story that comes out seeming...whole, almost perfectly spherical. It was also well-paced.
Gratifyingly, my education, esoteric interests, and willingness to test conspiracy therories left me in good stead; there were a few specific things I had not heard of (such as a supposed pentacular transit of Venus (well, kind of, click for a better explanation) or the smack-of-revisionist-sex-in-the-Holy-of-Holies (yes, there are pagan roots in Judaism, as in other religions, and ritual sex was practiced in pagan temples in Israel, but the closest to that I've come across is the admittedly, propagandised story of Christ driving out those who camped out at the Temple, but no mention of it as a regular practice in an area of the few people were supposed to go near...certainly not women who might be menstruating.) Check out this site for some objections that aren't rejecting the book out of hand, justing pointing out some inaccuracies.
He has certainly presented a fairly coherent assortment of facts and theories in a solid fictional format, although I suppose there are people who would like to pretend it's all fact. I tend to not take fiction too seriously; the point is, was the story believable as presented, rather than true? I think he did well at engendering a buy-in to his story. I stayed ahead of the game (by just enough to feel smug, without getting bored) and still managed to have a few small surprises not so much in terms of the puzzles, but in terms of the characters. Some of the the symbolism with which I am familiar is ignored in favour of Brown's core masculine/feminine dichotomy, but in retrospect it would have been easy to distract readers by going off on symbolic tangents. Sometimes I think the symbolism is handled a little too simplistically, but again, Brown shows the danger of seeing too cryptic of meaning in everything. Sometimes, as Freud would say, a cigar really is a cigar. On the other hand, the complexity in terms of the Sangreal has been simplified to a duality that is misleading. Still, other books are mentioned to point to the more complex sacred bloodlines and possible symbolic connotations, if people are interested in pursuing it.
A group to which I belong discussed Holy Blood, Holy Grail and related texts years ago when they first came on the scene, and I was glad that Brown built on the concepts without simply choosing to reveal their secrets as some sort of climax. Rather, it is not so much the what, as the meaning, that becomes important in the story.
For a student of languages, art history, humanities, and religious symbolism, this was a very gratifying story. It reminds me much of Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose's handling of philosophy in that regard. Brown does a good job of explaining everything from phrases, beliefs, customs, and art for those unfamiliar with the terms. I have to admit, I still have my failings, having not been exposed much to art or culture until I was an adult, but I'm quite happy to apparently have made up for that under the tutelage of a mentor, along with my studies in school. I'm feeling rather civilised at the moment, which is pretty decent for someone who has trouble remembering the names of Classical music standards. :) Granted, I'm sure there are people who will decide that because many of the building blocks of the story exist either as physical realities, academic interpretations, or popular theories, that it is literal fact. But I think most people should know better.
I'm also glad that while much of the book casts the Church in a somewhat bad light--and certainly subject to manipulation, which is certainly historically true--things are resolved to a point where fanaticism, greed, and power are seen as the true corrupters. The Church has always been a conglomeration of human making, and hence suffers from human failings, just as any other organisation. One might also say as much about the Priory of Sion and the police in the story. Brown points out that while truth is to be pursued, it can also be dangerous, and that for some, faith--even misplaced faith, may be what sustains them. The whole history of the occult and secret societies has always maintained that some who are worthy seek--and find--the truth, but that often the truth must be obscured from the mundane because many are not ready for reality, and that the truth itself represents something sacred to be protected from mundanity. Ironically, many may question that sense of reality from reading this book, but many more will dismiss it as fiction, and reject what truths may lie in its pages. So the story--and the book itself--reflect a sort of microcosm/macrocosm that Da Vinci would definitely have appreciated. :) I guess the best thing, though, is that people are enjoying it and it's getting them to think about their own beliefs, which is a plus.
The book was well done. I can see why it's causing people fits. At times I was afraid it would get a little pedantic with a compensatory ascension of the feminine, but it actually maintained a good balance, and also had a good balance of intrigue and action. Just as things have gone off-kilter over the centuries towards the male side of things, people tend to overcompensate and go on about women, matrilinealism, matriarchy, and peace like they're all one thing and all good, even when there's no evidence or conflicting evidence, and that's just as annoying. I do love a well-crafted story that comes out seeming...whole, almost perfectly spherical. It was also well-paced.
Gratifyingly, my education, esoteric interests, and willingness to test conspiracy therories left me in good stead; there were a few specific things I had not heard of (such as a supposed pentacular transit of Venus (well, kind of, click for a better explanation) or the smack-of-revisionist-sex-in-the-Holy-of-Holies (yes, there are pagan roots in Judaism, as in other religions, and ritual sex was practiced in pagan temples in Israel, but the closest to that I've come across is the admittedly, propagandised story of Christ driving out those who camped out at the Temple, but no mention of it as a regular practice in an area of the few people were supposed to go near...certainly not women who might be menstruating.) Check out this site for some objections that aren't rejecting the book out of hand, justing pointing out some inaccuracies.
He has certainly presented a fairly coherent assortment of facts and theories in a solid fictional format, although I suppose there are people who would like to pretend it's all fact. I tend to not take fiction too seriously; the point is, was the story believable as presented, rather than true? I think he did well at engendering a buy-in to his story. I stayed ahead of the game (by just enough to feel smug, without getting bored) and still managed to have a few small surprises not so much in terms of the puzzles, but in terms of the characters. Some of the the symbolism with which I am familiar is ignored in favour of Brown's core masculine/feminine dichotomy, but in retrospect it would have been easy to distract readers by going off on symbolic tangents. Sometimes I think the symbolism is handled a little too simplistically, but again, Brown shows the danger of seeing too cryptic of meaning in everything. Sometimes, as Freud would say, a cigar really is a cigar. On the other hand, the complexity in terms of the Sangreal has been simplified to a duality that is misleading. Still, other books are mentioned to point to the more complex sacred bloodlines and possible symbolic connotations, if people are interested in pursuing it.
A group to which I belong discussed Holy Blood, Holy Grail and related texts years ago when they first came on the scene, and I was glad that Brown built on the concepts without simply choosing to reveal their secrets as some sort of climax. Rather, it is not so much the what, as the meaning, that becomes important in the story.
For a student of languages, art history, humanities, and religious symbolism, this was a very gratifying story. It reminds me much of Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose's handling of philosophy in that regard. Brown does a good job of explaining everything from phrases, beliefs, customs, and art for those unfamiliar with the terms. I have to admit, I still have my failings, having not been exposed much to art or culture until I was an adult, but I'm quite happy to apparently have made up for that under the tutelage of a mentor, along with my studies in school. I'm feeling rather civilised at the moment, which is pretty decent for someone who has trouble remembering the names of Classical music standards. :) Granted, I'm sure there are people who will decide that because many of the building blocks of the story exist either as physical realities, academic interpretations, or popular theories, that it is literal fact. But I think most people should know better.
I'm also glad that while much of the book casts the Church in a somewhat bad light--and certainly subject to manipulation, which is certainly historically true--things are resolved to a point where fanaticism, greed, and power are seen as the true corrupters. The Church has always been a conglomeration of human making, and hence suffers from human failings, just as any other organisation. One might also say as much about the Priory of Sion and the police in the story. Brown points out that while truth is to be pursued, it can also be dangerous, and that for some, faith--even misplaced faith, may be what sustains them. The whole history of the occult and secret societies has always maintained that some who are worthy seek--and find--the truth, but that often the truth must be obscured from the mundane because many are not ready for reality, and that the truth itself represents something sacred to be protected from mundanity. Ironically, many may question that sense of reality from reading this book, but many more will dismiss it as fiction, and reject what truths may lie in its pages. So the story--and the book itself--reflect a sort of microcosm/macrocosm that Da Vinci would definitely have appreciated. :) I guess the best thing, though, is that people are enjoying it and it's getting them to think about their own beliefs, which is a plus.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Someone please adopt this cat
How could you not love those moustaches? I'd have to call him Poirot.
He's a beautiful cat, and looks like he has a sweet disposition. Unfortunately, I am at my kitty limit. But maybe someone else will see this and give him a good home? He's at the
He's a beautiful cat, and looks like he has a sweet disposition. Unfortunately, I am at my kitty limit. But maybe someone else will see this and give him a good home? He's at the
Shelby County Humane Society
Shelbyville, KY
(502)633-4033
critterkeepers@msn.com
Good news!
The hospital has decided I don't get paid enough. I'm getting a market raise. It took them a little longer to get salary survey data for my position than the others, too, so they're going to backdate it to April 11th, and this next paycheque will be a little bigger as a result. That, coupled with the recent surprise raise (we didn't think we were going to have one at all) takes me from $13.37/hour to $14.05/hour.
Yeah, I know. It's really quite pathetic for a professional position, but hey, it's five dollars an hour more than when I took the position seven years ago. That's not too bad.
Meanwhile, it's payday at the station and when I opened my envelope today I found that I'd gotten a 5% raise, from $7.00/hour to $7.35. I can also increase my hours. I theoretically can work up to 100 hours per month, although I'm not sure there's enough work to support that much. But there's quite a bit that can be done on the web galleries, and once school starts back, there will be more modules to do. Maybe together I can make a living until I can find a full-time library job. I pretty much am at the end of my resources; my mom can't continue to help me financially, and my friends are as habitually poor as I am. But I do feel like I'm coming out of a very low spot in life. I'm just glad that it didn't hit me a couple of years ago, when I was depressed and at a breaking point. I have no doubt that I would have either been hospitalised or just tried to end it all if that had happen; as it was I had some scary, and thankfully, brief periods where I was suicidal. I'm glad I was able to recover the resiliency I needed before this happened. And at least now I have a wider network of emotional support and people willing to help.
This, coupled with the fact that I have a positive bank balance (thanks to my mom and two paydays) for the first time since March--I'm not exaggerating, and yes, a good part of that was my own part, although that's also when I lost the unemployment, is really quite a good thing. I'm being very careful with my spending to stretch things out, but maybe things are looking up. Just having the cheaper apartment is helping tremendously--that's a savings of nearly $150 a month, and it's hard to find a nice apartment in a quiet, safe area for $420/month around here, so I was lucky.
The more financially stable I am, the less stressed I am. I once had a therapist say my main problem was that I didn't make enough to live off of. Well, there were a lot of other issues, but part of it is that when I feel as if I literally won't have a meal/place to live/gas to drive, etc., I start to panic. If I don't feel threatened--even if I don't have much, but just enough--then I don't really spend any money and it starts to add up. Okay, it's a little psycho, but not all that unusual, I think. I've had some rather bad luck on top of my rocky learning curve, too--getting laid off when I finally reached a point where I was just above scraping by is an example.
But thank you all for your encouragement and listening to me bemoan my existence occasionally. I thought I'd share some happy news for a change.
Yeah, I know. It's really quite pathetic for a professional position, but hey, it's five dollars an hour more than when I took the position seven years ago. That's not too bad.
Meanwhile, it's payday at the station and when I opened my envelope today I found that I'd gotten a 5% raise, from $7.00/hour to $7.35. I can also increase my hours. I theoretically can work up to 100 hours per month, although I'm not sure there's enough work to support that much. But there's quite a bit that can be done on the web galleries, and once school starts back, there will be more modules to do. Maybe together I can make a living until I can find a full-time library job. I pretty much am at the end of my resources; my mom can't continue to help me financially, and my friends are as habitually poor as I am. But I do feel like I'm coming out of a very low spot in life. I'm just glad that it didn't hit me a couple of years ago, when I was depressed and at a breaking point. I have no doubt that I would have either been hospitalised or just tried to end it all if that had happen; as it was I had some scary, and thankfully, brief periods where I was suicidal. I'm glad I was able to recover the resiliency I needed before this happened. And at least now I have a wider network of emotional support and people willing to help.
This, coupled with the fact that I have a positive bank balance (thanks to my mom and two paydays) for the first time since March--I'm not exaggerating, and yes, a good part of that was my own part, although that's also when I lost the unemployment, is really quite a good thing. I'm being very careful with my spending to stretch things out, but maybe things are looking up. Just having the cheaper apartment is helping tremendously--that's a savings of nearly $150 a month, and it's hard to find a nice apartment in a quiet, safe area for $420/month around here, so I was lucky.
The more financially stable I am, the less stressed I am. I once had a therapist say my main problem was that I didn't make enough to live off of. Well, there were a lot of other issues, but part of it is that when I feel as if I literally won't have a meal/place to live/gas to drive, etc., I start to panic. If I don't feel threatened--even if I don't have much, but just enough--then I don't really spend any money and it starts to add up. Okay, it's a little psycho, but not all that unusual, I think. I've had some rather bad luck on top of my rocky learning curve, too--getting laid off when I finally reached a point where I was just above scraping by is an example.
But thank you all for your encouragement and listening to me bemoan my existence occasionally. I thought I'd share some happy news for a change.
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